The B12 (XII) Forum, home of the 'Front Porch, y'all' at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

The Texas defense held on as long as they could. 5 three-and-out drives by the Texas offense (out of 7 in the first half) left them gasping. Arky played heavy run, and that's a load to contain.

It'd be nice to have that miracle where all of a sudden last season's OL problems disappeared under a new OL coach, but the truth is OLs only get better when they face a defense that doesn't care if the star players get hurt. Practice just doesn't simulate the game.

Arky dared Hudson Card to beat them. He has the skills, but he lacked the guts. Not surprising, but he played tight when he needed to play fast. He was a first year QB making his first road start against a fanatical adversary, and it showed. Again, you can't simulate it. You just have to live through it.

One game doesn't make a trend either way, no matter how frustrating. Texas now sees its weaknesses. Rice won't tell us if they're fixed, but right now, they're a good opponent to continue the experiment.

The Texas defense held on as long as they could. 5 three-and-out drives by the Texas offense (out of 7 in the first half) left them gasping. Arky played heavy run, and that's a load to contain.

It'd be nice to have that miracle where all of a sudden last season's OL problems disappeared under a new OL coach, but the truth is OLs only get better when they face a defense that doesn't care if the star players get hurt. Practice just doesn't simulate the game.

Arky dared Hudson Card to beat them. He has the skills, but he lacked the guts. Not surprising, but he played tight when he needed to play fast. He was a first year QB making his first road start against a fanatical adversary, and it showed. Again, you can't simulate it. You just have to live through it.

One game doesn't make a trend either way, no matter how frustrating. Texas now sees its weaknesses. Rice won't tell us if they're fixed, but right now, they're a good opponent to continue the experiment.

actually its been two games and there is a trend

the trend is to run the ball even with 8 men in the box

I dont blame the QB but I do blame the play selection from the coaches

There was no real threat from the pass

is there anything wrong with passing on first down every now and then

Card is a much better passer then hes being given a chance to show

Forget Card.  The question is why were UT's lines getting pushed around on both sides of the ball.  Seems Texas recruits plenty well enough that Arkansas shouldn't be treating them that way.  Something with the coaching is not yet clicking there, it will probably have to be the first thing to get right, no matter what Hudson is or isn't.  

I'm not sure exactly how far you're going with your assertion.  I don't buy that OL's can't become great prior to game time experience.  I've seen way too many lines who come roaring out of the gate.  And most teams tend to know what they have in their OL.  It's more rare than not for a staff or even fanbase to say "Hmm, I really thought we would be better/worse than this."  Again, I don't know if that's your assertion or not.  

looks right to me

https://247sports.com/Team/Texas-Longhorns-Football-43/DraftPicks/?year=alltime

how many O-line coaches in that time, because the recruiting stars have been there

I have to keep going back to the way the Mack era ended.
For all the good Mack did (and it was a ton of good), he and his staff ran out of gas several seasons before he left. Colt's brilliance papered over a lot, but the work ethic both from the coaches and consequently the players dropped several notches. I believe that, when TPTB nudged Mack out the door, they really though Nick Saban was on his way over. Not only was that not happening, but DeLoss Dodd rode off as well. For as annoying as the big boss can be, he really presided over the transformation of the Texas Athletic Department from a department at a University into a global brand.

I'm not sure how Steve Patterson ended up as the AD, but this was a pivotally poor decision. His specialty is cheap. He can theoretically help a cash strapped pro team survive lean years. This is NOT the Texas Athletics Department. You pay for experience, and Steve wasn't paying for anything. I'm a believer in Charlie Strong, and believe he was getting educated in how to be a head coach. His pedigree was defense, he didn't know offense, and Texas was buying him an education by losing football games.

I don't believe Herman was ever going to learn because he thought Urban Meyer taught him all he'd ever need to know. Like a poor dog trainer, he thought that if he just beat the animal harder, eventually it'd do things the right way. Kids already mad at losing Charlie Strong weren't playing that game.

After we lost Colt, Mack thought we should have Alabama's offense. Strong took it and thought we should have no offense. Herman wanted tOSU's offense.

I believe Texas has the perfect staff for its mission right now. I think what we saw last Saturday was largely on-field panic when things weren't working. Card was indecisive as only a 19 year old making his second start on the road against a historic rival could be. When things got ugly, the OL abandoned their drilling and reverted to 4 years of muscle memory - which was regrettably poor form and no real direction. They lack a field sergeant to grab their facemask and re-focus everyone's brain. One must emerge if Texas is to escape similar situations (and they'll come up).

No substitute for experience. Texas has good players and a fantastic staff. For the first time in a decade, everyone is pulling the same direction. You can't skip steps though.