Ask a great question and sometimes you get one hell of an answer.
On Saturday afternoon, in the aftermath of a Texas spring game that featured quite a bit of first-team domination, the infamous Kirk Bohls asked Texas head coach Tom Herman a doozy.
You never know when a coach will take the bait off the hook or when that coach will bite all the way through it, but when Bohls asked Herman how many of his 22 offensive/defensive starters were Big 12 Championship level, my ears perked up.
“Oh, 16… 17...,” Herman said in the middle of thought.
My ears kept perking.
At that moment, Herman, fully engaged with the question, seemingly started to mentally work his way through the question, player by player.
Perking…
“Or 18 or 19 is probably fair,” Herman concluded, before establishing that running back, tight end and right tackle were the three positions in question that jumped out in his head.
By now my ears were as perked as perky ears get.
I don’t want to make too much out of a single question, but as someone who has seen Texas head coaches avoid setting definitive expectations, I couldn’t help but notice that Herman has walked himself into an interesting setting of expectations for the next few months. Considering Herman could have brushed that question aside easily if he had wanted to, I found the answer to be kind of illuminating.
This was no accident. This is what he meant to say. After giving it some thought, he believes he has 18 or 19 Big 12 Championship-caliber players. Apparently, 10 or 11 of those are on the defensive side of the ball.
Whoa.
As a guy who has been trying to pull passengers off the “9-3 or 10-2 Express” in the name of recalling that five months ago this team lost to Kansas, I’m starting to wonder if with my El Mahico-level of expectations (8-4 going into a bowl is satisfactory), maybe I’m underestimating what elite coaching and elite talent can potentially produce.
After all, it has been a while since we’ve seen either around these parts.
That quarterback wasn’t mentioned seems important. That only one starter on the offensive line was mentioned also seems important. Again, that he seems to believe he has everything he needs in terms of starting talent on defense seems very important.
Herman has seen his players in 15 practices and this is where his head is.
Whoa.
I’ll be right back. I’m going to HEB to get my popcorn for the 2017 season earlier than everyone else.
No. 2 – About that starting defense ...
I think we all probably know what Sam Ehlinger thinks about the unit after going 10-of-31 for 148 yards, but if the 11 guys that started on Saturday are healthy in the fall, I think we’re about to see the defense under Todd Orlando that everyone believed Charlie Strong would produce.
We’ve discussed the talent at linebacker for basically four months straight. The secondary is full of potential playmakers. If anything, the big hang-up with this group has been the defensive line, but even Herman found himself gushing about Poona Ford, Malcolm Roach and Chris Nelson.
While the depth of this group is a question mark on the defensive line and in the secondary, you get the sense from both Herman and Orlando that they believe they have the pieces needed to produce a game-changing defense.
For the first time since 2009, the Longhorns might have a defense that will be worth the price of admission, a concept that I’m not even sure I can process in the 2017 version of the Big 12.
Wait, did I just pour some Tom Herman Kool-Aid for the masses?
No. 3 – Texas Football All-Access
On the eve of Saturday’s game, the Longhorn Network released an hour-long inside look at the Texas Football program that showcased the network’s immense quality when it truly spreads its wings.
Here’s my live-reviewed blog of the show as it occurred. If you haven’t seen it yet, this will serve as a primer and reminder to give it a look.
00:15: I’m reminded right away just how painful last season must have been for the Texas players. That Kansas game … Tom Herman didn’t take over a football program as much as he took over the reproduction of Humpty Dumpty.
01:00: First piece of music on the show is from Young the Giant, an artist that I’ve never come close to hearing of. Thanks LHN, way to make me feel ancient. Why do I have a feeling this won’t be the last time?
01:30: They’ve got a camera inside Tom Herman’s car and he’s talking about his dream come true by becoming the Texas coach. I’m pretty sure this exactly the scenario that unfolded in The Office when Michael hit Meredith with the company car.
05:00 First team meeting of the spring. Great access. Herman wants effort and ball security.
06:00 Oh, and if you score a touchdown, you better hug an offensive lineman right away. Herman wants the big fellas to be on TV more. I dig that. Herman is quite theatrical.
08:00 Todd Orlando’s “Difference Drill” is all kinds of fascinating from a behind-the-scenes teaching standpoint. Nice job, LHN.
10:00 The first official ass-chewing.
11:00 Herman tells the defense that deep down in his soul, he’s a defensive coach wannabe. I completely understand. In another life, I’d be running TexAgs.com.
13:00 Five seconds into listening to Tim Beck, I’m convinced he could be Gene Chizik’s brother.
14:00 The quarterbacks are wearing shackles on their feet. There’s a joke involving The Longest Yard in there somewhere, but I’m going to skip it.
21:00 Stan Drayton is channeling his inner-Herman Boone. There is no flinching. If you flinch on his football field … well … just know Drayton mows all of his neighbor’s grass in his down time.
p.s. “Almost” loses games.
24:00 A Stanley Richard sighting! On my God, has it been 27 years?
27:00 Craig Naivar needs his own show.
33:00 Armanti Foreman speaks after Texas wide receivers coach Drew Mehringer shows a video of Geno Auriemma stressing the importance of body language. It’s the first time a player has really been showcased through the first half-hour of the show. I’d like to see more of the kids.
34:00 Tom Herman bro-hugs The Undertaker. Someone make sure that @CS doesn’t see this.
35:00 Armanti Foreman stepping up to The Undertaker to take the belt from him and being told, “It’s going to be a long day, son,” is my favorite moment of the show.
40:00 It just occurred to me that we haven’t seen any coaches meetings. Would love to see a little of that.
47:00 Jason Washington creating prop bets on Duvernay vs. Duvernay one-on-one battles was all kinds of fun. Kind of messed up to show Devin getting the win and the other DBs in the room doing 10 push-ups. I’m sure no one back home will say anything …
53:00 Corby Meekins telling one of his players that he “didn’t want any of this” in a ball security teaching moment is my second favorite part of the show.
57:00 Todd Orlando was saved for last. My man-crush remains.
59:00 The show ends with Tom Herman’s sledgehammer moment. It’s a good thing … a very good thing … that his players are better with the sledgehammer than he is.
No. 4 – Scattershooting on the Longhorns …
… New Drinking Game: Take a shot every time Tom Herman compliments Poona Ford in a press conference.
Note: Tom Herman wants 85 Poona Fords on his team.
… The Tom Herman offense is better-suited for Shane Buechele than the Sterlin Gilbert offense was.
… Lil’Jordan Humphrey might frustrate Tom Herman a little right now, but eventually you get the sense that he’s going to be a hell of a player. Two hands, LJ, two hands.
… Collin Johnson was the star of the spring game, but there’s still a big part of me that believes Devin Duvernay is going to be the star of this offense.
… Reggie Hemphill-Mapps is ahead of where I think I thought he’d probably be.
… Is Dorian Leonard underrated? Is Dorian Leonard even rated?
… Todd Orlando must find a way to get Ed Freeman on the field.
… Player that I wanted to see flash, but didn’t in the spring game: D’Andre Christmas.
No.5 - Thought you might enjoy this...
No. 6 – Five thoughts on Tom Herman’s new lockers…
1. Recruiting.
2. Recruiting.
3. Recruiting.
4. Recruiting.
5. Recruiting.
No. 7 – Buy or sell …
BUY or SELL: Tom Herman’s first five months as head coach has been better than Mack's first five?
(Sell) There are some areas (high school recruiting by a mile) that Herman has easily outperformed Brown, but let’s not forget that the future Hall of Fame coach found a way to keep a Heisman winner on his team when the NFL draft loomed heavily. That little bit of convincing changed Texas football forever.
BUY or SELL: Todd Orlando is here at least three years?
(Sell) That guy is headed for a head coaching job in no less than two years, but keep in mind that I have a man-crush on him. Oops, I think that’s the second time I’ve said that in this column.
BUY or SELL: The quarterback competition is closer than fans think? Sam played well when he had time (which was not often), and had some good throws under pressure, and several were dropped.
(Sell) It’s not really a competition right now. Maybe by August, but not as of now.
BUY or SELL: With some of the folks buried on the depth chart, we will have at least five transfers after the spring game?
(Buy) Texas averages that much attrition and then some every year, without the scramble that often occurs in the summer after a coaching change.
BUY or SELL: Malik is a JAG at this point?
(Sell) Here’s what I’ll do, I’ll hang up and listen for any of you who want to tell me the returning Big 12 linebackers with more sacks and tackles for loss from a season ago.
BUY or SELL: Malik Jefferson sees the field less than three of the following: Malcolm Roach, Breckyn Hager, Anthony Wheeler, Jeffrey McCulloch and Erick Fowler?
(Sell) Roach is a defensive lineman, Hager and Wheeler are battling it out at Mike, Shark is battling with Naashon Hughes at B-Backer and Fowler is on the third-team defense.
BUY or SELL: Collin Johnson has 1000+ Receiving yards and 10 TDs this season?
(Sell) I need to see it in a game before I’m ready to go gaga, with all due respect to his spring game performance.
BUY or SELL: Daniel Young is a relevant part of the RB rotation this fall?
(Buy) It’s very possible.
BUY or SELL: Between injury bug and the push of Porter/Carter/Young/Houston at RB position, Chris Warren gets less than 20% of the Longhorns total rushing yards in the 2017 season.
(Sell) I’m not all-in on Warren like some of the Orangebloods staff, but I believe he’ll have a larger production role than that.
BUY or SELL: In your opinion, Quentin Jammer was the best secondary player you've ever seen to play at Texas?
(Sell) 2009 Earl Thomas probably should have won the Heisman. He was clearly the best player of that national championship game team.
BUY or SELL: Reese Leitao ever steps foot on campus?
(Buy) Yup.
BUY or SELL: Gary Johnson takes over as starter at a LB spot at some point this season?
(Buy) Yup.
BUY or SELL: You'd put $100 on Texas (Texas +7.5 against USC).
(Sell) Nope.
No. 8 – Texas Baseball weekend in a gif…
https://media.tenor.co/images/130867107732e91768f440c04c29ed88/tenor.gif
No. 9 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… Jim Harbaugh just doesn’t give a damn.
… I wonder what Adrian Peterson is thinking right about now …
… Never make too big of a deal out of game one in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Just a word of warning.
… Danny Ainge should have stepped up and not allowed Isaiah Thomas to play in a game 24 hours after his little sister died in a car accident. At some point, basketball can’t matter that much.
… Spurs fans, did you see Draymond Green on Sunday? That’s why he’s going to be Defensive Player of the Year.
… Robert Whittaker’s beatdown of Jacare Souza was i-m-p-r-e-s-s-i-v-e. I did not see that coming at all. Get that dude on a pay-per-view.
… Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson never disappoints. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a fighter dominate a division the way he’s dominated his for the last few years, with all due respect to the likes of Anderson Silva and Jon Jones.
… Chelsea’s lead is down to four, but there’s no way Tottenham chases them down from behind. Nooooo waaaaay.
… Yes, Andre Blake will have nightmares about this in his sleep for years to come, but David Villa is a sick man.
No. 10 – And finally…
Let’s all give Anwar Richardson a “He’s No.1!” for going viral last week. It’s a hell of a thing to work as hard as he does, only to see the likes of Outside the Lines and Peter King’s MMQB spotlight his work the moment he walks into a bathroom and takes a photo of a pee chart.
This job can be humbling.
