Have not played well the last two games, has been the defensive performance. Lots of talent, unacceptable the way they've played.
Strong will run the defense. Bedford and Jennings will run the secondary, which is good because there's lot of young talent and things they can get corrected.
They know they have to get better, show progress as a team. Big game this weekend. Last year they were 1-4 going into this game. Records don't matter. Have to play with poise, play with confidence. If they get off to a good start and relax and have fun, it will be a good day for them.
It felt like the defensive staff move was something that needed to be made. Put in some new schemes during the bye week, but felt like right now he needs to start calling the defense.
He's been a DC before, he knows defense. Playcalling is a rhythm and you have to get on rhythm. There are some really good offenses in the conference and teams who can score. What's hurting them is they're not tackling well and they're not getting turnovers. If they get turnovers and get it back to the offense, they'll march down the field and get some scores.
The first year at Texas, had a lot of experience and talent on defense. Had some seniors who had been there. Last year and this year, a bunch of young guys playing but that's not an excuse. It's still about fundamentals and breaking on the ball. Sometimes young players are afraid of making mistakes, told them they have to relax and not let one lead to another.
Doesn't think it's a move out of desperation. He's done it before, can see where he can help them. Sometimes you need to breathe new energy into guys, thinks this will bring that.
2-2, still have 8 games left. Told the players yesterday, you go play, let him handle everything else. What is going to be said is going to be said. They were in a similar position last year, told them not to worry about it, worry about their business on the field.
You have to have confidence to get things fixed. They have talented players on defense. First drive against OSU, in man under coverage, had four guys standing there and nobody made the tackle. Last one before half, they got a sack, called TO, second and 17, let's get a stop and try to get a score to get the score closer, give up a first down on a blitz, then a big one down the sideline and then a TD when five guys are around the ball. Sometimes guys are pressing, have to break on the ball, have to attack the WR. Those are things that can be corrected and can be fixed.
It's not so much that you have to go in and make a big change. Sometimes when guys hear a different voice it gives them a shot of energy and confidence. If you have confidence, you start believing you can do it. You have guys who can make plays .. Malik, Hager, Roach, Brandon Jones, Jason Hall played great. There's enough there, now let's get them in position where they can go get their confidence back.
What's great about Vance, he's such a professional and he went to UT. He saw it. When they talked, Strong told him what he was going to do and Bedford took it well.
On what he'll do differently, it's more about getting guys in position to be successful.
Guys in the locker room are hurting, and that's good. It's good that they're hurting inside after a loss. Can't lose them, there are still 8 games left, can still make a lot of noise. Tells them all the time they're just as talented as anyone in the conference. They can score on offense, just have to make some stops and force some turnovers. It's all in place for them, they have the talent. Went though the schedule with the team yesterday. From talent, Oklahoma will be even with them, everyone else, feels like they're more talented.
It's always tough to make tough decisions, but at the end of the day, you have to do what's best for the program and the team. Vance is a pro and truly understands the move, said he'll do whatever he can do to make the team better.
In the spring and fall camp, the offense couldn't move the ball, could hardly get a first down. Maybe because they were installing at the time. So he didn't see the bad defensive play coming. It's the big plays that really get you.
Told players on defense, quit pressing so hard. If you play with energy and effort, you'll be on the right side of the scoreboard. They're pressing so hard, one bad play leads to another bad play.
When he made the change with Vance, he told them it may be that the team needs to hear a different voice. It's nothing against Vance, said right now he needs him in the secondary coaching those young guys. As far as their scheme, there are a lot of good things done, but what overshadows that is the big throws.
They're going to have two secondary coaches. What he needs is a guy, when the players come off the field, a coach is in their face saying 'this is what happened, here's how we get it corrected.' In secondary, you're going to give up plays, have to let it go and move to the next one. Thinks Clay Jennings and Bedford will be able to work together and get the guys coached up.
Brandon Jones is an outstanding player, has a lot of ability. He'll play a lot. Can cover, can tackle. With their safeties, they can rotate them. Now it's a matter of finding the right combination of guys.
He doesn't need people verbally coming out to support his job status. Eight games left, need to go out and win those.
It's not that players don't believe in what they're doing, but they have to trust one another. They all have a job to do. When they run the ball, be in your gap. When the ball is thrown, be in your coverage spots. Do that and you won't give up big plays.
What needs to happen, when you give them a plan and they believe in it and execute it, they won't press as hard because they know somebody will make a play.
It will be business as usual with his other coaching duties. He's not going to delegate his other duties.
On Foreman and Warren. ... Foreman will be back, had a good day yesterday. Should get him back the latter part of the week. Warren will not be back, do not know how long he will be out but won't be able to play this week.
On the PAT blocks, they were overloading. On one it was a whiff. Have to have good operation time, get the ball down and get the ball kicked. The glaring issue is the PAT/field goal. They only have the one offensive snapper.
He loves the 18-wheeler package. If it's early and third and short, they're going to go with it. What you like, when he goes in, it's going to be interesting because someone is going to get run over if they don't get their pads down. They'll continue to use it.
OU has done a great job running the football this year. Two big backs similar to what they have, but different styles. Texas has to be physical at the point of attack. OL is big, can they control the line of scrimmage? And have to keep Mayfield corralled.
OU went on the road and beat TCU at home. They were able to establish the run early. Second half, OU came out and took total control of the game. UT can't give up the big play, which is part of what OU does well.
Looking at the offenses ... it's all match-ups. Teams are looking for match-ups. If you go man, they'll throw it on you. If you don't load the box, they'll run it on you. They spread you out, so you have to show your hand and they take what you give them. You look at the games, can anyone stop anyone?
On coaching changes, you have to change with the game, do what's best for the program. He's trying to piece it together. The offensive change has been good for them, now have to get the defense fixed.
On defense, it's about pursuit angles and you have to go attack the WR. You have to attack his shoulder, give him only one way to go, get him on the ground. Texas players are freezing and the WR is able to run around them.
Last year against OU, jumped to a lead and rode the emotional wave. Have to go out this week and be solid in all phases.
He won't be completely ignoring the offense. He'll still have the headset on, will be involved.
Mike Perrin was at the PC. Strong didn't know he was going to be there, Perrin just making sure he's okay. "I haven't jumped off the stadium yet."
On people saying Strong not organized, changes are going to be made on the staff. When he made the offensive change last year, in recruiting, people want to play in an open offense so that's the direction they needed to go. In defense, feels if he runs the D and makes the calls, it's a good change.
At halftime, they've talked about what they're doing and how to make it better. Better play in the third quarter is more about the adjustments they made, fixing things they're not doing well. Have looked like a different defense in the second half.
He can't second guess his decisions. You can't ever look back. There are decisions that need to be made and you have to make them at the right time.
When he was at Florida, the year before they won the title in '08, the defense was awful. They went to the bowl game, played Michigan, and Michigan scored every single time. Had young guys then too. They were god awful in '07, went into '08 and the defense was a little older and they played well all year. He's had defenses flip their performance before.
Strong will run the defense. Bedford and Jennings will run the secondary, which is good because there's lot of young talent and things they can get corrected.
They know they have to get better, show progress as a team. Big game this weekend. Last year they were 1-4 going into this game. Records don't matter. Have to play with poise, play with confidence. If they get off to a good start and relax and have fun, it will be a good day for them.
It felt like the defensive staff move was something that needed to be made. Put in some new schemes during the bye week, but felt like right now he needs to start calling the defense.
He's been a DC before, he knows defense. Playcalling is a rhythm and you have to get on rhythm. There are some really good offenses in the conference and teams who can score. What's hurting them is they're not tackling well and they're not getting turnovers. If they get turnovers and get it back to the offense, they'll march down the field and get some scores.
The first year at Texas, had a lot of experience and talent on defense. Had some seniors who had been there. Last year and this year, a bunch of young guys playing but that's not an excuse. It's still about fundamentals and breaking on the ball. Sometimes young players are afraid of making mistakes, told them they have to relax and not let one lead to another.
Doesn't think it's a move out of desperation. He's done it before, can see where he can help them. Sometimes you need to breathe new energy into guys, thinks this will bring that.
2-2, still have 8 games left. Told the players yesterday, you go play, let him handle everything else. What is going to be said is going to be said. They were in a similar position last year, told them not to worry about it, worry about their business on the field.
You have to have confidence to get things fixed. They have talented players on defense. First drive against OSU, in man under coverage, had four guys standing there and nobody made the tackle. Last one before half, they got a sack, called TO, second and 17, let's get a stop and try to get a score to get the score closer, give up a first down on a blitz, then a big one down the sideline and then a TD when five guys are around the ball. Sometimes guys are pressing, have to break on the ball, have to attack the WR. Those are things that can be corrected and can be fixed.
It's not so much that you have to go in and make a big change. Sometimes when guys hear a different voice it gives them a shot of energy and confidence. If you have confidence, you start believing you can do it. You have guys who can make plays .. Malik, Hager, Roach, Brandon Jones, Jason Hall played great. There's enough there, now let's get them in position where they can go get their confidence back.
What's great about Vance, he's such a professional and he went to UT. He saw it. When they talked, Strong told him what he was going to do and Bedford took it well.
On what he'll do differently, it's more about getting guys in position to be successful.
Guys in the locker room are hurting, and that's good. It's good that they're hurting inside after a loss. Can't lose them, there are still 8 games left, can still make a lot of noise. Tells them all the time they're just as talented as anyone in the conference. They can score on offense, just have to make some stops and force some turnovers. It's all in place for them, they have the talent. Went though the schedule with the team yesterday. From talent, Oklahoma will be even with them, everyone else, feels like they're more talented.
It's always tough to make tough decisions, but at the end of the day, you have to do what's best for the program and the team. Vance is a pro and truly understands the move, said he'll do whatever he can do to make the team better.
In the spring and fall camp, the offense couldn't move the ball, could hardly get a first down. Maybe because they were installing at the time. So he didn't see the bad defensive play coming. It's the big plays that really get you.
Told players on defense, quit pressing so hard. If you play with energy and effort, you'll be on the right side of the scoreboard. They're pressing so hard, one bad play leads to another bad play.
When he made the change with Vance, he told them it may be that the team needs to hear a different voice. It's nothing against Vance, said right now he needs him in the secondary coaching those young guys. As far as their scheme, there are a lot of good things done, but what overshadows that is the big throws.
They're going to have two secondary coaches. What he needs is a guy, when the players come off the field, a coach is in their face saying 'this is what happened, here's how we get it corrected.' In secondary, you're going to give up plays, have to let it go and move to the next one. Thinks Clay Jennings and Bedford will be able to work together and get the guys coached up.
Brandon Jones is an outstanding player, has a lot of ability. He'll play a lot. Can cover, can tackle. With their safeties, they can rotate them. Now it's a matter of finding the right combination of guys.
He doesn't need people verbally coming out to support his job status. Eight games left, need to go out and win those.
It's not that players don't believe in what they're doing, but they have to trust one another. They all have a job to do. When they run the ball, be in your gap. When the ball is thrown, be in your coverage spots. Do that and you won't give up big plays.
What needs to happen, when you give them a plan and they believe in it and execute it, they won't press as hard because they know somebody will make a play.
It will be business as usual with his other coaching duties. He's not going to delegate his other duties.
On Foreman and Warren. ... Foreman will be back, had a good day yesterday. Should get him back the latter part of the week. Warren will not be back, do not know how long he will be out but won't be able to play this week.
On the PAT blocks, they were overloading. On one it was a whiff. Have to have good operation time, get the ball down and get the ball kicked. The glaring issue is the PAT/field goal. They only have the one offensive snapper.
He loves the 18-wheeler package. If it's early and third and short, they're going to go with it. What you like, when he goes in, it's going to be interesting because someone is going to get run over if they don't get their pads down. They'll continue to use it.
OU has done a great job running the football this year. Two big backs similar to what they have, but different styles. Texas has to be physical at the point of attack. OL is big, can they control the line of scrimmage? And have to keep Mayfield corralled.
OU went on the road and beat TCU at home. They were able to establish the run early. Second half, OU came out and took total control of the game. UT can't give up the big play, which is part of what OU does well.
Looking at the offenses ... it's all match-ups. Teams are looking for match-ups. If you go man, they'll throw it on you. If you don't load the box, they'll run it on you. They spread you out, so you have to show your hand and they take what you give them. You look at the games, can anyone stop anyone?
On coaching changes, you have to change with the game, do what's best for the program. He's trying to piece it together. The offensive change has been good for them, now have to get the defense fixed.
On defense, it's about pursuit angles and you have to go attack the WR. You have to attack his shoulder, give him only one way to go, get him on the ground. Texas players are freezing and the WR is able to run around them.
Last year against OU, jumped to a lead and rode the emotional wave. Have to go out this week and be solid in all phases.
He won't be completely ignoring the offense. He'll still have the headset on, will be involved.
Mike Perrin was at the PC. Strong didn't know he was going to be there, Perrin just making sure he's okay. "I haven't jumped off the stadium yet."
On people saying Strong not organized, changes are going to be made on the staff. When he made the offensive change last year, in recruiting, people want to play in an open offense so that's the direction they needed to go. In defense, feels if he runs the D and makes the calls, it's a good change.
At halftime, they've talked about what they're doing and how to make it better. Better play in the third quarter is more about the adjustments they made, fixing things they're not doing well. Have looked like a different defense in the second half.
He can't second guess his decisions. You can't ever look back. There are decisions that need to be made and you have to make them at the right time.
When he was at Florida, the year before they won the title in '08, the defense was awful. They went to the bowl game, played Michigan, and Michigan scored every single time. Had young guys then too. They were god awful in '07, went into '08 and the defense was a little older and they played well all year. He's had defenses flip their performance before.
