By Wendell Barnhouse
Big 12 Sports.com Correspondent

AUSTIN--At last month's Big 12 football media days in Kansas City, Texas coach Mack Brown noted that the Longhorns were picked to battle Texas Tech for second place in the South Division.

Brown even hinted that Texas might be considered an underdog this season.

His peers who vote in the coaches' poll didn't agree. The USA Today Coaches Poll ranked the Longhorns No. 10 in the pre-season.

"Only at Texas can you be under the radar but be ranked 10th in the country," Brown mused during his pre-practice press conference Sunday. "We've got a lot to get answered and not much time to do it."

Package deal: You don't have to read between the lines to guess that sophomore quarterback John Chiles will see more playing time this season.

Brown made it clear that Chiles would remain at quarterback, that junior Colt McCoy was still the starter and that the Longhorns want to utilize Chiles in the offense.

"We've got to figure out how to get Colt and John on the field," Brown said. "They're two of our best offensive players. John was productive in the (Holiday Bowl). We're developing that offensive package as we speak."

That package probably will include Chiles occasionally replacing McCoy at quarterback but also could have Chiles lining up at running back and wide receiver.

Split practices: Texas' first two practices will be split affairs. Monday and Tuesday, the Longhorns were up at 4:30 a.m. to prepare for 6 a.m. practice. The second workout of each day was scheduled for 6 p.m.

The timing of the practices are two-fold: to beat the summer heat and to accommodate the class schedules of players finishing summer school.

Veterans will practice in the morning sessions with freshmen in street clothes as observers. In the evening, freshmen will practice with the veterans in street clothes helping coach.

"We want to divide it up so the young ones can learn how to practice," Brown said. "The evening practices will actually be like the old freshmen team practices. This way for those two practices we can give more individual attention to the younger players."

All quiet on the Longhorn front: A year ago was the summer of discontent. Four Texas players were arrested. The summer of 2008 has been the complete opposite.

"Last summer, we did not have as good a summer as we needed. There were too many distractions,” Brown said. "We feel like it's a great show of leadership and carryover that we didn't have any problems off the field this summer. So, we're proud of the leadership of this group.

"They took it on themselves. They were embarrassed. They wanted to do better. They policed each other.”

Brown also said that Ken Rucker, who moved from running backs coach to the newly created position of Director of High School Relations and Player Development, with working with the players as an "extended father.”

Players' choice: Brown allows freshmen who are undecided about their positions to choose. Ryan Roberson, a 5-10, 226-pounder, decided to try linebacker instead of running back (where he played at Brenham High School). D.J. Monroe was considering trying cornerback but he'll stay on offense as a wide receiver/returner.

"D.J.'s heart is in playing offense," Brown said.

Hicks heads to TCU: Freshman wide receiver Antoine Hicks is the only player from UT's 2008 recruiting class who won't be with the team. He failed to qualify academically and Texas released him from scholarship. Hicks enrolled at TCU.

Davis bounces back: Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis had surgery for appendicitis last Wednesday. He was back in the office Friday.

Cut the cake: Texas first-year defensive coordinator Will Muschamp had his 37th birthday Sunday.

Next stop on Big 12 Tour: Texas A&M.

BIG 12 FOOTBALL SKYWRITERS TOUR
Prior to the formation of the Big 12 Conference, sportswriters and sports broadcasters covering football in the Big Eight and Southwest conferences would gather in a central location and take off on the annual Skywriters Tour...an eight-day trek from campus-to-campus around the respective conferences to cover the preseason football practices. The tour provided fans with unprecedented daily coverage from each school. In the early years the tour consisted mostly of writers traveling by charter air service and thus was dubbed as the Skywriters Tour. In an effort to bring Big 12 fans additional insight into the fall camps from around the Big 12, we have dispatched Wendell Barnhouse and Melanie Weiser on the 2008 Big 12 Virtual Skywriters Tour.