Tens of thousands of words are spoken during conference media days. At the Big 12 last month, 10 coaches and over three dozen players spent a total of 10 hours over two days answering hundreds of questions.
The answers range from interesting to inconsequential. But sometimes buried in the verbiage a nugget can be found.
Texas coach Tom Herman was discussing the discussions that take place on his headset during games. That answer led him to veer to an exit ramp that revealed some inside football info.
The Longhorns rarely had breathing room during their 14 games last season. As Herman noted, offensive lineman Calvin Anderson played all but one of UT’s offensive plays (he had to come out for the one snap when his shoe came off). In one game, Texas had just scored to take a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and quarterback Sam Ehlinger was advocating aggressiveness.
“He said, ‘Are we gonna keep our foot on the gas or get all conservative?’” Herman said. “I said, ‘Hey, listen here. You play, I’ll coach.’”
It wasn’t an argument or a dispute, but Herman went on to explain how he has learned to give his quarterbacks input.
“When I was at Rice as an offensive coordinator, I loved this one play and we were inefficient running it,” he said. “I asked our quarterback, Chase Clement, why that play wasn’t working. He said, ‘Coach, I hate that play.’ It didn’t matter that I loved the play, he wasn’t comfortable running it.”
So, here’s what happens on Friday nights before a Texas game. Each quarterback has a different colored marker and the play list that’s been developed during the week. Each QB rates each play. Love. Like. Hate.
“Things change during the week in practice,” Herman said. “We can draw up a play on Monday and think, ‘Man, this is a sure-fire touchdown.’ But the quarterback practices it and hates it. (Offensive coordinator Tim Beck) and I, we’re not gonna call that play.
“We want the quarterback to feel comfortable communicating on a man-to-man level. We want him to have opinions. He might not always get his way but it’s vital he feels he can have input.”
The “he” in this case is Ehlinger. And he confirmed at media day that ranking the plays on Friday nights is a regular part of game week.
“The coaches (Herman and Beck) value our opinions,” he said. “They’re still in charge and making decisions. The plays we love, they try to work those in as much as they can. If we’re not comfortable with a play, it’s probably not gonna work. The plays I love don’t always work.”
Ehlinger at No. 6
Pro Football Focus also does statistical breakdowns and analysis of college football. The web site published its top 25 quarterbacks for this season and UT’s Sam Ehlinger was ranked No. 6. Here’s what was written:
“Ehlinger leads all returning Big 12 quarterbacks with his 113.5 passer rating from a clean pocket, one of the more stable metrics when looking at quarterback progression from year to year. It’s likely that his third season in Austin should be his best yet. His 19:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio from a clean pocket is one of the country’s best and he’s been no slouch when the opposition has sent extra rushers on a blitz, seeing a 100.5 passer rating on such passes. He can handle what the defense shows him and is ready to take the next step in an already remarkable career to date.”
Just a guess
Your Veteran Scribe admits to being wrong more often than right when it comes to predictions. Over a decade ago, YVS believed that Twitter was some sort of fad for teenagers.
So, take this opinion for what it’s worth: Freshman Jake Smith could emerge as a playmaker for the Texas offense. The 2018 National Gatorade Player of the Year has outstanding speed.
He’s listed as a receiver, but during a recent scrimmage he spent the entire series at running back. That position isn’t deep, and injuries have limited Keontay Ingram and senior backup Kirk Johnson during the last week of practices. Wide receiver, though, is well-stocked. If Smith sees playing time, it might be as an inside receiver or in the backfield.
Mike Farrell of Rivals.com assessed the UT freshman: “Smith could be a Christian McCaffery-type weapon for Texas, a player who does damage from all different areas. From slants to inside handoffs and reverses, he can also work his way downfield. He’s a Swiss Army Knife and will be used well.”
Bru McCoy’s saga continues
In the seven months without football, perhaps the most bizarre off-season story involved five-star wide receiver Bru McCoy.
He signed with USC in the 2019 class and was an early enrollee for the spring semester. But Kliff Kingsbury, who had been hired as the Trojans’ offensive coordinator, barely unpacked his bags before taking the head coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals. That influenced McCoy to leave USC.
He transferred to Texas and participated in spring practice. McCoy was hoping for an NCAA waiver that would allow him to play this season. Orange Bloods were hopeful McCoy would be an impact player in the passing game. In the spring game, he caught three passes for 16 yards as some fans yelled “Brrruuuuu.”
But at the end of the spring semester, he decided to return to USC, announcing his decision on June 11. An NCAA ruling will decide if he’s eligible to play this season.
McCoy, though, hasn’t even been able to practice. A mysterious illness has produced a constant fever that has kept him sidelined for the last seven weeks. The Los Angeles Times reported that a number of specialists have been baffled and for now are saying it’s a “fever of unknown origin.”
Captains, my captains
Junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger, senior wide receiver Collin Johnson, senior center Zach Shackelford, senior safety Brandon Jones and senior defensive lineman Malcolm Roach were selected as Texas captains for this season. The players voted on the captains and the selections were approved by the coaching staff.
Texas coach Tom Herman delivered the news to some proud parents:
“Your son has been voted ‘Team Captain’ for the 2019 season.” 🤘#ThisIsTexas #HookEm pic.twitter.com/BsG3HLpCBq
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) August 21, 2019
