marathon

Indiana did not play a tough regular season schedule. There is zero denying that Indiana and Cignetti canceled all non conference games against P4 opponents from 2024 until at least 2030….they did it to make winning easier. They have scheduled non conference games against non P4 teams like Old Dominion, Austin Peay, Howard and on and on over the next few years. Old Dominion lost by 5 touchdowns to James Madison (63-27) and ODU had to score 2 late TDs to get within 4 TDs of a 5-7 Marshall team after trailing 48-10 in the 4th quarter. In Indiana’s last 6 games, they played 1 team that won more than 4 games…a 7-6 Penn State team (& Indiana needed a last second miracle to win that game 27-24) Indiana’s last six regular season games were against MSU 4-8, UCLA 3-9, Maryland 4-8, Penn St 7-6, Wisky 4-8, and Purdue 2-9. Their other 3 regular season games were against Illinois 9-4, Iowa 9-4 and Oregon 13-2 with both losses to Indiana. Indiana’s path to the playoffs was about as easy as possible. They had to win when they got to the playoffs and they did. But playing an easy schedule helps you rest players in blowouts and develop depth. Texas needs to learn from Indiana that you don’t get a ribbon for playing tough non conference games. I would rather play OOC marquee games in the playoffs.

We can’t control our conference schedule. We do control our non conference schedule. Your schedule can make it more difficult for your team (and leave no margin for error) or easier for your team. Only a fool would make it more difficult on themselves and Cignetti is no fool. You don’t get a trophy for playing the toughest schedule.

He was smart enough to cancel all non conference games against P4 opponents and play only cupcakes against non P4 teams. He gets easy wins, doesn’t get his team beat up physically and allows backups to get game reps. Meanwhile we are playing an SEC schedule and choose to take on Ohio State in addition. The playoff committee only looks at wins and losses. If we are dumb enough to continue to put ourselves at a disadvantage schedule wise….then we deserve what we get. Cignetti realized quickly that you don’t make it any harder on yourself than necessary when it comes to scheduling.

You might be thinking of Prince Dorbah, DL out of Highland Park, who signed with Texas a few years ago and transferred to ASU a couple of years ago.

Worthy started as a true freshman and became a first round draft pick. Whittington started as a sophomore, as did Deondre Moore. Wingo played in every game his freshman year and was WR1 in his sophomore year. Livingstone played a lot his sophomore year. It has more to do with ability and football IQ. Golden came to Texas and became a first round pick. Mitchell was drafted in the second and Whittington in the 6th. Prior to Sark the last Texas WR drafted in the first round was Roy Williams in 2004. Since then, the only Texas WR drafted as high as the 2nd round was Limas Sweed in 2008. Sark coached wide receivers Jaylon Waddle, DeVonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Riggs at Alabama who were all 1st round draft picks. And Devonta Smith was a Heisman winner. Sark’s track record of putting WRs and QBs in the NFL is impressive.

Perfect game preseason baseball rankings: Texas at 8 Other SEC teams in top 10: LSU (1), Tennessee (3), Bama (4), Miss St (6), Auburn (10)

Williams tore his ACL against OU in 2024 so he was less than a year removed from the injury at the start of the 2025 season. I believe Bobby or one of the OTF staff said that Muschamp was trying to keep him. And Blake Gideon returning helped since he originally recruited Williams. Strong endorsement when Muschamp was fighting to keep Williams.

Another player that Texas added late was Deriyan Pendigrass (OF), a graduate transfer from the College of Charleston. He has outstanding speed and will add much needed experienced depth to the OF. In 2025 he started 59 games for Charleston and hit 296, with 4 HR, 12 doubles, 3 triples and 37 RBIs. He also stole 43 bases in 47 attempts.

FG missed from: 46, 46, 45, 31, 56 FG made from: 37, 55, 38, 47, 52, 25, 50, 25, 55, 28, 37, 49, 44, 30, 31

Not @Jeff Howe but here is my rough preseason overview. Maybe Jeff @Blake Munroe or @CJ Vogel can correct omissions. I’m sure they are quite busy with portal news. Really getting excited about the Texas baseball team. Overall strengths are the number of outstanding arms assembled, though many are freshmen. Transfers Carson Tinney (C) and Aiden Robbins (OF) are exciting transfer additions. Temo Bacerra (Stanford transfer) adds much needed infield experience after hitting 330 last season and averaged 314 in his 3 seasons at Stanford. Mendoza, Rodriguez, Borba and Jonah Williams should all be front line returning starters. Weaknesses: Lack of depth at position players. POSITION PLAYERS: Third OF is a question mark unless Ashton Larson (LSU transfer) can become a consistent everyday player. Jonah Williams and Aiden Robbins are the other 2 OF starters. Robbins has a chance to be a star. Last season at Seton Hall in 53 games he hit 422, with 19 doubles, 5 triples, 6 HR, 38 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, 44 BB, 32 SO in 255 plate appearances. This summer Robbins won the Cape Cod summer league batting title with a 307 average. True freshman Anthony Pack is a speedster but needs to develop power but can help this team. Robbins, Williams and Ashton Larson “should” start. Anthony Pack and true freshman William Hill also plays OF along with true freshman Maddox Monsour who can play also play OF/INF. Rodriguez is currently the starting SS but let’s see if can keep the position. Becerra was moved from SS to third with Mendoza at 2nd and Borba moving to from third to first. Josh Livingston (Wichita State transfer) has power and is versatile. He can play 1st, 3rd, DH and maybe more. In 2025 with Wichita State he had 10 doubles, 15 HR and 48 RBIs in 56 games while hitting over .280. Texas also added Callum Early (Liberty transfer) who can play middle infield and some OF if needed. As a freshman at Liberty he made 28 starts. He hit .295, with 23 runs scored, six doubles, two HR and 15 RBIs. PITCHING Volantis moving to the starting rotation, Starting pitcher Luke Harrison returns. The other starter will probably come from a group that includes Jason Flores, Ruger Riojas or one of the freshman. I’m guessing they would like to keep Riojas in the long relief/swing starter role. Hopefully Flores can seize the opportunity. Not sure who the closer will be. They added a couple of relievers from the portal in Cal Higgins (Western Kentucky) and Haiden Leffew (Wake Forest). Relievers Max Grubbs, Thomas Burns, Ethan Walker, Kade Bing, Connor McCreery, Cody Howard and Hudson Hamilton return from last season. The freshman class of pitchers has a chance to be special. Hopefully a couple of them can make a big impact this season. Brett Crossland, Sam Cozart and Michael Winters are my favorite pitchers to have an instant impact but there is a ton of young talent so it will be fun to see who emerges. Our freshman class rankings per Perfect Game: Sam Cozart (RHP) 47 nationally overall, (9 ranked RHP) Brett Crossland (RHP), 62 overall, (11 ranked RHP) Cooper Rummel (RHP), 81 Jack McKernan (LHP), 135 Brody Walls (RHP), 162 Kaleb Rogers (RHP), 169 Grady Westphal (RHP), 194 Michael Winter (RHP), 274 Jack Paris (RHP), 500 Anthony Pack (OF), 32 overall nationally Maddox Monsour (OF/INF), 228 William Hill (OF), 241

What is Miller referring to when he says don’t cross the street and they do it anyways?

Actually. I wouldn’t mind getting the Duke RB. Maybe Florida thinks they can get a back equal to or better than Baugh and can sign him for less money. And save money for elsewhere. I wouldn’t break the bank for Baugh. I think he only had one run longer than ~ 20 yards and only scored 6 rushing TDs. The Duke running back had less carries, had a higher YPC and scored 10 rushing TDs. Baugh would help our RB room but is not a TD maker based on his stats.

Nm

Schloss mic’d up.