Once again, it's time for the 3-2-1.
This week's edition takes a look at Tom Herman's Monday press conference, where he once again impressed with his honesty and informative answers. We also look at spring practice, which begins today, and break down one of the team's key recruiters.
We take a look at three things we learned over the last week, two questions that are on our mind and one prediction. It's time for this week's edition of the 3-2-1 ...
1. Tom Herman continues to impress in his press conference settings
Tom Herman held his pre-spring football press conference on Monday and knocked it out of the park once again.
I think I've written about this every time Herman has held a meeting with the press, but it's so damn refreshing to hear him talk that I'm surprised every time he takes the podium. Herman is honest, he's direct, he delivers actual information and he doesn't pull any punches.
If I'm being completely honest, under Charlie Strong, press conferences were basically a waste of time. Strong rarely answered the actual question that was presented, and when he did stick to the topic, he never really offered up any information of substance.
Mack Brown's press conferences were always enjoyable and while he was more direct when discussing issues like personnel and injuries, he too was more guarded with information that what we've seen from Herman in his first few months in Austin.
The free-flowing information will likely slow down once practices start, and certainly in-season, when opponents will be paying close attention, but it's been a refreshing change, particularly from the staff that just left, and I'm enjoying the hell out of it.
When we talk about Herman answering questions honestly, I think I counted about a dozen "I don't know" comments during his press conference. It wasn't Herman sandbagging, he truly didn't know the answer to a couple of the questions that were asked because he hasn't seen guys on the field, and instead of delivering some version of coachspeak that answered nothing, he said he'll have a better handle on some personnel issues after he sees his team practice.
2. Herman's evaluation of the defensive linemen was an eye-opener
If we're picking one area from Herman's press conference in which he was most honest, it has to be in his comments about the defensive linemen coming out of off-season workouts.
It wasn't pretty.
Herman said finding some d-linemen would be a top priority for the spring, because he's not sure what the team has up front and too many guys appear to be out of shape.
"I'm worried about that group through the winter off-season. Didn't perform very well, and not sure about the types of bodies that we have there, as well," Herman said.
Herman went on to say the effort from the defensive linemen has not been up to the program's requirements, and he's not happy with the amount of extra weight some of the players are carrying around.
" I think we'd know a lot more if some of these really fat guys lost some weight .... what does their body really look like. Right now I don't know because we've got some guys that are 360, 350 pounds. I don't know how you move at that weight," Herman said.
The discussion of the defensive linemen's body type does raise questions about the players' efforts, or if it was a case of the previous staff wanting too much weight on their players and guys added bad weight. Herman said he wasn't sure the reason, but said the coaches, led by Oscar Giles and Todd Orlando are "working on" the situation.
Herman was brutally honest when discussing the situation. His comments about the weight the players were carrying around were critically honest, but he also said he's not sure yet if the team even has any talent in the front line of its defense. Some guys can run and change direction, he said, but the coaches won't truly be able to evaluate the talent level until they're well into the spring season.
One comment I found particularly interesting was Herman's declaration that the defensive line has to "find some length."
Overall, the roster isn't filled with a lot of players at end who are possess much height, but that comment sounded to me like a shot across the bow to Charles Omenihu. The junior goes 6-7 and is up to 270 pounds, so he's the one player on the roster who has real length, but I get the impression the coaches are expecting more from Omenihu. If he can take that next step, it would be a huge development for the defensive line, and Monday's comments may have been an attempt to light a fire under Omenihu.
3. Herman has a plan with the quarterback situation
Texas will go into spring ball with a two-man battle for the starting quarterback position between Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger. That much is known, and while the coaches will probably have a decent handle on the situation after spring ball, Herman said a final decision would not be made until about a week into fall camp.
That decision makes a lot of sense for a few reasons.
Anyone who has followed Texas football for a while knows the importance of off-season work for the quarterbacks in late spring and the early portion of the summer months. Oftentimes, it's in those player-led workouts where one player separates from the pack with his play and by earning the respect of the team. Herman mentioned on Monday that his ideal quarterback would be a player who others gravitate towards, who makes his teammates better. Some of that can happen this spring, but that picture will be more clear after the team gets to fall camp.
By waiting to announce a starter until fall camp, Herman reduces the possibility of one of the players getting upset with the outcome. Yes, there will be lingering quarterback conversations all off-season, but by waiting to name a starter, you're taking away the possibility that either player is going to lose some of his fire in the off-season. If both Buechele and Ehlinger feel the starting job is still there for the taking, they're much more likely to stay focused, stay driven and put in maximum effort after spring ball ends.
Herman was pretty specific in saying a starter would probably be named "five to seven days into (fall) training camp), and he had a logical explanation for that specific timeframe. By naming a starter fairly early in fall camp, either Buechele or Ehlinger will "know that this is his team" for a couple weeks before the season-opener, allowing either player to settle into the role and get used to the spotlight that comes with it.
As always, Herman has a very detailed plan, and his plan for handling the quarterbacks seems to make perfect sense.
TWO QUESTIONS
1. What are the top questions Texas will have to answer this spring?
Spring practice starts today, with the Longhorns set to go through non-pad workouts on Tuesday and Thursday of this week before backing off for spring break. The first two workouts are basically throwaways and we won't start to get any real answers on this year's team until April, but let's take a look at some of the top questions facing the team this spring.
1. Can one quarterback separate from the other?
Tom Herman mentioned that a starter will not be named until fall camp, but that doesn't mean either Shane Buechele or Sam Ehlinger can't make a move this spring. For Buechele, if he really distances himself from Ehlinger, it could all but lock him in as the starter heading into fall camp. For Ehlinger, if he can keep it even or even outperform Buechele, it will be a big first step towards the Longhorns having a true freshman starter for the second straight year.
2. Does Texas have an answer at kicker?
The Longhorns kind of lucked into having Trent Domingue fall into their laps last year, but after watching the graduate transfer in the first couple open practices, it was pretty apparent Texas was going to have issues in 2016. The new Texas staff was proactive in signing kicker Joshua Rowland in this year's recruiting class, but Rowland is still somewhat unproven, especially at this level. A kicker can be the difference between a close win or a close loss, and Texas needs Rowland to be the answer because I'm not sure there's another option.
3. Is the defensive line the team's biggest weakness?
The way Herman talked about the defensive line on Monday should have been pretty alarming for Longhorn fans. You're not going to be a very good defense if you're getting manhandled in the trenches, and in listening to Herman talk, he's been less-than-impressed with what he saw from his linemen in off-season workouts. Are there legitimate concerns, or was Herman simply trying to light a fire under this group? We'll have a better handle on that one in a few weeks, but Herman did say he's not throwing in the towel on the group so there is still some hope.
4. Can Chris Warren stay healthy and does Texas have any running back depth?
Projected starter Warren is still a big body, but he has drawn rave reviews for his work in the off-season. Now it's time to prove it on to the new coaches on the field. Warren has had some durability issues in his career, so Texas needs him to stay healthy. Who will be the guy behind Warren? Kyle Porter, Kirk Johnson and Toneil Carter are the most likely candidates, but will one separate from the pack or even push Warren?
5. Does Texas have any hope at tight end?
With Andrew Beck being out of action for at least a portion of the spring, I'm just not sure where Texas can turn at the tight end position. Peyton Aucoin will get a lot of work and converted wide receiver Garrett Gray will be in the mix, but Herman said on Monday Gray is probably a year away from being a contributor. There really doesn't seem to be an adequate answer here, which means Texas will probably have to scheme around the position.
6. Can players bounce back from their sophomore slumps?
There were big expectations for a lot of guys on the roster last year who were in their second year in the program, only to have Texas suffer an incredible run of disappointments. Can guys like Holton Hill, Davante Davis, John Burt and Patrick Vahe get back on track to what was expected of them?
7. Can the new coaches flip what has become a culture of losing?
This should probably be first on the list. Texas has lost seven games in three consecutive years, and that type of losing can be cancerous for a program and it can be a tough cycle to break. Herman said on Monday he feels the team is embarrassed by its performance in the past few years, but it's still up in the air as to whether or not the players have the mental make-up to turn things around. That monumental challenge begins on Tuesday.
2. What player has turned into arguably the best recruiter for the program?
Texas seems to be off to a good start to the 2018 recruiting season based on the interest from the state's top prospects. That's a huge first step. Obviously, winning football games in the fall will be a necessary step, but any coach will tell you he needs his current team members to be an integral part of selling the program if recruiting is really going to take off.
Texas has quite a few players who are great in that role, including names like Malik Jefferson, Patrick Vahe, Charles Omenihu, DeShon Elliott, Reggie Hemphill-Mapps, P.J. Locke, Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger, to name a few.
One name that has seemed to pop up as much, or more, than any other player on the team when talking to recruits of late is Malcolm Roach. After the recent UT junior day, several players mentioned that Roach was a guy with whom they interacted and related, and Roach was telling them of the positives of being a student-athlete at Texas. In fact, Roach was even involved in UT's recruiting efforts off campus with some players who hung around for the entire weekend.
Roach's presence is interesting to me because he's an out-of-state player, having signed with Texas out of Baton Rouge Madison Prep. Normally a school's primary recruiters are from players who grew up fans of the program, but Roach has fully bought in, he's a coach's son who does things right on and off the field, and his personality has been an effective recruiting tool.
ONE PREDICTION - The OB community is going to drink the Kool-Aid this spring
This is the best time of the year for college football fans because hope springs eternal, and I fully expect the Texas fan base to buy into the excitement that will build over the course of spring ball. It's the right thing to do, and with a new coaching staff, why not be optimistic?
My advice, as always, is to take a bit of a wait-and-see approach. Positive steps can be taken this spring, but most people behind the scenes will tell you that this team still has a lot of work to do before we start talking about knocking off some of the big boys on the schedule and competing for conference titles. Every time you find yourself getting a little too excited, remind yourself that this is pretty much the same team that has 16-21 record over the last three years. Keep the expectations realistic.
Herman and his entire staff have been ahead of the curve on everything they've done since they've been hired so expect more progress this spring, but remember there's still a lot of work that will need to be done in the off-season and in fall camp.
This week's edition takes a look at Tom Herman's Monday press conference, where he once again impressed with his honesty and informative answers. We also look at spring practice, which begins today, and break down one of the team's key recruiters.
We take a look at three things we learned over the last week, two questions that are on our mind and one prediction. It's time for this week's edition of the 3-2-1 ...
1. Tom Herman continues to impress in his press conference settings
Tom Herman held his pre-spring football press conference on Monday and knocked it out of the park once again.
I think I've written about this every time Herman has held a meeting with the press, but it's so damn refreshing to hear him talk that I'm surprised every time he takes the podium. Herman is honest, he's direct, he delivers actual information and he doesn't pull any punches.
If I'm being completely honest, under Charlie Strong, press conferences were basically a waste of time. Strong rarely answered the actual question that was presented, and when he did stick to the topic, he never really offered up any information of substance.
Mack Brown's press conferences were always enjoyable and while he was more direct when discussing issues like personnel and injuries, he too was more guarded with information that what we've seen from Herman in his first few months in Austin.
The free-flowing information will likely slow down once practices start, and certainly in-season, when opponents will be paying close attention, but it's been a refreshing change, particularly from the staff that just left, and I'm enjoying the hell out of it.
When we talk about Herman answering questions honestly, I think I counted about a dozen "I don't know" comments during his press conference. It wasn't Herman sandbagging, he truly didn't know the answer to a couple of the questions that were asked because he hasn't seen guys on the field, and instead of delivering some version of coachspeak that answered nothing, he said he'll have a better handle on some personnel issues after he sees his team practice.
2. Herman's evaluation of the defensive linemen was an eye-opener
If we're picking one area from Herman's press conference in which he was most honest, it has to be in his comments about the defensive linemen coming out of off-season workouts.
It wasn't pretty.
Herman said finding some d-linemen would be a top priority for the spring, because he's not sure what the team has up front and too many guys appear to be out of shape.
"I'm worried about that group through the winter off-season. Didn't perform very well, and not sure about the types of bodies that we have there, as well," Herman said.
Herman went on to say the effort from the defensive linemen has not been up to the program's requirements, and he's not happy with the amount of extra weight some of the players are carrying around.
" I think we'd know a lot more if some of these really fat guys lost some weight .... what does their body really look like. Right now I don't know because we've got some guys that are 360, 350 pounds. I don't know how you move at that weight," Herman said.
The discussion of the defensive linemen's body type does raise questions about the players' efforts, or if it was a case of the previous staff wanting too much weight on their players and guys added bad weight. Herman said he wasn't sure the reason, but said the coaches, led by Oscar Giles and Todd Orlando are "working on" the situation.
Herman was brutally honest when discussing the situation. His comments about the weight the players were carrying around were critically honest, but he also said he's not sure yet if the team even has any talent in the front line of its defense. Some guys can run and change direction, he said, but the coaches won't truly be able to evaluate the talent level until they're well into the spring season.
One comment I found particularly interesting was Herman's declaration that the defensive line has to "find some length."
Overall, the roster isn't filled with a lot of players at end who are possess much height, but that comment sounded to me like a shot across the bow to Charles Omenihu. The junior goes 6-7 and is up to 270 pounds, so he's the one player on the roster who has real length, but I get the impression the coaches are expecting more from Omenihu. If he can take that next step, it would be a huge development for the defensive line, and Monday's comments may have been an attempt to light a fire under Omenihu.
3. Herman has a plan with the quarterback situation
Texas will go into spring ball with a two-man battle for the starting quarterback position between Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger. That much is known, and while the coaches will probably have a decent handle on the situation after spring ball, Herman said a final decision would not be made until about a week into fall camp.
That decision makes a lot of sense for a few reasons.
Anyone who has followed Texas football for a while knows the importance of off-season work for the quarterbacks in late spring and the early portion of the summer months. Oftentimes, it's in those player-led workouts where one player separates from the pack with his play and by earning the respect of the team. Herman mentioned on Monday that his ideal quarterback would be a player who others gravitate towards, who makes his teammates better. Some of that can happen this spring, but that picture will be more clear after the team gets to fall camp.
By waiting to announce a starter until fall camp, Herman reduces the possibility of one of the players getting upset with the outcome. Yes, there will be lingering quarterback conversations all off-season, but by waiting to name a starter, you're taking away the possibility that either player is going to lose some of his fire in the off-season. If both Buechele and Ehlinger feel the starting job is still there for the taking, they're much more likely to stay focused, stay driven and put in maximum effort after spring ball ends.
Herman was pretty specific in saying a starter would probably be named "five to seven days into (fall) training camp), and he had a logical explanation for that specific timeframe. By naming a starter fairly early in fall camp, either Buechele or Ehlinger will "know that this is his team" for a couple weeks before the season-opener, allowing either player to settle into the role and get used to the spotlight that comes with it.
As always, Herman has a very detailed plan, and his plan for handling the quarterbacks seems to make perfect sense.
TWO QUESTIONS
1. What are the top questions Texas will have to answer this spring?
Spring practice starts today, with the Longhorns set to go through non-pad workouts on Tuesday and Thursday of this week before backing off for spring break. The first two workouts are basically throwaways and we won't start to get any real answers on this year's team until April, but let's take a look at some of the top questions facing the team this spring.
1. Can one quarterback separate from the other?
Tom Herman mentioned that a starter will not be named until fall camp, but that doesn't mean either Shane Buechele or Sam Ehlinger can't make a move this spring. For Buechele, if he really distances himself from Ehlinger, it could all but lock him in as the starter heading into fall camp. For Ehlinger, if he can keep it even or even outperform Buechele, it will be a big first step towards the Longhorns having a true freshman starter for the second straight year.
2. Does Texas have an answer at kicker?
The Longhorns kind of lucked into having Trent Domingue fall into their laps last year, but after watching the graduate transfer in the first couple open practices, it was pretty apparent Texas was going to have issues in 2016. The new Texas staff was proactive in signing kicker Joshua Rowland in this year's recruiting class, but Rowland is still somewhat unproven, especially at this level. A kicker can be the difference between a close win or a close loss, and Texas needs Rowland to be the answer because I'm not sure there's another option.
3. Is the defensive line the team's biggest weakness?
The way Herman talked about the defensive line on Monday should have been pretty alarming for Longhorn fans. You're not going to be a very good defense if you're getting manhandled in the trenches, and in listening to Herman talk, he's been less-than-impressed with what he saw from his linemen in off-season workouts. Are there legitimate concerns, or was Herman simply trying to light a fire under this group? We'll have a better handle on that one in a few weeks, but Herman did say he's not throwing in the towel on the group so there is still some hope.
4. Can Chris Warren stay healthy and does Texas have any running back depth?
Projected starter Warren is still a big body, but he has drawn rave reviews for his work in the off-season. Now it's time to prove it on to the new coaches on the field. Warren has had some durability issues in his career, so Texas needs him to stay healthy. Who will be the guy behind Warren? Kyle Porter, Kirk Johnson and Toneil Carter are the most likely candidates, but will one separate from the pack or even push Warren?
5. Does Texas have any hope at tight end?
With Andrew Beck being out of action for at least a portion of the spring, I'm just not sure where Texas can turn at the tight end position. Peyton Aucoin will get a lot of work and converted wide receiver Garrett Gray will be in the mix, but Herman said on Monday Gray is probably a year away from being a contributor. There really doesn't seem to be an adequate answer here, which means Texas will probably have to scheme around the position.
6. Can players bounce back from their sophomore slumps?
There were big expectations for a lot of guys on the roster last year who were in their second year in the program, only to have Texas suffer an incredible run of disappointments. Can guys like Holton Hill, Davante Davis, John Burt and Patrick Vahe get back on track to what was expected of them?
7. Can the new coaches flip what has become a culture of losing?
This should probably be first on the list. Texas has lost seven games in three consecutive years, and that type of losing can be cancerous for a program and it can be a tough cycle to break. Herman said on Monday he feels the team is embarrassed by its performance in the past few years, but it's still up in the air as to whether or not the players have the mental make-up to turn things around. That monumental challenge begins on Tuesday.
2. What player has turned into arguably the best recruiter for the program?
Texas seems to be off to a good start to the 2018 recruiting season based on the interest from the state's top prospects. That's a huge first step. Obviously, winning football games in the fall will be a necessary step, but any coach will tell you he needs his current team members to be an integral part of selling the program if recruiting is really going to take off.
Texas has quite a few players who are great in that role, including names like Malik Jefferson, Patrick Vahe, Charles Omenihu, DeShon Elliott, Reggie Hemphill-Mapps, P.J. Locke, Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger, to name a few.
One name that has seemed to pop up as much, or more, than any other player on the team when talking to recruits of late is Malcolm Roach. After the recent UT junior day, several players mentioned that Roach was a guy with whom they interacted and related, and Roach was telling them of the positives of being a student-athlete at Texas. In fact, Roach was even involved in UT's recruiting efforts off campus with some players who hung around for the entire weekend.
Roach's presence is interesting to me because he's an out-of-state player, having signed with Texas out of Baton Rouge Madison Prep. Normally a school's primary recruiters are from players who grew up fans of the program, but Roach has fully bought in, he's a coach's son who does things right on and off the field, and his personality has been an effective recruiting tool.
ONE PREDICTION - The OB community is going to drink the Kool-Aid this spring
This is the best time of the year for college football fans because hope springs eternal, and I fully expect the Texas fan base to buy into the excitement that will build over the course of spring ball. It's the right thing to do, and with a new coaching staff, why not be optimistic?
My advice, as always, is to take a bit of a wait-and-see approach. Positive steps can be taken this spring, but most people behind the scenes will tell you that this team still has a lot of work to do before we start talking about knocking off some of the big boys on the schedule and competing for conference titles. Every time you find yourself getting a little too excited, remind yourself that this is pretty much the same team that has 16-21 record over the last three years. Keep the expectations realistic.
Herman and his entire staff have been ahead of the curve on everything they've done since they've been hired so expect more progress this spring, but remember there's still a lot of work that will need to be done in the off-season and in fall camp.
