Game Week Thread Week 5, 2023: Kansas at Texas

[Horn Dogg 3726]

1 hour ago, Longboard Horn said:

Thanks for bringing up that bad memory, asshole.

Being called an asshole is the ultimate compliment on Surly!

[Jiggy-Z 3419]

So far Texas has only had one "easy" game out of four, and even that one was painful to watch in the 4th qtr. Rice was almost easy but more difficult than it should have been.

For Kansas, I would expect a comfortable win preceded by some general uneasiness getting there from one form or another in the following list:

Ewers int. He has been good, but he has had some balls that should have been picked straight up.

Stone hands by receivers rearing up. If that happens, possible opportunities for a pic which have been luckily avoided thus far.

Defense of deep ball which has been seen in 2 of 4 games.

Special teams. Burt has made some tough ones and missed a couple of easy ones. Coverage has been good. Muffilitus was rampant in last game.

Always a possibility that Sark guesses wrong on the offensive game plan and offense goes cold for stretches.

[lilMAC25 3770]

On 9/24/2023 at 10:57 AM, Biff Tannen said:

D has given up 10, 24, 10, and 6 points.  I see no reason for that to change next week.  D line completely disrupts offenses and no one has had an answer for it yet.

KU actually has a strong offense. 20+ seems quite within reach for them. 

[Texasrocks 2110]

1 hour ago, LTtxfan said:

That damn long 3rd qtr drive that Wyoming had just can't happen this week.

Why not? They held the ball for most of the quarter and settled for 3 points. Then immediately gave up a touchdown. Sark's approach is straight out of soccer - absorb pressure then score on a counter attack. "ToP-a-dope?" Wyoming held the ball for almost 40 minutes. And lost by 21. Baylor held the ball for 33 minutes and lost by 32. 

[Doc Daneeka 6768]

16 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

Yeah, who would ever use stuff from the past that's over to motivate a Texas team at home against Kansas? Doc Daneeka knows a lot more about being a winner than Vince Young, just ask him. 

In response to this exact question: “We don’t have to look backwards. We’re going forward.” — Sarksian, 9/25/23

 

[Nueces River Rat 5485]

12 hours ago, SKA the boss said:

tldr: grow a pair

 

Are some of you really mewling and sweating over Kansas? 

It's Kansas.

How sad our ptsd has made us over the last decade. Yes, they beat Charlie. Yes, they beat Sark on the 2 pt conversion when we had no line, walk-on LBs,  and safeties who didn't want to hit anymore .

So I hear that Daniels is good. He lit the slow Mormons up for 130 yards last week. And they were slooooow. Good job, dude.

We aren't slow. 

Yes. He's going to hit a deep shot. Maybe two. Blind squirrel and what not. But most of his day will be running in fear. 

In case you didn't notice, in addition to a beastly running game (see also Brooks, J.) and the usual receiving corps that has been putting up "who you going to cover" numbers,  i.e. Worthy, Whittington, Mitchell, and Sanders, we're starting to add Cook. And Mr. C.J. Baxter isn't going to waste his opportunies when he's getting them.

Let's not forget that a major, major ass chewing on special teams took place this week, so expect something special to happen in that arena.

Yes. They might get two lucky bombs from sleepy blown coverages, but history has been restored. Twenty something guys made tackles for us last weekend. We're so fucking sickly deep. It's Kansas, y'all. Enjoy another beat down. In our place.

btw... want to sell your ticket???

cheap?  

 

You do know that most of Surly (including myself) are  on the rag from August to December and not even the best PMS medicine does any good. We have too many seasons of hype ups and let downs.    
 

However this is not one of those seasons.   This team is on a mission. 

[closetojumping 61996]

47 minutes ago, Fud said:

Quinn's games at Texas ranked by ESPN's QBR metric, an EPA based metric that I think is useful 

2023 Baylor 96.2
2022 Bama 95.9
2022 OU 93.2
2023 Bama 91.9
2022 KSU 85.9
2022 ISU 81.8
2022 ULM 71.8
2022 WASH 68.9
2023 WYO 62.6
2022 KU 59.0
2023 RICE 53.3
2022 BAY 46.2
2022 OKST 40.6
2022 TCU 18.5

Some folks are positing that Ewers likes it better on the road and at neutral site games. I would find that odd, but the top 5 kind of harkens to that with 4 of them being away or neutral.

5 minutes ago, lilMAC25 said:

KU actually has a strong offense. 20+ seems quite within reach for them. 

KU's offense last year was better than the one they've put out so far this year. 

14 of KU's 38 points against BYU were directly on the defensive side of the ball. BYU turned the ball over 3 times to KU's none. BYU sacked Daniels just once. 

The reality is that BYU isn't a good team. They had a fluky win against Arkansas and then didn't look good against KU. KU's defense isn't good enough to let their offense run away with games, so the BYU game was closer than it should have been.

KU has been on the road once so far this year and they did not acquit themselves well in that game at Nevada. 

I'm sure KU will be pumped coming into Austin and they clearly should believe that they can win in UT's home environment. That said, it wouldn't surprise if their offense largely boils down to letting Daniels run around long enough to find an open WR who has gotten loose from Jerrin Thompson, Kitan Crawford or Michael Taffe. That's probably good for 20 points, mostly in garbage time.

[BachelorTrek 2884]

2 hours ago, perfectchaos007 said:

He was also a professor at UT, and I took his l class back in 2009 or 2010. Literally the only thing that stuck with me from that course was how much Jeff Ward despised meetings. In his mind, nothing was more of a time waste than a meeting, and he reiterated that almost every lecture.

 

/csb 

I knew he was a UT adjunct prof, but that was 23 years after the fact of his playing career at Texas, which was my point.

I still have my "I KICKED JEFF WARD'S ASS!" & "I RULE! / THE SPORTS DAY GUYS BLOW!" pick'em contest winner T-shirts from his Sports Day radio show with Bill Shoening years.  Lulz.

Edited September 25, 2023 by BachelorTrek

[hookemATL 11496]

Taafe gets a pick this week and we also get a scoop and score from Sorrell. 
 

so it is said, so shall it be. 

[stork642 4498]

On 9/24/2023 at 10:22 AM, Hagbard Celine said:

suicide is illegal in every state except oregon

The conviction rate is extremely low though.  

[South Austin 51414]

6 minutes ago, stork642 said:

The conviction rate is extremely low though.  

I’d hate to be the prosecutor who comes back with a loss.

[honolulu horn 6048]

18 hours ago, Rickylovesweed said:

We lost to a bad Kansas team at home in embarrassing fashion just 2 years ago. There should be plenty of motivation. 

Sark should be playing that game on a loop all week. 

[Doc Daneeka 6768]

Just now, honolulu horn said:

Sark should be playing that game on a loop all week. 

He disagrees. They’re both different programs and it sucked, but they don’t need to look back, they’re looking forward, he said. 

Probably better to spend that time on something that will help more on Saturday. 

[honolulu horn 6048]

1 minute ago, Doc Daneeka said:

He disagrees. They’re both different programs and it sucked, but they don’t need to look back, they’re looking forward, he said. 

Probably better to spend that time on something that will help more on Saturday. 

I get that, but this year we have played a lot better on the road than at home, which suggests to me that this team responds to "disrespect" pretty well. 

[Doc Daneeka 6768]

Just now, honolulu horn said:

I get that, but this year we have played a lot better on the road than at home, which suggests to me that this team responds to "disrespect" pretty well. 

He was asked that question today and specifically said they’re not looking back, but forward.

It suggests to me that they were super-focused on Alabama and that Baylor is garbage, though the effort was generally good.  

[NoName 16197]

1 hour ago, lilMAC25 said:

KU actually has a strong offense. 20+ seems quite within reach for them. 

#20 offense in SP+ through  weeks, #20 through 3 weeks in FEI (not updated for week 4 yet)

[Doc Daneeka 6768]

7 minutes ago, honolulu horn said:

I get that, but this year we have played a lot better on the road than at home, which suggests to me that this team responds to "disrespect" pretty well. 

It is fascinating to see the collision between the “Sarkisian sucks on the road” faction and “Sarkisian needs to bring focus at home” faction, though. 

Edited September 25, 2023 by Doc Daneeka
“Bring” not “being.” Ugh.

[honolulu horn 6048]

1 minute ago, Doc Daneeka said:

He was asked that question today and specifically said they’re not looking back, but forward.

It suggests to me that they were super-focused on Alabama and that Baylor is garbage, though the effort was generally good.  

Yes. You've mentioned that several times. I like the attitude and the approach. I just don't see the harm in rubbing in a little disrespect motivation in there. 

I like that he is building confidence, telling them that they belong at #3 and that they are a great team. But aligned with that, IMHO, could be reminding them that those fucking toddlers from KU are eager to celebrate on our home field for the second time in a row. If he wants to look forward, maybe also look forward to how good they will feel slaying another demon and putting another pretender in the basement. 

[Hookem2147 20811]

3 hours ago, 6th Street said:

How does KU's o-line compare to Bama's?

If you are asking if Kansas has 2 first round level picks on their OL, the answer is no.

But they do have 5 guys who have played together a lot. All 5 are either in their 4th or 5th year in college.

[JBJ 3591]

2 hours ago, NoName said:

 

Calling it "Most Deserving" describes what it is better than Strength of Record/Resume.

[NoName 16197]

2 minutes ago, JBJ said:

Calling it "Most Deserving" describes what it is better than Strength of Record/Resume.

 

[JBJ 3591]

^^^ I guess LSU fans stiil don't understand. 

[Duane Moore 5236]

3 hours ago, perfectchaos007 said:

He was also a professor at UT, and I took his l class back in 2009 or 2010. Literally the only thing that stuck with me from that course was how much Jeff Ward despised meetings. In his mind, nothing was more of a time waste than a meeting, and he reiterated that almost every lecture.

 

/csb 

 

45 minutes ago, BachelorTrek said:

I knew he was a UT adjunct prof, but that was 23 years after the fact of his playing career at Texas, which was my point.

I still have my "I KICKED JEFF WARD'S ASS!" & "I RULE! / THE SPORTS DAY GUYS BLOW!" pick'em contest winner T-shirts from his Sports Day radio show with Bill Shoening years.  Lulz.

Did anyone else play in the Greeks vs. Independents charity football game they would play during Round Up back in the 80’s? Ward was the head coach for the Greeks team for a few years. I just remember him telling our kicker not to roll his sleeves up because he’d “look like Kevin Butler” (kicker for the Bears that played at UGA) and saying from the opposite sideline that Kenny Sims (who was coaching the Independents) should “lay off the coke” when Sims was ranting about a call during the game. 

[Dahobbs 17093]

13 minutes ago, JBJ said:

Calling it "Most Deserving" describes what it is better than Strength of Record/Resume.

I misread the first chart at first due to the tweet. I thought the percentages for each were for being undefeated with the same schedule. I was like damn, that is some fucking disrespect to Ohio State with Notre Dame's 76%.  

[Royale with cheese 1421]

1 hour ago, Nueces River Rat said:

This team is on a mission. 

 

[Red Five 40113]

2 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Some folks are positing that Ewers likes it better on the road and at neutral site games. I would find that odd, but the top 5 kind of harkens to that with 4 of them being away or neutral.

Seems to me he plays best when he's good and fired up. And then he's bored against the Rices and Wyomings. 

[LTtxfan 48688]

2 hours ago, lilMAC25 said:

KU actually has a strong offense. 20+ seems quite within reach for them. 

Couple of current season stats for jayhawks mentioned in Leipold media availability were:

• ku ranked one of top special teams
• ku #1 in 3rd down efficiency

Leipold said they have to disrupt Ewers, keep him out of rhythm, get him in longer down and distance.

Also said Ewers is excellent QB, gonna be a high draft pick -- not sure if appropriate to say "but hopefully sooner than later"  😂😂😂

Edited September 25, 2023 by LTtxfan

[BurntOrange&White 38710]

 

[Doc Daneeka 6768]

13 minutes ago, LTtxfan said:

Couple of current season stats for jayhawks mentioned in Leipold media availability were:

• ku ranked one of top special teams
• ku #1 in 3rd down efficiency

Leipold said they have to disrupt Ewers, keep him out of rhythm, get him in longer down and distance.

Also said Ewers is excellent QB, gonna be a high draft pick -- not sure if appropriate to say "but hopefully sooner than later"  😂😂😂

They’re ranked #91 in ESPN’s special teams efficiency. I wonder what he was referring to.

[Reynolds Woodcock 4585]

6 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

 

Seems like a good dude. I almost feel bad we are going to put his team through a world of pain on Saturday.

[BurntOrange&White 38710]

Watching the press conference from Leipold

Starting RG Micheal Ford is questionable for Saturday....didn't practice.

Backup WLB Taiwan Berryhill is a game time decision.

 

[Nueces River Rat 5485]

1 hour ago, Royale with cheese said:

 

[dcar00 13861]

If the D brings it, and ST is just neutral, we are good.  don't want to hear Sark with the "they showed us some stuff they hadn't put on tape" BS Monday at 11AM.

[BERT 4305]

19 hours ago, Sgt Hulk said:

This offense has yet to break 40 points. They won’t do it this weekend either. I’m thinking 27-13 type shit 

May I ask you why you feel scoring 40 points is so important? Just a personal preference thing? Bragging thing? 
 

I mean, hypothetically speaking, if we go undefeated all year and don’t score 40 points, would you still be upset? 

[Dr.Dre 199]

Texas 38

KU 13

 

3 receiving TDs, 2 rush TDs .

 

Brooks finding a groove over 120 combined yards.

 

 

[TheRRKid 227]

5 hours ago, BurntOrange&White said:

 

Is the reporter saying Evers instead of Ewers or is that some weird Kansas accent?

[hornian 5153]

8 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Some folks are positing that Ewers likes it better on the road and at neutral site games. I would find that odd, but the top 5 kind of harkens to that with 4 of them being away or neutral.

 

Counterpoint: Ok State last season. 

[WinningIsHard 3941]

11 hours ago, CfRhTxStBobcats said:

At least he didn't stick around long enough to see the final score.

[Armybrat 40468]

18 hours ago, BachelorTrek said:

JeffWardMojo would be preferable for Texas placekickers.

The kids on this board thinks Ward is just a podcast/talk-radio host. Lulz.

40-odd years ago when Ward was a Westlake senior soccer player he dribbled the ball the length of the  field right around my Reagan freshman son to score a goal. 
Son has been pissed at himself ever since, even though he made 1st team All-District and played for the AISD city championship.

[BachelorTrek 2884]

23 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

40-odd years ago when Ward was a Westlake senior soccer player he dribbled the ball the length of the  field right around my Reagan freshman son to score a goal. 
Son has been pissed at himself ever since, even though he made 1st team All-District and played for the AISD city championship.

My BIL's father is still pissed at how Ward mauled his son (deserved fouls/cards but none were issued) in soccer matches back then. 

[Armybrat 40468]

Just now, BachelorTrek said:

My BIL's father is still pissed at how Ward mauled his son (deserved fouls/cards but none were issued) in soccer matches back then. 

Westlake was criticized in the AAS for a spitting incident during a match back then too. 
Sportsmanship was not high on the list for some of their players.

[TornACL 7652]

This is one of those games that the crowd can help win. 

The atmosphere Saturday should be nothing like the disinterested morgue in 2021.

Texas crowds have let me down before, but the atmosphere should be charged Saturday afternoon. Having Kansas with a number next to their name will help some of the know-nothings bring a little extra juice.

 

[dcar00 13861]

2 hours ago, TheRRKid said:

Is the reporter saying Evers instead of Ewers or is that some weird Kansas accent?

he's German.

[thunderlounge 7585]

[Sgt Hulk 13485]

3 hours ago, BERT said:

May I ask you why you feel scoring 40 points is so important? Just a personal preference thing? Bragging thing? 
 

I mean, hypothetically speaking, if we go undefeated all year and don’t score 40 points, would you still be upset? 

Style points matter. There’s a real possibility of 5 undefeated teams happening and not destroying who we should be destroying could leave us on the outside looking in.   We got fucked on the last time we faced an all things being equal scenario but one team was hanging 60 on everyone even though we belonged. 

Edited September 26, 2023 by Sgt Hulk

[markstanco 12424]

This is one of those games that the crowd can help win. 
The atmosphere Saturday should be nothing like the disinterested morgue in 2021.
Texas crowds have let me down before, but the atmosphere should be charged Saturday afternoon. Having Kansas with a number next to their name will help some of the know-nothings bring a little extra juice.
 

I’ll be hollering from 107.

[Horn Under a Bad Sign 20300]

Per this ESPN-Allstate playoff predictor, Texas has the third best odds to make it into the playoffs, after Ohio State and Oklahoma.

https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/cfbplayoffpredictor/cfb-playoff-predictor


 

[Pato del Muerto 51914]

36 minutes ago, Sgt Hulk said:

Style points matter. There’s a real possibility of 5 undefeated teams happening and not destroying who we should be destroying could leave us on the outside looking in.   We got fucked on the last time we faced an all things being equal scenario but one team was hanging 60 on everyone even though we belonged. 

We are 4 weeks in. Upsets will happen. How often are there 5 undefeateds to choose from?  More likely that there are 1 or 2 and a few 1 loss teams. 
 

hell i think Georgia is the only sec team that can be undefeated, and there likely won’t be a 1 loss sec team to take another spot if they are. 

[Hank_Hill 17565]

Undefeated Texas gets in if we win every game left by 1 point. 

[Hagbard Celine 10498]

Parcells

Pirate

Mora