Hard Times

I think we all know the purpose of a tough serve. As I mentioned before though, the most important statistic of all is did you win the point or not? And you don’t include that anywhere in your stats. I don’t remember if it was LHN or another one that posted a stat during a match showing Texas was winning a higher % of points with Claire serving than anyone else. Yet her serve is almost a free ball and she still has some aces too. What I don’t agree with is that serving basically free balls will greatly increase the other teams side out %. Because a. teams still screw up free balls, b. Texas has great blocking and defense, c. good teams aren’t taken out of system by Micaya’s serve, d. a SE is a free point without the other team having to do anything. I think Texas would have a higher serve point win % if they had no errors and no aces even if I don’t have the stats to prove it. The stats you did post show Texas is actually 50% worse than the aggy’s on SE’s/SA’s, and that’s actually pretty damn bad. It’s even 11% worse than Neb. SE's seem to be one of the things that keep inferior opponents in the match playing Texas. Although I don’t have the stats for this year I do remember when Hannah Allison, who basically had a free ball serve, had a higher point win % than Haley E, because of all of Haley’s SE’s. Point win % is like hitting %, you have to subtract the errors from the kills. And it’s certainly no secret Sydney is struggling, which is completely illogical. So I have to wonder if the coaches have screwed up her technique or if they have affected her emotionally.

Macaya serving reminds me of Haley serving. Everyone likes to ooh and aah over a hard serve, but the last time I checked the team with the most points wins the set and match. 3 aces vs 5 SE’s isn’t going to cut it, and it wouldn’t even be 3 aces against a good team. Just like back then when Haley had about the worst serve point win % on the team and easy serving Hannah had the best. It’s the same now with Macaya and Claire. I still don’t know how in the hell you get a foot fault, and that’s multiple ones now. In all my years of watching Texas VB I can’t ever remember an opposing team having a foot fault. Back up a couple of feet, especially when all your serves keep going long. That also applies to almost everyone else on the team. Even the KSU girl that had 2 aces was serving from about 10 ft behind the line. Yes, the ball may slow down a bit more, but there’s also more movement as it tails off making it hard to adjust too. I’ve played enough VB myself to know a hard flat serve is easy to pass. There’s a number of questions I’d like to ask this team, but are they even being taught how to serve, or just berated for not serving well? Seeing a lot of poor technique certainly makes me wonder. They seem to do fine in warm ups when the pressure is off though. Like said in the post above, serving is one of the easiest things to do in VB and I bet most of our players served better in HS. I just don’t get it. Not attacking 2 handed put overs is another one. What good does it do to give them a 2 handed put over right back? Do they like getting their face tattooed? Just like an overpass, that ball should be going back so hard it puts a fucking hole in the floor. And when they do have to do the 2 handed put over, can’t they at least put it in a back corner? I guess I needed to vent a little. But I just don’t see this team going very far playing like they did last night. KSU is horrible.

$75 mil doesn't go as far as it used too!!

I agree limiting PF penalties will be key. Texas can't win giving the gooners free 1st downs on penalties. What I don't understand is why the players can't understand that throwing PF penalties on Texas is like an orgasm for these refs. Winning the turnover battle and improved tackling has to happen too.

I'm fucking sick of watching the cowboys. All that talent just squandered. They don't do anything but beat themselves. I can find better things to do on a Sunday afternoon.

Is there anyone here that can explain the strategy behind the Texas zone coverage? Although I never played past HS, when I played in zone coverage when someone entered your zone it meant you get your ass on them and make sure they don't catch the ball. With Texas, it looks like it means stand flat footed until someone in your zone catches a pass and then go try to knock them down with your arms behind your back. I don't get it?

Love the way the agroid girls fell apart at the end of the first 2 sets. Of course we let them get ahead with mental errors and poor serving. I don't know why some of our players don't just serve it underhand and get it in since their overhead serve doesn't do anything to get the other team out of system. It's hard to believe the stat shown during the broadcast Texas wins 70% of Claire's serves, probably the softest server on the team. But she gets it in. I doubt anyone else on the team is anywhere close to that. It's great to she Ashley come in and play well. She did well at Rice if only for a couple of points. I wonder if sitting on the bench so much last year helped her just watch and learn. She didn't seem to get the little things that make such a big difference. She seems to be getting it now, and that's big since with her height she can do things Jhenna just can't do.

With Whittington back, Robinson coming in next year and possibly Brown being able to play maybe Roschon redshirts next year. Or maybe Whittington moves to WR, or maybe Roschon moves to WR. Lot's of possibilities now that we have a staff that can recruit and develop players.

Which is why hopefully they learned a big lesson last night.

I don't know about this year, but I was at Stanford last year. Less than 1/4 full and hardley anyone was even in to the match. It felt more like a women's quilting session. It was night and day different than Fox gym. They did everything but throw bottles at our players last night.

You can take a slime out of Waco, but you can't take slime out of a man.

Although I would certainly love to see the agroids lose, Auburn hasn't impressed me. I certainly wouldn't be putting any $ on them.

I was there too. Wish I hadn’t been. It may be the worst I’ve ever seen a Texas team play, but you have to give Rice a bit of credit too. The first 2 sets Lennon played as well as I’ve seen anyone play, and I’ve seen Kathryn Plummer live twice. She was simply unstoppable. Our MB’s could do nothing. Of course they didn’t do anything against Rice’s 5’10” outside hitter either the first 2 sets. Nor could Texas get anything to the floor. Rice had an answer to everything Texas was trying to do. For some reason Lennon went into retard mode sets 3, 4 and Texas got back in it. She must have played like that the whole match against SFA for Rice to lose. I’ve never seen anyone that inconsistent, but when she was on she was incredible. Back row defense was really bad too, especially the OH’s, even Micaya. Like the post above says, that was Logan’s worst match ever. I know Jarrett has been saying now he has a 6 rotation team, but only the defensive specialists are good on the back row. Rice exposed it and others will too if our MB’s can’t do better. Maybe Bri can get back on the court and do better, but Molly finally had her “I’m a Freshman” match. Complete failure to read the opposites and to slow to get into position. But really, the body language of our young players told the whole story. You could see it their faces and demeanor, scared and playing not to lose rather than playing to win. That’s when you hit balls going out, run in front of a person in position to make the bump, watch balls fall to the ground, etc. Micaya is the only one that played with confidence. The Rice crowd acted like they had won the national championship on every point and apparently that rattled the young Texas players. The young players and going to have to learn to get pissed off and play with vinegar in their veins. The last point was an epitome of the whole match. A weak attempt on a ball that was headed out. And you can’t have 3 SE’s in a 15 point set and expect to beat a good team.

Quite honestly, against okie lite we need Ossai more than Zackelford. If I had to choose one it would be Ossai.

Every time someone from the LSU athletic dept opens there mouth they just get called out with facts and dig themselves into a deeper hole. They're like the dumass criminal that puts himself in jail. Just when you think they can't get any fucking dumber they come up with another stupid ass lie.

Taking responsibility is one thing, correcting problems and making systematic changes that result in substantial improvement is another. It sounds just like Charlie Strong and Vance Be_for_ 3 years ago. I’m sick and tired of hearing real close, inches away. We got too much of that 3 years ago. As they say, close only counts in horseshoes and something else. The fact he said it didn’t matter if it was 3rd and short, 3rd and 7 or 3rd and 17 and no regrets on the call, not even considering other options, shows you he’s clueless. What DC in the NFL would ever say it doesn’t matter if it’s 3rd and short vs 3rd and 17 it’s the same call, it doesn’t matter? Texas will give up half as many yards to Rice and everything will seem OK until the mullet puts up 600+. Of course Rice will still double their average passing YPG playing the Texas defense.

Hey Orlando, when has a 3 man rush ever got pressure on the QB? Answer: Unless those 3 are JJ Watt, Nadamukong Suh and Lawrence Taylor it ain't gonna happen.

Orgeron is a perfect fit for the $EC. So glad he wasn't considered for Texas. He fits in there just like the LA politicians. Lie, distract, deflect.

More DB's drafted than anyone. A number of independent articles even showing Texas as #1 DBU and he says he's never heard of Texas being DBU. What a fucking idiot.

I said our young CB's would get burned early and often yet no one wanted to hear it. You have to remember though even Huff, Vasher and Ross got burned plenty when they were young too. And don't even get me started on Carrington Byndum, and he turned out all right. The fact is Charlie left us high & dry in key positions and it's still going to take another year or two before Texas has top 5 talent and experience at all positions. Roach and Graham are good run stoppers, but they're not Tony Brackens. I'll take Dave Aranda over Todd Orlando too, but unfortunately that didn't happen. The future is bright though. This team fight their hearts out last night and came up just a but short. There's always the sky is falling by Texas fans after a loss, but the reality is LSU has more talent. No way in hell a Charlie Strong team gives that kind of effort. Relax, Charlie could still be our coach.

That may have been the most amazing match I've ever seen. I know I've never seen a set go to 35 before. That was absolute grit to come back from 5 down in the 3rd set, fight off all those set points, and take the match. Butler may have a hard time getting her position back. Both Asjia and Molly are hitting at a higher rate than Butler hit last year, against some pretty stiff competition. Butler has all the athleticism in the world, but sometimes makes silly mistakes. This team might beat Stanford if they can just get the SE's down. I don't understand Sidney's serving. If you keep hitting it long, back up a few ft. I've never played at a higher level than a competitive rec league, but I always served from about 5ft behind the line, and once served 25 in a row. I bet I could get 95/100 in if I tried, and I have a harder serve than anyone on the Texas team not named Micaya White.

Yes, but Burro didn't throw the ball away, he trowed it away. There's a big difference, at least in gooberville.

Unpossible! No way agroids ban be 9th overall. Jumbo has them transformed into the best team in the world. Just ask any agroid, they will tell you.

It's hard to determine anything from a scrimmage that includes a number of players not even on the team. One team didn't even have a setter on the roster. That said, this team will only go as far as the passing and setting takes them.

I was floored when I found out this morning. This is just sickening for me. Ced is one of my all time favorite Horns. I was there at DKR when ML played Westlake and couldn't wait for him to get to Austin. I'll add I used to ride my bicycle out to City Park when I was a student via Mt. Bonnell and that intersection always scared the hell out of me.