18 Comments

  1. Travis

    I’ve noticed a lot of Longhorn fans/media getting really excited about Lil’Jordan for this upcoming year. What’s the main reason for the uptick? He’s obviously very talented, but why not more excited for a guy like Collin Johnson? Has Herman said something specific about Humphrey’s role in the offense? Did they change something later in the year that featured him more?

    • ianaboyd

      The talent is a major factor, obviously. He has absurd quicks (played RB at Southlake Carroll at 6-4) and so he’s really deadly running routes in the middle of the field, then he also has the size to basically play like a flex TE in addition to being fast. LJH is basically what Baylor is hoping Jalen Hurd can be.

      Last year LJH flashed and didn’t get featured as a part of a talented but young and immature WR corps that was constantly cycling guys in and out while simultaneously rotating the QBs. Now Ehlinger is entrenched (strongest when throwing over the middle) and Reggie Hemphill-Mapps is gone, solidifying LJH as THE GUY in the middle of the field at their featured H-back position (the Percy Harvin role).

      So you have:
      -LJH’s prodigious talent.
      -His usage in a role that is featured within this offensive scheme.
      -And then Ehlinger’s particular knack with throwing the routes he’ll be running as opposed to the outside fade routes where Collin Johnson excels but Ehlinger is still finding his range.

      • Travis

        All makes sense. Interestingly enough, Texas and Baylor’s top 3 WRs figure to be pretty similar. Great iso guys in Mims/Johnson, freak athlete inside hybrids in Humphrey/Hurd, and deep routes all day from Duvernay/Platt.

          • Micah

            Herman will always use a TE, even if he doesn’t really have one, they have bodies this year, we will see what happens

          • ianaboyd

            They have Andrew Beck back, I think he’ll stay on the field most of the time. Cade Brewer may be healthy in time for the season and he flashed a lot as a TE last year, was just too small still as a true freshman. They also have a RS freshman TE and a position change DL and then two more coming the next year. The TE is super important to their vision for the Texas offense, which is why they often played with one last year despite lacking good options.

  2. Philly Frog

    Seems like there are more tweeners than prototypes at every defensive position group nowdays. There’s a fair analogy to the Golden State era in the NBA.

    Thanks for pointing out some of the under-the-rock guys.

    Including Bethley, who frankly has a meaner attitude than does Blacklock. Guys like that are always worth the price of a ticket.

  3. System Poster

    Tech might wind up with the best offensive line in the conference next season. As you noted, Bruffy was solid last year as a true sophomore, even after contracting mono right before the season started, missing the first two or three games, and dropping 30 pounds. Anderson will be good again. Akomnonu, who was pretty good last year, is having to do everything he can to hold off redshirt freshman Dawson Deaton. Steele at right tackle, a major late bloomer, is finally starting to get used to his late growth spurt and is filling out strength wise. It wouldn’t surprise me to see three guys on the first and second all-big 12 team at the end of the season.

    It may not end up mattering in the big scheme of things becfause the uncertain quarterback situation and the lack of a really top tier running back.

  4. Will

    I think the WVU Oline is a bit underrated here, particularly at tackle. Out of curiousity, you had Josh Sills on the 2017 all Big 12 team at LG but omitted him here. Did your evaluation of him change or do you just like the new guys better?

    Very surprised to see no David Long. He’s been a standard on all Big-12 squads, Pro Football Focus loves him and SI had him as a top-40 player in the country. Is it because he doesn’t fit the classifications you have all that well or you aren’t as high on him as others?

    Fun read as always, thanks Ian.

    • ianaboyd

      I don’t remember what I liked about Sills after last year, maybe I just needed a LG. The WVU OL is all really solid across the board, like I said I’m planning on handling the OL a little more carefully on the postseason list.

      David Long is wildly overrated. He had a ton of TFL because they just fire him heedlessly into the backfield on the reg and seven of his 15.5 TFL came against OSU when they were mostly run over while another 2.5 (both sacks) came against Utah in the bowl game. He’s quick but he’s a good encapsulation of their all or nothing approach. Block him and he can be flattened or cleared out, fail to pick him up and he’s in your backfield running wild.

      I labeled him as a shock trooper that doesn’t bring any shock from physicality, only by surprise if he turns out somewhere you didn’t expect him. Benton was the better player.

      Thanks for reading!

  5. Aggie Rick

    I think there are 3-4 guys on this entire list that would see playing time on Commander Fisher’s team (outside of special teams).

    These guys just don’t have the size or toughness or to play SEC football. It takes a special kind of kid to play in the conference of champions.

    Whoop whoop!

    • G.V. Black

      Ha! At least we have safeties than can outrun our offensive linemen. Only aggy would stick their chest out about “We still get our ass whipped but at least it’s by better teams”.

  6. Larimore

    not a single mention of Kenneth Murray, a freshman all-american last year for OU. More homerism or other concerns?

    • ianaboyd

      Great athlete who isn’t being taught to play LB well.

      Watching 2011 OU LB play vs what has come since is jarring.

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