I encourage all of you to please support your local businesses and restaurants if you can. Please. Maybe that means ordering delivery or pick-up and leaving a big tip; maybe that means buying some gift cards from your favorite local spots to use once this all dies down; maybe that means getting merchandise from your favorite places to wear and help with some free advertising in the process.
Whatever you can do, big or small, our friends in the community need it.
Thrilled to say this week’s column is again sponsored by one of those local places set to open again, Keep Austin Well.
Keep Austin Well CBD is a boutique health and wellness studio with a focus on plant based organic supplements. Founded by childhood friends Todd Tugmon and Steve Nadalin, Keep Austin Well is committed to spreading the word and helping educate those who want to learn about the healing powers of the cannabis plant and CBD.
Steve is a 15-year member of Orangebloods dating back to the VY era glory years and a 1996 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin. His motivation to open KAW was that he wanted to be a purveyor of CBD in the community after successfully treating the pain and inflammation he suffered from due to advanced arthritis in his hips. His initial prescribed regimen of big pharma anti-inflammatory drugs by his Orthopedic doctor just wasn’t sustainable from a long-term health perspective. The fine print said it all: with prolonged usage, patients can expect side effects ranging from stomach bleeding and ulcers to kidney and liver damage.
While hunting for alternative treatment options, he stumbled on CBD and the rest is history. Now living pain and big pharma free, it was clear he needed to share his story with others in hopes they can find organic and all natural relief from their ailments, too.
Keep Austin Well is thrilled to become Orangebloods’ newest sponsor. There seems to be a genuine enthusiasm and appetite in the community to learn more about what CBD might do for them and their loved ones. We are happy to answer any questions here in this pinned thread, on the phone at (512)551-3390, or in person at 3110 Guadalupe Suite 120. We look forward to providing relief to the Orangebloods community and Keeping Orangebloods Well!
Alright, the writing…
1) Where are the sacks at?
Since 1984, only three Longhorns registered 11.5 sacks or more in a single season. Brian Orakpo (11.5 in 2008), Alex Okafor (12.5 in 2012), and Jackson Jeffcoat (13 in 2013) hit the mark. And since 1984, only two Texas players finished with 36 quarterback pressures or more. Sergio Kindle, after then defensive coordinator Will Muschamp’s great quote about thoroughbreds not going backwards, finished with 36 in 2009 and Cory Redding had 37 in 2002.
Does a defense need a dominant sack artist to be a good defense? No. The Longhorns have put plenty of good defensive units on the field since 1984. That said, a good defense certainly needs the ability to rush the quarterback, and the Longhorns were awful last season until the final two contests.
Some context: Texas finished with just 28 quarterback pressures last season. So, yes, Redding and Kindle each had more pressures in a single season than the Longhorns did in 13 games. For a defense that liked to bring pressure, that’s a disturbingly awful statistic, and plays into an even more disturbingly terrible stat I mention quite frequently – finishing dead last nationally in Busted Drive Rate.
Sure, offenses in the Big 12 are getting the ball out of the quarterback’s hands quickly and often from the shotgun. But that didn’t stop Baylor’s James Lynch from sacking the quarterback 13.5 times last season for a defense that finished with 45 collectively.
2) Last season’s end inspires hope for sacks…
There’s hope for the Longhorns, though. And that hope isn’t limited to rising star Joseph Ossai. He’s a huge part of it, and has a true opportunity to join Orakpo, Okafor and Jeffcoat on the list.
Texas finished with a measly 27 sacks last season, and the number would have been way worse if not for a couple things: the defensive line, specifically ends, starting lining up and playing differently against Texas Tech, and against Utah in the Alamo Bowl, a different defensive coordinator blended Todd Orlando’s old three-man front with some four-man looks and opportunities to go get the quarterback.
During those final two games, Texas registered nine of its 27 total sacks. You don’t need to be Will Hunting to figure out one-third of UT’s total sacks came from two of 13 games. Utah, in 14 games, allowed just 21 sacks all season, which means the five Texas had accounted for nearly one-fourth of Utah's season total.
Against Texas Tech, it had defensive ends doing this for a change:
And against Utah, Ossai was flourished with moves like this for a defense constantly putting the quarterback under pressure and playing good, team defense. Because plenty good can still come without a sack; ultimately, a successful team frustrates the opposing team’s quarterback.
3) Back to Ossai…
It's been a decade since Texas had a pass rusher (DE or 3-4 OLB/edge rusher) selected before the end of the second round (Sergio Kindle), and since Kenneth Sims was selected in the first-round of the 1982 draft, only one pass rusher has been selected in the first round – Brian Orakpo in 2009.
Could Ossai break that streak? If he’s able to, it would put him in rare company at Texas, and also likely mean the Longhorn defense was arguably the best in the Big 12. Just know discussion of him going that early in the draft is something that’s barely ever happened at Texas. Perhaps, considering the discussion is fair, makes Ossai a little underrated heading into 2020's season.
4) Could this month define the college football season?
About a month ago during a Zoom conference with members of the Headliner’s Club in Austin, Texas Athletics Director Chris Del Conte stated he’d like to make a decision about the amount of fans allowed at football games by August 1st.
A month can change a lot during a pandemic thanks to an unpredictable virus. Back then, decision-makers felt a fall season was enough of a certainty to turn the next big decision-making process to the amount of people in attendance.
Now? Well, I suppose now the question has reverted back to when to have the season. Behind the scenes, Texas is preparing for all types of scenarios. It seems this month will be when a lot of very tough decisions are made, and a lot of university athletics directors and presidents are probably scanning the country to see and inquire about what their colleagues are doing.
5) Mike Antico addition means you should be excited about the future of Texas Baseball…
Shortly after this column was published last week, the Longhorns replaced the hole created by Duke Ellis’s surprising departure with a possible upgrade. The Longhorns had intriguing internal options for center field. What they didn’t have was a very experienced player with a track record of success. In college baseball, you never know for sure how a player will produce until he does; this is especially true at Texas where the expectations can sometimes crush young players.
So, it wasn’t necessarily Ellis’s talent Texas would miss most. It could replace the talent. What it would miss is a known commodity. The Longhorns knew what they were getting in Ellis, who often put together very competitive at-bats at the top of the lineup, was always a threat to steal a bag, and held his own defensively in center field.
St. John’s center fielder Mike Antico entered the transfer portal and immediately picked Texas. Like Ellis, Antico had options to sign and turn professional despite going undrafted. But unlike Ellis, Antico elected to chase a championship with another senior season. A career .346/.462/.544 hitter with plus-plus speed, Antico should immediately slide into center fielder and near or at the top of the Texas lineup. Back in 2018, Antico set the back squat record for St. John’s Baseball and can drive the ball out of the yard on occasion. In 2019, some publications labeled him an All-American. Huge get.
6) Lebarron Johnson…
Antico and UTSA graduate transfer Palmer Wenzel weren’t surprises when Texas officially announced their additions to the 2020 class as graduate transfers. However, Lebarron Johnson was a new name for Longhorn fans. Recently, Johnson, listed at 6-4, 200 pounds, was a Florida signee. But Florida, like many other programs, experienced a roster crunch when more current players returned and more freshmen arrived than expected thanks to the shortened MLB Draft.
After some back-and-forth on the decision-making process, Johnson ended up at Texas. It’ll likely be difficult for Johnson to immediately find innings for a deep Texas pitching staff, and there’s a big gap between where he is presently and where he could be once his collegiate career concludes.
That said, Johnson has major, MLB upside. I was able to look over a MLB team’s report on one of Johnson’s final high school outings, prior to the sports world being shut down because of COVID-19, and found a description of a plus athlete with two future 60-graded, plus pitches (fastball and curve) with average control, below average command, and a plus feel for pitching.
Johnson is mostly just a fastball-curveball pitcher right now, which is fine for a pitcher who will be working out of the bullpen primarily early in his college career. The plus grades on his athleticism and feel for pitching are especially important because they suggest the young righty can make the necessary strides with cleaning up his delivery, repeating that delivery, and will be able to make the changes to develop on the mound.
As you can see below, in film from last summer, Johnson’s stuff is lively and there is a lot of untapped potential; specifically, getting the most out of his physical gifts, tweaking the delivery, and improving his arm action. But the upside is very real.
7) Scanning the rest of the sports globe…
--- Based on Bill Barnwell’s breakdown of the Patrick Mahomes extension, I think both the Chiefs and Mahomes were able to execute a deal that treated a star QB like he was worth and allowed the franchise to retain cap flexibility in a team-friendly fashion. Obviously, anytime a player signs a deal that could be worth $503 million over 12 years we know the player did well. But NFL contracts aren’t always what they seem with guaranteed money, bonuses, etc.
I’m guessing the Cowboys and Texans paid very close attention to how the deal is structured.
--- The more I think about playing fantasy baseball this season, the more I want as many players with multiple position eligibility as possible. It’s a good way to cover your ass, and with the uncertainty COVID-19 and the shortened schedule bring, owners will likely need to cover their asses more than normal. Plus, with the unique schedules platooning your roster to take advantage of favorable matchups is more important than usual because of how short the season is.
--- So far, early returns about starting pitchers throwing to live batters in Summer Training suggests they’re being stretched out quicker than initially anticipated. The ability or inability of starting pitchers to throw deep into games and how teams adjust is one of the biggest wildcards about the season.
---
It’s been 24 years – 24 years!!! – since the greatest heel turn and one of the biggest moments in the history of professional wrestling. I was 10 years old when this happened, and I remember being totally immersed in every single little detail of every Monday Night Nitro leading up to Starrcade 1997. Hulk Hogan’s dramatic turn didn’t just change WCW; it helped raised the intensity of the Monday Night Wars and helped spark the “Attitude Era” of WWF/WWE too. No better time in pro wrestling for a fan. I miss it. I'd spend every Monday night at my grandparents to watch wrestling with my grandpa, and my grandma would make me a tray of Doritos - half cool ranch, half nacho cheese.
8) Anything and everything…
--- Celebrated July 4th by manning the grill and also enjoying some limited release Hazy DIPAs from two of my favorite local breweries – Pinthouse Pizza and Zilker Brewing.
Pinthouse Brewing’s “Here There Be Dragons” packs a punch at 8.7% ABV and reminded me some of Electric Jellyfish but with a little bit more of a sharp tropical and bitter finish. Zilker’s “Fuzzy Dew Rocket” is among the juiciest hazy variations I’ve tasted, packing a surprising amount of fruit flavor into 8.3% ABV without a bitter/hoppy finish. It’s quite dangerous.
Still, “Houston Hazier,” Spindletap’s Hazy DIPA variation of the popular “Houston Haze,” is my top beer currently.
--- Another week of Jack showing more of his personality. He loves smiling, being outside when it’s not 100 degrees and especially loves talking. For some reason, he’s a talking machine on his changing table, and especially if I try to make the same sounds back to him.
As for Willie, the world's greatest Shih-tzu finally received a much-needed haircut, but he asked I wait until his mustache grows back before posing any photos.
--- Have any of y’all tried the newest Zapp’s flavor yet? I think Voodoo Heat is the best chip in the world followed extremely closely by Cajun Crawtators.
---
--- Finally, after what felt like 100 tries, beat legend Hal Newhouswer in MLB The Show 20 ranked seasons. For some reason, his delivery and fastball/offspeed combo always killed me. Having Future Stars Dylan Carlson in the lineup helps. Beast.
9) The best thing I read this week… is from Los Angeles Times: Losing More Than 100 Pounds With an Instagram Support Group
Special thanks to Keep Austin Well CBD for sponsoring this week's column. Make sure you check them out at keep-austin-well.com. They have everything for your wellness needs, including treats for the animal members of the family. We could probably all use something to help with the increased COVID-19 stress and anxiety.
Whatever you can do, big or small, our friends in the community need it.
Thrilled to say this week’s column is again sponsored by one of those local places set to open again, Keep Austin Well.
Keep Austin Well CBD is a boutique health and wellness studio with a focus on plant based organic supplements. Founded by childhood friends Todd Tugmon and Steve Nadalin, Keep Austin Well is committed to spreading the word and helping educate those who want to learn about the healing powers of the cannabis plant and CBD.
Steve is a 15-year member of Orangebloods dating back to the VY era glory years and a 1996 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin. His motivation to open KAW was that he wanted to be a purveyor of CBD in the community after successfully treating the pain and inflammation he suffered from due to advanced arthritis in his hips. His initial prescribed regimen of big pharma anti-inflammatory drugs by his Orthopedic doctor just wasn’t sustainable from a long-term health perspective. The fine print said it all: with prolonged usage, patients can expect side effects ranging from stomach bleeding and ulcers to kidney and liver damage.
While hunting for alternative treatment options, he stumbled on CBD and the rest is history. Now living pain and big pharma free, it was clear he needed to share his story with others in hopes they can find organic and all natural relief from their ailments, too.
Keep Austin Well is thrilled to become Orangebloods’ newest sponsor. There seems to be a genuine enthusiasm and appetite in the community to learn more about what CBD might do for them and their loved ones. We are happy to answer any questions here in this pinned thread, on the phone at (512)551-3390, or in person at 3110 Guadalupe Suite 120. We look forward to providing relief to the Orangebloods community and Keeping Orangebloods Well!
Alright, the writing…
1) Where are the sacks at?
Since 1984, only three Longhorns registered 11.5 sacks or more in a single season. Brian Orakpo (11.5 in 2008), Alex Okafor (12.5 in 2012), and Jackson Jeffcoat (13 in 2013) hit the mark. And since 1984, only two Texas players finished with 36 quarterback pressures or more. Sergio Kindle, after then defensive coordinator Will Muschamp’s great quote about thoroughbreds not going backwards, finished with 36 in 2009 and Cory Redding had 37 in 2002.
Does a defense need a dominant sack artist to be a good defense? No. The Longhorns have put plenty of good defensive units on the field since 1984. That said, a good defense certainly needs the ability to rush the quarterback, and the Longhorns were awful last season until the final two contests.
Some context: Texas finished with just 28 quarterback pressures last season. So, yes, Redding and Kindle each had more pressures in a single season than the Longhorns did in 13 games. For a defense that liked to bring pressure, that’s a disturbingly awful statistic, and plays into an even more disturbingly terrible stat I mention quite frequently – finishing dead last nationally in Busted Drive Rate.
Sure, offenses in the Big 12 are getting the ball out of the quarterback’s hands quickly and often from the shotgun. But that didn’t stop Baylor’s James Lynch from sacking the quarterback 13.5 times last season for a defense that finished with 45 collectively.
2) Last season’s end inspires hope for sacks…
There’s hope for the Longhorns, though. And that hope isn’t limited to rising star Joseph Ossai. He’s a huge part of it, and has a true opportunity to join Orakpo, Okafor and Jeffcoat on the list.
Texas finished with a measly 27 sacks last season, and the number would have been way worse if not for a couple things: the defensive line, specifically ends, starting lining up and playing differently against Texas Tech, and against Utah in the Alamo Bowl, a different defensive coordinator blended Todd Orlando’s old three-man front with some four-man looks and opportunities to go get the quarterback.
During those final two games, Texas registered nine of its 27 total sacks. You don’t need to be Will Hunting to figure out one-third of UT’s total sacks came from two of 13 games. Utah, in 14 games, allowed just 21 sacks all season, which means the five Texas had accounted for nearly one-fourth of Utah's season total.
Against Texas Tech, it had defensive ends doing this for a change:
And against Utah, Ossai was flourished with moves like this for a defense constantly putting the quarterback under pressure and playing good, team defense. Because plenty good can still come without a sack; ultimately, a successful team frustrates the opposing team’s quarterback.
3) Back to Ossai…
It's been a decade since Texas had a pass rusher (DE or 3-4 OLB/edge rusher) selected before the end of the second round (Sergio Kindle), and since Kenneth Sims was selected in the first-round of the 1982 draft, only one pass rusher has been selected in the first round – Brian Orakpo in 2009.
Could Ossai break that streak? If he’s able to, it would put him in rare company at Texas, and also likely mean the Longhorn defense was arguably the best in the Big 12. Just know discussion of him going that early in the draft is something that’s barely ever happened at Texas. Perhaps, considering the discussion is fair, makes Ossai a little underrated heading into 2020's season.
4) Could this month define the college football season?
About a month ago during a Zoom conference with members of the Headliner’s Club in Austin, Texas Athletics Director Chris Del Conte stated he’d like to make a decision about the amount of fans allowed at football games by August 1st.
A month can change a lot during a pandemic thanks to an unpredictable virus. Back then, decision-makers felt a fall season was enough of a certainty to turn the next big decision-making process to the amount of people in attendance.
Now? Well, I suppose now the question has reverted back to when to have the season. Behind the scenes, Texas is preparing for all types of scenarios. It seems this month will be when a lot of very tough decisions are made, and a lot of university athletics directors and presidents are probably scanning the country to see and inquire about what their colleagues are doing.
5) Mike Antico addition means you should be excited about the future of Texas Baseball…
Shortly after this column was published last week, the Longhorns replaced the hole created by Duke Ellis’s surprising departure with a possible upgrade. The Longhorns had intriguing internal options for center field. What they didn’t have was a very experienced player with a track record of success. In college baseball, you never know for sure how a player will produce until he does; this is especially true at Texas where the expectations can sometimes crush young players.
So, it wasn’t necessarily Ellis’s talent Texas would miss most. It could replace the talent. What it would miss is a known commodity. The Longhorns knew what they were getting in Ellis, who often put together very competitive at-bats at the top of the lineup, was always a threat to steal a bag, and held his own defensively in center field.
St. John’s center fielder Mike Antico entered the transfer portal and immediately picked Texas. Like Ellis, Antico had options to sign and turn professional despite going undrafted. But unlike Ellis, Antico elected to chase a championship with another senior season. A career .346/.462/.544 hitter with plus-plus speed, Antico should immediately slide into center fielder and near or at the top of the Texas lineup. Back in 2018, Antico set the back squat record for St. John’s Baseball and can drive the ball out of the yard on occasion. In 2019, some publications labeled him an All-American. Huge get.
6) Lebarron Johnson…
Antico and UTSA graduate transfer Palmer Wenzel weren’t surprises when Texas officially announced their additions to the 2020 class as graduate transfers. However, Lebarron Johnson was a new name for Longhorn fans. Recently, Johnson, listed at 6-4, 200 pounds, was a Florida signee. But Florida, like many other programs, experienced a roster crunch when more current players returned and more freshmen arrived than expected thanks to the shortened MLB Draft.
After some back-and-forth on the decision-making process, Johnson ended up at Texas. It’ll likely be difficult for Johnson to immediately find innings for a deep Texas pitching staff, and there’s a big gap between where he is presently and where he could be once his collegiate career concludes.
That said, Johnson has major, MLB upside. I was able to look over a MLB team’s report on one of Johnson’s final high school outings, prior to the sports world being shut down because of COVID-19, and found a description of a plus athlete with two future 60-graded, plus pitches (fastball and curve) with average control, below average command, and a plus feel for pitching.
Johnson is mostly just a fastball-curveball pitcher right now, which is fine for a pitcher who will be working out of the bullpen primarily early in his college career. The plus grades on his athleticism and feel for pitching are especially important because they suggest the young righty can make the necessary strides with cleaning up his delivery, repeating that delivery, and will be able to make the changes to develop on the mound.
As you can see below, in film from last summer, Johnson’s stuff is lively and there is a lot of untapped potential; specifically, getting the most out of his physical gifts, tweaking the delivery, and improving his arm action. But the upside is very real.
7) Scanning the rest of the sports globe…
--- Based on Bill Barnwell’s breakdown of the Patrick Mahomes extension, I think both the Chiefs and Mahomes were able to execute a deal that treated a star QB like he was worth and allowed the franchise to retain cap flexibility in a team-friendly fashion. Obviously, anytime a player signs a deal that could be worth $503 million over 12 years we know the player did well. But NFL contracts aren’t always what they seem with guaranteed money, bonuses, etc.
I’m guessing the Cowboys and Texans paid very close attention to how the deal is structured.
--- The more I think about playing fantasy baseball this season, the more I want as many players with multiple position eligibility as possible. It’s a good way to cover your ass, and with the uncertainty COVID-19 and the shortened schedule bring, owners will likely need to cover their asses more than normal. Plus, with the unique schedules platooning your roster to take advantage of favorable matchups is more important than usual because of how short the season is.
--- So far, early returns about starting pitchers throwing to live batters in Summer Training suggests they’re being stretched out quicker than initially anticipated. The ability or inability of starting pitchers to throw deep into games and how teams adjust is one of the biggest wildcards about the season.
---
It’s been 24 years – 24 years!!! – since the greatest heel turn and one of the biggest moments in the history of professional wrestling. I was 10 years old when this happened, and I remember being totally immersed in every single little detail of every Monday Night Nitro leading up to Starrcade 1997. Hulk Hogan’s dramatic turn didn’t just change WCW; it helped raised the intensity of the Monday Night Wars and helped spark the “Attitude Era” of WWF/WWE too. No better time in pro wrestling for a fan. I miss it. I'd spend every Monday night at my grandparents to watch wrestling with my grandpa, and my grandma would make me a tray of Doritos - half cool ranch, half nacho cheese.
8) Anything and everything…
--- Celebrated July 4th by manning the grill and also enjoying some limited release Hazy DIPAs from two of my favorite local breweries – Pinthouse Pizza and Zilker Brewing.
Pinthouse Brewing’s “Here There Be Dragons” packs a punch at 8.7% ABV and reminded me some of Electric Jellyfish but with a little bit more of a sharp tropical and bitter finish. Zilker’s “Fuzzy Dew Rocket” is among the juiciest hazy variations I’ve tasted, packing a surprising amount of fruit flavor into 8.3% ABV without a bitter/hoppy finish. It’s quite dangerous.
Still, “Houston Hazier,” Spindletap’s Hazy DIPA variation of the popular “Houston Haze,” is my top beer currently.
--- Another week of Jack showing more of his personality. He loves smiling, being outside when it’s not 100 degrees and especially loves talking. For some reason, he’s a talking machine on his changing table, and especially if I try to make the same sounds back to him.
As for Willie, the world's greatest Shih-tzu finally received a much-needed haircut, but he asked I wait until his mustache grows back before posing any photos.
--- Have any of y’all tried the newest Zapp’s flavor yet? I think Voodoo Heat is the best chip in the world followed extremely closely by Cajun Crawtators.
---
--- Finally, after what felt like 100 tries, beat legend Hal Newhouswer in MLB The Show 20 ranked seasons. For some reason, his delivery and fastball/offspeed combo always killed me. Having Future Stars Dylan Carlson in the lineup helps. Beast.
9) The best thing I read this week… is from Los Angeles Times: Losing More Than 100 Pounds With an Instagram Support Group
Special thanks to Keep Austin Well CBD for sponsoring this week's column. Make sure you check them out at keep-austin-well.com. They have everything for your wellness needs, including treats for the animal members of the family. We could probably all use something to help with the increased COVID-19 stress and anxiety.
