Paying a little homage to Blackie Sherrod at the open of the column this week by scattershooting on what to make of Sam Ehlinger's performance on Saturday night.
... What happened on Saturday night with Ehlinger's near-500 yard offensive performance was always a matter of when and not if for many people inside the program. In fact, one high-level source told Orangebloods two months ago that the expectation was that a door would open for Ehlinger at some point this season and that the true freshman would knock the door down and never look back. It's a comment I've thought about every time he's taken the field this season and it was impossible not to watch the Kansas State game through that prism.
... No one should make too much out of this single game because the reality of what Jerrod Heard's 2015 performance against Cal meant in the grand scheme of things should still be fresh, but it's plain as day to the naked eye the improvements that his presence on the field bring to the offense. From buying time and yards with his legs to standing tall in the pocket to driving the ball down the field in the passing game to his leadership qualities, his skill set brings everything Tom Herman's offenses needs. The question was always about how soon he could adjust to the level of play at a high D1 level. He has impact-level upside as a player when the game slows down for him.
... If his Kansas State performance ends up being a defining moment of this season, it can't be stressed enough just how critical of a moment it will be. This program has been staggering thirsty in the desert for almost a decade, hoping to find the guy that can do for this team what the likes of Brown, Applewhite, Simms, Young and McCoy did before him. There could be no development in the program that ranks as bigger or more important.
... One of the really important elements of the Kansas State game is that the Wildcats represent possibly the toughest remaining defense on the schedule for the Longhorns, as the team gets ready for the second half of the season. Bill Snyder threw the kitchen sink at Ehlinger and the kid burned the old wizard with a fresh book of spells for three and a half quarters.
... I'm guessing the entire team watched in film sessions on Sunday at least 10 times the runs that witnessed Ehlinger trucking defenders. Players will ride or die with a quarterback that leaves it all on the field.
... Ehlinger seems to be at his best late in the game and at his worst early in the game. The coaches might want to let him loosen up and get into a groove in future games before taking vertical shots down the field in the first quarter of games. Once he finds his rhythm, he's good to go.
No. 2 – The elephant in the room going into this week ...
The situation with Shane Buechele is as tricky as the days are long.
What's happened is what's happened, but if Buechele hadn't been hurt, he probably starts against Kansas State. I don't know if he's lost the starting job or if Ehlinger has just taken the damn thing away from him, but this is going to be a hard thing for him to accept.
In fact, I don't expect his to accept and he'll fight all season to take the damn thing back. Hell, maybe he will. That possibility can't completely be dismissed, especially since every good thing that Texas football has experienced in the last seven years has ended up being fool's gold in the moments leading up to this one.
This situation reminds me a little bit of what happened in 2003 and just like Texas needed Chance Mock later in the year after he lost the job to Vince Young, it's quite possible (and perhaps even likely) that Shane Buechele is going to be called on to help Texas win a game. He's still a kid that is developing and his upside is still very high, if the game can ever slow down for him in a way that it seems to have for Ehlinger in the last stages against USC and for pretty much the entirety of both his home starts.
However, if the rest of the season proves that Saturday night was not an accident with regards to Ehlinger's emergence, well, we're likely going to see a situation similar to what Mock dealt with in the 2004 off-season.
The T-word.
I know it's taboo, but this section is called "the elephant in the room" for a reason.
If Ehlinger takes this job and runs with it, Buechele will have to decide in a few months if he loves Texas as much as Mock did when he stayed for the 2004 season or if he needs to take his talents elsewhere. The difference between the two situations was that Mock had one season of eligibility remaining, while Buechele will have three years left to play two seasons.
If Ehlinger takes this job and runs with it, Tom Herman and his staff would do well to locate a JUCO quarterback that can provide some depth heading into the 2018 season in preparations for a worst-case scenario.
There's a lot of balls in the air with the situation, but Tom Herman strikes me as the type that won't be caught off-guard in moments when he can't afford to be.
No. 3 – Giving Tim Beck Credit ...
Say it. Tim Beck deserves some credit. SAY IT.
If Beck is going to take all of the blame when stuff goes wrong, then you have to give him all the credit when things go well.
With a rag-tag offensive line, no running game to trust or tight ends to even play, Beck has worked with Ehlinger behind the scenes to put together schemes/game plans that fit Ehlinger like a glove. That the true freshman is excelling in the midst of a super-fast learning curve is a sign of Beck doing good work as the primary quarterbacks coach.
Texas doesn't win that game without the offense picking up the defense in the same way that the defense picked up the offense in Ames.
Say it.
Tim Beck deserves some credit.
No. 4 - Give the entire offensive line a game-ball ...
I'll be honest ... upon hearing on Friday morning that Denzel Okafor was likely starting at left tackle and Terrell Cuney was going to be starting at center, I really regretted my Texas pick in the predictions column.
Let's keep it 100 - Okafor couldn't play well at right tackle and was benched a week ago and NOW HE'S THE STARTING LEFT TACKLE? Meanwhile, I pretty much viewed Cuney as a player that would never be able to play at this level.
And what happened?
Okafor played the best game of his young career against a damn good opponent, while Cuney proved to be serviceable in replacement of Zach Shackleford.
I did not see that coming.
Attaboy, to both players. Attaboy to Derek Warehime.
The Texas offensive line coach built a reputation at Houston for being a duct tape specialist with regards to making it work (shout out to Tim Gunn) and under extreme conditions on Saturday night, his group played light years better than I expected. No penalties. No "uh oh" backbreakers. Moments of imposing their will.
Color me impressed by everyone.
No. 5 – Armanti Drama ...
Tom Herman has eight digits to the left of the decimal on a long-term contract. Armati Foreman has seven games left in his entire career.
This one isn't rocket science.
I can't tell anyone how to raise a nearly grown adult because all I have are three-year old children, however if I was going to give advice, I'd tell Armanti and his father two things.
To Armanti ... put your head down, do as you're told like your life depends on it and play your ass off in these final seven games. You're trying to put film together for NFL scouts and pouting won't accomplish that. You're wasting time.
To Papa Foreman ... You aren't helping your son. I can understand being super frustrated and wanting to unload, but you aren't helping your son. You own virtually zero leverage in this situation. I would contend Armanti needs these last seven games more than Herman needs a distraction for these last seven games.
No. 6 – Buy or Sell …
BUY or SELL: Texas beats OU and some of the players plant the flag at midfield?
(Buy) I predicted a Texas win in this game in the summer and I'm not backing down now. DeShon Elliott is my choice for team flag-planter.
BUY or SELL: The student section being partially empty because they were at ACL was not that surprising?
(Buy) Guys, the Texas students lack the type of thirsty passion you see at other big-time programs and that has existed since I was in school back in the 90s. It is what it is.
BUY or SELL: Shane Buechele is still on campus to start next season? The following season?
(Sell) Business decision.
BUY or SELL: Toneil Carter can get more than 6 carries in a game this year?
(Sell) Neil Degrasse Tyson reports that it is scientifically impossible.
BUY or SELL: Gary Johnson will get ... oh hell. Never mind.
(Buy) Yup.
BUY or SELL: Texas wins at least one game against OU/OSU/TCU and finishes the season 8-4 or better?
(Buy) I'm on the 8-4 train.
BUY or SELL: It's the DUMBEST thing in the world to ever take 9 or 17 off of the field. They are the two playmakers that need to play no matter what.
(Sell) Is it dumber than Carter receiving only six carries, despite averaging 5 yards per carry?
BUY or SELL: The Texas offense - especially Sam Ehlinger - was well-prepared to play Kansas State because Tom Herman got heavily involved in the offensive planning.
(Sell) I don't think he was any more involved than he is in any other week.
BUY or SELL: Tim Beck's tendency to abandon the run (four total carries in the second half, which led to zero second-half TDs) will cost Texas at least one game this season.
(Sell) Texas is a pass-first, pass-second team. I'd argue that abandoning a failing run game and having Ehlinger throw it 50 times actually won a game it might not have otherwise.
No. 7 – The intimidation factor with Oklahoma is gone ...
It turns out that Oklahoma puts its britches on one leg at a time, just like every other team in the Big 12.
As it turns out, there will be an undefeated team in the conference coming into this game, but it won't be the Sooners.
Point blank - the Sooners can be had, especially their defense.
If Ehlinger plays anywhere close to the level he did against the Wildcats, the Red River Shootout will be a four-quarter game.
Buckle up.
No. 8 – If I had a vote that counts ...
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Washington
4. Penn State
5. Georgia
6. TCU
7. Washington State
8. Wisconsin
9. Oklahoma
10. Auburn
No. 9 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
... Is Kevin Sumlin going to keep his job? I will list-eater my words if he does, metaphorically speaking.
... Michigan is a little like USC, as both teams are still trying to find themselves. Just like USC, you could see a looming loss coming from a mile away.
.... Very quietly, Washington just keeps working opponents.
.... TCU still has a Kenny Hill problem.
... Texas could really use former commitment Kyle Hicks, who is starting for the Horned Frogs.
... Mike Leach might have the best team he's had in his entire career up in Pullman.
... Aaron Rodgers is a god.
... Jason Garrett will forever remain a JAG.
... Leonard Fournette is the truth.
... Hey Pittsburgh, what the hell was that?
... Don't look now, but Cam Newton and the Panthers are 4-1.
... Christian Pulisic is the truth and the USA looked as good on Friday night as I think I've seen them in a while. It wasn't just the lopsided score, it was the confidence in the overall play from all 11 men.
... Now go finish the deal on Monday night.
No. 10 – And finally …
For those that think I have a soft spot in my heart for Sam Ehlinger, I definitely do.
Eight years after my ranking of another Austin-area quarterback that I declared was the best quarterback prospect in the class of 2009 when he was a sophomore, I might just be able to redeem myself with the ranking of Ehlinger.
Way back in June of 2015, I labeled Ehlinger as the best quarterback in the state of Texas and slapped the No. 10 ranking in the state on him, despite the fact that he had offers from only Houston and SMU at the time.
A lot of people thought I was in over my head when I remarked that his pocket presence, moxie and ability to wing it down the field made him a no-doubt about it quarterback prospect at the college level, regardless of what anyone else thought.
Eventually, most recruiting folks came around to my side of the debate to some degree. If he ends up being a star at Texas, I'll view it as one of my best evaluations of my career.
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