2021 Texas Offseason: Sark Attacks Austin

[closetojumping 63155]

18 minutes ago, Born Burnt said:

I watched that game, but have no recollection of it. Zero. I've been told by people that I did indeed see it, but can't remember anything about it. I guess it's similar to trauma victims forgetting their experiences. My brain was wiped of it.

We rented a suite for the game and had 30 people in it. I invited my little brother who is a big dude. The suite next to us was all Arkansas people and late in the 4th quarter, in the fucking suites, these classless clowns started taunting us and talking shit.

A few of us finally stood up and told them to shut the fuck up and my brother yelled “We’ll get through this and make it back. We’re Texas. You are Arkansas. This is as good as it gets for you. You’re condemned to be mediocre for life!” You could see recognition come through across their face as they shut back up and sat down.

I can’t remember who all was there, but I know @SydneyCarton and I along with my brother were standing up and sick of hearing their shit. Discretion was the better part of valor on their end. That’s all I remember about the experience and we were stone cold sober. 

[Tex Pete 20970]

20 minutes ago, closetojumping said:The suite next to us was all Arkansas people and late in the 4th quarter, in the fucking suites, these classless clowns started taunting us and talking shit.

A few of us finally stood up and told them to shut the fuck up and my brother yelled “We’ll get through this and make it back. We’re Texas. 

I hope he’s right. 

[texifornia 57231]

Just drove behind a Honda with NC "RGNCAJN" plates. I couldn't believe it. He's going to be one sad, lost Cajun come September.

[SydneyCarton 48308]

12 hours ago, closetojumping said:

We rented a suite for the game and had 30 people in it. I invited my little brother who is a big dude. The suite next to us was all Arkansas people and late in the 4th quarter, in the fucking suites, these classless clowns started taunting us and talking shit.

A few of us finally stood up and told them to shut the fuck up and my brother yelled “We’ll get through this and make it back. We’re Texas. You are Arkansas. This is as good as it gets for you. You’re condemned to be mediocre for life!” You could see recognition come through across their face as they shut back up and sat down.

I can’t remember who all was there, but I know @SydneyCarton and I along with my brother were standing up and sick of hearing their shit. Discretion was the better part of valor on their end. That’s all I remember about the experience and we were stone cold sober. 

Well, let us not forget your gloating brother in law. He was just smugly silent. I vaguely remember you having to grab your wife’s hand as she was mid swing about to wing an unopened 24 Oz. Bud lite into their suite. She was furious. 

Edited July 16, 2021 by SydneyCarton

[Red Five 41074]

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

That’s all I remember about the experience and we were stone cold sober. 

In the fourth quarter of that game? Good lord why? 

[Danimal 343]

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/31823646/steve-sarkisian-says-texas-longhorns-more-capable-competing-high-level

 

This reads more like a Tom Herman interview with "winning is hard" and "magical fairy dust" quotes

[Poolflood 845]

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

We rented a suite for the game and had 30 people in it. I invited my little brother who is a big dude. The suite next to us was all Arkansas people and late in the 4th quarter, in the fucking suites, these classless clowns started taunting us and talking shit.

A few of us finally stood up and told them to shut the fuck up and my brother yelled “We’ll get through this and make it back. We’re Texas. You are Arkansas. This is as good as it gets for you. You’re condemned to be mediocre for life!” You could see recognition come through across their face as they shut back up and sat down.

I can’t remember who all was there, but I know @SydneyCarton and I along with my brother were standing up and sick of hearing their shit. Discretion was the better part of valor on their end. That’s all I remember about the experience and we were stone cold sober. 

 

CTJ,  you are a madman. When you stole that cow, and @SydneyCarton tried to make it with the cow. I want to party with you, cowboy. If the two of us together, forget it. 

[texifornia 57231]

13 minutes ago, Danimal said:

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/31823646/steve-sarkisian-says-texas-longhorns-more-capable-competing-high-level

 

This reads more like a Tom Herman interview with "winning is hard" and "magical fairy dust" quotes

Turns out every cfb coach reads the same management and team building books.

[UncleSonny 6623]

19 minutes ago, Danimal said:

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/31823646/steve-sarkisian-says-texas-longhorns-more-capable-competing-high-level

 

This reads more like a Tom Herman interview with "winning is hard" and "magical fairy dust" quotes

Coach speak is only a problem once you start losing and then the team’s message board starts meme-ing the hell out of it. 

Saban is constantly doing shit like lecturing the Alabama beat reporters for not taking the Citadel seriously enough as an opponent. 

Edited July 16, 2021 by UncleSonny

[USNALonghorn 5100]

3 hours ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Be interesting to see if ULL defends Texas like they did ISU.  Committed to stopping the run with numbers and didn't think the ISU WR's could beat the ULL Corners.

I really don't see any other viable strategy for ULL against us. We have Bijan, Roschon, and Keilan in the backfield. If you let those guys get going, you're beyond fucked.

[PatSolitanojr 518]

10 hours ago, Bill Lumbergh said:

Since I became a fan, I have never missed a Texas bowl game. Except one.

I was out of the country in a place where it was going to be nearly impossible to watch, so missed this one.

When I looked at the stats, my first thought was ESPN had fucked up. Even with as bad as our offense was that year, 53 yards for the game was pretty shocking.

I've never watched a snap of that game and never will.

I was in the hospital having my appendix removed and I will always be thankful for that. 

[Hank Chinaski 6324]

It was the worst game I've ever attended, and the worst part was that, after watching it...you knew there was no fucking way Charlie Strong was going to be the answer, but you also knew he had at least 2 more years to fuck everything up beyond what seemed imaginable. 

It felt like rock bottom, and then we opened the next season in South Bend in what was pretty much the same game. 

Goddamnit. 

[ousux 5620]

I was in the hospital having my appendix removed and I will always be thankful for that. 

Had mine cut out about 2 years after yours. A good morphine drip can take the edge off anything.

[NorLa Horns 1458]

1 hour ago, texifornia said:

Turns out every cfb coach reads the same management and team building books.

This might suprise you. But there is actually coaching ciriculum in college. Basics of coaching, leadership, actual philosophy of a sort. To go with Kinesiology and physiology. So, yeah. Odds are they all read the same books. 

[closetojumping 63155]

2 hours ago, Red Five said:

In the fourth quarter of that game? Good lord why? 

It’s a great question. In reality, that game was on a Monday or Tuesday and I was in the midst of 100 hour work weeks during some massive corporate infighting at a place we’d all sold a business to not long before that. Terrible answer, I know, but the truth. I basically left that shitshow of a game and was happy to go home and work and put that dogshit behind me. 

9 minutes ago, Hank Chinaski said:

It was the worst game I've ever attended, and the worst part was that, after watching it...you knew there was no fucking way Charlie Strong was going to be the answer, but you also knew he had at least 2 more years to fuck everything up beyond what seemed imaginable. 

It felt like rock bottom, and then we opened the next season in South Bend in what was pretty much the same game. 

Goddamnit. 

I don’t even remember what nightmare thread we’re on with all of this, so fuck it, I’ll add that, for me, I knew that Strong was trash not after that game but after he announced that Watson was coming back. Then the $9.95ers started touting during the off-season that Watson had changed the offense. That shit I mocked aggressively. Then South Bend and that’s when you simply fucking knew “oh yeah, this guy ain’t making it.” So you were ahead, but misery wasn’t far off for all of us, I guess. 

[TenCarryTom 398]

16 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

It’s a great question. In reality, that game was on a Monday or Tuesday and I was in the midst of 100 hour work weeks during some massive corporate infighting at a place we’d all sold a business to not long before that. Terrible answer, I know, but the truth. I basically left that shitshow of a game and was happy to go home and work and put that dogshit behind me. 

I don’t even remember what nightmare thread we’re on with all of this, so fuck it, I’ll add that, for me, I knew that Strong was trash not after that game but after he announced that Watson was coming back. Then the $9.95ers started touting during the off-season that Watson had changed the offense. That shit I mocked aggressively. Then South Bend and that’s when you simply fucking knew “oh yeah, this guy ain’t making it.” So you were ahead, but misery wasn’t far off for all of us, I guess. 

I luckily was in the middle of fucking nowhere with no service for that game in southbend. Still haven’t watched a single play of that game to this day. 

[Hookah Horns 3083]

8 hours ago, BrazilHorn said:

I was at that Texas Bowl. I wish I had never seen it and didn't have to hear the orgiastic squealing of the mouth breathing, toothless Arky fan fuckards as Texas just spewed ineptness across Reliant Stadium. That fucking game sucked and the entire offensive staff should have been shit pumped after that game.

Easily the worst sporting event I've ever attended. Worse than even the Mack RRS bloodbaths. I hate my brother for talking me into driving to Houston for that garbage. 

[closetojumping 63155]

3 minutes ago, TenCarryTom said:

I luckily was in the middle of fucking nowhere with no service for that game in southbend. Still haven’t watched a single play of that game to this day. 

Now that game, I was shitfaced by halftime and our table was mocking other Texas tables at the sports bar for being shocked. Just a grim, grim time to be a fan. I think that was the same year where we showed up to watch the TCU game at 11am and at halftime, a bunch of us just left for the day to watch a movie. I think that TCU game was a fan low point for me where I watched the first 3 minutes of the game and realized, yep, totally fucked, and then just checked out and stopped paying attention to the screen. 

[Hookah Horns 3083]

26 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

It’s a great question. In reality, that game was on a Monday or Tuesday and I was in the midst of 100 hour work weeks during some massive corporate infighting at a place we’d all sold a business to not long before that. Terrible answer, I know, but the truth. I basically left that shitshow of a game and was happy to go home and work and put that dogshit behind me. 

I don’t even remember what nightmare thread we’re on with all of this, so fuck it, I’ll add that, for me, I knew that Strong was trash not after that game but after he announced that Watson was coming back. Then the $9.95ers started touting during the off-season that Watson had changed the offense. That shit I mocked aggressively. Then South Bend and that’s when you simply fucking knew “oh yeah, this guy ain’t making it.” So you were ahead, but misery wasn’t far off for all of us, I guess. 

Pretty sure the "Watson is changing the offense" meme wasn't just a 9.95 site thing. I seem to recall Watson and Chuckles giving preseason interviews touting the change. As horrible as that ND game was, I at least got high on the endorphin release from laughing myself silly when Watson came out running exactly the same old shit. 

[BurntOrange&White 40449]

12 minutes ago, TenCarryTom said:

I luckily was in the middle of fucking nowhere with no service for that game in southbend. Still haven’t watched a single play of that game to this day. 

I got so shit faced tailgating up there before the game I passed out in the stands during  1st and woke up in the 4th and the first words out of my, “well doesn’t look like I missed much.”

[markstanco 12654]

Easily the worst sporting event I've ever attended. Worse than even the Mack RRS bloodbaths. I hate my brother for talking me into driving to Houston for that garbage. 

Yea, well, I went to the Texas bowl in December and then to south bend 9 months later. Total offense combined for both games I attended is how far I hit my 3 wood.

[Hookah Horns 3083]

4 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Now that game, I was shitfaced by halftime and our table was mocking other Texas tables at the sports bar for being shocked. Just a grim, grim time to be a fan. I think that was the same year where we showed up to watch the TCU game at 11am and at halftime, a bunch of us just left for the day to watch a movie. I think that TCU game was a fan low point for me where I watched the first 3 minutes of the game and realized, yep, totally fucked, and then just checked out and stopped paying attention to the screen. 

Was going to say that I thought you might be talking about the smooth buttfucking Patterson gave us the following year. But I looked it up and TCU also gave us a smooth bufu in 2014. I don't remember that game at all, thankfully, but apparently J Gray carried the ball 11 times for no yards. 

[closetojumping 63155]

1 minute ago, Hookah Horns said:

Was going to say that I thought you might be talking about the smooth buttfucking Patterson gave us the following year. But I looked it up and TCU also gave us a smooth bufu in 2014. I don't remember that game at all, thankfully, but apparently J Gray carried the ball 11 times for no yards. 

I’m talking 2015. Texas lost to TCU 50-7 and, if memory serves, the game was laughably over after Q1. 

[Hornbeliever 718]

These last 12 years are like art, there is no wrong answer on worst UT game.  You could name various games as first among equals. 

Lets hope times change or I'll threaten my wife with spending time with her on saturdays.

[closetojumping 63155]

11 minutes ago, Hornbeliever said:

These last 12 years are like art, there is no wrong answer on worst UT game.  You could name various games as first among equals. 

Lets hope times change or I'll threaten my wife with spending time with her on saturdays.

What evil is this “12 years” number, sir? Are you trying to take the 2009 season away from me? Or are you from some sort of dark future?

[Royale with cheese 1471]

9 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

The weird thing for me is that I honestly can’t even remember what offense Watson ran.  I watched all the games.   I posted incessantly on Shaggy.   But it’s all just blocked out of my mind.  

I remember the Briles offense that Gilbert ran in 2016.   I remember the 2015 spread option stuff with Heard in 2015.   I remember Harsin’s and Applewhite’s formations and plays.   Lord knows I remember Greg Davis offenses - in excruciating detail.  

I draw a complete blank on Watson.  Were we shotgun or under center?  TEs or 2 backs or 4 WRs?  What type of routes did we mostly run?  I seriously couldn’t begin to tell you.  I think I must have been so negative on him and Charlie from so early on that I just checked out and never bothered to waste the energy on mentally processing him.  Or maybe it was too painful and I’ve blocked it out as a coping mechanism.   What a disaster that whole clownshow was.

Yeah. And don't forget to include that totally incompetent asshole, Steve Patterson. He comes in for a large share of the blame, too. 

[Hornbeliever 718]

14 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

What evil is this “12 years” number, sir? Are you trying to take the 2009 season away from me? Or are you from some sort of dark future?

9% tax on misery, my man.

[BigSwingingD 719]

On 7/11/2021 at 4:00 PM, Tylerocks said:

I can't believe how many of y'all are scared of ULaLa.  Yeah they were 10-1.  In the Fucking SunBelt. Sure, they have some guys coming back. Big fucking deal.

Jesus.

Take away 1 blow out win against Monroe, and they won those games by an average of less than a TD.  

Against Georgia State, Georgia Southern, UAB, TX St. etc.

 

God, man the fuck up.

 

Great post. I will admit, I have suffered from "Post Hermantic Stress Syndrome". 

We are going to kick ass.

Hook'em 

 

[Bobby_Batronic 1994]

10 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

The weird thing for me is that I honestly can’t even remember what offense Watson ran.  I watched all the games.   I posted incessantly on Shaggy.   But it’s all just blocked out of my mind.  

I remember the Briles offense that Gilbert ran in 2016.   I remember the 2015 spread option stuff with Heard in 2015.   I remember Harsin’s and Applewhite’s formations and plays.   Lord knows I remember Greg Davis offenses - in excruciating detail.  

I draw a complete blank on Watson.  Were we shotgun or under center?  TEs or 2 backs or 4 WRs?  What type of routes did we mostly run?  I seriously couldn’t begin to tell you.  I think I must have been so negative on him and Charlie from so early on that I just checked out and never bothered to waste the energy on mentally processing him.  Or maybe it was too painful and I’ve blocked it out as a coping mechanism.   What a disaster that whole clownshow was.

West Coast with more than a smattering of shotgun for 3rd and long which we were in quite a bit. The dreaded QB waggle was our gotcha play, and dear Shawn assured us that in just three years time our WR’s would be able to run the routes precisely.

I’ll still never forget tuning into a Louisville game to watch that Teddy Bridgwater phenom play only wonder what kind of hot garbage offense he was in.  Then I found out who the OC was. Or that time Swoopes completed a long pass to win the game in the final seconds against ISU, and Watson lost his shit in the press box because it was the wrong read or something.

In that vein of thought I learned through media days that TCU hired Tim Beck to be their OC. I both acknowledge that he’s a pretty good dude, and that I feel much better about our defense giving them a smooth futtbucking when we meet.

[TenCarryTom 398]

I remember having faith in Charlie after we face stomped North Texas(yes I know it’s UNT but I was too young to realize that they suck). Don’t remember anything about the rest of that season except for the TCU thanksgiving game and the shit show Texas bowl. Found out at a young age to not get your hopes up when watching Texas sports and that Arkansas fans are a bunch of dicks. 

[Hookah Horns 3083]

52 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

I’m talking 2015. Texas lost to TCU 50-7 and, if memory serves, the game was laughably over after Q1. 

Yeah we were down 23-0 with 5:00 remaining in Q1. 30-0 after one. 

Our first half drives went:

Fumble, Safety, Punt, Punt, Fumble, Missed FG, Punt, Missed FG. 🤣

This fanbase has been put through some shit the past decade. 

 

[Jersey Man10 3663]

I had 2015 blocked from my memory thanks.

[Chuckie Finster 22765]

Easily the worst sporting event I've ever attended. Worse than even the Mack RRS bloodbaths. I hate my brother for talking me into driving to Houston for that garbage. 

There was a couple in our group who had to leave before the game started because the woman started passing a kidney stone in the parking lot while we were tailgating.

I am certain they had a better night than the rest of us.

[Scooter Monzingo 821]

1 hour ago, Hookah Horns said:

Yeah we were down 23-0 with 5:00 remaining in Q1. 30-0 after one. 

Our first half drives went:

Fumble, Safety, Punt, Punt, Fumble, Missed FG, Punt, Missed FG. 🤣

This fanbase has been put through some shit the past decade. 

 

Fuck, I honestly do not remember that sequence. I must have done some serious mental gymnastics thinking it wasn’t “that” bad…..but seeing it written out…..it was.

[LTtxfan 49405]

Move on folks -- It's Fuckin' 2021

[LTtxfan 49405]

What analysts are saying about Texas after Big 12 Media Days

ByBRAD CRAWFORD 10 hours ago

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian took the podium on Thursday at Big 12 Media Days and expressed confidence ahead of his first season with the Longhorns, anxious to begin the road back to turning a blueblood program into a national contender. And national media has increasingly high expectations for Sarkisian and the Longhorns this fall.

Asked during an ESPN break how he would quantify a successful season, Sarkisian said it's about more than wins and losses.

“Naturally, everyone wants me to put a number on it, but for me it’s about, 'Okay, are we playing with the accountability and discipline needed week in and week out regardless of opponent to warrant the product on the field puts us in position to win football games,'” Sarkisian said Thursday on ESPNU at Big 12 Media Days in Arlington, Texas. "Ultimately, it comes down to the one, two, three or four plays (a game). It always does. Then it comes down to our ability to execute. I don't know what that number is going to look like.

"We have a team that’s buying into that mentality. I came here to win championships. We’ve got to chase greatness everyday.”

Here's what ESPN college football analysts Andre Ware, Dusty Dvoracek and Sam Acho said from Big 12 Media Days after Sarkisian and the Longhorns took the stage:

WHO STEPS UP FOR LONGHORNS THIS SEASON?

"I think it's got to be at the quarterback position and Casey Thompson seems to have a lead in that competition coming out of the spring," Ware said. "The entire roster really rallies around him. They really reacted to the way he is as a leader. (He was) 70% last year in limited duty. He threw six touchdown passes without an interception. Set a bowl game record with four touchdown passes in that game. Hudson Card is obviously competing with Casey Thompson. He has fantastic arm talent. This is going be a fantastic competition to watch, but if they’re going to turn the corner, it’s going to be at the quarterback position. Consistency after Sam Ehlinger."

"It all has to do with Steve Sarkisian," Acho said. "Yes, you've got a good quarterback. Yes, you've got a great running back. Yes, you've got a building defense, but it's all about the head coach, especially at a school like the University of Texas which annually grosses ... it's the richest school in the nation. I have a friend that always says follow the money — there's a lot of pressure with that money. There are people who are pulling at you. He's coached great quarterbacks in his past and has led them to successful seasons, setting records with No. 1 or No. 2 for their schools. I think he'll do that again."

"To me it's about the defense. Look, last year Texas averaged over 42 points per game," Dvoracek said. "It was the defensively where they had their struggles. Insert (a new defensive coordinator) and the numbers Pete Kwiatkowski put up at Washington over a seven-year span were stellar. He led the Pac-12 in yards per game. Steve Sarkisian with a disruptive front that is going to create plays, ballhawks taking the bal away and a defense that is going to keep offenses out of the end zone. That's what he gets with Pete Kwiatkowski. He's got a defensive line, starting with sophomore Alfred Collins, that I think has a chance to be much improved. That front will pave the way for Overshown and that defense to step up."

WHAT IS SUCCESS IN YEAR 1?

(Photo: © Horns247, 247Sports)

"A lot of those that pay close attention to the program are going to say beat Oklahoma and get us in contention for a Big 12 title," Ware said. "I don’t necessarily agree with that. I think nine, 10 or 11-win season without the Oklahoma win is a successful season for Steve Sarkisian. When you look at it in totality, it’s just get Texas back to winning first, then you attack the bully on the block, which is obviously Oklahoma. Take care of that first. They may be close to Oklahoma, who knows. Oklahoma dropped two games last year. I’d deem that a successful year for Texas."

Getting to a bowl game isn't enough for Sarkisian, according to Dvoracek.

"I hate ever putting a number on wins for a coach in their first year, but this is what we're doing here," Dvoracek said. "It's nine wins for me. He needs to win nine going into a bowl game with a chance to win 10. How about this — the great Texas Longhorns have had one 10-win season in the last 10 years. If he can get to nine in the regular season with a chance to win 10, that's success and that's something that Longhorns fans will be fired up and excited about heading into Year 2 (under Sarkisian)."

"If Texas wants to be successful, you have to beat Oklahoma not once, but twice. That's real success," Acho said. "Andre talked about the bully on the block. I'm a big brother. I've got a little brother. If anybody picking on my little brother, you have to come and see me right? So you've got to beat the bully on the block. And Oklahoma is the bully of the Big 12. So beat them in the regular season. And if you're going to beat them twice, that means you're showing up again in the Big 12 Championship. Not just one win, but two wins and against Oklahoma for Steve Sarkisian."

(Photo: © Scott Wachter, USA TODAY Sports)

Sarkisian, who said Thursday he's proud to have coached in four national championship games during his career including last season with Alabama, knows he'll be graded on wins and losses, but believes his primary focus is first ensuring his players are going about it the right way. No athlete exudes that level of an all-business mentality more than Heisman candidate sophomore running back Bijan Robinson, who's perhaps the face of the Longhorns entering the season. And dominating up front and in the run game, Sarkisian says, will be one of this team's primary staples offensively.

"He’s an impressive young man physically and mentally,” Sarkisian said Thursday of Robinson. "Let's say he's going to get 20 carries a game. Ideally, we're still running it 25 times a game at minimum. For us to be as good as we can be at Texas, our ability to run the football is critical to our success.”

Robinson, who caught 15 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns last season, was limited by somewhat of a pitch count under then-coach Tom Herman and is an excellent fit for the versatility Sarkisian prefers from his running backs. Robinson can look at former Alabama running back Najee Harris the last two seasons under Sarkisian to get an idea of what his role within the Texas offense will look like. 

[LTtxfan 49405]

 

[LTtxfan 49405]

 

[LTtxfan 49405]

HaHaHaHa  😂😂😂😂 

 

[LTtxfan 49405]

 

[LTtxfan 49405]

 

[texifornia 57231]

3 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

What analysts are saying about Texas after Big 12 Media Days

ByBRAD CRAWFORD 10 hours ago

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian took the podium on Thursday at Big 12 Media Days and expressed confidence ahead of his first season with the Longhorns, anxious to begin the road back to turning a blueblood program into a national contender. And national media has increasingly high expectations for Sarkisian and the Longhorns this fall.

Asked during an ESPN break how he would quantify a successful season, Sarkisian said it's about more than wins and losses.

“Naturally, everyone wants me to put a number on it, but for me it’s about, 'Okay, are we playing with the accountability and discipline needed week in and week out regardless of opponent to warrant the product on the field puts us in position to win football games,'” Sarkisian said Thursday on ESPNU at Big 12 Media Days in Arlington, Texas. "Ultimately, it comes down to the one, two, three or four plays (a game). It always does. Then it comes down to our ability to execute. I don't know what that number is going to look like.

"We have a team that’s buying into that mentality. I came here to win championships. We’ve got to chase greatness everyday.”

Here's what ESPN college football analysts Andre Ware, Dusty Dvoracek and Sam Acho said from Big 12 Media Days after Sarkisian and the Longhorns took the stage:

WHO STEPS UP FOR LONGHORNS THIS SEASON?

"I think it's got to be at the quarterback position and Casey Thompson seems to have a lead in that competition coming out of the spring," Ware said. "The entire roster really rallies around him. They really reacted to the way he is as a leader. (He was) 70% last year in limited duty. He threw six touchdown passes without an interception. Set a bowl game record with four touchdown passes in that game. Hudson Card is obviously competing with Casey Thompson. He has fantastic arm talent. This is going be a fantastic competition to watch, but if they’re going to turn the corner, it’s going to be at the quarterback position. Consistency after Sam Ehlinger."

"It all has to do with Steve Sarkisian," Acho said. "Yes, you've got a good quarterback. Yes, you've got a great running back. Yes, you've got a building defense, but it's all about the head coach, especially at a school like the University of Texas which annually grosses ... it's the richest school in the nation. I have a friend that always says follow the money — there's a lot of pressure with that money. There are people who are pulling at you. He's coached great quarterbacks in his past and has led them to successful seasons, setting records with No. 1 or No. 2 for their schools. I think he'll do that again."

"To me it's about the defense. Look, last year Texas averaged over 42 points per game," Dvoracek said. "It was the defensively where they had their struggles. Insert (a new defensive coordinator) and the numbers Pete Kwiatkowski put up at Washington over a seven-year span were stellar. He led the Pac-12 in yards per game. Steve Sarkisian with a disruptive front that is going to create plays, ballhawks taking the bal away and a defense that is going to keep offenses out of the end zone. That's what he gets with Pete Kwiatkowski. He's got a defensive line, starting with sophomore Alfred Collins, that I think has a chance to be much improved. That front will pave the way for Overshown and that defense to step up."

WHAT IS SUCCESS IN YEAR 1?

(Photo: © Horns247, 247Sports)

"A lot of those that pay close attention to the program are going to say beat Oklahoma and get us in contention for a Big 12 title," Ware said. "I don’t necessarily agree with that. I think nine, 10 or 11-win season without the Oklahoma win is a successful season for Steve Sarkisian. When you look at it in totality, it’s just get Texas back to winning first, then you attack the bully on the block, which is obviously Oklahoma. Take care of that first. They may be close to Oklahoma, who knows. Oklahoma dropped two games last year. I’d deem that a successful year for Texas."

Getting to a bowl game isn't enough for Sarkisian, according to Dvoracek.

"I hate ever putting a number on wins for a coach in their first year, but this is what we're doing here," Dvoracek said. "It's nine wins for me. He needs to win nine going into a bowl game with a chance to win 10. How about this — the great Texas Longhorns have had one 10-win season in the last 10 years. If he can get to nine in the regular season with a chance to win 10, that's success and that's something that Longhorns fans will be fired up and excited about heading into Year 2 (under Sarkisian)."

"If Texas wants to be successful, you have to beat Oklahoma not once, but twice. That's real success," Acho said. "Andre talked about the bully on the block. I'm a big brother. I've got a little brother. If anybody picking on my little brother, you have to come and see me right? So you've got to beat the bully on the block. And Oklahoma is the bully of the Big 12. So beat them in the regular season. And if you're going to beat them twice, that means you're showing up again in the Big 12 Championship. Not just one win, but two wins and against Oklahoma for Steve Sarkisian."

(Photo: © Scott Wachter, USA TODAY Sports)

Sarkisian, who said Thursday he's proud to have coached in four national championship games during his career including last season with Alabama, knows he'll be graded on wins and losses, but believes his primary focus is first ensuring his players are going about it the right way. No athlete exudes that level of an all-business mentality more than Heisman candidate sophomore running back Bijan Robinson, who's perhaps the face of the Longhorns entering the season. And dominating up front and in the run game, Sarkisian says, will be one of this team's primary staples offensively.

"He’s an impressive young man physically and mentally,” Sarkisian said Thursday of Robinson. "Let's say he's going to get 20 carries a game. Ideally, we're still running it 25 times a game at minimum. For us to be as good as we can be at Texas, our ability to run the football is critical to our success.”

Robinson, who caught 15 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns last season, was limited by somewhat of a pitch count under then-coach Tom Herman and is an excellent fit for the versatility Sarkisian prefers from his running backs. Robinson can look at former Alabama running back Najee Harris the last two seasons under Sarkisian to get an idea of what his role within the Texas offense will look like. 

Sam Acho really dressed like a Baylor fan and then said the season would only count as a success if UT beat OU twice? Are we sure Aranda hasn't given him a spot on his staff?

[closetojumping 63155]

Seeing Sarkisian go out and publicly hedge and say the shit he said, including conjuring the spirits of Tom Herman and Butch Jones, just reinforces the premise that this is Seven Win Steve here and we’re probably fucked. The whole “it’s not about wins and losses” nonsense is borderline “winners at the game of life” bullshit. 

Uh, no dude, wins are pretty much the only thing that matters. Go out and fucking win and then talk to us about developmental growth and pride in player work ethic, after it is reflected. Here’s where a soft athletic department hinders a HC at Texas. They’ve been apologizing to people about a record for a season that hasn’t even fucking happened yet and they’re feeding that same approach to Sarkisian’s ears and he’s sounding like he’s fooling himself too. There’s no honeymoon here if you lose to either ULaLa or Arkansas, lose to TCU, and lose to both ISU and OU. There just isn’t. 

[Acropora 864]

7 hours ago, Bobby_Batronic said:

 

In that vein of thought I learned through media days that TCU hired Tim Beck to be their OC. I both acknowledge that he’s a pretty good dude, and that I feel much better about our defense giving them a smooth futtbucking when we meet.

 

I think that's Tim Beck, the former Pitt St coach, as an analyst.   I don't think Tim Beck from NC State is coming over, though, i could be out of the loop.

[Royale with cheese 1471]

21 minutes ago, Acropora said:

I think that's Tim Beck, the former Pitt St coach, as an analyst.   I don't think Tim Beck from NC State is coming over, though, i could be out of the loop.

That's correct. Also, he's only an analyst, not a coordinator--and he's on the defensive side of the ball, not offense. Other than that, the original post was spot on. 

[Mitch Cumsteen 18661]

35 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Seeing Sarkisian go out and publicly hedge and say the shit he said, including conjuring the spirits of Tom Herman and Butch Jones, just reinforces the premise that this is Seven Win Steve here and we’re probably fucked. The whole “it’s not about wins and losses” nonsense is borderline “winners at the game of life” bullshit. 

Uh, no dude, wins are pretty much the only thing that matters. Go out and fucking win and then talk to us about developmental growth and pride in player work ethic, after it is reflected. Here’s where a soft athletic department hinders a HC at Texas. They’ve been apologizing to people about a record for a season that hasn’t even fucking happened yet and they’re feeding that same approach to Sarkisian’s ears and he’s sounding like he’s fooling himself too. There’s no honeymoon here if you lose to either ULaLa or Arkansas, lose to TCU, and lose to both ISU and OU. There just isn’t. 

On one hand, I agree with your metrics for success. On the other, it's coach speak at media day. I don't think it matters.

If you listen to the interviews, he says that the expectation at Texas is to play for the conference championship and be in the conversation for the playoff. No coach with half a brain is going to come out and say that it's a failure if that doesn't happen year one. There is no upside to it. 

He's also talked a lot about how this roster is not a rebuild and that he can compete right away. If he were truly hedging, you would be getting a different message all the way around. I just think he's trying to avoid bulletin board material. Nobody has ever won shit at media day. 

[Pig Bellmont 8755]

47 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Seeing Sarkisian go out and publicly hedge and say the shit he said, including conjuring the spirits of Tom Herman and Butch Jones, just reinforces the premise that this is Seven Win Steve here and we’re probably fucked. The whole “it’s not about wins and losses” nonsense is borderline “winners at the game of life” bullshit. 

Uh, no dude, wins are pretty much the only thing that matters. Go out and fucking win and then talk to us about developmental growth and pride in player work ethic, after it is reflected. Here’s where a soft athletic department hinders a HC at Texas. They’ve been apologizing to people about a record for a season that hasn’t even fucking happened yet and they’re feeding that same approach to Sarkisian’s ears and he’s sounding like he’s fooling himself too. There’s no honeymoon here if you lose to either ULaLa or Arkansas, lose to TCU, and lose to both ISU and OU. There just isn’t. 

I think you’re putting too much stock into off season media appearances. Remember when Herman declared there’d never again be an NFL draft without a Longhorn in the first round, and everyone swooned? 
 

I, for one, don’t care what’s said in July. Show me a team that game plans, adjusts in game, and doesn’t beat itself with stupid penalties and we’ll field the best team we’ve had in a decade

[closetojumping 63155]

5 minutes ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

On one hand, I agree with your metrics for success. On the other, it's coach speak at media day. I don't think it matters.

If you listen to the interviews, he says that the expectation at Texas is to play for the conference championship and be in the conversation for the playoff. No coach with half a brain is going to come out and say that it's a failure if that doesn't happen year one. There is no upside to it. 

He's also talked a lot about how this roster is not a rebuild and that he can compete right away. If he were truly hedging, you would be getting a different message all the way around. I just think he's trying to avoid bulletin board material. Nobody has ever won shit at media day. 

 

3 minutes ago, Pig Bellmont said:

I think you’re putting too much stock into off season media appearances. Remember when Herman declared there’d never again be an NFL draft without a Longhorn in the first round, and everyone swooned? 
 

I, for one, don’t care what’s said in July. Show me a team that game plans, adjusts in game, and doesn’t beat itself with stupid penalties and we’ll field the best team we’ve had in a decade

There’s nothing wrong with these takes and I hope they’re right. That said, and there’s a history of pointing this out contemporaneously on this thread, people inside the LHF and AD have been trying to hedge failure for this season since Sarkisian got here.

“The schedule is really tough. Louisiana is really good. Arkansas will be a hostile environment. Iowa State and Oklahoma are really good. We’re hoping Sarkisian can put a winning record together. “ blah blah blah. That shit is real inside Bellmont and that’s the narrative they’re selling. I continue to hope that Sarkisian isn’t buying in and also fear that he has, or might even be the guy pushing that. 

[Fud 9562]

14 hours ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Be interesting to see if ULL defends Texas like they did ISU.  Committed to stopping the run with numbers and didn't think the ISU WR's could beat the ULL Corners.

They didn't go all out to stop the run game from what I saw. It looked like typical defensive numbers that you'd expect against any given formation, they were just really well drilled. In fact, for most of the game ISU was getting positive yardage in the run game, and seemed to be getting frustrated because Louisiana was all over their play-action, and they probably would have preferred Louisiana overcommit to the run so they'd have had more room in the passing game. Also, ISU was missing their starting RG and TE heading into the game, and lost their starting LG towards the end of the second quarter, all of which likely negatively impacted the offense

The ISU had issues getting open at times because Louisiana's corners are good, but they also dropped above five passes when open, and Purdy didn't see some others open when he locked into his first read

[BurntOrange&White 40449]

2 minutes ago, Fud said:

They didn't go all out to stop the run game from what I saw. It looked like typical defensive numbers that you'd expect against any given formation, they were just really well drilled. In fact, for most of the game ISU was getting positive yardage in the run game, and seemed to be getting frustrated because Louisiana was all over their play-action, and they probably would have preferred Louisiana overcommit to the run so they'd have had more room in the passing game. Also, ISU was missing their starting RG and TE heading into the game, and lost their starting LG towards the end of the second quarter, all of which likely negatively impacted the offense

The ISU had issues getting open at times because Louisiana's corners are good, but they also dropped above five passes when open, and Purdy didn't see some others open when he locked into his first read

Am I misremembering but wasn't that game basically in a rainy/wet? 

Edited July 16, 2021 by BurntOrange&White