Saturday was a new low point for the Longhorns under Charlie Strong, with Texas losing to an awful Kansas team. Is the decision to make a coaching change set in stone? How could this week have been handled better? Why are all the teams in the state of Texas so average this year?
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 The 3-2-1 ...
1. Texas doesn’t make it easy when it comes to coaching decisions
We’ve seen this before, but it doesn’t make it any easier to understand – Texas simply cannot do things efficiently and cleanly when it comes to coaching decisions.
In the short amount of time since Texas inexplicably lost to Kansas on Saturday afternoon, there’s been constant confusion and misinformation on what is going on with Charlie Strong’s future in Austin. And the confusion isn’t just with fans and media – people I’ve talked to with direct connections to the program have been left scratching their head on what is going to happen, and the people whose opinions will matter in the final decision aren’t a united force on how things are being handled.
There’s been conflicting information presented on just how detailed the conversations have been between Strong, UT athletic director Mike Perrin and school president Greg Fenves. One source I trust completely told me on Monday that the communication between Perrin and Strong had, at that time, been limited to a shortly worded text message or two. The communication between Strong and Fenves had been nonexistent.
Only at Texas …
My best guess based on the information I and my OB brethren have gathered is that Strong has not been directly told that he’s being fired. I feel confident that conversations have taken place behind the scenes and the decision has been made … for now … but direct word via a face-to-face meeting or phone conversation with Strong has not happened yet. That’s why you’ve seen so many reports from different outlets that the decision has been made to let Strong go, but Strong himself has said he has been told nothing more than he’ll be evaluated after Friday’s TCU game.
If you ask me, it’s a ridiculous cat and mouse game that is putting Texas in a bad light, and things are only going to get worse in the coming days, possibly much worse if the Longhorns defeat TCU on Friday.
Frankly, if the Texas administrators are hoping this thing ends with a clean break, the only way I see that happening is if the Longhorns lose to the Horned Frogs, eliminating all discussion of Strong needing to return for next year.
It’s going to look awfully bad for the decision-makers if Texas beats a bad TCU team, possibly soundly, and the players carry Strong off the field (you know they will), only to have it announced a day or two later that Strong is getting fired.
Similarly, if Texas looks like world-beaters in taking care of the Horned Frogs and there is any consideration at all towards keeping Strong, you’re going to have a situation very similar to three years ago when Mack Brown was let go. In case you’ve forgotten, in that instance, Brown was given a vote of support at UT’s banquet on Friday night, only to have several powerful boosters apply pressure to then-UT president Bill Powers on Saturday morning and basically force Brown’s firing.
If Texas wins on Friday, this thing is probably going to get ugly, regardless of whether Strong is fired or an attempt is made to retain him. Fenves and Perrin will have nobody to blame but themselves for any headaches that could be heading their way if Strong can rally the troops to a win on Friday.
2. Texas swung and missed badly by not being proactive with its decision and letting Strong go out on a high note
If the decision to move on from Strong has essentially been made, as sources have indicated and countless media outlets have reported, Texas could have handled the past 48 hours much better by announcing the decision and allowing Strong to leave on a bit of a farewell tour.
Picture this … Fenves and/or Perrin notify Strong that they’ve made the decision to not bring him back for 2017, and they deliver that news to Strong on Sunday instead of silence on the subject. The parties agree to either (a) issue a press release and statement on Sunday night or (b) let Strong make an announcement at Monday’s press conference. Strong comes out at Monday’s PC, with the entire Longhorn nation watching, and issues a passionate speech thanking his team, his bosses and the fans, laying it on thick how much he loves and respects the University, wants only what’s best for Texas, and feels it’s in the school’s best interest to head in a different direction.
In the above scenario, Strong gets a hero’s sendoff for the entire week and it eliminates any potential controversy that could arise should Texas win its regular-season finale against TCU. Strong could even stick around to coach the bowl game if he wanted, with the understanding that Texas is actively looking for his replacement.
Instead, Strong has dug in his heels and his Monday press conference only complicated things even more. If the decision has been made, Texas would have been much better served to just tear the Band-Aid off on Sunday night or Monday morning. But, God forbid, that would have required someone in a position of power making a tough decision that might have ruffled some feathers.
Then again, what do I know? Maybe Fenves, Perrin et al truly have not made up their minds and Strong finds a way to hang on and all of this is a moot point. Would that really surprise anyone at this point?
3. Strong’s support from his players is admirable
For all the issues Strong has had on the field, you sure have to respect the admiration and respect he has earned from his players.
The turnout at Strong’s Monday press conference was an impressive display of solidarity (see Anwar Richardson’s video below) and while that act isn’t likely to flip anyone’s opinion, it could give the Texas brass one more thing to think about should the administration have any doubts whatsoever about what they’ll ultimately do after Friday’s game.
On Sunday night, word began circulating that there was a bit of an internal team revolt, with a small group of players talking about boycotting the TCU game and others considering circulating a petition in support of keeping Strong. Twitter was blowing up with UT players reacting emotionally to the reports of Strong being let go.
It’s admirable how much Strong’s players care for him, and it’s not a factor that should be completely ignored. Ultimately, wins and losses trump all else – it’s the nature of the business – but Strong’s words on Monday about building complete men, caring for his players, academic success and laying the foundation for success do ring true.
Do they trump the lows that Texas has experienced on the field, including last week’s loss to Kansas? I’ll let each of you form your own opinion on that, but you do have to respect what Strong has built in three years in, as he put it, “the overall development of a young man.”
1. What are some of the interesting rumors and notes we heard in the past few days?
It’s been a wild ride over the last 72 hours, so here’s a bit of a hodge-podge look at some things we’ve heard on a variety of topics …
--- Baylor could be considered a small threat to hire Tom Herman, but there’s basically no way Herman takes the job in Waco if Texas comes calling. Common sense. SMU’s Chad Morris seems like the most obvious choice to take over at Baylor (and I think he’d do very well) but here’s a wild rumor I heard from someone who has connections in the coaching circles in the state … Baylor could also take a close look at Mike Singletary. That one would come out of left field and I wouldn’t run to Vegas with that info, but it is something that’s being discussed on some level behind the scenes. Singletary currently serves in a defensive advisory role for the L.A. Rams.
--- D’Onta Foreman logged an incredible 51 runs on Saturday against Kansas. The Jayhawks are pretty bad against the run and Texas’ offense funnels through Foreman, so a heavy workload was expected … but 51?
“That’s Charlie overriding Gilbert on banging the ball,” one person told me.
--- Interesting recruiting quote from someone who talked to a committed in-state defensive prospect …
“If Herman goes to Texas the line will form of kids wanting to sign up.”
--- The most interesting takeaway from Kirk Hersbtreit’s comments on Sunday night, where he said he had talked to Strong and Strong told him he hadn’t talked to anyone from UT, is that Herbstreit admitted he had a direct line to Strong. That pretty much confirms Herbstreit’s lack of objectivity on anything related to Strong and isn’t a very good reflection for him or Strong on the now-infamous “cesspool” rant Herbstreit went on back in early October.
2. Why are the college teams in the state of Texas struggling so badly?
Take a look at the standings in the Big 12 and the thing that stands out the most – other than Texas sitting in the seventh spot – is that the top four teams in the conference all from schools outside the Lone Star State. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia and Kansas State, in that order, occupy the top four spots in the conference. Only one team in the state of Texas ranks in the top 25, with A&M clinging by a thread to the No. 25 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Mediocrity abounds.
If we focus on the teams in the Big 12, the issues would mostly boil down to two major elements – quarterback play and coaching. A legitimate case can be made that Bob Stoops, Mike Gundy, Bill Snyder and Dana Holgersen are four of the five top head coaches in the Big 12 (along with Gary Patterson), so it’s not a complete surprise to see their teams rising to the cream of the crop in a very mediocre Big 12. Stoops and Gundy have the benefit of having two of the top quarterbacks in the Big 12, and that’s the biggest reason they’ll be battling it out for the conference crown on December 3.
I don’t know that there’s some magic recipe that will help the Texas teams climb the ranks in the coming years, but it would appear the Longhorns have the best shot, on paper, as Shane Buechele continues to mature. Regardless, it’s pretty staggering to step back and realize how bad the overall play has been this year from in-state teams.
ONE PREDICTION– Strong’s chances of staying are higher than most think
If you had asked me in the immediate aftermath of the loss to Kansas, my kneejerk reaction would have been that there was a less than 1 percent chance that Strong was coming back for 2017.
On Sunday early evening, I would have bumped the odds of Strong returning up to 5 percent.
After Monday’s press conference, make it 20 percent.
After bouncing ideas off people on Monday night and Tuesday morning, I’m going with 35 percent.
I still think a change is in the works, but if Texas wins on Friday, it’s not a foregone conclusion, in my opinion.
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 The 3-2-1 ...
1. Texas doesn’t make it easy when it comes to coaching decisions
We’ve seen this before, but it doesn’t make it any easier to understand – Texas simply cannot do things efficiently and cleanly when it comes to coaching decisions.
In the short amount of time since Texas inexplicably lost to Kansas on Saturday afternoon, there’s been constant confusion and misinformation on what is going on with Charlie Strong’s future in Austin. And the confusion isn’t just with fans and media – people I’ve talked to with direct connections to the program have been left scratching their head on what is going to happen, and the people whose opinions will matter in the final decision aren’t a united force on how things are being handled.
There’s been conflicting information presented on just how detailed the conversations have been between Strong, UT athletic director Mike Perrin and school president Greg Fenves. One source I trust completely told me on Monday that the communication between Perrin and Strong had, at that time, been limited to a shortly worded text message or two. The communication between Strong and Fenves had been nonexistent.
Only at Texas …
My best guess based on the information I and my OB brethren have gathered is that Strong has not been directly told that he’s being fired. I feel confident that conversations have taken place behind the scenes and the decision has been made … for now … but direct word via a face-to-face meeting or phone conversation with Strong has not happened yet. That’s why you’ve seen so many reports from different outlets that the decision has been made to let Strong go, but Strong himself has said he has been told nothing more than he’ll be evaluated after Friday’s TCU game.
If you ask me, it’s a ridiculous cat and mouse game that is putting Texas in a bad light, and things are only going to get worse in the coming days, possibly much worse if the Longhorns defeat TCU on Friday.
Frankly, if the Texas administrators are hoping this thing ends with a clean break, the only way I see that happening is if the Longhorns lose to the Horned Frogs, eliminating all discussion of Strong needing to return for next year.
It’s going to look awfully bad for the decision-makers if Texas beats a bad TCU team, possibly soundly, and the players carry Strong off the field (you know they will), only to have it announced a day or two later that Strong is getting fired.
Similarly, if Texas looks like world-beaters in taking care of the Horned Frogs and there is any consideration at all towards keeping Strong, you’re going to have a situation very similar to three years ago when Mack Brown was let go. In case you’ve forgotten, in that instance, Brown was given a vote of support at UT’s banquet on Friday night, only to have several powerful boosters apply pressure to then-UT president Bill Powers on Saturday morning and basically force Brown’s firing.
If Texas wins on Friday, this thing is probably going to get ugly, regardless of whether Strong is fired or an attempt is made to retain him. Fenves and Perrin will have nobody to blame but themselves for any headaches that could be heading their way if Strong can rally the troops to a win on Friday.
2. Texas swung and missed badly by not being proactive with its decision and letting Strong go out on a high note
If the decision to move on from Strong has essentially been made, as sources have indicated and countless media outlets have reported, Texas could have handled the past 48 hours much better by announcing the decision and allowing Strong to leave on a bit of a farewell tour.
Picture this … Fenves and/or Perrin notify Strong that they’ve made the decision to not bring him back for 2017, and they deliver that news to Strong on Sunday instead of silence on the subject. The parties agree to either (a) issue a press release and statement on Sunday night or (b) let Strong make an announcement at Monday’s press conference. Strong comes out at Monday’s PC, with the entire Longhorn nation watching, and issues a passionate speech thanking his team, his bosses and the fans, laying it on thick how much he loves and respects the University, wants only what’s best for Texas, and feels it’s in the school’s best interest to head in a different direction.
In the above scenario, Strong gets a hero’s sendoff for the entire week and it eliminates any potential controversy that could arise should Texas win its regular-season finale against TCU. Strong could even stick around to coach the bowl game if he wanted, with the understanding that Texas is actively looking for his replacement.
Instead, Strong has dug in his heels and his Monday press conference only complicated things even more. If the decision has been made, Texas would have been much better served to just tear the Band-Aid off on Sunday night or Monday morning. But, God forbid, that would have required someone in a position of power making a tough decision that might have ruffled some feathers.
Then again, what do I know? Maybe Fenves, Perrin et al truly have not made up their minds and Strong finds a way to hang on and all of this is a moot point. Would that really surprise anyone at this point?
3. Strong’s support from his players is admirable
For all the issues Strong has had on the field, you sure have to respect the admiration and respect he has earned from his players.
The turnout at Strong’s Monday press conference was an impressive display of solidarity (see Anwar Richardson’s video below) and while that act isn’t likely to flip anyone’s opinion, it could give the Texas brass one more thing to think about should the administration have any doubts whatsoever about what they’ll ultimately do after Friday’s game.
On Sunday night, word began circulating that there was a bit of an internal team revolt, with a small group of players talking about boycotting the TCU game and others considering circulating a petition in support of keeping Strong. Twitter was blowing up with UT players reacting emotionally to the reports of Strong being let go.
It’s admirable how much Strong’s players care for him, and it’s not a factor that should be completely ignored. Ultimately, wins and losses trump all else – it’s the nature of the business – but Strong’s words on Monday about building complete men, caring for his players, academic success and laying the foundation for success do ring true.
Do they trump the lows that Texas has experienced on the field, including last week’s loss to Kansas? I’ll let each of you form your own opinion on that, but you do have to respect what Strong has built in three years in, as he put it, “the overall development of a young man.”
1. What are some of the interesting rumors and notes we heard in the past few days?
It’s been a wild ride over the last 72 hours, so here’s a bit of a hodge-podge look at some things we’ve heard on a variety of topics …
--- Baylor could be considered a small threat to hire Tom Herman, but there’s basically no way Herman takes the job in Waco if Texas comes calling. Common sense. SMU’s Chad Morris seems like the most obvious choice to take over at Baylor (and I think he’d do very well) but here’s a wild rumor I heard from someone who has connections in the coaching circles in the state … Baylor could also take a close look at Mike Singletary. That one would come out of left field and I wouldn’t run to Vegas with that info, but it is something that’s being discussed on some level behind the scenes. Singletary currently serves in a defensive advisory role for the L.A. Rams.
--- D’Onta Foreman logged an incredible 51 runs on Saturday against Kansas. The Jayhawks are pretty bad against the run and Texas’ offense funnels through Foreman, so a heavy workload was expected … but 51?
“That’s Charlie overriding Gilbert on banging the ball,” one person told me.
--- Interesting recruiting quote from someone who talked to a committed in-state defensive prospect …
“If Herman goes to Texas the line will form of kids wanting to sign up.”
--- The most interesting takeaway from Kirk Hersbtreit’s comments on Sunday night, where he said he had talked to Strong and Strong told him he hadn’t talked to anyone from UT, is that Herbstreit admitted he had a direct line to Strong. That pretty much confirms Herbstreit’s lack of objectivity on anything related to Strong and isn’t a very good reflection for him or Strong on the now-infamous “cesspool” rant Herbstreit went on back in early October.
2. Why are the college teams in the state of Texas struggling so badly?
Take a look at the standings in the Big 12 and the thing that stands out the most – other than Texas sitting in the seventh spot – is that the top four teams in the conference all from schools outside the Lone Star State. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia and Kansas State, in that order, occupy the top four spots in the conference. Only one team in the state of Texas ranks in the top 25, with A&M clinging by a thread to the No. 25 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Mediocrity abounds.
If we focus on the teams in the Big 12, the issues would mostly boil down to two major elements – quarterback play and coaching. A legitimate case can be made that Bob Stoops, Mike Gundy, Bill Snyder and Dana Holgersen are four of the five top head coaches in the Big 12 (along with Gary Patterson), so it’s not a complete surprise to see their teams rising to the cream of the crop in a very mediocre Big 12. Stoops and Gundy have the benefit of having two of the top quarterbacks in the Big 12, and that’s the biggest reason they’ll be battling it out for the conference crown on December 3.
I don’t know that there’s some magic recipe that will help the Texas teams climb the ranks in the coming years, but it would appear the Longhorns have the best shot, on paper, as Shane Buechele continues to mature. Regardless, it’s pretty staggering to step back and realize how bad the overall play has been this year from in-state teams.
ONE PREDICTION– Strong’s chances of staying are higher than most think
If you had asked me in the immediate aftermath of the loss to Kansas, my kneejerk reaction would have been that there was a less than 1 percent chance that Strong was coming back for 2017.
On Sunday early evening, I would have bumped the odds of Strong returning up to 5 percent.
After Monday’s press conference, make it 20 percent.
After bouncing ideas off people on Monday night and Tuesday morning, I’m going with 35 percent.
I still think a change is in the works, but if Texas wins on Friday, it’s not a foregone conclusion, in my opinion.
