Ketch's 10 Thoughts From The Weekend (About the quarterbacks... Part III)

[Utexex1989]

The one thing I disagree with is that the OL isn't the #1 priority to get fixed. I believe that it should be a bigger priority than even landing Arch (and Arch may not even want to come if he thinks his head will be on the block every game with our current level of OL). A competent OL gets us a win at OU, OkSU, Baylor, and may have put us in a position to win Arkansas. The soft defense and lack of effective defensive adjustments definitely suck, but given a little time, it's hard to believe that Thompson or Card for that matter, couldn't find Worthy or Robinson out of the backfield (since our other WRs can only catch 50% of the time). Do we need to find a pass rush too? Absolutely, but OL has been the common issue over the entirety of the post-Colt McCoy era, which has been our era of suckitude. Imagine Bijan's yards if he had even a competent line?

I'm on the fence about QB for the rest of the season. I'm the president of the Casey fan club, and I still think he's the better choice when the QB is under near constant duress. But, this season is done and the rest of the games should be used for development. I'm not sure, though, that it means throwing Card to the wolves. Maybe the suggestion of waiting for Kansas to bring him back might be OK. But, if Sark sticks with Casey the rest of the season, he needs to be in Card's ear that Card will be the next up - if he even wants to stay. Either way, Card needs to be working NOW on becoming more of a vocal leader, because he won't live up to his potential anywhere he is unless that changes.

I like Sark, and I think the potential is there. The gravest bit of malpractice he committed was failing to see the obvious need for substantial upgrades on the OL and pounding the portal as soon as he was named head coach. They should be putting some kind of NIL program offering out there for any elite or decent OL portal candidate available between now and next summer. Unless we get an injection of talent on the OL, we will suck again next year.

 

[TexSoul]

This was probably my favorite 51 seconds of the weekend.

That tweet was awesome couldn't stop laughing thanks in times like these that's really what we need.

The best part might have been the tweeters tagline and intro

 

[Ketchum]

The 2020 team was objectively a 5-5 team. I explained that in earlier threads; and that’s with two players on the that team we haven’t come close to replacing.

Objectively, the 2020 team was absolutely 7-3.

It's something other than objective when you start moving the goalposts either direction from reality.

 

[Ketchum]

The one thing I disagree with is that the OL isn't the #1 priority to get fixed.

It's massive, but this program has multiple massive needs right now.

It ranks No.1, but not at the expense of thinking the other areas aren't massive.

 

[Ketchum]

I think what this all boils down to is that @Ketchum has a much different definition of what a “good” football team is than we do. It’s the only thing I can come up with given the objective measures you and I have pointed out, and him still insisting those measures qualify as “good” or “pretty good.”

how do you describe teams that win 70% of their games, win their bowl games and finish in the top 20 (second highest ranking in a decade)?

what's the word? Not a paragraph, but a word or two words.

 

[DKinnamon]

No doubt. It still shouldn't be a .500 team.

Single possession games turn into coin flip games.

I don't know that Sarkisian is the answer but I know flipping coordinators and coaches every 3 years isn't the right call.

 

[TheTexian]

HBO Max has great content (like OB), but the actually app is worse than Orangebloods.com on National Signing Day.

 

[prohias]

(Sell) R.E.M. is much-less remembered in 2021 than Cheers. I was literally comparing one of the plots inside of Ted Lasso to Cheers a few weeks ago. I can't remember the last time I listened to Losing My Religion on purpose.

This did not age well.

 

[Hookemtms70]

Objectively, the 2020 team was absolutely 7-3.

It's something other than objective when you start moving the goalposts either direction from reality.

Is Casey Thompson not objectively sporting the best passer rating by any Texas QB since Colt? If so, by definition are you moving the goalposts by suggesting the QB question has not been settled going into 2022? Objectively speaking, you’re not being fair.

I really hope you understand that pointing out Casey’s quarter-by-quarter passer ratings over the last four games (games where he’s had no time to throw), completely ignoring how he has performed when given adequate time to throw in other games, and concluding we don’t know if the QB question has been answered - while ignoring his 160+ rating to date - might not be the most logically sound take.

You could have just as easily stated when Casey has time to process plays, he’s proven to be an amazing QB, therefore Sark and Flood need to fix the OL, not the QB question. Instead, you cherry-picked parts of the season to support a subjective take that doesn’t necessarily match the overall result.

And I did the same by pointing out that even getting to OT in any last years games, much less somehow winning TWO of them, was statically nearly impossible. This is why I subjectively view last year’s team as one that’s befitting 5-5, and is more representative of what Sark inherited, vs. the 7-3 team. On paper.

So if I’m moving the goalposts by ignoring the results, you’re doing the same with Casey. Hope this helps.

 

[McGuapo]

Recruiting was a dumpster fire. The actual football on the field ended up being better than decent based on the actual results of the season..

And recruiting was the straw that broke it, along with him not having any friends.

 

[txfight]

Worrying about CT or Card isn’t relevant to me anymore for this year or beyond. We dont have the OL or WRs to help make a QB look successful at UT.

Actually I think everything in this post was spot on but I cut out all but the part that I think is the biggest truth.

It just doesn't matter who is under center if the line doesn't play well. And if the receivers aren't contributing either, how in the world can you accurately assess the QB?

For years I've been saying I'm tired of all the hype about these QB, RB, WR, DB recruits. No skill position players can make a difference without an O-Line protecting or a D-Line pass rush. Full Stop. Football begins and ends there.

Murphy, Blue, Manning... blah, blah, blah... it doesn't matter until we get O-Line or Pass Rush guys. And the tired "O-Line recruits are going to flock to come play with these guys" storyline seems to hold very little water.

Recruit linemen and then you'll be amazed at how well 3 star or low 4 star guys play behind them.

 

[Ketchum]

Single possession games turn into coin flip games.

I don't know that Sarkisian is the answer but I know flipping coordinators and coaches every 3 years isn't the right call.

let's not make it 4 for 4.

 

[Ketchum]

HBO Max has great content (like OB), but the actually app is worse than Orangebloods.com on National Signing Day.

Take that back, sir!!!!

 

[Ketchum]

Is Casey Thompson not objectively sporting the best passer rating by any Texas QB since Colt? If so, by definition are you moving the goalposts by suggesting the QB question has not been settled going into 2022? Objectively speaking, you’re not being fair.

The 7-3 record was a final record.

Casey Thompson's passer rating is a fluid thing at this point. Maybe ask that question again in 4 weeks.

 

[Ketchum]

And recruiting was the straw that broke it, along with him not having any friends.

zero friends

 

[Ketchum]

Actually I think everything in this post was spot on but I cut out all but the part that I think is the biggest truth.

It just doesn't matter who is under center if the line doesn't play well. And if the receivers aren't contributing either, how in the world can you accurately assess the QB?

For years I've been saying I'm tired of all the hype about these QB, RB, WR, DB recruits. No skill position players can make a difference without an O-Line protecting or a D-Line pass rush. Full Stop. Football begins and ends there.

Murphy, Blue, Manning... blah, blah, blah... it doesn't matter until we get O-Line or Pass Rush guys. And the tired "O-Line recruits are going to flock to come play with these guys" storyline seems to hold very little water.

Recruit linemen and then you'll be amazed at how well 3 star or low 4 star guys play behind them.

did it matter who played on the OL in 2009 for almost all of the season?

Or did it matter more who was the quarterback?

 

[McGuapo]

If a new CEO comes into a company that’s doing pretty good and things take a turn for the worse in a pretty obvious way, he doesn’t just get to say, “well, we have to recycle the entire organization to be successful.” Uh no, there was already a level of success happening, maybe not the mountaintop, but doing pretty good. He gets to maybe fire and hire a few critical positions and maybe add a couple new pieces and change some processes, but the organizations success or failure is on him. He doesn’t get to say “well, the entire company sucked, it’s not my fault, so we need massive turnover.” He’s paid the big money to find ways to make the organization successful largely based on what they have, with some tweaks. But I can promise you there’d be lots of heat about “why are we going backwards?” Fix it, quickly.

 

[abest]

The truth to the matter is that neither quarterback is great. Both are just good quarterbacks and they play behind a below average O-line. Those two combinations are a recipe for an average team. Throw in a defense that is poorly coached and you have a 4 and 4 record. Fix those three things and I’ve got a shot at a decent record. Nothing more nothing less.

 

[Ketchum]

If a new CEO comes into a company that’s doing pretty good and things take a turn for the worse in a pretty obvious way, he doesn’t just get to say, “well, we have to recycle the entire organization to be successful.” Uh no, there was already a level of success happening, maybe not the mountaintop, but doing pretty good. He gets to maybe fire and hire a few critical positions and maybe add a couple new pieces and change some processes, but the organizations success or failure is on him. He doesn’t get to say “well, the entire company sucked, it’s not my fault, so we need massive turnover.” He’s paid the big money to find ways to make the organization successful largely based on what they have, with some tweaks. But I can promise you there’d be lots of heat about “why are we going backwards?” Fix it, quickly.

^^^^^^

 

[Ketchum]

The truth to the matter is that neither quarterback is great. Both are just good quarterbacks and they play behind a below average O-line. Those two combinations are a recipe for an average team. Throw in a defense that is poorly coached and you have a 4 and 4 record. Fix those three things and I’ve got a shot at a decent record. Nothing more nothing less.

If this defense is slightly above average, its record is probably 6-2.

 

[kndukellc]

I would assume that there are many UT followers, new and old that are still drunk or hung over from all the Kool Aid they consumed before the season began expecting more and now feeling we deserved more from the new changes to UT football. What if we had let Herman fulfill his contract this year and based on the resources we have now, not including any of Sarks recruits where would we be. Now we start the coaching process. Do you think we could still get Sark, with LSU, USC( been there done that), possibly Michigan, Penn State or Florida looking and several other top programs considering a change. Maybe, Maybe not! but we would be one yr further down the road with mediocracy.

the facts are, G.O.A.T. Saban, at Sark's age, became Head Coach at Michigan State and went 6-5-1, 6-6, 7-5, 6-6 and then was 7/6 his first yr at Alabama. so we are expecting Sark to surpass Saban in his first couple of years, Its not happening this year.

Secondly, Charlie Strong left Herman with a team that was physically and mentally strong and a team leader in Sam Ehlinger, the two things that this team is lacking, its achievable but it is not happening.

I believe Sark is a realist, he now understands what he's got and what needs to be fixed. I firmly believe that the determination and courage it took for him to beat the demons he has had to deal with, will show up in the next couple of years with UT football. He and hopefully the players will stand up and determine a new leader in the locker room and on the field.
I would suggest also, that the team be required to attend Coach Sarks press conferences after a loss, to understand what accountability is really like!

Everybody needs to step back, have a glass of wine and relax, because had we not make the change when we did, we might be looking at another Kansas loss and a new coach search.

 

[Hookemtms70]

The 7-3 record was a final record.

Casey Thompson's passer rating is a fluid thing at this point. Maybe ask that question again in 4 weeks.

Oh boy.

So what I think you just did was make a bold statement about the QB position not being settled eight games into this season by spotlighting a smaller sample size than what is available, yet you recommend that “I ask that question again in four weeks, because “Casey’s passer rating is fluid.”

Do you not see the irony and double standard in that suggestion?

 

[karankawajake]

a. Recruiting was definitely in the tank.

b. This team IS better than 4-4 imo.

c. The team isn't awful. Awful doesn't lead by double digits against ranked teams in three straight games.

I'm kind of stunned you just lectured me about perspective.

Sorry Ketch. Didn't meant to come off as lecturing. IMO, your looking at this from a talent perspective in stating that you don't think this is a 4-4 team. Your placing all of this on Sark and a lack of coaching. I'm not an insider by any means, but this teams reeks of a.lack of player leadership in the locker room and on the field. Michael Griffith voiced the same observation. Hence the 4-4 record which will probably will be worse by the end of the season. You want to put this on Sarkisian and I don't agree with that. I would hate to be in his shoes for the rest of this season because until the roster changes, I don't think this Longhorn team's fortunes are going to change. And I would like to be wrong.

 

[karankawajake]

I would assume that there are many UT followers, new and old that are still drunk or hung over from all the Kool Aid they consumed before the season began expecting more and now feeling we deserved more from the new changes to UT football. What if we had let Herman fulfill his contract this year and based on the resources we have now, not including any of Sarks recruits where would we be. Now we start the coaching process. Do you think we could still get Sark, with LSU, USC( been there done that), possibly Michigan, Penn State or Florida looking and several other top programs considering a change. Maybe, Maybe not! but we would be one yr further down the road with mediocracy.

the facts are, G.O.A.T. Saban, at Sark's age, became Head Coach at Michigan State and went 6-5-1, 6-6, 7-5, 6-6 and then was 7/6 his first yr at Alabama. so we are expecting Sark to surpass Saban in his first couple of years, Its not happening this year.

Secondly, Charlie Strong left Herman with a team that was physically and mentally strong and a team leader in Sam Ehlinger, the two things that this team is lacking, its achievable but it is not happening.

I believe Sark is a realist, he now understands what he's got and what needs to be fixed. I firmly believe that the determination and courage it took for him to beat the demons he has had to deal with, will show up in the next couple of years with UT football. He and hopefully the players will stand up and determine a new leader in the locker room and on the field.
I would suggest also, that the team be required to attend Coach Sarks press conferences after a loss, to understand what accountability is really like!

Everybody needs to step back, have a glass of wine and relax, because had we not make the change when we did, we might be looking at another Kansas loss and a new coach search.

Exactly

 

[Silencam]

I don't think many are crucifying him.

I agree with 95% of your post.

Well, hell, you did. And I agree with 95% of the post too. Your comments on Sark are almost personal. Accountability-yes. Attacks I just don’t get.

 

[knightrider2]

You lost me so fast…

Coaches will need to turn water into wine mixed with the talent is there because Herman left enough. Say what you will about these recruiting classes, but where is this talent you speak of that was left behind? You were correct from the start with water to wine…leave it there and don’t try to tell us the talent is there.

 

[Ketchum]

Oh boy.

So what I think you just did was make a bold statement about the QB position not being settled eight games into this season by spotlighting a smaller sample size than what is available, yet you recommend that “I ask that question again in four weeks, because “Casey’s passer rating is fluid.”

Do you not see the irony and double standard in that suggestion?

It really isn't that bold.

 

[Ketchum]

Sorry Ketch. Didn't meant to come off as lecturing. IMO, your looking at this from a talent perspective in stating that you don't think this is a 4-4 team. Your placing all of this on Sark and a lack of coaching. I'm not an insider by any means, but this teams reeks of a.lack of player leadership in the locker room and on the field. Michael Griffith voiced the same observation. Hence the 4-4 record which will probably will be worse by the end of the season. You want to put this on Sarkisian and I don't agree with that. I would hate to be in his shoes for the rest of this season because until the roster changes, I don't think this Longhorn team's fortunes are going to change. And I would like to be wrong.

I absolutely am not placing this all on Sark.

Nope.

Not at all.

 

[Ketchum]

Exactly

They shouldn't have been drinking the kool-aid. It wasn't being poured by us.

 

[Ketchum]

Well, hell, you did. And I agree with 95% of the post too. Your comments on Sark are almost personal. Accountability-yes. Attacks I just don’t get.

I didn't attack him. I gave him responsibility for a three-game losing streak and a .500 record with a team good enough to lead in the second half against ranked teams for three straight weeks.

He'd receiving glory if he'd won all three.

 

[Ketchum]

You lost me so fast…

Coaches will need to turn water into wine mixed with the talent is there because Herman left enough. Say what you will about these recruiting classes, but where is this talent you speak of that was left behind? You were correct from the start with water to wine…leave it there and don’t try to tell us the talent is there.

what was your pre-season prediction?

 

[Silencam]

I didn't attack him. I gave him responsibility for a three-game losing streak and a .500 record with a team good enough to lead in the second half against ranked teams for three straight weeks.

He'd receiving glory if he'd won all three.

Come on now… you could have challenged his strategy. Or his tactics. You basically said he is causing a losing culture. The first two items above are totally fair. The last one is not.

my mama told me when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

 

[nismo265]

how do you describe teams that win 70% of their games, win their bowl games and finish in the top 20 (second highest ranking in a decade)?

what's the word? Not a paragraph, but a word or two words.

You’ve literally proved the point @Hookemtms70 and I have been making. Your definition of what qualifies as “good” or “pretty good” is based solely off an end-of-season record that includes meaningless regular season games and bowl games.

I must ask now….if Texas goes 8-4 this year, is that a good season? If it does go 8-4, the only ranked team it will have beaten is Louisiana, and it was out of the conference race in October.

Also, is this season really that different than 2019? After the lost to Baylor, Texas was 6-5 (4-3 in conference). It was 1-3 against ranked teams.

Finally, the whole argument that losing three straight is unexpected doesn’t hold water when: (1) they were three ranked teams; (2) Texas was an underdog in Vegas in two of them; and (3) Texas has shown the past two seasons it’s more likely to lose to a ranked team than beat it.

 

[knightrider2]

what was your pre-season prediction?

The same as it has been for like 5 years running 8-9 wins. That means very little to me as you look over our decade of success. Heck, I’m guessing we are averaging 8 wins over a decade at this point. Who on the roster is playing on Sundays?

 

[knightrider2]

Ketch -

At quick glance since 2010 we’ve had 9 wins once and 13 another. The rest range from 5 to 8.

I’m guessing our predictions were ahead of most of those years.