Texpectations

[Codaxx]

We are talking about the University of Texas. Texas Longhorns. UT. A football program that has a football stadium with over 100,000 seats. A university with an alumni base that covers the entire country with thousands of fans wearing burnt orange in gyms, shopping centers, etc. A University of Texas Endowment that tops $25 Billion. A school where the head coach can recruit some of the best talent in the country sitting in his favorite recliner at home. And anyone is supposed to believe that Charlie Strong should get more than two years if he's losing games at the rate of 5-6/year? Fuck this PC stuff and you know that's a part of "being patient" with Strong. Fuck it. We fired a black coach at OU and the sun came up the next day. If the guy isn't producing you need to fire him. Get someone else. Years of failure under Mack Brown + abiding failure from Charlie Strong would do horrible damage to the Texas football program. Go get David Shaw. Or Mark Dantonio. But forget Charlie if he's laying 5-6 eggs every season.

If all that was running at full capacity, than Mack would not have been fired. I do not get the Shaw call. I take Strong over Shaw in a heartbeat. Dantonio and Strong have very similar resumes. I really dont care who coached Texas last year, you arent winning BCS games with 6 OL on scholarship.

 

[Texas Jefe]

"Shock The Nation" part 2, perhaps? I hope you're right, Jefe......

Well, I'd take that, if you leave out that last game that year...

 

[Goldbug]

If all that was running at full capacity, than Mack would not have been fired. I do not get the Shaw call. I take Strong over Shaw in a heartbeat. Dantonio and Strong have very similar resumes. I really dont care who coached Texas last year, you arent winning BCS games with 6 OL on scholarship.

It WAS running at capacity.....that's the point. But the problems were Mack was not c.o.a.c.h.i.n.g the talent and there was a sense of entitlement that became cancerous to the team. Strong's kicking everybody off the team may have had merit in some cases but I can't believe that none of those kids he kicked off were salvageable. The enablers think Strong created the perfect excuse for not having a good season (or two?!) because the poor man just doesn't have anybody who can play the game on his squad. Bullshit. He's getting paid $5 Million a year to overcome a lack of talent by c.o.a.c.h.i.n.g them up. But some people say he can't do that to stop losing 5-6 games/year until he's had a chance to recruit 100 new players. LMAO. He's a big boy; he knew what he was getting in to. Improve to at least 8-4 this year and Charlie will have proved something. 7-5 or worse and he needs to be hit in the ass with a check.

 

[Codaxx]

It WAS running at capacity.....that's the point. But the problems were Mack was not c.o.a.c.h.i.n.g the talent and there was a sense of entitlement that became cancerous to the team. Strong's kicking everybody off the team may have had merit in some cases but I can't believe that none of those kids he kicked off were salvageable. The enablers think Strong created the perfect excuse for not having a good season (or two?!) because the poor man just doesn't have anybody who can play the game on his squad. Bullshit. He's getting paid $5 Million a year to overcome a lack of talent by c.o.a.c.h.i.n.g them up. But some people say he can't do that to stop losing 5-6 games/year until he's had a chance to recruit 100 new players. LMAO. He's a big boy; he knew what he was getting in to. Improve to at least 8-4 this year and Charlie will have proved something. 7-5 or worse and he needs to be hit in the ass with a check.

You are all over the place. First this:

But the problems were Mack was not c.o.a.c.h.i.n.g the talent and there was a sense of entitlement that became cancerous to the team.

SO Strong needed to change the culture and accountability.. Then this:

Strong's kicking everybody off the team may have had merit in some cases but I can't believe that none of those kids he kicked off were salvageable.

So holding kids accountable for failed drug tests (all of them had at least 3) and arrests was unwarranted. Please pick one

 

[Goldbug]

You are all over the place. First this:

But the problems were Mack was not c.o.a.c.h.i.n.g the talent and there was a sense of entitlement that became cancerous to the team.

SO Strong needed to change the culture and accountability.. Then this:

Strong's kicking everybody off the team may have had merit in some cases but I can't believe that none of those kids he kicked off were salvageable.

So holding kids accountable for failed drug tests (all of them had at least 3) and arrests was unwarranted. Please pick one

He undoubtedly had to kick some of them off. I don't know the details nor does anyone else except for the people directly involved. My point is IF all them had to be kicked off for whatever reason(s) it created a built-in excuse for failure to win many games. That's no surprise. And if he should not have kicked them all off then he made some mistakes he probably wouldn't make again if he had it all to do over again. Kicking someone off a team for drugs and arrests is a simple call to make. Kicking them off because they are lazy or poorly motivated speaks more to poor recruiting and possibly insufficient coaching.

 

[TexasExes98]

Well, I'd take that, if you leave out that last game that year...

Shit, that team went 10-2 and exceeded expectations. I'll take it, but yes, different outcome in the bowl game. I think Da U still has that team's manhood over in Coral Gables to this day.....

 

[Codaxx]

He undoubtedly had to kick some of them off. I don't know the details nor does anyone else except for the people directly involved. My point is IF all them had to be kicked off for whatever reason(s) it created a built-in excuse for failure to win many games. That's no surprise. And if he should not have kicked them all off then he made some mistakes he probably wouldn't make again if he had it all to do over again. Kicking someone off a team for drugs and arrests is a simple call to make. Kicking them off because they are lazy or poorly motivated speaks more to poor recruiting and possibly insufficient coaching.

I didnt see one that was not in trouble due to drugs or legal issues. All the drug guys were given more than 1 chance. Strong did up testing exponentially, but it was expected. I fully expected him to tighten the ship when he came to shock the team. I expect to see evidence of improvement this year. I am not sure that will show up in the record though. Schedule is tougher this year. I have predicted a rough start and then a a strong showing late. Year 3 is about where the leash ends. At that pt, you need concrete evidence the program in going in the right direction. My tune will likely change if it is an utter disaster this year.

 

[Goldbug]

I didnt see one that was not in trouble due to drugs or legal issues. All the drug guys were given more than 1 chance. Strong did up testing exponentially, but it was expected. I fully expected him to tighten the ship when he came to shock the team. I expect to see evidence of improvement this year. I am not sure that will show up in the record though. Schedule is tougher this year. I have predicted a rough start and then a a strong showing late. Year 3 is about where the leash ends. At that pt, you need concrete evidence the program in going in the right direction. My tune will likely change if it is an utter disaster this year.

Another thing is if Texas is playing opponents tough every week. Let's say he loses at Notre Dame by a field goal. Or loses to TCU/Baylor by a touchdown. Maybe loses to OU by 1 point or (shudder) beats our dimpled ass. Those are things that say he's improving. If he beats Kansas State that will be a big plus. Or beats Okie Jr. if they're having a good year The UT fans certainly don't want to see the team laying down and sticking its butt in the air at home any more; that's what really makes the program look bad. It's gonna be a fun year to see what happens.

 

[Codaxx]

Another thing is if Texas is playing opponents tough every week. Let's say he loses at Notre Dame by a field goal. Or loses to TCU/Baylor by a touchdown. Maybe loses to OU by 1 point or (shudder) beats our dimpled ass. Those are things that say he's improving. If he beats Kansas State that will be a big plus. Or beats Okie Jr. if they're having a good year The UT fans certainly don't want to see the team laying down and sticking its butt in the air at home any more; that's what really makes the program look bad. It's gonna be a fun year to see what happens.

Thats my pt. I think 10 wins is a ridiculous expectation. I think Steel has Texas ranked at 102nd in experience this year. Strong is pretty lucky this year. Texas gets ND, TCU, and OU (none at home) all by the 10th of Oct., than it is a bye week. I am guessing this is where Heard gets his first start. Gets the middle of the Big 12 for the 5 next games, until Baylor in the final regular season game. Go 4-2 or 5-1 in that stretch and people will be talking about the return of Texas. In those 6 games there are 3 road games @ Ames, Morgantown, and Waco. Key is to avoid a blow out in Waco and have a solid bowl game.

 

[outofyourmind]

I expect to see evidence of improvement this year. I am not sure that will show up in the record though.

This what I'm thinking.
Eyeball test will tell you everything you need to know if you're going in the right direction.

 

[ElTexan]

Strong is the only question mark in my mind.

That's really dumb to think, much more to write.

 

[outofyourmind]

That's really dumb to think, much more to write.

Strong takes over an 8-5 team and immediately goes 6-7 with it.
So, we'll let everyone else decide if Strong is the question mark.
I can think of hundreds of Coaches that could have done that.

 

[Texas Jefe]

Strong takes over an 8-5 team and immediately goes 6-7 with it.
So, we'll let everyone else decide if Strong is the question mark.
I can think of hundreds of Coaches that could have done that.

yes, but that 8-5 was possibly the worst 8-5 team I've ever seen. Soft, played at 3/4 speed for most games.

If you ever played football, you remember practice, and scrimmaging at '3/4 speed'? I do. It is basically like all of practice, except for the drills that test your manhood. Those are all out, 100% full speed.

But the rest of practice is 3/4 speed, whether sometimes by design , or just naturally because it's just practice.
Well, Texas has been playing at 3/4 in games for the last 3 or so years before CS arrived.

That 8-5 team was a 3/4 speed team, and that was on the staff AND the players.

 

[Codaxx]

Strong takes over an 8-5 team and immediately goes 6-7 with it.
So, we'll let everyone else decide if Strong is the question mark.
I can think of hundreds of Coaches that could have done that.

I have said that is an amazingly simple way to look at it. 2013 was an upperclass led team, with a returning starter at QB and senior QB as a back-up. 2 QBs with experience. 2014 was Swoopes and Swoopes. Swoopes had not played any meaningful time coming into the season. 2013 was an experienced OL. 2014 the OL went into their second game with 6 combined OL starts. Offense was completely gutted and it showed. Defense had reasonable turnover and improved massively.

 

[nddulac]

Strong takes over an 8-5 team and immediately goes 6-7 with it. So, we'll let everyone else decide if Strong is the question mark.
I can think of hundreds of Coaches that could have done that.

Perhaps. But I would argue that it is dangerous to extrapolate based on a single data point. I agree in that I think there are still questions about how Strong will work out in Texas, but those questions could not have been answered last year - or for that matter after this year. Give a coach (at least) three years and then you will know something about him.

I mean - a coach can demonstrate imbicility in his first year, but Strong did not do that. So I say the jury continues to be out, with no obvious problems evident at this point.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

Seems like wow thing you might post over there ---> on the Texas boards.

Probably a good spot for a thread about buying a Texas cheerleader jersey too