Well, we’re almost there. The time for the start of formal workouts is officially in single digits and whatever the Texas Longhorns are going to be in 2011 based on improvements from an eight-month off-season is likely already determined.
The time is almost upon us and in the last week, I’ve had a chance to talk to a number of dialed in sources who have varying degrees of access to the team, but all of whom have had opportunities in the last couple of weeks to see the team in action.
We’ll start the discussion today with the offensive side of the ball and we’ll move over to the defense later this weekend. Here’s a collection of the comments overheard:
On Garrett Gilbert: “People can talk all they want about what he did or didn’t do this season, but he’s been good for us. He shows up every day and works hard, never complains, and he’s been good this summer. His biggest problem, I think, is that he kind of compresses his expectations internally and I think it impacted him a lot last year. He’s not the most vocal guy in the locker room, but he expects probably more of himself than anyone, and he’s really tough on himself. I think the last month or so is the most free I’ve seen him look on the field. He seems fresh if that makes sense. He’s not putting on a clinic in workouts, but he’s been good. I think he’s going to impress the coaches.”
More on Gilbert: “It’s all right there in front of him. All he needs to do is make the right reads and guys will be open because there’s always someone open in this system. That’s what (the system) does. If he does what Colt did and just spread the ball around to the open guy, he’ll be just fine. If not, everyone knows the coaches are going to put in another guy.”
On David Ash: “He throws the best ball, no doubt. I think he might also be the biggest of the quarterbacks. Usually with freshmen, you’ll see that he’s a freshman in his legs, but his legs are huge in a good way.”
On the quarterbacks in general: “I’m not sure I can give you the order. I’ve seen them rotate Connor after Garrett, then Case McCoy, then Ash, but that probably doesn’t mean anything and it changes.”
More on the quarterbacks: “I don’t know how much has been settled with any of them. I don’t know who they would play first if Gilbert doesn’t perform.”
On Malcolm Brown: “He looks good. They told him to get into shape after last season and he is in really good shape.”
More on Brown: “The guys seem to like him. He doesn’t act like a guy who thinks he’s the No.1 back in the country. He asks a lot of questions and that’s a good thing.”
On Fozzy Whittaker: “He’s going to surprise people. The players really look at him like a leader and I think he understands that every player in this offense is going to have packages that they specialize in and he’ll have a set of plays that he’ll be really good in. Touches won’t be wasted on him this year on plays that he’s not best-suited to succeed in. If he can stay healthy, and we always say that, I know, but he’ll have his best season.
On Joe Bergeron: “He looks like he’s 25 years old. He might be the best looking athlete on the team. He’s not just a fullback, either. He’s good”
On Jaxon Shipley: “He might be the best player on the offense right now. He just toys with people out there. He looks better than Jordan looked when he was a freshman.
Note: At that point, I said, “Do you know how good Jordan looked as a freshman?”
His reply, “Yes. That’s how good this kid looks.”
More on Jaxon Shipley: “Everyone can see that he’s going to play.”
On John Harris: “He’s a guy that a lot of people talk about. He makes a lot of plays in practice. He stands out the most after the top guys that everyone talks about.”
On Darius White: “Reminds me of Limas Sweed and Jermichael Finley in 2006. There are moments of flash when you think he’s the best player on the field and there are days when he’s the fourth or fifth guy.”
Note: Walk-on Patrick McNamara is a guy that worked out a lot with the first-team players and might be someone to watch as a contributor in goal-line, short-yardage situations. Apparently, he’s quite the physical receiver at 6-4, 210 pounds and might also be an option as an H-back.
On Garrett Greenlea: “He’s a monster. I’ve heard other say, ‘That’s the way a Texas freshman should look like.’ He’s been taking a lot of reps and he looks good.”
On Trey Hopkins: “I think he’s going to end up at left tackle. He seems to be taking the most reps there and he looks the best by far. He’s our best lineman though, so we could say that about every position. I’d say left tackle.”
On the offensive line: “We better not have any injuries.”
This post was edited on 7/29 11:18 AM by Suchomel
The time is almost upon us and in the last week, I’ve had a chance to talk to a number of dialed in sources who have varying degrees of access to the team, but all of whom have had opportunities in the last couple of weeks to see the team in action.
We’ll start the discussion today with the offensive side of the ball and we’ll move over to the defense later this weekend. Here’s a collection of the comments overheard:
On Garrett Gilbert: “People can talk all they want about what he did or didn’t do this season, but he’s been good for us. He shows up every day and works hard, never complains, and he’s been good this summer. His biggest problem, I think, is that he kind of compresses his expectations internally and I think it impacted him a lot last year. He’s not the most vocal guy in the locker room, but he expects probably more of himself than anyone, and he’s really tough on himself. I think the last month or so is the most free I’ve seen him look on the field. He seems fresh if that makes sense. He’s not putting on a clinic in workouts, but he’s been good. I think he’s going to impress the coaches.”
More on Gilbert: “It’s all right there in front of him. All he needs to do is make the right reads and guys will be open because there’s always someone open in this system. That’s what (the system) does. If he does what Colt did and just spread the ball around to the open guy, he’ll be just fine. If not, everyone knows the coaches are going to put in another guy.”
On David Ash: “He throws the best ball, no doubt. I think he might also be the biggest of the quarterbacks. Usually with freshmen, you’ll see that he’s a freshman in his legs, but his legs are huge in a good way.”
On the quarterbacks in general: “I’m not sure I can give you the order. I’ve seen them rotate Connor after Garrett, then Case McCoy, then Ash, but that probably doesn’t mean anything and it changes.”
More on the quarterbacks: “I don’t know how much has been settled with any of them. I don’t know who they would play first if Gilbert doesn’t perform.”
On Malcolm Brown: “He looks good. They told him to get into shape after last season and he is in really good shape.”
More on Brown: “The guys seem to like him. He doesn’t act like a guy who thinks he’s the No.1 back in the country. He asks a lot of questions and that’s a good thing.”
On Fozzy Whittaker: “He’s going to surprise people. The players really look at him like a leader and I think he understands that every player in this offense is going to have packages that they specialize in and he’ll have a set of plays that he’ll be really good in. Touches won’t be wasted on him this year on plays that he’s not best-suited to succeed in. If he can stay healthy, and we always say that, I know, but he’ll have his best season.
On Joe Bergeron: “He looks like he’s 25 years old. He might be the best looking athlete on the team. He’s not just a fullback, either. He’s good”
On Jaxon Shipley: “He might be the best player on the offense right now. He just toys with people out there. He looks better than Jordan looked when he was a freshman.
Note: At that point, I said, “Do you know how good Jordan looked as a freshman?”
His reply, “Yes. That’s how good this kid looks.”
More on Jaxon Shipley: “Everyone can see that he’s going to play.”
On John Harris: “He’s a guy that a lot of people talk about. He makes a lot of plays in practice. He stands out the most after the top guys that everyone talks about.”
On Darius White: “Reminds me of Limas Sweed and Jermichael Finley in 2006. There are moments of flash when you think he’s the best player on the field and there are days when he’s the fourth or fifth guy.”
Note: Walk-on Patrick McNamara is a guy that worked out a lot with the first-team players and might be someone to watch as a contributor in goal-line, short-yardage situations. Apparently, he’s quite the physical receiver at 6-4, 210 pounds and might also be an option as an H-back.
On Garrett Greenlea: “He’s a monster. I’ve heard other say, ‘That’s the way a Texas freshman should look like.’ He’s been taking a lot of reps and he looks good.”
On Trey Hopkins: “I think he’s going to end up at left tackle. He seems to be taking the most reps there and he looks the best by far. He’s our best lineman though, so we could say that about every position. I’d say left tackle.”
On the offensive line: “We better not have any injuries.”
This post was edited on 7/29 11:18 AM by Suchomel
