In this edition of Good News/Bad News, Taylor Potts wears a white helmet, Eric Smash, Zou and friends.
Taylor Potts
Good News: Taylor Potts's throws look sharp and accurate. I remember 2 bad throws (where no one was there), 2 or 3 throws forced into traffic, and that 1 near pick 6 that was a check-down that he didn't check. Don't be fooled by the announcer saying that pretty much every ball should have been picked off, most of the throws into traffic hit the intended receiver and were not near picks.
Bad News: There still was very little rhythm with the offense, either with Potts or Sheffield in the game. I hope that's an effect of the limited playbook and not of our offense itself. I could see it being a play calling issue, running a lot of very generic air raid plays and getting into a lot of third down situations. Pass catching has to improve, especially out of Cornelius Douglas as he's great once the ball is in his hands. I don't expect the next game to be near as vanilla.
Running Backs
Good News: Eric Stephens is playing (and snoring) like a man with his hair on fire. Not only did he take 10 carries for 46 yards (an ok average) and 3 catches for 43 yards, but he also had 175 return yards including his 93 yarder.
Bad News: Maybe it was because he was up until 3:00 in the morning, but Baron only had a pedestrian 10 carries for 36 yards, dropped a screen pass that was going to go for yards, and fumbled the ball on the goal line. Fumbling the ball is not a good way to stay in Tub's good graces. On a few plays he looked like his old self, but these were few and far between. If our line cannot open holes for him, and he cannot create for himself, he's not going to be getting very many reps.
Injury Report
Good News: Torres and Zouzalik are back on the field. In fact, we got to welcome Zou back with a 55 yard TD reception where he showed his wheels. Okafor made it back as well, which will be huge for line depth. In-game injuries to Brian Duncan and Frank Mitchem don't seem serious, either.
Bad News: Both of our receivers looked rusty in what they did. Sure Zou took one to the house, but that was his only catch of the day. Torres got a couple of catches but not many yards. Zou made what was almost a costly mistake at punt return. He'll get it back, though. This is concerning because it reminds me that LaRon Moore is scheduled to return to action next week and will probably not be up to his best level. We need him, but we also need him to not be rusty
Crawford and Brydon
Good News: I love special-teams demons, I really do, and we have our very own duo in backup running back Aaron Crawford and walk-on linebacker Jonathan Brydon. Two blocked kicks, the two of these players involved in both. Additionally, I think one of these two had a key block that sent Eric Stephens on his 93 yard kick return romp. I'd love to see Crawford get more time as the big back in the 2 back set as I think his change of pace and power as a blocker.
Bad News: There's really no bad news with these two, but I'll point out that all is still not right in the land of kickoff coverage. The longhorns are going to be brining a lot of them out of the endzone on us, trying to break that big one. Up the middle we've been salty, but along the sideline, for some odd reason, we're leaking badly.