Texas has been stuck at nine wins for three seasons under coach Mack Brown.

There are worse places to be stuck, of course.

But after the Longhorns watched old rival Oklahoma zoom past them on the way to the national title, this is no time to be standing still.

Brown has recruited as well as anybody not named Bobby Bowden in the past few years, and this looks like the year of the big payoff.

Texas returns nine starters on offense and eight on defense. And there no longer is the burning question: Major Applewhite or Chris Simms?

Brown, stung by the amount of controversy the quarterback rotation drew last season, when it arguably cost the Longhorns one game (Stanford) and created inconsistencies that kept the offense from developing, named Simms the starter before spring drills opened.

"I don't want a whole lot of discussion about that position, because I feel it took away from the team,'' Brown said. "There's no question Chris is the starter."

Simms, a junior who started five games last year as the early season favorite and then at the end as a replacement for the injured Applewhite, cut down on interceptions, his main drawback, during the spring.

After the bowl game, Simms watched and re-watched every interception he threw last season. Was he throwing to the correct receiver? Did his eyes telegraph the throw?

Simms, who had four of his seven interceptions returned for touchdowns last season, threw only one during team work in the spring.

Offensive coordinator Greg Davis pointed to one seemingly minor play in the spring -- a 9-yard dump-off pass to sophomore halfback Brett Robin after a faked draw -- to illustrate how Simms has improved.

"He did it real fast. He did it so much quicker than last year,'' Davis said.

"From the fan's standpoint, it's, 'Oh, he dumped the ball off for 9 yards.' To a coach, it's the fact he read it and did it so quickly. Those things help."

Applewhite, who in the last two seasons has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and sprained the posterior cruciate in his right knee, shed 10 pounds in the offseason and went through spring without a brace on either knee. A former Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, the senior is poised to take over should Simms run into trouble.

A highly talented but young receiving corps learned on the job last season, but sophomores Roy Williams and B.J. Johnson, who combined for 81 catches, 1,507 yards, 11 touchdowns and 22 school records, have progressed from just learning the plays to working on the nuances of route running.

Sophomore Robbie Doane is the first choice to replace Leonard Davis at left tackle, but guard Derrick Dockery and junior college transfer Alfio Randall also will get time there.

Senior Mike Williams, a liability on pass protection early last year, has developed into a solid pass-blocker and, with Simms being left-handed, he'll have to fill a key role at right tackle.

With the threat of incoming freshman Cedric Benson, Texas' all-time Class 5A leading rusher, hanging over their heads, the Horns' halfbacks were under pressure to produce in the spring. They didn't, at least to the expectations of the coaching staff. Robin and junior Victor Ike finished atop the spring depth chart.

On defense, the standout pair of defensive tackles -- All-American Casey Hampton and Shaun Rogers -- is gone, as is safety Greg Brown. The biggest change is in philosophy.

Trying to figure out how best to contain offenses like Oklahoma's, defensive coordinator Carl Reese dictated that he didn't want a player on defense to weigh more than 300 pounds. He also moved safety Lee Jackson (205 pounds) to outside linebacker, outside linebacker O.J. McClintock (232) to end and end Maurice Gordon (246) to tackle.

"It's just a different way,'' Reese said.

"The old clock is swinging back to something new. It's taking defenses a while to catch up. You're spread out. Speed is the way to close the gap."

At end, where McClintock has already worked his way into the three-man rotation, starters Cory Redding and Kalen Thornton give the Horns the most athletic set of ends they've had in at least a decade. Marcus Tubbs is poised for a big year at one tackle, Reese said, but the other spot appears wide open.

The linebackers are anchored by senior D.D. Lewis, who has yet to miss a start in his career and always seems to be around the ball -- 78 tackles last season (tied for the team high), and career totals of six forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries.

Texas, which finished first in the nation in passing efficiency defense last season, is led in the secondary by senior left cornerback Quentin Jammer, who nearly entered the NFL Draft after last season.

If the Horns have a weakness, it could be in the kicking game. Steady Kris Stockton, who handled both punting and place-kicking duties, is gone. So is backup Ryan Long.

Still, Texas has the kind of talent -- and the kind of schedule -- that brings the national title within reach.

The non-conference schedule starts with New Mexico State and North Carolina, followed by a trip to Houston. The game against the Tar Heels isn't a slam dunk, but it would be a shock if Texas didn't sweep those three games.

And once again, Texas doesn't play Nebraska or Kansas State (until the Big 12 title game maybe?), giving them a big advantage over Big 12 South rivals Oklahoma and Texas A&M.

Lindy's Football Annuals (National, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10, ACC, plus Pro) are available at newsstands regionally, or can be ordered as a set at www.lindyssports.com, or by calling 1-205-871-1182.