Orange White Spring Game, Sat. April 23rd (Gates Open 4pm. Game starts 6pm)

[LTtxfan 48980]

 

[Laga4 1270]

9 hours ago, Duane Moore said:

I tried focusing on Collins on the D-line but he just didn’t do a whole lot. Maybe he was tying up blockers, but it just seems like our DT’s besides Murphy just play too high.

I didn't see Collins do anything either. I had really high hopes for the guy,  but he looks like he just can't,  or won't  play. 

[ousux 5587]

I haven’t seen anything on Justice. Did he play? I couldn’t watch cause Hulu has live sports and not whatever that broadcast allegedly was. 

Ikr? It's almost like Hulu isnt owned by Disney...who owns ESPN, which runs LHN.

If my wife didnt prefer Hulu+ live over all the other streaming services, I'd be dumping this overpriced pile of feminist dogshit.

[JBJ 3649]

17 hours ago, Hookem2147 said:

This was nice to see. Attacking the pulling player. Don’t think I saw this once last year 

 

This was the DL play of the game, imo.  Sorrell attacking the counter.  Sweat didn't let the double take.  It's just basic football executed well.

Even the LBs had no false steps with good block destruction by Ford.  Less good by Overshown.

[Hookem2147 20932]

 

[Elmer_Fudd 22109]

12 minutes ago, Hookem2147 said:

 

Safety's last year never did that.

[JBJ 3649]

Jett is a better LB than edge player for sure.  His speed is going to hold him back eventually, but he's just not a perfect fit for anywhere in a nickel defense.

Edited April 25, 2022 by JBJ

[Hookem2147 20932]

2 minutes ago, JBJ said:

Jett is a better LB than edge player for sure.  His speed is going to hold him back eventually, but he's just not a perfect fit for anywhere in a nickel defense.

He looks a little quicker than Brockermeyer despite being about 10 pounds heavier. 

I also think that clip is a good example of how our DT’s can make life much easier for LB’s who can diagnose and fill the right gaps.

[Make em eat Taco Bell 1549]

when was the last time Ewers played a full season, 10th grade?

[Knoxtnhorn 5936]

1 hour ago, Hookem2147 said:

He looks a little quicker than Brockermeyer despite being about 10 pounds heavier. 

I also think that clip is a good example of how our DT’s can make life much easier for LB’s who can diagnose and fill the right gaps.

Good Christ.  We're still goong to see these two on the field this year?

[Horn of Gabriel 1590]

2 hours ago, Hookem2147 said:

 

Was that Christian Jones looking decent there?

[Hookem2147 20932]

Just now, Horn of Gabriel said:

Was that Christian Jones looking decent there?

Don't think run blocking has ever been his major issue

[NoRagrets 1125]

4 minutes ago, Hookem2147 said:

Don't think run blocking has ever been his major issue

He had a good day overall. Looks much better on the right side. 

[Hookem2147 20932]

1 minute ago, NoRagrets said:

He had a good day overall. Looks much better on the right side. 

Agreed. Would allow for some nice flexibility for the rest of the line if he settled in at RT.

[Hornlover 8824]

1 hour ago, Hookem2147 said:

 

On this play, Jett Bush (43) and Gbenda (33) are both standing in the same spot as they are diagnosing what's happening (probably not how it was drawn up).

Hayden Conner (76) fires out to the second level. He encounters both LBs, and has a chance to seal off Bush so he can't make a play. Instead, he largely whiffs on both LBs, and lets Bush run free to make the tackle.

If Bush is further to the wide side of the field when the play starts going, he makes the choice much more difficult for Conner. If Conner doesn't whiff, the play probably goes for 5 more yards, and possibly allows the RB to beat the safety.

In a zero-sum play, somehow both our LBs and OL still look shaky.

 

[Hookem2147 20932]

1 minute ago, Hornlover said:

On this play, Jett Bush (43) and Gbenda (33) are both standing in the same spot as they are diagnosing what's happening (probably not how it was drawn up).

Hayden Conner (76) fires out to the second level. He encounters both LBs, and has a chance to seal off Bush so he can't make a play. Instead, he largely whiffs on both LBs, and lets Bush run free to make the tackle.

If Bush is further to the wide side of the field when the play starts going, he makes the choice much more difficult for Conner. If Conner doesn't whiff, the play probably goes for 5 more yards, and possibly allows the RB to beat the safety.

In a zero-sum play, somehow both our LBs and OL still look shaky.

 

Fair. Gbenda still looked way too hesitant for a lot of his plays on Saturday. Just extremely frustrating to watch him try to diagnose because he has the physical gifts.

[BurntOrange&White 39661]

1 hour ago, Hookem2147 said:

He looks a little quicker than Brockermeyer despite being about 10 pounds heavier. 

I also think that clip is a good example of how our DT’s can make life much easier for LB’s who can diagnose and fill the right gaps.

Both are shit.

[Codaxx 5602]

3 minutes ago, Hornlover said:

On this play, Jett Bush (43) and Gbenda (33) are both standing in the same spot as they are diagnosing what's happening (probably not how it was drawn up).

Hayden Conner (76) fires out to the second level. He encounters both LBs, and has a chance to seal off Bush so he can't make a play. Instead, he largely whiffs on both LBs, and lets Bush run free to make the tackle.

If Bush is further to the wide side of the field when the play starts going, he makes the choice much more difficult for Conner. If Conner doesn't whiff, the play probably goes for 5 more yards, and possibly allows the RB to beat the safety.

In a zero-sum play, somehow both our LBs and OL still look shaky.

 

Partly angle and Gbenda was moving well before Bush. Looks like Gbenda has taken 2 steps before Bush moves.  Conner fires out and Gbenda tries to go underneath him and Conner gives him enough of a push to take him out of the play. 

[Hookem2147 20932]

1 minute ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Both are shit.

Oh trust us, we know your opinion on the same 3 players on the team you consistently bring up

[BurntOrange&White 39661]

2 minutes ago, Hookem2147 said:

Oh trust us, we know your opinion on the same 3 players on the team you consistently bring up

Well at least BJ Foster is gone

[Tylerocks 2551]

14 minutes ago, JBJ said:

Jett is a better LB than edge player for sure.  His speed is going to hold him back eventually, but he's just not a perfect fit for anywhere in a nickel defense.

This.

 

I'm not sure how he was put at EDGE in the 1st place.

[Burt Macklin 18998]

31 minutes ago, Horn of Gabriel said:

Was that Christian Jones looking decent there?

 

26 minutes ago, NoRagrets said:

He had a good day overall. Looks much better on the right side. 

Jones has always been at least decent in run blocking, especially when he gets to go against our 2nd team edges.  He actually still shows the problem he's always had, which is he doesnt move his feet. You see he stops his feet and is still able to seal/twist the defender, but a better defender probably draws a hold on that play. You can see at the end how's he reaching his arms across the defender's face, which is just begging for a holding call. It's why he was our most penalized lineman last year.  

He also got beat cleanly on an inside move by Harris where he once again showed concrete blocks for feet. I think most of him looking decent was a function of going against 2nd stringers on a team that doesn't even have good first string edge players. The hope for this OL is that Conner or a true freshman can provide better RT play, because Jones is going into his fourth year here and still hasn't shown nearly enough growth at the position. 

21 minutes ago, Hornlover said:

On this play, Jett Bush (43) and Gbenda (33) are both standing in the same spot as they are diagnosing what's happening (probably not how it was drawn up).

Hayden Conner (76) fires out to the second level. He encounters both LBs, and has a chance to seal off Bush so he can't make a play. Instead, he largely whiffs on both LBs, and lets Bush run free to make the tackle.

If Bush is further to the wide side of the field when the play starts going, he makes the choice much more difficult for Conner. If Conner doesn't whiff, the play probably goes for 5 more yards, and possibly allows the RB to beat the safety.

In a zero-sum play, somehow both our LBs and OL still look shaky.

 

Yeah, Bush's initial positioning is horrible and he took a while to diagnose the play on top of it.   He's lucky Abiara and Jones got in Huston's way. If Hutson gets a clean release on that zone blocking, he easily seals Bush and it's another wide open edge run like we saw all last year. Sark did a good job disguising the strong side with the late TE motion, but Bush has to recognize the strong side and start shading there right away. Our DE is in a neutral shade on the OT and we don't have an overhang defender there. As soon as that side becomes strong side, the strong side ILB has to recognize that and react. Bush doesn't at all, and he's still lined up as the weak side ILB at the snap. 

Oh and Broughton is still completely useless, not that it's a surprise. 

34 minutes ago, Hornlover said:

On this play, Jett Bush (43) and Gbenda (33) are both standing in the same spot as they are diagnosing what's happening (probably not how it was drawn up).

Hayden Conner (76) fires out to the second level. He encounters both LBs, and has a chance to seal off Bush so he can't make a play. Instead, he largely whiffs on both LBs, and lets Bush run free to make the tackle.

If Bush is further to the wide side of the field when the play starts going, he makes the choice much more difficult for Conner. If Conner doesn't whiff, the play probably goes for 5 more yards, and possibly allows the RB to beat the safety.

In a zero-sum play, somehow both our LBs and OL still look shaky.

 

It would've been better if Conner adjusted and sealed Bush, but his assignment on that zone play is the backside LB and he effectively seals Gbenda even if his technique wasn't great. That play isn't drawn up for Conner to seal the strong side ILB, because no one would expect the LT to be able to reach him, which goes to show how out of position and slow Bush was on that play, because Conner easily could've got him. I wouldn't really call it a blown assignment by Conner though because he did reach his man on the play. 

The OL did a solid job on this play, it just doesn't mean much because the 2nd/3rd string DL we had in there is just horrible. 

[Hornlover 8824]

21 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

 

Jones has always been at least decent in run blocking, especially when he gets to go against our 2nd team edges.  He actually still shows the problem he's always had, which is he doesnt move his feet. You see he stops his feet and is still able to seal/twist the defender, but a better defender probably draws a hold on that play. You can see at the end how's he reaching his arms across the defender's face, which is just begging for a holding call. It's why he was our most penalized lineman last year.  

He also got beat cleanly on an inside move by Harris where he once again showed concrete blocks for feet. I think most of him looking decent was a function of going against 2nd stringers on a team that doesn't even have good first string edge players. The hope for this OL is that Conner or a true freshman can provide better RT play, because Jones is going into his fourth year here and still hasn't shown nearly enough growth at the position. 

Yeah, Bush's initial positioning is horrible and he took a while to diagnose the play on top of it.   He's lucky Abiara and Jones got in Huston's way. If Hutson gets a clean release on that zone blocking, he easily seals Bush and it's another wide open edge run like we saw all last year. Sark did a good job disguising the strong side with the late TE motion, but Bush has to recognize the strong side and start shading there right away. Our DE is in a neutral shade on the OT and we don't have an overhang defender there. As soon as that side becomes strong side, the strong side ILB has to recognize that and react. Bush doesn't at all, and he's still lined up as the weak side ILB at the snap. 

Oh and Broughton is still completely useless, not that it's a surprise. 

It would've been better if Conner adjusted and sealed Bush, but his assignment on that zone play is the backside LB and he effectively seals Gbenda even if his technique wasn't great. That play isn't drawn up for Conner to seal the strong side ILB, because no one would expect the LT to be able to reach him, which goes to show how out of position and slow Bush was on that play, because Conner easily could've got him. I wouldn't really call it a blown assignment by Conner though because he did reach his man on the play. 

The OL did a solid job on this play, it just doesn't mean much because the 2nd/3rd string DL we had in there is just horrible. 

You're right, Gbenda is his assignment. I just kind of wish that Conner had seen the two dudes standing in front of him, and just plowed full speed through the both of them. He has the size and momentum to do so, but instead he decided to slow down and dance. Choose violence, big man.

[Burt Macklin 18998]

21 minutes ago, Hornlover said:

You're right, Gbenda is his assignment. I just kind of wish that Conner had seen the two dudes standing in front of him, and just plowed full speed through the both of them. He has the size and momentum to do so, but instead he decided to slow down and dance. Choose violence, big man.

Yep. You'd like to see a higher level of aggression and awareness from our OL in general, icluding that play. Hutson didn't always have the awareness, which is expected, but he did always have the aggression. I hope the rest of our true freshman bring it, too. 

[ClubWhatever 12087]

48 minutes ago, Tylerocks said:

This.

 

I'm not sure how he was put at EDGE in the 1st place.

Meathead

[Bob Lives! 900]

2 hours ago, Make em eat Taco Bell said:

when was the last time Ewers played a full season, 10th grade?

As a matter of fact, yes. It was the 10th grade. 

 

In 11th grade he played 8 games, the last of which was only about 15 months ago. 

[Iguana 229]

1 hour ago, Hornlover said:

On this play, Jett Bush (43) and Gbenda (33) are both standing in the same spot as they are diagnosing what's happening (probably not how it was drawn up).

Hayden Conner (76) fires out to the second level. He encounters both LBs, and has a chance to seal off Bush so he can't make a play. Instead, he largely whiffs on both LBs, and lets Bush run free to make the tackle.

If Bush is further to the wide side of the field when the play starts going, he makes the choice much more difficult for Conner. If Conner doesn't whiff, the play probably goes for 5 more yards, and possibly allows the RB to beat the safety.

In a zero-sum play, somehow both our LBs and OL still look shaky.

 

I think Conner is trying to "beat Gbenda to the spot" Which he did. Asking the LT to cutoff the playside backer would be really tough. I am guessing the RG is expected to combo block to the playside LB.

[JBJ 3649]

9 minutes ago, Iguana said:

I think Conner is trying to "beat Gbenda to the spot" Which he did. Asking the LT to cutoff the playside backer would be really tough.

Yes.  He did his job.  Violence is always encouraged, though

[Hermanator 6944]

On 4/23/2022 at 8:47 PM, Nicole44 said:

@closetojumping please weigh in

[Revolution512 1480]

It’s kind of amazing to me how difficult of a time this staff is having clearing out scar tissue. A lot of guys are still stuck in mud or doing it the old way. I guess that’s why 40 new guys are here.

[Zeus 5950]

20 hours ago, 927 E. 41st said:

I was down for Family Weekend , so we took in Texas-Baylor baseball on the 22nd (total ass kicking that I loved, have I ever mentioned my hatred for all things Baylor?) and the "Spring Game". Also, got to take in a staggering amount of pollen.

Vertigo nailed down most of the points, but I'd like to add one more. Maalik Murphy didn't play, but was throwing the ball in warm ups a bit. He looks like an absolute freak of nature, looked like he's a full 6 inches taller that the other 2 QB's (I think they list him as 6'5" and Ewers as 6'2"). The thing that bugged me was him throwing it with so much zip the WR's weren't catching them. Looked a little Garret Gilbert esque. Of course it was only drills, but I hope he is capable of putting more touch/taking something off. I know everyone is focused on Ewers/Card, but I'm pretty excited about Murphy too.

no amount of zip taken off of throws can help some guys catch my friend

[Dnaguy 11777]

23 hours ago, sith_horn said:

That's great. But he didn't take the starting position of kicker at Texas. I had high hopes for him when he came on in part because of those tweets he used to post. That and I think he was "all Texas" and who doesn't like that?

Here's his Texas Roster Link:  2019 Texas Football Roster - Chris Naggar

According to Wikipedia, looks like he did well at SMU and has managed to sorta hang on in the NFL but doesn't look like he's been killing it either.

Link:  Wikipedia - Chris Naggar

I hope it all comes together for him and he kills it at Dallas but as far as I can tell, he hasn't established himself as "the" kicker for Dallas yet - Article below. Is there anything more recent which says otherwise?

A Look At Kicker Options Heading Into The Draft _ Apr 7, 2022 - dallascowboys.com/news 

  Reveal hidden contents

FRISCO, Texas – April is officially here, and the entire NFL is closing in on a list of their potential selections when Thursday the 28th finally arrives. For the Dallas Cowboys, there are plenty of needs on the table. Offensive line and wide receiver are both at the top of the list, with linebackers and defensive line not too far behind.

However, with under a month until the picks are made, there is one position group on the roster that sits completely unaddressed this offseason:

Kicker.

Greg Zuerlein was released in March after his second season with the Cowboys and his 10th season working with Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fassel. The veteran connected on 63-of-73 attempts over the last two seasons and missed a total of nine extra points over that span.

Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones told reporters last month that the club will look to address kicker after parting ways with Zuerlein. The question now becomes, where does Zuerlein's replacement come from?

 

Dallas did preface the move with the signing of former SMU and University of Texas kicker Chris Naggar to the Reserve/Future list in February. Though Naggar remains on the roster, he only has one career field goal make in his NFL career and doesn't necessarily provide any confidence to the kicking situation in 2022.

The Cowboys could look to free agency to sign a veteran before training camp. The next option, and probably the most popular, is finding talent in the upcoming NFL draft class.

With the recent success of rookie Evan McPherson in Cincinnati, Harrison Butker in Kansas City, and Super Bowl winner Matt Gay in Los Angeles, kickers taken in the last five drafts have had instant success in the league.

Luckily for the Cowboys, there is an impressive wave of talent in this year's class to choose from.

Cade York from LSU headlines the list after gaining a reputation of one of the more clutch kickers in college football last season. The junior connected on 15-of-18 attempts in 2021 and made a name for himself with a 57-yard field goal in the fog against Florida in 2020. He has hit on a kick from over 52 yards out in all three of his collegiate seasons.

 

Next on the list would probably be Texas product Cameron Dicker, otherwise known as 'Dicker the Kicker' from the Longhorn faithful. With an 86.7% conversion rate and only one missed extra point, he seems like a great fit for the next level. And if his impressive power wasn't enough to impress with multiple 50-yard boots, his versatility will. He acquired the punting duties in 2021 as well and was first-team All-Big 12 in doing so.

Other names that could be on the Dallas radar are fellow Big 12 kickers Andrew Mevis from Iowa State and Gabe Brkic from Oklahoma. Mevis was a Senior Bowl invite and had a 20-of-23 season while Brkic had some accuracy concerns (76.9%) but has the leg strength enough impress NFL teams across the league.

Nick Sciba from Wake Forest, Texas Tech's Jonathan Garibay, Caleb Shudak from Iowa, and Parker White out of South Carolina will all have a shot at making an NFL camp roster as well.

At the moment, there's nothing to suggest that Dallas has held formal meetings any of the names listed. However, the possibility of informal meetings at the combine or throughout the draft process is certainly there.

As unpredictable as draft weekend can become, Dallas will have to be ready for anything, including finding a new kicker either through free agency or in the actual draft.

 

And it looks like there are plenty of intriguing options for them to explore.

 

 

[HtownHorn 14488]

6 hours ago, Knoxtnhorn said:

Good Christ.  We're still goong to see these two on the field this year?

Well, Devin Richardson hasn't done anything to put his ass on the field. If he's the 4th ILB, he might see a little bit of time.

[Vertigo 20267]

2 hours ago, Zeus said:

no amount of zip taken off of throws can help some guys catch my friend

[closetojumping 62247]

3 hours ago, Hermanator said:

This one hurt, folks.

[dcar00 14035]

my summary is that outside of Neyor, Watts(nice size for a DB) and bit of Ewers hitting some nice in/slant routes, I saw about the same team I saw last year.  Spring game and all so onward through the fog to September.

[Codaxx 5602]

5 hours ago, Iguana said:

I think Conner is trying to "beat Gbenda to the spot" Which he did. Asking the LT to cutoff the playside backer would be really tough. I am guessing the RG is expected to combo block to the playside LB.

I am not convinced he did. Feel like Gbenda tried to avoid any contact and under cut it, instead of fighting over the top 

[Nope 3111]

7 hours ago, Tylerocks said:

This.

 

I'm not sure how he was put at EDGE in the 1st place.

Please stop yelling 

[JBJ 3649]

22 hours ago, Codaxx said:

Partly angle and Gbenda was moving well before Bush. Looks like Gbenda has taken 2 steps before Bush moves.  Conner fires out and Gbenda tries to go underneath him and Conner gives him enough of a push to take him out of the play. 

You are right, but it's only the right thing to do after we know it's a mid zone.

We run split zone and the throwback to the TE from the same look.  It should take a bit of hesitation, and there's zero reason to work upfield.  If the TE releases here or Connor wanted to seal the cutback, Gbenda would be boned.  Maybe he picked up on something "intuitively," but knowing him he's just chasing ball.

---

And to Macklin's point there's something wonky going on in the alignment between the LBs and safeties.  LB are lined up like it's Saban Cover 3 (strong side Cover 3).  Safeties look like they are playing a simple quarters albeit shifted to the Trips side.  It's definitely not standard Cover 3 (weakside Cover 3).

[TexasTroll 454]

17 hours ago, dcar00 said:

my summary is that outside of Neyor, Watts(nice size for a DB) and bit of Ewers hitting some nice in/slant routes, I saw about the same team I saw last year.  Spring game and all so onward through the fog to September.

Can  Oat Willie play line backer??

[Red Five 40665]

I too am curious about Oat Willie. 

[LTtxfan 48980]

2 hours ago, Red Five said:

I too am curious about Oat Willie. 

Here yah go...

[NeverMarryAStripper 21781]

Is it possible to have attended UT and not know about Oat Willies?

[conVINCEd 21468]

22 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

Is it possible to have attended UT and not know about Oat Willies?

Guilty as charged.

[Burt Macklin 18998]

4 hours ago, JBJ said:

You are right, but it's only the right thing to do after we know it's a mid zone.

We run split zone and the throwback to the TE from the same look.  It should take a bit of hesitation, and there's zero reason to work upfield.  If the TE releases here or Connor wanted to seal the cutback, Gbenda would be boned.  Maybe he picked up on something "intuitively," but knowing him he's just chasing ball.

---

And to Macklin's point there's something wonky going on in the alignment between the LBs and safeties.  LB are lined up like it's Saban Cover 3 (strong side Cover 3).  Safeties look like they are playing a simple quarters albeit shifted to the Trips side.  It's definitely not standard Cover 3 (weakside Cover 3).

It's obviously hard to say for sure without knowing the play or at least having the All-22, but I tend to think Bush just messed up by not shifting when the TE shifted right before the snap. Our LBs were leaning strong side pre-snap before the TE moved, but failed to make that change after the motion.  If they shifted their alignment, the entire defensive alignment would've been more coherent IMO.

[Vertigo 20267]

7 hours ago, Burt Macklin said:

It's obviously hard to say for sure without knowing the play or at least having the All-22, but I tend to think Bush just messed up by not shifting when the TE shifted right before the snap. Our LBs were leaning strong side pre-snap before the TE moved, but failed to make that change after the motion.  If they shifted their alignment, the entire defensive alignment would've been more coherent IMO.

As mentioned in my previous observations, nothing good happens when Jett Bush is on the field. The fact that Boyd highlighted this play as a good thing for Bush is as hilarious as it is an indictment on Boyd. Sure he got to the edge, but he had to do it in a dead sprint because it took him 3 full seconds to recognize the play. 

[BurntOrange&White 39661]

1 minute ago, Vertigo said:

As mentioned in my previous observations, nothing good happens when Jett Bush is on the field. The fact that Boyd highlighted this play as a good thing for Bush is as hilarious as it is an indictment on Boyd. Sure he got to the edge, but he had to do it in a dead sprint because it took him 3 full seconds to recognize the play. 

We’re so fucked at linebacker. 

[Vertigo 20267]

1 hour ago, Hookem2147 said:

Jett Bush has Cort Jaquess ability at Mike linebacker

This legitimately made me lol. Well done sir. 

[BurntOrange&White 39661]

Reported for posting Ian Boyd content.

[Hornlover 8824]

4 hours ago, Hookem2147 said:

 

Doesn't look like a counter play to me. Unless you consider every play with a guard pulling to be "the counter". 

It looks more like just a zone run with a pulling guard.