Game Week- Louisiana

[Nivek 16,982]

7 hours ago, Doc Reeves said:

 

I see them trying to clamp down on the run early and trying to force Card to beat them with his arm against their secondary which is their team strength. Unless there are a bunch of turnover ala NC State in 99 i see our guys wearing them down and covering the spread.

we should win convincingly 

I thought their weakness on defense was against the run?

[South Austin 52,581]

Saturday forecast now up to 99.  Fuck FOX.

[Huckleberry 33,082]

4 minutes ago, Nivek said:

I thought their weakness on defense was against the run?

It is. Here in the Texas game week thread we are concerned that we won't be able to beat their strength because first they will destroy us with their weakness.

[Pig Bellmont 8,734]

If we can’t run on them, then our OL is in terrible shape. 

[BurntOrange&White 39,987]

3 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

It is. Here in the Texas game week thread we are concerned that we won't be able to beat their strength because first they will destroy us with their weakness.

Keep your strengths close but your weaknesses closer or something

[JBJ 3,664]

I believe his post (probably correctly) guesses that our opponent will try to stack the box to slow our run game, while relying on their veteran secondary to test a freshman QB.  It's almost like this is what we should expect to see all season.

Edited September 1, 2021 by JBJ

[Fud 9,552]

They mostly played the run with honest numbers last year, including against Iowa State. They want you to prove that you can march down the field by preventing explosive plays. 

[Doc Reeves 6,434]

22 minutes ago, Nivek said:

I thought their weakness on defense was against the run?

They have very solid corners and we have some issues with our WRs, including a true Fr starting and a new QB, so I expect them to play to their strengths at the start. 

[Droopy 2,626]

12 hours ago, Foosters said:

If there's a hell, its a Texas game thread on the football board.

Rereading the game threads, especially after a win, is one of my favorite Surly traditions. You get to relive the game following all of the comments, but you also get to see which posters are weak minded simpletons whose nuts shrivel up at the first sign of adversity. Those posters are weak in the poo-poo. 

[Zeus 6,127]

He ain't gonna need his beanie

[Fud 9,552]

Watch ISU's first several drives. They're actually a pretty good analogue here. Star running back, spread offense that rotates between 12 and 11 personnel frequently (even with Kolar out for ISU). Passing QB who's a pretty good athlete (although he played like shit in this game). 

If ISU finished a little better and made fewer unforced errors, they could have made this a near blowout by halftime and gotten ULL out of their comfort zone

 

[RaysBoomBoomRoom 5,742]

Does anyone know if we will hear from coordinators during the week or postgame? I know that Saban didn't give his coordinators media availability at all during the season, wondering if sark is doing the same

Edited September 1, 2021 by RaysBoomBoomRoom

[BurntOrange&White 39,987]

Just now, RaysBoomBoomRoom said:

Does anyone know if we will hear from coordinators during the week or postgame? I know Laban didn't give his coordinators media availability at all during the season

From what IT has said expect Sark to do what Saban does in terms of coordinators during the season.

[Hiphopopotamos 20,876]

1 minute ago, RaysBoomBoomRoom said:

Does anyone know if we will hear from coordinators during the week or postgame? I know that Saban didn't give his coordinators media availability at all during the season, wondering if sark is doing the same

I saw several outlets mention that the interview with PK would likely be the only time we'd get to talk to him all year.  Which probably suits PK just fine.

[XYZ 2,154]

33 minutes ago, Droopy said:

Rereading the game threads, especially after a win, is one of my favorite Surly traditions. You get to relive the game following all of the comments, but you also get to see which posters are weak minded simpletons whose nuts shrivel up at the first sign of adversity. Those posters are weak in the poo-poo. 

You mean like greenspoint? Other team gets a first down -> “ballgame”

[Okcool 786]

57 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Saturday forecast now up to 99.  Fuck FOX.

Champions club passes came just in time. It’ll be assholes and elbows in there with that temp. 

[Hiphopopotamos 20,876]

58 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Saturday forecast now up to 99.  Fuck FOX.

I guess its good we have waves of DL to throw out there - our fat kids are going to be toast by the end of this game. 

[Rhinotx 500]

1 minute ago, Hiphopopotamos said:

I guess its good we have waves of DL to throw out there - our fat kids are going to be toast by the end of this game. 

[Doc Reeves 6,434]

1 minute ago, Okcool said:

Champions club passes came just in time. It’ll be assholes and elbows in there with that temp. 

 

[RaysBoomBoomRoom 5,742]

31 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

From what IT has said expect Sark to do what Saban does in terms of coordinators during the season.

That sucks, I always liked getting to know the DC's especially. 

[Huckleberry 33,082]

1 hour ago, JBJ said:

I believe his post (probably correctly) guesses that our opponent will try to stack the box to slow our run game, while relying on their veteran secondary to test a freshman QB.  It's almost like this is what we should expect to see all season.

Yes, but if Napier is such a good coach then you'd think he might have tried this newfangled stack the box theory at some point while the Sun Belt was running all over his defense last year.

[horngasm21 18]

just watched the first half of LaLa-isu, and to me it just looks like both offenses were doodoo. cajuns looked better coached but undersized.  hope we are better prepared first game of the year.

[Vertigo 20,327]

11 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

New radio sideline reporter for TEXAS FOOTBALL.  Replaces "The Quan" who has too many other business commitments to continue.

Will Matthews  🤘

 

I have met Will before and hung with him a few times. He is an eclectic dude. Ricky Williams mercurial type personality, I see this ending well. 

[TexEx15 17,568]

45 minutes ago, Okcool said:

Champions club passes came just in time. It’ll be assholes, elbows and COVID in there with that temp. 

FIFY

[Doc Reeves 6,434]

3 minutes ago, TexEx15 said:

FIFY

 

[Doak 71]

330 in September what a joke

[BrazilHorn 6,630]

56 minutes ago, Hiphopopotamos said:

I guess its good we have waves of DL to throw out there - our fat kids are going to be toast by the end of this game. 

I wonder if this team from Louisiana will be as big a bunch of pussies as LSU was in the heat taking dives and faking injuries.

[BurntOrange&White 39,987]

Do any of y'all have the website/article that talks about Sarkisian's effectiveness as play caller for Alabama that was adjusted for the talent?

[Fud 9,552]

1 minute ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Do any of y'all have the website/article that talks about Sarkisian's effectiveness as play caller for Alabama that was adjusted for the talent?

https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-five-underrated-teams-2021-college-football-season

[Longhornlove 4,883]

16 hours ago, South Austin said:

And nobody will make a joke about my mom.

[Burt Macklin 19,038]

3 hours ago, Fud said:

Watch ISU's first several drives. They're actually a pretty good analogue here. Star running back, spread offense that rotates between 12 and 11 personnel frequently (even with Kolar out for ISU). Passing QB who's a pretty good athlete (although he played like shit in this game). 

If ISU finished a little better and made fewer unforced errors, they could have made this a near blowout by halftime and gotten ULL out of their comfort zone

 

Yeah, for all the talk about press man CBs, they play a lot of off coverage and rushed four while dropping 7 into zone/match schemes. They don’t have many explosive defenders in the front 7 or create many negative yardage plays. Also not much crazy blitzing. They basically just keep everything in front and make you drive 10+ plays.
 

This should be fairly easy for our offense. We should be running it for 5 yards a pop consistently with Bijan and Card is good at executing the system when things are clean. He seems to struggle the most when teams create pressure. ULL creates almost no pressure. They were 90th in the country in sack rate and 95th in the country in passing down situations. Card should have a fairly clean pocket in which to operate and just has to make the right read and get the ball out on time. 
 

Overall, ULL was 111th in Defensive Line yards and 116th on standard down (ie on schedule) line yards. So basically, they give up a high average yards per play, don’t create much pressure, and were bad in almost every single individual defensive statistic, yet their overall defense was 30th in the country per FEI. This is because they make you earn every drive and a lot of CFB teams can’t execute. They were 89th and 76th in the country in drives that fail to gain a first down or result in negative total yards, so they’re not a team that gets you on 3 and outs. They try to make your drive stall 30 yards in. They were also 9th in the country in INTs per game, so their DBs will make you pay if you start forcing things downfield.  
 

It’s like Fud said, they play very conservative and make you execute for 10-15 plays on a drive. Their success comes from the offense failing to execute, not them winning a lot of battles or creating negative plays. Our physical superiority should give us some margin for error in executing on O, and we should be able to establish the run and routinely gain 5 yards per run on them. If we can’t, it’s going to be a long game and a long season, because we will face much better run defenses after them. 

Edited September 1, 2021 by Burt Macklin

[Burt Macklin 19,038]

18 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Do any of y'all have the website/article that talks about Sarkisian's effectiveness as play caller for Alabama that was adjusted for the talent?

The stat everyone keeps throwing around is EPA per play from PFF. Sark never had a game with an overall negative EPA per play average, which is very good even for stacked offenses.
However, the stat does not adjust for talent so it’s not super meaningful since Bama was clearly the most talented offense in the country. 

Edited September 1, 2021 by Burt Macklin

[Hiphopopotamos 20,876]

2 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

Yeah, for all the talk about press man CBs, they play a lot of off coverage and rushed four while dropping 7 into zone/match schemes. They don’t have many explosive defenders in the front 7 or create many negative yardage plays. Also not much crazy blitzing. They basically just keep everything in front and make you drive 10+ plays.
 

This should be fairly easy for our offense. We should be running it for 5 yards a pop consistently with Bijan and Card is good at executing the system when things are clean. He seems to struggle the most when teams create pressure. ULL creates almost no pressure. They were 90th in the country in sack rate and 95th in the country in passing down situations. Card should have a fairly clean pocket in which to operate and just has to make the right read and get the ball out on time. 
 

Overall, ULL was 111th in Defensive Line yards and we’re 116th on standard down (ie on schedule) line yards. So basically, they give up a high average yards per play, don’t create much pressure, and we’re bad in almost every single individual defensive statistic, yet their overall defense was 30th in the country per FEI. This is because they make you earn every drive and a lot of CCB teams can’t execute. They were 89th and 76th in the country in drives that goal to gain a first down or result in negative total yards, so they’re not a team that gets you on 3 and outs. They try to make your drive stall 30 yards in. They were also 9th in the country in INTs per game, so their DBs will make you oh if you starting forcing things downfield.  
 

It’s like Fud said, they play very conservative and make you execute for 10-15 plays on a drive. Their success comes from the offense failing to execute, not them winning a lot of battles or creating negative plays. Our physical superiority should give us some margin for error in executing on O, and we should be able to establish the run and routinely gain 5 yards per run on them. If we can’t, it’s going to be a long game and a long season, because we will face much better run defenses after them. 

Reminds me a lot of the Lovie Smith Bears defenses that would Cover 2 you to death.  Keep everything in front and wait for the offense to fuck up - either through turnover or incompetence.

[SuckitKevin 920]

10 hours ago, Hagbard Celine said:

I have never seen the Horns beat 0u in person.  I do have the stolen 15-15 tie in '84.

But I have a grand total of 7 caps for the US National Team, 7-0-0, 12 goals for, 0 against.

So I have that going for me, which is nice.

[Burt Macklin 19,038]

12 minutes ago, Hiphopopotamos said:

Reminds me a lot of the Lovie Smith Bears defenses that would Cover 2 you to death.  Keep everything in front and wait for the offense to fuck up - either through turnover or incompetence.

Sort of. The difference is most teams that do this successfully are much better against the run. ISU has a similar philosophy on defense (though they execute it differently), but they’re very good against the run. 
 

A team with run D as weak as theirs seems like they should’ve given up more scoring drives. This should be the part we can exploit, but we won’t know until Saturday. Bijan should go for 150+ and have a huge first game that solidifies the talk around for Heisman contention. 

Edited September 1, 2021 by Burt Macklin

[Fud 9,552]

10 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

Sort of. The difference is most teams that do this successfully are much better against the run. ISU has a similar philosophy on defense (though they execute it differently), but they’re very good against the run. 
 

A team with run D as weak as theirs seems like they should’ve given up more scoring drives. This should be the part we can exploit, but we won’t know until Saturday. Bijan should go for 150+ and have a huge first game that solidifies the talk around for Heisman contention. 

They're good at not biting on play-action, and also at baiting bad throws. I think teams just would throw out of habit instead of taking the run yards, and their drives would stall because of it. Although I've only watched two of their games, so I'm extrapolating a little. 

[Daichee Bell 2,933]

2 hours ago, Fud said:

Watch ISU's first several drives. They're actually a pretty good analogue here. Star running back, spread offense that rotates between 12 and 11 personnel frequently (even with Kolar out for ISU). Passing QB who's a pretty good athlete (although he played like shit in this game). 

If ISU finished a little better and made fewer unforced errors, they could have made this a near blowout by halftime and gotten ULL out of their comfort zone

 

I'm gonna let you guys watch crappy games from a year ago, and tell me about it. 

 

[Burt Macklin 19,038]

6 minutes ago, Fud said:

They're good at not biting on play-action, and also at baiting bad throws. I think teams just would throw out of habit instead of taking the run yards, and their drives would stall because of it. Although I've only watched two of their games, so I'm extrapolating a little. 

Yeah, it really seems like we should be able to just run, run, run and be fine because they don’t seem to adjust and bring guys down in the box. Same with their DBs not biting on PA, means they’re also slower to help when we actually run. It may be that so many offenses are centered around passing that play callers can’t bring themselves to just keep running it until the defense stops it. 

[RaysBoomBoomRoom 5,742]

Looks like Thursday pressers are gone too

[Walden Ponderer 12,639]

1 minute ago, Burt Macklin said:

Yeah, it really seems like we should be able to just run, run, run and be fine because they don’t seem to adjust and bring guys down in the box. Same with their DBs not biting on PA, means they’re also slower to help when we actually run. It may be that so many offenses are centered around passing that play callers can’t bring themselves to just keep running it until the defense stops it. 

My only fear for this game is Sark stepping out of character and trying to force things. And that's only a concern because I'm superstitious and we've been snakebit for a decade.

[GoldAppleCorps 624]

3 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

Yeah, it really seems like we should be able to just run, run, run and be fine because they don’t seem to adjust and bring guys down in the box. Same with their DBs not biting on PA, means they’re also slower to help when we actually run. It may be that so many offenses are centered around passing that play callers can’t bring themselves to just keep running it until the defense stops it. 

If the running game is getting 5 yards per carry, football becomes a very easy game. I'm continually amazed at how many offensive coordinators want to play that 4-D chess match and outfox the DC by getting away from an easy play that's working. Make them stop it first.

Breece Hall certainly isn't a tomato can, but playing defense by keeping Bijan Robinson in front of you seems like a recipe for hearing the fight song.

[Mo Horn 8,853]

99 degrees at 3:30. Everyone better hydrate well. Don't want to have to deal with cramping. Maybe stick some Midol or something in their water.  😁

Edited September 1, 2021 by Mo Horn

[Sir Ulrich 5,188]

This play at 3:30 between the NT and Center should be give us the game plan for how Saturday should go on passing downs. 

 

Here is how their NT stacks up to Coburn and Sweat

[Big Woodrows 4,200]

Joe Cook - We're a long way from Maryland

Spoiler

Where were you on September 1, 2017?

You may have been on your way to Austin for the first Texas football game under the watch of head coach Tom Herman. Excitement for the new era under a Dave Campbell’s Texas Football cover-coach was rampant. The cake, which had supposedly been baked, was only lacking icing the Urban Meyer acolyte and his staff would provide.

Where were you on September 2, 2017? 

In the morning, you were probably nursing… okay, gulping… your beverage of choice followed by a Kool-Aid chaser. Holton Hill’s pick-six to start the game probably made you think Texas may have been… actually… back.

As the game wore on, that all changed. Texas lost to the Maryland Terrapins in Austin. The Showband of the Southwest spelled H-E-R-M-A-N out on the field at halftime. Its timing could not have been worse. Longhorn football, as IT’s Paul Wadlington proclaimed, had a staff problem. 

The cake assuredly had not been baked. The ingredients that went into making Charlie Strong’s cake had little chance of becoming consumable with his ham-fisted baking techniques.

It may be easy to think that, four years later, history will repeat itself. But the program is a long way from Maryland. Here’s why.

This is a quality offensive line
The fivesome that started versus Maryland, from left to right, was Connor Williams, Patrick Vahe, Zach Shackelford, Jake McMillon, and Tristan Nickelson. Williams and Vahe were mostly known quantities, but were still very young. Though Shackelford’s story had yet to be fully written, at the time it was going through its “young sophomore afflicted by injury” phase. McMillon was an unproven defensive convert. Nickelson gave great effort, but was severely limited.

For Sarkisian’s opener, he enters with a line from left to right: Christian Jones, Denzel Okafor, Jake Majors, Junior Angilau, Derek Kerstetter. Better put, fourth-year junior, sixth-year senior, true sophomore, fourth-year junior, fifth-year senior. 

Compared to 2017, that’s a stellar O-line. Compared to lines around the country, that’s a quality O-line. This group will offer Hudson Card  protection a step above what Shane Buechele received in Herman’s opener.

Kyle Porter isn’t walking through that door
Against Maryland, Buechele led the Longhorns with… prepare yourself… 15 carries. 

15!

Behind him were Kyle Porter with eight carries and Chris Warren with six carries. Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Jerrod Heard also toted the rock one time apiece.

Buechele: 15 carries, 21 yards, one touchdown

Porter: 8 carries, 21 yards

Warren: 6 carries, 31 yards

Humphrey: 1 carry, 21 yards

Heard: 1 carry, four yards.

Don’t expect that to happen again. Bijan Robinson is the undisputed lead back for Sarkisian, and likely will serve as the focal point of the entire offense. He should receive up to 20 touches per game, and even if Texas gets into a deficit against the Ragin’ Cajuns, he’ll be a part of the effort to dig the Longhorns out of it.

Whether the game reaches a moment of desperation for the Longhorns or not, Robinson brings talent the 2017 running back group simply could not provide, even if you assembled each player’s best attribute. He’ll have a higher quality offensive line to run behind, too. His backups, Roschon Johnson and Keilan Robinson, each would have been Herman’s best option in 2017.

Tight End
In 2017, after Andrew Beck was lost in camp, the position consisted of Garrett Gray, transfer Kendall Moore, and true freshman Cade Brewer.

In 2021, the position consists of fifth-year senior Cade Brewer, junior Jared Wiley, and a stable of promising true freshmen. 

True freshman Gunnar Helm, Sarkisian’s third tight end, would be a better option than those available to Herman in his first season.

Between the headsets
Remember the most recent national title game?

That guy is running the show. While recruiting may be somewhat stagnant, Sarkisian didn’t just forget how to call plays and run an offense. Will he have to adjust to not having players like Mac Jones, Najee Harris, and DeVonta Smith? Of course. Are there still strong options available with players like Bijan Robinson, Xavier Worthy, and Joshua Moore? Of course.

Texas chose Sarkisian, but Sarkisian also chose Texas. He wouldn’t have walked into a situation in which he didn’t think he could succeed early, and he has said as much. 

What about the defense?

Defensive coordinators entering their first year at Texas have been able to reap the benefits of good timing and their predecessor’s strong recruiting. Charlie Strong inherited Jordan Hicks, Quandre Diggs, and several others who make a living in the NFL. Todd Orlando had similar good fortune.

New defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski has a senior-laden secondary and experience and depth in the trenches. He may experience another first-year bump like Manny Diaz, Strong, and Orlando before him, but PK has experience in making those performances last and the defensive roster sets up well in Year 2 as well.

There’s some credit to be given to Herman and his former personnel department. He left Sarkisian in a position to do well in his first year and likely beyond, as UT won’t need to “rebuild” after natural attrition following the season.

If there’s a perceived trap coming in the form of Louisiana, it’s a different situation from that of four years ago today.

After all, we’re a long way from Maryland.

 

[ousux 5,601]

Saturday forecast now up to 99.  Fuck FOX.

JFC

Spend millions on a stadium that will look awesome at night, all new badass coaching staff, Heisman contender..even facing a ranked team with the hottest up and coming coach. So..

Fox sticks it to us with an afternoon game while summer is still raging

Fuck the Big12, fuck Fox and OU still sucks

[Doc Reeves 6,434]

7 minutes ago, Walden Ponderer said:

And that's only a concern because I'm superstitious and we've been snakebit for a decade.

 

The curse is real. To be on the safe side one of you pagans needs to sacrifice a goat.

 

[Walden Ponderer 12,639]

4 minutes ago, Doc Reeves said:

 

The curse is real. To be on the safe side one of you pagans needs to sacrifice a goat.

 

No goat, but I'll slaughter a rooster Saturday morning, just to be sure.

[Hermanator 7,144]

I want to thank each and every one of you in advance who are going to this game and roasting your nuts surrounded by concrete and metal so I can sit in my 70 degree home and watch it. My comfort and convenience would not be possible without your suffering. I salute you

Edited September 1, 2021 by Hermanator

[RaysBoomBoomRoom 5,742]

[sith_horn 2,407]

 

14 hours ago, taybo20 said:

over/under on number of 504 Gateway timeout Errors at 2

And this