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MANHATTAN, Kansas – The postgame interviews after Texas’ loss against Kansas State were hard for everyone involved. Reporters were trying to figure out how to ask the same questions without generating the typical company line response of “we just need to execute.” Coaches and players tried to explain what happened after another loss, and their sentences mirrored answers given the past two years. In reality, nobody had anything new to say.
Texas senior defensive tackle Paul Boyette did his best to answer questions. He talked about how he needed to step up and be a leader. Boyette said he needed to be more vocal. The team knew what Kansas State was going to do, according to Boyette. He also said the Longhorns could win their next five games. That is when I pointed out to Boyette some of the measures they have taken to become a better team the past few years, but the Longhorns are still sitting here at 3-4. What else can be done at this point?
Boyette smiled. He shook his head several times. The man thought about it. He gave a painful laugh.
“I guess keep talking and being verbal,” Boyette said. “That’s the only thing. Everything has be done up until this point. It got us here. We've just got to find our way out of this slump. That’s just as simple as it goes. Everybody has to learn to pull their own weight. It’s just that simple. Coaches can’t go out there and play. We can’t make no more excuses. It’s on us.”
Boyette has always been transparent, but in reality, there is really nothing left to say.
Over the past few years, we have heard all the reasons why Texas might be successful. Coaches and players have optimistically pointed to a variety of different things that were supposed to help this team long-term, but ended up being short-term improvements – at best.
Let us start with the initial coaching staff (some of these names might be answers to trivia questions one day): Vance Bedford (defensive coordinator), Bruce Chambers (tight ends), Brian Jean-Mary (linebackers/recruiting coordinator) Les Koenning (receivers), Tommie Robinson (running backs), Chris Rumph (assistant head coach for defense/defensive line), Chris Vaughan (defensive backs/special teams coordinator), Shawn Watson (assistant head coach for offense/quarterbacks/unofficial offensive coordinator) and Joe Wickline (official offensive coordinator/offensive line). Jean-Mary is the only coach from that 2014 staff still in his current position.
Watson was supposed to install a spread offense prior to last season, but that never occurred. He was demoted and replaced by Jay Norvell after week one of the regular season. Norvell was not offered the job after last season. The position was originally offered to TCU’s Sonny Cumbie before Sterlin Gilbert eventually became the guy.
Bedford was the second coordinator demoted during the season. Strong took over the defensive play-calling duties and his unit allowed 672 yards against Oklahoma. Texas' defense has performed better in the past two games, to be fair, but the Longhorns still have a losing record.
Last year, we were informed this team was together, and Boyette’s cookout was supposed to signal team unity. After a few loses, we were told the team was not together, young players and veterans were on different pages, and Twitter became the place where team members voiced their displeasure – including during halftime. Then we were told everything was good and the media blew it out of proportion.
Three quarterbacks were supposed to turn around the program, but it has not happened yet.
Shane Buechele throwing to Collin Johnson on a Friday night was supposed to indicate the work every player was putting in, and Texas’ upcoming success.
The offseason ping pong tournaments were supposed to show team unity.
We heard wearing a sweat suit instead of a regular suit on the team plane could have affected the players.
Player only meetings were supposed to make a difference.
Defensive players wearing wristbands was going to turn around the team.
Texas has tried nearly everything, but nothing seems to work.
Everybody has a theory about why things are not working out. It is hard to discount anybody’s belief. No matter what the issues are, bottom line, this team is not living up to year three expectations, and there is a chance this season might be worse than the five wins recorded 2015.
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)?
Texas’ loss on Saturday was similar to setbacks college observers have witnessed the past three years.
So were the postgame answers when players were asked what continues to go wrong for this team.
“If I knew, I would have told somebody and got it fixed,” Texas senior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes said.
There is nothing left to say.
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1. Basically, Malik Jefferson (linebacker), John Burt (receiver), Davante Davis (cornerback) and Holton Hill (cornerback) have regressed in year two? Geoff Ketchum will expand on this in his column on Sunday night, but that should be impossible.
2. At least running back D’Onta Foreman is putting himself in a position to possibly enter the NFL after this season. If Foreman was going to compete for a Heisman Trophy and be a first-round pick after his senior season, coming back would make a lot of sense. However, I am not convinced there will be a huge difference between his draft stock in 2017 and 2018.
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3. Texas kicker Trent Domingue has not lived up to any of his expectations after joining the Longhorns as a grad transfer from LSU. He has struggled with long-range kicks, extra points and missed a 35-yard field goal against Kansas State. I do not know where walk-on hopeful Chris Nagger is, but somebody needs to walk into his dorm room on Sunday and give the young man a practice jersey.
4. Something has to be done about giving up scores on the opening play of games. Texas’ defense has allowed opening drive scores to Notre Dame, Cal, Oklahoma State and Kansas State this season. Obviously, Texas rebounded to defeat Notre Dame, but the Longhorns cannot continually play from behind.
5. There is a reason I was so high on Chris Warren entering this season. Prior to his leg injury, Warren rushed 62 times for 366 yards and three touchdowns in four games. Warren had back-to-back 100-yard games (Cal and Oklahoma State) before the setback. In the past three games without Warren, Foreman has rushed for 421 yards and three touchdowns, while backup Kyle Porter has compiled 54 rushing yards during that time span. In addition, quarterback Tyrone Swoopes has rushed for only 23 yards in the past three games. Warren’s absence has hurt this offense.
6. Texas Tech put up 59 points against Oklahoma’s defense in a loss. Texas has to face Baylor, a team that would love to run up the score in Austin, and Texas Tech in back-to-back games. Texas may need 50 points in each game to hang with both teams.
7. This is becoming repetitive, but Houston coach Tom Herman’s team has to play better if he wants a power five job next season. Houston was dominated by SMU on Saturday, and Herman’s team still must face Louisville on November 17. A major program might look at his body of work and hire him after a 9-3 season, but an 8-4 record makes that acquisition trickier. At best, it lowers his asking price. At worst, schools will be forced to examine all available candidates.
8. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is used to taking a PR hit, enduring the criticism, and collecting a ridiculous paycheck in the process. However, if TV ratings continue to decline, Goodell’s job may finally be in jeopardy. He embarrassed the league this week when it was revealed Giants kicker Josh Brown abused his wife on multiple occasions, but his office made very little effort to investigate a player who only received a one-game suspension. NFL owners are reportedly upset with Goodell right now, and it might mean the dictator is finally touchable.
9. Dez Bryant cut his fingers while slicing carrots to make soup? In another year, that would have been another embarrassing story, but nobody can outshine Dak Prescott right now:
10. On behalf of everyone who owns Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers in fantasy football, thank you for finally showing up for the 2016 season. We missed you.
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