Texas Football: Mack Brown, New Coaches Will Make Quick Turnaround in 2011

In 1998, Mack Brown took over as head coach for the Texas Longhorns, one year after John Mackovic went 4-7 as head coach for the team.

That year, Brown made a quick turnaround in Austin, leading his team to a 9-3 record and their first bowl win in three years. That would also mark the start of 11 straight seasons with at least nine wins.

However, the streak was broken this season, going 5-7 despite having what he believed the best defense he has had at Texas.

After the season ended, offensive coordinator Greg Davis resigned after 13 years for the Horns. Not long after, defensive coordinator Will Muschamp bolted for the head coaching job at Florida, leaving Brown with no coordinators and a possible departure from Major Applewhite.

Things are starting to calm down in Austin, however.

Mississippi State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz took the same open position at Texas. In his first and only season as DC at MSU, his defense allowed an average of 19.8 points per game, ranking 21st nationally. The year before his arrival, the Bulldogs ranked 71st in points allowed.

Not only have they found a proven DC, but they also tabbed Bryan Harsin as co-offensive coordinator on Jan. 7. Harsin will work alongside running backs coach and former Longhorns quarterback, Major Applewhite.

Applewhite has been the running backs coach at Texas since 2008. Former Texas running back Chris Obgonnaya was drafted after Applewhite's first year with the program. During that season, the Longhorns combined to rush for a total of 2,177 yards and 33 touchdowns.

In 2009, the backfield went for 2,066 yards and 28 touchdowns, and in 2010 for 1,806 yards and 19 touchdowns.

One example about Applewhite's excitement of the Harsin hire came from discussing how both Texas and Boise State played Wyoming during the 2010 campaign. He explained that Boise State came to the line in 26 different formations. Texas only came to the line in six.

Harsin was formally the Boise State Broncos OC and led the offense to four top-five rankings nationally in points scored. He also helped the Broncos go 61-5 during his five years leading the offense, including two undefeated seasons which both concluded with Fiesta Bowl wins against TCU in 2009 and Oklahoma in 2006.

Harsin is also a coach who can get junior quarterback Garrett Gilbert on the right track.

At Boise State, he helped Kellen Moore finish fourth in the Heisman voting and get named to the CBS All-American team. In his first three years, Moore has 99 touchdown passes to just 19 interceptions.

In Gilbert's first year as a starter, he threw just 10 touchdowns to 17 interceptions, more than any other quarterback in the nation.

With the hire of his coordinators, Mack Brown has plenty of talent and youth in his coaching staff; Diaz is 36, Harsin is 34 and Applewhite is 32. The Longhorns new strength and conditioning coach, Bennie Wylie, will also bring youth to the staff; he is 34.

After the new hires, the Longhorns top recruit was interviewed at the U.S. Army All-American game in San Antonio. The No. 7 overall recruit and No. 2 running back, Malcolm Brown, confirmed that he was still firmly committed to playing in Austin next season, ending rumors of his possible decommitment.

For the Longhorns, it's a fresh start. New players, new coaches and a different conference. With the departure of Nebraska and Colorado, there will be no Big 12 championship game in 2011. Texas will play the other nine teams that remain in the conference, plus their annual three non-conference opponents.

Texas opens the season up at home against Rice, who hasn't beaten the Longhorns since 1994, losing 11 straight. Then Texas will host Brigham Young University. BYU has only played the Longhorns twice and not since 1988. BYU won the home-and-home in '87 and '88.

Mack Brown has proved he is a great head coach, posting a 133-34 record at Texas alone. Brown has an 11-7 bowl record, including three BCS bowl wins, one of which was the national championship in 2005.