Signs of obsession -- laying in bed late at night after writing a massive recruiting update and still not being able to stop thinking about Texas football. Is the offseason over yet? At least the obsession that comes during the season doesn't seem like something that requires apology.
Yet, there I was, wide awake, hitting on something of a revelation. At least it seemed like a revelation to my sleep-deprived mind:
So, laying in my bed, instead of sleeping, I'm thinking that Texas should use Chris Whaley as a short-yardage FB in 2012. Why not?
— Wescott Eberts (@SBN_Wescott) April 30, 2012
Perhaps the idea was a bit of an offshoot of some late-season plans to work Whaley situationally at tight end that were eventually scrapped. The issue is that Texas hasn't had a dominant Jumbo package blocker since Lamarr Houston left before the 2010 season and will have to replace Cody Johnson as the short-yardage running back, providing less margin for error.
And who would be better than the 6-3, 290-pound Whaley to lead-block into the hole near the goalline? He has the size/speed combination that made Houston and others like Roy Miller and Derek Lokey effective before him. As a blocker, Whaley has some experience at working as an H-back briefly after moving from running back and prior to his move to defensive, but his work at defensive tackle could help his hand placement there.
Heck, Whaley could even carry the ball every once well when not blocking for Joe Bergeron, the likely replacement for Johnson in those situation. One of the top touchdown-scoring machines in school history, Johnson might not be easily replaced by Bergeron, even though the latter goes 240 pounds, so why not try to increase the margin for error by using another jumbo blocker, just like in the good old days (of several years ago)?
Someone tell me I'm not crazy. Or maybe I am. Bahahahaha. (That's the lack of sleep talking. I hope.)