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  1. 8 hours ago, Longhornfrenzy said:

     

    Daddy98

    Posted on 23 hrs, V I P, 

    It's been awhile. Been Busy.

     

    Let's cut to the Chase. How are we going to be this season?

     

    I am as bullish as I have been going into a season in some time. Why?

     

    1: Schedule. This is the best schedule we have had in the SEC since we got here. No Ga, no Bama, No Ole Miss, and LSU at home. Are we Dreaming? Pretty close. that's a pretty sweet gig

     

    ND and tu at home. tu despite #4 ranking lost a lot of great players. Not good players, but great players and where are they the weakest? interior def line. When do they play us? At the end of the season. This will be a test to their coaches to see if they can battle the trenches all year long. That's always the hardest part about the SEC, it's not winning a game, it's the Gauntlet. You don't lose Byron (the Gigolo) Murphy, Vondre Sweat, X Worthy, A Mitchell rec, Jalen Saunders, Johnny Brooks, Keilan Robinson, Jaylan Ford, Ryan Watts, and Jordan Whittington and just Rock. It's hard to fix that. They picked up portal guys. I get it. That's really tough. and I imagine that rb with Baxter out has to be hurting because he's really good and lost 2 rb's including the #1 rb picked. That tells me Ewers will have a lot more on his shoulders.

     

    ND is built a lot like us except they are slower. They are going to have good linemen, good sound football. Good te play. They don't have scary players. They don't have the speed on offense and I don't think their secondary or def line is as good as ours is. Their ol is probably better but I wouldn't say it's great. The truth is when ND plays the good teams they tend to struggle. Hell they struggled with Duke last year and that was with scoring points.

     

    LSU at home. LSU lost Heisman guy and 2 first round receivers. We don't have to chase a 4.4 qb. We get a pure passer. We see that in practice. They will not be easy but this is the best chance we have had in some time to beat them.

     

    their def line is not mature and not great.

     

    Bear, what's your point? If you play good football, you can win a lot of games with this schedule. Johnny is sitting on his bar stool in his apartment somewhere, smoking a ciggie going, where was this when I played.

     

    Bama, LSU, Florida were littered with First Rounders. Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss had tons of first rounders

     

    2: Let's pretend we are what we were last year. What were we missing to win? Crappy O line, okay, quitter rec, okay, qb hurt, yeah, but if A&M had 2 more starter worth corners, which games do we win? Bama, probably Ole Miss, Tenn, maybe LSU.

     

    Bama, every tough spot where they needed a play, it was pitch and catch to the lcb on Jalen Burton (3rd rounder). We tried Deuce (Doh), we tried Deberry (no), we tried Sam McCall. Can't do that. We have legit cover corners that can play and this should greatly help what we have struggled at against good teams. Pass defense. The games that have got ahead of us were because Ole Miss 6'3 receiver just worked us a new A hole. Well, Here's Sir William Lee 6'3, here's Donovan Saunders 6'2 4.4, here's BJ Mayes 6'1, Here's Dezz Ricks, 5 star Bama transfer and then we have 3 youts in Bussey, Bravvion, and JT. We should be able to play some coverage. If we can't, Fire them all. Because you can't coach. That's not going to happen. Having the element to cover just changes the complexity of the defense. You can be more aggressive with pass rush, you can bring more guys in the box.

     

    I don't see def line being any different than 23. Honestly, might be better. We lost Walt Nolen but we got a better player and he's an edge guy and he'll play through his last game. Shemar Turner is playing for big time NFL Money. Fat Albert Regis is playing as a 4th year dt, same as Regis, and we got King Kong Dindy healthy. And don't forget Shamu the killer Whale and Rodas johnson. We are still Jimbo strong with Big **** 300 lbers. Are we going to get pressure? I think we will. I like to see what Elko gets out of the boys. Shemar Stewart looks like a Freak. Can he play like one? Cashius Clay Howell is playing some edge. I'd still like to see Matrrell Harris #40 an undersized lb/de gets some opportunities because he's so fast. If we can manage to go from a good pass rush, to an outstanding pass rush the defense goes from Really good to elite. With Elite defenses you are in every game. This is the case in youth, it's the case in HS, it's the case in college, and it's the case in the NFL, but not as much.

     

    Bear, where's the strength of the team? the best players will be at def line, in overrall talent with depth, I'd say db. So many guys that can do multiple things. Who's the best outside cb's of Ricks, Bj, Donovan, Will Lee. Can Ratcliffe be used at 6'3 and rangy? can Bryce cover Single high with his 10.5 speed. Can Trey Young be the Enforcer at safety. Is Salty Daltie a true safety or a box guy. is Jadon Hill the perfect dime corner? and don't sleep on Chappy. This is just a monster secondary with tremendous versatility. I think the packages they might put in will be crazy.

     

    Could we use another lb? Lb isn't a critical position in Elko's defense but it's still one of the 11 and no ? we are missing Edge Cooper. he was our fastest lb and maybe defender and he was our best pass rusher. I do pray Elko' has a plan for guys rushing the passer. That was my biggest criticism of him here the 4 years and Durkin last 2. Too much 300 lb guys trying to rush the edge of the tackle. We will see. We have plenty of talented bodies and sometimes the cheat codes like Thick Nic Scourton make any scheme look good.

     

    What are we hearing on Crooting? I am seeing the little General JP showing he's on the fast track to becoming a DC. Why? He's working, he's recruiting. He's landing players at his position. Just ask Jefferson, what's the hard players to land on defense? Pass Rushers and Cover guys. It used to be Cover Corners but Safeties today are used so much in coverage that the days of Patrick Bates at 230 are getting more rare. you want guys that can cover Kadarius Toney on the Middle Verticals. Just at Leon. That kind of safety is going to be more and more rare. We need more JP's recruiting.

     

    3: Where are we weak and what do we have to do to Mitigate?

     

    We are hearing a lot of negative on the offense and it's warranted but it's also not spot on. First off offense is always behind the defense and our defense is probably pushing Ga level good short a first rounder or 2 in back half.

     

    Everyone's offense is trying to get crisp especially with an entirely new offensive system, new coordinator, new qb (CW Was hurt), new terminology. This will take some time. Pee Wee, MS, HS, College, the defenses are typically ahead of the offenses. We haven't been ahead since Johnny's second year that spring. We learned Johnny was a star, and that our defense was porous that year. So it's great the defense is doing well.

     

    What I think we've heard a lot of negative on but I don't believe it is off line. I believe the off line will be a strength of the offense. I don't care what you read, or hear. There's too many talented players that have stayed around and matured and just like that year with Dan Moore and Carson Green and K Green where it just flipped on and we started mauling. There are too many bodies. We brought in 4 high transfers and 2 left. Why? Because they saw they weren't going to play. One appears to be a stud in Reed Adams the Desoto product. Big nasty. I actually think the biggest area of concern is getting the center right. Nabou or is it the Utah Transfer or possibly Dewberry pie? I D K

     

    Nabou is very talented. They love him. he's also very smart. I still see a little of Mako Shark in him in that I don't see a guy that looks like he understands the little things of the game. Meaning effective producing his blocks. I think he's the key.

     

    the 2nd key is Fatheree. You guys read Playmakers notes this morning after the Morning Conference call. I think the coaches can overthink sometimes. The games I've watched when healthy, he's the best pass blocker on the team. That's it. yes he needs to get stronger. But his feet, length, and ability to set is just unmatched on our team at tackle. That includes Zuhn and Crownover and Reed Adams. I am sure he's not practiced as well as some. Yeah, I am going off of game tape. When he came back in the Okie st bowl game at guard he looked really good.

     

    4:Offensively from Studying Klein I don't quite have a peg on what exactly he does. He loves a lot of mis direction counters. I expect to see a lot of zone one way and then counters coming back on the run game and having play action passes off those 2 variables, mixed in with Screens. I think it's a very difficult offense to defend if the offense can execute and I think we will. I think a combo of why we are struggling is the guys haven't learning the nuance of the different concepts of each play. We will use a lot of screen game and I expect to see the ball to the running back a lot. I think Klein sees this as a good matchup. Most rb's are matched up on lb's and most lb's although athletic are 230 and rb's are 205 210 and that usually means not as fast. So he's going to take what the defense gives him.

     

    Receiver. We aren't good enough here but I do believe we have speed. We are much faster at wideout than we have been in some time. We have a lot of guys that can scoot. So if you are going to have a 3 to 4 star have one that can score from 60 out. Tease, Ernie, Noah, Ashton Bethel Roman, Izaiah Williams, Cyrus Allen have some very impressive track times. I think this is by design. Obviously possible the best receivers aren't those guys but notice who we are targeting in new pickups. Moose, J Walker, and Noah we are our vets. We need better ball from them.

     

    Getting back to the speed part, I think they want to use Receivers in the screen game and then try to get them free releases deep. and that combo opens up the middle of the field for the tight ends as the Receivers clear out the high safeties. The tight ends will be used. I think Klein and Elko see the TE as an forgotten man in today's game. I am sure their NIL deals are 1/5 of a top shelf rita receiver. I bet we use a lot of TE formations. 2 might be our base and I could see some 3 te packages. It's not always ideal but they will look for competitive advantages and there can be tremendous value. With Most Defenses including ours running mostly a nickel sub package base, it does create some mismatches. This isn't a mask for we absolutely have to get better at this position particularly we need a go to # 1 receiver. I think the key is getting Tight ends that can do both well. Not just receive, not just be a 3rd ot, but block and receive so that it stresses and strains the defenses. More teams in 5 db sets, the more blocking should be working in the run game.

     

    CWeigman to me is a gamer. I don't think he's a practice Champion. We haven't been hearing glowing reports but we will see more production and very accurate throws when he gets in. My biggest beef from the off season is not getting a qb that the more I see is a pocket passer than a play maker a true #1. As I stated, CW with time and receivers getting open can hit kids all day long. Where I am concerned on our offense is

     

    3rd and 7, at the 40 of the other team, we need to get into true fg range or better yet a td. the defense brings 6 in the box, we go 3 wide, 1 te, 1 rb and the defense is showing Man coverage in press coverage. the ball is snapped and they are sending 6 that means you have to throw that ball in 2.5 seconds or less and you get time to look to a receiver and make that throw on that break praying he gets separation on that break to where the db isn't as good. I don't know we have that guy. I think Noah with more time (3 plus seconds) can get more into his route where the back shoulder or the fade can work, but when it's 2.5 it's got to be something that's open. I am not sure we have someone that can get open on a Ga/Bama 5 star db. We have not had many of these guys and none in the Jimbo era. We just didn't get the top shelf wideout that makes DC's chit in their pants and have nightmares.

     

    This greatly takes away CW strength. If you have a Johnny, well he just takes off and with every guys back turn he's running for 15. CW is fast but he takes some time to get going. He kind of scrambles like Champ McGee to me. So what's the point? I think we did limit his Ceiling by not getting him more weapons. I don't know if we just see the price on Receivers to not be worth what the going rate is. I D K, but this has to get mitigated fast.

     

    Running back no question hurts with Ruby out. We are min 1 rb short particularly a bigger rb to sub in for Moss. I expect EJ and Amari to be used a lot. Feel we are missing a guy. If Bussey is working here I think that's a good spot even if cb is his best long term spot. Laveon, we need you to stay healthy and be that horse.. Definitely a concern here that could come back to bite us. I don't know why we didn't recruit a rb for depth. But here we are, it's the roster.

     

    5: a Key impact that Elko has shown and I think much of it has to do with using NIL properly is Discipline. Elko has a lot of Mike Sherman in him. Love Structure, doing what's required, eating breakfest, lunch, dinner together, studying together, strength training together. Well, for you guys that have heart burn over NIL contracts, well, we didn't have anyone get arrested this off season did we? WE had very few guys miss training. Why? Want to keep making that NIL payday. You want to get paid like a Professional, then we are going to require you to do your part like a professional. and I think this won't go unnoticed. We will play good sound ball. Again, I reiterate, it's landing the top shelf Heavy Hitters that will determine the long term success of this Regime

     

    6: Recruiting and the portal. Elko uses a lot of analytics in how they look at players and transfers. He knows he has to get more first rounders (this has been mentioned to several people) that we had 1 first in 6 years and Bama and Ga have 15 to 20. First Rounders require performance and measureables. I think we are evaluating still going forward the best approach. One thing I pitched to some folks was that why even recruit HS Sr.s I've seen 5 star freshman and for the most part at best they are avg. you could have a roster of soph, jr's, sr's. Older, wiser, more focused. What's the issue with that strategy?

     

    A: hard to keep transfers on the bench. That's a big one. Can you have a roster of 85 or 105 with just soph jr sr? Probably not. Too many will leave

     

    B: Hard to develop transfers much since they are coming with their resume. There is a big deal that coaches want to shape players and culture to resemble what they want. Not sure how much of this luxury you have today.

     

    pros

     

    older, more mature, more data points on evaluations against real players

     

    Less wasted NIL capital. Freshman sitting on rears despite a nice NIL deal.

     

    I think this will be Elko's biggest factor going forward in determining his future success. We know we are going to have good coaching particularly on defense. How can we land enough difference makers? That's what we are missing on offense and even could use someone in back 7 on defense that's a first rounder type. I know our def line has the largest deals (and for good reason they are going to the NFL draft) but that tells you why they are our best players. the NIL budget contrary to what many think is not limitless. This is where seeing value in players is going to become the Holy Grail moreso than coaching. Just like the NFL, the GM and Scouting department is/are much more of the reason you win or lose. So I think this will be telling short of a White Knight coming forward and bring a lot of jack to the table what determines our Success. You also have to remember just like a NFL Roster, if player A is a JR and is going to be drafted , it's hard to give player B a freshman that just enrolled a larger deal than that kid when they've never done anything and never proven they can do anything more than drive in a parking Garage really fast. That is again how much you have to do today vs 3 years ago and managing little things like this can impact the morale of the program. It's just nuts. But make no mistake, we can't just be Walmart and Marshall Value Shoppers even if it's relatively a much better deal, we have to target and land more heavy hitters and we really got hit hard last NSD. We just didn't do

     

    For that reason, I expect the Portal to be used much more. I am still curious to see how much harder it is to land the super heavy hitters as much as it is to get them here as freshman, develop them, then keep them. If Elijah stayed, would Walter Nolen have stayed? I don't know. Great question. But I certainly wouldn't trade Nic for Walt.

     

    Obviously, at the end, the best case scenario is win, win a lot, and just like baseball it will come more.

     

    10-2

    Spoiler

     

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  2. 1 hour ago, Zeus said:

    So fucking pumped to watch these dudes this year. 

    I do hope Red can get some carries too I think he's pretty special. It's just all that talent ahead of him - Baxter and Blue - are going to tear it the fuck up this year.

     

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