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Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (Dear Tom, we might not be smart, but we're not stupid...)

Totally agree with you on Gruden, @Ketchum. That deal has felt a little off from the beginning. I don’t believe he understands the ways the league has changed over the past ten or so years. Plus, I think he will wear down that locker room over time.

You think he even makes it to year three?
I covered Gruden in Tampa. After winning the Super Bowl, he never won another playoff game. He always signed guys past their prime and never developed young QBs. He was great on TV, but Oakland forgot how bad of a coach he eventually became. Just can’t see him working out with the Raiders.
 
I covered Gruden in Tampa. After winning the Super Bowl, he never won another playoff game. He always signed guys past their prime and never developed young QBs. He was great on TV, but Oakland forgot how bad of a coach he eventually became. Just can’t see him working out with the Raiders.
I think it might be an epic disaster.
 
Interesting data on Demarcus Lodge and the WR class. I think a good part of Texas and A&M's problem is Texas HS talent is overrated. It would be interesting to see an analysis of the prior Top 20 lists and see what the hit rate was. In looking at the 2015 class i would say it was a bust as only a few made it to the NFL and weren't even drafted that high.
 
Interesting data on Demarcus Lodge and the WR class. I think a good part of Texas and A&M's problem is Texas HS talent is overrated. It would be interesting to see an analysis of the prior Top 20 lists and see what the hit rate was. In looking at the 2015 class i would say it was a bust as only a few made it to the NFL and weren't even drafted that high.
2015 is proving to be one of those shitty years for in-state talent. Lots of busts.
 
2015 is proving to be one of those shitty years for in-state talent. Lots of busts.
I would say 2016 too and that is where Texas upperclass is coming from. Thus, i like the idea of going out of state as right now i don't see good Texas talent coming out of High School. They seem to be maxed out when they get to college.
 
Other than Tulsa who can we beat out of the 5? 1-5 is very possible at this point.

If Texas goes 1-5 the fans will boo boo boo. Sucks but it will happen. Then CDC will have to step in and tell him to get this shit together or he is done. I hope he did that on Sunday though.
 
Anyone remember when Zeke went to social media talking shit in tOSU offensive calling? Wasnt that Beck that would go away from running and call stupid ass plays?
 
Ketch, I played enough football to know this--you devise ways to get the ball into the hands of your best players no matter what the defense does. Tom Herman--and by extension Beck--do not agree with this statement. I also know you play your best players every down--Herman and Beck do not agree with this. They believe you take what the defense gives you (which is a lazy approach to offensive play calling and gives the defense the advantage). The ONLY WAY THIS EVER WORKS is if you have an explosive QB who can improvise (Houston QB) or explosive players at every position on the field--and that doesn't even work if you become predictable with formations and tendencies. The problem is that Tom Herman is wrong in every aspect of his offensive philosophy and personnel decisions. We have a BIG PROBLEM that isn't going away because his thinking is wrong--no matter how smart he thinks he is--his record at Texas is all the proof you need.
 
I would say 2016 too and that is where Texas upperclass is coming from. Thus, i like the idea of going out of state as right now i don't see good Texas talent coming out of High School. They seem to be maxed out when they get to college.
Diversifying, given the circumstances, is essential.
 
Ketch, I played enough football to know this--you devise ways to get the ball into the hands of your best players no matter what the defense does. Tom Herman--and by extension Beck--do not agree with this statement. I also know you play your best players every down--Herman and Beck do not agree with this. They believe you take what the defense gives you (which is a lazy approach to offensive play calling and gives the defense the advantage). The ONLY WAY THIS EVER WORKS is if you have an explosive QB who can improvise (Houston QB) or explosive players at every position on the field--and that doesn't even work if you become predictable with formations and tendencies. The problem is that Tom Herman is wrong in every aspect of his offensive philosophy and personnel decisions. We have a BIG PROBLEM that isn't going away because his thinking is wrong--no matter how smart he thinks he is--his record at Texas is all the proof you need.
good post.
 
Ohio State fans were not down with Beck.

Which still blows my mind how much Herman loves him some shitty play calling. We all know Herman thinks he is to big of a deal to call plays now. I guess he will learn the hard way and get fired from his dream job over something he is suppose to be a genius in. Texas is the movie Groundhog Day.
 
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I don't get it...USC starts a freshman and he lights it up. Last year a true freshman lead Georgia to the BCS Championship game. Why not start Rising this week and break him in. Apparently this staff does not believe in Shane, even though he has a better record than Sam. So, if that is the case then play Rising this week against Tulsa and see what he can do? If Herman doesn't make a drastic change to this offense, then the upper up's will start looking for the next Head Coaching candidate, but who is out there that could lead us back to the Glory Days! Apparently, it is NOT Herman...
 
Point two and three were things I have been pondering since the game ended. The rb rotation is again and enigma. Waiting for Sam to take a step forward in development. Not ready to throw in the towel bc I believed you were right in waiting three games before making a rash judgment
 
He had a better quarterback at Houston.

This is the key. Greg Ward and JT Barrett are the perfect fit for Herman’s system. We don’t have anything close to either and Herman clearly cannot adjust his system to our personnel.

Roschon can’t get here soon enough. Heard would’ve given Herman the best shot and that should’ve been given a look right after his first press conference.

He also had freakin Ed Oliver. That dude almost single handily beat OU. He only committed to UH to play w/his brother.
 
Which still blows my mind how much Herman loves him some shitty play calling. We all know Herman thinks he is to big of a deal to call plays now. I guess he will learn the hard way and get fired from his dream job over something he is suppose to be a genius in. Texas is the movie Groundhog Day.

Herman isn't an elite offensive mind and at this point doesn't want that exposed. That will happen once he takes over the offense and there's marginal improvement. He thought his processes and system were so fool proof that he could hire any Tom, Dick, and Harry to be the OC. If he fires Beck after the season and has to hire a new OC, it.validates he can't do it on his own whixh is a hit to his ego.
 
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good post.

I, for the life of me, don't get it. Why in the world would you not play your best players along with plays (i.e. running the damn football) that are working.on a consistent basis!?? To what end? For what purpose does that serve? Anybody with eyes and/or common sense doesn't keep doing the same thing over & over (that's obviously not working) but expects different results! Isn't that the definition of insanity?
 
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Every time someone uses the CDC initials, I immediately think of its medical counterpart....Center for Disease Control. Then I think ......these initials and their intent could be interchangeable.

If Texas goes 1-5 the fans will boo boo boo. Sucks but it will happen. Then CDC will have to step in and tell him to get this shit together or he is done. I hope he did that on Sunday though.
 
Kyle Porter was on the field on the final drive.

Then they split him out wide. Porter was split out wide. With the game on the line, Porter was split out wide.

I just can’t get past that.
 
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I think you're overcrowded if they all come back, but it's possible that Texas could lose two in the off-season. Keep taking two until you find your guy.

Even when and if you find one "your guy", he can go down at any moment, and he's essentially indispensable to a successful CFB program. You need to be constantly developing two. And of course, often when you develop one, if he's really good, he leaves early for the NFL, just as Vince Young did.

I don't think a team taking two QBs every year ever ends up with too many QBs, I just don't believe it will occur. I do believe teams can afford the scholarships, and certainly can afford it more than not having adequate QB play, which has seemed to exist for roughly a decade at Texas. And the rooms are plenty big at Texas, even the euphemism "crowded room" is, I believe, ultimately misleading.

If Texas takes two till they find even one "your guy", they take two every year for the past 10 years. And the way they are going, for the next 10 years.
 
I don't think the defense is catching enough blame for this disaster. Dumb penalties, missed tackles and blown coverages were everywhere and allowing Maryland to drive 87 yards at the end of the game (even
though ultimately held to a field goal) was a brutal disappointment.

Here is a point no one has mentioned but which I will submit as evidence of this coaching staff's lack of judgement. That is the decision to go for two after our last touchdown of the first half. I know, I know, you will ask how we could pass up an opportunity to tie the game, but please hear me out. First, we clearly had no special play to call in going for two. Second, our quarterback clearly did not understand the dynamics of the situation (throwing the ball away rather than giving someone a chance to make a play, however unlikely). Third, that early in the game it is impossible to know how important a single point may turn out to be late in the game and as it turned out lacking that single point could have been critically important. When Maryland was up by two and on our goal line late in the game if Maryland scores a touchdown it's a two score game. When we were down by five and had the ball with a few minutes left if we score seven Maryland can still win with a field goal.

In my mind the decision on the extra point is just cumulative along with several disjointed decisions made last year on plays near the opponent's goal line that caused me to believe our coaches really don't have a good feel for game strategy.

Thank you for reading.
 
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Ketch, I have a question for Herman, what coverage were we running when we allowed a true freshman to look like the second coming of Randy moss go 65 yards for a TD, he was so wide open starting at the twenty he turned and started dancing? I know I have a low football IQ so I just could not identify the scheme but it happens a lot! Keep me posted.
 
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I, for the life of me, don't get it. Why in the world would you not play your best players along with plays (i.e. running the damn football) that are working.on a consistent basis!?? To what end? For what purpose does that serve? Anybody with eyes and/or common sense doesn't keep doing the same thing over & over (that's obviously not working) but expects different results! Isn't that the definition of insanity?

Maybe Insecurity and/or lack of experience.

First example: Maybe something is partially revealed in his wise-ass responses to legit questions. Maybe that is his defense after a failure (or a perceived failure) rather than saying "I am not sure", thus putting a dent in the "Mensa" image.

Example during games: Maybe he allows someone else to scattershoot personel looking for a "magic bullet" solution. And perhaps those inexpicable actions are an act of desperation and not some pre-conceived secret plan solution.

Personally I think actions like inserting Porter at the end was a "fetal position" response to the empending reality that this game was about to become the repeat of last season. And as another poster correctly pointed out, deep down at critical moments this is an offensive leadership team that favors "safe" personnel decisions, and not necessarily a "go for it" type of player mentality. Why else would Sam be so hesitant to run all game, or coaches not use the players known to be most productive? When a guy who appears in non pressure situations to be so logical, yet makes illogical decisions under pressure, it is NOT a good sign.

Latsly in the most glaring reality, unfettered "protection" of a subordinate who is a proven repeated non-performer for any reason is either a presumption of being "bulletproof" or the first steps in sealing your own demise. In this case, maybe both.
 
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