Mack Brown says Texas vs. BYU will be “street fight”

Texas will face stiffer competition this weekend when it squares off against BYU, especially at the line of scrimmage. The Longhorns are 0-2 all-time against the Cougars with BYU beating Texas 22-17 in 1987 and 47-6 in 1988. A lot has changed since then, of course, but Texas will go up against a BYU offensive line whose starters stand at an average 6 feet 5 inches, 307 pounds. The Longhorns’ defensive line? More than 30 pounds lighter — they’re an average 6 feet 5 inches, 276 pounds.

“This’ll be a street fight,” head coach Mack Brown said. “The strength of this team is on both lines of scrimmage. Those guys are physical.”

Shipley got head start on Longhorns practice field

Jaxon Shipley may have hit the practice field before anyone on the team.

He just wasn’t practicing when he first got there.

The comparisons to his older brother and current Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, Jordan, have been endless and with good reason. But while Jordan was honing his skills on the practice field, Jaxon was occupied with other matters. Jaxon, along with his sisters, turned the workout area into a playground of sorts as he constantly rolled down a hill near the practice field.

“I remember when he first got here, we had to go over repeatedly on that hill on the practice field and try to get Jaxon to keep from rolling down it,” Brown said. “He and his sisters, they finally got smarter. They got cardboard, and they started sliding down. I saw him as a child, and now, it’s fun to watch him play.”

Brown recalls relationship with BYU coaching legend

Long before Mack Brown became Texas’ head football coach, he interviewed to be an assistant at BYU under the legendary LaVelle Edwards, the man who put the Cougars’ football program on the map.

Brown ended up taking a job at Memphis State. Later, when Brown was the wide receivers coach at Southern Miss, he was on the sideline opposite Edwards twice, in 1975 and 1976. The Golden Eagles, who ran an option offense, triumphed, 42-14, in their first meeting with the Cougars. The following year, however, BYU returned the favor, pummeling Southern Miss, 63-19.

“I think ol’ LaVelle woke up and decided to stop that option,” Brown said.

Longhorns to honor 10th anniversary of Sept. 11

Sunday marks the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. The flags around Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium will be at half-staff Saturday and there will be a moment of silence.