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Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (What the UT QB situation really looks like...)

But if they were able to be moved from athletic scholarships (which provide an unusual level of educational support) to the generally available support for education that should exist, it wouldn't be hard/smart core and the situation wouldn't exist.

I get where you're coming from though.
The slippery slope is a little scary if put into the wrong hands. I don't trust many hands in college athletics.
 
Why don't you put together two film clips. One of all the dropped passes and one of all the yards after catch so we can see all the facts? How many more TDs does Buechele have if his receivers do not drop passes?

If Sam and Buechele both came out last year where would each slot in your rankings?
Don't all quarterbacks deal with drops? Don't these things probably cancel each other out for the most part?
 
Was Applewhite standing on a stool in that picture? Serious question.

Ash was on his way to being a damn fine QB.

I agree with others that think adding other Power 5 true freshmen QBRs, and their progression throughout their careers, would help paint a more complete picture.

Buechele was limited by his injuries, his OC's playcalling, his coaching staff, his defense, his being a freshman, Burt's regression & his own talent limitations, and was still pretty damn good for a true freshman on a bad team.

In a perfect world, Heard has a strong spring as a QB and is the solid backup, Buechele makes great progress projecting to be an all conference type starter allowing Sam to redshirt. This gains separation between Sam and Buechele, get's Sam healthy and more prepared for the college game. However, if Sam shows to simply be the best QB, then start him immediately. Recent history has shown that redshirting, when possible, is still the best route for great QBs. VY, Colt, Manziel, Boykin, Mariota, Winston, Luck, etc., etc. It isn't necessary to redshirt, but preferable, especially if you have a guy at QB who is solid and could be great.
 
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Don't all quarterbacks deal with drops? Don't these things probably cancel each other out for the most part?

I don't remember a supposed #1 receiver having so many drops (Burt) in recent memory. Who was Ash's #1? Davis/Shipley? They were much more reliable. Colt had Nate Jones/Quan, same story there.
 
Don't all quarterbacks deal with drops? Don't these things probably cancel each other out for the most part?
Can you remember a year at Texas with more drops? I can't and I don't think last year they cancel out - my opinion.

If you were to rate Buechele and Sam as if both were hs seniors last year where do you rate them in the state.
 
Somewhat related question(s): How does Merrick, or an athletic DT JUCO transfer factor in? Any chance Heard plays QB on a more than gimmicky basis?

I saw some posts on attrition, who are somewhat likely to go candidates?

I favor giving Heard a shot at QB for at least the first 2 weeks of the spring. We only saw him in an abortion of an offense with a temporary OC and a QB coach that did not like him under a total staff clusterf***. Heard was a redshirt freshman with no playing experience at all. We were starting 3 bad OL and 2 true frosh, JGray was starting in front of D'Onta, WR threats were rare...it was not a recipe for success. He may be a horrible QB, but I don't like drawing sweeping conclusions from such a flawed data source. We aren't used to it around here, but players do develop and improve in programs all around the country.

He is now a redshirt JR with lots of playing experience at both QB and WR. Playing WR can aid a QB's understanding of coverages, windows, anticipation, etc. Southlake Carroll had almost all of their QBs playing slot WR as sophomores during their 79-1 run - Dodge, Wasson, Daniel. Now we have an AA LT and a solid/good OL, multiple talented and experienced WRs, and a coherent offensive system with a QB whisperer as the head coach.

The fact is he provides much more value to the Texas Longhorns as a quality backup QB than he does a quality WR rotating in with 3-4 other WRs. He could still learn several WR packages and be utilized there as well. For the record, I am from Missouri in regards to Heard being a quality backup QB, but it would be best for the Texas Longhorns.


I don't think it is good to discuss attrition candidates in a public forum. Look at the deepest parts of the depth chart (like WR where Oliver just left) and start there.
 
Was Applewhite standing on a stool in that picture? Serious question.

Ash was on his way to being a damn fine QB.

I agree with others that think adding other Power 5 true freshmen QBRs, and their progression throughout their careers, would help paint a more complete picture.

Buechele was limited by his injuries, his OC's playcalling, his coaching staff, his defense, his being a freshman, Burt's regression & his own talent limitations, and was still pretty damn good for a true freshman on a bad team.

In a perfect world, Heard has a strong spring as a QB and is the solid backup, Buechele makes great progress projecting to be an all conference type starter allowing Sam to redshirt. This gains separation between Sam and Buechele, get's Sam healthy and more prepared for the college game. However, if Sam shows to simply be the best QB, then start him immediately. Recent history has shown that redshirting, when possible, is still the best route for great QBs. VY, Colt, Manziel, Boykin, Mariota, Winston, Luck, etc., etc. It isn't necessary to redshirt, but preferable, especially if you have a guy at QB who is solid and could be great.
a. He was standing on a stool provided by Greg Davis, who gave it to him in exchange for cookies.;)

b. Ash's sophomore season is greatly underappreciated when put into proper context.

c. I just think we've overcooked the grits on what he truly did as a freshman. I think he has a ton of upside and a possible great future, but the quality performances were too few and too scattered.

d. One day Texas will be in a world when it can redshirt its quarterbacks. Maybe as soon as 2018.
 
a. He was standing on a stool provided by Greg Davis, who gave it to him in exchange for cookies.;)
Their similar stature doesn't stand out as odd when you look at that picture?
 
I don't remember a supposed #1 receiver having so many drops (Burt) in recent memory. Who was Ash's #1? Davis/Shipley? They were much more reliable. Colt had Nate Jones/Quan, same story there.
All quarterbacks have drops.

It's just my opinion, but I think there has to be some realism about Buechele's first season because the false narrative could create false hope and projections for 2016.
 
They couldn't have Simms looking like Ivan Drago standing next to Rocky.
Mack was so damn tone deaf on that whole situation. You don't take pictures and PROMOTE a motherfu***** QB controversy for the love of God!
 
Mack was so damn tone deaf on that whole situation. You don't take pictures and PROMOTE a motherfu***** QB controversy for the love of God!
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Man, that UFC card was a steaming pile of shit. I'm a nerd, but still didn't buy it, so if that was an experiment, it failed, IMO....and when you consider how surly Dana was about it afterwards, I think we know the answer to how that card played. Need to find the PPV numbers. Had to be reeeeally low.
 
Man, that UFC card was a steaming pile of shit. I'm a nerd, but still didn't buy it, so if that was an experiment, it failed, IMO....and when you consider how surly Dana was about it afterwards, I think we know the answer to how that card played. Need to find the PPV numbers. Had to be reeeeally low.
Hope that thing ends up being closer 225K buys than 500K, otherwise there incentive to do it again.
 
Was Applewhite standing on a stool in that picture? Serious question.

Ash was on his way to being a damn fine QB.

I agree with others that think adding other Power 5 true freshmen QBRs, and their progression throughout their careers, would help paint a more complete picture.

Buechele was limited by his injuries, his OC's playcalling, his coaching staff, his defense, his being a freshman, Burt's regression & his own talent limitations, and was still pretty damn good for a true freshman on a bad team.

In a perfect world, Heard has a strong spring as a QB and is the solid backup, Buechele makes great progress projecting to be an all conference type starter allowing Sam to redshirt. This gains separation between Sam and Buechele, get's Sam healthy and more prepared for the college game. However, if Sam shows to simply be the best QB, then start him immediately. Recent history has shown that redshirting, when possible, is still the best route for great QBs. VY, Colt, Manziel, Boykin, Mariota, Winston, Luck, etc., etc. It isn't necessary to redshirt, but preferable, especially if you have a guy at QB who is solid and could be great.
I love this post so much I want to buy it dinner and get it a card tomorrow.
Spot on about Ash and Buechele in my humblest of opinions.
 
They couldn't have Simms looking like Ivan Drago standing next to Rocky.
Simms next to Applewhite was funny to see the body type difference but I remember going to a practice at SMU for the bowl game in Dallas and seeing Applewhite and Adam Dunn throwing passes side by side. That guy could have been Tebow before Tebow was Tebow. Would have been fun to see what would have happened if he beat out Applewhite when Walton got hurt.

I'd be curious to know where all those guys were ranked as recruits coming out of HS. Walton, Mock, Dunn, Brown... who was the last guy to beat OU 4 years in a row? Him too.
 
I love this post so much I want to buy it dinner and get it a card tomorrow.
Spot on about Ash and Buechele in my humblest of opinions.
I accept the dinner invitation if your avatar is in attendance.
 
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All quarterbacks have drops.

It's just my opinion, but I think there has to be some realism about Buechele's first season because the false narrative could create false hope and projections for 2016.

No false narrative/hope here, just the obvious - average quarterback play was a VAST improvement over several prior years of putrid play. Buechele isn't a plus player yet but can definitely see potential. My point was is is "top flight" receivers let him down in some memorable spots.
 
Ouch! I saw repeated posts, some from mods, during the season suggesting the possibility. If all were wrong, that's fine. I guess I missed the definitive conclusion/post that injury was much ado about nothing.
your post was dead on. it just doesn't fit his narrative, so he'll disregard it now. his agenda to convince people that buechele was a "pretty average" qb last season, regardless of all the facts people dumped on him in the war room and other pinned thread, is in full spin mode. the kid dealt with and played through injuries most of the season and if someone felt like taking the time, you can find plenty of threads by mods from the season that talk about it. he got injured during either okie st or oklahoma and after that you could tell he was having problems throwing the deep ball and medium passes the rest of the year. most people on this board know buechele performed well above average last season.. especially when you factor in him being a true freshman and the shitty play calling. you don't even have to mention him playing through injury as those other two are enough to have limited him. there's no reason to continue to bring logic or facts to this though as everyone knows ketchum isn't gonna admit being wrong about anything. it sells more subs to create a quarterback controversy anyway.. amirite?
 
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Sure you have. You've see 100% more substance than Sam at the collegiate level and according to your own data, the QB play is on a trajectory not enjoyed by UT in nearly a decade. Plus, the kid was a True Freshman.

My goodness, man. Do you really not think an extra year in the weight room and a playbook with more than 5 plays won't help the kid? Quit stepping on the kids throat and give the bias a rest.

And stop shaking your head right now. You ARE going out of your way to be pro-Ehlinger.
this is so dead on.
 
a. Was the offensive line crappy? I'm not sure that's what Alex's grading would suggest. Was it great? No. Was it crappy? Not if judges by the crappy standards of 2014 and in previous seasons.

b. As I've discussed, it's fair to point to Gilbert on some of this, but was Gilbert out of his depths or protecting a flawed player? Hard to 100-percent certify either way or in the middle.

c. Shane played with the best running back in the country, a decent line (IMO), really good skill players and a head coach in over his head.

d. I disagree his receiver's sucked. Some of those receivers made below average performances look much better with their runs after catches. Did they let him down on occasion? Yes. Did they sometimes make great plays? Yes.

e. "Gross handicapps"?

I think it's laughable to suggest I created a column that lacked context. There's extended context from beginning to end. There's a reason why we're 200 replies into this thread and no one has directly disputed any of the data in it.

Sorry for going numbers nerd (not sorry).;)

Not disputing your data. Without data/stats the discussion becomes too subjective and biased. I get it. I appreciate the hard work you put into that {and Alex]. I'm just saying that going by data alone doesn't necessarily make Shane a mediocre QB, particularly if you judge him against other freshmen in recent history
Longhorns will be a significantly better team in 17, and so will Shane. On that I think we can all agree.
 
Riiiight. It's my bias that is clearly evident in this discussion...
it's clearly evident to everyone, but you. why would you see it though? your intention is to stir controversy and you've also dug in too deep to admit you are wrong. you never do that even when you aren't holding a shovel.
 
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Simms next to Applewhite was funny to see the body type difference but I remember going to a practice at SMU for the bowl game in Dallas and seeing Applewhite and Adam Dunn throwing passes side by side. That guy could have been Tebow before Tebow was Tebow. Would have been fun to see what would have happened if he beat out Applewhite when Walton got hurt.

I'd be curious to know where all those guys were ranked as recruits coming out of HS. Walton, Mock, Dunn, Brown... who was the last guy to beat OU 4 years in a row? Him too.
Walton - Low four star type.
Brown - Five star type (top five prospect in Texas)
Dunn - solid Four star type
Mock - High four star.
 
No false narrative/hope here, just the obvious - average quarterback play was a VAST improvement over several prior years of putrid play. Buechele isn't a plus player yet but can definitely see potential. My point was is is "top flight" receivers let him down in some memorable spots.
I would only say they turned around and picked him up in other spots, but by and large, we're in agreement.
 
your post was dead on. it just doesn't fit his narrative, so he'll disregard it now. his agenda to convince people that buechele was a "pretty average" qb last season, regardless of all the facts people dumped on him in the war room and other pinned thread, is in full spin mode. the kid dealt with and played through injuries most of the season and if someone felt like taking the time, you can find plenty of threads by mods from the season that talk about it. he got injured during either okie st or oklahoma and after that you could tell he was having problems throwing the deep ball and medium passes the rest of the year. most people on this board know buechele performed well above average last season.. especially when you factor in him being a true freshman and the shitty play calling. you don't even have to mention him playing through injury as those other two are enough to have limited him. there's no reason to continue to bring logic or facts to this though as everyone knows ketchum isn't gonna admit being wrong about anything. it sells more subs to create a quarterback controversy anyway.. amirite?
good grief.
 
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