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The thread wherein the national media sucks off Texas for the first time in over a decade

WelfareBuysMyWeed

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89Horn

89Horn 1551

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24 minutes ago, Sbbruin said:

I do this from a place of love.  In case you are worried about Texas getting to big of a head from the Bama win, may I present 9 years ago today.  fun time in dallas that weekend.

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Yeah, uh hmm.  That was a win against a Texas team that had lost at home the week before to BYU 41-7.  I may be wrong, but I suspect Texas did not have a big head going into that UCLA game.  That was a dumpster fire season from the get go.

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Doc Daneeka

Doc Daneeka 6769

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55 minutes ago, Sbbruin said:

I do this from a place of love.  In case you are worried about Texas getting to big of a head from the Bama win, may I present 9 years ago today.  fun time in dallas that weekend.

spacer.png

Ooof. One of the best wins in recent memory was over an unranked team that just got run-ruled at home. 

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WelfareBuysMyWeed

WelfareBuysMyWeed 5573

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On 9/13/2023 at 8:39 AM, TexArcher said:

They've had a glimpse of what's coming, and they're all rushing to make sure the rest of the country knows how much even more the bestest the SEC is about to become.  

They're gonna talk massive shit when they beat us and act like we're family when we beat them.

I can't wait till Texas is the class of the SEC, and bottom feeders in the conference start celebrating our victories lmao

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NoctambulantBrobdingnagian

NoctambulantBrobdingnagian 540

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32 minutes ago, WelfareBuysMyWeed said:

I can't wait till Texas is the class of the SEC, and bottom feeders in the conference start celebrating our victories lmao

You mean like when a&m put band aides on their 'sawed off horns' tshirt when Texas won in 2005? They have always sought unearned glory.

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TexArcher

TexArcher 38064

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20 minutes ago, NoctambulantBrobdingnagian said:

You mean like when a&m put band aides on their 'sawed off horns' tshirt when Texas won in 2005? They have always sought unearned glory.

That was such a pathetic don't-forget-about-us moment.

If aggy ever makes a national championship game (lol), I hope they lose by 175.  Fuck aggy.

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TexArcher

TexArcher 38064

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We're so classy!  Look, everybody, we put band-aids on the horns we sawed off on our shirts.  We might hate Texas with the intensity of a thousand suns for being better than us at literally everything, but we're gonna pretend to root for them tonight.  One night only, lol, then it's back to assaulting their fans in our stadium and flinging horseshit into their band.  But, look how classy we are tonight, aren't y'all impressed by the class?  Gooooo Longhorns, one more time before we take over college football like it used to be in some history that we learned as babies that predates even internet searches.  Whoop!

 

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Pescado_Rojo

Pescado_Rojo 19428

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On 9/13/2023 at 2:21 PM, Sbbruin said:

I do this from a place of love.  In case you are worried about Texas getting to big of a head from the Bama win, may I present 9 years ago today.  fun time in dallas that weekend.

spacer.png

I was watching your game on opening weekend, and the camera panned down the sideline and I was like "holy fuck, that's got to be the Neuheisel kid. Go online and look and sure enough, he's your WR coach. 

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Sbbruin

Sbbruin 21887

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5 minutes ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

I was watching your game on opening weekend, and the camera panned down the sideline and I was like "holy fuck, that's got to be the Neuheisel kid. Go online and look and sure enough, he's your WR coach. 

Yep, and he's actually a pretty good recruiter.  Players love him.  

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Deej

Deej 76917

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25 minutes ago, TexArcher said:

Smug prick, acting like he's got some great trivia that wasn't in like a hundred other reports minutes after we won in Tuscaloosa.  Get fucked, assclown.

So, Brando, who involved with UT was saying "we're back" before the Bama game? Get fucked. 

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CHIEF

CHIEF 5095

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On 9/11/2023 at 6:15 AM, Wulaw Horn said:

I sort of think this defense and special teams might be better. I know I’d take the specialists from this team, and the linebackers on the 2005 team were a real problem for us, while this one has Ford and Ant Hill. This years DL is deeper. This years secondary is as deep- but that secondary was awesome and just had absurd high end talent. 
It’s not there yet and who know if it will get there, but I think it might surprise me if we aren’t actually better on defense and special teams. 
we are a lot deeper at WR and better top end talent too. RB and OL 2005 was so much better. TE probably a push. Coordinators are better on this years team. VY was just such a motherfucker that I’d like 2005 favored over any college team ever to play, but we’d have some strengths on this one and reason to be excited. 

I think the starters at every position on the 2005 team were better than this team's starters, but the 2005 team never had this kind of depth with no drop off. Of course, VY is the GOAT, but MM and Arch behind Quinn is pretty salty. Sark is light years better than GD, but I think Vince took GD's playbook with a grain of salt. He was just Vince being Vince. 

Here is my real reason to think that the 2005 Longhorns set themselves apart. 2005 USC and Ohio State would boat race anyone suiting up currently. Georgia, FSU, Michigan, UT. The 2005 Longhorns would beat the current team by about three scores. I actually think the Horseshoe at night was probably a tougher game then USC. Both were Herculean efforts. It's tough to make comparisons across decades with the ever increasing weights, heights, speed, and other "measurables."We might have a few "once in a decade" type players, but I have only seen one "once in a lifetime" player, and he wore Burnt Orange.

CHIEF

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Wulaw Horn

Wulaw Horn 19152

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10 minutes ago, CHIEF said:

I think the starters at every position on the 2005 team were better than this team's starters, but the 2005 team never had this kind of depth with no drop off. Of course, VY is the GOAT, but MM and Arch behind Quinn is pretty salty. Sark is light years better than GD, but I think Vince took GD's playbook with a grain of salt. He was just Vince being Vince. 

Here is my real reason to think that the 2005 Longhorns set themselves apart. 2005 USC and Ohio State would boat race anyone suiting up currently. Georgia, FSU, Michigan, UT. The 2005 Longhorns would beat the current team by about three scores. I actually think the Horseshoe at night was probably a tougher game then USC. Both were Herculean efforts. It's tough to make comparisons across decades with the ever increasing weights, heights, speed, and other "measurables."We might have a few "once in a decade" type players, but I have only seen one "once in a lifetime" player, and he wore Burnt Orange.

CHIEF

I love VY. This is in no way disparaging him- I’m not sure he’s a once in a lifetime guy (can newton did a decent job at replicating 90% of him and getting a win, so much as I think he was a groundbreaker and a first of his kind guy. 

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gmr548

gmr548 16615

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1 hour ago, Wulaw Horn said:

I love VY. This is in no way disparaging him- I’m not sure he’s a once in a lifetime guy (can newton did a decent job at replicating 90% of him and getting a win, so much as I think he was a groundbreaker and a first of his kind guy. 

fite me irl

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mchookem

mchookem 16385

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On 9/13/2023 at 2:11 PM, Sbbruin said:

Oh indeed, just thought I'd commemorate the anniversary.  The best was Charlie Strong electing to kick off in the first half, giving us the ball to start each half.

didn't that lead to the awesome Thujone panel of 'sandwich! no, wait... sandwich!' from the kickoff call?? 😆 i admit that was some funny, funny shit. 

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closetojumping

closetojumping 62866

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On 9/14/2023 at 7:02 PM, Wulaw Horn said:

I love VY. This is in no way disparaging him- I’m not sure he’s a once in a lifetime guy (can newton did a decent job at replicating 90% of him and getting a win, so much as I think he was a groundbreaker and a first of his kind guy. 

Just now seeing this. Jesus Tittyfucking Christ.

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MissingInAction

MissingInAction 25183

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On 9/14/2023 at 7:02 PM, Wulaw Horn said:

I love VY. This is in no way disparaging him- I’m not sure he’s a once in a lifetime guy (can newton did a decent job at replicating 90% of him and getting a win, so much as I think he was a groundbreaker and a first of his kind guy. 

Have you been smoking meth?

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Wulaw Horn

Wulaw Horn 19152

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18 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Just now seeing this. Jesus Tittyfucking Christ.

Is MIchael Jordan a once in a lifetime guy? No. He's the greatest ever.  But Kobe replicated a whole lot of what he had. 
Kevin Durant is - because you don't have other 7 footers with that type of game. Or Shaq with his brute physicality. I'm arguing the difference between GOAT and "that guy is a 1 of 1 that broke the mold.  Iverson would be another 1 of 1 guy, to me. 

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closetojumping

closetojumping 62866

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15 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Is MIchael Jordan a once in a lifetime guy? No. He's the greatest ever.  But Kobe replicated a whole lot of what he had. 
Kevin Durant is - because you don't have other 7 footers with that type of game. Or Shaq with his brute physicality. I'm arguing the difference between GOAT and "that guy is a 1 of 1 that broke the mold.  Iverson would be another 1 of 1 guy, to me. 

It's been 18 years and the only things you can come up with are Cam Newton (no) and bizarre basketball mentions. I don't even know what you're trying to argue, and believe me, you don't need to argue more of it, but if I ever see someone that actually reminds me of Vince Young, I'll let you know. Otherwise, there was no mold to break. Just a single work of art. 

 

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Park Gothic

Park Gothic 5068

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23 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Is MIchael Jordan a once in a lifetime guy? No. He's the greatest ever.  But Kobe replicated a whole lot of what he had. 
Kevin Durant is - because you don't have other 7 footers with that type of game. Or Shaq with his brute physicality. I'm arguing the difference between GOAT and "that guy is a 1 of 1 that broke the mold.  Iverson would be another 1 of 1 guy, to me. 

giphy.webp

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Dbeasy

Dbeasy 15091

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On 9/14/2023 at 7:02 PM, Wulaw Horn said:

I love VY. This is in no way disparaging him- I’m not sure he’s a once in a lifetime guy (can newton did a decent job at replicating 90% of him and getting a win, so much as I think he was a groundbreaker and a first of his kind guy. 

Congratulations. You just made the Mount Rushmore of stupid 2023 takes on Surly. Helobious is the other three heads. 

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The_Great_Hornsby

The_Great_Hornsby 3283

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On 9/14/2023 at 7:02 PM, Wulaw Horn said:

I love VY. This is in no way disparaging him- I’m not sure he’s a once in a lifetime guy (can newton did a decent job at replicating 90% of him and getting a win, so much as I think he was a groundbreaker and a first of his kind guy. 

Lol Scam Newton couldnt hold VY's jockstrap. What a shit ass take. VY was quite literally the best player in college football history. These Cam Newton and Crab Legs comparisons are completely stupid.  

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Wulaw Horn

Wulaw Horn 19152

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Fine. I’m not going to argue anymore- put it on the unpopular opinions thread. 
just want it understood that I believe Vy to be the greatest college player ever but I’m talking about a different thing than y’all (and could be wrong so whatever). 
the Mount Rushmore line with Helo having the other 3 heads is great though.  

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tokamak

tokamak 6441

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Bruce Feldman @ The Athletic. Don't read this if you don't like chugging kool-aid.

Spoiler

Texas is different, if not “back” — and opposing coaches and analysts agree

By Bruce Feldman

It’s become the overdone crack — “Texas is back again, eh?” — and the typical response is an eye-roll or a snicker. We media folk kept tripping over ourselves.

That certainly was the case when Texas beat No. 11 Notre Dame in Austin, Tex. to kick off the 2016 season. The 50-47 thrilling double-overtime win had ESPN’s Joe Tessitore declaring, “Texas is back, folks!” The Horns vaulted to No. 11 in the AP poll the next week and then went 5-7, culminating in the firing of head coach Charlie Strong. (Notre Dame, by the way, finished 4-8.)

There were some promising moments in the Tom Herman era, including a top-10 finish, but Texas fizzled out in his four seasons and he was also ousted. His successor Steve Sarkisian left Nick Saban’s Alabama staff in 2021 for the job; he has since dramatically upgraded the roster and, just as importantly, put together an elite staff. The Longhorns almost upset the Tide last year, but stumbled to an 8-5 record after a five-win first season.

This offseason, the buzz had been building inside the Texas program. The development of the roster, particularly in the trenches, had several staffers excited. This group on both sides of the ball was much different than any Texas team in a long time. Quarterback Quinn Ewers, a former No. 1 recruit, had matured and was primed to take the next big step, Texas sources also affirmed. There were, as well, legitimate difference-makers on defense now.

The hype began to build from all of that.

The Longhorns were named the preseason favorite to win the Big 12, though winning the Big 12 didn’t necessarily equate to believing this team was a potential national title one. Was Sarkisian ready to get the Longhorns there? In a decade as a head coach at some big brand programs, his teams had never finished higher than No. 20. But momentum is favoring Texas. It visited Tuscaloosa in Week 2 and absolutely mauled Alabama, winning 34-24 in a game that didn’t feel close. The Longhorns had five sacks and nine TFLs. Their O-line didn’t allow a sack and gave up just two TFLs. Texas followed that up by steamrolling its subsequent three opponents (including No. 24 Kansas) by an average score of 33-10 and rising to No. 3 in the country.

So … is Texas back? I’ll hold off on that for a little bit longer, but here’s what I am confident in saying: Texas is different.

And it’s not just me saying that. The Athletic has talked to a half-dozen coaches who have either faced Texas this year or scouted them over the last two weeks. Their reaction is unanimous: This team is absolutely good enough to be a College Football Playoff team this year.

“That is a very impressive roster,” said one longtime SEC coach. “They got linemen like Alabama used to have. Both sides of the ball. They beat the s— out of Alabama. They push everybody around. They did whatever they wanted with Baylor. They’ve got speed outside and their tight end (Ja’Tavion Sanders) is a freak.

“I think Sark has learned his lesson. He’s running the ball. He’s required toughness. He used to be ‘Next play! Next play! Next play! Hurry up!’ He’s learned what it takes. He hired great coaches. Bo Davis is a great defensive line coach. (Kyle Flood) is a great O-line coach. It shows what those guys have done there.”

Against Kansas last Saturday, Texas held the nation’s No. 1 third-down offense, which had been converting at 61 percent, to 0-for-8.

“Their defense is dominant and their D-line is one of the most impressive groups I’ve ever seen,” said a Big 12 analyst whose team faced Texas this year. No. 93 (6-foot-4, 362-pound senior T’Vondre Sweat) was incredible to watch in person.”

Byron Murphy, a 308-pound junior, was No. 18 on the Freaks List this year, and is every bit as big a problem for opponents as Sweat. Their offensive line counterparts are just as impressive.

“Their D-line is freakish,” said another Big 12 coach. “They’re getting a huge pass rush with four. Their front 7 is a lot better than last year. That freshman linebacker, No. 0 (Anthony Hill) is super fast. He’s so hard to block coming off the edge. They made Alabama look bad. People blamed that quarterback (Jalen Milroe) but they didn’t have a lot of guys open.”

This is a dramatic change from how Texas used to be. In the previous 15 years, Texas has only had two O-linemen drafted. A critical piece of the turnaround has been that Flood and Davis (not so coincidentally, both former Saban assistants, like Sarkisian and special teams coordinator Jeff Banks, who is also regarded as one of the best at his position) are working opposite of one another with their players going head up against each other. That battle every single day at practice, good on good, has raised the bar, ratcheting up their toughness and physicality.

“Their O-line is so big and physical and they move people,” said the Big 12 analyst. “Both of their tackles No. 78 (sophomore Kelvin Banks) and No. 70 (senior Christian Jones) had elite movement skills. I also thought their left guard No. 76 (Hayden Conner) was also pretty damn good with great movement skills.) … I think their O-line is the strength of their offense. Their receivers can run and are as good as advertised. Their backs break tackles and are great in space.

“Sark is the best play caller I’ve ever faced. He hardly had any tendencies going in, and if he did, he broke them during our game. He really keeps you off balance. They have a great change to make a deep run.”

The Big 12 coach added a grim warning of sorts for the rest of their conference — and perhaps for the SEC, which will be home to the Longhorns next year: “They are better live than on film.”

 

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LTtxfan

LTtxfan 49355

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2 minutes ago, tokamak said:

Bruce Feldman @ The Athletic. Don't read this if you don't like chugging kool-aid.

  Reveal hidden contents

Texas is different, if not “back” — and opposing coaches and analysts agree

By Bruce Feldman

It’s become the overdone crack — “Texas is back again, eh?” — and the typical response is an eye-roll or a snicker. We media folk kept tripping over ourselves.

That certainly was the case when Texas beat No. 11 Notre Dame in Austin, Tex. to kick off the 2016 season. The 50-47 thrilling double-overtime win had ESPN’s Joe Tessitore declaring, “Texas is back, folks!” The Horns vaulted to No. 11 in the AP poll the next week and then went 5-7, culminating in the firing of head coach Charlie Strong. (Notre Dame, by the way, finished 4-8.)

There were some promising moments in the Tom Herman era, including a top-10 finish, but Texas fizzled out in his four seasons and he was also ousted. His successor Steve Sarkisian left Nick Saban’s Alabama staff in 2021 for the job; he has since dramatically upgraded the roster and, just as importantly, put together an elite staff. The Longhorns almost upset the Tide last year, but stumbled to an 8-5 record after a five-win first season.

This offseason, the buzz had been building inside the Texas program. The development of the roster, particularly in the trenches, had several staffers excited. This group on both sides of the ball was much different than any Texas team in a long time. Quarterback Quinn Ewers, a former No. 1 recruit, had matured and was primed to take the next big step, Texas sources also affirmed. There were, as well, legitimate difference-makers on defense now.

The hype began to build from all of that.

The Longhorns were named the preseason favorite to win the Big 12, though winning the Big 12 didn’t necessarily equate to believing this team was a potential national title one. Was Sarkisian ready to get the Longhorns there? In a decade as a head coach at some big brand programs, his teams had never finished higher than No. 20. But momentum is favoring Texas. It visited Tuscaloosa in Week 2 and absolutely mauled Alabama, winning 34-24 in a game that didn’t feel close. The Longhorns had five sacks and nine TFLs. Their O-line didn’t allow a sack and gave up just two TFLs. Texas followed that up by steamrolling its subsequent three opponents (including No. 24 Kansas) by an average score of 33-10 and rising to No. 3 in the country.

So … is Texas back? I’ll hold off on that for a little bit longer, but here’s what I am confident in saying: Texas is different.

And it’s not just me saying that. The Athletic has talked to a half-dozen coaches who have either faced Texas this year or scouted them over the last two weeks. Their reaction is unanimous: This team is absolutely good enough to be a College Football Playoff team this year.

“That is a very impressive roster,” said one longtime SEC coach. “They got linemen like Alabama used to have. Both sides of the ball. They beat the s— out of Alabama. They push everybody around. They did whatever they wanted with Baylor. They’ve got speed outside and their tight end (Ja’Tavion Sanders) is a freak.

“I think Sark has learned his lesson. He’s running the ball. He’s required toughness. He used to be ‘Next play! Next play! Next play! Hurry up!’ He’s learned what it takes. He hired great coaches. Bo Davis is a great defensive line coach. (Kyle Flood) is a great O-line coach. It shows what those guys have done there.”

Against Kansas last Saturday, Texas held the nation’s No. 1 third-down offense, which had been converting at 61 percent, to 0-for-8.

“Their defense is dominant and their D-line is one of the most impressive groups I’ve ever seen,” said a Big 12 analyst whose team faced Texas this year. No. 93 (6-foot-4, 362-pound senior T’Vondre Sweat) was incredible to watch in person.”

Byron Murphy, a 308-pound junior, was No. 18 on the Freaks List this year, and is every bit as big a problem for opponents as Sweat. Their offensive line counterparts are just as impressive.

“Their D-line is freakish,” said another Big 12 coach. “They’re getting a huge pass rush with four. Their front 7 is a lot better than last year. That freshman linebacker, No. 0 (Anthony Hill) is super fast. He’s so hard to block coming off the edge. They made Alabama look bad. People blamed that quarterback (Jalen Milroe) but they didn’t have a lot of guys open.”

This is a dramatic change from how Texas used to be. In the previous 15 years, Texas has only had two O-linemen drafted. A critical piece of the turnaround has been that Flood and Davis (not so coincidentally, both former Saban assistants, like Sarkisian and special teams coordinator Jeff Banks, who is also regarded as one of the best at his position) are working opposite of one another with their players going head up against each other. That battle every single day at practice, good on good, has raised the bar, ratcheting up their toughness and physicality.

“Their O-line is so big and physical and they move people,” said the Big 12 analyst. “Both of their tackles No. 78 (sophomore Kelvin Banks) and No. 70 (senior Christian Jones) had elite movement skills. I also thought their left guard No. 76 (Hayden Conner) was also pretty damn good with great movement skills.) … I think their O-line is the strength of their offense. Their receivers can run and are as good as advertised. Their backs break tackles and are great in space.

“Sark is the best play caller I’ve ever faced. He hardly had any tendencies going in, and if he did, he broke them during our game. He really keeps you off balance. They have a great change to make a deep run.”

The Big 12 coach added a grim warning of sorts for the rest of their conference — and perhaps for the SEC, which will be home to the Longhorns next year: “They are better live than on film.”

 

Here's tweet for this article...

 

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babysdaddy

babysdaddy 2728

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17 minutes ago, tokamak said:

Bruce Feldman @ The Athletic. Don't read this if you don't like chugging kool-aid.

  Reveal hidden contents

Texas is different, if not “back” — and opposing coaches and analysts agree

By Bruce Feldman

It’s become the overdone crack — “Texas is back again, eh?” — and the typical response is an eye-roll or a snicker. We media folk kept tripping over ourselves.

That certainly was the case when Texas beat No. 11 Notre Dame in Austin, Tex. to kick off the 2016 season. The 50-47 thrilling double-overtime win had ESPN’s Joe Tessitore declaring, “Texas is back, folks!” The Horns vaulted to No. 11 in the AP poll the next week and then went 5-7, culminating in the firing of head coach Charlie Strong. (Notre Dame, by the way, finished 4-8.)

There were some promising moments in the Tom Herman era, including a top-10 finish, but Texas fizzled out in his four seasons and he was also ousted. His successor Steve Sarkisian left Nick Saban’s Alabama staff in 2021 for the job; he has since dramatically upgraded the roster and, just as importantly, put together an elite staff. The Longhorns almost upset the Tide last year, but stumbled to an 8-5 record after a five-win first season.

This offseason, the buzz had been building inside the Texas program. The development of the roster, particularly in the trenches, had several staffers excited. This group on both sides of the ball was much different than any Texas team in a long time. Quarterback Quinn Ewers, a former No. 1 recruit, had matured and was primed to take the next big step, Texas sources also affirmed. There were, as well, legitimate difference-makers on defense now.

The hype began to build from all of that.

The Longhorns were named the preseason favorite to win the Big 12, though winning the Big 12 didn’t necessarily equate to believing this team was a potential national title one. Was Sarkisian ready to get the Longhorns there? In a decade as a head coach at some big brand programs, his teams had never finished higher than No. 20. But momentum is favoring Texas. It visited Tuscaloosa in Week 2 and absolutely mauled Alabama, winning 34-24 in a game that didn’t feel close. The Longhorns had five sacks and nine TFLs. Their O-line didn’t allow a sack and gave up just two TFLs. Texas followed that up by steamrolling its subsequent three opponents (including No. 24 Kansas) by an average score of 33-10 and rising to No. 3 in the country.

So … is Texas back? I’ll hold off on that for a little bit longer, but here’s what I am confident in saying: Texas is different.

And it’s not just me saying that. The Athletic has talked to a half-dozen coaches who have either faced Texas this year or scouted them over the last two weeks. Their reaction is unanimous: This team is absolutely good enough to be a College Football Playoff team this year.

“That is a very impressive roster,” said one longtime SEC coach. “They got linemen like Alabama used to have. Both sides of the ball. They beat the s— out of Alabama. They push everybody around. They did whatever they wanted with Baylor. They’ve got speed outside and their tight end (Ja’Tavion Sanders) is a freak.

“I think Sark has learned his lesson. He’s running the ball. He’s required toughness. He used to be ‘Next play! Next play! Next play! Hurry up!’ He’s learned what it takes. He hired great coaches. Bo Davis is a great defensive line coach. (Kyle Flood) is a great O-line coach. It shows what those guys have done there.”

Against Kansas last Saturday, Texas held the nation’s No. 1 third-down offense, which had been converting at 61 percent, to 0-for-8.

“Their defense is dominant and their D-line is one of the most impressive groups I’ve ever seen,” said a Big 12 analyst whose team faced Texas this year. No. 93 (6-foot-4, 362-pound senior T’Vondre Sweat) was incredible to watch in person.”

Byron Murphy, a 308-pound junior, was No. 18 on the Freaks List this year, and is every bit as big a problem for opponents as Sweat. Their offensive line counterparts are just as impressive.

“Their D-line is freakish,” said another Big 12 coach. “They’re getting a huge pass rush with four. Their front 7 is a lot better than last year. That freshman linebacker, No. 0 (Anthony Hill) is super fast. He’s so hard to block coming off the edge. They made Alabama look bad. People blamed that quarterback (Jalen Milroe) but they didn’t have a lot of guys open.”

This is a dramatic change from how Texas used to be. In the previous 15 years, Texas has only had two O-linemen drafted. A critical piece of the turnaround has been that Flood and Davis (not so coincidentally, both former Saban assistants, like Sarkisian and special teams coordinator Jeff Banks, who is also regarded as one of the best at his position) are working opposite of one another with their players going head up against each other. That battle every single day at practice, good on good, has raised the bar, ratcheting up their toughness and physicality.

“Their O-line is so big and physical and they move people,” said the Big 12 analyst. “Both of their tackles No. 78 (sophomore Kelvin Banks) and No. 70 (senior Christian Jones) had elite movement skills. I also thought their left guard No. 76 (Hayden Conner) was also pretty damn good with great movement skills.) … I think their O-line is the strength of their offense. Their receivers can run and are as good as advertised. Their backs break tackles and are great in space.

“Sark is the best play caller I’ve ever faced. He hardly had any tendencies going in, and if he did, he broke them during our game. He really keeps you off balance. They have a great change to make a deep run.”

The Big 12 coach added a grim warning of sorts for the rest of their conference — and perhaps for the SEC, which will be home to the Longhorns next year: “They are better live than on film.”

 

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