Maybe the feeling within Texas' football program can be attributed to the optimism of spring. Perhaps this is just the time of year when every school has an increase of confidence. It is possible the positive vibes exuding within the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletics Center should not come as a surprise to any Longhorn observer.
Nevertheless, there is a lot of hope within the building.
Everyone believes in his football program right now. Everyone has faith this is going to be a breakthrough year. It is hard to find anyone who does not believe Texas will prove every skeptic wrong this season. Nobody associated with the football program believes this offseason of hope will be followed by a curb-stomping against Notre Dame in the season opener. The mention of Houston coach Tom Herman as a savior makes everyone roll his or her eyes.
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.
They believe this staff is better than the original crew Strong assembled. Offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert has given many people hope. Players are getting used to Gilbert’s up-tempo offense, but everyone agrees it is easier to learn and operate than Shawn Watson’s system. The plays are quick and precise. There is not a lot of thinking required. From what I have been told, the majority of practices have been mostly error free on offense because Gilbert has made the system simple to learn.
Try to contain yourself, but the confidence in quarterback Tyrone Swoopes is at an all-time high.
Swoopes entered spring practice as the man to beat, and nothing changed after a week of practice. The quarterback’s confidence has been hard for staff - and media members - to ignore. Swoopes was once a shy kid who seemed unsure of himself during practice, which carried over into games. The “new” Swoopes is bouncing around practice, engaging his teammates, and leads the Longhorns through his words and actions. Nobody is saying Swoopes is the second coming of Vince Young. Heck, most in the building would be happy if Swoopes was simply the second coming of David Ash because they believe that would be enough to win a lot of games this season.
“You look at him now, he's been here, and he's a senior, so now you see it,” Strong said during an interview on Thursday. “I think that last year, with the package that we put in for him, he's had some success with it and that. More than anything, it helped him with his overall attitude and how he really feels about himself. So now when you watch him take the field, he has that confidence about him, which I didn't think he had last season. Now he has that confidence factor there. Now it's more or less, ‘Hey, I know I can do this now. Now it's about me going to go get it done.’”
That being said, there is still a strong belief in quarterback Jerrod Heard. I was told Heard will receive more opportunities after spring break. Swoopes has played so well, he received more opportunities than Heard last week. Heard still has a chance to win the job this spring. If he does, there is hope Heard can play like the quarterback who showed so much promise during a historical performance against Cal last season.
There is also a huge amount of faith in freshman center Zach Shackelford. He is viewed as a “baller” by everyone who has watched him play. One person told me Shackelford is one of the team’s most competitive offensive linemen. He works hard in the film room. Shackelford is working hard in the weight room. He is expected to be a four-year starter, even if he did not step on campus as a hot recruit.
Longhorn freshman receiver Collin Johnson is another player turning heads. Johnson is 6-foot-6 and passes the eye test. From what I have been told, he has a serious chance to start this season. There is a possibility Longhorn fans could see John Burt on one side, Johnson on the opposite end, plus Armanti Foreman and Ryan Newsome rotating as slot receivers. Meanwhile, DeAndre McNeal is poised to receive playing time this year. There are potentially enough playmakers to go toe-to-toe with any team in the Big 12 this season.
Texas’ defense is expected to be much better than last season. Sophomore linebacker Malik Jefferson no longer has to worry about stepping on the feet of upperclassman, but can finally be a team leader. Jefferson is among several young and talented linebackers, including Edwin Freeman, Breckyn Hager and Anthony Wheeler.
Then there are a group of defensive backs who have the potential to be special. Davante Davis, Kris Boyd, Holton Hill, John Bonney, DeShon Elliott, P.J. Locke and Antwuan Davis are some of the young players who took their lumps last season, but are expected to make this unit a team strength in 2016. This is not including the veteran presence of Dylan Haines, Jason Hall and Sheroid Evans.
In addition, Strong’s talented group of incoming freshman will hit campus this fall. Five-star linebacker Erick Fowler and defensive back Brandon Jones are expected to be competing for playing time this season. Then there is the talented group of defensive linemen Strong acquired: Chris Daniels (DT), Deandre Christmas-Giles (DT), Gerald Wilbon (DT), Marcel Southall (DT), Jordan Elliott (DT), Malcolm Roach (DE) and Andrew Fitzgerald (DE). Running back Kyle Porter will be given a chance to compete for playing time. Texas will add offensive line depth, too.
All of those components could lead to a breakthrough season.
At least there is hope.
Funniest Thing You Will See This Week
Sports On A Dime
1. Texas men’s basketball coach Shaka Smart deserves a lot of credit for putting his team in a position to make the NCAA tournament. That being said, Smart’s team cannot afford to miss the same shots that resulted in a disappointing conference tournament loss against Baylor.
2. Uncle Anthony (Kansas guard Wayne Selden Jr. is his nephew) is going to be the biggest off-the-court story during this year's tournament:
3. I know Houston fans are trying to convince themselves the acquisition of quarterback Brock Osweiler is going to help their franchise, but I am not sold – yet. NFL general managers do not mind overpaying quarterbacks because having a good passer is the key to success. If John Elway was not willing to do whatever it took to keep Osweiler, it proves the quarterback has a flaw none of us know about right now.
4. Please tell me Elway acquired Mark Sanchez as a backup to the eventual starter. The biggest mistake Elway can make this offseason is believing his defense is so good, anybody can play quarterback. It is hard for Super Bowl winners to duplicate their success, and Sanchez is not a quarterback who can lead Denver to the playoffs.
5. Well, that did not take long:
6. If you have read this column, you know I am a huge DeMarco Murray fan. That being said, Philadelphia traded Murray to Tennessee for a bag of Skittles. NFL observers are willing to give Murray's 2015 season a pass, but this is his final chance to prove his final year with Dallas (1,845 rushing yards/416 receiving yards) was not a fluke.
7. Detroit’s acquisition of receiver Marvin Jones is the second riskiest free agent acquisition (nothing tops Osweiler right now). Jones will make $27 million during the next three seasons, but does not have a 1,000-yard season on his resume. Sure, he played with A.J. Green, who was Cincinnati’s top option. Outside of Calvin Johnson, Detroit is a long history of acquiring busts at receiver, and Jones must prove he can handle the pressure.
8. Here are three free agency moves I love: Lamar Miller joining Houston, tight end Coby Fleener joining New Orleans and Atlanta’s acquisition of Pro Bowl center Alex Mack. Saints quarterback Drew Brees needed another offensive option, while Miller is poised to have a great year if he can stay healthy. In other words, both players are potential candidates to join my fantasy football team.
9. I give Miko Grimes credit for supporting her husband, former Miami and current Tampa Bay cornerback Brent Grimes, like no NFL wife in the history of this game. That being said, good luck to my former colleagues in Tampa who Miko may meet in the parking lot if they say anything negative about her husband.
10. Of course, I get the feeling Russell Wilson will not have the same issues with Ciara. Of course, the rapper Future, father of Ciara’s son, may take Miko’s place on Twitter when it comes to this engagement.
Last edited by a moderator:
