2021 Fall Camp Thread - Bend Over & I’ll Continue Showing You

[Huckleberry 33060]

1 minute ago, Revolution512 said:

Just remembered why you should never football board. Not sure if that’s on me or this collection of low IQ motherfuckers. Christ on a cracker…..pro-vax, anti-vax, DJ Monroe, Saban says so…..I wonder how you all came to be, the know-it-all’s you are. I guess this is why I spent my lifetime wishing, the waitress would come around

*know-it-alls

[HornsofBevo 122]

1 minute ago, Revolution512 said:

Just remembered why you should never football board. Not sure if that’s on me or this collection of low IQ motherfuckers. Christ on a cracker…..pro-vax, anti-vax, DJ Monroe, Saban says so…..I wonder how you all came to be, the know-it-all’s you are.

Don’t worry. By the end of next Saturday we’ll be arguing over signing Sark to a new contract or firing him on Monday. 

[Stunns38 3538]

Kai Money is Money?

[Tex Pete 20429]

1 hour ago, Sir Ulrich said:

Credit to @Longhornfrenzy for this find. Can't believe how well he blends in. 

 

 

He looks like an aspiring truck driver. 

[Vertigo 20303]

1 hour ago, Sir Ulrich said:

Credit to @Longhornfrenzy for this find. Can't believe how well he blends in. 

 

 

[ousux 5601]

Welp, thats either a good guess or it's unofficially official

I'm fine with it, just hope Casey doesnt get sucked into the portal before the end of the season.

[ousux 5601]

If you visually averaged out every male aggy student I think Haynes King is what you'd end up with.

Or if advanced AI was tasked with creating an aggy

[DanTheHorn 4944]

1 hour ago, crash_davis said:

3 pages of absolute shit posts. The ability of this board to argue stupid shit and overplay memes is astounding. 

[ousux 5601]

With the exception of old man Jack Coan, pretty cool to see the best guys from the 2020 high school class getting their shot at the top programs at the same time. Will be an interesting experiment in talent/ranking vs. development.

Not just Jack, D.J. also looking like he should be getting ready for his oldest to graduate and think about tweaking his retirement portfolio.

[Burt Macklin 19038]

 

8 hours ago, GoldAppleCorps said:

<trigger alert - no bitcha to me>

Kai kinda reminds me that Jordy Nelson kid that wasn't overly fast or super athletic. He just seemed to materialize all by himself 8 yards down field on 3rd and 7. Everyone in the stands would just yell, "Why won't someone cover that little fucker?".

Bravo, sir. This is one of the dumbest/worst comps I’ve ever seen on Surly. Nelson was 6’2+ and ran a 40 on the 4.4s while Kai Money is 5’10 and might not break a 4.7. They are not even close to similar. 

[Eugene11 379]

8 hours ago, alphahorn said:

LOL, have you seen the infection rates for those who have been vaccinated? 

 

6 hours ago, BornOrange said:

 

"It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear to be stupid than open it and remove all doubt." - Mark Twain

 

[Voluminous Banality 1032]

3 hours ago, Sir Ulrich said:

Credit to @Longhornfrenzy for this find. Can't believe how well he blends in. 

 

 

[Droopy 2626]

2 hours ago, Revolution512 said:

Just remembered why you should never football board. Not sure if that’s on me or this collection of low IQ motherfuckers. Christ on a cracker…..pro-vax, anti-vax, DJ Monroe, Saban says so…..I wonder how you all came to be, the know-it-all’s you are. I guess this is why I spent my lifetime wishing, the waitress would come around

“…Telling jokes, shooting pool on the other side of town.” Love me some CB. 

[Bevo 13593]

5 hours ago, Mikey4 said:

Lol, Urban or Bust would regularly have 20+ pages like that. Hell, almost everything on surly is stupid shit and memes, isn't it?

[Bevo 13593]

3 hours ago, Burt Macklin said:

 

Bravo, sir. This is one of the dumbest/worst comps I’ve ever seen on Surly. Nelson was 6’2+ and ran a 40 on the 4.4s while Kai Money is 5’10 and might not break a 4.7. They are not even close to similar. 

 

I looked up tons of players like Chad Johnson, Randy Moss, Julio Jones, and Larry Fitzgerald, but Kai is pretty unique. Maybe the closest comp is Raymond Berry but he is 6'2".

 

 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by Bevo

[Sgt Hulk 13821]

8 hours ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

Everybody saw Ron Jeremy coming. 

User name checks out 

[Eggo 3987]

8 hours ago, Sir Ulrich said:

Credit to @Longhornfrenzy for this find. Can't believe how well he blends in. 

 

 

Looking forward to our matchups against Haynes "Spooky" King

[LTtxfan 49329]

[TexasTroll 454]

10 hours ago, Bevo said:

So Kai Money is the next Jerry Rice. You guys are on fire tonight.

Next thing to white rice

[BurntOrange&White 39956]

10 hours ago, Bevo said:

So Kai Money is the next Jerry Rice. You guys are on fire tonight.

 

3 minutes ago, TexasTroll said:

Next thing to white rice

Whitey Rice

[gmr548 16591]

3 pages of absolute shit posts. The ability of this board to argue stupid shit and overplay memes is astounding. 

Just remembered why you should never football board. Not sure if that’s on me or this collection of low IQ motherfuckers. Christ on a cracker…..pro-vax, anti-vax, DJ Monroe, Saban says so…..I wonder how you all came to be, the know-it-all’s you are. I guess this is why I spent my lifetime wishing, the waitress would come around

Y’all new here?

[Eggo 3987]

The amount of whining that goes on on this site about the subtlest hint of digressive humor is hilarious. Surly is full of smart people and a few idiots all trying to have a good time. The nonsense is like the raisins in Irish soda bread. Sure, it'd probably be better without them, but it's fucking tradition so eat up. Lighten up, Francises. It's nearly fucking football time. 

Edited August 26, 2021 by Eggo

[Irieguy 1059]

7 hours ago, Burt Macklin said:

 

Bravo, sir. This is one of the dumbest/worst comps I’ve ever seen on Surly. Nelson was 6’2+ and ran a 40 on the 4.4s while Kai Money is 5’10 and might not break a 4.7. They are not even close to similar. 

This. Jordy Nelson had over 1,500 yards in one NFL season. Just an embarrassingly awful comparison. @GoldAppleCorps

[BurntOrange&White 39956]

2 minutes ago, Eggo said:

The amount of whining that goes on on this site about the subtlest hint of digressive humor is hilarious. Surly is full of smart people and a few idiots all trying to have a good time. The nonsense is like the raisins in Irish soda bread. Sure, it'd probably be better without them, but it's fucking tradition so eat up. Lighten up, Francises. It's nearly fucking football time. 

If you really want to fuck with them just start a thread about something that's stashed in another meta thread. OMFG WHY DON'T YOU LOOK IN THE "BLAH BLAH BLAH" THREAD IT'S LITERALLY THERE!

 

The best part of that is the meta thread has some obscure name that doesn't really reflect what you're posting.

Edited August 26, 2021 by BurntOrange&White

[The Beast 585]

I’m still waiting on Gary Kubiak.

[BurntOrange&White 39956]

1 minute ago, The Beast said:

I’m still waiting on Gary Kubiak.

LOL got damn CDC is a dipshit for that.

 

Gary Kubiak
Sonny Dykes
James Franklin

[Eggo 3987]

How BYU QB Steve Sarkisian wrecked Texas A&M’s Wrecking Crew for 6 touchdowns 25 years ago - Athletic

Spoiler

The moment Phil Bennett picked up the phone, knowing the topic of conversation, he said, “Thanks for bringing up my 44-year nightmare.”

That’s how long the North Texas defensive coordinator has coached football, and few losses stick with him the way the 1996 Pigskin Classic does. It was 25 years ago this week that Bennett, then Texas A&M’s defensive coordinator, and the No. 13 Aggies traveled to Provo, Utah, for a preseason kickoff game. BYU quarterback Steve Sarkisian and the Cougars’ high-powered offense razed the Aggies’ vaunted Wrecking Crew defense for 536 passing yards, six touchdowns and a 41-37 victory.

“I’ve never gotten over that game,” Bennett said, “ever.”

Although Sarkisian, 47, is the center of attention for his new gig as Texas head coach, trying to restore the Longhorns to their past glory, he holds a seminal place in BYU lore. His on-field exploits helped engineer one of the best seasons in Cougars program history, a season that began with a memorable display of quarterbacking a quarter century ago. That it came against the program that is now his in-state and future SEC rival is just a convenient twist of fate.

“He was incredibly accurate as a passer,” said former NFL tight end Chad Lewis, who played for the Cougars on Aug. 24, 1996. “Wherever he put it, we were going to go catch it.

“He was just such a perfect leader for our team.”

It was a game that almost didn’t happen.

The Pigskin Classic, a preseason game that didn’t count against the NCAA 11-game limit, took place every August from 1990 to 2002. It began as a neutral-site affair in Anaheim, Calif., before shifting to on-campus sites in 1995. Texas A&M, following a 9-3 season capped by a win against Michigan in the Alamo Bowl and a top-15 finish in the rankings, was offered a chance to host the ’96 game but was unwilling to guarantee a sellout, a requirement by the game’s organizers.

Before the game came together, head coach R.C. Slocum mentioned the possibility of playing a kickoff game to his staff. Bennett, whose defense had just lost key secondary pieces such as cornerback Ray Mickens and safety Dennis Allen, had only one request: Don’t play anybody who throws the ball a lot.

The Aggies explored playing Northwestern at Soldier Field in Chicago, but those plans were shuttered because of a conflict with the Democratic National Convention, which was being held in the city around the same time. With A&M instead paired with BYU, Slocum summoned Bennett to deliver the news.

Bennett still recalls his response to Slocum: “Are you fucking crazy?”

Bennett’s fears were warranted. The Aggies had two cornerbacks (Donovan Greer and Andre Williams) coming off knee surgery. BYU coach LaVell Edwards and offensive coordinator Norm Chow were ahead of the curve in offensive football then, spreading it out and throwing the ball much more frequently than their peers.

And though the Cougars were unranked and coming off a 7-4 season in which they missed the postseason, they spent the offseason leading up to 1996 practicing “with a chip on our shoulder and something to prove,” Sarkisian said. The 1995 season broke BYU’s 17-year bowl appearance streak and the team was eager to shake off that disappointment.

“That offseason was pretty intense,” Sarkisian said. “When that game got scheduled, our mindset was that it was a chance to prove ourselves.”

The ’96 Cougars were talented. Five BYU players who started against A&M wound up being NFL Draft picks: offensive linemen Eric Bateman and John Tait, defensive lineman Harland Ah You, tight end Itula Mili and receiver Ben Cahoon. Cahoon caught a key 33-yard pass from Sarkisian in the fourth quarter against A&M. Lewis, the tight end opposite Mili, went undrafted but had a productive nine-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

But the Aggies had the Wrecking Crew. Slocum’s mid-1990s defenses had a reputation for being big, physical and stingy. From 1993-95 only six of A&M’s 35 opponents reached the 20-point threshold. And the last time Texas A&M met BYU, it was ugly: The Aggies dominated the Cougars 65-14 in the 1990 Holiday Bowl, separating both of quarterback Ty Detmer’s shoulders. The Los Angeles Times headline: Aggies Hang Detmer on Trophy Wall.

The night before the ’96 clash, Edwards pulled up video highlights (or rather, a horror film for BYU) from the Holiday Bowl that assistant Duane Busby had compiled. He showed it to the team, and after it concluded, a recording of Detmer, who was in training camp with the Eagles at the time, appeared on screen. The former Heisman Trophy winner encouraged the Cougars to get revenge.

“That was a powerful video,” Lewis said. “It was incredibly motivating for our team. After we saw that, it was ‘Game on.’”

Sarkisian, a Torrance, Calif., native, took an unconventional path to BYU. Coming out of high school, only UC-Davis, a Division II school at the time, offered a football scholarship. He instead took a baseball scholarship to USC, but never really got comfortable.

He transferred to El Camino College, where he returned to football and thrived. After two seasons, he transferred to BYU. Sarkisian started immediately as a junior and had his ups and downs. But he finished the 1995 season by completing 31 of 34 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns against Fresno State in the Cougars’ season finale.

When those stats flashed across the ABC game broadcast before kickoff against A&M, Dick Vermeil, the eventual Super Bowl-winning coach who served as the game’s analyst alongside play-by-play man Brent Musburger, said, “you can look for him to be better today, but maybe not recreate those kinds of statistics. He hasn’t faced a pass rush like he’s going to see today.”

Instead, BYU’s big and talented offensive line barely allowed the A&M defense to touch Sarkisian. And the senior quarterback was nearly flawless.

The Cougars started fast, scoring on their first possession after Sarkisian hit Mili for a 48-yard gain and Lewis for a diving 5-yard touchdown catch for an early six-point lead. But the Aggies, led by Tennessee transfer quarterback Branndon Stewart and a strong rushing attack, settled in and took control, jumping out to a 20-6 lead early in the second quarter.

Special teams helped BYU get back in it, as A&M returner Michael Jennings bobbled a bouncing punt, which the Cougars recovered. Sarkisian and the BYU offense found a rhythm, and he hit Mili and receiver Kaipo McGuire for touchdown passes to tie the score at 20 just before halftime.

The second half turned into a shootout. Sarkisian caught fire, completing 17 consecutive passes at one point before A&M safety Rich Coady picked him off in the third quarter. Sarkisian, Mili, Lewis, McGuire and receiver Levi Kealaluhi ate up chunks of yards in the middle of the field.

“They figured out how to attack us,” said A&M linebacker Dat Nguyen, named an All-American in 1998. “We were covering more space than we were used to. We couldn’t stop them.”

“We knew they were a heavy man-to-man team,” Sarkisian said. “We were able to chase them out of man coverage with some of our man beaters, and that forced them into playing more zone, which maybe they weren’t as comfortable doing. That got us into our comfort zone of finding those soft spots and getting completions.”

Stewart, with the help of 100-yard performances from running backs Eric Bernard and Sirr Parker, continued to respond. With the score tied at 34 early in the fourth, a dramatic finish awaited.

Late in regulation, Stewart hit Albert Connell on a slant for a touchdown, but it was called back on an ineligible man downfield penalty. With 87 seconds left, the Aggies settled for a 52-yard field goal and a three-point lead, leaving Sarkisian and the Cougars one more chance to tie the score or win it.

It took BYU just three plays to get downfield. Sarkisian hit McGuire for an 11-yard gain, then hit Kealaluhi, nicknamed “K.O.,” over the middle for 21 yards to cross midfield.

When the next play call came in, Kealaluhi wasn’t thrilled. His job was to run a go-route down the sideline to influence a safety to help, which would open up the middle of the field so Sarkisian could hit a tight end.

But Sarkisian had noticed that A&M’s cornerbacks “were nosy. They were looking in the backfield trying to maybe help others do their job rather than just doing their job.” So the Cougars opted to take a downfield shot from the Aggies’ 46-yard line.

When Kealaluhi came off the line of scrimmage, he thought, “Oh, I’m never gonna get this ball.” But once he noticed Sarkisian firing it his way, he accelerated, beat Williams, and caught it over his shoulder. Hit perfectly in stride, Kealaluhi sprinted across the goal line, slid onto his back and held the ball up above his face before dropping it and covering his facemask with both hands in disbelief. The crowd exploded. Moments later, a Stewart fumble on the final A&M possession sealed BYU’s victory.

On the touchdown call, Musburger yelled, “Levi Kealaluhi, the K.O. punch!”

“No way that just happened,” Kealaluhi recalled thinking. “To be thrown the ball in that situation when the game’s on the line, that’s all you dream of. … That was probably the highlight of my career.”

“We did something no one thought we could do,” Sarksian said. “We knocked off one of the perennial powers in college football at that time when no one was really giving us the chance to do it.”

Even Edwards was surprised, at least at how it all unfolded. Surrounded by jubilant fans who had rushed the field, he told sideline reporter Jack Arute after the game, “This is certainly not the score I would have predicted.”

Of the field rush, Sarkisian joked: “After celebrating, my next thought was, ‘I wanna get out of here, because I don’t know who all these people are.’

“But it was a great day, and it was a great start to a really memorable season.”

BYU went 14-1, losing only at Washington that season. The Cougars won the Western Athletic Conference, beat Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl and finished the year ranked fifth in the Associated Press poll.

“It’s the only time in BYU history that they’ve ever played on New Year’s Day,” Sarkisian said. “So we hold that in high regard.”

Added Kealaluhi: “It’s a memory that will always go down in history. When someone taps you on the back and reminds you of what you did for a program or how you made them feel, there’s nothing like it.”

Meanwhile, the loss was a sign of further trouble for the Aggies. Three weeks later, they lost to Louisiana (then known as Southwestern Louisiana) to start 0-2. They finished 6-6 with a blowout loss to Texas to end the season, one of only two .500 seasons that Slocum had in his 14-year tenure.

“Coach Slocum took us back into two-a-days (after the BYU loss),” offensive lineman Steve McKinney said, remembering a relentless two weeks of practice before A&M, “went down to Louisiana and completely laid an egg.”

Multiple players on that 1996 A&M team would get a better ending as part of the 1998 team that upset Kansas State and won a Big 12 championship, though.

Sarkisian’s final line against the Aggies: 33 of 44 passing, 536 yards, six touchdowns, one interception. He went on to throw for more than 4,000 yards in 1996, set a school record for completion percentage, surpassing Steve Young, led the nation in passer rating, won the Sammy Baugh Trophy and was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year. Sarkisian went undrafted and spent three years in the Canadian Football League before entering coaching in 2000.

Beyond the numbers and accolades, Kealaluhi remembers a poised, reliable leader. When the pressure was on and chaos reigned, Sarkisian was calm and steady.

“He’s one of the best, if not the best leader I’ve ever been around,” Kealaluhi said. “He had this swag about him. … I actually strive to be like him as a coach and a leader. He had this way to make us feel comfortable when we knew it was on the line.”

The old quarterback is now trying to impart his wisdom on a pair of young ones, as Sarkisian oversees a competition between Hudson Card and Casey Thompson for the right to be Texas’ QB1. Sarkisian’s successful history coaching quarterbacks is well-documented, fueled in part by his own playing experience. Sarkisian credits Chow, the late Roger French and former BYU national championship quarterback Robbie Bosco for tutoring him in the BYU offense, which gave Sarkisian freedom to change plays and route combinations at the line of scrimmage. That authority paid off that August day against Texas A&M.

Sarkisian also still carries much of what he learned from Edwards, a college football coaching legend and pioneer who died in 2016. Now in his third head coaching job thanks in large part to his offensive mind, Sarkisian tries to maintain not only the core schematic principles that he learned in Provo, but also build relationships the way Edwards did.

“A lot of my talks with him were not about football,” Sarkisian said. “It was about being a man and being the best man you can be, and also the confidence that he had in me. I’ve always tried to hold on to that.

“As coaches, we’re more than X’s and O’s, we’re more than just schemes and techniques. We’re leaders of men. But that quiet confidence he instilled in me as a player is something I’ve always tried to do with the guys that I’ve coached. Make sure that every Saturday that they take the field, that my coach believes in me.”

 

[LebongJames 1813]

19 minutes ago, Irieguy said:

This. Jordy Nelson had over 1,500 yards in one NFL season. Just an embarrassingly awful comparison. @GoldAppleCorps

All American and Biletnikoff finalist as well.

[South Austin 52552]

4 minutes ago, LebongJames said:

All American and Biletnikoff finalist as well.

Don't forget that Nobel Prize.

[LTtxfan 49329]

28 minutes ago, Eggo said:

How BYU QB Steve Sarkisian wrecked Texas A&M’s Wrecking Crew for 6 touchdowns 25 years ago - Athletic

  Reveal hidden contents

The moment Phil Bennett picked up the phone, knowing the topic of conversation, he said, “Thanks for bringing up my 44-year nightmare.”

That’s how long the North Texas defensive coordinator has coached football, and few losses stick with him the way the 1996 Pigskin Classic does. It was 25 years ago this week that Bennett, then Texas A&M’s defensive coordinator, and the No. 13 Aggies traveled to Provo, Utah, for a preseason kickoff game. BYU quarterback Steve Sarkisian and the Cougars’ high-powered offense razed the Aggies’ vaunted Wrecking Crew defense for 536 passing yards, six touchdowns and a 41-37 victory.

“I’ve never gotten over that game,” Bennett said, “ever.”

Although Sarkisian, 47, is the center of attention for his new gig as Texas head coach, trying to restore the Longhorns to their past glory, he holds a seminal place in BYU lore. His on-field exploits helped engineer one of the best seasons in Cougars program history, a season that began with a memorable display of quarterbacking a quarter century ago. That it came against the program that is now his in-state and future SEC rival is just a convenient twist of fate.

“He was incredibly accurate as a passer,” said former NFL tight end Chad Lewis, who played for the Cougars on Aug. 24, 1996. “Wherever he put it, we were going to go catch it.

“He was just such a perfect leader for our team.”

It was a game that almost didn’t happen.

The Pigskin Classic, a preseason game that didn’t count against the NCAA 11-game limit, took place every August from 1990 to 2002. It began as a neutral-site affair in Anaheim, Calif., before shifting to on-campus sites in 1995. Texas A&M, following a 9-3 season capped by a win against Michigan in the Alamo Bowl and a top-15 finish in the rankings, was offered a chance to host the ’96 game but was unwilling to guarantee a sellout, a requirement by the game’s organizers.

Before the game came together, head coach R.C. Slocum mentioned the possibility of playing a kickoff game to his staff. Bennett, whose defense had just lost key secondary pieces such as cornerback Ray Mickens and safety Dennis Allen, had only one request: Don’t play anybody who throws the ball a lot.

The Aggies explored playing Northwestern at Soldier Field in Chicago, but those plans were shuttered because of a conflict with the Democratic National Convention, which was being held in the city around the same time. With A&M instead paired with BYU, Slocum summoned Bennett to deliver the news.

Bennett still recalls his response to Slocum: “Are you fucking crazy?”

Bennett’s fears were warranted. The Aggies had two cornerbacks (Donovan Greer and Andre Williams) coming off knee surgery. BYU coach LaVell Edwards and offensive coordinator Norm Chow were ahead of the curve in offensive football then, spreading it out and throwing the ball much more frequently than their peers.

And though the Cougars were unranked and coming off a 7-4 season in which they missed the postseason, they spent the offseason leading up to 1996 practicing “with a chip on our shoulder and something to prove,” Sarkisian said. The 1995 season broke BYU’s 17-year bowl appearance streak and the team was eager to shake off that disappointment.

“That offseason was pretty intense,” Sarkisian said. “When that game got scheduled, our mindset was that it was a chance to prove ourselves.”

The ’96 Cougars were talented. Five BYU players who started against A&M wound up being NFL Draft picks: offensive linemen Eric Bateman and John Tait, defensive lineman Harland Ah You, tight end Itula Mili and receiver Ben Cahoon. Cahoon caught a key 33-yard pass from Sarkisian in the fourth quarter against A&M. Lewis, the tight end opposite Mili, went undrafted but had a productive nine-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

But the Aggies had the Wrecking Crew. Slocum’s mid-1990s defenses had a reputation for being big, physical and stingy. From 1993-95 only six of A&M’s 35 opponents reached the 20-point threshold. And the last time Texas A&M met BYU, it was ugly: The Aggies dominated the Cougars 65-14 in the 1990 Holiday Bowl, separating both of quarterback Ty Detmer’s shoulders. The Los Angeles Times headline: Aggies Hang Detmer on Trophy Wall.

The night before the ’96 clash, Edwards pulled up video highlights (or rather, a horror film for BYU) from the Holiday Bowl that assistant Duane Busby had compiled. He showed it to the team, and after it concluded, a recording of Detmer, who was in training camp with the Eagles at the time, appeared on screen. The former Heisman Trophy winner encouraged the Cougars to get revenge.

“That was a powerful video,” Lewis said. “It was incredibly motivating for our team. After we saw that, it was ‘Game on.’”

Sarkisian, a Torrance, Calif., native, took an unconventional path to BYU. Coming out of high school, only UC-Davis, a Division II school at the time, offered a football scholarship. He instead took a baseball scholarship to USC, but never really got comfortable.

He transferred to El Camino College, where he returned to football and thrived. After two seasons, he transferred to BYU. Sarkisian started immediately as a junior and had his ups and downs. But he finished the 1995 season by completing 31 of 34 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns against Fresno State in the Cougars’ season finale.

When those stats flashed across the ABC game broadcast before kickoff against A&M, Dick Vermeil, the eventual Super Bowl-winning coach who served as the game’s analyst alongside play-by-play man Brent Musburger, said, “you can look for him to be better today, but maybe not recreate those kinds of statistics. He hasn’t faced a pass rush like he’s going to see today.”

Instead, BYU’s big and talented offensive line barely allowed the A&M defense to touch Sarkisian. And the senior quarterback was nearly flawless.

The Cougars started fast, scoring on their first possession after Sarkisian hit Mili for a 48-yard gain and Lewis for a diving 5-yard touchdown catch for an early six-point lead. But the Aggies, led by Tennessee transfer quarterback Branndon Stewart and a strong rushing attack, settled in and took control, jumping out to a 20-6 lead early in the second quarter.

Special teams helped BYU get back in it, as A&M returner Michael Jennings bobbled a bouncing punt, which the Cougars recovered. Sarkisian and the BYU offense found a rhythm, and he hit Mili and receiver Kaipo McGuire for touchdown passes to tie the score at 20 just before halftime.

The second half turned into a shootout. Sarkisian caught fire, completing 17 consecutive passes at one point before A&M safety Rich Coady picked him off in the third quarter. Sarkisian, Mili, Lewis, McGuire and receiver Levi Kealaluhi ate up chunks of yards in the middle of the field.

“They figured out how to attack us,” said A&M linebacker Dat Nguyen, named an All-American in 1998. “We were covering more space than we were used to. We couldn’t stop them.”

“We knew they were a heavy man-to-man team,” Sarkisian said. “We were able to chase them out of man coverage with some of our man beaters, and that forced them into playing more zone, which maybe they weren’t as comfortable doing. That got us into our comfort zone of finding those soft spots and getting completions.”

Stewart, with the help of 100-yard performances from running backs Eric Bernard and Sirr Parker, continued to respond. With the score tied at 34 early in the fourth, a dramatic finish awaited.

Late in regulation, Stewart hit Albert Connell on a slant for a touchdown, but it was called back on an ineligible man downfield penalty. With 87 seconds left, the Aggies settled for a 52-yard field goal and a three-point lead, leaving Sarkisian and the Cougars one more chance to tie the score or win it.

It took BYU just three plays to get downfield. Sarkisian hit McGuire for an 11-yard gain, then hit Kealaluhi, nicknamed “K.O.,” over the middle for 21 yards to cross midfield.

When the next play call came in, Kealaluhi wasn’t thrilled. His job was to run a go-route down the sideline to influence a safety to help, which would open up the middle of the field so Sarkisian could hit a tight end.

But Sarkisian had noticed that A&M’s cornerbacks “were nosy. They were looking in the backfield trying to maybe help others do their job rather than just doing their job.” So the Cougars opted to take a downfield shot from the Aggies’ 46-yard line.

When Kealaluhi came off the line of scrimmage, he thought, “Oh, I’m never gonna get this ball.” But once he noticed Sarkisian firing it his way, he accelerated, beat Williams, and caught it over his shoulder. Hit perfectly in stride, Kealaluhi sprinted across the goal line, slid onto his back and held the ball up above his face before dropping it and covering his facemask with both hands in disbelief. The crowd exploded. Moments later, a Stewart fumble on the final A&M possession sealed BYU’s victory.

On the touchdown call, Musburger yelled, “Levi Kealaluhi, the K.O. punch!”

“No way that just happened,” Kealaluhi recalled thinking. “To be thrown the ball in that situation when the game’s on the line, that’s all you dream of. … That was probably the highlight of my career.”

“We did something no one thought we could do,” Sarksian said. “We knocked off one of the perennial powers in college football at that time when no one was really giving us the chance to do it.”

Even Edwards was surprised, at least at how it all unfolded. Surrounded by jubilant fans who had rushed the field, he told sideline reporter Jack Arute after the game, “This is certainly not the score I would have predicted.”

Of the field rush, Sarkisian joked: “After celebrating, my next thought was, ‘I wanna get out of here, because I don’t know who all these people are.’

“But it was a great day, and it was a great start to a really memorable season.”

BYU went 14-1, losing only at Washington that season. The Cougars won the Western Athletic Conference, beat Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl and finished the year ranked fifth in the Associated Press poll.

“It’s the only time in BYU history that they’ve ever played on New Year’s Day,” Sarkisian said. “So we hold that in high regard.”

Added Kealaluhi: “It’s a memory that will always go down in history. When someone taps you on the back and reminds you of what you did for a program or how you made them feel, there’s nothing like it.”

Meanwhile, the loss was a sign of further trouble for the Aggies. Three weeks later, they lost to Louisiana (then known as Southwestern Louisiana) to start 0-2. They finished 6-6 with a blowout loss to Texas to end the season, one of only two .500 seasons that Slocum had in his 14-year tenure.

“Coach Slocum took us back into two-a-days (after the BYU loss),” offensive lineman Steve McKinney said, remembering a relentless two weeks of practice before A&M, “went down to Louisiana and completely laid an egg.”

Multiple players on that 1996 A&M team would get a better ending as part of the 1998 team that upset Kansas State and won a Big 12 championship, though.

Sarkisian’s final line against the Aggies: 33 of 44 passing, 536 yards, six touchdowns, one interception. He went on to throw for more than 4,000 yards in 1996, set a school record for completion percentage, surpassing Steve Young, led the nation in passer rating, won the Sammy Baugh Trophy and was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year. Sarkisian went undrafted and spent three years in the Canadian Football League before entering coaching in 2000.

Beyond the numbers and accolades, Kealaluhi remembers a poised, reliable leader. When the pressure was on and chaos reigned, Sarkisian was calm and steady.

“He’s one of the best, if not the best leader I’ve ever been around,” Kealaluhi said. “He had this swag about him. … I actually strive to be like him as a coach and a leader. He had this way to make us feel comfortable when we knew it was on the line.”

The old quarterback is now trying to impart his wisdom on a pair of young ones, as Sarkisian oversees a competition between Hudson Card and Casey Thompson for the right to be Texas’ QB1. Sarkisian’s successful history coaching quarterbacks is well-documented, fueled in part by his own playing experience. Sarkisian credits Chow, the late Roger French and former BYU national championship quarterback Robbie Bosco for tutoring him in the BYU offense, which gave Sarkisian freedom to change plays and route combinations at the line of scrimmage. That authority paid off that August day against Texas A&M.

Sarkisian also still carries much of what he learned from Edwards, a college football coaching legend and pioneer who died in 2016. Now in his third head coaching job thanks in large part to his offensive mind, Sarkisian tries to maintain not only the core schematic principles that he learned in Provo, but also build relationships the way Edwards did.

“A lot of my talks with him were not about football,” Sarkisian said. “It was about being a man and being the best man you can be, and also the confidence that he had in me. I’ve always tried to hold on to that.

“As coaches, we’re more than X’s and O’s, we’re more than just schemes and techniques. We’re leaders of men. But that quiet confidence he instilled in me as a player is something I’ve always tried to do with the guys that I’ve coached. Make sure that every Saturday that they take the field, that my coach believes in me.”

 

Thanks Eggo -- Last part is great commentary on SARK...

Beyond the numbers and accolades, Kealaluhi remembers a poised, reliable leader. When the pressure was on and chaos reigned, Sarkisian was calm and steady.

“He’s one of the best, if not the best leader I’ve ever been around,” Kealaluhi said. “He had this swag about him. … I actually strive to be like him as a coach and a leader. He had this way to make us feel comfortable when we knew it was on the line.”

The old quarterback is now trying to impart his wisdom on a pair of young ones, as Sarkisian oversees a competition between Hudson Card and Casey Thompson for the right to be Texas’ QB1. Sarkisian’s successful history coaching quarterbacks is well-documented, fueled in part by his own playing experience. Sarkisian credits Chow, the late Roger French and former BYU national championship quarterback Robbie Bosco for tutoring him in the BYU offense, which gave Sarkisian freedom to change plays and route combinations at the line of scrimmage. That authority paid off that August day against Texas A&M.

Sarkisian also still carries much of what he learned from Edwards, a college football coaching legend and pioneer who died in 2016. Now in his third head coaching job thanks in large part to his offensive mind, Sarkisian tries to maintain not only the core schematic principles that he learned in Provo, but also build relationships the way Edwards did.

“A lot of my talks with him were not about football,” Sarkisian said. “It was about being a man and being the best man you can be, and also the confidence that he had in me. I’ve always tried to hold on to that.

“As coaches, we’re more than X’s and O’s, we’re more than just schemes and techniques. We’re leaders of men. But that quiet confidence he instilled in me as a player is something I’ve always tried to do with the guys that I’ve coached. Make sure that every Saturday that they take the field, that my coach believes in me.”

[BurntOrange&White 39956]

Bobby:

With less than 10 days until kickoff, it is all but a foregone conclusion that Hudson Card will be named the starter at quarterback for the Horns in the opener against Louisiana.

Card, as Inside Texas was first to report, started taking first-team reps at QB following the first scrimmage of pre-season camp. During that scrimmage, Casey Thompson threw two poor interceptions, while Card protected the ball better and led the offense’s most impressive drive of the day.

Of course, despite being younger, Card is also considered to have a higher ceiling than Thompson.

But none of those facts will matter come Sept. 4.

We’re to the point of pre-season camp where the focus turns almost exclusively to wins and losses. As it should.

So it no longer really matters much who is “looking good” in camp. It matters most if that player can help the Horns win on a given Saturday this season.

**

Current expected weather for the opener for the 3pm kick is 99-degrees with 39-percent humidity and 5-6mph wind.

Wear a hat and hydrate (with your beverage of choice)!

[Droopy 2626]

15 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Current expected weather for the opener for the 3pm kick is 99-degrees with 39-percent humidity and 5-6mph wind.

Wear a hat and hydrate (with your beverage of choice)!

Are you sure that's not 89%? Seems low. Still Hot AF

Edited August 26, 2021 by Droopy

[Tex48 840]

6 minutes ago, Droopy said:

Are you sure that's not 89%? Seems low. Still Hot AF

If its only at 39%, 99 degrees is fine.  If its like 60% or above, people are going to be dropping like flies.  

[DanTheHorn 4944]

5 hours ago, Bevo said:

 

I looked up tons of players like Chad Johnson, Randy Moss, Julio Jones, and Larry Fitzgerald, but Kai is pretty unique. Maybe the closest comp is Raymond Berry but he is 6'2".

Kai Money reminds me of the Pony Excess 30 for 30 interview with one of the players that played when they restarted the program. I am paraphrasing: "We were small but the good thing is that we were also slow".

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by DanTheHorn

[BurntOrange&White 39956]

 

 

[Getafix 28738]

 

The Insider: Offensive depth chart coming together
CHIP BROWN
 

Spoiler

The Insider: Offensive depth chart coming together
CHIP BROWN
 

Texas is simulating game week this week right down to staying together as a team in a hotel on Friday night.

Every position on offense knows who the starters are based on a two-deep roster put together by the coaches last weekend - every position except quarterback.

Sources said the starting receivers will be Jordan Whittington, Joshua Moore and Xavier Worthy - the three best receivers all of fall camp.

The starting offensive line will be Christian Jones at left tackle, Denzel Okafor at left guard, Jake Majors at center, Junior Angilau at right guard and Derek Kerstetter at right tackle.

Cade Brewer is the starting tight end/H-back, and Bijan Robinson is the starting running back.

Every position except quarterback.

Practice reps on Wednesday were evenly divided between redshirt freshman Hudson Card, who worked first with the No. 1 offense, and redshirt junior Casey Thompson. Thompson didn’t split any second-team reps with true freshman Charles Wright on Wednesday after doing so the previous two days in practice.

Sources said Thompson had one of his better practices on Wednesday and that Thompson, after suffering a rash of interceptions at the beginning of camp and in the first fall camp scrimmage (two), has been protecting the ball much better since then.

Thompson threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in last Saturday’s scrimmage, while Card threw for one touchdown and ran for two scores. Neither quarterback turned the ball over in the second scrimmage.

The fact Card has been the first quarterback to work with the No. 1 offense the past two weeks, and the team is already working on the game plan for Louisiana in practice, would indicate that Sarkisian is preparing to name Card as his starter.

Sources said Sarkisian hasn’t spoken with his quarterbacks yet about who will be the starter.

But there is a real possibility Thompson would pack up and leave school if Card is named the starter after Thompson, who is coming off a glowing performance in last season’s Alamo Bowl, waited and worked for three seasons for the opportunity to start.

Sources said Sarkisian is aware that Thompson might leave if Card is named the starter, and that Sarkisian “is concerned” about that possibility.

Multiple sources said Wright isn’t anywhere close to being ready for game action if he ended up as Card’s backup and something happened to Card.

***

GETTING TO KNOW HUDSON CARD

Steve Sarkisian and Jeff Banks recruited and offered a scholarship to Hudson Card while they were at Alabama. Card ended up accepting a scholarship from Texas and shutting down his recruitment. Alabama ended up with five-star Bryce Young who is expected to be the Tide’s starting quarterback this season.

But there is familiarity between Sarkisian and Card that dates back to Card’s days at Lake Travis High School.

Austin Westlake coach Todd Dodge remembers a lanky seventh and eighth grader named Hudson Card coming up from Houston to attend Dodge’s summer quarterback camp.

“I remember thinking wherever that kid ends up for high school, they ought to be really happy to have him,” Dodge said of Card. “And then, low and behold, he (Card) moves from Houston and ends up at Lake Travis, our biggest rival.”

Card’s games against Westlake his junior and senior years represented the low and high of his high school career, respectively.

As a junior against Westlake, the Chaparrals brought constant blitz pressure, and Card threw two interceptions and had two other pickoffs negated by Westlake penalties in a 44-14 loss.

As a senior against Westlake, Card suffered a bad case of turf toe in the first half, yet gutted it out and played in the second half, leading Lake Travis to a come-from-behind, 26-25 victory on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Card to Grayson Sandlin.

“That’s the only game we’ve lost in the last 30 games,” said Dodge, whose team is the two-time defending 6A Division II state champion.

“That performance by Hudson was a tribute to his toughness, because, if he doesn’t return after halftime, we probably win the game. But he extended plays, made plays and beat us by a point.

“We always tell our players, ‘Don’t ever be afraid to show your teammates your toughness.’ And we came away from that game with a lot of respect for Hudson.”

Card missed the next six games his senior season while recovering from the turf toe injury before returning to the field and taking down Converse Judson (and five-star defensive lineman Demarvin Leal) in the playoffs.

Dodge, a former Longhorns’ starting quarterback, said his current Westlake quarterback - Cade Klubnik - reminds him of Card.

“They’re both lanky, can really throw it and both can run a hole in the wind as a quarterback,” Dodge said. “To me, that’s a compliment to Cade that he compares to Hudson, who is at a big-time program like Texas.”

Dodge said he’s a fan of Card’s skillset.

“I don’t know how Hudson has been doing at Texas,” Dodge said. “But as a play caller, you like his versatility as a quarterback who can throw from the pocket and on the run, making plays off schedule.”

Lake Travis coach Hank Carter said Longhorn Nation is about to appreciate Card as a top-level quarterback.

“I don’t know if Hudson gets the respect he deserves,” Carter said. “But he’s about to. Some people said he’d end up a receiver at Texas, and I said, ‘He’ll never touch the field as a receiver at Texas. He’s going to be the quarterback.’

“He’s a super smart kid, incredibly mentally tough, super athletic and commands respect from his teammates,” Carter said. “When he’s on the field, his teammates are probably thinking, ‘We’re going to win,’ because of how confident and competitive he is.”

Because Lake Travis had Matthew Baldwin at quarterback in Card’s sophomore year, Card played receiver. Carter said Card played the last eight games of his sophomore year with a broken bone in his left wrist.

“We didn’t know, because he never said anything,” Carter said. “Then, in the state playoffs, he put this wrap on it, and we had it X-rayed, and it was broken. He’s a tough, tough kid.”

Card has worked with personal quarterback coach Brad Stanfield, who says Card's biggest improvement has come in three specific areas:

No.1 Accuracy within the offense, No. 2 his footwork and No. 3 throwing on the move from an array of arm angles.

Some have described Card as quiet. Carter said, "I don't think he's a quiet kid. I think he's a competitor. He knows as a quarterback, words really matter, that teammates listen, and he definitely doesn't want to bring any added attention to himself outside of what's necessary. Teammates love him."

***

FLU BUG WORKING ITS WAY THROUGH TEAM

A flu-type virus (not COVID-19) has been working its way through the Texas locker room the past week.

Receiver Xavier Worthy had it and missed last Wednesday’s open practice, then backup punter Isaac Pearson missed Saturday’s scrimmage because of it.

And then cornerbacks Josh Thompson and D'Shawn Jamison and safety B.J. Foster had it, missing time in practice earlier this week.

“It’s been a concern for sure,” a team source said.

***

INJURY UPDATE ON TIGHT END BRAYDEN LIEBROCK
Sophomore tight end Brayden Liebrock (6-4, 228) has a torn labrum in his right shoulder and will require surgery that could end his season, a team source told Horns247.

The injury came as Liebrock, a third-year sophomore, had gotten off to a good start in fall camp, the source said.

“In the offense, the two-tight-end sets call for a tight end and also call for more of an H-back,” the source said. “Cade Brewer plays the H-back role, and Liebrock also plays the H-back role well.

“(Jared) Wiley is too tall to play that H-back role, and the freshmen tight ends are still learning, so Liebrock probably would’ve gotten a lot of time in that H-back role. His injury is a blow.”

 

 

[THUJONE 4550]

If Casey portals after camp (which would not be smart, obvi) then we are triple fucked if Hudson gets hurt or sucks. Hate.

[Hiphopopotamos 20876]

17 minutes ago, BurntOrange&amp;White said:

 

 

Can someone tell me how Louisiana is going to prepare any differently for Card than they would Casey?  This is a new offense and the QB's have no tape.  

[BurntOrange&White 39956]

2 minutes ago, Hiphopopotamos said:

Can someone tell me how Louisiana is going to prepare any differently for Card than they would Casey?  This is a new offense and the QB's have no tape.  

 

[thunderlounge 7904]

1 hour ago, Eggo said:

The amount of whining that goes on on this site about the subtlest hint of digressive humor is hilarious. Surly is full of smart people and a few idiots all trying to have a good time. The nonsense is like the raisins in Irish soda bread. Sure, it'd probably be better without them, but it's fucking tradition so eat up. Lighten up, Francises. It's nearly fucking football time. 

Amen to that!
 

This group has never, will never be PC. So if someone gets their feelers hurt, they’re just fucking jokes and shit talking. Been doing it for two decades, and it’s harmless fun. 
 

Hurt feelers? Offended? Well, sorry to hear that. Maybe your mom should have swallowed instead. 
 

 

[South Austin 52552]

23 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

 

 

Is it really that big of an advantage to force Louisiana to prepare for both QBs?  Hudson has played sparingly in garbage time.  Casey has a whole half in a bowl game under a different offense.  Either QB starting shouldn't affect Louisiana's preparation all that much.

Edit:  Hiphopopotamos beat me to it.

Edited August 26, 2021 by South Austin
you pee in your pants

[6th Street 6476]

Steve Sarkisian and Jeff Banks recruited and offered a scholarship to Hudson Card while they were at Alabama. Card ended up accepting a scholarship from Texas and shutting down his recruitment. Alabama ended up with five-star Bryce Young who is expected to be the Tide’s starting quarterback this season.

missed out on Card? No problem let's go sign Bryce Young

[Eggo 3987]

8 minutes ago, THUJONE said:

If Casey portals after camp (which would not be smart, obvi) then we are triple fucked if Hudson gets hurt or sucks. Hate.

Don't worry about it. We've got a former dual threat from Brownsville ready to lead us to victory.

[6th Street 6476]

2 minutes ago, Eggo said:

Don't worry about it. We've got a former dual threat from Brownsville ready to lead us to victory.

He's like Kordell Stewart - can play anywhere 

[South Austin 52552]

3 minutes ago, Eggo said:

Don't worry about it. We've got a former dual threat from Brownsville ready to lead us to victory.

And he'll be throwing it to Kai Money!

[Vertigo 20303]

11 minutes ago, THUJONE said:

If Casey portals after camp (which would not be smart, obvi) then we are triple fucked if Hudson gets hurt or sucks. Hate.

He would have to sit a year regardless at this point right? We are beyond the deadline for that waived requirement. Can graduates just roll up into another team immediately during season?

[JesusSweatDuck 17799]

2 minutes ago, South Austin said:

And he'll be throwing it to Kai Money!

 

[Reynolds Woodcock 4797]

9 minutes ago, thunderlounge said:

Amen to that!
 

This group has never, will never be PC. So if someone gets their feelers hurt, they’re just fucking jokes and shit talking. Been doing it for two decades, and it’s harmless fun. 
 

Hurt feelers? Offended? Well, sorry to hear that. Maybe your mom should have swallowed instead. 
 

 

Do you understand what digressive means? 

[Laga4 1270]

1 hour ago, Tex48 said:

If its only at 39%, 99 degrees is fine.  If its like 60% or above, people are going to be dropping like flies.  

We've got some pretty good depth at DL,  RB,  and DB,  plus an O'line that has some depth for the first time in a long time.  

[South Austin 52552]

4 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

He would have to sit a year regardless at this point right? We are beyond the deadline for that waived requirement. Can graduates just roll up into another team immediately during season?

As I understand the transfer rules, Casey can't transfer this year.  But if he transfers after the season, he doesn't have to sit out next year with his new team.