Sometimes it feels like the bye week comes at a perfect time, and this is one of those occasions. The last few weeks have been a rollercoaster for Texas fans following an exciting win over Iowa State. Longhorn fans then saw their team get embarrassed in a shutout loss at Kansas State which really shook them back to reality. Since that point the Horns have come away with three convincing wins, with two of them on the road. The regular season finale looms ahead against a highly ranked TCU team and the bye is coming at a great time for fans to reset and catch a breather before the big Thanksgiving matchup. However, Hornsports.com doesn’t have a bye week so here we are with the good, the bad, and the uncertain to look at what Texas has done, and what lies ahead.
The Good:
Bowl Eligibile:
To start with the obvious the Horns are bowl eligible and can remove that pressure from their collective minds. Just acheiving bowl eligibility isn’t the bar at Texas, but for this team it is a big step considering the way the season has gone. After losing David Ash there were some downright frightening moments against BYU and Kansas State that almost indicated this team had no business owning a winning record this year. The extra bowl practices will be so vital for this young team to get extra work and figure out where they stand going into next season.
Defense:
The defense this season has been sensational when you figure in the obstacles they’ve faced in some games. Malcom Brown may be the best defensive lineman in the country, Edmond and Hicks are playing up to the lofty expectations fans have held them to for so long, Quandre Diggs steps his game up week after week, and Mykkelle Thompson is playing physical football. This defense has pitched two shutouts this season, smothered high tempo spread offenses like Oklahoma, Baylor, and Texas Tech, and have set the tone for the new physicality the Longhorns play with. It’s amazing to see what this staff of talented defensive coaches have gotten out of their unit.
Development:
Fans who have been screaming for years about the team’s development problems should like what they see. You can take a look at every position on the roster and see tremendous strides from players who were buried on the depth chart and underwhelming on the field. On the offense you have Taylor Doyle and Marcus Hutchins playing on a line that is getting better every week. John Harris has become one of the most productive receivers in the country, Tyrone Swoopes is winning games and getting better, even MJ McFarland is performing in all aspects like a productive player. On the defensive side of the ball we’ve already mentioned Edmond, Hicks, and Thompson and we haven’t mentioned Dylan Haines, Paul Boyette, Poona Ford, Na’ashon Hughes, and Caleb Bluiett. Every one of those players have taken big steps from where they were when the season began. The fact that Joe Wickline has turned his rag tag bunch into a competitive offensive line is nothing short of a miracle. Not to mention Tyrone Swoopes who is far from a finished project, but has shown some really nice development over the season. When he first played he was a guy that probably had 4 routes he could complete, and Saturday at Stillwater you saw Swoopes make three big time throws. The touchdown pass to Harris to start the game had NFL written all over it. He had an almost perfect throw on the play in which Shipley just lost it before slamming into the wall, and ended his performance with a big time deep ball to Armanti Foreman that showed great arm strength, touch, and accuracy.
Culture Change:
A lot of writers churned out article after article this summer regarding culture change and we are starting to see the results of all that labor. Yes it was painful when players were dropping like flies and the losses were mounting up but this team plays with the fury of a unit bonded together to fight for their coach. In the last three weeks you’ve heard pundits talk about how the Longhorns take the field and punch the other team in the mouth right away. Even Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy said that this Longhorn team was too physical for his Cowboys. The buy in is there and Strong is starting to get performances from guys that indicate they believe in what he’s doing. Look no further than Johnathan Gray who has had a re-birth in the last few weeks and is starting to move with explosive ability. That foundation that Vance Bedford talked about is almost in place and they can soon move to putting up the walls.
Recruiting:
It may not pay all the dividends this year, but this staff is starting to turn some heads on the recruiting scene. Big time out of state prospects are now seriously considering attending Texas to play football. Coach Strong is also starting to turn the perception of some bigger in state prospects, and is changing the way the team has operated on the recruiting front by allowing his commits to take official visits and playing very aggressive with other committed players. If the Horns could somehow beat TCU and win a bowl game, they might be able to land a couple of pretty big fish before signing day while also giving themselves a shot of momentum going into next season.
The Bad:
This team has improved dramatically, but there are still some worrisome issues plaguing them game in and game out. The third quarter has plagued the Longhorns all season. It’s baffling to watch a team go into the half hitting on all cylinders come out and look so clueless before turning it back on for the fourth. This has cost them probably three games this season and will need to be fixed before facing TCU.
The Special Teams unit has also been abysmal and almost bit the Longhorns a few times against Oklahoma State. This is concerning because Texas has the athletes to cover kicks and generate big plays in the return game, and yet they’ve looked like a high school team out there. Their kicking game is a complete roll of the dice as we saw Nick Rose connect from 51 yards out and then clang a chip shot off of the upright. For the season Rose is 13/20 (65%) on Field Goals, and seems to have no feel for how a kick is going to go when he steps onto the field. At some point this kind of inconsistency will cost you wins even though it hasn’t yet.
The Uncertain:
Last week in this column we discussed that Swoopes’ development wouldn’t be a linear thing. He’s going to struggle and he’s going to show breakthrough and that’s just the way of a young quarterback. He hasn’t answered any questions up to this point, and he hasn’t eliminated the possibility that he will be completely uneffective the next time he takes the field. Scouts will tell you that with prospects if you see it once it’s there. There have been a lot of “a ha” moments watching Swoopes, but consistency is the ingredient that takes you from intriguing prospect to bona fide player. Swoopes still hasn’t strung that consistency along for several games, and it’s hard to count on him doing that at this point. Even though I’ve seen signs of encouraging development he’s still an uncertain in my book.
The offensive line has also grown, but this is still a unit that makes big mistakes during games. Wickline isn’t working with a full chest of tools, but he’s not one for excuses and he will expect more out of this group. For Texas to truly take the next step they will need to find a solidified unit that can play at an above average level for extended periods of time. Simply put, the bar is only going to raise from here.
What’s at stake:
Simply put, a big shot in the arm to the program could be had if the Horns either win or even split the next two games. Recruiting will get a boost, as will the confidence of players and fans who have seen a plan put into action and executed over the season produce results. Finish Strong (no pun intended).
If you made it through all of that, I want to say thank you and tell you to enjoy the bye week as an opportunity to catch up on chores, watch other teams, or maybe check out some high school playoffs in your area. With that in mind I will make the shameless plug that we will once again be out covering playoff games this weekend. I myself will be there all day at AT&T stadium for the big time slate of games happening in North Texas. Check us out on our various twitters and here at the board to follow coverage. If you plan on heading out let me know and maybe we can meet up.
