2014 Questions about practice...Readiness

[BUS]

Greetings to all:
Given the new contract that JJ and staff signed...
Given that we have a tough schedule to start the year...
Given that I hear the buy out for termination has been drastically reduced...

Will this team be allowed to hit at practice and be ready to play against Baylor? Will the defense again have to practice tackling without contact? Will the speed and impact of a game have us looking like high school for the first month?

I so want our young men to be able to show how good they can be. What a time to step up and show what preparation can do for a team of good players.

If you know of any changes, please reply.
Freedom is the best! Give thanks

[PonySnob]

We do what we do............


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[BIGHORSE]

June is already making excuses for the Baylor loss.


Baylor's new stadium.

We have a new Q.B.


add to the list as you will.

[SMUstang]

When will we get a real football coach like we did in basketball?

[mrydel]

BUS, to answer your question, I would suppose we will not hit at practice since we are still 1 1/2 recruiting classes away from having the depth to do so.

[malonish]

[insert JJ don't care meme here]

[BUS]

For the past year I have been focusing on getting my new company profitable and not spending time here... or reading other sites. I was SO hoping there was going to be an upgrade in effort and preparation for this season in the American.

JJ can coach on game day, we all know that. But the lack of preparation is cheating the young men out of showing their best... I was hoping I was going to get other responses.

Oh, and Mrydel.... The tournament year is just a year away.... keep taking your vitamins and doing your cardio!!!

[sbsmith]

JJ can coach on game day, we all know that.

Not exactly, I mean if he were that good of a gameday coach he'd have a hell of a lot more wins.

[ponyboy]

He pulled us out of hell. Other than that he hasn't done much.


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[Dukie]

JJ can coach on game day, we all know that.

I really respect you, but can't agree with this. Ever seen his teams attempt two-minute drills?

[sbsmith]

He pulled us out of hell. Other than that he hasn't done much.


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We poked our head out of Hell for a bit, never got fully clear though. Now we're descending again.

[JasonB]

I've always said I think we lose the non-conference games because we aren't as good... not because we aren't well prepared.

That said, I think either way June is not going to be around for 2015 if we finish under .500. And we aren't going to finish over .500 if we get smushed against Baylor, A&M, and TCU.

[mrydel]

I've always said I think we lose the non-conference games because we aren't as good... not because we aren't well prepared.

That said, I think either way June is not going to be around for 2015 if we finish under .500. And we aren't going to finish over .500 if we get smushed against Baylor, A&M, and TCU.

Just because you have always said it does not make it right. We are not prepared if we do not hit and go full speed in the summer. Amazes me that the top teams in the country can do it but we cannot. That alone should say volumes.

[JasonB]

Just saying that I don't see us failing to wrap up on tackles or whatever in those games. I see us just getting beat.

If we were missing tackles left and right like the UT defense over the past few years, I would start leaning towards not hitting at practice being a major problem.

Instead, I feel like we are getting beat by Baylor WR or our LBs can't cover that TT Tight End. Or we get juked out of our shorts against A&M in the open field last season. Those aren't practice habit issues, those are talent issues.

But, again, that is just my opinion. But I think that talent gap is a bigger problem to fix than practice habits.

[PerunaPunch]

From a pure Xs and Os perspective, I think June is maybe not elite, but probably pretty decent at the very least. I base this opinion on his bowl record (excluding the uninspired Armed Forces Bowl fiasco), where he has had extra practices, extra time to prepare, and most importantly, more time for the kids to heal up.

I have a higher opinion of our recruits than most. Where I think we fall flat is that being a small, expensive school, we don't have the same caliber and depth of walk-ons. That makes recruiting and retaining student-athletes EXTREMELY important. How many times has a key injury or two, or a kid forming a rock band (or whatever the excuse for the loss), screwed an entire season? When every recruit counts, lackadaisical recruiting and/or not recruiting to fill projected needs exacerbates this issue.

I continue to be surprised that in June's pass-happy offense we have yet to recruit a blue chip QB or receiver. But beyond that, even if we are unable to land a 4- or 5-star at the offensive skill positions, we need to be sure that everyone in each recruiting class is legit, and we can't (for example) overload at slot receiver when we're thin and/or inexperienced on the OL and DL. And if we go JUCO or transfer as a Band-Aid for our recruiting, we need to make sure the kids we give 'ships to can actually play (Ashcraft, Lowe, etc.).