5 Thoughts Following The Loss To TCU

[North Texas Golfer]

Rumors are out there that Beck has been relieved of play-calling duties. 

 

[Epictetus]

Not that this means anything...

In-conference losses are three, to these teams. Current 5-Nov standings and rankings.

#5,  8-1 Blow-U
avg 48pt, scored 29 on Horns

#8, 8-1 TCU
avg 37pt, scored 24 on Horns
Shut down for long stretch after early 10pt lead.
Cashed in a late TD.

#12, 7-2 Ok-State
avg 49 pt, scored 13 on Horns  (10 in regulation)

Combined record of the three: 23-4

Add this Horns loss: #15, 8-2 USC
Oddly, the Maryland loss was the widest margin, and scored the most on Texas.

Discounting opening loss to Maryland those four loses are to current Top 15 teams. (Contrasting that to beating a then-ranked team that falls far by mid-season if not out of the Top 25)

On the field Texas is  not getting blown out and destroyed -- but losing by one TD average to top-ranked teams (omitting Maryland in my analysis). With maybe the worst offense, by production and by appearance one can possibly imagine.

The offense is so tepid it makes the entire game look as if we are being crushed by 3-4 scores.

How important would it have been to hold off USC from scoring in the final 45 seconds? Could have carried over to the late lead against OU... over to the OT snafu against tOSU...   Just hope those four "near losses" by avg of one TD does not infuse an attitude of not winning.

I'm just tying to keep in perspective that those four losses I just described are to Top 15 teams this late in the season, two in the Top 8, and a combined record of 31-6.  Texas average loss to those four: 7.0 pts.  With no offense.

How's that for a TexAgs moral write-up!!!

 

[83Dee]

Rumors are out there that Beck has been relieved of play-calling duties. 

This annoys the daylights out of me on two fronts that seem to contrast:

First, "we're Texas!"  "We have more money than the Vatican."  No coach is off the table:  Nick Saban, Jon Gruden, John Harbaugh.... Yet Tim Beck was hired to be the offensive coordinator for the University of Texas?  Tim Beck called plays at Ohio State for one season and then lost those privileges.  And this elite program saw fit to place him in that role here?  I justified this, at the time, by saying, "this will be Herman's offense, he will be running it."  Like him or not, Urban Meyer is a cut throat winner and he cut bait with Beck as OC / play caller. To be shuffling the staff mid-season of year one (if true) represents a Head Coaching failure at one of his primary responsibilities; hiring a supporting cast! 

Second, to blame the hapless offense on play calling is crazy enhanced with steroids!  If you have the stomach for it, replay any football game since Kansas State and just watch the Offensive Line.  Opposing defenders being double teamed as a part of a three man rush sac our Quarterback because we are unable to hold THAT BLOCK!  We are beaten physically and make mental errors leaving defenders unblocked.  I disagree with Kirk Bohls.... this IS absolutely the worst offensive line in the history of Longhorn football.  I don't know if it is personnel, coaching, injuries or a combination of all three, but to "fix the offense" with a mid-season change of who is calling the plays is ridiculous.  

Maybe this is a precursor (if true) to Tim Beck being fired.  Well, even this is infuriating.  We had a good offense when Herman (offensive guru) arrived.  A good offense with:  Vahe, McMillan, Shackelford and Nicholson all playing prominent roles.  Yet Gilbert and his OL coach weren't considered and are now doing similar things somewhere in Florida.  And ditto to the idea that Buchelle stinks as a QB.... how can this even be evaluated? 

We'd better empty the "Vatican vault" to keep Orlando here, because if our defense looked similar to it's two predecessors we'd be discussing the worst Texas team in my lifetime.     

 

[83Dee]

This annoys the daylights out of me on two fronts that seem to contrast:

First, "we're Texas!"  "We have more money than the Vatican."  No coach is off the table:  Nick Saban, Jon Gruden, John Harbaugh.... Yet Tim Beck was hired to be the offensive coordinator for the University of Texas?  Tim Beck called plays for Ohio State for one season and then lost those privileges.  And this elite program saw fit to place him in that role here?  I justified this, at the time, by saying, "this will be Herman's offense, he will be running it."  Like him or not, Urban Meyer is a cut throat winner and he cut bait with Beck. To be shuffling the staff mid-season of year one (if true) represents a failure of one of the head coaches primary responsibilities, hiring a supporting cast! 

Second, to blame what is occurring on offense on play calling is crazy enhanced with steroids!  If you have the stomach for it, replay any football game since Kansas State and just watch the Offensive Line.  Opposing defenders being double teamed as a part of a three man rush sac our Quarterback because we are unable to hold THAT BLOCK!  We are beaten physically and make mental errors leaving defenders unblocked.  I disagree with Kirk Bohls.... this IS absolutely the worst offensive line in the history of Longhorn football.  I don't know if it is personnel, coaching, injuries or a combination of all three, but to "fix the offense" with a mid-season change of who is calling the plays is ridiculous.  

Maybe this is a precursor (if true) to Tim Beck being fired.  Well, even this is infuriating.  We had a good offense when Herman (offensive guru) arrived.  A good offense with:  Vahe, McMillan, Shackelford and Nicholson all playing prominent roles.  Yet Gilbert and his OL coach weren't considered and are now doing similar things somewhere in Florida.  And ditto to the idea that Buchelle stinks as a QB.... how can this even be evaluated? 

We'd better empty the "Vatican vault" to keep Orlando here, because if our defense looked similar to it's two predecessors we'd be discussing the worst Texas team in my lifetime.     

Tim Beck is a respected football coach and very popular amongst very fickle high school coaches around Texas.  Maybe "play calling" isn't his thing?  If that is true, then evaluation ought to be made on the person who just hired him to fill that role here. 

 

[Coal Harbour]

I'm not in favor of a coach losing his job when personnel available is directly responsible for play calling options.  I hope Tom Herman isn't the type of coach to make a move like that because supporters call for it and the move itself would lead people to believe that is the only issue.  I would have more respect for Herman to stick with his original hire and show those picking the low hanging fruit what the offense can do when healthy.  I don't know what Beck's ceiling is with a healthy offense, but you could bring in anyone that you would like and sit him in this situation and it would look exactly the same.

 

[Hiwood]

Saturdays game proved to me that we currently have above average talent...above average aint gonna cut it...this team will look drastically different next year and then the following year..The coaching staff is doing its best to stay in the game with less than blue chip talent..With the exception of a few first team All Conference players on defense , there are no such athletes on offense...

Asking Hermann and staff to make a winner of CS recruits is unrealistic, the program got used to losing and its hard to shake that DNA, TCU was the first game that the Horns were never in a position to win..Never thought I would see a day that TCU would dominate Texas this many years in a row, like a bad dream...

Not throwing in the towel, but ready to change the identity of this one..

 

[RickyFlair]

Rumors are out there that Beck has been relieved of play-calling duties. 

That's encouraging.

I was starting to believe we had a bad offense. I cant wait to see the innovative plays our new offensive wizard will run.

They must be "cutting edge" plays since they won't require blocking, running, throwing, or catching.

Beck must be one hard headed SOB to not at least tried to run some of these new plays the past ten weeks.

 

[DBut82]

That's encouraging.

I was starting to believe we had a bad offense. I cant wait to see the innovative plays our new offensive wizard will run.

They must be "cutting edge" plays since they won't require blocking, running, throwing, or catching.

Beck must be one hard headed SOB to not at least tried to run some of these new plays the past ten weeks.

LOL! I totally understand where you're going with this.  And I agree mostly.  And I'm not really up for relieving a coach of his duties mid season year one.  But my issue regarding play calling is the fact there are PLENTY of plays that can be ran with the deficiencies on offense.  Why hasn't he called them?  I mean, we have a porous OL who can't block longer than 1.5 secs.  Call plays to get the ball out quickly.  This line was recruited to be power run blockers.  Run power run plays.  Call a pass play from the wildcat.  I mean you have a 4 star qb running the daggum package. Remember after Charles left and we trotted Chris Ogbonnaya as our RB?  We knew he wasn't the truth so we ran plays accordingly and the quick pass screen game became our offense.  Why hasn't this happened?  I just think the offense is a cluster right now and I don't understand why coaches aren't reviewing film, finding what works, and repping those plays ad nauseam  until we have something of an identity...hope this rambling post makes sense.

 

[RickyFlair]

Saturdays game proved to me that we currently have above average talent...above average aint gonna cut it...this team will look drastically different next year and then the following year..The coaching staff is doing its best to stay in the game with less than blue chip talent..With the exception of a few first team All Conference players on defense , there are no such athletes on offense...

Asking Hermann and staff to make a winner of CS recruits is unrealistic, the program got used to losing and its hard to shake that DNA, TCU was the first game that the Horns were never in a position to win..Never thought I would see a day that TCU would dominate Texas this many years in a row, like a bad dream...

Not throwing in the towel, but ready to change the identity of this one..

We are losing weekly to teams that have accumulated less talent.

Texas Recruiting Classes

2017 Natl. - 25, Big 12 -  2

2016 Natl. - 7, Big 12 - 1

2015 Natl. - 10, Big 12 - 1

2014 Natl. - 17, Big 12 - 2

2013 Natl. - 17, Big 12 - 2

2012 Natl. - 2, Big 12 - 1

TCU had the 3rd best class in the Big 12 the past two years. 6th in 2015, 7th in 2014, 6th in 2013, and 5th in 2012.

I don't know what color chip that talent would be but it beat our ass on Saturday.

We definitely need to change our identity because we seem stuck with "Texas, the best 4 win team in the Country" or "Texas, making cow chips out of blue chips since 2012"

 

[RickyFlair]

LOL! I totally understand where you're going with this.  And I agree mostly.  And I'm not really up for relieving a coach of his duties mid season year one.  But my issue regarding play calling is the fact there are PLENTY of plays that can be ran with the deficiencies on offense.  Why hasn't he called them?  I mean, we have a porous OL who can't block longer than 1.5 secs.  Call plays to get the ball out quickly.  This line was recruited to be power run blockers.  Run power run plays.  Call a pass play from the wildcat.  I mean you have a 4 star qb running the daggum package. Remember after Charles left and we trotted Chris Ogbonnaya as our RB?  We knew he wasn't the truth so we ran plays accordingly and the quick pass screen game became our offense.  Why hasn't this happened?  I just think the offense is a cluster right now and I don't understand why coaches aren't reviewing film, finding what works, and repping those plays ad nauseam  until we have something of an identity...hope this rambling post makes sense.

Your post makes complete sense to me but it obviously wouldn't to our coaching staff.

It seems our staff considers what you are describing as a change in scheme. Coach Herman has been adamant that we will not abandon our current scheme. He has stated repeatedly that our personnel is hindering our offensive capabilities but the players believe in what we are doing and improving. I'm not sure what type of catastrophe would occur if we adjusted the offense to our personnel but apparently it would be severe. More severe than continuing to waste the incredible performances of our defense and the health of our Quarterbacks.

I use to cuss Greg Davis repeatedly during his time at Texas but he was very wise during our last glory years. He adapted the offense to fit Vince's strengths and adapted it again for Colt. I know those two guys were special but they were also completely different. If either QB had been forced to run the others offense their effectiveness would have suffered tremendously.

Bill O'Brien had the worst offensive line in the NFL the first two weeks of this season. By week three he had begun to tailor the offense around Deshaun Watson and they were breaking franchise records. Analyst were saying it was a college scheme and the defenses would adjust. Obviously they didn't adjust quick enough since he broke the NFL record for the most passing touchdowns in the first seven games.

Good coaches adjust their schemes for personnel. They adjust for their opponent and they adjust for their own team.

I realize we have so many issues on offense that there probably isn't a scheme that will work. I would hope our coaches might be willing to explore some alternatives since the only one we know doesn't work is the one we keep using.

 

[North Texas Golfer]

When your offensive line is this bad and your WR"s don't run good routes and your RB's and QB's are nothing special, then for the most part it doesn't matter what play you call.

Bottom line, it starts with the OL and there is simply not that much to work due to injuries, youth, and plain old lack of talent. 

 

[prosfromdover]

My biggest fear is that someone is about to say Herman needs to get "his guys" in the program. Because then I'll get a pit in my stomach. He needs to pull this season out with a good run, maybe undefeated into the bowl game and winning that. We have shown we can do that IMO - now go do it. He hasn't done enough aligning in my book to get any more rope than that.

 

[DMAC]

We cant pass protect or run block with this OL

Until we upgrade the talent and get some guys healthy our offense is like a house with crumbling foundation

 

[Epictetus]

I don't have the time to do it, but would be interesting to see the years of experience/eligibility of the depth charts we've been facing vs. ours.

I have never fully adjusted to the lack of junior/senior laden teams that were around here decades ago. I'm old school back to Yearlings when freshmen did not play. I remember several things...

- Senior leadership was one. Juniors and Seniors led for the most part followed by upstart very talented Sophs who could get playing time.
- The excitement of the "Sophs" getting a chance to play.
- Games put away late in 3rd quarter and 'subs' coming in.
- A good QB was a senior, or maybe played his final two years.
Street took over after early games (I believe) with UH and then Texas Tech (maybe he took over during that Tech game?) .. but, after that game Street became the starter and never lost a game. Finished that year and then went undefeated regular season the next.

IMHO, a team needs juniors and seniors in the trenches (strength positions) for both experience and leadership. I believe the '04 and '05 teams were junior/senior-laden, including the TE position. His final year, wasn't VY a 4th year player having red-shirted?

The program lost the rollover/staggering (year-to-year) of experience in the offensive line by the time Brown was exiting. Also fell behind the curve doing the same at the QB position.

Okay I found a 2005 depth chart. Listed for a Colorado game on the sheet I found-- Conf title game?
http://www.netitor.com/photos/schools/tex/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/05gameweek-cu-depth.pdf

Skill positions down to FR and So can produce if complemented by experience and leadership from TE / Tackle-to-Tackle.

TE, David Thomas, Sr
RT, Justin Blalock, Jr
RG, Will Allen, Sr
C, Lyle Sendlein, Jr
LG, Kasey Studdard, Jr
LT, Jonathan Scott, Sr
Split End, Limas Sweed, So
Tailbacks, Jamaal Charles, Fr, Selvin Young, Jr
FB, Ahmard Hall, Sr
Flankers, Brian Carter, Sr., Nate Jones, So
QB, Superman

Next in line on that depth chart, tackle-to-tackle.
TE, Jr. Neale Tweedie
RT, Sr. Wm. Winston
RG, Fr-RS  Cedric Dockery
C, So. Dallas Griffin
LG, Sr. Mike Garcia
LT, So. Tony Hills
 

We could use some transfers and JUCOs and time to recruit across three seasons to build the base.

 

[Ryan Bridges]

We are losing weekly to teams that have accumulated less talent.

Texas Recruiting Classes

2017 Natl. - 25, Big 12 -  2

2016 Natl. - 7, Big 12 - 1

2015 Natl. - 10, Big 12 - 1

2014 Natl. - 17, Big 12 - 2

2013 Natl. - 17, Big 12 - 2

2012 Natl. - 2, Big 12 - 1

Go through those classes and remove the guys who never made it to campus, washed out or haven't stayed healthy enough to contribute and you get a slightly different picture. The 2014 class drops into the 30s in national ranking if you take out the guys who didn't make it to campus or washed out when Strong was hired. Those are your seniors and redshirt juniors right now.

You can remove 10 blue chips from the 2015-16 classes (counting Kirk Johnson and Patrick Hudson because of injury), plus two more from 2014 (Roberson and Catalon). Far more significantly, erase three offensive linemen (Delance, Hodges, Major; add Hudson if you want). There's a fair chance those first two guys would be your starting tackles right now. Okafor could play guard. Kerstetter could have redshirted. Etc. 

So the recruiting rankings don't tell the whole story. To be sure, too many guys haven't been adequately developed. That's hardly the fault of the coaches who've had one spring, summer and part of a fall with them. And it's a rare athlete who can reach his potential when he's playing for a new position coach in a new system every year or two. 

 

[TexExSpur]

The OL is in such a disarray, it doesn't matter who is calling plays.  If the team trainers can get the grass stains out of our QB's jerseys, it will be a successful season.  Our OL is wounded and lacks depth, they're getting punked and have given up 28 sacks for -197 yards with three games to play.  You can't fix that without the pieces to plug in.

Games are won and lost in the trenches.  We have some bodies, not serviceable players and it's rather obvious.

 

[North Texas Golfer]

The OL is in such a disarray, it doesn't matter who is calling plays.  If the team trainers can get the grass stains out of our QB's jerseys, it will be a successful season.  Our OL is wounded and lacks depth, they're getting punked and have given up 28 sacks for -197 yards with three games to play.  You can't fix that without the pieces to plug in.

Games are won and lost in the trenches.  We have some bodies, not serviceable players and it's rather obvious.

Unfortunately, the last sentence sums it up. 

And, yet, people think a new OC or different plays would make a huge difference, 

 

[DMAC]

Unfortunately, the last sentence sums it up. 

And, yet, people think a new OC or different plays would make a huge difference, 

I have been down on Beck for awhile. 

I realize the guys up front are either young and not developed or have hit their ceiling on potential but just are not that good. 

Its hard to grade Beck fairly in this environment but the two issues are not automatically mutually exclusive.   There are ways to get the ball out faster.  I thought Herman was a guru so its not squarely on Beck.  We cant find one successful way to quick hit WR's or RB's for short gains?   

One example:

There were a few plays where the WR's see the blitz coming and they never break off routes or even look at the QB.  Lil J did it twice vs TCU from what I saw.  Is that a player problem or coaching problem?  Lil J is one of favorite WRs but still you gotta help the QB out.  That should not be happening 9 games into the season and that blame cant purely be on the OL.  

More examples:

Why are we going uptempo so much it seems like we are more unprepared for it than the defense is. 

We are not fooling anyone in the wildcat or with Heard at QB for that matter.  We all knows its a run.

Maybe its the garbage can method.  Try everything and see what works and what doesnt.  But damn cant any coach do that?

@Daniel Seahorn

When is Elijah Rodriquez expected back?  Conner will probably be for WV, right?

 

[DBut82]

I have been down on Beck for awhile. 

I realize the guys up front are either young and not developed or have hit their ceiling on potential but just are not that good. 

Its hard to grade Beck fairly in this environment but the two issues are not automatically mutually exclusive.   There are ways to get the ball out faster.  I thought Herman was a guru so its not squarely on Beck.  We cant find one successful way to quick hit WR's or RB's for short gains?   

One example:

There were a few plays where the WR's see the blitz coming and they never break off routes or even look at the QB.  Lil J did it twice vs TCU from what I saw.  Is that a player problem or coaching problem?  Lil J is one of favorite WRs but still you gotta help the QB out.  That should not be happening 9 games into the season and that blame cant purely be on the OL.  

More examples:

Why are we going uptempo so much it seems like we are more unprepared for it than the defense is. 

We are not fooling anyone in the wildcat or with Heard at QB for that matter.  We all knows its a run.

Maybe its the garbage can method.  Try everything and see what works and what doesnt.  But damn cant any coach do that?

And they haven't tried "everything" imo...

 

[DMAC]

I am just throwing out ideas and have no clue how feasible it might be. 

We use Moore as a blocking TE. 

Why not move Okafor to TE just as another blocker and just run two blocking 2 TE's along with Moore.  Atleast it would help out the OT's.  We continuously leave our OT on a island 1v1 and that isnt working.

All I am saying is try something different, atleast be unpredictable.