by Robert Gagliardi , Wyoming Tribune-Eagle

No. 2 Texas did just that to the University of Wyoming on Saturday as it rolled to a 41-10 victory in front of a sellout crowd at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium.

Despite the loss - and in the eyes of first-year coach Dave Christensen and the players - there seemed to be some satisfactory feelings among the team.

UW held a 10-6 lead late in the second quarter after a blocked punt was returned for a touchdown.

At that time, the defense, despite being on the field a lot, was holding its own against the high-powered Texas offense.

Then the Longhorns scored 35 straight points for an easy win.

But for a short time, many of the 31,017 fans in attendance thought an upset might have been in the making.

It wasn't to be.

A big reason for that goes to one of those UW shortcomings that Texas laid out for all to see.

The Cowboys' offense.

Of course, it is fair to say that Texas could make a lot of offenses look bad.

Many think of quarterback Colt McCoy when they think of Texas football . But the Longhorns are fast and athletic on defense, and that was evident early and often in this game.

UW won't see speed and athleticism like that much more this season, though TCU, BYU and Utah will rival it within the Mountain West Conference.

Still, Texas' defense held UW to 273 yards of offense and no touchdowns.

The only offensive points the Cowboys scored came on a 22-yard field goal early in the second quarter. But UW drove just nine yards to get those points as it got the ball after a fake punt attempt by Texas deep in its own territory.

Perhaps it was magnified in this game, but it is clear that UW lacks speed and playmakers on offense.

There are some nice athletes.

Junior quarterback Robert Benjamin may be the best in the group, and he is a dual-threat to run and throw. But he's only been here a little over a month. And true freshman quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels is, well, a true freshman.

Alvester Alexander has shown he can be a big-play running back. But he also is a true freshman and has a lot to learn.

Junior Darius Terry runs hard and doesn't lack speed, but he isn't a game-breaker in terms of running backs.

But where the lack of speed is most evident is at receiver.

Junior David Leonard is the Cowboys' best and most reliable with 13 catches for 128 yards. But he is more of a possession-type of guy; he isn't going to win a footrace against most defensive backs. And he isn't the most physical either at 6-foot-4 and 197 pounds.

Leonard is kind of a microcosm of the Cowboys' receiving corps: solid and steady but not flashy.

And UW needs a little more flash.

The Cowboys should get a boost with the return of senior receiver Greg Bolling this week after a two-game suspension for a violation of team rules.

He is the most experienced of UW's receivers and led in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns last season.

But 26 catches for 271 yards and two scores won't put fear in opposing defenses.

These offensive struggles are not a surprise.

UW never was a high-powered offense under coach Joe Glenn for his six seasons. There were games when it was adequate, but more often than not the talk was about the number of turnovers, not the number of points.

Through two games this season, UW has just two turnovers. That is progress, given that it had 36 in 12 games last year.

A new offensive system takes some time to master. But Christensen also knows that the offensive production UW got against Texas won't cut it against most foes the Cowboys face this season.

"We've got to find some ways to keep the football and get some first downs," he said.

There will be games when UW gains more than 273 yards, and it will score some offensive touchdowns.

But this Texas game proved more offensive weapons are needed.

Or at very least, the players in place must continue to develop if the spread offense is to be as effective as Christensen both hopes and expects.

Robert Gagliardi is the sports editor. Call him at 633-3130, or e-mail him at rgagliardi@wyomingnews.com

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