In more than two decades, there have been only a handful of times when the head football coach at The University of Texas has been so distressed over something that was written or reported about him that he wanted a chance to have a private one-on-one conversation about it.
As far as I can remember, the first time it ever happened was nearly 19 years ago to the date (minus a few days) and it just happened to occur just days following a loss in Stillwater, which until Saturday afternoon was the last time the Longhorns had lost on the road in the state of Oklahoma.
Just days following the 26-point loss to the Cowboys, which included the Longhorns giving up 29 first-half points and dropped the team to a 2-2 record after being ranked No. 11 just 21 days earlier, Inside Texas founder Robert Heard reported that John Mackovic was going to be replaced as head coach and that the decision had already been made among Texas decision-makers.
The Monday after the loss, we had Heard on KEYE-TV to discuss his report for the 10 p.m. news and Mackovic was irate about it.
On the very next day, we were told by the Texas SID office that Mackovic wanted to speak with sports director Andy Liscano after practice about reporting Heard’s story. Sure enough, when practice was over, Mackovic walked over to Liscano after he met with the media and let him know in no uncertain terms that he thought it was a chicken-bleep. Liscano told him that he was sorry that he felt that way, but he was standing by his decision to include Heard’s report on his sportscast.
And that was that. Mackovic remained a little bitter about the deal for the rest of the season, but there was never any doubt that the 1997 season would be his last by the time the Oklahoma game arrived the next week. That he beat the Sooners the next weekend didn’t make a bit of difference because the roar for change from the Texas fan base had reached levels that made it possible to ignore.
Sometimes you just know when change is needed and that was the case then.
The question nearly 19 years later is whether history has literally repeated itself.
I think the answer might be yes, even if it’s not quite the emphatic hammer that Heard dropped in the first week of October back in 1997.
Multiple high-level sources within the University of Texas hierarchy confirmed to Orangebloods following the school’s 49-31 loss to the Cowboys that while there is zero intention of dropping the hammer on Strong in the middle of the season, no one is remotely happy with the product that Strong is putting on the field right now and to say that he’s walking on very thin ice is probably a huge understatement.
When I mentioned to one person on Sunday that there seemed to be a lot of calm in the air, which was mildly surprising, his answer provided a pretty crystal clear view of where things stand.
“Calmness can be fueled by two things: confidence or acceptance,” the source said. “I think there has been a massive acceptance by our fan base that Charlie is not the answer.”
That this quote comes from someone that I would describe as having resided solidly in Strong’s corner for a very long time made for quite the E.F. Hutton moment in my mind. The same source also indicated that removing Strong at any point before the end of the season is almost certainly off the table.
“The truth is firing a head coach mid season is a stupid move unless there are no other options,” the source continued. “Nobody wins. Not the kids or the program. Firing or demoting an incompetent assistant coach is a different story.”
Two other things that were mentioned quite a but on Sunday in various conversations:
a. Strong can’t afford to get drilled on Saturday against the Sooners. The ice is thin enough.
b. Texas president Greg Fenves will ultimately serve as the decision-maker when a decision is made.
“Fenves is a very steady hand and he’s not going to overreact,” another source said. “He’s the guy we want to be making big decisions and he has everyone’s trust. If a change needs to be made, truly needs to be made at the end of the season, he won’t flinch. He’s not the flinching kind. Just let this play out a little more, okay?"
Two of the sources I spoke with had interesting answers when I asked about the perception that if Texas wanted to replace Strong with Houston coach Tom Herman, it might need to act with more urgency than allowing Strong to finish out the entire season if things continue to go off the rails.
“We’ll be prepared,” one source said. “He’s busy with his own season right now and all of the things that need to go on behind the scenes can take place without it disrupting his season. Time is not against us there.”
“Some people are not going to be controlled,” another source said. “There’s nothing any of us are going to be able to say to some of those on the Herman train. I expect him to hear from (Texas) people in Houston, whether (Herman) wants it or not. We’ve got (Houston-area Texas-Exes) who want him. I would advise them not to get in (Fenves’) way.”
As it relates to Strong, I don’t believe the goalposts have moved much on him. Eight wins might still allow him to keep his job and the embarrassments have to completely stop, but I don’t get the sense that there’s anyone left that believes Strong has that up his sleeve.
What looked like a dreamy season just a few weeks ago has turned into a certified nightmare, one that many are waking up from and determined to not get sucked back into.
"I think everyone is getting on the same page," one source said. "Charlie's making that easy for everyone."
No. 2– The task that awaits Charlie this weekend ...
On one hand, the Oklahoma Sooners can absolutely be had. It’s a team that has already lost twice this season and there’s nothing special about OU's defense that can keep it out of a shootout in most Big 12 weeks.
On the other hand, Texas is such a mess on defense/special teams and the offense is banged up to such a degree that it’s hard not to see this team playing in six days with one hand tied behind its back.
As soon as D’Onte Foreman followed Chris Warren with a second half injury, it became clear that the Longhorns could go into the Red River Shootout without their top two offensive players, leaving the weight of the entire offense on the shoulders of true freshman Shane Buechele.
I think we all feel certain that it’s going to take a lot of points to beat the Sooners, especially after Bob Stoops’ team dropped 52 points on a TCU defense that appears to be more competent than the defense Strong is fielding. The Sooners might be the best offense the Longhorns have faced so far this season.
What are we talking about as the number Texas has to reach to win the game? Forty points? Fifty points? Sixty points?
Crazy things happen in this rivalry game, but we’ve seen enough beatdowns over the years to know those can happen, too.
Frankly, it’ll take the coaching week of Strong’s career to create something crazy enough to happen that the Longhorns repeat last year’s history with a second-consecutive win in this series, especially if his top two backs are out of action or even slightly limited.
He’ll need to let it all hang out and you have to wonder if letting it all hang out will open up the door for exactly the kind of loss that he can’t afford right now.
No. 3– Time for Buechele’s training wheels to come off ...
Given the uncertainty of the Texas rushing attack at this early stage of the OU game week, it seems pretty clear that if Texas is going to put up 30+ points this week, it’s going to need Buechele to play the best game of his young career.
While Buechele continues to play well and execute at a fairly high level (ranking 36th in the nation in passing efficiency), it seemed pretty clear that the coaches were cautious in their use of the freshman on Saturday, rarely asking him to push the ball down the field in the vertical passing game. Outside of the play-action pass down the middle of the field to Andrew Beck, there wasn’t much of a downfield passing attack for the Longhorns against the Cowboys.
John Burt has turned into a bit of an invisible man in the Texas offense and both Armanti Foreman and Jerrod Heard aren’t far behind. While scoring points hasn’t really been an issue, getting the ball to the Texas receivers down the field is, as evidenced by the fact that Burt, Foreman and Heard have combined to average 10 yards per reception in both of the Texas losses.
It seems clear that the coaches are trying to put Buechele in a position to do what he does best and that probably isn’t pushing the ball down the field in heavy doses, but the healthiest playmakers on the team going into this game are the players that are at their best when stretching opposing defense with their speed down the field.
Bottom line - Texas needs more explosive plays in the passing game if it wants to win this weekend and that means that Sterlin Gilbert is going to have to let his young freshman let it rip.
No. 4– Scattershooting on the Longhorns ...
… Although he missed a chance at a 200-yard game with his injury in the second half, junior D’Onte Foreman continues to lead the Big 12 in rushing yards per game by more than 50 yards. The only running back in the Big 12 with more yards per carry than Foreman (7.0) is OU’s Joe Mixon (7.7).
… While I happen to think this is one of the deepest and most talented group of receivers in school history, the Longhorns don’t have anyone that ranks in the top 10 in receptions or receiving yards in the Big 12.
… Fifty-five percent of Michael Dickson’s punts this season have gone for 50+ yards, while only 10-percent have gone into the end zone for touchbacks. Very quietly, Dickson has been a monster field position changer for the Longhorns.
… Trent Domingue’s 62.5-percent field goal conversion ranks as the second-worst in the conference at the moment.
… Texas ranks last in the Big 12 in scoring defense, last in pass defense efficiency, last in turnovers created and eighth in passing defense.
… On a positive note, Texas ranks second in the conference in sacks with 14.
… Talk about wasting away a gift … Texas ranks first in the conference in penalty yards by opposing teams with 283 yards of penalties in four games, but that has been nullified by the fact that Texas has been penalized for 308 yards.
No. 5 – Buy or sell …
BUY or SELL: If Geoff Ketchum was Athletic Director of the University of Texas, he would fire Charlie Strong today?
(Sell) That would create a disaster for 2017 recruiting. The worst thing that could happen for the Longhorns is for the assistant coaches to stop caring about recruiting in the name of setting up next year’s job. You can’t have commitments and key targets hanging out in limbo for a couple of months. What Texas needs more than anything else is for the current staff to coach for the school as fully committed as possible and then the change in coaches needs to happen as quickly and as seamlessly as possible once the season concludes.
BUY or SELL: We're worse than last year?
(Sell) I think the improvements on offense alone make this a better team, even if the special teams are worse and the defensive comparisons are a push at best.
BUY or SELL: Texas will hire an AD before the end of the season and before all of this theoretically goes down?
(Sell) I’m not expecting movement there until the spring of 2017.
BUY or SELL: Texas makes a bowl game?
(Buy) I think Texas gets to six wins, which would be crucial for the program for several reasons. First of all, the 15 practices are crucial for young, developing players. Second, it might provide some cover if Houston is playing in January and you want to try to create as much safe cover for Tom Herman as possible until the timing is right.
BUY or SELL: Tom Herman is the Texas Longhorns' head coach in 2017?
(Buy) Yeah, I’m officially in that camp.
BUY or SELL: Does the Aggie world hope we win out and the good guys don't get a 40 year old Texas boy to run the program ?
(Buy) Deep down, that’s a fan base that does not really trust its coach.
BUY or SELL: Charlie Strong will go down in history as the worst coach ever at the University of Texas?
(Buy) Only Jack Chevigny had a sub .500 record with a 13-14-2 record in three seasons from 1934-36, but one of those seasons was a 7-2-1 year and included a win over his alma mater Notre Dame. At the end of his third season, he asked the school not to bring him back because he knew he wasn’t the right coach for the job. You’d have to say his resume is better than Strong’s at this point.
BUY or SELL: Someone else is at the podium during the D.C. press availability this week?
(Sell) Strong knows that removing another coordinator at this stage of the game would represent a horrible reflection on him, so I think he continues with what he’s doing.
BUY or SELL: The post-game sentiment expressed by Patrick Vahe would have been echoed by other team members if they had been asked the same question?
(Buy) It did. In an article from Mike Finger in the SA Express/Houston Chronicle, Malik Jefferson was quoted as saying the following: “One of the problems we’re facing is we’re not believing in what we do.”
BUY or SELL: AD Mike Perrin is not a puppet of anyone or any group, but rather a savvy former Longhorn football player who accepted a call from his alma mater to make chicken salad out of an athletic department that was mostly serving up nothing but plate after plate of chicken$hit?
(Buy) I think in looking at Perrin’s weaknesses as an athletic director, it’s easy to ignore his strengths, which I think are many. I’m not sure that he’s the guy you want leading a coaching search, but he’s been incredibly valuable in terms of bringing Orangebloods together everywhere, which was critical after the Steve Patterson disaster. His low-key nature is mostly a positive.
BUY or SELL: Charlie Strong is to Texas as John Blake was to OU?
(Buy) That’s probably a fair comparison, considering Blake had a career record of 12-22 in three seasons in Norman, but recruited well enough to stock Bob Stoops’ only national title team.
No. 6 – College Football randomness ...
… If I had a vote that mattered …
1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Clemson
4. Michigan
5. Louisville
6. Washington
7. Houston
8. Tennessee
9. Texas A&M
10. Miami
… Big 12 Power Poll
1. Oklahoma
2. Baylor
3. West Virginia
4. Texas Tech
5. Oklahoma State
6. TCU
7. Kansas State
8. Texas
9. Iowa State
10. Kansas
… I’m not sure what I expected on Friday night between Stanford and Washington, but I know I didn’t expect the Huskies to drop a 44-6 beatdown on David Shaw’s team. Is this team a mirage or is it really a bit of a reflection of the 1991 national title team?
… It kind of feels like we might be headed for a Saban/Meyer national championship game.
… My goodness, the Michigan/Ohio State game is going to be such a monster.
… Tennessee/Texas A&M is going to be the most interesting college football game in the state this week. I still can’t believe Tennessee pulled victory out of the jaws of defeat after pulling defeat from the jaws of victory moments earlier. How did all of that happen?
… The A&M defense leads the nation in tackles for loss and has 17 more than the next closest SEC team.
… No way Florida State fans thought that hippie kicker was going to make that 54-yard field goal. I know Nick Weiler had a good time this weekend when he returned to Chapel Hill.
… It’s only a matter of time before Baylor gets got.
… Clemson might have won the game, but I thought Louisville was the better team. Don’t discount that team being a national championship factor at the end of the season.
… Consider me really impressed with the way Oklahoma responded to being down 21-7 in Fort Worth. I can assure you Bob Stoops has his eye on a Big 12 title, even if he’s the only one that will care if it comes with an 8-4 overall record.
No. 7 – Dak boy is good!
Man, how much fun is this team right now with the kiddos leading the way?
I don’t know that I know where this team is going, but I can tell you that outside of the 12-4 season a couple of years ago, this is as much fun as I’ve had as a Cowboys fan this decade. I know Tony Romo will take over when he's ready, but Dak Prescott and Zeke Elliott have won over my football fan’s heart and I don’t want the ride to end.
No. 8 – Confessions of a satisfied fantasy football owner …
After A.J. Green’s Thursday night monster, I entered the weekend trailing 46-0 and feeling like every move was one that needed to be perfect.
Therefore, as I agonized over whether I should start Russell Wilson or Matt Ryan all weekend, I knew that the decision might be the one that either gave me a slight chance against Dustin McComas’ team or no chance at all. Despite the fact that the Panthers had given up the 10th fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks through the first three weeks, I decided to ride or die with Ryan and Julio Jones.
Falcons, YOLO!
When the fantasy smoke cleared, a 46-point deficit had turned into a near 70-point win with Stefon Diggs still left to play.
All I can say is, “Whew!”
Thank you, Matt Ryan. Thank you, Julio Jones. Considering that McComas had one of five teams in our league that broke 100 points on Sunday, he deserved a much better fate. I feel his pain.
No. 9 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… Scattershooting on week four of the NFL…
a. Julio Jones had the kind of day on Sunday that will be talked about when he enters the Hall of Fame in about 12-13 years. I wish the game had been a little closer because of the Falcons had truly needed another 40 yards from Jones, Flipper Anderson’s Sunday night record from 1989 would have gone down in flames.
b. Is there any doubt that the Panthers desperately need Josh Norman? Man, what an awful off-season decision that was …
c. I’m sorry I called you a bum a few weeks ago, Matty Ice.
d. I should have known better than to compliment Matt Stafford a few weeks ago.
e. Even without J.J. Watt, it’s hard not to think that the Texans are the best team in the AFC South. Right?
f. Jeff Fisher is 3-1…. wuuuuut?
g. I have a feeling Tom Brady and the Patriots are going to serve up a beatdown on Buffalo later in the season.
h. Ryan Fitzpatrick had another three interceptions on Sunday. Ho-hum.
i. The Saints really got away with one on Sunday.
… USA! USA! USA! Ryder Cup champions!
… Patrick Reed is a Ryder Cup god after this weekend. That guy needs to be involved in every US Ryder Cup team for the next 30 years in some shape or fashion. He was born to play in that atmosphere.
… Jordan Spieth was not good this weekend and it didn’t matter. I mean… he really wasn’t good.
… I didn’t think we’d end up saying this as of a few years ago, but Phil Mickelson has carved out a very nice Ryder Cup career. His match against Sergio featured some of the best play I’ve seen all year.
… Am I allowed to say I like Sergio?
… Rickie Fowler was kind of a beast this weekend.
… Hell of a win by Tottenham on Sunday in drilling Man City and turning the EPL into a battle royale seven weeks into the season. Man City just isn’t the same without its super ginger.
… Nice, solid win by Liverpool. All that mattered was getting three points and that’s what the team did.
… Huge 1-0 win for Dallas over Los Angeles on Saturday night. The Supporters Shield is within grasp for the first time in the team’s history if it can only shake off that pesky Colorado team.
… I think the nerdiest thing about me right now is that I have a fantasy MLS team ranked 53rd out of 28,961 players with three weeks to go in the season.
… Ryan Howard has played his last game in Philly. I don’t care how it ended with that horrible contract, I’m going to love him as a Phillies fan forever.
… Vin Scully has called his last game and baseball seems worse for it.
… The Cubs have won 200 regular season games in the last two seasons. No pressure in the post-season...
No. 10 - And finally …
In case you were still wondering, Baylor football is still a cesspool.
As far as I can remember, the first time it ever happened was nearly 19 years ago to the date (minus a few days) and it just happened to occur just days following a loss in Stillwater, which until Saturday afternoon was the last time the Longhorns had lost on the road in the state of Oklahoma.
Just days following the 26-point loss to the Cowboys, which included the Longhorns giving up 29 first-half points and dropped the team to a 2-2 record after being ranked No. 11 just 21 days earlier, Inside Texas founder Robert Heard reported that John Mackovic was going to be replaced as head coach and that the decision had already been made among Texas decision-makers.
The Monday after the loss, we had Heard on KEYE-TV to discuss his report for the 10 p.m. news and Mackovic was irate about it.
On the very next day, we were told by the Texas SID office that Mackovic wanted to speak with sports director Andy Liscano after practice about reporting Heard’s story. Sure enough, when practice was over, Mackovic walked over to Liscano after he met with the media and let him know in no uncertain terms that he thought it was a chicken-bleep. Liscano told him that he was sorry that he felt that way, but he was standing by his decision to include Heard’s report on his sportscast.
And that was that. Mackovic remained a little bitter about the deal for the rest of the season, but there was never any doubt that the 1997 season would be his last by the time the Oklahoma game arrived the next week. That he beat the Sooners the next weekend didn’t make a bit of difference because the roar for change from the Texas fan base had reached levels that made it possible to ignore.
Sometimes you just know when change is needed and that was the case then.
The question nearly 19 years later is whether history has literally repeated itself.
I think the answer might be yes, even if it’s not quite the emphatic hammer that Heard dropped in the first week of October back in 1997.
Multiple high-level sources within the University of Texas hierarchy confirmed to Orangebloods following the school’s 49-31 loss to the Cowboys that while there is zero intention of dropping the hammer on Strong in the middle of the season, no one is remotely happy with the product that Strong is putting on the field right now and to say that he’s walking on very thin ice is probably a huge understatement.
When I mentioned to one person on Sunday that there seemed to be a lot of calm in the air, which was mildly surprising, his answer provided a pretty crystal clear view of where things stand.
“Calmness can be fueled by two things: confidence or acceptance,” the source said. “I think there has been a massive acceptance by our fan base that Charlie is not the answer.”
That this quote comes from someone that I would describe as having resided solidly in Strong’s corner for a very long time made for quite the E.F. Hutton moment in my mind. The same source also indicated that removing Strong at any point before the end of the season is almost certainly off the table.
“The truth is firing a head coach mid season is a stupid move unless there are no other options,” the source continued. “Nobody wins. Not the kids or the program. Firing or demoting an incompetent assistant coach is a different story.”
Two other things that were mentioned quite a but on Sunday in various conversations:
a. Strong can’t afford to get drilled on Saturday against the Sooners. The ice is thin enough.
b. Texas president Greg Fenves will ultimately serve as the decision-maker when a decision is made.
“Fenves is a very steady hand and he’s not going to overreact,” another source said. “He’s the guy we want to be making big decisions and he has everyone’s trust. If a change needs to be made, truly needs to be made at the end of the season, he won’t flinch. He’s not the flinching kind. Just let this play out a little more, okay?"
Two of the sources I spoke with had interesting answers when I asked about the perception that if Texas wanted to replace Strong with Houston coach Tom Herman, it might need to act with more urgency than allowing Strong to finish out the entire season if things continue to go off the rails.
“We’ll be prepared,” one source said. “He’s busy with his own season right now and all of the things that need to go on behind the scenes can take place without it disrupting his season. Time is not against us there.”
“Some people are not going to be controlled,” another source said. “There’s nothing any of us are going to be able to say to some of those on the Herman train. I expect him to hear from (Texas) people in Houston, whether (Herman) wants it or not. We’ve got (Houston-area Texas-Exes) who want him. I would advise them not to get in (Fenves’) way.”
As it relates to Strong, I don’t believe the goalposts have moved much on him. Eight wins might still allow him to keep his job and the embarrassments have to completely stop, but I don’t get the sense that there’s anyone left that believes Strong has that up his sleeve.
What looked like a dreamy season just a few weeks ago has turned into a certified nightmare, one that many are waking up from and determined to not get sucked back into.
"I think everyone is getting on the same page," one source said. "Charlie's making that easy for everyone."
No. 2– The task that awaits Charlie this weekend ...
On one hand, the Oklahoma Sooners can absolutely be had. It’s a team that has already lost twice this season and there’s nothing special about OU's defense that can keep it out of a shootout in most Big 12 weeks.
On the other hand, Texas is such a mess on defense/special teams and the offense is banged up to such a degree that it’s hard not to see this team playing in six days with one hand tied behind its back.
As soon as D’Onte Foreman followed Chris Warren with a second half injury, it became clear that the Longhorns could go into the Red River Shootout without their top two offensive players, leaving the weight of the entire offense on the shoulders of true freshman Shane Buechele.
I think we all feel certain that it’s going to take a lot of points to beat the Sooners, especially after Bob Stoops’ team dropped 52 points on a TCU defense that appears to be more competent than the defense Strong is fielding. The Sooners might be the best offense the Longhorns have faced so far this season.
What are we talking about as the number Texas has to reach to win the game? Forty points? Fifty points? Sixty points?
Crazy things happen in this rivalry game, but we’ve seen enough beatdowns over the years to know those can happen, too.
Frankly, it’ll take the coaching week of Strong’s career to create something crazy enough to happen that the Longhorns repeat last year’s history with a second-consecutive win in this series, especially if his top two backs are out of action or even slightly limited.
He’ll need to let it all hang out and you have to wonder if letting it all hang out will open up the door for exactly the kind of loss that he can’t afford right now.
No. 3– Time for Buechele’s training wheels to come off ...
Given the uncertainty of the Texas rushing attack at this early stage of the OU game week, it seems pretty clear that if Texas is going to put up 30+ points this week, it’s going to need Buechele to play the best game of his young career.
While Buechele continues to play well and execute at a fairly high level (ranking 36th in the nation in passing efficiency), it seemed pretty clear that the coaches were cautious in their use of the freshman on Saturday, rarely asking him to push the ball down the field in the vertical passing game. Outside of the play-action pass down the middle of the field to Andrew Beck, there wasn’t much of a downfield passing attack for the Longhorns against the Cowboys.
John Burt has turned into a bit of an invisible man in the Texas offense and both Armanti Foreman and Jerrod Heard aren’t far behind. While scoring points hasn’t really been an issue, getting the ball to the Texas receivers down the field is, as evidenced by the fact that Burt, Foreman and Heard have combined to average 10 yards per reception in both of the Texas losses.
It seems clear that the coaches are trying to put Buechele in a position to do what he does best and that probably isn’t pushing the ball down the field in heavy doses, but the healthiest playmakers on the team going into this game are the players that are at their best when stretching opposing defense with their speed down the field.
Bottom line - Texas needs more explosive plays in the passing game if it wants to win this weekend and that means that Sterlin Gilbert is going to have to let his young freshman let it rip.
No. 4– Scattershooting on the Longhorns ...
… Although he missed a chance at a 200-yard game with his injury in the second half, junior D’Onte Foreman continues to lead the Big 12 in rushing yards per game by more than 50 yards. The only running back in the Big 12 with more yards per carry than Foreman (7.0) is OU’s Joe Mixon (7.7).
… While I happen to think this is one of the deepest and most talented group of receivers in school history, the Longhorns don’t have anyone that ranks in the top 10 in receptions or receiving yards in the Big 12.
… Fifty-five percent of Michael Dickson’s punts this season have gone for 50+ yards, while only 10-percent have gone into the end zone for touchbacks. Very quietly, Dickson has been a monster field position changer for the Longhorns.
… Trent Domingue’s 62.5-percent field goal conversion ranks as the second-worst in the conference at the moment.
… Texas ranks last in the Big 12 in scoring defense, last in pass defense efficiency, last in turnovers created and eighth in passing defense.
… On a positive note, Texas ranks second in the conference in sacks with 14.
… Talk about wasting away a gift … Texas ranks first in the conference in penalty yards by opposing teams with 283 yards of penalties in four games, but that has been nullified by the fact that Texas has been penalized for 308 yards.
No. 5 – Buy or sell …
BUY or SELL: If Geoff Ketchum was Athletic Director of the University of Texas, he would fire Charlie Strong today?
(Sell) That would create a disaster for 2017 recruiting. The worst thing that could happen for the Longhorns is for the assistant coaches to stop caring about recruiting in the name of setting up next year’s job. You can’t have commitments and key targets hanging out in limbo for a couple of months. What Texas needs more than anything else is for the current staff to coach for the school as fully committed as possible and then the change in coaches needs to happen as quickly and as seamlessly as possible once the season concludes.
BUY or SELL: We're worse than last year?
(Sell) I think the improvements on offense alone make this a better team, even if the special teams are worse and the defensive comparisons are a push at best.
BUY or SELL: Texas will hire an AD before the end of the season and before all of this theoretically goes down?
(Sell) I’m not expecting movement there until the spring of 2017.
BUY or SELL: Texas makes a bowl game?
(Buy) I think Texas gets to six wins, which would be crucial for the program for several reasons. First of all, the 15 practices are crucial for young, developing players. Second, it might provide some cover if Houston is playing in January and you want to try to create as much safe cover for Tom Herman as possible until the timing is right.
BUY or SELL: Tom Herman is the Texas Longhorns' head coach in 2017?
(Buy) Yeah, I’m officially in that camp.
BUY or SELL: Does the Aggie world hope we win out and the good guys don't get a 40 year old Texas boy to run the program ?
(Buy) Deep down, that’s a fan base that does not really trust its coach.
BUY or SELL: Charlie Strong will go down in history as the worst coach ever at the University of Texas?
(Buy) Only Jack Chevigny had a sub .500 record with a 13-14-2 record in three seasons from 1934-36, but one of those seasons was a 7-2-1 year and included a win over his alma mater Notre Dame. At the end of his third season, he asked the school not to bring him back because he knew he wasn’t the right coach for the job. You’d have to say his resume is better than Strong’s at this point.
BUY or SELL: Someone else is at the podium during the D.C. press availability this week?
(Sell) Strong knows that removing another coordinator at this stage of the game would represent a horrible reflection on him, so I think he continues with what he’s doing.
BUY or SELL: The post-game sentiment expressed by Patrick Vahe would have been echoed by other team members if they had been asked the same question?
(Buy) It did. In an article from Mike Finger in the SA Express/Houston Chronicle, Malik Jefferson was quoted as saying the following: “One of the problems we’re facing is we’re not believing in what we do.”
BUY or SELL: AD Mike Perrin is not a puppet of anyone or any group, but rather a savvy former Longhorn football player who accepted a call from his alma mater to make chicken salad out of an athletic department that was mostly serving up nothing but plate after plate of chicken$hit?
(Buy) I think in looking at Perrin’s weaknesses as an athletic director, it’s easy to ignore his strengths, which I think are many. I’m not sure that he’s the guy you want leading a coaching search, but he’s been incredibly valuable in terms of bringing Orangebloods together everywhere, which was critical after the Steve Patterson disaster. His low-key nature is mostly a positive.
BUY or SELL: Charlie Strong is to Texas as John Blake was to OU?
(Buy) That’s probably a fair comparison, considering Blake had a career record of 12-22 in three seasons in Norman, but recruited well enough to stock Bob Stoops’ only national title team.
No. 6 – College Football randomness ...
… If I had a vote that mattered …
1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Clemson
4. Michigan
5. Louisville
6. Washington
7. Houston
8. Tennessee
9. Texas A&M
10. Miami
… Big 12 Power Poll
1. Oklahoma
2. Baylor
3. West Virginia
4. Texas Tech
5. Oklahoma State
6. TCU
7. Kansas State
8. Texas
9. Iowa State
10. Kansas
… I’m not sure what I expected on Friday night between Stanford and Washington, but I know I didn’t expect the Huskies to drop a 44-6 beatdown on David Shaw’s team. Is this team a mirage or is it really a bit of a reflection of the 1991 national title team?
… It kind of feels like we might be headed for a Saban/Meyer national championship game.
… My goodness, the Michigan/Ohio State game is going to be such a monster.
… Tennessee/Texas A&M is going to be the most interesting college football game in the state this week. I still can’t believe Tennessee pulled victory out of the jaws of defeat after pulling defeat from the jaws of victory moments earlier. How did all of that happen?
… The A&M defense leads the nation in tackles for loss and has 17 more than the next closest SEC team.
… No way Florida State fans thought that hippie kicker was going to make that 54-yard field goal. I know Nick Weiler had a good time this weekend when he returned to Chapel Hill.
… It’s only a matter of time before Baylor gets got.
… Clemson might have won the game, but I thought Louisville was the better team. Don’t discount that team being a national championship factor at the end of the season.
… Consider me really impressed with the way Oklahoma responded to being down 21-7 in Fort Worth. I can assure you Bob Stoops has his eye on a Big 12 title, even if he’s the only one that will care if it comes with an 8-4 overall record.
No. 7 – Dak boy is good!
Man, how much fun is this team right now with the kiddos leading the way?
I don’t know that I know where this team is going, but I can tell you that outside of the 12-4 season a couple of years ago, this is as much fun as I’ve had as a Cowboys fan this decade. I know Tony Romo will take over when he's ready, but Dak Prescott and Zeke Elliott have won over my football fan’s heart and I don’t want the ride to end.
No. 8 – Confessions of a satisfied fantasy football owner …
After A.J. Green’s Thursday night monster, I entered the weekend trailing 46-0 and feeling like every move was one that needed to be perfect.
Therefore, as I agonized over whether I should start Russell Wilson or Matt Ryan all weekend, I knew that the decision might be the one that either gave me a slight chance against Dustin McComas’ team or no chance at all. Despite the fact that the Panthers had given up the 10th fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks through the first three weeks, I decided to ride or die with Ryan and Julio Jones.
Falcons, YOLO!
When the fantasy smoke cleared, a 46-point deficit had turned into a near 70-point win with Stefon Diggs still left to play.
All I can say is, “Whew!”
Thank you, Matt Ryan. Thank you, Julio Jones. Considering that McComas had one of five teams in our league that broke 100 points on Sunday, he deserved a much better fate. I feel his pain.
No. 9 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… Scattershooting on week four of the NFL…
a. Julio Jones had the kind of day on Sunday that will be talked about when he enters the Hall of Fame in about 12-13 years. I wish the game had been a little closer because of the Falcons had truly needed another 40 yards from Jones, Flipper Anderson’s Sunday night record from 1989 would have gone down in flames.
b. Is there any doubt that the Panthers desperately need Josh Norman? Man, what an awful off-season decision that was …
c. I’m sorry I called you a bum a few weeks ago, Matty Ice.
d. I should have known better than to compliment Matt Stafford a few weeks ago.
e. Even without J.J. Watt, it’s hard not to think that the Texans are the best team in the AFC South. Right?
f. Jeff Fisher is 3-1…. wuuuuut?
g. I have a feeling Tom Brady and the Patriots are going to serve up a beatdown on Buffalo later in the season.
h. Ryan Fitzpatrick had another three interceptions on Sunday. Ho-hum.
i. The Saints really got away with one on Sunday.
… USA! USA! USA! Ryder Cup champions!
… Patrick Reed is a Ryder Cup god after this weekend. That guy needs to be involved in every US Ryder Cup team for the next 30 years in some shape or fashion. He was born to play in that atmosphere.
… Jordan Spieth was not good this weekend and it didn’t matter. I mean… he really wasn’t good.
… I didn’t think we’d end up saying this as of a few years ago, but Phil Mickelson has carved out a very nice Ryder Cup career. His match against Sergio featured some of the best play I’ve seen all year.
… Am I allowed to say I like Sergio?
… Rickie Fowler was kind of a beast this weekend.
… Hell of a win by Tottenham on Sunday in drilling Man City and turning the EPL into a battle royale seven weeks into the season. Man City just isn’t the same without its super ginger.
… Nice, solid win by Liverpool. All that mattered was getting three points and that’s what the team did.
… Huge 1-0 win for Dallas over Los Angeles on Saturday night. The Supporters Shield is within grasp for the first time in the team’s history if it can only shake off that pesky Colorado team.
… I think the nerdiest thing about me right now is that I have a fantasy MLS team ranked 53rd out of 28,961 players with three weeks to go in the season.
… Ryan Howard has played his last game in Philly. I don’t care how it ended with that horrible contract, I’m going to love him as a Phillies fan forever.
… Vin Scully has called his last game and baseball seems worse for it.
… The Cubs have won 200 regular season games in the last two seasons. No pressure in the post-season...
No. 10 - And finally …
In case you were still wondering, Baylor football is still a cesspool.
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