2019 Texas Football Season - "#8 Go Fuck Yourself Bitch"

[Dbeasy 15,119]

I would like to know whether there is actually a campaign inside of ESPN to make the SEC look better, even at the expense of the truth or reality. It wouldn’t surprise me.

[RabidM 2,668]

Aggie would have 4 losses to the number 1 seeds they chose. There's no way they could be a 3 seed in that scenario. 

[BigHorn'13 3,387]

4 hours ago, Dbeasy said:

I would like to know whether there is actually a campaign inside of ESPN to make the SEC look better, even at the expense of the truth or reality. It wouldn’t surprise me.

That's preposterous 

[Slacks 6,880]

It's gonna be Texas / Bama.

We are going to win.

[Valmy77 13,279]

3 hours ago, Snacks said:

It's gonna be Texas / Bama.

We are going to win.

Nah. This is a hypothetical bracket, A&M dominates hypothetical games.

[Sejjr 3,246]

No doubt they will put it on the wall if they win. 

[texifornia 57,180]

10 hours ago, BigHorn'13 said:

That's preposterous 

I hate to do this but 

Just accept most of this shit is incompetence stemming from hiring a bunch of Bama grads and bros from Nashville as "college football experts" and there you go. 

No conspiracy, just general idiocy.

As an Oakland A's fan in the Northeast, I wish there was some plan to keep West Coast baseball down. But really it's just a bunch of rockheaded fools from Boston that are ok living in Bristol that keeps their baseball coverage shitty. College football is the same, they just outsource it.

Edited March 24, 2019 by texifornia

[Valmy77 13,279]

That whole fake bracket is just stupid anyway. I remember thinking it was cute how ESPN made this fake game between the 1989 49ers and the 1978 Steelers in 1990 to see who was the best team of all time. It was goofy and ridiculous. But at least that took real effort of them splicing game film from the 1981 matchup and various other film from the 1978 and 1989 to make it look like they were actually playing. But at least they were just having some fun nerding out and they were not taking it seriously.

This is just them smelling their own shit kind of nonsense, like the whole USC vs. the Mongol Hordes thing.

[BigHorn'13 3,387]

6 hours ago, texifornia said:

I hate to do this but 

Just accept most of this shit is incompetence stemming from hiring a bunch of Bama grads and bros from Nashville as "college football experts" and there you go. 

No conspiracy, just general idiocy.

Couple of problems with that. 

1. Either the post I quoted was in jest or Dbeazy is that dumb. Can't ever tell with that guy. 

2. Of course ESPN has a vested interest in UT via LHN. What you don't see (until mayyybe after uga) is, or at least in the same stratosphere, the same bias and constant banter about the se by gawd c times 3. 

3. As a UT grad, I can distinguish these things and still have the self awareness to know what kind of ties my alma mater has and to whom, unlike and the exact antithesis of our agro american neighbors. 

[Machinator 32,099]

IT team notes

TEAM

We all saw the same spring game. Between the windy conditions and Sam Ehlinger's erratic play, the defense made amends for the offense having its way the second half of the spring practice session. 

I asked a source what his takeaways were from the past month:

"Youth is evident on defense. They need to get much more consistent, and become much more cohesive. The defensive line is going to be good, probably better than expected. If something happens to Ossai or McCulloch there will be big trouble. I like the corners. Get Cook back healthy and put him in the boundary. The Jalen Green from Saturday is the one that's been out there the last few weeks. He's still too inconsistent but then he'll have days like yesterday and you think the switch is flipped. Just need to get everybody healthy and on the same page."

It was clear the defense was vanilla. We didn't see the Dime package that will likely be featured much of the season. To be expected the offense was also plain.

"They probably ran 6-7 base plays but they have so much more going on this year. They're going to score 40 points per game if Sam stays healthy. They need another slot receiver to emerge but they'll work Bru there and get Jake Smith in a month and a half. Those are immediate fixes. The main issue on offense is to keep building depth on the line but they're optimistic about that unit too and help is on the way there as well." 

The team is "off" until Tuesday when workouts resume. There's only another month left of school, then they get a few weeks off before returning for summer school and workouts.

[SurlyBDR 22,856]

Well if Poppa Bimage says so...

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[txbroadcaster 110]

 

 

 

 

3

On 3/24/2019 at 2:20 AM, Valmy77 said:

That whole fake bracket is just stupid anyway. I remember thinking it was cute how ESPN made this fake game between the 1989 49ers and the 1978 Steelers in 1990 to see who was the best team of all time. It was goofy and ridiculous. But at least that took real effort of them splicing game film from the 1981 matchup and various other film from the 1978 and 1989 to make it look like they were actually playing. But at least they were just having some fun nerding out and they were not taking it seriously.

This is just them smelling their own shit kind of nonsense, like the whole USC vs. the Mongol Hordes thing.

Off topic but that was not just one game..they had a whole season it was called NFL Dream Season

[Machinator 32,099]

 

[Valmy77 13,279]

9 hours ago, txbroadcaster said:

Off topic but that was not just one game..they had a whole season it was called NFL Dream Season

I think they did do that eventually. The thing I saw was a one off they made during the week before Super Bowl XXV back when I used to devour everything ESPN did. 

[TheMailBox357 213]

Has Herman officially hired David Beaty as analyst/consultant? Beaty's Wikipedia page is written as if it's official: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Beaty_(American_football)

Edited April 16, 2019 by TheMailBox357

[Brock Sampson 289]

Well if Wikipedia says it's true....

[Machinator 32,099]

46 minutes ago, TheMailBox357 said:

Has Herman officially hired David Beaty as analyst/consultant? Beaty's Wikipedia page is written as if it's official: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Beaty_(American_football)

No.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2019/3/12/18197132/david-beaty-kansas-lawsuit-buyout

[Viper 12,112]

1 hour ago, TheMailBox357 said:

Has Herman officially hired David Beaty as analyst/consultant? Beaty's Wikipedia page is written as if it's official: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Beaty_(American_football)

Quote

At the conclusion of Kansas's season, Beaty was hired by the Texas Longhorns to act as a consultant.

it's just referring to when he advised us for the Big 12 title game.

[Machinator 32,099]

 

[Machinator 32,099]

 

[Tex Long 4,457]

21 hours ago, Viper said:

it's just referring to when he advised us for the Big 12 title game.

I wasn't all that impressed with the result of the "advice" - maybe that's why he's not on the staff (at least, not yet)?

[Machinator 32,099]

Just now, Tex Long said:

I wasn't all that impressed with the result of the "advice" - maybe that's why he's not on the staff (at least, not yet)?

We really don't know what "advice" Beaty gave Herman, but I doubt it made a difference either way.

Anyway, if you're being serious, the reason Beaty isn't on the staff yet is that he's in a contract dispute with KU, who's trying to weasel out of paying him his full buyout.

[Tex Long 4,457]

1 minute ago, Machinator said:

We really don't know what "advice" Beaty gave Herman, but I doubt it made a difference either way.

Anyway, if you're being serious, the reason Beaty isn't on the staff yet is that he's in a contract dispute with KU, who's trying to weasel out of paying him his full buyout.

No, we don't know what the advice was. What I wrote is that I didn't like the result. I doubt any of us did.

I don't care greatly about his problem with KU, and I'm not quite sure what might be the effect on that dispute of him signing a five-figure consulting deal with MensaTom. 

Is he hanging around Austin at all? 

[Machinator 32,099]

Full spring game replay:

 

[LTtxfan 49,378]

1 hour ago, Machinator said:

 

dp

Edited April 17, 2019 by LTtxfan

[LTtxfan 49,378]

Off-season time.....

What's Surly's Report Card on progress of members of:

• 2017 Class
• 2018 Class

Might also be interesting to see how early enrollees have done vs their class....

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

2017 Early Enrollees  (All that I could find)

• Sam Ehlinger
• Toneil Carter   (transfer)
• Joshua Rowland

2018 Early Enrollees

• Mikey Grandy  (medical retirement)
• Anthony Cook
• BJ Foster
• Caden Sterns
• Brennan Eagles
• Cameron Rising  (transfer Utah)
• Casey Thompson
• Ryan Bujcevski
• Ayodele Adeoye

2019 Early Enrollees  (Just a reminder)

• Jordan Whittington
• Roschon Johnson
• DeGabriel Floyd
• Jared Wiley
• Bru McCoy
• Tyler Johnson
• Peter Mpagi
• Marcus Tillman
• Jacoby Jones
• Caleb Johnson

Edited April 17, 2019 by LTtxfan

[Machinator 32,099]

 

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IT team notes

TEAM

Things will be a little quiet on the team front until the new arrivals get to Austin in early June, but we'll continue to plug away and try and ask sources questions we have when they arise.

With spring still fresh in everyone's mind I asked about players who will play a bigger role this season, and what they need to improve on the most.

So. CB Jalen Green - Technique needs to be more consistent -- there's never a reason for a technical breakdown. He's come a long way already but there is still work to be done. He could also know the playbook a little better, but so too can many other players. I asked if he could be better than Cook and my guy said that would be difficult because "Cook can be almost as good as Holton Hill. Hill is just more of a ball hawk." He's still really high on Green.

So. CB Anthony Cook - He needs to know the whole defense better to improve his work in concert with the safeties, sort of like a quarterback being on the same page with his wide receivers. The corner/safety dynamic changes depending on the coverage and there's ways to maximize results if everyone is on the same page. This has been stated before, but this source is very high on Cook and thinks he would have overtaken Kris Boyd if the senior wasn't out of eligibility. Knowing Green and Cook have added good weight I still asked if there were any size concerns. "They're not built like Boyd and Davis but they'll be fine and will get bigger and stronger."

RS Fr. OG Junior Angilau - He's not lacking athleticism but he needs to keep his feet underneath him. He relies on his hands and reach too much and this gets him off-balance. Defensive lineman are able to yank him around. When he is in proper position he's tough to beat. "He's not going to have the power of a Tope Imade but he moves much better." I asked about Imade, who will likely be the 4th guard next year and heard, "He's immovable." But with his heavy feet you can take that two ways.

RS Jr. DB Chris Brown - His problem is just getting on the field with all the talent in the secondary. "If they had to play him this year I'm not sure you'd notice any drop off from the starters. He took some major steps this spring. He's much more reliable when it comes to the small things." Brown won't start but his versatility will help him see the field, especially with the prospect of injuries and targeting penalties.

RS Fr. WR Malcolm Epps - He needs to become a more versatile route runner. He's a bit of a one-trick pony, though he's really good at that one trick. "He can dominate average corners by running fades but how will he do against guys UT hopes to play against?"

Sr. LB Jeffrey McCulloch - McCulloch played a lot last year but at a different position. With the new role and expanded snaps I specifically asked about him. He's a physical player but he can be even more physical in the run game taking on blockers. Some of that is understanding where they're coming from but he's pretty instinctive. "He needs to tackle better. He has a tendency to reach rather than hit and wrap up. It'll show up against the more elusive guys."

So. DB DeMarvion Overshown - The first thing with him is he needs to stay healthy. He just had his knee cleaned up in a routine procedure and should be fine. He'll find his way to Joker (we're expecting a heavy dose of Dime next season) but needs to rely less on instincts. He's currently just a run-to-the-ball player. They don't want to bridle him too much but he can get out of position at times.

So. LB Joseph Ossai - Ossai was good enough to earn snaps even though McCulloch played well at linebacker. He's going to take on an expanded role, likely even playing some Rover. "He needs to work on taking on blocks, he tends to catch blocks or try to beat them with athleticism. He needs to work on fundamentals but he's already improved a lot. He's a hell of an athlete but coverage is still new to him and entirely different than playing defensive end like he did in high school."

Fr. RB Jordan Whittington - The true freshman is going to be a key player in the offense even though he's playing a position that's new to him. "He just needs more reps. He's missed some running lanes. Not sure if that's a vision thing or if he's still learning where the play is supposed to hit but he's left some yards out there. Not to nit-pick, he's a stud.

Sr. RB Kirk Johnson - "He just needs to stay healthy and everyone will see. He's a dog."

RS Jr. OL Denzel Okafor - Getting to red-shirt last year was big for him. "He's still off balance in pass pro too much but he's definitely improved from last year. He improved this spring." Do you still give the nod to Kerstetter at tackle? "Yes, he's the better tackle but either can play there. Okafor is the better guard, but either can play there too."

These are the players my guy mentioned with minimal coaxing from me. You could add some other guys to the discussion like Josh Moore, Brennan Eagles and Bru McCoy. On defense you could likely add Keondre Coburn. He's not bullish on the other linebackers for this upcoming year.

Final note: The team is back to running and lifting weights. Yancy McKnight hasn't exactly been taking it easy on them from what we hear.

[Machinator 32,099]

TFB Open Post: https://texas.thefootballbrainiacs.com/2019/04/open-post-weekend-april-19th-21st/

Texas hosted its annual Orange-White Spring game this weekend at Darrell K. Royal-Memorial Stadium. This was the first opportunity for the public to get a look at the 2019 version of the Texas Longhorns. Over the course of this week and next, we’ll take a look at what we were able to learn about each position group after 15 spring practices, as well as what questions still exist heading into the summer session and fall camp.

Offense

Quarterback

What we Learned: As expected, Casey Thompson emerged from spring practices firmly entrenched as the backup Quarterback to pre-season Heisman hopeful Sam Ehlinger. Thompson has continued to earn the trust of the offensive staff and had some nice moments during the spring game over the weekend. True Freshman QB Roschon Johnson is very likely to redshirt in 2019 and continue to indulge himself in the playbook and develop within the system.

Summer/Fall Outlook: Sam Ehlinger is the unquestioned leader of the program. While there are still some concerns about what his behind him if anything were to happen (Ehlinger has missed time in each of his first two seasons), there is more confidence in what Texas has in the QB room coming out of spring practices than there was heading into them after the losses of Shane Buechele (SMU) and Cameron Rising (Utah).

Summer Additions: N/A

Running Back

What we Learned: True Freshman Jordan Whittington is the real deal and appears to have firmly established himself as the #2 back on the depth chart after his performance this spring. Whittington and returning starter Keaontay Ingram give Texas a chance to have the best pass-catching RB duo in the Big XII. The versatility that Texas will have with these two on the field on the same time is something that Texas hasn’t had maybe since Ramonce Taylor and Jamaal Charles shared a backfield in 2005. This will also give Texas a distinct advantage this season if/when they decide to use a quick tempo/no-huddle approach. Opponents won’t be able to sub or matchup when Whittington motions out of the backfield into a slot WR position.

Summer/Fall Outlook: The questions that Texas has heading into the summer and fall are good questions to have. Where does Daniel Young carve out a role for himself in 2019? If Kirk Johnson is able to stay healthy, he will provide Texas with some home-run hitting ability. Texas heads into the summer with four healthy, scholarship Running Backs and are not expected to be active on the Grad Transfer market this year at the position.

Summer Additions: N/A

Wide Receiver/Tight End

What we Learned: Malcolm Epps was one of the breakout players during spring practices and has forced his way onto the field this fall. The comfort level that Sam Ehlinger has in Epps was apparent during the spring game, as he targeted Epps often, sometimes consecutively. Bru McCoy has been as advertised and will receive plenty of action in 2019 if he is ruled immediately eligible by the NCAA. Josh Moore was able to hold off Jordan Pouncey and McCoy for competition at Slot WR (H). Cade Brewer, as expected, is the starter at Tight End and will be backed up by Reese Leitao. True Freshman H-Back/TE Jared Wiley turned some heads this spring.

Summer/Fall Outlook: Collin Johnson will spend the summer rounding back into form and is expected to be 100% for fall camp. He and Devin Duvernay (who returned before spring ball ended and appears to be fully healthy) will form an extremely reliable Senior duo for the 2019 Texas Longhorns. The arrival of Jake Smith is one to watch this summer and fall, as he arrives as a Gatorade National Player of the Year from his home state of Arizona and is expected to contribute immediately on Special Teams and will have a package offensively. Jared Wiley was utilized exclusively as an H-Back during the spring game, which makes me wonder if incoming highly-touted Freshman Brayden Liebrock will be groomed as more of a traditional in-line TE. Kennedy Lewis and Marcus Washington are exciting prospects, but aren’t expected to contribute much in 2019 with the depth ahead of them. I am expecting some attrition at this position at some point before summer arrives.

Summer Additions: Jake Smith (Slot WR), Marcus Washington (Z-WR), Kennedy Lewis (X-WR), and Brayden Liebrock (TE)

Offensive Line

What we Learned: Samuel Cosmi had no issue whatsoever transitioning to the left side after starting every game last season at Right Tackle. Denzel Okafor appears to have made some big strides after redshirting last season and is expected to be the starter at Right Tackle. I thought that Okafor and Derek Kerstetter (who could also slide over to Center in a pinch and will likely serve as the primary backup there) were very solid, if not good, during the Orange-White game on a re-watch. Okafor looked much smoother kicking back in pass protection than he ever has. Their performance on Saturday falls in line with what we’ve been hearing about the tandem throughout the spring. Redshirt Freshmen Reese Moore and Christian Jones are starting to look the part, but continue to be works in progress. Jones gave up the hit (Peter Mpagi) on Casey Thompson that resulted in a Kobe Boyce interception.

Summer/Fall Outlook: Zach Shackelford is a plus-player at his Center position. Texas OL Coach Herb Hand appears to be settled at Left Tackle, Center, Right Guard, and Right Tackle. Redshirt Freshman Junior Angilau saw more work with the first-team at LG than Redshirt Junior Tope Imade did during the spring game. If a Freshman is even with a Junior coming out of the spring, it is very likely that the older player will be surpassed come fall. Parker Braun, Angilau, and Imade will be competing for the final spot along the line come August. The arrival of Javonne Shepherd and Isaiah Hookfin in the summer provides some immediate competition for Reese Moore and Christian Jones, and represent possible talent upgrades at both positions.

Summer Additions: Parker Braun (G/C), Javonne Shepherd (T), and Isaiah Hookfin (T)

[Machinator 32,099]

 

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[cdain3 3,454]

The thot finally responded to Jordan. Good for him.

[texifornia 57,180]

I don't have an Athletic sub, but Olson is usually quite good:

 

[Machinator 32,099]

 

[GreenspointTexas 9,689]

39 minutes ago, Machinator said:

 

Heights, holla

[Burt Macklin 19,053]

Guys I'd like to see win out a spot:

4i: Ojomo > Graham. Graham has played high and soft for two years now and did the same thing in the spring game. He just doesn't show any aggression off the ball and is often seen standing high, getting washed out of the play. If he's not going to make impact plays or be routinely solid in the run game, then we need someone to beat him out, and my bet would be on Ojomo. Maybe Jones takes some of these snaps too, but he looks too small to be the regular 4i.  

Johnson>Dele: This woudl likely happen by Johnson nabbing Rover and McCulloch moving to Mac, but Johnson needs to show he's better than Dele for this to happen. You could tell Johnson didn't know where to go in the spring game, but his quickness and agility jumped off the screen a few times. Dele still just looks slow and when we start our conference slate, Big 12 Os will pick on Dele endlessly and Orlando won't be able to protect him through scheme. This can also be mitigated by playing Foster at Nickel and Overshown/Brown at Joker, so the second ILB functionally becomes either the Joker or Nickel depending on the play. Overshown looked extremely good in the box during the spring game. I don't really care if we call him a S or a LB, but he's likely one of our best 11 and he's very good near the LOS. 

Kerstetter to Rt, Okafor to RG: This one has been discussed a ton. Both spots get upgraded if it happens.

Coburn>Wilbon: This one has already pretty much happened and they'll be in a timeshare no matter what, but Coburn has the capability to push the pocket and make off schedule plays, while Wilbon is just solid. He won't get washed out, but he also won't cause much pressure. Coburn at Nose takes our whole defense up a level. 

Swap out 11 personnel for 20: Not spot per se, but Brewer is a meh blocker and receiver. I'd rather get another explosive playmaker on the field in Whittington. Whittington and Ingram's blocking ability will likely  be the limiting factor for this formation.

Braun at LG: This one is pretty much a foregone conclusion. Angilau is still super raw and while I like his athleticism, his technique needs another year's work. 

[Machinator 32,099]

19 hours ago, texifornia said:

I don't have an Athletic sub, but Olson is usually quite good:

 

Nahlin did a podcast with Max Olson. It's probably worth a listen.

 

[ztejas 43,549]

On 4/19/2019 at 10:49 AM, Machinator said:

Sr. RB Kirk Johnson - "He just needs to stay healthy and everyone will see.

Narrator: everyone did not see.

[Tex Long 4,457]

10-2 +/-2. +2 if we stay mostly healthy and/or Thompson can manage a game or two when Sam is inevitably a little bit dinged up. -2 if we have the wrong people hurt and/or MensaTom brainfarts WVU or OSU again.

[Katfid54 8,635]

2 hours ago, Tex Long said:

10-2 +/-2. +2 if we stay mostly healthy and/or Thompson can manage a game or two when Sam is inevitably a little bit dinged up. -2 if we have the wrong people hurt and/or MensaTom brainfarts WVU or OSU again.

Mark me down:  WVU is gonna suck this year.  We should annihilate them.

As for the others, oSu will be same as they always are.  TCU will probably be better this year than last, and we'll have to play them in Ft. Worth.  Iowa State will be tough, and we play them in Ames in mid-November.  That won't be fun.

Here's our complete schedule:

• La Tech. - Should be an easy win, so long as we don't go full Maryland/Tulsa against them.
• LSU - Everyone has this game circled.
• @ Rice (NRG) - See Tulsa 2018.
• oSu - Sets up well for us to be fresh and healthy for this game.  Let's hope we bring it.  I'd rather get oSu early in the year when they're still breaking in a new QB than at the end of the year, after he's clicking in their offense.
• BYE
• @ WVU - Week before OU and a trip to Morgantown aren't great.  But (as stated above) WVU is gonna suck next year.
• ou - Will be interesting to see how Hurts looks with a much less experienced line, less receiver talent, and much less quicks than Kyler.  I think Riley is going to have to use Hurts as a battering ram a la Sam in 2017, so it'll be interesting to see how he holds up.
• KU - They're gonna be really bad.
• @ TCU - this will probably be a hard fought game.
• BYE
• K-State - They're gonna suck next year, too.
• @ ISU - See above.
• @ Baylor - Fuck Baylor.
• Tech (Black Friday game) - I kind of think they'll suck, especially by the end of the year when they're inevitably banged up.

[South Austin 52,636]

6 minutes ago, Katfid54 said:

Here's our complete schedule:

• La Tech. - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch
• LSU - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch
• @ Rice (NRG) - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch
• oSu - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch
• BYE - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch
• @ WVU - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch
• ou - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch
• KU - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch
• @ TCU - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch
• BYE - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch
• K-State - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch
• @ ISU - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch
• @ Baylor - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch
• Tech (Black Friday game) - Texas wins, go fuck yourself bitch

Nice analysis, but see my revisions.

[Katfid54 8,635]

Just now, South Austin said:

Nice analysis, but see my revisions.

[Red Five 40,915]

We're gonna run a train on that schedule.

I really really really fucking hate the Big 12 championship game guaranteed rematch. 

[Scholz 11,970]

1 minute ago, Red Five said:

I really really really fucking hate the Big 12 championship game guaranteed rematch. 

Thank Dumb and Dumber

 

[Elmer_Fudd 22,330]

TCU couldn't even field enough bodies for the spring game and will probably start Alex Delton at QB, who rivals that QB from Kentucky that can barely throw a forward pass.

[Skyline 325]

On 4/22/2019 at 1:57 PM, texifornia said:

I don't have an Athletic sub, but Olson is usually quite good:

 

I've put the article in spoilers:

Spoiler

At some point, Tom Herman recognized he was sort of talking out of both sides of his mouth.

To motivate his 2018 Texas team, he’d tell his guys nobody was giving them a shot. Go prove everyone wrong, he’d say. And he would also urge them to totally tune out what everyone was saying about them.

Which is, you know, pretty contradictory. He was asking them to block out the noise and care about it at the same time.

“So our mantra this year will continue to be, instead of ‘Prove them wrong,’ we’ve got signs everywhere that say ‘Prove us right,’” Herman said.

That does make more sense. And in this program, it’s probably wise to strategize on how to handle all the noise. The talk about Texas football right now is as positive as it’s been in almost a decade. When you win 10 games, play for a Big 12 title and knock off No. 5 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, you get people believing again.

Perception sure does flip fast, as the Longhorns learned last year. In the opener, they found themselves trudging off a rain-soaked field after inexplicably losing to Maryland. And in the finale, they hoisted a New Year’s Six bowl trophy, confetti and streamers rained down, and quarterback Sam Ehlinger boasted: “Longhorn Nation, we’re baaaaack!”

Herman responded to that bold and boisterous declaration with folded arms and a less-than-thrilled smile. The head coach’s message during this hype-heavy offseason: All that matters is what’s believed inside their building. But internally, the confidence is real.

The Longhorns have a proven difference-maker at quarterback. They haven’t had that in a long time. They have an increasingly impressive amount of offensive firepower. They have much-needed coaching stability. They have proof that their culture of toughness can win big. They have several question marks, too. But entering Year 3 under Herman, they might have what it takes to win the conference.

Biggest on-field question

When Herman is asked just how much hype his team deserves this offseason and what he considers reasonable expectations, he gets right to the point.

“If we can play defense somewhat closely to the way we played it the last couple years,” Herman said, “I think we’ve got a chance to compete for the conference again.”

He’s trying to replace eight senior starters who combined for 233 career starts. Texas lost captains, playmakers and future pros on defense. And it certainly showed in spring practice with all the big plays their inexperienced replacements allowed.

With safeties Brandon Jones and Caden Sterns sidelined during spring ball, the Longhorns had practically a brand new defensive lineup that included just one player who has started more than 10 games. The No. 1 defense to begin their April 13 spring game featured five sophomores and two redshirt freshmen on the field.

The vocal leadership of that group is a concern Herman will be watching closely. Senior defensive end Malcolm Roach knows it’s his turn. Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando said he’s frequently thanked Roach this spring for calling out teammates who are loafing or not being physical in practice. Texas needs guys like Roach to be tone-setters.

“It’s a challenge at first, being the guy that has to come in and talk all the time,” Roach said. “But it’s a role I embrace.”

Roach, Jones and Sterns have earned that kind of respect. Safety Chris Brown was a vocal and energetic presence in spring ball, but he also missed time because of an injury.

“It’s hard to lead when you’re on the sideline,” Herman said. “So everything’s been kind of going through Malcolm right now, which … I mean, who else is it gonna be?”

The fact that Texas’ returning defenders have a combined 72 career starts among them is alarming, but it’s not like the Longhorns are utterly depleted in the talent department. When their incoming freshmen get on campus in the summer, the defense will have 22 players who were four-stars or better as recruits. And most of them are still quite young.

Through their struggles this spring, Orlando has tried to keep that lack of maturity in perspective. There’s a fine line, he says, between being demanding and a little bit patient. He cites redshirt freshman Ayodele Adeoye as a fine example of the process this offseason. Texas needs Adeoye to play a significant role at inside linebacker this fall, but it is just starting to take off his training wheels. He and the younger defenders will get it right in more controlled practice settings, when coaches are out there to correct them, but the live reps they get in scrimmages are the true test of progress.

“When you put them on the field by themselves,” Orlando asks, “can they do it consistently?”

There’s still plenty of time to get there. Orlando has things he’s determined to fix, too, no matter who’s on the field. As he studied the Longhorns’ 2018 tape, he scrutinized their play in end-of-game situations and on third downs. Texas played in 10 games decided by one-score margins last season, and Orlando feels he needs better calls for last-minute drives.

And on third-down conversions, Orlando has never in his 14 years as a coordinator had a defense perform as poorly as last year’s squad did. Texas dropped from No. 3 in FBS in 2017 all the way to No. 109, failing to get stops on 44.3 percent of third downs. In Big 12 play, it was 48 percent. Orlando’s career average as a coordinator before last season: 34.4 percent.

“We’ve been up and down in terms of the looks and disguises we’re doing,” he said, “and finding out what exactly the issue is.”

Herman knows the implications of getting this group playing at a high level. A stat he loves to bring up: In the BCS and College Football Playoff eras, every national champion has finished with a top-25 defense except Cam Newton’s 2010 Auburn team. Texas is not trying to be the exception to the rule. It intends to win at the highest level by playing defense at the highest level. That’s the standard this defense must find a way to meet.

Depth chart analysis

Quarterbacks: What made Sam Ehlinger great as a sophomore, beyond his fiery leadership, was his ability to play clean. He finished with just six turnovers through 14 games to go with his 41 total touchdowns. He’s rushed for 1,157 yards on 4.8 yards per carry over two seasons when sacks are excluded. He’s been money as a runner on third-and-short and fourth-and-short, converting first downs on 20 of 28 attempts last season. Offensive coordinator Tim Beck says the next step in Ehlinger’s mastery of Texas’ offense is how he makes adjustments to manipulate defenses, and coaches are pushing him to get the ball out quicker.

Behind him, Casey Thompson is the clear No. 2. The redshirt freshman showed off his wheels in Texas’ spring game and pairs good instincts with good ball placement on his throws. He’s an intriguing prospect. True freshman Roschon Johnson, the top QB recruit in Texas for 2019, enrolled early and still has a ton of learning to do, but Beck is confident he’s going to become “a really good player for us.”

Running backs: The coaching staff loves what they have in Keaontay Ingramand Jordan Whittington. Ingram showed big potential as a freshman while rushing for 708 yards and scoring five TDs. “He’s bigger and stronger and faster, and it shows,” Beck said. “He’s playing with a lot more confidence.” Whittington was the star of spring ball, an early enrollee who signed to play receiver but begins his career in the backfield. He immediately established himself as one of the Longhorns’ most exciting weapons. The staff can split him out, too, and will get him the ball lots of different ways.

“I’m amazed at how well he took to that position,” Herman said, “and just his ability to, having never played that position, go in there and do some of the things he’s done throughout the course of the spring.”

Behind them, Kirk Johnson is finally staying healthy after injuries cost him two seasons. He gives the Longhorns another speedy option. There’s also Daniel Young, a tough back who’s logged more than 120 carries in two seasons. Herman remains hopeful that signee Derrian Brown, who suffered a stroke in January had had to have a blood clot removed from his brain, could still have a future in football.

Wide receivers/tight ends: Texas has a ton of talent here. Collin Johnsoncame back for his senior year, and at 6-foot-6 he can be one of the nation’s best wideouts as Ehlinger’s go-to guy outside. Devin Duvernay has always been a burner with big-play ability. Five-star USC transfer Bru McCoy has lived up to all the hype thus far, and it would be a surprise if he isn’t granted a waiver for immediate eligibility. Malcolm Epps was a revelation in spring ball and gives the Longhorns another physical, 6-6 target. The rest of his fellow second-year receivers — Brennan Eagles, Joshua Moore and Al’Vonte Woodard — got lots of reps this spring.

The challenge is replacing Lil’Jordan Humphrey’s production at “H” receiver. Moore brings a lot of speed to that spot but needs to bulk up. McCoy and Jordan Pouncey can play there, too, and incoming freshman Jake Smith will be dangerous in the slot. There’s more speed on the way, too, with freshmen Marcus Washington and Kennedy Lewis.

At tight end, Andrew Beck is not an easy guy to replace. “He was such a dominant force and a dominant leader for us,” Tim Beck said. Junior Cade Brewer did make a lot of plays in spring practices. It’s time for him and Reese Leitao to step up. Jared Wiley looks like he has a lot of potential, and fellow freshman Brayden Liebrock arrives in the summer.

Offensive line: Herb Hand worked wonders with this group in 2018. Now he needs to replace three starters. Samuel Cosmi has All-Big 12 potential and is making the move to left tackle. Center Zach Shackelford is one of the Longhorns’ best leaders and has made a team-high 27 career starts. Derek Kerstetter can play a number of roles and could be the answer at right tackle. Georgia Tech grad transfer Parker Braun will enroll in the summer and should take one of the starting guard spots. And that likely leaves redshirt freshman Junior Angilau and junior Denzel Okafor competing for the other vacant guard spot.

Hand likes to cross-train his linemen and will tinker with lineups until he gets his five best linemen on the field together. The second-team line depth is one of the big areas of concern. Texas is asking a lot of unproven linemen to take a big step forward this offseason. “This offense has a very high ceiling when we execute,” Shackelford said.

Defensive line: Malcolm Roach is back to being a consistent force as a physical pass rusher after missing five games with a broken foot last season. Orlando loves the progress he’s seeing from junior defensive end Ta’Quon Graham, who’s become one of their strongest players. The three guys behind them — Jacoby Jones, Moro Ojomo and Marqez Bimage — can develop into quality pass rushers. At the nose tackle spot, the battle between the more experienced Gerald Wilbon and the more explosive Keondre Coburn is ongoing. They’re essentially co-starters in Orlando’s eyes, and they’ll both play 30 to 35 snaps a game.

Linebackers: It’s hard not to call this Texas’ most concerning position group. It’s also hard not to bet on Orlando figuring it out. Jeffrey McCulloch needs to have a big senior year. His experience playing each linebacker spot is an advantage this spring. “He’s a guy that you could rely on making checks in that defense,” Roach said. “He’s done a great job of leading those young linebackers, because they’re very, very young now.”

Joseph Ossai came on strong late in his freshman year and looks like another dude they can depend on. Inside linebackers Ayodele Adeoye, Caleb Johnsonand Marcus Tillman need to do a lot of developing this summer. Touted freshman De’Gabriel Floyd will miss the season after being diagnosed with spinal stenosis, but Texas will add another newcomer this summer in David Gbenda.

Defensive backs: The safety spot is among the strongest, that’s for sure. Brandon Jones played up to his big-time potential as a junior, and Caden Sterns was the Big 12’s Defensive Freshman of the Year. Having Jones (ankle) and Sterns (knee) out for spring ball meant Chris Brown and Montrell Estellgot a ton of reps in the back end. Tyler Owens and Chris Adimora will make this group even better when they enroll.

The Longhorns are going to lean on three true sophomores at cornerback this fall, which will come with ups and downs playing in the Big 12. Anthony Cook and Jalen Green have grown up fast and appear ready for that responsibility. D’Shawn Jamison, who played receiver/returner last year, moved back to corner and has impressed the staff with his footwork and ball skills. Kobe Boyce and Kenyatta Watson need to be ready to play, too.

At nickel, B.J. Foster and Josh Thompson are the clear frontrunners. Orlando needs to find ways to keep Foster on the field — he’s clearly one of their best 11 players — and they need to find a role for fellow thumper DeMarvion Overshown. “Those guys make a lot of big hits,” Roach said. “It’s like watching a highlight tape when they’re back there.”

Special teams: Cameron Dicker had great debut season, making 18 of his 25 field goal attempts. Herman said he’s seen improvement from punter Ryan Bujcevski this spring. Both are sophomores and ought to become four-year starters. There’s no shortage of options in the return game including Jamison, Jones, Duvernay and several freshmen.

How the Longhorns have recruited from 2016-2019

Using 247Sports’ Composite rankings, here is how Texas’ recruiting classes have fared nationally and within the Big 12 over the past four years:

Texas’ signing of No. 3-ranked recruiting classes in back-to-back years helps give this staff the raw materials needed to contend for championships. Herman is proud of those results and the caliber of evaluations they’ve done to find and sign those players.

They’ll always aim to build the program on in-state players, but the staff did an impressive job of going West and raiding California and Arizona for blue-chip talent in 2019. Landing McCoy not only moved Texas’ class ahead of rivals Texas A&M and Oklahoma in the 247Sports Composite rankings but also made receivers coach Drew Mehringer the National Recruiter of the Year according to both 247Sports and Rivals.com.

This staff is serious about being selective, too. They made 138 offers for the 2019 class, which ranked sixth-fewest among Power 5 programs, and have made fewer than 100 for the 2020 class. Herman borrows a Chris Petersen term — “OKGs” (Our Kind of Guys) — to describe what he’s looking for in the evaluation process. His hope is they’re doing more research on their prospects than anybody else. This can make them slower to offer a kid than others, and that’s how the head coach likes it.

“When we say the word offer, that guy better be able to say yes before we get to the ‘-er’ of offer out of our mouth,” Herman said. “If he does say yes, we better be doing cartwheels and handsprings and all that stuff.”

After their Red River Rivalry victory last October against Kyler Murray, Marquise Brown and the Sooners’ insanely fast offense, Herman publicly said he wanted more speed like his rival has and had a long talk with his recruiting department about going out and finding those guys. “We’re not elite fast on offense right now,” he said at the time. He feels Texas made progress on that with the skill talent it signed in the 2019 class.

As for their other recruiting rival, Texas A&M won some key in-state battles in 2019 and still has a lot of momentum. The Longhorns signed four of the top 25 recruits in the state in the last cycle, with the two highest-rated players — Kenyon Green and DeMarvin Leal — siding with the Aggies. Texas just needs to keep winning to contend with that momentum. Winning is what gives you a chance to sign more truly elite kids like McCoy and Whittington.

Impact of coaching changes

Herman goes into Year 3 at Texas having not lost any assistant coaches, which is quite a feat. And there are a lot of benefits to that. He’s worked with most of the members of his staff for five or more years. He’s going into his 10th year working with strength coach Yancy McKnight. Texas’ assistants get to continue building upon their progress this offseason instead of starting over.

“To have the consistency is so helpful for everybody,” Ehlinger said. “Young guys who’ve been here a year who struggled with the playbook, now the consistency of running the same routes over and over and having the same plays, it’s incredible. Because now guys can really use their talents and take their game to the next level because it’s not about trying to understand the offense or trying to learn the offense.”

Herman has made an effort to boost his support staff this offseason. Former North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora joined the staff as an analyst along with former Kansas State offensive coordinator Andre Coleman, former Houston defensive backs coach Paul Williams and Fedora’s son Dillon.

Herman was a bit torn on this move, because he has liked to use those analyst roles to help young coaches get their foot in the door of the business. But all the experience and knowledge these new hires have brought to the office has been a big plus, and they’ll be a big help for game planning and advance scouting during the season. Herman has particularly enjoyed bouncing ideas off Larry Fedora, who offers 11 years of head coaching experience.

Herman knows, too, how much elite programs like Alabama have benefitted from stockpiling veteran coaches in off-the-field roles.

“The one thing, talking to Coach (Nick) Saban, is some of those guys are guys that are in the wings for when he does lose assistants,” Herman said. “And that way, when promoting from within, there’s a lot less of that on-boarding you have to go through.”

Schedule analysis

The date everybody’s circling on the calendar is Sept. 7. That’s when LSU comes to town for what should be one of college football’s premier non-conference games of 2019. We’ll find out in Week 2 whether Texas’ offensive growth is for real, and there hasn’t been a top-10 showdown at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium since the 2008 season.

Texas has embraced playing big-time home-and-home series before Big 12 play, facing USC and Notre Dame in recent years with more huge battles (Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia) coming in the future. Those non-conference games always help set the bar for expectations, and beating USC 37-14 at home last season brought a jolt of confidence that helped fuel a six-game win streak. Granted, that USC team ended up going 5-7. This LSU squad promises to be much more challenging.

All in all, Texas has a remarkably balanced schedule. The idle weeks are nicely spaced out, coming at the end of September and the end of October, and there are essentially two tough games every month. They haven’t won in Fort Worth since 2013, and a road trip to Ames in mid-November won’t be easy. But the Longhorns do get to play 10 of their 12 games inside the state of Texas.

Final assessment

When Tim Beck describes the difference in Texas’ offensive playmaking this spring, he cites what feels like a fitting example of where the program is heading.

“It’s handing the ball off on a power play and Keaontay breaks a tackle and goes the distance,” Beck said. “Maybe, in our first year, we didn’t break the tackle. Maybe last year, we broke it but we had an 8-yard gain. Now it’s 40 yards.”

Plays like those show that the deficiencies are starting to become strengths. They’re also reflective of where Orlando’s defense is, still very much a work in progress exiting spring ball. But they know they’re developing in the right direction. The culture is in the bloodstream now, and Herman can see it in their training.

“I love these guys,” Herman said. “They work really hard. Great demeanor. They don’t blink when you tell them to do something that’s really difficult or painful or inconvenient. They just do it. Because that’s the way we do things around here.”

The pieces are there to go out and achieve something really difficult in 2019. Given how many key players are still just sophomores, a College Football Playoff run might still be a year away. But after what they proved in 2018, they’re clearly getting closer.