NFL Draft Deadline, Transfer Portal Closing, NFL Coaching Carousel

Rod Babers guest hosts The Craig Way Show and talks about all things post-Texas football season, who's trying for the NFL Draft, the transfer portal closing, and the NFL coaching carousel. It's all right here on The Craig Way Show!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jeezer, Texas Selectionend, a Hall of Fame broadcaster, the voice of.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
The Texas Longhorns, and your host of The Craigway Show.

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Herry is now Craigway. All right, welcome back to the
Craigway Show. I'm like the time long one, Rod Davis.
I'll be with you for the next two days, and
so we'll talk a lot, of course about Texas football.
Anytime I'm on with you, we're gonna go behind the
burnt Orange Curtin. We'll stay behind the burnt orange curtain
talking some Texas football. We'll start talking Texas football as

(00:30):
a matter of fact, with yesterday being, of course the
deadline not only for the NFL declarations guys who are
declaring for the NFL Draft, but also the transfer portal
window closing officially, So we'll get into some Texas football.
Now we know at least we have some clarity about
how the twenty twenty five roster is gonna look for

(00:52):
the long Horns. So we'll start off talking from Texas football,
but a lot of conversation previewing the upcoming Divisional round
playoff games in the NFL. We'll do that coming up
a little bit later on the show, and they're all
types of other stories and topics that will dive into.
I want to start with because it here close to home.
Quinn was put out his official video, even though that

(01:14):
it was announced multiple times and the news was reported
multiple times that he was moving on to the NFL.
There were several reports and Chip Brown, a man, Chip
Brown does a great job over there at Horns twenty
four to seven. He recently here close to home, who
kind of knows the you know, he actually knows the

(01:34):
landscape and understands that here locally. Nobody, nobody that I
knew on the inside, who actually had some knowledge of
the situation, thought Quinn would ever hit the transfer portal
and go play for another college football team, like they.
Nobody that I talked to on the inside took that seriously. Now, nationally,

(01:56):
I heard everybody talking about it nationally. I heard, you know,
I heard then Kyle heard, I heard Dan Patrick, I
heard nashally. It being talked about a number of different times,
and I get it. It was a big national story.
And I'm not saying that there weren't some offers, but
the reports that were coming from close to home here
on the forty acres from people I trust. My man,

(02:17):
Bobby Burton does a great job over it on Texas Football.
He was telling me for the last few months, this
Quinn is not gonna play for another college. It just
ain't gonna happen. Now. I don't know if we knew
the number of the of the indecent proposals that he
would be offered, we didn't know. I don't think we

(02:37):
know what the value would get to. And here's why
one man, Chip Brown, comes into it. Chip Brown at
Chip Brown two four seven. He's reporting that Quinn turned down.
He turned it down, turned down an eight million dollars
in io offer to transfer instead of declining for the
NFL Draft. It's a being out for one year. I'm

(02:59):
because all these I'm it'd be stupid to try to
sign these guys to a multi year deal when you
can't keep him for moti years. You don't know how
it's gonna work out. So most of your nil deals
you're talking about one year, just like three scholarships were
one year renewals. You go in there every year and
go sign your scholarship again. That's what these nil deals are.
If he was being offered eight meal for one year,

(03:20):
he's not gonna be drafted in the first round. First
round money, you're gonna beat eight MILLI a year. I
don't know if he beat it by that much, but
you'll beat it in the second round. I mean you're
talking about but maybe as a quarterback three if he's
the first pick in the second round, three meal, three
to four meal something like that a year. So he

(03:40):
turned down. If my man Chip brown is accurate here,
and uh I love Chick Brownie. He does. He does
great work and he's always you know, obviously that's one
of the hardest workers, hardest guys, hardest working guys I
know in this industry. And his report is accurate or
he were close to accurate. You're talking about eight billion
dollars a year, is I don't that would set a record,
would have to set a record. I don't know if

(04:02):
there's any NIO deal that I've heard of that would
surpass he eight million dollar mark. And I'll say this
it is apropos because Quinn Ewers is the first NIO baby.
I mean, he left high school early, and quarterbacks cash

(04:24):
in on Nio more than anybody else.

Speaker 3 (04:26):
He left high school early to cash.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
In on nil which is why he's a young quarterback
actually coming out in the draft, which will help his
draft prospects. We can talk about that later on, but
he was one of the original, one of the ogs
of the NIL era, came out early out of high school,
then went to Ohio State, set you know, behind some
NFL caliber quarterbacks at Ohio State, and then ultimately he

(04:50):
transferred to Texas. And we all know if you went
to if you went to Ohio State and got the bag,
you definitely got the bag when you came to Texas.
I don't know how much money he's made in NIO dollars.
You know, he's been a multi year starter here in Texas.
The starting quarterback at Texas probably makes more NIL money
or NIL revenue, generates more in our revenue probably than

(05:11):
any other quarterback, a starting quarterback in college football other
than you know, maybe a Sugar Sanders there. I'm sure
there are a few exceptions to the rule, but I'm
sure they were among the top values and the top
money makers in NIL dollars every year was there. I

(05:33):
don't know what that means. Let's just assume it's over
a million dollars every year. So he's made good money
I mean to get a meal to go to Ohio's
Day and allegedly and get a million to go to Texas.
And then you got your private jet deals and your
car deals, and he's got all the deal he's on
television with Dr Pepper. He's making good money. So I

(05:55):
don't know how much he's made. Let's just assume somewhere
in the area five to seven million dollars he's already made.
And they're gonna offer him eight million just for one year,
And people say, why would you pass that up? When
you're gonna go to the NFL and you're not getting
drafted in the first round, you're getting drafted in the
second third round, and you're not gonna make that kind
of money in a year. It'll take you, you know,

(06:19):
you know, a half half to a third year contract,
maybe your second contract to get to that kind of
money and value. I'm saying because I don't know where
Quinn is gonna get drafted. He may still get drafted
in the first round right now, it's not looking like that.
But I'll just say this. I think for Quinn, let
I say he's one of the original nil uh nil

(06:41):
babies in the in the in the NIL era, so
he knows how it works him. Him and his people,
his circle, Uh, they have a you know, they have
a really good understanding of the NIL world and they
think about value, and Quinn yours has I think thought
about long term and short term value in terms of
his athletic skills and him as a quarterback and if

(07:06):
he's gonna end up being a franchise quarterback in the league,
all those things being considered. I think the reason ultimately
he did not go to another university or another collegetball program,
even with the eight million dollar offer, which I would
assume it's got to be some kind of record breaking
offer unless I've seen something else. Maybe there's a higher
number out there, and we all these things are speculation,
rumor and conjecture. I think it's because he wanted he

(07:29):
didn't want to be seen as a mercenary, as the
original Nio baby. He wanted to be considered a lone corn.
I think what it's also done, and maybe he would
have if he went, say he went somewhere else, went
to another school, so he went to another name, or
you know, went to Oregon or whatever. Just they he
went to another school and started there for a year

(07:51):
for the eight million dollars or whatever it was going
to be. And yeah, most of his you know, most
of his time, his tenure in college would have been
with a long corn. So he would have been seen
as most as a loanhorn. But you know there would
have been I think some that would have seen them
more as Oh no, he was just an io mercenary,
went to three different spots, just want to go make

(08:13):
go maximize and make the most money. Even though I'm
sure that's not true. I think he wanted it to
be seen as a longhorn. I think that's part of it.
I think part of it is now I'm a long
one and I'll be one of the greatest loan qbs
in Texas football history, whether you're talking about behind Vy
of course, behind Cote McCoy. You know, some people will
throw James Street up there ahead of him if you

(08:35):
want to go pre modern era and Bobby Lane and
that kind of stuff. But he's gonna go down top five.
And I can tell you right now that has value
once you're done playing. Its value when you're when you
considered a longhorn. When I came up with the term
lifetime longhorn. That's because I was thinking about the brand

(09:00):
and the power of the brand and the value of
the brand. You want to be considered a low horn.
You want to go down as a loan hoorn. So
when you're done playing, whenever that is, could be could
be thirty eight, could be twenty eight, no matter, could
be forty something. That is the hope. But no matter
what it is, you're gonna live in Texas. Nice to

(09:20):
be considered a lonehorn. The most affluent fan base or
one of the most affluent fan bases in college football,
definitely in the top five, and you're revered, respected and
beloved within that community. I know some of y'all got
some harsh critiques and you have very mixed emotions about Quinn.

(09:44):
But when it's all settled, when it's all said and done, man,
there's no doubt he accomplished a ton at Texas and
got to Final four back to back years, and I still, yeah,
didn't reach his ceiling. I mean, I think that's that's
a good thing for him now moving forward, is that
I don't think anybody thought he reached his ceiling here
in Texas. I mean, there's still some meat on that

(10:06):
Bone as well. There should be as a as a
young player, don't. I don't know how Quinn's story is
gonna end. But fourth and thirteen beating Bama, I mean, people,
I mean, other than Vy beating USC, give me a
more oppressive win for a quarterback that Texas in the

(10:26):
modern era. I'm sure James Street has some maybe maybe
going back to Bobby Lane. So I haven't done the
research on that, because you know so. I remember there's
the Game of the Century or whatever, Texas versus Arkansas
back in the day, So maybe that's in that conversation.
V Y in Texas beating USC give me a more

(10:50):
impressive win than Quinn beating Bama on the road, beating
Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, and not just beating Nick saving
in Tuscal, beating him by double digits.

Speaker 3 (11:04):
I mean, no other quarterback had ever.

Speaker 1 (11:06):
Done it, not Nick Saban's dynastic run. Nobody ever went
into Tuscaloosa and put a double digit put a double
digit loss and double digit l on Nick Saban.

Speaker 3 (11:20):
That was a nice win. I don't there are a
lot of.

Speaker 1 (11:23):
Qbs at Texas don't have wins that impressive against the goat.
Then fourth and thirteen. So he's got these legacy moments. Now.
You know, when I try to argue for Chris Simms,
who left Texas as top five, winning his quarterback at
Texas and had stealings in the record books, I can
go look at it for a lot of great achievements.

(11:44):
You know, you gotta look at People want to know
what the legacy moments are.

Speaker 3 (11:47):
Did he beat Oklahoma?

Speaker 1 (11:49):
Right? Did he win in a Big twelve? Did he
win a Big Twelve championship? Need those legacy moments Coats got,
you know, legacy moments like that, we're you know, big
wins over and in that two thousand and eight season, Hell,
they had like, you know, like four or five of
those types wins in that in that season over ranked teams,
really good teams, really good quarterbacks. I mean, I might

(12:11):
even the best year in the history of the Big Twelve,
and you know Texas had Texas won their fair share
against everybody except Texas take down the stretch. Different conversation
for a different day, But in terms of wins, most
impressive wins that we've seen from a Texas quarterback, that Bama,
that win at Alabama for Quinnon, it's hard to find.

(12:31):
It's hard for you to. You ain't gonna find me
three or four wins better than that win for a
Texas football program. I mean, send it to me at
Rod Bay resented Twitter. First, give me a win that's
better than that win other than Vy and Texas went
over usc Like I said back in the day, James Street,
you know that kind of stuff. You know, I've went

(12:53):
over Arkansas win. You know, wins to win a national title. Yes,
those could be in that conversation. That's a big win.
We just got to the playoffs. So you want to
say bold games every more than that. But yeah, bold
games were exhibition games. We all know that now going forward.
So I'll get that to Quinn too. He's got legacy
moments now that if you're a Quinn fan, now you've

(13:15):
got something to argue with. Now you got something that
you know when somebody throws it out, Oh man, I
think Quinn was overrated, they say, hey, fourth and thirteen,
Hey man, he beat Alabama, beat Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa.
So that's kind of Quinn's no, no, no in legacy in
the nutshell. But I say he'll be more appreciated after,
you know, he's done that decade or so from now.

(13:38):
But right now, everybody's excited about the arch era, which
we'll talk about coming up a little bit later on.
Can we I want to talk about Michael taff announced
that he was coming back, and Michael Taffins made multiple
All American teams. Now and you know that that sex
As secondary best secondary in the country last year proved
it again. I was listening to an inn with the

(14:02):
third string cardinal take the third string, third string, but
he's the third wide receiver for Ohio State, and he said,
we didn't think you was talking about Texas said, we
didn't think that they would alter their game plan. We
thought they had so much confidence in their secondary, in
their corners, they would try to play them straight up
and wouldn't roll coverage or rotate to safeties or bracket guys.

(14:25):
They did Texas road coverage bracketed drums Smith took him
out of the game. He had one catch for three yards,
but they got hurt by other guys. But that secondary,
you know, one of the things that said to the
part it's one of the greatest secondaries in Texas football history,
is the kind of the football like Q of the secondary.
I mean they were they were just sing me. They
don't have a lot of coverage bus. They didn't have
a lot of coverage bus. They were just very sound

(14:45):
in their coverage play mostly zone, but you never really
saw them have, you know, these weak spots in their zone.
And that's because they they were as high minded as
any group that I've watched. And the big part of
that is Mike Taff and Jday Baron, which we'll get
to next second. I got a question about Jada Baron.
I want to ask you guys, but Michael Taff's legacy

(15:06):
and he still is coming back, and we'll hear from
Michael Taff as to why he came back, because I
think that's a big part of I don't think people
people got to misunderstand why he came back. I do
a podcast with Third and Longhorns with my man, Kozie Whitaker,
Derrick Johnson, Jeremy Hughes. It's a good group. We have
a lot of fun, and Michael Taff joined us and

(15:28):
told us why I think he came back to Texas
before he made the announcement.

Speaker 3 (15:33):
This was actually this past offseason.

Speaker 1 (15:34):
Well, we'll get to that audio on the other side,
and we'll also post a question about Jday baron All
Time Great now at Texas after winning the Thorpe Award.
We'll get into that tour on other side. All of
that and more when we come back right here on
The Gregway Show on AM thirteen. All right, welcome back
to the Greig Way Show. I'm love time long one,
Rod Babies. I promise we'll get to NFL discussion, especially

(15:55):
next hour. We'll dive deep into it through some previews
of division around, talk about the coaching carousele in the league.
Tom Brady recruiting the top coaching candidate for a lot
of teams right now, and right now the reports are
he might be close to actually finalizing the deal, that

(16:17):
he actually may get it done.

Speaker 3 (16:18):
Ben Johnson one of the front runners.

Speaker 1 (16:21):
For that job with the Raiders, and I didn't think
of all the jobs out there that he would be
even the least bit interested in the Las Vegas Raiders.
But I think Tom Brady's got that, you know, he's
got that type of swag to him. All Right, So
we'll get to that. We'll talk about that, We'll get
into the other coaching vacancies. We'll talk about the Cowboys.

(16:43):
Of course, in the latest with the reports as relates
to the Cowboys coaching search, Robert Salad now being a
name that's mentioned, I believe they did a request and
if you killing Moore, we knew that was coming. So
we'll get to that coming up. But let's get back
to Texas football for a second, because I'm going to
do my DEBU rankings all time DBU rankings at Texas,

(17:03):
myself included, and I usually, I mean, I think it
got to fifty. I'm outside the top twenty by the way,
just so you know, so I'm not I'm not pumping
myself up to be something that I wasn't on the
forty acres. I'm also out the top of twenty, so
and I think I'm getting bumped down again based on
some of the most more recent additions to my DBU rankings,

(17:25):
and I hadn't done it in a few years just.

Speaker 3 (17:27):
Because honestly, I don't know if it was warranted.

Speaker 1 (17:30):
I don't know we had secondary I know we had
defenders who were going to impact by DBU rankings list
enough for me to have to reveal an all new
one and come up with an all new rankings. But
I'm gonna do it this year. I'm gonna dive deep
into it, and it's based on your accomplishments on the
forty acres. And my first, really, I think, really the

(17:54):
first big issue that I'm running into that I'm pondering
is by Mount Rushmore of DBU. And it's a simple
Mountain Rushmore, and it has been pretty simple for years now.
I'd really hadn't I hadn't had to worry about the
Mount Rushmore of it. My top four all time Johnny Johnson, Oh,

(18:15):
I mean Johnny Johnson, one of the all time greats, right,
I mean consensus, uh, all American again, beca two time
unanimous All American. Actually, I believe Jerry Gray all right, obviously,
Jerry Gray, the Jerry Carroll era of DBU, all right,
two time contents is All American and Jerry Gray's and

(18:38):
that was before the Thorpe Award, which was given to
the which is given to the best defensive back in
college football. So Jerry Gray and Johnny Johnson, that's on
the Mount Rushmore hard. It's gonna be hard for anybody to,
you know, to be able to leap for all those guys.
So they're pretty much mainstays there and have been. But
Michael Huff Huff Daddy. Oh and by the way, congrats

(18:59):
to Michael, because Michael Huff recently has been inducted into
the College Football or at least he will be inducted
into the College Football Hall of Fame that was announced.
I believe yesterday that he's gonna be in the most
the latest class in the College Football Hall of Fame,
and it is a star study class. Honestly, I thought
Michael Huff was already in there. So the only reason

(19:19):
I was surprised is what I was like, Oh, I
thought he was already in there. So it's a no brainer.
He was gonna be a College Football Hall of Famer anyway,
Just like I said, it was all about the timing
of it. And he's going in.

Speaker 3 (19:30):
With some other great players like, oh.

Speaker 1 (19:35):
How Graham Harrell's going in with him, Michael Strahan's going in,
Michael Vick is going into this class to coaches going in,
Nick Saban's going in, Urban Meyer's going in. So pretty
sure I study and Nick and Mike, you know, Mike Cuff.
Michael Huff is one of those guys, no question. So
he's on the mountain Rushmore because he won the Thorpe
and won a national title, and then you got Aaron Ross,
who also won of Thorpe won a national title, and

(19:57):
that's pretty much been the Mount Rushmore. And I don't
know if because it's all about what you did, what
you've done at Texas and your accomplishment. I don't know
if Jday.

Speaker 3 (20:07):
Baron has is if its season or his career.

Speaker 1 (20:12):
I should say more anything merits him, leap frog and
one of the guys originally in the top four on
the Mount Rushmore. So that's kind of the question, you know.
I mean, I'll throw it out there, hit me up
at rod Davers Indie Twitter Verse. If I was going
to put Jday Baron on the Mount Rushmore, who do
I take off? Johnny Johnson, Jerry Gray, Michael Huff, Aaron Ross.

(20:35):
I mean, who would I take off? That's the quest.
That's the first thing after ponder is it? And right
now I'm just I am leaning toward him just being
number five, just right there outside the top four, right
outside the Mount Rushmore. But he could when I finished
my research, because it's back the stats. It's about you know,

(20:56):
how you played in big games and your accolades and
achievement in the national awards and all that kind of stuff.
Maybe when I added all up today, Baron, maybe you
know he's a dark horse and ends up cracking that
top four.

Speaker 3 (21:09):
Right now, it's hard. It's hard for me to see it,
all right.

Speaker 1 (21:13):
Another comment my man CB at Chris GB double zero,
double zero two thousand in the Twitter verse, he pointed
out when I was asking about the big games quarterbacks
who won big games at Texas, don't forget about James Brown,
he said, nineteen ninety six Big twelf Championship game, Texas
beating two time defending national champion Nebraska thirty seven twenty

(21:34):
seven to win the first ever Big twelve championship. And
in ninety five in College Station, Texas beat Aggie and
ended their thirty one game home winning streak to win
the final Southwest Conference championship. It's a good point, CB, now,
good point, ay, right? Those are big those are big ones. Yeah,
I know what I'm saying. I'm sure there are some

(21:55):
other examples of it. No doubt I would put Quinn's
win over Labama right there in that same discussion. But
it's a good point though about you know, James Brown,
James Brown, He's definitely in that conversation of the most
underrated Texas quarterbacks considering what he achieved at Texas. They're
they're no doubt one championships, one, big games, had the clutch, gene,

(22:18):
all that kind of stuff. Appreciate that, CV. All Right,
another nugget I want to get to before we start
talking about some NFL topics.

Speaker 3 (22:27):
Okay, So Michael Taff.

Speaker 1 (22:28):
Came back and he's gonna be your starting safety, of
one of your starting safety for that twenty twenty five
season after becoming an All American. I mean, it's probably
the greatest story for a walk on in history of
Texas football. And I'm not talking about the Ricky Williams
walk ons, right, the guys who got drafted then or

(22:50):
I mean Corn Cosmy might have been one of those
guys too, who got drafted to play Major League baseball
first and then technically walked on or played another sports.
Was a track athlete, you know that walked on the
football like Mark he's good one or something like that.
I don't know that. Don't give me those technicalities. I
don't want the technicalities. Okay, I want a true walk
on story. And you know why nobody can give me

(23:12):
a better walk on story because we don't keep up
with the walk Ons.

Speaker 3 (23:18):
I've asked historians.

Speaker 1 (23:20):
I'm the only the late great Bill Little probably put
the only one that could have shined the light on
this and actually given us some information about it.

Speaker 3 (23:27):
But I've asked, you know.

Speaker 1 (23:29):
As many analysts and as many recruiting experts, and as
many Texas football historians, and most of them amateurs, amateur
Texas with wall historians, can you name me a great
story about a walk on at Texas football history? And yeah,
they throw out this story or that story, but none

(23:51):
of them are better than Michael Taff going from walk
on to All American. No, no, there's no story better
than that. There's no walk on story better at Texas
football history. And he's coming back to kind of add
to the legacy. But why he's coming back. Some people said, well,
he had his best season, and the NFL usually, you know,

(24:13):
it's like a lottery ticket, right, You want to cash
a lottery ticket when you got it, and you want
to hit the NFL when your draft stock is as
hot as its going to be. And this is as
high as it's been for Michael taff. Our assumption is
it won't go higher, but maybe it could. But we
spoke to.

Speaker 3 (24:28):
Michael Taff on Third and Longhorn.

Speaker 1 (24:30):
This was earlier this year, and I think there's another
reason that maybe we're discounting as to why Michael taff
might have come back to Texas. Because he does bleed orange.
There's no doubt about that. And I think there's some
unfinished business for Michael Taff. Here is a taff on
third Loanhorn don't know it.

Speaker 2 (24:47):
You got to always remember your why when you're in
the winter, when you're in the summer, and I have.

Speaker 3 (24:53):
A why, but I also have a bigger why.

Speaker 2 (24:56):
When I'm at Texas and I have the burnt orange on,
I got a I got to put back where Texas
was always been. And it's not just winning the Big
teph Championship and making it to the college Football playss.

Speaker 1 (25:07):
It's to win a national championship.

Speaker 2 (25:10):
And every day that I work out, whenever I get
discouraged or something like that, I just need a simple
reminder you're at the University of Texas, your dream and
you're fighting to go win a national championship. That's all
I needed, And no matter if I was a walk on,
no matter if I started as an equipment manager or
I was a five star quarterback. That's all the motivation
I needed besides my individual wise and so that's really

(25:32):
what it came down to. When coach getting and gave
me that call, that was all in the back of
my mind was like, man, I get a chance to
go try to flip the narrative of Texas and change
all this five and seven talk, but flip it to
you know, now seventeen and oh national champions, SEC champions. Like, man,
if I can do that for myself, that's a done deal.

Speaker 1 (25:54):
So that was kind of the main emphasis. All right,
that's my Taff on the third Longhorns podcast. So in
addition to you know, draft Stock, I think he's worried
about trying to win a national title for Texas. That's
why Lowhorn fans are big Michael Taff fans. All Right,
we come back. We'll get into what the twenty twenty
five roster for Texas may end up looking like, especially

(26:16):
now that we are past the transfer a portal window
and the NFL declarations are done as well, so we'll
talk about what twenty twenty five looks like. For the
Lonehorns a little bit all that more right here on
the Greig Way Show, right here on AM thirteen hundred.

Speaker 3 (26:30):
Welcome back to the Craig Way Show.

Speaker 1 (26:32):
I am Rob Babers right here, sitting in for Craig
Way for the rest of the week. So we appreciate
Craig Waite giving us the opportunity. But I want to
get back to some Texas football conversation. We'll talk NFL
on the other side. I predicted earlier this year, like
early on, I'm talking about early last year. I should say,
forgetting to twenty five has already happened. But I predicted

(26:54):
early last year that when Archie Many became to starting quarterback,
that he would be on the c wrote the College
Football video game, you know, within his within his two years,
that he's going to be the starter of Texas. Uh,
they say they're going to and now they said it
has announced the College Football twenty twenty six will be
released this summer. Uh, they made that announcement. And I

(27:19):
don't I don't know who in college football, of course
who is in the running to be on the cover.
But something tells me arch Manning's got a really good
chance to do it. If that is the case, that
would give you back to back. That's the only thing
that might hurt him actually is the fact that Quinn
was on the cover of the video game of the
A Sports collg Football video game last time around, and

(27:43):
this time around. They may not want to seem like
they're too you know, too lenient when it comes to
Texas athletes, like they're favoring Texas athletes over other athletes.
But it is a Manning first family of football. It
just seemed like it was a you know brainer at
one point it was going to happen. We'll see if

(28:04):
it happens for the twenty twenty five college football video game,
because I just saw that announcement to come out there
all right to talk about Texas speaking of twenty twenty five,
talking about the twenty twenty five roster, the official NFL
Draft declarations from underclassmen, because that window now is closed.
Quhen Yours, Jaydon Blue, Matthew Golden, Isaiah Bond, Kelvin Banks,
and Cam Williams all on offense, Trey Moore has decided

(28:30):
to stay. That was something else that I think broke
today too, that he's decided to stay with yesterday we
found out DJ Campbell it was the only member of
the offensive line that you're going to bring back. So
you have to replace four starters there. You gotta replace
your quarterback, got to replace one of your weapons on
front of call, Jaydon Blue just are running back considering
how he was weaponized. You got to replace Jaydon Blue,

(28:50):
got to replace two of your starting wide receivers at
Matthew Golden and Isaiah Bond. And you got to replace
your two tackles of course too. So it's and you're
starting tight end. Gunnhelm is obviously not an underclassman, but
Gunnahelm also going see you replacing a lot on the
offensive side of the ball. But like I said, the
future is bright with Arch Manning and Bryan Wingo and

(29:12):
some of the other pieces you're bringing back Offensively, trefor
Gooseby's another guy I think long run fans are really
excited about. On the offensive line, proved he could play
right and left tackle this year. On defense, Trey Moore
is staying around, So you're gonna have got Trey Moore's
last eight games. I don't think long run fans really
understood how effective he was those last eight games. Actually

(29:34):
no last seven games. So your last seven games twenty pressures,
six and a half sacks, ten tackles for lost, three
forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and seventeen total tackles. The
more effective that pass rush became, and the more effective

(29:55):
Colin Simmons really became, especially in that NASCAR package which TRADYE.
Moore was in two and I'll go, look, I bet
a lot of those sacks came in that NASCAR package
they did. They had to, you know, leave him to
one on one blocking assignments, and he can beat one
on one blocking assignments, but you may not be the beat,
you know, when they if the offensive line decides to

(30:16):
slide protection his way, or they're a running back out
there to chip them, or there's a tight end that
he's got to go around first and a tight end
wants to bump them. That may be a little bit much,
you know, for and Trey Moore not and he can't
do it. But he may not have all those splash
plays when it comes to that, but he starts to
get those splash plays late in the season. So you'll
have the best edge one of the best edge rooms
in the country with Colin Sims, Trade Moore, You'll have

(30:38):
Colin Vas you know those, Ethan Burke.

Speaker 3 (30:40):
You have some really good players on the edges for you.

Speaker 1 (30:44):
At the secondary level, or at least the second level
of the defense. You'll have Anthony Hill and Lafoule at linebacker.
Both of those guys are back. That's a really good
sign for you. You'll in the secondary, you'll get Michael Taff,
as we mentioned, and I think Taff wants to be
a draft pick. I think he wants to come complete
the greatest walk on story in Texas football history by
going from walk on to draft pick, which I don't

(31:07):
know if that's ever happened. Don't give me the technicalities
about Ricky Williams and those kind of guys. I'm talking
about a you know, a walk on that actually ends
up based working their way into being an NFL draft pick.

Speaker 3 (31:18):
I think that's his goal.

Speaker 1 (31:19):
I think, as we just played the audio from third
Longhorns winning a national title is his goal. That he
wants to do those two things. And I don't know
if he was sure he was going to get drafted,
because maybe some NFL coaches still, of course, maybe question
whether it was an aberration him this season. I think
obviously want to see him do it, you know, back

(31:39):
to back seasons, play at a really high level, and
then they're still the testing, right, you know whether he
would test well. We still don't know that there's the
stereotype of the white safety.

Speaker 3 (31:50):
It's gonna hurt him, right, I'll talking about it all
the time.

Speaker 1 (31:53):
Low Hun fans even hate on Blake Gideon and Dylan
Haynes and hey, no Michael Tafford. I remember Lowland fans
hate no Michael to have to and I used to
always say listen when loan when when the white safety
is about their logan fans always end up hating knowing
the white safety. Don't know what it is. But Blake
just started more games the end of the player in
Texas football history. Uh, Dylan Haynes is like top five

(32:14):
all time in interceptions at DBU, and Michael Tafwan from
walk on to All American. Some Longland fans steal hate
know them things the bomb. So I think he's got
two goals, win a national title and becoming the NFL
draft pick. I don't know if he accomplished bost but
I just think that that's his goal with the secondary,
especially with the safeties. That's gonna be a strength. Jeli
McDonald back there. You got Derek Williams coming back off

(32:36):
the injury. Uh, Jonah Williams coming in. Save your feel
so for me, uh, they're loaded there, so you didn't
have any departures that we that were unplaying. My Malik
Muhammad is still expects to be there at the other
corner as well, and we'll see maybe Kobe Black, where
I think is gonna be the the corner potential that's
gonna be the starter opposite Malik Muhammad. But you've got
a lot of pieces on defense offense. There's gonna be

(32:57):
a lot of new faces. But the most famous of
those whose famous that will be arch Manny. We'll talk
about that too. But coming up next, let's get into
the NFL. Let's talk about the coaching vacancies and the
coaching carousel. Let's preview the Texans and the Chiefs all
that more when we return right here on the Craigway Show,
right here on AM thirteen hundred the Zone. All right,
welcome back to the Craigway Show. I am not Craigway,

(33:18):
even though at times I wish I was. Craigway. But
I don't have the intellect, the recall, or the overall talent.
So I appreciate Craig just let me sit in for
him for a couple of days here on the Craigway
Show while he's out and about. You can reach out
to me at Rod Daberson's for the Verse anytime you
want to connect with me today.

Speaker 3 (33:37):
But I'll get into some NFL discussion here.

Speaker 1 (33:39):
We talked a lot about the Longhorns and the players
who are departing, the forty acres, the transfer portal window closing,
what that twenty twenty five roster's gonna look like. Also,
Quinn yours reportedly turning down eight million dollars in an
NIO deal to transfer to another college football school. That

(33:59):
was portabaull Manchip Brown over at Horns twenty four to seven,
and I wouldn't looked it up. Listen, if you are
drafted in to say, your first pick in the second round,
If you're one of the first picks in the second round,
which is kind of where Quinn projects right now, you
can expect to make nearly ten million dollars in your
four year rookie contract. That according to spot Track, which

(34:22):
as to Mace, the first pick of the second round,
will pull in just under ten million dollars, while the
next eight players picked will make north of nine million.
That's what spot track says, and my man Chip Brown
says that Quinn yours turned down an eight million dollar
nil deal offer to transfer and declare for the NFL draft,

(34:44):
and some people are saying, bad business decision, terrible business decision.
Shouldn't have made that business decision. You know, if you're
gonna make ten million, let's say ten to twelve million
in four years in the NFL, you should take the
eight million in one that you can make. You can
very well make that argument because then you'll still be

(35:05):
able to go to the NFL, and then maybe you'll
increase your draft stock too, Like maybe you'll actually increase
your draft stock and be able to go to the
first round and make even more money.

Speaker 3 (35:14):
There's also injury, so there's the injury risk you're throwing
there too.

Speaker 1 (35:17):
There's also the there's a chance you could drop your stock,
that your stock could actually be damaged by going out
there and playing again. So it is a roll the dice,
I think, ultimately, for Quinn, who transferred from Ohio State
to Texas member. He's the original, He's the nil og
right before nil was really a really mainstream commonplace thing,

(35:44):
which it is today now and everybody discusses it openly
and it is a huge factor in recruiting and talent
acquisition and talent retention. He left school early to go
capitalize on NIO dollars and then transferred from whole state
to Texas. I'm sure got another bag of ini own money.

(36:06):
I don't know how much he's made. He was a
three year starter at Texas, and Texas quarterbacks make as
much as any definitely more than most quarterbacks in the
country when it comes to their NIO earnings. So he
made a lot of money in Texas. So, you know,
maybe the eight million, I know, eight millions a lot
of money. I'm not saying it ain't a lot of money,

(36:26):
but he's definitely made at least five to six million.
Can we all agree with that. He's probably in that range,
if not more, we don't know, which is all speculation,
and so maybe it wasn't all about the money for him.
I'm not disputing that. Maybe that was a questionable business decision.
But he's going to the NFL, all right, he'll make

(36:47):
that ten take said ten twelve million over that four
year period on that contract. And I think it mattered
to Quinn that he be seen as a long corner.
If he goes somewhere else, he will be seen as
a mercenary inn ilew mercenary. Nothing wrong with that, by
the way. Lot a players fine with that, and they are,

(37:09):
but there is still.

Speaker 3 (37:11):
A powerful allure.

Speaker 1 (37:13):
And I think it is something that for some players,
it is a connection that they that they want to
cultivate all right, all throughout their careers. And when Quentin
gets done, he wants to live in Texas, and I
think he wants to be seen as a Texas long wran.

Speaker 3 (37:30):
He wanted to come to Texas.

Speaker 1 (37:30):
He was committed to Texas before you know the Tom
Herman situation, and then he decommitted and goes to a
house state.

Speaker 3 (37:37):
I think he always wanted to be a long horn.
I think it matters to.

Speaker 1 (37:39):
Him, and not that not that if he goes somewhere else,
nobody will ever connect him to the long hooint brand. Again,
of course he will be connected to the Longhoint brand,
but not everybody will see him as Oh no, Quiteers
is a long horn nobody sees Queen Years as a
buck eye. Nobody there's a long horn, and I think
that matters to him, And so I think that I'm

(38:03):
not saying that was a big part of this decision,
but I think it actually played a part in it
that No, I want to I want to leave it
better than I found it, and I want to be
a lifetime Longhorn. When I came up with the term
lifetime longhorn, it was because of the power of the
brand and the value of the brand. And everybody wants

(38:23):
to be a lifetime longhand will say like it, all
want to be a lifetime lohorn, will have to be
a legendary lifetime longhorn. And Quinn was very, I think,
very close to being a legendary lifetime longhorn. And he's
got fourth and thirteen. He will always have fourth and thirteen.
He'll always have that win over Bama. Not a lot
of quarterbacks in Texas can say they got to win
that big and fourth and thirteen and everybody knows what

(38:46):
it means fourth and thirteen. Yeah, you're right. Every Quinn
hater ever will always have to at least give you that.
If you're a if you if you're a paying that
argument about Quinn, you go, man for thirteen, They go, yeah,
you're right. I was. That was actually pretty impressive. Yeah,
it took a lot of testicular fortitude game on the line.

Speaker 3 (39:08):
That was a clutch gene moment right there.

Speaker 1 (39:10):
So he's got that, you know, And I argue for
for sim Sim's over, I don't. I don't have that
moment to argue for Sim's like that that, Oh he's
got the he's got four to thirteen.

Speaker 3 (39:19):
Well, everybody knows exactly what.

Speaker 1 (39:20):
You're talking about, so, uh, Quinn, you know, giving up
eight million dollars, we'll, you know, we'll talk more about it.
But I think ultimately for Quinn, he's been at least
those I know close to him, they've always said he's
going to the league. Nobody that I know is an
insider that's close to the situation ever actually seriously entertained

(39:44):
him going elsewhere now that they know the price tag
would grow up to eight million dollars. I don't know
if anybody do that, but nationally it's been like Dan
Patrick and Colin Coyle Hurd and the national narrative that, oh, man,
Quinn's will gonna be offered big money, and I think
he got offered big money. That's what Chip Brown's reporting.
But those close so all things can be true. Those
close to the situation that I know, they told me

(40:06):
he ain't going he ain't going no worse. He's gonna
end his career as a long horning college and he's
going to the league. And that's what happened. He's going
to the league. Speaking of the league, let's talk about
the league a little bit. Uh oh no, before we
tell that Fourth and thirteen. So we're talking about fourth
and thirteen. This is great. So Matthew Golden was on
the third and Longhorns podcast.

Speaker 3 (40:26):
I do.

Speaker 1 (40:27):
It's great. Alex Okerfer is on there, Jeremy Hills, Fozzy Whitaker,
Derrick Johnson. It's really fun. They bring in a lot
of different special guests from man Nick Shuley does a
great job on there. It's really really fun. And they
had Matthew Golden on there recently and I couldn't be
there for this one, and it hurts my hearts. I
wanted to ask some questions for Matthew Golden, who turned
out to be the number one wide receiver Texas and

(40:48):
Darrel Jeremiah, who watched film on Matthew Golden, said he
thinks Matthew Golden can be the top receiver taken in
the draft. Like that I did not see, but I
will admit he don't have a lot of weaknesses in
his game. And nobody increased their draft stock. I'm talking
about nobody in the country increased their draft stock more
than Matthew Golden did the last four or five games
of the season. And so, Ronald, would you have this ready?

Speaker 3 (41:13):
So he was on fourth and loan.

Speaker 1 (41:14):
A third Longhorn, excuse me, and he was talking about
fourth and thirteen and I didn't even know this, But
turns out the fourth and thirteen, hell Man. Not only
was it a clutch play by Quinn, the clutch call
by Sark, but Matthew Golden he had to battle through
some adversity on that play. And listen to him describe

(41:35):
it to you. Here's Matthew Golden on third and longn Like,
where are your eyes? Do you realize that he's exabering Outfred?
Do you realize he's flat footed? Yeah?

Speaker 4 (41:42):
I seen, Yeah, That's what I seen in preaching that reed.
So when I stuck him and I looked and I
seen the safety.

Speaker 1 (41:48):
It was nobody you know where you're going?

Speaker 4 (41:50):
Yeah, yeah, you aiming right at the middle of the zone.

Speaker 1 (41:54):
The zone I see you. Then I go up. You
know the ball's coming. It's just about locating the ball, right.
You almost out ran the football.

Speaker 4 (42:03):
Yeah, because look when I looked, you know, I got advisor.
So when I looked at the light was right in
my eyes.

Speaker 1 (42:10):
So I seen it last minute.

Speaker 4 (42:12):
Nobody know that I've seen it last minute, and I
just I hadn't said. Nobody know that exclude right there.

Speaker 1 (42:21):
I'm like, man, he almost out ran that ball.

Speaker 3 (42:24):
So you located late, and that's why the.

Speaker 4 (42:26):
Hands from you know what I'm saying, That's why he
was down there. Yeah, I mean I know I had
Once I had it, you know, I turned around and man,
I ain't know what the thing.

Speaker 1 (42:34):
I just I was like, man, we got it. You
know what I'm saying, We got it? Like where are
your eyes? Do you realize that? Back you go? Then
on the third Long Horse podcast, saying, yeah, he didn't
locate the ball too late. That's why he did bobble
it a little bit. I think it was to the
catch up on Some people disputed that he bobbed a
little bit late. I think he located late, and it
turns out the glare was in his eyes. Oh man,

(42:55):
could you imagine the situation if he had dropped the
ball because the ball the glarres in his eyes. So, ma,
if you go to man showing more and more, he's
got the clutch gene and that's why he's gonna be
one of the top receivers taking in upcoming draft. All Right,
speaking of the draft, has talk NFL. On the other side,
I talk NFL coaching vacancies. Aaron Glenn is one of
the hot names. He's a defensive coordator for the Detroit Lions.

(43:16):
He's one of the hot names out there. He brought
up something that I thought was really interesting that really
got me thinking about a theory that I once had
about the best coaches in the NFL and if I
was choosing a coach, a trait that I would look for.
And also, why don't they do this more with head
coaches in the NFL because it does seem to work.

Speaker 3 (43:36):
We'll discuss that and Ben Johnson.

Speaker 1 (43:38):
To the Raiders. Potentially it would prove once again that
Tom Brady's the goat. All of that and more right
here on the Craigway Show. Right here coming up next
right here on AM thirteen hundreds of zone. All right,
welcome back to the Craigway Show here on AM thirteen
hundreds of zone. I'm life time, oh Horn. Rode Berbery
was sitting in for craig Way a little bit. Let's
talk NFL head coaching vacancies. The I think some of

(44:02):
the more intriguing headlines right now are coming out of
Las Vegas. It is being reported that the Las Vegas
Raiders may be wooing Ben Johnson, who is considered the
top candidate for any head coaching vegacy, who is the
office of coordinator right now for the Detroit Alliance. And

(44:23):
the world on the street is is that Tom Brady
and he have had conversations and that Ben Johnson is
pretty you know, enamored with tom Brady's pitch or maybe
just because Tom Brady is Tom Brady, and that the
Raiders are now a dark horse to get Ben Johnson,

(44:45):
and some people are saying right now they're a favorite
to get Ben Johnson. Nothing's confirmed, but nobody even saw
that they would be in the mix. And this is
when the Tom Brady association. He helps you if you're
the last Vegas Raiders. Now you're on the Lost Vegas Raiders.
You're the Raiders, number one, the Raids. So you don't

(45:06):
need you know what I mean, You don't need much.
You don't need a bump from anybody. All Right, you're
the Raiders. You got historical clout, and you're in Vegas,
so you're in the glamorous city. All right, You're sexy
enough in that regard. But looking at the roster, and
nothing really sexy about the Raiders roster.

Speaker 3 (45:25):
Nothing really sexy about the.

Speaker 1 (45:26):
Raiders situation being in the AFC West, right, that's an
ugly situation. That is, even if the roster had some
I don't know very if the roster did have some
very attractive elements to it, which I don't know if
it has that many. The brock Bauers one is interesting,
love Brock Boss the Beast. But other than that, if

(45:49):
you're gonna look at you gotta play in the AFC West,
So you gotta go up against Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. Now,
Andy Reiding gonna be there forever. Andy Reid's getting older,
maybe' spags takes a job, But You're still gonna deal
with Brett Beach, the best GM arguably in the NFL,
and deal with Patrick Mahomes, the best quarterback in the NFL.
And quarterbacks play into their forties now and play pretty

(46:10):
well into their forties.

Speaker 3 (46:11):
Tom Brady knows that bred to anybody.

Speaker 1 (46:12):
So you're going to deal with that. That ain't sixy.
And then Sean Payton, who I think is one of
the better coaches in the NFL. You got to deal
with him. He got a young quarterback bow Knicks who
he likes. He made the playoffs. That's gonna be a
problem for it. They ain't no easy win. And then
you got John Harball. I'm sorry, Jim Harball got one
of the hornballs. You got Jim Harball, who is I mean,

(46:33):
that's a ball coach just won a National talent in college,
has already coached a team to a super Bowl in
the NFL. Everybody knows Jim Harball and coach Ball, and
that guy is just coming off a playoff, a playoff
game as well. So you got three playoff teams in
that division right now, and one is the best team

(46:54):
in football, period.

Speaker 3 (46:57):
So that's a hell of a sales pitch.

Speaker 1 (46:58):
By Tom Brady. Now we know Tom Brady can recruit.
Go look at his ex wife, Go look at the
Hollywood starletts that he's all right been associated with. Mc
brown used to always say, I'll never hire a coach
who's got an unattractive wife because that means he can't recruit. Well,

(47:19):
Tom Brady, if that applies in terms of recruiting, the
man can recruit. And if he ends up getting Ben
Johnson all right and getting big just to agree to
play the Chiefs twice a year and Andy Reid try
to win the chess match against Andy Reid twice a year.
Sean Payton twice a year, and Jim Harball, two coaches
who have won the Super Bowl, and another coach wo's

(47:40):
been to a Super Bowl and one of the best
coach in the history of football at any level. And
then Andy Reid a top five coach all time, and
another Super Bowl winning coaching Sean Payton, and teams who
have young quarterbacks, good young quarterbacks. Justin Herbert bo Knicks
Patrick Mahomes, the best quarterback in the league, said that
is the hell of a sales pitch. And then we

(48:00):
all got to get some props to we gotta get
some props to Tom Brady. Not only is he the
goat on the field all right, and has you know,
had many beautiful Hollywood starlets and supermodels all right in
his uh you know, on his on his roster, if
you will.

Speaker 3 (48:20):
But now he's gonna prove that, no, indeed, that he's
worth every.

Speaker 1 (48:25):
Basically every penny that the Raiders are gonna pay him,
and he's worth all of the trouble of making him
a minority owner with that franchise, even though there's a
lot of conflicts of interest because he's also calling games
for Fox. Now that he's worth every penny and he's
worth all the trouble and all the headaches if they
get Ben Johnson, because that will be all Tom Brady,
because they ain't got nothing unless he just likes Vegas

(48:47):
about likes Vegas that much, dude. I just came. I
came from I went to Vegas last year for the
Super Bowl.

Speaker 3 (48:53):
Vegas is awesome. Who won't staying Vegas bore in like two.

Speaker 1 (48:56):
Or three days. Even if you got a great job
in Vegas, that's a great job. But I don't know
if being a coach in the AFC West is a
great job. But Tom Brady, that's how you know that
that man can recruit. We shall see that that is
the scuttle. But if you will other coaches. Speaking of coaches,
I was just talking about Sean Payton as one of

(49:17):
the coaches in that division that if Ben Johnson agrees
to take that job with the Raiders, heed to be
going up against uh. You know. One of the things
that's interesting that about Sean Payton, Sean Payton was traded.
You know what. This is one of those things people
don't think about a lot that Sean Payton was actually
a coach that was traded from the Saints to the Broncos.

(49:38):
And I remember at the time saying, man, that's a
great move. That's a great move to trade for Sean Payton.
And I know it was because you know, he wanted
to go there and he wanted out and the Saints,
you know, they wanted to move on and they wanted
to get some returning investment. I get all the technicalities,
I get all that, but in the history of the NFL,

(50:01):
there hadn't been a lot of coaches that have been traded, really.

Speaker 3 (50:06):
In the last twenty five years.

Speaker 1 (50:09):
Over the last twenty five plus years, there have been
like seven coaches that have been traded. Of basically seven
deals involving big name head coaches to be traded. And
Bill Parcells was traded ninety seven. Mike Holmgren, Bill Belichick

(50:30):
was a trade, John Gruden was a trade, Herm Edwards
was a trade, Bruce Arians was a trade. Sean Payton
was a trade. Now that didn't happen a lot. Like
I said, I don't have all of the listed trade
of head coaches over the years, and you know, I'm

(50:50):
sure there are other examples of it going horribly wrong.

Speaker 3 (50:54):
But I always say a lot of the trades have
worked out.

Speaker 1 (50:56):
I wonder why they don't do it more often. I mean,
of the seven trades here that have happened recently for
big name head coaches, three of them won Super Bowls.
Bill Belichick won Super Bowl, John Gruden won a Super Bowl,
and if you go look at ye, Bruce Arians won
a Super Bowl. John Gruden and Bill Belichick those are

(51:17):
three Super Bowl winners. Now, Bill Parcelles didn't win it
with the Jets, but I believe they got to I'm
not mistaken. I thought they got to the AFC Title Game.
I could be mistake. I believe they got to the
AFC title game. Mike Holmgren went to a Super Bowl
with the Seahawks. So after seven, four went to a
Super Bowl, three won a Super Bowl. Bill Parcells coached

(51:40):
in an AFC title game, and Sean Payton got the
Broncos to the playoffs in where like his second year,
I mean, the only one that really just didn't work out.
Among those, the most high profile of those head coach
trades the NFL was herm Edwards. Harm Uss was traded
for a fourth round pick from the Jets to the Chiefs.
Speaking of the Chiefs, and they haven't cost they haven't

(52:04):
cost a lot of draft cap leaves. Now, Bill Parcells,
that was a first round pick, a second round pick,
a third and a fourth. That's a lot, I think,
and some cash considerations. That's a lot. Mike Comgrean went
for a second round pick. Bill Belichick was Now, that
was costly. That was the first, a fourth, and the seventh.
Well worth it now in retrospect, John Gruten, that was expensive.
That was two first round picks and two second round picks.

(52:26):
But you did win the Super Bowl like immediately after that,
because remember John Gruten knew all the plays. Uh, and
the Raiders never changed the place. And they played the
Bucks in the Super Bowl and they never changed the place.
And then John Gruten figured out midway through the first quarter,
Oh these dopes, they haven't changed the place. They still
running my place with my hand signals. Guys, I can

(52:50):
tell you what they're running, just that easy. And then
they blew out the Raiders, so they worth every penny.
Bruce Arians went for a sixth round pick and the
Bucks got a seventh in exchange, so that was really nothing.
That was pretty much a wash. And Sean Paygnon went
for a first round pick and a second round pick.
Broncos got a third round pick in exchange. We'll see

(53:10):
if that works out too. I would you know, we
used to be traded. Mike Tomlin needs to be traded.
I would trade for Mike Tomlin. If I was looking
for a coach right now, I would trade for Mike
Thomain because I know what Mike Tommin needs. He just
needs a quarterback. Mike tomin gets a quarterback. Mike Thomas
don't get you to the playoffs. No matter what your
quarterback situation is. You get a quarterback for Mike Tomblin.
That'll put you over the top, make you a Super

(53:33):
Bowl contender. He needs a quarterback. If you got a
quarterback and all you need is a head coach, trade
for Mike Tomlin. I remember saying that about petition for
the Texans before they hired to Miko rans And I
love to meet go because he's won two playoff games
in his first two years, and he and CJ are great.
But I try to trade for Mike Tomlin with the Stealers,
trade you Mike Tomlan. That's a different discussion. I don't know.

Speaker 3 (53:53):
I know they're looking for a way out because.

Speaker 1 (53:55):
They think that now they have kind of hit their
ceiling with Mike Tomlin and that maybe they can't get
over the hump now with Mike Toumblin as a franchise.

Speaker 3 (54:04):
But the Salors don't just fire coaches.

Speaker 1 (54:06):
They don't. I mean, they've had like three coaches in
the last fifty sixty years or something. That's not what
they do.

Speaker 3 (54:12):
But trade for a coach. I would trade for Mike Tumblin.

Speaker 1 (54:15):
I would speaking on Mike tomin Mike Tomlin is a
special coach for a specific reason.

Speaker 3 (54:20):
I'll tell you why.

Speaker 1 (54:21):
On the other side because Aaron Glenn, who's a coaching
candidate in this coaching carouseles cycle, he brings up something
about himself, bragging about his skill set as a coach,
and I think it actually shed somebody on why Mike
Tomlin is so special. We'll get into that, but we'll
also talk about the Cowboys coaching vacancy. They're interviewing Killen
Moore in it. They have a permission to interview Kellen Moore.

(54:42):
I should say that.

Speaker 3 (54:43):
So we'll get into it and talk about it. But
I'll tell you what I want the Coyleboys to do.

Speaker 1 (54:45):
I've decided what I want the Dallas Coyleboys to do
at their head coaching position, and we'll dive into it
on the other side right here on the craig Ways Show,
right here on AM thirteen hundred zone. All right, welcome
back to the craig Way Show here on AM thirteen
hundred zone on Mike tom Longhorn, Rod Bavers. Let's get
back to the NFL coaching carousel a little bit, and
of course the Dallas Cowboys are at the center of
that coaching carousel. They have submitted a request to interview

(55:10):
Killing Moore, which makes sense. I think we all knew
that was happening. Who is now the offensive coordinator of
the Philadelphia Eagles. Also was reported that Robert Salad now
has been added to the list for Dallas Cowboys' potential
coaching candidates. And how about this, Jane Slater reported recently.
Matter of fact, Jane Slater reported, and I saw a
report from Ed D. Edward recently too, who either confirms

(55:34):
her report or in addition to her report, they believe
that Jason, that Jason Witten even before the coach, before
Mike McCarthy parted ways with the Cowboys, or they mutually
agreed to part ways even before that. Jane Slater's reporting
that Jerry had planned on bringing in Jason Whitten in

(55:57):
a coaching capacity as a part of the agreement with
my what was to be the future proposed agreement with
Mike McCarthy, almost as a coach in waiting or coach
in training situation. I BSU not, yep, it is. There's
an audio of it. We could play it, but I'll
say it. She said it on NFL Network. Jane Slader

(56:21):
knows her stuff. I know, Jane, Jane's really good at
that job. And Jane's reputation is you know it, Christine,
So she says it, I believe it, And so that
would make sense as to why now there's a coaching
change and Jerry knew that he was a Jay's been
talking about Jason winning for since twenty twenty three as

(56:42):
a guy he thinks can be a Matt Campbell like coach,
you know, great motivator, great emotional connection with the players, players, coach,
locker room guy, that kind of thing. So yeah, if
you think he's a Dan Campbell type figure, that would
be great, because nobody saw Dan Campbell really becoming the
coach that he is. With that connection, he's the right
kind of crazy for what Detroit needs. But in addition

(57:05):
to her report, Edward's reporting, I believe there is a
very high probability that's depending upon whom is hired as
head coach, that Jason Whitton will be included in the staff.
There were scenarios discussed with like McCarthy when he was
hired where that could have happened, But McCarthy was understandably concerned,
perhaps remembering how Wade Phillips inherited Jason Garrett, who eventually

(57:28):
replaced him. So yeah, add that to the list of
drama of the things that whatever the next head coach
he's got to consider and he's got to potentially deal
with that. Jason Whitt might be a part of the staff,
whether you like it or not. And Kellen Moore was
like that, right, Kellen Moore was, let's say it was
forced on Mike McCarthy. But hey, Kellen, the Cowboys, they

(57:51):
when they say they like their guys, they do they
do a lot of in house promoting because the Cowboys
have a very unorthodox.

Speaker 3 (57:59):
Higher and it's a very kind of obtuse.

Speaker 1 (58:05):
Structure, business structure where the players can talk directly to
the owners and that kind of thing. Usually there's a
chain of command. Cowboys don't really have that. And the
Cowboys just have a very unorthodox, unconventional culture, and they
like to promote from within because they don't want people
coming from outside going that's weird. Y'all shouldn't be doing that.
That that's that's not very you know, I mean, that's counterproductive.

(58:28):
That's not gonna help you win championship. They don't like
it because they're a TV show first, in a football
team second, which, by the way, I'm not hating on
that because they are the most valuable sports team, more
sports franchise in the world. So it works. But you know,
their philosophy is be good or be interesting, and sometimes
it's too it's too hard to be good, so let's
be interesting and it works. Like I said, Jerry Jones

(58:50):
understands that this is entertainment and it is a TV
show and the Cowboys are the number one TV star,
number one TV show in America. That's why, Honestly, even
though the Kellen Moore thing makes sense, the Kellen Moore
thing makes sense because Kellen.

Speaker 3 (59:05):
Moore knows how.

Speaker 1 (59:06):
And I said this other day, I was like, I
don't know why they're not considering Dak Prescott's development and
Dak Prescott's ceiling when they're looking at.

Speaker 3 (59:16):
Whoever the next coach is gonna be.

Speaker 1 (59:17):
You gotta get who's gonna bring out the most and Dak,
who's gonna help you bring out that big Dak energy.

Speaker 3 (59:22):
And you got there with Mike McCarthy.

Speaker 1 (59:24):
You got that Text Coast offense, and you got big
Dak energy, best season he's ever had. If the next
coach can't get you big Dak energy, you stuck with
him for the next three four years, So you gotta
get somebody that's gonna maximize Dak.

Speaker 3 (59:37):
And Dak is like I said, the Cowboys.

Speaker 1 (59:39):
The Cowboys are drafting the fewest amount of quarterbacks in
the NFL since two thousand. They don't operate by drafting quarterbacks,
and they should draft more quarterbacks. Right even with Dak,
you should still be drafting quarterbacks because it's just a
healthy organizational habit.

Speaker 3 (59:53):
They don't do it.

Speaker 1 (59:55):
But even when they got Dak, see it still worked
out for him. When they drafted Dak, they didn't think
Dak was going to be the franchise quarterback. He was
behind Killing Moore, who's behind Romo, and Romo gets hurt,
killing Morgans hurt, Dak Shu guy, and then Dak exceeds
expectations that becomes a franchise quarterback. But then Kellen Moore
was relegated to be his backup and then ultimately to

(01:00:15):
be his quarterback coach and then ultimately be his offensive coordinator.

Speaker 3 (01:00:20):
So Dak and Kellen Moore have.

Speaker 1 (01:00:21):
The most unique relationship of any potential head coach oc
play calling quarterback in the league because nobody's had that
type of journey with that quarterback like he has with Dak.
And here are the Dallas's offensive ranks across the NFL
in games were killing and Dak were together from twenty
nineteen to twenty twenty two points per game, first yards

(01:00:44):
per game, first yards per play, second, passing touchdowns, second,
rushing touchdowns third from twenty nineteen to twenty twenty two.
When they were together, now and Dak got hurt and
all that kind of stuff, they were a really politic offense.
Big Dak energy. Kellen Moore brings out the big Dak energy.

(01:01:05):
He always said Dak was a Dak was a happy
accident for the Cowboys. I always say he's views viagra.
They did no viagar. What's gonna be viagral? They the
them finding out the benefits of viagra. The by product
byproduct of it was because they were looking for some
uh I think it was angina. They were looking for
some type of treatment for some heart ailment, and then

(01:01:27):
they end up figuring out, oh, it.

Speaker 3 (01:01:29):
Also does this, so you know what, let's sell that
that was Dak.

Speaker 1 (01:01:32):
They didn't expect Dak end up being a franchise quarterback
drafts to be a backup, third string developmental quarterback turns
out what a happy accident. And honestly, he's speaking of viagra.
You're gonna need big Dak energy. Kellen Moore is the
it can be the viagral for your big Dak energy.
All Right, I took that analogy too far. Let's get

(01:01:53):
to Aaron Glenn thing. Can we play this Aaron Glenn
sound Aaron Glenn, who's the defensive coordinator for Speaking of
dv's defensive coordinator for the Detri Alliance, he said this
when talking about his specific skill set, and he got
me to thinking as a head coach here. It is
one thing that.

Speaker 5 (01:02:08):
I would say by myself. I'm a coach. I just
happened to be on defense. I understand the offense just
as well as a number of people. So if you
want to hire me, you're gonna hire a coach. You're
not gonna hire a defensive coach. I'm gonna talk to
the offense just so much I'm gonna talk to the defense.

Speaker 1 (01:02:23):
One thing that I've always said that if I was
hiring a coach, I would want a coach that had
experience on both sides of the ball. It's like if
I'm hiring a lawyer, and I need a good lawyer.
I like the lawyers who have worked also on the
other side of the justice system. I want them. I
want a guy who's got experience on both side, who's

(01:02:44):
that experience on both sides, they know how the other
side works. And I always wonder, you know, most of
the coaches in the NFL, they have expertise in one
phase of the game offense, defense.

Speaker 3 (01:02:55):
And that's it.

Speaker 1 (01:02:56):
And there are only a few coaches like John Harbaugh
is one of them, Mights another one of them, Sirianni's
another woman that have experience at the college of the
pro level in more than one phase of the game.
It's only like six of those guys. You know, I
would look for that because that would help me if
I think, I would have more faith that you would
know how to build and construct a program or organization

(01:03:17):
from the bottom up in the top down. So I
like that about Aaron Glynn. Aaron Clinton does not. He's
not one of those coaches though he does not have
a background. I believe on offense, on especially if they
are three phases of the game, but most people only
aspire to have expertise in one. And yet you want
to be a football coach, and then you have to,
you know, delegate all three phases of the game. That's

(01:03:38):
why Belichick is special. I called the BELICHICKI and principal
the BELICHICKI. In theory, Belichick was the only coaches of
all in the history of the NFL that coached all
three phases. Maybe a reason why he had so much success.
Sort of things I would look for if I was
hiring a head coach. All right, we come back, speaking
of head coaching and hirings. I'll tell you who I
want the Cowboys to hire. I've decided this is all
I want the Cowboys to hire. I'm not saying this

(01:03:58):
will be what's best for the Cowboys, but I think
it would be definitely what's most entertaining for the Cowboys.
All that more right here on the Craigway Show, right
here on AM thirteen hundred. All right, welcome back to
the Craigway Show. I'm like talking about one ride they
were sitting in for Craig Way. Let's talk about the
Cowboys and their head coaching vacancy for a second. Here

(01:04:18):
of the Cowboys have requested and then if you were
Kellen Moore. Kellen Moore makes a lot of sense. Told
you why because he and Dak work so well together,
and Jerry Jones loves him from Kellen Moore, right, that's
a homegrown product for them, and there's a comfort level.
And Jerry likes people that he's comfortable with, and he
likes people that already know how he does business. Right,

(01:04:40):
they've already been inoculated, if you will, all right, they
know they know idea. Jason Widde knows how he does business,
so Jefe SODA's Kellen Moore. That helps. You don't want
anybody kind of shocked by how you do business, so
does Dean Sanders. By the way, Dean Sanders is saying
that he is not using this as a negotiating tactic.

Speaker 3 (01:05:00):
Adam Schefter put that out.

Speaker 1 (01:05:01):
There that some people think he thinks that Dion's using
Some people think he's just using the as leverage, that
the conversations with the Cowboys is just leveraged so that
he can win negotiations or get a new contract if
you will. With Colorado. He says he doesn't need to
do that. I agree, by the way, he doesn't need
to leverage himself even more with Colorado. He wants a

(01:05:24):
new contract he can get it with Colorado. But I'll
I'll say this, I think Diane also understands that he's
a unique beast in college that he won't be in
the NFL. Right, A Hall of Famer coaching in college
is rare, like now Belichick's coaching in college now. So

(01:05:46):
maybe not as rare as it used to be now
with Dean there, But you get my point. As a
a athlete that reached the Hall of Fame, Belichick is
gonna be a Hall of Fame as well. But as
an athlete that reached the Hall of Fame, it's rare
for them to go back to the college level. Dion
did that. Nope, that's a rare generational thing, and it

(01:06:07):
gives him a universal cool factor and coolest currency in recruiting.
He gives been a universal cool factor that no other
coach in college football can can compete with in that way.
They can't compete with Deon's cool factor. They're just not
coole as then who very few are, right, So he

(01:06:28):
appeals to young people in a way that makes even
Colorado now seem cool. I like Colorado. When I was
coming out, Colorado was among my top five schools. It
was Colorado, Texas, Texas A and m Florida State and
Penn State. So it did have a cool factor back then,
but it lost his cool factor. Dion brought it all
back and made it cool again. And he has that,

(01:06:49):
like I said, unique elements and that unique alure in college.
He does not have that NFL Hall of Famous coach
all the time. The NFL, that's where they go to
coach and it recruiting is a non factor at the
NFL level, and recruiting is really because he's kind of
a one man showing recruiting. Man, that's something you don't

(01:07:10):
need at the NFL level too. Now he can't just
coach ball. And I'm saying he can't coach ball, uh
that But that's what it will be about at the
NFL level. And at this point, since Man the cole
which is right now, it seems like some of the
reports have them settling on killing more, which would work
for Dack and you know maybe at Jason Whitten.

Speaker 3 (01:07:28):
Bill by the way, Bill Belichick has.

Speaker 1 (01:07:30):
Not signed his deal. That has also been reported that
Bill Belichick has not signed his deal. That's also interesting,
so maybe Bill Belichick is now back on the list.
He has not signed his deal. Robert Salad now being interviewed,
and these are these are all reasonable, very sound choices.

(01:07:50):
All right.

Speaker 3 (01:07:51):
The Bill Belichick thing makes a lot of sense, I do.

Speaker 1 (01:07:54):
I'm concerned about who Bill Belichick would hire as his
old c anytime you're hiring a defensive minded coach, got
to be weary about who they're going to pick and
what offensive philosophy they are going to pair up with
that struggle. Robert Salo had that issue, all right with
the Jets. Bill Belichick had that issue late after Tom
Brady left, because that was Tom Brady was the executive

(01:08:16):
of that offense, and it was his offense. And you know,
I just think often times that can be a struggle
for defensive minded guys. Ben Johnson, who we talked about
right now, a lot of momentum for him going to Vegas,
which it's questionable, but hey, Tom Brady, that's why he
used to go. It's got a hell of a sales pitch.
Some people are thrown out John Gruden out there. I

(01:08:38):
don't know about John Gruden. I think it may be
a little past John Bruden's John Gruden's time, but hey,
John Gruden is a guy who's won a Super Bowl.
He already came up on the show early we talked
about coaches that were traded. Then he got Lincoln Rally
and Kellen Moore, and people bring up Doug Peterson and
Pete Carroll. The more I hear these names, none of
them actually end up getting me really excited. I just

(01:09:02):
think at this point I truly believe it, especially since
I know Jerry also adopts this philosophy. If he can't
be good, just be interesting, man, just hired Dion, Just
do it, Just do it. At this point, I don't
I can't necessarily see a path to success, a guaranteed

(01:09:23):
path to success with the of these guys. Now, I
will say Jerry does not make big splashes when he
makes hires. That's not really how Jerry operates, right Jerry
the Bill Parce sales one that was, you know, big splash, But.

Speaker 3 (01:09:38):
Usually Jerry has stayed away.

Speaker 1 (01:09:39):
From the big splashes in the hires that he's made recently.
And that's why I wonder if you know, all of
this is just so you know, we can get hype
and they can get the headlines and the free media,
and ultimately, if Jerry's just gonna you know, take a
safe choice like a Kelled Moore or or Jason Witten won.

(01:10:01):
I mean Jason went hadn't coached you know, football at
the college on the pro level. I don't think so
that would be that would be that would be outside
the box. But if you do outside the box, just
do d On, then you would guarantee you would be
the most and you're already the most talked about team
in the most talked about league on the planets. All right,

(01:10:23):
so you're the number one TV start a number one
TV show man with Dan at least.

Speaker 3 (01:10:27):
I that would be hope because it might work.

Speaker 1 (01:10:30):
It might work. The d On the dun, I would say,
the Dune situation, it's got a good chance to work.

Speaker 3 (01:10:37):
It.

Speaker 1 (01:10:37):
It's got a good chance as working as probably half
of these candidates they're gonna hire that Jerry Jones thinking
about hiring At this point, I just want to be entertained.

Speaker 2 (01:10:48):
You know.

Speaker 1 (01:10:49):
It's just I'm a quasi fan. I'm more of a
Texans fan than a Cowboys fan. But man, I just
can't if Dion is still in serious consideration now and
some people are saying like he's the one that candidates
you're gonna hire Jason Witten, you might as well just
hire dun If you hire Jason Wiitden hired Dan if
you're gonna hire Jason Widden, like I said, hired Dn.

(01:11:09):
The Kellen Moore thing, I get it, I get I
totally understand. I don't know if Kellen Moore has proven
that he will be a great head coach, but he
understands that organization, He understands Jerry, he understands Dak. Kellen
Moore is probably the safest choice. But yeah, the most
entertaining choice, spide Dion and I'm I'm here for it.

(01:11:30):
I love me some Don. I think Don's really entertaining.
I've always been a fan of d On. I warred
number twenty one at Texas because of Dion. And I'd
love to see Dan with the Cowboys again. That would
be and him and Jerry press conferences together. Oh man,
they'd be must watch television. Uh and my apologies Cowboys fans.
All right, we come back. We'll get into some of
the long horn football discussion, talking about the departures, talking

(01:11:52):
about Quinn yours declining eight million dollars in nil money.
Uh to uh go to the c for the NFL draft.

Speaker 3 (01:12:00):
We'll talk about that a little bit.

Speaker 1 (01:12:02):
We'll also get into previewing some of the upcoming playoff
games coming up this weekend all day more right here
on the Craig Way Show, right here on a thirteen
hundred zone. All right, welcome back to the Craigway Show
here on a thirteen hundred the zone.

Speaker 3 (01:12:14):
I'm lifetime on Hunt Rode. They were sitting here for Craigway.

Speaker 1 (01:12:17):
I appreciate Craig Way giving me the chance to come
on here and talk some sports with you. I'm actually
gonna dive into the NFL playoffs a little bit. I'm
gonna be with you tomorrow too, so I'll get into
some detailed previews and breakdowns in the matchups in the
divisional round Tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (01:12:34):
We'll get into a lot more detail in it.

Speaker 1 (01:12:35):
But one of the things that I think is a
kind of a theme in these playoffs, at least in
this division round.

Speaker 3 (01:12:42):
There's no doubt about it in my opinion.

Speaker 1 (01:12:44):
I brought this up two days ago when I joined
you guys on Tuesday. This is and I've been keeping
up with.

Speaker 3 (01:12:52):
This that for a while.

Speaker 1 (01:12:54):
This is the most I think true dual threat quarterbacks
that we've seen or maybe the best group of dual
threat quarterbacks that we've seen this late in the NFL
playoffs in some time. And I know this is but
I'm sure debatable depending on you know what year you're

(01:13:15):
looking at it. But I said, it's definitely one of
the best years for dual threat quarterbacks. I've been tracking
this for a while so and I brought this up
early this week. Fifteen players in the history of the
NFL that have led their team in passing in rushing.
I mean, so these guys are they are the rushing

(01:13:37):
attack and the passing attack. That's hard to do in
the NFL. Min It's really tough to do, especially for
a good team, right for good teams, and you're starting
to see more and more of these types of weapons
at the quarterback position. And the latest to do is
Jane Daniels. Jane Daniels did it this past year. He
was the latest quarterback to do it. And except doing

(01:13:59):
it for a really good team, and that's rare too.
You would think that's a bad team if you're having
to lead the team in rushing and in passing. This
is the first year that Lamar Jackson hasn't led the
Ravens in passing and rushing in five years. I think
he led him in nineteen, in twenty nineteen, twenty twenty one,

(01:14:19):
twenty two and twenty three, he was their lead masler
and their lead rusher.

Speaker 3 (01:14:23):
So you're just talking about, you know, unique freaks.

Speaker 1 (01:14:27):
At the quarterback renaissance with some of your best athletes
are now playing in the quarterback position. So are these
fifteen athletes in NFL history that have led their team
in passing and rushing. Four of the fifteen who have
done it at some point in their careers will be
a part of the final eight of the Division round.

(01:14:49):
Josh Allen did it in twenty eighteen. He's gonna be
a part of the division round. Lamar Jackson. Of course,
we talked about nobody's more than lower direction. Randall Cunningham
is the next closest. He did it eighty seven, eighty eight,
eighty nine, and ninety four times. Lawa Jackson did it
five so Lamar Jackson. He didn't do it this year though,

(01:15:11):
because he's got Derrick Henry. But yeah, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson,
Jamie Hurst did it in twenty twenty one, and Jade Daniels.
Those are your four. And I'm telling you, even though
you know you don't see it a lot. And I've
just kind of my started the preview for Tech, the

(01:15:32):
Texans face and the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes in college was
by definition of dual threat quarterback, and he got to
the NFL and has now been masquerading as a pocket
passing quarterback. But if you watch Patrick Mahomes enough and
I have, and you guys will notice in the playoffs
he somehow and I think in critical moments too, So

(01:15:56):
I will say in third downs and big games, he
channels that dual threat quarterback ability. He really does, and
he's really good at it. And I think one of
the things in these playoffs that you have these really
dynamic scramblers and runners at the quarterback position. Like I said,

(01:16:17):
I include bat Mahomes in there too. I think just
watch scrambling period in this division round. Just the play,
just the concept of a quarterback scrambling out of the pocket,
and how impactful it's going to be on third downs
in the red zone. Just period in these division rounds.

(01:16:37):
Go back to go watch how many critical plays happen
because the quarterback can extend the play and then even
scramble in a whether he's talking about improvising, operating outside
of the structure, off schedule, because I was doing some
research about because I think for the Texans scramble and

(01:16:58):
keeping Patrick mahone homes is scramble rate and him as
a scrambler, keeping him contained is gonna be big for
them unfortunately. And I'll throw this stat out there before
we start diving into the Texans matchup. In my Texas research,
I found this little nugget. I'm not happy about it.
Texans allow more rushing yards per carry on quarterback runs

(01:17:19):
and scrambles than any other team in the league seven
point eight yards per quarterback run or quarterback scramble. Not
a good sign when you're going up as Patrick Mahomes.
Trust me who will break it out on patri Mahomes
in twenty twenty three. Just a little nugget before I
get into my take about scrambling. He was second to
Lamar Jackson in scramble yards last season, not this passingason

(01:17:43):
last season. I haven't got the numbers from this season,
but just to let you know how much he scrambles.

Speaker 3 (01:17:49):
He not a dual third quarterback. But like I said,
I think he is a dual ThReD quarterback.

Speaker 1 (01:17:54):
I'm masquerading and cross dressing as a pocket passing quarterback,
butmbing period. The scramble play about quarterback. Did you know
it's the most efficient play in football. Yeah, it's the
most if you go just look at it overall, it's
the most efficient play in football. Its average is around

(01:18:15):
eight a little over eight yards per play. Yeah, and
I mean, if you're gonna look at that's, you know,
that's more than your average rush attempt or your average
pass attempts. You know, that's to me, that's and it's
one of those things that's when the play breaks down too.
So as a defender, you can do everything right. You

(01:18:37):
do everything right, you can have a great play call,
great defense, and then these quarterbacks who have that ability
to scramble. Once the initial play breaks down, then you
gotta cover and defend the second play, which is the
scrambled drill. And that can be hell on wheels because
that's you defending wide receivers who are freestyling and improvising

(01:18:57):
routes downfield and you're covering four five six seconds. Imagine
covering guys like xavier' worthy for five six seconds who
have world class speed, and then your front seven guys
on the defensive lineman having to chase down guys like
Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen in the
open field. That's that exercise. And then if you do,
if you defend the scrambled drill correctly, let's say you

(01:19:19):
by some miracle, you defend the initial play, then the
scrambled drill, well, oh, then you gotta worry about Lamari
Jackson just tucking the football and deciding I'm just gonna
use my four to three speed, I'm just gonna run it,
and I'm more and the more dynamic runners in the league.

Speaker 3 (01:19:32):
You gotta defend three plays in the one with a
lot of these guys.

Speaker 1 (01:19:36):
That's that hurts. Remember texts when they played Arizona State
and Sam Levitt, who really didn't do much from the pocket,
but he kept hurting Texas by the by extending the play.
They played ninety I think they defended ninety something plays
in that game, but it was how many plays they
he extended. They have to defend for five six seconds,
so the scramble. That's why they average almost eight and

(01:19:58):
a half yards per play on scrambles three percent of
offensive plays or scrambles by the quarterback. It was one
point seven percent in two thousand and seven. Random nugget
about two thousand and seven, Vince Young led the NFL
in designed runs for quarterbacks. He had twenty of them
in two thousand and seven. But if you're averaging eight
point five yards per scramble and Lamar Jackson right now,

(01:20:23):
I mean you're averaging he's averaging eight point eight yards
per attempt. That led the NFL per passe attempt eight
and a half yards, eight point eight yards per pass attempts,
eight and a half yards per scramble. The scrambling might
be the most effective weapon in football today. The quarterbacks

(01:20:43):
scrambled just because of how it stresses the defense.

Speaker 3 (01:20:45):
I just brought that up.

Speaker 1 (01:20:47):
Quarterback scrambles for last year to twenty twenty three generated
point three to one epa per play. The average run
play was point seven e pier per play, the average
pass play point one to three ep of per play.
It's blown it out of the water in terms of effectiveness,
efficiency overall per play, and your average pass play generated

(01:21:11):
in twenty twenty three seven yards per pass. You're averaging
more than that per scramble and overall on scrambles. Your
first down rate on scrambles last year thirty damn near
thirty nine percent first down rate. I means you got
you got a first down thirty nine percent of the time,
thirty eight point seven to be exact, of the time

(01:21:34):
a quarterback scrambled seventy four hundred yards three hundred ninety
eight first downs on scrambles. You had thirty six hundred
yards on scrambles total in two thousand and seven, and
now you had seventy four hundred and twenty twenty three.
I haven't even got the twenty twenty four numbers. I
have to get those to you tomorrow. And like I said,
my homes was second in scramble yards behind Lamar Jackson.

(01:21:56):
Josh Allen was third. All those guys are still in
the playoffs. Those are your most scrambled happy quarterbacks. I
went and looked at the top scramble rates for quarterbacks.
All right, these are the quarterbacks that scramble the most
in the NFL. Josh Allen eighteen point two, Jalen Hurt
seventeen point nine, Laarn Jackson seventeen percent, Bryce Young seventeen

(01:22:17):
point two percent, Lord Jackson seventeen point three. Mahomes is
fifteen point seven percent, same with Drake may Bo Nicks
is at fourteen percent scramble rate. C J. Strouds at
fourteen percent, and y'all say he don't even run Just
Trouds at fourteen percent, KENI Williams at twelve point nine percent,
Kyler Murrays at twelve percent, Jane Daniel's at twelve percent,

(01:22:39):
twelve point one percent.

Speaker 3 (01:22:41):
So out of those top ten, six of the top ten.

Speaker 1 (01:22:48):
Most scramble happy quarterbacks in the league, the quarterbacks with
the highest scramble rates in the league, six of the
top ten are still playing the scramble. Watch how many
times a scramble determines a drive or determines the outcome
of a series or maybe even a game during these playoffs.

(01:23:12):
Because Jane Daniels, that guy scrambled. His scrambled rates when
he was in college twenty seven percent of his scrambles
results in explosive play. When he played a power five
team in the LSU, and his scrambles are great, he
had seventy and twenty twenty two.

Speaker 3 (01:23:26):
He had sixty seven and twenty nineteen.

Speaker 1 (01:23:27):
He was among those scrambled happy quarterbacks in all of
college football when he played, and he's really effective at
it too, So that will be a big theme in
this division around. I guarantee you how many those quarterbacks
can make something out of nothing, extend to play and
you know, force quarterforced teams to have to defend the
scramble drill and them as runners. All right, we come back.
We'll dive deeper into the NFL playoffs. We'll talk about

(01:23:51):
Quinn as well. Quinn turning down declining an eight million
dollars nil offer to declare for the NFL draft. Was
it a smart business decision by a Quinn? Tell you
why it might have been. All of that and more
right here on the Craigway Show on here on Anthie Own.
All right, welcome back to the Craigway Show here on
AM thirteen, so own on my tom on one rod.
They were sitting in for Craig Way, who is on

(01:24:13):
the road. Of course, he is a busy man. He'll
be back with you next week. But I'm happy I
get to see that and talk some football with you.
Getting back to Texas football, specifically a big story on
the forty acres of course transfer portal window closes officially,
and the window for players to the clayer for the
NFL Draft has also closed.

Speaker 3 (01:24:33):
And we do know, at least we have.

Speaker 1 (01:24:35):
Some clarity about how that twenty twenty five roster for
Texas is going to look. A lot of guys that
were at least reportedly rumored to be on the fence.
They did not, at least we didn't hear they had
to put their name into transfer a portal. So that
is good news. Guys like Trey Moore coming back for Texas,
Guys like DJ Campbell coming back for Texas as well,

(01:24:56):
Malik Muhammad coming back for Texas. Both our receivers Ryan Wingo,
DeAndre Moore. So that's really good news. But we knew
that quinn Ewers was declaring for the NFL Draft. It
was reported before the bowl game, sorry before the Ohio
State game, i should say, and also was confirmed yesterday
when he put out a farewell video to all the

(01:25:18):
Longhorn fans and Longhorn Nation. Today, my man Chip Brown,
who does a great job over there at Haunts twenty
four to seven, he is reporting that quinn Ewers turned
down an eight million dollar nil offer to transfer and
declare for the NFL Draft. Now, like I said, I
don't we don't know how many of these you know,

(01:25:40):
how many these numbers and how accurate and substantive and
truthful these numbers are a lot of this stuff is
just speculation. Chip Brown does a great job, so I'm
sure Chip brown stuff is accurate. But there's another report
that Carson Back was offered like ten million dollars or
something like that. That's a rumor going out there, offered
like ten million for him to transfer from Georgia to

(01:26:01):
Miami and what would have been a very similar situation.
So either way, this would have been, you know, close
to reconsenting or a record stating amount for a quarterback
to be lured into the transfer a portal and wooed
into starting for another college football program. That's what happened
to Carsson Back. His woman, his girlfriend, she plays basketball

(01:26:24):
for Miami. So he had a lot a lot of
other incentives, all right, and he probably some other things
he was considering. But all those who are close to
Quinn that I have talked to, who had connections with
Quinn and with Quinn's people, his agent, his representative, they
all said, from the jump, he's declaring for the NFL draft.

(01:26:45):
Bobby Burton does a great job at all at Texas Football.
He's been saying for months, ever since these rumors have
been out there that oh, no, Quinn's going to go
to the NFL. He's not gonna play football for another university,
another program. Now, I mean, I know he wasn't gonna
play front of the program, But did they know it
was gonna be an eight million dollars offer? That's a

(01:27:06):
big butt. That's a Kim Kardashian, Nicki Minaj Soriena Williams's
Cardi b size making the Sallion size butt. They're eight
million dollars, And some people are saying, well, that's a
bad business decision by Quinn if he's gonna pass up
eight million dollars for a one year, you know, one
year nil deal with whoever was offering it.

Speaker 3 (01:27:26):
And may that may very well be true, because if
you look.

Speaker 1 (01:27:29):
At where he's projected to be drafted, which is not
in the first round right now, that could change, maybe
it would work out something like that, but right now
he projects to be second tier quarterbacks, so second maybe
third round. Some of the first picks in the second
round of the draft can make can expect to make
nearly ten million throughout their four year rookie contracts, so

(01:27:49):
you know maybe from ten to twelve minute. It goes
up every year. And this is from spot track from
last Sea last year, so it goes up every year.
So maybe from ten to twelve million that's what he
made over the four year life of a contract.

Speaker 3 (01:28:01):
In the NFL where he's projected.

Speaker 1 (01:28:03):
To be drafted, he'd have made eight million dollars reportedly
in just one year. So if you want to make
the claim that it's a bad Bits decision, you can.
I would counter with Quinn, who's, by the way, one
of the nil ogs, right. He was the first got
to leave high school early to go, you know, capitalize
on the NIO deal with Ohio State, and then got

(01:28:25):
you know, another big bag.

Speaker 3 (01:28:26):
I'm sure of nil earnings when he.

Speaker 1 (01:28:28):
Got to Texas and he's been a starting the quarterback
at Texas for three years, and we know that prestigious
present position earns you a lot of nil revenue, private
jet deals, Dr Pepper deal, He's got deals with everybody,
tons of deals, so I'm sure he's earned and then
able to five to six million at least in you

(01:28:49):
know these four years right since he left high school
to go to Higo State and then transfer to Texas.
So maybe money's not the be all end off. Eight
million dollars is a whole lot of more, so I'm
not saying it's not. But Quinn's people, obviously they do
a good job of kind of looking at the long
term strategy for Quinn and they believe him going to

(01:29:11):
the NFL. Yes, he'll make like I said, between ten
to twelve million as opposed to eight million to one season,
and who knows, I mean, his career maybe over.

Speaker 3 (01:29:18):
After that first contract.

Speaker 1 (01:29:19):
I think they're betting that he is gonna get to
a second contract in the league, whether it be because
he's a franchise quarterback, because he's a career backup, whatever
it may be, and he'll earn good money there as well.

Speaker 3 (01:29:31):
But ultimately I got to give Quinn some props.

Speaker 1 (01:29:33):
I think it matters to Quinn that he be remembered
as a long corn and think it matters.

Speaker 3 (01:29:39):
We know he wanted to come to Texas. He said
he always wanted to come to Texas.

Speaker 1 (01:29:43):
It was his dream school, and ultimately he committed to
a holl State because he didn't agree with the coaching
staff there at the time.

Speaker 3 (01:29:51):
That changed.

Speaker 1 (01:29:52):
He committed, transferred to Texas and has been committed to
Uiversity of Texas. And I think it matters that he
is remembered in his legacy as a longhod and not
a mercenary. If he went to a house state, then
went to Texas and then went somewhere else but another year,
he wouldn't truly be remembered by everyone as a long one.
Nobody's gonna remember him as a Buckeye in this day
and age of transfer a portal, you know, sometimes you know,

(01:30:15):
guys get remember where they had the most success. Quinn
will be remembered as a Longhoan. That's his legacy. And
I don't think he wanted to go somewhere and be
considered a mercenary and all. Like I said, I think
this decision has been made for a while. But even
Quinn and is people probably didn't expect somebody to throw
out an eight million dollars a year number.

Speaker 3 (01:30:34):
You got to consider that, you just have to. And
I think he considered it and in the end thought.

Speaker 1 (01:30:39):
Yeah, but you know what the long term value of
being a lifetime Longhorn and considered that you'll make that backup.
Once you're done playing, you're gonna live in Texas, You'll
have business businesses in Texas. You'll you know, you'll want
to come back around to university and have some affiliation
in that regard.

Speaker 3 (01:30:56):
You'll make that money back up. Guy, he'll make that
eight million back.

Speaker 1 (01:31:01):
I promise you.

Speaker 3 (01:31:02):
That's the brand of when I came up with Lifetime Longhorn.
That was part of it.

Speaker 1 (01:31:06):
Brand yourself for life with that brand, and then the
value of that brand. And I think he understands the
value of being a lifetime Longhorn. Now, is that the
be all end Dolge's decision. No, I think there was
a ton of things he considered, right, a myriad of
different things he considered. That was definitely one of them.
And he will be a Longhorn.

Speaker 3 (01:31:28):
They considered that, and so I think for yeah, fourth
and thirteen, we all remember it.

Speaker 1 (01:31:34):
He's got Like I said, the Bama game is one
of the greatest wins for any quarterback in Texas. Quinn's
got a pretty good legacy. It'll look better in retrospect
as the years pass. Right now, our Longhorn fans can
see is that he underachieved based on the expectations. Truth is,
when guy's come in with the expectations like that, your Chris, Sim's,
your Quinn, yours, hell, even you you can go way wait, wait,

(01:32:00):
way back right, And anytime my quarterback comes in with
you know, really really high expectations, it is really hard
to meet those expectations. Even if you like Quinn, you know,
achieved a lot. I thought he came pretty close. I
mean he got to the final four twice and was
on the goal line instead first and goal. And we

(01:32:20):
heard from Jim Knowles earlier this week. He said on
the second down when they tossed it, he knew they
were vulnerable to the toss because they had their big,
heavy defense in there to defend Texas on the goal line.
And that's why Start called a toss and they snuffed
it out. But on the second on the third and
fourth play, third and fourth down, he called a red

(01:32:41):
zone defense that he had not called all season long.
He broke tendency, He broke tennantsy at the right time,
and that's why Quinn looked perplexed and stupefied and discombobulated.

Speaker 3 (01:32:50):
He had never seen that. They didn't prepare for that.

Speaker 1 (01:32:52):
Now my man, my man. Kyle Shaned always has a saying.
He said, be coachable, don't be a robot. Go make
me right even when the defense makes me wrong. Right
when they got a good call and they got a
better call than I do, and go out there and
nickel play and make me right. That didn't happen with Quinn.
But you know, Texas didn't break enough tendency in that
game offensively. I watched a lot of Texas football and

(01:33:14):
I talk about it with you guys a lot, and
I always say, to win a big game, you gotta
break tendency, especially once I want to playoff. That's gonna
happen in these playoff games. To win big games, you
gotta break tendency. Happen with the Rams. When the Rams
played the Vikings, they are like twenty seventh and man
coverage rate, and I want to say in that game,
they double the amount of man coverage their man coverage
rate during the season, right, because you got to break tendency.

(01:33:35):
There's so much preparation put into these big games. You
got to find a way to break tendency at the
right times. That's exactly what they did. Texas did it too.
When the way they took away jeremih Smith. Texas hadn't
bracketed and rolled coverage that aggressively alas long, but they
broke tendency at the right time. One of my criticisms
was started in that game after watching it three different times.
He didn't break tendency enough. There wasn't enough tendency breakers

(01:33:56):
to surprise Ohio State and get you some of those
play is a big exposive place more tendency break because
I think with El Texas that's another step. We'll talk
about that too. Steps Texas needs to take to win
a championship. They're really close final four two years in
a row. What other steps they need to take. We'll
discuss it on the other side. All that and more
right here on the crag Ways Show. Right here on
A thirteen, I welcome back to the Craigway Show on

(01:34:20):
Lifetime Long Horn Rock. They were sitting in for one
craig Way for today's show and tomorrow's show as well.
So we'll be talking a lot about the NFL playoffs,
the Division A round. We're breaking down the matchups tomorrow
I'll give you my predictions, but also getting too the
x's and o's of that matchup. But I want to
talk a little Texas football while well, I still got

(01:34:41):
it on the brain. I was just talking about Quinn Quinn.
Moving on, there's a lot of excitement about how the
Texas team is gonna. Look, you're losing a lot. I mean,
this is gonna be a brand new offense basically, because
you're losing your starting quarterback, losing four of your five
starting offensive lineman, losing your starting tight end, losing two
of your store wide receivers, and losing one of your

(01:35:02):
biggest weapons, a fourteen touchdown guy in Jayden Blue. It's
it's yeah, it's been a while since sexist. I mean
you also a lot the year before that too, I
mean you did you also a lot. You didn't lose
your entire offense line and you had your quarterback coming back,
but you lost a lot at the skill positions. Lost
start and running back, lost three wide receivers, ever, starting
lost and starting tight end. This year, man does feel

(01:35:25):
like there is a mass of kind of exit is
happening of talent off the forty acres.

Speaker 3 (01:35:32):
And it's a good thing. These are first world problems.

Speaker 1 (01:35:34):
This is a good problem to have because Sexas is
now has to worry about, you know, having double digit
players potentially draft. They had eleven last year. I think
they could have ten to eleven this year, which would
be the best two year run Texas has ever had
in the NFL draft. But how's the offense gonna look? Right?

Speaker 3 (01:35:51):
How's the team gonna look?

Speaker 1 (01:35:53):
That is the question. I think the defense, that's pretty
in my opinion, that's pretty. Yesy Michael Taff coming back.
You have Derek Williams who was dealing with an injury.
He's coming back. You also have you know, Johnny McDonald's
stepped up last year last season. I should say he
looks really good. You're gonna be deep at the safety position. Corner,
you got Malik Muhammad. Didn't hear anything about him in

(01:36:15):
the portal, so you got Malak Mohammad coming back. I
think Kobe Black I'm surprised Gavin Holmes decided to leave.
I think Gavin Holmes could have easily been, you know,
the star in the corner opposite Malik Muhammad. I think
he's a better coverage player right now than Kobe Black
is and was one of your better coverage specialists, but
decided to leave. So no telling really how you know

(01:36:38):
when he's gonna get drafted. And you know what Gavin
Holmes was advised on in terms of why he left.
I'm not saying you can't play at the NT level.
I was just surprised by that move. But anyway, still
got at the second level. You got Anthony Hill. You
also have leannge Lafou on the edges. We know Tray
Moore is all coming back when but traded Moore last

(01:36:59):
seven games had and have sacks in the last seven games.
He really started to find his groove and his rhythm
as a player towards the end of the season, especially
in that NASCAR package.

Speaker 3 (01:37:10):
With three defensive ends on the field.

Speaker 1 (01:37:12):
So you'll have one of the better edge rooms with
Colin Simmis trade more Colden vasik Ethan Burgh in the country.
But I've been you know, I went back and rewatched
the the Ohio State game. I'm trying to see exactly
how close Texas was. Andy were really close, Like I said,
Jim Knows admitted he had to break out a coverage
he hadn't played all season long in the red zone

(01:37:33):
to beat Texas. And that's what it takes, Like I said,
tendency breakers, and I think there are some things now.
So Texas has been so close in the last two
years Final four, in the last two years, you've been
knocking on the door.

Speaker 3 (01:37:44):
You got to find somewhere to break the door down.

Speaker 1 (01:37:47):
And I think there are a couple of things that
are hindering Texas, a couple of recurring issues hindering Texas
from breaking that door down. If you go look at
I mean obviously red zone offense and goal line offense,
which are connected. Probably we just saw goal line offense
come back to hunt you in this game versus Ohio
State first and goal couldn't score.

Speaker 3 (01:38:07):
Same thing happened in the Oklahoma loss.

Speaker 1 (01:38:09):
You have five losses in the last two years, and
two of those you were on a goal line first
and goal on the one and couldn't came away with
zero points that and they were close games. It was
we are one score games. That was a big reason
why you lost the game. Two of another issue is
red zone and in two of those five losses, your
red zone offense inefficiency. Deficiency in the red zone has

(01:38:32):
cost you Washington game. Your red zone offense cost you
last year in the SEC title game, settling for field
goals instead of touchdowns to the red zone that cast
you as well. And and so that it seems to
be a theme that those are two recurring issues and
the red zone has been issued for sark. Let's be honest,
since Bjon and Rojo left. I think it's a Jon

(01:38:54):
Rojo hangover. That's how I that was my theory a
year ago. I didn't know it would last two years,
but you have been. You went from top five red
zone offense and touchdown percent in the red zone in
twenty one twenty twenty one, and in twenty twenty two
you were still top twenty and you were an average
red zone offense overall and touchdown percentage, and then the

(01:39:18):
last two years one hundred and twentieth and ninetieth and
then fifty fourth and one hundred and first in red
zone offense and touchdown percentage. And I think it has
something to do with your running backs in the red zone. Now,
you had a lot of injuries at the running back
this year, so that could be something that really hurt
your offensive identity and your identity in the running game.

Speaker 3 (01:39:40):
And I think it is true.

Speaker 1 (01:39:41):
But it says Trey Wisner and Jane Blue were better
in executing zone blocking concepts, so you ran alloud to
wide zone. You were top ten in the country at
running the wide zone. And when team stopped your wide zone,
which was Georgia both times, Oile State and Arizona State,
those were three games you lost lowest four rush your

(01:40:01):
four sub one hundred rushing totals of the season. Three
of those were losses and one was almost a loss
in overtime. Versure's on to say if not for a
fourth and thirteen, and to me, that's that's not a
recurring issue from last season. Last season you ran the
ball pretty well. Even in your losses to Oklahoma and
to Washington, you were able to run the ball. But

(01:40:22):
this season you didn't have a contingency plan. You didn't
have a counter literally two teams when they were able
to stop your wide zone, your bread and butter run concept.
That's something you got to work on, and that to me,
can be related to the goal line. Goal line is
just power gap schemes. You're just that's just power football,
downhill running, playing bullyball, and if you can't do that,

(01:40:44):
that also means that you don't run gaping power schemes
very well. In between the twenties, and that's why Texas
was considered more of a finest football team this year.
And when it came to being a physical football team, Georgia,
Ohio State on the goal line at times, even Arizona
State look the more physical than Texas. That would be

(01:41:07):
the next step too, When can you become a physical
football team that can impose their will in situations like
goal line, like when teams take away your zone run
scheme and you can go to gap power schemes. That's
three things. Goal line, red zone, and your run game
against against elite physical teams. And I think all those

(01:41:29):
things are probably related. All things are probably related. Those
are things that are that are recurring that are keeping you,
i think, ultimately from becoming a championship caliber football team.
The third quarter woes, that wasn't all season long, and
that was something that happened towards the end of the season.
And it didn't happen in all your losses. A right,
you got five losses in the last two years. Your

(01:41:49):
third quarter wasn't an issue versus Oklahoma last year it
was versus Washington, wasn't versus Georgia the first time around.

Speaker 3 (01:41:58):
It was it wasn't very Ohio State. Maybe it was
versus Georgia.

Speaker 1 (01:42:03):
So maybe in two of your five losses, the third
quarter has come up, but not necessarily a recurring major issue,
not a tragic flaw. Turnovers though this season was this
year you were top you were bottom ten in the country,
and giveaways that you lost, You've lost a turn of
March in fourteen to seven in your five losses in
the last two years. That is something that you got

(01:42:26):
to figure out that could come back to haunt you.
All Right, we come back, We'll get ready to wrap
it up and put it in the oven. We'll talk
a little bit to a preview, little teaser about the
NFL playoffs coming up, but tomorrow we'll break that down
in detail. We come back, we'll dive into some NFL
playoff discussion, all that more right here on the Craigway Show.
Here on A thirteen hundred the Zone. All right, welcome

(01:42:47):
back to the Craigway Show. I'm lifetime, I'm long one
Rode Bay sitting in for the one and only Craig Way.
We'll be breaking down the divisional games tomorrow, like I said,
in great detail. We can start to teased him a
little bit and start to talk about the matchups just
a little bit, and some really interesting matchups. Of course,
none more interesting than the Texans taking on the Kansas

(01:43:10):
City Chiefs.

Speaker 3 (01:43:11):
Well for me anyway, because I'm a Texans fan.

Speaker 1 (01:43:13):
The issue for the Texans, They're gonna hope that this
Kansas City Chiefs team is dealing with some rust. They're
gonna pray that is the case because they've been off
twenty well they will be will have been off twenty
four days.

Speaker 3 (01:43:27):
When they play the Texans.

Speaker 1 (01:43:28):
That's a long time. I mean that's three weeks plus.
That's a long time. So the rust versus you know,
rest factor for them, I think it is gonna be
a lot about rest because they're.

Speaker 3 (01:43:38):
An older team. Their stars are old. Kelsey's old, Chris
Jones is older.

Speaker 1 (01:43:44):
Deandres Hopkins with that group, he's a little bit older
as well. They've had guys coming off injuries, like Hollywood
Brown coming off an injury, so I think, you know,
they've been relying on Xavier Worthy a lot. So the
rookie wall he probably could have used some rest.

Speaker 3 (01:43:58):
I think ultimately it's gonna help them.

Speaker 1 (01:44:00):
They had Jalen Watson, one of their starting corners go out,
he's gonna return after the sufficient rest they've had to
so I think ultimately is gonna help them. But I've
done some research I'll share it with you guys tomorrow
about the Russ factor is real, especially when you're talking
about the NFL playoffs and the CANCA Chiefs going for
three peat. You could have enough Russ to keep the

(01:44:23):
Texans in it early. But they do have the ability
to flip a switch right. They got seven walk off
wins so far this year, and they're used to winning
in clutch time. They've won sixteen straight games decided by
one score. That is an NFL record seven to zero
in game winning drive opportunities. They haven't blown a fourth
quarter lead. The Texans held attentions have blown four fourth

(01:44:46):
quarter leads this year. The CANCA Chiefs have not blown
a fourth quarter lead. But the Kim Kardashian Nikominasi Rhalum
Souse card be size.

Speaker 3 (01:44:53):
Making the Sava House.

Speaker 1 (01:44:54):
But is Kansas City When their favorite of seven or
more points this season oh and six, six and one
against the spread, six and one straight up, they win
those games, but they don't necessarily cover, so the Texans
may be able to say in it, because this this
specific Kansas City team is not built to blow teams out,

(01:45:15):
and the Texans shouldn't get blown out. Matter of fact,
the Texans they should match up pretty well against the Chiefs.
And we'll talk about that a little bit later on
the two things I'm worried about because the Texans secondary
is playing really well as any secondary right now in
the playoffs. They're playing at a really high level, taking
the football away. They got the best pass rushing edge

(01:45:36):
duo in the NFL with Danil Hunter and Will Anderson.
So that's match up. Well, they'll get a ziz Al
Shi year back, who's the leader of that defense at
the lineback position. He was not available in the first matchup.
But that first matchup, that's what worries me. We're back
to look at that first matchup, the last meeting, first
matchup this season. We got a lot of rematches happening

(01:45:58):
in these playoffs from regular season matchup. The last meeting,
the Chiefs scored twenty seven points on nine drives and
Kareem Hutt pulled up on one drive that could have
scored a touchdown on because they were trying to milk
the clock and they they had twenty seven. The Texans
allowed twenty five first downs. That was the season high
for them. They matched that season high the next week

(01:46:20):
when they played Baltimore. YEP. So the first matchup does
not giving me a lot of confidence that the Texans
are gonna be able to keep this team close. And
even if they do keep it close, Patrick Mahomes, as
we'll talk about tomorrow at more detail, that's the most
clutch player in the league.

Speaker 3 (01:46:36):
That's the most clutch player arguably of all time.

Speaker 1 (01:46:39):
And the Chiefs have been real have been the most
clutched team in the NFL this season, So that's something.

Speaker 3 (01:46:46):
So you gonna neaed J.

Speaker 1 (01:46:47):
Stroud to put the cape on. He had two picks
in that last game. No Tank Dell in this matchup
because tankdlle is out. He's he had ninety eight yards
receiving in that last matchup. We know Stefan Diggs been
out for a while. So it'll be CJ. Stroud and Nico.
C J. Stroud, Nico and Joe Mixon. That group, that
trio they gotta have. They have extraordinary, out of this

(01:47:08):
world performances in order for them to upset the Kansas
City Chiefs. But we shall see. Another big thing is
I talked about Patrick Mahone's scrambling ability. The secret playing
Patrick mahomes like anybody's really figured it out. But he
he has his worst performances as a quarterback when he
holds onto the ball and stays in the pocket. Now,

(01:47:32):
the thing he is keeping him in the pocket because
he scrambles. When I'll tell you, he scrambles as well
as any quarterback in the league in twenty twenty three
at the second most scrambled yards behind Lamar Jackson. So
it's he's almost just as dangerous, if not more dangerous
in the scrambled drill exgaining to play outside the pocket
because he can make any throw in the football field,
and he can touch any plate of grass and from
any arm angle and also tuck the ball and try

(01:47:54):
to run. But if you can correl him in the pocket,
which the Texans have the defensive ends and the edges
to do, and you can cover for an extended period
of time, which the Texans secondary has been playing really
really well, you can cover for an extended period of
time which you're gonna have to, but keep him in
the pocket. His average time to throw has always been
a good indicator of how effective he is in terms

(01:48:18):
of being in rhythm as a passer, and that lost
to Buffalo, that only lost on the season. His average
time to throw three point three five seconds, kept him
in the pocket, didn't hurt him too much as a scrambler,
kept him in the pocket, surveying the field but holding
on to the ball. His average time to throw versus
Houston in that first matchup two and a half seconds.

(01:48:40):
He saw he's getting the ball out quick by. In fact,
that was his That was his fastest time to throw
up until that point of the season when he played
the Texans two and a half seconds. So they knew
the Texans can get after you. They got two really
good as rushers. Balls got to come out quick. And
against Pittsburgh that next week, they his average time to
throw increased it two point three seconds. It was two

(01:49:01):
point three four seconds an average time to throw. So
he understands and they understand the ball has to come
out if you're in the Texans and you got those
edge rushers that can contain him but also collapse the pocket,
and you got the dvs, which the Texans do with
Derek Stingley and that group of young young cropper dvs
to be able to cover for an extended period of
time him in the pocket holding on to the ball.

(01:49:22):
That's when usually all that has an adverse effect on
all of his numbers, his statistical numbers and analytical numbers
they drop. And can you do that? That's a tall task,
herculean task, if you will. But having him hold on
to the ball because he getting rid of the ball quickly,
and if he's extending the place scrambling outside the pocket,
that's trouble. And the Texans allow the most rushing yards

(01:49:46):
per carry on quarterback runs and scrambles almost eight yards.
You don't want him doing that on you either. All Right,
we'll talk about that a lot more tomorrow. Like I said,
we'll dive into it into great detail and preview all
the matchups from the divisional round. I'm sure that some
Longhoorn news, so of course we'll always talk Texas football.
You go behind the burnt orange curtain. So join me
tomorrow seven in for the great Craigway. Thank you to

(01:50:07):
Ronald for twisting and tweeting of the dolls behind the scenes,
and thank you all you guys for joining us here
on the Craigway Show today, and for Craigway, and for
Ronald and for the Zone family.

Speaker 3 (01:50:18):
Here the next time.

Speaker 1 (01:50:20):
Hook him in peace.