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Texas Softball 2025 - Sick of Being Second Place


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Posted
31 minutes ago, D3zii said:

I’ve come to face we’re a good team, damn near top 5 but we’re not elite or great. 
 

but again i dnt think anyone is elite so maybe we can still win late. But yea , we need a new pitching coach 

To be champs, we must improve in all areas. Pitching. Hitting. Defense. Coaching. Regardless of what any other program does. 

White's an elite HC. Record says so. Question is, do he and his assistants have the single-minded drive to win a title in Austin? Or are they content with remaining little sister...being ranked and just getting to OKC? So far, I really can't tell. I just know I'm not satisfied with being a "perennial Top 10" program if we never win it all. 

  • Hook 'Em 2
  • Like 1
Posted

This team ain't it.  Of course I said that in 2022 and we made it to the national championship.

But I just don't see it.  I'm not even sure we make it to OKC this year.  I thought MW was a bit complacent this year in recruiting/portalling.  The entire back half of our lineup really needed an upgrade.  And our pitching is a real fucking head scratcher.  We just don't have it this year.  Maybe we'll get another post season miracle. 

Gasso is the GOAT.  She just reloads.   

 

Posted (edited)

This team fucking sucks.  We have no business being on the top 8 teams.  Mike White needs to hire new assistant coaches. 
 

This free fall is a huge embarrassment and unacceptable.  

Edited by Mile High Horn
  • Fuck You 1
Posted

Yep. This team's issues run deeper than Vivi's absence. Even when she's back next year, she won't replace the lost production of Mia Scott. Mike White needs to get some bats in the portal and a reliable #2 pitcher behind Kavan so theres not a major dropoff. 

  • Like 2
Posted

Mike White's time so far at Texas reminds me of Mack Brown's tenure here. Both coaches fielded great teams at their peaks but had OU as their arch nemeses. Only the superman could get Mack over the hump. Who is going to be Coach White's superwoman?

  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted
5 hours ago, bschoolprof said:

Not to be all sky-is-falling, but we need to prepare ourselves for a possible TK backslide next year.  Hannah Wells better be the real deal.  

I don't think she will backslide.  she just is what she is at this point. she is a very very good pitcher, and it is a real good thing we have her, just not great.   not enough velocity and location is not elite.

Posted
7 hours ago, bschoolprof said:

Not to be all sky-is-falling, but we need to prepare ourselves for a possible TK backslide next year.  Hannah Wells better be the real deal.  

With the way trends are going!! Every pitcher has regressed or stayed the sa

Posted
9 hours ago, ClubWhatever said:

They're just better.   Better on the mound, in the field, and at the plate.  Nothing has changed.

They have better players….doesn’t matter what sport….as a coach, if you get the best recruits, it’ll make winning a lot easier.

Posted
9 hours ago, Js1 said:

Better coached and prepared 

…and they’re better at jumping up and down when getting hit by a pitch, and better at throwing their bats down into the ground when they get walked and acting like it’s a home run.

Posted
9 hours ago, Gut Wagon said:

To be champs, we must improve in all areas. Pitching. Hitting. Defense. Coaching. Regardless of what any other program does. 

White's an elite HC. Record says so. Question is, do he and his assistants have the single-minded drive to win a title in Austin? Or are they content with remaining little sister...being ranked and just getting to OKC? So far, I really can't tell. I just know I'm not satisfied with being a "perennial Top 10" program if we never win it all. 

I’d rather lose to OU now, than in OKC.

Posted
5 hours ago, dcar00 said:

I don't think she will backslide.  she just is what she is at this point. she is a very very good pitcher, and it is a real good thing we have her, just not great.   not enough velocity and location is not elite.

I'm just extrapolating from past history with non-rental MW pitchers here at Texas:

O'Leary - Great freshman year, got statistically worse during her tenure, her use dropped drastically; she did have some health issues

Simpson - great freshman year (particularly in playoffs), got statistically better, but lost command; this year is a disaster - her use has declined every year in program

Czech - got statistically better each year here, but her use dropped off every year

CG - stats haven't changed much since freshman year; her use has dropped off every year

Morgan - Has gotten statistically worse, driven by this year; her use has declined dramatically

Kavan - stats almost identical to freshman year - use has gone up.  

One theory I have is perhaps coach always seems to like the "shiny new" pitcher (or is perceive to do so), and the incumbents don't handle this well, leading them to press (or sulk), which doesn't help, and effectiveness and usage falls off. 

  • Rage+1 1
Posted

Well coached teams with good hitters learn to adjust to pitchers over the years.  If pitchers don't adjust too, they lose their edge.  Do our pitchers ever add a pitch during their time here, or tweak their deliveries on certain pitches, or gain a few mph during their careers?   How much video do they study of hitters they will face or do they just robotically rely on calls from the dugout?

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Posted
54 minutes ago, ClubWhatever said:

Well coached teams with good hitters learn to adjust to pitchers over the years.  If pitchers don't adjust too, they lose their edge.  Do our pitchers ever add a pitch during their time here, or tweak their deliveries on certain pitches, or gain a few mph during their careers?   How much video do they study of hitters they will face or do they just robotically rely on calls from the dugout?

Not saying other staffs aren't analytical or make constant adjustments to situations, pitchers and batters, but clearly nobody excels in either area to the extent OU does. The old "chess vs. checkers" analogy comes to mind with Gasso vs. the opposition...and sadly, the results keep pointing to White being on the  checker side. OU recruits and develops talented players who fully buy into the staff's preparation and in-game approach.

Until someone else does it at OU's level, expect similar results to what we've seen lately. At this point, when I watch us play the Sooners in softball I see aggy football, baseball and basketball trying to match up with Texas and falling short far more due to the mental side than physical. Sad but true. 

Posted

Another weak "liner" by Maloney, another missed chance for Henry to bunt her way on and another ground ball out by Mia. I've prepped myself for more gnashing of teeth. 

Posted
Just now, HuntinHorn said:

Well the pic was wrong earlier.  Kavan on the mound

The pic isn’t always who is starting. 

Posted

Getting squeezed early in the count on Parker didn't help. But still...TK keeps throwing a ton of deep counts against everyone. I'm ready to kick Taylor to the curb, but as noted upthread concerning our pitchers' "development," I don't think she's the only problem.   

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