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What will be the toughest thing about transitioning from Big 12 to SEC?
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:20 am
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:20 am
Recently was asked by a Horn friend of mine this question.
I thought back to when A&M joined the SEC. Little did we know we had a generational QB at the healm, but what really helped A&M in 2012 and 2013 were the following.
1. Had 2 top 10 draft picks anchoring the tackle spots. Had two other first round draft picks as their backups. Had a solid 4th year starter at center, and depth at both guards. Sherman was not a great head coach, but he knew how to build an offensive line. For as good as Johnny was, without the strength of that OL, things would not have gone near as good in the transition.
2. A defense full of upperclassmen that had started together for multiple years. Had a strong pass rush off the ends, endless experience at LB, and speed at corner. Again, Sherman had an eye for developable talent and played those guys early.
3. Two really skilled WRs in Mike Evans and Swope. With a really good line, Johnny creating a ton of time with his feet, and these two guys, it made things really go offensively.
After 2013, it all went to hell in a handbasket. The OL talent dried up, Sumlin ignored defensive talent outside of DEs, and the whole thing had to be rebuilt again by Jimbo.
Do OU and Texas have that already? Offenses in the SEC have changed a bit in 10 years, but the needs still remain the same. What parts do they have to make the transition smoothly? OU may have the OL and second level on defense. Texas has the skill players. Can either of them cobble together the full package? Or will that take several recruiting classes to shore up.
I thought back to when A&M joined the SEC. Little did we know we had a generational QB at the healm, but what really helped A&M in 2012 and 2013 were the following.
1. Had 2 top 10 draft picks anchoring the tackle spots. Had two other first round draft picks as their backups. Had a solid 4th year starter at center, and depth at both guards. Sherman was not a great head coach, but he knew how to build an offensive line. For as good as Johnny was, without the strength of that OL, things would not have gone near as good in the transition.
2. A defense full of upperclassmen that had started together for multiple years. Had a strong pass rush off the ends, endless experience at LB, and speed at corner. Again, Sherman had an eye for developable talent and played those guys early.
3. Two really skilled WRs in Mike Evans and Swope. With a really good line, Johnny creating a ton of time with his feet, and these two guys, it made things really go offensively.
After 2013, it all went to hell in a handbasket. The OL talent dried up, Sumlin ignored defensive talent outside of DEs, and the whole thing had to be rebuilt again by Jimbo.
Do OU and Texas have that already? Offenses in the SEC have changed a bit in 10 years, but the needs still remain the same. What parts do they have to make the transition smoothly? OU may have the OL and second level on defense. Texas has the skill players. Can either of them cobble together the full package? Or will that take several recruiting classes to shore up.
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Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:22 am to shanklin12
The SEC speed thing isn't at the skill positions.
It's everywhere.
It's everywhere.
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:22 am to shanklin12
Texas hasn't recruited the big uglies great. They're going to get pushed around.
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:23 am to shanklin12
quote:Get better friends.
Horn friend
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:24 am to shanklin12
quote:
Sumlin ignored defensive talent outside of DEs, and the whole thing had to be rebuilt again by Jimbo.
Mike Elko is an exceptional DC. He was a great hire by the aggies.
This post was edited on 7/26/21 at 11:42 am
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:24 am to shanklin12
Line depth. seriously.
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:24 am to NocaHomas Teepee
Line play is another level. And you better be 2 deep on both lines.
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:25 am to NocaHomas Teepee
quote:
The SEC speed thing isn't at the skill positions.
It's everywhere.
As Spurrier once said, the waterboys run 4.4 40s in the SEC
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:25 am to NocaHomas Teepee
quote:
The SEC speed thing isn't at the skill positions.
It's everywhere.
That's the biggest adjustment besides the trench warfare, IMO.
This post was edited on 7/26/21 at 11:25 am
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:25 am to shanklin12
Telling Sankey you’re gay
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:26 am to shanklin12
Depth. A solid group of starters isn't enough in the SEC. Attrition is real. UT and OU have talent. But they don't have the depth to compete for a full season. They will suffer the Novemeber Collapse just like A&M did when Sumlin recruited like a Big 12 team.
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:26 am to NocaHomas Teepee
quote:
The SEC speed thing isn't at the skill positions.
It's everywhere.
This. remember the speedy Oregon QB being shocked when he was chased down from behind by our DE?
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:29 am to Captain Crown
Our defensive line is our deepest and most star studded position group. Y’all dominated the conference in 2019 with the least impressive offensive line we faced all season. Y’all are so corny with this bullshite narrative.
This post was edited on 7/26/21 at 11:34 am
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:30 am to shanklin12
I'm going to add another. It's one thing to have your LBs be glorified safeties in coverage but you will need LBs that are both laterally mobile while at the same time salty enough to plug the gap and not whiff on tackles.
I cant tell you the difference LBs make in this league. You simply must have good ones. For the first few years our LBs would miss the gap or worse yet get bounced. I'm sure someone can post a gif to confirm.
We finally have rock solid LBs and they anchor that front 7.
I cant tell you the difference LBs make in this league. You simply must have good ones. For the first few years our LBs would miss the gap or worse yet get bounced. I'm sure someone can post a gif to confirm.
We finally have rock solid LBs and they anchor that front 7.
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:30 am to shanklin12
quote:its definitely going to be the bottom surgery
What will be the toughest thing about transitioning from Big 12 to SEC?
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:38 am to EastTXHorn
quote:
Our defensive line is our deepest and most star studded position group
And you ranked:
64th in total defense
38th in rushing defense
In a pass happy league. I hope that talent develops
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:38 am to Krampus
quote:
Depth. A solid group of starters isn't enough in the SEC. Attrition is real. UT and OU have talent. But they don't have the depth to compete for a full season. They will suffer the Novemeber Collapse just like A&M did when Sumlin recruited like a Big 12 team.
I second this. In any one game your team will be competitive… but then next game you have to play Miss State, then Auburn, then LSU… and every game you are going to get your azz physically beat up….I mean pounded black and blue, run into the ground exhausted.
And every team will require a week of seriously major preparation effort against schemes as different as Ole Miss and Georgia because thee SEC is a marathon… which is why Alabama’s 11-0 all-SEC record last year is pretty amazing.
You may win a big game then while your fans are celebrating South Carolina comes to town and de-horns your team by overturning your chuck wagon.
Welcome to the SEC… you ain’t in Kansas anymore toto.
This post was edited on 7/26/21 at 11:43 am
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:39 am to shanklin12
A&M truly hit a hurricane of perfect things to succeed in 2012
- elite offensive line play
- elite wide receiver play
- a scheme that SEC teams were not schematically or physically ready for run by an elite offensive coach
- a QB built to run that scheme
- a good enough defense
- elite offensive line play
- elite wide receiver play
- a scheme that SEC teams were not schematically or physically ready for run by an elite offensive coach
- a QB built to run that scheme
- a good enough defense
This post was edited on 7/26/21 at 11:40 am
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:40 am to shanklin12
At the time we joined we were excellent on offensive LOS and had a pretty good dline. Secondary was bad but SEC offenses weren’t flinging it around. The La Tech game showed how bad our secondary was.
Overall Ags matched up well. On top of that JFF, Mike Evans, etc….
Ags would have given up anoth 10-12 points a game in B12 that year because everyone was passing. Pieces came together. If Ags had played Gators 3 or 4 weeks into the season we beat them. Missed FGs cost us vs LSU but it was a dog fight.
The week to week physical grind of the SEC is something Texass can’t simulate in the B12.
Overall Ags matched up well. On top of that JFF, Mike Evans, etc….
Ags would have given up anoth 10-12 points a game in B12 that year because everyone was passing. Pieces came together. If Ags had played Gators 3 or 4 weeks into the season we beat them. Missed FGs cost us vs LSU but it was a dog fight.
The week to week physical grind of the SEC is something Texass can’t simulate in the B12.
Posted on 7/26/21 at 11:41 am to SummerOfGeorge
and we had the lag w/Sumlin - coaching can kill
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