Ketch's 10 Thoughts From The Weekend: 24 Hours Later...

[NewnanHorn]

It wasn't Sark's best night, that's for sure.

It was a terrible game plan on both offense and defense. I’m still trying to understand what Coach K was trying to do on defense vs a QB who can’t pass.

for me, the anger isn’t at Card. It’s the fact we were supposed to have a new staff that didn’t get completely out coached every week and developed players. Sark’s offense game plan was terrible, defensive game plan was terrible and our OL and WR group look like they’ve gone backwards. Combine those two groups on-field with off-field (recruiting those positions) and I think it’s fair to question Flood/Coleman as coaches even 2 games in. I’ll chalk up Sark and Coach K game plans as bad ones and have confidence they will improve -not so for Flood and Coleman until they show us

 

[Sunheightshorn]

With no o-line which QB can run for his life better? That's your starter and first to get hurt.

I think that's a moot point. Card refuses to run. He should have had 50 plus yards in the first half just tucking and running be he flat out refused. I get that people will say "maybe" coach said don't run but if he doesn't start he had better be prepared to see that drop 8 on every pass play.

 

[Mike.Tip]

What if he believes the right thing is to play Card because he thinks he's better?

It’s hard to watch the game film and conclude that right now. Over time? Yes. It sure looks like the QB that gives the team the best chance to win at this point in time is CT.
Admittedly I was always on team Casey. I am all in on Card as he reaches his potential but he sure looked like the Arkansas game was on Hard level while he was playing at the novice level.

 

[Ketchum]

It was a terrible game plan on both offense and defense. I’m still trying to understand what Coach K was trying to do on defense vs a QB who can’t pass.

for me, the anger isn’t at Card. It’s the fact we were supposed to have a new staff that didn’t get completely out coached every week and developed players. Sark’s offense game plan was terrible, defensive game plan was terrible and our OL and WR group look like they’ve gone backwards. Combine those two groups on-field with off-field (recruiting those positions) and I think it’s fair to question Flood/Coleman as coaches even 2 games in. I’ll chalk up Sark and Coach K game plans as bad ones and have confidence they will improve -not so for Flood and Coleman until they show us

totally feel you.

 

[Ketchum]

It’s hard to watch the game film and conclude that right now. Over time? Yes. It sure looks like the QB that gives the team the best chance to win at this point in time is CT.
Admittedly I was always on team Casey. I am all in on Card as he reaches his potential but he sure looked like the Arkansas game was on Hard level while he was playing at the novice level.

He's seen more of both players than you have up-close, no?

 

[tmoney121212]

@Ketchum here me out on this b/s

you could see a world where Urban takes the Texas job in 3 years?

Texas at the moment (2 games)
-Strong comparisons
-game plan discussions
-0-19 after trialing by 10+ and talking about expectations we might see that again more than once this season
-losing record as a coach on the road (not confined but seen on OB)
-same o line and over paid coach issues
-QB battles and another coach that won’t give to his pride and admit a mistake (potentially. This could change at 11)

urban
-Looked like the NFL version of Sark.
-not only lost, but got outclassed by what many had as the worst team in the league
-Jax isn’t going to let Lawerence be wasted for more than 3 years
-Charlie Strong is on his staff
-Urban will want to rehabilitate his brand in 3 years after this experiment.

I realize I’m going to get flamed most likely. The reality is, what has changed from Stong to Sark? After two games we’re still talking about the same issues. Maybe that’ll change, but I don’t see how we can just give the benefit of the doubt after seeing this same thing for almost 2 decades now.

 

[Ketchum]

@Ketchum here me out on this b/s

you could see a world where Urban takes the Texas job in 3 years?

Texas at the moment (2 games)
-Strong comparisons
-game plan discussions
-0-19 after trialing by 10+ and talking about expectations we might see that again more than once this season
-losing record as a coach on the road (not confined but seen on OB)
-same o line and over paid coach issues
-QB battles and another coach that won’t give to his pride and admit a mistake (potentially. This could change at 11)

urban
-Looked like the NFL version of Sark.
-not only lost, but got outclassed by what many had as the worst team in the league
-Jax isn’t going to let Lawerence be wasted for more than 3 years
-Charlie Strong is on his staff
-Urban will want to rehabilitate his brand in 3 years after this experiment.

I realize I’m going to get flamed most likely. The reality is, what has changed from Stong to Sark? After two games we’re still talking about the same issues. Maybe that’ll change, but I don’t see how we can just give the benefit of the doubt after seeing this same thing for almost 2 decades now.

🤷‍♂️

 

[jshorn]

Casey scrambled right and threw a high wobbling duck over the head of his receiver, he missed a deep ball by 10 yards and took off running at the glimpse of pressure against a prevent defense yet we want to take out the QB with the best arm talent in a decade?

This place has serious battered fan syndrome. The game was lost on the game plan, no scripted short passing games to get card comfortable and open up running lanes, no read options. Just crazy vanilla and gave a very talented QB making his first road start zero chance of success.

How is this so hard for this fan base to see? My eyes saw run on first down for 3, run on second down for -2 and a pass attempt with a shitty o line against 8 defenders on 3rd and long. This Texas coaching staff completed the definition of insanity Saturday night.

You’re really confused.

 

[satterwm]

If your coach is a quarterback guru, I'm guessing he's making the decision off more than a guess. JMO.

You are correct when you say you are guessing.

I'm exaggerating to make a point, but if my clients who consider me a "guru" only knew.....

And without channeling any inner Iverson here, Saturday was the first time data "under the lights", really hot lights, has been available.

Let's don't waste the QB experience that we have available here, as limited as it is. Hudson will get his chance.

 

[Ketchum]

You’re really confused.

In one-plus quarter of play, Thompson posted a 122 rating.

His legs were the best part of the performance, but he was also playing in a 33-7 game at that point, was given 30 yards in penalties in his first touchdown drive.

That being said, he did play fearlessly.

 

[Ketchum]

Let's don't waste the QB experience that we have available here, as limited as it is. Hudson will get his chance.

Hudson now has more game experience than Casey, no?

 

[Rotarran9116]

Murphy should not be an option before 2023 or even 2024, he’s also a long way from ready. if he’s an option next season, it’s Card, Gilbert , Swoopes all over again..

Shouldn't, but here we are (possibly)

 

[Ketchum]

Shouldn't, but here we are (possibly)

 

[Ignatius J Reilly]

It wasn't Sark's best night, that's for sure.

Curiously, has there ever been a game plan of “We are just not gonna trust our QB to do very much” that has worked out? I’ll never understand this approach. Trust him to let it fly and if he turns the ball over they are teaching points. There is more value in that then a slow, stagnant death of 3 and outs. The former can be ironed out. The latter is a morale killer that seaps into the mentality of the team.

“Let’s go dominate them!!!! Oh, and we aren’t gonna let our QB take any risks!!!! Let’s go!!!!!”

 

[Ketchum]

Curiously, has there ever been a game plan of “We are just not gonna trust our QB to do very much” that has worked out? I’ll never understand this approach. Trust him to let it fly and if he turns the ball over they are teaching points. There is more value in that then a slow, stagnant death of 3 and outs. The former can be ironed out. The latter is a morale killer that seaps into the mentality of the team.

“Let’s go dominate them!!!! Oh, and we aren’t gonna let our QB take any risks!!!! Let’s go!!!!!”

I'm really curious what the coaching all-22 film showed.

 

[satterwm]

Casey not only should start but needs to start,The team and the fans saw what we did and a Card start will be a slap to the face of Casey with many players being outraged at the decision which will be strike two in the decision dept for Sarkesian.Card will be very good in time but he needs more experience just like Colt and Vince did.Let him play the 2nd half for that. The level of competition made our offensive line look bad and IMO if Arkansas had played us in the Bowl instead of Colorado the results of broken line play would have been similar but Sam would have been the difference for a win

Yep, there is a cost to every decision in life-- the option not taken.

There are situations sometimes where you just have to take the least costly option, not the one with the most upside.

Clearly, Sark appears to have chosen the latter last Saturday.

 

[satterwm]

Hudson now has more game experience than Casey, no?

Very good point.

 

[OldBlood]

@Ketchum
Great read. WRITE ON

 

[dmoney274440]

So is OB going to ask real questions at the press conference? Out coached, 2nd half adjustments. Poor decision to stay with same OL, Card to long? Getting playmakers the ball?

 

[Ketchum]

@Ketchum
Great read. WRITE ON

Thanks.

 

[Ketchum]

So is OB going to ask real questions at the press conference? Out coached, 2nd half adjustments. Poor decision to stay with same OL, Card to long? Getting playmakers the ball?

we'll see. Anwar might only get one.

 

[WhatAboutEggs]

@Ketchum Do you think our team is mentally soft? At least with a non-vocal QB at the helm? If so, is that indicative of our culture across the board? Because in-game meltdowns like this against "inferior" opponents has been going on as long as I can remember.

 

[newfroid]

Man i

Man isn't that the whole issue- 95 percent of this board lost all trust for their HC after 2 games.

I'm not saying they're wrong based on how bad it was, but that's a FAST turn.

The loss of faith is not based on a specific decision or 2. It’s that he did not come close to getting the team up for what he knew was a rivalry game. Then had no adjustments until too late.

Well, you are way off with this take.
It wasn't the loss itself. Hell, I actually predicted a loss (24-27, check the prediction thread from Friday), although I had hope that I would be wrong.
The issue is that we got brutally ass-raped by the pigs. Our team just gave up and didn't seem to even care. We had no fight, no heart, no nuthin’. And the coaches just let it all ride without doing a damn thing to change it until it was way too late.
That’s what pisses people off. There was no leadership, and really no identifiable game plan. This was Charlie Strong level crap.
That’s the problem, not a mere loss itself.

thank you. Weird how people can miss an elephant that size.

 

[corkywf]

If I am coaching and I am going to get fired one day over my performance ( they all do, even Mack), I should go with what I believe. That may be start Casey, but don't go with a consensus of what fans think.

Most people think 9-3 is a good season, try and get there with some momentum.

 

[newfroid]

Aggy and ou have transfer OL starting on their OLs, both programs are very far ahead of us in terms of OL development IMO.

And players who wanted to go to top 10 teams probably did not want to come here.

 

[Kazhorn]

The bowl game performance was nine months ago.

The last nine months matter more IMO, which includes Saturday.

I mean if the bowl game mattered. Karic would be starting. Or should be.

Karic should be starting at LT. He is more mobile and a better athlete than Jones. Jones played as bad a game at LT as I have ever seen a UT LT play. I am not sure he should be a starter on our line much less the starter at the most important position.

 

[Ketchum]

@Ketchum Do you think our team is mentally soft? At least with a non-vocal QB at the helm? If so, is that indicative of our culture across the board? Because in-game meltdowns like this against "inferior" opponents has been going on as long as I can remember.

It was on Saturday.

 

[Ketchum]

And players who wanted to go to top 10 teams probably did not want to come here.

There were other players that could have been targeted. Texas thought they were good.

 

[hookem62]

Why did it take nearly three quarters for Joshua Moore to get a target?

I'm not sure we know this watching on TV. He might have been the #1 target on plays and ran a poor route or maybe coverage was rotated his way. I'm not sure we can pin this detail on the play calling without knowing the actual play calls.

Just a nit - - I am aligned that the coaching and preparation was overall abysmal for this game.

 

[TexLex]

100-percent agree

Ketch...This game made me realize not only is your job less fun when UT loses, but I make up a game like this forces you to work harder on many levels. I hope for your and my sake this was an essential wake-up call upon which Sark can build. This week's practices are going to be hell.

 

[SR60]

I mean, did we hire Sark to be "less crappy" than the rest of the Big 12? At the end of the day, 8-4 regular season will be a disaster on many levels. And when you can't block and you can't get to the passer, then pretty much the season will prove mediocre.

can't agree with this at all. how is 8-4 a disaster? with a new staff, new systems and young untested qb's, and known issues with the offensive line and some others things 8-4 (9-4 if we win a bowl) seems like a solid first year for Sark to me.

 

[Ketchum]

Ketch...This game made me realize not only is your job less fun when UT loses, but I make up a game like this forces you to work harder on many levels. I hope for your and my sake this was an essential wake-up call upon which Sark can build. This week's practices are going to be hell.

It's weird. I've seen so many poor performances, as have you guys, that I don't recall anyone even asking for a Hamsterdam thread.

 

[RLong68]

can't agree with this at all. how is 8-4 a disaster? with a new staff, new systems and young untested qb's, and known issues with the offensive line and some others things 8-4 (9-4 if we win a bowl) seems like a solid first year for Sark to me.

8-4 means you had multiple garbage losses. I mean, we've now already had one. Ask @Ketchum what he thinks 8-4 regular season does for recruiting to finish out '22 and jumping into the real race for '23 recruits. 8-4 really can't get spun into any other way.

 

[gozer_52]

You might turn out to be right and I could be wrong.

Sark certainly feels after 6 weeks Card is the guy for the future why else would he have chosen him if it was truly the hardest QB choice he ever had to make. Seeing what we have seen so far for the best record for Texas this year Casey may be the best choice. The biggest problem is the trenches on both sides. but on the offensive side maybe Casey just helps mask it. Card throw a great ball when he has time or makes the decision quick enough to turn it lose. Struggling badly on the deep throws so far. I personally feel like Casey needs to be out there because he brings emotion to that side of the ball and they certainly need that!!

 

[Ketchum]

Sark certainly feels after 6 weeks Card is the guy for the future why else would he have chosen him if it was truly the hardest QB choice he ever had to make. Seeing what we have seen so far for the best record for Texas this year Casey may be the best choice. The biggest problem is the trenches on both sides. but on the offensive side maybe Casey just helps mask it. Card throw a great ball when he has time or makes the decision quick enough to turn it lose. Struggling badly on the deep throws so far. I personally feel like Casey needs to be out there because he brings emotion to that side of the ball and they certainly need that!!

If the team is depending on its quarterback for emotion, by and large, that' a real problem.