Texas shifted Red River’s balance of power by giving Oklahoma taste of its own medicine

Of the ten most lopsided video games within the wonderful historical past of Texas-OU, the rival north of the Red River held the hammer 9 occasions. Part of it was Barry Switzer, who tried to hold half 100 on everybody, Texas particularly. And half of it’s the Sooners usually have had the higher quarterback.

Which is why Texas’ 49-0 win over Oklahoma — the third-biggest romp in sequence historical past — was so beautiful.

And perhaps why the Longhorns are about to make a bit historical past of their own.

Granted, as distinctive as Quinn Ewers was in solely his second full faculty recreation, the distinction Saturday wasn’t all about quarterbacks. Dillon Gabriel little doubt would have closed the hole not less than a bit. But, even at his finest, he wouldn’t have cleared any of the bumper-to-bumper visitors within the Sooners’ secondary. That accountability fell squarely on the shoulders of Brent Venables, who succeeded Lincoln Riley nearly solely on the premise of his defensive fame, now receding sooner than what’s left of my hairline.

By the way in which: Not solely do Sooner followers have not less than another reason to resent Riley for fleeing Norman, they have to marvel how, say, Josh Heupel, the previous OU quarterback and architect of Tennessee’s startling renovation, may need panned out.

In all equity to Venables, Oklahoma has been leaking quarterbacks left and proper. Besides Caleb Williams, who accompanied Riley to USC, Spencer Rattler is at South Carolina, Tanner Mordecai at SMU and Chandler Morris at TCU.

On the opposite hand, nobody’s feeling sorry for a program that benefited from two Heisman Trophy winners within the final 5 years and a 3rd switch quarterback now thought-about an early favourite for NFL MVP.

Texas coaches may have used Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray or Jalen Hurts. Sam Bradford may need been good, too.

The roll name of nice Longhorn quarterbacks doesn’t take lengthy to recite. Bobby Layne, Vince Young, Colt McCoy, James Street, Marty Akins. Layne burned a legendary path from the time he left Highland Park till he stop the NFL at 36. Street and VY received nationwide titles, and Colt may need accomplished the identical if his proper arm hadn’t performed lifeless towards Alabama. Akins was an All-American who averaged 9 wins a yr again once they solely performed 11.

And that’s just about the extent of Texas’ quarterback legacy.

Much ink has been spilled and oxygen depleted in search of causes for why Texas has wandered the wilderness since Mack Brown’s heyday regardless of rosters replete with three-, four- and five-star expertise. But it’s fairly easy, actually.

Most groups have had higher quarterbacks.

Since VY ducked into an unoccupied nook of the Rose Bowl finish zone, TCU has gone by Andy Dalton and Trevone Boykin; Baylor boasted each Robert Griffin III and Bryce Petty; Case Keenum performed what appeared like a decade for Houston; and Texas A&M launched the world to Johnny Manziel.

For that matter, in 2013 alone, Texas Tech had Mayfield, Davis Webb and Michael Brewer, with Patrick Mahomes on the way in which.

Mack takes due warmth for failing to acknowledge Heisman-caliber expertise within the wake of VY and Colt, leaving the likes of RGIII, Johnny Football, Andrew Luck, Jameis Winston and different notables off his name checklist. But, earlier than and after Mack, Texas’ quarterback historical past hasn’t precisely been overwhelming.

Back in Darrell Royal’s day, pro-style quarterbacks equivalent to Chuck Hixson or Tommy Kramer went to SMU or Rice. The Longhorns’ run-first, run-last offense wasn’t conducive to budding NFL careers.

And from Royal to Fred Akers to David McWilliams to John Mackovic to Mack to Charlie Strong and Tom Herman, with just a few exceptions, it’s been one overachieving 5-11 quarterback after one other.

Even then they didn’t at all times get the precise 5-11 quarterback. Remember Mackovic taking Major Applewhite over Drew Brees?

Frankly, we’d grown so accustomed to Texas being quick at quarterback, you figured it will need to have been like one of these warnings in amusement parks:

You can not quarterback this workforce in the event you’re taller than this.

Then all of a sudden Steve Sarkisian bought Ewers and Arch Manning on his program, which means Texas will quickly have extra quarterback expertise on campus than at any time in its historical past. Assuming Manning nonetheless comes and Ewers stays, that’s.

While I haven’t seen Manning play, I belief the scouting studies and pedigree. As for Ewers, I believe I’ve seen sufficient. In the 5 quarters I’ve witnessed, he’s demonstrated extra arm expertise than any Texas quarterback in reminiscence, which solely covers a half-century or so. He’s not as athletic as Mahomes, however, just like the Chiefs’ star, he can drop his arm slot and throw off the unsuitable foot. Just a little an excessive amount of, in the event you ask me, however, most of the time, it really works for him.

Don’t misconstrue any of this to imply that Texas is again, as a result of I’d by no means make any such proclamation with out irrefutable proof. But a Longhorn quarterback shifted the balance of power in a historic rivalry and gave the Sooners a dose of their own medicine within the course of. Never thought I’d see one thing like that on the State Fair.

Find extra faculty sports activities protection from The Dallas Morning News right here.