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July 16, 2025 • 13 mins
Texas Longhorns safety Michael Taaffe joined Craig Way and Mike "Hardball" Hardge at the SEC Media Days in Atlanta. The super senior discussed how good the Texas defense can be in 2025, summer standouts including Jonah Williams, preparing for Ohio State, and how he's honoring the Camp Mystic Victims.
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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We continue here from SEC Football media days, and uh,
this being the day when the Texas Longhorns are here,
includes the fact that our good friend the supersed you're
super in so many ways.

Speaker 3 (00:15):
Michael chaff is with us. Now.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
Now, I want to start with something because I had
a conversation just a little while ago with Mookie and
also with a Hill and also with Arch Manning, and
we'll have that conversation later. But I didn't you had
your jacket button at the time. I didn't get to
see on your burnt orange tie. You have initials here

(00:39):
and now, and and I want to give you a
chance to talk about this because I think this is
extremely meaningful.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Yeah, it's the Uh.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Obviously everybody knows about the Texas floods and one of
the camps, one of the summer camps they got impacted,
probably the biggest was campstick In All Girls Camp right
down off the Squad River. And so I have the
initials of all the girls that passed away in the floods.
And then I have the camp director, Dick east Lynn,
who was heard saving lives drove back into the floods

(01:08):
to go save lives, to try to save some of
those those girls and it's eight year old daughters, and
then the counselors of those girls, and I heard that
they were heroes also trying to save lives and trying
to pull every girl that they could. And so I
just wanted to shed light on such a tragic moment
in Texas and migrate state and y'all's great state, and

(01:30):
y'all are locals to the central Texas area, and to
know that the main message here is SEC, what's.

Speaker 3 (01:38):
Going to happen in the football world of SEC.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
But I wanted to shed light on something that's way
more important than a game, and that's life.

Speaker 1 (01:46):
Well, you made a reference in our conversation earlier about
legacy and how will I be remembered in things of
that nature? Is that also part and parcel what you're
talking about here?

Speaker 3 (01:55):
Yeah? For sure.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
I think I have such a unique platform being at
the University of Texas because the Texas fan base is
so loyal and it's just so big and so supportive
of us, and so I want to do everything that
I can to be significant instead of successful, because you know,
why not me give light to some of these families
that are dealing with such terrible loss, To give them

(02:21):
an opportunity to show what their daughter stood for, and
their daughters were all heroes and they should know that
going forward, and in.

Speaker 4 (02:32):
A light like this, we're talking to Michael, Mookie Taff
and Mike. You and i have been friends for quite
some time now, and we've had some moments to have
these types of conversations, but getting an opportunity to shed
light on something that has been so tragic. You said
something just a little while ago about the perspective of

(02:52):
it all. You know, everybody's obviously here sec media days.
It's a big time event. It means we're getting closer
and closer to football. But as football players, y'all are
still human beings and you still live and breathe every
single day, and there are some now that have lost
their lives and are less fortunate in these situations. So

(03:13):
I'm I'm I'm proud of you for pointing that out.
I mean, it's very significant because it's a gesture that
just your way of giving back. But that had to
be done pretty quick, you know what I'm saying, Because
it wasn't something that you were thinking about. You just
had to get a tie done. But you got that
done pretty quick. You.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
Yeah, Anderson Parker. It's a local company in Westlake. My
mom's friends with the owner and she got it done
and she actually gave it to me for free, so
showing her support of such a tragic moment. And so
it's so cool, like Texas has totally come together, and
you've seen it how close Texas has been the last

(03:56):
two weeks. And to know that they've you know, everybody's
there for one another because somebody, if you're from Texas,
somebody has a tie to those people, and so you know,
everybody's really warning these losses. And so I think I
have a unique opportunity today.

Speaker 1 (04:14):
I appreciate you doing that and uh and uh Sark
talked about it as well in my conversation with him. Okay,
this is uh. You and I joked about this and
said there won't be in next year. This is this
is it. This is the last go around for the
guy that some of some of your teammates are starting
to call you unk and uncle and grandpa and.

Speaker 3 (04:31):
All that kind of stuff.

Speaker 1 (04:33):
But it does also set up a more important theme,
and that's the theme of leadership and guidance.

Speaker 3 (04:39):
Doesn't it from you? Yeah, it does. I think.

Speaker 2 (04:43):
The topic of being significant and set is successful. What
good does it do when you just bring your success
with you and don't shed light on anybody else. And
so I think I have a I think I was
born with the trade of being a leader, and so
I want to try to shed that on other people
and show them and be a disciple in the locker

(05:03):
room of how it's supposed to be done. Because the
game of college football is definitely evolving, and there's things
that are time tested. Working hard, being a good teammate,
loving on your teammates, caring about the team. Those are
time tested that you're going to be a successful team
if you have those four traits. And you know, nobody

(05:26):
grew up when you're three years old playing in the
backyard and was like, oh, this game of football is
really cool. I'm gonna make a lot of money doing this.
You were playing it because you had a lot of fun.
And so to remember that you're playing to have fun
and all the other stuff's cool, but you're here to
have fun, is what I try to tell tell the
younger guys.

Speaker 4 (05:43):
Well, speaking of the younger guys, this is a different secondary.
This is something that some of these guys are going
to get an opportunity to step up. Obviously Malik Muhammad
had a lot of time. But there's a guy that
everybody's been kind of putting on their radar, their radio
with their radar, and that is Jelani McDonald from the
two File Full. And he is somebody that I continue

(06:06):
to hear nothing but great things about about his energy,
the way he's learning. Is he somebody that has stood
out during the summer workouts and looks like he's gonna
be poised for a good season.

Speaker 2 (06:17):
Yeah, you're right. The two five four finest Lanny McDonald
is just a creature. He is a guy that is
not afraid of contact. He is a guy that's physically
checks every single box and then mentally he's already there.
And to be a guy that's you know, projected to

(06:38):
be a starter and hasn't really gone a ton of
starts in his career and to mentally already be there
as a leader shows a lot of you know, respect
that we have for that for that guy, and shows
what type of guy he is. And so, yeah, Jelani's
gonna have gonna be really really good. He's gonna have
a really good season. He's gonna have a great career
in his life. But you know, I loved talking about Jelenny.

(07:00):
Also love talking about all my other teammates. I think Manny,
I think you know Gilbo, I think Grayson Littleton, I
think Kobe Black, I think that the knuckleheads that are
in my room that are my best friends, Xavier and
Jordan Johnson and Zealous and Jonah and if I'm forgetting anybody, Wardell,
Max and Ten all those guys and Will.

Speaker 3 (07:23):
Raptor you know what I'm saying. So you know, you
know he knows the.

Speaker 2 (07:29):
Funny story about d Will because I can't rave enough
about d Will.

Speaker 3 (07:33):
I told I told the media this the press.

Speaker 2 (07:36):
But if y'all go watch the Michigan game from last
year and see d Well and I communicate, it looks
like we were best friends for like ten years. But
that's just he just has trust in his teammates and
it's so cool, like he just is he. When he talks,
everybody listens, and when everybody else talks, he listens. And
that's the definition of a leader is being able to listen.

Speaker 3 (07:57):
And so he's so cool.

Speaker 1 (07:58):
I'm curious to get your your thoughts on how well
the room has gotten to know Jonah because he was
kind of busy in the spring the freeway. Yeah, making
an impact there for coach swats on baseball. How well
is is everybody gotten to know him and to help
him get ingrained in things.

Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, Well, it's not hard when you have a guy
like Jonah to get to know because he's very personable,
super personal guy, has a relationship with everybody on the
team already, he's been here for what seven weeks, and
so it's really cools telling arts.

Speaker 3 (08:32):
The other day, I was like, you know, I know
he's young.

Speaker 2 (08:34):
I hope he figures it out, and I'm gonna do
everything I can to try to get him to figure
it out, because man, it's fun playing with that guy.
Like when I when I make a play or somebody
else a teammate makes a play, great play on arch, which.

Speaker 3 (08:46):
Is not easy to do, as y'all know.

Speaker 2 (08:49):
When we make a great play on Arch, Jonahs the
first one up in the OH line talking smack. I'm like, dude,
if I had those guts when I was a freshman,
my face would be bloody every day.

Speaker 3 (08:59):
But it's a good thing that he's what six.

Speaker 1 (09:02):
Four, yeah team can run and not afraid to stare
down a. Pitcher he can also run like twenty two
miles an. Hour he's he is the, MAN i, mean he.

Speaker 2 (09:12):
WAS i, Know, god you, know creates every single one
of us hand in my, Hand BUT i Think god
put a little bit more on him because he's he's
but he's also just such a good.

Speaker 4 (09:22):
Guy, yeah so we've seen that during the baseball season
because of the way that he is with his teammates
and being able to transfer from baseball now going into,
football what are some of the things that you're kind
of leaning towards these guys to kind of understand what
college football is truly, about because, everybody as you, said
goes about it, differently but the steps remain the same

(09:44):
and if you fall in, line good things can.

Speaker 3 (09:46):
Happen, RIGHT i try.

Speaker 2 (09:48):
TO i, think you, know you can be a leader
so many different, ways BUT i think every leader has
to lead by. Example and if you're leading by, example
you're giving people a platform of what it looks like
to do things. Right AND i try my best to
do that BECAUSE i would be a hypocrite If i'm
just talking about it and then not doing, It and
SO i try to lead by. Example and give them

(10:10):
the recipe for. Success but at the end of the,
day nothing's better than learning from. Failure and it's such
a competitive environment and fall camp when you have sixteen
on the other side talking trash to, everybody when you
Got DeAndre moore talking trash, everybody when you Got ryan
Wing go running the route that he, does when you
GOT Dj, campbell you'll know y'all see him on my good.

Speaker 1 (10:33):
Grass and you talked about when we talked me early
arch isn't afraid to talk a little To, no he's.

Speaker 3 (10:39):
Not he's.

Speaker 2 (10:40):
Not, yeah he we get into it a, Ton BUT
i think like nothing's better than failing in fall. Camp
so you, KNOW i all, right this is how college
football is because If i'm IF i can do it
against The texas long.

Speaker 3 (10:54):
Run, OFFENSE i can do it against.

Speaker 2 (10:55):
ANYBODY i, MEAN i you give me an, Offense i'll
go toe to toe with any buddy with. That you,
know first two, deep you know the twenty two players
that are in that too, deep and even the guys behind,
Them but just that twenty two THAT i can think
of off the top of my.

Speaker 3 (11:09):
Head it's, like all, right.

Speaker 2 (11:11):
Quarterbacks check, receivers check o line check and by the,
way we just had four drafted running backs check and
now all of them are starting to get. Healthy that's
gonna be you, know a recipe for, dangerousness you know
What i'm.

Speaker 3 (11:25):
Saying and so every.

Speaker 2 (11:27):
Tight end of check we just got another one out
of the.

Speaker 3 (11:29):
Portal so and by the, Way jack looks, really really.

Speaker 2 (11:33):
Nice SO i think, like if you can compete against
our offense and have some, success then you'll Be you'll
be pretty good On.

Speaker 1 (11:41):
Saturdays final thing here before we let you, go there's
an enduring, image good, bad, whatever of you after The
Cotton bowl walking in to the locker. Room your emotions
are out there for all to, see not just because

(12:02):
of that apped up within. That does it make opening
your final season against the team that ended the season
last year a little more?

Speaker 3 (12:13):
Special for? Sure, yes the answer to that question is,
YES i.

Speaker 4 (12:18):
Saw a LITTLE i saw a little, fire and real,
CLEAR i saw a little firing AS i real.

Speaker 2 (12:23):
Cuiar but WHAT i will say is all of that,
was all that emotion was BECAUSE i felt like that
team's potential was to be the Best texas has ever.

Speaker 3 (12:41):
Seen and that's truly WHAT i.

Speaker 2 (12:43):
Thought from top to, bottom we had such a together,
team very talented, team but just a very good. Culture
and SO i was more not even upset At Higo
state because they played a heck of a. Game hats
off to, them And i'm so excited to get to
go challenge them. Again BUT i was so upset BECAUSE
i know how how badly all those guys wanted. IT

(13:04):
i know how Badly Baron surrell wanted, It Johnny, Barron Quinn,
Gunner Matt, golden all those, guys Hating, Connor Jack, Majors
Kelvin and to know that we fell short was, like you,
KNOW i wanted it for those, guys for my, Teammates
and so that's where the emotions all, came, was you,
know we we fell short of our.

Speaker 3 (13:26):
POTENTIAL i got.

Speaker 1 (13:27):
Too, hey you're always fulfilling your. Potential we appreciate you
taking the. Time great to see you, again and, uh
it would be cool to run this back one more, time,
right for, sure run it back one more? Time all,
right That's Michael chaffi. Les we'll continue on thirteen under
The zone
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