Is it time to panic about the 2026 Texas Football recruiting class? Plus, previewing MLB Trade Deadline with Gene Watson

On Friday's edition of The Craig Way Show, Cameron Parker visits with CJ Vogel from OnTexasFootball.com to discuss the Longhorns' '26 recruiting class, upcoming commitment dates, and the top storylines from the SEC Media Days. 

Plus, Gene Watson joins to preview the MLB Draft and the Trade Deadline.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, let's get you fired up for the weekend. Here
on a fire me Up Friday, good afternoon broadcasting live
from our iHeart Studios in Austin, Texas. I am Cameron
Parker filling in for Craig Way here on The Craig
Way Show, and glad to have you with us. Of course,
Craigway is still on vacation, his yearly sabbatical, but hey,
he'll be back Monday, back in the Settle and we'll

(00:23):
be back in the atl for the SEC Media Day,
So super excited for that. A lot of good coverage
and content coming your way next week from the College
Football Hall of Fame. We're gonna have both the Morning
Kickoff and The Craigway Show broadcasting live Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday from Atlanta. Tuesday, Steve Sarkejian the Texas Longhorns will

(00:44):
make the trip to Atlanta. Arch Manning, Anthony Hill, and
Michael Taff will be accompanying Steve Sarkisian and we're going
to talk with all four of those guys. So looking
forward to that. So make sure if you don't already
have the iHeart app download to go ahead and download
it at thirteen hundred owned to your preset page. Make
sure you subscribe to our podcast, make sure you follow
our YouTube channel, you follow our tiktoks, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook,

(01:08):
all that good stuff because we're gonna be promoting a
lot of good content and posting a lot of good
talk content on those platforms. So looking forward to that,
looking forward to having Craig way back gets your preview
what's to come here on Friday Show Up Next, we're
gonna have CJ. Vogel from on Texas Football and on
Texas football dot Com stot By get his thoughts on
the recruiting woes you might say for Texas Football, or

(01:32):
maybe the lack of both, depending on where you stand.
Jamar Jamar and Carlton the four star from Temple Texas
the quarterback committing to Baylor. That may have surprised a
few folks, and it's been the latest in a string
of recruiting losses for Texas Football in the twenty twenty
six class. But gonna get CJ thoughts on that and
a couple guys that may be coming Texas's away, Samri

(01:55):
Matthews announcing his commitment later today. Where does Texas stand
in that commitment? Gont gonna get cj'sot on that and
get his thoughts on the SEC media days, what storylines
as he's watching for what teams should we be talking about,
what teams should we not be talking about? All of that,
and a question about arch Manning's role in the offense
as well. So looking for the visiting with CJ. Always

(02:17):
a good chat with him. It is Friday. That means
it's a Florida man in Florida woman inconceivable, So we'll
travel the more flasks of the lower forty eight states
on today's inconceivable three o'clock gour. It is Friday also,
so that means we will continue our music survey series
with Andrew Zimmel. By the way, it's his last day

(02:38):
here at iHeart. He's been traded to Milwaukee actually, so
today's his last day on the program. He'll stop buying
the three o'clock hour and he's going to fill out
his music survey. Of course, we're doing that every Friday.
We've done it with Mike Cards, We've done it with
Cole Dixon, dide it with myself a few weeks ago.
Craig will be back next week, so he'll return doucting

(03:00):
the music survey on Friday, and I believe he's got
a couple guests lined up. He's gonna get Geen Watson
to do He's gonna get his wife Linda to do it.
Got to get Mark Henry in to do it as well.
So looking forward to that. But Simol will be doing
at the three o'clock Cower and yeah, I saw his list.
I'll tell you what. I was pretty surprised. I was
very surprised by some of the bands and artists that
he chose. But hey, that's the beauty of the music survey.

(03:23):
Get to see the likes and dislikes that you may
not guess based on the outward appearance of somebody. So
looking forward to that. I'm gonna continue to play audio
from Steve Sarkish and sit down with Josh Pate in
the Peate State Speaker series. I played some of that
on Wednesday. I'm gonna hear more of that here later
on in today's show. As sark talks about this next

(03:46):
year's team, how big the summer will be in terms
of developing this twenty twenty five, twenty twenty five, twenty
twenty six ball club, his thoughts on his day to
day routine, what's a game day like for him? And
then what's it like as a coach seeing his players
develop and seeing them move on sometimes the league, sometimes
to a different school. And also his thoughts on the

(04:10):
Quinn viewers. I would say, not story, but all of
the disdain that Quinn got from even in his fan
base and from outside the fan base, his decision making
process and coming to Texas stick in the Texas Stark
has some great thoughts on quinn yours, and you'll hear

(04:30):
how much Quinn really meant to Sark and what Quinn
really meant to this program in terms of changing around
the culture. Also going to visit with Gene Watson, our
MLB insider and the VP, a player personnel with Chicago
White Sox MLB draft his Sunday All Star Game, leave
his next Tuesday, and in the trade deadline later on

(04:50):
this month. So it's a really busy month for Major
League Baseball. So and get Gino's thoughts on the All
Star Game, switching to the ABS system for the game,
trade deadline thoughts, Gonna ask him for a good trade
deadline story, and then also then will be draft Texas
has a couple guys including Max Blue Jared Spencer that
may hear their name called on Sunday, and a couple

(05:11):
of high school commits that likely will be Day one
draft picks, including Cason Cunningham, the standout infielder at Buda
Johnson or say sorry, Santonio Johnson, incredible ballplayer, and then
Gavin Fiene as well from California. Hopefully those two kids
will hear their names called in the first round come
Sunday night. So all of that coming up here on

(05:32):
today's program. Wanted to begin with some college football talk,
as Paul Finebaum on Believe First Take this morning had
a couple of interesting quotes about Arch Manning heading into
this next season. Of course, fine Bomb will be out
there broadcasting live from the SEC Media Days. In fact,
last year, Craig Way went on the show in Talk
Texas and got a pill, and Craig will be Talking

(05:53):
Texas in Arch Manning this time. But here's a couple
quotes from Paul Finebaum this morning on arch Manning.

Speaker 2 (06:00):
Very convinced and I listen, I am I am as
married darsh Manning, as an old teezer like me can
be to a young great college Quarterback book.

Speaker 3 (06:08):
But I like.

Speaker 2 (06:09):
Everything about him, and I think he said some Manning
name matters, but it's not going to matter on that field.
In a couple of weeks at Ohio State. The experience
of being an understudy to yours and understanding sark system
is what's going to get them over over the top
and probably well not probably definitely.

Speaker 3 (06:26):
Beat Ohio State in the open.

Speaker 1 (06:28):
Oh definitely beat o whow State A fine bomb guarantee.
It's July eleventh, twenty twenty five. I'm telling you what
I agree with, fine bomb. I think this year's game
against Oiho State will set up a lot like last
year's game against Michigan. Two teams rebuilding, but Ohio State

(06:48):
rebuilding a little bit more than Texas this year. You know,
both teams are coming in with you know, a brand
new offensive line, a brand new quarterback, and replacing some
key pieces on the defensive line. But Ohio State also
coming in losing their offensive coordinator in defensive coordinator, while
Texas returning those key guys we've already seen arch Manning

(07:09):
get big time reps in big games this season or
this past season. I think Texas will be ready for
Ohio State come week one. Now, will arch Manning be
ready for the SEC Media Days?

Speaker 2 (07:21):
It's arch And think about this for a second. You
just mentioned SEC Media Days in Atlanta. Also in Atlanta
next week is the home run derby in the All
Star Game. But Tuesday afternoon, the biggest event in town
is going to be arch Mania showing up at Media
Days for the first time. We have very few people
have had a chance to talk to Arch Manning other
than isolated interviews, and he is going to be one

(07:44):
of the biggest attractions we have ever seen. Yes, there
has been Johnny manziel Mania about ten or twelve years ago,
and there have been other great stars, including when Tebow
was afked all kinds of weird questions during his first appearance.
But I think arch might top all that, because that's
all college football fans have been talking about, really for years,
as he sat behind Quinn Yours for what reason, I'll

(08:04):
never know. But he gets his chance finally, and it's
not only on the stage in Atlanta, but it comes
at the end of August.

Speaker 3 (08:10):
At Ohio State. Rarely have we seen an opener like
this in college football.

Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yeah, you think about the Arch Manning media appearances. His
first one at Texas, I believe, came at the College
Football Playoff semi final against Washington win. All players are
made available for the media, and it was Arch who
got a lot of the attention. Actually, there's that iconic

(08:36):
picture believe of Quinn yours with no one around him,
and then Arch Manning with all the media. That was
because Arch had never spoken to the media before at
that point, and obviously Quinn usually available every game. Then
you go in the last season when Arch had to
come in for Quinn and started a couple of games
where he was made available to the Texas media, really
the first time he was made available in that intimate setting.

(08:59):
And then again the same thing happened for Arch when
Texas played Ohio State in the College Ball playoffs in
my final. And then this last you know, last month,
the Manning Passing Academy, Right we heard CJ. Focal talk
about it when he when he came on the show,
and even Chris Gordy from down in Houston. You know,
they had never seen a lot of media come to
an event like that, just for Arch Manning and for

(09:20):
a lot of them it was the first time they
had talked to Arch Manning and this next week SEC
Media Day is Tuesday. It's going to be a spectacle.
I'm really excited to see what that day will be like.
I mean, last year it was a madhouse because Texas
and Georgia. Like this year, we're scheduled to speak at
the same time. You know, the two most popular teams,

(09:41):
two of the most popular coaches who always provide some
of the most insightful quotes in college football, Kirby Spartan,
Steve's Sircasian. Now you bring in Arch Manning. I mean,
there's going to be people coming out of the woodworks
just to get a glimpse of him, just to get
a sound bite of him. And he's going to be
asked all kinds of weird questions here about Tim Tebow.
Arch will be hit with a lot of questions about
his last name, about dealing with the hype, and you know,

(10:03):
we heard him talk about it a little bit at
the Many Passing Academy. He's still kind of figuring out
how to navigate dealing with the hype, dealing with being
such a huge celebrity even in Austin. How it's weird
for him sometimes to be able to just to walk
across campus with people you know, video him, video him
and recording him. Then being out and about in Austin people.
It's not so much people asking for pictures, it's the

(10:24):
people who don't ask for pictures but are constantly just
recording every single move. So a tough spot for arch
but Texas bringing him to the SEC Media Days and
curious to see how that goes. And hey, we're looking
forward to having him come on the program. Hopefully, whether
it's a morning kickoff for the Creigway Show, We're gonna
be able to get arch Man to come on. Along
with Steve Sarkjian, Michael Taff and Anthony Hill. We'll continue

(10:48):
to preview the SEC Media Days up next with c J.
Fogel from on Texas Football. He'll stop by as we
continue here on this fire me up Friday on The
Craigway Show and on the free iHeart Radio app day
at the SEC Media Days from the College Football Hall
of Fame, and also in attendance will be CJ. Fogel
from on Texas Football, who is joining us here on

(11:09):
this Friday afternoon. CJ was up Man, how you doing?
Thanks for coming on. I appreciate it.

Speaker 4 (11:13):
Yeah, thanks for having me on this Friday. SEC Media
Days is the start of the season for me.

Speaker 3 (11:19):
Cam.

Speaker 4 (11:19):
I don't know how you feel, but that's where things
really get rolling. I can be more excited for next week.

Speaker 1 (11:24):
Is today is at fifty days until kickoff?

Speaker 3 (11:26):
Now?

Speaker 1 (11:26):
Is that where we're at right there? Fifty days away?
That's pretty crazy our first time in Atlantic because last year,
of course, we were in Dallas for the SEC Media
Days and it's funny, CJ. This week was the big
twelve Media Days. You know, It's like, oh, I remember
we used to go there and had the work that
and had to listen to Brett you or Mark talk.
Now we just get Greg Sanky and we get doctor

(11:47):
Pepper Kants and all the stuff where we're so far
removed from it, so looking forward to it. I we'll
talk a little SEC ME Days in a second. I
wanted to talk about this twenty twenty five Texas football
recruiting class. Of course, anytime you check out the message
boards on Texas football dot Com, the sky might be
falling depending on who or who did not commit. Of course,
the latest to Maury Carlton, the Temple quarterback four star

(12:09):
ends up committing to Baylor. Of course, we talked about
Felix Ojo give me the Texas Tech a few weeks ago.
Want to get your thoughts on this, Why or why
not should Texas fans be concerned that we're currently the
Texas class sits in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 3 (12:24):
Yeah, I think it's a fair question.

Speaker 4 (12:26):
I think Texas is actually in a pretty healthy spot
right now, given its position it's ranking, its class size
at the moment. What's frustrating, obviously, is there's a span
of about seventeen or eighteen commitments in which decisions that
were made, in which Texas hosted these prospects for official
visits in the month of June, Texas has landed too.

(12:46):
So far of the thirteen that have announced, it's not
a great average on paper. If you're a baseball player
going two for thirteen, you're probably riding some pine right.
But for Texas right now, what's interesting is two things. Right,
You're in a healthy spot. You got seventeen eighteen commitments
in the class already. You got a number of five
star level kids already in the class. Dia Belle, John Turntime,

(13:07):
Jermaine Bishop Right, Richard Wesley perhaps the best of all
four of them. You feel good about the top talent
in your class. On top of that, we've seen Texas
add late additions, whether it be from flips, whether it
be from coaching changes, whether it just be from guys
popping up after seeing your evaluation saying hey, we got
to have them in the class.

Speaker 3 (13:24):
And that's made up a good crux of.

Speaker 4 (13:26):
The guys that you've seen added in Texas's classes over
the last two to three years.

Speaker 3 (13:30):
Right now, I think.

Speaker 4 (13:31):
Texas is going to be very active late in the
cycles once again, as well as what could or what
might be the potential fallout from some of these schools
offering anil that simply just couldn't be paid given the
dollar amount and what we know right now of the
NIL clearinghouse.

Speaker 1 (13:47):
Yeah, you got a good tweet yesterday.

Speaker 5 (13:49):
C J.

Speaker 1 (13:49):
Fogg underscore OTF. This time last year, the twenty twenty
five class, Texas was nineteenth and two four seven, sports,
sixteenth and on three ended up finishing first overhaul for
the twenty twenty sixth class right now fourteenth and two
four seven, seventeenth and on three. And I remember last
year kind of I don't know it was the birth,

(14:09):
but flip miss was a term that was kind of
being used around the message boards and on Twitter because
all these kids get paid now, but throughout the season,
you know, once they see the results on the field,
that does end up changing a kid's mind, sometimes not
all the time. A question that I've seen a lot
from the people is how sustainable is this nil model?

(14:31):
And you know, hey, remember what A and M did
a few years ago when that number one class. They're
still spending money. But I think a lot of questions
remain around, hey, can can Texas stex still afford the
you know, make these nil payments in two three four years?
What are your thoughts on that? How sustainable is this?
And of course what even mattered because in two three
four years this whole model may look completely different.

Speaker 4 (14:52):
Yeah, it's certainly going to change, right to never evolving
the world of nil. No one truly knows, especially I
would say at the coaching level, is what's legal, what's not,
what will be, what won't be?

Speaker 3 (15:02):
It's going to continue to change.

Speaker 4 (15:04):
One thing that I know for sure is look, Texas
will continue to be aggressive and flipping these kids and
using whatever is available to them resource wise and ile
wise and eventually what kind of loopholes will come of
this as well, because of course once revenue sharing, now
that it's here, you're gonna start looking the ways to
not just bolster your roster, but bolster what you can
offer kids. And it's interesting because you're seeing and we're

(15:26):
hearing some of the numbers thrown around to some of
these kids committing currently saying there's just no way, right,
how is that what the market value is for a
given kid at the time. It doesn't make sense given
what we know right now of inile parameters. But on
top of that, the late end flip miss calendar part
of the season for this recruiting staff is interesting because

(15:50):
Texas added four guys via flips last year in the
twenty twenty five cycle. That was Danie McCutcheon, Myra and
Charles from Florida State, in which obviously they watch the
seminals go two and ten saying, hey, I don't really
want to be a part of that, Joe says, Sharma
Flips from Oregon.

Speaker 3 (16:03):
That's a big win for the Longhorns.

Speaker 4 (16:04):
Then Kate Phillips the five star cornerback Flips from LSU,
in which they don't have their great greatest season, coaching
changes in the back end of that secondary and that
defensive staff.

Speaker 3 (16:13):
Now he's a long horn staff.

Speaker 4 (16:15):
Continuity development on the field in which Texas will probably
send thirty players to the NFL Draft over the last
three years after this twenty twenty six draft, as well
as winning on the field, being the only school to
perhaps go to three straight college football playoffs. That's all
going to be tools in the belt for the Longhorns
as they work to flip and really add to this

(16:35):
class late in the cycle.

Speaker 1 (16:37):
Two kids keeping an eye on that will be committing
here shortly, including one tonight at believe six o'clock Central time,
Samari Matthews from huff High School, which is my alma matter,
Huff High till I die. Of course, you know that CJ.
Where do you think Texas stands in that recruitment? Of course,
It's funny because now with this at al age, you know,
it looks like it was gonna be Clemson Texas like

(16:58):
two months ago, and now in the four Clemson isn't
even in the top four. It seems like this recruitment
will come down to Texas in South Carolina. Where are
you getting a sense where Texas stands as Samari ends
up committing tonight.

Speaker 4 (17:10):
Well, first, I hope they called in the big guns
to talk about the huff the Texas pipeline here, but
uh no, I.

Speaker 1 (17:16):
I established it. I want to get some recognition for it.

Speaker 4 (17:19):
Right exactly. Yeah, you gotta follow the leader here. I
do think Texas isn't a good spot for Samaro Matthews.
He had a great unofficial visit in the spring in
which he stayed for four days, got to see two
spring practices, brought both of his parents. They got to
explore Austin, the campus and the program that that really
set the tone for where Texas was in this recruitment because,

(17:39):
as you mentioned, Clemson was the perceived biggest threat. The
Tigers are no longer in there. South Carolina and Miami
have emerged. But the official visit in June is really
where I thought Texas made its move. He was the
only cornerback on campus for that weekend. That was by design.
Texas wanted to roll out the red carpet for him,
wanted to make it feel like he was a priority

(17:59):
in the class. The decision comes this evening, I think
Texas is in for some good news, which I think
is well deserve, well needed right now. Right this is
water in a desert, you know, for Texas fans seeing
a commitment go through the hoop. So hopefully that's the case,
and for Texas fans perhaps a sigh of relief as
they worked to close out that defensive back class in
this twenty sixth classification.

Speaker 1 (18:21):
Yeah, toughts to land an East Coast kid for Texas,
especially in the backyard of Clemson, South Carolina. So we'll
keep an eye on that. The other commitment July twentieth,
Derek Cooper, the four star running back sometimes some five
stars being on the website. This is a commitment that's
kind of heated up the last couple weeks CJ. Of course,
Texas striking out on some top running backs throughout this cycle.

(18:42):
New head coach with Chad's a new running backs coach
with Chad Scott. We talked about last time you were
on where do you think Texas stands here with Derek
Cooper is he will be set to announcing July twentieth
in his top five down to Texas, Miami, Georgia, Florida State,
and Ohio State.

Speaker 4 (18:56):
Yeah, it's gonna be really interesting to see if he
holds to that commitment date. Obviously, he was expected to
be one of the many that committed around the first
or second week of July. Has obviously pushed that back
to July twentieth. Texas didn't get an official visit in
the month of June, and that's obviously key for Derek Cooper,
who the number one running back in the country. You'd

(19:17):
like to get him on campus for that full three
day weekend to show him the bells and the whistles
of the university, the program, and the city, much like
I talked about with SamArt Matthews, except they were unable
to do that. So what realistic chance do you have
to land not just a talented prospect, but a five
star and the number one running back in the country
if he didn't have that three day extended stay in Austin.

(19:40):
I say, right now, those chances are very low. But
is Texas able to push that decision date back into
the season in which he then could make an early
August or early season visit officially to the University of Texas.
That's where I'm sitting here saying Texas has eight or
nine days to really make that happen. Otherwise I'm looking

(20:01):
at the you saying you're getting a pretty talented running back.

Speaker 3 (20:03):
Praps.

Speaker 1 (20:04):
I'm talking with CJ. Fogel Vermont Texas football. Ok SEC
Media Days begin next Monday through next Thursday. Of course,
there's gonna be a lot of talking throughout the week.
All sixteen teams in action will be there, including Arts
Manning in Texas. But I want to get your thoughts
on a team that possibly isn't being talked about enough
heading into the twenty twenty five twenty twenty six SEC

(20:24):
football season.

Speaker 3 (20:26):
Yeah, it's an interesting question.

Speaker 5 (20:28):
You know.

Speaker 4 (20:28):
I really like, well this again and I hate that
I'm buying into them because of I think it's a
soft program. But they're gonna have talent, and they're gonna
have a quarterback once again that I think is going
to be very intriguing to the world of the SEC. Now,
I've had this conversation a few times, you know above

(20:48):
amongst the OU and A and M side of the
rivalry for Texas, you know, which of those teams is
actually going to be more talented because I think both
are going to be in about a seven and five
to maybe nine and three window. Oklahoma has a significantly
tougher schedule obviously, but I think they have a much
better quarterback. I think they have a much talented front
seven than Texas A and M as well. But I

(21:10):
mean it's one of those things who provides the tougher
tougher competition for the Longhorns as well is going to
be a big piece. But I tell you, I really
do buy the Florida hype this year. I think they're
really talented in the trenches. I think they have a
quarterback should he be healthy for the season, and should
he stay healthy for the season, that is going to

(21:31):
elevate their game as well. DJ Lagway's an instant game changer,
but that talent on the offensive line, in the front
seven defensively, that matches up with just about anybody not
named Texas or Georgia.

Speaker 1 (21:42):
In my eyes, I think if Lagway stills healthy against
Georgia in the game last year, I think Florida goes
on to win that game. And who knows what it
looks like if if Lagway plays Texas healthy, of course
Longhorns got I think a little bit fortunate considering Florida
was so banged up in that game. But Lagway is
a game changer. I think he's the second best quarterback
in this conference behind arch Manning for sophomores. Okay, a

(22:04):
team that's being talked about maybe too much this year
so far, that's.

Speaker 3 (22:09):
A good question.

Speaker 4 (22:11):
I hate to say it, but I'm not a believer
in Brian Kelly, and I have some worries about Garrett Nussmyer.
I thinks Meyer is a talented quarterback, but he was
under fifty percent completion in his two biggest games of
the year last year, Olness in Texas A and m
They lost both of those games.

Speaker 3 (22:27):
Those are two talented fronts that he faces.

Speaker 4 (22:30):
He takes a lot of sacks in those games and
things blurry up in front of him. In those games,
you're throwing forty seven percent on over one hundred passes.

Speaker 3 (22:39):
That's not great. It's not great.

Speaker 4 (22:42):
So I have some some cautions for LSU this year.

Speaker 3 (22:47):
Is that defense fixed, We'll see.

Speaker 4 (22:49):
Obviously, Witweks Harold Perkins had some injuries last year that
caused them to miss a majority of the season. They
are gonna have a loaded group of wide receivers this year.
They should put up some big numbers, but in those
key games where the Margins Titan and you're you know,
certainly cannot make errors.

Speaker 3 (23:04):
And interceptions in sacks.

Speaker 4 (23:06):
That's where I start to wonder your fellas huge is
gonna be fit for a run of the College Football Playoff.

Speaker 1 (23:11):
They have a really tough schedule this year. They begin
at Clemson, by the way, and this is a year
I think it's a must win year for both Brian
and Kelly and Dabo Sweeney. You played Florida week three,
you're at least home, but it's a Week three match
against a Florida team that, if they're healthy and Lagway
looks good ole mess the course. In week five South Carolina,
a team that they probably should have lost to last

(23:32):
season in Colombia, some calls went the way of the Tigers.
Of course, at Vanderbilt come back to A and M.
Who A and M has never won in Baton Rouge,
I don't think. But then you have Alabama the week
after Arkansas. Then you close at Oklahoma, and that is
the trap game because we saw what happened in to
Alabama this past season when they went to Norman at
the end of the year. So I'm with you on
the LSU take. Okay, biggest Texas storyline that you'll be

(23:56):
following in Atlanta.

Speaker 3 (23:58):
Next week has to be Arch Manning.

Speaker 4 (24:01):
And I sound like a broken record, but I mean
the hype, the hoop, law, the expectations. Just being down
in Tibodaux, Louisiana for the Manning Passing Academy last week,
I mean there were more media members there to see
Arch Manning than I had ever seen before.

Speaker 3 (24:15):
Obviously given the Manning name on the camp, it makes sense.

Speaker 4 (24:18):
But you know, this is a guy that's going to
receive as much media attention as any quarterback actually in
my lifetime, going into a season before he had even started,
and I think it's well deserved. I think he's a
very talented prospect. I think he's going to be ahead
of one of the more talented teams in all of
college football once again this year for the Texas long points,
and he handles it great. I think we're going to

(24:38):
see that personality on display. You know, it's gonna be
nice to see some last and some stories once again
from a Texas quarterback. I think Arch Manning is going
to be the key focal point for a lot of
well for ESPN specifically, but you start looking around to
what other stories might be told. I'm looking at arch
Manning saying we're going to get some interesting stories out
of this week.

Speaker 1 (24:58):
If they put arts to the podium like they do
the coaches, I think he would draw more media members
than I would say, overhalf the SEC coaches.

Speaker 3 (25:06):
Oh easily.

Speaker 4 (25:08):
It might be the largest draw of any SEC player, coach,
you name it, maybe ever.

Speaker 1 (25:16):
Okay, biggest non Texas storyline that you'll follow next week.

Speaker 3 (25:20):
The biggest non Texas storyline.

Speaker 4 (25:22):
Look, I want to look at, obviously what's going on
in Auburn, you know, because there's been some chatter there.
I've never really been a buyer of the Auburn program.
I think there's never been a program that's been benefited
more from by one specific player, and that's Cam Newton. Obviously,
you talked about Bo Jackson. That was forty fifty years ago.
My point being is, I don't understand the attraction of

(25:44):
Auburn and they're held to this standard that makes them
feel like they're a Florida, a Georgia or in Alabama,
and that just hasn't been the case. Right, They've been
a perennial seven and six team since Cam Newton. Right,
they haven't had, outside of one Nick Marshall year, a
really sustained, established run of success, and their standard is
just outrageous. So for Hugh Freeze, who's drawn a lot

(26:06):
of flak right now in terms of what's happening with
his recruiting, what's happening with his program?

Speaker 3 (26:10):
Why is he golfing every day?

Speaker 4 (26:12):
I think it's unrealistic to say that this is something
that should be the standard at Auburn when that just
really hasn't been the case. They've been who they are
for the last decade, and I don't think that that's
something that's fair to that program right at the moment.

Speaker 1 (26:23):
Hey, he did win his country club Ryder Cup match.
I think Lane kiffen noticed that they can shut to him.

Speaker 4 (26:29):
Well, Lane Kiffin will troll just about anybody he can,
and he was the first to recognize that.

Speaker 3 (26:34):
That's what I like about Lane.

Speaker 1 (26:35):
Okay, we'll end on this note. We'll talk about Archi
Manning here. And obviously we saw his legs in action
last season for Texas, some incredible touchdown runs. His ability
of course of the A and M play. Well, he's
already in Longhorn, He's already a long corn legend just
for that run itself and diving for the pyelone. But

(26:57):
with the injury history that Texas had a quarterback decisions
actually under under Steve Sarkisian, and with the lack of
death and the lack of experience at the quarterback spot
now entering twenty twenty six, twenty twenty five, how do
you expect to see Stark utilizing arch Maanning's ability to run?
If so at all?

Speaker 4 (27:16):
Cautiously is the best way I can describe it, because
I think, again, you have some talented quarterbacks in the
fold waiting, but you don't have an arch mating behind
the cone overs this year, right. You just don't no
disrespect to Matthew Caldwell, to Trey Owens, you know, I
think kJ Lacey's eventually going to be a great quarterback
at Texas as well, But you don't have that next
guy ready yet, And so I think you're the legs

(27:39):
for arch Manning are going to remain a piece of
his game, But I don't think you're going to see
the designed run plays as often. Maybe some QB sneaks,
maybe some some plays that prevent him from getting touched
down the field.

Speaker 3 (27:50):
And that's one of the big things for Arches.

Speaker 4 (27:52):
There has to be a point of emphasis this summer
and in the spring saying when you were out scrambling,
when you were behind or beyond the line of scrimmage,
you've got to get down. Because he took some massive
hits last year, not just against Ohio State, a hit
that knocked him out of that game, but against Mississippi State,
against Texas A and M, in which he was only
on the field for a selection amount of plays running
the football and he was taking some big hits. That

(28:14):
has to be the point of emphasis. But those legs
are just I mean, they're They're like something I haven't
seen from a Texas quarterback beyond Sam Ellinger.

Speaker 5 (28:22):
Right.

Speaker 4 (28:23):
It's it's going to be a weapon for the Longhorns,
and if they use it correctly, it could be something
that changes the entire complexion of a game at times.

Speaker 1 (28:30):
We'll see arch Many next week at the SEC Media
Days in Atlanta, Georgia as well. We'll see CJ. Fobell
see the things coming on man and looking forward to
senior next week.

Speaker 3 (28:38):
Yeah, we'll see in the atl looking forward to it.
That's c. J.

Speaker 1 (28:41):
Fogel from on Texas Football. College football insider and recruiting
analysts for on Texas Football dot Com. Check him out
on Twitter at CJ Fogel Underscore OTF and check out
all of their content coming up next week at the
SEC Media Days. Up next for us, it's inconceivable and
it's a Friday, so you know what that means. We

(29:04):
travel to the more flaccid of the lower forty eight
states and reached for that low hank and fruit and
search for Florida Man and Florida Woman. Up next on
thirteen hundred The Zone. Final Hour. Today's program Here on
thirteen hundred The Zone, Cameron Parker with you want to
fire me up Friday as we get you set for
the weekend and get you set for the SEC Media Dage.
Craig Way will be back from his vacation come Monday.

(29:27):
We'll be out at the College Football Hall of Fame
broadcasting live from the twenty twenty five SEC Media Days
meet and Craig Way, also Mike Cardball Heart and Mark
Kenry will join us. So three days out there. The
event runs Monday through Thursday. We're coming back Wednesday, Texas
speaking on Tuesday, but a lot of good content coming

(29:48):
your way. So make sure you have the iHeart app downloaded.
Make sure thirteen hundred the Zone is added to your
presetch page along with the Greg Wave Show in the
Morning Kickoff. Follow us on YouTube, TikTok, Book, Instagram, Twitter,
I was missing one. I was missing one. We don't
have Snapchat yet.

Speaker 3 (30:05):
Don't worry.

Speaker 1 (30:05):
I don't think we will, but make sure you follow
all those platforms to get all of our content. Sark
will be doing his press conference Tuesday. We're going to
carry that live. We're also going to visit with him
exclusively and hoping to get Arch Manning, Anthony Hill, and
Michael taff as well as some other college football insiders
in former players and some media members as well. So

(30:27):
it should be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward
to the event we had out Monday morning and we'll
be doing our show there Monday afternoon, me and Craig Way,
So looking forward to seeing Craig. It's been a couple
of weeks. A couple of weeks, it's flown by, and
we were now fifty days away from kickoff between Texas
and Ohio State August thirtieth in Columbus, Ohio at Ohio

(30:49):
Stadiums So should be a lot of fun. Okay, I
promise we would continue our conversation between Steve Sarkisian and
Josh Pate. Sark went on the Pate State Speaker Series
place the first half of this on Wednesday, did not
finish it, So we'll finish the rest here in our
number three. And this isn't brand new, it's a little
bit about a month or two ago, but some good

(31:11):
stuff in here that's very timely, and we'll pick up
discussing Quinn yours. You know we talked about the arch
manning hype right that surrounded him. Well, remember Quinn Yours
had a lot of hype coming from Ohio State. I
looked at at being possibly the savior of Texas football,
and I think in a lot of ways he was.

(31:31):
Quinn really helped turn around the culture at a program that,
remember was five and seven when he came to Texas,
the programs in the gutter. The thought of making the
college football playoff was so far fetched. But yet what
did Quinn do? He came in, He took Texas to
back to back College football Playoffs semifinals, took him the
two consecutive conference championship games, winning the Big twelve, coming

(31:54):
up just short against Georgia in the SEC Championship and
only a couple of plays away from reaching the College
Playoff national Championship. Quinn has left a great legacy here
at Texas, but at times he took a lot of
bad rap, and a lot of that was surrounded around
the financials right and nil on the transfer portal, and
he was being offered to go here, being offered to

(32:15):
do this. So you know, Sark was dasked about it
by Josh Pick.

Speaker 6 (32:19):
You know, first of all, Quinn Ewers decided to come
to the University of Texas and we were a five
and seven football team, and we owe a ton to
Quinn because I think we all look at hey, here's
a guy that started for three years at quarterback for us,
you know, battled injuries all three years, leads us to.

Speaker 7 (32:39):
Two college football play at playoffs, you.

Speaker 6 (32:41):
Know, leads us to a big twelve championship, leads us
to an SEC championship game our first year in the conference.
And that's his legacy at Texas. His legacy is way
bigger to me than just that, because if Quinn Eewers
doesn't come, I don't know if the next five guys
are coming, right, And if those next five guys don't come,
I don't know if the next ten guys are coming.

(33:02):
And then if those ten guys don't come, I don't
know if the next twenty guys are coming. So that
was a huge deal for him to want to come
be part of our program, that he could see the
force through the trees about where we were headed as
a program, and then obviously the impact that he had
on the field force. And I think it was your take,
and I may have stolen a little of this, but

(33:23):
I totally agree with you and that you know, everybody
is got to comment about a kid who leaves the
school and goes to another school for more money. How
could he do that? This is college football? Now, what's
going on with college football? All of a sudden, here's
Quinn yours who decides not to go to another school

(33:44):
to say, you know what, I've left a legacy at
the University of Texas. I'm going to go chase my
dreams and fulfill my dreams of playing in the NFL.

Speaker 7 (33:50):
And now those same critics.

Speaker 6 (33:52):
Those same people are saying, how could he not go
take that money?

Speaker 1 (33:55):
Are you suggesting hypocrisy?

Speaker 6 (33:57):
I just you know, sometimes I just I wonder, you know,
I wonder that, you know, who are we to judge
and criticize a young man who's making a decision about
his future, who's only done things the right way to
the best of his ability, who gave everything he could
to our program and decided, you know what, now's my time.
It's time for me to go on to the next

(34:18):
journey of life, and that's trying to go play quarterback
in the.

Speaker 7 (34:21):
National Football League. And we're here to support him, but.

Speaker 6 (34:23):
To criticize him for not take because every other conversation
is about how could he do that?

Speaker 7 (34:28):
How could he go take.

Speaker 1 (34:29):
The bag chase and like back like which one is it?
And we're hearing a lot now about you know, Arch
Manning and how like, oh Arch is ready because he
was able to you know, be Quinn's understudies, able to
learn sark system. You know, I think when Arch's career
is done at Texas, there will be a lot more
praise and a lot more credit given the what quein

(34:51):
you was able to do? Now, did he put up
the stats that I thought that I think Texas Dans
thought he was going to Did he win the Heisman
and win national championships. No, but I think he's definitely
was a great mentor in a great role model for
arch Manning to learn under. Of course, Quinn had a
big decision in terms of, hey, do I come back?

(35:13):
Do I go to the draft? Do I transfer somewhere
else and get paid seven figures? You know? Apparently he
had a pretty big offer from another school to come
play quarterback for him, and Quinn decided to go to
the NFL Draft and was course selected by the Miami
Dolphins in the seventh round. Happens all the time, especially
with good players. Right do I declare early? Do I

(35:34):
transfer somewhere else? And so Sark was asked about decision
making process that comes down to not only his players,
but also other staff members on his staff that are
offered maybe head coaching jobs or other gigs. How does
Stark handle the decision making process?

Speaker 6 (35:50):
And sometimes you don't agree with the decision and you
voice your opinion in that, but then you never disclose
that conversation that you have. You know, I think something
that like we're now in this space of I try
to try to lose sight of being an assistant coach
right been a head coach for quite some time, had
a chance to go back and be an assistant coach

(36:12):
for about six years, and now back being in this chair,
I try not to lose sight of how they view things,
because an assistant coaches view is different than the view
that you have as a head coach. And you know,
a sign of a healthy program is assistant coaches getting opportunities, right,
and we've had coaches go leave here and become head coaches.

(36:33):
We've had coaches leave here and go and become coordinators
in college football. We've had coaches leave here and go
coach in the National Football League and great, that's awesome
for them, Like that's a sign of a healthy, successful program.
Just like we've had players leave early for the NFL Draft,
Just like we've had players in our program say, you
know what, I'm going to transfer a coach because I

(36:54):
think what's really happened is you've out recruited me. That's
a sign of a healthy program. And I'm okay with that,
and I continue to support everybody in those endeavors because
that just means that we've grown in a way as
a program in a space. That's a good thing. That's
not a bad thing. That's a good thing. It makes
those jobs more attractive for the next guy, thinking, Man,

(37:15):
if I go there, I might have an opportunity to
go do it, become a coordinator myself, or you know what,
as a player, if I go there, I might have
an opportunity to go play in the National Football League myself.
So I look at it maybe from a little bit
different lens that way, because we are in the business
of creating opportunity and trying to better the lives of
everybody around.

Speaker 7 (37:33):
Us if we can do so.

Speaker 1 (37:35):
Of course, the consequence of developing players at a high
level in winning games is you're gonna lose players for
the draft, and you're gonna lose coaches to other teams,
sometimes NFL teams. Right the Shard choice fantastic running back,
coach getting a better, bigger role Detroit Lions. Awesome for
coach choice. We've seen it with Brendan Marion. We've seen

(37:56):
it with a handful of other coaches. We see all
the time with players. So asked about what's it like
as a head coach seeing you know your players and
your staff members end up developing and moving on to
the league into other coaching kicks.

Speaker 6 (38:12):
I'm listening to you twofold here, Okay. One is You're
exactly right, and it's so awesome to think that that
I was just fast forwarding, like thinking about a few
people in our building right now, like you have an idea,
who's got a chance and what it might look like
down the road.

Speaker 7 (38:28):
But on the same token, I don't want to get old.
I want to stay as young as I can.

Speaker 6 (38:33):
And this is life is so good, you know, and
like we're so blessed in what we have going right
now that I want to like freeze myself, like because
I think about I'm fifty one, you know, and I
always say, like, I'm playing the second half of my
coaching career now, you know, obviously started young and started early,
but I hope I can do this for as long

(38:53):
as I can, and so I never want to think
about the end. I want to think about like be
in the moment and be where we're at right now. Well,
but to your point, you know, the opportunities that a
lot of people are getting, not only here but around
the country, right I mean, there's a lot of great
programs that people get to be part of and coaches
to work for. But that's what's shaping our future of

(39:14):
the sport, right, and that we have a responsibility to that.

Speaker 1 (39:17):
To your point, hey, and back to back here is
Texas has put up double digit draft selections twelve this
past season, the most in program history, and then eleven
the year before. So two years in a row where
Texas and Steve Sarkeesian have set the record for most
draft selections out of the University of Texas, and hey,

(39:37):
got to film that number will state in the double
digits going forward. We're gonna hear more from Steve Saracusan
later on in today's show Up Next, however, Gene Watson,
our resident MLB insider in vice president, a player personnel
with the Chicago White Sox, will stop by. The MLB Draft
is on Sunday, ut it's a couple of players possibly

(39:57):
being selected Sunday night, a couple high school commits possibly
going in the first round. Gonna get his thoughts on that,
his thoughts on the MLB trade deadline July thirty first,
I believe come up quickly, and the next week, of course,
the MLB All Star Game. In a new wrinkle, that's right,
ABS strike System Ball, the Automatic Ball strike System Challenge

(40:17):
System will be in effect for the MLB All Star Game.
Could we be seeing a move come to the majors
as early as next year? Gonna get Gino's thoughts on
all that. In more, it's our three of but fire
me up Friday here on the Craigway Show and on
the Free iHeart Radio app, It's time to talk Major
League Baseball with Gene Watson, of course, our resident MLB

(40:39):
insider in vice president of player personnel with the Chicago
White Sox, who actually does join us from Chicago this time.
Usually you're checking in from like I don't know, Dominican
Republic or Louisiana, but this time you're actually in Chidetown.
Good afternoon, Gene. They should going on how you doing? Hey, Cam,
good to see you man, How are you good to
see you? Okay, So a busy month for you, busy

(40:59):
month for baseball. You have the MLB All Star next week,
you have the MLB Draft on Sunday, and then you
have the MLB Trade deadline in a few weeks as well.
Your here must be on fire this time of year.

Speaker 7 (41:11):
It really is.

Speaker 5 (41:12):
We're in meetings here in Chicago right now, and we're
building our board out and it's literally you're sitting there,
you know, talking about every player, every high school hitter, pitcher,
college hitter pitcher. You work your board out and then
you get a text message from a club that says, hey,
would you guys be interested in doing this? And so
you kind of got to flip switches really quick, and

(41:34):
it's it's an exciting time from player acquisition standpoint. We
feel really good about what we were capable to accomplish
last season in all the acquisitions via trade and or
the draft, and so we're hopeful to have that kind
of success again this year.

Speaker 1 (41:50):
Let's start with the All Star Game, and we'll begin
with the news that came down this week to the
MLB is going to use the Automatic Bats and Strike System,
the ABS system this next for the All Star Game
next week. There seems to be some you know, you know,
fans seem to like it, players don't seem to like it.
Where Where does front offices in teams stand on using
the ABS going forward?

Speaker 5 (42:11):
And in this in this game, you know, Ken, there's
just so much money involved now that I think the
most important thing is that in the key moments we
get it right and and the instant replay has done
such a great job of that. You know, when you
think about when you think about too many playoff games
or no hitters that were lost because of judgment calls.

Speaker 3 (42:33):
I think the ability to be able.

Speaker 5 (42:36):
To get things right is important today's society, with the
technology we have, and so I've seen it at the
Triple A level. It's it's fantastic. I think the fans
are going to have a lot of fun with it because, uh,
you know, you'd be surprised at the number of catchers
and or hitters that think balls are strikes and strikes
for balls that they aren't. And so you know it's

(42:57):
gonna be there's gonna be a lot of strategy and
when the use the challenges. But all in all, I
think it's really really good for baseball that in a
key moment, with so much in the thirteen billion dollar industry,
was so much on the line that in a key moment,
we have an opportunity to get.

Speaker 1 (43:12):
It right, and especially with you know the prevalency of
gambling right in today's game. I was part of a
Triple A series this past year broadcasting for the Express
where ABS was used, and I thought it makes the
games flow a little bit more quicker, a little bit
more smoother, and you don't really notice it too much
in the challenge part of it. Actually, as you mentioned,

(43:33):
it is pretty fun. The crowds and o Case really
got into it anytime a player called a challenge, whether
it was successful or not. And I think in an
atmosphere like Atlanta next week or even in an MLB game,
a playoff game, a World Series game, the crowds can
have some fun with it.

Speaker 5 (43:50):
It really is and what and what the really fun
part about is when you know the hitters challenge and
the umpire's are right and the fans get behind the empire.
That's a lot of fun to see it. And you
really have to tip your cat because these guys truly
do an incredible job. I know, you know, they literally
send under a microscope, you know, one hundred and twenty

(44:10):
five pitches a night. But all all, they really do
an incredible job and it's such a difficult job to do.

Speaker 1 (44:18):
Also, rosters have been announced. Congrats to Shane Smith making
the All Star Team. Fantastic season so far for Shane.
What's been your maybe biggest surprises from the rosters that
were announced for this year's Midsummer Classic.

Speaker 5 (44:34):
I just think Hovey Bayaz is such a great story.
I mean, this is a guy that has really, you know,
reclaimed his career and it started with trust between him
and AJ Hinch and AJ not only had that with
Miguel Cabrera towards the end of his career and stretching
his career out, but he looked at Hobby Bayas and

(44:55):
he made him understand, this is what you have to
do to be good this this is what you have
to do to help us win, and this is what's
going to happen if you listen to me. And all
of that happened, and I think it's just exciting. This
is a guy that was really, you know, his career
was on a downward spiral, and for him to be
back in the All Star Game, it's just a tremendous story.

(45:17):
And you know, we're excited about Shane Smith, who we
Rule five from the Milwaukee Brewers, the second Rule five
to ever be an All Star of the next season.
And I was a part of the first one with
Danny Ugla with the Miami Markland. So it's really cool
to see young guys like that. It's a testimony to
our processes so far, the way we do things here

(45:38):
with our R and D and our scouting and the
decisions we're making. So we're really excited about that. But
all in all, I think the hobby bias story is
just a fantastic one for baseball.

Speaker 1 (45:46):
And we'll be trade deadlines July thirty, first, six pm
Eastern time. You know, I'm sure some of these deals
probably begin in infancy at the winter meetings in the offseason,
and then some maybe spring about a week or two
before you mentioned in beginning of this interview something like that,
how chaotic really is the MLB trade deadline?

Speaker 5 (46:05):
For you guys, It's fast, man, It moves fast. We're
going to start our meetings next Monday here in Chicago.
But I'll get to work literally the draft wan Monday night.
I'll fly home Tuesday and I'll lock myself in a
room Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Speaker 3 (46:19):
Just in preparation and reaching out to teams. And you
kind of have a pretty.

Speaker 5 (46:23):
Good feel from your scouts who's looking for what, But
one injury and that changes, and so so you want
to be kind we kind of cast a very wide
net assuming nothing in the process, and we begin to
break down the players, and really what you want to
do is iron in the evaluations of the players and
the teams you match up with, because as you get
down to the final two hours before the deadline, it

(46:45):
can begin to move fast. You've got to get medicals,
you've got to let the players know if they've been traded,
and so we really try to really iron the information
in and and be on our targets at early so
that as it gets faster, we're really on top of
the information of the players we want. And we had
a great instance last year where we had one trade
that fell through with an organization, a bigger trade, and

(47:10):
they came back to us with like eleven minutes left,
and we were so ironed in on the players we wanted,
we threw a name at them and we got it,
and we were super excited off the deal we made.
So it's all in the preparation, it's all in the
communication and the trust that you have with the twenty
nine other clubs that make it an exciting time.

Speaker 1 (47:25):
I answered before the show, if you could give me
one good trade deadline story something. It doesn't have to
be recent, but I know you have a lot of experience.
Give me something here good, and I can already see
a smiling, so I know it's gonna be f.

Speaker 5 (47:37):
I'll give you the funniest story ever. And I don't
remember the year, and I can tell the story now.
I could never tell the story for a long time,
but I don't remember the year. But you know, in baseball,
your time is not of your own. You're basically working
twenty four to seven, three sixty five. There's always something
to be doing with regards to players and communicating with
your staff. But we had a trade deadline where my

(47:59):
ball with the Royals said, Hey, my son's playing in
Steamboat Springs, Colorado. We're going to go to Steamboat Springs
for the trade deadline, and you're going to be in
the room and we'll have everything set up, have the
scouts on calls. And so we get out there and
they find out that they're actually playing during the deadline,
and so he's coaching his son's team. Our assistant GM's

(48:22):
son is on the team. So I'm basically in the
war room and there's nothing, nothing happening. I mean, there's
not a call. It's as quite as can be. I'm
actually filming a video with my feet kicked up watching
Days of Our Lives, saying, let's check in on the Royals.

Speaker 3 (48:34):
War room and there's nothing happening. And then with like
eleven minutes left, we get.

Speaker 5 (48:38):
Hit by the Angels and the Dodgers on a three
way trade, and I've got to communicate from the assistant
general manager to the general manager coaching in the third
base box on the players.

Speaker 3 (48:48):
We got to get all the medicals going.

Speaker 5 (48:49):
I'm communicating with the Dodgers and Angels, and with about
three minutes left, the Dodgers pull the trade and it
doesn't happen, but it was really went from zero to
one hundred in about a minute. One of the funnier
things that ever happened during the deadline.

Speaker 1 (49:02):
Are deals like that more common than we really think.

Speaker 3 (49:08):
Oh yeah, there's a lot of deals that fall through.

Speaker 5 (49:10):
I mean, I was talking to four or five clubs
yesterday that they felt like they werell the one yard
of one yard line of trades. And it can be medical,
it can be you know, it can be that the
staff doesn't want to lose the player. It can be
a lot of different reasons that the trades is somewhat
fall apart. You know, we've had a couple of conversations
this week about smaller deals. We've made a deal this week,
and so you know, it's until it's announced. It can

(49:34):
be very, very it can be a slippery slope.

Speaker 1 (49:37):
What teams do you expect to be aggressive at this
year's trade deadline?

Speaker 3 (49:41):
You know, cam it's going to be interesting.

Speaker 5 (49:44):
I don't know, because it's not just it's not just
about you know, acquisition costs to help us get in.
It's okay, if we pay this price to get in,
does that put us in the class of the Dodgers,
the Phillies, the Yankees. Toronto's playing outstanding right now. So
I think you've kind of got of tiers of really

(50:05):
outstanding teams. And so when you're trying to make those
trades and you're talking about what you're giving up to
maybe get to the first round, I think that's going
to play a big part on what teams do. I
think you're going to see a lot of deals for bullpen.
I think pitching right now, nobody has enough pitching and
the injuries are really taking place, and so it's not
just like to help you win, but it's also to

(50:26):
ensure your depth. Once the trade deadline is completed, because
after that your only option is arms within your system.
So I think there's gonna be a lot of creativity
when it comes to bullpen arms. But you know, we're
talking to all twenty nine clubs daily and trying to,
you know, throw out ideas back and forth to kind
of come to a middle round of where we think

(50:47):
we could be what's the floor of a potential deal,
And as you get closer to the thirty first you
begin to try to execute those deals.

Speaker 1 (50:54):
Has there been seasons where going to the deadline, you
and your staff are thinking, Okay, we're going to we're
not going to be super aggressive, but then you're hit
with a deal that makes you completely change the way
you were anticipating the tread day trade deadline to go
for your ball club.

Speaker 3 (51:10):
I don't think so.

Speaker 5 (51:11):
Those are usually on the younger, more impactful, controllable guys
that the conversations are And we've had one of those
this week where a club will call and take a
shot on one of your really controllable, best young players.
But most of the time, and when you're trying to
build something special in a culture and you have a
responsibility to the twenty six men in the clubhouse like

(51:33):
to withdraw that type of talent just to get volume
and younger. It kind of sends a bad message to
your team, and so there's a lot of conversations like that,
but for it to really happen, it doesn't.

Speaker 3 (51:46):
Happen very much.

Speaker 1 (51:47):
MLB Draft this Sunday, beginning at five pm Eastern Time,
ones rounds one through three. Expecting any fireworks, it seems
like that the top couple spots are expected, with Kate
Anderson going first. Of course, Liam Doyle will be up
there at the former Tennessee pitcher Ethan Holliday is something
that we talked about a lot on this program. Eli, Well,

(52:07):
it's as well, what are your expectations for Draft night
comes Sunday.

Speaker 5 (52:11):
I've toped to every team in front of us, and
I don't think anybody knows what's going to happen.

Speaker 3 (52:15):
I really don't. I think I don't think this is
a talent draft.

Speaker 5 (52:18):
I think this is a financial draft, and especially with
teams with extra pitch, like we have three picks in
the top one hundred, I think as you begin to
play out, okay, it's not just about ten, it's about
forty four and seventy two you start to think, Okay,
how can we get to three best players instead, you know,
the one player.

Speaker 3 (52:36):
Then you're taking less at two and three a couple guys.
But I can promise you.

Speaker 5 (52:43):
It's all go ahead, Gene. I can promise you that
right now in front of us, nobody truly knows what's
going to happen. You know, Ethan Holiday and Kate Anderson
could go either way. At one, you've got, you know,
a very good group of young shortstops with Billy Carlson
and Jojo Parker and Caseon Cunningham, the kid out of

(53:04):
San Antonio, and so clubs are gonna call because there's
not great separation between the three who's going to take
a deal to save money to get better players?

Speaker 1 (53:12):
Later in the draft, Max Blue with the top rated
prospect out of Texas, where do you see him following?
Do you think he's a round two pick, round three pick.
I think he's going to be in the top three rounds.

Speaker 5 (53:23):
I really do. And it was unfortunate because he's one
of my favorite players in college baseball and he had
the injuries this year, but what a talent. And we
talked about Max yesterday and I ended the conversation with
this is a big leaguer, and so I think that
while you know, he didn't have the season that he
was hopeful for due to injuries, and you know, the
ultimate teammate came back when he probably could have used

(53:46):
a few more you know, at bats, you know, in
inner squad settings.

Speaker 3 (53:50):
I think Max is going to be really fine in
this draft.

Speaker 1 (53:52):
He is Seen Watson, a VP of player personnel the
Chicago White Sox, of course our resident MLB insider, and
will be working the phones with the next three weeks, NonStop,
non stop, Gina. Thanks much at the time. Hopefully we'll
see in Atlanta. If not, looking forward to busying with
you again soon.

Speaker 3 (54:09):
I can't take take care. Thanks so much.

Speaker 1 (54:12):
He is Gene Watson. Okay, we'll be back to hear
more from Steve Sarksian as The Creig Waite Show continues
on this Fire Me Up Friday. As we continue her
hour three to Fire Me Up Friday on The Craig
Ways Show. Okay, I'm gonna wrap up the rest of
Steve Sarkishan's conversation with Josh Pate. Thank you the Gene
Watson stopping by as well. Uh, we'll pick up we're with.

(54:34):
Sarcus asked about how hectic is his day to day
operations now as the head coach entering his fifth season
in Austin.

Speaker 6 (54:44):
Better today than it was, you know, fifteen years ago,
much better, you know now it's look at this, I'm
the head coach at the University of Texas, right and
the people that I get to associate myself with on
a daily basis, you know, from players to staff, to

(55:06):
administrators to donors. I mean this the city of Austin.
There's so many great things going on. Fifteen years ago, Man,
I didn't think that way. I was thinking about what's next,
you know, where we headed, what's next, focusing on the
focusing on the end result rather than the process. But
now I'm much more equipped to slow down and to

(55:26):
take each day, each moment within the day, and give
it the appreciation that it deserves, because I don't think
I used to do that in my past, But I
definitely today feel comfortable in saying that and knowing that. Man,
I appreciate this opportunity, right.

Speaker 5 (55:42):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (55:42):
You know, four years ago, guys like you weren't coming
here to interview me before the season, and now here
you are, right, It would be a very different way,
and those picks here, and so like, I don't I
don't lose sight of that. Like we've earned a lot
of these things. Let's not let's let these things blow by.
Let's let's let's appreciate them for what they are and
appreciate the people that do want to be around our

(56:05):
program for all the right reasons.

Speaker 1 (56:07):
Okay, what about his game day routine?

Speaker 3 (56:11):
Right?

Speaker 1 (56:12):
I think we look at Sarcus being a very routine
oriented head coach. Earlier in this interview, you talked about
Nick Saban and how you know he knew what Nick
Saban would wear on Wednesdays, he knew what time he
would go over third downs, he knew what time he
would do this and this. Nick Saban and everything kind
of you know, orchestrated planned out. He had his routine.

(56:33):
Sarks seemed like a very routine type of head coach.
So Josh Fate asked him, what is his game day routine?

Speaker 7 (56:39):
Like, Well, first of.

Speaker 6 (56:40):
All, there's nothing better than game day. Like I get
up like it's Christmas morning. I'm so excited on game day,
but my mind is going. My mind It's like you
get up, turn turn the switch on and it's on
your mind, is going and you're you're constantly thinking about
contingency plans, you know, because you have the plan of offense, defense,

(57:01):
special teams, and then the nuances within the plan, and yeah,
then one of those things isn't going right. What's a
contingency plan? But when I step on the grass before
the game, I go out probably a little earlier than
most head coaches, because there's, to your point, there's so
much other stuff. You got recruits there, you've got donors there,

(57:21):
you got all you know that, the stuff. The music's playing,
and sometimes I just want to get into my space,
into my zone. And so I get on the field
and I just walk around and do nothing. But I'm
out there earlier probably the most head coaches, because I'm
calling the plays too, and so I have to kind
of get myself into this space. To your point, that
is almost a little bit of a silo to think

(57:42):
very clearly and to be clear minded and to be focused.

Speaker 7 (57:46):
But then when the moment hits, right, when when that
ball gets kicked off.

Speaker 6 (57:51):
To put it into perspective, think about making a decision
every thirty seconds. Imagine if you're sitting at home and
for the next four hours, your wife asking you what
you want to eat every thirty seconds, Man, I don't
when you when, and when you.

Speaker 7 (58:06):
Say I don't know, that's called a delay a game.

Speaker 6 (58:10):
Every thirty seconds, you're making a decision every thirty seconds
for the next four hours. And so what happens is
when it's all said and done, you this this odd
feeling of you're exhausted, but yet you're still amped up,
like it's you have to find a way to get
yourself to come back off of that because you're you're on.

Speaker 7 (58:29):
You know, you're you're literally on for four straight hours.

Speaker 1 (58:32):
So it's also a guy that you don't really want
to you seem you don't want to mess with. Right,
There's there's a clip of him, Washington coming out kind
of the huddle right at the Sugar Bowl out of
the tunnel rout there, and there's that game day operations
guy kind of holding his his his arm un sort
telling the hold off, you know, don't come yet. Starts
raight to go. Man, he's he's charged up, he's fired up,

(58:54):
you know, so isn't most head coaches, right Nick Saban, Kirby, Smart,
Pete Carroll Belichick know when they're kind of in that
in that game day mode. You know, don't mess with them, right,
don't at with them. So Josh Pate talked about hey, hey,
and you know, when I told one of my buddies
I was doing this interview with Sark, he sent me
a clip of I believe it was a halftime interview,

(59:16):
and I don't I don't remember which game it was,
but Sark was doing an interview, halftime interview with or
rutledch as are coming off the field, which I think,
by the way, that's got to be one of the
hardest things to do in our industry, is doing the
on court, on field interview, whether it's you know, coming
out of you know, the first quarter or halftime, because

(59:37):
the last thing these guys want to do is do
an interview, right, And there's not a lot of great
information you're going to get from them. But usually, you know,
it does lead to some of the funniest moments.

Speaker 3 (59:47):
Right.

Speaker 1 (59:47):
You think about Greg Popovich in in his interviews right
with Craig Sager, Right, a lot of that time was
pop was just trolling and messing around with his good
friend Craig. But sometimes you get it, you know, with
Kirby Smart or Brian Kelly or Sarck where they're fired up,
and so you know, he was asked about, well, first off,
you know, what is his level of focus like during
a game? And he kind of leads into talking about

(01:00:08):
this interview he did Laura Rutledge at halftime during the
game last season.

Speaker 6 (01:00:12):
Well, I think at that interview we weren't playing very
good in the first half either. So you know, I've
always hold on to a moment that I think helped
with that perspective for me. I don't know if you
remember when Villanova wins a national championship of years ago
and Jay Wright they hit they hit the shot.

Speaker 3 (01:00:29):
To win it.

Speaker 7 (01:00:31):
There was no emotion.

Speaker 6 (01:00:33):
He literally turned and started just walk towards towards the
opponent's head coach to shake his hand, Like you can
get all the way there to where you don't even
feel the crowd anymore. You don't even feel like you're
in such a your your mind is so focused on
what do I need to do next, that sometimes you
don't feel those emotions. I honestly try not to go

(01:00:56):
all the way there, because I do think there's an
advantage to feeling.

Speaker 7 (01:00:59):
Some of that emotion.

Speaker 6 (01:01:00):
Yeah, to having some of that that that is created
in an in an environment, in an atmosphere. But but
I also think, you know, we've been a really good
road team. You know, we we've I think we currently
have the longest road winning streak in the country, and
and we've played in some tough environments. But I think
that again, I think I'm able to take some of

(01:01:22):
that that I get and instill that into our team,
that our team can stay focused and not be distracted
on some of the things going on outside of them
and focus on the task at hand.

Speaker 7 (01:01:32):
And it's so far, so good. It's worked out for us.

Speaker 1 (01:01:35):
Last question for Sark in this Josh Pate Pate Stakes
Pete Steak, Ah, it was gonna keep me once I
knew it was gonna happen Pate State Speaker series, asking
about his thoughts on next year's team. Of course, Texas
losing twelve draft picks to the NFL handful of transfers.
Where does Sark see this team as they enter the

(01:01:57):
summer in preparing for the twenty five twenty six season.

Speaker 6 (01:02:00):
Yeah, I don't think we're a finished product, and I've
if I said we were, that'd probably be lying right.
You know, we've had some young players that have grown
up in our program that we're excited about.

Speaker 7 (01:02:12):
On both sides of the line of scrimmage.

Speaker 6 (01:02:14):
We've brought in some transfers, most notably on the defensive
side of the ball that helped us this spring. We
brought in a couple more in the spring portal window
that I think are going to be great additions for us.
But I think for us as a program, this summer
is going to be huge. You know, June and July,
our our skilled development stuff that we work on, you know,
the team aspect of really bringing this team together, our culture.

Speaker 7 (01:02:36):
Wednesdays are going to be big.

Speaker 6 (01:02:38):
Their work with Tory Beckton right in the weight room,
running in the Austin heat on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons
at four in the afternoon where it feels like the
hottest place on the earth. But that's when we grow
together as a team. And then training camp is going
to be a big thing, and we've got to push
these guys. We've got to remain demanding of them of
what the standard is around here and instill it in them.
And that's a responsibility on a lot of their teammates too.

Speaker 7 (01:03:01):
To get that done.

Speaker 6 (01:03:01):
When you bring in new faces, that what you we
always try to ensure is that they acclimate to us.
We don't acclimate to them. And so that's why we're
so strategic and we really take our time when it
comes to the portal. We just don't bring anybody in here.
There's a lot of really good players out there. It's
not just about any might not always be the best player.
It's the best player that fits us. And that's something

(01:03:24):
that we've tried to do and hold on to and
so far it's worked out pretty good for us.

Speaker 1 (01:03:28):
So there it is Steve Sarracusian with Josh Pate on
the Paid State Speaker series. I'm really surprised that was
a forty five minute interview. No arch Manning questions, but
also sorry has been asked a lot about arch Manning
and we'll be asked a lot about arch Manning next
Tuesday from the SEC Media Days. Will be out there
as well, so looking for the visiting with Steve sayccusan.

(01:03:49):
Actually Josh Pate will out there too as well. So
looking for the visiting with Steve Sarracusian, arch man Thing,
arch Manning, Anthony Hill and Michael taff from the College
Football Hall of Fame. We'll way back to wrap up
today's program. You're up next on The Craigway Show.