Horns247 Board

My thoughts:

1. TEs breakdown. On paper, they look like they have over-recruited the position, but this is what happens when you have injuries (Irby/Grant), a couple of guys don't pan out like you had hoped (I Harris/Howard), you are in the mix of changing the position and you are adding more of an H-back role as well.

Here's the deal. You can't go three tight ends when you don't have three ready to play. But Texas wants it all. They want to go jumbo and they want their TEs to be quick enough to beat LBs down the seam. To get that jumbo set, there has to be some "seasoning" of players to get bigger and more physical yet maintaining their quickness (Grant and Terrell are prime examples). Then there's the H-back role which ideally is even more of a pass-catching threat, especially in the flats.

Texas is probably carrying two too many right now given 85 scholarships, but that may be what they have to do if they want it all.

2. The WRs are having issues. Perhaps it's the secondary, perhaps it's the pass rush, etc. But whatever the reason, they are having issues. My guess is that it's personnel groupings.

The problem I see is that Kirkendoll and Chiles are two similar players and so defenses can defense them similarly and not have to account for them separately.

Kirkendoll is the better of the two but neither stretches you vertically. Neither of them strike fear into a defense on a post route in play action. That doesn't mean they are incapable, it's just a fact. They aren't considered special talents as receivers.

So a grouping of Chiles, Kirkendoll and Williams is ok, but Williams is the only guy who "concerns" you over the top. And if you have a top-shelf corner, like Texas has in its practices, then that leaves Chiles and Kirkendoll who can be "handled" or at least "maintained" by above average corners.

So how do you get Goodwin, Hales and Davis into the game if all three of them are behind the other three from an individual standpoint? Well, you have to figure out a grouping that makes sense. You need at least two deep threats on the field at the same time IMO. Personally I think that's Williams with Hales and Goodwin with Davis with the 2s. All of a sudden if Kirkendoll and Chiles are mixed with those two, then the groupings make a lot of sense. Problem is that Chiles is playing the same spot as Hales.

We'll see how they figure it out, but my guess is Mack will try like heck to get speed on the field. No one believes in speed more than Mack.

3. The linebacker comment is a little interesting when you consider T Allen and P Nkwopara were his first two signees at the spot and both seem destined to be role players. Acho, Earnest and Robinson would be three good starters in any year, but when you add D Johnson and Hicks, then you're looking at kids that can all play and have plus levels of football savvy.

that's the most substantive thing I've read on a message board in a year.

thanks, BB.

Completely agree with Endust. Thanks, Bobby.

Great breakdown Bobby, I definitely echo your thoughts on the wr position. Gerry or Bobby, will Darius get a chance to be on the field to provide a vertical threat opposite of Malcolm or Goodwin or will he be restricted to mostly special teams? What about Monroe will he flank out and be a deep threat or work mostly coming out of the backfield?

This thread is why I subscribed today. Nobody else in the market is offering this type of timely insight.

The lack of elite talent among the upper-classmen receivers is a huge concern for me because we all know Mack likes to get bleeders on the field. I've not been a believer that Chiles is going to step up to an elite level. I think he'll be somewhat better than last year but still a guy who will do the majority of his damage against bad teams and then disappear against good competition. He's just not a elite talent who can win a lot of individual match-ups against really good players. Kirkendoll is in that same boat.

The guys we do have who are capable of that are Malcolm Williams, Marquise Goodwin, and some of the freshmen, but because of inconsistency, you have another set of problems to deal with.

In any case, I don't think it's a good idea to line up against Oklahoma and Nebraska with both Chiles and Kirkendoll on the field at the same time.

Thanks for the updates, Bobby. Haven't seen anything else regarding Saturday's practice.

By that last sentence, I take it you are bullish on Dravannti Johnson?

You don't hear much about him, but he's young yet and has endured a couple position changes. I just was never too impressed with his senior season at Nederland.

Personally, I think Williams, Goodwin and Chiles are the top 3 wr's, followed by Hales, David and White. Kirkendoll just doesn't do much for me, even though he had a huge game against A$M.

I look for the personnel groupings at WR to fall along the lines of who has spilled blood for the program until after the OU game. Maybe even after the Nebraska game, this year. I wish Muschamp's influence would spill over to this side of the ball. Yes, Mack likes speed, but Mack is scared of inexperience even more, IMO.

There have been several posts on this new board to which this comment could apply. Keep up the good work, boys.

Apart from Colt's tackle, Goodwin made the play of the game against OU. He also started a grand total of two games last season. Yes, Monroe is dangerous, but they have trouble figuring out how to get him on the field. Neither is much of a threat to DCs over on the bench. It's silly for guys like this (and Davis and White) to watch while Chiles and Kirkendoll play. Get them on the field and let them stretch it. Make the defense defend the whole field and good things will happen.

I miss the part where Chiles has earned a starting role. I understand he has trimmed his weight and become faster - but there needs to be something else to bump future stars.
Davis, by all eyeballs, has that special quality. Goodwin had his monents and White seems to have enough raw talent to trump the play of the seniors.
In the end, Gilbert just may need more experience on the field - at least early. I would still rather see young potential stars with desire play over average experienced veterans.