Tag: Kyle Flood

Texas LT Kelvin Banks is best recruiting pitch for OL coach Kyle Flood

There’s no better place for a freshman lineman than with Kyle Flood at Texas.

There is no better recruiting pitch for offensive line coach Kyle Flood than simply stating two words: Kelvin Banks.

The Texas left tackle has become one of the most integral and best players on the roster after one season on the team. At his worst, Banks has been an effective pass blocker. At his best, he’s been elite.

Pro Football Focus put into perspective just how dominant the second-year tackle was last season. In 456 pass blocking snaps, Banks allowed just one quarterback hit. We’re not talking about sacks. We’re talking about the player lined up across from Kelvin simply getting to the quarterback.

The recruiting pitch for Kyle Flood to this year’s recruiting class of linemen is fairly straightforward: If you’re truly an elite tackle like Kelvin Banks, we’ll find a way to fast track you to stardom.

Banks is set to compete for an All-American nomination as a sophomore and work toward becoming a Top 10 pick in the NFL Draft after his junior season. Should he do that, the Longhorns should be set up for recruiting success for years to come.

Dave Brock’s NFL experience is shaping his new role with Rutgers football

A strong coaching resume in the NFL now sets Dave Brock up for his new experience with Rutgers football.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The challenge is certainly a big one for Dave Brock, this as the Rutgers football wide receivers coach is working his way through his first spring practice back with the program.

At Rutgers, Brock is faced with the task of rebuilding a wide receivers room that lost its top three statistical producers last season. And while there is some talent among the group, it is largely unproven, at least at the Big Ten level.

Brock, who served as the Rutgers offensive coordinator in 2012 under then head coach [autotag]Kyle Flood[/autotag], joins a revamped offensive staff under head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag]. His friendship with offensive coordinator [autotag]Kirk Ciarrocca[/autotag] predates their time here at Rutgers when they were both on staff at Western Connecticut State nearly three decades ago.

“I think I have a unique relationship with Kirk Ciarrocca and he and I worked together too long ago to probably say and then you know, we had had a conversation really a couple of years ago and man, wouldn’t it be a really cool situation to have an opportunity to work together again?” Brock said on Tuesday.

“And then, you know, again, this opportunity came up, and I jumped at it. You know, I was really excited. I have an incredible amount of respect for coach Schiano. I’ve known him for a long time, kind of through other people, coached against him a bunch which is challenging, and, you know, the opportunity to be here and work under him with Kirk. You know, just an opportunity too good to pass up.”

Since his time at Western Connecticut State, Brock has certainly gained some impressive experience on his resume. After his season with Rutgers where he was their offensive coordinator, Brock spent four years at Delaware as their head coach.

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He then moved to the NFL for five years with the Atlanta Falcons, spending the 2019 season as a running backs coach. Midway through that season, he moved to wide receivers coach which is the post he held until 2021.

Now, he is back with the Scarlet Knights and a program that is very different than the one he left over a decade ago.

In his 11 years away from Rutgers, the program has changed plenty, from now playing in the Big Ten to vastly improved facilities. But Brock has changed as well.

His time as a college head coach and then his five years in the NFL with the Falcons helped him develop and grow as a coach.

“I hope experience and kind of the opportunity to share those experiences,” Brock said of what he learned during his five years in the NFL as an assistant coach. “You know, I think one of the things that players enjoy hearing is, ‘Hey, this is exactly how X, Y or Z did something. This is what it will look like if you’re able to do it this way’.”

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Why Holmon Wiggins and Ra’Shaad Samples would both be good hires for Texas WR coach

Can Texas really go wrong with Holmon Wiggins or Ra’Shaad Samples?

Holmon Wiggins are Ra’Shaad Samples each are linked as top targets for the Texas wide receiver coach opening. In my estimation, both would be huge wins for Texas. Continue reading “Why Holmon Wiggins and Ra’Shaad Samples would both be good hires for Texas WR coach”

WATCH: 2023 class represents Texas in the All-American Bowl

Texas is loaded with All-American talent.

Texas football has plenty to look forward to in the next few seasons. Five players, some of which might make an impact right away at Texas, took the field for the All-American Bowl on Saturday after sending six signees to the All-American Game.

Anthony Hill, Ryan Niblett, Payton Kirkland, S’maje Burrell and Tausili Akana represented the Longhorns 2023 class in the game. The group of players should play a crucial role for the team over the next four seasons. Four-star athlete Jelani McDonald also announced his commitment to Texas while at the game.

Hill, Akana and Burrell represent part of one of the best linebacker classes Texas has assembled in recent memory. Given the departures of DeMarvion Overshown and Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey, the class is much needed for depth and playing time.

Niblett and Kirkland continue the encouraging recruiting trends at their respective positions. Past coaches recruited bigger, slower receivers and smaller, quicker linemen. Texas is doing the opposite.

Niblett brings elite speed to Texas, while Kirkland is the big, imposing human that Kyle Flood looks for up front.

Here’s a look at the players that took the field for Texas in the game.

Texas OL Kelvin Banks is emerging as a superstar

Kelvin Banks could very well be on his way to a Freshman All-American season.

Texas’ offensive line entered the new season with tons of question marks to account for. The Longhorns’ offensive front ranked in the bottom half of the Big 12 in 2021 and lost its most experienced player Junior Angilau to injury before the season.

Yes, Texas signed the nation’s top offensive line class in the 2022 recruiting cycle, but it is rare for a true freshman to show up ready to contribute to the position.

Five-star true freshman Kelvin Banks won Texas’ left tackle spot in fall camp and is locking down the left side of the offensive line.

Banks could very well be on his way to a Freshman All-American season. He holds the best pass-blocking grade of any true freshman in the country according to Pro Football Focus.

Banks has not let any moment get too big for him. He held the dynamic Alabama pass rush of Will Anderson and Dallas Turner to zero sacks in his second career collegiate start. Banks played his best game of the season in Week 6 in the Red River Showdown.

He set the tone with his physicality and toughness early on against the Oklahoma Sooners.

The future of Texas’ offensive line looks to be in great shape with Banks leading the charge. Kyle Flood has done a fantastic job developing his group this season.

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Texas Football: Two Longhorns among ESPN’s top true freshmen

ESPN recently ranked the top 25 true freshmen in college football this season.

There’s no doubt that Texas is a much-improved team this season compared to the 5-7 campaign a year ago. Continue reading “Texas Football: Two Longhorns among ESPN’s top true freshmen”

Texas OL coach Kyle Flood is as good as advertised

Kyle Flood could send two freshmen to All-American honors this year.

Texas has nailed a number of hires in the Steve Sarkisian era. Coaching is helping Texas separate from its past self.

Brennan Marion and Tashard Choice were great additions this year, while Bo Davis and Jeff Banks have proven to be elite recruiters and great leaders of men. Pete Kwiatkowski is settling in as defensive coordinator. Even so, Kyle Flood’s impact ends a near 15-year drought in consistently good offensive line play.

Flood is well on his way to sending two freshmen to All-American honors this year. Kelvin Banks and Cole Hutson look as good as any newcomer on the offensive line.

Flood’s presence is felt at Texas for how much he has improved his unit. If Saturday is any indication, his absence is felt at Alabama.

The Texas offensive line held their own against a defensive line that was supposed to bury them. The Crimson Tide offensive line lost the line of scrimmage battle against the Texas defensive front.

Coaching matters far more than tradition, past culture or prestige. Kyle Flood’s impact is a sign Texas could be good for years to come.

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Texas Football: Padded practices begin in Austin, here’s who to watch

The Longhorns are putting on pads and could distinguish the men from the boys.

The Texas Longhorns are putting on the pads as the reality of the upcoming season sets in for the football team. Continue reading “Texas Football: Padded practices begin in Austin, here’s who to watch”

Pete Kwiatkowski, Jeff Banks and Kyle Flood spoke with the media on Tuesday

Rare media day for these three, and they had plenty of topics to cover.

Texas football players reported for fall camp on Tuesday. Continue reading “Pete Kwiatkowski, Jeff Banks and Kyle Flood spoke with the media on Tuesday”

Texas begins to fix offensive line for the foreseeable future in 2022

Improving in the trenches is the most pressing issue facing the Texas football program.

Steve Sarkisian is looking to do what has not been done on the Forty Acres in a long time. He and offensive line coach Kyle Flood are working on building a great offensive line unit for this year and beyond.

Texas flashed good offensive line play as recently as 2018, but for the most part the unit has been poor over the last decade. It is the most pressing issue facing the Longhorns in building a successful program.

Should Texas go 8-4 and begin to build a championship contending offensive line for the 2023 season, this year is a success.

If Texas goes 10-2 but cuts corners developing the offensive line, we could look back at the 2022 season as a failure.

There is a world in which Texas both wins ten games and maximizes offensive line development. Should two young starters emerge as impact players up front, the Texas offense could carry the team to a Big 12 championship.

Texas hopes it can both win now and win later. Nevertheless, the trajectory of the program hinges on whether or not they can build an offensive line and not let it deteriorate.

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