Texas Football 2021 In-Season Thread: Can we get a redo?

[BurntOrange&White 40450]

Between game dicussion, articles, and bitching here please.

 

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by BurntOrange&White

[brown water 3780]

Postmensapause?

[BurntOrange&White 40450]

On3 Offensive Player Expectations

 

QB Hudson Card: Should be quality starter. Potential impact player. Makes impact plays. Potential difference maker long term. Can make something out of nothing with arm or legs. Extends plays. Doesn’t make bad decisions. Protects the ball. Will be an award winner eventually.

RB Roschon Johnson: Quality starter, rotational player. Can make impact plays. Runs hard through contact. More explosive this year. Leader.

TE Ja’Tavion Sanders: Needs to grow as a player but has clear upside. Needs to show more intent as a blocker. Good route runner, great hands. Depth player to start then rotational. Likely won’t redshirt.

WR Jordan Whittington: Potential to be impact player. Health concerns are well known. Reliable hands and reliable player. Will lead team in receptions if he remains healthy.

RB Bijan Robinson: Heisman contender. What else needs to be said?

WR Joshua Moore: Looks to have taken a step up from last year. Potential impact player, will make impact plays. Showing ability to separate, go up and get it. Looking to get up field more and make something happen after the catch. Finding more space than before.

RB Keilan Robinson: Potential to be impact player. Can make something out of nothing. Slippery. Dangerous in space. Will likely split carries evenly with Roschon behind Bijan.

WR Xavier Worthy: Ability to become impact player this year. Definite ability to make impact plays. Potential freshman All American.

WR Al’Vonte Woodard: Has had some drops which is uncharacteristic for him. Savvy route runner. Strong against press. Rotational player.

QB Casey Thompson: Potential to become impact player, make impact plays. Quality starter if called upon. Tends to overthink which slows him down. Needs to be more careful with the ball. Can be a playmaker if he lets it loose.

WR Jaden Alexis: Will probably be out for the year. Players nicknamed him “Lil O’Dell” because of hands and route running.

(so of course he’s out)

QB Charles Wright: Redshirt. Shows some similar qualities to Card. Can make something out of nothing.

WR Marcus Washington: Had a pretty strong camp. Confidence has improved. Solid, can separate and get open.

WR Kelvontay Dixon: Banged up. Has speed but missing time hasn’t helped. If he gets healthy should contribute.

TE Jared Wiley: Potential to be quality starter and more. Good receiver, blocking is improving. Still needs to get stronger as a blocker. Moves well and probably deserves more targets.

WR Troy Omeire: Likely out for first game. Didn’t participate in mock game. Kind of an unknown given injury then recent setback.

RB Jonathon Brooks: Redshirt but he can definitely play. Good feet. Needs to become more decisive and get downhill. Can get small. Has burst.

WR Dajon Harrison: Still hurt.

RB Daniel Young: Quality depth, good enough to rotate in. Could play real snaps if needed.

RB Gabe Watson: Depth. Could play in a pinch. Potential fullback ability but Jett Bush plays there now.

WR Montrell Estell: Depth.

OL Jake Majors: Quality starter. Power players give him some trouble, though quick feet and hands serve him well. Needs to get stronger. Handles pressure well, composed player. Seldom has a poor snap.

OL Tope Imade: SEC type of lineman. Just missed his chance. Big, powerful, doesn’t give ground. Could start, quality depth at a minimum. Angilau is better on the move and they’ve been running some outside zone. Third OG.

OL Derek Kerstetter: Quality starter. Solid pass blocker, solid run blocker. Has the size edge on Karic.

OL Andrej Karic: Could be quality starter. Aggressive run blocker. Lacks some size. Quality depth. Third OT.

OL Christian Jones: Possible impact player. All Conference ability, maybe even more in 2022. Good at both run and pass blocking. Has improved big time since Spring.

OL Logan Parr: Depth. Needs to get stronger. Could eventually become decent option at center. Has shown improvement. Not a threat for Majors but long-term depth.

OL Tyler Johnson: Quality depth, could play extensively this year. Still a potential impact player. Would be okay as a starter this year. Good play strength. Fourth OG.

OL Isaiah Hookfin: Best feet of all the OL. Can regroup when beat. Solid with his hands. Fourth OT. Will be good if he bides his time.

OL Rafiti Ghirmai: Solid depth. Lots of bodies in front of him.

OL Junior Angilau: Quality starter. Has improved as a pass blocker. Balanced player, improved anchor in pass pro.

OL Hayden Conner: Can move his feet at his size. Solid with hands for a young player. Uses leverage well at his size. Could play this year. Might redshirt but only because of depth.

OL Jaylen Garth: Needs another year of development. Lacks strength. Has good athleticism. Potential starter down the road.

OL Denzel Okafor: Solid starter. Long arms work to his advantage. Consistent player. Okay as a puller, could be better.

OL Max Merril: Redshirt. A lot of development ahead of him. Has some ability, though.

TE Cade Brewer: Quality starter. Solid all around player. Smart, savvy player.

TE Juan Davis: 50/50 on whether or not he redshirts. Great hands, athletic. Still learning to block. Willing blocker.

WR Kai Money: Won’t play as much this year unless they continue to get hit with injury bug. Still reliable and has made plays in camp.

TE Gunnar Helm: Rotational player. Will become impact player in time. Solid blocker. Plays both TE positions. Third TE.

WR Casey Cain: Redshirt.

TE Brayden Liebrock: Still hurt.
 

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On3 Defensive Player Expectations:

 

Great Expectations

LB DeMarvion Overshown: 100 tackles. Five sacks. Ball hawk in coverage. Lots of picks. Potential All American. All Conference performer.

DB Chris Adimora: Quality depth but capable starter. Losing job plus a bothersome shoulder hasn’t helped. Can make plays. Solid at a minimum. Will play.

CB Darion Dunn: Could be a capable starter. He’ll rotate. Hands for turnover could be better. Drops picks, but good coverage. Finished camp strong.

CB D’Shawn Jamison: All conference punt returner, maybe more. Potential to be first team All Conference corner. Will get his share of picks. Had a consistent August.

EDGE Ben Davis: Could be quality starter. Ability to make impact plays. Got better through camp and will continue to improve.

CB Josh Thompson: Potential to be in All American conversation, especially if ball skills show up. Plays with physicality, strong in coverage. First team All Conference. Stay healthy and consistent, the talent is there.

DB Anthony Cook: Will make impact plays. Can cover very well for the position. Quality starter. More physical than you think. Totally reinvigorated.

LB Marcus Tillman: Depth. Just hasn’t been the same since his injury.

DB Brenden Schooler: Quality starter. Potential to be more. Run support is solid, not afraid to play downhill. Can cover ground in coverage. Coming around on being in the right place at the right time. If he gets that right he’ll have a big year.

EDGE Ovie Oghoufo: Quality player, can make impact plays. A little more consistent than Davis so far. Hard to keep blocked in the run game.

CB Ishmael Ibraheem: Redshirt but upside down the road. Bright future ahead. Showed growth throughout camp. Will mix it up. Focused.

CB Kitan Crawford: Could already be a quality starter. Big upside. Will rotate in and play well. The future at corner.

CB Jahdae Barron: Potential to be impact player down the road. Can cover. Improved throughout camp. Getting more consistent. Could even start this year if needed. Similar to Thompson in play style but not as fast.

DB Marques Caldwell: Depth.

DB BJ Foster: Quality starter. Good downhill in run support, good range.

DB Jerrin Thompson: Will rotate in behind Schooler. Excellent depth. Could be quality starter.

LB Jaden Hullaby: Depth.

LB Devin Richardson: Could be rotational player at Mike. Upside down the road. Would be ready to start at some point this season if needed.

CB Jamier Johnson: Redshirt. Could become a player.

EDGE Prince Dorbah: Ready to make impact plays in pass rush. Behind Thornton and Ovie at XOLB right now. Has to become more complete.

LB David Gbenda: Ready to be quality starter but will be rotational player to start. Able to make impact plays. Fast. Big upside down the road.

EDGE Jacoby Jones: Quality starter, can make impact plays. Plays run and pass well. Not super athletic but good, solid player.

LB Ayodele Adeoye: Quality depth.

LB Jaylan Ford: Rotational player. Capable starter if needed. Can make impact plays. Upside down the road.

DB Tyler Owens: Potential to become impact player next year. Speed is still there. Safeties won’t rotate all that much but he should play some. Could be capable starter this year if called upon.

DL Vernon Broughton: Rotational player. Can make impact plays. Getting better under Bo Davis. Good interior pass rusher. Big upside if he keeps developing.

EDGE Ray Thornton: Quality starter. Rotational player. Could make impact plays. Probably won’t be a high sack player but disruptive behind the line of scrimmage.

LB Luke Brockermeyer: Quality starter. Could make impact plays. Expect some picks. Potential to make All Conference noise.

EDGE Jett Bush: Rotational player. Reliable depth. Versatile. Still playing fullback. More athletic than people think. Will play behind Jacoby Jones. Might get some pass rush looks.

DL Sawyer Goram-Welch: Good, solid player. Potential to play this year. Needs to keep developing and let depth chart clear out. Can play at Texas.

DL Myron Warren: Depth but could play some this year at 3-tech.

DL T’Vondre Sweat: Has All Conference potential. Can do some good things as a pass rusher. Obviously big versus the run. Quality starter. Impact plays. Potential to start but Coburn ahead of him.

DL Alfred Collins: Potential to be All American (not this year). Impact plays left and right. Rotational player but also impact player. Like Broughton, still learning to be consistent.

DL Moro Ojomo: All Conference player. Good versus run and pass. Great fit in this defense at 3-tech. Coming out party for him. Very consistent.

DL Keondre Coburn: Likely All Conference, maybe All American. Energy player; players feed off of him. Impact player. Play strength/power in lower body is rare. Depth helps him.
 

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On3 True Freshmen Expectations:

CB Ishmael Ibraheem: Redshirt but upside down the road. Bright future ahead. Showed growth throughout camp. Will mix it up. Focused.

The book coming out of HS: Good feet, fluidity, physicality, and initial quickness. Long speed looked tough to gauge but appeared to be there to me.

CB Jamier Johnson: Redshirt. Could become a player.

The book coming out of HS: Highly rated early on, his name dropped off a bit. Not sure why, other than maybe his slight frame. Texas was pushing the hardest when it mattered. Looks like he can stick at corner which was a big question, but he brought other things to the table that could translate to becoming a good safety once he physically matures.

DB JD Coffey: Maybe play four games and redshirt, but he’ll redshirt. A little too early to have a read.

The book coming out of HS: Instinctive, rangy safety who is more physical than you’d expect. Would require some time in S&C. Quicker than fast. Pete Kwiatkowski and Jimmy Lake liked him at U-Dub.

LB Terrrence Cooks II: #35: Upside is there. Might get some playing time this year. Will likely play four games and redshirt unless he’s a special teams player. Has worked at all the linebacker positions.

The book coming out of HS: Underrrated. A front-line linebacker talent with a great frame and athleticism. Great COD. Significant upside as a blitzer or coming off the edge. A little unknown as a block reader and garbage man.

DB Michael Taffe: Have to mention him. Makes plays in the secondary. Has turned heads making interceptions in camp and during 7 on 7. Has confidence. Athletic enough for big time ball. Likely scholarship player eventually.

Here he is picking the bottled blonde

The book coming out of HS: State championship performance was a real head turner. It was more than just that interception. Texas re-examined PWO numbers to make him fit on the roster. He was highly coveted.

LB Morice Blackwell: Looking at him at safety. Could be a good special teams player as a freshman if they don’t want to redshirt him. Shows athletic promise.

The book coming out of HS: Didn’t just play all three phases, he played multiple roles within each phase. On the small side of what can be reasonably projected to college linebacker. Active, natural player, just needs the right role.

EDGE DJ Harris Jr.: Could be impact player down the road. Lots of bodies ahead of him. A play ‘four and redshirt’ candidate. Physical at the point of contact, good motor. Should push Dorbah.

The book coming out of HS: High character kid who’s a perfect fit for the XOLB. Good play strength, good length despite being 6-2.5 or so. Good frame potential. Maximizer. High floor.

EDGE: Jordon Thomas: Currently not with the team for reasons that don’t need to be disclosed. Nothing criminal related.

The book coming out of HS: Looked to be a brutish future 3-tech who got by with motor more than finesse.

EDGE David Abiara: Redshirt. Needs to get quicker off the ball. Talented but has to want it.

The book coming out of HS: Big need because of UT’s lack of edge options. Better junior film than senior. Being dropped by Notre Dame for a youthful prank brought concerns of maturity into play. Those are still in play.

EDGE Barryn Sorrell: Probably redshirt but upside down the road. Quick for his size. Smart player. Good motor. Great floor.

The book coming out of HS: Showed good power and straight-line movement ability. A bigger kid, looked to have 3-tech ability as he matured. Current intel states he probably plays Jumbo Jack for the duration of his career. Will play a lot in 2022.

DL Byron Murphy: Rotational player player, can make impact plays, big upside down the road. “Most underrated player in a long time.”

The book coming out of HS: We were high on him for reasons why he’s already turning heads, however, we should have been higher. Loved his floor but his ceiling looks to be quite high. He’s very difficult to keep blocked.

[BurntOrange&White 40450]

BobbyBurton - Monday

 

Hudson Card was tabbed the Longhorns’ starting quarterback by Steve Sarkisian over the weekend. Not a major surprise if you followed the news closely in fall camp.

Card takes the reins of a Texas program at a crossroads.

While Sam Ehlinger and Tom Herman improved upon the last handful of down years in the Mack Brown era and the abysmal tenure of Charlie Strong, the Horns never quite got over the hump. Texas never returned to the truly elite of college football.

So with Sarkisian and Card now at the helm, the question becomes whether they are the duo to help return Texas to prominence.

I think both are up for the job. But there are significant obstacles this year.

Texas comes out of the gate with two fairly difficult non-conference games.

In conference, I think there are four teams to really watch. Oklahoma, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and TCU could all be nationally ranked.

OU returns its QB and has improved dramatically on defense the last couple of years. Iowa State is talented and experienced in the right spots. The Cyclones are without a doubt at the height of the program’s history. OSU is experienced on both sides of the ball, with a defense better than most realize. And TCU has more offensive firepower than ever, although it is mostly younger.

Then there’s also a Texas Tech team that some observers in Lubbock feel could be a sleeper this year because of a new QB and offensive coordinator. K-State should also be worth watching - the Wildcats scored a couple of upsets a year ago.

We will see if Card and Sarkisian are up to the task and can bring some magic back to DKR.

We’re only five days away from getting our first real look at what is next for Texas football in 2021, which is a new era at both head coach and quarterback alike. And hopefully a return to more significant times.

[futureman 22565]

9 minutes ago, brown water said:

Postmensapause?

it’s dumb. weak poster comes up with a weak name. not shocking. 

[Eskimohorn 5654]

Sark Contrast. Nice

[Nope 3143]

Circling the commode, the B12 victory lap

[BurntOrange&White 40450]

On3 Depth Chart Prediction:

 

We should receive Steve Sarkisian’s inaugural depth chart today. We like to make our predictions in advance of the first depth chart just to see how close we can get. You never really know because of the proliferation ‘ORs’ in the modern depth chart game. You also don’t know what position groupings they’ll list. Will they reflect 12 personnel? Probably. Will they reflect both nickel and base on defense? Likely. Could I have looked up recent Alabama and Washington depth charts? Nobody has time for that.

In any event, this will give you an idea of how we see the depth chart. We suspect it will be close to what the coaches put out.

Quarterback
Hudson Card
Casey Thompson

Running Back
Bijan Robinson
Roschon Johnson OR Keilan Robinson

Wide Receiver
X Jordan Whittington, Y Xavier Worthy, Z Joshua Moore
Marcus Washington, Kai Money, Al’Vonte Woodard

*That was the starting WR grouping in the mock game. We expect Troy Omeire to miss the opener. Kelvontay Dixon could be listed but he’s not 100%. Jordan Whittington plays inside and outside, as does Xavier Worthy.

Tight End
Y Jared Wiley and H Cade Brewer
Y and H Gunnar Helm and H Juan Davis OR Y and H Sanders

*Wiley missed the mock game due to illness and Helm played in his place. Helm is the third TE.

Offensive Line
LT Christian Jones, LG Denzel Okafor, OC Jake Majors, RG Junior Angilau, RT Derek Kerstetter
Isaiah Hookfin, Tyler Johnson, Logan Parr, Tope Imade, Andrej Karic

*O-line depth charts are usually the most meaningless. Karic is really the backup left tackle; Kerstetter is the backup center; Tope Imade is the third guard.

Defensive Line
Jack EDGE Jacoby Jones, DT Keondre Coburn, 3-tech Moro Ojomo, XOLB Ray Thornton
Jett Bush OR Alfred Collins, T’Vondre Sweat, Vernon Broughton, Ovie Oghoufo

*Jett Bush also plays XOLB when they’re in base. Alfred Collins will play 3-tech some this year, too. Byron Murphy could be an OR with Sweat. Sawyer Goram-Welch may get a mention at 3-tech.

Linebacker
MLB Luke Brockermeyer, WLB DeMarvion Overshown, SLB Ovie Oghoufo
Jaylan Ford, David Gbenda, Ben Davis

*Devin Richardson could be an OR with Ford at Mike. Terrence Cooks II could get a mention with Davis at Sam.

Nickel
Anthony Cook
Chris Adimora

*Cook can also play free safety in base. Adimora can play safety as well.

Cornerback
D’Shawn Jamison
Kitan Crawford

Free Safety
BJ Foster
Tyler Owens

Strong Safety
Brenden Schooler
Jerrin Thompson

*Jerrin Thompson plays both safety positions and started in the mock game for Foster who was out with illness. He’s the third safety.

Cornerback
Josh Thompson
Darion Dunn OR Jahdae Barron

[Burt Macklin 19099]

38 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Wide Receiver
X Jordan Whittington, Y Xavier Worthy, Z Joshua Moore
Marcus Washington, Kai Money, Al’Vonte Woodard

And this right here is why Sark has been wanting to run a bunch of 12 personnel even though our TEs are the greatest position group in the country. 
 

Edit: imamac makes a good point

Edited August 30, 2021 by Burt Macklin

[immamac 43569]

5 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

And this right here is why Sark has been wanting to run a bunch of 12 personnel even though our TEs are nothing special. 

You watch your dirty whore mouth when talking about the Burnt Ends sir. Lol

[NoName 16621]

10 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

And this right here is why Sark has been wanting to run a bunch of 12 personnel even though our TEs are nothing special. 

[NoName 16621]

The Athletic/Feldman: Why Texas named Hudson Card its starting QB: ‘Wait till you see this kid’

the only quotes worth reading:

Quote

“Wait till you see this kid,” a Longhorns source said this week. “It’s not like Casey isn’t good, but this kid’s upside is through the roof. He’s so accurate and is really athletic. It’s impressive stuff.”

and

Quote

“Hudson has got a chance to be special,” a former UT coach on the 2020 staff predicted of Card when assessing the quarterbacks situation in Austin. “He is ridiculously good. He can really spin it. He makes good decisions. He has a lot of ‘It’ factor.”

---

 

Spoiler

Why Texas named Hudson Card its starting QB: ‘Wait till you see this kid’

By Bruce Feldman Aug 28, 2021 95

It probably surprises some folks who remember how flawless Casey Thompson looked in torching the Colorado defense in Texas’ bowl win last winter. But Hudson Card has beaten out the more experienced player for the Longhorns’ starting quarterback job when they open against No. 23 Louisiana next weekend, a source told The Athletic on Saturday morning. The news was first reported by 247Sports.

Card, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound redshirt freshman, has generated a lot of buzz inside the UT program. This was the expected outcome in the minds of several sources on the Longhorns staff. Card isn’t just seen as the future at Texas, but the present as well. Coupling Card’s skill set with the game-breaking ability of budding star running back Bijan Robinson is why the staff thinks the Horns are going to win big very soon.

“Wait till you see this kid,” a Longhorns source said this week. “It’s not like Casey isn’t good, but this kid’s upside is through the roof. He’s so accurate and is really athletic. It’s impressive stuff.”

Card was actually a standout wide receiver at Texas powerhouse Lake Travis while the program also had touted QB Matthew Baldwin, who later signed to play quarterback at Ohio State. Card was in the same 2020 quarterbacks class in Texas and ranked higher nationally (No. 4 QB) than new Texas A&M starter Haynes King (No. 9 QB), according to the 247Sports Composite. He completed 66 percent of his passes as a senior at Lake Travis.

Card wowed the former UT staff as the 2020 season went on with what they saw on the practice field, evoking some Aaron Rodgers comparisons in his ability to move within the pocket and throw from different arm angles and make off-platform throws.

“Hudson has got a chance to be special,” a former UT coach on the 2020 staff predicted of Card when assessing the quarterbacks situation in Austin. “He is ridiculously good. He can really spin it. He makes good decisions. He has a lot of ‘It’ factor.”

Thompson, came into the Alamo Bowl last December at the start of the second half after Sam Ehlinger left with an injury, going 8-for-10 with four touchdown passes in a 55-23 rout.

Thompson, a fourth-year QB who signed with Texas in December 2017, is expected to get some action in the opener against Louisiana. No. 21 Texas essentially has two quarterbacks, and the prospect of losing one of them in wake of the QB decision this week would leave the program in a precarious spot.

 

[BurntOrange&White 40450]

JoeCook

Well-known member

Staff member

16 minutes ago

 

Before Texas began its first preseason camp under Steve Sarkisian, the Longhorns went through a summer strength and conditioning program under Torre Becton. For Hudson Card, this past summer, his second summer at Texas, was his first "normal" June and July in a college program.

"With my first summer, it was so weird and different," Card told Inside Texas on the evening of August 4 in one of three exclusive interviews. Other interviews took place on the evenings of August 15 and August 22. "Because of COVID, I don’t think I really experienced the normal summer."

In the summer of 2020, just five months after Card enrolled early as part of the 2020 class, Texas football players attempted to progress through offseason workouts with new restrictions. Often, those restrictions limited some of the interaction that normally takes place during an offseason.

Offseasons are spent trying to build bodies, but they are also important in building camaraderie. But that camaraderie was tough to come by in the summer of 2020 for a variety of reasons. The most simple reason was there were rules and regulations designed to keep players safe that kept players apart.

"Just because we got sent home for most of it, then with COVID, there were so many groups just to stay socially distant," Card said. "It just wasn’t near as team-related I would say because we had to be split up so much last year. This year, as a team, we’re more together. I would say that’s the biggest difference. Then, just not as many crazy rules and breaks and stuff we had to adapt to."

There's tremendous value in team workouts over the summer, but winning a high stakes quarterback competition requires more work than is allowed in the limited hours the players and coaches spend together in the offseason. It requires solo work; sessions with trainers designed to hammer home the teachings of the coaching staff.

Card has worked with Brad Stanfield since he was in seventh grade. Over the summer, they worked together to nail down mechanics and other aspects of the position. One area they keyed on was stepping up in the pocket following play action, a directive given by Sarkisian and quarterback coach AJ Milwee. Play action is a major component of the Texas offense. Working on moving up in the pocket to protect the offensive tackles was something Card drilled constantly.

When Card wasn’t on the field, he would study the new playbook to pair schematic understanding with his technical work. Along with Stanfield, he would simulate scenarios that are consistent with certain play calls.

One scenario Sarkisian's offense offers more often than the previous one? Downfield opportunities.

"I would say one of the biggest things is a lot of shots will come but just to be patient with them," Card said. "You don’t always have to force the ball downfield. Take the checkdown. When that shot does open up, just be ready for it."

Card also noticed Sarkisian was skilled at tailoring the offense to the strengths of the quarterback. He saw it in the play action game with Mac Jones and in the RPO game with Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama.

"For me, I think it will be a little bit of both, some RPO and play action," Card said. "I’m excited about what’s going to come."

Learning the offense and preparing to play in it were high priorities during his summer, but the coaches gave him one more task. After playing his true freshman season at 193 pounds, the coaches told Card what he already knew, he needed to get bigger.

"Each meal, I was eating quite a bit and then I would have a second lunch, then I would drink a pretty big protein shake every night," Card said.

Gaining an understanding of the expectations levied by the new staff was a massive part of Card's summer. It was massive for everyone else in the program, too.

Leadership might be the biggest adjustment he's made over the course of the summer. He thinks of himself as someone who leads more by example, dating back to his days at Lake Travis. But the starting quarterback at Texas can't solely lead by example. Improving his vocal leadership was Card's main goal heading into the summer.

"I’ve also tried to grow in speaking up more, and that’s something I feel like I’ve been doing a better job, to encourage," Card said. "One thing I’ve been trying to get better at too is even if it’s not rah-rah with the whole entire team, just go up to individual players whether that’s ‘hey, on this route get your depth’ or ‘good job on that route.’ Just going up to each player individually and talking to them carries a long way as well. I’ve tried to step out of my comfort zone in that way and speak more to the team as well."

That leads into Card's answer to the following hypothetical: If Hudson Card is able to _______ during this preseason training camp, he'll be under center for the first snap against Louisiana.

"I would say bringing the team along with me," Card said. "Obviously, the team, the players eventually will – I wouldn’t say pick a side. But try to bring them along with me and get their respect, and have trust with them. The game of football, you have to trust one another. It’s not a one-man job, it’s an 11-man job. Having trust with your teammates and one another, and just trying to bring them along and make them better. I feel like if I can do that and I can make them better, then I think it will go a long way."

[Wally Pryor 5311]

Bitching?  Is there where we complain that there have been no piss meters, baseball bats, sledgehammers, lip gloss, gold teeth, soggy pancakes and other shit?

[BurntOrange&White 40450]

 

[Walden Ponderer 12639]

The talent and coaching is there for this to be the best defense we have fielded in more than a decade. On the flip side of the ball, if Bijan gets more than 20 carries per game, and a reasonable number of catches to go with it, there's not a game on the schedule that can't be won.

But a decade of mediocrity teaches caution. I want to see none of the major players self-destruct. Just not committing own-goals would be a major fucking improvement.

I swear, every time Sark mentions his sponsor is happier news to my ears than whatever the receivers may have been doing. Just maintain. Just don't screw up. And then the winning will follow.

[LarryMoeSurly 411]

3 hours ago, Walden Ponderer said:

The talent and coaching is there for this to be the best defense we have fielded in more than a decade. On the flip side of the ball, if Bijan gets more than 20 carries per game, and a reasonable number of catches to go with it, there's not a game on the schedule that can't be won.

But a decade of mediocrity teaches caution. I want to see none of the major players self-destruct. Just not committing own-goals would be a major fucking improvement.

I swear, every time Sark mentions his sponsor is happier news to my ears than whatever the receivers may have been doing. Just maintain. Just don't screw up. And then the winning will follow.

We’re gonna need our receivers to catch the ball. Otherwise teams will just stack the box to shut Bijan down. 
It would also help if PK has taught our guys not to shoot ourselves in the foot on D. 

[Coach pop a bitch 5782]

Hope all is well with Jordan Thomas. I am looking forward to see what he can do for the team.

[BurntOrange&White 40450]

Ian Boyd long ass post about 4 remaining quesitons after fall camp that's probably about nothing:

 

Quote

Fall camp is now over. Texas has their two-deep, including the starting quarterback, and are in the middle of preparations for playing Billy Napier’s Louisiana Ragin Cajuns. We’ll have more on the Fighting Napiers later in the week, suffice to say for now they are a good football team which is clearly well coached but MOSTLY lacking high-end talent. Rosters with 20 returning starters who’ve been in the program four, five, or six years typically aren’t loaded with NFL players.

We’ve learned a fair amount about the Longhorns’ own roster, which has far fewer returning starters in some of the key positions across the team. A few questions remain.

How ready is Hudson Card?

For essentially the entirety of the Steve Sarkisian era to date, the main talking point regarding Texas’ quarterback situation is the classic refrain you hear when a coach is overseeing a battle for the starting job. “We can win with both guys!”

In reality, fielding a single quarterback who’s a strong leader and playmaker isn’t very easy. For most of the 2010s, Texas was hoping to have even one such player on campus and healthy. Most of the time, although not always, when a coach says “we can win with both guys” it really means either the competition isn’t actually close or neither is particularly good, not that both guys are dueling for the chance to be All-Conference.

This battle has always contained the tricky dynamic of Casey Thompson’s poor fit within Sark’s offense. Thompson was a good prospect for the Tom Herman offense, which was designed to use the quarterback as a point guard distributing the ball to the perimeter or inside to the running back in the inside zone run game and then bring value-add as a featured runner or as a scrambler in the passing game. It’s very easy to imagine Thompson having success in an offense like the one Greg Ward, Jr operated at Houston.

Sark’s offense is different. The quarterback’s ability to scramble, much less be a feature back on third and two, is de-emphasized. If the quarterback is running around in the backfield, Sark would prefer it’s to check down or throw it away.

The “point guard” distribution in the inside run game is also considerably more involved, with full-field RPO reads, option routes on the perimeter, and heavy doses of play-action. Thompson clearly has some throwing ability on one-read throws but was always going to be more comfortable in a system which allowed him to throw outside and on the move rather than navigating interior defenders (like Luke Brockermeyer). “Throw it or run it yourself” is more the type of RPO where Thompson could thrive, not the more skill-intensive, “if you see X coverage, go through this progression, otherwise hand off” system Sark teaches.

So Card, the more fluid and versatile passer, was always a much cleaner fit, but he still had to beat out the older quarterback. He’s now done so, pending in-game performances which dramatically change the dynamics of the competition.

The big remaining question is the extent to which Card's ascendance to QB1 is a function of his preparedness and to what extent the decision was made by Thompson’s poor fit and inability to avoid interceptions. Louisiana should help sort this question out.

Can Texas control the box?

Both Sark and his defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski each have systems designed to help them control the box with six primary players. Napier’s Louisiana team has a similar design, albeit with different schemes, so who’s going to win at the point of attack? Whether or not Texas can impose their will in the trenches will be put to the test immediately.

The reports on the Texas defense sound very promising. The expectation is for Texas to be able to send waves of highly talented defensive tackles at opponents, even to the point of struggling to maximize all the talent which deserves to be on the field. Linebacker appears solidified by the growth from Luke Brockermeyer and David Gbenda combined with the return of DeMarvion Overshown. It’d be surprising if the Texas defensive front struggled with any regularity in the fall.

On offense, the picture is less clear. The interior group of Denzel Okafor, Jacob Majors, and Junior Angilau was expected to be a team strength until they had to face the Longhorn defensive front all offseason and rarely seem to get the better of them in reports. Jared Wiley’s blocking as a tight end is not yet established as a team strength either and there’s both good and bad from his spring game performance.

The Texas front was plenty effective in 2019 with Angilau and Kerstetter prominently involved and Majors, Okafor, and Jones were dominant against K-State and Colorado late in 2020. The spectrum of “great against bad competition yet unable to dominate great competition” is pretty massive. Where along the spectrum does the offensive front fall?

How will teams attack this defense?

I think there may be some trial and error from Texas’ opponents this season in sorting out how to get the best of Pete Kwiatkowski and this defensive personnel. Had I not been closely following our insider reports all offseason, my first instinct would have been to expect Texas vulnerability in the middle of the field.

If you double the tackles can the linebackers find the ball? How will they fare when hunted in coverage?

But now I suspect the answers to those questions is not only positive, but potentially very positive. I expect Brockermeyer and Overshown to be problems in coverage and playmakers in the run game as a result of playing behind Coburn, Moro Ojomo, and the others.

So how will teams get after the Longhorns?

If you want to attack the safeties, it’s going to be difficult in this scheme which plays three cornerbacks at a time, even in base defense (if Anthony Cook plays free safety). Check out the matchups for a team trying to attack Texas' 3-4 package with a double tight end formation.


When the free safety is Anthony Cook, you can still drop him down over a slot like you would in nickel and free up the Sam linebacker to play on the edge and across from a tight end. Overall the safeties in PK's defense are very much a support position, showing up as needed from a safe depth, they’re not going to be asked to play primary roles at the point of attack like in previous schemes.

Beating Texas' nickel and cornerbacks in coverage may work but it doesn’t really seem like an efficient strategy to throw against them regularly for teams who don’t have really high level passing attacks and great receivers.

This leaves the edges as the place to attack. How will the Jacks and Bucks (outside linebacker ends) handle teams coming downhill at them with good blocking tight ends and tackles? Will Texas’ speedy linebackers look fast if opponents can get push off tackle?

It’s very probable there are no glaring weak spots in the Texas defense unless you have higher caliber players on offense. This is a huge boost in the Big 12 where many coordinators know how to pick at a weak spot and force you to overcompensate. Texas may only need to compensate for opposing strengths rather than personal weaknesses.

Who’s the leading receiver in 2021?

The smart money here is on one of Tom Herman’s two more talented holdovers, Joshua Moore and Jordan Whittington. As you’d expect from upperclassmen with actual experience, those two been among the more consistent performers in fall camp. Both of them are Herman-style slots, with elite quickness (3.96 shuttle for Moore, 4.07 shuttle for J-Whitt) but missing the extra gear going down the field (4.67 40 for Moore, 4.68 40 for J-Whitt).

While the lack of top end speed isn’t ideal for the play-action game, both Moore and J-Whitt are good fits for RPOs, especially if they’ve improved their releases off the line of scrimmage and Sark can scheme Joshua Moore away from good press coverage (using an inline tight end will help). Whitt has the strength and skill now to win inside on the glance routes Sark loves so much while Moore was already lethal there provided he couldn't get jammed up. Moore will probably also be the main deep threat option in the offense, although Xavier Worthy and perhaps Kelvontay Dixon may have some input here before the end of the season.

Texas badly needs reliable RPO targets on the perimeter, both to play to Hudson Card's strengths and also to maximize spacing in the box for Bijan Robinson. A terrifying deep threat would take this team up another level and give them a potential ceiling as a Big 12 Champion, but at the very least they could have a good year simply by fielding a guy or two who can deal some damage to teams like Louisiana.

Texas will be able to take an initial stab at providing meaningful answers to all of these questions against Louisiana on Saturday. This team will likely improve over the course of the season, but good early results could portend a big year one for Sark.

 

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Part 2 of Joe Cooks interview/article with Hudson Card

 

Part one of Joe Cook’s Card Knocks with Hudson Card series can be found here

Throughout the three interviews Card had with Inside Texas, he was extremely diplomatic in how he discussed the quarterback competition with Casey Thompson. He repeatedly called it a healthy competition and emphasized that the team was supportive of both quarterbacks.

Still, Card entered camp with the goal of being QB1 for the Texas Longhorns.

“I think you kind of have to go in there having that lens,” Card said August 4.

Camp began for the Longhorns on Friday August 6 at the Frank Denius Fields. Prior to practice one, Card explained what his mindset was heading into the first fall practices of the Steve Sarkisian era at Texas.

“Just have fun with it,” Card said. “Do the best you can do. I’m going to control what I can control. And obviously, just do everything I can in my power. Put in the extra work, and just go out there and compete and have fun and try to bring our teammates along. Our team has potential to do something special, especially with this coaching staff. I’m just going to go out there and do my part. That way I have no regrets, and just have fun with it.”

‘Do the best you can do’ isn’t just about what takes place on the Denius Fields, or in the bubble, or on Campbell-Williams Field in Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium. It’s about what happens in the film room, in the training room, or just at home with his roommates, some of whom are teammates.

Card spent the 2020 season with Sam Ehlinger, one of the better recent templates for success as Texas’ starting quarterback. 

(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

“I saw the way Sam prepared his body in the training room, to film, to extra work,” Card said. “Definitely that aspect of it, and you can never be too prepared going into a game. Really, the preparation and everything that comes along behind the scenes that no one sees that really pushes you to the next level.”

Card tried to take those aspects with him, but he also needed to adjust to the demands of a new coaching staff. There were 14 practices and a scrimmage held in the spring that helped him and the rest of the team acclimate to the new way of doing things, as well as new systems.

There was new verbiage, new plays, new formations, new philosophies. With the exception of a couple of assistant coaches, there was almost a complete overhaul in the Texas football office. Not just the physical overhaul with the south end zone project, but with new staffers.

If there was something that needed additional instruction, the coaches were ready to offer explanations.

“This group is really great at communicating,” Card said August 15. “I’m not saying the last group wasn’t because they were too. I would say communication with this group, just making sure you know every little detail and you don’t go into practice having questions or not knowing. They’re really, really easy to talk to and ask questions. They’re great teachers.”

The first week was mostly spent installing new systems on both sides of the ball. Some players were in Austin in April for spring practice, but a large contingent of the freshman class and several transfers didn’t have a full-fledged practice with the team until the first week of August. 

With so much to go over, the coaches waste as little precious avaialble time as possible.

“We definitely try to get as much work as we can in the practices,” Card said. “They’re hard on us on the field and they coach really hard. We’re always doing something on the field, that’s one thing about coach Sark’s practices. There’s really no break time for anyone, you’re always doing something the way practice is organized.”

“Then off the field in the film room, it’s basically like a classroom. It’s a learning environment. They go step by step with what you did on the field.”

For Card, one thing the coaches emphasized with him during film study was keeping his eyes upfield. Another was the value of checkdowns. With running backs like Bijan Robinson, Roschon Johnson, and Keilan Robinson, Card said they have been told to trust their players in space instead of potentially forcing the issue downfield.

All that practice and preparation is for games, but in the context of preseason camp, it is for game-like situations. The Longhorns’ scrimmage on August 14th gave both Card and Thompson plenty to learn from.

Read more about Inside Texas’ NIL deal with Hudson Card here

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Part 3:

 

Part one of Joe Cook’s Card Knocks with Hudson Card can be found here. Part two can be found here.

Most of the reports coming out of the first scrimmage of training camp, including those from Sarkisian himself, told of the Longhorn defense dominating regardless of who was playing quarterback, running back, receiver, etc.

“Obviously, there’s lots of things to improve on and that’s mainly what I focus on, just things that I can do better,” Card said August 15. “I feel like collectively, as a team, we’ve been getting better throughout the whole week. In the scrimmage, the defense did really well. Hats off to them.”

Training camp is about trying to get as many reps in as possible, good reps no less, then correcting the problems in film study and on the practice field the following day. For a difficult sport like football, the pursuit of excellence is a constant struggle. That applies to all positions, from kicker to quarterback.

“I think the game of football is really hard to be perfect at,” he said. “Obviously, that’s what I’m striving for. That’s what we all strive for. But there’s going to be plays, whether that’s practice or a game, that you wish you had back. Or things that you could do better. That’s the beauty of it, just to try and strive for greatness and for perfection. There’s definitely days where I could have done things better, and that’s how you learn. That’s how you grow.”

And growing against the defense is what Card said he enjoys the most.

“I mean for me, I feel like going against the defense good on good, usually at the end of practice is what we do, is always a highlight,” Card said. “That’s always when it gets really fun and where a lot of the competition comes into play. That’s why we play the game. It’s a game-like environment. It’s fun. It’s competitive. It stresses certain things that you can do better. It’s rewarding.”

The August 14 scrimmage offered plenty to learn for Card, Thompson, and the entire offense. But on August 16, a clear checkpoint took place in the quarterback competition.

Card began to take more and more of the first-team reps following scrimmage No. 1 after there previously had been an even split between he and Thompson. 

In the midst of a quarterback competition, one Sarkisian repeatedly said was his most difficult as a head coach, that’s a major milestone. While it affected the volume of snaps he received with the first team, the shift in allocation did not change Card’s approach.

“For me, I was just trying to stay focused and take it day by day, and just go out there and control what I can control,” Card said August 22. “Coach Sark did a good job of evening our reps, so we both got opportunities.”

‘Control what I can control’ was an oft-repeated phrase by Card throughout his interviews with Inside Texas. He was also consistent in his diplomacy regarding the quarterback competition.

Will Gallagher/Inside Texas

But go back to what he said about what he needed to do in order to win the job. Gaining the confidence of the team is a must for any quarterback. How did that progress after a clear checkpoint like the one after the first scrimmage?

Again, he just controls what he can control.

“I think our team has done a great job at rolling with whatever guy is going with them,” Card said. “Our team supports both me and Casey a whole lot. I’m just trying to go out there and do the best I can for them and for my teammates. It was cool just trying to get more people on board, but at the end of the day I just control what I can control and things will lead that way, hopefully.”

Card continued to take that approach leading up to the second scrimmage on August 21. He mentioned the team, specifically the offense, grew from the first scrimmage and made adjustments to help them during the week of practice.

One of those practices included fans. On August 18, a couple thousand Longhorn fans watched a full two-hour practice at DKR. Card was able to interact with fans, and even repped his autograph which he described as a work in progress.

“I signed a couple,” Card said. “It was cool. There was one little kid who had a jersey on, a No. 1 jersey. It was really cute.”

Two more days of practice followed from the open session before scrimmage No. 2. Card kept taking the majority of the first-team reps. That lead into a scrimmage on the 21st.

“I think each and every day I try to bring my A-game and do what I can to get better,” Card said. “This scrimmage, especially after the defense did a great job last Saturday, just to go out there and play well, just continue to grow our confidence within the offense, and just try to improve on the things we struggled with last week.”

Card, Thompson, and the rest of the offense had a much better day in the second scrimmage, but Sarkisian did not name a starter in the aftermath. 

“It’s still in coach Sark’s hands and whatever decision he makes on who he wants as a starter will be his decision,” Card said. “Just going with the flow and just doing the best I can.”

On August 28, Sark reached a decision: Card would be his starter against Louisiana on Sept. 4th.

For Card, it was the next step in achieving a childhood dream. He wasn’t just the starting quarterback for the hometown team, or the next Cav quarterback to continue Lake Travis High School’s strong tradition. This was the team he grew up wanting to be on. Wanting to lead.

“Whatever he says and whatever the coaching staff wants me to do, I’m going to roll with,” Card said.

Card leads by example. He has confidence in his ability, even if he doesn’t always vocalize it. But when he does…

“All the hard work and training I’ve put in in preparation is leading up to this and into the season,” Card said. “For me, just trusting my training, trusting what I’ve been coached to do, try not to do anything out of the ordinary or be a superhero, just play within the system. When certain aspects come up where maybe I have to make a play here or two and go off, then make a play.”

Now, his focus turns to Louisiana. It isn’t his debut as a Longhorn, but rather his debut as a starter. The Ragin’ Cajuns are no pushovers. Card knows what his first opponent will bring. 

All that’s left for him to do is control what he can control.

“For us, we just try to focus on ourselves and our preparation,” Card said. “It doesn’t matter too much about the opponent. We know they’re a great team and they’re going to come in here and give it their all. That’s just where we have to come in, prepare, and be ready week one.”

Part one of Joe Cook’s series with Hudson Card can be found here. Part two can be found here.

Hudson Card’s personal YouTube channel can be found here.

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Athletic: Texas’ offensive recipe under Steve Sarkisian: From RPOs and RBs to play calling and window dressing

 

 

 

Spoiler

Texas’ offensive recipe under Steve Sarkisian: From RPOs and RBs to play calling and window dressing

By Sam Khan Jr. 23m ago

Texas hired Steve Sarkisian as its head coach, in large part, for his offensive prowess.

In two seasons coordinating the offense at Alabama, including a stellar 2020 in which the Crimson Tide averaged 48.5 points per game, 7.8 yards per play and produced three top-five vote-getters in the Heisman Trophy balloting, Sarkisian enhanced his reputation as one of the nation’s top offensive coaches.

Texas offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Kyle Flood, who was with Sarkisian at Alabama and with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, called Sarkisian “the best play caller in football.”

When asked on Monday, ahead of the No. 21 Longhorns’ Top 25 clash with No. 23 Louisiana on Saturday, how he approaches his offensive scripts, Sarkisian compared it to baking.

“You guys remember when you grew up and you’d go to your grandma’s house and she’d make the best cookies?” Sarkisian said. “Well, we try not to screw up grandma’s cookie recipe. We try to make sure that we’re putting everything in that cookie that makes it taste the best, and we try not to overthink ourselves or outsmart ourselves.”

So what exactly is Sarkisian cooking up, and how will it look different from the Longhorns’ previous chef, who was also known for his offensive mind? Here are some key elements of Sarkisian’s offensive attack that fans will see during the 2021 season.

More RPOs

Run-pass option plays (RPOs) were part of former coach Tom Herman’s offense at Texas, but if Sarkisian’s Alabama offense is any indication, the Longhorns will use them even more under their new coach.

Under Sarkisian in 2019 and 2020, 21.1 percent of the Crimson Tide’s pass attempts were on RPOs, the 10th-highest rate in the FBS, according to Sports Info Solutions, and the second-highest in the SEC behind Auburn (24.8 percent).

By comparison, 15.6 percent of Texas’ pass attempts were on RPOs in the same time span, third in the Big 12 behind Oklahoma State (20.1 percent) and Texas Tech (17.7 percent).

During a lecture at the 47th annual Angelo Football Clinic in San Angelo, Texas, in June, a popular stop for college and high school coaches on the yearly clinic circuit, Sarkisian emphasized the importance of RPOs to his scheme.

“We are an RPO team,” Sarkisian said. “I believe in RPOs, because we don’t run our quarterbacks, so we have to have a way to handle that extra element that might come into the box to help defend the run, because we believe in running the football.”

RPOs have grown in popularity because of how they can stress a defense. A quarterback can make a pre-snap or post-snap decision on whether to hand off or throw depending on defensive alignment, and with offensive linemen run blocking at the snap, it can force defenders to show their hand.

At the clinic, Sarkisian stressed that his quarterback’s eyes at the snap are important to read defenders’ intentions and that the team practices proper timing with the running back in instances where the quarterback needs to hand off.

Pre-snap decisions are made based on defensive secondary alignment or how many defenders are in the box. If the defense has seven players in the box and the offense has only six to block, the quarterback will look to throw and signal appropriately. The signals can be as subtle as a nod of the head or a tap of the helmet.

Here’s an example of how Sarkisian used an RPO at Alabama in 2019:

 

(ESPN screenshot)

Alabama is lined up in 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, three receivers). The Crimson Tide have six blockers and Arkansas has six defenders in the box. The attached run play is an inside zone. Quarterback Mac Jones and receiver DeVonta Smith (top of the screen) are reading the boundary safety. If the safety comes up in run support, it’s a trigger to throw. Sarkisian added that some defenses will use the corner in run support and have the safety drop into coverage, so Jones and Smith must read that, too, and adjust accordingly.

 

(ESPN screenshot)

 

 

(ESPN screenshot)

At the snap, the boundary safety runs toward the line of scrimmage. The line sells the run and Jones quickly fakes the handoff. The linebackers flow with the line to fill gaps, Smith fills the open space left by the blitzing safety. Jones hits him in stride and Smith is off to the races for a 47-yard catch-and-run.

“We have an opportunity to take advantage of the defense,” Sarkisian said at the clinic. “If they want to commit to the run, we can generate an explosive play.”

“Coach Sark loves to utilize space and take advantage of the space that we have on the field,” running back Bijan Robinson said Tuesday.

Sarkisian also builds play-action passes off of his RPO concepts. As teams have become better at defending RPOs, he tries to counter by making the plays look the same but executing them differently. Play-action passes are pure passes with no run element, just a run fake, and the linemen look more like traditional pass blockers.

When installing the offense, Sarkisian said he doesn’t teach players one position, he teaches concepts. For example, outside receivers aren’t just outside receivers, they train at every receiver spot. The expectation is that players understand those concepts and carry that understanding into game-planning.

“To expect our players to memorize 80 new plays every week, that probably wouldn’t be fair to them,” Sarkisian said in July. “There’s personnel groupings, shifts, motions, formations into the boundary, unbalanced looks. Ultimately, we’re still kind of running the same plays.

“You can call it window dressing, you can call it a new play, either way, it should appear different to the defense, and that allows us to hopefully play fast.”

Heavy running back usage

This summer, Sarkisian stated multiple times that Robinson will be the focal point of the offense. The former five-star running back recruit averaged more yards per touch from scrimmage (8.9) than all but two players (Alabama’s Smith, Ole Miss’ Elijah Moore) who had at least 100 touches in 2020. Sarkisian wants to maximize that by giving Robinson around 18-20 touches per game.

That aligns with how Sarkisian used running backs at Alabama. In 2019, Najee Harris averaged 18.1 touches per game from scrimmage (16 rushes, 2.1 receptions). In 2020, Harris averaged 22.6 touches (19.3 rushes, 3.3 receptions).

“I believe in running the football first,” Sarkisian said in May. “I think there’s a mentality for your football team that you win up front. You’ve got to stop the run on defense, and you’ve got to run the football on offense.”

Even in the passing game, the running back rarely leaves the field in Sarkisian’s offense. In 2019-20, 96.6 percent of Alabama’s offensive formations had one running back, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s a significant increase from the Longhorns’ last two years under Herman, when they had one running back on the field 74.8 percent of the time.

Two-back formations were a rarity at Alabama under Sarkisian: The Tide used two backs on only 50 snaps (2.9 percent of the time), according to PFF. The Longhorns haven’t done it much, either, deploying two backs on only 0.9 percent of formations.

Quarterback runs are rare

Sarkisian said it himself, he rarely uses designed quarterback runs. That will be the most evident offensive philosophy shift that Longhorns fans notice.

Herman leaned heavily on quarterback Sam Ehlinger as a factor in the running game. Ehlinger led the team in rushing attempts in three of his four seasons on campus, averaging 11.3 attempts in his 49 games. He never had a season in which he ran the ball fewer than 113 times.

Texas quarterbacks Hudson Card, the starter for Saturday, and Casey Thompson won’t be taking off nearly that much. In Sarkisian’s two seasons at Alabama, quarterbacks averaged only 2.7 non-sack rush attempts per game, according to PFF. That was the lowest average in the FBS.

Even when narrowing the data to that same two-year window (2019-20), Texas ran the quarterback at more than four times the rate, averaging 10.9 non-sack rushes per game (second most in the Big 12, 22nd most in the FBS).

Slower tempo

Don’t expect Sarkisian’s offense to consistently operate at a fast pace. Though hurry-up offenses have been common throughout the Big 12, and he will use it occasionally, Sarkisian’s offense will be slower overall than his predecessor’s and much of the conference.

Under Herman, Texas averaged 74.3 offensive snaps per game from 2017 to 2020, according to TruMedia. At Alabama, Sarkisian’s offenses averaged just 67 offensive snaps per game from 2019 to ’20.

Sarkisian’s Alabama offense was even slower than the average SEC unit. In 2019-20, SEC teams averaged 68.5 offensive snaps per game, the second-lowest conference rate above only Conference USA, according to PFF. By contrast, Big 12 teams averaged 70.1 snaps per game in 2019-20.

According to PFF, Texas averaged 24.9 seconds per play in the last two seasons under Herman (36th fastest in the FBS), while Sarkisian’s Alabama offenses averaged 27.3 seconds per play (91st).

“Compared to other offenses, this one is more methodical,” running back Roschon Johnson said in the spring. “It’s more strategic (instead of) going fast and just trying to get a play after a play after a play.”

Different personnel groups

Sarkisian will shift between two- and three-receiver formations often.

In his two seasons at Alabama, the Tide used three receivers 54.1 percent of the time and two receivers 38.5 percent of the time, according to PFF. That matches with Sarkisian’s stated desire to use a mix of 11 personnel and 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends, two receivers).

Herman’s Texas offenses relied heavily on 11 personnel. In 2019-20, the Longhorns used three-receiver sets in 81.3 percent of offensive snaps, while using two receivers only 9.5 percent of the time, according to PFF.

Herman’s teams used four receivers more often, though. The Longhorns had 8.2 percent of their snaps in four-receiver sets in 2019-20, while Sarkisian’s Alabama offenses lined up with four wide just 3.5 percent of the time.

During the Longhorns’ open training camp practice, it was clear how much Sarkisian’s offense uses tight ends. Jeff Banks, the team’s tight ends coach, estimated that the offense used two tight ends on “somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 to 40 percent of our snaps.”

He was right: According to PFF, Sarkisian’s Alabama offense used two tight ends exactly 30 percent of the time. That’s a slight uptick from Texas’ rate the last two years (28.5 percent). The Longhorns used one tight end slightly more often (65.5 percent) under Herman the last two seasons than the Tide did under Sarkisian (61.8 percent).

But Sarkisian’s offense was more successful in connecting with tight ends in the passing game. Crimson Tide tight ends had a better reception rate (79.7 percent) than Texas’ tight ends (67.7 percent) in the last two seasons, according to PFF.

When asked what fans should expect to see from Sarkisian’s Texas offense on Saturday, Texas receiver Joshua Moore put it simply:

“A lot of explosive plays,” he said. “Everybody will make plays in this offense.”

(Photo of Steve Sarkisian: Scott Wachter / USA Today)

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Sam Khan Jr. is a senior writer for The Athletic, covering college football and recruiting primarily in Texas. Previously, he spent eight years covering college sports at ESPN.com and seven years as a sports reporter at the Houston Chronicle. A native Houstonian, Sam graduated from the University of Houston. Follow Sam on Twitter @skhanjr.

 

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[LTtxfan 49405]

Interesting read -- thanks for this post  @Michael Knight

Michael Knight:  "To recover from USC fall, Steve Sarkisian turned away from L.A. roots that built him"

https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/story/2021-09-02/to-recover-from-usc-fall-texas-coach-steve-sarkisian-shut-out-those-who-built-him

 

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Gerry Hamilton - Todd Dodge on Hudson Card

 

Austin Westlake head coach Todd Dodge has watched Hudson Card up close for years. Probably more than anyone outside of Lake Travis head coach Hank Carter and Card’s quarterback instructor.

Card even attended the Todd Dodge Football Camp as a middle schooler when he lived in Cypress prior to moving to Austin.

With Card’s first college start just 30 hours away, Inside Texas caught up with Dodge to get his thoughts on the Longhorns starter.

“I’ve always been a fan of his game. His versatility. As a sophomore, Hank (Carter) played Hudson at wide receiver. That’s what I did with two of my really good quarterbacks at Southlake – Chase Daniel and Riley (Dodge). They were too good of players to not play on varsity. Then transition for two years as starting quarterbacks. That’s what Hudson did. I think sometimes, a lot of people that don’t really follow that think he was a guy that was moved to quarterback his last two years of high school,”

There isn’t a throw Card can’t make according to Dodge.

“I’ve alway been really impressed with his overall game. I’ve been impressed with his ability to throw from in the pocket, off schedule, moving the pocket for him, RPO game, back should fade in games, just throwing the pure deep ball and seam throws. Him and the kid I have right now, Cade Klubnik, remind me a lot of each other. Both could use weight as the move along, but both very twitchy,”

Dodge sees Card’s versatility as a great fit in Steve Sarkisian’s scheme.

“My first impression of Coach Sark has been a very favorable one being a high school coach and former player at Texas. He’s a tremendous, tremendous play caller. When you have a guy as versatile as Hudson Card, he fits a play caller. You don’t limit yourself or ideas with what you want to do with a quarterback as versatile as Hudson. I believe it’s going to be a great fit. The one thing I have noticed watching Steve Sarkisian is he puts his quarterback in position to complete a whole lot of passes,”

Austin Westlake is currently riding a 25-game win streak. One of the big reasons for the last 15 in a row has been the play of the offensive line.

Dodge couldn’t be a bigger fan of On300 No. 239 and Texas commit Connor Robertson.

“Just tough. Hard nosed, tough kid. Off the field, great relationship guy with his position coach, with the head coach and with his teammates. He get’s it. Nice kid off the field, nasty guy on the field. He doesn’t have it backwards at all. He’s a good ambassador for our program off the field, and he snaps and becomes nasty on the field. I think he’s going to make a fabulous center. Texas may play him at guard, I don’t know. But he’s very intelligent and athletic. I think he would make a great center.”

Austin Westlake returns to the field tonight playing host to Euless Trinity, which features On300 running back and Oklahoma State verbal Ollie Gordon.

[LTtxfan 49405]

Really good answer to question at 4:09 mark -- describes that he better understands how his demeanor, and how he feels will really affect the team.

Says "most teams really take on the personality of the head coach".  

"When your Level-headed, focused, highly competitive, driven, maybe have a chip on your shoulder and something to prove -- your team kinda takes on that persona too."

Hoping Sark's confidence and ability to handle tough situations late in games shows up on this 2021 Longhorns team.  🤘 

Steve Sarkisian Media Availability [Sept. 2, 2021]

Edited September 3, 2021 by LTtxfan
correction

[Elmer_Fudd 22624]

Wasn't sure where to put this, but a few weeks ago it was mentioned Jordon Thomas wasn't currently with the team and Roach just said he's going through some personal stuff and doesn't expect him to return this year.

[LTtxfan 49405]

[LTtxfan 49405]

 

Edited September 3, 2021 by LTtxfan

[maninblack 7975]

kurt bowels is simple jack

[Elmer_Fudd 22624]

SIAP

 

[LTtxfan 49405]

9 hours ago, maninblack said:

kurt bowels is simple jack

 

[Hermanator 7295]

Start the winning now, bitches. 

[Huckleberry 33559]

Books made an absolute killing on our game. Summer opening line was 16 in most places. Bet down to 9 over the last few months by all the knuckleheads who bought into the hype on that overrated Louisiana squad. Lots of whom apparently post here. 

[dcar00 14609]

so you are allowed to win by more that one score and not allow a team to come back on you?  who knew?

Card looked pretty good.  probably could have thrown the ball away a few times but overall good performance against a good team.

[fatheryeet 1554]

[cactusflinthead 27615]

I am very gruntled

[LTtxfan 49405]

Nice Win SARK!!    Beat the cajuns  38-18  🤘

[Danimal 343]

I'm not sure how to go through a game not hoping for a miracle. 

[Doc Reeves 6434]

[Hagbard Celine 10996]

is this the post-game thread?

is there a FAQ or user guide up in here?

[Hiphopopotamos 20894]

Hudson Card made some big boy throws today - made the right reads and had the arm to throw into very tight windows.  

[cactusflinthead 27615]

1 minute ago, Danimal said:

I'm not sure how to go through a game not hoping for a miracle. 

You know what else? I don't dread next week.

[cactusflinthead 27615]

Just now, Hagbard Celine said:

is this the post-game thread?

is there a FAQ or user guide up in here?

I guess so. Until they run us out

[Nicole44 22197]

[XYZ 2154]

I like this fucking team. First time in a long time that they look well coached.

[David Dennison 19121]

Solid win against a tough opponent.

I, too, am gruntled.