Spring Football

I did Google "like", so I see your point.
Like Malik, like Hager, like Connor, like Shackelford, like Roach, like the Shark, like PJ.
Now if we can just get em to start being poor students - it's off to the BCS. Doing it Gansta Style. Screw the U back in the J Johnson Day, we roiling listenin' to BigE, Tupac and Slim Shady.
I "like" it.

 

Better yet, no one more Gangsta right now than OU or Bailer. Hope Herman takes thier lead to get winning back on track.

 

Next Man Up: Derek Warehime
UT's Third OLine Coach in Three Years

​

Derek Warehime, 34, is young, that’s for sure. He might be the first assistant coach at UT who once had his own recruiting profile on Rivals and 247Sports’ websites. Warehime was listed as 6-foot-3, 278 pounds back then.

He played for his father, Nick, at Choctaw and then started 34 games at Tulsa. “I grew up in a field house, in small towns, living right across the street from the field house,” Warehime said. “I was there all the time and with my dad all the time.”

That influenced Warehime to try the family business. He was a graduate assistant and video coordinator at Rice from 2006-07. UT coach Tom Herman joined the Rice staff in 2007. The two became close friends and, after Warehime spent three seasons at New Mexico, joined up at Houston in 2015.

Warehime had to juggle 11 different starting lineups for the Cougars over the course of a 14-game season in 2015. “I mean, you want to talk about chicken salad, that was the ultimate patchwork, piecemeal, whatever phrase you want to use,” Herman said.

The Cougars ranked 60th nationally in scoring (29.8 points) in 2014 before Herman and Warehime arrived. The program jumped to 10th nationally (40.4) in 2015.

Warehime doesn’t have the line problem that Wickline faced in 2014, though. The depth up front has been well stocked thanks to two solid recruiting classes.

Connor Williams, a likely preseason All-America candidate, is entrenched at left tackle. Zach Shackelford started at center most of his freshman season. Jake McMillon and Elijah Rodriguez are versatile specialists who can play anywhere inside. Tristan Nickelson and Brandon Hodges are two seniors who can hold down the right tackle spot.

“Warehime, he’s intense,” Williams said. “He wants things done how he wants it. He’s a perfectionist. So everything I do I have to do perfect.”

One player Warehime needs to unlock is Patrick Vahe. Widely thought to be a natural guard, the hulking sophomore from Euless Trinity landed in the previous staff’s doghouse last fall and got benched. He’s another player who may benefit from a clean slate.

“Vahe’s in a great spot mentally right now,” Warehime said. “He’s doing unbelievable well in our offseason. I get a tap on the shoulder or a whisper in my ear from a coach on our staff every day about how much he works and how much effort he gives.”

And Warehime has a slew of younger players at his disposal, too. The Longhorns haven’t truly unleashed Patrick Hudson, Denzel Okafor or Jean Delance.

There’s plenty of tools at Warehime’s disposal. More than anything else, Warehime’s job will be to establish stability.
[More @ HookEm.com]

 

I hear what you're saying, and as I was typing out my post, I suspected the 4 hour rule was in place after they arrive. I guess I am so soured on the Strong era that I feel anything they did should be done differently at this point.

 

Spring Profile - Collin Johnson

 

Collin at 6'6" 212 lbs has all the tools to be the best WR at Texas since Roy Williams (6'3" and 215 lbs). Check out the stats I found. It's a fun walk down memory lane with the names

Receptions
Career
Rank Player Rec Years
1 Jordan Shipley 248 2006 2007 20082009
2 Roy Williams 241 2000 2001 20022003
3 Jaxon Shipley 218 2011 2012 20132014
4 Quan Cosby 212 2005 2006 20072008
5 Mike Davis 200 2010 2011 20122013

Single game
Rank Player Rec Year Opponent
1 Jordan Shipley 15[8] 2008 Oklahoma State
2 Quan Cosby 14[5] 2008 Ohio State[6]
3 Roy Williams 13 2002 Nebraska

Receiving yards
Career
Rank Player Yards Years
1 Roy Williams 3,866 2000 2001 20022003
2 Jordan Shipley 3,191 2006 2007 20082009
3 Mike Adams 3,032 1992 1993 19941995 1996

Single season
Rank Player Yards Year
1 Jordan Shipley 1,485 2009
2 Kwame Cavil 1,188 1999
3 Roy Williams 1,142 2002
4 Quan Cosby 1,123 2008

Single game
Rank Player Yards Year Opponent
1 Jordan Shipley 273[4] 2009 UCF
2 Tony Jones 242 1987 Pittsburgh[23]
3 Johnny “Lam” Jones 198 1979 Baylor
4 BJ Johnson 187 2000 Texas A&M
BJ Johnson 187[24] 2003 Iowa State
6 Malcolm Williams 182[25] 2008 Texas Tech
7 Eric Metcalf 181 1986 Houston
8 Kwame Cavil 180 1999 Stanford
Roy Williams 180 2000 Kansas
Jordan Shipley 180[26] 2009 Louisiana-Monroe

Receiving touchdowns
Career
Rank Player TDs Years
1 Roy Williams 36 2000 2001 2002 2003
2 Jordan Shipley 33 2006 2007 2008 2009
3 Limas Sweed 20 2004 2005 2006 2007
4 Quan Cosby 19 2005 2006 2007 2008

Single season
Rank Player TDs Year
1 Jordan Shipley 13 2009
2 Roy Williams 12 2002
Limas Sweed 12 2006
4 Jordan Shipley 11 2008
5 Herkie Walls 10 1982
Quan Cosby 10 2008

 

Great stuff, Bada$$! Thanks!

 

6'6''... If he has 1-on-1 coverage just throw the damn ball up there.

 

that sounds like roy williams :swoon:

 

Keyshawn Johnson called, he agrees!

 

Warren hurt again, and also Shackleford....SMH........
Freshmen RBs better step up because Warren will not make it through the season.

 

The Haka Hulk Ready to Dance

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Nobody ever said anything publicly about it, but it was obvious Texas guard Patrick Vahe landed in the doghouse last season.

From hulking to sulking, the 325-pound sophomore started the first seven games and then mysteriously got benched against Baylor, Texas Tech and West Virginia.

There were whispers that Vahe got crossways with then-offensive line coach Matt Mattox. Never one to hold anything back, Vahe will gladly give his opinions. That’s what makes the gregarious blocker one of the most engaging personalities in the entire Texas athletic department.

On Thursday, Vahe was made available to reporters for the first time since last October. While he didn’t go into full detail about what happened, it’s clear the 6-foot-4 Vahe wants his starting job back at left guard alongside All-American tackle Connor Williams.

“My mind’s been on the wrong path,” Vahe said after UT’s fourth spring practice. “My effort really wasn’t there. It really wasn’t what was needed for the team at that moment. But I’m on a different road right now.”

So what changed?

“Just realize why I’m here, the reason why I play at Texas,” Vahe said. “I love playing this football game. Any coach that comes through here to help me out, I take advantage of that.

“Why am I here? I do it because of my pride, my family. I’ve always wanted to come here since I was a little boy. Seeing them win these national championships, I wanted to be a part of that. Or at least get my degree from one of the best schools in the world.”

Vahe started the first 10 games of the 2014 season before missing the final two due to injury. He was an honorable-mention pick by the Big 12 coaches and was penciled in as a possible four-year starter for the Longhorns.

But last season changed the dynamic. Jake McMillon started for Vahe against the Bears and played well enough to start again the following week. One positive outcome was that UT coaches learned how versatile McMillon really was. This season, McMillon (6-foot-3, 305 pounds) should be a vital contributor up front.

New offensive line coach Derek Warehime was asked specifically about his gregarious guard and said, “Vahe’s in a great spot mentally right now.”

Vahe himself can’t say enough good things about Warehime, that’s for sure. “Very enthusiastic,” he said. “He’s a very challenging guy. He just wants the best out of everybody, and we’re starting to realize it day by day.”
[More @ Hook'Em]

 

The Toddnado after Spring Practice #4:

 

Injuries* and Whatnots:

RB Chris Warren – hammy
RB Tristan Houston – ankle
C Zack Shackelford – ankle
S Jason Hall and K Michael Dickson still out with hammies
OT Brandon Hodges – time off for academics

*The severity of all injuries is undisclosed.

 

Student Appreciation Practice

​

Texas held a student appreciation practice Saturday afternoon, the first time UT has ever done that. In the past, it has held similar events at which fans can sit in the stands and watch. But that was for everyone: adults, kids, parents, grandparents, teenagers. Never had there been something only for UT students. They got to stand on the field. They got a swag bag. They got to meet the players and get their autographs and take pictures with them.

The field was roped off, but students stood on the turf, a couple of yards from the team. They could hear the yelling, the trash talk, the grunts. Even though it was RoundUp at UT and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play was taking place, students still flocked to DKR.

“I’m super excited to see what Herman’s doing for our program and what he’s encouraging the guys to do,” 19-year-old sophomore Avery Lavender said.

“I’m out here to support the football team. I just want to come see the calm before the storm,” 20-year-old junior Jeremy Ukazim said.

“It’s nice to actually be on the field. Normally … you can’t really see things. But it’s good to be this close and actually be a part of the team,” 20-year-old junior Praj Maohan said.

Music blared. One hour passed. Then two. Three.

“I just wanted to come out and try the drills that these guys do every day,” Stokes said.

After the skill competition, the students and the team gathered at midfield and Herman spoke.

“As long as we’re here, you will be a tremendous sense of pride and motivation for us,” Herman told the students.
[More @ Hook'Em]

 

TFB Practice Notes:

Coaches are still shaking things up at DB, as I heard Kris Boyd and Davante Davis were the first team CB’s yesterday. The practice before it was Davante Davis and Holton Hill, and for the first two practices it was Holton Hill and Kris Boyd. It seems they have their Top 3 CB’s for sure, now which two will separate? I won’t make my prediction but I was told “Davis is starting to get that confidence back from his freshman year”. And Eric Cuffee seems to be the #4 outside CB right now.

Malik Jefferson, Breckyn Hager, and Naashon Hughes have been the starting LB and that didn’t change. But I continue to hear good things about Jeffrey McCulloch and it sounds like Erick Fowler may have already passed up Edwin Freeman on the depth chart, but it’s obviously still early.

Brandon Hodges' [absence gave] Denzel Okafor a chance to rotate with the 1’s at RT with Tristan Nickelson.

 

And that does not include Gary Johnson.

Any of those have potential to spin down?

 

Spin down to DL? Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean.

 

I already don't like this coach. He just can't stay focused.

 

​

Texas had two big problems unleashing Malik as a hybrid pass-rusher/inside-backer in the Strong defense. The first was Malik’s own inconsistency as a pass-rusher. As we all became increasingly aware over the course of the last two seasons, Malik had a tendency to stop and reevaluate when he encountered OL in his blitz path rather than taking on their blocks with aggression. This came up a lot when he’d blitz interior gaps like Orlando’s D regularly asks of the Rover.

However, after his triumph against Texas Tech he started to play with more confidence in every regard, including on his interior insert blitzes.

The other problem that Texas encountered was holding up when Malik wasn’t around at the second level to take away hot routes or make tackles against the run. It’s even possible that a lack of trust in his teammates was partially to blame for his occasional tendency to stop and look for the ball if his blitz didn’t find immediate success.

The whole structure of the “zone blitz” defense depends on those three underneath droppers forcing the QB to a second read and not getting gashed by runs. When Malik is blitzing those three underneath droppers are going to come from the pool of the other linebackers, the safeties, and the nickel. For Texas the boundary safety and other inside-backer have been the sore spots in this equation, particularly in run defense. In 2015 that was Peter Jinkens and then either Jason Hall or Dylan Haines. In 2016 it was Hall, Haines, and then an assortment of other players but usually Anthony Wheeler.

In 2017 the current depth chart features John Bonney and Breckyn Hager as the other two guys defending the seams and shallow middle. Bonney is a fantastic fit here in terms of taking away quick easy throws but needs to prove himself in the run-stuffing department. Hager needs to prove he has the lateral range to do either or else he could lose out this job to Gary Johnson in the fall or....

Another dimension to watch for here is Malik’s growth in run defense and playing coverage underneath. His physical skill set as a linebacker is comparable to NFL-bound hybrid backers like Myles Jack of UCLA and Jaylon Smith of Notre Dame but his mental approach to the game is entirely different.

Despite his occasional lack of aggression and physicality in taking on blockers, Malik is actually a vastly more aggressive player than either Jack or Smith. He loves to use his explosiveness and speed to make plays in the backfield. In just 22 games he has as many TFL as Jack and more sacks than either him or Smith and that’s partly due to the way he sniffs out chances to run under blocks and run things down from behind.

The key has always been Malik adding the skills and understanding of when and where to be aggressive and when to be sound and look to cover for his teammates. There have been times when he’s gotten those two considerations exactly wrong in his play.

In year three the Predator is going to be kept in position to attack the backfield from various alignments, the key is whether Orlando can teach him the skills and confidence to put it all together in a way that fits the team concept. If that happens, you can expect the NFL to come calling.
[More @ IT]

 

A little peek inside the QB room....

 

Yeah, Mack had a history of spinning LBs down to DE and DEs down to DT.

 

Okay, thanks.

The only roster LB who could spin down would be Erick Fowler (although, if Hager doesn't work out at Mack/Mike/MLB he might return to DE; more in a moment). If I recall correctly, Fowler was heavily recruited because he was a tweener in high school – he played and excelled at both OLB and DE.

In limited appearances last year, Strong always had him at DE; and from a mere mention of him by Orlando this year, I believed he offered the possibility of moving Fowler from LB to DE if things weren't working out for him.

Fowler is strong, quick, fast, and tenacious – he's a real talent. I just don't know where he is mentally at the college game level. I mean to cast no doubt or accusation that he isn't mentally ready to succeed because I've heard nothing to indicate that he isn't.

Back to Hager... From what I've heard/read, the staff really wants Breckyn to grasp and master the middle position. They loved what they saw on film from last season and want him to take that relentless, nasty, warrior attitude and fuse it with a quarterback brain. IOW, they're hoping he can transition from Mongo to Rambo.

 

TFB Saturday Scrimmage Notes​

Collin Johnson and Malcolm Roach were the alpha dogs on their sides of the ball, not a huge surprise.

The OL had their share of struggles. Zach Shackelford left early with an injury and the backups were a little jumpy. I was told Terrell Cuney (who replaced Shack) and Jean Delance both didn’t have their best days at all.

I think the staff knows what they’ve got in WR Devin Duvernay. It seems he’s moved past Armanti Foreman as the #1 guy in the slot.

Shane Buechele worked with the 1s and Sam Ehlinger with the 2s. Both had good moments, more designed roll-outs for Ehlinger.

Malik Jefferson and Breckyn Hager were all over the place at LB, very little running room on Saturday.

Davante Davis and Holton Hill were with the 1s at CB and DeShon Elliott and John Bonney at safety with PJ Locke at nickel.

Speaking of RBs, Kirk Johnson is banged up again so he didn’t participate. Chris Warren was in the bull-in-the-ring drills and was working in team drills before coming out. ...After talking to some people, Warren’s weight is a concern and one person told me as of right now, “No way he could get more than 15 carries a game.” So it sounds like getting Warren in shape will be a top goal for RB coach Stan Drayton and S&C coach Yancy McKnight this summer.

There were also reports that early enrollee RB Toneil Carter didn’t participate Saturday along with Kirk Johnson, and was in a walking boot. I was told it’s just a sprained ankle for Carter so it doesn’t sound too serious.

 

Yesterday, the coaching staff started something new. At the team meeting they presented an award to the "Freaks of the Week." Evidently, the FOW will be given to one player on each side of the ball every week throughout the spring. The first winners were Shane Buechele and Poona Ford.



Boo and Poo earned the awards for "their championship performance during Saturday's scrimmage."

 

I wonder if KJ will ever be in the rotation. I hope so because he has showed flashes of brilliance.

 

Yeah I really liked what I saw in Kirk when he's played. I almost typed that we may have a Fozzie Whitaker situation on our hands, but I'd frankly take that. If he could give us one or two healthy years and play like Fozzie did, I'll be happy to wait it out.

I just hope he doesn't put in all that work for nothing. That's one of the toughest things to see in college sports - when a guy that's doing the work just can't stay on the field.

 

Chris Warren can be added to that list also.

 

My sentiments to a T.