DieBruderschaft.com

AUSTIN, Texas -- What is Tom Herman inheriting as the new coach at Texas? Well, for starters, it is a far more attractive job today than it was three years ago thanks to the recruiting and roster-building efforts of Charlie Strong and his staff. With the young talent hes leaving for Herman, this is no rebuild.About a month ago, Strong made a claim thats worth assessing again: No matter who coaches Texas in 2017, theyll win 10 games.Because this is Texas, it makes perfect sense to saddle the new coach with lofty and borderline unfair expectations before his first day on the job. But the next staff is taking over a team primed to play for Big 12 titles again soon.The cake has been baked, Strong said Friday after his final game. The only thing you need to do now is put the icing on it and slice it.Just look at the depth chart. Texas underclassmen have accumulated 109 starts on offense and 112 starts on defense in the past two years. The starting lineup for the final game of Strongs tenure featured only four seniors. Its still a young team whose players didnt come close to reaching their potential during another losing season.The consecutive top-10 recruiting classes that Strong and his staff signed make up the core of the roster going into 2017. Those 50-plus players have logged a significant number of snaps in two seasons, so the Longhorns 2017 and 2018 teams ought to be loaded with experienced talent.Texas finally has a quarterback, and Shane Buechele had more ups than downs during his true freshman campaign while throwing for 2,958 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Theres another elite arm on the way, local product Sam Ehlinger, an ESPN 300 early enrollee.The Longhorns have absolutely restocked up front during Strongs three years. They have an All-America-caliber left tackle, Connor Williams, and an offensive line that showed growth and built depth in 2016. Eight offensive linemen who have starting experience are expected back next season.On the defensive line, the Longhorns have a pair of pass-rushing future stars, Malcolm Roach and Breckyn Hager, among their seven returning players who have started games.The defense Strong put himself in charge of for his final eight games has four big-time linebackers: Malik Jefferson, Edwin Freeman, Anthony Wheeler and Jeffrey McCulloch. In the secondary, nine players who have earned starts are set to come back.Herman will surely try to persuade 2,000-yard rusher DOnta Foreman to return for his senior season, but the departure of Strong and the allure of being a high draft pick (potentially late first-round or to mid-second-round) will be difficult to overcome. Foreman feels hes NFL-ready, and after watching what he accomplished in 11 games this season, its hard to dispute that.But Texas has another young power back to build around, Chris Warren III, when he gets healthy, along with seven returning receivers who caught at least 18 passes this season.Youd sure like to be here a year from now, offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert said after the loss to TCU. Theres a huge, huge bright future here.And Hermans staff will have plenty of time to keep building before signing day. Texas is expected to take around 20 signees, and only seven players are currently committed (five are ESPN 300 prospects). Between the recruits currently committed to Houston and the states top uncommitted players, filling out the rest of the class shouldnt be a problem.With all those pieces coming in place, its not hard to understand why even a 7-5 season likely wouldve been enough to buy Strong one more year. In his final week on the job, he acknowledged there are plenty of reasons to be excited about Texas future. The foundation has been built.Does it all add up to Texas contending for a Big 12 title in Hermans first season? Its not easy to size up the rest of the conference heading into next year, nor has the Big 12 even released its 2017 schedule. But we do know Texas makes a trip to USC on Sept. 16, an early-season challenge that should help set the tone for the rest of Hermans Year 1.The expectations are always high at Texas. Herman knows that. The Texas hes taking over is especially optimistic about whats coming next.Yeah, its coming, and thats whats going to be fun, Strong said Monday. This group of guys is going to win a national championship. I said it to them. That group of guys will win a national championship. And I feel that strong about that statement. Custom Dallas Stars Jerseys . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007. Stars Jerseys China . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. https://www.cheapstarsonline.com/ .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Kevin Porter and defenceman Chad Ruhwedel from the minors as part of a five-player roster shuffle made by the NHLs worst team. Dallas Stars Shirts . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. Dallas Stars Store . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. PHILADELPHIA -- Despite playing below .500 for most of the season, the Philadelphia Phillies havent given up hope of another division title. And more games like Sundays result certainly will help. Freshly chosen All-Star Domonic Brown homered, tripled and drove in two runs, leading the Phillies over the Atlanta Braves 7-3. Ben Revere hit a two-run triple for Philadelphia, which took two of three from the NL East-leading Braves. "We have to go right now," Brown said. "Were definitely fighting and battling." The Phillies, who won five straight NL East titles from 2007-11, are 7 1/2 games behind Atlanta. They will try to make up more ground by hosting second-place Washington for four games beginning Monday. "Hopefully we can win the series against the Nats," Brown said. The Phillies also took two of three at NL Central-leading Pittsburgh last week. "It feels great to finally start swinging the bats as a team," Brown said. Even without slugger Ryan Howard, who went on the 15-day DL on Saturday with left knee inflammation, manager Charlie Manuel still believes in his club. "If we stay at it and grind it out, we can win," Manuel said. "Weve been there before. What the heck? We have guys in our clubhouse who know how to win." The Phillies also are relying on unproven talent, particularly in their bullpen. They used five relievers on a hot day that began with a gametime temperature of 95 degrees to back Jonathan Pettibone (5-3), who allowed one run on five hits in 5 1-3 innings while tying his career high with six strikeouts against one walk. "There are going to be growing pains," Manuel said of the bullpen. "The more consistent they get, thats how were going to win." Chris Johnson homered and Brian McCann got three hits for Atlanta, which has lost 10 of its last 15 road games. McCann finished 9 for 12 in the series and is batting .512 (22 for 43) over his last 11 games. "Even though we had 10 hits we couldnt put up enough crooked numbers," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "You get 10 hits, you cant blame the offence." Kris Medlen (6-8) gave up a season-high siix earned runs in 5 1-3 innings.dddddddddddd Medlen had won three straight and five of his last six starts. He surrendered eight hits with five strikeouts and three walks. "It came down to execution and I didnt execute," Medlen said. "Theyre a veteran team and they make you throw it down the middle. Theyre a quality team. It was one of those days for me." The Phillies jumped out to a 4-0 lead through four innings. Browns RBI triple and Delmon Youngs single staked Philadelphia to a 2-0 advantage in the first. Revere tripled home two more in the fourth. He is batting .337 since May 1. The Braves scored in the fifth on Medlens opposite-field RBI single. The first five runs of the game came with two outs. Brown, picked Saturday to his first All-Star team, got that run back in the bottom of the fifth by turning on Medlens inside pitch and just clearing the wall in right for his 23rd homer. "It was down, I thought it might hit him," Medlen said. "What can I say?" Hes an All-Star and hes having a heck of a year." The Phillies were gifted a pair of runs in the sixth when Darin Ruf and Carlos Ruiz scored on Alex Woods wild pitch and McCanns throwing error on the play. Johnsons homer and Jason Heywards single accounted for the Braves two runs in the seventh. Atlantas B.J. Upton was ejected in the fifth by plate umpire Doug Eddings for arguing after being called out on strikes. Upton went 0 for 2, dropping his average to .175 with 96 strikeouts. "B.J. didnt say very much from where I was standing," Gonzalez said. "I dont know what he said at the plate." NOTES: Atlanta reliever Luis Ayala allowed one hit in a scoreless seventh inning. Ayala, activated from the DL on Friday after being out due to anxiety disorder, was pitching in his first game since April 24. ... The Braves open a three-game series at Miami on Monday night. LHP Mike Minor (8-4, 3.15) takes the mound for the Atlanta against RHP Kevin Slowey (3-6, 4.24). ... Phillies LHP John Lannan (1-3, 5.15) is scheduled to oppose Washington RHP Dan Haren (4-9, 6.15) when the teams open a four-game series in Philadelphia on Monday night. ' ' '