THSCA All Star Game

by Scipio Tex on Jul 22, 2009 4:56 PM CDT

I watched it on Fox Sports this morning. You can read the Statesman write-up.

Talent is way down from what it had been in years past and it looks like it's eventually headed the way of the Bayou Bowl. Early enrollment and the high profile All-Star games have pretty much killed it. The South team had the lion's share of talent, including the only two QBs in the game who could throw a discernible spiral and some good OL play.

Team rosters are here.

Future Longhorns:

Chris Whaley had 14 carries for 52 yards and 3 TDs winning the Offensive MVP. For his size, Whaley has great feet and he has real RB skills in terms of vision and setting up a block. Strides over diving tacklers without losing speed. He looked to be in semi-shape.

His speed is below average and he actually showed less burst than when I last saw him at the Army-All American game. He doesn't do a good job of getting small behind his pads bursting out of the hole and at 6-3 245, he represents a lot of surface area for contact - particularly his legs from the knee to upper thigh. People can get leverage on him if they'll go mid-low and it would be hard to call him a punishing runner.

He ran almost entirely out of the I formation and he's most effective running downhill, picking and choosing his hole. He's not a zone read back. Like most big, tall backs, if you get Whaley running laterally and catch him when he plants to cut, he can be tackled by a kitten. I'm sold on him as an athlete, much less so as a RB in our system. A South kid named Izzy Foster - 5-9 180 - who is headed to Blinn was actually more effective running the ball.

I had Greg Timmons with two catches for 50 yards. A 38 yarder off of a trick play and a tough 12 yard slant which will be his staple on the 40 Acres. He burned future Texas Tech CB Yashua Williams on a fly pattern but was badly overthrown and then was underthrown when he broke open on another sideline route. The South was pretty content to run the ball and play a lot of WRs and that was reflected in Greg's statline. He also drew a nice 15 yard personal foul for cracking back on a defender when the ballcarrier was five yards out of bounds. Which I enjoyed.

Physically, Timmons looks absolutely fantastic and it's hard to believe he's a freshman. He isn't fast, but he has excellent body control and he knows how to present himself to the QB. We got a solid chain mover who can shake loose deep if he can physically overwhelm a corner at the LOS.

Other players of note:

Texas A&M

Dustin Harris was fantastic. He had an interception, threw a 38 yard completion to Timmons on the trick play, a punt return for a TD called back for holding, a 99 yard kickoff return for a TD, and a 98 yard fumble recovery TD. He's 5-11, 160 with good speed and excellent quickness and he's completely fearless with the ball in his hands. He's a CB at the next level and I'll love him when he fills out to 180-185 and gains strength. Very good pick-up by Sherman.

Spencer Nealy is a high motor undersized DT from SA Reagan. He had two sacks going against a porous North OL. Great motor, good first step, solid kid. He'll need to raise his game considerably for the next level, but if he can make the phyiscal evolution required, the Aggies have a decent get.

Didn't watch Rhontae Scales specifically, but the South was able to run the ball pretty effectively and he passes the eyeball test in other venues I've seen him.

Didn't notice Sean Porter, if he played.

Baylor

Chris McAllister was considered a Top 10 kid as a junior and saw his stock slip to a Bottom of the Top 100 when doubts arose about his ability to play traditional LB and concerns were raised that he might be a tweener. He addressed some of those concerns and made some pretty nice form tackles at LB and caught a TD pass. He has the athletic ability and showed the ability to play off of the ball a bit. Nice pick-up for Baylor.

Jarrett Brown played DE and he certainly looks the part, but didn't make much of an impact in the game. He gets too high and takes a lot of bad steps. Still, he appeared to be a quality athlete and I'm not sure if his issue is coaching or if he's just not a football player.

RB Jonathan Miller is a lean, angular runner with a little pop behind his pads, but he didn't have much chance to show his wares running behind a weak North OL. He left the game with an ankle tweak late in the 2nd quarter.

I didn't pay much attention to the Tech guys - OL Joel Gray and CB Yashua Williams.

My main interest was checking out our new turf and though the Burnt Orange end zones didn't translate over the television, the turf looked great and it's definitely a fast track that allows a quality plant and cut surface. If there is one player on the current roster who will benefit most from the switch, I think it will be Fozzy Whittaker.

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Comments

That was just like being there!

by HenryJames on Jul 22, 2009 5:06 PM CDT reply actions

I discussed this game on Spence Park Soapbox. I have held that all the film I’ve seen of Dustin Harris reminds me so much of John Chiles that it’s scary. I’ve wondered why Rivals only has him at three stars – he is a stud.

I too have high hope for Spencer Nealy – he can be a player for us.

I like Chris Whaley, but he is not your long term answer at running back.

by Ag_in_TX on Jul 22, 2009 5:10 PM CDT reply actions

Ya, not impressed with Whaley. I look into my crystal ball and see…. a TE. Mack will gloat when he scores 3 TDs against one of our OOC gimps, but he will be buried against better competition. Hope Fozzy is ready to carry the load.

by MagicSoccerSpray on Jul 22, 2009 10:34 PM CDT reply actions

Good stuff on Timmons – a little Aldine edge won’t be a bad thing for this team. Just as long as we can keep him away from kicking down apartment doors.

Hearing of Whaley up to mid-250s is disappointing and doesn’t seem to speak well of his self-discipline. Hopefully he will pick that up – if so, it seems to me that he’ll end up on the Henry Melton track – we can only hope for as good of an outcome.

by Levander Williams on Jul 23, 2009 7:02 AM CDT reply actions

Supposedly Harris is a legit 6’ 170 guy as of today – if so, he may end up playing CB for us this year.

Not the best of worlds, but we have literally no bodies back there.

by bizzle on Jul 23, 2009 9:22 AM CDT reply actions

Watching Whaley, I have no idea what we’re doing with our RB recruiting. Just no idea. My best guess is that Muschamp wants to run a shitpot of I-formation when he takes over in a couple of years.

by Nordberg on Jul 23, 2009 9:27 AM CDT reply actions

I doubt Muschamp or even Applewhite had much if any input regarding the Whaley recruitment.

by HenryJames on Jul 23, 2009 9:34 AM CDT reply actions

Well, the other option is that Mack thinks that Whaley is a better fit for our current offense than Christine Michael, and I just refuse to believe that.

by Nordberg on Jul 23, 2009 9:40 AM CDT reply actions

Nordberg,

I can’t tell you the last time I thought Texas actually had a plan when it came to recruiting running backs.

Look at the measurable s for the six on scholarship and Shead (Remember to drop 2" and add 20 lbs. where appropriate.).

Jeremy Hills 6’ 190
Vondrell McGee 5’10" 205
Tre Newton 6’ 200
Foz Whittaker 5’ 10" 195

Cody Johnson 5’ 11" 250
Chris Whaley 6’ 3" 235
Traylon Shead 6’ 2" 210

I won’t even try to compare their running styles, but this is the epitome of a cluster fuck. Why? I have had this theory that Mack and GD have this tug of war going on where Mack wants to run it 60 times a game and Greg wants to throw it 60 times a game much like Barnes and Elias struggled for Chris. Most like total bullshit on my part that doesn’t even sound good when drunk, but it sure sounds better than this is the mix the coaches wanted.

The result is an offense that forces itself to be balanced at times instead of attacking defenses and a combination of backs that really don’t make any season.

I can understand not offering a kid if you don’t feel he fits into your system, but how does that explain the group I just listed?

by Captain Obvious on Jul 23, 2009 10:02 AM CDT reply actions

I think we just go after the guys at the top of the list that also meet the grade and character test (which is why no mojo for Calhoun or Michaels even though they would be better fits than Whaley or Shead), skill-set be damned.

Seastrunk was #1 and Shead was #2 for many in the early going. Those are the two guys we chased this year. Last year Whaley was the early season #1 and we took him on the promise we wouldn’t recruit another RB. This is about the only way I can make sense of our recent RB recruiting.

by Ricky on Jul 23, 2009 10:15 AM CDT reply actions

I agree completely on the Platoon analogy. I think that they argue about running vs. passing and McWhorter is caught in the middle, thus a zone blocking scheme that attempts to satisfy Davis’ pass protection needs while generating some form of running game.

by BatesHorn on Jul 23, 2009 10:29 AM CDT reply actions

I think you guys are nailing it.

by Scipio Tex on Jul 23, 2009 10:48 AM CDT reply actions

Ricky,

I agree to a point. My belief is that Mack’s recruiting strategy today is a combination of what he came to UT with (i.e. emphasis on the camps) with “adjustments” to various events (i.e. the period in the early 2000’s when Mack got burned by guys such as Hardemann, McCullough, Timmons, Davis, and Moses), and an almost institutional arrogance as conveyed to me by some friends who are long time high school coaches. The result is a “box” so to speak that is very specific and if a kid doesn’t fit the parameters he isn’t recruited under the belief he wouldn’t make it at UT, doesn’t fit the program, or that the state provides enough talent on a regular basis.

Problem is that isn’t right, UT has lost out on good kids like Stonum because they wouldn’t in effect come to Mack, and I think it is one of the reasons Texas doesn’t finish stronger. Mack and his staff have already turned to next year and would rather be able to say we offered 22 and got 20 in February than chase a true difference maker.

If you go back and look at the Horns recruiting at RB since Mack has come to Austin it does follow two different trends, but even with that there are kids that don’t seem to fit.

98 – Ike (a fucking disgrace his career in Austin can be covered in highlights of an 80-yard catch and run and the kick return versus UO.)
Robertson

99 – Barron (one of Mack’s early camp wtf’s)
Hayter
Robin (I know, great guy, great team contributor, but you can find a way to use him on 3rd down and not Ike?)
Trissel
Williams (who Whaley reminds me of a bit)

00 – Beltran
Matthews (3rd fb in two years. Must have been the rage before collecting te’s became popular)
Richardson (truly hope this isn’t Whaley’s fate)

01 – Ced
Johnson (wtf? not an I-back and no real outstanding physicl tools)

02 – S. Young
Hardy (3rd fb in 4 years)

03 – Hardemann (fucking dumbass!!!!)

04 – Hall (realize he was a wo, but had to include to offset the shithead factor at this position in ’03 and ’04)
Taylor

05 – Charles
Melton (why he wasn’t moved after trying to jump the cornerback at Ohio State when he had him by 60 lbs. I will never know)

06- Cobb (good guy, but not a great talent)
McGee (great h.s. back, but not overly fast, big, strong, or instinctive)

07 – Johnson (please get your fat ass in shape)
Whittaker (carried it almost as much as Ced in hs., smaller, and took a ton of hits. very concerned about the tread on the tires)

08 – Hills & Newton (see Ricky’s above post)

09 – Whaley

10 – Shead

This might be the offensive equivalent to the Horns recruiting at DT. The one’s that hit did big, but too many wtf’s and self-destructs.

by Captain Obvious on Jul 23, 2009 11:29 AM CDT reply actions

Good analysis, CO.

by uthookem on Jul 23, 2009 12:36 PM CDT reply actions

Thanks CO!

What are the two trends you see? What I notice is that we now seem reluctant to put anyone with quicks but undersized in the backfield. Ok, Hales is barely built like WR much less a RB, but why don’t we give him a chance to tote the rock as a change of pace? Same with Fitzhenry, he was also recruited as quick RB but has been moved to WR. Just because Fozzy’s always dinged up doesn’t mean every small back is built out of tinkertoys.

It seems to me if you are going to stick with the zone read running, you can still go after whoever you target as the elite RB in state, but you should always pick up one quick RB even if the only thing elite about him is his quickness.

by Ricky on Jul 23, 2009 1:29 PM CDT reply actions

The interesting thing to me on UT’s recruiting strategy is that if Mack is going to step down in a couple of years as some believe does Mack turnover part of the process to Will? I can’t see that with Mack, but in effect Mack is acting two years out.

I saw Hales for three years at Oak and he was small for a back then so I can’t even imagine him running between the tackles in college. He reminds me of Eric Metcalf and I think would be most effective as a slot receiver in the manner of Harvin for UF and Ramonce.

Also saw D.J. Monroe a couple of times and he is thicker than DeSean, but a similar type of player. As for Fitzhenry, he is fast, but I have heard mixed things on him.

I am not expert by any stretch and it seems the best solution is make it work with who we have and not trying to find new pieces from other parts of the roster.

by Captain Obvious on Jul 23, 2009 1:35 PM CDT reply actions

The happiest day of my life will be when GD is put out to pasture, and that better happen when Muschamp takes over. A Texas team that can’t run the football drives me fucking nuts.

by Blueshorn on Jul 23, 2009 4:50 PM CDT reply actions

Blueshorn, I still think Greg is caught between what he wants to run and what Mack wants him to run.

Doesn’t matter to me on running the ball as long as the offense is committed to an offense and recruits the best possible players to run that offense.

by Captain Obvious on Jul 24, 2009 4:14 PM CDT reply actions