Run keys Red River Rivalry

By John Hillman  |   Thursday, October 09, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Texas Longhorns
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article!

Both Darrell Royal and Bud Wilkinson preached its importance. Those legendary Texas and Oklahoma coaches preferred running to passing, and the overland route could determine Saturday’s winner in the Red River Rivalry.

Commentary: Although the Longhorns have rolled through five opponents this season, their ground game has sputtered. Quarterback Colt McCoy, who sports an impressive 7.0 yards per carry average, leads all Texas rushers with 317 yards on 45 attempts. But the Horns’ Big XII title hopes hinge on his passing arm rather than his legs.

Longhorn running backs Cody Johnson, Vondrell McGee and Chris Ogbonnaya have shown flashes of talent, but they haven't produced consistently. Johnson paced Texas with 57 yards against Rice, McGee led the Florida Atlantic contest with 63 yards and seldom-used senior Ogbonnaya turned in a career-high 71 yards versus Colorado.

In preseason, Foswhitt “Fuzzy” Whittaker figured to be in the running back mix and gained 72 yards against UTEP. But the redshirt freshman suffered bruised ligaments in the contest and has not played in the last three games.

Like Texas, Oklahoma’s offense has been geared toward the air rather than the ground. Sam Bradford’s 2008 passing stats have bordered on the unbelievable.

But OU can run the ball as well. DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown provide the Sooners a solid one-two ground punch with Murray totaling 443 yards and Brown accumulating 313 yards in OU’s first five games.

But last season’s broken kneecap appears to have slowed Murray down this year. Outside of three long runs against Tennessee-Chattanooga, the sophomore doesn’t have a carry for more than 14 yards this season.

Over the years, unlikely heroes have emerged in this annual extravaganza. If Johnson, McGee or Ogbonnaya led the way for the Horns, or Murray or Brown run rampant for the Sooners, their stellar performances should ensure a victory for their respective teams. But if either running game fizzles, the burden falls to quarterbacks McCoy and Bradford.

Fan pulse: Texas fans know their team must run the ball to keep Oklahoma honest on defense. Otherwise, McCoy faces a long day at the Cotton Bowl. Here’s a link to their thoughts. http://www.burntorangenation.com/2008/10/7/630334/biggest-concerns-our-own-t.

Injury report: The Longhorns enter the Red River Rivalry with an assortment of bumps and bruises. A bad ankle slows wide receiver Montre Webber; a neck injury makes tight end Ian Harris questionable; a sore hip bothers offensive lineman Buck Burnette; and a bum knee limits Whittaker.
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article! (0)

About John Hillman

John Hillman graduated from Baylor University in 1974 with a BBA in accounting and earned an MBA from Baylor in 1987. He worked for accounting firms until 1982 when he became the chief financial officer for an independent insurance claims adjusting service, a position he still holds today. ...
read more
Article Tools Share!   |  RSS  |  Bleacher Report About Bleacher Report