October 10, 2024 • 21 mins
Hear Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian speak with the media in its entirety today as the Horns prepare for the Red River Rivalry. Sark discusses the match-up and the State Fair and names the starting Quarterback.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
It's The Craigway Show with the voice of the Texas
Longhorns and Hall of Fame broadcaster Craig Way.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
And it's a Thursday edition of the program of Texas.
Oh You week, Thursday edition of The Craigway Show. I'm
glad to have you with us. I'm Craig Way alongside
the producer Cameron Parker, and we'll be headed up to
Dallas following our show this afternoon, getting ready to bring
you the program from bar W on Maple Avenue tomorrow
(00:38):
afternoon from two to six our special Red River preview show,
Like Hardball, Harge will join us for that as well.
We'll talk a lot about the matchups of Texas and OU,
and we will also get into, you know, the rivalry
and yeah, we'll talk about the state fair stuff and
all of those kinds of things, all of what makes
(00:59):
this a really unique game. As we know, it'll be
the one hundred and twentieth edition. They have played it
continuously in Dallas since nineteen twenty nine, had the old
Fairground Stadium. I saw some pictures of it before. It
kind of looked like an old horse racing track and
that's where they played it and it wooden grand stands,
(01:20):
and it actually caught fire, and then it was replaced
by the Cotton Bowl stadium that exists now. The actual
kind of physical part of it, just like Memorial Stadium,
which is one hundred years old. The bottom part of
the grand stands is still the original concrete slabs of
that day, and of course all the improvements and renovations
(01:41):
happened afterwards. Same story with the Cotton Bowl when it
was built as a single oval that would seat forty
five thousand, and then it became they added the upper
decks on each side to increase the capacity to seventy
five thousand, called the House that Dope built from Doak
Walker's days at SMU when he was winning the Heisman Trophy.
Then they added the expansions on both the North and
(02:04):
South ends end zones in the late nineties, and that
was to prevent the game from leaving Dallas. There was
great consternation that they might not get that stadium approved
in terms of all the other modern amenities to continue
(02:27):
hosting the game, but they did, and it seats ninety
two one hundred fans. Well. Log Worn's head coach Steve
Sarkisian does several media availabilities during the week, the long
Corn Monday press conference that we bring you Alive, the
SEC teleconference on Wednesday, Then on Thursday, today his final
media availability of the week. It's a Zoom media session
(02:48):
with both local and national media. So here are the
thoughts on this Thursday, just prior a little over two
days prior to kickoff for Texas OU the Zoom media availability,
you have Logorn's head coach Steve Sarkisian.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Okay, exciting week.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
You know, I think you know from our perspective, you know,
when you have two weeks to prepare for a game
like this, it's kind of a crescendo as you as
you build to the ballgame and uh now having Thursday's
practice in the books, and you know, having a walk
through Friday and then heading up to Dallas. I know
our team is really excited about the opportunity. Uh it's
a great game to be part of, as we touched
(03:26):
on all week. But I'm very I was told they
just got done telling the team. I was really proud
of the way they've prepared this week. You know, they've
been very focused. I've had great mental intensity. We we
had you know, some really good physical and fast practices.
But in the end of this week, you know, I
think they're really dialed into the details, which is going
to be you know, really important in a game like.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
This, Steve, not just with Quinn, but with any of
your players. How do you determine a players healthy enough
to play?
Speaker 6 (03:53):
Is that?
Speaker 5 (03:53):
How much of a collaborative effort is that between you,
the players, your training staff? How how what's that process?
Speaker 7 (03:59):
Like?
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I think they're all in some way, shape or form
a little bit different, right.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Injuries are different. Player history of coming back from an
injury is different, you know. I think there's obviously a
medical component to this of when he is cleared by
doctors to play. I mean, whether I think he can
play or not, he has to be cleared to play.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
And then and then I think, then it.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Goes to myself, if you know what is my I
tell me not only from a physical ability, but also
from a mental ability to to be ready to go play.
I think a lot of times players can come off
of injuries and be physically ready to play, but mentally
still have some things in there that that are you know,
causing hesitation or not, you know, not playing one hundred
(04:46):
percent full speed and that that can be dangerous too,
And so I guess there's science involved, there's gut instinct involved,
there's psyche involved, there's a there's a lot that.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Goes into it.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
But in the end, we're just trying to instill confidence
in the play that he's more than capable of going
and doing it. But then there's the other player that
will tell you he feels great just because he can't
wait to get back out there, and the doctor say,
you know what, he's not quite ready to go, And.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
So that's where that dialogue comes in. But I do
agree with you it's a collaborative effort, Steve.
Speaker 8 (05:14):
When facing a guy like Hawkins who's athletic back there,
I was wonder if you could just talk about rush
lane integrity and how crucial that is to have success,
and if possible, just maybe the difference between facing a
guy who looks to use his legs to scramble versus
a guy who's looking to throw in that process.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yeah, you know, I think there's a lot of layers
to this, you know, because I think coverages can dictate
maybe how your rush lanes go. You know, when you're
playing zone coverage, sometimes you can be a little more
aggressive with trying to really rush the quarterback because the
majority of the eyes of the defenders in the secondary
(05:50):
are on the quarterback and they can react if he
does escape the pocket and you can get.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Him on the ground.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Where you have to be really careful with your rush
lanes is when you're playing man coverage because when you're
a man coverage and you get out of a rush
lane and you give the quarterback somewhere to escape when
he goes to run, all of those guys in the
secondary's backs are turned to the quarterback because they're guarding somebody,
and now that can create you know, longer yardage type runs.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
You know.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
The other the other way you can do that is
to is to play man try to really rush the
quarterback and have a spy where you can keep some
somebody's eyes on the quarterback and when he does go
to go to scramble, you can try to get him
on the ground. And so, you know, I think I
think one of the keys in games like this is
you can't you have to continue to mix your looks.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Right.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
You can't just keep throwing a fastball. You got to
throw a curve, you gotta throw a change up. You
got to keep switching it up, or or a quarterback
can find that rhythm, you know, the guys that that
that that drop back and then extend to scramble as
opposed to guys that drop back to extend to throw.
It's pretty I don't want to say it's easy when
(06:55):
when they're one or the other. When it's really hard
is when they do both. Because now you now players
are really compromised of do I do I come up
and try to get him on the ground or do
I stay in coverage? And so those guys are really
the most dangerous of that because they can do either or.
And I actually think Michael Hawkins is one of those guys.
You know, he has plenty of arm talent that can
(07:16):
that can make those throws when when plays get extended,
but clearly he's he's very dangerous with his legs when
he tucks it and runs.
Speaker 9 (07:23):
Coach, Good morning. The NCAA released new nl I guidelines
this week, and I'm curious what you think of that,
what impact that has on you guys as coaches. And
also shortening the transfer window from forty five to thirty days,
how does that impact a coaching staff?
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I gotta be honest with you, I haven't read any
of it.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
I'm gonna I'm gonna look into it a little bit
this afternoon when I have a little bit of free time.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
I try to keep the main thing the main thing.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
And you know, you know, CDC has done a good
job of keep me abreast of some of the decisions
that are coming. Our compliance department has, our recruiting department has.
But at the end of the day, they also know
I'm trying to game plan and get ready for this ballgame.
But but I'll I'll probably have a little more dialogue
with them this afternoon when I have a little bit
of downtime to uh to kind of, you know, drill
(08:12):
down on this a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
But so I don't have I don't have a great
comment for you on that.
Speaker 10 (08:16):
Hey, Steve, whenever Quinn goes through the NFL draft process
and starts meeting with pro personnel, do you envision him
having some issue in terms of being labeled injury prone
just given the amount of injuries that he's had throughout
his career.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
I don't necessarily think so.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
You know, sometimes injuries happen because they happen, you know,
I mean you know, when a guy gets pile drived
on his shoulder, there's a pretty good chance. It doesn't
matter who you are, your shoulder is probably going to
be sore to some capacity. Or when you get pile
drived and your claviical gets gets popped. I mean, I
don't I don't know many guys that would have withstood
(08:52):
that hit from from Dallas Turner a couple of years ago.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
That that was an odd hit.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
And and I've seen that injury, that same injury Quinn
had that year. Jalen Hurts had as well. Oddly enough,
you know, he has the oblique strain there a few
weeks ago. And I'm watching the game the other night,
Derek Carr is out of the game oblique strain. You know,
So things happen in football, you know, our sport is
our sport.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
I think more.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Importantly is is they monitor his ability to come back
and how he comes back and how he plays. And
I think Quinn has shown over his time that when
he's been injured, he's engaged, he comes back and he
plays really good football coming off of injury. And so
that's this to me, is another chance for him to
go show that he can do that here moving forward?
Speaker 7 (09:34):
Yeah, Steve, I wonder if you could speak to how
quickly your plan has come together and you know, rising
to number one, you know, just barely into your fourth year,
has that even exceeded your expectations? And as Quinn definitely started.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Yeah, Quinn's gonna start Saturday. I'll I'm go backwards. That
was that was the easy answer.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
I don't.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
I don't know, you know, I I don't know if
I ever had just a timetable on when we were
going to be, you know, competing for championships. I definitely
wanted it to happen sooner than it did, I'll be
truth be told.
Speaker 11 (10:12):
You know.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
You know, you go through some of those the tough
roads of year one and and some of the ups
and downs in year two, and you're thinking, man, we're
so close. Uh and what would that you know, year
or two have looked like if we had uh maybe
not lost that lead at Oklahoma State, you know, and
and what what would that season have looked like?
Speaker 3 (10:31):
But to think last last season, to go.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
Twelve and two, to be conference champs and to be
a play away from competing for a national championship, that
felt like that felt right to me that felt like
that's this is where we're supposed to be, and now
we got to try to take the necessary steps to
try and to go finish it.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
But that's that every year, there's so many other new
challenges that present themselves. And so for this journey this
season in twenty twenty four, to get off.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
To the start that it has, I'm, like I said,
I'm proud of our coaches, our staff, are players that
we are in this position, but we have there's such
a long way to go, you know, it's even it's
even hard to see the light at the end of
the tunnel for the season, and we know how difficult
and how challenging our conference schedule is, and now we're
navigating different waters with with what an extended college football
(11:22):
playoff could look like.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
That I just try to.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
Appreciate the way we prepare and the way we play
week in and week out, and I try to appreciate
the culture and the leadership that we have and the
and the intent in which our guys come to work
every day, and.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
That that, to me is what I envisioned.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
You know that, I think the record and the rankings
and all those other things are a byproduct of what
we put in every single day and so that part
I'm proud of. And you know, when we'll see what
the end result looks like there, you know, at the
end of the season.
Speaker 6 (11:50):
Coach the piggy peggyback off of Kurt's question, there talk
about you know, we're enamored with ourselves. When you think
about the week and the preparation that the team goes through,
are there some specifics that you see the team doing
outside of your coaching. They maybe took your coaching now
they're taking it to another level in preparation, either mentally physically.
(12:12):
And are there some players that just kind of rise
above that kind of set the standard for everybody else?
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Well, I mean some some simple things I look for, like.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
When I see them at lunch or when I see
them walking through the building, what are they talking about?
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Right?
Speaker 4 (12:27):
Are they talking about you know, hey, how we're going
to play a certain coverage or I can't wait for
Sark to call this, or man, you know, I was
studying number five this week.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Here's what you know?
Speaker 4 (12:37):
When they're talking about football generally, that gives me a
sense and a feel of like, Okay, they're engaged in
what we have going I think the other thing I
look at is the energy that we bring every morning.
You know, we start with these guys every day at
seven fifteen. You know, what kind of energy do they
have in the team meeting when we walk in, what
kind of energy do they have when they take the field.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
At practice for pre practice?
Speaker 4 (13:00):
You know what a stretch feel like and look like,
and so all those things kind of give me a
sign of like, man, these guys are engaged. And then
ultimately it comes down to how do we practice? You know,
what is our You know, are we do we have
the right mental intensity to reduce the number of missed assignments?
Are we finishing runs? Are we finishing blocks? Do we
have Does it sound loud on defense because we're communicating
(13:23):
at such a high level. There's a lot of layers
to that, but it but all adds up to what
to your point, it's that are we preparing the way
that that is of importance, that that we value.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
You know, we.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Value preparation, We value practice because I think that that's
what instills belief and confidence in what we're trying to
go do.
Speaker 10 (13:43):
Hey, Steve, just with Michael Current on the injury report,
what's the what's the concern level there?
Speaker 3 (13:48):
And then what's the plan if you can't go? Uh
uh Ian ratlift will punt if you can't go.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
And then obviously you know Michael's still a holder to
so Eve would be the backup there if you can
go as well.
Speaker 11 (14:01):
Steve, you mentioned on Monday about Jake, you know, leaving
the game last year and Connor playing, and we talked
with Jake about, you know, anticipation for this game considering
he didn't get the chance last year. Have you noticed
any difference in him and how he prepares or is
he trying to kind of keep it same old, same old,
even though you know last year happened for him.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
He feels pretty same old to me. You know, Jake's
he's a he's a really good leader because you know,
when it's football and he's you know, his hands on
that ball and he's making the calls, he's very intense,
I mean, very very intense player. In pre practice when
we're working quarterback center exchanges, you know, he's loose, he's laughing,
(14:44):
he's having fun.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
And then when you come.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
To meetings and we're working third down protections and all
the calls. I mean, he's dialed in and it's like
he's almost an extension of Coach Flood. So he's a
he's a really well versed guy that I think is
for me, it's calming, know when I see Jake like
that and he's in great spirits, but yet he can
he can shift gears kind of within the day or
within even practice. That makes me feel good because that
(15:10):
tells me he's not over the top in one direction
or the other. And then I think that that kind
of permeates throughout the offensive line. Ste you guys, just
curious about what were your final thoughts or Coach Flood's
thoughts to the offensive line about OU's pass rush something
they do really well.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Yeah, they're a great pass rush team.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
I think one they've got good players, and two they've
got good scheme, and then and three they play hard.
You know, they play with play with really good effort.
And so you put all three of those things together. Uh,
they do a heck of a job of getting to
the quarterback and because of that, they do a heck
of a job of creating havoc, which I think leads
to the opportunistic defense that they have where they create turnovers.
(15:51):
So a lot of what they do defensively starts up front,
and that's kind of been a staple of coach Venables
defenses throughout the years, you know, regardless of the school
he was at, it's always started up front.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
And you know this, this group's not not much different
than that.
Speaker 4 (16:05):
You know, they do a heck of a job of
creating pressure internally, they do a good job coming off
the edge, They do a good job with their pressure
packages and a variety of those that they have. So
there's layers to what they do, and we know we've
got to work cut out for us this week with that.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Hey, coach, what's the the SEC rule as far as
how many guys can travel to a neutral site? And
what's that number compared to what it looks like to
the normal season, and then what you know for regular
road games, and how does that impact your preparation as
far as special teams or anything as relates to that number.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
There is no special consideration for neutral site. So we
get as a road team in the SEC, we get
to travel seventy four players. A home team in the
SEC you get to travel eighty. We're obviously the road
team this year, so we get to travel seventy four
and then the only caveat that is different from what
we had in the Big Twelve and the Big Twelve
(17:04):
we were able to we were then able to bring
the remainder of our team the day of the game
and they could be on the sidelines. And this year's
format with the SEC, we're not allowed to do that.
So so a little unfortunate, but but we'll have seventy
four guys and it really doesn't impact us too too much.
You know, there's a couple of guys you'd really like
to bring that that could you know, maybe be you know,
(17:26):
a second or third team guy on teams, but we
just have to adjust accordingly.
Speaker 12 (17:31):
Hey, Steve, you and Quinn were basically a freshman in
the Red River Rivory your first and you did your
first one together. What were those conversations like with a
young quarterback playing in that kind of atmosphere and what
what did you have to remind yourself because it was
your first one as well.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
My first one was with Casey and he's on the
other team now, yeah, yeah, Quinn. About Quinn, then, Quinn,
Quinn was a.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
Little unique in that he is coming off the injury
and but I knew how much this game had meant
to him growing up right in in South Lake and
havingt been to the game and sitting in the stands
watching this game. My big thing for him was just
relax and go have fun, you know, and go play ball.
And we had a pretty good team, and we were
(18:21):
playing pretty good.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
At that that juncture of the season, and so I.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Thought I thought he did that. He had a heck
of a game. I joked with him. In the middle
of the game, he threw one of the worst interceptions
I've ever seen. He was trying to throw the ball
away and it kind of just fluttered in the air,
and I actually thought it hit the wire from it
from the TV camera that it but it didn't.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
So we're able.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
I think that's one thing Quinn and I are able
to do that a lot of times doesn't get seen.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Like we're able to laugh things off.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
And I think that that's important for a guy like him,
and really for Arch for that matter.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
Like we're a very intense.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
Quarterback room, and we coach them hard, but we also
have the ability to kind of laugh at ourselves and
have fun with things, and and and that, and that
ended up itself. I think in games like this is
really helpful. When the intensity is so high around you,
the emotions are so high around you, the quarterback has
got to be that steady sea, you know, he has
got to be that even keel guy that can that
(19:15):
can remain calm and keep his poison composure in the
midst of of all the intensity.
Speaker 13 (19:21):
Hey, Steve, kind of an off the wall one here
for you. I'm working on a story on your Spanish
broadcast crew and I was listening to the call. I
heard you do an ad for him. I'm wondering if
you were able to do that off the rip or
if you had to read it, and do you ever
go back and and kind of listen to the energy
those guys bring.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
Let me say this the fact that you asked, did
I have to read it or did I let it?
Let it come off the rip? I'm so pumped about
because I had to read that. I had to have
it narrated to me for me to say it my Spanish.
I wish was better than it is. But I've listened
to it a couple of times and I cringe at like, gosh,
(20:01):
I should be better at this. But what a great
telecast they do. And the covers they give us and
just the energy they provide. So but no, I had
a halfway read it and have it halfway kind of
you know, read to me, and then I was kind
of repeating it back.
Speaker 14 (20:19):
Hey, Steve, I No, Big Humans has been a big
part of how you guys have built this program. I'm
curious what are the traits you look for, whether it's
like arm length, explosive and strength in your offensive lineman
and also the trees you look for defensive line and
that led you to guys like Calvin Banks or DJ
Campbell or Collins met Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
I think one is the first measurable is the size, Right,
there's height, weight, Then do they have the ability to
bend because you can be a really big guy, but
if you can't bend, then you probably can't move. And
you're always looking for initial quickness, lateral quickness, change a direction,
and then when we get them, you know obviously you
know arm length matters, hand size matters.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Uh, those are all those are all.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Things that that you know through you know historically when
you when you look at the NFL draft and you
look at the average numbers there, those types of things
matter as well.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
So there's a variety of things in there. But but
it's if.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
They don't have the first prerequisite right, which is some mass, right,
some size, then then the other stuff.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Man, you really be a need to be an outlier.
Speaker 11 (21:25):
You know.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
It's like, well, we've never recruited a six to one guard. Okay, Well,
if he's going to be a six to one garden,
he's that good, he better have like thirty four and
a half inch arms right to protect himself because he
doesn't quite have the height.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
Hardyell, thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
So there's the weekly media zoom from Longhorns head coach
Steve Sarkesian. All Right, coming up next inconceivable for a
Texas ho U week when we continue on sports, maybe
going HM thirteen under the zone of the IRT radio app.
It's The Craigway Show with the voice of the Texas
Longhorns and Hall of Fame broadcaster Craig Way.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
And it's a Thursday edition of the program of Texas.
Oh You week, Thursday edition of The Craigway Show. I'm
glad to have you with us. I'm Craig Way alongside
the producer Cameron Parker, and we'll be headed up to
Dallas following our show this afternoon, getting ready to bring
you the program from bar W on Maple Avenue tomorrow
(00:38):
afternoon from two to six our special Red River preview show,
Like Hardball, Harge will join us for that as well.
We'll talk a lot about the matchups of Texas and OU,
and we will also get into, you know, the rivalry
and yeah, we'll talk about the state fair stuff and
all of those kinds of things, all of what makes
(00:59):
this a really unique game. As we know, it'll be
the one hundred and twentieth edition. They have played it
continuously in Dallas since nineteen twenty nine, had the old
Fairground Stadium. I saw some pictures of it before. It
kind of looked like an old horse racing track and
that's where they played it and it wooden grand stands,
(01:20):
and it actually caught fire, and then it was replaced
by the Cotton Bowl stadium that exists now. The actual
kind of physical part of it, just like Memorial Stadium,
which is one hundred years old. The bottom part of
the grand stands is still the original concrete slabs of
that day, and of course all the improvements and renovations
(01:41):
happened afterwards. Same story with the Cotton Bowl when it
was built as a single oval that would seat forty
five thousand, and then it became they added the upper
decks on each side to increase the capacity to seventy
five thousand, called the House that Dope built from Doak
Walker's days at SMU when he was winning the Heisman Trophy.
Then they added the expansions on both the North and
(02:04):
South ends end zones in the late nineties, and that
was to prevent the game from leaving Dallas. There was
great consternation that they might not get that stadium approved
in terms of all the other modern amenities to continue
(02:27):
hosting the game, but they did, and it seats ninety
two one hundred fans. Well. Log Worn's head coach Steve
Sarkisian does several media availabilities during the week, the long
Corn Monday press conference that we bring you Alive, the
SEC teleconference on Wednesday, Then on Thursday, today his final
media availability of the week. It's a Zoom media session
(02:48):
with both local and national media. So here are the
thoughts on this Thursday, just prior a little over two
days prior to kickoff for Texas OU the Zoom media availability,
you have Logorn's head coach Steve Sarkisian.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Okay, exciting week.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
You know, I think you know from our perspective, you know,
when you have two weeks to prepare for a game
like this, it's kind of a crescendo as you as
you build to the ballgame and uh now having Thursday's
practice in the books, and you know, having a walk
through Friday and then heading up to Dallas. I know
our team is really excited about the opportunity. Uh it's
a great game to be part of, as we touched
(03:26):
on all week. But I'm very I was told they
just got done telling the team. I was really proud
of the way they've prepared this week. You know, they've
been very focused. I've had great mental intensity. We we
had you know, some really good physical and fast practices.
But in the end of this week, you know, I
think they're really dialed into the details, which is going
to be you know, really important in a game like.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
This, Steve, not just with Quinn, but with any of
your players. How do you determine a players healthy enough
to play?
Speaker 6 (03:53):
Is that?
Speaker 5 (03:53):
How much of a collaborative effort is that between you,
the players, your training staff? How how what's that process?
Speaker 7 (03:59):
Like?
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I think they're all in some way, shape or form
a little bit different, right.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Injuries are different. Player history of coming back from an
injury is different, you know. I think there's obviously a
medical component to this of when he is cleared by
doctors to play. I mean, whether I think he can
play or not, he has to be cleared to play.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
And then and then I think, then it.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
Goes to myself, if you know what is my I
tell me not only from a physical ability, but also
from a mental ability to to be ready to go play.
I think a lot of times players can come off
of injuries and be physically ready to play, but mentally
still have some things in there that that are you know,
causing hesitation or not, you know, not playing one hundred
(04:46):
percent full speed and that that can be dangerous too,
And so I guess there's science involved, there's gut instinct involved,
there's psyche involved, there's a there's a lot that.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Goes into it.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
But in the end, we're just trying to instill confidence
in the play that he's more than capable of going
and doing it. But then there's the other player that
will tell you he feels great just because he can't
wait to get back out there, and the doctor say,
you know what, he's not quite ready to go, And.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
So that's where that dialogue comes in. But I do
agree with you it's a collaborative effort, Steve.
Speaker 8 (05:14):
When facing a guy like Hawkins who's athletic back there,
I was wonder if you could just talk about rush
lane integrity and how crucial that is to have success,
and if possible, just maybe the difference between facing a
guy who looks to use his legs to scramble versus
a guy who's looking to throw in that process.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yeah, you know, I think there's a lot of layers
to this, you know, because I think coverages can dictate
maybe how your rush lanes go. You know, when you're
playing zone coverage, sometimes you can be a little more
aggressive with trying to really rush the quarterback because the
majority of the eyes of the defenders in the secondary
(05:50):
are on the quarterback and they can react if he
does escape the pocket and you can get.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Him on the ground.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Where you have to be really careful with your rush
lanes is when you're playing man coverage because when you're
a man coverage and you get out of a rush
lane and you give the quarterback somewhere to escape when
he goes to run, all of those guys in the
secondary's backs are turned to the quarterback because they're guarding somebody,
and now that can create you know, longer yardage type runs.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
You know.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
The other the other way you can do that is
to is to play man try to really rush the
quarterback and have a spy where you can keep some
somebody's eyes on the quarterback and when he does go
to go to scramble, you can try to get him
on the ground. And so, you know, I think I
think one of the keys in games like this is
you can't you have to continue to mix your looks.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Right.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
You can't just keep throwing a fastball. You got to
throw a curve, you gotta throw a change up. You
got to keep switching it up, or or a quarterback
can find that rhythm, you know, the guys that that
that that drop back and then extend to scramble as
opposed to guys that drop back to extend to throw.
It's pretty I don't want to say it's easy when
(06:55):
when they're one or the other. When it's really hard
is when they do both. Because now you now players
are really compromised of do I do I come up
and try to get him on the ground or do
I stay in coverage? And so those guys are really
the most dangerous of that because they can do either or.
And I actually think Michael Hawkins is one of those guys.
You know, he has plenty of arm talent that can
(07:16):
that can make those throws when when plays get extended,
but clearly he's he's very dangerous with his legs when
he tucks it and runs.
Speaker 9 (07:23):
Coach, Good morning. The NCAA released new nl I guidelines
this week, and I'm curious what you think of that,
what impact that has on you guys as coaches. And
also shortening the transfer window from forty five to thirty days,
how does that impact a coaching staff?
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I gotta be honest with you, I haven't read any
of it.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
I'm gonna I'm gonna look into it a little bit
this afternoon when I have a little bit of free time.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
I try to keep the main thing the main thing.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
And you know, you know, CDC has done a good
job of keep me abreast of some of the decisions
that are coming. Our compliance department has, our recruiting department has.
But at the end of the day, they also know
I'm trying to game plan and get ready for this ballgame.
But but I'll I'll probably have a little more dialogue
with them this afternoon when I have a little bit
of downtime to uh to kind of, you know, drill
(08:12):
down on this a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
But so I don't have I don't have a great
comment for you on that.
Speaker 10 (08:16):
Hey, Steve, whenever Quinn goes through the NFL draft process
and starts meeting with pro personnel, do you envision him
having some issue in terms of being labeled injury prone
just given the amount of injuries that he's had throughout
his career.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
I don't necessarily think so.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
You know, sometimes injuries happen because they happen, you know,
I mean you know, when a guy gets pile drived
on his shoulder, there's a pretty good chance. It doesn't
matter who you are, your shoulder is probably going to
be sore to some capacity. Or when you get pile
drived and your claviical gets gets popped. I mean, I
don't I don't know many guys that would have withstood
(08:52):
that hit from from Dallas Turner a couple of years ago.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
That that was an odd hit.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
And and I've seen that injury, that same injury Quinn
had that year. Jalen Hurts had as well. Oddly enough,
you know, he has the oblique strain there a few
weeks ago. And I'm watching the game the other night,
Derek Carr is out of the game oblique strain. You know,
So things happen in football, you know, our sport is
our sport.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
I think more.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Importantly is is they monitor his ability to come back
and how he comes back and how he plays. And
I think Quinn has shown over his time that when
he's been injured, he's engaged, he comes back and he
plays really good football coming off of injury. And so
that's this to me, is another chance for him to
go show that he can do that here moving forward?
Speaker 7 (09:34):
Yeah, Steve, I wonder if you could speak to how
quickly your plan has come together and you know, rising
to number one, you know, just barely into your fourth year,
has that even exceeded your expectations? And as Quinn definitely started.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Yeah, Quinn's gonna start Saturday. I'll I'm go backwards. That
was that was the easy answer.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
I don't.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
I don't know, you know, I I don't know if
I ever had just a timetable on when we were
going to be, you know, competing for championships. I definitely
wanted it to happen sooner than it did, I'll be
truth be told.
Speaker 11 (10:12):
You know.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
You know, you go through some of those the tough
roads of year one and and some of the ups
and downs in year two, and you're thinking, man, we're
so close. Uh and what would that you know, year
or two have looked like if we had uh maybe
not lost that lead at Oklahoma State, you know, and
and what what would that season have looked like?
Speaker 3 (10:31):
But to think last last season, to go.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
Twelve and two, to be conference champs and to be
a play away from competing for a national championship, that
felt like that felt right to me that felt like
that's this is where we're supposed to be, and now
we got to try to take the necessary steps to
try and to go finish it.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
But that's that every year, there's so many other new
challenges that present themselves. And so for this journey this
season in twenty twenty four, to get off.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
To the start that it has, I'm, like I said,
I'm proud of our coaches, our staff, are players that
we are in this position, but we have there's such
a long way to go, you know, it's even it's
even hard to see the light at the end of
the tunnel for the season, and we know how difficult
and how challenging our conference schedule is, and now we're
navigating different waters with with what an extended college football
(11:22):
playoff could look like.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
That I just try to.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
Appreciate the way we prepare and the way we play
week in and week out, and I try to appreciate
the culture and the leadership that we have and the
and the intent in which our guys come to work
every day, and.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
That that, to me is what I envisioned.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
You know that, I think the record and the rankings
and all those other things are a byproduct of what
we put in every single day and so that part
I'm proud of. And you know, when we'll see what
the end result looks like there, you know, at the
end of the season.
Speaker 6 (11:50):
Coach the piggy peggyback off of Kurt's question, there talk
about you know, we're enamored with ourselves. When you think
about the week and the preparation that the team goes through,
are there some specifics that you see the team doing
outside of your coaching. They maybe took your coaching now
they're taking it to another level in preparation, either mentally physically.
(12:12):
And are there some players that just kind of rise
above that kind of set the standard for everybody else?
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Well, I mean some some simple things I look for, like.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
When I see them at lunch or when I see
them walking through the building, what are they talking about?
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Right?
Speaker 4 (12:27):
Are they talking about you know, hey, how we're going
to play a certain coverage or I can't wait for
Sark to call this, or man, you know, I was
studying number five this week.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Here's what you know?
Speaker 4 (12:37):
When they're talking about football generally, that gives me a
sense and a feel of like, Okay, they're engaged in
what we have going I think the other thing I
look at is the energy that we bring every morning.
You know, we start with these guys every day at
seven fifteen. You know, what kind of energy do they
have in the team meeting when we walk in, what
kind of energy do they have when they take the field.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
At practice for pre practice?
Speaker 4 (13:00):
You know what a stretch feel like and look like,
and so all those things kind of give me a
sign of like, man, these guys are engaged. And then
ultimately it comes down to how do we practice? You know,
what is our You know, are we do we have
the right mental intensity to reduce the number of missed assignments?
Are we finishing runs? Are we finishing blocks? Do we
have Does it sound loud on defense because we're communicating
(13:23):
at such a high level. There's a lot of layers
to that, but it but all adds up to what
to your point, it's that are we preparing the way
that that is of importance, that that we value.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
You know, we.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Value preparation, We value practice because I think that that's
what instills belief and confidence in what we're trying to
go do.
Speaker 10 (13:43):
Hey, Steve, just with Michael Current on the injury report,
what's the what's the concern level there?
Speaker 3 (13:48):
And then what's the plan if you can't go? Uh
uh Ian ratlift will punt if you can't go.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
And then obviously you know Michael's still a holder to
so Eve would be the backup there if you can
go as well.
Speaker 11 (14:01):
Steve, you mentioned on Monday about Jake, you know, leaving
the game last year and Connor playing, and we talked
with Jake about, you know, anticipation for this game considering
he didn't get the chance last year. Have you noticed
any difference in him and how he prepares or is
he trying to kind of keep it same old, same old,
even though you know last year happened for him.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
He feels pretty same old to me. You know, Jake's
he's a he's a really good leader because you know,
when it's football and he's you know, his hands on
that ball and he's making the calls, he's very intense,
I mean, very very intense player. In pre practice when
we're working quarterback center exchanges, you know, he's loose, he's laughing,
(14:44):
he's having fun.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
And then when you come.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
To meetings and we're working third down protections and all
the calls. I mean, he's dialed in and it's like
he's almost an extension of Coach Flood. So he's a
he's a really well versed guy that I think is
for me, it's calming, know when I see Jake like
that and he's in great spirits, but yet he can
he can shift gears kind of within the day or
within even practice. That makes me feel good because that
(15:10):
tells me he's not over the top in one direction
or the other. And then I think that that kind
of permeates throughout the offensive line. Ste you guys, just
curious about what were your final thoughts or Coach Flood's
thoughts to the offensive line about OU's pass rush something
they do really well.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Yeah, they're a great pass rush team.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
I think one they've got good players, and two they've
got good scheme, and then and three they play hard.
You know, they play with play with really good effort.
And so you put all three of those things together. Uh,
they do a heck of a job of getting to
the quarterback and because of that, they do a heck
of a job of creating havoc, which I think leads
to the opportunistic defense that they have where they create turnovers.
(15:51):
So a lot of what they do defensively starts up front,
and that's kind of been a staple of coach Venables
defenses throughout the years, you know, regardless of the school
he was at, it's always started up front.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
And you know this, this group's not not much different
than that.
Speaker 4 (16:05):
You know, they do a heck of a job of
creating pressure internally, they do a good job coming off
the edge, They do a good job with their pressure
packages and a variety of those that they have. So
there's layers to what they do, and we know we've
got to work cut out for us this week with that.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Hey, coach, what's the the SEC rule as far as
how many guys can travel to a neutral site? And
what's that number compared to what it looks like to
the normal season, and then what you know for regular
road games, and how does that impact your preparation as
far as special teams or anything as relates to that number.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
There is no special consideration for neutral site. So we
get as a road team in the SEC, we get
to travel seventy four players. A home team in the
SEC you get to travel eighty. We're obviously the road
team this year, so we get to travel seventy four
and then the only caveat that is different from what
we had in the Big Twelve and the Big Twelve
(17:04):
we were able to we were then able to bring
the remainder of our team the day of the game
and they could be on the sidelines. And this year's
format with the SEC, we're not allowed to do that.
So so a little unfortunate, but but we'll have seventy
four guys and it really doesn't impact us too too much.
You know, there's a couple of guys you'd really like
to bring that that could you know, maybe be you know,
(17:26):
a second or third team guy on teams, but we
just have to adjust accordingly.
Speaker 12 (17:31):
Hey, Steve, you and Quinn were basically a freshman in
the Red River Rivory your first and you did your
first one together. What were those conversations like with a
young quarterback playing in that kind of atmosphere and what
what did you have to remind yourself because it was
your first one as well.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
My first one was with Casey and he's on the
other team now, yeah, yeah, Quinn. About Quinn, then, Quinn,
Quinn was a.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
Little unique in that he is coming off the injury
and but I knew how much this game had meant
to him growing up right in in South Lake and
havingt been to the game and sitting in the stands
watching this game. My big thing for him was just
relax and go have fun, you know, and go play ball.
And we had a pretty good team, and we were
(18:21):
playing pretty good.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
At that that juncture of the season, and so I.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Thought I thought he did that. He had a heck
of a game. I joked with him. In the middle
of the game, he threw one of the worst interceptions
I've ever seen. He was trying to throw the ball
away and it kind of just fluttered in the air,
and I actually thought it hit the wire from it
from the TV camera that it but it didn't.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
So we're able.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
I think that's one thing Quinn and I are able
to do that a lot of times doesn't get seen.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Like we're able to laugh things off.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
And I think that that's important for a guy like him,
and really for Arch for that matter.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
Like we're a very intense.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
Quarterback room, and we coach them hard, but we also
have the ability to kind of laugh at ourselves and
have fun with things, and and and that, and that
ended up itself. I think in games like this is
really helpful. When the intensity is so high around you,
the emotions are so high around you, the quarterback has
got to be that steady sea, you know, he has
got to be that even keel guy that can that
(19:15):
can remain calm and keep his poison composure in the
midst of of all the intensity.
Speaker 13 (19:21):
Hey, Steve, kind of an off the wall one here
for you. I'm working on a story on your Spanish
broadcast crew and I was listening to the call. I
heard you do an ad for him. I'm wondering if
you were able to do that off the rip or
if you had to read it, and do you ever
go back and and kind of listen to the energy
those guys bring.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
Let me say this the fact that you asked, did
I have to read it or did I let it?
Let it come off the rip? I'm so pumped about
because I had to read that. I had to have
it narrated to me for me to say it my Spanish.
I wish was better than it is. But I've listened
to it a couple of times and I cringe at like, gosh,
(20:01):
I should be better at this. But what a great
telecast they do. And the covers they give us and
just the energy they provide. So but no, I had
a halfway read it and have it halfway kind of
you know, read to me, and then I was kind
of repeating it back.
Speaker 14 (20:19):
Hey, Steve, I No, Big Humans has been a big
part of how you guys have built this program. I'm
curious what are the traits you look for, whether it's
like arm length, explosive and strength in your offensive lineman
and also the trees you look for defensive line and
that led you to guys like Calvin Banks or DJ
Campbell or Collins met Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
I think one is the first measurable is the size, Right,
there's height, weight, Then do they have the ability to
bend because you can be a really big guy, but
if you can't bend, then you probably can't move. And
you're always looking for initial quickness, lateral quickness, change a direction,
and then when we get them, you know obviously you
know arm length matters, hand size matters.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Uh, those are all those are all.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Things that that you know through you know historically when
you when you look at the NFL draft and you
look at the average numbers there, those types of things
matter as well.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
So there's a variety of things in there. But but
it's if.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
They don't have the first prerequisite right, which is some mass, right,
some size, then then the other stuff.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Man, you really be a need to be an outlier.
Speaker 11 (21:25):
You know.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
It's like, well, we've never recruited a six to one guard. Okay, Well,
if he's going to be a six to one garden,
he's that good, he better have like thirty four and
a half inch arms right to protect himself because he
doesn't quite have the height.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
Hardyell, thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
So there's the weekly media zoom from Longhorns head coach
Steve Sarkesian. All Right, coming up next inconceivable for a
Texas ho U week when we continue on sports, maybe
going HM thirteen under the zone of the IRT radio app.
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