Texas Longhorns: Midseason Award Show

The Texas Longhorns enter their second bye week at the halfway point in their 2011 campaign. They currently have a 4-2 record after losing two straight to Oklahoma schools.

At this time last year Texas finished its season with a 1-5 mark, dropping to a 5-7 record on the year. It was their first losing season in the Mack Brown era.

With six games remaining on their schedule, the Longhorns have several directions they can go. Up to this point, very few players have played at an All-American level, but some have put in a solid half season.

Only those players who have really stuck made it into the Texas Longhorns' Midseason Award Show.

Midseason Most Valuable Player

Coming into the season, virtually everyone surrounding the Texas program knew about Malcolm Brown and what he could bring to the table.

The true freshman, with 516 yards through six games, is on pace to crack 1,000 yards. He would be the first of any Longhorns' running backs to do so since 2007, when Jamaal Charles rushed for over 1,600 yards.

Not only is Brown's midseason production relatively impressive, but no other Texas player comes close to matching it. This can be seen either as a testament to the freshman's ability or the rest of the Longhorns' inability to produce.

Additionally, without Brown's presence as the feature tailback, Fozzy Whittaker would not look as fresh and as electrifying as he does. The senior has benefited hugely from Brown taking over as the starting back, and the Texas running game has taken off.

Midseason Most Improved Player

Fozzy Whittaker deserves a huge nod here.

The senior tailback has constantly fallen victim to the injury bug, but he has come into this season healthier, stronger and faster than ever.

Though he has taken a back seat to Malcolm Brown, who has grabbed the lion's share of carries in the starter's role, Whittaker has embraced his role as a spell back and a good third-down option. He also has the ability to execute from the wildcat formation, out of which he has scored numerous times.

On the season, Whittaker has amassed 220 yards and four touchdowns on 43 carries. Out of the backfield, the senior has caught 12 passes for 85 yards and a score.

Let us not forget his two 100-yard kickoff returns in consecutive games against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Midseason Newcomer of the Year

It is no news that the Longhorns have introduced a wealth of true freshmen so far this season, but few have matched the impact of Jaxon Shipley, who currently leads the team in receptions with 28 and is second in receiving yards with 391. He also has three touchdown catches, the most of any wide receiver on the team.

Outside of Shipley, only Mike Davis has had better production in the passing game, a dimension in which the Longhorns have struggled mightily.

Just one other Texas receiver has hauled in at least 10 catches, and just one other has reeled in more than 100 yards receiving.

Without the younger brother of Jordan Shipley, who knows where this Texas receiving corps would be.

Best Midseason Defensive Player

The linebacker position was to be the anchor of the Longhorns' defense, as Texas would return two seniors in Emmanuel Acho and Keenan Robinson.

With Robinson playing quite out of position, his production is down and he seems to struggle at times. But Acho at the Will linebacker has been the definition of consistent.

Through six games this year, Acho has recorded 47 tackles (20 solo), seven tackles for a loss and two sacks.

Carrington Byndom, a sophomore cornerback, deserves an honorable mention here, but Acho has been more than rock solid.

Best Midseason Coach

Coming into the season, the Texas secondary had the most lingering questions, as the Longhorns would introduce three cornerbacks with little to no experience.

Defensive Backs Coach Duane Akina has done a great job of combining his young corners with a veteran group at safety in Blake Gideon, Kenny Vaccaro and Christian Scott, to field the Big 12's top secondary.

While the defensive line and linebackers have struggled at times, the defensive backs have been relatively constant with fewer hiccups than the others.

Halfway through the season, the Longhorns rank 49th in pass defense, but ninth in pass efficiency defense.