40 Acres Sports

Aggies are wanting to call themselves DBU now? Pretty funny and typical Aggie. Check it out about 4:30 into this video:

Based on what exactly? Their whopping three un-/barely drafted players riding the pine? To put it in perspective Texas, the real DBU, has that same number if you only count guys with the last name Brown. And Chykie and Tarell are both playing in the Super Bowl this weekend.

Silly Aggies. You can change conference but you can’t stop being yourselves. I guess the next Aggie video will probably claim they should be called “The U.”

[Update: Hammad did in fact commit to Texas. See ESPN’s story. – Brian]

The Longhorns are looking to continue stockpiling big bodies after Monday’s commitment by Desmond Harrison. Coach Stacy Searels is believed to be closing in on yet another top notch offensive line prospect: Irving High School Tackle, Rami Hammad. Hammad’s measurable are impressive: 6’5″ and 320 pounds. Hammad is ranked by Rivals as the 172nd prospect nationally, 28th at his position, and 78th overall in the state of Texas. Hammad took an official visit to the 40 Acres this past weekend that lead to him to end his his nearly three month commitment to Baylor.

Hammad now lists a top four of Texas, TCU, Baylor, and Oklahoma and is set to announce at 5:00 PM today. It is believed that Texas is clearly the team to beat for Hammad due to how quickly he backed out of his verbal commitment to Baylor after the weekend visit to Austin.

A quick film study of shows Hammad to be an aggressive and nasty blocker. He will sustain blocks 10-15 yards downfield on running plays and has a strong base in passing sets. He’s not nearly the physical specimen that Desmond Harrison is, but it’s easy to see that he has a mean streak and isn’t afraid to mix it up.

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If you were to describe the perfect offensive lineman, it would sound something like this:

• Around 6’6′ – 6’8″
• Over 300 Pounds
• Athletically built-not sloppy
• Big enough to hold hid ground against the pass rush
• Fast enough to get to the second level on run plays
• Strong enough to pancake a defensive end

All these things can be said about the newest member of the 2013 Longhorn football team, Desmond Harrison. Harrison’s arrival can not come soon enough for a Texas team that desperately needs a dose of nastiness in the offensive line.

The time and effort that offensive line coach Stacy Searels and Offensive Coordinator Major Applewhite expended to land Harrison shows just how much of a priority solidifying the tackle position is for 2013. Having Desmond Harrison on campus makes EVERYONE better and here’s why:

• Championship teams are built from the inside out-specifically the offensive line.
• A strong offensive line extends drives: punts become field goals; field goal become touchdowns. More touchdowns leads to more victories. Victories are a good thing. They keep people employed. They keep fan bases happy. They keep stadiums full. They keep bank accounts full.
• Jonathan Gray and Malcolm Brown have larger holes to run through. Bigger holes mean more rushing yards. High rushing totals allows for play action passing. Ash is a much better quarterback when there is a running game that can put up big numbers.
• David Ash has more time to progress through his reads and has larger throwing lanes. A comfortable David Ash with wide throwing lanes makes Jaxon Shipley and Mike Davis better receivers.
• Extended drives leads to a rested defense. If their offense isn’t on the field, that severely restricts the other team’s ability to score points.

Adding Harrison will lead to some changes in the offensive line depth chart. If Harrison is everything he’s expected be, he’s penciled in as the starting left tackle from day one. This will prompt last year’s Juco signee, Donald Hawkins to shift inside to either guard or center. Another possibility at the center position would be Mason Walters. Either would be an upgrade over incumbent Dom Espinosa, who was often over powered by the bull rush and lacked the speed to get to the second level. Not to mention the debacle that was the West Virginia game, but there’s no reason to beat a dead horse here.

Is Harrison a sure fire starting left tackle in the NFL? If I could answer that with any degree of certainty my bank account would look much more attractive than it does now. However, I can saw with a high level of confidence that he has enough God-given athletic ability to have a chance to hold up a jersey at the draft and flash a Hook ‘Em for the cameras.

The question surrounding Desmond Harrison is the same one that has surrounded every other elite prospect that has walked into DKR: Will that talent be developed to its full potential? Will he get stronger? Will he get faster? Will his tendency to play too tall and rely on his freakish athletic ability be corralled and coached into flawless technique paired with unreal athleticism?

I have faith in Stacy Searels, Major Applewhite, and Bennie Wylie. I am supremely confident that Harrison is the real deal and will be an impact player from the first snap of the 2013 season.

Take a look at his film (#68) and see what you think. Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments. Let me know what you think his impact will be and who he reminds you of:

We don't want Greg Davis back, but some of his ideas could help the Texas offense.

OK. I do not want Coach Davis to drive up to the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center and unpack his things. I do however want us to think of the concepts that Greg Davis learned on the job to help Texas make an impressive run to unprecedented glory on the 40 acres.

We saw how the offense sputtered around in the first half of the Valero Alamo Bowl until something clicked to help propel the Longhorns to a 31-27 win. What clicked? Something that Coach Davis learned when installing the spread offense. You need to have a threat at the quarterback position. Look at what is happening to the teams in the Big XII, A&M, Oregon, Ohio State and even the NFL. Coaches across the country are realizing that you need the quarterback to be a threat to run and throw. College kids want to know that they have a chance to go to the next level. Look at the success that the Redskins and Seahawks in the NFL are having with rookie quarterbacks that can run. You cannot have a QB that is destined to run every play, but you do want one that is mobile in the pocket and can be a “threat” to run to make defenses think.

One of Greg Davis’ faults was the thinking that Texas can out talent the opponent no matter the scheme. Bryan Harsin brought the schematic and creative advantages that the UT offense needed. Unfortunately, Coach Harsin fell in love with only certain plays for certain players where the offensive packages were more important than the talent that was out there. The SEC offenses (specifically Bama) which is what Mack Brown wants to emulate with a grind it out running game that does not rely on the quarterback to win the game is no longer viable. Look at how Louisville with its dynamic quarterback put it on Florida in the Sugar Bowl. And who single handily brought down Alabama in their own back yard, but Johnny Football. Look at what Nick Saban said about the no huddle offense before he ran into the Heisman Trophy winner which is predominantly lead by a fast break quarterback.

Greg Davis used the threat of a running quarterback with a wide open passing attack which opened up lanes for the running backs. In case you forgot, we have had individual 1,000 yard rushers while Davis was calling the plays. No Longhorn running back has yet to reach over 780 yards rushing in the past three years under the so called smash mouth running game (OL needs to share in some of the blame). My prediction is that Johnathan Gray will be the next 1,000 yard rusher to join the last back to do that Jamaal Charles. (2007 – 1,619 yds.)

Where can you find these dual threat quarterbacks? Right here in our back yard. Quarterbacks in high school have 7 on 7 tournaments to hone their skill of reading coverages and making quick decisions in the passing game. The best athletes on the field are playing quarterback in Texas. Hell, Texas is the only state in the country that has a dedicated class time assigned to a sport or PE. Dual threat quarterbacks are being used in every type of classification in the sport. Why do you want to recruit a care taker at quarterback when you need something dynamic to keep stronger and faster defenses guessing? We have dual threat quarterbacks on campus and more are coming up through recruiting. David Ash used his legs to jump start the offense in the bowl game and that running helped him open up the passing game.

Major Applewhite may hold the key to the concepts that Coach Davis used while at UT. Coach Applewhite had a great quote after the bowl win when he said that it is not about the X’s and O’s but about the culture of our program and keeping people accountable to be successful. I beg that Coach Brown will let Major carry out his plan on offense. I venture to guess that Major will use this quote from Michael Jordan to the team this offseason, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”

WTH?! (What the Heck?) moments are attempts to find the memorable and the off-beat perspective on Longhorns sports. Here are some interesting moments from the Texas game against the Kansas State.

Pregame WTH Rose?! I guess a purple rose means enchantment. That is what the KSU players gave to their families on senior night. Colin Klein decided to give his first kiss to his wife not his momma. Guess his wife was there all along for him when he decided to start playing football.

1st Quarter (15:00) WTH Head Coach?! Looks like Bryan Harsin was auditioning for a head coaching gig by patrolling the sidelines. The reason given was so he could communicate with his young quarterbacks. It looked like the coaching boxes at the stadium were being torn down with all of the construction cranes. Glad the Big XII stuck around so KSU could renovate.

1st Quarter (11:36) WTH INT?! Nigel Malone was that your attempt to look cool. Coach Snyder may have you deliver the ball to him after your next interception. Crazy turn of events, but the low light is that Case McCoy cannot make those types of mistakes.

2nd Quarter (7:19) WTH Trickery?! Coach Harsin calls them funk plays when he draws up a crazy play. Enjoyed seeing an OL lined up as a receiver and jumping up and down acting like he wants the ball. Great play by Case McCoy finding Jaxon Shipley in the end zone. Wondering if OU fans were giddy at halftime?

3rd Quarter (7:11) WTH Stonestreet?! Way to pimp your co-worker Sofia Vergara to get more love for the KSU brand. Is he their most famous alumni? Nope, Herbert Dimond who invented the snooze alarm takes that award.

4th Quarter (12:28) WTH Oscar?! And the Academy Award goes to Case McCoy for the body slammed that was administered by Ryan Mueller of KSU. Wish the red carpet treatment would have led the Horns to a touchdown.

4th Quarter (9:30) WTH Error?? An apparent field goal would put the Horns down only by 8 points. The usually sure footed Nick Jordan (tongue in cheek) missed on the 40 yard field goal and the wheels came off.

4th Quarter (7:53) WTH Mist?! The mist reported by ESPN Holly Rowe may have been a contributing factor to Quandre Diggs muffing the punt. Whatever was the reason the wheels were now rolling down the hill.

Next up for the Longhorns is a trip to the Alamo Bowl to take on the OSU Beavers on December 29th.

Thanks for following my WTH articles throughout the season. I appreciate the opportunity to rant about the greatest university sports program in the country. You can continue to follow comments on all of UT sports on twitter at @40AcresSports or follow me at @Horns1991. HOOK EM!!

WTH?! (What the Heck?) moments are attempts to find the memorable and the off-beat perspective on Longhorns sports. Here are some interesting moments from the Texas game against the TCU Horned Frogs.

Pregame WTH Handshake?! Shouldn’t Texas have something more for the seniors on their final home game? A handshake or a hug from Mack Brown and then you run to a cluster of people in the end zone that you hope is your family. How about making the moment a little more memorable in front of the home crowd?

1st Quarter (15:00) WTH Tryptophan?! Texas wants to have the exclusivity of having every Thanksgiving Day game at home. The attendance was announced at 99,950, but the lack of students and exuberant fans may make our home town network ESPN look for other options.

Case McCoy, David Ash, and the entire Texas offense sputtered against TCU. (AP Photo)

1st Quarter (12:39) WTH Ash Part 1?! The offense moved right down the field to open the game. David Ash did not lead Mike Davis enough which resulted in a costly red zone interception.

2nd Quarter (15:00) WTH 96?! It was the 96th anniversary of Bevo attending a Thanksgiving Day game. Are we reaching here to celebrate something? How about waiting for 100?

2nd Quarter (10:48) WTH Wedge?! Heard of the term chip shot? Well, TCU kicker Jaden Oberkrom decided to take it literally and clubbed the field goal which was clearly short.

2nd Quarter (5:34) WTH Ash Part 2?! Another trip to the red zone and another costly interception thrown by David Ash. The thinking was that Ash had turned the corner and was improving every week. Obviously this game he took a few steps back.

2nd Quarter (2:45) WTH Ash Part 3?! Third time is a charm and David provided the dubious moment of the night when the ball slipped out of his hands when he was attempting a pass. The Horns defense up to this point was playing well. TCU recovered the fumble and needed only 3 plays to go up 14-3.

Halftime WTH Purple?! Saw a lot of TCU fans on the 40 acres. One purple shirt said “We are Horny Too.” One female fan had red makeup streaming from her eyes to represent the blood that supposedly comes from that awe inspiring Horny Toad.

3rd Quarter (13:54) WTH Shoelaces?! Gary Patterson has a few idiosyncrasies. Hitching up his pants and most notably tie and retying his tennis shoes. He was frantically making adjustments when Adrian Phillips intercepted the Horned Frogs to swing the mojo back the Horns way.

3rd Quarter (8:47) WTH Forrest?! “Stupid is as stupid does.” Jesse “Gump” Palmer got ESPN hot under the collar when he did the Horns down signal. He apologized which made it even worse. Longhorn fans are not thin skinned about the Horns down except for Mack Brown.

3rd Quarter (3:35) WTH Nets?! The teams traded field goals to close out the third quarter. Just wondering? Are we the only school that does not use a net to stop the kick from going into the stands? You think we could afford one.

4th Quarter (1:20) WTH Horseshoe?! Case McCoy finally sparked the offense to bring the Horns back to within a score. Unfortunately, brain lock got the best of him when he threw into triple coverage to end the game. No Thanksgiving Day miracles this time around.

Next up for the Longhorns is a trip to Manhattan to take on Kansas State on December 1st.

Thanks for following my WTH articles throughout the season. I appreciate the opportunity to rant about the greatest university sports program in the country. You can continue to follow comments on all of UT sports on twitter at @40AcresSports or follow me at @Horns1991. HOOK EM!!

Video of player introductions of the 2012 Texas seniors before the game against TCU. Nice getting to hear from each of the players’ parents.

WTH?! (What the Heck?) moments are attempts to find the memorable and the off-beat perspective on Longhorns sports. Here are some interesting moments from the Texas game against Iowa State.

1st Quarter (15:00) WTH Fans?! It was a very special day where the Longhorns honored our armed forces and remembered Darrell Royal. Just wish the 100,018 fans came early to be a part of the festivities.

Texas opened the game in the wishbone as a tribute to the late Darrell Royal. (AP Photo)

1st Quarter (10:51) WTH Wishbone?! Don’t think one fan in the stands thought the tribute formation for DKR would result in this type of trickery. But we should expect the unexpected when it comes to OC Bryan Harsin and this team.

1st Quarter (3:32) WTH Bomb?! This is starting to be a trend with David Ash hooking up with Mike Davis for a long touchdown. A 61 yard pitch and catch by this tandem is starting to be a work of art.

2nd Quarter (2:53) WTH Tony?! Anthony Fera may need to find out who stole his mojo. A 32 yard blocked field goal and a missed extra point will get you pulled from the game. Oh wait, it did since Nick “Error” Jordan took over and made everything he hit. Am I little too hard on kickers?

Halftime WTH Band?! What a great tribute to DKR with the band spelling out Royal on the field. Nice touch with the band forming a war ship, submarine and a plane to honor our military.

4th Quarter (7:46) WTH Brown?! We have a sighting confirmed that Malcolm Brown is on the field at running back. Malcolm was given a heavy dose of the rock to close out the game. The combination of all of the running backs netted the Longhorns over 222 yards for the game.

4th Quarter (5:14) WTH Turner?! Who is Josh Turner? The sophomore is the newest crop of defensive players that are stepping up like LB Steve Edmond. Josh’s interception late in the game put a capper to an excellent defensive performance.

Next up for the Longhorns is a Thanksgiving Day date with the TCU in Austin on November 22nd.

Thanks for following my WTH articles throughout the season. I appreciate the opportunity to rant about the greatest University sports program in the country. You can continue to follow comments on all of UT sports on twitter at @40AcresSports or follow me at @Horns1991. HOOK EM!!

Watch Longhorn Network highlights of the Longhorns’ 33-7 win over Iowa State on Saturday:

WTH?! (What the Heck?) moments are attempts to find the memorable and the off-beat perspective on Longhorns sports. Here are some interesting moments from the Texas game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Mike Davis was big with the big plays again versus the Texas Tech Red Raiders. (AP photo)

1st Quarter (15:00) WTH Lonestar?! The largest crowd ever (60,879) came out to see the new Under Armor uniform which was a shout out to the Lonestar State. It might be a little early to claim the state title with that type of uniform while only beating Texas State and TCU. Maybe the Red Raiders want to replace the Aggies on the State Farm Lonestar Showdown.

2nd Quarter (15:00) WTH Zoro?! It looks like Zoro is going to have to find a new horse. The Masked Rider’s horse Midnight Matador was retired before the start of the 2nd quarter. Ten years as the mascot for the Red Raiders is a pretty good run. Enjoy your time as a stud!

2nd Quarter (13:46) WTH Six Shooter?! Magic Mike Davis may need some etiquette lessons on drawing your weapons. David Ash connected with Davis for a 75 yard bomb to take control of the game. Yosemite Sam may need to give Mike a gun safety course. Hey wait, if you cannot draw your guns, can opposing teams still do the Horns down?

2nd Quarter (5:03) WTH Dagnabbit?! Coach Tommy Tuberville and Coach Duane Akina had a fit with the officials when a phantom late hit call was not enforced. Akina and Tubbs both looked like they were going to have an aneurysm on the sidelines. Tubbs gets extra points for throwing down his plastic play card sheet twice.

2nd Quarter (1:14) WTH Ice Ice Baby?! The Horns did a great job of confusing the Red Raiders on defense. It spilled over on to their head coach. Dummerville decide to use a precious commodity by calling a timeout to ice Anthony Fera who ended up making the 42 yard kick.

4th Quarter (13:37) WTH Vortech?! The Vortech is a Texas Tech creation that simulates a tornado. The tornado that got away was Johnathan Gray whose Dad once wore the black and red. Gray started the fourth quarter with an impressive set of first down runs to finish with his second straight 100 yard game.

4th Quarter (5:14) WTH Hands?! Carrington Byndom had a tremendous day using his hands by swatting a crucial 2pt try by the Raiders and knocking down a field goal attempt that would have made it a one possession game. Great game turned in by the defense.

4th Quarter (:28) WTH Bear Hug?! Coach Brown saved his biggest hug for AD DeLoss Dodds who had just seen a tremendous effort and fight by the Longhorns to record its fourth straight win over the Raiders.

Next up for the Longhorns is a home date with the Cyclones in Austin on November 10th.

Thanks for following my WTH articles throughout the season. I appreciate the opportunity to rant about the greatest University sports program in the country. You can continue to follow comments on all of UT sports on twitter at @40AcresSports or follow me at @Horns1991. HOOK EM!!