The offseason is made for optimism.
Texas coach Charlie Strong knows that.
This is when most fans try to forget about last year’s losses and focus on potential wins in September and beyond. The incoming freshmen always give fans hope, even if there will be guys who never live up to their rankings or expectations. Many expect upperclassmen to shine with another year in the program. There are always new coaches with impressive backgrounds who promise to make their players better. The win predictions are much easier to talk about in June after a productive spring game.
The college football offseason is similar to the NFL, and most sports. I typed countless NFL offseason stories detailing why a team should be better than the previous season. I remember when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished 10-6 and barely missed the playoffs under former coach Raheem Morris in 2010. Fans believed Josh Freeman would be a better quarterback than Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez. Morris appeared to be the next Mike Tomlin. In fact, Tampa began the following season with a 4-2 record, and it appeared the Bucs were going to be back on top of the football world again. That was until Tampa proceeded to lose 12 straight games, which led to Morris being fired.
Prior to my arrival in Detroit, the Lions had a promising offseason. I will spare you all the details, but Detroit finished 4-0 during the 2008 preseason. Unfortunately, for Detroit, the Lions finished 0-16 during the regular season.
So far, there have been plenty of positive things said, written and imagined about the upcoming Longhorn football season. This year’s recruiting class was strong, and the recent Baylor additions have been like manna from heaven for Longhorn fans. Shane Buechele has given Longhorn fans so much hope, one person recently told me he believes the quarterback will eventually develop into a second-round pick (to be fair, my friend was on his third drink). Malik Jefferson looks like the real deal. Everyone in the building has spoken highly of offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert and his new offense.
Like any veteran, Strong understands everybody might be singing “We Are The World” right now, but the tunes will be very different if his team is not successful this year.
Strong was recently asked about the pressure and scrutiny he is about to face as Texas’ season opener against Notre Dame gets closer. There are plenty of reasons for optimism, but there will be a lot of speculation about Strong’s job security after this season. Everyone knows Strong’s record after two seasons. Strong has been the first to admit he needs to win more games. There is not a fan who disagrees with him.
As soon as people stop blowing bubbles in the offseason fantasy land and pick up their pitchforks, Strong has a plan.
“It (attention) will come,” Strong said. “What we have to do is not so much just put it on one person. It’s still about building a team and making sure that we prepare our team the right way and let them go out ... I know this, even if the focus is on me, I will shift it on the team and make sure our team understands how important this game (Notre Dame) is.”
Strong used the same method prior to facing Oklahoma last season.
Texas opened the season with a disappointing loss against Notre Dame. After defeating Rice, Texas dropped games against Cal, Oklahoma State and TCU. Texas was sitting at 1-3 and Strong’s future was seemingly in jeopardy. A loss against Oklahoma could have led to Strong’s departure after last season. There were several people associated with the University of Miami who wanted it to be known their program would gladly take Strong if Texas did not want him.
Somehow, that crazy storm led to Strong’s biggest win at Texas. The players wanted to win for him. None of them wanted him to go. Strong’s celebration after that victory is the happiest he has looked since taking over the program. Heck, there are even unconfirmed rumors about Pat Moorer grinning after the game.
The same kind of pressure will return prior to September 4.
There will be plenty of talk about the magic number of wins Strong needs to retain his job. Strong’s fate may rest in the arms of a freshman quarterback. The game will be played on a Sunday, and there will be a lot of people watching. Optimism can turn into pessimism really fast if this year’s game resembles the disappointing season opener against Notre Dame in 2015.
“It’s big,” Strong said. “I know last year we didn’t go out and play well at all. We’re at home. It’s an opener for us. You’re talking about it where we need it for our program. We need to go play well. We’re at home, too, so I expect us to go and play well … I told our players what’s really great is we’re the only game that Sunday. Now, everybody across the country will have the opportunity to watch you play. Why else would you want it any other way at the University of Texas? That’s the way it should be. Right now, we have a chance early to stamp our mark and see where we are.”
In fact, Strong said he plans to change his approach this season.
“I told our players I don’t think I did a good job last year with that game,” Strong said. “I just made too much about it early. Now, we’ll just approach it like any other game and let our guys get ready to go play it. They’re going to hear so much about it, there’s not much that needs to be said.
Right now, they are only hearing positive things.
That is what the offseason of optimism is about.
Strong knows what needs to occur to keep everyone happy.
Funniest Thing You Will See This Week
Sports On A Dime
1. It sure seems like everything is falling in place for UT’s football program. After two strong recruiting classes, Austin has become a place of refuge for players uninterested in Baylor’s downtrodden program. We knew Strong and his staff were later closers, but obtaining key players after signing day is an unexpected achievement.
2. If Patrick Hudson does not sign with UT, I will be surprised. No, I am not making any predictions, but the young man sure has clicked "like" on several Texas-related posts on Twitter. I understand anything can happen in recruiting, but this sure seems to look good for UT.
3. I realize talking about the 2017 season before we have played a game this year is premature, but UT seems poised to make a national title run in football and basketball (2017-18). Maybe I am wrong, but the foundation being laid by both programs has an Ohio State feel.
4. I do feel bad for Paul Manziel. It has to be hard to admit your son is a druggie (his words) who needs to serve jail time. The really sad part is so many people enabled Manziel in college. Remember how everyone protected Manziel after he got paid to sign autographs, and he responded with the money sign, which was basically the middle finger to his critics? His behavior arguably could have been prevented years ago.
5. Here is one thing I do not understand about Dez Bryant’s alleged trashing of the home he was renting. No, I am not questioning if he committed $60,000 worth of damage. I want to know why the hell has Dez Bryant been renting a home for $4,720 a month since September 2013 instead of owning his own house? Bryant reportedly received a $20 million signing bonus when he signed a new contract in 2015. Why has nobody told him to purchase a home and stop throwing away his money?
6. However, I do feel bad for Broncos quarterback Mark Sanchez (this is a first). Sanchez is among several athletes who were ripped off by a financial adviser who represented himself as a devout Christian. The quarterback reportedly lost $7.8 million because of Ash Narayan, who put money into a ticket business without their knowledge. The butt fumble gif just seems like piling on at this point.
7. Former NFL quarterback Tarvaris Jackson has issues. He is accused is being intoxicated and allegedly pointed a loaded gun at his wife. According to a report, Jackson’s wife had the best comeback ever during that horrible incident: “You better be accurate (because) you ain't accurate on the field.” If somebody sets up a GoFundMe drive for her divorce attorney bill, I definitely will donate.
8. Anyone saying they would lose respect for Kevin Durant if he signed with Golden State is being hard on the man for no reason. Durant already has enough money to last several lifetimes. He needs a ring for his NBA legacy. If Golden State gives him the best opportunity to win a championship next year, Durant should sign with the Warriors and ignore his critics. Honestly, the criticism will be harsher if he never wins a title.
9. Keith Thurman did not knockout Shawn Porter, which is what I predicted, but his win by unanimous decision against Shawn Porter was impressive. I love the way Thurman countered with a left hook throughout his fight. He was fast and powerful. As a huge Thurman fan, he did not disappoint me at all. Honestly, I do not want to see this fight again. Instead, I would rather see Thurman fight Danny Garcia later this year.
10. Canelo Alvarez vs. Liam Smith instead of Triple G? Alvarez’s promoter – Oscar De La Hoya – wants the fight to occur in the fall of 2017, and each guy needs to win at least two more fights for the mega-bout to occur? Some boxing promoters are just idiots. Give people fights they want to see.
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