Jaybird

+590 on Fan Duel right now

42 Bad Guys 38 Good Guys

Bad Guys: 35 Good Guys: 31

That thread on Surly 🤣

Disagree. I've seen your username on other boards. We are near the top in engagement and fear mongering.

I'm not saying shift expectations, but once they aren't met for the first time in three years does that mean burn it all down and start over in your opinion? I would say no, but I'd also agree with you that we've underachieved. It's okay to say it. Your rhetoric isn't really pointing towards any solutions besides firing a staff, and even if that transpires what would you want to happen? The standard is the standard but it's not happening this year.

Who would've thought people on X/other boards spouting nonsense would have a negative on recruiting and team cohesion? Lot of longhorn fans have illusory superiority (me included) when discussing our team. Pretty wild stuff getting thrown around willy nilly as if we are omniscient, not to say some criticisms are not warranted, but the outcry reeks of a spoiled fanbase. Remember when Xavier Worthy posted his draft video and had a collection of negative tweets flash in a compilation, I'm sure @Joe Zura does 😉, including some of these people propagating nasty rumors. Things will work themselves out or they won't, no point in dwelling in this fantastical uncertainty. I'm hoping this fanbase will start taking the serenity prayer to heart.

Trying to think of fun stuff to do not involving having a cold snack lol! I'd say go check out Zilker w/ Christmas lights up, wander around campus. Go to Posse East for a burger by campus. Pool Burger right on Lake Austin Blvd during the day. Definitely shop at the Coop and buy something cool. Usually have some exclusive merch. Wander around the tailgates and if your Dad is going, swing by the alumni center pregame.

Good god almighty I would hope.

1. OL (At least two interior) 2. RB 3. DB/S 4. WR We're shelling out some serious dough on the guys sitting on the bench. The position is heavily dependent on Pass Blocking and QB play which this season has left a lot to be desired. Deandre Moore was hoping to go pro, no production to do so IMO, Wingo will either portal or return. Livingstone and Mosley are underclassmen. Then we have Lockett, McCutcheon, Ffrench all of whom should press for PT. OL needs to be tuned up on the interior. Tackles are fine. Full stop, the offense goes where it goes.

Being realistic on this list, we need some major attrition. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if CJ Baxter is hampered by injuries, he needs to renegotiate his NIL to be more of a team player or he'll have to walk. We need to see a heavy rotation of Simon, Copper, Wisner (3rd Down), and an actual bruiser running back. Caden Durham is not in the same vein as say a guy like Jaquinden Jackson from last year's hogs' team. We had a solid run defense last year and he averaged 5.1 YPC on us.

Zero chance. Thin that's Brian Kelley to LSU level. He would not mesh well with our university. We have always had too many cooks in the kitchen.

Love this lol! He thought Tyler from Spartaburg was bad, wait until he reads Surly Horns.

I think the CDC thing showed itself after the Kentucky game and before Miss. State. It's like we are in a cold war style standoff between Sark and an OC.

Agreed, but at the time let's not forget that he had not been a head coach in a while and his overall management was hit or miss depending on the outlook you take at his previous stops. IMO he was hired because of his offense. I'd argue that it was right up there with being a manager. If that was the big purpose, I am sure there were more proven candidates at the time.

Bingo! I'll say, the self-scouting at Texas has been majorl6y deficient and that's coming from a guy sitting in an office typing on a computer lol. If memory serves, Baxter was the starter of the Bama 2023, averaged 2.8 YPC. Brooks on the other hand, 4.1 YPC. That always seemed odd to me even going into that game why he was ahead, and I know Saban said he was the best back they played (pass pro, etc.) but on field production at your position matter too.

If that's the case, we're all having the wrong conversation unfortunately. Still think he's a bright cat and wouldn't torpedo his career. He wants to end up in the NFL regardless of if it's this year or down the road.

I see your point, but I disagree. Smart, Day, etc. don’t hold a candle to the perceived wunderkind status Sark has. He’s made it clear in his press conference that he’s not bringing in someone else to call plays. At this point, his identity is tied to it, so it is what it is. I agree with almost everything else you said. He’s taken us to back-to-back CFP semifinals, but that’s a double-edged sword. From his perspective, that success—fair or not—came because he was the play caller. That’s the lens he’s operating from.

Morning everybody, It’s been a while since I’ve seen Texas media—both adjacent and direct—this fired up. Winning does that. Between unrest, anger, disappointment, and just general exhaustion, @Bobby Burton made a solid point on Coffee and Football this morning: a lot of Texas fans sound like they’re moving through the seven stages of grief. What bothers me is what the grief is actually about. Is it grieving the death of playoff hopes? Because, while unlikely, ESPN still gives Texas roughly a 1-in-5 shot. To me, this “grief” feels deeper. I liken it to watching your facorite show start to lose it's luster/quality and then end (i.e. the Sopranos or insert yours). Fans, alumni, and boosters have watched two years of high-level football get undercut by issues that were visible early in Sark’s tenure. Year one (of the good stretch) he had matchups fall in his favor—we got second-start Jalen Milroe in Tuscaloosa, we played in a “down” Big 12 and still managed to play one-score games despite massive talent edges, including a loss to OU. Last year followed a similar pattern, just against a better schedule. That’s the rub. As the competition level has gone up, the performance has gone the other way, with this year being a clear indicator. Pair that with a recruiting class that feels top-heavy, and it points in a few different directions: Status quo: this is just a down year. Coaches are mentally checked out and waiting for the axe. Or worse: Sark himself has one foot out the door. I know the mods are preaching “pump the brakes,” and I respect that. But I can’t shake the feeling that Sark might pull a Chip Kelly—NFL, not Ohio State. And with Desmond Howard living in South Florida plus the Dolphins’ rumored frustration with McDaniel… who knows. The bigger issue is this: people saying “just hire an OC” are missing the point. If that were an easy fix, then why hire Sark in the first place? He wasn’t brought here to be a detached CEO-type. He was hired because of his offense. If we suddenly don’t like that, then the real problem is much deeper. A leopard doesn’t change its spots, and asking a coach you hired for his offensive identity to abandon it is unrealistic. The second major issue: fans calling for Sark to leave either weren’t around or forgot the last decade wandering through the desert. Knee-jerk reactions to losses are always worse than the loss itself, but Saturday’s felt justified. Still, wanting a coach gone without thinking through the consequences is ridiculous. If Sark left, who exactly is the replacement? – Marcus Freeman? An Ohio State alum who would bolt the second Day leaves for the NFL (and that’s very plausible if they lose to Michigan). – Saban? No. – Urban? Not reliable. – Kiffin? Maybe, but doubtful, will probably be coaching in Baton Rouge, Gainesville, or Oxford; not Austin. – Under the Radar Guy? Really want to go down that route right now? None of these are realistic. It’s all hypothetical anyway, but Sark’s body language, tone, and comments after the game genuinely felt like someone who’s exhausted with this whole thing. Hard to blame him based on everything above. So where does that leave us? Road One (My Preferred): Sark Stays No “real OC” hire. It’s not happening. Sark’s postseason audit focuses on fixing his own system and identifying why it isn’t translating to SEC-level games. Position coaches get evaluated honestly—upgrade or retain, no sentimentality. Attack the portal proactively, not reactively. Development matters, but never again should we rely on it in rooms short on production or experience. Biggest hope: some shifts in scheme/philosophy. For a guy who gameplans weekly like it’s the NFL, he sure clings to a system that stalls. Road Two (Handbags and Hand Grenades) Sark leaves for the NFL. New coach, new staff. Player retention becomes unpredictable. Portal use skyrockets. Recruiting turns into pure guesswork. The entire program goes into flux. Whatever actually happens, I think we’ll look back on yesterday as the moment the wheels started rolling down one of these two paths. Would love for other OTF members to contribute their thoughts. Sometimes the board feels so reliant on our great MODs to foster any dialogue amongst us.

Anytime I see Kirby talking with the Refs this video instantly comes to mind. https://youtu.be/V4VlAoeLtQs?si=2kh59dTvU-aJyzIy

Afternoon fellas, Figured I’d type my way through this one as a bit of post-loss therapy. Last night stung and probably will until about Wednesday. I’d love to hear how Sark and staff can recalibrate now that the playoff picture is basically gone. @Gerry Hamilton has long been one of my favorite voices in the industry, and his humor tends to underline some uncomfortable truths about Texas Football. Sark’s had real success with misdirection, outside zone, and horizontal stress, 2023 being the high-water mark. But as time has gone on, we've seen less and less of a true power identity. As Gerry mentioned (and @Bobby Burton echoed this morning), it’s not that our guys are being out-physicaled snap-to-snap. It’s that the concepts we rely on simply aren’t physical in nature. That doesn’t mean we should burn the whole thing down like Mack did post-Colt. Quite the opposite: we need alignment at every level of operations. If Sark sits down with coaches, personnel, administration, and recruiting to establish a clear philosophical guide, I genuinely believe this program can course-correct. I told a buddy this morning that Texas feels stuck in a philosophical no-man’s land. We’re good enough to justify not making major changes… yet also inconsistent enough that a couple more losses could bring outside pressure demanding exactly those changes. And that kind of reactive shake-up is how “alignment,” as CDC calls it, gets blown apart. The sweet spot is internal, organic change initiated by Sark himself. Assuming that happens and certain coaching upgrades are made, the next step is personnel. We likely have one more year with Manning, and if Texas is going where we all think it can, some tough roster conversations are coming. College football in the NIL era is basically a one-year contract world. If you don’t meet the standard, you can be replaced. And we’ve seen guys flash late in the season, essentially auditioning for the portal or a future staff. That’s the reality. Positions where upgrades are needed (in my opinion): Offensive Line We’ll lose guys to attrition, graduation, and maybe the NFL (Goosby). Depth and competition are musts. Running Back Love Tre Wisner unfortunately he’s been pigeonholed but has real production. If he somehow gets a draftable grade, I wouldn’t blame him for going. Assuming he returns, we still need a proven, physical back to take pressure off him and a banged-up Baxter. Simon and Cooper are promising, but we can’t go into another season thin here. WR / CB Hard to separate these two in terms of need. We basically ran a turnstile at CB2 opposite Manny (who’s leaving). Meanwhile, WR rotations felt like we were searching for answers every week. Really curious about Santana Wilson—thought he was progressing but he seems to have disappeared. Linebacker Ant Hill is gone, and while Atkinson, Bo Barnes, and T.A. Smith bring upside, that’s a lot of inexperience. A veteran presence next to Lefau feels important. Position Coaches Who Need Upgrades WR – Not seeing real development from Chris Jackson’s recruits. DB – Something’s off: too much cushion, technique issues, miscommunication, regression. Jeff Banks – Penalties are out of control. I thought McEndoo might help TE development, but… not seeing it. Coaches I Think Are Safe (for now) Torre Becton Kyle Flood – He gets heat (sometimes deserved), but he’s produced multiple NFL guys including a first-rounder. Wish he recruited better, but his success is tied closely to Sark’s offensive philosophy. Chad Scott – First year, late arrival, solid recruiting with Cooper. Johnny Nansen – Recruiting well, some development wins, some setbacks. Must Keep Kenny Baker – The man. LaAllen Clark – Pass rush has been legit. Whatever happens, I’ll be there cheering for my alma mater. Curious to see what you guys think.

It's hard to say I agree. We saw him go and play against Michigan as a true freshman. Saw him play well multiple times (albeit to just fumble near the end) but I felt as though he was starting to make some hay. Hell, he played great against Sam Houston (who didn't), but for the staff to not even give him a run in his hometown just feels wrong. Especially with how the game was going and you need a spark against Florida. This is not to say I think Wisner is bad, I think he's great at outside zone and I love the toughness he brings but let's not get it confused, he cannot and will not be able to carry the load alone this year and I don't see Simon as a bruiser back. I think with Baxter being hurt you could've run him using some of the same plays (gap and power schemes) we saw them use against Ohio State, Wisner run the outside stuff, and Simon could blend both styles while also being a 3rd down back in the receiving game. Would've preferred to see more push to keep him around through the season.

Gutted for this. My favorite RB on the roster. Really thought he would be our freight train inside zone guy. Writing was on the wall when he didn't get a touch in his hometown. IMO terrible mishandling of the situation by the staff and by the young man himself. Could've easily seen PT this week with a banged-up Wisner and with IT reporting that they do not expect Baxter to return. Just sad all around.