Ketch's 10 Thoughts From The Weekend (Real talk on Quinn and Sark)

[BigGulpHorn15]

B/S Sark will NOT be the head coach when UT enters the SEC.

B/S Sonny Dykes is our next football coach.

 

[Ketchum]

Whats a better plan for next week? Play card who can run and use Robinson a ton. It will be cold and windy.
Use our normal game plan and just take the deep ball out of it?

Why do we only use 2 WR? WHere are the trick plays the motions and screens and middle of the field stuff? Most of the offensive problems can be put on the OL?

I would play Ewers and lean on the running game significantly. Hell, I mighjt even run iy yo the left.

Get your athletes in space. Wheels routes to Bijan, screens to worthy and Whitt. A few posts to JT.

They only use two WRs because they don't have a third that they love and trust to do more than block.

 

[Ketchum]

Sure, but it was explicitly awarded to Texas (along with the others, of course) by the SWC. And, it was done according to specific rules and by laws of the conference as agreed to by all members.
I don’t give a damn if anyone likes or agrees to the rules, they are still the rules. Many of our conference championships over the decades were shared. They still count, just the same.
And, aggy was on probation because they had cheated like mf’ers for decades, and finally had to pay the price. So those damned cheating bastards finally got what they deserved.
The conference counts it, the University of Texas counts it, the Texas football team counts it, and I count it.
Anyone who doesn’t is just being obtuse.
Now, aggy counts that retroactive shit, based on some computer model, and awarded decades after the fact that no one at the time acknowledged.

it was shared FIVE ways

 

[Ketchum]

If Sark is going to stick with Ewers regardless of his play, then the play calls must be hitches, screens, and slants rather than down field bombs. This will be particularly necessary if it is cold and windy at Kansas next week. Without a heavy dose of the running game and short easy passes, it will be a long bus ride home.

yup

 

[Ketchum]

I just listened to three of those songs. She was amazing. Brings back childhood memories to boot!

She's legit the GOAT

 

[Ketchum]

He comes off at times like he has an attitude as well

You mean he comes like he's frustrated?

 

[Ketchum]

Texas should have kept Casey Thompson and let him and Bijan run some true zone read. He’s thrown for over 2100 yds behind an atrocious NU OL.

He's also been benched multiple times and is no longer the starting quarterback.

 

[Ketchum]

I wonder what happens on those early drives if Worthy or Sanders catch those easy passes. With that said, I wonder what happens next week if Ewers stinks it up the first quarter.

Fair questions.

 

[Ketchum]

KSU just reported that Martinez is out for several weeks and one of their top safties/CB (Savage) is out for the season. Howard is gonna be their QB for likely the remainder of the season.

Ketch, u think WVU (who plays alot better at home) can pull the upset against KSU?

They can, but Howard has led them to blowout wins over OSU and Baylor. They play well with him.

 

[Ketchum]

My understanding is that the Manning family have absolutely zero interest in Arch starting as a true frosh. I thought this was already pretty much agreed with the coaching staff. Anyway, Sark is in “ride or die” mode with QE next season — but should make for some interesting click bait articles from March through August next year. Hook’em

Sometimes what you prefer and what you get are two different things.

 

[Ketchum]

Ketch did you really say you’d take Ewers over the entire field of returning Big 12 QBs next year. I think the odds of him turning into a plus quarterback are about 10% at this point. He reminds me of a boxer who came up with a big rep, had a few good-great fights, but has gotten knocked the f*ck out the last 3 times he entered the ring. Fans want to hang onto the potential they saw early, but the truth is that very few fighters come back from that kind of abuse.

Sark is making a mistake by continuing to load the world onto Ewers’ shoulders. Sark speaks constantly about creating an environment that makes his players comfortable and plays to their strengths. His emphasis on long passes and de-emphasis on the run game is NOT creating a comfy structure for Ewers. It’s doing the opposite- reinforcing anxiety and ingraining failure. The best thing Sark can do next Saturday is to announce Card as the starter, along with saying that he expects both QBs to play. This may let Ewers relax and decompress a bit. If Card has an adequate to good game and we win, great. If Card struggles, Ewers can come in and potentially save the day. Some guys just play better off the bench.

Bottom line, the current shit ain’t working. When that’s the case, smart people make adjustments. They don’t make lame excuses about how making a change is ‘unfair‘ to the backup (the lamest excuse ever). People started out with a lot of faith in Sark. That faith has been tested and nearly destroyed. I’m hoping to see a couple of successful chess moves from Sark, and better play out of the offense as a result.

who would you take instead of him?

 

[Ketchum]

Ketch on Saturday, immediately following the game:



Ketch’s opening sentence from 10TFTW on Sunday evening — after stoking the flames barely a day earlier… that’s rich

Uhhhhh. ok.

 

[Ketchum]

I think this is the problem with perhaps the media's understanding of Sark's role. No offense, but y'all are still enamored by his performance as an OC and Mack Jones with Bama in 2020.

Sark's job isn't to produce elite QB play. Its to win games. Sark is still in play caller/QB coach mode and is unfortunately given the benefit of the doubt by you guys (not just here at OB) for having this special talent. This skill set doesn't win games alone and we would all, for sure, take wins over putting QBs into the draft.

The issue here lies in the fact that he can't put on the HC hat and separate himself from being the actual QB developer. I think Ewers is a good freshman QB who needs time to develop like 99% of guys who take snaps. But Sark is married to the idea of playing this kid like a degenerate gambler makes bets on horses. His ego is involved and he would rather be right than win football games.

Always ask yourself the question: "What Would Nick Saban Do?" in a football game. We know the answer would have been to pull Quinn at the start of the second half of the Oklahoma State game and find a way to keep the double digit margin going into the 4th quarter.

I'll doubt you'll agree with me, because all the media is still in some weird honey-moon phase with Sark, when the guy probably shouldn't have ever been hired to begin with. I'm sure the narrative will shift to what it was with Herman (even though he was less well liked by the media) and you guys will start to say that he is "growing on the job" and then after next year we will be talking about his replacement.

The two things are not mutually exclusive.

 

[Ketchum]

He more miserable with playcalling or QB play??? Or both?

I think both.

 

[Ketchum]

@Ketchum how does Ewers stack up to Thompson numbers from last year at this point?

Not good.

 

[MB-HORNS]

I think both.

The Portal seems like a real possibility for him it seems.

 

[Dwilliamminear]

The football program is under the responsibility of CDC. He has created a stadium second to none. The live game music and other activities rival the NFL. He has drawn fans to the immediate stadium with Beverly Boulevard. The on field results are not what the Longhorn Foundation members expect or want. It has to improve really fast. If not, Texas continues as a mediocre Big 12 program and the next version of the Aggies in the SEC. CDC and his kitchen cabinet need to correct this ASAP

 

[RLong68]

The redshirt freshman simply isn't playing well in the last month. While we all should have been able to see a few clumsy performances coming from a young quarterback, it's impossible to discuss his redshirt freshman season without acknowledging that Ewers hasn’t really improved at all since returning from injury in early October.

@DKR-3rings said Ewers was not a problem with the offense against TCU so WTF are you talking about @Ketchum ?

 

[RLong68]

That's a massive indictment of Sarkisian.

I said quite some time back that Texas is the first place where Sark has gone that didn’t have an established QB.

 

[THETexasFan]

I would play Ewers and lean on the running game significantly. Hell, I mighjt even run iy yo the left.

Get your athletes in space. Wheels routes to Bijan, screens to worthy and Whitt. A few posts to JT.

They only use two WRs because they don't have a third that they love and trust to do more than block.

Or does Ewers lock in on one, at best two, leaving the 3rd to wander open often and not be used?

 

[RLong68]

He needs to be better. His frustration is mounting and his body language is telling us how unhappy he is.

I would not be surprised if …

 

[SamTexas]

Two wins and the Alamo Bowl.

Basically what you thought In Aug..

 

[RLong68]

He won three, even though most on this board refuse to believe or acknowledge it.
1994, 1995, 1996.

‘94 was a sham. I don’t acknowledge it for any other reason it was a 5-way tie where Tech was awarded the Cotton Bowl AND ACES was on probation while absolutely dusting the conference

 

[Kemachca]

I don't see how there's any way that the next off-season won't be defined by a Ewers vs Manning battle for the starting job. A Ewers that is making constant improvement is the favorite to win that job, but the guy we've seen since the Oklahoma game? The version of Ewers that has fans calling for Hudson Card to play is going to have a hell of a time holding off Manning if he doesn't start putting the pieces together.

Not sure I agree here. A second year Ewers vs a Manning that would likely run the same as Ewers playing too young? I think there would be a better chance that Murphy challenges Ewers next year, Manning will redshirt. Not saying Murphy would be given much of a chance. I think Card not playing seems to be a message that he is gone after this season. I like Ewers, but why the hell not pull him out if he's not playing well?? Is coach trying to avoid a QB controversy to make sure Card leaves at the end of the season?

... The receiving game has pretty much evolved into two wide receivers, a tight end and no one else. Does Brennan Marion not have anyone else that can make half of a play? If we're keeping it real, he hasn't had a great first year as the wide receivers coach.

I would disagree. When it comes to performance you have to add in Whittington. The biggest issue is that he is being underutilized. Unless that is what you are meaning.

(Buy) There's no reason right now to truly feel like next year will be better than this year until some personnel replacements are ironed out and the quarterback play improves.

I think this is your post loss Sinicism talking. This team will be much better next year. The QB play does not have to improve game to game this year not to expect that it will be much better next year after offseason, etc. The OL will be dominant. No way it's not light years better than this year, which has been pretty decent. RB's will run well behind it. I like Bijan and love Roshcon, but we will be fine with Blue, Brooks and Baxter and Keilan. Still the deepest RB corp in the B12. Receiving corps will be losing Whittington, but he is under used anyway. Sanders will be back, Helm will be back. A year of development for Red and Thompson to replace JWhitt. Hall and Omeire? Some electric freshmen? Defense will be better, but have to see who stays. The young DB's are playing well. The D-Line will lose some playmakers, but are you really not bullish on Collins and Murphy in the middle? The D Ends will be great.

 

[DC Longhorn]

How many games has Card played this year? Makes me wonder whether Sark made a deal with Card that he wouldn’t burn his shirt so he could enter the portal with his eligibility intact.

 

[Rex Tex]

Kinda felt like TCU defense was in the Texas “huddle”, especially on running plays. Any chance they spotted something in UT’s signals from the bench or something in their pre-snap formations that tipped them off? Or did they just overwhelm the O-Line like no one else has been able to all season? A defense that had been mediocre until this week.

 

[Ketchum]

B/S Sark will NOT be the head coach when UT enters the SEC.

B/S Sonny Dykes is our next football coach.

Buy

sell

 

[longhorn4444]

If I counted right, the receivers dropped 4 passes Saturday night. Those shouldn’t be counted against Ewers. That‘s all I’ve got.

 

[Ketchum]

The football program is under the responsibility of CDC. He has created a stadium second to none. The live game music and other activities rival the NFL. He has drawn fans to the immediate stadium with Beverly Boulevard. The on field results are not what the Longhorn Foundation members expect or want. It has to improve really fast. If not, Texas continues as a mediocre Big 12 program and the next version of the Aggies in the SEC. CDC and his kitchen cabinet need to correct this ASAP

I don't blame him for Sark. That wasn't his hire.

 

[Ketchum]

@DKR-3rings said Ewers was not a problem with the offense against TCU so WTF are you talking about @Ketchum ?

 

[Ketchum]

I said quite some time back that Texas is the first place where Sark has gone that didn’t have an established QB.

It's almost impossible to believe we're going to be going into year three without that position completely settled.

 

[Ketchum]

Or does Ewers lock in on one, at best two, leaving the 3rd to wander open often and not be used?

He's not in a capacity to go to a third in his progressions

 

[Ketchum]

I would not be surprised if …

me either

 

[MB-HORNS]

Buy

sell

I have no idea who Texas would look at if this plays out like this. DO you?

 

[DubaiBob]

The two things are not mutually exclusive.

Of course they aren't, but one shouldn't be to the detriment of the other and that is clearly happening here.