Greetings to all of you that are Jonesing…
I was able to catch up with The Asset for this week’s Bowl Practice report and as always it’s quite interesting. I mean, what’s not interesting about Chris Whaley playing tight end, Jaxon Shipley throwing passes to David Ash, and Demarco Cobbs getting nose to nose with Darius White for pillorying the Texas program to recruits and prospects like DGB and Kendall Sanders? Practice reports are nearly a Longhorn tradition where locker room legends are made and trick plays are revealed. Enjoy…
First let’s start up with everyone’s position of concern, the quarterback. The Asset tells us that David Ash, surprisingly, has gotten the preponderance of the starter’s snaps this week at practice. We’re told Ash has benefitted from the switch in scheme to more two man routes that require reading half the field and finding the open man off of that single read. The Asset says the scheme is predicated on running the football and here’s where the good news comes in.
At running back, Joe Bergeron looks to be close to 100% with the ability to open things up when breaking to the open field. The training staff is focused on keeping the talented freshman warm between breaks by making sure he’s getting reps on the bike between series and carries we’re told--Amen. The Asset also says that Malcolm Brown is closer and closer to full strength and getting significant reps as the point man in Texas’ Wildcat look. Again, don’t be surprised to see some work out of this set that includes Malcolm with a pitch man like DJ on the edge.
At receiver, the good news is that Jaxon Shipley is moving better than ever since the knee injury. He’s still somewhat limited by the knee brace, but he’s cutting and moving much, much better. There’s a better than average chance Ship will be allowed to use a neoprene sleeve in lieu of the brace come game day. If that happens, look out because the true freshman WR has been catching everything in sight and running precise routes. It’s also important to note that Mike Davis looks to be a new receiver now that he’s been isolated from everybody’s All-American from the metro-plex Darius White.
As for tight end, The Asset says there wasn’t much work with Chris Whaley at the position unlike last week. It’s more of the usual suspects here in the last few sessions, Keep in mind that Chris Whaley is an eligible receiver in the kick game aside from his defensive tackle duties.
Overall, on the offensive end, the plan is to smash Cal upfront with the run game and then build upon the running success with play-action down field using Ash, and to an extent Case McCoy. With all the bullets in the gun, the Texas staff is confident in this game plan.
Along the defensive line, your budding star so far in the bowl workouts is Desmond Jackson. He’s been the most improved player along the defensive line from Baylor week to this point which means Bo Davis will have an embarrassment of riches at the position now and going into next season. Don’t sleep on Dorsey, Whaley, Randall, and Howell The Asset tells us, although Jackson has been the eye-opener at the position. The defensive ends are pretty much the same, but The Asset tells us that he’s heard Alex Okafor has told coaches he’ll be back for his senior season. Another note, Jackson Jeffcoat looks as healthy as he’s looked all season. He’s looking like a bona fide 5 star.
At linebacker, as we first reported on Recruitocosm last week Demarco Cobbs has become Texas’ inspirational leader of the future by bowing up to Darius White for disparaging the Texas Program to visiting prospects. The Asset tells us that Cobbs has carried over this type of "moxy" to the practice field by blowing up everything in sight. Don’t be surprised to see the sophomore out of Oklahoma get some serious snaps against the Bears to announce his arrival onto the 2012 scene. Dude flies to the football like a safety and lays the lumber like an outside linebacker. As for the rest, it’s Robinson, Acho, and a healthy Jordan Hicks which should spell bad news for the Cal Bear offense.
In the defensive backfield, the Longhorns aren’t going to surprise their Pac 8 10 16 12 opponent. The Asset claims it’s still Vaccaro, Phillips, Diggs, Byndom, and Gideon for the most part with Mykkelle Thompson and Sheroid Evans getting some snaps now that Christian Scott is injured. We’ll see if Texas can stop the run with the aforementioned five manning the secondary in nickel.
Overall defensively, the theme is retribution after being taken apart by RGIII and those Bears. The Asset says the kids are motivated to "right the wrong" that happened in Waco.
Some recruiting notes, as Recruitocosm first reported, Texas recruits on the KSU visit and independently during the banquet claim that Texas leads for 5 star recruits Dorial Green-Beckham and Mario Edwards, Jr. While Recruitocosm feels the recruitment outcomes of these talented prospects are probably 60% and 75% respectively for the good guys, fellow commits Connor Brewer and Camhron Hughes feel the Longhorns rate to be 80% favorites to land the services of each difference making prospect. So, with that, who are we to quibble?
Hook ‘Em
Also, check out our preferred pay site InsideTexas.com for more information and discussion on these topics.