Spring football 2-Deep (Offense)

[Son of Wasatch]

Without any inside info this is my projected 2-Deep for Spring Training.

Offensive Line - 3 returning starters Kent Perkins, Connor Williams, and Patrick Vahe

Left Tackle
5 Connor Williams
75 Tristan Nickelson
Left Guard
51 Terrell Cuney
72 Elijah Rodriguez
Center
77 Patrick Vahe
XX Zach Shackleford
Right Guard
76 Kent Perkins
72 Elijah Rodriguez
Right Tackle
70 Buck Major
79 Garrett Thomas

Wide Receiver (H)
3 Armanti Foreman
17 Ryan Newsome
Wide Receiver (Z)
1 John Burt
5 Lorenzo Joe
Wide Receiver (X)
XX Collin Johnson
6 DeAndre McNeal

Tight End (Y)
47 Andrew Beck
42 Caleb Bluiett

Quarterback
13 Jerrod Heard
18 Tyrone Swoopes
14 Kai Locksley
19 Matthew Merrick
XX Shane Buschele

Tailback
33 D’Onta Foreman
25 Chris Warren III
41 Tristian Houston
28 Kirk Johnson

 

[CB32]

Cuney won't start, I heard Brandon Hodges is moving to center. I'd like to see Vahe stay at Guard. Caleb Bluiett will be the starter at TE, curious to see what Blake Whitley will do at TE. I am predicting Kai Locksley at QB

 

[outhereincali]

If you are correct about Andrew Beck over Bluiett then that means we will not have even one senior in the starting lineup when the Irish when the Irish come calling on Labor Day weekend.

 

[Son of Wasatch]

Cuney won't start, I heard Brandon Hodges is moving to center. I'd like to see Vahe stay at Guard. Caleb Bluiett will be the starter at TE, curious to see what Blake Whitley will do at TE. I am predicting Kai Locksley at QB

I'm not sure on the oline, Hodges struggled badly last year and some thought he would leave the program. If he can earn a starting spot, that would be fantastic.

I've said many times that Bluiett was the difference in many games and against Oklahoma he was our best blocker. I definitely could see him starting.

QB I actually think it will be Merrick who does the best. I see either Heard or Locksley transferring.

 

[Longyac]

Cuney won't start, I heard Brandon Hodges is moving to center. I'd like to see Vahe stay at Guard. Caleb Bluiett will be the starter at TE, curious to see what Blake Whitley will do at TE. I am predicting Kai Locksley at QB

Vahe absolutely stays at guard you don't move a guard that can pull like that to center.

 

[Son of Wasatch]

We need to put the best 5 on the field and if Vahe is our best option at C that is where he needs to play. We will know more when Spring Training rolls around.

 

[Metcalf #2]

Yeah I wouldn't rule out Vahe to center, although I'll be rooting for Shack to take over that spot so Vahe can stay where he's at.

 

[Metcalf #2]

Btw I'm sticking with what I said all last year. Kai is the future, and will be taking over at some point between the spring scrimmage and the RRR.

 

[CoachEmUp64]

IMO
Vahe stays at G
We start 1-2 frosh O-linemen

One of these 3 will start at slot: Curtis, Newsome, K. Johnson

Bluiett will start at TE

QB still makes me nervous as hell, it's a toss up. May the best man win and lead us to the promise land.

Hook'em

 

[Metcalf #2]

IMO
Vahe stays at G
We start 1-2 frosh O-linemen

One of these 3 will start at slot: Curtis, Newsome, K. Johnson

Bluiett will start at TE

QB still makes me nervous as hell, it's a toss up. May the best man win and lead us to the promise land.

Hook'em

Sir Kai of Locksley just told me to tell you don't be nervous. He got this. Lol

 

[jsto60]

If you are correct about Andrew Beck over Bluiett then that means we will not have even one senior in the starting lineup when the Irish when the Irish come calling on Labor Day weekend.

Kent Perkins will be starting and he will be a SR.

 

[Longyac]

We need to put the best 5 on the field and if Vahe is our best option at C that is where he needs to play. We will know more when Spring Training rolls around.

If this class has two guys that can run better as a pulling guard than Vahe it is going to be a very special class. Meaning no one is moving an OL with that kind of mobility to center.

 

[SCZHorn]

Why not Rodriguez at Center, he was known for being a smart OL in high school. Is already at 300 plus lbs.

Locksley won't transfer if he behind Heard and Swoopes he will start seeing time at WR. From what I have heard he would be our second best WR from the start, being 6´4 with that speed, and great hands...

 

[oldhorn2]

The QB is where it all starts. It is the straw that stirs the drink.We have this minute 5 QB,s on campus. We have a total new system coming in. One could say they are all starting from the same place and that possibly Buchel is more familiar with the system than any of them.I even hear Merrik is in a good spot. However it shakes out, I expect either Heard or Locksley to transfer out. If Kai wants to move to WR then that just creates a logjam there. I dont care who wins out, I just want a clear winner so there is no divided locker room.

If we go into the ND game with a clear cut QB that can play the position well, we will be in good shape for a very good year.....good as in 9 or better wins.If we have what we had the last 2 years we have the same results we had the last 2 years......One of them simply HAS to step up!

 

[outhereincali]

Kent Perkins will be starting and he will be a SR.

Isn't Kent Perkins a junior?

 

[CB32]

Kent Perkins will be a senior. I look for him to move back to guard with Ronnie Buck Major taking over the RT position. The only freshman I can see possibly starting on the OL is Shackelford. Vahe is a beast at G and he should be left there IMO.

 

[Son of Wasatch]

If we can find someone that can take over the center duties so that Vahe can stay at guard, I'm all for it. Perkins and Vahe at guard would make for a hell of a running game. Add in Williams and Major at tackle and the starting oline minus center is going to be pretty damn solid. Looking forward to seeing if Buck Major is as good as advertised.

I believe with just a little help from our QB, our running game is going to be as good as it was back in 2004 and 2005.

 

[outhereincali]

Well even if Kent Perkins is a senior that would only be one senior on offense and maybe the entire team. I keep bringing this up because coach Strong still has one more year to deal with the mess that Mack Brown left him with. I mean this year's senior class will be even worse than last year and that's saying a lot.

Of course that doesn't mean we can't have a better w/l record than last year.

 

[Longyac]

Inside Texas article

Instant Impact from 2016
February 4, 2016 by Sean Adams


Kyle Porter. (courtesy of Porter)

AUSTIN — Too much to expect a repeat of 2015?

Texas and its fan base might have been spoiled in 2015 with the amount of freshmen that were about to contribute at a high level almost from the start of the season at Notre Dame.

While it is a tall order to expect the 2016 class to duplicate the exploits of John Burt, Conner Williams, Patrick Vahe, Malik Jefferson, Holton Hill and Davante Davis, the age of college football where redshirts are assumed have long passed us by.

With that in mind, here are group freshmen that could be pressed into duty early and often either out of need or out of ability to impact on the field...

http://insidetexas.com/instant-impact-from-2016/

 

[CB32]

One good thing about having a new OC is that he doesn't owe anything to any of the QB's on the roster so he can start the best player, no matter who it is.

 

[Longyac]

One good thing about having a new OC is that he doesn't owe anything to any of the QB's on the roster so he can start the best player, no matter who it is.

And Buechele's HS team ran this offense.

 

[jsto60]

Well even if Kent Perkins is a senior that would only be one senior on offense and maybe the entire team. I keep bringing this up because coach Strong still has one more year to deal with the mess that Mack Brown left him with. I mean this year's senior class will be even worse than last year and that's saying a lot.

Of course that doesn't mean we can't have a better w/l record than last year.

Yeah, so Charlie also contributed to that "mess" by booting damn near half of Macks recruits. We could be talking about RT Kennedy Estelle becoming a top round pick this year as a SR. But he wanted to rap and over eat and drink purple drank. Not Macks fault. And while I am good with Strong booting him, story after story like that is why we are so young. Attrition was some kids wanting to leave bc of a new coach and others not wanting to conform and him booting them.


His approach was one of a CEO that drastically reshaped the company instantly. He could have taken more of a soft approach and it would have resulted in more wins in the first 2 yrs. One could argue it would be at the detriment of wins in yrs 3 and 4. But again that would all be up to how good the CEO was at the transition.

 

[speedstrength]

"Damn near half" - How is 9 guys damn near half. Of the 9 the only one that would have helped was Estelle and he wanted to be a rapper instead of a football player. Starting around 2006 there were rumblings from the NFL that players out of Texas were soft. Mad Dog went from being one of the top S&C guys in the business to coaching from his office with a bull horn.

 

[Longyac]

"Damn near half" - How is 9 guys damn near half. Of the 9 the only one that would have helped was Estelle and he wanted to be a rapper instead of a football player. Starting around 2006 there were rumblings from the NFL that players out of Texas were soft. Mad Dog went from being one of the top S&C guys in the business to coaching from his office with a bull horn.

I'll add to that. How is their not putting down the bong and going to class Strong kicking them off? Daje was able to put down the bong and go to class and made it thru his Senior year. I suggest you look to the East as to what happens with slack consequences that change based on who the next opponent is.

 

[Son of Wasatch]

"Damn near half" - How is 9 guys damn near half. Of the 9 the only one that would have helped was Estelle and he wanted to be a rapper instead of a football player. Starting around 2006 there were rumblings from the NFL that players out of Texas were soft. Mad Dog went from being one of the top S&C guys in the business to coaching from his office with a bull horn.

Actually NFL guys started saying that back in 2003. Guys like Mike Williams who were huge NFL busts were the basis of this. Texas began to help themselves in 2004 when Robinson and Tomey took over part of the off-season workouts.

Fatdog was good at the strength part, but he had no idea what conditioning was, and it was that way from the beginning. We lost to Oklahoma twice because we ran out of gas in the 2nd half. Outside of GDGD Fatdog was Mack Brown's biggest mistake.

 

[oldhorn2]

OK....I am gonna weigh in on thevQB for this year. I have given this lots of thought.....and I hope I am wrong. However, using the past as my guide, and assuming the competition will trulely be open, I am not sure who will win the job, but I think I know who will lose it. I fear the guy that will come out 5th on the depth chart will be Heard.

Again, I hope I am wrong, but I don't think so. Heard has done less work so far than any of the others. He has seemed to feel entitled. He basically wasted his RS season where as Kai and Merrick worked very hard. He is the worst passer of the bunch although he is the best runner.

Anyway, what do y'all think?

 

[Son of Wasatch]

Not sure you can call him the worst passer

OK....I am gonna weigh in on thevQB for this year. I have given this lots of thought.....and I hope I am wrong. However, using the past as my guide, and assuming the competition will trulely be open, I am not sure who will win the job, but I think I know who will lose it. I fear the guy that will come out 5th on the depth chart will be Heard.

Again, I hope I am wrong, but I don't think so. Heard has done less work so far than any of the others. He has seemed to feel entitled. He basically wasted his RS season where as Kai and Merrick worked very hard. He is the worst passer of the bunch although he is the best runner.

Anyway, what do y'all think?

I'm not sure you can call Heard the worst passer. If you are measuring by how they looked in High school, he was by far the most accomplished. Vince Young was an unstoppable passer in high school but had to learn how to pass in College, and again in the NFL.

We have 5 guys in this race and I just want one to win. Kai and Merrick are both guys with such different skill sets, same with Buschele. I think we are all in agreement that Swoops won't win the job. I also think one of the 5 will transfer over the summer.

I am actually pulling for Heard to win as his upper-class leadership would be a welcome to the offense, as would his running ability. I also want Buschele to red shirt this year.

 

[oldhorn2]

No doubt, I am pulling for him too.....I just don't think he will do the work. I said, I hope I am wrong.

 

[El Che Guevara]

What proof is there that Buechele ran the Gilbert offense in HS?

Also, I am hopeful we can have Vahe at LG and move someone else like Garrett Thomas to C

Williams Vahe ****** Perkins Major

Gilbert's scheme is a primarily zone isn't it? If so, it should be an easier adjustment for a new player to adjust on the O line

Skill positions look good. TE is about average but the rest have above average quality and depth

I think Locksley/Merrick/Buechele should be the top 3 at QB since the other two struggle mightily with accuracy

I also like the 18 wheeler package in the goal line by would like to see Tyrone work on protecting the ball better

 

[westx]

TE is about average

Bluiett earned more passes than he got. The guy made some damn good plays. It is hard to say with full confidence based on the few chances he got to feature his abilities, but he is well above average.

 

[outhereincali]

I don't who's going to start, who's going to be in the two deep, well find out soon enough.

What I want to know is will we have an offense that can score td's in the third quarter?

 

[Son of Wasatch]

What proof is there that Buechele ran the Gilbert offense in HS?

Also, I am hopeful we can have Vahe at LG and move someone else like Garrett Thomas to C

Williams Vahe ****** Perkins Major

Gilbert's scheme is a primarily zone isn't it? If so, it should be an easier adjustment for a new player to adjust on the O line

Skill positions look good. TE is about average but the rest have above average quality and depth

I think Locksley/Merrick/Buechele should be the top 3 at QB since the other two struggle mightily with accuracy

I also like the 18 wheeler package in the goal line by would like to see Tyrone work on protecting the ball better

I don't know what offense Shane ran in high school, but he is here for spring practice and all the QBs in the system are starting off pretty equal in understanding the offense.

Don't under estimate Heard, Vince looked like crap throwing the ball when he was a Red-shirt Freshmen, He looked just as bad as a sophomore, it wasn't until his junior year that he became the legend we remember so well.

I don't who's going to start, who's going to be in the two deep, well find out soon enough.

What I want to know is will we have an offense that can score td's in the third quarter?

I think next year will be the first time in a very long time that our offensive line will be more of an asset than a liability. That will help with redzone offense. I can't tell you how many times we left points on the board due to poor redzone offense.

 

[oldhorn2]

VY was an absolute stud coming out of HS. He was a very high 5 star....way ahead of what Heard was rated. VY was not a bad passer and had a strong arm, he just had a side armed motion that every coach tried to change. VY also had an extra gear in that "it" factor that Heard will never have. VY not only out worked everybody....he demanded that everyone else work their ass off as well. Heard is not even in the same orbit as VY. Before the team left for summer before the 2005 season, VY posted on the player board...Everyone meet here at 7 AM EVERYDAY...if you want to beat Ohio State.!!...When I see that kind of dedication from Heard, I will become a believer. Until then I look for Kai to be the man this year.

 

[Son of Wasatch]

VY was an absolute stud coming out of HS. He was a very high 5 star....way ahead of what Heard was rated. VY was not a bad passer and had a strong arm, he just had a side armed motion that every coach tried to change. VY also had an extra gear in that "it" factor that Heard will never have. VY not only out worked everybody....he demanded that everyone else work their ass off as well. Heard is not even in the same orbit as VY. Before the team left for summer before the 2005 season, VY posted on the player board...Everyone meet here at 7 AM EVERYDAY...if you want to beat Ohio State.!!...When I see that kind of dedication from Heard, I will become a believer. Until then I look for Kai to be the man this year.

Coming out of High School Vince was the only guy I ever saw that legitimately deserved a 6th star. He was the #1 recruit, and still I thought he was underrated.

With that said, Vince absolutely sucked as a passer It was not until his redshirt junior year that he learned how to pass on a college level. In fact, he was so bad, there was talk that we should move him to TE or to defense. His Redshirt freshmen year we still had BJ Johnson, Roy Williams and Sloan Thomas, and still our passing game was beyond bad. We finished that year with 5 losses. Would have been more if it wasn't for Chance Mock coming in and bailing him out against Tech.

What Vince could do was run his ass off, and that was his #1 asset until 2005.

 

[swVAHorn]

Coming out of High School Vince was the only guy I ever saw that legitimately deserved a 6th star. He was the #1 recruit, and still I thought he was underrated.

With that said, Vince absolutely sucked as a passer It was not until his redshirt junior year that he learned how to pass on a college level. In fact, he was so bad, there was talk that we should move him to TE or to defense. His Redshirt freshmen year we still had BJ Johnson, Roy Williams and Sloan Thomas, and still our passing game was beyond bad. We finished that year with 5 losses. Would have been more if it wasn't for Chance Mock coming in and bailing him out against Tech.

What Vince could do was run his ass off, and that was his #1 asset until 2005.

Vince Youngs passing might not have been great his first 2 years but it was far from the level of Heards. Young would be inconsistent passing.......Heard was atrocious, and not just passing......He never learned to get rid of the dang ball!!.....He would run out of bounds on a 2nd and 4 and make it 3rd and 14, and he did it from the first game he played in till the last.

Also Vince Young played in a prostyle offense his first year and it did not suit his style of play AT ALL. His second year they added some wrinkles but his 3rd year is when the run-pass options and the QB option run game took off.

You are right Vince got better and I see your point. It's just with Heard he seemed to get worse the more he played and not better.