Ketch's 10 Thoughts From The Weekend (The chance was there for the taking)

Once Hayden Connor went down Baylor D lived in the offensive backfield. HCs backup is a better run blocker than pass blocker. QE is a young qb and he was getting smothered before he could move. You are putting way too much blame on QE, and not giving any credit to Coach Sark for the necessary adjustment to that situation to protect the game, the young qb and play to the strengths of the OL as it was. These eyes saw an offense that was doing fine and quite frankly wasn’t really stopped earlier.

The tale of the season was the team beating itself. Later on the team won on the road, learned to win close games late. The OL and DL were better than than last 10 years. The d rounded into shape nicely. Recruiting is very good. Development happened, not enough with the qb, but most everywhere else. Jim Hightower used to say “when you dig yourself a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.” That’s a good season and a step in the right direction. They finally stopped digging. Tom Herman was smoke and mirrors and even the Sugar Bowl win only pointed out that bad line play can be covered up with a great qb. CS was a bad coach in all phases.
Good season. Good Future.

That does not relax any standard going forward, things need to keep progressing. But painting it in a negative light is disingenuous at best.
Thank you
 
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Hermann went 7-6, 10-4, 8-5, and 7-3. All include bowl wins. So even if Sark loses the bowl game he's matched or beaten TH's win total from 3 of those 4 years. If he wins the bowl, he's 1 win shy of Herman's best season out of 4.

I'm including all of their seasons as a heads coaches.
 
Nevermind that it supplies data to all 32 NFL teams and near 100 college football programs.

Let's just say their grades are "Done differently." Their grades have Banks as the best OL on the team? Do you ignore that or agree with it?

As long as the grading scale is carried out with the same criteria across the board then the data is something you can draw conclusions on. Same as Alex's deep dig grades. It doesn't matter what the final number is it matters what you can compare it against based on the same grading criteria. We can quibble about sample size, bias, etc but until a computer is grading them, you can pick a part anyone's analytics.

The issue with the Deep Dig is that it compares this year's O-line against much maligned O-line's of the past decade. So when you say "Hey it's much improved!" It's a lot like saying a 7-5 record is much improved over 5-7. A lot like our football program currently. It's improved, but it ain't great.

I realize it's your job here to provide an opinion to your readers. Don't get me wrong here, Alex does a fantastic job and it's probably one of the most valuable columns on the board. It's also way less travled than your 10 thoughts because it actually requires critical thinking. But the context of comparing today's team vs other poor results doesn't really paint the picture of where the bar needs to be, to be considered good. Texas has had 2 OL drafted in the last decade. Alabama has had 13. Want to compare grades with them over the last decade? It's what should be done instead of leading with QB controversy type headlines. I get it, it doesn't move the needle for clicks.

Anyhow, you devalue your credibility with people who either understand the game or take the time to get beyond blanket statements not backed by research. And you are really doing a disservice to the players and coaches when you let out an opinion that says something like "Sark took the ball out of Quinn's hands."

I'm not trying to war with you, strong opinions are good for business, even if they are faulty. What is the price of misinformation? Nobody is going to be as successful as you by starting a site and giving factual game day breakdown. The thousands of casual viewers couldn't give a crap about the protection, the reads, the breakdowns etc. They just want a winning result. Such is life. I just think you could be better.
Their college stuff sucks.

Their NFL stuff is good.
 
Probably right. I’m not looking forward to the days of his cheap ass son Stephen running the club, he’s polar opposite of Jerry when it comes to paying Star players, he wants to let ‘em go.

Once Jerry is gone I doubt we will ever see the Cowboys step up for guys like Tony Pollard and pay him, probably let’s those players go thinking to replace with cheaper and younger players.
I hate that I have no remaining hope.
 
I'm
I can't quite go that far, although maybe so if he was a senior in 2022.
With a healthy Sam this year TX wins at least 2 more games. Especially without Herman running him like a fullback!:)
 
The only issue I had with your post-game thoughts on Friday was that the high throw to Sanders fell 100% on Ewers and not at all on Sanders. The throw was high but it was absolutely catchable and any competent D1 tight end should be expected to make that catch... especially one that you like to hold up as a BAMF 1st round talent. Sanders has 2 drops in the last 3 games that are as bad as any of Ewers' bad passes.

On the high pass to Sanders, I would assign blame on that incompletion 80/20 with Sanders owning the bigger number.
 
Ewers looked OK to start out the Baylor game. While I don't have it down scientifically, I felt like after his whiff on the pass to JT, he was just not the same. (Or maybe that's just when I started noticing it.) I agree that he has to step up on the mental side of the game. I know the announcers were squawking about it, but I also thought his body language was not signaling a leader. I know he's another one of these "lead by example" guys, but I would have liked to see him settling and encouraging guys. I understand the quick bitch to Campbell on that sack play, but after the bitch, give him a pat on the back and build him up. One of the reasons that I feel Maalik has a better shot than a lot of folks are giving him is that very issue. Maalik is Ehlinger-like in his alpha-maleness and oozes leadership.

Totally agree on US v. Iran. I'm just getting a weird vibe. Similar to the Texas vibe of having no lead large enough to defend in the second half. I'm still completely pissed about the ultimately stupid, take-down of Bale in the box late in the Wales game. What in the absolute F were you thinking! That stupid, peewee-league decision snatched the W right from your grasp. It wasn't a necessary "professional" foul; it was just plain dumb.

On Spielberg, I actually didn't care for Lincoln. Love Daniel Day Lewis, but just couldn't get into the movie. I'm also of the opinion that Saving Private Ryan is too low on that list but wholly concur with Jaws on top. My top 3 would be Jaws, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List (as if you care - LOL).
 
I'm

With a healthy Sam this year TX wins at least 2 more games. Especially without Herman running him like a fullback!:)
Maybe, but Sam's history was that he had a few serious clunkers each year.
 
It’s 2:45 on Monday and this board is still full of little sensitive babies. That’s why you’ve gotten such a negative reaction to truth telling, but you already knew that.
 
The only issue I had with your post-game thoughts on Friday was that the high throw to Sanders fell 100% on Ewers and not at all on Sanders. The throw was high but it was absolutely catchable and any competent D1 tight end should be expected to make that catch... especially one that you like to hold up as a BAMF 1st round talent. Sanders has 2 drops in the last 3 games that are as bad as any of Ewers' bad passes.

On the high pass to Sanders, I would assign blame on that incompletion 80/20 with Sanders owning the bigger number.
Sanders barely was able to get his hands up above his head when the ball arrived.
 
Ewers looked OK to start out the Baylor game. While I don't have it down scientifically, I felt like after his whiff on the pass to JT, he was just not the same. (Or maybe that's just when I started noticing it.) I agree that he has to step up on the mental side of the game. I know the announcers were squawking about it, but I also thought his body language was not signaling a leader. I know he's another one of these "lead by example" guys, but I would have liked to see him settling and encouraging guys. I understand the quick bitch to Campbell on that sack play, but after the bitch, give him a pat on the back and build him up. One of the reasons that I feel Maalik has a better shot than a lot of folks are giving him is that very issue. Maalik is Ehlinger-like in his alpha-maleness and oozes leadership.

Totally agree on US v. Iran. I'm just getting a weird vibe. Similar to the Texas vibe of having no lead large enough to defend in the second half. I'm still completely pissed about the ultimately stupid, take-down of Bale in the box late in the Wales game. What in the absolute F were you thinking! That stupid, peewee-league decision snatched the W right from your grasp. It wasn't a necessary "professional" foul; it was just plain dumb.

On Spielberg, I actually didn't care for Lincoln. Love Daniel Day Lewis, but just couldn't get into the movie. I'm also of the opinion that Saving Private Ryan is too low on that list but wholly concur with Jaws on top. My top 3 would be Jaws, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List (as if you care - LOL).
Interesting thoughts.

The USC/Iran take is interesting and a good one.

Good overall post.
 
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It reminds me of one of my critiques of him as a prospect. I questioned how he would perform in the face of pressure because he flinched on the few times he actually saw some in HS.

I was told I was being too hard on him.

I sense a trend.
I brought this up once early in the year and was told “yeah all QBs struggle with pressure.” The simpletons on this board never fail to arrive and show their lack of understanding beyond basic 1 + 1 concepts.
 
It’s 2:45 on Monday and this board is still full of little sensitive babies. That’s why you’ve gotten such a negative reaction to truth telling, but you already knew that.
I don't feel like I'm being way out there on any of this.
 
I brought this up once early in the year and was told “yeah all QBs struggle with pressure.” The simpletons on this board never fail to arrive and show their lack of understanding beyond basic 1 + 1 concepts.
The thing that's radical is that anyone with any questions about him and his development coming into this year were basically clueless assholes when they said anything.
 
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The t-Rex chasing the jeep when viewed from the side mirror can also be scene in Spielbergs made for tv movie Duel. Dennis Weaver being chased the the large fuel truck is also viewed from the cars mirrors. Spielberg was 24 when he did Duel.
I was living in Brazil (Brasil) when that movie came out and saw it in a Brazilian movie theater with Portuguese sub titles. It was awesome and the first scary movie I ever watched. I think I was about 12. We didn't have TV there in the Amazon jungles so it was quite something.
 
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Ketch, I agree with you 100%. Any season that Texas doesn't play for a conference championship is a failure--especially in a year when Oklahoma is down and Texas is favored to win every conference game. Moreover, his greatest failure has been the lack of development of Ewers as QB1 over the course of the season. If Sark had done his job, this should have been a Shock the Nation year culminating in a Heisman trophy for Bijan. This year was a failure in terms of what a great coach should have accomplished. Progress--yes. Success-no!
 
Get better or lose the job. That is what is in front of him.
That is what has to happen at this point- improve or be passed. Hopefully Ewers is up to the challenge. Its the same one facing Sark and Sark knows it. I am pretty sure Sark is embracing the challenge. Ewers needs to as well.
 
Sanders Image

Ewers threw the ball from the 27 yard line and it goes through Sanders hands at the 14 yard line. So that would be 39 feet.

It's not the pace of the throw, it's the location. Life should be easier on Sanders. Could he have caught it, yes. It should not have been this difficult. The pace of the throw is fine if he sticks it on his chest. Ewers elbow is low and that's why the ball comes out high.

Video Replay
If you watch this replay enough times, you'll see that Sanders can't get his hands up fast enough to catch that ball because of both the velocity and the height...that's exactly my point on people saying he could have caught that ball. He just makes his cut and turns for the ball and it's a rocket and too high. Sanders has great hands - anyone that's seen any footage of him, he's solid catching the ball when given a decent chance or better.
 
Hogwash. Watch the replay... Sanders head is fully turned around looking for the ball before the ball is even out of Ewers hands.

Here's a frozen still shot mili-seconds before the ball reaches Sanders. He hasn't even been able to get his arms fully extended. The ball is high and at a velocity that makes it incredibly tough.

1669675459942.png
 
Hogwash. Watch the replay... Sanders head is fully turned around looking for the ball before the ball is even out of Ewers hands.
Go watch the replay again Buda. Hit pause/play super fast and you'll see that Sanders' hands are below his waste as the ball is crossing the 20-yard line...and he's still in the process of trying to get his hands high enough as it crosses the 15-yard line. Sanders could not catch up that highly thrown, extremely fast ball. Just watch the video again and again.
 
Ohhhhh.... so, what? So what is that one very specific play triggered a drastic change of play-calling.

For some reason, some folks want to pretend that it was a pure coincidence.
Yes, that one play triggered a drastic change in play calling. That's a fact. Sark said as much.

But the reason for the change in play calling is the real issue. You, Ketch, say the change was triggered because Ewers was at fault and that Sark lost confidence in him. When Sark himself was questioned about the play in the presser he said that in retrospect it was his own mistake for calling such a slow developing play when the offensive line had been having trouble blocking in pass protection all day.

On this particular play the pass protection was especially bad and allowed an unblocked DB running at full speed to get a blind side hit on the QB. In what bizarro world is that primarily the fault of the quarterback? In what bizarro world is that play taken as the CAUSE of the coach losing confidence in the QB and therefore changing the play calling when the coach himself said he changed the play calling as the result of a loss of confidence in the OL in pass pro?
 
Yes, that one play triggered a drastic change in play calling. That's a fact. Sark said as much.

But the reason for the change in play calling is the real issue. You, Ketch, say the change was triggered because Ewers was at fault and that Sark lost confidence in him. When Sark himself was questioned about the play in the presser he said that in retrospect it was his own mistake for calling such a slow developing play when the offensive line had been having trouble blocking in pass protection all day.

On this particular play the pass protection was especially bad and allowed an unblocked DB running at full speed to get a blind side hit on the QB. In what bizarro world is that primarily the fault of the quarterback? In what bizarro world is that play taken as the CAUSE of the coach losing confidence in the QB and therefore changing the play calling when the coach himself said he changed the play calling as the result of a loss of confidence in the OL in pass pro?

Again, the loss in faith in Ewers can't be seen in the vacuum.

In the last three weeks, he couldn't score against TCU, he was put on training wheels in Lawrence and then handed Baylor 10 points in a game that was only close because of those 10 points.

It all adds yo to not letting him throw it again.
 
I don't feel like I'm being way out there on any of this.
You’re not being unfair at all. Quite the opposite. Most of the responses on this thread can be summed up with the following…

kLkzIJX.jpg
 
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The thing that's radical is that anyone with any questions about him and his development coming into this year were basically clueless assholes when they said anything.
Correct. You either think he’s the second coming or you’re “crucifying” him. SMH. Critical thinking isn’t this boards forte.
 
Here's a frozen still shot mili-seconds before the ball reaches Sanders. He hasn't even been able to get his arms fully extended. The ball is high and at a velocity that makes it incredibly tough.

View attachment 3528

If I knew how to take a screen shot, I would take another that shows Sanders head looking back at Ewers when the ball is still in Ewers hand. If Sanders didn't get his hands up in time, he didn't begin reacting to the pass until it was too late. It's not like the pass whizzed right by him before he got his head turned around.

Agree to disagree I guess, but I won't be buying the hype you are putting out on Sanders if you think he should not have made this catch. Can't have it both ways. Either he should have made the catch or he isn't the BAMF you prop him up to be.
 
Go watch the replay again Buda. Hit pause/play super fast and you'll see that Sanders' hands are below his waste as the ball is crossing the 20-yard line...and he's still in the process of trying to get his hands high enough as it crosses the 15-yard line. Sanders could not catch up that highly thrown, extremely fast ball. Just watch the video again and again.

Sorry we see it different and I did watch it multiple times and pause it. Sanders has his head turned around before the ball was thrown. He simply waited too long to get his hands up and was too slow to react to the pass.

Agree to disagree.
 
Sorry we see it different and I did watch it multiple times and pause it. Sanders has his head turned around before the ball was thrown. He simply waited too long to get his hands up and was too slow to react to the pass.

Agree to disagree.
And just like that, Ewers is absolved of any responsibility as the guy with the football in his hands.
 
And just like that, Ewers is absolved of any responsibility as the guy with the football in his hands.

Nope, didn't say that either. I said 80/20 Sanders fault vs Ewers. Ewers threw a less than perfect but still catchable ball.

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills, in being the only person suggesting a shared responsibility in the play failing, when everyone else seems to be in the 100/0 Ewers fault.
 
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No. 6 - A Portal profile to keep an eye on ...

On one hand, Kentucky wide receiver Barion Brown was saying all of the right things to the public following Kentucky's win over Louisville.


On the other hand, Brown's name has been making the rounds behind the scenes as a player that could absolutely end up in the Portal and I would suggest is a player to keep an eye on after catching 45 passes for 604 yards and four touchdowns.

That includes a monster 10 catches for 145 yards and a touchdown against Georgia two weeks ago.

The Portal is about to be bubbling over with talent and this is exactly the kind of player that would improve the Longhorns.

getit-wink.gif
I literally LOL'd when I saw the gif. Sadly, 83% of OBs will not get the rather blatant hint.

Gracias, Ketch.
 
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