Solution at Tight End

by 98horn on Aug 20, 2009 7:21 AM CDT Comment 19 comments

With our TE corps decimated by injury, we are in dire need of a solution. To my knowledge, Texas has never taken a JUCO player. It may be time to reconsider that policy. I'd like to hear feedback from people in the know (GoBR, PB, 54b, I'm looking at you) as to who the best JUCO TE is , whether Texas should offer one, and whether doing so would be a good fit for our program

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crickets

by Hippie Killer on Aug 20, 2009 9:03 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs

Here is where I started to disagree

With our TE corps decimated by injury, we are in dire need of a solution.

"From the waist down, Earl Campbell has the biggest legs I have ever seen on a running back." -John Madden

by run Bevo run on Aug 20, 2009 9:28 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

If I'm on the team

and I’ve got “TE” next to my name, I’m talking to insurance companies.

by Sleepy on Aug 20, 2009 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Look

There are two things about this TE situation.

- We still have TE candidates who will be asked to step up. I think we will see the TE situation poked and prodded in the first few games – if someone is able to make the grade, then hallelujah we have a TE.

- If we never get a TE going, that won’t be any different from last season where we ran an offense with extreme efficiency. Yes, teams will be more prepared for the type of plays we ran without a TE from last season, but that doesn’t mean they can actually stop it.

Of course, Greg and Mack have been talking about playing from behind center more this season. The i-form and ace sets don’t absolutely require a TE, but it certainly adds an extra element for the defense to have to account for – will the offense run, hit an outside receiver, or dump off to the TE?
If we see Greg Davis get stubborn and refuse to admit his TE situation isn’t ideal, THEN the lack of a breakout TE would be painful. Otherwise, I would count on him to bust out the flex/TE hybrid that Mack has been talking up lately, and/or go back to the (good) game plans from last season.

There is nothing to get worked up about.

by TXinDC on Aug 20, 2009 9:49 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Uh, obviously that second #1, should be a #2.

by TXinDC on Aug 20, 2009 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe for Practices

Here’s a thought…we take JUCO’s and walk ons to work out in practice, let our starters watch safely from the sideline and take our chances on the studs in a game!

by orangetower on Aug 20, 2009 9:59 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

are you talking about for this year?

because I think its a little late at this point to go scouring for a juco tight end. to think someone could just join the program at this point and have a significant impact this season is a ridiculous notion. If there were those kind of game changers out there, we wouldnt be the only ones lobbying for their efforts. The truth of the matter is, there arent very many Jermaine Gresham’s that come through the college game, and theres even fewer that go the JuCo route and make it to a big time program.

by 6th street on Aug 20, 2009 10:41 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

There will be no genie popping out of the JuCo bottle at this stage in the game. We’re stuck with what we’ve got, and while it’s been a damn curse, we’ll survive. Look for Texas to mix and match situationally: when we wanna go quick and make defenses play the pass game over the middle, I like Buckner (and maybe Matthews) to slide into that flex-TE position. When we wanna man up some weaker teams who shouldn’t give us much trouble, look for Smith and Howard in there. Not sure what to expect from T. Graham yet, though I hear he’s bulked up and is looking strong.

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Aug 20, 2009 1:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

With our TE corps decimated by injury, we are in dire need of a solution.

The funny thing is that this does almost seem like decimation. Four TEs down; 36 to go.

by burntorangehorn on Aug 20, 2009 1:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Anybody remember the dark ages?

Like the 2006 season. Way back that far.

Neal Tweedie started 13 games at tight end. Caught 6 balls. Didn’t score. Jermichael Finley, a redshirt freshman, caught 31 for a 12-yard average and 3 scores.

Tweedie spent two seasons as an offensive lineman, one as a defensive end. Finley was learning a new position. And tight end was not considered a problem.

It’s not too much of a leap to think Greg Smith and Ahmard Howard could provide blocking close to what Tweedie did in ’06. Dan Buckner was one of the elite prospects in the nation two years ago; third-down receiving specialist from the TE position?

OK. Maybe I’m dreaming. I think the position is in competent hands. With the surrounding cast, that’s enough.

by edsp on Aug 20, 2009 1:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

When did Finley learn a new position?

He played tight end at Diboll HS, tight end at Texas, and now tight end at Green Bay.

by 2Cor12:9 on Aug 20, 2009 4:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

JUCO players

I don’t see Brown changing his policy about junior college players. As PB mentions above, it won’t help this season and there will be plenty of tight end options on campus for the next several years given that the three guys who got hurt will all have extra seasons of eligibility, which it some ways makes the position less of a need down the road and may even affect recruiting 2011 guys like Chris Barnett, Everett Pleasant, and Max Stevenson.

by GhostofBigRoy on Aug 20, 2009 1:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Shhhh! Quite Please!

don’t want Barnett to hear that.

by orangetower on Aug 20, 2009 4:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i mean more like "quiet"

by orangetower on Aug 20, 2009 4:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I read today that one of our TE that was injured quit football altogether...

does that mean we have a scholarship to spare? too bad we can’t ‘trade’ with say the Mountain West conference or someone that wouldn’t hurt us for a TE! ;-)

by longhornJ on Aug 20, 2009 9:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

probably thinking of

Josh Marshall. He messed his shoulder-blade last year in fall drills and never recovered and has quit the team but his scholarship is being honored…

by owenh on Aug 20, 2009 10:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right, but I don’t think it counts toward the football limit.

by burntorangehorn on Aug 21, 2009 6:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think I figured it out

Longhorns TE = Spinal Tap Drummer

“Dozens of people spontaneously combust each year. It’s just not really widely reported. "

by SelimSivad on Aug 22, 2009 3:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Sounds like MLB for OUSucks is another bad place to be. Along with Ryan Reynolds multiple times, and I believe a few guys in the fairly recent past, there is also the pending loss of Balogun (eligibility, not injury) and now Reynold’s newest backup is lost for the season. Tom Wort is the true frosh who is gone, and now the team seems to be moving Austin Box, who hasn’t always been all that durable himself, to back up Reynolds.

This is getting ridiculous. UT and OU ought to just agree to play with ten guys on each side, with no MLB or TE for their respective sides, when Texas has the ball.

by burntorangehorn on Aug 24, 2009 8:19 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs