Longhorns Update: Opie-Gate

The University of Texas Longhorns have a new two-headed offensive coordinator – Major Applewhite and Bryan Harsin. Look closely at their promotional photos. You’d think they were one and the same at first glance. Applewhite is 32, Harsin is 34. Smoke and mirrors?

Conspiracy, I tell you. Opie-Gate has arrived in Austin. Let’s see if we ever see both of them in the same place at the same time.

The Longhorn Youth Movement also adds new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, the “old man” of the group who is a whopping 36 years old.

The current evidence would indicate that this conspiracy does not involve bubble screens or zone reads. And it might actually involve a blitz or three. And it could actually prove to be a lot of … fun.

This is a movement I can support – and for a lot of reasons.

Let’s start with the first head of this new two-headed offensive monster - Major Applewhite. We all remember him as a former UT quarterback, one that has always been the darling of the Texas Exes and Longhorn Nation. Applewhite can do no wrong in this city. He was the former offensive coordinator at Alabama, so he certainly knows how to handle the pressures of a big-time college football program.

Bryan Harsin, the second head of the two-headed offensive monster, is the former offensive coordinator at Boise State University. Yes, that high-powered, high-octane offense that you love to watch because it is explosive and they love to make use of the run, pass, and lots of innovative play-calling. For those who may have forgotten, Harsin lead the offense that unceremoniously beat Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. That would be reason enough to hire him right there.

The sum total age of our new co-offensive coordinators is the age of many current offensive coordinators. Maybe that’s a little exaggerated, but the sentiment is still there.

Putting these two minds together could give players like Garrett Gilbert, DJ Monroe, Mike Davis, and new recruit Malcolm Brown an environment in which they could actually succeed. This might be the start of a fun-and-gun offense in Austin.

But don't forget new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. He was the former defensive coordinator for Mississippi State, a unit that held Auburn (and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton) to just 17 points (in a 17 – 14 loss) this season. I’ll bet that Oregon can’t do that in the upcoming National Championship game.

Mack Brown seems to have done a good job of building this Longhorn Youth Movement. If so, the program (and his legacy) will be in good shape.

As a Longhorn fan, I have learned to keep my fingers crossed until the excitement of a new coaching hire fades into September and October. And let’s face it – nothing really matters until October 8, when they play Oklahoma in Dallas.

With that said, I can say I am anxiously awaiting the 2011 season. This could be epic.

Photo credits: Wikipedia