Cha-Chee Thalken/Daily Texan Staff Texas quarterback Chris Simms and the Longhorns played in the annual Spring Football Jamboree on Saturday before a record crowd of 31,000 burnt orange and white fans. It was Texas' final scrimmage of spring training, but it was not the last time that the Horns will suit up this spring. Texas still has three more practices this week.

By Bill Bredesen
Daily Texan Staff

Texas football coach Mack Brown couldn't have been more pleased by the fan support at the Horns' fourth annual Orange-White instrasquad scrimmage held Saturday at Royal-Memorial Stadium.

"No where in America do people come out like this," Brown said of the large crowd in attendance. "The fans responding to this team like they do is one of the reasons that this is one of the greatest places to play in the country."

The spring game featured positive showings on both sides of the ball, as the Horns' first-string offense faced off against first-string defense, and the second teams faced off against each other.

Despite a running attack that was mostly ineffective, the Texas offense showed signs of being nearly unstoppable at times, especially when it spread the field with four wide receivers and opened up its passing game.

Junior quarterback Chris Simms led the Horns' offense, completing 11 of 15 pass attempts for 174 yards against Texas' first-string defense. Perhaps more importantly, not one of his throws was picked off.

He led two consecutive scoring drives, one that ended in a 31-yard Matt McFadden field goal, the other in a 53-yard Roy Williams touchdown.

By Travis Richmond
Daily Texan Columnist

The mere thought is enough to cause nightmares for opposing defensive coordinators.

Trips left, Roy Williams split wide right. Four wide receivers, who could each be the top target of Texas quarterback Chris Simms if not for the other three also on the field, break into their routes at the snap of the ball.

Seconds later, Williams is striding effortlessly into the end zone with the ball, having burned a future NFL cornerback in Quentin Jammer and reinforcing what is fast becoming obvious to anyone who watches the Texas offense.

There is no way to stop the Horns' passing attack.

"I'd be afraid of all of us," said Kyle Shanahan, a transfer from Duke who joins Williams, B.J. Johnson and Sloan Thomas in this Fab Four. "This is the best system in the country."

Williams' and Johnson's abilities are well known, but Thomas, the other member of last year's Big Three freshman class, has looked every bit as impressive this spring. Add to the mix Shanahan, the 6-foot 3-inch transfer from Duke who sat out last season, and soon there are not enough defensive backs to cover them all.

Blue Devils, Wildcats ready to duel for national title

		Associated Press Shane Battier is a game away from his first national title.

By Darren W. Dummit
Daily Texan Staff

After numerous Cinderella teams hogged the dance floor for much of the 2001 NCAA basketball tournament, preseason favorites Arizona and Duke will assume center stage Monday night to determine who will be crowned the national champion.

The preseason No. 1 Arizona Wildcats used a 21-3 second half run to defeat defending national champion Michigan State, and advance to their second championship game in the last four years.

Ranked No. 1 to begin the tournament, the Duke Blue Devils overcame an early 22-point deficit to beat ACC rival Maryland, and advance to their second championship game in the last three years.

In one of the most anticipated title games in recent history, two of college basketball's most successful programs over the past 15 years have put themselves in an enviable position to showcase their talents in front of over 45,000 spectators in Minneapolis' Metrodome and millions of television viewers worldwide.

"It's fitting that the two best teams are playing for the national championship," said Duke senior Shane Battier, who was recently named College Basketball Player of the Year by the Associated Press. "This game is as even as you'll find for a national championship game."