I really like Sark. He’s a class act and measured beyond belief during a very tough stretch. For that I give him tremendous credit. But one has to wonder if his reputation as an offensive guru and quarterback whisperer was built based on the availability of 5 Star players at every position in his previous job. Great coaches — great offensive minds — work wonders with less than stellar talent. While the jury is still out, we now have an adequate sample size, and the results are disturbing. Even with average talent at the QB position and a subpar OL, with two of the best skill players in Bijan and Worthy, our offense has disintegrated into oblivion. The buck stops at Sark. I am surprised if not stunned at the lack of creativity. Yes, we’ve dropped passes. Many. And missed wide open receivers, like Worthy last night. But, if Plan A and Plan B are not yielding results, then you need a Plan C. We ran one jet sweep (or similar) last night and it yielded a TD. Where are the flea flickers, Roschon throwing a pass from the wildcat, faking a screen to the right and throwing back to the left, loading heavy to the right, starting right and then pitching to the left? You get the idea. HF contributors can probably add another dozen plays that we are not seeing. The excuse of the porous OL is legitimate, but it doesn’t explain the last twenty minute total ineptitude we have been watching in 2/3rds of our games. Ultimately this is a challenge that Sark must address, and overcome. I hope he does so because the next several weeks — and probably the next several seasons — are riding on it.
He's no quarterback whisperer as I've heard. Both of these QB's have regressed since the start of the season and that's supposed to be his specialty. For those who want to argue offensive line problems, I watched San Diego State and Hawaii play last night after our game. BOTH of those skinny mini's hit multiple passes to open receivers while they were on the run. We can't hit a wide open receiver when there is no pressure. Also, the stare down of indecision is killing me. Uh, I dunno where to go boss..... I certainly don't buy that he is some offensive genius. Why does he insist on paying an offensive coordinator if he is running the offense? The reason you have a coordinator is so you can be the friggin HEAD COACH.
So, how much time a week during the season do you really think Sark can spend being a quarterback whisperer while he’s the head coach of the whole team, and watching film on other teams to make game plans, doing all the PR/booster/recruiting work, etc.? Implying that Sark doesn’t really know how to coach QBs because these two guys haven’t progressed from September 1 to November 6–that doesn’t prove that. The fact that we had 2 guys kind of even made fans pick a favorite and pump him up and disparage the other guy. Now that each has had about 4 games to play, we can see that they just are not very good. As for second half adjustments, almost every failure is a player failure. Our player is in the right spot but misses the tackle; the receiver is open but the qb misses him; the pass is there for the big play but the receiver drops it; our db is right there but their WR comes up with the ball. Not that many times (yes a few) do we just miss coverage completely and their guy is wide open. If I could have the coaching staff and all new players or the same players and all new coaches, I would keep the coaches.
Duke, agree; little creativity. To your list, I would add: bootlegs, give more time to throw, run, throw it away to avoid sacks. Flanker screens & sweeps, quick developing crossing routes in the flat. More quick throws to the TE. More misdirection plays.
No, no...forget progressing, they've regressed. Huge difference. If his coordinators can't help then it's on him. I really don't care how much time in the day he has.
I don’t know how plays are designed and practiced, but I’m going to imagine that you want to practice them more than a few times before trying them in a game (these guys are not pros). So, imagine you are Sark and you have 3 hours total to work on plays in a game week on the field. You had plays the week before that would easily have worked if the QB and WR could simply throw and catch. I.e., the scheme worked. They were the plays you worked on in the spring and in fall camp. Now, do you want to install some new plays that you can only run a few reps of, that depend on the same players? it’s too easy to say, “we need a plan C.” When exactly can you install that plan C offense?
I'm talking players technique not scheme or plays. Both of these guys routinely miss guys wide open even with no pressure. Rarely do I see guys hit in the hands and even then the receivers drop some of those (different thread). They have almost no ability to make passes on the run which QB's all over the country do daily. Last night while checking down receivers Card threw a missle to a RB less than 5 yds away and off target causing them to be off balance just trying to catch it. Casey had no pressure once and threw 3 yards on the ground in front of a receiver wide open. Both routinely over throw wide open receivers by 5-10 yards when I saw an ISU running back hit an open receiver on the money. Those are just a few specific examples. There's no accuracy and no touch on the ball whether under pressure or not. All of the examples I listed are technique that is regressing. No amount of new plays can help that. Also, Card right now is incapable of making a decision or finding/anticipating open receivers and is causing his own pressure issues. I think that might come with better defense recognition through experience....maybe not.
"They" say that the most difficult part about becoming a good college qb is adapting to the speed of the game. Same goes from college to pro. I hope with a few more games under his belt he'll start getting it.
Just roll him out for crying out loud. I’ve always been told that buys up to an extra second. Casey is certainly mobile enough and I would think Card too. We’ve seen Casey hit his man while on the move - scrambling - so I don’t get why this isn’t routine.
It begins and ends with our QBs. Casey showed he can fling the ball, but he hasn't been the same since he injured his thumb in the Sooner game. His passes lack touch and accuracy. He can't seem to make even the short yardage throws. On the other hand, Hudson looks flat out lost. He's the same nervous, poor decision maker that got yanked in the Razorback game. Frankly, he's terrible. He doesn't seem to be developing under Milwee. Put either of them behind our cupcake O-line and you get multiple sacks and 3-and-outs. Receivers and TEs routinely drop balls or fail to complete their routes. Texas punted 11 times against ISU. Sark's overuse of Bijan is going to get him killed. This inept offense is bleeding the defense. Finally, outside of a few gems (Bijan, Xavier, etc.), we have a bunch of soft, mentally weak players who crack under in-game pressure. A few have been in and out of the transfer portal, have had disciplinary issues, and even gotten into altercations with Sark. Do you think that would happen under Saban? There are players on this team that negatively recruited against Texas in Herman's last year. Players Negatively Recruit Against Texas https://www.burntorangenation.com/2021/1/3/22212055/tom-herman-fired-players-negatively-recruiting-texas-longhorns Sark has his hands full. But the bottom line is that Sark needs to focus on recruiting his kind of football players, especially offensive lineman by the dozens.
The last coaching staff got more out of these players than this staff has. The whole program, players and coaches, has regressed under Sark. Saban would be 7-2, 8-1 with the same players we have now. I don’t think our players are all of the problem. The calls get stale by the 3rd quarter. Every DC can shut down this offense, where earlier in the season, we were world beaters. Averaging 45+ per game.
EL T,It begins and ends with OL. You can have the best QB in the world and still not excel without blocking. Same goes for RB. I have seen some no brainer calls by the coach but I would still take him over strong and Herman. We just do not have much talent on this team.I dont care what stars they are. This team has no heart or leadership and tend to give up after mistakes. The coach can only do so much,they do not suit up and play on the field. I watched the national team in 63,69,70. It took us 35 years to get another one. To get that one required a coach to come in and change the culture of the team. I didnt really care for this coach when he was picked,however I believe with his own players and time we have a better chance. I dont have 35 more years to wait.
He better have a huge year in recruiting and the portal. This is the only year he can use the "we are building something special here" pitch. With Bama and UTSA in non-conf, could get ugly fast next year.
What I can't figure out is why as a player you wouldn't want to give 150% for Sark. Unless he is a complete jerk in the locker room. OR beyond that how about giving your all for a school you chose?
And I think therein lies some of the culture problems we're experiencing. I honestly don't know if he's a jerk in the locker room, but it wouldn't surprise me seeing as how we have a widely-publicized shouting match with someone who was supposed to be a "cleaned-up leader" of the team. It reminds me of the Ash/McCoy/Swoopes years. There was a clear rift in the offensive/defensive units for not playing that "complimentary" style we hear so much about. If I'm on the defense and constantly out there due to the pitiful offense, AND held ISU to 3 points in the first half, at some point the onus has to shift to the other side of the ball to do something... anything. And while my body is tiring and my mind is getting bitter over the offense being ****, Breece Hall goes and runs right by my teammate and that just piles on. We don't have unity in mind or scheme or purpose right now. And that's 99% on Sark. Individual players can do a little to promote it, but we just don't have those leaders.
I don't either, but at least Akers some really good years even against the biggest cheaters of all time. Even McWilliams and Mackprick won conference championships. Texas hasn't done %^&$ with any coach since Mack was fired, and that's really scary, and even more scary considering the level of competition we're heading too. And in addition, Casey was actually pretty damn accurate before his injury and one of the top rated QB's in the country. You don't release a football like he did on Saturday without some serious pain in the thumb.
"This inept offense is bleeding the defense." This^^^^^^^ I am convinced our D is better than is given credit for....due to the Os ineptitude
Not sure about who or what or why...but it does seem we continue (for years now) to fail to exploit other teams and, quite frankly, give them waay too much respect. TCU just dropped 467 passing on that vaunted Bailor D with a first time starter there...yeah the same D that flummoxed our team
Sark, if he wants to win another game this season, should use Roschon Johnson as QB much more often. Especially on first and second down. Install, the wildcat as a major part of the offense. That would get BR or KR going as well. Take the pressure off of Card. He is NOT ready. Casey is too injured to play, so let him rest, perhaps until the bowl game if there even is one. If the Head Coach is too scared to make the proper changes so Casey Thompson can heal, and reduce the pressure on Card. There is good reason for Joshua Moore and others to be angry at him. Texas must have the threat of a running game or our QB's will get killed with this O Line. It's not that hard to figure out! Sark even said "we are a run first team", early in the season. You know, back when we were winning. Run the ball 40-50 times a game. Then the play action pass will start working. Bring in that third string RB that fumbled some last year. Forget his name. He could get you 3 to 5 yds per carry. That is complimentary football!
