I found myself on Sunday morning pondering the things we learned and didn't learn about the 2022 Texas Longhorns from Saturday's night's 52-10 mollywhopping of one of the seemingly endless amount of Louisiana schools.
Then I'd think about the upcoming showdown with the sport's version of Optimus Prime and I'd find myself wondering how much we'll really learn about this incredibly young team.
Oh, don't get me wrong, we'll definitely learn a few things about the Longhorns next Saturday, but just like La-Monroe is easily the worst team that the Longhorns will play this season, Alabama is the extreme on the other side of the coin.
Along with Georgia, the Crimson Tide are the two true outliers in college football at the moment. They do things like bludgeon Utah State and Oregon into the ground with unusual force by scores of 55-0 and 49-3, respectively. Those two opening-week sparring partners combined to go 21-7 in 2021.
Playing them at a time when Texas is growing up as a program in real running time isn't like anything else that could happen. The lessons that will be learned can't be learned the next week when the Longhorns take on a capable UTSA squad.
Of course, you want Texas to win. You also want this Longhorns team to go into the game with eyes on pulling the upset. It's ok to both hopeful and realistically grounded at the same time.
I'd suggest it's the healthiest possible mental place to be in for the next week.
It kind of reminds me of Jimmy Johnson after the Dallas Cowboys beat an undefeated Washington team 31 years ago.
"If you got a big old gorilla there, don't just go up and tap him on the shoulder," Johnson said. "I think it was Teddy Roosevelt who said, 'Don't ever hit lightly.' Whether it's in a battle, a war, a fight -- if you're going to hit, hit with all you've got.
"I told the players Friday that's what we're going to do. We were going to be aggressive and go after them as hard as we can go in all phases of the game. That's the only chance we had of beating a great football team."
That has to be the attitude of Steve Sarkisian's team.
Yet, as people that follow the program 365 days per year with fixed eyes on a finish line we haven't seen in a long time, it's ok for us to acknowledge that sometimes the gorilla hits back... and hits back hard.
That being said....
No. 2 - Let's take a look at what we know and don't know through week one ...
Things we KNOW...
* The Longhorns have three absolutely electric offensive weapons at running back (Bijan Robinson), wide receiver (Xavier Worthy) and tight end (Ja'Tavion Sanders). It's is not hyperbole to suggest that no one else in college football can quite claim a trio that is as good using those three positions.
* Its starting quarterback has a ton of talent, but is a work in progress.
* DeMarvion Overshown is the best linebacker on the squad by a country mile.
* Cole Hutson is significantly ahead of Devon Campbell. This isn't me saying that Campbell won't eventually be a starter-level player by the end of the season, but the snap allocation on Saturday suggests that the Longhorns very much want to invest ever opportunity to stress Hutson's development as much as anyone else in the program.
* Kelvin Banks should have remained as a 5-star by Rivals. Period.
* Speaking of true freshmen...Jaylon Guilbeau has a chance to be VERY good.
* Xavier Worthy will be in his roommate's ear this week that he needs more than two catches for 24 yards. Feed me, Seymour!
* Texas has electric options in the return game on special teams and erratic ones with its kickers in the kicking game.
* UTPD and UT Parking give absolutely zero ****s.
Things we DON"T KNOW...
* How long will the maturation process be for starting quarterback Quinn Ewers? Honestly, it's the question that could define whether this season ends with the program competing for a Big 12 Championship or just a small bowl bid. I thought Ewers made some good decisions on Saturday night, but I also thought you could see him processing what he was looking at in real time during plays and there was just enough tentativeness that you wonder what his performance levels will look like against much, much better competition.
* How much upside is in this linebacker unit if we take Overshown out if the equation?
* Andre Karic is listed as the second-team left tackle, but when Kelvin Banks missed a snap on Saturday night, it was Hayden Conner that came in at left tackle. Would Conner be the true left tackle for the Longhorns in a world where Banks is out for more than a series?
* Is Logan Parr the sixth man on the left side of the line if there's an injury to Banks or Conner? He's the guy that came in during the second quarter when Banks was out for a play, as Conner moved over to tackle.
* Is the edge position still a weakness? Ovie Oghoufo was fairly anonymous as a pass rusher against La-Monroe, as was true freshman Justice Finkley. Also, as much as I approve of Overshown being used as a pass rusher on obvious passing downs, I did find myself wondering if too big of a concession is made in taking him away from linebacker in the name of what he gives you as a pass rusher with some limitations.
* Really and truly, we don't know where the pass defense as a whole stands, but we will after this week. I'm fascinated to see where Ryan Watts is really at in his development.
No. 3 - Quinn Ewers and the down-field throw ...
Let's just get this acknowledgement/truth out of the way - throwing a good deep ball isn't as easy as being able to throw the ball the length of the field.
I'll never forget some of the early criticism that Troy Aikman received when he played with the Cowboys as a rookie when every home run ball he threw to a receiver didn't look like that beauty he eventually threw to Alvin Harper in the Super Bowl in fourth season.
We're talking about a guy that was 22 years old, the No,.1 overall pick in the draft and a Davey O'Brien Award winner in college. Even eventual Hall of Fame quarterbacks are projects in their early years, so let's not go overboard at the notion that this is an area where Texas starting quarterback Quinn Ewers is still working the kinks out with.
The only question mark is whether Saturday night was the first time you've ever noticed that it's a part of his game that is still evolving or if you'd seen it earlier.
From my perspective, it's been one of the things I think has been kind of hit or miss going back to his junior season at Southlake Carroll. One of the only nitpicks of mine towards a prospect that I ranked as a five-star prospect was that he sometimes puts a little too much air on his deep balls, which would either cause his wide receiver to have to significantly readjust his route. There were those close to Ewers that believed I was questioning his arm strength, which would inevitably end up with me receiving a video of Ewers throwing the ball at some camp the length of the field.
Yet, this isn't an issue of arm strength as much as it's an issue of geometry.
Let's take a look at Ewer's miss to Xavier Worthy down the field on his first career throw. There absolutely was a window available for Ewers to make that throw to Worthy before La-Monroe safety Keydrain Calligan was able to arrive, but it simply required a throw with a little more zip on a lower trajectory. Some dudes can't make that throw because they don't have enough arm talent. Without question, I 100-percent believe it's a throw that Ewers will make one day when he's playing in the NFL.
The reality is that he's still learning how to harness that big nuclear weapon that is his right arm. It's a matter of instinctively knowing whether the throw needs to be thrown on a line like he's Thor throwing Mjölnir or whether something a little less on a zip line is needed. The fact that this was his first-game playing at game-speed since high school only added to his down-field passing being a little off.
All of this is to be expected.
The game will slow down. His instincts will sharpen. Those big boy throws will be made in time.
Yet, it might take more than a game to get there. He's a big ol' beautiful piece of clay, but the shaping of his game is why his college years and working with Steve Sarkisian will prove to be critical to his development.
I suppose this is just me stressing... patience.
No. 4 - Ja'Tavion Sanders ...
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the reality that Ja'Tavion Sanders' 85 receiving yards are the most by a Texas tight end in a game since Jermichael Finley caught. four passes for 149 yards and a touchdown against Oklahoma in 2007/
That's freaking 15 years.
Even more amazing is that all-time great Texas tight end David Thomas only hit the 85-yard mark in receiving yards in a game three times... none before his junior season.
That Sanders did it in his first real action as a true sophomore has me hitting the gas and the brakes at the same time. I want to go absolute bonkers over the upside, but I also want to tell myself to calm down.
The bottom line is that we have all now seen with our own eyes what his talent looks like when it's humming. That was just a taste of what he's capable of.
Now he just has to continue the forward progress with the same steely focus that he's had since the sixth practice of the spring, which is when the light bulb to his career flicked on.
I'm expecting Sanders to be a key piece of the offensive puzzle on Saturday against an Alabama team that will almost certainly focus on stopping Bijan Robinson, first and foremost. Beyond that, bottling up Xavier Worthy is priority number two. That means that in a world where Alabama has to pick its poisons, it makes sense to leave available match-up issues elsewhere in the name of cutting the head off the snake.
It means that he should get some chances on Saturday that he can absolutely exploit, perhaps better than anyone else on the team, especially when you consider the comfort that Ewers seems to have in him.
Sanders is good enough to be a difference maker at Alabama. If things go well, Alabama might just learn that the hard way.
No. 5 - Scattershooting on the last night ...
* As a player that was praised throughout the off-season, it came as a little shocking that starting Mike linebacker Jaylan Ford didn't show up at all in the defensive stat sheet, while 33 other Longhorns defensive players did. How is that possible? His play on Saturday and the uncertainty of it is one of the few flashing red lights I have for this Texas defense next week. Your starting middle linebacker simply can't be that invisible.
* DeMarvion Overshown played like a guy playing for an NFL contract at a time when he's about to be a first-time father. There was just so much urgency that existed on Saturday night, urgency that was kind of missing last season. It always seemed like he was making a play when a play needed to be made. Here's to more of that in future games to come and here's to a wonderful, safe and healthy birth for his new child. I want to see a burnt orange jersey in the coming months with a DMO2 on it.
* If you want an early match-up to focus on for Saturday, circle the one between Barryn Sorrell and Alabama sophomore right tackle starter JC Latham. The former No.3 overall prospect in the 2021 draft cycle per Rivals is a lot like Sorrell in that he's still very much in the "figuring it out" stage of his development and his start against Utah State was the first of his career. If the Longhorns are going to have success on defense on Saturday, it will need Surrell to win a few battles with Latham.
Take of the recruiting tape between Sorrell and JC Latham
* Random thought.... if you look at Sorrell's listed height and weight as a prospect (6-4, 263 pounds), the data from the state of Texas involving defensive ends with that kind of size coming into college football should have been a flashing red light that he was undervalued as a prospect.
For the record, Rivals rated him higher as a prospect than any other recruiting service, but probably not high enough.
* Kelvin Banks is as important of an offensive player as the Longhorns had. It was certainly hard not to notice that Banks got the hook faster than the guys on the right side of the line when it became time to pull the starters in final 15-18 minutes. While Hutson and Christian Jones seemed to be viewed as a pair that could use more work together, Banks seemed to be viewed as a player that should be protected at all costs.
* Not only did I think Keondre Coburn looked better than Byron Murphy on Saturday, but I definitely thought he looked like the best option for the majority of the reps against an SEC offensive line.
* Just like a year ago, Sarkisian's wide receiver units do not get involved in wholesale changes on a play by play basis. For all of the talked-about-options behind the starters throughout camp, there was mostly a hell of a lot of Worthy, Jordan Whittington, Casey Cain and Tarique Milton.
* J'Mond Tapp didn't play much, but in the little bit of playing time he received, his upside definitely flashed.
* I'm curious to see the game ratings when Alex Dunlap does his Deep Dig, but I thought Jake Majors played a really clean game outside of his one penalty.
* Senior Zach Edwards is an interesting long-snapper starter for the Longhorns. After serving as a holder for Cameron Dicker on field goals in the final nine games of last season, the 5-11, 212-pound Edwards went out and won a job that he'd never played in an actual game in at this level.
* Reserve players that deserved to simply have their names called out: Keilan Robinson, T'Vondre Sweat, Jonathan Brooks, Jamier Johnson, Vernon Broughton and Ethan Burke.
No. 6 - Recruiting scattershots ...
* Ho-hum, it's just Arch Manning throwing an absolute dime on Saturday night.
* There has been discussion that Venice, Florida defensive end Damon Wilson might visit Texas on for the Alabama game, but per Rivals recruiting analyst Ryan Wright, it's likely that Wilson will cancel all of his visits following his visit to Ohio State this weekend and a decision could be coming quickly afterwards.
“I don’t know right now,” Wilson stated. “I’m taking it play by play right now. I think after a week or so, I am getting closer to a commitment date, maybe in two or three weeks – anytime now.”
Wilson continued, “I’m taking this trip then I will decide if I will take more or if that is it.”
* Cedric Baxter making his weekly case to be the No.1 ranked running back in the country.
* Texas tight end commit Spencer Shannon is a big boy.
* About 2024 super-stud prospect Colin Simmons from Duncanville, Rivals analyst Adam Gorney said this weekend, "The five-star defensive end could have LSU on top at this point. He has really clicked with that coaching staff and playing in Baton Rouge definitely appeals to him. But Texas and Texas A&M are going to be two others to watch and more will be known after his SEC trips.
(Note: @Cole Patterson reported on Sunday that Simmons will visit LSU this weekend for its home opener over visiting Texas for the Alabama game.)
No. 7 – BUY or SELL …
(Buy) Of course. Rome wasn't built over one night this season.
(Buy) 2026? Sure, let's do it. It'll be Arch's junior season.
(Buy) He stole that line from Joe Paterno. It's old and outdated.
(Sell) Hell no.
(Sell) I'm not sure that the best indoor facility in the world would have him doing much better, as I explained earlier.
(Sell) I don't know why people think he would make for a plus wide receiver with a position change. He might not make it in this sport at this level, but it's not because he's playing the wrong position.
(Sell) I feel you and you're right to an extent, but from 30,000 feet the players that would go to Alabama because they saw them wipe the floor with the Longhorns in person would just as likely go to Alabama, anyways. It's not like these kids don't know that Alabama is a freak show as a program.
(Sell) He's not that good. It's mostly about the Jimmys and the Joes and not the Xs and the Os.
(Buy) Yup. Might as well make some cash of this thing.
(Sell) Based on the way they are developing him coming off of his injury, I think that's just too soon.
(Buy) Yeah, last night definitely suggested it would be the case.
(Sell) I'm thinking around 135-140.
(Sell) I was already convinced of that prior to last night.
(Buy) Absolutely.
(Buy) Don't throw things at me, but... yeah.
(Buy) That was about as vanilla as it gets for Sarkisian. They didn't even run any jet sweeps or end arounds, which were kind of base plays a year ago. It was very buttoned up.
(Buy) And we're done wioth the section for the week.
No. 8 - Scattershooting on anything and everything ...
... If I had a vote that counts...
1. Georgia
2. Alabama
3. Ohio State
4. Michigan
5. Notre Dame
6. Florida
7. Texas A&M
8. USC
9. Baylor
10. Arkansas
(Note: These rankings don't include teams that haven't played yet.
* We're really just pretending that all of the rest of the teams in college footbaLL can stop another Alabama/Georgia national championship game.
* Michigan State transfer edge rusher Jacoby Windmon had four sacks and seven total tackles in his debut performance against Western Michigan. He's the guy that Texas almost got in for an official visit back in December, only to see him commit to the Spartans and cancel the visit. What a difference he would have made to this Texas defense.
* I thought Notre Dame was valiant in its loss to Ohio State. I'm as impressed with the Irish in a loss as most teams this weekend that had a win.
* The Aggies win over Sam Houston State was pretty much like UT's win over La-Monroe in that there was a lot more good than bad against an outmatched team.
* Oh, Cameron Rising. He'll be thinking about that interception that ended the game against Florida in the Swamp for the rest of his life.
* Michigan is going to beat the beat the hell out of some teams this season, but the Wolverines still aren't elite.
* New Baylor starting quarterback Blake Sharpen was 17 of 20 for 214 yards and two touchdowns against Albany. He's going to be a problem in the Big 12.
* USC might be the best team out West by some distance this year. Transfer Caleb Williams was 19 of 22 fdr 249 yards and two touchdowns vs. Rice.
* Hard Knocks kind of has me rooting for Dan Campbell and the Lions.
* I have the 8th pick in my upcoming fantasy draft. Might just let the RosterWatch cheat sheet do all of my work.
* The Cleveland Cavs are kind of fascinating all of a sudden.
* Stephen A. on the Knicks is never boring.
* Enjoy the next phase of your life Serena Williams. You left it all out on the court on Friday night and have nothing to feel ashamed or sorry about. You exit as the queen goddess of your sport.
* I'm really concerned about my Reds. We're just not clicking at the moment. Our midfield control and balance is the worst it has ever bene under Klopp. We're getting outworked and outrun on every game. The injuries just won't stop. It all adds up to some real concern.
* Man, Nashville really put it to Austin FC this weekend. If anyone deserved the MVP more than Sebastian Driussi, it's nashville's Hany Mukhta. That guy has turned into some kind of player.
No. 9 - The List: Top 10 Foo Fighters songs ...
This was the best thing I saw all weekend... Taylor Hawkins' 16-year old son Shane playing at his father's tribute concert. Unreal.
It also made for a good reason to go with my Top 10 Foo Fighters songs. I'm sure there will be no disagreeing.
10. Stacked Actors
9. Monkey Wrench
8. These Days
7. All My Life
6. Times Like These
5. Learn to Fly
4. Best of You
3. The Pretender
2. My Hero
1. Everlong
No. 10 - And Finally ...
With a little self-reflection on Sunday, I've decided to make a vow moving forward... I will not engage in any further discussion of other sites or the people that work for other sites/networks.
No matter my thoughts about the subject, getting sucked into such things only cheapens me and the site. I can't keep being Marty McFly and getting dragged into the sewage because someone called me chicken.
As someone that has made a point to lay off of the public political chatter, I know all of this comes down to discipline.
Every time I fail to live up to this standard, I will donate $200 to a charity to be named later. I'm done. There's an old saying in this job that there are two kinds of reporters in this world... those that report the news and those that talk about those that report the news. It will be my continued focus to be the former.
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