Coach V's grades: Texas vs Texas Tech

The grades are out for Texas after its 34-13 win over Tech on Saturday night in Lubbock.

It helps to play against a QB that is limited and it’s even better if he must be replaced by a guy with absolutely zero college experience. Texas has a few real gamers but we are still sadly stuck with too many “selective convenient” guys that only play hard till the whistle IF there is a good chance for a “look at me” tackle. They ain’t hard to identify on the big plays.

Here are the DEFENSIVE grades:

88—Reed—B+

5 tackles—GT QB draw—GT counter—good pursuit jet sweep—good QB flush—GT on punt—GT counter—good force on jet. Played hard.

40—Hughes—C

5 tackles—blocked GL td—blocked 5 yards off LOS on counter—blocked zone—less than all-out pursuit on flow away—MT zone. Not productive nor active game.

42—Bluiett—C

2 tackles—blocked counter—very cautious on pursuit vs. zone away—blocked power—MT. Not productive in limited snaps.

1—Davis—C

fumble recovery—MT—QB option—MT on QB—missed assignment on option—hooked on sweep—effort is very questionable especially on kickoff return.

90—Brown—B+

5 tackles—good pursuit T on screen—GT zone—MT draw—GT draw—GT jet—GT outside zone—GT power. Played hard.

98—Ridgeway—B+

4 tackles—tfl—good pursuit T—Good pursuit T on power—great QB flush on GL—MT draw—GT lead. Played hard.

93—Boyette—B-

2 tackles—GT draw—too high—blocked on power—G pursuit on zone.

95—Ford—B-

2 tackles—GT zone—good hustle on draw—good pursuit flow away—too high.

3—Hicks—C

5 tackles—blocked zone—GT zone—GT counter—MT screen—GOFT swing—blocked counter—blocked lead play—blocked GL td run—MT counter—blocked swing pass—GT zone. Didn’t play well nor full boom.

33—Edmond—B

13 tackles—tfl—sack—PBU—GT screen—GOFT swing—face mask penalty—GOFT QB scramble—GT zone—MT draw—blocked GL td run—MT zone—GT jet—GT zone—great tackle on lead—blocked scramble. Played well but found ways to sleepwalk thru about a half dozen real stinkers.

19—Jinkins—C

1 tackle—blocked on outside zone—blocked zone—blocked power—GT draw—lost contain—GL slow edge stunt.

55—Santos—maybe next week

MT screen—cut blocked lead—poor angle on screen (underneath)—blocked on lead—MT sweep—blocked zone—blocked power—MT power. Zero positive plays but we keep running him out there.

2—Thompson—B

4 tackles—good interception over the top—GOFT screen—Good PBU on fly route—GOFT screen—MT screen—MT draw—GOFT hitch—blocked screen—good tackle saves two 6’s. Played hard at both safety and corner.

6—Diggs—B

4 tackles—FF—PBU—MT screen—GOFT hitch—MT hitch—QB hurry edge stunt—big hit fumble on QB—blocked screen—GT screen—Good PBU on slant—MT zone—GT screen—blocked screen. Played hard except for two screens and one hitch.

21—Thomas—C+

5 tackles—4 PBU’s—beat deep on fly route—good PBU on slant—GOFT—late hit penalty—good PBU slant—good PBU fly route—MT screen. Played hard with costly mistakes.

15—Echols—B+

7 tackles—FF—PBU—GOFT swing—blocked screen—GOFT hitch—GT screen—GT draw—MT edge stunt—beat play action—trucked once but made tackle. Played hard and well in his first start/extended play.

44—Haines—B-

5 tackles—2 PBU—MT screen—blocked screen—blocked screen—GOFT lead—GT scramble—missed interception on PBU deep—good play swing—GOFT power—good support zone. Played hard.

31—Hall—B

2 tackles—PBU—GOFT slant—bad call on late hit penalty—good PBU in end zone.

25 Davis had a good kickoff tackle and a good tackle on a screen—one MT zone.

91 Cottrell had one good tackle on a power.

There is now no doubt that UT can block defenders that are not very good college players at this time. Texas is still highly capable of producing some of the most “what the hey” moments along with some stand up and say “wow” mixed together.

Here are the OFFENSIVE grades:

18—Swoopes—B-

13 of 25 for 228 yards, and one TD—7 runs for 32 yards—good throws on posts, play action, curl, and fly routes. He had some drops and he flat missed a few—the 4th down pass was a clunker and his fumble cost 7 points. Ty had one terrific run off play action and dropped several bombs that should have been caught.

28—Brown—B+

22 carries for 116 yards—two td’s—good lead block on iso—too slow to corner on one sweep—fumble on zone but not turnover thanks to 82—tough runs on both td’s—stout runs in red zone—you win with Malcolm’s effort most weeks.

32—Gray—B

16 runs for 83 yards—one td—2 catches for 11 yards—good block play action pass—two bad “bounce outside” attempts—good run zone—good run lead—ran harder this week with one terrific “jump’ move on td run. JGray was much better this week.

33 Foreman had 3 runs for 10 yards.

7—Johnson—C

one catch for 5 yards—dropped a 3rd down curl—dropped a fly route—drew one pass interfere penalty—blocking was poor.

8—Shipley—C+

3 catches for 23 yards—one td—dropped slant—fumble (turnover) after catch—good post corner route on BL for td—blocking was below average.

9—Harris—A-

5 catches for 165 yards—good catch on out and up—dropped slant—good 1st down catch on curl—good catch fly route—good catch on streak—good catch on post—didn’t score but changed field position three times—good ball game.

23—Johnson—A-

2 runs for 43 yards—good reverse runs—ran god routes as WR—hopefully plays more next week.

84—Joe—A-

one catch for 11 yards—good block reverse—good hands catch in red zone—good hustle on special teams. Probably should play much more.

82—Swaim—A-

We are going to miss this guy more than words can say.

GB power—GB iso—GB lead—great block pin/pull—great lead block BL—GB lead—GB GL—great block sweep—GB zone—GB short yardage—GB SY—GB power—terrific combo block.

85—McFarland—B-

one catch for 13 yards—good block reverse—BPB (play action) on fumbled td—GB lead—BRB draw—good run after catch on QB scramble.

47—Beck—C+

seven good blocks—three below average blocks—GB reverse—GB power—dropped wheel route—False start penalty.

36—DeLaTorre—C+

eight good blocks—five below average blocks—one terrific block GL.

66—Flowers—B++

beat two pass blocks (only bad plays)—GB iso—GB lead—good combo block—good pull block on lead—good pinch block—GB SY—GB draw—GB lead—GB lead—GB sweep—GB GL—GB GL. Best game is possible.

76—Perkins—A-

BPB (play action)—GB lead—GB draw—great block iso—good combo block—GB lead—good pull block draw—GB lead—GB GL—GB SY—GB zone. Best game in brief career.

74—Doyle—A-

GB iso—GB lead—GB combo—GB combo—GB lead—GB draw—GB draw—GB lead—GB zone—GB GL—great block zone—great block zone—GB zone—good pass protection. Best game of Taylor’s career.

65—Hutchins—B-

GB zone—good combo block—good block pin/pull—good pinch block—GB lead—GB lead—BPB—GB lead—BPB—GB zone—BRB. Really plays hard but size/strength limits productivity.

71—Hughes—B-

BRB—GB lead—GB lead—BPB—GBzone—BPB—GB zone—GB pinch—good block draw—GB SY—GB GL—GB SY—GB zone—GB draw—if he ever gets physical he may be special.