Texas Longhorns Football: 10 Benchmarks for Spring Progress
For virtually every supporter of the Texas Longhorns, 2010 is long gone, in more ways than one.
The ugly 5-7 mark is history. Greg Davis is a footnote on the Texas football annals. Will Muschamp's name doesn't ring with the same tune it once did. A complete overhaul of Mack Brown's coaching staff signaled a fresh start and new beginning for the Longhorns.
With spring football having just kicked off, every Texas fan is anxious for the latest news and notes from offseason practices, as they anticipate the journey back to the top of the Big 12.
With a horde of new coaches at the helm, and a fresh, hungry attitude for improvement, here are 10 benchmarks for the Longhorns' progress this spring.
Securing a Tight End
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One position that has ultimately proven to be a valuable component in Bryan Harsin's offense is a good tight end.
That is one area in which the Longhorns are plenty deep, but not necessarily with the best playmakers.
Over the past few seasons, Texas has had a multitude of players suit up for the spot, but hardly any have experienced the kind of success and production that Harsin may smile about.
Trey Graham and D.J. Grant are on the mend from injuries suffered last year, while Blaine Irby is back to full health after missing two seasons with a range of leg and foot problems.
Dominique Jones and Barrett Matthews have shown glimpses of their potential, but neither have completely put together the right package to be named the outright go-to guy.
This much is certain: the position is up in the air, and in Harsin's offense, it could be a critical spot.
Finding Depth at Defensive Tackle
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The Longhorns likely will use a 4-3 defensive scheme. For the purposes of conversation, the projected defensive line will have Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor at the ends with Kheeston Randall and he-who-has-yet-to-be-named lined up next to him on the interior.
For the second straight year, Texas has a huge question mark at defensive tackle.
Ashton Dorsey has apparently turned some heads, but there remains a slew of inexperienced young tackles with a heavy dose of uncertainty.
Taylor Bible showed tremendous promise out of high school, but conditioning may be a very limiting factor, and Calvin Howell was an Army All-American, but injury problems have halted his development as well.
Shoring up the depth at tackle could lend a hand to finding consistency and production in the front four of Manny Diaz's defensive scheme.
Finding Playmakers
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The fact that there were virtually no playmakers on either side of the football in 2010 is no secret to any Texas supporter.
Maybe it was a result of poor offensive schemes. Maybe it was because of injuries. Maybe it was simply because there were no playmakers.
For whatever reason, 2010 didn't pan out as far as explosive plays and game-changing performances were concerned. The 2011 season will be a whole lot different if a handful of guys can separate themselves from the pack and be the Jordan Shipley, the Earl Thomas, the Brian Orakpo (I reserve Vince Young because we all know he is an alien, and there are, as a matter of fact, no aliens currently enrolled at Texas), etc...
Bryan Harsin found multiple ways to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers on offense at Boise State. If he is who many think he is, expect similar developments in Austin, but with a much better talent pool.
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Discovering Leadership
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Coupled with the search for playmakers, the Longhorns were void of leadership that could have helped pull them through the rough chop of the 2010 season.
The obvious question here is: Would it have totally prevented the 5-7 finish? Maybe not.
Some leaders are vocal. Others lead by example, and there were hardly any instances of good examples last year.
Up and down, this Texas team is very young and very talented, but accountability fell short in 2010. Naturally, one would point to key position guys like Garrett Gilbert at quarterback or Blake Gideon at safety. But what philosophies will have to change to put guys like those two in a position to be good leaders?
Which young guys will step up? Will Mike Davis have a breakout season and help carry the offensive load? Will Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor take the reigns on the defensive line?
Youth is everywhere, and the opening for leaders is anyone's for the taking.
Finding the Right Answers at Quarterback
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The entire college football world knows of the immense shortcomings that Garrett Gilbert experienced last year. But was it a result of inexperience, being his first season as the Horns' signal caller? Was it a lack of development throughout the season? Was it poor game planning? All of the above?
Whatever the answer was, Mack Brown surely is having none of that this year.
Gilbert is the likely candidate to return as the Longhorns' starting quarterback for the 2011 campaign, but redshirt freshman Connor Wood and true freshman David Ash have flashed some potential this spring.
Perhaps implementing an offense that is tailored to Texas' personnel will aid in getting the right pieces to fall at quarterback. But for now, it seems like it's Gilbert's job to lose.
Establish Offensive Identity
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The Texas offense sputtered last season, to say the least.
Not enough playmakers, poor play calling, poor play out of critical positions, untimely mistakes and turnovers led to major inconsistency on offense as the Horns weren't able to establish an identity or a go-to option when the game went south.
Finding that bread and butter, whether it be pounding the rock with Malcolm Brown when he arrives on campus or simply the effects of mass confusion with Bryan Harsin's multiple-look offense, may help right a Texas offense that was anything but stable last year.
Getting the ball in the hands of the right personnel will go a long way towards finding an identity.
Understanding New Offensive and Defensive Flavors
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Mack Brown cleaned house during the offseason, bringing in a laundry list of new coaches to help right the ship from an abysmal showing in 2010.
Most notably, offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin and defensive coordinator Manny Diaz were brought on board to shake up the playbook and freshen the minds of the Texas players.
But new staff means new schemes, and new schemes means a thorough learning process.
Both Harsin and Diaz were very successful with their previous programs, and manufacturing that same production with the Longhorns will go a long way towards recapturing their place among college football's elite.
Strength and Conditioning
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Many times throughout the 2010 season, the Longhorns simply looked outmatched physically, and it prompted a change with the program's strength-and-conditioning plan. Jeff "Mad Dog" Madden (left) was ousted, though not from the program, and in comes Bennie Wylie (middle) from Tennessee.
Will the fresh philosophy from Wylie's program change how the Longhorns tackle the 2011 season?
Much of how the players can execute the new offensive and defensive schemes will depend on how well they can utilize their bodies to the fullest extent.
It is all very much a chain of interdependent components. If the Horns can improve in one area, it will likely impact the effectiveness of another.
Answers on the Offensive Line
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Texas is supremely thin with bodies and experience at virtually every spot on the offensive line.
Mack Brown's staff spent the 2010 offseason trying to implement a power-running game, but the linemen he had at his disposal were unable to properly execute the necessary schemes and movements to make such an offense work effectively.
A year later, another new offense is being implemented, and those same questions concerning the execution of blocking schemes will arise.
The Longhorns have just one lineman on scholarship, Tray Allen, who has consistently battled injuries throughout his career in Austin. Meanwhile, Mason Walters, who will be a junior come the 2011 season, is the only lineman who received a fair share of time on the field.
The Horns have a fabulous offensive line class coming in this fall, but to realistically expect true freshmen to arrive on campus and contribute early is a pipe dream.
While the offensive line may hold the key to a successful season in 2011, it represents one of the biggest question marks this spring.
A Backup Plan Should Malcolm Brown Flop
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Knock on wood.
Almost everyone must have heard by now that incoming freshman Malcolm Brown is the surest of all newcomers in Texas' 2011 recruiting class, a 99.99-percent sure thing (like Germ-X). But for that 00.01-percent chance Brown isn't all that he is hyped up to be, what next?
By no means should Fozzy Whittaker or Cody Johnson take hikes, and they probably won't. If the likes of Whittaker and Johnson, along with Traylon Shead, Chris Whaley and D.J. Monroe, are all improving under the new offense that Bryan Harsin has laid out, that will make for a nice Tempur-Pedic cushion should Brown bust.
Knock on wood.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
