AAS: Texas TE Irby Will Miss the Season

Irby's injury included nerve damage, which is not recovering at the same rate as the rest of his knee. According to his doctor, he has progressed to light running, but will not be ready for competition until at least next season.

This is obviously not good news, but many of us were expecting the kind of injury Irby sustained to keep him out for most of this year already. Will the next David Thomas/Jermichael Finley with a team attitude please stand up?

Best wishes to Blaine and his rehab efforts, hopefully we'll have better news next summer.

over 2 years ago Horn Brain 19 comments 0 recs |

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Horns up

We’ll miss him

by notsofst on Jul 24, 2009 4:43 PM CDT reply actions

give him all the time he needs

no need to rush something like this

by owenh on Jul 24, 2009 4:50 PM CDT reply actions

Door's wide open

for somebody to emerge. Somebody more capable than me — please post a poll on how us experts out here in Cyberville think the tight end position will end up.

Get well, Blaine. Take all the time you need.

by edsp on Jul 24, 2009 5:12 PM CDT reply actions

We will wait Blaine

I hate to hear news like this. Times like this you remember that these are just kids who love to play football. Hope he gets better and when he does, I hope he comes back stronger. Hook’em.

"A lot of people look for the easy way to do anything, in swimming there is no easy way." - Eddie Reese

P.S. 45-35

by SwimTexas on Jul 24, 2009 5:26 PM CDT reply actions

Time for DJ Grant to step up.

I shudder at the thought of EBS playing, as always.

by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Jul 24, 2009 5:31 PM CDT reply actions

EBS?

Just wasted 3 minutes of my morning looking at the roster for a TE with the initials EBS. I’ll be ok, don’t worry about it.

How is DJ Grant coming along at the TE position anyway? I know his weakness is blocking, any news on his development?

by Make em' eat Chet! on Jul 25, 2009 10:04 AM CDT up reply actions

"Extra Blocking Surface"

by NeTexHorn on Jul 25, 2009 10:19 AM CDT up reply actions

Unfortunately,

7-on-7 doesn’t lend itself to working on his blocking. I still don’t think he’s strong enough to block defensive ends, but I think putting him in the flex tight end position makes sense so he can block linebackers, which is a much better match-up for him. I think he could probably also capably crack-back block to help an offensive lineman. I don’t think that was in the blocking scheme last year, so Davis might have to adjust it a little bit to feature what Grant can do. Whatever the case, I think he’s clearly the best option unless maybe Josh Marshall steps up.

Greg Davis referred to the tight ends last year as being an “extra blocking surface,” not exactly high praise of their abilities. So I’m referring to Greg Smith as “EBS” since “tight end that shall not be named” is a little less concise.

by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Jul 25, 2009 12:20 PM CDT up reply actions

Thanks GBR

Just practicing with the acronyms. Yeah, if my memory serves me correctly, Jordan Shipley was utilized in that flex tight end position or something similar, right? I definitely agree with you that DJ Grant is our best option. And, If there’s ever a year where we can afford a tight end that lacks blocking skills, it’s this year with our ridiculous front four.

by Make em' eat Chet! on Jul 25, 2009 3:24 PM CDT up reply actions

Yup that was Shipley.

Dan Buckner got a look there in the spring game as well. Maybe put Malcolm Williams there if you want Shipley at split end for a bit.

by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Jul 25, 2009 8:21 PM CDT up reply actions

Can Grants blocking be any worse than Finley's?

Hard to imagine it is so I’ll bet he sees the field in the same capacity.

by Horncasting on Jul 26, 2009 5:45 PM CDT up reply actions

Get Well, Blaine

But in the meantime, I’m 36 years old and played through 8th grade. I’m 6’2" 175, can’t jump, but am fairly quick off the ball and have good endurance. I have some good fake moves that I’ve developed over the years, mostly for self-preservation or to juke my 3 year old son. If Colt throws it into my stomach, I should be okay. Here’s to hoping I don’t see the field this year.

by Sleepy on Jul 24, 2009 8:00 PM CDT reply actions

Just like Shipley...

Does Irby have the chance to get medical redshirt now?

October 17th can't come fast enough!

by EYESOFTEJAS on Jul 24, 2009 10:11 PM CDT reply actions

As I understand the rules, yes.

First, he can get a redshirt season for 2008 because he played in just three of the 12 games . . . then, after completing his fourth and fifth seasons (2010 and 2011) he could petition for a sixth season in 2012, but both player and head coach have to want that sixth year.

by edsp on Jul 24, 2009 10:27 PM CDT up reply actions

Good Luck Blaine

I think DJ Grant will fill in quite well though.

Trey Graham is very smart too, so he will probably learn the plays before anybody else. I can see him playing as a Freshman next year. He’s big and fast as well.

by Longhorns84 on Jul 24, 2009 10:48 PM CDT reply actions

The big concern with Graham is that he had some trouble with drops

last year, which was kind of strange because he was known as a better receiver than tight end for most of his high school career, since he had actually been a receiver before moving to tight end. It might have been because Midway didn’t throw the ball much and he would get nervous and tighten up. Even though his blocking improved a lot to become almost his strength last year, if he’s dropping passes in practice this year, he’s not going to see the field.

by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Jul 25, 2009 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions

lets hope he’s not bunking with philip payne then.

by Displaced Longhorn on Jul 25, 2009 3:01 PM CDT up reply actions

At this point, I say we take what we can get from TE

At least he’s a true TE, as opposed to Mr. Smith. We know what his potential is, so why not give him some experience against the cupcakes? Even drops look better than pop-ups.

Every time I feel down and depressed, I think of seven simple words by a true wise man, Matt Leinart: "I still think we're the better team" and I usually end up hurting myself by laughing so hard.

by SurferHorn257 on Jul 28, 2009 2:57 PM CDT up reply actions

We could only be so lucky

as to find another David Thomas. What a great player and even better man.

Also, I didn’t know where else to mention this, but I had the most vivid dream last night that we started the season 0-1. We lost the first game of the season to Rice by a touchdown, 24-31. I felt so disappointed, but still hopeful somehow. When I woke up I had to double-check the schedule to make sure we weren’t playing the Owls first. I ain’t no Freud, I’m from Corpus – does this dream seem significant to any of y’all?

by bfaut86 on Jul 25, 2009 10:52 PM CDT reply actions