The "resignation" of Mack Brown in December brought mixed feelings to The 40 Acres, and rightfully so. After all, Mack Brown resurrected football at UT, bringing it back to its deserved prominence. But, with great success there will also be devastating loss. And so the trend continues, after one losing season and two mediocre (mediocre by the standards of The University of Texas, Mack Brown, and fans of Texas), Brown became a product of his own success and expectations.
Before his "resignation", Brown put together the last of his usual recruiting classes, filled with 4 and 5 star recruits who were excited to play for Texas and Brown. The loss of Brown and his entire coaching staff, save one, tight end coach Bruce Chambers, had an impact on the 2014 recruiting class new head coach Charlie Strong inherited. Texas lost 10 recruits from the 2014 class. These things happen when there is a major coaching change at any university. The decommits do not necessarily reflect the loss of Brown or the addition of Strong and a new coaching staff. Perhaps the decommits knew it would take a while for Texas players to adjust to a new coach and staff that are the complete opposite of Mack Brown. Let's be honest, sure you sign with a university, but the coach of that university plays a major part in where athletes sign. I mean, if Charlie Weiss (entering his 3rd year as the head coach of a Kansas team that has been the bottom of the barrel in the Big 12) didn't still have some sort of clout (deserved or not), no athlete would sign with a Kansas team that went 1-11 two years ago, and 3-8 this year. Conversely, Alabama wouldn't be where it is without Head coach Nick Saban. So, yes, the recruiting coach plays a huge role.
When Charlie Strong was hired as the new head coach of The Texas Longhorns, his main goal was keeping this class in tact. I don't think it's necessarily his fault that 10 recruits flipped, he hasn't been tested yet as head coach at Texas. His test will be how he develops the recruits that stayed and how he recruits in the future. As it stands, Texas has the #2 recruiting class in the Big 12, behind Oklahoma, and is ranked 16th nationally.
The Longhorns have a total of 23 total commits, no 5 star recruits but eight 4 star recruits, and 15 3 star or lower. The most exciting prospect is quarterback Jerrod Heard. Hailing from Denton Guyer High School, Heard stands 6'1" and 195 lbs. He recorded 2,136 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, 2,161 rushing yards, and 22 rushing touchdowns. He ranks #6 in 2014's Lone Star Recruiting Class top 100.
Offensively, Texas looks solid, building on an already strong rushing attack by adding Donald Catalon. Catalon is a four star recruit out of Eisenhower High School, and is 1 of only 2 running backs recruited. Catalon stands 6'0" and 200 lbs. His senior year stats include 765 yards rushing, 7 rushing touchdowns, 311 yards receiving, and 2 receiving touchdowns. He is #27 in 2014's Lone Star Recruiting top 100. Joining Catalon in the backfield is running back Kevin Shorter. Shorter is a 3 star running back out of Newton High School. His senior year stats include 61 carries, 630 yards rushing, 9 rushing touchdowns, 11 receptions, 224 yards receiving, and 4 receiving touchdowns. With these additions, Texas could be unstoppable in its rushing attack. Rounding out the gains on the offensive side are:
Amanti years Foreman- 4 star wide receiver from Texas City High School. Foreman stands 6'0" and 174 lbs and his stats include 750 yards receiving, 9 receiving touchdowns, 390 yards rushing, 4 rushing touchdowns. Ranks #14 in Lone Star Recruiting Top 100.
Lorenzo Joe- 4 star wide receiver from Abilene Cooper High School, ranks #15 in Lone Star Recruiting Top 100.
Alex Anderson- 3 star offensive guard from Landry Walker High School. Stands 6'5", 305 lbs, and was a surprise commitment for Texas.
Roderick Bernard- 3 star wide receiver from Sharpstown High School. He stands 5'10" and 175 lbs and his stats include 594 yards rushing, 4 rushing touchdowns, 364 receiving yards, and 2 receiving touchdowns. #62 in LSR Top 100.
Terrell Cuney- 3 star center from Jasper High School. He stands 6'3" and 260 lbs, is an Army All-American, and ranks 81st in LSR Recruiting Top 100.
Garrett Gray- 3 star wide receiver from Marble Falls High School. He stands 6'5" and 205 lbs. His stats include 75 receptions, 1,191 yards receiving, and 16 receiving touchdowns. Ranks 69th in LSR Top 100.
Dorian Leonard- 3 star wide receiver from Longview High School. Leonard is 6'4" and 200 lbs. His stats include 34 receptions, 643 yards, 10 touchdowns. Ranks 40th in LSR Top 100.
Blake Whiteley-3 star tight end from Arizona Western Community College. His stats include 8 receptions for 67 yards and 2 touchdowns. Texas has under utilized this position in recent years, so hopefully Whiteley can bring some attention to this position.
D'onta Foreman- 2 star athlete from Texas City High School. Foreman is 6'0" and 198 lbs. His stats include 186 carries for 1893 yards, and 28 touchdowns. Could be a great back up for a number of positions.
Elijah Rodriguez- 2 star offensive tackle from Cy-Creek High School. He is one of only 3 OTs in the 2014 class.
Offensively, this is a good class for Strong, staying the course and adding some depth (especially at quarterback, where Texas has recently struggled).
Defensively, Texas took some hits with decommits. Texas lost 3 defensive tackles, 4 star DT Zaycoven Henderson to Texas A&M, 3 star DT Trey Lealaimatafao to LSU, 3 star DT Courtney Garnett to OU, and failed to recruit 5 star defensive end, Soloman Thomas, who signed with Stanford.Texas has struggled the last 3 years defensively, but hit their stride after Manny Diaz was fired and Greg Robinson took over. The defense will now have to adjust to yet another defensive coordinator, Bruce Chambers. However, considering the remarkable turnaround the defense had last season there are signs of great things to come for the Longhorns defensively. Strong did keep some key recruits at crucial positions:
Edwin Freeman- 4 star DB from Arlington Bowie High School .Freeman is 6'1" and 215 lbs. Freeman ranks 21st in LSR Top 100.
Derick Roberson- 4 star DE from Brennan High School. Roberson is 6'3" and 225 lbs. Ranks 9th in LSR Top 100.
Andrew Beck- 3 star LB from Plant High School in Tampa, FL. Beck is 6'3" and 230 lbs.
John Bonney- 3 star DB/safety from Lamar High School. Bonney is 6'1" and 183 lbs. Ranks 42nd in LSR Top 100.
Poona Ford- 3 star DT from Hilton Head High School in South Carolina. Ford is 6'1" and 288 lbs.
Jason Hall- 3 star DB/safety from South Grand Prairie High School. Hall stands at 6'2" and 190 lbs. Was unsure he would stay at Texas after the departure of Duane Akina. #44 in LSR Top 100.
Cameron Hampton- 3 star LB from Dallas Carter High School. Hampton is 6'0" and 201 lbs. #58 in LSR Top 100, and is 1 of only 2 LBs to sign with Texas.
Jake McMillon- 3 star DE from Abilene High School. Stands 6'3" and 240 lbs. Ranked 90th in LSR Top 100.
Chris Nelson- 3 star DT from Victory Christian Academy (Florida). Nelson is 6'2" and 295 lbs. Originally committed to Strong at Louisville, and followed him to Texas.
Jermaine Roberts- 3 star CB/DB from St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, LA. Roberts is 5'9" and 270 lbs. Roberts chose Texas over Ohio State and Oklahoma.
This class is good, not great, What the Whatbut can build a solid foundation. It will all depend on how Strong and his coaching staff develop new players and acclimate the current squad to a totally different coaching style. Only time will tell.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Duane Akina
Coach Strong is wasting no time cleaning house on the 40 acres, as Assistant HC/DB coach, Duane Akina is no longer employed at The University of Texas.Akina was interviewed tonight on Fox, and although he tried to sound upbeat, you could not deny his sadness. This is a man who loves this game, loves this university, loves his players, and is passionate about his job. He put on a brave face, but anyone could see how devastated he is.
I understand that bringing in a new coach after 15 years is tough, and Strong has every right to put together a staff which will take the Longhorns in a different direction, I get it. But, when your team has relatively the same coaching staff for 16 years, we begin to think of these guys as family, and you hate to see one family member sad. I am sure he is not the only one upset, but Akina has always worn his heart on his sleeve.
We will miss you, Duane, especially your passion and love for the Texas Longhorns.
I understand that bringing in a new coach after 15 years is tough, and Strong has every right to put together a staff which will take the Longhorns in a different direction, I get it. But, when your team has relatively the same coaching staff for 16 years, we begin to think of these guys as family, and you hate to see one family member sad. I am sure he is not the only one upset, but Akina has always worn his heart on his sleeve.
We will miss you, Duane, especially your passion and love for the Texas Longhorns.
Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes
As promised, I did my research, and here is Coach Strong's new staff at Texas. Keep in mind, these are only stats and facts, I will save my critique after the first game of the 2014 season...just kiddin' I will ALWAYS give my thoughts and opinions ALWAYS. HOOK 'EM!!!! \m/
- Vance Bedford: was at Louisville last year with Strong. He is a graduate of The University of Texas, and will now become the Longhorn's defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. At Louisville, under Strong, Bedford was key in the Cardinals ability to lead the FBS in total defense, rushing defense, sacks, fewest 1st downs allowed, and 3rd down conversion defense. Bedford spent 6 years with the Chicago Bears as a defensive backs coach. Under Bedford, the Cardinals ranked in the top 10 in scoring defense, passing efficiency defense, passing yards allowed, tackles for a loss, and red-zone defense.
- Brian Jean-Mary: will serve as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Texas. He is an alum of Appalachian State and has been part of Strong's coaching staff since 2010. He has also coached at Georgia Tech and North Alabama.
- Shawn Watson: spent last two years at Louisville with Strong. Watson will assume the role as quarterbacks coach at Texas. His most recent achievement is working with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who some say is arguably the top prospect in the up coming NFL draft. Watson is credited for getting Louisville's offense where it is today. During the 2013 season, the Louisville Cardinals led the FBS in completion percentage, fewest passes intercepted, and fewest turnovers lost. Watson's offense also ranked in the top 3 in 3rd down conversions, time of possession, and passing efficiency. Watson is an Alum of Illinois and Southern Illinois.
- Pat Moorer: has become the new strength and conditioning coach. Moorer is an alum of Florida. he has worked at South Carolina for two stints. He has 4 years experience at Louisville under Coach Strong, and has Certification of Master Strength and Conditioning.
- Joe Wickline: Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Wickline spent the last 9 years at Oklahoma State under Mike Gundy. Under Wickline, Oklahoma State averaged over 40 points per game in 4 of the last 6 seasons. Wickline coached with Strong at The University of Florida from 2002-2004. Has been touted as best offensive line coach in the Big 12. He is an alum of The University of Florida.
- Tommie Robinson: heads up position as runningbacks coach. Has worked at USC (where he coached last year), and the Arizona Cardinals. His resume also includes stints at The University of Miami, Memphis, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, the Dallas Cowboys, TCU, and Utah State. He is an alum of Troy.
- Les Koenning: will serve as the wide receivers coach. He is an alum of The University of Texas. Has 34 years coaching experience, and his resume includes Mississippi, South Alabama, Texas A&M, Alabama, TCU, Houston, Duke, Rice, and Lousiana-Layfayette.
- Bruce Chambers: Chambers is in his 17th year coaching at The University of Texas, and remains the only coach retained from the Mack Brown era. His jobs will include recruiting and the tight-ends coach. He is an alum of North Texas.
- Chris Rumph: defensive line coach. Rumph spent last year at The University of Alabama under Nick Saban. Rumph is an alum of South Carolina. Has had great success not only at Clemson, but also at Alabama. Rumph's defenses have never been ranked outside the top 20 in total defense.
- Chris Vaughn: Secondary and special teams coordinator. Vaughn coached at Ole Miss in 2011, and has worked at Arkansas, Tulsa, Ole Miss, and Memphis. Has 16 years coaching experience. He is an alum of Ole Miss.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Cha-cha-cha Changes
Charlie Strong is cleaning house. As it stands, the only coach from the Mack Brown era who still has a job is tight ends coach Bruce Chambers....more info to come, as I am researching the coaching overhaul. \m/
Friday, January 10, 2014
Nick Saban
Is is just me, or did not playing in the National Championship make Saban go bananas? Who in their right mind would hire Lane Kiffin to do anything??????I cannot think of a more entitled, lazy, smug, who gives a c--p coach than Kiffin. Maybe that's just me...oh and most of the fans of USC.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Coach Strong
Coach Strong's first press conference as a Longhorn, which rumors held he would fail miserably. Those naysayers could not have been more wrong. I, for one, am elated he passed the first of what will be many tests for the new Texas head coach. He will undoubtably face much tougher scrutiny as his assistant coaches are named, and he begins recruiting in earnest. The interesting part of this story is how the current players and recruits acclimate. This post is just an Orangeblood thinking out loud, and there will be much research and much more to come. I have just one small issue... I am already tiring of the endless "Texas Strong" moniker. Just sayin' .
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Will Charlie Strong give the Longhorns a much needed change?
Ok, my friends...I still think Mack Brown was thrown under the bus, and I still love this man. However, I am hating what this game is becoming. Anyone ever see The Last Boy Scout? If you have, you know what I'm saying. If you haven't...watch it. It was pseudo-announced today that Louisville coach, Charlie Strong will take the helm, now that the "Mack Brown era" was ground to a halt.The whole situation regarding Coach Brown leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but it is what it is, and we have to accept it.
Enter Charlie Strong. An Atlantic Athletic Conference coach who will now become the face of The University of Texas. Taking the helm of a football program such as Texas (thank you, Mack Brown), is no easy task. The University of Texas has not only the most money for their respective programs in the nation, but is also one of the most recognized college football teams anywhere. I truly believe people forget those facts. Charlie Strong is walking into Mordor. Now, as a member of the Atlantic Athletic Conference, Strong was impressive, and he did it without the money or recruiting Texas has...and I find that fact not only comforting, but also hopeful.
Strong definitely has the credentials. In his four years at Louisville:
2010: 7-5 overall, 3-4 in conference play, tied for 5th. 2011: 7-6 overall, 5-2 in conference play, tied for 1st. 2012: 11-2 overall, 5-2 in conference play, tied for 1st. 2013:12-1 overall, 7-1 in conferena play, tied for second. He is also 3-2 in bowl games, and has coached defensively for Florida, Ole Miss, and Notre Dame.
As per Sports Illustrated, Strong will have a five year contract worth $5 million annually. Charlie Strong is also a notable recruiter, something The University of Texas and Mack Brown built a reputation around.Time will tell if Strong can capitalize on what Mack Brown made of Texas. Statistically, it looks as though he can. However, I feel as though the "gentleman's game" is going the way of Mack Brown, and for that, I worry about the future of college football.
Enter Charlie Strong. An Atlantic Athletic Conference coach who will now become the face of The University of Texas. Taking the helm of a football program such as Texas (thank you, Mack Brown), is no easy task. The University of Texas has not only the most money for their respective programs in the nation, but is also one of the most recognized college football teams anywhere. I truly believe people forget those facts. Charlie Strong is walking into Mordor. Now, as a member of the Atlantic Athletic Conference, Strong was impressive, and he did it without the money or recruiting Texas has...and I find that fact not only comforting, but also hopeful.
Strong definitely has the credentials. In his four years at Louisville:
2010: 7-5 overall, 3-4 in conference play, tied for 5th. 2011: 7-6 overall, 5-2 in conference play, tied for 1st. 2012: 11-2 overall, 5-2 in conference play, tied for 1st. 2013:12-1 overall, 7-1 in conferena play, tied for second. He is also 3-2 in bowl games, and has coached defensively for Florida, Ole Miss, and Notre Dame.
As per Sports Illustrated, Strong will have a five year contract worth $5 million annually. Charlie Strong is also a notable recruiter, something The University of Texas and Mack Brown built a reputation around.Time will tell if Strong can capitalize on what Mack Brown made of Texas. Statistically, it looks as though he can. However, I feel as though the "gentleman's game" is going the way of Mack Brown, and for that, I worry about the future of college football.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
changes
We all knew it was coming, even if we did not want to believe...that The University of Texas football was going to go through some serious changes..Spring Cleaning, I guess one could say, and I don't think it's a bad decision, but now the rebuilding will begin in earnest, Most of the coaches coached at The University of Texas BECAUSE of Mack Brown, I understand the push for Art Briles because he has worked miracles at Baylor. But let's face it, the Bears played in a weakened Big 12, and apparently do not have the same successes out of conference that they have in conference play. Who knows? We will have to wait and see what changes (recruiting, etc.) will be made.Just don't expect the Longhorns to play in another championship game any time soon. I am a die-hard Longhorn, just looking at what's to come rationally, and not what we HOPE to have happen.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Kickin' Rocks
I know I should comment on the Alamo Bowl, but damn it...right now all I feel is apathy. Pairing us with Oregon shows one of two things: selection committee had way more respect for Texas, or they wanted to exploit a decimated team with a lame duck coach. (C'mon, this is the NCAA and anything is possible.)
I feel sick that someone like Mack Brown received that kind of send off. Anyone who knows anything will tell you it was a huge mismatch. You may think I am making excuses, I promise you, I'm not. If it weren't for our defense we would have lost by 1 zillion points. The offense (injuries or not) just couldn't get anything going. And, before everyone jumps on the "blame Case McCoy" bandwagon, this was not entirely his fault. If you are a receiver, and you run the correct routs, you have one job....CATCH and HOLD onto the damn ball.
Mack deserved better, the players definitely deserved better, the fans..well we expected better.Those who think hiring a new head coach, and most likely changing the entire coaching staff, should not expect Texas playing for the National Title immediately. If they do, they are so delusional, they might need medication.
I feel sick that someone like Mack Brown received that kind of send off. Anyone who knows anything will tell you it was a huge mismatch. You may think I am making excuses, I promise you, I'm not. If it weren't for our defense we would have lost by 1 zillion points. The offense (injuries or not) just couldn't get anything going. And, before everyone jumps on the "blame Case McCoy" bandwagon, this was not entirely his fault. If you are a receiver, and you run the correct routs, you have one job....CATCH and HOLD onto the damn ball.
Mack deserved better, the players definitely deserved better, the fans..well we expected better.Those who think hiring a new head coach, and most likely changing the entire coaching staff, should not expect Texas playing for the National Title immediately. If they do, they are so delusional, they might need medication.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Can Texas turn things around with new head coach?
There has been something lacking at The University of Texas for the past three years. So, when Mack Brown "resigned", I was in total shock. After the year he, and the team, has had, I was almost 100% sure he'd have one more season. Many people, fans or not, think his coaching this year was one of his best.I won't sit here and say that the injuries many key players suffered was the main cause, but losing 8 of 10 starters, many on key position. The team lost sophomore QB David Ash to a concussion against BYU and was out for the season.Texas also lost starting linebacker Jordan Hicks during the Kansas State game, he did not return the rest of the season.During Texas' win over West Virginia, defensive tackle Chris Whaley (ACL) and running back Jonathan Gray (achilles) were lost for the season. Even after this adversity, Mack Brown coached this team to a chance of winning the Big 12 championship.
After three sub-par to mediocre seasons, (5-7, 7-5,and 8-4 respectively) changes needed to be made. While 7-5 or an 8-4 season would be respectable for a great many other teams, at Texas, it's a disappointing season. However disappointing, did Mack Brown deserve forced resignation? I don't think so. He deserved at least one more year. Was it necessary to part ways with a man who came to Texas, which had been struggling mightily for years, and put together 10+ winning seasons? Again, not on your life. But Texas wants to win, and that has precedence over everything.
One of the main issues Texas has is amnesia, This team was terrible under John Mackovic (41-28-2/1992-1997), and David McWilliams (31-26, 1987-1991), so what Mack did here was nothing short of amazing. If Mack has a fault, maybe he was to nice, too like-able, and too soft on player development. But his positives outweighed his negatives. Recruits wanted to come to Texas because of what Mack Brown was doing for Texas. He's a generous, genuine, and graceful even as he was being forced to resign.
The trend emerging in regards to college football, is that like-ability is not necessarily in a head coach's job description, winning is the only job description. But, do we really need a high paid hard-ass who would rather cut corners and cheat than just play the game? It seems as if there is no loyalty anymore in any sport, so this gives head coaches a much more difficult job. Today's sports landscape is constantly tarnished, especially college football. Every season the NCAA (I won't even get into she sham that is the NCAA) finds violations with some team or another, and the fans have become desensitized. We no longer care how we win games, and it is the players that suffer. Coaches are often time goaded by alumni and booster to win by any means. College football has become a business. The coaches know it, the players know it, and the fans know it. So schools continue to rebuild, some are successful, others are not. The bottom line is that loyalty has fallen by the way-side, and instant gratitude is all we think about.
So, what is next for Texas? Transition and rebuilding, sure. But Brown's resignation will not solve the problems Texas now faces, and the 'lucky man" who gets this job is going to be under immense scrutiny and pressure. Fans, players, and alumni are going to see how this "rebuilding" is going to effect recruiting. I think it will have a huge impact due to the fact that we signed players because Brown could recruit. All-in-all, Texas will become relevant again, but we should realize that our relevance is part of Brown's legacy, and the changes he made.
Double Standard with regards to the University of Texas athletics
There is a clear double standard when it comes to athletics at The University of Texas, and it has never been clearer than now. A recent Forbes article stated that The University of Texas athletic department is worth $139 million dollars, 20% more than any other school's athletic department in the country. Logic follows that Texas athletics should be competing for a championship in any sport, every season.
When Texas' football department suffered three uncharacteristic seasons, ranging from sub-par and no bowl game, to more respectable 5-7 and 8-4 seasons, many were calling for Mack Brown to resign. However, after a 1-2 start this year, it looked like this season would be Mack's last season. But he rallied, and motivated the players, beat Kansas State and Oklahoma, and suddenly the Longhorns could win the Big 12. The losses to Oklahoma State and Baylor, ended hopes of a BCS game, and Mack was forced to resign.
There are people who claim Texas is a football school and the coach is under way more scrutiny. But, is he was forced to resign because he wasn't winning games for the university, why do Rick Barnes and Augie Garrido still have their jobs? Texas athletes are recruited well, and we should have a shot at a championship not only in football, but also baseball and basketball.Both the baseball team and the basketball team have been nothing short of mediocre. The last time Texas wasn't knocked out of the NCAA basketball tournament, was when Kevin Durant was playing. The baseball team has not won a championship since 2005. Since winning seems to be the only way a coach at UT can keep his job, it seems Barnes and Garrido should have been fired long ago. Unless the new athletic director Steve Patterson cleans house, so to speak, the reasons behind Mack resigning will be suspect.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Ah Lee Corso, will you ever win?
I admit, I love Lee Corso so I am going to take this latest blurb with a grain of salt. At the Doak Walker Awards, Mr. Corso was asked about former University of Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert, and how he will fare at SMU, Corso said he would probably receive better coaching at SMU than at Texas. The first thought I had, of course, was WTF? Seriously though, Gilbert will most likely fit in with the Mustangs' offense. Because the SMU Mustangs are less high profile than Texas, he probably will grow by leaps and bounds. I am all for it. I hope he does well, I really do. What I don't get is this: Why would Lee Corso take a shot at the Longhorns, not to mention their coaching staff, for no reason? I think that Lee Corso sometimes has no filter. It is part of what makes him special and entertaining. Corso must know that coming into a high profile situation (like the quarterback position at Texas) is a challenge. Gilbert was trying to fill some very big shoes. I propose this: when you are the starting quarterback at The University of Texas, you better be able to take the pressure. You have to be prepared mentally and physically because no one is going to hold your hand. If you choose to step into that spotlight, you have to deliver. So, yes, he may get a little more "hand holding" at SMU than he did at Texas, and that's fine. I know this for sure: when you put on the burnt orange and white, you are expected to play at a higher level on the national stage, because this is TEXAS and it's no cake walk.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Same shit different day
*cue eye roll* I am going to say this one more time...I am so sick of hearing about how good OU will be..every season, on every national sports page, etc. Enough is enough. I know I am totally biased, I have said it before, and I will continue to say it. In fact, I revel in my bias. I know that other teams in the Big 12 conference feel the same way about UT as I do about OU, but c'mon people. Really? I realize this may sound like a "sour grapes" edition, but I have done some research, and this is the result.
Since 2000, Oklahoma has been ranked in the top 10 ELEVEN times. During those same years, OU has finished in the top 10 EIGHT times. I would be a fool if I didn't admit that this is an impressive run. Oklahoma's football program has been to 12 bowl games, 8 being BCS bowls. Of the 8 BCS bowl games played, OU has a record of 3-5. I can give credit where credit is due..8 BCS bowl appearances since 2000 brings deserved accolades to a talented program, especially when you factor in the ever-changing landscape of college football. However, I would be remiss if I didn't add that appearances are great, but if you are unable to win the big games, are the accolades warranted? This may sound like a plea for a playoff system, and it should. Crazy things happen in college football during the regular season. If a playoff system were introduced, would OU still retain it's BCS appearance record? Who knows? We may never see a playoff system introduced, so that argument is moot.
Since 2000, Texas has been to 11 bowl games, 5 which were BCS bowl games. Of the 5 BCS bowl games, Texas is 4-1, losing it's second shot at the national title against Alabama. I will say this until the day I take my last breath: had Colt McCoy not been sidelines due to an injury in the 1st quarter, I believe Texas would have won their second title in 4 years. In 10 of the past 11 seasons, Texas has been in the preseason top 10 TEN times. They have finished in the top 10 SEVEN times.
What I am trying to get at is this: when Texas finished the 2009 season at 5-7, there were many people who believed Texas was on it's way out. Forget the fact that they had just played in the title game a year before, been to 4 BCS games in 6 years, they were done. They were done, Mack Brown needed to quit or be fired, and their place among the perennial top football teams was over. At least Mack Brown has delivered. So OU has 7 national championships, their last one was 11 years ago, they have had several opportunities to add to that list. They haven't. Why do they keep getting the benefit of the doubt? I cannot understand why Texas is always made out to be the "flash in the pan" team that people love to hate, yet OU has underachieved for YEARS, and Bob Stoops and his visor remained untouched. I read every year that OU has "reloaded" for next season, picked to win the Big 12, and vie for the title. EVERY YEAR. Yet Texas has one losing season out of 14, and are rebuilding. Whatever.
Like I said before, I know fans of Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and the rest of the Big 12 probably feel the same about both UT and OU, so I cannot fault OU. I am just wondering when the rose colored glasses will break, and people can give credit where it is due, not based on name, reputation, or history.
Since 2000, Oklahoma has been ranked in the top 10 ELEVEN times. During those same years, OU has finished in the top 10 EIGHT times. I would be a fool if I didn't admit that this is an impressive run. Oklahoma's football program has been to 12 bowl games, 8 being BCS bowls. Of the 8 BCS bowl games played, OU has a record of 3-5. I can give credit where credit is due..8 BCS bowl appearances since 2000 brings deserved accolades to a talented program, especially when you factor in the ever-changing landscape of college football. However, I would be remiss if I didn't add that appearances are great, but if you are unable to win the big games, are the accolades warranted? This may sound like a plea for a playoff system, and it should. Crazy things happen in college football during the regular season. If a playoff system were introduced, would OU still retain it's BCS appearance record? Who knows? We may never see a playoff system introduced, so that argument is moot.
Since 2000, Texas has been to 11 bowl games, 5 which were BCS bowl games. Of the 5 BCS bowl games, Texas is 4-1, losing it's second shot at the national title against Alabama. I will say this until the day I take my last breath: had Colt McCoy not been sidelines due to an injury in the 1st quarter, I believe Texas would have won their second title in 4 years. In 10 of the past 11 seasons, Texas has been in the preseason top 10 TEN times. They have finished in the top 10 SEVEN times.
What I am trying to get at is this: when Texas finished the 2009 season at 5-7, there were many people who believed Texas was on it's way out. Forget the fact that they had just played in the title game a year before, been to 4 BCS games in 6 years, they were done. They were done, Mack Brown needed to quit or be fired, and their place among the perennial top football teams was over. At least Mack Brown has delivered. So OU has 7 national championships, their last one was 11 years ago, they have had several opportunities to add to that list. They haven't. Why do they keep getting the benefit of the doubt? I cannot understand why Texas is always made out to be the "flash in the pan" team that people love to hate, yet OU has underachieved for YEARS, and Bob Stoops and his visor remained untouched. I read every year that OU has "reloaded" for next season, picked to win the Big 12, and vie for the title. EVERY YEAR. Yet Texas has one losing season out of 14, and are rebuilding. Whatever.
Like I said before, I know fans of Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and the rest of the Big 12 probably feel the same about both UT and OU, so I cannot fault OU. I am just wondering when the rose colored glasses will break, and people can give credit where it is due, not based on name, reputation, or history.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Signing day amandment
Texas has now passed Alabama to control the number 1 spot for it's recruiting class. Texas scored a mini-coup when linebacker Dalton Santos switched his commitment from Tennessee to Texas.Additionally, Daje Johnson, a defensive back from Pflugerville, Texas, switched his commitment from TCU to The University of Texas. HOOK'EM
Sunday, January 29, 2012
'Bama vs. Texas: Recruiting 2012
Alright folks,
As I have said before, I am an Orangeblood for life! If you do not know what that means, I will enlighten you. I am a graduate from The University of Texas at Austin, and I BLEED burnt orange! So, now that we have that out of the way...WHO'S EXCITED FOR SIGNING DAY??? That's be me, my friends! This recruiting class is unbelievable, and it lands Texas at number 2, slightly behind the defending national champs..Alabama. Although Texas boasts 5 five-star high school recruits (Alabama has 3), Alabama gets the nod for landing two number one ranked high school athletes. In a nutshell, The University of Texas and Alabama will most likely be dangerous for quite sometime.
What this proves to me is this: although Texas has had two lackluster seasons in a row (by their standards), it has not deterred top recruits from signing with Texas. The history and tradition of the Texas Longhorns will always remain among the elite in college football programs. Alabama, coming off two national championships in 3 years, is at the top of it's game. Texas, having slipped a bit in the last couple of seasons, still holds sway as it is consistently in the top 5 recruiting.
The fact that these two schools are neck in neck is no surprise. Both teams boast head football coaches that have proven their worth, and have secured their spots among the coaching elite. Mack Brown and Nick Saban have lengthy contracts which provides stability for incoming athletes. Kids want to play for these coaches because of the programs they lead and the way they lead them. It doesn't hurt that Texas and Alabama have a plethora of prospects coming from the south, which is known to be one of the top regions for high school and college football.
When you break it down, Texas has 5 five-star commits, 12 four-star commits, 7 three-star commits, and 1 two-star commit. Alabama has 3 five-star commits, 13 four-star commits, and 11 three-star commits. All of the commits for both schools are nationally ranked. Perhaps the most celebrated recruit for The University of Texas is running back Jonathan Gray (Aledo, Tx). He is ranked number 5 nationally, according to Rivals.com, and number 1 nationally for running backs. He is ranked number 2 in the state of Texas. He posts a 4.4 40, and has unbelievable stats for his senior year. Gray ran for 3,891 yards in 346 attempts, averages 11.2 yards per carry, and scored 65 touchdowns. What this means for Texas: Mack Brown can continue to strengthen the running game which should present a more balances and prolific offense. (If we can settle the quarterback situation) Texas does, in fact, have a four-star quarterback commit in Conner Brewer. Rivals.com has him ranked 10th for his position, and 5th in the state of Arizona. Rivals.com does not have him ranked nationally, but Scout.com has him ranked 11th nationally. This is good news for Texas, as it has struggled to find a quarterback that can comfortably lead this team. I believe that the maturity of the offensive line will enable whomever fills those shoes, to step up and compete on a higher level.
If you are like me, you need numbers. It's all well and good to say you have the number one or number two recruiting class for 2012, but I need to know why. I will start with Texas. After an abysmal 2010 season, the Longhorns finished the 2011 season with a respectable 8-5 record. (mind you, this is Texas, and 8-5 simply will not do) The Longhorns are only losing 13 seniors, meaning the 2012 season has extremely high expectations and potential. Of the 13 seniors lost, five held offensive positions, while the remaining eight held defensive positions. Of the 24 seniors lost for Alabama, thirteen held offensive positions, while the remaining eleven were defensive.Alabama has 11 offensive commits, 15 defensive commits, and one kicker. Texas has 8 offensive commits, 16 defensive commits, and 1 kicker. Both teams are proving to maintain their hold on their respective conferences, with Texas edging out Alabama in longevity of starting players.
It is an exciting time to be a college football fan, to say the least. The level of athletes emerging from high school football teams nation wide, presents the fan with many more unforgettable seasons. So, whether you Roll Tide or Hook'Em Horns, you can bet on outstanding athletes who choose to play for these storied schools, and guarantee these two schools a solid foothold in the arena of college football.
As I have said before, I am an Orangeblood for life! If you do not know what that means, I will enlighten you. I am a graduate from The University of Texas at Austin, and I BLEED burnt orange! So, now that we have that out of the way...WHO'S EXCITED FOR SIGNING DAY??? That's be me, my friends! This recruiting class is unbelievable, and it lands Texas at number 2, slightly behind the defending national champs..Alabama. Although Texas boasts 5 five-star high school recruits (Alabama has 3), Alabama gets the nod for landing two number one ranked high school athletes. In a nutshell, The University of Texas and Alabama will most likely be dangerous for quite sometime.
What this proves to me is this: although Texas has had two lackluster seasons in a row (by their standards), it has not deterred top recruits from signing with Texas. The history and tradition of the Texas Longhorns will always remain among the elite in college football programs. Alabama, coming off two national championships in 3 years, is at the top of it's game. Texas, having slipped a bit in the last couple of seasons, still holds sway as it is consistently in the top 5 recruiting.
The fact that these two schools are neck in neck is no surprise. Both teams boast head football coaches that have proven their worth, and have secured their spots among the coaching elite. Mack Brown and Nick Saban have lengthy contracts which provides stability for incoming athletes. Kids want to play for these coaches because of the programs they lead and the way they lead them. It doesn't hurt that Texas and Alabama have a plethora of prospects coming from the south, which is known to be one of the top regions for high school and college football.
When you break it down, Texas has 5 five-star commits, 12 four-star commits, 7 three-star commits, and 1 two-star commit. Alabama has 3 five-star commits, 13 four-star commits, and 11 three-star commits. All of the commits for both schools are nationally ranked. Perhaps the most celebrated recruit for The University of Texas is running back Jonathan Gray (Aledo, Tx). He is ranked number 5 nationally, according to Rivals.com, and number 1 nationally for running backs. He is ranked number 2 in the state of Texas. He posts a 4.4 40, and has unbelievable stats for his senior year. Gray ran for 3,891 yards in 346 attempts, averages 11.2 yards per carry, and scored 65 touchdowns. What this means for Texas: Mack Brown can continue to strengthen the running game which should present a more balances and prolific offense. (If we can settle the quarterback situation) Texas does, in fact, have a four-star quarterback commit in Conner Brewer. Rivals.com has him ranked 10th for his position, and 5th in the state of Arizona. Rivals.com does not have him ranked nationally, but Scout.com has him ranked 11th nationally. This is good news for Texas, as it has struggled to find a quarterback that can comfortably lead this team. I believe that the maturity of the offensive line will enable whomever fills those shoes, to step up and compete on a higher level.
If you are like me, you need numbers. It's all well and good to say you have the number one or number two recruiting class for 2012, but I need to know why. I will start with Texas. After an abysmal 2010 season, the Longhorns finished the 2011 season with a respectable 8-5 record. (mind you, this is Texas, and 8-5 simply will not do) The Longhorns are only losing 13 seniors, meaning the 2012 season has extremely high expectations and potential. Of the 13 seniors lost, five held offensive positions, while the remaining eight held defensive positions. Of the 24 seniors lost for Alabama, thirteen held offensive positions, while the remaining eleven were defensive.Alabama has 11 offensive commits, 15 defensive commits, and one kicker. Texas has 8 offensive commits, 16 defensive commits, and 1 kicker. Both teams are proving to maintain their hold on their respective conferences, with Texas edging out Alabama in longevity of starting players.
It is an exciting time to be a college football fan, to say the least. The level of athletes emerging from high school football teams nation wide, presents the fan with many more unforgettable seasons. So, whether you Roll Tide or Hook'Em Horns, you can bet on outstanding athletes who choose to play for these storied schools, and guarantee these two schools a solid foothold in the arena of college football.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Extinction of Social Etiquette
I want to comment on the state of human interaction, compassion, and social norms. I am aware that technology plays a huge role in how we, as sentient beings, interact with one another. It is now perfectly acceptable to enter an establishment whilst talking on a cell phone, basically ignoring the person in front of you. I will give an example: I work in the restaurant industry, and it has become more common to have someone walk up to the counter, bark an order (without even making eye contact), without a pause in the phone conversation. I realize that this is a very small symptom to a much larger problem. Physical interaction is being lost among technology trends, and it shows on a much bigger level. For example, my roommate came home two days ago to tell me that she noticed a two year old standing on the side of a busy highway. It was so baffling to her that she stopped just to get her bearings. In front of her, a school bus driver noticed the child and pulled to the side to block the infant from crossing the road. It was then that my roommate saw a man, presumably the child's father, stroll to collect the child. There are several issues with this incident, the obvious being the parent's total disregard for the safety of the child, but also the fact that several cars zipped by with no concern.
A couple of weeks ago, I was in the drive-thru at a McDonald's for breakfast when my car died. I got out to tell the lady behind me to go around because my car would not start. Since my car was on an incline, I could put it in neutral and coast out of the line. However, I had to put the car in neutral and physically push my car out of the way. It would not be that big of an issue to me had it not been for the 7 plus cars who saw me pushing my car, and drove right past me in order to get in line. My car is a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta, and I am 5'2' about 120 lbs. I pushed the car as far as I could, and just sat in the driver's seat crying. Still, no one came to my assistance. It was about 15 minutes later when two gentlemen pulled up and asked me if I needed a jump.
To me, this is an unacceptable trend in society.We, as a society, are so caught up in our own lives, trying not to get involved, that we are alienating ourselves from what truly makes us human.
We are spoon fed everything these days. If it is not readily available, we don't want it. When it is readily available, we ask when will it be available faster and better. I watched comedian Louis C.K. the other day, and he touched on something that I, too, am guilty of..no patience. He was commenting on cell phones today, and how they are simply amazing, yet if we can not upload, download, send an email, or watch a video immediately, we consider our phones pieces of shit. I still remember try to write a program in DOS for my Computer Science class in high school. If you were successful, you got to wait for the dot-matrix printer to complete the printing process, then you got to tear the perforated edges off! We have memory blockage these days, and it most likely stems from almost everything done for us.
I know technology is only going to advance, thus isolating us further from each other, but I believe that human interaction is very important to separate us from machines. What happens if and when all of this collapses? Don't we need something to fall back on?
A couple of weeks ago, I was in the drive-thru at a McDonald's for breakfast when my car died. I got out to tell the lady behind me to go around because my car would not start. Since my car was on an incline, I could put it in neutral and coast out of the line. However, I had to put the car in neutral and physically push my car out of the way. It would not be that big of an issue to me had it not been for the 7 plus cars who saw me pushing my car, and drove right past me in order to get in line. My car is a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta, and I am 5'2' about 120 lbs. I pushed the car as far as I could, and just sat in the driver's seat crying. Still, no one came to my assistance. It was about 15 minutes later when two gentlemen pulled up and asked me if I needed a jump.
To me, this is an unacceptable trend in society.We, as a society, are so caught up in our own lives, trying not to get involved, that we are alienating ourselves from what truly makes us human.
We are spoon fed everything these days. If it is not readily available, we don't want it. When it is readily available, we ask when will it be available faster and better. I watched comedian Louis C.K. the other day, and he touched on something that I, too, am guilty of..no patience. He was commenting on cell phones today, and how they are simply amazing, yet if we can not upload, download, send an email, or watch a video immediately, we consider our phones pieces of shit. I still remember try to write a program in DOS for my Computer Science class in high school. If you were successful, you got to wait for the dot-matrix printer to complete the printing process, then you got to tear the perforated edges off! We have memory blockage these days, and it most likely stems from almost everything done for us.
I know technology is only going to advance, thus isolating us further from each other, but I believe that human interaction is very important to separate us from machines. What happens if and when all of this collapses? Don't we need something to fall back on?
Ok folks,
Riddle me this? Why is it that when The University of Texas signed a deal with ESPN to create the Longhorn Network, everyone freaked out and two members of The Big 12 Conference jumped ship crying "No fair!"? But when Oklahoma (or, the little darlings of the Big 12 and Division 1 college football perennial underachievers) ink a deal with Fox Sports Southwest, it's okay. According to John E. Hoover, Sports Day DFW:
"To see the OU network -- or whatever it will be called -- OU fans can turn on Fox Sports Southwest, Fox Sports Oklahoma or another Fox Sports channel, then look for whatever Sooner programming might be scheduled around the network's other programming, which includes a vast menu of professional sports and other collegiate properties."
The pairing of OU and Fox Sports will only show 1000 hours of OU programming per year, compared to LHN with over 8000 hours per year. I argue this, if this network pairing between OU and Fox Sports will already be available to 10+ million people at the onset, then they are already going to be seen by far more viewers than The LHN, which can only be seen on Verizon and special regions of Texas. When OU's network begins they can be seen via cable or satellite throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. That is already a huge advantage for OU. As it stands now, cable companies would have to absorb what amounts to around 40 cents per customer to show LHN. Eventually, cable companies would have to raise their prices to carry the channel, and this is a lengthy process.
The deal has yet to be finalized, and it is reported that the OU themed station complies with the Big 12's tier rights, in that they get to keep money paid to them by Fox Sports, as does the LHN. Revenue sharing with the other schools in the Big 12 only occurs when games are shown on Tier 1 (over air) and Tier 2 (cable).
Currently, The University of Texas is paid 300 million by ESPN over 20 years, with UT allowed to show two games per year. However, when the network featuring OU airs in the fall, they have the advantage to show more first-run programs and less re-runs due to the fact that they only have 1000 hours per year with which to play. While this network will eventually be dwarfed by the LHN, the immediate disparity is obvious. Longhorn fans can't watch their own network, but will be able to flip on a TV and have OU rubbed in our faces. Hypocrites, much?
Riddle me this? Why is it that when The University of Texas signed a deal with ESPN to create the Longhorn Network, everyone freaked out and two members of The Big 12 Conference jumped ship crying "No fair!"? But when Oklahoma (or, the little darlings of the Big 12 and Division 1 college football perennial underachievers) ink a deal with Fox Sports Southwest, it's okay. According to John E. Hoover, Sports Day DFW:
"To see the OU network -- or whatever it will be called -- OU fans can turn on Fox Sports Southwest, Fox Sports Oklahoma or another Fox Sports channel, then look for whatever Sooner programming might be scheduled around the network's other programming, which includes a vast menu of professional sports and other collegiate properties."
The pairing of OU and Fox Sports will only show 1000 hours of OU programming per year, compared to LHN with over 8000 hours per year. I argue this, if this network pairing between OU and Fox Sports will already be available to 10+ million people at the onset, then they are already going to be seen by far more viewers than The LHN, which can only be seen on Verizon and special regions of Texas. When OU's network begins they can be seen via cable or satellite throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. That is already a huge advantage for OU. As it stands now, cable companies would have to absorb what amounts to around 40 cents per customer to show LHN. Eventually, cable companies would have to raise their prices to carry the channel, and this is a lengthy process.
The deal has yet to be finalized, and it is reported that the OU themed station complies with the Big 12's tier rights, in that they get to keep money paid to them by Fox Sports, as does the LHN. Revenue sharing with the other schools in the Big 12 only occurs when games are shown on Tier 1 (over air) and Tier 2 (cable).
Currently, The University of Texas is paid 300 million by ESPN over 20 years, with UT allowed to show two games per year. However, when the network featuring OU airs in the fall, they have the advantage to show more first-run programs and less re-runs due to the fact that they only have 1000 hours per year with which to play. While this network will eventually be dwarfed by the LHN, the immediate disparity is obvious. Longhorn fans can't watch their own network, but will be able to flip on a TV and have OU rubbed in our faces. Hypocrites, much?
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