Cedric Goldon on UT and The Red River Rivalry

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
To us Cedric Golden, who joins us here on Sports
Talk seven ninety. Cedric, We've already had a conversation about
this game earlier today on the OU side of things.
I asked my co host this earlier this week. Is
this one of the lesser lackluster type matchups in this

(00:20):
rivalry that you've ever seen? I know there have been some,
but with everything going into this and with some of
the question marks on both sides, do you feel like
this or are you like pumped as usual for the
Cotton Bowl and everything that comes with this game.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
Well, I'm always pumped for it because it's you know,
it's just a blessing to cover event of that magnitude
and do this for a living. But I don't think
Texas held up there in in Florida. And if Texas
that come in here at four and one, it would
still be a sexy match up. But they but they
stubbed the toe and didn't show up against Florida. I

(00:55):
still think it's got a lot of buzz because of
the quarterback story lines that are coming into this game.
Will will John Mattier play with that thumb? Seventeen days
after thumb surgery is arch Manning still as he's still
is the most visible quarterback in America. Is he really

(01:16):
a flop? Is he? Is? He gonna have another game
like he had in Florida? So the storylines are still
really hot. Of Oklahoma get getting pretty much bury Texas
and eliminate all but eliminate them from playoff contention with
a win, and the Horns can can can still be

(01:37):
breathing a little bit if they could get this thing
back on tracks. So it's still pretty sexy matchup.

Speaker 3 (01:42):
Earlier this week, you had reposted something that I too,
had reposted it from a good friend, Sam khn Over
at the Athletic He was on the show with us
not too long ago. It was about quarterbacks being pressured
on their dropbacks. I was at the UFH game this
past weekend against Texas Tech when their quarterbacks were underseas
the entire time, and that was the only team in

(02:03):
the country the Cougars that had their quarterback more under
siege than arch Manning against Florida based on that number
of pressures. Before we specifically get into arch it's the
same thing what needs to happen around him that has
not been happening, Whether it's just the old line, or
the targets, or the run game or all of it
before a real assessment of where this kid can go

(02:26):
can really begin.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
He needs help. I mean, he's not Vince Young, but hell,
even Vince Young had help. Vince Young was surrounded by
NFL players man that the USC Texas game, though Harns
thirty guys on the roster ended up in the league,
so I just think he needs help. The running backs
produced fifteen yards rushing fifteen yards rushing, and Arch led them.

(02:54):
Arch is the leading rusher on the Longhorns. Who would
have thought that coming into the season. After five games,
the defense did not create short fields. The defense had
zero sacks against the guy with one leg. The offensive
line gave up six sacks to a team that had
three coming into the game. It was a total no show.

(03:16):
And I will say this about Arch Manning, that is
one tough young man because he stood in that pocket
and took a tremendous beating and still made things interesting
at the end of that game because he made some
money throws. He missed a couple, but he did make
some to keep Texas in the game. So in my eyes,

(03:40):
he did nothing to hurt to hurt my perception of
him now. Is he meeting the preseason expectations? How could he?
I mean people are saying Heisman Trophy, National Championship. The
guy has started what two games coming into this year,
so growth doesn't happen without some kind of struggle. This
time next year will be to talking about arch Manning

(04:01):
in a different vein. He'll be much better because of
the experience that he's going through right now. But if
we're talking about what's going to happen on Saturday, Texas
still has a fighting chance to win this game, but
arch Manning can't do it by himself.

Speaker 1 (04:15):
Talking to Cedric Golden of The Austin American Statesman, you
mentioned that, you know, looking forward to next year and
just the seasoning and just the reps in general that
arch Manning gets. And it's funny because b Jhon Robinson
has kind of gone on the circuit this week two
different podcasts where he's kind of gone out of his

(04:35):
way to say, hey, let arch you know, be let
him be now again. You mentioned that the thing at
the beginning, all the hype that went into this season,
and you know, as a guy who votes for the Heisman,
you were probably wondering what in the world too, just
because of the lack of experience. Just because your name's
Manning on the back of your jersey doesn't mean that

(04:55):
you're going to be you know what those books that
have come before you have been. Is it as simple
as that, you think, you really feel that strongly that
you come next year when he's lacing him up, he'll
just be that much better of a quarterback from going
through the slings and arrows of this twenty twenty five campaign.

Speaker 2 (05:13):
I think so because you saw what Quinn Owrers went
through this first year as a starter, and he was
markedly better after that. I think that Arch Manning needs
some help up front. The offensive line has just been deplorable, horrible.
Last year's offensive line had the Lombardi out In Trophy
winner at left tackle and Kelvin Banks, and it still

(05:33):
wasn't as good as we thought it would be, even
though it was a Joe Ward a More final a
Joe Ward Award finalist. So I think Sarksian may need
to rethink his approach on offensive lineman. He's made it
with homegrown guys to this far, but this year has
been kind of exposed. It's not a solid group. They

(05:55):
don't get a push up front, They can't protect a
good mobile quarterback. They had the I can't remember the
kid's name, but the Oregon left tackle was on I
mean that Oregon left guard was on campus in the
offseason at the facility and they didn't close close the deal.
And now he's part of an Oregon o line that's
only given up three or four sacks all season. So

(06:17):
that's that's what we're talking about. You have to find, uh,
somewhere in America. You can't tell me there aren't two
or three disgruntled offensive linemen in the portal who would
love to live in a city like Austin and get
paid good money from that Texas collective. So uh, he's
got to rethink that. Uh. And uh, you know, the
one good shiny, you know, silver lining on the cloud

(06:42):
is that Arch Manning. We can stop talking about him
being the number one overall pick in the next NFL draft.
His grandfather was right all along. I believe he's coming
back for another year and that goes well for Texas.

Speaker 3 (06:54):
Are there any bigger picture twenty twenty five concerns? If
you know, they come out of this game, which they
very easily could at three and three with what the
final six games hold just from a program standpoint and
where things really are as a as a as a program.

Speaker 2 (07:10):
And then popped into my mind, is you gotta be tougher.
You can't get pumped like that. They are pumped in
Gainesville from the from the opening snap until the end.
They got pumped. They got out tough, and the SEC
is about physicality, and then SEC is about how good
are you upfront on both sides of the line. And

(07:31):
Texas lost that battle. It was it was a it
was a whitewash, total dominated on both sides of the football.
And if your big boys are winning battles up front,
or at least holding their own and going fifty to
fifty every other snap, you're gonna get beat. You're gonna
get beat. And so when I picked them to go
ten and two at the beginning of the season, it

(07:51):
was with the understanding that they were gonna beat Ohio
State because arch banning was better than Julian's saying, and
that they were gonna be Florida. And I thought they
probably lose to Georgia or Texas A and or Texas
A and M. But now here they are at three
and two midway through it, and they still haven't played Georgia,
and they still haven't played the Aggies. And so the

(08:12):
thing that's got to worry Texas fans more than anything
is you don't want this thing to go off the
rails and you're looking at a seven and five or
a six and six. It feels like an eight and
four at this point, and based on what they've done
these last couple of years, eight and four is a
tremendous failure.

Speaker 3 (08:29):
Yeah, you said the same thing I did, but you
just said it better. All week I've been talking about
them losing the battle in the trenches both sides of
the football. But you, of course, like I said, said
it better. They did get punk. They got pushed around,
and that was why what could be ahead for them?
They If they get pushed around again, then the schedule
it's going to point to eight and four or much worse.
I'm curious from a conference standpoint, Cedric, do you have

(08:52):
any conviction over saying who you think the best team
in the SEC is.

Speaker 2 (08:58):
For the first time, I do not. I don't uh
now when I look when I look up top, you
know Alabama Ty Simpson is way better than anyone thought
he'd be the quarterback Atabama. He's the reason that they
went into Georgia and halted that thirty three game winning
streak at home. LSU is up and down, Tennessee quietly

(09:23):
playing pretty well. I think maybe the most consistent team
is Texas A and M. And you know, I'm saying
that knowing they started five and zero conference last season,
and then and then you look up and they're going
one and four down the stretch. So and the Aggies close.
The Aggies have an experienced offensive line, they have a

(09:43):
quarterback in Marshall Reed emerging, and three good running backs
and so and a couple of good receivers. Mario Kraver's
as good as anybody in the country. And that defense
is holding up well. So I think the Aggies might
be the most complete team. But for the first time,
I can't say with any matter of certainty who the

(10:03):
best team is in the SEC. And isn't that great
for college football when you don't know?

Speaker 3 (10:08):
It's fantastic. It's why I asked, because I figured that
might be the answer. Just need a number from you
on the way out, Cedric. This is the blank time
you have covered the Red River rivalry.

Speaker 2 (10:19):
I was asked that earlier this week. I want to say,
I did two when I was in East Texas, when
I was in Tyler, and then I did, I did.
I started My first one here was two thousand and two.
So what would that be in Austin twenty four two three,
five four to six five six.

Speaker 3 (10:39):
That's a tough one, that twenty four.

Speaker 2 (10:42):
So I'm going to say, I think this is my
twenty seven.

Speaker 3 (10:45):
Well, I knew it was a lot. I've known you
for a long time. I was trying to recall the
first time we had a conversation. I think all I
could come up with is maybe was a big twelve
media day when Mike Gundy had his h his transformation
with his look. It kind of stood out to me
that might have been the year that we first discussed things.
And again, it's been great following along with you all

(11:05):
these years here and look forward to the coverage coming
up on Saturday and beyond throughout the season.

Speaker 1 (11:09):
Appreciate your time.

Speaker 2 (11:10):
Cedric, appreciate it. Guys. Anytime you need me, you got my.

Speaker 3 (11:13):
Number, will do and we will definitely reach out again.
It comes your way right here on Sports Talk seven
ninety one thirty for coverage beginning with the two thirty
kickoff Saturday afternoon.

Speaker 1 (11:24):
Texas OU

Speaker 2 (11:26):
The a team on Sports Talk seven ninety