Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend ("Charlie's guys" have taken over)

[Vincent Laguardia Gambini]

Colt McCoy in 2006 and 2009 was better than Simms or Applewhite at their best.

You give Colt 2009 that 2002 talent at WR, RB, and OL that Simms had and he would have broken the damn scoreboard.

2007 Colt was still pretty effective when you factor in his running ability and ability to avoid sacks. You give him Roy Williams, Cedric, BJ, Sloan and that OL, and the 2007 version of Colt puts up more points than 2002 Simms.

But there is no way in God's green earth that 2002 Simms was better than 2006 or 2009 McCoy.

I personally would take 2003 VY over 2002 Simms. Our offense scored 8 more points again with VY in 2003 than it did the year before under Simms. VY completely opened up the running game and Ced started averaging about 2 more yards per carry with VY.

 

[Txhorns10]

Nothing is more fascinating than the upcoming football season.

Idk man. March madness gets me hyped with this team's potential

 

[RLong68]

what not happening?

Swoopes being the QB.

 

[Baconbeard]

2001 Big 12 Championship game

That's what did it for me, no he didn't have the arm or size but he had "IT" and "IT" was what we needed.

Major's performance in that game has become overblown with time. He came in and immediately threw the bomb to BJ for a TD, but then didn't lead a single TD drive until the closing seconds of the game when it was over.

Obviously Simms was a disaster that day, but it's not like Major came in and just lit it up.

 

[Fanofhorns]

Yes, if you're not reading this column every week, you're wasting your subscription.

No offense but no

 

[Baconbeard]

Really? Which ones?

While it's interesting that the stats might be close between the two, Applewhite is never remembered as failing in key moments the way Simms did (Roy Williams interception, entire Colorado game). I'd enjoy hearing your counterpoints to where Applewhite duffed it in a key moment.

Let's see here:
How about 1999 for starters when his greatest season saw Texas lose 5 times.
1. While the 3 blocked punts got the headlines, the offense was abysmal in the opening loss at home to NC State.
2. 6 turnovers my Major in a home game against KSU
3. Entered the A&M game with the lead and turned it over to lose the game
4. Not a single freaking offensive point in the Big 12 Championship against Nebraska
5. The abortion of a performance in the Cotton Bowl against Arkansas. He got hurt towards the end, which opened the door for Simms.

Additionally, you had
6. 2000 Stanford
7. 2000 OU

That's just off the top of my head.

 

[jgotc]

Simms clearly had more talent, but if I'm picking a QB to go win me a big game, I'd pick Major every damn time.

Agreed. When Major played, there was hope that something good could happen, that he could make it happen. With Chris it was just a hope that nothing bad happened. I'm not saying stats back up that perception; it's just the way I remember feeling at the time. That "feeling" is probably why I think of Major so fondly and never think of Chris at all.

 

[Dave C2]

… I can’t help but wonder if Ehlinger’s performance against North Shore in the state title game caused a few recruiting people to flinch because it wasn’t Ehlinger’s finest performance of the season by any stretch and it was the only game that was on television across the country. Perhaps those folks need to watch his performance against Allen from the week before …

I did not see the entire game, and I know he had some struggles against a really tough defense.....but I did see the end of the game and what I saw there was a kid who took his team down the field against the clock in a tie game and got them down to the 10 yard line for a supposedly easy field goal that ended up being missed. In that drive I saw him make two or three eye opening passes, on the run, that were just simply money. I'm no talent evaluator but it seemed to me that the kid had "it" when he needed to have "it".

 

[Dogged Horn]

Great 10!! I agree with you on Heard. I don't think he is the one. I think Ehlinger will be THE ONE in his time. I'm excited at what Shane will do. In any case, I think there is no question that Gilbert will be the one to make the determination as to which quarterback plays in each game. It will be his decision, and Strong will not override him.

I understand your plight with Yahoo. Cast of thousands. The problem is they need to be bought out by someone who will begin again from the studs. It was extremely frustrating on NSD, but your explanation was thorough and well written. That must have taken some time.

I thought Beyoncé was very disappointing. What a horrible costume! I loved CFS's comment that she was "thick"!

I refuse to use Rivals' ranking of our class at 13th, with aggsy right behind us: while ESPN has us at #10 and aggsy at #20. Rivals is really skewed, and we get very sick of that.

Glad you included the women's' basketball team in your write-up. I do think they play down to their opponents and are in too much awe of Baylor. I wish they could get with Shaka and pick up on some of his philosophy. Karen is a fantastic recruiter but seems to have a way to go in getting the most out of her players and team. Maybe we'll be surprised and they will rise to the occasion down the stretch.

The twins are so cute! Haven seems intense and Hendrix very laid back.

Again, excellent write-up!

 

[FrancoBevo]

At some point, we have to figure out where to rank this Denver D among the all-time great defenses because it belongs in that discussion.

Let's begin. 2016 Denver D vs the Steel Curtains of the 70's - who you got?

 

[drunk randoke]

This kid plays football the way Charlie Strong likes his kids to play football.

My favorite line of the column.

No. 7 – Scumbag move of the Weekend ...

Nice Super Bowl Sunday news-dump, by Rape-Enabling University.

Keep up the pressure. Shame on Waco.

 

[Jim DeLoach]

a. Who does have the consistency? Heard isn't more consistent.

b. No doubt.

Re (a), I am hoping someone can step up, but I just don't think Tyrone will be that guy, but that's just me. I am like everyone else -- waiting for someone to own the QB position at The University of Texas. It's way past time it happens.

 

[HerkieWalls]

This is my favorite piece to read every week. I get a kick out of the passion generated over a website going down for 80 minutes. People pay $9 a month - less than a movie ticket for a months worth of reading and lose their mind in 80 minutes. I was upset myself and looked at other websites but moved on mentally in about a minute. The people complaining are the same ones who complain in restaurants that it is "inexcusable" that their food was overcooked. Umm, it happens. You should cook dinner sometime and see how it works. Keep up the good work Ketch- you have a great team and a great product.

 

[Dogged Horn]

@Ketchum The hard thing for CS won't be if Gilbert comes to him and says Swoopes is our guy. The hard call for CS will be if Gilbert says Texas needs to start a freshman at QB against ND.

Strong will just have to endure that. He cannot overrule Gilbert on who the quarterback will be in any game. That would be so counter productive and nonsensical. It's Gilbert's offense. Strong needs to be getting our defense ready.

 

[Dogged Horn]

I made the mistake of mentioning Simms/Applewhite.

No kidding!

 

[Ketchum]

Great 10 thoughts. Couple of comments/questions:

• Ty is a good kid, great kid even, but if he starts even one game this year, we are in for a long season. Kid has not been able to win/lead on any level. I would still be happy to see him take the field in situational packages, but not as the primary QB.
• Heard flashed a ton of talent this past year. He is electric and made a ton of impressive throws. Yeah, he has room to improve but if Sterlin is who we think he is, Heard will improve in the areas that killed him last year (pocket presence comes to mind). Plus having an offensive system that should be built for success will allow Heard to be (wait for it...) successful.
• Always was a fan of Simms and Applewhite. We were lucky to have both. Man, we were so damn spoiled then and the QB's the followed the next 7 years.
• Shaka is priming this team to make a run. God, I love that man - you could offer me any coach in the land (K, Izzo, anybody) and I double down on Smart. Going to be a fun ride with him. Hope his family gets so deeply rooted in Austin that they make it impossible for him to ever leave Texas...unless Austin gets an NBA team...
• F Baylor...all of them...F 'em. Should turn that place into a prison.
• Never was a big Manning fan. I have a world's worth of respect for him, but never rooted for Peyton on the field (including last night). But good for him. Take your time but make the decision that so many others don't. Have the fairy tale ending. Live a great life with no regrets. You did enough for the sport to leave on top. Again, good for him.
• The SB game I thought sucked. Really sloppy. Von Miller and that D was insanely good. No doubt while Peyton was drinking a lot of beer, Von was smoking Bob Marley joints all night.
• Ketch, do you own/have access to the subscribers PII should you part with Rivals? Hypothetically, of course. Look, I appreciate your candor, really do. But make no mistake about it - your subscribers are here for the content YOU provide, the OB staff/team, and the other crazies on this board. You can take your best assets with you and not lose the business, I am sure of that. You will undoubtedly make higher margins on a person by person basis for whatever you are giving to Rivals. But as another poster said, it isn't just your longevity you need to worry about, Yahoo is in trouble. If they end up being bought out, you may bet the farm on what happens post-transaction. Leverage the subs you have and consider all options available to go solo or partner with another group. I support it, and I am sure so many others will to.
• Oh yeah, F Baylor.

a. Same as last year, it might be a long season, no matter what because of that position.

b. Heard was awful as a passer for almost every game outside of Cal. Let's not sugar-coat it.

c. Texas was due for some quarterback poop after its run from 1995-2009

d. Great defense can opposing teams look really sloppy.

d. Baylor is a disgrace, but this stuff runs deeper than that.

e. I'm not ever really worried about being bought out. This site is the crowned jewel of the network. Again, there's a lot to the decisions we have to make and history suggests some danger as well..

 

[Faith Horn]

That's potentially very risky.

Not risky at all, as it's the only way to go. Unless Swoopes was head and shoulders above the rest, an average one year stop gap doesn't make sense. And that's on top of Swoopes having demonstrated through his junior year that he doesn't have the make-up of a div one starter.

 

[Ketchum]

thanks, i could have swore i had seen Murray as a 5* early in the rankings process, maybe i was wrong.

I think that was ESPN that had him as a five-star.

 

[Horny Gambler]

You’ll excuse me if I don’t view Tony Dungy Hall of Fame worthy. He got in on his popularity.

Only SB winning coaches with a higher win percentage than Dungy: Madden, Lombardi, Shula

 

[Ketchum]

Won't fly high yet, but we will see an uptick. I think 8 games or so. Next year's abysmal senior class will assure that is the ceiling, IMO

However, 2017 we will see a tremendous uptick.

From our 2013 class, next year's senior class, we have five guys left on the team. Not 5 starters, 5 contributors....just 5 guys that are still on scholarship. That is abysmal and I honestly wonder if it's ever been done here before. I highly doubt it.

That's s-c-a-r-y.

 

[Ketchum]

Colt McCoy in 2006 and 2009 was better than Simms or Applewhite at their best.

You give Colt 2009 that 2002 talent at WR, RB, and OL that Simms had and he would have broken the damn scoreboard.

2007 Colt was still pretty effective when you factor in his running ability and ability to avoid sacks. You give him Roy Williams, Cedric, BJ, Sloan and that OL, and the 2007 version of Colt puts up more points than 2002 Simms.

But there is no way in God's green earth that 2002 Simms was better than 2006 or 2009 McCoy.

I personally would take 2003 VY over 2002 Simms. Our offense scored 8 more points again with VY in 2003 than it did the year before under Simms. VY completely opened up the running game and Ced started averaging about 2 more yards per carry with VY.

2006 McCoy had much better stats, but he rode a golden wave of luck and good bounces that year. 2009 Colt was awful in the biggest games of that season and was nowhere near as good as 2006 Colt.

He wasn't better than 2002 Chris IMO.

 

[Ketchum]

Swoopes being the QB.

Not sure anyone is suggesting it will definitely happen, just that this deal is kind of tricky and involves some consequences.

 

[Ketchum]

No offense but no

No offense, but yes, some of my stuff is as good as it gets on the Longhorn beat and I provide analysis that no one else has ever attempted. That's the truth. There's a reason why this article consistently ranks as the top article in terms of page views.

Use your sub.

 

[Ketchum]

Let's see here:
How about 1999 for starters when his greatest season saw Texas lose 5 times.
1. While the 3 blocked punts got the headlines, the offense was abysmal in the opening loss at home to NC State.
2. 6 turnovers my Major in a home game against KSU
3. Entered the A&M game with the lead and turned it over to lose the game
4. Not a single freaking offensive point in the Big 12 Championship against Nebraska
5. The abortion of a performance in the Cotton Bowl against Arkansas. He got hurt towards the end, which opened the door for Simms.

Additionally, you had
6. 2000 Stanford
7. 2000 OU

That's just off the top of my head.

I forgot how bad he was in the Stanford game until RLong posted about it. He was skipping balls to his wide receivers in that game.

 

[Panama Merle]

He's got to be better than that. You have to be your best at your worst.

He's young and maybe he grows but the problem is he may be the most talented guy in the league. Who is going to mentor him and show him a better way at this point?

 

[Ketchum]

I thought Beyoncé was very disappointing. What a horrible costume! I loved CFS's comment that she was "thick"!

She was THE star of the show. Total superstar that made two other world-class performers look like the B-team.

I refuse to use Rivals' ranking of our class at 13th, with aggsy right behind us: while ESPN has us at #10 and aggsy at #20. Rivals is really skewed, and we get very sick of that.

What makes Rivals skewed? specifically?

The twins are so cute! Haven seems intense and Hendrix very laid back.

Again, excellent write-up!

Yeah, they are definitely a blessing.

Thanks for the stream of kind words.

 

[ketchup social justice condiment]

Cam Newton, after all of his somber eloquent interviews this year about winning and working together as a team finally revealed himself. He is who I thought he was...a punk. No more no less.

 

[Fanofhorns]

No offense, but yes, some of my stuff is as good as it gets on the Longhorn beat and I provide analysis that no one else has ever attempted. That's the truth. There's a reason why this article consistently ranks as the top article in terms of page views.

Use your sub.

Yes and you also litter your stuff with your social commentary and I've got no interest in reading that lib garbage. And that's the truth.

 

[Ketchum]

Let's begin. 2016 Denver D vs the Steel Curtains of the 70's - who you got?

Steel Curtain because of sustained success. 1976 season was maybe the best ever.

 

[texaspaulo]

Good points @Ketchum @RLong68 @Baconbeard Frankly I had forgotten some of the games.
At this risk of exposing myself to Wikipedia flames, the write-up on Applewhite's playing career appears pretty balanced. I had forgotten that his injury played in to the playing-time decisions, and that he was picked up as an after-draft free agent by the Patriots, but decided to pursue coaching directly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Applewhite#Playing_career

Applewhite always has a place for the almost-comeback against Colorado, and the comeback in the 2001 Holiday bowl, and in total he had a hell of a college career, but looking at it more closely, I can see the argument for Simms.

 

[Ketchum]

My favorite line of the column.



Keep up the pressure. Shame on Waco.

I'm not stopping.

 

[ball911]

I think Charlie will be down for that. It would be one of HIS guys. He'll lose with them before he lets the others bring him down.

Yeah, I think he will as well....but that is definitely outside CS comfort zone.

 

[drunk randoke]

I'm not stopping.

So, is there like a Baylor Rivals site?

 

[Ketchum]

This is my favorite piece to read every week. I get a kick out of the passion generated over a website going down for 80 minutes. People pay $9 a month - less than a movie ticket for a months worth of reading and lose their mind in 80 minutes. I was upset myself and looked at other websites but moved on mentally in about a minute. The people complaining are the same ones who complain in restaurants that it is "inexcusable" that their food was overcooked. Umm, it happens. You should cook dinner sometime and see how it works. Keep up the good work Ketch- you have a great team and a great product.

Thanks for all of those kind words.

 

[Vincent Laguardia Gambini]

2006 McCoy had much better stats, but he rode a golden wave of luck and good bounces that year. 2009 Colt was awful in the biggest games of that season and was nowhere near as good as 2006 Colt.

He wasn't better than 2002 Chris IMO.

Don't want to address the supporting casts?

I was at that LSU game. Roy Williams won that game for us by taking a reverse for a TD and taking a short pass 75 yards. Lee Jackson also scored on defense. That LSU team was not any good. They went 8-5, were unranked, and got shutout by Dennis Franchione for God's sake.

The K State game was a gritty win. But Simms had what, one touchdown passing and one pick?

It is an absolute joke ranking Simms 2002 over Colt 2006 or Colt 2009. As bad as Colt was against OU in 2009, he still managed to pick up yards running the ball and he threw a touchdown while only having one interception. That would have been Simms' best game against OU. And Colt in 2006 picked up several first downs against OU with his feet and also threw two touchdowns with no picks. Simms had as many passing TDs against OU as a dead man. You cannot fail to show up in that game as a Texas QB. Period.

And again, give me VY 2003 over Simms 2002. We scored 8 more points a game with VY and his running and the threat of same turned around Benson's career. And VY's points per drive were higher than Simms ever managed and that was accomplished with Chance Mock getting most of the reps against the crappy teams on our schedule.