Media/$9.95-er postgame analysis articles (Week 11)

[satyanash 14281]

Collecting post-game analysis articles regarding the Kansas game here:

(Joe Cook) Recap: Kansas Jayhawks 57, Texas Longhorns 56

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Texas lost its fifth-straight game, surrendered 200+ yards through the air and on the ground, and was dominated in time of possession and third downs conversion percentage. Though Texas battled back, they were felled in overtime…by the 1-8… now 2-8 Kansas Jayhawks.

FIRST QUARTER

Kansas began with the football with Jalon Daniels under center. The Jayhawks gained a few first downs, two via Daniels’ legs, and moved into Longhorn territory. As the drive continued, KU took more and more yardage via the ground game until Devin Neal rushed across the plane for a three-yard score, capping a drive that took 7:02 off the clock. When Texas took the field with Casey Thompson at quarterback, the Longhorns quickly picked up a first down with Xavier Worthy and Bijan Robinson touches.

But after Texas moved into Jayhawk territory, Kyron Johnson beat Christian Jones, sacked Thompson, and knocked the ball out of his hand. Kansas recovered and the Longhorn defense returned to the field. KU converted a 3rd-and-short, then a 3rd-and-seven via a Daniels pass to Kwamie Lassiter. The Jayhawks moved into the red zone with a Amauri Pesek-Hickson rush, then went up 14-0 after Daniels found Mason Fairchild on an 11-yard pass. The Longhorns picked up a first down with a Thompson pass to Worthy, then another with a Robinson run as the first quarter ended.

SECOND QUARTER

Texas converted a 3rd-and-seven to move into Jayhawk territory with a Thompson completion to Kelvontay Dixon. Two Robinson rushes set up a Texas score when Thompson found a wide-open Marcus Washington to cut the Kansas lead in half. The Longhorn defense then forced a much-needed three-and-out, stifling the Jayhawks and snuffing out a trick play in the process. When Texas retook the field, Hudson Card was at quarterback. A flip to Worthy and a run by Jonathon Brooks moved the chains, then another via an RPO to Dixon.

Thirty-three yards from the end zone, Card took a snap, stepped up, then delivered an accurate pass to Worthy. The ninth touchdown reception of the season for the California freshman made the game 14-14, and broke Roy Williams’ freshman receiving touchdown record set in 2000. Kansas moved down the field with relative ease on its next possession, reaching the Texas 40 via a third down conversion.  When the Longhorns forced KU into another 3rd-and-long, Daniels converted again with a pass to Trevor Kardell making it first-and-goal from the 10.

From there Daniels scrambled into the end zone with an assist from Trevor Wilson, who pulled him across the finish line to make it 21-14 Jayhawks with 2:25 to go in the first. Texas’ series featured no response. A deep pass intended for Dixon from Card fell incomplete, a rush went nowhere, and Card was sacked by Johnson again, his second forced fumble of the game. The Jayhawks recovered and began on the Texas 23, and on 3rd-and-six, Daniels swung the ball to Neal, who scampered 19 yards into the end zone to make it 28-14 Jayhawks with 74 seconds remaining in the second half.

Things did not improve for the Longhorns. Card threw a pick-six to Jacobee Bryant, who returned it 31 yards and made it 35-14 Jayhawks. On the ensuing kickoff, Brooks touched the ball then knocked it out at the three-yard-line, backing the Longhorns up. Texas tried to move forward and get in position to score, but as they did in most other football ventures in the first half, failed. As Texas ran into the locker room, they were booed off the field.

THIRD QUARTER

Thompson began at quarterback to start the half, and a handoff to Robinson picked up 14. A holding penalty undid the gain, putting Texas behind the sticks on third down. Thompson found Worthy for the necessary yardage to keep Texas’ drive alive. On another third down, Thompson found Washington for a big gain to put Texas inside the five. Two plays later, Thompson scrambled it in on a read option to make it 35-21 Kansas.

After a short gain by Daniels to start the Jayhawk possession, Neal burst up the field for a 58-yard gain. Two plays later, he found the end zone for his second rushing touchdown of the game to make it 42-21. The Longhorn response was again non-existent. An offensive pass interference, a drop, and an incompletion turned the ball over via punt. But Kansas went three-and-out after. The Longhorns moved the sticks with chunk plays via Washington and Robinson to approach midfield.

An offsides penalty by the Jayhawks gave Texas another first, then an RPO from Thompson to Brewer moved the sticks again. That set up a wheel route out of the backfield for Robinson, who hauled in a 25-yard pass to make it 42-28 Kansas. Needing a stop, Texas got a stop. Kansas quickly went three-and-out. Needing a big play, Texas got a big play. Washington blocked the punt and the Longhorns took over in the Kansas red zone.

Robinson moved the Longhorns inside the five with a reception, but suffered a major setback a play later. When trying to stiff arm an opponent, Robinson appeared to injure his left arm. He went straight to the locker room after he got up off the turf. One play later, Texas made a play it needed. Thompson threw a fade to Worthy, who hauled it in for his second touchdown, making it 42-35 Kansas before the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Jayhawks faced a third down as the final quarter began.

FOURTH QUARTER

On the third down try, Anthony Cook tracked down the intended receiver and made sure he could not haul the pass in. Texas took over on the 40, and faced a 3rd-and-five out of the gate. The Longhorns could not convert and were forced to punt.

After steady gains, Daniels found Lassiter for 29 yards to move deep into Longhorn territory. Kansas then faced a 3rd-and-six, converting via a Daniels pass to Kardell and moving to 1st-and-goal. On third down, Daniels found Lassiter for a two-yard score to make it 49-35. It was Kansas tenth conversion of the night.

The Longhorns moved down the field via scrambles and check downs, moving into Kansas territory with a hard-run reception from Roschon Johnson. Texas made it 1st-and-goal with a pass to Washington. The Longhorns made it a one-score game when Thompson found Worthy, making it 49-42 Kansas with 4:39 left.

Needing a stop, Texas held Neal short of the line to gain on third down. Kansas head coach Lance Leipold had a choice with 4th-and-one on his own 34. He tried to get Texas to jump offsides, but the Longhorns stood pat and did not cross the neutral zone. Leipold called a timeout but put his offense on the field. Daniels’ sneak attempt was stuffed, and the Longhorns took over on the Kansas 34. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Keondre Coburn backed Texas up to the Kansas 49.

Johnson gained a first on the ground, then another after a limited workload in the early portions of the evening. After a swing pass to Worthy, Thompson looked for him again near the end zone. However, OJ Burroughs was on hand to make the interception. Kansas needed one first down with Texas having all three of its timeouts. They were unable to get it, and the Longhorns had one last chance with under a minute left.

The Longhorns had help from a Reis Vernon 38-yard punt returned 25 yards by Jamison. Starting on the 34, Texas gained nine with Johnson, spiked the football, then threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Brewer. Cameron Dicker hit the extra point to make it 49-49 with 0:22 left. Kansas knelt to send it to overtime.

OVERTIME

Kansas won the toss and elected to defend. Johnson picked up seven, then Worthy picked up 10 on a swing pass. On 1st-and-goal, Thompson found Washington in the flat for a score. Dicker hit the extra point, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Washington put Kansas on the Texas 12.5 for its drive.

Kansas picked up three on first down, had a pass deflect off Brenden Schooler’s hands on second down, then made it goal-to-go with a Daniels scramble. Neal ran it in from two yards out, and Kansas kept its offense on the field to go for the win. Daniels rolled out and found Jared Casey in the end zone, and Kansas took home the victory.

(Taylor Estes) Final: Texas stunned in OT loss to Kansas

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AUSTIN, Texas — The Longhorns are back on their home turf this weekend as Texas hosts Kansas at Darrell K Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium. According to Caesars Sportsbook, the Longhorns are a heavy 31-point favorite over the Jayhawks and need a win Saturday night as Texas is still on the hunt for bowl eligibility. The Horns247 staff is on the scene and will deliver live updates from the Big 12 battle between Texas and Kansas throughout Saturday's game.

FIRST QUARTER UPDATES

7:58 left in Q1: The Jayhawks are the first to find the end zone. Kansas struck first against Texas on the opening possession of the ballgame. The Jayhawks went on a 13-play, 75-yard drive to start the game, which ended with RB Devin Neal run in a 3-yard touchdown. Kansas 7, Texas 0 (Jayhawks' scoring summary: 13 plays, 75 yards, 3-yard TD run, 7:02 used)

00:36 left in Q1: After Texas QB Casey Thompson was hit while attempting to throw the ball, leading to a fumble recovered by Kansas, the Jayhawks took advantage of the Longhorns' first turnover of the game by extending their lead. Kansas recorded the fumble at their own 35-yard line and went on a 10-play, 65-yard scoring drive, which saw the Jayhawks convert three 3rd down attempts, including a 3rd and 9 inside the Texas red zone for an 11-yard touchdown.

Kansas 14, Texas 0 (Jayhawks' scoring summary: 10 plays, 65 yards, 11-yard TD pass, 5:04 used)

END OF 1ST QUARTER: Kansas 14, Texas 0

SECOND QUARTER UPDATES

12:14 left in Q2: The Longhorns are finally on the board. The Texas offense handled business on the second possession of the ballgame when the Longhorns went on a 10-play scoring drive that was capped off with Thompson connecting with Marcus Washington for a 25-yard touchdown strike. Kansas 14, Texas 7 (Longhorns' scoring summary: 10 plays, 75 yards, 25-yard TD pass, 3:22 used)

8:48 left in Q2: Texas has tied it up with Kansas. After getting off to a slow start against the Jayhawks, the Longhorns have answered in the second quarter with back-to-back possessions on offense. The latest scoring drive was led by backup QB Hudson Card and went 68 yards down the field, which ended when Card connected with Xavier Worthy for a 33-yard touchdown. Kansas 14, Texas 14 (Longhorns' scoring summary: 6 plays, 68 yards, 33-yard TD pass, 2:22 used)

2:25 left in Q2: Kansas has regained the lead inside Darrell K Royal — Texas Memorial Stadium. The Jayhawks went up 21-14 on the Longhorns late in the second quarter when they went on an 11-play drive that was capped off by Kansas QB Jalon Daniels taking it himself for a 9-yard touchdown run. Kansas 21, Texas 14 (Jayhawks' scoring summary: 11 plays, 75 yards, 9-yard TD run, 6:23 used)

1:14 left in Q2: The Jayhawks have extended their lead. Kansas went up 14 points on Texas late in the first half on another Texas fumble that KU recovered in Texas territory. Card was sacked from behind causing a fumble that set up the Kansas offense on the Texas 23-yard line. The Jayhawks answered three plays later when Daniels connected with Neal for a 19-yard touchdown. Kansas 28, Texas 14 (Jayhawks' scoring summary: 3 plays, 23 yards, 19-yard TD pass, 21 seconds used)

1:00 left in Q2: Another Texas turnover led to another touchdown by the Jayhawks. Card threw an interception to Kansas DB Jacobee Bryant and he returned it 31 yards for a pick-six. Kansas 35, Texas 14 (Jayhawks' scoring summary: Pick-six, 31-yard TD)

HALFTIME: Kansas 35, Texas 14

THIRD QUARTER UPDATES

11:17 left in Q3: The Longhorns have trimmed the Jayhawks' lead on the opening drive of the second half. With Thompson in at QB, the offense drove it down into the Kansas red zone before Thompson took matters into his own hands and ran in a 1-yard touchdown. Kansas 35, Texas 21 (Longhorns' scoring summary: 10 plays, 65 yards, 1-yard TD run, 3:43 used)

8:59 left in Q3: Kansas has extended the lead on the Longhorns. The Jayhawks only needed four plays to drive 75 yards and find the end zone on a 10-yard rushing TD to take a 21-point lead over Texas. Kansas 42, Texas 21 (Jayhawks' scoring summary: 4 plays, 75 yards, 10-yard TD run, 2:18 used)

3:50 left in Q3: The Longhorns have cut the Jayhawks lead late in the third quarter. Thompson led the Texas offense into KU territory on an 8-play scoring drive, which was capped off when he connected with RB Bijan Robinson for a 25-yard touchdown. Kansas 42, Texas 28 (Longhorns' scoring summary: 8 plays, 88 yards, 25-yard TD pass, 2:37 used)

1:21 left in Q3: Texas has scored 14 points in two and a half minutes of the game clock. After Washington blocked a Kansas punt to set up the offense on the KU 17-yard line, the Longhorns found the end zone on a 3-play drive that ended with Thompson connecting with Worthy to cut the Jayhawks' lead. Kansas 42, Texas 35 (Longhorns' scoring summary: 3 plays, 17 yards, 7-yard TD pass, 44 seconds used)

END OF 3RD QUARTER: Kansas 42, Texas 35

FOURTH QUARTER UPDATES

8:47 left in Q4: The Jayhawks have added another touchdown to the board. Kansas answered Texas' late third quarter 14-point surge with a touchdown in the fourth that came on a 9-play drive that was capped off by Daniels finding WR Kwamie Lassiter for a 2-yard touchdown. Kansas 49, Texas 35 (Jayhawks' scoring summary: 9 plays, 73 yards, 2-yard TD pass, 5:11 used)

4:39 left in Q4: Texas has made it a 7-point game. The Longhorns found their way back to the end zone when Thompson connected with Worthy for a 8-yard touchdown. Kansas 49, Texas 42 (Longhorns' scoring summary: 11 plays, 91 yards, 8-yard TD pass, 3:57 used)

00:44 left in Q4: The Longhorns have tied it up with just 22 seconds left in the game. The Texas defense came up with a huge 3-and-out to force Kansas to punt it away. D'Shawn Jamison returned the punt 25 yards to set up the offense on the Kansas 34 yard line. The Longhorns answered in a big way when Thompson hit tight end Cade Brewer for a 25-yard touchdown to tie the game. Kansas 49, Texas 49 (Longhorns' scoring summary: 3 plays, 34 yards, 25-yard TD, 22 seconds used)

END OF REGULATION: Texas 49, Kansas 49

OVERTIME

The Texas offense took the field first in overtime and made it count when Thompson connected with Washington for an 8-yard touchdown. Texas 56, Kansas 49 (Longhorns' scoring summary: 3 plays, 25 yards, 8-yard TD pass)

Kansas answered in a big way. The Jayhawks started their first possession of OT from the Texas 12.5-yard line after Washington was flagged for unsportsmanlike penalty after his touchdown. Not only did Kansas score on the possession, the Jayhawks went for a two-point conversion and pulled it off for the win. FINAL: Kansas 57, Texas 56

[satyanash 14281]

Reactions from former players.

 

[stork642 4498]

God. Anwat is just a gaping pussy. 

[Duane Moore 5236]

2 minutes ago, stork642 said:

God. Anwat is just a gaping pussy. 

And the Reddit CFB account can go fuck themselves

[stork642 4498]

13 minutes ago, satyanash said:

Reactions from former players.

 

You are one insufferable cunt.  Haha.  

[satyanash 14281]

(Wescott Eberts) Texas comeback falls short in 57-56 overtime loss to Kansas

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Eight-game losing streak. A conference road losing streak since 2008 covering 56 straight Big 12 games. One of the worst programs in the country. Despite all the mediocrity for the Kansas Jayhawks since the heights of Mark Magino era, head coach Lance Leipold’s team came into Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday evening and defeated the Texas Longhorns, 57-56, on a scrambling throw from backup quarterback Jalon Daniels in overtime to convert the game-ending two-point attempt.

Under first-year head coach Steve Sarkisian, the Longhorns now have the program’s first five-game losing streak since 1956, when Texas went 1-9 under Edwin Price, whose termination following the season led to the hire of Darrell K Royal. It was only the fourth loss to Kansas in Texas program history — the last ended the tenure of Charlie Strong after four seasons and the loss before that came in 1938.

After Kansas scored two touchdowns in the first quarter while possessing the ball for more than 12 minutes. Texas responded with two touchdowns to tie, one led by junior quarterback Casey Thompson, who started the game, and the second by redshirt freshman Hudson Card, who came in during the third series.

Late in the second quarter, however, the Longhorns completely melted down. Kansas defensive end Kyron Johnson caused his second fumble of the first half when he stripped Card on a 3rd and 8 following the third Jayhawks touchdown. Johnson beat redshirt freshman left tackle Andrej Karic on the play after beating junior left tackle Christian Jones to strip Thompson on the opening Texas drive. So Johnson beat two different left tackles to force fumbles by two different Longhorns quarterbacks.

Kansas scored a touchdown three plays later, then Card stared down his intended receiver on the first play of the ensuing drive, leading to a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown by Jacobee Bryant. On the ensuing kickoff, freshman running back Jonathon Brooks carelessly knocked the ball out of bounds at the Texas 2-yard line. But at least Thompson didn’t commit another turnover after replacing Card, allowing the Longhorns to head into halftime down a mere 35-14 against a program that entered the game averaging 15.1 points per game.

Texas battled back in the second half, scoring 21 points in the third quarter and 14 points in the fourth quarter despite dealing with an ugly forearm injury suffered by sophomore running back Bijan Robinson and an apparent shoulder injury suffered by Brooks. Junior running back Roschon Johnson battled through a turf toe injury to run for 37 yards on six carries and Thompson went 30-for-43 passing for 358 yards and six touchdowns in a gutsy performance — Thompson’s injured right thumb appeared to bother him through the game.

The Texas quarterback received big boosts from freshman wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who was targeted 22 times, catching 14 passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns, and junior wide receiver Marcus Washington, who finished with five catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

Texas trailed by 14 points with 8:36 remaining after a back-breaking drive by Kansas, but responded with a touchdown before Leipold made the questionable decision to go for it on 4th and 1 from the Kansas 34-yard line. With a chance to tie the game, Thompson threw an interception at the goal line. The beleaguered defense got another stop, allowing Thompson to tie the game with a 25-yard touchdown pass to super senior tight end Cade Brewer and send it to overtime.

A difficult catch by Washington off his shoestrings put the Longhorns ahead, but he was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after spinning the football following his touchdown reception, giving Kansas the ball on the 12-yard line. The Jayhawks scored, went for two, and converted with the remarkable play by Daniels after super senior safety Brenden Schooler failed to come up with a game-ending interception in the end zone on second down. And so the Longhorns suffered one of the most embarrassing losses in program history.

 

[orangebird 1079]

5 minutes ago, Duane Moore said:

And the Reddit CFB account can go fuck themselves

In case you haven't noticed by now, Reddit CFB has been mocking us and enjoying schadenfreude at our expense for over ten years now.

There is a reason that subreddit isn't on my sub list.

Edited November 14, 2021 by orangebird

[satyanash 14281]

1 minute ago, orangebird said:

In case you haven't noticed by now, Reddit CFB has been mocking us and enjoying schadenfreude at our expense for over ten years now.

There is a reason that subreddit isn't on my sub list.

The guy who runs their Twitter account is a Kansas fan. Hence the never-ending "Texas lost to Kansas jokes" that are probably going to continue for another five years now. FML

[satyanash 14281]

8 minutes ago, stork642 said:

God. Anwat is just a gaping pussy. 

Everything he said was true. If you can't see that you're willfully blinding yourself to reality.

[TexasRenegade 2391]

11 minutes ago, stork642 said:

God. Anwat is just a gaping pussy. 

I'd say he's not wrong...but actually he's giving us too much credit...this is far worse than when they beat us in 2016....

[Duane Moore 5236]

4 minutes ago, orangebird said:

In case you haven't noticed by now, Reddit CFB has been mocking us and enjoying schadenfreude at our expense for over ten years now.

There is a reason that subreddit isn't on my sub list.

Oh I have. It’s a standing complaint I have. 

[TotallyLegit 3050]

Edited November 14, 2021 by TotallyLegit

[Duane Moore 5236]

Just now, TotallyLegit said:

 

“Who will blow him.”  
 

Best laugh I’ve had all night

[orangebird 1079]

2 minutes ago, TotallyLegit said:

 

I don't think that tweet quite came out the way Anwar intended it to...

Edited November 14, 2021 by orangebird

[stork642 4498]

11 minutes ago, TexasRenegade said:

I'd say he's not wrong...but actually he's giving us too much credit...this is far worse than when they beat us in 2016....

I don’t agree.  That was Strong’s 3rd season and this is Sark’s first.  For no other reason this was not as bad.  But damn Texas team is a beating right now.  

Edited November 14, 2021 by stork642

[Fastbreak 3959]

1 minute ago, orangebird said:

I don't think that tweet quite came out the way Anwar intended it to...

or did it?

[El Hornarino 368]

Phone calls will interrupt all the angry blow jobs.  Got it.

[TexasRenegade 2391]

3 minutes ago, stork642 said:

I don’t agree.  That was Strong’s 3rd season and this is Sark’s first.  For no other reason this was not as bad.  But damn Texas foot is a beating right now.  

Kansas 1st big 12 road win in 50+ games.  1st Big 12 win in 18 games. 1st 5 game losing streak for us since  1956. We lost this game at home instead of on the road........

 

[stork642 4498]

2 minutes ago, orangebird said:

I don't think that tweet quite came out the way Anwar intended it to...

Antwat is competent. I’m trying to figure out any other career choice he could choose and have any success.  He’s a fucking moron.  

[satyanash 14281]

(Ian Boyd) Five quick thoughts: KO'd by Kansas

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It’s hard to imagine how that game could have gone more poorly for Texas. Kansas marched up and down the field early on and Texas wasted multiple early possessions (three first half turnovers) before finding some fight and forcing an overtime. Naturally in overtime, after squandering a 35-14 halftime lead in Texas-like fashion, the Jayhawks were all gas no brakes and went for two after scoring to chase a win rather than extended overtimes. Jalon Daniels evaded the Texas pass-rush and the Longhorn defense broke down against a play-action rollout in the red zone one final time, yielding the 57-56 win.

The Longhorns haven’t technically been eliminated from bowl eligibility, but it gets much harder from here. Texas HAS to win out to earn a bowl trip and they have to beat West Virginia on the road in Morgantown and then beat a very good Kansas State team at home in Austin. Steve Sarkisian’s first season at Texas is going extremely poorly and it’s hard to add a stronger punctuation mark on a bad year than losing at home to a previously 1-8 Kansas Jayhawk squad who hadn’t won a Big 12 game since 2019 and hadn’t won a Big 12 game on the road since Colt McCoy was playing quarterback for the Longhorns (2008).

Quick thought no. 1: Texas’ defense failed them

This was an all-time horrific performance by the Texas defense. Yes, the offense put them in some holes with a pair of sack-strip fumbles and a pick-6, but it wasn’t the only problem. Kansas ran for 218 yards, was 11-17 on 3rd down, and was 7-7 in the red zone with all seven drives ending in touchdowns.

In virtually every big situation, the Texas defense was beat by the Kansas offense. While the announcers were shocked by Kansas going for it on fourth down late in the game on their own side of the field, why would they lack confidence? They were stopped there but successful in every other instance, including the final two-point conversion attempt in which Jalon Daniels appeared to have multiple legitimate game-winning options to throw to.

Texas desperately needed a win in this game and couldn’t manage a strong gameplan, couldn’t make any stops in key moments, and ultimately yielded 57 points at home with the season on the line to the worst team in the league forced to play their back-up quarterback. It’s hard to imagine a more catastrophic failure. It seems Bo Davis’ speech did not make the difference.

Quick thought no. 2: Casey Thompson cements QB1 for the stretch run

Hudson Card had yet to play in a game this season which wasn’t against one of the better defenses on the schedule and this was only his second time to get meaningful snaps in a home game. Entrusted with the ball on the third series of the game, he had a chance to put in a big performance and try to take over the starting quarterback job for the final stretch of the season. It started well as he landed an RPO slant and then hit Xavier Worthy on a deeper cross for a touchdown. Then it went horribly awry.

A deep post to Kelvontay Dixon lead him into a safety, which was arguably fortunate to only result in an incomplete. Than Card was hit from behind and stripped to give the Jayhawks the ball in Texas territory (naturally, they scored). On the next drive with his first throw, Card threw a late field hitch the cornerback jumped for a pick-6, and that was the end of his day. The score was now 35-14 in Kansas’ favor.

Casey Thompson played a gritty game, making several throws on third down and scoring seven times overall. Some of Thompson’s limitations were present in this game, yet he made many of the plays that were there to be made and lead Texas from a massive deficit to have a chance to win this game had they been able to get more stops on defense. Overall it was a very gritty and worthy performance from Thompson which will should cement him as the starter for the final two games. It’ll be a battle again in the spring and Texas should definitely be aiming to bring in more competition, but Thompson should be given the exclusive chance to try and lead this team to bowl eligibility at this point.

Quick thought no. 3: Xavier Worthy dominates

This kid has a chance to be one of the greatest receivers in Texas’ football history. The Longhorns needed Worthy in a major way in this game, which became a shootout when Texas couldn’t solve the Rubik’s Cube of Kansas’ offense. He’s the full package as a wideout with some length and reach to bring the ball in, change of direction and route running skill, and then the elite breakaway speed to really hurt teams either after the catch or running by defenders to present a deep target.

After the game finally concluded, Worthy added 14 catches for 152 yards and three scores (might shoulda been four) to his season totals giving him 50 catches for 848 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season. With at least two games left, there’s a good chance Worthy goes over 1,000 receiving yards in his freshman season. Most of the promise and excitement for the 2022 season centers around the return of Xavier Worthy.

Quick thought no. 4: Firing Steve Sarkisian is not a reasonable option

There’s going to be a call for heads to roll after such a humiliating performance by the Longhorns and with the potential of a losing season hanging over the program. It’s not feasible to fire the head coach though, even if it was the right call. The expense would be massive, the hits to 2022 recruiting and to the current roster through the portal would be devastating, and Texas hardly has a list of vetted candidates.

Sark will get a chance to overcome a very bad year one and try to get this program on track in year two with a lot of returning weapons on offense and a proof of concept for that side of the ball after several productive outings on offense. The offense hasn’t been consistently great, but they have flashed greatness.

Quick thought no. 5: Staff changes are likely

Sark may be safe for another year or more, but his current staff makeup isn’t working and it’d really be something for him to risk another losing year on hoping this defensive staff can do a 180 on this unit. There are so many things going wrong for this defense. The scheme routinely lets them down, their packages haven’t served them well, few players seem to be in roles which allow them to shine, and they routinely fold in big situations.

While it’s hard to believe Pete Kwiatkowski is suddenly a bad coach, something about the current set-up is rotten and it’s going to be hard for the coordinator to escape the blame. If Sark is going to be heading into year two without bowl practices and a losing record as the head coach of Texas, he’s going to have to evaluate a lot about his program to make sure they can make a massive leap in year two.

 

[sith_horn 2370]

39 minutes ago, satyanash said:

(Taylor Estes) Final: Texas stunned in OT loss to Kansas

A silly title for effect. This loss is hardly stunning to anyone following Texas football.

[satyanash 14281]

 

[Monahorns 34]

If Sark doesn't fire PK.  CDC needs to fire Sark.  If CDC doesn't fire Sark in that case.  Then CDC needs to be fired.  But Sark isn't the one fire him now or in 2022.  It's coming.  Better to do it now or in a year?  Maybe depends on what coaches are out there.

[Stunns38 3357]

If Sark doesn't fire PK.  CDC needs to fire Sark.  If CDC doesn't fire Sark in that case.  Then CDC needs to be fired.  But Sark isn't the one fire him now or in 2022.  It's coming.  Better to do it now or in a year?  Maybe depends on what coaches are out there.

Keeping PK next year would be the same critical error as Charlie keeping Watson and expecting a new, up-tempo offense in year 2. That decision would get him fired. Sark may have fucked up already by not letting PK hire/build his own staff but that point is moot if he can’t make adjustments.

[satyanash 14281]

(Bobby Burton) Snap Judgements: Beaten by a bad team

Quote

Deflating and demoralizing. The Texas defense gave up 42 points to the Kansas offense in regulation, an offense that couldn’t walk and chew gum at the same time at any other point this season. The Horns’ defensive gameplan was atrocious from the outset. Perhaps the only thing worse was the execution of it.

**

Equally as bad at times, the Texas QBs combined for four turnovers. Neither Casey Thompson nor Hudson Card had much feel for backside pressure in the first half. Card also threw a pick six. And, with the game on the line, Thompson airmailed another pick to a waiting safety. But the Texas O at least showed some fight. Thompson and the O put up 49 points in regulation, including 35 in the second half.

**

Is this rock bottom for the program? Perhaps. But I actually hope rock bottom came at halftime, not the end of the game. The Horns went to the locker room down by 21 points to a one-win Kansas team. The players seemed embarrassed by it. And they should have been. In the second half, the players seemed to play with true enthusiasm for the first time in multiple games. Maybe that’s because they were finally embarrassed enough to do so, embarrassed enough to realize that max effort on every play by everyone is what it takes to actually “compete” and not just pretend to compete.

That would be the hope - that Texas finally “learned” something. Unfortunately, I’m unsure about that. Why? Because the same problems that plagued Texas in the first half (and for most of this season) also plagued them with the game winding down and even in overtime. For example:

- In the game’s closing minutes, Texas stopped Kansas on a fourth-and-one. Yet Keondre Coburn gets a personal foul penalty to move Texas back 15 yards.

- In overtime, Marcus Washington makes a terrific catch on a poor throw to score a TD. Great play! But then he gets an unsportsmanlike penalty when he spins the ball in the end zone.

- And on the game’s final play, Texas loses containment on the quarterback. That’s fundamentally flawed football down to the very last snap.

So my concern is that maybe the second half performance was more the fact that Kansas is a bad team and it finally caught up to the Jayhawks. Therefore, it had little to do with the Horns’ effort at all. I don’t know if this is rock bottom because I don’t know if the Horns will have “learned” anything from this loss.

*

The Jayhawks scored touchdowns on five of their first six possessions (four of five in the first half). The Horns often looked out of position, were too slow to react and too easily blocked, and, yet again, missed too many tackles. Inexplicable. There’s no other way to describe what we have witnessed for multiple games now from the defense.

**

Xavier Worthy is the best receiver to ever wear the Burnt Orange. And that includes Roy Williams. I know it’s a big statement, but someone would have to convince me otherwise.

**

Did Texas tinkering with a QB rotation possibly cost Texas this game? Some may suggest that given Card’s poor performance. But I disagree because it’s not like Casey Thompson looked “good” until the Horns were down by 21 points.

**

The team that played better won the game. This wasn’t a fluke. Hopefully, the Texas players realize that, and hopefully the Texas coaching staff does something about this defense. Otherwise, there are more losses to come.

 

[dcar00 14035]

38 minutes ago, Monahorns said:

If Sark doesn't fire PK.  CDC needs to fire Sark.  If CDC doesn't fire Sark in that case.  Then CDC needs to be fired.  But Sark isn't the one fire him now or in 2022.  It's coming.  Better to do it now or in a year?  Maybe depends on what coaches are out there.

we need to fire Sark now.  you trust him to hire a DC?  He hired a PAC12 pussy and also tried to hire MIke fucking Stoops.  

 

[satyanash 14281]

Chip Brown's Quick Takes: On Texas' unthinkable 57-56 home loss to previously one-win Kansas

Quote

More than a dozen recruits who were in attendance Saturday night, including three of UT’s top 2022 offensive line prospects, now have to decide if what they saw - the unthinkable disintegration of UT’s 2021 season in a 57-56 overtime loss to previously one-loss Kansas - excites or horrifies them. Does a humiliating loss to Kansas in the Jayhawks’ first Big 12 road win since 2008 convince the prospects they can come right in and help fix things? Or convince them the rebuilding of UT’s program might be an even bigger project than anyone thought under Steve Sarkisian.

“Recruiting is about the university and where we’re going as a program, the belief in what we do and how we do it,” Sarkisian said. “I think we build great relationships with players we’re recruiting. Nobody likes to lose right? But I think there is some aspect of potential moving forward, and I think the recruits can see that.”

Texas lost star running back Bijan Robinson to an elbow injury late in the third quarter and had countless unforced errors that included four turnovers (turned into 21 Kansas points); 10 penalties for 97 yards, including three unsportsmanlike conduct personal fouls; and missed tackles galore. The Longhorns also missed an opportunity to win the game in overtime when safety Brenden Schooler couldn't hang onto an interception that went right through his arms and bounced off his shoulder pad.

Texas now has a five-game losing streak that ensures the Longhorns (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) will not have a winning regular season with a game at West Virginia (4-6, 2-5) next week and a home game against Kansas State (7-3, 4-3) still to play. Asked what he’d say to the fans after losing to a Kansas program that was 7-104 in the Big 12 since 2009 coming into Saturday night, Sarkisian said, “We’ll continue to fight.” Asked if he’s worried his players have tuned him out, Sarkisian said, “I feel good about our messaging. I think we have got great leaders on the team. But you’d have to ask them that question.”

***

The Longhorns rallied from two 21-point deficits (35-14 in the second quarter and 42-21 with 8:59 left in the third quarter) to force overtime on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Casey Thompson to tight end Cade Brewer with 22 seconds left in regulation. Texas scored on the first possession of overtime on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Casey Thompson to Marcus Washington. That gave Thompson six touchdown passes to go with one rushing TD while going 30-of-43 passing for 358 yards to go along with a fumble and an interception.

But Washington celebrated the score by spinning the ball in the end zone, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty (UT’s third unsportsmanlike conduct flag of the game), giving KU the ball at Texas’ 12 instead of Texas’ 25. The Jayhawks covered the 12 yards on three running plays of 3, 7 and a 2-yard touchdown run by KU running back Devin Neal. Instead of going for the tie, first-year coach Lance Leipold went for the win by going for two, and despite a good rush on the play that flushed KU quarterback Jalon Daniels, he found fullback Jared Casey with a pass that UT safety Brenden Schooler was a split-second late in trying to break up.

Three plays earlier, it appeared Schooler would be the hero for the Longhorns and end the game with an interception. But the ball slipped through his hands and bounced off his shoulder pad, keeping Kansas’ OT possession alive.

"I said to the team in general, it's easy to look at one play late in the game and say, 'Oh, that's why we lost,'" Sarkisian said when asked about Schooler's drop. "That's not why we lost the game. We lost the game because we didn't play good in the first half. We played a really bad first half of football or we wouldn't have been in that situation at the end of the game. So, we can't look at one play at the end of the game and say that's why we lost."

***

Texas turned the ball over four times, and Kansas turned those opportunities into 21 points. KU’s Kyron Johnson beat Christian Jones for a strip-sack of Casey Thompson in the first quarter and beat Andrej Karic for a strip-sack of Hudson Card in the second quarter. Both of those turnovers were turned into touchdown drives by Kansas. Johnson’s strip-sack of Card came at the Texas 23 with 1:35 left in the second quarter and led to a three-play, touchdown drive that put the Jayhawks up 28-14 with 1:14 left in the first half.

Just 14 seconds later, Kansas went up 35-14 as Kansas cornerback Jacob Bryant read Card’s eyes and jumped an out route to Marcus Washington and returned it 31 yards for a pick-six with 1:00 left in the half. That was it for playing time for Card, who came into the game on the third series, led a six-play, 68-yard touchdown drive and then suffered back-to-back turnovers. Card was 3-of-5 passing for 52 yards, including a 33-yard TD pass to Xavier Worthy.

***

Among the many dramas that played out this week, including a flu bug that hit at least a dozen contributors; COVID-19 contact tracing that kept running back Keilan Robinson out of Saturday's game; and the fallout from a player-leaked video of irate defensive line coach Bo Davis after UT's loss to Iowa State;  third-leading receiver Joshua Moore left the team and entered the transfer portal.

Texas someone other than freshman Xavier Worthy to step up - and it happened. Worthy finished with 14 catches for 152 yards and three touchdowns, giving him 11 TD catches for the season and breaking the freshman season TD receptions record of eight set by Roy Williams (2000).

Marcus Washington also had a breakout game - catching five passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns while also blocking a punt that proved to be a turning point in UT’s comeback from a 21-point deficit. Kelvontay Dixon had four catches for 37 yards, including an 18-yarder on third down.

***

Running back Bijan Robinson landed awkwardly on his left arm with 1:32 left in the third quarter and went straight to the locker room. Robinson had 14 carries for 70 yards and three catches for 48 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game. After the game Sarkisian said Robinson suffered an elbow injury but didn’t have details on the severity of the injury.

***

With 1:44 to play, Texas was trailing 49-42 and would’ve had the ball at the Kansas 34 after a fourth-down stop of the Jayhawks, but UT defensive tackle Keondre Coburn was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct, pushing UT back to the KU 49. The Longhorns were driving after runs of 14, 4 and 6 yards by Roschon Johnson and a 2-yard pass to Xavier Worthy to the KU 25. But on a post route, Worthy inexplicably cut behind the defender instead of just running straight ahead, to catch Thompson’s pass, and Kansas safety O.J. Burroughs made the easy interception in the end zone with 1:10 to play. Up to that point, Worthy had been a highlight reel, catching 13 passes for 142 yards and three TDs.

Texas’ fourth turnover of the night figured to be the final unforced error in a night full of them for the Longhorns. But after the defense forced a Kansas three-and-out and D’Shawn Jamison returned a punt 25 yards to the KU 34, Texas had one last gasp in regulation with 44 seconds left and zero timeouts. After a 9-yard completion by Thompson to Roschon Johnson and a spike of the ball by Thompson to stop the clock with 28 seconds left, Thompson hit tight end Cade Brewer with a 25-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline, tying the game 49-49 with 22 seconds left.

Kansas kneeled down to run out the clock and play for overtime.

***

Texas began its second-half rally late in the third quarter when the Longhorns FINALLY played some complementary football. After falling behind 42-21 with 8:59 left in the third quarter (with many UT fans heading for the exits), the Longhorns’ offense went on an eight-play, 88-yard touchdown drive in which Casey Thompson was 4-of-6 passing, including a 25-yard wheel route touchdown pass to Bijan Robinson, who also had a 16-yard run on the drive.

Robinson’s TD reception cut Kansas lead to 42-28, and the Texas defense answered with a three-and-out capped by a nice pass breakup by Jahdae Barron on third-and-8. On the next play, the full cycle of complementary football was completed when Marcus Washington blocked a punt that Kelvontay Dixon recovered at the KU 17 with 2:05 left in the third quarter. Three plays later, Thompson hit Xavier Worthy for a 7-yard touchdown - Worthy’s second TD reception of the night - cutting Kansas’ lead to 42-35 with 1:21 left in the third quarter.

But the TD drive would prove costly as the team’s best player - Bijan Robinson, who played despite suffering a neck sprain at Iowa State a week earlier - landed awkwardly when he used his left arm to brace himself and appeared to injure it. Robinson walked straight to the locker room, holding his left arm with 1:32 left in the third quarter.

***

After cutting Kansas’ lead to 42-35 with 1:21 left in the third quarter, the Texas defense forced its third straight three-and-out, and to quote Steve Sarkisian - hope might’ve been turning into belief. But the Longhorns’ offense quickly went three-and-out, and the Jayhawks’ offense got its second wind, going on a nine-play, 73-yard touchdown drive that took 5:11 off the clock.

Kansas converted its ninth and 10th third downs of the game, including a third-and-6 from the UT 25 on a great catch by KU tight end Trevor Kardell, who hung onto the ball despite being flipped upside down in the air on a hit by Texas safety Jerrin Thompson. On third-and-goal from the 2, Jalon Daniels hit Kwamie Lassiter beat UT safety B.J. Foster for a touchdown putting KU up 49-35 with 8:47 to play.

***

After imploding in the final 1:35 of the first half by giving up 14 points off of two turnovers, including a pick-six, Texas got the ball to start the second half and needed to show urgency. The Longhorns went up-tempo with Casey Thompson at quarterback and looked the best they’d looked all night on a 10-play, 65-yard touchdown drive that took 3:43 off the clock. Thompson was 4-of-4 passing on the drive, including a 14-yard pass on third-and-13 to Worthy and a 24-yard pass to Marcus Washington on third-and-6. Thompson capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run that cut Kansas’ lead to 35-21 with 11:17 left in the third quarter.

The Texas defense, however, did the exact opposite to open the second half, giving up a four-play, 75-yard touchdown drive on four straight running plays: A 3-yard run by KU quarterback Jalon Daniels. A 58-yard run by KU running back Devin Neal. A 4-yard run by KU running back Amauri Pesek-Hickson. And a 10-yard touchdown right up the middle by Neal, putting Kansas up 42-21 with 8:59 left in third quarter.

At that point, it was 8:45 pm CT and a steady trickle of Texas fans began heading for the exits - maybe to try to get home in time for the 9:30 pm CT tipoff of No. 5 Texas’ basketball game at No. 1 Gonzaga.

***

As if the first half could get any worse after Kansas turned two Texas turnovers into 14 points in a 14-second span, including a 31-yard pick-six off Hudson Card with 1:00 left in second quarter. Jonathon Brooks inexplicably tried to field a kickoff at the 2 that was either headed into the end zone or out of bounds, causing Texas to take possession at its own 2 with :59 left in the second quarter.

Four plays later, Xavier Worthy, who had six catches for 91 yards, including a 33-yard TD catch in the first half, limped off the field with :15 left before intermission. (He returned.) And then sixth-year senior Texas offensive lineman Tope Imade let his frustration boil over by grabbing the facemask and ripping off the helmet of KU linebacker Nate Betts on the final play of the half, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

***

Hudson Card entered the game at quarterback on Texas’ third series and led a six-play touchdown drive that opened with a completion to Xavier Worthy for 9 yards and ended with a 33-yard, catch-and-run TD completion to Worthy. The TD grab gave Worthy nine TD receptions for the season, breaking Roy Williams’ freshman season record of eight set in 2000. Card went 3-of-3 on the drive, including a 10-yard pass to Kelvontay Dixon while Jonathon Brooks had runs of 8 and 1 yards as Texas evened the score 14-14 with 8:48 left in the first half.

***

After giving up 13-play and 10-play touchdown drives on Kansas’ first two possessions, the Texas defense finally answered with a three-and-out, capped by a great blitz call on third-and-6 in which freshman weak side linebacker Morice Blackwell came off the edge and pressured KU quarterback Jalon Daniels into an incomplete pass.

***

The first sign of life from Texas came with the Longhorns facing third-and-7 from the UT 45 after Kansas had taken a 14-0 lead with the Longhorns seemingly self-destructing. Thompson hit Kelvontay Dixon on a crossing route for 18 yards to the Kansas 37 and then hit Xavier Worthy for a 6-yard gain, followed by two Bijan Robinson runs of 2 and 4 yards, giving Texas a first down at the KU 25.

Thompson dropped back, pump-faked the ball to Washington on an out-and-up, double-move that left Washington wide open for a 25-yard touchdown catch, cutting KU’s lead to 14-7 and finally pumping some life into DKR. After Texas had converted the third-and-7 with the 18-yard pass to Dixon, center Jake Majors raised his arms to get the crowd going, and there was no response. The crowd didn’t come alive until Washington’s touchdown.

***

After the first quarter, Kansas was up 14-0 after going 5-of-5 on third down on touchdown drives of 13 and 10 plays that took 7:02 and 5:04 off the clock. Texas’ offense had the ball for 2:54 of the first quarter. A defense battling the flu was on the field for 12:06.

***

Pete Kwiatkowski dialed up a nice corner blitz by D’Shawn Jamison on third-and-2 from the Kansas 43, and Jamison pressured KU quarterback Jalon Daniels, but Daniels got the ball out and connected with receiver Trevor Wilson for a 14-yard gain to the Texas 43. KU made it 5-of-5 on third-down conversions to open the game when Daniels found tight end Mason Fairchild on third-and-9 for an 11-yard touchdown pass against zone coverage as KU went up 14-0 with 36 seconds left in the first quarter.

***

After Texas averaged more than 7 yards per play on its first five plays, Christian Jones got beat by Kansas defensive end Kyron Johnson, who knocked the ball loose as Casey Thompson was raising his arm to throw the ball on first-and-10 from the KU 36. The fumble was recovered by KU linebacker Rich Miller at the KU 35 with 5:40 left in the first quarter.

***

Texas won the coin toss and deferred - then watched Kansas take a 7-0 lead after chopping through the Longhorns’ defense on a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took 7:02 off the clock. KU running back Devin Neal ran seven times for 38 yards (5.4 yards per carry), including a 3-yard touchdown run. KU quarterback Jalon Daniels, starting in place of injured starter Jason Bean, was 3-of-4 passing on the drive and converted a third-and-7 and third-and-1 with a pair of 8 yard runs, helping convert the only two third downs KU faced on the drive.

***

DT Byron Murphy got the start for Texas Saturday night instead of Keondre Coburn, and Jaylan Ford started at middle linebacker instead of Luke Brockermeyer. I'm told those starts were both flu-related, because both Coburn and Brockermeyer missed time in practice this week due to the flu. Both Brockermeyer and Coburn both ended up playing a lot despite their illness and checked in on KU’s first drive.

***

Texas' captains Saturday night were safety Brenden Schooler, receiver Marcus Washington, nickel back Anthony Cook and center Jake Majors.

 

[satyanash 14281]

(Bobby Burton) Sunday: Re-watch thoughts

Quote

I re-watched the game because I wanted to strip the in-game emotional element from my opinions, and rewind plays multiple times to get a better feel for some of the things that went on during the game. After doing so, here’s where I come out:

- The Texas front (the DL and linebackers) and secondary have no real clue how to manage run fits as a unit consistently. They constantly overrun plays. They constantly take poor angles. They rarely get off blocks. They constantly fill the same hole with two people, leaving somewhere else vacant. It’s really so disconnected that it’s hard to put into words how disjointed they are. They, as a unit, have a low football IQ.

- From a personnel standpoint, BJ Foster was abused multiple times on pass plays and did not support the run with any authority last night. He was a team weakness on Saturday night and exactly who the Jayhawks picked on when they needed yardage in the pass game. Not only did Foster get burned by the same play twice in the red zone but he has no clue how to snug up to a receiver on third downs over the middle of the field. Foster often seems to have zero feel for an opponent’s passing game.

- Luke Brockermeyer simply doesn’t have the mix of strength and athleticism necessary to be an average linebacker in the Big 12. And when paired with DeMarvion Overshown, they are collectively the weakest duo against the run in the conference. Neither has the strength nor violence to get off blocks in the run game. The two should never play snaps together unless it’s an obvious passing situation. Otherwise, Texas will continue to be run on with relative ease. If Texas coaches can’t see that, then they are blind to a reality.

- Ray Thornton and Ovie Oghufo both have shortcomings. They are both high effort players, however. Thornton gives it 100-percent on every play but is not very athletic laterally or sudden moving forward. Oghufo overruns and overestimates his reaction time greatly, and is not a sound football player at this time. Yet if there’s one play that really makes me like anything from the defense last night, it was the effort by Oghufo to run down the KU running back 60 yards downfield in the third quarter. Of course, the Jayhawks ended scoring a TD on the drive, but plays like that mean the effort is there, at least from Oghufo.

- Jett Bush needs to move to linebacker full-time in the off-season. He should never play as a true defensive end. It makes zero sense; he’s just not big enough. But Bush tackles well in space and seems to have a feel for taking away the quick passing game when he drops into coverage.

- On offense, Hudson Card has to take bigger and more urgent steps up into the pocket. He also has to get rid of the ball quicker. Card had two turnovers on consecutive plays, both of which were completely avoidable by him.

- Casey Thompson must take the yardage given to him with his legs more frequently. It’s the only way he’s going to keep some defenses honest and open up the middle of the field. Thompson finished with one INT and one fumble, but he very easily could have thrown three INTs last night. The six-TD stat line looks impressive but he was far, far from ideal.

- From a coaching standpoint, I will never understand how the coaches look at this defense and its personnel and think all the parts can fit together to be a good squad. The pieces are not there to run what they want to run. This defense funnels things to the linebackers and safeties, which are the two weakest spots on the defense at this point. This defense was destined to fail before the season began because the personnel does not fit the scheme. Yet there have been no real alterations made to help the defense the rest of the season.

- The Texas defense starts eight seniors and/or grad transfers. Eight! They, theoretically, should be experienced and coachable. They rarely, if ever, look like it, however.

- I think it’s likely Bijan Robinson and Jonathan Brooks are gone for the season with injuries. Roschon Johnson played hard, but he has been battling turf toe. I don’t know what the Horns are going to do for offense heading into Morgantown this weekend. I don’t think it’ll be pretty because WVU’s defense is not Kansas’.

 

[satyanash 14281]

Joe Cook: Some of Texas' problems can be fixed. But it's nearly impossible if players aren't listening.

Quote

For anyone associated with the Texas Longhorns, the individual events of a loss to Kansas are horrific enough. Despite strong statistical performances from Casey Thompson, Xavier Worthy, and Marcus Washington in a tenacious comeback effort, it was not enough to overcome the Kansas Jayhawks at Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium. That’s bad. Very bad. Kansas had not won a conference game on the road since 2008 until they topped the Longhorns 57-56 thanks to a game-winning two-point conversion from Jalon Daniels to Jared Casey.

Texas now is the owner of a five-game losing streak, the longest since 1956. That’s bad. Very bad. The Longhorn defense allowed Kansas to rush for 218, throw for 202, and convert 11-of-17 third down opportunities. The Texas offense turned the ball over four times, a significant reason behind the Jayhawks’ 35-14 halftime lead. All these are bad, but at least on the surface some things appear fixable. If one player catches one pass, or makes on tackle, or makes one block, et cetera… That’s a bit more manageable, and the fact they haven’t been properly managed since Texas came out for the second half against Oklahoma remains a concern.

But Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian explained a facet of his current program that should trouble not just him, but those watching his team. “It says it up on the wall right here in our team room. The team that has discipline, commitment, toughness and accountability all of the time, that’s what wins games,” Sarkisian said. “And that’s what ultimately wins championships. And we didn’t play that way in the first half.”

Later on, he said: “Until we figure that out, that it takes discipline, commitment, toughness, and accountability all the time, we’re going to be swimming upstream. That’s the message to the guys. At some point, they’ve got to recognize that and they’ve got to do the things necessary day in and day out, game in and game out, first half, second half out, start of ball games, end of games, it doesn’t matter if it’s losing a fourth-quarter lead or coming out flat, that’s what it’s about.”

Why isn’t that happening? Or why has that commitment not been present in now five-straight games? More succinctly put, are there players tuning out Sarkisian and his message? “I don’t know,” Sarkisian said. “You’d have to ask them that question. I feel good about our messaging. I think we’ve got great leaders on the team. But you’d have to ask them that question.” No probl… come again?

If you don’t believe the schematic or instructional issues with this staff are fixable or rectifiable in some form or fashion, at least Sarkisian can bring in different coaches he has to hope are upgrades. 57 points to Kansas is a good impetus for action in that regard. But if players are tuning his staff’s message out? New assistant coaches won’t change that. That’s a top-down issue.

Inside Texas took Sarkisian’s directive to heart and asked the players made available by the school (Thompson, Worthy, Ovie Oghoufo) if the message is resonating with the team. “On the right side of the team meeting room, it says the team that has commitment and focus all the time wins championships,” Thompson said. “We don’t have that right now. I think (Sarkisian) hit that right on the head.”

Oghoufo pushed back against the idea of a tune-out: “I wouldn’t say that. I would just say we need to make it more of an emphasis. Not tuned out at all. I still think that we’re a team that’s together.” But take a look at what one of the few players Sarkisian himself put on the roster thought. “Like Coach Sark said, we’re going to find out who’s really down to earth about this stuff,” Worthy said. “We’re going to figure out this week in practice.”

To Sarkisian’s credit, he’s accepted and provided answers to the difficult questions that have come during the five-game losing streak. He says the right things, including how the only thing he knows to do is to go back to work and keep trying to get things right. That task is made much more difficult by not having a message resonate in the locker room, a message that is unable to properly motivate players to get up for 1-8 Kansas.

To say Sark is O-fer probably isn’t accurate. There are players who are in and are marching along with his message, the one Texas paid a lot of money for as a result of its move to part ways with Tom Herman. “It’s probably not safe to put every player in that category because I think we had a lot of guys tonight that did play that way,” Sarkisian said in response to a question about players not responding to his messaging. “And had a lot of guys that didn’t, clearly, for 60 minutes.”

Sark said it isn’t about waiting until next year to make those things happen. He has a sense of urgency that implies he knows the culture needs to change and change now. But he hasn’t done it. He hasn’t done it enough for the past five weeks. And whatever method he used to try and convey his message, he didn’t do it well enough to prepare his team for 1-8… now 2-8 Kansas.

 

[Wally Pryor 5244]

12 hours ago, satyanash said:

 

CDC asked Little to pen something about this team, the Alamo, Normandy and 911 survivors. 

Even Bill said he'd have to pass.

[phdhorn 6224]

Hmmmm..... this past week (week ten):

18 minutes ago, satyanash said:

But Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian explained a facet of his current program that should trouble not just him, but those watching his team. “It says it up on the wall right here in our team room. The team that has discipline, commitment, toughness and accountability all of the time, that’s what wins games,” Sarkisian said. “And that’s what ultimately wins championships. And we didn’t play that way in the first half.”

Week four:

18 minutes ago, satyanash said:

But Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian explained a facet of his current program that should trouble not just him, but those watching his team. “It says it up on the wall right here in our team room. The team that has discipline, commitment, toughness and accountability all of the time, that’s what wins games,” Sarkisian said. “And that’s what ultimately wins championships. And we didn’t play that way in the second half.”

Week five:

18 minutes ago, satyanash said:

But Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian explained a facet of his current program that should trouble not just him, but those watching his team. “It says it up on the wall right here in our team room. The team that has discipline, commitment, toughness and accountability all of the time, that’s what wins games,” Sarkisian said. “And that’s what ultimately wins championships. And we didn’t play that way in the second half.”

Week six:

18 minutes ago, satyanash said:

But Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian explained a facet of his current program that should trouble not just him, but those watching his team. “It says it up on the wall right here in our team room. The team that has discipline, commitment, toughness and accountability all of the time, that’s what wins games,” Sarkisian said. “And that’s what ultimately wins championships. And we didn’t play that way in the second half.”

Week seven:

18 minutes ago, satyanash said:

But Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian explained a facet of his current program that should trouble not just him, but those watching his team. “It says it up on the wall right here in our team room. The team that has discipline, commitment, toughness and accountability all of the time, that’s what wins games,” Sarkisian said. “And that’s what ultimately wins championships. And we didn’t play that way in the second half.”

Week eight:

18 minutes ago, satyanash said:

But Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian explained a facet of his current program that should trouble not just him, but those watching his team. “It says it up on the wall right here in our team room. The team that has discipline, commitment, toughness and accountability all of the time, that’s what wins games,” Sarkisian said. “And that’s what ultimately wins championships. And we didn’t play that way in the second half.”

Week nine:

18 minutes ago, satyanash said:

But Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian explained a facet of his current program that should trouble not just him, but those watching his team. “It says it up on the wall right here in our team room. The team that has discipline, commitment, toughness and accountability all of the time, that’s what wins games,” Sarkisian said. “And that’s what ultimately wins championships. And we didn’t play that way in the second half.”

Well, at least he showed some diversity this past weekend.

Edited November 14, 2021 by phdhorn

[ClubWhatever 12087]

2 hours ago, satyanash said:

The pieces are not there to run what they want to run. This defense funnels things to the linebackers and safeties, which are the two weakest spots on the defense at this point. This defense was destined to fail before the season began because the personnel does not fit the scheme. Yet there have been no real alterations made to help the defense the rest of the season.

This is so true and immensely maddening.  How can you call yourself a good defensive coordinator if you can’t see this and address it.  I don’t care what you did before.  It’s bad enough that you didn’t see this all during camp, but once its obvious during the season, is it really that hard to switch schemes during your bye week?   We did it before the Alamo bowl two years ago with no DC. 

[satyanash 14281]

 Eric Nahlin: Sliding doors and how this season’s issues highlight the amount of work ahead

Quote

Texas football is so routinely disappointing fans can’t even find happiness when OU and A&M lose on the same day. But to lose to Kansas? Again? After winning by the narrowest of margins at home in 2019? To Kansas?

The only silver lining that could possibly be gained from this loss is if it promotes action that leads directly to long-term solutions. You don’t lose that game due to personnel issues or injuries. Yes, those issues are real, but again…Kansas. Even with an improved coaching staff, which they have, KU should be no match for this Texas team.

There is a sliding doors element to what’s happened this season. For the uninitiated, that means: “The term ‘a sliding doors moment’ became a term popularised in the late twentieth and early twenty first century meaning tiny, seemingly inconsequential moments that can alter the trajectory of future events.” E.g., the time you drunkenly slung your bowling ball three lanes over and picked up a spare for the pretty gal who would later become your wife is a sliding doors moment. Had it only gone two lanes over you’d be married to a trucker.

For Texas football, that moment could be four or five different individual plays against OU, the costly turnover versus Ok. St., numerous missed opportunities versus Baylor, etc. Undoubtedly those negative moments in succession led to the psychologically beaten down team we’ve seen in the last two weeks. There’s no excuse for what we saw last night, but that loss didn’t occur in a vacuum.

We knew before yesterday Steve Sarkisian has a monumental offseason ahead of him, but it’s even more profound now. This program needs strong personalities and multipliers. Bijan Robinson and Xavier Worthy are offensive multiplying talents, but they play positions that are downstream from the most important ones. Running back and wide receiver are dependent on competency upstream at offensive line, quarterback, and coordinator.

If Texas had a multiplier at quarterback, or even just one that was consistently solid, this season would look at lot different because of the importance of the position. (This is generally speaking as Casey Thompson played plenty good enough to lead the team to victory last night and he deserves extra credit for showing mental toughness and putting that interception behind him tying the game up late)

Given circumstances, can Texas expect to find a multiplier at the position? If so, how soon? The latest intel on Arch Manning — from late last week — is the losses haven’t hurt Texas. Two things: that was before the KU game; and it’s just hard to logically accept he would commit to this program in its current state. Hopefully he’s a Sliding Doors fan and can see the other direction this season could have gone. Even if he does, he wouldn’t arrive until January 2023.

Texas desperately needs a quarterback out of the Portal. Since those guys are often hired guns, it’s more believable Sarkisian could find a quality starter on the waiver wire. That needs to happen no matter what the status is with Manning. Uncertainty at quarterback hurts in many ways, including recruiting. RECRUITING! I FORGOT ABOUT RECRUITING. FML.

Looking at next year doesn’t paint a rosy picture. There are just too many issues that need to be addressed. They include, but aren’t limited to: quarterback, offensive line, linebacker, wide receiver, defensive coordinator, strength and conditioning, culture/leadership. (I’m not calling for PK’s head, but I’m not not saying he should be replaced. Sark has an interesting decision ahead of him and it will be interesting to see how he handles it. Ideally a defensive hire of some sort will be made, one that also improves culture)

These are the pillars of a college football program. We always say you need to be set at QB, OL, S&C, and at coordinator on the opposite side of the ball of the head coach’s expertise. Nope, nope, eh, nope. Quick turnarounds happen all the time in sports. It’s one of the things that make them great. But, even if sliding doors played a part in The Great Uraveling, the issues outlined above still need to be adequately addressed in the offseason.

 

[Stunns38 3357]

(Bobby Burton) Sunday: Re-watch thoughts

I re-watched the game because I wanted to strip the in-game emotional element from my opinions, and rewind plays multiple times to get a better feel for some of the things that went on during the game. After doing so, here’s where I come out:
- The Texas front (the DL and linebackers) and secondary have no real clue how to manage run fits as a unit consistently. They constantly overrun plays. They constantly take poor angles. They rarely get off blocks. They constantly fill the same hole with two people, leaving somewhere else vacant. It’s really so disconnected that it’s hard to put into words how disjointed they are. They, as a unit, have a low football IQ.
- From a personnel standpoint, BJ Foster was abused multiple times on pass plays and did not support the run with any authority last night. He was a team weakness on Saturday night and exactly who the Jayhawks picked on when they needed yardage in the pass game. Not only did Foster get burned by the same play twice in the red zone but he has no clue how to snug up to a receiver on third downs over the middle of the field. Foster often seems to have zero feel for an opponent’s passing game.
- Luke Brockermeyer simply doesn’t have the mix of strength and athleticism necessary to be an average linebacker in the Big 12. And when paired with DeMarvion Overshown, they are collectively the weakest duo against the run in the conference. Neither has the strength nor violence to get off blocks in the run game. The two should never play snaps together unless it’s an obvious passing situation. Otherwise, Texas will continue to be run on with relative ease. If Texas coaches can’t see that, then they are blind to a reality.
- Ray Thornton and Ovie Oghufo both have shortcomings. They are both high effort players, however. Thornton gives it 100-percent on every play but is not very athletic laterally or sudden moving forward. Oghufo overruns and overestimates his reaction time greatly, and is not a sound football player at this time. Yet if there’s one play that really makes me like anything from the defense last night, it was the effort by Oghufo to run down the KU running back 60 yards downfield in the third quarter. Of course, the Jayhawks ended scoring a TD on the drive, but plays like that mean the effort is there, at least from Oghufo.
- Jett Bush needs to move to linebacker full-time in the off-season. He should never play as a true defensive end. It makes zero sense; he’s just not big enough. But Bush tackles well in space and seems to have a feel for taking away the quick passing game when he drops into coverage.
- On offense, Hudson Card has to take bigger and more urgent steps up into the pocket. He also has to get rid of the ball quicker. Card had two turnovers on consecutive plays, both of which were completely avoidable by him.
- Casey Thompson must take the yardage given to him with his legs more frequently. It’s the only way he’s going to keep some defenses honest and open up the middle of the field. Thompson finished with one INT and one fumble, but he very easily could have thrown three INTs last night. The six-TD stat line looks impressive but he was far, far from ideal.
- From a coaching standpoint, I will never understand how the coaches look at this defense and its personnel and think all the parts can fit together to be a good squad. The pieces are not there to run what they want to run. This defense funnels things to the linebackers and safeties, which are the two weakest spots on the defense at this point. This defense was destined to fail before the season began because the personnel does not fit the scheme. Yet there have been no real alterations made to help the defense the rest of the season.
- The Texas defense starts eight seniors and/or grad transfers. Eight! They, theoretically, should be experienced and coachable. They rarely, if ever, look like it, however.
- I think it’s likely Bijan Robinson and Jonathan Brooks are gone for the season with injuries. Roschon Johnson played hard, but he has been battling turf toe. I don’t know what the Horns are going to do for offense heading into Morgantown this weekend. I don’t think it’ll be pretty because WVU’s defense is not Kansas’.

 

Of course he understates how poorly Card played. I don’t think he has any upside, even with Lincoln Riley as his coach.

[senorfussybutt 32]

Any news on Scipio's articles?

[ClubWhatever 12087]

4 hours ago, senorfussybutt said:

Any news on Scipio's articles?

He det

[satyanash 14281]

(Scipio Tex) 2021 Texas-Kansas Postmortem: Defense/Special Teams

Quote

Yesterday, Kansas ended their 16-game Big 12 losing streak as 30 point underdogs in Austin. Texas also marked its own history with a five game losing streak. The last five game Longhorn losing streak occurred in 1956 under Ed Price. 65 years is a long time ago but I firmly believe that records are made to be broken. Who knows what achievements yet wait for this team and staff? Ed Price was fired after that 1-9 season. Likely by people who didn't understand how bad his players were!

The Horns hired a young unqualified coach named Darrell Royal to replace Price. Royal took Price's players and mysteriously went 6-4-1 in his first season, nearly winning the SWC after Texas had gone winless in conference play the season prior. How did he do that? DKR probably worked the portal very hard and landed elite talent. I don't know. This was before Instagram and human knowledge was not recorded until 2017.

Just spitballing here, but maybe coaching and leadership played a role in that turnaround? I wrote this in my preview of the Jayhawks:

Quote

The Jayhawk offense is predicated on RPOs, the running game, option football in myriad forms, and ball control. It's not really working. They're averaging just over 15 points per game and they convert only 32% of their 3rd downs. They lack explosive plays in the passing and running game and while they generally have been able to limit turnovers, defenses that have forced the issue with them have been able to shut them down completely. For example, Oklahoma State's press coverage packages limited them to 44 total yards passing and the Cowboys led 38-0 at halftime. It would be wise to take away KU's barest competencies.

 The key is to deny the KU running and short passing game success early and get them into 3rd and medium plus. Make Kansas throw on predictable downs, keep the QB in the pocket, play RPOs on neutral downs with discipline (and tackle), and be willing to challenge the Jayhawk receivers. This is a chance for the team and staff to show that they can execute basic football (QB, WR, OL, defensive game plan) and offer hope that it can carry over to remaining season opponents.

The Kansas Jayhawks might be the easiest scout in college football. Not because of what they'd like to do per se (though their available offense fits on an index card), but because of what they can actually accomplish with limited talent, reps, and clear deficiencies at key positions.

Any competent game plan would walk up corners, challenge underneath routes, force the QB to hold the ball in the pocket, and disrupt in myriad forms. Extra men in the box attacking gaps might stymie the Jayhawk running game, inflict negative plays, and force them to make consistent downfield throws they've failed to make all year to receivers that can't separate with a QB who was running 3rd team a week ago. Even a rather imperfect execution of the above keeps KU in the 20s, introduces positive volatility, and likely turns them over a couple of times.

Texas ran ineffective coverage and a horrible run defense with a postmodernist spin on how run fits and containment work - what are they but a societal construct? Texas allowed a 3rd string QB to pick them apart underneath, failed miserably against the run, and turned the 102nd ranked offense in the country into an efficiency juggernaut. PK allowed Kansas to do literally the only thing that it has any capability to do. Conceded it by design. Credit arrogance, stubbornness, or stupidity, but you'll need to pick at least one.

When Texas flirted with walking up their corners and bringing pressure, KU actually struggled.

For the game, Texas surrendered 218 yards rushing at over 5 yards per carry with true freshman RB Devin Neal going for 24 carries, 143 yards rushing and 4 total touchdowns. Jaylon Daniels was allowed to be a paragon of efficiency, as the career 53% passer completed 70% of his passes for over 200 yards and three touchdown passes with no turnovers. Two balls traveled more than 15 yards through the air on his 20 completions, only one of them against man coverage outside the hashes.

For the game, KU was a remarkable 11 of 17 on 3rd down. That 64.7% conversion rate was double their season average and a season high mark. On the season, Kansas averaged 15 points per game and was one of the poorest red zone efficiency teams in America. Their offense dropped 50 on Texas and ran through the Horns red zone D like a scythe through daffodils. 5 of their first 6 possessions went for touchdowns. To head off the predictable objections about short fields, four of those drives were 75, 75, 75, 65.

Kansas was 7 of 7 in the red zone - all touchdowns. Watch the Longhorn defense against red zone play action and count how many Jayhawk pass catchers are wide open. There are plays where the answer is...all of them. Longhorn safeties covered space instead of the 4.7 40 Jayhawk receivers and 5.0 40 tight ends running through the painted part of the field. Texas allowed Kansas to turn 420 yards of offense into 50 offensive points and a 35-14 halftime lead. An efficiency alchemy that only can happen when a defense loses nearly every situational high leverage down. That they did.

DL

You know the drill by now. Misused. Underdeveloped. Physically weak for the scheme being asked and in general. Edge players ignoring containment and wrong shouldering. Technique getting worse nearly across the board.

LB

Brockermeyer seems too banged up to tackle and was a huge liability - there were some really tough moments, including his allowance of Neal's long run and getting run through on goal line by the QB. Overshown's jersey number summates his game impact succinctly. Ford missed several tackles, but played hard. Three missed LB tackles created three Jayhawk touchdowns and I recorded six from the unit overall before I stopped counting.

DB

Schooler tackled pretty well overall. Dropped an INT in OT that would have won the game for Texas. Maybe we'll thank for him that one day. The Jayhawk receivers struggled to separate when Texas manned up, pointed to a guy, said "I got him", and played "on" coverage. That doesn't mean press necessarily, but it doesn't mean "off." Texas players don't control those calls. Foster appears totally checked out. I thought everyone else largely played hard within a bad game plan.

I don't care to argue about the level of player buy-in - for some it's obviously not there - but the coaches control the playing time and there's far too much confusion back there to assume that every member of the Texas secondary is an unteachable amnesiac.

Special Teams

A big punt block by Washington in KU territory and a strong punt return from Jamison late in the 4th quarter gave Texas a chance to win. I'm not quite sure what Jonathon Brooks was doing on a kick return that he fumbled out of bounds at the 3 yard line, but chalk it up to inexperience. The return teams continue to acquire penalties at an alarming rate. At this point, when Texas doesn't have an illegal block in the back or hold on a punt or kick return, I'm mildly surprised.

Final

Time to catch up.

I learned a long time ago that there's little reward to being early on pointing out major coaching or systemic issues. Carl Reese. Tim Nunez. Greg Davis. Mack Brown. Todd Orlando. Charlie Strong. Most people can't or won't see it even when you show them, singly blame the players and "talent", cite "Texas complacency", that "there's something in the air", "tiredness", "softness", or recite a familiar litany of speculative excuses. Some of those things may also be true, but it's time to understand what else may be true.

So I bide my time for humiliation and reality to catch everyone up.

The Texas defensive staff isn't getting it done. And I don't know how to apportion precise degrees of fault or blame. However, they are failing with respect to employing their assets favorably, evaluation of best 11 and how to best deploy them, basic scouting and scheme, teaching, and clearly some aspects of motivation. Perhaps many of PK's assistants know better but are all playing good soldier and charging machine gun nests with bayonets fixed endorsing the PK scheme. Maybe PK doesn't have good enough position coaches to teach the game so he can coordinate it how he wants. Maybe Bo Davis' next rant will be in the coach's office with all present staring into a mirror.

The response to criticisms against PK has been to cite his resume in other places. Understandably. That resume got me excited as well and it cautioned against jumping to hasty conclusions. Unfortunately, data keeps pouring in. Not the inferential kind either. At some point, you have to forget what someone did elsewhere and evaluate them where they are now. He is doing a bad job with the hand he's been dealt. Discussing the hand dealt isn't particularly illuminating in explaining systemic problems. I understand the cards pretty well and they ain't great. But they ain't THAT. How he is playing them is what matters. The dealers deals, you play 'em your best.

The Kansas game plan was watching a man - and by extension, a defense - flabbergasted by the rules of Go Fish

@senorfussybutt

Edited November 15, 2021 by satyanash

[GhostOfTomChairman 43]

Any news on Scipio's articles?

He went down with the Hudson Card ship

[Steelers Roll Left 1142]

https://thespun.com/more/top-stories/tom-herman-was-trending-in-college-football-world-last-night?fbclid=IwAR1V-TgUthV7fJOfC953mkqArB697WhMhPlX2JMBj14o0fNKPAlGYFkJeR4

[Llewelyn Moss 203]

2 hours ago, satyanash said:

(Scipio Tex) 2021 Texas-Kansas Postmortem: Defense/Special Teams

@senorfussybutt

My favorite part of this is that it’s essentially a giant subtweet to his podcast co-host Kevin Dunn. Who is generally insufferable and thinks he’s a football genius because he can recite the OL starters on the ‘86 Longhorns. He’s been on the “this team is not talented” train since OU and won’t listen to Scip. Anyway, Scip is arrogant but he is spot on here. 

[Monahorns 34]

4 minutes ago, Llewelyn Moss said:

My favorite part of this is that it’s essentially a giant subtweet to his podcast co-host Kevin Dunn. Who is generally insufferable and thinks he’s a football genius because he can recite the OL starters on the ‘86 Longhorns. He’s been on the “this team is not talented” train since OU and won’t listen to Scip. Anyway, Scip is arrogant but he is spot on here. 

 

I got that too.  He doesn't say there aren't some talent and development issues.  Those exist too.  But that was an open letter to his friend saying that PK really sucks hard.  He had success in the Pac 12 but he has been a complete failure at Texas.

 

Personally I was concerned during the Louisiana game, but I can jump the gun a bit.  But what I saw in that game has been reinforced in every game so far this year.  Of the supposed good games they had like ISU, they played well for a half and then completely gave up.  There problems aren't getting tired from being on the field too much.  Here is the thing.  Defenses control how much time they spend on the field.  3 and out and they get to rest.  If they are staying on the field for a long time it is because they are getting their sh-t pushed.

[satyanash 14281]

UTexasFootball: tl;dr but I did type the damn thing

Quote

I wish I could truthfully say that was a butt ugly performance by the fellas representing the home team last night. Unfortunately, there was a total lack of teamwork on one side of the ball and little more than a trace on the other side. In a game that requires discipline and commitment this group fired blanks. Most staffs sell those two ingredients as the major reasons talent raises it's level of play. Our staff couldn't sell perfume in a $hit factory much less teach the game to individuals that care more about their image than helping a teammate by finishing his assignment without screaming "hey, look at me."

Since we scored over fifty points there must be something right on that side of the ball. Whether you want to admit it or not we do have a skilled playcaller as a head coach. He's a total bust in his handling of the defensive staff. He probably should be a career OC judging by his performance this year. He would probably be a better recruiting closer as a OC also.

We just don't have a QB that can produce difference making plays unless you count negative plays. It seems obvious that the veteran lacks a major league arm while the youngster allows self imposed pressure dictate his mistake filled play. Like it or not it just might be best if both portaled so the program could start fresh this spring without baggage or split favoritism.

It's hard to accurately grade the OLine coach because he has had nothing but Herb Hand's evaluates to compete at probably the lowest level imaginable. I think a minimum of six new guys with a mixture between h.s. and portals is a must. We just don't have a single OT in the program right now. We absolutely don't have enough that will furck, fight, and fail English to pick from on campus.

The RB room went from the penthouse to an efficiency in the 4th quarter. Virus got one and injury claimed two but we still had a warrior leading the charge. How do you dismiss a RB coach that has brought in Bijan, Roschon, KRob, and Brooks with the two best RB's currently in Texas h.s. waiting on the doorstep to have their piece of the pie.

It might be time for a change in the WR room. When a true freshman becomes the man is such a short period of time you may need to question prior choices. Some could blame the lack of a decent QB and get little argument from some. It's just hard to believe a quality position coach couldn't convince the state's breadwinners that opportunity to play is there in a proven system and come up dry again this year.

The TE's are fabulously misused in the passing game and offer little blocking while attached. The H-back has merit and gets mileage out of marginal talent. Special teams are definitely improved with the exception of that damn blocking in the back penalty that follows us around. Big numbers in back----small numbers in front. Seems elementary but the monkey isn't convincing as a teacher.

The DLine needs more attitudes like their position coach. What does it say when the leader makes a 3rd quarter tackle (maybe his first) and proceeds to Tarzan flex the crowd after giving up over 40 points beforehand. Talk about individualism---why don't they call attention to themselves after getting their butts driven off the tv screen? I keep this coach for the huge group coming in next fall. Still love #90.

We don't have an edge player period. Whoever teaches the edge stunt or corners firing off the edge needs to portal his own butt cause it isn't close to effective. We open the flood gates with our deep drive-by's and seldom make any real contact submitting to the relaxed blocking effort by the assigned offender. Incidentally, we also come up way short for an OLB when we go that route with our defensive call.

I may be in the minority but this is my first casualty among the staffers finding a different home. I fault the head man when he doesn't demand changes be made game-plan wise after giving up the record breaking yards and points every single week. When you aren't competitive while teaching it your way you need to find strengths and change yourself instead of trying to change the players.

The inside LB coach hasn't improved his bunch but he did give everybody warm body a chance to make a play yesterday. 0, 47, and 41 missed enough tackles to sink the ship besides being late and short on several others. I still remember Tommy Nobis and Derrick Johnson defeating blocks and making tackles. I don't remember either of them missing many tackles. Football plays may have changed but blocking and especially tackling still remain the same. It's the players attitude that's gone south as has their coaching.

There was a time when every kid playing football in h.s. could tell you who was responsible for contain and what contain meant (turn the ball back inside). Now some defenses (not so fast on this one) don't even bother teaching contain much less enforcing it. This DC avoids it like the plague. Wrong shouldering or getting hooked no longer has a place in this game. Neither does big hit tackling in space. That doesn't stop our guys from demonstrating how not to on a regular basis.

The corners coach is stuck with bend don't break courtesy of the DC and his grade isn't readily available but I suspect since little improvement is visible he needs to make a 180 degree flip to make them ultra competitive. Teaching tackling ability is damn sure not his strong point. I suspect change would be good here also.

The safety coach needs more experience and a more selective knowledge in my opinion. The safeties haven't tackled (at all). The safeties haven't covered very well. That's the good news. Playing deep center fields should have given them more relaxed time to read and react before making decisions. The opposite has been dominant in their play. They are late filling on the run and miss about half of their opportunities to tackles. They allow deep threats behind them and are consistently late getting over the top. This would be my second staff change.

It wouldn't surprise me to see a whole new group of defensive coaches. It might be a straight running directive. I want to keep coach Davis (recruiting---passionate attitude) but that might be part of the trade-off. You can't change all 85 players so sometimes you must sacrifice staffers for the greater good. There is zero doubt that a boot type camp this spring for the few wanting to hang on without paying the price should be entertained.

I hope examples are set for the remaining games. I'm beginning to think pride is missing in to many instances and what's in it for me has replaced the will to win every battle. What I see is a group of individuals with a sprinkling of team devotees mixed in. Leadership is basically void on the players side and it shows. It's not exactly desperation but it's too close for comfort. I think it's too late to stand pat. I will watch with anticipation. They don't need to like you but they definitely need to respect you.

 

[Scooter Monzingo 820]

Scipio is full of shit. But he writes it well.

[TwiceHorn 31283]

3 hours ago, Scooter Monzingo said:

Scipio is full of shit. But he writes it well.

How so?

[Liquor and Poker 3659]

This is spot on:

 

Mostpeople can't or won't see it even when you show them, singly blame the players and "talent", cite "Texas complacency", that "there's something in the air", "tiredness", "softness", or recite a familiar litany of speculative excuses. Some of those things may also be true, but it's time to understand what else may be true.

[Liquor and Poker 3659]

On 11/14/2021 at 12:23 AM, dcar00 said:

we need to fire Sark now.  you trust him to hire a DC?  He hired a PAC12 pussy and also tried to hire MIke fucking Stoops.  

 

I hate to say it, but if Mike Stoops was DC we’d both be rightfully bitching and wouldn’t know how bad it could be at the same time. 

[TwiceHorn 31283]

46 minutes ago, Liquor and Poker said:

This is spot on:

 

Mostpeople can't or won't see it even when you show them, singly blame the players and "talent", cite "Texas complacency", that "there's something in the air", "tiredness", "softness", or recite a familiar litany of speculative excuses. Some of those things may also be true, but it's time to understand what else may be true.

Certainly true for the defensive side of the ball.

Offense just lacks dudes.

[satyanash 14281]

(Danny Davis) 'Of course, we're devastated': Overtime loss to Kansas leaves Texas' season on life support

Quote

Ovie Oghoufo didn't need to say much Saturday night. He was one of three Texas players who were tasked with speaking to the media after the Longhorns' 57-56 overtime loss to Kansas. The stunning upset — Texas was favored by 31 points — came on the Jayhawks' two-point conversion in the first overtime, and it extended UT's losing streak to five games, the program's longest skid since Texas lost the final eight games of the 1956 season.

Now, to reach a bowl game, Texas (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) must win both of its last two regular-season games. Texas will travel to West Virginia, which fell at Kansas State on Saturday, this weekend and close at home against the Wildcats the day after Thanksgiving. Oghoufo was asked how frustrated the players were. "Very frustrated," the defensive lineman said. "Extremely frustrated." Were they devastated? "Of course, we're devastated."

The Longhorns and Jayhawks combined to run 155 plays, score 113 points and put up 994 yards of offense. The game, though, came down to a 3-yard play that was counted on the scoreboard if not the stat sheet.

Needing to match the touchdown Texas scored to open the overtime session, Kansas capped a four-play drive with a 2-yard run by Devin Neal, the shifty freshman who rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns. With Texas' lead at 56-55, the Jayhawks called a timeout and kept their offense on the field to go for the win. Quarterback Jalon Daniels, who started in place of the injured Jason Bean, rolled to his right and found fullback Jared Casey in the end zone for the winning score.

Rock, chalk, Jayhawk walk-off. "We let the lead slip away, but we talked about trying to finish and playing hard for 60 minutes. We did it and then some," Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. The Jayhawks snapped an 18-game losing streak in conference play. "I’m so proud of them, and hopefully it’s something we’re going to build on.”

Daniels' conversion pass in overtime was the knockout punch that Texas failed to deliver at the end of regulation. Quarterback Casey Thompson found tight end Cade Brewer for a 25-yard touchdown pass with 22 seconds left in the game, making it 49-48 Kansas, but UT coach Steve Sarkisian didn't put much thought into trying a two-point conversion for the win, and the Longhorns, who had trailed by 21 points in the third quarter, settled for the 49-49 tie and the extra period.

After Texas went up 56-49, on Kansas' second snap of its overtime possession, Daniels threw into the end zone. Texas safety Brenden Schooler, a converted wide receiver who had 55 career catches, dropped what would have been a game-ending interception.

"It's easy to look at one play late in the game, saying, ‘Oh, that's why we lost,’” Sarkisian said. "That's not why we lost the game. We lost the game because we didn't play good in the first half. We played a really bad first half of football or we wouldn't have been in that situation at the end of the game. We can't look at one play at the end of the game and say that's why we lost. We lost because the first 30 minutes of football was bad ball."

Ah, yes, that first half. Kansas stunned the announced crowd of 95,202 by scoring touchdowns on its first two drives. Texas battled back to tie it 14-14, but three touchdowns in an 85-second span at the end of the first half lifted the Jayhawks to a 35-14 halftime lead. The Longhorns were undone by three first-half turnovers. Kansas turned fumbles by Thompson and Hudson Card into touchdown drives, and Jacobee Bryant returned a Card interception 31 yards for another score.

"The turnovers killed us," Thompson said. "Obviously the first half, when we got down by a large deficit, we can't do that. College football is a competitive sport. Every Saturday, any team is able to win at any given moment. The turnovers didn't help that at all." Saturday's game featured plenty of news and notes. Casey, for example, had never played an offensive snap for the Jayhawks before Saturday night. The UT defense has now yielded a 100-yard rushing performance in six straight games.

After a 152-yard, three-touchdown effort, Xavier Worthy set school freshman receiving records for yards (831) and touchdown catches (11). Marcus Washington had 100 receiving yards and blocked a punt, but his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after making the overtime catch allowed Kansas to start its winning drive at the 12. And Thompson joined Colt McCoy as the only Longhorns to throw six touchdown passes in a game.

Running back Bijan Robinson left the game near the end of the third quarter. Sarkisian said that Robinson, who has rushed for 1,127 yards and scored 15 touchdowns this season, suffered an elbow injury. "We'll address that moving forward. I don't want to make any predictions now," he said. Like Texas, West Virginia is 4-6 and 2-5 in the Big 12. Kansas State is tied for fourth place in the conference standings with its 4-3 mark. The Longhorns haven't missed the postseason since 2016. "We're capable of winning any game," Worthy said. "We've just come up a little short in the end."

Richard Tijerina: Has Texas fallen to rock-bottom? Tumbling Texas loses at home to Kansas in overtime

Quote

That the free-falling Texas Longhorns fell even further — maybe to rock-bottom — by losing to Kansas shouldn't have come as too big a surprise. It was that kind of day around the Big 12, coming after Oklahoma's CFP hopes were dashed in Waco and Texas Tech downed Iowa State on a 62-yard field goal. But come on. Texas, which was a 31-point favorite, lost 56-55 to the 1-8 Jayhawks, who now are the 2-8 Jayhawks and wishing this one had been played in Lawrence so they could take down a goal post. Which would have been appropriate, because this season has that 2016 stink on it and it's not even Thanksgiving yet.

This was the Longhorns' fifth straight loss, and it came in frustrating, heartbreaking fashion — in overtime, on a 2-point conversion pass. Losing five in a row hasn't happened since 1956 — Ed Price's final season as head coach, when Texas parted ways with him and hired Darrell Royal. If you missed it, things basically went down like this:

• Casey Thompson started, but Hudson Card also played. But just as Card replaced an ineffective Thompson last week in Ames, Thompson took over for a struggling Card against the Jayhawks.

• Texas just got beat by a freshman backup quarterback playing in his fourth game — the NCAA barrier for preserving your redshirt status — and a freshman running back from, of all places, Lawrence, Kan.

• The Longhorns had one last shot, getting the ball back with 44 seconds at the Kansas 34 and trailing 49-42 with no time outs. And promptly sent it to overtime on Cade Brewer's touchdown catch with 22 seconds left.

• In the extra period, Texas went up 56-49 on its first possession. Kansas answered with a touchdown of its own to make it 56-55 — and then rolled the dice and went for the 2-point conversion to win the game. Which the Jayhawks did, 57-56.

• Bijan Robinson left with an injury in the third quarter. Keilan Robinson missed the game because of COVID-19 protocols. Roschon Johnson, dealing with a turf toe, didn't get his first carry till the fourth quarter. Oh, and Xavier Worthy looked banged up all night, too.

Hudson Card had his chance, but the job is Casey Thompson's

Thompson got the start, but it looked like Steve Sarkisian's plan was to weave both quarterbacks throughout the game. Thompson played two drives, directing the Horns to their opening touchdown on the second drive, and then was replaced on the third drive by Card. But Card's night imploded on his second and third drives, losing a fumble after getting sacked and then throwing a pick-six, and Thompson finished the rest of the game. Thompson was 30 of 43 for 358 yards, six touchdowns and one interception.

How the two quarterbacks' respective drive charts went: Thompson: fumble, TD, half, TD, punt, TD, TD, punt, TD, interception, TD, TD | Card: TD, fumble, pick-six

It's like 2016 all over again

The comparisons are easy. In November 2016, Charlie Strong needed one win in his final three games to make a bowl game — and lost each one, the most shocking one a 24-21 stunner in Lawrence. He was out of a job one week later. This year, Texas needed two wins in its final three games to make a bowl game in Steve Sarkisian's first season. With Kansas, West Virginia and Kansas State to go, you figured this one was going to be one of those Ws. Nope.

At this point, Texas is going to finish this season 4-8, 5-7 or 6-6. A .500 regular season is the best the Longhorns (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) can hope for.

What's wrong with the Longhorns?

Let us count the ways. Steve Sarkisian and Kyle Flood need an influx of talent on both the offensive and defensive lines by way of recruiting and the transfer portal. It's just obvious when your front line is getting controlled by the Kansas Jayhawks. The defensive line is in desperate need of depth. Those issues with the offensive line domino into all sorts of offensive issues, from struggling to open holes for Bijan Robinson to making it harder to convert third downs. It showed tonight.

There's no pass rush. More playmaking linebackers are needed. The secondary needs to be restocked. And who's going to start at quarterback next season? Thompson and Card will still be around (unless one or both transfers), but either way, maybe the starter isn't even on campus yet.

Up next for Texas: West Virginia

The Mountaineers fell to 4-6 overall and 2-5 in the Big 12 with their 34-17 loss to Kansas State in Manhattan earlier today. But at this point, this game looks like a tossup.

Texcetera

Injuries: Bijan Robinson left in the third quarter. Offensive lineman Junior Angilau was hurt late in the fourth. Defensive back Anthony Cook was shaken up in overtime. ... Xavier Worthy hobbled off the field in the final minute of the first half, coming up gingerly after a no-call pass interference pass down the right sideline. He was back out there in the second half, but came up limping again after not being able to chase down a Thompson pass. Earlier, his second-quarter touchdown pass moved him past Roy Williams on UT's all-time list for most receiving TDs by a freshman. It was Worthy's ninth; Williams had eight TDs in 2000. ... Worthy was targeted 23 times. ... Third-string running back and special teams ace Keilan Robinson was held out for COVID-19 protocol issues. Jonathon Brooks, a freshman, ended up with six touches — well, seven if you count his ill-advised touch on a Kansas kickoff as it was going out of bounds at the 2.

 

[Wally Pryor 5244]

15 hours ago, Llewelyn Moss said:

My favorite part of this is that it’s essentially a giant subtweet to his podcast co-host Kevin Dunn. Who is generally insufferable and thinks he’s a football genius because he can recite the OL starters on the ‘86 Longhorns. He’s been on the “this team is not talented” train since OU and won’t listen to Scip. Anyway, Scip is arrogant but he is spot on here. 

Kevin Dunn, insufferable?

Yes, he is. 

[LTtxfan 48980]

13 hours ago, satyanash said:

UTexasFootball: tl;dr but I did type the damn thing

 

Who wrote this. ^^^^^