UT: Culture change
NEW HEAD COACH TOM HERMAN SEEKS AN IMPROVED MINDSET IN ORDER TO TURN AROUND RECENT DISAPPOINTING RESULTS
It’s Tom Herman’s turn to bring winning ways back to the Longhorns.
A USTIN — This time last summer, Charlie Strong was bracing for his final stand. · “This job wears on you,” Strong told reporters. “But you learn how to grow with it.” · After three disappointing seasons, the program decided it couldn’t grow with Mack Brown’s successor. · Texas announced Strong’s firing on the morning of Nov. 26. That afternoon, Tom Herman was announced as the 30th head coach in school history. · Herman rode in from Houston a conquering hero with a grand new vision for Austin’s waning football empire.
He spearheaded — or at least instigated — a multi-million dollar renovation of the team’s locker room. He’s prevailed over Alabama, Oklahoma and a slew of other power programs for some of the nation’s finest 2018 recruits. He’s popped up on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and graced the cover of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine.
Can Herman, heralded as he is, win with the same pieces who have lost 21 games since August 2014?
UT returns 17 starters from last year’s 5-7 squad, including 10 on the defensiveside. The only major offensive departure was 2,000-yard running back D’Onta Foreman.
Oft-injured junior Chris Warren — who has 6.3 yards per carry on 133 career attempts — will receive first dibs at filling the departed Doak Walker Award winner’s cleats.
QB competition?
Sophomore Shane Buechele is expected to be named the starting quarterback well before the season opener against Maryland, despite Herman’s protestations that true freshman Sam Ehlinger could seize that mantle.
“That position, more than any, there needs to be competition,” Herman said. “You cannot rest. Especially for the guy that’s trying to do the chasing, that guy’s got to have hope … He’s got to have some belief that if he goes out and practices better than the guy that’s in front of him, then eventually he’s going to be able to be the starting quarterback.”
By all indications Buechele, who last year threw for 2,958 yards and 21 touchdowns in 12 starts, has grown considerably as a passer. Just as important, he’s started shedding some of his introverted inclinations. “Shane has done a marvelous job of coming in this summer and really trying to be more of a leader,” Herman said. “Last year, he was a true freshman that was just trying to keep his head above water.” All-American left tackle Connor Williams anchors a sturdy offensive line that should provide Buechele ample time to target an army of gifted receivers. That group, led by 6-6, 220-pound sophomore Collin Johnson, is arguably UT’s deepest. Converted QB Jerrod Heard’s skill is finally catching up to his blazing speed, while Herman pegged redshirt freshman Reggie Hemphill-Mapps as a possible revelation out of the slot, a vital position in UT’s newly installed offense.
“I think everywhere we’ve been in the last five years, that slot receiver production has been pretty remarkable,” Herman said. “So that position, him, (Devin) Duvernay, (Davion) Curtis and (Armanti) Foreman are all guys that need to show us that they can produce there.”
That wealth of options should help offset a dearth at tight end.
Maturing defense
Defensively, UT is “loaded” at safety, according to Herman and defensive coordinator Todd Orlando. DeShon Elliot and Brandon Jones are locked into starting spots, although coaches have not ruled out developing creative packages to get John Bonney, Jason Hall and Chris Brown on the field.
Up front, defensive linemen Chris Nelson, Malcolm Roach and Poona Ford should thrive.
Malik Jefferson will spearhead a talented linebacking unit that includes Breckyn Hager, Naashon Hughes and Anthony Wheeler.
Attitude adjustment
The Longhorns have skidded into the second decade of the 21st century. In seven years they’ve lost 42 games. They dropped just 19 in the preceding decade.
Herman’s chief objective is to scrub the losing stench off this program.
“Losing is awful,” Herman said. “It’s awful. It’s not just, oh, well, we’ll get them next week. No, this is like the skyis-falling-type stuff. And so every time we have a competitive situation, we’re going to make sure that the people that don’t win in that competitive situation, that they feel awful about it and that it’s not funny and it’s not hokey or corny, that it’s really, really bad for them to lose, as well as it being very, very cool for the guys that win and very rewarding for the guys that win.”
Maryland will arrive at Royal-Memorial Stadium on Sept. 2. That afternoon, UT will officially enter into a new epoch — and discover if its empire is ready to rise again.