Photo by San Antonio Express-News
It should go without saying that the entire Texas Longhorns offense under-performed last season. We can split hairs and debate which unit could have been better, but it would be like winning the tallest midget competition. Longhorn observers saw flashes of potential, but the offense just did not have the consistency coach Tom Herman envisioned. Heck, every Longhorn observers envisioned more productivity than they witnessed.
Texas averaged 29.5 points per game, which was ranked seventh in the Big 12, ahead of Iowa State Baylor and Kansas. The team’s total offense was ranked seventh, too, ahead of Iowa State, Kansas State and Kansas. Texas’ rushing offense was ranked seventh, ahead of Baylor, Iowa State and Kansas State. The lack of offensive firepower is the main reason why defensive coordinator Todd Orlando’s unit had to carry Texas last year. It is also why Herman decided to call plays in the Texas Bowl last year.
I think it is safe to say every Longhorn believes this year’s group of receivers has the dreaded “potential” label. When you look at them, there is speed, height, and ability for explosive plays. We heard a lot of their ability to make plays in spring practice. They showed glimpses of their play-making ability during the spring game. Once again, the Texas receivers look good on paper.
However, Texas needs its receivers to transition from potential to production if it hopes to have any offensive success this season.
Herman raised the expectations of this group last season.
After withholding praise for his players while establishing a new culture last spring, Herman began saying positive things. Herman initially said his receivers need to get tougher during the spring, but eventually called the wideout room one of the deepest he ever coached. Considering Herman won a national championship at Ohio State, most Longhorn observers believed their team would explode offensively last season.
Instead, Texas was ranked 36th nationally in receiving yards per game last year (266.5). There were seven 1,000-yard receivers in the Big 12 last season. Texas failed to produce a 1,000-yard receiver for the third straight season. Armanti Foreman led the team with four touchdowns, which remains a head-scratcher since he barely saw the field most of last season.
Collin Johnson is the player most Longhorn fans point to as the next great Texas receiver. Johnson has the height (6-foot-6) and ability to make great catches. He had seven catches for 125 yards and one touchdown against Maryland. Two weeks later, Johnson had seven receptions for 191 yards against USC. The problem is Johnson did not have a consistent impact last year.
Johnson had 50-yards or less receiving in nine games last season. He was held to only two receptions in four games, and three receptions in three games.
Getting Johnson to play to play better consistently is Herman’s goal this season.
“That’s the word. Consistency,” Herman said during the spring. “He had some unbelievable plays today, and then some plays a junior shouldn’t be making … I have no issues with Collin’s buy-in level. I have no issues with Collin’s want-to, desire. He’s a great teammate. He’s a great player for a coach to coach. I think it’s got to be a constant, whether it’s self-talk, mental focus, whatever you want to call it, dialed into that 1-0 mentality each and every play. I think coach [Drew] Mehringer, coach [Corby] Meekins, myself, we’re constantly reminding him of that. He’ll get there. I’m very confident he’ll get there.”
Herman must hope his other receivers get there, too.
Texas receiver Jerrod Heard has not enjoyed the success many thought he would have after switching from quarterback to receiver before the 2016 season. Heard played in 12 games last season and finished with 20 receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown. He has 43 receptions for 419 yards and four touchdowns in two years. Like Johnson, Heard must find a way to transition his practice performance to game day.
Photo via HookEm.com
John Burt can get open, but is still working on his pass-catching ability. Burt was receiving first-team reps last fall before he dropped several passes during a scrimmage, which resulted in his fall down the depth chart. He appears to have the faith of this staff again.
The good news, for Texas fans, is Lil’ Jordan Humphrey looked like a beast in the spring game. Outside of a quick rest during the regular season, there is no reason for Humphrey to come off the field. In addition, Devin Duvernay has earned the trust of Herman’s staff because of his buy-in this offseason, and I get the feeling if he scores on an 80-yard touchdown reception, like he did against Kansas State in 2016, he will actually have another pass thrown to him.
Of course, if Johnson finds a way to consistently excel, this group of receivers could cause match-up nightmares this year.
One of the biggest keys to this room having an impact is guys finding ways to succeed without ideal situations.
In an ideal world, every receiver plays with Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold or Mason Rudolph each year in college. It is easy to blame Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger for most of the offensive struggles last season. They were not consistent. Ehlinger definitely made mistakes. Buechele still needs to work on his accuracy during games. Neither player was elite.
That being said, Baylor played three quarterbacks last season and Denzel Mims finished with 1,087 yards and eight TDs. Iowa State played three quarterbacks last season and Allen Lazard finished with 941 yards and 10 TDs. Heck, Kansas receiver Steven Sims played with two QBs and finished with 839 receiving yards and six touchdowns. As I previously noted, those players were on teams that were statistically worse than Texas in multiple categories. The good receivers find a way to have an impact even with average, or below, quarterback production.
Just ask Maryland receiver D.J. Moore, a guy who played with JAGs last season.
Oh, and the last 1,000-yard receiver at Texas was John Harris in 2014. He finished with 1,051 yards and seven touchdowns that season.
His quarterback was Tyrone Swoopes.
If Harris can haul in 1,000 yards with Swoopes as his quarterback, there are no excuses for any of these talented receivers on the current roster.
This Texas group of receivers have a lot of potential.
Herman needs it to translate into production to have any offensive success this season.
Photo via Dallas Morning News
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
I should have played The Notorious B.I.G. instead of nursery music for my son
When your drunk uncle has too much dark liquor at the cookout
When your parents do not read the Yelp reviews before ordering off Craigslist
At least they can laugh about it now
Sports On A Dime
1. Well, the recruitment of Cal grad transfer running back Tre Watson became a little weird over the weekend. Watson has a close relationship with Texas Tech offensive line coach Brandon Jones, who previously coached running backs at Cal from 2015-16, which is why he has not committed to Texas. If Watson is not convinced he can have an impact at Texas after watching the spring game in person, it is hard to tell what he is looking for.
2. The best part about Converse Judson defensive end DeMarvin Leal visiting Austin this weekend is seeing the young man giving Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher’s unwritten rule about committed prospects not being able to visit other schools a middle finger. Here is what Fisher said in an interview two months ago:
“I always ask them this: When you’re getting married and she says she’s going to marry you and then she says she wants to go on two more dates,” Fisher said, smiling. “Are you going to let her?”
“If he’s still visiting [other schools], you better have a plan because there’s something there.”
Heck, even Charlie Strong knew players who verbally commit were just making reservations and would still explore their options.
Well, under Fisher’s rationale, he should start developing a new plan when it comes to Leal.
3. Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said he is not concerned about former Texas cornerback Holton Hill’s history of failed drug tests, but nobody associated with the athlete should take comfort in that statement. If Zimmer really was not concerned, he would have drafted Hill. In addition, a recent report by Bleacher Report said Hill failed a drug test at the combine, which he denied on Friday. Well, Holton, there is a reason why nobody drafted you. I hope Hill realizes he is on a very short leash as an undrafted free agent. If not, he could blow away the opportunity of a lifetime.
4. Speaking of blown opportunities, I can only imagine what former Texas running back Chris Warren III will think about his blown college opportunity years from now. Warren still does not have an NFL home, meaning there is not one team willing to give him a token tryout at rookie minicamp. Warren totally overestimated his NFL potential. I still cannot believe Warren’s message to NFL on Texas’ Pro Day was he only intended to play running back. Warren did not understand the NFL is not like college recruiting – teams chose you, not the other way around. Sadly, for Warren, he learned that lesson the hard way.
5. I stumbled across a random tweet from a West Virginia writer this week. Overall, not a bad list, especially with so many question marks surrounding Big 12 quarterbacks this season. However, he assumes Kyler Murray will win the job, or not turn pro in baseball this summer. More importantly, do you believe Sam Ehlinger is currently the third-best quarterback in this conference?
6. Texas Longhorns guard Kerwin Roach II may soon realize his best option is returning to Austin. Roach was not invited to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, a huge indication that teams do not believe he is ready for the league. Sixty-nine players were invited to the combine. There are only 60 players selected in the draft. Roach can still workout for NBA teams, but it appears another year in school will improve his draft potential.
7. When Michael Dickson starts booming 70-yard kicks for Seattle, Pete Carroll will definitely not call him “The punter.” Carroll might call him a “Gift from God.”
8. I think an argument can be made that former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. It may not happen, but it will be interesting to see who is on the ballot in five years. Witten was not only a great pass-catcher, but an excellent run blocker. If Terrell Davis is a Hall of Famer, Witten definitely belongs in there.
9. We are watching one of the greatest players in NBA history. I know people hate James for various reasons, but you have to respect his greatness.
10. Everybody knew GGG would run through this last-minute replacement. Let us hope Canelo Alvarez can avoid eating “tainted meat” in the future so we can finally see this fight occur in the fall.
