Jump to content

2022 Summer Season: Flavor-Aid (Strength: Prison Wine)

BurntOrange&White

By BurntOrange&White
in Football

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 4.9k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

Hookem2147
Hookem2147
immamac
immamac

Well moro ojomo is getting a surly nil deal for sure now 

Mitch Cumsteen
Mitch Cumsteen

I went down to 6 wins after the Sark/Ojomo tweet and then back up to 10 wins after watching Ewers make two practice throws.  Situation is very fluid.

Posted Images

JesusSweatDuck

JesusSweatDuck 17781

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, TreatyOak said:

Hahah, I loved that play, too, especially since it finally made their mouthy WR shut his mouth. In regards to jeans on a super hot day, there was a really good reason they were wearing jeans and that’s all I say about that. 

Just look at their shirts and jeans if you need a bigger hint...

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Post Oak

Post Oak 20213

Posted
Posted (edited)
9 hours ago, HillCountryBevo said:

All jokes aside , I am 32 days sober as of today. What have I missed the past month besides the o line coolaid? 

Well then this isn't going to be the best thread for you.

Edited by Post Oak
  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 2
  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
TreatyOak

TreatyOak 16313

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, Hermanator said:

 

Wait... you paid a shit load of money to have someone spend time with you and they were dudes?

Haha, well said, but I was invited to attend the event. I didn’t pay anything and wouldn’t. I’m glad they got paid, though. Hope it was a lot. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Royale with cheese

Royale with cheese 1466

Posted
Posted
20 hours ago, HillCountryBevo said:

All jokes aside , I am 32 days sober as of today. What have I missed the past month besides the o line coolaid? 

Hang in there. It's a good thing you're doing. Still, this old Dean Martin quote comes to mind:

"I'd hate to be a teetotaler. Imagine getting up in the morning and knowing that's as good as you're going to feel all day."

--Dean Martin

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TreatyOak

TreatyOak 16313

Posted
Posted
54 minutes ago, honolulu horn said:

I'm more interested in the vintage heavy metal t-shirt that Treaty Oak alluded to. That will determine my impression of Quinn. Crue, Ratt, Priest, Dio, Slayer...he's in. Whitesnake, Warrant, Tesla...goodbye forever. What band was it?

I didn't get a good look at it. It was one of those black shirts with the giant, dumb graphics on it. It was so cool that he was wearing it. His whole fashion vibe is pretty funny and entertaining.   

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tylerocks

Tylerocks 2553

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, TreatyOak said:

I didn't get a good look at it. It was one of those black shirts with the giant, dumb graphics on it. It was so cool that he was wearing it. His whole fashion vibe is pretty funny and entertaining.   

They sell that shit at Target nowadays, I wouldn't put much stock into it being "vintage"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Eggo

Eggo 3977

Posted
Posted
15 hours ago, ElChupacabra said:

I've never found a pair of running shoes that pair well with Cinch jeans. I do have a couple pairs of Twisted X driving mocs that are awesome. Plenty of room in there.

Maybe you should pair the running shoes with running shorts and see if maybe you can fit into round toe boots a few months later. 

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ElChupacabra

ElChupacabra 254

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Eggo said:

Maybe you should pair the running shoes with running shorts and see if maybe you can fit into round toe boots a few months later. 

Nah. Running is for sissies. The real ones know that the stair climber is the more efficient fat burning cardiovascular exercise. Or jump rope. Either one blows running out of the water. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Eggo

Eggo 3977

Posted
Posted
Just now, ElChupacabra said:

Nah. Running is for sissies. The real ones know that the stair climber is the more efficient fat burning cardiovascular exercise. Or jump rope. Either one blows running out of the water. 

 

giphy.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites
futureman

futureman 22457

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, ElChupacabra said:

Nah. Running is for sissies. The real ones know that the stair climber is the more efficient fat burning cardiovascular exercise. Or jump rope. Either one blows running out of the water. 

I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess that your fat ass doesn’t do any of the three. 

  • Haha 3
  • Fuck You 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JBJ

JBJ 3654

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, TreatyOak said:

I didn't get a good look at it. It was one of those black shirts with the giant, dumb graphics on it. It was so cool that he was wearing it. His whole fashion vibe is pretty funny and entertaining.   

pantera021-1.jpg

 

  • Hook 'Em 6
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
NoName

NoName 16351

Posted
Posted

 

The Athletic/Khan Jr: Texas Longhorns State of the Program

Rival Coaches:
 

Quote

 

“Offensively, they’re going to be as talented as anybody in the conference,” one opposing coach said. “They have one of the best young receivers (Worthy), one of the best running backs (Robinson). The big question mark is what are they gonna look like up front?”

The offensive line could make or break the unit in much the way it did last season. “Their O-line (talent) didn’t match their skill (talent),” the coach said. “That was the biggest thing.”

What type of impact could Ewers have if he wins the starting quarterback job? That, too, is up in the air, according to this coach.

“He’s a huge talent and has incredible arm talent,” the coach said. “The question is: You haven’t played (in games) since your junior year, so what does that look like? … When it comes to complicated defenses, guys in this conference are gonna throw a lot of things at you.”

The coach and an additional opposing coach who spoke to The Athletic complimented Texas’ returning defensive line talent and depth. But both questioned whether the Longhorns will play tough enough to be a better defense.

“They at times couldn’t stop people, and (in the spring game) they bounced off of No. 2 (Roschon Johnson),” the first coach said.

“Are they going to play tougher, more physical?” the second coach asked. “Last year, they showed at times that they can play physical and could be hard to run the ball against and could cover people, but then they’d give up a big play. Can they be more consistent?”

The second coach was unimpressed with their play at linebacker but still felt Texas had enough talent to win. “They’re never gonna be short of having enough guys there with the way they recruit,” he said.

 

Text:

 

Spoiler

Quinn Ewers came home to Texas, but are Steve Sarkisian’s Horns poised to restore hope?

By Sam Khan Jr.

 

There are plenty of places to lay blame for Texas’ disastrous 2021 season.

Offensive line play and run defense were often pegged as the culprits. Inconsistency at quarterback didn’t help. Confidence, or a lack thereof, became an issue during the Longhorns’ six-game losing streak, the program’s longest since 1956.

Steve Sarkisian evaluated it all after his first season in Austin. He assessed his coaching staff and the roster talent. Texas lacked cohesion, he said this offseason, and upon reflection, he pointed at himself.

“The team chemistry, the accountability from teammate to teammate, I had to do a better job,” Sarkisian told The Athletic.

He made it a point of emphasis. Logistically, it’s been easier. The team is no longer displaced and separated as it was a year ago, when construction of its sparkling new south end zone facility was still ongoing.

In Sarkisian’s first eight months on the job, the team was scattered across Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Players occupied the visitors locker room, and Sarkisian worked out of an office on the seventh floor of the stadium. The team met on the eighth floor. Sarkisian said it took him a week to find where the defensive staff met.

The Longhorns moved into their new $175 million facility last August, but Sarkisian senses that he underestimated how the disjointed offseason setup impacted them. With everyone together, he’s noticed a change.

“I really saw a difference,” he said. “In our accountability, in wanting to do it for the guy next to me. … I see it in the camaraderie amongst our players on a daily basis.”

sark-sotp.jpg
 
The Longhorns ranked 18th nationally in scoring, at 35.2 points per game, in Steve Sarkisian’s first season on the Forty Acres but lost four games in which they led after halftime and endured the program’s longest losing streak since 1956. (Aaron E. Martinez / USA Today)

Can it be that simple? Does a closer team change the outcome of a season that showed promise at the midpoint but went off the rails and finished 5-7? Given the 35 new scholarship players brought in by Sarkisian, there’s clearly more to it. Texas needed talent upgrades, and it spent much of the offseason focused on that task.

Fans are itching for progress to put the perpetual underachieving, which dates to 2010, behind them. They’re tired of losses to Kansas turning the program into a punchline. The move to the SEC looms, and the 2021 Longhorns looked nowhere near ready for the transition, which — for now — is still scheduled for 2025. Improvement in 2022, for the sake of the big picture and confidence in the Sarkisian regime, is a must.

Texas will be different, certainly. But will it be better?

“There’s a different buzz about our team,” Sarkisian said. “It’s just so much different than it was a year ago.”

Offense

In November, days before the 2021 finale, Sarkisian announced the reopening of the quarterback competition. Weeks later, former five-star recruit Quinn Ewers transferred in from Ohio State and Casey Thompson — who started the last 10 games of the season — hit the transfer portal. Hudson Card, who won the starting job in training camp last year but got benched for Thompson after two games, returns.

Ewers’ arrival elicited much fanfare because of his status as the top 2021 recruit. So far, Sarkisian has publicly handled the competition much like he did the last one, careful not to hyperbolize either quarterback or tip his hand. During a speaking engagement in May in Houston, Sarkisian told gathered alumni that Texas is “ahead of schedule” at the position.

“The sooner I can make that decision, the better,” Sarkisian said. “It’s better for you so you all have crap to talk about while you’re chopping it up, and it’s better for us and our team.”

Ewers impressed coaches and teammates with his physical talent in the spring.

“Quinn throws a pretty ball,” Texas edge rusher Ovie Oghoufo said in April. “He’s throwing some passes that made my jaw drop.”

It’s hard to know how long it will take the golden-armed Ewers to settle in. Aside from two handoffs in Ohio State’s blowout win over Michigan State, Ewers hasn’t played in a game since 2020, when he was at Southlake (Texas) Carroll High. He graduated early to enroll at Ohio State last August and cash in on lucrative name, image and likeness deals before returning to his home state after fewer than four months with the Buckeyes.

And where does that leave Card? Before his first career start last season, some coaches on staff gushed about his ability and potential. The Week 2 loss at Arkansas, where the Longhorns struggled across the board, changed the trajectory of his season and Texas career. Card enters his third year at Texas and second in Sarkisian’s offense, and the talent is still there. He could have transferred after Texas brought in Ewers, but he chose to stay.

“This is where I’ve always wanted to play. It’s been my dream school,” Card told reporters in April. “There will be competition everywhere, so I decided to give it my best shot.”

The schedule sets up similarly to last season’s, with a Sun Belt opponent in Week 1 (Louisiana-Monroe) and an SEC foe in Week 2 (Alabama). How Sarkisian handles the quarterbacks will be the center of attention when preseason camp begins.

Behind Ewers and Card are four-star freshman Maalik Murphy and Charles Wright, a three-star recruit who redshirted in 2021.

The Longhorns are loaded at running back. Only three active FBS players averaged more yards from scrimmage per game than Texas’ Bijan Robinson in 2021 (142.2). Robinson averaged 22.1 offensive touches per game last season, and if he remains healthy and Texas wins more, he’s a potential Heisman Trophy contender in 2022.

bijan-sotp-scaled.jpg
 
Bijan Robinson recorded 12 explosive plays of 20-plus yards in 2021, with nine rushing and three receiving. (Stephen Spillman / USA Today)

Roschon Johnson, a tough, versatile back, is a valuable complement to Robinson. The speedy Keilan Robinson returns as a change-of-pace option, and redshirt freshman Jonathon Brooks has produced whenever he has touched the ball. Four-star recruit Jaydon Blue joined the team in January.

The Longhorns possess some explosive receivers, but depth is a concern. Xavier Worthy, a first-team All-Big 12 pick and freshman All-American, is the clear No. 1 option again.

Can Jordan Whittington stay healthy? He was the team’s second-leading receiver last year despite missing four games. Injuries disrupted every season he has been on campus, prompting him to take “my body, my health seriously,” Whittington said in April.

Sarkisian mined the transfer portal to deepen the position in hopes of taking defensive attention from Worthy. Isaiah Neyor, who connected with Ewers on a dazzling 62-yard touchdown in the spring game, arrived in January after a big 2021 at Wyoming (878 receiving yards, 12 touchdown catches).

In April, Texas landed former Alabama receiver Agiye Hall, a 2021 top-50 recruit who had a quiet freshman year with the Crimson Tide and was suspended before he entered the portal. Former Iowa State receiver Tarique Milton, who had 99 catches for 1,519 yards in four seasons with the Cyclones, committed in May as a graduate transfer.

“He’s been a high-level player, an explosive player,” Sarkisian told The Athletic. “The speed factor that he possesses is a huge component to our style of play.”

Freshman Brenen Thompson, a four-star recruit, intrigues Sarkisian with his 10.22-second 100-meter dash speed.

The depth issue arose after four Longhorns receivers — Marcus Washington, Kelvontay Dixon, Dajon Harrison and Al’Vonte Woodard — hit the portal in the offseason. Texas had already lost two others: Joshua Moore, who left the team midseason, and Keithron Lee, who was suspended. Also, two returnees — Troy Omeire and Jaden Alexis — are coming off ACL injuries.

At tight end, five-star Ja’Tavion Sanders and three-star Gunnar Helm from the 2021 class will succeed Cade Brewer (graduated) and Jared Wiley (transferred to TCU). Sarkisian said early in spring football that everything “clicked” for Sanders.

“He’s obviously a real weapon receiving the ball,” Sarkisian said. “But the blocking ability was there, and he’s a very intelligent player. I think he, coupled with Gunnar Helm, gives us two big guys who are athletic, that can catch the ball, yet are smart and savvy.”

The Longhorns added Alabama transfer Jahleel Billingsley, whom Sarkisian called a wild card because he can be a mismatch in coverage and play in-line tight end. Another 2021 recruit, Juan Davis, also returns.

The biggest offseason question has yet to be answered: What will become of Texas’ offensive line? The group struggled last year, and the staff focused heavily on the position in recruiting, signing seven linemen. Cole Hutson enrolled in January, but the rest are summer enrollees.

Three starters return: guard Junior Angilau, tackle Christian Jones and center Jake Majors. Majors and Angilau will likely remain in their roles, while Jones moved this offseason from left tackle to right, where he’s a natural fit, according to Sarkisian.

Third-year sophomore Andrej Karic worked at left tackle early in spring but suffered an injury. True sophomore Hayden Conner also earned reps there. Texas signed three 2022 tackles, headlined by five-star recruit Kelvin Banks.

Hutson impressed Sarkisian and played first-team right guard in the spring game. Of the freshman interior linemen, Devon Campbell brings the most fanfare. The five-star ranked No. 1 nationally at his position and was the highest-rated recruit in Texas’ class. Would Sarkisian be comfortable starting two freshman offensive linemen if needed?

“I’m OK with that,” Sarkisian said. “I’m not so concerned about age and experience as I am the players that give us the best chance to be successful as a team. Sometimes younger players don’t have some of the scars of the past and they have the confidence to go do it.

“I think a couple of our guys’ issues are that they harbor some of the negative thoughts of their past, and that’s what’s putting a false ceiling on them.”

Key stat to know: Attacking teams vertically is an important part of Sarkisian’s offense (28.1 percent of the Longhorns’ pass attempts traveled 15 or more yards in the air, the 19th-highest rate in the nation, according to Pro Football Focus), but Texas was one of the nation’s worst teams in connecting on deep balls in 2021.

Texas’ 35.7 percent completion rate of attempts that traveled at least 15 yards downfield ranked 105th in the FBS. Its passer rating (145.9, 106th) and yards per attempt (10, 101st) on such throws also ranked outside the top 100 nationally.

Longhorns' returning production
Passing yards
22
Card, 590
Rushing yards
92
B. Robinson, 1127
Receiving yards
67
Worthy, 981
OL starts
62
Three with 12
Tackles
70
Overshown, 74
Tackles for loss
74
J. Ford, 6
Sacks
77
Four with 2
Interceptions
43
Brockermeyer, 2

Defense

The second-biggest offseason question for the Longhorns is whether they can improve their run defense. The team finished eighth in the Big 12 in yards allowed per rush (5.15) and rushing yards allowed per game (201.5). It allowed more than 200 rushing yards six times.

The improvement must begin up front, where six defensive linemen return: veterans Keondre Coburn, Moro Ojomo, T’Vondre Sweat and Alfred Collins are joined by young emerging returnees Vernon Broughton and Byron Murphy II. Sarkisian noted more “buy-in” to defensive line coach Bo Davis’ style this offseason.

“They’ve just performed better,” Sarkisian said. “They’re technically better. They’re fundamentally better. They’re on the same page.

“Our run defense was drastically different this spring than it was a year ago. Now, hopefully that translates to better in fall camp and then better in-season.”

Sarkisian attributed the progress to schematic adjustments and an emphasis on rotating players to keep them fresh, urging them to always play at maximum effort.

Murphy “was a problem” in spring for offensive linemen, Sarkisian said. Broughton, Collins and Sweat all “have a chance to make us feel a little bit different when they’re really on point.” Sweat moved around on the line.

At edge rusher, Texas returns only one of the four it heavily rotated at the position last season, former Notre Dame transfer Ovie Oghoufo. The Longhorns need more production from the position: In 2021, no Texas edge rusher had more tackles for loss than Oghoufo (5 1/2) or sacks than Ben Davis (2 1/2), who graduated.

Justice Finkley, a four-star recruit who enrolled in January, is an option. “He’s a physical player; he had a presence,” Sarkisian said after the spring game. Sarkisian mentioned the possibility of incorporating starting weakside linebacker DeMarvion Overshown at edge in certain packages.

overshown-sotp-scaled.jpg
 
DeMarvion Overshown recorded a team-leading 74 tackles (38 solo) with 5 1/2 tackles for loss, two sacks, two fumble recoveries, two quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and one blocked kick in 2021. (Kevin Jairaj / USA Today)

Linebacker improvement is also critical to improving the run defense. The Longhorns seek a big super-senior season from Overshown, the team’s leading tackler who flashed his talent but needs to be more consistent. Starting middle linebacker Luke Brockermeyer returns but missed spring football with an injury, enabling Jaylan Ford to see plenty of action. Sarkisian calls Ford an “impact player” and suggested his consistency in approach is now matching his physical ability.

The Longhorns added former James Madison linebacker Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey, an FCS All-American, in late May. At JMU, Tucker-Dorsey had 116 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four interceptions for a team that reached the national semifinals.

“To get an experienced player who’s versatile, who can rush the passer, play in coverage, defend the run … (he’s) a really good addition for immediate impact,” Sarkisian said.

Veteran linebackers David Gbenda and Devin Richardson can play both linebacker positions. Senior Jett Bush moved from edge to middle linebacker this offseason.

At cornerback, Texas lacks experience but has sufficient depth for Sarkisian. Super-senior D’Shawn Jamison is the only returning starter. The Longhorns added Ohio State transfer Ryan Watts, a long, physical corner who played 19 games over two seasons with the Buckeyes.

Beyond that group is a lot of youth: sophomore Jamier Johnson, redshirt freshman Ishmael Ibraheem and true freshmen Terrance Brooks and Jaylon Guilbeau. “Now it’s how far can we take those guys and to see which ones are ready to roll,” Sarkisian said.

Jahdae Barron moved from corner to “star,” the nickelback position in Texas’ defense. Anthony Cook, one of the Longhorns’ top defenders last season, moved from star to safety, and corner Kitan Crawford also moved to safety.

“Those three moves helped us because we want to play tighter coverage,” Sarkisian said. “They all have a corner background to them. We’re faster. Kitan is one of the fastest guys on the team, you’re getting a faster guy at star, and you get faster at safety. All those things add up.”

With Cook moving back, safety is flush with depth and talent. Jerrin Thompson, who started six games last season, “took the next step” this spring, Sarkisian said.

B.J. Allen, Morice Blackwell, JD Coffey III and Larry Turner-Gooden are “going to be good players for us down the road,” Sarkisian said.

Key stat to know: Tackling problems exacerbated Texas’ run defense issues in 2021. The Longhorns allowed 68 rushes of at least 10 yards last season, ranking 88th in the FBS.

Of those 68 runs, 13 came after the Longhorns hit the opposing runner at or behind the line of scrimmage, eighth-most in the nation. No FBS team allowed more touchdown runs of 10-plus yards after hitting the opposing runner at or behind the line of scrimmage than Texas (six).

Special teams

Longtime kicker Cameron Dicker graduated, and the Longhorns will likely turn to three players to replace him because he served as a place kicker, punter and kickoff specialist in 2021.

Isaac Pearson, a 2021 recruit and Prokick Australia product, likely will assume punting duties.

For place kicker and kickoff duties, Sarkisian called it a competition among redshirt freshman Bert Auburn, sophomore Gabriel Lozano and incoming freshman Will Stone. Auburn converted three extra-point attempts and kicked off four times last season, Lozano didn’t play in 2021 after transferring from Texas Tech, and Stone is a signee who arrived in June.

In the return game, Texas has multiple options. D’Shawn Jamison, who has three combined kickoff and punt return touchdowns in four years, is still around. Xavier Worthy and Keilan Robinson are return candidates (both performed those duties briefly in 2021), and Tarique Milton, Brenen Thompson, Jaydon Blue and Jordan Whittington are also options.

Opposing scouting report

Rival coaches have the same questions about Texas that everyone else does.

“Offensively, they’re going to be as talented as anybody in the conference,” one opposing coach said. “They have one of the best young receivers (Worthy), one of the best running backs (Robinson). The big question mark is what are they gonna look like up front?”

xavier-sotp-scaled.jpg
 
Xavier Worthy had 62 receptions for 981 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2021, establishing single-season Texas freshman records in all three categories. (Kevin Jairaj / USA Today)

The offensive line could make or break the unit in much the way it did last season. “Their O-line (talent) didn’t match their skill (talent),” the coach said. “That was the biggest thing.”

What type of impact could Ewers have if he wins the starting quarterback job? That, too, is up in the air, according to this coach.

“He’s a huge talent and has incredible arm talent,” the coach said. “The question is: You haven’t played (in games) since your junior year, so what does that look like? … When it comes to complicated defenses, guys in this conference are gonna throw a lot of things at you.”

The coach and an additional opposing coach who spoke to The Athletic complimented Texas’ returning defensive line talent and depth. But both questioned whether the Longhorns will play tough enough to be a better defense.

“They at times couldn’t stop people, and (in the spring game) they bounced off of No. 2 (Roschon Johnson),” the first coach said.

“Are they going to play tougher, more physical?” the second coach asked. “Last year, they showed at times that they can play physical and could be hard to run the ball against and could cover people, but then they’d give up a big play. Can they be more consistent?”

The second coach was unimpressed with their play at linebacker but still felt Texas had enough talent to win. “They’re never gonna be short of having enough guys there with the way they recruit,” he said.

How the Longhorns recruited from 2019 to 2022

texas-recruiting-scaled.jpg

As usual, Texas’ recruiting rankings have the Longhorns among the nation’s elite. Their four-year average recruiting ranking is 7.75, seventh-best in the country in that span, after signing three top-eight classes in the last four cycles.

But a deeper look into the program’s retention and development belies those rankings and offers a clear picture of why the team had such a disastrous 2021.

Texas’ 2019 recruiting class, which ranked No. 3, was a disaster. The group should be entering its fourth year on campus, but of the 26 players then-coach Tom Herman signed, only six remain. Sixteen of them transferred out, three medically retired and one — former defensive end Jacoby Jones — has completed his eligibility.

The 2020 class, highlighted by running back Bijan Robinson, has fared much better so far, with 15 of the 20 signees still on campus. The 2021 class, most of which was also signed by Herman, has 19 of 23 signees still around. The gem of the class, Xavier Worthy, was one of four signed after Sarkisian took the job in January. Two other Sarkisian 2021 signees already transferred.

Texas’ 2022 class, Sarkisian’s first full cycle, finished fifth nationally and focused on the line of scrimmage, with seven offensive linemen and eight defensive linemen.

In the transfer portal

Texas had a busy portal cycle with outgoing and incoming players. Since August, 22 scholarship players entered the portal and seven new transfers have joined the team.

Of the departed players, only four (quarterback Casey Thompson, receiver Marcus Washington, tight end Jared Wiley and defensive back B.J. Foster) started more than half of the 2021 season. Nine of them didn’t play a game, and 13 appeared in fewer than half of last season’s games.

Sarkisian focused heavily on upgrading the passing game, bringing in Ewers, three receivers (Hall, Milton, Neyor) and a tight end (Billingsley).

Tucker-Dorsey and Watts were the only two portal additions on defense, both at need positions.

“The transfer portal for us is A) a way to really enhance your roster or B) really fill a need,” Sarkisian said. “We haven’t gone to the portal and just gone crazy and signed 17, 18, 19 guys because we’re really trying to build a program that can sustain long term.”

Impact of coaching changes

Former running backs coach Stan Drayton left for the head coach job at Temple, and receivers coach Andre Coleman wasn’t retained. Sarkisian hired former Georgia Tech running backs coach Tashard Choice and former Pitt receivers coach Brennan Marion.

“We got 29 years younger in two hires,” Sarkisian said to alumni in May. “I’m trying to give a little more connectability to our current players, which has been the whole focus all offseason for us. I’m trying to provide a little bit more energy from a coaching staff perspective and also on the recruiting front.”

On Choice, a former Dallas Cowboys running back, Sarkisian said in April:

“An intense guy every day. He doesn’t pick and choose. He’s very demanding of the players, and I think they’re learning a lot from him and his style. We’re finishing runs at a level that I haven’t seen.”

On Marion, who coached Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison at Pitt last season, Sarkisian said:

“He really has earned the respect of those wideouts. He’s a real technician. Those guys, they get on the grass and they go to work. He allows them to learn conceptually. They don’t learn just one position; they’re learning big picture. So a lot of guys are interchangeable, and I’ve seen growth.”

Former longtime TCU head coach Gary Patterson, known for his defensive mind, was the most publicized addition as a special assistant, an off-field role. At TCU, Patterson led the Horned Frogs to seven victories against Texas in 10 Big 12 meetings. Sarkisian said Patterson provides an additional set of eyes on the big picture as well as schematic suggestions in reviewing 2021 film or scouting 2022 opponents. Sarkisian called Patterson’s rapport with staff and players “awesome” and said he regularly bounces ideas off him.

Sarkisian added former NFL, CFL and SEC scout Bobby Merritt primarily to assess the transfer portal.

“His eye is trained to study the college player and how they translate to the NFL,” Sarkisian said in May. “Ultimately, that’s what we’re looking at now when you look at the portal: How does a kid relate to us if he came to our program — would he be a frontline player?”

Schedule

Sept. 3
team-logo-272-50x50.pngULM
Home
Sept. 10
Home
Sept. 17
Home
Sept. 24
team-logo-184-50x50.pngat Texas Tech
Away
Oct. 1
Home
Oct. 8
Dallas
Oct. 15
Home
Oct. 22
Away
Nov. 5
Away
Nov. 12
team-logo-187-50x50.pngTCU
Home
Nov. 19
team-logo-179-50x50.pngKansas
Away
Nov. 26
Home

Final assessment

With the Longhorns entering Year 2 in the same offensive and defensive schemes and upgrading the talent in multiple spots, improvement is the minimum expectation. How will that translate to the win column? It’s hard to tell until it’s clear how much improvement Texas will make in the trenches. The Longhorns could get answers quickly there when Alabama comes to town in Week 2.

Though that game will set the tone and serve as a much-scrutinized gauge, nobody is expecting the Horns to win. It’s the other 11 games that are critical. Texas can’t lose to Kansas or West Virginia or Iowa State again because it will raise a lot of the same questions 2021 brought and elevate pressure on Sarkisian. The last thing the Longhorns need is another coach on the hot seat.

Texas doesn’t need to win the Big 12. But reaching at least eight wins is a reasonable goal and would go a long way toward restoring confidence.

 

  • Hook 'Em 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites
thunderlounge

thunderlounge 7825

Posted
Posted
36 minutes ago, Fondren & Main said:

Pantera should be part of the piped in music.  Get that Guns and Roses bullshit out of here.

 


I keep sayin we should ditch the white hats for black, and coming out of the tunnel should be cowboys from hell. 
 

Hostile would be better, but don’t think that would fly. 

  • Hook 'Em 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ElChupacabra

ElChupacabra 254

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, thunderlounge said:


I keep sayin we should ditch the white hats for black, and coming out of the tunnel should be cowboys from hell. 
 

Hostile would be better, but don’t think that would fly. 

I would like to formally second this motion. Cowboys from hell would fucking rock.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Fondren & Main

Fondren & Main 6715

Posted
Posted
54 minutes ago, thunderlounge said:


I keep sayin we should ditch the white hats for black, and coming out of the tunnel should be cowboys from hell. 
 

Hostile would be better, but don’t think that would fly. 

Definitely, I'd submit this one because it really brings the hate and intensity to 11...but the language sort of screws it.  Fucking Hostile is great too.  This thread is now about Pantera and why CDC hasn't made it a staple in the gameday experience.

 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
thunderlounge

thunderlounge 7825

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, Fondren & Main said:

Definitely, I'd submit this one because it really brings the hate and intensity to 11...but the language sort of screws it.  Fucking Hostile is great too.  This thread is now about Pantera and why CDC hasn't made it a staple in the gameday experience.

 


That one for CCG and playoffs. 
 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
UDontKnow

UDontKnow 10444

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, thunderlounge said:


I keep sayin we should ditch the white hats for black, and coming out of the tunnel should be cowboys from hell. 
 

Hostile would be better, but don’t think that would fly. 

Hostile you say? Starts right about 0:22. VY used to get amped to this song (among a few others).

 

Edited by UDontKnow
  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ztejas

ztejas 43420

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, UDontKnow said:

Hostile you say? Starts right about 0:22. VY used to get amped to this song (among a few others).

 

Back when we were letting country-ass, gangsta-ass motherfuckers loose on both sides of the ball. 

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business and Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Subscribe!... Donate!... Advertise... COOKIE MONSTER!

×
×
  • Create New...