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Posted

I think it was a mistake for Sark not to incorporate a RZ/goal line RB after Baxter went down before the season. Could've set something up with Gibson early on. I thought it might happen after he had a couple nice RZ runs and a TD at Michigan in Week 2, but nope. 

 

 

  • Like 2
Posted (edited)
23 minutes ago, Jkwellborn said:

Yeah, if everyone knows you are gonna run it, trot out 9 OL and just straight forward mash everyone.

At that point just use your strongest squatting tight end to prevent injury to a QB and run the tush push. It's the most successful short yardage play in all of football right now.

Edited by BurntOrange&White
  • Like 1
Posted
16 hours ago, Hank Kingsley said:

I think it was a mistake for Sark not to incorporate a RZ/goal line RB after Baxter went down before the season. Could've set something up with Gibson early on. I thought it might happen after he had a couple nice RZ runs and a TD at Michigan in Week 2, but nope. 

 

 

The last thing you want to do is turn the ball over in the red zone.

Maybe if he becomes more secure with the ball, and maybe even learns to read blocks better, he will be trusted for that down there. 

 

Despite that lack of trust, he still got the first carry on the 1 yard line on that horrific goal line sequence against OSU.

  • Like 1
Posted
On 1/23/2025 at 3:26 PM, Hank Kingsley said:

I think it was a mistake for Sark not to incorporate a RZ/goal line RB after Baxter went down before the season. Could've set something up with Gibson early on. I thought it might happen after he had a couple nice RZ runs and a TD at Michigan in Week 2, but nope. 

 

 

 

8 hours ago, Atticus said:

The last thing you want to do is turn the ball over in the red zone.

Maybe if he becomes more secure with the ball, and maybe even learns to read blocks better, he will be trusted for that down there. 

 

Despite that lack of trust, he still got the first carry on the 1 yard line on that horrific goal line sequence against OSU.

Gibson doesn't really see hole quite yet. He is often just running up the back of his blockers. A little more time in the film room and some time in the Tiki Barber school of recovering fumblers and he should be good.

Posted
1 minute ago, Thatguy said:

 

Gibson doesn't really see hole quite yet. He is often just running up the back of his blockers. A little more time in the film room and some time in the Tiki Barber school of recovering fumblers and he should be good.

Yeah let’s send Gibson to the Tiki Barber school of RBs whose team won the Super Bowl the year after they left the team. 

Posted
2 minutes ago, MrBig said:

Yeah let’s send Gibson to the Tiki Barber school of RBs whose team won the Super Bowl the year after they left the team. 

Tiki Barber was the leader in fumbling in the NFL until he trained himself to carry the football high and tight and then became the one of the leaders in ball security. Comment has nothing to do with his running style. Only his fumbling.

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Thatguy said:

Tiki Barber was the leader in fumbling in the NFL until he trained himself to carry the football high and tight and then became the one of the leaders in ball security. Comment has nothing to do with his running style. Only his fumbling.

Fumbling can be fixed. I just haven’t seen enough “wow plays” out of the current stable of RBs. Players can improve, but usually you can see it early if a RB will be special. See more solid guys, than special 

Edited by Codaxx
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Posted
Gibson doesn't really see hole quite yet. He is often just running up the back of his blockers. A little more time in the film room and some time in the Tiki Barber school of recovering fumblers and he should be good.

Yeah, I think on his carry he could have scored with better vision.
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Posted
1 hour ago, Codaxx said:

Fumbling can be fixed. I just haven’t seen enough “wow plays” out of the current stable of RBs. Players can improve, but usually you can see it early if a RB will be special. See more solid guys, than special 

100% agree. I remember the first time Brooks got loose I was like how is this kid not getting carries? Blue has eye popping ability but he isn't an every down back. The other guys seem to be plodders.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

OTF has mentioned Nick Brooks quite a few times this off-season. Apparently he’s been pretty impressive in off-season workouts. They expect him to be a potential contributor to the depth at RT sometime this fall. He moved really well on tape at 350lbs, I bet he’s pretty agile at whatever weight he’s at now. He looks well put together. 

  • 5 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
On 2/8/2025 at 1:25 AM, CastHorn said:

OTF has mentioned Nick Brooks quite a few times this off-season. Apparently he’s been pretty impressive in off-season workouts. They expect him to be a potential contributor to the depth at RT sometime this fall. He moved really well on tape at 350lbs, I bet he’s pretty agile at whatever weight he’s at now. He looks well put together. 

Going to need he and Baker to form the killer B’s RT duo

  • 4 weeks later...
Posted (edited)
2 minutes ago, Texasrocks said:

I thought the o-line looked good. Run and pass blocking were better than expected considering the competition and environment.

Thought so too. I put the 4th and goal on sark not them. Everyone in the fucking state of Ohio knew what he called there... fucking stupid. 

Edited by PhillyHorn1
  • Like 1
Posted

I liked that we could actually run both OZ and IZ this season and go legit push from the inerior.

Some dumb mistakes and some whiffs in line calls, but overall with 4 guys with minimal live game reps together, it looked good.

Give it 3 more games to get into a groove and we may just ground and pound most of the schedule. 

Posted

I want to rewatch at some point with a level head and more focus on the O line but I thought they settled in okay. I don't think they were as bad as Arch and Sark made them look. I think the running game has potential this year.

Posted
who would've thought Stroh would start over Neto

It ended up feeling like it was about 50-50 snaps between Stroh and Neto, even with Stroh getting the start.
That about what you all saw?
Posted
1 hour ago, gmr548 said:

I want to rewatch at some point with a level head and more focus on the O line but I thought they settled in okay. I don't think they were as bad as Arch and Sark made them look. I think the running game has potential this year.

I'm not a super-sophisticated watcher, but it appears that this line would have mostly given Ewers, for example, the protection he seemed to need.  That may have been a side-effect of Arch's mobility, and Ewers' preternatural ability to self-sack, but the line didn't seem to be as big an issue as it was at times last year against stout D.  

And the run game was reasonably productive.

Posted

OL was better than I expected both in pass pro and run blocking. Very solid all around especially for game 1 in a tough environment. I thought Arch did a good job in the pocket helping them out too. 

Baker's two penalties and missed assignment on the last play were really the only lapses. Plus the usual goal line fail but that's nothing new.

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Posted
Maybe it doesn't matter who plays RT?  Destined for penalties??

Is it against the rules for the guard and tackle to hold hands so the tackle knows when the ball is snapped? That used to be a thing when it was loud.
Posted
4 minutes ago, LTtxfan said:

Right tackle with issues yesterday.  Really disappointed in run blocking vs San Jose St.

3 weeks to get their shit together before game at "The Swamp"

Baker better get his head out of his ass before OU, that transfer end for OU is a fucking problem.

Posted (edited)

OTF suggests the shit performance was in part the tiny, quicker DL, the different movement up front.  Mentioned was kind of a less talented ASU.

 

Edited by BurgleBro
  • Haha 1
Posted

I think Flood needs to be held accountable for continuous:

1) lack of push on short yardage/goal line

2) stupid penalties (false starts at home??)

3) inability to pick up stunts from dl

OL just seems to be on repeat with these issues every season. He recruits massive dudes that are statues and get blown up in short yardage due to lack of athleticism/flexibility 

 

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Posted
36 minutes ago, BurgleBro said:

OTF suggests the shit performance was in part the tiny, quicker DL, the different movement up front.  Mentioned was kind of a less talented ASU.

 

It was not good in either game. My biggest complaint is Flood has not produced a physical OL in his time here. It is not S&C, because the DL is extremely physical. I think that is an issue. I am sure there are better posters to talk about the OL technique, but I question Flood's ability to teach inside zone. 

Posted
25 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Terrible excuses

Great, we have a Goldilocks oline - 

Oh this team is too big and athletic.   

This team is too small and quick.

Hopefully UTEP will be just right.   /eyeroll.  

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Posted
11 hours ago, BrazilHorn said:

I think Flood needs to be held accountable for continuous:

1) lack of push on short yardage/goal line

2) stupid penalties (false starts at home??)

3) inability to pick up stunts from dl

OL just seems to be on repeat with these issues every season. He recruits massive dudes that are statues and get blown up in short yardage due to lack of athleticism/flexibility 

 

Yep, poor fundamentals related to 1) and 3) discussed at length in this video.  Our OL looks poorly coached on footwork.  

3 hours ago, DFW Horn said:

 

 

Posted (edited)
4 hours ago, DFW Horn said:

 

Anyone with some decent OL experience able to comment on this?  Is Flood actually teaching bullshit here? Or is it just the players sucking because they are big bumbling fools? Sounds like better technique would improve red zone...

Edited by westexhorn
Posted
18 minutes ago, LTtxfan said:

⬆⬆  that's some really dumb bullshit OL technique

only having 10 men on the field for one play in this video is ridiculous

Only 10 men on the field is the offensive staff's fuck up - lead by the OC

6 minutes ago, westexhorn said:

Anyone with some decent OL experience able to comment on this?  Is Flood actually teaching bullshit here? Or is it just the players sucking because they are big bumbling fools? Sounds like better technique would improve red zone...

High school coaches don't teach the footwork demonstrated by Stroh and Campbell in those first two clips.

Sloppy play

Posted

Texas offensive line experiencing expected growing pains

The verdict remains out on the running game for the Longhorns and the team’s rebuilt offensive line.

by Wescunt Eberts     Sep 9, 2025

AUSTIN, Texas — Kelvin Banks isn’t walking through the doors of the Texas Longhorns football facility.

Neither is Cam Williams. Nor Hayden Conner. Nor Jake Majors.

The core of the Longhorns offensive line that helped Texas win a Big 12 championship and make back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff semifinals is no longer on the Forty Acres, producing the first significant transition period for Kyle Flood’s line in the Steve Sarkisian era since Flood assembled a group that earned recognition as Joe Moore Award finalists in 2024.

During the offseason, Sarkisian was clear that he expected growing pains replacing four starters with a combined 11 years of starting experience, citing continuity and consistency as keys for the Longhorns to improve throughout the season.

He wasn’t wrong.

“We ran it really good last week. We ran it okay today, so I don’t know. Verdict’s still out,” Sarkisian said of the running game after the win over San Jose State.

Against Ohio State, Texas managed 166 rushing yards on 4.5 yards per carry, in stark contrast to the struggles last season against elite defenses. The effort against San Jose State wasn’t as heartening given the quality of opponent — 155 yards on 4.8 yards per carry.

Through two games, the consistency is lacking because of breakdowns in technique and fundamentals. Against Ohio State, Texas had success against a defensive line that often took a more traditional approach with big, physical players engaging in one-on-one matchups. The Spartans, however, didn’t have the size or physicality to match up with the Longhorns in those situations, choosing instead to rely on their movement and quickness, which caused problems for Flood’s line.

“We totally lost our fundamentals. We got on our toes. We were falling over ourselves. We give up way too much penetration,” Sarkisian said on Monday.

Sarkisian blamed an inability to translate the scouting report to the game.

“You’ve got to wipe the slate clean on a Monday morning. Here we go, here’s the scouting report, here’s what they’re good at, here’s maybe what they’re not so good at, here’s how we’re going to try to exploit them. Here’s the guy that I’m lining up across the majority of the game. Here’s his strengths, here’s his weaknesses. How am I going to play him? I didn’t think we carried enough information into the game and applied it up front,” Sarkisian said.

So the necessary growth will have to come from the maturity to understand the need to adjust each week.

With the significant decrease in experience across the line, some of that growth has to come from in-game adjustments.

Sarkisian cited a zone running play early in the second quarter on which senior center Cole Hutson missed a blitzing linebacker who brought down redshirt freshman running back Christian Clark for a two-yard loss. Early in the third quarter, Hutson was ready for the weak-side linebacker coming downhill on the same play call and Clark was able to find a seam for a 13-yard gain.

A weak link through two games has been at the left guard position, where redshirt sophomore Connor Stroh unexpectedly won the starting job over redshirt junior Neto Umeozulu. Given Stroh’s play over 89 snaps, that’s an indictment of the lack of development from Umeozulu, a top-100 prospect and the No. 4 interior offensive lineman in the 2022 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings — a 6’7, 350-pounder with questionable feet, Stroh has graded out at 48.3 overall and 41.4 as a run blocker by Pro Football Focus, abysmal, failing grades.

Although Stroh has reshaped his body to improve his conditioning, he consistently ends up on the ground because of his poor balance. Against Ohio State, defensive end Eddrick Houston only needed a handful of plays to take advantage of Stroh getting out over his toes, using a jerk and swim move to dump the big lineman on the turf.

Once that lack of body control ends up on film, it becomes simple for opponents to exploit — San Jose State needed even less time than Ohio State did to send Stroh toppling over.

As former Texas offensive lineman Donald Hawkins pointed out on Twitter, the balance issues for Stroh should be an easy fix — he just needs to bring his feet with him on contact, getting two feet on the ground instead of lunging off of one foot.

After holding up well in pass protection against the Buckeyes, Stroh struggled against the Spartans, allowing a pressure by a stunting linebacker looping across the formation that caused an incompletion and then getting knocked over on a bull rush, plays that contributed to a 47.1 pass-blocking grade on Saturday.

In 48 snaps, Umeozulu has been more consistent — he hasn’t allowed a pressure in pass protection and his run-blocking grade is 63.8, only slightly below average.

The platoon looks similar to Hutson and DJ Campbell splitting time at right guard last season with Campbell playing roughly two thirds of the snaps.

“I just felt like both those guys with the lack of experience that they’ve had, and you don’t have a lot of information on them yet, in live games with live bullets, so for now, we’ll stay with that platoon,” Sarkisian said.

For mental and physical reasons, Sarkisian expects to continue playing Stroh and Umeozulu at left guard.

“There’s a physical conditioning factor that you’ve got to get used to playing that amount of reps. And I think there’s a mental conditioning factor where you got to stay locked in, you know, for 20-30, 40-50, 60-70 reps. If we can help them grow into that — and they’re both capable to do it — then that’s probably the road we’ll go down until something changes that,” Sarkisian said.

Other growing pains seem like a function of youth. At right tackle, sophomore Brandon Baker is known as a hard-working, technically-refined player, but he’s also committed three false starts in two games and allowed five quarterback pressures against Ohio State. On one notable play against San Jose State, redshirt sophomore running back CJ Baxter was dropped for a five-yard loss on a first-down screen pass because Baker was slow to release and couldn’t make the key block.

The hope is that continuity throughout the season will improve the unit’s consistency, but right now the verdict remains out on this rebuilt offensive line, just like the verdict remains out on the Texas running game.

 

Posted
1 hour ago, LTtxfan said:

Texas offensive line experiencing expected growing pains

The verdict remains out on the running game for the Longhorns and the team’s rebuilt offensive line.

by Wescunt Eberts     Sep 9, 2025

AUSTIN, Texas — Kelvin Banks isn’t walking through the doors of the Texas Longhorns football facility.

Neither is Cam Williams. Nor Hayden Conner. Nor Jake Majors.

The core of the Longhorns offensive line that helped Texas win a Big 12 championship and make back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff semifinals is no longer on the Forty Acres, producing the first significant transition period for Kyle Flood’s line in the Steve Sarkisian era since Flood assembled a group that earned recognition as Joe Moore Award finalists in 2024.

During the offseason, Sarkisian was clear that he expected growing pains replacing four starters with a combined 11 years of starting experience, citing continuity and consistency as keys for the Longhorns to improve throughout the season.

He wasn’t wrong.

“We ran it really good last week. We ran it okay today, so I don’t know. Verdict’s still out,” Sarkisian said of the running game after the win over San Jose State.

Against Ohio State, Texas managed 166 rushing yards on 4.5 yards per carry, in stark contrast to the struggles last season against elite defenses. The effort against San Jose State wasn’t as heartening given the quality of opponent — 155 yards on 4.8 yards per carry.

Through two games, the consistency is lacking because of breakdowns in technique and fundamentals. Against Ohio State, Texas had success against a defensive line that often took a more traditional approach with big, physical players engaging in one-on-one matchups. The Spartans, however, didn’t have the size or physicality to match up with the Longhorns in those situations, choosing instead to rely on their movement and quickness, which caused problems for Flood’s line.

“We totally lost our fundamentals. We got on our toes. We were falling over ourselves. We give up way too much penetration,” Sarkisian said on Monday.

Sarkisian blamed an inability to translate the scouting report to the game.

“You’ve got to wipe the slate clean on a Monday morning. Here we go, here’s the scouting report, here’s what they’re good at, here’s maybe what they’re not so good at, here’s how we’re going to try to exploit them. Here’s the guy that I’m lining up across the majority of the game. Here’s his strengths, here’s his weaknesses. How am I going to play him? I didn’t think we carried enough information into the game and applied it up front,” Sarkisian said.

So the necessary growth will have to come from the maturity to understand the need to adjust each week.

With the significant decrease in experience across the line, some of that growth has to come from in-game adjustments.

Sarkisian cited a zone running play early in the second quarter on which senior center Cole Hutson missed a blitzing linebacker who brought down redshirt freshman running back Christian Clark for a two-yard loss. Early in the third quarter, Hutson was ready for the weak-side linebacker coming downhill on the same play call and Clark was able to find a seam for a 13-yard gain.

A weak link through two games has been at the left guard position, where redshirt sophomore Connor Stroh unexpectedly won the starting job over redshirt junior Neto Umeozulu. Given Stroh’s play over 89 snaps, that’s an indictment of the lack of development from Umeozulu, a top-100 prospect and the No. 4 interior offensive lineman in the 2022 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings — a 6’7, 350-pounder with questionable feet, Stroh has graded out at 48.3 overall and 41.4 as a run blocker by Pro Football Focus, abysmal, failing grades.

Although Stroh has reshaped his body to improve his conditioning, he consistently ends up on the ground because of his poor balance. Against Ohio State, defensive end Eddrick Houston only needed a handful of plays to take advantage of Stroh getting out over his toes, using a jerk and swim move to dump the big lineman on the turf.

Once that lack of body control ends up on film, it becomes simple for opponents to exploit — San Jose State needed even less time than Ohio State did to send Stroh toppling over.

As former Texas offensive lineman Donald Hawkins pointed out on Twitter, the balance issues for Stroh should be an easy fix — he just needs to bring his feet with him on contact, getting two feet on the ground instead of lunging off of one foot.

After holding up well in pass protection against the Buckeyes, Stroh struggled against the Spartans, allowing a pressure by a stunting linebacker looping across the formation that caused an incompletion and then getting knocked over on a bull rush, plays that contributed to a 47.1 pass-blocking grade on Saturday.

In 48 snaps, Umeozulu has been more consistent — he hasn’t allowed a pressure in pass protection and his run-blocking grade is 63.8, only slightly below average.

The platoon looks similar to Hutson and DJ Campbell splitting time at right guard last season with Campbell playing roughly two thirds of the snaps.

“I just felt like both those guys with the lack of experience that they’ve had, and you don’t have a lot of information on them yet, in live games with live bullets, so for now, we’ll stay with that platoon,” Sarkisian said.

For mental and physical reasons, Sarkisian expects to continue playing Stroh and Umeozulu at left guard.

“There’s a physical conditioning factor that you’ve got to get used to playing that amount of reps. And I think there’s a mental conditioning factor where you got to stay locked in, you know, for 20-30, 40-50, 60-70 reps. If we can help them grow into that — and they’re both capable to do it — then that’s probably the road we’ll go down until something changes that,” Sarkisian said.

Other growing pains seem like a function of youth. At right tackle, sophomore Brandon Baker is known as a hard-working, technically-refined player, but he’s also committed three false starts in two games and allowed five quarterback pressures against Ohio State. On one notable play against San Jose State, redshirt sophomore running back CJ Baxter was dropped for a five-yard loss on a first-down screen pass because Baker was slow to release and couldn’t make the key block.

The hope is that continuity throughout the season will improve the unit’s consistency, but right now the verdict remains out on this rebuilt offensive line, just like the verdict remains out on the Texas running game.

 

Cross post this in the offseason thread 

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