*****GAME THREAD: No. 1 Texas versus Oklahoma*****

[Baron]

One thing that does sit well with me after last weekend's game is the traitor getting shutdown.

 

[83Dee]

Well for arguments sake let's compare. The first rank for each team will be scoring defense. The second ranking will be total defense.
Ohio St. 9th, 19th
Tenn. T19th, 30th
OU 24th, 5th
A&M (Elko) 37th, 38th
Ole Miss (Golding) 117th, 115th
Honestly, LSU looks like the hardest defense we will play in upcoming games. They rank T19th and 2nd.
Teams stats come from NCAA.com

Good points. But I was responding to this part of your statement "There aren't many better than Patricia, Knowles and Venables."

I concede OU may be the best defense we will play all year.

 

[83Dee]

One thing that does sit well with me after last weekend's game is the traitor getting shutdown.

I have an OU buddy whose kids went to the game for free.... because OU big donars didn't want to go.

Not often in my lifetime can I remember feeling like we were clearly better than OU.... we squandered this rare opportunity away with terrible special teams, and turnovers.

 

[Dillohorn1]

I am still just sick over this game.

 

[Baron]

I am still just sick over this game.

I am too, but I wonder if this team didn't need a slap in the face to wake it up.

 

[Kmed]

This

 

[83Dee]

I am still just sick over this game.

One of the things I've noticed.... is that elite coaches (Saban being the perfect example), don't show loyalty to their coaches or players. If you are not performing, you are replaced quickly. To be quite honest, it is the opposite of compassionate, but eliteness in football seems to require it. Mack Brown was just a hair beneath elite (in my opinion) and this was, arguably, the reason. Bringing back Manny Diaz probably cost him his job. I honestly don't believe I could fire my assistant coaches / friends - in haste when it wasn't working out. I don't think many people could.... I'm not saying it is easy. But when people know that lack of performance comes with the consequence of being replaced... it generally enhances performance.

I would place Sark in this category as well. He is loyal to his coaches (and players). A good personal quality to have. But it is costing Texas on the football field. Sark is and can be very good, but not where most Texas fans think the program ought to be - hanging on to coaches who obviously aren't performing... and certain players too for that matter.

Just my opinion. I'll bet Curt Cignetti over at Indiana has a zero tolerance policy for sub-par performance. Just a guess.

 

[Baron]

One of the things I've noticed.... is that elite coaches (Saban being the perfect example), don't show loyalty to their coaches or players. If you are not performing, you are replaced quickly. To be quite honest, it is the opposite of compassionate, but eliteness in football seems to require it. Mack Brown was just a hair beneath elite (in my opinion) and this was, arguably, the reason. Bringing back Manny Diaz probably cost him his job. I honestly don't believe I could fire my assistant coaches / friends - in haste when it wasn't working out. I don't think many people could.... I'm not saying it is easy. But when people know that lack of performance comes with the consequence of being replaced... it generally enhances performance.

I would place Sark in this category as well. He is loyal to his coaches (and players). A good personal quality to have. But it is costing Texas on the football field. Sark is and can be very good, but not where most Texas fans think the program ought to be - hanging on to coaches who obviously aren't performing... and certain players too for that matter.

Just my opinion. I'll bet Curt Cignetti over at Indiana has a zero tolerance policy for sub-par performance. Just a guess.

Benching players when needed I get, but I did a google search and Saban only fired one assistant at Bama in his entire tenure there. How many he forced to voluntarily leave might be another discussion.

 

[83Dee]

Benching players when needed I get, but I did a google search and Saban only fired one assistant at Bama in his entire tenure there. How many he forced to voluntarily leave might be another discussion.

Was the one Applewhite? Kiffin?

I do think coaches are forced out and the official cause isn’t always “fired.”

 

[Baron]

Was the one Applewhite? Kiffin?

I do think coaches are forced out and the official cause isn’t always “fired.”

It didn't say.

 

[hookemhorb]

Going forward I think we can lose 1 more game and make the playoffs. Thing is I really don't want to play in the CCG. As we are playing now, there is no way we can beat Georgia or 'Bama. Staying out of the CCG with 2 losses gets us into the playoffs. Going into the CCG with 1 loss gets us into the playoffs (win or lose). Playing in the CCG with 2 losses is a worst case scenario since that makes it a must win game.

At this point, I'm content with making the playoffs.

Will we make it? We need to quit shooting ourselves in the foot. We have the defense to win it. We just need clean up the other 2 teams to get us there.

 

[83Dee]

Going forward I think we can lose 1 more game and make the playoffs. Thing is I really don't want to play in the CCG. As we are playing now, there is no way we can beat Georgia or 'Bama. Staying out of the CCG with 2 losses gets us into the playoffs. Going into the CCG with 1 loss gets us into the playoffs (win or lose). Playing in the CCG with 2 losses is a worst case scenario since that makes it a must win game.

At this point, I'm content with making the playoffs.

Will we make it? We need to quit shooting ourselves in the foot. We have the defense to win it. We just need clean up the other 2 teams to get us there.

I agree. We need to clean up. But this has been going on for 2.5 years now so I can't say that I'm overly-optimistic.

I would also say that our inside offensive line needs a massive upgrade in how they are playing. It may be time to try new faces in the lineup.

I would also say that our WRs need to try to block.

And, I would say that our QB needs to start playing how he was playing at the end of last year.

Otherwise, I don't think we need to worry about playing Georgia or BAMA this year.

 

[63_Texas_1]

One of the things I've noticed.... is that elite coaches (Saban being the perfect example), don't show loyalty to their coaches or players. If you are not performing, you are replaced quickly. To be quite honest, it is the opposite of compassionate, but eliteness in football seems to require it. Mack Brown was just a hair beneath elite (in my opinion) and this was, arguably, the reason. Bringing back Manny Diaz probably cost him his job. I honestly don't believe I could fire my assistant coaches / friends - in haste when it wasn't working out. I don't think many people could.... I'm not saying it is easy. But when people know that lack of performance comes with the consequence of being replaced... it generally enhances performance.

I would place Sark in this category as well. He is loyal to his coaches (and players). A good personal quality to have. But it is costing Texas on the football field. Sark is and can be very good, but not where most Texas fans think the program ought to be - hanging on to coaches who obviously aren't performing... and certain players too for that matter.

Just my opinion. I'll bet Curt Cignetti over at Indiana has a zero tolerance policy for sub-par performance. Just a guess.

FWIW: Sark did fire the defensive coordinator.

 

[Baron]

I agree. We need to clean up. But this has been going on for 2.5 years now so I can't say that I'm overly-optimistic.

I would also say that our inside offensive line needs a massive upgrade in how they are playing. It may be time to try new faces in the lineup.

I would also say that our WRs need to try to block.

And, I would say that our QB needs to start playing how he was playing at the end of last year.

Otherwise, I don't think we need to worry about playing Georgia or BAMA this year.

The IOL has been a problem ever since Jake Majors graduated. Letting Cruz leave in the last portal was a major mistake in my opinion. I also think the OL's inability to adjust to stunts is a coaching problem. To 63_Texas_1's point Flood may be gone after this year.

 

[83Dee]

FWIW: Sark did fire the defensive coordinator.

For merit? It isn't worth much since that was the best unit on the team (offense, defense, special teams). My best guess is he didn't like the style of defense that Coach K ran.... or he finally had a shot at Muschamp (who he wanted to begin with).

Muschamp is great... but nobody would have looked at Texas since Sark's arrival and said the biggest change needed is the Defense needs fixed.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

For merit? It isn't worth much since that was the best unit on the team (offense, defense, special teams). My best guess is he didn't like the style of defense that Coach K ran.... or he finally had a shot at Muschamp (who he wanted to begin with).

Muschamp is great... but nobody would have looked at Texas since Sark's arrival and said the biggest change needed is the Defense needs fixed.

I think it was both. I think PK tested Sark's patience with the bend but not break defense. That style didn't afford Sark much time to work with in 4th qtr situations. Muschamp likes a shut down, full assault defense in order to create turnovers and disrupt plays. This tends to lead to shorter times of possession for the opposition, but also suffers from the big play from time to time.

 

[83Dee]

I think it was both. I think PK tested Sark's patience with the bend but not break defense. That style didn't afford Sark much time to work with in 4th qtr situations. Muschamp likes a shut down, full assault defense in order to create turnovers and disrupt plays. This tends to lead to shorter times of possession for the opposition, but also suffers from the big play from time to time.

I agree with you.... now, I wish he would evaluate his own offense with the same critical attention to detail.

 

[83Dee]

I think it was both. I think PK tested Sark's patience with the bend but not break defense. That style didn't afford Sark much time to work with in 4th qtr situations. Muschamp likes a shut down, full assault defense in order to create turnovers and disrupt plays. This tends to lead to shorter times of possession for the opposition, but also suffers from the big play from time to time.

The bend but don't break defense drove me banannas. But the defense has clearly been better than the offense most years since Sark has been here. 2024 (just 1.5 years ago) was outstanding!

People keep calling for a "change in play-caller." I think it runs deeper than that... I don't think the offense we run is QB friendly. In short there are much better systems out there. I don't think the answer is for someone else to call plays in this offense.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I would also say that our inside offensive line needs a massive upgrade in how they are playing. It may be time to try new faces in the lineup.

Jordan Coleman would be their next guy up, and he's good, but he's on the injury list for the past week or two.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

The bend but don't break defense drove me banannas. But the defense has clearly been better than the offense most years since Sark has been here. 2024 (just 1.5 years ago) was outstanding!

People keep calling for a "change in play-caller." I think it runs deeper than that... I don't think the offense we run is QB friendly. In short there are much better systems out there. I don't think the answer is for someone else to call plays in this offense.

I don't think Arch is seeing the field very well. On a lot of the plays where he either threw out of bounds or ran, he had an open receiver. All he needed to do was look.

I agree with you on the play calling. I haven't always agreed with the play calling, but over all I think it's been pretty good. Execution is where we fail at times.