https://www.hornsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Mack-Brown.jpgOn the eve of the football team starting fall camp, head football coach Mack Brown took to the podium on Sunday to brief and field questions from the media. The Longhorns head into the 2013 season with high expectations and more pieces of the puzzle in place, but still some uncertainties.
At Big 12 Media Days, in our opinion, Mack was fairly stoic. Today we heard a little more fire from coach as he uttered the phrase “we’ve got to shut up and do it.†He talked a lot about the team’s shortcomings in the last few seasons and took responsibility for being “involved in messing things up.â€
While there will not be an official depth chart released until sometime closer to the New Mexico State game on August 31st, a little light was shed on the direction the coaches are going with some of the players. Jalen Overstreet will work out in a variety of roles, some of the freshmen have impressed, and Penn-State transfer Anthony Fera’s health appears to be at full-strength. Oh yeah, and Mack lost 25 lbs.
Football is almost here folks.
Notes from the Sunday presser:
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- Mack will host the seniors at his house tonight with former Texas TE David Thomas being the featured guest.
- Practices are open to the public on Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons. This is different from the last few years in which practices were closed. Why have practices reopened to fans? The team has come a long way and has improved. The fans have stuck with the team through the last few tough years and this is a way of showing appreciation for them.
- There is no depth chart right now even though there will be three teams.
- There will be no split practices this year because of the up-tempo offense. Not enough personnel to split.
- David Ash will work with the 1st team, Case McCoy and Tyrone Swoopes will work with the 2nd and 3rd teams (alternating) and Jalen Overstreet will work with the 4th team.
- The coaches need a better idea of where Freshman QB Tyrone Swoopes is at in terms of commanding the offense. With Swoopes at QB don’t be surprised to see the offense slow down a bit.
- Case McCoy has returned from his mission trip, hasn’t lost any weight. He’s ready to play if needed.
- Jalen Overstreet will start camp at tailback and will also see some time at slot receiver in packages similar to Daje Johnson, in order to utilize his speed.
- Duke Thomas will start at cornerback; could play both sides of the ball if needed.
- Chevoski Collins will start at receiver and could see some playing time at defensive back.
- Deoundrei Davis will not see playing time in the opener against New Mexico State due to injury. Davis tore his ACL last October and is still rehabbing.
- Demarco Cobbs is questionable for the season opener. Injured his knee against TCU last season and is still rehabbing it.
- Nate Boyer is back from Afghanistan. Graduated in June and will start graduate school in fall.
- Mike Davis, Jaxon Shipley and Quandre Diggs are limited in practices but should be ready to go when the season starts.
- David Ash is ready to play in the up-tempo offense. Knows now that he can overcome a poor start. Also knows he can help win games with his feet, like he did in the game against Oregon State.
- Lineman Rami Hammad is fasting in accordance with Ramadan requirements but is eating late at night and working out at 3:45 a.m. with the coaches. He hasn’t lost any weight.
- Mack is extremely high on the offensive line, particularly the depth.
- Coaches expect Anthony Fera and Will Russ to compete for the punting job and Fera, Nick Jordan and Nick Rose to compete for placekicking duties.
- Mack spent a lot of time discussing player eligibility, mentioning the notion that most coaches prefer 5 years of eligibility. He referenced Jalen Overstreet as the perfect example. Overstreet was prepared to burn a redshirt freshman year last season if necessary in the Alamo Bowl game.
- There is no team “theme” yet for the 2013 season. The team will vote on one at the end of camp (Brick by Brick – 2011, RISE – 2012, ? – 2013).
- Patrick Suddes will continue to recruit every minute of every day, even while the coaches are out on the field.
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The Longhorns open up camp tomorrow and expect a lot of the position battles to begin. Desmond Harrison will certainly shake things up on the offensive line and the Tyrone Swoopes era at Texas begins with the freshman vying for the 2nd string spot.
Let the good times roll.
Hook’Em.
