My Timely Spring Game Analysis: Offense

The season will go as RT goes. Right now we don’t have one.

Alabama won a MNC without a RT. So there’s a glimmer of hope.
 
Perhaps we just found Whaley’s position.

Well Scip that apparently leaves just you & I as the only two people not impressed with Whaley’s deeds during the scrimmage. Good call on Matthews, I see him as a big time outlet for Gilbert in the future.

“DJ Monroe returning kick offs is obvious, but I’m not sure who we best pair him with.”

Goodwin?

Not as enamored with Whaley, but very excited about AJ White. That tackle reminded me of Huff’s tackle of that big-ass TE against SC in the Rose Bowl.

nordberg -
 
Right. And I thank you for not calling me an idiot outright, but what if Goodwin is our #1 WR?
 
Would that change your calculus?

Maybe, but probably not Mack’s. Shipley returned punts and kicks most of last year.

I remain completely skeptical about the running game. It really couldn’t be worse than last year unless we get similar production but increase its presence in the offense. I keep hearing references online that we will not be a “zone running” team anymore (which I think are flat out wrong). If we aren’t, there could be serious issues against teams that mix up their fronts on us (which will be easier to do against non-spread formations). We don’t need to go away from zone plays… we need to assign them differently… we need more commitment to our combo blocks, we need to create space vertically on some plays and horizontally on others.

I feel like the combo blocks is one of the main issues (which actually stem from the assignment)… if you can’t double team a defender and drive him back into the defense and create a traffic jam, then you don’t belong on our offensive line (that’s the culture we need to move toward). Our combo blocks are more of a bump and run philosophy… usually inspiring two stalemates, zero impositions of will, and zero attitude from our linemen. Frankly, if you aren’t physically dominating in your double teams… where are you going to be? So that’s what I’ll be looking for in our running game early: Do we ever commit to just blowing a defensive lineman off the ball and let the chips fall where they may?

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Tune-in to Fantake for further updates.

"DJ Monroe returning kick offs is obvious, but I’m not sure who we best pair him with."

Brock Fitzhenry, holla!

Scipio, I had the same thoughts on Whaley, and was surprised after the game that he got so much intertubes lovin. When there’s space to move and no one is standing in front of him, yeah he does just fine. But he’s never going to create anything for himself, and in our offense that’s needed.

Why don’t we just keep feeding the Whale and try to make a left tackle out of him?

Good thoughts Scipio, I think Traylon Shead gets a long look in the fall for a chance as a 1st and 2nd down back. I think he has the one-cut acceleration to match the scheme.

I wonder what the deal is with Vondrell McGee. Besides Fozzy I think he’s potentially the best runner on the team but we haven’t seen anything out him in a very long time. When he was paired with Chiles in the zone-read “thunder” offense he showed a strong aptitude for the zone play turning his shoulders to the line and blowing through the hole, other than that it hasn’t been as pretty.

Matthews at TE this year is going to make us all very happy.

we’ve got a hundred 4 star RBs and we can’t find one?

You only used the word “flash” once. You are clearly not cut out to write about Texas football in the post-orangebloods.com era.

I also think WRs will be one of the more interesting stories to watch this season. They could be really good OR they could be the weak spot of this team. We just don’t know what we are going to get.

Malcom Williams is the Damion James of football—freakish abilities with great measurables, tries harder than anyone else, but can’t seem to put it all together. Here’s hoping that Malcom puts it together like Damion did as a senior. I think he will. But, like Damion, he won’t be able to carry us.

Kirkendoll is the definition of a wild card. He could be 2nd team all Big 12 or he could get benched mid-way through the season for doing something inexplicable causing locker turmoil in the process. My guess is he’ll be better than last year but still up and down with at least 2 “what the hell did he just do?” moments.

Chiles needs no further discussion. He is who he is until he proves otherwise. I like the move to the slot—I give him a 50/50 chance of making an impact this year.

Goodwin made HUGE plays last year in a complimentary role. I’m not so sure he’s ready to carry a primary load as a sophomore.

As Scipio noted, Hales reminded us in the scrimmage that he is on scholarship and not a walk-on. Let’s see him beat another scholarship player before we get too excited.

Freshman—you never know.

I’ll take Whaley at TB and hang half a hundred on you.

"Jeremy you flash big play ability just enough to irritate us that you don’t consistently do anything else."

Really well put.

In the future though, I wonder how much proficiency in the passing game will influence the RB depth chart. If we’re not throwing it 75% of the time, can you afford to give a few more snaps to an RB with big play potential that isn’t perfect in blitz pickups and the like?

I like how the clip after the spring game is about the search for a rabid puppy. I hope they found the little guy and saved him. :-(

Whaley is not a natural RB. He came in heavy and Mack says he’s still heavy, 9 months later

Move him and move on.

OK, so I wanted to post this as a separate article. But (1) since I am new here, (2) I am not smart enough to figure out how to go about doing so, and (3) yall started up on the backs, here are my 2000 cents. Plenty of whining has been going on about our running game and until now there hasn’t been any substantial, intelligent discussion on what exactly we have back there to work with. I am not going to help with that at all. (and for the sake of everyone reading this, it is all my opinion, so I will save you all like 50 IMOs)

Tre Newton
Strengths: Good all around back. Great 3rd down back. I’m glad that he got the chance to play last year because his pure running ability is underrated IMO. (oops) He’s a smart runner, doesn’t go down too easily, and generally picks the right hole and is just fast enough to spring a big one. He’s also a great blocker and has some hands, making him a good multiple/spread option at RB.

Weaknesses: I think he is going to be a beast in 2011 and 2012 if/when his body fills out. He just needs to be bigger and break some more tackles to balance his lack of elite speed. If he can add some weight and power, he will be a WEAPON. Also, his 23yd TD catch in the spring game aside, I don’t see him as the RB/WR interchangeable type yet. Good hands, but not a WR substitute.

Projection: He starts for us this year, gets > 1000yds at 5.0 per clip. Or, he is in the mix with another back and gets around 600-800 primarily from the spread formation or in 3rd down situations. I like him a lot. And if he was our only option for 2010, I’d feel real good.

Fozzy Whitaker
Strengths: Fast. Can block, catch, and yes, can run between the tackles in the new system. Can break it for a long TD and probably would more often than other typical speedsters.

Weaknesses: Well,…. he just can’t stay healthy. That’s the main thing. If healthy, he is a good 2nd string for us. Also, he just runs for negative yards too often. Last year he had more negative rushing yards than Tre and Cody put together, on ¼ the amount of carries. Put another way, he had 53 carries for 246 positive yds and 34 negative yds. Assuming a busted play, on average, has him being tackled for a 2-yd loss. Then he went down FAST on about 17 out of his 53 carries. Hard to build any consistency off of that. We who watched the games last year are not surprised. And like Tre, I don’t think he strikes fear into a defense lined up in the slot.

Projection: Is in and out of the lineup as RB#2. Shows some flashes and contributes based on how health holds up.

Cody Johnson
Strengths: One of my favorite types of runners. Don’t mess with big bootie power! Awesome short yardage runner. Faster than people think. If healthy, would average over 5.0 in the main man role and with a good scheme/our new scheme. Can catch a dump off and make somebody pay.

Weaknesses: From what I have seen not much of a blocker. Would have to loose some weight to finish strong in games (sounds like…never mind). Not considered as well rounded as some of the other guys and rightfully so.

Projection: Our kick-A short yardage guy. Some general mop up duty, but not much.

Jeremy Hills
Strengths: Exciting potential as a pure runner. Has great moves, sees the hole, and can be GONE in an instant. Can catch a little, I think.

Weaknesses: Also not much of a blocker. Some fumbling concerns here. Would be a lot scarier if he could consistently hurt people as a receiving option.

Projection: Probably won’t contribute much due to the guys above him. But has the chance if given the ball to hurt some people with 60 yd scampers into their painted area.

Vondrell McGee
Strengths: Solid build. Great burst. Every time I see him hitting the hole right he just seems to take off. Would probably excel in a more simple, traditional Iform rushing attack.

Weaknesses: Not the complete back our coaches/scheme would call for. He doesn’t have the top-end speed, the hands, or the blocking to start above the others. Also has problems staying healthy.

Projection: Doesn’t see the field or the ball much. Just too many other options and the train has passed him by. Way by.

DJ Monroe
Strengths: Wow, speed. And he gets started quick too. Somebody mentioned that if they raced, DJ would win the 40, Goodwin would win the 100, and Evans would win the 200. And you can see that with DJ on the field. Big time speed and big play potential.

Weaknesses: Small and limited in running plays he can successfully execute. If he could work on his hands, he would be of more value as a RB/WR interchange type, but I’m not sure if he can pull that off. The last time he tried to catch a shovel pass…

Projection: He is a weapon for a few carries/game. I like having small doses of plays that while they are not your offensive staple, add tools to your arsenal. Even little Nicky was upset that DJ gauged them for 33yds on 3 carries. If his hands improve, he will receive more touches.

Traylon Shead
Strengths: Now we are talking! Some people within the interwebs seem to downplay the impact of our offensive players coming in, but don’t mess with the likes of Mike Davis and Darius White. (Darius White will dominate like a better Dez Bryant and James Crapstrees. Mark my word. Just not his first year.) These freshmen are unlike any we have seen at Texas for a long time. They are the type we usually miss out on and overcome by our great depth. But those frekin monster WRs are another story for another day.

Traylon is big, strong, can just run, runs with good pad level, and has great vision. He is not fast, and probably a bit slower than Tre and Johnson, which puts him comfortably in dead last amongst our crew. However, he is strong! The boy can bench 400 and squat 515. Those are just a’ight numbers compared to mine, but they are also inline with Derek Johnson and Calvin Howell’s numbers out of high school. He is quick – averaged "6" steals per game in bball. He is 10,000 yds worth of durable. He has good hands from playing BB and has the aforementioned strength to block DTs.

Weaknesses: Played against inferior opponents, yada yada yada. We don’t know what his true blocking prowess or receiving ability is and won’t till fall.

Projection: If he can adjust to the defensive speed coming at him, he could be our RB#2 before it is all said and done. Nobody on our roster can currently match him in straight-up running ability. If he really picks up the blocking/receiving, he’ll push Tre for the starting carries. Watch out upper classman.

DeMarco Cobbs
Strengths: Interesting. Even Mack doesn’t know what to do with this guy. Another frekin awesome athlete wit great burst. For a big guy, he is on another level with D-Money White in his explosive first steps. Incredibly strong (maybe not Shead strong but close) Good to adequate speed. Could also be a WR, or a bone-crushing safety. Just a Balla’.

Weaknesses: Is he a running back? Can he run consistently between the tackles and with good ball protection? We will find out soon.

Projection: If he transitions well to RB, he will be our only true RB/WR interchange piece. We will either see him step up into the RB#2 or #3 spots during actual game time, or we might see a move to defense. I like his chances as much and even more than Shead of coming in at TAKING that #2 spot. Deal with it upper classman.

Chris Whaley
Strengths: Yes, I saved him for last. Since everybody and their momma disagree on this guy, let me set the record straight. He can run. I don’t care how big he is. He picks his holes well, can have patience, and can get the job done (not saying he can’t improve, just not saying it yet) He is amazingly fast for a Whale once he gets going (10.8 100m). He has some good hands and should be able to block with his size and physicality.

Weaknesses: Well let me just repeat it. He makes Cody look small. I agree with Scipio here – he is a big dude and is NOT going to get any smaller. He might drop 15 before the season starts, but long term he is not playing at under 260. His arms and legs are not buff or ripped at all. He is going to put on muscle over the next few years and there is nothing you can do about it but have him not workout or practice. Also, watch the fumblitis.

Projection: Killa has the potential to be a once in a lifetime kid. His ultimate talent would be wasted at DE or even traditional TE. Fortunately for him, and I hope our coaches will see this, our new system is DESIGNED to turn him into a college football great. I liked one person’s reference to Brandon Manumaleuna but it’s not complete. This is what Killa is: he is a 6-3, 260-280 lb running back/H-back/tight end that destroys defenses over a game. Just beats them down! This is how you dominate with Killa….

What I would like to see:

Take your OL, GG, MW, MG/MD, and BM (as TE) for your other 9 players on offense. Line up Killa as your H-back and Demarco Cobbs as your RB. Good to great offense right there. Plenty of options and a good power run game. Now, move Demarco to the slot and Killa to tailback in a quasi-spread without any substitutions. Now you see it. Now we are getting it. Line them up this way, and have him HURT the defense 15 times/game. Just beat tha crap out of them.

And when he is not laying 260+ on a would be tackler, have him pop them in the frekin mouth with Cobbs, Tre, and DJ Monroe running all crazy behind him. And throw him the ball twice a game so he can punish some downfield fools some more. When you have that amount of mass that can move like he can, you use it. And you use it on offense. No way that doesn’t tire a defense down if used properly. (I know, big "if" there)

In synopsis, here’s what we will probably have for this season.

Tre is our man. Fozzy is broken. Cody is short yardage. Vondrell is kaput. Hills doesn’t quite get a crack. Either Shead or Cobbs becomes our RB#2, possibly #1 (they are that good). DJ is a shot of adrenaline. Tha killa whale is the battering ram – IF we figure him out.

And we need some new RB classifications.
TB – Just a runner, not much else. (Vondrell, Hills)
GDRB – Greg Davis Running Back. Formerly known as 3rd down back. Can run OK, block great, and be a good receiver. (Tre, Fozzy)
SB – Speed back. A special classification for DJ and his Jet Sweep. (DJ, Goodwin)
HB – Your standard H-back, the FB/TE combo. (Barrett M, Greg Smith, Dominique J)
RWIB – Running back/wide receiver interchange player. As good a receiving threat as a running threat, and making the defense scared of covering him with a LB. (Cobbs, DJ?)
MB – Mack Brown’s back. The "multiple" back capable of running, blocking, receiving, and doing all well with speed and size. (Shead, Cobbs)
KWB – Da Killa Whale running back. Like a MB, but designed to hurt the defense with more weight coming at them then is even right.

I suggest we start using these running back acronyms a ton in the hope that GD gets wind of it and some of the concepts will soak in. If I am stupid for putting all of this here as a response, tell me so.

Thanks for the breakdown Balls. You can click on one of the forum posts on the right side of the screen and create your own post there. Should be easy to figure out.

I am very interested in what Cobbs can do at RB. I envision a musical chairs at RB again this year. I like our OL more this year no matter what we have at Tackle.

http://fantake.com/forums/forum.php?id=1

Just go here to start a new forum topic.

Remember how jazzed/jizzed the Ags would get about Jamar Tooooooombs? How they’d yell his name the instant he touched the ball even if he gained, like, -1 yards on a clumsy dive?

Texas fans seem to be constantly on the lookout for our very own Toooooombs. There’s just something about the image of an overweight guy bowling over little dudes that appeals to college football fans (and coaches, for that matter: Mack has been looking for the next Natrone Means for, what, 15 years now?).

Those WR screens and quick-outs that so infuriate so very many people will, I think, be quite a bit more productive with Gilbert throwing them than Colt. That fraction of a second less time it takes for the ball to get out there can make the difference between a 4-yard gain and a 15-yarder. It’d be a nice staple to Malcolm if he could somehow approximate the skill and competency of, say, Andre Johnson.

Scip-

Do you think we still run the jet tempo this year from under center?

With Colt running it, it seemed to catch some teams really resting with their hands on their knees a few times and got us going when in a funk. Can GG duplicate the success here?

It certainly would be interesting to read theories on why we have a roster full of 4 star rb’s, all of whom range in ability from awful to average.

I wouldn’t call any of them awful. It would probably be easier if we only had three instead of seven, plus two more coming in a few months. I was kind of privately hoping for some attrition at the position, between a transfer or two and a position switch of a certain 6’3" guy who will be pushing three bills in three years.

I don’t know that they range from awful to average. I think Tre, Fozzy, Cody, and Vondrell are all DI starters. I don’t know that they are Texas starters, but they are plenty good. I agree that I’d love Tre if he were a third down back, or used more like Chris Ogbonnaya was.

Vondrell is the one that most frustrates me — I really think there is a 1,000 yard rusher inside that dude and that he has suffered the most from scheme. I rate him as the most likely back on campus right now to have a surprisingly huge NFL career – he just seems like a guy who would excel in a traditional two-back set, where a 5-yard run is considered a success. I also think he might be good in a one-cut offense. He is not good at the old, run horizontal for 12 yards before cutting up field shit we’ve employed for the last couple of years.

Just for comparison’s sake, Eddie Jones only benched 340 lbs…

Mack’s still looking for another Ricky Williams, and it shows. He can’t settle on any one back if they’re not excelling.

Plus, scheme has been punishing our O-Line and backs while we’ve been leaning on Colt’s accuracy.

The whole thing is a mess, and hopefully this year there’s a real recommitment to the run game and to the line and backs.

good stuff balls. i agree. i like shead, cobbs, and whaley. if we just run those three most of the game with an occasional hills sighting, i think we could be a fine running team.

as for the option, I noticed last year that we were doing the little fake screen pass after a handoff inside zone run. I was watching Oregon cutups at smartfootball, and they do run a triple option where the qb can pull, handoff or throw the screen after. Do you think we were running the same thing, and we just never got the throw read, or was it all just some substantive misdirection. Anyways wondering if any option plays are going to stay in the playbook

oh and its my b-day

I’m not counting on seeing much option in the running game this year since it puts Gilbert in unnecessary danger. Texas used the fake handoff/screen pass a lot with Colt as a way to punish teams for selling out on the run and ignoring Colt without 12 actually having to pull. It made for a few successful bubble-screens but it fell far short of improving the running game.

It appears Gold takes a little too long to get the punt off. That’s all I have to offer.

…. and the “announcers” for the Spring Game talked incessantly…. and the crowd seemed a little thin… and why a game on Easter? Also, is it Orange versus White or Texas versus Fight?

Texas Fight! Texas Fight,
Yea Texas Fight!
Orange White! Orange White,
Yea Orange White!

OK. That’s all.

eloy -
 
No idea. I’m sure we’ll tinker with tempo and see how Garrett does under it. One of the reasons you can do it easily out of a 4-5 wide is that all of your reads are simple. Running a more traditional offense allows the D to disguise their intentions and may lead to longer line calls.
 
austin420 -
 
We’re not going to run Gilbert. Happy B-day.
 
art -
 
Gold took a while mostly because he could. I expect he’ll get the ball off of his feet under live fire a little better. The announcers were getting paid per word per minute, apparently.

I wonder if Vondrell McGee sought solace in his cups after reading this website. . .