echeese
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View from the Cheap Seats-Okie Lite
UGH-LEE
Well the Lee sisters showed up for our date Sat and we drew the short straw and were forced to escort the really weak link . . .sister UGH. TEXAS and CFS open conference play with a thud. Every team we have left to face must be licking it's chops to get at us as we still have to face the:
#1 passing attack (total yards) Texas Tech
#3 TCU
#18 WVU
#30 OU
#35 Baylor and
#44 Kansas
Of course we have already faced #2 Cal and #10 Okie Lite along with #15 ND who have lit up our secondary so far so the book is out on how to beat TEXAS. And it's pretty simple. Oh how it killed the cheap seats to hear Ed Cunningham lament the lack of secondary play from what was once known as DBU. The Cowboys' D lead by DC Glenn Spenser seriously out schemed and out played his counter parts CFS and Vance Bedford. Not to mention they actually coached their guys up to do something really basic. . . .they tackled. . .they knew their assignments. . .they played coverage. Not sure how OSU's WRs seemed to be running free at times while TEXAS' WRs were held almost entirely in check.
Where's Waldo . . . .I mean Greg Robinson?
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results. The Cheap Seats was at the very front of the CFS bandwagon when he was hired, the #1 reason, CFS came with a reputation for being a great defensive mind. Sadly, there is no evidence to suggest CFS sees the problems, understands how to fix the problems nor is even aware problems exist.
In 2013, the very first thing most noticed when GR rode back into town was an immediate improvement in fundamental football. Making a tackle, wrapping up, playing under control. Supposedly Vance Bedford's scheme is too complicated, frankly who cares. . . .he can't teach basic tackling. Last year the problems with the defense were masked by a complete failure of the offense. Bedford got a pass, not unlike the one Gilbert is getting today but the difference, Gilbert has enjoyed dramatic improvement from last year. Yet after 2 games where our secondary was abused by opponents, CFS choose to largely stay the course, refusing to even promote Brian Jean-Mary to DC, despite concerns that BJM leaves in the off-season for a promotion elsewhere.
Our offense played one half of really good football, scoring 4 TDs on 6 1st half drives. The defense. . . . .while they only gave up 12 points in the 2nd half, through 3 games vs opponents with a pulse, they have failed to produce even one turnover. NOT ONE. They did have a respectable 3rd quarter, only allowing 6 points to OSU while shutting out Cal the week before. 1 quarter of quality play a game just isn't getting it done. Contrast that to Greg Robinson's coached teams which were notorious for creating turnovers even when giving up lots of yards. Of course we need to walk before we run, no reason to expect turnovers from a team that cannot tackle. There is not much question that when OSU let Bedford go, they upgraded their defensive staff. Hate to pile on a Horn and a great guy but that is what it is.
Drive chart or a tale of 2 halves
While Head coach of the University of TEXAS, Charlie Strong has established a very dubious record. He's only won one game where his opponent scored 1st. He has NEVER won a game trailing at halftime. Chalk up another failure to overcome a 2nd half deficit. One reason, TEXAS' offense is pretty poor in the 2nd half of games, especially in the 3rd quarter. After scoring 10 points in the 3rd vs ND, TEXAS has come out after half and scored ZERO vs Cal and 6 vs OSU, this vs opponents with a pulse. At a point in time we should be grinding out the clock and yardage, the TEXAS offense cannot seem to get out of it's own way.
1st half
Off: Punt (3 & out) TD TD TD TD FGA
Def: TD TD Punt Punt TD TD Punt TD
2nd half
Off: Punt TD (blocked PAT INT TD Downs Punt End Game
Def: Punt TD Punt FG FG Punt
TEXAS continues to fair poorly in the red zone, scoring only twice in 4 trips
What is worse, the offense has become VERY predictable. The first 21 times we were in 1st down, we ran the ball 16 and only passed 5. Now granted, this is a GREAT running offense. . .as long as Foreman and Warren are 100% (remember, the Cheap Seats has not read any other post game evaluations so our thoughts our our own, hopefully Foreman and Warren are going to be OK or this season is SHOT) and both were outstanding. The problem is that we could not even keep OSU's defense off balance, particularly in the 2nd half.
Speaking of predictable, the 18 Wheeler package. So far this year, Swoopes has not tried a pass from this formation. Twice this year, both in the 3rd quarter, we have been pinned inside our 10, both times we have rolled out the 18 wheeler package fooling no one. Both times we've trotted Shane out in 3rd and long only to have him, both times. . . . throw picks. . . . . ..his only 2 pics of the year btw.
Did Charlie quit??????
TEXAS would finish the game with 3 time outs in it's pocket. Why? TEXAS took it's last drive over at the 2:04 mark. Could have easily been 3-3:30 or you could have used the TOs on the final drive, we could have done everything we could have to get another score. Does it mean we could have won the game? Nope but I flat out hate the signal it sends. . .we quit before the game was over, we stopped trying to score. Or here's an idea, we see yet another game where CFS fails to call a time out on a questionable reception, this time on 3rd and 5 digging OSU out of a big hole. OSU gets to the line quickly and gets off the next play. Would it have been overturned? It was well worth a look as the WR did not have full control on the way down. Now the apologists will say none of that mattered. . . ..I'd say that Saban or Meyer calls a TO and makes sure.
Future
Today, the Cheap Seats sees TEXAS finishing the year winning 6 or 7 and get a favorable opponent in a bowl creating the impression we are better than we are. Cheap Seats thinks we upset one of OU/Baylor/TCU or WVU (the quality teams of the conference) while beating Kansas, ISU and likely splitting with KSU and TT, both of whom better than we thought pre-season. That's 6 wins plus a bowl win and CFS is back for 2017. But I don't see him canning Bedford, which will be the same problem Mack had except Mack's teams hung on early thanks to a really good O . . .but failed to win titles because of a lack of great D. Face it, we had 3. ..count them 3, PATs blocked by the same guy, rushing up the same lane in one game. The Cheap Seats simply thinks our admin with a lame duck AD will not make the move to hire Tom Herman due to optics. Again, no inside information, simply how we read the tea leaves today. We hate it, we REALLY wanted CFS to succeed but CFS is proving several things:
CFS' teams simply do not make good half time adjustments
CFS has shown he cannot manage either success or failure
CFS' teams are not fundamentally sound football teams
CFS does not manage the game well. ..think Les Miles with less talent
CFS is NOT a good judge of quality assistants, neither Watson, Norvell nor Bedford are quality COs
Don't hate the messenger, the Cheap Seats is doing what it has always done. We offer our honest evaluations of what we see on the field. With one, now 5 decades long, goal. . . .what is best for TEXAS football. CFS is a great recruiter and a quality man. He is not a quality Power 5 HC. Sorry.
Offensive player of the game: Sharing this between our 2 great RBs, D Forman, 8.7 ypd and Chris Warren III 10.6 ypc, oh how we hope they are back
Defensive players of the game: Again, sharing this between two young guys playing with their hair on fire (even if both missed key tackles, it's still a body of work), young Mr Hager, making his Dad proud and Malcom Roach
Special teams player of the game: On a night where STs were PUTRID, Michael Dickson continues to be a star, even picking up a 4th and 4 when OSU bailed out. He continues to flip the field.
Ranking the BigXII
#1 OU
#2 Baylor
#3 TCU
#4 OSU
Right now the class of the league, Tier II teams, these could be in any order except for TEXAS:
#5 WVU
#6 TT
#7 KSU
#8 TEXAS today the ONLY team ranked above us we could beat is KSU and they are frankly a well coached team so despite our superior talent, they significantly would out coach us.
Caveat: Cheap Seats really hopes that neither Foreman or Warren is out for an extended period otherwise, we do not see a bowl game in the future.
#9 ISU that upset of Baylor would have been huge for them
#10 KU
As always, the Cheap Seats welcomes any and all comments, our thoughts our own without review of any post game commentary. Didn't even read the long email string of friends like @armadillo slim and @reverent horn discussing the game yet.
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