Tag: Hook Em

How Hot Is Shaka Smart’s Seat?

In the fifth season under Shaka Smart, is the seat warming up for the Texas Longhorns men’s basketball coach?

This is the fifth year that Texas Longhorns men’s basketball coach Shaka Smart has been the man in charge in Austin. After winning over 70 percent of his games at Virginia Commonwealth University, the thought was that Smart could bring some of his March Madness magic to Austin.

A team that hasn’t had much success in the tournament since Rick Barnes led the Longhorns to the Sweet 16 or better five times during his tenure. For any college coach, they should get at least four to five seasons to get their program in place. In the beginning using players that were recruiting by their predecessor.

With this being the fifth year under Smart, this is his team. For a program that has seen success, it has to be increasingly frustrating to see a team that seems to be regressing rather than improving as time has gone by. After two tournament invites, the Longhorns were invited to the NIT tournament that Smart was able to win but with the start of Big 12 play, how hot is the seat for Smart?

Increasingly. For Smart to remain in the cards for the future, he needs be better than 8-10 in conference play as the team finished the last two seasons after falling to 4-14 in 2016. Even though Smart is under contract through the 2023 season, will that be enough of a deterrent to keep him in Austin without a positive showing throughout the remainder of 2019-2020 basketball season.

2020 Texas Longhorns Profile: Brennan Eagles

In 2020 the Texas Longhorns wide receiver Brennan Eagles will be looking to lead the offense.

In 2020 the Texas Longhorns offense will have a different look on the outside without Collin Johnson. The player who stepped up in his absence will be looking to be the man next season. Brennan Eagles was a four-star recruit out of Houston, Texas. Eagles had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and Clemson among others but chose to stay home with the Longhorns.

The former participant in the US Army All-American Bowl, is a big bodied receiver who can use his frame in a similar fashion to Johnson. Eagles can block out smaller defenders much like he is going up for a rebound. At 6’4″ he is a prime red zone target who can get up and snag the ball over defenders. Eagles is able to catch passes outside of his from with a huge catch radius, that makes him a weapon for quarterback Sam Ehlinger.

Given his size, his agility is a bit of a surprise for receivers his size. He can create separation beyond the line of scrimmage, if defenders lose track of Eagles he will make you pay down the field. Just ask Oklahoma State how true that is.

Eagles has played 11 games in each of the last two seasons, starting six games this past season due to injuries to Johnson. Going into 2020, expect Brennan Eagles to get more passes his way with no Devin Duvernay to lead the way. He finished third on the team in yards (522) with a 16.3 yards per reception average and six touchdowns (second on team).

With a huge season on the horizon for Brennan Eagles, he could be another Longhorn who will be on the radar for NFL scouts heading into his junior year.

2020 Texas Longhorns Profile: Jake Smith

Texas Longhorns will be looking to replace Devin Duvernay in 2020, could Jake Smith be up to the task?

The Texas Longhorns will be looking for a new slot receiver in 2020. Jake Smith has entered the conversation. Smith finished a freshman season as the team’s fourth-leading receiver in yards and second in touchdowns. He tied with Brennan Eagles with six touchdowns. Smith appeared in nine games for the Longhorns.

Jake Smith will likely be first in line to fill the void left by Devin Duvernay. Smith has quickness off the line and in the open field, he can be a handful. Smith can win off the line anywhere on the field, he also has experience as a ball carrier during his high school career. The former Gatorade Player of the Year is a dynamic option for the Longhorns offense.

Off the snap, he shows ability to create separation with quick footwork and his shiftiness. Not someone who is an easy cover for opposing defenders. He can win with underneath routes and attacking defenses up the seams. With his acceleration, Smith is a a player who can take a simple pass underneath and make a house call. He puts pressure on defenses to make plays in the open field.

Smith is as reliable as they come with his ability to come down with the ball in difficult situations. Smith gained valuable experience during the 2019 season and already has a rapport with quarterback Sam Ehlinger. With both being on the same page, expect for Smith to be one of the top two receivers for Texas in 2020.

 

Former Longhorn kicker named First-Team All Pro

The former Longhorn kicker has now been selected to five All Pro teams.

An incredibly consistent kicker for the Texas Longhorns in 2010 and 2011, Justin Tucker never seemed to miss a beat while beginning his professional career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2012. The same kicker the city of Austin, TX confidently enjoyed watching quickly became an indispensable player for the Ravens.

Receiving an All Pro selection is a prestigious reward that isn’t taken lightly around the league. Tucker is almost as consistent with All Pro selections as he is on the field. Since entering the league, the former Longhorn has been selected to five All Pro teams, four being First-Team selections.

According to ESPN Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley, Tucker was selected by a comfortable margin.

The National Football League uses press organizations such as Associated Press (AP) and Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) to select the best player at each position during that respective season.

Tucker has made 28 of 29 field goals and 57 of 59 extra points for the Ravens in 2019. This marks his second-highest season percentage of ninety-six percent.

Former Longhorn Kenny Vaccaro Looking For Redemption

Former Texas Longhorns safety Kenny Vaccaro is looking to spoil a couple NFL record chasing performances.

The former Texas Longhorns and New Orleans Saints safety is looking to spoil the party in Nashville. Playoff implications are all over this matchup. Saints are trying to keep pace so they can get a first-round bye and host a playoff game in the divisional round. The Titans on the other hand are looking to get to the playoffs in a tight battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the final wild card spot.

Vaccaro spent his first five seasons in the league with New Orleans but wasn’t re-signed and he eventually ended up in Tennessee. The former Longhorn is looking to help prevent history today for the Saints. Drew Brees needs four straight completions to set the NFL record for most consecutive completions at 26.

“He showed me that you could be a great player and still be a great dad,” Vaccaro said. “He’s the best player I’ve ever been around. He’s the most detailed player. I remember seeing him in the locker room before games going through the 15-play script by himself. He’d go through the calls and the checks in his head. He’d sit down and look at the script, and he’s going through what’s going to happen and transpire in the game. He’s just the model player.” –Kenny Vaccaro on Drew Brees via ESPN

The other big potential record is with Michael Thomas chasing Marvin Harrison’s NFL record for receptions in a single season. With how Thomas has played this year the record being broken seems like a foregone conclusion. Vaccaro is looking to make sure that his former teammate doesn’t set a new record against his defense.

The Saints and Titans will kickoff at Noon central time on Fox.

2020 NFL Draft: Collin Johnson Scouting Profile

Collin Johnson will be making the jump to the NFL next season so how does his game stack up?

Collin Johnson WR Texas

Height: 6-6

Weight: 220

College Bio

College Stats

Collin Johnson is the third senior Longhorn that is profiled heading into the Senior Bowl and the NFL Draft. Johnson joins Devin Duvernay and Brandon Jones as seniors that will make the trip to Mobile, Alabama to work with NFL staffs for the Senior Bowl. Collin is looking to finish out his Longhorns career in the Valero Alamo Bowl against the Utah Utes on December 31st.

Strength

Collin Johnson stands out on the football field, not exactly difficult when you stand 6’6″. Johnson can be a weapon when teams get into the redzone as he towers over the defenders and he is a prime candidate to go up and get the ball at its highest catch point. Johnson can be the endzone fade mismatch when going towards the corner, basically put it up high where only he can get it.

His catch radius is probably his best asset, get the ball near Johnson and more often than not he is going to get the ball. The Longhorns’ wide receiver can make the circus level catches with some of the best hands at the position. He can make a name for himself at the next level with his ability to find a way to bring it down.

Weaknesses

Despite how he is able to catch the ball, Johnson provides no separation when running routes. For a player as tall as him, Collin Johnson hasn’t shown the ability to run by defenders so he will rely more on technique at the NFL level rather than athleticism. Looks very stiff when trying to change direction and coming in and out of breaks.

At times he struggles with dealing with physical corners who jam him at the line, not able to make up ground with less than ideal speed. Johnson does better with short or intermediate routes than he does on deep breaking routes. Relies more on his ability to catch passes over the top of defenders due to his size.

Bottom Line

Collin Johnson will get his opportunity to make the jump but he needs to become more refined in his route running due to lack of athleticism. He will find a role in the NFL due to his ability to catch anything near him.

Projection: Late Day Two, Early Day Three 

Former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer flashes ‘Horns Up’

Former Sooner coach Barry Switzer tweeted out a picture of him giving the Horns up signal. Getting car help, a UT grad was there to assist.

Everybody, even former head football coaches from Oklahoma, eventually figures out the right side of the Texas-Oklahoma rivalry. Former Sooner head coach Barry Switzer tweeted out a picture of him and a University of Texas graduate giving the ‘Horns up’ signal after he helped him on the side of the road.

Switzer’s tire had blown out on the side of I-40 and UT graduate Franciso De Soto was there to assist him. De Soto may not have known who Switzer was or what his old job was, but he was glad to assist with his tire during rush hour.

Here is the tweet:

Switzer is famous for wearing a “Beat Texas” hat on the sideline in the 1984 Red River Shootout. The Sooners were not able to pull out a victory that year, as the two teams tied 15-15. With a career record of 9-5-2 against the Longhorns, Switzer saw success in the annual matchup in Dallas.

While it may not be what Oklahoma fans want to see, Texas fans will forever have something fun at their expense. One of the greatest head coaches to ever work for the Sooners giving a ‘Horn Up’ instead of a ‘Horns Down’ is quite the sight to see.

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Texas Longhorn Men’s Basketball Team Improves to 9-1

The Texas Longhorns took care of business at the Frank Erwin Center with a second half surge against Central Michigan.

It was Star Wars Day at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas as the Longhorns (8-1) hosted the Central Michigan Chippewas (7-3). Early on for the Longhorns it didn’t appear that things would be going their way as they went into the half down 42-36.

In this matchup the Longhorns were led by Courtney Ramey who had his best three ball working on the season, heading into the game he was shooting 23% from behind the line. He stepped up his game shooting 60% on five shots. The Longhorns relied heavily on their three point shooting to come from behind early in the second half. Ramey provided 20 points in 31 minutes.

The man of the day was definitely Jase Febres, who was on fire from three. He attempted 10 shots with seven of them finding the bottom of the net. On the season Febres was shooting 32.9% from three and 34.8% in his collegiate career but was able to find the stroke in this game. The Longhorns lived by the three and fortunately enough they didn’t die by it.

Jase not only made his mark with pinpoint shooting but he was getting involved on the glass with three rebounds, one assist and one steal. Matt Coleman III was the glass cleaner in this game with seven boards to lead all the starters. Royce Hamm Jr  came off the bench to grab a game high 12 boards and one block in 16 minutes. The Longhorns ran away with it in the second half outscoring Central Michigan, 51-34 to secure their ninth win overall and keeping their record perfect at home.

Texas was able to hold the nation’s top scoring offense to just 76 points which is 12.7 points less than their per game average. Next up for the Longhorns will be a matchup in Providence next Saturday.