Cowboys' Playoff Path, Latest Longhorns in the Portal, Notre Dame's ACC Beef

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tuesday afternoon on The Craig Ways Show and with the
voice of the Longhorns, headed down to the valley to
call women's basketball.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
This week, we've got you.

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Covered back here in the studios here at AM thirteen
hundred the Zone. I'm Jay Kerman with us for the
first hour of the show. Is our assistant program director
and the former producer of this program, Cameron Parker. Got
a lot to get to but it's been a lot since.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
We've caught up with you.

Speaker 3 (00:25):
Cam.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
How's everything been.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
Going for you in this kind of new role here?

Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah, Jacob me.

Speaker 4 (00:32):
First off, you've made the studio, you're home doing a
great job. You're euting Craig. I've enjoyed listening to you
guys over the last couple months. Are you getting settled
in so far?

Speaker 2 (00:41):
No, I appreciate that it's been nice.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
It's been nice getting into a routine and obviously never
a boring day when you're covering the Longhorns the way
we do, so can't complain at all, and you know
we're not quite as busy the two of us as
Craig Way. He's headed down to what Edinburgh tomorrow? Are
you going to be joining him? Tomorrow for that women's basketball.

Speaker 4 (01:01):
I cannot be down in the valley with Craig Way,
but yeah, the yearly trip down to Edinburgh, Texas taken
on University of Texas, real Grand Valley for women's basketball.
It's a real fun trip. The women's basketball team in
FITX Schaeffer have done. Even the men's team. The men
play down there I think two three years ago when

(01:21):
Chris Barry was still the head coach, so Texas usually
heads down there. It's always a real fun environment. That
Burdo Ogden Arena. Should be a real fun game. I
believe it's tomorrow like six fifteen, six thirty airtime, something
like that, six thirty tip time, six to fifteen airtime.
As this women's basketball team, I mean they're absolutely on
a tear on a roll. Obviously wins over number two,

(01:43):
number three in the country, and then a UNC team
that came in that was you know, no slouch in
their own ride in Texas able to knock them off.
So they're on a good roll and it should be
a real fun atmosphere down in the valley tomorrow night.

Speaker 1 (01:57):
Yeah, you've had what a pretty good seat for that.
As the engineer on several of those broadcasts. I've got
to make it a point to to get to a
lot of those games. I'll work in the studio for
a lot of them as the producer in halftime anchor.
But cannot take for granted what what that team is
doing right now with what to shoe in all Americans
leading the way.

Speaker 4 (02:16):
And to do it with you know, three key players
out Leah Crump, Brionna Price. I mean, is the team's
playing with about six and a half seven players right now,
and to be able to take down you know, UCLA
and South Carolina not at one hundred percent is crazy.
And the way they were able to win both games

(02:36):
USLA just coming out from the jump and getting a
big lead, diligent lead, and then holding on the fourth
and in South Carolina, I mean, you know, Don Staley
probably maybe the best women's basketball coach right now on
the planet, top three for sure, holding on to you know,
they had an eight point six point lead in that
fourth quarter and you felt like, man, these girls legs

(02:58):
are tired. You know, they're playing with a shortened roster.
If Texas loses that game, you don't blame him, but
they came back. Matty Booker played I think four straight
minutes that were on maybe the four or five best
minutes of her career to win that game. And here
they are undefeated. I think they have a great claim
to be the one number one team in the country. Obviously,

(03:20):
Yukon's there, what a what a program. Their roster is stacked,
So it's gonna set up to be a real fun
conference play for the girls. And you know, I'm a
bit biased because I'm at every single game, but I'll
tell you what you're looking for some basketball, Uh, catch
a ticket to the women's basketball especially when conference play starts.

(03:40):
There's gonna be some great teams come in the Moody
and they're the best product to watch right now in Austin.

Speaker 2 (03:46):
I think.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
I think that's that's spot on, right up there with
Texas volleyball, who will be hosting some Sweet sixteen next week.
And did you did you even go out to Vegas
with them?

Speaker 2 (03:55):
Somehow?

Speaker 1 (03:56):
You went, somehow, some way you ended up with Maui
rather than Vage.

Speaker 4 (04:00):
Guess right, Yeah, so I always travel with the men's
basketball team, right as the engineer. So yeah, was Malley
was fantastic. Texas took two out of three games, a
big one over a ranked n C State team and
unfortunately did not follow that up the same way against
Virginia at home. But yeah, we we had out to
Hartford on Thursday against another well coached hurly team, Yukon,

(04:26):
one of the best in the nation, Alex Caravan, who
I think has been there for fifteen years.

Speaker 2 (04:30):
It feels like.

Speaker 4 (04:33):
Still still on the on on the roster, you know,
they're They're eight and one so far this season, so
that'll be quite the test for Texas. So they've played
some some top tier competition the last couple of weeks
dating back to male with n C State in Arizona State,
Virginia and then now Yukon team that's you know, ranked
top ten in the country.

Speaker 1 (04:52):
And of course Texas took care of business against Southern
and victory last night. We're gonna hear from Sean Miller
and Madas Foke Titus, who had a career high twenty
eight points last night. A little bit later on in
the show, we'll also hear from both Citrus bull head
coaches Steve Sarkisian and Michigan's Cheron More will have inconceivable
during the three o'clock hour talk a little bit about

(05:13):
MLB free agency later on as well, But here's what's
on deck this hour. We're going to talk about which
Texas Longhorns have entered the transfer portal, then shift gears
to NFL Talk Monday Night Football, and which teams Cam
and I think are real Super Bowl contenders at this point,
and where the Dallas Cowboys fit in that picture, or
at least on the periphery of that picture.

Speaker 2 (05:34):
But I want to start with this.

Speaker 1 (05:36):
It's, of course, the season officially coming to an end
as far as playoff hopes go for Texas. They'll play
in the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Eve afternoon against Michigan.
But in the last twenty four to forty eight hours
a couple of key players have announced their intention to
enter the transfer portal. Of course, with the new rules,
nothing's official until that two week window in early January.

(05:59):
But among those those guys, CJ. Baxter remember, came into
the forty acres of the nation's number one running back recruit,
never quite the same after that knee injury he picked
up in fall camp of twenty twenty four. Wanted to
get your reaction to this can did did CJ? Baxter
entering the portal surprise you at all?

Speaker 2 (06:15):
No, none at all.

Speaker 4 (06:16):
And first off, you know, I've got to know CJ
a little bit over the years. He's a great kid,
great human being, great teammate, and just absolutely gutted for
him that he wasn't able to, you know, have the
career in Austin that he wanted to. I mean, he
remembery towards ACL and lcl is in sophomore year in
fall camp, going in where he was going to be
the number one running back. I mean, I think back

(06:38):
to his performance against Washington in the College Football Playoff.
He was you know, I know he had the fumbles,
but he also was a key part in Texas being
able to come back in that second half and have
a chance to win it at the very end. I mean,
his freshman year. This is a great stat coming from
Pro Football focused. He forced twenty nine miss tackles and

(06:59):
four hundred of four hundred and nine of his rushing
yards out of six hundred and sixty five total yards
came after contact. As a freshman. It shows you why
he was a number one running back in the country.
It shows you why he was getting the bulk of
the carries in that college Football playoff game and why
he was the designated number one running back going into
his sophomore year because of course has the injuries doesn't

(07:20):
work out for him, and then this past season, you know,
I don't I don't know if he was ever truly
one hundred percent.

Speaker 2 (07:25):
I mean even against Ohio State.

Speaker 4 (07:27):
You know, going into fall camp, you know we were
hearing from from Sark and Kyle Flood that he'll probably
been a snap count. He may not be one hundred percent.
He still played in that game, but of course, you know,
missed some more time this season with an injury.

Speaker 2 (07:39):
I missed think two or three games.

Speaker 4 (07:40):
And then when he did come back, the Texas running
game just didn't exist. Texts did not have a running
game and until A and M really in the second half,
and I don't know where that came from. That's just
Trey Wisner just being a dog and just kind of
figuring something out. Maybe it was the Texa offensive line
finally figured out their chemistry. But it just didn't work
out for CJ. Baxter here in Austin. And again, I

(08:01):
don't think it's any fault of his own, but he's
a great kid. He's got a lot of talent, and
I think for him, just having just a full off
season where he can just be healthy and train and
get back into the football shape he was in coming
in the Austin will be huge for him. So I
hope he figures out and finds a good landing spot
for him. Whether you know he I think he's a
he's a fouridy kids, So maybe it's you know, Miami,

(08:23):
something like that, that wouldn't be a bad place to
end up at. I don't know where his top spots
are at the moment, but not surprised at all. I
think Texas now, you know, probably going to enter this
offseason likely targeting and running back. You know, obviously Derek
Cooper's coming in the five star. He's a ridiculous athlete.
He can do a lot. But curious what happens with
Trey Weisner. Well, he declared for the draft. I'm you know,

(08:46):
he might be day two, day three guy. I don't
think he's gonna grade super well, I don't think he's
you know, super fast enough to get a super high
grade in the combine. Does he come back? You know,
what does his running back room look like attechas obviously
Jared Gibson Baby Rhino in the portal as well. You
expect James Simon to return. Maybe Christian Clark. Do you

(09:09):
go out and target another running back? I think what
Texas really missed this this year, Jake was having that
Jaden Blue type pass catching running back out of the backfield, right,
what does Texas? What does Sark love the call screens?
I thought that was going to be Baxter, by the way,
and Texas did not have a well executed screen game

(09:30):
this year. Now, that could be the offensive line, but
I don't think they had the right running back for that.
You know, That's what Jayden Blue was so good at,
was out of the backfield catching the football. Texas kind
of missed. Maybe if that's Derrek Cooper, maybe it's James Simon,
you know, Christian Clark. You know, Christian Clark had a
lot of comparisons for that. But you know, I do

(09:51):
think Sark will probably target a running back in the portal,
especially with now Cedric Baxter and Jared Gibson uh leaving
the program. But you know, hats off to them, well
wishes and I hope they go out and kill it
wherever they end up at.

Speaker 2 (10:05):
And I think he will.

Speaker 1 (10:06):
And you think about next year, that'll be the second
year off that horrible knee injury he picked up in
the fall camp of twenty twenty four. Obviously dealt with
some hamstring stuff this year as well, But if history
is an indicator, two years after a terrible knee injury
like that, that's where you see the return to one
hundred percent production. So we wish the best for CJ.

Speaker 2 (10:25):
Baxter. Trey Owens is in the portal. This one probably
not a shock.

Speaker 1 (10:28):
He was QB three last year, but this season the
Longhorns bringing Matthew Caldwell, kJ Lacey comes on and eventually
takes that third spot on the depth chart behind Arch Manning.
So Trey Owens, the red shirt fresh room from CCY Fair,
is going to seek some where, to somewhere he can
get an opportunity.

Speaker 4 (10:46):
Yeah, I mean, out of this quarterback room, you knew
at least one guy's going to transfer, and then between
da Belle and kJ Lacey, you probably expect one of
those guys transfer.

Speaker 2 (10:54):
That's just how it is.

Speaker 4 (10:55):
But you know, as a college football coach, you want
to keep recruiting five star quarterback, keep him in that
quarterback room because you never know who's going to pan out,
who's not going to pan out, and when injuries might
come up, the same thing with Lake Murphy, right, we
kind of knew he was going to end up transferring
when Arts came in. So for Trey Owens, I don't
think the offense was suited to his strengths as sarcas

(11:18):
kind of evolved the last few years. But he's going
to go out. You know, he's obviously got a lot
of talent. I think kJ Lacey kind of had surpassed
him in the quarterback room as well. And I mean
we saw that this year when Lacey was the first
quarterback coming in in garbage time. I think was at
the UTEP game or SAMs with State Sam Houston. One
of those games kJ came in first, So writing.

Speaker 2 (11:39):
Was on the wall. We all knew what. I think.

Speaker 4 (11:41):
He still got three years eligibility left, so he'll end
up at a good probably Power for school to start,
maybe even Power five and work his way up. But
you know, I wouldn't be surprised if come his last
year in college football, he's playing for either a Top
SEC school or maybe a Big ten school because he
has a talent.

Speaker 2 (12:00):
Sure, that's a name I think we'll hear again.

Speaker 1 (12:02):
Other guys entering the transfer portal wide receiver Aaron Butler,
who had won catch in two games this season, kind
of a quick, quick twitch guy out of the slot.
Maybe drew some comparisons to what Xavier Worthy was as
a freshman.

Speaker 2 (12:16):
Didn't quite work out that way.

Speaker 1 (12:17):
And then defensive back Santana Wilson as well as Melvin
Hills entering the transfer portal for Texas. But one big
departure that perhaps was expected still not going to be
easy to replace at all. Anthony Hill, the All American
linebacker officially declared for the NFL Draft, has not officially

(12:38):
said whether or not he'll play in the Citrus Bowl.
Safe to say that might be unlikely for aunt Hill.
What a career for the Denton Ryan grad.

Speaker 2 (12:46):
Fantastic career, fantastic player.

Speaker 4 (12:48):
Yeah, I think with that, you know, with the hand
risk thing going on, rightly depends on how healthy he'll
be at the time at the bowl game. And then honestly,
if it comes down to can he re injury himself?
You know, what's the risk of reaggravating it heading into
the combine for him? You know, unpopular take this Bowl game.

(13:09):
It really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things
for Texas, more so for the younger guys and the developers.
So for Anthony Hill, don't really see any point in
him playing in this ball game.

Speaker 2 (13:19):
But what a career for Anthony Hill.

Speaker 4 (13:22):
I mean, you know, kind of like Colin Simmons came
in as a true freshman and immediately made an impact.
You know, I called a handful of ants games that
didn't ryan in the playoffs and just you know, saw
the you know, I just I still remember that one
hinted touchdown grap he had his senior year in high
school as a receiver slash tight end where it was
like this kid is an absolute freak of nature and

(13:43):
fantastic linebacker. He's he will be missed on the forty
Acres for sure, but one of the all time Texas greats.
And you know, I hope he has a great combine
and you know, I hope he can you know, kind
of stick into that first round and be another first
round draft pick that uh Sark and Texas can hang
their hat on.

Speaker 1 (14:03):
So we'll keep you post on whether or not he'll
play in the Citrus Bowl. If we hear anything on
that front. We will hear a little bit from Coach
Sarkisian on this matter a little later on in the show.
We also want to hear from you throughout the show.
You can text us at eight one, five three zero.
Text the word Texas followed by your question or comment. Cam,
I know you've got lots to say about the Dallas Cowboys.

(14:24):
We'll talk about them and last night sloppy Monday Night
game right after this on sports Radio AM thirteen hundred
Zone an iheartstation guaranteed Human as always on a textan Tuesday,

(14:48):
we come back with a cut from the Immortal Stevie
Ray Vaughn.

Speaker 2 (14:51):
Here's third Stone from the Sun. Jake German.

Speaker 1 (14:54):
Cameron Parker in for Craig Way today.

Speaker 2 (14:56):
Cam, did you start the textan Tuesday tradition on the show.
I believe I did, yes.

Speaker 4 (15:01):
Stevie Ray hour one, Willie Nelson hour two, and the
King George Straight hour three.

Speaker 2 (15:08):
So I'm glad you carried it on. Well.

Speaker 1 (15:11):
I'm learning a lot about each of these threes catalogs
as we go. I didn't grow up in Texas, but
listen to this makes me realize what I've been missing.

Speaker 2 (15:21):
Out on So.

Speaker 1 (15:24):
I want to take you back a couple weeks ago
as we shift gears and talk about the NFL here
on sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone. Right before Thanksgiving,
the Philadelphia Eagles were eight and two, leading the Dallas
Cowboys twenty one to nothing in I believe the early
part of the second quarter into the final five minutes

(15:45):
of the half. Fifteen days later, they're eight and five.
They've lost three in a row, including the twenty two
to nineteen overtime result last night against the LA Chargers
and cam The Cowboys are big benefactors of this Eagle's
low because after falling to Detroit, Dallas doesn't lose any
more ground in the division and they still have an

(16:06):
outside chance of making the playoffs.

Speaker 4 (16:10):
That technically, it's true they can have outside shot of
making the playoffs, But are we still holding on the
hope they're gonna make the playoffs? Is this still they do?
Cowboy fans really want this team in the NFL playoffs.

Speaker 2 (16:23):
So here's what has to happen.

Speaker 4 (16:25):
You gotta win all four, win four straight games with
the Vikings, Chargers, Commanders, and the Giants still left.

Speaker 1 (16:31):
Doable, right, those are the three teams you should beat.

Speaker 4 (16:35):
But then you get the win all four. I gets
the Chargers team that just beat the Eagles last night.
That's the tough one.

Speaker 2 (16:40):
I don't I don't see it, don't really see it happening.

Speaker 4 (16:43):
And you also need Philadelphia to continue this losing streak,
and yeah, three games in a row, but against you know,
a really good Chargers team bears possibly fraudulent. I don't
know what happened in that Cowboys game, but you know
they play Oakland or Las Vegas. Excuse me that. I
still don't understand how Pete Carroll's employed as a head coach.

(17:04):
He had the Commanders, who are holding on by a thread,
two games against them, and at this point, at three
and ten, they should just be taking for their draft thick.
And then at Buffalo, which will probably be a tough game,
but you need them to lose, likely with the Cowboys behind,
I think two and a half games, you gotta lose
to what three out of the four and Dallas has
to win three out of the.

Speaker 1 (17:24):
Four, Eagles have to lose two if Dallas wins out.

Speaker 2 (17:28):
Yeah, I just.

Speaker 4 (17:29):
It's I think Philadelphia can turn this around enough to
at least claim a playoff spot. Heart said, what forts
on RBS last night, including two on one play that
did you see broke ESPN's simulcast with the Monsters Universe.

Speaker 1 (17:50):
Yeah, they didn't know what to completely just broke that.
Everyone walked away from the ball after Sully.

Speaker 2 (17:55):
At it broke.

Speaker 4 (17:57):
Probably just the regular bro I don't think Troy a
can Any and Joe buck knew what was happening.

Speaker 1 (18:04):
I'm a big Jalen Hurts guy. That was a tough
watch last night.

Speaker 2 (18:06):
You're a big Hurts guy. So this has been a
tough year for you, Yeah, it has. It has.

Speaker 1 (18:10):
I thought he was getting disrespected and all sorts of
lists and power rankings and pyramids coming into the season.
He has not played well over the last few weeks.
But you look at last night's interceptions, two of them
hit the guys in the hands.

Speaker 4 (18:22):
They did, they did, And so I think Philadelphia there's
still enough talent there to where I think they finished
this season probably eleven and six and get that last
playoff spot. It's a nice story for Dallas, but just
too little, too late. I mean, you give up forty
four points to the Detroit Lions. That's terrible. They may

(18:47):
have the worst linebacking group in all of the football.
I don't understand how Kenneth Murray is still on a
football roster watching him, I don't know if exposed his
right work has been getting exposed all year. But Kenneth
Murray made Dan Campbell look like a competent play caller
for most of that game. And Campbell's had he said

(19:08):
he had, he had a rough two week stretch before
this Dallas win. This is the roster defensively, he's just
a lot of holes in it. You know, I know
Overshown's back demo uh former Longhorn grade, but you know
he's coming off of major injury, no off season. You know,
he doesn't get a grade right now because he's still
working his way back in and for for Dallas unfortunately

(19:29):
severely needs him right now.

Speaker 2 (19:31):
Not a good linebacking group.

Speaker 4 (19:32):
No pass rush, I mean any type of offense when
when you face that, you know Detroit style offense, Mike McDaniel,
Kushin and Steve Sarkajian. They need time. Everything's about timing
in that offense. And Dallas provided no pass rush, which
allowed Jared Goff to have all the.

Speaker 2 (19:50):
Time he needed.

Speaker 4 (19:52):
And you know with Aman, you know, Aman, Ross, Saint Brown, Back,
James and Williams. In the spite no sem Laporta, I
mean they have they have too much, too many weapons,
too much talent. And Jamier Gibbs Montgomery, you know that
one two punch. I mean, I think Gibbs had like
what thirty forty points in Fantasy thirty three wasn't enough
for me, wasn't.

Speaker 2 (20:12):
Enough for you.

Speaker 4 (20:15):
Dallas defense just just too many holes, too many weaknesses.
I mean, it's a fantastic offense. I've loved with Schottenheimer's done.
He's he's impressed I think everyone so far this year
in Dallas. And you know, Cowboys almost score enough points
without Ceedee Lamb to come back and win that game.
But they needed one stop defensively and just could not

(20:35):
get it at all in that second half. And that's
gonna be kind of the summer of the season for him.
They know that they needed a couple of stops and
some of their losses, you know, I think back to
green Bay that game that I still don't understand how
green Bay did not win. Just one stop, you can
win that game. The same goes for against Carolina, a
game they arguably should have won and.

Speaker 2 (20:57):
Arizona loss Carolina game.

Speaker 4 (21:00):
It's terrible. There's one of the worst losses. I mean,
there's two losses here of this season. There might be
the loss to Carolina loss at Arizona.

Speaker 1 (21:07):
Yeah, it shouldn't have lost to Arizona, but the Carolina
loss hurts more because that's the wildcard picture.

Speaker 4 (21:11):
Yeah, and so at this point, wildcard probably out of
the picture. Right You're three games back from Chicago, who
has that tiebreaker, and Detroit and Carolina right ahead of you,
they have those tiebreakers. So only way maybe phillylesis is
four in a row and Dallas sneaks in. But even then,
you know, first round playoff game, you're facing a team

(21:33):
that you've already beat and or you've already played and
you've already lost to. And two of those losses have
come by believe double digits, a lost to Detroit and
a loss to Chicago.

Speaker 1 (21:46):
So we always love to hear from Jerry Jones on
this program. He talked to our friends at one O
five to three Defan in Dallas, and here was his
answer when he was asked the Lions had big game
experience your team at the moment, does or at least
does not have a good track record of winning big
games against good teams this season. Did Jerry Jones think

(22:06):
that this was the main issue.

Speaker 5 (22:08):
No, I don't see that.

Speaker 2 (22:10):
I think.

Speaker 5 (22:12):
They were at home. But boy, we quieted that group down.
We go up there within three right there at the
end of the game. I really thought it was going
to happen for us right at.

Speaker 3 (22:23):
The end of the game.

Speaker 5 (22:24):
And I thought we were within striking distance all the
way through the game to get to that point pretty suddenly,
which if you think about it, we did. We were
there ready to win the game. We get our stop
and we get that ball back, and that's the opportunity
you've been looking for. That was all night feeling like

(22:45):
we're being shoved around just a little bit. But they've
got a great combination of offensive weapons with the way
they run the ball, the back stability to both backs,
ability to make some yards.

Speaker 2 (23:00):
Like our back bore.

Speaker 5 (23:01):
He's at standon And the point is, I know I'm
bouncing around.

Speaker 2 (23:07):
Uh.

Speaker 5 (23:07):
It was just pointing, very frustrating.

Speaker 1 (23:11):
The best part of listening to Jerry Jones is me
watching Cam listen to Jerry Jones and just furrow his
brow and in discussed.

Speaker 2 (23:17):
Absolutely terrible to listen to.

Speaker 1 (23:22):
Thoughts thoughts on on that takeaway, no thoughts, just you
couldn't stop the run, you couldn't stop the pass.

Speaker 4 (23:30):
You know, I I don't know how Jerry can sit there.
You give up forty four points in the NFL. That's embarrassing.
Your your defense did not get off the field looking
at it. The only win in the second half was
a missfield goal. Talking about wins for the defense. The defense,
so that was blocked by Sam Williams, by the way,

(23:50):
who's having a great year. But Dallas forced two punts
and every other drive ended in points except for the
block field goal, and then the end of game kneel down.

Speaker 1 (24:02):
Starts on special teams too. Their kick coverage has been terrible.

Speaker 4 (24:05):
They it was the same return for the entire second half.
And in credit what's his name, Tom Kennedy who English
soccer name? Who every return out to the forty yard midfield,
and that to help your defense either when you're starting
off with half a field, because one first down you're

(24:26):
already in field goal range. But yeah, special teams was terrible.
And then you know, I will point out, you know
Jehan Fonte Williams has been a great addition for Dallas,
but the run game has been hasn't been there the
last couple of games for Dallas. You know, they've they've
really struggled in running the ball effectively the last couple

(24:50):
of games.

Speaker 2 (24:51):
I mean, you look at Detroit.

Speaker 4 (24:54):
Overall, only only ninety one rushing yards Johontay Williams averaging
three point nine yards per rush. So an issue there
against Detroit. And when you when you win games, obviously
a lot of it. You know, it'll it'll you know,
the perfume, the coloone will mask the bo but you
still have it, you know, against against Kansas City, and

(25:15):
I'll give them, you know, Jefonte Wims still only fifty
nine rushing yards in the game against Philadelphia, you know,
a good defense. Dallas only ran for one twenty five
Williames eighty seven yards. So the rushing attack has struggled,
and it's struggled in the second half against Detroit. Still
put up thirty points. But it's a fairy flawed Cowboys team.

(25:35):
And I think the only reason why we're still talking
about them right now is because Philadelphia, also a fairy
flawed team, is keeping the door open for them. But
make no mistake everyone, this is a six and seven six,
six and one, six and seven and one Dallas Cowboy
football team. Not a good football team, despite you know,
the metrics showing they have a very good offense, but
defensively terrible.

Speaker 1 (25:57):
Okay, We've got lots of other NFL teams to get
in a moment, we're going to draft super Bowl contenders,
so all you want to do is get the super
Bowl contender on your team. The Cowboys are certainly a
team that can be drafted. Will they be drafted? I
don't know, but I wanted to get to this. The
other big loser of last night's game was Kansas City

(26:18):
because the Chargers win did not help case in the
slightest They've lost to all three wild card holders in
the AFC, the Chargers, the Bills, and the Texans, so
the Chiefs playoff odds dip down to eleven percent after
that game last night. They lost to Houston on Sunday.
Can the Chiefs climb out of this? I guess we'll

(26:39):
find out in the draft segment of this next what
you really think.

Speaker 2 (26:42):
Of the Chiefs. Yeah, I hold it, let's hold it.
We need to break.

Speaker 1 (26:47):
We'll come back with some more thoughts on Super Bowl
contenders right here on Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred zone
from right here in Austin. It's spoon on a Texan Tuesday.
Here on Sports Radio thirteen hundred Zone. Jake Herman, Cameron Parker,
trying to make your Tuesday afternoon and a little bit
more enjoyable.

Speaker 2 (27:07):
And we've got a fun gimmick here.

Speaker 1 (27:08):
It had tip to the Ryan Rossello Show did a
similar thing with college football playoff teams. We're gonna try
it with the NFL A draft in search of the
Super Bowl champion. We're going to go back and forth.
Camp will pick first, I'll pick second and third. The
only goal here is to end up with the eventual
Super Bowl champion on your squad, and we'll see how

(27:28):
it shakes out. Cam, you had the first pick after
winning the coin toss.

Speaker 4 (27:33):
Yeah, this is tough because you know, looking at the
rankings in terms of record, Denver, New England eleven and two,
LA at ten to three. But you know, I think
the Super Bowl winner is going to come from a
team currently below that record at the moment, So I

(27:53):
don't know, this may be a little bit lower in
your list, and I don't know where they're at in
terms of Super Bowl favorites, but I'm going to raft
the Green Bay Packers first.

Speaker 1 (28:02):
Okay, they would not have made it past me next,
so that was a good pick.

Speaker 4 (28:06):
If that's your that would have been your first pick.
But why the Packers number one? I think what they've
done the last couple of weeks. You know, four game
win streak, and you can look at it and say, okay,
you know Giants, Vikings, Lions, Bears, you know maybe one
two playoff teams out of there. A couple weird losses
to Carolina and Philadelphia, but only by three points. So

(28:28):
really they're one two plays away from being on a
nine game winning streak right now. And if you throw
in that terrible tie to Dallas, ten game win streak,
and then look at Cleveland, they're only third loss by
three points. So their three losses by nine points, three
field goals. So it tells me that this is a

(28:50):
really good green Bay team. They've had a lot of
injuries up and down, and now they're finally getting that
receiver room just a little bit healthy. Jordan Love is
looking like the quarterback that I thought he was going
to be.

Speaker 2 (29:02):
The beginning of the year.

Speaker 4 (29:04):
And defensively, you know, obviously the defensive line. You know
what they're able to do with Micah Parsons where he's
not even utilized the same way he was in Dallas.
But because they have so many guys, they don't need
him to be that every down dude. So looking at
their EPA offensively right now, I think they're only third
behind the Rams in San Francisco, and defensively up you know,

(29:29):
top to they're they're kind of in, you know, in
terms of overall EPA, only behind really the Rams Seattle
in New England. And you know, I don't trust Drake
May yet, I don't trust Sam Donald yet. Obviously Stafford,
you know, has a fantastic MVP case, but you know,
the Rams a little bit older team. Give me Green
Bay with that first pick. Okay, I'm starting to trust

(29:51):
their defense too. They were not number one on my board,
number one on my board with still Rams, so I'm
going to go ahead and take that. I think they
have an inside track to getting that number one one
seed in the NFC.

Speaker 1 (30:01):
Obviously, a bye always helps me out here. I trust Stafford,
I trust their front seven. I trust DeVante Adams and
Pooka Nakua in I gotta have it situation. My second pick,
I'm gonna go ahead and take the Bills. I just
think the AFC is so wide open. I don't love
what I've seen from the Bills recently. But if I
can get the best quarterback in the AFC with Patrick

(30:23):
Mahomes likely knocked out of the playoffs already, I'm going
to go ahead and take that in a conference that
I see is pretty murky and wide open, good.

Speaker 2 (30:29):
Pick I would have taken. I was talk about Buffalo one.

Speaker 4 (30:32):
I thought I could maybe get them a little bit
later in this draft. The only thing with Buffalo scares
me is their defense and just how old they are
a super old team defensively. But Josh Allen, I think
is playing as the best quarterback the last couple of weeks.
You know, sorry Craig and Matthew Stafford in the Rams.

(30:53):
I think Josh Allen what he's done the last couple
of weeks, he's playing at a different playing at the
Pat Mahomes level that you know, we thought Pat Mahomes
would be playing at this year. I think Josh Allen
is in his own tier right now. What we've seen
from Mahomes and Lamar Jackson this season has been disappointing.
You can almost say they have regressed. Josh Allen had

(31:15):
some ify times this year. I think a lot of
it had to do with just not having a great term,
great weapons around him. Lack of weapons around him still
a concern for me, still a concern. But you know,
we've seen Pat Mahomes take the Chiefs in win win
super Bowls despite not having a perfect team. I think
Josh Allen could possibly do that this year. And and

(31:37):
to your point, Jake, there's no one in the AFC,
you know that is like, man, they got to play
I like, you gotta play at Denver, Okay, at New England.
I'm okay with that. I think Buffalo can win anywhere
at this point.

Speaker 1 (31:49):
That's right. I don't think they're going to win the division.
They're probably gonna have to go on the road first round. Okay,
only three picks down, We're gonna have seven picks per team,
So who's your second.

Speaker 4 (31:59):
Go to the AFC two team here? But again, there's
no one in the AFC that I really like. So
I'm going to go in the NFC and I'm gonna
take San Francisco.

Speaker 2 (32:08):
Okay, kind of under the radar. I think nine to
four may not win.

Speaker 4 (32:13):
A division, but twenty two to one on fandom, what
this The offense has done second best offense EPA, only
behind the Rams in the last couple of weeks weeks
nine through fourteen. Rock Purdy's back, Juwan Jennings is back McCaffrey.
He has looked ridiculous this season. I know there's still
a lot of injuries on the defense, but also at

(32:33):
what point, you know, a lot of teams do I
really like San Francisco and their value in you know,
maybe putting too much, putting too much stock into coaches
and players that have been there before. But Shanahan, rock Purdy,
this Niners team, you know, they have played in a
Super Bowl before, so I value that in an NFC

(32:56):
that a lot of quarterbacks that have not played in
a lot of big games in their careers. So give
me San Francisco with my second pick.

Speaker 1 (33:02):
Well, they had the Titans and the Colts next, so
that's working in your favor and that might make that
stock rise. That's a surprise to me. I did not
have San Francisco nearly as high on my board. It's
because I think of the defensive injuries and some of
the concerns I have about brock Park perty I haven't
forgotten about that Carolina game from a few weeks ago
just yet. Okay, my third pick, I'm going to go
with the Broncos. If I should have come back to

(33:23):
me or is it we're doing snake here? Well, so
you picked first, I picked second and third, and now
we're just going back and forth. Okay, I'm gonna take
the Broncos because they have a really good shot at
the one seed AFC. They have the best O line,
they have the best D line. Do I trust bow Knicks. No,
But I'm going to take the Broncos at this spot.

Speaker 2 (33:41):
Third.

Speaker 4 (33:42):
Love their defense, but I think bo Nicks is just
so up and down. But yeah, eleven and two. I
mean they could easily kind of defensively win their way
through the playoffs. Houston Texans, good pick. What they've done
the last couple of weeks. They're finally getting healthy. Uh,

(34:03):
their defense is insane. I mean I know, not every No,
there's a lot of drops that really hurt the Chiefs.
And Sunday Night where she rised over the middle. Travis Kelcey,
who just he has one drop per game and it's
always an interception. I mean, Chiefs fans. I don't know
a lot in my life, but Travis Kelcey for them.

(34:24):
I mean, that's just got to be like, that's got
to be like, you know, you have that one kid
that you love, but you know he does a lot
of stupid stuff. You know, like he's out peeing on
the trash can middle of the day. Your neighbors are
calling you and like, hey, I think your son Jimmy's
like Kelsey. He's good for a couple of great catches,
but he has that one terrible drop and it's not

(34:46):
just a bad drop, it's he'll catch it, he'll lose it,
and it's always intercept.

Speaker 2 (34:52):
I mean happening.

Speaker 4 (34:52):
It's Philadelphia right this year, right, didn't he have a
he didn't drop a touchdown? Thato was intercepted. Yes, But
back to the Texans. Their defense is for real and offensively,
if Nico Collins can stay healthy, Stroud and him have
that connection, they are a very sneaky team in the AFC.

Speaker 2 (35:13):
I agree completely.

Speaker 1 (35:15):
Nobody in the AFC wants to see the Texans in
the first round right now.

Speaker 2 (35:19):
Not a single team.

Speaker 1 (35:21):
I'll go with Seattle next as a little bit of
a hedge on my Rams pick because they play each
other next week. I believe to kind of determine who
has inside the inside track in the NFC West. And yeah,
just really impressed with the Seahawks across the board. Obviously
lost late against the Rams the first time they played.
They're capable of playing and beating good teams. Pretty solid

(35:43):
on the defensive side of the ball, stifling against the run,
and that's gonna help their defense potentially travel if they
have to go to a cold weather Green Bay or
Philly in the NFC Championship. So I'm gonna take Seattle
as my fourth team my pick, right, I'll take New England. Yeah,
not a fan of their offensive line, but Freak May

(36:05):
is phenomenal, have an incredible second season, and defensively they're
good enough to and they're gonna have home field advantage
at least until the AFC title game. So I'll take
New England. Okay, I'll go with hmm, I think I
think it's time to take the Eagles. Yeah, I think
it's time to take the Eagles and lean on their defense,

(36:28):
lean on the fact that Jalen Hurds has shown he
can play at a at a high, high level when
the lights are bright. In the playoffs, I just think
something's not right. I'm worried about the offensive line injuries,
but I can't let the Eagles fall any further.

Speaker 4 (36:41):
Yeah, we're the point now where these teams are all
flawed one way or another. But you know, Philadelphia, if
they have the run game going, and you know, with
the Tush push now able to run different variations, you know,
I mean, they almost won that game last night against
Los Angeles if not for Cameron Dicker just being completely automatic.

(37:03):
I'll stick in the AFC here, and I had a
lot of AFC teams not really.

Speaker 2 (37:09):
Hey, it's wide open. I'll tak the Chargers nine to four.

Speaker 4 (37:16):
If Herbert can stay healthy, and I like their run
game just enough to where I think they're a team
that could also someone in the AFC has to make
it the Super Bowl, right, So give me Los Angeles there.

Speaker 2 (37:30):
I did.

Speaker 1 (37:30):
They're offensive, they gave up seven sacks last night. The
turnovers kept them in the game. I did not come
away from that game very impressed with the Chargers. However,
Justin Herbert definitely showed off his toughness. Okay, we're picking
Super Bowl champions. The goal is to get the Super
Bowl champ on your team, and we're into the sixth
round now, so we're taking upside swings. I'll go with
the Detroit Lions. You might not even make the playoffs,

(37:52):
but they are certainly playing like a top five offense
in the league. Losing Brian branch as the reason I
didn't pick them earlier.

Speaker 4 (37:59):
Yeah, and we saw at their peak forty four points
against Dallas. You know it's in there somewhere. But defensively,
you know, there were one or two injuries away from
I think one of us getting the call the play
out side linebacker or safety.

Speaker 2 (38:14):
I played flag football, Ill said the Ravens. I don't
know that make the playoffs.

Speaker 4 (38:19):
It might be Pittsburgh, but I know Pittsburgh's not winning
a playoff game. Baltimore probably isn't either, But you know,
at least with Lamar Jackson and Eric Henry, you think
you have an outside chance. So give me Baltimore just
because they can still find a way to win that division.

Speaker 1 (38:34):
I'll stop the slide for Jacksonville, currently leading the AFC South,
getting to play at home. I think it's enough value
to help them round out my team. And you've got
one pick to go as well, last one, last one to.

Speaker 2 (38:48):
Still out your team. Seven Pittsburgh's left the teams that
don't get drafted.

Speaker 1 (38:52):
If one of those teams wins, we should both have
a punishment of some kind.

Speaker 4 (38:55):
Well, we know Pittsburgh's not winning a playoff game. Colts,
They're Colts. Roy runs coming to an end. You have
the Bears four year old quarterback coming in to play. Yeah,
I guess I gotta take the NFC South winner, which
I think Carolina has to play Tampa Bay two more times. Yeah,

(39:16):
I'll take Tampa Bay just because I think they.

Speaker 2 (39:19):
Win the division.

Speaker 4 (39:20):
And you know, if if God Winn and Mike Evans
can come back with Baker and Bucky Irving, then you
know that they could you know, they hold the playoff game.

Speaker 2 (39:28):
You know they could possibly win at least one game.

Speaker 1 (39:32):
So, okay, Cameron's team Green Bay, San Francisco, the Texans,
the Patriots, the Chargers, the Ravens, and the Bucks in
that order. My team the Rams, the Bills, the Broncos,
the Seahawks, the Eagles, the Lions, and the Jaguars. Everybody
else undrafted. So if the Bears win the Super Bowl

(39:53):
you didn't hear it here, first, we'll both have egg
all over our faces.

Speaker 2 (39:58):
That was fun.

Speaker 4 (39:58):
Well, I guess we'll find out two weeks, two months. Rather,
we'll keep you posted on the results.

Speaker 5 (40:02):
There.

Speaker 1 (40:02):
That's our Super Bowl champion draft. Much much more to
come here on the Craig Way Show here on Sports
Radio AM thirteen hundred zone. Okay, second hour on this
Tuesday afternoon. Jake Herman in for Craig Way today. He

(40:24):
is somewhere in the air on his way to the
Rio Grand Valley. He'll call women's basketball when the Texas women,
ranked number two in the country, take on UTRGV with
six point thirty tip off six point fifteen. Coverage starts
right here on Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred zone. A
couple of your texts we want to get to first.

(40:46):
We have one come in about the Citrus Bowl. They said,
Craig and Jake, I know Bowl games don't matter like
they used to. And I don't know too much about
Michigan this year, but I do know they like to
run the ball. If all our guys are sitting out
in the end, we don't know who the opt outs
will be Longhorns quite yet. We mentioned earlier Anthony Hill
declared for the NFL Draft, where he's projected to be
a potential first round pick depending on where you look

(41:09):
at your mock drafts. He said, if all our guys
were sitting out, how can we stop their rushing game.
I don't want to go into the offseason with a
bad taste in my mouth if we lose. And it's funny.
You'll hear a little bit from Steve Sarkisian on this later.
You'll also hear from Sharon Moore later on this hour
talking about the potential availability of Michigan's running back room.

(41:31):
It is a Michigan team that leaned a lot on
their running game this year, between the combination of Jordan
Marshall and Justice Haynes, guys who each averaged over six
yards per carry. It was the passing game for Michigan
that really had some fits and starts over the course
of the season. They got some inconsistent play at times
from their freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, and we'll see what

(41:54):
those kind of lineups look like as the bowl game
gets closer. You'll hear from sark on what he he
expects and how he's approaching the opportunity of the Citrus Bowl,
which is again between Texas and Michigan on New Year's Eve,
a two o'clock Central time kickoff right here on AM
thirteen hundred zone. We'll have a little more information for
you as that gets closer about where you can come

(42:16):
see Cam Harje, Mark Henry, the World's Strongest Man, the
rest of our crew one final time this season for
Longhorn's game day are Always Fun, Never Dull pregame show,
speaking of always fun, never dull the college.

Speaker 2 (42:30):
Football drama cycle.

Speaker 1 (42:32):
And it was Notre Dame who was left out of
the college football playoff when the committee swapped their spot
with Miami at the eleventh hour on Sunday morning, and
over the last couple of days, athletic director Pete Bivaqua
has had a lot to say about it, a lot
to say towards the committee about a playoff bid that

(42:53):
he feels was unfairly taken away from his team. And
let's start off this conversation by listening to his comments
in a press conference just a couple of hours ago.
This is the second straight day he's been behind a
podium talking about his team. It's the nerdim athletic director

(43:15):
talking about being shocked at the Irish's omission.

Speaker 6 (43:23):
We were shocked, I would say, mystified by what happened
on Sunday, and just you know where my head and
heart go, and I know Marcus feels the same way.
You just feel for those student athletes on our football team.
You know, as I said yesterday, as I said on Sunday,

(43:44):
we felt we did everything we could over the course
of the season. You know, we lost our first two games,
We're not hiding from that. We lost against a really
good Miami team. We lost a nail bier against Texas
A and M two great teams by a total of
four points. And then we did everything we.

Speaker 2 (44:00):
Needed to do.

Speaker 6 (44:01):
We had one of the most ten one of the
most dominant ten games runs in the history of college football.
And on top of that, we felt that the CFP committee,
the ranking committee, felt the same way. You go back
to that first ranking where we were six and two
and Miami was six and two and they had already
beaten us, and we were tenth and they were eighteenth,

(44:23):
And the only thing that happened from that point forward
is we both went on these amazing runs, and through
no fault of our own, we wake up and find
out that, you know, we're the odd man out.

Speaker 3 (44:33):
We're on the outside looking in.

Speaker 6 (44:36):
And it's just, you know, as I've said, all the
credit in the world to the other teams that are in.
They are twelve terrific teams, teams that have won conference championships.
Miami I think the world of the program. I think
it's one of the great universities in this country. Dan
Radikovich is a good friend. Miami deserves to be in
the CFP. Of course they do, and Alabama does as well,

(44:59):
and you could make that argument for Texas and Vanderbilt,
and you could go right on down the list. But
you know, we were just led to believe all season long,
if we took care of business, we were going to
be in. And then to have that shock, that surprise
on Sunday in that room with those kids who have
given everything that they have since August to put themselves

(45:22):
in that position, to be told week in and week
out that you're in that position provided you win, and
we certainly wont. When you think about these last ten weeks,
and it just boggles my mind that when we got
off that plane that Sunday morning in snowy South Bend
after the Stanford game. That that was it, and that's
not the way this season deserved to end with the

(45:47):
performance of our football team.

Speaker 1 (45:49):
Well look, and that comes on the heels of some
comments made by Notre Dame Metholetic director Pete Bavaqwa yesterday
you just heard yesterday he talked about you rep damage
being done to the relationship between Notre Dame and the ACC.
Of course those two, the Notre Dame and the ACC,
have a scheduling arrangement through which a lot of the

(46:10):
Irish's games are set up each year. Remember they don't
play in a conference. How could you forget? But I
just wanted to throw a little fly in the ointment there.
Somebody was getting left out of this college football playoff,
and this year because of the ACC tiebreaker scenarios forcing

(46:33):
Miami to sit on the sidelines during conference championship weekend,
that was exacerbated and we get two G five teams
in the playoff who in all likelihood are not going
to compete for a national championship the way that a
Notre Dame, a Texas potentially a BYU potentially a Vanderbilt
could argue they've shown this year. This is the ten

(46:56):
game stretch for Notre Dame after those two losses to
open the year against Texas A and M in Miami,
Purdue in Arkansas both too and ten Boise State, a
G five team NC State who had the good win
over Georgia Tech but went seven to five in the ACC.

(47:17):
The win over Southern Cal the Committee's number sixteen. That
is Notre Dame's biggest resume point, their loan ranked win
at the end of the season game that was in
South Bend by the Way at Boston College to and ten.
Beating Navy with a backup quarterback at pitt who finished
eight and four, just outside of the rankings Syracuse three

(47:40):
and nine. That's a backup quarterback at Stanford four and eight.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Forty fifth ranked. Strength of schedule
had something to do with Notre Dame's dominance over those
ten games. And you still hate it for the players
and coaches who feel as though the process behind closed

(48:00):
doors misled them, as though they were just a character
in the Merry Go Round reality show that is the
college football playoff rankings reveals. But Notre Dame has a
stipulation that I'm not sure everyone knows about yet, and
not a lot of people knew about it until it
was discussed just a few days ago in agreement with the.

Speaker 2 (48:23):
College Football Playoff Committee.

Speaker 1 (48:25):
Next year, even though they do not play in the conference,
Notre Dame is in the College Football Playoff if they
finish in the top twelve in the CFP rankings, and
if the College Football Playoff expands to fourteen teams, as
I'm sure discussions will intensify for some of those discussions
may be starting in Austin, then Notre Dame would have

(48:47):
an assurance of being in the field if they finish
top thirteen. Why is that important? Just look at their
schedule next year. Notre Dame plays Wisconsin at lambeau Field, Rice,
Michigan State, Purdue, UNC, SMU, Syracuse, Navy at Gillette Stadium, Miami,

(49:11):
and USC Okay, but Stanford and Boston College. They only
play three true road games, two games at neutral site,
and out of those five road in neutral site games,
only one of them finished with a winning record last

(49:31):
year now this year, so this is going to come
back and be a point of discussion year in and
year out Notre Dame and their strength of schedule and
playing outside of the conference system and what that means
in the picture of the college football playoff. So we've

(49:55):
played you lots of clips on the show from Steve
Sarkisian's perspective why he felt Texas should have at at
least been considered. Now you've heard something from the Irish
point of view. How about Clark Lee of the Vanderbilt Commodores,
whose team was kind of an afterthought on selection Sunday
at ten and two. The committee felt they just didn't
have that kind of signature win, right. They lost their

(50:16):
two toughest games at Alabama at Texas played five teams
that were ranked in the top ten at the time,
only to then fall off. Still had the strength of schedule,
strength of record advantage over Notre Dame. Here was Clark
Lee's message to his team, a little bit of a
different tone than what Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevaquall took.

Speaker 7 (50:36):
And to that end, you didn't get the conversation did
you have with your team after those rankings came out?

Speaker 8 (50:44):
Well, we met to kind of announce the ball site
yesterday afternoon. That was before the guys were going into
the weight room to lift, and the message was just, hey,
we had control over this at Alabama and at Tech,
and we did not do enough. I think it's really
important that we take ownership over the things that we

(51:05):
did have control over rather than complain about, you know,
whatever decisions are being left out, Like, we can't be
victims in this situation because I think there's a level
of entitlement that exists in that that run cuts against
the kind of DNA of our program. So the conversation was, Hey,
the world expects us to be disappointed right now, but

(51:27):
what we are is excited. We have a great opportunity
and it's a great celebration on a tremendous Bowl stage
and a great city against a really challenging Big Ten opponent.
As football people, which is what we are in this program,
it doesn't it just it's just so exciting, and so
we're looking forward to to this time we get to
spend together, you know, right like this morning, we had

(51:49):
a short practice, but it was really just about going
out and having fun around the game that we share
and love. We'll do that through the week. We'll turn
our attention to Iowa next week, get some time at
home for Christmas, and then go have a great team
celebration down Tampa.

Speaker 4 (52:02):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (52:02):
That was Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lee, responding in part
to Pete Bevoqua's comments from yesterday. And you know who
else responded ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, defending the ACC's campaign
for Miami on social media and in press releases. He said,
at no time was it suggested by the ACC. This

(52:22):
is Jim Phillips, ACC Commissioner that Notre Dame was not
a worthy candidate for inclusion. We're thrilled for the University
of Miami, while also understanding and appreciating the significant disappointment
of the Notre Dame players, coaches, and program. Something to watch,
the ACC and Notre Dame straining their relationship. Remember that

(52:43):
relationship continues in the next year, when Notre Dame will
schedule their five ACC opponents as a part of what
looks to be a pretty pillow soft twenty twenty six
football schedule. We'll stay in the college football world and
here from Michigan Wolverine's head coach Road More Texas is
Citrus Bowl opponent coming up here on Sports Radio AM

(53:04):
thirteen hundred zone in the iHeartRadio app.

Speaker 2 (53:13):
The Autumn took the wrist, but they wall.

Speaker 3 (53:22):
All.

Speaker 1 (53:25):
I felt fitting to use this cut from Willie Nelson today.
We always have a return cut from the iconic Willy
Nelson on Texan Tuesdays right here on the Craigways Show,
Jay Carman in for craig Way Today. This song, of course,
one of the newer releases, maybe one of the final

(53:45):
songs Willy Nelson will release, and it's about surviving the
risk and outliving this great era of country singers that
Willie Nelson grew up with, including the rest of the Highwayman,
Chris Chriss, Whalon, Jennings, Merle Haggard, George Jones.

Speaker 2 (54:05):
And of course.

Speaker 1 (54:07):
Just one last game left to play for Texas football
in twenty twenty five. It'll come on New Year's Eve
against the Michigan Wolverines in the Cheese at Citrus Bowl
in Orlando. And the opponent and their head coach, Sharon Moore,
I think, come into this game with pretty similar goals
to the Longhorns, and that is too finish the year
on a positive note, see what you have, and some

(54:29):
of the young players take advantage of a few extra
weeks of practice. So he was asked about some of
the topics we just discussed in terms of perspectives on
the bowl games. His response to Notre Dame opting out,
But here's how we opened his comments to the assembled
media on zoom for this pre Citrus Bowl presser.

Speaker 9 (54:55):
You know, first of all, Universe Michigan, our football program
is so excited to a part of the eighth version
of this game. It's a very historic tradition game that
we're super excited about. Our young men are going to
be super excited to go participate in have a great
game against a great Texas opponent. Just wanted to give
a shout out and thanks Steve Hogan, CEO of the
Florida Decision Sports for you know, putting on this vent

(55:17):
and allowing us, you know, our football program. You know,
finishing ninety three winning ten games is a huge deal.
So we do everything we can to put ourselves in
the best position this month as we go to and
as we travel down there to Orlando in a beautiful environment,
beautiful venue to enjoy it, but also know we're there
to go win a football game and just get better
as a football team. So excited to play great Texas

(55:39):
team and open up too.

Speaker 2 (55:40):
Questions.

Speaker 1 (55:41):
Kind of unique in that Michigan played Texas at the
start of last year in ann Arbor Game one by
Texas thirty one to twelve. Texas was ranked three at
the time, Michigan was ranked ten, and they'll come into
this year's matchup with the Longhorn ranked thirteenth in the

(56:02):
final CFP Top twenty five. Michigan came in at number
eighteen to close out the season, both teams nine and three,
and they're going to see each other in twenty twenty
seven to open the season at DKR as well. But
what are coach Moore's thoughts on the version of Texas
that will be across the field from them this year?

(56:24):
Maybe different from the one that came to ed Arbor
and took care of business a year ago.

Speaker 9 (56:28):
Yeah, a little bit different, a little less you know, experience,
but still at a lot of talent. A lot of
guys that we played last year played this year. You know,
very very talented team. Obviously, it starts arch at the
quarterback position. They've got skill guys all over the place.
They do a really good job scheme wise, you know,
Coach Tarkisian does now stand in a drive from an
offensive standpoint of scheming up deferent defenses and.

Speaker 2 (56:50):
The next shoot at a high level.

Speaker 9 (56:51):
So, and defensively, they're fast, they're physical, good upfront, So
it's gonna be a.

Speaker 2 (56:55):
Great challenge for our program.

Speaker 1 (56:57):
Running Back Justice Haynes is the straw that stirs the
drink for Michigan offensively. He last played back on October
twenty fifth at Michigan State, when he put the team
on his shoulders twenty six carries, one hundred and fifty
two yards and two touchdowns. He had ten touchdowns in
the team's first seven games. Hasn't played since, so this

(57:19):
potential NFL prospect in Haines. The question naturally comes up
before a bowl game. Not only is he healthy, but
will he play or will he potentially opt out of
this bowl game?

Speaker 2 (57:33):
Yeah, something we'll look at.

Speaker 9 (57:34):
We'll see his progress is going really good, so we'll
see we'll get more of an answer and clarity as
we go through this week.

Speaker 1 (57:41):
The hitting question there is even if he's healthy, does
he play? So now the conversation with the Shrow more
expanded to some bigger picture things in college football, and
one of those are the high profile non conference games
at Michigan and Texas alike have scheduled this season. The

(58:04):
Longhorns are sitting here just on the outside looking in
at the playoff, wondering what if? What if instead of
playing Ohio State they had scheduled maybe Ohio you or
to use a P four example, Purdue or Ucla, a
game that the Longhorns would have been heavy favorites to

(58:26):
win had they taken care of business. Steep Sarkisian argues
they'd be in the College Football Playoff without much fuss.
Michigan went to Norman this year and played Oklahoma game,
and they ended up losing by a couple of scores.
But that lost aged pretty well for the Wolverines, and
they might not have the type of signature wins Texas
does to argue a potential playoff case. They were nine

(58:49):
to three, number eighteen in the final rankings. But it's
worth the question, and a fair one at that, to
sure own more are high profile non conference games like
Michigan and Texas played this year and will play at
least in the immediate future. They'll play one another two
years from now. Are those games worth the risk?

Speaker 9 (59:08):
I mean there's two ways to think of it, right,
Like for our student athletes and for our coaches and
for us to play in those big time games. That's
why you come to Michigan. I'm sure that's why they
went to Texas to playing those games. But you know,
to coach Sarkisian's point of you know what happens when
you're judged on those losses at the end of the day,
those ones and losses that can't affect you. So I
think those are conversations as we get through this, as

(59:29):
we get through this season and we get into the
college football players conference conversations, those ones, wins and losses matter.
And you know, we got as as a university, you
have a certain way of doing things, as you know,
from conference to conference, you have a certain way of
doing things. So those are decisions we'll have to make
as we go through. But uh, you know, we're excited
about the challenge of playing Texas and we know we
got playing later on down the road.

Speaker 1 (59:51):
And one other thing, does Texas look like a college
football playoff caliber team to you?

Speaker 2 (59:57):
Yeah?

Speaker 9 (59:58):
I mean they do, you know, especially watching them that
game against A and M. They played their tails off, their
physical defense, offensively, they're explosive, they've got playmakers all over play.

Speaker 2 (01:00:07):
So yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 1 (01:00:08):
Do you heard Kirk Bowles there of the Houston Chronicle
with the Texas centric follow up, So a little bit
more on the big picture. What does your own more
expect in terms of potential opt outs on the Michigan
side of things, Yeah, I mean for.

Speaker 9 (01:00:21):
Our expectation as we go through the week. These guys
got finals in these next two weeks, so they'll finish
those out.

Speaker 2 (01:00:27):
But we'll practice.

Speaker 9 (01:00:28):
You know, we have a good steady pace of you know,
practices and some skill workout things that we have to
stay within the twenty.

Speaker 2 (01:00:33):
Hour rules that we have to do.

Speaker 9 (01:00:35):
So we'll still have practices as we go off through
the week to get you know, start to get implemented
in the game game plan, and coaches will start the
game plan already have. But really it's gonna be about
getting better at football and our young guys, our older guys,
everybody doing that. As far as opt outs and guys
who'll play in the game, we'll have more of an
answer as we go through the week. You know, there'll
be guys that have already thought about it and what

(01:00:55):
they're going to do a lot more playing than than
not playing.

Speaker 2 (01:00:59):
So that's how positive, you know.

Speaker 9 (01:01:00):
But we'll have more of my answer as we go
through the week, and then if I could ask about
the Kerry Cools higher.

Speaker 1 (01:01:05):
We'll get back to carry Combs in just a minute.
The former Ohio State defensive coordinator who will be with
the team coaching special teams in this Citrus Bowl game?
Why does Sharon Moore think it's important for his team
to play in the Citrus Bowl to begin with? In
light of Notre Dame opting out of the Pop Tards
Bowl and a few other teams opting out as well.

Speaker 9 (01:01:29):
I mean, I think another opportunity to go play football,
especially against a great opponent on great stage, is just
another opportunity and why you've come.

Speaker 2 (01:01:36):
To the places like this.

Speaker 9 (01:01:37):
So for us, it felt like it was important not
only for the development of our coaches and our players,
but just the development of the program, right and what
you get to do. And it's a reward to be
able to go do things like that, you know, it's nice.
It's about twenty degrees here too, so going to Orlando
will be nice for the week, not only for the coaches,
the coaches.

Speaker 2 (01:01:55):
Families, and the players.

Speaker 9 (01:01:56):
So we're really excited about the opportunity that we have
have to go play in such a high profile ball game.
And you know, I can't yet, like you said, it
can't speak on everybody else's decision, but it's another opportunity
for us to go play football and practice and we're
really excited about it.

Speaker 1 (01:02:11):
And the chance to shake off that loss they suffered
in the game against Ohio State, a team that Michigan
had their number, nearly dashed their playoff hopes a year ago,
upsetting the eventual national champions in Columbus. With all the
post games shenanigans that ensued, what has the player response
been to that Ohio State loss?

Speaker 2 (01:02:32):
In Sharon Moore's estimation.

Speaker 9 (01:02:33):
I mean, yeah, disappointing, right, We're all we're all disappointed.
You're going to usually give it the twenty four hour ruld.
We give it more than forty eight hour to let
it sit in. But there's you know, guys are chomping
at the bit to get back to work, and you
know they've been working out, doing things, getting their bodies right,
you know, healing, recovering throughout these past couple of days,
to make sure they get their minds right and their

(01:02:54):
bodies right to the game. So there'll be a lot
of guys excited to go play.

Speaker 2 (01:02:57):
In this one.

Speaker 1 (01:02:58):
Finally, the unique situation with Carry Combs coming over as
the new special teams coach, He was asked, will Combs
be with the team in the bowl game and will
Jordan Marshall, well, Jordan Marshall, excuse me, the other lead
rusher for Michigan be available.

Speaker 2 (01:03:13):
Yeah, he had.

Speaker 9 (01:03:14):
Carol, we'll coach in the game, and then yeah, Jordan'd
be great. He's you know, he fought through that. You know,
he had a shoulder that dinged up in the game
before Tough threw him man, and tried as much as
he could and I mean, you wish he could have
played the whole game right with six k's for seventy
something yards, but really, you know, he pushed as much
as he could and when he couldn't, he couldn't. So

(01:03:35):
but he'll be ready for the Bowl game, absolutely.

Speaker 1 (01:03:37):
So Michigan can expect to see at least one of
that one two punch in the Michigan backfield. Bed Our
Texter talk about the way Michigan loves to run the ball.

Speaker 2 (01:03:46):
Finally, do players.

Speaker 1 (01:03:48):
Have a financial expectation and agreement not quite like the
memorandum of understanding Notre Dame has with the CFP committee.
But is it in their financial agree demons, whatever you
want to call it in this twenty twenty five nil
world to play in bowl games.

Speaker 9 (01:04:06):
I think that's that goes school to school. You know,
we just really want guys that want to play in
the game. You know, you don't want to have to,
you know, promote people based on what they get from
redshare or the game to.

Speaker 2 (01:04:17):
Play the game.

Speaker 9 (01:04:18):
You want guys that just want to play football, that
want to play another game of football. So those guys
that do want to play, just like last year, we
had a bunch of guys that wanted to play and
they played their tails off, So well, you know, we'll
treat that the same. And the guys that don't want
to play or have other things, and there's not going
to be many of those, I think, so I think,
you know, we'll find out as we go through. But
as far as the contracts, I want to really speak
on it. You know exactly what we talked about from

(01:04:40):
terms legally.

Speaker 1 (01:04:41):
And Steve Sarkisian had a similar answer when he was
asked this in his media availability. We'll hear a little
bit of that later on in the program. We'll also
get to some MLB free agency hot stove news coming
out of the Winter meetings in Florida today, some big
free agent its signings to catch you up on, but

(01:05:02):
first inconceivable on a Tuesday afternoon, coming your way after
this break here on sports radio AM thirteen hundred zone
and the iHeartRadio App. Third and final hour on this
Tuesday afternoon.

Speaker 2 (01:05:18):
Jay Kerrman with you.

Speaker 1 (01:05:20):
The producer of this show in for Craig the rest
of the week. He's a busy man, traveling down to
call women's basketball Texas at UTRGV tomorrow night in Edinburgh,
and then he'll be up in Hartford Friday night when
the Texas men take on number five Yukon. You can
see the Texas men's basketball team for absolutely free by

(01:05:45):
winning a pair of tickets to the game against Lemoyne
on Tuesday, December sixteenth, the week from tonight, and all
you have to do is this download the iHeartRadio app
completely free search AM thirteen hundred zone. You're going to
see our state come up. You can save us as
a preset that will probably help you out for future
contests like this. And once you tap AM thirteen hundred zone,

(01:06:08):
you're gonna see a red microphone button. Use that to
leave us a message up to thirty seconds. Just say, hey,
you know, here's my name. I want to win the
Texas men's basketball tickets against Lemoine Tuesday night, and use
the keyword Moody. That's easy enough to remember Moody. So
on the iHeartRadio app AM thirteen hundred zone, leave us

(01:06:29):
a message tapping the red microphone with the keyword Moody,
and you have a chance to win a pair of
tickets to see Texas men's basketball against Lamoyne seven o'clock
tip off a week from tonight. Okay, like we said,
I'm going to get to some Texas football news here
to start the final hour of our show. We talked
earlier about CJ. Baxter and Trey Owens entering the transfer portal,

(01:06:52):
Anthony Hill entering the NFL draft. Connor Strow, Texas offensive
lineman played a little bit left.

Speaker 2 (01:06:59):
Guard earlier this year.

Speaker 1 (01:07:01):
The redshirt sophomore out of Westlake is entering the transfer portal,
or at least excuse me from Frisco plans to enter
the transfer portal, at least his agency tells the media.
Play the ten games this season five starts for Texas,
was kind of part of that starting group. Early on

(01:07:21):
in the offensive line shuffled around a little bit with
Nick Brooks at left guard, and then after Texas made
the switch with Connor Robertson sliding over to center, Strow
was kind of the odd man out on that offensive line.
So it's an offensive line already losing Cole Hudson and
DJ Campbell. A lot of people expect the Texas O

(01:07:42):
line to look a lot different next year, with the
Longhorns planning to attack that position potentially in the transfer portal.
Connor Strow will enter the portal with two years of
eligibility still to play now. The All SEC selections also
came out this afternoon. Longhorns had three selections on the
first team, including left tackle Trevor Gooseby, whose draft decision

(01:08:06):
is one to watch in the coming days. Somebody that
could end up being a Day two or Day three pick,
depending on who you ask in the NFL draft world,
or could choose to come back to Texas for another season.
Edge rusher Colin Simmons Outstanding sophomore season and first team
All SEC honors for Michael Taff probably sealed that up

(01:08:28):
with his big interception late in the Lone Star Showdown
win over Texas A and M on the second team.
Ryan Wingo Anthony Hill even with having to sit out
the A and M game due to injury Malik Muhammad
and kick returner Slash putt returner Ryan Nibblett more on

(01:08:48):
him in a second. DJ Campbell is on the third
team All SEC offensive line. Ryan Nibblett on the second
team All SEC behind Casey Concepcion of Texas A and M,
who took that first team All SEC spot. Like a
lot of Longhorn fans probably hear that you're scrammling to

(01:09:10):
look it up. Who the heck finished ahead of Ryan
Nibblet on the All SEC list. Well, this comes from CJ.
Vogelot on Texas Football, who will have on the show
later this week. Ryan Nibblett led the SEC in average
punt return total return yards, punt return touchdowns, punt return
yards per game, punt returns of all sorts of categories

(01:09:31):
twenty plus thirty plus, forty plus fifty plus. He also
returned twenty kickoffs. This year, Casey Conceptsion did not do that,
and if you remember, teams kicked away from Ryan Niblett
pretty much the entire stretch run of the season after
his heroics in Starkville against Mississippi State. I think it

(01:09:53):
started with the Vanderbilt game. He did not have a
whole lot of opportunities to return punts after that, So
a little bit of a head scratcher. Ryan Niblett second
team All SEC punt returner behind k C. Concepcione of
Texas A and m to the MLB, where a pair
of huge deals were struck within the last twelve hours here.

(01:10:17):
First off, Kyle Schwarber returning to the Phillies a five year,
one hundred and fifty million dollar deal for the slugger
fifty plus home run season. Hey, a lot of other
seasons that's going to contend for best in the league,
but this year, well, with the work of cal Raley
era judge, Kyle Schwarber not somebody that the Phillies felt

(01:10:40):
like they could replace, and there's a good reason for that.
He was second in the NLMVP voting behind Shoe Otani
led the league with fifty six homers one hundred and
thirty two. RBIs led all of Major League Baseball, and
now the Phillies in trying to extend their world title
window after a disappointing exit in the Divisional round against

(01:11:04):
the Dodgers, get a key piece back in Kyle Schwarber.
That was when we talked to Gene Watson, our MLB insider,
the player personnel director of the Chicago White Sox, on
the show yesterday if you miss that, available wherever you
get your podcasts and on the iHeartRadio app.

Speaker 2 (01:11:21):
That was the first domino that had to fall.

Speaker 1 (01:11:25):
So that if you're taking our Mangino's word, means that
the next deals to follow will be other big bats
like Kyle Tucker, like Cody Bellinger.

Speaker 2 (01:11:37):
So we'll see where the Phillies' priorities go.

Speaker 1 (01:11:40):
Like Gino told us, there were some unexpected teams that
were in on the Kyle Schwarber sweepstakes, teams that are
maybe younger now, but like Gene Watson told us, are
building for what they will be in a couple of years.
And MLB dot Com backs that up, saying the Reds
and the Pirates were aggressive in pursuing Schwarber, but at

(01:12:02):
the end of the day, Kyle Schwarber returns to the
Phillies for what could be the final five years of
his career. You don't know he'll be thirty seven when
that contract is over. A five year deal for Kyle
Schwarber to return to Philadelphia. In the pitching market, there is,
like g Wantson told us, a premium on high quality

(01:12:23):
arms this offseason. Every team needs them, not everybody has them.
And the Dodgers have just locked down their closer for
the next few years. A three year deal has been
reached between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Edwin Diaz. They'll
be worth sixty nine million dollars after Diaz opted out

(01:12:46):
of the last two years of his contract with the Mets,
and they attended a couple of qualifying offers to Daz
that he has declined second straight off season that the
Dodgers buy big on a reliever, which they I hadn't
really done before that big Tanner Scott deal four year,
seventy two million dollars a season ago, and and Tanner

(01:13:06):
Scott led the league in blown sabs part of a
Dodger wolpin that was much beligd Craig called it what
the soft underbelly of the juggernaut that was the Los
Angeles Dodgers, and with Yoshinobu Yamamoto's postseason heroics among other
guys that stepped it up in the postseason, the unlikely
hero of Will Klein in the Dodgers extra inning World

(01:13:30):
Series win in Game three. Hopefully they from a Dodger perspective,
don't need to rely on guys like that as they
as they go on their quest for a three peat
by signing Edwin Diaz and the Mets remember they signed
Devin Williams, so that kind of took them out of

(01:13:52):
the das sweepstakes, so to speak. But they might be
in the market for another late inning reliever. MLB dot
Com reporting they are potentially pursuing Robert Suarez. Pete Alonzo
is a free agent, so what Steve Cohen and the
Mets decide to do. Another storyline worth watching at these

(01:14:13):
winter meetings. The other big story that came out today,
and it's something that was floated around late in the
season by a lot of reporters noticing non answers. That's
important noticing when there are non answers given. And the
Tigers are giving a lot of non answers about Trek

(01:14:35):
Scubel right now.

Speaker 2 (01:14:37):
There are.

Speaker 1 (01:14:40):
No members of the Tigers organization that are giving any
kind of a clue that an extension with schoobl is
anywhere close, And obviously aj Hinch doesn't want to comment
on what losing his ace might mean. But the reports
are out of winter meetings that the Tigers have said

(01:15:02):
Trek Scubele is not off the table. The New York
Post reporting that the Tigers President of Baseball Operation Scott Harris,
did not rule out trading the back to back American
League Cy Young winner. It's only got one year left
on his contract, so it's that old lose lose situation.

(01:15:23):
You don't want to let Trek scouble walk for nothing
if he's not going to re sign in Detroit anyway.
And the longer and longer Scott Boris and Trek scuble
wait before signing an extension in Detroit, the less I
likely I think it is that he returns there, and
the more likely that the Tigers are willing to deal

(01:15:45):
in That's obviously the biggest prize on the pitching market
right now. Dylan Seeze is already signed with the Toronto
Blue Jays from Bervaldez and Ranger Suarez are available at
the moment, but Trek Scuble not quite in the same
tier as those guys. He is far and away the
most valuable potential free agent next season if it gets

(01:16:06):
there for Trek scougble the ace for the Detroit Tigers.
So we'll keep an eye on Winter meetings throughout the week.
Craig Way in touch with our man Jean Watson in
the Sunshine State, and Gino reporting that the Dodgers aren't done,
so we'll see what they're up to in the coming days.

(01:16:29):
A scary thought if you're another National League contender, as
the Dodgers at Edwin Diaz addressing what was clearly their
biggest weakness if you could even call it that last season,
and you could call it that in the regular season,
but they stepped up when they needed to out of
that Dodger bullpen. So that's the latest from the hot

(01:16:49):
stove of the MLB up. Next, a trip to the hardwood,
where Texas men's basketball took care of business last night
against Southern Sean Miller asked a lot about the state
eight of his team. Remember he called Virginia at lopsided loss.
Kind of a rude awakening for his bunch. What do
you think of the response in the win over Southern
And then as we wind down the program today, we'll

(01:17:11):
hear from Steve Sarkisian as he previews the Citrus Pool
between Texas and Michigan. On New Year's Eve, Longhorns found
out they were headed to Orlando on college football playoff
selection Sunday.

Speaker 2 (01:17:24):
You're listening on.

Speaker 1 (01:17:25):
Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone, an iheartstation guaranteed Human.

Speaker 2 (01:17:29):
We'll be back in a moment.

Speaker 10 (01:17:31):
Sure barely caught the front of the rim rebound tip,
looks of the lot, Morn Tavin, Heidi to Pope and
running up fitness for the slam duck bot Us focus Titus,
great past, hope to focus Titus and Bodus throws it
down here.

Speaker 11 (01:17:45):
There's a plane or rebussleeve in Dallas.

Speaker 2 (01:17:51):
I hold your own back to the Craig Wake Show.

Speaker 4 (01:17:54):
Connect with Craig through the text line by text team
Zone too.

Speaker 2 (01:17:58):
There's one three zero five by your message now. Standard
message and data rates may apply. I hold you called
it because I swear out day where you want to
be to get your ride? Catch you can don't you

(01:18:27):
know a misschieve Ben, But don't you want to me?

Speaker 1 (01:18:36):
Baby?

Speaker 9 (01:18:37):
Run cut a path across the Blues guys straight, a
straight line.

Speaker 2 (01:18:45):
You can't get here.

Speaker 9 (01:18:47):
Fast to know by the truck.

Speaker 1 (01:18:50):
And fire it up that transition gem harder Bak career heights,
twenty eight points for Manus Evoke.

Speaker 2 (01:18:57):
It's Titus a ROAs.

Speaker 1 (01:19:00):
As UT men's basketball, as Scott McConnell put it runs
past Southern ninety five sixty nine last night, and here's
George Strait bringing us back from break with run.

Speaker 2 (01:19:12):
On a Texan Tuesday.

Speaker 1 (01:19:14):
We always hear from the kid in the four o'clock hour,
and we always hear from players after a win, especially
after they put up career highs and points. Manus Foketitis
also tied a program record last night for the Texas
men's basketball team for the most free throws made without
a miss in a single game. He was fourteen for
fourteen at the stripe last night. I know Sean Miller

(01:19:36):
had been waiting to see this from Voke. Titus, who
had had a couple of free throw struggles early in
games this year, but shoots it pretty well from the
stripe in practice. First let's hear Modus in his postgame
conversation with the voice of the Longhorns, Craig Wick.

Speaker 11 (01:19:51):
We visit with Manus Fokatitis a career high twenty eight.
Are you more proud of that or the fourteen for
fourteen for the free throw line?

Speaker 6 (01:20:00):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (01:20:00):
I think probably?

Speaker 12 (01:20:02):
Yeah.

Speaker 11 (01:20:02):
Is that something that you seem to have a very
natural rhythm to it? Is it? Is it all about
routine and in a mental thing getting into your mind
about it?

Speaker 12 (01:20:11):
I think it's about everything, Like every day three throw
shooting routine is getting everything together and then you see
with what results.

Speaker 11 (01:20:20):
Yeah, in a in a much larger, more competitive league
than what you were dealing with the past. How would
you say the learning has gone for you day by
day to become a better player every day?

Speaker 12 (01:20:30):
I think I'm trying to get better every day, working
hard every day and going every game game like it's
my last game.

Speaker 2 (01:20:38):
All right.

Speaker 11 (01:20:38):
I've got to ask about this. Your parents are in
from Lithuania. How important was that to you?

Speaker 12 (01:20:43):
I mean, I'm very happy that to be here very much.
What's my second game, Texas? That's motivates me? Did they
get a chance to see you much at FAU Yeah,
we come one time. It's also two games.

Speaker 2 (01:20:58):
They like the United States, They with it.

Speaker 1 (01:21:02):
Thiks nice note there from the FAU transfer Lithuanian big
man Modest Voctitis, and Sean Miller had a lot to
say about him as well. We're going to hear his
comments after the game. In just a moment, he was
reflecting both on what went well but also where things
still need to improve for this Longhorns basketball team who

(01:21:25):
led wire to wire last night. Actually, Sean Miller tingerd
with the starting lineup just a little bit. We saw
Lacina Trial Ray and Boca Titus out there together for
the first few minutes, but that only lasted the first
few minutes and we didn't see that lineup together too
much the rest of the way. Very much a team
that is still tinkering, trying to find its identity, find

(01:21:46):
the best way of playing to its strengths. And one
of those kind of weaknesses early on in the season
for Texas has been the fouls. They've committed a lot
of fowls, putting their opponents on the line far too
often in Sean Miller's estimation, and he commented on that
to start his press conference last night after the victory.

Speaker 3 (01:22:09):
Proud of our guys.

Speaker 7 (01:22:10):
I thought that leaving that game, the days between, we
really worked hard, stuck together work to be ready for
this game, and I thought our effort level throughout the game.
You know, some real good highlights for me is just modest.
I think I've been saying to you guys that he's

(01:22:30):
an overall better free throw shooter than he's shown.

Speaker 3 (01:22:34):
And you know, he went three for nine against Virginia.

Speaker 7 (01:22:37):
Obviously he felt bad and really even leading into that game,
just wasn't shooting the percentage he's capable. And look, nobody's
getting fouled in a country more than him. So that's
a big team issue, and it's also an improvement issue
for him. And just to watch all of his hard
work because he is an incredibly hard worker. Go fourteen

(01:22:59):
for four team from the free throw line. Understand his
school record, which anytime you break a school record at
this place, I think that speaks volumes of what that
performance was. But fourteen free throws in a row, and
really happy for him, proud of him. He works at it, man,
he really does. Look, we have problems on defense unless

(01:23:21):
we get better, unless me us as a staff solve
some of these problems.

Speaker 3 (01:23:27):
We're not going to be good enough.

Speaker 7 (01:23:29):
We foul, struggling, pressuring and guarding the ball, struggling sometimes,
you know, coming out after timeouts, trying to take away
a play of concepts. And it's not good enough. And
our fouling is not a thing of aggression. It's a
sign of weakness. I was eighteen years old. I went

(01:23:53):
to five Star basketball camp. It was by my house,
and they had a station called Station thirteen, and they
would always put young college coaches or NBA coaches coaching
that station. And Rick Bettino is doing the station and
I'll never never forget eighteen years old. He said it fouling,

(01:24:13):
Nick Gates hustle.

Speaker 2 (01:24:15):
It's not a good thing.

Speaker 7 (01:24:17):
Fouling Nick Gates effort, the Gates hustle. And sometimes when
you watch us play through the first ten games, we're
flying around and we have guys giving great effort, but
it only takes one player to reach in, to be undisciplined,
to grab a jersey, and that foul just completely takes
the air out of the building. So we have to

(01:24:41):
play defense without fouling. It's a major problem. We got
to defend and pressure the ball. Better, and we just
have to get good across the board. Schematically, I have
to take a look at everything we're doing in addition
to just working at it. We might have to make
some changes, which includes playing players who play better defense
and maybe some guys that aren't playing defense as much.

(01:25:04):
That's where we're at.

Speaker 2 (01:25:05):
I mean, it's simple.

Speaker 6 (01:25:07):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:25:08):
And the Longhorns, despite the victory last night again ninety
five to sixty nine over Southern University out of the Swack,
committed twenty three personal fouls in the game and that's
on the lower end of what Texas has averaged throughout
the season. So about the defense, Ken Palm measures teams

(01:25:29):
in terms of efficiency right which talks about kind of
adjusted to your opponent, how do you rate in terms
of per possession relative to your competition, And the Longhorns
right now up to fifty second overall in Ken Palm.
That's higher than they were before last night's victory. But
that's being pushed up, inflated, if you will, by a

(01:25:52):
pretty efficient start for the Longhorn offense, where they're thirty
second in the country. The defensive efficiency rank for Texas
right now outside the top one hundred. So the numbers
back up Sean Miller's assessment there was lots of work
to be done for this team defensively. After the UVA
loss at Moody Center, which was a big letdown for

(01:26:15):
Texas eighty eight to sixty nine on Wednesday, six days ago,
game was not really even quite that close. Sean Miller
called the game a moment of truth in terms of
how the team would respond.

Speaker 2 (01:26:31):
Now that he's had a.

Speaker 1 (01:26:32):
Week to see practices, see the guys try and bounce back,
get this win over Southern, go to Hartford and play
Connecticut on Friday, How would he evaluate that UVA response
overall and what does it say about his group?

Speaker 7 (01:26:48):
One of the disadvantages for all of us who came
into our jobs in the spring is you know time
is not on your side early in the year.

Speaker 2 (01:26:57):
You know, first year everything.

Speaker 7 (01:27:00):
And I'll use an example like Tremon Mark didn't participate
for four months. I've been here for eight so June, July, August,
and September he never played with our team. He was
recovering from laboram surgery and he did a great job
getting through it and then joined us in October. And
hopefully he's healthy from the whole way. But it's just

(01:27:21):
you learn, and I'm learning as games go on. I
wish I had more answers two weeks ago or a
month ago. I think I'll continue to learn more information
over the next month, which will be helpful. But that
doesn't mean that we're at our best to win the
most games. We can't right now. We're a work in
progress in many ways. But our offense, I think the

(01:27:44):
numbers speak, is ahead of our defense, and we get fouled.
You know, we had nine turnovers in the first half tonight,
but man, we played the second half of only four,
which is great. We got to the free throw line,
went twenty nine for thirty two. A lot of guys
did good things. But defensively, our fouling and our just

(01:28:07):
inability to get stops the pressure of the ball. It's
just we may get better by inches before we really
show improvement. But we're gonna get better. And we worked
hard post Virginia. We didn't have any team issues. Guys
stuck together, showed up, and I think that was a
big reason we won tonight. I watched this team play

(01:28:27):
at Washington and it was a double overtime loss. He
really had Washington it was a tough, tough loss for
these guys.

Speaker 2 (01:28:35):
Southern.

Speaker 7 (01:28:35):
Hey, they were right there. They played teams tough, and
you know, I thought we did a good job playing
against them tonight.

Speaker 1 (01:28:42):
Yeah, and the Longhorns were able to distance themselves from
Southern pretty early in that baggame. As for the fouling
we heard earlier, Sean Miller praise Madus Voka Titus. He
draws nine and a half fouls per forty minutes, that's
number one in the country. But he also commits about
six fouls for forty minutes. Okay, do the math. That

(01:29:04):
means you're spending a lot of the game in foul trouble.
So what's the learning curve for Modus to stop fouling?
And how cool was it for him to play in
front of his parents, According to head coach Sean Miller,
no I.

Speaker 7 (01:29:15):
Was thrilled that they were able to see Modis have
a great performance tonight. They obviously read our last game,
and I think that was part of it. I think
Modus wanted to play well. I mean, if I was
playing college basketball in Lithuania and I'm from America and
my family comes over as the first time to watch
me play I want to play really well in that game,

(01:29:36):
and you know that may have worked against him a
little bit, but I'm so happy for him that he
played well tonight and happy for them that they were
able to see him play well and our team and
our team win. But Modess is a young player. He
has a lot to learn on the defensive end. He's
trying hard. But when I talk about fouls, I'm not

(01:29:57):
talking about ten per game. I'm talking about two per half.
Five for the game that are just undisciplined. Just you
just can't you can't commit that foul, and you know
you add those up. I mean, it's like death by inches.
It's two free throws and getting a bonus early. Some
of those fouls, by the way, are happening with five
seconds on the clock. You know, where you played good

(01:30:20):
defense for twenty seconds and one guy breaks down. So
we're going to work hard to get better at that area.
And then just you know, again, what is it that
we can do to improve our defense? You know, man,
it's it's it's it's not good.

Speaker 2 (01:30:37):
And part of that is.

Speaker 1 (01:30:40):
Tinkering with the lineup, figuring out who might come on
and play more. Sean Miller mentioned, yeah, we're looking at
changes to who's out there in order to get a
little bit better on the defensive end. So the natural
follow up was who might that be? Who can you
point to as a as a group right now and say, yeah,

(01:31:02):
be more like this guy on defense.

Speaker 7 (01:31:04):
You know, the way that I would answer that is,
I don't think it's clearcut where every game you have
the same answer, or else we would have just done that.
But I do think that we have some players off
the bench. I'll give you an example, Declan Duru, who's
six foot eight, who sometimes in six to eight minutes

(01:31:25):
can have more deflections than somebody that's playing twenty. You know,
Declan can defensive rebound, He gives us the gift of size.
He's a young player. That means he's got a high ceiling.
He has a lot to learn, but he can get better.
Getting him more minutes could make us bigger, tougher, more
pressure defensively, things like that.

Speaker 1 (01:31:48):
So maybe that's something we'll see a little bit more of.
Declan Duru, who I know Sean Milder was very excited
about before the season, and we saw the lineup with Lacina,
Trelray and Modus Bocatita is out there together in them
a lot of length in the post. He went away
from it early in the game. Might he go back
to it in the future. So back to the idea
of undisciplined fouls, which have really hurt this Texas team.

(01:32:10):
How would Sean Miller define those types of plays? What
makes an undisciplined foul?

Speaker 7 (01:32:16):
It's really a big deal. Undisciplined players are coached by
an undisciplined coach.

Speaker 2 (01:32:25):
I really mean that.

Speaker 7 (01:32:27):
I have to be able to, on an everyday basis explain, teach,
drill and demand, create a standard of what is a
bad foul, and it's up to me to fix it
on an every day, each week basis. It may not
go from where we are today to being great, but

(01:32:50):
I'll give you an example. The team I coached last
year in Biggie's Play team shot fifteen free throws a game.
I wouldn't consider the team I coached a year ago
crazy talent or a great defensive team. We really improved
as the year went on, and I don't know if
our starting point was any different than maybe where we

(01:33:12):
would have been this year, but we improved and it
was obvious. It was obvious to the players. It was
obvious to a fan if you watched. You know, right now,
I think teams are shooting more than twenty three a game,
and we're not nearly at team heart of our schedule.
When I say fifteen free throw attempts a game that
was in Big East play, that's twenty Big East games.

(01:33:35):
You can't put teams at the line twenty three, twenty
four times a game.

Speaker 3 (01:33:40):
You just can't do it.

Speaker 7 (01:33:41):
And I think, like that's a really big point. Sometimes
it's not about many things. It's about getting better that
one thing and that we're going we're gonna keep working
on it.

Speaker 1 (01:33:53):
And the Longhorns get an opportunity to face a Big
East team in the Yukon Huskies, a team that Sean
Miller had a pretty good track record against all things
considered as the head coach at Xavier. It's also the
team's last chance for a quad one road victory during
the non conference slate, which you look down the list, Yes,

(01:34:16):
Texas has the winning record at the moment seven to three,
but you look at the best win that's nc State,
a team that the metrics have somewhere in the low
thirties right now. They've fallen out of the top twenty
five since Texas beat them in Maui. Was a one
to two trip to Hawaii for Will Wade's NC State

(01:34:37):
wolf Pack losses to Duke Arizona State in Virginia Arizona
State loss.

Speaker 2 (01:34:42):
Will see how that ages right.

Speaker 1 (01:34:44):
Arizona State right now is a quad two team if
you're talking about net rankings, which ultimately will determine the
Longhorn's fate if they're on the bubble. Win over Connecticut
could go a long way in doing that. That game
tips off Friday night at seven o'clock. On the positive note,
one more meant from Sean Miller. The Longhorns had seventeen
assists in the victory over Southern regardless of the opponent.

(01:35:08):
What were his thoughts on this and how could they
potentially build on a good night at the office from
an offensive perspective such as this, We're having a little
trouble with.

Speaker 2 (01:35:18):
That sound by when we come back, though.

Speaker 1 (01:35:20):
We'll hear from Longhorns head football coach Steve Sarkisian ahead
of the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Eve right here
on sports Radio AM thirteen hundred zone. Kind of Lemon

(01:35:51):
Tree from Mountjoy bumping back as the Longhorns prepare for
a trip to Orlando and the Citrus Bowl on New
Year's Eve. We're gonna hear a little bit from Steve
Sarkis before we wrap up the show today.

Speaker 2 (01:36:02):
But first, just.

Speaker 1 (01:36:05):
Earlier this hour, sources reporting that the Longhorns had parted
ways with their running backs coach Chad Scott after just
one season in Austin. He came over from West Virginia,
remember to replace to Shard Choice. He went and joined
the Detroit Lions staff in the off season, and we

(01:36:26):
talked earlier about CJ. Baxter andering the transfer portal Quatravian
Weisner with the decision ahead over whether or not he'll
return to the team next year. Jared Gibson already in
the portal earlier this season. The Texas running back room
will look different next season, and apparently it'll be led

(01:36:47):
by a different running backs coach than Chad Scott.

Speaker 2 (01:36:51):
As well.

Speaker 1 (01:36:52):
Head coach Steve Sarksian talked to the media on Sunday
night ahead of the Citrus Bowl. We heard some of
his comments on the show yesterday. We're gonna get to
a few more here this afternoon when the Longhorns were
facing a decision do you take the bull bid do
you not? Sark mentioned earlier that they never considered opting

(01:37:13):
out of a ball game, So the follow up to
that was asked, what benefits do the extra practices for
the next three weeks give a young team like Texas
as they prepare not just for the ball game, but
for two than and twenty six.

Speaker 3 (01:37:31):
I think it's one. It's the quality of the opponent.

Speaker 13 (01:37:33):
You know, we're playing a Michigan team that won five
of their last six games.

Speaker 3 (01:37:38):
They've got elite players.

Speaker 13 (01:37:39):
They've got a fantastic young quarterback who got better as
the season went on. We got a really good young runner.
They've got talented, you know, really good schemes on both
sides of all. We know that from facing them a
year ago, and so I think what it does it
raises the competitive level for some of our younger players
and an opportunity to play them and you get them

(01:37:59):
in the game. But also some players that have been
developing as the season's gone on. Can we continue that
growth to really springboards into twenty twenty six? And like
I said, the first goal is to go win ten games,
because we're always trying to do things that haven't been.

Speaker 3 (01:38:14):
Done around here for a long long time.

Speaker 13 (01:38:16):
And the idea that we can win ten games this
season for the third consecutive season.

Speaker 3 (01:38:23):
Since seven to nine.

Speaker 13 (01:38:25):
That's a pretty big accomplishment for this group to go
along with. As we touched on, you know beaten our
rivals for back to back years, and you know you
beaten know you by double digits two years in a row,
Beaten Arkansas by double digits two years in a row,
Beaten A and M by double digits two years.

Speaker 5 (01:38:40):
In a row.

Speaker 13 (01:38:40):
Those are some really cool things that this team gets
to hold on to, and so I want to make
sure we go get that tenth win for them. But also, yeah,
to your point, for the younger players to get such
a quality opponent in such a great Bowl game, I
think it's going to be a great experience for them
that hopefully, you know what, next year, the goal is
to be.

Speaker 3 (01:38:58):
In the playoffs.

Speaker 13 (01:38:59):
But if we're not going to be in the playoffs,
let's be in the game that's closest to the playoffs
that gives enough field and energy and competitive spirit.

Speaker 3 (01:39:08):
So they have an idea of what they can look
forward to next December.

Speaker 2 (01:39:11):
In those Bowl practices.

Speaker 1 (01:39:14):
Sark was asked, what do you gauge in terms of
the guy's reactions to this situation. Do you look at
work ethic, do you look at upside? Is this a
chance for you to kind of take stock? Here's his answer, Well,
I think.

Speaker 13 (01:39:29):
So, and I think also, you know, one thing that
we're going to look at that we haven't quite had
the you know, we didn't have the luxury of last year,
but you know we had going into the Washington game
and the Sugar Bowl, is how do you manage the
time off? You know, I'm really looking at this schedule
in December with a forward thinking mindset as well. You know,

(01:39:53):
if you have an opportunity to win an SEC championship
and then you get that extended layoff to that to
that bowl game, okay, in that playoff game, what are
you doing with the time to keep your team fresh,
to keep your team not only fresh, but yet competitive
with the physicality. And so this gives us an opportunity
to tinker with that as well too, for the future

(01:40:15):
of you know, hopefully we get back into that spot,
you know, where we've been the last two years, and
if we do that, maybe there's some things in our
schedule that we can do better than we did the
first time around a couple of years ago when we.

Speaker 3 (01:40:27):
Were in the Sugar Bowl against against Washington.

Speaker 1 (01:40:30):
Finally, it seems like everybody these days has a playoff
format they want to propose.

Speaker 2 (01:40:36):
I mean, whether it is.

Speaker 1 (01:40:40):
Strictly automatic qualifiers for a certain conferences or strictly the
best twelve or fourteen or sixteen teams regardless of conference.

Speaker 2 (01:40:50):
However you want to frame it.

Speaker 1 (01:40:52):
Everybody's got an idea of the way we could do
it better than the way things are going right now.
So Sarka was asked, would you be interested in kind
of a play in tournament formatt where teams in Texas's
position in the future could play their way into the
postseason rather than leaving so much in the hands of

(01:41:13):
the committee. And sometimes one might not be able to
exist without the other. But here's how we responded to
this line of questioning.

Speaker 3 (01:41:21):
I'd be interested in a lot of things, you know.

Speaker 13 (01:41:24):
But again, I think we just can't rush to let's
go over here and do this if we don't, if
we don't look at the unintended consequences of doing something
like that. And I think some of the things with
us going to the twelve team playoff, with some of
the aqs and and some of the formatting of how

(01:41:46):
teams were going to get evaluated, and what was the
criteria and the principles of teams getting elected to play.
I think that needs to be evaluated first before we
start talking about more teams, before we start talk talking
about playing games.

Speaker 3 (01:42:02):
Who's playing in how do you earn those opportunities?

Speaker 13 (01:42:04):
Like those are the things because I think there's unintended
consequences that come with everything, and we have to drill
all the way down on this stuff because we're finding
out there were some unintended consequences with this format that
they're going to they're going to have to work themselves through,
and so there's a lot of work to be done.
And we've got some great people working on this stuff.
Don't get me wrong, the leadership is really good. But

(01:42:25):
we can be better, just like we can be better
as a football program. I think the CFP can be better,
and I think we all can probably.

Speaker 3 (01:42:31):
Agree on that.

Speaker 13 (01:42:33):
But I think what's important is not just to rush
to judgment. Let's take our time, Let's get it right,
or at least let's get it better.

Speaker 1 (01:42:40):
Than next time around, all right, the thoughts of Steve
Sarkejan before his team plays in the Citrus Bowl. Still
got plenty of time to preview that one on New
Year's Eve. Well, running out of time though, on this
edition of The Craig Way Show. One more segments to go.
Here on sports Radio, a'm thirteen hundred Zone

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