Horns247 Board

Alex King has to be up there for best surprise

I think his shoulder surgery has made him way to hesitant to be an effective striker. But that's just pure speculation. But he did go from a physical safety that can cover to a safety that lacks physicality and now looks lost.

Good:
Ash - biggest surprise by far
Davis
Gray

Bad:
Philips
Fera - injured I know, but nowhere near the hype

This.

Good suprises besides Ash, would be Daniels on the second half of the season, the play of Case in limited duty, Macolm Brown at DT, the immediate impact of Daje Johnson, and Josh Turner in the secondary.

Bad suprises, the complete whiff of Adrian Phillips and Mykelle Thompson at safety, the first half of the season by Carrington Byndom, all other TEs besides Greg Daniels. The Interior of the OL, athough it's improved the second half of the season. Whaley being a non factor at DL for the most part. The linebacker play in general. The injuries to Jeffcoat and Hicks. The oft injured Malcolm Brown at RB and his inability to play hurt at all.

I would agree with you in space but not head up. He still gets driven back into the backfield far too much for me.

I agree across the board other than probably replacing Whaley with Edmonds. Edmonds has been showing signs of getting it though.

Yep, Espinosa is guy who can look very good with certain matchups...but can be heavily overmatched with others. That is why he seems so erratic...it's about the guy lining up across from him. As long as he doesn't get overpowered he's quick enough to make some blocks in space.

Those not listing Ash as a positive surprise are forgetting the way most posters combed the boards over the spring and summer looking for any signs of completed passes. They are forgetting the assumed "game manager" upside hoped for by most. If you are one of the very few who predicted this kind of breakout season -- I don't remember a lot of that -- then I guess you're not surprised. I thought he'd be pretty good but not "carry the team on your shoulders and be counted on to win games when the defense is a horror show" good.

On defense, anyone not named Vaccaro, Okafor, Diggs or Malcom Brown has been a significant disappointment at one point or another, but Cobbs and Phillips have been the most consistently disappointing.

As for Malcolm Brown, I for one am willing to give him a break. He's always seemed like a good kid and I don't know that anyone should casually question his toughness without knowing for sure the extent of his injuries. Yes, sometimes someone gets hurt at the wrong time two consecutive years.

Where you watching last year, or just reading commentary? And I was high on the kid coming into his sophomore year. If you watched last year I don't see how you couldn't be excited about him getting more playing time coming into this year.

Good----Case
Bad------Phillips.

Ash, Daje, - B. Moore, John Harris

Good Ash, Daniels

Bad Cobbs, Philips

After saying this I would love to see Cobbs make a 4/1 play vs KSU to seal the game. Phillips same thing.