Chance Mock started against OU and threw a pick on the first possession.
I was on the 20 yard line about 10 rows up. Watching warm-ups, I knew we were going to get our ass kicked that day. It was evident in the body language of the two teams.
Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (Texas needs more Tom Herman...)
- Thread starter Ketchum
- Start date
Chance Mock started against OU and threw a pick on the first possession.
I was on the 20 yard line about 10 rows up. Watching warm-ups, I knew we were going to get our ass kicked that day. It was evident in the body language of the two teams.
Observation on #9 in regards to LSU’s hiring Ed Orgeron....
As mystifying as it is to those outside of LSU, the decision to hire coach O by LSU was a catch 22!
Coach O is beloved in south Louisiana, a South Lafourche graduate who played HS ball with Bobby Hebert. Although Bobby didn’t play at LSU, his son TBob was an OL at LSU. Coach O is a players coach and easily accessible individual who always comes across with little pretense.
Disclosure here....coach O shops in my grocery store on the northshore in Louisiana. Don’t see him hardly at all during season, lives close to store. See him a lot during offseason & will stop and talk to anybody.
As mystifying as it is to those outside of LSU, the decision to hire coach O by LSU was a catch 22!
Coach O is beloved in south Louisiana, a South Lafourche graduate who played HS ball with Bobby Hebert. Although Bobby didn’t play at LSU, his son TBob was an OL at LSU. Coach O is a players coach and easily accessible individual who always comes across with little pretense.
Disclosure here....coach O shops in my grocery store on the northshore in Louisiana. Don’t see him hardly at all during season, lives close to store. See him a lot during offseason & will stop and talk to anybody.
Biggest failure of preparation in the history of the program as far as I'm concerned.
I asked an offensive starter about the game-plan 36 hours before the game started and was told, "I don't know what it is. We haven't been told of a gameplan."
He was serious as a heart attack.
I remember writing off Cedric Griffin as a bust after that game. His effort was atrocious. He came around though!
Ced Griffin is the poster child for "don't rush to give up on young players".
Is Tom Herman trying to get Tim Beck a HC job somewhere blinding him of the reality of the offense?
Not if they are not prepared. You know as well as i do this is not sandlot football where Beck or Herman can draw something up in the dirt and make it work. i agree it will take creativity, but Thusday night was not the night to experiment. A few more picks and ISU possibly wins that game. The creativity will have to come in meetings during the week and in practice before the game. You are correct that Herman needs to be the impetus for this creativity. Without his pushing, I'm afraid the same old OC that Urban fired will continue with same old weak BS scheme.
Hook'em
Tom Herman and his staff make a near collective 10 million a year to be prepared.
Herman needs to figure out who keeps taking those unflattering pics of him sneering on the sidelines and rip their media creds.
The only reason Collin Johnson shouldn't get 10 balls and 150 yards a game is if the defense is so intent on keeping the ball out of his hands that Warren rushes for 150 or Hemphill-Mapps/Humphrey have 150 receiving.
And where in the world is Devin Duvernay? He was a playmaker last year. This year, he's a ghost.
And where in the world is Devin Duvernay? He was a playmaker last year. This year, he's a ghost.
You told it like it is, Ketch. The truth can be painful, but its always necessary whether individually or collectively, in order to look at what's wrong, what needs to be fixed, and then going about fixing it, before significant progress can be made....except I don't know how you can develop much of an offense this year with all the injuries, inexperience & woes we have on the O-line.
I'm not sure the coaches know, either. It's not an easy fix.
As the calendar turns the page to October and the Texas football team walks into the teeth of the 2017 schedule, one theme stood out in my mind over the course of the last few days.
I need more Tom Herman.
Bitch all you want about the slow development of the offense on offensive coordinator Tim Beck, but Tom Herman largely landed the Texas gig because he's supposed to be the elite-level offensive guru/quarterback developer.
Not Beck.
When everyone was aiming high with nine- or 10-win season predictions just a month ago, it was because the perception was that the players on offense would thrive under the guidance of the man who helped lead Ohio State to a national title and Houston to a national resurgence.
Not Beck.
Tim Beck was hired to recruit his rear end off and (in theory) execute the Tom Herman vision. While Todd Orlando does his thing on the defensive side of the ball with full control, the anticipation was that Herman is fully involved with the offense.
So, save me the Tim Beck grief.
With the offensive personnel in a state of crisis in certain areas, it's tough to say that talent alone can save the Longhorns on the offensive side of the ball. They need the help of an offensive creator that is regarded as one of the best in the business. With all the respect in the world for any desire to protect and provide a boost to all of his assistants, the buck stops at the feet of the head coach.
This team needs more Tom Herman and it needs it right now. I don't believe it's hyperbole to say that the balance of the season rests on it.
No. 2 – The elephant in the room going into this week ...
Neither quarterback that Texas currently has at its disposal is ready to quarterback a program like Texas to the type of season it strongly covets.
James Brown was a third-year player when the light switch came on in 1995. Vince Young was a third-year player when the light switch came on in 2004. Colt McCoy was a fourth-year player when the light switch came on in 2008.
Shane Buechele is 17 games deep into his second season. Sam Ehlinger is five games into his first season.
When I screamed caution to the masses with regards to the quarterback position all off-season, it had nothing to do with being a hater or having a favorite, it had everything to do with establishing realistic expectations at a position that has only seen Major Applewhite in 1998 and Colt McCoy's Cinderella season in 2006 achieve what is being demanded out of necessity from both players this season.
And this has nothing to do with having a poor offensive line, a lackluster running game with very little explosiveness, tight end play that is such that it's hard to warrant having any on the field and a first-year coaching staff that is still trying to learn the strengths of its team.
It's possible that what we're watching right now from Buechele is the best that Texas will ever get from him, but it's also possible that the grading of his abilities probably should not be taking place until his third year when he's had a fair opportunity to develop. It goes without saying that Ehlinger is still in need of development.
That's not me having an agenda, that's me being fair to both players.
No. 3 – Semi-Bold Prediction ...
I mentioned this in the Facebook Iowa State Post-Game Show on Thursday night, but here's how I see the next two weeks unfolding ...
a. I fully expect Tom Herman to give Shane Buechele a big endorsement on Monday when he meets with the media. It might be the biggest endorsement we've seen from Herman for Buechele yet.
b. Buechele gets the start against Kansas State and I'm expecting a tight slug-fest, one that won't see the Texas offense solve most of its issues. It's a 65%-35% contest coming in my mind, so let's call it Texas 20 Kansas State 13.
c. Texas gets off to a slow start against Oklahoma and Buechele gets replaced by Sam Ehlinger in the second quarter.
In a way, it kind of reminds me of the situation in 2003 when Texas went into the Oklahoma game without a full identity with Chance Mock holding the job over Vince Young. The pressure that comes in a game like Texas-Oklahoma is such that if and when the offense gets stagnant against the Sooners, the sense of urgency of the moment will lead to a switch at the position.
d. Ehlinger makes the start against Oklahoma State.
No. 4 - One excuse on offense that I refuse to buy ...
Collin Johnson needed more touches on Thursday night. In college football, you do whatever you have to do to get your best player involved in a game.
Period.
I don't want to hear that Iowa State dropped eight at times. I don't want to hear about bracket coverage or triple coverage or quintuple coverage.
Get him the damn ball. That it didn't happen is on the coaches, which means it's on Tim Beck, which also means it's on Tom Herman.
Defenses all over America sell out to stop great opposing receivers and somehow all over America, teams find a way to get their great players the ball so their great players can make great plays.
Texas didn't do that on Thursday. The Texas coaches are very well compensated to be smarter than their counterparts on the other sidelines, but they didn't do enough in that facet of the chess match that took place.
Save me the excuse-making. Just make sure it never happens again. Texas can't beat good teams when Johnson has less than 30 yards receiving in a game.
No. 5 – Buy or Sell …
BUY or SELL: Herman is calling plays by the end of the year?
(Sell) Tom Herman seems like a ride or die guy with his boys. I think he's going to spend the rest of the season strongly defending Beck.
BUY or SELL: With the UT defensive improvement, Todd Orlando takes a head coaching job for the 2018 season?
(Sell) I think he's still a year away from getting a job worth taking.
BUY or SELL: Texas can somehow manage 2-2 over the next 4 games?
(Buy) Can? Sure thing. Will? That's a million dollar question, no?
BUY or SELL: UTwiz will handle the transition to Sam Ehlinger (and the success that follows) in a quiet and humble fashion?
BUY or SELL: Texas ends up as a top-three team in the big 12?
(Sell) Hard for me to say at this point that Texas finishes in the top three.
BUY or SELL: We would be 3-1 with Zaire at QB and Sam would have redshirted?
(Sell) There's no evidence that he would have flipped one of the two losses.
BUY or SELL: With the attention he receives, the fame of his name, coupled with the difficult task of recruiting to Lubbock ... Tech would likely be better off just keeping Kingsbury and hoping he matures into a great coach then moving on from him?
(Buy) What else are they going to do?
BUY or SELL: The offensive line starts maturing and solidifies by the OU game?
(Sell) You realize that the OU game will be either 12 or 13 days away, depending on when you read this, right? What you're asking is going to take more than 13 days.
No. 6 – About Kansas State ...
This is a perfectly average football team.
In watching a perfectly average performance against Baylor on Saturday, there's nothing about this team that is especially scary.
Its passing game is meh. It runs the ball pretty well and uses its quarterback's legs considerably. The defense is pretty good.
This is a team that Texas should 100-percent beat.
No. 7 – If I had a vote that counts ...
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Oklahoma
4. TCU
5. Washington
6. Penn State
7. Michigan
8. Georgia
9. Wisconsin
10. Washington State
No. 8 – Hot damn, Houston (again) ...
Geez, that was an absolute bloodbath.
For the second straight week, it's impossible to begin any NFL thoughts without mentioning DeShaun Watson's performance, first and foremost.
My goodness, how good was he on Sunday? I think I'm more excited for Houston Texans fans today than I have been for them at any point in their history.
No. 9 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
... You could see that USC loss to Washington State coming from a mile away. The Trojans just ain't right.
... The SEC is just terrible enough that Kevin Sumlin might keep his job.
... Very quietly, Washington is steamrolling through the season and looking like one of a handful of teams capable of possibly slowing a third Alabama/Clemson championship game down.
... Let's have a moment of silence for the Butch Jones truthers.
... Penny for Charlie Strong's non-filtered thoughts at the moment.
... I still can't believe LSU hired Ed Orgeron. What a wildly ridiculous decision.
... Sign of the Apocalypse: All it took to get Cam Newton going was the New England defense at Foxborough.
... There's not yet a Super Bowl-worthy team in the entire NFL. Everyone is pretty meh.
... Brutal honesty: I'm more excited about the start of the NBA season than the end of the MLB season.
... Man City is really good. Really good.
... It's a taken a few years to totally understand it, but being a Liverpool soccer fan is a little like being a Dallas Cowboys fan. Therefore, I'm well-prepared for my lot in soccer fan life.
No. 10 – And finally …
Speaking of being a Cowboys fan, my cousin John and his son Kevin Emmitt Smith flew to from Philadelphia to Dallas this weekend to catch the Cowboys/Rams game at Jerry World.
I purchased tickets for them through TicketCity because I wanted to be a good cousin.
So, what happens?
Rams 35 Cowboys 30.
Not one damn thing about what happened in that game was surprising. This is what regressing to the mean looks like.
Arkansas and South Carolina especially the latter are terrible football teams that would "at best" be just above Kansas and IowaSt and I think IowaSt St would be a pickem vs both
If you watched the Texans game you saw Watson perform behind a so so offensive line. What he did was scramble for more time or threw quick, short passes before the defense was set. Shane does appear to be utilizing the quick pass; throwing to the flat is not a good option.
Sorry for not being more precise. I was not intending his true freshman redshirt year to be counted as reflecting for poor or non-existing performance. I stand corrected. Against Colt's "first season" our present two QB's really look impressive!
He's not going to last even one more game if he takes on tacklers like he did against Iowa State. If that's what you want, you're going to get it.
The timing on the reverse was atrocious. The pitch came way to late to make it cleanly. Did anyone else notice that? Just terribly executed like they drew it up on the sidelines.
"c. Texas gets off to a slow start against Oklahoma and Buechele gets replaced by Sam Ehlinger in the second quarter.
In a way, it kind of reminds me of the situation in 2003 when Texas went into the Oklahoma game without a full identity with Chance Mock holding the job over Vince Young. The pressure that comes in a game like Texas-Oklahoma is such that if and when the offense gets stagnant against the Sooners, the sense of urgency of the moment will lead to a switch at the position."
Weird combo of excitement and dread, though mainly excitement...
In a way, it kind of reminds me of the situation in 2003 when Texas went into the Oklahoma game without a full identity with Chance Mock holding the job over Vince Young. The pressure that comes in a game like Texas-Oklahoma is such that if and when the offense gets stagnant against the Sooners, the sense of urgency of the moment will lead to a switch at the position."
Weird combo of excitement and dread, though mainly excitement...
Russ, go re-read what I typed. I said it was early and there are 12 games left. There is no way the Texans will go 13-3 this year but like I said Watson does not have nearly the support around him that Dak had last year. I’m not taking anything away from Dak. He seems to be a great dude and is very fun to watch. What Watson had done SO FAR is very impressive and some could say more impressive than what Dak did last year due to the lack of support around him.
I think some of the credit does deservedly go to Major. We all know MA also consulted for TH and Ohio State the year he took off so he's probably had a lot to do with TH's offense.
Regardless, I say stay the course. Develop this running team with a patchwork Oline and young undersized TEs. I don't want to see gimmicks and 40 throws per game. I want to see an offense developed and continuity within the staff. Recruit to that offense and stick to the plan. It will only get better.
Chance had not thrown an INT all season, If I recall, first pass was intercepted. VY had a fairly good game running the ball, but refused to throw it. I recall Roy open several times but VY simply ran -- very frustrating. After one long run he fumbled; What a crap game.
Hook 'em!!!
I think CTH is just trying to get past this season, that is why he made no predictions other than effort. He just want new blood and close on a strong recruiting class. I do not think he believes he can win with this group. He will use this as leverage to close on recruits telling them they have a great chance to play early..I think UT executives gave him a long leash and he knows this..He doesn’t have a QB that fits his offense and he can’t wait to see the new QB’s..
For me, I have always loved soccer, and liked Arsenal and Bayern from a distance. Daughter now plays as a 13 y/o for FC Dallas and son plays for his high school in Tyler. My kids(as all kids today have) adopted EPL teams and it happened to be Man U. Therefore I evolved over the past several years to follow all their players, and pull for them without realizing it was happening. Now we have seen them play many times in person and I have become a diehard. Btw, I have also seen Liverpool a couple of times as well.
Big day at Anfield on morning of TX ou!
He sounded like a guy today that was conceding control on Saturday's because he doesn't think he can do it on the field.
