Annual Ode to Blackie Sherrod

Scatter shooting while wondering whatever happened to Ron McKelvey.

California quarterback Davis Webb has passed for 963 yards and nine touchdowns in their first two games, and I worry about road night games against passing teams. I guess I’ll never get over the 2008 Texas Tech game.

The last time the Horns played at night on the west coast was the loss to Alabama in the 2009 National Championship game.  And who can forget the nighttime debacle out west in Provo in 2013? I’m sure Mack Brown never will. But those games were a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…. right?

I think we all agree that Shane Buechele and the passing attack he’s brought to Austin is the best thing that’s happened to Texas football since 2009, but I wouldn’t mind if Mr. Buechele didn’t throw a pass all Saturday night in Berkeley. You might be thinking, “Whatcha talkin’ about Willis?”  Well, Cal has given up 581 rushing yards in their first two games. What better way to defeat  an opponent with a  high-powered passing attack than by bludgeoning them into submission by handing the ball to your three, 250-pound running backs over and over and over again and eating clock while you’re doing it?  Okay, so Buechele might need to throw a few times, but I’m just saying. While I’m on the subject, even though he is an effective runner, I could do with fewer runs by our freshman franchise quarterback.

I like intersections where there’s no right turn on red. One less thing.

It’s a real pity about what happened to Oklahoma State last week.  Is it just me or has college officiating gotten a whole lot worse over the last three years or so?  It seems that officials can’t make the simplest of calls without a three-minute conference. I guarantee you that the OSU-Central Michigan game won’t be the last one we’ll hear about this season where officials had a direct impact on a game because they didn’t know a rule.  Speaking of rules, I have an idea for one.  If replay officials can’t make a judgment on a play under review in two minutes or less, the call on the field stands.  This would reduce the length of college football games that have become, in many cases, ridiculously long four hour marathons.

How ‘bout that Marquis Goodwin?
https://www.buffalobills.com/video/videos/Tyrod-Taylor-and-Marquise-Goodwin-for-84-yard-TD/77b117a4-5397-450a-949c-75e04a6aa648

To add to the relevance and luster of this year’s Texas-OU game, Oklahoma needs to beat Ohio State Saturday.  So Texas fans, hold your nose if you must and root for Oklahoma this weekend.

Have I told you lately how much I’m chagrined by all the people walking around with earphones stuck in their ears? Are they afraid they might have to talk to someone face-to-face? Or are they so bored with their own thoughts that they have to keep them constantly drowned out?

Radio talk show host Colin Cowherd was told by an NFL scout that current college football coaching is awful.  He blames it on the hiring of assistant coaches because they are good recruiters and not because they are good football coaches. What you end up with, he thinks, are gym teachers coaching college football. We have some of that going in Austin in my opinion.  Texas special team’s coordinator Jeff Traylor was hired by Charlie Strong in February of 2015 for his east Texas high school football connections.  Since Traylor has been in charge, Texas’ special teams haven’t gone two games without a snafu.

Will Texas be so preoccupied by Davis Webb and California’s passing attack that they get suckered by the run? Cal ran for 280 yards against Texas last year. California’s top two running backs are averaging 7.5 yards per carry this year.  Add that to their passing game and the California offense presents a daunting challenge to the Texas defense, on paper anyway.  I write on paper because California has racked up all these stats against Hawaii and San Diego State.  Hopefully Texas’ defense will be a whole new ballgame for the California offense.

I generally try to avoid spending six-plus straight hours watching football, but I don’t see how I can avoid it Saturday night with Ohio St. vs Oklahoma followed by Texas vs Cal.  How ‘bout that for a fun Saturday night, Helen?

Hook ‘Em,

W.E.

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