Bohls' 2008 football predictions

K

Kafka

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Some of Kirk's predictions listed below. I put my own assessment in parenthesis.

Roy Miller could become the first defensive tackle to lead the team in stops since Casey Hampton collected 101 in 2000.
(I doubt it, very tough for a DT to lead the team in tackles)

Quan Cosby will lead all receivers with 75 catches for 720 yards and seven scores.
(Could easily lead the team in receptions)

Jordan Shipley will run for 120 yards and a touchdown on end-arounds and will drop just two passes all season. He'll catch 42 balls for 450 yards.
(I would guess more yards per reception)

The only first-team All-American will be defensive end Brian Orakpo after his 13-sack year.
(I agree)

The first UT player drafted next April will be Brian Orakpo.
(Yes)

Offensive tackle Adam Ulatoski will be voted second-team All-America, and Miller will become a third-team All-American.
(Really surprising to me about Ulatoski. Is he really that good? If so, that bodes extremely well for the horns. My guess is that Adam does not make 1st team all Big 12 or 2nd team All America)

The No. 3 receiver for the bulk of the season will be Malcolm Williams, who is the total package and who will earn the lion's share of the snaps because he's a great blocker. That alone will keep him on the field more than the others.
(Great point about the blocking (that is one reason big receivers tend to be more useful than small receivers). Malcolm will be the big play receiver and will draw more double teams than Quan and Ship).

Brandon Collins will push to be that third receiver because of his flypaper hands and yards after the catch.
(My guess is that the horns try to keep at least on tall receiver on the field so Brandon will be substituting for Quan or Ship rather than Malcolm. My guess is that Buckner or DJ Grant sub for Malcolm.)

Colt McCoy will return to the Colt McCoy circa 2006, meaning his interceptions will be almost cut in half with 11. He will throw for 2,800 yards and 26 touchdowns.
(Agreed).

I'll be shocked if Chiles throws more than 25 passes this fall. I do expect him to run for 350 yards, score six times and wreak havoc on defenses
(I think Chiles will throw more than 25 passes this year and will complete >= 50%)..

The tight end position will not be abolished per se, but Blaine Irby has a ways to go to get close to the standard set by David Thomas, Bo Scaife, etc. Irby will be lucky to catch 15 balls.
(Irby has way more than 15 catches and is used quite frequently split out a bit (ala Mizzou)).

Expect a killer season out of the offensive line that some think will be the best in the country.
(Really? Who thinks the horn OL will be the best in the country? If so, the horns should compete for a national championship)

The Freshman of the Year will be rambunctious safety and probable fan favorite Earl Thomas.
(don't have any idea)

If you want to be technical, the True Freshman of the Year will be fellow safety Blake Gideon, who could turn out to be one of the best, ahem, two-star recruits in school history. He and Thomas have nasty streaks.
(Don't think so. Maybe Ben Wells passes him up)

As good as Sergio Kindle can be — it's time to be very good — the best linebacker in 2008 will be Rod Muckelroy.
(Trick prediction: it is only true because Sergio will be lined up at DE when the horns are playing nickel (i.e. most of the time))

As bad as the pass defense has been the last two seasons — gulp, do 98th and 109th qualify? — this year's bunch will rank in the top 50.
(Agreed)

Will Muschamp and Duane Akina will ask for raises the day after the Texas A&M game.
(False: no need to ask, they will be richly rewarded)

Thanks to Akina's expertise, the Longhorns will go back to blocking kicks again. Put them down for three blocks. Beasley will block one.
(Yes)

Miller will catch a touchdown pass. Quan Cosby will throw one. Chris Hall will run for one.
(Yes)

Muschamp will not pack his bags and leave after one season.
(Muschamp probably goes)

The biggest surprise will be a strong ground game with new running backs. Even without Jamaal Charles, Texas will produce as many rushing yards as last season with Vondrell McGee getting the majority of the carries because he's more durable. Put him down for 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns.
(Yes)

Texas will beat Texas A&M. Finally.
(Yes)

Texas will lose a home game. Again.
(No)

Texas will beat somebody it's not supposed to (Oklahoma) and lose to somebody it's not supposed to (Missouri at home).
(Yes, the loss will be a road game)

The Longhorns will be slightly worse on offense than a year ago, much better on defense than a year ago and play harder in '08.
(Yes)

Put 'em down for a 10-2 season with losses to Missouri and Texas Tech and a trip to the Cotton Bowl to play LSU.
(No, UT beats both Mizzou and Tech).
 
Well my prediction is that I continue to not read his columns...
Never have liked him or his critiques...did I mention his articles too?
pukey.gif
 
Ok, I'll play along with these.

1.No way does Miller lead the team in tackles with the improved LB play.
2.Probably pretty close on Cosby's numbers.
3.And on Shipley's
4.Yes to Orakpo as the only 1st team AA
5.And as 1st in the draft
6.I think Ulatoski is good, but I would be very surprised if he was 2nd team AA. He has a good shot at being All Big 12, I think. Miller as an AA would not surprise me at all, even 2nd team.
7.Yes on Malcolm Williams.
8.I think Buckner has a bigger year than Brandon Collins.
9.Colt will be much better and 2,800 yards is not enough. He will top 3,000 for sure.
10.I also will be shocked if Chiles throws 25+ passes.
11.He's selling Irby way short.
12.I think the OL will be very good, but if Kirk has been calling them the best in the country, he's the only one. I have not heard anything remotely like that from any prognosticator, nor even from the most optimistic of fans - and I would consider myself as far more optimistic about this season than most. But they'll be far and away better than last year (which isn't saying much.)
13.Agree on Thomas
14.And Gideon. I don't think Wells will push him out, even if he is more athletic.
15.Agree strongly on Muckelroy, and not for the reason you did Kafka. Muck is the most fundamentally sound LB we have, and was last year as well. Don't forget, he was starting as a freshmen until his injury that allowed, ahem, Scott Derry into the lineup 2 years ago. And while Kindle is a better athlete, it's not as if Muck is...Scott Derry. He's pretty athletic himself.
16.I'll go out on a limb and say the pass defense will be Top 30. I told you I'm an optimist.
17.They will earn raises
18.Akina back coaching special teams will indeed be huge
19.No to all 3 of the trick play predictions. Especially Chris Hall running for one.
20.Muschamp will stick around for one more year.
21.The running game will be very good.
22.A&M goes down
23.If we lose a home game, its to Mizzou. I think this is possible. Not gonna predict this one yet.
24.I think we definitely can beat OU. If we lose to Mizzou, I don't see how that's one we're not "supposed" to. Even though we're at home, they will likely be ranked higher than we are coming in; its a toss-up. We will NOT lose to Tech, however, if you want to include that in this category.
25.I agree on D, but think we'll be better on offense as well, due mostly to a much stronger OL.
26.10-2 seems reasonable, with the losses most likely coming to OU and Mizzou. Again, not Tech. I think 11-1 is possible, with us losing one of those but not the other.
 
I think you guys are giving the secondary coaches and their players in the Big 12 too much credit. Defenses will over-play Quan and Shipley and leave the 3rd option (Buchner, Williams, or Collins) with their weaker DBs. They will also give Irby almost no respect. Look at last year. Crabtree was proving that he was a stud very early on, yet no one really focused on shutting him down until very late in the season. By the time teams realize that our TE and young receivers are good enough to hurt them it will be too late.

Good predictions (not Bohls) hornfans. I think you are perfectly optimistic about your expectations for the season.

Secondary will be top 40ish, but overall defense I expect in the top 30. I would give our D more credit but the offenses we play this season put up big *** numbers, even when you beat them.
 
one thing that i agree with is the o-line. i have a feeling that this will be a very good line. i think it could be the best in the nation next year.
 
I predict the team will sputter tomorrow night and all this optimism will be replaced with skepticism and negativity like it always does. Davis will call the "broken play scramble" no less than 15 times.
 
Kirk has no more basis for a prediction than the guy holding up a sign at the 183 overpass near Gatway.

Kirk writes for entertainment, not for intelligence.

But this one wasn't even entertaining.

Here's one for you: Longhorns go undefeated and win the national championship. Count on it.
 
Hothead:
Yes, I think the team will not perform super smoothly in the first game. UT has a new DC and frosh at safety. FAU has a smart coach with an excellent passing attack and he will exploit whatever weaknesses the horns have (especially in the secondary).

Having said that, the horns will show obvious signs of improvement:
* much better pass rush
* good defensive formation (nickel) that makes it tough to go long
* horns tackle well and force at least one fumble
* young horns secondary intercepts at least one ball
* FAU has very difficult time pressuring Colt and horns are very effective in dumping the ball to a RB or TE when there is pressure
* horns run effectively
* FAU is one dimensional on offense (not much running, very little long or intermediate passing) and is forced to throw mostly short passes
* horns block a punt or kick

Result: hornfans appreciate the improvement and don't go overly negative.
 
P Town:

I am quite optimistic about Malcolm and think he will demand a double team on deep passes. Quan and Ship are good possession receivers but don't really demand a double team. Malcolm is so big and strong that he is going to win nearly every 50-50 ball from any single DB who covers him. That is important on long passes because they are rarely precisely thrown. quan is a fighter but he isn't very big or tall (which hurts him on 50-50 balls). winning 50-50 balls is not Ship's forte.

Tall guys like Malcolm, DJ Grant, and Dan buckner have done a lot of rebounding in basketball and really understand how to use their bodies to block out the defender and also how to get the ball as soon as possible with an aggressive motion (think Jermichael his frosh year). If they are not double teamed on deep balls, the opposition D is in deep trouble.

Irby is going to do great, especially if UT uses him like Mizzou uses their tight ends (i.e. split him out a few yards to make it easier for him to get out on his pattern and to give him better blocking angles on wide runs).
 
Stat,

the horns should have a very efficient, methodical offense this year. They are going to be able to throw short, intermediate, and long. They are going to be able to run inside (vondrell and cody Johnson) and outside (Vondrell and fozzy and maybe chiles).

The addition of the tall, fast WR (lacking last year with Sweed's injury) opens things up for the horns' receivers. You have to have somebody that draws a double team to occupy that safety. The fact that the horns have three (!) tall, fast guys (Malcolm, DJ Grant, and Dan Buckner) means that the horns can send those guys long a whole bunch (by substituing freely to keep them fresh) and just physically wear out the DBs covering them. The opposition D will be forced to sub for those worn out DBs and the horns can pick on the subs. If you have superior depth like the horns do, you might as well exploit it.

The fact that the O line has improved quite a bit means that Colt is going to have more time to throw the intermediate and long ball. This means those tall, fast WRs have to be doubled. Not only will Quan and Ship benefit greatly but also the running game will benefit from the opposition D having one less safety supporting the run game (because he is tied up in doubling the deep threat).
 
Postesr like H uFan are truly a joy. Undefeated every year I think.

Bohls is one of the most entertaining and astute regular writers on the Horns. His job is not in the UT Sports Info department. He has the audacity (oh my) to be critical some times. Does that hurt?

For those of you are so critical of him. Who do you like?
 
Who is good?

Or is it that Bohls does not start every article with "The eyes of Texas"

Most every article I have seen criticized by the "Board Members" was a bit too real or honest for those who think we have been better than Oklahoma during the Mack era.
 
Missouri will have at least two losses by the time we beat them. They are overrated.

So is Oklahoma.

The team in the Big XII with the best chance of going undefeated is Texas.

The most improved team will be A&M and we will beat them by 14 or more.

Bohls is basura and always has been.
 
Texas will go undefeated!! Even during the Superman year we barely did it.

Those orange eyed optimist on this board must eat Bevo's leavings for breakfast, they are so full of it.
 
My prediction is that every time a ball bouncrs toward the Texas sideline Mack's stepson will run the other way with a surprising amount of speed.

OU sucks!!!
 
LongYak,

Why do you think Mack got a two year commitment, minimum? Muschamp has probably more options than any other DC (college or pro). A lot of people think he may be the next Bob Stoops (at least I think that is the case).

this isn't to say he won't stay for another year but my guess is that the only things that keeps him at Texas for more than one year is that no prime head coaching job opens up.

I don't see that mack had any leverage to get Muschamp to agree to a two year deal. Even if Mack signed Muschamp to a 2 year deal, Muschamp makes less $500,000/year which is chump change in terms of a buyout.

If Muschamp gets a better opportunity, Mack is probably going to say good luck to Muschamp and will not stand in his way.
 
I disagree w/ the Bohls haters. I like Kirk and I think he tells it like it is, unlike other local writers. It takes guts knowing the people you're covering will read your stuff and you still have to go stand in front of them and interview them.
 
Bohls is a good writer and I understand that it is his job to be as honest as possible. Criticism can be useful and is better than pretending problems don't exist. Homer sports writers are hacks, not something you want in a big time city like Austin.

Bohls bleeds burnt orange, believe it or not. He is also a professional journalist so he has to be as objective as possible in his writing. Maybe every now and then he is overly critical but he writes a lot of words. We all make mistakes. If you write enough words, you are going to regret some of them.

What has irked me about bohls in the past is that he did not vote for Vince for the Heisman. that was a spectacularly bad decision. I'm sure he regrets it. Also he tends to vote the horns lower in his AP ballot than he should (in my opinion).

I think he tries to be fair and honest and does not have an agenda. Anyway, it is the start of a new season so it is time for a fresh start (call me Candide).
 
Excellent point about the recruiting.

I wonder when Deloss is going to retire. Mack is the obvious choice to replace Deloss. Sooner or later mack is going to want a less stressful job than UT head coach. If that happens in the next couple of years, maybe Muschamp takes over for Mack.
 
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