Local Fodder Wk1, post'em if you got 'em

[pressitup]

The Star-Telegram takes a look at the 2016 TCU football team position-by-position as the season approaches. The first game is at 7 p.m. Sept. 3 vs. South Dakota State at Amon G. Carter Stadium.


Like two years ago, TCU is trying to pick a starter out of a two-man race. In 2014, part-timer Trevone Boykin emerged in a competition with Texas A&M transfer Matt Joeckel. This year, another A&M transfer, Kenny Hill, is vying for the spot against sophomore Foster Sawyer.


Hill has more game experience, but it has been two years since he played a competitive game. Sawyer has a prototype NFL quarterback build and has two years of work with quarterbacks coach Sonny Cumbie.


Whoever is named the starter gets the keys to an Air Raid offense that set TCU offensive records for two years with Boykin. The first two weeks of fall camp apparently produced little separation. “It’s been a great battle, to be honest with you,” coach Gary Patterson said.


The personnel


Starters


Kenny Hill (6-1, 205, Jr.), a transfer from Texas A&M who sat out 2015. A decorated high school player who won a state championship at Southlake Carroll. Set an A&M record with 511 passing yards in his first start. Son of former Texas Rangers pitcher Ken Hill.


Foster Sawyer (6-5, 230, Soph.), redshirted in 2014, played in four games in 2015. Threw a touchdown pass to help seal a victory against Kansas after replacing Bram Kohlhausen, who was pulled after entering for an injured Trevone Boykin. Threw 48 touchdown passes as a senior at Fort Worth All Saints.


Primary backups


Sophomore Grayson Muehlstein (6-4, 210), freshman Brennen Wooten (6-1, 188).


Key stat


11 Interceptions thrown in 370 college attempts by Kenny Hill and Foster Sawyer in 12 games combined. That’s 3.0 percent of total attempts. Andy Dalton’s rate was 2.8 percent, and Trevone Boykin’s was 2.7. Casey Pachall and Tye Gunn were each 2.6 percent.


What they’re saying


“It could go either way. This offense is set up for a QB to be successful. Either way it goes, we’ll be just fine.”


Center Austin Schlottman


“They know what it takes. Kenny had success at A&M. Foster got his feet wet in the Oklahoma game. They know what it takes to be successful, what needs to get done.”


Running back Kyle Hicks


“We recruited both of them and spent a lot of time with both of them in the recruting process when I was at Texas Tech, so I was very familiar with both of them when we came here. It’s been good to see two guys that I think have grown in their respect and relationship with one another, but they’re still figthing for that one job.”


Quarterbacks coach Sonny Cumbie


Final analysis


The Horned Frogs’ quarterback in 2016 is going to be put in position to make plays and rack up numbers. The Air Raid offense coached by co-offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie made a star of Trevone Boykin. If starting candidates Kenny Hill and Foster Saywer have the skill, it will show. But they will need time — both in the pocket and in the big picture — to maximize their potential. For one of them, the opportunity is about to present itself.


Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports...university/article96741587.html#storylink=cpy

 

[pressitup]

[h=4]UNT

Littrell: Fine has legitimate shot at backup job[/h]Littrell has consistently praised freshman quarterback Mason Fine since he arrived at the school.
The former Locust Grove standout is in position to win the backup quarterback job as the season approaches. JUCO transfer Devin O’Hara and Quinn Shanbour, who came to UNT as a walk-on, are the other options.
Alabama transfer Alec Morris is firmly entrenched as the Mean Green’s starter. The question now is whether UNT is willing to potentially play Fine sparingly and burn one of his four seasons of eligibility instead of redshirting him.
“It’s shaking out really well,” Littrell said of the race for the backup job. “Mason has had an unbelievable camp. I feel very confident in him. If he is the best guy — the best No. 2 — no, we won’t redshirt him. It’s too long of a season. We have to make sure, do everything we can to win football games.”
UNT is hoping to dramatically upgrade its play at quarterback after averaging only 161.4 passing yards per game last season.
Andrew McNulty split time at quarterback as a senior with DaMarcus Smith, who since has left the program.
[h=4]UNT could end up shuffling line[/h]Two of UNT’s top offensive linemen could end up playing multiple positions this fall.
Sam Rice started all 12 games at left guard before also working at center in the spring. UNT’s other option at center is Creighton Barr, who was the Mean Green’s backup center last season.
Kaydon Kirby started at center as a junior last season, but has since left the program to tend to family issues.
Littrell plans to play Rice and Barr at both center and guard this year while trying to fill that void Kirby left.
“A lot of it will depend on the style of defense we are playing, if Sam or Creighton starts at center,” Littrell said. “If one of them is at center, the other will be at guard.”

 

[pressitup]

More UNT

Execution a concern for Littrell


UNT had game officials at its scrimmage on Saturday. Unfortunately for the Mean Green, they were pretty busy throughout the afternoon.
The Mean Green were called for several pre-snap penalties.
“We were way too sloppy,” Littrell said. “I’m not concerned with aggressive penalties. You are going to have some of those, but false starts, delay of game, offsides, those are just mental errors.”
Defense gets off to fast start


UNT’s defense held the Mean Green’s starting offense in check in the early stages of the scrimmage, forcing consecutive three-and-outs.
“We needed to do a better job of getting ready to play,” Morris said.
“We had two early three-and-outs. We have four or five touchdown drives after that, but we have to come out faster. You can’t dig yourselves a hole at the beginning of the game.”
Littrell attributed UNT’s slow start offensively in part to the play of its defense.
“Our defense came out really well,” Littrell said. “Our offense came out flat and was abused for a while. We have to come out excited and ready to play. Our defense was, but our offense wasn’t.”

 

[Jimmydafreak]

Auburn names Sean White starting quarterback for opener

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2016/08/auburn_names_sean_white_starti.html

 

[Carolina Guy]

Auburn names Sean White starting quarterback for opener

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2016/08/auburn_names_sean_white_starti.html

JJ should be starting

 

[Carolina Guy]

Course I don't know nothing

 

[Jimmydafreak]

Thanks for the news. I like my Clemson wagers even more now. Wonder how many passes White will complete to Clemson defensive backs
in this one.

:cheers3:

As I posted a couple of weeks ago, White is Auburn's ONLY real option at QB right now - him and his 1 career touchdown pass, against 4 interceptions. But as I have pointed out time again, White is a pro-style QB, not a read option QB like Malzahn needs to run his system. Without the threat of a running, read-option QB, Auburn's offense is pretty much dead and stinking.

 

[Elbutre88]

patrick vahe, trent nickelson, and shackelford are all questionable vs notre dame.

starting guard, starting rt, and starting c.

not bueno for a team that wants to establish the run oriented spread.

 

[captjohn67]

As I posted a couple of weeks ago, White is Auburn's ONLY real option at QB right now - him and his 1 career touchdown pass, against 4 interceptions. But as I have pointed out time again, White is a pro-style QB, not a read option QB like Malzahn needs to run his system. Without the threat of a running, read-option QB, Auburn's offense is pretty much dead and stinking.

White couldn't take the punishment SEC defenses hand out last year and he won't this either would be my prediction. They better get the youngster up to speed.

 

[Jimmydafreak]

patrick vahe, trent nickelson, and shackelford are all questionable vs notre dame.

starting guard, starting rt, and starting c.

not bueno for a team that wants to establish the run oriented spread.

My 1st half UNDER!!!

:tiphat:

 

[Jimmydafreak]

White couldn't take the punishment SEC defenses hand out last year and he won't this either would be my prediction. They better get the youngster up to speed.

I agree. White is like 6' @ 200 lbs - not exactly built for SEC punishment. It will be another QB carousel at Auburn again this season.

 

[Elbutre88]

My 1st half UNDER!!!

:tiphat:

ha, was thinkin the same thing.

 

[pressitup]

Cougar High(UH). Looks line Oline injuries.

Senior right guard Mac Long, who worked on the scout team last season, will make his first career start in No. 15 Houston's opener against third-ranked Oklahoma.
UH has been dealing with a rash of injuries that have forced them to juggle things on the offensive line. Long emerged as arguably the Cougars' breakout player in preseason camp.
"This is a guy when we got here our first spring, there was no way I thought he would play," coach Tom Herman said recently. "Going into his senior year (we) didn't expect much. He's lived in the weight room and film room and changed his body."

With starting center Will Noble and backup Alex Fontana out with injuries, Kameron Eloph has been working with the first-team offense.

 

[RetroVK]

Press. Looks like over 15k will be in attendance for that Bishop Gorman/Cedar Hill game. Are you gonna go?

 

[pressitup]

Press. Looks like over 15k will be in attendance for that Bishop Gorman/Cedar Hill game. Are you gonna go?

No, sir. Slave to the job right now . Working tomorrow and Sunday. It's televised on espn2. streaming possibilities.

 

[pressitup]

TCU

Opting for the demonstrated ability of Kenny Hill, TCU named the former Southlake Carroll star its starting quarterback for the season opener Sept. 3 against South Dakota State.


It will be Hill’s first action since 2014, when he began the season as the starter at Texas A&M and set a school record for passing yards in a debut. He sat out 2015 after transferring to TCU.


IT’S WHAT HE CAME HERE FOR. KENNY HAS A LOT TO PROVE, BUT AS I TOLD HIM, OUR JOB IS JUST TO WIN.
TCU coach Gary Patterson


“It’s what he came here for,” coach Gary Patterson told reporters Thursday after practice. “Kenny has a lot to prove, but as I told him, our job is just to win. It’s not to put up big numbers, not to do anything else. Put the ball where it’s supposed to be, run the ball when you’re supposed to and get ready to play.”


The 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior beat out sophomore Foster Sawyer for the job. Sawyer played in four games last season, including a start at Oklahoma in which he threw three interceptions and was pulled.


Hill played in 12 games at Texas A&M, but his career in College Station ended on a sour note. A stretch of bad games cost him the starting job, and he was suspended for the final two games of the season. He was released from his scholarship, enrolled at Tarrant County College in January 2015 and at TCU six months later.


He spent last season as the Horned Frogs’ scout team quarterback, sitting out his transfer year.


KENNY HILL PLAYED IN 12 GAMES AND STARTED EIGHT AT TEXAS A&M, THROWING FOR 2,832 YARDS, 24 TOUCHDOWNS AND EIGHT INTERCEPTIONS. HE THREW FOR 511 YARDS IN HIS FIRST GAME AS A STARTER.


“He’s in as good a shape as I’ve ever seen him,” said Patterson, who came close to landing Hill out of Carroll in 2013. “Stronger, faster than he was coming out of high school. I mean, he’s done a great job of re-doing himself.”


Hill threw for 2,649 yards and 23 touchdowns on 66.7 percent (214 of 321) passing in 2014 at A&M. The yardage total is the fifth-highest for a single season at A&M, the touchdown total the fourth-highest and the completion percentage the second-highest — all coming in only eight games.


His 511 yards at South Carolina marked the sixth 500-yard passing game in SEC history and the first at A&M. His 44 completions and 73.3 percent completion rate in that game were also A&M records.


Patterson said Hill’s SEC experience didn’t play a large part in the competition, but it did give him an edge.


“We do know about what he can do against competition on Saturday,” Patterson said. “And probably, if it was close, it was maybe one of the reasons why they decided to go that direction.”


At Carroll, Hill was the 2012 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year and 5A Offensive Player of the Year. He threw for 20 touchdowns and ran for 22 as a senior. He threw for 25 and ran for 24 as a junior, when he led Carroll to a state championship. He had 15 touchdown throws and seven touchdown runs as a sophomore.


The playmaking with his legs became evident in the fall scrimmages.


“I think both of them threw the ball well,” Patterson said of Hill and Sawyer. But Patterson said Hill separated himself by “just being able to get himself out of problems and some of the things he can do in the running game.”


Hill was rated a four-star prospect by Rivals and Scout. He said TCU was one of his top three college choices.


He is the son of former Texas Rangers pitcher Ken Hill.


Briefly


▪ Patterson said kicker Jonathan Song (toe) won’t kick in the season opener and probably not in the second game, either.


▪ Linebacker Travin Howard, last season’s leading tackler, has been practicing, but Patterson did not say whether Howard would play in the season opener. Howard underwent an emergency appendectomy at the start of fall camp, according to people close to the team.


Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports...university/article97938097.html#storylink=cpy

 

[pressitup]

Cougar High

Wide receiver Ra'Shaad Samples' Houston debut will have to wait at least another week.
Samples, who sat out last season following his transfer from Oklahoma State, will miss Saturday's season opener against third-ranked Oklahoma with a concussion.
Samples missed considerable time in preseason camp with his second concussion since the spring.
Linell Bonner will start at slot receiver and true freshman D'Eriq King is the backup.

 

[pressitup]

Ags getting defensive. Let's see it.

For the first time in his five-year tenure at Texas A&M, coach Kevin Sumlin will enter a season planning to lean more heavily on his defense than his offense to win games.
Also a first in the Sumlin era: He’s comfortable with that premise, thanks to six returning starters and progress made last season under defensive coordinator John Chavis, who returns for his second season in College Station.
“We can be a top-level defense if our linebackers continue to improve,” Sumlin said of a unit that features one of the nation’s top tandems at defensive end (Myles Garrett, Daeshon Hall) and safety (Armani Watts, Justin Evans). “The key for us is our second level, how the linebackers come along, for us to be the team that we want to be.”
On multiple occasions during summer speaking engagements, Sumlin has said the Aggies have the talent to rank among the nation’s top 25 teams in total defense, perhaps even the top 15. That would represent fresh territory for a unit that finished No. 51 nationally in yards allowed last season (380 per game), marking the fourth consecutive season under Sumlin that A&M ranked higher nationally in total offense (No. 50) than total defense.

[FONT=&quot]WE DON’T WORK TO BE GOOD. WE WORK TO BE GREAT. YOU’VE GOT TO BE WELL ABOVE THE TOP 20 TO BE A GREAT DEFENSE.
[FONT=&quot]Texas A&M defensive coordinator John Chavis, whose unit finished No. 51 nationally in total defense last season after ranking No. 102 the previous season when he was not at the school[/FONT]
[/FONT]​

The Aggies averaged 424.7 yards per game during last year’s 8-5 season but struggled to finish drives, ranking 71st nationally in scoring (27.8 avg.). But if the anticipated improvement occurs on defense, where Garrett and Hall will be joined by a deep rotation of 300-pound tackles. A&M might be able to average around 30 points per game behind a new starter at quarterback and still contend for an SEC title.
A significant key to this equation is middle linebacker Otaro Alaka (6-foot-3, 240 pounds), who missed most of last season with elbow and shoulder injuries but has been a standout during camp. Alaka, a third-year sophomore, said the Aggies have lacked depth and size in his first two seasons at the school but seem to have turned a corner under Chavis.

[FONT=&quot]IT’S DEFINITELY HELPED TURNING A LOT OF THINKING ON THE FIELD INTO REACTING, TO WHERE WE JUST MAKE THE PLAY INSTEAD OF THINKING WHAT WE’RE SUPPOSED TO DO IN THAT SITUATION ... WE CAN DO MORE OF THAT NOW BECAUSE WE’RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE SCHEME.
[FONT=&quot]Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett, on players’ enhanced comfort level in their second season under defensive coordinator John Chavis[/FONT]
[/FONT]​

“The last two or three years, our bodies started breaking down at midseason. We’re bigger now and more disciplined now,” Alaka said. “Coach Chavis is a big part of that.”
Garrett, an Arlington Martin graduate who led the SEC in sacks (12.5), tackles for losses (19.5) and forced fumbles (5) last season, pointed to an increased comfort level in the defense’s second season under Chavis.
“It’s definitely helped turning a lot of thinking on the field into reacting, to where we just make the play instead of thinking what we’re supposed to do in that situation,” Garrett said. “I like attacking, getting after them and making a play in the backfield. We can do more of that now because we’re comfortable with the scheme. He hasn’t added much [this fall].”
Chavis, who has overseen defenses that won one national title (Tennessee, 1998) and played for another (LSU, 2011), plans to add more to the scheme as the season unfolds. He described last year’s progress as “pretty good,” with the Aggies finishing at No. 51 in total defense after placing 102nd the previous season under predecessor Mark Snyder (450.8 yards per game). But he remains far from satisfied.
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]19.5[/FONT]Tackles for losses last season by Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett, an Arlington Martin graduate who led the SEC in that statistical area.
[/FONT]
“We don’t work to be good. We work to be great,” Chavis said. “You’ve got to be well above the top 20 to be a great defense.
“There’s pressure always. I understand that. As a defensive coach, I can tell you that if you’re going to talk about conference championships or national championships, you’ve got to be great on defense.”
To earn that description, A&M must improve a run defense that allowed 213.7 yards per game last season. Only South Carolina, a 3-9 team, ranked lower among the SEC’s 14 members. Coaches are counting on a burlier defensive front, combined with improved linebacker play from Alaka (MLB), Shaan Washington (WLB) and Richard Moore (SLB) to bridge that gap. It’s been the primary point of emphasis during drills.
“All the big plays that happened in the run, Coach made one big tape and we watched it from top to bottom,” Hall said. “It was gruesome.”
Hall said defenders have worked to improve their techniques and run fits in preparation for Saturday’s season opener against No. 16 UCLA at Kyle Field (2:30 p.m., KTVT/Ch. 11). Sumlin said the Aggies’ defensive line, for the first time in his tenure, has “more than enough bodies in there (for quality depth) and they’re the right-size, SEC bodies that can hold up.”

[FONT=&quot]WE CAN BE A TOP-LEVEL DEFENSE IF OUR LINEBACKERS CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.
[FONT=&quot]Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin[/FONT]
[/FONT]​

Chavis said Alaka and Washington, the two linebackers who will remain on the field when A&M uses its nickel package, now weigh 240 pounds, bench press more than 400 pounds and still have the speed to cover running backs in the passing game.
“We will be improved at linebacker,” Chavis said. “Because of that, we’ll be better as a defense. There’s no question about that. We’re bigger. We’re stronger. We’re faster.”
In a pivotal year for the program, how much improvement the defense makes figures to play a major role in determining whether the Aggies can post their first double-digit win total since an 11-2 mark in 2012, Sumlin’s first season at the school.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/sec/texas-a-m/article98673377.html#storylink=cpy

 

[twinkie13]

[FONT=&quot]ulane coach Willie Fritz announced on Friday that redshirt sophomore Glen Cuiellette will be the starting quarterback for the team's season opener at Wake Forest on Sept. 1.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"Right now, (Cuiellette) has a little more experience and command of the offense," sad Fritz. "He's been more consistent and that's a big part of it."[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]There had been an ongoing battle between Cuiellette and freshmen Darius Bradwell and Johnathan Brantley throughout fall camp and there was seemingly very little separation between the three.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

ADVERTISING​

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invented by Teads[/COLOR]​

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[FONT=&quot]But now that Cuiellette has been tapped as the starter, he says he looks forward to putting the battle behind him and focusing on the season.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"There's a slight relief, but overall the way I feel is that this is just the beginning," the former Mandeville standout said. "When you're named the starter, you have to live up to a certain standard and keep it.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"I've matured a lot since my freshman year and I feel like I'm ready to lead these guys and be more mature about the position that comes with it."[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Fritz said he also plans on playing a second quarterback at Wake Forest, though he didn't specify whether it would be Bradwell or Brantley, and he added that the plan would be to give the second quarterback opportunities to play one or two entire series, rather than individual plays.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"Two guys will definitely play on Thursday and we're still deciding who's that going to be and how long they'll play," Fritz said. "Both Johnathan and Darius are really, really explosive guys...it may be we'll play a guy this series or for this particular package."[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Part of the reason why the decision was so difficult for Fritz was the fact that none of the quarterbacks currently on Tulane's roster have ever attempted a pass in a collegiate game.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Green Wave had three quarterbacks attempt at least 36 passes in 2015, but two of them transferred in the offseason (Tanner Lee and Devin Powell) and the other graduated (Jordy Joseph).[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]While Tulane lacks in-game experience at quarterback, Cuiellette said he, Bradwell and Brantley can make up for that with some of their playmaking abilities.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"I feel like everyone on this roster can extend plays at the quarterback position," Cuiellette said. "We have strong arms, we can make all the throws and we have great ball-carrying vision, as well.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"I don't think in-game experience will be a big factor. It will be in crunch time, that's when it'll show, but overall if we just play our game and do what we do in practice we'll be alright."[/FONT]

 

[twinkie13]

tulane starting QB is is Glen Cuiellete

 

[pressitup]

Chief, from today's presser. Wouldn't you work for this guy if he ran a business?

[FONT=&quot]• As a pair, we have the best two defensive ends in the country. They backed me up last year, and they'll do the same this year. They're outstanding young men and great players. They can play the run and rush the passer. I wouldn't trade them.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]• When the guys enjoy playing football, they enjoy the process and the work. They're willing to prepare and study, so we love watching them have success. We have a lot of guys like that. Last year, we had a group of guys that were trying to figure out what to do. Now we have older guys that are teaching the younger guys. That's when you see a team and a defense grow. That's what Armani Watts is doing. He's tutoring them and getting them ready more quickly than they would without him.[/FONT]

 

[Elbutre88]

texas pay site:

Texas offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert met with the media following Tuesday evening's practice, and the focus of the press conference focused on ... what else? ... quarterbacks.

Gilbert was asked right off the bat if he would be the one to spill the beans on Sunday night's starter against Notre Dame, but he immediately shut down the chance of any big revelation, saying everyone will find out on Sunday.

If you're looking for hints, there really weren't any to be found. Gilbert praised both quarterbacks and said both Tyrone Swoopes and Shane Buechele have performed well in the spring and in fall camp.

Gilbert did echo the thoughts of Charlie Strong at Strong'sMonday press conference, when the Texas head coach stated a decision had pretty much made who would start. But like Strong, Gilbert wasn't about to tip his hand. From the sound of things, one quarterback has separated from the other. I'll leave it up to you all to wager a guess as to who won the battle.

"Just about being consistent, being progressive, execute," Gilbert said of one quarterback's efforts to win the starting job. "It's like any offense, if you execute it at a high level and do it at a high level, then the majority of the time then you're the guy, you're the person who is going to be able to do it at the end of the day. We look for the same at every position, just as we do the quarterback position."

So apparently at least one QB has been executing at a high level ... well that's certainly a positive.

--- Perhaps the most interesting comment offered up by Gilbert was his declaration that they basically have a starter, and they're not planning to have a scheduled rotation. Charlie Strong said the same thing on Monday, but later followed it up with a comment that they could rotate in the non-starter fairly early in the game. Gilbert sounds like he's like to settle on one guy, and have that guy fully take charge and lead the way.

"We don't really view it as a two quarterback system. We're going to have a starter, then we'll go from there," Gilbert said.

--- When asked if Buechele picked up the offense faster than Swoopes because of Buechele's experience running a wide open offense in high school, Gilbert said playing in a spread probably did help, but added that with Swoopes having experience at collegiate level "they probably match up." ... "They've just done a great job, both of those guys, with their knowledge, with their learning, with their wisdom."

--- Should he be named the starter, Swoopes will have his share of skeptics after an up-and-down career at Texas, but Gilbert had high praise for his senior when asked about Swoopes' confidence level.

"He is a guy that walks around here with his chin up and his head held high. What he is, is a big, strong confident, great young man. That's what he is every day," Gilbert said. "When he comes in that meeting room, that's what we expect him to be. It's like I just told him a while ago, 'Be what you are every day when you get up, which is big, which is strong, which is confident, which is a great football player.' When he wakes up in the morning, that's what he is. When he shows up over here, that's what he is. When he goes to the classroom, that's what he is. Our expectations of him are high. His leadership, his experience, what his value to this football team is, is huge."

Are those the words of a coach trying to praise a veteran who has won the job? Or are they words of a coach trying to build up a senior who was beaten out for the top spot? Hard to say, but I'm sure there will be plenty of varying opinions.

--- With only five days remaining until the season-opener against Notre Dame, Gilbert seems comfortable and confident with where the offense is. He didn't want to put a number on how far along the team is with a full offensive installation, instead saying the only goal is to score more than the opponent, no matter how it gets done.

"I don't know if I'd put a percentage on it. At the end of the day, every time we get on the field, we'll do what it takes to win. You never know exactly what that is going to be each time you step on the field ... whatever it takes for us to have one more than they have, that's what we'll do," Gilbert said. "Our ultimate goal, we've obviously got a base of what we do and how we do it, and we're going to go out and do and execute those things and see what path that takes us down.

--- Gilbert said both Jerrod Heard and Kai Locksley "absolutely will contribute this fall" as wide receivers.

--- When asked if all the coaches were on the same page about the starting quarterback, Gilbert's response was simple: "100 percent."

--- Texas has had a rough go of it with offensive line injuries in fall camp. Center Zach Shackelford, tackle Tristan Nickelson and guard Patrick Vahe have all been recovering from ankle injuries. Gilbert mentioned that Nickelson and Shackelford got some reps on Tuesday. No mention of Vahe, which would seem to indicate he was held out of action.

Of note, I was talking to someone this week about the offensive line injuries, and a couple interesting points were brought up by a person close to the UT team.

If Shackelford is unable to go at center, having to start an inexperienced player like Jake McMillon may not be a huge setback. From the day he stepped foot on campus as a true freshman, McMillon has quietly earned rave reviews from his teammates behind the scenes for his strength and tenacity. Those traits could serve him well against a good Notre Dame front. As for making OL calls, one person told me that shouldn't be a problem since the schemes Texas is running aren't as complex as they have been in previous years, and on pass plays the quarterbacks will be releasing the ball much quicker.

On Vahe, him apparently not practicing on Tuesday isn't ideal, but he is a "veteran" at this stage, so it could be a case where the coaches are bringing him back slowly and he could be inserted late in the week without a lot of actual Notre Dame prep.

--- Gilbert will be on the field on Sunday. He said it's still undecided where the rest of the offensive staff will be.

--- Sunday will certainly be the biggest stage to date of Gilbert's young coaching career. He understands there is pressure on him to get the Texas offense on track, and he said he and the entire staff have been working towards this moment since the day he was hired.

"It's been on my shoulders since I got here. You just show up and just work. We've been counting those days down since we got here. Some people just started counting in the last week. We've been counting since we've been here," Gilbert said. "It's been about work since our feet hit the ground here. It's been about installing this offense. It's been about changing an attitude, getting our alignment with coach Strong and his core values, which is an equal alignment."

They've put in the work in the spring, the offseason and fall camp. Now it's time for coaches and players to execute.

"We'll roll out there with our guys, a prepared football team and excited football team that will be highly motivated," Gilbert said. "We'll come out there, it's those guys' jobs to go out and execute, it's those guys' jobs to go play. From the sideline, we'll just call it, and they'll ball it."

 

[twinkie13]

Chief, from today's presser. Wouldn't you work for this guy if he ran a business?

[FONT=&amp]• As a pair, we have the best two defensive ends in the country. They backed me up last year, and they'll do the same this year. They're outstanding young men and great players. They can play the run and rush the passer. I wouldn't trade them.[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]• When the guys enjoy playing football, they enjoy the process and the work. They're willing to prepare and study, so we love watching them have success. We have a lot of guys like that. Last year, we had a group of guys that were trying to figure out what to do. Now we have older guys that are teaching the younger guys. That's when you see a team and a defense grow. That's what Armani Watts is doing. He's tutoring them and getting them ready more quickly than they would without him.[/FONT]

no....lazy recruiter