As if he were describing an incurable disease, Mack Brown referred to a "sense of entitlement" on multiple occasions last fall when explaining away the travails of the disastrous 2010 football campaign. What Coach Brown meant by that is debatable as he didn't go into great detail, but I think we can reasonably infer that he felt the players and coaches lacked the urgency and effort necessary to play championship level football because they probably figured they could beat most teams on talent and reputation alone.
But was a sense of entitlement the key reason the Longhorns experienced their first losing season in over a decade? Well I'd probably argue that overall talent level and immaturity at key leadership positions played bigger roles in the demise, but if the players and coaches (as well as fans and media) were and are convinced Texas could and can still win most games simply by showing up, I'd include that as a pivotal factor as well.
Put another way, if we think the Emperor might have pneumonia, refusing to explore the idea that he might not be wearing warm enough clothing can be just as bad as, if not worse than, telling him all he needs to do to get better is surround himself with better doctors.
That said, the idea that a sense of entitlement can have a deleterious effect on a football program is hardly an assertion anyone would waste much time arguing against anyway. And its literary divulgence is far from novel. In fact, our fearless editor PB wrote an excellent (and somewhat prophetic) article in the 2009 edition of The Eyes of Texas Preview Guide in which he elaborated upon his theory as to how the "We're Texas" mindset has been unhelpful to the development of the football program, most notably UT's tardiness to the integration party.
But I'm not here to put a fresh coat of poly on Peter's bean or remind you that the "must have" gift for Longhorn diehards this Christmas-in-July shopping season is the 2011 edition of The Eyes of Texas Football Preview Guide (shameless plug).
No, I'm here to pose the question: Where does this sense of entitlement, this incurable disease, come from?
(Find out if I actually make a salient point after the jump...that explains why they call it "the jump" anyway.)
Is it simply the product of overconfidence gleaned from being part of a football program that averaged 10 wins a season for the better part of a decade and appeared in two National Titles?
Is it the result of unrealistic expectations created by modern day snake oil salesman masquerading as recruiting experts and a ratings-driven media, both of whom appear to care less about reporting facts and more about cashing in on hype?
Is it because the players are from what demographers have dubbed "Generation Y" or "Millennials," a portion of the population roughly defined as children born after 1980 (and 67% of BON readers). The basic theory is that because this generation benefited from childhoods that that coincided with a time of economic prosperity (the 90's and early OT's) as well as a movement by parents to lesson the competitiveness of childhood activities like sports by awarding trophies just for participating, this group of kids has a greater sense of entitlement and do not respond well to traditional means of motivation such as "breaking a kid down to build them back up" - something the Army and football coaches alike made their livings on for the better part of the 20th Century.
Or could it be that in this brave new post consumerism era we live in where we tend to blame the institution before the individual,Longhorn Nation as a whole and its "We're Texas" zeitgeist are the source for this sense of entitlement? ("I learned it by watching you, dad!")
It's no mystery that we fans of the University of Texas have always walked a fine line between swagger and arrogance. And no where is that dichotomy more prevalent than in our institution of higher learning's handcrafted tagline, "We're Texas."
When we win, "We're Texas" is an affirmation of our confidence. When we lose, it's an albatross of arrogance run amuck.
And whether you love the phrase or think it's just the pipe dream of two doped up ad agency copywriters throwing tag lines against the wall, the reason it ultimately stuck and was able to tap into the Burnt Orange Zeitgeist is because it does reflect the UT bravado as a whole and it is an extremely efficient and addictive catalyst for unleashing the the pride we feel inside.
Problem is, in my eyes anyway, "We're Texas" isn't an imperative. It's a statement of fact. When you think about it, the phrase practically assumes we've already won because well, "we're Texas and you're not." Unfortunately, we're also 5-7. And I don't hear anybody yelling that with pride and I've yet to see a bumper sticker or T-shirt with "We're below .500" on it.
Regardless, I still don't know that I'd argue that our overzealousness is the sole source for this sense of entitlement anymore than I'd argue that we should even try to cure ourselves of it.
But should the Longhorns' marketing machine or even Mack Brown himself be in the market for a new theme for 2011, I'd recommend a catalytic imperative that has gotten the job done before and one that I know will get it done again...
"Hook'em Horns."
Friday, April 15, 2011
Spring Football
When I worked in mid-town, one of my favorite springtime activities took me to the GT campus to watch football practice. Without a roster with names and numbers, I was never quite sure who was doing what, but it was fun to watch. CPJ has almost all the practices closed this season, so few of us have any idea what is happening. As a result, very little has been written. I believe, with T-Day coming up in just over a week, we should start talking about football.
One of the big questions for this spring is quarterback. The battle seems to be between Synjyn Days and Tevin Washington to see who replaces Joshua Nesbitt. David Sims is listed as a QB, but we are deep into the smelly stuff if he takes a snap this fall. So, the battle clearly between Days and Washington should be raging everyday in spring practice. Days has never played, except to run the opponents' offense in practice, so we can only guess how well he will do if he plays. However, for Washington, we have a pretty good idea.
In the four games he started, Tevin was pretty good. Not great, but OK. The offense tanked the bowl game, as it has done all three of CPJs years at Tech, so I am omitting that game from my data. Tevin led the Jackets to offensive output of 401 yards while losing to Miami, 410 yards against Duke, and put 512 yards on the Dogs. Tech's 2010 per game offense with Tevin at QB are better than Nesbitt's. His failing is turnovers. But, if I remember correctly, Joshua had the same problem in 2008.
That said, I am excited about seeing Vad Lee on campus. He may be the most dynamic Tech player recruited in many years. In high school he was a passing QB who could run. He has a will to win and the ability to focus that is uncommon in teens. It will be interesting to see how the competition plays out at QB.
Primavera di calcio
Quando ho lavorato a metà della città, una delle mie attività preferite primavera mi ha portato al campus GT per guardare la pratica del calcio. Senza un roster con nomi e numeri, non sono mai stato abbastanza sicuro che stava facendo che cosa, ma era divertente da guardare. CPJ ha quasi tutte le pratiche chiuse in questa stagione, così pochi di noi hanno idea di cosa sta accadendo. Di conseguenza, molto poco è stato scritto. Credo che, con T-Day in arrivo in poco più di una settimana, dovremmo iniziare a parlare di calcio.
Una delle grandi questioni per questa primavera è quarterback. La battaglia sembra essere tra i giorni Synjyn e Tevin Washington per vedere chi sostituisce Joshua Nesbitt. David Sims è elencato come un QB, ma siamo in profondità la roba puzzolente, se si prende un attimo questo autunno. Così, la battaglia in modo chiaro tra i giorni e Washington dovrebbero essere tutti i giorni infuria nella pratica primavera. Giorni non ha mai giocato, se non per eseguire il reato avversari ', in pratica, in modo che possiamo solo immaginare quanto bene farà se gioca. Tuttavia, per Washington, abbiamo una buona idea.
In quattro partite ha iniziato, Tevin è stato abbastanza buono. Non grande, ma OK. Il reato tankato le bocce, come ha fatto tutte e tre anni a CPJs Tech, quindi sono omettendo quel gioco da miei dati. Tevin portato le Giacche di produzione offensiva di 401 metri, perdendo a Miami, 410 yards contro Duke, 512 yards e messo sui cani. Tech 2010 per reato di gioco con Tevin al QB sono meglio di Nesbitt. La sua mancanza è fatturati. Ma, se non ricordo male, Joshua aveva lo stesso problema nel 2008.
Detto questo, io sono entusiasta di vedere Vad Lee nel campus. Egli può essere il giocatore più dinamico Tech reclutati in molti anni. Al liceo era un passaggio QB che potrebbe correre. Ha una voglia di vincere e la capacità di messa a fuoco che non è comune in adolescenti. Sarà interessante vedere come si gioca fuori concorso al QB.
Printemps de football
Lorsque je travaillais au centre-ville, une de mes activités préférées printemps m'a pris sur le campus de GT de regarder la pratique du football. Sans une liste avec les noms et numéros, je n'ai jamais très bien qui faisait quoi, mais c'était amusant à regarder. Le CPJ a presque toutes les pratiques fermés cette saison, si peu d'entre nous ont une idée de ce qui se passe. En conséquence, très peu a été écrit. Je crois, avec T-journée à venir dans un peu plus d'une semaine, nous devrions commencer à parler de football.
Une des grandes questions pour ce printemps est le quart-arrière. La bataille semble être entre les jours Synjyn et Tevin Washington pour voir qui remplace Joshua Nesbitt. David Sims est répertorié comme un QB, mais nous sommes profondément dans la substance malodorante s'il prend un clin d'œil à l'automne. Ainsi, la bataille clairement entre les jours et Washington devrait faire rage dans la pratique quotidienne de printemps. Jours n'a jamais joué, sauf à courir infraction de l'adversaire dans la pratique, de sorte que nous ne pouvons que deviner la façon dont il le fera s'il joue. Cependant, pour Washington, nous avons une assez bonne idée.
Au cours des quatre matchs qu'il a commencé, Tevin était très bon. Pas génial, mais OK. L'infraction a plongé le bowl, comme il l'a fait les trois années à CPJs Tech, je suis donc en omettant ce jeu de mes données. Tevin mené les Blue Jackets à la production offensive de 401 verges tout en perdant à Miami, 410 verges contre le duc, et de mettre 512 verges sur les chiens. Tech 2010 par infraction jeu avec Tevin au QB sont mieux que Nesbitt. Son échec est revirements. Mais, si je me souviens bien, Joshua eu le même problème en 2008.
Cela dit, je suis très heureux de voir Vad Lee sur le campus. Il peut être l'acteur le plus dynamique Tech recrutés depuis de nombreuses années. Au lycée, il a été un passage QB qui pouvait courir. Il a une volonté de gagner et la capacité de mettre l'accent qui est rare chez les adolescents. Il sera intéressant de voir comment la compétition se joue à QB.
Printemps de football
Lorsque je travaillais au centre-ville, une de mes activités préférées printemps m'a pris sur le campus de GT de regarder la pratique du football. Sans une liste avec les noms et numéros, je n'ai jamais très bien qui faisait quoi, mais c'était amusant à regarder. Le CPJ a presque toutes les pratiques fermés cette saison, si peu d'entre nous ont une idée de ce qui se passe. En conséquence, très peu a été écrit. Je crois, avec T-journée à venir dans un peu plus d'une semaine, nous devrions commencer à parler de football.
Une des grandes questions pour ce printemps est le quart-arrière. La bataille semble être entre les jours Synjyn et Tevin Washington pour voir qui remplace Joshua Nesbitt. David Sims est répertorié comme un QB, mais nous sommes profondément dans la substance malodorante s'il prend un clin d'œil à l'automne. Ainsi, la bataille clairement entre les jours et Washington devrait faire rage dans la pratique quotidienne de printemps. Jours n'a jamais joué, sauf à courir infraction de l'adversaire dans la pratique, de sorte que nous ne pouvons que deviner la façon dont il le fera s'il joue. Cependant, pour Washington, nous avons une assez bonne idée.
Au cours des quatre matchs qu'il a commencé, Tevin était très bon. Pas génial, mais OK. L'infraction a plongé le bowl, comme il l'a fait les trois années à CPJs Tech, je suis donc en omettant ce jeu de mes données. Tevin mené les Blue Jackets à la production offensive de 401 verges tout en perdant à Miami, 410 verges contre le duc, et de mettre 512 verges sur les chiens. Tech 2010 par infraction jeu avec Tevin au QB sont mieux que Nesbitt. Son échec est revirements. Mais, si je me souviens bien, Joshua eu le même problème en 2008.
Cela dit, je suis très heureux de voir Vad Lee sur le campus. Il peut être l'acteur le plus dynamique Tech recrutés depuis de nombreuses années. Au lycée, il a été un passage QB qui pouvait courir. Il a une volonté de gagner et la capacité de mettre l'accent qui est rare chez les adolescents. Il sera intéressant de voir comment la compétition se joue à QB.
One of the big questions for this spring is quarterback. The battle seems to be between Synjyn Days and Tevin Washington to see who replaces Joshua Nesbitt. David Sims is listed as a QB, but we are deep into the smelly stuff if he takes a snap this fall. So, the battle clearly between Days and Washington should be raging everyday in spring practice. Days has never played, except to run the opponents' offense in practice, so we can only guess how well he will do if he plays. However, for Washington, we have a pretty good idea.
In the four games he started, Tevin was pretty good. Not great, but OK. The offense tanked the bowl game, as it has done all three of CPJs years at Tech, so I am omitting that game from my data. Tevin led the Jackets to offensive output of 401 yards while losing to Miami, 410 yards against Duke, and put 512 yards on the Dogs. Tech's 2010 per game offense with Tevin at QB are better than Nesbitt's. His failing is turnovers. But, if I remember correctly, Joshua had the same problem in 2008.
That said, I am excited about seeing Vad Lee on campus. He may be the most dynamic Tech player recruited in many years. In high school he was a passing QB who could run. He has a will to win and the ability to focus that is uncommon in teens. It will be interesting to see how the competition plays out at QB.
Primavera di calcio
Quando ho lavorato a metà della città, una delle mie attività preferite primavera mi ha portato al campus GT per guardare la pratica del calcio. Senza un roster con nomi e numeri, non sono mai stato abbastanza sicuro che stava facendo che cosa, ma era divertente da guardare. CPJ ha quasi tutte le pratiche chiuse in questa stagione, così pochi di noi hanno idea di cosa sta accadendo. Di conseguenza, molto poco è stato scritto. Credo che, con T-Day in arrivo in poco più di una settimana, dovremmo iniziare a parlare di calcio.
Una delle grandi questioni per questa primavera è quarterback. La battaglia sembra essere tra i giorni Synjyn e Tevin Washington per vedere chi sostituisce Joshua Nesbitt. David Sims è elencato come un QB, ma siamo in profondità la roba puzzolente, se si prende un attimo questo autunno. Così, la battaglia in modo chiaro tra i giorni e Washington dovrebbero essere tutti i giorni infuria nella pratica primavera. Giorni non ha mai giocato, se non per eseguire il reato avversari ', in pratica, in modo che possiamo solo immaginare quanto bene farà se gioca. Tuttavia, per Washington, abbiamo una buona idea.
In quattro partite ha iniziato, Tevin è stato abbastanza buono. Non grande, ma OK. Il reato tankato le bocce, come ha fatto tutte e tre anni a CPJs Tech, quindi sono omettendo quel gioco da miei dati. Tevin portato le Giacche di produzione offensiva di 401 metri, perdendo a Miami, 410 yards contro Duke, 512 yards e messo sui cani. Tech 2010 per reato di gioco con Tevin al QB sono meglio di Nesbitt. La sua mancanza è fatturati. Ma, se non ricordo male, Joshua aveva lo stesso problema nel 2008.
Detto questo, io sono entusiasta di vedere Vad Lee nel campus. Egli può essere il giocatore più dinamico Tech reclutati in molti anni. Al liceo era un passaggio QB che potrebbe correre. Ha una voglia di vincere e la capacità di messa a fuoco che non è comune in adolescenti. Sarà interessante vedere come si gioca fuori concorso al QB.
Printemps de football
Lorsque je travaillais au centre-ville, une de mes activités préférées printemps m'a pris sur le campus de GT de regarder la pratique du football. Sans une liste avec les noms et numéros, je n'ai jamais très bien qui faisait quoi, mais c'était amusant à regarder. Le CPJ a presque toutes les pratiques fermés cette saison, si peu d'entre nous ont une idée de ce qui se passe. En conséquence, très peu a été écrit. Je crois, avec T-journée à venir dans un peu plus d'une semaine, nous devrions commencer à parler de football.
Une des grandes questions pour ce printemps est le quart-arrière. La bataille semble être entre les jours Synjyn et Tevin Washington pour voir qui remplace Joshua Nesbitt. David Sims est répertorié comme un QB, mais nous sommes profondément dans la substance malodorante s'il prend un clin d'œil à l'automne. Ainsi, la bataille clairement entre les jours et Washington devrait faire rage dans la pratique quotidienne de printemps. Jours n'a jamais joué, sauf à courir infraction de l'adversaire dans la pratique, de sorte que nous ne pouvons que deviner la façon dont il le fera s'il joue. Cependant, pour Washington, nous avons une assez bonne idée.
Au cours des quatre matchs qu'il a commencé, Tevin était très bon. Pas génial, mais OK. L'infraction a plongé le bowl, comme il l'a fait les trois années à CPJs Tech, je suis donc en omettant ce jeu de mes données. Tevin mené les Blue Jackets à la production offensive de 401 verges tout en perdant à Miami, 410 verges contre le duc, et de mettre 512 verges sur les chiens. Tech 2010 par infraction jeu avec Tevin au QB sont mieux que Nesbitt. Son échec est revirements. Mais, si je me souviens bien, Joshua eu le même problème en 2008.
Cela dit, je suis très heureux de voir Vad Lee sur le campus. Il peut être l'acteur le plus dynamique Tech recrutés depuis de nombreuses années. Au lycée, il a été un passage QB qui pouvait courir. Il a une volonté de gagner et la capacité de mettre l'accent qui est rare chez les adolescents. Il sera intéressant de voir comment la compétition se joue à QB.
Printemps de football
Lorsque je travaillais au centre-ville, une de mes activités préférées printemps m'a pris sur le campus de GT de regarder la pratique du football. Sans une liste avec les noms et numéros, je n'ai jamais très bien qui faisait quoi, mais c'était amusant à regarder. Le CPJ a presque toutes les pratiques fermés cette saison, si peu d'entre nous ont une idée de ce qui se passe. En conséquence, très peu a été écrit. Je crois, avec T-journée à venir dans un peu plus d'une semaine, nous devrions commencer à parler de football.
Une des grandes questions pour ce printemps est le quart-arrière. La bataille semble être entre les jours Synjyn et Tevin Washington pour voir qui remplace Joshua Nesbitt. David Sims est répertorié comme un QB, mais nous sommes profondément dans la substance malodorante s'il prend un clin d'œil à l'automne. Ainsi, la bataille clairement entre les jours et Washington devrait faire rage dans la pratique quotidienne de printemps. Jours n'a jamais joué, sauf à courir infraction de l'adversaire dans la pratique, de sorte que nous ne pouvons que deviner la façon dont il le fera s'il joue. Cependant, pour Washington, nous avons une assez bonne idée.
Au cours des quatre matchs qu'il a commencé, Tevin était très bon. Pas génial, mais OK. L'infraction a plongé le bowl, comme il l'a fait les trois années à CPJs Tech, je suis donc en omettant ce jeu de mes données. Tevin mené les Blue Jackets à la production offensive de 401 verges tout en perdant à Miami, 410 verges contre le duc, et de mettre 512 verges sur les chiens. Tech 2010 par infraction jeu avec Tevin au QB sont mieux que Nesbitt. Son échec est revirements. Mais, si je me souviens bien, Joshua eu le même problème en 2008.
Cela dit, je suis très heureux de voir Vad Lee sur le campus. Il peut être l'acteur le plus dynamique Tech recrutés depuis de nombreuses années. Au lycée, il a été un passage QB qui pouvait courir. Il a une volonté de gagner et la capacité de mettre l'accent qui est rare chez les adolescents. Il sera intéressant de voir comment la compétition se joue à QB.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Greatest Football Movie Ever Tournament: The Blind Side vs The Longest Yard
Finally, the tournament has moved on to the semi-finals of the "Other" bracket, the last of the three that we need to get to. The finals of the College bracket will be a battle between the two lowest seeds, as The Waterboy managed to take down We Are Marshall in the second semi-final to set up a battle against Necessary Roughness for the College bracket championship.
Our first semi-final match-up in the "Other" bracket gives us a recent classic going up against an older classic.
The Blind Side
The Blind Side is based on the real life story of current Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher, and is taken from the book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis.
Young Michael Oher (played in the film by Quinton Aaron) spent much of his childhood bouncing around different foster homes in Memphis, Tennessee, largely because he keeps running away whenever he gets placed in a new home. He eventually winds up enrolling in the Wingate Christian school, where he makes a friend named Sean. Sean's mother, Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) eventually brings him into their home, and he becomes a part of the Tuohy family. Eventually, his academic problems get turned around, which allows him to join the school's football team, which is where young Oher finds his true calling.
Bullock won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in this movie, and the film itself received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
The Longest Yard
Apologies. . .the trailer above is for the 2005 remake. The only thing I could find for the 1974 version was something hyping a DVD release. Then again, since they're essentially the same movie, I guess the difference isn't that great. I just prefer the older version. Your mileage may vary.
The Longest Yard centers around Paul Crewe (played in the original by Burt Reynolds), a former star professional quarterback who was kicked out of the league for point shaving. After getting into a fight with his girlfriend, Crewe gets drunk and drives his girlfriends car off of a pier, winding up with an 18-month prison sentence as a result. After being harassed by both his fellow inmates and the guards at the prison, the warden eventually compels Crewe to put together a team of inmates to take on the prison's guards, who have a semi-pro team of their own, and many of whom are big enough and fast enough to play at the pro level. Most of the prisoners have no football experience, and the African-American players won't even talk to Crewe about joining the squad. . .at first.
Eventually, game day comes around and the prisoners actually have a shot at taking down the guards. At halftime, the prison warden comes to Crewe and tells him that if he doesn't lose this game to the guards, he'll pin a crime on Crewe that they both know he didn't commit. From there. . .well, I don't think I want to spoil the ending, although I'm sure most folks here have seen the film already.
The Longest Yard won the 1975 Golden Globe Award for Best Picture (Musical or Comedy). The 2005 version is pretty good, too. . .after all, as I said earlier, it's essentially the same movie. . .but I simply prefer the Burt Reynolds version.
There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. . .let the battle begin!
Our first semi-final match-up in the "Other" bracket gives us a recent classic going up against an older classic.
The Blind Side
The Blind Side is based on the real life story of current Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher, and is taken from the book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis.
Young Michael Oher (played in the film by Quinton Aaron) spent much of his childhood bouncing around different foster homes in Memphis, Tennessee, largely because he keeps running away whenever he gets placed in a new home. He eventually winds up enrolling in the Wingate Christian school, where he makes a friend named Sean. Sean's mother, Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) eventually brings him into their home, and he becomes a part of the Tuohy family. Eventually, his academic problems get turned around, which allows him to join the school's football team, which is where young Oher finds his true calling.
Bullock won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in this movie, and the film itself received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
The Longest Yard
Apologies. . .the trailer above is for the 2005 remake. The only thing I could find for the 1974 version was something hyping a DVD release. Then again, since they're essentially the same movie, I guess the difference isn't that great. I just prefer the older version. Your mileage may vary.
The Longest Yard centers around Paul Crewe (played in the original by Burt Reynolds), a former star professional quarterback who was kicked out of the league for point shaving. After getting into a fight with his girlfriend, Crewe gets drunk and drives his girlfriends car off of a pier, winding up with an 18-month prison sentence as a result. After being harassed by both his fellow inmates and the guards at the prison, the warden eventually compels Crewe to put together a team of inmates to take on the prison's guards, who have a semi-pro team of their own, and many of whom are big enough and fast enough to play at the pro level. Most of the prisoners have no football experience, and the African-American players won't even talk to Crewe about joining the squad. . .at first.
Eventually, game day comes around and the prisoners actually have a shot at taking down the guards. At halftime, the prison warden comes to Crewe and tells him that if he doesn't lose this game to the guards, he'll pin a crime on Crewe that they both know he didn't commit. From there. . .well, I don't think I want to spoil the ending, although I'm sure most folks here have seen the film already.
The Longest Yard won the 1975 Golden Globe Award for Best Picture (Musical or Comedy). The 2005 version is pretty good, too. . .after all, as I said earlier, it's essentially the same movie. . .but I simply prefer the Burt Reynolds version.
There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. . .let the battle begin!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Texas Football: Spring Game Quick React
I'm still a bit under the weather so this will be, as much as anything, an open thread for you to post your own thoughts on today's Spring Game. I watched with the interest of a hungry fan eager to see some live football, while understanding that this was an exhibition for hungry fans eager to see some live football. The signal to noise ratio in a scrimmage like this is pretty low.
That said, we saw live football, featuring the players who will play for the team this fall. And while I don't have the energy to write too thoughtfully about any big picture stuff right now, here are a few of my observations from today's action, in no particular order:
* I like that we seem interested in getting the football to our playmakers. That's an awfully simple concept, but one that's been fundamentally underserved. We have specific ideas for how to use DJ Monroe. We want to get Mike Davis and other playmaking wideouts the ball in space. It's all pretty raw right now, but seeing the coaches specifically targeting that objective is a nice change.
* Also nice: routes being run down the field! Nevermind that neither Gilbert nor McCoy could get the ball there. The routes were being run. Down the field. Consistently. This is progress.
* The easy conclusion to draw is that our offensive line is a "work in progress," a "question mark." Yes, it is, and it will be. But some of the individual play that I saw was encouraging. Mason Walters had a nice afternoon. I saw some nice agility from Trey Hopkins, and several encouraging plays from Tray Allen.
* How good is Quandre Diggs? Didn't look like an early enrollee freshman to me. Beautiful coverage on the fade in the end zone, coupled with some physical play and a fine display of football instincts. Diggs looks like one of the top two players in the class. Like when Earl Thomas showed he was ready, the question is not whether he's ready to play but how long it will take him to understand the game as well as he plays it.
* Sticking with the defense, we have the personnel to have a really strong front seven, and it's conceivable that the secondary will round into a strength sooner rather than later. Vaccaro is a difference maker who needs to be on the field constantly. We all know Gideon's limitations, but if he's asked to play a role better suited to his capabilities this year he can be fine, and he looked good on one play today coming in to blow up a lane, shedding a blocker to make the play. Phillips and Byndom are inexperienced and raw, but they possess physical attributes that play. I've already mentioned Diggs, but we also saw something from AJ White and Nolan Brewster today. There are a lot of kids who will be in the mix here and I feel better about our prospects in the secondary than I did heading in, which is nice.
* Rounding out the thoughts on the defense: I'm pretty encouraged by our roster and feel good about our chances to be a good unit. We didn't see Manny Diaz do much schematically today, but I saw plenty of talent out there. Reggie Wilson is going to explode onto the scene this year, and between him and Jeffcoat and Okafor we've got some playmakers at end. As for tackle, Calvin Howell made a couple nice plays, and I saw some things to like from Dorsey in a block-eating role alongside Randall. And the linebackers are a wealth of depth and talent. Cobbs is still really raw and learning how to play, but he definitely closes fast.
* All that said, if you told me after today that you see an eight-win team I wouldn't argue, and that's because the offense still lacks an identity. I really liked seeing how Harsin attacks the field through various points of emphasis, but we're a long way from executing it well enough to take advantage. The elephant in the room being, of course, quarterback. Gilbert did not look good, and if we're ever starting Case McCoy we're in trouble. I know that he's going to be appealing to some, but there's nothing there. I don't have an answer here, and only can say that we have a quarterback problem. I thought that Wood looked promising physically, and my gut says that he and Ash should probably be given more of a shot to win the job than they will.
And with that, I'm wrapping it up and opening the floor to y'all. There were plenty of players I didn't get to touch on that deserve mention, but I'll leave that to you.
That said, we saw live football, featuring the players who will play for the team this fall. And while I don't have the energy to write too thoughtfully about any big picture stuff right now, here are a few of my observations from today's action, in no particular order:
* I like that we seem interested in getting the football to our playmakers. That's an awfully simple concept, but one that's been fundamentally underserved. We have specific ideas for how to use DJ Monroe. We want to get Mike Davis and other playmaking wideouts the ball in space. It's all pretty raw right now, but seeing the coaches specifically targeting that objective is a nice change.
* Also nice: routes being run down the field! Nevermind that neither Gilbert nor McCoy could get the ball there. The routes were being run. Down the field. Consistently. This is progress.
* The easy conclusion to draw is that our offensive line is a "work in progress," a "question mark." Yes, it is, and it will be. But some of the individual play that I saw was encouraging. Mason Walters had a nice afternoon. I saw some nice agility from Trey Hopkins, and several encouraging plays from Tray Allen.
* How good is Quandre Diggs? Didn't look like an early enrollee freshman to me. Beautiful coverage on the fade in the end zone, coupled with some physical play and a fine display of football instincts. Diggs looks like one of the top two players in the class. Like when Earl Thomas showed he was ready, the question is not whether he's ready to play but how long it will take him to understand the game as well as he plays it.
* Sticking with the defense, we have the personnel to have a really strong front seven, and it's conceivable that the secondary will round into a strength sooner rather than later. Vaccaro is a difference maker who needs to be on the field constantly. We all know Gideon's limitations, but if he's asked to play a role better suited to his capabilities this year he can be fine, and he looked good on one play today coming in to blow up a lane, shedding a blocker to make the play. Phillips and Byndom are inexperienced and raw, but they possess physical attributes that play. I've already mentioned Diggs, but we also saw something from AJ White and Nolan Brewster today. There are a lot of kids who will be in the mix here and I feel better about our prospects in the secondary than I did heading in, which is nice.
* Rounding out the thoughts on the defense: I'm pretty encouraged by our roster and feel good about our chances to be a good unit. We didn't see Manny Diaz do much schematically today, but I saw plenty of talent out there. Reggie Wilson is going to explode onto the scene this year, and between him and Jeffcoat and Okafor we've got some playmakers at end. As for tackle, Calvin Howell made a couple nice plays, and I saw some things to like from Dorsey in a block-eating role alongside Randall. And the linebackers are a wealth of depth and talent. Cobbs is still really raw and learning how to play, but he definitely closes fast.
* All that said, if you told me after today that you see an eight-win team I wouldn't argue, and that's because the offense still lacks an identity. I really liked seeing how Harsin attacks the field through various points of emphasis, but we're a long way from executing it well enough to take advantage. The elephant in the room being, of course, quarterback. Gilbert did not look good, and if we're ever starting Case McCoy we're in trouble. I know that he's going to be appealing to some, but there's nothing there. I don't have an answer here, and only can say that we have a quarterback problem. I thought that Wood looked promising physically, and my gut says that he and Ash should probably be given more of a shot to win the job than they will.
And with that, I'm wrapping it up and opening the floor to y'all. There were plenty of players I didn't get to touch on that deserve mention, but I'll leave that to you.
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