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Texas Football 2021 In-Season Thread: Can we get a redo?


BurntOrange&White

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1 minute ago, Pam Cummings said:

How is a coach supposed to do their job when they are told they can't hire people that that want? Honest question. And if people are telling him he can't hire someone because they're afraid of a show cause, it stands to reason that they aren't gonna let the guy get players that may be "questionable" either.

Very good question.....How can any Texas coach who comes in and told they can't hire this guy for a certain reason, this support guy for a certain reason, and etc? AD just needs to get the fuck out of the way tbh. 

 

Was Drew Hughes named in the Tennessee stuff? Did he get penalties placed on him by the NCAA? Why the fuck does our AD give a shit about that? Just fucking win at all cost.

I think CTJ said Raymond wasn't going to make it past compliance, but who gives a shit about something that Raymond wasn't complicit in? I doubt we would have landed him anyway but the point remains.

Maybe Mike Stoops as a linebackers coach wouldn't have been that bad, who knows. At this point who gives a shit.  Would our linebackers be better or worse with Stoops over Choate?

 

 

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22 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Maybe Mike Stoops as a linebackers coach wouldn't have been that bad, who knows. At this point who gives a shit.  Would our linebackers be better or worse with Stoops over Choate?

Attempting to hire MIke Stoops here was a HUGE sign Sarkisian might not be the right guy for the job. There is no way in the world anyone with a brain would attempt that hire here.

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After three debacles my brother called and asked what I thought was going on. I said hell if I know. He blames coaching, he mentioned that it almost looks like the players are walking around on egg shells not knowing what they are suppose to do. He believes it is not clear to them what they need to do. He thinks this team quit on the coaches already especially due to Sark's demeanor on the sideline. He says Sark looks like a whinny little bitch whom's body language expresses that he can't believe this is happening to him and can't believe his players keep messing up. It is almost as if Sark does not think he is the one responsible for making sure by this point in the season the players have improved enough to not be messing up and playing with some grit.

I have not seen the games on TV and have not rewatched so I can't can say if my brothers observations ring true or not but I found this Sark being whinny an interesting angle.

 

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16 minutes ago, DanTheHorn said:

After three debacles my brother called and asked what I thought was going on. I said hell if I know. He blames coaching, he mentioned that it almost looks like the players are walking around on egg shells not knowing what they are suppose to do. He believes it is not clear to them what they need to do. He thinks this team quit on the coaches already especially due to Sark's demeanor on the sideline. He says Sark looks like a whinny little bitch whom's body language expresses that he can't believe this is happening to him and can't believe his players keep messing up. It is almost as if Sark does not think he is the one responsible for making sure by this point in the season the players have improved enough to not be messing up and playing with some grit.

I have not seen the games on TV and have not rewatched so I can't can say if my brothers observations ring true or not but I found this Sark being whinny an interesting angle.

 

Sark wasnt the only whiny bitch on Saturday after I watched countless arm punts and dropped balls.. 

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2 hours ago, Pam Cummings said:

How is a coach supposed to do their job when they are told they can't hire people that they want? Honest question. And if people are telling him he can't hire someone because they're afraid of a show cause, it stands to reason that they aren't gonna let the guy get players that may be "questionable" either. This seems like a big problem, assuming the Pruitt stuff is true. I mean who the absolute fuck hires defensive assistants before a defensive coordinator?

How?  You get the fuck over with it and move on.   I wanted to hire a couple of geophysicists from China and my company said no.  So I did my job, moved on and hired other people.  I had to train them up and it was a dice roll unlike the Chinese dudes, but once the boss said no, I didn't pout and blame them.  I got back to work.   

I made slightly less than Sark did too.  

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THE HEAT IS ON....

 

Dan Wolken of USA TODAY Sports recently stated that Texas “wasted money on the new coaching staff.”

Quote

For the low, low price of $24 million, Texas got rid of Tom Herman and a bunch of assistant coaches who had expensive guaranteed contracts after last season. Problem solved, right? Coaching changes are always the answer at Texas, where the failures are never about anything inherent to the program or administration and always chalked up to the idiot with the whistle. Texas’ bottomless pit of resources allows the Longhorns to do as they please and get rid of as many coaches as they wish. But the buyout money Texas has doled out lately isn’t exactly making things better. Surely that $24 million could have been spent on more interesting pursuits than watching new coach Steve Sarkisian blow double-digit leads three weeks in a row.

Maybe Sarkisian’s recruiting chops will eventually cure some of these ills, particularly if Texas can land high school junior quarterback Arch Manning. But at the Misery Index, we only evaluate a program’s future based on what we see and what we know. And what we know at Texas is that in the month of October, they lost games in which they had an 18-point lead in the second half against Oklahoma, an 11-point lead against Oklahoma State and an 11-point lead against Baylor. Had it been Herman orchestrating that trio of collapses this season, it would have been no less annoying for Texas fans — but an awful lot cheaper.

"While it is tough to disagree with his point of view, it’s also important to remember that good things take time. "   Cami Griffin

https://longhornswire.usatoday.com/2021/11/01/texas-football-longhorns-coaching-staff-wasted-money-steve-sarkisian-jeff-banks-kyle-flood-tom-herman/

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5 hours ago, DanTheHorn said:

After three debacles my brother called and asked what I thought was going on. I said hell if I know. He blames coaching, he mentioned that it almost looks like the players are walking around on egg shells not knowing what they are suppose to do. He believes it is not clear to them what they need to do. He thinks this team quit on the coaches already especially due to Sark's demeanor on the sideline. He says Sark looks like a whinny little bitch whom's body language expresses that he can't believe this is happening to him and can't believe his players keep messing up. It is almost as if Sark does not think he is the one responsible for making sure by this point in the season the players have improved enough to not be messing up and playing with some grit.

I have not seen the games on TV and have not rewatched so I can't can say if my brothers observations ring true or not but I found this Sark being whinny an interesting angle.

 

Your brother makes valid points.    Seems Sark may have lost this team.   Maybe too enamored with play calling.   

During the Baylor game,  it was interesting that Coleman put his arm around Casey and talked to him for a few minutes.   Possibly about a route combination or other.   Or to give him confidence.   Not saying Sark does not also do that,  but Casey has lost his confidence.      The team shows very little emotion on the sideline.   Not sure they watch the game.

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23 minutes ago, torre said:

Your brother makes valid points.    Seems Sark may have lost this team.   Maybe too enamored with play calling.    During the Baylor game,  it was interesting that Coleman put his arm around Casey and talked to him for a few minutes.   Possibly about a route combination or other.   Or to give him confidence.   Not saying Sark does not also do that,  but Casey has lost his confidence.      The team shows very little emotion on the sideline.   Not sure they watch the game.

 

Discussion on how SARK might be struggling a little as a result of not being a Head Coach in 5 years...  Since SARK calls offensive plays, he's obviously had to put a lot more trust in PK to run the defense.  

(really sucks what PK has delivered on defense --- FUCK)

Start around 10:20 mark

 

 

Edited by LTtxfan
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11 hours ago, BurntOrange&White said:

The dumbest move was Eagles declaring for the draft, actually brain dead stupid

 

Quoted for truth. Can you imagine him in Sarks offense? I bet he could have gone 3rd round after this year.

Rest of the guys (except OL) are whatevers. They all seem infested with the same rot. That is why we have to leave the coaches as they are, whether they ultimately suck or not. It is ridiculous that a guy like Okafor has played for 5 different OL coaches in his six years here, and we wonder why he hasn't developed to his potential. We have to give this group some time to jell (except Coleman) and see what comes of it.

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6 minutes ago, jinx said:

Quoted for truth. Can you imagine him in Sarks offense? I bet he could have gone 3rd round after this year.

Rest of the guys (except OL) are whatevers. They all seem infested with the same rot. That is why we have to leave the coaches as they are, whether they ultimately suck or not. It is ridiculous that a guy like Okafor has played for 5 different OL coaches in his six years here, and we wonder why he hasn't developed to his potential. We have to give this group some time to jell (except Coleman) and see what comes of it.

 

Did Eagles ever turn up on a practice squad ???  

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On 11/1/2021 at 1:36 PM, Thatguy said:

Epps, Smith, and Black we might have a 0 in the loss column

I'm sorry, what?

Epps that can't get off the jam of a 5'9" db, Smith that drops a 3 yard drag route (if he's healthy), and Black who would get to the 50 yard line by the time Worthy has run up the field and back.... You think having those three back would contribute to any wins?

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3 hours ago, TheBryMan81 said:

I'm sorry, what?

Epps that can't get off the jam of a 5'9" db, Smith that drops a 3 yard drag route (if he's healthy), and Black who would get to the 50 yard line by the time Worthy has run up the field and back.... You think having those three back would contribute to any wins?

  

Black currently plays football in the National Football League. Eagles, Smith, and Black were 3 of our top 4 receivers from last year. If you think losing that many receivers with experience doesn't matter then we are in disagreement.

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5 minutes ago, Thatguy said:

  

Black currently plays football in the National Football League. Eagles, Smith, and Black were 3 of our top 4 receivers from last year. If you think losing that many receivers with experience doesn't matter then we are in disagreement.

Experience in a different offense doesn't matter as much... Our best WR currently is a freshman!

That being said, I agree on Eagles, but disagree on the other two. I don't think Smith or Black would see the field much. If those 3 were back this year, I think Sark's starting WR are Eagles, Whittington, and Worthy. Maybe Smith is WR4 in a 10 set.

Also, Black is currently practicing football in the NFL. Granted, making a practice squad is nothing to be scoffed at, there are plenty of talented football players that wash out completely. But let's not pretend he'd be any better than the 3 hypothetical starters I listed above.

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1 hour ago, TheBryMan81 said:

Experience in a different offense doesn't matter as much... Our best WR currently is a freshman!

That being said, I agree on Eagles, but disagree on the other two. I don't think Smith or Black would see the field much. If those 3 were back this year, I think Sark's starting WR are Eagles, Whittington, and Worthy. Maybe Smith is WR4 in a 10 set.

Smith definitely wouldn't see the field much because he got hurt before the season and hasn't played, unless something has changed. I am too lazy to look that up now. 

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5 hours ago, TheBryMan81 said:

Experience in a different offense doesn't matter as much... Our best WR currently is a freshman!

That being said, I agree on Eagles, but disagree on the other two. I don't think Smith or Black would see the field much. If those 3 were back this year, I think Sark's starting WR are Eagles, Whittington, and Worthy. Maybe Smith is WR4 in a 10 set.

Also, Black is currently practicing football in the NFL. Granted, making a practice squad is nothing to be scoffed at, there are plenty of talented football players that wash out completely. But let's not pretend he'd be any better than the 3 hypothetical starters I listed above.

Not sure if you noticed but Whit has been hurt for games now, so one of those guys would be needed.

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I usually wait until a regular season is fully wrapped to reflect on where we are as a program, but fuck it...after 8 games I've seen enough to know that regardless of what happens the rest of the way (even if we blew out our remaining opponents 222-0 in each game), my thoughts would be unchanged.

Success in any organization is a confluence of Execution, Talent, and Coaching/Leadership. Best teams/orgs excel at all 3, good teams/orgs excel at 1-2 frequently, and shit orgs are mediocre to poor at all of them. How is 2021 Texas?

Execution - A generous C- at best. Just "B" level execution results in 1 or 2 more wins and things wouldn't appear as dismal as they do now. Do Your Job, It is so simple and yet seems to be overtly complicated for these athletes. Can cover up a lot of ills if you are just in the right place at the right time and do the basics like attempt to block someone, catch the ball, tackle the runner...you know things that kids can do if you just focus on it...

Talent - We have B+ level ability but are C-/D+ football players. Which makes the talent C level at best. There are some A players, but too many C and D players which brings everything down. What is frustrating is the natural ability is there but the football ability is not. Which segues to...

Coaching - Hard to give this anything other than a failing grade. The strategy preparation is good on offense (except Ark) otherwise we wouldn't be building these leads but the in game strategy overall is lacking and the development of the talent has been mediocre. Tells you all you need to know when people are pointing out that under the Herman regime, we've never had a stretch like what the team is going through now and using it as a weird flex to suggest that Herman would have been better this year.

So...to no ones surprise...we are a shit org.

If I were consulting the school on how to turn the ship, here is what I would say...

1. To Hartzell/Eltife - Football is the straw that stirs the drink. You could win national championships in every other sport in the same year and if football sucks, the alumni engagement and ultimately the money will start to flow away. Football is culturally important in this state like few others and you can not afford to let that continue to be a wasteland. I think they (Hartzell/Eltife) get it, but that is a small part of the battle. Either ruthlessly commit to success in the sport and remove all impediments to success or bow out of moving to the SEC, stay in the Big 12, continue to collect LHN checks and watch the program recede into Michigan/Nebraska territory permanently. College football is a different game and if you don't want to play to win, say so and lets all move of with our lives (which for me would mean tangentially being involved with UT football and perhaps the school overall). As Yoda said..."Do or Do not...there is no try". And fire Chris Plonsky...without hesitation.

2. To Steve Sarkisian:

  • Your first order of business is to get your defensive house in order. That means at the conclusion of the KState game, you either fire Pete Kwiatkowski and move in a different direction or you sit down with him and map out what the defense should be and who should be part of that team. The current staff does not work well together and either they all go or the leader on defense changes personnel to better match. Frankly, only Bo Davis deserves to stay because he has been recruiting well enough to start to fix the talent issue but everyone else should be on notice. If Pete K stays, the expectations should be delivered to the entire defensive staff that any defensive performance approximating this season is grounds for everyone's termination next year...period
  • On offense, Andre Coleman should be relieved of duties and do not hire anyone that can't recruit their ass off
  • Ruthless purging of bad fits, malcontents, lazy players, and bad culture carriers. I would expect at least a 25% roster churn in the offseason. Anything less means you aren't being ruthless. Portal makes it easier to be ruthless so this isn't a hard call.
  • Let me reiterate this again. Ruthless purging...If you need ideas, let me suggest walking down the hall and chatting with Chris Beard - he might know something about reconstructing rosters using the portal.

Failing all of the above, we will be back to this past offseason in 2 years hiring the next coaching victim. This isn't that hard and it is actually easier to win in Austin than most places...except that we make it too hard and complicated as humans are wont to do. Unfortunately the fact that I am writing this before year 1 is complete means that I know how this ends and so I am already building a coaching watch list for 2023. Do I need to start watching Michigan State games?? Or even UTSA??

 

 

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I can’t believe the “defend Tom herman” crowd has made enough noise in their disgust with Sark that we have to even mention it but Herman’s first year at the conclusion of game 9…we were 4-5. That team had LilJordan, Collin Johnson, Duv, vahe, Connor Williams, Poona ford, omenihu, Brandon jones, deshon Elliot, Malik-mas, Holton hill, Kris boyd and Michael Dickson. Shane Buechle should have been an all big 12 performer but herman needed a fullback playing QB. He fucked that up with more talent so I don’t understand this bullshit but I’m tired of reading it lol. 

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5 minutes ago, WinningIsHard said:

I can’t believe the “defend Tom herman” crowd has made enough noise in their disgust with Sark that we have to even mention it but Herman’s first year at the conclusion of game 9…we were 4-5. That team had LilJordan, Collin Johnson, Duv, vahe, Connor Williams, Poona ford, omenihu, Brandon jones, deshon Elliot, Malik-mas, Holton hill, Kris boyd and Michael Dickson. Shane Buechle should have been an all big 12 performer but herman needed a fullback playing QB. He fucked that up with more talent so I don’t understand this bullshit but I’m tired of reading it lol. 

the year before we lost to Kansas and were coming off 3 straight losing seasons and 5-7 record.  last year we were an ISU win from making the Big 12 champ game.

no one is defending Tom Herman but the expectations are going to be higher when the previous season could have easily been 9-4 or 10-3.  

I'm shocked you don't understand that but then again...

Sark knew the deal he was getting into I'm sure.  he knows 6 or 7 wins is going to be deemed a failure and its going to hurt recruiting.  Right now he sucks and his DC sucks.  maybe he can fix it.  he's gonna get a fair shot(4 years) to do that so I'm not sure what you are worried about.

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9 minutes ago, WinningIsHard said:

I can’t believe the “defend Tom herman” crowd has made enough noise in their disgust with Sark that we have to even mention it but Herman’s first year at the conclusion of game 9…we were 4-5. That team had LilJordan, Collin Johnson, Duv, vahe, Connor Williams, Poona ford, omenihu, Brandon jones, deshon Elliot, Malik-mas, Holton hill, Kris boyd and Michael Dickson. Shane Buechle should have been an all big 12 performer but herman needed a fullback playing QB. He fucked that up with more talent so I don’t understand this bullshit but I’m tired of reading it lol. 

Defending Tom Herman? Who is doing so? 

I think people are referring to Tom Herman to point out we are living through the same crappy results and excuses.

Record - Probably a check

Winning is hard - check

Practice champions - check

Married to scheme - check (this time defense)

Letting players throw tantrums - check

Lack of improvement - check

Etc.. Etc.. Etc..

Are some things better yes but I go back to Mack's first year against UCLA where he put the whole team on notice after a bad first half. I believe they won the second half 21  - 7. This guy can't figure it out in 2 additional tries. It makes the coaching picture seem bleak.

 

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30 minutes ago, dcar00 said:

the year before we lost to Kansas and were coming off 3 straight losing seasons and 5-7 record.  last year we were an ISU win from making the Big 12 champ game.

no one is defending Tom Herman but the expectations are going to be higher when the previous season could have easily been 9-4 or 10-3.  

I'm shocked you don't understand that but then again...

Sark knew the deal he was getting into I'm sure.  he knows 6 or 7 wins is going to be deemed a failure and its going to hurt recruiting.  Right now he sucks and his DC sucks.  maybe he can fix it.  he's gonna get a fair shot(4 years) to do that so I'm not sure what you are worried about.

We were an iowa state win away, we could have…we should have…listen to yourself. We lost a 4 year starter at qb, a LT who is currently a bad ass in the nfl and our only receivers who were worth a single shred of a scholarship. Your expectations are bullshit and you should re-evaluate them. Show me who thought Texas was a 9 or 10 win team this year, I’ll wait. You and a few other unreasonable assholes are blaming sark for inheriting a dumpster fire of a roster. We were ok with herman struggling because strong fucked him? Strong gave herman all his good players. Herman left a roster completely fucked up from top to bottom. No rhyme or reason for the depth chart. Different athletes with different skills playing the same position everywhere you look. I’m pretty sure we were pegged for 7.5 wins lol. Pretty fuckin accurate. Transfer portal lights up in a good way and we play like dog shit next year with better talent…then I’m with you man. 

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  • BurntOrange&White changed the title to Texas Football 2021 In-Season Thread: Can we get a redo?

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