As far as hot seats go, Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski's is fairly cool at the moment.
After a disaster a year ago in his first year at Texas, the Texas defense has held each of its opponents to 20 points or less in the first three games of the season for the first time since 2011.
In addition to ranking 32nd in the nation in scoring defense (16.7 points per game), the Longhorns have improved in the following categories:
* 61st in rushing defense (130.7)
* 68th in passing yards allowed (216.3)
* 53rd in total defense (347.0)
* 63rd in pass efficiency defense (123.60)
The Texas defense is flat out better than it was in 2021. No one could possibly dispute this fact with a straight face, especially when you consider the performance against Alabama a week ago.
Still, if there's an area of the defense that still has major strides to take, it's in the way of creating game-changing plays ... namely turnovers.
Through three games, the defense has turned the other team over only two times, both interceptions that were returned for touchdowns against La-Monroe and UTSA, respectively.
Through three games, the Longhorns are on pace to force and recover zero fumbles this season.
Through three games, the Longhorns are on pace to record 24 sacks over 12 games.
The bottom line is that while the defense is unquestionably a better unit than it was a season ago, the game-changing plays as a whole are still lacking. From the pass rush getting home to the quarterback to forced fumbles to interceptions, the Longhorns are still in need of players stepping up and becoming difference-makers. Hell, even the pass-breaks up (2.0 per game) need to increase.
Great defenses don't have entire defensive line and linebacker units failing to generate a single created turnover through three games.
As well as DeMarvion Overshown has played so far this season, this defense needs more from him. As well as Barryn Sorrell played in the opener against La-Monroe, this defense needs more from him.
More is needed from everyone as Big 12 play begins because there's probably not a single player producing at a first-team All-Big 12 level at this point.
The defense is a team strength
Moving forward, it simply needs to get even stronger.
No. 2 - About Xavier Worthy ...
It's just not happening yet for Flash.
We're now officially 25 percent of the way through the 2022 season and Texas sophomore wide receiver Xavier Worthy is still waiting for lift-off with regards to his season.
Through three games, Worthy is on pace to catch 44 passes for 648 yards and zero touchdowns in a 12-game schedule. Those aren't terrible numbers, but they sure as hell aren't the numbers anyone would have expected for UT's pass-game game-breaker.
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Frankly, I might have lost everything I own if you would have offered me a wager that a healthy Worthy wouldn't find the end zone through the first three games of the season. It just seems impossible to believe that he could be kept out of the end zone. Surely, he would have a touchdown on accident, if nothing else, by now.
Yet, here we are.
In week one, he couldn't quite get the timing down with Quinn Ewers. The very next week, his timing with Ewers looked great, but then Ewers missed three quarters of football. Moving to week three, his timing with Hudson Card looked similar to the timing with Ewers in week one.
Balls are either overthrown or underthrown or they are falling off his fingertips.
Three things jumped out to me on Saturday against UTSA.
1. Even though there were a couple of deep shots to Worthy early in the game, the overall game plan against UTSA wasn't exactly Worthy-friendly. Or wide receiver-friendly in general. In making sure that Hudson Card operated in a mostly danger-free zone, the offense played in a phone booth on Saturday, which didn't play to Worthy's strength as a player.
2. The best on-field chemistry that Worthy has had since he's been at Texas has been with Casey Thompson. The chemistry with Ewers is a work in progress and the chemistry with Card is an even bigger work in progress. The last thing in the world Worthy needed was the injury to Ewers, which occurred just as they seemed to be working out the kinks against Alabama.
3. Now isn't the time to panic. It feels like Worthy just needs one big play to shoot his season into the stratosphere and it's certainly going to happen at some point this season. It's not like he's dealing with an injury that's hampering his abilities. He just hasn't been able to get in a groove.
The good news from my perspective is that Worthy has been incredibly engaged on the field, despite playing in an offense that hasn't really utilized him fully this season. While a lot of wide receivers would have been pouting over the lack of production/opportunities he was involved in on Saturday night, Worthy showed a ton of effort on Bijan Robinson's 78-yard touchdown run, as he practically served as an escort in those final 20 yards into the end zone.
There aren't any issues with effort. The big plays just aren't there ... yet.
No. 3 - Speaking of the quarterbacks ...
Updates on Quinn Ewers' injury are like a box of chocolates.
Depending on who you're talking to, you just don't know what you're going to get.
One source that I've grown to trust immensely believes that it's very possible that he plays this week against Texas Tech. This particular source maintained throughout last week that Card was going to start and that the ankle injury was being a bit overblown. The same source felt like Ewers was much closer to being ready to play than anyone was suggesting.
Another source on Sunday said that Ewers was 50-50 for the West Virginia game and that the target date was the Oklahoma game. Frankly, this should be a source that would
know what's going on.
Other sources have said slightly different things, mostly in the middle of those two reports.
So, what do I believe? Who do I trust?
My head tells me that the latter should know what the hell he's talking about, but my instincts tell me that the former is closer to the truth, especially after Ewers suited up and participated to a slight degree in pre-game warm-ups on Saturday.
Just like last week, it'll be interesting to see who participates in practice and to what levels throughout the next few days.
No. 4 - Scattershooting on the last night ...
... Can't say enough about Kelvin Banks through three games. All he does is shut down the opposition to such an extent that you can go an entire game without even thinking about him. No true freshman offensive tackle has ever played better for the Longhorns as far as these eyes are concerned.
... I can't give Ja'Tavion Sanders enough love for getting more involved in the running game as a blocker. More than effort, which was exactly where you want it, was actual critical production/success. Like Worthy, Sanders isn't letting the lack of success in the passing game impact his all-around play.
... Feed me, Seymour! Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson are averaging 6.1 and 6.2 yards per carry, respectively.
... Bijan is averaging nearly 19 yards per reception. Sark might want to mix in more pass plays to Bijan in the coming weeks. Just an idea.
... T'Vondre Sweat is very quietly having a pretty good season in the defensive tackle rotation. He's flashing each week to these eyes.
... Byron Murphy has six tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and no other statistical production so far this season. Yes, I find these numbers a little surprising.
... As good as the 2022 recruiting class was, the impact on the defensive side of the ball has been pretty minor, as Ethan Burke leads all freshmen defenders with four tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss. Austin Jordan is next with two tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss.
... It's kind of shocking that Tarique Milton is such a non-factor in the passing game that he hasn't caught a single pass so far this season. If you're not in the top three receivers in this offense, your game time is simply going to be very limited based on the first 15 games of the Sarkisian era.
... Daniel Trejo is averaging 44.8 yards per punt with two punts downs inside the 20 on 10 punts this season. I'm really not sure what happens with Isaac Pearson at this point because Trejo looks like a new permanent piece of the special teams puzzle.
No. 5 - Random Recruiting Stuff...
... If you missed any of the Arch Manning coverage over the weekend, check out
this and
this, as OB was on the scene for the Manning-led comeback for a win over a quality Class 5A team (Arch plays on a 2A team).
Ho-hum, just another 300+ yards passing night with four touchdowns.
... There's a very good chance that Cedric Baxter is going to earn 5-star status in the Rivals rankings when it's all said and done. He's been good for 200+ yards in basically every game this season, including 245 yards and two touchdowns on Friday night.
... T-minus three days until Jalen Hale's Commitment Day. Expect it to be a good day for the Longhorns.
... Get well, Will Randle. Take your time in getting fully healthy. There's no rush.
No. 6 - The volleyball team is No. 1 because they can't go any higher ...
The Longhorns actually lost a set this week.
When you're 8-0 and cruising through the first month of the season as the best volleyball team in the country, any team that can take a set deserves front-page news.
So far, no team has taken two sets off of the Longhorns.
This week includes a mid-week road trip to No. 24 Kansas and a home match on Saturday against Oklahoma.
Baylor is the only other Big 12 team in the current top 20 of the national rankings. If there's any concern at all for the Longhorns right now, it might be that playing in a conference with so few elite teams probably isn't the best way to prepare for the post-season play that will eventually define the season.
No. 7 – BUY or SELL …
(Buy) I think it's being aimed for. Stay tuned.
(Sell) Complete trust can't be earned in a game or two.
(Sell) I don't think we can assume that with the quarterback uncertainty. You'd like to think they'd find a way to get him more involved, but the tight end position isn't going to be a priority from week to week in a Sarkisian offense.
(Sell) Top five is definitely a possibility, though.
(Sell) The third down defense has been poor. It's barely ranks in the top 100 nationally. Also, as I wrote earlier in the column, the overall playmaking on the defense leaves a lot to be desired.
(Sell) He's a pretty good player, but still a work in progress. Let's not completely insult the kid.
(Buy) A&M's momentum is going to sink, regardless of the win over Miami.
(Buy) I'm expecting a Top 5 vs. Top 15 match-up in Big D next month.
(Sell) Tech is just an ok team playing with its back-up quarterback. I was more concerned about this game in August than now.
(Buy) The coaches have made zero effort to get him ready. Cole Hutson isn't playing so well that playing Campbell can't be justified, but he's not getting any playing time right now. Barring an injury or injuries, he seems headed for a redshirt.
(Sell) I'm staying put for now.
(Sell) Texas Tech isn't good enough to make those types of emphatic statements.
(Buy) A year ago, it was hard to see any adjustments. The naked eye can see the team making them this season.
(Buy) I think it has less to do with the Longhorn Network and more to do with the fact that it's a show that doesn't do a lot of high volume in viewership at the moment (based on last year's pre-game shows) and it has a short shelf-life of interest. As the channel continues to grow, though, I think the likelihood of doing more pre-game stuff exists.
(Buy) I think the trickier thing is not having any of them better prepared if needed later in the season. Damned if you, damned if you don't, I suppose. Most of these linemen know that a year one impact is easier said than done, especially if you don't enroll early.
(Sell) I don't know that this year's team will be good enough for him to earn that level of a promotion. I think he's probably two years away.
(Sell) I have zero reason to believe that the Big 12 will do the smart thing. Who could expect that?
(Sell) It was Traylor's game plan, really good quarterback play and poor playmaking all rolled into one. It wasn't just the game-plan.
No. 8 - Scattershooting on anything and everything ...
... If I had a vote that mattered...
1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. USC
4. Alabama
5. Michigan
6. Oklahoma
7. Kentucky
8. Oklahoma State
9. Penn State
10. Ole Miss
... A lot of babies are going to be born in the next 8-9 months on and near the campus of Appalachian State. Has any program ever had a better 8 days? Upset of A&M + Game Day + win on a last-second Hail Mary = Lots of ... ahem ... celebration.
... Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels is the best player I've seen in college football this season outside of the trio of Bryce Young, CJ Stroud and Caleb Williams. That kid might actually get Kansas into a bowl game.
... A&M might have beaten Miami, but those were two very average football teams playing at Kyle Field with terrible quarterback play. That was a stay of execution more than a win.
... Bryan Harsin better get Auburn playing better or he won't make it through October.
... Nebraska is so awful that I still don't really know what to make of Oklahoma. I can't give them too much credit for beating the Huskers like they stole something.
... USC's offense is a hell of a lot of fun to watch. They've got playmakers all over the field.
... Baylor might be a lot better by the end of the season, but that's a JAG of a team as things currently stand.
... It wasn't pretty, but I'll take an ugly win on Sunday over an ugly loss. Nice job, Cooper Rush.
... Micah Parsons is probably my favorite Cowboys player since Demarcus Ware.
... If you kick to Duve, you will pay.
... The Dolphins one-two punch at wide receiver of Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill is the best duo the Dolphins have had since Mark Duper and Mark Clayton. Holy hell, those two are something else.
... Former Lake Travis star Garrett Wilson has officially arrived in the NFL.
... Hard Knocks has me rooting for the Lions, I just can't believe it.
... The Steelers are going through their Quincy Carter years right now with Mitch Trubisky.
... Shout out to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. What a season he's having.
... Speaking of sluggers...
... I just didn't have any interest in the third Canelo Alvarez/Gennadiy Golovkin fight. I'm over that.
... Go away, Kyrie, just go away.
... Bigger EPL disappointment so far ... West Ham or Leicester City?
... This is kind of incredible.
No. 9 - The List: Top 10 Pink Floyd ...
Discuss.
Just missed the cut: Young Lust , Lucifer Sam , Fearless, Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun, The Gold It's In The and Sheep
10. Childhood's End
Curiously enough, it was the last song written entirely by David Gilmour for quite a while and he delivered a beast of a song. Anything with a great Gilmour solo is going to catch my ear.
9. Atom Heart Mother
This was the moment for me when listening to their albums in order when you could see the band evolving into what they would eventually become. It's weird. It's contrived at times. But, there's also a lot inside of this song that I really dig and it's as if there's a clash between styles throughout this entire piece.
8. Money
It's the quintessential Pink Floyd song, If you were to walk into a bar or hear them on the radio, this is probably the song playing. The saxophone solo by Dick Parry is pretty sick, only to set up and get blown away by one of the great all-time solos on a guitar by Gilmour.
7. Have a Cigar
I don't know if it's sacrilege or not to list a song in the top 10 with lead vocals coming from someone outside the group, but this song is just so t-o-u-g-h. Roy Harper provides just the right amount of grime to one of their grimiest songs and David Gilmour does his thing in absolute sublime fashion. This feels like a rock star's rock song.
6. Echoes
Another one of the group's lengthy compositions, this song is as spacey and trippy as just about anything that they put together. Oh, they've done spacey and trippy on larger scales, but this song comes together in cleaner and more ear-pleasing manner. You can feel the band really finding their vision for what they are going to become in this piece. Also, this might have been one of favorite drum pieces in their catalog.
5. Time
Roger Waters at his lyrically best, along with Gilmour doing his thing in one of their funkier jams.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.
4. Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Pink Floyd did a number of multi-chaptered songs, but none of them quite pack to the wallop that this nine-part opus to former band leader Syd Barrett. There's so much going on in this near half-hour piece of music, but the solos by David Gilmour in parts II and III is just masterful stuff and the infusion of several styles of music throughout the piece makes for quite a musical journey.
3. Wish You Were Here
Perhaps the most stripped down and emotionally raw song in the entire Pink Floyd catalog. It's just hauntingly beautiful.
2. Comfortably Numb
You can make a strong case that this song should rank one spot higher because there's a lot of really dynamic stuff going on in this song, starting with the lyrics about our protagonist Pink essentially losing his mind and ending with one of the best guitar solos of all-time. Seriously, go to the 4:30 mark of this song and let David Gilmour blow your mind. It's hard not to listen to Gilmour at his best several times in a row when the song ends.
1. Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)
I can't help it, I love this song and it's probably the one that I remember the most when I was a kid growing up listening to Pink Floyd for the first time. It's an anthem song and one of the best ever made. There's a little of Pink inside all of us.
No. 10 - And Finally ...
It's time to give Christian Jones some damn respect.
Yeah, that's right ... I said it.
He's not an all-star at this point in his career, but so far this season, he just hasn't been a concern at right tackle. If nothing else, he's not the line's biggest problem. He's going through most games without being noticed very much.
That's a win.
As far as I'm concerned, this version of Christian Jones s going to find a place to play on Sundays. Mark my words. I'm officially on the record.
