“If I’m lucky, I’ll be associated with The Dude for the rest of my life…” said Jeff Bridges as he thanked the Coen Brothers during his Cecil B. deMille Award acceptance speech at the Golden Globes.
If Texas is lucky, it's going to keep Herb Hand in the mix for a long time...
1) Remember when people were panicking about the offensive line class?
Beginning with the days just before the first National Signing Day and extending through Bru McCoy enrolling at Texas, the Inside the 40 Acres forum was like my wedding. Everything turned out perfect. My wife was more beautiful than I could imagine. Everyone was on time. There was barely any drama relative to most weddings. The reception was a home run off the bat of Mike Trout in an All-Star game, and the type of night I wish I could replay each weekend.
Expectations were met, and the plan stayed right on course as much as a wedding plan possibly can.
It was perfect, but did have to overcome something that raised the collective anxiety levels. At the church, the air conditioning didn’t work the day of the rehearsal. “No problem,” the said. “We’ll have it fixed by tomorrow.” Cool. Actually, not cool. Literally. We showed up the day of the wedding, when it was already a muggy 90-plus degrees outside on April 30th, 2016, to discover the air conditioning still didn’t work. And it wasn’t going to work.
The ceremony was a little more uncomfortable than anticipated, but we all managed just fine. Although, I thought a couple members of my wedding party were about to be down for the count as booze emerged from their pores. Were there moments of panic? Yeah, probably, although one of wife’s best qualities is she doesn’t get too high or too low, and I had to wear a boot at my rehearsal because of an ankle injury, but it magically improved on the wedding day. We were more concerned about our guests remembering the wedding as that miserable one without air conditioning. They don’t, at least I don’t think so, because now we look back at it and laugh; it’s unique wrinkle to our wedding day story, a story filled with everything else being exactly as wanted.
As the first NSD neared, OB members on the Inside the 40 Acres Forum encountered their version of being a wedding guest with no air conditioning. They could look ahead and assume big things and fun times were on the horizon, and look at all the current commitments and smile. But in the meantime, there was a side of panic and frustration with recruiting’s main course, and much of that was because of offensive line recruiting.
Javonne Shepherd was doing his flirtatious thing with Texas A&M. It looked like Isaiah Hookfin, who Texas is much higher on than most analysts, would pick Baylor over Texas. Willie Tyler wasn’t even on the radar, and Parker Braun wasn’t a graduate transfer yet. Longhorn fans panicked because Texas absolutely needed some talented offensive linemen in the class to add to the program’s depth at the very least. Texas shared that panic as well.
Here we are just over two months later, and what’s there to panic about now?
Texas worked overtime to flip Hookfin from Baylor at the last moment. When Shepherd eventually came on his official visit, the Longhorns left no doubt in his mind that Texas was the place he needed to be. Braun, a two-time All-ACC selection, became a graduate transfer, and the Longhorns reeled him in immediately after a flawless official visit. Tyler seemingly jumped on a Texas offer the moment he got it.
Not only did Texas land arguably the best, non-quarterback graduate transfer available, it also landed three high-upside, very athletic offensive tackle prospects that will be allowed to develop at their own pace. It’s the same type of urgency Texas showed last offseason when it competed with some top programs to land Calvin Anderson, and wisely brought Cal running back Tre Watson into the mix.
Now, the Longhorns can’t stop signing or gaining commitments from offensive linemen. They already have three commitments from four-star offensive linemen in the 2020 class, and will likely add at least one more big-time commitment. With the addition of Braun and late 2019 recruiting wins, you could make a case the condition of the offensive line is as healthy as it’s been in a long time with a blend of experience, a rising star at offensive tackle, Georgia Tech’s best player last season, versatility, depth, and a lot of young, intriguing players with upside.
Texas and its offensive line recruiting survived its wedding day moment with no air conditioning. Now, Texas, and its fans, can all look back fondly and laugh.
2) It’s clear Texas values certain things in recruiting that project well long-term
There are some developing trends with the Longhorns’ recruiting that have caught my attention:
--- As Tom Herman has now stated on multiple occasions, this staff really values track times for skill players. Recent 2020 commitment Mookie Cooper fits that mold, and it’s one of the reasons why Texas smartly made an early move on Tyler Owens.
--- Texas is becoming a destination for graduate transfers, and will owe a lot of its success in that arena to Anderson and Watson. It’s one thing for graduate transfers to pick a school, but it’s not guaranteed they show up, thrive, and love everything about the decision. Anderson and Watson did. Now, Texas is seemingly accounting for the likelihood it can go out and land a graduate transfer player at a need position, and it wouldn’t surprise if it becomes linked to a graduate transfer running back this summer.
--- The Longhorns are betting on high upside players, especially along the offensive and defensive line, that rapidly improve from their junior to senior seasons, and have limited football backgrounds. Tyler is another example of that. He played defensive line in high school, and hasn’t been playing offensive line long. However, he’s very athletic, improved significantly in a short time, and you can’t teach athleticism and size. Moro Ojomo, and Christian Jones also fit that mold. The Longhorns evaluate well, and are aggressive at trying to add prospects late in the process that have made huge strides over the course of just one season.
Have I ever mentioned Jaxson Hayes played just six minutes a game as a junior in high school?
3) Texas Hoops…
The last three games for the Longhorns are a microcosm for Texas Basketball. Look at the examples:
--- Outstanding play, while being without two senior starters, on both ends of the floor against Baylor for the first 25-30 minutes, and play that represented everything the Longhorns talk about being. They played over their heads, were highly energetic, and took it to Baylor. Then, a 19-point lead disappears, and Texas loses the game.
--- The loss at Baylor reminded me so much of the Nevada loss in the NCAA Tournament not just because Texas lost a second-half lead against a team that flipped the desperation switch and started raining threes. And also, not just because the game went to overtime. It was how the game played out in overtime with Texas playing with a ton of confidence early, making shots, and building a lead that looked like it would result in a win. Then, Baylor found a way thanks to a travel call and a bogus foul call.
--- After the definition of a soul-crushing, gut-punch loss, the Longhorns responded with one of their best games of the season, and blasted Iowa State at home in a must-win game. Over the last two seasons, Texas has been good at home in back-against-the-wall games late in the season, and statistically, the Iowa State performance was its best offensive performance of the season. Texas spaced the floor, moved the ball, moved away from the ball, shot the ball, executed, and played with great confidence.
--- In that Iowa State game, and parts of the Baylor game as well like Courtney Ramey playing every well and Kamaka Hepa playing 39 minutes, young players showed so much potential and promise worth getting excited about. Plus, Jase Febres, recruited to be a shooter, exploded for 23 points against Baylor and then a career-high 26 points against Iowa State while shooting 20-of-39 from three-point range over a three-game stretch.
--- Then at No. 8 Texas Tech, the Longhorns couldn’t do anything on offense. Nothing they did work. They didn’t execute. They didn’t counter what was happening well, and they left with a double-digit loss.
So, we’ve seen the potential, a close loss, a blowout win, a strong start to the game and a big lead blown, a blowout loss, great offense, and poor offense. Now, can Texas again win a home game late in the season with big NCAA Tournament implications?
4) A look at the Longhorns’ NCAA Tournament team sheet…
According to barttorvik.com, a website that compiles rankings very similarly to KenPom.com but focuses more on the NCAA Tournament, the Longhorns currently have a 94.8-percent chance of making the NCAA Tournament, and if the season ended today, would most likely be a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
As you can see by looking at UT’s team sheet, it does, despite its 16-14 overall record, have some things working in its favor, like overall adjusted efficiency relative to the rest of college basketball, strength of schedule, current and potential Q1 wins (Home 1-30; Neutral 1-50; Away 1-75) and Q2 wins (Arkansas, Baylor, at West Virginia, and Oklahoma), only three losses by double-digits and only two Q3 or Q4 losses. And if you’re asking yourself how a team projected to be 17-14 could make the tournament as a No. 9 seed, your answer can be found by scanning the college basketball landscape, a landscape that’s filled with a lot of bad teams, bad leagues, and a bad product.
Of the 10 resumes most similar to Texas’s projected resume (it projects 17-14, 9-9), all 10 made the NCAA Tournament, and on average were a No. 9/10 seed (9.6 average).
5) Texas Baseball…
Texas announced early this morning senior catcher/first baseman DJ Petrinsky will miss the remainder of the season, and will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum. Petrinsky, after not appearing in a game versus LSU and not even taking infield before Sunday’s game, actually started at first base last night. Perhaps it was a final test to see if Petrinsky could handle the pain and contribute like he wanted before Texas had to set a 27-man travel roster ahead of a four-game series at Stanford. It was clear, despite Pierce’s lack of admission, Petrinsky’s shoulder issue was more serious than stated. He barely caught at all in the fall and preseason.
Now, Texas will be without, among returning players, its two best hitters in the fall. What does this mean for Texas? Well, Michael McCann can’t get hurt. If he does, Texas is in serious trouble. Caston Peter could eventually be serviceable behind home plate, but he’s not ready. What’s beyond him? Your guess is as good as mine. Texas will have to continue to give McCann days off where it can, but it also has to balance winning baseball games too.
Fortunately for Texas, its lineup doesn’t lack veteran presence, although a healthy Petrisnky likely hits cleanup. And fortunately for Texas, McCann is a very experienced player that has been with this coaching staff all three years, and knows what it expects from pitchers.
Texas truly embodies a “next man up” mentality, and that will again be put to the test. If McCann misses any significant time, it would be an enormous blow. If he doesn’t, Texas should be able to navigate the Petrinsky loss with some rocky moments on occasion.
6) I know the 2019 Longhorns have your attention, but think about the future for a second…
By sweeping then No. 2 LSU, Texas raised the bar for what it can achieve this season, and proved it’s capable of getting back to Omaha. It’s not a lock, and you should still expect some bumps in the road against a brutal schedule. However, if Texas can improve its defense, continue to develop its young pitchers, and has no more bad injury luck, it could win the Big 12. For Texas and its fans, that’s really exciting.
For a moment, though, look at the young players that will be back in 2020:
Cole Quintanilla
Kamron Fields
Bryce Elder
Coy Cobb
Ty Madden
Eric Kennedy
Bryce Reagan
Owen Meaney
Mason Bryant
Lance Ford
Matt Whelan
Kolby Kubichek
Jack Neely
Nico O’Donnell
Plus, we now know Petrinsky plans to return. Who knows with David Hamilton? But a return is possible. Zach Zubia (redshirt sophomore) could return if he’s not drafted where he wants. Will juniors like Ryan Reynolds and Duke Ellis turn down Major League Baseball? Unlikely, but not a foregone conclusion. The incoming recruiting class could be, if he isn't selected early in the first round, aided by a high school hitter some scouts believe is the best the Texas has ever produced in recent memory.
While Texas is proving right now it could take fans on another special ride, the future is unquestionably bright.
7) Scanning the rest of the sports globe
--- If you believe Charley Casserly, and we know Bill Belichick once publicly did all but label him a gigantic idiot, then you believe Kyler Murray had one of the worst combines of all-time.
Predictably, Casserly was blasted by some for reporting information from anonymous NFL executives. But what does Casserly have to gain by reporting that besides some popularity, which would quickly turn to heat? The NFL just can’t help itself when it comes to quarterbacks despite gigantic red flags – Johnny Manziel, who was recently booted from the CFL, says hello and please take me again, Browns – and there’s a real chance Murray goes No. 1 overall to Kliff “I only won more than seven games once at Texas Tech” Kingsbury. Murray’s football instincts on the field are elite, and the tape backs that up. He's not nearly the risk Manziel was. However, this isn’t the first time concerns about his makeup have been voiced.
Sure, there’s probably some of what always occurs this time of year: the NFL Draft process is going to chew up and spit out any top quarterback candidate by overanalyzing and reporting everything. But could I see an executive(s) telling Casserly that? Absolutely.
--- I’m going to go ahead and take my loss early: LeBron and the Lakers aren’t going to make the playoffs. They’re 5.5 games back of the No. 8 seed with 18 games remaining, including at Toronto, Denver, Boston, at Milwaukee, Sacramento, at Utah, at Oklahoma City, at Detroit, Charlotte, Golden State, Clippers, Portland, and Utah. All of those teams, besides No. 9 seed Sacramento, would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. I wholeheartedly thought LeBron would put the Lakers in the playoffs this season, and also get through at least the first round.
What’s happened lately is a bizarre lack of passion for winning on the floor from LeBron. Sure, he’s been a poor general manager at times in the past, and a pain in the ass for some coaches. But he’s always competed. Now, he’s making more defensive lowlight tapes than James Harden.
Is Father Time finally wrapping its cold fingers around him? Does he have too many interests away from basketball? I don’t know. I do know it’s odd to watch. He hasn’t had a win shares/48 minutes this low since his rookie season.
--- Speaking of LeBron…
The reporting that’s followed Bryce Harper’s decision paint the picture of a guy, and family, that wanted to choose one place, call it home, and not have to think about leaving again. It wouldn’t have been my move, but he was a free agent that made his decision. Good for him. That’s how it should be. Anyway, Harper’s lefthanded power will play much, much better at home in Philadelphia than it did at Washington. No one doubts the hitting, though. Can Harper’s defense improve and produce more elite, in terms of WAR, seasons that he’s capable of? The talent isn’t lacking.
Is this a risk for Philadelphia? Sure. Harper has an interesting career because his value hasn’t matched his talent, and he has battled some occasional injury issues. However, the Phillies needed to spend the money because that was their plan – land a huge free agent. And they weren’t going to have another opportunity like this. The 13-year deal is too long, but here’s why Philadelphia did it: luxury tax. Now, because of the lower annual salary, which could look like a bargain if Harper produces the MVP seasons he's capable of, Philadelphia can make a run at Mike Trout if/when he becomes a free agent.
--- Ben Lindbergh’s recent project at The Ringer is fascinating, and a must-read series for any baseball fan. As someone that’s work closely with scouts the six seasons prior, it’s really interesting to see what scouting was like years ago.
8) Anything and everything…
--- Game of Thrones Season 1 is now complete, and man… it included A LOT. Some things, I anticipated. Others, and I’ll stay away from spoilers, I did not see coming… at all.
--- Weezer just released its sixth self-titled and 13th studio album the "Black Album." Is Weezer a good band, or a band that produced a good album a long time ago and hasn't really done much since? I'm starting to lean heavily towards the latter after an initial listen of its newest material.
---
--- Who morphed into his character the best, and truly became it on screen: Jeff Brides (The Dude) or John Goodman (Walter Sobchak)
9) This week’s read… is from GQ: The Secrets of the World’s Greatest Art Thief
