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Longhorns at a Glance  Head Coach  Mack Brown  At Texas  12th Year / 115-26 Overall  2008 Record  12-1 Overall, 7-1 Big 12  Home/Road/Neutral  7-0 / 3-1 / 2-0  Off Starters Ret/Lost  8 / 3  Def Starters Ret/Lost  6 / 5  Lettermen Returning  45  Off/Def/Spec  20 / 24 / 1  Lettermen Lost    15  2008 Team Stats   Stat NCAA Big 12  Total Offense 475.77 9 5  Rushing Offense 167.46 41 5  Passing Offense 308.31 7 4  Points/Game 42.38 5 3  Total Defense 342.92 51 1  Rushing Defense 83.54 3 1  Passing Defense 259.38 104 7  Pts Allowed/Game   18.77 18 1  Returning Stat Leaders  Rushing  Colt McCoy (561 yds, 11 TDs)  Passing  Colt McCoy (3,859, 34 TDs)  Receiving  Jordan Shipley (1,060 yds, 11 TDs)  Tackles  Roddrick Muckelroy (112)  Sacks  Sergio Kindle (10.0)  INTs    Earl Thomas (2)

NORMAN, Okla. -- SoonerSports.com continues its 2009 football season preview with an in-depth look at Oklahoma's showdown with Texas at the Cotton Bowl.
 

Game Buildup

Annually one of the biggest games in college football, the 2009 edition of the Red River Rivalry could be as big as it's ever been. Both OU and Texas are ranked in the preseason top five and hope to be playing in Pasadena in January.
 

Season Outlook

Texas has only one goal entering the season -- a national title. With talent and experience back at every position on both sides of the ball, anything less will be considered a letdown for the Longhorns.
 

Players to Watch

Colt McCoy | QB | No. 12 | Senior
The heart and soul of the Texas program the last four years, McCoy returns for his final season in Austin.
 
McCoy finished as the runner-up to Sam Bradford in the 2008 Heisman race after leading his team in both rushing and passing. The nation's most accurate QB a year ago, he set an NCAA single-season record with a .767 completion percentage.
 
McCoy is at his best when he is on the move, constantly buying time with his legs to make big plays happen with his arm.
 

Sergio Kindle | DE/LB | No. 2 | Senior
With Brian Orakpo graduating to the NFL, Kindle becomes Texas' defensive headliner in 2009.
 
After exclusively playing linebacker his first two seasons, Kindle increased his production significantly last year in a hybrid DE/LB role. He accumulated 53 total tackles, 10 sacks, two pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.
 
With a year of experience at the flex position under his belt, Kindle looks to make an even bigger impact this season.
 
Other Key Players

WR Jordan Shipley, Sr. DB Aaron Williams, So. LB Roddrick Muckelroy, Sr. WR Malcolm Williams, So. RB Cody Johnson, So.

DT Lamarr Houston, Sr. OT Adam Ulatoski, Sr. DB Earl Thomas, So. OL Chris Hall, Sr. DB Chykie Brown, Jr.

 

Scouting Texas' Offense

It's no secret that the offense is built around McCoy, who had 11 rushing TDs to go along with 34 passing TDs a year ago.
 
Quan Cosby is gone, but the Longhorns still have a talented receiving corps led by sixth-year senior Jordan Shipley. Juniors Brandon Collins and James Kirkendoll look to take on larger roles this season, while Malcolm Williams, Dan Buckner and DeSean Hales are young receivers with big potential.
 
In the backfield, Texas will again utilize the running back-by-committe approach. Vondrell McGee and Fozzy Whittaker provide the speed, while Cody Johnson, with 12 rushing TDs last season, brings the power.
 
Texas returns four of five starters up front, anchored by Chris Hall and Adam Ulatoski. The battle between UT's offensive line and OU's defensive line will certainly be one of the best in college football this season.
 

Scouting Texas' Defense

While the Longhorns must replace a pair of first-team All Big 12 defensive linemen in Brian Orakpo and Roy Miller, Kindle and Lamarr Houston are ready to take over the reins.
 
At linebacker, seniors Roddrick Muckelroy and Jared Norton give Texas plenty of experience, while sophomore Keenan Robinson will step in on the strong side when Kindle moves up front. Muckelroy was far and away the team's leading tackler with 112 stops last season.
 
Texas also employs one of the deepest and most experienced secondary units in the nation, returning three of four starters along with several players who consistently rotated in. Earl Thomas and Blake Gideon hold down the safety positions after solid freshmen campaigns a year ago. They finished second and third on the team in tackles respectively. Deon Beasley, Chykie Brown, Curtis Brown and Aaron Williams have all started games at cornerback for the Longhorns.
  

Game Implications

Conference and national championship implications are nothing new in the Red River Rivalry. Both teams look to set the tone for the remainder of their seasons with a win at the Cotton Bowl.
 
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Stay tuned throughout the summer as we provide an in-depth look at each of OU's 2009 opponents.