Longhorns Around The Web: Gameday Edition

Each Friday, we'll be offering up a sampling of Longhorn- and Big 12-related sports coverage making its way around the Web.

Finally, the wait is over. It's felt like Spring Break meets Christmas morning all week, both due to the anticipation tomorrow's home opener, and the cessation of tired and derivative college football season previews and power rankings. Mark Schlabach's 2011 pre-preseason rankings are expected to be revealed later this week.

There's no question Mack Brown is one of the best in the game. But even after 10 seasons, he admits it's hard to gauge a team until opening day; from his Monday press conference: "You coach and you play for the games. When you're talking about all the things that you can't answer, when you get to a game, it really is a waste of time. The preseason chatter, everybody has it, but very few live up to it. Even as the head coach, as I sit out and watch our practice every day I'm still not sure what will happen in a game with this certain group against this group, because I've been seeing our two groups compete against each other and one loses every time, so I'd like to see us win and that's something you can't do till game day."

You may have noticed that certain Longhorn athletes have had trouble not drinking and driving, or not driving into buildings while texting over the last few years. Unfortunately, those things seem to come with the territory. But outside of a handful of aberrations, there are some real class acts on this team, no doubt a testament to Mack Brown. The most prominent example is of course Colt McCoy, who gave a first person account to The Sporting News regarding why he decided to return for his senior season, and several such players reside on the offensive line, which has garnered some notoriety in recent weeks. Winning is great, but character guys are as much a reason why the team is so endearing to the community.

Other than the seemingly much-improved secondary, few have been quick to postulate about the rest of the defense, especially considering Will Muschamp's position as head coach in waiting. From Mike Finger of the Houston Chronicle.

In case you don't follow Lousiana-Monroe athletics on a regular basis, the University paper, The Hawkeye, has got a preview of the team.

There's a possibility that Garrett Gilbert could see some action Saturday. So much for that redshirt, and so much for Sherrod Harris. Apparently he'll have to take a page out of the Matt Cassel playbook if he is to take his game to the next level.

Just in case football isn't your schtick, there's a comprehensive offseason look at Big 12 basketball, from Dana O'Neil. Apparently "this team is Final Four-good".