This is what should give all who are gnashing teeth some solace. Nobody on the schedule will have a front as good as the one these guys work against daily. Only UGA and OSU will run out a group equivalent to Texas' 2nd unit. There will be hiccups because live fire is just different, but the group will be capable - thanks, in part, to having dealt with a possibly generational group since Spring.
This is the biggest piece, IMO. We saw Quinn deliver the ball too early, self-sack or worse multiple times once DC's wised up and attacked Wisner with cross-dog & green dog blitzes last year. Tre is a willing blocker, but didn't always pick up the right guy or have enough body to be effective in the pickup. Beyond the sacks and rushed throws, it seemed Quinn stopped trusting that part of the protection, even when the block was made satisfactorily. Giving Arch that extra half second and the belief that he can stand in there opens up the playbook even more.
I like KJ Edwards a whole bunch. Was stoked to hear that Texas was still on him and that he reciprocated interest. Kinda bummed to hear otherwise, he's got track speed that shows on the field. I'm sure there are all types of moving parts that inform the "why" on this being a one back class - but running back is a position that a team can get thin at pretty quickly. Don't have to look far to find it play out (Texas 2019 and 2024). First world problem, I guess.
I’d consider them a powerhouse now. They can line up with most everybody. The kids just aren’t workers or as disciplined as they were with Coach Aymond. I got to meet Coach Kay, and he seems like a serious guy, but the kids didn’t work after they left him. When Joe, Ced Cormier, Tiki Hardeman and Gurode were there, those kids were dogs.
My guy. He moved up to the Metroplex a couple years ago, but North Shore had been trying to get him back around their program in some capacity. I don't think he even believed that his presence could really help the culture over there. When Joe was there both as a player and coach, they were churning out guys who were very productive college and pro players. Not so much anymore.
Kids love Austin. Kids also love Baton Rouge. I know this can be hard to fathom if you've ever spent any amount of time in BR or Tallahassee, but Black kids age 18-23 fall in love with both fairly quickly. They get most/all of the benefits of playing big time football, and they do it in close proximity to Southern and FAMU, respectively. Kids choosing aggy, I find harder to explain away - the NIL and gold Trans Ams probably move the needle a bit.
Texas is gonna beat ou like a piñata for the for the foreseeable future. Where Kreul ends up won’t have bearing on that immutable truth. Buuuut, if he decides ou, the laws of the Universe dictate that he’ll be a pesky lil shit and have good games against Texas for the next few years. Three sacks, a fumble recovery and fourteen “Horns down” in a 38-17 loss type shit.
He's a good kid. He trains with kids from Manvel, Shadow Creek and Ridge Point who are all good ballplayers and his long speed doesn't translate to the field the same way theirs does. I think if Texas went his direction, it could end up as a good take because kids get better at the technical aspects of football all the time - but also want to level set the expectations a bit. I've seen him catching balls from Kyron Drones and he still didn't look ready for Texas.
Absolutely true re: ability to "post" or shock and shed an OT. That said, there have been so many really good DE's who weren't necessarily "long" that I don't know if I'd value it the way some personnel departments have begun to in recent years. I still like speed over any other measurable on a football field - I think more plays are made by good feet than anything else. Texas specifically has had players in that 6'2 - 6'3 range rush at a high level and be more than serviceable against the run (Orakpo, Sergio, Robison, Simmons). You're also right about that room being really stacked. Not a position of need at the current time, but I kind of admire the type of kid who will commit to a room knowing that it's full of NFL guys. And fuck OU
Star rankings are tough for me, but I really like Kruel's tape. He didn't seem to fit what the staff had been recruiting at EDGE from a measurables perspective, so I didn't know if they were forcing a fit there. With the news that they've spun Spence down from LB, it looks like Clark and Baker may not be as seemingly rigid around height/wingspan at that spot (which I like). If the guy can rush the passer at a high level while also setting an adequate edge against gap schemes and rush inside on the ET twists and games, I don't really give a shit how long his arms are - I'd sacrifice a couple batted balls for QB disruption in the backfield.
That pep talk was painful to watch. Cringe worthy. Looked like coach didn't want to be doing it, and only half believed in it. Had the smile pasted on his face, all while knowing there was a fairly good chance Bert would go full Bert right there. I'm sure Sark didn't know WTF to do at that time though - was worth a shot, I guess.
Special Teams and clock management (which go hand in hand). Team can't afford to fall asleep in "punt safe" situations and give up big first downs on a fake during an obvious fake situation. Had a critical punt block whiff and penalty to prolong a drive in the playoffs also. Play was made going balls out, so it's understandable, but the margin of victory gets tight against good clubs. Need to be able to trust a punter to flip the field. Most importantly IMO need to be able to trust that Shipley can get you three reliably from 48 or so in. Sark gets to call third down differently when he's calling it to get past the chains, rather than to get into 4th and makeable. Shipley's made a ton of kicks, but never in an environment like Columbus.
You guys pointed out the obvious concerns re: time under tension for the OL and even Arch. For whatever reason, I just believe they'll be good enough this year. But this defense... This defense is set up to wreck shit and I'm really excited to see it. I try to be objective and not a prisoner of the moment, but this group should be markedly better than last year. If so, it'll be one of the great units in this era of CFB. In short, all the hype is justified for the team as a whole. National Championship level team. I want to call in every favor just to watch them work at practice - this camp will be legendary if they're wired correctly (which everyone says they are).
They list Kruel at 6’1 230 - so somewhere between 5’10 and 6’1. Not saying it won’t work, only that his athleticism would have to be elite to play with a hand down, even as a DPR (I really hate that coneptually, for whatever that’s worth).
Kruel looks to have really good get off, but his body composition is a real departure from what Texas seems to like on the outside. Would help the recruiting rankings and cause some ou heartburn, but probably goes the way of 2024 Justice Finkley on the field for the foreseeable future. That EDGE room is salty right now.
Texas is set to sign the composite #1 players in California and Georgia to go along with 1 & 2 in Florida. Great time to be a fan, this run is going to be special.
Hotdamn a bear. I really like defense, so I just came a lil' bit. All this while Sark is at SEC media days like a mob boss calling a hit while he's out of town somewhere.
I like ball, and I like to talk ball, so I always knew disrupting the passer and speeding up his clock was important. Cause a few errant/early throws, and just fuck with him in general. But then I watched the David Ash interview on 3rd and Longhorn - he said that there were times he got so shook that he couldn't see or process anything. His mind just went blank. If you look at D Line/EDGE/OLB recruiting the last three cycles, there's gonna be a lot of QB's who go blank in the coming years. Fuck em' all very much and cheers to the 50 sack & 25 interception seasons this defense will be putting up. This would be a dream defense to play DB in.
Took my kids to work out with a group that included Chris yesterday. I'm trying to remain objective, but I do think he's much better than that ranking. What really shocked me was Carter (his brother). Kid has been working and is looking like a player. Actually looks better than Cobey Sellers did at this time last year. After the Yaheim Riley take, I doubt he could play himself into an offer, but I wouldn't be shocked if the season shook out that way.