March 5th Practice Report
by Peter Bean on Mar 6, 2008 4:59 PM CST
in Texas Longhorns Basketball
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PrintIs now up at MB-TF. Today's press soldiers - Major Applewhite and Colt McCoy. I will say, whatever his coaching abilities, Major's already got the lingo down:
Good to know. Goooooood to know.
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AAAHHHHAA!!
"They made great explosives!" What the fuck? Are they running a Chinese fireworks sweatshop in the bubble now?
Oh man... that's awesome. I love coach-speak!!
They called....
...'em big plays back when we played, Bombilla. That just wasn't high-tech enough for the boys from the hills of Tennessee.
On a very positive note, I'm glad to hear 2 safeties (Wells & C.Scott) have stepped up to capture the Hard Hat. Their contributions will be extremely important this season.
Boom boom boom Ba-BOOMMMMMMM
Coach Muschamp came in said you’ve got to be physical to get on the field, so therefore I had to change my whole mind frame just to play.
(Emphasis added)
Dion Beasley, from the last practice report, made this statement.
This is exactly what the defense has needed, to raise the ante across the board. Without any choice.
I can understand his transition: Beasley was a QB at WOS, so he utilized his speed at DB but preserved his body for the offense. Beasley was their ticket to the playoffs. That was then; this is now. I sure many other players are changing their "mind frames," too. They have no choice, which is the preferable coaching dictum.
Like some here, I've yearned for the old days of the Horns gang tackling, especially in the OU game. As much as I liked Bomar sucking air and feeling pain, I wanted the whole Texas defense administering that level of concussion. Now there's a glimmer that could happen. Amen.
Dude
What in the hell is a "mind grape"? You're totally blowing my think melon!
Certainly.
Probably re-skinned by now. And then Muschamp will squeeze.
Sense and sensibility
I like this:
When they have a flare route, I want them to know why they're running a flare route and what we're trying to get done with the spacing. I think that helps a guy accomplish his assignment. It gives him a little bit more sense of urgency for what he's got to do. He's an integral part of those 11. I want them to know not just what and how, but also why.
(emphasis added)
And this, both from Major:
Each back has its strengths. We've got to feature what those strengths are.
These sound so...sensible.
I hope this logic continues into the fall.
Sometimes I think GD's complexity overwhelms the common sense aspect of team football.
That 1st quote caught my eye yesterday
Teaching the RBs to think about their routes in the same way a QB does......nice.
Melton under the radar
The biggest news to me of spring practice is that Muschamp is considering moving Henry Melton to DT. I predicted this in my New Year's Resolutions, with a bit of trepidation. But if Muschamp can stoke a fire under our so far underachieving junior, imagine the possibilities of a 275 lb DT with 4.7 speed (I'm assuming). Lots of BaBoom in enemy backfields next fall.
But then again, it's Henry Melton, who lost his job as the power back because he could never get his pads under those of the LB's.
An intriguing story line and something to watch nevertheless.
we do know one thing though
he's bad at driving his truck drunk. he also doesnt like to run through holes. he likes to bounce it to the outside. there may be hope though.
by kicker @ Burnt Orange Nation on Mar 6, 2008 8:08 PM CST up reply actions
If Muschamp can't light the fire
under Twinkletoes, it can't be lit.
He still has eligibility? Son of a &*(#@!!
Lamarr Houston
has been working a WHOLE LOT at Defensive Tackle.
I think he's taken over the first team zero-technique spot over Ben Alexander.
If he can maintain his athleticism at maybe 285 lbs (or 290), LOOK OUT!
That's interesting info
For the uninitiated, who probably are unlikely to be reading this blog in March, zero technique is lining up right in front of the opposing team's center. That's very interesting because a nose tackle is usually someone who is immoveable, like Haloti Ngata of Oregon and now the Baltimore Ravens. The object is to tie up the center and one guard and give no ground, which creates gaps that LB's can attack right at the line of scrimmage. I can't see Lamarr Houston, who played at 245 or 250 last year and has good speed, holding up in this role for 13 or 14 games.
But maybe Muschamp is using a nose guard in a different way. Without actually seeing practice, I can't tell.
They're listing him at 6-2, 275
on the Spring Roster. Melton is listed at 6-3, 265. Both still seem a little light for the technique, although Houston's height indicates that he may have outgrown the DE position by weight (unless against a straight running team).
Each could gain more weight by Fall; heck, the problem may be controlling their weight and the kind of addition (more muscle vs. blubber) while still retaining some speed and agility.
But you're right in noting that Muschamp may be using them in a different manner, especially against spread offenses, where less heft and more agility could translate to more speed and pressure up the middle.
Is it possible he is setting up a "speed" defense against predominantly passing teams and a "beef" defense for running teams?
the evolution of defense against the spread
It's occurred to me, given all the discussion about defense against the spread, that college teams have to create two defenses. The ideal defense against the spread calls for players who can shoot the gaps in the wide splits of the offensive linemen and still be fast enough to chase down a runner if he gets trapped. This would favor guys like Melton and Houston being DT's. On the other hand we also see teams responding to the tendency for defenses to get smaller and faster by trotting out "single wing" (Arkansas 2007) and "option" attacks (AirForce since forever, Georgia Tech will start in 2008) to go with classic power I formation teams like USC, Penn State and Wisconsin, with lots of power running, fullbacks, and ball control. Even Nebraska may go back to that. You need heavier, stronger players on the line to play a team like that.
So overall, I think I'm hearing that the Horns are developing defenses specifically for the spread (4-2-5 and such, with Muckelroy and Norton as LB's) while keeping the ability to play power football teams with the 4-3(Roy Miller and Alexander at tackle, with Houston as the strongside end and all 3 linebackers). I think it's a great way to put the best players on the field where you need them to make plays on every down.
Seems like we're in an alternative universe compared to last season.
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