The point on a brisket is typically the fattiest cut. Pitmasters often trim the point (and select edges) off a brisket and return those pieces to the smoker.
Are burnt ends tough, chewy worthless cuts of meat, or are they heavenly bites of smoky goodness? It depends on who you ask…
Rather than discard the trimmings and fat, we choose to savor all the information that flows through the site. So, sit down and help yourself to some burnt ends.
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We’ll lead off this week’s edition with a few quick team notes as we enter Notre Dame game week.'”
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[*]We still expect Tyrone Swoopes to get the start at quarterback, and we also expect many of the older players to get the nod on the first official depth chart. It’s not quite the “spilled blood†philosophy Mack employed, but we are told it’s a way to keep the older players locked in until they are passed up by their younger counterparts. The word “short leash†has been thrown around quite a bit. Despite the turmoil in personnel decisions, the staff understands the stakes.
[*]There have been no days off for this Texas team, and the players are starting to find themselves a bit fatigued. This is a tough spot for Texas, because if they don’t go hard enough they risk criticism for not preparing correctly.
[*]Good news on the injury front. We are told that Texas expects Patrick Vahe, Zach Shackelford, and Tristan Nickelson to be healthy and ready to go against Notre Dame.
[*]While Jerrod Heard may need some seasoning at the receiver position, a source inside the program told us he might be the most gifted, athletically. If it’s not him, it might be Kai Locksley who is now officially listed as a wide receiver on the roster.
[*]We will have an official list up this week, but so far we have confirmation from Marvin Wilson, Walker Little, Damion Miller, Josh Thompson, Kobe Boyce, Josh Moore, and Jordan Moore that they will be attending the Notre Dame game.
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Week 1 of high school football is in the books, and HornSports was on top of the coverage. Will Baizer was on the sidelines to watch Sam Ehlinger and Westlake take on a powerhouse Katy program last Friday night. Westlake defeated Katy 32-29, and Will spoke with Ehlinger after the game.
Sam Ehlinger’s coach Todd Dodge called his opponent’s defense the best in the history of Texas high school football. That didn’t stop Longhorn commit Sam Ehlinger and company from putting up 32 points on the mighty Tigers. Ehlinger went 18/30 for 250 passing yards, 16 for 64 rushing yards with 2 TDs to lead his team, the Westlake Chaparals, over the #1 team in the state and defending National Champions, the Katy Tigers.
While he got off to a slow start, Ehlinger found his game going into the 2nd half and then hit the gas in the 2nd half, pulling off spectacular play after spectacular play. He appeared to bang up his knees a bit as he had a very noticeable limp during and after the game. He later told the Statesman that he tore the meniscus in both knees. This injury will not require surgery, and we await to see if it causes any long term issues over the course of the season.
HornSports’ WIll Baizer interviews Sam Ehlinger after the big win over Katy
Baizer: Walk me through the 4th quarter touchdown. You’re scrambling around, evading pressure. Walk me through what that was like.
Ehlinger: I knew we were up by three. We were just trying to burn off the clock as fast as possible. The pocket collapsed a little bit. I went to the left just to try to get away and nothing was there. I don’t really know what I was thinking, honestly. I kinda just reversed out and saw Andrew Boykin [his wide receiver], so I just put it up and crossed my fingers.
Baizer: You got to celebrate with your current teammates, your student section, and also your future teammates. What did Malik Jefferson and Breckyn Hager and those guys say to you after the game?
Ehlinger: Malik was actually out in Oregon, so I got to get some coaching from him. He just tells me to go do your thing. I played with Breckyn and he says the same stuff. Just go get it done.
Baizer: How’s the knee?
Ehlinger: It’s great. Feeling well. Just iced it up and be ready for next week.
Baizer: What are your expectation for yourself this year going forward after that Katy game?
Ehlinger: The way that the confidence level is just rising within the guys on our team. We have a pretty inexperienced offensive line upfront. Everyone on our offense and our defense should learn from this game and know that if we play and we follow what the coaches have for us then we’ll win.
For me it’s just getting better every week. I’m going to get better as they get better. As they run the right routes and they know where the ball is going to be at what time. It’s just the experience and the confidence level getting better.
Baizer: Speaking of getting better what are you looking to improve upon in your own game as you head into playing college ball? What is the one thing that you think you really need to improve on the most?
Ehlinger: I think every game I should be about 90% passing. It’s something I can control and the receivers can control. We have to get together and work hard enough where I can throw 90%. The completion percentage rating and the accuracy.
Baizer: On the topic of high percentage passing and getting better, your time with Colt McCoy. What did you learn the most from your time with Colt McCoy? What did you take away from the experience? Was it a stronger love for the Longhorns or something that improved your game?
Ehlinger: There were lots of things. He was a great mentor. Still is.
One of the main things he focused with me on was just not muscling every throw and using my arm. More core stuff. Using my lower body to fling the ball up top.
So that was kind of the main thing technique-wise. Overall he just said, “Keep doing what you’re doing and be a good person.â€
Baizer: After half time it looked like you started to pass to set up the run. Was that because you really couldn’t get a push up front for the run or because you guys saw something in the back 7? What were some of the adjustments you made?
Ehlinger: It was just really, we felt the first half we weren’t hitting on our stuff that we needed to. It was there, it was the protection up front was a little shaky. Everyone was nervous. Once we got up into the second half and they scored we said, “We got to kick it up a gear now.†The offensive line upfront knew I was banged up a little bit. They said, “Hey we’ll get you that extra second.†And that’s exactly what they did.
I think their defense got tired. They go against a huddle offense every day, like what Katy runs. They’re always huddling every play. We like to high tempo. We get a 15 yard pass we’re going to go right back at you with the fade. I think our tempo really helped tonight. It really slowed down the guys up front and gave us a bunch of time to hit deep.
Baizer: We know you’ve become the voice of the 2017 class. Who are the guys that you’re really trying to recruit in this 2017 class?
Ehlinger: It’s just all the top guys in the state. Really. All the top guys in their position are really the one’s that we want.
Baizer: And if you had to choose one of those guys to take with you to Texas, maybe one that Texas is targeting, who would you choose?
Ehlinger: Just so I could be protected up front, my man Walker Little
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— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011
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We spoke to an orthopedic doctor in regards to Ehlinger’s injury for an expert opinion. Obviously without personal knowledge of the severity it was difficult for our source to asses it, but he did give us a few general details. “Just because you tear a meniscus doesn’t always mean slam dunk surgery. In fact you don’t have to really repair it unless it is causing problems.†Our source went on to walk us through the immediate future of the injury. “What usually happens is you give it a few days and see how it feels. The only slam dunk surgeries on QB’s are ACLs, and even then that’s up for debate. It’s all about function. What kind of function does he have? How much deficit does he have? How much pain does he have? If he can still play and run around it can’t be that bad. The only long term effect is arthritis, but many athletes deal with that.â€
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Plano East Linebacker Anthony Hines announced this week that he would make his commitment on November 29th. That day could potentially be a great one for the Texas staff. Kennedale linebacker Baron Browning is also announcing on that date, and Texas will be in the running for both. We aren’t sure if there is any significance to both announcing on that date, but it should definitely be something to circle on your calendar.
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Friday night featured a matchup in 5A ball between two strong programs with a ton of talent on the field. Lancaster’s Omar Manning was the main event for those covering Texas, but Denton Ryan won the game due to an electric effort by 2018 quarterback Spencer Sanders. While the Longhorns haven’t zeroed in on their quarterback targets in the next class, we are told Sanders is a guy on the short list. Sanders has spoken with Sterlin Gilbert a few times, but the contact has been sporadic so far. We anticipate Sanders’ recruitment to pick up with Texas this season, but he’s also being pursued by several big time schools. Sanders started slow, but he really cranked it up in the third quarter to lead Ryan to a victory. 2018 Ryan receiver Gabriel Douglas was the big weapon for Sanders. Douglas is a long, athletic receivers with big time playmaking skills. We were not able to speak with him after the game, but you can bet that he will be highly sought after in the next cycle.
Omar Manning was hampered by a hamstring issue that’s nagged him since the summer. He saw double and triple teams all night, but he was able to get free on a 49 yard touchdown pass and burn and his pursuers for the score. We spoke with Manning after the game, and he told us he’s pushed back his college decision once again. Manning is working on setting up official visits, and he tells us he’d like to unofficially visit Austin for the Notre Dame game if he can make it. We still feel Texas is in a strong position to win out here, but they will have a battle on their hands against TCU and Oklahoma. The way this has gone, I’d expect it to extend all the way out to the end of the season.
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Things didn’t go well for Cedar Hill in their anticipated matchup against Bishop Gorman. We were at the game, but weren’t able to speak with many players afterwards. If you watched the game you might have noticed Cedar Hill receiver Charleston Rambo and his big play ability. We’ve said multiple times that the Oklahoma commit would be open to hearing from Texas, and our sources told us that could very well happen during the season. It would be a tough race to win for Texas, but there is a chance if the Longhorns start to pursue. Just something to keep an eye on.
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High school coverage continues this week, as our Mike Roach will be in Kennedale to watch the state’s top player ,Baron Browning, take on Terrell. Browning is expected to be in Austin for the game against Notre Dame, and we’ll be able to speak to him to get the latest on his recruitment.
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HornSports Happy Hour – Saturday @ 5:30 PM – Black Sheep Lodge in Austin
We will be setting up shop at the Black Sheep Lodge this Saturday, September 3rd from 5:30 PM until ? for our season kickoff Happy Hour. All of our members, readers and Texas/Notre Dame fans are invited and welcome to attend the event. There will be tons of college football on television and there will be complimentary beer, courtesy of HornSports, for a period of time. Mike, Aaron, Will and several of the other HornSports contributors will be there as well, so stop by, have a beer and talk football with us!
Find one of the HornSports folks and get a sticker for your shirt (this is your pass to free beer).
#HookEm