Jamaal Charles Is Real Fun

Two weeks running, the Texas Longhorns have won in dramatic fashion with unlikely back-to-back comebacks. A week ago against Nebraska, the comeback was made possible by a 216-yard, three touchdown fourth quarter performance by tailback Jamaal Charles. Yesterday, against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Charles went off for over a hundred yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, fueling a 21-point come-from-behind win.

Twice in yesterday's game, the 'Horns fell behind by 21 points. They started the contest by digging themselves a 21-0 hole, managing to close the gap to 28-14 by half. In the third quarter, the porous Texas D gave up another big touchdown to make it 35-14, and that is where the score stood going into the final stanza. That's when the Texas defense woke up and began to get some stops and the Texas offense unleashed Hell's fury on the poor Cowboys (Hell's fury being, of course, Jamaal Charles.)

One could argue that if Texas were the elite team many thought they would be at the beginning of the year, they wouldn't have to keep pulling rabbits out of hats and wins out of their butts to defeat pedestrian programs like OK State and lowly Nebraska. But maybe it is time for the Longhorn Nation to realize that they are what the are: not quite as good as last year, and not remotely as good as two years ago, when they hoisted the National Championship trophy.

This Texas team had to replace nine players who last year wore burnt orange and white and this year populate NFL rosters. Filling the holes they left is no small order. It stands to reason, doesn't it, that this might be a rebuilding year? And if you can win, say, ten games and get a nice bowl victory in a down year, what's wrong with that?

Whatever the outcome of the final weeks, it has been some fun watching the rise of the most electric Texas tailback since Ricky "Bag O' Weed" Williams. It's been real, and it's been fun. Might even say, if Charles keeps this up, it's been real fun.