Burnt Orange Nation

Haha.

Dustin Earnest will be the guy off the bench at all three spots, I think. Hopefully Norton gets back soon.

Horn Brain - September 21, 2009 reply

The lack of depth at LB

has to look good for a guy like Hicks.

kriess - September 21, 2009 reply

Also, I thought Norton was out long-term. No?

Norton gone for the year.

EOM

Atownatx - September 21, 2009 reply

I’ve been wondering about that. Here’s what I’d guess would happen in the absence of any of the three current starters:

Muckelroy – this is the simplest. Earnest

Robinson – Muckelroy moves outside, and Earnest takes mike

Acho – Kindle stands up, and someone (probably Okafor) gets more time as a down lineman

Also

if worse comes to worse, Kindle will move back to LB, and Okafor would take over the Buck position. Or Sam Acho would take the Buck and Eddie Jones would take the end.

kriess - September 21, 2009 reply

I'm not worried

Just somewhat surprised considering how often other players are cross listed.

4-2-5 Against Spread

We’ve been playing the 4-2-5 with only 2 linebackers in against these spread offenses. So, the lack of depth at linebacker I think is misleading since we’ve only been playing 2 at a time lately.

cj43 - September 21, 2009 reply

I think we're playing more nickel than 4-2-5

The safety depth simply isn’t there for a 4-2-5 without Christian Scott, but your point is well taken.

Thanks for correcting me. I should of referred to it as a nickel

I haven’t seen too many times where we have actually had 3 linebackers on the field at the same time this season.

cj43 - September 21, 2009 reply

what's the diff between 4-2-5 and nickel?

burrito - September 21, 2009 reply

Nickel

is usually 3-3-5

Horncasting - September 21, 2009 reply

Huh? Usually teams retain the same number of linemen for the nickel as for the base defense, whether it’s 4-3 or 3-4. Since Texas is a four-man front as its base, nickel would still normally be a 4-2-5, but the fifth defensive back rather than a safety. If one of those linemen, probably Kindle, were to stand up and off the line, sure it’d be like a 3-3-5. But if he’s on the line, it’s still a nickel or 4-2-5, depending on the characterization of the fifth defensive back.

In my understanding

Nickel is typically 3 corners (one a “nickel” back)
4-2-5 is usually 3 safeties (example)

Anyone else want to give Kheeston Randall a pat on the back?

The guy looks pretty good out there. He’s not going to go Miller-time on anyone, but he has some quickness and can penetrate when he isn’t doubled. I like him a lot right now.

Horn Brain - September 21, 2009 reply

I like when..

…he recognized the screen and turned back and caused a fumbled on the running back. As you say, he looked good.

vy til i die - September 22, 2009 reply

I have a status on Gideon

He’s slow and white.

jtlonghorn - September 21, 2009 via mobile reply

Does that mean if he was slow and non-white he would play? nt

billb - September 21, 2009 reply

that has nothing to do with it

He hits harder than most of our guys in the Secondary, and he has a huge football IQ. And if you really think he’s slow, watch the 2008 OU and ATM games. Tell me how slow you really think he is. It hard to catch Cyrus Gray in a foot race.

kriess - September 21, 2009 reply

he hits harder than most of our guys in the secondary?

hmm I dont remember him as the one making big tackles but being dragged/holding onto players for his dear life. Scott, Earl, Williams, Brewster, Wells, than maybe Gideon.
I will give huge football IQ, but he got no hands..he dropped a sure INT in this game as well. At least Earl had one

hookemkp - September 21, 2009 reply

IQ

Its assumed that Gideon has the football IQ, and he may be great at making sure everyone is where they need to be before the ball is snapped, but he never seems to be in good position during plays. Instead of breaking up passes he is making tackles after 20 yard completions. Maybe its just me, maybe he is that slow, but I’m wondering if he is slow making reads and reacting as the play develops.

Texastough - September 21, 2009 reply

jtlonghorn, I'd like you to meet Nolan Brewster:

Playa .nt whills

Horn Brain - September 21, 2009 reply

He had a nice hit saturday.

But I’m fairly sure Sergio Kindle could beat him in the 40 while texting with each hand.

Oh, certainly.

My point was that jtlonghorn’s belief that Blake Gideon is “slow and white” (even if he were right, which he’s not….about the “slow” part anyway) obviously has nothing to do with anything when the guy nipping at his heels is probably slower and definitely whiter than he is.

We're on the same page

I was merely commenting on Nolan Brewster’s general absence of speed. Gideon at least has straight line speed, though doesn’t seem to be as “quick/agile” as his budding NFL backfield compadres. Brewster is just simply not fast. He’s a fine hitter, but he is not fast.

He’s also really enthusiastic about having his portrait taken.

/waiting for Muschamp to clone Aaron Williams for every spot in the secondary.

Calm down everybody

Just trying to make a joke. I’m slow and white. It’s okay. I didn’t know I was breaking news that Gideon is the stereotypical “smart” player who “always brings his lunchpail.”

jtlonghorn - September 21, 2009 reply

This is the kind of garbage that infuriates me. The whole reverse-racism schtick is tired and generally unwelcome, but it’s completely appropriate here. Race in and of itself is not a limiting factor in athletics.

Gideon isn't a ballhawk and doesn't force turnovers

Therefore, he will be replaced by Muschamp once we can find someone else to step up and be a playmaker. This was going to be Scott until the academic problems. Gideon in there by default right now and we are just waiting for someone else to step up. This might be Brewster since he at least has some good hands and can catch the ball.

cj43 - September 21, 2009 reply

Gideon

Saw him at a restaurant after the game and didn’t notice anything that would indicate he was injured. He’s alot bigger guy than I thought from seeing him on the field.

Unrelated to this post but a few of the linemen were there as well, all of them eating with their families. David Snow stood out as not only being huge, but being very, very lean for an OL. Just a big ole country strong guy.

Horncasting - September 21, 2009 reply

Gideon's size is deceiving partially because of the absurd size of the corners

Despite the kvetching of our fanbase, most NFL teams would kill for three six foot tall corners who can run.

Wescott Eberts (GoBR) - September 21, 2009 reply

The Statesman is reporting

that Gideon “tweaked” his shoulder against Texas Tech, the same thing the coaches said about Jared Norton, who is now out for the season and will apply for a fifth year of eligibility next season. Considering that Gideon had shoulder surgery some time this summer, I think it’s something to be worried about, particularly considering how much he was throwing his shoulder into players against Wyoming instead of wrapping people up.

So Chykie lost his starting spot

I know he’s been sloppy, but to lose your spot seems a bit extreme. I will be interested to see how he plays in the UTEP game.

TexasGarcia37 - September 21, 2009 reply

If the other guy is playing better than you, then he should be starting.

It’s not like they don’t both play. It’s not that extreme. But Curtis has probably played better and as a result deserves more snaps than Chykie. Hopefully it will motivate Chykie to work harder. If you keep throwing Chykie out there despite the fact that Curtis is playing better, then where’s the motivation for either of them?

I have to admit that I was a little surprised to see Curtis getting the majority of the snaps. Pleasantly surprised, but surprised nonetheless. I do think that the talent between Curtis, Chykie, and Williams could be an embarrassment of riches rather than a sign of any dropoff in Chykie’s performance.

I don’t think it’s a surprise that Beasley hasn’t made his appearance yet, even though the depth chart only shows three cornerbacks. I do think it’s surprising that Marcus Davis isn’t on there. That frosh has been playing lights-out football, and he should appear on there right now, IMO.

Speaking of which, can anyone think of a year that multiple true freshman have made such an immediate and positive impact? Oh, that’s right…last year, with Gideon and Williams.

Just a research FYI

By the way, I went through the UT participation reports, and these are the true freshmen who have appeared in games already:

Alex Okafor
Marcus Davis
Garrett Gilbert
Marquise Goodwin
Kenny Vaccaro
Barrett Matthews
Calvin Howell
Tevin Mims
Eryon Barnett
Mason Walters

Cripes, I wish I could edit instead of just having to reply to myself. Has anyone actually seen Derek Johnson in on a play? He doesn’t appear in any of the participation reports.

ESPN credited him with a 4th quarter sack against Wyoming

See the 13:43 marker.

mikey 4 - September 21, 2009 reply

Anyone still have the game still recorded? I don’t remember Johnson in the game, and I definitely would think the Texas participation report would be more accurate than the ESPN box score, but…

And Snow

And, if you count kickers, Tucker

edsp - September 21, 2009 reply

Did those guys play early? I guess I could go check the participation reports for the first three games of last year.

patienthornsfan - September 22, 2009 reply

Snow and Tucker are sophs…

I was in the process of pointing out the same thing, but I figured out that edsp meant that they contributed as freshmen last year, not this year.

longhornricky - September 21, 2009 reply

This is response to burntorange; sorry --nt

edsp - September 21, 2009 reply

Not to sound like an ass...

But can we not find anyone better than Ulatoski?

He's a good pass blocker.

Not so awesome with the run blocking. When your QB is Colt McCoy and your RB situation is what ours is, you stick with the pass protector.

He is?

More times than not, if Colt is on the run it is coming from the U’s man.

HornChamps - September 22, 2009 reply

From GhostofBigRoy today

“The first failed third down came on the first possession after Adam Ulatoski got beat on a speed rush by a defensive tackle playing defensive end out of necessity. Think about that for a second. Not good.”

HornChamps - September 22, 2009 reply

He's certainly not great, don't get me wrong.

But despite occasional lapses, he’s pretty solid in pass blocking. A lot of the pressure that I’ve seen comes up the middle. Colt has stuck around in the pocket too long sometimes, which allows a quicker DE to eventually get by Ulatoski, but he’s never been blindsided by U’s man, as I recall.

But to answer longhornricky’s comment above, I don’t think we have anyone better than him sitting on the sidelines, do you?

billyzane - September 22, 2009 reply

Therein lies the problem...

Entering the season, my Longhorn buddies and I felt we had our 5 starters and 1 adequate backup – Snow. If we were to experience any injuries in the OL, then Snow would step up at either C or G and we would be void of an adequate replacement. Bam! There it was in just the second game of the season. Fortunately, Huey was back the very next week, however we have already seen the results (vs. Wyoming) and it is not adequate.

Since everyone is sooooo convinced we have our choice of recruits in the State of Texas and only after we’re done with our cherrypicking, do the Ags, OU and others begin with their selection, then how do we end up with so many marginal, or outright busts, in our classes? Just look at the power rankings at OL. Six of the Top-25 OL come from the State of Texas and only one plays for Texas. And we’ve already discussed his weaknesses. How anyone is projecting him in the 1st-round is beyond me! Three of the six are playing for conference opponents and in the South Division.

Look at the 2006 class:
Webb – bust
Watts – bust
Moore – no production
Burnette – bust

2007 class:
Allen – no production and questionable so far
McGaskey – bust
Hix – looking good
Huey – contributing, but definitely not close to dominant

We cannont keep going 2 for 8! Is the problem with our selection process? Or, in the player development? If we can’t fill our needs in the State of Texas, then we need to pull prime recruits from other states.

HornChamps - September 23, 2009 reply

You think it maybe has something to do with scheme?

Like how the Matthews kid wanted to play A&M’s pro-style blocking scheme rather than the zone stuff that we do? I see a lot of NFL starters on the O-line that come from lesser football schools—a far greater percentage than skill positions. I’m not sure if that’s related to the proliferation of the spread or not, but if these kids want to play in the NFL and they don’t care about the “glory” (and let’s be honest, there’s not that much glory in the O-line, even at Texas), then a lot of the good ones might pick schools that run pro-style offenses.

This might not be the case, but it does seem like we used to have better o-line recruits when we were running the pro-style with Chris Simms. That dominant 2005 O-line was recruited during the Chris Simms era.

billyzane - September 23, 2009 reply

Allen and Allen

I’d love to see Tray Allen get equal snaps vs. Charley Tanner in these next two games, and the redshirt should come off Tariq Allen with the depleted LB depth.

Longhorn90 - September 21, 2009 reply

I think..

…Tariq is more in the mold of a Jared Norton (slower than your ideal spread LB) and the redshirt would be good for him, especially if Norton comes back next year.

vy til i die - September 22, 2009 reply

Walters and Snow

No offense to Chris Hall and Charlie Tanner, but we need to get Mason Walters and David Snow on the field at the same time. Could you image what a front five of Hix, Huey, Snow, Walters and Uli could do?

CJHornfan - September 22, 2009 reply

Raw talent doesn’t always trump experience, knowledge, and slightly lesser talent.