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Texas football coach Tom Herman needs to learn from Charlie Strong mistakes.
Herman does not need to get on FaceTime with Strong and have a conversation this week. He does not need to contact any assistant coaches from the previous staff. There is no need to watch the film of Strong’s previous seasons. Herman is smart enough to understand what happened prior to his arrival. The reason Herman was hired because Strong failed to win at Texas. The reason why most coaches are hired is because their predecessor failed.
However, it is important Herman understands one thing.
If he does not take control of this offense, which is supposed to be his area of expertise, Herman runs the risk of history repeating itself at Texas.
For some, that means getting rid of offensive coordinator Tim Beck after one season. This offense has struggled throughout the year and with no signs of improvement. Texas scored seven points during a loss against TCU, which is a step back from the 10 points posted against Oklahoma State two games ago (yeah, Baylor does not count).
There is a constant rotation at receiver that prevents players from getting into a rhythm. Asking Buechele to drop back and wait for a play to develop with this offensive line seems like a suicide mission. Texas played a must-win game on Saturday and Beck did not unload the playbook to TCU off-guard. At this pace, Texas may not have a running back finish with more than 500 rushing yards (Chris Warren III currently “leads” that group with 331 yards). This offense is a mess.
I thinking firing Beck after one season is overreacting.
However, Herman has to avoid the temptation to be complacent and believe this disappointing season is simply due to injuries, or a lack of talent.
Yes, Texas is without Connor Williams and Elijah Rodriguez, a player who has grown in folklore, but nobody can say with certainty he would be a standout. Rodriguez may have performed well during practice in August, but the same can be said for other players who were praised back then and have not produced this season. Man, Tristan Nickelson has played poorly, and it is hard to believe Denzel Okafor cannot crack the lineup. Terrell Cuney’s lack of speed is a detriment, while the other offensive lineman have been average.
Photo via AP
Here is when it gets a little confusing.
In 2015, Herman’s first season with the Cougars, the team’s offensive line was forced to use 11 different starting combinations on the offensive line. Derek Warehime, who is at Texas, was the offensive line coach that season. Herman and Warehime figured out how to make it work, and Houston finished 13th nationally in rushing offense with 235.8 yards per game. In addition, Houston won 13 games.
Herman and Warehime found a solution in the past.
They have to solve the problem at Texas.
The discussion about losing offensive lineman is similar to what we heard in 2014. Dominic Espinosa went down with a season-ending injury and was eventually replaced in the starting lineup with Taylor Doyle, Kennedy Estelle started in the season opener and was kicked off the team, while Desmond Harrison was buried. According to TexasSports.com, former offensive coordinator Joe Wickline “used six starting combinations along the line, including five first-time starters, as Texas went on to post its best rushing results in the second half of the season.” The offensive line never took a dramatic step forward.
Strong was a defensive coordinator under Urban Meyer and won a national championship at Florida. His Louisville team had a shocking defeat of Florida during the 2013 Sugar Bowl. When he was hired at Texas, defense was supposed to be his strength. However, it ended up being a weakness because Strong waited until year three to make changes.
In Strong's first season at Texas, the defense was ranked 25th, followed by 106th in 2015 and 93rd in 2016. By the time Strong demoted former defensive coordinator Vance Bedford and decided to call plays himself, it was too late. His young players were used to losing, they lost faith in the coaching staff, and Kansas happened.
(Just for comparison, Texas’ offense was ranked 105th in 2014, 100th in 2015, and 37th last season under former offensive coordinator Sterling Gilbert. Texas’ offense is currently ranked 51st in the nation, and 67th in point per game - 28.6).
When it comes to talent, I thought @danlaw08 make a really good observation on Saturday:
1. These guys are better than most O-line players in the conference coming out of HS.
2. Almost no one on the entire offense has improved since last year.
3. This line has been "injured" for a long time. They aren't improving as a unit.
That's 100% on the coaches.
I cannot think of a single offensive player who was in last year’s rotation that is better in 2017. Maybe Lorenzo Joe? Outside of him, most offensive players appear to be the same, or regressed. When Shane Buechele is not getting sacked, his progressions take too long. The longest gain by a running back this season is 41 yards. It is hard to believe every offensive player who experience some measure of successf last season has become a JAG.
Beck will receive the blame, but Herman was hired because everyone believed he was an offensive guru.
Herman was the offensive coordinator under Urban Meyer and has a national championship on his resume. Herman’s 2014 Ohio State offense finished the season ranked fifth in scoring offense at 44.8 points per game and ninth in total offense at 511.6 yards per game despite losing Braxton Miller, a Heisman Trophy candidate, prior to the season. He led a Houston team that averaged 40.4 points per game. Ultimately, Herman will receive the credit or blame for the offense at Texas, just like Strong’s and his defense.
If Herman needs to hire more assistant coaches, so be it. More coaches in the booth? Go for it. Increase the support staff? Sounds good. Have somebody show Herman what opposing defenses are running on an iPad during games while associate head coach Stan Drayton coordinates with defensive coordinator Todd Orlando? There is no time like the present.
However, doing nothing is not an option.
Texas is nine games into this season. It is what it is. Coaches are more focused on game preparation than technique right now. Learning lessons occur during the offseason. This offensive line is not going to perform miracles during the final three games. Calling plays to get the most of Texas’ talent is the only option right now.
Nevertheless, Herman must take control of this offense.
If not, Herman runs the risk of history repeating itself.
Photo via Daily Texan
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
(These are always funnier after a win)
Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it
If this guy did not make it right after he stopped recording, his is still cleaning eggs off his home and toilet paper in the trees
Who thought this was a good idea (from the owners to customers)?
New couples are definitely hilarious
Sports On A Dime
1. This looked like a mentally defeated team on Saturday night. When Longhorn players stood for the Eyes of Texas after Saturday’s loss, the majority of them barely raised their Hook Em sign. The hands of most players were near their shoulders. You can tell they are over this losing season.
2. There is no need for Herman to attempt a field goal again this season. Joshua Rowland might make 60-yard field goals with his eyes closed while smoking a cigarette and holding a bowling ball in practice, but he is an incredibly inconsistent kicker when it actually counts. Herman often talks about the definition of insanity during press conferences, and it is crazy to keep missing field goals with an inconsistent kicker.
3. When Jerrod Heard lines up at quarterback, it is an obvious run play. How obvious is it? Heard wore his receiver gloves when he took a snap against TCU, which resulted in a 2-yard loss because everyone in the stadium knew what he was going to do. Nine games into the season would have been a perfect time to pass the ball since every team is expecting Heard to take off running. There is something to be said for emptying the playbook in a must-win game.
4. Armanti Foreman, a big deal was made when did not play much during a three-game stretch. When you are in the game, catching the ball is a must.
5. With so many topics to cover after the game, I will eventually need figure this out:
6. If Texas players and coaches were disappointed with the student turnout against Oklahoma State, they better have low expectations for Kansas on Saturday. Apathy is beginning to set in, and you cannot expect kids on a budget to spend what little money they have to watch a losing team against Kansas. Considering Texas Tech is the day after Thanksgiving, there needs to be one hell of a promotional idea to have students show up this month.
7. Props to you, @ORANGE_G I bet you Baylor would not win a game this season, but the Bears recorded a 38-9 win against Kansas on Saturday. When we made the bet in September, I honestly did not believe Kansas would be this bad. However, I was definitely wrong. Kansas is pretty horrible. Let me know when you want that drink.
8. I do not know how many lives Ezekiel Elliott has, but he is getting the most out of them this year. Roger Goodell will eventually win this battle, but Elliott’s legal team is putting up one hell of a fight. I sure hope Jerry Jones is paying Elliott’s legal expenses because those billable hours are adding up.
9. How many quarterbacks will Cleveland have before this occurs?
10. It was like big brother vs. little brother when Deontay Wilder ran through Bermaine Stiverne on Saturday. I would call Stiverne a tomato can, but at least you can make spaghetti or lasagna with Hunt’s sauce. At least Stiverne received $500,000 for the fight, which he can use to shop for some pride on Amazon. All jokes aside, Anthony Joshua and Wilder need to fight in 2018. (h/t @bevo1989 )
https://helmboots.com/
Texas football coach Tom Herman needs to learn from Charlie Strong mistakes.
Herman does not need to get on FaceTime with Strong and have a conversation this week. He does not need to contact any assistant coaches from the previous staff. There is no need to watch the film of Strong’s previous seasons. Herman is smart enough to understand what happened prior to his arrival. The reason Herman was hired because Strong failed to win at Texas. The reason why most coaches are hired is because their predecessor failed.
However, it is important Herman understands one thing.
If he does not take control of this offense, which is supposed to be his area of expertise, Herman runs the risk of history repeating itself at Texas.
For some, that means getting rid of offensive coordinator Tim Beck after one season. This offense has struggled throughout the year and with no signs of improvement. Texas scored seven points during a loss against TCU, which is a step back from the 10 points posted against Oklahoma State two games ago (yeah, Baylor does not count).
There is a constant rotation at receiver that prevents players from getting into a rhythm. Asking Buechele to drop back and wait for a play to develop with this offensive line seems like a suicide mission. Texas played a must-win game on Saturday and Beck did not unload the playbook to TCU off-guard. At this pace, Texas may not have a running back finish with more than 500 rushing yards (Chris Warren III currently “leads” that group with 331 yards). This offense is a mess.
I thinking firing Beck after one season is overreacting.
However, Herman has to avoid the temptation to be complacent and believe this disappointing season is simply due to injuries, or a lack of talent.
Yes, Texas is without Connor Williams and Elijah Rodriguez, a player who has grown in folklore, but nobody can say with certainty he would be a standout. Rodriguez may have performed well during practice in August, but the same can be said for other players who were praised back then and have not produced this season. Man, Tristan Nickelson has played poorly, and it is hard to believe Denzel Okafor cannot crack the lineup. Terrell Cuney’s lack of speed is a detriment, while the other offensive lineman have been average.
Photo via AP
Here is when it gets a little confusing.
In 2015, Herman’s first season with the Cougars, the team’s offensive line was forced to use 11 different starting combinations on the offensive line. Derek Warehime, who is at Texas, was the offensive line coach that season. Herman and Warehime figured out how to make it work, and Houston finished 13th nationally in rushing offense with 235.8 yards per game. In addition, Houston won 13 games.
Herman and Warehime found a solution in the past.
They have to solve the problem at Texas.
The discussion about losing offensive lineman is similar to what we heard in 2014. Dominic Espinosa went down with a season-ending injury and was eventually replaced in the starting lineup with Taylor Doyle, Kennedy Estelle started in the season opener and was kicked off the team, while Desmond Harrison was buried. According to TexasSports.com, former offensive coordinator Joe Wickline “used six starting combinations along the line, including five first-time starters, as Texas went on to post its best rushing results in the second half of the season.” The offensive line never took a dramatic step forward.
Strong was a defensive coordinator under Urban Meyer and won a national championship at Florida. His Louisville team had a shocking defeat of Florida during the 2013 Sugar Bowl. When he was hired at Texas, defense was supposed to be his strength. However, it ended up being a weakness because Strong waited until year three to make changes.
In Strong's first season at Texas, the defense was ranked 25th, followed by 106th in 2015 and 93rd in 2016. By the time Strong demoted former defensive coordinator Vance Bedford and decided to call plays himself, it was too late. His young players were used to losing, they lost faith in the coaching staff, and Kansas happened.
(Just for comparison, Texas’ offense was ranked 105th in 2014, 100th in 2015, and 37th last season under former offensive coordinator Sterling Gilbert. Texas’ offense is currently ranked 51st in the nation, and 67th in point per game - 28.6).
When it comes to talent, I thought @danlaw08 make a really good observation on Saturday:
1. These guys are better than most O-line players in the conference coming out of HS.
2. Almost no one on the entire offense has improved since last year.
3. This line has been "injured" for a long time. They aren't improving as a unit.
That's 100% on the coaches.
I cannot think of a single offensive player who was in last year’s rotation that is better in 2017. Maybe Lorenzo Joe? Outside of him, most offensive players appear to be the same, or regressed. When Shane Buechele is not getting sacked, his progressions take too long. The longest gain by a running back this season is 41 yards. It is hard to believe every offensive player who experience some measure of successf last season has become a JAG.
Beck will receive the blame, but Herman was hired because everyone believed he was an offensive guru.
Herman was the offensive coordinator under Urban Meyer and has a national championship on his resume. Herman’s 2014 Ohio State offense finished the season ranked fifth in scoring offense at 44.8 points per game and ninth in total offense at 511.6 yards per game despite losing Braxton Miller, a Heisman Trophy candidate, prior to the season. He led a Houston team that averaged 40.4 points per game. Ultimately, Herman will receive the credit or blame for the offense at Texas, just like Strong’s and his defense.
If Herman needs to hire more assistant coaches, so be it. More coaches in the booth? Go for it. Increase the support staff? Sounds good. Have somebody show Herman what opposing defenses are running on an iPad during games while associate head coach Stan Drayton coordinates with defensive coordinator Todd Orlando? There is no time like the present.
However, doing nothing is not an option.
Texas is nine games into this season. It is what it is. Coaches are more focused on game preparation than technique right now. Learning lessons occur during the offseason. This offensive line is not going to perform miracles during the final three games. Calling plays to get the most of Texas’ talent is the only option right now.
Nevertheless, Herman must take control of this offense.
If not, Herman runs the risk of history repeating itself.
Photo via Daily Texan
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
(These are always funnier after a win)
Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it
If this guy did not make it right after he stopped recording, his is still cleaning eggs off his home and toilet paper in the trees
Who thought this was a good idea (from the owners to customers)?
New couples are definitely hilarious
Sports On A Dime
1. This looked like a mentally defeated team on Saturday night. When Longhorn players stood for the Eyes of Texas after Saturday’s loss, the majority of them barely raised their Hook Em sign. The hands of most players were near their shoulders. You can tell they are over this losing season.
2. There is no need for Herman to attempt a field goal again this season. Joshua Rowland might make 60-yard field goals with his eyes closed while smoking a cigarette and holding a bowling ball in practice, but he is an incredibly inconsistent kicker when it actually counts. Herman often talks about the definition of insanity during press conferences, and it is crazy to keep missing field goals with an inconsistent kicker.
3. When Jerrod Heard lines up at quarterback, it is an obvious run play. How obvious is it? Heard wore his receiver gloves when he took a snap against TCU, which resulted in a 2-yard loss because everyone in the stadium knew what he was going to do. Nine games into the season would have been a perfect time to pass the ball since every team is expecting Heard to take off running. There is something to be said for emptying the playbook in a must-win game.
4. Armanti Foreman, a big deal was made when did not play much during a three-game stretch. When you are in the game, catching the ball is a must.
5. With so many topics to cover after the game, I will eventually need figure this out:
6. If Texas players and coaches were disappointed with the student turnout against Oklahoma State, they better have low expectations for Kansas on Saturday. Apathy is beginning to set in, and you cannot expect kids on a budget to spend what little money they have to watch a losing team against Kansas. Considering Texas Tech is the day after Thanksgiving, there needs to be one hell of a promotional idea to have students show up this month.
7. Props to you, @ORANGE_G I bet you Baylor would not win a game this season, but the Bears recorded a 38-9 win against Kansas on Saturday. When we made the bet in September, I honestly did not believe Kansas would be this bad. However, I was definitely wrong. Kansas is pretty horrible. Let me know when you want that drink.
8. I do not know how many lives Ezekiel Elliott has, but he is getting the most out of them this year. Roger Goodell will eventually win this battle, but Elliott’s legal team is putting up one hell of a fight. I sure hope Jerry Jones is paying Elliott’s legal expenses because those billable hours are adding up.
9. How many quarterbacks will Cleveland have before this occurs?
10. It was like big brother vs. little brother when Deontay Wilder ran through Bermaine Stiverne on Saturday. I would call Stiverne a tomato can, but at least you can make spaghetti or lasagna with Hunt’s sauce. At least Stiverne received $500,000 for the fight, which he can use to shop for some pride on Amazon. All jokes aside, Anthony Joshua and Wilder need to fight in 2018. (h/t @bevo1989 )
