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

[Deej 77814]

1 hour ago, LTtxfan said:

Texas Football: Sky is the limit for Longhorns under Steve Sarkisian, says Kirk Herbstreit

by Dean Straka         5 hours ago

 

Herbstreit went on to say, "I still think Texas is a cesspool."

[LTtxfan 50001]

Texas Football: Sky is the limit for Longhorns under Steve Sarkisian, says Kirk Herbstreit

by Dean Straka         5 hours ago

Quote

DALLAS — It's no secret that Steve Sarkisian's journey as a football coach came with twists and turns. Twenty-one years after he kickstarted his career as the quarterbacks coach at El Camino College in Southern California, the 47-year-old Sarkisian finds himself with one of the most prestigious coaching jobs in college football as the leader of the Texas Longhorns.

Coaching changes have been more common on the Forty Acres in recent times than Texas would prefer. Sarkisian became the third Texas head coach since the end of Mack Brown's run with the program when Sarkisian replaced Tom Herman at the start of the year. But five games into his debut season, Texas has perhaps found an identity under Sarkisian — or at least the makings of one — that it strove for but failed to achieve under previous regimes. Longtime ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit says it's a testament to both Sarkisian's development, and believes that the future could be brightest it has been at Texas in some time if Sarkisian keeps the team on its current trajectory.

"There’s nothing (Sarkisian) is doing that would really surprise me," Herbstreit told 247Sports Friday ahead of the Red River Showdown against Oklahoma. "I think when he went there, I was just excited knowing the potential at Texas and what he can bring as far as innovative thinking, not just as a play caller, but because of the programs he’s been around and the experience he has had. You learn from the good and the bad and I think now he is more of a finished product and ready to become a head coach in a very different way than maybe where he was at USC and Washington.”

"And the sky is the limit, man. The way they are going to recruit and the way that they eventually going to join the SEC — nothing against the 2021 team, but I think this will be a team that we’ll look at as a turning point of the Sark era. I think the future teams, the way he’s going to recruit and once his culture is established — if you’re a Texas fan, you should be excited about the future.”

In the time since a lopsided Week 2 loss at Arkansas, Texas has rebounded with three consecutive wins. The latest was a 32-27 win at TCU in Week 5, and Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson ran wild with a 216 yard, two touchdown rushing performance in the victory.

And already, the recruiting efforts by Sarkisian staff are being felt. The Longhorns picked up a massive commitment on Wednesday when Top247 wide receiver Brenen Thompson (Spearman, Texas) chose Texas, vaulting the Longhorns into the No. 2 spot in the 247Sports team rankings for the class of 2022. The Texas Panhandle speedster became the second wide receiver commit for Texas in the class, joining fellow four-star Armani Winfield from Lewisville (Texas).

At this point in the season, Texas ranks sixth nationally in scoring, fifth in rushing and 11th in passing efficiency. And as Sarkisian looks to be continue building an “All Gas No Brakes” powerhouse, this recruiting class seems to get him a step closer. Thompson adds to a haul that already includes perhaps the best running back duo in the country in speeders Jamarion Miller and Jaydon Blue. These three along with true freshman Xavier Worthy give Sarkisian and that offense several guys that can outrun a defense from anywhere on the field.

Sarkisian and the Longhorns go for the biggest win yet of his tenure when No. 21 Texas and No. 6 Oklahoma clash Saturday morning at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. 

 

Steve Wiltfong contributed to this report

 

[LTtxfan 50001]

Well, this is different...  🤘 

 

[Lou_Sassle 2995]

3 minutes ago, LTtxfan said:

Well, this is different...  🤘 

 

That suit is fucking pimp

Edited October 9, 2021 by Lou_Sassle

[T-shirt Sip 2207]

On 10/6/2021 at 11:21 AM, LTtxfan said:

 

Dude refers to Whittington as Conejo Motoricado (motorized rabbit) and I love it. 

[LTtxfan 50001]

3 minutes ago, T-shirt Sip said:

Dude refers to Whittington as Conejo Motoricado (motorized rabbit) and I love it. 

Thanks for translation....

Awesome Nickname "Conejo Motoricado"  (motorized rabbit)

[SarkAfterDark 1736]

If you told me before the season we'd split the TCU and OU game I'd probably be happy with that, but losing the OU game in the manner we did sucks ass. Regardless we are still on track for my season expectations if we beat Okie St. next week. 

[Darth Tron 1158]

I’m going to need Coach K to show me that he can stop an offense with a pulse in order to have any confidence going forward.  In every game this season save Rice, opponents have been able to move the ball when they need to.  Thus far, very underwhelmed and disappointed given his reputation.

[Fudge Nuggets 19455]

fuck wrong thread

Edited October 9, 2021 by Fudge Nuggets

[dcar00 14958]

5 hours ago, Darth Tron said:

I’m going to need Coach K to show me that he can stop an offense with a pulse in order to have any confidence going forward.  In every game this season save Rice, opponents have been able to move the ball when they need to.  Thus far, very underwhelmed and disappointed given his reputation.

he couldn't stop Tech.

twice the backup came in and torched us. He sucks and Sark needs to be looking for an upgrade or his time here will be short.

[dcar00 14958]

still in show me mode with Steve.  he lost a very winnable game.  really needs to go 3-0.

[LTtxfan 50001]

Solid commentary....   Thanks for this @satyanash

(Bobby Burton) Sunday: Roller Coaster

Sometimes my articles kind of write themselves. It can be easy for me. I just start typing and what I want to say just comes out. But that’s not the way it is today. How do you say all of what you want to say when there’s so much to say? It all feels jumbled. Longhorns football can be an emotional roller coaster, that’s for sure. Yesterday is case in point. From a crazy, it-can’t-be-real start, to a deflating direct-snap finish, we all rode a roller coaster just like we were on one of the rides at the State Fair. And that’s where I am today. I just got off the roller coaster and I feel woozy, punch-drunk almost.

**

Here’s where I come out on much of it, boiled down to a few salient points:

- Sark’s offensive scheme is outstanding.

- Bijan and X are ridiculously talented.

- Casey Thompson hit a couple of deep balls and is improving in that facet. He continues to outperform expectations.

- The Texas OL is serviceable. Not as bad as what they showed at Arkansas. But not elite either.

- Texas lacks play-making talent on defense.

- Texas can not generate a decent pass rush.

- I question overall team speed and athleticism on the front seven of the defense. Outside of Overshown, it simply doesn’t exist.

- The two starting safeties do not have good speed. Thompson specifically lacks athleticism to make open-field tackles. His whiff on Williams’ long TD run stings.

- More teams are going to put up gaudy numbers against this Texas defense because there are no quick fixes.

- Not blitzing Caleb Williams was a tactical mistake.

- Texas was beat in the trenches on both sides.

I write all of that - all of it - and yet Texas came up just one TD short, and scored 48 points. Ultimately, my advice to all of us is to throw away any residual negative feelings about yesterday. Remember it, sure. But also know that the only value in revisiting history is to learn from it, not to mire ourselves in it. Instead, the Horns need to focus on what they can do to get better. Mostly that means recruiting more elite talent, not just recruiting the above average guys that fill most of the Texas roster currently.

And also remember, even if Texas accomplishes all of that, it’s still going to be a roller coaster. It’s just how it is.  

[LTtxfan 50001]

State of the Program: Texas Longhorns Football Breakdown, Halfway Through the Season 

[LTtxfan 50001]

So obviously FLOOD can consider moving Kerstetter back to RT as one way to hopefully fix some of the pass blocking issues.  But what other things should the offense do to combat how the blOU defense whooped their asses in the 2nd half??

Bucky on HornFM this morning is disappointed that SARK didn't use some "Draw Plays" to Bijan against all of the blOU blitzes and wide pass rushes...

Erin on HornFM also mentioned this Lincoln Riley quote:  "Execute at an elite level in critical moments"

With such a terrible group of defensive players, how the hell does PK and the defensive coaches get this SHIT TURNED AROUND ??  Our defense is #9 in the B12 -- one spot better than fuckin' kansas!!!     FUCK !!!

 

 

Edited October 11, 2021 by LTtxfan

[gmr548 16697]

It’s not going to get turned around. It’ll look a little better after the bye because the first half of the conference schedule generally has more offensive talent than the second half. But this defense is bad and it’s going to be bad until next year at the very earliest. Texas will lose every conference game in which it can’t score 40 or successfully play keep away.

[LTtxfan 50001]

18 minutes ago, gmr548 said:

It’s not going to get turned around. It’ll look a little better after the bye because the first half of the conference schedule generally has more offensive talent than the second half. But this defense is bad and it’s going to be bad until next year at the very earliest. Texas will lose every conference game in which it can’t score 40 or successfully play keep away.

Yeah, the HORNS offense is gonna need to learn how to sustain more long drives as a way to protect their terrible defense.  

Watching that quick 28-7 lead occur in the first quarter, reminded me of a lot of Texas Tech vs blOU games in the past.  Once blOU  was successful running the ball in the 2nd quarter, I knew TEXAS better keep scoring because blOU's offense was gonna whip our defense's ass in the 4th quarter. 

TEXAS lost their best chance to win this game in the 3rd and early 4th quarters,  when their offense shit the bed...  

[XYZ 2154]

Texas will not become dominant until Sark starts running bad players off the team and replacing them with elite athletes. Not only does it improve the roster but also sends a message to the players to work their butts off.

[Atticus 4214]

23 minutes ago, XYZ said:

Texas will not become dominant until Sark starts running bad players off the team and replacing them with elite athletes. Not only does it improve the roster but also sends a message to the players to work their butts off.

pretty sure Charlie Strong had the same idea.

He is also being careful not to pull a Herman and make it about his players vs the players already on the team. Everyone is generally getting a chance and is generally staying engaged as a result.

[BurntOrange&White 41857]

1 hour ago, XYZ said:

Texas will not become dominant until Sark starts running bad players off the team and replacing them with elite athletes. Not only does it improve the roster but also sends a message to the players to work their butts off.

I expect that to happen this off season. But now there is portal to help. Charlie did it after initial hiring off season which was a bad idea and there was no portal. I’d imagine conversations will happen between last game and bowl game. 

[LTtxfan 50001]

Jeff Howe:  

 "Digging into the Rewatch and PFF Grades"

Christian Jones' pass blocking grade in the OU game: 8.2

Andrej Karic: 12.6

That's on a 100-point scale.

Also, PFF charted only 13 missed tackles. As I'm watching the game, I just finished OU's first scoring drive and I'm finding D-line pad level and the inability to get off of blocks are major issues that aren't getting fixed.

[LTtxfan 50001]

 

[LTtxfan 50001]

 

[LTtxfan 50001]

 

[LTtxfan 50001]

 

[LTtxfan 50001]

 

[LTtxfan 50001]

 

[Eggo 4026]

NSIAP:

 

[burdine 522]

That first half was the best football this team has played since the Sugar Bowl.  The second half was tough but we are seeing these stretches of elite performance, especially on offense.  And this offense has some nice pieces but, outside of Bijan, is not really elite.

Sark clearly demonstrating schematic advantage on offense.  Just have to figure out the defense and recruit off the success.

There is a lot of promise here but also work that needs to get done too.

[Eggo 4026]

5 minutes ago, burdine said:

That first half was the best football this team has played since the Sugar Bowl.  The second half was tough but we are seeing these stretches of elite performance, especially on offense.  And this offense has some nice pieces but, outside of Bijan, is not really elite.

Sark clearly demonstrating schematic advantage on offense.  Just have to figure out the defense and recruit off the success.

There is a lot of promise here but also work that needs to get done too.

As others have mentioned, it will be lights out when the quality of the big bodies up front match the schematic advantage. 

[babysdaddy 2731]

9 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

 

sure would be cool to have a fucking night game 

[dcar00 14958]

as usual changes come after exposure at OU even though we could all see issues before this game.  mind numbing how clockwork-like it is.

[LTtxfan 50001]

As 4-2 start shows, Texas needs more linemen depth to hold steady in tight games    (Brian Davis)

Longhorns will need to remake their roster to get SEC ready, but for now, nobody will magically arrive before the Cowboys do

Quote

DALLAS — Saturday was yet another reminder of how Texas coach Steve Sarkisian needs to remake the entire roster if this program is going to start gunning for championships.

Texas needs more linemen. On which side? Both, frankly. 

Quality can be subjective, but quantity cannot. Texas needs more offensive and defensive linemen, players who can rotate in when things get hairy and shore up depth, and fewer skill position players. Just go deep and catch it? Yes, the Horns have plenty of those guys, maybe too many.

If any large, athletic humans can magically arrive before Saturday’s home game against No. 12 Oklahoma State, all the better.

Hyperventilate over Arch Manning all you want. But if Texas (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) can’t block for a five-star quarterback, it doesn’t matter. If the Horns can’t sack the opposing team’s quarterback, stop the run and get off the field on third downs, no offense can save them.

Texas’ inconsistent offensive line play was on full display in the second half against Oklahoma as a 21-point lead morphed into a 55-48 loss. It was OU’s biggest comeback ever in the teams' 117 meetings, and it was the first time in history that the Horns had lost after leading by 21.

Before Saturday, FBS teams were 208-2 when leading by 21 points this season, according to ESPN Stats. This was an epic Red River meltdown.

“We were losing first-and-10, and we were playing second-and-long, third-and-long football,” Sarkisian said. “That’s a hard way to operate consistently.”

Versatile offensive lineman Derek Kerstetter has moved from right tackle to left guard to make up for the loss of Denzel Okafor, who's out after season-ending surgery. Senior Tope Imade is now the line's sixth man, so to speak. But the Horns essentially must finish with Christian Jones, Kerstetter, Jake Majors, Junior Angilau and Andrej Karic. Knock on every piece of wood available.

Quarterback Casey Thompson recently took his linemen to Vince Young Steakhouse. He needs to put them in bubble wrap and get them some DoorDash.

Against OU, this group had false starts and snap infractions in addition to protection breakdowns. Offensive line coach Kyle Flood can’t make many substitutions; the best five are on the field. Texas signed 15 linemen from 2018 to 2021. Many are still enrolled; they just need to be developed.

It helps that Thompson is mobile enough to keep plays alive. He can move around as plays develop. That’s how he completed 20 of 34 passes for 388 yards and five touchdowns, including throws of 75 yards to Xavier Worthy and 48 to Joshua Moore.

“I was just trying to avoid taking sacks,” Thompson said. “I was just trying to get myself in a position to stay in the pocket and go through my reads and see downfield. But OU did a good job of getting guys in my face, and I wasn’t able to see as well.”

Oklahoma finished with three sacks and seven hurries. “At the end of the day, we all have to do better as a team,” Thompson said.

Running back Bijan Robinson had 137 yards on 20 carries, but it was a hard slog after halftime against a top-10 run defense. In the second half, Texas went three-and-out three times, had another turnover on downs and was outscored 35-10.

Granted, OU’s laserlike focus on Robinson allowed Thompson to make some big throws. The Horns finished with 128 yards rushing. But every coach would want to get his Heisman-caliber back going and not rely so much on the pass.

“They were playing the run pretty well,” Robinson said. “We just understand that we have to keep progressing on that side of the game for our offense, so we can open up so many things, like the pass.” 

Meanwhile, gauging the success of any defensive line is difficult. The stats can be misleading, because, in theory, linemen are supposed to soak up blockers so linebackers can make tackles. DeMarvion Overshown was sensational with eight tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery and a blocked punt.

But week in and week out, there just hasn’t been consistent pressure from Texas’ defensive front. The Horns had only two sacks against the Sooners: Overshown’s and one from defensive lineman Alfred Collins. Texas was credited with only four hurries.

In six games, Texas now has only 10 quarterback pressures. Either the statisticians are stingy awarding those with mobile quarterbacks or the Horns can’t get home. OU has 20 this season, for comparison.

Texas’ starting defensive tackles, Keondre Coburn and Moro Ojomo, had three tackles combined, none for losses. Graduate transfers Ray Thornton, Ovie Oghoufo and Ben Davis were active with nine tackles combined, only one for a loss. 

OU managed 662 yards and went 9-for-19 on third down. The Sooners converted three out of five times on third-and-9 or longer. Their average gain was 9.3 yards on third down.

What type of pressure does it take to beat ranked teams? Saturday night against No. 1 Alabama, Texas A&M’s defense generated four sacks, five tackles for loss and five hurries. 

Alabama also went up seven points with five minutes left, just as OU did late against Texas. But the Aggies got a 25-yard touchdown pass and then forced a three-and-out. A&M won 41-38 with a 28-yard field goal at the buzzer.

That’s not to pour salt in Texas’ wounds. The Longhorns are headed to the SEC. They’re a program that will soon be competing with the Aggies and Crimson Tide on a weekly basis.

To win in the SEC, it takes massive numbers of linemen. How did Arkansas beat Texas in week two? Mostly by dominating the line of scrimmage.

As of now, Sarkisian has seven defensive linemen committed for the 2022 recruiting class. The Horns have two offensive linemen pledged. He hinted at changing the roster makeup before the season even started.

“From a roster standpoint, we’ve got a talented team,” Sarkisian said Aug. 30. “Is it ideally built exactly how I would build it? Maybe not. But that’s OK; that’s part of taking over a program.”

It spoke volumes about the current roster makeup when Sarkisian’s staff signed three graduate transfers on the defensive front in the first place. It was a huge flag that Texas coaches thought they needed help at that position. But the reality is grad transfers are temporary fixes. If those players were true difference makers, they’d have gone on to the NFL. 

Sarkisian has always been right about one thing: Texas has enough talent and athleticism to compete for a Big 12 championship. Look no farther than the 21-point lead against OU. 

But do they have enough talent and athleticism to hold leads, put teams away and win at closing time? That’s what the next six games are all about.  

 

 

Edited October 12, 2021 by LTtxfan

[ousux 5638]

Texas will not become dominant until Sark starts running bad players off the team and replacing them with elite athletes. Not only does it improve the roster but also sends a message to the players to work their butts off.

True, but not an option this year...he has to play with what he was given when he arrived. Sark didnt really get to work until after the NCG which put him behind on assembling a halfway decent transition class (the Xacier Worthy coup alone bumps it to above decent, kid could have gone anywhere)..and it's not like turtle Tom had a top 10 class to hold together in the first place.

I know everyone is impatient, (me too gotdammit) but we cant keep judging new head coaches based on the past decade of futility...which they have zero responsibilty for. If we still arent in the CFB playoff conversation by year 3 then I'l start to panic a bit, but it's been a long time since I've seen this kid of offensive production on the 40.

[ousux 5638]

That first half was the best football this team has played since the Sugar Bowl.  The second half was tough but we are seeing these stretches of elite performance, especially on offense.  And this offense has some nice pieces but, outside of Bijan, is not really elite.
Sark clearly demonstrating schematic advantage on offense.  Just have to figure out the defense and recruit off the success.
There is a lot of promise here but also work that needs to get done too.

We were a couple of blown assigments on D and incompetent refs away from this game having a very different ending. I go back and forth..cant decide if the boneheaded misalignments on D or the refs spotting BlowU 10 points on missed calls bother me more.

[gmr548 16697]

 

[gmr548 16697]

As others have mentioned, it will be lights out when the quality of the big bodies up front match the schematic advantage. 

*looks at OL recruiting *

[burdine 522]

I think it's easy to believe in where the offense is headed.  Lots of positive signs without dominant (excepting Bijan) personnel.

As long as Sark addresses the defense and is not stubborn (talking about you Tom) and is proactive in doing what needs to be done (adapting PK's system, assistant changes, etc) things seem very promising to me.

[LTtxfan 50001]

 

[LTtxfan 50001]

Strong 11am numbers... 

 

[staboner 5084]

we got what we thought. great offensive mind and a hard coach still in the making. hoping for the best but i have my doubts. 

Gotta say that watching the playcalling in the 1st half was just a thing of beauty. breaking tendency, plays building on each other, and aggressive. love it. 

[babysdaddy 2731]

Strong 11am numbers... 
 

This line that people keep pushing about the 11am being the premier national slot and yet penn state and Iowa had 1mm more viewers?! Fuck that and fuck 11am games

[XYZ 2154]

1 hour ago, LTtxfan said:

Strong 11am numbers... 

 

Who gives a shit. Let’s build a team that kicks ass any time of the day.

[LTtxfan 50001]

 

[LTtxfan 50001]

 

[LTtxfan 50001]

 

[Burt Macklin 19230]

Updated FEI has us at 9th overall, 6th in O and 39th in D. Massey has us 11th, 3rd in O and 45th in D. 
 

Both seem to be overrating our defense IMO. OSU will be a good test. Their offense is 30th-40th so we should be able to have some success against them per the metrics. Should. Per the metrics. 
 

Does anyone with ESPN+ have S&P+? I’d be willing to bet we’re significantly lower in that one. 

[NoName 17148]

15 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

Updated FEI has us at 9th overall, 6th in O and 39th in D. Massey has us 11th, 3rd in O and 45th in D. 
 

Both seem to be overrating our defense IMO. OSU will be a good test. Their offense is 30th-40th so we should be able to have some success against them per the metrics. Should. Per the metrics. 
 

Does anyone with ESPN+ have S&P+? I’d be willing to bet we’re significantly lower in that one. 

guessing we get a nice adjustment for the teams played so far (take out rice and averages #24 OFEI team)

• ULaLa: I think they are #46 in OFEI?
• Arky: Arky is #32
• Rice: #120
• TTU: #16
• TCU: #17
• OU: #8

rest of the schedule is "easier" (average of 52 OFEI)

• OkState: #40 OFEI
• Baylor: #37
• ISU: #11
• Kansas: #97
• WVU: #88
• KSU: #39

SP+ rankings for Texas, Bill C still has Texas way underrated compared

• #31 overall
• #8 offense
• #70 defense
• #13 ST

SP+ Screenshot
 

Spoiler

 

[MAUFRAIS 6739]

 

This picture needs to be titled or cropped down a little bit to get the OU logo on the helmet in frame.

[Cajun 11776]

4 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

 

No dis on Mrs. Sark, but this shit needs to diaf.  Want to "look good"?  Wrap up on tackles and win games.  

Quit worrying about your fucking wardrobes.

Edited October 13, 2021 by Cajun
Props to her for actually wearing Burnt Orange, unlike our HC.

[texifornia 59013]

20 minutes ago, Cajun said:

No dis on Mrs. Sark, but this shit needs to diaf.  Want to "look good"?  Wrap up on tackles and win games.  

Quit worrying about your fucking wardrobes.

I don't think Loreal is exactly missing critical game planning meetings to do this.

Now does it point to the general shittiness of LHN content? Yes.