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This is the time when people can hit that magical erase button and start over on January 1.
You can expect a longer wait in the dumbbell area this week because of folks who made a New Year’s resolution to get back into the gym. Some of your friends will talk about heading back to school once again to finish their education. Others will make it a goal to finally quit smoking. This is also the time of year when people make a personal pledge to eat healthy. This is the perfect time for high hopes and great expectations.
University of Texas football fans enter every year with high hopes. The majority of fans believed this would be a breakout season for their program. Once the Texas Bowl rolled around, everybody was happy with a win against Missouri and finishing 7-6. It ended up being a learning lesson for the coaches and players. More importantly, it could be the season that finally gets this program on track.
As we turn the page on 2017, here are a few New Year’s resolutions for Tom Herman's program:
Find a quarterback – Another year in the books, another year of uncertainty at this position. Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger are young quarterbacks who still need to develop. To paraphrase Herman, when Ehlinger is good, the young man is pretty damn spectacular. When Ehlinger struggles, it is hard for Texas to win. Buechele moved around the pocket pretty good against Missouri, but a groin injury prevented him from playing in the second half. Unless the two incoming freshmen quarterbacks are the second coming Major Applewhite and Chris Simms, they will need to redshirt. That means offensive coordinator Tim Beck and Herman must make sure Buechele and/or Ehlinger are ready to become elite quarterbacks next season.
Photo via San Antonio Express-News
Coach up the offensive line – We have blamed the lack of production at this position on recruiting, years it takes to develop players, attrition and coaching changes. Those are all valid reasons, but to steal a line from Geoff Ketchum, sometimes explanations sound like excuses, even when they are the reasons for something occurring. Bottom line, offensive line coach Derek Warehime has to get more out of his guys. Denzel Okafor needs to be on the field. Zach Shackelford needs to take the next step. This unit cannot be a team weakness anymore. Oklahoma State finds a way to get productivity from guys who were not as highly recruited as Texas players. It is time to get the most out of these players.
Receivers must improve – Herman said this was the most talented group of receivers he ever worked with prior to this season. In reality, Collin Johnson finished with 765 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while Armanti Foreman's with four touchdowns led the team, which is crazy considering his limited playing time. It is really hard to say there is one receiver who was much better this season than last year. Some of that can be attributed to a confusing rotation at receiver. The poor production from this offensive line did not give receivers enough time to get open. When guys were open, the quarterbacks missed them. However, this group must win one-on-one matchups more consistently.
Run the ball – It is not unusual for a quarterback to lead his team in rushing. However, there is nothing positive about Sam Ehlinger finishing with 381 yards, with Daniel Young trailing at 373. Again, it starts up front with the offense line. That being said, these running backs did not make enough guys miss consistently this season. Kyle Porter is a great practice player, but has to figure out how to step up when it counts. Young definitely has potential. Toneil Carter needs to make staying out of trouble his number one priority. Oh, and when the run game is working, staying committed to it is probably not a bad idea.
Photo via HookEm.com
Home run hires on offense – It appears Herman is ready to strengthen his staff with the hiring of a 10th assistant coach. We already know Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich is a candidate to join the Longhorns. Even if Herman goes in another direction, we definitely know he is not interested in a comfort hire. Now, here is where it gets really interesting. If receivers coach Drew Mehringer takes another job, Herman will have two positions to fill on offense. In other words, he can hire an elite offensive-minded coach who wants to bring one of his assistants with him. If Herman finds the Todd Orlando of offensive coaches, this team might have a breakthrough next year.
Get more students involved – Herman handed out pizzas to students last year. He held a student-only practice. Herman even tried to get students to “swag surf” with players. However, when many of them were forced to miss the first quarter of Maryland because of a weird ticket distribution system, or be constantly harassed by the seemingly high number of security guards in their section who want to make sure they do not switch seats, it was a huge turnoff. If that means getting a DJ to play music on the field before games, so be it.
Photo via Austin American-Statesman
Sell the hell out of guys going pro – Connor Williams and DeShon Elliott skipped the bowl game, but that should not matter to Herman. Finishing with seven wins and helping guys develop to the point where they have NFL options is what should be sold to recruits. Malik Jefferson, Michael Dickson, Holton Hill, Poona Ford, Armanti Foreman, Williams and Elliott could be on NFL rosters next season (including practice squad). That is nothing to be ashamed of.
Help Cameron Dicker succeed – Hook him up with the nation’s best kicking coach and make sure he works with that person during the offseason. Make sure he is surrounded by the best and brightest. Texas cannot afford another season of inconsistent kicking.
Win nine games – Hey, we are talking about a wish list, right? Most Texas fans thought this was easily a nine-win team this year. The next step is increasing Texas' win total and playing in a bowl game outside of Houston. A nine-win season is definitely a step in the right direction. Sure, once the offseason Kool Aid starts pouring, some will believe this team has a chance to compete for a Big 12 championship. If Herman can improve this years win total by two games, Longhorn fans will be ecstatic on December 31, 2018.
Photo via HookEm.com
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
Maybe Alexa would have been better for grandma?
I have so many questions. None of them will be answered after this video:
Let the church say amen
I love this kid
Sports On A Dime
1. Nobody knows what changes Herman will make on offense during the offseason, but he clearly is ready to upgrade that side of the ball. If receiver coach Drew Mehringer leaves, that give Herman the opportunity to hire another play-caller. No matter what, Herman deserves props for avoiding complacency on offense after one season.
2. If defensive coordinator Todd Orlando has another season like this, somebody is going to give him the opportunity to be a head coach. Orlando is the best defensive coordinator in this conference. Herman needs to work on short list of replacements because it will be hard to keep Orlando around after another good year.
3. Several reporters asked linebacker Malik Jefferson if he was going pro after the Texas Bowl, and he jokingly told them, “Go ask Anwar.” Okay, young man. You had a great time at Texas. Go ahead and announce your decision and get ready for the combine, Malik.
4. I give Holton Hill credit for supporting his teammates at the Texas Bowl. Hopefully, for Hill, he does whatever it takes to remain on his future NFL team.
5. Michael Dickson is the best punter I have even seen. I am not saying he is the best in history. Instead, I am just saying I have never seen a guy this good – on any level. If this guy is not a second day pick with at least a 15-year career ahead of him, none of us know football.
6. Seriously, football is a game. A game. It is not life and death. It is a game. If people are upset about a coach being silly with his players during a game, the PC police will continue to ruin this world.
7. I have no clue who these guys are, but they had a great time at Texas. Props to them. They traded playing football at a small school for paying doing the dirty work at Texas on their own dime. I bet the memories they have were worth it.
8. Tyrone Swoopes is on the 53-man roster, and it ain't even close. Props to Swoopes for earning a nice Christmas bonus.
9. Seriously, Earl? Next time just tell your agent to call the general manager at Dallas.
10. Roy Jones Jr. should have retired after Glen Johnson put him to sleep. Regardless, Jones is one of the great fighters to ever put on gloves. He will never be on a top 10 list (maybe top 20), but Jones was unbeatable during his prime. I was ringside when Antonio Tarver scored a second round knockout against Jones, one of the greatest upsets in boxing history, and was never the same after the loss. However, Jones is still one of the greatest.
By the way, I actually liked his rap video:
Happy New Year
https://helmboots.com/
This is the time when people can hit that magical erase button and start over on January 1.
You can expect a longer wait in the dumbbell area this week because of folks who made a New Year’s resolution to get back into the gym. Some of your friends will talk about heading back to school once again to finish their education. Others will make it a goal to finally quit smoking. This is also the time of year when people make a personal pledge to eat healthy. This is the perfect time for high hopes and great expectations.
University of Texas football fans enter every year with high hopes. The majority of fans believed this would be a breakout season for their program. Once the Texas Bowl rolled around, everybody was happy with a win against Missouri and finishing 7-6. It ended up being a learning lesson for the coaches and players. More importantly, it could be the season that finally gets this program on track.
As we turn the page on 2017, here are a few New Year’s resolutions for Tom Herman's program:
Find a quarterback – Another year in the books, another year of uncertainty at this position. Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger are young quarterbacks who still need to develop. To paraphrase Herman, when Ehlinger is good, the young man is pretty damn spectacular. When Ehlinger struggles, it is hard for Texas to win. Buechele moved around the pocket pretty good against Missouri, but a groin injury prevented him from playing in the second half. Unless the two incoming freshmen quarterbacks are the second coming Major Applewhite and Chris Simms, they will need to redshirt. That means offensive coordinator Tim Beck and Herman must make sure Buechele and/or Ehlinger are ready to become elite quarterbacks next season.
Photo via San Antonio Express-News
Coach up the offensive line – We have blamed the lack of production at this position on recruiting, years it takes to develop players, attrition and coaching changes. Those are all valid reasons, but to steal a line from Geoff Ketchum, sometimes explanations sound like excuses, even when they are the reasons for something occurring. Bottom line, offensive line coach Derek Warehime has to get more out of his guys. Denzel Okafor needs to be on the field. Zach Shackelford needs to take the next step. This unit cannot be a team weakness anymore. Oklahoma State finds a way to get productivity from guys who were not as highly recruited as Texas players. It is time to get the most out of these players.
Receivers must improve – Herman said this was the most talented group of receivers he ever worked with prior to this season. In reality, Collin Johnson finished with 765 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while Armanti Foreman's with four touchdowns led the team, which is crazy considering his limited playing time. It is really hard to say there is one receiver who was much better this season than last year. Some of that can be attributed to a confusing rotation at receiver. The poor production from this offensive line did not give receivers enough time to get open. When guys were open, the quarterbacks missed them. However, this group must win one-on-one matchups more consistently.
Run the ball – It is not unusual for a quarterback to lead his team in rushing. However, there is nothing positive about Sam Ehlinger finishing with 381 yards, with Daniel Young trailing at 373. Again, it starts up front with the offense line. That being said, these running backs did not make enough guys miss consistently this season. Kyle Porter is a great practice player, but has to figure out how to step up when it counts. Young definitely has potential. Toneil Carter needs to make staying out of trouble his number one priority. Oh, and when the run game is working, staying committed to it is probably not a bad idea.
Photo via HookEm.com
Home run hires on offense – It appears Herman is ready to strengthen his staff with the hiring of a 10th assistant coach. We already know Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich is a candidate to join the Longhorns. Even if Herman goes in another direction, we definitely know he is not interested in a comfort hire. Now, here is where it gets really interesting. If receivers coach Drew Mehringer takes another job, Herman will have two positions to fill on offense. In other words, he can hire an elite offensive-minded coach who wants to bring one of his assistants with him. If Herman finds the Todd Orlando of offensive coaches, this team might have a breakthrough next year.
Get more students involved – Herman handed out pizzas to students last year. He held a student-only practice. Herman even tried to get students to “swag surf” with players. However, when many of them were forced to miss the first quarter of Maryland because of a weird ticket distribution system, or be constantly harassed by the seemingly high number of security guards in their section who want to make sure they do not switch seats, it was a huge turnoff. If that means getting a DJ to play music on the field before games, so be it.
Photo via Austin American-Statesman
Sell the hell out of guys going pro – Connor Williams and DeShon Elliott skipped the bowl game, but that should not matter to Herman. Finishing with seven wins and helping guys develop to the point where they have NFL options is what should be sold to recruits. Malik Jefferson, Michael Dickson, Holton Hill, Poona Ford, Armanti Foreman, Williams and Elliott could be on NFL rosters next season (including practice squad). That is nothing to be ashamed of.
Help Cameron Dicker succeed – Hook him up with the nation’s best kicking coach and make sure he works with that person during the offseason. Make sure he is surrounded by the best and brightest. Texas cannot afford another season of inconsistent kicking.
Win nine games – Hey, we are talking about a wish list, right? Most Texas fans thought this was easily a nine-win team this year. The next step is increasing Texas' win total and playing in a bowl game outside of Houston. A nine-win season is definitely a step in the right direction. Sure, once the offseason Kool Aid starts pouring, some will believe this team has a chance to compete for a Big 12 championship. If Herman can improve this years win total by two games, Longhorn fans will be ecstatic on December 31, 2018.
Photo via HookEm.com
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
Maybe Alexa would have been better for grandma?
I have so many questions. None of them will be answered after this video:
Let the church say amen
I love this kid
Sports On A Dime
1. Nobody knows what changes Herman will make on offense during the offseason, but he clearly is ready to upgrade that side of the ball. If receiver coach Drew Mehringer leaves, that give Herman the opportunity to hire another play-caller. No matter what, Herman deserves props for avoiding complacency on offense after one season.
2. If defensive coordinator Todd Orlando has another season like this, somebody is going to give him the opportunity to be a head coach. Orlando is the best defensive coordinator in this conference. Herman needs to work on short list of replacements because it will be hard to keep Orlando around after another good year.
3. Several reporters asked linebacker Malik Jefferson if he was going pro after the Texas Bowl, and he jokingly told them, “Go ask Anwar.” Okay, young man. You had a great time at Texas. Go ahead and announce your decision and get ready for the combine, Malik.
4. I give Holton Hill credit for supporting his teammates at the Texas Bowl. Hopefully, for Hill, he does whatever it takes to remain on his future NFL team.
5. Michael Dickson is the best punter I have even seen. I am not saying he is the best in history. Instead, I am just saying I have never seen a guy this good – on any level. If this guy is not a second day pick with at least a 15-year career ahead of him, none of us know football.
6. Seriously, football is a game. A game. It is not life and death. It is a game. If people are upset about a coach being silly with his players during a game, the PC police will continue to ruin this world.
7. I have no clue who these guys are, but they had a great time at Texas. Props to them. They traded playing football at a small school for paying doing the dirty work at Texas on their own dime. I bet the memories they have were worth it.
8. Tyrone Swoopes is on the 53-man roster, and it ain't even close. Props to Swoopes for earning a nice Christmas bonus.
9. Seriously, Earl? Next time just tell your agent to call the general manager at Dallas.
10. Roy Jones Jr. should have retired after Glen Johnson put him to sleep. Regardless, Jones is one of the great fighters to ever put on gloves. He will never be on a top 10 list (maybe top 20), but Jones was unbeatable during his prime. I was ringside when Antonio Tarver scored a second round knockout against Jones, one of the greatest upsets in boxing history, and was never the same after the loss. However, Jones is still one of the greatest.
By the way, I actually liked his rap video:
Happy New Year
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