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[UT players dont live up] Don't mess with Texas players

Discussion in 'Houston Texans' started by Luckyazn, Feb 28, 2006.

  1. Luckyazn

    Luckyazn Contributing Member

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    Within NFL personnel circles, Texas quarterback Vince Young is this year's flashpoint for the renewal of an old debate: Why do so many highly touted Longhorn players seem to be such risky bets when it comes to the upper echelons of the draft?

    Young, the celebrated and ridiculously gifted centerpiece of the national champion Longhorns, is considered a top-five pick in this year's draft and one of the more unique talents in recent draft history. And yet the track record of underachieving UT players who have gone early in the first round still looms over him.

    Though Young already has many fans among NFL coaches and personnel officials, there are questions about his unusual throwing motion and how he would fit into a more traditional NFL-style offense. Now there's even controversy surrounding whether he did or didn't score painfully low on the league-administered Wonderlic intelligence test at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last week.

    But the bigger picture is that Texas has produced so many first-round disappointments in recent years that the very widely held perception within the league is that many Longhorns stars aren't ready for the rigors of the NFL.

    Texas has had two players drafted in the first round in four of the past five years and is expected to make it five out of six this year with Young and safety Michael Huff. All told, seven Longhorns have been taken in the draft's top 10 in the past nine years, the best mark in college football over that span.

    But consider some of the names on that list:

    • Running back Cedric Benson went fourth to Chicago in 2005, but a contract holdout and a midseason knee injury kept him from making an impact for the playoff-bound Bears.

    • Receiver Roy Williams was selected seventh by Detroit in 2004, and while his numbers have been decent (99 catches, 1,504 yards and 16 touchdowns in 27 games), he has only four 100-yard receiving games, and his impact has been far less than the Lions had hoped.

    • Offensive tackle Mike Williams went fourth to Buffalo in 2002 and was released by the Bills last week after four disappointing seasons in which his play was often characterized as either too soft or sub-par. Williams represents a major draft bust for Buffalo.

    • Cornerback Quentin Jammer was selected one spot behind Mike Williams, going fifth to San Diego. Jammer has been a starter for the Chargers and has been solid if unspectacular most of the time. But for a No. 5 overall pick, his impact quotient has been disappointing.

    • Offensive tackle Leonard Davis was the second pick in 2001, just behind Michael Vick. Davis, however, was moved to a less demanding guard position in his first three seasons with Arizona and only switched to the pivotal left-tackle slot in 2004.

    • Running back Ricky Williams saw the New Orleans Saints give up their entire draft for the right to choose him fifth in 1999. Williams has been a very productive pro when he has played, but his story has had more than its share of setbacks amid the successes.

    • Cornerback Bryant Westbrook was taken fifth by Detroit in 1997, but he has never come close to living up to that lofty draft slot.
     
  2. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    blah blah blah, nathan vasher, shaun rogers, casey hampton, derrick johnson, priest holmes chris simms blah blah blah

    Shockingly, there have been under- and overachievers in an inexact science like the draft. Shockingly.
     
  3. gucci888

    gucci888 Contributing Member

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    I think Leonard Davis and Mike Williams have been the biggest disappointments in the NFL.

    The verdict is still out on Cedric, his holdout was disappointing, he played well the game he was injured.

    Roy Williams had one of the best rookie seasons I've ever seen from a WR. Too bad he's in Detroit, Harrington sucks even with a core of Roy, Mike Williams, and Charles Rogers.

    I guess he forgot the mention Chris Simms taking the Bucs to the playoffs and Vasher leading the NFL in INTs this season.
     
  4. MadMax

    MadMax Contributing Member

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    yeah..i love the complete absence of hamption, johnson, holmes and vasher. typical.
     
  5. Bassfly

    Bassfly Member

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    i dont undersatnd what the writer is trying to convey here. is he trying to say that ut doesnt produce nfl ready players like the title of the article suggests? or is he saying that the highly regarded players dont pan out?

    anyways i think his opinion is wrong. its too early to tell with cedric benson. roy williams is the lions best wr, he also plays with joey harrington. ricky williams is a former rushing champion. leonard davis is a good tackle but yeah not worthy of the #2 pick but would still be a top 10 pick if the draft was done over. jammer is a solid corner, no one in san diego is complaining about him. mike williams is a bust
     
  6. IC2000

    IC2000 Contributing Member

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    Hideous article, I don't care if they all sucked. They really have nothing to do with each other. Not to mention Ricky williams was (is) really good, roy williams has been good considering Joey Harrington. Nathan Vasher made the pro bowl. Chris simms is better now than he was in college.
     
  7. percicles

    percicles Contributing Member

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    I think the article is referring to 1st rounders. Nevertheless, any respectable journalist would have included at leats a paragraph metioning the success of Longhorn non-first round picks.

    Williams and Davis have been utter diapointments, but that was before Mac McWhorter became OL coach.
     
  8. Rule0001

    Rule0001 Contributing Member

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    Interesting, lol.

    What's your logic behind Chris Simms not being a complete shell of his father?
     
    #8 Rule0001, Feb 28, 2006
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2006
  9. VesceySux

    VesceySux Contributing Member

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    What a crappy article. Benson is a bust? After one year in the NFL? With the crappiest offense in the league? Because of an injury? Roy Williams is a bust? Riiiiiight. Let's conveniently forget about the fact that he plays with Joey Bust-ington. Let's forget it takes WRs about 4 years to break out. Let's forget the highlights he produced in his first year. Whatever you say, Mr. Longhorn Hater. If it's printed on the internets, it must be true!
     
  10. Hey Now!

    Hey Now! Contributing Member

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    i've always thought UT players were poorly coached. when you have THAT much talent (five top 5 picks in four years + another one this year???) and what? no national or conference championships (i may be wrong on this - i'm going from memory) until this year to show for it, you have to lay blame at the feet of the coaches.

    they got it done this year, but had a lot of close scrapes in which VY picked them up off defeat's doorstep, not because of anything the coaches did, but because of his sheer will and athleticism. i think mack brown's an overrated coach and he'll be back to underachieving next year w/o his savior on campus.
     
  11. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    This post explains a lot.
     
  12. Desert Scar

    Desert Scar Contributing Member

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    I actually don't completely disagree. I think Texas has poorly utlized their talent in the past and the coaching staff frequently got whooped in prepartion and gamemanship (balls to lay it all out there in the big games). VY and Applewhite were most successful because they were more aggressive and attacking than the coaches.

    That said, Mack Brown (and the staff) has every monkey off their back now. This Texas team lead by VY just may have changed him (he has said as much). More confidence and less pressure (from yourself and others) can be a wonderfull thing. Pete Carroll was a loser until his 1st title as well, and now you see the looseness and aggression in his approach--and it is far more successfull than not.

    I expect a top 10 Texas team next year, maybe top 5. Defense, oline and skill players stack up as well as anyone going into next season. Anything on the better side of atrocious QB play from Sneed or McCoy and a top 5 team and shot at a NT is possible.
     
  13. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    Doubtful, Desert Scar.

    NOTHING is more relevant to Mack Brown and Vince Young than the unfulfilled promise of the NFL career of Bryant Westbrook. Granted, he played at UT about 10 years ago, back when Mack was living in Chapel Hill and Vince was in 2nd grade, but....still. Damning evidence, to any OBJECTIVE observer, not a longhorn homer such as you.
     
  14. percicles

    percicles Contributing Member

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    One monkey gets off and another gets back on in the form of "can he win without VY." I will put away my fire Greg Davis sign for now.
     
  15. Desert Scar

    Desert Scar Contributing Member

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    Hell, can Carroll win w/o Leinart, Shanahan w/o Elway, Stoops w/o Roy Williams. Nah, winning it all way opened it up for them to feel free in their coaching, forever, likely the same for Brown.
     
  16. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    You've got to realize......this is the only thing that certain factions can hold on to anymore.

    "Vince can't throw" -- dead

    "Mack can't beat OU" -- dead

    "Mack/Texas/Vince can't win the big game" -- dead, cremated, ashes buried, then disinterred, re-cremated, and shot into space.

    So now they've got to go with "Mack can't coach for the NFL" not withstanding that his coaching has little or nothing to do with Ricky Williams rastafarianism, Bryant Westbrook's UT career, or the fact that Mike Williams eats too many buffalo wings, or that Joey Harrington can't hit the broadside of a barn -- and notwithstanding the pro careers of all pros like Nathan Vasher and Casey Hampton.

    When life sucks and you're up sh-t creek, you grab on to any paddle you have, no matter how flimsy.
     
  17. IC2000

    IC2000 Contributing Member

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    False
     
  18. Chance

    Chance Contributing Member

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    I am wondering why this article was written. What's the point? Is it to lower the value of Vince?
     
  19. Rocket Fan

    Rocket Fan Member

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    Most schools have some busts as well as some players that end up doing well in the NFL. This is nothing that is special to UT.. and could probably be seen at most schools.

    Any school that produced Earl Campbell is okay in my book as far as being able to produce NFL talent:)
     
  20. TheFreak

    TheFreak Contributing Member

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    This was the prevailing opinion on this board prior to last year of even the UT homers.

    Baqui99's sig should really be - 2005 Texas Longhorns: Vince. Young.
     

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