As the final seconds of the Texas spring game ticked off the clock on Saturday, each member of the Texas Longhorn football team had to have had a pretty good idea about where he stands in regards to possible playing time in the fall.
Some will be starters. Some are competing to become starters. Some are in no-man's land with a group of Charlie Strong's personally selected freshmen on the way.
What those final seconds ticking off the clock represented for some was a final hurrah in a Texas uniform, as the reality of the next few months will likely include a new beginning. Although it's often taboo to talk about possible outgoing departures in the program, there's no question that departures are on the way.
Beginning with the conclusion of those final seconds at DKR on Saturday is the Attrition Season.
From now until the beginning of August when the team officially reports, along with the majority of the incoming 2015 freshman class, we're going to see players leave for a variety of reasons, including playing time issues.
Oh, and have we mentioned academics, arrests, failed drug tests, injuries and personal issues that can create situations where players won't return in August? A year ago, Charlie Strong took a beating at times over the perception that he was running players off, but one of the truths of major college football is that the turnover within programs is much higher than most people will ever realize.
In what might represent one of the more interesting weekend projects I've ever encountered while writing this column, I decided to go back and chronicle more than a decade's worth of attrition within the Texas program in an effort to educate everyone on the subject matter, while also helping us potentially project what the true recruiting numbers for the program in 2016 might look like.
My personal projection for the next 16 months is that the program is going to experience a rather high level of attrition, especially as Strong continues to infuse the program with his own players, an option that really hasn't existed for Strong until his first true recruiting class arrives in the fall. As the program goes through a youth movement in the next couple years, it's going to be sink or swim for a lot of players within the program.
Before we get too far into the future, let's take a look at the past attrition numbers for the Texas program.
(Note: The calendar for each season's attrition runs from 8/15 through 8/14 of the following year, as any player that leaves the program following the 8/15 date doesn't really allow the coaching staff a chance to use the departure as part of any 85-man scholarship count for that
year. The 8/15 start date is an arbitrary number I selected because some transfers were announced at the beginning of fall camps throughout the years and the start dates for each camp were different from year to year. Thus, the 8/15 number gave me about a week's worth of wiggle room for last-minute transfer announcements.)
(Note No. 2: I've included the confirmed attrition for the 2003 and 2004 seasons that I could find, but I'm not 100-percent sure that I was able to properly account for the full numbers)
2003 (8/15/02-8/14/03)
(7) Kendal Briles (transfer), Clint Haney (injury), Rufus Harris (transfer), O.J. McClintock (transfer), Edorian McCulloch (academics), Rashad Thomas (transfer) and Robert Timmons (transfer)
2004 (8/15/03-8/14/04)
(7) Erick Hardeman (academics), Anthony Johnson (injuries), Chase Pittman (transfer), Bryan Pickryl (injuries), Steve Richardson (transfer), Austin Sendlein (injuries) and Mike Williams (academics)
2005 (8/15/04-8/14/05)
(6) Dustin Miksch (injuries), Garnet Smith (transfer), Albert Hardy (injuries), Aurmon Satchell (injuries), Kyle Thornton (transfer) and Terrance Young (injuries)
2006 (8/15/05-8/14/06)
(7) Eric Foreman (transfer), Steve Hogan (injuries), Michael Houston (transfer), Marco Martin (injuries), Bobby Tatum (transfer), Ramonce Taylor (transfer) and Jerrell Wilkerson (transfer)
2007 (8/15/06-8/14/07)
(10) Chris Brown (transfer), Jeremy Campbell (transfer), Greg Dolan (transfer), Myron Hardy (transfer), Andre Jones (dismissed), Robert Joseph (dismissed), Jevan Snead (transfer), George Walker (transfer), J'Marcus Webb (transfer) and Roy Watts (transfer)
2008 (8/15/07-8/14/08)
(3) Brian Ellis (transfer), James Henry (transfer) and G.J. Kinne (transfer)
2009 (8/15/08-8/14/09)
(7) Buck Burnette (transfer), Jarvis Humphrey (illness), Ishie Oduegwu (injuries), Josh Marshall
(retired), Aundre McGaskey (transfer), Montre Webber (transfer) and Michael Wilcoxon (retired)
2010 (8/15/09-8/14/10)
(10) Dan Buckner (transfer), Russell Carter (transfer), Antwan Cobb (retired), Brandon Collins (off-field), Marcus Davis (transfer), Ian Harris (injuries), Sherrod Harris (retired), Derek Johnson (transfer), Phillip Payne (retired) and Ben Wells (transfer)
2011 (8/15/10-8/14/11)
(9) Tariq Allen (transfer), Brock Fitzhenry (transfer), Trey Graham (injuries), Tyrell Higgins (transfer), Tevin Mims (transfer), Tre Newton (injuries), Patrick Nkwopara (retired), Greg Timmons (transfer) and Malcolm Williams (retired)
2012 (8/15/11-8/14/12)
(15) Eryon Barnett (transfer), Taylor Bible (transfer), Nolan Brewster (injuries), De'Aires Cotton (medical), Garrett Gilbert (transfer), Calvin Howell (transfer), Dravannti Johnson (retired), Chris Jones (transfer), Dominique Jones (transfer), Paden Kelley (retired), Traylon Shead (transfer), Darius Terrell (transfer), A.J. White (transfer), Darius White (transfer) and Connor Wood (transfer)
2013 (8/15/12-8/14/13)
(4) Thomas Ashcraft (transfer), Connor Brewer (transfer), Garrett Greenlea (injuries) and Cayleb Jones (transfer)
2014 (8/15/13-8/14/14)
(13) Aaron Benson (transfer), Joe Bergeron (transfer), Josh Cochran (injuries), Chevoski Collins (dismissed), Deoundrei Davis (transfer), Bryant Jackson (medical), Montrell Meander (dismissed), Chet Moss (dismissed), Jalen Overstreet (dismissed), Kendall Sanders (dismissed), Leroy Scott (dismissed), Kevin Shorter (injuries) and Kendall Thompson (injuries)
2015 (8/15/14-8/14/15)
(7) David Ash (injuries), Kennedy Estelle (dismissed), Rami Hammad (transfer), Cameron Hampton (transfer), Desmond Harrison (dismissed), M.J. McFarland (transfer) and Curtis Riser (transfer)
Ok, so let's breakdown the numbers.
* From 2005-2014, Texas averaged 8.4 players worth of attrition per year.
* From 2010-2014, Texas averaged 10.2 players worth of attrition per year.
* Since 2007, Texas has reached double figures in attrition in four of the eight seasons and at least nine players worth of attrition in five of the eight years.
* Only twice in the last 12 years has Texas had fewer than a half-dozen players worth of attrition.
Depending on the relative short- or long-term averages, it's fair to conclude that the program will likely lose another 3-5 players before the end of this year's attrition calendar.
As it relates to the 2016 recruiting class, I've been projecting a 25-man class for more than a year, while others have suggested more conservative numbers (20-23), including the coaches. Well, the Longhorns are currently sitting at 84 scholarships as of today with 14 seniors set to depart following the season, which would leave the program with 70 players on paper going into next season and a soft number of 15 scholarships for the 2016 class.
Assuming that the 3-5 players worth of attrition that is likely to arrive before the middle of August aren't seniors, the actual numbers in a few months will boost that 2016 number to somewhere between 18-20.
And that does not include any of the attrition that will occur in the 2016 attrition calendar, which we know has ranged between 8-10 players per year for the last decade.
It's pretty much science.
No. 2 - The quarterback battle (Pros/Cons)…
Not a single thing changed in my mind at the quarterback position during the spring game as it relates to what will happen going into the 2015 season.
My expectations for the position are that Tyrone Swoopes will start in South Bend in the season-opener and Jerrod Heard will play before the first quarter in that game is over. At that point, the true competition will begin and a valid winner will finally emerge.
In the meantime, here's a look at the pros and cons of both heading into a critical off-season.
Tyrone Swoopes
Pros
* He's simply ahead of Heard in the passing game in almost every area of this phase of the offense.
* Is more comfortable pushing the ball down the field in the passing game, both in the intermediate and deep zones. A perfect example of this was on the second play of the game when he passed up an open fullback in the flat for a short gain for the chance to throw to Jacorey Warrick, who was 12 yards deeper on his route and had found the perfect open space behind the linebackers and in front of the safeties for what turned out to be an 18-yard gain.
* Has enough athletic ability to make explosive plays in the running game. Although he's not a quick-twitch athlete, Swoopes covers a lot of ground when he gets a full head of steam. Also, he has a little more wiggle than people give him credit for when running in the open field. He's like a poor man's David Ash in this department.
* Gets the offense up to the line of scrimmage and into the next play when the team is in its tempo offense at a quicker rate than Heard. Given what the Longhorns hope to do on offense this season, this isn't an unimportant note.
* Experience. Although he went through the grinder last season, he survived the season having faced the likes of UCLA, Baylor, Oklahoma, TCU and Arkansas. Mixed in there are road wins in Stillwater and Lubbock, along with a last-minute drive for a win against Iowa State. Perhaps his skins are limited, but he does have a few.
Cons
* Was a disaster last season against the toughest teams on the schedule and there's still not any tangible evidence that suggests things will be better in 2015.
* Still struggles when asked to throw or roll left. Swoopes is a right-handed quarterback all the way and struggles to make accurate throws to his left, whether he's on the roll or in more of a traditional drop-back. An example of this occurred on the first Texas drive of the scrimmage when he was asked to make a mini-roll to the left on first and 10 from the 38-yard line and he had a hard time getting enough on his throw for it to get to Dorian Leonard on time in a way that gave Leonard a chance to make a play. On top of that, the ball was slightly off-target and in a way that would have been dangerous had Swoopes been facing a top-level cornerback and not walk-on Jordan Strickland.
* Doesn't have a reputation of being a guy that leads teams to a lot of wins.
Jerrod Heard
Pros
* Is ultra-quick as an athlete/runner, which allows his legs to serve as a wildcard to any defense that wants to get greedy with blitzes and stunts. Much more so than his top end speed, Heard's initial burst when he decides to run is what will scare defensive coordinators. A perfect example of this occurred on his touchdown run when the defense flashed six men at the line of scrimmage, but rushed only four. Before Heard could finish his drop, Shiro Davis nearly met him
at his spot after running right past Tristan Nickelson, but Heard was able to quickly step inside the pocket before it closed and there wasn't a defender near him that could stop him from the end zone, once he decided to go north as a runner. His suddenness allows for more off-schedule big plays for an offense that might need as many as it can get. I'd say he's the second-most explosive runner option the team has had at quarterback (behind Vince Young) in the last 25 years. Yes, he's more explosive/quicker than James Brown.
* Throws the ball while rolling to the left much more comfortably than Swoopes, which means there's more of a field to work with in the passing game, especially in the short and intermediate areas. Three times on the first series in which he was involved on Saturday, Heard made completions while throwing to the left side of the field.
* Is a more mechanically sound player than Swoopes.
* Makes quick decisions when facing pressure. Behind this offensive line, that's an important trait.
* He's not Swoopes. Sometimes the devil you don't know is better than the one you know and the last time everyone saw Swoopes on the field leading a Texas offense, terrible thoughts were racing through a lot of minds.
* Has a reputation for being a big-time winner after helping lead his high school team to back-to-back state championships.
Cons
* The passing game is somewhat limited to the shorter throws and he's not yet as comfortable pushing the ball down the field as Swoopes, which means the offense will play in a smaller box when he's on the field until the defense is convinced he will test it over the top.
* Doesn't quite move the offense at the pace Swoopes does, but it's probably safe to assume this is an area that will improve as we get closer to the start of the season and he gets more comfortable with what's asked of him.
* Forces you to play with a smaller volume of the playbook.
* Has never taken a single college game-snap and the only real practice reps he's taken are against a defense going through a major rebuild.
No. 3 - Scattershooting on the spring game …
… Connor Williams drawing the start at right tackle in the spring game was pretty damn telling if we're talking about a projection for the upcoming season. I wonder if Charlie Strong is more or
less apprehensive about a tackle making his first start in South Bend than at quarterback?
… Johnathan Gray didn't see a lot of action on Saturday, but in limited playing time he juked Texas defenders in the open field three times to create YAW (yards after whiffing). Walk-on Tyler Lee, Kevin Vaccaro and Malik Jefferson were all posterized by the starting tailback.
… You're out of your mind if you believe a healthy D'Onte Foreman is close to pushing Gray for his reps as the starter. If you pay attention to Charlie Strong, you'll hear a man that has a serious man-crush on the former Aledo star.
… When Alex De La Torre is asked to block a defensive linemen off the edge, the senior has his limitations. As a blocker downfield or out of the backfield, he showed some promise on Saturday. Go back and look at the block he threw on Edwin Freeman in the middle of D'Onte Foreman's long second quarter run with 12:24 left on the clock. It was a perfect throw-block that wiped Freeman out of the play and completely sprung Foreman into the second level of the defense with a clear sailing.
... The final numbers on the stat sheet do not reflect how well Malik Jefferson played on Saturday. The five-star freshman was heavily involved all over the field.
… The first-team offensive line is still not creating a strong push at the line of attack and that's very concerning when you consider that the front four it faced for much of Saturday includes from left to right: Quincy Vasser (pretty underwhelming), Jake McMillon, Paul Boyette, Bryce Cottrell. The offense was in a 3rd and 11 situation on the Swoopes touchdown run on the first drive because it tried to run the ball on back-to-back plays against the second-team defense and was twice stuffed.
… If the Texas offense doesn't find another answer at left tackle, that position is going to get one of the quarterbacks killed and possibly both of them. The monster shot that Bryce Cottrell put on Swoopes on the first team's second possession occurred because Marcus Hutchins flat out turned Cottrell loose after initially squaring up on him off the snap. Also, what the hell was that hit on Swoopes all about? How embarrassing would things have been if the Longhorns lost one of two scholarships quarterbacks in the game because of such a hit? Don't get me wrong, football is a man's game and you want your players to be tough, but that was more reckless than tough.
… I owe Armanti Foreman an apology. At first glance, I thought he hesitated and pulled up on his route when Tyrone Swoopes missed him on a vertical route in the first quarter. Upon second glance, walk-on Dillon Boldt body-checked Foreman 10 yards down the field. That should have been a flag and the officials flat out missed it. Not only was the flag not thrown, but since the play occurred on third down, the offense was forced to punt instead of receiving a new set of downs.
… Malik Jefferson was the best player on the field and after watching the game in review on the DVR, I'm not sure it was even close. I counted at least 10 plays he made in the first 20 minutes of the first half.
… Either Jay Norvell needs to spend hours with Daje Johnson on his blocking or Johnson should never be asked to be on the field when he's being asked to contribute as a blocker. Johnson just didn't show a lot of physicality at all in the spring game, especially when asked to help in the screen game.
… Really nice block by Sedrick Flowers on Paul Boyette on the goal-line to help Foreman score from one-yard out. Give that man his syrup.
… I don't trust a single receiver on this team right now.
… Call me crazy, but I was more impressed with Duke Catalon's best run (called back for holding) than I was D'Onte Foreman's best run. That extra level of burst that Catalon has is much-needed in this offense. I could see one guy being a third-down type back and the other being a short-yardage guy for this team.
No. 4 - Buy or Sell …
Buy or sell: the TE position for the Longhorns.
(Sell) New tight ends coach Jeff Traylor has really limited options. Between Blake Whiteley and Andrew Beck, there's not a guy that can excel on the line as an end blocker quite yet, which means the team has to depend on an undersized Alex De la Torre to do a lot of the dirty work. Meanwhile, neither player is truly a plus-option as a receiver, although I expect them to be utilized in the underneath passing game, especially if Jerrod Heard is used a lot at quarterback. Devonaire Clarington can't get here soon enough.
Buy or sell: Being really frustrated in Daje's spring game?
(Buy) As I mentioned on Saturday, it's time to retire the hype. Yes, we've seen flashes of his explosive skills, but he's so inconsistent when it comes to the details of his position. Muffed punts, missed blocks, fumbles and more bad than good should not be taking place when a guy is in his fourth season.
Buy or sell: My prediction (I made before he arrived on campus) that Connor Williams would be a top-5 player in a future rendition of the 'What the 2015 LSR should've looked like' article?
(Sell) Yeah, I'm not quite going that far with Williams yet because a top 5 re-ranking suggests he will emerge as a top 90 or so NFL Draft prospect and that kind of play isn't close to taking
place … yet. His presence on the field right now is sooooo much more about a general lack of options than it is with him being an immediate monster. He's going to be good, but that's too lofty of a positioning for me at this point.
Buy or sell: Heard is the starter by the beginning of the conference center schedule.
(Buy) I mean … I guess. There's no way anyone can be convinced Swoopes will hold the job for 12 games at this point.
Buy or sell: Two freshman wide receivers will take over at some point in the season as starters.
(Sell) I think one of those freshmen will break through (my money is on John Burt), but I'm going to buy into Armanti Foreman emerging at some point, which will limit the available starting spots. I think at least three freshmen will play, but only one will start in 2015.
Buy or sell: If you weren't featured in the spring game at the WR position, then you'd be best transferring this summer?
(Buy)
Buy or sell: Malik Jefferson AND one of the true Freshman DBs will be starting in South Bend?
(Sell) I'm not even sure Charlie will have Jefferson in the starting lineup for week one on the road in South Bend. Eventually, this season will be turned over to the kids, but not in week one. Charlie's just a little too old school to be dropping the babies into the woods that quickly.
Buy or sell: The 2016 Texas recruiting class with be stronger than 2015?
(Buy) The bottom of this class will be better than the bottom of the 2015 class. I expect a top-10 group.
Buy or sell: Coach Strong simply can't come out and say that Jerrod Heard is going to be the starter this fall, even if he already knows he is, because it would devastate Swoopes and it would allow N.D. to gear up to play against a redshirt freshman in his first game?
(Sell) If he truly believes that Heard is going to be the night one starter, keeping him in the No. 2 hole for now keeps his motivation meter at its highest point without ear of it dropping. The current situation allows for both players to be maxed out in motivation, in theory.
No. 5 - Bottom line: How many wins are you projecting for the 2015 Longhorns ...
Right now I have this team going 7-5.
Wins: vs. Rice, vs. California, vs. Oklahoma State, vs. Kansas State, at Iowa State, vs. Kansas and vs. Texas Tech
Losses: at Notre Dame, at TCU, vs. Oklahoma, at West Virginia and at Baylor
Word of caution: I don't think the 2015 team is better than the 2014 team, so my projections might be slightly optimistic. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt in a few of those wins.
No. 6 - Tevin Mack might be the light that ignites a fire ...
It's quite possible that May 1 will serve as nothing more than a date that we'll all soon forget as it relates to the start of the Shaka Smart Era in Austin.
Or ……
It's quite possible that May 1 will serve as the sonic boom that announces Shaka Smart's arrival on the national recruiting circuit at the start of the Shaka Smart Era in Austin.
Not to put too much weight into the decision of rising senior sensation Tevin Mack of Columbia, South Carolina, but his release from VCU has turned his situation into one of the more hotly contested out-of-nowhere recruiting battles of the year in college hoops. If you thought that his options might be limited to the upgrade to Texas from VCU, you're not paying attention.
North Carolina has jumped in this. UCLA and Kansas have called. Hell, even new Alabama coach Avery Johnson has thrown his hat into the ring.
This is not a lay-up by any stretch of the imagination, which is why this is a perfect little recruiting test for Smart as he enters the deep waters of recruiting for the elite of the elite. Yes, Smart has the advantage of the prior relationship, which makes it completely fair to strongly hope that he can close the deal. Perhaps it's too late to impact the final stages of the 2015 recruiting year elsewhere as it relates to the top 50 available players in America, but this is a deal that can get done.
Shaka simply has to get the job done in this first test of his recruiting powers.
Bookmark May 1 because it has a chance to be a huge day … or not.
No. 7 - Scattershooting on the NBA Playoffs weekend ...
… The Rockets really did catch a massive break with New Orleans beating the Spurs on Wednesday, thus creating a match-up with the Mavericks in the first round, a team I consider to
be the least dangerous right now of any of the eight West seeds. No excuses, Houston, get this one done in five.
… I'm sorry, but it's hard for me to respect Toronto as an NBA city when 95-year old Paul Pierce is in an entire organization's head.
… Ho hum, Anthony Davis piled up 35 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks in his playoff debut. This is not hyperbole … he is the best player in the NBA and if he had better teammates around him, he probably wins the MVP.
… Of course, this season's likely MVP Steph Curry wasn't too bad in a win, racking up 34 points and five assists against the Pelicans.
… Draymond Green is soooooo getting paid in this off-season.
… A Cavs/Bulls series is going to be a hell of a lot of fun.
… Come on Michael Carter-Williams. The Bucks need more than nine points on 4-of-13 shooting with only three assists to boot from you.
... I'm going to try not to overreact, but Memphis/Portland looks like a complete mismatch.
No. 8 - Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… A smattering of opinions from the UFC Fight NIght card in Newark…
a. I love me some Paige VanZandt. The former prom queen turned ass-kicker won me over months ago when she first joined the UFC and put on an entertaining debut in Austin, but she flat out kicked Felice Herrig's ass like she stole something from her mom. She's must-watch TV moving forward because all she knows how to do is throw her fists non-stop.
b. My goodness, Luke Rockhold. His shocking destruction of Lyoto Machida was more than emphatic, it was downright scary. I thought Rockhold would win the fight going into Saturday night, but I did not expect him to essentially retire Machida from important fights, but that's what it felt like. Yes, I should say it's time to give that man a title shot.
c. Jacare Souza vs Chris Camozzi was a waste of our time.
d. I did not expect Max Holloway to embarrass Cub Swanson. Talk about soaring into the top five of his weight class with a bullet, that was really, really impressive stuff from the 23-year old.
… Lucas Matthysse and Ruslan Provodnikov put on a hell of a slugfest worthy of a second go-round, but the real star on Saturday night was Terence Crawford, who destroyed Thomas
Dulorme with three knockdowns in the sixth round in a fight in Arlington. It's time for that kid to get a step-up in competition. Hell, I'll take Matthysse/Crawford later in the year if HBO wants to give it to me.
… After feeling the heartbreak of a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa this weekend in the semifinals of the FA Cup, I suppose I am officially a Liverpool supporter. My goodness, that was brutal.
… Speaking of English soccer teams, huge props to Chelsea for proving that its EPL title this year is far from a lucky fluke or an early hot spurt. Beating white-hot Manchester United sent a message to everyone in the league … back the hell off … the title is theirs.
No. 9 - Game of Thrones is back!!!! Stream of conscious thoughts on the season opener...
******* WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD ***********
******* WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD ***********
******* WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD ***********
******* LAST CHANCE TO TURN AWAY ***********
a. While credits play, it's worth noting that only one person died in the opener. We're due for some dead bodies.
b. Well, Brienne took care of that all by herself.
c. The Sir Jaime and Bronn road show should be a good one.
d. "Mistakes will be made." Damn Cersei, you're gonna wipe an entire group of people out of King's Landing.
e. Is Jon Snow winning LOrd Cooamnder of the Night's Watch the nicest thing that has ever happened on the show?
f. Arya is down to kill someone whenever and whenever.
g. Danny just can't win. Watching her run things is like watching me run Orangebloods at times.
******* END OF SPOILERS ***********
******* END OF SPOILERS ***********
******* END OF SPOILERS ***********
No. 10 - The List: Chaka Kahn ( Listen Via Spotify
I don't know about the rest of the young, but every time I say Shaka Smart's name, I say it like it's Chaka Kahn's name from the song "I Feel For You".
Maybe not every time, but at least 50-percent of the time.
Since I know I'm not alone, I decided it was a good time to unveil the Chaka Kahn Top 10 list, in honor of the coach who inspires me to sing her songs when I say his name.
Let's get on with the list.
10. I KNow You, I Live You
My favorite song from the 1981 album What Cha' Gonna Do for Me.
9. The End of a Love Affair
Until the last two weeks, I never knew that Chaka Kahn is originally from Chicago.
8. Clouds
Whitney Houston is doing background vocals on this song, along with Cissy Houston.
7. Everlasting Love
One of the better tracks she did with Rufus in her pre-solo days.
6. Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)
She does a great cover of the Stevie Wonder classic.
5. Through The Fire
One of her top 80s ballads.
4. Sweet Thing
Her best song with Rufus.
3. Ain't Nobody
One of my favorite songs from the movie Breakin.
2. I'm Every Woman
It probably deserves to be in the No.1 spot because of its anthem status, but I had to go with another.
1. I Feel For You
"Chaka, Chaka, Chaka, Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan, let me rock you
Let me rock you, Chaka Khan
Let me rock you, that's all I wanna do
Chaka Khan, let me rock you"
Archives List
Blues/Jazz: Leadbelly ( Listen via Spotify )
Classical: Listen via Spotify)
Country: Listen via Spotify )
Electronic: Listen Via Spotify
Funk: Listen Via Spotify (Part I)
Metal: Listen Via Spotify
Pop: Listen via Spotify )
Punk: The Clash (Listen via Spotify)
Random: My Number 1's on Spotify
Rap: Listen via Spotify),
R&B: Listen via Spotify)
Reggae: Listen via Spotify)
Rock: Listen via Spotify )
This post was edited on 4/20 12:58 PM by Ketchum
Some will be starters. Some are competing to become starters. Some are in no-man's land with a group of Charlie Strong's personally selected freshmen on the way.
What those final seconds ticking off the clock represented for some was a final hurrah in a Texas uniform, as the reality of the next few months will likely include a new beginning. Although it's often taboo to talk about possible outgoing departures in the program, there's no question that departures are on the way.
Beginning with the conclusion of those final seconds at DKR on Saturday is the Attrition Season.
From now until the beginning of August when the team officially reports, along with the majority of the incoming 2015 freshman class, we're going to see players leave for a variety of reasons, including playing time issues.
Oh, and have we mentioned academics, arrests, failed drug tests, injuries and personal issues that can create situations where players won't return in August? A year ago, Charlie Strong took a beating at times over the perception that he was running players off, but one of the truths of major college football is that the turnover within programs is much higher than most people will ever realize.
In what might represent one of the more interesting weekend projects I've ever encountered while writing this column, I decided to go back and chronicle more than a decade's worth of attrition within the Texas program in an effort to educate everyone on the subject matter, while also helping us potentially project what the true recruiting numbers for the program in 2016 might look like.
My personal projection for the next 16 months is that the program is going to experience a rather high level of attrition, especially as Strong continues to infuse the program with his own players, an option that really hasn't existed for Strong until his first true recruiting class arrives in the fall. As the program goes through a youth movement in the next couple years, it's going to be sink or swim for a lot of players within the program.
Before we get too far into the future, let's take a look at the past attrition numbers for the Texas program.
(Note: The calendar for each season's attrition runs from 8/15 through 8/14 of the following year, as any player that leaves the program following the 8/15 date doesn't really allow the coaching staff a chance to use the departure as part of any 85-man scholarship count for that
year. The 8/15 start date is an arbitrary number I selected because some transfers were announced at the beginning of fall camps throughout the years and the start dates for each camp were different from year to year. Thus, the 8/15 number gave me about a week's worth of wiggle room for last-minute transfer announcements.)
(Note No. 2: I've included the confirmed attrition for the 2003 and 2004 seasons that I could find, but I'm not 100-percent sure that I was able to properly account for the full numbers)
2003 (8/15/02-8/14/03)
(7) Kendal Briles (transfer), Clint Haney (injury), Rufus Harris (transfer), O.J. McClintock (transfer), Edorian McCulloch (academics), Rashad Thomas (transfer) and Robert Timmons (transfer)
2004 (8/15/03-8/14/04)
(7) Erick Hardeman (academics), Anthony Johnson (injuries), Chase Pittman (transfer), Bryan Pickryl (injuries), Steve Richardson (transfer), Austin Sendlein (injuries) and Mike Williams (academics)
2005 (8/15/04-8/14/05)
(6) Dustin Miksch (injuries), Garnet Smith (transfer), Albert Hardy (injuries), Aurmon Satchell (injuries), Kyle Thornton (transfer) and Terrance Young (injuries)
2006 (8/15/05-8/14/06)
(7) Eric Foreman (transfer), Steve Hogan (injuries), Michael Houston (transfer), Marco Martin (injuries), Bobby Tatum (transfer), Ramonce Taylor (transfer) and Jerrell Wilkerson (transfer)
2007 (8/15/06-8/14/07)
(10) Chris Brown (transfer), Jeremy Campbell (transfer), Greg Dolan (transfer), Myron Hardy (transfer), Andre Jones (dismissed), Robert Joseph (dismissed), Jevan Snead (transfer), George Walker (transfer), J'Marcus Webb (transfer) and Roy Watts (transfer)
2008 (8/15/07-8/14/08)
(3) Brian Ellis (transfer), James Henry (transfer) and G.J. Kinne (transfer)
2009 (8/15/08-8/14/09)
(7) Buck Burnette (transfer), Jarvis Humphrey (illness), Ishie Oduegwu (injuries), Josh Marshall
(retired), Aundre McGaskey (transfer), Montre Webber (transfer) and Michael Wilcoxon (retired)
2010 (8/15/09-8/14/10)
(10) Dan Buckner (transfer), Russell Carter (transfer), Antwan Cobb (retired), Brandon Collins (off-field), Marcus Davis (transfer), Ian Harris (injuries), Sherrod Harris (retired), Derek Johnson (transfer), Phillip Payne (retired) and Ben Wells (transfer)
2011 (8/15/10-8/14/11)
(9) Tariq Allen (transfer), Brock Fitzhenry (transfer), Trey Graham (injuries), Tyrell Higgins (transfer), Tevin Mims (transfer), Tre Newton (injuries), Patrick Nkwopara (retired), Greg Timmons (transfer) and Malcolm Williams (retired)
2012 (8/15/11-8/14/12)
(15) Eryon Barnett (transfer), Taylor Bible (transfer), Nolan Brewster (injuries), De'Aires Cotton (medical), Garrett Gilbert (transfer), Calvin Howell (transfer), Dravannti Johnson (retired), Chris Jones (transfer), Dominique Jones (transfer), Paden Kelley (retired), Traylon Shead (transfer), Darius Terrell (transfer), A.J. White (transfer), Darius White (transfer) and Connor Wood (transfer)
2013 (8/15/12-8/14/13)
(4) Thomas Ashcraft (transfer), Connor Brewer (transfer), Garrett Greenlea (injuries) and Cayleb Jones (transfer)
2014 (8/15/13-8/14/14)
(13) Aaron Benson (transfer), Joe Bergeron (transfer), Josh Cochran (injuries), Chevoski Collins (dismissed), Deoundrei Davis (transfer), Bryant Jackson (medical), Montrell Meander (dismissed), Chet Moss (dismissed), Jalen Overstreet (dismissed), Kendall Sanders (dismissed), Leroy Scott (dismissed), Kevin Shorter (injuries) and Kendall Thompson (injuries)
2015 (8/15/14-8/14/15)
(7) David Ash (injuries), Kennedy Estelle (dismissed), Rami Hammad (transfer), Cameron Hampton (transfer), Desmond Harrison (dismissed), M.J. McFarland (transfer) and Curtis Riser (transfer)
Ok, so let's breakdown the numbers.
* From 2005-2014, Texas averaged 8.4 players worth of attrition per year.
* From 2010-2014, Texas averaged 10.2 players worth of attrition per year.
* Since 2007, Texas has reached double figures in attrition in four of the eight seasons and at least nine players worth of attrition in five of the eight years.
* Only twice in the last 12 years has Texas had fewer than a half-dozen players worth of attrition.
Depending on the relative short- or long-term averages, it's fair to conclude that the program will likely lose another 3-5 players before the end of this year's attrition calendar.
As it relates to the 2016 recruiting class, I've been projecting a 25-man class for more than a year, while others have suggested more conservative numbers (20-23), including the coaches. Well, the Longhorns are currently sitting at 84 scholarships as of today with 14 seniors set to depart following the season, which would leave the program with 70 players on paper going into next season and a soft number of 15 scholarships for the 2016 class.
Assuming that the 3-5 players worth of attrition that is likely to arrive before the middle of August aren't seniors, the actual numbers in a few months will boost that 2016 number to somewhere between 18-20.
And that does not include any of the attrition that will occur in the 2016 attrition calendar, which we know has ranged between 8-10 players per year for the last decade.
It's pretty much science.
No. 2 - The quarterback battle (Pros/Cons)…
Not a single thing changed in my mind at the quarterback position during the spring game as it relates to what will happen going into the 2015 season.
My expectations for the position are that Tyrone Swoopes will start in South Bend in the season-opener and Jerrod Heard will play before the first quarter in that game is over. At that point, the true competition will begin and a valid winner will finally emerge.
In the meantime, here's a look at the pros and cons of both heading into a critical off-season.
Tyrone Swoopes
Pros
* He's simply ahead of Heard in the passing game in almost every area of this phase of the offense.
* Is more comfortable pushing the ball down the field in the passing game, both in the intermediate and deep zones. A perfect example of this was on the second play of the game when he passed up an open fullback in the flat for a short gain for the chance to throw to Jacorey Warrick, who was 12 yards deeper on his route and had found the perfect open space behind the linebackers and in front of the safeties for what turned out to be an 18-yard gain.
* Has enough athletic ability to make explosive plays in the running game. Although he's not a quick-twitch athlete, Swoopes covers a lot of ground when he gets a full head of steam. Also, he has a little more wiggle than people give him credit for when running in the open field. He's like a poor man's David Ash in this department.
* Gets the offense up to the line of scrimmage and into the next play when the team is in its tempo offense at a quicker rate than Heard. Given what the Longhorns hope to do on offense this season, this isn't an unimportant note.
* Experience. Although he went through the grinder last season, he survived the season having faced the likes of UCLA, Baylor, Oklahoma, TCU and Arkansas. Mixed in there are road wins in Stillwater and Lubbock, along with a last-minute drive for a win against Iowa State. Perhaps his skins are limited, but he does have a few.
Cons
* Was a disaster last season against the toughest teams on the schedule and there's still not any tangible evidence that suggests things will be better in 2015.
* Still struggles when asked to throw or roll left. Swoopes is a right-handed quarterback all the way and struggles to make accurate throws to his left, whether he's on the roll or in more of a traditional drop-back. An example of this occurred on the first Texas drive of the scrimmage when he was asked to make a mini-roll to the left on first and 10 from the 38-yard line and he had a hard time getting enough on his throw for it to get to Dorian Leonard on time in a way that gave Leonard a chance to make a play. On top of that, the ball was slightly off-target and in a way that would have been dangerous had Swoopes been facing a top-level cornerback and not walk-on Jordan Strickland.
* Doesn't have a reputation of being a guy that leads teams to a lot of wins.
Jerrod Heard
Pros
* Is ultra-quick as an athlete/runner, which allows his legs to serve as a wildcard to any defense that wants to get greedy with blitzes and stunts. Much more so than his top end speed, Heard's initial burst when he decides to run is what will scare defensive coordinators. A perfect example of this occurred on his touchdown run when the defense flashed six men at the line of scrimmage, but rushed only four. Before Heard could finish his drop, Shiro Davis nearly met him
at his spot after running right past Tristan Nickelson, but Heard was able to quickly step inside the pocket before it closed and there wasn't a defender near him that could stop him from the end zone, once he decided to go north as a runner. His suddenness allows for more off-schedule big plays for an offense that might need as many as it can get. I'd say he's the second-most explosive runner option the team has had at quarterback (behind Vince Young) in the last 25 years. Yes, he's more explosive/quicker than James Brown.
* Throws the ball while rolling to the left much more comfortably than Swoopes, which means there's more of a field to work with in the passing game, especially in the short and intermediate areas. Three times on the first series in which he was involved on Saturday, Heard made completions while throwing to the left side of the field.
* Is a more mechanically sound player than Swoopes.
* Makes quick decisions when facing pressure. Behind this offensive line, that's an important trait.
* He's not Swoopes. Sometimes the devil you don't know is better than the one you know and the last time everyone saw Swoopes on the field leading a Texas offense, terrible thoughts were racing through a lot of minds.
* Has a reputation for being a big-time winner after helping lead his high school team to back-to-back state championships.
Cons
* The passing game is somewhat limited to the shorter throws and he's not yet as comfortable pushing the ball down the field as Swoopes, which means the offense will play in a smaller box when he's on the field until the defense is convinced he will test it over the top.
* Doesn't quite move the offense at the pace Swoopes does, but it's probably safe to assume this is an area that will improve as we get closer to the start of the season and he gets more comfortable with what's asked of him.
* Forces you to play with a smaller volume of the playbook.
* Has never taken a single college game-snap and the only real practice reps he's taken are against a defense going through a major rebuild.
No. 3 - Scattershooting on the spring game …
… Connor Williams drawing the start at right tackle in the spring game was pretty damn telling if we're talking about a projection for the upcoming season. I wonder if Charlie Strong is more or
less apprehensive about a tackle making his first start in South Bend than at quarterback?
… Johnathan Gray didn't see a lot of action on Saturday, but in limited playing time he juked Texas defenders in the open field three times to create YAW (yards after whiffing). Walk-on Tyler Lee, Kevin Vaccaro and Malik Jefferson were all posterized by the starting tailback.
… You're out of your mind if you believe a healthy D'Onte Foreman is close to pushing Gray for his reps as the starter. If you pay attention to Charlie Strong, you'll hear a man that has a serious man-crush on the former Aledo star.
… When Alex De La Torre is asked to block a defensive linemen off the edge, the senior has his limitations. As a blocker downfield or out of the backfield, he showed some promise on Saturday. Go back and look at the block he threw on Edwin Freeman in the middle of D'Onte Foreman's long second quarter run with 12:24 left on the clock. It was a perfect throw-block that wiped Freeman out of the play and completely sprung Foreman into the second level of the defense with a clear sailing.
... The final numbers on the stat sheet do not reflect how well Malik Jefferson played on Saturday. The five-star freshman was heavily involved all over the field.
… The first-team offensive line is still not creating a strong push at the line of attack and that's very concerning when you consider that the front four it faced for much of Saturday includes from left to right: Quincy Vasser (pretty underwhelming), Jake McMillon, Paul Boyette, Bryce Cottrell. The offense was in a 3rd and 11 situation on the Swoopes touchdown run on the first drive because it tried to run the ball on back-to-back plays against the second-team defense and was twice stuffed.
… If the Texas offense doesn't find another answer at left tackle, that position is going to get one of the quarterbacks killed and possibly both of them. The monster shot that Bryce Cottrell put on Swoopes on the first team's second possession occurred because Marcus Hutchins flat out turned Cottrell loose after initially squaring up on him off the snap. Also, what the hell was that hit on Swoopes all about? How embarrassing would things have been if the Longhorns lost one of two scholarships quarterbacks in the game because of such a hit? Don't get me wrong, football is a man's game and you want your players to be tough, but that was more reckless than tough.
… I owe Armanti Foreman an apology. At first glance, I thought he hesitated and pulled up on his route when Tyrone Swoopes missed him on a vertical route in the first quarter. Upon second glance, walk-on Dillon Boldt body-checked Foreman 10 yards down the field. That should have been a flag and the officials flat out missed it. Not only was the flag not thrown, but since the play occurred on third down, the offense was forced to punt instead of receiving a new set of downs.
… Malik Jefferson was the best player on the field and after watching the game in review on the DVR, I'm not sure it was even close. I counted at least 10 plays he made in the first 20 minutes of the first half.
… Either Jay Norvell needs to spend hours with Daje Johnson on his blocking or Johnson should never be asked to be on the field when he's being asked to contribute as a blocker. Johnson just didn't show a lot of physicality at all in the spring game, especially when asked to help in the screen game.
… Really nice block by Sedrick Flowers on Paul Boyette on the goal-line to help Foreman score from one-yard out. Give that man his syrup.
… I don't trust a single receiver on this team right now.
… Call me crazy, but I was more impressed with Duke Catalon's best run (called back for holding) than I was D'Onte Foreman's best run. That extra level of burst that Catalon has is much-needed in this offense. I could see one guy being a third-down type back and the other being a short-yardage guy for this team.
No. 4 - Buy or Sell …
Buy or sell: the TE position for the Longhorns.
(Sell) New tight ends coach Jeff Traylor has really limited options. Between Blake Whiteley and Andrew Beck, there's not a guy that can excel on the line as an end blocker quite yet, which means the team has to depend on an undersized Alex De la Torre to do a lot of the dirty work. Meanwhile, neither player is truly a plus-option as a receiver, although I expect them to be utilized in the underneath passing game, especially if Jerrod Heard is used a lot at quarterback. Devonaire Clarington can't get here soon enough.
Buy or sell: Being really frustrated in Daje's spring game?
(Buy) As I mentioned on Saturday, it's time to retire the hype. Yes, we've seen flashes of his explosive skills, but he's so inconsistent when it comes to the details of his position. Muffed punts, missed blocks, fumbles and more bad than good should not be taking place when a guy is in his fourth season.
Buy or sell: My prediction (I made before he arrived on campus) that Connor Williams would be a top-5 player in a future rendition of the 'What the 2015 LSR should've looked like' article?
(Sell) Yeah, I'm not quite going that far with Williams yet because a top 5 re-ranking suggests he will emerge as a top 90 or so NFL Draft prospect and that kind of play isn't close to taking
place … yet. His presence on the field right now is sooooo much more about a general lack of options than it is with him being an immediate monster. He's going to be good, but that's too lofty of a positioning for me at this point.
Buy or sell: Heard is the starter by the beginning of the conference center schedule.
(Buy) I mean … I guess. There's no way anyone can be convinced Swoopes will hold the job for 12 games at this point.
Buy or sell: Two freshman wide receivers will take over at some point in the season as starters.
(Sell) I think one of those freshmen will break through (my money is on John Burt), but I'm going to buy into Armanti Foreman emerging at some point, which will limit the available starting spots. I think at least three freshmen will play, but only one will start in 2015.
Buy or sell: If you weren't featured in the spring game at the WR position, then you'd be best transferring this summer?
(Buy)
Buy or sell: Malik Jefferson AND one of the true Freshman DBs will be starting in South Bend?
(Sell) I'm not even sure Charlie will have Jefferson in the starting lineup for week one on the road in South Bend. Eventually, this season will be turned over to the kids, but not in week one. Charlie's just a little too old school to be dropping the babies into the woods that quickly.
Buy or sell: The 2016 Texas recruiting class with be stronger than 2015?
(Buy) The bottom of this class will be better than the bottom of the 2015 class. I expect a top-10 group.
Buy or sell: Coach Strong simply can't come out and say that Jerrod Heard is going to be the starter this fall, even if he already knows he is, because it would devastate Swoopes and it would allow N.D. to gear up to play against a redshirt freshman in his first game?
(Sell) If he truly believes that Heard is going to be the night one starter, keeping him in the No. 2 hole for now keeps his motivation meter at its highest point without ear of it dropping. The current situation allows for both players to be maxed out in motivation, in theory.
No. 5 - Bottom line: How many wins are you projecting for the 2015 Longhorns ...
Right now I have this team going 7-5.
Wins: vs. Rice, vs. California, vs. Oklahoma State, vs. Kansas State, at Iowa State, vs. Kansas and vs. Texas Tech
Losses: at Notre Dame, at TCU, vs. Oklahoma, at West Virginia and at Baylor
Word of caution: I don't think the 2015 team is better than the 2014 team, so my projections might be slightly optimistic. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt in a few of those wins.
No. 6 - Tevin Mack might be the light that ignites a fire ...
It's quite possible that May 1 will serve as nothing more than a date that we'll all soon forget as it relates to the start of the Shaka Smart Era in Austin.
Or ……
It's quite possible that May 1 will serve as the sonic boom that announces Shaka Smart's arrival on the national recruiting circuit at the start of the Shaka Smart Era in Austin.
Not to put too much weight into the decision of rising senior sensation Tevin Mack of Columbia, South Carolina, but his release from VCU has turned his situation into one of the more hotly contested out-of-nowhere recruiting battles of the year in college hoops. If you thought that his options might be limited to the upgrade to Texas from VCU, you're not paying attention.
North Carolina has jumped in this. UCLA and Kansas have called. Hell, even new Alabama coach Avery Johnson has thrown his hat into the ring.
This is not a lay-up by any stretch of the imagination, which is why this is a perfect little recruiting test for Smart as he enters the deep waters of recruiting for the elite of the elite. Yes, Smart has the advantage of the prior relationship, which makes it completely fair to strongly hope that he can close the deal. Perhaps it's too late to impact the final stages of the 2015 recruiting year elsewhere as it relates to the top 50 available players in America, but this is a deal that can get done.
Shaka simply has to get the job done in this first test of his recruiting powers.
Bookmark May 1 because it has a chance to be a huge day … or not.
No. 7 - Scattershooting on the NBA Playoffs weekend ...
… The Rockets really did catch a massive break with New Orleans beating the Spurs on Wednesday, thus creating a match-up with the Mavericks in the first round, a team I consider to
be the least dangerous right now of any of the eight West seeds. No excuses, Houston, get this one done in five.
… I'm sorry, but it's hard for me to respect Toronto as an NBA city when 95-year old Paul Pierce is in an entire organization's head.
… Ho hum, Anthony Davis piled up 35 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks in his playoff debut. This is not hyperbole … he is the best player in the NBA and if he had better teammates around him, he probably wins the MVP.
… Of course, this season's likely MVP Steph Curry wasn't too bad in a win, racking up 34 points and five assists against the Pelicans.
… Draymond Green is soooooo getting paid in this off-season.
… A Cavs/Bulls series is going to be a hell of a lot of fun.
… Come on Michael Carter-Williams. The Bucks need more than nine points on 4-of-13 shooting with only three assists to boot from you.
... I'm going to try not to overreact, but Memphis/Portland looks like a complete mismatch.
No. 8 - Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… A smattering of opinions from the UFC Fight NIght card in Newark…
a. I love me some Paige VanZandt. The former prom queen turned ass-kicker won me over months ago when she first joined the UFC and put on an entertaining debut in Austin, but she flat out kicked Felice Herrig's ass like she stole something from her mom. She's must-watch TV moving forward because all she knows how to do is throw her fists non-stop.
b. My goodness, Luke Rockhold. His shocking destruction of Lyoto Machida was more than emphatic, it was downright scary. I thought Rockhold would win the fight going into Saturday night, but I did not expect him to essentially retire Machida from important fights, but that's what it felt like. Yes, I should say it's time to give that man a title shot.
c. Jacare Souza vs Chris Camozzi was a waste of our time.
d. I did not expect Max Holloway to embarrass Cub Swanson. Talk about soaring into the top five of his weight class with a bullet, that was really, really impressive stuff from the 23-year old.
… Lucas Matthysse and Ruslan Provodnikov put on a hell of a slugfest worthy of a second go-round, but the real star on Saturday night was Terence Crawford, who destroyed Thomas
Dulorme with three knockdowns in the sixth round in a fight in Arlington. It's time for that kid to get a step-up in competition. Hell, I'll take Matthysse/Crawford later in the year if HBO wants to give it to me.
… After feeling the heartbreak of a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa this weekend in the semifinals of the FA Cup, I suppose I am officially a Liverpool supporter. My goodness, that was brutal.
… Speaking of English soccer teams, huge props to Chelsea for proving that its EPL title this year is far from a lucky fluke or an early hot spurt. Beating white-hot Manchester United sent a message to everyone in the league … back the hell off … the title is theirs.
No. 9 - Game of Thrones is back!!!! Stream of conscious thoughts on the season opener...
******* WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD ***********
******* WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD ***********
******* WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD ***********
******* LAST CHANCE TO TURN AWAY ***********
a. While credits play, it's worth noting that only one person died in the opener. We're due for some dead bodies.
b. Well, Brienne took care of that all by herself.
c. The Sir Jaime and Bronn road show should be a good one.
d. "Mistakes will be made." Damn Cersei, you're gonna wipe an entire group of people out of King's Landing.
e. Is Jon Snow winning LOrd Cooamnder of the Night's Watch the nicest thing that has ever happened on the show?
f. Arya is down to kill someone whenever and whenever.
g. Danny just can't win. Watching her run things is like watching me run Orangebloods at times.
******* END OF SPOILERS ***********
******* END OF SPOILERS ***********
******* END OF SPOILERS ***********
No. 10 - The List: Chaka Kahn ( Listen Via Spotify
I don't know about the rest of the young, but every time I say Shaka Smart's name, I say it like it's Chaka Kahn's name from the song "I Feel For You".
Maybe not every time, but at least 50-percent of the time.
Since I know I'm not alone, I decided it was a good time to unveil the Chaka Kahn Top 10 list, in honor of the coach who inspires me to sing her songs when I say his name.
Let's get on with the list.
10. I KNow You, I Live You
My favorite song from the 1981 album What Cha' Gonna Do for Me.
9. The End of a Love Affair
Until the last two weeks, I never knew that Chaka Kahn is originally from Chicago.
8. Clouds
Whitney Houston is doing background vocals on this song, along with Cissy Houston.
7. Everlasting Love
One of the better tracks she did with Rufus in her pre-solo days.
6. Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)
She does a great cover of the Stevie Wonder classic.
5. Through The Fire
One of her top 80s ballads.
4. Sweet Thing
Her best song with Rufus.
3. Ain't Nobody
One of my favorite songs from the movie Breakin.
2. I'm Every Woman
It probably deserves to be in the No.1 spot because of its anthem status, but I had to go with another.
1. I Feel For You
"Chaka, Chaka, Chaka, Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan, let me rock you
Let me rock you, Chaka Khan
Let me rock you, that's all I wanna do
Chaka Khan, let me rock you"
Archives List
Blues/Jazz: Leadbelly ( Listen via Spotify )
Classical: Listen via Spotify)
Country: Listen via Spotify )
Electronic: Listen Via Spotify
Funk: Listen Via Spotify (Part I)
Metal: Listen Via Spotify
Pop: Listen via Spotify )
Punk: The Clash (Listen via Spotify)
Random: My Number 1's on Spotify
Rap: Listen via Spotify),
R&B: Listen via Spotify)
Reggae: Listen via Spotify)
Rock: Listen via Spotify )
This post was edited on 4/20 12:58 PM by Ketchum
