1) Versatility… is it just a coincidence, or by design?
For a moment, stop and look at Texas’s current 2018 recruiting class.
Now, look again, but this time ignore the assigned position and instead think of the player and what he can do on the football field.
You’re probably thinking of things like speed, tackling, coverage, quarterback accuracy, and other similar traits. But removing the position tag is especially interesting because almost the entire recruiting class profiles to be more than what their respective position tags suggest.
Of Texas’s 11 commitments (one of those from a kicker), nine of them are versatile prospects that either do two things: add another skill to their position, or could play multiple positions.
- Quarterbacks Cameron Rising and Casey Thompson can both make plays with their legs.
- Carthage running back Keontay Ingram is an all-purpose back that could line up in the slot, and recent commitment Rondale Moore is rated as an all-purpose back by Rivals.com, plays receiver in high school, and will play the “H” role at Texas.
- I love offensive lineman that play basketball, and Seminole’s Reese Moore does that along with tight end, and projects as an intriguing offensive tackle that could perhaps play all along the offensive line besides center.
- Byron Hobbs is 6-5, raw, has a very projectable body, and could either be an outside linebacker or a defensive end.
- Some Texas fans wonder why the Longhorns continue to aggressively pursue so many defensive backs despite having three committed. Well, Caden Sterns and B.J. Foster can play both safety spots, nickel, and corner. DeMarvion Overshown is a hitting machine that some believe will eventually be an outside linebacker although he looks like an elite strong safety prospect right now that covers and moves well enough to even play the other safety spot.
Besides Cameron Dicker, the only Texas commitment that doesn’t fit the “versatile” label is Ayodele Adeoye, a throwback middle linebacker that brings the pain along with some intriguing sideline-to-sideline ability.
Is this, the theme of versatility appearing throughout the UT commitment list like Tom Herman and his staff appear throughout your Twitter timelines, by design? I don’t know. It’s probably just a coincidence, but knowing how Herman and Todd Orlando think of offense and defense, respectively, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s by design. After all, this is a coaching staff that wants as many talented playmakers as possible that can put pressure on the opposing team in as many ways possible; being able to be multiple, adjust, and being tougher to game-plan for helps teams win.
2) The Rondale Moore commitment and D.J. Monroe
Ask a Texas fan to name an underutilized threat on offense, and chances are he or she names a short but versatile and lightning-quick receiver. No player probably sparked more questions in that regard from Texas fans than D.J. Monroe. I think people are still asking if his package of plays is going to expand, or if he fits the flow of the game plan.
Anyway, I don’t get the impression that Texas fans will ever question the usage of players like Monroe under Tom Herman and his staff.
Remember when Devin Duvernay would catch a bomb per game – last season he had a streak, along with an average of 32.1 yards per catch, of three-straight games with a touchdown catch despite catching just eight passes over that stretch – and then fade away? Duvernay, who was seen lining up at running back in the shotgun during fall practices, is going to be used now as he should – a playmaking threat that needs the ball in multiple ways. And of course there’s Monroe, Daje Johnson, and others that could take it to the house on any touch yet couldn’t consistently get the football. Those questions are going to be a thing of the past.
In that video posted above, Moore specifically mentions fitting into Herman’s “H” role, which will allow him to put his elite speed and playmaking ability to use in multiple ways. He’ll catch the ball, line up all over the offense, get handoffs, and put pressure on the defense in multiple ways. Because that’s what weapons, when used correctly, do.
3) A way-too-early over-under win total…
Because I want to gauge the pulse of what I believe to be a fan base chugging the burnt orange kool-aid more than a freshman pounding beer at his first keg party, my over-under for Texas’s wins next season right now: 8.5 (bowl game included).
Are you taking the over or under?
WINS
Maryland
San Jose State
at Iowa State
Kansas
Texas Tech
50/50 GAMES
Kansas State
Oklahoma State
at Baylor
UNDERDOGS
at USC
Oklahoma
at TCU
at West Virginia
4) Something I heard about Texas hoops recruiting…
A little birdie told me that Texas signing Mohamed Bamba and Matt Coleman has been a game-changer in recruiting, specifically when kids visit the UT campus and see those very, very well-known and popular, talented players suited up in burnt orange and white. What will that result in? I’m not sure, but top prospects are viewing Texas slightly differently than they were before, and Texas was already recruiting at a high level prior to Bamba and Coleman’s arrivals.
5) What David Pierce’s late 2017 recruiting additions will allow him to do next season…
By adding key JUCO pieces like outfielder Duke Ellis and catcher D.J. Petrinsky to join the likes of projected impact newcomers Masen Hibbeler (JUCO), Kamron Fields (high school), and others, David Pierce is going to make two things happen in 2018: he’s going to have a roster that possesses a lot of speed and athleticism, and he’s going to turn over the roster almost completely.
The second part of that is big because it will allow Texas to accelerate its culture installation under the new coaching staff, which is something I think, along with a lack of talent and versatility, that really hurt Shaka Smart last season. Instead of applying another Band-Aid with some stronger Neosporin, Pierce is going to be able to rip the thing completely off, and let the wound heal and breathe. The result should be a better-looking program in the future instead of another slight delay and lingering transition.
As for the first part, Ellis, Hibbeler, Fields, Austin Todd, Joe Baker (if healthy), and David Hamilton give Texas speed and athleticism up-and-down the lineup, and I expect Pierce and Sean Allen to use that as often as possible on offense.
6) Ketch nearly made me cuss on air by breaking the Chris Paul news to me…
Excuse my French: Holy shit.
That’s what I nearly yelled while taping an interview with Ketch for Orangebloods.com Radio when he broke the news of Chris Paul being traded to the Rockets. Holy shit, Daryl Morey. Morey’s favorite baseball player must be Cody Bellinger: swing hard every time in any count and try to hit homers not singles. Always. Everything that’s bouncing around in my head about this deal:
a) How is this going to work on the court? James Harden is coming off a MVP-caliber season running point in Mike D’Antoni’s offense. He’s proven to be one of the best playmakers in the world with the ball in his hands, and ranked fourth in usage percentage last season. There’s a dark road lurking in my brain as it thinks about this deal: the Lakers acquiring Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to play with Kobe Bryant under D’Antoni. It’s a dark path because that proved to be basketball purgatory. (by the way, the more that comes out about that Lakers team, the more it's clear that Kobe essentially refused to even meet with D'Antoni during the season or do what he wanted)
But this isn’t like that for a few reasons: Harden and Paul reportedly want to play together, and worked to make this happen; they’re two of the smartest basketball players in the game; already, there’s a base layer of understanding between the two that they want to make this work; Paul and Harden can both excel off the ball.
Still, how’s it going to work? I don’t know. Heck, it might not, and by “might not” I mean Houston being something like a frustrating, dysfunctional six seed in the West because that’s the floor now.
b) How does a team get three stars in the NBA? It gets two first. You’re welcome. Signed, Captain Obvious.
In all seriousness, I fully expect Houston to acquire another star-like player now, and probably Paul George. Boston is selling George on playing in Boston and Boston then signing Gordon Heyward; Chris Paul and James Harden look more attractive to NBA players than Heyward and Isaiah Thomas. Boston’s pitch looked great before today. Now, is it going to be willing to up the offer if Houston is offering something like Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson, and pick(s)?
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst just reported the current Paul to Rockets deal won’t work under its current construction, so another move must happen. Houston has time to make one happen.
Yes, the West is tougher than the East, but George has watched LeBron dominate the East.
c) As Ketch pointed out on air – you can hear that later today on 104.9 in Austin – when given the chance to acquire a star, a NBA team must do it; acquire the star, figure out the rest later.
Teams win in the NBA by acquiring multiple stars and building around them. We've hardly ever seen teams in this era win any other way.
d) Terrific points here:
While I myself am guilty of immediately wondering how Harden will go from all-the-time ballhandler and point guard to sharing those duties, a few points above are getting overlooked.
Playing a ton of minutes as a primary ballhander, decision-maker, playmaker, and scorer is tiring. Harden knows this. Paul knows this. So, while I still don’t know how it will work, this isn’t a situation where a team is taking a post player that’s a star and adding it to a guard, which requires a harmony between one player and another and a small guy throwing it to the big guy.
Harden and Paul are both good spot-up shooters. Last season, Paul attempted just 10 percent of his three-pointers from the corner, but shot 48.4 percent from that spot; he shot 41.a percent from three last year, a career-high.
Playoff basketball tends to be slower, and more half-court oriented than the regular season. We saw in the San Antonio series that Harden had issues late in games carrying the load on offense, especially when it turned half-court, slower, and led to more iso situations and bad shots. Having another elite playmaker and ballhandler will help here, and Houston isn't sacrificing shooting.
e) Paul can be known for slowing the basketball down, and overdribbling at times as he dissects a defense. The Rockets want to play fast. While I don’t know how this all is going to work, I’m confident that one of the smartest players to ever play the game will have no issue increasing tempo.
f) I’m going to miss Patrick Beverley. Paul is an underrated defender and a fierce – at times too fierce – competitor. But he’s not going to defend guys up-and-down the floor like Beverley did, who, along with Trevor Ariza, provided the Rockets with a toughness and energy presence that helped define the team.
g)
Again, these guys know how hard and taxing it is to carry an offense, and are going into this wanting to share.
h) While the offense clicked beautifully for Harden last season as the one true ballhandler, let’s not ignore a track record of elite play prior to this season. Heck, Harden’s 2014-15 season was probably better than his 2016-17 version.
i) On the “making the trade work” note:
j) At the end of the day, one thing is clear: Houston is shooting for the stars. It wasn’t good enough last year, and its group, prior to the Paul trade, probably wasn’t going to be good enough again. Will it be now? I don’t know. But you can’t fault Morey and the Rockets for going big in the form of an elite point guard.
Sure, there's a really strange, perplexing feel to this deal because of the fit on the court. However, Paul and Harden are two of the game's best players that wanted to play together, and Houston had the ability to make it happen. Who says no to that?
7) Scanning the sports globe
---
In the final days before free agency, let’s give it up to the New York Knicks, perhaps the top form of poor management and dysfunction in professional sports. The Knicks serve as a reminder that yes, there are pro organizations that literally waste millions of dollars, and are managed by rich people that don’t know what they’re doing.
Strangely, Phil Jackson’s ego played the biggest role in his dismissal. It’s strange because as a head coach he managed some of the sport’s biggest egos, and put a winner on the floor constantly.
Speaking of wasting millions and managing an organization, can anyone explain Carmelo Anthony’s strangely tight grip on the Knicks? He’s been an average-at-best player for three years in a row now, and the Knicks have been outscored when he’s on the floor for three-straight years now.
(Please, Houston avoid Melo. Team USA Melo is one of the truly great players I've ever seen, but he's never proven willing to play like that in the NBA)
---
Time for Boston to cash in all those assets, and that scenario seems like the best way to do it. But can it be done? A lot of dominoes must fall into place, and the Pacers have to play along too. It would be a gamble on Boston’s part, but a good risk to take.
It would be a bold, game-changing move by Boston. However, can you imagine a year from now if Boston lost in the Eastern Conference Finals and Paul George bolted for the Lakers?
--- The conversation surrounding the Astros and acquiring another starting pitcher includes many layers. Frankly, arguments can be made both ways, though Houston fans must ask themselves this: are they confident Lance McCullers can throw deep into October for the first time in his career, and will their projected third playoff starter avoid raising the anxiety level of the entire fan base?
A Doomsday situation for the Astros is going through the trade deadline without making a move, and then watching an unproven starting rotation battle fatigue, injury, or ineffectiveness in September. Lance McCullers is a Cy Young candidate right now, but he’s also about the exceed the amount of innings he threw last season already.
Houston doesn’t need another starter to win its division. Moving into the playoffs without adding another, though, is a risk. How big of one?
--- Speaking of acquiring pitchers, there should be no shortage of options at the trade deadline. Sonny Gray, Gerrit Cole, Jose Quintana, Johnny Cueto, and Justin Verlander could all be available.
--- Elvis Andrus leads the Rangers with a 1.6 Fwar, just two relievers have been better than average, and yet they’re 39-38. Kind of amazing in a way, although it’s the way that makes fans stare at their beers and kind of shrug as the bullpen gives up 13 unanswered runs.
--- I don’t think I’ve ever read anything that better summarizes 2017 Vince Young, and his professional years before him, than this piece:
It presents it all: the highs, lows, immaturity, increased maturity, bad breaks in the NFL, self-inflicted wounds in the NFL, and more. But what it best represents is a guy that will probably forever wonder “what if” as it relates to his NFL career.
8) Anything and everything
--- East Austin, the area around Riverside and Pleasant Valley, is exploding. The food scene is suddenly terrific, and I’m willing to bet a complete transformation of the area soon follows. Speaking of the food, went to Grizzelda’s for the first time last Friday in that area, and thoroughly enjoyed it; its take on Tex-Mex is original, and tasty.
--- In the middle of reading Isaac’s Storm right now, which focuses on the great 1900 hurricane that hit Galveston. I never really thought of it beforehand, but it’s fascinating to read how much our knowledge and coverage of weather has changed over the last 100 years.
Can you imagine living in a world when you didn’t know if a hurricane was coming or not?
---
It's just a 20-game list, but it’s loaded with some of the all-time legends, although a sports game would have been nice. My guess is they sell out the minute they’re eligible to be pre-ordered.
--- (watch with the volume on)
9) The best, non-sports thing I read this week
An oral history of Prince’s Purple Rain Tour
Last edited:
