Blowing Bayou
Longhorns adjust after slow start to run past Tigers
1/2/2003
Early risers, the Texas Longhorns are not.
They needed one quarter to get the sleep out of their eyes against LSU in the SBC Cotton Bowl Classic on Wednesday. But once they did, the Longhorns' big-play ability proved too much for the Tigers.
With its 35-20 victory before 70,817, No. 9 Texas posted consecutive 11-win seasons for the first time.
But just after the 10 a.m. kickoff, it looked like Texas would be on its way to another dubious distinction: losing in Dallas for the sixth straight time. Instead, the Longhorns snapped their five-game losing streak here while shaking off what looked like a late New Year's Eve, or at least a one-month layoff.
Defensive end Cory Redding became a constant backfield mate of LSU quarterback Marcus Randall, and receiver Roy Williams destroyed the Tigers secondary, finishing with four catches for 142 yards and a touchdown plus a 39-yard touchdown on a reverse. Redding and Williams earned Most Valuable Player honors.
They made plays when Texas needed them.
The offense opened the game with three plays and zero yards in the first quarter.
"I almost went to sleep on the sideline," Williams said. "I told the receivers we've got to go play. We gotta get our jerseys dirty."
The defense was facing tough times, too, allowing LSU 187 total yards - 71 rushing and 116 passing - and the Tigers took a 10-7 first-quarter lead.
Finally, the Longhorns turned on the light switch. Leaning on the grit built during their Hit Man drills in two-a-days, Texas dug deep to make things happen. It started with Redding knocking the ball loose from LSU quarterback Marcus Randall. Linebacker Lee Jackson snatched the ball off the ground and took off 46 yards for a touchdown to make it 7-3.
"That drill is all about somebody making plays," Jackson said. "You can't wait on someone. You have to do it."
The quick score contributed to a low fuel tank for the Texas defense, though. It stayed on the field against LSU as the Tigers held the ball 13 minutes, 8 seconds in the first quarter.
LSU, handing the ball off to its bruising running back, LaBrandon Toefield, had no problem taking advantage of that on the next drive. Toefield capped it with a 20-yard score on a pass from Randall for a 10-7 LSU lead. The Tigers extended it to 17-7 early in the second. Randall bolted on a designed draw play and wasn't brought down by Nathan Vasher until he had picked up 76 yards. Domanick Davis finished the deal with a 10-yard run up the middle.
Texas made defensive adjustments late in the first quarter and eventually began seeing results. Defensive coordinator Carl Reese threw in more disguises. Linebacker Derrick Johnson feigned blitzes and dropped back. Texas started using more zone blitzes. It confused Randall, who received intravenous fluids at halftime. He completed 8 of 28 passes for 53 yards and one interception in the second half.
The changes allowed Redding to pounce on Randall and harass Toefield behind the line of scrimmage. Redding finished with eight tackles, including four tackles for a loss of 23 yards. After getting 310 yards of offense in the first half, LSU gained 131 more the rest of the game.
The only change the offense made was getting the ball in Williams' hands. Williams easily got by Corey Webster on an inside move, caught Chris Simms' ball on his hip and scored on a 51-yard catch. Williams followed with a 75-yarder in which he beat Webster on a crossing pattern and shook off the help from Jack Hunt in man-free coverage. That set up a touchdown from Cedric Benson that gave Texas a 21-17 lead.
Freshman tackle Rodrique Wright forced another Randall fumble, and Jackson recovered it. That led to Williams' crowning score - a 39-yard reverse in which he dragged three LSU players into the end zone with him.
"I thought the turnovers and the three big plays Roy Williams made were a big difference in the game," LSU coach Nick Saban said.
From Texas' perspective, so was ending the careers of seniors like Redding, Simms and Rod Babers on a positive note.
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