We Have Issues: Texas Longhorns Week 10
by ElongatedHorn on Nov 8, 2010 11:29 PM CST
Email
Print
Tough times, friends and fans. Tough times indeed.
I was talking to a teenage Longhorns fan on Facebook Saturday and he mentioned the worst Texas team he recalls watching was the 2003 team that went 10-3. There is almost an entire generation out there that knows nothing but winning from Texas Longhorns football. Funny, because I was a teenager the last time Texas was this bad (1997), and even then, I don't remember them playing this poorly. This team has better talent (at least I think it does), but they are so far down in a hole that when things start to go bad, it seems as if they expect to lose.
I don't want to sound like it's the end of the road for Texas exceptionalism, because I certainly don't think that at all. But many, many things need to be fixed. And it may not even get back on track next year. It hurts to watch what's going on this season, and it's hard to pinpoint exactly what's wrong. It's like watching a cloud that continues to change shape. There's no identity, and it's hard to define what you're seeing.
The loss to Kansas State was another exhibit of us not being able to get out of our own way. K-
State completed two passes! They even started their back-up QB!! We lost while out-gaining our opponent yet again. They had one of the worst rushing defenses in the country and we passed 59 times. From the beginning, we played like someone pulled the fire alarm. It just doesn't make sense.
The worst part of it all is that we're squandering and misusing our talent. And that's a problem from the top down, from Mack Brown to the freshman. You only get these guys for three or four years, and then they're gone.
After the jump we'll pick apart our four key issues and try to garner some level of understanding of where this thing is and where it might be going.
Garrett Gilbert's Progress
I've been defending Gilbert all season, and while I still think he's been shafted by most fans, he was admittedly terrible Saturday. He followed his best performance of the season with his worst. Just when he looked like he was building confidence and finding a groove, he tosses five interceptions. Of course, they were not all his fault, but he played like he was firing the ball with the utmost panic.
Until Saturday, I never thought throwing in Case McCoy was the answer for anything. He should have seen some snaps Saturday, just to help stop the bleeding, if nothing else. The last two drives of the first half and the first two drives of the second half ended in picks. We were again scrambling to catch up.
Did Gilbert throw five interceptions because he threw 59 times, or did he throw 59 times because he threw five interceptions? Does it matter? We weren't able to establish any sort of offensive control. The last two drives of the second quarter and the first two drives of the third quarter ended in interceptions.
The lone bright spot was Gilbert's 93 yards on the ground. It's great to be able to throw that wrinkle into the offense, but we should not count on Gilbert as a primary running attack. There are three games left, and it will be critical for Gilbert to finish the season with some confidence.
Retooling the Running Game
Kansas State had one of the worst rushing defenses in the league, but Texas could not even take advantage of it because we got behind so quickly. Gilbert was effective with nearly 100 yards on the ground, but it didn't turn into points.
As for the players actually recruited to run the ball, they got five carries each. Fozzy Whittaker was the only one worth noting. He averaged 7 yards per carry. The running game is almost impossible to evaluate in this game. It was such a non-factor, as it's been most of the year.
BROC (Big Receiver on Campus)
No one has stepped up to be a go-to receiver this year, but if we had to pick one guy who's showed the most progress, it's youngster Mike Davis. He had 11 catches for 109 yards. DeSean Hales also poked his head out again, this time for 41 yards. These two could make a solid pair the next two years. I hope they do, anyway.
With three games left, and with at least two more games likely to have a high number of passes, all we can hope for is for Gilbert to develop chemistry with the younger guys.
The D-Line Shuffle
I've been so impressed by this group all season. But not against the Wildcats and their back-up quarterback. This is the same group that completely shut down Nebraska and Robert Griffin III on the ground. They allowed 261 rushing yards and five touchdowns, including 127 yards to unknown Collin Klein.
Of course, the D-line is made for the pass rush, but they have shown the ability to stop the run. Saturday was a big step in the wrong direction. It took just a couple plays for K-State to score, and the unraveling begun. The first TD was more a result of safety Christian Scott coming up and getting walled off, allowing Daniel Thomas to break free.
Oklahoma State is next, and Kendall Hunter is one of the best runners in the country. It's hard to envision this team overcoming the OSU offense. The defense is good enough to handle the task, but not if the offense continues to turn the ball over.
20 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Well I can go all the way back to Price
Thanks for DKR.MacKovic had some stinkers.I thought Akers got a lousy deal.
This is the worse Mack Brown team and it is Mack’s fault.
If we don’t jettison Greg Davis we will have more of the same.
The only one doing his job on this team is the punter.
by TCB Orange Dino on Nov 8, 2010 11:49 PM CST reply actions
We're so bad at so many things, it's hard to know where to start
We’ve beaten up our receivers with short routes early on this season and now they tend to hear footsteps even when they’re open.
Our inability to establish any sense of identity on offense means we don’t do anything in particular very well. We don’t seem to be able to identify our opponents’ defensive weaknesses and to exploit them. And we’ve playerd some really poor defenses thus far this season.
When we do put a runningback beside GG, we run him play after play after play until he’s tired, then set him on the bench the rest of the game. Really strange!
But the biggest thing we do poorly is block. Take a good look at those touchdowns their backup QB scored. Count all the Longhorn defenders who were taken out by solid, one-on-one, textbook blocks. Then search in vain for any tape of our players employing similar technique to actually block a K State defender off his feet.
Our coaching staff doesn’t do a very good job teaching fundamentals…on either side of the ball. No one on our O line does a very good job run blocking. We also don’t seem to be able to teach our players how to avoid making the same mistakes repeatedly. I’m tired of watching Christian Scott come racing up to the line pell mell, out of control, while an opposing runner takes it to the house untouched.
I may not have the answer to this mess but at least I’m willing to admit how bad it is…unlike our coaching staff.
My Two Cents of What's Going Wrong
Overall, we are just plagued by mistakes, even just pure bad luck it seems sometimes. It’s spread out all the way from the top, the coaches, to the bottom, special teams.
A Kansas State extra point is blocked, the kicker picks it up and runs in for 2 points. What’s the odds of that happening? We on the other hand throw a beautiful 50+ yard TD pass to (I think Kirkendoll, Baylor) and get a holding penalty called on us. What should have been a touchdown, ends up 10 yards further back from where we started. Then we work down to the KS 11 and throw a dead straight interception ?? Fumble 2 punt returns, with no damage, still. Our mistakes are from top to bottom, spread across the team. I hold the coaches mostly accountable.
So, anyway, here’s my run down of where the mistakes are embedded, in order of most to least.
(1) Coaching and especially Offensive strategy and coaching
(2) Receivers and runners, receivers can’t catch, runners can’t run
(3) QB, just hasn’t made the break through to college level play. It’s faster, better players, more variables to consider (like interception potential). His brain has not made the transition yet from HS to College level thinking. Much faster. Applewhite was the best at thinking fast on his feet, and on the run.
(4) Red Zone strategy, the Red Zone is a big, big problem
(5) Defense, makes the least mistakes, but it only took 3 little mistakes out of 50 plays for Baylor to put 21 points on the board. It’s hard to blame a furious defense that holds Finley to an embarrassing 47 yards through most of the 3rd quarter, then messes up one hold, and he gets 69 yards for TD. The defense is playing the best, it’s just how can you be perfect against an offense that’s capable of putting over 680 yards on their stats.
A little history:
In 117 years of college football, the beloved Longhorns have seen 7 or more losses in a given season only 4 times. As of week 10 of the 2010 season, we now stand at 5. Two more losses will make the 5th time the Longhorns have seen 7 or more losses in a given season.
1938, lost 8, Coach: Dana X. Bible
1956, lost 9, Coach: Ed Price
1988, lost 7, Coach: David McWilliams
1997, lost 7, Coach: John Mackovic
2010, ???
If we do lose the Cowboys and Aggies games (very likely), then Coach Mack Brown will be among only 4 other coaches to have had 7 or more losses in a given season.
Coach Darrell Royal, who coached almost 20 years, and saw 3 Championships, retired after his worst season. He lost 6 in 1967
Penalties
And Penalties are doing their share of damage, loss of first downs, loss of touchdowns. Heck, with Baylor, we finally get a mid field punt return, after 2 fumbled ones, and then instead of starting at the 40, 2 penalties, holding and personal foul, put Gilbert back to the 15 to start his drive, when the drive should have started at the 40.
Examples like these can go on forever for this season, if you pick each game apart. The mistakes are happening from every direction, so even when we do take a step forward, we end up taking 2 steps back.
I believe it is the coaching staff’s job to teach precision and discipline. I think the coaches just didn’t give it all they had from Spring training on, and though Gilbert and the mighty Longhorns, were just going to come out and amaze everyone, even though we lost 7 serious “playmakers” .. I think they didn’t catch on until Iowa State. Now, the pressure’s on, and they don’t have enough time to teach precision and discipline. They must get ready for the next game, and probably some lame offensive strategy.
I mean, who’s bright idea was it to use an aggressive passing strategy against KS, when we don’t have anyone that can catch or hold the ball.
At the strategy table:
GD, Ahhhh, I know let’s push Gilbert into an aggressive passing game
Applewhite. but he’s not really ready
GD, He needs to push through, take more chances, pass aggressively
Applewhite, but, sir, we don’t have anyone who can catch a pass
GD, that’s ok, if he throws enough of them, someone’s got to catch them
Garret Gilbert should run the ball more
I think it’s narrow minded to say “we should not count on Gilbert as a primary running attack.” Gilbert running the ball has clearly been effective, so why not?Just because Gilbert wasn’t recruited as a runner, doesn’t mean that it’s not the right thing to do for this offense.
In fact, because Gilbert is viewed as a passer first, and respected as a passer by defenses, I think this makes him an even more effective runner.
If this team had gone zone-read, spread offense the whole year with Gilbert running more, I think we’re sitting with 1-2 losses right now.
Gilbert being a primary running attack is a short-term answer
That’s not the long-term solution to the running game. It’s great that he has the ability to pick up yards when the defense isn’t expecting it, but he’s not a runner. We need to line to develop and improve into a run-blocking group. Malcolm Brown will be here next year and hopefully he can help get this running game back on track.
"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try."
- Yoda
by ElongatedHorn on Nov 9, 2010 9:22 AM CST up reply actions
Gilbert IS a runner. Everybody said Colt wasn't a runner his RS Freshman year
then all of a sudden in his soph year…voila he was a runner. in his junior and senior year he was perceived as too valuable to run so he diddn’t run as much.
I think the reason Garret wasn’t asked to run alot early was b/c the coaches didn’t want him to get hurt.
Also you contradict yourself by saying that we need the line to develop and improve as a run blocking group, but then you go onto to hope that a freshman running back is going to improve our running game.
I pointed out Brown because he's got to be better than what we're throwing out there now.
It all starts with the O-line. But without a solid, legit RB, the line will not develop into a run-blocking group that gets push of the line of scrimmage. A running QB means a zone-blocking line, or just a pass-blocking line. If Brown is legit and we get him 20-plus carries a game, the line will have to get better at run blocking.
"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try."
- Yoda
by ElongatedHorn on Nov 9, 2010 4:29 PM CST up reply actions
Squinty McGee
Can someone with the continued fortune of living in Austin please find Gilbert on campus today and escort him to the nearest optometrist. I’m tired of seeing him squint. I think his night vision is bad and he has an astigmatism. I didn’t fix mine until too late and I went from being one of the best baseball players on my team in junior high to being the worst. I still imagine I’d be playing MLB if I had only gotten my astigmatism and near-sightedness earlier.
Agree
I actually brought this up a few weeks ago, in more of a joking matter however. I really am concerned that may be part of the problem… If he can’t see coaches clearly, how is he seeing his recievers 30-40 yards down field?
At LT high school
they used big colored blocks of some sort to send the signals to GG on the field. Possibly he couldn’t see the coach even then. Maybe we need to get some big blocks?
On my signal,,,Unleash Hell,,,and Fire Greg Davis,,please?
I think this approach is too piece-meal....
Adjusting this and tweaking that. The problems in this program are far more pervasive, IMO. Fixing what ails us will require re-building most of the program from the ground up.
This coaching staff is riddled with old, complacent, deadwood that has ceded responsibility to a few extraordinary players who have largely conditioned themselves, rescued inadequate offensive scheming and game-planning and taken on the mantle of leading the others. Colt, Shipley, Ogbannaya, Houston, Thomas, Muck and a few others did this for last year’s team. The NFL is stocked with these players and more from previous years who kept this program going.
Our offense is fundamentally flawed schematically. We can’t run partly because of bad play design and lack of offensive coherence. Before this season we were rescued by remarkable QB play and some clutch and dependable WR’s. Without that we see the result.
The other reason we can’t block is our conditioning as a team is sub-standard. Our OL have gotten soft and stiff. Look at how they regress in this program. You can see it in Hix, Snow and Walters clearly. Part of the reason our WR’s lack consistency is they aren’t in the kind of shape they need to be in to avoid injury and make the tough catches. Conditioning affects our defense too. We play a physically demanding game against Nebraska and our defense still hasn’t recovered physically. They are physically worn down which should not happen in a major program.
This staff needs a throrough house cleaning with GD and Madden getting the first pink slips. Look what happened when Tomey and Robinson took over conditioning of the defense when they were here in ’04. Our team got significantly stronger and tougher. We need a makeover WRT conditioning,
We also cry out for a competent OC who can design, implement and teach an aggressive, creative offense that utilizes our talent.
Take a look at these posts from Recruitocosm for possible scenarios to fix things:
http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/11/05/texas-recruiting-weekly-winds-of-change/
http://recruitocosm.fantake.com/2010/11/08/winds-of-change-part-ii-apocalypto/
Is there a Lost corollary?
It’s like watching a cloud that continues to change shape. There’s no identity, and it’s hard to define what you’re seeing.
So…Texas is facing the Smoke Monster? Not even all of Charles Widmore’s money could save him…
"When a guy takes off his coat, he's not going to fight. When a guy takes off his wristwatch, watch out!"
- Al McGuire
www.anonymouseagle.com
Running Game
We abandoned the run way too early. And, no matter what, this Saturday, we should mix in an array of running packages. Our goal should be to stay in the game until the 4th quarter, slow the game, win field position, prevent big plays. If Gilbert has to pass more than 25 times, we lose. We’re the worse team and you have to adjust your gameplan accordingly.
I Want to Give Some Credit to GG
After the 5th interception, I was in shock that GG trotted out there. I really thought it was best to set him down, and calm things down. To his credit, he did demonstrate some mental toughness and played well after that point.
Note to Bill Byrne "Because you aren´t Texas and you´ll never be Texas"
All things considered...
I think he’s been just fine this year except for Saturday. The thing just spiraled out of control. Now, if this were his junior year, I would say he’s been very disappointing.
"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try."
- Yoda
by ElongatedHorn on Nov 9, 2010 9:02 PM CST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Burnt Orange Nation
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
