Texas Offense: Impact Freshmen in 2010

John Chiles = Freddy Adu. I haven’t seen someone peak at age 15 like that since Brooke Shields (Scipio quote)

The above statement is why you are the King.

Great analysis. I share your concern at QB. Will be interesting to see how a backup QB is prepared this year under real game conditions, not just last 5 minutes of game action/handoffs.

Robert Timmons? Did you just copy and paste from your 2003 post?

Don’t take my old school charm with replacing old players with new players’ names.

Scip: Damn close to my view across the board. I’m a bit less negative on the veteran running backs, but I love the thought of Shead of Cobbs crashing the party. If Chris Whaley weighs in at less than Refrigerator Perry, Whaley’s first double-meat cheeseburger is on me.

The coaching decisions on the offensive line (see 2007, 2008 recruiting) should have gotten somebody fired. If Mack and McWhorter had any, gon, uh, guts, they’d stick Walters and Ashcraft side-by at RT and RG and let Tray Allen and Britt Mitchell be what they’re very good at being — second-teamers. I think TE will be better (duh, edsp, it can’t get worse). Seriously, I think it’ll be decent to OK, just not Thomas or Finley good. As for backup QB — remember who had that job in 2007 and 2008? See the WR depth chart if you’ve forgotten. We’ll be OK there. I hope.

If we can get Robert Timmons in there then there is no reason we can’t get J’Marcus Webb, Buck Burnette, and Roy Watts to shore up the OL. Problem solved.

Great write up Scipio. The Brooke Shields’ reference is stellar.

The need to prepare a backup QB for action has not been a lesson learned by the current coaching staff; I don’t expect this time around to be different.

In spite of the great job done by Gilbert in the 2nd half of the Alabama game, and the potential shown in the contest, he still only has 1 full game under his belt. I expect the staff to give him as many minutes as possible to gain experience and to nurse the season with Sherrod.

Between Gilbert’s minutes and the emphasis on establishing the running game, there will be few snaps left for any substantial development for Connor.

Greg Timmons’ nickname is “Robert”. It’s complicated. (Which also happens to be Scipio’s most requested Netflix title …)

The OL situation next year is scarier than HenryJames on his monthly hall pass to Oil Can’s. But a few guys stepping up can stay those fears yet another year under the McWhorter Plan. Walters is that guy if he doesn’t break a bone getting off the bus to practice.

If I’m picking one guy off that list who I feel good about getting it done, it’s Mike Davis. He’s walking into a perfect situation and has the right blend of talent, ego, and hunger to succeed early. Let alone that ghetto flare.

All -
 
Thanks for the Timmons correction. A sure sign of age. I don’t why I did that. We know who we’re talking about, in any event. Very Jerry Scarbrough of me.
 
torre -
 
I think Don Gato’s post may be indicative of where we go. Gilbert needs snaps.
 
edsp –
 
I’m not that caught up in the backs if we had a real scheme, but if we’re going to a more conventional offense, we’ll need some guys stepping up to make chicken salad out of chicken shit a la J Charles.
 
Vasherized -
 
I agree. My concern is that the coaches need to coach him in the summer as if he’s going to play. Not wait until Game X where our offense is destroyed and we throw open every job and start from scratch etc.

Lots be excited about in this group, IMO. I like the idea of Cobbs at RB. He’s gotten a lot of buzz for a guy moving into a new position at a spot coaches are typically conservative with for young guys. Will he be a situational guy?

The coaches spoken positively about Ashcraft since signing day. Timmons had some early buzz from the coaches and players but fell off the map in the spring. Terrell supposedly showed up in shape, but I don’t think his size/speed ratio has a place on this year’s team. Nice to see he means business, though.

I’d love to see Porter at RT but it sounds like he’ll be a player for us on the inside. Has anyone else heard anything about his prospects on the outside?

Another year of underachievement at the OL by a team which could recruit almost anyone in the nation for their OL…..Mack’s shortcoming during his first 6 years with us was his allegiance to underperforming coaches, and during the past 5 years he has gradually been “biting the bullet” and replacing his friends for more competent coaches. He has been learning. I guess we need to continue waiting before we get an upgrade in the OL. Hope it happens before Mack steps down. Would be nice to have a coaching staff of the best in the land, all working together, for one full season.

Loved watching Timmons’ footage from his senior year. He knows how to use his body.

Self, our defense should be stellar this year. Muschamp’s defense will keep us in games. Defense wins championships. This year our defense should kick @$$. I think the defense will dominate.

Huh…what? I’m sorry, Scip, did you just columnize? Try not to interrupt my off season affirmations, thanks!

I think Chiles will surprise a lot of people. Back in the spring before his injury, he was able to get down to his wr weight and supposedly went wild on the defense according to other players and coaches.

Agree with everything and entertaining as usual. The OL recruiting is the one thing that I have banged my head into a wall for the last 4 years. Thankfully, next years class gets us going in the right direction. I just hope we take at least 4 every damn year from here on out.

I have semi-high hopes for DJ Grant if he is fully recovered. He would have probably been our starter last year based on the reviews. If so, we might be talking about TE being a strength. As it is, we have a lot to prove, but I did like what I saw out of Matthews in the Spring. Of course, I was comparing him to Misty May-Treanor so who knows?

Cobbs is the one player I’m most interested in. Whatever happens, I hope he doesn’t go the way of Kelson and that OJ guy we had. Find the right position and work at your craft Antwan. Maybe it’s RB, but if not, move him fast. Pretty please.

I think I have higher hopes for Shead, but the 2A jump will be a problem. Something about the way he runs that I like. Can’t put my finger on it. Very good vision might be what I’m seeing. We just can’t judge his athleticism going up against 150 lb., 5.2 running LBs in 2A. Maybe he has it, maybe he doesn’t. I’m taking the long odds and saying he does.

Antwan Cobb was the fullback from last year’s team. Demarco Cobbs is the 2010 recruit. Names can be a biotch.

We gotta get significant contribution out of Mike Davis or else the success of this team is going to depend on this year’s defense being even better than last years.

I think we’re going to have a lot more quick-strike, 40+ yard scores this year. And it’s going to give us all a lot of WTF? feelings when we struggle most of the game against a good team, but still win 30-10 ish, on three long Gilbert to Davis/Goodwin/Williams TD’s.

I can’t wait to hear alternatively at the stadium “put in Gilbert,” “Give us Wood!” when the fans are unhappy about the ever-stagnating offense that is the Greg Davis trademark.

Even better will be five years from now, when someone thinks of the clever handle “Connor Gilbert.”

Chase Wood, imo.

I’m not to worried about our impending offensive struggles, we can’t perform any worse than we did against OU and Nebraska on offense so it’ll be about the D again this year. I think this year’s D can perform up to last year’s D’s standards. I have stopped worrying when we lose absolute studs as we keep replenishing with different studs. Less Earl but more AJ, less Kindle but more Okafor and so on. On the same lines, I stopped worrying when we lose absolute non studs like Chris Hall when we can replace him with equally ineffective (due to scheme) players. I fully expect to be dissapointed in Dominc Espinosa on more than a few Saturdays over the next 4 or 5 years.

“If a 260 pound back can’t win a one-on-one with a 170 pound DB on a perfectly blocked play, he should quit football.” – Indeed, at the end of that play all I remember was the announcers losing their minds over the run while at the same time I was thinking “nice tackle”.

San Marcos isn’t that far.

With the exception of the extremely racist Kardashian and black athlete reference, the entire article was pretty sound. I’m hoping that M. Williams hands finally catches up with his talent and speed (not holding my breath).

When you said longhorn fans had overlooked Demarco Cobbs you could have just as easily said, “Nickel Rover has overlooked Demarco Cobbs” as his lack of position has resulted in me ignoring his existence as a Longhorn student athlete.
There are several places on the field where he could potentially factor in big here, zone-running single-back could be one of them.
For mack’s ineptitude in finding a “big back” for a power-running game and selling out on Whaley 2 years ago, at least credit Applewhite or someone for finding good zone-back prospects in Shead, Cobbs and Newton.
If Texas ends up relying on the spread in big games this season at least Fozzy and Newton are good fits for the Ogbonnaya role.

Idk, I liked the Kardashian line, although it didn’t get the chuckle of a Monkey humping a football.

Dick makes a good point: We’ve seen some version of this story since Ricky graduated (2005 excepted, of course), unfortunately, Mack has never been proactive about addressing the team’s weaknesses prior to embarrassment, so I look forward to watching Cobb and Davis tear it up in mid-late October.

Never have I seen such a stable of mediocrity since viewing Sailor Ripley’s college drunk dial options

Thank you. Glad I’m not the only one with this view. There still is not a legit Div I rb on campus

That’s ridiculous ransom, but par for the course.

Offense should be really interesting this Fall. Consider that the coaches are coming off Young & McCoy under center – both players that they trusted….completely. Toss in the new rushing attack……I’m expecting an ultra-conservative offense this year (and one that fans will really dislike).

All of Hales, Fitzhenry & Timmons need to contribute, while Goodwin, Williams & Kirkendoll all take a considerable step as upper-classmen/producers. For now, I am not expecting much from Monroe & Chiles – anything there is a boon.

All that is to say that there is a need for one of the true freshmen to be ready. I have the hope that Davis will involve the RB’s and TE’s in the passing game enough so that the number of options becomes a strength that makes individual talents seem better/improved.

At RB, I really think Newton can flourish in the new focused attack (if given a chance).

Wow.. that post truly is a reality. I am sure every top college football team faces the same issue. I am very interested in learning and watching
1. DeMarco Cobbs- something just tells me he will be a surprise and thrive in a RB role
2. Worried about the QB. Gilbert gets hurt and then what.. No experience at QB
3. Chiles – I hope he surprises everyone at WR/Slot

Wow.. that post truly is a reality. I am sure every top college football team faces the same issue. I am very interested in learning and watching
1. DeMarco Cobbs- something just tells me he will be a surprise and thrive in a RB role
2. Worried about the QB. Gilbert gets hurt and then what.. No experience at QB
3. Chiles – I hope he surprises everyone at WR/SlotI really think Cobbs will be a key to the Longhorns class of 2010. He is the most interesting player.

I respect and admire Major Applewhite. I am still confused about him coaching the RB. Seems like he would be coaching the QB.

Here’s my completely unqualified offering, Scipio. In reviewing the Spring Game video, I was surprised how many of the running plays hit the POA quickly, and by quickly, I mean the guy in the booth was still showing us something else while a bunch of guys (including Gilbert) were scooting down field. I got the impression that scooting has been an S&C point of emphasis this offseason, though they’ve probably got a fancy name for it.

The reason all this scooting stuck out is that I’ve gotten used to the ball carrier hesitating in the backfield for the last several years, or at least it seemed like they hesitated for years, before choosing a direction to get tackled from. But this was in the days of the zone read/spread/wild horn/Q-package/Ian Anderson hanged-man pre-scrum.

Perhaps this long-absent, hit-the-hole ethic is intended to compensate for youth, who can’t be trusted to make the proper choice at a buffet line no matter how long they pause?

I’ll hang up and listen to your answer.

ransom -
 
They’re all D-1 backs. They’re just all average D-1 backs.
 
Matt -
 
Yeah, our best hope is to spread it around on offense. The problem is that unless we can demonstrate a real running game, defenses will do what Nebraska did last year – keep running DBs on the field until our passing game is throttled.
 
spider -
 
We’ve always run the ball when we’re in the hurry-up (see Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State) so I think that was more about just communicating the pace we want to play at to the guys. It’s a way of creating energy and preventing lethargy.

Our fundamental running system hasn’t changed.

Shead didnt play 2A ball. He played 1A

IIRC, Mack announced (just after the spring game) that he was switching Matthews and Smith (i.e. Smith to H back and Matthews to TE). Matthews had an excellent spring game and Mack said that Matthews would get a lot more opportunities to catch the ball at TE than H back. Matthews is an excellent blocker and showed in the spring game that he can catch the ball and that he runs well. I’m pretty optimistic about Matthews at TE both as a blocker and receiver.

At the same time, Mack’s comments about Smith was that he would have fewer opportunities to catch the ball at H back and that those passes would be mostly short dump passes. Smith probably won’t play much TE except in two TE sets.

Combining two topics, Whaley has a ton of potential at H back. If he is moved to H back, you add a speedy running and receiving threat at H back without sacrificing size. Whaley is not afraid to hit and might be awesome at H back. Cody might also be a good option at H back (especially if he isn’t getting many snaps at TB).

My biggest fear about the running game is the coaching aspect. GD is not into the running game. Major is an ex QB who is more interested/experienced in the passing game than the running game. Mack, was a TB as a college player and OC at OU when they had an awesome running attack, could coach the running game but he is more of an executive than a get in the trenches coach.

My biggest worry about the passing game is pass blocking by the OL since it is most likely gonna be worse than last season. My hope/guess is that Gilbert is surprisingly good at dump passes.

Great work even if you came across as skeptical about our offense as you were that night you spent with a Tech Coed. I can tell you put on two rubbers before you made this post. You used the skeet method on your post about the defense.

Regarding the tackle of Whaley in the spring football game, IIRC (and maybe we’re not talking about the same play), Whaley first broke 2 or 3 tackles that slowed him down a bit before he ran over/got tackled by the db. The tackle looked strange to me at the time so I replayed it a few times to see how the db got Whaley down. It looked like the db grabbed the shoulder pads and/or jersy collar of Whaley from the front (as Whaley was running over him) and then kind of tripped Whaley to get him down. Tackling using the shoulder pads or jersy collar is called a horse collar tackle and is illegal in both the NFL and the NCAA. Tripping is also illegal in both the NCAA and NFL.

I don’t blame the db for self preservation but it did not look like a legal tackle. If we not talking about the same play, never mind.

Please redshirt Wood and let Mike Davis ball at WR.

Spider: I think like scipio said, the pace had more to do with the plays taking off during replays than did any schematic changes. That said:

Watching the inside-zone run from under center in practice and the spring game I’ve seen the running backs hit the cutback lane fast and hard like I haven’t seen…well like I basically never saw when running the zone from the shotgun. I think we are seeing less hesitation in the backfield from the backs but simply because the under-center move is allowing the OL to double d-lineman (rather than flying upfield to hit backers) and the backs consequently have actual options at the line of scrimmage rather than bouncing back out and hoping to beat the pursuit or waiting for a crease to open between the tackles.

We’ll see how that analysis holds up against real competition though. I’ll be shocked if the running game isn’t markedly better. I’m envisioning something like the 2008 Sooners attack that ran over everyone except Florida and Texas who could stuff their running game with an honest front. Maybe it won’t require defenses that good to stop it but you get the idea.

A running game that can overwhelm lesser competition and then a precision-air attack led by Gilbert that deals the killer blows to an assorted cast of targets.

So what’s the benchmark against Rice? Is everyone going to flip the fuck out when we run the ball 50 times for 150 yards?

the question is will uncle greg let Gilbert actually throw downfield or will he inherit colt’s dink and dump offense that inflates completion %? If the first play against ou is a fucking tunnel screen, I might throw up in my mouth.

“If you look at our depth chart, we’re a bit like Kim Kardashian – weighted heavily at both ends with a skinny middle. Like Kim, our OL also enjoys getting screwed by exciting black athletes.”

Funny shit but painfully true.

Great write up – the Kim Kardishian reference was even more classic than the Brooke Shields reference.

But let me tell you – we will score over 35 a game this year. Whenever summer rolls around the College rags always overestimate the value of the returning average player and underestimate the value of a the special talent of freshmen and rFr. The talent on this team is so special, so deep – I have not ruled out a return to the MNC and feel the 2010 Horns are vastly underrated. If we have 3 WRs and they are Goodwin, Monroe, and Williams – how the eff do you stop that? Speed kills – sorry.