In Defense Of Jamaal Charles
There are a couple big debates over on hornfans™ about our running game and Greg Davis. Wade through all the nonsense if you want, but I wouldn’t recommend it, on account of my not wanting to see this site’s readership die off of forehead vein explosions. The main topic in most of them have come down to two sides, either Jamaal Charles runs too east/west, or the scheme and Davis force it.
I believe that players have inherent talent. I believe that it’s the coaches job to teach it, mold it, and utilize it. Alex Smith was a #1 pick because of Urban Meyer. Chris Simms was a third round pick because of Greg Davis. Roy Williams was mentioned for as many Heismans as I was. Remember when we were about to lose to Arkansas in 03 and he was alone on the bench with a towel covering his head? A penny for his thoughts buys you a whole bunch of expletives aimed at his coaches I bet.In Charles’ case, he clearly has talent. He oozes it. He slips out of tight spots better than MacGyver or that Asian kid from The Goonies. He has oil shoes, or something. Nobody will argue otherwise. So lets put his freshman season in perspective.
2001- Cedric Benson comes in and dazzles everyone with how fast and hard he hits holes. He is the quickest, most aggressive back since Ricky, and we love him. We clamor for him to start. He is clearly better than Hodges Mitchell.
2002 - Cedric struggles behind an awful OL. He becomes timid and slow, knowing no hole is awaiting him. All his high school bred instincts are overrun because of a bad scheme and a bad OL. Taking out his 200 yard Iowa State game, he averages 3.2 yards per carry over his last 6 games. He has 64 yards against Baylor (BAYLOR! Anyone who struggles against them must SUCK!), while Selvin Young, the speedy, aggressive freshman has 98 on 14 carries. We love Selvin. We clamor for him to start. He is clearly better than Cedric Benson.
2003 - Ced starts off with a 3.9 ypc average. He’s toast. Put in Selvin. But then something magical happens, Vince young takes over. Benson finishes the season with 158 carries and a 5.9 ypc. Suddenly, there are holes and Benson is flashing his talent. There is hope.
2004 - The latter half especially, Vince is the starter and Benson is dominant. Nobody complains.
2005 - We start the artist formerly known as Selvin Young. Freshman Jamaal Charles dazzles us with a nearly 8 ypc average. We love Jamaal. We clamor for him to start. He is clearly better than Selvin Young.
2006 - No Vince. Our running game goes from all-time explosive down to a non-threat by the end of the year. Stupid scheme decisions, the weak play at OT, and the bad playcalling are back. Suddenly we don’t look so hot.
2007 - Arrives with no Selvin. Jamaal Charles is the man . . . but he can’t get untracked. Hotshot freshman Vondrell McGee dazzles us with his speed and power. We love him. We clamor for him to start. He is clearly better than Jamaal Charles.
So is he really? Benson was validated by a QB who took the pressure off of him. Without Vince, every single back we have (outside of Hodges Mitchell, who I believe had a death wish) got soft somewhere in his career. Vince single handedly made Cedric Benson a multi-millionaire. Look up Benson’s highlights on Youtube. Just like the NFL, you won’t see Chance Mock in there anywhere. Benson made his money while opposing LBs watched Vince.
Occasionally, late at night, Benson sends Vince “i can’t quit u” text messages.
You can see the difference between 05 Jamaal and 07 Jamaal. He is slower. He is less willing to head into the pile. He won’t cut upfield. His confidence with the ladies is probably gone. Just like Benson in 2002. I think it’s the same reason: there is just nowhere to run, and they are trained to expect it. If you ran into a wall 150 times, you’d certainly not have the same gusto on your 150th attempt as you had on your 1st (aside from Hodges, of course). He’s literally had his will to run beaten out of him.
We know Jamaal has the talent, we know Greg Davis is a buffoon, and we know our OL is less than stellar this year. So out of those three things, I ask you dear reader, where do you place the blame?
October 25, 2007 at 3:42 am
After his OU fumble, I swore off defending Jamaal. Our GDGD run game schemes are flawed, our OL is flawed, and Jamaal is flawed. I see no evidence that any of those flaws will be alleviated this season.
October 25, 2007 at 4:17 am
Any and all softness associated with this team emanates from Mack Brown, the softest man in college football.
As for hornfans, it is incredible how that site continues to go downhill. Truly a bottomless pit.
October 25, 2007 at 4:22 am
I can still remember some people calling for Brett Robin to start over Benson at one point, seeing Ramonce try to run everything around the corner and Selvin Young trying to break everything to the outside as a 220 lb junior.
The best thing to happen to McGee’s development is getting the majority of his snaps on the 2nd team with Chiles.
October 25, 2007 at 4:23 am
Yeah that fumble made me want to run down the from the upper deck and kick him in the nuts. That kid has his issues with handling the rock, that’s for sure.
October 25, 2007 at 6:15 am
“I think it’s the same reason: there is just nowhere to run, and they are trained to expect it.”
Yep. Charles gets veiled criticism from the coaches for running sideways, but most of the time he runs sideways it’s because there’s an unblocked DT or LB crashing into the backfield. Our line sucks. End of discussion.
October 25, 2007 at 6:34 am
I think Charles is the worst case of the bunch. I remember literally gasping at his gridiron brilliance his freshman year. I didn’t want to believe that it was all because of VY. Now I know, and am sadder and wiser for it.
I’m already looking forward to Tre Newton’s freshman season, though. He’s going to be great! They’d better sit McGee and let him play!
October 25, 2007 at 6:40 am
Other than his problems clutching the football, I don’t see how anyone can really cast much blame on Charles. He’s obviously talented beyond belief…we’ve seen it. It’s the staff’s responsibility to put him in a position to excell. They do not. No VY? Get a new system. Stop trying to force a square peg in a round hole. Improve and modify your strategy in the trenches. Slit greg davis’ throat and leave him for dead in a ditch. What?
October 25, 2007 at 6:42 am
“I’m already looking forward to Tre Newton’s freshman season, though. He’s going to be great! They’d better sit McGee and let him play!”
Funny. I’m glad you’re joking.
October 25, 2007 at 7:06 am
Greg Davis won a Broils Award. How many have Jamaal Charles won? Clowns. Coaches can’t make players make plays. Greg Davis has been excelent. Without that Charles fumble, we beat OU. Without Bret Robin missing a block assignment, we beat OU. Without Chris Simms throwing four interceptons, we win the Big 12. Coaching isnt the problem.
October 25, 2007 at 7:26 am
Is the problem shitty offensive line play, or is the problem zone blocking? I dont understand zone blocking schemes, but I do understand Charles not having holes to run through. And Cedrick Benson not having holes to run through. And Selvin Young not having holes to run through.
October 25, 2007 at 8:03 am
Exactly echeese.
BTW, I am sick of getting bashed on here for supporting the program and the coaches. Almost all of the other D-1 schools would kill to be in the position of Texas.
The records don’t lie. Most wins in the country and most 10 win seasons.
October 25, 2007 at 8:13 am
echeese, thats the most inane post i have ever read. davis won a broyles award because of VY periodand you know it. VY made a living on busted plays which had nothing to do with davis. we won the NC on a busted play. and just in case you didn’t know, they don’t give broyles awards to running backs, just coaches. jesus h.
without davis we beat OU not charles’ fumble. and as for you Sii, the only thing other D1 schools want from us is our recruiting not our coaching staff. if mack didnt bring in top 5 talent every year we wouldn’t be sniffing bowl games with this staff.
October 25, 2007 at 8:17 am
I didn’t respond to those posts becuase I’m pretty sure they were not geniune and satirical. I hope to god I’m right.
October 25, 2007 at 8:20 am
BigSatan, please give Mack back his soul that you took on 4th and 8.
October 25, 2007 at 8:25 am
No need to sell your soul with Black Jesus on your side.
You know who’s opinion we need on this issue? TLR’s. Big time.
October 25, 2007 at 8:39 am
mileslong - you say running backs cant win the Broyls Award, but then say Vince Young won it for Greg Davis. I guess its conveneint to have it both ways. The haters keep ignoring the facts and fit them to there own agenda. Sii is right. Mack and Greg have one more games than anyone else in the entire country, despite fumbles and interceptins and missed assignments. It takes good coaching to overcome mistakes on the field. The coaches arent on the field. The players have to execute. No excuses.
October 25, 2007 at 8:51 am
I don’t know if this is the original echeese - although the tone is similar - but those dudes HAVE to be on the payroll at Belmont. Nothing else makes any sense.
October 25, 2007 at 8:57 am
No checks from Bellmont for me. Just honest and without an agenda, unlike most of the whiners and complainers.
October 25, 2007 at 8:59 am
If that’s the original echeese then I’m the original Bill Little.
October 25, 2007 at 9:05 am
That was echeese satire.
And judging by the fish he reeled in, pretty damn good satire.
October 25, 2007 at 9:12 am
“honest and without an agenda”
Stop it, echeese, you’re killing us!
October 25, 2007 at 9:18 am
Imposter or not, the fact is that his posts make legitimate points.
we are in a rebuilding year with a young OL and defense in transition, two years removed from a MNC and will likely be in the Top 15 AGAIN with 10 wins AGAIN. LOL. you guys have to root against Texas for your positions to be justitified. our fanbase is the worst
October 25, 2007 at 9:32 am
Hey, that’s great Sii…. but what do you think of Chris Applewhite’s blog entry? You know, the one you’re posting on? What are you disagreeing with so vehemently?
October 25, 2007 at 9:35 am
One is HenryJames, the other is Chooky, or they’re both Scally.
Faux Sii-
How much of that ranking is given to us based on the fact that we are UT? If Kansas played the same schedule and had the same numbers and record as us, I can guarantee you that they are unranked and on no one’s radar. People here are annoyed that we see the same errors repeated every single year without Vince Young at QB, and the staff ignores things. Shouldn’t good coaching mean that problems get repaired over time…namely a running game without VY, for example? One would think. All people seek is improvement in trouble areas. We’re identical to Texas A&M in terms of coaching and development…we just start with better horses.
October 25, 2007 at 9:36 am
Also, it’s pretty funny that the Echeese imposter posted the most inane bullshit possible… and your first response was to say “Exactly!”, because it was supportive of our coaches.
“Greg Davis won a Broils Award. How many have Jamaal Charles won?”
Haha. Broils.
October 25, 2007 at 9:41 am
We’re the leader in wins because Mack isn’t totally incompetent. I don’t want to see him go anywhere. He’s the best recruiter in the country, not only in getting kids here, but selecting the right ones and building a cohesive team with both stars and role players.
And lets face it, the Big 12 has sucked ever since NU and KSU went in the tank. Outside of OU, this conference gives us nothing. We’re guaranteed 8-9 wins a year regardless of coach, with this talent.
For our wins, Mack deserves credit. But this post, and our frustrations, are not about winning ten games, it’s about not winning 11. We have better talent than OU this year, we just aren’t playing it. We’re running ourselves into the ground, literally.
I grew up with Mackovic’s mediocrity, so believe me, I appreciate the winning. But after nine years of watching the same mistakes, how can you not get a little frustrated?
October 25, 2007 at 9:45 am
Fine. Beleive what you want. This site is just a piss and moan meeting for the clown brigade / Bob Stoops fanclub. Well Stoops lost games too and he had more talent than anyone ever. Except USC when we beat the best team ever in the Rose Bowl with Vince Young and a bunch of nobodys. And who was our coach? Mack Brown and Greg Davis. You winers will never be happy.
October 25, 2007 at 9:50 am
I was plenty happy when we beat USC. Ask my step dad, I jumped on him and we fell to the ground like kids. And I think Stoops is the most overrated coach in the country.
Of course, I’m an independent thinker that looks at both sides of the issue and decides which makes more sense. With Ramonce Taylor, it was a talent issue. With Jamaal, I think it’s Davis.
Unlike you, I can sit, think, make a rational argument without getting emotional and labeling everyone like Senator McCarthy.
October 25, 2007 at 9:53 am
Nordberg - “Haha. Broils.” You can always tell the guy who is getting his butt kicked on the internet because he turns into the grammar police. That’s okay. You will be unhappy with winning and I will sit here with a smile on my face knowing the Longhorns are on top of the college football world year in and year out.
October 25, 2007 at 9:54 am
CrisApplewhite - You are the biggest trumpter of the Stoops’ brothers, and always have been.
October 25, 2007 at 9:57 am
Somewhere, HJ and Chooky are giggling on the floor and laughing their asses off. And then they’ll go watch Brokeback Mountain together.
October 25, 2007 at 9:57 am
I don’t know where that’s coming from. I’ve been all over Bobby’s overratedness since 2001, when he gutted a successful formula on offense to go more downfield, which didn’t work out.
Mike Stoops I think is a great defensive coach, but that’s it.
If you have any proof of my trumpeting I would like to see it.
October 25, 2007 at 9:58 am
This is some allsome parody.
October 25, 2007 at 10:00 am
good coaching means wins. no one has as many as Mack has had recently. coaching is not the problem. inexperience, bad luck, player mistakes and even weather are all more responsible for this team’s misfortune than Mack and Davis.
Mack and his turned this program around and don’t have to answer to anyone, particularly a bunch of monday morning QBs and wannabe coaches.
October 25, 2007 at 10:03 am
“This is some allsome parody.”
Too good. I’m not sure what is what now.
October 25, 2007 at 10:04 am
Ah, you had me going until the weather? I was giving you guys the benefit of the doubt until that. Nice one, Brickhorn (I assume).
October 25, 2007 at 10:07 am
“This is some allsome parody.” I see the king clown has put in his to cents. Why would I care what an overgrown waterboy thinks about football.
October 25, 2007 at 10:10 am
I quit at bad luck.
October 25, 2007 at 10:11 am
“Why would I care what an overgrown waterboy thinks about football.”
But why would anyone care what you think, either? I’m laughing out loud now at work.
October 25, 2007 at 10:14 am
“I see the king clown has put in his to cents. Why would I care what an overgrown waterboy thinks about football.”
Seroiously, I can’t stop laughing at the tone of this email, and I don’t know why. Genius.
October 25, 2007 at 10:14 am
*Seriously
October 25, 2007 at 10:17 am
Because I dont argue with success. Greg Davis has had the statistical best offenses in the history of Texas. And we win 10 games a year now. You would rather have Macovick back. Or Bob Stoops who cant even beat Colorado. All of you waterboys look at plays in a vaccum and try to fit your agenda of making Greg Davis look bad. But the track record of success is there even if you don’t want to see it.
October 25, 2007 at 10:27 am
Its not just Davis. These haters have now also turned against Mack who is the best thing to happen to UT in decades.
Their negativity regarding something they are passionate enough about to start a website is weird. I’m glad I never had to serve in battle with these guys. At the first sign of trouble or misfortune, they would be throwing up the white flag.
October 25, 2007 at 10:36 am
But we can’t even beat Kansas St…for two years now. Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
I love Mack Brown, save one thing…his unwillingness to make changes and continue improving. I think people just want to see a coaching staff that doesn’t rest on their laurels.
October 25, 2007 at 10:37 am
Throwing up a white flag? Or sitting in a bunker constructing a better plan of attack, while others blindly run right into enemy fire? You can spin it however you like.
October 25, 2007 at 10:38 am
Where can I get a copy of Brokeback Mountain?
October 25, 2007 at 10:38 am
Sii, I think we should continue this via email so we can get the comments back on track.
I see you have dizzg@dumbass.com listed as your email address. Is this correct?
October 25, 2007 at 10:41 am
HJ,
Borrow rpongett’s DVD. If it’s not too sticky.
October 25, 2007 at 10:44 am
We lost to Kansas State last year because Gene Chizik wont come out of his base defense no matter what. And trick plays. We lost to Kansas State this year because of flukee plays like kick returns and interceptions. Colt made bad throws. Thats not the coaches fault. Stoops got flat-out beat and out-coached by Colorado. Say what you want about Mack and Greg but their never out-coached.
October 25, 2007 at 10:47 am
If only a Pop Warner kid, or possibly a fetus, could be our starting RB, we’d have the best running game in the universe.
October 25, 2007 at 10:51 am
echeese’s posts should come with a mandatory sign warning “Do Not Feed the Retard.”
October 25, 2007 at 10:55 am
good stuff although a bit too transparent.
fake echeese’s posts are too idiotic even for the real echeese and fake Sii’s posts are too comprehensible for the retard that is the real Sii.
October 25, 2007 at 10:59 am
Haha. The self-proclamed lawyer who doesnt even know that the supreme court has Constitution jurisdiction. Whatever.
October 25, 2007 at 10:59 am
Are you the real Jesus Christ?
October 25, 2007 at 11:03 am
Are you the real Jesus Christ?
Now THAT is funny shit!
October 25, 2007 at 1:09 pm
I’m the real jimmyjazz (and I think it’s time for a new username, but regardless):
Look at our losses under Mack Brown. It’s pretty clear that Greg Davis isn’t the ONLY problem. But he sure is a problem, if we consider losing something to be avoided.
The average score in our 24 losses is
OPP 34
UT 19
Some of those points were defensive touchdowns (Teddy Lehman, anyone?), but in general, it shows you that our defense hasn’t exactly been stellar, either, at least when we lose. Analyze the rest of our games and you’ll see that our defense hasn’t been stellar most years, period.
A top 30 offense typically averages around 29 ppg. A top 30 defense typically allows around 19 ppg. That tells us that 24 points is “acceptable” against a decent team, on either side of the ball. Well, we’re not scoring 24 and we’re allowing more than 24, at least when we lose.
Thus concludes my half-assed logick.
October 25, 2007 at 1:21 pm
It’s a good point JimmyJazz. A real good one. But I would go out on a limb and say the reason we bitch more about our offense is becuase Greg Davis continues to be a constant. At least we’ve tried different folks at D-coordinator…whether they may be comfort hires or not. We’ve never sniffed a change on Offense until Vince made it impossible even for Mack and GD to screw up.
October 25, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Like that old nip from Gung Ho said, “you make me raff”.
October 25, 2007 at 5:41 pm
ha ha, wow - I was just saying this in our COLT-roversy thread, yesterday!
CA, I’d love to feature this in our Clubhouse - let me know.
October 25, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Yeah, no problem.
October 25, 2007 at 6:30 pm
I quit at Broils.
October 25, 2007 at 6:34 pm
It should be obvious to anyone who is objective that GD is a huge
problem. He reminds me of my junior high coach — very limited
but tries to “show” people how smart he is with some twisted version
of a west coast offense created by someone he admires such as Bill
Walsh. But look at his play calling, his clock management and the
sheer volume of false starts. Vince bailed him out after the Missouri
game in 05, and with our talent he beats up on patsies. But thats it.
October 25, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Thanks. It’s up (with a few add-ons)
October 25, 2007 at 10:47 pm
You can tell it’s faux-cheese because (a) there’s no use of the word “spin”, and (b) the real echeese wouldn’t post on a site that doesn’t permit extensive use of emoticons.
October 25, 2007 at 11:27 pm
October 26, 2007 at 1:30 am
the issue, JC and his east west style, that is, is that quite possibly he saw what happened to earl campbell after his years of being thrown into the line, and is thinking, screw that.
October 26, 2007 at 6:33 am
You forget to mention that Selvin Young with Denver, now looks completely reborn. A new back, hits those holes hard, and actually looks 2 paces faster than he was when he was here.
While Cedric Benson, just falls to the ground on his 2-3 yard carries.
October 26, 2007 at 9:26 am
Benson is just about the single most frustrating Longhorn I can recall. At his best, he is other-worldly, but he just doesn’t seem to play anywhere near his best very often.
October 26, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Dear God. echeese is here to do his best to ruin yet another website? Seriously, do you guys have the ability to ban posters? If you do, and you don’t want this place to turn into a simmering shithole of echeese-created junk talk, get rid of him.
Very nice post, btw, and of course, right on.
Hook ‘em!!!
October 26, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Oops, nevermind. Just figured out the joke - nice fake echeese, whoever you are.
BTW, ban the real echeese in advance if you’re able.
Hook ‘em!!!
October 26, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Great. Another member of the winers club shows up to make a personal attack on a real fan. I’ll let Greg Davises won-loss record speak for itself, and you can just keep wining and using only selected statistics that fit your preconcieved agenda.
October 26, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Wow. It’s like a poor spelling parallel universe of echeesedom. Of course, if it were actually the real echeese he’d already have gone nuts over the lack of clown icons. Nice try, though, you’ve certainly got the condescending tone down pat.
October 26, 2007 at 9:11 pm
This is the least bulletproof forum software I’ve ever seen.
I love it.
October 27, 2007 at 6:55 am
Just a hint on how to improve your echeese immitation - put double blank lines between every sentence, in order to make it seem like you’re saying a lot when in fact you’re saying nothing much. Also, you must use at least one (and preferably 3 or 4) smiley faces in every post you make. This is to exude the illusion of superiority over other posters who you think are too dumb to know how to use the vast array of smiley faces to represent the mood you are feeling every time you post, as well as to make it appear you are having fun when in fact you are just a miserable man with no life and nothing to do other than put up 40,000 posts on an internet BBS.
Hook ‘em!!!
October 29, 2007 at 7:01 am
I’ll defend Charles — HE single handedly won the game Saturday with an other-worldly 4th quarter. GD finally gave him the ball over and over and over again using the zone read to slow the run blitzes down, and he does what he was recruited to do. Nevermind Nebraska sucks, he still did it.
October 29, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Percentage of runs that result in negative yardage:
Chris Ogbonnaya - 13.04% (average -1.6 yards)
Vondrell McGee - 8.11% (average -4 yards)
Jamaal Charles - 6.29% (average -3 yards)
Percentage of runs that result in less than three yards:
Chris Ogbonnaya - 56.52% (average .23 yards)
Jamaal Charles - 43.43% (average .53 yards)
Vondrell McGee - 43.24% (average 0 yards)
Percentage of runs that result in at least 12 yards (explosive):
Vondrell McGee - 13.51% (average 20.8 yards)
Jamaal Charles - 11.43% (average 25.55 yards)
Chris Ogbonnaya - 0.00% (N/A)
October 29, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Charles single handedly won the game with the help of Greg Davis.
How many offensive coordinators can say that they won a national championship? Greg could be a head coach but is too loyal to Mack Brown.
Rudyard Kipling is no Greg Davis!!!
October 30, 2007 at 8:17 am
Which RB hasn’t torched Nebraska? Jamaal is due for a fumble against OSU.
November 3, 2007 at 10:08 am
200+ yards per game would automatic if JC is given the ball 33+ times per game from the “I”. He gets stronger as the game goes on. He has been robbed of the Heisman for 3 years due to poor coaching. I have watched him for 8 years have been suffering for the past 3 to watch his career ruined. The #1 Texas title would have been a breeze and Vince would have been even more effective if JC would have been used as described above. If the same is done with OK State the same results will be recognized. But, Texas coaching is now likely to have learned this, even after Nebraska…they are too busy making a Vince out of mcCoy. Hook ‘em Horns!
November 3, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Looks like MDS is the most accurate person on this blog.. I think since track is JC’s first love, it would have been funny if he went up to Mack Brown and Greg Davis and dropped a football in their faces and said, “I quit…” No. This isn’t about Texas beating the Cowboys. This is about the fact that Jamaal Charles is loyal to a horrible coaching staff. I salute you Jamaal! Dido MDS…
November 3, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Well the Texas Oklahoma State game just ended and as I predicted the coaches still have not learned anything. Only 16 carries for JC and no “I” formation and Jamaal still managed 180 yards/11.2 yards per carry and 3 TDs. Just think if it had been 33 carries from the “I”. I guess will will see the passing game gear up for next week’s game…at least until the 4th quarter. Despite fumble issues in the past, his positive contributions trump them. He gets stronger as the game goes on. Go JC!