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

[OkayCoolFU]

@Ketchum is not wrong in his assessment and editorial. I do recall he was pumping us hard after Tech. Maybe I am wrong but I remember reading something here that gave me hope.

 

[knightrider2]

Just comparing Baylor to Texas…

Since 2010 they’ve had 32 players drafted to our 37. All the while, our recruiting rankings have far “surpassed” Baylor by Rivals and other recruiting standards. My point is the rankings don’t tell the story on “talent”.

 

[RCPERK2]

As I recall, pre-season it was not rare to find a prediction of 7-5 on OB. The reasons people, including Ketch gave was the O line and lack of pass rush. I wonder how much harder it is to be in this situation due to the fact that we saw what might have been in the first half of the last 3 days only to loose them.
I can't say we weren't warned this could happen before the season started.
The flashes of wow just make the let down harder.

 

[Cure4BizCancer]

@Ketchum
Apologize if this has been asked/answered but…. Is it possible that Sark realized during/after Arkansas that putting Card behind this line the rest of this season would do more harm to his development (confidence, developing bad habits while always getting chased, etc) than not playing him? In a season of nothing but bad options along the line maybe he felt CT could win enough games and that he and the staff can fix the Oline issues (coaching, portal, recruiting) to position Card better for success in 2022?

I don’t think it’s that. He has an obligation to maximize his probability of winning each weeks football game. He is evaluating and choosing the players to play that he thinks will do that. It’s really pretty simply, as far a player on the field decisions go.

 

[Big Bertha]

aterman's offense the last two seasons was a national top 20 outfit.

Sam had limitations.

You might want to tell the Colts that. He's their number two qb now.

 

[Ketchum]

N

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

No, I said the losing is happening on his watch and no one else's, and that it wasn't happening like this before he arrived.

His strategioes and tactics have obviously played a role in that, as have other things. But, the buck stops with him.

 

[Ketchum]

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.

You just couldn't answer the question, huh?

NO worries. I won't ask you again.

 

[Ketchum]

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?

so, you also believed the talent was in place to be a top 25 team.

Gotcha.

 

[Ketchum]

@Ketchum is not wrong in his assessment and editorial. I do recall he was pumping us hard after Tech. Maybe I am wrong but I remember reading something here that gave me hope.

the team hadn't been outscored 55-10 in the fourth quarter of 3 straight games at that point.

 

[Ketchum]

You might want to tell the Colts that. He's their number two qb now.

They know. I wish him nothing but the best.

Most back-yup quarterbacks in the NFL have serious limitations.

 

[utlonghorn123]

I think he came out of that game with zero trust in card and no desire to revisit it.

I came away from that game with that exact same feeling..

 

[TxMarmot]

I am a proud and founding member of team Casey. Having stated that, he has to play better and progress. Not all of that mess was OL and receiver problems. I agree the WR room isn’t helping him much but they aren’t missing the reads for him nor throwing to the wrong read. They also aren’t passing on rushing for the obvious 10 yard gain given to him to throw into a bad angle/window. He has to play smarter.
‘Having said that, I would be surprised if all the WR starters next year outside of Worthy are either freshmen or portal. 2/3 of the OL as well. I have no idea what to make of the DL except that by scheme or by player we need to be able to pressure the run game and the QB better.

Agree 100%. Well said. It is a team sport and there is blame to go around. I just think it starts and ends with the line play, yet I agree with you.

Need a MSU level overhaul with the portal and get players that fit the system Sark and Co want/need to install. We can argue about talent (which is funny to read on here), yet does that talent fit the style and schemes we want to play. I think we also need to acknowledge that a style and scheme shift needs to happen with the SEC on the horizon...otherwise, everyone will just be bit@hen in 2-3 years when we go to the SEC yet are built for the B12. There has to be focus and building torwards where we are headed... and it is not easy do that and also focus on winning all games right now...and do it in year one of a coaching change and with questionable talent/fit on the roster. Hopefully OB, and it's mods at times, will have a little more perspective and foresight when looking at things..yet I have been around long enough to know that won't happen.

Overall, just getting tired of the it's all this problem or now it's all that problem and based on this game or that. If we look at the season and how things have progressed, or not progressed, the biggest handicap has been OL play imo. Not many, if any, QB's can play well behind that OL if the opponents front 7 is halfway decent. Will only get worse as DC's watch film and know how to better take advantage of our deficiencies. The OL is the one position group where I know for a fact that if we could upgrade a notch or two we would be at least 7-1.

 

[longhornboy]

With regards to casey, I’ve never seen so many dropped passes game in and game out with throws very catchable. With sam, his throws were all over the place (in the ground, behind, too high, etc) so the incompletions made sense. Receivers have to help a qb and that hasn’t happened much. We need a starting wr out of the portal and Evan Stewart to join the good guys and be close to as good as worthy

 

[knightrider2]

so, you also believed the talent was in place to be a top 25 team.

Gotcha.

Yes - for about 10 years now. My belief is linked to rankings. Your rankings at times - they are inflated and inaccurate when capturing a clear picture of talent.

carry on.

 

[TexLex]

They know. I wish him nothing but the best.

Most back-yup quarterbacks in the NFL have serious limitations.

Most back-up NFL QBs are light years ahead of where any of the UT QBs are now.

Sam was 2nd Team All-Big 12 last year. Are any of our current QBs going to approach that? Sam had his faults as a QB, but maybe they might have been better solved by a different HC and staff.

Bottom-line, Sam with all his faults was a greater net-asset than any QB on the current roster. The loss of Sam was a huge blow to the team and as this article started out Sark has not found a suitable replacement yet.

 

[Horn1515]

Can someone who truly understands the game explain to me how we can have double digit leads in the third quarter and then consistently get blown out. Is it conditioning? Is it practicing the players too hard during the week so they come into the game with dead legs? Is it coaching adjustments? Or are the other teams allowing us to get ahead just so they can f**k with our minds. Someone please explain it to me.

 

[RoseBowlChamps]

Baylor, for one.

And probably Ok State

 

[Ketchum]

With regards to casey, I’ve never seen so many dropped passes game in and game out with throws very catchable. With sam, his throws were all over the place (in the ground, behind, too high, etc) so the incompletions made sense. Receivers have to help a qb and that hasn’t happened much. We need a starting wr out of the portal and Evan Stewart to join the good guys and be close to as good as worthy

Texas definitely needs an upgraded WR room.

 

[Ketchum]

Yes - for about 10 years now. My belief is linked to rankings. Your rankings at times - they are inflated and inaccurate when capturing a clear picture of talent.

carry on.

actually, I'd offer it's a more nuanced discussion than that. It's been a constant subject of conversation.

 

[Ketchum]

Most back-up NFL QBs are light years ahead of where any of the UT QBs are now.

Sam was 2nd Team All-Big 12 last year. Are any of our current QBs going to approach that? Sam had his faults as a QB, but maybe they might have been better solved by a different HC and staff.

Bottom-line, Sam with all his faults was a greater net-asset than any QB on the current roster. The loss of Sam was a huge blow to the team and as this article started out Sark has not found a suitable replacement yet.

Sam was just a pretty good player that was up and down each week based on the week.

 

[TexLex]

Sam was just a pretty good player that was up and down each week based on the week.

I agree, but the question is do any of our current QBs now (not potentially) approach what Sam did last year?

And when you answer it do not just use a passer rating but his ability to run, his ability to extend plays and his leadership.

 

[darrenj]

Sam was just a pretty good player that was up and down each week based on the week.

I wonder just how much the OU game last year took out of Sam E. ? If he was ever near being healthy after it. I don't think i have ever seen a QB take that much punishment and hits in 1 game without coming out.

He seemed much quicker earlier in the year and after that game never seemed the same. He definitely had his limitations as a passer for sure.

 

[darrenj]

Texas definitely needs an upgraded WR room.

How many Wide Receivers do they have on scholarship now? I would assume a few of them will be getting the gentle push out the door to make room.

 

[vandyhank05]

The problem is we lost some close games.

It sucks. I had high expectations and hopes for the team

I have accepted the reality that we are 4-4.

I’m going to focus on the positives, and be patient while the team rebuilds.

What are those positives?

 

[bobarmstrong]

What are those positives?

Xavier, Bijan, recruiting.

 

[Ketchum]

I agree, but the question is do any of our current QBs now (not potentially) approach what Sam did last year?

And when you answer it do not just use a passer rating but his ability to run, his ability to extend plays and his leadership.

Yes. Absolutely. Thompson is having a better season, although he's trending n the wrong direction.

 

[Ketchum]

I wonder just how much the OU game last year took out of Sam E. ? If he was ever near being healthy after it. I don't think i have ever seen a QB take that much punishment and hits in 1 game without coming out.

He seemed much quicker earlier in the year and after that game never seemed the same. He definitely had his limitations as a passer for sure.

Sam took physical beatings the entire time he was here.

 

[Ketchum]

How many Wide Receivers do they have on scholarship now? I would assume a few of them will be getting the gentle push out the door to make room.

I expect about 5-6 departures from the 14 or so still there.

 

[tc144509]

@Ketchum
Apologize if this has been asked/answered but…. Is it possible that Sark realized during/after Arkansas that putting Card behind this line the rest of this season would do more harm to his development (confidence, developing bad habits while always getting chased, etc) than not playing him? In a season of nothing but bad options along the line maybe he felt CT could win enough games and that he and the staff can fix the Oline issues (coaching, portal, recruiting) to position Card better for success in 2022?

When u come from an NFL TEAM(Tuscalosa) and you have been watching grown men run around the field, and then u arrive a few months later in Keep it Weird City, it probably took him less than 2 days that he was about to coach boys. Yes he has been thinking long for 8 months now.

 

[karankawajake]

Oh Well......

The Biden thing will get you banned..... I'd del

 

[Mike.Tip]

Agree 100%. Well said. It is a team sport and there is blame to go around. I just think it starts and ends with the line play, yet I agree with you.

Need a MSU level overhaul with the portal and get players that fit the system Sark and Co want/need to install. We can argue about talent (which is funny to read on here), yet does that talent fit the style and schemes we want to play. I think we also need to acknowledge that a style and scheme shift needs to happen with the SEC on the horizon...otherwise, everyone will just be bit@hen in 2-3 years when we go to the SEC yet are built for the B12. There has to be focus and building torwards where we are headed... and it is not easy do that and also focus on winning all games right now...and do it in year one of a coaching change and with questionable talent/fit on the roster. Hopefully OB, and it's mods at times, will have a little more perspective and foresight when looking at things..yet I have been around long enough to know that won't happen.

Overall, just getting tired of the it's all this problem or now it's all that problem and based on this game or that. If we look at the season and how things have progressed, or not progressed, the biggest handicap has been OL play imo. Not many, if any, QB's can play well behind that OL if the opponents front 7 is halfway decent. Will only get worse as DC's watch film and know how to better take advantage of our deficiencies. The OL is the one position group where I know for a fact that if we could upgrade a notch or two we would be at least 7-1.

We agree. This game has always been won or lost in the trenches. Even games that have last minute heroic plays. The trench battle (and penalties/discipline) is the difference in close games and comfortable wins. Close games are always a threat of taking a loss. Dominating consistently up front is the way you stack comfortable wins. Mediocre play in the trenches yields mediocre results on the scoreboard. Average line play on both fronts has been THE issue of these Longhorn teams for almost a decade with the exception of the Tyrone Swoops QB days. (I liked Swoops as a person and athlete but not as a QB).
I love the Horns. We had good star ranked talent on the team BUT that talent is concentrated in overlapping quantities at skill positions mostly. We need to be stacking more high 4star to 5 star talent on the OL, DL and LB positions. Not in place of the RB, WR and DB positions but added to them.