Texas Hold 'Em...
The 2006 Rose Bowl was to be historic. We knew that. USC fans swore we'd see a threepeat. Texas fans knew differently.
We knew we'd see Matt Leinart throw for yardage. We knew Reggie Bush would show his athleticism, and Vince Young would confuse the USC defense.
What we saw was the greatest National Championship, won with the greatest performance by an individual you'll see in college football, and possibly in sports.
Vince Young showed the world, and especially all his doubters, why he's the best in the game right now. Don't believe me? You should. He just beat the best, and did it almost single-handedly.
Before this season, I doubted him. When he took over the helm of the Texas Longhorns, I thought he was simply another running quarterback who couldn't pass the ball, and certainly never dreamed he'd give us last minute come-from-behind victories. Over the span of two seasons, I watched a young man grow and mature into many things, including: a passer, a scrambler, a clock manager, a field general, a leader, and a clutch performer before my very eyes.
Today, we only need one thing to describe Vince Young: champion!
With 6:42 left in the game, Dwayne Jarrett scored a touchdown, putting USC up by 12, and instantly sucked the life out of the UT defense. Two players were down, one with a broken arm. On the sideline, some Texas players finally began to show signs of demise, but it was not to be. Our generation's Captain Comeback was leading the offense.
At this point, I turned to my girlfriend and said, "This is when Vince Young takes care of business." Every other Texas fan did the same thing.
After five passes and a 17-yard Vince Young sprint, Texas was within five points with 4:03 left to play. Wanna see a defense come back to life?
One stop was what Texas needed, and one stop they got. With 2:13 seconds left to play, Mack Brown told his defense, "You stop this fourth-down play, we're going to win the national championship." At this point, the Longhorns played their own version of Texas Hold 'Em.
Here's the extraordinary part: the defensive play called was a blitz that did not include Longhorn safety Michael Huff, but he went anyway -- and made the stop.
At this point, we knew. On fourth-and-five with 19 seconds left, it happened, and Texas would cement its place in history.
Maybe people will finally begin to give Mack Brown the credit he's due. He's brought the first National Championship to Texas in almost 40 years, has shown an ability to adapt to different styles by athletes, and -- get this -- since he began coaching the Longhorns in 1998, he has more wins than any other coach in college football over that time span.
Can't win the big one? It doesn't get any bigger than this! At least not at this level.
But what about the next level? Will Vince stay, or will he go? I've been adamant about the Houston Texans not spending a number one draft pick on Reggie Bush.
But chew on this: I wouldn't, however, be as reluctant to spend it on Vince Young and send David Carr packing, even though I'm a staunch Carr supporter. We could get good talent in return for a veteran quarterback, but it would have to be talent that would improve the team dramatically.
So what if he doesn't go pro? I still say the Texans trade the number one overall pick and get several things, including an offensive lineman and a second #1 pick next season, and if David Carr doesn't work out in 2006, trade some combination of your two #1 picks and Carr for the chance to pick up Vince Young next year.
Isn't it amazing, though, how one game elevates a player above another? Before the Rose Bowl, Reggie Bush was the top candidate on everyone's draft board. Afterwards, Lee Corso called Vince Young the greatest college quarterback EVER.
I admit I don't see a lot of USC games, but of the players on their offense, two stood out: tackle Taitusi Lutui and running back LenDale White. Lutui protected Leinart like he was the secret service, and White made me believe the hype for Reggie Bush was a bit overboard.
Here's my bold prediction for the year: LenDale White has a better pro career than Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart.
Another player that impressed me was Texas tight end David Thomas. It seemed like he stepped up every time Vince Young needed a target. In a game that needed plays, he was a playmaker.
For years to come, we'll be seeing highlights from this game. Specific plays will stand out and Vince Young will surely be remembered as the hero, but there were other points I'd like to keep in mind when I look back on the 2006 Rose Bowl:
-- Everyone on both sides of the ball gave it all they had. I saw players stretch for two more yards, dive for first downs, and play like those 60 minutes were the only thing in the world that mattered.
-- Mack Brown showed what a true class act he is. After weeks of hyping USC, he HAS to be tired of hearing about how good they are.
-- Matt Leinart disappointed me with his pouty attitude. As an avid Astros fan, believe me, I know what it's like losing big games, I didn't expect him to act as childish as he appeared on camera. As he walked off the field, he said -- and I paraphrase -- "I still think we're the better team, we just got beat." Don't take it away from Texas.
-- In all fairness, Matt Leinart & Reggie Bush did go to the Texas locker room after the game to congratulate the team.
-- 23 of Texas' 24 starters played high school football in the Lone Star State.
-- In one year, Mack Brown has beaten Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and USC. That time frame included a Big 12 Championship and two Rose Bowls, one of which was a National Championship. Now, who says he can't win the big one?
-- Vince Young has the greatest set of legs since Marilyn Monroe.
-- In the clutch, when two teams needed someone to make plays, David Thomas, Vince Young, and the Texas defense showed up. Reggie Bush, LenDale White, Matt Leinart, and the USC offensive line were nowhere to be found.
-- Maybe they should seriously consider voting on the Heisman after the completion of the bowl games.
-- Texas is the happiest team in the country this week, but a distant second has to be LSU for no longer having to hear about USC's threepeat.
Close the doors on the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. It will never get any better than what Vince Young and Texas has done against USC. Let's start over somewhere else.
Hook 'Em Horns.
We knew we'd see Matt Leinart throw for yardage. We knew Reggie Bush would show his athleticism, and Vince Young would confuse the USC defense.
What we saw was the greatest National Championship, won with the greatest performance by an individual you'll see in college football, and possibly in sports.
Vince Young showed the world, and especially all his doubters, why he's the best in the game right now. Don't believe me? You should. He just beat the best, and did it almost single-handedly.
Before this season, I doubted him. When he took over the helm of the Texas Longhorns, I thought he was simply another running quarterback who couldn't pass the ball, and certainly never dreamed he'd give us last minute come-from-behind victories. Over the span of two seasons, I watched a young man grow and mature into many things, including: a passer, a scrambler, a clock manager, a field general, a leader, and a clutch performer before my very eyes.
Today, we only need one thing to describe Vince Young: champion!
With 6:42 left in the game, Dwayne Jarrett scored a touchdown, putting USC up by 12, and instantly sucked the life out of the UT defense. Two players were down, one with a broken arm. On the sideline, some Texas players finally began to show signs of demise, but it was not to be. Our generation's Captain Comeback was leading the offense.
At this point, I turned to my girlfriend and said, "This is when Vince Young takes care of business." Every other Texas fan did the same thing.
After five passes and a 17-yard Vince Young sprint, Texas was within five points with 4:03 left to play. Wanna see a defense come back to life?
One stop was what Texas needed, and one stop they got. With 2:13 seconds left to play, Mack Brown told his defense, "You stop this fourth-down play, we're going to win the national championship." At this point, the Longhorns played their own version of Texas Hold 'Em.
Here's the extraordinary part: the defensive play called was a blitz that did not include Longhorn safety Michael Huff, but he went anyway -- and made the stop.
At this point, we knew. On fourth-and-five with 19 seconds left, it happened, and Texas would cement its place in history.
Maybe people will finally begin to give Mack Brown the credit he's due. He's brought the first National Championship to Texas in almost 40 years, has shown an ability to adapt to different styles by athletes, and -- get this -- since he began coaching the Longhorns in 1998, he has more wins than any other coach in college football over that time span.
Can't win the big one? It doesn't get any bigger than this! At least not at this level.
But what about the next level? Will Vince stay, or will he go? I've been adamant about the Houston Texans not spending a number one draft pick on Reggie Bush.
But chew on this: I wouldn't, however, be as reluctant to spend it on Vince Young and send David Carr packing, even though I'm a staunch Carr supporter. We could get good talent in return for a veteran quarterback, but it would have to be talent that would improve the team dramatically.
So what if he doesn't go pro? I still say the Texans trade the number one overall pick and get several things, including an offensive lineman and a second #1 pick next season, and if David Carr doesn't work out in 2006, trade some combination of your two #1 picks and Carr for the chance to pick up Vince Young next year.
Isn't it amazing, though, how one game elevates a player above another? Before the Rose Bowl, Reggie Bush was the top candidate on everyone's draft board. Afterwards, Lee Corso called Vince Young the greatest college quarterback EVER.
I admit I don't see a lot of USC games, but of the players on their offense, two stood out: tackle Taitusi Lutui and running back LenDale White. Lutui protected Leinart like he was the secret service, and White made me believe the hype for Reggie Bush was a bit overboard.
Here's my bold prediction for the year: LenDale White has a better pro career than Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart.
Another player that impressed me was Texas tight end David Thomas. It seemed like he stepped up every time Vince Young needed a target. In a game that needed plays, he was a playmaker.
For years to come, we'll be seeing highlights from this game. Specific plays will stand out and Vince Young will surely be remembered as the hero, but there were other points I'd like to keep in mind when I look back on the 2006 Rose Bowl:
-- Everyone on both sides of the ball gave it all they had. I saw players stretch for two more yards, dive for first downs, and play like those 60 minutes were the only thing in the world that mattered.
-- Mack Brown showed what a true class act he is. After weeks of hyping USC, he HAS to be tired of hearing about how good they are.
-- Matt Leinart disappointed me with his pouty attitude. As an avid Astros fan, believe me, I know what it's like losing big games, I didn't expect him to act as childish as he appeared on camera. As he walked off the field, he said -- and I paraphrase -- "I still think we're the better team, we just got beat." Don't take it away from Texas.
-- In all fairness, Matt Leinart & Reggie Bush did go to the Texas locker room after the game to congratulate the team.
-- 23 of Texas' 24 starters played high school football in the Lone Star State.
-- In one year, Mack Brown has beaten Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and USC. That time frame included a Big 12 Championship and two Rose Bowls, one of which was a National Championship. Now, who says he can't win the big one?
-- Vince Young has the greatest set of legs since Marilyn Monroe.
-- In the clutch, when two teams needed someone to make plays, David Thomas, Vince Young, and the Texas defense showed up. Reggie Bush, LenDale White, Matt Leinart, and the USC offensive line were nowhere to be found.
-- Maybe they should seriously consider voting on the Heisman after the completion of the bowl games.
-- Texas is the happiest team in the country this week, but a distant second has to be LSU for no longer having to hear about USC's threepeat.
Close the doors on the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. It will never get any better than what Vince Young and Texas has done against USC. Let's start over somewhere else.
Hook 'Em Horns.
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