How you like Ehlinger now?

Sam is winning. Above all, that’s what matters.
As I have been observing for a while, if — and it’s a big “if” — he can improve his accuracy on the 30 + yard passes, this offense will be unstoppable. I hope he gets there.

 

Exactly the same as before. If you're satisfied with 8-9 win seasons he's fine. More than that he's still not the answer.

 

Maybe Sam's just a bridge. The record rings loudly. We have the needed stability. We have QB's in the pipeline. We need offensive linemen. We need the recruits to stream in year after year. The record now is a huge step in the right direction. Hell, it is the right direction; not just a step. It's possible that Sam won't start next year. If necessary, I hope Tom is capable of making the decisions that Saban and Sweeny were able to do.

 

Very true, poor wording on my part, the assumption was that since it was pretty prevalent under McWilliams and Mackovic that I projected it onto the guys that played under Akers.
But to be very honest, that whole era was wide spread steroids use. Hell they were widely used in most high schools back in the 80's especially the players that could afford them. I know several guys from Converse Judson, my high school (SA Madison), SA Churchill, and SA Roosevelt that used them.

 

I won't say zero. This isn't an either/or situation. Sam is showing some improvement. He had a few passes that were head scratchers, but they are fewer and farther between. it's starting to look like he is showing real improvement. You can't overlook the fact there were only 7 incomplete passes out of 36 attempts and ZERO interceptions. For Sam that is an amazing stat. My favorite pass today was the first down pass to CJ late in the 4th, he put it exactly where it needed to be.

Sam isn't a finished product by any stretch but over the last 4 games, he is steady proving he is getting better. Props to both him and Tim Beck.

 

In 2008 Colt wasn't the answer either, everyone wanted Snead. Colt proved everyone wrong. Maybe Sam will do the same. I'm not ready to give up on him, I just wish we had someone that could have given him a red shirt and time to improve instead of making him do OJT to get it done.

 

Sam’s passes were so crazy that he only completed 29 of 36 (=80.55%) today. He is sure no Colt McCoy, who always completed, what percentage now?

But by golly on those very memorable 19.45% incompletions (weren’t some even remarkable thrrowaways?) we got to remind ourselves that in fact John Elway is not on our team this year.

 

Snead was in Austin only in '06 when Colt was a RS freshman and had a great year. Perhaps you mean '07 and John Chiles.

 

How many of those were completed more than 2 to 3 yds past the line of scrimmage? I would guess 8 or less and that matters. He didnt make any awful mistakes, but when the coaches call 20-25 or so sideways passes there's a reason. I dont recall Ohio St throwing left and right all day when Herman was OC there. Sam made a few really crisp passes, but every time the ball goes downfield its an adventure and thats not a good thing when he has to make a play downfield with the game on the line.

 

I was a huge Sam critic last year and after Maryland.
I was a skeptic after Tulsa.
After USC, I was pleasantly surprised.
After TCU, I was beginning to think that Sam could develop into “the guy.”
After today, I’m still cautiously optimistic.
If Sam brings home a win next weekend, I believe that the debate will be greatly diffused.
If he is not accurate but we win, I don’t think I’ll care as much.

 

Sam is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you’re gonna get. He has improved, but there is still “that game” looming out there when it could all go down the crapper.

 

I did mean to type 07, but I guess my memory is failing me because I thought Snead was still there. Either way, back in 07 there was still a lot of people that believed Colt would never get the job done.

I don't know if Sam can make an improvement like Colt did, but if he does then I really like his leadership and moxy. The big difference is there is a lot of talent waiting in the wing if Sam fails to live up to his potential.

This coming off season will tell us all we need to know about Beck and his ability to improve the passing ability of our QBs. In this regard, he is supposed to be one of the best. We shall see.

 

Don't sweat it. My memory is a shadow of what it used to be

 

Well, of course the casual UT fan only sees 80 percent completion rate. Are those passes to the running back really by design? If those are not stat builders, I don’t know what is.

 

He’s our quarterback.

 

Don't make me go Sheldon Cooper and statistically map out all our plays and the probability of what we run based on quarter score down and distance. I could actually do that while at the same time mapping where Sam throws to, who he throws to and statistical probability of completion. I don't want that kind of information floating around out there for other teams to know.

 

He has to be frustrated watching Sam miss wide open receivers

 

Humm, in the stat line Texas completed 30 passes with 29 for Sam and 1 for Watson to Sam. However, in the receiving stats it shows Sam with two receptions for 21 & 3 yards. Was there a batted ball on one of his attempts that he caught that I missed? How else could he have thrown all but one of the completions but have 2 receptions?

 

What about the last offseason?
Why are we always waiting for next year?

The offense scored 10 POINTS yesterday.
Sam left at least 7 points, if not more, on the field by missing wide open receivers down the field.
Yay, we finally won in Manhattan and winning is really, really hard.(sarc)
If that performance doesn't worry you with OU, TTech, WV and even Baylor coming up then I don't know what to tell you.
I hope it was a blip and one of those games where we played our worst and still managed to win.
But it sure didn't make me feel warm and fuzzy about our upcoming schedule.

 

Yes. A ball was batted right back to Sam.

 

And he gained about 5 yards on the play.

 

Haha I forgot one of Sam's completions was off a defender to himself yesterday. That should have been a pick 6. I am glad it was not! Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good?

 

Anyone notice there were no interceptions, again? I know he blew a wide open receiver for a touchdown right off the bat, but did anyone else notice there really werent any more wide open receivers after that?

- Mike

 

No. I didn't notice that.
Because there were.

 

So let’s compare to VY’s 2006 Rose Bowl, where he threw for 30/40, for 267 yards, which is 75% and 6.7 ypa. Was the staff just trying to pad his stats or win the game?
Sam vs KSU, similar passing stats: 80% and 5.6 ypa. Does that make him VY? No of course not. But you guys are using this game as a “bad” example of Sam as QB. And then, if he beats OU, being 5 in a row and 3 against ranked teams, only then would the debate start to get “muddied”?
So, who was it again who assumed we had John Elway on the roster and going 4-1 with short passes would be a disappointment?

 

The bias on here against Ehlinger is flabbergasting. He has a ball batted down. He is present enough (badass enough) to go get the ball and then make 5 yards. So, that’s your example of “he’s just lucky, not good.”

 

What is most impressive, is that once again we ran the last 6 minutes off the clock. We could have scored there, just didn't need to. The main reason we didn't score more was penalties. You can't have 105 yds of penalties and not kill drives. This offense is designed to get a lot of 3rd and shorts which is what those sideways passes gets you. I know Sam got us a couple of 1st downs that way. He also got the big run in the last drive that finished off the game. We are going to need to run him more to beat OU or WVU. Our best bet is to keep grinding on them, shorten the game, and wear them out in the last quarter. There is a reason why we are finishing these last drives. TOP has been a big factor in wearing down the D. BTW, DE's aren't particularly fond of having to run towards the sidelines on all those short passes. Until we get an Oline that can consistently open holes, those passes are essentially a way for us to run the ball. CJ or LJH gets you 5 yds pretty much every time. Dudes just have a way to grind out some yds.

 

Duke, if they win next week I’ll NEVER (oops there’s another absolute, darn) speak bad about Sam again!!!!!
I like Shane, just do, but as long as Sam is our qb I’m pulling for him, weaknesses and all.

 

Many teams have won, including national title and super bowls, inspite of their QBs. The offensive line, receivers and running backs are massively improved. Most of us are frustrated because we know how deadly this offense could be (hint: more than 10 points yesterday) with a much better passer.

In fairness, while still not good, we should have had 13 but missed a field goal. I would rather have seen him make it, but I am glad our freshman kicker got road opportunities to practice and we still won.

 

You wanna go there, ok. Vince ran for 200 yards in that game and Sam ran for 26. The offense for VY was more complex than sideways passes. It doesn't work when sideways pass is the only option.