Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (The reality of the moment for Herman's Longhorns...)
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It was a tough weekend for us Longhorns & Cowboys fans. However, at least with Texas I can remain confident that Texas will get better & better to the point I expect them to be in the college play-offs next year {I never thought it'd be this year}. With Dalla I'm just dreaming.
Full melt down over here. I can't take another L to OU this year. Horns need to pick up some steam and start rolling. Fully healthy Sam in the Big 12 Ship sounds like a cake walk victory for the Horns!!
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B/S: The most underappreciated fact about the new OU defensive coordinator is that coming from Ohio State he knows our offense almost as well as our coach.
(Buy) You read my mind.
This interesting observation. However was this just new news to Herman et.al. .
If it played a role in OU defensive players' having what appeared an extra jump in diagnosing what was coming from UT, then it almost more frustrating that offensive game plan did not take into account the OU DC's background.
B/S: The most underappreciated fact about the new OU defensive coordinator is that coming from Ohio State he knows our offense almost as well as our coach.
(Buy) You read my mind.
This interesting observation. However was this just new news to Herman et.al. .
If it played a role in OU defensive players' having what appeared an extra jump in diagnosing what was coming from UT, then it almost more frustrating that offensive game plan did not take into account the OU DC's background.
That's the job. When you get into year three as the head coach at a school like Texas, excuses or reasons (whichever way you want to label it) for not achieving the outlined definition of the words "successful season" don't really fly.
It was that way for John Mackovic. It was that way for Mack Brown. It was that way for Charlie Strong.
Hell, it might just be the most consistent thing about the Texas football program, unless you want to suggest that allowing Oklahoma to consistently dominate the Big 12 is even more consistent, at which point I'd probably allow it.
Anyways, the Longhorns now have two steps that must be taken to save this season.
I'm just as pissed/disappointed as anyone. I have hated OU for over 60 years--using Texas players to beat UT. I would rather loose to anyone (well, maybe not Miami-Thug U) than OU. But, let's keep some perspective.
Lincoln Riley was an assistant OU coach for 2 years before becoming HC.
Their system which he helped tune was in place when he took over. Yes, he did fire his defensive coordinator last year.
He inherited a team with a positive, winning culture.
Thomas Herman, III did not inherit dog meat but it was not quality material across the board.
He had to change the soft culture.
This is his third year....Riley's fifth.
So, I'm reluctantly cutting him some slack. However, whoever came up with that stupid offensive game plan should be running wind sprints for the next two weeks. OU knew what we were going to do before each slow developing play was called. All of that is on Herman. UT is not back until we consistently whip OU's sorry butt.
It was that way for John Mackovic. It was that way for Mack Brown. It was that way for Charlie Strong.
Hell, it might just be the most consistent thing about the Texas football program, unless you want to suggest that allowing Oklahoma to consistently dominate the Big 12 is even more consistent, at which point I'd probably allow it.
Anyways, the Longhorns now have two steps that must be taken to save this season.
I'm just as pissed/disappointed as anyone. I have hated OU for over 60 years--using Texas players to beat UT. I would rather loose to anyone (well, maybe not Miami-Thug U) than OU. But, let's keep some perspective.
Lincoln Riley was an assistant OU coach for 2 years before becoming HC.
Their system which he helped tune was in place when he took over. Yes, he did fire his defensive coordinator last year.
He inherited a team with a positive, winning culture.
Thomas Herman, III did not inherit dog meat but it was not quality material across the board.
He had to change the soft culture.
This is his third year....Riley's fifth.
So, I'm reluctantly cutting him some slack. However, whoever came up with that stupid offensive game plan should be running wind sprints for the next two weeks. OU knew what we were going to do before each slow developing play was called. All of that is on Herman. UT is not back until we consistently whip OU's sorry butt.
I'm not sure anyone is melting down as much as we're talking about the realities of the season through four games.
Winning national titles is hard. Until I see leaps forward that would allow us to talk about that program in that breath, I'll remain conservative in my projections.
Frankly, I think a lot of you guys have sounded silly when constantly asking about being in the playoff and winning a championship this soon.
That type of expectation hasn't yet been earned.
They beat Texas on the road. I don't think they beat Florida the way they did without the Texas game.
Ketch. Help us out here. I feel half of us see real progress and continued growth from what was a terrible era in UT football and others a we better see championships in year 3 or 4 at a place like Texas or we turn the heat up. I am in the former group.
I am willing to give Herman, the staff and expectations on progress some accommodation to the fact that I think UT football was an absolute disaster under Strong as opposed to the cake was largely baked.
My view of that era was that we didn’t have a QB that could throw the ball such as Swoopes (Buechelle was a little bit better but he was very average to be honest), we had no playmakers except Deonta, our O line was beyond poor and any defensive potential we had basically never grew beyond freshman year.
We fired coaches mid-season every year, we got blown out by teams with less talent constantly and for some reason recruiting was always well below what we thought (what happened to all those Florida recruits?).
Basically any growth for most Strong players occurred under Herman for guys like Jefferson, Elliot, Poona, Omenihu, etc.
If Texas was as bad as it sure seemed when Herman took over (I also note Herman’s first recruiting class was small and fairly lowly rated because of when hired), why do we think they should be at a level beyond where they are now which is a top 10 to 20 program?
No way Ehlinger would have developed this way under Strong. Think how he grew from Freshman with those poor interceptions to where he is now.
It just seems half the fan base still has this we are Texas and we win now or maybe we start thinking of changes.
Am I wrong at how I have seen a complete 180 degree change from what we were just a few years ago, which was an embarrassment to be honest, and maybe the timeline to legitimately fighting for conference and national championships needs to reflect how far we really need to go more?
I am willing to give Herman, the staff and expectations on progress some accommodation to the fact that I think UT football was an absolute disaster under Strong as opposed to the cake was largely baked.
My view of that era was that we didn’t have a QB that could throw the ball such as Swoopes (Buechelle was a little bit better but he was very average to be honest), we had no playmakers except Deonta, our O line was beyond poor and any defensive potential we had basically never grew beyond freshman year.
We fired coaches mid-season every year, we got blown out by teams with less talent constantly and for some reason recruiting was always well below what we thought (what happened to all those Florida recruits?).
Basically any growth for most Strong players occurred under Herman for guys like Jefferson, Elliot, Poona, Omenihu, etc.
If Texas was as bad as it sure seemed when Herman took over (I also note Herman’s first recruiting class was small and fairly lowly rated because of when hired), why do we think they should be at a level beyond where they are now which is a top 10 to 20 program?
No way Ehlinger would have developed this way under Strong. Think how he grew from Freshman with those poor interceptions to where he is now.
It just seems half the fan base still has this we are Texas and we win now or maybe we start thinking of changes.
Am I wrong at how I have seen a complete 180 degree change from what we were just a few years ago, which was an embarrassment to be honest, and maybe the timeline to legitimately fighting for conference and national championships needs to reflect how far we really need to go more?
Spot on and honestly, this shouldn't be the goal. The goal should be conference titles. If we win those, the playoffs/natty will take care of themselves. IF we get to a point where we start winning 4 out of every 5 conference titles, then we may have earned the right to have those expectations. Only 4 programs have the right to expect playoffs right now; Bama, Clemson, OSU and the dirt thieves and not coincidentally, all of them have owned their conference most of this decade.
I'm not sure Texas is much of a benchmark. Our defense is rated worse than any of the other "little Mary's Sisters for the Blind" schools on their schedule (all but Florida). As much as I hate to admit it, the Florida win was significant.
To piggy back on myself (what a narcissist) those idiots in Baton Rouge and Athens who have playoff "expectations" are morons. You can have "hopes" but to expect to be in the playoff is just stupid.
If you’re correct, then why wasn’t the deficit more? If those other things you mentioned are more important than the final score, then why didn’t those other factors control and cause a larger differential? It’s all about the final score. The reason OU didn’t win by more is because they made mistakes. The reason we lost is because we made mistakes. We lost by seven and were an on sidekick away from getting the ball back. It is what it is.
I really like this post because of the self-awareness inside of it.
The truth isn't an extreme version of the former or the latter positions people are taking as you mentioned, but almost certainly a blurry gray area.
This is a program that is still climbing out of a near-decade of mess and it's also one that's got some core issues in it year three into the project build.
There are areas that Tom is hitting it out of the park in and there other areas where you can suggest that he's not.
I think the fan reaction is expected at a place with very high demands. Losing to your rival in 8 of the last 11, five of the last seven and four of the last 5 will put a fan base on tilt.
Totally agree. Can’t constantly be in the hunt for a NC unless you win your conference
and Texas has won its conference twice in the last 20 years.
Well, I agree with that sort of assessment. But that’s different than you stating that you don’t believe Herman will ever get Texas there. That type of assessment seems a bit harsh and rooted in terminal negativity.
It's more of a math equation. The more realistic, safe bet is that it won't happen.
Ketch said “ he thought as of today maybe only two of our players would be All Big 12, that doesn’t sound like much player development
Not one person disagreed with that statement, either, which is unique in upon itself.
This. As disappointing as the loss on Saturday was, the reality is any projections of 10-2 regular season finish likely had losses to LSU and OU built in. I know mine did. Run the table and win the CCG and the success has been a major success. The problem is if we don't then we either made zero progress, or even worse, regressed (as you suggest if we don't even make the CCG).
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