Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (The glass is still half-full...)

[RLong68]

1. USC was his second start.
2. He had zero turnovers in four quarters of football against OSU. He had four against USC.
3. You can't ask the kid to be Superman on every play and not expect a Clark Kent moment or two. His ability to escape pressure and extend plays has been critical all month, but that moment was a near disaster.

Great, so I failed to remember a glorified scrimmage against SJSU. But I assume you got my point.
Of course you can't the kid to be Superman. But if Buechele has the same game with the same final play, you would have eviscerated him. Without ANY consideration for the same excuses you make for Sam (WRs/OL/whatever).

 

[Deskjockey]

Coming in to the season, only the most optimistic thought the upside of this team was better than 7 wins. With the exception of the Maryland game, virtually everyone had USC, OU & OSU in their predicted loss columns. In other words, instead of being 4-3, Texas is 3-4. 7-5 is still a very real possibility, with only TCU left in the 'very good opponent' category. The Texas offense will look much better down the stretch facing defenses in the 'meh' to 'atrocious' categories. Sweeping the rest is very possible, but even assuming another loss I will gladly take 6-6 this season in order to get bowl practices. We need the reps.

Despite the offensive shortcomings in the OSU game (against a far more experienced and pretty damn talented ball club, I might add), if you can't see that this team is significantly more competitive than the shit show of the last 3 years, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[HornDog]

I have yet to hear an explanation of what Jerrod Heard was doing on the last play of the game. He certainly deserves to ride the pine for that play alone. It certainly makes you question his abilities at WR... I was at the game and haven’t seen a replay but it looked like he was in the end zone where the ball was thrown and ran away from the area about the time the ball was released? He was 4-5 yards out of bounds at one point. Complete head scratcher...

 

[txfight]

If you were told before the season that we'd have 3 or more injuries on the O-Line, but we'd have a chance to win at the end of the game against USC, OU, and OSU there isn't anybody on this board who wouldn't have been excited about that.

What we didn't know then was:
1) How good our defense would become
2) How stagnant our offense would become
3) Maryland

 

[txfight]

I was a little surprised @Ketch didn't write:
"Our defense held the #1 offense in the country to 10 points in regulation despite countless 3 and outs by our Offense." Let that statement sink in... And unless I'm mistaken, they got that TD on a drive where they got a first down on a punting situation because of a personnel penalty.

 

[Dave C2]

In the aftermath of this Longhorn team falling into Charlie Strong territory in the win/loss department, it's important to not lose sight of the bigger picture.

This program is making tangible strides forward, even if it hasn't learned how to finish opponents and win games.

=============================================

Since the USC game I've never wavered on these two points...big picture and tangible progress, and I won't, even if we lose 2 or possibly 3 (I don't think that will happen) more games this year.

Last year, after an off week, we played an OSU team that was doubtfully any better than this one and probably not as good. The game was over at halftime and our defense looked like a completely unorganized mess that had never even practiced together.

That was the point where I stopped putting all of my support behind Strong and Co. I wasn't ready to call for a change but that is when support ceased and I was ok with keeping him if it turned around but also ok with a change if it did not.

After this week I am even strong in my support of this staff. Figure out the problems and recruit talent that can fix them. Keep doing the same things that are working. Also, look at bringing in another guy from Australia to punt in a couple of years.

 

[txfight]

We've had some bad quarterback play over the years and yes Simms had some bad games and bad moments .Ehlinger plays his heart out , but that pass he threw in overtime , given the circumstance and the way overtime works , was the single dumbest play I have ever seen from a quarterback.

That pass made me wonder if wasn't concussed on the previous play. It was that inexplicable.

 

[RKirkD]

The elephant(s) in the room (from my view anyway) is why if Texas has found their QB are they risking his health by calling more QB runs than running back runs? Why the odd personnel formations leaving our TE split out wide instead of getting a true WR on the field? Why can't they get reps to the RB (in this case Carter) after specifically saying he needed more reps (same with Warren earlier this season)?

OL is absolutely a problem but the staff isn't doing enough to put the players in a position to succeed. It starts with the staff.

 

[RLong68]

I have yet to hear an explanation of what Jerrod Heard was doing on the last play of the game. He certainly deserves to ride the pine for that play alone. It certainly makes you question his abilities at WR... I was at the game and haven’t seen a replay but it looked like he was in the end zone where the ball was thrown and ran away from the area about the time the ball was released? He was 4-5 yards out of bounds at one point. Complete head scratcher...

I really DGAF if Heard was headed into the stands to get kettle corn. It was a bonehead thread. Hopefully our frosh QB learns from it, but simply put, it was a bonehead throw.

 

[Atownatx]

I was thinking about that offensive line after the game. As many injuries we have there, we still have 3 starters in there with Vahe, Shakleford, McMillon. Yet we dont see any improvement from them and still cant run it up the middle. All the blame cant be on injuries on the O line.

Good point

 

[EdSimmonsPants]

Someone should email points 1-7 to CTH. All of that is true and fair. This is beginning to fell like a coach in over his head. Again. Tim Beck is gonna take him down if he doesn't take charge of this poorly managed offense.

 

[HornDog]

I really DGAF if Heard was headed into the stands to get kettle corn. It was a bonehead thread. Hopefully our frosh QB learns from it, but simply put, it was a bonehead throw.

It matters what your receiver is doing, because if he vacated the area when the ball is thrown it makes your QB look bad and throw an interception. I’ve never seen a group of receivers who do not have the ability to get open on a regular basis when a play breaks down. I never see our receivers running back to the QB or try to help him out...

 

[cruelbutfair]

​

This program is making tangible strides forward, even if it hasn't learned how to finish opponents and win games.

As I wrote a week ago in this very column, the Longhorns have their guy at quarterback, which is the most important check mark that needed to be made in this entire season.

All things considered, Tom Herman and his staff have done a very good job in year one, especially when you consider all of the areas inside this program that needed addressing.

I am more frustrated after Saturday then I have been in many years.
I am not ready to anoint Ehlinger as the "guy" at this point. He played very poorly this week. I sit in the west upper deck and thus have a very good view of the execution of plays and can see open receivers and running lanes. There were many plays Saturday that were executed correctly by everyone on offensive except for Ehlinger. He held the ball too long and was indecisive way too many times. Of course the OL is ridiculously bad, but all but 2 teams we have played this year have lower ranked recruits along the OL than we have, and they seem to be able to run a functioning offense. Why can't we?
I don't see how you can type that "TH and his staff have done a very good job in year one". Maybe that is true of the defensive staff, but certainly not true on the offensive side of the ball.
I am not sorry that TH is our coach, but this year has been a fail.
6-6 (my prediction at this point) sucks.

 

[Ketchum]

Stros fan here, not insulted at all. Not tanking on the field with our play, but building slowly through the farm system, amassing young talent, and staying away from high priced free agents is now called "tanking". This is the way we have to build.
The Stros are not the Yanks, Red Sox, or Dodgers, we cant just "buy" the best players. Hopefully though, we beat all those teams for our first W.S.

Houston spent zero dollars and fielded a terrible team on purpose so that it could collect elite young talent, especially in the draft.

Momma called it tanking, I'm calling it tanking.

 

[Ketchum]

Great, so I failed to remember a glorified scrimmage against SJSU. But I assume you got my point.
Of course you can't the kid to be Superman. But if Buechele has the same game with the same final play, you would have eviscerated him. Without ANY consideration for the same excuses you make for Sam (WRs/OL/whatever).

that's nonsense.

If you were told before the season that we'd have 3 or more injuries on the O-Line, but we'd have a chance to win at the end of the game against USC, OU, and OSU there isn't anybody on this board who wouldn't have been excited about that.

What we didn't know then was:
1) How good our defense would become
2) How stagnant our offense would become
3) Maryland

fair post

 

[Ketchum]

In the aftermath of this Longhorn team falling into Charlie Strong territory in the win/loss department, it's important to not lose sight of the bigger picture.

This program is making tangible strides forward, even if it hasn't learned how to finish opponents and win games.

=============================================

Since the USC game I've never wavered on these two points...big picture and tangible progress, and I won't, even if we lose 2 or possibly 3 (I don't think that will happen) more games this year.

Last year, after an off week, we played an OSU team that was doubtfully any better than this one and probably not as good. The game was over at halftime and our defense looked like a completely unorganized mess that had never even practiced together.

That was the point where I stopped putting all of my support behind Strong and Co. I wasn't ready to call for a change but that is when support ceased and I was ok with keeping him if it turned around but also ok with a change if it did not.

After this week I am even strong in my support of this staff. Figure out the problems and recruit talent that can fix them. Keep doing the same things that are working. Also, look at bringing in another guy from Australia to punt in a couple of years.

good post

 

[RLong68]

that's nonsense.

What's nonsense? Certainly you don't expect me to be believe you wouldn't have eviscerated Buechele if the same thing happened.

 

[Ketchum]

That pass made me wonder if wasn't concussed on the previous play. It was that inexplicable.

It wasn't, though. He thought his receiver was going back into the end zone. It's easy to see what he thought was happening. It was a terrible decision, but the optics make it look worse than it was.

 

[Ketchum]

What's nonsense? Certainly you don't expect me to be believe you wouldn't have eviscerated Buechele if the same thing happened.

Please list a single time I have ever been unfair to Buechele.

I'm one of the few that actually cut him a ton of slack because I understand he's so early in his development.

 

[Ketchum]

I really DGAF if Heard was headed into the stands to get kettle corn. It was a bonehead thread. Hopefully our frosh QB learns from it, but simply put, it was a bonehead throw.

Freshman quarterback gonna freshman quarterback.

It won't be his last freshman play of the season.

 

[Ketchum]

I am more frustrated after Saturday then I have been in many years.
I am not ready to anoint Ehlinger as the "guy" at this point. He played very poorly this week. I sit in the west upper deck and thus have a very good view of the execution of plays and can see open receivers and running lanes. There were many plays Saturday that were executed correctly by everyone on offensive except for Ehlinger. He held the ball too long and was indecisive way too many times. Of course the OL is ridiculously bad, but all but 2 teams we have played this year have lower ranked recruits along the OL than we have, and they seem to be able to run a functioning offense. Why can't we?
I don't see how you can type that "TH and his staff have done a very good job in year one". Maybe that is true of the defensive staff, but certainly not true on the offensive side of the ball.
I am not sorry that TH is our coach, but this year has been a fail.
6-6 (my prediction at this point) sucks.

A few thoughts...

a. It's like you completely forgot the previous two weeks with respect to Sam, yanno, the best two-game sequence at the position in the last nine years.

b. You're going with the lower recruit thing along the OL? The line is full of mostly three stars and most of them are being asked to play very early. This isn't the same as other schools on the schedule.

c. There's more to running a program in 2017 than just what happens on Saturdays. I was referring to recruiting, marketing, etc..

 

[cruelbutfair]

A few thoughts...

a. It's like you completely forgot the previous two weeks with respect to Sam, yanno, the best two-game sequence at the position in the last nine years.
I didn't forget. I haven't seen enough to anoint Sam as the 2nd coming of Colt or VY, or even Applewhite/Simms. IF the goal is to get back to championship level play, then you need championship level play at QB. I am not convinced Sam is that guy after seeing him in HS and so far this year. I don't think Herman is convinced Sam is the "guy".

b. You're going with the lower recruit thing along the OL? The line is full of mostly three stars and most of them are being asked to play very early. This isn't the same as other schools on the schedule.
I am going with that! I am sick of the excuses. OSU had given up an average of 24 points a game before Saturday. Tulsa and Baylor outscored us against OSU. I don't believe that we are so deficient in talent on offense that we can't at least get close to scoring the average a team gives up. Are you saying UT has less talent than Baylor and Tulsa on offense? I know the transitive properties don't always relate to sports, but I don't believe we are so undermanned that we can't at least be average on offense.

c. There's more to running a program in 2017 than just what happens on Saturdays. I was referring to recruiting, marketing, etc..
Marketing doesn't win games. Recruiting does, but if we don't start winning some games then I am afraid many of the current recruits may venture elsewhere. Kids want to win. Is Herman and his staff better than CS and his staff? OF COURSE THEY ARE. But that shouldn't be the standard!

 

[Dualthreat]

He thought his receiver was going back into the end zone. It's easy to see what he thought was happening. It was a terrible decision, but the optics make it look worse than it was.

It looked terrible, and it was certainly ill-considered. But like you I thought that Sam expected the WR to cut to the end zone, it was the only logical move for the WR to make at that point (sort of briefly loitering on the outside boundary), as I saw it.

But the better choice was just throw the ball away. It's a fine line, hero or goat.

 

[sodiumacetate]

best two-game sequence at the position in the last nine years.

You have said this a few times now. It's quite an indictment considering that Sam didn't play very well against OU.

The bottom line is that Sam has to play better moving forward, because he had an awful game against OSU. Yes he was running for his life, but he was late on pretty much every throw, and missed open receivers all game.

I think he'll get better, but the facts are the fact and his performance Saturday can't be classified as a winning brand of football.

 

[Never Nuff Horns]

I don’t care one way or the other about Tim Beck, but haven’t we churned through enough OCs in the last few years?

I had a big problem the first few weeks (save SJSU) with the lack of running game, but since Connor went down I haven’t see a whole lot there. On Saturday - I found myself empathizing a bit for the guy because OSU was penetrating and pressuring Sam with just 4 rushers. The linebackers could basically stay put and spy on Sam thereby limiting his effectiveness as a runner, while they could drop 5 DBs in coverage. It was tough sledding and the genesis was that our line rarely slowed down 4 DL.

Is Beck the best we can get? Probably not, but I think this team needs more consistency rather than more changes. The Texas fan base is always going find fault with whoever is calling the plays and that is just part of the gig, but I think with the current state of the OL, dropped balls, false starts, holds, etc, 250 lb RBs lead blocking getting blown back 5 yards. I think it is tough to judge.

We have had way too many play callers over the last 4-5 years and we have to get off that merry go round. I think there is just too much confusion and not enough familiarity with scheme and personnel that changing play callers will not help.

I, like many of you want to win and I want to win today, but I think more change will create more confusion and more unfamiliarity and we will be right back in this same spot in the not too distant future.

 

[ICUerrrbody]

His receiver quit when he wasn't expecting him to quit.

Believe what you must. Throw should not have been made based on expectations. It should have been tossed to the third row.

 

[TD TX TD VY]

Well said, Ketch.

 

[TD TX TD VY]

I don’t care one way or the other about Tim Beck, but haven’t we churned through enough OCs in the last few years?

I had a big problem the first few weeks (save SJSU) with the lack of running game, but since Connor went down I haven’t see a whole lot there. On Saturday - I found myself empathizing a bit for the guy because OSU was penetrating and pressuring Sam with just 4 rushers. The linebackers could basically stay put and spy on Sam thereby limiting his effectiveness as a runner, while they could drop 5 DBs in coverage. It was tough sledding and the genesis was that our line rarely slowed down 4 DL.

Is Beck the best we can get? Probably not, but I think this team needs more consistency rather than more changes. The Texas fan base is always going find fault with whoever is calling the plays and that is just part of the gig, but I think with the current state of the OL, dropped balls, false starts, holds, etc, 250 lb RBs lead blocking getting blown back 5 yards. I think it is tough to judge.

We have had way too many play callers over the last 4-5 years and we have to get off that merry go round. I think there is just too much confusion and not enough familiarity with scheme and personnel that changing play callers will not help.

I, like many of you want to win and I want to win today, but I think more change will create more confusion and more unfamiliarity and we will be right back in this same spot in the not too distant future.

Beck isn't consistency. He calls random grab bag plays.

 

[bevobacker2]

Our QB situation is mind blowing. Ketch just keep drinking and soon enough the glass won't be half full anymore.

Am I the only one that doesn't think Ehlinger is the QB of the future? Half of his passes come on scrambles and broken plays.

 

[TD TX TD VY]

The elephant(s) in the room (from my view anyway) is why if Texas has found their QB are they risking his health by calling more QB runs than running back runs? Why the odd personnel formations leaving our TE split out wide instead of getting a true WR on the field? Why can't they get reps to the RB (in this case Carter) after specifically saying he needed more reps (same with Warren earlier this season)?

OL is absolutely a problem but the staff isn't doing enough to put the players in a position to succeed. It starts with the staff.

We also split out Warren. I guess it's to avoid subbing but I don't think we've been particularly high tempo at those times. In any case, it's dumber than dogshit.

 

[TD TX TD VY]

It looked terrible, and it was certainly ill-considered. But like you I thought that Sam expected the WR to cut to the end zone, it was the only logical move for the WR to make at that point (sort of briefly loitering on the outside boundary), as I saw it.

But the better choice was just throw the ball away. It's a fine line, hero or goat.

You pick gifs like Beck picks plays

 

[TexasSwagger]

Unfortunately he had 4 turnovers in the first half not three.

I haven't thought about that game in a long time until I read these comments, damn you both!!!

 

[Dualthreat]

You pick gifs like Beck picks plays

 

[TD TX TD VY]

Ha, that one made sense. Good job.

 

[txfight]

Am I the only one that doesn't think Ehlinger is the QB of the future? Half of his passes come on scrambles and broken plays.

I feel this pain. But I'm going to stop short of saying I don't think he can be the QB of the future. His passing has been far from good the further we get from the USC game.

But I'm not so sure behind an even mediocre O-Line, with even the slightest hint of a running game, and playcalling that isn't borderline insane, that Sam can't be great in the long run.