I think he is solid. He has really good vision, but not a guy that maximizes runs. I think the recent IT review with Homer and Scip showed he was near the bottom of the SEC with under 1 yard after contact. Obviously small sample size and vs an excellent tackling team in OSU, but elite is a higher bar.
Does not seem to be affecting the other TEs. I may have missed it, but I do not remember him getting a target this season. He is being used as a blocker and he is the most athletic TE on the roster. I love his willingness to be physical and take on a role that nobody expected from him. I would just like him to be rewarded for doing the dirty work. Your comment is probably more applicable to Wingo with 28 targets and 13 catches. That connection alone is 37% of Arch's incompletions. Hopefully, SHSU is the start of that being fixed.
Towsend continues to be physical. This guy will be a beast before he leaves. Sark needs to reward him with a few catches. He is probably the most physical TE right now.
I have Hero as the biggest surprise. Guy has an 84.2 PFF grade. That is #1 in the SEC among DTs. He was considered depth when he transferred. He is playing himself into an NFL draft pick.
I would have Littleton and LeFau next. Perhaps, I had higher expectations for McDonald. He is exceeding them, but I thought he would good based on his play last year.
I believe forcing this offense to string together 1st downs and score in the redzone is the best game plan. OSU showed the world the blueprint. UTEP borrowed it and had success. OU has a better DL, than OSU. Venables actually has run the 3 high defense before. I am more worried Venables does that. Coming after the offense and you are opening yourself up to Arch's legs and deep shots. I have more faith in Arch's ability to hit the long ball or break off some runs than to be consistent (for now). That said if they just whip the OL, it will obviously be very effective.
Key to beating Venables is to hit some explosive plays. You know he is going to have them slanting, stunting, and blitzing. It is hard to have sustained drives vs his defenses. You have to crease them when they are not gap sound. They will give you a few opportunities to hit big plays. I think Wisner had like 80 yards and 2 TDs on back to back plays last year. Justice Haynes had 75 yarder vs them last week.
RB is better simply based on bodies. The fact that we can discuss who should be the 3rd RB means it is better. In some games last year Texas did not have 3 RBs available for games.
LB- is the biggest improvement. You could argue they are the strongest unit on the defense and PK has not really unleashed Hill as a blitzer/pass rusher through 4 games (saw more of it vs SHSU). Defense being worse does not mean they will finish 40th in the nation, but it is not crazy to think they could finish closer 10 than 3 this year.
What Texas needs from Arch can certainly change. Right now they need him to be a big part of the run game and throw the ball well. That changes if the OL makes takes some large steps. Also changes if the perimeter blocking gets sorted out and the screen game improves.
We are only through 4 weeks of the football season. Right now every fan base has a rudimentary idea of their team. You can point to the potential strengths and weaknesses, but we really do not know how those will evolve over the course of the season.
How did the running game look after OSU? Seems my concern about the OL and run game has spread since OSU. It may have been convenient, but it seems valid after 4 games. I could base that on your posts on Stroh and Flood after the SJSU and UTEP games.
At no point did I say Simon should get the bulk of the carries. I said he looked the best with the ball in his hands (albeit a small sample size) and I would like to see him get more carries, but I have no idea on his pass pro. Yesterday I said pass pro could put Gibson over Simon as the 3rd RB.
Defense maybe worse than last year. They finished top 3 last year, not a lot room to improve for the defense this year. My concern is at CB and in particular Guilbeau. We will see how he fairs vs better passing attacks. He was giving up 10 yards per target through 3 games (albeit small sample size).
Yes, I always concerned about seeing the best version of an opponent. Guilty as charged.
I should add. I am not worried about the Ark game. I am pushing back on the idea that Texas makes the playoffs, if Arch is just a game manager. I think Arch needs to be very good for Texas to make the playoffs. I think the run game and OL is worse this year and that leaves Texas with less options if the QB struggles. I am not sure the defense is better. I would like to see how Guilbeau holds up when someone with talent decides to test the secondary.
Texas is game is Napier's last stand. Either Florida rises up and plays to their talent or they end up quitting on him. Going to be a strange one.
Ark is all Green and their DC. The DC is one of those guys that will change his defense week to week for the opponent. The results are high volatile, but that has always given Sark issues in the past, like last year. I cannot see Texas losing that game, but there is the concern Green plays really well and makes it interesting.
Texas already has 1 loss and 4 ranked teams left on the schedule, so there is not a ton wiggle room for an off game.
17 of the 34 pts scored were off turnovers where Texas started in OU territory. Explosive runs were a huge factor in this one. I hope to see them again. That has been completely missing from the offense, I know they were 130th in the nation on explosive runs entering the SHSU. OL and defense won that game. My concern is that this OL cannot weather the storm this year, if the QB is struggling.
OU is not a juggernaut on offense, but they are still 5x better than last year on offense with Mateer. I think it is unreasonable to think the defense can repeat their performance in the Cotton Bowl this year. I hope they do. Ark can score pts. Green is a legit QB. He does tend to be a bit all or nothing. Ark defense is bad, but they were bad last year and the DC definitely got Sark last year. The difference is last year games like OU and A&M the running game got going. How the run game develops is going to set the floor for this team. I am obviously a lot more skeptical than you on the run game. How Arch plays will set the ceiling.
Texas has had a lot of pure speed at WR, but not a lot of guys with excellent ball skills. Livingstone attacks the ball in the air. He will come down with 50/50 balls. He is like Mitchell in that aspect. Wingo is great athlete, but I have yet to see him show off the ball skills and win 50/50 balls. It is a bit frustrating, because he has all the physical ability to be a great at it.
I think Arch needs to be more than decent for Texas to make the playoffs. He is pretty much the offense. He is responsible for all, but 2 TDs through 4 games (those came on Saturday). Unless the OL makes significant strides, Arch is going to be a huge part of the run game. Perimeter blocking needs to improve to make the screen game viable. He is not getting a lot of easy yardage in the screen game like last year. I am not sure this team can survive games like OU and Arkansas, where the QB struggled.
Some OL PFF Grades:
Daniel Cruz: 61. 1
Nick Brooks: 71.2
Nate Kibble: 56.7
Goosby: 64.7
Robertson: 51.8
Campbell: 71.2
Baker: 69.2
Stroh: 63.5
Nice opening game for Nick Brooks according to PFF.
I am clearly on the Simon band wagon for now. He shows excellent vision running zone, he always falls forward, and has broken more tackles than any other RB on the year (at least that was the case coming into the SHSU game). He seems to be the most versatile of the RBs, not names Wisner and Baxter. Blocking could move Gibson above him.
this is your comment
it applies directly to the rule that states:
"No simulated replacements or substitutions may be used to confuse opponents," the rule states. "No tactic associated with substitutions or the substitutions process may be used to confuse the opponent. This includes any hideout tactic with or without a substitution."
By your own admission it is illegal. Now you are just spinning, pretending you did not say they did it with the intention to confuse the defense.
"If properly officiated, the second down play should have resulted in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of 15 yards assessed from the previous spot," the conference said. "Appropriate accountability will be applied without additional comment."
The statement referred to NCAA football rule G-2, Article 2, related to "unfair tactics."
"No simulated replacements or substitutions may be used to confuse opponents," the rule states. "No tactic associated with substitutions or the substitutions process may be used to confuse the opponent. This includes any hideout tactic with or without a substitution."
SEC is pretty clear on how they feel the play should have been officiated and how they expect it to be officiated in the future. I underlined the important aspect of the rule.
Waiting to see Clark's lateral cutting ability to show up in missed tackles. He seems to go down at first contact. You can see his cutting ability but waiting to see it translate.
vs light boxes that led to 0 scores. So YIPPEEE!!!
I have Simon so high, because he had 67 yards after contact and 5 broken tackles in his debut vs UTEP. That was impressive, since he had 17 carries for 67 yards.