...blares the headline on Orangebloods that announces that Swoopes will start against Notre Dame. That probably means that Swoopes will start for the next two years. Color me depressed.
Yeah, I hear all about improved this and that, but until I see him perform under fire, I'm still skeptical. The key to defending Swoopes is to show multiple blitz packages, misdirection, move around before the snap, come on a max blitz pack now and then. Make him have to think to much and confuse his reads. That's probably what we'll see when he's in. I hope he proves me wrong.
After last season, I think the entire Longhorn Nation jury is out on Mr. Swoopes going into this opener. The ND DC knows about Swoope's past history. The ND D will give Swoopes the mother of all looks, movement prior to snap, blitz looks, misdirection to confuse and overwhelm him. What we have to hope is the up tempo will give TS and edge, less time to think / overthink some of the play calls and in some cases, our O should catch ND in a bad formation, out of position or sting them with a long pass when they blitz. We also have to hope the up tempo will tire their D some along the way. OL success is a huge factor for how TS will fair. We will see......
Let's go Ty! Kick some Domer ***. Lets hope an offensive line, running backs and receivers show up, as well. Eleven young men take the field on offense. We need them all to perform.
G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A A/Ya Td Int Rt 2013 Texas Christian Big 12 SO QB 12 105 176 59.7 1198 6.8 5.8 7 7 122.0 *2014 Texas Big 12 SO QB 12 224 384 58.3 2409 6.3 5.7 13 11 116.5 I guess TCU won't be able to trust Boykin this year, as he didn't perform too well during his sophomore season.
I wish the kid well. I know we all do. It just worries me that when he gets hit, he seems to start making really quick reads, which leads to bad decisions.
Well, whatever happens with Swoopes, at least this year we have an option. I don't think Charlie's leash on him will be too long.
I still believe Heard will take the job, just because Swoopes starts the season doesn't mean he is the best player, it just means he has more experience and when opening on the road against a big time program it just makes sense to start the game with Swoopes. After Strong sees a couple of three and outs it will be time to watch Heard open it up.
Swoopes played sparingly as a true freshman, then was abruptly thrust into the limelight in the first game of his sophomore year. Throughout his trial-by-fire, Swoopes was standing behind an offensive line decimated by graduation, discipline, and injury. Did he look like a deer in the headlights at times? Sure. But just about anyone would under the circumstances he faced. It is naïve at best, mean-spirited at worst, to jump to a conclusion about how he will perform under more favorable conditions. He might fail, but he might succeed. Let's get behind him, and give him a freakin' chance.
I was just about to post something similar. Anyway, lets look at VY's growth from SO to JR years. *2004 Texas Big 12 SO QB 12 148 250 59.2 1849 7.4 6.4 12 11 128.4 *2005 Texas Big 12 JR QB 13 212 325 65.2 3036 9.3 9.6 26 10 163.9 VY went from 12 TDs/11 Ints to 26/10. Lets hope Tyrone's 13/11 progress in the same manner.
VY's sophomore numbers were only marginally better than Swoopes' sophomore numbers. Why in god's name did we let that schlub start as a junior?
Funny how the names change but the rest of it stays amazingly the same as the years and decades roll by. There is always a back up who should be starting, and sometimes that turns out to be true. Sometimes a serviceable starter gets hurt, and we find out we had a diamond in the rough sitting on the bench. I have no idea what the story line on Swoopes and Heard will be. Maybe Locksley blows them both out of the water next Spring. I know Charlie Strong understands the need to win immediately, and if he believed Heard could more effectively move the ball, he would be starting. If Tyrone can quiet his mind, the physical tools are there. I can only assume that Heard has trouble with accuracy or deep balls, or both. I know if Tyrone is not able to effectively deal with adversity, we will find out. But in the meantime, I chose to cheer for Tyrone, because if he keeps the job, that means we are keeping the ball and scoring, and in the end, that's the storyline I prefer. I think we will get to see both QBs on Saturday. Performance on the road, against a solid opponent should be very telling.
I honesty don't know of anyone on any Longhorns board who isn't cheering for Swoopes. Sure, there are many who wish that Heard was the starting QB for various reasons, but Swoopes has been pegged and all are hoping he does well. Just because someone was hoping for Heard doesn't mean they want us to lose to get him.
I think my backing of the program this season is because I like and trust the coaches, all of them, and their process. That's my bias underlying all my posts, which are positives about the team and this opening game. I consider last season an anomaly, a one-off season. This coaching style is very different from what went before. It needed to get through that season, and get on to this one. I like everything about what has transpired in August camp. I could write all day on my observations about it, so is not suited for here. I like how Charlie is going about game preparations this week. Don't forget... he was on staff at Notre Dame under Lou Holtz. He knows what we're headed into. He's preparing the players by stages. They'll be ready. That's my bias anyway. Overall I am biased in favor of the coaching process, how the depth chart was put together, and Swoopes' development (as I can decipher) since last season. That, plus the whole team/program development through summer and through Aug. My instinct says Swoopes is going to play extremely well. Or could be I've misread everything. We shall see. But I'm betting the team is going to show the best game we could possibly have imagined. And I plan to enjoy the whole night in front of my big screen tv!! Hook'em Horns!!
If Tyrone Swoopes starts for the next 2 years it will be because of his continued improvement and emergence at the top of the QB competition. This is a meritocracy. Whoever starts for the next 2 years will only do so because they are the best QB we have. If TS beats out Heard, Bueschele, and Locksley next year, I don't think you'll be disappointed then.
Just going off memory from the sophomore season, he had about 800 more rushing yards than Tyrone. However, he also was surrounded with a much better group. There was still progression, like all QBs have, and that's the point. Edit - Also, I really believe Tyrone was asked to limited his running last season.
Astute observation and meaningful deduction. The coaches have moved toward playing the best player at any position. Put talent where it counts the most. For the player, for the position. It's a sophisticated competition-driven chess board. Move things around. Keep the best 11 on the field at all times. Those kinds of choices are much more in play this year than last. Much more.
So I guess we will just have to wait until Saturday to settle the issue of how Swoopes has improved. I don't see it happening, I do hope I am wrong.
I'd argue Swoopes had better WRs in 2014 than VY had in 2004, but Scaife/Thomas at TE made up for it, and then of course there was Benson and the OL too.
Sweed, Jeffery, R Taylor (dual threat), Scaife and Thomas. That's a pretty stout group to throw the ball to, and like you said, a much better OL and backfield. With all of that said, I am not saying Ty will ever be VY. Vince had an ability to takeover and win ballgames like few others did, do or will have. Most players do improve year-over-year, though. Edit- I had Pittman on the list, but I forgot he missed the 2004 season.
