Remarkable

The 12-1 Texas Longhorns should get a few votes for #1 and a lot of votes for #2. Nothing original here but let's review reality, without coach speak, regarding this team's season.

Offense:

Not much of a running game. We saw glimpses of good from Chris Ogbonnaya, Fozzy Whitaker, Vondrell McGee, and Cody Johnson, but not championship caliber. Beanie Wells, we know now, is a running back. Texas' running game probably does not even rise to 'workmanlike.' When your QB is not Vince Young and leads the team in rushing, not good.

A short passing game. Two of the best possession receivers ever in Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley, but no ability to stretch the field. The better defenses did not worry about the deep pass. The young receivers developed well but this was offset by season-long injuries to the only two pass-catching tight ends, a key position in this offense that became a non-factor.

Offensive line, good but a year away. A line with one senior in the two-deep exceeded expectations, but curiously dropped off somewhat after an exceptional OU game. Minor injuries and a Buck Buchanan brain hemorrhage damaged continuity and depth.

Quarterback. Thank goodness for Colt McCoy and no injury to Colt McCoy, in that order.

Summary: When the smoke clears and numbers are crunched, nickel-and-dime sustained drives in game after game are the story of the season. Go back to OU, Missouri, and Oklahoma State discs and study the 60+ yard drives with few game-breaking plays and an extraordinary number of third down conversions. Incredible passing accuracy and clutch possession receivers; call it the third coast offense.

When D coordinators figured out how one-dimensional the Longhorns truly are, it made a difference. A veteran Oklahoma State team exploited the advantage for 60 minutes; ditto for Texas Tech in the first half a week later.

Defense:

Too many ends. The D line held its own despite guys playing out of position, Roy Miller the only true tackle. Brian Orakpo and Miller superb; Sergio Kindle, Lamarr Houston, unsung Aaron Lewis, and Henry Melton darn good. QB pressure was critical in the OU and Tech second halves and for 60 minutes versus everyone else. Linebacking improved, particularly against the run, but short of the expected rave reviews.

Kiddie corps secondary. Another spot with one senior in the two deep, you knew these young guys would be tested. Considering, they held up well, though it got dicey with Chykie Brown and Ryan Palmer dinged. By midseason Texas sometimes fielded a secondary with essentially no coverage experience from previous years, i.e. all freshmen or special-team sophs. Solid as freshmen, safeties Earl Thomas and Blake Gideon will make those plays in the future.

Summary: The D gave up a lot of yards in the air again but good coaching showed in the red zone, where the field tightens up. By ground or air, this unit tended to foil offenses near the goalline. Texas Tech's winning score was its only offensive touchdown of the second half.

Special Teams:

Still not special enough. Punting and placekicking were solid, but too often Texas lost field position in this key phase--coverage and return-side both. Better than 2007, but still outperformed by too many foes.

Overall:

Fiesta Bowl announcers marveled in the third quarter about the "return" of the exceptional Texas offense and its many weapons. The Buckeye coaches knew the truth--foil the Horns' ball-control passing game and you win. They failed that simple task despite the nation's seventh ranked defense on a battle-tested team with 28 seniors.

McCoy, Cosby, Shipley, a superb underneath passing game, and a pretty good line carried a one-dimensional offense way beyond expectation, without question the most amazing truth of the 2008 season. With few weapons, Texas came within one second of playing for a national championship.

Remarkable.