Texas offensive coordinator Tim Beck addressed the media during his weekly press conference on Wednesday night. Here are the highlights from his availability:
- Beck said the offense is continually improving and evolving. The Longhorns must do a better job of protecting the football and eliminating self-inflicting wounds, according to Beck. However, Beck is satisfied with the work ethic of his unit.
- Iowa State played a completely different defense than in previous games, according to Beck: “For the most part, for a veteran team, that was probably not a drastic thing, but to us, a young team, and an offense that is evolving, that was kind of drastic. I thought our guys settled in a little bit and were able to make some adjustments to that, and enable us to score enough points and win the game.”
- In addition, Beck said this was the first time some players saw a “3-3-stack” and “38-double cloud.” He said, “We hadn’t even seen it to coach them through it to teach them it, so, you’re trying to do that on the sidelines. When you’re confused, or you play hesitant, because you’re not quite sure, you’re not playing real fast, maybe the timing is off, you miss a step and a guy beats you. Some of that took place. I think the more we play, the more you’re going to be able to say, ‘Hey, remember against Maryland when they did this? Oh, yeah coach, I remember. Here’s what we’re going to do. Okay, got you. We can’t do that right now. Hey, remember this? They’re like, no, because they haven’t gone through it. They’re some growing pains there, obviously, for us right now.”
- I asked Beck when he watches film with Buechele, did he see throws that could have been made. Here was Beck’s response: “Oh yeah. Got to get rid of the ball. Again, confused. In the old system, he never worried about coverage. The system was kind of just throw to the open guy. Now, all of a sudden, I’m saying if it’s 2-high zone, do this. If it’s 1-high zone, do this. One-high man, do this. Here’s where you need to go with the ball, and he’s like, ‘Coach, there’s like three dudes deep, and they’re clouding. Dropping eight and rushing three. What do I do, because he’s never seen that?' There was some of that. He settled a little bit (against Iowa State), but he did miss some throws we had available. He didn’t get to them.”
- Here is Beck on Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger: “They’re like our offense – inconsistent. When there’s opportunities to make plays, they have to make them, and we’re inconsistent. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t. I think Shane has been, obviously, a little more accurate than Sam has, but they’re both a work in progress. Both continually need to improve to play at that championship level that we need them to play at all. We’re not at that championship level right now.”
- Beck said the offense line is improving. He likes the work ethic of Denzel Okafor and Derek Kerstetter. In fact, Beck was very pleased with Kerstetter’s performance in his first start.
- Right now, Beck said he needs his running backs to break tackles. He believes they are running hard. However, Beck needs his guys to make opponents miss and have a big play.
- There has been talked about getting Toneil Carter and Daniel Young on the field more. Beck did not say if they would be more involved against Kansas State on Saturday.
- Beck described Kansas State as a well-coached, physical team that does not make many mistakes. He said his offense needs to be able to run the football on Kansas State. In addition, Beck said, “If there is a good thing, they don’t do a lot. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad thing, but you kind of know where they are going to be, unlike some teams you play. You come out and all of sudden you’re like, oh my gosh, what is that? I wouldn’t expect that, necessarily, from this group.”
- Beck said the offense is continually improving and evolving. The Longhorns must do a better job of protecting the football and eliminating self-inflicting wounds, according to Beck. However, Beck is satisfied with the work ethic of his unit.
- Iowa State played a completely different defense than in previous games, according to Beck: “For the most part, for a veteran team, that was probably not a drastic thing, but to us, a young team, and an offense that is evolving, that was kind of drastic. I thought our guys settled in a little bit and were able to make some adjustments to that, and enable us to score enough points and win the game.”
- In addition, Beck said this was the first time some players saw a “3-3-stack” and “38-double cloud.” He said, “We hadn’t even seen it to coach them through it to teach them it, so, you’re trying to do that on the sidelines. When you’re confused, or you play hesitant, because you’re not quite sure, you’re not playing real fast, maybe the timing is off, you miss a step and a guy beats you. Some of that took place. I think the more we play, the more you’re going to be able to say, ‘Hey, remember against Maryland when they did this? Oh, yeah coach, I remember. Here’s what we’re going to do. Okay, got you. We can’t do that right now. Hey, remember this? They’re like, no, because they haven’t gone through it. They’re some growing pains there, obviously, for us right now.”
- I asked Beck when he watches film with Buechele, did he see throws that could have been made. Here was Beck’s response: “Oh yeah. Got to get rid of the ball. Again, confused. In the old system, he never worried about coverage. The system was kind of just throw to the open guy. Now, all of a sudden, I’m saying if it’s 2-high zone, do this. If it’s 1-high zone, do this. One-high man, do this. Here’s where you need to go with the ball, and he’s like, ‘Coach, there’s like three dudes deep, and they’re clouding. Dropping eight and rushing three. What do I do, because he’s never seen that?' There was some of that. He settled a little bit (against Iowa State), but he did miss some throws we had available. He didn’t get to them.”
- Here is Beck on Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger: “They’re like our offense – inconsistent. When there’s opportunities to make plays, they have to make them, and we’re inconsistent. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t. I think Shane has been, obviously, a little more accurate than Sam has, but they’re both a work in progress. Both continually need to improve to play at that championship level that we need them to play at all. We’re not at that championship level right now.”
- Beck said the offense line is improving. He likes the work ethic of Denzel Okafor and Derek Kerstetter. In fact, Beck was very pleased with Kerstetter’s performance in his first start.
- Right now, Beck said he needs his running backs to break tackles. He believes they are running hard. However, Beck needs his guys to make opponents miss and have a big play.
- There has been talked about getting Toneil Carter and Daniel Young on the field more. Beck did not say if they would be more involved against Kansas State on Saturday.
- Beck described Kansas State as a well-coached, physical team that does not make many mistakes. He said his offense needs to be able to run the football on Kansas State. In addition, Beck said, “If there is a good thing, they don’t do a lot. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad thing, but you kind of know where they are going to be, unlike some teams you play. You come out and all of sudden you’re like, oh my gosh, what is that? I wouldn’t expect that, necessarily, from this group.”
