Let’s just assume that Charlie Strong closes the deal with Sonny Cumbie.
Perhaps that’s a dangerous assumption, but all signs continue to point to Cumbie becoming the next Texas offensive coordinator, as he ranks as the No.1 target on the Texas wish list and there’s obviously considerable interest from both parties. With money not an issue, it’ll come down to Strong and Cumbie sitting down in a room on Sunday night and feeling good about being able to hitch each other’s wagons together.
With Strong wanting to get this thing done in quick fashion so that he and the rest of his coaching staff can get to work in recruiting before the dead period kicks in, I have to believe that Strong went into tonight’s meeting looking to close.
Frankly, it’s the chance of a lifetime for Cumbie, who automatically walks into “write your own ticket” mode if he can successfully turnaround the Texas offense.
Hell, half the state will view him as the greatest thing since the grand opening of Whataburger if he can the Texas offense interesting once again.
So, let’s assume that Cumbie is in because the alternative is a bad sign for a head coach that needs to start winning consistently on and off the field over the course of the next 365 days or so. If that assumption is true, you can go ahead and pencil in Arizona State’s Chris Tomsen as the new offensive line coach, which would leave two spots open on the offensive side of the coaching staff to fill - running backs and wide receivers.
If you’re Charlie Strong, you have to let Cumbie build as much of a complete staff as possible, which means giving up Jay Norvell or Tommie Robinson if that’s the direction Cumbie wants to take. It’s not show-friends, it’s show-business and Strong can’t worry about feelings with his tenure in Austin hanging in the balance of the success of this hire. A year ago, he wanted Shaun Watson to direct a style of offense that he wasn’t really familiar with and that mistake can’t be made again.
Those spots have to be filled with guys that know exactly what Cumbie wants and how to implement it, while also adding some pop in recruiting.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, Strong has Vance Bedford, Brian Jean-Mary and Chris Vaughn coming off of two-year contracts and the smart money still has Strong keeping his defensive staff intact, although there continues to be smoke that Strong is interested in bringing in Clint Hurtt in some role. With Strong unlikely wanting to break in two new coordinators in the most important coaching year of his life, if any change is going to be made, perhaps it comes along the defensive line. as Brick Haley has been an underwhelming recruiting force in his first year.
Regardless, once the wheels are in motion, don’t look for it to take a ton of time for all of this to come together.
Charlie wants to focus on recruiting, which means that four things… close the deal with Cumbie, let him hire his offensive staff, make the final decisions on the defensive staff and get to work.
There's a lot to do.
No. 2 – The buck with the Texas defense stops with Charlie Strong …
There are two things I find amazing about the fact that the 2015 Texas Longhorns finished the season with the worst statistical defense in school history.
a. That it could be that any defense under Charlie Strong be worse than the 2012 and 2013 Texas defenses.
b. That anyone would point the finger at anyone other than Strong for the failures of this unit.
Repeat after me until it completely sinks in … the Texas defense is Charlie’s defense. It doesn’t belong to anyone else, including “defensive coordinator” Vance Bedford. It’s Charlie’s baby.
Blaming Bedford for the struggles of the Texas defense would be like blaming someone other than Art Briles for any lack of success in the Baylor offense or someone in the future blaming anyone other than Will Muschamp for any failures the South Carolina defense.
Strong is at Texas right now and entertains a measure of job security coming out of the 2015 season because of his expertise in defense. When a high-level Texas administrator privately gave Strong a vote of confidence to me last month, he did so because of his belief that Strong would create a dominant defense in the future.
Blaming Bedford is scapegoating … period.
The reality coming into 2016 is that Strong must prove he can defend the best teams in the most potent conference in the country in terms of offense. This isn’t the blood and guts SEC in which Strong built his rep. This isn’t the American Athletic Conference from which he was hired.
It’s the Big 12, which means if you don’t have it together, a 40-point bomb can fall on your head at any given time against almost any school in the conference. Much of the issues in 2015 centered on the youth in the line-up, but a lot of teams in the Big 12 had to play young players this season. Nobody needed to make up excuses for Gary Patterson when his entire defense basically turned over in the middle of the season and he still provided a better defense than Strong was able to create with the Longhorns.
Heading into next season, Strong’s feel for defending teams in this league needs to take a big step forward.
When the defense has success, he receives the credit. Therefore, when it fails like it has for much of this season, he needs to own the blame.
Say it one more time with me … it’s Charlie’s defense.
No. 3 – The irony of Joe Wickline’s Texas career ...
When Joe Wickline was hired away from Oklahoma State in January of 2014, it all made perfect sense.
Ready for a change after a long stay at Oklahoma State, Wickline joined former coaching mate Charlie Strong’s staff in Austin with a shiny new co-offensive coordinator title and the working theory that after years of working wonders with third-rate recruits, the platform at Texas would possibly give him the type of toys in raw talent he hadn’t worked with in his entire career.
Things just never came together in two seasons in Austin the way Wickline and everyone in Austin had hoped. From the Oklahoma State lawsuit to the broken toys to the uncomfortable exposure in a major market to difficulties in recruiting to singing the Eyes of Texas, the last two years haven’t exactly been a friendly stroll through Zilker Park.
So, it’s almost certainly best for everyone involved that Wickline go into a different direction with the expiration of his UT contract, but before he’s off and never likely to return, let’s establish one fairly ironic point about Wickline and the 2015 season …
A strong case can be made that Wickline did the best job of coaching his position this year of any assistant coach on the staff.
Despite starting two true freshmen along the offensive line for the entire year for the first time in school history (prior to Vahe's injury), including Connor Williams at the critical left tackle spot, Wickline put together a unit with scotch tape and chicken-wire that proved to be much better than anyone could have ever projected back in the middle of the off-season.
With almost zero passing game help, a rotating running back line-up and a coaching staff that couldn’t get the best skill players on the team the touches it needed to, the Texas offensive line still created a running game on which the team was able to lean over the second half of the season in conference play.
This isn’t to say Wickline’s season was without flaws because it could certainly be easily argued that he should have replaced struggling upperclassmen with younger players at various points of the season, but I don’t know who you would rank ahead of him on the Texas staff, given the circumstances.
No. 4 – Scattershooting on the Longhorns …
… Everyone likes to talk about the improvement the secondary might make with the presence of DeShon Elliott at safety, but don’t sleep on the possible impact P.J. Locke might have back there as well. In his first career start, the youngster made a habit of being around the ball and making things happen when he did get there.
… Speaking of Locke, he became the ninth true freshman to start a game this season for the Longhorns.
… The return of both Caleb Buiett and Andrew Beck gives the Longhorns its best outlook at tight end going into next season since … 2006?
… Texas has been pretty awful on third downs all season, but it held Baylor to 4 of 16 conversions, which is pretty much what we thought would happen in this game all season, right?
… It got lost in the shuffle because of all the events over four quarters, but the very first defensive stand of the game for the Longhorn defense in the first quarter was a pretty significant moment in the game. To stuff a Baylor offense that had been white hot all season in the first quarter on back-to-back short-distance downs was a critical little moment in a game that had a lot of them.
… All things considered, Taylor Doyle and the rest of the inside players did as good of a job against Andrew Billings as you could reasonably expect.
No. 5 – Buy or sell …
(As always, these are questions submitted by Orangebloods subscribers)
BUY or SELL: Jerrod Heard is our starter for the entire season next year if healthy?
(Sell) I’m not convinced that a new offensive coordinator isn’t going to want to bring in another option instead of limiting the options to Heard, Tyrone Swoopes and a trio of babies and projects. Before it’s all said and done, bringing in a JUCO option is going to make a lot of sense.
BUY or SELL: Jeff Traylor and Jay Norvell are the only offensive position coaches that survive the inevitable chopping block and remain on the staff in 2016?
(Sell) I don’t know that Norvell is coming back at all, which means I view Traylor as the only offensive coach locked in for 2016. Perhaps Norvell stays, but his impact as a recruiter is overstated and the new offensive coordinator deserves the right to be able to build a group of his guys.
BUY or SELL: That loss was a big setback to Briles and his recruiting efforts, particularly coming after losses to OU and TCU?
(Sell) It’ll have no impact whatsoever.
BUY or SELL: Yesterday's win gives Texas the needed momentum to sign a top-15 class?
(Sell) I’m sticking with Texas finishing with a top-20ish class and not budging from that projection.
BUY or SELL: There are defensive coaching changes for 2016? A lot of talk about the offensive side of the ball, yet we hit a new low on the defensive side of the ball this year - seems this needs to be addressed
(Sell) See above in section No.2. I don't think Charlie scapegoats anyone on that side of the ball.
BUY or SELL: If it's Cumbie, do you like this hire better than Brian Harsin when he was hired?
(Sell) The Harsin hire was a better, elite-level hire that didn’t pan out because of the dynamics that exist when trying to be an offensive coordinator under Mack Brown. We never witnessed the best of Harsin.
BUY or SELL: Shane Buechele will not have a redshirt season and will start at least one game in 2016?
(Sell) It’s probably too early to answer this question, but Strong cannot afford breaking in a true freshman next season and I think Buechele is best-served by using the redshirt season.
BUY or SELL: South Carolina is making a huge mistake hiring Will Muschamp because he won't get the offense right this time either?
(Sell) It’s a perfect place for Muschamp because it won’t fire a coach for going 7-5 because it has virtually zero history outside of George Rogers. I actually think that hire is going to work out really well for the Gamecocks.
BUY or SELL: Shaka Smart will win 20 games before Charlie Strong wins nine?
(Buy) That almost feels like a trick question because I answered it so quickly.
BUY or SELL: Charlie Strong is the head coach of Texas in 2017?
(Sell) The power players in the Texas food chain have been very patient, but I expect the Longhorns to be ready to make a move in a year from now if substantial gains aren’t made.
No. 6 – CFB Randomness: The Final Week ...
… If I had a vote that mattered …
1. Alabama
2. Oklahoma
3. Clemson
4. Michigan State
5. Stanford
6. Notre Dame
7. Ohio State
8. Iowa
9. Florida State
10. North Carolina
… Heisman Tracker: 1) Derrick Henry (Alabama), 2) Christian McCaffrey (Stanford) and 3) Greg Ward (Houston)
... I'll take Oklahoma over Clemson and Alabama over Michigan State, with the Tide beating the Sooners 27-17 in the national title game.
… I don’t know what it is about Clemson, but I’m still not buying that team hook, line and sinker, although we’ll see what it is made of soon enough when the playoffs begin. In a year when I haven’t seen a single team that borders on being truly great, it’s probably perfect that the Tigers are the only undefeated team left.
… USC freshman running Ronald Jones finished the regular season with 940 yards, eight touchdowns and a 6.5 yards per carry average. Texas has a lot of thunder in its backfield, but it needs a guy like Jones to make the running game truly dangerous moving forward.
… It’s a testament to the Tide defense and the greatness of Derrick Henry this season that a team with Jacob Coker as its quarterback has made it into the final four. Perhaps it's also a testament to the lackluster quality of play in the SEC as a whole this season. Is Dak Prescott the best quarterback in the SEC this year? Would Brandon Allen be No. 2? Woof.
… Treon Harris vs. the Alabama defense was probably the biggest mismatch of the weekend.
… Leonard Fournette might be the first player in college football history to rush for a billion yards in a game when he meets that Texas Tech defense in the Texas Bowl.
No. 7 – So much for the dominance of a week ago ...
For a team that is on the cusp of both a division title and a possible top-15 draft pick, we should probably never be surprised when the week following the release of Mr. Hyde, we run back into Dr. Jeckyl.
And if we’re being completely honest, if even by the slightest margins, the Bills are probably a better team than the Texans, so the 30-21 win was a just verdict.
Still, even after acknowledging all of that, there’s a part of me that expected a little more from the Texans on Sunday, but in the end there just weren’t enough pieces in place. Specifically, the foursome of Taylor/McCoy/Watkins/Clay was better than anything the Texans could match.
With a wounded Patriots team coming to town next week and the Colts not able to run away from anyone, anything is still possible with this team.
Hell, as crazy as it sounds, the Texans probably have a better chance to win at home next week against the defending champs than they did on the road in Buffalo.
No. 8 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… Scattershooting on week 13 of the NFL season.
a. At this very moment, New England is not the best team in the AFC.
b. It was a good day for the hopefully tanking Cowboys, as Tennessee won its third game of the season and the 49ers won their fourth game of the season, moving Dallas up to the No. 4 spot in the draft if the season ended today. Can the Cowboys catch the Browns?
c. Seattle should be charged with a felony for what it did to Minnesota on its own field. Even bloodbaths are blushing over a beat-down that witnessed Adrian Peterson rush for only 18 yards.
d. Speaking of beat-downs, the Browns should have saved everyone some time and just forfeited their game against the Bengals.
e. Ryan Tannehill has always been a JAG and will forever remain a JAG.
f. The Giants simply don’t want to win the NFC East.
g. The Blake Bortles/Marcus Mariota battles over the next decade or so are going to be a hell of a lot of fun.
h. Chicago fans are hurting today after getting Gabberted on Sunday in overtime. Honestly, I had forgotten that Torrey Smith was still a player in the league.
i. The Panthers might have survived its toughest challenge on the way to an undefeated season, but that game against the Giants on the road is going to be a doozy.
j. I really could have done without David Johnson, Doug Martin, Demaryius Thomas, Michael Crabtree and Martavis Bryant all scoring touchdowns in fantasy against me today. I’m going to need Dez Brtyant to go huge on Monday night to save my season.
… If the Sixers land Ben Simmons, all of the tanking will have been worth it. The basketball gods owe us that much after delivering the team Johnny Manziel Okafor in the last draft.
… I’m starting to think that Golden State might go 82-0.
… Sorry, Red Sox Nation, but I hate that David Price deal. I just don’t get paying an ace of diamonds price for the jack of clubs.
… T-minus six days until UFC194. Been looking forward to this one for months.
… What is up with soccer players acting like they are pregnant after scoring goals?
… Scattershooting on week 15 of the English Premier League
a. What a strange weekend with most of the top teams looking like they would rather be anywhere else other than a pitch. The byproduct had Man City, Man U., Liverpool and Tottenham all missing a chance to gain points over the other teams fighting for spots in the top four, whether it tied or flat out lost over the weekend.
b. Jurgen Klopp hasn’t made many mistakes since taking control of Liverpool, but his line-up on Sunday was missing cohesiveness and any kind of a spark. Leading the way in the disjointedness was Christian Benteke, who doesn’t fit in with the current players or desired approach to the game. If Klopp continues to have healthy options, Benteke’s playing time is going to start coming way down because his lack of liveliness sucked the breath out of the entire team today.
c. I’m not sure what to make of Chelsea losing to Bournemouth. The Blues are just a joke right now.
d. How long before Riyad Mahrez is playing for one of the big boys? No offense to Jamie Vardy, but Mahrez is the guy I’d love to poach from Leicester it at all possible.
f. My top four favorite non-Liverpool midfielders: 1) Mesut Ozil 2) Kevin De Bruyne 3) David Silva 4) Mahrez
No. 9 – 83 Days Until Oscar Night
100 words or less movie review: Creed (A)
As much hype and love as this movie has received in the last few weeks, I have to say that the actual product surpassed it all. What J.J. Abrams did for the Star Trek franchise, Ryan Coogler does for the Rocky franchise, as he gives the movie heart and soul, while making us care for characters we’ve never known. Michael B. Jordan emerges as a star as the son of Apollo Creed and deserves Oscars consideration. The same can be said for Sly. The bottom line is that I’m in love with this movie.
100 words or less movie review: Spotlight (A+)
One of the front-runners for Best Picture, Spotlight spits fire from the very beginning with master-class directing, acting and overall story-telling. Although most are familiar with the Catholic Church child molestation scandals, watching the members of the Boston Globe uncover the story is absolutely fascinating, especially when you see the hurdles created by the titan strength of the Church. In a star-studded cast firing on all cylinders, Mark Ruffalo might have given the performance of his lifetime. It’s absolutely in this discussion for Best Picture, a must-see while in the theaters.
Here’s a look at the my current leaderboards.
Best Picture (based on movies I have actually seen)
1. Spotlight
2. Sicario
3. Room
4. Creed
5. Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Actor (based on the movies I have actually seen)
1. Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs)
2. Michael B. Jordan (Creed)
3. Michael Keaton (Spotlight)
4. Tom Hanks (Bridge of Spies)
5. Antonio Banderas (The 33)
Best Actress (based on the movies I have actually seen)
1. Brie Larson (Room)
2. Emily Blount (Sicario)
3. Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Best Supporting Actor (based on the movies I have actually seen)
1. Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies)
2. Jacob Tremblay (Room)
3. Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight)
4. Benicio del Toro (Sicario)
5. Sly Stallone (Creed)
Best Supporting Actress (based on the movies I have actually seen)
1. Joan Allen (Room)
2. Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina)
3. Rachel McAdams (Spotlight)
4. Tessa Thompson (Creed)
5. Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)
Best Director
1. Lenny Abrahamson (Room)
2. Tom McCarthy (Spotlight)
3. George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road)
4. Denis Villeneuve (Sicario)
5. Danny Boyle (Steve Jobs)
No. 10 – The List: Adele
It’s Adele’s world and we’re all just living in it.
Don’t believe me? Consider these numbers from the last two weeks since the release of her third album 25...
According to Billboard.com, the album is the first to sell a million copies in two different weeks since Nielsen began tracking point-of-sale purchases back in 1991.
In only two weeks, the album has sold a ridiculous 4.49 million copes, including a first-week record of 3.38 million last week.
In only two weeks, 25 became the top-selling album in all of 2015.
Basically, there’s no one else quite like her on the planet, as critics and the world’s population love her music on a level that’s simply separate from everyone else alive. Consider that the opening week sales for 25 are roughly four times that of what Beyonce’s last album did in the first week and the album has almost surpassed in two weeks what Beyonce has sold in two years.
Let’s get on with the list.
10. Take It All
My selection for most underrated song of Adele’s young career.
9. Rumor Has It
Adele is the first woman to have three simultaneous top 10 singles in the history of the Billboard Hot 100.
7. Chasing Pavements
A Grammy winner from her debut album that was also nominated for Song and Record of the Year.
6. Hometown Glory
Both the first song Adele ever wrote and the first single she ever released.
5. Set Fire to the Rain
The third No. 1 from the album 21.
4. Hello
No. 4 and rising with a bullet. This song has overtaken the planet in 2015.
3. Skyfall
Not only an Oscar-winner, but perhaps the best Bond anthem of all time.
2. Someone Like You
A strong case can be made that this should be in the No. 1 slot.
1. Rolling in the Deep
The crowning jewel on the album 21, which is regarded as one of the best albums in the first 15 years of the 21st century. This is the song that truly turned her into a global superstar.
Archives List
Blues/Jazz: Eva Cassidy (Listen via Spotify ), John Coltrane (Listen via Spotify ), Janis Joplin (Listen via Spotify ), Norah Jones (Listen via Spotify), B.B. King (Listen Via Spotify), Leadbelly (Listen via Spotify), Amos Lee (Listen via Spotify),Toni Price (Listen via Spotify) and Stevie Ray Vaughan ( Listen via Spotify )
Classical: Johann Sebastian Bach ( Listen via Spotify) and Beethoven ( Listen via Spotify)
Country: Gary Allen (Listen via Spotify), Brooks and Dunn (Listen via Spotify), Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash (Listen via Spotify), Patsy Cline (Listen Via Spotify), Merle Haggard (Listen via Spotify), George Jones (Listen via Spotify), Robert Earl Keen (Listen via Spotify), Natalie Maines (Listen via Spotify), John Michael Montgomery (Listen via Spotify), Willie Nelson (Listen via Spotify), Reba (Listen via Spotify ), Kenny Rogers (Listen Via Spotify), Chris Stapleton (Listen via Spotify), Gary Stewart (Listen Via Spotify ), George Strait (Listen Via Spotify), (Keith Whitley (Listen via Spotify), Hank Williams Sr. ( Listen via Spotify). ) and Dwight Yoakam ( Listen via Spotify )
Electronic: Daft Punk (Listen Via Spotify)
Funk: Chuck Brown, James Brown (Listen Via Spotify) , Kool and the Gang and Prince (Listen Via Spotify (Part I), Listen Via Spotify (Part II - After Hours)) and Red Hot Chili Peppers (Listen Via Spotify (Part I)
Metal: Metallica and Pantera (Listen Via Spotify)
Pop: Hall and Oates (Listen via Spotify), George Michael (Listen via Spotify), Billy Ocean ( Listen via Spotify ), Rihanna (Frank Sinatra ( Listen via Spotify )
Punk: The Clash (Listen via Spotify) and The Ramones (Listen via Spotify)
Random: Best of 2013 (Listen via Spotify), Best of 2014 (Listen via Spotify), Cartoon themes, One-hit Wonders from the 1990's (Listen via Spotify) and TV Themes
Rap: 2-Pac (Listen via Spotify), 8-Ball and MJG, Beastie Boys (Listen via Spotify), Biggie Smalls (Listen via Spotify), Drake (Listen via Spotify), Eminem (Listen to Spotify), Ice Cube (Listen via Spotify), Jay-Z(Listen via Spotify), Kool MoeDee (Listen to Spotify), Kendrick Lamar (Listen via Spotify), NWA (Listen to Spotify), Outkast (Listen via Spotify), RUN-DMC (Listenvia Spotify), Scarface (Listen via Spotify), Snoop Dogg Listen via Spotify , A Tribe Called Quest (Listen via Spotify), UGK (Listen via Spotify), Kanye West (Listen via Spotify) and Wu-Tang Clan (Listen via Spotify)
R&B: Aliyah, Aretha (Listen via Spotify), Boyz II Men (Listen via Spotify), RayCharles (Listen via Spotify),Sam Cooke (Listen via Spotify), Al Green (Listen via Spotify), Chaka Kahn (listen Via Spotify), Whitney Houston (Janet Jackson (Listen via Spotify),Jodeci (Listen via Spotify), Mo-Town (Listen via Spotify), R. Kelly (Listen via Spotify), Gerald Levert (Listenvia Spotify), Otis Redding
(Listen via Spotify), Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson (Listen via Spotify), TLC (Listen Via Spotify), Jackie Wilson (Listen via Spotify) and Bill Withers (Listen via Spotify)
Reggae: Bob Marley (Listen via Spotify)
Rock: AC/DC, Listen via Spotify), Arcade Fire (Listen via Spotify), ArcticMonkeys (Listen via Spotify), Beach Boys (Listen via Spotify), The Beatles, Bon Jovi (Listen via Spotify), DavidBowie (Listen via Spotify), Jeff Buckley (Listen via Spotify), The Cars (Listen via Spotify), CCR (Listen via Spotify), Eric Clapton (Listen via Spotify), DaveMatthews Band (Listen via Spotify), Gary Clark Jr. (Listen via Spotify),Listen via Spotify), The Eagles, Joe Ely (Listen to Spotify), Foo Fighters (Listen Via Spotify), Genesis (Listen via Spotify), Guns N' RosesListen via Spotify), Heart (Listen via Spotify), Jimi Hendrix (Listen via Spotify), Don Henley (Listen Via Spotify), (Billy Joel (Listen via Spotify), Elton John (Listen Via Spotify), Journey(Listen Via Spotify), Led Zeppelin, Little Featt(Listen Via Spotify), John Mayer (Listen via Spotify), Stevie Nicks (Listen Via Spotify), Nirvana (Listen via Spotify), Roy Orbison (Listen via Spotify), Pearl Jam (Listen via Spotify), Tom Petty (Listen via Spotify), Pink Floyd, Elvis Pressley (Listen via Spotify), Queen (Listen via Spotify), Reckless Kelly (Listen via Spotify), Lou Reed ( Listen via Spotify ),TheRolling Stones (Listen via Spotify), Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen (Listen via Spotify), Steely Dan (Listen Via Spotify), TheStrokes (Listen via Spotify), U2 (Listen via Spotify), Van Halen ( Listen via Spotify ), Velvet Underground ( Listen via Spotify ), Jack White ( Listen via Spotify ) and ZZ Top ( Listen via Spotify )[/I]
Perhaps that’s a dangerous assumption, but all signs continue to point to Cumbie becoming the next Texas offensive coordinator, as he ranks as the No.1 target on the Texas wish list and there’s obviously considerable interest from both parties. With money not an issue, it’ll come down to Strong and Cumbie sitting down in a room on Sunday night and feeling good about being able to hitch each other’s wagons together.
With Strong wanting to get this thing done in quick fashion so that he and the rest of his coaching staff can get to work in recruiting before the dead period kicks in, I have to believe that Strong went into tonight’s meeting looking to close.
Frankly, it’s the chance of a lifetime for Cumbie, who automatically walks into “write your own ticket” mode if he can successfully turnaround the Texas offense.
Hell, half the state will view him as the greatest thing since the grand opening of Whataburger if he can the Texas offense interesting once again.
So, let’s assume that Cumbie is in because the alternative is a bad sign for a head coach that needs to start winning consistently on and off the field over the course of the next 365 days or so. If that assumption is true, you can go ahead and pencil in Arizona State’s Chris Tomsen as the new offensive line coach, which would leave two spots open on the offensive side of the coaching staff to fill - running backs and wide receivers.
If you’re Charlie Strong, you have to let Cumbie build as much of a complete staff as possible, which means giving up Jay Norvell or Tommie Robinson if that’s the direction Cumbie wants to take. It’s not show-friends, it’s show-business and Strong can’t worry about feelings with his tenure in Austin hanging in the balance of the success of this hire. A year ago, he wanted Shaun Watson to direct a style of offense that he wasn’t really familiar with and that mistake can’t be made again.
Those spots have to be filled with guys that know exactly what Cumbie wants and how to implement it, while also adding some pop in recruiting.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, Strong has Vance Bedford, Brian Jean-Mary and Chris Vaughn coming off of two-year contracts and the smart money still has Strong keeping his defensive staff intact, although there continues to be smoke that Strong is interested in bringing in Clint Hurtt in some role. With Strong unlikely wanting to break in two new coordinators in the most important coaching year of his life, if any change is going to be made, perhaps it comes along the defensive line. as Brick Haley has been an underwhelming recruiting force in his first year.
Regardless, once the wheels are in motion, don’t look for it to take a ton of time for all of this to come together.
Charlie wants to focus on recruiting, which means that four things… close the deal with Cumbie, let him hire his offensive staff, make the final decisions on the defensive staff and get to work.
There's a lot to do.
No. 2 – The buck with the Texas defense stops with Charlie Strong …
There are two things I find amazing about the fact that the 2015 Texas Longhorns finished the season with the worst statistical defense in school history.
a. That it could be that any defense under Charlie Strong be worse than the 2012 and 2013 Texas defenses.
b. That anyone would point the finger at anyone other than Strong for the failures of this unit.
Repeat after me until it completely sinks in … the Texas defense is Charlie’s defense. It doesn’t belong to anyone else, including “defensive coordinator” Vance Bedford. It’s Charlie’s baby.
Blaming Bedford for the struggles of the Texas defense would be like blaming someone other than Art Briles for any lack of success in the Baylor offense or someone in the future blaming anyone other than Will Muschamp for any failures the South Carolina defense.
Strong is at Texas right now and entertains a measure of job security coming out of the 2015 season because of his expertise in defense. When a high-level Texas administrator privately gave Strong a vote of confidence to me last month, he did so because of his belief that Strong would create a dominant defense in the future.
Blaming Bedford is scapegoating … period.
The reality coming into 2016 is that Strong must prove he can defend the best teams in the most potent conference in the country in terms of offense. This isn’t the blood and guts SEC in which Strong built his rep. This isn’t the American Athletic Conference from which he was hired.
It’s the Big 12, which means if you don’t have it together, a 40-point bomb can fall on your head at any given time against almost any school in the conference. Much of the issues in 2015 centered on the youth in the line-up, but a lot of teams in the Big 12 had to play young players this season. Nobody needed to make up excuses for Gary Patterson when his entire defense basically turned over in the middle of the season and he still provided a better defense than Strong was able to create with the Longhorns.
Heading into next season, Strong’s feel for defending teams in this league needs to take a big step forward.
When the defense has success, he receives the credit. Therefore, when it fails like it has for much of this season, he needs to own the blame.
Say it one more time with me … it’s Charlie’s defense.
No. 3 – The irony of Joe Wickline’s Texas career ...
When Joe Wickline was hired away from Oklahoma State in January of 2014, it all made perfect sense.
Ready for a change after a long stay at Oklahoma State, Wickline joined former coaching mate Charlie Strong’s staff in Austin with a shiny new co-offensive coordinator title and the working theory that after years of working wonders with third-rate recruits, the platform at Texas would possibly give him the type of toys in raw talent he hadn’t worked with in his entire career.
Things just never came together in two seasons in Austin the way Wickline and everyone in Austin had hoped. From the Oklahoma State lawsuit to the broken toys to the uncomfortable exposure in a major market to difficulties in recruiting to singing the Eyes of Texas, the last two years haven’t exactly been a friendly stroll through Zilker Park.
So, it’s almost certainly best for everyone involved that Wickline go into a different direction with the expiration of his UT contract, but before he’s off and never likely to return, let’s establish one fairly ironic point about Wickline and the 2015 season …
A strong case can be made that Wickline did the best job of coaching his position this year of any assistant coach on the staff.
Despite starting two true freshmen along the offensive line for the entire year for the first time in school history (prior to Vahe's injury), including Connor Williams at the critical left tackle spot, Wickline put together a unit with scotch tape and chicken-wire that proved to be much better than anyone could have ever projected back in the middle of the off-season.
With almost zero passing game help, a rotating running back line-up and a coaching staff that couldn’t get the best skill players on the team the touches it needed to, the Texas offensive line still created a running game on which the team was able to lean over the second half of the season in conference play.
This isn’t to say Wickline’s season was without flaws because it could certainly be easily argued that he should have replaced struggling upperclassmen with younger players at various points of the season, but I don’t know who you would rank ahead of him on the Texas staff, given the circumstances.
No. 4 – Scattershooting on the Longhorns …
… Everyone likes to talk about the improvement the secondary might make with the presence of DeShon Elliott at safety, but don’t sleep on the possible impact P.J. Locke might have back there as well. In his first career start, the youngster made a habit of being around the ball and making things happen when he did get there.
… Speaking of Locke, he became the ninth true freshman to start a game this season for the Longhorns.
… The return of both Caleb Buiett and Andrew Beck gives the Longhorns its best outlook at tight end going into next season since … 2006?
… Texas has been pretty awful on third downs all season, but it held Baylor to 4 of 16 conversions, which is pretty much what we thought would happen in this game all season, right?
… It got lost in the shuffle because of all the events over four quarters, but the very first defensive stand of the game for the Longhorn defense in the first quarter was a pretty significant moment in the game. To stuff a Baylor offense that had been white hot all season in the first quarter on back-to-back short-distance downs was a critical little moment in a game that had a lot of them.
… All things considered, Taylor Doyle and the rest of the inside players did as good of a job against Andrew Billings as you could reasonably expect.
No. 5 – Buy or sell …
(As always, these are questions submitted by Orangebloods subscribers)
BUY or SELL: Jerrod Heard is our starter for the entire season next year if healthy?
(Sell) I’m not convinced that a new offensive coordinator isn’t going to want to bring in another option instead of limiting the options to Heard, Tyrone Swoopes and a trio of babies and projects. Before it’s all said and done, bringing in a JUCO option is going to make a lot of sense.
BUY or SELL: Jeff Traylor and Jay Norvell are the only offensive position coaches that survive the inevitable chopping block and remain on the staff in 2016?
(Sell) I don’t know that Norvell is coming back at all, which means I view Traylor as the only offensive coach locked in for 2016. Perhaps Norvell stays, but his impact as a recruiter is overstated and the new offensive coordinator deserves the right to be able to build a group of his guys.
BUY or SELL: That loss was a big setback to Briles and his recruiting efforts, particularly coming after losses to OU and TCU?
(Sell) It’ll have no impact whatsoever.
BUY or SELL: Yesterday's win gives Texas the needed momentum to sign a top-15 class?
(Sell) I’m sticking with Texas finishing with a top-20ish class and not budging from that projection.
BUY or SELL: There are defensive coaching changes for 2016? A lot of talk about the offensive side of the ball, yet we hit a new low on the defensive side of the ball this year - seems this needs to be addressed
(Sell) See above in section No.2. I don't think Charlie scapegoats anyone on that side of the ball.
BUY or SELL: If it's Cumbie, do you like this hire better than Brian Harsin when he was hired?
(Sell) The Harsin hire was a better, elite-level hire that didn’t pan out because of the dynamics that exist when trying to be an offensive coordinator under Mack Brown. We never witnessed the best of Harsin.
BUY or SELL: Shane Buechele will not have a redshirt season and will start at least one game in 2016?
(Sell) It’s probably too early to answer this question, but Strong cannot afford breaking in a true freshman next season and I think Buechele is best-served by using the redshirt season.
BUY or SELL: South Carolina is making a huge mistake hiring Will Muschamp because he won't get the offense right this time either?
(Sell) It’s a perfect place for Muschamp because it won’t fire a coach for going 7-5 because it has virtually zero history outside of George Rogers. I actually think that hire is going to work out really well for the Gamecocks.
BUY or SELL: Shaka Smart will win 20 games before Charlie Strong wins nine?
(Buy) That almost feels like a trick question because I answered it so quickly.
BUY or SELL: Charlie Strong is the head coach of Texas in 2017?
(Sell) The power players in the Texas food chain have been very patient, but I expect the Longhorns to be ready to make a move in a year from now if substantial gains aren’t made.
No. 6 – CFB Randomness: The Final Week ...
… If I had a vote that mattered …
1. Alabama
2. Oklahoma
3. Clemson
4. Michigan State
5. Stanford
6. Notre Dame
7. Ohio State
8. Iowa
9. Florida State
10. North Carolina
… Heisman Tracker: 1) Derrick Henry (Alabama), 2) Christian McCaffrey (Stanford) and 3) Greg Ward (Houston)
... I'll take Oklahoma over Clemson and Alabama over Michigan State, with the Tide beating the Sooners 27-17 in the national title game.
… I don’t know what it is about Clemson, but I’m still not buying that team hook, line and sinker, although we’ll see what it is made of soon enough when the playoffs begin. In a year when I haven’t seen a single team that borders on being truly great, it’s probably perfect that the Tigers are the only undefeated team left.
… USC freshman running Ronald Jones finished the regular season with 940 yards, eight touchdowns and a 6.5 yards per carry average. Texas has a lot of thunder in its backfield, but it needs a guy like Jones to make the running game truly dangerous moving forward.
… It’s a testament to the Tide defense and the greatness of Derrick Henry this season that a team with Jacob Coker as its quarterback has made it into the final four. Perhaps it's also a testament to the lackluster quality of play in the SEC as a whole this season. Is Dak Prescott the best quarterback in the SEC this year? Would Brandon Allen be No. 2? Woof.
… Treon Harris vs. the Alabama defense was probably the biggest mismatch of the weekend.
… Leonard Fournette might be the first player in college football history to rush for a billion yards in a game when he meets that Texas Tech defense in the Texas Bowl.
No. 7 – So much for the dominance of a week ago ...
For a team that is on the cusp of both a division title and a possible top-15 draft pick, we should probably never be surprised when the week following the release of Mr. Hyde, we run back into Dr. Jeckyl.
And if we’re being completely honest, if even by the slightest margins, the Bills are probably a better team than the Texans, so the 30-21 win was a just verdict.
Still, even after acknowledging all of that, there’s a part of me that expected a little more from the Texans on Sunday, but in the end there just weren’t enough pieces in place. Specifically, the foursome of Taylor/McCoy/Watkins/Clay was better than anything the Texans could match.
With a wounded Patriots team coming to town next week and the Colts not able to run away from anyone, anything is still possible with this team.
Hell, as crazy as it sounds, the Texans probably have a better chance to win at home next week against the defending champs than they did on the road in Buffalo.
No. 8 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… Scattershooting on week 13 of the NFL season.
a. At this very moment, New England is not the best team in the AFC.
b. It was a good day for the hopefully tanking Cowboys, as Tennessee won its third game of the season and the 49ers won their fourth game of the season, moving Dallas up to the No. 4 spot in the draft if the season ended today. Can the Cowboys catch the Browns?
c. Seattle should be charged with a felony for what it did to Minnesota on its own field. Even bloodbaths are blushing over a beat-down that witnessed Adrian Peterson rush for only 18 yards.
d. Speaking of beat-downs, the Browns should have saved everyone some time and just forfeited their game against the Bengals.
e. Ryan Tannehill has always been a JAG and will forever remain a JAG.
f. The Giants simply don’t want to win the NFC East.
g. The Blake Bortles/Marcus Mariota battles over the next decade or so are going to be a hell of a lot of fun.
h. Chicago fans are hurting today after getting Gabberted on Sunday in overtime. Honestly, I had forgotten that Torrey Smith was still a player in the league.
i. The Panthers might have survived its toughest challenge on the way to an undefeated season, but that game against the Giants on the road is going to be a doozy.
j. I really could have done without David Johnson, Doug Martin, Demaryius Thomas, Michael Crabtree and Martavis Bryant all scoring touchdowns in fantasy against me today. I’m going to need Dez Brtyant to go huge on Monday night to save my season.
… If the Sixers land Ben Simmons, all of the tanking will have been worth it. The basketball gods owe us that much after delivering the team Johnny Manziel Okafor in the last draft.
… I’m starting to think that Golden State might go 82-0.
… Sorry, Red Sox Nation, but I hate that David Price deal. I just don’t get paying an ace of diamonds price for the jack of clubs.
… T-minus six days until UFC194. Been looking forward to this one for months.
… What is up with soccer players acting like they are pregnant after scoring goals?
… Scattershooting on week 15 of the English Premier League
a. What a strange weekend with most of the top teams looking like they would rather be anywhere else other than a pitch. The byproduct had Man City, Man U., Liverpool and Tottenham all missing a chance to gain points over the other teams fighting for spots in the top four, whether it tied or flat out lost over the weekend.
b. Jurgen Klopp hasn’t made many mistakes since taking control of Liverpool, but his line-up on Sunday was missing cohesiveness and any kind of a spark. Leading the way in the disjointedness was Christian Benteke, who doesn’t fit in with the current players or desired approach to the game. If Klopp continues to have healthy options, Benteke’s playing time is going to start coming way down because his lack of liveliness sucked the breath out of the entire team today.
c. I’m not sure what to make of Chelsea losing to Bournemouth. The Blues are just a joke right now.
d. How long before Riyad Mahrez is playing for one of the big boys? No offense to Jamie Vardy, but Mahrez is the guy I’d love to poach from Leicester it at all possible.
f. My top four favorite non-Liverpool midfielders: 1) Mesut Ozil 2) Kevin De Bruyne 3) David Silva 4) Mahrez
No. 9 – 83 Days Until Oscar Night
100 words or less movie review: Creed (A)
As much hype and love as this movie has received in the last few weeks, I have to say that the actual product surpassed it all. What J.J. Abrams did for the Star Trek franchise, Ryan Coogler does for the Rocky franchise, as he gives the movie heart and soul, while making us care for characters we’ve never known. Michael B. Jordan emerges as a star as the son of Apollo Creed and deserves Oscars consideration. The same can be said for Sly. The bottom line is that I’m in love with this movie.
100 words or less movie review: Spotlight (A+)
One of the front-runners for Best Picture, Spotlight spits fire from the very beginning with master-class directing, acting and overall story-telling. Although most are familiar with the Catholic Church child molestation scandals, watching the members of the Boston Globe uncover the story is absolutely fascinating, especially when you see the hurdles created by the titan strength of the Church. In a star-studded cast firing on all cylinders, Mark Ruffalo might have given the performance of his lifetime. It’s absolutely in this discussion for Best Picture, a must-see while in the theaters.
Here’s a look at the my current leaderboards.
Best Picture (based on movies I have actually seen)
1. Spotlight
2. Sicario
3. Room
4. Creed
5. Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Actor (based on the movies I have actually seen)
1. Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs)
2. Michael B. Jordan (Creed)
3. Michael Keaton (Spotlight)
4. Tom Hanks (Bridge of Spies)
5. Antonio Banderas (The 33)
Best Actress (based on the movies I have actually seen)
1. Brie Larson (Room)
2. Emily Blount (Sicario)
3. Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Best Supporting Actor (based on the movies I have actually seen)
1. Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies)
2. Jacob Tremblay (Room)
3. Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight)
4. Benicio del Toro (Sicario)
5. Sly Stallone (Creed)
Best Supporting Actress (based on the movies I have actually seen)
1. Joan Allen (Room)
2. Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina)
3. Rachel McAdams (Spotlight)
4. Tessa Thompson (Creed)
5. Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)
Best Director
1. Lenny Abrahamson (Room)
2. Tom McCarthy (Spotlight)
3. George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road)
4. Denis Villeneuve (Sicario)
5. Danny Boyle (Steve Jobs)
No. 10 – The List: Adele
It’s Adele’s world and we’re all just living in it.
Don’t believe me? Consider these numbers from the last two weeks since the release of her third album 25...
According to Billboard.com, the album is the first to sell a million copies in two different weeks since Nielsen began tracking point-of-sale purchases back in 1991.
In only two weeks, the album has sold a ridiculous 4.49 million copes, including a first-week record of 3.38 million last week.
In only two weeks, 25 became the top-selling album in all of 2015.
Basically, there’s no one else quite like her on the planet, as critics and the world’s population love her music on a level that’s simply separate from everyone else alive. Consider that the opening week sales for 25 are roughly four times that of what Beyonce’s last album did in the first week and the album has almost surpassed in two weeks what Beyonce has sold in two years.
Let’s get on with the list.
10. Take It All
My selection for most underrated song of Adele’s young career.
9. Rumor Has It
Adele is the first woman to have three simultaneous top 10 singles in the history of the Billboard Hot 100.
7. Chasing Pavements
A Grammy winner from her debut album that was also nominated for Song and Record of the Year.
6. Hometown Glory
Both the first song Adele ever wrote and the first single she ever released.
5. Set Fire to the Rain
The third No. 1 from the album 21.
4. Hello
No. 4 and rising with a bullet. This song has overtaken the planet in 2015.
3. Skyfall
Not only an Oscar-winner, but perhaps the best Bond anthem of all time.
2. Someone Like You
A strong case can be made that this should be in the No. 1 slot.
1. Rolling in the Deep
The crowning jewel on the album 21, which is regarded as one of the best albums in the first 15 years of the 21st century. This is the song that truly turned her into a global superstar.
Archives List
Blues/Jazz: Eva Cassidy (Listen via Spotify ), John Coltrane (Listen via Spotify ), Janis Joplin (Listen via Spotify ), Norah Jones (Listen via Spotify), B.B. King (Listen Via Spotify), Leadbelly (Listen via Spotify), Amos Lee (Listen via Spotify),Toni Price (Listen via Spotify) and Stevie Ray Vaughan ( Listen via Spotify )
Classical: Johann Sebastian Bach ( Listen via Spotify) and Beethoven ( Listen via Spotify)
Country: Gary Allen (Listen via Spotify), Brooks and Dunn (Listen via Spotify), Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash (Listen via Spotify), Patsy Cline (Listen Via Spotify), Merle Haggard (Listen via Spotify), George Jones (Listen via Spotify), Robert Earl Keen (Listen via Spotify), Natalie Maines (Listen via Spotify), John Michael Montgomery (Listen via Spotify), Willie Nelson (Listen via Spotify), Reba (Listen via Spotify ), Kenny Rogers (Listen Via Spotify), Chris Stapleton (Listen via Spotify), Gary Stewart (Listen Via Spotify ), George Strait (Listen Via Spotify), (Keith Whitley (Listen via Spotify), Hank Williams Sr. ( Listen via Spotify). ) and Dwight Yoakam ( Listen via Spotify )
Electronic: Daft Punk (Listen Via Spotify)
Funk: Chuck Brown, James Brown (Listen Via Spotify) , Kool and the Gang and Prince (Listen Via Spotify (Part I), Listen Via Spotify (Part II - After Hours)) and Red Hot Chili Peppers (Listen Via Spotify (Part I)
Metal: Metallica and Pantera (Listen Via Spotify)
Pop: Hall and Oates (Listen via Spotify), George Michael (Listen via Spotify), Billy Ocean ( Listen via Spotify ), Rihanna (Frank Sinatra ( Listen via Spotify )
Punk: The Clash (Listen via Spotify) and The Ramones (Listen via Spotify)
Random: Best of 2013 (Listen via Spotify), Best of 2014 (Listen via Spotify), Cartoon themes, One-hit Wonders from the 1990's (Listen via Spotify) and TV Themes
Rap: 2-Pac (Listen via Spotify), 8-Ball and MJG, Beastie Boys (Listen via Spotify), Biggie Smalls (Listen via Spotify), Drake (Listen via Spotify), Eminem (Listen to Spotify), Ice Cube (Listen via Spotify), Jay-Z(Listen via Spotify), Kool MoeDee (Listen to Spotify), Kendrick Lamar (Listen via Spotify), NWA (Listen to Spotify), Outkast (Listen via Spotify), RUN-DMC (Listenvia Spotify), Scarface (Listen via Spotify), Snoop Dogg Listen via Spotify , A Tribe Called Quest (Listen via Spotify), UGK (Listen via Spotify), Kanye West (Listen via Spotify) and Wu-Tang Clan (Listen via Spotify)
R&B: Aliyah, Aretha (Listen via Spotify), Boyz II Men (Listen via Spotify), RayCharles (Listen via Spotify),Sam Cooke (Listen via Spotify), Al Green (Listen via Spotify), Chaka Kahn (listen Via Spotify), Whitney Houston (Janet Jackson (Listen via Spotify),Jodeci (Listen via Spotify), Mo-Town (Listen via Spotify), R. Kelly (Listen via Spotify), Gerald Levert (Listenvia Spotify), Otis Redding
(Listen via Spotify), Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson (Listen via Spotify), TLC (Listen Via Spotify), Jackie Wilson (Listen via Spotify) and Bill Withers (Listen via Spotify)
Reggae: Bob Marley (Listen via Spotify)
Rock: AC/DC, Listen via Spotify), Arcade Fire (Listen via Spotify), ArcticMonkeys (Listen via Spotify), Beach Boys (Listen via Spotify), The Beatles, Bon Jovi (Listen via Spotify), DavidBowie (Listen via Spotify), Jeff Buckley (Listen via Spotify), The Cars (Listen via Spotify), CCR (Listen via Spotify), Eric Clapton (Listen via Spotify), DaveMatthews Band (Listen via Spotify), Gary Clark Jr. (Listen via Spotify),Listen via Spotify), The Eagles, Joe Ely (Listen to Spotify), Foo Fighters (Listen Via Spotify), Genesis (Listen via Spotify), Guns N' RosesListen via Spotify), Heart (Listen via Spotify), Jimi Hendrix (Listen via Spotify), Don Henley (Listen Via Spotify), (Billy Joel (Listen via Spotify), Elton John (Listen Via Spotify), Journey(Listen Via Spotify), Led Zeppelin, Little Featt(Listen Via Spotify), John Mayer (Listen via Spotify), Stevie Nicks (Listen Via Spotify), Nirvana (Listen via Spotify), Roy Orbison (Listen via Spotify), Pearl Jam (Listen via Spotify), Tom Petty (Listen via Spotify), Pink Floyd, Elvis Pressley (Listen via Spotify), Queen (Listen via Spotify), Reckless Kelly (Listen via Spotify), Lou Reed ( Listen via Spotify ),TheRolling Stones (Listen via Spotify), Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen (Listen via Spotify), Steely Dan (Listen Via Spotify), TheStrokes (Listen via Spotify), U2 (Listen via Spotify), Van Halen ( Listen via Spotify ), Velvet Underground ( Listen via Spotify ), Jack White ( Listen via Spotify ) and ZZ Top ( Listen via Spotify )[/I]
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