Decoding Day Four

“The Mccoy to Shipley connection is getting Star Trek creepy. They are going to give the Big 12 a Vulcan mind-meld-smooth-buttfucking, which to my knowledge has never been done since the conference was formed.”

I thought this was the sort of imagery HenryJames came up with. I don’t know if I am supposed to be excited about this, afraid, or just sickened.

Great read. I’m an idiot for figuring it’d be moved in the bubble. At least I’ll go tonight.

Do you have a hanging italics command in your post?

I thought Derek Johson originally showed up in tremendous shape. Did he lose it all celebrating his nuptials or am I totally off base about how he initially reported?

Huck,

Sailor’s kids causing trouble again.

Horncasting,

There’s no substitute for being in Austin going through summer workouts with the team every day. I’m not saying he won’t be a factor this year, and he certainly has the Roy Miller frame you want in a DT, he’s just not in shape yet.

Vasher,

You get a look at Barrett Matthews? Could he play this year?

Per PB@BON, DJ Grant is out for the year.

Jumbo up the middle

Trying to figure out Ryan Roberson. Saw him playing MLB 5-10, 220. Doesn’t seem like a Muschamp type, what’s his likley posiiton?

I agree with pretty much everything you said. I was impressed with Vondrell but have tempered that enthusiasm because they’re just in pads. He was clearly taking the focus of the RB snaps.

There are two things that make me bullish on Goodwin. First, he got my and other people’s attention based on his speed and play on the field as opposed to getting people’s attention because he was a 4-star 6.0 RR recruit out of high school (I’m looking at you, Chiles). Second, he was getting a lot of attention from the coaches and Colt McCoy. Seeing him with Shipley on the punt returns was a great vote of confidence from the coaches. I think Goodwin is the occasionally-inserted potential home run threat, the kind that gives CTJ a DJ Monroe-induced hard on.

Speaking of Monroe, I said it earlier but I’ll restate it here. He does not have good hands. I was directly behind them when they were doing WR drills and his catching technique is noticeably different from the guys we peg as having good hands. He claps at the ball and doesn’t guide the ball into his possession like Shipley does. He dropped several catchable passes throughout practice. I would not expect him to contribute all that much this year. On the other hand, his build contrasts well to the other 5’9’’ home run threat.

Chiles was getting a lot of action at practice. He did not look uncomfortable in the position like he did in the Spring and in the Q package. I’ll be interested to see how they use him. His best attribute right now appears to be his strength and not his elusiveness, which could bode well for his playing time given the upside that attribute poses for screens.

Barrett Matthews surprised me with his size. He certainly looks like a tight end. His upper body is well built and he showed some speed in the catching drills. I didn’t see enough of him in the 7 on 7s to judge his game-readiness, though.

Howell looked really quick the couple times I saw him. Alexander looked fatter than I remembered and Derek Johnson only got time with the scrubs.

Porter got a decent amount of playing time and looked like a D-1 O-lineman on size alone.

Damn PB. Does that guy ever have anything good to say?

Forgot to mention Matthews. He looked very good. Physical in the blocking game and surprisingly quick feet after the catch. The practice ended with a 50 yd catch and run from Gilbert to Matthews. He’ll be forced into early action and I think he’s ready once he can get the playbook down. Rather than forcing a bunch of WR and DE transplants into the position, Matthews looks and plays like a TE.

Clapper,

Roberson is certainly not your ideal MLB defending against the spread.

He’d be an ideal fullback in a pro set.

whoopspat,

There are two things that make me bullish on Goodwin. First, he got my and other people’s attention based on his speed and play on the field as opposed to getting people’s attention because he was a 4-star 6.0 RR recruit out of high school (I’m looking at you, Chiles). Second, he was getting a lot of attention from the coaches and Colt McCoy.

Good points. Colt was coaching him how to watch the DBs hip turn during the backpedal. I agree the coaches have made Goodwin a priority, perhaps because Monroe and Hales aren’t emerging as fast as they’d like.

Great stuff. I’m fired up.
 
Good to hear that Gilbert is getting more comfortable and Sherrod isn’t going to take a demotion sitting down.
 
Longhorns fans love anointings at QB, but I don’t.
 
Whoever wins the backup job this year wins the starting job next.

“Whoever wins the backup job this year wins the starting job next.”

Hmm. If it’s Gilbert, then yeah. If it’s Harris, I still think it’s an open competition next year.

Nordberg -
 
You may be right. However, my understanding is that Mack wants to play one backup this year and one only. At least that’s what he’s told people.
 
So if Sherrod had some unexpectedly great August and Gilbert looks like a frosh, Gilbert probably redshirts. Harris would get a fair number of game reps against our scrub schedule and he’d have an advantage going into Spring ’10.
 
I think the coaches want Gilbert to win the backup job for a number of reasons.

Great read. Thanks for taking the time. It pains me to admit how much I want these three weeks to fly by, as this means I prefer UT football over my life.

Good stuff, Vasherized.

I’ll bet all the golden marbles in Lou Holtz’ brain that barring injury Garrett Gilbert is your starting QB next year. And I agree that the coaches are pulling for him this season to make next year’s decision that much easier. He’s the future.

Sherrod has been a career backup and a class act in the process. He could also probably run our offense and lead us to victory in all but two games on the schedule.

“The players are in excellent shape save Ben Alexander and Derek Johnson”

In this conference you don’t need “space eaters”.

How did Greg Smith look at TE, specifically how well did he catch the ball?

What you said about Whaley does not surprise me. What do you think would be Whaley’s ideal position?

Did Colt take the snap from under center much? Did the horns run any from the pistol formation?

Did more than one of Cody, Vondrell, and Fozzy ever play at the same time (eg: Vondrell at TB wile Cody was at FB or Fozzy was in the slot)? Did any of those 3 running backs ever play a position other than TB?

Did you see any drive blocking or was it mainly zone blocking by the OL?

Between not exactly making the honor roll and coming in out of shape, Alexander is really seizing his golden opportunity.

It is tough for Gilbert to step in immediately. There is a lot for a QB to learn and Gilbert has not had the advantage of a redshirt year or even early enrollment. He is also a pretty skinny guy who might get hurt pretty easily (i.e. he would benefit from more weight lifting).

It would not surprise me if Sherrod wins the backup competition in the short run but Gilbert passes him as the season progresses. It is likely that Gilbert is the starting QB next season.

kafka,

Greg Smith’s hands at 250 aren’t any better than they were at 290.

Colt took snaps under center and from shotgun. Didn’t notice the pistol. Is that Greg Davis’ new secret weapon?

Only one TB on the field at a time per open practice rules. Can’t give OU all of our secrets.

I didn’t pay too much attention to the blocking schemes but it was mainly zone. The OL did seem to have a little more pop out of the snap and they’re in great physical shape. No fatties.

“Rather than forcing a bunch of WR and DE transplants into the position, Matthews looks and plays like a TE.”

Dude, get the fuck outta here.

My post above should be read in the voice of Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop.

Good, because Vasherized is a dead ringer for Bronson Pinchot’s character.

You guys really think anyone but Gilbert is starting in 2010?

“You guys really think anyone but Gilbert is starting in 2010?”
 
I know what the coaches want, most of the fans want, and GG wants. I’m just not interested in an anointing. He needs to earn it.

When have we ever annointed a QB before?

Everybody wish HenryJames good luck with the new album.

Good luck, HJ! Man, you’re a lot younger than I thought you’d be!

“How did Greg Smith look at TE, specifically how well did he catch the ball?”

Rod Babers’ hands combined with Peter Ullman’s mobility and shake.