AZ Longhorn

*Fifth-easiest, if I'm reading the chart right. Gotta love all this preseason prognosticating haha—we all thought OU's football schedule this year would be a gauntlet and it turned out very differently!

Surprising in a good way (for me at least). Shows the staff thinks the young guys have made enough of a jump to surpass them.

Asking a true freshman to contribute on an SEC line that's hoping to compete for a natty is more than you can legitimately ask. But even more so, Turntine inexplicably decided to lose a bunch of weight down to 275 (!!!), completely ensuring that he can't be a factor in Year 1.

Call this an overreaction and you'd probably be fair. BUT I think this could be a hinge moment for the Miller era. He has put his team on blast in the national media—rightfully so, IMO, but that's a version of pushing all your chips in. If you can't back it up yourself, and earn that grudging respect from college kids, then you're just a blowhard whose days are numbered. Today's win gives him "proof of concept" and for that reason is a MASSIVE deal, way disproportionate to the one game itself. It's Miller time!

How does he fit with Smith in Muschamp's base defense? Base is: 3 down lineman, 2 "overhang" edges, 2 backers, 4 DBs? With Biles and Smith as those two LBs?

If only. We offered more — sometimes significantly more — on each of Baugh, Woods, Isaac Brown, the Michigan OLs, and Alliegro, but all took less money to play elsewhere. We need fewer change-averse homebodies and more money-grubbing whores!!

I think it's a little low. Pre-season rankings are BS and all that, BUT it still gets a reaction from me, cuz I'm a sucker!! We do have a lot of question marks, and don't have a proven Friday night guy, I admit. BUT: - Non-SEC, I think we are a better team than UCLA and Oregon St. They will likely be seeded above us at tourney time, because of their pathetic SOS, but I am confident we are better than them. (That said: whoever meets OSU in a super is up against it with 2/3 starts coming from Whitney and Kleinschmidt.) - Within the SEC, I will be shocked if Tennessee or Miss St finish the season ahead of us. No way. - There are a couple teams below us that could be better than us, to be fair. But I feel, overall, this is a bit low. Bulletin board material!! 🤣🤣

Alliegro has been expected to notify Texas and Ohio St tonight of his decision. My guess on the weird Bo Barnes whiplash is that Texas got that call tonight and recalculated their offer to Barnes...

"Muschamp needs his press man corners" and "Muschamp needs two-plus over the ball guys" and "Muschamp needs his physical safety" and "Muschamp needs another game-changing EDGE" and "Muschamp needs two new LBs"... I am worn out haha. Wish I'd just understood earlier that he only likes 5-10 guys on the whole defensive roster 😅

@CJ Vogel @Gerry Hamilton: How confident would you be entering the season with the secondary as it is at this minute? - - - CB1 - Mascoe CB2 - Phillips N - Littleton S1 - McDonald S2 - Filsaime or D Williams? Rotational / Depth: Roberson, Mack, Black, D Williams or Filsaime, J Williams, Hicks - - - I like our depth: Roberson and Mack really showed me something in the citrus bowl, good reports on Hicks, Jonah can't be counted on to maximize his talent but is already filling reps at a serviceable level. And I really like our D line, taking pressure off the secondary to cover for 4+ seconds. So if we spend more money in the secondary, I think it has to be on a Draft-level starter at safety (like Edwin Joseph), and I don't know if that ROI can compete with instead spending that same money to our pool for other, more critical needs.

I mean we can debate different definitions of "bust" but the fact is "guys leaving to go find playing time" means that they weren't good enough to crack the starting lineup here. In the end, they didn't meaningfully contribute to Texas wins, which is what it's all about.

yep, heard that Bama is back in the hunt now because of it. Sidenote: bama has such a talented, proven, and crowded WR room. Obviously that's not a problem for Coleman lol, but surely if he goes there, we'll see a defection into the portal from a difference-making caliber WR who's currently there

I have a hard time with this from Kibble and Cruz. We all know OL is the developmental position with the longest average timeline from 18 year old to starter on a championship-caliber team. And these guys chose to come here out of HS knowing that, but now aren't willing to continue developing as a backup until they're a championship-caliber starter. Did they just bet on themselves getting to that level by this offseason, are realizing they're not at that level, and re-calibrating accordingly?

I think one thread on Coleman that's gone under-discussed (if it has been at all, I've missed it—quite possible!) is his relationship with holmon wiggins. What a lot of us see as a negative against what aggie offers (a truly humiliating promotion of an position coach to unproven, first time OC) might actually be a positive in Coleman's book and what's keeping them competitive. In HS, Coleman was committed to Bama and wiggins as their WR coach; then Wiggins went to aggie, and Coleman's decision came down to aggie (follow Wiggins) or Auburn (stay home). So that's a long-term relationship. He's chosen against it before, obviously, and could well do it again. But I think that's a factor that's been under-discussed.

Then we have more money to spend on premium players to replace the turnover (either HS or retention or portal additions). Texas will be fine. Sark already brought us back to being a top 5 program before Arch and Colin were contributing like top 10 picks, and will continue to be after them.

Idk how many worriers here can actually "do something about it" right now either (unless you have a personal brinks truck!). Fan sentiment shouldn't have any impact on Sark and leadership's decisions ...

Do we know that's wrong? What I've heard/ seen on twitter is that UT offered "mid six figures" and that livingstone got 800k at OU. Half of that is still mid six figures. * which, by the way, is just wild. Even 400k for a 4th receiver (who would also hog reps from more talented guys behind him) would be hard to stomach. At 800k, and with Mateer, OU seems all in on "persona over production"

@CJ Vogel good prompt, and appreciate the longitudinal analysis. I think the specific evidence you lay out has two weaknesses: The case based on production doesn't account for the confounding variable of the massive difference in play style between the Big 12 and the SEC. We saw how much production stats can get skewed, when we saw the tech offense - that was top 5 in meaningful offensive stats this year - and get humiliated by a legit Power 2 team. Assuming a single, static "Sark's offense." He has his own style and preferences for sure, but we've seen him make adaptations even just within the last two years in the SEC. What worked in 2022 in the Big 12 may not be relevant to what he wants (or better: NEEDS) to do in 2026 in the SEC. Evolve or die. Not trying to nitpick just to nitpick - really appreciate you challenging what's become conventional wisdom around the team that we need a power run game to win the SEC and natty - hopefully this advances the debate to better arguments for and against.

Texas fans feel so damn betrayed by Livingstone... and that's only possible if you feel he was ever more than a self-interested mercenary role-player with an unrequited first love (for OU). Just curious, so we can learn the lesson and see through the BS going forward: where did this idea come from that he "bled orange" and cared about Texas and the Lifetime Longhorn deal? (The fact that he was arch's roommate? Branding on social media? Wish-casting self delusion?)

Love this! New to OTF and hoping there's great "On Texas Baseball" analysis too! Haven't paid to read the D1Baseball previews yet, but four quick thoughts to add: 1. Behind the big name portal additions, I absolutely LOVE the Larson pickup. He's proven he can get on base in SEC conference play, with solid defense and athleticism, and high ceiling pedigree (20th rd pick out of HS); he just got crowded out of an insanely crowded LSU outfield last year and we get him on a discount. The question is just if he can hit LHP enough to be an everyday starter, but I'm bullish! 2. I'm bearish on Borba as a starter on a CWS-caliber team, unfortunately. His silky smooth RH pop is a beautiful thing to behold... when the pitcher happens to hit his bat. He just has too many holes in his swing; too many Ks and not enough barrels or walks to offset them. Idk what he did over the summer, so hopefully he's improved and proves me wrong! 3. I expect Pack's role to be a consistent late-inning sub (especially with our bullpen strength). After Robbins or the LF (Larson hopefully!) take their 7th inning AB, Pack comes in. If we're up, improving run prevention in the outfield. If we're down 1 or 2 late, as a pinch runner on the bases. 4. Some really intriguing storylines this year. For as good a team as we are, there is a lot of unknown. Robbins won the Cape batting title, can he do it for a full season in the SEC and announce himself to the nation and not just scouts? Shortstop among our three 2b/3bmen? What can Jonah do with a full season?! Volantis' follow-up campaign with a lot of promise but a lot to prove! Talented young arms from the Max Weiner recruiting effect—aside from Volantis who already popped—starting to "turn over" the pitching roster, what can they do this year?! Can't wait!! Hook em

The mods are professional journalists and don't speculate or announce until stuff if official or super close to it. Sometimes it's fun for us to share and discuss the unofficial rumors etc. That said, this still could have fit into an existing public thread

bs like fouling on 3s and late in the shot clock