Here are six quick-hit thoughts on Texas’s 24-21 win over Ohio State in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl:
1. Quan Cosby was Texas’s MVP, not Colt McCoy
No disrespect to McCoy (41 of 58, 414 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INTs) because he was excellent, but the Longhorns’ true MVP was wideout Quan Cosby. Texas’s offense is predicated on short timing routes in which McCoy gets the ball out of his hands quickly and the wideouts getting up the field. McCoy did his job because he was outstanding in getting the ball out of his hands quickly (especially in the second half), but he doesn’t rack up over 400 yards if his receivers don’t make plays after the catch. And considering he hauled in 14 receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns (including the 26-yard game winner with just 16 seconds remaining in the game), Crosby certainly made his fair share of plays. He also threw a key block to spring McCoy for a 14-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter that provided a spark for a UT offense that was dominated in the first half.
2. Terrelle Pryor is a special player, but he’s incredibly raw.
There’s no doubt that Pryor is a special player and it’s easy to see why he was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. But he’s got a long way to go before he’s a complete player. The way he evaded defenders to the tune of 73 rushing yards was impressive, especially with how many tackles he broke. And his touchdown catch to put the Buckeyes within two with just over seven minutes to go in the game was a thing of beauty. But how many times did he run out of bounds in the first half when he had at least 3-5 yards more that he could have gained? The one run were he went out of bounds when he could have easily picked up a first down clearly showed his lack of awareness. He also has a ton of work to do with his footwork when passing, because several of his attempts (including one on a 2pt conversion) fell short because he never set his feet. He uses his arm too much and Jim Tressel and the OSU coaching staff will certainly have to get the kid to learn how to drive his legs into his throws or he’ll wind up throwing plenty of interceptions before his career is finished. That said, he’s a phenomenal athlete and considering he’s only a freshman, he had quite a year. OSU has a special player on its hands and he’s already showed that he’s committed to becoming a better quarterback. I love his attitude.
3. Not reaching the end zone in the first half doomed OSU
The Buckeyes really missed a golden opportunity to head into halftime with a double-digit lead, but they couldn’t get into the end zone in the first half. Texas couldn’t stop Beanie Wells’ in the first half and OSU was moving the ball effectively down the field. But twice they had to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns and it doomed them down the stretch. They essentially couldn’t capitalize on how well their defense played in the first half and it doomed them down the stretch. If OSU takes a 14-3 lead into halftime, the second half obviously plays out much differently than it did and the Buckeyes probably take home the win.
4. Jim Tressel’s use of both Pryor and Todd Boeckman was excellent.
Forget the fact that both Pryor and Boeckman had major contributions in OSU’s victory. Where Tressell’s idea to use both quarterbacks really came into play was at the beginning of the game. He knew the freshman Pryor would have some jitters playing in his first bowl game, so he didn’t line him under center, but split him out wide as a receiver. What the play did was show Texas a formation they weren’t entirely prepared for, allowed Pryor to get the blood flowing without having to take a snap, and got both quarterbacks involved early in the game plan. Great idea.
5. Texas needed more from their running game.
Colt McCoy didn’t put up Colt McCoy-type numbers, but he certainly did more than enough in the passing game to beat Ohio State. But what really hurt the Longhorns was the fact that they couldn’t get a consistent running game going. The Buckeyes did a fantastic job of keeping McCoy (UT’s leading rusher this season) contained and forcing the Longhorns to run the ball more conventionally, which isn’t their style. Obviously it didn’t matter in the end because McCoy and the passing game saved them, but the Horns could have pointed to their lack of running game as one of the reasons for defeat if they had lost.
6. First down or no first down?
Many OSU fans are going to talk about the first down that was awarded to Texas on a 4th and 2 with under a minute to play. In full speed, it looked like the Longhorn receiver’s forward progress got him the first down but it was close on the replay. There’s definitely an argument to be made that he was stopped short, which would have given OSU a win.
6.5 Who in the name of everything right in this world was that blond standing next to Colt McCoy’s parents?
Holy crap. They couldn’t show her enough…
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