The NCAA National Championship was in the cards for the Texas Longhorns and head coach Mack Brown in 2005. They won a number of big games and crushed opponents outscoring them by 33 PPG average and a total of 50 PPG average offensively. Their defense allowed a ridiculously low 16 PPG average and had the best special teams unit in college football.
First team All American quarterback Vince Young was lost to the NFL this year but 13 others are back for another dose. None of the quarterbacks have ever made a pass at the collegiate level so it is expected that the scoring will drop for the Longhorns. To compensate, the Texas Longhorns return one of the best offensive lines in NCAA college football and a running back unit drenched with talent. The running game will be a great option until the new field general finds his sweet spot.
2005 was good defensively as they only gave up 303 YPG and had an outstanding defensive YPP average of 18.4. Lots of recruits are coming in on the defensive end along with seven returning players. Both kickers are gone this year but the 2002 #4 punter in the nation, kicker Greg Johnson, will be picking up with the Longhorns what he left at Vanderbilt.
The Texas Longhorns have won at least nine games every season that Mack Brown has been coaching dating back seven years. The schedule is not as tough as it should be for the National Champion. A BCS bowl appearance is possible as long as they take care of Oklahoma and Ohio State.
