We have too many threads. I don't know where to put this so it's going here. A few thoughts from Nahlin:
I will never profess to knowing as much as a football coach, especially someone at the heights like Steve Sarkisian, but I do have access to those in the coaching profession that I have routine conversations with. After a couple of conversations since Texas’ loss, here are three things I would consider changing.
Scrap bully ball in the red zone, goal line
Texas has never been a bully ball team under Sarkisian, not even with Bijan Robinson or Roschon Johnson at running back. When they had the backs they didn’t have the O-line. Now, they don’t seem to have the backs and the O-line is still in question.
Of this play, on 4th and 1, Sark went with a sneak in order to prevent Ohio State from substituting but “I think they got under us pretty good and kind of took Arch’s legs out from him. Hindsight is 20/20, if I could do it all over a gain, we probably sub and they put their big guys in, we put our big guys in, and see if we can get it in the end zone.”
I’m not sure that would do any good. If Sark wants to go the hero ball route with a big, tough quarterback, they should spread teams out and make them defend the entire goal line.
This play wasn’t going to work either way you slice it, imo.
For all his exceptional coaching ability, Sark has still yet to figure out the Red Zone and this sequence didn’t offer the ray of sunshine we were looking for in this contest.
Graceson Littleton to corner, Jaylon Guilbeau back to Star
Guilbeau’s a fine player but I’m not sure he’s the guy you want on an island, especially against an early-round draft pick like Carnell Tate. On Tate’s TD, Guilbeau got back in the frame but only because the ball was under thrown. Meanwhile, the true freshman Littleton looked electric at Star in his 19 snaps.
Littleton was recruited as a corner and the early book on him was he was a faster version of Malik Muhammad. That looks about right after seeing him Saturday.
While I would consider making this switch, I wouldn’t necessarily start Littleton over Kobe Black. But, I do think the CB room would have better raw coverage ability if Gridlock made the move.
The knock on Guilbeau at Star was lack of assignment soundness but there are easier ways to help Star than a cornerback on an island. Plus, he’d be in a timeshare with Jelani McDonald.
Increase the electricity at running back
I realize Christian Clark is coming back from injury but he came back quicker than CJ Baxter who is already playing and just looking okay. I also realize he missed his freshman year but RB is one of the easier positions to integrate into an offense early.
Tre Wisner and Baxter are solid players but they tend to get what a play is blocked for rather than providing a value-add.
In my opinion, the coaches should give Clark a ton of carriers in the next few weeks to see what sort of mental load he can handle. And to also gauge his ball security and blitz pickup.
This move would also tie into the above point about bully ball. If you can’t bully your way down the field, you need some dynamism.