By Stefan Stevenson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram –
Texas coach Mack Brown channeled the famous Roy Scheider line from “Jaws” on Monday after seeing Big 12 offenses average 48.5 points the opening weekend.
“We’re going to need to score more points,” Brown said.
Scheider’s character Brody, after seeing the gigantic size of the shark up close for the first time, slowly backs into the boat’s cabin and tells Quint: “You’re going to need a bigger boat.”
As expected, Big 12 offenses look poised to take a big bite out of defenses this season, even if much of the opening week damage was against lesser opponents.
“All you have to do is look at the scores,” TCU coach Gary Patterson said. “We were able to watch a few of the teams around the league and see what we’re going to have to get prepared for. We already had a pretty good feeling of that. Obviously, there’s a lot of work to do.”
The Horned Frogs open their season at 6 p.m. Saturday against Grambling State.
The league’s other teams went 9-0, outscored their opponents 437-137, and won by an average margin of 33.3 points. The offenses averaged 519.8 yards per game and 6.7 yards per play.
Regardless of the opponent, those are numbers that will keep defensive coordinators backing slowly away, and requesting a bigger boat.
Spread offense?
West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith earned national player of the week honors after completing 32 of 36 passes for 323 yards and four touchdowns while becoming the school’s all-time leader in completions and touchdown passes. He also ran for 65 yards and a touchdown before sitting out the fourth quarter in the Mountaineers’ 69-34 win over Marshall.
But coach Dana Holgorsen named running back Shawne Alston the Mountaineers’ Offensive Champion after he led them with 123 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. He figures Smith will have plenty of chances the rest of the season.
“Geno’s going to get a lot of stuff nationally, and he played his best game since I’ve been here,” Holgorsen said. “But we’d obviously like to spread it out a little bit. Sean played his best game.”
Briefly
— Oklahoma State’s 84 points against Savannah State is the most by a Big 12 school and the most by the Cowboys since scoring 65 against Washington State in 2010.
— Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville is the first Red Raider coach to win his first three season openers since Steve Sloan (1975-77).
— Former Mansfield Timberview running back Eric Stephens rushed for 58 yards and two touchdowns in the Red Raiders’ 44-6 win over Northwestern State. It was Stephens’ first game back after a knee injury sidelined him for the last seven games in 2011.
