Texas Football Roundtable Chat: Mike Craven Q&A's

1.) There was a position battle this spring at the running back position.  Most Texas fans see Vondrell McGee carrying most of the workload with Froswitt Whittaker splitting some carries.  How important are these two backs going to be and what do you think their production will be like?  Is a 1,000 yard season possible for McGee?

I think very highly of Vondrell McGhee.  He isn't a home run threat like Jamaal Charles, but he will get you four yards consistently with a chance to break a 20 to 30 yarder.  I definitely think he has 1,000 yard potential; his problem will be getting enough carries to get there. 

With the offense becoming more like Tech's and with Whittaker taking some snaps, his opportunities may be limited.  He can change this by coming out early and setting the tone.  In my opinion he is the most underrated RB to come through Texas since Hodges Mitchell.

2.) Texas' 2008 recruiting class is ranked 14th in the country by Rivals.com.  How pleased are you with this class and who do you think will be the impact players of the future from it?

I like the 2008 class, but on paper it lacks play makers.  Desean Hales has a chance to be a Ramonce Taylor type, and he will need to be to keep John Chiles and Curtis Brown in their respective positions. 

The biggest need for Texas' offense is a play maker.  Texas doesn't need many of them to contribute right away, but the two DTs Humphrey and Randall will be counted on to play some snaps.  I think D.J. Monroe becomes the best player from this class, and the best DB at Texas since Nathan Vasher.  I think he is that good.

3.) Texas opens the season with FAU, UTEP, Arkansas, and Rice.  Are there any non-conference games that scare you this year?

The UTEP game scares the crap out of me. For some reason the UTEP game gives me nightmares.  It reminds me of the Central Florida game from last year.  It will be closer than people will predict and it will have more to do with UTEP being good than Texas playing bad.

With Arkansas' coach and players migrating from the program, I hope Texas can handle them pretty easily.

4.) How realistic is it to think that Texas will win the Big 12 South over Oklahoma this year?  What will it take for this to happen?

Even with my orange colored glasses on I don't see Texas winning the Big 12 South.  Who would have thought replacing Nebraska and Kansas State with Missouri and Kansas would be a bad thing? 

Combine that with Tech being better (may win Big 12 and be this year's Kansas), Oklahoma bringing most people back, and the recent problems with A&M, and I don't see how they pull it off. 

If they catch a few breaks, they find a deep threat, and the secondary comes together they could surprise me.  I'm hoping they do.