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Spring Game Open Thread

If you caught the action live (2:30 CDT) or on ESPN360.com, post your thoughts here. For fellow out-of-towners, join me here at 8:30 p.m. CDT to catch the tape delay on ESPNU.

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Comments

caught? like it actually happened… you scared me for a second.

whats the black fabric on the special team’s helmets.?

It's those stretch hats that help tell teams apart since special teams is a mix of orange and white.

ah, true true. makes sense. i figured it was a way to distinguish them.. but iddn’t understand why they were wearing ’em.

fozzy breaks a nice run shedding a tackler and getting the first TD of the game.

seriosly, no one watching the game?

Def. Looking better on turnovers

2 Int in 1st Quarter

yup, one was due to some pretty poor hands on a TE. earl thomas made a great catch on that last ball.

it's hard to know who to cheer for watching this!
you cheer for everyone. DUH

aaron williams lookign good on his returns… making the first and second tackler miss. something we didnt see so much with quan.

Who was the intended target on that tipped pass?

This just makes me want the damn season to start even more. This is just like a teaser and then nothing for a couple months

alotta I formation

real question is are we going to see it after this game

yup, definite question. but i think we’ll see colt under center a bit more in general this season.

anyone seeing chiles do anything?

I havent seen him do anything yet

vondrell mcgee rushes for a TD, same play that fozzy scored with earlier.

malcolm williams returns to the opposite 20 during a 2:00 drill… nice return

Nice to see someone be able make big returns maybe we wont have to put it all on shipley this year

dan buckner looked huge, but shoulda caught that 2nd to last pass.

findlay is up 62-57 with 2:10 left.

thanks for info, guys

No video here . . . and don’t have ESPNU, so none later either.

horns up 8-5 thru 8

against OSU . . . Augie asking his “closer” go 4 2/3 to wrap this up. Wood already 3 2/3 innings pitched today.

kirkendoll looking great today.

baseball

wins 8-5. Takes series 2-1

earl thomas fuckin up… took a punt off the shoulder and a coverage guy caught it for a turnover.

Sergio out today?
Other than the coin toss I didn't see him
Sergio???

So wierd. He was at the coin toss, suited up, then never played……..stood at the back the whole time; Muschamp never said a word to him. Hope it’s not a discipline problem.

Yeah, that seems to be a mystery right now

I was watching the game and wondering if Kindle switched numbers or something, since I never saw him.

Looked like the tech game

Receivers dropping every other pass

still Colt looks really bad today

typical spring football

Couple of thoughts, just got back

Lache Seastrunk was there, wearing a Texas hoodie. He needs to come to Texas

Earl Thomas, while he screwed up on the punt return, had a blistering interception return where he came out of nowhere to make the pick. He also prevented a KO return for a TD by crossing back across the field and making the tackle at the 20. Keep in mind it was also windy as hell, there were very few solid kicks, and the punts were extra wobbly today.

It looked like Gideon and Brewster were splitting time at safety.

Our defensive and offensive lines are going to be amazing. Okafor already looks right at home on the defensive end position.

Fozzy Whitaker is going to have a fantastic year, he looked really good out there.

Both the offense and defense had some flashes of brilliance, but ultimately the game was nothing more than a teaser for football season, which is still 4 months and a few weeks away.

Just got back....a few thoughts

Wind wreaked havoc on passing and kicking game. It was definitely a factor, in my opinion.

We need a TE badly. The TE’s dropped at least 3 passes by my count- the Howard drop was then picked off by Nolan Brewster, and Greg Smith had two drops.

A few drops on special teams, but that could be due to the wind. Earl Thomas had a drop that was then recovered by the punting team.

Most impressive player to me was Brandon Collins. He seemed to catch everything, and had a good burst after the catch. Otherwise, I’d like to see the ESPNU coverage to get a better feel for who looked good and who didn’t. I thought Sherrod really struggled, and the running backs looked okay- nothing special.

TEs

Two were on the sidelines in their jersey and jeans, standing there w/ Shipley. Still recovering I guess.

I thought Fozzy looked fantastic…

You’re right about the wind.

How's Malcolm Williams looking?

I thought he was really coming on at the end of last season. Will he have the breakout year I’m hoping for?

Looked good to me

Unfortunately didn’t have any opportunities on deep balls save one, but the ball was well out of bounds when he caught it.

hard day due to the wind for the receivers.

altho I thought Williams and Collins both looked good…..wind was crazy

MAN

I just got back a few minutes ago, and I don’t really know what to talk about. It seems that everything I noticed went the opposite way a few minutes later.

Examples:
Our first, first-team offensive possession (ORANGE team, from here out… had Colt and the second team D) was three shotgun runs, the third being an option pitch that was fumbled for a loss, and a punt. I am about to send an email whining about how the OL was supposed to have learned to block this Spring and the DL was supposed to be horrible, when on the next Orange possession, Fozzy takes two I-form handoffs, one to the outside for a big gain, and another through what appeared to be the last gap on the right (either between TE and OT or OT and OG, didn’t notice) for a TD after squirting through some traffic. The I-form seemed to work pretty well overall as far as running. We still look like the Keystone Cops running from the shotgun.

Colt completes his first pass for I think 15 yards or so and I’m about to say how good we are in the passing game before he throws a pick to Thomas who returns it for a TD. 1.) Our DBs appear to be able to catch, at least in complete silence, and 2.) We know Thomas is hell-on-wheels fast, but I didn’t know that Colt had those kind of wheels. Colt had barely any angle on Thomas and still managed to come within inches of catching him at the corner of the EZ. Weirdly fast.

Examples of things that I thought were pretty clear:
Brandon Collins looks like your Quan Cosby replacement. It will likely take him some time to become more consistent, but he has the freakish good hands and Colt apparently loves throwing it his way.

Our TEs are absolute garbage. I think A. Howard (13) was the TE that took a catchable ball from Harris and turned it into a floating gimme for Brewster, though it may have been Smith… Strangely, Colt still loves to throw it to them, even once on fourth and about the five yard line going in, where he gave Howard the ball and Robinson ran him straight out of bounds for maybe half a yard. Please get better, Irby and Grant, please oh please get better.

I just noticed “WareDaWhiteWomenAt” mention Malcolm Williams. Malcolm obviously has some sick wheels, as evidenced by his great kick return, but Colt is still having trouble giving him a chance to bring the long ball in. I think they went to him twice on the “Limas Sweed” route (You know, the one where Sweed would just burn the crap out of his single coverage like he could do it at will that we only called once a game in 2006?) and both times he had his man just beat enough for an over-the shoulder grab, but the first time Colt gave him the ball just out of bounds, and the on the second Colt overthrew him by a mile (=5 yards in blogger parlance). It may have been the wind, so we’ll have to wait and see.

Overall, I thought our secondary looked like a pack of the “I Am Legend” zombies (vampires?), clinging to the throats of our receivers for much of the afternoon. It’s just sick what we have back there.

I await the Fall to find out if we can actually block anybody and if our DL can hold up.

Secondary

I thought Earl Thomas looked good….

Anyword on Kindle??

Plus it looked like we were playing lotta nickle packages…the linebackers were not very impressive at all. Possibly due to our DTs getting manhandled by our OLs…

kindle

stood at the back the entire game, looking totally pissed. Hardly anyone spoke to him……saw Muckelroy and Houston talk to him a couple times plus Kasey Studdard for a few minutes. Other than that he stood mostly by himself. Wierd since he was the D’s rep at the coin toss.

re: Kindle

This from Statesman’s Susan Halliburton’s twitter, posted about 4 hours ago:

“Just got word Kindle isn’t hurt. According to UT SID, it was coaches’ choice not to play him because younger guys needed work.”

i wonder

If that is legit, or just covering for some discipline problem. In recent times, we’ve heard about all disciplinary action, so maybe Muschamp truly wanted to find out what he has, rather than risk his truest weapon that he knows will be a huge part of the defense this year.

anybody just tuning in?

this USD/S.Clara rout of a baseball game better not pre-empt the fucking spring game rebroadcast.

Unbefrackinglievable

21-3? GIMME FOOTBALL

Seriously

is ESPN run by an automated CPU? Is there no human intelligence that can make an executive decision to switch from a 21-2 college baseball game, that’s over three hours old, with fewer than 40 people in live attendance ?

I try soooo hard not to hate the world in which I live, but people make it so damn difficult.

Incredible

A national broadcast of two California teams playing an early April college baseball game. Not only that, but it’s 21 to freaking 3.

I do hate the world in which I live.

Program alert

indicates the game is up next. But no telling if it will be truncated…

ah, the internet in 2009: the ability to bitch about ESPN programming decisions in realtime and simultaneously over various web 2.0 platforms.
this is one reason why i hate baseball:

the game is technically not out of reach cause there’s no running clock, etc., yet everyone knows it’s over. call it, already. jeezus.

I just hate California
brooklyn, represent. 11211
Ex-11211

currently 11238

I watch NCAA in Berkeley, CA last year and decided to start routing against california teams just so CBS could switch programming to something interesting.

Don't buy it

….about not playing Kindle b/c “younger guys needed work”. All other upperclassmen played. The two early freshmen, Thomas Ashcraft and Mason Walters, stood on the sideline the whole time while the upperclassmen OL played. I think the best possible scenario is that Muschamp didn’t want to show his hand and thus sidelined him but judging from the body language, I don’t think so. If that was the case I would think Sergio would have been up at the front, encouraging the players and talking with the coaches. He wasn’t……at all. I’m concerned.

Wheres the Game?

Is it on another channel?

Why can't they "mercy rule" this game?

Seriously… 21-3… pitching change….

They usually do invoke the mercy rule on Sundays

because of travel curfews. It’s generally if the lead is 10+ runs after the 7th inning, so I was expecting the game to end then. But if the teams agree ahead of time to play a full 9, then they don’t have to use the mercy rule.

2nd Time Around

Trying to record this game…does anyone know if ESPN gave it the full 2 hours? Or did they truncate it…

This is the first airing

on television. It was live on ESPN 360 this afternoon. Probably won’t know if it’s shortened until it actually comes on, which will be in about 4 hours if the pace of this baseball game keeps up.

Ah...

Thanks.

Just got back to Houston from the game

Mcgee definately looked the best out there of the running backs…. I remember watching 3 or 4 times where Fozzy lost yards (including 1 run for -8 yards). Also Fozzy trying to punch it into the endzone 3 times was kinda funny… they put McGee in on 4th down to finish the job off and send the crowd home pleased.

Secondary looked good…. wind was bad, but not too bad, disappointed in some of Colts throws

Wow Sherrod, I thought u were better than this… but its just a spring game, thats all it is

O line looks aight right now, but D line looked pretty good…. No play from Sergio

Seriously, other than Colt, Sergio, and Maybe maybe Shipley, Malcom Williams is the best talent on this team… dude looked like a young Kwame Cavil

TE’s…. meh, not suprised… Irby looked good in his jeans, no homo

Someone other than Shipley has to return kicks so that he stays healthy

Beautiful day, cant wait for the next 4 months to fly by

I might kill myself

This is awful.

Me too

This passed ridiculous a long time ago.

Nothing from Chiles then? Not even an appearance?
I think he hit a sacrifice fly

in the 5th inning

RALLY! RALLY! RALLY!

just kidding.

An infield single

I can’t take this.

this kind of treatment should be illegal under the geneva conventions.
this is amplifying ten-fold all the things i hate about baseball
push play!
allright. let's do this thing.
Jesus

I need to move back to Austin. This is horrific.

these ESPNU jokers are jim knox-ish. ugh.
I'd rather watch college baseball

Than those two making jokes.

good lord...what a bunch of hacks
TEXXXXXXXXXXXXXAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSS!

…………ahem………testing testing. Is this thing on???…….sorry.

Well this is ESPNU

the network that postponed spring football in favor of a 21-3 college baseball game involving 2 second-rate teams. Perhaps we should adjust our expectations accordingly.

In Detroit right now

It’s snowing outside…I LOVE watching the sun shining on the Longhorn faithful.

Chiles

Didn’t see anything from him, other than a poor block on an outside run, I think.

And i’m eager to see (again) the secondary. Seemed like the coverage was good in person. Time to see if that was the case, or if the qb’s just didn’t perform well.

Atleast its only 1030 on the East coast
Good God I love Texas Footballllllllllllllllllllll!!
spoilers - chiles looks really slow and doesnt get any seperation all game from DB's

was suprised to see Luginbill compare him to Michael Crabtree…. Crabtree was wayyyyy bigger. Need to see more of Chiles before making any further judgements myself

FB cobb? jeesus. ever watch a UT game before?
I know.....

I thought the same thing, but I’d love for him to be right. Cobb is a great kid and I’d love to see him have a strong season now that he’s healthy.

actually, i think he played FB when they go to the I today....

he’s got good hands out of the backfield, too.

he dropped a pass outta the backfield in warm-ups... but looked aight other than that
i wanna see a left-footed rugby punt
isn't that the kick that tucker had that was really short up the middle but took a great bounce?
that was right footed.
nice headsup play by brewster.
such mixed emotions during orange-white
i sit corrected. great FB block on the I-form off-tackle run
tuckers rugby punts are either hit or miss... ie - Tech game

people in the stands in Lubbock were literally saying “damn, what a badass punt”

those tech punts were the sole positive parts of the 1st half. literally kept us in the game.
and its impossible to watch both sides of the ball
not a big fan of the I formation, even though i know its just orange/white
nice mis-direction on the scoring I-form play, though. plays to our strengths while using that personnel.
Yup

Glad we’re not waiting until we’re pinned on our own 1 against Tech to work on the I-form. Good series under center there.

after watching the game today... id start the running backs in this order

McGee/Johnson
Hills
Whittaker
Newton
Cobb
Ramonce Taylor if he comes back for eligibility

Hills looked good
i *LOVE* this commercial.
sigh...come on
Don't love those "highlights."
unfortunately, we'll be seeing that clip for the rest of our texas football watching lives. puke.
I still think Chykie Brown would have made that play.
even with the bum ankle? tough to play him during that series...
just like USC has to live with VY's TD forever
btw, off topic, but overheard last night from the man himself that Clint Chapman is thinking on transferring
interesting....he actually showed me something the last 6-10 games of the season
thought the same thing... ill have a write up on it later with my relays post, but i was kinda suprised

overheard: “Barnes said he thought id see the court a little more next year if I stay, but I could start anywhere else, like New Mexico or somethin…”

Me: laughing with Lopez Lomong and a couple of other people a couple feet away

paraphrased..... true story though... seriously
Can't you just talk to Chapman in the locker room and at practices, Harrison?
How did that conversation go?
OU #2? blow me, tom.
Yeah

I could accept it if it were accompanied by a legit explanation, but I have yet to hear anyone even begin to explain why they rank OU ahead of Texas. How do you look at the fact that Texas returns most of the offense that beat OU last year and that OU is losing more than half of their starting offense, including 4 inemen and 2 of their top 3 receivers, yet you think that OU will be better? It defies common sense.

you didn't hear..45<35..nt
nice/bad
great play by thomas. fakes drop back coverage then jumps the route. i'll take it.
is there a craig way radio call of the spring game?

sure would be nice to know what players are on the field.

or, you know, have the broadcast team actually watch and comment on the game.

i thought there was....at the game today, they had a radio feed while I was down in the concession area, I believe
If they stream a replay online, they'll probably include the radio feed.
love the a.williams c.scott kick returns
get ready to see many more corner/safety blitzes this year
there it is! lefty rugby punt! yessssss
About to take my dog out so he can piss on some douche's truck that parked in front of a fire hydrant
Sorry, I thought this was my tweeting
chykie with big sideline hit on the kirkendoll reverse. nice.
Shipley

Aparently ESPNU doesn’t know Jordan and Colt are roommates.

Shipley was the most intelligent and articulate guy with an ESPNU mic for a few minutes there.
"Tell me about your relationship"

Oh what I would have given for Shipley’s face to be in the shot when he said that…
“Really? Are you serious?”

very nice run by Vondrell
He looks quick and explosive

both attributes that were conspicuously absent last year after hitting his knee in the first game against FAU — an underrated injury.

followed by a nice mcgee sidestep out of a tackle for a goaline score.
Blake Gideon with a near pick

Where have I heard that before?

damn, low blow

im having flashbacks of sitting in that damn tortilla throwing crowd yelling “YES!” at the top of my lungs, only to pull my fists down and everyone in the student section is looking at me and saying, "dude he dropped it… wait… why are u dressed in red/black and yelling “yes” anyway?"

I felt what it was to feel like to win that game for 1.3 seconds

secondary looks very good
Ok, the Texas Relays recap is now up on "Fan Posts"

i dont’ see it, link?

http://www.burntorangenation.com/2009/4/5/824012/texas-relays-recap
Just got back from Austin and thoughts of spring game

1. Just wrong to see a longhorn defender in orange tackle a longhorn in orange running back a kick………………….
2. First time ever – sat in stadium watching a game and looked up and the entire upper seating was empty – not one person – weird.
3. Saw a traditional GD play – 4th and 5 at the opponent 5 and we throw a sideways pass for no gain – several in the crowd moaned.
4. Watching a game with no 40 yard line is really weird – skip from 30 to 50 was like an optical illusion.
5. Kudos to Mack for the honoring of our military – that was a special start to the game and since I have a brother in law in Iraq, very poignant.

Finally, what a fantastic day and weekend. Yes, it was very windy but it was sunny and by the time the game started in seventies and beautiful. Yes, it was a spring game and there were mistakes and the pace was awkward but how can you really complain about being at a Texas football game on a Sunday afternoon!

Do we really have to wait 5 months more for this – the sound of the band, the scoreboard, the crowd roaring, hearing the pop of a good hit, singing Texas Fight, the smell of the grass – oh well, will not have that anymore will we?

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