Game Week Thread Week 2, 2023: Texas @ Alabama

[Wulaw Horn 19063]

Well, 

I was  super excited to go to the game as our fearless leader @immamacgot a bunch of tickets for surlyites who are interested in going to the game. Big ups to you man- let me know how you want your money and how we are doing ticket exchange!

It will be my first trip to an SEC venue (I’ve been to all the SWC and Big 12 schools, plus Stanford and Cal) and playing the Gumps when they are down, early in the season where they are breaking in a new QB who can’t throw 1/2 the routes in the route tree, seemed a particularly auspicious time for me to start visiting this new and different collection of dipshits and morons we’ve aligned ourselves with.
 
All summer long I was convinced this texas offense was gonna be awesome. I was disabused of that notion by 3:20 PM on 9/2. What a bummer of a performance that was. 

The defense is excellent. The special teams are special I think, in the good way, and the Bama offense looks pretty mid. Maybe we can win a 13-10 rock fight.  

In other news the big 12, and especially the Texas members of the big 12, covered themselves in total and complete shit yesterday with tech, Baylor and TCU all losing to double digit dogs and UH squeaking out a 3 point win over UTSA. Reap what you sow dickheads. 

Game week is scary. See y’all in Tuscaloosa 

[mrhorn 1383]

Looks like Bama had some injuries in the secondary yesterday. They haven’t released specifics but we need all the help we can get.

[FloridaHorn 4752]

The offense shows up this week and Texas wins 33-18.

[USNALonghorn 5078]

I'm very happy with the defense. Stuffing a team to singe digits rushing before garbage time is impressive, even against Rice. ST looked very good, aside from the out of bounds kick. 

The obvious main concerns are offensive line play and Ewers. Not being able to displace Rice defenders in the run game is a really bad sign. Maybe Flood can shuffle some people around and give Neto more snaps, but I don't think this gets really fixed by next week. Becoming one dimensional and having to rely on Ewers in the Bama game will lead us to the next issue: Ewers can't fucking throw the deep ball. The several lame ducks that he lobbed "downfield" highlighted his poor mechanics and perhaps some panic under pressure. If a full offseason did not translate to any tangible progress for him, then I don't we'll ever see it. I could be wrong, but at this point the odds are really low. Sark is supposed to be very good at coaching QBs... I doubt he forgot how to coach that aspect of the game.

Overall, I worry about Bama's defense figuring out that they don't need to respect the run game, AND they don't need to worry about the deep ball. They'll watch the game film from last year's TCU game and flip "OFF" switch on our offense. Hope I'm wrong.

[gmr548 16575]

I just don't see how this doesn't end up with Bama running multiple series' worth of additional offensive snaps and wearing the Texas defense down. Texas has to either hit on some of these deep shots or generate push in the run game to sustain some drives and get in the end zone as opposed to settling for FGs. The odds for both feel, uh, low heading into this particular game.

[MichaelDicksonFanClub 2904]

 

Waiting on my ctj Bama rant

Edited September 3, 2023 by MichaelDicksonFanClub
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[Wulaw Horn 19063]

7 minutes ago, gmr548 said:

I just don't see how this doesn't end up with Bama running multiple series' worth of additional offensive snaps and wearing the Texas defense down. Texas has to either hit on some of these deep shots or generate push in the run game to sustain some drives and get in the end zone as opposed to settling for FGs. The odds for both feel, uh, low heading into this particular game.

I don't think Bama is any good offensively and I think we are actually better than them defensively.  That said I think our Offense is not great man, and I expect that to be the deciding factor. But we could absolutely win this game either 13-10 or 17-14 or something like that.  Or, maybe really were saving the good plays for ______________, like we always hoped for against OU, while always being disappointed.  

[DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt 12301]

Assume this defense won't be able to get off the field on 3rd and 4th down against a team with a pulse until proven otherwise.

We'll come out with our hair on fire and it'll be close in the first half. They'll pull away in the second.

I picked 8 wins before the season, didn't see anything yesterday that changed my opinion on that win total.

[Atticus 3973]

Our offense will be fine, and we will have plenty of success next week on that side of the ball.  We keep Milroe in the pocket, we turn him over, we win the game.

Just gotta protect Quinn and avoid falling in love with the deep ball next week.  They've been preparing for this game for a while, and it is clearly one that everyone wants on the wall.

[Josef Pwag 1738]

I don't think our interior o-line has fixed a single problem. I am also pessimistic about how we can handle a running QB. 

I am willing to give Ewers a little room on deep ball issues since it was the first game. 

I will be thrilled if we keep this game under 14 points. 

[Red Five 40822]

Wonder if we'll have two new starters at guard. Neto certainly looks like he needs to be one of them. 

[Wulaw Horn 19063]

14 minutes ago, Atticus said:

Our offense will be fine, and we will have plenty of success next week on that side of the ball.  We keep Milroe in the pocket, we turn him over, we win the game.

Just gotta protect Quinn and avoid falling in love with the deep ball next week.  They've been preparing for this game for a while, and it is clearly one that everyone wants on the wall.

I think we should throw deep on 2/1 and 3 /10+ if we have to, since we seem to be so bad at it. 

[Wulaw Horn 19063]

13 minutes ago, Josef Pwag said:

I don't think our interior o-line has fixed a single problem. I am also pessimistic about how we can handle a running QB. 

I am willing to give Ewers a little room on deep ball issues since it was the first game. 

I will be thrilled if we keep this game under 14 points. 

Interior Oline was bad, and Banks even gave up a sack. This will probably always be the relative weakness of the team but it needs to improve to “able to work/scheme around it” and I didn’t see that yesterday. 

[Red Five 40822]

1 minute ago, Wulaw Horn said:

I think we should throw deep on 2/1 and 3 /10+ if we have to, since we seem to be so bad at it. 

This is one of the strangest things I've ever seen in 40 years of watching Texas football. We apparently rock at it in practice, and in games it looks like Ewers has never thrown a pass beyond 20 yards in his life. I shat on Worthy a ton last year for not adjusting to the ball, but that was not the issue yesterday. 

[Enchubben 5510]

We’d be able to sustain drives with the deep shots if the WR’s would work back to the under thrown balls and draw PI’s rather than trying to make a highlight reel.

That said, QE doesn’t appear to be able to drop it in the bucket like many of the other QB’s I watched yesterday. Hopefully that’s just game 1 jitters.

[Darth Tron 1122]

We’ve seen and rationalized enough middling performances against Rice to know how this goes later in the season.
 

Offensive line couldn’t get push.  QB couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn from 15 yards out or more.  Our chunk plays were typically schemed rather than broken from a simple play against an outmatched opponent.

 

These are basic issues rather than one-offs.  I know we’re not supposed to overreact to the first game, but I didn’t see anything that made me feel better about problems that previously existed.  Things didn’t look fixed.  I think our ceiling is lower than I thought before the game.

 

That said, maybe we play up to a diminished Bama and get lucky in a rock fight.  Sark removes his head from his ass and stops wasting 1st downs, Quinn gains some confidence and the Rice game will be just a teaching point going forward.  Here’s hoping!

[Enchubben 5510]

Just now, Red Five said:

I shat on Worthy a ton last year for not adjusting to the ball, but that was not the issue yesterday. 

There were still at least two from what I recall. 

[LateAughtsHorn 588]

Hoping for a 2010 Nebraska type outcome where we go in, shitty offense and all, and ram it up their ass. 

[Red Five 40822]

3 minutes ago, Enchubben said:

There were still at least two from what I recall. 

I'm thinking of one that could have been caught, but it was also under thrown. There was also one that should have been called PI but I think that was Mitchell. 

[trythisathome 971]

7 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Interior Oline was bad, and Banks even gave up a sack. This will probably always be the relative weakness of the team but it needs to improve to “able to work/scheme around it” and I didn’t see that yesterday. 

 

I haven't seen a replay of the play yet but I'm gonna assume Tope is right here. 

[Red Five 40822]

3 minutes ago, trythisathome said:

 

I haven't seen a replay of the play yet but I'm gonna assume Tope is right here. 

That's what I thought watching it live. The announcers didn't seem to agree.

[Sir Ulrich 5187]

QE was steller up to 20 yards and under pressure (including some good 1st down scrambles). I'll bet we hit a deep one next week early to balance out the offense the rest of the way. 

Baxter and Blue need the bulk of carries to get us 3.5+ on first downs to have a chance. 

 

[ClubWhatever 12120]

20 minutes ago, Red Five said:

Wonder if we'll have two new starters at guard. Neto certainly looks like he needs to be one of them. 

Should.   Campbell still can't pass block and Connor can't run block.  They keep trying to pull Connor but you might as well be setting a blocking dummy out there. 

Edited September 3, 2023 by ClubWhatever

[Rockethorn1978 6072]

I think it’s crazy we’re still hoping a 5 star qb figures out how to hit a wr in stride over 20 yards, if he can’t do it by now consistently then when he does it will be luck. Hopefully we got some luck this Saturday and he surprises us, but more than likely we will get a shit ton of quick outs and quick passes to sanders all game. Running game blows like the bowl game. 
 

defense is the TITS though so this gives me the most hope we can make it a sec style dogfight. 17-13 or something like that.

[TejasPedro 1857]

Hope some of our players are salty as hell going into this game.
Block until the whistle blows for the love of god. No O-lineman standing around watching players make incredible plays. No  chest pumping bullshit, just maul their asses. 

[Nueces River Rat 5537]

One upside is this will be the only game we won’t see the useless POS Rig 12 Refs.    

[Bama Llama 1450]

On too many plays I saw Milroe not paying attention to what should be the play clock in his head. This does not bode well for my guys. Bama O line is better than ‘22 but so is Texas D. Bama RBs seem merely adequate but not able to house it. #84 TE could make a difference. 

If Malachi Moore is out, Ewers & Horns receivers will eat yards.

Hopkng for great atmosphere, good signs at GameDay, no putrid calls, no injuries.

I’ll be shocked if it doesn’t go down to the wire.  If any of you get downtown, check out Jalapeño’s Tequila Cafe y Bar. Wide selection of Tequilas, good fud, run by friends of mine.

Welcome to the SEC - early version.

[Biff Tannen 45661]

39 minutes ago, Atticus said:

Just gotta protect Quinn and avoid falling in love with the deep ball next week

This is kind of a huge problem.  Not sure it can be fixed in one week, if ever.

[gofuckyourself 8195]

31 minutes ago, Josef Pwag said:

I am willing to give Ewers a little room on deep ball issues since it was the first game. 

So I've never played organized football. Maybe others here have and can enlighten me.

My game was basketball. I was decent. Especially long range. If I warmed up, practiced, etc I could really dial in on a three pointer. I got better over time. Sure, bad games happen but I'd usually find it and the practices improved things.

But Ewers never seems to dial in. The OU game maybe? But I honestly don't recall the long ball in that one, if any.

Just wondering if actual QBs, coaches or non-football morons on the board can chime in because I think most of us slapdicks are bewildered at the highly touted phenom with inefficient or just plain bad results.

[ClubWhatever 12120]

1 minute ago, gofuckyourself said:

But Ewers never seems to dial in.

His mechanics are shit.  He doesn't step into the throws and it's a three quarters motion. The trajectory is too high so the ball is short or sails wide 9/10 times.  

[ousux 5595]

Looks like Bama had some injuries in the secondary yesterday. They haven’t released specifics but we need all the help we can get.

Koolaid took a few big shots on punt returns, wouldn't be surprised if he is one of them. Bad news for us we won't see C4 suiting up for this game..hopefully he's fully back by bloU.

[gofuckyourself 8195]

12 minutes ago, ClubWhatever said:

His mechanics are shit.  He doesn't step into the throws and it's a three quarters motion. The trajectory is too high so the ball is short or sails wide 9/10 times.  

Ok. So no one else sees it? Coaches can't fix it? There aren't drills run over and over to get it improved? Not joking. I still don't get it.

This is a "5-star Heisman candidate NFL draft," coached by a "QB guru", who I have zero faith can hit a downfield receiver in stride who has five yards separation.

That's like saying "well this shooting guard airballs 85% of his threes and dribbles off his feet 5 times a game. But he's great, we swear. It's just first game jitters."

Edited September 3, 2023 by gofuckyourself

[DFW Horn 6123]

 

[LTtxfan 49141]

BEAT bama !!!

[Bolero88 277]

33 minutes ago, Sir Ulrich said:

QE was steller up to 20 yards and under pressure (including some good 1st down scrambles). I'll bet we hit a deep one next week early to balance out the offense the rest of the way. 

Baxter and Blue need the bulk of carries to get us 3.5+ on first downs to have a chance. 

 

Nah, Baxter had 1 good run. He gained like 6 yards on his other 4 rushing attempts. He was not good. 

[CastHorn 811]

I think you got to start Neto at LG & maybe even slide Cole back in at RG if he can go. Hayden just doesn’t knock anyone off the ball, and he’s terrible pulling. Ewers is a mechanical nightmare, but I think some of that is him not trusting the interior enough to step up in the pocket. We can win this game if we stay ahead of the chains. 

[Atticus 3973]

Banks and Conner don't work well together. I don't know what value Conner presents in all honesty. He is hard to move when he actually gets in place, but he gets confused so easily. He and Kelvin on different pages led to multiple hits on Quinn. 

Quinn actually completed some good passes despite the leaky protection, people are hyperfocusing on the missed big shots, some of which were under duress as well. 

I'd rather he stay healthy for the entire season than try to be a hero against Rice, or any other game not counting the conference championship game. They have to keep him cleaner than that.

[Sgt Hulk 13712]

I noticed a few plays yesterday when our wide receivers couldn’t get open for absolute shit that when Quinn would throw it. There were two receivers within a few yards of each other. Is this really shitty ass playcalling or shitty ass play design because why in the hell would our receivers be bunched up together down field bringing all the dB with them? The only time we were ever successful is one on one or over the middle slants.  as much as I want to blame Quinn because he can’t hit a fucking deep ball to save his goddamn life I feel like our playcalling ate all the dick yesterday as well.  judging by what I saw watching both games Milroe will probably shit all over us and we won’t score a fucking point and it’ll be something like 14 to 3 Snoozefest. 

Edited September 3, 2023 by Sgt Hulk

[Red Five 40822]

1 minute ago, Atticus said:

I don't know what value Conner presents in all honesty.

Same with Campbell. Not only did he look like he didn't know what he was supposed to be doing a lot of the time, he was also getting pushed around. 

That those two came out of fall camp as the starters is a little concerning. 

[Pam Cummings 9639]

1 hour ago, Sir Ulrich said:

QE was steller up to 20 yards and under pressure (including some good 1st down scrambles). I'll bet we hit a deep one next week early to balance out the offense the rest of the way. 

Baxter and Blue need the bulk of carries to get us 3.5+ on first downs to have a chance. 

 

Baxter is out 6 weeks at a minimum i'd think.

[Longboard Horn 40284]

3 minutes ago, Pam Cummings said:

Baxter is out 6 weeks at a minimum i'd think.

Sucks, but at least we have Jonathon Brooks

[MuellerHorn 4226]

1 hour ago, Enchubben said:

We’d be able to sustain drives with the deep shots if the WR’s would work back to the under thrown balls and draw PI’s rather than trying to make a highlight reel.

That said, QE doesn’t appear to be able to drop it in the bucket like many of the other QB’s I watched yesterday. Hopefully that’s just game 1 jitters.

There were multiple non-calls for defensive PI yesterdays on plays just like you mentioned. 

Edited September 3, 2023 by MuellerHorn

[Josef Pwag 1738]

1 hour ago, ClubWhatever said:

He doesn't step into the throws 

I really think it is because our C & G play is always so terrible, that he is hesitant to step up in the pocket. I don't know. It is just hard for me to imagine that all of the analysts could be this wrong and that this is peak Ewers. I guess it may not ever get any better than this.

 

9 minutes ago, Longboard Horn said:

Sucks, but at least we have Jonathon Brooks

You don't think Blue looked better? Because of our o-line, we need a RB (like our dudes last year) who can make 1 or 2 people miss on most handoffs. I would start Blue. 

[MuellerHorn 4226]

1 hour ago, Red Five said:

That's what I thought watching it live. The announcers didn't seem to agree.

The announcers said this:

Something along the lines of, “Banks passed him off inside to Conner who went and blocked no one to the interior next to Majors.”

[The Dog 44017]

Wrong thread.

Edited September 3, 2023 by The Dog

[The Ace of Aces 5175]

Alabama will double Worthy and take him out of the game plan. That’s a problem since our QB can’t check down due to a) his inability to read a defense and/or b) our offensive line folding like the French army. 

Defensively, I like how we stack up. The issue is they’ll be on the field for a huge chunk of the game and wear down chasing the QB all night since I don’t expect our offense to have any real, sustained success and zero running success.

I sense a 28-10 or so loss that’s close in the first half but over halfway through the 3rd. 

[Red Five 40822]

30 minutes ago, MuellerHorn said:

The announcers said this:

Something along the lines of, “Banks passed him off inside to Conner who went and blocked no one to the interior next to Majors.”

We might be talking about different plays. The one I'm talking about they said something like "Uh oh, that's your left tackle giving up a sack."

[UTEE97 3507]

I believe a different and energized Texas team will show up in Tuscaloosa. Milroe sucks. With or without deep balls connecting, we will win convincingly. 

Edited September 4, 2023 by UTEE97

[mrhorn 1383]

Baxter is out 6 weeks at a minimum i'd think.

Unless I missed something, it had to be a collarbone. Sark said he landed on the ball and it was a ribs issue, but watching the play back he didn’t land on the ball. Watching him on the sidelines yesterday they weren’t looking at his ribs

[Pam Cummings 9639]

2 minutes ago, mrhorn said:

Unless I missed something, it had to be a collarbone. Sark said he landed on the ball and it was a ribs issue, but watching the play back he didn’t land on the ball. Watching him on the sidelines yesterday they weren’t looking at his ribs

Yeah i don't know who he thinks he's kidding with that landed on the ball story. There's no way it wasn't something in his shoulder.