Daily Short #72, October 3rd, 2017: Offensive Skill Player Breakdown
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QB Shane Buechele - 79 snaps
* * *
RB Chris Warren - 39 snaps
RB Kyle Porter - 29 snaps
RB Toneil Carter - 15 snaps
* * *
WR Collin Johnson - 47 snaps
WR Armanti Foreman - 40 snaps
WR Devin Duvernay - 34 snaps
WR Lil Jordan Humphrey - 33 snaps
WR Dorian Leonard - 32 snaps
WR Lorenzo Joe - 31 snaps
WR Reggie Hemphill-Mapps - 18 snaps
WR Jerrod Heard - 17 snaps
WR John Burt - 14 snaps
* * *
TE Cade Brewer - 43 snaps
2 inline, 11 split wide, 30 at H-back
TE Kendall Moore - 3 snaps
3 inline
* * *
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Give Toneil the Rock
On a limited sample, Toneil Carter, comparatively, looked like the best running back to take the field for the Longhorns. He was the best high school runner in the State of Texas in 2017 and was given the opportunity to showcase his skills in the spring game quite impressively due to virtually every other runner on the roster being injured. His yards-after-contact numbers in that game were eyebrow-raising and Herman has made it clear that his main beef with a 250-pound Chris Warren is how he finishes runs. Kyle Porter looks like more of a glorified fullback and seems to have actually somehow regressed under the tutelage of the much-ballyhooed Stan Drayton as RBs coach. Maybe Coach Anthony Johnson (who in consecutive years produced Kareem Hunt's ascension at Toledo then a Doak Walker Award Winner in D'Onta Foreman) was a coach who's style meshed better with the attributes Porter brings to the table. Regardless, Carter needs the ball more and I'd be very interested to see how he fares with a dedication to giving him volume.
The return on the TE/WR nonsense
Another game, another instance of OC Tim Beck reverting to things that don't work when, well, things aren't working. Texas has shown in two straight games since the Maryland bed-wetting that it's totally capable of quickly substituting in a quality receiving target that the defense has to account for when going four-wide. Going back to the tendency of leaving the tight end on the field as a fourth receiver is useless.
Speaking of the TE position, where is Kendall Moore?
Tom Herman was complimentary of freshman Cade Brewer's game versus USC, particularly his catch on the game-tying TD to end regulation. While that was a nice play, Kendall Moore showed in that game and versus SJSU that he is clearly the best answer the Longhorns have as run-blocking TEs go. In a game where the offensive line could have used some reinforcement in paving the way for its main two mediocre runners, why on Earth does the staff go all-in on Cade Brewer (admittedly a better receiver than Moore) as its primary run-blocker?
Most diversified mixes of receiver personnel we've seen this seen this season
In every game this season, we've seen a few players dominate snap percentages at the wide receiver position while others picked up the scraps, but that was not the case versus Iowa State. As the staff struggled to get anything going in the pass game against a defense that would drop back everyone it had into coverage and force Texas -- seemingly against its will -- to attempt to run the football behind a hobbled offensive line, it shuffled in as many players as possible. At least give Drew Mehringer credit for doing what he could personnel-wise to try to generate a spark.
Only a matter of time before Ehlinger takes the reins
It should have happened after the USC game as I said in my breakdowns of that one, but it's only a matter of time before it's Sam Ehlinger starting for the Longhorns. He must be awful in practice or something because, to me, how is this even a question based on what's been available for fans and analysts to see in game-action? Behind a rag-tag OL that (while containing potential upside) will have more downs than ups as it develops in line of fire, this offense needs a QB with a tougher running style and a more natural ability to climb the pocket, manipulate that space and then create on the go when having to flee like Ehlinger. Ehlinger is not as accurate a passer as Buechele currently, nor does he have the same touch on his balls, but he's improving in those areas and his arm is already much stronger than Buechele's from a velocity and spin-standpoint. I said, following the injury to Connor Williams, that Buechele would be lucky to have gotten out of the USC game unscathed in the same manner Ehlinger did given the pounding Ehlinger took when Tim Beck turtled up and prematurely abandoned any attempt at a traditional run-game. Sure enough, Buechele was again injured versus Iowa State and as of Monday was still in a walking boot. Ehlinger may have to be the man again versus Kansas State should Buechele be unable to go (of course we'll have to follow how their progress is in reports from practice this week). If Ehlinger does get the nod and is again able to get things done and look like the better option, it should be near-impossible at that time to deny that the future is probably best left in his hands.
* * *
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN USAGE FROM LAST GAME:
Shane Buechele - 0 snaps versus USC, 79 versus ISU
Sam Ehlinger - 69 snaps versus USC, 0 versus ISU
Toneil Carter -0 snaps versus USC, 15 versus ISU
Cade Brewer - 10 snaps versus USC, 43 versus ISU
Dorian Leonard - 8 snaps versus USC, 32 versus ISU
Jerrod Heard - 4 snaps versus USC, 17 versus ISU
John Burt - 1 snaps versus USC, 14 versus ISU
Lorenzo Joe - 56 snaps versus USC, 31 versus ISU
Reggie Hemphill-Mapps - 32 snaps versus USC, 18 versus ISU
presented by the Dental Offices of Wendy Swantkowski, DDS
The Absolute BEST in family and cosmetic dentistry for the Houston-Memorial Area
Now Accepting New Patients --- 281-293-9140
QB Shane Buechele - 79 snaps
* * *
RB Chris Warren - 39 snaps
RB Kyle Porter - 29 snaps
RB Toneil Carter - 15 snaps
* * *
WR Collin Johnson - 47 snaps
WR Armanti Foreman - 40 snaps
WR Devin Duvernay - 34 snaps
WR Lil Jordan Humphrey - 33 snaps
WR Dorian Leonard - 32 snaps
WR Lorenzo Joe - 31 snaps
WR Reggie Hemphill-Mapps - 18 snaps
WR Jerrod Heard - 17 snaps
WR John Burt - 14 snaps
* * *
TE Cade Brewer - 43 snaps
2 inline, 11 split wide, 30 at H-back
TE Kendall Moore - 3 snaps
3 inline
* * *
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Give Toneil the Rock
On a limited sample, Toneil Carter, comparatively, looked like the best running back to take the field for the Longhorns. He was the best high school runner in the State of Texas in 2017 and was given the opportunity to showcase his skills in the spring game quite impressively due to virtually every other runner on the roster being injured. His yards-after-contact numbers in that game were eyebrow-raising and Herman has made it clear that his main beef with a 250-pound Chris Warren is how he finishes runs. Kyle Porter looks like more of a glorified fullback and seems to have actually somehow regressed under the tutelage of the much-ballyhooed Stan Drayton as RBs coach. Maybe Coach Anthony Johnson (who in consecutive years produced Kareem Hunt's ascension at Toledo then a Doak Walker Award Winner in D'Onta Foreman) was a coach who's style meshed better with the attributes Porter brings to the table. Regardless, Carter needs the ball more and I'd be very interested to see how he fares with a dedication to giving him volume.
The return on the TE/WR nonsense
Another game, another instance of OC Tim Beck reverting to things that don't work when, well, things aren't working. Texas has shown in two straight games since the Maryland bed-wetting that it's totally capable of quickly substituting in a quality receiving target that the defense has to account for when going four-wide. Going back to the tendency of leaving the tight end on the field as a fourth receiver is useless.
Speaking of the TE position, where is Kendall Moore?
Tom Herman was complimentary of freshman Cade Brewer's game versus USC, particularly his catch on the game-tying TD to end regulation. While that was a nice play, Kendall Moore showed in that game and versus SJSU that he is clearly the best answer the Longhorns have as run-blocking TEs go. In a game where the offensive line could have used some reinforcement in paving the way for its main two mediocre runners, why on Earth does the staff go all-in on Cade Brewer (admittedly a better receiver than Moore) as its primary run-blocker?
Most diversified mixes of receiver personnel we've seen this seen this season
In every game this season, we've seen a few players dominate snap percentages at the wide receiver position while others picked up the scraps, but that was not the case versus Iowa State. As the staff struggled to get anything going in the pass game against a defense that would drop back everyone it had into coverage and force Texas -- seemingly against its will -- to attempt to run the football behind a hobbled offensive line, it shuffled in as many players as possible. At least give Drew Mehringer credit for doing what he could personnel-wise to try to generate a spark.
Only a matter of time before Ehlinger takes the reins
It should have happened after the USC game as I said in my breakdowns of that one, but it's only a matter of time before it's Sam Ehlinger starting for the Longhorns. He must be awful in practice or something because, to me, how is this even a question based on what's been available for fans and analysts to see in game-action? Behind a rag-tag OL that (while containing potential upside) will have more downs than ups as it develops in line of fire, this offense needs a QB with a tougher running style and a more natural ability to climb the pocket, manipulate that space and then create on the go when having to flee like Ehlinger. Ehlinger is not as accurate a passer as Buechele currently, nor does he have the same touch on his balls, but he's improving in those areas and his arm is already much stronger than Buechele's from a velocity and spin-standpoint. I said, following the injury to Connor Williams, that Buechele would be lucky to have gotten out of the USC game unscathed in the same manner Ehlinger did given the pounding Ehlinger took when Tim Beck turtled up and prematurely abandoned any attempt at a traditional run-game. Sure enough, Buechele was again injured versus Iowa State and as of Monday was still in a walking boot. Ehlinger may have to be the man again versus Kansas State should Buechele be unable to go (of course we'll have to follow how their progress is in reports from practice this week). If Ehlinger does get the nod and is again able to get things done and look like the better option, it should be near-impossible at that time to deny that the future is probably best left in his hands.
* * *
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN USAGE FROM LAST GAME:
Shane Buechele - 0 snaps versus USC, 79 versus ISU
Sam Ehlinger - 69 snaps versus USC, 0 versus ISU
Toneil Carter -0 snaps versus USC, 15 versus ISU
Cade Brewer - 10 snaps versus USC, 43 versus ISU
Dorian Leonard - 8 snaps versus USC, 32 versus ISU
Jerrod Heard - 4 snaps versus USC, 17 versus ISU
John Burt - 1 snaps versus USC, 14 versus ISU
Lorenzo Joe - 56 snaps versus USC, 31 versus ISU
Reggie Hemphill-Mapps - 32 snaps versus USC, 18 versus ISU
