Bohls: Who says the Houston Texans have to take a quarterback at No. 2, anyway?
While I got ya, here are nine things and one crazy prediction:
1. And with the second pick of the NFL draft ...
Is there a draft in here?: I take issue with those who say the Texans absolutely must take a quarterback. Why should Houston take a Will Levis or Anthony Richardson when either might be like taking a slightly better — or worse — version of Davis Mills? I’m not a fan of either, but do like C.J. Stroud. Take a stud on defense and go after Lamar Jackson or Trey Lance or call about Kyler Murray, Houston. … That said, of the 14 teams that made the playoffs last year, 11 of the starting quarterbacks were drafted by those teams. Eight were drafted in the first round, seven of whom were taken in the first 10 picks. Only Kirk Cousins, Geno Smith and Tom Brady were acquired by trade or free agency. Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts, who just signed a new $555 million deal, was taken in the second round as was Smith. The other four were fourth-rounders Dak Prescott and Cousins, sixth-rounder Brady, and as the last pick in the seventh round (Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy, at No. 262). All of this means it’s pretty much imperative to draft your quarterback to become a playoff team, but we all know how many first-round quarterbacks also were busts. Hello, Ryan Leaf, JaMarcus Russell and nearly every Cleveland Browns' first pick ever. … The NFL is missing the boat. The League is so damn marketable, ESPN draws eyeballs in round-table discussions about the draft from January to May. I’m a little surprised the NFL hasn’t gone to one round per day and have the seven-round shindig spread out over an entire week.
Bohls: Pierce livid over OU sweep
2. Channeling his inner Augie
Augie-like: David Pierce channeled his inner Augie Garrido and went off on his Texas baseball team as Augie once famously did. Pierce also said something many had to have been thinking. “Can we stay locked in to make a turnaround because we’ve been pretty darn good?” Pierce said. “I’ve never thought we were a great team. I think we’d been playing very well. We don’t really have a bona fide superstar that dominates in the middle of the lineup. We have guys that have to be a balanced lineup.” It’s interesting that Pierce said he’s “going to make some people kind of miserable” and threatened to take away some of the players’ privileges. He basically took his team to task for accepting what’s been oft-labeled a country-club atmosphere without earning those benefits. … Garrido and Cliff Gustafson also frequently used such verbal spankings to motivate their teams. Pierce may be feeling some pressure, even though his 2022 team made the College World Series, because Texas went 0-2 in Omaha for the second time in his three trips there, and he made over his entire staff afterward. Texas lacks the one or two superstars it usually has, has a poor semblance of a Longhorns-standard pitching staff and has no bench. That said, the Longhorns lost three close games to Oklahoma by a total of six runs, so they’re not that far off. … If it were me, I’d consider going with Lucas Gordon, Lebarron Johnson and Ace Whitehead in my rotation. Johnson has filthy stuff, but needs command. When that happens, he’ll turn into Kumar Rocker. And Whitehead has the right stuff. After walking in the winning run in Game 1 against Oklahoma, he texted Pierce his apologies and gratitude for believing in him. I think he’s got star quality written all over him. … Tanner Witt will come to the rescue, at least emotionally, when he is expected to start the third game at TCU on Sunday. He’s likely to throw something on the order of 25 pitches or so to work him back slowly after Tommy John surgery 13 months ago. Cade Horton did similarly for Oklahoma a year ago when he helped pitch the Sooners into the College World Series national championship finals against Ole Miss. But Horton was 16 months removed from similar surgery. No small point. At best, I’d think Witt might become the closer if all goes well because he would immediately become the second-best pitcher on the staff after Gordon. … Witt’s also liable to be a relatively high draft pick because he's eligible after his third year. But Pierce has wisely shielded him from the eyes of major league scouts because Witt might get amped up and be tempted to do too much and overthrow.
3. The NFL trumps the XFL in rules, too
NCAA got smart. It approved a running clock after first downs until two minutes remain in each half to help shorten games. Hey, it’s worked for baseball, which has shaved 29 minutes off MLB games and made its product crisper and more watchable. Not saying it’s the same, but college football doesn’t need four-hour games. And have you noticed ESPN is having players mic-ed up in the field and interviewing them during the action? I’m sure managers just love that idea. … I watched my first five minutes of XFL and saw a drastic rule change from the NFL and college ball. A Las Vegas receiver fumbled the ball out of the end zone from the 1, but they kept the ball at the 1 whereas it would have been a turnover in NFL and colleges. They said, fans like the change. It was the first time the rule played out in the XFL. Seems overly drastic. I’d consider allowing the offensive team to keep the ball since the defense didn’t recover it, but maybe put the offense back at the 10. Shouldn’t reward the team for a fumble.
Golden: Rodney Terry builds up roster
4. Texas vs. Alabama can't get here soon enough
Flip flop: Texas and Michigan flipped their two-game football series with the Longhorns headed to Ann Arbor in 2024 and hosting the Wolverines in 2027. I love these marquee intersectional games. Maybe Texas isn’t smart to schedule such high-profile games. Georgia played — and routed — Oregon last year, but this year’s nonconference games for the two-time defending champs are against Tennessee-Martin, Ball State, UAB and Georgia Tech. Alabama hosts Texas in September and then starts two-game sets with Wisconsin, FSU, Ohio State and Notre Dame. … Don’t look now, but Alabama didn’t look like Alabama in the A Game on Saturday. The Crimson Tide quarterbacks struggled big-time, which might mean Nick Saban’s teams falter badly next fall and slip to, uh, another two-loss season. That may not mean a thing, but it has to be slightly comforting to Steve Sarkisian that Saban can’t just plug in any new quarterback to replace Bryce Young and get instant success. Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson threw three interceptions between them and completed less than half their passes at 31-for-63. So I’m saying there’s a chance. Let’s hope Saban doesn’t come after Maalik Murphy.
5. Moving Red to running back? I'm a fan
Green light for Red: I love the move of Savion Red from receiver to running back, where he may become the second coming of Roschon Johnson. Made me think of some of the other brilliant personnel moves that paid off in Texas football. Here’s a few other such big moves: Alan Lowry shifted from All-SWC defensive back to All-SWC quarterback and was also a punter. Jay Arnold switched from — are you ready? — defensive end after two years and became an all-conference defensive back and almost singlehandedly beat Texas Tech. “Super” Bill Bradley got unceremoniously dumped as the original wishbone quarterback, only to move to split end briefly and then, at the urging of defensive coordinator Mike Campbell, defensive back where he once picked off four Texas A&M passes in one game. Donnie Little quarterback-to-receiver, not so much. David McWilliams tried Jason Burleson at every position known to man, including running back and linebacker.
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6. Happy 55th, wishbone
Boning up: This is the 55th anniversary of the wishbone. Did you know that James Street, the unbeaten quarterback who went 20-0 in 1968-69 and set in motion Texas’s 30-game football win streak en route to two national championships, completed just 40 passes in 1969? Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett IV last season completed 310 passes, and both won national championships. Yeah, the game has changed just a little bit. It’s still incredible that Texas hasn’t retired Street’s No. 16 just because he didn’t win a national award. Texas wouldn’t be Texas without Street.
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7. This and that
What’s up with Austin FC?: The Verde and Black got shut out 2-0 by the Los Angeles Galaxy and suddenly cannot score. They’re winless in their last five games, and captain Sebastián Driussi has just one goal and one assist all season. Did anyone see this much regression? … Wide receiver Jake Smith became the third ex Longhorn to transfer to Arizona State. The former Gatorade national Player of the Year out of Arizona has gone from Texas to USC to Arizona State. Other new Sun Devils are oft-injured wide receiver Troy Omeire and linebacker Prince Dorbah. … Hate the trash-talking by Dillon Brooks directed at LeBron James, whom he called “old.” Kid, you should know better. Brooks doesn’t even own a trophy case. Know your place. Show some respect. I guess every sport draws more interest if there’s a villain and a hero. Apparently Brooks pokes more than just bears.
8. Where have you gone, Taylor Teagarden?
Scattershooting. While wondering whatever happened to former stud Longhorns catcher Taylor Teagarden.
9. Meanwhile, over my bag of popcorn
At the box office: Loved “Air.” Early frontrunner for Best Picture. The movie about Nike signing up Michael Jordan as its first basketball star is terrific even though one scene where deal architect Sonny Vaccaro met MJ’s mom was apparently fabricated. The scenes with flamboyant Jordan agent David Falk (Chris Messina) and Vaccaro, as played superbly by Matt Damon, were spectacular. Viola Davis killed it as Jordan’s mom, and Ben Affleck has emerged as one helluva director. So many great scenes. Gave it nine ducks.
Two coaches on the rise
Crazy prediction: If Steve Sarkisian or Jimbo Fisher doesn’t survive past the 2023 season, the top candidates will be South Carolina’s Shane Beamer and UTSA’s Jeff Traylor.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Will the Houston Texans follow NFL blueprint and pick a quarterback?
