It is Christmas Day. Stop stalling. Go back inside the house and see if your dad has stopped talking about the presidential election. Maybe you can stomach another bite of your aunt’s green bean casserole. Time to make sure your brother-in-law is not telling inappropriate jokes to the kids again. Somebody needs to tell your sister’s boyfriend that Uncle John is not a racist, he just does not realize Chris Rock jokes sound different coming out of his mouth.
Before you pour another drink, I thought this would be a good day to reflect on some of key moments from this year’s Texas Longhorn football season. For some, it will be an opportunity to look back and laugh - at me. For others, it will solidify why a coaching change needed to occur.
Either way, here are some moments from The Sunday Pulpit in 2016.
January 3, 2016 – 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Charlie Strong’s program
When the year began, I outlined a few things that needed to occur this season. This is what I wrote, and I added results after each topic:
1. Finish strong in recruiting - That did occur.
2. Find a way to retain Jeff Traylor – He received a pay raise and new title.
3. Find a quarterback – Hello, Shane Buechele
4. Improve the defensive line – Did not happen.
5. Tell Gilbert that John Burt is really good – Experienced an unpredictable regression.
6. Install the offense before spring ends – None of us knew the playbook would be limited during the regular season.
7. Beat Notre Dame in the season opener – The only highlight of this season.
8. Finish with at least eight wins – Here is what I wrote: “I previously reported president Greg Fenves and athletic director Mike Perrin flew to Tulsa because offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert wanted to know if Strong would be here past 2016. After being reassured, Gilbert decided to join the Longhorns. We also heard recruits were informed Strong would still be here in 2017.
Are you buying that? I am not.
I find it hard to believe Strong will be retained if Texas only wins five or six games. I am lukewarm to the idea a 6-6 regular season record and a bowl victory gets the job done. If Strong does not win at least eight games, I find it hard to believe Texas is going to sit back and watch Texas A&M hire Houston coach Tom Herman. I am not saying Herman is a guy being watched behind-the-scenes, mostly logic states everybody - decision-makers and fans - have an eye on him right now.
I think the assurances are nice, but if Strong does not win, they will be remembered as empty promises.
9. Find a dynamic kick returner - Lots of fair catches.
10. Expand the recruiting staff – Well, the new coach has expanded it.
February 7 – Charlie Strong only has one more frontier to conquer
“Every person in the program believes this season is the most important year of their tenure, regardless of any public endorsement Strong has received from the athletic director and school president. They understand six wins are not the standard at Texas, which makes five wins less acceptable. Texas was forced to play a lot of young players in 2015, which meant a lot of growing pains. However, they understand nobody wants to hear excuses. This team has to be better.
"And Strong’s program will likely improve this year.”
Well, some will say the program has improved because Texas hired Tom Herman. Clearly, that was not my point back then.
March 13 – Spring football helping Longhorns to believe
“Texas completed one week of spring practice, and there is a lot of hope within the football program heading into spring break.
“Of course, there is not enough sugar in the cabinet to make some Longhorn fans drink that Kool-Aid again this offseason. They have endured six wins and a bowl loss against Arkansas in Charlie Strong’s first season. Five wins and no bowl appearance last year. Strong’s record at Texas is 11-14. There have been eight losses by at least 21 points during the past two seasons. Defensive coordinator Vance Bedford and linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary are the only remaining staff members from Strong’s original hires. Strong is entering another year of uncertainty at the quarterback position.
“People in the program are focused on the future.”
Sigh.
April 17 – Texas freshman Shane Buechele should be named starting QB (game over)
“Texas coach Charlie Strong does not need to review Saturday’s film to make a quarterback decision. There is no need to let this competition play out during the summer and two-a-days. He does not need to conduct a long meeting with offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert this week. Strong should do one thing on Sunday.
“He needs to officially name Shane Buechele as Texas' starting quarterback.
Some people might call the hype over the freshman’s spring game performance an overreaction. Others may label the excitement as premature. There are cautious people who believe anointing Buechele as "the answer" is simply a knee-jerk reaction.
“Frankly, those people are wrong.
“Buechele looked like a guy capable of leading this team during an impressive debut on Saturday. He completed 22-of-41 passes for 299 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Texas scored four times during the spring game, and Buechele played on each drive, according to the official stats. Buechele always placed the ball where his receivers could catch it, or nobody else would. He was never rattled. He looked like a starting quarterback.
“Meanwhile, Tyrone Swoopes completed 4-of-16 passes for 71 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions on Saturday. After John Burt dropped a long pass from Swoopes in the first quarter, Swoopes struggled throughout the game. Many of his passes were contested by defensive backs. The accuracy was not there. For an offense that was supposed to be so simple for Swoopes to excel in, he looked like the same quarterback who struggled in Shawn Watson’s system, and was relegated to being a runner under Jay Norvell.
“Game over.”
September 11 – Texas offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert is getting the job done
“Strong needed an offensive coordinator to successfully lead a unit capable of putting up enough points to take pressure off his defense. The offense did not need to average 50 points a game. However, it can't be the unit that was held scoreless against Iowa State, or scored only seven points against TCU.
So far, Gilbert is giving Strong what this team needs.”
October 9 – Simply put, Charlie Strong is running out of time
“Geoff Ketchum reported eight wins is the magic number for Strong this past week, which means winning six out of the remaining seven games. Sure, it can be done, but when a team gives up 444 offensive yards against Notre Dame, 507 to Cal, 555 against Oklahoma State and 672 versus Oklahoma, as @OwlsAndHorns pointed out on Saturday, this team is getting worse, not better.
“Plus, if we are keeping it real today, there are very few teams that magically improve after five regular season games
“When a team begins offseason conditioning in January, works together throughout the spring and summer, gets geared up for the regular season in August, usually what you see is what you are going to get by week five. There are very few times a light bulb goes off and teams begin looking like Alabama right now. It is easy to say all a team needs to do is execute, but if the players could get the job done, this team would not be on a three-game losing streak.”
October 23 – There is nothing left to say
“In order to become bowl eligible, Texas has to win three of its final give games. The remaining schedule is Baylor, at Texas Tech, West Virginia, at Kansas and TCU. Where are the three wins?
“Most of us will assume – yes, I know the danger of that word – Texas will defeat Kansas. Even if that occurs, it is hard to pinpoint the other two wins. If Kansas State’s Jesse Ertz can look like BYU’s Taysom Hill against Texas, what kind of performances will we see from Seth Russell (Baylor), Patrick Mahomes II (Texas Tech), Skyler Howard (West Virginia) and Kenny Hill (TCU)?”
November 19 – The Charlie Strong era is about to end
This was written after the infamous loss against Kansas.
“The people who care about Texas coach Charlie Strong know. His players know. The support staff knows. Yes, even Strong knows.
This is the end.”
December 4 – Best way Texas players can honor Charlie Strong is by buying into Tom Herman
"Players have the right to be upset. They are entitled to wonder about their future. The Tom Herman regime promises to be nothing like their time under Strong. Those guys loved Charlie.
However, if Longhorn football players really love Strong, the best way to honor him is by buying into Herman."
By this time next year, the highlights should be different. There will probably be anticipation about Texas’ upcoming bowl game, a good recruiting class, and the foundation laid by Herman and his staff in year one. In addition, there will be a lot more optimism from Longhorn fans.
However, you may have to explain your uncle’s jokes to your sister’s new boyfriend next year.
The OB Player Draft Revisited
Your OB staff conducted two player drafts prior to last season. Upon further review, who nailed the final draft? Clearly, I did not.
Ketch
Malik Jefferson
Collin Johnson
Charles Omenihu
Devin Duvernay
Kirk Johnson
Michael Dickson
Antwuan Davis
Sam Ehlinger
Jason
D'Onta Foreman
Anthony Wheeler
Poona Ford
Shane Buechele
Dylan Haines
Trent Domingue
Bryce Cottrell
DeShon Elliott
Alex
Connor Williams
Kent Perkins
Paul Boyette
Tyrone Swoopes
Jacorey Warrick
Jerrod Heard
Breckyn Hager
Caleb Bluiett
Anwar
Chris Warren
John Burt
Patrick Vahe
Armanti Foreman
Kyle Porter
P.J. Locke
Gerald Wilbon
Kai Locksley
Dustin
Holton Hill
Davante Davis
Naashon Hughes
Edwin Freeman
D'Andre Christmas
Tristan Nickelson
Zach Shackelford
Lil'Jordan Humphrey
Funniest Thing You Will See This Week
Sports On A Dime
1. Every college football fan knows it is hard for any coach to assemble an elite recruiting class in year one. I will wait until Herman’s 2018 class is finalized before formulating an opinion about him as a recruiter.
2. Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers once again reminded every skeptic on Saturday why is arguably the league’s best quarterback. Rodgers had 347 passing yards and four touchdowns during Green Bay’s 38-25 victory against Minnesota. Packers are heating up at the right time.
3.If you have time on Sunday, this is an amazing story. A few members of the Vikings' defense decided they would ignore Mike Zimmer’s game plan and do their own thing against Green Bay. That decision resulted in Green Bay receiver Jordy Nelson torching the secondary.
4. I know misery loves company, but seeing Oakland quarterback Derek Carr and Tennessee’s Marcus Mariota sustain fibula injuries on the same day was brutal.
5. Congratulations, Cleveland Browns. Finally, a win this season. That being said, your franchise is still horrible.
6. Yes, Cam Newton does not get calls from officials. However, do not let that story overshadow Newton’s poor season. Newton completed 18 of 43 passes for 198 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions during a 33-16 home loss against Atlanta. Elite quarterbacks, like Tom Brady and Rodgers, make average receivers look great. Newton is above average, but needs to improve his accuracy before he can become an elite quarterback.
7. Does anybody remember when Rex Ryan was viewed as a defensive guru? After watching Miami running back Jay Ajayi shred Buffalo’s defense for 206 rushing yards on Saturday, Ryan’s days of dominance as a defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens seems like 20 years ago.
8. Kickers:
9. Well, the good news is I advanced the fantasy football championship game for the sixth time in nine years of my league. The bad news is I trail by two points with Baltimore receiver Mike Wallace on my time, while my opponent has Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell, Detroit receiver Golden Tate and Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker. Looks my championship record will be 3-3 after a loss on Sunday.
10. It is Christmas Day, which means the NBA season officially begins for most of us. What have I missed?
Programming Note: I am heading out of town to celebrate my birthday and ring in the New Year, which means this is the last Pulpit of 2016. I look forward to resuming the column on January 8.
Merry Christmas: All jokes aside, I know Christmas will be a great day to spend around family and friends for many people. For others, this will be their first holiday without a loved one who died this year. Meanwhile, some families are recovering emotionally from a miscarriage, a pain my ex-wife and I endured in 2012. With all sincerity, I said a prayer for you on Sunday morning, and hope you find some sort of comfort during the holidays.
Merry Christmas, OB.
