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We're counting down like it's New Year's Eve, but instead of champagne, we've got football on the brain. With just 39 days until the NFL regular season kickoff, 34 days until the Texas Longhorns host Colorado State in the season opener, and 27 days until the delightful chaos of college football's week zero, it's a great time to be a football fan. But let’s not forget the real celebration: in 17 days, I will be slow-rolling my car and joyfully pushing my kids out the door as Leander ISD welcomes students for the first day of school.
Longhorn football isn’t just around the corner; it’s ringing our doorbell and snapping pictures to prove delivery like an Amazon delivery driver. Texas kicks things off with a media availability session featuring offensive coordinator Kyle Flood, defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, and special teams coordinator Jeff Banks on Tuesday. The Longhorn media will get a 15 to 20-minute peek at practices on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, with two more practice sessions accessible the following week. That's enough media access to make even Alex Dunlap pen an apology ballad to Texas sports information director John Bianco. Let's call it, "Dear John…"
I know you’ve spent the offseason guzzling the burnt orange Kool-Aid, and rightly so. After all, your Longhorns clinched the Big 12 Championship in their final year in the conference. Sure, beating Washington in the college football playoffs would’ve been the cherry on top, but let's not be picky. Just as I never knocked Oklahoma for their playoff losses, I view Texas' efforts through the same lens—it’s always better to be in the final four than sitting at home on the couch.
Nevertheless, Texas needs improvement in one important area to live up to preseason expectations.
The Longhorn pass defense must become a factor.
For years, Ketch and I have laughed about the cyclical nature of the Longhorn fan's emotions: January and February are marked by deep pessimism, which gradually turns into cautious optimism in the spring and full-blown confidence by summer. Come training camp, Longhorn fans are often dreaming of a national title, fueled more by hope than hard evidence.
This offseason, however, Sarkisian flipped the script. If there was ever a time for Longhorn fans to dream big, this is it. With the memory of last season's road victory over Alabama, Texas fans have no reason to fear the impending move to the formidable SEC.
Yet, it is safe to admit that Texas won despite its pass defense last season, not as a result of its stellar performance.
The Longhorn pass defense was ranked 116th in the country last year. That was out of 133 teams. We saw a secondary that struggled to stop Houston’s crossing routes and allowed Washington quarterback Michael Pennix to put on a passing clinic against Texas in the playoffs.
Texas allowed 254.4 passing yards per game last season (12th in the Big 12).
The Longhorns allowed 300 or more passing yards in six games last season:
305 – Baylor
378 – Houston
327 – Kansas State
302 – TCU
323 – Iowa State
430 – Washington
The easiest conclusion is the secondary needs to play better.
How many times did you scream at a defensive back “Turn your head and make a play” last season? There was a lack of effective communication between defensive backs at times. And some players were just not good enough.
Clearly, it begins with defensive back coach Terry Joseph and ends with safeties coach Blake Gideon.
Joseph, well, his official title is the defensive passing game coordinator. He is responsible for that particular aspect of the Longhorn defense.
Gideon is responsible for the DBs as well.
The easy reply is Texas will have more talent in its secondary.
There's a lot of excitement around cornerbacks Malik Muhammad and Kobe Black. Jay’Vion Cole also shows promise as a standout transfer portal addition. Safety Derek Williams is poised to become an NFL Draft pick, and former Clemson safety Andrew Mukuba is set to bolster the secondary. Leading this talented group will be Jahdae Barron.
Yet, as you know, it begins up front.
Texas lost defensive tackles Byron Murphy II and T’Vondre Sweat to the NFL Draft. Sarkisian has expressed his optimism and belief that Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton will fill those voids in the interior.
Allow me to show you how big Murphy and Sweat’s shoes were.
@Alex Dunlap and I discussed the need for this secondary to improve during a show last week. During the conversation, we began to discuss the importance of an effective pass rush from the defensive linemen. I asked Alex to dig into his numbers during the show and share how disruptive the defensive line was last year.
Warning: The following numbers are a burnt orange buzz kill.
--- There are eight returning players from last year’s defensive line (Aaron Bryant, Sydir Mitchell, Ethan Burke, Barryn Sorrell, Justice Finkley, Alfred Collins, Vernon Broughton, and Jaray Bledsoe).
--- They had 12 quarterback hits – combined.
--- The eight players had 53 quarterback pressures.
Do you want to know the combined numbers of just Anthony Hill, Murphy, and Sweat?
Those THREE players combined for 59 quarterback hits and pressures.
The returning EIGHT players combined for 65 quarterback hits and pressures.
I am reminded of Sarkisian’s response when asked which current players can play nose or are plus-players at that position during the SEC Spring Meetings.
“I think definitely Aaron Bryant. I thought he showed great growth this spring,” Sarkisian said. “I think we definitely saw flashes from Sydir this spring. When he was capable to go, he was hard to block for us. The beauty of it is for us, I think that sometimes when you philosophically look at it, when we're in base defense, we have a true zero nose. When we go to nickel, we're a four-down operation. Those guys slide and move all the time. You're going to have to the versatility of some of these guys that can slide in there. But generally, when we're a nickel, we don't have anybody line up over center. That’s rare for us to do that. More often than not, we're more on the guards and things. The goal is that we have some of these with versatility because Alfred could end up down in there at times depending on the formation and if we have to kick the front. A lot of guys are going to have to have that experience to get that done.”
Sarkisian also expressed optimism during SEC Media Days.
“Defensively I think one thing that we've really tried to evolve into, we've really tried to commit ourselves to stopping the run, and I think that showed a year ago,” Sarkisian said. “We have to be better in pass defense. There's two ways of getting better in pass defense.
“One, got to cover people better. You've got to guard people better. You have to have people that can guard them. You also have to have the schemes to guard those people. But you have to have a better way to affect the quarterback. So we've really tried to invoke that into our team of how do we create more of a pass rush to affect the quarterback, which I think we've improved upon this year, and we'll see the benefits of that.”
The Longhorn pass defense must become a factor.
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
These are great friends
I would give this Uber driver 5-stars (bad language alter)
I bet his mom is second-guessing paying for those trombone lessons
Sports On A Dime
1. I was recently told Texas Edge Colton Vasek stood out during summer workouts. It is hard to quantify what that praise means as relates to playing time this season. I would just take a mental note and monitor his progress during training camp.
2. ICYMI
3. Former Texas and current Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy on his decision to find a new home last year: “Starting off, it was definitely tough for me just because of the position I was in with my previous team. We were heading, trying to win a national championship. You know what I'm saying? It was definitely tough separating myself from the team during that time, kind of just doing what was best for me. I was getting into the portal trying to find a new home. Luckily I found Duke University and Manny being the head coach here. I couldn't ask for a better place. I've had a great time here the past seven months. I can't wait to see what we do this season.
4. Longhorn fans, make sure you are not at a place where laughing is inappropriate before reading this question-and-answer with USC coach Lincoln Riley at Big 10 Media Days this past week.
Q. “I apologize in advance, but I've got to ask this question. A few years ago you sent out a tweet that went viral, fair or unfair, about your smoked Easter brisket. Just curious if you're still working on your barbecue skills out in L.A.?”
LINCOLN RILEY: “I need to improve my photography skills, not my barbecuing skills. Absolutely, I got to work on it a little bit this summer.”
5. Are you ready for some more comedy from former Big 12 coaches? I give you Nebraska coach Matt Rhule.
Q. After completing your first season in the Big Ten, what advice do you wish you would have received?
MATT RHULE: “I think the biggest thing I regret from last year was, when you're in pro football, it's kind of quiet, and there aren't bands and things like that. The crowd isn't -- and we started our first two games last year on the road in hostile environments. Minnesota, they did a great job. They had a gold out for their first game. So just getting readjusted to the crowd noise and the passion of the fans in the Big Ten, the atmospheres we're going to have to go into.
“We have to be better on the road, so I wish I would have taken that to heart and gotten that advice.”
Those pesky bands and their interception-causing song selections.
6. Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik’s response when asked what he has done during the offseason to improve after throwing 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season: “Yeah, I think the first thing would be obviously getting to be in the same system again. I think being able to know the offense, I mean, it almost feels like the longer you're in a system, you know how to get through progressions faster, cancel out yes, no, pre-snap progressions, knowing when you're hot off of blitzes, knowing the protections better. That obviously comes with getting the ball out of my hand quicker. Less interceptions, less sacks, being able to make big-time plays with either my legs or throwing the ball downfield.”
7. We knew the football scholarship limit would increase. However, it was a huge day for fencing.
Check out this story by Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger:
“More than 750 additional scholarship spots are coming to college sports.
“As part of the House settlement agreement made public on Friday, college leaders are expanding scholarships to full rosters of each sport, eliminating scholarship restrictions and replacing them with roster size limits. The new scholarship and roster structure — an attempt to prevent future lawsuits — takes effect starting in the 2025-26 academic year and coincides with the settlement’s new model that permits schools to share revenue directly with athletes.
“Commissioners finalized new roster limits earlier this week, and they were all revealed with Friday’s court filing.
“In the new model, schools are permitted to offer a scholarship to each player on a sport’s roster up to the new roster limits. With the move, roughly 790 new scholarships are available across the 40-plus NCAA sports listed in the settlement. According to a Yahoo Sports calculation, there are about 500 scholarships available in all sports in the current NCAA model. Under the new roster limits, that number is now at more than 1,200.
“For instance, the sport of football, with a current scholarship restriction of 85, will now have a roster limit of 105 — a 20-scholarship increase for those schools willing to give the maximum. Baseball, with a current scholarship restriction of 11.7, is expected to have a roster of 34 — a 22.3 scholarship increase.”
8. Here is an easy explanation of the college football playoff bracket:
9. Enjoy this clip of Sugar Ray Leonard against Donny Lalonde in 1988.
10. As a soccer newbie, I was unfamiliar with the Leagues Cup when I learned Austin FC would host Pumas UNAM on Friday. Fortunately, MLS.com outlined why I should care about Austin’s 3-2 victory.
“The first big upset of Leagues Cup 2024 came on opening night, with 10-man Austin FC stunning LIGA MX’s Pumas UNAM in a thrilling 3-2 win at Q2 Stadium.
“Friday’s result throws a major wrench in Group West 1 – which also features Mexican powerhouse CF Monterrey – while giving the Verde & Black a much-needed statement victory as they look to make noise in the tournament before charting an Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs push.
“And what a victory it was, with club talisman Sebastián Driussi ending a two-month scoring drought with the game-winning goal and backup goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland making a dramatic second-half stoppage-time penalty-kick save to preserve the three points. All this after marquee summer signing Osman Bukari got sent off for two yellow cards in the first half.”
Hey even if key players do not participate in every game, I’ll take any win this team can deliver this season.
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