Who will be the next domino? Hope we can field enough players on defense for the bowl game. By the way, the decision not to play in the bowl game seems pretty selfish to me but apparently that's the way players think these days.
I don't begrudge the guy his draft status and grateful to him for the few games he did get to play this year. We were definitely better for it when he was in there. I wouldn't risk another injury either. (Even if we had a competent offense )
Selfish? Really. For a player with a knee that could well have had surgery but took the hard recovery road to potentially help. He projects as top 10 first round, mega bucks as is. Or not drafted at all if his knee gets accidentally rolled in the Wok N' Roll Bowl. Count me among the selfish then. Honestly wondering when the pathetic Big XII referees will begin to affect OL's school choices. I played OL at UT in the '60's so I'm not oblivious to the nuances of the game. Cliché states, 'OL holding could be called on every play'. In this laugher conference IT IS CALLED on nearly every play. Conner was called four or five times last week. Who needs that discussion in pre-draft NFL meetings. Alabama/Auburn (#1/#6) game ran 3 hr 15 min. UT/TT game (#120/#122) took 4 hr 30 min. Reviewed whether it was 4th and 12 or 4th and 14 for SEVEN minutes on the clock. OL's will stay away, mark it down.
Connor Williams was a solid OL player at Texas until his injury this year. His future and skill level is the NFL per most objective scouts. Congrats and good luck on your future. No need to risk an NFL tryout in a pointless bowl game. Next man up.
From a standpoint of draft status I get the decision. On the standpoint of him as a teammate it is a selfish decision. I see both sides of this one. I think the bowl game will be a loss if the rumors of whose going/them not playing in bowl are true. Ugh!
Playing on a dodgy knee when injury counts about $10MM to a 20 year old is selfish? Good on you if you've got that kind of jack to pitch around.
I wouldn't say that if we were going to a meaningful bowl, but this team was under coached and under productive. We should not even go to a bowl. If he was your son with a fragile knee, buying a $2 million insurance policy, or skipping what will be little more than a glorified scrimmage in favor of a multi million dollar signing bonus and contract, versus getting hurt and being a 6th round pick if that, what would you do? I have always been a TEAM/me guy, and believed you don't let the team down, but this is a life changing event. $2 million vs $10-20 million?
I can't really fault him. The fact that he came back at all is probably the reason we're not sitting with a losing record right now. He didn't have to do that, either.
The concern for me is if o-linemen are leaving. There's no reason for Cuney and McMillan to leave from a playing time standpoint. The only thing I can see is they're not buying in to what they're being taught or how they're being taught. Considering how they've performed this year, clearly something wasn't connecting with them. No idea if that's on the coaching staff or on them, but to be honest, neither of them was ever considered a guy who was going to be an impact o-lineman. They were both basically "gifts" - maybe not "Kay Jewelers" type gifts, more like "Ronco kitchen utensil" type gifts. (Although McMillan was actually pretty solid last year.) But still, they were guys no one thought would step in and contribute at any level, and they did. Maybe they're seeing the handwriting on the wall and figure they're going to lose their jobs to guys who get healthy? Cuney is almost a sure bet to be demoted. Regardless, I do think Herman needs to look long and hard at the o-line coaching situation right now.
Williams came back forthe WVA game that got the Horns a win and Bowl eligibility. Williams played TT without Vahe at guard and played with his usual ectra efforts. Those games were meaningful to gain bowl eligibility and a good bowl ranking. TT won and the bowl the Horns get will be much less meaningful to this season. ie meaningless
Now if you had said "Ronco Turnip Twadlers", you'd have sold me. If they're good enough for Opus, I'm sold.
Sorry, for whatever idiotic reason I can come up with before I posted that ? I wasn’t even thinker by about injury possibility. Hate it but I completely can understand that reasoning. boy, we as Horn fans may be in for a long journey back to relevance.
Why risk further injury when he gains nothing from a nothing game? It would be different if Mensa was actually willing to commit to trying to establish a run game and talent could be showcased...but that isn't going to occur, so again, why risk permanent and career-ending injury?
OK, with Williams not playing the bowl game, we now know going in we won't be able to run the ball and the QB, whomever he may be, will be running for his life every down. I'm sure Tom will come up with something.
Best of luck to him in the draft and NFL. Thanks for being a great longhorn. Not going to lie. Skipping the bowl is bailing on your team. Selfish move. Should forfeit claims to T ring for that.
Maybe, just maybe, he believed (like the rest of us) that Texas was finally going to turn the corner on offense and hit eight or nine wins. I believe there was genuine excitement on his part when the team became bowl-eligible. But the way this squad has lost people during practice, to say nothing of the games, it just isn't worth the risk of losing millions...
Seniors and underclassmen that declare for the draft not playing in their bowl game will only increase in numbers from here on out. Jaylon Smith (Notre Dame and now with the Cowboys) is the poster child for skipping what have become meaningless games. His injury in the Fiesta Bowl certainly cost him more than a few bucks. From a selfish standpoint, I want to see them stay and play but their future livelihood depends on them staying healthy. How long before this creeps into the regular season?
Solid business decision. I have to say "no" to my siblings, nephews, sometimes too. They would be selfish if they denied me the right to do whats best for me, wife, children. Not me.
Lol. I find it funny. You mean really hard practices and accountability are causing some of our 5-7 players to transfer or go pro? Bye!!!! Ps.....those are the ones we need to weed out. Go to eaTme with Jimbo fraudsher.
Good arguments... What is the definition of a meaningless game? It seems to me that if you are not playing for a playoff team, an argument could be made that it is a meaningless bowl game. After all, what would there be to be gained? Taken to the extreme, let's say that a third year player with NFL potential has a good season highlighted by stellar games ten and 11. By the measure of not risking his draft status, should that player shut it down (after game 11) because for him, there is no additional upside? It's not as outrageous an argument as one might think. These guys came to the University on a free ride and they made a name for themselves. I'd like to see them follow through by playing in the bowl game, but that's just me.
I agree that Williams and others should not play in this bowl game. Don't risk injury AND don't impede the "next man up" from getting some practice time and bowl game time in. Get 'em ready for 2018!
Would it be fair to bill a scholly player from the time he/she quits the team until the end of that semester for his/her tuition/meals/etc.? Asking for an administrator.
