The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oregon
Alamo Bowl preview: Texas faces Oregon on Dec. 30
12.19.2013 | Football
Longhorns and Ducks will meet for the second time in a bowl game.
Alamo Bowl Guide/Notes | Longhorns Gameweek | Alamo Bowl Fan Information/Activities
Texas to Play Oregon in Valero Alamo Bowl: Texas and No. 10/12 Oregon will meet for the sixth time, and second during the postseason, when the teams face off in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Monday, Dec. 30 (5:45 p.m. Central/ESPN). Texas will be making its 52nd bowl appearance which ranks second in NCAA history. In the 2000 Holiday Bowl, Oregon downed Texas, 35-30. This will be the Horns' third appearance in the Alamo Bowl's 21-year history. They defeated Iowa, 26-24, in 2006 and knocked off Oregon State, 31-27, last year in a thriller. OSU took a 27-17 lead into the fourth quarter, but Texas scored a pair of TDs over the final 8:18. DE Alex Okafor set an Alamo Bowl record with 4 1/2 of Texas' 10 sacks.
Brown Era Comes to an End in Alamo Bowl: The storied tenure of head coach Mack Brown will end at the conclusion of this season. Brown announced Saturday, Dec. 14 that he will step down from his position following the Valero Alamo Bowl. One of just two active coaches in the nation to reach the 225-victory plateau, Brown is in his 16th season at UT with a mark of 158-47 (.771). His victory total with the Longhorns is second only to legendary coach Darrell K Royal (167-47-5 record from 1957-76). Brown, the 2008 Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year and the 2009 Big 12 Coach of the Year, elevated the Longhorn program to new heights. He led Texas to the 2005 BCS National Championship, an appearance in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game and two other BCS bowl wins. The 2005 Paul W. "Bear" Bryant National Coach of the Year award winner and coach of the 2005 BCS National Champions, Brown steps aside as one of a handful of coaches in college football history to lead two separate programs to a top five national finish (also North Carolina).
Bowl Success: Texas has played in a bowl game 15 times in Mack Brown's 16 years. That stretch included a UT-record stretch of 12 straight from 1998-2009, which bettered the previous mark of nine consecutive from 1977-85. The Horns have won nine of their last 11 bowls and have a 10-4 record under Brown. In the 15 years prior to Brown's arrival, Texas went to eight bowls and was 2-6. Brown is the first UT coach since Darrell Royal, who was 8-7-1 in bowl games, to post a .500 or better bowl record. With a 24-21 victory over No. 10 Ohio State in the 2009 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Texas won bowl games in five consecutive years for the first time in school history (2004-08). The Horns did win five straight previously (1963-64, '66, '68-69), but the streak was interrupted by seasons that did not result in a bowl. Brown's personal string, including time at North Carolina, goes back even further. He has directed his teams to 21 bowls in the last 22 seasons, which is tied for the most in the nation with Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech over that stretch.
First-and-Goal:
• Texas has 52 all-time bowl appearances which trails just Alabama (60) on the NCAA all-time list. Nebraska is third with 50. UT has a record of 27-22-2 (.549).
• Texas will be facing a Pac-12 (formerly Pac-10) team for the eighth time in its last 13 bowl trips. This will be the ninth overall meeting with a Pac-12 team. UT has a 5-3 record in those games, including victories in the last four.
• UT is averaging 423.1 yards of total offense, including 197.6 on the ground (No. 36 in the FBS). The Horns have yielded just 14 sacks this season which ranks tied for 17th in the country. Oregon is 47th in the FBS in total defense (381.3 ypg) and 66th in rushing defense (164.3 ypg).
• Senior QB Case McCoy, who has replaced an injured David Ash, is 6-3 this season as a starter. McCoy has completed 57 percent of his passes for 1,885 yards. Ash missed the last eight games and was ruled out for the remainder of the season on Nov. 25 due to a concussion. He played in three games this year completing 53 of 87 passes (61 percent) for 760 yards. Ash ranks eighth on the UT career passing yards list (4,538).
• Already without Ash and RT Josh Cochran (missed eight of the last 10 games due to a shoulder injury), the UT offense was dealt another blow when Johnathan Gray, the team's leading rusher (780), suffered a season-ending Achilles injury vs. West Virginia. Malcolm Brown, who had averaged 20 carries in the previous three games before WVU, is taking on even more of the load at tailback. He has averaged 26.3 carries the last three games and 101.6 rushing yards over the last seven games (711 total yards). Brown, a second team All-Big 12 pick, has nine rushing TDs this season (eight in the last six games).
• Jaxon Shipley leads the team with 55 catches and ranks eighth in the league at 4.7 per game. Thirty-four of his receptions have gone for first downs, including three on fourth down. Mike Davis has 49 catches and ranks sixth in the Big 12 with 65 receiving ypg. Davis has eight TD receptions (tied for third in the Big 12).
• Eight players have scored a receiving touchdown and eight via the ground.
• Seven players have at least one reception of 45 yards or more this season.
• After surrendering an average of 7.0 yards per carry to BYU and Ole Miss, the UT defense has held its last nine opponents (K-State - 3.0; Iowa State - 4.0; Oklahoma - 3.9; TCU – 1.9; Kansas – 3.8; West Virginia – 2.3; OSU - 4.6; TTU - 3.4; BU - 4.1) to a combined 3.5 ypc (350 rushes/1,238 yards).
• Texas had an improving defensive unit in the regular season. The Horns are allowing 402.1 yards per game (No. 62 in the FBS), but that dropped to 356.9 over the last seven games, a mark that would be 28th in the current rankings. The Longhorns are 30th in the nation in pass efficiency defense (117.8 rating) and have surrendered 12 passing TDs which is tied for 10th fewest in the nation. UT is surrendering 25.5 points per game which is No. 56 in the FBS. The Horns will face an Oregon squad which enters the Alamo Bowl averaging 573.0 total yards (No. 2 in the FBS) and 46.8 points per game (No. 3 in the FBS). QB Marcus Mariota ranks sixth in the nation in passing efficiency (167.9 rating) and ninth in total offense (332.8 per game).
• Senior Jackson Jeffcoat and junior Cedric Reed are two of the most productive defensive ends in the nation. Jeffcoat, a 2013 consensus All-American, the 2013 Ted Hendricks Award winner and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, ranks first in the league and tied for third in the FBS in sacks (1.0 pg/12.0) and Reed, a first team All-Big 12 selection, is third in the conference and tied for 23rd nationally in sacks (0.8 pg/9.0). They are one of only two duos in the nation to have 9.0 sacks apiece (Marcus Smith and Lorenzo Mauldin of Louisville). Reed, who has six sacks in the last five games, is tied for 10th in the FBS in fumbles forced (0.33 pg/four) and Jeffcoat is tied for 22nd nationally in fumbles recovered (0.25 pg/three) with Leroy Scott. Reed has tallied 75 tackles (second on the team) and Jeffcoat has 80 (first on team). They have also combined for 39 tackles for loss and 34 QB pressures. Reed joined Jeffcoat among 18 players on the midseason watch list for the Ted Hendricks Award. Jeffcoat was also a Bednarik Award semifinalist.
• Having already suffered two big losses to their defensive unit this season, the Longhorns lost another starting linebacker in Steve Edmond, for the last two games of the season. Edmond suffered a lacerated liver in the Texas Tech game, was sidelined for the Baylor contest and will miss the bowl game. The Longhorns have been without junior linebacker Jordan Hicks (ruptured Achilles) since the Kansas State game (missed last nine contests). He was leading the team with 41 tackles at the time. In the West Virginia game, senior DT Chris Whaley suffered a season-ending knee injury on the first series of the game. He had started the first nine contests. Edmond and Dalton Santos had picked up the slack at linebacker for Hicks. Edmond led the team with 73 tackles and was tied for second on the team in pass breakups (five) before sustaining his injury. He also recorded his second career interception vs. TCU. With Hicks' injury, Santos has seen his snaps increase and he has responded with 57 tackles over the last eight games (7.1 pg). Sophomore Peter Jinkens has started five games this season and posted a career high 12 tackles (11 solo) against Baylor.
• Sophomore Malcom Brown has been a key cog along the line, starting all 12 games at defensive tackle and ranking tied for sixth on the team in tackles (63). He had perhaps his best game as a Longhorn against Iowa State, logging a career-high 10 tackles, including one sack and one TFL, as well as one PBU. He shared the team's defensive player of the game award with Jeffcoat whose interception on the Cyclones' final drive helped seal the win. Brown has averaged 6.3 tackles over the last three games. DT Desmond Jackson saw his role increase vs. West Virginia with the injury to Whaley and responded with career highs in tackles (8), tackles for loss (3) and sacks (2.0).
• Texas is tied 29th nationally in turnover margin at +0.50 per game. The Horns hovered around the top 10 most of the season. The Longhorns have lost the turnover battle just three times this season (minus-1 vs. Kansas; minus-2 vs. Oklahoma State; minus-2 vs. Baylor). Oregon enters the Alamo Bowl tied at No. 20 nationally in turnover margin (+0.70 per game).
• Senior Anthony Fera has been solid both place-kicking and punting. He has gone 20-for-22 (.909) on field-goal attempts, including a career-best 4 of 4 vs. West Virginia and connecting all three times vs. both Oklahoma and TCU. Fera, a 2013 consensus All-American and Lou Groza Award finalist, is tied for fourth nationally in accuracy (minimum 15 attempts) and tied for 11th nationally among place-kickers in scoring (8.7 ppg). He has posted a career-long field goal twice this season. He had a 47-yarder vs. Ole Miss and nailed a 50-yarder vs. OU. Fera ranks 58th nationally in punting average (40.9). Twenty-eight of his 68 punts (41.2 percent - 13th in the FBS) have gone inside the 20, and 31 have been fair caught (50.8 percent).
The Oregon Series: Texas leads the all-time series 4-1. The teams have only met once in the last 42 years and that occurred in the 2000 Holiday Bowl. No. 8/11 Oregon downed No. 12/12 Texas, 35-30, behind Joey Harrington who completed 19 of 30 passes for 273 yards and two TDs for the Ducks. Jason Willis' 4-yard TD run with 5:46 left in the game snapped a 28-all tie. UT's Chris Simms completed 17 of 33 passes for 245 yards, but threw four interceptions. Greg Brown had a 23-yard interception return for a TD for Texas and Victor Ike's 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was UT's first since Johnny 'Lam' Jones had a 100-yarder vs. SMU on Oct. 28, 1976, a span of 265 games. Prior to that game, UO and UT met in 1941, 1947, 1962 and 1971, all Texas regular-season wins.
Defensive Improvement: Under coordinator Greg Robinson, who was hired after the BYU game, the defense has shown marked improvement. Robinson is in his second stint with Texas, having served as defensive coordinator in 2004 when Texas ranked No. 18 nationally in points allowed (17.9 per game), No. 16 in rushing defense (107.4 ypg), and No. 23 in total defense (320.1 ypg). Over the last nine games, UT is allowing just 3.5 yards per rush after surrendering 6.0 in the first three. The defense has cut the opposing offense's rushing output by 171.1 yards per game. In addition, Texas' 35 sacks in its last nine games is ranked first nationally in that span. The Horns had two sacks in the first three games.
| First 3 Games | Last 9 Games | |
|---|---|---|
| Rushing Yards | 308.7 pg | 137.6 pg |
| Yards per Rush | 6.0 | 3.5 |
| Total Yards | 491.3 pg | 372.3 pg |
| Yards per Play | 5.8 | 5.2 |
| Opp. Comp. % | 58.0 | 55.3 |
| Red-Zone TDs | 67% (8/12) | 50% (18/36) |
| Sacks | 0.67 pg | 3.89 pg |
| Turnovers Forced | 2.0 pg | 2.22 pg |
| Fumbles Forced | 0.33 pg | 1.0 pg |
| Tackles for Loss | 4.3 pg | 8.22 pg |
| 1. | Texas | 35 |
| 2. | Fresno State | 33 |
| Arizona State | 33 | |
| 4. | Louisville | 32 |
| 5. | Ohio State | 31 |
| Stanford | 31 | |
| 7. | South Alabama | 30 |
| Cincinnati | 30 | |
| Missouri | 30 | |
| 10. | North Texas | 29 |
| Utah | 29 | |
| Ohio | 29 |
Sack Differential: Texas has been one of the best teams in the nation in sacks by and against this year. UT has 37 sacks on the year while they have surrendered just 14. The plus-23 differential ranks tied for seventh in the FBS this season and fourth among BCS teams. In Big 12 action, UT had 35.0 sacks and surrendered just 9.0. The plus-26 sack differential was by far the best in the league. Oklahoma was second at plus-12. In the last seven games, UT has a plus-21 sack differential (26.0 to 5.0).
| 1. | Fresno State | 39-11=28 |
| Toledo | 34-6=28 | |
| 3. | Stanford | 40-15=25 |
| 4. | North Texas | 34-10=24 |
| Ohio State | 40-16=24 | |
| Arizona State | 40-16=24 | |
| 7. | Texas | 37-14=23 |
| Northern Illinois | 32-9=23 | |
| 9. | Tulsa | 31-10=21 |
| Buffalo | 38-17=21 |
Streaks, Trends and Milestones:
• Texas has been to a bowl game in 15 of Mack Brown's 16 seasons as head coach. The Longhorns have won seven of their last eight bowl games.
• Texas has scored 30 or more points in seven of the last nine games (exceptions: 13 vs. Oklahoma State, 10 vs. Baylor). The streak of six straight games with 30 or more points prior to the OSU game had been Texas' longest since 2009 (also six games - Oct. 24 through Nov. 26).
• The Longhorns' six-game winning streak was snapped in the Oklahoma State loss which was the longest since capturing 17 in a row from 2008-09. It was also tied for the fifth-longest current winning streak among BCS teams.
• Texas has outrushed five of its last seven opponents (exceptions - Oklahoma State, 151 to 183; Baylor, 163 to 221) and won the battle for time of possession in five of the last seven games (exceptions - Kansas, -1:08; Baylor, -3:16). During that span, the Horns have possessed the ball on average 3:58 more than the opponent.
• PK/P Anthony Fera has connected on 16 his last 17 field-goal attempts. His streak of 15 straight field goals was snapped after his 21st attempt of the year - a 44-yard try at Baylor - was blocked. His streak ranks as the fourth-longest in the nation this season and ties for first in school history. Phil Dawson also hit 15 straight field goals in 1996-97. Jeff Ward had 13 in a row during the 1985 season. Fera's current field goal percentage of .909 (20 of 22) ranks second in Texas history.
• The offensive line has recently done a tremendous job of keeping QB Case McCoy upright. The Horns entered the Kansas game having not allowed a sack in 61 pass attempts (last nine quarters). The streak was snapped at 84 when McCoy was sacked on what would have been his 24th pass attempt of the game. Texas is tied for second in the Big 12 by allowing just 1.17 sack per game in league play (also Oklahoma). The Horns allowed one vs. the Red Raiders and the Bears and have surrendered five in the last 239 pass attempts.
• Case McCoy ranks 10th on the UT career passing yards chart (3,641). McCoy moved from 11th to 10th with 221 passing yards vs. Oklahoma State, eclipsing Garrett Gilbert (3,301/2009-11). McCoy needs 133 to reach Shea Morenz (3,774/1993-94) in ninth.
• Mike Davis moved up in a pair of career statistical categories in two of the last three games. The senior posted nine catches for 112 yards vs. Oklahoma State to move from fifth to fourth on UT career receiving yards list, passing Quan Cosby (2,598/2005-08). After another 112 yards vs. Texas Tech, he registered his 10th career 100-yard receiving game which ranks tied for second in school history with Jordan Shipley (2006-09). After the Baylor game, Davis stands at fourth in career receptions (198) and career yards (2,741).
• Jaxon Shipley also moved up in two career statistical categories in the last three games. He had six catches for 43 yards vs. Oklahoma State to move from eighth to seventh on the UT career receptions list, passing B.J. Johnson (152/2000-03). After the Baylor game, Shipley eclipsed Limas Sweed (1,915/2004-07) for eighth place on the Texas career receiving yards chart.
• Shipley caught a pass in each of his first 33 career games, a streak that was snapped vs. Texas Tech. In the West Virginia game, he surpassed his brother, Jordan (31/2007-08), for third longest in school history. Shipley has posted at least five receptions in 13 of the last 17 games (three vs. Iowa State, 2013; one vs. TCU, 2013; 0 vs. Texas Tech, 2013; 3 vs. Baylor, 2013).
• DE Jackson Jeffcoat posted two tackles for loss vs. Baylor to move into third on the UT career list (59) and his 21 TFL this season are tied for the seventh most in a single season in Longhorn history. Jeffcoat is averaging 0.679 sacks in his 39 career games which ranks No. 4 on the FBS active list. His 26.5 career sacks rank fourth on the FBS active list. The senior's 12 sacks this season are tied for the eighth most in a single season in Texas history and rank first in the Big 12 this year.
• OG Mason Walters leads the team with 50 straight starts, which is tied for the longest streak in the nation among offensive linemen (50, Gabe Jackson, OG, Mississippi St.). CB Carrington Byndom leads the defense with 38 consecutive starts. C Dominic Espinosa is second on the offense with 38 straight starts. DE Cedric Reed is second on defense (18).
Injury Bug: The injury bug has hit some of the Longhorns' most important players this season. In the regular season finale at Baylor, Texas played without five starters who suffered season-ending injuries: QB David Ash (head), LB Steve Edmond (lacerated liver), LB Jordan Hicks (Achilles), RB Johnathan Gray (Achilles) and DT Chris Whaley (knee). In addition to those five, RT Josh Cochran has missed eight of the last 10 games with a shoulder injury (played two snaps vs. Texas Tech and one vs. Baylor as a reserve blocking tight end).
• Ash averaged 304.0 yards of total offense in the three games he played, throwing for seven TDs and running for another.
• Edmond has a team-high 73 tackles, five pass breakups and two interceptions. He had started 10 of the first 11 games.
• Hicks was the leading tackler at the time of his injury, with 41 tackles in four games.
• Gray, despite playing in just nine games, still leads the team in rushing with 780 yards. His 86.7 yards per game ranked third in the Big 12 at the time of his injury.
• Whaley started the first nine games and became the first defensive lineman in school history to score two TDs in a season.
The Longhorns played without four offensive starters vs. Kansas State and three starters (two offense and one defense) vs. Iowa State, Oklahoma, TCU, Kansas and West Virginia, five vs. Oklahoma State and Texas Tech, and six vs. Baylor. In addition, WR/RB Daje Johnson (ankle) missed nearly all of the BYU game and each of the next two contests, but returned vs. ISU. TE Greg Daniels (foot) was injured against Ole Miss and missed the K-State contest. Two reserves are also out for the season. CB Sheroid Evans tore an ACL in the Iowa State game and LB Tevin Jackson did the same vs. Kansas. Gray (Achilles) and Whaley (knee) suffered season-ending injuries vs. West Virginia. In addition, RB Joe Bergeron missed nearly all of the Baylor game with a foot injury.
16th Year Under Mack Brown: Mack Brown, who is in his 16th season at Texas, is just the fourth coach in the 121 years of Texas football to lead the team for at least a decade and just the second coach to win 100 games while at the school. Darrell Royal, who won 167 games (1957-76), has the longest tenure at 20 years. Brown is the first coach in UT history to post more than 200 victories during a career (158 at Texas). Brown moved ahead of Fred Akers, who posted 86 wins from 1977-86, during the 2006 season.
| 1. | Darrell Royal | 167 |
| 2. | Mack Brown | 158 |
| 3. | Fred Akers | 86 |
| 1. | Darrell Royal | 20 |
| 2. | Mack Brown | 15 |
| 3. | D.X. Bible | 10 |
| Fred Akers | 10 |
Brown on National Scene: With a 158-47 (.771) record at UT, Mack Brown has led Texas to the nation's fourth-most victories over the last 16 years. In addition, Brown has guided the Horns to a 131-36 (.784) mark over the last 11-plus seasons, which is the nation's third-best winning percentage over that time span, and includes six 11-win seasons (2001, '02, '04, '05, '08 and '09). The 11-win seasons are fourth-best to UT's 13-win campaigns in 2005 and '09, and its 12-win season in '08.
| 1. | Frank Beamer, Va. Tech | 266-131-4 |
| 2. | Mack Brown, Texas/UNC | 244-121-1 |
NCAA Coaches Since 1990: Since the 1990 season Mack Brown has recorded more wins (225) than any other head coach in the country and also has the highest winning percentage (.754) in the nation during that span.
| 1. | Mack Brown, Texas/UNC | 225-73-1 |
| 2. | Frank Beamer, Va. Tech | 212-87-1 |
| 1. | Mack Brown, Texas/UNC | .754 |
| 2. | Frank Beamer, Va. Tech | .708 |
