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The Athletic/Khan Jr: What I learned watching Texas’ preseason practice: QB battle persists, Sark’s plans for the tight ends

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“Whether it’s a two-minute … third down, blitz, red area, there’s a lot of aspects that make up the game, so (I’m) trying to give everybody ample opportunities to play in the various scenarios,” Sarkisian said Tuesday. “I think our team, in general, recognizes that both guys work their tails off, both guys are grinding at this. They’re preparing. They’re taking to the tough coaching. And I think the team has a lot of respect for both guys.”

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What I learned watching Texas’ preseason practice: QB battle persists, Sark’s plans for the tight ends

AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 12: Texas Longhorn TE Cade Brewer waves at the crowd after scoring a TD during game against the UTEP Miners on September 12, 2020, at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, TX. (Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
By Sam Khan Jr. 20m ago save-icon.png

AUSTIN, Texas — For the first time since April’s spring game, fans filed into Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium to catch a glimpse of the 2021 Texas Longhorns.

Steve Sarkisian opened Wednesday night’s practice to the public to give Longhorns faithful a preview of what they’ll see on Sept. 4 when No. 21 Texas hosts No. 23 Louisiana to kick off the “All Gas No Brakes” era.

During two hours of work during an unusually comfortable, breezy Texas summer evening, there was plenty for the few thousand in attendance to see. Here’s what I learned from my time on the Forty Acres:

The battle for the starting quarterback job between junior Casey Thompson and redshirt freshman Hudson Card is very much ongoing. Each took regular turns with the first-team offense throughout Wednesday’s practice and each had a mix of bright spots and misfires and neither was dominant.

Both quarterbacks seemed to have a solid grasp of Sarkisian’s offense. When Thompson was behind center, his level of command was evident. He looked comfortable and made quality throws, including a well-timed 15-yard out route to Joshua Moore during 11-on-11 work. He also found Moore over the middle with a nice throw in traffic during seven-on-seven and capped his night with an over-the-middle touchdown pass to freshman tight end Gunnar Helm during red zone team work.

When Card was in, his pure arm strength was noticeable. His quick release enabled him to beat pressure at times, and he made impressive tosses outside the hashes and over the middle. The ball got to receivers and tight ends in a hurry.

Sarkisian said earlier this week that he is trying to give each a look in a variety of situations.

“Whether it’s a two-minute … third down, blitz, red area, there’s a lot of aspects that make up the game, so (I’m) trying to give everybody ample opportunities to play in the various scenarios,” Sarkisian said Tuesday. “I think our team, in general, recognizes that both guys work their tails off, both guys are grinding at this. They’re preparing. They’re taking to the tough coaching. And I think the team has a lot of respect for both guys.”

That neither quarterback seems to be significantly ahead of the other squares with Sarkisian’s claim earlier this week that he doesn’t have a specific timeline on naming a starter. Sarkisian has acknowledged that, at some point, he’ll have to go with his gut and pick a starter.

Following the team’s first scrimmage last weekend, Sarkisian said each quarterback had missed opportunities. “They performed really well that first week of camp, and then when the scrimmage came, they kind of veered off from some of the fundamentals, techniques, reads, decision-making that had gotten them to that point,” Sarkisian said. But he noted that both have bounced back well this week and responded to his coaching.

Sarkisian didn’t commit to picking a starter following the Longhorns’ upcoming scrimmage, which is Saturday. The team will shift from training camp mode to game preparation for Louisiana by the middle of next week, so roles on the depth chart will begin to solidify.

“Going with your gut means when it feels right,” Sarkisian said. “For me, the actual (deadline) date is the first game. Somebody’s got to run out there on Sept. 4 and take snaps with the starting offense when we take the field. Ideally, I’d like to make a decision before then. But there’s no exact date for that to happen.”

It’s no secret that tight ends will be a key part of Sarkisian’s offense at Texas.

He stated multiple times this offseason how important the position is to his scheme, and the statistics from his time as offensive coordinator at Alabama back that up. Crimson Tide tight ends caught almost twice as many passes in the last two seasons combined (82) than Texas tight ends did in the same span (42).

That was obvious at Wednesday’s practice, too, as the offense regularly lined up in 12 personnel: one running back, two tight ends. The first-team offense usually featured super senior Cade Brewer and 6-foot-7 junior Jared Wiley at the two tight end spots.

“We’re a two tight end-based offense,” Texas’ special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Jeff Banks said Wednesday. “Somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 to 40 percent of our snaps last year at Alabama were in two tight ends. We were hoping to inherit a talented group, and we did.”

Brewer has provided strong leadership and has been a “do-it-all” player, while Wiley has been “probably the most improved player,” since the staff arrived, Banks said.

Wiley has mostly served as the attached tight end who has made his mark as a blocker, giving him a key role in the running game.

Three true freshmen joined the group this offseason. Helm and Juan Davis enrolled in January and five-star prospect Ja’Tavion Sanders, who played both tight end and defensive end at Denton (Texas) Ryan High, arrived this summer. Helm quickly picked up the offense and “is a freshman that doesn’t play like a freshman,” Banks said. He appears the furthest along of the freshman trio.

Davis, who played quarterback and receiver at Everman High near Fort Worth, is still adjusting to his new position, Banks said, but made some nice catches during Wednesday’s workout. Sanders, at 6-4, 256 pounds, moves really well for his size and has “a super bright future,” Banks said.

Texas brings back a veteran return specialist in cornerback D’Shawn Jamison, who has returned kicks and punts ever since he arrived on campus in 2018, but the Longhorns are developing depth behind him.

Jamison, who has returned a punt or kickoff for a score each of the last three years, was one of many catching punts during special teams drills on Wednesday.

Moore, the team’s leading receiver, got a lot of work there. Receiver Jordan Whittington also had a few opportunities. Freshman receiver Xavier Worthy has also seen work at punt returner during camp.

“We’ve added a speed element to the punt return game with those two receivers (Moore and Worthy),” Banks said. “And I think with (Jamison), that gives you three really, really talented punt returners back there as opposed to one.”

Jamison will continue having a role as a kickoff returner, but Banks noted that the addition of Alabama transfer Keilan Robinson gives the team another option. When needed, the team can also call on starting running back Bijan Robinson.

“I like where we’re at with the return game,” Banks said. “We’ve got plenty of body types, plenty of different speeds. And I think we’ve got some guys that have some home run speed.”

Heading into this week of practice, Sarkisian characterized his defense as a little bit ahead of the offense, particularly after Saturday’s scrimmage. That held true on Wednesday as well.

While the offense had a few moments, the defense looked like the better of the two units.

The secondary consistently made plays against Longhorns receivers. Senior cornerback Josh Thompson disrupted multiple would-be touchdowns by either batting balls away or hitting receivers as soon as the ball arrived.

Starting linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who is now at full strength after missing spring because of shoulder surgery, was active and instinctive, showing why he’s such a critical piece to the defense. Before Wednesday’s practice, defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski called Overshown “super fast and super explosive,” and he lived up to that billing on the field.

During one red zone possession, Overshown burst through the line full speed on a delayed blitz, forcing Card to spin into another defender for a sack.

Veteran defensive linemen Keondre Coburn and Moro Ojomo provided a consistent interior presence, allowing a variety of edge rushers to generate pressure on the quarterbacks.

Junior linebacker Luke Brockermeyer, a former walk-on who was put on scholarship in 2019, is also becoming a mainstay with the first-team defense. Lining up next to Overshown, Brockermeyer — son of former Texas offensive lineman Blake Brockermeyer — has garnered praise from Sarkisian for his work this offseason.

“He plays smart,” Sarkisian said earlier this month. “He trusts his instincts. He trusts his preparation. And he just goes and plays and ultimately, he makes plays because of that. He plays really fast, and I think that’s kind of what you want in a middle linebacker, that’s a pretty good trait to have.”

Following spring practice, Sarkisian alluded to senior kicker Cameron Dicker taking on all three specialist roles this season and midway through training camp, that possibility remains real.

Dicker, who has been the team’s primary placekicker and kickoff specialist for three years running, added punting to his duties in the final three games of the 2020 season after punter Ryan Bujcevski suffered a season-ending injury.

On Wednesday, Dicker did not practice, as the coaches are trying to reduce his workload during training camp because of how much they’ll rely on his leg throughout the season.

“We certainly are going to limit the amount of reps day in and day out,” Banks said. “We’re going to try to be on a four-days-a-week schedule with Cam because he’s punting and kicking and kicking off, so that we don’t wear him out.”

Bujcevski is working himself back into action following a torn ACL, but freshman punter Isaac Pearson — who handled most of the punting duties on Wednesday — has been “a pleasant surprise,” Banks said.

Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Kyle Flood said on Wednesday that his top priority is finding the best five offensive linemen, plus the next-best three.

Wednesday’s practice provided a glimpse of who that first five could be.

During 11-on-11 work with the first team, fifth-year senior Derek Kerstetter and junior Christian Jones manned the tackles, senior Denzel Okafor and junior Junior Angilau played guard and redshirt freshman Jake Majors worked at center.

Flood said Kerstetter can play all five positions, and that offers him flexibility to find the right combination of starters.

The next three who are competing with those five, Flood said, are senior guard Tope Imade, redshirt freshman tackle Andrej Karic and true freshman Hayden Conner.

“You have eight guys that are competing, I think, at a pretty good level right now that will ultimately decide who the starters are gonna be,” Flood said.

Conner is playing both guard and tackle currently because Flood made it clear that it would help him get on the field faster. “I don’t know where he’s ultimately going to end up, but he’s doing a really nice job right now,” Flood said.

Sarkisian noted earlier this week that Angilau is also getting some work at center to help build depth. He prefers to go into a season with at least three players who can snap the ball, and Majors and Kerstetter currently fit the bill. Flood is working with Angilau to develop that skill.

Quick hits 

• Worthy, who has been the subject of praise from Sarkisian and multiple teammates for his performances during training camp, did not practice on Wednesday. He was out with an illness (though not related to COVID-19), according to a team spokesman.

• Redshirt freshman Troy Omeire, who missed the 2020 season with a knee injury, was a full participant in practice and ran smoothly without a brace. However, midway through the practice he went down and was slow to get up. Though he walked off under his own power, he went into the locker room and didn’t return.

(Photo of Cade Brewer: John Rivera / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Sam Khan Jr. is a senior writer for The Athletic, covering college football and recruiting primarily in Texas. Previously, he spent eight years covering college sports at ESPN.com and seven years as a sports reporter at the Houston Chronicle. A native Houstonian, Sam graduated from the University of Houston. Follow Sam on Twitter @skhanjr.
 
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The Athletic/Group: B12 Football Preview

 

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Who will be the Big 12 offensive player of the year?

Khan: Let’s not forget about the nation’s leading rusher in 2020, Iowa State’s Breece Hall. After compiling 1,572 yards and 21 touchdowns in 12 games last season, Hall is back with a loaded team around him. If the Cyclones are going to be as good as expected, Hall is going to be a critical component to their success. He was also the Big 12 leader in yards from scrimmage, averaging 146 per game. When in doubt, go with the proven guy.

Kersey: Rattler. He’s the most talented quarterback in the conference, plays in Lincoln Riley’s offense and now has a year of experience. There is no reason to believe he won’t put up monster numbers and be right there in the Heisman Trophy mix at the end of the season. If he does that, he’ll surely be the Big 12’s Offensive Player of the Year.

Olson: I’m going with a different preseason All-American: Bijan Robinson. The way he finished his freshman season was absurd. Robinson put up 651 total yards over his final four games … on 55 touches. That’s nearly 12 yards per play. Will a greater workload impact how he fares? The best backs in the Big 12 in recent years have been able to stay strong over 250-plus carries in a season. But when you have as good a play caller as Texas does and a trusted No. 2 option in Roschon Johnson, that’ll help keep Robinson fresh and playing his best. I’m expecting huge numbers from him.

Feldman: As much as I’m tempted to go with Robinson, I can’t pass up on Rattler. He’s in an ideal system and has much better skill guys to work with this season. He’s going to have a massive year statistically.

 

 

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Big 12 2021 football preview: Will Texas, Oklahoma exits and league’s fate eclipse season? Predictions, players to watch

NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 26: Kansas State Wildcats RB Deuce Vaughn (22) breaks free for a touchdown during a college football game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Kansas State Wildcats on September 26, 2020, at the Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium in Norman, OK.  (Photo by David Stacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
By The Athletic College Football Staff 2h ago comment-icon.png 2 save-icon.png

The Big 12 spent most of the past month in the headlines. From Texas and Oklahoma’s decision to leave the league for the SEC (effective in 2025 or sooner) to the uncertain fate of the remaining eight programs in the conference, it has been ground zero for massive change in the sport.

But the most-loved part — the actual football — is almost here. And when toe meets leather in September, all that other stuff will fade into the background, at least a little.

Who will challenge perennial power Oklahoma for the Big 12 championship? Who will be the league’s breakout players? Which freshmen could make an immediate impact? Our writers answer those questions and more in a roundtable previewing the 2021 Big 12 football season.

State of the Program: Baylor | Iowa State | Kansas | Kansas State | Oklahoma | Oklahoma State | TCU | Texas | Texas Tech | West Virginia

What storyline are you most interested in following?

Bruce Feldman: As curious as I am about how Steve Sarkisian will do at Texas, the biggest story, by far, is the elephant in the room: OU and UT stiff-arming the rest of this league and the sniping that figures to come from this. This extended limbo is going to be super awkward. This is a league where “Horns Down” became a hot issue. That was nothing compared to with level of snubbing.

Jason Kersey: I’m here for the drama, and this year should be full of it after the events of the last month. The decision of Oklahoma and Texas to leave for the SEC and render themselves lame ducks in the Big 12 could make for some truly fascinating circumstances. Everything must be viewed through that lens this season. Will the other eight teams be especially motivated to beat Oklahoma and Texas? Will every officiating call that doesn’t go the way of the Sooners and Longhorns be viewed as some kind of vendetta? How many snide comments will Irate Eight coaches make in the lead-up to games against Oklahoma or Texas? The possibilities are endless.

Max Olson: Sure, this is setting up to be the most dramatic Big 12 season of all time. I do like my college football extra spicy. But I hope all the angst and anxiety doesn’t totally overshadow everything this fall. The uncertain future of the Big 12 and the tension of Oklahoma and Texas still playing in this conference will likely keep commanding a lot of attention in the months ahead. I really hope, for the eight remaining members, that doesn’t take too much of the joy out of this season. This is still a damn fun league to watch on a week-to-week basis, with nine teams capable of winning almost any game and so many close finishes. It’s going to be impossible to compartmentalize what went down this summer, but hopefully fans can embrace and enjoy this season no matter what’s happening off the field.

Sam Khan Jr.: I’m most intrigued by the league’s new head coaches: Texas’ Sarkisian and Kansas’ Lance Leipold. Each has a challenging task ahead of him in a different way. For Sarkisian, it’s trying to take a Texas team that wasn’t bad (7-3, with all three losses by eight points or fewer) to conference championship contention, and, eventually, national championship contention. Even though the Longhorns have plenty of talent, that status has been elusive in the past decade-plus. Kansas’ expectations are much lower — the Jayhawks would be thrilled to simply approach bowl eligibility — but the Jayhawks haven’t won more than three games in a season since 2009. Leipold has a solid track record, and his hiring was widely praised. How long will it take for him to get Kansas football moving in the right direction?

Which nonconference game are you most looking forward to?

Kersey: A couple of classic rivalries are being renewed this fall, which I’m a sucker for. These matchups — Texas at Arkansas and Nebraska at Oklahoma — were declared “Game of the Century” in 1969 and 1971, respectively. Both should be a lot of fun and very nostalgic. The Big 12 teams will surely be favorites in both, but the Longhorns and Razorbacks have a better chance of putting on a competitive contest. Arkansas took incredible strides in Sam Pittman’s first season — during a pandemic, no less — so it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Hogs give Texas a tough game in Fayetteville.

Olson: The one game I’m most eager to see in person has to be Iowa-Iowa State. There’s never been a Cy-Hawk game between two Top 25 teams. The preseason No. 7 Cyclones have achieved so much under Matt Campbell but haven’t yet found a way to beat their in-state rival. The Hawkeyes stole a win in dramatic fashion in 2019 on a wet and wild day and have won five in a row in this series. It’s a real shame they didn’t get to play last fall, but that just amps up the anticipation for their Sept. 11 showdown in Ames.

Khan: Texas at Arkansas, for the reasons stated here. But since I already wrote extensively about that game, I’ll choose another: SMU at TCU, the Battle for the Iron Skillet. The Horned Frogs have dominated the DFW rivalry since 1999, winning 17 of the past 20 contests. But SMU is on the rise and won the most recent meeting in 2019 (last year’s game was canceled because of COVID-19), and both teams are expected to be contenders in their leagues this fall. Also, the two schools went head-to-head on the recruiting trail this summer, with SMU scoring a commitment from local four-star safety Chace Biddle, whom TCU was heavily in contention for. The Ponies are ahead of TCU currently in the national recruiting rankings. It adds a little spice, at least between the two coaches, to what should be a competitive game.

Feldman: Max is right. This is the biggest Cy-Hawk Game ever. This has always been a state-pride rivalry game, but this is the first time it has big national implications on both sides, and it also is a chip for both of their conferences. Both teams actually have chances to make the College Football Playoff this year. If ISU wins that game, the Cyclones have an excellent shot of being 5-0 when they visit, after a bye week, K-State.

Which conference game are you most looking forward to?

Khan: Without question, it’s the Red River rivalry because, for all the years I’ve watched it, I’ve never been in the Cotton Bowl as it unfolded. I even asked to go one year at my last job, to no avail. Barring unforeseen circumstances, I’ll be there this time. Those who have been there, in the shadow of Big Tex and smack in the middle of the State Fair of Texas, describe it as one of the distinctive atmospheres in college football. Also, the stakes should be high. Oklahoma is once again the Big 12 favorite; Texas has a new coach and hopes to find itself in the mix for a berth in the Big 12 title game.

Olson: It’s easy to go with Oklahoma’s games against Texas, Oklahoma State and Iowa State. But I’ll throw another out there: I’m really interested in its matchup with TCU on Oct. 16. I really do think everyone is sleeping on the Horned Frogs this year. They’re not a preseason Top 25 team, but they should be. I can envision a 5-0 start going into this trip to Norman, and the timing might be ideal. The Sooners will be coming off games against Kansas State and Texas. If Gary Patterson’s squad intends to contend for a Big 12 title, this will be the week to make a statement.

Kersey: The Red River rivalry is my favorite game in college football, but this year, I’m going with Bedlam in Stillwater. Oklahoma State hasn’t held back on its feelings regarding Oklahoma’s SEC move. This could be the final Bedlam played for a long time. Yes, the Sooners have historically and recently dominated this series, and OU seems to have the superior team entering 2021. But the Cowboys should have plenty of motivation, and the Boone Pickens Stadium crowd will be electric.

Feldman: Bedlam. The Sooners have dominated this series, and there’s been a bunch of blowouts of late in their six-game win streak, but given OU’s impending exit, their return to Stillwater is going to be extra spicy.

Who is the biggest breakout player to watch?

Olson: There are so many transfers in the Big 12 this year who are going to make noise. I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about Siaki “Apu” Ika at Baylor. His performance this offseason has wowed a lot of people, and I won’t be surprised if the LSU transfer emerges as an All-Big 12 selection at nose tackle by the end of the season. He’s a 6-foot-4, 350-pound force up front who was good enough to play right away as a freshman on LSU’s national title team. He’s in the right role with the right staff to have a monster season in the middle this fall.

Kersey: Oklahoma running back Eric Gray. Gray rushed for 1,311 yards and scored 11 total touchdowns the past two seasons at Tennessee, and he’s already made a huge impression during his eight months in Norman. There’s a reason Max and Bruce ranked Gray as the No. 1 most impactful transfer for 2021. He and two-time 1,000-yard rusher Kennedy Brooks will share the backfield, but don’t be surprised if Gray ends up being the Sooners’ leading rusher.

Feldman: Thanks for that shoutout, Jason. I am expecting a big season from Gray as well. I’ll go with West Virginia linebacker Lance Dixon, a Penn State transfer who is a great combination of length and speed. He’s going to play behind a talented D-line that should free him up to make a bunch of big plays.

Khan: I’m also taking a transfer here: Texas Tech defensive back Marquis Waters. Though “Muddy” is a newcomer to the Big 12, he has tons of experience, playing 49 games as a multiyear starter at Duke. He’s also playing for the same position coach at Texas Tech who coached him for two years at Duke, defensive backs coach Derek Jones. That familiarity will allow him to have an immediate impact. He’s versatile enough to play cornerback, safety and nickelback, and he has already been named a defensive captain. Don’t be surprised if he’s an all-conference player.

Which true freshman will make the biggest impact?

Feldman: WVU has a big-time true freshman offensive tackle named Wyatt Milum who was a big get for the Mountaineers and has really shined from what I’ve been hearing. But I’m going to go with Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy. That guy is blazing fast and is a big need for Sark, who really lacked playmakers outside at UT. Worthy’s ability to stretch defenses will be a great complement to Bijan Robinson as they lean on that running game more under Sarkisian.

Kersey: I’ll go with Oklahoma freshman receiver Mario Williams. He shined in the OU spring game and was one of the Sooners’ top-ranked signees in 2021. The Sooners bring back a ton of talent at wide receiver, which could make it difficult for Williams to carve out his role in the offense. But he’s already established a good rapport with quarterback Spencer Rattler, and the OU receivers — by their own standards — struggled a bit last season. Marvin Mims, Theo Wease, Jadon Haselwood and Mike Woods are all capable of putting up big numbers, but Williams will prove to be a big-play threat early in his career.

Olson: I’m really excited to see the new crop of freshman wideouts in the Big 12. I’ll go with Iowa State’s Jaylin Noel here based on all the buzz he’s generated this summer as the Cyclones’ next great playmaker. One comp I’ve heard for him is former Oklahoma State standout Tylan Wallace, though Noel will likely play in the slot more. He gives the Cyclones’ diverse offense another big-play threat. But like I said, this is going to be a strong rookie class with Noel, Williams, Worthy, Oklahoma State’s Bryson and Blaine Green and surely several others rising up as immediate difference-makers.

Khan: It may well be the Green twins at Oklahoma State. Offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn has heaped effusive praise upon those two this offseason and labeled them the front-runners for one of the starting receiver spots early in training camp. Physically, they’re ready to contribute immediately, and with veteran quarterback Spencer Sanders to throw to them, the outlook is promising. I’m also keeping a close eye on Worthy at Texas. The former Michigan signee wasted no time making waves in Austin and is going to add speed to a wide receivers corps that needs it.

Who will be the Big 12 offensive player of the year?

Khan: Let’s not forget about the nation’s leading rusher in 2020, Iowa State’s Breece Hall. After compiling 1,572 yards and 21 touchdowns in 12 games last season, Hall is back with a loaded team around him. If the Cyclones are going to be as good as expected, Hall is going to be a critical component to their success. He was also the Big 12 leader in yards from scrimmage, averaging 146 per game. When in doubt, go with the proven guy.

Kersey: Rattler. He’s the most talented quarterback in the conference, plays in Lincoln Riley’s offense and now has a year of experience. There is no reason to believe he won’t put up monster numbers and be right there in the Heisman Trophy mix at the end of the season. If he does that, he’ll surely be the Big 12’s Offensive Player of the Year.

Olson: I’m going with a different preseason All-American: Bijan Robinson. The way he finished his freshman season was absurd. Robinson put up 651 total yards over his final four games … on 55 touches. That’s nearly 12 yards per play. Will a greater workload impact how he fares? The best backs in the Big 12 in recent years have been able to stay strong over 250-plus carries in a season. But when you have as good a play caller as Texas does and a trusted No. 2 option in Roschon Johnson, that’ll help keep Robinson fresh and playing his best. I’m expecting huge numbers from him.

Feldman: As much as I’m tempted to go with Robinson, I can’t pass up on Rattler. He’s in an ideal system and has much better skill guys to work with this season. He’s going to have a massive year statistically.

Who will be the Big 12 defensive player of the year?

Kersey: It’s the obvious choice — he did, after all, win this award last season — but I have to go with Iowa State linebacker Mike Rose. A first-team All-American in 2020, Rose racked up 96 tackles, five interceptions and six QB hurries. He is an exceptional player on one of the best teams in the conference. There are a lot of other guys who could surely earn this distinction by the end of the season — Oklahoma’s Nik Bonitto comes to mind — but Rose feels like a safe pick here.

Feldman: Rose from ISU will pile up a lot of tackles for a top-10 team, but Bonitto will make a run at 20-plus tackles for loss and a half-dozen forced fumbles for what is now a very good defense.

Khan: West Virginia defensive lineman Dante Stills. I’ve been a believer in the Stills brothers since my first time seeing them play in person at Baylor in 2019. Though Darius is now off to the NFL, Dante is back for one more year to lead the Mountaineers, and he’s hungry to add to his resume for pro scouts. Dante has been a consistent force on the defensive line, racking up double-digit tackles for loss each of the last two seasons. Last year, he reached that threshold in fewer games than he did in 2019. I expect him to be even better in 2021.

Olson: As great as Rose is, I could see this going in a bunch of different directions. Baylor’s Terrel Bernard is as productive as any defender in this league, and hopefully he can stay healthy and have a big year. But I’m leaning toward picking a pass rusher this year. I could see TCU’s Ochaun Mathis or Oklahoma’s Bonitto being disruptive enough to take home these honors, and Iowa State’s Will McDonald looks ready to blow up after racking up 10 1/2 sacks in a rotational role.

Which team could be a sleeper conference championship/New Year’s Six contender?

Khan: Give me Kansas State. It’s easy to write off the Wildcats after they finished last season with a five-game losing streak, but that was with true freshman quarterback Will Howard forced into action after starter Skylar Thompson was knocked out with a season-ending injury. Now Thompson is back and healthy. More importantly, running back Deuce Vaughn, who became a breakout star as a true freshman last year, also returns. Vaughn was one of three Big 12 players who compiled more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage last season, and he averaged more yards per play (7.3) than the other two. The Wildcats have already knocked off Oklahoma in each of Chris Klieman’s first two seasons. If they can be more consistent and have some better luck on the injury front, the Wildcats could sneak into Arlington.

Kersey: I really like TCU as a sleeper Big 12 pick this season. Max Duggan has the potential to be one of the better quarterbacks in the league. Zach Evans is a former five-star running back, and the Frogs have a talented group of receivers. And as long as Patterson is the head coach, TCU will always field one of the best defenses in the conference. After a few years of mediocrity, it feels like time for the Horned Frogs to jump back into the upper tier of the Big 12.

Olson: I’m with you, Jason. I think TCU is in a much better position to contend this season than Texas, which still has plenty to figure out in Year 1 under Sarkisian. Going 18-17 over the past three years has knocked the Frogs off the national radar a bit entering this year, but they have the players to be one of Patterson’s most talented teams in a while. Oklahoma State is going to be good again, too. If Sanders can elevate his game, get better O-line play and find new playmakers, the Cowboys are bringing enough back to be dangerous yet again.

Feldman: I’m with Kersey and Max. I really like Duggan’s skill set. His season was derailed before it began last fall, but he’s talented and the Horned Frogs have a lot of speed and weapons in place on offense for him. I know TCU has underwhelmed the past couple of seasons. It is bouncing back and will be the third of a three-team race with ISU and OU.

Who will win the conference championship?

Olson: It’s still going to be Oklahoma. That trophy presentation in Arlington is going to be mighty awkward. Last year was someone else’s chance to step up and steal the trophy, especially after the Sooners started 0-2 in conference play. They were more vulnerable last season. This season? They’re loaded. They have a real opportunity to pair another explosive top-five offense with a legitimate top-25 defense in coordinator Alex Grinch’s third year. Finally building and having that balance is what makes OU a very easy pick to reach the Playoff.

Feldman: Man, Max, I don’t even know who you are anymore. This is the year to be on the Cyclones’ bandwagon, and why are you not with me here? You’ve been like the mayor of Ames, but alas, I get it. OU is really good, but Iowa State has a very experienced QB, a terrific running back, an All-American tight end, good wideouts, a very seasoned O-line with a lot of quality and playmakers at all three levels of the defense. Plus, it has a great coach. ISU’s going to be a Playoff team. I think.

Kersey: At this point, how can anyone not pick Oklahoma? OU has won the past six Big 12 titles and claims 14 titles since the league’s formation. That is 11 more than any other Big 12 school. The Sooners enter the season with the conference’s most talented roster, a Heisman-level quarterback and a top-tier defense. There are certainly teams capable of upsetting the Sooners, but none have shown they can top Oklahoma for the title.

Khan: Of the 86 times Oklahoma and Iowa State have played, the Sooners have won 77 times. Few series are as lopsided as this one, which includes two ties. But of Iowa State’s seven wins, two have come in the past five meetings, and four of those five games were decided by seven points or fewer. The Cyclones don’t fear the Sooners, and they don’t have a reason to do so in 2021. Yes, this might be Riley’s best Oklahoma team to date, but this is also Campbell’s best Iowa State team. Give me the Clones in a Big 12 championship rematch.

 

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My kool-aid cup must have a hole in it. 
 

In two weeks, this O needs to get their shit together. The reports do not bode well for 9-3, if the damn QB-WR’s can’t figure something cohesive out. 7-5 is staring us in the face and is a legitimate possibility. Rage. RAGE. FUCKING RAGE!

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1 hour ago, Duane Moore said:

Some real interesting stuff in there from Scipio about the best 5 on the o-line. Angilau is the best interior pass protector?

 

1 hour ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Oh forgot that is Scipio's name...lol.


He kind of lost me when he suggested Kerstetter to center though.

Scipio didn’t write that. It says in the very first sentence he’s posting notes from someone who attended the practice. 

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9 hours ago, Burt Macklin said:

Wrong as usual. Grad transfers don’t have to sit. 

There's been a debate about this on various schools boards. The new rule make it sound like grad transfers actually do have to sit out like everyone else 

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20 minutes ago, Droopy said:

My kool-aid cup must have a hole in it. 
 

In two weeks, this O needs to get their shit together. The reports do not bode well for 9-3, if the damn QB-WR’s can’t figure something cohesive out. 7-5 is staring us in the face and is a legitimate possibility. Rage. RAGE. FUCKING RAGE!

Oh for fucks sake.  We could run wishbone and we would finish better than 7-5.

SHOW ME A LOSS

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Postgraduate Transfer Eligibility Q12: What criteria does a student-athlete who has graduated with their baccalaureate degree need to meet to be eligible as postgraduate student at another Division I school? A12: A student-athlete who graduates with remaining athletics eligibility may be eligible as a full-time postgraduate student at another Division I school provided they meet the one-time exception criteria, including providing a written request to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal to their current school by July 1, 2021. 
 
Q13: What if the student-athlete transferred previously from another four-year school as an undergraduate student? A13: Generally, a student-athlete who has previously transferred from another four-year school would not be able to use the one-time exception as a postgraduate transfer. However, a waiver process exists for postgraduate students with a previous transfer history. 

 

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Transfer/OneTime_Transfer.pdf

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3 minutes ago, Fud said:

Postgraduate Transfer Eligibility Q12: What criteria does a student-athlete who has graduated with their baccalaureate degree need to meet to be eligible as postgraduate student at another Division I school? A12: A student-athlete who graduates with remaining athletics eligibility may be eligible as a full-time postgraduate student at another Division I school provided they meet the one-time exception criteria, including providing a written request to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal to their current school by July 1, 2021. 
 
Q13: What if the student-athlete transferred previously from another four-year school as an undergraduate student? A13: Generally, a student-athlete who has previously transferred from another four-year school would not be able to use the one-time exception as a postgraduate transfer. However, a waiver process exists for postgraduate students with a previous transfer history. 

 

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Transfer/OneTime_Transfer.pdf

That’s just an FAQ about if the one-time transfer exception applies to grad transfers and says it’s for educational purposes only. I don’t think that can be interpreted to be a repeal of the exception for immediate eligibility if the school offers a program not available at the player’s current school. 

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2 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

That’s just an FAQ about if the one-time transfer exception applies to grad transfers and says it’s for educational purposes only. I don’t think that can be interpreted to be a repeal of the exception for immediate eligibility if the school offers a program not available at the player’s current school. 

I suppose we'll see if anyone grad transfers and plays. As I said, it's been a debate on various boards for fans hoping to still add players to help for this season 

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37 minutes ago, NoName said:

The Athletic/Khan Jr: What I learned watching Texas’ preseason practice: QB battle persists, Sark’s plans for the tight ends

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What I learned watching Texas’ preseason practice: QB battle persists, Sark’s plans for the tight ends

AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 12: Texas Longhorn TE Cade Brewer waves at the crowd after scoring a TD during game against the UTEP Miners on September 12, 2020, at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, TX. (Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
By Sam Khan Jr. 20m ago save-icon.png

AUSTIN, Texas — For the first time since April’s spring game, fans filed into Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium to catch a glimpse of the 2021 Texas Longhorns.

Steve Sarkisian opened Wednesday night’s practice to the public to give Longhorns faithful a preview of what they’ll see on Sept. 4 when No. 21 Texas hosts No. 23 Louisiana to kick off the “All Gas No Brakes” era.

During two hours of work during an unusually comfortable, breezy Texas summer evening, there was plenty for the few thousand in attendance to see. Here’s what I learned from my time on the Forty Acres:

The battle for the starting quarterback job between junior Casey Thompson and redshirt freshman Hudson Card is very much ongoing. Each took regular turns with the first-team offense throughout Wednesday’s practice and each had a mix of bright spots and misfires and neither was dominant.

Both quarterbacks seemed to have a solid grasp of Sarkisian’s offense. When Thompson was behind center, his level of command was evident. He looked comfortable and made quality throws, including a well-timed 15-yard out route to Joshua Moore during 11-on-11 work. He also found Moore over the middle with a nice throw in traffic during seven-on-seven and capped his night with an over-the-middle touchdown pass to freshman tight end Gunnar Helm during red zone team work.

When Card was in, his pure arm strength was noticeable. His quick release enabled him to beat pressure at times, and he made impressive tosses outside the hashes and over the middle. The ball got to receivers and tight ends in a hurry.

Sarkisian said earlier this week that he is trying to give each a look in a variety of situations.

“Whether it’s a two-minute … third down, blitz, red area, there’s a lot of aspects that make up the game, so (I’m) trying to give everybody ample opportunities to play in the various scenarios,” Sarkisian said Tuesday. “I think our team, in general, recognizes that both guys work their tails off, both guys are grinding at this. They’re preparing. They’re taking to the tough coaching. And I think the team has a lot of respect for both guys.”

That neither quarterback seems to be significantly ahead of the other squares with Sarkisian’s claim earlier this week that he doesn’t have a specific timeline on naming a starter. Sarkisian has acknowledged that, at some point, he’ll have to go with his gut and pick a starter.

Following the team’s first scrimmage last weekend, Sarkisian said each quarterback had missed opportunities. “They performed really well that first week of camp, and then when the scrimmage came, they kind of veered off from some of the fundamentals, techniques, reads, decision-making that had gotten them to that point,” Sarkisian said. But he noted that both have bounced back well this week and responded to his coaching.

Sarkisian didn’t commit to picking a starter following the Longhorns’ upcoming scrimmage, which is Saturday. The team will shift from training camp mode to game preparation for Louisiana by the middle of next week, so roles on the depth chart will begin to solidify.

“Going with your gut means when it feels right,” Sarkisian said. “For me, the actual (deadline) date is the first game. Somebody’s got to run out there on Sept. 4 and take snaps with the starting offense when we take the field. Ideally, I’d like to make a decision before then. But there’s no exact date for that to happen.”

It’s no secret that tight ends will be a key part of Sarkisian’s offense at Texas.

He stated multiple times this offseason how important the position is to his scheme, and the statistics from his time as offensive coordinator at Alabama back that up. Crimson Tide tight ends caught almost twice as many passes in the last two seasons combined (82) than Texas tight ends did in the same span (42).

That was obvious at Wednesday’s practice, too, as the offense regularly lined up in 12 personnel: one running back, two tight ends. The first-team offense usually featured super senior Cade Brewer and 6-foot-7 junior Jared Wiley at the two tight end spots.

“We’re a two tight end-based offense,” Texas’ special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Jeff Banks said Wednesday. “Somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 to 40 percent of our snaps last year at Alabama were in two tight ends. We were hoping to inherit a talented group, and we did.”

Brewer has provided strong leadership and has been a “do-it-all” player, while Wiley has been “probably the most improved player,” since the staff arrived, Banks said.

Wiley has mostly served as the attached tight end who has made his mark as a blocker, giving him a key role in the running game.

Three true freshmen joined the group this offseason. Helm and Juan Davis enrolled in January and five-star prospect Ja’Tavion Sanders, who played both tight end and defensive end at Denton (Texas) Ryan High, arrived this summer. Helm quickly picked up the offense and “is a freshman that doesn’t play like a freshman,” Banks said. He appears the furthest along of the freshman trio.

Davis, who played quarterback and receiver at Everman High near Fort Worth, is still adjusting to his new position, Banks said, but made some nice catches during Wednesday’s workout. Sanders, at 6-4, 256 pounds, moves really well for his size and has “a super bright future,” Banks said.

Texas brings back a veteran return specialist in cornerback D’Shawn Jamison, who has returned kicks and punts ever since he arrived on campus in 2018, but the Longhorns are developing depth behind him.

Jamison, who has returned a punt or kickoff for a score each of the last three years, was one of many catching punts during special teams drills on Wednesday.

Moore, the team’s leading receiver, got a lot of work there. Receiver Jordan Whittington also had a few opportunities. Freshman receiver Xavier Worthy has also seen work at punt returner during camp.

“We’ve added a speed element to the punt return game with those two receivers (Moore and Worthy),” Banks said. “And I think with (Jamison), that gives you three really, really talented punt returners back there as opposed to one.”

Jamison will continue having a role as a kickoff returner, but Banks noted that the addition of Alabama transfer Keilan Robinson gives the team another option. When needed, the team can also call on starting running back Bijan Robinson.

“I like where we’re at with the return game,” Banks said. “We’ve got plenty of body types, plenty of different speeds. And I think we’ve got some guys that have some home run speed.”

Heading into this week of practice, Sarkisian characterized his defense as a little bit ahead of the offense, particularly after Saturday’s scrimmage. That held true on Wednesday as well.

While the offense had a few moments, the defense looked like the better of the two units.

The secondary consistently made plays against Longhorns receivers. Senior cornerback Josh Thompson disrupted multiple would-be touchdowns by either batting balls away or hitting receivers as soon as the ball arrived.

Starting linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who is now at full strength after missing spring because of shoulder surgery, was active and instinctive, showing why he’s such a critical piece to the defense. Before Wednesday’s practice, defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski called Overshown “super fast and super explosive,” and he lived up to that billing on the field.

During one red zone possession, Overshown burst through the line full speed on a delayed blitz, forcing Card to spin into another defender for a sack.

Veteran defensive linemen Keondre Coburn and Moro Ojomo provided a consistent interior presence, allowing a variety of edge rushers to generate pressure on the quarterbacks.

Junior linebacker Luke Brockermeyer, a former walk-on who was put on scholarship in 2019, is also becoming a mainstay with the first-team defense. Lining up next to Overshown, Brockermeyer — son of former Texas offensive lineman Blake Brockermeyer — has garnered praise from Sarkisian for his work this offseason.

“He plays smart,” Sarkisian said earlier this month. “He trusts his instincts. He trusts his preparation. And he just goes and plays and ultimately, he makes plays because of that. He plays really fast, and I think that’s kind of what you want in a middle linebacker, that’s a pretty good trait to have.”

Following spring practice, Sarkisian alluded to senior kicker Cameron Dicker taking on all three specialist roles this season and midway through training camp, that possibility remains real.

Dicker, who has been the team’s primary placekicker and kickoff specialist for three years running, added punting to his duties in the final three games of the 2020 season after punter Ryan Bujcevski suffered a season-ending injury.

On Wednesday, Dicker did not practice, as the coaches are trying to reduce his workload during training camp because of how much they’ll rely on his leg throughout the season.

“We certainly are going to limit the amount of reps day in and day out,” Banks said. “We’re going to try to be on a four-days-a-week schedule with Cam because he’s punting and kicking and kicking off, so that we don’t wear him out.”

Bujcevski is working himself back into action following a torn ACL, but freshman punter Isaac Pearson — who handled most of the punting duties on Wednesday — has been “a pleasant surprise,” Banks said.

Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Kyle Flood said on Wednesday that his top priority is finding the best five offensive linemen, plus the next-best three.

Wednesday’s practice provided a glimpse of who that first five could be.

During 11-on-11 work with the first team, fifth-year senior Derek Kerstetter and junior Christian Jones manned the tackles, senior Denzel Okafor and junior Junior Angilau played guard and redshirt freshman Jake Majors worked at center.

Flood said Kerstetter can play all five positions, and that offers him flexibility to find the right combination of starters.

The next three who are competing with those five, Flood said, are senior guard Tope Imade, redshirt freshman tackle Andrej Karic and true freshman Hayden Conner.

“You have eight guys that are competing, I think, at a pretty good level right now that will ultimately decide who the starters are gonna be,” Flood said.

Conner is playing both guard and tackle currently because Flood made it clear that it would help him get on the field faster. “I don’t know where he’s ultimately going to end up, but he’s doing a really nice job right now,” Flood said.

Sarkisian noted earlier this week that Angilau is also getting some work at center to help build depth. He prefers to go into a season with at least three players who can snap the ball, and Majors and Kerstetter currently fit the bill. Flood is working with Angilau to develop that skill.

Quick hits 

• Worthy, who has been the subject of praise from Sarkisian and multiple teammates for his performances during training camp, did not practice on Wednesday. He was out with an illness (though not related to COVID-19), according to a team spokesman.

• Redshirt freshman Troy Omeire, who missed the 2020 season with a knee injury, was a full participant in practice and ran smoothly without a brace. However, midway through the practice he went down and was slow to get up. Though he walked off under his own power, he went into the locker room and didn’t return.

(Photo of Cade Brewer: John Rivera / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Sam Khan Jr. is a senior writer for The Athletic, covering college football and recruiting primarily in Texas. Previously, he spent eight years covering college sports at ESPN.com and seven years as a sports reporter at the Houston Chronicle. A native Houstonian, Sam graduated from the University of Houston. Follow Sam on Twitter @skhanjr.
 

I love that the Athletic has little emojis to rate their articles that look like the ones you see out of airport bathrooms to rate the bathroom's cleanliness.

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2 hours ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Whoever Paul Waddlington is on IT

 

Lots of reports swirling around, but this was provided to me by a friend with excellent football knowledge and a discerning eye. He agreed to let me share it with the board.

Here it is: 

**

My random thoughts / notes 

Best five on oline might be: Jones, Okafor, Angilau, Conner, Kerstetter

We look a lot better run blocking to the right. Jones does a pretty good job with positioning but doesn’t look particularly comfortable as a run blocker so we are much better with him cutting off on the backside of the play than being at the point of attack.

Kerstetter gets a lot out of his tools. He’s not super fluid but he does a good job of holding onto an advantage and never getting beat bad. That said – ideally you’d like to see more fluidity from him at tackle.

The hype around Hayden Conner is warranted. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t end up on the first team before the end of the year. Actually reminds me of a slightly less athletic Justin Blalock. He’s wide and moves well laterally… he’s a pain to deal with. I’d be interested to see him tried at RT and then slide Kerstetter to center.

You might think I’m down on Majors but it’s not the case – it’s just a case of a number of linemen we have having higher ceilings. I think we have a few compositions that could be more dominant in the run game and while Majors does a great job with positioning, getting someone who can win battles inside and has the feet to play wide zone (of which I think we have a few) could make this a unit that can take over games. If Majors is the starter then I’d prefer us to run outside zone like it’s our religion.

Okafor looked great tonight. Best I’ve seen him look – had to double check numbers. Played with a lot of explosion, had good pad level, looked really fluid.

Watching Coburn in 1-on-1s was really impressive. Majors held on for dear life twice and Coburn played right through him. Logan Parr took a rep against him and got absolutely smoked.

I think Ojomo is going to make a lot of plays in the backfield this year from the 3-tech particularly with Coburn demanding a double. He broke into the backfield twice in the full team scrimmage. The offense got considerably better running the ball once Coburn and Ojomo rotated out.

That said overall I like what I see on offensive line. We lost a few battles but the combo blocking looked good and we ran a pin and pull that looked great. Passing protection was decent but we struggled somewhat with giving up ground. In my opinion there’s a bigger problem there with the QBs not getting the ball out in rhythm.

You can tell Overshown and Brockermeyer are benefiting from the interior line play as well as the talent at running back because they are patient reading the run and keeping depth then playing downhill. You can’t fake habits and I’m pretty encouraged what I saw from those two.

Really liked what I saw in terms of pursuit and positioning from the defense. The only play where they really got exposed from a positioning standpoint was a great against the flow cut by Bijan Robinson. 

I expect we’ll give up a lot of underneath passes and wide receiver screens this year with how we playing match 3 coverage but relatively few big chunk plays.

There are a number of drills from this coaching staff that I really enjoyed. Particularly for oline and linebacker. Oline worked a lot of different techniques in individual drills and while the pace isn’t frenetic, the lineman are putting a lot into each rep. They worked on explosion and lift in one drill with the sled and it was fucking impressive.

The linebackers worked a 2 on 1 drill where 3 players start with their backs to each other and run out about 10 paces then turn and two players have to close on one and maintain leverage. It was one of the best drills to see athleticism in that group.

Players who I wrote notes about:
 

Ovie Oghoufo with an outstanding pass rush in 1-on-1’s where he fainted a speed rush and then pushed Christian Jones off balance as he was trying to expand and ran straight through him.

Isaiah Hookfin with excellent patience as a pass blocker and great fluidity in 1-on-1’s shutting down both Ben Davis and D.J. Harris and making it look relatively effortless.

Byron Murphey absolutely clowned Tope Imade in 1-on-1’s. Imade plays extremely stiff and survives purely through really good hand strength.

Andrej Karic looks comfortable and fluid at right tackle. Handled Prince Dorbah with ease.

Jaylen Garth has heavy feet. Hate to write someone off, but can’t see him contributing any time soon. 

Max Merril is in the same boat… feet looked bad which is especially bad at his lighter size. Myron Warren worked him over.

Rafiti Ghirmai looked really good against T’Vondre Sweat in 1-on-1’s and Sweat looked great all practice including a great sack in the scrimmage portion.

Junior Angilau looks like the best interior pass protector. Shut Byron Murphy down.

Bijan Robison preformed great in the pass protection drills. Low frame, great positioning and effort in the drill.

Alfred Collins looked crazy fluid at his size in drills. He didn’t have much of an impact on the edge during the scrimmage though… he doesn’t look comfortable / aggressive there yet.

Vernon Broughton is explosive. Can’t help but notice him in drills. He’s a little top heavy right now but might be special later.

Terrence Cooks is a great combo of power and fluidity. Wouldn’t be surprised if he has some flashes in games this year.

Overshown got a sack on a delay blitz where no one threatened his zone and his closing speed from his drop to the QB was the real deal. Loved the play because it was awareness and discipline capped by athleticism.

Neither QB is particularly impressive. Thompson is a lot more fluid in his footwork so he looks more comfortable but he isn’t a consistent or accurate passer and he has to put a lot of air on anything over 25 yards. Card is bizarrely stiff in his backfield footwork and doesn’t look great on rollouts either – looks especially bad rolling left which is a concern since we run much better going right. He’s fast when he pulls the ball but his passing footwork is choppy and you don’t see the bounce and resets you’d like to as he is going through a progression. He gets good spin on the ball and can deliver the ball a lot more directly to a lot more of the field.

The reports about lack of separation from the WRs are pretty dead on. My guess is that they are struggling with clean reads on the match coverage and that’s translating into less decisiveness on their routes and less explosiveness in their stems. Needs to change. One thought I had was they they need to start having players positioned as defenders on more of the WR drills so they are practicing their footwork in relation to a defender and getting more reps reading position.

Best pass of the night was a strike from Card to Washington on a slant. Washington dropped a touchdown later on a ball that bounced off his chest.

Overall not necessarily in love with the total number of reps at practice. Not sure how typical it was but at any given time 2/3rds of the players are watching. The effort in every rep was high but I prefer the formats that emphasize more total reps.

It was weird as fuck how Conner dropped from a high 4 star to a 3 star by the end of the cycle.  

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2 hours ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Whoever Paul Waddlington is on IT

 

Lots of reports swirling around, but this was provided to me by a friend with excellent football knowledge and a discerning eye. He agreed to let me share it with the board.

Here it is: 

**

My random thoughts / notes 

Best five on oline might be: Jones, Okafor, Angilau, Conner, Kerstetter

We look a lot better run blocking to the right. Jones does a pretty good job with positioning but doesn’t look particularly comfortable as a run blocker so we are much better with him cutting off on the backside of the play than being at the point of attack.

Kerstetter gets a lot out of his tools. He’s not super fluid but he does a good job of holding onto an advantage and never getting beat bad. That said – ideally you’d like to see more fluidity from him at tackle.

The hype around Hayden Conner is warranted. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t end up on the first team before the end of the year. Actually reminds me of a slightly less athletic Justin Blalock. He’s wide and moves well laterally… he’s a pain to deal with. I’d be interested to see him tried at RT and then slide Kerstetter to center.

You might think I’m down on Majors but it’s not the case – it’s just a case of a number of linemen we have having higher ceilings. I think we have a few compositions that could be more dominant in the run game and while Majors does a great job with positioning, getting someone who can win battles inside and has the feet to play wide zone (of which I think we have a few) could make this a unit that can take over games. If Majors is the starter then I’d prefer us to run outside zone like it’s our religion.

Okafor looked great tonight. Best I’ve seen him look – had to double check numbers. Played with a lot of explosion, had good pad level, looked really fluid.

Watching Coburn in 1-on-1s was really impressive. Majors held on for dear life twice and Coburn played right through him. Logan Parr took a rep against him and got absolutely smoked.

I think Ojomo is going to make a lot of plays in the backfield this year from the 3-tech particularly with Coburn demanding a double. He broke into the backfield twice in the full team scrimmage. The offense got considerably better running the ball once Coburn and Ojomo rotated out.

That said overall I like what I see on offensive line. We lost a few battles but the combo blocking looked good and we ran a pin and pull that looked great. Passing protection was decent but we struggled somewhat with giving up ground. In my opinion there’s a bigger problem there with the QBs not getting the ball out in rhythm.

You can tell Overshown and Brockermeyer are benefiting from the interior line play as well as the talent at running back because they are patient reading the run and keeping depth then playing downhill. You can’t fake habits and I’m pretty encouraged what I saw from those two.

Really liked what I saw in terms of pursuit and positioning from the defense. The only play where they really got exposed from a positioning standpoint was a great against the flow cut by Bijan Robinson. 

I expect we’ll give up a lot of underneath passes and wide receiver screens this year with how we playing match 3 coverage but relatively few big chunk plays.

There are a number of drills from this coaching staff that I really enjoyed. Particularly for oline and linebacker. Oline worked a lot of different techniques in individual drills and while the pace isn’t frenetic, the lineman are putting a lot into each rep. They worked on explosion and lift in one drill with the sled and it was fucking impressive.

The linebackers worked a 2 on 1 drill where 3 players start with their backs to each other and run out about 10 paces then turn and two players have to close on one and maintain leverage. It was one of the best drills to see athleticism in that group.

Players who I wrote notes about:
 

Ovie Oghoufo with an outstanding pass rush in 1-on-1’s where he fainted a speed rush and then pushed Christian Jones off balance as he was trying to expand and ran straight through him.

Isaiah Hookfin with excellent patience as a pass blocker and great fluidity in 1-on-1’s shutting down both Ben Davis and D.J. Harris and making it look relatively effortless.

Byron Murphey absolutely clowned Tope Imade in 1-on-1’s. Imade plays extremely stiff and survives purely through really good hand strength.

Andrej Karic looks comfortable and fluid at right tackle. Handled Prince Dorbah with ease.

Jaylen Garth has heavy feet. Hate to write someone off, but can’t see him contributing any time soon. 

Max Merril is in the same boat… feet looked bad which is especially bad at his lighter size. Myron Warren worked him over.

Rafiti Ghirmai looked really good against T’Vondre Sweat in 1-on-1’s and Sweat looked great all practice including a great sack in the scrimmage portion.

Junior Angilau looks like the best interior pass protector. Shut Byron Murphy down.

Bijan Robison preformed great in the pass protection drills. Low frame, great positioning and effort in the drill.

Alfred Collins looked crazy fluid at his size in drills. He didn’t have much of an impact on the edge during the scrimmage though… he doesn’t look comfortable / aggressive there yet.

Vernon Broughton is explosive. Can’t help but notice him in drills. He’s a little top heavy right now but might be special later.

Terrence Cooks is a great combo of power and fluidity. Wouldn’t be surprised if he has some flashes in games this year.

Overshown got a sack on a delay blitz where no one threatened his zone and his closing speed from his drop to the QB was the real deal. Loved the play because it was awareness and discipline capped by athleticism.

Neither QB is particularly impressive. Thompson is a lot more fluid in his footwork so he looks more comfortable but he isn’t a consistent or accurate passer and he has to put a lot of air on anything over 25 yards. Card is bizarrely stiff in his backfield footwork and doesn’t look great on rollouts either – looks especially bad rolling left which is a concern since we run much better going right. He’s fast when he pulls the ball but his passing footwork is choppy and you don’t see the bounce and resets you’d like to as he is going through a progression. He gets good spin on the ball and can deliver the ball a lot more directly to a lot more of the field.

The reports about lack of separation from the WRs are pretty dead on. My guess is that they are struggling with clean reads on the match coverage and that’s translating into less decisiveness on their routes and less explosiveness in their stems. Needs to change. One thought I had was they they need to start having players positioned as defenders on more of the WR drills so they are practicing their footwork in relation to a defender and getting more reps reading position.

Best pass of the night was a strike from Card to Washington on a slant. Washington dropped a touchdown later on a ball that bounced off his chest.

Overall not necessarily in love with the total number of reps at practice. Not sure how typical it was but at any given time 2/3rds of the players are watching. The effort in every rep was high but I prefer the formats that emphasize more total reps.


You seriously spend this much time on Texas message boards and do not know who Paul is? 

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17 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

This is genuinely the first offseason I can remember, at least in the last decade+, with so much pessimism. 

If you go back and read the old offseason threads, they follow the same basic flow.  Ebbs and flows of Kool-Aid and doom/gloom.  

David Byrne Snl GIF by Saturday Night Live

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12 minutes ago, Newy25 said:


You seriously spend this much time on Texas message boards and do not know who Paul is? 

His private message board name is Scipio_Tex, which means pillar of words. His secret name is Muad’Dib which is what we call the gap in the stadium.  

Edited by Bobby_Batronic
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I’m so pessimistic that this is how I see our first offensive series going against ULala and I hate myself for it

1st&10: Robinson, Bijan- run gain of 8yds

2nd&2: Card, Hudson- sacked for -6 yards

3rd&8: Card, Hudson- pass incomplete to Washington, Marcus

4th&8: Dicker, Cameron- punt for 32 yards to the Texas 38 yard line

 

The last 10 years have fucked me up 

 

 

 

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2 minutes ago, perfectchaos007 said:

I’m so pessimistic that this is how I see our first offensive series going against ULala and I hate myself for it

1st&10: Robinson, Bijan- run gain of 8yds

2nd&2: Card, Hudson- sacked for -6 yards

3rd&8: Card, Hudson- pass incomplete to Washington, Marcus

4th&8: Dicker, Cameron- punt for 32 yards to the Texas 38 yard line

 

The last 10 years have fucked me up 

 

 

 

Marcus Washington isn't going to be on the field on 3rd & 8 on the first series.

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1 minute ago, Hiphopopotamos said:

Marcus Washington isn't going to be on the field on 3rd & 8 on the first series.


If the game were played today, he would certainly be on the field. Unless you think we are going double tight end on third and long? 

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2 minutes ago, Thiefery said:

give me Sanders and Juan out there on 3rd and long

Considering they are currently running 3rd/scout team, that might not be the most likely scenario. Sanders is a long way off from seeing the field at tight end. That’s going to be a check back in 22 situation. 

Helm is going to see the field at tight end before Sanders, IMO. 

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My kool-aid cup must have a hole in it. 
 
In two weeks, this O needs to get their shit together. The reports do not bode well for 9-3, if the damn QB-WR’s can’t figure something cohesive out. 7-5 is staring us in the face and is a legitimate possibility. Rage. RAGE. FUCKING RAGE!
You're assuming every team we play will have their shit together? This is practice...not going against another team. We will see the real deal in roughly two weeks.

Speaking of practice...now that CFB is essentially NFL lite, how long until we see pre-season games against nearby programs? We could bring Texas State or UTSA up to DKR for scrimmages instead of going against ourselves.
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Man, reading through some of these threads reminds me of watching these guys on TV (yes I'm getting olds as I will be 50).

Some of you have gone full Hee Haw.   But I understand my friends...  10 years of pretty much crap and Mensa can take a toll.  

 

 

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17 hours ago, SDG said:

This is a long one.  Enjoy.

 

Pete Kwiatkowski says "Winning is Hard" well crap we did not lose the phrase from the bingo card.

Jeff Banks says "Coming to a sleeping giant" well that is proof even the coaching staff at A&M uses the phrase and he still has it in his lingo.

So if anyone knows Banks let him know that we are not a sleeping giant since 1939. We're Texas and we played for a championship in January 2010. Unlike A&M we are a blue blood and not a wanna be and we are broken due to Mack burning it down. The administration has yet to fix the issue because Patterson made a cheap hire and then the next guy made a hasty hire in Herman. Some of us were not impressed with Sark but are very hopeful about Sark's hires and Banks is one of those impressive hires. So stop the aggy talk and work on getting this blue blood back to its' rightful place in college football.

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1 minute ago, DanTheHorn said:

So if anyone knows Banks let him know that we are not a sleeping giant since 1939. We're Texas and we played for a championship in January 2010. Unlike A&M we are a blue blood and not a wanna be and we are broken due to Mack burning it down. The administration has yet to fix the issue because Patterson made a cheap hire and then the next guy made a hasty hire in Herman. Some of us were not impressed with Sark but are very hopeful about Sark's hires and Banks is one of those impressive hires. So stop the aggy talk and work on getting this blue blood back to its' rightful place in college football.

Buddy we're a blue blood that hasn't won its conference in 20-or-so years, we can go ahead and get called a sleeping giant and understand why.

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3 hours ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Whoever Paul Waddlington is on IT

 

Lots of reports swirling around, but this was provided to me by a friend with excellent football knowledge and a discerning eye. He agreed to let me share it with the board.

Here it is: 

**

My random thoughts / notes 

Best five on oline might be: Jones, Okafor, Angilau, Conner, Kerstetter

We look a lot better run blocking to the right. Jones does a pretty good job with positioning but doesn’t look particularly comfortable as a run blocker so we are much better with him cutting off on the backside of the play than being at the point of attack.

Kerstetter gets a lot out of his tools. He’s not super fluid but he does a good job of holding onto an advantage and never getting beat bad. That said – ideally you’d like to see more fluidity from him at tackle.

The hype around Hayden Conner is warranted. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t end up on the first team before the end of the year. Actually reminds me of a slightly less athletic Justin Blalock. He’s wide and moves well laterally… he’s a pain to deal with. I’d be interested to see him tried at RT and then slide Kerstetter to center.

You might think I’m down on Majors but it’s not the case – it’s just a case of a number of linemen we have having higher ceilings. I think we have a few compositions that could be more dominant in the run game and while Majors does a great job with positioning, getting someone who can win battles inside and has the feet to play wide zone (of which I think we have a few) could make this a unit that can take over games. If Majors is the starter then I’d prefer us to run outside zone like it’s our religion.

Okafor looked great tonight. Best I’ve seen him look – had to double check numbers. Played with a lot of explosion, had good pad level, looked really fluid.

Watching Coburn in 1-on-1s was really impressive. Majors held on for dear life twice and Coburn played right through him. Logan Parr took a rep against him and got absolutely smoked.

I think Ojomo is going to make a lot of plays in the backfield this year from the 3-tech particularly with Coburn demanding a double. He broke into the backfield twice in the full team scrimmage. The offense got considerably better running the ball once Coburn and Ojomo rotated out.

That said overall I like what I see on offensive line. We lost a few battles but the combo blocking looked good and we ran a pin and pull that looked great. Passing protection was decent but we struggled somewhat with giving up ground. In my opinion there’s a bigger problem there with the QBs not getting the ball out in rhythm.

You can tell Overshown and Brockermeyer are benefiting from the interior line play as well as the talent at running back because they are patient reading the run and keeping depth then playing downhill. You can’t fake habits and I’m pretty encouraged what I saw from those two.

Really liked what I saw in terms of pursuit and positioning from the defense. The only play where they really got exposed from a positioning standpoint was a great against the flow cut by Bijan Robinson. 

I expect we’ll give up a lot of underneath passes and wide receiver screens this year with how we playing match 3 coverage but relatively few big chunk plays.

There are a number of drills from this coaching staff that I really enjoyed. Particularly for oline and linebacker. Oline worked a lot of different techniques in individual drills and while the pace isn’t frenetic, the lineman are putting a lot into each rep. They worked on explosion and lift in one drill with the sled and it was fucking impressive.

The linebackers worked a 2 on 1 drill where 3 players start with their backs to each other and run out about 10 paces then turn and two players have to close on one and maintain leverage. It was one of the best drills to see athleticism in that group.

Players who I wrote notes about:
 

Ovie Oghoufo with an outstanding pass rush in 1-on-1’s where he fainted a speed rush and then pushed Christian Jones off balance as he was trying to expand and ran straight through him.

Isaiah Hookfin with excellent patience as a pass blocker and great fluidity in 1-on-1’s shutting down both Ben Davis and D.J. Harris and making it look relatively effortless.

Byron Murphey absolutely clowned Tope Imade in 1-on-1’s. Imade plays extremely stiff and survives purely through really good hand strength.

Andrej Karic looks comfortable and fluid at right tackle. Handled Prince Dorbah with ease.

Jaylen Garth has heavy feet. Hate to write someone off, but can’t see him contributing any time soon. 

Max Merril is in the same boat… feet looked bad which is especially bad at his lighter size. Myron Warren worked him over.

Rafiti Ghirmai looked really good against T’Vondre Sweat in 1-on-1’s and Sweat looked great all practice including a great sack in the scrimmage portion.

Junior Angilau looks like the best interior pass protector. Shut Byron Murphy down.

Bijan Robison preformed great in the pass protection drills. Low frame, great positioning and effort in the drill.

Alfred Collins looked crazy fluid at his size in drills. He didn’t have much of an impact on the edge during the scrimmage though… he doesn’t look comfortable / aggressive there yet.

Vernon Broughton is explosive. Can’t help but notice him in drills. He’s a little top heavy right now but might be special later.

Terrence Cooks is a great combo of power and fluidity. Wouldn’t be surprised if he has some flashes in games this year.

Overshown got a sack on a delay blitz where no one threatened his zone and his closing speed from his drop to the QB was the real deal. Loved the play because it was awareness and discipline capped by athleticism.

Neither QB is particularly impressive. Thompson is a lot more fluid in his footwork so he looks more comfortable but he isn’t a consistent or accurate passer and he has to put a lot of air on anything over 25 yards. Card is bizarrely stiff in his backfield footwork and doesn’t look great on rollouts either – looks especially bad rolling left which is a concern since we run much better going right. He’s fast when he pulls the ball but his passing footwork is choppy and you don’t see the bounce and resets you’d like to as he is going through a progression. He gets good spin on the ball and can deliver the ball a lot more directly to a lot more of the field.

The reports about lack of separation from the WRs are pretty dead on. My guess is that they are struggling with clean reads on the match coverage and that’s translating into less decisiveness on their routes and less explosiveness in their stems. Needs to change. One thought I had was they they need to start having players positioned as defenders on more of the WR drills so they are practicing their footwork in relation to a defender and getting more reps reading position.

Best pass of the night was a strike from Card to Washington on a slant. Washington dropped a touchdown later on a ball that bounced off his chest.

Overall not necessarily in love with the total number of reps at practice. Not sure how typical it was but at any given time 2/3rds of the players are watching. The effort in every rep was high but I prefer the formats that emphasize more total reps.

That was a good writeup.

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1 minute ago, texifornia said:

Buddy we're a blue blood that hasn't won its conference in 20-or-so years, we can go ahead and get called a sleeping giant and understand why.

We were in the National Championship game 10 years ago and won it 15 years ago. We aren't winning as many conference championships as we should and the last decade has been rough sledding, but c'mon man.

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31 minutes ago, gmr548 said:


You think Whittington will make it to third down?

Card and Thompson in the backfield together. Card moves out to WR for the first down. 30, 40, 50 what a move, broke the db's ankles. He could go all the way, 30, 20, touchdown.

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15 minutes ago, ousux said:

You're assuming every team we play will have their shit together? This is practice...not going against another team. We will see the real deal in roughly two weeks.

Speaking of practice...now that CFB is essentially NFL lite, how long until we see pre-season games against nearby programs? We could bring Texas State or UTSA up to DKR for scrimmages instead of going against ourselves.

This should happen. It already happens in basketball.  You'd have to close the scrimmages though, like they do in hoops. Otherwise it'd be a tough deal to let people draw conclusions on these scrimmages when the regular season is such a beauty contest and there are so few data points. 

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WE ARE ALREADY SEC READY 

1) We have a stout AF defensive line that is so heavy at tackle that we will kick at least one out to the edge.

2) Our entire defense is fast, deep, and will suffocate the opposition.

3) We have 10 or 11 OLs from which we can pick 8 above average contributors.

4) Our running game is going to be Very Good to Excellent.

5) Our passing game is going to be shaky AF, but it will look competent against our weaker opponents.

 

We will win some games 12-6, have some great special teams coverage plays, and several guys who look NFL ready by mid-November.

We just haven’t had a great defense with a mediocre offense in so long that people have forgotten that those teams play ugly football, but win.

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