December 29, 2025 • 22 mins
Craig has arrived in Orlando for the call of Texas vs Michigan in the Cheez-it Citrus Bowl! Jake checks in with him, discussing the pressing questions surrounding what both offenses will look like, the state of bowl games in 2025, Jody Conradt's Texas legacy, and of course, where Craig and the crew will eat in Orlando!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
So get out a raise.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
But it's not these bomb or duel greaves some kind
of sensuous street.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Can't hit a team.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
We got a big warm teams burger Man back here
on the Craigways Show.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Glad to have you with us on this Monday afternoon
and hopefully enjoying himself cheeseburger and well maybe Paradise compared
to Austin right now weather wise down in the Sunshine State.
Craig Wade joins us from Orlando. Craig, I hope you
had a fantastic holiday break. It's great to talk to
you again.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Yeah, it was great. Uh you know, Jake and I
appreciate good the talk with you as well. And uh,
you know, it's funny that you that you bump back
with Buffett there, because there's some talking Lungster radio crew
about going to dinner at Jimmy Buffett's Margueritaville restaurant because
he's got that chain too, So tonight or tomorrow night
(01:11):
or something like that. I don't think a decision has
been made yet, but it did make me think about
it when you're coming to that, and it's funny tying
the two together in the last two out of town,
big out of town trips because basketball is in Maui
and they used to have a Cheeseburger in Paradise, Jimmy
Buffett restaurant there, but sadly it was part of the
bad fires they had in Lahina and it was and
(01:34):
was taken down by that. But there's a Jimmy Buffett
connection throughout all of our lives, I do believe, especially
when you work with Roger Wallace.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
By the way, I was going to say, who's the
final decision maker on dinner destinations among you, Roger, Will
and the crew.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Well, it's rare that we can get all of us together.
And because of different things. Roger has worked assignments, Will
has worked assignments. Sometimes I have worked assignments again in
the way, things of that nature. But usually usually we
try to get together either the night before or a
(02:11):
couple of nights out of the final football game of
the year, you know, and then all go to dinner together.
Terry Kelly, our broadcast operations manager, is down here as well.
Of course, my two sons work on the broadcast. Andy
is a spotter, Jason's the parabolic mic operator. Our statistician,
Steve Leeches down here. So we have the whole crew here,
(02:32):
and it's rare that we can get all of us together,
and I think that's going to be the initiative for tomorrow.
There's nothing final set yet. It usually comes down to
several different people making suggestions, going, hey, well why don't
we try this, Hey, this works, Oh, this is right
across the street, you know that kind of thing, and
then we then we all you know, have a forum
(02:53):
eventually decide what we're going to do.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well, let's see how it all shakes out.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
I mean, other things on your itin or rear that
jump out that you're most excited for over these next
couple of days. We just read through what Texas has
been up to. It looks like you missed out on
all the amusement park fun today.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Yeah, you know, I had never heard of what's it?
Fun World America?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, I was that.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
We passed it or were passed nearby it on the
way in. And the team hotel is right in your
Sea World as well. I can look across and see
the Sea World from the hotel, so it's it's And
then of course you know you've you've got Disney, all
the Disney resorts and area Universal Studios, and the players yesterday,
(03:38):
uh went to Universal Studios. So for those who think,
oh wow, this Bowl Games is doing it on the
cheat by sending them to some knockoff theme park called
fun World of Era, that was the charitable part of
it with the kids, that was the fun day thing
and the photo ops with the kids and things like that.
The players also got a chance to do Universal Studios,
(03:59):
so they've got a good time and that and that's
the way it is in bowl games. And uh, excuse
me for a moment when I hop on my soapbox here. Uh,
I understand completely understand why some fans are let's just
say bowl weary. Uh, and especially in this day and
age of the expanded playoff for a lot of college
(04:21):
football fans, and I'm not knocking them for this, but
for many college football fans, now that we have a
twelve team playoff and hopefully maybe a sixteen down the road,
those are the only games that matter, and so any
other bowl game is looked at as being something less
than what they should be doing. Now at the news
(04:44):
conferences here so far, uh, you know, Sark has said it,
and there'll be one more, you know, news conference coming
up tomorrow with the two head coaches or in this case,
acting head coach Bit Pochy. And then and then, of course,
are you know Sarkas said in the players have said
Colin Simmons said it yesterday. This was not our destination.
They made that clear. Nobody is suggesting that their whole
(05:08):
driving ambition was to reach the cheese at Citrus Bold.
They get it. The whole thing is about reaching the playoff,
but a pause, not reaching the playoff. An it's a
nice reward for the guys for the work they put
in this season, not only to go down here and experience,
by the way, it's seventy eight degrees here, so it's
nice and warm and Sonny and all of that, and
(05:31):
experience some fun Bowl activities, but then measure yourselves what
you have of your team, you know, with all the
opt outs and portal guys and things like that, but
to measure yourself as a program against a caliber program
like Michigan as well. So I understand why a lot
of fans, you know, don't get behind the balls. They
(05:51):
weren't getting but a lot of those stands Jake weren't
getting behind the balls before the playoff even happened before
it was a fourteen playoff. So yeah, there's too many bulls.
And I've never understood that argument either. If you don't
want to watch the bowl game, don't watch the bowl game.
But there's I mean, what are you going to watch.
You're gonna watch you cornhole, You're gonna watch dog competitions,
(06:17):
You're going to watch poker. I mean, all that stuff
is on all the Family of Network for ESPN, but
it's nice to have some college football on as well,
even if you're not into either of the teams. And
I'll see one more thing as an alumnus of the
University of North Texas, to see the joy that a
lot of alumni had at the Mean Green finishing the
(06:38):
year at twelve and one most wins ever in school history,
to win a bowl game for the first time in
ten years. There is a reward for some of the
I don't know, it's a G five. It's different with
the power four. Completely understand and degree and get it.
I understand all that. But if you're not in the
power for, what's wrong with then giving the players a
(07:03):
reward for the season that they've done. That's my point,
and that's the point about whatever, the Reliaquest Bowl, the
Gator Ball, all those other ball games. Yes, they're not
the playoff. And nobody's arguing that this is a great
swap out. Nobody's saying that. What they are saying is
an opportunity to play one more football game together as
(07:23):
a team, and then you move on to twenty twenty six. Right.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Not only did they get to go out in a
case of North Texas on a great note as a team.
I mean, Caleb Hawkins made some money in that ball game,
for sure. Drew Mestimaker continued to show that he's capable
of playing at a high level. There's still plenty to
gain for these teams in these bowl games.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
And plenty of the game for someone like me.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
If you end up going home for your holiday break
and you end up with the stomach bug, and so
you're watching a lot of wall to wall football, yeah, and.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
I will say this, by the way, do you get
a stomach bug?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I did?
Speaker 1 (07:56):
I'm feeling better.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
I'm feeling better.
Speaker 5 (07:58):
Oh good, glad to hear that.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
The you know, you're right, Caleb Hawkins are running back
nor text. Most people think it that he will follow
his head coach Eric Morrison go to Oklahoma State. He's
from Shawnee, Oklahoma, so that would make sense if it happens.
Same thing for Drew Mes to make her whether he
goesh to you know, whether he goes to Oklhoma State
or some other place. This is also a showcase. Listen,
(08:24):
like it or not. We're living in a portal world now,
We're living in an nil world now. So uh, there's
some guys who elect to not play in the bowl
game because they want to, you know, they want to
have the opportunity to be in the portal. That's okay.
And then there's other guys who want to play in
the ball game because they want to be there, you know,
(08:45):
with their teammates, have one more experience. But also, like
you just mentioned, it is a very good point.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
It's a chance to show what you can do.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
And maybe if you haven't made up your mind about
whether you're going to go to the portal, if you
have a big game, then maybe it might start thinking that.
Or if it reveals that there's some things you need
to work on with your game, you've got that answer
and then you go to work on it the off season.
I see no harm in these for Those who don't
(09:14):
want to get into the bowl games completely understand it.
Watch the NFL, enjoy that because that's coming down to
the wire. But don't bag on people who do like
to watch it because it's a chance to see more football.
How many times do we hear Jake in the spring
people go, oh, really miss football and all this other
kind of stuff. Those who want to watch the UFL.
(09:34):
I don't be grudging that. I'm not into the UFL,
but I don't begrudge people want to watch it. It's just,
you know, it's their entertainment choice. So you know, I
feel the same way about college ball games, always have.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
I'll always prefer the Birmingham bull to the Birmingham Stallions.
No disrespect, by the way, Georgia Southern leading Georgia's other
leading app State twenty six to ten in that game.
As we as we speak on this Monday afternoon, So
let's turn to our attention to the cheese at Citrus
Bowl and look Michigan and Texas both in their different
(10:08):
ways going under some transition.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
What did you react? What was your reaction?
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Sorry, when Michigan hired Kyle Whittingham over the Christmas.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Break Well, I think those who follow college football think
that it's a home run higher. I don't necessarily disagree
with that. I don't disagree with that, but I will
say this, it is a higher that leads you to
believe he's there to fix the problems in the short term,
(10:40):
get the ship righted, get the Nile contributions up from
their donors.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
He's sixty six.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
That doesn't mean he can't coach another ten years or longer.
Look at Pete Carroll.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
You know there's you know, it doesn't mean he can't
do it. But it's not like you know, like I said.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
And Eric Morris or some other young John summerle you
know who's going to Florida, a younger coach who you
know the school is throwing its weight behind and expecting
a long term, uh you know, commitment to that. I'm
not saying that Kyle Winningham isn't committed to Michigan. He is,
but it may not be as long a commitment as
(11:19):
some of the others, simply because of his age and
things like that. And at this point, at this point
in the year, with most of the really good coaches
already spoken for, Michigan could have done far worse than
than than to align with Kyle winning him. I think
it's a good hire.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Yeah, I think so too.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
I mean, when you see both head coaches tomorrow morning,
I don't know if you'll be at the press conference.
We'll certainly try to bring you the highlights of it
on the shaw tomorrow, so you'll be there. What are
you most curious to hear from from both Sarg and
Biff Pogi?
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Probably, And if the question isn't asked in the first
whatever five to ten questions, I will ask the question.
And I never missed the head coach's news conference when
they go to bowl games. I'm always there for that.
So if the question isn't asked, I will ask of
both of them, how altered altered does their offensive and
(12:16):
defensive game plans need to be to accommodate the availability
and the talent level of the guys they still have
who are here and ready to play the game. We've
already heard Sart say he's got sixty five scholarship players,
so he's down twenty there, so you know, and missing
some guys obviously at some key spots. So a question,
(12:40):
a fair question would be how altered can his running
game be? Not having a Trey Weisner back there, you know,
not having Jared Gibson back there, not having CJ. Baxter
back there. How altered is the running game?
Speaker 5 (12:53):
You know, things of that nature.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
So, and then on the defensive side, how changed will
that linebacking core be?
Speaker 5 (13:00):
But remember Anthony Io have been out injured.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Anyway, So you know, I think it's a fair question.
Both coaches will say things along the lines of, We're
not foolish enough to believe that we won't have a
different look in some ways with the simply because of
the personnel who are there. But I don't see any
fundamental changes in what they're doing. If that were the case,
(13:23):
Will Muschamp would already be coordinating the defense. But its
start said a couple of weeks ago, it's too late
in the game to do that, to change up schemes
and all that other kind of stuff. And that's why
Johnny Nansen, who's a code defensive coordinator anyway through the
end of this year, is going to run the defense
and call the signals to the defense on Wednesday. So
I think it's fair.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
To ask how different are these.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Teams going to look not having some of their key
personnel out of the same token. I don't expect a
response that it would be radically different on either side.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
You know, it's been a while, Craig since we've seen
a Steve Sarkisian coach team in this position in a
bowl game that is not part of the college football playoff.
I think you go back what three seasons ago when
the Longhorns played in the Alamo Bowl back ins in
Sark's second year. To what extent do you expect this
to be more of an audition for next year versus No, No,
(14:16):
the only focus is winning this football game.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
When you say audition for next year, who are you
from what perspective?
Speaker 4 (14:24):
Yeah, coaches, from the perspective of your of your player
personnel and seeing what you have with some younger guys
who might be coming back.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
I got ji. Well, they definitely want to have an
opportunity to look at it. I think also the emphasis
to try to win the football game, get the ten wins,
have double digit wins of each of the last three seasons.
That's a mark to go for. I think so that
I'm sure has been discussed with the players. But yes,
(14:54):
I do believe that Sark does want to get a
good look at Christian Clark. I think he does want
to get a good look at some of the other guys,
at some of the young guys that we'll see in
the secondary. I expect Xavier Phils to me to have
a big role at tomorrow in the game or Wednesday
in the game. So there's some younger guys that they'll
(15:14):
look at.
Speaker 5 (15:15):
I mean, just on the depth chart alone and.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Putting together the depth chart for my broadcast boards, I
looked at and I thought, Wow, this guy had seen
many stamps, but he's going to see some on Wednesday,
if he's not injured or whatever, depending on how the
game goes. So, yes, there is a bit of auditioning
all wrapped around and within the context and framework. Are
trying to win the football game.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
No doubt about it, Craig, I wanted to get your
thoughts on this some news this morning. I don't know
if you saw this before you took off. Jody Conrad
is calling it a career. I know she hasn't been
coaching for a long time, but she's going to move
into more of a of a volunteer role within the
athletic department right as opposed to her current kind of
advisory capacity with Chris del Conte. I mean, just for me,
(16:00):
a lot of our listeners who might be in my generation.
I mean, I was lucky enough to get to interviewer
once for a student journalism story. But you know what
kind of of an impact in an icon has she
been in terms of women's sports in Austin and on
the national scale.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Well, I think you can mix in all of those
terms and not be exaggerating icon legend. What I like
to think of is pioneer, because she was a huge
pioneer in fomenting the rise of women's college basketball, the
first coach to coach a team to a completely undefeated
(16:39):
season with that national championship season of nineteen eighty six.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
But it goes well beyond that. It goes beyond the.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Leadership that she and Pat Summit had in the eighties
when they were trying to get the rest of the
sporting public to take note of women's college basketball and
women's athletics over all. And you have other pioneers. I
like Donald loo Piano, who is the athletic women's athletics
director of Texas for many years, another one of those pioneers.
(17:08):
And Jodie has always been that and has always been
an unassuming.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
Pioneer in a legend and kind of laughs it off.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
I mean when we when we talk a lot of
times that she wants to talk about football or she
or I'll ask her about her golf game, because she's
still a really good golfer, by the way. But she impacted, uh,
not only women's college basketball, but the way she coached
it and the demanding of excellence and things of that nature.
But was a pioneer in the growth of the sports,
(17:38):
in women's athletics overall. And she just wanted to, you know,
take some time now to relax and enjoy those golden
years and spend more time on the golf course. And
she's still around. She still sits in her baseline seat
at every women's basketball game, so she'll, you know, she'll
chime in, uh when asked, but more on a volunteer
(17:59):
basis now. She happy to take that step forward the
next chapter in her life.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
Yeah, no doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
Congratulations to to Jody Conrad, a pioneer, Craig, as you
so beautifully put it.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Okay, have you given any thought.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
You Roger will to trying the special twenty five dollars
cheese at crusted turkey Leg at any point in this experience,
you know.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
From the Department of True Confessions. I like cheese. Its
my wife liked the like cheese. It's an awful lot
for a long time. She she she by her own admission,
she kind of burned herself out on cheese. It's a
little bit, but she still she still dabbles in them.
But not even Linda could be interested in that. In
(18:47):
that cheese at Turkey Leg, we tried. Let me tell
you something, Jake, you may remember this. A few years ago,
Pizza Hut did a cheese at pizza with a cheese
at crust, and we tried it, and we were kind
of unimpressed. We like pizza and we like pizza ud,
but we weren't really impressed. It kind of came across
as gummy, and so we were kind of like, yeah,
(19:09):
so we're a little wary of trying that that TURCULA
Roger will never ever go for anything like that. Will
bit more adventurous Texas, Oh you game every year he
gets a turkey late, so he might be willing to
dabble a little bit.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
I don't know that I am I know Roger won't
be into it.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
How about this cheesy Pina colada which won the cocktail
contest that they had a couple of weeks back.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
If we had this one inconceivable, you.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Remember how you were saying that that you had a
stomach bug or whatever. You almost just gave me one there,
because I start with the fact, you start from the baseline.
Speaker 5 (19:46):
I don't like pina kalatas, so Rupert Holmes.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
And his song escape would not applied or appeal to me.
I don't like penia klattas, and I'm sure as heck
wouldn't want a Penia colada. Would cheese it mixed in it?
Speaker 5 (19:58):
That sounds that's.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Out's gross, not belong. Now, there you go.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
There you go.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
We'll keep it inconceivable for now, and we'll we'll keep
our distance just you know, we don't need to transfer
anything I had over the last few days over the phone.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Craig.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
I appreciate you uh taking some time to uh to
stop by. Let me know where you end up tonight
with the crew, and we'll try and touch base tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Yes, we will definitely touch base tomorrow.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
Uh after the press conference.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
Uh, you know, I'll be at the press conference Brank
early tomorrow morning. Well, you're with the coaches had to say,
I know you'll have all the sound from that, uh
for a long were nation and for our listenership and
appreciate that. And yeah, it'll be uh, it'll be a fun,
fun couple of days down here. We'll look forward to
the football game and you can appreciate this. Fortunately, I
(20:49):
had Terry Kelly, our operations manager for our network, and
our statisticians Steve Leach. They were over at the stadium
today and they set me photos from the booth s
I relate.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
Looks like a good broadcast position.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
And I'm nerdy about things like that, like you are,
you know, wanting to you know, work from a variety
of different places. I've never called a football game in
the city. In fact, I've never called.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
A game of any kind in the city. Wow, back
of all baseball whatever.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
So I'm looking forward to calling a game not only
in this city, but at Camping World Stadium. Especially from
the look of the photo, it looked like the broadcast
boot had a pretty good position to the field, So
I'm looking forward to that as well.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
You know, come to think of it, I haven't either.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
I covered Orlando's pro volleyball team, but they were up
in Omaha, of all places. So Craig, it's always nice
to check something off your new broadcasting list. And yeah,
we'll get your thoughts on what the head coaches had
to say tomorrow. Thanks bunch, Okay, have we going?
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Thanks Jake, all.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
Right, appreciate Craig calling in. Up next, we'll hear a
little bit from Longhorn's defensive coordinator interim defensive coordinator for
this game, Johnny Nansen, along with Colin Simmons and Tye
Anthony Smith. We'll hear from the Texas offense a little
bit later on in the program. This is Sports Radio
AM thirteen hundred The Zone.
So get out a raise.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
But it's not these bomb or duel greaves some kind
of sensuous street.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Can't hit a team.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
We got a big warm teams burger Man back here
on the Craigways Show.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Glad to have you with us on this Monday afternoon
and hopefully enjoying himself cheeseburger and well maybe Paradise compared
to Austin right now weather wise down in the Sunshine State.
Craig Wade joins us from Orlando. Craig, I hope you
had a fantastic holiday break. It's great to talk to
you again.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Yeah, it was great. Uh you know, Jake and I
appreciate good the talk with you as well. And uh,
you know, it's funny that you that you bump back
with Buffett there, because there's some talking Lungster radio crew
about going to dinner at Jimmy Buffett's Margueritaville restaurant because
he's got that chain too, So tonight or tomorrow night
(01:11):
or something like that. I don't think a decision has
been made yet, but it did make me think about
it when you're coming to that, and it's funny tying
the two together in the last two out of town,
big out of town trips because basketball is in Maui
and they used to have a Cheeseburger in Paradise, Jimmy
Buffett restaurant there, but sadly it was part of the
bad fires they had in Lahina and it was and
(01:34):
was taken down by that. But there's a Jimmy Buffett
connection throughout all of our lives, I do believe, especially
when you work with Roger Wallace.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
By the way, I was going to say, who's the
final decision maker on dinner destinations among you, Roger, Will
and the crew.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Well, it's rare that we can get all of us together.
And because of different things. Roger has worked assignments, Will
has worked assignments. Sometimes I have worked assignments again in
the way, things of that nature. But usually usually we
try to get together either the night before or a
(02:11):
couple of nights out of the final football game of
the year, you know, and then all go to dinner together.
Terry Kelly, our broadcast operations manager, is down here as well.
Of course, my two sons work on the broadcast. Andy
is a spotter, Jason's the parabolic mic operator. Our statistician,
Steve Leeches down here. So we have the whole crew here,
(02:32):
and it's rare that we can get all of us together,
and I think that's going to be the initiative for tomorrow.
There's nothing final set yet. It usually comes down to
several different people making suggestions, going, hey, well why don't
we try this, Hey, this works, Oh, this is right
across the street, you know that kind of thing, and
then we then we all you know, have a forum
(02:53):
eventually decide what we're going to do.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well, let's see how it all shakes out.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
I mean, other things on your itin or rear that
jump out that you're most excited for over these next
couple of days. We just read through what Texas has
been up to. It looks like you missed out on
all the amusement park fun today.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Yeah, you know, I had never heard of what's it?
Fun World America?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, I was that.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
We passed it or were passed nearby it on the
way in. And the team hotel is right in your
Sea World as well. I can look across and see
the Sea World from the hotel, so it's it's And
then of course you know you've you've got Disney, all
the Disney resorts and area Universal Studios, and the players yesterday,
(03:38):
uh went to Universal Studios. So for those who think,
oh wow, this Bowl Games is doing it on the
cheat by sending them to some knockoff theme park called
fun World of Era, that was the charitable part of
it with the kids, that was the fun day thing
and the photo ops with the kids and things like that.
The players also got a chance to do Universal Studios,
(03:59):
so they've got a good time and that and that's
the way it is in bowl games. And uh, excuse
me for a moment when I hop on my soapbox here. Uh,
I understand completely understand why some fans are let's just
say bowl weary. Uh, and especially in this day and
age of the expanded playoff for a lot of college
(04:21):
football fans, and I'm not knocking them for this, but
for many college football fans, now that we have a
twelve team playoff and hopefully maybe a sixteen down the road,
those are the only games that matter, and so any
other bowl game is looked at as being something less
than what they should be doing. Now at the news
(04:44):
conferences here so far, uh, you know, Sark has said it,
and there'll be one more, you know, news conference coming
up tomorrow with the two head coaches or in this case,
acting head coach Bit Pochy. And then and then, of course,
are you know Sarkas said in the players have said
Colin Simmons said it yesterday. This was not our destination.
They made that clear. Nobody is suggesting that their whole
(05:08):
driving ambition was to reach the cheese at Citrus Bold.
They get it. The whole thing is about reaching the playoff,
but a pause, not reaching the playoff. An it's a
nice reward for the guys for the work they put
in this season, not only to go down here and experience,
by the way, it's seventy eight degrees here, so it's
nice and warm and Sonny and all of that, and
(05:31):
experience some fun Bowl activities, but then measure yourselves what
you have of your team, you know, with all the
opt outs and portal guys and things like that, but
to measure yourself as a program against a caliber program
like Michigan as well. So I understand why a lot
of fans, you know, don't get behind the balls. They
(05:51):
weren't getting but a lot of those stands Jake weren't
getting behind the balls before the playoff even happened before
it was a fourteen playoff. So yeah, there's too many bulls.
And I've never understood that argument either. If you don't
want to watch the bowl game, don't watch the bowl game.
But there's I mean, what are you going to watch.
You're gonna watch you cornhole, You're gonna watch dog competitions,
(06:17):
You're going to watch poker. I mean, all that stuff
is on all the Family of Network for ESPN, but
it's nice to have some college football on as well,
even if you're not into either of the teams. And
I'll see one more thing as an alumnus of the
University of North Texas, to see the joy that a
lot of alumni had at the Mean Green finishing the
(06:38):
year at twelve and one most wins ever in school history,
to win a bowl game for the first time in
ten years. There is a reward for some of the
I don't know, it's a G five. It's different with
the power four. Completely understand and degree and get it.
I understand all that. But if you're not in the
power for, what's wrong with then giving the players a
(07:03):
reward for the season that they've done. That's my point,
and that's the point about whatever, the Reliaquest Bowl, the
Gator Ball, all those other ball games. Yes, they're not
the playoff. And nobody's arguing that this is a great
swap out. Nobody's saying that. What they are saying is
an opportunity to play one more football game together as
(07:23):
a team, and then you move on to twenty twenty six. Right.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Not only did they get to go out in a
case of North Texas on a great note as a team.
I mean, Caleb Hawkins made some money in that ball game,
for sure. Drew Mestimaker continued to show that he's capable
of playing at a high level. There's still plenty to
gain for these teams in these bowl games.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
And plenty of the game for someone like me.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
If you end up going home for your holiday break
and you end up with the stomach bug, and so
you're watching a lot of wall to wall football, yeah, and.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
I will say this, by the way, do you get
a stomach bug?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I did?
Speaker 1 (07:56):
I'm feeling better.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
I'm feeling better.
Speaker 5 (07:58):
Oh good, glad to hear that.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
The you know, you're right, Caleb Hawkins are running back
nor text. Most people think it that he will follow
his head coach Eric Morrison go to Oklahoma State. He's
from Shawnee, Oklahoma, so that would make sense if it happens.
Same thing for Drew Mes to make her whether he
goesh to you know, whether he goes to Oklhoma State
or some other place. This is also a showcase. Listen,
(08:24):
like it or not. We're living in a portal world now,
We're living in an nil world now. So uh, there's
some guys who elect to not play in the bowl
game because they want to, you know, they want to
have the opportunity to be in the portal. That's okay.
And then there's other guys who want to play in
the ball game because they want to be there, you know,
(08:45):
with their teammates, have one more experience. But also, like
you just mentioned, it is a very good point.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
It's a chance to show what you can do.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
And maybe if you haven't made up your mind about
whether you're going to go to the portal, if you
have a big game, then maybe it might start thinking that.
Or if it reveals that there's some things you need
to work on with your game, you've got that answer
and then you go to work on it the off season.
I see no harm in these for Those who don't
(09:14):
want to get into the bowl games completely understand it.
Watch the NFL, enjoy that because that's coming down to
the wire. But don't bag on people who do like
to watch it because it's a chance to see more football.
How many times do we hear Jake in the spring
people go, oh, really miss football and all this other
kind of stuff. Those who want to watch the UFL.
(09:34):
I don't be grudging that. I'm not into the UFL,
but I don't begrudge people want to watch it. It's just,
you know, it's their entertainment choice. So you know, I
feel the same way about college ball games, always have.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
I'll always prefer the Birmingham bull to the Birmingham Stallions.
No disrespect, by the way, Georgia Southern leading Georgia's other
leading app State twenty six to ten in that game.
As we as we speak on this Monday afternoon, So
let's turn to our attention to the cheese at Citrus
Bowl and look Michigan and Texas both in their different
(10:08):
ways going under some transition.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
What did you react? What was your reaction?
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Sorry, when Michigan hired Kyle Whittingham over the Christmas.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Break Well, I think those who follow college football think
that it's a home run higher. I don't necessarily disagree
with that. I don't disagree with that, but I will
say this, it is a higher that leads you to
believe he's there to fix the problems in the short term,
(10:40):
get the ship righted, get the Nile contributions up from
their donors.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
He's sixty six.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
That doesn't mean he can't coach another ten years or longer.
Look at Pete Carroll.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
You know there's you know, it doesn't mean he can't
do it. But it's not like you know, like I said.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
And Eric Morris or some other young John summerle you
know who's going to Florida, a younger coach who you
know the school is throwing its weight behind and expecting
a long term, uh you know, commitment to that. I'm
not saying that Kyle Winningham isn't committed to Michigan. He is,
but it may not be as long a commitment as
(11:19):
some of the others, simply because of his age and
things like that. And at this point, at this point
in the year, with most of the really good coaches
already spoken for, Michigan could have done far worse than
than than to align with Kyle winning him. I think
it's a good hire.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Yeah, I think so too.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
I mean, when you see both head coaches tomorrow morning,
I don't know if you'll be at the press conference.
We'll certainly try to bring you the highlights of it
on the shaw tomorrow, so you'll be there. What are
you most curious to hear from from both Sarg and
Biff Pogi?
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Probably, And if the question isn't asked in the first
whatever five to ten questions, I will ask the question.
And I never missed the head coach's news conference when
they go to bowl games. I'm always there for that.
So if the question isn't asked, I will ask of
both of them, how altered altered does their offensive and
(12:16):
defensive game plans need to be to accommodate the availability
and the talent level of the guys they still have
who are here and ready to play the game. We've
already heard Sart say he's got sixty five scholarship players,
so he's down twenty there, so you know, and missing
some guys obviously at some key spots. So a question,
(12:40):
a fair question would be how altered can his running
game be? Not having a Trey Weisner back there, you know,
not having Jared Gibson back there, not having CJ. Baxter
back there. How altered is the running game?
Speaker 5 (12:53):
You know, things of that nature.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
So, and then on the defensive side, how changed will
that linebacking core be?
Speaker 5 (13:00):
But remember Anthony Io have been out injured.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Anyway, So you know, I think it's a fair question.
Both coaches will say things along the lines of, We're
not foolish enough to believe that we won't have a
different look in some ways with the simply because of
the personnel who are there. But I don't see any
fundamental changes in what they're doing. If that were the case,
(13:23):
Will Muschamp would already be coordinating the defense. But its
start said a couple of weeks ago, it's too late
in the game to do that, to change up schemes
and all that other kind of stuff. And that's why
Johnny Nansen, who's a code defensive coordinator anyway through the
end of this year, is going to run the defense
and call the signals to the defense on Wednesday. So
I think it's fair.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
To ask how different are these.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Teams going to look not having some of their key
personnel out of the same token. I don't expect a
response that it would be radically different on either side.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
You know, it's been a while, Craig since we've seen
a Steve Sarkisian coach team in this position in a
bowl game that is not part of the college football playoff.
I think you go back what three seasons ago when
the Longhorns played in the Alamo Bowl back ins in
Sark's second year. To what extent do you expect this
to be more of an audition for next year versus No, No,
(14:16):
the only focus is winning this football game.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
When you say audition for next year, who are you
from what perspective?
Speaker 4 (14:24):
Yeah, coaches, from the perspective of your of your player
personnel and seeing what you have with some younger guys
who might be coming back.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
I got ji. Well, they definitely want to have an
opportunity to look at it. I think also the emphasis
to try to win the football game, get the ten wins,
have double digit wins of each of the last three seasons.
That's a mark to go for. I think so that
I'm sure has been discussed with the players. But yes,
(14:54):
I do believe that Sark does want to get a
good look at Christian Clark. I think he does want
to get a good look at some of the other guys,
at some of the young guys that we'll see in
the secondary. I expect Xavier Phils to me to have
a big role at tomorrow in the game or Wednesday
in the game. So there's some younger guys that they'll
(15:14):
look at.
Speaker 5 (15:15):
I mean, just on the depth chart alone and.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Putting together the depth chart for my broadcast boards, I
looked at and I thought, Wow, this guy had seen
many stamps, but he's going to see some on Wednesday,
if he's not injured or whatever, depending on how the
game goes. So, yes, there is a bit of auditioning
all wrapped around and within the context and framework. Are
trying to win the football game.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
No doubt about it, Craig, I wanted to get your
thoughts on this some news this morning. I don't know
if you saw this before you took off. Jody Conrad
is calling it a career. I know she hasn't been
coaching for a long time, but she's going to move
into more of a of a volunteer role within the
athletic department right as opposed to her current kind of
advisory capacity with Chris del Conte. I mean, just for me,
(16:00):
a lot of our listeners who might be in my generation.
I mean, I was lucky enough to get to interviewer
once for a student journalism story. But you know what
kind of of an impact in an icon has she
been in terms of women's sports in Austin and on
the national scale.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Well, I think you can mix in all of those
terms and not be exaggerating icon legend. What I like
to think of is pioneer, because she was a huge
pioneer in fomenting the rise of women's college basketball, the
first coach to coach a team to a completely undefeated
(16:39):
season with that national championship season of nineteen eighty six.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
But it goes well beyond that. It goes beyond the.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Leadership that she and Pat Summit had in the eighties
when they were trying to get the rest of the
sporting public to take note of women's college basketball and
women's athletics over all. And you have other pioneers. I
like Donald loo Piano, who is the athletic women's athletics
director of Texas for many years, another one of those pioneers.
(17:08):
And Jodie has always been that and has always been
an unassuming.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
Pioneer in a legend and kind of laughs it off.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
I mean when we when we talk a lot of
times that she wants to talk about football or she
or I'll ask her about her golf game, because she's
still a really good golfer, by the way. But she impacted, uh,
not only women's college basketball, but the way she coached
it and the demanding of excellence and things of that nature.
But was a pioneer in the growth of the sports,
(17:38):
in women's athletics overall. And she just wanted to, you know,
take some time now to relax and enjoy those golden
years and spend more time on the golf course. And
she's still around. She still sits in her baseline seat
at every women's basketball game, so she'll, you know, she'll
chime in, uh when asked, but more on a volunteer
(17:59):
basis now. She happy to take that step forward the
next chapter in her life.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
Yeah, no doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
Congratulations to to Jody Conrad, a pioneer, Craig, as you
so beautifully put it.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Okay, have you given any thought.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
You Roger will to trying the special twenty five dollars
cheese at crusted turkey Leg at any point in this experience,
you know.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
From the Department of True Confessions. I like cheese. Its
my wife liked the like cheese. It's an awful lot
for a long time. She she she by her own admission,
she kind of burned herself out on cheese. It's a
little bit, but she still she still dabbles in them.
But not even Linda could be interested in that. In
(18:47):
that cheese at Turkey Leg, we tried. Let me tell
you something, Jake, you may remember this. A few years ago,
Pizza Hut did a cheese at pizza with a cheese
at crust, and we tried it, and we were kind
of unimpressed. We like pizza and we like pizza ud,
but we weren't really impressed. It kind of came across
as gummy, and so we were kind of like, yeah,
(19:09):
so we're a little wary of trying that that TURCULA
Roger will never ever go for anything like that. Will
bit more adventurous Texas, Oh you game every year he
gets a turkey late, so he might be willing to
dabble a little bit.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
I don't know that I am I know Roger won't
be into it.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
How about this cheesy Pina colada which won the cocktail
contest that they had a couple of weeks back.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
If we had this one inconceivable, you.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Remember how you were saying that that you had a
stomach bug or whatever. You almost just gave me one there,
because I start with the fact, you start from the baseline.
Speaker 5 (19:46):
I don't like pina kalatas, so Rupert Holmes.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
And his song escape would not applied or appeal to me.
I don't like penia klattas, and I'm sure as heck
wouldn't want a Penia colada. Would cheese it mixed in it?
Speaker 5 (19:58):
That sounds that's.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Out's gross, not belong. Now, there you go.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
There you go.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
We'll keep it inconceivable for now, and we'll we'll keep
our distance just you know, we don't need to transfer
anything I had over the last few days over the phone.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Craig.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
I appreciate you uh taking some time to uh to
stop by. Let me know where you end up tonight
with the crew, and we'll try and touch base tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Yes, we will definitely touch base tomorrow.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
Uh after the press conference.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
Uh, you know, I'll be at the press conference Brank
early tomorrow morning. Well, you're with the coaches had to say,
I know you'll have all the sound from that, uh
for a long were nation and for our listenership and
appreciate that. And yeah, it'll be uh, it'll be a fun,
fun couple of days down here. We'll look forward to
the football game and you can appreciate this. Fortunately, I
(20:49):
had Terry Kelly, our operations manager for our network, and
our statisticians Steve Leach. They were over at the stadium
today and they set me photos from the booth s
I relate.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
Looks like a good broadcast position.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
And I'm nerdy about things like that, like you are,
you know, wanting to you know, work from a variety
of different places. I've never called a football game in
the city. In fact, I've never called.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
A game of any kind in the city. Wow, back
of all baseball whatever.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
So I'm looking forward to calling a game not only
in this city, but at Camping World Stadium. Especially from
the look of the photo, it looked like the broadcast
boot had a pretty good position to the field, So
I'm looking forward to that as well.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
You know, come to think of it, I haven't either.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
I covered Orlando's pro volleyball team, but they were up
in Omaha, of all places. So Craig, it's always nice
to check something off your new broadcasting list. And yeah,
we'll get your thoughts on what the head coaches had
to say tomorrow. Thanks bunch, Okay, have we going?
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Thanks Jake, all.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
Right, appreciate Craig calling in. Up next, we'll hear a
little bit from Longhorn's defensive coordinator interim defensive coordinator for
this game, Johnny Nansen, along with Colin Simmons and Tye
Anthony Smith. We'll hear from the Texas offense a little
bit later on in the program. This is Sports Radio
AM thirteen hundred The Zone.
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