Topping 10 wins a tough task for Texas

AUSTIN - Mack Brown says there are no rebuilding years at Texas.

That's because he knows Longhorns fans have little patience for what rebuilding usually means: young players trying to figure out the college game and more losses than anyone in Austin wants to even think about.

He also knows the term "rebuilding year" is nowhere to be found in the contract that pays him close to $3 million a year.

Yet it's hard to look at the 2008 Longhorns and not think No. 11 Texas is still a year away from competing for the Big 12 title again.

There are just too many questions, too many tough games and too much inexperience to expect more than nine or 10 wins.

Since when is a 10-win season a rebuilding year?

Well, even though Texas likes to point out that its streak of seven consecutive 10-wins seasons is unmatched across the country, it should also be noted that 10 victories or more in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 or 2007 didn't get the Longhorns to the Big 12 championship game.

And last season's 10-3 finish included losses to both Oklahoma and Texas A&M, the first time that's happened since 1993.

"We need to win more this year," junior quarterback Colt McCoy said when Texas opened training camp.

Texas has a myriad of issues going into Saturday night's season opener against Florida Atlantic.

The defensive secondary that couldn't stop anybody last season will start freshmen at both safeties. And new coordinator Will Muschamp brings a fine reputation but has yet to game plan for the Big 12 and its lineup of supercharged offenses.

The Longhorns are still searching for a No. 1 tailback with Vondrell McGee and Chris Ogbannaya expected to split time and they still haven't found a third receiver.

Overall, the first depth chart released Monday showed 10 positions still up for grabs. While that could mean the competition remains too fierce to settle at this point, it could also mean the coaches aren't getting what they want from some players.

The schedule also picks up the two best teams in the Big 12 North - Missouri at home on Oct. 11 and at Kansas on Nov. 16 - teams the Longhorns didn't have to play the last two seasons.

The team motto this year is "consistently good to be great," a slogan the players wear on an burnt-orange wristband.

Here's a game-by-game prediction for Texas in 2008:

>> Florida Atlantic: Win. New safeties get scorched for two long touchdowns, but Owls no match for Texas in front of 98,000 the night Vince Young's jersey retired.

>> at UTEP: Win. Biggest game in Miners history is over by halftime in a Texas rout.

>> Arkansas: Win. Hogs still trying to figure out new coach Bobby Petrino's offense.

>> Rice: Win. Texas is 38-1 in last 39 meetings with the Owls. Nothing to suggest Rice can pull off a shocker this time.

>> at Colorado: Win. Buffalo trap snared Oklahoma last year, but Texas survives tough Big 12 opener.

>> Oklahoma at Dallas: Loss. Inexperience finally catches up with Texas as OU's Sam Bradford picks apart secondary.

>> Missouri: Win. Missouri might be best team Texas plays all year, but overconfident Tigers are swamped by angry Longhorns and biggest home crowd in Texas history.

>> Oklahoma State: Win. No Cowboys lead is ever safe against Texas. Longhorns rally again.

>> at Texas Tech: Loss. No Mike Leach rants this time. Graham Harrell to Michael Crabtree too much for Texas.

>> Baylor: Win. Bears rarely competitive.

>> at Kansas: Loss. Texas defense starting to wear out and Jayhawks get the win they probably should have had in ‘04.

>> Texas A&M: Win. Anything can happen in rivalry games, but Aggies just don't have the talent to win it three years in a row.

That makes Texas 9-3 and needing a bowl victory to keep the 10-win streak alive.

By that measure, the Longhorns will be consistent, but not great in '08.

Maybe next year.

Jim Vertuno covers the Longhorns for The Associated Press.