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Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (Breakdown on each coach on Tom Herman's staff...)

Someone gave me tickets to the game Wednesday and it’s work related so I have to go - ugh
 
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I need to thank Anwar Richardson this week.

At around noon on Sunday, I told my wife, "I need to get out of the house and get somewhere where I can write in quiet."

After a long pause ...

"I have no idea what I'm going to write about."

Fifteen minutes later, while giving Anwar's Sunday Pulpit a copy-edit and wondering just how much credit/props I was willing to give Stan Drayton for his work as a member of Tom Herman's staff, an idea for this week's column was born.

Below is a snapshot analysis of each member of Tom Herman's coaching staff, with what I hope is an insightful and fairly complete breakdown of the state of things.

Thanks for the inspiration, Anwar!

No. 2 - A look at the returning coaches ...

I've separated the analysis into two categories - returning coaches and new coaches. We'll start with the three coaches that survived this season's assistant coaching bloodbath - running backs coach Stan Drayton, offensive line coach Herb Hand and defensive ends coach Oscar Giles. Let's get to it.

Stan Drayton

The Buzz: It hasn't happened overnight, but slowly but surely, Drayton has started to pay dividends for all of the confidence Tom Herman has projected towards him over the last three years - both on and off the field.

The group he's working with this season: This is potentially the best and deepest set of running backs that the Longhorns have worked with since the 2013 team and if freshman Bijan Robinson lives up to his billing, perhaps a case can be made that this is the best running backs unit the Longhorns have had since 2005-07. The trio of Robinson, junior Keaontay Ingram and sophomore Roschon Johnson should give Drayton a combination of skills that should make the running game one of the top three in the Big 12.

The best thing you can say: His year of work in 2019 was pretty damn good. In addition to landing a five-star out of state running back, he help turned a true freshman quarterback into a solid immediate contributor amid an injury crisis and the team climbed into the top 50 in terms of national running game numbers without leaning on its starting quarterback to carry a tremendous load.

The worst thing you can say: Without the signing of Robinson, you can make a case there should have been eight assistant coaches fired in December.

About Recruiting: His recruiting prowess has been completely underwhelming until the job he did with Robinson, but if he's the star in the making everyone believes he will be, not much else will matter in the grand scheme of things. It'll be interesting to see how he performs in the next season because it's possible that a one-year shot in the dark is in play here or maybe the Robinson recruitment was just the jumpstart he needed to find his groove again as a recruiter.

A good 2020 looks like this: The Longhorns average more than 200 rushing yards per game, while Robinson/Ingram emerge as the best duo in the Big 12 and another difference maker can be added in the 2021 recruiting class.

Final Thought: Drayton's career as an assistant has been unlike any in Austin that I can remember in the last two decades. An entire half decade's worth of work could ultimately come down to how good Robinson becomes as a player.

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Herb Hand

The Buzz: While his stock might not quite be as high as it was following the 2018 season when it appeared he turned some water into drinkable wine, Hand likely represented the single safest coach on the entire staff following the 2019 season.

The group he's working with this season: Three starters return (Sam Cosmi, Junior Angilau and Derek Kerstetter) and one of them has a chance to be among the best in the nation at his position (Cosmi). Beyond those three, though, it remains to be seen whether the Longhorns will have a step up with regards to starting-level talent in the line-up or if a small dip occurs without much developed depth behind it in the event of injuries.

The best thing you can say:
Hand is the best assistant coach hire that Tom Herman made in his first three seasons.

The worst thing you can say: Considering that Hand's unit was one of the worst groups in the Big 12 in terms of keeping the quarterback from being sacked a year ago, the best thing we can say about him if fairly faint praise.

About Recruiting: Hand has been rock solid over the course of the last two recruiting windows (eight signings, four four-stars, and four three-stars), but hasn't landed the type of high-level national target that Drayton pulled off with Robinson in the last class. That's probably the one missing piece in his recruiting portfolio.

A good 2020 looks like this: The running game improves another 25+ yards per game, while the pass protection cuts the number of sacks allowed considerably and Cosmi emerges as a first-team all-American type of player.

Final Thought: The Texas program still isn't churning out NFL-level offensive line prospects on an annual basis and that has to change because elite prospects like Tommy Brockermeyer are having a hard time ignoring that fact when considering their recruiting options.

Oscar Giles

The Buzz: It feels like Giles is being given a bit of a free pass for the last few years because of the fact that he was working in a Tom Orlando defense that didn't always do his position group a lot of favors. When you consider that Giles has done a pretty good job for more than a decade at multiple stops, including his first stint at Texas, that free pass might be completely fair.

The group he's working with this season: Well, there's good news and bad news. On one hand, he's going to be working with Joseph Ossai, which might just give him the best player on the team with which to work. On the other hand, there's virtually no one else proven among the defensive end ranks with Ta'Quan Graham expected to spin down to the three-tech.

The best thing you can say: While he might not be flashy, Giles and his players have been the least of the defense's problems over the course of the last few seasons.

The worst thing you can say: Giles isn't a miracle-worker and isn't a guy that can turn water into wine. If you give him plus talent, he'll produce plus players, but if you're expecting him to automatically get the best out of every end he works with, you probably shouldn't hold your breath.

About Recruiting: Rock solid. Giles has landed five-stars in his career and he's missed a few as well. While he's never going to make a list of the best recruiters in the country, there's no denying that he's a fully capable/success recruiter in his right, as the recruitments of Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton prove.

A good 2020 looks like this: Inside of a scheme that should free up his players to create more havoc and big plays, a boost in the profiles of Ossai, Graham, Keondre Coburn, Moro Ojomo and others would be a real welcome. It's time for the anonymous production from a year ago to turn into top of the marquee production.

Final Thought: No coach on the staff probably has a longer track-record of landing nationally elite prospects in recruiting over the course of their entire careers.

No. 3- The New Guys

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Chris Ash

The Buzz: The most important hire of Tom Herman's career, it's up to Ash to lead the defense in a direction that can give Herman's tenure in Austin a chance to thrive because the belief in Todd Orlando and the disaster that came from it is probably the biggest reason why the entire enterprise is a bit of a question mark heading into year four.

The group he's working with this season: It's a defense that is stacked in the defensive backfield with starting-level talent, as Ash gushed over just a few days ago. There's also an interior group along the defensive line that might be as deep as any in the Big 12. Yet, the linebackers and overall pull of ends in the program are major question marks that will require plus-development and coaching to steer into a championship season.

The best thing you can say: On paper, his success at Ohio State suggests that belongs on a list of the top 10 defensive coordinators in the country.

The worst thing you can say: The success that has earned him his positive reputation was earned almost a half-decade ago, which is a coded way of saying he hasn't been elite at much of anything during that time.

About Recruiting: Although you wouldn't call Ash an elite recruiter, he's definitely an upgrade in this department over Orlando, who was mainly a non-factor in this area. While he won't likely be asked to do a ton of heavy lifting, Ash has a career-long reputation for being rock solid on the recruiting trail and his eye for plus-evaluations is perhaps his greatest strength.

A good 2020 looks like this: Texas ranked 7th in the Big 12 in scoring defense, 8th in total defense, 9th in passing defense, 6th in sacks, 5th in and 8th on first downs ... listing these measures into the top 3-4 of the conference (a fairly modest set of goals) probably means that the Longhorns are playing for the Big 12 title and will be able to point to a defensive unit that aided in getting there.

Final Thought: If Ash is as good as he's supposed to be, Herman's program is going to improve in the win-loss department. Period. If he's not, Herman could be in trouble in a couple of years. Ash is that important to the long-term outlook of the program.

Jay Boulware

The Buzz: The Texas special teams were average at best a season ago and often looked like they lacked any direction from the coaching staff at all. The hire of Boulware is completely centered on rectifying the special teams issues from a year ago. Yes, he'll also coach tight ends.

The group he's working with this season: At tight end, he's got an okay group with which to work. Senior Cade Brewer represents a returning starter at the position, but his contributions in the passing game were limited to about a catch per game on the average. It remains to be seen if anyone on the roster can push Brewer because of increased development. Over on the special teams, the kicking game should be solid at the very least with both kicking starters returning, while the return game has a lot of intriguing options on paper.

The best thing you can say: Boulware has a handful of conference championship rings on his fingers from his time at OU and the positions he coached were ranked among the nation's elite and a true positive factor in those accomplishments.

The worst thing you can say: For a guy with a fistful of rings on his finger, he's been kind of a seemingly anonymous contributor on those championship OU squads.

About Recruiting: Boulware knows his way around the state after having worked the trails for almost a decade, which is notable on a Texas staff that doesn't have a ton of newcomers on the staff with anywhere near the amount of experience that he brings to the table. As an individual recruiter, he's solid, but probably not known for being consistently more than that. He's a guy that you'd probably surround with Bryan Carrington’s help if he's in charge of a marquee recruit.

A good 2020 looks like this: Just make the special teams a plus-part of the program and everything else will be gravy.

Final Thought: His running backs at Oklahoma were quite good and always produced, but those facts get somewhat rendered moot because he'll be coaching the tight ends, but don't forget that this guy had success over a seven-year window and Norman, while working under two different coaches and two different positions.

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Andre Coleman

The Buzz: The former Kansas State coach turned Texas analyst won over the players and his boss during the preparations for the Alamo Bowl to such a degree that it became a slam dunk that he would become the full-time leader at this position.

The group he's working with this season: There's a ton of raw talent on the roster, but not much of it has performed consistently at any point in their careers, which means that Coleman has to turn some kids into men if the production from the likes of Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson will be easily replaced.

The best thing you can say: He's a grown-up among a room full of players at the wide receiver position that lack maturity and he has their complete respect going into the spring, which might make him just what the doctor ordered.

The worst thing you can say: He has zero track record as a recruiter at a school that demands huge results from the coach that recruits at this position and didn't have a coaching j-o-b at this time last year after his stint as wide receivers coach/offensive coordinator for KSU, which means that no one notable was banging down his door to bring him into their program.

About Recruiting: Honestly, who knows? He's a 47-year old coach that has been in the coaching game for a decade, but he's never been asked to do in recruiting what he'll be asked to do in this role with the Longhorns. The fact that the Texas players have warmed up to him so quickly speaks well of his vibe with young people, but will that automatically translate to big-time success with elite recruits? It's a question without an answer for the time being.

A good 2020 looks like this: Brennan Eagles, Jake Smith, Jordan Whittington and possibly even Josh Moore all take steps forward in their development under Coleman and combine to replace the production void left by the departed seniors, while Coleman also lands two national top-75 level prospects on the recruiting trail.

Final Thought: It says a lot to me that in Bill Snyder's last season as a head coach (2018), he believed enough in Coleman after five seasons to put him in charge of his offense.

Mark Hagen

The Buzz: Known as a quality developer of interior defensive lineman from his work at both Texas A&M and Indiana, Hagen arrives with perhaps the most impressive resume of any position coach that Herman hired in the off-season because of his ability to turn water into wine along the defensive line.

The group he's working with this season:
Hagen's mouth must be watering at the prospect of working with more raw talent that he's worked with in years, with the likes of Keondre Coburn, Moro Ojomo and Ta'Quan Graham leading the way inside. The stats aren't there to back it up, but this unit has a chance to be among the best in the Big 12 behind Hagen's direction.

The best thing you can say: His two- and three-stars at Indiana have played at least as well over the last few years than the Texas players that were much more highly rated coming out of high school.

The worst thing you can say: He's developed a number of very solid players (three honorable mention All-Big 10 players) at Indiana over the last four seasons, but maybe not quite a great one.

About Recruiting: Hagen obviously wasn't in the middle of a lot of epic high-level recruiting battles while he was in Bloomington, but he built a solid reputation as a recruiter while he was at Texas A&M. He knows the state fairly well upon his arrival in Austin and should be solid in this area as a whole.

A good 2020 looks like this: The interior of the defensive line emerges as one of the best position groups in the conference, while maintaining a stronger interior run defense in the process (as it did in 2019). On the recruiting trail, you'd like to see Hagen pull in at least one nationally prospect in his first year because it's critical every year to bring in those type of defensive line prospects.

Final Thought: I'm expecting big things Hagen's players in this group in 2019.

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Coleman Hutzler

The Buzz: As an apprentice of Will Muschamp, while coaching at the position that Muschamp lifted his reputation under, has created an impression that he'll bring legit coaching chops to a position that wasn't coached well enough a season ago.

The group he's working with this season: There's not a single proven difference maker in the entire linebacker unit, which means that Hutzler has some real work to do. The wildcard might be DeMarvion Overshown, who probably brings as much star upside as anyone in his group of players, but he's a major work in progress that might still be a year away. It's up to Hutzler to speed up that development if at all possible.

The best thing you can say: There's no way you can coach linebackers under Will Muschamp unless you know what the hell you're doing in a big way. A decade working for the likes of Florida and South Carolina in the SEC seems to scream of big-time quality existing.

The worst thing you can say: Doesn't arrive with a big recruiting reputation during all of those years in the SEC.

About Recruiting: As mentioned above, he's had a very quiet career on the recruiting front. In a league that is known for big-time recruiting battles, Hutzler seems to have been involved in too few.

A good 2020 looks like this: Overshown emerges as a capable starter with serious splash moments, while the rest of the group proves to be a strength of the team in terms of physicality, run defense and controlling the box.

Final Thought: There's a good chance that the group of linebackers he's working with this year at Texas will feature less talent than he's worked with in recent years in the SEC.

Jay Valai

The Buzz: Although he arrives with the shortest resume of any coach on the staff, there's a growing vibe about him that has a chance to make him a critical piece of the coaching puzzle.

The group he's working with this season: According to his boss (Ash), this is a locked and loaded area and if terms of returning experience and talent. There is a lot to work with.

The best thing you can say: Valai might have the highest upside of any of the position coaches ... maybe by a mile.

The worst thing you can say: There's virtually zero positive coaching success to lean on when making the bold claim above. Hell, I don’t even fully know whether he'd be on a power five coaching staff if Ash hadn't brought him to Austin.

About Recruiting: There's some real hope that this is going to be an area where he kicks some serious butt. Given the need for a dynamic recruiting personality on the staff and the needs at this position in the 2021 recruiting year, a little dynamism is definitely required.

A good 2020 looks like this: The cornerbacks make serious improvement from a season ago and Valai finishes the year being regarded as one of the best recruiters in the Big 12.

Final Thought: Weirdly, it feels like outside of Ash, Valai has the most pressure on him of anyone on the staff because of the need for him to be a recruiting rainmaker, in part because few other coaches on the staff have that kind of recruiter upside.

Mike Yurcich

The Buzz: Yurcich arrives with a guarantee on the box as an offensive coordinator and all he needs to do is take a really good offense to the next level, especially at the quarterback position. Really good can get you eight wins, but to win a Big 12 title, you're going to need something a little bit better and the belief is that Yurcich is a guy that can get it there.

The group he's working with this season: He has arguably the best quarterback in the conference, potentially the best set of skill talent in the conference outside of Oklahoma and an offensive line that has more good than bad in it.

The best thing you can say: In a decade full of offensive coordinators in this program, Yurcich might just push Bryan Harsin when it comes to representing the best.

The worst thing you can say: Yurcich hasn't yet called plays in a pressure cooker and there is something to be said for having that type of experience in this role.

About Recruiting: His biggest role will likely be connected to evaluations, as it is unlikely that he'll partake in much of the individual recruiting assignments outside of the quarterback position. Replacing Tim Beck's skill as a recruiter, especially with quarterbacks, is a major challenge that he'll have to meet.

A good 2020 looks like this: If the Longhorns are rank in the top 25 in most of the important statistical areas on the offensive side of the ball, they’ll likely be playing for a Big 12 title. The key will be Ehlinger, who must emerge as an all-Big 12 player.

Final Thought: Everything Yurcich has ever aspired to be as a coach is possible if he takes this Texas offense to the next level because unlike his previous two stops, the head coaches he's working with won't take nearly as much credit as he's used to them receiving. This is his chance to emerge as a star in his industry.

No. 4 - Attaboy, Texas Baseball ...

I don't want to get too carried away with hyperbole following a three-game sweep of Rice on the road by the Texas baseball team, but we need to at least recognize the best start to a season through three games since 2009.

That's right, it's been since 2009 that Texas baseball won its first three games of the season.

The hitting, pitching, defense and overall team play looked the part of a pretty good team. Given the status of both basketball teams on campus, the idea of this unranked Texas team turning into something that will give everyone something to get behind for the rest of the spring is a very positive development.

No. 5 - A quick thought about Shaka's team ...

I didn't pay a ton of attention to the butt-kicking that Iowa State put on Texas this weekend in Ames, but I did watch enough to wonder if we've seen the final Texas win of the season.

With Jericho Sims potentially out for the rest of the season, combined with the rest of the injuries on the squad, this already very shaky team looked in over its head against what was previously the worst basketball team in the conference.

This entire season basically needs the Old Yeller treatment at this point.

No. 6 - Because I said I would ...

It has been suggested of me that I only comment on the Texas women's basketball program when it loses, which it did again this weekend by 15 points to an unranked team, so I mentioned earlier in the week that I would put together a list of coaches the Longhorns should consider in potentially replacing Karen Aston once the season ends as a show of genuine interest in the program besides being a grouchy critic.

Therefore, here's what I came up with when considering career resumes, recruiting abilities, cost and realism. For instance, I'm not listing Dawn Staley, despite her incredible resume and recruiting chops, because she makes $1.5 million per year and would seem next-to-impossible to steal away.

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1. Jeff Walz (Louisville)

Quick thoughts: As a head coach, he's been to the Final Four three different times, including a spot two years ago. On top of that, he has a proven reputation as a recruiter and is only 48 years old, which means that Texas could be getting him at a time when he'll consistently be in the conversation as one of the top 5-10 coaches in the country for the next 10-15 years. The stumbling blocks would be the $1.15 million per year he currently makes and the fact that he's been at Louisville for more than a decade. Yet, if you're Texas, this is the type of hire you should be making if you're truly trying to be elite.

2. Brenda Frese (Minnesota)

Quickie thoughts: A three-time Big 10 Coach of the Year and a former National Coach of the Year, Frese has the Gophers in the top 10 this season and makes only about $400,000 per season, which would allow for a big offer to potentially move the meter in a way that some of the nation's highest-paid coaches might not be as motivated by.

3. Adia Barnes (Arizona)

Quickie Thoughts: A former player at Arizona and a long-time WNBA player, Barnes (43) seems to be one of the nation's real risers in the women's coaching game and if you watched her Wildcats pummel Aston's Longhorns earlier this season at the Erwin Center, you know she's got game. She's another coach that making roughly $400,000 per year, so maybe an offer of double that would be tough for the Wildcats to match and difficult for her to turn down.

4. Lisa Fortier (Gonzaga)

Quickie Thoughts: She's another potential rising star at the age of 38, as her Zags are 23-2 this season and ranked among the nation's top 15, which follows a 29-5 season a year ago (the best in school history). Through 2018, she was still making less than $100,000.

5. Sytia Messer (Baylor)

Quickie Thoughts: This one is a total wild card because she's not currently a head coach. Yet, she's regarded as the engine behind Baylor's elite-level recruiting and she obviously would arrive from the program that has dominated Texas for half a generation.

No. 7 – BUY or SELL …

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(Buy) I think the way this season is going that it will be impossible to turn back. This season is the opposite of what needed to happen.



(Buy) Look, I totally understand your caution, but the program has coordinators at all three levels that are better in 2020 than in 2019, which has to mean something ... right?



(Sell) The defensive line has a chance to be deep at tackle and feature the Big 12's potentially best defensive player in Joseph Ossai, while the linebacker position lacks impact players and reliable proven experience.



(Buy) EXACTLY like that.



(Buy) The elite can do it and White is elite. Those that can't really aren't elite.



(Sell) This is new, unproven territory for him. It's a major moment in his tenure as athletic director and he won't be shooting from the lay-up line when making a hire.



(Buy) Yeah, it better happen and it will happen. More than once.



(Sell) It'll be close, but I'm going to take Keaontay Ingram at this point.



(Buy) I think there are two reasons for this mistake ...

a. He felt like moving away from the Havoc full-court pressure style was a good thing for his evolution as a coach and that improved talent would wipe away the need for the gimmick.

b. He felt like his personnel wasn't right for it, mainly because of the presence of first-round pick level post-guys.

I have to believe he'll regret this in time for the rest of his life. He never did the thing that got him the job in the first place.



(Buy) I'm going to assume that fatherhood is keeping you from the gym.



(Sell) I feel like Tom Herman would absolutely keep his roster going into this season.



(Sell) That's a monster leap of faith I'm not quite ready to make, even if I believe he's headed for a huge year.



(Buy) I don't think he'll be a Heisman finalist in his first year as a starter.



(Sell) I believe the Longhorns can win the Big 2 if he's at a 175.0 rating for the season. I'm not sure a 190 would be enough for him to help the team win a national title in 2020.


No. 8 - Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind ...

... I haven't really said much about the Astros scandal in the last couple of weeks, but I will say this... the Astros being so defiant is all kinds of b-a-n-a-n-a-s.

... In week two of its existence, the XFL didn't so much as garner one second of my time, although I did see some players for one of the teams shotgunning some beers after a shutout, so there's that.

... I never realized how much the quarterback position meant to my professional football viewing habits, but it's hard to get into football if the quarterback play is headed up by a bunch of dudes that can't even be back-ups in the NFL.

... Hot take of the weekend: In thought Derrick Jones' final dunk in the dunk contest (the windmill from one step inside the free throw line) was better than Aaron Gordon's final dunk (the leap over Tacko Fall), even if I thought Gordon should have won the dunk contest in general.

... Consider me indifferent about the NBA All-Star Game.

... Man City committed the biggest sin of all when it was found to be cooking its books in an. effort to beat Financial Fair Play rules... it left a paper trail of its cheating. Hacked info or not, City left receipts for someone to find and it deserves everything it gets.

... Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Sadio Mane.


... Ryan Garcia did something this weekend that puts him on the cusp of must-watch territory. He has my attention.


... The UFC did a fight card in Rio Ranch, New Mexico over the weekend. Full transparency... I had never heard of Rio Rancho, New Mexico before this weekend.

No. 9 - The List: Top 10 Brad Pitt roles ...

I'm not expecting a lot of consensus in this discussion, but I think that speaks to the volume of great roles he's had throughout his career. We're talking first-ballot Hall of Fame stuff here

10. David Mills (Se7en)
9. Mickey O'Neil (Snatch)
8. Tristan (Legends of the Fall)
7. Floyd (True Romance)
6. Rusty Ryan (Ocean's 11)
5. Jeffrey Goines (12 Monkeys)
4. Billy Beane (Moneyball)
3. Lt. Aldo Raines (Inglorious Basterds)
2. Tyler Durden (Fight Club)
1. Cliff Booth (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood)

No.10 - And finally...

The wildest story from the weekend comes from Toronto. Trust me, it's worth a read.

Excellent read, Ketch - appreciate analysis on new coaches; exciting times.
 
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As far as WBB coaching replacements goes:
1. Louisville? Haven’t we seen that movie? No. Please no.
2. Aida Barnes? Wellllll, maybe. Any relation?
3. Baylor coach? No. Just no.
4. Gonzaga coach? She bringing any guys that feel like a woman?
5. How’s bout Brenda. Asking for a friend.
 
I realize I'm not supposed to engage you in dialogue on this board any more, but that's not Brenda Frese, as she has been the head coach for the Maryland Terrapins for like 18 years.. I'm not sure who you are referencing. Lindsay Whalen is the second-year head coach at Minnesota; she replaced Marlene Stallings who is now the head coach at Texas Tech. Stallings replaced Pam Borton, who replaced Frese when she left for Maryland.

This is who Brenda Frese is, and she is earning around $1.2 million a year:

There was no better fit for the University of Maryland women's basketball program than head coach Brenda Frese. The 2002 Associated Press (AP) National Coach of the Year arrived in College Park with great expectations and has not disappointed. Reviving a once-prominent women's basketball program back to the national stage, her high work rate and positive attitude has resulted in 15 top-15 recruiting classes, three Final Fours, 10 conference titles and a National Championship in 2006.
I just wrote the wrong school down. I meant Maryland.

Per this article, she makes a base of $550,000, not 1.2 million.
 
We should sit down for lunch and brainstorm column ideas one day.

The old coaches weren’t bad. Each one landed a another coaching gig. If the new guys are slight upgrades, this program should be in the Big 12 title game. Just look at what Naivar’s fresh set of eyes accomplished against Utah in the Alamo Bowl.
 
I've read reports of Yurcich's lack of play calling & also reports from former players about his calling plays. Is "pressure cooker" the key to your statement?
@Ketchum
 
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I need to thank Anwar Richardson this week.

At around noon on Sunday, I told my wife, "I need to get out of the house and get somewhere where I can write in quiet."

After a long pause ...

"I have no idea what I'm going to write about."

Fifteen minutes later, while giving Anwar's Sunday Pulpit a copy-edit and wondering just how much credit/props I was willing to give Stan Drayton for his work as a member of Tom Herman's staff, an idea for this week's column was born.

Below is a snapshot analysis of each member of Tom Herman's coaching staff, with what I hope is an insightful and fairly complete breakdown of the state of things.

Thanks for the inspiration, Anwar!

No. 2 - A look at the returning coaches ...

I've separated the analysis into two categories - returning coaches and new coaches. We'll start with the three coaches that survived this season's assistant coaching bloodbath - running backs coach Stan Drayton, offensive line coach Herb Hand and defensive ends coach Oscar Giles. Let's get to it.

Stan Drayton

The Buzz: It hasn't happened overnight, but slowly but surely, Drayton has started to pay dividends for all of the confidence Tom Herman has projected towards him over the last three years - both on and off the field.

The group he's working with this season: This is potentially the best and deepest set of running backs that the Longhorns have worked with since the 2013 team and if freshman Bijan Robinson lives up to his billing, perhaps a case can be made that this is the best running backs unit the Longhorns have had since 2005-07. The trio of Robinson, junior Keaontay Ingram and sophomore Roschon Johnson should give Drayton a combination of skills that should make the running game one of the top three in the Big 12.

The best thing you can say: His year of work in 2019 was pretty damn good. In addition to landing a five-star out of state running back, he help turned a true freshman quarterback into a solid immediate contributor amid an injury crisis and the team climbed into the top 50 in terms of national running game numbers without leaning on its starting quarterback to carry a tremendous load.

The worst thing you can say: Without the signing of Robinson, you can make a case there should have been eight assistant coaches fired in December.

About Recruiting: His recruiting prowess has been completely underwhelming until the job he did with Robinson, but if he's the star in the making everyone believes he will be, not much else will matter in the grand scheme of things. It'll be interesting to see how he performs in the next season because it's possible that a one-year shot in the dark is in play here or maybe the Robinson recruitment was just the jumpstart he needed to find his groove again as a recruiter.

A good 2020 looks like this: The Longhorns average more than 200 rushing yards per game, while Robinson/Ingram emerge as the best duo in the Big 12 and another difference maker can be added in the 2021 recruiting class.

Final Thought: Drayton's career as an assistant has been unlike any in Austin that I can remember in the last two decades. An entire half decade's worth of work could ultimately come down to how good Robinson becomes as a player.

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Herb Hand

The Buzz: While his stock might not quite be as high as it was following the 2018 season when it appeared he turned some water into drinkable wine, Hand likely represented the single safest coach on the entire staff following the 2019 season.

The group he's working with this season: Three starters return (Sam Cosmi, Junior Angilau and Derek Kerstetter) and one of them has a chance to be among the best in the nation at his position (Cosmi). Beyond those three, though, it remains to be seen whether the Longhorns will have a step up with regards to starting-level talent in the line-up or if a small dip occurs without much developed depth behind it in the event of injuries.

The best thing you can say:
Hand is the best assistant coach hire that Tom Herman made in his first three seasons.

The worst thing you can say: Considering that Hand's unit was one of the worst groups in the Big 12 in terms of keeping the quarterback from being sacked a year ago, the best thing we can say about him if fairly faint praise.

About Recruiting: Hand has been rock solid over the course of the last two recruiting windows (eight signings, four four-stars, and four three-stars), but hasn't landed the type of high-level national target that Drayton pulled off with Robinson in the last class. That's probably the one missing piece in his recruiting portfolio.

A good 2020 looks like this: The running game improves another 25+ yards per game, while the pass protection cuts the number of sacks allowed considerably and Cosmi emerges as a first-team all-American type of player.

Final Thought: The Texas program still isn't churning out NFL-level offensive line prospects on an annual basis and that has to change because elite prospects like Tommy Brockermeyer are having a hard time ignoring that fact when considering their recruiting options.

Oscar Giles

The Buzz: It feels like Giles is being given a bit of a free pass for the last few years because of the fact that he was working in a Tom Orlando defense that didn't always do his position group a lot of favors. When you consider that Giles has done a pretty good job for more than a decade at multiple stops, including his first stint at Texas, that free pass might be completely fair.

The group he's working with this season: Well, there's good news and bad news. On one hand, he's going to be working with Joseph Ossai, which might just give him the best player on the team with which to work. On the other hand, there's virtually no one else proven among the defensive end ranks with Ta'Quan Graham expected to spin down to the three-tech.

The best thing you can say: While he might not be flashy, Giles and his players have been the least of the defense's problems over the course of the last few seasons.

The worst thing you can say: Giles isn't a miracle-worker and isn't a guy that can turn water into wine. If you give him plus talent, he'll produce plus players, but if you're expecting him to automatically get the best out of every end he works with, you probably shouldn't hold your breath.

About Recruiting: Rock solid. Giles has landed five-stars in his career and he's missed a few as well. While he's never going to make a list of the best recruiters in the country, there's no denying that he's a fully capable/success recruiter in his right, as the recruitments of Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton prove.

A good 2020 looks like this: Inside of a scheme that should free up his players to create more havoc and big plays, a boost in the profiles of Ossai, Graham, Keondre Coburn, Moro Ojomo and others would be a real welcome. It's time for the anonymous production from a year ago to turn into top of the marquee production.

Final Thought: No coach on the staff probably has a longer track-record of landing nationally elite prospects in recruiting over the course of their entire careers.

No. 3- The New Guys

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Chris Ash

The Buzz: The most important hire of Tom Herman's career, it's up to Ash to lead the defense in a direction that can give Herman's tenure in Austin a chance to thrive because the belief in Todd Orlando and the disaster that came from it is probably the biggest reason why the entire enterprise is a bit of a question mark heading into year four.

The group he's working with this season: It's a defense that is stacked in the defensive backfield with starting-level talent, as Ash gushed over just a few days ago. There's also an interior group along the defensive line that might be as deep as any in the Big 12. Yet, the linebackers and overall pull of ends in the program are major question marks that will require plus-development and coaching to steer into a championship season.

The best thing you can say: On paper, his success at Ohio State suggests that belongs on a list of the top 10 defensive coordinators in the country.

The worst thing you can say: The success that has earned him his positive reputation was earned almost a half-decade ago, which is a coded way of saying he hasn't been elite at much of anything during that time.

About Recruiting: Although you wouldn't call Ash an elite recruiter, he's definitely an upgrade in this department over Orlando, who was mainly a non-factor in this area. While he won't likely be asked to do a ton of heavy lifting, Ash has a career-long reputation for being rock solid on the recruiting trail and his eye for plus-evaluations is perhaps his greatest strength.

A good 2020 looks like this: Texas ranked 7th in the Big 12 in scoring defense, 8th in total defense, 9th in passing defense, 6th in sacks, 5th in and 8th on first downs ... listing these measures into the top 3-4 of the conference (a fairly modest set of goals) probably means that the Longhorns are playing for the Big 12 title and will be able to point to a defensive unit that aided in getting there.

Final Thought: If Ash is as good as he's supposed to be, Herman's program is going to improve in the win-loss department. Period. If he's not, Herman could be in trouble in a couple of years. Ash is that important to the long-term outlook of the program.

Jay Boulware

The Buzz: The Texas special teams were average at best a season ago and often looked like they lacked any direction from the coaching staff at all. The hire of Boulware is completely centered on rectifying the special teams issues from a year ago. Yes, he'll also coach tight ends.

The group he's working with this season: At tight end, he's got an okay group with which to work. Senior Cade Brewer represents a returning starter at the position, but his contributions in the passing game were limited to about a catch per game on the average. It remains to be seen if anyone on the roster can push Brewer because of increased development. Over on the special teams, the kicking game should be solid at the very least with both kicking starters returning, while the return game has a lot of intriguing options on paper.

The best thing you can say: Boulware has a handful of conference championship rings on his fingers from his time at OU and the positions he coached were ranked among the nation's elite and a true positive factor in those accomplishments.

The worst thing you can say: For a guy with a fistful of rings on his finger, he's been kind of a seemingly anonymous contributor on those championship OU squads.

About Recruiting: Boulware knows his way around the state after having worked the trails for almost a decade, which is notable on a Texas staff that doesn't have a ton of newcomers on the staff with anywhere near the amount of experience that he brings to the table. As an individual recruiter, he's solid, but probably not known for being consistently more than that. He's a guy that you'd probably surround with Bryan Carrington’s help if he's in charge of a marquee recruit.

A good 2020 looks like this: Just make the special teams a plus-part of the program and everything else will be gravy.

Final Thought: His running backs at Oklahoma were quite good and always produced, but those facts get somewhat rendered moot because he'll be coaching the tight ends, but don't forget that this guy had success over a seven-year window and Norman, while working under two different coaches and two different positions.

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Andre Coleman

The Buzz: The former Kansas State coach turned Texas analyst won over the players and his boss during the preparations for the Alamo Bowl to such a degree that it became a slam dunk that he would become the full-time leader at this position.

The group he's working with this season: There's a ton of raw talent on the roster, but not much of it has performed consistently at any point in their careers, which means that Coleman has to turn some kids into men if the production from the likes of Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson will be easily replaced.

The best thing you can say: He's a grown-up among a room full of players at the wide receiver position that lack maturity and he has their complete respect going into the spring, which might make him just what the doctor ordered.

The worst thing you can say: He has zero track record as a recruiter at a school that demands huge results from the coach that recruits at this position and didn't have a coaching j-o-b at this time last year after his stint as wide receivers coach/offensive coordinator for KSU, which means that no one notable was banging down his door to bring him into their program.

About Recruiting: Honestly, who knows? He's a 47-year old coach that has been in the coaching game for a decade, but he's never been asked to do in recruiting what he'll be asked to do in this role with the Longhorns. The fact that the Texas players have warmed up to him so quickly speaks well of his vibe with young people, but will that automatically translate to big-time success with elite recruits? It's a question without an answer for the time being.

A good 2020 looks like this: Brennan Eagles, Jake Smith, Jordan Whittington and possibly even Josh Moore all take steps forward in their development under Coleman and combine to replace the production void left by the departed seniors, while Coleman also lands two national top-75 level prospects on the recruiting trail.

Final Thought: It says a lot to me that in Bill Snyder's last season as a head coach (2018), he believed enough in Coleman after five seasons to put him in charge of his offense.

Mark Hagen

The Buzz: Known as a quality developer of interior defensive lineman from his work at both Texas A&M and Indiana, Hagen arrives with perhaps the most impressive resume of any position coach that Herman hired in the off-season because of his ability to turn water into wine along the defensive line.

The group he's working with this season:
Hagen's mouth must be watering at the prospect of working with more raw talent that he's worked with in years, with the likes of Keondre Coburn, Moro Ojomo and Ta'Quan Graham leading the way inside. The stats aren't there to back it up, but this unit has a chance to be among the best in the Big 12 behind Hagen's direction.

The best thing you can say: His two- and three-stars at Indiana have played at least as well over the last few years than the Texas players that were much more highly rated coming out of high school.

The worst thing you can say: He's developed a number of very solid players (three honorable mention All-Big 10 players) at Indiana over the last four seasons, but maybe not quite a great one.

About Recruiting: Hagen obviously wasn't in the middle of a lot of epic high-level recruiting battles while he was in Bloomington, but he built a solid reputation as a recruiter while he was at Texas A&M. He knows the state fairly well upon his arrival in Austin and should be solid in this area as a whole.

A good 2020 looks like this: The interior of the defensive line emerges as one of the best position groups in the conference, while maintaining a stronger interior run defense in the process (as it did in 2019). On the recruiting trail, you'd like to see Hagen pull in at least one nationally prospect in his first year because it's critical every year to bring in those type of defensive line prospects.

Final Thought: I'm expecting big things Hagen's players in this group in 2019.

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Coleman Hutzler

The Buzz: As an apprentice of Will Muschamp, while coaching at the position that Muschamp lifted his reputation under, has created an impression that he'll bring legit coaching chops to a position that wasn't coached well enough a season ago.

The group he's working with this season: There's not a single proven difference maker in the entire linebacker unit, which means that Hutzler has some real work to do. The wildcard might be DeMarvion Overshown, who probably brings as much star upside as anyone in his group of players, but he's a major work in progress that might still be a year away. It's up to Hutzler to speed up that development if at all possible.

The best thing you can say: There's no way you can coach linebackers under Will Muschamp unless you know what the hell you're doing in a big way. A decade working for the likes of Florida and South Carolina in the SEC seems to scream of big-time quality existing.

The worst thing you can say: Doesn't arrive with a big recruiting reputation during all of those years in the SEC.

About Recruiting: As mentioned above, he's had a very quiet career on the recruiting front. In a league that is known for big-time recruiting battles, Hutzler seems to have been involved in too few.

A good 2020 looks like this: Overshown emerges as a capable starter with serious splash moments, while the rest of the group proves to be a strength of the team in terms of physicality, run defense and controlling the box.

Final Thought: There's a good chance that the group of linebackers he's working with this year at Texas will feature less talent than he's worked with in recent years in the SEC.

Jay Valai

The Buzz: Although he arrives with the shortest resume of any coach on the staff, there's a growing vibe about him that has a chance to make him a critical piece of the coaching puzzle.

The group he's working with this season: According to his boss (Ash), this is a locked and loaded area and if terms of returning experience and talent. There is a lot to work with.

The best thing you can say: Valai might have the highest upside of any of the position coaches ... maybe by a mile.

The worst thing you can say: There's virtually zero positive coaching success to lean on when making the bold claim above. Hell, I don’t even fully know whether he'd be on a power five coaching staff if Ash hadn't brought him to Austin.

About Recruiting: There's some real hope that this is going to be an area where he kicks some serious butt. Given the need for a dynamic recruiting personality on the staff and the needs at this position in the 2021 recruiting year, a little dynamism is definitely required.

A good 2020 looks like this: The cornerbacks make serious improvement from a season ago and Valai finishes the year being regarded as one of the best recruiters in the Big 12.

Final Thought: Weirdly, it feels like outside of Ash, Valai has the most pressure on him of anyone on the staff because of the need for him to be a recruiting rainmaker, in part because few other coaches on the staff have that kind of recruiter upside.

Mike Yurcich

The Buzz: Yurcich arrives with a guarantee on the box as an offensive coordinator and all he needs to do is take a really good offense to the next level, especially at the quarterback position. Really good can get you eight wins, but to win a Big 12 title, you're going to need something a little bit better and the belief is that Yurcich is a guy that can get it there.

The group he's working with this season: He has arguably the best quarterback in the conference, potentially the best set of skill talent in the conference outside of Oklahoma and an offensive line that has more good than bad in it.

The best thing you can say: In a decade full of offensive coordinators in this program, Yurcich might just push Bryan Harsin when it comes to representing the best.

The worst thing you can say: Yurcich hasn't yet called plays in a pressure cooker and there is something to be said for having that type of experience in this role.

About Recruiting: His biggest role will likely be connected to evaluations, as it is unlikely that he'll partake in much of the individual recruiting assignments outside of the quarterback position. Replacing Tim Beck's skill as a recruiter, especially with quarterbacks, is a major challenge that he'll have to meet.

A good 2020 looks like this: If the Longhorns are rank in the top 25 in most of the important statistical areas on the offensive side of the ball, they’ll likely be playing for a Big 12 title. The key will be Ehlinger, who must emerge as an all-Big 12 player.

Final Thought: Everything Yurcich has ever aspired to be as a coach is possible if he takes this Texas offense to the next level because unlike his previous two stops, the head coaches he's working with won't take nearly as much credit as he's used to them receiving. This is his chance to emerge as a star in his industry.

No. 4 - Attaboy, Texas Baseball ...

I don't want to get too carried away with hyperbole following a three-game sweep of Rice on the road by the Texas baseball team, but we need to at least recognize the best start to a season through three games since 2009.

That's right, it's been since 2009 that Texas baseball won its first three games of the season.

The hitting, pitching, defense and overall team play looked the part of a pretty good team. Given the status of both basketball teams on campus, the idea of this unranked Texas team turning into something that will give everyone something to get behind for the rest of the spring is a very positive development.

No. 5 - A quick thought about Shaka's team ...

I didn't pay a ton of attention to the butt-kicking that Iowa State put on Texas this weekend in Ames, but I did watch enough to wonder if we've seen the final Texas win of the season.

With Jericho Sims potentially out for the rest of the season, combined with the rest of the injuries on the squad, this already very shaky team looked in over its head against what was previously the worst basketball team in the conference.

This entire season basically needs the Old Yeller treatment at this point.

No. 6 - Because I said I would ...

It has been suggested of me that I only comment on the Texas women's basketball program when it loses, which it did again this weekend by 15 points to an unranked team, so I mentioned earlier in the week that I would put together a list of coaches the Longhorns should consider in potentially replacing Karen Aston once the season ends as a show of genuine interest in the program besides being a grouchy critic.

Therefore, here's what I came up with when considering career resumes, recruiting abilities, cost and realism. For instance, I'm not listing Dawn Staley, despite her incredible resume and recruiting chops, because she makes $1.5 million per year and would seem next-to-impossible to steal away.

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1. Jeff Walz (Louisville)

Quick thoughts: As a head coach, he's been to the Final Four three different times, including a spot two years ago. On top of that, he has a proven reputation as a recruiter and is only 48 years old, which means that Texas could be getting him at a time when he'll consistently be in the conversation as one of the top 5-10 coaches in the country for the next 10-15 years. The stumbling blocks would be the $1.15 million per year he currently makes and the fact that he's been at Louisville for more than a decade. Yet, if you're Texas, this is the type of hire you should be making if you're truly trying to be elite.

2. Brenda Frese (Minnesota)

Quickie thoughts: A three-time Big 10 Coach of the Year and a former National Coach of the Year, Frese has the Gophers in the top 10 this season and makes only about $400,000 per season, which would allow for a big offer to potentially move the meter in a way that some of the nation's highest-paid coaches might not be as motivated by.

3. Adia Barnes (Arizona)

Quickie Thoughts: A former player at Arizona and a long-time WNBA player, Barnes (43) seems to be one of the nation's real risers in the women's coaching game and if you watched her Wildcats pummel Aston's Longhorns earlier this season at the Erwin Center, you know she's got game. She's another coach that making roughly $400,000 per year, so maybe an offer of double that would be tough for the Wildcats to match and difficult for her to turn down.

4. Lisa Fortier (Gonzaga)

Quickie Thoughts: She's another potential rising star at the age of 38, as her Zags are 23-2 this season and ranked among the nation's top 15, which follows a 29-5 season a year ago (the best in school history). Through 2018, she was still making less than $100,000.

5. Sytia Messer (Baylor)

Quickie Thoughts: This one is a total wild card because she's not currently a head coach. Yet, she's regarded as the engine behind Baylor's elite-level recruiting and she obviously would arrive from the program that has dominated Texas for half a generation.

No. 7 – BUY or SELL …

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(Buy) I think the way this season is going that it will be impossible to turn back. This season is the opposite of what needed to happen.



(Buy) Look, I totally understand your caution, but the program has coordinators at all three levels that are better in 2020 than in 2019, which has to mean something ... right?



(Sell) The defensive line has a chance to be deep at tackle and feature the Big 12's potentially best defensive player in Joseph Ossai, while the linebacker position lacks impact players and reliable proven experience.



(Buy) EXACTLY like that.



(Buy) The elite can do it and White is elite. Those that can't really aren't elite.



(Sell) This is new, unproven territory for him. It's a major moment in his tenure as athletic director and he won't be shooting from the lay-up line when making a hire.



(Buy) Yeah, it better happen and it will happen. More than once.



(Sell) It'll be close, but I'm going to take Keaontay Ingram at this point.



(Buy) I think there are two reasons for this mistake ...

a. He felt like moving away from the Havoc full-court pressure style was a good thing for his evolution as a coach and that improved talent would wipe away the need for the gimmick.

b. He felt like his personnel wasn't right for it, mainly because of the presence of first-round pick level post-guys.

I have to believe he'll regret this in time for the rest of his life. He never did the thing that got him the job in the first place.



(Buy) I'm going to assume that fatherhood is keeping you from the gym.



(Sell) I feel like Tom Herman would absolutely keep his roster going into this season.



(Sell) That's a monster leap of faith I'm not quite ready to make, even if I believe he's headed for a huge year.



(Buy) I don't think he'll be a Heisman finalist in his first year as a starter.



(Sell) I believe the Longhorns can win the Big 2 if he's at a 175.0 rating for the season. I'm not sure a 190 would be enough for him to help the team win a national title in 2020.


No. 8 - Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind ...

... I haven't really said much about the Astros scandal in the last couple of weeks, but I will say this... the Astros being so defiant is all kinds of b-a-n-a-n-a-s.

... In week two of its existence, the XFL didn't so much as garner one second of my time, although I did see some players for one of the teams shotgunning some beers after a shutout, so there's that.

... I never realized how much the quarterback position meant to my professional football viewing habits, but it's hard to get into football if the quarterback play is headed up by a bunch of dudes that can't even be back-ups in the NFL.

... Hot take of the weekend: In thought Derrick Jones' final dunk in the dunk contest (the windmill from one step inside the free throw line) was better than Aaron Gordon's final dunk (the leap over Tacko Fall), even if I thought Gordon should have won the dunk contest in general.

... Consider me indifferent about the NBA All-Star Game.

... Man City committed the biggest sin of all when it was found to be cooking its books in an. effort to beat Financial Fair Play rules... it left a paper trail of its cheating. Hacked info or not, City left receipts for someone to find and it deserves everything it gets.

... Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Sadio Mane.


... Ryan Garcia did something this weekend that puts him on the cusp of must-watch territory. He has my attention.


... The UFC did a fight card in Rio Ranch, New Mexico over the weekend. Full transparency... I had never heard of Rio Rancho, New Mexico before this weekend.

No. 9 - The List: Top 10 Brad Pitt roles ...

I'm not expecting a lot of consensus in this discussion, but I think that speaks to the volume of great roles he's had throughout his career. We're talking first-ballot Hall of Fame stuff here

10. David Mills (Se7en)
9. Mickey O'Neil (Snatch)
8. Tristan (Legends of the Fall)
7. Floyd (True Romance)
6. Rusty Ryan (Ocean's 11)
5. Jeffrey Goines (12 Monkeys)
4. Billy Beane (Moneyball)
3. Lt. Aldo Raines (Inglorious Basterds)
2. Tyler Durden (Fight Club)
1. Cliff Booth (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood)

No.10 - And finally...

The wildest story from the weekend comes from Toronto. Trust me, it's worth a read.

Went to the Roughnecks game this past weekend and it was legit. It was fun to watch and a good football game. Also did not cost an arm and a leg to go to. I would watch it before you knock it. Give the league another year to bring in a few more good QB's and this league will be legit and fun to watch. It is not the NFL but it is better because these guys have heart.
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oh, yeah. that's a big miss that deserves a place on the list.

The real question is: Which is the better movie? Legends of the Fall? or River Runs Through It?

I keep changing my mind about it, but in the end I go with Legends.
Definitely, Legends.
 
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Looks like a fair and accurate description of our coaches. You could have written about Herman with his improved role in overseeing the entire program when he didn't have to spread himself so thin because he had to try to help his coordinators. Now he will have time to review game plans and coaching of all three phases.
Also he wants to spend time in developing his coaches, including bringing in analysts to give a different perspective.
I guess.
 
@Ketchum

Who is Tom Orlando? Also, the link for Toronto sent me back to Ryan Garcia film...was him getting pushed into the ring girl, and hugging it out with her the wild story? Or did you pull a HuffTex and post the same link from earlier?

GREAT recap on the coaches!
a. Just a mistake that my proofer didn't catch. :)

b. The Toronto link is fixed.

c. Thanks!
 
oh, yeah. that's a big miss that deserves a place on the list.

The real question is: Which is the better movie? Legends of the Fall? or River Runs Through It?

I keep changing my mind about it, but in the end I go with Legends.
For me, River Runs Through ranks above Legends as a movie.
 
As far as WBB coaching replacements goes:
1. Louisville? Haven’t we seen that movie? No. Please no.
2. Aida Barnes? Wellllll, maybe. Any relation?
3. Baylor coach? No. Just no.
4. Gonzaga coach? She bringing any guys that feel like a woman?
5. How’s bout Brenda. Asking for a friend.
Texas fans have to get over the mistake with Gail. It was a fluke, freaky situation. Is the point top never hire a successful, proven coach ever again because going away from that has given Texas eight years of Aston.
 
Texas fans have to get over the mistake with Gail. It was a fluke, freaky situation. Is the point top never hire a successful, proven coach ever again because going away from that has given Texas eight years of Aston.
It was not that deep really. It was just having a little pun.
 
Love that Floyd from True Romance made the list. It's what made me love Pitt as an actor. His fame levels were always off the chart, but like this and Snatch, you can rely on his talent and interest in interesting parts to be excellent. Someone once said he's an amazing character actor trapped in a leading man's body. Must be rough ;)
 
Love that Floyd from True Romance made the list. It's what made me love Pitt as an actor. His fame levels were always off the chart, but like this and Snatch, you can rely on his talent and interest in interesting parts to be excellent. Someone once said he's an amazing character actor trapped in a leading man's body. Must be rough ;)
Yeah, he's managed to survive with that huge cross to bear all these years :)
 
No. 5 - A quick thought about Shaka's team ...
This team and this season have been exactly what we all should have expected when Shaka was retained at the end of last season, regardless of the NIT result. The powers that be (ahem, CDC) made a financial and optics decision, but the outcome in terms of fielding a quality basketball team was never in doubt. We are reaping exactly what we have sown.

I have been tuned out all season and will continue to due so until I see something - anything - that indicates to me that our Athletic Department has decided to attempt to field a competitive basketball team.

The real tragedy here is for these players. There are some extremely talented, hard working kids whose college years are being squandered because they do not have a coach who can put them in positions to play quality basketball.
 
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This team and this season have been exactly what we all should have expected when Shaka was retained at the end of last season, regardless of the NIT result. The powers that be (ahem, CDC) made a financial and optics decision, but the outcome in terms of fielding a quality basketball team was never in doubt. We are reaping exactly what we have sown.

I have been tuned out all season and will continue to due so until I see something - anything - that indicates to me that our Athletic Department has decided to attempt to field a competitive basketball team.

The real tragedy here is for these players. There are some extremely talented, hard working kids whose college years are being squandered because they do not have a coach who can put them in positions to play quality basketball.
I wouldn't call them extremely talented. That's a big part of the issue right now.
 
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I always have doubts about coaches with skins on the wall from places like Ohio State or Alabama or...Great resumes one and all but how much of that is their work and how much of it is being surrounded by elite four and five star players. Difficult to say.
 
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