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According to MackBrown-TexasFootball.com, Senior quarterback Colt McCoy told reporters the excitement is settling in, and the team is going to have a lot of fun getting ready for the game while staying focused on their goal. The players arrived in the Sunshine State separately. They are staying in Newport Beach to practice at the University of California-Irvine until the match-up on January 7.
Anticipation may be building, but the Longhorns still have an entire weekend and much of next week to not only practice, but take part in some fun-filled activities, including a trip to Disneyland Saturday.
Head coach Mack Brown and the players said a few words about their feelings less than a week to the biggest game ever for many of them. "First, let me wish everyone a happy new year. Let’s hope that 2010 is the best year in United States history, and we also hope for Texas football," said Brown.
Even with all the fun they'll be having, the Longhorns will also have a busy practice schedule beginning Saturday. Practices are planned from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day at UC-Irvine.
"These kids have earned the right to be here. They have won 13 games," said Brown. "They have worked really hard. The Coaches Poll and the AP Poll at the first of the year thought that they would be good enough to get here, and they have been. All they need to do now is make sure that they continue to do what they did. We lost some momentum at the end of the year with the last two games, and Alabama gained momentum with their Florida game, so we have to get our momentum back and come out and play a great game on Thursday."
Coach Brown said the team will prepare the same way it has for each game. Defensive tackle Lamarr Houston says the key is keeping their minds together. "We’re going to be fast and physical and furious," he said. "That’s how we play and that’s how we’re always going to play. Coach [Will] Muschamp reminds us of that."
Of course, number two Texas is going into this game as the underdog. "Coach Brown told us to find an edge, find what will make you better than the guy you’re going against every play," said McCoy. "When we go to practice, when we go to meetings, when we are hanging out at the hotel, we’re slowly trying to find our edge, find our advantage. We’re not thinking about being the underdogs, we’re just thinking about what we have to do to go into this game and play our best," he said.
Texas is in California without several players: Jared Norton (not practicing) and Brandon Collins (concussion) are redshirted and may join the team later, but are not a part of the activities for now. Russell Carter is academically ineligible, according to Brown, and that he will be eligible for the spring. And Marcus Davis, who was arrested for suspicion of drinking and driving, and possession of a controlled substance, was suspended. Brown said he will be transferring, but it's not clear where he will go yet.
Speaking about memories of the 2005 BCS championship game, McCoy says he can't wait to get on the field and make more memories that will last forever. "I actually re-watched the game a couple of days ago, it was on ESPN Classic, so I watched that game and it kind of fired me up and that kind of made it all sink in," he said. "Watching that last drive and the big stop on fourth down, those are memories that I’ll have forever."
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