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TEXAS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Greg Davis
October 19, 1998
Last Saturday, during Texas's 37-3 victory over Oklahoma, Major Applewhite connected with Wane McGarity for the longest touchdown pass in Longhorns history. Texas offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Greg Davis details the strategy behind the 97-yard scoring strike.
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October 19, 1998

Texas Offensive Coordinator

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Last Saturday, during Texas's 37-3 victory over Oklahoma, Major Applewhite connected with Wane McGarity for the longest touchdown pass in Longhorns history. Texas offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Greg Davis details the strategy behind the 97-yard scoring strike.

Because of Oklahoma's style of defense—nine in the box, lots of blitzing—we knew they'd make some plays. But we told our guys to keep sawin' wood, keep your poise, and we'd make some big plays too. When our defense came up with the ball on a fumble at our own one-yard line, I flipped up our "Coming Out" chart—the plays we use when we're backed up to our goal line.

On first down, knowing they were in man-to-man, we sent twin receivers out on a zone play to see how the Sooners would react. They lined up the way we thought they would—the free safety cheated on the back side on the tight end. So on second down we called for maximum protection in case they blitzed, sent one receiver diagonal to the opposite flag and sent McGarity on a two-way post route—he could cut in or out, keying off the defender's move. He gets up on the toes of the defensive back before he makes that decision.

Typically we're trying to attack when we're backed up. We want the opposition to know we will pass there, so we can loosen the run up for Ricky Williams. I called the play and told Coach [Mack] Brown, "Hang on, something fun is about to happen." We were going for the score. The maximum protection was the key—Major had plenty of time. Wane was wide open, and Major laid it on the dime.

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