Spring Practice

I know I am late mentioning, but it would be awesome to see KJ break out this season with his brother still playing his senior year. Keontay, Jordan, and Kirk would be a great line up if they're all healthy in the fall. Daniel Young too, he cures that fumblitis, look out!

 

I thought Daniel Young was a pretty good running back in 2017. Last year, not at all. For my eyes, he just ran into the pile, and fumbled too often. I’m not sure what happened but I wonder if he muscled up too much and lost any wiggle that he had.

My expectations for Young this year are not high.

 

I had him fourth string, I can't think of who else we have. I assume Derrian Brown wont be able to play but I don't know that. I mean Porter and Carter transferred, what other RB could be used as fourth string??? Maybe I am forgetting someone.

 

Jordan Whittington

 

He was second on the list.

 

Danny Young is a versatile power back who adds value in short yardage situations, can block, and play the h back/TE in the backfield spot. I don't think he's 'the answer', but I have a higher opinion of him than most on these boards.

Now if he would just hold onto the ball.

 

That is the problem.

 

OG Junior Angilau supposedly taking first team reps away from Tope Imade.
With Parker Braun penciled in as the LG, then the battle for RG is between these two and maybe Derek Kerstetter, maybe others.

 

Epps is a legit 6"5.5, has long arms and was a good BBall player in high school. We may have something here.
(edit - I read a few times that we were trying to make him a flex TE but he cannot hold the weight needed)

 

well, he came in as a TE, so it makes sense. but maybe he's just too lean.

 

As a result of a neck injury from high school that hasn’t adequately responded to treatment, LB De’Gabriel Floyd will not participate in the rest of spring practice.

 

Irv Smith was damn good for Alabama at TE and he's listed as slightly shorter and lighter. What's the difference? And O.J Howard was basically the same size and was a first round draft choice. What gives?

 

Here is Will Blazer on this --

The story is that he got an injury during his Senior year of high school. They thought it was a one off stinger, so he played through. During the training staff evaluations they found he had a herniated disc. They went and had tests done to figure out how bad it was and if there are any other problems it caused. Apparently, it seems like that could be the case and he’ll need therapy to get through it. I don’t think this is career ending.​

And here is TFB --

Freshman LB De’Gabriel Floyd has gotten his results back on his neck, and they are not favorable. He will definitely be missing the rest of the Spring. He will need to have additional tests on the disc in his neck and more therapy for recovery. The time table is up in the air, but it could take a bit.​

 

I think the chances of his neck never healing properly is low. If on the other hand he has some congenital defect, then that is another issue. But that was not stated. By the way, I am NOT a medical doctor.

 

Herman’s post-practice w/ the media

 

Would sure love to have Carter right about now.

 

Toneil showed some flash but Herman seems to have really punished him for ball security issues. I think Herman is right - fumbles are catastrophic. Keontay has what it takes to be the primary ball carrier. He would have started over Toneil. And J. Whitt is a great back to spell Keontay without losing a step. We have a really good #1 and #2.

The only issue is health. Keep Keontay healthy and we are set. Toneil would have been a great third option but who really has awesome third options these days? A seasoned guy that knows the playbook, can pass protect, and doesn't fumble. That is a third string RB and that is what Young represents. KJ is a nice experiment to have . We will see if anything comes of it.

 

You know, once upon a time, that's what Priest f'n Holmes represented. We have been very blessed from time to time with great running backs.

 

The latest OL chart is --

LT: Sam Cosmi/Tyler Johnson
LG: Tope Imade/Junior Angilau
C: Zach Shackleford/Rafiti Ghirmai
RG: Derek Kerstetter/JP Urquidez
RT: Denzel Okafor/Christian Jones

True freshman Tyler Johnson bumped Reese Moore at second team LT
Christian Jones is still injured, working only in non-contact drills

Here is something from TFB (Darius Terrell) on Imade--

Tope Imade -- Imade is the most massive human being that Texas has in the program at a legitimate 6’5 340 lbs. Texas hasn’t done Imade many favors since he’s been on campus, after he was originally recruited out of Bowie High School (Arlington, TX) as a 3-Star Offensive Lineman in 2016. Due to depth concerns, he was moved to the Defensive Line before fall camp in 2017, before being switched back to the offensive side of the ball midway through that same season. He came into the program as a bit of a project and I believe that the indecision early in his career by the coaching staff may have stunted his development some. He now enters his fourth season in the program and this is a crucial spring for his collegiate playing career. Imade started camp with the first-team at LG but is being pushed by Redshirt Freshman Junior Angilau and Parker Braun arrives in June.​

 

Wow, depth at OL. Not great depth but a start.

 

I see this slightly differently. I get the feeling that the O-Line is rapidly becoming a strength of the team, and a reasonably deep unit that is getting deeper. What a difference from two years ago.

 

I don't think you can look at OL depth the same way as you look at WR depth or RB depth. It's not like you're going to have five seasoned guys with lots of extended playing experience back there. Your 5 starters are typically going to be your 5 starters until they get injured.

The main question is whether the backups are quality and ready to step up. I would definitely say that this group's credentials are better than we've seen in some time, and the feedback from practice seems to be a lot more positive. I feel a lot less worried about one or two starters going down then I have in past years - where losing even one starter seemed like it sent us into a tailspin.

 

Agree. I also like the fact TH basically called out the 2nd unit in his presser yesterday. I see that as a positive, and sending a message that those players need to step it up... and they can IMO.

 

Here's a corny analogy that holds true: think of the OL as a chain. You can't have any weak links or it will break and fall apart. Not everyone on the OL has to challenge for all conference honors*, but you can't put any lousy/slow/weak/unskilled OL on the field. If you do, a good defensive front will exploit it, blow up the plays, and we can't run our offense.

Every OL we trot out on the field has to be at least decent. Hence, quality depth is very important in the OL. We were fortunate to have very few OL injuries last year. I like where we're at now with this OL depth, and with Hand's tutelage. I expect it will only get better in coming years.


*i think Braun and Cosmi will challenge for all conference, and even all American, honors. Maybe another 1-2 OL might challenge for all conference honors, we'll see.

 

I think there is a reasonable chance that Daniel Young could be a more than adequate backup, and add Whittington in and we are not in real bad shape.

But, we really need to add a rainmaker in the next class.