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March Madness in Texas

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in NCAA BASKETBALL.

By Tucker Stephenson

With the exception of Macho Man Randy Savage, nothing says “madness” quite like the month of March.

The best tournament in all of sports is once again approaching, and the state of Texas will no doubt be well represented. Beginning with the Big 12, here’s a look at the locks, bubble teams and schools that will need to win their respective conference tourneys in order to earn an invite to the big dance.

BIG 12

LOCKS: Texas Tech, Baylor

The Red Raiders have spent much of the season in or near the top 10 and will be competing in the NCAA Tournament this March. Texas Tech is fresh off of an eye-opening 91-62 win over Kansas at home and is led by sophomore guard Jarrett Culver (18.0 points per game), who is a hometown product from Lubbock Coronado High School.

The Bears are Texas’ second best bet from the Big 12 to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, as Baylor holds quality conference wins against Iowa State (twice), Texas Tech and Oklahoma (twice). The Bears can add to that résumé down the stretch against Texas, Kansas State and Kansas, but they already appear to be in the field of 68.

ON THE BUBBLE: Texas, TCU

The Longhorns have endured a roller-coaster ride this season. Head coach Shaka Smart’s team holds impressive victories against North Carolina, K-State, Oklahoma, Kansas and Baylor. Then again, Texas has also dropped games to Radford, Providence and Oklahoma State. A large portion of the Longhorns’ case could rest upon the status of suspended guard Kerwin Roach and whether or not he is reinstated by the school.

The Horned Frogs don’t have much in the way of non-conference wins, but they’ve been more than competitive in a deep Big 12. TCU managed to sweep Iowa State in a pair of meetings and has also knocked off Baylor and Texas. Jamie Dixon, now in his third year at the helm of the program, could be a dark horse candidate for conference coach of the year.

Texas Tech guard Jarrett Culver (23) goes to the basket defended by Oklahoma forward Kristian Doolittle (21) and forward Brady Manek (35) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: None

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

LOCK: Houston

The Cougars aren’t just a mortal lock to make the tournament, they’ll also likely be the top seed from the entire state. Houston has dominated its conference opponents and owned a 26-1 overall record and a lofty No. 8 ranking in the nation as of Feb. 25. The Cougars are led by the tandem of Corey Davis Jr. (15.7 points per game) and Armori Brooks (14.1 points per game). Houston is coached by Kelvin Sampson, who is a former assistant with the NBA’s Houston Rockets and a former head coach at Oklahoma.

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: SMU

SEC

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: Texas A&M’s only shot is to win the Southeastern Conference Tournament. Otherwise, it’s on to baseball season in Aggieland.

BEST OF THE REST

SUN BELT CONFERENCE: There are a few conferences with just one available bid, and their league tournaments will determine who will advance. In the Sun Belt, Texas State is the current leader and will be the favorite to earn a spot in the big dance. However, a strong challenge from George State and/or Georgia Southern is likely, and UT-Arlington is hoping to play the role of spoiler from its fourth-place position.

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: None

CONFERENCE USA: UTSA has a shot to advance from Conference USA, as does North Texas, but Old Dominion is the odds-on favorite to run the table in the conference tournament. The Roadrunners are among a four-team pack fighting for second place behind Old Dominion, and the Mean Green are one of only two 20-win teams in Conference USA.

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: Rice, UTEP

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE: Sam Houston State has built a comfortable lead in the race for the Southland’s regular season crown and looks ready to make more noise in the league’s postseason tournament. Abilene Christian and Lamar aren’t out of the conversation by a long shot, though. Abilene Christian is already over the 20-win mark, while Lamar headed into the home stretch of its season schedule riding a five-game conference winning streak.

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: Stephen F. Austin, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Houston Baptist, Incarnate Word

SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE: Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern appear to be the biggest roadblocks for one another in each program’s quest for the SWAC’s lone NCAA Tournament bid. Prairie View A&M looks as though it will win the regular season conference crown, while Texas Southern is hoping to turn the tables in conference tourney.

IN NEED OF A MIRACLE: None

WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE: Lastly, UT Rio Grande Valley will need a miracle in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament to unseat heavy favorite New Mexico. UT Rio Grande Valley has had a respectable season and is in the middle of the pack in the league standings, but there isn’t any room for error.

Horns edge out Purdue before facing Tech & LSU.

Written by Charles Branch on . Posted in College Baseball, TEXAS SPORTS.

The magic in 2018 was unforgettable for the Horns as Cody Clemens led the way with clutch hitting and over 20 home-runs leading them to Omaha. It was remarkable to see and this season will try to get close to equivalence.

The Horns will be without short stop David Hamilton for the season as he suffered through an Achilles injury. The horns lost a  total of five players from last season and some of the question marks are in some important aspects of this team most notable the pitching; referencing to Chase Shugart and Nolan Kingham.

The Longhorns bring in a challenging group and the expectation to win another Big 12 title and earn a top seed to Omaha. David Pierce is a fine coach at developing talent and fans will definitely keep an eye out for this promising group. There might be hiccups early in the season or there might be some progress. At this point the horns have earned a respectable 6-2 record to start the birth of the 2019 season. The offense should be the strength of this team even with the absence of Clemens. Pierce has turned this program into a competitive and strong one each and every year. They will lean on the bats of Tate Shaw, Austin Todd, Duke Ellis, and Ryan Reynolds.

The Disch has already hosted Purdue giving Texas a series win over a span of three games. Gaining this momentum has given them a confidence as they prepare for a battle with series against 2nd ranked LSU and #3 Texas Tech. If they can come out of this maybe splitting these two it’s a success and and will direct them into the right direction.

With Pierce’s strength and knowledge regarding his team, there’s a stability that he will put his players in the right positions to win. A one game at a time mentality for this young rebirthing team is the right thing to do and the leadership from Pierce will definitely be used. Once this team gets their feet underneath them and the hard work they portray this season they should be able to match the success. The expectation is not out of reach. We’ll get a real feel once they face the Red Raiders. And they will see them again down the line. It’s not a failure if you see them go back and forth and maybe going just 1-2. They have time and with a respectable 6-2 record it can only get better. The uncertainty of how they’ll start the season is behind us and now it’s time to turn up the notch. There will be bumps and bruises but the grind will hopefully turn this team into the team to beat in the BIG 12. Grab a seat, get some popcorn, and Hook ‘EM.

Longhorns Youth on Mound Strength in 2019.

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in College Baseball, TEXAS SPORTS.

AUSTIN — With a legacy of live arms that includes Burt Hooton, Greg Swindell and Roger Clemens, the Longhorns realize that the greatest equalizer of all is usually the man on the mound.

But after a return trip to the College World Series, Texas’ rotation seems to be under major construction in 2019.

Two of head coach David Pierce’s most reliable hurlers — Nolan Kingham and Chase Shurgart — are no longer with the program, leaving Blair Henley as the most experienced returnee. Henley, a junior right-hander from Fort Worth, posted a 3.32 ERA last season on his way to earning All-Big 12 second team recognition.

Most expect Pierce to rely on depth during the early season until a handful of reliable pitchers separate themselves from the pack. If that doesn’t happen, then it could be all hands on deck for the entire year.

Also figuring into the potential starting rotation will be sophomore right-hander Bryce Elder, freshman right-hander Coy Cobb, sophomore right-hander Matt Whelan and freshman right-hander Ty Madden. Elder, who played his high school ball in Decatur, is off to a solid start with a 0.64 ERA in his first 14 innings of work.

There are plenty of options in the bullpen, including sophomore right-hander Kamron Fields, who got some quality playing time in the CWS last season as a collegiate newcomer and is also set to play some outfield for Texas. 

Redshirt freshman Cole Quintanilla, a native of nearby Cedar Park, has done his best to prove he can be trusted in multiple situations. The 6-foot-5 righty has already collected a win and a save in his first four appearances — all without surrendering a run.

In addition to Fields and Quintanilla, Tristan Stevens, Brandon Ivey, Donny Diaz, Mason Bryant and Nico O’Donnell have each seen more than one appearance in the first two weeks of 2019. Bryant is a 6-foot-5, right-handed freshman from Austin McCallum, while Ivey, a senior southpaw from Houston, is the lone senior of the bunch.

One of the most intriguing prospects in senior Matteo Bocchi, who is from Parma, Italy. The 6-foot-4 right-hander tossed three scoreless innings during the Longhorns’ 8-6 loss to the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and could be a wild card as the season progresses.

The good news is there’s still some time to figure out who will figure into the mix when Big 12 play rolls around. Texas is set to open conference play in Austin on March 15-17 with a three-game series against Texas Tech.

Corey Knebel Living Field of Dreams

Written by Daniel Jones on . Posted in MLB.

Corey Knebel was somewhere around El Paso, on his way to spring training in Phoenix, when we finally caught up. He had just obliterated a large burger and fries, quite possibly easing the transition from the relative normalcy of the off-season to the demanding, high-stakes, though always thrilling, kickoff to baseball season.

And Knebel, 27, has a lot to be excited about: He was virtually unhittable in the playoffs last October, posting a .90 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 10 innings; this after he struggled to pitch at his best for much of the 2018 season following an April hamstring injury.

Although the didn’t quite match the same regular-season impact he had as an All-Star in 2017, in which he had a 1.78 ERA, 126 strikeouts and 39 saves in 45 opportunities, Knebel’s performance in the 2018 playoffs proved him to be one of most dominating closers in all of Major League Baseball. With help from his lights-out pitching, the Brewers made it to game seven of the National League Championship Series before the team lost to the Dodgers, just a game shy from competing in the World Series.

“To be honest, the comfort factor for me is ending the season like that. That was definitely the highlight of my career. I wanted to pitch in every game, and of course I couldn’t,” because he had a scheduled rest day, he said. “Now I’m able to move forward into this next season and start off strong just like I ended.”

EMBRACING THE PRESSURE

The 39th overall pick in the Major League Baseball 2013 draft by the Detroit Tigers, Knebel this January signed a one-year, $5.125 million contract extension with the Brewers, beginning his fifth season with the organization. When asked if the new contract takes some of the pressure off him to perform, the former UT closer said it doesn’t and that he also doesn’t want it to because “I really feed off the pressure.”

Knebel, a Leander-area resident and a graduate of Georgetown High School, approaches closing out big league games the same way he does with hunting. He starts getting his mind right and focused when he’s sitting up in the hunting blind when things are calm. “You’re excited, but you know you have to calm down or else you’re going to miss your shot,” he said. “Well, that’s exactly how I feel when I’m in the bullpen.”

But it’s big league hitters who more likely have to calm down when he’s called in to ensure a win. Knebel’s the one whose fastball occasionally tops out at 100 MPH, a pitch that makes his wicked breaking ball nearly impossible to hit when it’s placed well.

CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE AND SAGE ADVICE

Regarding his success in professional baseball, he gives credit to the countless coaches, teammates and family members who have helped guide and encourage him along the way, from his father to Georgetown High School head coach Adam Foster, former UT coach Skip Johnson, who is now head coach of Oklahoma University, and Brewers manager Craig Counsell. “These guys have been all the keys to my success. All have helped me and have been right there to lean on, especially when I went through my tough time last year.”

To his 12-year-old self, he would say, “Honestly, do not give up on your dreams. I never thought I’d be where I am today. It was just a dream that I had when I was younger.” He also discourages youngsters from throwing curve balls. Learn how to get guys out with your fastball and changeup, he said. It’s worked for him.

March Madness is Perfect.

Written by Charles Branch on . Posted in NCAA BASKETBALL.

The wildest college playoff is about to come alive for March Madness for two weeks time. Every year is a surprise, bubble teams squeeze themselves in, snubs have to accept their fates, fan brackets are crushed in the first week, Cinderella’s develop, and unsuspected players create their legacies as they are talked about forever. Fan favorites are born; the last seconds are dragged on capturing moments for all to see that will be discussed in the office; Who will win? How many teams do you have left in your bracket etc..

Many NBA players have taken that with them to cast their careers with Steph Curry and Gordon Hayward.

Let’s go back to Gordon Hayward for a second, in 2010 a college kid who looked like he snuck in the locker room, stole a jersey, and just took Butler all the way to the Finals against Duke. Hayward missed just inches as the basketball hit the rim ricocheting causing Duke to rush the court as the last seconds ticked away. Coincidentally Brad Stevens coached Butler and earned himself one of the best basketball developers in the sport. Hayward got drafted by Utah then ended up in Boston as he teamed up again with his former coach.

 The underdog is one of the go to stories giving casual fans to take a look what all the attention is about. That was the case for Curry in 2008 as he led Dayton to wins over Gonzaga, Georgetown, and Wisconsin. It all seemed possible for the small boyish face to go all the way but Big 12 representative and eventual champion Kansas beat them 59-57. He beat records for most threes in the tournament that year. It’s pretty safe to say he didn’t ease off the trigger a few feet back in the NBA.

The stress that goes into each game for the fans shoot at the very beginning. A little voice creeps in saying, “I think this is the game that ends the season,” because in all reality only one team can win. Their eyes are glued to the screen, yells are called on fouls that are suspect. There is a little bit of paranoia, are the refs getting paid? The logical answer is no but we all remember the debacle in the NBA a few years back with Tim Donaghy. For two hours everyone soaks up the intensity. The last five minutes feels like a second game, is this one of the games that will be talked about the next day. Conversation is intense as well.

This year gets a little interesting. One of the tops team in Duke grabs headlines for their confidence, youth, and one of the top picks Zion Williamson. And just for nostalgia sake Rick Barnes who has coached Tennessee one of the top teams in the nation. Sorry Texas fans but Tennessee won on the coaching changes with Shaka Smart not able to be a consistent threat. With Rick Barnes you knew what you had.

  • Texas guard Kerwin Roach II (12) shoots past Oklahoma State forward Yor Anei (14) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019, in Austin, Texas. Texas won 69-57. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

 The Longhorns have a chance to sneak in as the Big 12 hasn’t had a clear cut leader of the pack. They have to finish strong and demand attention or maybe even winning the Big 12 title to get in as a lower seed.

The name March Madness is the perfect. Heart comes to life on the hardwood, teams are strengthen or weakened, stories are written, upsets are on high alert. This year will be no different, this year will carry out its own identity. Roll out the balls and let’s meet at half court because there will bound to be something worth remembering this year. 

Texas over Oklahoma State 69-57

Written by Russell Dowden on . Posted in TEXAS SPORTS.


By JIM VERTUNO, AP Sports Writer
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — In a Big 12 season of ups and downs for Texas, none was more befuddling than an early loss to last-place Oklahoma State.
The Longhorns made sure there would be no repeat on Saturday.
Kerwin Roach II scored 16 points, Dylan Osetkowski scored 14 on 5-of-5 shooting a 69-57 Texas win that sent the Cowboys to their fifth straight loss and eighth loss in nine games.


“It was our emphasis today to come out, just be aggressive, don’t take these guys lightly,” Roach said. “Respect them. They beat us the first time. We wanted to pay them back.”


Oklahoma State (9-16, 2-10) jumped on Texas early the first time the teams met and looked to do it again with a flurry of 3-pointers, including three by Thomas Dziagwa. Texas responded when the Longhorns pushed out to defend further on the perimeter, and Oklahoma State made just one from long range over the final 9 minutes of the first half.


Dziagwa finished with 23 points behind seven 3-pointers.
“We just shut down everybody else,” Roach said. “We made it tough on him, too, but he still made some tough ones.”
Texas (15-11, 7-6) led 20-19 before closing the first half on a 19-7 run punctuated by Roach’s 3-pointer from the corner with 1 second left in the half.


Texas led by 13 early in the second before the Cowboys cut it 42-38. The Longhorns responded with three straight baskets and a 3-point play by Courtney Ramey to end the threat.


Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton dismissed three players for team rule violations after a 2-3 start in the Big 12 that included the previous win over Texas. The Cowboys are down to just seven scholarship players.
“That’s kind of a moving target. I put a walk-on on scholarship, but he broke his foot,” Boynton said. “(Texas) has players who weren’t even dressed that could start for us … I still sense a very frustrated group that feels like it cannot win.”


BIG PICTURE
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys had very little working offensively when Dziagwa wasn’t firing away from long range. They were 12 of 30 inside the arc and went 9 of 18 from the free throw line. Dziagwa was 0-6 when he wasn’t shooting 3-pointers.
“Even on a night we make eight (3-pointers) we still don’t get to 60 points,” Boynton said.


Texas: The Longhorns will like the confident shooting stroke from Osetkowski, who came in just 2 of 21 shooting 3-pointers in the previous nine games. He made two from the same spot in right corner in the first half, then made another with 7:12 to play that put Texas ahead by 10. His ability to score away from the basket will be key to the Texas offense over the stretch run of the season.


Osetkowski’s three 3-pointers were his season high.
“I’m looking for seven 3s like I did last season at Iowa State,” Osetkowski said. “It’s great see some going in.”


SCORING DEPTH
Texas’s deeper bench made a big difference. While Oklahoma State had four players log at least 38 minutes and two — Cameron McGriff and Lindy Waters III — played the entire game, Texas has only two players on the court for more than 30 minutes.


The Texas bench outscored Oklahoma State’s 16-2. Longhorns guard Elijah Mitrou-Long had six points and three assists and Royce Hamm Jr. had four points and three aggressive rebounds.


“Those guys gave us a real lift in terms of spirit and energy,” Texas coach Shaka Smart said. “We wanted to take advantage of the fact we had more depth.”


UP NEXT
Oklahoma State hosts TCU on Monday. The Cowboys lost the previous matchup 70-68.


Texas plays Oklahoma Saturday, looking for a season sweep over the Sooners. Texas won the previous meeting 75-72 when the Sooners missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds.

More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Rams Escape Big Easy: Advance to Superbowl 53

Written by Russell Dowden on . Posted in NFL FOOTBALL.


By PAUL NEWBERRY, AP National Writer
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A big comeback. A blown call. And, finally, a booming kick that sent the Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl.
After rallying from an early 13-0 deficit, the Rams stunned the New Orleans Saints with Greg Zuerlein’s 57-yard field goal in overtime for a 26-23 victory in the NFC championship game Sunday — an outcome that might not have been possible without an egregious mistake by the officials in the closing minutes of regulation.


Los Angeles cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman committed a blatant interference penalty with a helmet-to-helmet hit inside the 5, forcing the Saints to settle for Wil Lutz’s 31-yard field goal that made it 23-20 with 1:45 left in regulation.


That was enough time for Jared Goff to lead the Rams down the field for Zuerlein’s tying field goal, a 48-yarder with 15 seconds remaining.
New Orleans won the coin toss and got the ball first in the extra period. But, with a Rams defender in his face, Drew Brees fluttered up a pass that was picked off by John Johnson III, who was able to hang on to the interception while stumbling backward. Johnson hopped up and celebrated by doing with the “Choppa Style” dance popularized by New Orleans rapper Choppa, whose namesake song had become a Saints’ rallying cry and was even performed during the halftime show.


The Rams weren’t able to do much offensively, but it didn’t matter. Zuerlein booted through the winning field goal from just inside midfield with plenty of room to spare.


“It’s unbelievable, man. I can’t put it into words,” Goff said. “The defense played the way they did to force it to overtime. The defense gets a pick and Greg makes a 57-yarder to win it. That was good from about 70. Unbelievable.”


The Superdome, which had been in uproar all afternoon, suddenly turned eerily silent. It was the first home playoff loss for the Saints with Brees and coach Sean Payton, who and been 6-0 in those games since their pairing began in 2006.


The Rams (15-3) and their 32-year-old coach, Sean McVay, capped a remarkable rise since moving back to Los Angeles three years ago. The team will be appearing in its first Super Bowl since the 2001 season, when the “Greatest Show on Turf” was still in St. Louis.
“Shoot, I don’t even know what day it is,” McVay said. “All I know is we’re NFC champs, baby!”


It was another bitter end to the season for the Saints, who lost the previous season in the divisional round on the “Minnesota Miracle” — the Vikings’ long touchdown pass on the final play of the game.
“It’s a tough pill to swallow,” said Brees, who was denied a shot at adding to the Super Bowl title he won during the 2009 season.
This time, New Orleans (14-4) couldn’t hang on to the lead or overcome a mistake by the officials.


The Saints were on the verge of blowing out the Rams, scoring on their first three possessions and taking advantage of an interception off a dropped pass by Todd Gurley.


Then a fake punt early in the second quarter gave Los Angeles its initial first down of the game. Sparked by that play, the Rams finally came to life offensively and drove into position for the first of four field goals by Zuerlein. Gurley made it 13-10 at halftime on a 6-yard touchdown run just before the intermission.


INJURY REPORT:
The Saints lost tight end Josh Hill to a concussion in the first quarter.
Hill was injured after hauling in a 24-yard pass from Brees. While making the tackle, Los Angeles Rams linebacker Cory Littleton delivered a forearm to Hill’s head.


No penalty was called, but Hill staggered off the field to be evaluated by the medical staff. Just before halftime, the Saints announced he was done for the game. The loss of Hill led to a much bigger role in the offense for Garrett Griffin, who spent most of the season on the practice squad. He caught a 5-yard pass for his first career touchdown.


UP NEXT:
The Rams head to Atlanta in about a week for the Feb. 3 Super Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They will face either the Kansas City Chiefs or the New England Patriots, who met Sunday night for the AFC title.

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paul%20newberry

For more AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Colt McCoy update

Written by Charles Branch on . Posted in NFL FOOTBALL.

A fractured fibula ended Colt McCoy’s season when he attempted to take the Redskins to the playoffs when starter Alex Smith, who suffered the similar injury earlier in the season, was lost for the year. For all non-medical individuals, the fibula bone is the long slender bone that connects the ankle all up to the knee, it’s commonly known as the calf bone.

McCoy fell to the ground and his leg bent in a rather awkward way against the Eagles. Surprisingly he toughed it out for two more plays before he limped his way to the locker which was the last sight we saw from him the rest of the season. He finished with three touchdowns along with three interceptions in three games this season. Bone fractures are way more beneficial than a ligament injury, which in many cases may require nine months to a year before they can compete again and a whole year before they feel confident and play like they did before the injury. Luckily for Colt after his surgery he should be back before Super Bowl weekend to get ready for the 2019 season.

Bad luck ruined his opportunity in the 2018 season as he signed a two-year deal worth $6.5 million. Colt was on pace to void his contract, whether be a free agent or an increase in salary if he played 65% of his snaps this season. But Washington is believed to bring him back as the backup for the fifth straight season consequently from the fibula injury.

At 32, McCoy is as seasoned at they come with experience. He was drafted in the third round by Cleveland but never placed himself as their franchise signal caller. He was then traded to the 49ers who played for just the one year. Washington signed McCoy in 2014 who went through the whole RG3 and Kirk Cousins debacle. Both of them moved on after the 2017. The Redskins were content with the idea of McCoy as the starter before they traded for Alex Smith this past offseason.

Eagles’ quarterback Nick Foles established a need to have a quality backup that can play if need be. Washington still has a need for a backup but won’t feel comfortable with Mark Sanchez who replaced McCoy as the third quarterback that started for the Redskins. There is some trade value for McCoy as many teams struggle to develop a backup quarterback just in case something happens to their signal caller.

A fifth-round pick would be reasonable to acquire McCoy if the Redskins want to take a new path to find their quarterback of the future, but the 2019 NFL Draft is very weak in terms of finding the next franchise saving quarterback. They have yet to find their franchise quarterback when RG3 was behind center who has had jumped teams the last few years and Kirk Cousins signed a mega deal with the Vikings who many thought had not even come close this season as a payoff. The Vikings failed to make the playoffs.

The 2020 season will most likely give Colt the chance to test the free agent market and will attract many offers from quarterback needy teams. He is well respected among his teammates and will be a great presence in the locker room which he brought from the forty acres. Many scouts believed he wouldn’t last in the league this long but the fans have looked in the distance with satisfaction he is still alive and well. The memories of beating Ohio State, the come from behind victories, the record breaking stats, and the wishful thinking of what if he didn’t get hurt in the national championship game against Alabama have given him story to root for.

Texas Bass worth 100K

Written by Jarrett Smith on . Posted in Hunting & Fishing.

It’s 2019, and Texas based Hale Lures/Stanley Jigs has already kicked the fishing world in the face! Starting January 1st, any person that catches a bass on one of their lures that exceeds the current world record will receive $100,000.00 in cash! That’s right, a Texas based company is putting their money where their mouth is.

Texas has always been known for its big bass. Lakes in the east as well as reservoirs down by the border have produced numbers of record bass. Hale Lures and Stanley Jigs have also always been synonymous for catching big bass. Their lures have accounted for many state records and championship fish. The bounty is a free promotion running all 2019, requiring you to register online at www.fishstanley.com.
For my money, I would go to Lake Fork if I was hunting the state record bass, and that’s where you are most likely to find a bass that exceeds 22 lbs 4 oz. Is it possible to catch this world record bass in January/February though?

Ask any seasoned bass angler, and they will tell you that the winter bite can be tougher to come by. Fish are cold blooded allowing the water temperature to regulate their body temperature. When the water cools down, fish go through changes that eventually lead to a reduction in the efficiency of their metabolism. Their feeding habits begin to change. The upper 40 mark is the sweet spot in the water temperature, at which the fish begin to slow down their eating habits and seek warmth.

If you know where the warmth in the body of water you are fishing is you can attempt to locate the fish a little easier. Usually congregating in the deeper parts of a lake, or up into a sheltered bay in a river, the bass know where to find the warmer water. Rocks will hold heat from the sun and earth, and offer a nice place to lay a fish belly in the cold. You can usually find large numbers of bass in these positions in colder water.

However, they won’t all be active just because they are in one place together. You need to entice the bass by offering smaller presentations, and slowing down your approach. Try to mimic what the bait would be doing in the fishery. If the water is cold for the bass, it is cold for the bait too. Slow down your movements and offer smaller presentations to match what the bass are eating on.

I recently spent some time in the Hobie Pro Angler 14 Fishing Kayak out on Lake Travis. I was surprised at the amount of action I witnessed late in the day. The water temperature was around 53 degrees. I had spotted some groups of fish on a ledge earlier at 30 feet. I offered up a black and blue jig and some soft plastics. Neither was successful in getting the lethargic bass to move.

Sunset came and we had gone up into a small finger of water that wrapped around rock and trees, 15 feet maximum depth with brush sticking out everywhere. The bass were feeding on small groups of shad in the shallows, Even making top water hits!

Top water hits in January? It happened. Just shows you that you need to be prepared to adjust to the day if you want to bring out that big bite in the winter. Watch the water too. The bass in Travis seemed to be bedding early, splashing and feeding in the shallows off of the points we could see in the distance. We decided to head over chasing the bite. Later we could see them feeding on the tiny shad in the shallows. Keep an eye out and the fish will tell you where they are and what they want. If you’re going for the $100,000.00 prize, keep that in mind on the water this winter.

Tom Herman’s Next Class

Written by Charles Branch on . Posted in TEXAS SPORTS, UT FOOTBALL.

Many fans and media were really impressed with the overachieving season the Texas Longhorns had to finish the year, especially with the forever impressive win to beat the fifth ranked Georgia Bulldogs who might have been snubbed from the National Playoff.

A great win to finish the season will intensify the expectations for the 2019 season. And just like every season players come and go. Playmakers jump to the NFL a la Lil’Jordan Humphrey or finish out their eligibility; Gary Johnson, Breckyn Hager, Kris Boyd, and Charles Omenihu come to mind.

What does this mean for the starting offense and defense? The defense will take a big hit losing a majority of their starting first team and a lot of experience. Luckily after receiving draft stock analysis Junior Safety Brandon Jones has decided to return for his final season to graduate. Teaming up with Freshman stud safety Caden Sterns definitely eases some fans minds heading into the offseason. The secondary will need to find cornerback replacements from Devonte Davis and Kris Boyd who has NFL quality talent to compete at the next level. Freshman corners Anthony Cook and Kobe Boyce played extensively in the Oklahoma State game when Davis and Boyd were suspended for the first half. The freshmen were exposed early causing the Horns to play catch up the rest of the game before losing. They will have a full off season and will compete to earn the starting left and right cornerback positions.

Colin Johnson will return to the field to give Sam Ehlinger a big target who will team up with Devin Duvernay next year. The offense should continue where they left off as Keaontay Ingram will run full time from splitting time with Tre Watson this past year. Fans will see if he has the ability to elevate his game in 2019 judging from this season he will be more than capable.

Tom Herman in year two successfully recruited another top ten class to spring board them into the offseason in December grabbing twelve elite prospects from the top 300 athletes.  Three starting offensive lineman will move on from the team leaving multiple spots on the line up for grabs. Tyler Johnson a four star offensive tackle ranked 37th nationally signed in the early signing period and will be enrolled early in January. He will compete with redshirt freshman Junior Angilau another top 300 prospect from their previous third ranked class for one of the tackle jobs.

Gary Johnson was the leading tackler will be missed for the Horns who leaves a huge void in the middle of the of the front seven. De’Gabriel Floyd an All American linebacker who played his senior season at Westlake provides fire power to a lot of question marks that need answers. He will bring toughness to the position to help stop the run in the Big 12 as he too is also an early enrolled player.

Photo: Pat Carrigan Texas Sports Monthly

Herman signed talented receiver in Jordan Whittington from Cuero, Texas who can play all three phases of the game. He took over the state championship game and was the MVP on both the defense and offense sides of the ball. He will enroll early in January to show the coaches his playmaking ability to be used in September.

There were many players that were able to benefit from the 4 game rule that allowed players to qualify for a red shirt season. The depth on the Texas team is very deep which adds the idea the talent that Texas has been able to rack up has greatly improved. Ayodele Adeoye played in four games and will likely take over one of the linebackers jobs vacated from Wheeler and Johnson. Pairing him with Floyd will give them a nasty duo. And last season Texas brought in its third ranked class and many players were able to red-shirt the season. Herman has brought in the talent and has shown he can coach them up to the Texas standard. Sam Ehlinger has weapons to take this offense to the playoff where fans think back of Colt McCoy and Vince Young. It’s been ten years since the Horns has been in the national title game will next year have this team in the hunt? September can come back fast enough.