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

[TxMarmot]

This board and the mods are becoming so damn fickle. It's getting ridiculous.

Regarding the QB "problem", the only problem I see is horrid OL and WR play.

Regarding having winning seasons the past few years and saying we should be better this year, that is bs and has very little grounding in reality. If our memories can function beyond a week and are not clouded by emotion, let's recall that last season was supposed to be "the year" and the roster was built for it. They underperformed miserably last year and we all knew then that the next season (this season) was going to experience a drop off. Let's recall articles and articles about having to replace a QB, RT, and Pass Rusher - the three most important positions on the field. Let's not now pretend there is not roster/talent drop off. Lots of discussion before this season that the "hope" for a similar to better season/record this year was due to improved coaching overriding roaster issues. It could easily be argued we would still be 4-4 under Herman, if not worse.

I trust that Sark is pointing us in the right direction. In many organizational turnarounds i've worked on, short term outcomes often don't look that great yet the course direction is correct and necessary. The talent and depth needed is simply not there for this season. I suspect we will see a lot of portal moves and player development this off-season. Need to get the right players/talent in place to fit what we want to do and for what is being built.

Regarding a "culture" problem. That's bs imo...and I know a lot about culture building and change. Let's focus on the real problems rather than topics and buzz words most people have no idea what they are talking about.

 

[nismo265]

I didn't say there wasn't an issue with mentality.

I said this wasn't a destitute program that Sark inferited.

Vegas pegged their win total at 7.5 or 8 depending on the shop, with a schedule that included Kansas, Rice and Louisiana. He didn’t inherit a destitute team, but he sure as hell did not inherit a good team either.

 

[Mike.Tip]

This team has talent but never had the across the board talent nor depth to make a playoff or important bowl appearance. The most obvious issues are likely not fixable in one or even two years in recruiting/portal. The OL and DL groups have always been and continue to be the keys to success. Until those groups are a strength of the team, we will continue to have mediocre results. It would take 2 or 3 D1 plus portal players on each side of the line up front to make a difference unless these young guys develop at a rate we haven’t seen. I think Flood is a good coach. I think that he has coached about what anyone is going to get out of this group. The last OL coach wasn’t a bad coach as much as a bad recruiter (is there a difference?). We simply have to keep our best OL/DL in TX home and get the others from among the nations best that we can. We aren’t even out recruiting Baylor for OL apparently. Their OL was more cohesive and fundamentally sound than ours from what I observed of the game. The DL that was supposed to be a strength of this team was propped up by the mediocrity of the competition of our OL when evaluated. We need more than flashes! We aren’t getting more than flashes. It really doesn’t matter who plays/starts at QB until the lines are fixed.
Rant over.

 

[anon_v7x9c7xxmv5dr]

at what cost has the hasty decision come with?

Oh what a load of horseshit. You and everyone else thought Thompson needed to start after Arkansas.

 

[Ever4texas]

let’s put it this way, Sark inherited a team that forgot how to play 4 qtrs. Now Sark has to teach them again to play 4 Qtrs. We all get you love Hudson Card, you’ve beat that dead horse, now get off. Card will get his chance in spring training to prove he is the guy. What Texas needs to do for the last 4 games from a defensive stand point is scheme to stop the most effective player on the opposing team, like every team in the B12 does to us. Choke off B.Hall, Little Duce Coup, etc. and you have a better ch ace of winning those games.

 

[anon_v7x9c7xxmv5dr]

No one as saying this shit in the summer. Please show me a post heading into the season where you were worried about the culture Tom left behind that would lead to a 4-4 season through eight gamesw.

Well regardless of what people said clearly Herman left behind a team of mentally fragile players that fold at the first sign of adversity. This is now an established fact.

 

[Mike.Tip]

This board and the mods are becoming so damn fickle. It's getting ridiculous.

Regarding the QB "problem", the only problem I see is horrid OL and WR play.

Regarding having winning seasons the past few years and saying we should be better this year, that is bs and has very little grounding in reality. If our memories can function beyond a week and are not clouded by emotion, let's recall that last season was supposed to be "the year" and the roster was built for it. They underperformed miserably last year and we all knew then that the next season (this season) was going to experience a drop off. Let's recall articles and articles about having to replace a QB, RT, and Pass Rusher - the three most important positions on the field. Let's not now pretend there is not roster/talent drop off. Lots of discussion before this season that the "hope" for a similar to better season/record this year was due to improved coaching overriding roaster issues. It could easily be argued we would still be 4-4 under Herman, if not worse.

I trust that Sark is pointing us in the right direction. In many organizational turnarounds i've worked on, short term outcomes often don't look that great yet the course direction is correct and necessary. The talent and depth needed is simply not there for this season. I suspect we will see a lot of portal moves and player development this off-season. Need to get the right players/talent in place to fit what we want to do and for what is being built.

Regarding a "culture" problem. That's bs imo...and I know a lot about culture building and change. Let's focus on the real problems rather than topics and buzz words most people have no idea what they are talking about.

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.

 

[Zorlac]

Yes.

Do me favor. Leave this thread and don't come back. There's a million threads on this site. I don't need the insults and the shitty comments, which always exist when you engage in a discussion with me.

Just go away. Please. Thank you.

You know, I’ve reread my posts multiple times now and not once did I insult you. I do believe you have an agenda and I’ve developed that belief by reading your posts and your articles.

16 years Ketch

If you want me to go away and want me to stop posting then I’ll leave. Your call….

 

[anon_v7x9c7xxmv5dr]

Sarkisian inherited a program that averaged 8.33 wins per season, which includes a short-season in 2020, and finished ranked as high as 9th, 25th and 19th in the last three seasons. All of last season's losses were of the one-score variety.

Did Sark also inherit Sam Ehlinger? Herman from day ****ing 1 inherited a QB that would go on to become statistically one of the best in school history.

What did Sark inherit? An OL that is horribly undeveloped. The consequences of Herman and Hand failing spectacularly in recruiting. A DL with no proven consistent playmakers. A WR group who had one consistent WR (Sark had to add the best WR on the team after he arrived). A cavalcade of mediocrity at LB and Safeties that clearly haven't been developed in the last 3 years and lack any kind of fundamentals. And then there is the mental fragility of these players who fold at the first sign of adversity.

Sark inherited a mess from Herman. Herman's flaws were covered up by Sam Ehlinger. Sark doesn't have Sam Ehlinger to cover up the holes in the roof Herman left behind. Whether you choose to admit it or not Herman took a big steaming shit on this program.

 

[nismo265]

No, people all day have been acting like Sark inherited a program full of players that have no idea what winning looks like and that the talent was incredibly poor.

That's hogwash. This program was at the pretty good level and couldn't go higher.

It's currently .500.

“This program was at the pretty good level.”

1-4 against your biggest rival. 0-2 in last two against Iowa State.

Lost three games or more against conference opponents every year.

27 one-score “coin flip” games un.

Vegas win total this season was 7.5 or 8 depending on the shop.

In what world is this a “pretty good level?”

 

[MB-HORNS]

Ok yes we get this. We also see people calling for assistants heads after EIGHT GAMES. That’s a joke. If sark is performing like shit after 3 years fire his ass. But cutting off his legs and making him fire his assistants after one year is ridiculous.

Sark will probably let several assistants go himself. so be mad at him not us. No one is going to make him fire anyone.

 

[BigDaddyHorn1]

If Sark doesn't give Card another meaningful opportunity, and Card transfers...then it will absolutely be coaching malpractice on Sark's part, esp given his QB coaching expertise. And it will likely mean Sark will fail at Texas.

agreed. you have to keep Card and develop him, and that starts with meaningful playing time

 

[Rotarran9116]

“This program was at the pretty good level.”

1-4 against your biggest rival. 0-2 in last two against Iowa State.

Lost three games or more against conference opponents every year.

27 one-score “coin flip” games un.

Vegas win total this season was 7.5 or 8 depending on the shop.

In what world is this a “pretty good level?”

Absolutely wonderful post.

 

[Ketchum]

@Ketchum who is the sacrificial lamb going to be?

Becton?
Defensive position coaches?

I don't think Sark wants to change things. Maybe Coleman.

 

[jttexas05]

I think the DC could really be in trouble...

I'd be shocked if PK is let go.

 

[Ketchum]

You didn’t seem to factor that into your editorial analysis too much last December, when we had just hired 7 new assistants that got shafted from having a full offseason with our team due to a global pandemic. So please, don’t patronize me. If you believe what you just said then why not you act that way moving forward.

lol. ok.

 

[Ketchum]

You mentioned in your post about finding some of the 100+ Receivers on scholarship that can catch a ball. Yes, I get you are making a jest however you cannot deny that that in itself is emblematic of the lack of talent distribution and depth at the many other positions that have been neglected during the Herman tenure.

How in the Hell can you say this is a talented team when there is such a shitty distribution of talent across the board for this squad? Furthermore, if those receivers leave the program then certainly that impacts the overall talent level of the squad as a whole as well. If the talent level and evaluation was THAT good then tell me why a scrawny Freshman receiver has beaten everyone else out in this group to be THE guy at reciever?

It doesn’t matter how many 5* receivers you have in waiting (by the way, I am not aware that we have a single 5* WR recruit on our roster!) but if you don’t have anyone that can block long enough for a ball to be thrown their way then what good is that? Furthermore, you have weaknesses at a multitude of positions including linebacker, safety, DL, QB, TE, and just about everywhere else on this team.

Face it- as former players have told me, this team has talent, just not very much of it and certainly it is not spread all over the field as you and Anwar are insinutating. The overall talent level of this team is nowhere close to what Mack had even in his latter years. You and Anwar may not think so but former players do.

what was your pre-season prediction for this team?

 

[jttexas05]

I don't think Sark wants to change things. Maybe Coleman.

Anwar says it's inevitable at this point.

Was that a guess, or is it in the works?

 

[Ketchum]

Bingo

The ol' magic agenda claim...

 

[MB-HORNS]

I'd be shocked if PK is let go.

Probably not but next year he better improve a lot..

 

[MB-HORNS]

And he absolutely shouldn’t change things. Our fan base is a joke.

I am a proud joke........

 

[anon_v7x9c7xxmv5dr]

Sark will probably let several assistants go himself. so be mad at him not us. No one is going to make him fire anyone.

There is no indication that he is going to fire anyone.

 

[Ketchum]

Ketch, you have to at least admit we are the least talented at the most critical positions for sustained success: OL and DL. That and our wRs can’t hang in to balls that hit their hands.

we aren’t an untalented team across the board but pressure on our QB and Rb has been crippling. And we got no pressure on opponents qBs or r b s.

and Sark did absolutely take over a team minus significant difference makers in Ossai and Cosmi. We do have a HUGE talent/difference maker shortage at OL, DL, LB and S. Our defensive performances show a lot of desire. Not a lot of talent.

This team lacks a pass rush of any kind, playmakers on defense and quality offensive line play.

Some of that falls on the roster. Some of it falls on a lack of development at those positions at all. Some of it is decision making in the off-season towards roster building.

It's not just one thing.

 

[Ketchum]

So what is it? There has to be a reason?

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

 

[MB-HORNS]

Of course it was a guess. What source does he have that would have told him that?

And you know this how?

 

[Ketchum]

Like the last time Herman was there huh? 24-10 loss with our touchdown coming with 1 second left in the game. With a three year starter at quarterback. This was Hermans third year and that game made them 6-5. I think it was his headbutt game too. Be better….you're not being objective this evening.

Like the double-digit win from a year ago.

Maybe Oklahoma State. He'd one the last two against them.

 

[anon_v7x9c7xxmv5dr]

what was your pre-season prediction for this team?

Why does that matter? What matters is he's not wrong in his assessment at this time.

 

[Ketchum]

You quoted me earlier and referred to how important the loss of Ehlinger, Ossai, and Cosmi was when I alluded to how much they covered up.

You warned us since the summer there were a lot of holes and a lot of trouble.

This is not a good roster. If it was we wouldn't be here at 4-4. There are no difference makers outside of X and Bijan.

At some point the carousel of coaching staffs has to stop.

This roster is not good enough to win a title. It is good enough to be a top 25 team IMO.

 

[Ketchum]

I think the only reason Charlie didn't get to four straight losses is because he was fired on a three game losing streak. 🤣

He ran out of time.

 

[Ketchum]

Welp Sark has his work cut out for him. Lots of questions needing answers. This is far from ideal and will be interesting to see how it is handled. He needs to emulate Mel Tucker and go all in on the portal

aggressively.

 

[MB-HORNS]

There is no indication that he is going to fire anyone.

Fair but the season is not over yet either....

 

[Ketchum]

Let's be clear Ketch, this program was heading off of the rails last year and recruiting was tanking faster than Biden's polling numbers. Herman left a mess that will take years to sort out. You seem to imply this team is better than it really is. Considering this team from a pure talent perspective, maybe we shouldn't be 4-4 and maybe our QB situation wasn't handled very well..
But bottom line is that this team is awful. They aren't tough, they don't compete, and they have no pride. And the most glaring thing is that there is no leaders on this roster. Sarkisian inherited this debacle of a program and now he's expected to fix it in year one. You need to move over to Aggie Yell or TexAgs with that kind of perspective..

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..

 

[jttexas05]

Of course it was a guess. What source does he have that would have told him that?

That's why I am asking since he was speaking in absolutes.

 

[anon_v7x9c7xxmv5dr]

Fair but the season is not over yet either....

Point. But I don't think at the moment we're looking at anyone getting fired. Granted that could change if we go 0-4 in November

 

[MB-HORNS]

You really think he has a source inside the program telling him that coaching changes are coming? Come on.

Do you really believe @Anwar Richardson does not have any sources?