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Posted

Damn Texas needs to run the ball better in 2025

1st & Goal at the 1... Who Gets the Ball? | Texas Football | Arch Manning | CJ Baxter | Tre Wisner   

BOBBY...     July 16th

Gerry and I talked about the Texas run game in this morning’s Saturday Conversation.

Texas finished 69th in the country in rushing yards per game a year ago.

If Texas wants to win a national title, that figure alone must improve.

Perhaps it’s the rehabilitation of Cedric Baxter, perhaps it’s the threat of a QB run game, or maybe it’s the makeup of the interior OL (or perhaps a mix of all of those factors) that can do the trick.

But if Texas wants to win big this season, running the football effectively has to be a major piece of the puzzle.

Furthermore, if Texas can effectively run the ball, the Texas defense will get just that much better as a result.

Hook’Em!

 

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Posted

With Baxter's injury last year, I agree with Scipio Tex that Sark really whiffed in not adding more experience at RB for 2025...

Scipio Tex on UTEP game

Running Back

CJ Baxter went out after his first run of the game. Clark, Gibson and Simon held it down, with each getting their respective time to ply their trade. Clark ran it into the hole more. He didn’t add much at contact. We tried to employ him in the passing game, to mixed results.

Gibson runs hard where he’s supposed to and there were no fumbles, but he didn’t push many piles. Simon maximized most of his runs, many of them zone runs, and he was the only Texas running back who consistently broke tackles.

All other Texas runners averaged around 1.6 yards after contact. Simon averaged 4.2. When you consider that Simon averaged less than 4 yards per carry, I’ll let you figure out where he experienced average first contact.

This room is about what I expected. One of the highest paid rooms in college football, but not remotely elite or even that good. It should have been re-hauled back in January, but now the goal is to see if Simon can help us. We could see a switch back to more zone running. I think we’re flailing around a bit.

 

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Posted

We have now gotten good looks (against shit competition) at Gibson, Clark, and Simon. I don't want to say they're JAGSs, but they are a little jaggish. I found myself thinking "Man, we're gonna be so much better at RB when we get Wisner back". And I like Wisner, but man he should not be far and away our #1 RB (and to a lesser extent Baxter, in his current condition). Room needs a spring cleaning, and a good portal guy to go with Cooper.

Also OTF said Rickey Stewart didn't dress and wasn't with the team last night. 

Posted
Just now, Red Five said:

We have now gotten good looks (against shit competition) at Gibson, Clark, and Simon. I don't want to say they're JAGSs, but they are a little jaggish. I found myself thinking "Man, we're gonna be so much better at RB when we get Wisner back". And I like Wisner, but man he should not be far and away our #1 RB (and to a lesser extent Baxter, in his current condition). Room needs a spring cleaning, and a good portal guy to go with Cooper.

Also OTF said Rickey Stewart didn't dress and wasn't with the team last night. 

I thought Clark looked a lot better tonight. He played much faster. Simon runs like a veteran, he probably needs another off-season to build up his body. Gibson ran tough but he needs to accelerate with more conviction, the dudes a verified 4.5 guy. He seems like he’s passive at times. Niblett looks like a totally different guy in the backfield than he does as a punt returner, dude gets up field in a flash. 

Posted
16 minutes ago, Red Five said:

We have now gotten good looks (against shit competition) at Gibson, Clark, and Simon. I don't want to say they're JAGSs, but they are a little jaggish. I found myself thinking "Man, we're gonna be so much better at RB when we get Wisner back". And I like Wisner, but man he should not be far and away our #1 RB (and to a lesser extent Baxter, in his current condition). Room needs a spring cleaning, and a good portal guy to go with Cooper.

Also OTF said Rickey Stewart didn't dress and wasn't with the team last night. 

Simon is not a JAG. In fact, he should probably be 1B or 2B just depending on where Baxter actually is (we just haven't seen a ton of him yet and it still isn't clear to me where he is after the injury). As to Clark, I'm just not convinced he is going to be playable against top competition after his injury. Gibson is fine if he isn't fumbling. 

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Posted
Simon is not a JAG. In fact, he should probably be 1B or 2B just depending on where Baxter actually is (we just haven't seen a ton of him yet and it still isn't clear to me where he is after the injury). As to Clark, I'm just not convinced he is going to be playable against top competition after his injury. Gibson is fine if he isn't fumbling. 

Yeah I think Simon is the keeper out of that group.
Posted

Count me in on being pleased - and not surprised - at seeing Niblett looking like a football player coming out of the backfield. Been waiting to see him there. Hope it stays on track.

 

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Posted
6 hours ago, Red Five said:

We have now gotten good looks (against shit competition) at Gibson, Clark, and Simon. I don't want to say they're JAGSs, but they are a little jaggish. I found myself thinking "Man, we're gonna be so much better at RB when we get Wisner back". And I like Wisner, but man he should not be far and away our #1 RB (and to a lesser extent Baxter, in his current condition). Room needs a spring cleaning, and a good portal guy to go with Cooper.

Also OTF said Rickey Stewart didn't dress and wasn't with the team last night. 

Here's Scipio Tex's take on the current state of the RB room:

"A three-headed rushing attack started off with Christian Clark. He ran at 4.8 yards per clip and did a better job of hitting obvious holes. There’s not much juice there and he goes down at first contact. He looks comfortable as a pass catcher.

Jerrick Gibson will hit it up in there, but he’s not breaking tackles like his freshman year. Perhaps ball security concerns are limiting his stiff arm and recklessness. 4.8 yards per carry.

James Simon continues to demonstrate the most raw dynamism of the current healthy group. His acceleration on a counter play late was noticeable. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry and it’s a different speed when he’s carrying it. He’s inexperienced and probably not a trustworthy pass protector yet.

Texas had nine rushes of 10+ yards, but a lot of them were blocked up for 10+ with the RB adding nominally to the total.

This isn’t a very talented room right now. If you watch other college football, the contrast is marked. Collectively, they recorded a middling 2.25 yards after contact against Sam Houston State, and that includes 12 yards after contact from Ryan Wingo’s run.

Wisner’s return should help with some floor and pass catching ability."

Posted

Baxter still has to prove he’s what he flashed occasionally before he got hurt.  Because before those last couple games his YAC was absolutely horrible. He had a game with 23 carries and like 1 yard after contact.  

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