Official: 2008 NCAA Football Thread

[nikeball]

Thoughts on the upcoming season?
Predictions?
Heisman winner?

I got to go to UT game on Saturday v. FAU. Photodump for LonghornDub & Ty. It was also the retirement ceremony for one of the greatest college football players ever: Vince Young. Also the north endzone was completed.

UT quick anaylsis - Offense looks pretty solid, secondary looks weak due to inexperience. D-Line got no pressure whatsoever.

Photos (from friends and I):
VY:


Football:


AJ Abrams & Big Dex (AJ looooooves texting):


North Endzone:


Texas POM:


End:


The Eyes of Texas on Godzillatron:

[alby]

cant believe UCLA won last night

[BGMaverick9]

Yeah I watched that game. That QB was TERRIBLE early but with that, UCLA still deserved the win. Their DST was much better over the whole course of the game. It was a fun game and that might get them on the course they wanna be on...just on the fast track.

[LonghornDub]

Thanks for the pics Nike. I was on the West side on the 50. You might have been on the jumbotron at one point (I wouldn't know cause I don't know what you look like), because AJ and the rows behind him were on there for a few seconds.

I agree with most of what you said, except the remark about the D-line. The pressure was actually decent, but the coverage downfield was so bad that they didn't get any sacks because Smith -- who has a very quick release -- always managed to find an open guy before he got hit.

[nikeball]

Longhorn, have you graduated already? Isn't the west side the alumni side? My friends in Law school & grad school get a good amount of tickets...I hope I get to go to a lot more games this year... especially to the Chase Daniels and Mizzou game.

Smith was actually very solid..esp in the first half...but I think he got pretty good protection. I counted he got sacked 0 times (due to a "fumble") and knocked down once. I don't think there is really an excuse for that..even if he has a "quick release."

[wesbrynt]

I too was at the game and think we really didn't try to blitz him too much because we don't want to tip our hand until conference starts. Colt looked great and the OL is much improved. Also I love when cody johnson carries the ball. Hook em and lets hang 70 on sorry ass UTEP

[LonghornDub]

Originally Posted by nikeball

Longhorn, have you graduated already? Isn't the west side the alumni side? My friends in Law school & grad school get a good amount of tickets...I hope I get to go to a lot more games this year... especially to the Chase Daniels and Mizzou game.

Smith was actually very solid..esp in the first half...but I think he got pretty good protection. I counted he got sacked 0 times (due to a "fumble") and knocked down once. I don't think there is really an excuse for that..even if he has a "quick release."

Yeah, I'm still in school. My normal seats are actually over near yours, but I was sitting with an attorney I worked with this summer (just for the first game). Had to check out that sweet view!

They definitely need to get to the QB more, but I don't view it as an "excuse." The way I see it, a sack requires two elements: 1) pressure, and 2) coverage for long enough that the QB can't throw it to an open man before the pressure gets there.

Not that #1 couldn't be better, but I think your point about the young secondary actually covers both issues. If we get the coverage thing locked down, I think you're going to see a very salty front 7 that racks up a lot of sacks and hurries.

[nikeball]

Ole Miss / Wake Forest game was a solid game!

and how about ECU (without Chris Johnson) destroying #8 WVU. SKIP HOLTZ. NOT BAD.

[ocelot_ark]

Never thought I'd say this...but without Casey Dick, Arkansas would be 0-2 right now after having played Western Illinois and Louisiana Monroe. Our offense is decent enough, but the defense is entirely too reliant on freshmen. We can't stop anybody. To say Nutt left the cupboard bare is a vast, vast understatement. UT is going to skullfrick us next week. I'd say at least a 3 td differential. I had planned on making the trip down to Austin, but after the first 2 games it'd just be a waste of money. Petrino has definitely got his work cut out for him.

[nikeball]

^No dude. You should still go down to Austin. My favorite city I have lived in so far.

I am not liking our offense. Sure we are scoring on these weaker teams but...we have no offensive identity. We throw short dinky passes and have short - middle range runs (I was pleasantly surprised to see us go downfield a good bit more v UTEP). I have yet to see a home run WR or RB that we lack. Losing Limas / Jamaal as deep play threats suck. The 3rd quarter was pretty horrendous imo. I still hate Greg Davis. VY elongated his career by 5 years.

Defense..I am still not convinced yet. Pass coverage still seems sucky. Our D-Line was applying a good amount of pressure but missed some tackles. Muschamp finally brought the blitzing this week which I was happy about. Trevor Vittatoe made some really nice throws but UTEP's receivers kept dropping catchable balls. Bradford and Chase Daniels are going to destroy us if our secondary doesn't start learning faster.

[Murphy3]

I love UTEP's stadium.

[ocelot_ark]

You aren't the only one, Murph.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xArKGr6AYnA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjn7FyTbXpk

[nikeball]

link to usc v osu?

abc is showing IKE

[Flacolaco]

Looks like USC is showing them what's up.

[ocelot_ark]

I take great pleasure in ohio state suffering.

[nikeball]

http://www.justin.tv/frank_and_beans for those who want to watch

[nikeball]

The way USC is playing... I don't think Beanie Wells would've made much of a difference.

Momentum is a craaaazy thing.

[ocelot_ark]

Originally Posted by ocelot_ark

...UT is going to skullfrick us next week. I'd say at least a 3 td differential.

Boy was I wrong!

It's going to be 2 seasons, at least, before Arkansas can compete. Sigh.

[LonghornDub]

Just got back from the stadium. That was certainly a tasty little performance by McCoy and UT.

[ocelot_ark]

Originally Posted by LonghornDub

Just got back from the stadium. That was certainly a tasty little performance by McCoy and UT.

Yeah, I'd say it was about 60% Texas being very good and 40% Arkansas being incredibly bad.

[MavsWiLLHaVeRinGs]

Big 12 with 4 teams in the top 8 in the coaches poll that just came out, awesome.

#1 Oklahoma
#3 Missouri
#5 Texas
#8 Texas Tech

USC is #9, my Red Raiders are ranked higher than USC! That may never happen again! lol.

[LonghornDub]

Originally Posted by ocelot_ark

Yeah, I'd say it was about 60% Texas being very good and 40% Arkansas being incredibly bad.

I really don't understand how Arkansas is so bad this year. They're severely lacking at the QB position, but Texas just tossed them around Saturday like a bunch of rag dolls. I know there's a talent gap, but it shouldn't be that big. Arkansas has no less talent than Texas A&M, who has beaten Texas 2 years in a row.

[ocelot_ark]

Originally Posted by LonghornDub

I really don't understand how Arkansas is so bad this year. They're severely lacking at the QB position, but Texas just tossed them around Saturday like a bunch of rag dolls. I know there's a talent gap, but it shouldn't be that big. Arkansas has no less talent than Texas A&M, who has beaten Texas 2 years in a row.

Our lack of talent is all on Houston Nutt. One of those things you'll never hear the media talk about was his complete disregard for recruiting the last few years. Granted, he was never a world beater, but he used to do better at evaluating some "no-name" guys. Well his last 3 classes produced something like 35 players that are actually still on campus. That's 35 out of 75. And, of course, the ones that ARE still here aren't worth a damn. Jonathon Luigs (Remington winner) is the exception. He's the only NFL guy Nutt left behind.

The rest? A long list of 210lb athletes - guys recruited with no specific position in mind. So many guys have rotated between CB/S/LB it's almost funny. If you didn't notice, Colt McCoy was bigger than one of our LB's. It's just pathetic and it's one of the reasons I've been calling for Nutt's head since 2003.

Changing systems isn't helping matters, either. The guys on campus now were recruited to be in a run 90% of the time offense. Casey Dick was never taught anything about how to be a QB. The OL was never taught how to pass block. The receivers were never taught how to run routes. The secondary was never taught how to play zone defense.

We MIGHT be pretty damn good in 2010 but until then it's going to be ugly.

[nikeball]

I was also able to go to the game...this weekend....I sat on the alumni side for the first time ever. It was so weird not standing up the whole game..but the shade is a nice touch.

I am happy with the way our secondary is improving...some of our young guys are going to be players in the future..Aaron Williams & Keenan Robinson are going to be great.

I am not as scared as I was at the thought of playing Bradford & OU..as I was a couple of weeks ago.

[Murphy3]

Was it the ineptness of Arkansas' passing game or was it improved pass coverage by UT? It's hard to tell what it was.. Arkansas is just so bad.

[ocelot_ark]

Originally Posted by Murphy3

Was it the ineptness of Arkansas' passing game or was it improved pass coverage by UT? It's hard to tell what it was.. Arkansas is just so bad.

Two things.

Casey Dick holding the ball too long and having no pocket presence.
The offensive line just hasn't grasped pass blocking schemes yet.

I'll check in daily if you need anything else explained.

[Murphy3]

Trust me, I know that Arkansas is inept.. However, I'm trying to conclude as to whether UT's pass defense is improved... It's impossible to tell from Saturday's game because Arkansas' passing attack isn't exactly a good way to gauge your pass defense.

[LonghornDub]

Originally Posted by Murphy3

Trust me, I know that Arkansas is inept.. However, I'm trying to conclude as to whether UT's pass defense is improved... It's impossible to tell from Saturday's game because Arkansas' passing attack isn't exactly a good way to gauge your pass defense.

I don't think the secondary has necessarily improved. But the pass rush has improved every week, and the two things are interrelated. Texas leads the country in sacks.

[ocelot_ark]

Originally Posted by Murphy3

Trust me, I know that Arkansas is inept.. However, I'm trying to conclude as to whether UT's pass defense is improved... It's impossible to tell from Saturday's game because Arkansas' passing attack isn't exactly a good way to gauge your pass defense.

Well I'm guessing you didn't watch the game? When Dick had time and/or bought himself some time, he was able to find receivers. The problem with the Allen, TX product is that he seems to pick out a receiver before each play and just zeroes in on them. Petrino has commented about the volume of plays where Casey has totally missed a WR running wide open down the sidelines. He's just never been taught how to play QB.

Some of the Arkansas columnists and fans on some boards I visit say they've never seen a play run without at least ONE guy wide open. Did that happen at Texas? I don't know. But Petrino's one of top offensive minds in college football. I'm willing to bet there were open receivers and the QB just missed them. But as bad as the OL protected, dick missed some throws down field. He finished 7 of 13 for 138. At least four of his misses were on hot routes/streaks that he overthrew the WR. I can't think of any instance in which the WR in question didn't have a step on the defender.

And I know how you love to bask in Arkansas' sucktitude. Go ahead and get your shots in now, 'cause Petrino will get Arkansas to a place they haven't been in decades...which is saying a lot for a program that doesn't have every advantage in the world. Despite this absolute abortion of a season so far, he's put together a top 20 recruiting class (rivals.com). That might not sound like much but it's better than Nutt ever did. And Petrino is doing it despite more bad press than any coach/program in the land has had to endure over the last 2 years. Where it will really turn around is QB next year. We lose Casey Dick and replace him with Ryan Mallet, who was the #1 QB in the country 2 years ago out of high school. Pretty much the perfect guy to come in and run the system. No guarantees but it looks better.

[Murphy3]

Yes, I watched the game. I'm not sure why you're so pissy. I'm just saying that Arkansas isn't really a good gauge right now to judge how UT's pass defense is working out. The world is a better place when Arkansas has a good team. I don't wish for their failure at all.

[u2sarajevo]

Let's get it ON!

*waits impatiently*

[alby]

^ wow, u2 is from UT?

[dude1394]

So does UT have any offensive lineman playing today?

[u2sarajevo]

The Sooners are getting screwed by the refs. I hope that doesn't come back to bite us in the end.

[u2sarajevo]

Nervous.... nervous....

*bites fingernails*

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

The Sooners are getting screwed by the refs. I hope that doesn't come back to bite us in the end.

It appears they got some payback with that last roughing penalty.

Colt McCoy is certainly stepped up since last time I saw him. Looking really poised in there.

[u2sarajevo]

Originally Posted by dude1394

It appears they got some payback with that last roughing penalty.

Colt McCoy is certainly stepped up since last time I saw him. Looking really poised in there.

The ref crew today made big mistakes. But they did it equally. I love beating the Sooners. I also know they like beating us.

Next weekend should be interesting.

[nikeball]

HOOK 'EM HORNS HORNS! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

TEXAS STATE FAIR FOOD IS GOING TO TASTE SO MUCH BETTER TODAY.

and WTF U2...I did not know you were Texas either.

[DirkFTW]

Yay! I could only bring myself to watch the second quarter and the last few minutes. This game has not treated me well when I try to watch too much. Looks like I made a good choice!

[jthig32]

People are joking about the U2 and Texas thing...right?