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Attack Of The Conjunctions: The Longhorn Spring Depth Chart – Offense

Posted by Scipio Tex on February 26th, 2009 under Football

With more ands and ors than a five year old explaining how Mom’s vase came to end up in shards, behold the Texas depth chart. Divining intent and hidden subtext from these have become a Longhorn rite of passage every Spring and Summer and despite how silly it can get, I’m not immune from that impulse. Speculation is offseason catnip. What else are you going to do – watch another major league baseball hothouse flower deny his rampant steroid use?

2009 Texas Longhorns Spring Depth

OFFENSE:

Sub B 11 James Kirkendoll | 1 Phillip Payne | 83 Brock Fitzhenry
Flanker (Z) 5 Brandon Collins | 6 DeSean Hales
Split End (X) 9 Malcolm Williams | 4 Dan Buckner | 14 Montre Webber


hi!

We’ll deal with the WR position in toto. Shipley out is positive insofar as it offers extra reps to youngsters like DeSean Hales and allows Brandon Collins and Kirkendoll to cement their confidence. We badly need Malcolm Williams clicking to develop any semblance of a downfield passing game. Malcolm’s development is the most crucial offensive piece for this Spring – your wild fantasies about downhill running games notwithstanding.

Starters? Two wide: Shipley and Williams. And it’s a run, so now it’s 2nd and 10. Three wide: Collins/Shipley/Williams. Four wide: Collins, Kirkendoll, Williams, Shipley. Hales and Buckner first off the bench in the rotation. Timmons has a shot at contributing as he’s more sophisticated skill-wise than the typical prepsta (I combined gangsta/OR/ prepster/AND/prep star). Where does Chiles fit? Your guess is as good as mine.

Depth is key. If we continue our identity as a short passing game O, we need to disperse reps and receptions widely to keep Shipley and Collins off the injured reserve by Week 5. If Shipley catches 10+ balls a game over the middle, he’ll be done by late October. For that reason, our big body guys in particular need to show that they can tune in and do what’s required of them.

The absence of DJ Monroe from the depth chart is telling.

Tight End (Y) 83 Greg Smith OR 13 Ahmard Howard| OR 16 85 Ian Harris/D.J. Grant

More ors than an ancient trireme. This job is wide open. We have two major openings: situational run blocker, many- down pass catcher.

Greg Smith is allowing many fanalysts to repeat the stupidity voiced about Peter Ullman last preseason. The conventional wisdom is that he’s a good blocking TE…because he’s big. I’m odd in that I like to examine if the person can actually do what they’re credited with. Like Ullman, he has been subpar in the traditional running game. Size at TE means nothing if you don’t have feet and the ability to sustain a block.

We also gave up five bad sacks last year from the TE position – all of them kill shots on Colt. Smith has work to do if he wants to do anything but contribute Misty May ball-sets to opposing secondaries.

DJ Grant is intriguing. He lacks size, but he has the requisite aggression – he was a stand-up OLB/DE at LBJ and he likes mixing it up. Obviously, we don’t want him run blocking OU DE Jeremy Beal on the edge from a three point stance, but if we split him out two feet standing, he’ll gladly earhole LBs blocking down. I know we all want to see what he can do with the ball in his hands.

Ahmard Howard and Ian Harris are the compromise players. They have the correct size for the position, but they are blank screens upon which we can project whatever we like. The Spring will be informative. I hope one of them can block. Matthews and Graham will be interesting freshmen. Josh Marshall is injured and will be no-contact when rejoins practice after Spring Break.

Right Tackle 64 Kyle Hix | 72 Britt Mitchell | 76 Aundre McGaskey
Right Guard 63 Michael Huey | 54 Mark Buchanan | 79 Thomas Ashcraft
Center 71 Chris Hall | 78 David Snow | 68 Drew Oldis
Left Guard 52 Charlie Tanner | 75 Steve Moore | 67 Mason Walters
Left Tackle 74 Adam Ulatoski | 56 Tray Allen | 77 Luke Poehlmann


If you don’t look good, we don’t look good

OT – Ulatoski and Hix are known quantities, so let’s talk reserves. I’m from Missouri on Britt Mitchell as a second teamer, but all of that will work itself out quickly enough. We need a big camp from Tray Allen at LT. Got to have 3 OTs you can trust. McGaskey and Buchanan switching jobs with each other is interesting – both are young and I’m curious as to what we have in each. Poehlmann’s ode to Vidal Sassoon is worth a scholly even if he never plays. He is said to be a good athlete who lacks strength. Plenty of time for him to show. Have patience with RS frosh OL ye spastic fans.

OG – Steve Moore @ 2nd team OG, see Britt Mitchell. Mason Walters at OG is odd, but he’s a guy that can play all five positions, so I’m not overly concerned with where he’s initially slotted and the coaches see game reps to be had if he takes the backup job from Moore. Check back with me at the end of August. We’re married to Tanner at OG and only a position shift from Snow/Hall will supplant him. Ashcraft can shirt. So can Porter and Kelly.

C – Hall is slotted as the starter. I like David Snow and if he is strong enough at guard or center, he’ll allow the coaches to threaten Huey and Tanner with Snow or a supplanted Chris Hall. In any event, Chris Hall really needs to work on his body. If he can match some physical re-hauling with his effort level, we’re fine.

Tailback 31 Cody Johnson OR| 2 28 Vondrell McGee Fozzy Whittaker|OR 25 Jeremy Hills 23 Tre Newton

The message to all of our backs is crystal clear: if you want to play, learn to pass protect. And secondarily, show some hands out of the backfield. The guys who take that edict seriously will be our players. Not much more to it than that. Chris Whaley’s arrival in the Summer offers what all Longhorn fans covet: a shiny new object to fixate on that won’t address any fundamental problems. That written, Whaley does have fantastic hands so if he’s a savant at pass protection, I’m sure there’s an immediate role for him. At TE. I’m kidding. Just kidding. OR AM I?

I think our goal should be to have six backs rush for 225 yards each on the entire season. Keeps them fresh! Opponents off-balance! Never know what we’re going to do!

I’ve already discussed our running game sufficiently and our talent here is fine to do what we need to do. If you’re of the belief that you must have Eric Dickerson in your backfield and five NFL OL blocking to have a viable running game, or that the solution is that “we gotta get tougher!”, then I’ll leave off here to allow you to lick asbestos and gnaw more paint chips and commence to naming our defense.

Fullback 24 Antwann Cobb | 46 Aaron Smith | 41 Jamison Berryhill


Preparing for a downhill run

Fullback is crucial if we wish to establish a…Ha ha! Focus. Regain composure. Fullback, more than any other position is a necessity…Ha ha. Wait. Sorry. Regarding FB, many do not know that Jamison Berryhill, much like former walk-on Ahmard Hall, once…Ha ha.

I can’t do this.

Quarterback 12 Colt McCoy | 17 Sherrod Harris

I predict Colt will win the starting job. I also predict the stock market to tank in 2008 and that Jerry Schmidt will make a lollygagging OU player eat a bowel movement. Not his own.

John Chiles is a WR now.

Funny, that. At this point I’m not sure what Chiles will contribute at WR. One can point to Kerry Meier or Steve Tanneyhill as productive QBs converted WR, but Chiles hasn’t shown elusiveness since his senior year of high school (aside from juking a Pac-10 scrub for a TD in the Holiday Bowl last year). Do you redshirt him to let him find his way in a new role?

I think Sherrod Harris has a really interesting opportunity if he’s up for it. Please indulge this fantasy scenario. The coaches are indicating by the Chiles move that Gilbert will not ’shirt.

Sherrod can throw a pipe wrench in that with his play this Spring. If the coaches can realistically envision him as a one year Tee Martin-type senior starter on a very good football team in 2010, they’ll reassess. I don’t know if Sherrod is aware of that, but now would be a good time for him to punch a teammate in the liver for disrespecting his place in the lunch line and generally start asserting himself.

The reality is that the coaches are trying to hand Garrett Gilbert an open depth chart. I’m not a big fan of coronations without competition, but so be it.

Here’s what Mack Brown had to say about it all.

What you got?

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70 Responses

  1. Nero said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 4:17 pm

    “Chiles also will receive work as a kick returner, providing some help for a Texas unit that ranked sixth in the Big 12 in kickoff returns.” – Tim Griffin

    ESPN

    I don’t care if he catches a single pass. I just want somebody back there catching kicks and punts that 1)is willing to catch the ball; and 2)actually has some moves and speed to get us decent field position. With such an efficient quarterback in McCoy and newfound success in the redzone last season, some short fields could really increase our scoring.

  2. Scipio Tex said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 4:21 pm

    Nero:

    I don’t see many cut-n-go moves from Chiles, frankly.

    For punts, I favor DeSean Hales and Curtis Brown.

    KOR, we’ve got a half dozen guys that can have an impact.

    As with any of these jobs, the primary determinant for Brown is always ball security. That’s how we had Courtnee Garcia returning kicks for us at 5 yards a clip.

    Sometimes that guy is Aaron Ross or Nathan Vasher though, so let’s hope it works out.

  3. Rex Chapman's Black Girlfriend said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 4:37 pm

    I think the (1 at WR) is referring to the number of letters earned.

  4. Sports Jesus said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 4:38 pm

    Loved the quote from Chiles saying he just wants to be in a position to help the team. Gotcha!

    But seriously I’m with you Scip. Last Summer this was an intriguing debate tossed around by all. Now? Not so much. We saw enough from the other receivers this year to feel good about our ridiculously long depth chart producing three to four studs, with the potential of one to two All Big XII’ers. So for me this move is too little too late.

    Other than that morsel, what else is there to say really? I was real excited about the experience returning at OL, then I reviewed the chart and farted and peed at the same time. Confusing? Perhaps.

    What I’m really more interested in is your look at the DEF depth chart. Having blown off any real work this afternoon and streaming some sweet Texas Football TV on the websicle I am super silly about Boom and his ideas. I think he has a serious man-crush on E Acho. Just sayin’.

    Stay hard.

  5. Nero said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 4:55 pm

    ” Tucker, Justin kickoff 70 yards to the TT0, Wall, Jamar return 38 yards to the TT38 (Thomas, Earl).”

    People forget about this play on TTech’s last drive to give us our only loss on the season.

    Our special teams have been softer than Charlie Weis’ mons pubis.

    Mike Tolleson needs to go John Mackovic on these guys and put blocking sleds on the track. Oh wait, we don’t have a track anymore. We hardly have enough room on the sidelines for Bevo to take a piss.

  6. Nero said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 5:01 pm

    *tackling dummies

  7. bigdukesix said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 5:45 pm

    “We need a big camp from Tray Allen at LT. Got to have 3 OTs you can trust.”

    Uh oh.

    “I think our goal should be to have six backs rush for 225 yards each on the entire season. Keeps them fresh! Opponents off-balance! Never know what we’re going to do!”

    This is a joke, right? I’m sarcasm deficient.

    There’s something to be said for allowing a RB to get in a rhythm, isn’t there?

    “I’ve already discussed our running game sufficiently and our talent here is fine to do what we need to do.”

    Is average less than 4 ypc what we need to do? Just kidding. It’s a wonderful group of young men at the position.

  8. SlickStreet said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 6:01 pm

    Curtis Brown makes some sense as a returner. Friend of mine from his HS saw him play a lot and considers him a major weapon with ball in his hands.

    Only David Snow and Hall’s versatility keeps the guard spot from being what you note the OT slot currently lacks–three able performers you can trust. Despite improved recruiting in recent years along the OL, it’s kinda scary the lack of proven depth–especially since we only lost Dockery to my recollection.

    Your WR discussion and mine over at BOB are pretty similar. Scary to think about Shipley taking the same kind of punishment as he did LY and still survive. And without Quan, seeing a need for a deep threat this fall. I just don’t see how Colt and the receivers can flawlessly execute each week in nearly nothing but the short passing game.

  9. kchorn said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 6:11 pm

    “Fullback is crucial if we wish to establish a…Ha ha!”

    You bastard.

  10. Black Scholes said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 6:26 pm

    The reference to Charlie Weis’ nether regions has me queasy. That, plus the liberal use of Axe Body Spray by the Frenchman sitting to my left. Ouch.

  11. Black Scholes said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 6:29 pm

    Slick – while I’ll concede offensive lineman are tough to project to the next level, despite having by and large his pick of the field McWhorter has ended up with some real misses and more than a couple of journeymen in our two-deep. The 3-4 lost to grades or whatever wouldn’t have made much of a difference in this situation either.

  12. DBH said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 7:05 pm

    “In the pdf depth chart, you see this by John Chiles: (1 at WR).

    He’s a WR now.”

    Scip,

    The numbers in parentheses note the number of career starts. Apparently, Chiles played the first play of a game in our incomparable “Q” package as a WR. I guess this qualifies as a start in Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.

  13. Art Vandelay said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 7:06 pm

    I’m just glad the depth chart came out and provided you an opportunity to type downhill again.

    Two gifts below:

    “Starters? Two wide: Shipley and Williams. And it’s a run, so now it’s 2nd and 10.”

    “Smith has work to do if he wants to do anything but contribute Misty May ball-sets to opposing secondaries.”

    Pure gold.

  14. Newy25 said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 7:22 pm

    Phillip Payne ending August camp on the 2-deep at sub B is as likely as Mike Sherman being the coach at Texas A&M in 2012. It’s time for Mighty Whitey to show all of you Internet pundits he is a legit Div1 receiver. Either that or hello Greg Timmons! Come on down! You get to be the first offensive recruit in the 2009 class to lose your shirt.

    The backups on the line will be shuffled 654 times between now and the third week of Spring practice. I will reserve judgment until summer camp. If Steve Moore and Brit Mitchell can play well enough to man the second team in blowouts or OOC games then I am fine with them playing and letting guys redshirt. Players like these are glue guys and are often made fun of on the Internets but do provide a valuable service.

    Or someone could transfer and we can sign Evan Washington. Whatever.

  15. Callkevin said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 8:00 pm

    B Scholes, I’m not sure I can agree. Add Reggie Youngblood & J’Marcus Webb back to the mix and I think we’d have a very different look to our OL.

  16. dedfischer said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 8:22 pm

    I just heard Derrick Dockery is going into business with his brother.

  17. closetojumping said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 8:46 pm

    There is a shocking amount of fantasy and optimism in your post. I know that sounds odd, given that you’re a generally critical & contrarian guy, which entertains me greatly, but I find even more entertainment when you accidentally “want to believe”. Scully would be envious.

    I think at this point, we can reasonably bet that Kirkendoll and Collins will play ahead of Williams, even if he proves himself the better ballplayer. As to Hales and others, well, I hope Kennedy is more aggressive in rotating guys out than Akina or other morons on the staff.

    Williams and Hales have to force their ways into the lineup, hopefully with Timmons doing the same, for this squad to be top 10 in the country next year. Without Cosby, it is a must that the rest of the squad overachieve.

    John Chiles is irrelevant here. Outside of mocking Jeff Dyer for calling him the next John Elway, John Chiles has contributed negative value to this program. Hoping for anything else this season is a hilarious prank on your readership.

    In regard to TE, every snap taken by Greg Smith or Ian Harris is a signal of a series wasted. 1 = 4 downs dead. No escape. Show me evidence at any point otherwise and I will let Bruce Chambers kiss my ass in town square and allow him 30 minutes to draw a crowd.

    Grant needs to be the real deal. If he isn’t, light a cigarette on the short yardage game offense.

    OL–

    If Tanner and Hall both start this year with better talent around them, we deserve to lose 3-4 games. Snow is the best OL we’ve seen in a while. If they don’t let him play C and destroy people, I vote we secede.

    The fact that you discussed fullback is hilarious. Even more humorous is that you give Harris credence as a possible replacement. I am openly rooting for your demise as a result of this chicanery.

  18. Nero said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 9:42 pm

    That clown car:

    Has “Ford” on the front

    Has “Kia” on the side

    Looks like a guadalajaran taxi cab mated with an helado cart.

    Lacks back windows (molestor style)

    Has a clown doing an impression of Yokozuna doing the Banzai Drop on the 1-2-3 Kid.

  19. Scipio Tex said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 9:58 pm

    closetojumping:

    Re-read the fullback section.

    When I begin my Harris fantasy with the words “indulge my fantasy…” that’s usually a clue to most readers. The point is pretty basic: crowning Gilbert as the ‘10 starter with literally zero competition isn’t a great idea. The coaches should make a legitimate effort to prepare Harris like he’s going to be the man, whether or not its true. It’ll make GG a better player too.

    OL – Snow’s placement on the depth chart is fairly typical, but I won’t get wound up until we’ve gone through a spring and summer with no change.

    Since we run a three and four wide offense, saying Kirkendoll will start over Williams is basically irrelevant – and doubtful. Collins and Shipley have their positions locked. And I do think we’re going to rotate a lot of dudes. Six, in fact.

    I’m not sure pointing out that Chiles hasn’t demonstrated any real athletic ability in game situations counts as hopeful, but alrighty.

  20. Scipio Tex said:

    February 26th, 2009 at 10:03 pm

    Callkevin:

    Scholes is right. Attrition is expected. If you take a lot of Kansas targets on the OL – as we did 4/5 years ago – you eventually end up playing some of them. How we’ve recruited this year and the last two is what we should be doing. Non-contributing OL have no roster value.

    Newy:

    Ideally, the guys playing second team in blowouts should be tomorrow’s starters. If you have 3-4 guys on your OL who are “program guys”, you’re in trouble.

  21. beowulf said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 4:49 am

    Collins is going to have a big year. He’s the real deal, and we should rejoice and be glad in this.

    Whether or not we beat OU and Okie State, the only 2 teams on our regular season schedule that have a realistic shot at us, won’t be dependent on which paritcular favored OL or WR plays the most, or which TE prospect emerges or not, or who starts or plays the most effectively at RB. Colt and his underlings will score lots and lots of points next year on everyone in the Big 12, OU and Okie State included.

    Our hopes for winning the Big 12 and playing for the NC most significantly rest on the broad shoulders of one Will Muschamp, he of healthy bank account and intense sideline behaviour. How he develops our DL and schemes his green but talented charges along the defensive front will tell the tale in 2009.

    I’m thinking that we should also rejoice and be glad in this.

    Some will get all worked up and exercised over certain PTs of a particular hated db or a LB here and there. Don’t make a shit at the end of the day. Look no further than our DL and its performance to take us to Pasadena again (God, I love that venue) or some other lesser town east or south of the Rose Bowl.

    It really is that simple.

    Carry on.

  22. Beaten dead horse said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 5:32 am

    If Tanner and Hall both start this year with better talent around them, we deserve to lose 3-4 games. Snow is the best OL we’ve seen in a while. If they don’t let him play C and destroy people, I vote we secede.

    Funny. That’s what people said about 08. What happened to those other 2 or 3 losses we were suppose to have?

  23. Iacocca said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 5:49 am

    That is not a clown car.

    That’s a government prototype for a new line of smart vehicles that will return Detroit to its former glory.

    While the driver may look unhappy, he’s meant to reflect the calm satisfaction that comes with buying and driving the most finely engineered car in the U.S.

  24. Ag_in_TX said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 6:13 am

    It’ll be interesting to watch how this goes for John. I know that at Summit, he was hell bent that he would be a QB in college and The League.

    I also know that if he becomes frustrated and unhappy, he can be a serious distraction. If he is not a started coming out of spring practices, he may not be a happy camper.

    I haven’t spoken to John in – geez, a year and a half now, so I don’t know what he’s thinking. But obviously, if he wants to play QB in The League, he ought to think about going elsewhere.

  25. John Chiles. said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 6:20 am

    Ag in Tx. You clearly don’t have a clue about the team dynamics or chemistry in Austin. But you can hope for negativity to come out of the Chiles move. It’s basically all Aggies have these days.

    Beat Baylor (strong improbability again) then come visit with us.

  26. Ag_in_TX said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 6:26 am

    lol

    Seriously, I don’t know anything about y’alls team chemistry. But I do know what John can do for team chemistry if he is unhappy.

  27. Stats Are For Losers said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 7:39 am

    Write it in the books. NO MNC’s for the Horns for at least 5 years. You dont win the big one in college football without a dynamic QB anymore. And we are all kidding ourselves saying that Colt is that kind of QB. His running numbers are a result of a 4 wide formation. There has to be room on the field for him to run somewhere! And it isnt like he put up eye popping numbers at that.

    His passing numbers, particularly his completion percentage (which everyone is in awe of), are a result of 5 yard slants and the like. He had better be completing 78 percent if we expect to win with that rubbish. Fact of the matter is we really didnt beat a single good team during the regular season and got a gift from God to be playing the Buckeyes in a bowl, as certain a bowl victory as you can get, and almost lost that. Now we replace Colt with another non mobile QB with a shoulder injury already under his belt? Checkmate.

    The only positive in this situation is that Mack Brown is on the cream filling schedulers diet. On reputation alone, we can get lucky and run the slate, minus a loss to OU, and get into a BCS/top tier bowl.

    And to expect anything more than that is a sign of delusion.

  28. Vito Hornleone said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 7:44 am

    Too many people on these bulletin board websites take themselves too serious and take their experience in high school football as they know more than the Texas coaches.

    Our roster will work itself out including the TE, FB and john Chiles. No need to bash a kid for not performing up to your personal standards.

    I personally don’t know what will happen with our team next year, but I do know that there isn’t a single person on this bulletin board that is smarter than our coaching staff, that is a fact.

  29. Matt Flynn and Chris Leak said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 7:52 am

    Hi!

  30. NateHeupel said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 8:14 am

    Speaking of offensive…

    Excerpt from ESPN.com:
    Longhorns to learn nuances of BCS

    “As a staff we’re planning to bring in BCS gurus and the computer guys and talking to them,” Mack Brown said. “We want to find out where we fell short in those areas. Is it margin of victory? Was it not scoring more because if it doesn’t matter to the computers it does to the human vote? We’re looking at all those things now.”

    Jeebus H. Rice.

    You fell short because you lost late instead of early. You fell short because your OOC schedule was a smorgasboard of cupcakes with no redeeming value whatsoever.

    Very simple stuff, Mackie. Stop scheduling nobodies, and consider making a road trip to a team that’s actually in a BCS conference. Last time you did that, you won a national title.

    I don’t know what’s worse here. The possibility that Mack had to hire “gurus” to explain the BCS to him because he didn’t understand it at all in the first place. This would make him utterly incompetent. The other terrifying possibility is that Mack is doing this as a PR stunt, and DeLoss Dodds is too stupid or arrogant to just follow OU’s lead on this one.

    OU has figured out EXACTLY how to work the system. See the 2003, 2004, and 2008 MNC games for evidence of this fact.

  31. NVHorn said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 8:17 am

    “Fact of the matter is we really didnt beat a single good team during the regular season”

    Uh, OU? You stupid twat.

  32. Stats Are For Losers said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 8:19 am

    HI, Matt Flynn and Chris Leak!

    How are you doing. Did your offensive coordinator wear a name tag that reads “Greg Davis”?

  33. Black Scholes said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 8:35 am

    CallKev – Adding Reggie Youngblood to the mix would have been fantastic. However you can’t add back what you never had – Youngblood signed with Miami. That was a kid the staff definitely pursued and wanted however.

    Perhaps you’re thinking of Roy Watts? My point holds I think.

  34. LosHorn said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 8:39 am

    Are we doing anything to improve kick coverage. Will Muschamp please look into that. It’s abysmal and has been for the better part of this decade.

  35. Stats Are For Losers said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 8:40 am

    NVHorn-
    OU was not a good team. Period. They were over-hyped from the word go. They fed on weaklings and lost to their only real competition. Texas and Florida. As Ohio State has proven, an invite to the NC Game is not the barometer for the skill of a team. The only requisite is a good record in a BCS conference, the hype will take care of the rest. Fact is that neither Texas or OU were all that good last year, but someone had to win the game between them.

  36. Black Scholes said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 8:58 am

    Schedule strength, margin of victory yadda yadda yadda … when it came down to the final ballot I’m convinced most of that meant shit to the human voters. I think we’re clearly getting a better idea of what frauds many of the coaches are when it comes to submitting an objective ballot.

    Stoops’ coaching ‘tree’ coupled with other random and indefensible support for OU is what ultimately did Mack and us in. Jackasses not even listing us in the Top 10 is gaming the system in a way that should result in having the voting rights tossed.

    There seems to be an impression in the coaching community at large of Mack vs Stoops that I might have understood a few years ago, but no more. I guess public perception is very, very slow to change.

  37. Huh? said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 9:09 am

    “I do know that there isn’t a single person on this bulletin board that is smarter than our coaching staff, that is a fact.”

    I could not disagree more strongly, and I say that with all due respect to the men who work for the coaching staff. While they are among the best coaches in college football, few of them would rate among the most intelligent observers of college football.

    While one’s undergraduate degree is not the only indicator of one’s intelligence, I give you, as one data-set, their alma mater’s:

    Mack: FSU
    Greg: McNeese St
    Will: Georgia
    Duane: Washington
    Major: Texas (now that guy’s SHARP!)
    Bruce: North Texas
    Oscar: Texas (another shining light)
    Bobby: Northern Colorado
    Mac: Georgia
    Mike: Delta St

    Now, if you want to discuss their football acumen vs that of the contributors on this site, then that’s a different matter–although I’d put a few of the people here (Scipio, at least), in a one on one with anybody. But raw intelligence? Let’s not kid ourselves. They’re good guys, good coaches, but few of them are mensa candidates.

  38. CallKevin said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 9:14 am

    B Scholes, I thought of Watts, and Thornton, but used Youngblood because you said that Mac had his pick of the field and because I don’t think either would have made much difference here. Webb, probably, if his head had been on straight. Youngblood’s an example of one that might have made a real difference had we actually had our pick. Still, Scipio said I’m wrong, and you’re right, so you win. :-)

    In the end I still think our biggest difficulty in OL recruiting is the same as our difficulty in RB recruiting–we don’t have a clear offensive identity, and therefore we don’t have a clear recruiting strategy. We end up taking kids who, from the get-go, can’t possibly succeed in the same scheme as one another. Very odd. Overall, happy with the results, but can’t help thinking about how much better they might be with a little tweak.

  39. Matt Flynn and Chris Leak said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 9:25 am

    “You dont win the big one in college football without a dynamic QB anymore”

    Hi!

  40. DBH said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 9:34 am

    “…but can’t help thinking about how much better they might be with a little tweak.”

    I live for the day when we tweak Mack and Greg out to pasture and Muschamp hires a real OC.

  41. CallKevin said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 9:38 am

    Mack will be missed far more than many of us would like to admit. He’s created a culture within the program that has reaped us many benefits and brought tremendous pride and money to the University. Greg…. ;-)

  42. Levander Williams said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 10:10 am

    From the mouth of Greg Davis (2/26/09):

    “As we sit and evaluate and look at the players that we have, one of the things we felt we did in the second half against Ohio State was we got under center and we came downhill some. Most of it was out of a fast tempo, so we want to be able to continue to do that. We also want to be able to mix it up some. We’ll install some two backs in the spring. How much we use that in August, in the season, will be determined by how we are at it and the different personnel and groupings we can get in.”

    It’s no surprise that so many folks think the obvious solution to our inability to run the ball is to use I-sets and RBs with the stature of Chris Whaley – our offensive coordinator apparently believes the same thing.

    I give up.

  43. bigdukesix said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 10:21 am

    “You dont win the big one in college football without a dynamic QB anymore”

    Not a defensible statement.

    In addition to saying “hi” to Matt Flynn and Chris Leak, say “hi” to Matt Mauck, Craig Krenzel, Matt Leinert, and Ken Dorsey, all of whom have won championships this decade. You might even say “hi” to Tim Tebow, who is more likely to run over a defender than he is to blow by him or juke him.

    Garret Gilbert has as much talent as any of those guys listed.

  44. Iraqi Information Minister said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 10:41 am

    “Fact of the matter is we really didnt beat a single good team during the regular season”

    I was just about to say the exact same thing, but you beat me to it, my brother. Great minds think alike!

  45. Stats Are For Losers said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 11:01 am

    I may not have translated my thoughts to page well enough. I dont think that UT can win a national championship without a dynamic quarterback. We have too much dead weight in the form of Greg Davis. My initial response to Matt Flynn was meant to clarify that point, but I can now see where the confusion came in. So to make myself perfectly clear.

    The difference between those programs and UT is that they had passable offensive coordinators. UT DOES NOT. UT has too much to overcome strategically without a safety valve at QB.

  46. Rapist Wit said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 11:15 am

    “You dont win the big one in college football without a dynamic QB anymore”

    Just when I thought you couldn’t get any dumber, you go and write something like this… and totally redeem yourself!

  47. Nordberg said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 11:20 am

    “UT has too much to overcome strategically without a safety valve at QB.”

    Well then thank Tebow we have Colt McCoy.

  48. Nero said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 11:21 am

    Stats –

    Look, I know texas recruits better than a lot of schools, but it isn’t like we’re pulling in the #1 class ten years running. You don’t score as many points as texas has during Mack’s tenure with an idiot for an offensive coordinator. You can’t explain UT’s production by talent alone.

    And, aside from an unreliable running game between the 10 yard-lines, I think you could place a lot more blame on the poor passing defense of 2006 and 2007 than on Greg Davis.

    Did Greg Davis call a deep handoff in the endzone at Texas Tech on the first play of the game? Yes. Did John Mackovic do almost the same damn thing in 1995? Yes. Do I have a point? I’m not sure, only to say don’t count on whatever guy you bring in next being any better.

  49. Scipio Tex said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 11:24 am

    Stat:

    I’m not quite sure I understand your argument that Colt McCoy isn’t a dynamic QB. He’s a walking bail-out; a freaking stimulus package.

    Did you watch us play at all in ‘08? The Fiesta bowl was Colt McCoy and Quan Cosby against eleven Ohio State guys.

  50. Stats Are For Losers said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 11:28 am

    Nordberg-

    You give Colt too much credit.

  51. Nordberg said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 11:32 am

    Sorry. Must have imagined his 45 touchdowns and 4300 yards of offense.

  52. Austintacious 'Horn said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 12:10 pm

    “If a fact is not the truth,then it cannot be a fact” This commentary is for…

    Vito Hornleone:

    Plus, any interested in what is the “fact” concerning the comments from the Barking Carnival and other UT blogs….”There is not a single person on this bullentin board that is smarter than our coaching staff, that is a fact.”- Vito Hornleone

    Vito, Your “fact” is neither proven nor true. SO, it remains just your own opinion and nothing more, unless you can prove otherwise.

    I CAN RESPECT ALL opinions here and at every TEXAS blog site. Just remember, your talking to a mostly blind crowd here(no resumes are openly available),and we All REALLY know that which We truly know, and have very little freedom here to express such knowledge and experience, without being subjected to name calling, hyper-critical scrutiny, and verbal attacks. None here should dare to put in print what you would not say to all of our faces. We are mostly here, to exchange information and try to make an educated guess called speculation on UT ATHLETICS so as to sooth our insecurities for the future season.

    It is part of a never ending process…24/7/ 365.

    That is normal. And it can be healthy as long as we all vent in away that is not putting down others.

    Heck, you might be surprised like many others here, who we really are, who we know, and what we do, in the guise of our handles. Or then, maybe you would not at all because we dont seem to have a common thread of the love and respect of UT football and UT traditions.

    Facts are backed up by evidence and performances on the field. Vito, Where is your proof to the point that NONE here are not “smarter” or “football smarter” than the UT staff? What a conceited,thoughtless remark.

    You don’t know Who we are here,and what our backgrounds and experience are in (coaching,teaching,playing experience or levels of competition). Further more,I can see your not well-versed as to all the demands to play/coach football, or have any experience in knowing how much pain we carry within us(from all the injuries and debilitation that afflicts us) we paid the price to be champions at every level we compete/coach.

    One of my dear friends had both back surgery and hip surgery in the recent past. Do you know what that feels like,Vito? The fact is, He paid the great price for glory.

    My childhood football hero suffered thru 16 knee surgeries in his playing days at UT and in the pros. count’em 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16…Btw, he was all-american on UT’s 1969 NC and an all-pro too. Go ahead and ask him what its all about,Vito. I was born where he played HS ball..HE IS STILL MY UT FOOTBALL favorite CAUSE HE IS THE EPITOMY OF WHAT UT REPRESENTS. He paid the price for glory.

    Have known Coach Brad MCcoy since before Colt was born… I never speculated on Colt, or any player since they must all make the same sacrifices to be a champion in life and at UT. Colt is a very special man. So is his Dad. They pay the price for glory,and they give the glory to God.

    Have known Coach Steve Gideon before Blake was ever born. Nothing in this life (by the internet) has made me more angry than the personal attacks on Blake Gideon. He is the QB OF OUR DEFENSE…Blake was 2008 freshman All-American…He started at safety for the best football team in America..YET, all I read here is that no one thinks he is Better than # 23?…SO much for facts, ESPECIALLY as to the snide comments some of you have previously made against Blake…which are totally unfounded,unwarranted and classless. The UT coaches will never agree AT ALL with your assessment of #21 and this man sure as heck does not concur, either! Blake is currently paying a huge price for glory at UT. He has more class than anyone in UT football, today…Thanks Steve…Thankyou God for BLAKE.

    JUST SEE if any of you can do any better than Blake Gideon… Most know he broke his back in HS playing the game he loves so much…WHERE IS your nerve, just to let the kid play and be a success in his own right? Ever had a broken back before,Vito?

    hmmmmmm…didn’t think so.

    Some of us are truly blessed in the people we know, and even some of us more widely traveled throughout life, and have had the great distinction to be around some very special TEXAS people. Thanks and love to all of the ones I have alluded to in this commentary, both named and unnamed…..There are so many many more untold from this view point………..if your a TRUE LONGHORN, you can figure it out pretty easily.

    PERSONALLY, the coaching profession is the greatest yet smallest fraternity in this world..Don’t knock it if your not a part of it.

    …ALL my appreciation, support & love to the UT FOOTBALL staff and AND to all the THSCA members who keep our football programs the very best in the nation.

    God bless all…

    Hookem

  53. Stats Are For Losers said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 12:17 pm

    Scip-
    Of course I watched UT play. My point is simply that our two “signature” wins were over shaky competition. On the surface it seemed that McCoy did great things, but you must factor in the level of competition. It is the same question you pose when evaluating recruits. The difference between us is that I grade OU and Ohio State far lower than you do. I just dont believe that they were the top 10 teams that the media said they were. Ohio State stalemated against Penn St, whose coach can audition for the role of Dead Bernie, for the Big 10. Which we all know sucks.Hell, Penn State went to their bowl and got taken to the woodshed. OU was destroyed by Florida. Don’t believe the score. That game was not close.

    And do not get me started on the team we lost to. We all know the gulley that train ended up in.

  54. Scipio Tex said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 12:30 pm

    Stat:

    Will you share your top ten from last year if OU wasn’t a top ten team?

    Colt McCoy played Ohio State’s defense. Not their entire team. And they were a top ten defense.

    The Florida/OU game was exactly as close as the score indicated, IMHO. Competitive, but Florida was better.

  55. Nero said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 12:30 pm

    Austintacious Horn –

    You don’t know Vito any more than he doesn’t know anyone on this board. Perhaps you are wrong in judging him just as he is wrong in being blind to the fact that these players and coaches are people – people who try very hard to be the best at they do. Our coaches and players are lucky to have Passion for a game that they Love, and that they are able to turn it from a game into something that actually matters – a means of income and support for themselves and their families, if they are lucky.

    Not everyone has that chance. Be it because they lack talent, or maybe they didn’t try hard enough or make the right decisions when they had the chance and only learned the error of their ways when it was too late. People get older, doors close.

    For some, being able to bitch about longhorn players and coaches that they don’t personally know; or bitching at anonymous posters on a blog that is NOT IMPORTANT AT ALL is a way better outlet than kicking your dog or yelling at your wife because life hasn’t turned out the way you thought.

    You don’t know Vito. I don’t know you. Don’t be so damn sanctimonious.

  56. Q-Car said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 12:32 pm

    In the name of Tom Landry will somebody get down here to Mission and bail my ass out of jail?

  57. Black Scholes said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 1:23 pm

    Kev – note – for the record – I said Mac ‘by and large’ had his pick of OL recruits, thereby allowing for the handful of kids who just weren’t going to end in Austin (Youngblood, Shugarts etc). Splitting hairs, but I’m a stubborn bastard.

    You do make a great point re scheme. And in this case, that might trump mine. Would a Tanner, Hall, Moore have more success if they had been recruited because their skill set was better-suited for a certain offense? Greg Davis doesn’t know, so neither do I.

  58. Stats Are For Losers said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 1:44 pm

    -Scip

    My top 10
    1. Utah
    2. Florida
    3/4 USC/Texas — interchangable (both played minimal competition all year, both lost a stinker, both played a crappy Big 10 team in their bowl game)
    5. TCU
    6. Alabama
    7. Boise State
    8. Georgia
    9.
    10.

    Fawk. You Got Me. It pains me to admit that one of those two teams was in the top 10.

    You win this round.

  59. 98 said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 1:54 pm

    the same TCU team that OU beat. the Georgia team that got its ass handed to it many times.You somehow concluded Utah’s competiton level was higher than OU’s.

  60. Scipio Tex said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 1:57 pm

    Stats:

    I think I had you somewhere around #5 on, actually. But I appreciate you listing it out for me.

  61. Stats Are For Losers said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 1:59 pm

    -98

    Utah beat a good but not flashy Alabama
    TCU was a better team at the end of the season than at the time of their meeting with OU
    Georgia lost 3 times. those three were to Bama, Florida, and to a late blooming Georgia Tech.

  62. Nordberg said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 2:03 pm

    These mental gymnastics you’re putting yourself through are impressive, and fun to watch. I guess you’ll have to now revise your statement that we didn’t beat one good team in ‘08, like you revised your statement about NC winning QB’s. Now if we can get you to come clean with Colt I think we’ll be done here.

  63. Art Vandelay said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 2:15 pm

    Stats walked into a pool hall on a Friday afternoon and tried to hustle an old dude. Old dude was Willie Mosconi.

  64. t1climb1 said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 2:36 pm

    I’m reminded of the old saying about better to remain quiet and have your intelligence questioned than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

  65. Stats Are For Losers said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 2:45 pm

    -Nordberg

    You are making assumptions. Just because OU is the 9th or 10th ranked team does not make them good. That speaks more to the crap behind them. Someone has to fill the spot.

  66. Frito said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 3:19 pm

    S.A.F.L.
    Man you really shut up their fag-talk and showed what a bunch of ‘tards they are.
    I’ll check back later, it’s nearly time for “Ow, My Balls”.
    Oh yeah, drink Brawndo. Its got what plants crave. Electrolytes…

  67. Petey said:

    February 27th, 2009 at 7:54 pm

    I’d like to see Kyle Hix move to LT and Ulatoski slide over to RT.

    I’d like to see Huey and Allen starting at OG with Snow starting at Center.

    We have a Glut of WR’s.

  68. DBH said:

    February 28th, 2009 at 7:10 am

    “Don’t be so damn sanctimonious.”

    I had to laugh at the playing of the “TRUE LONGHORN” card. (I mean, shit, Austintacious knows some very special TEXAS people, by God!) All the while judgmentally criticizing what he clearly deemed to be an unfairly judgmental post. And closing it out by beseeching God to bless all! Hallelujah, brother!

  69. Nero said:

    February 28th, 2009 at 8:15 am

    I guess I’m a real juxtaposeur.

  70. Houstonearler said:

    March 3rd, 2009 at 10:52 am

    TCU at #5? And ahead of OU?

    TCU beat two teams that ranked in the top 25 at the end of the season. #25 BYU and #11 Boise State. Go check out the # of quality teams they beat.

    If you think Texas, USC and OU played crappy schedules, go check out Boise State, TCU, and Utah’s SOS.

    Sagarin schedule strength of your teams:
    1. Utah – 56th
    2. Florida – 4th
    T3. Texas – 14th
    T3. USC – 16th
    5. TCU – 69th
    6. Alabama – 28th
    7. Boise State – 94th
    8. UGA – 11th
    OU – 7th
    Texas Tech – 27th

    Also, if you don’t think Colt was outstanding last year, I don’t know what to tell you. Watching him convert third down after third down with perfect throws or timely scrambles was enough for me.

    He could have put up even better numbers if we had receivers who could take a 5 yard pass 70+ yards (we really did not) or let him toss it deep/run up stats against crappy teams or teams we were beating down (we did not). Or imagine we had a run game that made other team’s more suceptible to play fakes? Or a TE? The guy smashes the NCAA completion %, can run, and is one of the most efficient passers in the country, and you don’t consider him a difference maker?

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