Inspired by three great men:
1) Why the rush?
A quarterback battle.
It’s football’s version of a civil war as members of the same fan base attack others with flaming e-pitchforks while shouting their QB’s battle cry, which often includes some sort of distorted view meant to smear the other competitor. During this time, writers at places like Orangebloods.com feel like they’re sometimes refereeing a political board that includes both Democrats and Republicans.
After watching the Texas Spring Game last Saturday, it appears that, barring some iceberg, we’re full-steam ahead towards a legitimate quarterback battle. For whatever reason, people seem to want to rush into naming a starting quarterback for the Notre Dame game based off of the Spring Game.
Hello? Think, McFly.
Lost in this back-and-forth discussion about how Tyrone Swoopes and Jerrod Heard compare and who should be awarded a start based on a spring game four months before the 2015 season is this: both players showed legitimate signs of improvement, and as this thing heads into the summer, both players will push one another because there is a very real chance both play to begin the year in the games that actually matter.
As Texas showed the move to a more uptempo, spread-type offense, both quarterbacks proved to be more comfortable in the new offense. Were there mistakes made by the QBs? No doubt. They both have a lot of room for growth, and both are better in some aspects – Heard brings more of that “wow” factor to the offense while Swoopes is more advanced at spreading the ball around and pushing it down the field – than their counterpart.
But what they share is that they’re two quarterbacks that looked - despite the reminders sprinkled throughout the game of how poorly Swoopes played at times last season and that Heard hasn’t been able to really start pushing him, for good reason, until now – like a better fit for the offense they were in compared to the past. They also looked like, and Charlie Strong has since echoed this, two quarterbacks poised to battle for a starting job until those final few weeks before Notre Dame.
So while the program’s biggest problem doesn’t have a true solution yet, the efforts to find that solution don’t seem as hopeless as they once were; there are signs off life and improvement.
In the meantime, it’s unrealistic to even try to name one the starter right now, and there’s not really a reason to. Texas and its fans are just going to have to let this one play out because if we’ve seen this kind of improvement already, we could see two different quarterbacks a few weeks into the 2015 season.
2) Spring Game randomness
--- After seeing Malik Jefferson twice in an open practice setting, it was clear he was a freshman still trying to grasp where to line up before the snap and things of that nature. Often, Brian Jean-Mary would voice his displeasure with a strong hint of “what in the hell are you doing?” multiple times. So, I wondered if his truly elite skills would show in the Spring Game because of that. They did.
At times, Jefferson was the best player on the field as a one-man wrecking crew on defense that was always around the play. He forced a fumble; he pressured the quarterback; he moved in coverage; he made plays near the line of scrimmage against the run; he did everything. There was probably a slim chance to begin with that Jefferson, the nation’s No. 1 OLB in the 2015 class, wasn’t going to play meaningful snaps this season. After Saturday, that chance has to be something like playing the Lottery.
As for the other linebackers, Tim Cole and Edwin Freeman made some plays throughout the scrimmage.
--- The thing I rated the highest about John Bonney when evaluating him as a prospect was his instincts. The redshirt freshman DB was more impactful than his classmate Jason Hall, and looked like a player that is at the top of the depth chart at “nickel.”
--- After the Spring Game, I left thinking that the first-unit offensive line was solid; it wasn’t good, but I didn’t think it was bad either. Overall, it wasn’t a bad performance. And Connor Williams is going to be too talented to be kept off the field. A highlight from the game was when Williams absolutely planted Quincy Vasser with a pancake in the first half.
3) When the cavalry arrives…
Watching Jefferson fly around and make plays and Williams show his stuff on the offensive line was a reminder that the 2015 class Texas signed is a good one. When the reinforcements arrive, they’ll obviously be able to make even more of an impact at linebacker. But where they’ll also need to make a real impact is receiver and defensive back.
Right now, the Longhorns are searching for play-makers at receiver. Dorian Leonard showed signs of coming on all spring, but wasn’t able to make the plays he should have in the Spring Game; Lorenzo Joe looked like the best of the bunch; Daje Johnson had a Spring Game to forget; Jacorey Warrick was solid, but isn’t ever really going to be a game-breaker; Armanti Foreman has the juice, but doesn’t have the play-making to go with it right now. The receiver position is a spot that is nearly crying for help, and should present the opportunity for incoming players John Burt, Gilbert Johnson, Deandre McNeal and Ryan Newsome to push for playing time.
The defensive back position is pretty self-explanatory – Texas just needs talented, scholarship bodies to provide depth. In a pass-happy, spread-you-out Big 12, Texas isn’t going to be able to make it through the entire season by only using four corners.
4) The recruiting impact the new Texas hoops staff is making
Since Shaka Smart was officially named Texas head coach April 3rd and his coaching staff officially named on April 9th, the Longhorns have made a very noticeable impression on the recruiting landscape, especially in the state of Texas. Consider the following:
--- Texas immediately reached out to De’Aaron Fox, and was able to get him on campus for an unofficial visit.
--- Smart instantly made contact with 2016 Dallas-area five-star Terrance Ferguson, and Ferguson is now considering Texas again. And the new Texas head coach also made it a point to watch five-star big man Jarret Allen in person as early as possible.
--- Kerwin Roach was never wavering, but Texas made sure that Eric Davis would stay in the mix as well. Instead of defections after a coaching change, Texas is probably going to keep everything in order.
--- The Longhorns have positioned themselves as the leader to land 2015 wing Tevin Mack after the four-star prospect was released from his signed letter of intent to VCU.
--- On the trail, the Longhorns put eyeballs on a number of prospects, and extended offers to in-state prospects as well as nationally ranked out-of-state prospects. And they’re immediately jumping into every battle for the state’s biggest prospects without any hesitation.
We’re not even a full month into this new era of Texas basketball, and it’s already tough to ignore the kind of impact this basketball staff is making on the recruiting trail.
5) Texas baseball
Are the Longhorns finally waking up on the diamond? When the 2014 Longhorns were able to turn their season around and make a run to Omaha, they did it when the players took over the leadership of the club. After last night’s win, Augie Garrido and the Texas players had some interesting things to say about that.
“Absolutely and it was from the bitter disappointment from the Saturday loss where they hit the walk-off home run. It's happened to us a significant number of times and it finally hit rock bottom with all of them,” said Garrido about Saturday’s walk-off loss to Kansas carrying over to the next two impressive performances. “The players have taken over the team in terms of inspiration and motivation and responsibility, and accountability and providing the leadership that it takes to play at the next level.”
Zane Gurwitz, who drilled a rocket off the left field foul pole for a two-run homer last night, and is starting to truly look like the player that dominated Texas’ fall practice session, echoed Garrido’s thoughts about the team hitting rock bottom after Saturday’s loss.
“I think no doubt it was a turning point. We have gone through a lot this season. As baseball players and competitors, when you get the win Friday in extra innings and then to get a walk-off against you, it changed all of us,” the sophomore stated. “We were doing everything right that game and one hit just got us the loss. Being competitors, you can only take so much until you have to fight back and get back to just being aggressive and playing baseball.”
It’s possible that Saturday’s loss at Kansas is the thing that finally forced the Longhorns out of their awful funk. And it’s possible that it happened in time for Texas to play well in what is its last true chance to really make a statement – both in the RPI, conference, and with the NCAA committee – on the road this weekend at TCU. Will it carry over? Is this too little, too late? We’ll have to wait and see, but the Longhorns have a different bounce to them right now.
Continued...
1) Why the rush?
A quarterback battle.
It’s football’s version of a civil war as members of the same fan base attack others with flaming e-pitchforks while shouting their QB’s battle cry, which often includes some sort of distorted view meant to smear the other competitor. During this time, writers at places like Orangebloods.com feel like they’re sometimes refereeing a political board that includes both Democrats and Republicans.
After watching the Texas Spring Game last Saturday, it appears that, barring some iceberg, we’re full-steam ahead towards a legitimate quarterback battle. For whatever reason, people seem to want to rush into naming a starting quarterback for the Notre Dame game based off of the Spring Game.
Hello? Think, McFly.
Lost in this back-and-forth discussion about how Tyrone Swoopes and Jerrod Heard compare and who should be awarded a start based on a spring game four months before the 2015 season is this: both players showed legitimate signs of improvement, and as this thing heads into the summer, both players will push one another because there is a very real chance both play to begin the year in the games that actually matter.
As Texas showed the move to a more uptempo, spread-type offense, both quarterbacks proved to be more comfortable in the new offense. Were there mistakes made by the QBs? No doubt. They both have a lot of room for growth, and both are better in some aspects – Heard brings more of that “wow” factor to the offense while Swoopes is more advanced at spreading the ball around and pushing it down the field – than their counterpart.
But what they share is that they’re two quarterbacks that looked - despite the reminders sprinkled throughout the game of how poorly Swoopes played at times last season and that Heard hasn’t been able to really start pushing him, for good reason, until now – like a better fit for the offense they were in compared to the past. They also looked like, and Charlie Strong has since echoed this, two quarterbacks poised to battle for a starting job until those final few weeks before Notre Dame.
So while the program’s biggest problem doesn’t have a true solution yet, the efforts to find that solution don’t seem as hopeless as they once were; there are signs off life and improvement.
In the meantime, it’s unrealistic to even try to name one the starter right now, and there’s not really a reason to. Texas and its fans are just going to have to let this one play out because if we’ve seen this kind of improvement already, we could see two different quarterbacks a few weeks into the 2015 season.
2) Spring Game randomness
--- After seeing Malik Jefferson twice in an open practice setting, it was clear he was a freshman still trying to grasp where to line up before the snap and things of that nature. Often, Brian Jean-Mary would voice his displeasure with a strong hint of “what in the hell are you doing?” multiple times. So, I wondered if his truly elite skills would show in the Spring Game because of that. They did.
At times, Jefferson was the best player on the field as a one-man wrecking crew on defense that was always around the play. He forced a fumble; he pressured the quarterback; he moved in coverage; he made plays near the line of scrimmage against the run; he did everything. There was probably a slim chance to begin with that Jefferson, the nation’s No. 1 OLB in the 2015 class, wasn’t going to play meaningful snaps this season. After Saturday, that chance has to be something like playing the Lottery.
As for the other linebackers, Tim Cole and Edwin Freeman made some plays throughout the scrimmage.
--- The thing I rated the highest about John Bonney when evaluating him as a prospect was his instincts. The redshirt freshman DB was more impactful than his classmate Jason Hall, and looked like a player that is at the top of the depth chart at “nickel.”
--- After the Spring Game, I left thinking that the first-unit offensive line was solid; it wasn’t good, but I didn’t think it was bad either. Overall, it wasn’t a bad performance. And Connor Williams is going to be too talented to be kept off the field. A highlight from the game was when Williams absolutely planted Quincy Vasser with a pancake in the first half.
3) When the cavalry arrives…
Watching Jefferson fly around and make plays and Williams show his stuff on the offensive line was a reminder that the 2015 class Texas signed is a good one. When the reinforcements arrive, they’ll obviously be able to make even more of an impact at linebacker. But where they’ll also need to make a real impact is receiver and defensive back.
Right now, the Longhorns are searching for play-makers at receiver. Dorian Leonard showed signs of coming on all spring, but wasn’t able to make the plays he should have in the Spring Game; Lorenzo Joe looked like the best of the bunch; Daje Johnson had a Spring Game to forget; Jacorey Warrick was solid, but isn’t ever really going to be a game-breaker; Armanti Foreman has the juice, but doesn’t have the play-making to go with it right now. The receiver position is a spot that is nearly crying for help, and should present the opportunity for incoming players John Burt, Gilbert Johnson, Deandre McNeal and Ryan Newsome to push for playing time.
The defensive back position is pretty self-explanatory – Texas just needs talented, scholarship bodies to provide depth. In a pass-happy, spread-you-out Big 12, Texas isn’t going to be able to make it through the entire season by only using four corners.
4) The recruiting impact the new Texas hoops staff is making
Since Shaka Smart was officially named Texas head coach April 3rd and his coaching staff officially named on April 9th, the Longhorns have made a very noticeable impression on the recruiting landscape, especially in the state of Texas. Consider the following:
--- Texas immediately reached out to De’Aaron Fox, and was able to get him on campus for an unofficial visit.
--- Smart instantly made contact with 2016 Dallas-area five-star Terrance Ferguson, and Ferguson is now considering Texas again. And the new Texas head coach also made it a point to watch five-star big man Jarret Allen in person as early as possible.
--- Kerwin Roach was never wavering, but Texas made sure that Eric Davis would stay in the mix as well. Instead of defections after a coaching change, Texas is probably going to keep everything in order.
--- The Longhorns have positioned themselves as the leader to land 2015 wing Tevin Mack after the four-star prospect was released from his signed letter of intent to VCU.
--- On the trail, the Longhorns put eyeballs on a number of prospects, and extended offers to in-state prospects as well as nationally ranked out-of-state prospects. And they’re immediately jumping into every battle for the state’s biggest prospects without any hesitation.
We’re not even a full month into this new era of Texas basketball, and it’s already tough to ignore the kind of impact this basketball staff is making on the recruiting trail.
5) Texas baseball
Are the Longhorns finally waking up on the diamond? When the 2014 Longhorns were able to turn their season around and make a run to Omaha, they did it when the players took over the leadership of the club. After last night’s win, Augie Garrido and the Texas players had some interesting things to say about that.
“Absolutely and it was from the bitter disappointment from the Saturday loss where they hit the walk-off home run. It's happened to us a significant number of times and it finally hit rock bottom with all of them,” said Garrido about Saturday’s walk-off loss to Kansas carrying over to the next two impressive performances. “The players have taken over the team in terms of inspiration and motivation and responsibility, and accountability and providing the leadership that it takes to play at the next level.”
Zane Gurwitz, who drilled a rocket off the left field foul pole for a two-run homer last night, and is starting to truly look like the player that dominated Texas’ fall practice session, echoed Garrido’s thoughts about the team hitting rock bottom after Saturday’s loss.
“I think no doubt it was a turning point. We have gone through a lot this season. As baseball players and competitors, when you get the win Friday in extra innings and then to get a walk-off against you, it changed all of us,” the sophomore stated. “We were doing everything right that game and one hit just got us the loss. Being competitors, you can only take so much until you have to fight back and get back to just being aggressive and playing baseball.”
It’s possible that Saturday’s loss at Kansas is the thing that finally forced the Longhorns out of their awful funk. And it’s possible that it happened in time for Texas to play well in what is its last true chance to really make a statement – both in the RPI, conference, and with the NCAA committee – on the road this weekend at TCU. Will it carry over? Is this too little, too late? We’ll have to wait and see, but the Longhorns have a different bounce to them right now.
Continued...
