Quick Post Game Thoughts

[Lukus Alderman]

- The game ended when the defense failed to stop BYU from scoring on that first drive. Everything that followed over the next 10 minutes was a disaster.

- Missed tackles reared their head as soon as BYU started the second half. Strong still has a lot of work to do.

- Hill jumping over the flying safety was embarrassing. That can't happen.

- No matter how tired the defense is, they absolutely cannot give up four TDs in four straight series.

- Watson called a horrendous game. Very few roll out plays, conservative running plays that did not work, one screen pass and almost no downfield throws.

- It was clear that Swoopes ran the quick paced offense best, but that too was abandoned far too often.

- As I mentioned in my halftime thoughts, the offensive line really hasn't done a poor job of protecting Swoopes. The run game, however, got no push at all.

- Its hard to fault Malcolm Brown and Jonathan Gray for much of anything with the very little room they had.

- Swoopes played about as well as he could have, save the interception. I expected to see him use his legs a little more, but a lot was thrown at him in his first start.

- Special teams was awful in almost every phase of the game. Penalties, missed FGs, turnovers, etc.

- BYU didn't disguise anything on defense. They stacked the box on first and second and dared Texas to beat them deep. Texas didn't try.

- There will be a lot to work on for Strong and Company. This game was an embarrassment. In many ways, it was worse than the loss in Utah last season.

- We didn't lose to a bad team. BYU is good and is coached exceptionally well.

- Don't expect to see this performance next week. Things will improve.

 

[North Texas Golfer]

- The game ended when the defense failed to stop BYU from scoring on that first drive. Everything that followed over the next 10 minutes was a disaster.

- Missed tackles reared their head as soon as BYU started the second half. Strong still has a lot of work to do.

- Hill jumping over the flying safety was embarrassing. That can't happen.

- No matter how tired the defense is, they absolutely cannot give up four TDs in four straight series.

- Watson called a horrendous game. Very few roll out plays, conservative running plays that did not work, one screen pass and almost no downfield throws.

- It was clear that Swoopes ran the quick paced offense best, but that too was abandoned far too often.

- As I mentioned in my halftime thoughts, the offensive line really hasn't done a poor job of protecting Swoopes. The run game, however, got no push at all.

- Its hard to fault Malcolm Brown and Jonathan Gray for much of anything with the very little room they had.

- Swoopes played about as well as he could have, save the interception. I expected to see him use his legs a little more, but a lot was thrown at him in his first start.

- Special teams was awful in almost every phase of the game. Penalties, missed FGs, turnovers, etc.

- BYU didn't disguise anything on defense. They stacked the box on first and second and dared Texas to beat them deep. Texas didn't try.

- There will be a lot to work on for Strong and Company. This game was an embarrassment. In many ways, it was worse than the loss in Utah last season.

- We didn't lose to a bad team. BYU is good and is coached exceptionally well.

- Don't expect to see this performance next week. Things will improve.

Lukus, very good summation. Wish I was as confident as you are regarding your last point.

 

[armadillo slim]

on the plus side, they've changed the baseball enough that i think we'll be able to hit a couple more homeruns next year.  looking forward to the spring.

 

[Jedi Day]

Something came up and I wasn't able to watch the game. Mack isn't a consultant is he?

 

[HOOKEM1980]

I believe Coach Strong is doing it right..... When two starting lineman will not follow the rules, they must sit.... You build a house.... Foundation first.... Hate losing, but he got it right. We must get to a point again where we can absorb injury. The suspensions are a distraction and that's expected. I'll not give up on them when things aren't there yet and I'd hope y'all won't either.

The fact is... The QB situation, Daje, Espinosa, two tackles, And not to mention those kicked off the team.... All problems to address....

The D is better, but not Championship caliber.....

Foundation this year.... They will get better every week...... Going to take longer than we thought.

HOOKEM ....

 

[Capn Hook]

My question for our coaching staff is, how was BYU able to make half-time adjustments and we weren't?

IMO, Watson is a TERRIBLE play caller.  Any middle school coach could have called a game that well, or defensed it.

 

[HornEsch]

That was just flat out fugly.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I won't fault the defense too much for what happened in the third quarter. When you're fumbling the ball left and right, no halftime adjustments will save you. And you're putting too much pressure on a defense that had already saved your tail several times in the first half.

By the end of the third, the game was over. It was the quarter from hell.

Guys, I give props to Swoopes for a high completion rate, although we never really seemed to do anything deep or over the middle. But I saw a kid who was lost, had little composure, and there was just no sign of "it" anywhere. Maybe that changes, maybe it doesn't.

I expect about the same next week. We come out fighting. Repeated three and outs, turnovers, etc., put pressure on the defense which eventually breaks.

I'm afraid right now, Texas will go as Swoopes will go. It's obvious they're sticking with the shirt on Heard.

 

[Marian Hinton]

My immediate thought is that the only hope we have to have a decent season is to take the leash off Swoopes. I get the conservative playing at first, but should have opened it when he proved he could pass. The only hire I was not happy with was Watson, but how he responds next week will be very telling.

 

[UTfish]

I understand that the coaches did not want Tyrone to feel like he had to carry the team, but the lack of the deep ball or the zone read was disappointing to me.

Kept hoping that they were trying to pull the defense in so they could go over the top, but it looks like they were more intent on giving Ty more confidence.  We knew going in, though, that they were going to keep the game plan simple.  Still...

The D played well most of the game, but came out completely flat to start the second half.  What happened?  Looked like instant replay of last year for 10 minutes.

 

[Marian Hinton]

I'm a bit surprised with your assessment of Swoopes SirHorns. I think he was the lone bright spot.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I'm a bit surprised with your assessment of Swoopes SirHorns. I think he was the lone bright spot.

I saw no leadership out of him. I realize it's his first game, but I do expect to see some serious "fire in the gut" from a kid who really needs to prove himself. It wasn't there.

He proved he could hit short routes in man coverage since they stacked the box. Okay, but you hope for that at a minimum anyway. If he can't do that, he's a warm body out there.

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt because it was clear he was limited by shotty play calling and a short list of plays. Maybe they give him some space next week. I would hope so.

If I give a game ball here - it's to a patch-work offensive line that did a pretty decent job of protecting Swoopes and holding their own against a good BYU DL.

 

[Marian Hinton]

Pass protection was decent. Run blocking was TEEEEERRRIBLE.

 

[Chris Flanagan]

The question becomes, do you play Heard? I think Swoopes will be the guy next week and it will be him the entire game. Then a bye week and then at Kansas.

You have to go downfield and with accuracy. You are just daring them to put 9 in the box everytime. If Heard can keep defenses more honest than Swoopes, you have to play him.

 

[UTfish]

I saw no leadership out of him. I realize it's his first game, but I do expect to see some serious "fire in the gut" from a kid who really needs to prove himself. It wasn't there.

He proved he could hit short routes in man coverage since they stacked the box. Okay, but you hope for that at a minimum anyway. If he can't do that, he's a warm body out there.

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt because it was clear he was limited by shotty play calling and a short list of plays. Maybe they give him some space next week. I would hope so.

If I give a game ball here - it's to a patch-work offensive line that did a pretty decent job of protecting Swoopes and holding their own against a good BYU DL.

I agree with Marian, Sir Horns.  I thought the kid did very well, considering.  He did just what the coaches asked him to do, manage the game this time.  Leadership will come with success and confidence.

Agree with you that the O-line did a good job pass protecting.

 

[utisdabomb12]

The good news is Gray won't be going pro with how bad our o-line is. Won't be able to put up the numbers to get drafted high. 

 

[utisdabomb12]

I will say Swoopes has to be utilized in the run game more. He doesn't have to be a breakout runner but we need more zone reads to keep the defense honest. Simple 3 and 4 yard runs from Swoopes would really open up the field. 

 

[Lukus Alderman]

The question becomes, do you play Heard? I think Swoopes will be the guy next week and it will be him the entire game. Then a bye week and then at Kansas.

You have to go downfield and with accuracy. You are just daring them to put 9 in the box everytime. If Heard can keep defenses more honest than Swoopes, you have to play him.

If Watson doesn't call plays that include downfield passes against man coverage, it won't matter who is QB.

 

[UTfish]

The question becomes, do you play Heard? I think Swoopes will be the guy next week and it will be him the entire game. Then a bye week and then at Kansas.

You have to go downfield and with accuracy. You are just daring them to put 9 in the box everytime. If Heard can keep defenses more honest than Swoopes, you have to play him.

Not so fast, my friend.  Accuracy downfield is great, but just throwing toward a wide open receiver downfield is enough to put the FOG in the defenders and back them off some.  Might not miss next time.

Besides, Swoopes was throwing the ball pretty well.