Texas Longhorns Insider: As the Clock Ticks Down to the 2011 Season

If you are a big-time college football fan and love the Texas Longhorns, you are probably counting down the days until the start of the 2011 college football season.  The Longhorns will start the new season on the 3rd of September when they host the Rice Owls and that is just under two months away.

The question that many Longhorns fans have been asking is are the Longhorns actually ready for the upcoming season?  After the debacle of a season that they had last year (going 5-7 overall with a 2-6 record in the Big 12), let’s hope that Texas is ready for the upcoming season and can get back to their winning ways.

The biggest question for the Longhorns heading into the new season is whether or not Garrett Gilbert is the answer at the quarterback position.  He struggled in spring practices and the coaching staff may be concerned about his ability to lead the offense.  But if he falters, who is left behind him to take over?  If he doesn’t take a big step in the right direction this season, it’s going to be a long, lost year for the Longhorns.

One sure thing that fans can look forward to is strong play by Texas’ defense as it appears as if they are poised for a big season.  Texas may need a lot of help from their defense in order to overcome some of the problems that they are sure to experience on offense but they can’t do it all.  They will definitely need help from their offense.

It can be assured that head coach Mack Brown’s seat is pretty warm and will only get hotter if the Longhorns fail to perform next season.  He’s going to have to do all that he can to make sure that his team is ready for the upcoming season.

If we see another season like the Longhorns had last year, Brown may be on his way out of Texas.  So there is a lot for this team to play for next season.

But can the Longhorns get past last year’s record and win enough games to not only get into a bowl game but make a run at the conference title?  The offense will be the key to their ability to achieve their goals and without that offensive power, the Longhorns are going to have a long and difficult 2011 season.

So what’s the formula for success in 2011?  First, it’s an offense that can at least hold onto the ball and give the defense some time to rest and recuperate on the sideline.  That means that they have to get at least some kind of continuity on offense and with that, some decent play from the quarterback position.

The other part to their success this season will be the play of the defense (as previously mentioned).  Barring any injuries, the defense should have a pretty good season and will be a big part of any success that the Longhorns have. 

Texas will do better than they did last season and will see some success in the conference but still may not be able to climb to the top of the Big 12 in 2011.

If you are a fan of the Longhorns, you will be crossing your fingers in hopes that it’s a much better season in 2011 than it was in 2010.  As long as the offense can pull their weight, this team will do better than they did last year, but may not be able to own the top of the conference when it’s all said and done.