The morning after, 31-7 (by: Chris Flanagan)

[HornSports Staff]

in Texas Longhorns Football By Chris Flanagan
 
Talk is cheap.

Everyone has heard that line. I have never really deciphered what that saying actually means...I mean if were being honest, talk is not cheap. Saying a few misplaced words can cost you lots of money if you are a person with status in our society. Also saying certain words and phrases can get even the lowest person on the totem pole fired. So to me, the "talk is cheap" phrase has never made any sense. Talk can actually be quite expensive.

Besides that logical conundrum, it's taken to mean "Don't tell me about it, show me." Being from the "show me state", I keep hearing that phrase over and over and it drives me insane. However, I do not believe that only Missourians believe that. Everyone believes that, this is why Congress is at a 10% approval rating. They never do what they talk about regardless of what side of the aisle you are on. Don't just talk about something to me, show me.

The only thing Charlie Strong has shown me is that he is a man of integrity. He says what he means and means what he says. If you don't follow the rules, you are off the team. It's very tough to find integrity in a ever increasingly grey world.

However, everything else in Strong's first year did not come to fruition. He talked after the TCU game, saying Texas would never perform the way it performed on Thanksgiving night, yet over a month later it performs just as bad if not worse than they did against TCU It's game 13, there should be some semblance of an offense by now.

The defense imploded as well, consistently being pushed off the ball giving up 5, 6, and 7 yard runs. Talk about being "manhandled" by an offensive line.

One of the funniest things going around on Twitter during the Texas bowl was this gentleman wearing a Texas Longhorns jersey with the phrase "core values" with the number five. Texas fans want to buy into Charlie Strong's Philosophy and plan for this program. It's very tough when in the last two games you give up 79 points and score only 17.

It's going to be very tough being a Longhorns fan right now. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is going to take a shot at your fandom. It hasn't been easy for any Longhorn fan since 2009. In reality, the programs Texas picked on in the past are the fans that are enjoying the Horns' fans fate. It's their time. Let them have it.

Believe in Charlie Strong and offer that confident attitude that everything is going to be okay.

But also, know that "talk is cheap" and Charlie Strong is going to have to show you and the rest of Longhorns nation that he can get this going again. Right now, it looks like a steep climb that isn't going to get easier as the Longhorns will play at Notre Dame to open the season again in 9 short months.

Other thoughts:

- I really don't care who plays QB next year, as long as that person doesn't fumble the ball and can execute a pass to an open receiver.

- The Big 12 hurt itself big time on Monday. 0-3 and many of the games weren't that close. The SEC will claim dominance once again and they won't shut up about it.

- Where was Armanti Foreman? Jaxon Shipley? D'Onta Foreman? I don't know what happened to those players.

- I think Daje Johnson might have turned a corner with this staff. If he can find a way to be a consistent performer for next year's squad, it would be a huge game changer for the Texas program.

- This game will not affect recruiting that much. You can spin a terrible loss into a recruiting positive. Besides, these kids spend 5 years at a school. So don't expect a huge decommitment any time soon. 

 

[GBT]

My biggest gripe is why wasn't any of the walk ons or the JUCO kid even given a chance in a game? James Brown I HEAR wasn't a good practice player, but John Mackovic put him in and found a QB. What would it of hurt to try someone ? Especially last night. 

 

[bcherry168]

My biggest gripe is why wasn't any of the walk ons or the JUCO kid even given a chance in a game? James Brown I HEAR wasn't a good practice player, but John Mackovic put him in and found a QB. What would it of hurt to try someone ? Especially last night. 

Anybody would have done better than Swoopes, but the only other available was a walk-on. Face it, Mack did not leave us with many high quality offensive players. The cupboard was bare.

 

[tinman]

Lack of talent = lack of execution = lack of production =  embarrasing loss ....

 

[HornEsch]

My biggest gripe is why wasn't any of the walk ons or the JUCO kid even given a chance in a game? James Brown I HEAR wasn't a good practice player, but John Mackovic put him in and found a QB. What would it of hurt to try someone ? Especially last night.

I don't always agree with you, but I do on this. Same for the TCU game. Even if it was just one series to let Swoopes sit and watch from the sidelines. Anything to change it up when it is going, that bad. The worst case is the backup does as bad as Swoopes.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

My biggest gripe is why wasn't any of the walk ons or the JUCO kid even given a chance in a game? James Brown I HEAR wasn't a good practice player, but John Mackovic put him in and found a QB. What would it of hurt to try someone ? Especially last night. 

Pinning the lack of offense on only Swoopes is a mistake. 

 

[GBT]

Pinning the lack of offense on only Swoopes is a mistake. 

I didn't pin the lack of offense ONLY on Swoopes, but he is one problem...a problem the staff NEVER tried anyone else at to fix it. They moved guys around and replaced as much as possible on the OL to try to help there...Why not at QB. You at least show the players you are trying and not sending the "We are tanking this season" message to them. No wonder so many players didn't put forth the effort or play with a purpose. They saw the coaches tank the season, so they got the "why bust my ass for 60 minutes a game?" attitude as well.

 

[bcherry168]

Not a single position on offense had anything good to contribute last night. With that line and scheme, any quarterback would have been in trouble. The fact that Swoopes just doesn't have what it takes to be a quarterback just made it that much worse.

 

[Chris Flanagan]

The whole offense just didn't work. Like I said in another thread, the play calls were fine but Swoopes did not make good decisions and when he did, he missed badly. The late interception last night, the receiver had a step or two but Swoopes underthrew the ball. If Swoopes threw the ball to Daje just a bit more away from the sidelines, it would have been a big play.

If Texas has a consistent running game, plays would have been open downfield.

Again, everything has to work in concert or close

To it.

 

[GBT]

Coaches had nothing to contribute either.... LSU ran a trick play just now against ND in their bowl game. WHY didn't Watson try something ?

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[dillohorn]

I pin it on Mack Brown.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

I didn't pin the lack of offense ONLY on Swoopes, but he is one problem...a problem the staff NEVER tried anyone else at to fix it. They moved guys around and replaced as much as possible on the OL to try to help there...Why not at QB. 

The players and coaches all understood that Swoopes was easily their best option on the roster.

Not a single position on offense had anything good to contribute last night. With that line and scheme, any quarterback would have been in trouble. 

I completely agree.

The whole offense just didn't work. Like I said in another thread, the play calls were fine but Swoopes did not make good decisions and when he did, he missed badly. The late interception last night, the receiver had a step or two but Swoopes underthrew the ball. If Swoopes threw the ball to Daje just a bit more away from the sidelines, it would have been a big play.

If Texas has a consistent running game, plays would have been open downfield.

Again, everything has to work in concert or close to it.

When you hear Strong say "we just didn't execute", this is what he means. The offense never found it's rhythm in too many games.

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[java]

How many snaps did C Hughes play last night? Raulerson played, too.

 

[GBT]

Not sure but I know Jake jumped early on two of his to put us behind the sticks. Hughes missed one block resulting in a sack. RG missed one block resulting in a sack. The whole line sucked last night.

 

[java]

Thanks, GBT. Flowers was so animated on the sideline, and it appeared that Hughes was the target.

 

[Seldomseenhorn]

Why is it so hard to accept that at this time we are a very bad team. CS inherited a team with 3-4 good players and the rest average at best , with little depth and the staff coached them up as best they could. The teams that beat us badly should have. Give the staff a couple of recruiting classes with their type of players and I think we will be back where we should be. Quit complaining about Watson and see how he does with players that fit his offense. We have sucked the last 4 years, so let's give CS some time and quit our bitching. There is enough of that over at OB.

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011