While we wait for Tom Herman to reveal his staff plans for the 2018 season, the one question that I keep coming back to is this ...
Is there anyone that Herman can hire that will be better than him?
He got this job because those doing the hiring believed that the offensive side of the ball would be his show and yet it was at times confusing to know where the buck stopped on that side of the ball, especially early in the season when Herman indicated that he didn't think he could be the head coach and the play-caller at the same time during games. If we're being honest, it somewhat reminded us of Charlie Strong taking a bit of a hands-off approach with the defense.
Vance Bedford is Tim Beck. Tim Beck is Vance Bedford without the cats.
Yet, unlike Strong, Herman has given indications that he won't let an issue linger, as evidenced by the fact that he not only took over play-calling duties during the win over Missouri in the Texas Bowl, but he prepared throughout bowl workouts for this new dynamic.
So, does Herman feel good enough about what happened in the final game of the season that he'll emphatically assert himself in the driver's seat on that side of the ball instead of merely riding shotgun?
It's a decision that will define this off-season and perhaps his tenure in Austin.
If the answer is yes, then Herman has quite a few options at his disposal for the 10th spot on his coaching staff.
If the answer is no, Herman will have to display better hiring instincts than he did when building his staff in the first place.
From my perspective, I don't know that Herman can make a better hire than betting on himself. It's what most wanted and expected when he emerged as the only candidate to replace Strong.
Is Tom Herman ready to fulfill his destiny?
Or will he call on someone else to fulfill it for him?
No. 2 – The most important recruit of 2018 ...
Pop-quiz: How many Texas offensive linemen were named all-Big 12 this season?
If you answered none, you are correct.
Pop-quiz: How many Texas offensive linemen were named honorable mention all-Big 12 this season?
Bueller?
Bueller?
Bueller?
If you answered junior Patrick Vahe, you are correct. That's it. One guy. The same as Kansas and Baylor.
Considering the state of the Texas offensive line in 2017 and the departure of Connor Williams, there is not a more important recruit on the table for the Longhorns than Rice offensive tackle Calvin Anderson. The former Austin Westlake standout is a two-time honorable mention player at tackle for the Owls and has started 36 consecutive games since the 2015 season.
He's an instant starter if the Longhorns can reel him in and would be perhaps the most impactful incoming player into the program. The Longhorns just have to lock him up and they won't be shooting from the lay-up line in trying to do so.
His importance can't be overstated. This isn't some JUCO kid that you're hoping can make the leap to major college football. This is a guy with nearly 40 starts under his belt at this level.
Go prove that you can get it done in recruiting, Derek Warehime. We're all watching with baited breath.
No. 3 – If I was Tom Herman for a day ...
I think these are the things I would do ...
a. Take over the offense. Tim Beck would remain as the quarterbacks coach and serve as the eyes and ears in the booth, but the buck would stop with me.
b. Reassign Derek Warehime within the program and commit whatever money it takes to hiring a world-class offensive line coach. Hell, I'd even call Les Miles and make him tell me no. In my 24 hours as Herman, I'm going to err on the side of ambition.
c. Hire the best special teams coach money can buy.
My goal would be to come into next season with elite leaders in all three phases of the game, while improving the offensive line coaching by leaps and bounds.
No. 4 – The elephant in the room ...
Absolutely nothing changed over the weekend with the Texas men's basketball team with regards to my comments earlier in the week.
The theme of that diatribe was that more of this season needed to unfold before much of the conversation that is already taking place at all times with some Texas basketball fans should take place. That as underwhelming as the Shaka Smart Era has been in two-plus years, it's borderline silly to discuss it in the context of an 11-5 start to the season. That while last year was a disaster and the offense remains a slow work in progress, the team is reasonably within range of where it should be against a difficult schedule and a loss of key personnel.
While we can all see a treacherous path in front of the team, you have to walk through the season before you can run head-first into emphatic conclusions.
On Saturday, Texas missed a chance to give itself a little extra breathing room in its quest to get into the NCAA tournament. Instead, it edged a little closer to the territory that would warrant the kind of increased pressure over Smart’s job performance that some would have him already feeling.
Make no mistake about it, missing the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year would represent absolute failure on the part of Smart in his first three seasons. I don't believe he would lose his job in the process, but year four would probably be a make-or-break year.
We're still not at that point, though. This is still a team that can reach the minimal level of success required to call this a decent season, unworthy of the shame that some so quickly want to cast upon it.
Frankly, the next eight days will represent a critical stretch of this season. With the game in Morgantown setting up as a likely loss, home games on Wednesday against Tech and next Monday against Iowa State become paramount. Win those two and the Longhorns will emerge with a 13-7 record through 20 games and will be within sight of being able to claw their way to meaningful post-season play. Lose one or both of those home games and the tension will really start to mount.
There's going to be a very thin line that separates a baby boom or an emphatic bust this season, but it's a line that is still being drawn.
No. 5 – Get your popcorn ready ...
No.1 UConn is coming to town tonight to take on Karen Aston's mercurial team, which is undefeated at home this season, but has shown more vulnerability than one might have guessed before it traveled to both Knoxville and Ft. Worth.
A month ago, this looked like a possible battle of 2017-2018 titans, but the Longhorns don't belong in that type of conversation right now. The question is whether this team can handle a moment like the one that exists tonight.
No. 6 – Buy or Sell …
Buy or SELL: The football program is in better shape moving forward than the basketball program?
(Buy) A stronger foundation towards a possible title is in place on the football side of things at this point.
Buy or SELL: Texas closes with Ingram, Coburn, Ossai, Waddle, and a couple of the grad transfer o-lineman?
(Sell) Very tempted to buy, though. I'm selling on Waddle at the moment and buying the rest.
Buy or SELL: We go into fall camp with multiple starters on the OL who currently aren’t on campus/signed?
(Buy) If not by the start of fall camp, definitely by week two of camp. Herman wants reinforcements.
Buy or SELL: Herman pulls a highly rated (5.7+) surprise recruit that’s not currently on most people’s radar?
(Buy) That sounds very doable.
Buy or SELL: Texas needs that one true elite difference maker talent (probably at QB) before they can ever break out of this slump we've been in since 2009?
(Buy) Quarterback, quarterback, quarterback ...
Buy or SELL: The baseball team makes the CWS again before the football team plays in a NY6 Bowl or men’s basketball team makes Sweet 16?
(Buy) I didn't really hesitate at all when buying.
Buy or SELL: You are the most beloved member of this site?
(Sell) I have to think that honor belongs to @TEXPIMP.
Buy or SELL: Your role on this site has evolved to that of king and your loyal custome...errr subjects need your guidance?
(Buy) Geoffrey ... Joffrey ... what's the difference?
Buy or SELL: You will abide by the site’s decision to ban you from writing about basketball?
(Sell) lulz ... you're cuter than a three-month old puppy.
Buy or SELL: Prior to the Revolutionary War, the economic modalities, especially in the southern colonies, could be most aptly described as agrarian pre-capitalist.
(Sell) If you want to read a real history book, read Howard Zinn's A People of the United States. That book will knock you on your ass.
No. 7 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
... I don't even know how to describe what happened at the end of the Vikings/Saints game. That play can't happen and yet it did. It was part sensational and part the worst tackle attempt I have ever witnessed. All you have to do is tackle the guy in the field of play and the game is over and the Saints couldn't get it done. What the hell did they talk about in the middle of that final timeout?
Woof.
... Tweet of the Weekend
... Blake Bortles at New England for a chance to go to the Super Bowl? What could possibly go wrong?
... Blake Bortles is closer to a Super Bowl than the Dallas Cowboys have been in two-plus decades.
... Myles Jack is a total stud. I loved him coming out of UCLA, but he's even better than I thought he was.
... Feels like the Patriots pretty much received a two-week bye into the Super Bowl.
... I didn't like seeing the Eagles win on Saturday, but I'm quite looking forward to the pain Philly fans will express when the season comes crashing to a halt. Will it be this week? Maybe. But, it most certainly will come to a crashing halt. I can set my watch by it.
... In landing at Arizona, Kevin Sumlin ended up making what amounts to a lateral move. His next job won't be nearly as good.
... The Astros don't have time for your championship hangover memes. Repeat or bust!
... Man, Markelle Fultz is scaring me to death at this point. W.T.F.? How does the No. 1 overall pick in the draft completely lose his shot?
... Liverpool's win over Man City was the best EPL Game of the season. For 90 minutes, both teams just flat out went for it fearlessly. A rematch between the two in the Champion's league would be a lot of fun.
... Dear Liverpool, please go sign a world-class keeper. Specifically, go get Alisson from Roma. Spend whatever it takes. That group with a plus-keeper can win titles.
... It's very easy to like Pep Guardiola.
... Eye-opening Remark of the Weekend
... Zinedine Zidane, let me make an official introduction. Zidane, meet serious adversity. Serious adversity, meet Zidane.
No. 8 – The most random thought I had all weekend ...
The moment that Detective David Mills realized that demented serial-killer John Doe had been following him and his partner in the movie Se7en, why didn't he think that it was possible that he needed to protect his wife?
Yeah, I realize it's a little bit of Monday Morning quarterbacking, but sending Gwyneth Paltrow to a different state without any fanfare would have been on the forefront of my mind.
I'm just saying ...
No. 9 – Updated Oscar rankings …
Caught Darkest Hour this week.
How good was Gary Oldman? I think about five minutes in, I forgot I was watching Gary Oldman playing Winston Churchill and was just watching Churchill.
As I walked out of the theater, I found myself in awe of Oldman's performance. It was master-class stuff.
Consider it highly recommended.
My updated Oscars rankings.
(Still need to see: All the Money in the World, Call Me By Your Name, The Florida Project, I, Tonya, Phantom Thread, The Post and Roman J. Israel, Esq)
Best Picture
1. Lady Bird
2. The Shape of Water
3. Darkest Hour
4. Dunkirk
5. The Big Sick
6. The Disaster Artist
7. Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
8. Get Out
9. Wind River
10. Mudbound
Best Actor
1. Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)
2. James Franco (The Disaster Artist)
3. Adam Driver (The Last Jedi)
4. Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out)
5. Jeremy Renner (Wind River)
Best Actress
1. Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water)
2. Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird)
3. Frances McDormand (Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri)
4. Emma Stone (Battle of the Sexes)
5. Elizabeth Olson (Wind River)
Best Supporting Actor
1. Michael Shannon (The Shape of Water)
2. Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri)
3. Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water)
4. Jason Mitchell (Mudbound)
5. Rob Morgan (Mudbound)
Best Supporting Actress
1. Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird)
2. Holly Hunter (The Big Sick)
3. Carey Mulligan (Mudbound)
4. Kristin Scott Thomas (Darkest Hour)
5. Mary J. Blige (Mudbound)
Best Director
1. The Shape of Water (Guillermo del Toro)
2. Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird)
3. Jordan Peele (Get Out)
4. Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk)
5. Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049)
No. 10 – And Finally …
I had a hard time watching my kids this weekend and not thinking about Texas sophomore guard Andrew Jones and the fight he is undertaking.
Every time my kids wanted to play the tickle game and I found myself considering work or play time, I chose play time because I never want to take those moments for granted.
Hang, in there Andrew. Your fight will be an inspiration to all who know your story.
p.s. The donation fund in his name is up to $83,000+. Let's get that sucker north of $100K,
Every single coach from ESPN's national championship coaching panel made the argument for why you don't call plays as a HC. They literally had this discussion during the game. It is the exception, most certainly not the rule, that a HC can a) effectively call the plays on the sideline (without seeing the all-22 view, and even if he somehow could do it effectively every game, b) it would negatively impact his HC functions and responsibilities.
Frankly, I think this maneuver is far more risky to the program than bringing in someone new.
