December 20, 2024 • 14 mins
Eric Henry from Horns247 drops by to discuss the biggest questions entering Texas vs Clemson in the College Football Playoff.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Texas will host Clemson. Here the help me preview this game.
But Eric Henry from Horns two four seven, Erica, thanks
for hopping on an. They're another busy week and this
time not joining me from a hotel room.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Caim.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
I'm not opposed to little Darius Rutger, little blowfish, but
this is this is the flagship station of the Horns. Man,
where's the big ex the plug?
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Craig with text being like, hey, what do you playing?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
You know?
Speaker 1 (00:28):
I also I don't want to get e FCC fine
fare point, Eric, had you had a good post on
two four seven sports dot com seven pressing questions for
this game between Texas and Clemson, And you start off
with kin, Texas went on early down, so then they
struggled with against Georgia and it's going to play a
key role in this game against Clemson to marrow.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Listen, if you take a look back at Texas is
lost in the SEC title game, they went six of
eighteen on third down. Now, Cam, you and I are
never going to confuse for Steve starkeg all right, he's
forgotten more football than we'll ever know. This forward Division
two football player is not claimed to be in the
same stratuspeare as him.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
However, that yeah, yeah, Jacksonville University.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
All right, all right, we played a year D two
football for our realized the NFL isn't looking for five
to nine linebackers, so I better focus on this communications thing,
start talking rather than playing. Nevertheless, you don't have to
be an expert to figure out that eleven point six
yards to go on third down not necessarily the ideal circumstance.
That's the average that Texas needed to convert third downs
(01:31):
two weeks ago. Now, three of or excuse me, three
of the six third down conversions that Texas had they
weren't third and short. So that's why one of my
seven pressing questions is winning on early downs. Texas needs
to stay ahead of the chains. A big part of that.
And I'm sure you're gonna ask me about this guy
at some point. Is keeping TJ. Parker in the rest
of Clemson's defense front the front seven off of quint yours.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Yeah, let's go ahead and talk about TJ. Parker.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
I think he's go with sixteen sacks this season. He's
been absolutely tremendous for the law for the Tigers, and
a big matchup will be Calvin Banks, who was coming
to this game probably less than one hundred percent against Parker,
who can you know, wreak some havoc in the in
the Texas, in the Quinn yours excuse me?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
The three names though, starting with t J.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Parkers, you mentioned sixteen and a half sacks for his career,
eleven and a half this year. He's a guy who
continuously has a sophomore camp. First off, these you know guys,
they just come out of high school now.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Bigger and bigger.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
I mean he's six three, two seventy as a sophomore,
which he's just crazy for that size.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
As an edge player, a guy's only in a second year.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Playing college football, but he's consistently made plays behind the
line of scrimmage. And as you mentioned that matchup he
versus Calvin Banks junior, and everyone knows, you know, Kelvin
when he's right, one of the top two three offensive
lineman in all the college with all there is a
reason he was a unanimous All American.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
But how is he going to fare with that ankle?
Speaker 3 (02:53):
During the limited availability that Steve Sarkgian and company gave
us on Monday to watch practice, Kevin was running with
the first team, didn't walk with the limp appears to
be fine, but it's something that you know, you can
only test that thing out when the bullets are alive,
the you know, proverbial bullets are alive, and you're going
against a guy like t J. Parker, then of course
the other two guys keep an eye on are wood As.
Wade wood As and Barrett Carter, two guys who are
(03:15):
in that front seven linebackers continuously make plays behind the
line of scrimmage cam The thing about Clemson's defense, And
it's so funny because I've done you know, countless radio
spots this week, and whenever I do the spots in
South Carolina, they're a little down on this Clemson defense.
And oh it's not. The Clemson defense is a year's past.
With Dado Swooney and others. We'reas if you ask Steve
Sarcasian and company, they continue to raid about Clemson's defense, right, So,
(03:39):
I guess it's all about the perspective you view it from.
No doubt, you know, no matter which way you slice it,
this is a very talented defensive front seven and Texas's
offensive line can have their hands full of them.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Redstone scoring has been a big issue for taxes as
of late one hundred and six in the nation, and
they are converting about seventy eight percent of the redstone trips.
Do you think two weeks it up time for Texas
to kind of figure that rhythm out in the red zone?
And could par that answer maybe be number sixteen? Arch Manning?
Speaker 2 (04:07):
All right, So I will come to the arch aspect
in a second. Cam.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I'm a huge believer in trends. I don't like to
isolate statistics. I like to view them over long, extended
period of periods of time. I think that's how you
get inaccurate look at the numbers. Texas over the past
two years has not been the greatest red zone team.
So when you ask me, do I think two weeks
is enough time to get it fixed?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
You hope? So Texas has at.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Times shown the ability, shown glimpses of being an effective
red zone team. They started out well in the red zone,
but big difference trying to do it against the Georgias
of the world, the Texas A and M's and others,
as opposed to doing it against ULM and quite frankly,
a very bad Michigan team and Utsas and others.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
So it's going to be interesting to see.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Now.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Of course it's a point.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Red zone efficiency can be a little bit overrated, and
I'm not saying it has been for Texas this year
because you look at that Georgia game, they struggled in
the high red zone, right that you can make the
argument that costs him the game. However, if you're able
to score with the big play from outside the red zone,
well then the.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Red zone doesn't necessarily matter as much.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Right, If you're getting thirty forty yard touchdowns, great, at
least you're finding seven points. But when you get the
ball on the opposition side of the field, especially in
that high red in the red zone, you need to
walk away with seven points. And not to throw anybody
under the bus. But bert Auburn has been you know,
a little bit hit or missed. I mean's four or
six last week. But you don't really want to put,
you know, that situation on the foot of your kicker. Now,
(05:32):
of course, the elephant in the room, the arch manning elephant.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Right, do I think he's going to be a factor.
I think the answer is yes.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
I think we're at a period in time in which
and I'm not saying that this was part of Steve
Sarkisian's logic, but I just think, you know, the managing
of the quarterback room, which I think Steve has done
an excellent job over the past two.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Years, that kind of goes out the window now, right.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
It's all about, Hey, if we need to do whatever
it takes to win a game, that's what you do
because you're not worried about next week next opponent, because
guess what, you don't take your business on Saturday, there
is no next opponent, right, So I do think you
pull out all the stops and that will probably look
like Arch Manning and some sort of package in the
red zone on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Do you think Texas has to play a perfect game
tomorrow to win, because I don't know if we've seen
Texas's a game against an opponent like this since maybe
Week two against Michigan.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
This is how I feel about the entirety of the
college football Playoff.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
To be honest with you, Cam, I'll respect Oregon because
obviously they come in unblemished, and I don't even think
Oregon is, you know, a team that's completely infallible without
their own issues. But will put them aside for a second,
whether it's Texas or any of the other teams in
this field. I think the reason why this playoff field
feels so wide open is because you can say about
(06:49):
virtually any of those teams outside of Oregon that if
they played their A game, they can beat anybody. The
thing that makes it so interesting is that I feel
like the rest of these teams, you've seen them play
their A game one week, their B game, their B
minus game, and that's cost them some games. So to
make it specific to Texas, does Texas need to play
their A game? No, Texas can be Clemson with their
(07:12):
B game because Clemson, quite frankly is a team that
I don't want to disrespect them, but I think they
kind of snuck in the back door and you know,
SMU really had a chance to take care of business
in that ACC title game, right, So I don't think
Texas has to play their A game. But moving forward,
it would be really nice starting on Saturday if Texas
can build some consistency and play something as close as
(07:32):
possible to their A game, because there's no you know,
if not now, then when to really get that consistently.
And we got especially on offense, because you know, we're
not talking about the defense.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
We're talking about the offense.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
The line open at eleven and a half for a reason,
and it's because this Clemson team, you no offense to
Dallo Sweeney. They're a bit stealer, right. They got in
because Miami could not figure out how the play defense,
and also because maybe SMU is a little bit overexposed
in that ACC title game. But as you know, with
these long periods of time in between the matchup announced
(08:02):
in the actual game and with us talking about it
every single day, sometimes the narrative will change. And I'm
hearing a lot of underdog narrative and Davilis Sweeney and
he's a college football playoff champion, all that stuff leading
into that. You know, now I'm hearing people actually pick
Clemson to win this game. But when we look at
both sides, Eric Texas seems a little more talented. They
(08:25):
have the better weapons, the better defense, and arguably the
better coaching staff here.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
No again, no disagreement there.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
I don't think there's any doubt cam that if Clemson's
gonna pull off the upset, and I do think it's
an upset. I you know, no disrespect to Clemson, but
to view them winning this game as anything other than upset,
I think is just you know, not living in reality.
It's gonna take Kate Clubnick, right, it's gonna take an
outstanding speaking of a performances, it's gonna take the A
(08:52):
plus performance from Kate Clubnick. I think they're gonna have
to get something from Phil Maffa. And I think that's
interesting because he's a guy who six of the first
nine out had top the century mark, had one hundred
yards rushing.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
But since he's had those shoulders, his shoulder injury, shoulder issues.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Has been I think it's fifty three carries for a
buck twenty something, right, so he's not tote in the
rock really well in the backfield. But yeah, in terms
of Clemson, if they're gonna win this game, it's gonna
take their stars, t J. Parker being a game wrecker
on the defensive side of the valve, Barrett Carter being
a game wrecker, Mickens and Hampton and those guys in
the secondary, you know, really stepping up. And yeah, it's
(09:27):
gonna take as I mentioned, Kate Klubnik. And let's take
a second there, Cam, I mean Kate club Nick is
probably and not probably even touch it.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
He is the best.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Quarterback that Texas will have faced this year, no respector
Marcel Reid or Taylor Green and others, and that in itself,
of course, gives you a chance any given Saturday.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Yeah, Phil moffas I think Dabo said this weekly, he
is gonna have to have soldier surgery and look at
his last couple of games has not fared well and
I can't imagine what it's like him playing through that.
And obviously Jay Haynes, their backup rinning back, He's out
for this game, so a lot will be put on
k Clubnick. You mentioned club Nick in the big plays.
I think that's a huge part of this game is
if Clemson can create both a big plays because both teams,
(10:08):
both offensively are great at creating plays of twenty yards
or more, thirty yards or more, but Texas defensively is
great at stopping them, whereas Clemson is not. So if
we're looking at maybe two big broken plays by Kid
Klebnick and the Tire and the Tigers, maybe Antonio Williams
gets free, that's the recipe for success. But also, as
you mentioned in your piece, here the turnovers of it.
(10:28):
It's going to be a huge part of this game
as well.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
I think protecting the football is going to be huge.
I'll start from the Texas side of things. Here's the
thing that Texas's defense has done all season long. When
Texas's offense is failed to kind of get going early,
Texas's defense has bought them time, extra possessions to get
their footing, get going and then eventually produce points. That
I think is going to need to be the situation
(10:53):
again on Saturday. Now for Clemson, it's a totally different scenario, right,
You're thinking, all right, if Clemson's going to come into
leave with a victory, it's going to take.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Something close to their a game.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Plus plus turning over Texas, turning over Quinnie, were turning
over the offense and giving Clemson their own offense additional
opportunities to go out and put up points. Because again,
and I said this on a different spot earlier this week, Yes,
Clemson's offense and k Klubman probably gonna be one of
the more talented offenses that Texas has faced all year.
But I refuse, based on what I've seen this season,
(11:26):
to put my belief in anything other than the most
consistent thing.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
That I've seen. And quite frankly, I've been Texas defense
all year long.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
I Am not going to choose against Texas's defense to
allow something like fourteen, seventeen to twenty points.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
So I just haven't seen it this year.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Remember when Georgia walked out out of DKR with a
win in thirty points. That's because Texas offense put them
in untenable situations to really defend their own end zone.
So turnover battle is going to be huge time. Posession
battle is going to be a huge field position battle.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
It's going to be Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
I think Texas seven turnovers combined me in those two
Georgia games I went too. And on the Clemson side,
they've only had one game that they do a great
job of holding onto the football, only one game where
they've had two turnovers or more. They've lost the game
in South Carolina, and the two games where they did
not force to turnover against George against Louisville they did lose.
So hold on to the football will be a big part
of it. Before we let you go, two things. First off,
(12:19):
your prediction for tomorrow's game.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
My prediction for tomorrow's game is I do think Texas's
offense will need some time to find its footing, but
I don't think it's going to take a whole quarter
or and a half. I've got Texas winning something like
thirty one fourteen.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Thirty one seventeen.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Okay, so a little bit more higher scoring than I'm
seeing a lot of like twenty twenty fourteen to twenty
ten games.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
I don't have that much faith in Clemson's If Texas
offense is going to find enough of stride to win
the game, I think.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
It's going to put points.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Okay, all right, So Eric Henry rolling with the long
courts tomorrow. And then last thing for you. Last night
you were at Moody Center and you witness history. Jordan
Pope forty two points a Moody Center high, career high
for him. Is tox team trying to find their footing
before a rigorous conference schedule play. And they've had two
games without Trey Johnson, and so far we've seen different
guys step up, including Jordan Pope, the transfer guard. We've
(13:11):
seen some good minutes out of Nick Cody. As Texas
gets ready for conference play, have you seen enough for
them to feel good about where they're going to be
going into the SEC.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
I have not Cameron, to be honest with you.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
I mean, I yes, they're able to find the win
against NC State, but let's call a spade a spade, right,
And I don't want to suspect any of the non
conference opponents that Texas has played, who aren't you know,
power teams, but they're.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Bad and bad is an understatement. I mean New Orleans
came in here last night.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
The average height of their starting line was what six
to two six ' three, right, So to go you know,
for a half and be out rebounded by New Orleans.
That to me, I'm not trying to you know, throw
cold water on Rodney Terry's club in Texas. I think,
as Artie has continued to emphasize, this group is gonna
have to gel, They're gonna have to find their footing together. However,
I would have liked to have seen them at least
(13:59):
not one quad one plod two victory or type of
victory against whether I mean not as that the Yukon,
although it was a struggling Yukon, but Ohio State or something.
So yeah, it's gonna be a little bit more show improve,
especially with the start of that SEC slate that you know,
you know just as well as I do.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
It's gonna be tough.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Yeah, and they'll definitely have their chances of getting a
quad one win in the SEC, that's for sure, with
almost half the conference ranked and right now I think
thirteen projected bids into the NCAA tournament. He's Eric Henry,
of course, to follow him on Twitter, Eric C Henry
Underscore read his work on Horns two four seven. Eric,
thanks so much for stopping by, and we'll see you
tomorrow at dk R.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Always a pleasure man, appreciate you having me on.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Yes, sir Eric Henry from Horns two for seven, we'll
be back to wrap up today's show. Well not just yet.
We still have about thirty minutes. We're gonna hear more
from head coach Steve sarkjen As Texas takes on Clemson
tomorrow in the first round of the College Football Playoff
Texas will host Clemson. Here the help me preview this game.
But Eric Henry from Horns two four seven, Erica, thanks
for hopping on an. They're another busy week and this
time not joining me from a hotel room.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Caim.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
I'm not opposed to little Darius Rutger, little blowfish, but
this is this is the flagship station of the Horns. Man,
where's the big ex the plug?
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Craig with text being like, hey, what do you playing?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
You know?
Speaker 1 (00:28):
I also I don't want to get e FCC fine
fare point, Eric, had you had a good post on
two four seven sports dot com seven pressing questions for
this game between Texas and Clemson, And you start off
with kin, Texas went on early down, so then they
struggled with against Georgia and it's going to play a
key role in this game against Clemson to marrow.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Listen, if you take a look back at Texas is
lost in the SEC title game, they went six of
eighteen on third down. Now, Cam, you and I are
never going to confuse for Steve starkeg all right, he's
forgotten more football than we'll ever know. This forward Division
two football player is not claimed to be in the
same stratuspeare as him.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
However, that yeah, yeah, Jacksonville University.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
All right, all right, we played a year D two
football for our realized the NFL isn't looking for five
to nine linebackers, so I better focus on this communications thing,
start talking rather than playing. Nevertheless, you don't have to
be an expert to figure out that eleven point six
yards to go on third down not necessarily the ideal circumstance.
That's the average that Texas needed to convert third downs
(01:31):
two weeks ago. Now, three of or excuse me, three
of the six third down conversions that Texas had they
weren't third and short. So that's why one of my
seven pressing questions is winning on early downs. Texas needs
to stay ahead of the chains. A big part of that.
And I'm sure you're gonna ask me about this guy
at some point. Is keeping TJ. Parker in the rest
of Clemson's defense front the front seven off of quint yours.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Yeah, let's go ahead and talk about TJ. Parker.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
I think he's go with sixteen sacks this season. He's
been absolutely tremendous for the law for the Tigers, and
a big matchup will be Calvin Banks, who was coming
to this game probably less than one hundred percent against Parker,
who can you know, wreak some havoc in the in
the Texas, in the Quinn yours excuse me?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
The three names though, starting with t J.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Parkers, you mentioned sixteen and a half sacks for his career,
eleven and a half this year. He's a guy who
continuously has a sophomore camp. First off, these you know guys,
they just come out of high school now.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Bigger and bigger.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
I mean he's six three, two seventy as a sophomore,
which he's just crazy for that size.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
As an edge player, a guy's only in a second year.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Playing college football, but he's consistently made plays behind the
line of scrimmage. And as you mentioned that matchup he
versus Calvin Banks junior, and everyone knows, you know, Kelvin
when he's right, one of the top two three offensive
lineman in all the college with all there is a
reason he was a unanimous All American.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
But how is he going to fare with that ankle?
Speaker 3 (02:53):
During the limited availability that Steve Sarkgian and company gave
us on Monday to watch practice, Kevin was running with
the first team, didn't walk with the limp appears to
be fine, but it's something that you know, you can
only test that thing out when the bullets are alive,
the you know, proverbial bullets are alive, and you're going
against a guy like t J. Parker, then of course
the other two guys keep an eye on are wood As.
Wade wood As and Barrett Carter, two guys who are
(03:15):
in that front seven linebackers continuously make plays behind the
line of scrimmage cam The thing about Clemson's defense, And
it's so funny because I've done you know, countless radio
spots this week, and whenever I do the spots in
South Carolina, they're a little down on this Clemson defense.
And oh it's not. The Clemson defense is a year's past.
With Dado Swooney and others. We'reas if you ask Steve
Sarcasian and company, they continue to raid about Clemson's defense, right, So,
(03:39):
I guess it's all about the perspective you view it from.
No doubt, you know, no matter which way you slice it,
this is a very talented defensive front seven and Texas's
offensive line can have their hands full of them.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Redstone scoring has been a big issue for taxes as
of late one hundred and six in the nation, and
they are converting about seventy eight percent of the redstone trips.
Do you think two weeks it up time for Texas
to kind of figure that rhythm out in the red zone?
And could par that answer maybe be number sixteen? Arch Manning?
Speaker 2 (04:07):
All right, So I will come to the arch aspect
in a second. Cam.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I'm a huge believer in trends. I don't like to
isolate statistics. I like to view them over long, extended
period of periods of time. I think that's how you
get inaccurate look at the numbers. Texas over the past
two years has not been the greatest red zone team.
So when you ask me, do I think two weeks
is enough time to get it fixed?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
You hope? So Texas has at.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Times shown the ability, shown glimpses of being an effective
red zone team. They started out well in the red zone,
but big difference trying to do it against the Georgias
of the world, the Texas A and M's and others,
as opposed to doing it against ULM and quite frankly,
a very bad Michigan team and Utsas and others.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
So it's going to be interesting to see.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Now.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Of course it's a point.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Red zone efficiency can be a little bit overrated, and
I'm not saying it has been for Texas this year
because you look at that Georgia game, they struggled in
the high red zone, right that you can make the
argument that costs him the game. However, if you're able
to score with the big play from outside the red zone,
well then the.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Red zone doesn't necessarily matter as much.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Right, If you're getting thirty forty yard touchdowns, great, at
least you're finding seven points. But when you get the
ball on the opposition side of the field, especially in
that high red in the red zone, you need to
walk away with seven points. And not to throw anybody
under the bus. But bert Auburn has been you know,
a little bit hit or missed. I mean's four or
six last week. But you don't really want to put,
you know, that situation on the foot of your kicker. Now,
(05:32):
of course, the elephant in the room, the arch manning elephant.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Right, do I think he's going to be a factor.
I think the answer is yes.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
I think we're at a period in time in which
and I'm not saying that this was part of Steve
Sarkisian's logic, but I just think, you know, the managing
of the quarterback room, which I think Steve has done
an excellent job over the past two.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Years, that kind of goes out the window now, right.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
It's all about, Hey, if we need to do whatever
it takes to win a game, that's what you do
because you're not worried about next week next opponent, because
guess what, you don't take your business on Saturday, there
is no next opponent, right, So I do think you
pull out all the stops and that will probably look
like Arch Manning and some sort of package in the
red zone on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Do you think Texas has to play a perfect game
tomorrow to win, because I don't know if we've seen
Texas's a game against an opponent like this since maybe
Week two against Michigan.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
This is how I feel about the entirety of the
college football Playoff.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
To be honest with you, Cam, I'll respect Oregon because
obviously they come in unblemished, and I don't even think
Oregon is, you know, a team that's completely infallible without
their own issues. But will put them aside for a second,
whether it's Texas or any of the other teams in
this field. I think the reason why this playoff field
feels so wide open is because you can say about
(06:49):
virtually any of those teams outside of Oregon that if
they played their A game, they can beat anybody. The
thing that makes it so interesting is that I feel
like the rest of these teams, you've seen them play
their A game one week, their B game, their B
minus game, and that's cost them some games. So to
make it specific to Texas, does Texas need to play
their A game? No, Texas can be Clemson with their
(07:12):
B game because Clemson, quite frankly is a team that
I don't want to disrespect them, but I think they
kind of snuck in the back door and you know,
SMU really had a chance to take care of business
in that ACC title game, right, So I don't think
Texas has to play their A game. But moving forward,
it would be really nice starting on Saturday if Texas
can build some consistency and play something as close as
(07:32):
possible to their A game, because there's no you know,
if not now, then when to really get that consistently.
And we got especially on offense, because you know, we're
not talking about the defense.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
We're talking about the offense.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
The line open at eleven and a half for a reason,
and it's because this Clemson team, you no offense to
Dallo Sweeney. They're a bit stealer, right. They got in
because Miami could not figure out how the play defense,
and also because maybe SMU is a little bit overexposed
in that ACC title game. But as you know, with
these long periods of time in between the matchup announced
(08:02):
in the actual game and with us talking about it
every single day, sometimes the narrative will change. And I'm
hearing a lot of underdog narrative and Davilis Sweeney and
he's a college football playoff champion, all that stuff leading
into that. You know, now I'm hearing people actually pick
Clemson to win this game. But when we look at
both sides, Eric Texas seems a little more talented. They
(08:25):
have the better weapons, the better defense, and arguably the
better coaching staff here.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
No again, no disagreement there.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
I don't think there's any doubt cam that if Clemson's
gonna pull off the upset, and I do think it's
an upset. I you know, no disrespect to Clemson, but
to view them winning this game as anything other than upset,
I think is just you know, not living in reality.
It's gonna take Kate Clubnick, right, it's gonna take an
outstanding speaking of a performances, it's gonna take the A
(08:52):
plus performance from Kate Clubnick. I think they're gonna have
to get something from Phil Maffa. And I think that's
interesting because he's a guy who six of the first
nine out had top the century mark, had one hundred
yards rushing.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
But since he's had those shoulders, his shoulder injury, shoulder issues.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Has been I think it's fifty three carries for a
buck twenty something, right, so he's not tote in the
rock really well in the backfield. But yeah, in terms
of Clemson, if they're gonna win this game, it's gonna
take their stars, t J. Parker being a game wrecker
on the defensive side of the valve, Barrett Carter being
a game wrecker, Mickens and Hampton and those guys in
the secondary, you know, really stepping up. And yeah, it's
(09:27):
gonna take as I mentioned, Kate Klubnik. And let's take
a second there, Cam, I mean Kate club Nick is
probably and not probably even touch it.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
He is the best.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Quarterback that Texas will have faced this year, no respector
Marcel Reid or Taylor Green and others, and that in itself,
of course, gives you a chance any given Saturday.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Yeah, Phil moffas I think Dabo said this weekly, he
is gonna have to have soldier surgery and look at
his last couple of games has not fared well and
I can't imagine what it's like him playing through that.
And obviously Jay Haynes, their backup rinning back, He's out
for this game, so a lot will be put on
k Clubnick. You mentioned club Nick in the big plays.
I think that's a huge part of this game is
if Clemson can create both a big plays because both teams,
(10:08):
both offensively are great at creating plays of twenty yards
or more, thirty yards or more, but Texas defensively is
great at stopping them, whereas Clemson is not. So if
we're looking at maybe two big broken plays by Kid
Klebnick and the Tire and the Tigers, maybe Antonio Williams
gets free, that's the recipe for success. But also, as
you mentioned in your piece, here the turnovers of it.
(10:28):
It's going to be a huge part of this game
as well.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
I think protecting the football is going to be huge.
I'll start from the Texas side of things. Here's the
thing that Texas's defense has done all season long. When
Texas's offense is failed to kind of get going early,
Texas's defense has bought them time, extra possessions to get
their footing, get going and then eventually produce points. That
I think is going to need to be the situation
(10:53):
again on Saturday. Now for Clemson, it's a totally different scenario, right,
You're thinking, all right, if Clemson's going to come into
leave with a victory, it's going to take.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Something close to their a game.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Plus plus turning over Texas, turning over Quinnie, were turning
over the offense and giving Clemson their own offense additional
opportunities to go out and put up points. Because again,
and I said this on a different spot earlier this week, Yes,
Clemson's offense and k Klubman probably gonna be one of
the more talented offenses that Texas has faced all year.
But I refuse, based on what I've seen this season,
(11:26):
to put my belief in anything other than the most
consistent thing.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
That I've seen. And quite frankly, I've been Texas defense
all year long.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
I Am not going to choose against Texas's defense to
allow something like fourteen, seventeen to twenty points.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
So I just haven't seen it this year.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Remember when Georgia walked out out of DKR with a
win in thirty points. That's because Texas offense put them
in untenable situations to really defend their own end zone.
So turnover battle is going to be huge time. Posession
battle is going to be a huge field position battle.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
It's going to be Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
I think Texas seven turnovers combined me in those two
Georgia games I went too. And on the Clemson side,
they've only had one game that they do a great
job of holding onto the football, only one game where
they've had two turnovers or more. They've lost the game
in South Carolina, and the two games where they did
not force to turnover against George against Louisville they did lose.
So hold on to the football will be a big part
of it. Before we let you go, two things. First off,
(12:19):
your prediction for tomorrow's game.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
My prediction for tomorrow's game is I do think Texas's
offense will need some time to find its footing, but
I don't think it's going to take a whole quarter
or and a half. I've got Texas winning something like
thirty one fourteen.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Thirty one seventeen.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Okay, so a little bit more higher scoring than I'm
seeing a lot of like twenty twenty fourteen to twenty
ten games.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
I don't have that much faith in Clemson's If Texas
offense is going to find enough of stride to win
the game, I think.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
It's going to put points.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Okay, all right, So Eric Henry rolling with the long
courts tomorrow. And then last thing for you. Last night
you were at Moody Center and you witness history. Jordan
Pope forty two points a Moody Center high, career high
for him. Is tox team trying to find their footing
before a rigorous conference schedule play. And they've had two
games without Trey Johnson, and so far we've seen different
guys step up, including Jordan Pope, the transfer guard. We've
(13:11):
seen some good minutes out of Nick Cody. As Texas
gets ready for conference play, have you seen enough for
them to feel good about where they're going to be
going into the SEC.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
I have not Cameron, to be honest with you.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
I mean, I yes, they're able to find the win
against NC State, but let's call a spade a spade, right,
And I don't want to suspect any of the non
conference opponents that Texas has played, who aren't you know,
power teams, but they're.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Bad and bad is an understatement. I mean New Orleans
came in here last night.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
The average height of their starting line was what six
to two six ' three, right, So to go you know,
for a half and be out rebounded by New Orleans.
That to me, I'm not trying to you know, throw
cold water on Rodney Terry's club in Texas. I think,
as Artie has continued to emphasize, this group is gonna
have to gel, They're gonna have to find their footing together. However,
I would have liked to have seen them at least
(13:59):
not one quad one plod two victory or type of
victory against whether I mean not as that the Yukon,
although it was a struggling Yukon, but Ohio State or something.
So yeah, it's gonna be a little bit more show improve,
especially with the start of that SEC slate that you know,
you know just as well as I do.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
It's gonna be tough.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Yeah, and they'll definitely have their chances of getting a
quad one win in the SEC, that's for sure, with
almost half the conference ranked and right now I think
thirteen projected bids into the NCAA tournament. He's Eric Henry,
of course, to follow him on Twitter, Eric C Henry
Underscore read his work on Horns two four seven. Eric,
thanks so much for stopping by, and we'll see you
tomorrow at dk R.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Always a pleasure man, appreciate you having me on.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Yes, sir Eric Henry from Horns two for seven, we'll
be back to wrap up today's show. Well not just yet.
We still have about thirty minutes. We're gonna hear more
from head coach Steve sarkjen As Texas takes on Clemson
tomorrow in the first round of the College Football Playoff
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