Tuesday Practice Report From The Asset

i dont care what quarterback it is, im just glad one of them is finally taking the reins. (i really am glad its GG though)

We need some real football already.

Good to hear that the receivers are beginning to step up.
It won’t matter much how Gilbert improves if no one wants to catch the ball down the field.
With that and what we’ve heard of the TE play, the offense has a chance to be really good.

Thank God and Jesus, I can go to sleep now.

Thanks, didn’t think there’d be too much.
 
I’ve think I’ve got a pretty clear grasp of our depth charts now.
 
OFFENSE
 
QB – Gilbert, McCoy/Ash (some AND/OR whatever)
Package – Ash
 
RB’s
 
Primary Every Down – Whittaker, Brown, Bergeron
Short Yardage – Cody/Bergeron
FB – Cody/Roberson
3rd Down – Whittaker/Bergeron/DJ Monroe
Package – DJ Monroe
 
Outside looking in: Shead, Hills
 
WR
 
Top 6
 
Shipley
White
Davis
Harris
Onyegbule
Hales
 
TE – Grant/Irby/Terrell
Block TE – Jones (if eligible), Matthews
 
OT Hopkins
OG Walters
C Espinosa
OG Snow
OT Allen
 
Ashcraft is 3rd OG. Not sure about rest. Ready for some surprises with freshman.
 
DEFENSE
 
DE Okafor – Wilson – Reed
DT Randall – Daniels
DT Howell – Dorsey – Jackson
DE Jeffcoat – Johnson – Reed
 
Wilson is 3rd DE. DTs = waves of bodies + Randall.
 
LB Acho – Cobbs
LB Robinson – Edmond- Benson
LB Hicks – Jackson/Benson
 
Everyone is cross-trained. Wouldn’t sweat positions much. Edmond is MLB all the way.
 
CB Diggs – White
CB Byndom – Turner
FS Gideon – Phillips – Thompson
SS Vaccaro – Brewster – Scott
Nickel – Phillips
 
Phillips is the #1 backup at every DB position, no matter what the depth chart says. Scott is in a deep doghouse.

No shit. You tell that Asset o’ yours to get on the horse a bit sooner. I mean, why we payin’ him?

As for the football-if Gilbert is the guy, then at least he’s pulling it together or so it would seem.

He made all the correct reads, was as accurate as he’s been all camp, and showed off the arm strength we all know he has.

Ha,were it only true that everyone did know that. I’ve heard plenty of commentators—even on BC—positing that Gilbert’s arm is not quite as impressive as Tim Wakefield’s

I also hear a lot about how bad his “mechanics” are with no actual attempt to describe what in particular is wrong with his mechanics.

These types of criticisms tend to make me think certain people have no fucking idea what they are talking about.

You know who you are.

I’ve been checking the front page quite frequently tonight. Glad this is out so I can go back to watching the last episode of The Hour.

From this report, it sounds like Mack and Co. are bringing out the stone tablets to finish etching the depth chart. All we need now is the Thursday scrimmage and the tablets will then be brought up to Mount Bellmont for consecration.

Scip -

Is that a top 6 ranking of the WRs from top to bottom, or just the best 6 we have on the roster and the order in which they are listed is irrelevant?

Oh oh oh. I have a question: How big of an inverse boner do I have right now?

Answer: trick question. I have a full, outward facing boner.

@GarryCrowbar

I read somewhere that the scrimmage for Thursday was scrapped as a “scrimmage” and set more-so in the tune of “Rice preparation”. I could be wrong though.

Kasey,

I heard the same. mainly just game situation type stuff. It should really give clues on what the depth chart will be, if Mack hasn’t already publicly set by then.

*set it by then

I know this might be protected info, but what’s up with Scott’s doghouse? Last I heard he was impressing with his unexpected physicality.

“Ash and McCoy worked on their specialized package of plays, especially Ash.”

How often and under what circumstances do you think the Ash situational package of plays will be trotted out during the Rice game?

Kasey -
 
Sorry, for lack of clarity. We’ll play 6. The first three are starters. The next three back up. I don’t sweat positions as Harsin tends to spin some of those notions on their head. It’s reasonable to assume White is an outside receiver, Shipley inside, Davis can do both etc.
 
Shipley – White – Davis
Harris – Onyay – Hales
 
I think John Harris become a QB security blanket early on as our #4.
 
Dagga -
 
Christian, not Leroy.

Yeah, things must be settled for the 2 deep with the light amount of work on the slate. I also think the 2 deep is less important than in years past – the new staff seems committed to throw a lot of bodies on the field based on skill set and the appropriate use of skills. That’s like actual coaching and shit. I know, it’s weird to not have a hierarchy based on seniority.

Phillips will be vital to the success of our defense despite not necessarily being a starter at any specific spot. I’m all right with GG getting the nod at QB, especially if the run game works. Hopefully the pressure of a short leash doesn’t weigh on him like the pressure to be the magic play generator last season did.

Additionally, I like the dial back in intensity this week. Reading the Vaccaro interview left me with the impression that someone would be killed based on the hits that guys were starting to dish out. Save that stuff for the kids from Rice.

Best development this week: thujone posting multiple comments. I sure do enjoy his wormwood corrupted I’d.

*id

That damn conspiracy theorist on the other thread now has me wondering…it is suspiciously nice how the narrative worked out to get the fans back behind GG as the starter. Then again, it also could be the result of successful QB development from the coaching staff. I guess that’s something we aren’t used to. I’m going to trust HarsinWhite on this one…for now.

Dude…

I think if GG shits the bed, he’s gone and you can root on the next guy. If he does well, cheer him on. I don’t think KSU redux is likely. These guys aren’t flush with house money.

Pretty simple, really.

Scip – Ahsoo.

Sailor – exactly, exactly, exactly. The QB fretting is way too overwrought. if Plan A doesn’t work the coaches have Plans B, C, and D already sketched out.

thujone – someone told me you pronounce your name “Thug One” and dish out crazy exaggerated gang signs when you talk.

Just sayin’, that’s out there.

Kasey,

Thanks for the heads up. Looks like the timetable on those etchings was expedited. Expect a lightning storm over Mount Bellmont.

As an aside, the final episode of The Hour was fantastic. All of you have the internet, so you should find your favorite illicit streaming site and enjoy six hours of brilliant British television.

roach-

Mechanically his release point is too high, his feet are not set in the direction of his throw, his eyes are locked in on his target and his release is too long.

In fact he looks like he has a pitchers release and not that of a QB. It does not even take a trained eye to see his obvious mechanical issues.

I read somewhere that Mack Brown has been stopping by Brackenridge on his way home every night trying to slump bust our special teams issues. Did anyone else see that? Any confirmation from the Big Cigar?

Seriously, though. In the interview posted on MB-TF.com he was asked about ST’s and his response was, “Special teams were NOT good last year.” (News to me) “We’re really working hard on it” (Grundle punch to these ears) “I expect our special teams to look much better.” (Is this the same Mack that was feeling really good about the running game in 2010, or is this the new Mack)

Also, mechanically Gilbert tends to be photographed a lot when cocking back to pass with his left hand up and wrist bent in a very effeminate pose, as a number of photos on MB-TF tend to show. Can’t overestimate the impact of this.

RE: Scip’s depth chart…some other names for consideration (non-OL).

Dravannti Johnson over Reed at 3rd DE?
Chris Jones at WR7 or package like Monroe/Brett Favre’s cellphone
MJ McFarland…to RS or not to RS
LeRoy Scott and Sheroid Evans possibly making 2-deep over Turner (or 3-deep for depth)
Chris Whaley at RB…FB…H-Back…DE…err, DT!

I read somewhere that Mack Brown has been stopping by Brackenridge on his way home every night trying to slump bust our special teams issues.

So you’re saying Mack is a Zeta during rush forced to run “errands”?

@skipeo techs

Interesting about the RB depth chart. I guess the question now is how does Shead project at DT?

I saw a practice picture from a few days ago that showed Gilbert with his eyes uncomfortably wide open. I get the idea that he’s heard all the squinting comments and now feels he has to show everyone his eyes are fine.

Like when my dad throws his back out trying to prove he isn’t old.

Gilbert with his eyes wide open is like Luke Skywalker trying to hit the exhaust port with his targeting computer turned on…it’s just not natural.

Packages for Ash AND McCoy? This is not getting near enough attention. What soothe packages for McCoy consist of? Throwing off his back foot to a covered receiver or just a simple screen pass that takes advantage of arm strength

I think the mechanics issue for Gilbert last year was aiming at the wrong team. It’s a pretty simple fix, really. Get that straightened out and he’s good to go.

Then it’s agreed: ixnyegbule on the arterbackyegbule ettingfryegbule.

The McCoy package is going to be run once, will involve somebody hiding in a laundry hamper, and happens to coincide with the Cleveland Browns’ bye week.

Jc25,

I’m saying he’s more like Mark Grace during a hitting slump, but instead of “taking the wood to a fatty” he’s “taking the wood to a dead-y.”

Yes, I had to look up the phrase “slump busting” on Urban Dictionary after reading Scipio’s brilliant SOTU yesterday.

Based on the early reports and depth chart, it sounds like the last 2 Kennedy specials are doing surprisingly well. Sounds like Harris is becoming what we thought Greg Timmons was going to be.

@jc
Actually, I think Mack would be more of a DG than a Zeta, but good point. Could we here some more on the special teams?

“hear” duh, still early for me.

So, Demarco Cobbs = Drew Kelson 2.0….bigger, stronger, faster? I can live with that.

Ya’ll have it easy in Austin. Try going to a college where the whole female student body was slumpbusters.

Scipio – I thought the reason Christian was in the doghouse was his “impressing with his unexpected physicality.”

McCoy package might look similar to the famed cluster flux.

…which isn’t all that accurate.

Gilbert has a history of struggling at short-medium distance and has doubtful mechanics in such situations. By this I mean, among other things, that given any pressure he throws off his back foot, he doesn’t know how to tilt his wrist to adjust to unexpected lateral movement of his receivers, and he has doubtful command over his arm strength in making that adjustment as well.

So if, in the Rice game, we again see him try to throw to an open receiver 15 yards away, and instead of the ball hitting the receiver on the hands, it lands on the ground five feet in front of, or behind, the receiver?

Or worse, it lands in the hands of a linebacker?

I won’t be at all surprised.

But I will be surprised if, after multiple iterations of such an event, Ash is actually allowed to come in.

Longhorn in Canada -
 
Well played.

I spoke to my friend last night and he had a few interesting things to say:

1. The account in the paper that Gilbert is struggling with short-to-intermediate passes but hitting the long balls is incorrect. Gilbert has been on target with short and medium passes but has been inconsistent with the deep ball. Im not sure it matters one way or the other. It was just something my friend was adamant about and was surprised that the paper got it as wrong as they did.

2. Gilbert is the starter and Case is the backup. Gilbert has been on fire ever since that “come to jesus” talk he had with Harsin and Mack. In the practices since, he has looked like the kid we all saw coming out of LT. He is more vocal, he is having fun and he is letting the ball fly. The light has come on in a major way and the difference has been incredible. Hopefully it will continue to stay on for the games!

3. Harsin is a stickler for details and mechanics. He has drilled perfect mechanics into every single QB. To help Gilbert with his “tipped ball” issue, he incorporated a drill where he makes the QBs stand directly behind the goalpost and throw it over the crossbars and then to the receivers. So it has to clear 10 feet + in a matter of a few feet and then come back down to the target. It has really helped Gilbert make the adjustment. The first several made a loud CLANK but now he clears it with ease.

4. Ash still looks great at times and like a rookie at others. He has a nice arm and makes good reads but still has a tendency to pull the ball down and run at this point. Harsin wants him to go through his progressions a little longer before bailing. He apparently has no problem with the goal post drill as he sails it over every single time. The kid is a great looking prospect but we would definitely have some growing pains if he had to play early.

5. Davis and Jaxon are back to catching everything that comes close to them. Miles and Harris are not too far behind them. The receiving corp is ridiculous this year when you consider White might just be the 4th or 5th best receiver on the team.

6. Mal Brown continues to shine and is now really looking special. His combination of size, speed and cutting ability do not come along very often. My friend says Brown is closer to Ricky that Ced and he will push for carries from the get go. Expect him to be the starter sooner than later.

My friend believes this team could surprise some people this year. He said they might lose a game or two but they will be in every game and they can and will grind with anyone. This is a hard working, serious team with a lot of leadership and a lot of motivation. It is a humbled and pissed off Texas team with lots to prove. He likes our chances against anyone.

That’s all I have for today!

Good stuff, thanks for posting LT. I’m interested in seeing the whole offense unleashed but I doubt we see that until BYU. I bet you three different players take snaps from center that game.

LT, what’s the word on Paden Kelley? I’m just curious since he’s a LT alum too, figured you’d be asking about his progress. I know there were high expectations.

LT Alum -
 
Thanks for the perspective.

Newey25

Thanks for playing.

Mechanically his release point is too high

Every throw on a football field will have a different release point. It’s not like pitching where you are essentially throwing to the same place every time. If his release point was consistently too high, he would always be overthrowing receivers, or putting to much air under the ball, I have not seen this to be the case. I’m open to your evidence to the contrary though.

his feet are not set in the direction of his throw,

I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you just worded this poorly, and that you don’t really believe anyone throws a football with “their feet set in the direction of the throw”?

his eyes are locked in on his target
This is really a mental issue, not a mechanical one, i.e instead of reading his keys, he is looking at his first option and staying there. This may have been because, he wasn’t familiar enough with the plays, or it may be he just freezes up a bit under pressure.

On this at least we agree.
It appears from the film I’ve seen, his triangle is a bit off, his left elbow is above his right and he tends to release the football with his left hand too early allowing a longer wind up.

That said, mechanical issues are far less of a problem with a QB than the mental ones. Look at Philip Rivers for instance, that guy looks like a shot putter, yet, he’s one of the top QB’s in the NFL.

and by the way, thanks for the insight. Good read.

my pleasure JS and Scip. just passing on the little bit i hear.

TDL: Paden has great feet and could be a really good LT for us if he would just get rid of the bad attitude. If he will put his head down and put in the work, the results will be there for him. But until he gets out of his own way, he will continue to struggle and play in spots.

much appreciated, lt. i’ve said for some time that i think malcolm is closer to ricky because of his speed and great balance, and i think that’s true. though, i’m basing off other peoples’ comments and aging youtubes. i look at his junior youtubes and try to extrapolate some more size. his losing the weight makes all the diff and makes it hard to extrapolate.

fantastic word on qbs and wrs, too. really nice to hear that mike and jaxon are dialed in again, and i wasn’t expecting a lot from miles since he hadn’t played receiver for a while. great to hear.

also really liked hearing how harsin is dealing with the issues. the guy is an innovator more than a couple of ways, i gather.

thanks for the update on paden. sure hope the guys can square something with him. he would make a difference for us, and we would make a difference for him.

“To help Gilbert with his "tipped ball" issue, he incorporated a drill where he makes the QBs stand directly behind the goalpost and throw it over the crossbars and then to the receivers.”

Good to hear. No reason for a young man his height to continue with the low balls around the line. This sort of drill can also be done with ladders.

I’m trying to visualize how this crossbar drill works. I mean, how far downfield does the receiver run? I keep getting the idea that the ball is thrown vertically up, and if you do that, how do you control the trajectory to the WR?

Impressive drill, though. Harsin may be a really special coach.

If Gilbert stops those balls tipped at the line which turned into interceptions, we may be golden. I can recall at least 3 INTs where the ball was in our WRs hands, but not caught (when it should have been caught), and resulted in an INT.

Cut out the balls tipped and the line and get the WRs to hold onto the dang ball, and the passing game may become ferocious.

These reports are surely too good to be true, but if they reflect objective reality, we’re gonna win 10 games.

XOVERX, there’s not a team on our schedule without glaring holes and that includes OU after injuries to the front 7. If we get solid QB play, we’ll win 10 games.

LT

What are you hearing about the CBs other than what we’ve already heard? Sharing is caring.

Is the team off today (wed) or will we get a practice report? If the answer is no, can you please make one up?

“If we get solid QB play, we’ll win 10 games.”

I woulda thunk OL depth/inexperience is our biggest hole. I guess those two are related though – solid pass protection is more or less a prerequisite to solid QB play.

Yep, Malcolm Brown has turf toe, Case McCoy is juandiced, and Garrett Gilbert was diagnosed with glaucoma. Aside from that everyone looked fucking good.

Seriously no practice today but we should have multiple source coverage on the scrimmage tomorrow.

XOVERX—

Not sure which crossbar/goal post drill Harsin is using, but could be something like:

“Drop over drill – quarterback stands at the 10 yardline facing the goalpost. With his feet planted, he must touch pass the ball over the crossbar to his receiver on the backside of the endline behind the crossbar. Challenge him to increments of 5 yards as he loosens up down the field.”
Coincidentally posted by a HS OC in Boise at footballpipeline.com

or

“One-Step Drill

The purpose of this drill is improving the quarterback’s initial flexion and throwing step, as well as his hips, shoulders and right foot at finish.

The quarterback aligns eight yards behind the goalpost (approximating a five-step drop from the back of the end zone), with the receiver at the 10-yard line (18 yards away). The goal is for the quarterback to make a quality throw to the chin of the receiver. The ball should pass directly over the goalpost – about two feet above the crossbar. "
By John Sheridan posted at americanfootballmonthly.com

An example of using ladders instead: Chris Palmer stood 8’ or so step ladders in front of David Carr to encourage him to throw overhand more often and reduce batted balls. If you bought the right model, you could also use these to have a quarterback throw through the rungs in certain drills.

Here’s a link to a throwing motion piece on Smart Football from 2009 as a bonus:
http://smartfootball.com/uncategorized/improving-a-quarterbacks-throwing-motion

XOVERX,
“I’m trying to visualize how this crossbar drill works. I mean, how far downfield does the receiver run? I keep getting the idea that the ball is thrown vertically up, and if you do that, how do you control the trajectory to the WR?”

The crossbar is a simulation of the DL getting their hands up. The crossbar is 10 feet high, which is about how high most DL can get up in game conditions (remember they are wearing football uniforms and getting smacked in the midsection). The QB stands a few steps back of the crossbar, the same distance as between the pocket and the LOS. The drill forces the QB to throw a pass that is reliably up quick enough. The receivers presumably run a variety of routes.

You have to think that when a QB can find an opening to throw through so that he can fire the ball on a frozen rope that it will reduce the closing time for DBs (and other defenders) to screw up a pass.

speaking of malcolm brown, check out his body lean (and his lean body, for that matter!) in the 3rd photo for the aug 23rd practice on mack’s site:

http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/view.gal?id=100066

when did you last see that in a 215lb+ running back?

by the way, when i mention malcolm reminding of ricky, i don’t mean heisman year ricky. it’s appropriate to compare him to freshman ricky. remember number 11 streaking down the field? not out of the question that malcolm can build a body like ricky did, but if he can put in a freshman year anything like ricky did, we’ll probably do very well.

i have zero faith in GG, hope i’m wrong but he didn’t improve one bit last year and even into the Spring and early Summer. He is no Lisa Minnelli, he melts when the big stage lights come on.

I would also like to know what special packages McCoy can run, he drops the ball all the way to his hip before he throws, don’t know why they have him as number two. Im afraid Ash just won’t be warmed up enough for Mack and he won’t get any game this year…

Correcting bad mechanics that one has been doing throughout a football career is not always possible. When he gets put in a stressful game situation or gets hit repeatively in a game he is likely to go back to the bad mechanics. We will just have to see what happens (probably BYU and UCLA games).

Hey Jesus – DROP THE “F” WORD – IT’S OFFENSIVE! NOT APPROPRIATE FOR SOMEONE WITH THE NAME “JESUS.” YOUR MOMMY WOULDN’T BE PROUD1