Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
As we mentioned this of course day before the matchup tomorrow,
first ever league contest at SEC Play for the Texas Longhorns.
And you know, we we got a chance to hear
from start the segment from last night's Long wornon Weekly.
You got a chance to hear that. But let's hear
(00:21):
from some long Worn players. Our man Will Matthews, the
our sideline reporter for Longhorn Football Game, sits down each
week with a variety of Longhorn players, and we start
off the series of conversations today with wide receiver John
Ta Cook.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
It's been really cool to see you mature. You came
in highly, highly recruited, ready to play speed like all
this stuff, and it's just been interesting to watch you
just developed that into your game and get ready and
it seems like, Bro, you're ready to do your thing.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Tell us about that sess of just growing in Sark's offense.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
I mean, honestly, like.
Speaker 5 (01:05):
The process, Bro, it's just been it's been one, bro,
you know, just been one of learning, you know, just
taking in a lot of stuff, you know, knowing when
when to do what, whether it's you know, on the
field or off the field.
Speaker 6 (01:19):
You know, just.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Becoming a pro, Like I just.
Speaker 5 (01:23):
Told him over there, bro, Like, that's one of the
greatest things that I think examer worthy for. It was
just the way that he went about his business, bro,
and just just the way that he carried hisself honestly,
like he was a pro before he got drafted, I
can say that.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
And just seeing that for.
Speaker 5 (01:40):
A whole year, like day in day out, how he
goes about.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
His business, how he practices, how he treats people.
Speaker 5 (01:45):
You know, that's just that was something that I needed to,
you know, put more into myself, you know what I mean,
Because in my opinion, I don't think football was ever,
you know, really a problem. Like I think I was
a pretty good freshman, could have made a decent amount
of plays, you know what I mean. But I think
it was more of the mental and am I actually
(02:07):
mentally ready to take on the role, that type of.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Role that I was asking for, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yeah, you talked about something very special, Like people don't
really understand the difference between coming to play and being
ready and being a pro.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Yeah that's different. Yeah, you talk us through those aspects.
What does that mean to you?
Speaker 4 (02:23):
To be a pro?
Speaker 5 (02:24):
I mean, being a pro is just always doing what
you're supposed to do, no matter who's looking, no matter
who's watching. You know, one of the first guys in
never late, taking notes all the time. You know, just
just a guy that if a coach asked, who do
(02:46):
you want.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
To be like? You want to be the guy that
coach says.
Speaker 5 (02:49):
And that's what being approach to me means, model example
and all aspects of the game, all aspects of life and.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Aspects of life. Let's talk about off the field, the
guy that you are.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Are you are you really excited? You'd like to have
a lot of fun, Like tell me about your journey there?
Speaker 5 (03:08):
Uh, I guess you could. I'm excited a little bit.
I have a little fun here and there. But as
far as like around this Simon in the fall, as
far as season time, you know, I'm really just rolled
down to earth, you know, just keeping the main thing,
the main thing, which is small and that's really it.
Bro hang out with my friends here and there, most
of my friends and my teammates, so see them every day.
Speaker 6 (03:31):
So that's great.
Speaker 5 (03:34):
Actually it I got a little girl that I'm talking.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
To right now that's always be keeping me. You feel
me like too, So that's how I.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Did, Bro, And as you're continually digging into this culture,
you're starting to shape it yourself, especially as you've been
time here.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
What do you feel like you're what you're giving to
this culture? What do you want to be known for?
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (04:01):
I just want to be known for like tough, just
being real tough, you know, mentally and physically.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
H playmaker, Bro.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
The moment is never too big.
Speaker 6 (04:13):
For me, you know.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
And just prepared and ready, bro, Because one thing that
I have learned since I've been in this culture and
since I've been around these coaches and you know, these players, Bro,
preparation is is is the biggest, one of the biggest,
if not the biggest, thing that will keep you away
from winning a game losing a game, you know. And
(04:35):
sometimes that's not even games, Bro, it's just preparing for
all situations.
Speaker 6 (04:41):
You know.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
It's something we do on Thursday it's called UH or
Fridays it's called Situational Masters, and we just go around
the country and we just watch all of the teams
that like made boneham mistakes as we call them, just
because they wasn't situationally aware of the situation, you know,
and they may have lost or they may have won
the game. But it's just making us aware of those
situations and knowing that they can happen and so that
(05:04):
we won't do them. And that's part of the reason
why we're one of the top team in college football.
Speaker 6 (05:09):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
So I got an one last question for you. This
question has to do with.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
When you are out there doing your thing, what is
your favorite aspect of the game and what's been your
favorite play this year?
Speaker 4 (05:23):
My favorite aspect of the game as far as like
what a route of like what?
Speaker 6 (05:28):
So for me?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
I played fullback, Yeah, and it was me and the
linebacker and the whole Oh that was everything to me.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
I loved it.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
But I gotta say my favorite aspect of the game
is just like when you either when I look inside
and the safeties inside the ash and it may be
like one hot and he's inside the ash and I'm pressed, man,
because a lot of times out of ten of ball's
gonna come to you in this offense.
Speaker 6 (05:52):
With the guys in the speed that we have.
Speaker 5 (05:54):
If you're pressed in the safeties that far away to
try to make that play, it's coming your way. And
I just I love the feeling before that moment, just
creating my plan of my release in my head or
you know, my escape pattern of if he do this
or if he do that, and then ultimately just making
a player. Like I said, it's just not letting the
(06:14):
moment be too big for me. That's what I'm all about.
Big plays, you know, That's what I love.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Yeah, all right, Well, and he's made some and going
back to watching him in high school at the Soda,
he made a lot of those. I am going to
have to ask Will Matthews about Will's little diabolic laugh
there when John Ty was like, yeah, I got a
little girl I'm talking too.
Speaker 6 (06:32):
He's like, I have to ask him about that. All right.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
From the offensive side of the football, let's switch to
the defensive side. A guy who has been wreaking havoc
along that defensive front is accepted the mantle of being
a senior leader. Baron Surrell stepping in to visit with
Will Matthews.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Just talking through that defense.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
You guys look too big and too fast and too
most probably the dangerous is you're just too confident.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
What's going on? Tell me about you?
Speaker 7 (07:00):
So it's just a mentality that we have a weekend
and week out. We're not picking and choosing who we're playing.
We're not worried about any of the outside things. We're
just worried about what we can do weekend and week out,
and starts with starts on Monday, with the preparation, how
we're going about practice, how the energy and the execution
that we're bringing to practice, and then bringing that to
Saturdays and just cut loose and having fun. I mean,
that's what it's all about. What we call parties on Saturdays,
(07:21):
and that's what we do with go out there and
have a party.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
So party on Saturdays. You guys have definitely been doing that.
Guys have not been scoring. There's only been one touchdown.
Score it out in dk R.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
What is What is that pride and trust that you
have in each other to continually make sure that people
are not putting points on that board.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
It's just starts straught the week.
Speaker 7 (07:41):
I mean, you work with guys all week and you
get to know guys and then you build trust through
out the week. If I could trust a guy that's
doing his job all week through Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday,
then I know he's going to be able to go
out there on Saturday. And that's the biggest thing is
just building trust drough out the week and then you
have that trust be able to just go out there
and cut loose on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
And that's been such a fun thing to listen to.
Trust playing on a team of the other players like
being able to trust the means everything. Can you talk
us through how you guys are like really building this
legendary trust.
Speaker 7 (08:12):
It starts all the way back in the spring. I mean,
obviously these are the glory days right now. Everybody gets
to see us on Saturdays, and I mean that's fun
in itself, but it starts off in the spring. I
mean back then, that's when you knew, you found out
who you can depend on, just through practice, just through
going through drill work, all of the just the little
things that people may not see but you know, and
you spend those times with your teammates and then even
(08:33):
in the locker room just knowing the type of guys
that you're taking the field with at the end of
the day.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
That's all of the things that Bill trust Man.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
As you're looking at this season, I'd love for you
to talk about two things. Your the favorite play that
you may have that you've done, and then a favorite
play that you may have that you've seen one of
your one of your teammates do and I get and
he'll Edinburgh, well, Billy Floppam, and it vote tell me
from you.
Speaker 7 (09:01):
I feel like the great thing about this is I
feel like it's just so many players. Like when you're
saying that, I feel like it's just a highlight reel
going through my head. How many plays. I mean obviously
that I can name them, like you just tell me.
You gotta Eathan scoring to pick six for the first
time I don't know when the last time with d
Lineman since I've been here, caught a pick six here,
So that's that's that was great that you got in
hell on the in the beginning of the game getting
(09:21):
a pick six, that was great as well. So I mean,
I really can't pick just one. I mean there's been
a lot of plays. Then going up to Michigan making
plays out there, you got Drew catching a pick I mean,
there's so many just moments and plays, and I feel
like that's what's been making the season special.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
So behind the scenes, everybody sees the monsters and the
beast running out on the field and everything, but nobody
really knows, like behind the scenes. How do you relax
and what is your favorite pregame in postgame?
Speaker 7 (09:51):
My relax really just comes from my faith. I mean,
having having a big faith, being just solid and who
I am, knowing who I am, and then knowing whose
I am and knowing who I play for. And that's
that's the biggest thing for me. Obviously, keeps me relaxed
and keeps all of the anxious feelings out of me
because at the end of the day, I know that
what I'm playing this game for and I know my
truth in his life. So I mean at the end
of the day, I get to just go out there
(10:12):
and have fun, and it's a privilege at the end
of the day. That's what keeps me re LIFs just
knowing that I get to go out there and it's
just an opportunity to play football at the end of
the day. And I mean just not making the mooing
what it is. And then a pregame routine that just
comes down to waking up in the morning, thanking Gud
once again for the opportunity. That's what it starts with.
Then obviously get my body right. I mean, it depends
(10:32):
on the time of the game. Later in the day,
I might start watching some football just to see what
other guys are doing.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
So if the game is late.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
But this last year a Limb was seven, you got
to see some games exactly.
Speaker 7 (10:43):
I get to watch football because I think that I'm
a football fan herd. I love watching football too. I mean,
at the end of the day, it's a great privilege
that I get to play. But I like watching football too,
So I'll watch some games straight out the day. And
then we just get to meet and spend time with
my boys before we go out there and take the field.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Yeah, and then postgame celebrate. Are you like an ice
cream guy or like, is there a burger guy?
Speaker 3 (11:04):
What's up?
Speaker 7 (11:05):
Shout out our nutrition is Bragg because he give something
always in the in the locker room after the games,
after the game.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
I mean, I got my family this, I like spending
time with them.
Speaker 7 (11:13):
But Brad always keeps something good and fresh in the
in the locker room at the good game, so you
get the gout there.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
You might get.
Speaker 7 (11:19):
Natchos when we get burgers, good wings, so you never
know what Brad.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
He makes it up good, So shout out to him.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
Yeah, nothing like a good post k meal and the
nutritionist really helping out.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
That makes a big difference as well.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
You can imagine those offensive linemen and defensive linemen hopping
into the tank the Texas Athletic Nutrition Center.
Speaker 6 (11:40):
The tank can take all. There's great food in there
from what.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
I've been told, and for them to get in there
and have an opportunity to chow down after a meal,
that's good stuff.
Speaker 6 (11:48):
All right.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Coming up more of Will Matthews's conversations and uh, we'll
also continue to look toward the weekend in the NFL,
the baseball penn and races. Don't forget Geene Watson coming
up with a next hour to talk about the final
weekend of the baseball regular season and by the way,
the final ever game yesterday at the Oakland Coliseum. All
that and more when we continue on sports Radio AM
(12:11):
thirteen hundred The Zone