Rivals' 'Category rankings' for QB prospects: 2009

[kchorn]

Earlier this month (June 2), Rivals published an article entitled "Category rankings: Quarterbacks" for the 2009 recruiting class.

The article was prepared by The Rivals.com recruiting experts, and their lead-in for the article reads as follows:

"We (The Rivals.com recruiting experts) have broken down countless hours of film and racked up plenty of frequent flyer miles to see the top prospects compete at events across the Country. In the process of evaluating overall talent, several prospects gained notice for their mastery of specific skills.

"We've selected the best of the best in each category for every position and ranked them. Rivals.com recruiting analyst Barry Every breaks down the quarterbacks."

There are three (3) categories for the QB prospects -- strongest arm, most accurate, and best scrambler -- with the Top-Five QB prospects (nationally) listed for each category.

As expected, Russell Shepard (offered by LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, USC, Tennessee, Texas, A&M and Florida) heads the "best scrambler" category, and the State of Texas has two QB prospects in the Top-Five in that category ... with Wichita Falls Rider's Shavodrick Beaver (offered by Michigan, TTech, West Virginia, TCU, Tulsa and Arizona) ranked No. 5.

In the "strongest arm" category, Garrett Gilbert (offered by Texas, A&M, TTech, Nebraska, Arizona and Stanford) is ranked No. 5. The players listed ahead of Gilbert in that category are Tom Savage (offered by Tennessee, Virginia, Florida State, Georgia, Louisville, Miami, Michigan, Penn State and Rutgers), Zach Mettenberger (offered by Georgia, Florida State and Boston College), Ryan Mossakowski -- from Frisco, Texas -- (offered by Alabama, Arizona, Auburn, Clemson, Colorado, Louisville, A&M, Nebraska and Oregon), and Matt Barkley (offered by USC, Florida State, Georgia, UCLA, Nebraska and Tennessee).

In the "most accurate" category, the Top-Five are Aaron Murray (offered by Georgia, Florida, UCLA, Miami, LSU and Florida State), Allan Bridgford (offered by Cal, Nebraska, Stanford, Tennessee, TTech, Arizona and Arizona State), Tajh Boyd (offered by West Virginia, Boston College, Maryland, Michigan, Tennessee, Virginia and Virginia Tech), Tyrik Rollison -- from Sulphur Springs, Texas -- (offered by Arizona, Florida State, Kansas, Nebraska, A&M and TCU), and Tate Forcier (offered by Arizona State, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Stanford, A&M and Virginia).

Summary: It is interesting to consider the Rivals "Category rankings" for QB prospects in the 2009 recruiting class -- as compared to Rivals' overall national recruiting rankings for QB prospects in the 2009 recruiting class.

Hook 'em.

 

[jimmyjazz]

Did any QB make the top 5 in 2 categories? You didn't list the rest of "best scramblers".

By your post, I assume they ranked Gilbert very highly overall, so unless he also made the "best scrambler" list, that would seem to be an inconsistency. Or not. Maybe he was #6 on accuracy and scrambling. (Hypothetically speaking, of course.)

Wait, what was the question?

 

[kchorn]

jimmyjazz - that is a very good question.

What makes the Rivals list of "Category rankings" for QBs particularly interesting is that no QB prospect made the Top-Five in more than one of the three categories.

So, to address the next part of your question, the results do seem inconsistent for Garrett Gilbert, when you consider that he is ranked No. 5 in one category (and is not listed at all in the other two categories), yet Rivals has him ranked in their overall QB ratings -- and in their National Top-100 list that includes all playing positions -- ahead of QB prospects such as Tom Savage, Zach Mettenberger and Ryan Mossakowski ... all of whom are ranked ahead of Gilbert in the "strongest arm" category.

In response to the third part of your question, there are five QBs placed together in a general supplementary listing labeled as "others" in each category ... and there are two QB prospects (Tyrik Rollison and Tate Forcier) who are mentioned in two categories when you count the "others" listing. Both Rollison and Forcier are on the Top-Five list for "most accurate" and also on the "others" list for "best scrambler".

In Rollison's case, he is from Sulphur Springs, Texas -- and he is No. 2 on the "most accurate" list and among the "others" on the "best scrambler" list -- but Rollison is listed behind Gilbert in the overall rankings. Just to complicate the situation even further, every detailed recruiting analysis I've seen praises Gilbert more for his "accuracy" as a passer, than for his "arm strength".

In any case, on the Rivals national Top-100 list, Gilbert is the third QB listed -- behind only Matt Barkley (No. 1 in the "strongest arm" category) and Russell Shepard (No. 1 in the "best scrambler" category).

However, if you went strictly by the results of the three "Category rankings" ... the Top-Five QB prospects in the State of Texas (for the 2009 recruiting class) would be:

(1) Russell Shepard
(2) Tyrik Rollison
(3) Ryan Mossakowski
(4) Garrett Gilbert (tie)
(4) Shavodrick Beaver (tie)

As noted, that list reflects only the QB prospects in the State of Texas and does not include any of the other QB prospects outside of the State of Texas who are included in the Rivals "Category rankings" ... most of whom have very impressive offer-lists at the national level.

All of which does make you wonder which end is up with the Rivals QB rankings for the 2009 recruiting class.

Hook 'em.

 

[hornpharmd]

What a subjective list of categories. They probably use much of the video from the camps as well thus isn't really based on their game performances. I wonder how they determined strongest arm, and most accurate? Did they publish the results?

I would think for strongest arm they had each guy throw at least 30 balls over different distances and scientifically determine who threw the farthest, who threw the fastest over a given distance, etc.

Then in accuracy were there stand still targets they had to hit. Or did they have receivers run patterns and they judged by how many passes were completed? If so, did the QB's throw soft so they could catch them or were they judging accuracy and strongest arm at the same time?

Sorry, I just find this pretty dumb.

You could take a QB who had a rocket arm (but couldn't hit the blind side of a barn) and who could run a 4.3 forty and rank him high in 2 of the 3 categories. What does that mean?

 

[jimmyjazz]

kchorn, I guess the gist of your complaint is that Rivals has Gilbert ranked as the #3 national QB but tied for 4th in the state of Texas?

 

[kchorn]

jimmyjazz - it's not a complaint -- just an observation that there seems to be considerable variation (among the so-called "experts" at the national level) in the perception of the QB candidates in the 2009 recruiting class.

This year's edition of Texas Football Magazine has the QB prospects (in the 2009 recruiting class for the State of Texas) ranked as follows:

(1-A) Garrett Gilbert
(1-B) Russell Shepard
(3) Casey Paschall
(4) Ryan Mossakowski
(5) Shavodrick Beaver

TFM does not list Tyrik Rollins (No. 2 nationally, per Rivals, as the "most accurate" passer and also in the Top-Ten nationally in the "best scrambler category") anywhere on its three-deep Super Team, which arguably is par for the course with the traditional mindset favoring "passing QBs" on the blue-chip lists over "dual-threat QBs". For example, back in 1966, TFM had Joe Norwood ranked ahead of James Street at QB on the blue-chip list.

For a more modern example, Russell Shepard is relegated (just like Vince Young and John Chiles before him) to the "utility" position on the Super Team -- apparently using the logic that Vince, John and Russell are just too talented athletically to be effective college quarterbacks -- but, in fairness, there is an indication this time around that TFM knows it may be wrong again. Here is what they say (to hedge their bet) about Shepard:

"Could have been selected as first-team QB. Brings a different dimension to the game with his speed. Rushed for 1,523 yards and 18 touchdowns, and threw for 794 yards and seven more touchdowns. Could be considered the most "exciting player" in Texas."

Maybe they meant to say Louisiana.

Whatever, the offer-lists for the QB prospects in the Rivals "Category rankings" seem to give a strong indication that at least some of the major-college football powers (apparently excluding Texas) have more regard for dual-threat QBs than Texas Football Magazine.

It will be interesting to see what happens down the road.

Hook 'em.

 

[hornpharmd]

I would take Gilbert any day over Shepard. I don't really care much for this sub category ranking stuff and find it very subjective. If anything it helps them justify why they make rank Shepard so high but it doesn't tell you why Gilbert is ranked behind many on these categories but so highly in the national rankings.

Why don't they at least be consistent and start doing sub category rankings for every other position? Fastest out of the block for a DL? Best at shedding blocks by a MLB?

Sorry to be negative here. I don't find these rankings completely useless but I think to extrapolate them onto national rankings lists just doesn't hold water. Again you can have the strongest arm but not be able to hit the strong side of a barn. You can be fast but have no arm at all. Complete scouting reports are what is needed to evaluate an individual's talent level and then to compare it to others. When you do this for Shepard I don't see how he gets ranked this high.

 

[kchorn]

hornpharmd - you do good work, and the comparative passing stats (to this point) certainly are in GG's favor -- just as the comparative running stats (to this point) clearly are in Shepard's favor.

Whether that projects either player to be a more effective QB prospect (at the national level of intercollegiate football competition) for the University of Texas arguably is problematic at this juncture. In that regard, there would seem to be at least three basic (unanswered) questions for GG and RS going into their senior seasons in HS football competition:

(a) Which player possesses the strongest leadership ability (to earn, on the merits, the respect of his teammates on the football field) at the intercollegiate level of competition?

(b) Which player possesses the greater capacity to generate a "big play" (running or passing) with all the chips on the table -- like Duke Carlisle, James Street and Vince Young have done for our unanimous MNC teams -- for the Horns' football program?

(c) Which player has the athletic ability to be more likely to improve significantly in the area where he currently trails the other QB prospect -- RS as a passer, or GG as a runner?

Only time will tell us the answers, and that (imo) is why it clearly could be in the best interests of the University of Texas football program (while the opportunity still exists) to recruit both GG and RS as quarterback candidates for the Horns.

We'll see what happens down the road.

Hook 'em.

 

[hornpharmd]

Well Colt is a junior this year and GG is coming into to replace him in a couple years. JC and SH are the 2 mobile dual-threat QB's that are on UT's roster and they are both soph's this year. Thus RS isn't really needed with these 2 guys on campus IMO. GG is a bigger need and a more proven guy at htis point as well.

To me GG is a better QB now and will be a better QB the next 1-3 years. Who will be a better QB their junior and senior college seasons...who knows.

 

[kchorn]

Thanks, hornpharmd - appreciate your observations.

The strangest aspect, imo, of this situation is the deliberate decision by Mack to discourage Russell Shepard from attending The University of Texas.

Why on earth, in the first place, would we devise a plan to discourage Russell Shepard (the top-ranked dual-threat QB prospect in the Country and the No. 4-ranked prospect -- at any playing position -- in the nation, who is from Houston, Texas and wanted to attend UT) from joining the Horns' football program?

And, in the second place, why would we deliberately make a "public" effort (with the widely-publicized premature commitment involving Garrett Gilbert) to discount and embarrass Russell Shepard?

Mack & Greg arguably did everything within their power to create a unique recruiting situation with GG that apparently was completely unnecessary to get Gilbert's commitment (he already had indicated that he was coming to Texas), and that clearly was calculated to discourage Shepard from coming to Texas (by giving GG preferential recruiting treatment at QB). Why would we do that, when "both" Shepard and Gilbert wanted to join the Horns as QB candidates?

Why would anyone at The University of Texas oppose the notion of giving "both" Gilbert and Shepard a fair chance to compete for playing time at QB for the Horns -- on an equal-opportunity basis -- by offering both prospects as QB candidates through our normal Junior Day recruiting procedure?

What were we concerned about at The University of Texas that would lead us to devise a recruiting plan which -- by any logical standard -- clearly would encourage Russell Shepard to go elsewhere to play his college football?

Compounding the issue, imo, is the documented problem that the Horns have encountered in the past decade trying to run the football under Mack & Greg with the consistent failure of their totally-predictable "one-man" running game (in the RRS and other key games against tough defenses) with Conference titles on the line. Russell Shepard clearly could have helped us solve that problem, but we apparently did not want his help. Why?

If Russell Shepard could "beat out" Garrett Gilbert for playing time as our starting QB -- on the merits, on the football field -- why wouldn't we want him at Texas? If he could not "beat out" GG for playing time at QB, then Shepard already told us he was willing to move to another playing position for the Horns.

We could "re-open" the Horns' recruitment of Russell Shepard right now and offer him as a QB candidate -- giving him an equal opportunity at UT to compete with Garrett Gilbert on the merits at that playing position. Why don't we do that?

All Russell Shepard wanted from Texas was the same opportunity to compete for playing time at QB that we were giving Garrett Gilbert -- with no special recruiting arrangement that favored either prospect. Instead, we apparently indicated, figuratively, to Gilbert that he could drive the Horns' QB bus (with no "real" competition from anyone else in the 2009 recruiting class), and then apparently indicated, figuratively, to Shepard -- later, on Junior Day -- that if he still wanted to come to Texas, he could sit in the back of the Horns' QB bus.

Why would we do that?

Hook 'em.

 

[hornpharmd]

As a fan I wouldn't mind having another talented guy on the roster to compete. But having Colt for 2 more years, SH and JC for 3 more years, and GG upcoming I don't really feel there was a big miss here b/c there wasn't a pressing need. Shoot we just lost a talented young QB who transferred. Maybe Mack was tired of seeing guys transfer out due to QB depth issues. Or guys commit and then back-off ala Brantley. He went out and got the guy he wanted most.

I am sure there will be another 5 dual-threat QB's Mack will be able to choose from over the next 2 recruiting seasons as JC and SH get closer to graduation.

 

[multihorn]

kchorn:

Mack did nothing to discourage RS from becoming a Horn. If Mack did not want RS he would not have invited him to Junior Day, he would not have offered him a scholarship, and he would not have told him he would have a shot at quarterback.

Mack has a well documented history of allowing kids to play at the position they choose even though he and his coaches may counsel them to move to another position.

RS and GG were given the exact same opportunity to prove to the UT coaching staff that they were indeed the best candidate for the position. That evaluation began the first time they each put on the varsity uniform at their respective high schools. An evaluation on their merits, on the field.

You may have chosen RS as your first choice at QB over GG. But guess what? You’re not being paid millions of dollars to make that choice and your butt’s not on the line every Saturday in the fall if you make the wrong choice. And I would bet good money that you have never seen either of these young men play in person, you have never seen either of them practice, and you have never talked with either of them. The UT coaches have. And given UT has the longest 10 win season streak in Div I, I would say they are pretty good at making the right choices week in and week out, year in and year out.

UT already has 2 run first, throw second quarterbacks on the roster and neither has been able to beat out the throw first, run second quarterback that has started the last 2 seasons. Why would it be any different in 2009+ than it has been in 2006+?

So let’s say UT did it your way and waited and offered both GG and RS on Junior Day. What if each wanted to see what the other did before committing? We may very well be sitting here in June/July without either QB candidate. UT did the exact right thing by wrapping up their first QB priority and then offering their second QB priority.

UT does the same exact thing for each position. They offer their first priority kids, usually on the first Junior Day, and if turned down, offer their second priority on the second Junior Day. This year, almost completely across the board, UT got their first priority recruits. Mack didn’t embarrass RS, he honored RS by inviting him to the first Junior Day, where he invited all his highest priority recruits.

 

[OrangeClad]

Mack may just like the kid, know their offense is headed a different direction from the kid's skill-set and truly care about the kid's happiness. Hence, he plays it dead straight with the kid, honestly tells him his chances at QB, that he might end up at WR and that he should make the best decision b/c he's going to have to live with it the rest of his life.

Les Miles then BS's the kid ten times over (like he does best) and LSU gets the commitment.

nuff said.

 

[eastexhorn]

Kchorn having seen both Norwood and Street in high school IMO Norwood was the best QB.
In his own words Norwood let the bright lights and girls get to him and he failed. When he regained eligibalty he again in his own words he was hog killing fat, or possible that was DKR words.

 

[Cowtown_Red]

Tech offered Beaver, but we were never really under consideration because we offered him as an athlete and not as a QB.

 

[kchorn]

Appreciate the interesting thoughts regarding this topic.

(1) Cowtown Red - that Mack would fail to offer both Shavodrick Beaver (now headed to Michigan) and Russell Shepard (now headed to LSU) as quarterbacks would seem to underscore the point that Mack & Greg are determined to close out their intercollegiate coaching careers with "passing QBs" ... perhaps in the hope that if they continue to utilize that approach -- relying on our ability to pass the football without a viable running game vs. the Big Dogs -- for the foreseeable future, they eventually may win at least one (1) Conference football championship (not to mention a BCS-level postseason game) with a "passing QB" before they retire.

Meanwhile the Horns' totally-predictable "one-man" running game has continued, so far, to evaporate (vs. quality opponents in key games, with Conference titles on the line) when the Horns have utilized "passing QBs" ... as also previously proved to be the case for Mack & Greg at North Carolina with their two best nationally-ranked Tar Heel football teams.

(2) eastexhorn - good to hear from you and hope all is going well this summer. That is a good point about Joe Norwood & James Street, and it gives another illustration, imo, of why it matters for The University of Texas football program to have "competition" at the QB playing position -- Norwood may have looked better (certainly, as a passer) than Street on paper ... but, obviously, it was James Street who turned out to be the better QB for the Horns on the football field.

Traditionally, as you know, the most successful QBs at Texas have been outstanding "athletes" ... not pocket passers who may set all kinds of records throwing the football, but also lack the athletic ability to contribute on a substantive basis (vs. the Big Dogs) to the Horns' running game ... and, hence, they may bring personal glory to themselves (e.g., Major, Chris and Colt), but none -- without a viable running game -- to the team.

(3) OrangeClad - it may be "nuff said" for Garrett Gilbert (and his family) to have Mack discourage Russell Shepard from joining the Horns if he wishes to play QB ... but it arguably won't help The University of Texas win a Conference football title or participate in a BCS-level postseason game (something that never has occured to this point for a Mack-coached football team with a "passing QB").

(4) multihorn (good handle) - it appears that you may believe in the divine right of kings.

You suggest that the rest of us should concede the correctness of Mack's decision to revert (despite winning the only Conference title and BCS-level postseason games of his entire coaching career with Vince) to recruiting "passing QBs" instead of "dual-threat QBs" ... because Mack is paid millions of dollars and has his "butt on the line" if he makes a mistake. Neither of those incentives, however, has stopped Mack from making the same mistake (repeatedly) before.

Les Miles (LSU -- defending national champion) and Rich Rodriguez (Michigan -- just whipped Oklahoma in a BCS-level postseason game with, of all people, West Virginia) also make millions of dollars to coach college football teams, and they both attempted to recruit Russell Shepard as a QB candidate. Have you no unbridled faith in them for the same superficial reasons you have indicated that you have blind faith in Mack?

Then you tell us that we should appreciate all of those 10-win seasons (at both North Carolina and Texas) that Mack has achieved with "passing QBs" ... but you fail to mention that none of those seasons included a Conference title or a victory in a BCS-level postseason game. Is that the new standard for excellence for The University of Texas football program? If it is, the applause you're hearing may be from North of the Red River.

BTW, if you believe Mack "honored" Russell Shepard by making a special premature QB offer to Garrett Gilbert (before Junior Day), and then later attempting to encourage Shepard to change playing positions at Texas -- when Shepard is the No. 1 dual-threat QB prospect in the nation in the 2009 recruiting class -- then why not "honor" GG the same way right now? Just call GG on the phone and explain that we want him to change playing positions at Texas, and that we're making a special offer -- with a "non-competition clause" -- to Russell Shepard to play QB for the Horns.

(5) hornpharmd - that's a good point (that there may be other five-star dual-threat QB prospects that Mack can offer in the next two recruiting seasons), if ...

... those five-star dual-threat QB prospects happen to live in Texas and want to join the Horns (like Russell Shepard), and if ...

... Mack actually makes the offer and then gives the dual-threat QB an equal opportunity to compete for playing time with our "established" pocket passers.

In that regard, as you know, Mack announced before our 2003 Spring Practice even began that Chance Mock would be our starting QB for the 2003 football season ... and Vince Young did not become our starting QB at Texas until after the 2003 RRS. John Chiles received his first opportunity to quarterback the Horns' first-team offense in the 2007 Holiday Bowl ... and promptly took Texas to two touchdowns in two full possessions, in just 1 minute and 37 seconds of playing time (combined).

Vince had success similar to that of Chiles (who also led the Horns' second-team offense on an 80-yard TD drive the first time John ever saw the field for Texas) early on in the 2003 season, and we still waited half-a-season to start Vince (ahead of Chance) and it was another year before Mack & Greg had their famous "coaching epiphany" midway through the 2004 season -- after the RRS -- and finally turned Vince loose to run and pass the football aggressively with a vertical (North-South) attacking game-plan. From that point on, the Horns won 20 straight games with Vince at QB ... not to mention victories in two BCS-level postseason games, a Conference title and an MNC.

We'll see whether John Chiles is given the opportunity this Fall to "compete" with Colt McCoy at QB -- on the merits, on the football field -- for the 2008 Horns.

Summary: To have a running game, or not to have a running game (vs. the Big Dogs) ... that arguably is the question for the Horns' future -- in terms of winning Conference football titles and BCS-level postseason games -- and the answer (so far) with John Chiles and Russell Shepard has been ... no thanks.

It will be interesting to see what happens down the road.

Hook 'em.

 

[OrangeClad]

KC,

I never said Mack discouraged him, I said perhaps he simply played it straight with RS. The fact is, GG is an amazing prospect that doesn't come around very often. In fact, he's possibly the best passer throwing all directions and all types of passes than just about any prospect ever coming out of HS. Conversely, RS's passing stats certainly aren't too great. Withthose stats, I don't many would argue the fact that "dual threat QB" has not be established.

Now, personally I don't completely disagree with your position but since I'm already over here on this side of the fence I'll pose this regarding offensive styles: How many teams have have the NC with true dual threat QBs? Not very many. The odds are much better going the other way. Tebow is only a dual threat because he is basically a fullback, but I'd still call him dual threat. Vince certainly was. Charlie Ward, maybe?

So if Mack & Greg were betting men and they knew only a few had done it with dual threats and one of those(their's) was Superman, they might choose to go with the odds.

The running game is a completely different story and only slightly related to what type of QB they are using. There running game/scheme has sucked since Ricky's last year (their first year). I don't count Vince scrambling out of the pocket on pass plays for 750 yards a viable running attack. If they stick to certain philosophies which they hold so dear, we will have the same problems running the ball with whichever kind of QB they put in there.

 

[multihorn]

KC:

First, I don’t root for LSU or Michigan so I could not care less what their coaches choose to do. I root for Texas, so I care what our coach does. If you would rather trust Les Miles and Rich Rodriguez over Mack Brown, I suggest you go log on to their message boards. And it is not blind faith. Mack has produced results so the faith is justified. “Blind faith” would be me thinking you know what you’re talking about.

Second, why would Mack want to offer GG to play at some other position, he wants him for quarterback. Mack offered RS to play quarterback, that fact has been demonstrated to you time and again with RS’s own words, but you choose to ignore that.

Third, RS is not a dual threat quarterback. He is a running quarterback. You reference Vince, but Vince had over 3000 yards passing, and over 1000 yards running in 2005. Those numbers come closer to the ratio put up by GG last year than RS. Maybe you have blind faith that RS will somehow learn to be an effective passer in the next few years, something he has failed to do so far.

If you have a problem with Texas’ run game, go over to “On The Field” and discuss the running game. Don’t come on the recruiting board and disparage our quarterback recruits. And I would suggest that the cure to UT’s running game is not to intentionally cripple the passing game.

Fourth, I said Mack honored RS by inviting him to the first junior day with his other high priority recruits. Somehow you translated that into asking GG to play another position. As I said before, Mack followed the same exact process he always has, secure his first priority, then offer his second priorities based on scholarship availability and needs.

Fifth, as has been pointed out to you before, there was no non-compete clause. Mack told RS he would have a shot if he wanted at QB, but with his athletic ability he would probably see the field earlier and be more productive earlier at another position, but as is always the case with Mack, it is the kid’s decision.

Last, I understand you are a lawyer and have been trained to try and twist other people's words and ignore facts that don't fit your case. For the sake of civility, please stop doing that on Hornfans, et. al.

 

[multihorn]

kc:

I’ve been thinking about one of your questions throughout the night. “Is ten wins a season the new standard?” (Like 10+ wins a year is a bad thing). Given it’s never been done before by this or any other program, then it’s a damn good standard. And I would have to say for me, yes, I am very happy with 10+ wins year in and year out. Winning is a heck of a lot better than losing. No other coach or school currently can touch that record. And I would much rather have a consistently winning program than up and down yo-yo program.

Would I like to have more wins over OU? Of course. More BCS bowls? Yes. More conference championships? You bet. But I’m not going to let what I don’t have sour what I do. I’m willing to bet that fans at FSU, Notre Dame, Miami, and over 100 other Division 1 programs would trade for our record over the last 10 years in a heart beat.

I have such wonderful memories of Texas football during these last 10 years, and even before that. Ricky’s record breaking run against A&M, both Rose bowls, Dawson’s kick, roll left, etc. I don’t know what age and stage you are in life, but those are the stories I tell my kids, and will tell my grandkids. And the last 10 years sure beat the heck out of the 10 before that.

We have become too spoiled as Texas fans. We want instant gratification. We want to win it all, now, every year. I remember seeing a thread not too long ago about how Texas deserved to be in the national championship game every 3 years at a minimum. What a foolish, short-sighted, and frustrating expectation.

“But Mack can’t win it all without VY.” Texas hasn’t been able to win it all in post scholarship limits without Mack. My wife and I are reading What it Means to be a Longhorn. In 1966, Texas had 80+ scholarship freshmen. Can you imagine what Texas would be like today without limits?

The Mack Brown era is going to go down as one of the greatest eras in Texas football history. I am glad to be a part of it. I hope he stays another 10+ years, and I hope we win 10+ games every single year. Maybe even that is an unrealistic expectation.

My son reminded me last night as I was responding to your post of one of his favorite sayings (which I realize is not politically correct) - that “Arguing on the internet is like being in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you are still retarded.” Given your proliferation of posts on this subject across multiple Longhorn message boards, I doubt I can “win” the argument you’re espousing. You are way too invested in being right. And even if you stop posting on this particular thread, history tells me you’ll just crop up and repeat the same diatribe elsewhere.

So before I become completely retarded, I may just stop posting. Some times I wish I had never discovered the fan message boards. However, I do enjoy a lot of posts which co-celebrate the Longhorns, the eager anticipation of the season, the sharing of memories. But I’m not sure it’s worth the infuriation associated with some of our fanatics.

Anyway, I’m on vacation. I think I’ll vacate.

 

[kchorn]

Appreciate the good thoughts, pro and con.

(1) OrangeClad - those are good points regarding the correlation between the Horns' QB and our running game.

Even with Ricky Williams back in the Horns' 1998 season (Mack's first at UT), we struggled with our running game in both of our Big-12 Conference losses that year -- to Kansas State and TTech. We averaged just 1.9 ypc running the football vs. KState (and were out-rushed by the Wildcats, 223-53 yards) ... while we finished with an average of 3.8 ypc vs. Tech -- and the '98 Horns, during Ricky's Heisman season, actually were out-rushed (146-132 yards) by Tech.

In other words, the running-game problem (with Conference titles on the line) has persisted throughout the time that Mack & GD have coached the offense together at both North Carolina and Texas -- with the one exception of Vince, after their "coaching epiphany" midway through the 2004 football season.

Interestingly, the Austin American-Statesman published an article after the Horns' 2006 football season that relates to this issue ... and they asked Selvin Young why the 2005 Horns could run the football successfully throughout the season, while the 2006 Horns (with an outstanding offensive line, Selvin & Jamaal at RB, and a preseason ranking of No. 2 in the national polls) could not. Selvin noted the difference between the running-game scheme with Vince (when the Horns had two viable running threats to divide the attention of opposing defenses, with the zone-read play, on designed running plays) and the running-game scheme with Colt (when the Horns essentially eschewed the zone-read play, in terms of the QB carrying the football, vs. Ohio State and A&M). That left the '06 Horns with just "one" viable running threat -- our solitary RB -- in those games.

Obviously, since opposing defenses did not have to account for a second running threat under those circumstances (in 2006), they could focus, instead, on stopping our much more predictable "one-man" running-game scheme.

Here is how Selvin put it:

"We won (in the Horns' 2005 MNC season) because opposing defenses could not stop two running threats."

That, imo, is the reason why the ability of the Horns' QB (under Mack & Greg) to run effectively with the football vs. the Big Dogs actually can make a critical difference in the effectiveness of the Horns' running game. Otherwise, we have been left standing in the shadows (in terms of Conference titles and BCS-level postseason games) with our totally-predictable "one-man" running game that apparently reflects the apogee of creative coaching which reasonably can be expected from our current Offensive Coordinator.

Under the circumstances (as documented by our past history under Mack & Greg), it would seem fair to suggest that it might be worthwhile (and we still could do it now) to recruit, in earnest, Russell Shepard as a bona-fide QB candidate for the University of Texas football program.

(2) multihorn - you do good work making your points, and probably all of us in the Horns' camp respect the notion of appreciating Mack's contributions to our football program.

We may, on occasion, disagree regarding the preferable road for the Horns to travel in order to arrive at the promised land ...

... but each of us wishes to see them reach that destination, however (within the rules) they may do it.

Hook 'em.

 

[djezspread]

just wanted to point out that kchorn=miller58

 

[kchorn]

djez - appreciate your cryptic observation.

Now, if you can help to improve the Horns' running game (with a "passing QB") ... or determine a way to get "both" Russell Shepard and Garrett Gilbert in the Horns' 2009 football recruiting class ...

Hook 'em.

 

[alden]

Good post, multihorn.
kchorn posts the same spiel every month or so. You can reason with him, but it doesn't matter. He really likes running QBs.

 

[kchorn]

alden - appreciate and agree in part with your observations, although our viewpoints may differ in regard to the importance of the Horns' running game.

Regardless, hope you and all of the posters involved in these HornFans discussions have an enjoyable July 4th weekend.

Hook 'em.