Starting a thread to gather all the tidbits from Spring practices. Texas spring practice storylines - Burnt Orange Nation
I think it's a depth issue and a trust issue. Devil you know versus devil you don't? We're bringing in arguably our greatest OL class in 20 years, and while that's pretty awesome on face, the chance that any of them will step right in and start (even Banks or Campbell) is wishful. I expect a handful of the 2022 guys to play, but how well remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Goram Welch has been here since pre-Covid and probably understands the workload associated from going to backup to contributor. I think it's safe to say that Hayden Conner probably has a leg up on him at guard, but I wouldn't be shocked if Karic got beat out at tackle.
That's a fair analysis, but I usually look at position changes among upperclassmen who have had historical trouble cracking the rotation as last-ditch efforts at PT rather than a brilliant tactical move by the coaches. Younger guys changing position doesn't raise those kinds of red flags.
Adding a comment here. This is only his 3rd year in the program. I had in my mind that it was his 4th. So a 3rd year lineman switching roles does not bother me as much. Give him his shot.
I am impressed that so much went on in a 2 hour practice And impressed at how Stark structures the practices to get the players where they need to be . Glad to hear the team has bought into his vision. SO different than last year
mc I get your point. Sark would have laid out his vision of a team and dynamic to the team at first practice as I am sure good coaches do. Players either bought into it or fought it When you look back on last year you can see several players weren't in the flow of Sark's vision. That is why he said even before last season's end there could be as many as 30 new players fall 22. I like where this is going.
I don't know. This guy could be unstoppable on offense. Yet another target for our inexperienced QBs.
We had no one with more than 2 sacks last year, but the 2nd place offense in the conference. DE's be getting paid in the NFL. Also picked up Billingsley. The man should be playing DE. He should have been all along.
Agree. But, coaches must see something good in his play / execution to make this significant change from DL to TE.....
"loved defense?" are you going off a quote where he said he didn't "love defense" as the reason he's playing TE?
So, here's what I said about this on the Sanders thread from during the season. Ryan used him in a dominant, mismatch-creating way. He'd be set up to block, chip at a lineman, and find the smallest DB to punish. There's virtually no TE lesson or skill he could have possibly gleaned from that outside of "if I catch this one-handed I'll end up on a highlight clip." We can't create situations like that at Texas. He'd be covered. By someone who isn't 5'6", 150 lbs. Meanwhile, Ben Davis (with his 27-percent participation rate) was our leading sack-getter and Ford was our leading TFL guy for a TOTAL of -6 yards. We were floundering up front on D. Sanders could have helped that.
Really? With defenses having to cover Worthy, Whittington, Bijan, etc., you don't think we could create a mismatch with Sanders? Yes, that was a crazy catch, but I don't think he needs that much of a mismatch. I think he could almost be Gronk like. Defenses will have to make a lot of decisions on who they are going to cover.
Since we haven't created TE mismatches since 2007, and you literally mentioned everyone else who is capable of moving the ball, I'll continue to err on the side of "the man should be playing D." Every once in a while, a draftee comes along who makes everyone take a step back and consider "where's our version of that dude?" and the most recent shiny example of this is Kyle Pitts. I'll eat buckets of crow if I'm wrong, but I don't see Sanders as that kind of player.
Who thought Kyle Pitts was all that before he hit the field? I think Sanders can be a very difficult player for defenses to handle. I bring up the other offensive weapons because it reminds me of the last team the Cowboys won with. Many weapons, i.e., good if not great QB in Aikman, Smith at RB, Irving and Harper at WR, Moose playing multiple roles and last but not least, Novacek at TE. Just too many weapons to stop them all. Sanders doesn't have to be all world. (but I think he can) But who you gonna cover with the weapons we have? I think Sanders could have a dominating presence and if you take him out then Worthy, is one on one. I look forward to seeing Sanders play and how this offense looks on the field.
Very good conversation and points made for both sides of the question. What it boils down to is which makes for the best effort to put Texas in a consistent winning position. Is there a TE on the team who has proven college experience that approaches Sanders unproven ability on this level? If yes, Sanders stays on defense. The team with the stronger defense has an inside track to victory.
Well, you left out the Cowboy all world offensive line which made Aikman's job of distributing to all those options a heck of a lot easier. We don't have an all world offensive line.