Early-Season Longhorn Superlatives, Ryder Cup Buzz Building, An Ode to Mike Gundy

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Here we go on a Wednesday afternoon on thirteen hundred
The Zone and the iHeart Radio app.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
It's the Craig Way Show.

Speaker 1 (00:07):
I am Cameron Parker filling in for Craigway on today's
program and glad to have you with us here, whether
you're listening on the free iHeart Radio app or on
your radio dial on a thirteen hundred the Zone, or
possibly listening on our podcast page after the fact. Glad
to have you with us here. Cameron Parker filling in
for Craigway. Producer Jake Kerman with us live in studio

(00:30):
from Austin, Texas.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
As we have reached the hump day.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
No Texas football this weekend, so hopefully everyone's weddings that
you are attending is this week. And I got number
two out of a three week span coming up this Saturday.
But it's going to be a real fun college football Saturday.
A lot of great games. Georgia, Alabama, Old Miss LSU,
Penn State, Oregon, a lot to get to and we'll

(00:55):
get to that in today's program. Craig Way will be
out the rest of this week. He'll be back next Monday,
taking a little deserved time off. He will still be
calling some my school football this week before he heads
out to Las Vegas taking in Ringo Starr in his
all Star band, the one of the remaining Beatles members

(01:17):
that are still alive, still touring Ringo and Paul McCartney.
He'll be taking in Ringo Stars. So looking forward to
hearing from Craig next week. On today's program, we got
the Third and Longhorn Gang stopping by live in studio,
Nick Schuley and Mark Higgins. They'll be joining us here
at about ten minutes. Actually get their thoughts on the

(01:38):
first half of Texas football season, or really the non
conference state that's finally over. With Texas three and one,
losing their season opener to Ohio State, then really off
three consecutive victories against some undermatched, underwhelmed opponents. But you know,
we saw some bad and we saw some good, and
now Texas will begin conference to play next Saturday against

(01:59):
Floor and then Oklahoma.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
The Red Rivers rivalry. Oh almost said showdown there, Some
people still say showdown, some say shootout. I believe the
official vernacular is Red River Rivalry.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
John Mattier possibly will not be the starting quarterback in
that game. It might be Michael Hawkins Junior. If you
missed it yesterday, John Matteer undergoing hand surgery for an
injury he sustained in the first quarter against Auburn, So
Texas maybe getting a huge break at the Cotton bol
We'll talk about that and more. It is Ryder Cup

(02:34):
week at Bethpage Black. I'm super excited for this event
and we're gonna preview the Ryder Cup with Jeff Schockraford,
my good friend, goth author and reporter. Get his thoughts
on this showdown what he makes of the narratives. You know,
the pay for play in the Keegan Bradley, in the crowds.
You know a lot of European narratives that's been pushed

(02:57):
against the Americans this week, I think trying to get
into the heads of the host team. So get his
thoughts on the Ryder Cup later on in today's program.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
These real narratives, Cameron or VR narratives, I.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
Think both a little bit of both, a little bit
of both. Get his thoughts on that. There's also some
sound we're gonna hear. Scotti, Scheffler and the Americans visited
with the media yesterday. I believe the Europeans either the
day or tomorrow. I know they had to move up
the opening ceremonies due to some heavy rain in the Farmingdale,
New York area.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
Is it too early to college baseball? Maybe maybe not.

Speaker 1 (03:31):
But Texas Baseball are playing on Saturday at Dell Diamond,
hosting Texas Tech in a little bit of a fall
exhibition match. They'll play two games, one Saturday and then
one next Friday at the Dish against Lamar. Tickets are available.
So Jim Schlosnigo spoke with the media yesterday. We're gonna
hear a little bit from him on that fact. The

(03:54):
voice you just heard is, of course, our producer Jay Kerman. Jake,
Good afternoon, things in your world?

Speaker 2 (04:02):
Busy but fun, it's been. It's been a pretty good week.

Speaker 3 (04:05):
And yeah, Ryder Cup always kind of gets the buzz going.
I'm what they call a casual golf fan, but I'm
gonna be locked in for that.

Speaker 1 (04:13):
Yeah, I will be too mattress begin Friday. I believe
about maybe six am Central time, I will be a wig,
coffee in hand, cheering like a maniac. As hopefully it'll
be Brice in to Shambeau on the first. Looking forward
to that big college football weekend, as we mentioned in
the opening of the show, a big NFL matchup. But

(04:35):
we're seeing the injuries start to really hurt some of
these big teams, including John Mattier in the Oklahoma Sooners,
who underwent hand surgery yesterday in his right throwing hand
that occurred after breaking a bone in his right hand
in Saturday's win over Auburn Sorcers sold. The ESPN's Pete
Famil went underwent surgery. Believe it went successfully. There was

(05:00):
no really timetable for return from Brent Venables. He said
he's just gonna miss some time, you know. I'm sure, Oh,
you's gonna play this pretty tight to the fest here.
They don't want to give They want teams to prepare
for John Mattier and Michael Hawkins and whoever if possible,
especially Texas. So but based on what you know we've

(05:21):
kind of heard, and even Joel Klatt talked about it
on his podcast, it's probably going to be about a month,
you know, they said maybe three weeks, but you know
that's pushing it. And for an Oklahoma team that has
a real, real tough schedule, I'm not sure if you
want to rush him back for the Texas game. I know,
I know that's gonna be a big game for the Sooners,
but I mean the rest of the schedule absolutely brutal.

(05:43):
So they have Kent State by week this week, then
Kent State, then Texas at the Red River, South Carolina,
Ole miss who's dealing with their own quarterback injuries, Tennessee
at Alabama, the tennis game by the way, on the
road South Carolina on the road Missouri, and they close
against LSU. So uphill battle for an Oklahoma team that

(06:05):
four and h has cracked the top ten, number seven
in the country that I believe before the injury, was
a three and a half point favorite over Texas in
the Cotton Bowl. If John Matteer was healthy, OU most
certainly probably would have been favored in that game based
on what we've seen so far in the first month.
But now Oklahoma will be with out possibly the high

(06:26):
spin front runner, Jake I mean Matier, He's spent a
lot of fun the watch coming over from Washington State.

Speaker 2 (06:31):
They brought over the offensive coordinator. But this is a.

Speaker 1 (06:34):
Huge, huge injury right in the middle of the season,
right at the beginning of conference play for the Sooners.

Speaker 3 (06:40):
And we won't necessarily get a picture of what OU's
offense looks like without him during the next couple weeks. Right,
you mentioned the open date and then the Kent State game.
I'd expect, oh you to keep things pretty vanilla with
Hawkins their backup up until then. So it'll be interesting
to see what that offense will look like, how it
changes their running game, because that's I guess the one

(07:01):
advantage that the Sooners would have left with material. It's
obviously a huge, huge loss. It's hard to spin that
positively for Oklahoma, and their running game really has been
non existent. Their running game has basically been Majon Matier,
who leads the team in rushing at four yards per
carry so far through four games. He thrown for twelve
hundred yards, six touchdowns, three interceptions, a quarterback rating of

(07:22):
one hundred and forty nine point five five rushing touchdowns
as well. But it's an Oklahoma team that has really
struggled to run the football so far this season, averaging
one hundred and twenty five yards per game on the ground,
non ideal considering who they played so far, and you
look back to Michael Hawkins junior that game last year

(07:45):
Hawkins really struggled only one hundred and forty eight passing yards,
no touchdowns, no interceptions, ran for twenty seven yards about
one point four yards per carry. Believe Texas able to
sack him six times in that game, eleven tackles for loss.
Michael Hawkins also had a fumble he lost as well.
In Oklahoma would lose that game thirty four to three.

(08:07):
That game now ships from boyds in Texas. You know,
can they pull out a victory there to all of
a sudden Now they'll be favored, and based on how
the Texas defense has looked, I'm not sure Oklahoma can
win that game. Joe Clad again on this podcast today,
said that the reason why Oklahoma's four and oh and
has been able to beat Auburn Michigan is because of

(08:28):
John Mattier. Their defense has been great, but Matier's made
so many key plays, you know, eleven straight completions against
Auburn to win that victory, to win that game, and
then against Michigan, I mean, his rushing touchdowns were massive.
With Michael Hawkins a quarterback, I'm not so sure Oklahoma
wins those two games. But we'll talk a little bit
more about John Matteer. Oklahoma college football up next with

(08:51):
the Third and Longhorn game, Nick Shuley, Mark Kiggins live
in studio getting their thoughts on the non conference play
so far. For the text Longhorns again.

Speaker 1 (09:01):
If you want to join the show, love to hear
from you, text to Work Texas to eight one five
three zero followed by your message. Also, you can use
a talk back feature on the iHeart Radio app.

Speaker 2 (09:13):
A yacht Rock Wednesday.

Speaker 1 (09:14):
By the way, yes we will still honor it even
if Creig Way is not in town. All that and
more put up the Greigway Show. Just getting started here
on thirteen hundred The Zone, John Rock Wednesday. Here on
thirteen hundred The Zone, Jake, what you got for us here?
To start off A yacht Rock Wednesday.

Speaker 2 (09:32):
The immortal Bill weathers as lovely day.

Speaker 1 (09:34):
So we're now joined in studio by the Third and
Longhorn guys, Nick Shuley and Mark Higgins. And they're probably wondering,
all right, yacht Rock Wednesday, but what's going on here?
So the host of this program, Craig Way. We have
established Wednesdays as yacht Rock Wednesday because Craig is probably
the biggest yacht rock fan that I know yacht rock guys.

Speaker 4 (09:59):
Absolutely, next time I've got a d I'll get a
bill with a story.

Speaker 2 (10:03):
Let's hear it in LA and guys said.

Speaker 5 (10:06):
I was sitting down eating dinner with some friends and
guy came in, sat down next to his Bill Withers,
and I'm like, oh, wow, it's Bill with us. Then
Paul McCartney came in after they sat together for dinner,
right next to me.

Speaker 4 (10:17):
I was like, wow, Mane. Higgs is the king of
stories like that. He is like because he he was
Lance arms Trunk's manager for twenty some years. And we'll
just say something and casually in a sentence will be like, yeah,
I was on it.

Speaker 2 (10:29):
Oh yeah, no, that's crazy. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (10:31):
We were in a helicopter once with Bono and You're like, what,
this is not a norm No one has these stories, dude.
And he's like, he's the guy that in every picture
of Lance, like if you just look a little to
the left, Higgs is in the background.

Speaker 2 (10:42):
It's like a Where's Waldo game?

Speaker 1 (10:44):
And in all the well, it probably helps you because
you walk around athletes so much.

Speaker 2 (10:47):
I have to be so starstruck around.

Speaker 1 (10:49):
Yes, it's like, yeah, I've been I've been at dinner
with Paul McCartney, Bill Withers. Ye, you played running Back
for who? Yeah? How many years too?

Speaker 2 (10:57):
Well? We started one, yeah, but but no yacht rock
for you. Nick.

Speaker 1 (11:00):
Truly, we're probably the biggest music guy here in this building, right.

Speaker 4 (11:04):
Well, I don't know about that, but I definitely have
a long life in the music industry. I man, I
would say, I don't. I can't say I listened to
a ton of yacht rock. I got to know Christopher
Cross through the music scene here, and so I've like,
I've delved more into his catalog because I didn't. I
didn't know much of his stuff. And then you know,
we're obviously do the hit but like are the hits?
There are a couple? Yeah, but my bad but uh yeah,

(11:27):
I hope Craig didn't hear that, yeah exactly. So yeah,
I'm not the person to be talking about this. Craig's
gonna annihilate me. I didn't know yacht rock was a
genre until uh, actually college, I had a professor who
actolutely hate yacht rock, and.

Speaker 2 (11:40):
He brought it up.

Speaker 1 (11:41):
And then I started working with Craig, and of course
he loves yat rocks.

Speaker 2 (11:44):
I was like, oh, this is funny.

Speaker 1 (11:45):
I'll make sure he never talks to my professor from
ut But now I've got a little bit more in
the yacht rock.

Speaker 2 (11:50):
Did you guys watch the HBO documentary? I love that.
It was great.

Speaker 4 (11:53):
I need to watch it. I actually do want to
watch that. I saw the preview Florence. It's good just
to just to get the background, especially them trying to
chase Steely Dan.

Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yes, it's great, Steely Dan.

Speaker 4 (12:04):
Yes, the ending is great when you wh yeah, okay,
don't give it away.

Speaker 1 (12:07):
I didn't have to come in to talk yacht rock here.
I wanted to talk little Texas football with you guys.
Of course, certain Longhorn. By the way, you can listen
to it on thirteenth of the Zone. Also check out
their work on YouTube social media. A bye week, finally,
get a bye week. The first open week of the season,
Texas comes in three and one, a non conference play.

Speaker 2 (12:25):
Let's start with.

Speaker 1 (12:26):
Your guys' you know, biggest takeaway so far from from
the first month of the season. I think if you
said beforehand, hey, three and one, you would have taken
it now, albeit in hind said after the fact, there's
probably a little bit of a question mark to remaining
about the Texas team, mostly on the offensive side of
the ball.

Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah, I think.

Speaker 4 (12:42):
I think the funny thing is is we spent all
offseason and most Texas fans did, most pundits, every single
person said at the start of this year, the defense
is going to carry this team, and the offense will
be a work in progress that will hopefully hit its
stride by you know, the midway through the season or
the you know, the Florida game or the Ou game.

Speaker 2 (13:02):
So we're we're kind of right on track there.

Speaker 4 (13:05):
But the funny thing is we as Texas fans, we
say all that, and then the second the season started,
like everything's going to be perfect. It needs to be perfect,
we need to, you know, score one hundred points and
hold them to zero. And hasn't looked like that. So
I would say there's not a ton of surprises. I
firmly thought we were going to beat Ohio State, and
had we had we had a little bit better of
an offensive performance, I think we would have. But three

(13:26):
and one, we're getting healthy, hopefully by by this Florida game.
I think we're in a good spot.

Speaker 2 (13:32):
Mark.

Speaker 5 (13:33):
Yeah, I'd agree. I mean, I think we do do
it every year. We get so hyped and bought into it,
and we just think we're going to go undefeated, and
you know you're gonna have some setbacks. You start out
with that monster game on the road, and you know,
like Nick said, three and one, get into the White week,
I think you guys would have taken Most people would
have said, fine, sign me up, and you know, we'll
see what this team's made up. And I'm sure Sark
spending these these two weeks get these guys ready to

(13:54):
go to the Swamp and we'll know more in a
couple of weeks.

Speaker 2 (13:58):
I think the defense.

Speaker 1 (14:00):
My expectation for the defense coming in, I thought it
was gonna be a top five unit in the country.
I think so far they've kind of upheld that. I mean,
fourteen points of Wahow State, but you know, that first
touchdown came with some two costly penalties that extended the drive.
No points a lot against Sam Houston. I think I
could have played the defensive end and got at least
one sack, at least at least one sack ten against

(14:21):
UTEP and then seven aainst the another state. So the
defense I think has the talent and not to mention
all the turnover that come in the offense has been
kind of the part where we're like, all right.

Speaker 2 (14:31):
Come on, pick it up.

Speaker 1 (14:32):
Did you see enough from Arch Manning and the offense
last Saturday to make you feel better about the team
heading into conference play? Are you thinking, Hey, it's just
Sam Houston. Let's not get carried away here.

Speaker 5 (14:43):
I tried not to get carried away because I know
that's probably not a good football team. Now, Arch did
exactly what needed to be done, and you know, maybe
calm out, calm down some of the people. But I
think the real test starts, you know, a couple of
weeks from Saturday.

Speaker 4 (14:56):
Florida or Oklahoma. What's what's the real test? I think
Florida just being in the road game.

Speaker 5 (14:59):
I mean, like we maybe banged up, but that defense
is pretty superb as well done in Florida. So I
think that one is it'll be a test and be
out there and that's a rowdy place to go down to,
so you know, and then of course you got ou
where anything can happen.

Speaker 2 (15:11):
So right, take this, take these two weeks and get ready.

Speaker 4 (15:15):
Yeah, I you know, I think I don't take too
much from that game but I also we know who
Arch is, I think right, and I think my trust
is in Sarkisian, and that guy knows offense, he knows quarterbacks.
And if those couple rough patches that Arch had were
what he was showing every single practice, I don't think
we would have had. I think we would have been

(15:36):
a little more prepared for that. So I think that
I think things are fine. I think we're gonna be
all right. But it also he needs to you know,
it's an analogy I've used forever, but it's like if
you played basketball, you just need to see the ball
going a couple of times, even if it's a lay up,
if it's whatever, you just gotta have. You got to
have some success and then it's going to come easier.

(15:56):
And I think he was very sped up and rushed
at the start of the year. I'm hoping that game
kind of calmed it down of like, okay, I can
do this again, you know, And I think he had
nothing to lose last year, whereas this year he got
the weight of the world on your shoulders.

Speaker 1 (16:07):
Yeah, that's a good point, because last year, you know,
he had kind of like a swagger, contunist of bravado
to him when he came in. Now it was Quinn's team, right,
he was the starting quarterback, and then Quinn goes down
all of a sudden, Hey, Arch, you're in. There's no
time for that hype to really built up. Since the
Ohio State loss. It was I mean the next day
there was sub being posts. Okay, it's Arch's team now, right,

(16:29):
and so eighteen nineteen, twenty years old. You know, even
if he goes up with the last thing, Manning, there's
no way to prepare yourself for that type of that hype, right,
the all that pressure on you, and it definitely came out,
and it took him maybe four games for him to
kind of get that swagger back, but he definitely has it.
I mean, you know, there's been a lot said about,

(16:49):
you know, the way he acted after the touchdown runs like.

Speaker 2 (16:52):
I don't care. Yeah, Like I love that. I was
wanting that.

Speaker 4 (16:56):
Yeah, now we're complaining about it. Baker Mayfield does it
every game. People love Baker. I think he's great, and
that maybe because he's an underdog story whereas Arch Manning
is not. But it's like, that's what I want to see.
If that's who your personality is that's.

Speaker 2 (17:10):
What I want. I want to see it come out.

Speaker 4 (17:12):
Yeah, And I think when he plays with confidence, he's
very very he's a very good player. I just think
the game needs to slow down for him. And that's
what that's why I agree with Higgs. I think Florida
will be a real test, Like if this team can't
put up points, I liken us to like we it
feels like we've had this this stud pitcher, you know,
who's allowing one run a game, and you know we're

(17:33):
close to losing these games. So this this feels like
a team that if if we can put some combination
of three scores on the board, most likely two touchdowns
in a field goal, we should win the game. But
we've also got to score that many points. And I
think I think Florida is gonna pose a tough test
like that. That defense is very good, but I love
I love our defense. Playing on the road, it's gonna
it's gonna be really interesting. Yeah, Florida's offense is terrible.

Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (17:57):
I when when you came in for the three and
when you and Jeremy came in and we were talking
after the show, I was super high in Florida because
I thought DJ Lagway was severely underrated. That first half
against Georgia before he got injured was super impressive. But
now looking at it, I believe he's thrown more interceptions
and touchdown passes against FBS opponents. He's in a boot

(18:20):
right now. I think when he wakes up out of bed,
he hurts himself. He's not being able to stay healthy.
But their defense is special. I only gave up twenty
six to a really good Miami team, twenty the LSU,
and then eighteen to South Florida. So the defense, defensive line,
I mean they got a couple possible, you know, first
second round draft picks on that d line. But the
way Lagway's been playing if he's banged up. And then

(18:42):
Oklahoma John Mattier news huge, huge, because all of a sudden,
that game goes from I think a possible loss for
Texas now to oh, Michael Hawkins' quarterback.

Speaker 2 (18:53):
Okay, I saw this movie, and how did it end
for for Texas? Great? Great?

Speaker 4 (18:57):
I have such an internal struggle with this because my
parents both went to Washington State, so I followed John
Mattier all last year. I'm such a fan of his
but also but I was praying he went to Miami
because I think it was down.

Speaker 2 (19:08):
To Miami and OU, and then he ended up at OU.

Speaker 4 (19:10):
So you know, I I have my gut says he's
gonna find a way back for this, and I know
it's I know that timelines don't work out, but man,
I've seen different articles here and there, so we will see.

Speaker 2 (19:22):
But also I think that.

Speaker 4 (19:24):
This OU team, after what I've watched, I think almost
all their games this year, they do not scare me.

Speaker 2 (19:29):
I do.

Speaker 4 (19:30):
I do not think the team is that good then
that maybe that's just me. I think that, you know,
I think that the last game was was a game
they should have crushed. I don't think Auburn's very good
and they did not look strong. But that's that's just
my opinion. Not even the pass rush. I mean, the
pass rush is impressive, but also Jackson Arnold like I
can stand in the pocket and get hit for ten minutes,

(19:50):
so like that, Yeah, I don't know it was it
was the I don't know. I don't I don't take
a lot from what I've seen. So I think Mattier
is a gamer, and so I think as long as
he's in the game, they have a chance, and their
defense is good. But I also think that that I
think our defense is better than their's.

Speaker 1 (20:03):
Yeah, I think every at every ten passes from Matier,
he's probably gonna have two that are just like, are
you kidding me?

Speaker 2 (20:08):
There's also two where he throws his straight to the fender.

Speaker 1 (20:11):
So yeah, but without that with Michael Hawkins, their offense
changes because they can't run the football. Already, Mattier is
a leading rusher, leading rushing touchdown getter. Now all of
a sudden, you know he's out. And Joel Klatt mentioned it,
I talked about in the first sime of the show,
like they don't beat Michigan, they don't beat Auburn without
John Mattier.

Speaker 2 (20:29):
Now, all of a sudden, you remove him. What does
this offense look like?

Speaker 1 (20:32):
And now I think favors text, especially the Texas defense,
who is now looking back and going, oh, the guy
that we we sacked six times last year and fumbled
and was thrown all over the place, Yeah, thirty three,
Well would love to play him again.

Speaker 5 (20:44):
Yeah, and if you jump out to a lead, they're
gonna have to throw the ball, and so yeah, let's
bring it up like you know, so I yeah, I
think a lot a lot between then and that game.
But r D, I think keeps us in every game
no matter what, whoever playing.

Speaker 1 (20:57):
I agree that the sad part about this from just
a college football observer and a fan, the Red River
Ribery the last couple of years, either Quinn's been hurt
going into it or Oklahoma hasn't had a quarterback because
you know last year Michael Hawkins junior against Quinn yours.
That was unfair. We did we did have Quinn versus
Dylan Gabriel. Remember Quinn came in hurt. Now he was

(21:19):
hurt every game, but you know, we weren't sure if
he was gonna play for that game three years ago.
Quinn was coming back from an injury. But remember the
Oklahoma quarterback was that Davis Bevell?

Speaker 2 (21:28):
Right, Oh, that's right. It was like a tight end,
poor kid.

Speaker 1 (21:31):
Yeah, I mean, it's like, even more so than the
tight end, come the backup kicker coming in, who was.

Speaker 3 (21:35):
Like, I play quarterback a little high school. They were
calling for general booty.

Speaker 2 (21:40):
Fifty two nothing, that game fifty five nothing. That was
That was a fun one.

Speaker 1 (21:44):
So you know, honestly, since the days of Sam Ellinger, first,
you know, Jalen Hurts or Kylin Murray or Kill Williams.
I know we did have what Casey Thompson first, Kill
Williams and Sark's first year, but I was looking forward
to arts first, Matier. If it's arts first, Michael Hawkins,
you know, it kind of stinks from college football world,
but it's probably better for text, just because this next

(22:06):
month is going to be huge with four straight games
away from dk R.

Speaker 5 (22:09):
Yeah, and also you'd hate to see a guy miss
a game like this, you know, just as and looking
at that from a national perspective, you know, it would
have been good to have most all have the eyeballs,
but you feel from a tier but also to next point,
I think he's going to give it a go. So
there's no way that the Texas coaching staff is not
prepared to see him in that game. So I know
the surgery was today and they say three to four weeks,

(22:29):
but if he could shoot that thing up and get
out there, I think he'll give it. Many played with
it the whole Auburn game. Yeah, so it depends on
the healing for it too, right, Yeah, I believe. I
believe it's fun. A texture texted and said that he
heard it gambling. Yeah that kind of went away. Where
did that that went? With the stuff under the rug? Yeah,

(22:49):
all of a sudden it was gone. It was everywhere,
and then all of a sudden, I was like, I
don't worry about that.

Speaker 2 (22:52):
Yeah, we're good.

Speaker 4 (22:53):
Well they realized, you know, maybe the NCAA has has
you know, it's rigged to the point where he's gonna
win the Heisman.

Speaker 1 (22:58):
Yeah, we need a Heisman front runner, so to translator
jumped on that. We have the Third and Longhorn guys
with us, Nick Schilie, Mark Higgins. We're gonna come take
a break, We're gonna come back, and we're gonna do
non conference superlatives. Offensive MVP, Yes there was one, right, guys,
Defensive MVP, Newcomers, best moment of the year so far,
all that and more here it is a yacht Rock

(23:19):
Wednesday here on The Craigway Show, and it continues after
this on the Free iHeartRadio app. In the beginning of
the second segment. Here on a yacht Rock Wednesday, Nick
Schuley and Mark Higgins from Third and Longhorn jumping in
the study here and we talked a little bit of
the college football landscape in the last segment. Now, let's
talk a little bit of Texas football superlatives from the

(23:42):
non conference slate. Texas three and one after losing the Wow,
State rolled on three victories over Santaday State, UTEP, and
Sam Houston. Some good, some bad, you know, I think
some in between. But let's start off with your guys'
offensive MVP from the non conference slate. And it's will

(24:04):
be tough to find one here, but I will start
with you, Nick Shuley, who is your offensive MVV from
from the first four games? So you know, you texted
me this and I spent a long time thinking about this,
and I'm like, statistically, your offensive MVP is Arch But
you know we uh, we've been and he's been in
every game.

Speaker 2 (24:20):
He's played in every game.

Speaker 4 (24:21):
I think that's been the big issue on the offense
is you've seen this rotating cast of characters with injuries.

Speaker 2 (24:28):
Man, it's tough.

Speaker 4 (24:29):
I I mean, if I had to pick one person
that's kind of been an uplift, I'm gonna go for
now with Parker Livingston. But even he had a game
where he kind of disappeared, So it's you know, it's
it's it's a tough one. But I've been impressed with Parker.
I think he put himself on the map. I think
he stepped up, and so for now i'd put him
as that. I think it will eventually be Arch, but

(24:51):
right now I'm going with Parker.

Speaker 5 (24:53):
Can we take like pieces of guys to make one
guy like this quarter here there the game two? Yeah,
I mean, since he went with Parker, I guess I'll
go with Arts just because I think if he's really terrible,
we're not three and one. So I think good Texas
is four and oh right or above average, maybe I

(25:16):
mean to two penalties. Maybe that game is tied seven
to seven, and you know, maybe it's an overtime game.
So I don't know, it's it's it's it's a good
problem at least for three and one. And you know,
without playing Stellar Football, you know, consistently the Running game
had some sparks there and in a few of those games,
but I think, you know, like Nick said, Parker was

(25:36):
probably the story for a bit, but he also did disappear,
and Jack had the same thing for a little bit there.

Speaker 2 (25:43):
So you know, let's talk.

Speaker 1 (25:45):
About the defense, well real quick, So here's a stat
that I didn't that might surprise some Texas fans. The
number one player in total touchdowns in college football is
Fernando Mendoza from Indiana. Do you know who's tied for second.
It's gonna be Arch. Arch has nine, right, yeah, he's
fourteen fourteen second Menoza was sixteen. Arch is tied for

(26:07):
second actually with Bryson Barnes from Utah State and Taylor
Green from Arkansas. So Arch is scoring touchdowns?

Speaker 4 (26:15):
Yeah, yeah, You've seen those comparisons of you know, Matiers
leading the Heisman campaign and Arch's stats are nearly identical
and better in some categories.

Speaker 1 (26:24):
Hey, like, yeah, Arch has three more touchdowns in Materier.
Materier is going to be out for two to three games. Yeah,
Matier's also four and oh and it hasn't lost yet.
But also he hasn't played the number one team in
the country yet. So I'm gonna flip this back on
you camera. I to hear your thoughts. Can Arch get
back into the Heisman conversation?

Speaker 2 (26:42):
Oh?

Speaker 4 (26:43):
Because he went from top to completely dropped out now
and now like where where.

Speaker 2 (26:47):
Do you think?

Speaker 1 (26:47):
Well, let's look at it from this way, like Mendoza
is a number one uh he's a favorite, the betting
favorite right now. And I believe Indiana they play with
Ohio State and then with what's the rest of their schedule, so.

Speaker 2 (26:59):
You got Oregon. Yeah, I don't think they have Penn
State this year though.

Speaker 1 (27:03):
So there's a chance where if they win those games
and Mendoza plays well, you know, he could possibly win.
I think Carson Beck is the other guy. Although he
has even look incredible against uh against Florida this past week,
He's still good enough. But Tier would have been my
pick to win the Heisman. But then looking at the
rest of their schedule, you know you're wondering, does he
have to win out if with Matier being out in

(27:26):
the next couple of weeks, Arts comes in to beat Florida,
he plays well against Oklahoma, and then they beat Georgia,
beat A and m There's an argument that I think
Tech because the Texas defense, as you said, Mark, will
get well, They'll be in every They'll be in every
game just because of the defense. But they're gonna need
Arts to kind of step up and make some plays
for them to be able to win. So I could

(27:47):
say yes. Now, I also thought the last two years,
Quinn Yours was gonna win the highest pan, at least
be in York, and he didn't.

Speaker 4 (27:52):
The team was still in the comfortbable playoff because of
that defense. I think if if he goes and wins
the next four games, I mean, he's definitely back in
my tears falling out of it. It's no fault of
his own. As quickly as the press dumped Arch, I
think they will. I think that hype train will build
right back up. If things start going well, Texas keeps
winning and he plays well.

Speaker 2 (28:12):
The prom Queen's back on the phone. I'm available.

Speaker 1 (28:15):
Well, I mean, look at kill Williams this past weekend.
You know, he bawled out against the Dallas Cowboys defense.
All of a sudden, you know, there's some look at this,
look at this Killer Williams fleet liquor throw. You know,
even though the week before they were completely dogging him.
There's all these hit pieces coming out about how he's
a bad locker room guy, back culture fit. But hey,
he throws a couple of touchdowns all of a sudden,
media loves him.

Speaker 4 (28:33):
Well, he asked Higgs about that, because Higgs is a
Giants fan, so you can ask him about Russell Wilson
and putting himself out put.

Speaker 5 (28:38):
No stocky killer Williams game this past weekend because same way,
because Dallas' defense is awful.

Speaker 2 (28:43):
Well, two weeks ago.

Speaker 1 (28:43):
Where they were going to retire Wilson's jersey at they
were making this, then the next week they were getting
ready to hey, let's put Jackson dark.

Speaker 4 (28:51):
They were asking if he wants to wear number fifty six. Well,
we'll get Higgins now as a wish defensive MVP will
start with you next, shuley Man. I like stat wise,
I think I think I've been most impressed with Leonga Lafoul.
But I'm not I'm not gonna pick Leonga just because
Derek Johnson ruined our mental framework by by letting us
know that the years that he played a lot of

(29:13):
times the linebackers who played with him had more tackles
obviously because everyone was focusing on the stars player. And
so I'm putting and I know this may be a
little controversial or may not, but I'm going with Anthony
Hill because I think I think he I think he
does so much during the games that that it forces
everyone to concentrate on a lot of other people. But

(29:33):
I also think a good safe pick is Michael taff
Who's you know, leading the team in tackles, et cetera.
So yeah, I'm gonna I'm gonna go with Ann Mark
hard to argue, but I am gonna pick Leonga. I
think he's been outstanding and and just a quiet guy.
But also he's involved in all of the plays, and
people like who did that? Who's that tackle? It's inevitably

(29:54):
it's Leonga, So I'll take him.

Speaker 1 (29:56):
If you watch the Ohio State game, and I'm guess
your most Texas fans probably won't rewatch that he's blowing
up their offensive line play after play.

Speaker 2 (30:04):
He's been great.

Speaker 1 (30:04):
I think you could also argue Grayson Littleton, who might
come up in our next question, even Ty Anthony Smith.
He's really sent the last couple of weeks. But then
also you know the secondary guys. You know, if you
don't hear from them, you probably forget about them. Manny Muhammad,
he's been shut down, talked about Manny, and then Jelani
kind of at the star position. He's been everywhere too.

(30:26):
He had a fantastic game against UTEP and Sam Houston.

Speaker 4 (30:29):
Yeah, I mean there's a lot of I think the defense,
it's it's easy to pick players when you're playing well.
I also think the middle part of our defense has
been super impressive. I think it's a position that that
was the one piece we thought might be a weakness
on this defense because he had so many new faces.
But Barah Watson, Colbrabard, Travis Shot, everybody has been They've
been fantastic. So I think, you know, there's a lot

(30:52):
of people you could pick. But yeah, I don't know preseason.

Speaker 5 (30:55):
When Sark City thought he had was it sixteen seventeen
guys that could start. It's an embarrassment of riches and
we'll take it in anytime we can get it.

Speaker 4 (31:03):
Hey, it's why the first game gets why I was
state there was no too deep because there wasn't really
a too deep yet great because Stark and this defense
was at so much depth. Okay, newcomer of the Year,
it can be a transfer player, or it can be
a freshman. I'll even give you a true freshman, even
just a red shirt freshman. But so far, who's been
your newcomer of the year. You got you first this time? Mark,
Let's say Boemeister.

Speaker 1 (31:23):
Really, Okay, the punter from down Under yeah, you know,
I had impressive game, you know, fifty yard punts. I know,
just because he was just on your Guys podcast, might
be a little biased, but you know, I think a
cool story, you know, coming to transfer in but you know,
not even learning about football until he was a little
bit older. But has shown and I think we'll need him,

(31:45):
you know, coming up as conference play opens, You're gonna
need you know that special teams will There'll be a
game or two where special teams will kind of hang
in the balance.

Speaker 2 (31:51):
So I'll go with him. So, man, that was that
was kind of mine.

Speaker 4 (31:55):
So I'm gonna I'm gonna I mean, he is, he's
flipped our like, he changes the field like he's if
Texas defense and their special teams can play like they
did in the last game, where that it changes everything
for this team. But man, I think because I don't,
I guess Parker wouldn't count, especially because I mean he
technically is a newcomer, but not no, but what I

(32:15):
already picked him for that, So I'm gonna go. I'm
gonna go a newcomer. I'm gonna go inrees. Jack herees
he did not play in sim Houston, right, he was?
He played a little bit. I think I think I'm
not sure, but I think he may have been a
little dinged up or something, because I know the game
before they were saying he was a little dinged up.

Speaker 2 (32:32):
But I think I think he's gonna gonna do some
great things.

Speaker 4 (32:35):
That was a get you, get right game, but also
a get rest game for anybody. Trey Wis or c
J Baxter, Okay, who's yours?

Speaker 1 (32:43):
I would probably say Grayson Littleton just because I know,
you know it's a new freshman quarterback, Julian saying, but
to be able to lock down the best receiver in
college football like that from from day one, from the jump,
you know, I think cornerback to me is the hard
specition in the play in football. I didn't play football,
but just darn Island out there and going against Jermiah.

Speaker 4 (33:05):
Smith, you know, road first game. I think you may
have won this round, Cameron, because yeah, you've convinced me already.
I mean it's like, what's harsh thing to do in football?
You know, block Miles Garrett or play cornerback. I think
those those two are up there. So I would say
Grayson Littleton for me. Biggest surprise player I didn't give
you this, guys, one on the on the on the questionnaire,

(33:26):
but biggest surprise for you, and it could be.

Speaker 5 (33:28):
Good, it could be bad. You know, we'll keep it positive.
I think the way that Parker broke out is just
wind of say. I mean, I think you heard over
the summer like they were gelling, and you know, people
were expecting a lot from him. But I thought, especially
the game he had where he kind of bawled out
in that San Jose State game, I put him his
biggest surprise so far.

Speaker 4 (33:46):
Oh man, I like, I like what James Simon brings.
I think he's I think he's going to be something special.
I think the problem is he's going to be buried
so far in this depth chart, especially once Wisner and
Backs are back in. You know, you got Jerry Gibson
playing well, and you got Christian Clark too, but but
you see that kid, and as an eighteen year old

(34:06):
walking in there like he's he's something special. I think
he was. He's my biggest surprise. I knew I'd heard
good stuff about him as a dad who you know,
played et cetera, but I was I was not expecting
that last one for you guys here, what's been your
favorite moment so far of the season? Was a Pat
Knacafee drive jumping off the diving board in Miami. Are
we talking to Texas or just in college? Anything, but

(34:28):
let's let's let's go Texas wise, Okay, I was going
to say anything, they've been fired. I was going to
say I was going to give the leak. Course, I
think because that was kind of cool to see this guy,
but well, letting it go. I'll think of a Texas thing.
Oh man, I like the Parker Livingston putting the guy
on skates and and you know, showing off his track speed.
I think that's been my favorite Texas moment this year.

(34:49):
Probably I need to think about it a little more, though, Higgs,
you got one or can you?

Speaker 5 (34:55):
Actually last weekend was cool, like to We're posted up
for the pregame show kind of right on Bole Boulevard,
and up until a couple of weeks ago, I'd never
seen the team come in. You know that are usually
either watching at home or you know, or you know,
hanging out doing things. So that was kind of cool
to see. And then you know, to kind of go
a little mushy is the night game the first night
game I think is always cool, the drone shows and

(35:17):
all that kind of stuff.

Speaker 1 (35:17):
Yeah, I wish pay a little bit more night shows
night games. The next one will probably be Arkansas for Texas, right,
probably A and M. But I believe Arkansas will be
an afternoon game, so Vanderbilt will be eleven am kickoff,
and then of course A and M at least will
be a night game. But unfortunately not a lot of
night games this season. Me to break, We'll come back
close out the hour number one, Nick Juley Mark Kickens

(35:40):
from Third in Longhorn are here as The Craigway Show
continues on the free iHeartRadio app. Second hour of The
Craigway Show here on a Wednesday afternoon yacht Rock Wednesday,
Cameron Parker with you alongside Jake Kerman special thanks to
Nick Schuley and Mark Kickens from the Third in Longhorn

(36:01):
podcast stopping buy in the first hour that will be
on our podcast page. Good conversation talking in college football
the materier interview or material interview with the material injury
rather and then getting their thoughts on non conference superlatives
off Itto MVPs, defensive MVPs newcomers best moment of the
year so far, so that'll be posted on our podcast

(36:22):
page later today. No Texas football this weekend, but remember
every Saturday, on game Day and Friday when Texas plays
A and M. A Third and Longhorn podcast will get
us started with our college football coverage that airs an
hour before Longhorn's game day, and then we bring you
network coverage of the Texas football broadcast. Craig Way is

(36:45):
out this week. He'll be back next Monday with Texas
on an open week. Of course, we want to hear
from you on this program. Text to where Texas eight
one five three zero followed by your message, or leave
us a talkback message on the free iHeartRadio app. And
message coming in regarding John Mattier's injury, as it looks

(37:08):
like be three to four weeks he'll be out. I
would say it's probably doubtful he plays against Texas, but
a text coming in saying it is apparently a disclaimer
in the SEC Conference guidelines that Texas can only play
backup quarterbacks, former starters and or kids found in the library.

(37:29):
That's a great text and at first you might be like,
at this guy's a hater well, think about this here.
You know, I think about this last year in which,
you know, part of part of winning in any sport,
right is you got to get kind of not lucky,
but have sort of injury luck on your side, because
all it takes is one injury and it derel is

(37:51):
your season, right. You know, Houston Rockets looking at it
with Fred van Vliet out for the year, that's a
huge loss for Houston's titles hopes. Oklahoma all of a
sudden four and oh, thinking hey, gonna smash Texas at
the Cotton Bowl. Now it looks like, uh, oh, we're
gonna have Michael Hawkins at quarterback. But if you look
at the starting quarterbacks Texas we'll possibly face here going

(38:13):
back to last year, I believe they faced a backup.
And you know this isn't a you know, this is
just not fiction.

Speaker 2 (38:20):
It's fact. I've got it.

Speaker 3 (38:20):
I've got it in front of me right here, the list,
because the list here read it off for us. So
if you go back to twenty twenty four, even the
Georgia game, Gunner stocked and played the second half. Yep,
Marcel Reeve was the backup last year for Texas. A
and m played then started.

Speaker 1 (38:36):
Now he started now, so it doesn't really count, but
he is the starting quarterback now, so you know part
of it.

Speaker 3 (38:43):
They faced the backup quarterback, Cutter Bowlie. In the Kentucky game,
who they faced Taylor Green, who's now the Arkansas starter.
Didn't start the year that way? Who was their starter
before the year. Was it Blake Shapin. Did he transfer
it was?

Speaker 1 (38:57):
It was a it doesn't matter, he's so one that
transferred in someone that probably transferred out, But yeah, tailing
Greens a starter now the Florida.

Speaker 3 (39:04):
Game, Florida game, they did not. It was Aiden Warner
a third string right because and by the way, remember
Graham Merch was their starting quarterback who went out early
the season. Lagway comes in, and then Lagway gets injured
and Aiden Warner came in, who might as well have
just been the team starting punter. Right And by the way,
Kentucky they benched their starter Alsata. Yeah, I believe so. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (39:26):
And then in the Ou game they faced Michael Hawkins.

Speaker 3 (39:29):
In the Mississippi State game, they faced Michael van Bureer,
who I believe was newly named the starter.

Speaker 1 (39:34):
Yeah, because well, actually I believe Blake Shapin was the quarterback, right,
and then he got I think Texas was supposed to
play Blake shape In at one point last season in
some shape or form because shape In, Yeah, it was
supposed to be shaping last year, but he got he
got injured in Michael van Buren made his first start
because he was a true freshman, and then uh, Michigan,
you know, brand new quarterback coming in. So yeah, there's

(39:57):
part of it where Texas has I would say, got
unfortunate of playing teams who don't have their starting quarterback.
But also Texas didn't have Quinn Ewers the number one
quarterback for how many games the last three seasons, right,
So that's part of it, right, is being able to
as coaches state, next man up right, it's coach speak,
but there's some truth to it. Right, At a certain point,

(40:17):
being able to win a championship is about being healthy
in the NBA. You know, you can you can look
at it. Okay, see stayed healthy for most of the season. Right,
It's a big reason why they were able to win
a NBA championship, Philadelphia Eagles, Right, all these other teams
in the NFC and the AFC, we're dealing with all
these injuries. Philadelphia came in probably the most healthiest team

(40:40):
throughout the season. They won it all Ohio State right well,
Howard Judkins, Henderson Smith, Abuca Tate, their entire defense, Jack Sawyer,
Caleb Downs, right, all those guys, they stayed healthy. That's
just part of winning in sports is staying healthy. But
there is some you know, it is kind of funny
that Texas been able to face some teams out starting quarterback.

Speaker 3 (41:03):
Now it's it's more it's just funny that it's more
times than not they're facing the backup quarterback.

Speaker 4 (41:09):
Now, would they have, you know, beat Missippi State if
Blake Shaping was healthy, you would think so.

Speaker 1 (41:15):
Remember the Queen youwrs play that game no Arch Manning
started because Queen Yours was hurt. So, you know, that's
just part of it. And in Texas has played a
lot of games to season with a lot of guys
who have been injured. But there is it is a
little bit unfortunate that Texas may play Oklahoma without John
Mattier because that would change the dynamic of the game,

(41:35):
just like it would if Texas had to start possibly
Matthew Caldwell against Oklahoma come two weeks.

Speaker 2 (41:42):
It needs a Lagway.

Speaker 4 (41:43):
Who knows he was in a boot yesterday, but you
know he's that could just be precautionary, who knows.

Speaker 1 (41:50):
I'm sure he won't be one hundred percent going into
the Texas game. But they do get a bye week,
so there's some time for Lagway and for uh Matier two.
Heel up, but we'll see again. John Matteer undergoing hand surgery,
a boat broken bone in his throwing hand underwent surgery today.
It did go successfully, according to reports, but timeline probably

(42:13):
about a month now. Just because Texas is not playing
this weekend does not mean there's not some good college
football going on. Jake, looking at these matchups this Saturday,
I think the ones that stand out there's I'm looking
at it right now. There is one, two, three, four

(42:33):
games that features both opponents inside the top twenty five
to the first one Illinois taking on USC. Illinois got
boat raced by Mendoza in Indiana this past week. USC
all of a sudden kind of climbing in the top
twenty five up to twenty one four and oh eleven
am kickoff, Big noon kickoff. I guess on Fox because

(42:56):
Johnson and Joel klapt Then at two point thirty LSU
and ole Miss. Now speaking of injured quarterbacks, Austin Simmons,
the freshman will he not be available, So it will
be the what North Dakota State transfer Shamblie starting for
the for ole Miss on Saturday. You're close the fairest
state state Farris State, Farris State in one who he

(43:19):
too won the D two championship, I believe a year ago.
So LSU four and Zho Garrett Nessmayer, they're pretty healthy
taking on an ole Miss team that will be without
their starting quarterback. But that'll be at the Grove two
thirty on ABC and then at six thirty. Unfortunately, these
two games both at six thirty and probably the two

(43:40):
games I want to watch the most massive, massive showdown
in Happy Valley. Number six Oregon, who probably has looked
the best offensively this season taking on number three Penn State,
who was picked to win a lot of national championships
or not a lot was picked to win the national
championship by a lot of media members. Six thirty on NBC,

(44:02):
and then Alabama in Georgia. Remember last year's game in
Tuscaloosa was incredible with Jeremiah Smith making basically well it
was Ryan William Sorry that came on the scene with that,
with that sideline touchdown on the right boundary where he
kind of how he stopped, turned around, made the cash

(44:23):
and took off. He had a huge game. Alabama and
Georgia went back and forth, and Alabama would win that game. Yeah,
George Mester go on to go to the clat Football
Playoff and Alabama would would be ranked number one. That
would lose the next week to Vanderbilt.

Speaker 3 (44:37):
Alabama came out of the blocks and it looked like
they were going to boat race Georgia and the Dogs
fought back and lost the game on an interception late
thrown by Carson Back.

Speaker 2 (44:49):
One of many I think he threw. Was it two
or three picks in that game, if I remember correctly, Yeah,
and the first couple of picks were seeing ghost picks. Yes.

Speaker 3 (44:59):
In the fourth quarter, I thought Becks receivers let him
down a little bit. Yeah, he it was a tail
of two halfs the second half. He looked like a
Heisman type quarterback.

Speaker 6 (45:07):
You know.

Speaker 1 (45:07):
The reason why people thought he would be the first
round draft, first round pick than the draft of the
year ago was because of that second half at times.
But that would be a huge game, I think more
so for Alabama. Remember they lost to Florida State to
begin the season. Tys Simpson, the freshman, the freshman quarterback
with their quarterback has looked a lot better.

Speaker 2 (45:26):
In the last couple of weeks. They beat Wisconsin, who
now is Wisconsin. You could say Wisconsin's terrible.

Speaker 1 (45:32):
Their fans were chanting to fire Luke Fickle, the former
Cincinnati coach who is now their head coach.

Speaker 2 (45:37):
But for Georgia three to No.

Speaker 1 (45:38):
Number five in the country, coming off a huge win
against Tennessee, a game that the easily probably could have lost,
right if Tennessee's kicker can make that game winning field
goal in regulation. They went in overtime. But I've been
impressed by how Stetson Bennett has kind of developed. You know,
he had some bad moments in that game, but also
he made.

Speaker 2 (45:56):
Some big time Bennett.

Speaker 1 (46:00):
I've great pre season sets and Bennett, Gunner, Stockton, Jake
from They're all the same quarterback.

Speaker 2 (46:08):
To me, throw Aaron Murray in there. Yeah, I give
you Eron Murra a little bit more. Yeah, that's right,
he deserves that.

Speaker 1 (46:13):
Yeah, I think, you know, he's up there with Matthew Stafford.
But Gunner Stockton rather thank you for the clarification. Uh,
he's he's looked. He looked good in that second half,
you know, because again Tennessee came out. He was twenty
one seven right, thinking like it's going to be a
boat race. But George, it finds a way to kind
of claw back. And this time, even though they lost
Tobama last year in the same fashion, this time they
able to win in overtime and now a chance to

(46:35):
improve the four. And now I think if Georgia wins
that game on Saturday, they'll get a lot of first
place votes to possibly be number one. But you know,
we'll see how Oregon Penn State shakes out. Looking at
Saturday's games, Jake, which ones are you paying attention to
the most? Well, the ones you circled obviously Bama.

Speaker 3 (46:49):
George, I I thought Stockton was just terrific in the
second half of that Tennessee game. Made some of the
best throws I've seen that Georgia quarterback make since Dnson
Bennett was there, and included a very gutsy fourth down
conversion late in the end zone to ultimately seal up
that victory. I think we'll see fireworks in that matchup.
I think we'll see whether or not what we've seen
from Alabama, the hyper efficient offense and the suddenly tenacious defense,

(47:14):
is that the Alabama we get, or do we get
the team that walked into Tallahassee and just thought they
were going to be handed things to start the season.
The other game that you didn't mention is Ohio State
at Washington. The line is only eight and a half,
so oddsmakers think that Washington has a chance to at
least keep that within a one score contest. It's the

(47:34):
first real road test for Julian saying, and it's a
it's a potentially tricky road spot if Washington can hang
around in that game for a while against the number
one team.

Speaker 1 (47:42):
Yeah, Huskies three to zero. Destroyed Washington State a week ago,
beat Caro State in week one. There is a petition
now in the city of Colorado for Carlo State to
hire Bo Pallini as their head coach. So, you know,
I'm not sure how great things are going with the
Rams so far. But yeah, that's crazy. It's only just

(48:04):
over a touchdown for the number one team in the country.

Speaker 3 (48:07):
Yeah, and then you look at Indiana to going to
Kinnick Stadium to take on Iowa. Can they back up
the big result or is that potentially a trap game
for Kurt Signetti and company.

Speaker 2 (48:16):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (48:17):
Well, so far Fernando Mendoz has been the most electric
player in college football. Can you keep that up against
the three and one Iowa haw guys this Saturday. So
a lot to look forward to, even without Texas playing football,
and I think allows Texas fans to be able to
sit back and enjoy Saturdays, because I don't think Texas
fans have really enjoyed Saturdays this season. Even though Texas

(48:38):
beats sam Houston fut nothing. I think there was some
trepidation going in that game, wondering like, oh boy, if
this team struggles in sam Houston, we might be in trouble.
But Arch Manning and the offense came out on all
cylinders in the defense pitched a shutout. Just getting started
here an hour two of today's program. It is Ryder
Cup Week. Matches begin on Friday at Bethpage Black. The

(49:03):
Americans spoke to the media yesterday. I believe the Europeans
speaking to the New York Press today, but to help
us break down the Ryder Cup will be Jeff Schackraford,
my good friend and golf author and reporter who is
covering the Ryder Cup up in Farmingdale, New York. He
joins us next as the Craig Way Show continues on
a Yacht Rock Wednesday. On a Yacht Rock Wednesday by

(49:26):
Blues Image one hit Wonder from the seventies. Maybe Team
USA will be telling Keig Bradley ride Captain Rye this
week at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black and we
continue our twenty twenty five Ryder Cup preview now visiting
with golf reporter and author Jeff Chakraford from jeffschakrafor dot Com.

(49:48):
Of course, you can read his work with the Quadrilateral
Newsletter and listen to him on the mckeller podcast. Greeting
us from Bethpage, New York. Good afternoon, Jeff.

Speaker 2 (49:58):
How you doing. I'm doing well, Cameron.

Speaker 7 (50:01):
It's great to talk to you again, and we're all
very excited about the big matches coming up.

Speaker 2 (50:06):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (50:07):
I appreciate you it taking some time out of your
busy schedule. How many Ryder Cups have you covered up
until this point?

Speaker 2 (50:13):
What number is this for you? Just my fifth. I
did Rome. I did Rome from home.

Speaker 7 (50:19):
I went to Rome a few weeks before the matches,
saw the course, ate a lot of great food, I
did a lot of great sight seeing, and then I
watched it from home, and I was very happy I
did that.

Speaker 2 (50:30):
I got the best of both worlds. I saw all the.

Speaker 4 (50:32):
Golf I needed a little early in the morning on
the West coast. But and Rome is an amazing, amazing
city that I would have been very unhappy if I
didn't enjoy properly. So you started covering after the miracle
at my Dina?

Speaker 2 (50:45):
Is that correct? That is correct?

Speaker 1 (50:48):
Okay, okay, we'll come back to that, and we'll come
back to your coverage, Boo, because I want to get
a story or a little nugget from your Ryder Cup
experience covering it as a media member. But the last
five Rider Cup, the margin of victory has been five points,
ten points, seven points, six points in five points since
that miracle at Madina heading in the twenty twenty five

(51:10):
This week, betpage Black, do you think we're headed towards
a similar result with the Americans running away with it
this week?

Speaker 2 (51:19):
You know, I don't, but.

Speaker 7 (51:22):
It just it's been really strange how we've had some
of these blowouts, but I don't.

Speaker 2 (51:27):
I just don't feel like this one's gonna be that.

Speaker 7 (51:30):
There's just too much, too many good players in form
on both sides, and I think the Europeans are i
would say a little deeper and more experienced and bonded
and all that stuff, which does I think help them
on enemy soil, And why I don't think they will.

(51:51):
They will be blown out like they were at Whistling Straits,
which was just you know, it just wasn't wasn't close,
and they also didn't as a few people who weren't
playing so great, and Padrick Merrington was dealt a rough.

Speaker 4 (52:05):
Hand at that one. And so I'm I'm, I really am.
It's not just wishful thinking. I really do think we'll
have a close one. You mentioned Whistling Straits.

Speaker 1 (52:14):
That was a mega blowout for the Americans and it
kind of felt like a maybe a turning point, but
maybe a period of transition for the European team. A
lot of younger players on that squad, and now they have,
you know, developed and coming into this this year. I mean,
loved Aberg wasn't even on the team yet and he's
turning into a fantastic golf of course from from Texas

(52:36):
Tech going to be a key player on this team.
You mentioned Roy McRoy as well, but on the American side,
where Scottie Scheffer just won this past week, Ben Griffin
finishing second. It feels like we're entering the Ryder Cup
with almost both teams kind of peaking at.

Speaker 2 (52:53):
The right time. Yeah, which is a big change.

Speaker 7 (52:57):
The Americans tend to slam out after the Tour Championship, understandably, they've.

Speaker 2 (53:02):
Played a lot of golf in hot weather.

Speaker 7 (53:03):
It's been a long year and they shut it down
and there's only so long you can stay focused. And
this time they all turned up except Sanderschoffle and Bryson
d Chambeau who's not eligible at the NAPA event. And
everybody made the cut, and as you noted, a few
guys played really well. So they also just seem like

(53:24):
they're getting along well. They had some stuff off the course.
Keegan Bradley was there watching the golf, not playing. We've
had some captains in the past who are supposedly monitoring
their players and they're playing in the tournament really so
it's little stuff like that. I feel like Kegan's really
turned out to be very disappointingly good at this.

Speaker 2 (53:45):
You know, we love some of this American drama. It
adds to the.

Speaker 7 (53:48):
Fun, and he seems like he's balancing kind of gut
instincts common sense with some of the analytics, which are
I think severely overrated.

Speaker 2 (53:59):
But in the context of match play and Ryder Cup,
so he is so far, so good in terms of
just having everybody on the same page.

Speaker 7 (54:11):
And I think the only downside is that he's not
in these matches, and that's he's somebody it's not fun
to play against.

Speaker 2 (54:18):
The match play.

Speaker 7 (54:19):
He just is very fiery and persistent and he emotional
and he's a great match play golfer.

Speaker 2 (54:26):
Should have been picked for the last matches.

Speaker 4 (54:28):
So I think that's the only downside so far of
his captaincy is that he's actually not going to be
hitting shots. And it was It's been a very interesting
captaincy because of course Jet because he was shocked when
he was chosen after missing the Ryder Cup team in
twenty twenty three. If you have watched Full Swing, you
have seen the episode about Keegan getting the phone call

(54:49):
from captain Zach Johnson and all of that, and leading
up to the Ryder Cup, it felt like all of
the conversation on the American side of the Ryder Cup
was about their captain, which is pretty unique, right, Usually
it's about the players, but for the American side, he
was Keegan Bradley. And I'm hearing some theories now that
maybe it's possibly strategic on Keegan's behalf to keep all

(55:12):
the focus on him and not on the team. And
how Bryson's gonna mesh with with Cam Young or you
know the live PJ tour thing, how you kind of
mentioned a little bit. How do you think Keegan's done
so far handling this captaincy, because there's a strong, strong
case that he could be playing in the Ryder Cup
this year.

Speaker 2 (55:32):
Yeah, No, I believe he's.

Speaker 7 (55:35):
Really handled it way better than anybody could have imagined,
and that that's not a I mean, it's just a
tough job.

Speaker 2 (55:41):
There's there's there's strange dynamics in play.

Speaker 7 (55:45):
Certainly last time in Rome, Zach Johnson was dealt a
ridiculous hand with a couple of guys whining and moaning about.

Speaker 2 (55:54):
Pay and not coming on the team trip.

Speaker 4 (55:56):
And yeah, there's just only so much a captain can
do when you're when you're dealing with some of these
kind of egomaniacal situations. It turned out that they channeled
some of that pretty well onto the course. Some of
it got a little bit ugly, but it didn't necessarily
affect the golf of those The people who were wanting

(56:18):
to be paid, well, now this time they're being paid.
And I guess the good news for Keegan is, you know,
there really hasn't been a whole lot of focus on
the fact that the US is being paid and the
Europeans are not, and well, just yeah, the thing I'm
most anxious to see is what happens when these best

(56:39):
Paige fans are watching the US guys maybe losing, certain
especially the people who wanted money, And how will they
treat them? Will they treat them like like fellow Americans
or will they will they heckle them and turn on
them a little bit.

Speaker 2 (56:54):
I think it's a.

Speaker 7 (56:55):
Possibility, and it's something that it's it's going to make
it fast to watch, as if it wasn't already interesting enough,
with just good, great quality match play on a super
golf course.

Speaker 1 (57:07):
Playing at Bethpage Black Course, a very familiar golf course
is hosted two PGAs a US Open, but first time
hosting the Ryder Cup. What are your impressions of how
the course possibly will look in and be set up
by Keithing, Bradley and the Americans this week.

Speaker 2 (57:26):
Well, it's basically comes down to fairway.

Speaker 7 (57:29):
With the Europeans now like to have narrower fairways and
high rough They feel they have analytics that favor them
on that front and that has worked in France and Rome.

Speaker 2 (57:42):
The US wants a little wider fairway.

Speaker 7 (57:44):
They believe they're guys hitting driver uh and not not
hacking out a rough is a good thing.

Speaker 2 (57:51):
So that's that's the setup at beth Page.

Speaker 7 (57:53):
It's going to be a little different than it has
been for the the other majors, but it's still a long,
tough golf course with with pretty simple greens. Really, that's
the one thing I think that will be a factor
that I have no idea how it will impact play,
but it's something we're gonna be watching.

Speaker 2 (58:10):
It just doesn't have a lot of.

Speaker 7 (58:13):
Crazy long pots with huge break and I honestly don't
know who that favors, uh, but generally I would say
that's probably good for the US side.

Speaker 4 (58:24):
So yeah, they're gonna they're gonna set it up a
certain way, but you know, the PGA of America handles it.

Speaker 2 (58:30):
I don't know how. I don't get a sense that Keegan's.

Speaker 4 (58:32):
Really gotten that in the weeds on it again, not
trying to overthink it too much, which is which I
think is why he's done a good job today. Looking
at the twenty nineteen PGA, the the top five four
the top five finishers were Americans, including Patrick Cantley, Matt
Wallace the only one not from America in the top five.

(58:54):
So it did seem the favor American golfers.

Speaker 1 (58:57):
Of course, that was six years ago, and hey, through
the top four players, Brooks Kapka, Dustin Johnson, Jordan's Beef
not on the American Ryder Cup team. I think it's
a little bit surprising, Maybe not so much about DJ,
but for the Americans not to have Brooks Kopka or
Jordan's beef this year.

Speaker 2 (59:15):
We'll see how it shakes up.

Speaker 7 (59:18):
Yeah, neither one of them really gave the captain any
reason to pick them, and that that, and I think
I think they both acknowledge that. I'm a little surprised.
Jordan Speith isn't there as a as a vice captain
just because he's he's been such a big part of
this well and he and he picked he was on
the committee. They wasn't Bradley, but yeah, so but no,

(59:41):
they just needed to play.

Speaker 2 (59:42):
Better and they and they didn't.

Speaker 7 (59:44):
And I'm more bullish on Speith having a resurgence than
I am Brooks. I just I just well, we'll see
what happens when his contracts up with Live, but I
think it's just taken an edge off his game being
on you know, playing fifty four.

Speaker 2 (59:59):
A events on on not the best golf courses in
the world.

Speaker 1 (01:00:03):
Previewing the Ryder Cup with Jeff Shagraford, Okay, there's a
couple theories notions about this Ryder Cup and in the
Ryder Cup history, and I want to get your thoughts
in them. One is that the Americans play for themselves,
play for pride, pay for money of course, now a
big deal. In the Europeans, they you know, they play
for their country and they play for each other. Is

(01:00:26):
that the fibe that you get when you've covered the
Ryder Cups and you've been around it in this season
or is it just just good fodder for when the
Americans get blown out on the road every every time.

Speaker 7 (01:00:38):
Oh no, yeah, there's no question that the US guys
seem to struggle more with a team environment.

Speaker 2 (01:00:46):
And it makes sense. It's an individual sport.

Speaker 4 (01:00:48):
It's part of what we love about the Ryder Cup
that they're taken out of their normal element and placed
to this situation, and the Europeans seem to handle it better. Course,
everybody's theorized, is it because they play a few more
team events, you know, when they're younger national teams foursome's.

Speaker 2 (01:01:08):
I think there's some of that. I think that.

Speaker 7 (01:01:12):
I mean, they really don't play the European Tour and
Bond as a group anymore. That used to be part
of it.

Speaker 4 (01:01:18):
A lot of the European guys are full fledged Americans
essentially now so, but they do seem to get on
the same page when it comes to the Ryder Cup.

Speaker 2 (01:01:29):
They certainly did in Rome and the US certainly did not.

Speaker 7 (01:01:32):
And and you know, the captain takes a lot of
blame for that, and I don't know if it's always
very if that's fair, because you're just dealing with some
big personalities who aren't used to that situation and they
don't adjust well for whatever reason. Maybe they didn't play
a Walker Cup, or they didn't play a junior Ryder
Cup or something they just didn't get it, or maybe

(01:01:53):
there's just so much pressure that they don't know what
else to do, because it is a high pressure situation
golf stuff. And then when you're feeling a burden to
you help your partner out and you're not used to that,
it can make you do strange things. So it feels
like this American team is on the same page much more,

(01:02:14):
which will be helpful. But the Europeans seem to have
their They have everybody back except Nikolai Holgard and it's
his brother in his place. So they seem to be
getting along well and had a great pre Ryder Cup
trip to beth Page all the stuff you kind of
look for.

Speaker 2 (01:02:31):
There's no drama there right now.

Speaker 1 (01:02:33):
Talking with Jeff Shackelford live from Bethpage Black. We'll continue
this conversation next hour as The Way Show rolls on
on a yacht Rock Wednesday. On this Wednesday afternoon, Craig
Way out for the rest of the week. I'll be
back Monday, as our coverage will begin with Steve Sarkasian's
Monday press conference as Texas takes on Florida. Open week

(01:02:55):
for the Longhorns as they get good week off and
then get ready for or a big stretch of football
five straight games, beginning on the road in Gainesville. Then
there'll be the home team, but away from dk R
at the Cotton Bowl, taking on Oklahoma, who may not
have starting quarterback John Mattier underwent surgery today. Then back

(01:03:17):
on the road at Kentucky, then at Mississippi State, who
has looked pretty good, and then home for Vanderbilt. Bye
week there and then a tough three week stretch including
at Georgia and then home from Arkansas and A and
M to close out the regular season. Or this team
will be We're not sure, but I'll tell you what

(01:03:41):
the ups and downs. Texas is doing a lot better
than Oklahoma, stake and Steves, Locas are doing a lot
better than Mike Gundy, who yesterday, I believe it was
announced during this program yesterday that Mike Gundy.

Speaker 3 (01:03:53):
Yeah, we covered it for a few minutes and the
day before I'll let you I'll let you drop the
news Mike Gundy is gone.

Speaker 1 (01:04:01):
Yeah, Well you know, so they lose to Tulsa on
Friday night in a game that Tulsa for the entire
game looked like the better team, and they kicked like
seven field goals. If they could have scored just two touchdowns,
the game would.

Speaker 2 (01:04:15):
Have been a blowout. Look like the better team.

Speaker 1 (01:04:17):
They just they are, Yeah they are, Yeah, they are.
And so Gundy I think he was asked about, you know,
stepping down or moving on. He said, I'm one hundred
percent going to be the head coach here. Well, what's
that freezing cold? Takes Less than twenty four hours later,
athletic director Chad Weiberg made a decision to fire Mike
Gundy midst of one and two. Start quoting saying, quote,

(01:04:42):
it's the best interest of moving the program forward in
the long term end quote Gundhy, I would probably say,
in terms of current college football coaches who are still coaching, right,
is he the most popular? Now Belichick coming in kind
of chain just that, but he's really college football coach,

(01:05:02):
I would say, no, So let's move Belli Chake away
from the equation. Mike Gundy might be the most popular coach, right,
Lane Kiffin, I don't know if Kirby smart is there.
I mean, he's probably the best. He might be the
best coach in college football. But in terms of the lore,
the aura, if you want to say that, I don't
think there is a there's you know, Dabbo with his coach.

(01:05:25):
But Mike Gundy's gone all of a sudden. You know,
you kind of lose a big figure in college football,
love him or hate him. He was the second longest
tenured coach in the FBS before his firing his twenty
first season behind Kirk Ferrence. I was coached, has been
there since nineteen ninety nine. Somehow, Gundy is the all
time winningest coach in Oklahoma state program history. And it's

(01:05:48):
my triple digits. I don't think anyone will ever eclipse that.
But it's a program that, at one point against Tulsa
had filled to score a touchdown since two thousand and
two twenty fourth. Did they ever score a touchdown in
that game on Friday night? I don't think they did. Actually,
they might have done it in the second half, but
at a certain point they had not scored a touchdown

(01:06:10):
against an FBS opponent since December of I believe two
thousand and twenty four.

Speaker 2 (01:06:19):
They did score a touchdown. Yeah, so it's stepped the
streak and not a good streak, a bad streak.

Speaker 1 (01:06:24):
They lost to Oregon sixty nine to three, when three
nine last year not winning a single game in Big
Twelve play, and they started out three and oh I
believe they were ranked before they lost their first Big
Twelve game. All in all, Gundy lost his last eleven
of his last twelve games and kind of symbolizes how

(01:06:47):
college football has changed, right. I think we'll think of
in terms of coaches who have not adapted to NIL
and the transfer portal and the shifting landscape of college football.
Mike Gundy did not adjust. I mean, Jake, they were
playing for the Big trop championship against Texas two years ago.

Speaker 3 (01:07:04):
Look, I think at that time with Texas and Oklahoma
leaving the conference, and Tim Brando pointed this out. I
know Texas fans loved Tim Brando, but he pointed out
a lot of people at that time thought, well, that's
the team that's likely is to take over the conference, right,
that's your heir apparent, whether it was going to be
Gundy at Okay State or Matt Campbell at Iowa State,

(01:07:28):
and man are those two programs in opposite places right now.

Speaker 1 (01:07:33):
It's it's kind of an indictment of where college football
is at. And honestly, you know, I think a lot
of Texas fans, you know, did not like Mike Gundy,
did not like Oklahoma State. But it's kind of sad
because you lose a prominent figure. And I don't mean
in terms of who he is as a human being.

(01:07:53):
And I've heard he's been nice to certain people. I've
heard he's been a complete you know what to other people.
But come after me, love him or hate him. You know,
he's a polarising head coach and that makes the sport better, right.
You like having the villain in any sport. It makes
enjoying it so much more better, especially when it's the
head coach, because they're going to be there every year.

(01:08:14):
And Mike Gundy's press conferences were always something to behold,
right Obviously there's you know, I'm a man, I'm forty
and everything following that, He's been good for the sport.
And I think Dabo possibly is, you know, right behind him,
and you know Dabo as a coach that you know,

(01:08:35):
Mike Gundy never won a national championship. Dabo went two
he took down Nick Saban at the top of Alabama's
prime right we made were at the mountaintop. He made
Trevor Lawrence look like a slam dunk NFL prospect. Yeah,
you know what he did with Sean Watson and DeAndre
Hopkins to Trevor Lawrence, Hunter, renfro T Higgins, Higgins. You know,

(01:09:02):
even you know, last season, getting them back to the
College Football Playoff. You know, although you know you could
argue the a SEC wasn't as strong, especially looking at
what's happened at the conference, you know this season compared
to what it was last season. But it's sad because
we're seeing these coaches and you know, it's their fault,
Mike Gundy's fault. He had had a season and a

(01:09:23):
half to get on the nil transfer portal boat and
he refused to do though you heard we hear start
talk about it all the time, you know, adapter dime.
The dinosaurs failed to adapt, and we're seeing some of
these coaches who are still kind of in there prehistoric
are of college football coaching where they think, you know,

(01:09:45):
they're going to be naive to the fact, be proud, stubborn, prideful,
whatever you want to call it, but Mike Gundy's kind
of been in that situation where, hey, I these coaches
will change. I'm not going to change. But what's happened
is Mike Gundy somehow it's not coaching a college football
program in twenty twenty five, and for a moment, remember

(01:10:05):
he was interviewing for Believe he interviewed for Penn State
when they hired James Franklin. There was a chance Mike
Ndy could be coaching in the Big Ten or even
the SEC. But here we are with him refusing to adapt.
And you know, I wonder Jacob is Davos Sweeney the
next head coach to fall.

Speaker 3 (01:10:23):
Sup Well, like Davos said, he you know, Clemson could
move on without him, but he's not just gonna go
sit on the beach, right.

Speaker 2 (01:10:31):
He wants to coach.

Speaker 3 (01:10:33):
Davos Sweeney I think still has that fire and has
the ability to impact and change a program if it's
the right setting, in the right context. But in the
current climate of college football, you can't run a program
like he is now and expect maybe a different result

(01:10:53):
to what Clemson's getting.

Speaker 2 (01:10:54):
Clemson.

Speaker 3 (01:10:55):
The Clemson story, to me is is shocking, But to
see Oklahoma State come out after a bye week. You
come out after a bye week, barely got one hundred
yards in the first half against Tulsa. It's shocking to
me how far they fell from a football perspective. And
to be you know, Mike Gundy, he wore it. He said, yeah,
we lost this game in large part because I was

(01:11:15):
out coached. So you have to respect at least the
accountability there. I think Dabo Sweeney still has a little
bit of denial going on.

Speaker 1 (01:11:22):
Clempson's one in three win two in conference play. Kay
club Nick has not looked like the high spinning contender
that we thought he was. And of course Antonio Randall's
been out for most of the seasons so far. After
getting nicked up against LSU, they're supposed to still, that
does not excuse how bad their offense has has looked.

Speaker 2 (01:11:43):
And a lot of people picked Clemson to win it
all this season. And I don't think.

Speaker 1 (01:11:50):
Clemson would fire Davo halfway through the season like Oklahoma
State did. I mean, because I don't know if Okamoa
State's gonna win another game this season. If Mikendy remained
the head coach, He's not changing Clemson. They should be
good enough to win a couple of conference games, but
I mean, oh and two in conference play. I don't

(01:12:10):
see how they make it to the a SEC Championship.
I don't see they make it to the Collage Football Playoff.
And with how top heavy this Clemson team was, I'm
not sure if they'll over get back there again, at
least not in the short term.

Speaker 3 (01:12:26):
I mean, they're supposed to have first round talents all
over the year worlds on defense and they're not making
plays right now.

Speaker 1 (01:12:35):
A little bit shocking. It is shocking, very shocking, but hey,
that's where we're at. College football. Adapt or die. Mike
Gundy did not adapt.

Speaker 2 (01:12:45):
He is out.

Speaker 1 (01:12:46):
His brother Kill Gundy, who you can hear him in
the morning kickoffs sometimes, says he was asked, well, Mike
Gundy coach again? His quote was, hell, yeah, and I'm
going with them. So we'll see where Mike Gundy and
Kill Gundy and they end up coaching. Hey, Liberty might
be looking for a new head coach next season. Jeremy
Chabill will get hired away by somebody. Could Mike Gundy

(01:13:08):
head up the Liberty Flames right? Yeah, we'll see, We'll see.
I'm sure there'll be some some program willing to group
a five program willing to take a bet on Mike Goudie. Okay,
we're going to continue our Ryder Cup conversation with Jeff
Chakraford up next as the Craig Wave Show continues. After this,
let's continue our conversation with Jeff Chakraford from Jeff Chakraford

(01:13:30):
dot Com. Golf author in porter checked out his work
at the Quadrill Newsletter, the best golf newsletter in the business,
and he's been busy this week pre in the twenty
twenty five Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black that will tee
off on Friday as the Americans as Team USA tries
to avenge their loss to the Europeans in Rome two

(01:13:55):
years ago. And Jeff, let's let's pick back up with
the Europeans and their philosophy, their style that has helped
them really turn the momentum in this competition. I think
it was Eduardo Molinari who he mentioned on the No
Laying Up podcast for Chris Solomon, and he was talking

(01:14:15):
about I think he's the assistant vice captain, right. I
know he's in charge of the analytics or the analytics yes,
brother of Francisco Molinari, of course. And he was talking
about how Deep World Tour Thursdays and Fridays you would
see European players be paired together, not so much to
watch their game, but to you know, learn about each other,
and they would do dinners and stuff. I guess it's

(01:14:36):
pretty tough probably for Keegan to to get Bryson and
Patrick Cantley to sit down for dinner, you know, during
the US Open week. But it kind of speaks to
the camaraderie the Europeans seem to have over the Americans.
You know, we're hearing reports that the Europeans are you know,
testing out VR headsets and playing, you know, playing rounds,
so they get accustomed to the Beth Page crowds. Yeah, there,

(01:15:00):
they're They're trying everything, and they they do manage to
think up a lot of fun stuff and and it
always seems like they do it without over over analyzing
the situation, which is I think part of the charm.
And you always feel like when we bring in analytics
and different things, Americans tend to.

Speaker 2 (01:15:21):
Maybe mess it up a little bit more. Uh So, yeah, yeah,
it's a but.

Speaker 7 (01:15:26):
It's it's yeah, it's just it's a tough job being
the captain trying to balance these things. And that's why
I've been impressed with how Keegan's uh, you know, just
been been a little bit different than some of our
recent American captains on where you sense there's just a
good balance there.

Speaker 1 (01:15:42):
So after the last butt whooping on the European side,
you know, the Americans were asked, you know, why didn't
you guys, you know, win play well? And I think
it was Jordan's Speed that just said, well, they just
made more putts, they they chipped better, they they played
better than us, and some people greet some people didn't
like it. Is it possible, Jeff, that you know, maybe
the Ryder Cup is just decided by when the team's

(01:16:05):
best player doesn't play well. Because you look back to
to Rome Scottie Scheffler only you know, only earned one
point for the Americans. You look back to Whistling Straits,
Roy McRoy, Victor Hovlin, two of the best players on
the team outside of John Rahm, only one one point
eight one point each. Is it possible that when the

(01:16:25):
when your best player doesn't play well, that you're gonna lose?

Speaker 2 (01:16:29):
Well, that's certainly part of it. But the beauty of
the format is that you you you have depth that matters.

Speaker 7 (01:16:38):
Uh I guess where you know where we enjoy the
drama of the Ryder Cup is when you have the
best player in the world or one of the.

Speaker 2 (01:16:43):
Top five and they aren't sharp.

Speaker 7 (01:16:47):
It puts the captain in a brutal spot where they
probably should bench them for a match or two. And
that's where the big egos and the name and the
ranking getting in in the way. And you have somebody
who's playing well and you you you sit them and
you go, oh, that's kind of a that's a questionable move.
And that's what I love about the Ryder Cup format

(01:17:09):
is that you do have to sit people, and you
have to watch that first morning session and make a
decision about the afternoon. It's not set in stone until
the the you know, midway through the or late in
the session.

Speaker 2 (01:17:24):
And that's that is the fun of it.

Speaker 7 (01:17:26):
You know some of these events, I was just the
Walker Cup, Well they set both sessions for the day
ahead of time.

Speaker 2 (01:17:32):
Well that's no fun.

Speaker 7 (01:17:33):
Yeah, you want to you want to be able to
see who's doing what, and that's where when people roll
you say, well the captain doesn't really matter.

Speaker 4 (01:17:42):
No, actually it really matters in the Ryder Cup because
you have to make a decision on the spot.

Speaker 7 (01:17:47):
And I think that's ultimately why Keegan decided not to play,
because you do need to watch that morning play. Although
I think there was a case that he would never
have played those two morning foursome sessions.

Speaker 2 (01:17:57):
He would have watched and then he could have gone
out and played.

Speaker 1 (01:17:59):
But he seems very comfortable in the decision he made
and he's he's in luck that it looks like everybody's
in decent to outstanding form for his team. There always
seems to be an overreaction I think on who's the
twelfth person chosen as if they're going to play all
five matches and be the reason why they win or lose.

(01:18:21):
I think we saw it with Justin Thomas in Rome
and people blaming him. They're not the reason. JT's not
the reason why No Americans lost that and Teaken Bradley,
if he played or did not play, would not have
been the reason why basically play on the course would
not have been the reason why they would have won
or have lost the event.

Speaker 4 (01:18:38):
Uh yeah, I mean you can that's another beauty of
the Ryder Cup. You can you can pick on these things,
but there it's very rare that it comes down to
one decision that was made or one player. And that's
the beauty of it that you have all these different
factors and it does give us something to mull and consider.

Speaker 7 (01:18:58):
But h and some of that may stem also from
the past. Well, we used to be two captains picks,
and there were there were captains who made picks on
both sides of the of the matches that didn't pan
out very well. And now when there's six picks, it's
a little harder to seize on those two selections.

Speaker 3 (01:19:20):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (01:19:20):
Not that that ever stops people, but uh.

Speaker 4 (01:19:24):
And I think that is it's helpful at least for
the captains to have six and if nothing else, it
kind of diffuses some of that blame game.

Speaker 1 (01:19:33):
Let's pick on one more thing. If this is another
runaway victory for the home side as the last five
that been, do you foresee a change in the format.
Would you be open to a format change? I wouldn't
Now I think it's a yeah. The format is pretty brilliant.

Speaker 7 (01:19:50):
The only the only thing that that I don't like,
and this has nothing to do with your question of
of a blowout or not. But I wish that they
would have the draft style like the President's Cup has,
So for those who aren't familiar the Ryder Cup, it's
a it's a blind draw. The captain writes out twelve

(01:20:11):
names for Sunday singles and puts it in an envelope
and it's submitted.

Speaker 4 (01:20:16):
And in the President's Cup they do it more like
a fantasy draft, where you name a name and.

Speaker 7 (01:20:23):
The other captain goes, and then that other captain then
names the name and then you match that and it
helps set up some fun fun matches. I mean, all
the foursomes four ball matches are gonna be great no
matter what, but the singles, it would be it would
be really fun to see. Yeah, this year in particular,
would be fun to see McElroy versus Scheffler, for instance.

(01:20:45):
And you know you may get Schofle versus mckelroy, Wells
Anders not the player he was last year at the moment.
So that kind of thing is that's more of a
drama thing than anything else. But I think the format
is just a genius. It works because you get the
element of do you bench people or not. It's just
the right amount of golf. The four balls goes on

(01:21:07):
a little too long, but that's a slow play issue
less than a format issue. And then I just love
it that everybody does play on Sunday and singles.

Speaker 2 (01:21:16):
I think that's fantastic.

Speaker 1 (01:21:18):
Do you have a prediction. I'm putting you on the
spot here. Do you have a prediction? Do you do predictions?
What's your general feeling for how how this weekend will go?
Because it sounds like you're expecting a much closer Ryder
Cup than a lot of other people. Yeah, and you
know you have to remember too, the last Ryder Cup
at Rome was technically very close.

Speaker 7 (01:21:38):
In that you know, it could have gone a few ways.
The last day, the Walker Cup, I was just at
it was seventeen to nine. Well on Sunday in the singles,
now I would have taken, you know, something significant. But
there are a lot of matches that were close and
it could have all flipped very quickly. So people sees
on the final score. So I think the US will
win by three or four points, but just just a guess.

(01:22:02):
But I but I again, three or four points. I
believe it's gonna come down to the last few matches.
And be interesting. But yeah, people sometimes sees on those
scores and they forget that there's some matches there that
could flip either way and flip the whole thing, And
that was certainly the case at Rome. I was just

(01:22:23):
reviewing and again for some stuff I was writing, and
it was it was fascinating to me how that last
day could have flipped. I don't think it would have
because the crowd was so on Europe's side, but it
was surprising to be reminded that the US was not
out of it until fairly late in the day.

Speaker 1 (01:22:40):
Yeah, I think it was really Tommy Fleetwood's match that
kind of really changed or not maybe that changed, but
really solidified Europe's victory, and that came pretty late in
the day. So Sundays has provided some great viewing. Okay
mentioned the Walker Cup, the fiftieth Walker Cup played the
Cypress Point Golf Club, Tommy Morris and the UTC. You're
a part of the number one ranked team in the

(01:23:01):
country for John Field's fantastic group of golfers. Texas has
a real good shot of winning it all this season. Again,
what was your takeaways from from Tommy Morrison? He won
two matches. I think went two and one two weeks
ago at the Walker Cup six point seven. He offered
nothing but great things about him as a human being

(01:23:22):
and he's a fantastic golfer and should have a really
bright future in this game.

Speaker 2 (01:23:27):
Yeah, he represented Texas well.

Speaker 7 (01:23:29):
I watched all of two of his matches, and he
played some sensational golf, especially in the singles match where
he beat my friend Nile Shields Donegan.

Speaker 2 (01:23:41):
Three and two, and it was a it was just
an incredible performance. He played so well.

Speaker 7 (01:23:46):
Nile was starting to kind of get back into the
match and Tommy made a long plot on the fourteenth
hole that was that was just a killer, and he
was otherwise he just really had very few flaws in
his game. Played uh, some amazing shots, played with Jackson Coyven,
the number one amateur in the world, and an amazing
opening session match. So it was it was a blast

(01:24:09):
to watch. It's a it's an incredible event. It's you know,
they hate this when we call it this, but it
is a little it's a junior Ryder Cup in a sense,
even though it's great Britain and Ireland instead of all
of Europe, which is a whole other topic. But he
he uh, he impressed me. That was the first time
I'd gotten a chance to watch him. I met him
at the Open Championship that he qualified for last year

(01:24:30):
and I was I was very impressed with his game.

Speaker 3 (01:24:32):
It was.

Speaker 2 (01:24:33):
It was quite fun for everybody though.

Speaker 7 (01:24:35):
In his opening matches, Cameron he played against a young
guy named Connor Graham from Great Britain in Ireland who's
maybe five seven, and he was probably the longest hitter
there and he outdrove Tommy if they were on an
alternate shot for him, they were, they were teen off
on the same hall. He he handily outdrove Tommy quite

(01:24:56):
a bit, which had to be eye opening because we
we had quite you know, size, tall guy with distance
and here was this little guy who just absolutely kills them.

Speaker 4 (01:25:07):
I mean he hit one drive three seventy one, which
is nuts. So yeah, a little help, a little roll,
but it was. It was an amazing man. We knew
it was gonna be a great match. It was the
first one out and it lived up to the billing,
so it was it was a lot of fun to
watch him.

Speaker 7 (01:25:22):
And yeah, Coach Fields was out there and it's I'm
sure he's gonna have another great team this year. It
looks like so good for them. Jeff, as always appreciate
your time. Looking forward to reading your covers at the
Ryder Cup, the Quadrilato. I'm not just saying this because
you're you're on the show today. I always look forward
to your major coverage of the major championships and the
way you break down the courses in the holes, especially

(01:25:44):
the Cyprus Point, and you had a breakdown a lot
of that golf course and it makes a viewing even
more fun because you can look at a hole that
you may not get the background information on from the
TV broadcast, but you're right about it.

Speaker 2 (01:25:57):
And also I really enjoyed that.

Speaker 1 (01:25:59):
So, Jeff Shackeford dot com, the Quadlateral Newsletter, and the
mckiller Golf Podcast. Looking forward to reading and listening to
your work from this week. All right, Thanks Karon. He
is Jeff Chakraford. Check out his stuff Deef Chakrafer dot
com and subscribe to the Quadrilateral Newsletter and the Killer
Podcast bringing you all coverage from the twenty twenty five

(01:26:20):
Ryder Cup. We'll continue our Ryder Cup preview tomorrow as
we have a special guest, a former writer Cupper from
the American side. We'll be joining us on tomorrow's show.
We'll be back to continue the final hour here of
the Craig Way Show on a yacht Rock Wednesday.

Speaker 2 (01:26:36):
You know, I didn't really know this is considered Green
Eye Lady.

Speaker 1 (01:26:40):
Yacht rock until I looked at the Apple Music yacht
Rock playlist. But I do love sugar Loaves. Green Eyed
Lady one of my favorite beginnings to a rocksong. But
there you have it, a yacht Rock Wednesday, and Green
Eyed Lady will end our yacht Rock Wednesday. Okay, it's
never too early for college baseball talk, right, heard from

(01:27:00):
head coached Tim Slashting a little bit earlier in today's program,
and going to hear a little bit more from him
as we close out today's show. So the twenty twenty
sixth schedule has not yet been released for Texas baseball.
We do know, I think three of their games in
non conference play at that tournament, the Classic down in Houston.
But here is slashes thoughts on the schedule so far

(01:27:22):
and when we might possibly get it released.

Speaker 6 (01:27:25):
We haven't released it yet because we're just waiting on
contracts to come back. But we have four weekends three
of them at home before SEC play and then one
down in minute May. I think that the schedule has
already been announced where we play Coastal Carolina on Friday,
I think Baylor in Ohio State something like that, and
then yeah, we go on the road a couple times

(01:27:45):
midweek games I think the Texas State and U of
H Houston. Outside of that, you know, I don't think
I can really say anything yet until we release it,
but yeah, the conference slate looks pretty good. I mean,
the player, the teams are awesome. Uh. I think we
opened at home and finished the season at home. We
open at home against Ole Miss and I think we

(01:28:06):
finished the season home Missouri, so.

Speaker 2 (01:28:10):
Uh that that'll be nice.

Speaker 6 (01:28:11):
It'll be nice to be home before the SEC tournament. Again,
we don't we don't play all the.

Speaker 2 (01:28:16):
Shoot Yeah broke scheduled though this year with going to Tennessee.

Speaker 6 (01:28:20):
Yeah, yeah, we go to yeah oh that's been released right, Yeah,
we we we go to Tennessee, we go to Vandy,
we go to South Carolina, and we go to Auburn
and we go to an M. So great teams, really
good trips. Excited for our fans specifically to see like Auburn.
Auburn such a cool town. Uh, just a really neat
place to be and awesome ball park, so it should be.

Speaker 1 (01:28:43):
I should probably clarify that now their their conference schedule
has been released, we do know Texas baseball place you
heards lost talk about it. Uh the open against Ole
miss at the Dish second weekend of March. I believe
then first road trip will be against Auburn, fantastic baseball environment. Oklahoma,
then at South Carolina at Bluebell versus the Aggies College Station.

(01:29:07):
That'll be a fun series. Come back home against Alabama,
go out to Nashville and take on Vanderbilt, come back
home from Missippi State, travel two Knoxville to take on Tennessee,
and then close out the conference season against Missou. The
only non conference schedule opponents we do know, which is
what I meant to say. The Astros Foundation College Classic,
Coastal Carolina, Baylor, and Ohio State now their fall conference schedule.

(01:29:32):
Texas playing at Del Diamond and then also at the Dish,
but playing against Texas Tech at Del Diamond September twenty seventh,
that's in three days this Saturday, one o'clock Central time.
Tickets are available and then their next game October third, Friday,
the day before Texas Florida, six thirty pm against Lamar

(01:29:53):
at Dish falk Field. So if you're looking to catch
some college baseball, get a sneak preview of this Texas
baseball team. Two opportunities to catch them out right here
in Austin. So Slash was asked, Okay, why round Rock.

Speaker 6 (01:30:06):
It's a long story, but basically nothing bad. It was
just yeah, it was it was mine along with working
with the Express, I've had a long history. You know,
the Ryan family is very close to me, to my
heart all. You know, Race Reed and Wendy all went
to TCU, Chris Almonders been a friend for a very
long time, everybody that works up there. So uh, we

(01:30:30):
try to have a good working relationship with them. And
so it's just a good opportunity and super thankful for
coach Tadlock to you know, for those guys to come
so far to you know, to play a game. So
it should be a lot of fun, good showcase with
Texas College Baseball.

Speaker 1 (01:30:42):
Depend the busy schedule for the round Rock Express Del Diamond.
The Express season over with, but the season at Del
Diamond has not been over with got the Classic, or
rather this non conference game exhibition game on Saturday, but
they've been hosting the Savannah Bananas, so did not go
out to catch that. But I had some friends who
said they absolutely loved it. Okay, so the two games

(01:31:05):
Texas is playing on the fall side of the schedule.
Of course, Texas Football does not play this week and
they play next Friday before Texas Football plays against Florida.
So Schlass was asked about, you know, managing this fall
schedule around Texas Football, but also making sure it provides
an opportunity for fans to come out and catch them play.

Speaker 2 (01:31:23):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (01:31:23):
I mean I'm the one that scheduled the game, so
so yeah, we we we strategically. But you know, when
you have six weeks without a home football game, I mean,
that's tough on everybody. You know, It's tough on the fans,
it's tough on the team, football team, It's tough on everybody.
It's tough on us, it's tough on the other sports
because we really rely on those football weekends from a
recruiting standpoint, and so to go six weeks without a

(01:31:45):
home football game, front front loads are recruiting. We've had
three straight weeks of a lot of guys on visits
and we've been successful with most of them.

Speaker 2 (01:31:53):
But we also have this big window of.

Speaker 6 (01:31:56):
With the exception of you know, next Friday when we
play that October third base and we'll have some kids
in on that weekend, but then we don't really have
anything else, you know, to show them. So we wanted
to play those two fall games during that window of time.
We don't have anybody coming for as of now for
the Round Rock game, but yeah, we put it there
hoping that we could get a great crowd, you know,

(01:32:18):
and especially the people in North Austin that maybe not
it's tough for them to get to, you know, one
of our games, or they can't get a ticket during
the regular season.

Speaker 2 (01:32:26):
They can come out and see us play This Saturday.

Speaker 1 (01:32:28):
Again at one o'clock Central time, Texas Baseball against Texas Tech.
You can buy tickets leave through the Round Rock Express
and also Texas Baseball. And then next Friday, October third,
six thirty pm Central time, Texas against Lamar. So that's
some sound from head coach Jim Slanstegle as Texas Baseball

(01:32:49):
prepares for their fall season. We'll be back to wrap
up today's program up next year on the iHeartRadio app.

Speaker 2 (01:32:57):
In thirteen hundred, the Zone

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