Ketch's 10 Thoughts From The Weekend (I'm out of benefit of the doubt)

[Ketchum]

A 7 am hot take best thing to start your morning lol how’s it going? I feel like Whittington projects as a safety in the league. I obviously love him but he doesn’t feel like a WR sometimes. I know Washington played defense in HS but I feel like he was born to play receiver.

Whittington is a damn good receiver when he's healthy.

 

[TheAngryHammer]

Banks has the full support of his boss and is critical in recruiting, so yeah, he's safe IMO.

and who has he been critical in recruiting? You yourself mentioned no recruits list him as their main contact or impact coach.

Sark kills his credibility on discipline and hating to lose when one of his highest paid assistants doesn’t hate to lose and can go out and party after a gut punch to the entire team.

This is why he is done.

 

[Ketchum]

and who has he been critical in recruiting?

Guys that haven't committed at this point.

 

[TheAngryHammer]

Guys that haven't committed at this point.

Do you think I’m off base on the rest of my post?

 

[prohias]

Does this mean that all of this is Sark's fault? Should he be fired? Does this mean that he can't turn this thing around?

No, no and no.

However, Sarkisian and the entire Texas coaching staff can own a big chunk of responsibility for all of this.

The part I'm curious about is how Sark can be forced to make changes in his assistant coaches.

Sark is in year one of a six year contract and they paid $24 million to make Herman go away. What kind of leverage do they have?

"If you owe the bank $100 that's your problem. If you owe the bank $100 million, that's the bank's problem." - J Paul Getty

 

[TX44]

Whittington is a damn good receiver when he's healthy.

I don’t see much of a difference in their stats after Washington has gotten his chance. You will probably point to Whittington’s third down numbers (11 for 194) well Washington has good numbers too on that down (4 for 105). I know it isn’t all about stats but you also said Washington is a better blocker.

 

[MB-HORNS]

@Ketchum what coaches had first year records at 5-7 or worse but when on to have decent careers?

 

[Ketchum]

Do you think I’m off base on the rest of my post?

Not really.

 

[Ketchum]

The part I'm curious about is how Sark can be forced to make changes in his assistant coaches.

Sark is in year one of a six year contract and they paid $24 million to make Herman go away. What kind of leverage do they have?

"If you owe the bank $100 that's your problem. If you owe the bank $100 million, that's the bank's problem." - J Paul Getty

🤷‍♂️

 

[Ketchum]

@Ketchum what coaches had first year records at 5-7 or worse but when on to have decent careers?

Mack Brown at UNC?

 

[RLong68]

... I understand Sarkisian wanting to get Hudson Card some playing time on the third series of the game, but I'm not sure I understand sticking with Card after his fumble helped put the Longhorns behind by two touchdowns with a couple of minutes left in the half. It felt critical at that moment that the Longhorns go back to Thompson, who had thrown a touchdown pass in his last possession of play, for such a critical moment in the game. Waiting to do so until after Card threw a horrible pick-six to put the Longhorns down by 21 was a coaching decision gone bad that eventually proved to be one of the defining moments of the night.

This is the second week in a row where Sark has shown an appalling lack of situational awareness. Going back to Ames, I thought that decision early to PUNT from the ISU 40 with just 4th and 2 was a bizarrely questionable decision. Then, against KU, the decision to turn to Card in drive 3 simply because Sark painted himself into a corner by already committing to that was another bad. Yes, Card led a TD drive before crapping the bed on the next 2 drives. Definitely questions on Sark's game management are valid.

 

[MB-HORNS]

Mack Brown at UNC?

I was thinking him for sure.

 

[RLong68]

... The Texas pass rush has generated three sacks in the last four games combined.

 

[RLong68]

(Sell) The Mannings really love Sarkisian. The Longhorns will be a bridesmaid, which puts them above 0% chances.

Second is the same as last in recruiting. He's 100% gone.

 

[Ketchum]

This is the second week in a row where Sark has shown an appalling lack of situational awareness. Going back to Ames, I thought that decision early to PUNT from the ISU 40 with just 4th and 2 was a bizarrely questionable decision. Then, against KU, the decision to turn to Card in drive 3 simply because Sark painted himself into a corner by already committing to that was another bad. Yes, Card led a TD drive before crapping the bed on the next 2 drives. Definitely questions on Sark's game management are valid.

we're on the same page.

 

[RLong68]

... Can anyone name a better trio of wide receivers on the same team at the same time than what Ohio State currently has with its trio of Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba? Maybe LSU from a few seasons ago? Maybe those Miami teams from the 1980s? All I know is these three dudes are incredible.

I mean, 2 years ago Jaylen Waddle was Alabama's FOURTH leading WR.

 

[RLong68]

... Jonathan Brooks looks way more the part of a big-time college running back than I would have guessed he'd be as a true freshman. Bravo to that young man.

Can't really disagree. Not sure I'm ready to say "big-time" but certainly he looks like he belongs.

 

[Ketchum]

Second is the same as last in recruiting. He's 100% gone.

not in this new age of the Portal.

2nd will actually be 1st for a lot of kids in the bigger picture, weirdly enough.

 

[Ketchum]

Can't really disagree. Not sure I'm ready to say "big-time" but certainly he looks like he belongs.

big-time = legit major college player

probably could have used better words.

 

[RLong68]

(Sell) The kid has a ton of raw tools. He's just not ready to play at this level yet. It's terribly concerning how shakable that he's been, but I'm not willing to give up on him. I'm not sure I've ever seen a kid that was this well thought of by two different staffs, only to really look nothing like a player that deserves the plaudits he was given.

What are your thoughts on the bizarre bad luck we've had with LT QBs. We sign easily the two highest rated from that school and both crash and burn. Granted, maybe there's still time for Card to turn it around. But the point remains the same right now. Meanwhile, no offer Mayfield becomes a CFB legend and Todd Reesing leads KANSAS to an Orange Bowl win. Any suspicion that entitlement is an issue?

 

[RLong68]

... I wouldn't worry much about the beating Gonzaga gave Texas over the weekend. The Zags are further along than Texas in UT’s story together and its all-time great player had an all-time great game. There will be better days ahead.

It's amazing at one point there was a "Baker or Timme" debate.

 

[RLong68]

On a side-note, Worthy's NIL contract with Orangebloods is dead. It simply wasn't something he wanted to continue to do and we respect his decision. Having a chance to get to know him in the last three months has been a lot of fun. He's had a magical season on the individual level and watching him evolve over the last three months has been quite insightful.

I wonder if any incoming or outgoing calls on his phone have a Columbus area code. Buckeyes losing 2 WRs to the '22 draft. I mean, maybe it does or doesn't happen, but CLEARLY a transfer there makes a sh*tload of sense.

 

[Hornsfan71]

Different times, different place, different dynamics.

Agreed but the end goal is still the same. And these guys carrying their feels on their shoulders and this “poor pitiful me” attitude is never going to win any games and it’s not going to win in life! This is exactly why they buckle under pressure, because they simply can’t handle it and they want to feel sorry for themselves. Look at the former players. Look at what they’re saying. They know.
During a break on Texas Gameday on Saturday, Fozzy and Griffin were both laughing, praising, and taking selfies with guy wearing a shirt that promoted Bo Davis’s rant. You think that’s a coincidence? Those are the guys I respect. They know what it takes to be successful.
It’s time to take the gloves off and burn it down. You can’t just plug and play a coach and expect it to work.

 

[LJ01]

@Ketchum you missed a couple of Bruno songs

Billionaire is technically a Travie McCoy song but Bruno owns it and plays it at his concerts.

Just the Way You Are has been played at a couple of weddings and looking at the girls on the dance floor you could see that is a major panty dropper.

 

[RLong68]

It's way more complicated than that. There's more to all of it behind the scenes and it's not all for public consumption. The video of him partying after the Baylor game at the same time as Monkey-Gate was an issue to go with it.

Not to mention the general trashiness associated with a well-paid assistant leaving his wife for a stripper who owns said monkey.

 

[Eagle Fang]

@Ketchum give us the following odds and percentages please…

Sark remains as HC coach heading into the SEC
PK remains as the DC in 2022
Thompson will be the starter in 2022

 

[RLong68]

@Ketchum what coaches had first year records at 5-7 or worse but when on to have decent careers?

Perhaps splitting hairs, but Pete Carroll was 6-6 in year 1 at SC.

 

[MB-HORNS]

Perhaps splitting hairs, but Pete Carroll was 6-6 in year 1 at SC.

Another good example

 

[PhoenixKnightForever00]

correct.

He never should've been fired

 

[texfan92]

Perhaps splitting hairs, but Pete Carroll was 6-6 in year 1 at SC.

Mel Tucker was 2-5 last year..
Saban lost 4 out of his last 5 games in his first year at Bama to finish 6-6 in the regular season.

 

[PhoenixKnightForever00]

I didn't see him in the participation chart from Saturday night.

Ketch, do you know who the player is?

 

[RLong68]

Mack Brown at UNC?

Jackie Sherrill went 5-6 and 5-5-1 at ACES his first two years. Then in the season finale of year 3, he destroyed Texas to finish 6-5 which set the stage for a decade of dominance by ACES.

 

[jspirohorn]

I posted this earlier today in the Sunday Pulpit, but feel it needs to seen by a larger group to understand Sark.

To better understand Sark and how he is operating , you need to understand 12-Step Recovery. and much of that is not in line with what you and maybe the team fully understands.

Sark has humility which is rare in P5 college football, but is an essential part of the foundation for recovery. Unfortunately, often people see humility as weakness, which is not the case. I make up that many of the current UT players who see Sark that way will rue the day they did.

Humility means treating players as grown up adults and expecting them to do what they are suppose to do which is the 'next right thing'....and guess what?....a lot on this team have not done so; but it also means that Sark will in all likelihood not flinch in practicing tough love by cutting someone loose who is not doing what they need to do so that the released player may find his bottom.

The culture he is creating is a mature culture of accountability, honesty and community. It is also a culture that takes time to come together, but once it does, it is rock solid.

Sark might not make it in Austin; I truly hope he does; and his players will be better men for having played for him.

The psychology and dynamic sound believable. However, the personality and demeanor you described sounds more like a professor than a general.

 

[TheAngryHammer]

I was thinking him for sure.

So......we're back?

 

[jspirohorn]

So you are saying it’s not all roosters and puppies?