Mack Brown recruits Big 12 cheerleaders to join him at Big 12 Media Days
BY GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
DALLAS – Bob Stoops showed up Monday for his tour of Big 12 Media Days in a chipper, engaging mood. He backslapped Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein. He hollered over to Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville. He joked about the West Virginia Mountaineer mascot having to empty his gun powder at TSA en route to Dallas.
One day later, Mack Brown tried to top Stoops in an appearance before Big 12 newspaper reporters.
Brown strolled into his press conference with 10 Big 12 cheerleaders in tow. He took a seat on the podium, noticed its color and cracked: "I'm sitting in a red chair. I don't do that very often."
It got better. Brown glanced at the row of cheerleaders off to the side of the podium and explained the reason he brought them with him: to handle the "tough questions."
It's unclear if the 10 questions could be classified as "tough." Most of them probed the identity of Texas' starting quarterback this season, unknown with preseason practice now days away.
"We have two older guys with another year in our Bryan Harsin/Major Applewhite offense," Brown said of David Ash and Case McCoy, his two candidates for the position. "Both have won significant games. We're coming in at a much better place than where we were last year. I hear they've both had very competitive summers.
"Both are in the mix and should have a great battle at that position."
With that, Brown nodded to his cheerleading entourage and said: "Whaddya think, ladies? Was that a great answer?"
The ladies seemed to think so. The reporters weren't so sure, so they pressed the issue.
What made Brown so confident Ash or McCoy would emerge when practice rolled around?
"I've got 37 years that says it'll probable happen one way or the other," Brown said. "Usually the players choose for you, or somebody will tweak an ankle or have a sore shoulder. It may not be performance that separates them. Or it may be there isn't really separation. Then you choose one to start the season, and if he doesn't play well you put the other one in."
Brown talked about balancing his offense, his feeling the Longhorns can run the ball on anyone they play. He talked about developing receivers. He talked about building on the performance of last year's defense.
After 10 questions, he was done. He thanked the reporters, then made sure he thanked the cheerleaders as well.
They all walked out of the room together, and you couldn't help but notice something.
There wasn't an OU pom in the bunch.
Associated Images:
Texas coach Mack Brown watches his team during the Orange and White spring NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas back in April. MICHAEL THOMAS/AP File Photo
|
