Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (On Herman, Beck, Milroe and more...)

[Ketchum]

The Aviator sucked.

There are easier ways to earn a ban!

 

[RLong68]

Not at all. Stone is a transcendent player in the same way that Adrian Peterson was. There is a reason the Texas coaching staff broke their own rules and offered him as a high school freshman.

Not sure the staff would essentially close the book on a 2021 "transcendent" QB by taking another prospect.

 

[Ketchum]

Not sure the staff would essentially close the book on a 2021 "transcendent" QB by taking another prospect.

I can assure everyone that they don't believe he's the Adrian Peterson of quarterbacks.

 

[Mi Rey]

He's not more creative than Phil.

Well, Phil has the super flop, that's true. And Phil is the only guy who has decided to hit a moving putt rather than watch it run off the green, so I give him major points in the creative category for that. Also, Tiger is/was incredibly creative as well...so I'm probably guilty of hyperbole in my post. I suspect I am biased because I am a Jordan fanboy and really enjoy watching golf when he is on a roll.

 

[RLong68]

Spieth has showed more creative genius than anyone since Seve.

Nope.

 

[1956_1976]

Garp is greater than almost all of these. His best, however, is an HBO movie he made with Jerry Stiller called "Seize the Day" (made before Dead Poets Society). Stunning work by both actors.

 

[Dave C2]

a. No matter how much Tom Herman might not want to outright declare that it's Big 12 title or bust this season from an expectations standpoint, it’s Big 12 title or bust right now. Going into year three, this is the expectation for every head coach that has ever been hired by the University of Texas in my lifetime.
=========================================

Agreeing with this in principle, but there weren't that many who expected David McWilliams to win the SWC in 1989. Coming off a 4-7 record, a 4th straight loss to OU, and A&M loaded.

I was initially going to bring up Mackovic in 1994, but decided that we were a lot more optimistic before that year. We had come within a yard of beating A&M in CS the year before and had a lot of talent on offense and some young studs on defense. I can see that an SWC title was expected that year (and I don't accept the bogus 4 way tie that we were ultimately part of).

Akers and Brown? Yep. Championship expected every year.

 

[Pink]

Just here to pile on about making a Robin Williams list without watching WATG. Next make a Costner list without watching Fandango, or Cruise without seeing Risky Business.

 

[Geoff From McCallum High]

His name was only brought up in relation to the players that Herman has coached.

Calling him Manzei, which he is not, would be like me calling Milroe Vince Young.

I remember back in 2012 when Ketch called David Ash "David Football."

 

[Insp_Clouseau]

So Air Coryell was mentioned in the question about alias for an owner or moderator of a site.
I’m not sure we ever got the full and final story on that.
Are you saying it was an account by you or someone who worked for you or another site?

And sorry if this was already asked above in thread.

 

[Ketchum]

Well, Phil has the super flop, that's true. And Phil is the only guy who has decided to hit a moving putt rather than watch it run off the green, so I give him major points in the creative category for that. Also, Tiger is/was incredibly creative as well...so I'm probably guilty of hyperbole in my post. I suspect I am biased because I am a Jordan fanboy and really enjoy watching golf when he is on a roll.

fair enough

 

[Ketchum]

a. No matter how much Tom Herman might not want to outright declare that it's Big 12 title or bust this season from an expectations standpoint, it’s Big 12 title or bust right now. Going into year three, this is the expectation for every head coach that has ever been hired by the University of Texas in my lifetime.
=========================================

Agreeing with this in principle, but there weren't that many who expected David McWilliams to win the SWC in 1989. Coming off a 4-7 record, a 4th straight loss to OU, and A&M loaded.

I was initially going to bring up Mackovic in 1994, but decided that we were a lot more optimistic before that year. We had come within a yard of beating A&M in CS the year before and had a lot of talent on offense and some young studs on defense. I can see that an SWC title was expected that year (and I don't accept the bogus 4 way tie that we were ultimately part of).

Akers and Brown? Yep. Championship expected every year.

It might not have been expected with McWilliams, which is one of the reasons so many people had him on the obvious hot seat entering that his third and fourth seasons. He just wasn't cut out for the gig.

 

[Ketchum]

I remember back in 2012 when Ketch called David Ash "David Football."

I did?

 

[Ketchum]

So Air Coryell was mentioned in the question about alias for an owner or moderator of a site.
I’m not sure we ever got the full and final story on that.
Are you saying it was an account by you or someone who worked for you or another site?

And sorry if this was already asked above in thread.

It was Chris Jessie. I've told the story countless times.

 

[styrbjorn]

Disagree about big 12 or bust. The defending champs are stacked once again on offense, a side of the ball that wins big 12 titles. On top of that, Texas is completely rebuilding on defense. Let's see what happens but this program isnt to a level yet of big 12 or bust.

The real key for Texas is to keep improving. There should be no losses on the conference schedule outside of possibly OU. Texas has to take the next step and beat OSU and the other thorns in its side the past decade. Get to the title game and play in another meaningful bowl game. Show consistency and do play down to your opponents. Obviously There are bigger fish to fry this year and certainly a conference title is one of them but if Texas goes 11-2 or 12-1 and wins another BCS bowl game to me that shows a lot of improvement regardless of big 12 title or not.

Although this team can do it they certainly aren't to a point yet where is big 12 title or bust. That was 2005 and 2009. Not the current version. Next year I will agree.

I agree that "Big 12 or Bust" has more appeal to journalists like Ketch (who need something to talk about in the off season) than for a coach like Herman (I'd argue from his perspective it's nothing but bulletin board material for OU).

However, I don't think OU is as stacked on offense as they have been the last 2 years. Replacing 4 NFL OL, a #1 pick at QB and the best WR in the draft will be tough. If their defense doesn't show marked improvement, they will be in some dogfights this year. I'd argue that's at least as big a rebuild as what our D will be going through.

Other than that I am (as usual) 100% in agreement with you.

 

[sodiumacetate]

Not sure the staff would essentially close the book on a 2021 "transcendent" QB by taking another prospect.

Not sure they had a choice since Stone seems set on taking his time. Bird in hand and all, especially when that bird is also really, really good and close friends with a bunch of war daddies in the trenches.

 

[Ketchum]

I agree that "Big 12 or Bust" has more appeal to journalists like Ketch (who need something to talk about in the off season) than for a coach like Herman (I'd argue from his perspective it's nothing but bulletin board material for OU).

However, I don't think OU is as stacked on offense as they have been the last 2 years. Replacing 4 NFL OL, a #1 pick at QB and the best WR in the draft will be tough. If their defense doesn't show marked improvement, they will be in some dogfights this year. I'd argue that's at least as big a rebuild as what our D will be going through.

Other than that I am (as usual) 100% in agreement with you.

I would contend it's not me setting the expectations for this season.

 

[Ketchum]

Not sure they had a choice since Stone seems set on taking his time. Bird in hand and all, especially when that bird is also really, really good and close friends with a bunch of war daddies in the trenches.

If he's really the... ahem... Adrian Peterson of quarterbacks... you wait.

Neither in-state school viewed him as such a monster that they needed to wait.

 

[styrbjorn]

I would contend it's not me setting the expectations for this season.

Sorry @Ketchum that wasn't a shot at you, by any means. I just think (and I suspect CTH would agree) that talking in public about expectations like this can only be a distraction for the actual staff and players. I expect them to continue preaching 1-0 and daily improvement, even if in their hearts they agree with you 100%.

 

[RLong68]

Not sure they had a choice since Stone seems set on taking his time. Bird in hand and all, especially when that bird is also really, really good and close friends with a bunch of war daddies in the trenches.

With a transcendent QB you do. The staff has been stacking QB talent. Rest assured, if Herman and Beck thought Stone was that type of player they certainly would have been more than comfortable in waiting given how the QB room currently looks.

 

[sodiumacetate]

With a transcendent QB you do. The staff has been stacking QB talent. Rest assured, if Herman and Beck thought Stone was that type of player they certainly would have been more than comfortable in waiting given how the QB room currently looks.

In a vacuum I would agree. However, pissing off Milroe could cost you any chance with 4 other top 100 recruits in positions of need. That is a factor that can't be ignored.

The coaches were actively pushing Stone to commit for the past 6 months. Had he been willing to commit, he would have been a horn before Milroe was ever offered

 

[RLong68]

In a vacuum I would agree. However, pissing off Milroe could cost you any chance with 4 other top 100 recruits in positions of need. That is a factor that can't be ignored.

The coaches were actively pushing Stone to commit for the past 6 months. Had he been willing to commit, he would have been a horn before Milroe was ever offered

That's the point. They didn't feel the need to wait any longer. If they viewed him as a "transcendent," "must have" then they would have.

 

[sodiumacetate]

That's the point. They didn't feel the need to wait any longer. If they viewed him as a "transcendent," "must have" then they would have.

I disagree because doing so would cost any chance at two five star linemen and 2 other top 100 linemen. So one option gets you a "Unicorn" QB, but the other option gets you a top 100 QB and potentially 4 elite linemen. The ideal is that the former happens quick enough to not jeopardize the chances with the linemen so you get the best of both worlds... As it played out, I would take the latter every single time.

 

[RLong68]

I disagree because doing so would cost any chance at two five star linemen and 2 other top 100 linemen. So one option gets you a "Unicorn" QB, but the other option gets you a top 100 QB and potentially 4 elite linemen. The ideal is that the former happens quick enough to not jeopardize the chances with the linemen so you get the best of both worlds... As it played out, I would take the latter every single time.

Where are you getting this idea that not getting Milroe would cost us all these top OL?

 

[Ketchum]

Sorry @Ketchum that wasn't a shot at you, by any means. I just think (and I suspect CTH would agree) that talking in public about expectations like this can only be a distraction for the actual staff and players. I expect them to continue preaching 1-0 and daily improvement, even if in their hearts they agree with you 100%.

Lincoln Riley doesn't have a problem with projecting super high expectations. He just seems a little more willing to put his ass out there.

 

[Ketchum]

I disagree because doing so would cost any chance at two five star linemen and 2 other top 100 linemen. So one option gets you a "Unicorn" QB, but the other option gets you a top 100 QB and potentially 4 elite linemen. The ideal is that the former happens quick enough to not jeopardize the chances with the linemen so you get the best of both worlds... As it played out, I would take the latter every single time.

Preston Stone is not a unicorn prospect.

 

[Texaswins54]

This 2019 team is every bit the threat to win the conference as a 2020 version.
Oklahoma is going to have an off year. Book it. You simply cannot replace an entire O line that easily. The also do not have a good passing quarterback.
If we excel at special teams, then the sky is the ceiling for this team this year.

 

[RLong68]

This 2019 team is every bit the threat to win the conference as a 2020 version.
Oklahoma is going to have an off year. Book it. You simply cannot replace an entire O line that easily. The also do not have a good passing quarterback.
If we excel at special teams, then the sky is the ceiling for this team this year.

Expecting a conference title this season and thinking we will be even better in 2020 aren't mutually exclusive concepts. The reality is in 2020 we will return a senior starter along with an expected VERY salty OL. And all those young dudes that some are concerned with for '19 will be vets in 2020.

Frankly I've given up on OU "having an off year." I mean, I guess at some point if people predict that enough times they will finally be right. At this point I'll just assume they will be pretty f'n good this season until I see they aren't. Their 4 guys on the OL will be replaced by veteran guys who were all top recruits. Not to mention they got a very nice grad transfer at OL. As for Jalen Hurts, I doubt seriously Riley would have pursued him if he thought Hurts wasn't a very good passing quarterback.

 

[sodiumacetate]

Preston Stone is not a unicorn prospect.

Ok. That was the exact word that EJ said the coaching staff used to describe him.

 

[sodiumacetate]

Where are you getting this idea that not getting Milroe would cost us all these top OL?

One of them is Defense, but here is where I get that idea.

Milroe shows up and wants to commit. If the coaches tell him no thanks or even not now, that pisses off Milroe. We have seen it countless times at Texas over the years. In this case, as he is very close with several elite linemen, by pissing him off you are also pissing them off and jeopardizing your chances with them. And as you said, the QB room is stacked... But the trenches are a different story. We really need these linemen.

 

[JinSOTEX]

Not at all. Stone is a transcendent player in the same way that Adrian Peterson was.

Wow. Tap the brakes. Herman obviously doesn’t agree. I’ll trust their judgment

 

[Ketchum]

Ok. That was the exact word that EJ said the coaching staff used to describe him.

I don't care. I don't let others frame my opinions.

 

[Ketchum]

Milroe shows up and wants to commit. If the coaches tell him no thanks or even not now, that pisses off Milroe. We have seen it countless times at Texas over the years.

Not really. College football coaches are professional bullshit artists. There are ways to slow-play kids and it not feel insulting to the kids.

 

[McGuapo]

Lincoln Riley doesn't have a problem with projecting super high expectations. He just seems a little more willing to put his ass out there.

Well, he has actually done it.

 

[Ketchum]

Well, he has actually done it.

True.

But, he carried that bravado into his first season. His offense is his offense. He calls the shots and the plays. When Herman first arrived, he was vocal to the public about not being able to do the same thing Riley claimed with no qualms.