echeese
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View from the Cheap Seats-Horny Frogs
Gary simply owns Tom
Let’s start with the good news. For those eternal optimists, the TEXAS season is not over, in fact this loss doesn’t matter. Now full disclosure, TEXAS/CTH has already burned their mulligan and must now run the table to reach the ONLY goal that matters this season, winning the conference. While the “hope” for the year is still there, the faith is now gone. There is hope, perhaps with his back against the wall, CTH does something different. OTOH, CDC has made it clear, finish with a winning record and a bowl and you are safe till 2022 at the earliest.
Other positive: For the 1st week this year, the announcers weren’t nails on a chalk board.
And now for the rest of the story. What a kick in the nuts. If you let a dog hang around, he’ll bite you before it’s over. This isn’t really complicated; coaching matters and Gary Patterson simply owns Tom Herman on both sides of the ball. Once again, we see Coach Herman not having his troops ready to play. Despite enjoying a significant talent advantage vs TCU, Gary out schemed (both sides of the ball), coached up and was more creative than CTH.
CTH also failed in another category. He has stated he wants to be the most physical team on the field. That mantra failed badly this week and frankly, has not really been seen all year. Compare and contrast with the Georgia/Auburn game. Georgia’s OL dominated. Not just physically but their offensive scheme was highly effective and creative. And Auburn is good, this wasn’t dominating some patsy.
If we could pick one play and the following series to sum up the game, Ossai finally getting a strip sack to blunt a drive. TCU only up 23-21, time to take the lead and control of the game midway through the 3rd. TEXAS proceeds to go 3 and out when Jake Smith takes his eyes off an easy 3rd down catch for a 1st down. Granted this drive’s explosive blunted by a highly questionable “illegal man downfield” call but bad calls went both ways and that does not excuse dropping a ball that hits you in the hands.
This game was an unpleasant reminder of Texas Tech in 2008. Fans will blame Ingraham for the loss (and it was a bone head fumble) like they blamed Blake Gideon but in both cases, there were at least a dozen game changing mistakes and in neither case, TEXAS should have been trailing in the 4th. There were simply too many examples of TEXAS players failing to execute and of the TEXAS staff not making adjustments or using schemes to highlight the talent. Sorry, while KI’s was a bone headed mistake he DID NOT cost us the game by himself.
End of the day, CTH has been playing with fire. So far in 4 years, outside of 3 very nice bowl performances, he is far more likely to lose to a quality coached team than to win. And there is nothing happening to indicate any change. His teams are undisciplined and that’s on coaching. A comment made on the pre-game show, players have to WANT to tackle. Our former players point out we might have more highly ranked recruits but coaches like Gary inspire his players, scheme his players, coach up his players to play over their” talent level”.
CTH simply does not do that. He does not inspire players to make plays consistently. Since tackling has been beaten to death, let’s discuss our pass catchers inability to help Sam. Passes aren’t always going to be perfect and even when they are, too often players cannot catch the damn ball. For the 2nd week in a row, Sam was the inferior QB on the field. Not sure we saw a single drop by a TCU pass catcher, we did see some spectacular passes.
CTH isn’t going anywhere for another 3 years. Sadly we are not sure TEXAS is going anywhere for the next 3 years either. Yes, we’ll hang on and cheer and cross our fingers that TEXAS can stumble and bumble to a 1 loss season and a BigXII title bid. But we wouldn’t put money on it. We’re close to offering our seat on the CTH bandwagon to someone else.
4th quarter review
It was there for the taking though TEXAS should have enjoyed a 10 point lead at this point
Start of the 4th quarter, TEXAS’ D bows up in the red zone and holds TCU to a FG keeping the score
21-26 TCU
TEXAS drives 75 yards in 11 plays to score to take their 1st lead of the day and tacks on a 2 point conversion.
29-26 TEXAS
TEXAS’ D forces a 3 and out punt. Punt downed at the TEXAS 8
Needing a drive to put the game out of reach, TEXAS goes 3 and out
Time for the D to bow up again. On 2nd and 5 from the TEXAS 26, Duggan runs untouched for 26 yards and what would be the go ahead score.
33-29 TCU
TEXAS drives 74 yards to the TCU 1 where Ingham fumbles the ball trying to stretch. . . he wasn’t within 2 yards of the end zone. 1:29 left in the game.
TEXAS burns their last time outs but cannot stop TCU from running out the clock as they gain a 1st down.
Stats that matter
2-12 CTH’s record at TEXAS when trailing at halftime
5.2 vs 2.4 TCU v TEXAS average rush per carry in the 1st half
25-16 TCU 1st downs v TEXAS.
26-201 Combined penalties, which oddly balanced out in the end but it was a poorly called game.
7-2 Gary’s record v TEXAS in the BigXII
3-1 Gary’s record v CTH……can you say you are owned.
1 for ZERO Turnover created and points off turnover.
Conclusion
Well the CTH bandwagon is now thinning out at a fairly large pace. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results. We do not see CTH doing anything different based on is 1st 3 years at TEXAS. Yes he changed the staff yet it’s the same team. He’s a “player friendly coach” whose team sees no consequences for failure and mistakes. TEXAS is a highly undisciplined team on field and off. We are proud of the half dozen or more players who stayed for the Eyes. Can only assumed it was a recording being played and yes, for many it’s a bigger deal than some realize. For one thing, it’s about putting the team first. Having said that, we will repeat, TEXAS’ pre-season goal of winning the conference still under our control. No margin for error but the goal is there. Figure this out, win out all is forgiven. While we are no longer projecting that we are certainly hoping for that.
On Deck
We are stumbling bumbling our way into the Red River War (sorry, shootouts were with Arkansas). OU stumbling even harder. TEXAS now faces the best stretch of teams in the conference. Figure anything out on defense this game is winnable and lifting that gold hat will salvage some pride in this season. Not sure we tackle well enough to beat a very beatable OU.
Fighting Mack Brown’s
Would trade the new Mack for CTH in a heart beat. They beat a mid tier Boston College. They are a year or 2 away from an ACC title berth but in better shape than TEXAS.
Ranking the BigXII.
Tier I (you could make a case for the next 3 in any order)
#1 Okie Lite as they are undefeated.
#2 ISU, 1st home win vs OU since 1960
#3 KSU, Make no mistake, this is a well coached team
Tier II (again, you can make a case for any order)
#4 TCU Gary is under rated
#5 TEXAS and this likely too high
#6 OU
#7 WVU
#8 Baylor
Tier III
#9 TT though their losses were close
#10 Kansas
Way too early Playoff projections
#1 Bama
#2 Clemson
#3 tOSU
#4 winner of the Great Cocktail party unless a PAC goes unbeaten
