May/June/JULY Football

Unfortunately he could make a 100 from a 100 in a tee-shirt and shorts and that would not mean squat. Gilbert had better be planning on a lot a touchdowns in the first half of the season since there could be a FG and PAT problem.
 
Malik Jefferson has been named to the Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List. If he wins, he'll be the 1st Longhorn to have ever done so.

 
D’Onta Dissed?

D'Ontay Foreman01.jpg

I haven’t gone cover-to-cover [in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football and Phil Steele’s College Football Preview] yet, but a glance through each of them left me disturbed about how D’Onta Foreman is being viewed. The junior running back is being disrespected at a level I honestly can’t quite fathom.

Had it not been for a freak hand injury in the West Virginia game, Foreman would have likely become the first Longhorn since Jamaal Charles in 2007 to rush for 1,000 yards in one season. Foreman, Charles and Ricky Williams are the only three Longhorns to have multiple career rushes of at least 80 yards and Foreman is the only Texas back to ever record two rushes of 80 or more yards in the same season. The 7.2 yards per rush Foreman averaged as a sophomore wasn’t too far off of the school record set by James Saxton in 1961 (7.9).

What I have a hard time wrapping my head around is how the 6-foot-1, 249-pound talented runner didn’t make it onto DCTF’s All-Texas College Team as one of the four best FBS running backs in the state of Texas, or how he wasn’t ranked among Steele’s top 46 running backs eligible for the 2017 NFL Draft.

Maybe the preseason snubs serve as motivation for Foreman, who told me in the spring that he’ll never take the chip of his shoulder because he’s just not wired that way.

[247]
 
Godz40acres said:
I haven’t gone cover-to-cover [in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football and Phil Steele’s College Football Preview] yet, but a glance through each of them left me disturbed about how D’Onta Foreman is being viewed. The junior running back is being disrespected at a level I honestly can’t quite fathom.
Click to expand...
Consider the source - Dave Campbell is Mr. Waco - enough said?
 
Boo's Work Ethic Impressing​



When asked about Buechele in a rare offseason press conference at the end of June, Strong was quick to discuss the other two competitors at the position — senior Tyrone Swoopes and sophomore Jerrod Heard -- but the relentless work ethic of the Arlington Lamar product will almost certainly vault Buechele into the starting role this fall.

It’s a goal the 6’1, 191-pounder has worked towards ever since he got to campus.

He quickly struck up a friendship with Johnson, the 6’6, 212-pound pass catcher who drew considerable buzz throughout the spring, and the two spent every moment they could around the football facility.

When Sports Illustrated visited Austin to do a piece on Strong and the Longhorns, the head coach responded to a question about his freshman quarterback by noting his surprise that Buechele wasn’t around the football facilities at the time of his interview.

The result is that Buechele’s presence and work ethic had an impact during the spring on the other quarterbacks. Strong noted after the spring game that he saw Buechele, Johnson, and several other receivers putting in extra work one day.

Then Swoopes showed up with another group of players. Then Heard showed up.

So now Strong doesn’t have to worry about pushing any of his quarterbacks to get out and throw the football around outside of practice or summer 7-on-7 — Buechele’s example has already ensured that.

[BON]
 
Will Heard Be Heard From?

​


Lost in the Summer of Shane and discussions about a possible position change looming for Texas Longhorns sophomore quarterback Jerrod Heard, it’s easy to forget the unique skill set possessed by the 6’3, 201-pounder.

According to Pro Football Focus, only Clemson’s Deshaun Watson and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson had better rushing grades than Heard among returning Power Five quarterbacks, who led Texas in carries and finished second on the team behind running back D’Onta Foreman with 556 yards on the ground, despite missing most of the final two games due to injury.

When the Denton Guyer product gets in the open field, he’s extremely difficult to tackle.

The bigger surprise last season was his efficiency in stretching the field vertically -- he completed 44.9 percent of his passes of 20 yards or more, including three touchdown passes. His adjusted completion percentage of 59.4 percent on those throws ranks No. 1 among returning Power Five passers, an impressive feat given the fact that he’s competing against superstars like Watson and Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield for that honor.

Heard is back to 100 percent and ready to provide the Longhorns with another legitimate option at quarterback in case Buechele doesn’t separate from the older options or struggles early in the season.

[BON]
 
I have to opine that Heard now actually has the offense he is suited for after two years of OC incompetence. I can see Heard being unstoppable in Gilbert's offense. No offense to Boo(I like the nickname and his ability/potential) , but I like starting Heard over the freshman and Swoop. How long is it until kickoff? Damn! I miss football.

I have a strange illogical feeling that we upset Notre Dame. I have no idea why, maybe just because I want us to beat ND so bad.
 
The book is out on Heard, force him to throw to the middle of the field and spy him with two players.......

I think Burt being able to stretch the field was more of a factor than Heard's deep throwing skills
 
For having no actual game experience, Buechele appears to be the best option, Heard was injured in the spring so there's only last season to go on, when he looked like a burnt-orange messiah at times and totally clueless other times. It comes down to who to the players respond to and follow, who puts us in the best position to win. We have experienced QBs for going 3-and-out, turning the ball over, and making poor decisions. I don't read or hear much about Heard's improvement over last season, but we'll see come August. Swoopes is still patting the ball holding it too long allowing DBs to close on the WRs, over shooting receivers, throwing pics, etc. He does a solid job in short yardage, but I do not believe that he's our guy this year. Boo seems to be putting in the time to learn the O to the point it is second nature or automatic.
 
July = Full Speed Ahead​

When the team meets with Pat Moorer next Monday, things are going to be different.

Charlie Strong said recently the month of July is all about switching gears and getting the players ready for a smooth transition to preseason practice, which begins in August.

Strong wants the players to lift and train at a certain speed to get ready for what will be a fast and physical camp, something Moorer is expected to hammer home whenever he puts the players through the paces.

“When you talk about the speed training, it depends on how fast we go,” Strong said. “That’s going to be critical because you talk about getting them bigger, stronger, faster, it’s come into how fast we practice. It’s going to depend on the tempo and the tempo of how you lift, can that translate to the football field?”

[247]
 
LB Malik Jefferson was named to the Preseason Watch List for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

OT Connor Williams has been named to the Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List. Malik Jefferson is reported to be relieved that his name was not included on the list.
 
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2016 Linebacker Crew

Charlie LBackers02.jpg

In the Longhorns defensive sets, Texas usually only plays two linebackers at one single time with five defensive backs. From the looks of it now, these two spots will be in the hands of its two sophomore linebackers, Malik Jefferson and Anthony Wheeler. As freshmen in 2015, both saw their fair share of ups and downs, but with a year under their belt, the two dynamic athletes look to have cemented their spots on the starting lineup.

Sometimes the Longhorns will play three linebacker sets, so fans should expect to see a mixture of senior Timothy Cole and sophomore Edwin Freeman. Both players sit behind the younger starters, but they impressed coaches in spring camp with their steady play.

With a year together and more talent at the position, Brian Jean-Mary should/can expect bigger things from this group.

Depth Chart
Middle Linebacker:
  1. Malik Jefferson, So., 1L
  2. Timothy Cole, Sr., 3L
  3. Demarco Boyd, Fr., HS
Weakside Linebacker:
  1. Anthony Wheeler, So., 1L
  2. Edwin Freeman, So., 1L
  3. Jeffrey McCulloch, Fr., HS
  4. Cameron Townsend, Fr., RS

Malik Jefferson
[The article discusses MJ in great length]

Anthony Wheeler
A strong, hard hitting player with a nose for the football, Wheeler compliments the speed and range Jefferson provides very nicely. His biggest strength as a defender is in the run game, which allows him to showcase his excellent tackling ability. He is not the fastest player, but his downhill speed against the run makes him a terrifying force within the tackling box.

Wheeler is the starter as of now. It'll be a big step up for a player who only recorded 36 tackles and started two games in 2015, but Wheeler looks poised to handle it. The main concerns regarding Wheeler's play are if he'll be able to cure the misalignment issues and other mistakes he made as a freshman.

Since his arrival, he's shed bad weight that he carried in high school and carries a serious amount of muscle. Wheeler also appeared much faster in the spring than he did during last season which will make him a better defender against the pass and on outside run plays. He has the physical tools and raw talent to be one of the best linebackers in the conference if he develops properly.

Tim Cole
Last season, Cole took big strides on the field after mostly playing special teams in his first three seasons.

While Cole doesn't have the raw talent of the younger pairing of Wheeler and Jefferson, he's going to provide meaningful depth off the bench for Longhorns. Having Cole on the field gives an opportunity for the other two linebackers to rest, which is a big deal against the quick offenses utilized in the Big 12.

However, Cole's play could be vitally important to Texas in 2016. If he can anchor a spot at middle linebacker, then Malik Jefferson may be allowed to float to outside linebacker and attack off the edge where he feels more comfortable.

Edwin Freeman
Freeman was Charlie Strong's first commitment when he arrived at Texas and was considered one of the top outside linebacker prospects.

In his short tenure at Texas, Freeman seems to have failed to live up to the hype so far. After redshirting, Freeman played in only six games on special teams and at linebacker and compiled only twelve tackles. The biggest question mark for Freeman has probably been his consistency.

There's little doubt that Freeman has the physical tools to excel at this level, but it's a matter of putting it all together on the field. Freeman put together a nice showing in the Orange-White game, so there's hope he can find more consistency in 2016.

Jeffrey McCulloch
["The Shark"] was one of the Longhorn's biggest pickups in their 2016 recruiting class.

With no practices under his belt, it's difficult to predict how McCulloch fits into the defensive scheme his freshman season. That being said, I think he has the natural ability to become one of the Longhorn's best freshmen players and make an immediate impact.

McCulloch is an incredible athlete with viscous physicality at the point of attack and elite speed for the linebacker position. He has the flexibility and quick feet to make pass drops easily and help in passing defense, but maintains strength that makes him an animal in the run game.

I am a huge fan of McCulloch's skill set and so was about every other college in America. Expect McCulloch to do big things in his time on the Forty Acres.

Cameron Townsend
Out of high school, Townsend was considered a valuable prospect, earning all-state honors and being named to the Semper-Fi All-American Game. With so many options ahead of him, it looks like Townsend won't see considerable amount of time at the linebacker position.

He's an interesting prospect though with nice speed off the edge and sure tackling. It's easy to see him making a contribution on special teams this fall. Townsend looks to be the odd man out this season, but he should develop nicely for the Longhorns in the coming years.

Demarco Boyd
Boyd is an interesting prospect because he spent his high school career at several different positions: linebacker, defensive end, nose tackle, running back. His transition to linebacker may take some time because he needs to improve his strength and learn the position better, but the bottom line is that Boyd is a football player. He has succeeded wherever he has played on the field, and I see that continuing at the college level.

[More in the BON article of over 2,200 words]
 
Godz40acres said:
D’Onta Dissed?

D'Ontay Foreman01.jpg

I haven’t gone cover-to-cover [in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football and Phil Steele’s College Football Preview] yet, but a glance through each of them left me disturbed about how D’Onta Foreman is being viewed. The junior running back is being disrespected at a level I honestly can’t quite fathom.

Had it not been for a freak hand injury in the West Virginia game, Foreman would have likely become the first Longhorn since Jamaal Charles in 2007 to rush for 1,000 yards in one season. Foreman, Charles and Ricky Williams are the only three Longhorns to have multiple career rushes of at least 80 yards and Foreman is the only Texas back to ever record two rushes of 80 or more yards in the same season. The 7.2 yards per rush Foreman averaged as a sophomore wasn’t too far off of the school record set by James Saxton in 1961 (7.9).

What I have a hard time wrapping my head around is how the 6-foot-1, 249-pound talented runner didn’t make it onto DCTF’s All-Texas College Team as one of the four best FBS running backs in the state of Texas, or how he wasn’t ranked among Steele’s top 46 running backs eligible for the 2017 NFL Draft.

Maybe the preseason snubs serve as motivation for Foreman, who told me in the spring that he’ll never take the chip of his shoulder because he’s just not wired that way.

[247]
Click to expand...
Part of his problem...he may not be the best running back at Texas. I think he is, but I also realize that Warren is too good to not get at least 10 carries per game. I am sure that if he continues to improve, the NFL will not overlook Foreman. Can you imagine being a 180 lb DB and seeing Foreman and then Warren steamrolling their way towards you? Dam shame that Texas might start 2 freshmen O-linemen again this year!
 
DE Pass Rushers Needed – Apply ATX

Hager03.jpg

With position groups starting to take form, the biggest question mark for Charlie Strong and the Texas defense is up front on its defensive line where little experience returns and big holes need to be filled.

The Longhorns are losing its two starting tackles on the defensive front and lack much experience returning at the two tackle positions. The most glaring example of this lack of depth coming during the Orange-White game when walk on players were playing with the second-string defense.

At defensive end, the picture isn't much clearer as the team loses its starter from last season, Shiro Davis. Although Naashon Hughes returns after starting at Fox last season, people believe his position is up for grabs during Fall Camp.

Strong Defensive End
  • 1A: Charles Omenihu, So., 1L
  • 1B: Bryce Cottrell, Sr., 3L
  • Andrew Fitzgerald, Fr., HS
  • Quincy Vasser, Sr., 1L
Fox
  • 1A: Naashon Hughes, Jr., 2L
  • 1B: Breckyn Hager, So., 1L
  • Erick Fowler, Fr., HS
  • Malcolm Roach, Fr., HS
Prior to 2015, defensive ends Bryce Cottrell and Shiro Davis were hyped to be disruptive pass rushers on the edge who would apply relentless pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Not only did the two fail to to prove they were dominant forces, but the Longhorns struggled to find anybody on the edge to force pressure, which led to opposing offenses picking apart the Longhorn secondary.

To improve the disastrous edge rush, the Texas coaching staff hopes sophomore end Charles Omenihu will pick up the slack. The new and improved Omenihu bulked up to 6'6, 254 pounds after the offseason and looks much stronger coming into his sophomore year.

Considering his remarkable strength increase and already solid rush technique, Omenihu looks like he could be one of the Longhorns most improved players in 2016.

Bryce Cottrell came into 2015 looking to solidify himself as a pass rusher, but he didn't necessarily apply the consistent pressure the Longhorns needed. Cottrell is a good pass rusher with an undeniable ability to get to the quarterback.

However, his biggest weakness may be in his down-to-down play. Cottrell needs to better himself on rush defense and learn to not take himself out of the play.

Junior Naashon Hughes returns to the Longhorns after starting every game for Texas in 2015. I think Hughes is a strong contender to emerge as a leader for the Longhorns defense. Sure, he'll face stiff competition at the position against Hager and freshman Erick Fowler, but it seemed Hughes began to put everything together toward the latter part of 2015.

He's shown he can rush the passer and he's outstanding against the run. Consider the following statistic from Pro Football Focus -- in 184 rushing snaps, Hughes missed zero tackles. Zero. For a team who struggled mightily against the run, it's an even more impressive stat.

[In the spring,] the coaches moved Breckyn Hager to the Fox spot to tap into his potential as a pass rusher where he excelled in high school. Since his move to the edge spot, Hager has impressed the Texas coaching staff, especially rushing the passer.

"As far as blitzing, he's our best blitzer, to be honest," defensive coordinator Vance Bedford said during the spring. "When he's in the game, we try to find ways to get him involved rushing the passer because he's caused some havoc."

Hager's ability to rush certainly adds a new dynamic to this position battle. Out of high school, Hager's true position was at defensive end, so he's already accustomed to what the position is like.

Quincy Vasser played in eight games last season, but didn't make much of an impact in any game he played in. Vasser was one of the highest rated recruits out of the junior college ranks during the 2015 recruiting year, but he has struggled adjusting to the faster game.

With so many additions to the defensive line and other players improving faster than him, Vasser looks like the odd man out.

[BON]
 
I finally heard back from Erick Fowler who tells me his test was not flagged and said he will be enrolling in school, “soon”. I trust the source that mentioned the test was flagged so to be quite candid I cannot reconcile the clearly contradictory information. I apologize for that. However, I hope that my source was simply mistaken and that what Erick is telling me is accurate.

[TFB]
 
Malik01.jpg


Mailik made another Watch List. This time it's the Butkus Award.

Butkus and Predator... just kinda goes together, don't it?
 
Players With The Most To Prove​

With the amount of talent Charlie Strong has brought to the Forty Acres the last two seasons, there are more than a few veterans that have been put on notice.

That’s especially true at wide receiver, a position where there’s only one senior on the roster. Armanti Foreman and Lorenzo Joe have made plays during their careers, but now is the time for them to put everything together and show a level of consistency. The same can be said of DeAndre McNeal, a gifted sophomore athlete who could be in danger soon of being a man without a position if things don’t click the way they need to in August.

Junior offensive lineman Brandon Hodges held down the starting left guard spot this spring. But with Denzel Okafor making noise early in his Texas career plus the addition of Patrick Hudson, it’s not a given Hodges will start against Notre Dame.

Naashon Hughes, Bryce Cottrell, Poona Ford, Dylan Haines and Jason Hall are among the returning starters on defense who are being pushed by talented underclassmen. If those five answer the bell and are able to hold off charges from the youngsters at their respective positions, the Longhorns will start to form the kind of depth defensively that wasn’t there over the past two seasons, which led to fatigue and more than a few losses in Strong’s first two seasons.

Having talented depth at every position is the only way this roster is going to be healthy. The Longhorns will need all of the aforementioned players to contribute in some way during the coming season, which means the players who will be pushed for their jobs have to take things up a notch.

[247]

"... the players who will be pushed for their jobs have to take things up a notch." -- Wait. Is this an example of an understatement?
 
-While OL Brandon Hodges has been making strides since arriving last year, there's still a sense he's a backup at best. I think the Texas staff is hoping for one of the incoming freshmen to step up and push Kent Perkins back inside to his natural guard position. Names like Denzel Okafor, Jean Delance, and Tristan Nickelson are players I'm hearing to snag that RT spot.

-Hearing Breckyn Hager's name a lot. He can be very good but needs to learn the technique and form of playing with his hand on the ground. He has more speed and athleticism than all the others and that's why coaches love him. He also plays with reckless abandon. When he puts it all together, he's hard to block.

-The worst kept secret on the 40 Acres is that Shane Buechele will start against Notre Dame in Week 1. However, Tyrone Swoopes is your backup, and will be used in goal line and short yardage scenarios. You'll still see small tidbits of the 18-wheeler package, but only in specific situations. Hearing Jerrod Heard has been playing some slot receiver already, but that the move from WR to QB is not exactly a done deal. Yet.

-One final note: From the very little my source has seen out of newcomer Brandon Jones (safety), he's the real deal. He'd be shocked if he redshirted and fully expects him to log minutes in 2016. He's the future that's closer to the present.

[Per another poster]
 
Speaking of BrandonIron Jones, he just won the Battle For The Belts in the lightweight division this week.



Dang, we look like twins! 'Cept he has curly hair.
 
I had a team source tell me, "Collin and Burt will cause matchup problems everywhere for teams and will force defenses to run a lot of Cover-2. Wide splits with the wideouts means more space to cover inside by the defense. Gilbert is masterful at creating mismatches and space for players to work in. Charlie did a great job with this offensive staff."

Gilbert has been looking for a guy who can take advantage of that space, and in turn open things up for the outside receivers. Theoretically he's found one in Jerrod Heard, and may just find the ultimate slot weapon in Devin Duvernay on his sideline in August.

If you were steadfast in your doubt that Jerrod Heard would be a wide receiver for whatever bizarre reason, you are officially incorrect. According to an outside source with ties to the team he's made the move from quarterback. It's far too early to tell what his role will be, or how expansive, but his athleticism is off the charts and he provides a viable option at one of Sterlin Gilbert's main concerns -- inside receiver. At a minimum I expect to see him used in the screen game where his slipperiness and stop/start can be used to full advantage. Obviously he should have a good grasp of his route options and such.

“Clearly, he just wants to play,” one source said about QB Jerrod Heard.

Heard — who’s become a temporarily forgotten man while injured during the ‘Spring of Shane Buechele’ in Austin — has been taking about as many reps at receiver during early-summer informal workouts as he’s been taking at QB.

The emergence of Buechele through the spring and the impending enrollment of Sam Ehlinger have seemingly left Heard somewhat concerned about his role as signal-caller moving forward.

[Per another poster]
 
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