OT: Here is the problem with Texas

[ShotgunDawg]

Not sure anyone cares, but I live in Texas, follow the Longhorns to some degree, have friends that are Longhorns, and have some feel and understanding of what their problem is.

In order to help you understand the problem, I'm going to make an off the wall the analogy that I hope you can understand. So bear with me.

If you've ever traveled to Central or South America, you begin to realize that fruit hangs from the trees, animals run wild, pretty much anything grows that you place in the ground, the land is gorgeous, and the temperature never gets below 70. You also begin to realize that, because of these "natural" advantages, life has always been easy. Why innovate and bust your ass farming when fruit grows from the trees? Why develop a workable society when there is plenty of food and nobody struggles to eat?

The point is that, historically, many 3rd world countries are 3rd world because life was just too damn easy there, and, because of that, there was little incentive to adapt, innovate, come together for the common good, and generally build a more successful society.

This is where Texas is as a program. Life is too easy. Why go compete with Alabama for the # 1 recruit when the #5 recruit comes from a Texas high school and is knocking down your door to come to Texas? Why go recruit against LSU for a Houston WR when a kid, who is highly ranked, because his last name is Shipley, is dying to play at Texas?

The point is that Texas is lazy. Iron sharpens Iron, and, because their local area produces so much refined talent, they are too lazy to fight the big boys for the elite of the elite players.

The fall of Rome is also a good analogy to Texas. Most of all, the Roman empire fell out of laziness that was caused by an elitist attitude and unwillingness to grind tooth and nail to be the best.

In comparison to Alabama, the State of Alabama doesn't produce enough players, in itself, to sustain Alabama as a national power in football. Therefore, in order for Alabama to be what they are, they have had to fight and engage in recruiting battles in most States around the country. Every year, Alabama has to go head to head with UGA for a player in Georgia, head to head with Florida for top players in FL, they go after top players in CA, Texas, etc. and because of this, Alabama continuously sharpens its iron against other powers when they invade their state to recruit.

Texas doesn't do this and therefore has become lazy and entitled.

IMO, if Texas wants to get back to being TEXAS, they have got to start engaging in major recruiting battles outside their state against Alabama, UGA, LSU, etc. If for no other reason then for the exercise and practice of continuing to compete and challenge yourself against the best. Texas can and will always get, for the most part, who they want out of Texas, but if they want to get back to where they belong, they must step out of their comfort zone. By doing this, they would sharpen their iron, maintain a sense of hunger and humbleness, and get a few more good players.

[Original48]

Reading this I can't help but draw comparisons to Polk. You should WANT to come here and if I have to sell it then to hell with you.

[ShotgunDawg]

Reading this I can't help but draw comparisons to Polk. You should WANT to come here and if I have to sell it then to hell with you.

Very similar issue

[Political Hack]

Texas and the Big 12 will die together. They've hitched their wagons and their fate will be the same. The SEC bowl deals with them may be their only saving grace at this point.

Personally I think we should went with the ACC. If the SEC and ACC ever join forces, the rest of college football can kiss it goodbye.

[dawg21]

Texas is a perfect example being very poor at evaluating talent. They do not have very good football players. Most of their players peaked in HS, in a state that where HS football is incredible and players are well coached from birth. Kid looks good in HS, but doesn't have the talent to take it to the next level.

And I also agree with you, lazy.

[KB21]

There may be several high profile jobs open after this season. You have to think Boom Muschamp is on the hot seat at Florida. Mack Brown is all but out at Texas. Lane Kiffin will be out at USC.

[Goat Holder]

I see what you're getting at, but I think it's more MACK BROWN than anything. Get the right guy in there, and Texas explodes again. I disagree that they have to go outside their state, they just have to go out and get the guys IN their state. Brown is MOST DEFINITELY recruiting lazily. But if you get a guy like James Franklin or Bobby Petrino in there, no longer will the RG3s, LaMichael James and Johnny Footballs go elsewhere.

When they get rolled by other Big 12 teams, things will start to spin.

Look at last year, they top guys in Texas are going to A&M, Alabama and Oklahoma! THAT is the reason Texas sucks, ultimately.

[ShotgunDawg]

I see what you're getting at, but I think it's more MACK BROWN than anything. Get the right guy in there, and Texas explodes again. I disagree that they have to go outside their state, they just have to go out and get the guys IN their state. Brown is MOST DEFINITELY recruiting lazily. But if you get a guy like James Franklin or Bobby Petrino in there, no longer will the RG3s, LaMichael James and Johnny Footballs go elsewhere.

When they get rolled by other Big 12 teams, things will start to spin.

Look at last year, they top guys in Texas are going to A&M, Alabama and Oklahoma! THAT is the reason Texas sucks, ultimately.

Your correct, Mack is a big part of the problem, but, outside of Darrell Royal in the 60s, Mack is really the only guy thats had major success. The point is that it isn't just a Mack thing, it is an organizational wide epidemic of laziness that has caused this and its been going on for the better part of the last 60 years. We just realize it more now because of social media, more coverage on college football, and the money involved.

[TheRef]

Mack Brown today says that Texas has "Better players than we have production".

[biscuit]

Texas sucks

[ckDOG]

Mack Brown today says that Texas has "Better players than we have production".

That's football!

[SheltonChoked]

I disagree on one minor point. I don't think Texas is bad, becasue they are not getting the best players. Texas is bad becasue they don't make the players work hard enough. They do not develop players, they plug them into where they think they should be ( i.e., RGIII, Manziel, the FSU QB recruited to play Safety) They have elite talent. They dont make it better.

[ShotgunDawg]

I disagree on one minor point. I don't think Texas is bad, becasue they are not getting the best players. Texas is bad becasue they don't make the players work hard enough. They do not develop players, they plug them into where they think they should be ( i.e., RGIII, Manziel, the FSU QB recruited to play Safety) They have elite talent. They dont make it better.

I disagree, watch Texas this weekend, and tell me that they have Alabama, UGA, and LSU talent. Their QBs would barely start for us, Shipley is their best receiver and he is nothing more than a minor NFL prospect. I didn't say they have bad talent, but their talent, on the whole, is nowhere close to Bama, LSU, and UGA and there is really no logical reason why is shouldn't be.

[slickdawg]

But but but but but but

Texas has the #3 class for 2014 according to Scout
#23 in 2013 with 1 5*
#1 in 2012 with 5 5*'s
#3 in 2011 with 4 5*'s
#3 in 2010 with 6 5*'s

So they should have 15-16 5*'s playing this year.

[ShotgunDawg]

But but but but but but

Texas has the #3 class for 2014 according to Scout
#23 in 2013 with 1 5*
#1 in 2012 with 5 5*'s
#3 in 2011 with 4 5*'s
#3 in 2010 with 6 5*'s

So they should have 15-16 5*'s playing this year.

Good chart. I guess the only way to explain it is that Texas high school players are overrated and tough to evaluate, especially at the top. I trust my eyes, and my eyes didn't see LSU, Bama, and UGA type talent on the field for Texas.

I mean, how does TEXAS end up with Case McCoy as their backup QB? We have 3 QBs on our roster that are better than that guy. Jackson Shipley is very very average.

Its hard to explain outside of laziness and terrible evaluation of talent.

[TUSK]

Saban made Texas' ass quit.

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/2010/writers/andy_staples/01/08/mccoy-texas/colt_mccoy-p1.jpg

[maroonmania]

Reading this I can't help but draw comparisons to Polk. You should WANT to come here and if I have to sell it then to hell with you.

The only difference I can see is that in building the program Polk went out of state and fought those recruiting battles (Clark, Palmeiro, Brantley, etc.) to mix in with the Mississippi guys. At some point though, mostly due to the losses to the MLB draft, Polk gave up on going out and fighting for upper echelon baseball talent and decided he was OK to just ride on his laurels and not really have a NC level baseball program but rather have a "nice" program that also allowed him time to fight against the evils of the NCAA.

[maroonmania]

Good chart. I guess the only way to explain it is that Texas high school players are overrated and tough to evaluate, especially at the top. I trust my eyes, and my eyes didn't see LSU, Bama, and UGA type talent on the field for Texas.

I mean, how does TEXAS end up with Case McCoy as their backup QB? We have 3 QBs on our roster that are better than that guy. Jackson Shipley is very very average.

Its hard to explain outside of laziness and terrible evaluation of talent.

I do believe Texas talent is overrated in general, at least it has been for the recruits we've gotten. Hopefully Fred Ross turns out to be a great one but I remember guys like Kyle York and Marvin Byrdsong that were flops (Sean was OK). Archie Muniz hasn't done much for us yet either. John Hilliard ended up being a good player his last couple of years so he is probably the best of what we've gotten from TX over the past couple of decades. Also, I'm thinking Willie Blade may have been from TX but we got him from JUCO. And maybe there are others but they aren't coming to mind.

[ShotgunDawg]

I do believe Texas talent is overrated in general, at least it has been for the recruits we've gotten. Hopefully Fred Ross turns out to be a great one but I remember guys like Kyle York and Marvin Byrdsong that were flops (Sean was OK). Archie Muniz hasn't done much for us yet either. John Hilliard ended up being a good player his last couple of years so he is probably the best of what we've gotten from TX over the past couple of decades. Also, I'm thinking Willie Blade may have been from TX but we got him from JUCO. And maybe there are others but they aren't coming to mind.

This is true, but at the same time we can't forget that Texas didn't want Luck, RG3, and Manziel, and all those players are from Texas. Therefore, I'm not sure that Texas high school football is overrated as much as its really hard to evaluate because most of the players are polished and therefore the best ones don't always stand out.

[Drugdog]

Another point:
The Texas players had very little muscle definition. Look at the video. Very few players were "ripped". Our players you can tell have been hitting the weights hard. Again they are Lazy.

[Todd4State]

Also, Andrew Luck was from Houston. If they had gotten him, who knows? They certainly have underachieved through the years.

They should be able to get guys like McCoy and Shipley to walk-on.

[SheltonChoked]

It's development. That's why all those 5* look so bad.

[Goat Holder]

Good point Todd, Luck is another big one they lost.

Texas I think runs some people off with their aura. See Eric Dickerson in Pony Excess: "I hated Texas". They are Ole Miss on steroids. I personally think they just got lucky with Vince Young.