Like a good deal of Texas fans, I'm most familiar with our football team and the game of football itself (I didn't say all Texas fans, you sports nerds who are hitting the email reply button to tell me they know everything about all sports, or hate football and only follow Texas' underwater basket-weaving team for people with gender identity disorder). So to accommodate mostly me, but also the rest of you who respond better to football talk, I'm going to make an assessment of the Horns' upcoming sweet 16 game against the Standford Cardinals in football terms.
Basic rules of the metaphor
Two pointer = Rushing first down
Commonalities: bread and butter positive offensive action for any team, not as game changing as...
Three pointer = Passing first down
Commonalities: generally speaking a larger gain, momentum swing
Post game = Running game.
Commonalities: lower risk, lower reward; requires a lot of unglamorous work by the big uglies.
Outside shooting =Passing game
Commonalities: higher risk, higher reward; higher glam factor.
After the coin toss
Stanford's running game:
Texas' biggest concern in this match up is going to be by far Stanford's rushing attack. The Cardinal's have an incredible stable of twin running backs who are going to bare most of the offensive load. Think A&M with two Javorsky Lanes running the option. Specifically, 7-foot tailback Brook Lopez is going to be the offensive player to stop as he has been given the ball on an incredible 33.8% of Cardinal plays. Fellow running back and twin brother, fullback Robin Lopez is ready to jump in along with Taj Finger to pick up the ball if Brook comes up short after first and second down. Robin and Taj collectively account for more than 26.7% of the offensive rebounds third down conversions. This is a dangerous combination for any team to face, just ask Marquette, but for the Horns' Stanford's running game may prove to be particularly challenging. Our most successful run stopping linebacker is Connor Atchley, ranking 54th nationally and second in the Big XII in tackles behind the line. Even with his success, Connor still gives up 3" and about 20 lbs to both Lopez brothers. Look for Rick Barnes to play our biggest package to stop the Cardinal's punishing rush attack, featuring Damion James, Alexis Wangmene, and Connor Atchley at defensive end or linebacker
Stanford's passing game:
As I said before, Stanford tends to rely heavily on their rushing game to get the yards, but their passing game is nothing to be scoffed at. As with any team that features an effective rushing attack, the passing game becomes equally deadly against the unbalanced defense. Although the Cardinal's have tried a variety of different quarterbacks, their primary play-maker is starting quarterback Anthony Goods. Perhaps sharing the same number as legend Brett Favre has lent Anthony the same affinity for passing, because Anthony has passed 170 times this season and achieved 60 first downs along the way.
Stanford's rush defense:
Grinding out yards on the ground will be no easy task for the Horns' due to the enormity of Stanford's front seven. Defensive tackle Robin Lopez ranks 30th in the nation in tackles behind the line and is accompanied on the national list by his 94th ranked twin brother, Brook Lopez.
Stanford's pass defense:
Stanford will be looking to shut down Texas' potent aerial attack, and have some of the right tools to do it. One advantage of having a large defensive line is its ability to create a massive wall for the passer to throw over. If Texas' offensive line, featuring Connor Atchley, Damion James, and Alexis Wangmene, cannot keep Stanford's defensive line away from quarterback A.J. Abrams the Horns' could have a tough time getting first downs. Texas' offensive line has to establish an inside presence early on so that Stanford's defensive ends can't get in the face of the various quarterbacks employed by Texas.
Random-probably-untrue-but-who-really-knows fact:
Stanford actually has a football team in real life too (I know, crazy), not just in obscure metaphorical analysis.
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