Ketch's 10 Thoughts From The Weekend (X is better than you think?
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If Worthy is #2, we’re f*cked.
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#15 Terrance Brooks is Class of 2022. I think you are referring to Jonathan Brooks.
My bad. I moved Brooks up at the end and he replaced the other Brooks at 15.
It could not, which is why you called it correctly at #1, sir!!! (lol)
I’m not saying Worthy isn’t #2. If he is, though, we’re buggered. He doesn’t have a want-to bone in his body.
Trust your eyes, and get off the raw numbers put up in a completely different era.
Excellent Chris Stapleton break down.
Whatever we call the 2023 Texas Longhorns football team in the coming months as we approach the final season in the Big 12, make sure it isn't young and inexperienced.
As Steve Sarkisian gets ready for season No. 3 as the head coach in Austin, an inspection of his roster finds a team full of experience. The combination of Tom Herman's final remaining recruited players, along with a sprinkling of transfers and members of Sarkisian's first recruiting class in 2021, has Texas sitting pretty in terms of experience.
In ranking the top 25 players currently on the Texas roster going into the 2023 season, I found that 13 of my top 15 players on the roster will go into the season listed as a junior or senior.
Barring injuries ravaging this team during the fall, the pieces would appear to be in place for this team to soar.
If it doesn't happen, it shouldn't be the talent that gets blamed. It's not a perfectly constructed team, but the pieces to the puzzle are in place. This coaching has just has to put them together.
Let's take a look at the top 25.
No.25 - QB - Arch Manning - Fr.
Is this a few spots too high? Maybe, but it's hard for me to leave the No. 1 overall prospect from the 2023 recruiting class off of the list, even if he's never even taken a snap in practice with the Longhorns.
No.24 - LB - Anthony Hill - Fr.
Let's put it like this ... he better be at least this good because the Longhorns are counting on him to hit the ground running as a starter as a true freshman at linebacker.
No.23 - Edge - Ethan Burke - So.
While he played only 39 snaps on defense last season, he did lead the team in production per snaps with an eye-popping and team-leading 3.63 snaps per production. It's the kind of number that has many thinking he's ready to take over the Edge position vacated by Ovie Oghoufo (17.29 snaps per production).
No.22 - OL - Hayden Conner - Jr.
The team's clear No. 3 player last season along the offensive line, the hope moving forward is that 2022 was a springboard to what's next and not just the level he's capable of playing at as a college player.
No.21 - CB - Jaylon Guilbeau - So.
Had an up and down season as a true freshman, but it's easy to forget that before injuries hit in September, he was a player that was playing in the nickel as much as anyone. I'm expecting a big bounce forward as he moves forward into the 2023 season.
No.20 - QB - Quinn Ewers - So.
From a talent standpoint, he should be higher. From a production standpoint, he should probably be ranked lower. Instead, he sits at No. 20 with all of us knowing that he has the ability to be much, much higher and also the capacity to fall off of the list completely. I've got a hunch that he finishes in the top 10 in 11 months from now.
No.19 - RB - Keilan Robinson - Sr.
Yes, he's a specialty player, but he's a specialty player that has the ability to provide an explosive play at any point, from any spot on the field. Here's hoping that the coaches remember that ability is best used in space and not between the tackles.
No.18 - CB - Gavin Holmes - Jr.
The transfer from Wake Forest has played in 28 career games (14 career starts) and was one of the most productive players in coverage in the ACC last season.
No.17 - DT - Byron Murphy - Jr.
Murphy didn't take the leap forward many guessed he would going into the 2022 season after such a promising start as a freshman in 2021, but hopes and expectations remain high as the clutter at the defensive tackle position for snaps has been largely removed. It's his show and the Longhorns need him to take that next step.
No.16 - RB - Jonathon Brooks - So.
I'm forgetting about the Alamo Bowl and focusing my attention on the fact that he averaged 6.6 yards per carry over the course of the season as a back-up. Is this too high to rank him off the basis of a solid game against OU and a 109-yard performance vs, KU?
No.15 - CB - Terrence Brooks - So.
I'm buying all of the stock in Brooks I can get my hands on. After learning the college game through trial by fire as a true freshman in 2022, the sky is the limit for one of the highest-rated cornerback prospects in the history of the program.
No.14 - S - Jalon Catalon - Sr.
At his very best, he's a top 5-10 player on this list, but in the last half season’s worth of games over the last two seasons, he's not been a top-25 type of player. Here's hoping he finds the form that made him one of the best in the SEC in 2020.
No.13 - WR - Isaiah Neyor - Sr.
The Texas offense missed Neyor more than we could have ever guessed when he went down to an ACL injury in August. If he's healthy, he has a chance to be exactly the player that this offense needed last year.
No.12 - DB - Jerrin Thompson - Sr.
Very quietly, Thompson had a very good year in 2022 and was fourth on the team in @Alex Dunlap's defensive market-share rankings.
No.11 - DB - Ryan Watts - Sr.
Watts is an NFL-level cornerback in the making and I'm convinced that going into the 2023 season, he's going to be one of the best players at his position in the Big 12.
No.10 - WR - Jordan Whittington - Sr.
This might be too high for a player that scored only one touchdown as a junior in 2022, but the talent for so much more is present if his quarterback can get the ball to him a little more than he was able to do last season.
No.9 - DT - T'Vondre Sweat - Sr.
Like Watts, I see an NFL player in the making with Sweat, even if his production from last season was begging for more.
No.8 - DE - Barryn Sorrell - Jr.
The team's leader in sacks last year with 5.5, a little more consistency and a little more productivity will have Sorrell's name on the tips of NFL scouts’ tongues. There are still more steps to take for him as a player, but he's seemingly close to taking them.
No.7 - OL - Christian Jones - Sr.
Jones was an honorable mention All-Big 12 player last season and his 2022 season was one of the top 10 seasons by a UT offensive lineman in the last decade. His return to the team this season has probably been underrated in terms of being an important event, maybe even by the Texas staff.
No.6 - DB - Jahdae Barron - Sr.
The No. 2 returning player in @Alex Dunlap's market-share productivity rankings last season, you get the sense that Barron might have an all-American level season inside of him before his career at Texas is concluded.
No.5 - WR - A.D. Mitchell - Jr.
Maybe this is too high, but how many players on this team would have started on last season's national championship team? I'm going to say none of those ranked behind him on this list.
No.4 - TE - Ja'Tavion Sanders - Jr.
One of only two returning first-team All-Big 12 players on the list, you can make a very strong case that Sanders is the nation's second-best returning tight end behind Georgia's Brock Bowers.
No.3 - LB - Jaylan Ford - Sr.
Perhaps I have him ranked a little low at No. 3, given his all-American season in 2022. Ford has a chance to finish his career as one of the best three or four linebackers in the history of the school with a big 2023.
No.2 - WR - Xavier Worthy - Jr.
Screw the dropped passes and lack of focus that popped up last season while he was frustrated with his quarterback play, Worthy is the most productive wide receiver through two seasons of his career than any player at his position in school history. He basically averages a touchdown for every dropped pass he's had in his career. There's no team in the country he wouldn't start for.
No.1 - OT - Kelvin Banks - So.
When it's all said and done, we're going to be talking about him in the rarified air of Leonard Davis, Mike Williams and Brock Brockermeyer as arguably the best tackles in the last three decades of Texas football.
No.2 - Put some respect on his damn name ...
Here's a look at where Xavier Worthy ranks among all fourth-year and all true junior power five wide receivers coming into this season.
Career Touchdowns
1. Xavier Worthy (Texas): 21
2. Marvin Harrison (Ohio State): 17
3. * Jalen McMillan (Washington): 12
4T. * Rome Odunze (Washington): 11
4T. Troy Franklin (Oregon): 11
6. Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State): 10
7. Ja'Corey Brooks (Alabama): 10
8. Mario Williams (USC) 9
9. Beaux Collins (Clemson): 8
10T J. Michael Sturdivant (UCLA): 7
10T. Malik Nabors (LSU): 7
10T. Brian Thomas (LSU): 7
Career Receiving Yards
1. Xavier Worthy (Texas): 1,741
2. * Rome Odunze (Washington): 1,632
3. * Jalen McMillan (Washington): 1,584
4. Malik Nabors (LSU): 1,434
5. Dorian Singer (USC): 1,406
6. Marvin Harrison (Ohio State): 1,402
7. Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State): 1,342
8. Troy Franklin (Oregon): 1,099
9. Dominic Lovett (Georgia): 1,019
10. Mario Williams (USC) 1,011
Career Receptions
1T. Xavier Worthy (Texas): 122
1T. * Rome Odunze (Washington): 122
3. * Jalen McMillan (Washington): 119
4. Malik Nabors (LSU): 100
5. Marvin Harrison (Ohio State): 88
6. Dorian Singer (USC): 84
7. Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State): 83
8. Dominic Lovett (Georgia): 82
9. Troy Franklin (Oregon): 79
10. * Elijan Badger (Illinois) 77
* Denotes player is a third-year junior.
Some of you won't have any idea of what you have until you no longer have it.
No. 3 - Missing Ced ...
It was hard to see this photo on Texas running back coach Tashard Choice's social media feed this weekend and not think about the person missing in this photo as much as those that are actually in it.
It'll be four years in August and it's still hard to believe that Cedric Benson is no longer with us. There's a combination of sadness and anger that exists in him not being in a photo of the school's Heisman Trophy and Doak Walker Award winners.
Continued rest in peace, Ced.
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No. 4 - Some random recruiting thoughts ...
a. If the Longhorns want to finish with a top-five recruiting class, Steve Sarkisian and Co. might have to sweep both of the in-state five-stars - WR Micah Hudson and DE Colin Simmons. I'm just not sure there's enough in-state juice for them to get there and it's hard to know what the OOS recruiting will look like. This might be the year to save more slots in the incoming transfers than to give them out to high school prospects.
b. Seven visits might be the lucky number when it comes to landing Hudson. Getting him in for the spring game, an official visit and a game in the fall is the pathway to getting his signature. Hell, two visits this spring and an official visit might do the trick.
c. This is an official tally, but in a year when there really isn't a superstar offensive line prospect in the state, I found myself wondering this week which of the offensive linemen in the state has the most offers. Here's a very unofficial leaderboard:
1. Copperas Cove OT Michael Uini (37)
2. Katy Tompkins OG Ashton Funk (28)
3. Fort Bend Baptist OT Bennett Warren (27)
4T. Vandergrift OT Blake Frazier (26)
4T. Richland Hills OG/C Daniel Cruz (26)
6. Arlington Martin OTMakai Saina (21)
7. Frisco Reedy OT Max Anderson (20)
8. Lindale OG Casey Poe (19)
9. Beaumont United OT Weston Davis (17)
10. San Marcos OT Ory Williams (17)
11. Clear Springs OT Blake Ivy (13)
d. I find it very curious that Texas offensive line coach Kyle Flood loves Cruz more than brisket and he's tied for the fourth-most offers and yet, he's listed as a low four-star by Rivals and outside of the Rivals Texas Top 100 at the moment. For the record, I have ranked 21st in the state.
e. This kid is a must-have/must-get from my perspective.
f. Rivals has 63 four-stars from the state of Texas in the 2024 class at this point in the rankings, which is rather high for February.
g. I'm really curious to see Longview Taylor Tatum this track season.
No. 5 - Opening weekend blues ...
Let's all agree that this isn't everyone's first 0-3 rodeo to open a baseball season.
Been there, done that, as recently as two seasons ago. The Longhorns did go 0-3 to start the season in the Big 12/SEC Challenge in 2021 and still found a way to make a deep run in the College World Series.
The purpose of bringing that up isn't to make you believe that a similar fate awaits this team in 2023, as much as I'm trying to keep some of you from screaming bloody murder after seeing the team get outhit 33-13 over 27 innings of baseball.
There were concerns about the quality of this team for months and this weekend confirmed that a lot of improvement needs to be made.
Still, outside of a bad day at the office on Sunday against Vanderbilt, this team played its guts out in one-run losses to Arkansas and Missouri. There were reasons for hope in those contests. That's not me serving up moral victories like pancakes as much as it's merely me pointing out what happened.
The team has four games this week to work out some more kinks, including a three-game set at home to an Indiana team that was swept on the road by Auburn this weekend.
Let's see how this team looks in a week from now. I'm going to suggest there's no reason for a panic attack ... yet.
No. 6 - Three Things on UT Men's Hoops ...
a. Some of you might grumble when I write this, but the success of this year's team has a lot less to do with Rodney Terry's coaching and a lot more to do with the fact that Chris Beard built one of the most experienced teams in the country, with six different players having played 100+ games in their career before heading into March. That's why this team is winning. That's why this team is typically at its best in the final 6-8 minutes of every game more than it often is in the first 20. That's why this team is never out of any game it plays, even when it falls behind by double digits early.
Who needs to be the coach in the future?
The person that is best-equipped to repeat the team-building from this season because nothing matters as much during the season as much as how this team was composed in the first place. Regardless of who is coaching the team, having a squad with this much experience is what everyone has been waiting years for.
b. Kansas has the edge on the Longhorns when looking at the schedule in these final four games over two weeks in the chase for the Big 12 regular-season championship. Baylor probably isn't going away, either, even if it is a game behind the Longhorns and Jayhawks after Saturday's loss in Lawrence. It absolutely feels like at the very least a share of the title is going to be on the line in the season-finale.
Texas: vs. Iowa State, at Baylor, at TCU and vs. vs. Kansas
Baylor: at Kansas State, vs. Texas, at Oklahoma State and vs. Iowa State
Kansas: at TCU, vs. West Virginia, vs. Texas Tech and at Texas
c. A 3-1 finish and maybe even a 2-2 finish will lock the Longhorns into a No. 2 seed in the Tournament. Barring am 0-4 collapse and a first-round loss in the Big 12 Tournament, a top-4 seed is starting to feel like a lock.
(Image of NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee's rankings from Saturday via TheAthletic.com)
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No. 7 - It's coming down to next Saturday ...
The Texas women handled their business on Sunday against West Virginia after dropping a game in the mid-week at Iowa State.
It sets up a potential winner-take-all game next Saturday in Norman, with both Texas and Oklahoma owning 12-3 conference records with three games to go. Texas won the first match-up by 20 in late January, but if the Longhorns have had any kryptonite in Big 12 play, it's been with the team hits the road.
All three conference losses have been when the team has been away from home - in Stillwater, Lubbock and Ames. All by five or fewer points.
No. 8 – BUY or SELL …
(Sell) I think he has a much better season than he did a year ago, but I'm not quite ready to go out on that limb without any true visual evidence.
(Buy) Yes, I believe the staff will be doing everything it can do get at least one more starter through the portal.
(Sell) I think Texas wins that game, but I think they'll go 2-2 down the stretch, while Kansas goes 3-1, which would leave Texas as a #2 seed.
(Sell) If he doesn't stay in-state, I'd probably put my money on Alabama.
(Sell) Unless he leaves for a head coaching job elsewhere, I think Texas will do everything it can to keep him as an assistant coach.
(Buy) In less than 6 weeks. My money is on Ole Miss.
(Sell) I don't think this team collapses like that.
(Buy) Good is a pretty subjective picture to paint, but I think two will emerge as a solid to good players. I don't think we'll see great.
(Buy) They'll sign at least three large humans.
(Sell) I've heard more buzz about the offense than the defense at this point.
No. 9 - Scattershooting on anything and everything ...
... I'll take things on my Twitter timeline I didn't expect to see this weekend for $500, Alex.
... I didn't watch a second of Sunday's NBA three-point and dunk contests. I went to see Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. I'd give it 2 1/2 stars. It was good enough to enjoy, but I can't say that I'll ever watch it again. The final act of the movie kind of saved it from being a bomb. Michael Douglas might have stolen the movie.
... I'm pretty sure I've never heard the name Ricky Stenhouse Jr. until today. Turns out he had 2 wins in 363 NASCAR races coming into Sunday.
... I watched zero XFL this weekend.
... This is called hustling backwards.
... Does she still have eligibility?
... Man, Liverpool owes Real Madrid an ass kicking going into Tuesday.
... It makes me sick to my stomach watching Man City be normal every time it is battling anyone other than Liverpool for the Premier League title.
... Loved seeing Tiger Woods back on a golf course.
... Dear Marcus Rashford, please cool off soon. Thanks. XOXO
No. 10 - The List: Top 10 Chris Stapleton songs
It's been nearly a decade since I did a Top 10 list for Chris Stapleton. On one hand, that feels like too long. On the other, it's allowed his library of songs to build in a way that it’s given us time to see which songs have settled in as his all-time greats.
A number of newer songs are on this list, so let's get right to it.
Honorable mention: Daddy Doesn't Pray Here Anymore, Where Rainbows Never Die, Starting Over, You Should Probably Leave, Whiskey and You, The Price snd Drunkard's Prayer
10. Traveller
The debut song from his debut solo album of the same name. This is one of the songs that set it all off. The link below is to his network television debut on Letterman.
9. When the Stars Comes Out
Released on his debut solo album Traveller, this was never released as a single and might be his most low-profile great songs since he went solo ... I just love it.
8. Broken Halos
Rolling Stone writer, Chris Parton, named it country gospel after listening to a live performance of the song, and interpreted it as:
7. Inside Your Heart
A song from his time in the Jompson Brothers, it's been a favorite of mine for more than a decade. More rock than country, it has Stapleton at his blues/rock best. It's a freaking banger.
6. Barely Alive
Another song from his days with the Jompson Brothers, The man can just bring you out of your seat with the passion that comes from his voice. I hope some of you have never heard this song and give it a spin.
5. I Was Wrong
Was never released as a single, but this Austin City Limits recording has 32 million views on YouTube because he brings the f'ing heat.
4. Cold
How on earth did this not crack the top 20 on the US Hot Country Songs. It's nearly perfect. The fact that it won a Grammy for Best Country Song makes me think the Grammy Awards might not suck.
3. Fire Away
There's a very good chance that either you or your wife or both have watched this video and cried. It definitely gets me in my feels.
2. What Are You Listening To?
This is the song that turned me on to Chris. It will always be my personal No. 1 song of his.
1. Tennessee Whiskey
No song has been reacted to more on YouTube than this one. It's the song that made him a superstar.
You couldn't be more wrong on this one.
Worthy is full of quit. More so than any player we’ve had in awhile.
I don’t think we are going to have to worry about repeatedly trotting anyone out on the field who drops the ball. If someone ain’t performing we have plenty of guys to sub in at this point. I think Worthy will have a great bounce back by the way
It’s not just the drops. If you want to win at a high level, you need guys willing to put their bodies on the line to make critical plays.
Worthy ain’t about that level of engagement. Not at all.
You said he doesn't have any "want to." People that don't have "want to" aren't the hardest workers on the team, which outside of Roshon is exactly how Worthy was described by the coaches this past season.
I don’t give a f*ck about talk. Watch how he quits on balls time and time again.
Worthy hurt our offense in 2022. His stats are accumulated numbers and not to be confused with a net positive.
I don’t see Whittington in top 10 at all - I don’t think there’s a single opposing defensive coordinator who fears him or feels like they need to scheme to take him out of games. If he were a threat as wr2, we wouldn’t have gone after neyor or Mitchell so hard (and yes I know they play different wr roles than Whittington)
I was uncertain about Rodney's chances of being given the head coaching but the last game indicated he still needs to develop as a head coach, particularly in game management. When Texas had enough time to score and win the game in regulation, he neglected to call a time out to set up a play; and more importantly get the players on the same page. without that Carr shot a difficult long shot which didn't fall. Them, in the overtime when OU score with us still leading it was obvious they would foul us immediately. Again, with a time out available we should have called it but our inbound passer quick throw to the first open man who was not our best foul shooter. He did miss 1 out of 2 and we were luck that they missed their lay up after that. I just remember being told years ago by a great coach "you never leave time outs on the board when the game is that close."
Whatever we call the 2023 Texas Longhorns football team in the coming months as we approach the final season in the Big 12, make sure it isn't young and inexperienced.
As Steve Sarkisian gets ready for season No. 3 as the head coach in Austin, an inspection of his roster finds a team full of experience. The combination of Tom Herman's final remaining recruited players, along with a sprinkling of transfers and members of Sarkisian's first recruiting class in 2021, has Texas sitting pretty in terms of experience.
In ranking the top 25 players currently on the Texas roster going into the 2023 season, I found that 13 of my top 15 players on the roster will go into the season listed as a junior or senior.
Barring injuries ravaging this team during the fall, the pieces would appear to be in place for this team to soar.
If it doesn't happen, it shouldn't be the talent that gets blamed. It's not a perfectly constructed team, but the pieces to the puzzle are in place. This coaching has just has to put them together.
Let's take a look at the top 25.
No.25 - QB - Arch Manning - Fr.
Is this a few spots too high? Maybe, but it's hard for me to leave the No. 1 overall prospect from the 2023 recruiting class off of the list, even if he's never even taken a snap in practice with the Longhorns.
No.24 - LB - Anthony Hill - Fr.
Let's put it like this ... he better be at least this good because the Longhorns are counting on him to hit the ground running as a starter as a true freshman at linebacker.
No.23 - Edge - Ethan Burke - So.
While he played only 39 snaps on defense last season, he did lead the team in production per snaps with an eye-popping and team-leading 3.63 snaps per production. It's the kind of number that has many thinking he's ready to take over the Edge position vacated by Ovie Oghoufo (17.29 snaps per production).
No.22 - OL - Hayden Conner - Jr.
The team's clear No. 3 player last season along the offensive line, the hope moving forward is that 2022 was a springboard to what's next and not just the level he's capable of playing at as a college player.
No.21 - CB - Jaylon Guilbeau - So.
Had an up and down season as a true freshman, but it's easy to forget that before injuries hit in September, he was a player that was playing in the nickel as much as anyone. I'm expecting a big bounce forward as he moves forward into the 2023 season.
No.20 - QB - Quinn Ewers - So.
From a talent standpoint, he should be higher. From a production standpoint, he should probably be ranked lower. Instead, he sits at No. 20 with all of us knowing that he has the ability to be much, much higher and also the capacity to fall off of the list completely. I've got a hunch that he finishes in the top 10 in 11 months from now.
No.19 - RB - Keilan Robinson - Sr.
Yes, he's a specialty player, but he's a specialty player that has the ability to provide an explosive play at any point, from any spot on the field. Here's hoping that the coaches remember that ability is best used in space and not between the tackles.
No.18 - CB - Gavin Holmes - Jr.
The transfer from Wake Forest has played in 28 career games (14 career starts) and was one of the most productive players in coverage in the ACC last season.
No.17 - DT - Byron Murphy - Jr.
Murphy didn't take the leap forward many guessed he would going into the 2022 season after such a promising start as a freshman in 2021, but hopes and expectations remain high as the clutter at the defensive tackle position for snaps has been largely removed. It's his show and the Longhorns need him to take that next step.
No.16 - RB - Jonathon Brooks - So.
I'm forgetting about the Alamo Bowl and focusing my attention on the fact that he averaged 6.6 yards per carry over the course of the season as a back-up. Is this too high to rank him off the basis of a solid game against OU and a 109-yard performance vs, KU?
No.15 - CB - Terrence Brooks - So.
I'm buying all of the stock in Brooks I can get my hands on. After learning the college game through trial by fire as a true freshman in 2022, the sky is the limit for one of the highest-rated cornerback prospects in the history of the program.
No.14 - S - Jalon Catalon - Sr.
At his very best, he's a top 5-10 player on this list, but in the last half season’s worth of games over the last two seasons, he's not been a top-25 type of player. Here's hoping he finds the form that made him one of the best in the SEC in 2020.
No.13 - WR - Isaiah Neyor - Sr.
The Texas offense missed Neyor more than we could have ever guessed when he went down to an ACL injury in August. If he's healthy, he has a chance to be exactly the player that this offense needed last year.
No.12 - DB - Jerrin Thompson - Sr.
Very quietly, Thompson had a very good year in 2022 and was fourth on the team in @Alex Dunlap's defensive market-share rankings.
No.11 - DB - Ryan Watts - Sr.
Watts is an NFL-level cornerback in the making and I'm convinced that going into the 2023 season, he's going to be one of the best players at his position in the Big 12.
No.10 - WR - Jordan Whittington - Sr.
This might be too high for a player that scored only one touchdown as a junior in 2022, but the talent for so much more is present if his quarterback can get the ball to him a little more than he was able to do last season.
No.9 - DT - T'Vondre Sweat - Sr.
Like Watts, I see an NFL player in the making with Sweat, even if his production from last season was begging for more.
No.8 - DE - Barryn Sorrell - Jr.
The team's leader in sacks last year with 5.5, a little more consistency and a little more productivity will have Sorrell's name on the tips of NFL scouts’ tongues. There are still more steps to take for him as a player, but he's seemingly close to taking them.
No.7 - OL - Christian Jones - Sr.
Jones was an honorable mention All-Big 12 player last season and his 2022 season was one of the top 10 seasons by a UT offensive lineman in the last decade. His return to the team this season has probably been underrated in terms of being an important event, maybe even by the Texas staff.
No.6 - DB - Jahdae Barron - Sr.
The No. 2 returning player in @Alex Dunlap's market-share productivity rankings last season, you get the sense that Barron might have an all-American level season inside of him before his career at Texas is concluded.
No.5 - WR - A.D. Mitchell - Jr.
Maybe this is too high, but how many players on this team would have started on last season's national championship team? I'm going to say none of those ranked behind him on this list.
No.4 - TE - Ja'Tavion Sanders - Jr.
One of only two returning first-team All-Big 12 players on the list, you can make a very strong case that Sanders is the nation's second-best returning tight end behind Georgia's Brock Bowers.
No.3 - LB - Jaylan Ford - Sr.
Perhaps I have him ranked a little low at No. 3, given his all-American season in 2022. Ford has a chance to finish his career as one of the best three or four linebackers in the history of the school with a big 2023.
No.2 - WR - Xavier Worthy - Jr.
Screw the dropped passes and lack of focus that popped up last season while he was frustrated with his quarterback play, Worthy is the most productive wide receiver through two seasons of his career than any player at his position in school history. He basically averages a touchdown for every dropped pass he's had in his career. There's no team in the country he wouldn't start for.
No.1 - OT - Kelvin Banks - So.
When it's all said and done, we're going to be talking about him in the rarified air of Leonard Davis, Mike Williams and Brock Brockermeyer as arguably the best tackles in the last three decades of Texas football.
No.2 - Put some respect on his damn name ...
Here's a look at where Xavier Worthy ranks among all fourth-year and all true junior power five wide receivers coming into this season.
Career Touchdowns
1. Xavier Worthy (Texas): 21
2. Marvin Harrison (Ohio State): 17
3. * Jalen McMillan (Washington): 12
4T. * Rome Odunze (Washington): 11
4T. Troy Franklin (Oregon): 11
6. Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State): 10
7. Ja'Corey Brooks (Alabama): 10
8. Mario Williams (USC) 9
9. Beaux Collins (Clemson): 8
10T J. Michael Sturdivant (UCLA): 7
10T. Malik Nabors (LSU): 7
10T. Brian Thomas (LSU): 7
Career Receiving Yards
1. Xavier Worthy (Texas): 1,741
2. * Rome Odunze (Washington): 1,632
3. * Jalen McMillan (Washington): 1,584
4. Malik Nabors (LSU): 1,434
5. Dorian Singer (USC): 1,406
6. Marvin Harrison (Ohio State): 1,402
7. Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State): 1,342
8. Troy Franklin (Oregon): 1,099
9. Dominic Lovett (Georgia): 1,019
10. Mario Williams (USC) 1,011
Career Receptions
1T. Xavier Worthy (Texas): 122
1T. * Rome Odunze (Washington): 122
3. * Jalen McMillan (Washington): 119
4. Malik Nabors (LSU): 100
5. Marvin Harrison (Ohio State): 88
6. Dorian Singer (USC): 84
7. Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State): 83
8. Dominic Lovett (Georgia): 82
9. Troy Franklin (Oregon): 79
10. * Elijan Badger (Illinois) 77
* Denotes player is a third-year junior.
Some of you won't have any idea of what you have until you no longer have it.
No. 3 - Missing Ced ...
It was hard to see this photo on Texas running back coach Tashard Choice's social media feed this weekend and not think about the person missing in this photo as much as those that are actually in it.
It'll be four years in August and it's still hard to believe that Cedric Benson is no longer with us. There's a combination of sadness and anger that exists in him not being in a photo of the school's Heisman Trophy and Doak Walker Award winners.
Continued rest in peace, Ced.
View attachment 3869
No. 4 - Some random recruiting thoughts ...
a. If the Longhorns want to finish with a top-five recruiting class, Steve Sarkisian and Co. might have to sweep both of the in-state five-stars - WR Micah Hudson and DE Colin Simmons. I'm just not sure there's enough in-state juice for them to get there and it's hard to know what the OOS recruiting will look like. This might be the year to save more slots in the incoming transfers than to give them out to high school prospects.
b. Seven visits might be the lucky number when it comes to landing Hudson. Getting him in for the spring game, an official visit and a game in the fall is the pathway to getting his signature. Hell, two visits this spring and an official visit might do the trick.
c. This is an official tally, but in a year when there really isn't a superstar offensive line prospect in the state, I found myself wondering this week which of the offensive linemen in the state has the most offers. Here's a very unofficial leaderboard:
1. Copperas Cove OT Michael Uini (37)
2. Katy Tompkins OG Ashton Funk (28)
3. Fort Bend Baptist OT Bennett Warren (27)
4T. Vandergrift OT Blake Frazier (26)
4T. Richland Hills OG/C Daniel Cruz (26)
6. Arlington Martin OTMakai Saina (21)
7. Frisco Reedy OT Max Anderson (20)
8. Lindale OG Casey Poe (19)
9. Beaumont United OT Weston Davis (17)
10. San Marcos OT Ory Williams (17)
11. Clear Springs OT Blake Ivy (13)
d. I find it very curious that Texas offensive line coach Kyle Flood loves Cruz more than brisket and he's tied for the fourth-most offers and yet, he's listed as a low four-star by Rivals and outside of the Rivals Texas Top 100 at the moment. For the record, I have ranked 21st in the state.
e. This kid is a must-have/must-get from my perspective.
f. Rivals has 63 four-stars from the state of Texas in the 2024 class at this point in the rankings, which is rather high for February.
g. I'm really curious to see Longview Taylor Tatum this track season.
No. 5 - Opening weekend blues ...
Let's all agree that this isn't everyone's first 0-3 rodeo to open a baseball season.
Been there, done that, as recently as two seasons ago. The Longhorns did go 0-3 to start the season in the Big 12/SEC Challenge in 2021 and still found a way to make a deep run in the College World Series.
The purpose of bringing that up isn't to make you believe that a similar fate awaits this team in 2023, as much as I'm trying to keep some of you from screaming bloody murder after seeing the team get outhit 33-13 over 27 innings of baseball.
There were concerns about the quality of this team for months and this weekend confirmed that a lot of improvement needs to be made.
Still, outside of a bad day at the office on Sunday against Vanderbilt, this team played its guts out in one-run losses to Arkansas and Missouri. There were reasons for hope in those contests. That's not me serving up moral victories like pancakes as much as it's merely me pointing out what happened.
The team has four games this week to work out some more kinks, including a three-game set at home to an Indiana team that was swept on the road by Auburn this weekend.
Let's see how this team looks in a week from now. I'm going to suggest there's no reason for a panic attack ... yet.
No. 6 - Three Things on UT Men's Hoops ...
a. Some of you might grumble when I write this, but the success of this year's team has a lot less to do with Rodney Terry's coaching and a lot more to do with the fact that Chris Beard built one of the most experienced teams in the country, with six different players having played 100+ games in their career before heading into March. That's why this team is winning. That's why this team is typically at its best in the final 6-8 minutes of every game more than it often is in the first 20. That's why this team is never out of any game it plays, even when it falls behind by double digits early.
Who needs to be the coach in the future?
The person that is best-equipped to repeat the team-building from this season because nothing matters as much during the season as much as how this team was composed in the first place. Regardless of who is coaching the team, having a squad with this much experience is what everyone has been waiting years for.
b. Kansas has the edge on the Longhorns when looking at the schedule in these final four games over two weeks in the chase for the Big 12 regular-season championship. Baylor probably isn't going away, either, even if it is a game behind the Longhorns and Jayhawks after Saturday's loss in Lawrence. It absolutely feels like at the very least a share of the title is going to be on the line in the season-finale.
Texas: vs. Iowa State, at Baylor, at TCU and vs. vs. Kansas
Baylor: at Kansas State, vs. Texas, at Oklahoma State and vs. Iowa State
Kansas: at TCU, vs. West Virginia, vs. Texas Tech and at Texas
c. A 3-1 finish and maybe even a 2-2 finish will lock the Longhorns into a No. 2 seed in the Tournament. Barring am 0-4 collapse and a first-round loss in the Big 12 Tournament, a top-4 seed is starting to feel like a lock.
(Image of NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee's rankings from Saturday via TheAthletic.com)
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No. 7 - It's coming down to next Saturday ...
The Texas women handled their business on Sunday against West Virginia after dropping a game in the mid-week at Iowa State.
It sets up a potential winner-take-all game next Saturday in Norman, with both Texas and Oklahoma owning 12-3 conference records with three games to go. Texas won the first match-up by 20 in late January, but if the Longhorns have had any kryptonite in Big 12 play, it's been with the team hits the road.
All three conference losses have been when the team has been away from home - in Stillwater, Lubbock and Ames. All by five or fewer points.
No. 8 – BUY or SELL …
(Sell) I think he has a much better season than he did a year ago, but I'm not quite ready to go out on that limb without any true visual evidence.
(Buy) Yes, I believe the staff will be doing everything it can do get at least one more starter through the portal.
(Sell) I think Texas wins that game, but I think they'll go 2-2 down the stretch, while Kansas goes 3-1, which would leave Texas as a #2 seed.
(Sell) If he doesn't stay in-state, I'd probably put my money on Alabama.
(Sell) Unless he leaves for a head coaching job elsewhere, I think Texas will do everything it can to keep him as an assistant coach.
(Buy) In less than 6 weeks. My money is on Ole Miss.
(Sell) I don't think this team collapses like that.
(Buy) Good is a pretty subjective picture to paint, but I think two will emerge as a solid to good players. I don't think we'll see great.
(Buy) They'll sign at least three large humans.
(Sell) I've heard more buzz about the offense than the defense at this point.
No. 9 - Scattershooting on anything and everything ...
... I'll take things on my Twitter timeline I didn't expect to see this weekend for $500, Alex.
... I didn't watch a second of Sunday's NBA three-point and dunk contests. I went to see Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. I'd give it 2 1/2 stars. It was good enough to enjoy, but I can't say that I'll ever watch it again. The final act of the movie kind of saved it from being a bomb. Michael Douglas might have stolen the movie.
... I'm pretty sure I've never heard the name Ricky Stenhouse Jr. until today. Turns out he had 2 wins in 363 NASCAR races coming into Sunday.
... I watched zero XFL this weekend.
... This is called hustling backwards.
... Does she still have eligibility?
... Man, Liverpool owes Real Madrid an ass kicking going into Tuesday.
... It makes me sick to my stomach watching Man City be normal every time it is battling anyone other than Liverpool for the Premier League title.
... Loved seeing Tiger Woods back on a golf course.
... Dear Marcus Rashford, please cool off soon. Thanks. XOXO
No. 10 - The List: Top 10 Chris Stapleton songs
It's been nearly a decade since I did a Top 10 list for Chris Stapleton. On one hand, that feels like too long. On the other, it's allowed his library of songs to build in a way that it’s given us time to see which songs have settled in as his all-time greats.
A number of newer songs are on this list, so let's get right to it.
Honorable mention: Daddy Doesn't Pray Here Anymore, Where Rainbows Never Die, Starting Over, You Should Probably Leave, Whiskey and You, The Price snd Drunkard's Prayer
10. Traveller
The debut song from his debut solo album of the same name. This is one of the songs that set it all off. The link below is to his network television debut on Letterman.
9. When the Stars Comes Out
Released on his debut solo album Traveller, this was never released as a single and might be his most low-profile great songs since he went solo ... I just love it.
8. Broken Halos
Rolling Stone writer, Chris Parton, named it country gospel after listening to a live performance of the song, and interpreted it as:
7. Inside Your Heart
A song from his time in the Jompson Brothers, it's been a favorite of mine for more than a decade. More rock than country, it has Stapleton at his blues/rock best. It's a freaking banger.
6. Barely Alive
Another song from his days with the Jompson Brothers, The man can just bring you out of your seat with the passion that comes from his voice. I hope some of you have never heard this song and give it a spin.
5. I Was Wrong
Was never released as a single, but this Austin City Limits recording has 32 million views on YouTube because he brings the f'ing heat.
4. Cold
How on earth did this not crack the top 20 on the US Hot Country Songs. It's nearly perfect. The fact that it won a Grammy for Best Country Song makes me think the Grammy Awards might not suck.
3. Fire Away
There's a very good chance that either you or your wife or both have watched this video and cried. It definitely gets me in my feels.
2. What Are You Listening To?
This is the song that turned me on to Chris. It will always be my personal No. 1 song of his.
1. Tennessee Whiskey
No song has been reacted to more on YouTube than this one. It's the song that made him a superstar.
I am not a huge modern Country music fan. But, it is easy to be a fan of Stapleton. The man is supremely talented when it comes to music. As someone who has played music, it is easy to respect his talent. I love the blues inspired music, as that is near and dear to my heart as the core of much of the music I love.
I know I'll take some heat for this, but if Casey Thompson had been QB 1 for Texas in '22, Worthy would have been all-conference and Texas almost certainly makes the Big 12 championship. Thompson connected with Worthy on passes of 52, 62, 63 and 75 yards, even though he only started 9 games and was playing with a major hand injury in several others. He completed 5 passes longer than 50 yards in 2022. Thompson's passer rating was 154.7 in '21 and 150.1 last year, playing for a putrid Nebraska team. Despite playing on a team with a much better OL and with a much better defense, Ewers didn't complete a single pass over 50 yards and finished the season with a 132.6 passer rating. Not implying that Casey is more talented than Ewers, but he definitely would have put Texas in a better place had he stayed and started last year.
TCU had a lot of experience this past season (per everyone stating as to why they had the season they had) and look what good coaching did with it. So basically if Texas loses more than 2 games and isn’t in the Big 12 CCG we can assume we don’t have the proper coaches in place.
Whatever we call the 2023 Texas Longhorns football team in the coming months as we approach the final season in the Big 12, make sure it isn't young and inexperienced.
As Steve Sarkisian gets ready for season No. 3 as the head coach in Austin, an inspection of his roster finds a team full of experience. The combination of Tom Herman's final remaining recruited players, along with a sprinkling of transfers and members of Sarkisian's first recruiting class in 2021, has Texas sitting pretty in terms of experience.
In ranking the top 25 players currently on the Texas roster going into the 2023 season, I found that 13 of my top 15 players on the roster will go into the season listed as a junior or senior.
Barring injuries ravaging this team during the fall, the pieces would appear to be in place for this team to soar.
If it doesn't happen, it shouldn't be the talent that gets blamed. It's not a perfectly constructed team, but the pieces to the puzzle are in place. This coaching has just has to put them together.
Let's take a look at the top 25.
No.25 - QB - Arch Manning - Fr.
Is this a few spots too high? Maybe, but it's hard for me to leave the No. 1 overall prospect from the 2023 recruiting class off of the list, even if he's never even taken a snap in practice with the Longhorns.
No.24 - LB - Anthony Hill - Fr.
Let's put it like this ... he better be at least this good because the Longhorns are counting on him to hit the ground running as a starter as a true freshman at linebacker.
No.23 - Edge - Ethan Burke - So.
While he played only 39 snaps on defense last season, he did lead the team in production per snaps with an eye-popping and team-leading 3.63 snaps per production. It's the kind of number that has many thinking he's ready to take over the Edge position vacated by Ovie Oghoufo (17.29 snaps per production).
No.22 - OL - Hayden Conner - Jr.
The team's clear No. 3 player last season along the offensive line, the hope moving forward is that 2022 was a springboard to what's next and not just the level he's capable of playing at as a college player.
No.21 - CB - Jaylon Guilbeau - So.
Had an up and down season as a true freshman, but it's easy to forget that before injuries hit in September, he was a player that was playing in the nickel as much as anyone. I'm expecting a big bounce forward as he moves forward into the 2023 season.
No.20 - QB - Quinn Ewers - So.
From a talent standpoint, he should be higher. From a production standpoint, he should probably be ranked lower. Instead, he sits at No. 20 with all of us knowing that he has the ability to be much, much higher and also the capacity to fall off of the list completely. I've got a hunch that he finishes in the top 10 in 11 months from now.
No.19 - RB - Keilan Robinson - Sr.
Yes, he's a specialty player, but he's a specialty player that has the ability to provide an explosive play at any point, from any spot on the field. Here's hoping that the coaches remember that ability is best used in space and not between the tackles.
No.18 - CB - Gavin Holmes - Jr.
The transfer from Wake Forest has played in 28 career games (14 career starts) and was one of the most productive players in coverage in the ACC last season.
No.17 - DT - Byron Murphy - Jr.
Murphy didn't take the leap forward many guessed he would going into the 2022 season after such a promising start as a freshman in 2021, but hopes and expectations remain high as the clutter at the defensive tackle position for snaps has been largely removed. It's his show and the Longhorns need him to take that next step.
No.16 - RB - Jonathon Brooks - So.
I'm forgetting about the Alamo Bowl and focusing my attention on the fact that he averaged 6.6 yards per carry over the course of the season as a back-up. Is this too high to rank him off the basis of a solid game against OU and a 109-yard performance vs, KU?
No.15 - CB - Terrence Brooks - So.
I'm buying all of the stock in Brooks I can get my hands on. After learning the college game through trial by fire as a true freshman in 2022, the sky is the limit for one of the highest-rated cornerback prospects in the history of the program.
No.14 - S - Jalon Catalon - Sr.
At his very best, he's a top 5-10 player on this list, but in the last half season’s worth of games over the last two seasons, he's not been a top-25 type of player. Here's hoping he finds the form that made him one of the best in the SEC in 2020.
No.13 - WR - Isaiah Neyor - Sr.
The Texas offense missed Neyor more than we could have ever guessed when he went down to an ACL injury in August. If he's healthy, he has a chance to be exactly the player that this offense needed last year.
No.12 - DB - Jerrin Thompson - Sr.
Very quietly, Thompson had a very good year in 2022 and was fourth on the team in @Alex Dunlap's defensive market-share rankings.
No.11 - DB - Ryan Watts - Sr.
Watts is an NFL-level cornerback in the making and I'm convinced that going into the 2023 season, he's going to be one of the best players at his position in the Big 12.
No.10 - WR - Jordan Whittington - Sr.
This might be too high for a player that scored only one touchdown as a junior in 2022, but the talent for so much more is present if his quarterback can get the ball to him a little more than he was able to do last season.
No.9 - DT - T'Vondre Sweat - Sr.
Like Watts, I see an NFL player in the making with Sweat, even if his production from last season was begging for more.
No.8 - DE - Barryn Sorrell - Jr.
The team's leader in sacks last year with 5.5, a little more consistency and a little more productivity will have Sorrell's name on the tips of NFL scouts’ tongues. There are still more steps to take for him as a player, but he's seemingly close to taking them.
No.7 - OL - Christian Jones - Sr.
Jones was an honorable mention All-Big 12 player last season and his 2022 season was one of the top 10 seasons by a UT offensive lineman in the last decade. His return to the team this season has probably been underrated in terms of being an important event, maybe even by the Texas staff.
No.6 - DB - Jahdae Barron - Sr.
The No. 2 returning player in @Alex Dunlap's market-share productivity rankings last season, you get the sense that Barron might have an all-American level season inside of him before his career at Texas is concluded.
No.5 - WR - A.D. Mitchell - Jr.
Maybe this is too high, but how many players on this team would have started on last season's national championship team? I'm going to say none of those ranked behind him on this list.
No.4 - TE - Ja'Tavion Sanders - Jr.
One of only two returning first-team All-Big 12 players on the list, you can make a very strong case that Sanders is the nation's second-best returning tight end behind Georgia's Brock Bowers.
No.3 - LB - Jaylan Ford - Sr.
Perhaps I have him ranked a little low at No. 3, given his all-American season in 2022. Ford has a chance to finish his career as one of the best three or four linebackers in the history of the school with a big 2023.
No.2 - WR - Xavier Worthy - Jr.
Screw the dropped passes and lack of focus that popped up last season while he was frustrated with his quarterback play, Worthy is the most productive wide receiver through two seasons of his career than any player at his position in school history. He basically averages a touchdown for every dropped pass he's had in his career. There's no team in the country he wouldn't start for.
No.1 - OT - Kelvin Banks - So.
When it's all said and done, we're going to be talking about him in the rarified air of Leonard Davis, Mike Williams and Brock Brockermeyer as arguably the best tackles in the last three decades of Texas football.
No.2 - Put some respect on his damn name ...
Here's a look at where Xavier Worthy ranks among all fourth-year and all true junior power five wide receivers coming into this season.
Career Touchdowns
1. Xavier Worthy (Texas): 21
2. Marvin Harrison (Ohio State): 17
3. * Jalen McMillan (Washington): 12
4T. * Rome Odunze (Washington): 11
4T. Troy Franklin (Oregon): 11
6. Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State): 10
7. Ja'Corey Brooks (Alabama): 10
8. Mario Williams (USC) 9
9. Beaux Collins (Clemson): 8
10T J. Michael Sturdivant (UCLA): 7
10T. Malik Nabors (LSU): 7
10T. Brian Thomas (LSU): 7
Career Receiving Yards
1. Xavier Worthy (Texas): 1,741
2. * Rome Odunze (Washington): 1,632
3. * Jalen McMillan (Washington): 1,584
4. Malik Nabors (LSU): 1,434
5. Dorian Singer (USC): 1,406
6. Marvin Harrison (Ohio State): 1,402
7. Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State): 1,342
8. Troy Franklin (Oregon): 1,099
9. Dominic Lovett (Georgia): 1,019
10. Mario Williams (USC) 1,011
Career Receptions
1T. Xavier Worthy (Texas): 122
1T. * Rome Odunze (Washington): 122
3. * Jalen McMillan (Washington): 119
4. Malik Nabors (LSU): 100
5. Marvin Harrison (Ohio State): 88
6. Dorian Singer (USC): 84
7. Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State): 83
8. Dominic Lovett (Georgia): 82
9. Troy Franklin (Oregon): 79
10. * Elijan Badger (Illinois) 77
* Denotes player is a third-year junior.
Some of you won't have any idea of what you have until you no longer have it.
No. 3 - Missing Ced ...
It was hard to see this photo on Texas running back coach Tashard Choice's social media feed this weekend and not think about the person missing in this photo as much as those that are actually in it.
It'll be four years in August and it's still hard to believe that Cedric Benson is no longer with us. There's a combination of sadness and anger that exists in him not being in a photo of the school's Heisman Trophy and Doak Walker Award winners.
Continued rest in peace, Ced.
View attachment 3869
No. 4 - Some random recruiting thoughts ...
a. If the Longhorns want to finish with a top-five recruiting class, Steve Sarkisian and Co. might have to sweep both of the in-state five-stars - WR Micah Hudson and DE Colin Simmons. I'm just not sure there's enough in-state juice for them to get there and it's hard to know what the OOS recruiting will look like. This might be the year to save more slots in the incoming transfers than to give them out to high school prospects.
b. Seven visits might be the lucky number when it comes to landing Hudson. Getting him in for the spring game, an official visit and a game in the fall is the pathway to getting his signature. Hell, two visits this spring and an official visit might do the trick.
c. This is an official tally, but in a year when there really isn't a superstar offensive line prospect in the state, I found myself wondering this week which of the offensive linemen in the state has the most offers. Here's a very unofficial leaderboard:
1. Copperas Cove OT Michael Uini (37)
2. Katy Tompkins OG Ashton Funk (28)
3. Fort Bend Baptist OT Bennett Warren (27)
4T. Vandergrift OT Blake Frazier (26)
4T. Richland Hills OG/C Daniel Cruz (26)
6. Arlington Martin OTMakai Saina (21)
7. Frisco Reedy OT Max Anderson (20)
8. Lindale OG Casey Poe (19)
9. Beaumont United OT Weston Davis (17)
10. San Marcos OT Ory Williams (17)
11. Clear Springs OT Blake Ivy (13)
d. I find it very curious that Texas offensive line coach Kyle Flood loves Cruz more than brisket and he's tied for the fourth-most offers and yet, he's listed as a low four-star by Rivals and outside of the Rivals Texas Top 100 at the moment. For the record, I have ranked 21st in the state.
e. This kid is a must-have/must-get from my perspective.
f. Rivals has 63 four-stars from the state of Texas in the 2024 class at this point in the rankings, which is rather high for February.
g. I'm really curious to see Longview Taylor Tatum this track season.
No. 5 - Opening weekend blues ...
Let's all agree that this isn't everyone's first 0-3 rodeo to open a baseball season.
Been there, done that, as recently as two seasons ago. The Longhorns did go 0-3 to start the season in the Big 12/SEC Challenge in 2021 and still found a way to make a deep run in the College World Series.
The purpose of bringing that up isn't to make you believe that a similar fate awaits this team in 2023, as much as I'm trying to keep some of you from screaming bloody murder after seeing the team get outhit 33-13 over 27 innings of baseball.
There were concerns about the quality of this team for months and this weekend confirmed that a lot of improvement needs to be made.
Still, outside of a bad day at the office on Sunday against Vanderbilt, this team played its guts out in one-run losses to Arkansas and Missouri. There were reasons for hope in those contests. That's not me serving up moral victories like pancakes as much as it's merely me pointing out what happened.
The team has four games this week to work out some more kinks, including a three-game set at home to an Indiana team that was swept on the road by Auburn this weekend.
Let's see how this team looks in a week from now. I'm going to suggest there's no reason for a panic attack ... yet.
No. 6 - Three Things on UT Men's Hoops ...
a. Some of you might grumble when I write this, but the success of this year's team has a lot less to do with Rodney Terry's coaching and a lot more to do with the fact that Chris Beard built one of the most experienced teams in the country, with six different players having played 100+ games in their career before heading into March. That's why this team is winning. That's why this team is typically at its best in the final 6-8 minutes of every game more than it often is in the first 20. That's why this team is never out of any game it plays, even when it falls behind by double digits early.
Who needs to be the coach in the future?
The person that is best-equipped to repeat the team-building from this season because nothing matters as much during the season as much as how this team was composed in the first place. Regardless of who is coaching the team, having a squad with this much experience is what everyone has been waiting years for.
b. Kansas has the edge on the Longhorns when looking at the schedule in these final four games over two weeks in the chase for the Big 12 regular-season championship. Baylor probably isn't going away, either, even if it is a game behind the Longhorns and Jayhawks after Saturday's loss in Lawrence. It absolutely feels like at the very least a share of the title is going to be on the line in the season-finale.
Texas: vs. Iowa State, at Baylor, at TCU and vs. vs. Kansas
Baylor: at Kansas State, vs. Texas, at Oklahoma State and vs. Iowa State
Kansas: at TCU, vs. West Virginia, vs. Texas Tech and at Texas
c. A 3-1 finish and maybe even a 2-2 finish will lock the Longhorns into a No. 2 seed in the Tournament. Barring am 0-4 collapse and a first-round loss in the Big 12 Tournament, a top-4 seed is starting to feel like a lock.
(Image of NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee's rankings from Saturday via TheAthletic.com)
View attachment 3868
No. 7 - It's coming down to next Saturday ...
The Texas women handled their business on Sunday against West Virginia after dropping a game in the mid-week at Iowa State.
It sets up a potential winner-take-all game next Saturday in Norman, with both Texas and Oklahoma owning 12-3 conference records with three games to go. Texas won the first match-up by 20 in late January, but if the Longhorns have had any kryptonite in Big 12 play, it's been with the team hits the road.
All three conference losses have been when the team has been away from home - in Stillwater, Lubbock and Ames. All by five or fewer points.
No. 8 – BUY or SELL …
(Sell) I think he has a much better season than he did a year ago, but I'm not quite ready to go out on that limb without any true visual evidence.
(Buy) Yes, I believe the staff will be doing everything it can do get at least one more starter through the portal.
(Sell) I think Texas wins that game, but I think they'll go 2-2 down the stretch, while Kansas goes 3-1, which would leave Texas as a #2 seed.
(Sell) If he doesn't stay in-state, I'd probably put my money on Alabama.
(Sell) Unless he leaves for a head coaching job elsewhere, I think Texas will do everything it can to keep him as an assistant coach.
(Buy) In less than 6 weeks. My money is on Ole Miss.
(Sell) I don't think this team collapses like that.
(Buy) Good is a pretty subjective picture to paint, but I think two will emerge as a solid to good players. I don't think we'll see great.
(Buy) They'll sign at least three large humans.
(Sell) I've heard more buzz about the offense than the defense at this point.
No. 9 - Scattershooting on anything and everything ...
... I'll take things on my Twitter timeline I didn't expect to see this weekend for $500, Alex.
... I didn't watch a second of Sunday's NBA three-point and dunk contests. I went to see Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. I'd give it 2 1/2 stars. It was good enough to enjoy, but I can't say that I'll ever watch it again. The final act of the movie kind of saved it from being a bomb. Michael Douglas might have stolen the movie.
... I'm pretty sure I've never heard the name Ricky Stenhouse Jr. until today. Turns out he had 2 wins in 363 NASCAR races coming into Sunday.
... I watched zero XFL this weekend.
... This is called hustling backwards.
... Does she still have eligibility?
... Man, Liverpool owes Real Madrid an ass kicking going into Tuesday.
... It makes me sick to my stomach watching Man City be normal every time it is battling anyone other than Liverpool for the Premier League title.
... Loved seeing Tiger Woods back on a golf course.
... Dear Marcus Rashford, please cool off soon. Thanks. XOXO
No. 10 - The List: Top 10 Chris Stapleton songs
It's been nearly a decade since I did a Top 10 list for Chris Stapleton. On one hand, that feels like too long. On the other, it's allowed his library of songs to build in a way that it’s given us time to see which songs have settled in as his all-time greats.
A number of newer songs are on this list, so let's get right to it.
Honorable mention: Daddy Doesn't Pray Here Anymore, Where Rainbows Never Die, Starting Over, You Should Probably Leave, Whiskey and You, The Price snd Drunkard's Prayer
10. Traveller
The debut song from his debut solo album of the same name. This is one of the songs that set it all off. The link below is to his network television debut on Letterman.
9. When the Stars Comes Out
Released on his debut solo album Traveller, this was never released as a single and might be his most low-profile great songs since he went solo ... I just love it.
8. Broken Halos
Rolling Stone writer, Chris Parton, named it country gospel after listening to a live performance of the song, and interpreted it as:
7. Inside Your Heart
A song from his time in the Jompson Brothers, it's been a favorite of mine for more than a decade. More rock than country, it has Stapleton at his blues/rock best. It's a freaking banger.
6. Barely Alive
Another song from his days with the Jompson Brothers, The man can just bring you out of your seat with the passion that comes from his voice. I hope some of you have never heard this song and give it a spin.
5. I Was Wrong
Was never released as a single, but this Austin City Limits recording has 32 million views on YouTube because he brings the f'ing heat.
4. Cold
How on earth did this not crack the top 20 on the US Hot Country Songs. It's nearly perfect. The fact that it won a Grammy for Best Country Song makes me think the Grammy Awards might not suck.
3. Fire Away
There's a very good chance that either you or your wife or both have watched this video and cried. It definitely gets me in my feels.
2. What Are You Listening To?
This is the song that turned me on to Chris. It will always be my personal No. 1 song of his.
1. Tennessee Whiskey
No song has been reacted to more on YouTube than this one. It's the song that made him a superstar.
Thank you for the Stapleton list. How did I not know of him before his solo career. I feel like a loser.
