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Posted
4 minutes ago, immamac said:

Its kind of astonishing to me how checked out the fanbase is because of this garbage slate coming up coming off a game that deflated any and all hype. 

11 AM kick against San Jose State ain't gonna get many people fired up regardless of the previous week's result. 

At least the weather should be bearable (low to mid-80s during the game). 

The way this schedule is set up, in general, is going to check out most casual fans. 3 straight G5 games + a bye week + no home game in October. Feels a lot different than last year when we had UTSA and ULM right after Michigan, then jumped right into SEC play the next week. 

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Posted
On 9/1/2025 at 9:16 AM, Jimmy Two Times said:

Florida getting USF, @LSU and @Miami before they play us is nice. They’ll probably be pretty banged up with some injury prone guys on offense. 

They do have a bye the week before the game

They might be more beat up than we are, but more importantly, they won't be able to save anything for our game, while we'll have a whole month to work on new shit 

Posted
22 minutes ago, immamac said:

Its kind of astonishing to me how checked out the fanbase is because of this garbage slate coming up coming off a game that deflated any and all hype. 

The fanbase will be checked in for Florida and OU

Posted (edited)
56 minutes ago, immamac said:

Its kind of astonishing to me how checked out the fanbase is because of this garbage slate coming up coming off a game that deflated any and all hype. 

Our fan base has always pretty much sucked ass.  Fair weather and low football IQ.  I mean really not that different than most fan bases but at Texas the absolute entitlement is something.  Way too many people have forgotten the 12+ years we absolutely sucked and would have lost that opener by 40+.  That being said, an 11AM kick is BS.  It is what it is and a byproduct of Texas being good (TV Picking it up) but it sucks.  If it were a night game, I would be leaving the soccer fields in Dallas with fam direct to a hotel then tailgate.  Instead, I'll be dual tasking watching soccer and first half on the phone.  Not cool.

Edited by Skipper
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Posted
2 hours ago, MuellerHorn said:

Texas played 23 defensive players against Ohio State. That’s a little short of what Sark had projected going into the game.

To me that seems like a lot of guys getting work for such a big game with relatively few overall defensive snaps. It’s the two-deep +1 (by numbers, not at each position).

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Posted

Ohio State was the biggest opening game in the history of the site. It was the longest during the game thread the site has ever had and immediately following the game we are seeing traffic similar or worse than the offseason. 

Hell the game thread added like 15 posts since the end of the game, people didn't even stick around to talk about the game. 

This isn't "surly is dying hurr durr", it's also OTF which I directly measure and the other sites which I have indirect measurement on. Engagement on Twitter and Instagram is also down (for Texas Football specifically).

Even the normal shit talk I get from people has been minimal to muted. Coming from no one shutting up about Texas and a #1 ranking to no one even reacting to the AP poll results thread (2 responses 1 of which was the additional poll). I think the hype is not only completely gone, but people are just basically gonna check out until Florida. 

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Posted (edited)
11 minutes ago, immamac said:

I think the hype is not only completely gone, but people are just basically gonna check out until Florida. 

Guilty

I'm not gonna change my schedule for 3 straight tomato cans. YT highlights will suffice. 

Edited by DFW Horn
Posted
5 minutes ago, immamac said:

  I think the hype is not only completely gone, but people are just basically gonna check out until Florida. 

I am very worried about the game in Gainesville. I won't watch a live snap until the okie game. 

Posted
2 minutes ago, immamac said:

Ohio State was the biggest opening game in the history of the site. It was the longest during the game thread the site has ever had and immediately following the game we are seeing traffic similar or worse than the offseason. 

Hell the game thread added like 15 posts since the end of the game, people didn't even stick around to talk about the game. 

This isn't "surly is dying hurr durr", it's also OTF which I directly measure and the other sites which I have indirect measurement on. Engagement on Twitter and Instagram is also down (for Texas Football specifically).

Even the normal shit talk I get from people has been minimal to muted. Coming from no one shutting up about Texas and a #1 ranking to no one even reacting to the AP poll results thread (2 responses 1 of which was the additional poll). I think the hype is not only completely gone, but people are just basically gonna check out until Florida. 

I think you're right.  I know I'm definitely deflated, even now, 4 days post-loss. And it's going to be hard to reengage over the next several weeks of cupcakes plus the bye.

It's pretty tough to get my mind and my heart past the 0-4 record against Ohio State and Georgia.  It's just frustrating and demoralizing as fan.  

I realize it's silly but I feel like I'd probably be more excited if the final score had been something like 28-21 and with an offense that didn't just sputter so badly.  Obviously that wouldn't be a positive for our defense, but there was just so much hopefulness from Texas fans surrounding Arch and the offense.  And now, given the questionable playcalling and Arch's struggles and the ongoing redzone issues, it's just tough to feel much enthusiasm about the direction of the program.  I'm sure I'll snap out of it, but staring down 3 cupcakes and a bye isn't going to move me past the malaise very quickly.

 

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Posted
3 minutes ago, immamac said:

Even the normal shit talk I get from people has been minimal to muted. Coming from no one shutting up about Texas and a #1 ranking to no one even reacting to the AP poll results thread (2 responses 1 of which was the additional poll). I think the hype is not only completely gone, but people are just basically gonna check out until Florida. 

Maybe, but it feels like there is more disappointment than anger regarding OSU game, and that disappointment probably leads to less engagement for now. Arch's performance was pretty deflating.

If Arch has similar timing/mechanics issues on Saturday, the freak out really begins. If he plays well and corrects mistakes (even against a cupcake opponent), people will feel re-energized. 

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Posted (edited)

I hope we never play another opener against a big opponent again. I think all 4 top 10 teams that faced each other in game one had offensive struggles, which is why a warm up game against a cupcake in game 1 is so important. 
 

If we played osu in game 2, then 2 non-conference and then conference play, it’s easier to stay engaged for the average fan. As of now, we don’t play anyone of note for a full month and it basically feels like the off season again. 

Edited by Biff Tannen
It also feels like when we come back, we will basically be starting 0-1 with a one loss margin of error for the rest of the season
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Posted
22 minutes ago, immamac said:

Ohio State was the biggest opening game in the history of the site. It was the longest during the game thread the site has ever had and immediately following the game we are seeing traffic similar or worse than the offseason. 

Hell the game thread added like 15 posts since the end of the game, people didn't even stick around to talk about the game. 

This isn't "surly is dying hurr durr", it's also OTF which I directly measure and the other sites which I have indirect measurement on. Engagement on Twitter and Instagram is also down (for Texas Football specifically).

Even the normal shit talk I get from people has been minimal to muted. Coming from no one shutting up about Texas and a #1 ranking to no one even reacting to the AP poll results thread (2 responses 1 of which was the additional poll). I think the hype is not only completely gone, but people are just basically gonna check out until Florida. 

I'm going to watch the games, but what is there really to talk about until Florida? The defense was awesome, Sark was predictable in the first half until adjusting to cover 3 at halftime, and Arch shit the bed with nerves in his first road start and first start as the #1 QB. 

It happened, all that went wrong is fixable, but beating up on low level talent then taking a week off for a month isnt going to tell us much. 

Posted
1 minute ago, Biff Tannen said:

If we played osu in game 2, then 2 non-conference and then conference play, it’s easier to stay engaged for the average fan. As of now, we don’t play anyone of note for a full month and it basically feels like the off season again. 

This. I wasn't terribly deflated by the tOSU game, but what is there to talk about given the next month of powderpuffs?

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Posted
Just now, texifornia said:

This. I wasn't terribly deflated by the tOSU game, but what is there to talk about given the next month of powderpuffs?

Yep, I'm over it, throw it in the fire and pretend it didn't happen

But the next 3 games? I'll casually watch bc they should be absolute garbage scores like 56-0 or 63-7.  Which is fine, because it's getting to be Aspen season anyhow. 

Posted
1 minute ago, RollLeft said:

Where are the pics of the opposing teams' cheerleaders/dance teams?  This site is slippin.

There are some on the press conference thread as usual.  But, fair warning, they're not great, Bob.

Posted

godfather-man.gif

 

JFC, guys. We have so much talent and a deep roster, I'm excited to see a lot of young guys play. It sucks that we have three in a row but I still love watching blowouts. Let's get Arch going. A lot of inexperienced offensive players will get good PT over the next month. Which young WRs will step up this week? We should have a Christian Clark sighting for the first time ever in a real game. Nick Brooks should play. Secondary is going to get a lot of action with SJSU throwing the ball a ton. 

 

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Posted
26 minutes ago, immamac said:

Ohio State was the biggest opening game in the history of the site. It was the longest during the game thread the site has ever had and immediately following the game we are seeing traffic similar or worse than the offseason. 

Hell the game thread added like 15 posts since the end of the game, people didn't even stick around to talk about the game. 

This isn't "surly is dying hurr durr", it's also OTF which I directly measure and the other sites which I have indirect measurement on. Engagement on Twitter and Instagram is also down (for Texas Football specifically).

Even the normal shit talk I get from people has been minimal to muted. Coming from no one shutting up about Texas and a #1 ranking to no one even reacting to the AP poll results thread (2 responses 1 of which was the additional poll). I think the hype is not only completely gone, but people are just basically gonna check out until Florida. 

The only thing I am surprised by is your surprise. 

Manning sucked and is largely the reason Texas lost the game. Deflating is a kind way of putting it. The buzz is completely gone around the program, albeit I assume just temporarily. 

I saw the Directv commercial with Wingo on it this week and it actually made me a little nauseous. Where the fuck was anything like that on Saturday? It's not really a rational reaction as Ohio State is quite a different beast than UTSA, which is what that clip is showing. But, I am a fan, I don't have to be rational. 

The OSU outcome takes a while to shake off for everyone. The golden boy played like ass, the program is 0-4 against big time opponents over the last 10 months, and Sarkisian is a fucking twit in the red zone. All of that creates a hangover effect. If Texas was playing Florida this week, sure, that would either cancel it out or double down on the feeling. But that's not for another 4 weeks, so this is going to linger longer than it should. 

Due to numerous schedule issues personally for @SydneyCarton's family and mine, we're having to split home games up for our seats this year. He gets SJSU and then we get UTEP. My wife was trying to figure out logistics due to sports stuff Friday-Sunday of next week. I finally just told her I'd stay in Houston with the one who has a weekend long tournament. I had no desire to go watch fucking UTEP play Texas in a 3/4 full stadium. My wife likes the experience and the 3 other kids will be excited to be in the suite and everything that goes with that, so let the normal people have their fun. I doubt any of them will pay a whole lot of attention to the game, similar to most of the rest of the fanbase not addicted enough to be posting and reading on Surly and the other UT sites. 

Posted
2 hours ago, Skipper said:

 Fair weather and low football IQ.  

Truer words were never spoken. It’s on full display across multiple threads. It’s glorious. 

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Posted
26 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

I hope we never play another opener against a big opponent again. I think all 4 top 10 teams that faced each other in game one had offensive struggles, which is why a warm up game against a cupcake in game 1 is so important. 
 

If we played osu in game 2, then 2 non-conference and then conference play, it’s easier to stay engaged for the average fan. As of now, we don’t play anyone of note for a full month and it basically feels like the off season again. 

This next month is basically fall camp #2 but where we get to watch and evaluate the scrimmages. That's how I see it. 

It feels bad right now, but if they get the little things fixed and get rolling, there's a great chance they're in the SEC title game again and the playoffs. And we won't even think about this game then. 

Posted

All of what the above are saying. Another factor is that this board is aging and is now pretty old in Texas internet fandom in terms of average age of posters. 20 years ago we would have been screaming at each other for the past few days about that shit show on Saturday. But now we're all older with more important shit to worry about in terms of jobs, families, etc. I don't let Texas sports affect me like they used to both just naturally and also as an active choice.

Except the OU game. If Sarkisian fucks that up he'll hear about it!

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Posted
1 minute ago, Huckleberry said:

All of what the above are saying. Another factor is that this board is aging and is now pretty old in Texas internet fandom in terms of average age of posters. 20 years ago we would have been screaming at each other for the past few days about that shit show on Saturday. But now we're all older with more important shit to worry about in terms of jobs, families, etc. I don't let Texas sports affect me like they used to both just naturally and also as an active choice.

Except the OU game. If Sarkisian fucks that up he'll hear about it!

We're all counting on @texifornia to keep us young, so I have a place to yell on the internet when I'm retired. God help us. 

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Posted
6 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

I'm not even going to bother wading in up-thread to see the entire context of @immamac's post and this conversation, but I can guess and get the gist from this post, so I'll add my personal color to the state of UT Football/Surly/Enthusiasm.

I've been avoiding not just a few threads, not just the football board, but all of that and the $9.95 board like the plague since Saturday. I can't handle it. I read most of the game thread on Sunday, and I read some other threads, and I just can't fucking handle it. All of the idiots, all of the stupid, knee-jerk, ill formed opinions, plus those denying what we saw, and at the end of the day it's just a poisonous stew that I don't have much desire to ingest. Like I need to read stupid post after stupid post about how Arch Manning sucks, or the hype is overrated, or the Quinn Ewers apologists, or the Sark haters, over and over and over? There's literally no incentive for me to be participating on this website right now, or in a greater dialogue about UT football. Here's my short paragraph sentence summary on where we are:

Arch sucked huge ass and his mechanics sucked, Sark did him little to no favors in playcalling and the red zone, which is hardly a new thing and will be a long term albatross on his program. Fine. This doesn't mean Arch can't be a good QB here, or a great QB here, and it's also beyond stupid for people to say we need to move on from Sark, or he needs to hire an OC, or that we're DOOMED! I'll be watching the next 3 games with interest to see what Arch and his mechanics look like (because what we saw Saturday wasn't what we'd seen before) and what kind of improvement we can see as a program.  

But's going to be hard for me to come here when the loudest and most active voices are the two ends of the Stupid Poster Spectrum that I despise more than BO&W despises regular showers.  I'm guessing I'm not alone with a similar viewpoint. 

I get all of that, but there are plenty of threads in which none of that is happening, including this one. Still plenty of good stuff on the general CFB front.

I'll never understand why all of you guys go and read the game threads after a loss. I have quite literally never done that. It has to be utterly mind-numbing if it isn't infuriating. 

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Posted

Aside from it being incredibly disappointing, there's just not many interesting topics to discuss from Week 1. If we'd lost 38-31, we'd probably have more to say. It was just a really simple story of our QB being terrible, blowing it for the millionth time in the red zone and our defense being badass. There's not a whole lot that could happen on the field in the next month that gives us any real insight or answers. I expect that Arch will not suck for his whole career here. I am fairly confident the light will not go on for Sark in the redzone four years in. The team will probably be very good this year and beyond. 

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Posted

Honestly, this board hasn't seemed that much worse than usual. People are saying dumb shit, but it's a day ending in Y so that makes sense. 

My biggest reason for not participating more since the game is catching up on work I missed over the holiday weekend and my kids school / sports starting up again. Otherwise, the Horns lost a big game against a quality opponent. Sucks, but it's better than losing to Maryland. We can talk about why they lost, but the reasons are pretty obvious. I don't get off on yelling at stupid people (well, sometimes) and I don't think I have anything new to offer that hasn't been discussed to death on here.

But I'm still coming to the site for the jokes, the rare nugget of insight, and the fun of sharing the experience with other Texas fans. At least it's nice to talk ball with people who care about Texas as much as I do, which is hard to find in real life. Even if all that "caring" is sometimes expressed in unhealthy or unproductive ways. 

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Posted (edited)

I think the fanbase is embarrassed by the product Sark put out on offense and now is somewhat resigned to the possibility of him never fixing our offense in big games. Arch was going to be the guy to showcase Sark's so-called brilliant offense. Now, that hope appears to be gone or at a distance. We are staring into the abyss. 

Edited by UTEE97
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Posted (edited)
16 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

I get all of that, but there are plenty of threads in which none of that is happening, including this one. Still plenty of good stuff on the general CFB front.

I'll never understand why all of you guys go and read the game threads after a loss. I have quite literally never done that. It has to be utterly mind-numbing if it isn't infuriating. 

See, you say there's nothing stupid being said on plenty of threads, including this one, and then I have to scroll down and read this dumbassery:

12 minutes ago, UTEE97 said:

I think the fanbase is embarrassed by the product Sark put out on offense and now is somewhat resigned to the possibility of him never fixing our offense in big games. Arch was going to be the guy to showcase Sark's so-called brilliant offense. Now, that hope appears to be gone or at a distance. We are staring into the abyss. 

If you feel personally embarrassed walking down the street wearing burnt orange because the media over-hyped a manning, and we laid an egg in a big game, you're a fucking idiot who's life priorities are completely out of whack.  And I can say that as a dude who would let a UT loss, even during our darkest past decade, ruin my entire weekend when I was in my 30's.  We're not Penn State or Baylor who let systemic rape and human trafficking happen on their watch, you fucking feeble-minded knob. 

Yeah, we thought Arch would be better. He wasn't last weekend. Staring into the fucking abyss? WE JUST LIVED THE ABYSS FOR 12 YEARS, you fucking dipshit. Losing at defending national champion Ohio State's house on opening weekend by a TD isn't the fucking abyss, you can't even SEE where we are now from the abyss of losing to Kansas while they put up 50 plus on you. You're a spoiled fucking titty-baby whiny little dipshit, you sound like a fucking aggie. 

And this, this is why I'm not around much this week. The stupid, it just permeates everything. 

I will say this, after living through Strong and Herman and with NIL where it is, if Sark means a 10 year run of Mack Brown looking results while sneaking in a title with some good fortune, at this point, I'll fucking take it. Because at least he won't be a whiny passive aggressive little bitch about it in the media. 

Edited by SydneyCarton
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Posted

We probably overreacted to Ohio State loss.  I saw a lot of well-regarded QBs play like crap last weekend.  We will probably overreact this weekend when Arch lights up SJSU.

I doubt Arch is going to be terrible like this again.  I bet he learns and grows.

 

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Posted
I think the fanbase is embarrassed by the product Sark put out on offense and now is somewhat resigned to the possibility of him never fixing our offense in big games. Arch was going to be the guy to showcase Sark's so-called brilliant offense. Now, that hope appears to be gone or at a distance. We are staring into the abyss. 
I'm honestly just upset at the goal line calls, the rest I can deal with given who we played. I don't feel hopeless, no friends or family I've spoken to so either.

We are however, a bit shocked at the doom and gloom shown by many. I'm surprised there seems to be more doom and gloom hot takes than rational takes, after one game.... Against the reigning champions.

I still believe in Sark and Arch...

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Posted
18 minutes ago, Park Gothic said:

Honestly, this board hasn't seemed that much worse than usual. People are saying dumb shit, but it's a day ending in Y so that makes sense. 

My biggest reason for not participating more since the game is catching up on work I missed over the holiday weekend and my kids school / sports starting up again. Otherwise, the Horns lost a big game against a quality opponent. Sucks, but it's better than losing to Maryland. We can talk about why they lost, but the reasons are pretty obvious. I don't get off on yelling at stupid people (well, sometimes) and I don't think I have anything new to offer that hasn't been discussed to death on here.

But I'm still coming to the site for the jokes, the rare nugget of insight, and the fun of sharing the experience with other Texas fans. At least it's nice to talk ball with people who care about Texas as much as I do, which is hard to find in real life. Even if all that "caring" is sometimes expressed in unhealthy or unproductive ways. 

I thought you just weren't around much in order to avoid having to answer for the performance from your preseason "Best OL in the SEC" selection, the Alabama Crimson Tide. 😁

8 minutes ago, The Beast said:

Give me a break, all you dumbfucks will be watching just like me. 

Who said they aren't actually going to watch the games?

6 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

See, you say there's nothing stupid being said on plenty of threads, including this one, and then I have to scroll down and read this dumbassery:

If you feel personally embarrassed walking down the street wearing burnt orange because the media over-hyped a manning, and we laid an egg in a big game, you're a fucking idiot who's life priorities are completely out of whack.  And I can say that as a dude who would let a UT loss, even during our darkest past decade, ruin my entire weekend when I was in my 30's.  We're not Penn State or Baylor who let systemic rape and human trafficking happen on their watch, you fucking feeble-minded knob. 

Yeah, we thought Arch would be better. He wasn't last weekend. Staring into the fucking abyss? WE JUST LIVED THE ABYSS FOR 12 YEARS, you fucking dipshit. Losing at defending national champion Ohio State's house on opening weekend by a TD isn't the fucking abyss, you can't even SEE where we are now from the abyss of losing to Kansas while they put up 50 plus on you. You're a spoiled fucking titty-baby whiny little dipshit, you sound like a fucking aggie. 

And this, this is why I'm not around much this week. The stupid, it just permeates everything. 

I will say this, after living through Strong and Herman and with NIL where it is, if Sark means a 10 year run of Mack Brown looking results while sneaking in a title with some good fortune, at this point, I'll fucking take it. Because at least he won't be a whiny passive aggressive little bitch about it in the media. 

I feel like you're holding back a little. Dig deep and tell us how you really feel.

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Posted
34 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

All of what the above are saying. Another factor is that this board is aging and is now pretty old in Texas internet fandom in terms of average age of posters. 20 years ago we would have been screaming at each other for the past few days about that shit show on Saturday. But now we're all older with more important shit to worry about in terms of jobs, families, etc. I don't let Texas sports affect me like they used to both just naturally and also as an active choice.

Except the OU game. If Sarkisian fucks that up he'll hear about it!

I lost my job on August 1. This is every day for me now. 

 

image.jpeg.e97f1b24e86d1f40bd9a617a716670e1.jpeg

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Posted
5 minutes ago, DreadHead said:

I'm honestly just upset at the goal line calls, the rest I can deal with given who we played. I don't feel hopeless, no friends or family I've spoken to so either.

We are however, a bit shocked at the doom and gloom shown by many. I'm surprised there seems to be more doom and gloom hot takes than rational takes, after one game.... Against the reigning champions.

I still believe in Sark and Arch... emoji1612.png
 

The thing about belief is that there is no right or wrong because the future can't be proven at present. You can believe in the bright future whereas many others may not. It was a deflating game for most of the fans. Sure, we can bounce back and run the table. I am just not wearing my UT hat in public until other fan bases forget about the game for the same reasons Sydney doesn't want to read negative posts about the game.

Posted
3 minutes ago, UTEE97 said:

The thing about belief is that there is no right or wrong because the future can't be proven at present. You can believe in the bright future whereas many others may not. It was a deflating game for most of the fans. Sure, we can bounce back and run the table. I am just not wearing my UT hat in public until other fan bases forget about the game for the same reasons Sydney doesn't want to read negative posts about the game.

I have never put my UT or Astro stuff away, for any reason. Don't be a coelenterate. My affiliation with Texas runs way, way deeper than any outcome on a playing surface. Holy shit.

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Posted
Just now, closetojumping said:

I have never put my UT or Astro stuff away, for any reason. Don't be a coelenterate. My affiliation with Texas runs way, way deeper than any outcome on a playing surface. Holy shit.

Perhaps you didn't understand why. I just don't want to have this conversation about the game with non-UT fans. That's why I don't read or see what others are saying. That's how I cope after a loss.

Posted

Alex Dunlap's OL grades. One of my favorite pieces to read every week (long post but lots of good info)

Spoiler

Skill Player Snap Counts and Game-by-Game Percentages of Offensive Snaps (Through Week 1)
Deep-Dig-2025-Skill-Player-Participation.jpg


***please note that exact snap-count numbers may differ from other sources at times, as the Deep Dig does not count plays as offensive player snaps that are blown dead due to penalty, punts, extra points, field goals, spiked balls, victory formations, kneel-downs, etc.***

Personnel-Grouping Frequency Overall and by Game (Through Week 1)
Deep-Dig-2025-Personnel-Utilization-by-Game.jpg


Tight End Total Snap Counts and Alignment Data (Through Week 1)
Deep-Dig-2025-TE-Usage-Chart.jpg


Team Target Share By Week (Through Week 1)
Deep-Dig-2025-Target-Share-By-Game.jpg


Deep Dig OL Grading Scale (each snap by each player is graded as its own independent event)
Deep-Dig-2021-OL-GRADING-SCALE.jpg
OL Grades (Ohio State)

LT Trevor Goosby - 67 snaps
1 sack allowed
1 knockdown
DEEP DIG GRADE: 79.2

LG Connor Stroh - 56 snaps
1 QB hit, 1 run-stuff allowed
1 knockdown
DEEP DIG GRADE: 76.61

LG Neto Umeozulu - 11 snaps
No disruption allowed
DEEP DIG GRADE: N/A

C Cole Hutson - 67 snaps
2 QB hits, 1 run-stuff allowed
DEEP DIG GRADE: 76.79

RG DJ Campbell - 67 snaps
2 run-stuffs, 1 pressure allowed
1 holding penalty
DEEP DIG GRADE: 77.09

RT Brandon Baker - 67 snaps
2 pressures, 1 QB hit, 1 run-stuff allowed
2 false-start penalties
2 knockdowns, 1 pin
DEEP DIG GRADE: 74.85

OL Snaps-per-Disruption Allowed (Through Week 1)

Deep-Dig-2025-OL-Snaps-Per-Disruption.jpg

2025 OL Snaps-per-Disruption Allowed Versus Historical Precedent (Through Week 1)
Deep-Dig-2025-OL-Historical-Comparison.jpg


QUICK FINAL THOUGHTS

- In reviewing the All-22 film of the game on offense, it was clear to see that Texas receivers, more often than you would like to see, had trouble separating from the Ohio State DBs. This was not quite as evident on the broadcast version of the game, but I'm sure people who were in the stands to watch the game live will agree. Ohio State kept a real lid over the top of the defense and caused the passing offense to sputter, daring Texas to lean more on the run. This is not an excuse for a few of the eyebrow-raising easy misses that Arch Manning put on tape on crossing routes and other badly placed footballs to receivers who the staff did manage to scheme open underneath. Put both things together, though, in conjunction with one another, and the result was entirely predictable.

- Along the offensive line, there is much to discuss. Before talking about the new-look personnel and how they fared, we should point out that the identity of the run game is different in 2025 than we've seen under OL coach Kyle Flood at Texas as the Longhorns leaned heavily on man, gap and power concepts instead of majoring in the zone-run schemes that had really led the way in previous seasons. Texas ran power, counter, gap and man run designs on exactly 50% of designed runs against Ohio State.

Doesn't sound like that big a deal? Let's look at the zone-run game concept distribution from the 2024 regular season by game:

Colorado State: 79.4% zone runs
Michigan: 73.1% zone runs
UTSA: 79.3% zone runs
ULM: 73.5% zone runs
Mississippi State: 76% zone runs
Oklahoma: 69.2% zone runs
Georgia: 81.3% zone runs
Vanderbilt: 69.2% zone runs
Florida: 74.1% zone runs
Arkansas: 69.7% zone runs
Kentucky: 76.9% zone runs
Texas A&M: 80% zone runs

We think this change is due to the personnel being younger, less experienced and, in the case of a few players, being a little less balanced and consistent with their feet from down-to-down. Pulling and trapping the guards and allowing players to get into better position to down-block as opposed to reach-block on the move (and in conjunction with one another) in the zone-run game removes a layer of complexity from the equation and puts players like Connor Stroh, Neto Umeozulu and Brandon Baker in better positions to succeed.

- Obviously, those were the players we had our eyes on the most as we hadn't seen much (if any) of them in game action yet. We'll start with Stroh, who far out-snapped Neto Umeozulu. From our end, Umeozulu didn't look bad per se, but the initial usage shows us that the staff views Stroh as being ahead in the battle and we should probably expect something of a DJ Campbell/Cole Hutson rotation circa 2024 from the two players moving forward with Stroh leading the way. Stroh played a perfectly acceptable game against Ohio State overall, allowing disruption only once per every 28 snaps -- a number that would have him behind Kelvin Banks, Hayden Conner, Jake Majors and slightly behind Cam Williams from last season, but ahead of what we saw in 2024 from Campbell (24.83), Goosby (21) and Hutson (15.56).

The issue with Stroh, being such a big guy is getting his weight out over the balls of his feet and getting overextended at times. His footwork and balance will need to be continued to be worked on as evidenced in the two videos below:

https://youtu.be/b_I4Bk0m6ds?si=0Md_V3YctpBwpkHc

But, there were also reps from Stroh that show that there is something there that is starting to come along. As a pulling guard here, he shows good balance and leverage at the attack point in open space to engage the defender and help spring a would-be nice little gain (the play was unfortunately nullified by a DJ Campbell holding penalty):



- As for Brandon Baker, he played a game that we have to technically qualify as unacceptable as it did not meet the Deep Dig's minimum grade threshold for acceptability (75). The name of the game with Baker is going to be consistency. Any time you allow 2 pressures, 1 QB hit, 1 run-stuff allowed and commit two penalties, you're going to probably have a bad overall game and the thing about Baker that is most confusing is his down-to-down exhibition of play strength.

On one play, you'll have a smaller defender getting his hands inside and underneath his pads and practically forklifting him totally out of position and getting his hips pointed east and west:
 



Then, on the next, you'll see him generate nice movement off the line and end up with a knockdown.
 



Remember, he had two knockdowns and a dominant pin block in this game, putting guys on the ground more than any other Texas OL. Baker has smooth feet and can be a nasty finisher, he just needs to find consistency with his play strength and striking technique, especially as he's getting into his pass sets.

There are big changes happening on the Texas offensive line, and given the all the plates that are currently up in the air with the group's personnel and run-design mix, we'd say the unit held up about as well as fans could have hoped for against one of the best defenses in the country. The next three weeks will be extremely telling about whether the most important thing that needs to happen actually starts to: All 5 of these guys need to start doing the things that they do best more consistently. Easy as that.

Sounds a lot like what needs to happen with Arch Manning ...

Onward to San Jose State.

 

  • Hook 'Em 8
  • Like 1
Posted
1 hour ago, texifornia said:

This. I wasn't terribly deflated by the tOSU game, but what is there to talk about given the next month of powderpuffs?

Yep. It's kind of a no win scenario for the next 3 games.  If they start slow or don't dominate every game, the hot takes will be flying like Grackles on campus. 

I'm just hoping for limiting injuries and getting the offense some confidence and rhythm.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted
25 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

I thought you just weren't around much in order to avoid having to answer for the performance from your preseason "Best OL in the SEC" selection, the Alabama Crimson Tide. 😁

quotation-marks-chris-farley.gif

20 minutes ago, UTEE97 said:

The thing about belief is that there is no right or wrong because the future can't be proven at present. You can believe in the bright future whereas many others may not. It was a deflating game for most of the fans. Sure, we can bounce back and run the table. I am just not wearing my UT hat in public until other fan bases forget about the game for the same reasons Sydney doesn't want to read negative posts about the game.

Man, you have some awful takes in this thread. I was in a small town in Mexico for the game and my buddy and I ended up watching it in a bar with a bunch of sooners who were there for a wedding. We saw them at the hotel and all over town for the rest of the trip and you know for damn sure I wore my Texas bar cap the whole time. The shit talking is invigorating for the soul. 

Posted
1 minute ago, Park Gothic said:
27 minutes ago, UTEE97 said:

Man, you have some awful takes in this thread. I was in a small town in Mexico

Congrats! You impressed some small town Mexicans!

Posted
1 minute ago, Park Gothic said:

quotation-marks-chris-farley.gif

Man, you have some awful takes in this thread. I was in a small town in Mexico for the game and my buddy and I ended up watching it in a bar with a bunch of sooners who were there for a wedding. We saw them at the hotel and all over town for the rest of the trip and you know for damn sure I wore my Texas bar cap the whole time. The shit talking is invigorating for the soul. 

I was in Vermont all weekend with a bunch of Michigan and USC fans at a wedding. Similar thing. Most people just said complimentary things about the defense and we all had a good laugh about Arch. My brother and I were sending memes to each other about the game on Instagram by Saturday night. 

Posted (edited)
11 minutes ago, UTEE97 said:

Congrats! You impressed some small town Mexicans!

Congratulations, this entire board knows that you squat to pee...

Edited by SydneyCarton
  • Haha 2
Posted
6 minutes ago, UTEE97 said:

Congrats! You impressed some small town Mexicans!

"The pride and winning tradition..."

6 minutes ago, texifornia said:

I was in Vermont all weekend with a bunch of Michigan and USC fans at a wedding. Similar thing. Most people just said complimentary things about the defense and we all had a good laugh about Arch. My brother and I were sending memes to each other about the game on Instagram by Saturday night. 

Pretty much the same thing with the sooners. Just some good natured shit talking and then chatting politely about our respective trips like normal people. Although opposing fans who are at destination wedding are more likely to be a normal class of person and not mouthbreathing goons, so our experiences may not be representative.

I'll also say that, according to all of my friends who went to Columbus, the buckeye fans were fine. Certainly better than fans in Lubbock or Fayetteville.  

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