This is how misinformation is spread and perception becomes greater than reality. UT finished in the top 6 a total of 6 times during that 12 seasons and UT was always in the title hunt / discusion. There were other times that they were one of the favorites going into the UT/OU game. I'm not going to break down every season for you but since you asked for a Pre-Vince example then take 2001. UT won the Big 12 South and was ranked #3 going into the Big 12 Championship Game against Colorado. If UT wins that game they would have been in the National Title Game against Miami. They lost an a different Big 12 team (Nabraska) went to the National Title Game. UT finished the season ranked 6 nationally. The QB was Chris Simms and UT was definitely in the National Title hunt that season.
I think part of being in the National Title discussion every year was the semi consistent over rating of UT football in the voting polls, especially the preseason polls, which gave a false sense of (some) national contention even in down years.
This is true, Texas was routinely really good, but 01,04,05,08,09 were the only years they were really a top 5 team. In other years Texas took advantage of a fairly weak conference and a great rep to attain high rankings. Still 5 Title contenders is really impressive. Mack tenure was a success, anybody who says otherwise is delusional, but it was certainly time to move on. Texas was an also ran program before Mack got there, not a perennial juggernaut that people have somehow mistaken it for.
There is no misinformation in noting Texas was not in the title hunt in years like 2004. We lost to OU, who wet undefeated along with two other schools. Even if they lost they still would have been ahead of us since they beat us. So no, we weren't in the title hunt in 2004 and if you are counting seasons like that then you are the one spreading misinformation. Edit: No one is spreading misinformation. We just look at things differently. I'll count this season, so that would be 4 years. However, here is the recap from that year, where other teams just kept blowing their chances to ultimately give UT a shot, that we couldn't close on. I'm not sure how this is a positive for Brown (lose early to blow your chance, OU screws up by losing twice and others blow their chances, you get a chance to sneak in and still don't).
You can try and justify the reason any team was in contention almost every year. Last season it took both Oregon and KState to lose on the last game of the season for Alabama to get into the game. If both KState and Oregon wins the last game of the season against teams they were both favored against ND isn't in the NC game either. In 2011 if OSU doesn't lose to Iowa State where they were heavily favored then Alabama doesn't get into the National Championship Game. But that's all crazy to try and justify why one team was in contentention and why another team wasn't. Thats how it goes in college football. Bill Parcells used to say you are what your record says you are. Mack was a ellite college coach for 12 seasons in a row. There is no arguing that.
No one said Mack wasn't elite. I said he underachieved. He had a program with more $$ and talent (access) than anyone else, yet he has not won more than everyone else. He underachieved.
Your mistake is assuming that having the most money and most access to talent automatically means Mack had to outperform every other coach. That's just wrong and unrealistic.
When you drive the fastest car and have the best pit crew, you should finish 1st. Expectations are high at UT for a reason.
Our car is in the shop. The transmission broke after Colt left. He just drove it into the ground, like a boss.
Yes, that's exactly how I feel. I think that should be the expectation when you have more than every other program. Why shouldn't it be? Again, I'm not saying Mack is garbage, but if we have the best of everything why should the expectation not be to outperform everyone else?
Red MacCombs not happy with Strong hire http://collegespun.com/big-12/texas...th-strong-hire-would-be-a-good-position-coach
Any ideas on offensive coordinator under Strong? Could any of the following be candidates? - Eric Kiesau from Washington - could not find out if he followed his head coach to USC; - Chad Morris from Clemson; - Shannon Dawson from West Virginia.
Yes, Texas has the best of everything for a coach to build a dominant football program. We have the most money and the best available talent (that you don't have to leave the state to get). What else does one need?
And yet in the 15 years prior to Mack, UT was a mediocre program. Alabama sucked before Saban, USC sucked before Carroll. Good coaches build programs not the other way around. Granted a school like UT gives you much better tools to start with.
The whole "Best talent and don't have to leave the state" is getting old. Maybe if you leave the damn state, you'll get better players. Can't wait to see Strong start recruiting players out of Florida. That's where the goldmine is.
No, you can compete for a title with just Texans, just have to recruit the right ones, and Mack hasn't done a good job of that recently, specifically at QB.
