Big 12 notebook: Charlie Strong wants to 'restart' after Notre Dame blowout

By foxsports
Published

There were no moral victories for Texas, which was throttled 38-3 at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday night.

Texas was not expected to win the matchup with the revamped Fighting Irish. And while keeping it close, showing some flashes of potential with a young defense and maybe seeing few signs of life out of Tyrone Swoopes wouldn’t have been the best case scenario, it sure would have beat getting embarrassed on national television.

Looking ahead, Texas takes on Rice next weekend. Asked if he plans to change up the offensive coaching staff, Strong referenced how many people are influenced by whether the Horns win or lose each Saturday.

"We know this week we have to go play well ... millions and millions of people are involved in this program and we have to give them hope. They have to see progress,” Strong told reporters.

Texas is 72-21-1 all-time against Rice and hasn't lost to the Owls since 1994.

Seth Russell keeps the Baylor machine rolling

Sooner or later, they may have to start calling Baylor University ‘Quarterback U.’ From Robert Griffin III, to Bryce Petty and now Seth Russell, Art Briles has proven he can get the most out of his signal-callers.

Sure, it may be a bit premature to anoint Russell anything. His 2015 debut against SMU couldn’t have gone much better. Russely had 15 completions in the Bears’ 56-21 win over the Mustangs, but those went for an explosive 376 yards and five touchdowns. 

"I'll take the production," Briles said Monday during his weekly news conference on the Waco campus.

Briles’ praise of Russell had nothing to do with his arms or his legs. For his part, Russell looked extremely mobile Friday night and could add an element to this Bears offense that Petty was unable to. But the coach was quick to praise his new QB’s mental preparation.

"Everything he told us on the sideline in the game was right on with what we saw on the tape, and that's a great sign," Briles said. "He's a really sharp guy who understands the game."

TCU prevails in Minneapolis, but has much to improve upon

It is a testament to how far TCU has come when it notched a disappointing 23-17 win on the road against a solid Minnesota squad. That’s exactly the perception about the Horned Frogs’ Week 1 performance. 

But have a 2014 like TCU did, and those expectations make a lot of sense. The Frogs’ 23 points were seven fewer than their lowest output of the season in 2014, and Heisman hopeful Trevone Boykin didn’t look as comfortable in the pocket as he did when he was at his best last season.

“We’re the No. 2 team in the nation and everybody is gunning for us,” Boykin said. “We need to swing our best punch back.”

Despite returning nine offensive starters, the group looked rusty. Head coach Gary Patterson is confident his bunch can turn it around, but he says his QB needs to quit worrying about flash and must start focusing on the task at hand.

“The bottom line is there’s no style points,” Patterson said of Boykin. “You’ve got to throw it to ‘em. Lob it, I don’t care. [They] were so open, I might be able to throw it. You’ve got to make those plays in big ballgames.”

Quick hits: Patrick Mahomes was the named the starting quarterback for Texas Tech an hour before kickoff, and he did not disappoint. The sophomore threw for 425 yards and four touchdowns in the Red Raiders’ 59-45 win over Sam Houston State. …. Kansas State’s quarterback battle went down to the wire, but it looks as though their opening day starter could miss the rest of the season. Jesse Ertz didn't last long, suffering a knee injury and leaving Saturday's game against South Dakota after just two plays. The injury took place on the first play from scrimmage, but Ertz stayed in for a second play before being removed from the game for good…. The other Big 12 football program in Kansas didn’t  get off to the 2015 season on a great note. The Jayhawks lost to an FCS team, South Dakota State,  by a tally of 41-38. Kansas fell behind early and mounted an impressive comeback, but it was all for naught. With time winding down and the Jayhawks trailing by three, Kansas QB Montell Cozart attempted to spike the ball. Instead, he fumbled the snap, and time ran out on the clock as the Jackrabbits celebrated the upset.