Texas-Iowa State Post-Mortem: Defense

I was a freshman and got to see that 1991 defense in person. It was better than the current unit.

It was also involved in a home loss to Baylor (21-11 as I recall; it was 7-3 and on like two plays Baylor blew the game open). Ugh.

If the defense doesn’t play with fire against Baylor, then we’ll know that they’ve given up.
Muschamp must be having a hard time keeping them focused given the level of “don’t-give-a-shit” being displayed elsewhere on the team.

I remember that 91 defense – much much better than their stats showed since our offense was so awful.

I also remember the “hold’em, horns, hold’em” chant when the offense took the field late during that Baylor game when the score was still close. The offense immediately turned the ball over.

Back to the post – I think you hit the nail on the head with the description of a joyless football team. Do these guys want to be out there?

We saw the same game.

ISU hammered us up the middle with Kheeston getting no help, Acho and Norton sidelined and Earnest doing what you described, With our offense a no-show, ISU was able to get a lead and continue to pound the ball.

Agree completely on our limitations at safety. Missing Earl Thomas more than any loss besides McCoy and Shipley.

The offense has rubbed all the fuzz off the bunny.

The Gold Standard for a defense responding to a crappy offense-

http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/stats/83/ut-tcu.htm

At the half, TCU had less than 50 yards of offense, held the ball for 11 1/2 minutes out of 30, was 0 for 7 on 3rd downd, and led 14 – 3 (Pick 6 and fumble return for TD). The story is that Leiding slapped an offensive player on the head at halftime, telling him that the offense needed to get their $/!* together. In the 2nd half, the defense continued to stifle the Frog offense, and Texas eked out a win.

Greg Davis would be the perfect offensive coordinator for Fred Akers

I thought of ‘91 too. ET has the same number of int’s for Seattle (4) as our entire secondary. Safe to say we miss him.

I watched the pieces of the post game comments that they posted on Texas Sports. My observations were this:

Mack Brown appeared pissed, but not sure what he was pissed at.

Muschamp looked sick, like someone had killed his old dog.

Davis looked ready for a snack.

91 defense was amazing group that was totally wasted after the “shock the world” season. Very low time that was.

Muschamp will have them healthier and ready to play saturday but the offense is incapable of scoring 3 touchdowns in a game and usually give up turnovers that lead to two. Not sure mack would know what to do if he wanted to make changes. GD too. I agree the game has passed them by and with the talent available on offense i’m not sure there are any changes we can make.

at this point they need to play young guys but they won’t. this season will be a waste and we’ll have nothing to show fo it next year in terms of getting younger guys playing time.

we have a guy that averages 10 ypc and the coaches don’t know how to get him the ball. they’ve admitted this. that’s really all anyone needs to know about MB and GD.

But… but…

The Statesman gave Earnest a “horns up” for leading the team in tackles.

Hard to get more insightful analysis than that.

“Iowa State schemed for our personnel very specifically and it showed on the field. Automatic runs when Kheeston wasn’t in the game”

What is this sorcery you speak of? I have it on good authority that it is hard enough to call plays that specifically scheme for you own personnel’s strength’s and weaknesses, but to scheme for the weaknesses of your opponent’s players? Guffaw.

I noticed Keenan Robinson guessing badly several times, ending up getting pinched inside.

2010 Longhorn Football plays with the same joy as the 2009-2010 Longhorn Basketball team.

I think we have a “shadow effect” going on. Statistically, this defense is one of the best in the nation.

1. in Total Defense
2. in yards per play allowed
3. in scoring defense (would be better if not for offense/special team turnovers in our own red zone)

They’ve had lapses and issues, but those stats are very impressive when you consider the lack of DTs and how often the offense has spit the bit.

Now, I think the defense is experiencing a “shadow effect.” Many Longhorn fans see the spectacularly bad offense and are not capable of separating the two units. And conversely, the defense can’t muster the mental strength to step out of the shadow of the oblong simpleton that has trouble cobbling together long, time consuming drives (with TDs) to get the defense a chance to rest & discuss strategy. (I’d be curious to know our average drive length compared to years past)

Finally, the most telling stat is that UT is #2 in fewest yards per play allowed. Our opponents are not getting easy yards. What better barometer is there? Our defense can’t prevent our punt returner from fumbling on our own 5 yard line, or offense from turning the ball over in our red zone, but they have don’t a GREAT job of making the opponent earn every inch of turf.

I have little doubt that if UT had actually found a respectable running game during the spring and summer practices, this defense would be #1 in the nation, and we might be undefeated.

Saw the exact same things. When Randall sat they ran it right at us. When Randall played they went after the Englishmen. Very nice game plan by ISU. Can’t remember when we actually picked at a defense’s weak point. We admittedly don’t even know who we have in the game at any given time so matchups are meaningless to our offense.

They attacked our light skinned duo of weakness about as well as a bunch of crappy players could. Matched their crap on ours and were able to make enough plays to win.

Muschamp is an idiot for not trying different personnel in the secondary and for not trying something different at MLB. There, I said it.

that should read, “but they have done a GREAT job of making the opponent earn every inch of turf.”

There did seem to be a strange lack of accountability from Muschamp this week. If your D is laying down, why not give Jordan Hicks a chance? Adrian Phillips? Hell, maybe even try to plug Calvin Howell or pull the shirt from Bible just to add the second run-stuffer? It was pretty obvious that with the lead, ISU was content to hand the ball off to Robinson, and he was still getting 5+ yards a pop.

The Blake Gideon phenomenon is even starting to mystify me. Kenny Vaccaro looked like he had a decent game out there. You’re telling me this team wouldn’t be better with Vaccaro + one of Gideon or Scott?

The thought of this D next year is a little scary. We lose Acho, Eddie Jones, and Curtis. Some may call losing Chykie addition by subtraction, but AJ White and Byndom have gotten almost no run. Williams is almost definitely gone. Outside chance of losing Randall and Robinson. So we return E. Acho, yes. Gideon and Scott, ugh.

those guys would be dumb to leave early. very good chance there will be no nfl played next year.

I saw the 7-inch man tackle Kirkendoll.

I disagree with all of the excuse-making for Muschamp and his defense. “But Ransom, the offense is so bad that our defense gets its feelings hurt and gives up” Seriously? Then, what was the excuse against A$M last year when we had everything to play for? When Bama essentially ran at will with the NC on the line? On the opening drive of the second half against Ucla [an absolute horrible team]? On Saturday against a team that is not good enough to beat Lake Travis? I call BS.

What is emerging is that Will can scheme the hell out of a one-dimensional offense like Nebraska but if the offense has any ability at all to pass and run, he can and does get outcoached.

Muschamp is literally the very last thing we need to be worried about. We’ve got a defense with some personnel holes that’s ranked 6th in total defense. Find something else to bitch about ransom. I’m sure it won’t be hard.

I’m struggling to understand why Muschamp is allowing players like Gideon to continue playing when there seem to be other, better options available (e.g. Vaccarro & Scott at safety).

Either he’s being forced to get certain players into the lineup (by decree from Mack), he’s hung up on the notion that “good practice always means good game play”, or maybe he’s got some deficiencies that the “cult of Will” can’t / won’t acknowlege. I have to admit that I’m puzzled by some of his schemes at times this year and I can’t explain what I’m seeing.

In any event, the spread of malaise from the offense to the defense is a big problem.

I’m not convinced that Scott is all that better of an option.

As the Nebraska game ended, one of the announcers said “Texas won’t lose another game this year.”

At the time, I thought he was absolutely right.

Agreed, nordberg. It’s hard to play great defense when you’re missing one DT, a LB or two and at least one safety. I will agree we should be letting some of the younger guys get experience, since this season is now officially in the toilet.

Please go review your revisionist history. National Championship game 2nd half Bama drives:
1. 3 and out (5 yds)
2. 3 and out (-4 yds)
3. 3 and out (-1 yd)
4. 10 plays, 60 yds, missedd field goal
5. 5 plays, 28 yds, punt
6. 3 plays, 3 yds, TD
7. 3 plays, 27 yds, TD

Alabama had 263 total yards for the ENTIRE GAME. Defense was not the problem in that game. They are obviously not the same unit this year as last, but to say that they bear an equal amount of the blame as the offense this year is asinine.

This was a team loss. Allowing four touchdowns to ISU at home is unforgivable.

That said, Muschamp’s been dealt a pretty weak playing hand this season. He’s handcuffed by the dearth of players at tackle and safety.

In a way, I feel that we, the Texas fans, are the true victims of Andre Jones’ armed robbery.

I have to see an explanation on what is going on with Hicks. I saw on BC that he had 11 tackles last week and I dont know if he even played this week.

Whats the story there?

I dont understand the amount of give up I am seeing on this defense and it is definitely there. Second half of the Bama game they fought like lions and kept us in it when any other team would have rolled over. Is it just as simple as DT depth?

Is it just as simple as DT depth?

That certainly doesn’t help.

The loss of Earl Thomas’s epic ballhawkery has been huge, as well. After glancing at the game stats, I am convinced we lost this game almost entirely because of turnover margin. Texas out-gained Iowa State, but -3 in turnovers led to a 7-point loss.

If the offense eliminates a couple of those turnovers, or if the defense generates a couple, Texas wins this game 28-14.

nordberg – I meant that Vaccarro & Scott are a better combination than Gideon & Scott. Vaccarro isn’t an ideal free safety, but he’s better than either of the other two. Scott has shortcomings, but he brings more intensity on run support than Gideon, which is why I think he’s an upgrade. I don’t see Gideon adding much value unless you can put him in deep Cover 1 and let him play center field (not much of an option these days).

For that matter, let’s see some of the younger guys at safety and see who can play.

Bill Little:http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/102410aaa.html

Nuff said. Lol!

All BC Tailgates are on hold until further notice. We’re 0-2, featuring two of the worst home losses in the mack brown era. This is the only explanation.

re: Bill Little.

- "In the world of human behavior, Mack Brown has called it ‘responsibility without control.’ "

- “It doesn’t help much to remind yourself that this kind of thing is happening all over America. In fact, things are so topsy-turvy in college football this season that after Nebraska’s defeat of Oklahoma State and Missouri’s win over Oklahoma, the Longhorns – with two defeats – are still mathematically in the race for the Big 12 South Division title.”

- “What is important here, as the team and coaches try to figure out how to get there from here, is to appreciate the great run Texas has had.”

- “In the locker room following the game, Mack was as stern with the team as he was with the media. Now, he had said, is not the time for finger pointing. It’s a time for soul-searching.”

- “That is the supreme challenge for the coaches and the players, and that is the most frustrating part of being a coach, when what seem to be good parts are not working. You are looking for answers, but first you have to define the question.”

My God – these guys are priceless. Let me know when it’s over.

Paging Fake Ken Tremendous

“what seem to be good parts are not working. You are looking for answers, but first you have to define the question."

This is all I had to read from mr. little,what dribble. Someone said it best earlier, this staff along with deloss is “stale and old” and complacency will keep them from making any major changes for a couple of years. It’s exactly the same in the corporate world when good ol boys are running things, their buddies who aren’t performing somehow get shielded until the shit finally hits the fan and then someone wakes up.

if we lose to ucla, isu and baylor at home shit has to change…but it won’t.

Given that we’ve got some decent evidence that Vaccaro can cover competently (That TD against OU, he had great coverage, it was just a great throw) there is a pretty good chance you could slide him into the Free Safety spot. He was all over the underneath part of that double team on the 3rd TD.

Which is why he was pointing at Scott after the catch.

Scott’s a mess, but Scip is spot on: We are starting two strong safeties right now. Scott’s better in run support. Ergo, Gideon should sit.

I just watched Mack’s Monday press conference. He said they showed the team pictures of Iowa State’s campus and their colors and mascots because they just don’t know who they are, being up north and all. That’s high-level preparation of a kind not every program provides.

I was hoping your post-mortem would shed light on the mystery of why Hicks didn’t get any snaps. I smell “it’s only Iowa St. so let’s let the loyal senior start and play the whole game.”

“What is emerging is that Will can scheme the hell out of a one-dimensional offense like Nebraska but if the offense has any ability at all to pass and run, he can and does get outcoached.”

Was thinking the exact same thing on Saturday. And when Nebraska did put the ball in the air, our defense gave them huge opportunities to be successful.

I understand he is dealing with attrition, injury issues and offense and special teams that look like they are coached by me, but he is the highest paid DC in the country and I don’t think is it too much to ask to see a little “doing more with less” out of that side of the ball.

Scipio — Regarding the “issues between our ears”: Don’t mean to stump for another site here (especially one on which the seas were a little stormy recently), but I thought Ross Lucksinger had a very sharp take on the mental aspect in this piece:
http://insidetexas.com/news/story.php?article=2765
(That’s subscriber-only I think, so you may or may not be to read it. But worth the time if you can.)

stuckinmn – I thought that was Fake Ken Tremendous’ parody at first.

Scipio:

After Texas took it away, then gave it back, I’d swear ISU ran the same play four times and got it in the endzone. What the hell was that simple inside play? Texas never seemed to have an answer for it.

“I just watched Mack’s Monday press conference. He said they showed the team pictures of Iowa State’s campus and their colors and mascots because they just don’t know who they are, being up north and all. That’s high-level preparation of a kind not every program provides.”

It’s a sad state of affairs on the 40 acres that after reading this statement I have no idea if you’re being sarcastic or not. Truly – deeply – I hope you are.

TxZen, I wish I was joking but I’m absolutely serious. You can watch the video of the press conference on Mack’s site.

You pay Mus-chump how much for that kind of bullsh*t defensive “coordinating”? A cool mill $??? To get run over by Slick Rick and passed silly by the Cy-clowns? And he’s the leading candidate to retire “Mr February”?

And you get commits from how many “All-World” Tex-ass HS players, always just after LOI Day ???

Erf! Erf! Erf! Start recruiting PA and CA and Ohio, THEN maybe you can glory in another “close-but-no-cigar” attempt at a MNC under the Chump & Feb-Champ regime!!

WM after beating the Huskers: “I’m the same idiot who’s going to call the Iowa State game.”

I’m married to an ISU grad and we have had a struggle for the hearts and minds of our 2 children. I’ve been chipping away, subtly pointing out to my children that if they want to be a winner they better choose wisely.

After several years of lobbying and even taking a trip to Lincoln with my 7 year old girl so she could enjoy the excitement of Longhorn football, she finally begs me to paint her room burnt orange (my victory here was probably also helped by the fact that my wife, as an ISU grad, just does not give much of a shit about college football).

So after going to Home Depot on Friday to pick out the perfect shade of orange and staying up late to complete the paint job, this is what I get. I could still smell the fumes of paint wafting through my house as I watched this steaming pile of shit Saturday morning.

Screw you Mack.

Didn’t O Giles anchor the DLine during that 1991 season? I was a junior at the time and I can’t remember if he had already graduated or not. Whatever the case, he was definitely there during the shitty offensive years and he needs to light a fire under his guys to play with passion regardless of what the village idiot in the pressbox does.

I woke up this morning immediately terrified about Saturday. That’s a very sad state of affairs that I’m actually considering skipping the Baylor game on TV because I can’t bare to stomach a loss to the Baptists. Here’s hoping these guys find some pride over the next 5 days.

I’m confused. When did Earl T(homas) turn into a dog that talks like Steve Harvey?

I may be overreacting here.

Scip alluded to it and Bateshorn mentions the play but no one else really mentioned it, but HOW THE F IS IT OK TO POINT AT YOUR TEAMMATE IN THE ENDZONE AFTER GIVING UP A TD????

I don’t care if Scott had good coverage or took a dump at the 5 yard line and watched ISU score, Vaccarro CANNOT point fingers on the field of play. That right there was the act that stuck a fork in the season and maybe the whole Mack era for me. And it was the unit that’s supposed to be the strength of this team? Quick to assess blame and not accept results AS A TEAM? I was more disgusted by that single act than anything that GDGD touched, if only because I expect Muschamp to have those guys on the same page AS A UNIT. I don’t care that they gave up the TD, I really don’t. Shit happens and frankly after the first half I knew we were watching UCLA redux.

I just really didn’t expect a Muschamp/Mack unit to point fingers at each other.

And let me just say that Will Muschamp is the only good thing we have going right now. echeese I am not. On a day when there was absloutely nothing positive to talk about, that reaction stuck out to me as the lowlight of the day.

Dude -
 
Overreact much?
 
Vaccaro didn’t point at him and dance around screaming “It was on you!” He pointed at him while saying, “Hey, you’re supposed to have me covered up top.” He gestured.
 
Frankly, we need more people on this team calling each other out. Not less.

Not to beat a dead horse but Greg Davis needs to go. The only reason he has a job is because of a couple teenagers(namely VY, Colt, and Ricky Williams). I love Mack and he as done a tremendous job reviving us from the Macovic(sp?) days but his loyalty to our inept OC is killing us. Colt and VY were elusive enough to create plays whenn the sh*tty plays Davis called broke down. Ricky was just a good running back so all we had to do was call off tackle run right and off tackle run left then throw in a play action here and there. Gilbert has a ton of talent but without a running game or a well defined offensive scheme, he is going to continue to struggle(I mean can you imagine what a kid like that would do in a Mike Leach-esque system). I love the Horns and will always support them but why is it all the fans can see the problems with the coaching but the athletic dept can’t? So frustrating………….

Yea I know, Scip. Maybe we more people on this blog calling each other out!

I have a general rule that if I have to open or close a statement with “I’m not echeese” or “I’m not a racist” to defend myself before anyone even responds, I generally do not speak/type that statement.

I would let vaccaro point at anyone he wants. he’s likely to kill a dude. so i’m not going to tell him what to do.

Vaccaro is half of a quality pair of safeties. I haven’t seen the other half. Earl Thomas covered his part and half of the other guys.

Scott seems like a linebacker to me. Gideon is a left fielder. I’d like to see more of the freshmen corners who flash their abilities on kick coverage get a shot at free safety. Especially when we leave the free safety in man coverage at the line of scrimmage.

Blueshorn said:

October 25th, 2010 at 9:31 am

I just watched Mack’s Monday press conference. He said they showed the team pictures of Iowa State’s campus and their colors and mascots because they just don’t know who they are, being up north and all.

Holy f-ing shit. Just when I think Mack can’t stoop any lower…

He daring UT to fire his ass.

Mr. Orange – pretty sure Giles was a senior in ’90. The ’91 line, I think, was Jeter, Patton, Dronett, and Robinson. The offense was decent in ’90. I thought that Hadnot was going to go onto NFL riches at the time…

Fuck this shit……it ain’t that hard.

I didn’t understand the “find something else to worry about besides the defense” sentiment after the UCLA game. or after the OU game. and I sure as shit don’t understand it now.

yes. we all have eyes (presumably). we all understand the offense sucks. that greg davis sucks. that there’s no good reason that dj monroe isn’t playing. that garrett gilbert probably wasn’t as good as most of us thought. the offense is the “primary reason” that we suck as a football team.

but I just can’t be happy with this defense. point to “emotional pressure” or whatever the fuck you want to. they’ve played like shit in our two “most embarassing” games in recent memory. if you’re ok with that, I don’t understand that.

mushchamp’s “scheme” on saturday was about as good as GD’s. ditto on the in-game adjustmentments.

really…it’s ok to have standards for muschamp. he’s not a demigod!

Haha, you asshats thought you could defend my legume-based offense!