Seriously. We started 2 true freshmen on the offensive line. No **** we're going to not be able to move the ball. It almost doesn't matter who the QB is or what the play call is. The fact that we started 2 true frosh on the O-line should be a HUGE indicator of our talent level at the position not just this year, but also last year. And, oh yeah, Notre Dame has some big, strong linemen on both sides of the ball. We had no chance. It amazed me how well people thought we were going to do today. Some even thought we were going to win. Do you think there is some magic pixie dust that some coaches have to sprinkle on their team to make them play better? I don't really see someone like Harbaugh or Saban doing considerably better last year or even in this game. It's going to take some time for us to get better. Accept it already and buckle in for the ride. If you haven't figured it out already, it's gonna be a bumpy one.
I expected us to not play stupid and like a bunch of non tough guys. That is what they did, however. Embarrassing. Second worst opening game loss in our entire history. Makes me long for the Mackovick days I suffered through.
I agree about the O line. But it was shocking how wide open their receivers were time after time after time. I didn't expect ND's Offense to control the game like they did. Over 530 yards. I picked ND to win, but not by 35.
Exactly. Freshman, yes, but damn, at least show some raw talent. Jefferson was the only player out there that you could say "Now he's going to be a good one". The quality of football was at a level that no Texas team should be given the raw talent this school pulls in.
That was probably the most disappointing thing for me - not that the O-line was awful. No one could really be that surprised there. But the fact that the defense was not only beaten up, but they never even seriously made Notre Dame work for anything. I think there were maybe four completions by ND where the receiver wasn't wide open and completely unmolested.
The times Swoopes broke contain he never looked down field to make a play. He should never take another snap as a UT QB. Never, ever.
I believe I picked us to lose this one 30-17. Far from sunshine pumping and a score I felt realistic. But I expected a much better effort than what I saw tonight from the players and obviously I expected the offense to be 14 points better. (Most) All of them looked lost, confused, flustered, ill-coached and unable to do anything to seize any sort of momentum. This team just doesn't seem capable of doing anything positive. It's just a complete carry over from last year and it's depressing to watch.
In defense of Mackovick, at least he knew how to build an O-Line. That guy put a string of 1st round talent into the pros. Just sayin.
mackovics offenses were some of the best in college football in my opinion but the defense was exact opposite.
I expected UT to give the effort UTSA gave Arizona with just as young a team. Unfortunately, the team is unprepared, and will not be getting better.
AMEN! God, BLESS this young man, but he is not a DIVISION ONE QB.....when you compare CASE with Stoopes, CASE looks like Staubach in his prime....
I was in St. Louis on the 30 yard line and saw us beat Nebraska (like taking it to Ohio State, now)....that was MACKOVIC!!! ....one of the greatest memories of my life....
CS telling us how much better Swoopes had gotten then seeing the proof yesterday is the most damning thing against CS to me, everything else considered.
We are becoming the black hole of college football talent. Talent comes in but is never seen or heard from again.
I was most disappointed in the DB's. Besides the busted coverage for the TD, it seemed they were trying to give them at least a 5 yard cushion at all times. I thought they would be our strong group.
The 1st ND touchdown was actually the worst. 3rd and 11 or something like that, and both safeties are 7 yds deep in the end zone. Meanwhile they just throw to the line for an easy TD. Why have your safeties so far back? Basically we were defending 11 with 9. I wanted to hit the TV at that point. By the end of the game, I realized we just suck. We suck in every phase of the game. This was worse then TCU or Arky. Because at least then I had hope that Heard would take the reins and this year would be better. Someone talk me off the edge. I see no hope at this point.
What did I expect? I expect Texas fans to stop making excuses for six 21+ point *ss-whippings over the last 14 games. That's what I expect. Grow a pair and have some pride. The University of Texas should never get dominated on every level by anyone. Much less a handful of times within a damn year. This year it's gonna be the youth excuse. Next year it's gonna be we have an inexperienced QB. It's always gonna be something to shield Strong in Aggy-esque manner. Good programs don't make excuses, they make improvements and find a way. I don't see an ounce of that now at Texas. Whole lot of talk, and now recruits will see firsthand there's no substance.
What did I expect? No Excuses! I expected to see a vastly improved QB. I expected to see a new improved offense. I expected the decent big back running game we were promised. I expected a whole lot less 3 and outs. I expected way more than 3 points.
I expected to see: Better O-line play based on our mesiah O-line coach entering his 2nd season. Better play calling An offense attack that occasionaly ran the ball outside and a few plays that went vertical. A hurry up offense, not the hurry up and wait for the play to be called after we line up on the ball. Seriously, don't say you are going to run up tempo when in actuality you are running a no-huddle. Heard...nuff said on this. A defense that played a little man coverage, especially after getting burned all night with zone coverage. Effort, sad when your only players showing any effort are the freshmen. Malik was really good last night. To be honest, I got exactly what I was expecting, especially on offense. The defense is where I am now thinking our D coordinator is not that good. I think the D feeds off the success of the O. I think the players know that TS is not the answer and Watson is out of his league coaching here at Texas. I like Strong but I don't like how he thinks the coordinators he has are the right fit for this team. If he can make some changes to the staff and his coaching philosophy then we might have a chance at a 5-7 season.
5-7 would bring Strong's two-year record to 11-14. I hope at Texas we still have enough pride to realize that's not gonna cut it and a change at the top is needed. Countless coaches could've come in here and gone 11-14 in two seasons. Hell Mack was 17-9 his last two seasons. Even Strong said another losing season is unacceptable. So if that's the end result then heads should roll.
I expected our o-line to get pushed around a bit by a more experienced group. I expected the offense to be markedly different. I expected play calling out of a "new" offense to try and hide the deficiencies on the line. I expected an improved Tyrone Swoopes. Not one of those came to be (the line got it's *** kicked in, not pushed around a bit). I expected the defense to be tough. I expected a lot of broken up passes and maybe an interception or two. I expected the defense to at least keep it respectable. I've never seen more inept secondary play. How this group got worse is a mystery. Maybe Bedford is just good interviews. The only thing I saw that was better than the end of last season was the special teams play. For this I give Coach Traylor credit. Maybe he needs to replace Watson and really change the offense to something quick hitting. As said in another post above, it's not a hurry up, it's a no huddle. I have no real hope that things, other than discipline and conditioning, are going to get much better in the foreseeable future. I fully expect to be ***** slapped by TCU, Baylor and OU. Okie State will be a tough game. If we can't figure out how to cover anybody, even Tech gets dicey.
I admit, I foolishly drank the Kool-Aid prior to the season but I did not expect the painful CLUSTER we got on Saturday. I expected progress / improvement from last season. I expected the Horns not to be outcoached, outplayed, out schemed, out prepared and out toughed. I expected to see more aggression and violence especially from the D. I expected passion, anger or disgust when we didn't execute or perform well. I suppose I expected too much and will have to adjust my season expectations.
I expected toughness. Toward the end of his tenure, the team got soft under Mack and it showed. The pervading sense of entitlement and complacency that characterized Mack's final days was well documented. Strong was hired for and came in with a reputation for football discipline. His "core values" and focus on physical and mental toughness were music to the ears of fans who tired of seeing Texas bulldozed by the likes of UCLA and BYU. I have YET to see that physical and mental toughness materialize on the field in any way, shape or form. Texas can handle weaker opponents with less depth. Texas regularly gets DRILLED by tougher teams with equal or better records - and its not close (BYU, TCU, Arkansas, and Notre Dame have humiliated Texas under Strong). We field an anemic offense that cannot compete in the run or pass; we field a soft defense that gets blow off the line and tries to arm tackle in the backfield; we field a retarded special teams unit that attempts to make plays inside our own 10-yard line. Deep down, I knew we were a longshot in South Bend. I was hoping for something along the lines of what Harbaugh brought to his first game as the Michigan head coach - a strong, physically tough, and mentally tough team with a game plan to compete in every aspect of the game. This Texas team looked confused, lost, undisciplined, and SOFT. Malik Jefferson, Kris Boyd, and John Burt were bright spots, but I see gifted special, gifted athletes displaying God-given talents. What I don't see are players being "coached up" by Strong or anyone on his staff. I get that Notre Dame returns a number of starters, is well coached, and hosted Texas at home. But its not like we were playing the '95 Huskers. Last year, ND dropped 5 of its last six games. Texas fans had every reason to believe that we would field a competitive team, and we didn't. We are as mentally soft today as we were under Mack's final seasons - the mess of a team we fielded on Saturday shows that. Despite all the hype, the promises of a revamped offense, and a commitment to produce a salty defense, Strong's product looks as bad as it did against Arkansas. He has to make major changes or we'll be lucky to win five games.
