11/6/03

Wide Receivers take center stage … Cornerbacks too

	Nathan Vasher

AUSTIN, Texas -- A great deal of the talk leading into No. 11 Texas' Top 25 matchup with No. 21 Oklahoma State in Stillwater this weekend has focused on a battle of two of the top receivers in the nation. Texas' Roy Williams and Oklahoma State's Rashaun Woods both surprised a lot of people when they elected to wait a year on the NFL to enjoy their senior seasons. Both Williams and Woods are building on their stock as pro prospects this season and each were listed among the 10 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award (nation's top receiver) last week.

What has been lost in all of that discussion is that two of the nation's premier cornerbacks will be on the field to cover them. Texas and Oklahoma State both have an elite cover corner to face its premier receiver on a daily basis.

For Texas, it's senior Nathan Vasher who is leading a Longhorn secondary that ranks sixth nationally in pass defense (152.9 ypg). Vasher has posted 33 tackles, five TFLs, 14 pass breakups and is tied for 17th nationally with four interceptions on the year. The three-year starter has 145 tackles, 14 TFLs, 52 PBUs (No. 3 on UT's all-time career list) and is closing in on one of the oldest records in UT history. With 15 interceptions, Vasher is just three shy of breaking a mark of 17 that was set from 1939-41 by Noble Doss. The closest anyone has come since then was two-time All-American Jerry Gray with 16 from 1981-84.

“You're putting two of the best players in the country against each other in Vasher and Woods,” Texas head coach Mack Brown said. “FOX should be excited about this game just from that match-up, if nothing else. Nathan works against Roy Williams every day, and he gets a chance to compete with Rashaun Woods in this ball game. He gets to look at one every day, it's just like the one he's going to see. Everybody can watch these guys on Saturday night, but they're going to see them on Sunday.”

Unfortunately for Vasher, his numbers weren't enough to move him any closer to one of his biggest goals entering the 2003 season - the Thorpe Award (nation's top defensive back). A member of that award's preseason watch list, Vasher was not listed among the Thorpe Award's 12 semifinalists that were announced this week. Vasher hopes to use that as motivation to prove the award's committee wrong on Saturday.

"Personally, that was a big disappointment for me (not being a Thorpe semifinalists), but I still have a lot of goals left this season," Vasher said. "This weekend is really exciting for me because it's the first time I've had a chance to get a legitimate one-on-on battle with a top receiver. That gives me a chance to show what I can do.

"I've had the chance to cover a great one every day in practice in Roy, now I'll have the opportunity go up against a great one in Rashuan on Saturday. It's going to be a great challenge and a battle between him and me. As a cornerback, you can't ask for anything better than that."

Although Vasher says he expects the same challenge he faces from Williams with Woods.

"Rashaun's a big, fast, physical receiver. That's the worst kind to try to defend, when they can do everything really well. It'll be a really good challenge for me this weekend and a chance to measure where I am as a defensive back. I think whoever can win that match-up right there can really take away a big part of the other's offense or defense."

Oklahoma State's Darrent Williams and the Cowboys pass defense that ranks 89th nationally will face a major hurdle with Texas' receiving corp and Roy Williams. OSU's Williams was more fortunate than Vasher. He was one of the 12 semifinalists for the Thorpe Award and is certainly a worthy candidate. In nine games, the junior has posted 49 tackles, three TFLs, 16 pass breakups and ranks seventh nationally with six interceptions.

“Darrent is a guy from Dallas that has kind of been their team leader on defense,” Brown said. “He's done a great job in their return game for them. He's a leader in the secondary, a big hitter and great cover guy. As we'll match Nathan up with their guy, they're going to match Williams up with our Williams. Again, it will be two of the best match-ups in the country.”

The other semifinalists for the Thorpe Award are S Jamaal Brimmer (UNLV), S Josh Bullocks (Nebraska), S James Butler (Georgia Tech), CB Jason David (Washington State), CB DeAngelo Hall (Virginia Tech), CB Keiwan Ratliff (Florida), S Stuart Schweigert (Purdue), CB Derrick Strait (Oklahoma), S Sean Taylor (Miami), S Mark Walker (TCU) and CB Corey Webster (LSU),

Only Oklahoma's Strait and Miami's Taylor play for a defense that ranks higher against the pass than Texas. Oklahoma ranks second nationally allowing 144.4 passing yards per game, while Miami ranks third at 148.1 yards per game.

Among the other semifinalists national rankings in pass defense, Virginia Tech ranks 27th (195.8 ypg), Purdue 34th (199.8 ypg), LSU 39th (203.9 ypg), Florida 55th (218.8 ypg), Georgia Tech 53rd (217.8 ypg), UNLV 86th (242.7 ypg), Washington State 75th (233.2 ypg), and TCU 83rd (239.3 ypg).

Both Vasher and Williams will have to play like Thorpe Award winners or All-Americans to have a chance to contain their offensive counterparts on Saturday.