All Episodes

January 7, 2025 • 12 mins
Texas wideout Matthew Golden spoke to the media on Monday to discuss his performance against Arizona State, that 4th down catch, and preparing for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
There.

Speaker 2 (00:00):
All right, let's hear first of all, some comments we
didn't get a chance to get to with regard to
this matchup from Logarts head coach Steve Sarkashan. First of all,
you know, sark says he wants his team to be
better on first downs.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
He's been wanting that for some time.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Arizona State did a good job of limiting Texas on
first downs. So was there anything specific the Sun Devils
did that, say, Ohio State can take note of been
noting the difficulties Texas had on first downs.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
Well, I thought they were very active. I thought they
did a good job of running their defense. I didn't
think it was so much of that there was something
new or different, but they executed. I thought they won
some of their one on ones, which we got to
improve upon that. You know, you know, at the end
of the day, you know, first and second down wins

(00:49):
are really important for us to try to minimize some
of the third and long situations that you can get
yourself into.

Speaker 1 (00:57):
But you know that that's when we're at our best.

Speaker 3 (00:59):
And so for them, I just thought it was they
executed that what they do on defense, and they did
it better than we did.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
For a lot of that ballgame.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
One thing the long Words did do on defense was
to answer the bell when they absolutely had to to
get the stop the interception by Macouba. But they also
had those big fourth down stops where they twice stopped
Cam Scattaboo near the goal line and another time stopped
Arizona State from getting into the end zone. And you know,
all of that was really really important. So Sark was

(01:29):
asked about his defense continuing to answer the bell in
the big moments.

Speaker 3 (01:33):
Well, I think our defense has been tremendous all year.
That was a hard game the other night. You know,
they played over one hundred snaps and it was an
odd game. You know, you think about we really lost
almost three full possessions on offense. Anytime you have a
scoring return on special teams where we had a punt
return for a touchdown that would have been an offensive

(01:55):
possession that we lost our first drive on offense, we
scored in two plays, and then we have the safety
in one play, and so we really lost three possessions
that you know, unintentionally put our defense continually back on
the field. I just thought it originally, man, we weren't
getting off the field. We were doing okay, especially in
the first half of that game, but over time that

(02:17):
can wear on you. And so I thought those guys
showed a lot of grit, a lot of guts in
that game to fight through. You know, we had players
playing one hundred snaps on defense, not including special teams,
Michael taff being one of those. I think he play
one hundred and one snaps on defense. Not to mention
he was on punt, punt return and kickoff return. And
so that's a lot on these guys that again, we've

(02:39):
got to get him healthy and get them back.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
As far as you know, football goes.

Speaker 3 (02:42):
Hey, we don't play flag football, man, all right, this
isn't seven on seven. This is tackle football. We believe
in playing a physical brand of football. We try to
do it the right way within the rules. You know,
there were there were numerous plays I thought in the
game that I'm sure they were upset about a call.

Speaker 1 (02:57):
There was numerous plays I didn't agree.

Speaker 3 (02:59):
With the call. And so but that's football, that's the
way it goes. But we're not going to change the
way we play. We play a physical brand of football.
We're always going to try to impose our will on
our opponents, and Michael's a great example that he plays
the game the right way.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
Yeah, I was talking about Michael taff there and the
hard physical hit that he placed there. All right, we'll
hear more from Sark coming. You know, the real dichotomy
about that then when he talked about losing some possessions,
but they got fourteen points out of two of those,
but down the safety they gave up to But you
know the touchdown drive, the first drive of you Wills,

(03:35):
who plays seventy seven yards, they did it in forty
one seconds. The second was a pump return, So yes,
they didn't have possessions, but they got points. But his
point is well made that your defense barely has time
to catch its breath and it's pushed back out onto
the field to try to answer the call. So that's
kind of the pick your poison kind of thing. All right,
let's go to the guy who was so important long

(03:57):
He had a big catch on that first drive, and
then of course the big fourth and thirteen catch. You
had an other great catch down the boundary, and of
course the two point conversion catch to provide point umber
thirty eight and thirty nine for Texas. Of course, we're
talking about Matthew Golden.

Speaker 4 (04:12):
Hey, Matthew, whether it's you and Isaiah this year, Ad
and I last year, last couple of years with the
transfer receivers have come in and immediately kind of build
a rapport with Quinn in this offense. I'm kind of wondering,
why do you think that is the Quinn? Is it
the culture? Is it just god given talent and cream
rising to the top. Why do you think that is?

Speaker 5 (04:32):
You know, I would just say it's the culture they
have here at the University of Texas, you know, just
the foundation, you know, the coaching staff at that you know,
just coming in and standing down, you know, just asking
questions about like how to level, how to bring your
game to the next level. You know, just been in
this offense, you know it's changed a lot.

Speaker 1 (04:52):
You know, it's helped me develop my game to the
next level.

Speaker 5 (04:56):
So, you know, I appreciate Coach Jackson and coach Shark
for you know, allowing me to bring my talents here.

Speaker 1 (05:01):
You know, they've failed me a lot.

Speaker 6 (05:04):
Hey, matt Andrew mccouba said that this year for him
has kind of been like a movie. So I kind
of want to get your take on how you think
this year has been for you, you know, from when you
first got here to where you are now and how
it's fit with your expectations.

Speaker 5 (05:24):
You know, it's been a blessing to be able to
play for this university, you know, just everything that happened,
you know, just waiting my turn, you know, and you know,
I feel like just me coming here, you know, it
was a no brainer. You know, I didn't want to
go too far from home, so just coming here, and
you know, just being able to play with the guys,
you know, just that adversity we faced throughout the season,

(05:46):
you know, just staying together and staying this one team.
You know, I feel like as a team, you know,
we're right where we need to be. And uh, I
mean I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. And how
how can that fourth and thirteen play catapult this offense?
I mean, I mean like I don't feel like none

(06:06):
of us was ready to go on. So I feel
like the football guy was on our side, you know,
just for that that one't play, you know, uh, just
knowing that, you know, we weren't ready for our season
to end, so just being able to capitalize on that play,
you know, keep the season going.

Speaker 1 (06:19):
You know, it's it's it's a blessing. And man, just
does the fourth and thirteen play have a name? I
know we ain't. I ain't came up with a name yet.
So was it just a straight adjustment at the line? Uh?

Speaker 5 (06:35):
Yeah, yeah, Quinn checked the protection you know, uh play
that we had called, you know, Uh it was. It
was a cover two beater, you know, the safety safety
played a little bit higher. You know, I stuck the
corner in the old line, gave Quinn good enough time,
you know, just to deliver a perfect ball for me
to come down with and grab. So you know, Congress,
Congress to us on the wing, you know, but I

(06:56):
feel like as as a whole offense, you know, we
still got to go back to the drawing board and
you know, just fix the small details to be more
successful in this game.

Speaker 7 (07:04):
Hey man, you wanted to ask about your your move
to go to Texas, Like when you entered the portal,
what was that the thing about Texas that attracted you
that made you want to go there? And what did
you learn about this program in your time here so far?

Speaker 5 (07:18):
You know, just knowing that you got to be able
to block plan in this offense. You know, it's just
it's just a balanced offense.

Speaker 1 (07:23):
You know.

Speaker 5 (07:24):
Uh, I've seen exactly your worthy adding our Menchel here
before me.

Speaker 1 (07:27):
You know, I've seen what they did with receivers.

Speaker 5 (07:29):
So you know, just knowing the history that that that
they did with receivers, you know, it was it was,
it was, it.

Speaker 1 (07:35):
Was an arbrainer just to come here, you know.

Speaker 5 (07:36):
So me being able to come and play in this offense,
like I said, this helped me develop my game to
the next level. So, uh, just being able to plan
approst the offenses, you know. Uh, it's it'll get you
ready for the next level or whatever you decide you
want to do with your opportunities there.

Speaker 1 (07:53):
I'm Matthew Bill Rabinos from the Columbus Dispatch.

Speaker 4 (07:56):
Uh, could you just kind of describe the challenge that
you and the other text receivers are gonna face and
go adigains Davis Nivenosen and Denzel Burking and really the
safeties as well.

Speaker 5 (08:06):
You know, just knowing that we're gonna we're gonna play
a good defense. You know, we know it's gonna be
a sixty minute battle, so you know, just just just
going out there as one as one team as an offense,
you know, focusing on the small details and just taking
in one player at a time. So just going out
there and executing doing everything we need to do as
an offense, and you know, just letting the risks on

(08:27):
fold itself.

Speaker 8 (08:29):
Matthew, I know you're not going up against Jeremiah Smith
on the field, but what do you think of him?
And does his presence motivates you to go out there
and match his performance?

Speaker 5 (08:41):
You know, just just him being young and him playing
at the level he's playing at. You know, it's it's
it's a different it's different man. I mean, congrats to him,
you know for having the season that he's having. You know,
I see from Twitter and stuff like that that you know,
he looks like he's a way around the guy. You know,
on and off the field. You know, he carries himself
like a pro. So you know, just being able to
get that match up against against him and the defense

(09:04):
that they bring, you know, Uh, I'm looking forward to
and and I think the rest of our team are too, Matthew.

Speaker 4 (09:10):
As a whole, how would you assess how special teams
have gone in Texas kickoff return return? You know, the
kicking game with Bert struggling a little bit. How would
you assess special teams as a whole this season?

Speaker 7 (09:21):
Now?

Speaker 5 (09:21):
I feel like special teams changes changes games. You know,
it brings a lot of energy, you know, uh, changing
pogestions or anything like that. Just being able to capitalize
on the special team side, you know, uh, it makes
a lot of things easier. So just just knowing, just
knowing that, you know, whenever we get the opportunity uh
to to you know, capitalize on special teams, we got
to take for accountability for it. So I mean with Bert,

(09:44):
you know, uh we we we stay on Burt, you know,
he he Uh, nobody's perfect, so you just just knowing
just being there for him and telling him, you know
it's you're gonna get another opportunity. So just being able
to capitalize ouf that, you know, not not reflect off
the past, So just being for him and then special
team wise, just just going out there and taking taking
accountability for us for you know, any opportunity that we get.

Speaker 9 (10:08):
Matthew, aside from the practices and the drills and stuff
going over the game plan, has Coach Jackson and or
Coach Sarkisian sat down with you individually or maybe as
a team and said, Okay, guys, we have two more battles.
It's important to remain calm, rely on your skills, set,
remind rely on your training, but to kind of get

(10:30):
you in a focused sense of maybe you know, mentally
giving you in that spot. Have they sat down with
you guys, talked to you about that.

Speaker 1 (10:37):
Yeah, they've definitely talked to us about it.

Speaker 5 (10:39):
You know, just just looking at the matchup that we're
going against. You know, uh, like I said, we're playing
a good team. You know, two good teams playing against
you against each other. So you know, just knowing now,
like when games come like this, you gotta be locked
in on the small details as a team, you know,
players one unit. So just knowing that we get this
opportunity and you know we're gonna take for the accountability

(11:00):
for it. So I feel like we're right where we
need to be as a team. You know, we're just
gonna stay locked in. That's one.

Speaker 1 (11:07):
What's up?

Speaker 10 (11:07):
Matt just wanted to go back to your comments about
how his program has helped out your game and improve
your game. Can you just pull behind the curtain a
little bit and let's know what about your game has
improved and also how much is coach Jackson's NFL experience
to play the factor in that.

Speaker 5 (11:22):
Yeah, you know he's He's helped me tremendously, you know,
just talking off the field stuff, you know, just reading
defenses and just rock details in general. You know, just
knowing that, you know, in this type of offense, you
got to be able to be in his owns, know
when that plans on, know when they planing. Man, So
just knowing that you got to be you got to
be there at the right time for the quarterback. You know,
you got to be at the right depth whatever whatever

(11:43):
rout it is, you know, whatever concept. You know, you
just got to go out there. You know, you got
to becked in with the small details and do your job.
So I feel like, I mean, coming here and just
having the foundation that we have here, you know, it's
helped me in a in a long way.

Speaker 8 (11:58):
Yeah, I was curious if you have any for us.
Tration is a kick returner. I know you got a
couple of her testdowns at Houston and you don't get
to return to many and now that Silas got his, yeah,
ditching to contribute there.

Speaker 5 (12:11):
Yeah, you know, it's definitely making me hungry. You know,
it's it's good to see one of my guys eat.
You know, I'm a competitor, So me and me and
Silace joke off the field, who's gonna get the.

Speaker 1 (12:20):
First point return parents turn and kick return.

Speaker 5 (12:22):
You know, he got it, So I'm just trying to
match his energy. So, you know, just waiting for my
opportunity to come. And you know, whenever it come, I'm
gonna take. I'm gonna take. I'm gonna take it, man,
and I'm not looking back.

Speaker 2 (12:36):
So there's Matthew Goldenie his thoughts on getting ready and
not looking back, getting ready for this cowbo. All right,
up next, we do have inconceivable for a Tuesday afternoon.

Speaker 1 (12:46):
I ain't thirteen under the sun.
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.