Texas just never changes, do they?

selmaborntidefan said:

When you see them actually touch the ref, get back with me. Strong did. Now, we can argue that it was the ref's fault, but at some point I guess I have to get it off my chest:

Why do so many fans rant and rave against officials making mistakes - oftentimes one or at most two - but overlook every single mistake made in the game by their own players and coaches that have the game close in the first place? Teams will turn the ball (or the punter will drop a snap deep in his own territory) - and the fans will ignore that and blame the refs.

I look at the game stats and see that Texas had all of 11 first downs and 295 total yards while giving up almost 400. I surmise that if OSU had not turned the ball over three times, the game is not even close. (In a related story, Texas got flagged for 158 yards in penalties).

Against Notre Dame, they had nine first downs and 163 total yards and got flagged for 50 yards in penalties.

Against Rice, they had 11 first downs and 277 total yards and got flagged for 42 yards in penalties.

Against Cal, they ran up 650 yards of offense and had 2 turnovers and lost on a missed PAT. Btw - they got flagged for yet another 93 yards in penalties, and I don't recall a single word being uttered about it. I doubt that was a Big 12 crew that flagged them for 93 yards of penalties against Cal.

It seems to me Texas has a problem with penalties regardless of who is calling the game.

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CrimsonForce said:

Texas. 1-4 after this weekend.

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tidegrandpa said:

In the Austin American Statesman today

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CrimsonForce said:

Texas. 1-4 after this weekend.

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deliveryman35 said:

At what point do they start looking at Charlie Strong is my question.

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Charlie Strong never claimed to be right about everything. He didn’t ask to be absolved of every mistake he’d made, or demand special treatment. But in this instance, the truth was on his side, and all he wanted was for someone to listen.

The linesman threw his penalty flag instead.

That moment late in Texas’ loss to Oklahoma State last Saturday wasn’t the only time during his Longhorns’ tenure Strong’s message has been misconstrued. Often lately he’s talked about how his program is “close” to being where it needs to be. When he does, he’s accused of rationalizing, or of making excuses.

But neither he nor his staff ever claimed “close” is acceptable.

“Close gets you beat,” UT defensive coordinator Vance Bedford said Wednesday.

He’s right. Thanks to a couple of bad breaks, unfortunate errors and one of the country’s toughest schedules, “close” has left the Longhorns 1-3, with the possibility of 1-5 staring them in the face. No UT team since 1956 has held a record that terrible.

But in this instance, the truth is again on Strong’s side, and it should be obvious to anyone willing to listen:

“Close” might get Strong beat, but it’s not going to get him fired this year.

It doesn’t matter how many linesmen overreact. It doesn’t matter how many national-TV pundits go crazy and call Strong a “loser,” as one did this week. It doesn’t matter how many “fans” write letters to sports writers saying they want UT to keep losing this season so Strong will leave.

Let’s nip that nonsense in the bud. The athletic department that won’t even cough up a measly $600,000 to get an assistant coach out of an embarrassing lawsuit with a Big 12 rival isn’t going to eat the $15.9 million remaining on Strong’s contract to get rid of him after only two years.

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