Is Swoopes the answer? (article)

[doc longhorn]

That's pretty dramatic Doc. Fans who weren't utter a-holes 'forgave' Simms after the '01 CCG and he had a very good 02 culminating in 11-2.

If swoopes plays and produces, 2014 will be forgotten.

Well, I may have overstated it a bit - but not really that much.  People are people and most of us have an agenda of some sort.  The Heard lovers most certainly do - as the Gentry lovers will when Heard struggles in games.

Swoopes had some games, last year, where his play was pretty damn good.  But he was still cut little or no slack and some fools were still calling for him to be a TE.

I have to admit, this blogs membership appears to be deeper thinkers than most of the other sites.

So maybe, when Heard stumbles in a game or two, reason will prevail and everyone will remember is still just a teenager trying to learn and play a mans game. 

 

[doc longhorn]

"If he came back this year and played like Peyton Manning, Swoopes would still not be forgiven"

"Entitled" is not the word I would use to describe fans who would not forgive Swoopes if he came back and played like Peyton Manning.

Stupid, dumb, or ignorant would be more accurate. They would be any one of these or maybe even all of them.  

LOL!  Well I was trying to be polite.

In retrospect, I think I am really wrong about ALL of our fans.  Perhaps I should limit my cynicism to just the UT blogs memberships - excluding this one, of course.

In the games I attended, I heard a massive "SWOOOOOOPS" being chanted everytime he did something good.  So this tells me there are an overwhelming amount of UT fans that would support him and his successes.

But we and I are not stupid either.  We cannot expect to win anything with the way Swoopes played last year.  Simply ain't gonna happen.  By the same token, we can't expect to win anything with the OL and receivers we had either.

So, in all seriousness, I will ask this membership - which is the most serious problem - our OL and lack of offensive game changers or our QB?

Could even Swoopes manage a game, given the time to throw the ball, our RB's have blocking to run and receivers that can get open and be able to take it to the house?  Or, is the success of our offense totally on the shoulders of Swoopes?  OR Heard?

 

[armadillo slim]

the answer is, he's not the answer.  if he can't move to another position and contribute, then keep him as a backup/emergency qb.  at this point, we need to move to someone else and develop one of the incoming freshmen as fast as we can.   if i were coach, he'd be an emergency solution at absolute best and most likely third string type guy.

heard should get a shot, but then i'd let freshmen try to see what they could do.  obviously the best answer would be a transfer like braxton miller, but at this point, that's obviously a long shot.

 

[doc longhorn]

That's pretty dramatic Doc. Fans who weren't utter a-holes 'forgave' Simms after the '01 CCG and he had a very good 02 culminating in 11-2.

If swoopes plays and produces, 2014 will be forgotten.

Oh, no doubt.  We will forgive and forget as long as we deem him playing well.  The question is what will happen when he does something we don't like?  I believe this kid will never get the benefit of the doubt - ever.

Who will be blamed if there is a fumble at the goal line in the QB to RB exchange - even if the RB caused the fumble by running at the wrong hole?  We know what happened last year and I am convinced it will be even worse for the kid this year - if the same thing happens.

This was my point.

 

[Royal 60]

OK Let me ask you this V I P. If you were building a team --and you got to pick TEN of the current DI QB's. Would Swoopes be in your group of. TEN !!!

 

[doc longhorn]

the answer is, he's not the answer.  if he can't move to another position and contribute, then keep him as a backup/emergency qb.  at this point, we need to move to someone else and develop one of the incoming freshmen as fast as we can.   if i were coach, he'd be an emergency solution at absolute best and most likely third string type guy.

heard should get a shot, but then i'd let freshmen try to see what they could do.  obviously the best answer would be a transfer like braxton miller, but at this point, that's obviously a long shot.

LOL!  That is EXACTLY what he was last year - remember?  With the exception he was no 3rd stringer as there was no 3rd string.  He was never slated to be the starter.

I like your posts, slim, and I think you are a reasonable man.  But it appears you are done with Swoopes and never want to see him again.  Am I right?

But let me ask you - what if he starts this year and does reasonably well until the 3rd game when he throws a couple of INT's that ultimately cost us the game.  Would your position be he should never have been playing in the first place or would you give him the benefit of the doubt because of the games he played well? 

 

[doc longhorn]

OK Let me ask you this V I P. If you were building a team --and you got to pick TEN of the current DI QB's. Would Swoopes be in your group of. TEN !!!

Interesting question.  I would want to know how many were 1st year QB's playing behind a shitty line with mediocre receivers first.  And what kinds of offenses and what leagues the QB's were playing in as well.

 

[North Texas Golfer]

LOL!  Well I was trying to be polite.

In retrospect, I think I am really wrong about ALL of our fans.  Perhaps I should limit my cynicism to just the UT blogs memberships - excluding this one, of course.

In the games I attended, I heard a massive "SWOOOOOOPS" being chanted everytime he did something good.  So this tells me there are an overwhelming amount of UT fans that would support him and his successes.

But we and I are not stupid either.  We cannot expect to win anything with the way Swoopes played last year.  Simply ain't gonna happen.  By the same token, we can't expect to win anything with the OL and receivers we had either.

So, in all seriousness, I will ask this membership - which is the most serious problem - our OL and lack of offensive game changers or our QB?

Could even Swoopes manage a game, given the time to throw the ball, our RB's have blocking to run and receivers that can get open and be able to take it to the house?  Or, is the success of our offense totally on the shoulders of Swoopes?  OR Heard?

In all seriousness, the OL is the most serious problem.

With a good OL, RB's, and receivers I believe Swoopes could manage a game. But I don't think he could put the offense on his shoulders and carry a team.

 

[streettopeschel]

Coleman, your post reminded me....

I attended the 2001 Big XII Championship game loss to Colorado. After the game walking out and under the stands, I made eye contact and briefly walked along side DKR for a short way. We both had a facial look of bewilderment, disgust and anger (at least on my part) - neither of us spoke but we both probably knew what the other was thinking / feeling. That was the only time I was ever in his presence.

Sorry, but to this day I have not forgiven Chris Simms for that game.

If Swoopes suddenly woke up and turned things around next season, yes I would forgive him for 2014 and I think most of our fans would. Simms was a different situation IMO.

wow. The kid had a crap game. You're lack of 'forgiveness', whatever that means, says more about you than Simms.
Still pissed at Craig curry too? How about Blake Gideon?

Turn the page man. No 20 year old wakes up game day hoping to be remembered for failing.

 

[armadillo slim]

LOL!  That is EXACTLY what he was last year - remember?  With the exception he was no 3rd stringer as there was no 3rd string.  He was never slated to be the starter.

I like your posts, slim, and I think you are a reasonable man.  But it appears you are done with Swoopes and never want to see him again.  Am I right?

But let me ask you - what if he starts this year and does reasonably well until the 3rd game when he throws a couple of INT's that ultimately cost us the game.  Would your position be he should never have been playing in the first place or would you give him the benefit of the doubt because of the games he played well? 

if he starts again, i think we're going to have a very long year.  if i were coach, he wouldn't start for me.  i'm not the coach.  i would start heard or one of the freshmen, whoever shows more promise.  to delay that by continuing to try and hope TS is the answer is simply delaying the inevitable in my opinion and will prolong the search for the right guy.  i don't think the light is going to suddenly come on.

if it does, i'm wrong.  been wrong before and when i have been, i have freely admitted it.  Matt asked for our opinion and i gave mine.  If you don't like it, that's certainly your prerogative.  i'm not going to continue to argue it.

 

[Topstarr]

Is Swoopes the answer?

The answer, IMO, is probably no.  I think he is ruined and will never recover.

Yes, the answer is NO

 

[streettopeschel]

Funny thread. We've spanned the gulf between 'is swoops the answer' to 'he needs to transfer because he's now the unforgiven'

Is there no middle ground?

 

[TeamMayhall]

Colt McCoy had an average at best OL in 09 and took us to the Title Game. He was able to read coverage pre snap and make throws with anticipation.He was able to run Zone read effectively which is designed to compensate for lack of OL execution. Unfortunately Swoopes seems to get Nervous and have Tunnel Vision...The good thing is that Swoopes is in position to graduate with a Degree from a great university

 

[echeese]

Sorry, but to this day I have not forgiven Chris Simms for that game. 

If Swoopes suddenly woke up and turned things around next season, yes I would forgive him for 2014 and I think most of our fans would.  Simms was a different situation IMO.

Yeah,

Simms sucked. . . . . 

BASTID . .. . . .

All the kid did was leave everything on the field for TEXAS. . . . . yep, he flacked up that game. . . . .but few remember he was hardly the only one. . . .

Defense lifted their skirts and took it in the back side .. . . after 3 turnovers what happened?  3 TDs. . .didn't even bow up for a FG . .. nope. . . #1 D in the nation spit the bit. . . . SIMMS' fault. . . .

But they didn't stop there, nope. . .gave up a career day to Chris Brown. . . . .

We can go on to discuss any one of a dozen other screw ups (roughing penalty, off sides etc etc) which took points off the board. . . .but easier to blame a QB who had an off day .. . . .

Let's not forget the fact that without Simms. . . .we don't get to Dallas. . .and spare me the "Major would have saved us nonsense". . .Major would not have lasted the year . ..

Simms bleeds burnt orange. . .even named his daughter Sienna. . . . .which is the name of the Crayola color of burnt orange . ... . . .

 

[drgilbert]

I have seen a few posters say we had mediocre receivers. I don't agree. We had a receiver have a breakout year and reach 1000 yards plus we had a couple of youngsters contribute. I think it is hard to judge the receiver play when the QB could not consistently hit the open receiver. I don't remember the whole group of receivers having the dropsies. I know one dropped a few but not all of them. IMO the receivers weren't the problem

 

[Matt Cotcher]

In retrospect, I think I am really wrong about ALL of our fans.  Perhaps I should limit my cynicism to just the UT blogs memberships - excluding this one, of course.

In the games I attended, I heard a massive "SWOOOOOOPS" being chanted everytime he did something good.  So this tells me there are an overwhelming amount of UT fans that would support him and his successes.

The 25K Texas fans that pay to read information on an internet site generally have a vastly different opinion than the 1mm+ fans that do not.

Related note: the 25K mentioned above spend enough time on their favorite Longhorn sites that they assume prevailing opinion on said site is the prevailing opinion of the 1mm+ Texas fans. The vast majority of Longhorn fans do not share the opinion of Joe Internet (at least not to the degree that Joe Internet thinks they do).

Fascinating bit of behavioral psychology wrapped up in those statements.

 

[BruiseLee]

I have seen a few posters say we had mediocre receivers. I don't agree. We had a receiver have a breakout year and reach 1000 yards plus we had a couple of youngsters contribute. I think it is hard to judge the receiver play when the QB could not consistently hit the open receiver. I don't remember the whole group of receivers having the dropsies. I know one dropped a few but not all of them. IMO the receivers weren't the problem

Totally agree with this statement. Harris and Shipley are at the very least solid receivers. Imagine the years they would have had if we had a better OL and QB?

 

[echeese]

I have seen a few posters say we had mediocre receivers. I don't agree. We had a receiver have a breakout year and reach 1000 yards plus we had a couple of youngsters contribute. I think it is hard to judge the receiver play when the QB could not consistently hit the open receiver. I don't remember the whole group of receivers having the dropsies. I know one dropped a few but not all of them. IMO the receivers weren't the problem

Oh I remember some drops but overall, agree with your take. . . 

Ship missed one or 2 games yet matched his numbers from last year and as you mentioned, John Harris had the best year of a TEXAS WR since Ship's brother in '09.

WR was not the problem.  Frankly it might be the biggest strength of the offense.

 

[dillohorn]

Support of a player does not mean performance follows. I and most Horn fans support Swoopes, but his 2 years of redshirting and playing have shown that he is not UT QB material. It would be a miracle if more reps at the QB position would make any difference.

 

[Worster1]

wow. The kid had a crap game. You're lack of 'forgiveness', whatever that means, says more about you than Simms.

Still pissed at Craig curry too? How about Blake Gideon?

Turn the page man. No 20 year old wakes up game day hoping to be remembered for failing.

Perhaps "forgiveness" was the wrong word to use Re: Simms that day.  Lot's of mistakes in that game as someone pointed out but Simms had the majority of the critical mistakes.  Postgame, I don't recall him seeming very remorseful about his performance or the loss... perhaps that has stuck with me and why I used the word forgiveness.  Maybe I am wrong about my recollections of Simms.  Regardless I am not fully over that game nor I am fully over re: the 1984 Cotton Bowl.... but that is another story.