In the last two games of the year, Warren was the best player on the field. If that extra weight is muscle ... combined with a hurry up offense ... this could be the start of something really nice.
2016 Season Running Thread
- Thread starter CoachEmUp64
- Start date
In the last two games of the year, Warren was the best player on the field. If that extra weight is muscle ... combined with a hurry up offense ... this could be the start of something really nice.
Yeah, I think Warren and Foreman are both going to be hard to handle out of the backfield this season.
Swoops proved last year that given the right situation he can be effective. I don't expect us to beat Notre Dame, not saying we can't but that we shouldn't start Buechele right away, I'm not against giving him a few reps in the Notre Dame game, but don't throw him to the wolves in a game we aren't likely to win anyways.
I don't care who starts, I expect 8+ wins, if strong can't do it, then we need a coach that can.
If he can mode the offense to fit Swoops strengths then I'm confident we can move the ball and put up some points, we have an experienced oline, we have some dangerous weapons at WR and two badass RBs. All we need is a game manager who can limit turnovers and negative plays.
Let the coaches coach, I don't care what their method is, I only care about results, if these coaches can't get the results I want a new staff. PEROID!
Hell throw Shane in with the dogs this year so he is more ready next. Keep the 18 wheeler package and run the hell out of the ball.
I just don't understand that mentality. "Let the coaches coach"? This coach has an 11-14 record, and has miserably failed at producing a QB. So we should all just trust that they know what they are doing, even as there are indications that they are about to trot the same guy out there who was terrible for the past two years? Not that anything said here matters, but I think any fan who isn't concerned about this is putting their head in the sand. The plan is to ignore game film, watch him in practice, and then wait until a game to see how he performs in games? Is that real? If thats what goes into evaluating players, we should all be being paid millions of dollars to coach at this level. The definition of insanity. Full me once. Anybody? I fell like I'm taking crazy pills!
So what you are saying is...dont trust this staff?....better to let the geniuses on message boards decide what to do?....WTF??? Hell yes! Let the coaches coach!. You know more than they do?.....I generally agree with what you say, and think you have done well with ideas in the past, but I find this post questionable at best and totally absurd at worst. Maybe I missed the point?
The real plan is to have already thoroughly studied what film is available to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the pieces on the board even while claiming to not have watched film so as to give everyone the opportunity to surprise you with unexpected talent without dragging around the weight of past sins. Then, while using all available information, attempting to maximize the productivity of the available material through spring and summer so as to eventually field the team most capable of getting the wins this fall.
Seems like we've gotten rid of a lot of dead wood, and our young talent is pushing each other for respect on the field and in the locker room in addition to eventually winning in-game playing time.
Hook 'em
Exactly.
Just because the coaches tell you (the public) something doesn't mean they're telling you everything -- or even anything. Insider reports from when Gilbert first arrived said that he was busy immersing himself in film study of every single offensive player as he set about planning for installing his offense, since he didn't have a significant recruiting role. Enough with the freak-out already. Gilbert, like Charlie, wants to be here past 2016; you don't have to worry that he's not going to make a fully-informed decision on who will be his starting QB.
Lol, I was probably the most vocal about firing Charlie, now I'm sticking my head in the sand.
I think I have been pretty straight when I say, This is Charlie's team for better or worse, he has worn out all his good will, he needs to win or get out, there is no in between.
Sir Kai of Locksley....
Glad to see that attitude from Kai, we need men who can work for their chance, not just put their head down when things don't go their way. I hope he becomes a good QB, but if it doesn't work I think he will be a hell of a receiver.
1. Swoopes to A Foreman
2. McNeal grabs ball as Haines grabs McNeal
3. Vaccaro breaks up Swoopes' pass and Warrick's ribs
4. Bernard tunnels through
5. D Foreman sweeps
6. Bonney defends against LoJoe
7. Warren met at line by Wheeler and ?
8. Bernard finds some room
9. D Foreman stopped by the Hall monitor
10. A Foreman escapes Hill
11. Locke arrives late as Swoopes hits McNeal
12. Boo wobbles a beauty to Oliver over Townsend
13. Swoopes to Warrick
14. Locksley loves Newsome
Just in case you missed it a couple of days ago....
In case yall didnt see Burtons reaction to Bedfords interview......
ust like Sterlin Gilbert the day before, I watched Vance Bedford's entire presser and took some notes.
Here are some of the things that caught my attention:
* Bedford is a talker. He likes to cut up and shoot the bull with reporters. We all know that. It's fun to listen to.
But I sensed something different in yesterday's presser. Compared to previous ones, Bedford appears much more confident and pleased with what he has to work with.
His pressers in previous years have shown a lot of false bravado IMO or even evasiveness to some degree just by the way he would answer questions. Oftentimes, he'd talk a lot without saying much. He'd crack jokes or even go on a long, tangential soliloquy, all in an effort to circumvent some of the tougher questions or make light of a situation that wasn't so pleasing to the eyes.
He did almost none of that on Wednesday.
My takeaway is that I think Bedford is going into this season with a level of true confidence I haven't seen him have at Texas. In other words, Bedford thinks he has (or will have) the pieces in place to compete at a higher level come fall.
* The only time I felt like Bedford belabored a point was the instance where he mentioned that DeShon Elliott might be getting him Gatorade this season, his meaning was quite clear. Elliott would be spending a lot of time on the sideline with Bedford if things didn't change.
Specifically, Elliot isn't playing more, and isn't moving up the depth chart, because he isn't getting lined up consistently and/or isn't playing consistently well. It has nothing to do with his athleticism or physical abilities. Bedford made that point clearly.
* One of the reasons for Bedford's confidence is what he termed improved "communication". Part of improved communication is more experienced players, like those in the secondary.
He specifically mentioned that Jason Hall "can not rely on Dylan Haines to get lined up" any longer, that Hall has to make that progress himself and that part of that is communication.
* Bedford was asked who the team's best pass rusher was.
His answer, after pausing and thinking about it for a bit, was telling.
He says he's "still waiting on that".
He doesn't feel he has a go-to pass rusher at this point. Breckyn Hager may end up being that guy, but as of now, that would have to be brought off of a blitz as opposed to a general pass rush.
He did say that Hager had played DE some in goalline situations and that the experiment had some success, so I'm guessing we'll see more of that experiment the second half of spring training.
* Bedford made a point about the problems the team currently has at defensive tackle. He says that Poona Ford, Jake McMillon and even Chris Nelson are not "naturally big guys", that Texas had to add weight to all three of those guys to stand up at the point of attack.
While Bedford was particularly complimentary of Ford and somewhat of Nelson, he is obviously excited about the incoming freshmen DTs because of their "natural" size. Bedford singled out Jordan Elliott, because Elliott is already "320 pounds and that means he has the the size to hold the point of attack."
* Bedford also made it a point to mention he wants the true freshmen to be ready to play at least 20 plays a game. He wants to rotate heavy numbers on the DL and he also singled out Jeff McCulloch at linebacker, and said because he's 220 already that he has some size to him that might be ready to play early.
* It's clear that Bedford thinks Anthony Wheeler has either taken or is on the precipice of taking that next step to become a complete player and linebacker. There were two players that I felt like Bedford gave the highest development praise to -- Wheeler and Poona Ford.
He also said he likes the development of PJ Locke, Davante Davis and Chris Nelson.
"You can see it in the way they practice. The confidence they have," he said.
* Of the linebackers, he actually called Breckyn Hager the "best blitzer" on the team. That means he's a better blitzer than Malik Jefferson. But he also said that Hager is still working on his pass drops.
* From the sound of it, we can expect Sheroid Evans to play a role in the secondary this season. Bedford's not quite sure yet how it's going to play out, but it's clear Evans has done enough to get his attention. IMO Evans and Kris Boyd are clearly the third and fourth corners behind Davis and Holton Hill.
* One final note and I think this sums it up for me.
Bedford made a point to say that this year will be more about putting the players in a position where they can be their best. If that means lining Malik up on the outside, then that's the case. If it means using more DBs, then that's what they're going to do. In the recent past, Bedford said he hadn't the latitude to do that because he simply didn't have the depth or the personnel.
I could be reading far too much into this, but I don't think so. I get the feeling Bedford likes where this defense is going to end up by the end of the season. And I think he definitely likes where it's headed for the long-term, that he may finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.
This post has been edited 4 times, most recently by BobbyBurton 24 hours ago
ust like Sterlin Gilbert the day before, I watched Vance Bedford's entire presser and took some notes.
Here are some of the things that caught my attention:
* Bedford is a talker. He likes to cut up and shoot the bull with reporters. We all know that. It's fun to listen to.
But I sensed something different in yesterday's presser. Compared to previous ones, Bedford appears much more confident and pleased with what he has to work with.
His pressers in previous years have shown a lot of false bravado IMO or even evasiveness to some degree just by the way he would answer questions. Oftentimes, he'd talk a lot without saying much. He'd crack jokes or even go on a long, tangential soliloquy, all in an effort to circumvent some of the tougher questions or make light of a situation that wasn't so pleasing to the eyes.
He did almost none of that on Wednesday.
My takeaway is that I think Bedford is going into this season with a level of true confidence I haven't seen him have at Texas. In other words, Bedford thinks he has (or will have) the pieces in place to compete at a higher level come fall.
* The only time I felt like Bedford belabored a point was the instance where he mentioned that DeShon Elliott might be getting him Gatorade this season, his meaning was quite clear. Elliott would be spending a lot of time on the sideline with Bedford if things didn't change.
Specifically, Elliot isn't playing more, and isn't moving up the depth chart, because he isn't getting lined up consistently and/or isn't playing consistently well. It has nothing to do with his athleticism or physical abilities. Bedford made that point clearly.
* One of the reasons for Bedford's confidence is what he termed improved "communication". Part of improved communication is more experienced players, like those in the secondary.
He specifically mentioned that Jason Hall "can not rely on Dylan Haines to get lined up" any longer, that Hall has to make that progress himself and that part of that is communication.
* Bedford was asked who the team's best pass rusher was.
His answer, after pausing and thinking about it for a bit, was telling.
He says he's "still waiting on that".
He doesn't feel he has a go-to pass rusher at this point. Breckyn Hager may end up being that guy, but as of now, that would have to be brought off of a blitz as opposed to a general pass rush.
He did say that Hager had played DE some in goalline situations and that the experiment had some success, so I'm guessing we'll see more of that experiment the second half of spring training.
* Bedford made a point about the problems the team currently has at defensive tackle. He says that Poona Ford, Jake McMillon and even Chris Nelson are not "naturally big guys", that Texas had to add weight to all three of those guys to stand up at the point of attack.
While Bedford was particularly complimentary of Ford and somewhat of Nelson, he is obviously excited about the incoming freshmen DTs because of their "natural" size. Bedford singled out Jordan Elliott, because Elliott is already "320 pounds and that means he has the the size to hold the point of attack."
* Bedford also made it a point to mention he wants the true freshmen to be ready to play at least 20 plays a game. He wants to rotate heavy numbers on the DL and he also singled out Jeff McCulloch at linebacker, and said because he's 220 already that he has some size to him that might be ready to play early.
* It's clear that Bedford thinks Anthony Wheeler has either taken or is on the precipice of taking that next step to become a complete player and linebacker. There were two players that I felt like Bedford gave the highest development praise to -- Wheeler and Poona Ford.
He also said he likes the development of PJ Locke, Davante Davis and Chris Nelson.
"You can see it in the way they practice. The confidence they have," he said.
* Of the linebackers, he actually called Breckyn Hager the "best blitzer" on the team. That means he's a better blitzer than Malik Jefferson. But he also said that Hager is still working on his pass drops.
* From the sound of it, we can expect Sheroid Evans to play a role in the secondary this season. Bedford's not quite sure yet how it's going to play out, but it's clear Evans has done enough to get his attention. IMO Evans and Kris Boyd are clearly the third and fourth corners behind Davis and Holton Hill.
* One final note and I think this sums it up for me.
Bedford made a point to say that this year will be more about putting the players in a position where they can be their best. If that means lining Malik up on the outside, then that's the case. If it means using more DBs, then that's what they're going to do. In the recent past, Bedford said he hadn't the latitude to do that because he simply didn't have the depth or the personnel.
I could be reading far too much into this, but I don't think so. I get the feeling Bedford likes where this defense is going to end up by the end of the season. And I think he definitely likes where it's headed for the long-term, that he may finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.
This post has been edited 4 times, most recently by BobbyBurton 24 hours ago
OB War Room:
Thursday was the eighth practice of the spring and the first without QB Jerrod Heard. Here are a few notes the OB crew has picked up:
- It was a closed, full-pads practice for the sixth-straight time.
- The new (TUES, THURS, SAT) schedule may lead to better recovery time and not as much need to have shorts and shoulder pads practices nearly as often as in recent years.
- Everyone wants to know about the quarterback dynamic post-Jerrod Heard injury. The prevailing vibe from sources is that Tyrone Swoopes is the starter. It's important to note, though, that Shane Buechele is currently getting the reps with the ones that Heard would sometimes receive previously and is drawing consistently strong reviews for his growing command of the offense. It's all Buechele can ask to have a shot like this as a freshman.
- Thanks to these injuries at QB, Kai Locksley is reportedly finally getting some reps at QB in team drills. By all accounts, Locksley is a terrific athlete better suited to play another position. One person said he's better in team drills than 7-on-7 because at least in team drills he can pull the ball down and run.
- WR Deandre McNeal was noted by one person again tonight as having stood out in recent practices. This is actually after getting off to a bit of a rough start at camp per the source, where he'd had a bunch of uncharacteristic drops. McNeal is heating up and reportedly caught a big pass today from Swoopes on a crossing route from the slot.
- DT Paul Boyette is still in the pit. We don't really have any truly firm update on the injury at this time as we're continuing to be told it's "minor." Boyette has officially missed half of spring practice now, though, which is concerning. As mentioned in the update from Tuesday, the silver lining is extra reps for DT Chris Nelson who needs them.
- Names that continue getting mentioned more frequently than usual among sources to the OB staff are DE Charles Omenihu (who's apparently looking more and more like a starter every day on the strong side at near-265), RB D'Onta Foreman (who should start 2016 on every national RB award watch list), Nickel CB PJ Locke (who's had a great spring so far per sources and seemingly locked down the starting role for now) and, interestingly, WR Ryan Newsome (a player, perhaps like Deandre McNeal, who needed to turn things up this spring to show the staff he meant business). (Dunlap)
****************
Quarterback Jerrod Heard’s shoulder injury is technically a minor ailment.
However, the ramifications for Heard could result in a major setback in his hopes to dethrone Tyrone Swoopes.
Heard sustained a shoulder sprain in his throwing arm during Tuesday’s practice, which we reported on Wednesday. The quarterback fell on his shoulder during practice and sustained the minor injury. Nobody I spoke to is worried about Heard’s long-term health. Everybody believes Heard will probably be at 100 percent soon.
No problem, right?
Well, the problem for Heard his inability to participate in practices prior to the spring game could seal his backup spot on the depth chart.
According to my sources, there is a good chance Heard may not practice again before the spring game on April 16. There is a belief among the people within the building it might be better to rest Heard for the next two weeks to avoid further damaging his shoulder. The last thing anyone associated with the football program wants is to hurt Texas’ diminishing quarterback depth.
That is because if addition to Heard’s injury, we recently learned backup quarterback Matthew Merrick is battling a back injury, and he is not expected to play against during the spring. Merrick currently has fractures in his back, an injury that flared up recently. As of right now, there is not a timetable on Merrick’s return. Merrick was not in contention for playing time this season, but contributed in passing drills during practice.
Texas’ current quarterback depth chart is Swoopes, Shane Buechele and Kai Locksley. The current goal is for Heard and Merrick to get healthy and improve Texas’ depth behind Swoopes.
If Heard does not play again during the spring, Swoopes has a chance to be named the starting quarterback next month.
Texas coach Charlie Strong previously said he wanted to name a starting quarterback during the spring, even though offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert recently stated a decision may not be made soon. Gilbert said all the rights things, but from what I have been told, many people in the building believe Swoopes was going to beat out Heard eventually.
“He has been the best quarterback this spring. Swoopes was starting to pull away in the competition,” one source told me.
Swoopes has been viewed as the best quarterback to operate Gilbert’s system throughout the offseason. Before spring practice began, Swoopes was viewed as the number one quarterback, and it was always his job to lose. Heard was Swoopes’ closest competitor. Now Swoopes just needs to maintain his lead against Buechele to claim the top spot.
Buechele entered the No. 2 role during practice on Thursday, which is a positive move for the freshman. He has a live arm, puts in a lot of work off-the-field, and has shown a lot of confidence. Gilbert’s simplistic offense has helped Buechele excel in practice. Heard’s injury will give Buechele a chance to compete for the backup position. He is going to receive some of the first-team reps Heard collected during practice. He also has a chance to receive significant playing time during the spring game.
However, Buechele is still not viewed as a potential starter at this moment.
Obviously, if Buechele excels during the spring game, and Swoopes struggles, there is a chance he makes a run at the No. 1 spot. Right now, everyone in the building is pleased to see Buechele competing during practice, but nobody is ready to start a true freshman right now. It will be up to Buecehle to alleviate those concerns. (Richardson)
******
If Locksley wants to be viewed as a quarterback at Texas, he needs to play on another level between now and the spring game.
Locksley has been elevated to third string as a result of Heard and Merrick’s injuries. He will finally have a chance to receive more reps in practice and being an afterthought since spring began. From the people I have talked to, Locksley has to make the most out of this opportunity because it may not come again.
There are two things Locksley needs to achieve during his window of opportunity.
First, Locksley must establish himself as a quarterback. Locksley must prove he can consistently make every throw, and elevate the play of everyone around him. There are still a good number of people who believe Locksley can be an elite receiver at Texas if he gave up on his desire to play quarterback. Since Locksley has resisted switching to receiver, he must prove the skeptics wrong.
In addition, it is essential that Locksley finds a way to win over the staff with a positive attitude. Locksley has rubbed some people the wrong way with his demeanor in practice. They do not want Locksley to simply tell them he is a good player. Instead, they want to see Locksley excel in practice, and let actions speak louder than his words.
Locksley tweeted “I’m not going anywhere” on Thursday, which sounds promising for Longhorn fans. However, I have been told if Locksley is not in the top three after spring practice, there is a chance he might transfer. Once Heard and Merrick are healthy, Locksley will move back down the depth chart, unless he shows a lot of progress during the next two weeks.
Locksley has an opportunity to play quarterback at Texas. However, his biggest challenge is making sure this is not the last chance. (Richardson)
******
Now is the time to buy stock in freshman receiver Collin Johnson.
We have reported for weeks that Johnson has a chance to be a special player this year, and he continues to impress the right people. Not only does Johnson have the respect of his teammates, but defensive coordinator Vance Bedford was the latest person to rave about the receiver.
“It’s like he's been jumping out the gym,” Bedford said. “He's been one-handing out there. I thought LeBron was out there catching rocks the other day.”
Johnson has caught of everyone in the building.
From what I have been told, Johnson is currently viewed as a potential opening-day starter against Notre Dame. Right now, John Burt and Johnson are viewed as the Longhorns’ top receiving options. Nobody is concerned about Johnson’s playmaking ability because they believe he is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.
If Johnson continues to progress and stays healthy, he is a guy who should receive plenty of targets during the regular season. (Richardson)
Thursday was the eighth practice of the spring and the first without QB Jerrod Heard. Here are a few notes the OB crew has picked up:
- It was a closed, full-pads practice for the sixth-straight time.
- The new (TUES, THURS, SAT) schedule may lead to better recovery time and not as much need to have shorts and shoulder pads practices nearly as often as in recent years.
- Everyone wants to know about the quarterback dynamic post-Jerrod Heard injury. The prevailing vibe from sources is that Tyrone Swoopes is the starter. It's important to note, though, that Shane Buechele is currently getting the reps with the ones that Heard would sometimes receive previously and is drawing consistently strong reviews for his growing command of the offense. It's all Buechele can ask to have a shot like this as a freshman.
- Thanks to these injuries at QB, Kai Locksley is reportedly finally getting some reps at QB in team drills. By all accounts, Locksley is a terrific athlete better suited to play another position. One person said he's better in team drills than 7-on-7 because at least in team drills he can pull the ball down and run.
- WR Deandre McNeal was noted by one person again tonight as having stood out in recent practices. This is actually after getting off to a bit of a rough start at camp per the source, where he'd had a bunch of uncharacteristic drops. McNeal is heating up and reportedly caught a big pass today from Swoopes on a crossing route from the slot.
- DT Paul Boyette is still in the pit. We don't really have any truly firm update on the injury at this time as we're continuing to be told it's "minor." Boyette has officially missed half of spring practice now, though, which is concerning. As mentioned in the update from Tuesday, the silver lining is extra reps for DT Chris Nelson who needs them.
- Names that continue getting mentioned more frequently than usual among sources to the OB staff are DE Charles Omenihu (who's apparently looking more and more like a starter every day on the strong side at near-265), RB D'Onta Foreman (who should start 2016 on every national RB award watch list), Nickel CB PJ Locke (who's had a great spring so far per sources and seemingly locked down the starting role for now) and, interestingly, WR Ryan Newsome (a player, perhaps like Deandre McNeal, who needed to turn things up this spring to show the staff he meant business). (Dunlap)
****************
Quarterback Jerrod Heard’s shoulder injury is technically a minor ailment.
However, the ramifications for Heard could result in a major setback in his hopes to dethrone Tyrone Swoopes.
Heard sustained a shoulder sprain in his throwing arm during Tuesday’s practice, which we reported on Wednesday. The quarterback fell on his shoulder during practice and sustained the minor injury. Nobody I spoke to is worried about Heard’s long-term health. Everybody believes Heard will probably be at 100 percent soon.
No problem, right?
Well, the problem for Heard his inability to participate in practices prior to the spring game could seal his backup spot on the depth chart.
According to my sources, there is a good chance Heard may not practice again before the spring game on April 16. There is a belief among the people within the building it might be better to rest Heard for the next two weeks to avoid further damaging his shoulder. The last thing anyone associated with the football program wants is to hurt Texas’ diminishing quarterback depth.
That is because if addition to Heard’s injury, we recently learned backup quarterback Matthew Merrick is battling a back injury, and he is not expected to play against during the spring. Merrick currently has fractures in his back, an injury that flared up recently. As of right now, there is not a timetable on Merrick’s return. Merrick was not in contention for playing time this season, but contributed in passing drills during practice.
Texas’ current quarterback depth chart is Swoopes, Shane Buechele and Kai Locksley. The current goal is for Heard and Merrick to get healthy and improve Texas’ depth behind Swoopes.
If Heard does not play again during the spring, Swoopes has a chance to be named the starting quarterback next month.
Texas coach Charlie Strong previously said he wanted to name a starting quarterback during the spring, even though offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert recently stated a decision may not be made soon. Gilbert said all the rights things, but from what I have been told, many people in the building believe Swoopes was going to beat out Heard eventually.
“He has been the best quarterback this spring. Swoopes was starting to pull away in the competition,” one source told me.
Swoopes has been viewed as the best quarterback to operate Gilbert’s system throughout the offseason. Before spring practice began, Swoopes was viewed as the number one quarterback, and it was always his job to lose. Heard was Swoopes’ closest competitor. Now Swoopes just needs to maintain his lead against Buechele to claim the top spot.
Buechele entered the No. 2 role during practice on Thursday, which is a positive move for the freshman. He has a live arm, puts in a lot of work off-the-field, and has shown a lot of confidence. Gilbert’s simplistic offense has helped Buechele excel in practice. Heard’s injury will give Buechele a chance to compete for the backup position. He is going to receive some of the first-team reps Heard collected during practice. He also has a chance to receive significant playing time during the spring game.
However, Buechele is still not viewed as a potential starter at this moment.
Obviously, if Buechele excels during the spring game, and Swoopes struggles, there is a chance he makes a run at the No. 1 spot. Right now, everyone in the building is pleased to see Buechele competing during practice, but nobody is ready to start a true freshman right now. It will be up to Buecehle to alleviate those concerns. (Richardson)
******
If Locksley wants to be viewed as a quarterback at Texas, he needs to play on another level between now and the spring game.
Locksley has been elevated to third string as a result of Heard and Merrick’s injuries. He will finally have a chance to receive more reps in practice and being an afterthought since spring began. From the people I have talked to, Locksley has to make the most out of this opportunity because it may not come again.
There are two things Locksley needs to achieve during his window of opportunity.
First, Locksley must establish himself as a quarterback. Locksley must prove he can consistently make every throw, and elevate the play of everyone around him. There are still a good number of people who believe Locksley can be an elite receiver at Texas if he gave up on his desire to play quarterback. Since Locksley has resisted switching to receiver, he must prove the skeptics wrong.
In addition, it is essential that Locksley finds a way to win over the staff with a positive attitude. Locksley has rubbed some people the wrong way with his demeanor in practice. They do not want Locksley to simply tell them he is a good player. Instead, they want to see Locksley excel in practice, and let actions speak louder than his words.
Locksley tweeted “I’m not going anywhere” on Thursday, which sounds promising for Longhorn fans. However, I have been told if Locksley is not in the top three after spring practice, there is a chance he might transfer. Once Heard and Merrick are healthy, Locksley will move back down the depth chart, unless he shows a lot of progress during the next two weeks.
Locksley has an opportunity to play quarterback at Texas. However, his biggest challenge is making sure this is not the last chance. (Richardson)
******
Now is the time to buy stock in freshman receiver Collin Johnson.
We have reported for weeks that Johnson has a chance to be a special player this year, and he continues to impress the right people. Not only does Johnson have the respect of his teammates, but defensive coordinator Vance Bedford was the latest person to rave about the receiver.
“It’s like he's been jumping out the gym,” Bedford said. “He's been one-handing out there. I thought LeBron was out there catching rocks the other day.”
Johnson has caught of everyone in the building.
From what I have been told, Johnson is currently viewed as a potential opening-day starter against Notre Dame. Right now, John Burt and Johnson are viewed as the Longhorns’ top receiving options. Nobody is concerned about Johnson’s playmaking ability because they believe he is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.
If Johnson continues to progress and stays healthy, he is a guy who should receive plenty of targets during the regular season. (Richardson)
Go ahead and buy your #85 jerseys. That dude is a monster.
Haines was apparently injured on Saturday's scrimmage and will likely miss the rest of spring. Reports that he got a laceration on his knee that required more than 20 stitches.
I havnt seen anything else on the Dylan Haynes knee injury. While I always worry about knees, I heard that what it was was a very long deep cut that required over 20 stitches and he would be out all spring.
ok....how do you get cut in practice? Was something sticking out of the turf?
ok....how do you get cut in practice? Was something sticking out of the turf?
I'm thinking the same thing. Maybe he took a helmet to the knee or landed awkwardly on a helmet. Maybe he fell on something on the field or made a tackle out of bounds and landed on something.
Very weird to say the least.
Texas Relays was this weekend in Austin, and it brought out a lot of recruits (current and future) to campus.
From Chip:
* Full-blown tackle scrimmage today around 10:30 am to 12:30 pm with a lot of high school prospects competing at Texas Relays looking on.
* WR John Burt did not take part in the scrimmage because he's running hurdles in the Texas Relays today.
Media was not allowed to watch the scrimmage, but from those who were in attendance, here's what we were told:
* S Dylan Haines left the field (and did not return) with what appeared to be a knee injury.
* OL Alex Anderson also left the field (and did not return) with what appeared to be a nasty ankle sprain.
* Offense was running high-tempo and got in 165 plays during the two-hour scrimmage.
* The offense appeared to get the better of the defense overall, although CB Antwuan Davis recorded 2 INTs and Malik Jefferson had a couple big stops near the goal line.
* Tyrone Swoopes worked with the offense first and then Shane Buechele. No other QBs got reps.
* Swoopes ran for a couple TDs and also threw a TD pass to Caleb Bluiett.
* Buechele ran several bootlegs and was the better passer on the day. He threw a TD pass on a seam route inside the 20 to Lorenzo Joe. Buechele had a couple deep passes that were dropped by receivers, including one in the corner of the end zone.
* DeAndre McNeal caught a number of passes - as did Bluiett. Offense was focusing on the tight end a lot today.
* Collin Johnson caught the third-most passes on the day (behind McNeal and Bluiett) with Burt out of action. Johnson caught an impressive, 20-yard curl route from Swoopes.
* Also hearing Armanti Foreman had a good overall week of practice and is paying much closer attention to detail, especially when it comes to downfield blocking.
* Chris Warren ran the ball well, and D'Onta Foreman scored on a TD run while grabbing his abdominal muscle. Charlie Strong told him he was fine and to get in shape.
* Roderick Bernard continues to play a big role as a change of pace RB. Today he got mostly jet sweeps but made big plays.
* The field goal unit did not have a good day. Apparently, there were problems with the snaps that didn't improve until Jak Holbrook apparently replaced Kyle Ashby.
* Both kickers - Evan Moore and Jon Coppens - struggled with FGs, even when the snap was OK, and coaches are already looking into transfer candidates (possibly from Australia - where Texas found P Michael Dickson).
* Full-blown tackle scrimmage today around 10:30 am to 12:30 pm with a lot of high school prospects competing at Texas Relays looking on.
* WR John Burt did not take part in the scrimmage because he's running hurdles in the Texas Relays today.
Media was not allowed to watch the scrimmage, but from those who were in attendance, here's what we were told:
* S Dylan Haines left the field (and did not return) with what appeared to be a knee injury.
* OL Alex Anderson also left the field (and did not return) with what appeared to be a nasty ankle sprain.
* Offense was running high-tempo and got in 165 plays during the two-hour scrimmage.
* The offense appeared to get the better of the defense overall, although CB Antwuan Davis recorded 2 INTs and Malik Jefferson had a couple big stops near the goal line.
* Tyrone Swoopes worked with the offense first and then Shane Buechele. No other QBs got reps.
* Swoopes ran for a couple TDs and also threw a TD pass to Caleb Bluiett.
* Buechele ran several bootlegs and was the better passer on the day. He threw a TD pass on a seam route inside the 20 to Lorenzo Joe. Buechele had a couple deep passes that were dropped by receivers, including one in the corner of the end zone.
* DeAndre McNeal caught a number of passes - as did Bluiett. Offense was focusing on the tight end a lot today.
* Collin Johnson caught the third-most passes on the day (behind McNeal and Bluiett) with Burt out of action. Johnson caught an impressive, 20-yard curl route from Swoopes.
* Also hearing Armanti Foreman had a good overall week of practice and is paying much closer attention to detail, especially when it comes to downfield blocking.
* Chris Warren ran the ball well, and D'Onta Foreman scored on a TD run while grabbing his abdominal muscle. Charlie Strong told him he was fine and to get in shape.
* Roderick Bernard continues to play a big role as a change of pace RB. Today he got mostly jet sweeps but made big plays.
* The field goal unit did not have a good day. Apparently, there were problems with the snaps that didn't improve until Jak Holbrook apparently replaced Kyle Ashby.
* Both kickers - Evan Moore and Jon Coppens - struggled with FGs, even when the snap was OK, and coaches are already looking into transfer candidates (possibly from Australia - where Texas found P Michael Dickson).
One thing that I never really considered with the up tempo offenses is amount of reps in practice. 165 plays in 2 hours is insane. That means lots of guys on both sides of the ball are getting significant work and it can only help in making everyone better.
Per TFB:
Spoke to a few sources. Here’s what we’ve heard about today’s scrimmage.
– Swoopes and Buechele took all the reps. Swoopes took most of the first team reps and Buechele took most of the second team reps.
– Swoopes is good with the screen passes, quick slants and is showing much better placement on the deep ball but when his first read is covered he still holds onto the ball entirely too long…
– Was told Swoopes has improved on the read option…he’s better at reading the numbers overall.
– Am told Buechele makes his reads quickly and gets his balls there. He’s better in tight windows than Swoopes but Swoopes has the stronger arm. When they get in the 20, Buechele is better at finding the open man and scored almost every time in the red zone.
– Swoopes struggles in the redzone. Between the 20 and 20 he’s doing well but still is working through trying to process information quickly.
– Buechele can actually look guys off. One person said, as he gets physically bigger…he’s going to threaten for that starting spot. He’s processing so much faster but doesn’t have as big of an arm. But again, he’s able to process things faster than Swoopes right now and should only get better come fall camp.
– The Offensive Line and The Defensive line went back and forth but the running game was strong today. Was told they threw everything at the defense…counters, draws, etc. Warren and Foreman were really good today.
– Roderick Bernard is explosive…he’s a pace changer. One source said, when he gets the ball in space…he’s gone.
– Collin Johnson is legit. He didn’t win as much against Hill and Davis but against some of the other cover guys…he eats them alive.
– Davante Davis and Holton Hill are the real deal. They are very physical and playing the ball exceptionally well. Getting into the body of the receivers and just completely locking things down on the edges.
– Dylan Haines didn’t go much. Sounds like he got hurt in the first series and Deshon Elliot went in. Deshon was a little up and down. He’s getting better…better in his alignment and extremely aggressive…sometimes too aggressive…always going for the kill shot.
– Hall was reacting slow which is something that’s always plagued him. One source said he’s big but Brandon Jones may be able to come in and push him.
– Linebackers looked great. Sounds like they are the best level of the defense. They moved Malik around…he played outside and inside.
– Was told Wheeler looks great at MLB. Is a very physical presence inside. In fact, was told he stacked up Warren and Foreman in the hole…just stopped them cold. Again, just very physical. Was also told Hager also looked good as well.
– 1st team defensive line was pretty good with Chris Nelson, Poona Ford, Naashon Hughes and Omenihu and then Jake McMillon rotated in a little with the 1s as well. They played more 4-3 today.
– After the first team on the defensive line…I’m told it’s not great to put it mildly. The freshman will definitely be needed to provide depth.
– Tempo overall was fast but still not where they need to be or where it will be in the fall. They’re still getting it down.
Spoke to a few sources. Here’s what we’ve heard about today’s scrimmage.
– Swoopes and Buechele took all the reps. Swoopes took most of the first team reps and Buechele took most of the second team reps.
– Swoopes is good with the screen passes, quick slants and is showing much better placement on the deep ball but when his first read is covered he still holds onto the ball entirely too long…
– Was told Swoopes has improved on the read option…he’s better at reading the numbers overall.
– Am told Buechele makes his reads quickly and gets his balls there. He’s better in tight windows than Swoopes but Swoopes has the stronger arm. When they get in the 20, Buechele is better at finding the open man and scored almost every time in the red zone.
– Swoopes struggles in the redzone. Between the 20 and 20 he’s doing well but still is working through trying to process information quickly.
– Buechele can actually look guys off. One person said, as he gets physically bigger…he’s going to threaten for that starting spot. He’s processing so much faster but doesn’t have as big of an arm. But again, he’s able to process things faster than Swoopes right now and should only get better come fall camp.
– The Offensive Line and The Defensive line went back and forth but the running game was strong today. Was told they threw everything at the defense…counters, draws, etc. Warren and Foreman were really good today.
– Roderick Bernard is explosive…he’s a pace changer. One source said, when he gets the ball in space…he’s gone.
– Collin Johnson is legit. He didn’t win as much against Hill and Davis but against some of the other cover guys…he eats them alive.
– Davante Davis and Holton Hill are the real deal. They are very physical and playing the ball exceptionally well. Getting into the body of the receivers and just completely locking things down on the edges.
– Dylan Haines didn’t go much. Sounds like he got hurt in the first series and Deshon Elliot went in. Deshon was a little up and down. He’s getting better…better in his alignment and extremely aggressive…sometimes too aggressive…always going for the kill shot.
– Hall was reacting slow which is something that’s always plagued him. One source said he’s big but Brandon Jones may be able to come in and push him.
– Linebackers looked great. Sounds like they are the best level of the defense. They moved Malik around…he played outside and inside.
– Was told Wheeler looks great at MLB. Is a very physical presence inside. In fact, was told he stacked up Warren and Foreman in the hole…just stopped them cold. Again, just very physical. Was also told Hager also looked good as well.
– 1st team defensive line was pretty good with Chris Nelson, Poona Ford, Naashon Hughes and Omenihu and then Jake McMillon rotated in a little with the 1s as well. They played more 4-3 today.
– After the first team on the defensive line…I’m told it’s not great to put it mildly. The freshman will definitely be needed to provide depth.
– Tempo overall was fast but still not where they need to be or where it will be in the fall. They’re still getting it down.
So if I'm reading all of this right, Buchelle is a better QB but not big enough so they are going to try to force Swoopes into yet another offense. Once we've lost a game or two Buchelle will be brought in. Sounds great. 2015 all over again.
That's probably about right. Although I would guess Swoopes is well ahead in the running game. If he's able to be an effective runner like last year you can't discount how that can help the passing game. Between Swoopes, Heard, and Locksley none were passers in high school, and apparently they weren't developed too well by Watson, so it's not surprising to see Buechele as the most polished, although it's still depressing.
So play Swoopes between the 20s and put in Shane in the red zone.
