Houston – Everything’s bigger in Texas, especially expectations for a Longhorns football coach.
Mack Brown was reminded of that again Thursday when actor Matthew McConaughey, a UT alum and People magazine’s reigning “sexiest man alive,” stopped by practice.
“He said, ‘Win this one Saturday, and that will be your goal, and then go win your dream,”‘ Brown said.
After their 70-3 annihilation of Colorado in the Big 12 championship game, the Longhorns’ goal has been achieved. Their dream – beating top-ranked Southern California in the Rose Bowl to claim Texas’ first national championship since 1970 – lives.
And the Longhorns are confident they have what it takes to complete the dream. When asked if he believes the Longhorns are the best team in the nation, safety Michael Huff said: “With the family of this team, and with the chemistry, I feel that we are.”
Nor is Huff worried about facing Southern Cal’s prolific offense featuring quarterback Matt Leinart and running back Reggie Bush.
“USC has probably the second-best offense, compared to our offense, in the nation,” Huff said.
“It will be a great matchup for us.”
For Brown, now in his eighth year at Texas, reaching the national championship game provides the latest proof that his program is on the right track. The Longhorns passed their first major test last year when they beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl for the Longhorns’ first BCS bowl victory.
“We were proud of the fact that we got over the BCS hump last year, and I thought that was so key,” Brown said.
“When we came to Texas, everybody said, ‘All we would like you to do is get us back in the top 10 where we are recognized as a great program again.’
“We have been doing that the last four of five years. Texas is a factor.”
