View from the Cheap Seats-ISU

[echeese]

View from the Cheap Seats-ISU​

 ​

Choke​

Not unlike the Mighty Casey, the Mighty Longhorns lead by Coach Tom Herman have struck out.   This year was a win the conference or bust type season.    We busted and in doing so, snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. No other way to say it, TEXAS/Coach Tom choked.   In the 4 years that CTH has held the head spot at TEXAS, no team in the country has a worse record of giving up 4th quarter leads than TEXAS.   The reverse of Mack Brown who had at one point held the best record of 4th quarter comebacks and not giving up leads late in games.   Sadly, TEXAS should not have needed one of it’s weekly “miracle comebacks” lead by Sam the Man as we have become so accustom to in 2020.    With 4:09 in the 4th, TEXAS had both the ball and a 20-16 lead, all TEXAS needed was  a couple 1st downs which would have  put the Horns in great shape to play for the BigXII title and perhaps save Tom’s job.  

While any score would extend the lead, a TD putting the game effectively out of reach, the #1 goal should have been to run out the clock.   Instead we see 1 run then back to back incomplete passes which only burned 1 minute of clock leaving ISU the ball at the 31 with 3:09 to go.   You have one of the best running QBs in college football but instead of getting him out on the edge with a run pass option (read, burn more clock), you drop him back in the pocket and go bombs away on 2nd down.      WHY?   It’s a low % completion play at it’s best.    Why would you not run a high completion route with Sam having the option to get what he could with his legs if nothing is there, again, allowing the clock to continue to run.  This was followed by another incompletion. .  .coulda/shoulda/woulda been caught?   Who knows, it stopped the clocked and forced a punt. 

ISU gets the ball back and goes on it’s best drive of the day, featuring 3 “chunk” plays.   The 2 biggest plays coming on passes to their tight ends.   TEXAS rarely uses their talented TEs so maybe that’s why our D struggled mightily to cover ISU’s players.   ISU would take it’s only lead of the day punching in a TD but leaving Sam just enough time to pull off another weekly miracle come back.

There should be a poll for "worst coaching decision on the day".    Our vote would go for a fake punt on our end of the field in the 3rd quarter with the lead.   WHY?   Defense playing well, Dicker punting well.   We needed 10. . . .not 3 or 5, something obtainable.   And poor Tom, didn't realize Matt Campbell might not be MENSA but he's a better coach, had his guys ready.  Fake punt fooled NO ONE.   SMDH

It was the Mighty Casey story all over.   Despite a gallant effort by Sam to at least move TEXAS in a position to tie the game and send it to OT, Sam took a sack we could not afford forcing Dicker the Kicker into his longest FG attempt of his career.   4 yards closer and it’s OT for the Horns as the kick curved “just a bit outside” (in my best Bob Uecker) of the upright.

Want to know why Matt Campbell is a rising star in coaching?   He genuinely cares about the players.   He goes to Dicker after the miss and talks with him at length.    Not a quick pat on the helmet either.  A great display of sportsmanship but more importantly, LEADERSHIP.    First Class move, as if we were not already impressed with the job Campbell has done.

Now we do have one member of the coaching staff who’s performance this year is likely to be overlooked in this wasted season.   Chris Ash and his defense, for the 3rd week in a row basically shut down one of the Top RBs in the nation while holding ISU 10 points below their season average.  While our offense continues to regress, our defense is getting better.  That’s coaching.

The $64,000 question

What does this mean for the future of Coach Tom Herman?    4 years without a BigXII title.  4 years with the worst 4th quarter performance in the nation.   The recruiting class largely going backwards (though there were 2 very nice commits recently).    Thanks to COVID and the massive expense of the South End Zone, money is VERY TIGHT.   Will/can CDC pull the trigger?    And if he does, who does he hire?   Urban Meyer is the obvious choice but will he take the job?   How is his health?   Is there another candidate who has the name (the “juice” if you will) to make an immediate impact?    Mario Christobal of Oregon has some great recruiting chops but unlike UM, his resume is thin.   Or does CTH get another year?   Make no mistake, we were in the front seat of the CTH bandwagon 4 years ago . .. . today, our only question is who is next and how fast can they get here.   

Stats that matter

• 11 for 200.   ISU’s TE numbers.  Our TEs caught 3 passes (one a fake punt) for less than 20 yards though there was 1 really nice TD.   Perhaps whomever calls plays next year will remember that you are allowed to use TEs and Wiley seems to be a good one.
  
• 4 of 11   TEXAS’ 3rd down conversion ratio.   Not very good
  
• 21    Points per game TEXAS is averaging the past 3 weeks, pretty weak
  
• 0-4   BigXII titles for CTH at TEXAS, that's the back breaker
  

On Deck

Not that it matters much now but TEXAS will face KSU still without their starting QB and riding a 3 game losing streak pending the outcome of today’s game with Baylor.   Will TEXAS/CTH allow 1 loss to become 2?   Does it really matter at this point?   At least the reward for Dallas losing is high draft picks.

Fighting Mack Brown’s

Simply did not have the horses to hang with ND after the 1st half.   Tied 17-17 midway through the game, UNC shut out in the 2nd half.   Cupcake on deck (west Carolina?) then a Dec 12th date with #10 Miami and former DC Manny Diaz.   Pulling hard for Mack to win out but clearly he’s building something special at UNC.  .. again.

Will update conference rankings and playoff leaders after Sat’s games.    ISU clearly #1 OU (barring an upset) #2 at TEXAS at best #4 though no idea who is #3.

Game Highlights

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

While any score would extend the lead, a TD putting the game effectively out of reach, the #1 goal should have been to run out the clock.   Instead we see 1 run then back to back incomplete passes which only burned 1 minute of clock leaving ISU the ball at the 31 with 3:09 to go.

Anybody else think UT would pull it out at this point in the game? I sure as hell didn't.

Embarrassing

 

[dillohorn]

I have had very little faith in the Horns beating anyone this year.

 

[Baron]

I have had very little faith in the Horns beating anyone this year.

I had hope going into this season, but that was dashed by the Tech game. I knew then that nothing had changed from the previous season.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

Why I oughtta.....furk ?

 

[Hiwood]

something is wrong when your starting RB a bonafide 5 star blue chipper has only 16 carries for 54 yds and your second leading rusher is your QB with 15 carries for 65 yds..When Texas needed to control the clock and put away the game, they didnt have enough confidence to run the ball and seal the deal

 

[primal defense]

something is wrong when your starting RB a bonafide 5 star blue chipper has only 16 carries for 54 yds and your second leading rusher is your QB with 15 carries for 65 yds..When Texas needed to control the clock and put away the game, they didnt have enough confidence to run the ball and seal the deal

Fire Herb Hand!

 

[joeywa]

The Herman era seems to be coming to an end.  Texas should not drop games to both TCU and Iowa St in Austin. That can’t happen in a normal year, let alone when the conference is down and there is a seemingly clear path to the B12 Title Game. 
The UT Admin needs to act, and act fast. The decision was all but made after ou, but The Eyes issue seemingly put things on hold and gave Herman a chance to complete his goal of getting this team a B12 championship. Now that this isn’t happening, the only thing that keeping Herman at the helm does is continue to negatively affect recruiting. Part ways now and it creates some discussion and raised eyebrows with recruits.  Maybe, just maybe, this allows a glimmer of momentum to be restored with Texas recruiting. Wait until the end of the season and it puts a new HC behind an already ominous recruiting curve. 

 

[Tax Saver]

I agree with every word you wrote.  

And the sick part is that Turtle Tom was in this exact position last year in the Iowa State game.  Last year a 1 point lead with just under 4 minutes left and the ball.  He runs 2 dive plays and a 2 yard pass...thus re-earning his nickname, Turtle Tom.

You would think a Mensa would learn.  Instead he turtled.  The second down weird pass route even Tom Brady himself would have a hard time completing.

Nearly like he did it on purpose.

And at the end of the game, 3rd and game on the line, you gotta take Sam and remind him that a sack just cannot happen.  Just throw it away if there's no open receiver, although a better choice is just to throw it Eagles way down the sideline and maybe he catches it or is interfered with.

But Turtle Tom was too Mensa to think of THAT.

 

[The Tinman]

Great write up. TH has no clue how to win football games. I dont know what he does all week but its not planning on  what / how to expose a teams weakness . Ash seems to study film and game plans to slow down the opponets offense. Texas had no business losing this game. I heard ricky say "tom was playing scared" i feel thats true. The decisions he made on the 4th and 1 not kicking the fg. The fake punt and just the offense play calling had desperate all over it. He was so scared to lose and made bad play calls that cost him the win.smh 

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Great write up. TH has no clue how to win football games. I dont know what he does all week but its not planning on  what / how to expose a teams weakness . Ash seems to study film and game plans to slow down the opponets offense. Texas had no business losing this game. I heard ricky say "tom was playing scared" i feel thats true. The decisions he made on the 4th and 1 not kicking the fg. The fake punt and just the offense play calling had desperate all over it. He was so scared to lose and made bad play calls that cost him the win.smh 

Yep

 

[Baron]

Here's a question. Does Sam come back if Herman remains the coach? How about if it's a new coach?

I'm thinking if Herman comes back Sam is gone.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

Here's a question. Does Sam come back if Herman remains the coach? How about if it's a new coach?

I'm thinking if Herman comes back Sam is gone.

Not to be argumentative, because I like Sam, but name one game this season where Ehlinger was the best QB on the field. Maybe OU bc they pulled Rattler for a spell? After 4 years, I'd like new blood at the position next year. 

 

[primal defense]

Here's a question. Does Sam come back if Herman remains the coach? How about if it's a new coach?

I'm thinking if Herman comes back Sam is gone.

Yes, Sam is gone no matter who is the coach.

 

[echeese]

Not to be argumentative, because I like Sam, but name one game this season where Ehlinger was the best QB on the field. Maybe OU bc they pulled Rattler for a spell? After 4 years, I'd like new blood at the position next year. 

Agreed, love Sam but time for the new broom to sweep clean.  

I hope Casey gets at least a quarter in each of the next two games as I still think he opens next year as QB1. . . .

Great write up. TH has no clue how to win football games. I dont know what he does all week but its not planning on  what / how to expose a teams weakness . Ash seems to study film and game plans to slow down the opponets offense. Texas had no business losing this game. I heard ricky say "tom was playing scared" i feel thats true. The decisions he made on the 4th and 1 not kicking the fg. The fake punt and just the offense play calling had desperate all over it. He was so scared to lose and made bad play calls that cost him the win.smh 

Thank you.

The Herman era seems to be coming to an end.  Texas should not drop games to both TCU and Iowa St in Austin. That can’t happen in a normal year, let alone when the conference is down and there is a seemingly clear path to the B12 Title Game. 
The UT Admin needs to act, and act fast. The decision was all but made after ou, but The Eyes issue seemingly put things on hold and gave Herman a chance to complete his goal of getting this team a B12 championship. Now that this isn’t happening, the only thing that keeping Herman at the helm does is continue to negatively affect recruiting. Part ways now and it creates some discussion and raised eyebrows with recruits.  Maybe, just maybe, this allows a glimmer of momentum to be restored with Texas recruiting. Wait until the end of the season and it puts a new HC behind an already ominous recruiting curve. 

Well said.

 

[java]

My son-in-law asked me what I would do when we were ahead by four with a gimme field goal & 4th & short. I’m sure it was rhetorical, but I would have kicked the field goal.  That puts the pressure on ISU.

It was a crushing blow for our offense not to get the first down. 

My gut was screaming to kick it.