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3 minutes ago, GoldAppleCorps said:

 get the sense Alex Okafor is in a "figure it out or forget it" period. He's had all the coaching and development he can stand. Now, he's either going to jell with his unit, or find himself as an emergency backup.

He's still eligible? What's he doing on the OL?

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3 minutes ago, GoldAppleCorps said:

This is the time of year to experiment with OL combinations. They're not at all the sum of their parts. Five skilled individuals can look like cat puke if they don't complement each other or freelance. Conversely, five adequate players can become all-world when they act as one unit, picking up DL shifts and stunts while still sensing where their teammates are.

I get the sense Alex Okafor is in a "figure it out or forget it" period. He's had all the coaching and development he can stand. Now, he's either going to jell with his unit, or find himself as an emergency backup.

1

Alex Okafor figured it out a while ago. 

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2 minutes ago, GoldAppleCorps said:

This is the time of year to experiment with OL combinations. They're not at all the sum of their parts. Five skilled individuals can look like cat puke if they don't complement each other or freelance. Conversely, five adequate players can become all-world when they act as one unit, picking up DL shifts and stunts while still sensing where their teammates are.

I get the sense Alex Okafor is in a "figure it out or forget it" period. He's had all the coaching and development he can stand. Now, he's either going to jell with his unit, or find himself as an emergency backup.

Yeah, the New Orleans Saints have really put in a ton of time and teaching him. In his 7th year in the NFL, you'd think he'd really be tapped out from a development standpoint. 

Denzel Okafor might be another matter. 

Also, it's gel. Jell is 4/5ths of something that paid for Bill Cosby's roofie habit. 

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32 minutes ago, Red Five said:

While I'm not arguing that (he is obviously a guard), isn't he 6'4"? With long arms? 

I mean he's 6'4 with guard feet and was considered a G/T tweener coming out of HS. It's not a shock that he's not holding up in pass pro at OT. That's not the Naashan Hughes of OTs. 

13 minutes ago, futureman said:

what happened with tope imade?  I thought he was supposed to be a 340 lb super freak. 

He was a mid-tier 3 star, who always posted great lifting numbers but has never proven to be all that good at actually playing football.  Hell, he was switched to DL at one point last offseason. 9.95ers only talk him up because he's a guy who looks good getting off the bus (and because most of them have no clue about OL play).

11 minutes ago, futureman said:

so herb hand isn’t doing his job?

I realize you're just trolling at this point but see above. He's never been expected to be some stud G.  If you adjusted your expectations based off 9.95ers saying he looks physically imposing, then that's on you, not Herb Hand.

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12 minutes ago, GoldAppleCorps said:

This is the time of year to experiment with OL combinations. They're not at all the sum of their parts. Five skilled individuals can look like cat puke if they don't complement each other or freelance. Conversely, five adequate players can become all-world when they act as one unit, picking up DL shifts and stunts while still sensing where their teammates are.

I get the sense Alex Okafor is in a "figure it out or forget it" period. He's had all the coaching and development he can stand. Now, he's either going to jell with his unit, or find himself as an emergency backup.

So according to you, if a guy who should be playing guard can't handle speed rushers at OT, he should be relegated to being an emergency backup. This is some Jim Turner-level logic right here. Very impressive.

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15 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

I mean he's 6'4 with guard feet and was considered a G/T tweener coming out of HS. It's not a shock that he's not holding up in pass pro at OT. That's not the Naashan Hughes of OTs. 

You're taking me too literally. 

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10 minutes ago, Red Five said:

You're taking me too literally. 

 You said "there's no reason for him to not be wildly successful there...but he's not."  He's a guard being played at RT, so there is absolutely a reason for why he shouldn't be successful there. He's being played out of position. Not sure how that's too literal unless you just didn't mean (or are now trying to walk back) what you said but sure.

 

 

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Weird argument, because I'm agreeing with you 100% that he should be at guard, and have been banging my head against that wall for three years. I'm just saying that the staff sees a 6'4"  330 lb athletic guy with long arms and thinks right tackle. Maybe Tray Allen would have been a better example. 

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30 minutes ago, Red Five said:

Weird argument, because I'm agreeing with you 100% that he should be at guard, and have been banging my head against that wall for three years. I'm just saying that the staff sees a 6'4"  330 lb athletic guy with long arms and thinks right tackle. Maybe Tray Allen would have been a better example. 

 

24 minutes ago, ClubWhatever said:

I realize you’re trolling but let me post a 400 word essay about why you are dead wrong and must bow down to my ability to dissect football before offing yourself.  

I am an idoit. 

 

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Regarding the repeated use of Okafor at RT in the spring, it is possible that it's simply an effort to build situation awareness between the RG and RT, and so a more effective team along the line?  Doing someone else's job would certainly make you more attuned to how they would react in certain situations, and therefore better inform your assignment/action.  Not sure if it's actually purposeful "human factors" training, but I could certainly see a benefit.

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TFB on Floyd

Freshman LB De’Gabriel Floyd has gotten his results back on his neck, and they are not favorable. He will definitely be missing the rest of the Spring. He will need to have additional tests on the disc in his neck and more therapy for recovery. The time table is up in the air, but it could take a bit.

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16 hours ago, texifornia said:

He's still eligible? What's he doing on the OL?

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That's what I get for posting after huffing paint*. At least I landed on the right sport. Coulda been Emeka Okafor.

*This in no way means I'm huffing less paint. Just pointing out that it's a likely contributing factor in my ongoing disagreement with reality.

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4 minutes ago, GoldAppleCorps said:

That's what I get for posting after huffing paint*. At least I landed on the right sport. Coulda been Emeka Okafor.

*This in no way means I'm huffing less paint. Just pointing out that it's a likely contributing factor in my ongoing disagreement with reality.

You ain't gots to lie, Craig. You ain't gots to lie

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IT Practice Notes - 4/3/2019

by Joseph Cook with notes by Ian Boyd

Bru McCoy, Sam Ehlinger, and BJ Foster all were back at practice today. I did not see Kirk Johnson after it was announced yesterday he was being evaluated for a stinger.

The team didn’t go through many 11 on 11 drills during the four open periods.

I watched a few segments with the offense and noticed Tim Beck and briefly Corby Meekins working with quarterbacks and running backs. The two positions groups were working on creating chemistry on routes. The RBs were aligned in the slot on both sides of the line and running juke routes as well as simple crossing routes. Josh Moore and Jordan Pouncey were in the drill likely to show the RBs who have never aligned out wide in earnest what running routes from the slot looks like. Moore and Pouncey joined the rest of the WRs when the coaches felt they had provided a decent example.

This may not seem like much, but it’s an indicator of RBs moving in different spots in the formation in the passing game.

Ian note:
That's a considerable shift from 2018 when they'd have the RBs motion out to the sideline in order to run clear outs or quick hitch routes so Lil'Jordan Humphrey could have space to run option routes inside. Those routes inside are where the easy money can be found, matching up against LBs and safeties in space. 

Sounds like they intend to use Jordan Whittington and/or Kirk Johnson heavily in the passing game this coming season as featured weapons. More on this to come in the gameplan.


I never saw the OL line up with a five-man unit. The group was split in two, and pairs of linemen worked on various drills against a two-man sled from sideline to sideline. 

One group consisted of Tope Imade, Derek Kerstetter, Denzel Okafor, JP Urquidez, Sam Cosmi, Junior Angilau, and Zach Shackelford. This group worked primarily with Herb Hand. The other group of Tyler Johnson, Rafiti Ghirmai, Christian Jones (who was at practice participating at least in individual drills), Reese Moore, plus walk-ons Ishan Rison, Jakob Sell, and Matt Frost worked mostly with assistant OL coaches and GAs. Ghirmai snapped a football before each one of his reps.

Ian note:
My best guess for what they're up to on OL is that they want to give Denzel Okafor as many tackle reps as they can in hopes that he can be the third tackle behind Sam Cosmi and Derek Kerstetter. Of course it's possible that Okafor is ahead of Kerstetter now (although he wasn't in 2017) but eventually Parker Braun is going to challenge for one of those starting guard spots and someone is likely moving outside or to the bench. If they know that's likely (they do), and they're comfortable with Kerstetter at tackle (possible), then it makes sense to play Okafor at RT now to see if he can be the swing tackle.

But at this time last year I was convinced they were setting up Kerstetter to replace Zach Shackleford at center so take that guess with a few grains of salt.


The QB pecking order remains Sam Ehlinger, Casey Thompson, Roschon Johnson. 

Ian note:
Fall camp after Johnson has had a moment to digest the playbook will tell the true story of the QB2 battle.


A brief look at TE revealed a Cade Brewer, Reese Leitao, Jared Wiley pecking order.

Ian note:
It's hard right now to see Texas developing a physical 12 personnel (two TEs) set from this group that can run out clock and protect a lead when the opponent is determined to stop the run. I foresee a philosophical shift at Texas in which they aim to protect leads by expanding them, leading to Texas embracing higher scoring contests and looking to drop 40+ on the scoreboard. 

If they want a "run out the clock" package they'll need Brewer to be a beast as a blocker and then expand the 12 personnel playbook to serve the current blocking ability of Leitao or Wiley or else find a fullback somewhere on the roster. Plausible but probably more difficult than just boat-racing opponents with an upperclassman QB and loaded WR room.


I didn’t get a lot of time to see the DBs, but with all the injuries Montrell Estell is getting an opportunity with the first team.

Lastly, the linebacker depth chart looked like this going BLB, Rover, Mac
1st: Joseph Ossai, Jeffrey McCulloch, Ayodele Adeoye
2nd: Byron Vaughns, Caleb Johnson, Marcus Tillman
3rd: Russell Hine, Luke Brockermeyer, Cort Jacquess

Ian note:
This is a fascinating battle. We haven't seen either McCulloch or Adeoye play much coverage or get out into space as LBs in this scheme or against Big 12 opponents but it's hard to believe that either will look like Bobby Wagner in that role.

Presumably cover 3 (match) and the combover will continue to be prominent features for the 2019 defense. That means sliding Caden Sterns (the wolf) to the middle of the field where he can either play as a middle of the field safety in cover 3 or as a hash safety in quarters while Brandon Jones drops down to be the nickel/overhang defender on the edge.

 

This style asks a fair amount from the corners, but then so does the base defense, and they aren't recruiting these blue chip cornerbacks for nothing.

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3 minutes ago, Machinator said:

A brief look at TE revealed a Cade Brewer, Reese Leitao, Jared Wiley pecking order.

Ian note:
It's hard right now to see Texas developing a physical 12 personnel (two TEs) set from this group that can run out clock and protect a lead when the opponent is determined to stop the run. I foresee a philosophical shift at Texas in which they aim to protect leads by expanding them, leading to Texas embracing higher scoring contests and looking to drop 40+ on the scoreboard. 

If they want a "run out the clock" package they'll need Brewer to be a beast as a blocker and then expand the 12 personnel playbook to serve the current blocking ability of Leitao or Wiley or else find a fullback somewhere on the roster. Plausible but probably more difficult than just boat-racing opponents with an upperclassman QB and loaded WR room.


This is really stupid and ignores the numerous reports that Texas is working on installing more two back packages.  You don't need 12 personnel to grind out the clock.  21 personnel (with one of the two RBs being Danny Young) serve that role just fine, when you use Young as a lead blocker and Sam as a constraint in the option game.

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6 minutes ago, Katfid54 said:

This is really stupid and ignores the numerous reports that Texas is working on installing more two back packages.  You don't need 12 personnel to grind out the clock.  21 personnel (with one of the two RBs being Danny Young) serve that role just fine, when you use Young as a lead blocker and Sam as a constraint in the option game.

Agreed.  Isn't that what they did a lot of last year?

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More on Floyd, from Baizer:

Quote

The story is that he got an injury during his Senior year of high school. They thought it was a one off stinger, so he played through. During the training staff evaluations they found he had a herniated disc. They went and had tests done to figure out how bad it was and if there are any other problems it caused. Apparently, it seems like that could be the case and he’ll need therapy to get through it.

I don’t think this is career ending.

 

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1 minute ago, EvilCaseMcCoy said:

Agreed.  Isn't that what they did a lot of last year?

Actually last year we would usually line up in unbalanced formations (sometimes in 12 personnel with both Beck and Brewer on the field and other times with LJH or CJ acting as a pseudo additional blocking tight end), and then run QB stretch with the RB being a force blocker.

I can't recall many (if any) times we used 21 personnel last year.

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34 minutes ago, Katfid54 said:

Actually last year we would usually line up in unbalanced formations (sometimes in 12 personnel with both Beck and Brewer on the field and other times with LJH or CJ acting as a pseudo additional blocking tight end), and then run QB stretch with the RB being a force blocker.

I can't recall many (if any) times we used 21 personnel last year.

I see.  I wonder with a bigger Ingram it will make more sense.  

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39 minutes ago, Red Five said:

So Ian, let me see if I’ve got this straight..... we like Kerstetter at RT so much that we’re playing him at guard all spring and giving his first team reps at tackle to Okafor?

Ian Boyd, ladies and gentlemen.

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1 hour ago, EvilCaseMcCoy said:

I see.  I wonder with a bigger Ingram it will make more sense.  

I wouldn't expect Ingram to do any of the lead blocking out of 21 personnel.  That's going to be Danny Young's job.  He will have to block on QB lead/QB power plays for Sam, when we're in 11 (or 10) personnel groupings, but he was fine at that last year.

Edited by Katfid54
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