Ketch's 10 Thoughts From The Weekend (Now what?)

[txfight]

So you would make the argument that Texas is a really good WR away from being undefeated (and thus a top 10 team?)

I feel like it's other positions holding us back.

 

[In Stink]

I've spent a lot of time since the game ended trying to think of a better individual defensive performance for the Longhorns.

Earl Thomas once went nuclear against Oklahoma in 2009 with seven tackles, two TFL, an INT, four PBU and a forced fumble. It went lost in the aftermath of Colt McCoy's injury, but Sergio Kindle's game against Alabama in the national championship game (eight tackles, 2.5 sacks and four TFL) was an all-timer that warrants remembering. Brian Orakpo once threw down seven tackles, two sacks, four TFL, two pressures and a forced fumble against No. 1 Oklahoma.

Those were the three games that came to mind when I was thinking about performances that warranted side by side comparison, but then I started wondering whether Derrick Johnson ever had a better game.

The answer?

Nope. Johnson won a ton of Player of the Week awards in his career, including the Nagurski Award's National Defensive Player of the Week as a junior in 2003 when he recorded 11 tackles, a forced fumble, four pressures and four TFLs against No. 12 Nebraska, but even that game doesn't quite come close. Johnson also had an 18-tackle game against Oklahoma State as a senior, but it didn't include any of the game-changing havoc that Ossai produced last night.

Beyond that, my memory is getting foggy when trying to think of games that compare to Ossai's performance, let alone one that included a walk-off sack.

In the 24-24 tie with Oklahoma in 1995, Tony Brackens had two sacks, three pass breakups, three quarterback hits, three tackles for loss (minus-19 yards) and blocked a field goal attempt.

 

[TonyfBlack]

Who did that?

Thought you said Sam was borderline great and was best QB in UT history ? In Buy or Sell: " Sell) I think the fan base has him rated properly. He's possibly the best "very good but not quite great" quarterback in school history. "

 

[borna'horn]

The game that immediately jumped to my mind after seeing Ossai’s performance was Alex Okafor in the 2012 Alamo Bowl. He was unblockable. I just looked it up, and his 4.5 sacks were the 3rd most in bowl history.

Tony Brackens also had some monster games back in the day.

 

[hornin nyc]

Time Bandits was excellent but he only had a minor role

Another minor role that was awesome was Highlander

 

[In Stink]

No. 2 - Maybe it means nothing, maybe it means something ...

I'm not going to make any implications with the following information, but in a universe where it has been apparent for weeks that Texas head coach Tom Herman and his boss Chris Del Conte haven't exactly been on the same page, it warrants some sort of on the record acknowledgement.

In the immediate 15 hours following Texas winning on the road at a top-10 opponent for the first time since 2010, Del Conte made zero mention of the performance on Twitter.

Texas school president Jay Hartzell did. He Tweeted twice after the game and retweeted Emmanuel Acho.

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Now, I know what you're thinking ... "Ketch, Twitter is the ruin of civilization and there are a million reasons why he might not have been on his social media."

Fair points.

To that I would say that Del Conte didn't Tweet about the football team's win over Baylor, either.

Now, I know what you might be thinking ... "Ketch, Twitter is the ruin of civilization and there are a million reasons why he might not have been on his social media after the last two football games."

Fair points.

To that, I would say outside of linking his newsletter or answering questions about uniforms or retweeting things about the trips people were making in the build-up to games, he hasn't really said much specifically about the football team at all in the last five or six weeks. Certainly not after games and that stands out because when it's not football related, Del Conte has made a real effort throughout the last month to celebrate his team's performances in multiple sports.

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What does it all mean? I suppose it would be impossible to completely pinpoint with any kind of true accuracy, but the silence speaks volumes from my perspective. Not a Trick or Treat reference. Not wishing them a safe travel home. Not a thank you to the fans that made the trip to Stillwater in the middle of a pandemic and led what might end up being a very memorable Eyes of Texas after the game. Not a simple "attaboy" for Ossai after a performance that made him the Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week?

Sometimes what a person won't say or do is more revealing than what he actually says and does. Sometimes.

UT just finished the Bev Kearney litigation not so long ago.

Given the circumstances, and what may be happening behind the scenes, CDC may have received some legal advice that voicing approval of any football success could add quantitative value to buy-out negotiations.

 

[Atownatx]

@Ketchum

 

[HornHammer]

Going for that Spartacus/Roman God look, therefore a knife.

He will be missed & was awesome!

 

[azhorns]

Here you go......more like a dagger.

I mean, yeah he’s buff. But when the Zombie apocalypse happens, he ain’t outrunning any zombies.

 

[azhorns]

smoked? which data points were those?

We needed overtime to win a game where we won the turnover battle 5-0. The fact we needed OT is almost incomprehensible. Like tech, Ok St. gifted us that game. I doubt we will play another game this year with that type of TO margin.

 

[BOBZILLA65]

We are only postponing the inevitable and compounding the damage.

 

[sua sponte]

UT just finished the Bev Kearney litigation not so long ago.

Given the circumstances, and what may be happening behind the scenes, CDC may have received some legal advice that voicing approval of any football success could add quantitative value to buy-out negotiations.

Absolutely. That evidence looks awful at trial.

 

[pdrscott99]

LOL at the thought of winning out. This team is coached by a mental midget HC when it comes to leadership, development, and game/roster management and these players for the vast majority are mentally weak and not focused on playing a winning brand of football.

Soon we will drop a game that we should win on paper. This is my shocked face.

 

[hutchenc]

@Ketchum Random and totally irrelevant point here...

I think Sean Connery in that photo is posed like Michelangelo's David (which references the Doryphoros statue itself) and has a sword referencing Donatello's David. All three personified the ideal male body which fits with Mr. Universe.

 

[Ronnie 1948]

CDC needs to sweep the leg.

Ketchum, I don't understand Jay Hartzell first tweet about needing before and after pics. Can you or anyone else explain what that tweet meant?

 

[hornin nyc]

It means this season is aging him

Ketchum, I don't understand Jay Hartzell first tweet about needing before and after pics. Can you or anyone else explain what that tweet meant?

 

[hornin nyc]

This board.

I have seen countless posts today that we are capable of winning out now.

I thinks more because we are self loathing than anything else

 

[dezrat]

What position should the cowboys target in the draft?

The Owner!

 

[Ketchum]

You're assuming that he would be on the field AND they would try to find a way to get him the ball. The way this coaching staff consistently and completely ignores their playmakers makes me seriously doubt he would have this level of impact on this team and it's season.

You're right, I am assuming.

 

[Ketchum]

All the games save KU (maybe) are all going to be coin flip 4 quarter games. That's what mensaball is all about. Texas winning them all with the way they've been playing would be one of the bigger surprises of my life.

1/2 X 1/2 X 1/2 = 1/8

 

[Ketchum]

RIP Sean Connery - coolest man of the 20th century. He was so cool he actually made turning old cool.

We should all be so lucky as to make it to 90 and then passing in our sleep in paradise.

 

[Ketchum]

There is a certain intensity missing from UT football. Ossai plays like a guy who wants to make money playing on Sunday. The others are "close" to making plays and are going to "clean it up" Every year, Alabama has 5 players who play like Ossai. Something is missing.

I don't find effort to be as much of a problem as discipline, focus and quality execution.

 

[Ketchum]

@Ketchum

CDC can’t possibly bring back Herman with the current state of recruiting.

That alone is reason enough to move on, on top of everything else.

Hard point to argue.

 

[Ketchum]

Good column @Ketchum .

I think The Hill and Highlander have to be to be in Connery's top 10 list though.

Never seen either.

 

[OldBlood]

Good column. Very on point.
B/S CDC is pissed at tom over the EYES

 

[Ketchum]

The buyout still looms large.... old Dallas BMDs ( yes even the ones with names on buildings) currently dont have the cache they once had and cant ( or won’t) raise their “fair share”. While Houston BMD had it raised two weeks ago, ultimately they cannot do it on their own. Ft Worth and Austin/ San Antonio are a non factor. Also, this will only be sured up if someone can lock down a successor before any trigger is pulled

Also, @Ketchum I hear there is one coach that claims the EoT is hurting recruiting. I don’t buy it , I still say winning takes care of a lot ...what say you?

a. I haven't been told that there's a hangup with money.

b. There's no way TEOT situation doesn't hurt recruiting at least a smidge.

 

[Ketchum]

So you would make the argument that Texas is a really good WR away from being undefeated (and thus a top 10 team?)

I feel like it's other positions holding us back.

I'm saying Garrett Wilson would probably have made a difference in the two games that were lost. He's that good.

 

[Ketchum]

In the 24-24 tie with Oklahoma in 1995, Tony Brackens had two sacks, three pass breakups, three quarterback hits, three tackles for loss (minus-19 yards) and blocked a field goal attempt.

And still not better than what we saw on Saturday. I was on the field for that that gamer in 1995. Brackens didn't quite dominate like THAT!

 

[Ketchum]

Thought you said Sam was borderline great and was best QB in UT history ? In Buy or Sell: " Sell) I think the fan base has him rated properly. He's possibly the best "very good but not quite great" quarterback in school history. "

no one, especially me, has ever called him the best quarterback in school history.

He's not even on the Mount Rushmore of Texas quarterbacks.

 

[Ketchum]

The game that immediately jumped to my mind after seeing Ossai’s performance was Alex Okafor in the 2012 Alamo Bowl. He was unblockable. I just looked it up, and his 4.5 sacks were the 3rd most in bowl history.

Tony Brackens also had some monster games back in the day.

The fact that Ossai's game came with a walk off game-winning play makes his performance even more special.

Okafor didn't have a hand in creating a turnover that day, either.

But, good call.

 

[Ketchum]

UT just finished the Bev Kearney litigation not so long ago.

Given the circumstances, and what may be happening behind the scenes, CDC may have received some legal advice that voicing approval of any football success could add quantitative value to buy-out negotiations.

all the back to September....?

 

[Ketchum]

@Ketchum

We suck.

 

[CenTex Horn]

Now that I'm on a roll, have the big money guys, OB staff, etc. given Herman a real chance this year? I have seen the poor execution, penalties, OL issues and it doesn't look so good. But how long does a reset of coaches take to get traction? Especially without an offseason? I can be convinced it's time for a change but what if TH wins a few more games?

While 7 coaches are new, Herm is in year 4 at Texas. There is no period of traction for the new coaches nor should there be one. And nobody else had an off-season either.

Texas needs to win the conference this year or the entire staff could get fired.

 

[Ketchum]

We needed overtime to win a game where we won the turnover battle 5-0. The fact we needed OT is almost incomprehensible. Like tech, Ok St. gifted us that game. I doubt we will play another game this year with that type of TO margin.

Texas has played in a bunch of overtime games. Playing in 50-50 games is what this team does really well.

 

[Ketchum]

Absolutely. That evidence looks awful at trial.

It's a pretty shitty look with regards to messaging.

On one hand, he demands that the players stand for the fans. On the other hand, he doesn't give them any public support... or the fans that showed up for that matter,