Texas Football: Forget the Past, the Eyes of These Longhorns Are on the Future

It was the worst season the Longhorns have suffered in recent memory, and the worst under Texas head coach Mack Brown.

The Horns had a terrible home record and went home without a bowl this season; they lost to Baylor, OU and A&M; they even lost to Iowa State for the first time ever.

The season culminated in the loss of three coaches, and yet the Longhorns can't afford to look back.

The Horns already started moving forward by looking for new coaches to take the roll of offensive coordinator, offensive line coach, defensive line coach and special teams coordinator, with rumors of wide receivers coach Bobby Kennedy being looked at for the Colorado coaching vacancy.

Applewhite seems to be the fan favorite, but speculation that Bryan Harsin, offensive coordinator for Boise State, is also a leading candidate for the post.

Despite the disdain that some have over the resignation of Greg Davis, the former offensive coordinator, it was evident to most that the post needs to be held by a more energetic and youthful coach.

Garrett Gilbert desperately needs a coordinator to mold him into the QB he could be. Gone are the days of Vince Young running rampant through the defense, or Colt McCoy using his feet and arm to rack yards.

Garrett is a drop-back quarterback with an amazing arm and the new coordinator needs to understand this. Does this mean he can never run the ball or tuck it if need be? No, but to be successful, he has to rely on his strength in his arm and not his legs; he'll have to throw the ball downfield and utilize that advantage.

The days of the non-existent running game have got to go. For Texas to leave this season behind and move forward, this has to happen.

The power run schemes that Texas aspired to run this year were great ideas, but they are useless if the offensive line doesn't block well and can't get a good shove off the line.

The receivers need to step up this coming season as well. A lot of balls were dropped or tipped and intercepted this season. If you are coming to play receiver at Texas, you had better catch the ball.

The defense did not step up a lot either. One might state the case, "Well, they were on the field so much because of the offense," but I saw a lack of effort and an inability to create turnovers. This has to change as well.

The biggest problem that came about last season wasn't more from a lack of technique, inability to catch a ball or even the losses; the biggest problem during the year was a lack of a consistent leader—no personal responsibility to get better, to give 100 percent effort by all members of the team.

No team, no matter how much talent, will win football games if nobody steps up, leads by example and makes sure the whole team takes care of business. That was clearly lacking this year and it showed big time.

If the Longhorns want to move forward and make fans forget about the terrible season of 2010, then this HAS to happen.

All in all, the future is looking bright for the Horns. Mack Brown did what he should have as a coach and took responsibility for the season, and has already made some changes to fix this.

I don't think anyone tried harder, yet struggled harder than Gilbert did. I firmly believe that he fixes it this offseason and looks like the quarterback you and I saw in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl, or the one we were promised out of high school.

I also believe that the new coaches will solve the problems, and the Texas team next year comes out with a vengeance and chip on its shoulder to reestablish itself as a national power in the world of college football.

Texas still gets some of the best recruits in the country and one bad season is not going to change that.

Yes, the Eyes of Texas are upon the future and it's looking to be a very promising and burnt orange one.