Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (A few apologies need to take place...)
- Thread starter Ketchum
- Start date
Every quarterback's numbers would be better in every game if we went back and gave them credit for drops.
How many All-America receivers have the Longhorns had in their history? Do you know?
On point 3. We have to remember this is an avg texas squad on an avg roster. 5 defensive players would get meaningful pt on the early 2000s defenses - nelson, boyd, johnson, CO and sterns. Only sterns and johnson maybe Nelson would likely start.
Offense - it is much worse....maybe a lineman, beck on short yardage and calvin johnson and LJ. Thats it. This is not a great team!!
You take SE away, we lose that game by 24 points!
Offense - it is much worse....maybe a lineman, beck on short yardage and calvin johnson and LJ. Thats it. This is not a great team!!
You take SE away, we lose that game by 24 points!
Your claim is Sam needs to play better. And to support it you used his passing line.
Sorry, I saw him wisely throw balls away unlike last year when he forced them into coverage.
I saw him hit WRs/TEs in the hands only to see them fail to execute.
If you THINK about it, you might realize Sam played well enough to beat anyone left on our schedule.
In the context of the discussion (Sam has to up his game). . . .you cannot expect Sam to catch well thrown balls for pass catchers.
Confirmation bias has kicked in with a number of you and it's keeping you from having a nuanced conversation on this.Your claim is Sam needs to play better. And to support it you used his passing line.
Sorry, I saw him wisely throw balls away unlike last year when he forced them into coverage.
I saw him hit WRs/TEs in the hands only to see them fail to execute.
If you THINK about it, you might realize Sam played well enough to beat anyone left on our schedule.
In the context of the discussion (Sam has to up his game). . . .you cannot expect Sam to catch well thrown balls for pass catchers.
My saying Sam has to play better wasn't an indictment on Sam...
Re-read the first two paragraphs again and tell me how I'm being unfair to him.
I'm having a conversation based in the reality of what's needed. My fan feelings aren't hurt, I'm looking at what's in front of this team and what will be required for Texas to win out.
Cool. Because he had a bad night and was outcoached on Saturday. Not the first time it has happened this year.
It's always impressive when someone makes a statement another disagrees with and you respond with an insult.
If by "nuanced". . . .you mean offering my opinion on a discussion board. . . then I'll say I can easily stand behind my stance. But if by "nuanced" you mean you used his passing line to support your stance and I easily showed how said line is highly deceiving in judging Sam's play.
And clearly your feelings are hurt or you wouldn't be getting so emotional and insulting others.
What needs to step up is offensive game plan and in game adjustments. What needs to step up is our skill position players.
Give me that exact performance from Sam but with his pass catchers catching the balls that hit them in the hands, we have enough offense to win the rest of our games.
Get back to me when you can let go of your emotional need to insult customers. I have no problem if you disagree with my take. .. . but leave your snarky comments at home. . ..
no offense but why? How hard is it to fair catch every ball and get out of the way if you can't catch it.
Now if CTH were to change his philosophy then I'm in agreement.
Exactly how I saw it echeese.Your claim is Sam needs to play better. And to support it you used his passing line.
Sorry, I saw him wisely throw balls away unlike last year when he forced them into coverage.
I saw him hit WRs/TEs in the hands only to see them fail to execute.
If you THINK about it, you might realize Sam played well enough to beat anyone left on our schedule.
In the context of the discussion (Sam has to up his game). . . .you cannot expect Sam to catch well thrown balls for pass catchers.
5 drops on the numbers at least. And we could get into the stupid ass play calling that has us running on 2 and 10 or 15 putting us in long throwing downs where the D tees off on us. Our OL couldn't block a 3 man rush all night.
Ketch is flat out wrong in this one. Sam had a good game.
I'll sorta defend Ketch, he did not state his position very well and caused confusion using the stat line.
Sam did in fact have a very good game, and I'll stand by the opinion that some of the incomplitions were passes that last year he might have forced into coverage. No turnovers is YUGE for us
Sam and the team was really hurt by WRs failing to catch balls that were delivered well. So it's not Sam who needs to elevate his play (though I'd welcome him continuing to improve) rather it's the players around him.
And again, I'm sorry but KI should have had 17-20 carries.
Even Alabama doesn't have a guy who ONLY coaches special teams.He also coaches TE's.
Kris Boyd and Davante Davis have probably already apologized to their teammates for the actions that led to their 15-minute suspensions on Saturday night, but as I sometimes tell my four-year old Hendrix when he is ultra-quick with his apologies after doing something wrong, "I'm sorry" doesn't mean very much.
This game was lost in the first quarter when Oklahoma State took advantage of their absences and rolled up 260 yards of total yards of offense and a 17-7 lead, which became 24-7 early in the second quarter.
In a game where slim margins that made the difference in the outcome, their negligence made a mark that cannot be denied.
Yes, it was a team loss because so many players didn't play well enough for the Longhorns to win, but the reality is that Boyd and David cost this team the game before the opening kickoff ever took place.
They left their teammates hanging out to dry by acting like knuckleheads. They know it, their teammates know it and the coaches know it.
No. 2 - Making a bad situation worse ...
This is not how you handle adversity.
No. 3 - Sam has to play better down the stretch ...
Let me make this very clear, I thought Sam Ehlinger might have been the best player on the field for the Longhorns in a loss, especially in the second half.
The kid threw his body around with reckless abandon, he played turnover-free football and he nearly led the team on one of the best comebacks in school history.
Those acknowledgments out of the way, it's important to note that Ehlinger completed 52.4-percent of his passes, which was his second-worst mark of the season. His 124.7 efficiency rating was his third-worst mark of the season and basically right at his season number from 2018.
When Ehlinger is at his best, this Texas team can hang with almost anyone in the country, but when he's not at his best, games can turn into 50-50 affairs in a hurry. Although his current efficiency rating (140.1) represents a 14-point improvement from last season, he's also played five of eight games this season below that mark (three in his last four games), including three below a 125.0 rating.
Ehlinger is still in his evolution as a young player, so don't view these comments as a slight towards him; it's simply an acknowledgement that Texas won't make it to the Big 12 Championship game if Ehlinger doesn't lift his level of play.
No. 4 - Looking ahead to players in the 2019 spotlight ...
With eight games gone and only four more in the regular season to go, I found myself thinking about what this team would need to replace on both sides of the ball going into 2019. Although we don't know what will happen with draft eligible players like Collin Johnson and Lil'Jordan Humphrey, we do know that the following starters will need to be replaced:
Offense: RB Tre Watson, LT Calvin Anderson, LG Patrick Vahe, RG Elijah Rodriguez and TE Andrew Beck
Defense: DE Charles Omenihu, DE Breckyn Hager, DT Chris Nelson, LB Gary Johnson, LB Anthony Wheeler, CB Kris Boyd and CB Davante Davis
Looking at those names makes me think that what happens in the 2019 season could be defined by the progress of the following players:
Denzel Okafor (Right tackle) - Currently the top back-up at both tackle spots, Okafor will be a redshirt junior or a senior next season and will reasonably be expected to take over at right tackle in what could be his final season, while Sam Cosmi presumably moves over to the left side.
Cade Brewer (Tight end) - Replacing Beck wouldn't have seemed like a big deal a few months ago, but the senior has actually developed into an important player at a critical position in the offense.
Marquez Bimage (Defensive end) - Although he's getting more reps with each passing week, Bimage hasn't been able to make much happen this season outside of his key strip of Shawn Robinson in the third quarter of the TCU game. His development might be as important as anyone on the team.
Taquan Graham (Defensive end) - See Bimage, except Graham will likely be the guy pressed with replacing Charles Omenihu.
Anthony Cook (Cornerback) - Ready or not, Cook will probably be asked to play the role of No. 1 corner on this team in his true sophomore season.
Kobe Boyce (Cornerback) - Ready or not, Cook will probably be asked to play the role of No. 2 corner on this team in his third-year sophomore season.
No. 5 - Compare and contrast ...
While watching Tylan Wallace take various pieces of cornbread belonging to Texas defensive backs, it was hard for me not to think of his recruitment, which didn't feature the number of big-time offers you'd expect of a Rivals250 kid that I ranked as a state top-five prospect when I debuted my LSR 2017 rankings back in 2015.
I thought we might take a look at the top in-state receivers from his class as they navigate their second seasons at the college level.
No. 1 Cede Lamb (Oklahoma - No. 72 overall nationally) - Ranks fifth in the Big 12 in receiving yards per game (84.3), while posting a total of 34 receptions for 674 yards and nine touchdowns.
No. 2 Charleston Rambo (Oklahoma - No. 97 nationally) - Still waiting to catch his first career pass eight games into his redshirt freshman season.
No. 3 Hezekiah Jones (Signed with Texas A&M - No. 145 nationally) - Has 14 catches for 126 yards and zero touchdowns in his sophomore season.
No. 4 Omar Manning (Signed with TCU - No. 149 nationally) - Left TCU this summer and is attending a junior college.
No. 5 Tyrell Shavers (Signed with Alabama - No. 152 nationally) - Has played in two career games and has zero catches as a redshirt freshman.
No. 6 Tylan Wallace (Signed with Oklahoma State - No. 182 nationally) - Ranks second in the Big 12 as a sophomore in receptions (50) and receiving yards (940) through eight games.
No. 7 Damion Miller (Signed with Texas - No. 207 nationally) - Currently playing for Navarro Junior College.
No. 8 Jalen Reager (Signed with TCU - No. 249 nationally) - Ranks fourth in the Big 12 in receptions (46) and eighth in yards (642) in eight games as a sophomore.
No. 6 – Buy or Sell …
BUY or SELL: Texas will lose 2 of its next 4
(Sell) I like Texas to win its final two home games and at Kansas, which would leave them with a 9-3 regular season record, assuming they lose to Texas Tech.
BUY or SELL:: Todd Orlando has regressed this year?
(Sell) The talent he's working with this year has regressed.
BUY or SELL: Texas has a legitimate problem with playing down to the level of its competition and it finally jumped up and bit them?
(Buy) This has been a problem for Herman's team throughout his career, both at Houston and Texas.
BUY or SELL: Breckyn Hager’s actions at the end of the game are an embarrassment?
(Sell) His actions weren't ideal, but an embarrassment? Stuff happens.
BUY or SELL: Tom Herman still has considerable growing pains to endure before he’s considered an elite coach
(Buy) Especially if your definition of elite is as narrow as mine.
BUY or SELL: You still think the Sooners will drop a game or two by the end of the season?
(Buy) The Sooners still have prime-time road match-ups against quarterbacks with pulses. I think they drop at least one of those two.
BUY or SELL: Herman is an idiot for winning the coin toss and not taking the ball knowing it would give them one less offensive series the first quarter against our backup corners?
(Sell) I thought he made the wrong call, but it's an explainable difference of opinions and not worthy of name-calling.
BUY or SELL: Sam Ehlinger’s sophomore season is better than Colt McCoy’s sophomore season?
(Buy) McCoy had 22 turnovers as a sophomore, including 18 interceptions.
BUY or SELL: You have the connections to get the word to Herman he’s tipping off his offensive plays even though it’s not your responsibility?
(Buy) It's called an Orangebloods subscription. Everything written about the team is known. Believe that.
BUY or SELL: OKLA St had an advantage because someone spiked their stool water with liquid steroids?
(Sell) It's more likely that the Longhorns drank the Austin water this week than anything else.
No. 7 – If I had a vote that mattered …
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. LSU
5. Georgia,
6. Oklahoma
7. Michigan
8. Ohio State
9. Washington State
10. West Virginia
Heisman Top 3: Tua Tagovailoa, Kyler Murray and Gardner Minshew.
No. 8 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
... I thought it was pretty gangsta of the Red Sox to come back and win game four of the World Series AFTER Yasiel Puig pimped that home run like he'd won the series with one swing. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the hell out of it when it happened, but I couldn't be more impressed by the Red Sox.
... This will live for all-time. Sorry, McComas.
... Michael Dickson has brass ones.
... How can the Giants be this wretched on offense with Saquan Barkley and Odell Beckham Jr. on that unit?
... NFL fan gonna NFL fan, even if it's a woman.
... It kind of feels like Tottenham is playing for its season on Monday against Man City. Good luck with that.
... Luis Suarez kicked Real Madrid upside the head on Sunday with a hat trick and I loved every second of it. The fact that he celebrated his eruption of goals with his family was more than a little charming.
No. 9 - The List: Top 10 Texas Longhorns wide receivers ...
Do I have Collin Johnson ranked too high or too low or just right?
10. Wane McGarity
9. Mike Adams
8. Collin Johnson
7. Johnny "Lam" Jones
6. Cotton Speyrer
5. Kwame Cavil
4. Limas Sweed
3. Quan Cosby
2. Roy Williams
1. Jordan Shipley
No. 10 – And Finally...
If you're like me, you could probably use a pick-me-up after the weekend that just went by. Therefore, I end with this...
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Probably worth noting that his receivers dropped several catchable balls, especially in that pitiful first half. Ironic that the big pre-game storyline was angst re whether could even play and, if so, how well could he even throw. Turns out that was one of the stronger parts of our effort and we lost in areas where we were supposed to be strongest.
I have to totally disagree with your take on Sam. He put a number of passes right on target which were either uncontested drops by his receivers or that were broken up by good plays on the ball by OK State DBs. Hard for me to blame him for those incompletions. He did exactly what he needed to do on those plays.
That's a good question (unless it's a trick question and the answer is zero.)
But off the top of my head, I'm sure Johnny "Lam" Jones was. And I'm pretty sure Roy Williams made one All-America team or another. And Speyrer, in his day, might have been. I can't think of who else would have been. Maybe George Sauer in 1963 or '64?
If you're counting tight ends, Pete Lammons, maybe? Pat Fitzgerald?
These two tings are not mutually exclusive.It's always impressive when someone makes a statement another disagrees with and you respond with an insult.
If by "nuanced". . . .you mean offering my opinion on a discussion board. . . then I'll say I can easily stand behind my stance. But if by "nuanced" you mean you used his passing line to support your stance and I easily showed how said line is highly deceiving in judging Sam's play.
And clearly your feelings are hurt or you wouldn't be getting so emotional and insulting others.
What needs to step up is offensive game plan and in game adjustments. What needs to step up is our skill position players.
Give me that exact performance from Sam but with his pass catchers catching the balls that hit them in the hands, we have enough offense to win the rest of our games.
Get back to me when you can let go of your emotional need to insult customers. I have no problem if you disagree with my take. .. . but leave your snarky comments at home. . ..
a. Sam Ehlinger was possibly the best player on the field for Texas on Saturday.
b. He'll have to play better in the next four games for Texas to run the table.
It's that simple.
p.s. Coaching needs to be better and his teammates need to also play better.
Because special teams is considered equal in terms of its importance to the other two phases of the game by coaches, but rarely is treated as such.
You and I aren't in disagreement. He was probably the best player on the field for Texas.
You got it.
Spreyer
Lam
Roy
Spreyer was a two-time AA on two national title teams.
In terms of placing respect on the eras these guys played in, he's probably underrated because he was elite of the elite across the country in two seasons of play.
Still waiting for Ketch's very first example of a play where Sam needed to be better than he was. All you say is "he needs to be better, look at his rating." How about telling me which specific plays during the game he could have made a better play but didn't? You can't do it because they don't really exist. This wasn't like KState where he overthrew a wide open Duvernay for a TD. That play didn't exist in this game as far as I could see without re-watching the game.
Not every take is a winner Ketch... that one was a swing and a miss.
Not every take is a winner Ketch... that one was a swing and a miss.
Did I or did not I not say he might have been UT's best player on the field on Saturday?
I'm saying he has to play better moving forward if Texas wants to win out.
It's not about individual plays. It's about overall quality.
I'm not also saying it's fair, but those are the stakes a starting quarterback at this level this with.
I know what you said. You said he needs to be better, and I am asking in what way did he need to be better? If you can't answer that, how could he have been better?
He needs to play at a level well enough that afterwards his fans don't have to point to dropped passes and throwaways as examples that he really played at a higher level that a terrible rating suggests that he did.
More completions. More touchdown drives. More big plays. More plays with his feet.
All of it. He needs to be a difference maker, not just a driver of the car.
