Next Year

[Cujonation83]

2 minutes ago, Deadhead_Horn said:

They aren't losing to Florida. Come on now. 

Totally agree. DJ Lagway is going to have to really bring it to beat Texas period. 

[qaertyisthatdude]

There may be some growing pains in the first half of the season with new pieces playing along the lines of scrimmage, but yes, Texas is at a point where that can reload and not rebuild.  I think a third straight 11-1 regular season is doable.  Must split the away games @ Ohio State and @ Georgia, and win the other 10 games you’ll be favored in.  I do think the offense will be more explosive with Arch due to his superior mobility and deep throw accuracy, but Arch must learn to check down and not always look for the deep shot.  I do think the defense will regress some next season due to the losses in the secondary and DL, so the improvement offensively and regression defensively will offset each other.

Edited January 12 by qaertyisthatdude

[Bobby_Batronic]

I wish folks would tap the brakes on penciling in Baxter as “back.”

 

Maybe. Hopefully. 

 

I’d be really pleased if he could be a full go at Fall practice and healthy and trusting enough of his knee to impact the second half of the season. Anything before that is a bonus. 

 

But otherwise we’ve got Tre running OZ, Gibson for IZ and a lot of frosh who haven’t done anything yet. 

Edited January 12 by Bobby_Batronic

[Deadhead_Horn]

27 minutes ago, Bobby_Batronic said:

I wish folks would tap the brakes on penciling in Baxter as “back.”

 

Maybe. Hopefully. 

 

I’d be really pleased if he could be a full go at Fall practice and healthy and trusting enough of his knee to impact the second half of the season. Anything before that is a bonus. 

 

But otherwise we’ve got Tre running OZ, Gibson for IZ and a lot of frosh who haven’t done anything yet. 

Which is why they are looking at backs in the portal. Good point. 

[LILP]

14 hours ago, Deadhead_Horn said:

"way harder" is a wild exaggeration. 

 

@ Ohio State

v. San Jose State

v. UTEP

v. Sam Houston 

@ Florida 

v. Oklahoma

@ Kentucky 

@ Mississippi State

v. Vanderbilt

@ Georgia 

v. Arkansas

v. A&M

 

....Where do you see three losses? 

At worst, they should be 10-2 with only 1 in-conference loss, which has them right back in the SEC Championship game next year. 

We will be undefeated and ranked in the Top 3 headed into Athens. 

[dentonhorn]

Missed the info on a USC OL transfer?

[dfwHorn]

1 hour ago, Deadhead_Horn said:

Which is why they are looking at backs in the portal. Good point. 

Coach Choice has publicly said they are not. We will run with what we have, which means they must feel good about Baxters progress, or running it back with Blue and Wisner till Baxter gets fully healthy later in the year… 

[dfwHorn]

10 minutes ago, dentonhorn said:

Missed the info on a USC OL transfer?

 

[CoachBobbyFinstock]

We are going to really miss Makuba and Barron. As good of a tandem as we’ve ever had in a season imo. Both were absolutely dynamite. 

[dfwHorn]

10 minutes ago, CoachBobbyFinstock said:

We are going to really miss Makuba and Barron. As good of a tandem as we’ve ever had in a season imo. Both were absolutely dynamite. 

Agreed, we won’t be as good, but hopefully can still be good if Muhammad can continue to improve and our safety play will still be very strong.

[Austalgia]

IMHO, I think Florida the most dangerous team mentioned above. Until we see portal shake ups at QB. 

[HornsUpThumbsDown]

5 hours ago, Deadhead_Horn said:

They aren't losing to Florida. Come on now. 

Game worries me, lot oF transfers and healthy lagway. 

[Deadhead_Horn]

16 hours ago, HornsUpThumbsDown said:

Game worries me, lot oF transfers and healthy lagway. 

And you don't think Texas will supplement the players they lose? They aren't going to just go into the season with 80 players

[uthorn1374]

It's going to come down to the two teams we lost to this year.  Can we get over the hump next year?  SEC Championship and National Championship were there for the taking this year, and we weren't ready to seize it.  Next year we will have elite edge rushers, linebackers, and a really good secondary if Taaffe, Gilbeau, & MM return.  We will have a top 5 defense to go along with an improved offense that features QB run, which is Georgia's Achillis heel.  I know there is a lot that has to happen, but we should be better next year.  

Edited January 13 by uthorn1374

[uthorn1374]

16 hours ago, HornsUpThumbsDown said:

Game worries me, lot oF transfers and healthy lagway. 

Florida the team that wanted to fire their coach.  Do you expect Lagway to go the whole season uninjured?

[Hookem72]

The thing I love about college football as opposed to the pros is that we get to have kids—who chose our program—turn into men. These are 18-20 year old kids basically whose minds are still developing yet we expect them to act like grown men with their decision making.  Every team is a few injuries or bone headed plays away from a losing season—including us.  

Unlike the pros, we can get a lot more talent and right now our program is in the running—every year for the best talent.   That is what excites me about college football, there is always next year.  Who will the next Collin Simmons be?  Is Arch finally going to live up to his hype?  We are looking at a schedule that we may only have 1 or 2 losses at the end of the year.  Georgia will not be as good next year as they were this year.  OSU will not be as loaded on defense.  Just recall a few years back OSU got beat by TCU.   We are one of the best teams in the country and will be as good next year.
 

I think our defense will be better next year than this year.  If Arch lives up to expectations we will be in every game all year whether it is a shootout or because our D locked them up.  
 

HOOKEM

[Texasrocks]

A healthy Lagway means Florida will be much better than the team Texas faced this year. But that doesn't mean they'll actually be good. I was trying to think of a coach who had a bad team for three years and then turned it around. You don't really see that pattern with good coaches. It's usually steady progression for a few years and then they reach their level plus or minus a game or two each year depending on players and experience at key positions. Injuries can add some noise too. But you don't generally see wild swings from year to year. Sark, Kirby Smart, Ryan Day, James Franklin, etc. are who they are by year three or four. I'd be shocked if any of them went .500 absent insane injury luck. Similarly, I'd be surprised if Napier all of the sudden went on a tear. Lagway could win some games they might not otherwise win, but Florida's prospects look like Miami with Cam Ward - a really good player masking a very average coaching staff.

[HookemTexas]

Any contingency plan for kicker in case auburn doesn’t regain his confidence?

[drag worm]

I’m not sure how you conclude Offense is better given a less experienced OL and a worse receiver and TE room. 
 

Bottom line is we are going to need a major influx of spring portal talent to make a noticeable jump from this years team. More likely we regress and build toward Arch’s second year as our next natty run.