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View from the Cheap Seats-Texas Tech
TEXAS beat the crap out of TT. . . .yea.
At the final gun, it was a nice win over a bad team. It was a performance by the offense that had we seen week in an week out, TEXAS would be enjoying the end of a good season even if it still would not have included a BigXII title game trip. Instead this year finishes at 7-5, most likely a Camping World Bowl trip and certainly not indicative of "We're Back". We hate to sound petty and un-appreciative about a blow out win, at home, on Senior day, certainly better than losing but pre-season expectations have lead to yet another season of under achievement. And it was 3 pretty good quarters of football, at least on offense. How many were thinking WTF when we looked up to see TEXAS down 14-0 in the 1st? And then we scored a TD only to have the PAT blocked. Who else was thinking "oh no, not this shit again"??????. TEXAS would then go on a 49-10 run the rest of the way to bury a weak team wrapping up their season on a wet miserable Senior day in Austin.
As mentioned in last week's edition, the snub of Devin Duveray by the Belitnikoff committee is a complete head scratcher. #1 in the nation in receptions per game. #3 in the nation in receptions for 1st downs from 3rd down, #14 in the nation in total yardage. All he did vs TT was record 6 more grabs for 199 yards and another TD. Every completion DD recorded was a 1st down or a TD. Here's hoping his reward is having his named called by the Dallas Cowboys in April as the long term answer at slot receiver for them and a multi million dollar pay day. There is no question DD's play will be missed next year. Will be interesting to see who steps up in 2020 to be that "go to" WR for Sam. Eagles and Smith should be able to see their future at TEXAS is bright, very bright.
On defense we saw the best and the worst of what we have seen all year. Between missed tackles and broken assignments we also saw a bend but don't break defense that rose up strong on 3 of 4 4th down attempts by TT including what might have been the biggest play of the game, TT's 1st drive of the 2nd quarter when Coach Todd's young charges faced 1st and goal from our 2 and held TT out of the endzone on 4 straight plays. This while giving up almost 500 yards of offense but recording 2 fumble recoveries. All in all a pretty typical night for Coach Orlando's crew this season.
Rumors fly of coaching changes over the weekend. One name to consider for Coach O's replacement might be Jimmy Lake of UDub. All he's done the last 7 years is held Mike "Pirate" Leach's high flying offense to 14 points on average with a game high of 17. He also develops players well and has sent many to the show. We simply have to have a staff with not only can recruit but can also teach and develop. TEXAS is big time football and Coach O simply not ready for prime time. Sorry, he's a good man but that is reality.
Having said that, in the pre-season addition we talked about the coaching challenges facing CTH. Can he coach a team as the leader not the underdog, would have to rate this a failure for the season. Can he grow the team year over year? Nope. Can he beat the mutts on the schedule? Again, nope. lost to a TCU team that isn't going bowling this year, was badly out coached by an out manned ISU team and lost to a Baylor team were TEXAS enjoyed a marked talent advantage. Pretty much CTH has whiffed in the coaching department. And shown off some VERY thin skin being interviewed which makes us question if he has the self reflection to see/admit to the problems. But they almost always allow the HC to change coordinators and see if that fixes the challenges. So here is the problem, Coach Mensa has a massive ego and is very stubborn. Will he continue to make comfort hires or will he hire coaches who can put TEXAS over the top? This weekend will be interesting. And we fully expect to see CTH here at least 2 more seasons.
Offensive player of the game:
DD nudges out Sam due to being a Senior
Hon Mention: Sam the Man. Sorry Sam, TEXAS was a long way from being back but we suspect you will have a major chip on your shoulder your senior year
Defensive Player of the Game
Brandon Jones-Lead the team in tackles and his leadership will be missed
Hon Mention: Marqez Bimage, TFL, forced fumble which lead to 7 points
Stats that matter
5 for 5 (6 for 6 counting 25 yards in) Red Zone chances and TDs scored
9-100 TEXAS entered the game #115 in the nation in penalties and continued to show their ineptness
10 It's been a decade since TEXAS won the conference.
5 Years since the home team won the game in the TT series
7 Total TDs in the game, more than the last 3 games combined
Conclusions:
Don't get too excited. Yes we beat TT, yes we looked better than we have looked in weeks. It's also the 2nd worst team in the conference and you are supposed to beat up the dawgs. Now TEXAS awaits it's bowl bid as Baylor and OU square off for the conference title. If we're CTH, we are shutting down Caden Sterns, we are not even considering letting Whittington touch the field. Let the key 2020 players heal, let the young pups get loads of work. Make the changes on the staff which need to be made, make Carrington a coach and let him hit the recruiting trail to salvage this class.
#1 issue for CTH is to keep the team together. #2 is showing the world he can make changes to put TEXAS back on top.
Oh yeah, CTH needs to scourer the JUCO ranks hard. We need help at OL, DL, LB and CB
Too early look at the 2020 line up:
QB-Sr Sam the Man
RB-Fr Bjiion Robinson/Jr Ingrahm/fr Whittington
WR- Jr Eagles/So Washington
WR-So Epps/So Woodward
Slot-So Jake Smith/Jr Moore (soph? if he's still with us)
TE- Sr Brewer/So Lieto
LT Sr Sam Cosmi
LG Sr Imodi or Sr Urquidez
C Sr Kerstetter
RG Jr Junior
RT Sr Okafor or So Jones
The OL has to become a team strength and the running game has to improve for TEXAS to reach it's goals. How quickly can Sam get on the same passing page with young WRs and does TEXAS continue to force the Power Spread with a TE or does it go to a base 4 WR set to play to their strengths?
Defense (we'll go with the idiot 3 man front but we really hope wehave another scheme in 2020)
NT So Cobern (very excited about his future)/So Sweat
DE Sr Bimage
DE Sr Graham or Sr Jones
LB So Mitchell
Lb Jr Ossai
S Jr BJ
S Jr Sterns
S Jr Overshawn (consider him a hybrid rover LB)
CB Jr Cook
CB Jr Anthony
CB Jr Jamison
Plenty of talent on the D but can they be coached up to play assignment football, wrap up on tackles and stop making so many stupid mistakes/penalties? What is the 2020 scheme and #1, regardless of scheme, can TEXAS figure out how to get pressure?
Mack watch
Close losses has Mack/UNC needing to beat rival UNCSt to go bowling. We're betting on Mack to complete one of the biggest turn arounds in the nation and doubling up UNCs total wins the last 2 years.
BigXII summary
2 teams on top, TEXAS not one of them.
4 teams going bowling, none of them impressive. TEXAS, ISU, KSU and OSU
4 teams that didn't make a bowl, the door mats of the conference and TEXAS lost to one of them and needed a last minute Dicker the Kicker FG to beat another. ugh. TCU, WVU, TT and Kansas
It's been a tough, very roller coaster season for Horns fans. Hope you have enjoyed the cheap seats, this year harder to write than many.
TEXAS beat the crap out of TT. . . .yea.
At the final gun, it was a nice win over a bad team. It was a performance by the offense that had we seen week in an week out, TEXAS would be enjoying the end of a good season even if it still would not have included a BigXII title game trip. Instead this year finishes at 7-5, most likely a Camping World Bowl trip and certainly not indicative of "We're Back". We hate to sound petty and un-appreciative about a blow out win, at home, on Senior day, certainly better than losing but pre-season expectations have lead to yet another season of under achievement. And it was 3 pretty good quarters of football, at least on offense. How many were thinking WTF when we looked up to see TEXAS down 14-0 in the 1st? And then we scored a TD only to have the PAT blocked. Who else was thinking "oh no, not this shit again"??????. TEXAS would then go on a 49-10 run the rest of the way to bury a weak team wrapping up their season on a wet miserable Senior day in Austin.
As mentioned in last week's edition, the snub of Devin Duveray by the Belitnikoff committee is a complete head scratcher. #1 in the nation in receptions per game. #3 in the nation in receptions for 1st downs from 3rd down, #14 in the nation in total yardage. All he did vs TT was record 6 more grabs for 199 yards and another TD. Every completion DD recorded was a 1st down or a TD. Here's hoping his reward is having his named called by the Dallas Cowboys in April as the long term answer at slot receiver for them and a multi million dollar pay day. There is no question DD's play will be missed next year. Will be interesting to see who steps up in 2020 to be that "go to" WR for Sam. Eagles and Smith should be able to see their future at TEXAS is bright, very bright.
On defense we saw the best and the worst of what we have seen all year. Between missed tackles and broken assignments we also saw a bend but don't break defense that rose up strong on 3 of 4 4th down attempts by TT including what might have been the biggest play of the game, TT's 1st drive of the 2nd quarter when Coach Todd's young charges faced 1st and goal from our 2 and held TT out of the endzone on 4 straight plays. This while giving up almost 500 yards of offense but recording 2 fumble recoveries. All in all a pretty typical night for Coach Orlando's crew this season.
Rumors fly of coaching changes over the weekend. One name to consider for Coach O's replacement might be Jimmy Lake of UDub. All he's done the last 7 years is held Mike "Pirate" Leach's high flying offense to 14 points on average with a game high of 17. He also develops players well and has sent many to the show. We simply have to have a staff with not only can recruit but can also teach and develop. TEXAS is big time football and Coach O simply not ready for prime time. Sorry, he's a good man but that is reality.
Having said that, in the pre-season addition we talked about the coaching challenges facing CTH. Can he coach a team as the leader not the underdog, would have to rate this a failure for the season. Can he grow the team year over year? Nope. Can he beat the mutts on the schedule? Again, nope. lost to a TCU team that isn't going bowling this year, was badly out coached by an out manned ISU team and lost to a Baylor team were TEXAS enjoyed a marked talent advantage. Pretty much CTH has whiffed in the coaching department. And shown off some VERY thin skin being interviewed which makes us question if he has the self reflection to see/admit to the problems. But they almost always allow the HC to change coordinators and see if that fixes the challenges. So here is the problem, Coach Mensa has a massive ego and is very stubborn. Will he continue to make comfort hires or will he hire coaches who can put TEXAS over the top? This weekend will be interesting. And we fully expect to see CTH here at least 2 more seasons.
Offensive player of the game:
DD nudges out Sam due to being a Senior
Hon Mention: Sam the Man. Sorry Sam, TEXAS was a long way from being back but we suspect you will have a major chip on your shoulder your senior year
Defensive Player of the Game
Brandon Jones-Lead the team in tackles and his leadership will be missed
Hon Mention: Marqez Bimage, TFL, forced fumble which lead to 7 points
Stats that matter
5 for 5 (6 for 6 counting 25 yards in) Red Zone chances and TDs scored
9-100 TEXAS entered the game #115 in the nation in penalties and continued to show their ineptness
10 It's been a decade since TEXAS won the conference.
5 Years since the home team won the game in the TT series
7 Total TDs in the game, more than the last 3 games combined
Conclusions:
Don't get too excited. Yes we beat TT, yes we looked better than we have looked in weeks. It's also the 2nd worst team in the conference and you are supposed to beat up the dawgs. Now TEXAS awaits it's bowl bid as Baylor and OU square off for the conference title. If we're CTH, we are shutting down Caden Sterns, we are not even considering letting Whittington touch the field. Let the key 2020 players heal, let the young pups get loads of work. Make the changes on the staff which need to be made, make Carrington a coach and let him hit the recruiting trail to salvage this class.
#1 issue for CTH is to keep the team together. #2 is showing the world he can make changes to put TEXAS back on top.
Oh yeah, CTH needs to scourer the JUCO ranks hard. We need help at OL, DL, LB and CB
Too early look at the 2020 line up:
QB-Sr Sam the Man
RB-Fr Bjiion Robinson/Jr Ingrahm/fr Whittington
WR- Jr Eagles/So Washington
WR-So Epps/So Woodward
Slot-So Jake Smith/Jr Moore (soph? if he's still with us)
TE- Sr Brewer/So Lieto
LT Sr Sam Cosmi
LG Sr Imodi or Sr Urquidez
C Sr Kerstetter
RG Jr Junior
RT Sr Okafor or So Jones
The OL has to become a team strength and the running game has to improve for TEXAS to reach it's goals. How quickly can Sam get on the same passing page with young WRs and does TEXAS continue to force the Power Spread with a TE or does it go to a base 4 WR set to play to their strengths?
Defense (we'll go with the idiot 3 man front but we really hope wehave another scheme in 2020)
NT So Cobern (very excited about his future)/So Sweat
DE Sr Bimage
DE Sr Graham or Sr Jones
LB So Mitchell
Lb Jr Ossai
S Jr BJ
S Jr Sterns
S Jr Overshawn (consider him a hybrid rover LB)
CB Jr Cook
CB Jr Anthony
CB Jr Jamison
Plenty of talent on the D but can they be coached up to play assignment football, wrap up on tackles and stop making so many stupid mistakes/penalties? What is the 2020 scheme and #1, regardless of scheme, can TEXAS figure out how to get pressure?
Mack watch
Close losses has Mack/UNC needing to beat rival UNCSt to go bowling. We're betting on Mack to complete one of the biggest turn arounds in the nation and doubling up UNCs total wins the last 2 years.
BigXII summary
2 teams on top, TEXAS not one of them.
4 teams going bowling, none of them impressive. TEXAS, ISU, KSU and OSU
4 teams that didn't make a bowl, the door mats of the conference and TEXAS lost to one of them and needed a last minute Dicker the Kicker FG to beat another. ugh. TCU, WVU, TT and Kansas
It's been a tough, very roller coaster season for Horns fans. Hope you have enjoyed the cheap seats, this year harder to write than many.
