Maybe I have dipped into the Kool-Aid.....

[swVAHorn]

you are right to give Mack credit.....He deserves all the credit for bringing Texas back. if I implied differently I was wrong. What I was trying to point out was that what is said to be a weakness of Strongs coaching was also said to be a weakness in Macks coaching. I see lots of similarities in both men, but what I see as a difference is Mack was softer than Strong and I never think Strong will get to the point where knuckleheads can take over.

I see Daje as much like Romance Taylor......under Strong, Taylor might have been saved.

No no no Oldhorn, you were EXACTLY right in what you said. I was making the statement in reference to other posters that blame Mack for everything and never give him ANY credit. Sorry I put it on a reply to you. You and I see it the same way. Strong and Mack are a lot alike. Strong is not as soft as Mack in public for sure. I like both men. Mack showed what Texas COULD be. I hope Strong does so even more.

 

[oldhorn2]

swVA....Here is my thought on Mack.....I am grateful that he came in when he did and restored the program....no question about that. However, what I never liked about him was that soft, gentleman side that would not allow him to humiliate an opponent. I wanted him to keep his foot on the gas all game. I wanted him to do what DKR ( my gold standard for coaches) keep on pounding, just bring in the second string....then the third string. The main reason is that it gives all the players game experience...in games. Injuries happen and you never want to have to bring in...oh..lets say a freshman QB in a big game....oh, lets say like a Natty with all the bright lights on for his first real game experience.This goes for every position on the team. Bob Stoops understood this, Mack never did.

 

[swVAHorn]

swVA....Here is my thought on Mack.....I am grateful that he came in when he did and restored the program....no question about that. However, what I never liked about him was that soft, gentleman side that would not allow him to humiliate an opponent. I wanted him to keep his foot on the gas all game. I wanted him to do what DKR ( my gold standard for coaches) keep on pounding, just bring in the second string....then the third string. The main reason is that it gives all the players game experience...in games. Injuries happen and you never want to have to bring in...oh..lets say a freshman QB in a big game....oh, lets say like a Natty with all the bright lights on for his first real game experience.This goes for every position on the team. Bob Stoops understood this, Mack never did.

Dead on.

 

[CoachEmUp64]

Talk about a Kool-Aid drinker! This might be the Kool-Aid man himself.

http://www.burntorangenation.com/2016/5/11/11658774/2016-schedule

 

[Longyac]

While challenging, I don’t see a potential opponent we can’t defeat (contrary to how I've felt in previous years).

While it is factually correct that the team could upset anyone on the schedule; we saw with the ISU game what kind of ups and downs a young roster has.

 

[BringBackRoyal]

I've moved on from the sugar-free stuff since Buechele's performance in the spring game, but here's why I'm keeping it a bit diluted for now:

 

[Belldozer1]

I thought Buechele looked pretty good and I would expect him to get some playing time. The only thing I saw that may be a little worrisome for him was his running style, he appeared to run straight up but that may have been due to him knowing he wasn't going to get hit.

 

[TexExSpur]

I thought Buechele looked pretty good and I would expect him to get some playing time. The only thing I saw that may be a little worrisome for him was his running style, he appeared to run straight up but that may have been due to him knowing he wasn't going to get hit.

QB's were fair game and he looked similar to Colt in style.

 

[Belldozer1]

QB's were fair game and he looked similar to Colt in style.

? Sacks etc. were allowed?

 

[swVAHorn]

QB and DL is the reason to not add too much sugar in I think. If we had a QB that was just average for a school like Texas I would be fired up even more. Just want to see this team NOT lose to someone they should not and beat someone they should not beat....is that too much to ask!? Ha.

 

[TexExSpur]

? Sacks etc. were allowed?

Yup, show us what you got. They blew whistles but the QBs got flung around.


And need it.

 

[Belldozer1]

Yup, show us what you got. They blew whistles but the QBs got flung around.


And need it.

I believe you but I do recall Buechele scrambling but not getting leveled

 

[bubba2023]

It wasn't two below in the QBs, but they also weren't operating under real game conditions.

 

[bubba2023]

Buechele is small and running is a part of his game so injury is a legit concern since we know there is nobody behind worth a damn.

 

[MiccoMacey]

But I have been watching the players talk and I have heard about how some guys are really stepping up and I am excited about the future. Texas Football is almost back....I truly believe Texas is a QB away from being great. No I don't think Texas is a National Champion THIS year, but I expect them to surprise a lot of people. Somehow some way Texas has GOT to get a QB who can play Championship level... I hope he is ON Campus right now.

I agree, Texas has tons of talent. It absolutely comes down to finding a championship level QB.

9/4 Notre Dame (H) - L
9/10 UTEP (H) - W
9/17 Cal (A) - W
10/1 Oklahoma State (A) - W
10/8 Oklahoma (N) - L
10/15 Iowa State (H) - W
10/22 K-State (A) - W
10/29 Baylor (H) - L
11/5 Texas Tech (A) - W
11/12 West Virginia (H) - W
11/19 Kansas (A) - W
11/25 TCU (H) - L

That's 8-4, but I honestly believe you'll lose a road game you're not supposed to. Unexpected road losses happen to even seasoned, veteran QBs, I have to think there's going to be a game (I have OSU in mind) where it just doesn't go your way even if you're favored.

So my final prediction is 7-5. Depending on who you get to face in a bowl game, you could be 8-5 heading into next year with a veteran QB. That's trending up for next year as you have so few seniors on this team. 2017 could be Coach Strong's break out year. I just don't see it this year, not with a freshman QB.

 

[swVAHorn]

I agree, Texas has tons of talent. It absolutely comes down to finding a championship level QB.

9/4 Notre Dame (H) - L
9/10 UTEP (H) - W
9/17 Cal (A) - W
10/1 Oklahoma State (A) - W
10/8 Oklahoma (N) - L
10/15 Iowa State (H) - W
10/22 K-State (A) - W
10/29 Baylor (H) - L
11/5 Texas Tech (A) - W
11/12 West Virginia (H) - W
11/19 Kansas (A) - W
11/25 TCU (H) - L

That's 8-4, but I honestly believe you'll lose a road game you're not supposed to. Unexpected road losses happen to even seasoned, veteran QBs, I have to think there's going to be a game (I have OSU in mind) where it just doesn't go your way even if you're favored.

So my final prediction is 7-5. Depending on who you get to face in a bowl game, you could be 8-5 heading into next year with a veteran QB. That's trending up for next year as you have so few seniors on this team. 2017 could be Coach Strong's break out year. I just don't see it this year, not with a freshman QB.

Unfortunately I agree with you on young QBs and away games especially. I would not be shocked at 7-5 but I hope all the games are competitive and no blowouts to teams Texas should beat. If Texas beats ou then I think they win 9. As the year goes along this Texas team should get better and better.

 

[Scholz]

If only we could play the Reds.

 

[MiccoMacey]

If only we could play the Reds.

Of all the hurtful things anyone ever said to me...

Man, the wheels have fallen off. We need Dusty back! I bet/hope the Reds front office feels completely stupid for letting him go because he failed to make the playoffs (lost in a wild card game to Pittsburgh). A far cry from where we are now with our new manager. We have no pitching staff to speak of.

 

[Longyac]

That's 8-4, but I honestly believe you'll lose a road game you're not supposed to. Unexpected road losses happen to even seasoned, veteran QBs, I have to think there's going to be a game (I have OSU in mind) where it just doesn't go your way even if you're favored.

So my final prediction is 7-5. Depending on who you get to face in a bowl game, you could be 8-5 heading into next year with a veteran QB. That's trending up for next year as you have so few seniors on this team. 2017 could be Coach Strong's break out year. I just don't see it this year, not with a freshman QB.

I agree with having the unexplainable game from youth; see ISU last year but, as you said lots of young talent; thus Texas beats one of OU, TCU, or Baylor.

8-4 as long as there are no major injuries.

 

[swVAHorn]

Some are making excuses already. Texas has the 3rd most starts coming back from what I have seen. Texas is young at QB and DL...but there is NO excuse for another Iowa St. Not the loss so much but how Texas lost. They did not show up and that is unacceptable. If it had been a 24-21 game I would have been mad but ok about the loss. It was the total way Texas played in that game that pissed most Texas fans off....not the loss.

Youth will make mistakes but not showing up and not playing hard are never ok. I don't expect a game like that any longer. With this new offensive staff and Strong bringing in guys with pride I hope those days are over. Strong is going to get this thing going and he is going to get it going good....We will look back and think of his first 2 years like Virginia Tech looks at Beamers first SEVERAL years and understand he was building......Now if he keeps getting Iowa st'ed then he should be gone and the next coach will have some pieces to work with.

P.S. Ash played well enough as a true freshman...

 

[Longyac]

Some are making excuses already. Texas has the 3rd most starts coming back from what I have seen. Texas is young at QB and DL...but there is NO excuse for another Iowa St. Not the loss so much but how Texas lost. They did not show up and that is unacceptable. If it had been a 24-21 game I would have been mad but ok about the loss. It was the total way Texas played in that game that pissed most Texas fans off....not the loss.

Youth will make mistakes but not showing up and not playing hard are never ok. I don't expect a game like that any longer. With this new offensive staff and Strong bringing in guys with pride I hope those days are over. Strong is going to get this thing going and he is going to get it going good....We will look back and think of his first 2 years like Virginia Tech looks at Beamers first SEVERAL years and understand he was building......Now if he keeps getting Iowa st'ed then he should be gone and the next coach will have some pieces to work with.

P.S. Ash played well enough as a true freshman...

B.S.
ISU is exactly what happens with youth. Don't be surprised to see something similar this year. Bill Connelly wrote an article about how young Texas' talent is, and what holes need to be filled, just today. http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...2/texas-football-2016-preview-schedule-roster

P.S. Ash lost to OU 55-17, Rapylor 48-24, and scored all of 3 points in a road loss to Mizz as a freshman. As a sophomore Ash was trailing OU 49-8 in the fourth quarter when he left the game for an injury. Ash also had a very good OC in Harsin for both those years.

 

[Son of Wasatch]

Looks like someone at Brainiacs has also been in that kool-aid.

http://texas.thefootballbrainiacs.com/2016/05/gabriels-horn-2016-w-l-predictions-part-ii/

 

[swVAHorn]

B.S.
ISU is exactly what happens with youth. Don't be surprised to see something similar this year. Bill Connelly wrote an article about how young Texas' talent is, and what holes need to be filled, just today. http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...2/texas-football-2016-preview-schedule-roster

P.S. Ash lost to OU 55-17, Rapylor 48-24, and scored all of 3 points in a road loss to Mizz as a freshman. As a sophomore Ash was trailing OU 49-8 in the fourth quarter when he left the game for an injury. Ash also had a very good OC in Harsin for both those years.

Couple things...ISU is not exactly what happens with youth...it is what happens when you are NOT ready to play....Texas is still young but it is BRINGING BACK THE 3RD MOST STARTERS IN THIS LEAGUE...you are making excuses when there should be none..and what is weird is I am saying I think those games are behind us...NO not losing but HOW Texas lost....this seems very hard for you to grasp?....It was not losing to Iowa St at Iowa St. (which we should not have) it was HOW Texas did not show up..not the players and not the coaches...

Most all of us played this game...youth might mean something first 4 or 5 games of the season but if you have been playing a lot through those games you should be ready to play.....period. Football is not nuclear surgery dude...what position did you play that was so difficult it took you years to be average in?

I am actually in Strongs corner and I think he starts getting it done this year. He has the coaches FINALLY on offense that he should have had first year...and he has the players who have played quite a bit...except QB if it is Buechele and the DL depth...everywhere else this team should be strong. I am excited about Texas football this year and especially the near future when all this talent gels behind a veteran decent QB.

But there should not be a game where Texas lays an egg and does not even show up. You have your opinion and I have mine. When in your opinion will Strong be responsible? I am curious...

Oh and Ash did not lose because of him. The team lost because they were not ready to play and the Coach of that team is GONE!

 

[Longyac]

When in your opinion will Strong be responsible? I am curious...

In 2017 absolutely everything will be on Strong but right now his second class of his guys isn't even on campus.

 

[swVAHorn]

In 2017 absolutely everything will be on Strong but right now his second class of his guys isn't even on campus.

We agree to disagree. No coaching job in the country gets 3 years before they expect any results... Not everything as far as talent was fair to Strong...But HE hired Watson and so forth....a Coach that gets 5 million plus per year is expected to get the most out of his team.....no one can HONESTLY say Strong got the most out of his team and it was ONLY a talent problem. Listen longyac I like Strong a LOT and I think he will get this thing rolling now that he has the right staff for Texas and according to the sites he has been recruiting great.....according to the sites Mack recruited great too...

I want to make it clear that I know Strong did not have the talent he should have had at Texas. But I think Texas should have been better than they were the last 2 years....I blame that 60% on the offensive staff he hired and 40% on talent. What would you rate it at? 100% talent and if Strong had more talent he does way better? even with Watson? I have admitted I thought Texas had more talent than it actually had by the way. But Strong can't only get the glory when things are going right like beating ou and baylor and then get a pass by losing to Iowa st and saying..."its talent"...."its youth"...."its anything but the coaches fault"....if that were the case no coach would ever get fired. Anyway Strong is GOING to get it done and we can agree on that. We both love the Longhorns.

 

[swVAHorn]

In 2017 absolutely everything will be on Strong but right now his second class of his guys isn't even on campus.

you say second class but several of the guys in the first class were his....look it up.

 

[swVAHorn]

If this were a talent thing only then Art Briles never would have turned Baylor around....his teams got competitive even when they were still losing and you could tell he had them going in the right direction. A famous coach once said "he can take yours and beat his".

 

[oldhorn2]

swVA...it is true that several guys in the first class were Strongs, but damn man....he didnt get here till Jan of that year....not much time. Even still. This is the big time, and big time coaches dont get a lot of leeway

 

[Son of Wasatch]

Strong is responsible now, if he has another year like last year you can bet he won't be the coach in 2017.

 

[bubba2023]

I don't know how many years Strong gets, but if he can't do something positive on the field within the first 3 seasons, I don't why anyone would expect great things after that

 

[Scholz]

New OC. New QB.

 

[Son of Wasatch]

New OC. New QB.

Not a good enough excuse. If he can't get us to 9 wins by now, he isn't going to ever be successful at Texas. At this point, talent isn't the issue and neither is experience. We have lots of both, now it's time to put up or shut up.

 

[bubba2023]

His 3rd new OC.

 

[bubba2023]

How do you guys hold Watson responsible for failure but not Strong? Watson wasn't coaching his players either, nor Wickline, Norvell, or Koenning. Shouldn't those guys got 3 years to get their recruits in place before being judged?

 

[swVAHorn]

swVA...it is true that several guys in the first class were Strongs, but damn man....he didnt get here till Jan of that year....not much time. Even still. This is the big time, and big time coaches dont get a lot of leeway

I know what you mean oldhorn. I am just pointing out that SOME of the first class guys did belong to Strong...and I am sure some would have been offered by Strong if they were not already committed like Vahe for instance. Vahe belonged to Mack but Strong would have taken him in a heartbeat...Mack offered Bonney and Edwin Freeman and I think Freeman committed to Strong after Mack was let go... I just don't believe Strong got everything he could out of his first staff or team....I still believe in Strong though. I don't want this to come across any other way. I like him, respect him, and I believe he is going to be successful here at Texas. But at some point excuses need to stop and results need to happen. I don't think he could have hired anyone worse than Watson, and a couple other coaches on the Offensive side and that has to be on Strong and not on talent. Yes the talent was not up to Texas' standard and I have even said I was wrong on how much talent Texas did have....

I guess I just believe that Strong is the man to get it done and I think he has learned from his mistakes and is adjusting just like any GOOD coach would do. He saw problems and he addressed them, talent and staff alike.