Steve Sarkisian and Scotty Walden Preview Texas-UTEP

Hear from both head coaches ahead of Texas' matchup with UTEP on this Friday edition of the program! 

Plus, White Sox Personnel Director Gene Watson joins the show to offer his analysis on the tightening MLB playoff picture with just three weeks to go.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Friday has arrived. Isn't that a good sign always, especially
for those of you whose workday ends on a Friday.
Good afternoon, everybody, welcome to the program here on Sports
Radio AM thirteen under the Zone. My name is Craig Way.
Glad to have you with us this afternoon. And as
I always say, if Friday indeed marks the end of
your work week, good on you, Good for you, Good

(00:23):
for you. Hope you enjoy the weekend. For those of
you for whom Friday is just the middle part of
the week, you know, stay the course. Hopefully you'll get there,
you know, and it'll it'll work out. And then for
those of you for whom Friday starts the work week, hey,
hope you get it off to a good start. My

(00:44):
name is Craig Way. Thanks for joining us. US, of
course includes the producer of the program. That would be
Jay Kerman, who is probably not the happiest guy on
the world. But you're you're usually a pretty is he
going fellow anyway, So I mean, the fact that your
favorite pro football team, the Washington Commanders, fell to the

(01:06):
Green Bay Packers last night, probably doesn't have you in
the best of spirits, but you know, it's pro football, right.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
I didn't wear the jersey in today, you know, but
I'm not particularly shocked. Look the Packers, I mean they
made the Lions look really, really rough last week. So look,
maybe it's just a great defense, or maybe that's just
something I'm telling myself to feel better this morning.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
Would you have worn a commander's jersey to the office
this afternoon had Washington won the game?

Speaker 2 (01:34):
You know, I thought about it. I should have worn
it yesterday, right, because that's a better intention, right right.
I'm there for and whatever happens. They've earned my seat
on the bus for this year. I mean, I'm going
to be along for the ride whatever happens. And what
happened last night was a little bit of a humbling.

Speaker 1 (01:52):
I have a couple of Dodger jerseys. You've seen one
of them, the batting practice one that I have. And
then I have a road jersey. It's an authentic road
jersey's Los Angeles and gray. No no player names on
the back, no personalized with my name that's Goofy, no
no number on It's just it's just a Dodger road jersey.

(02:12):
It just says Los Angeles on it.

Speaker 3 (02:14):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
But when I do wear those. It's usually one of
two times, one if they've won a championship or something,
but then the other time is like you said, day
of a big game, right, you know, So that's that's
usually usually when I when I do it, if I'm
going to do it. But anyway, Uh yeah, So let

(02:36):
me tell you what's coming up on the program, and
then we'll go back and we review some of the
NFL and preview what's coming on the weekend. Coming up
in a few minutes, we're gonna hear more from long
Worn's head coach Steve Sarkisian. We'll hear from sark comments
made from yesterday's media zoom. We had a few of
the comments here. We'll bring you the rest of those.
We have those. We have uh, in conceivable coming up.

(03:01):
And Jake, you haven't been here that long, but you
have learned what Friday's offering of inconceivable means, don't you.
I you know what I like to think.

Speaker 2 (03:11):
I'm a you know, pretty average when it comes to
observational skills.

Speaker 1 (03:15):
Okay, but I picked up on the trend a round here.

Speaker 4 (03:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (03:18):
Yeah, Friday means Florida, man, Yes, it does. It does
mean Florida man, or as we like to say, we
got this from our good friend Jeff. How we go
to the most flaccid of the lower forty eight states
to reach for that low hanging fruit. I thought camp,
I thought that was something Cam made up. No, no, no, no,
we got that. We got that from our good friend Jeff.

(03:39):
How that's all and lots of as we say, lots
of flcidity there. So we go to the most flaccid
of the forty eight, the lower forty eight to reach
for the low hanging fruit that is Florida man. That
is coming up. We have some of that in the
three o'clock hour. Pretty interesting conversation we want you to hear,
and it's going to take and it takes two segments

(03:59):
to do that. Yesterday on the program, we had Babel
Offenburg on with us and it was great and you
can go to our podcast page. If you missed it
at AM thirteen hundred zone dot com, go to the
podcast page. It was in the three o'clock hour when
it's also posted as a standalone. Oh okay, all right,

(04:20):
very good, all right, So you can listen to that conversation.
And Babe was great, as he always says, we talked
Dallas Cowboys, since he is, after all, the radio analysts
on the Dallas Cowboys radio network. We talked about the
Cowboys getting ready for their matchup with the New York Giants,
a game you can hear on our sister station ninety
eight point one FMKVET, a noonkickoff. So we did talk

(04:41):
about that obviously, as we said, that's his day job,
but we talked about something else too, and it has
the connection to the game in this town. Tomorrow, Texas
of course plays UTEP here in Austin. Tomorrow. Our coverage
will begin, it'll actually begin I guess what at eleven
with the third and Long Worn guys, right, and they're

(05:03):
on at eleven thirty, and then at noon will be
Long Orange's Game Day with Cameron Parker and Mike hardboll
Harge and Mark Henry coming your way from the Winship Circle.
There BEIVO at the hook them hangout there Long Bevo Boulevard.
Jake Krman will be there too. You'll be in there
engineering and producing, so you can come by and say

(05:24):
hi to Jake as well. Come hang out with us. Yeah, absolutely,
we'll be fun over there. Big Bertha is going to
be over there, right.

Speaker 2 (05:30):
Big, Big Bertha's over there. You can hear the show
loud and clear. You can come hang out in between segments.
It's a great time.

Speaker 3 (05:37):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (05:37):
So anyway, so that our coverage will begin this So anyway,
we had Babe Bloffenberg on the show yesterday, and Babe
has a connection to UTEP. He did not, He did
not play at UTEP. He played in Indiana. In fact,
when we had Roger Wallace on the program yesterday, Roger
was a student at Roger's a graduate of Indiana University,
and he was at IU when Babe was playing his

(06:01):
senior years at quarterback in the eighties there at Indiana.
But Babe's son, Luke Laufenberg, who had transferred in from
I think it was mesa community college in Arizona, had
made the team. He had signed as a scholarship athlete.

(06:22):
He contracted a rare form of leukemium and fought through it,
got through it, and they said it's a fifteen to
fifty shop and he looks good. He went back to training,
worked very hard, got himself in shape, earned a starting
spot as a starting wide receiver for UTEP in the

(06:46):
spring of twenty nineteen and then the cancer returned and
he was unable to recover from that and he passed
away a few months after that. UTEP chose to honor him.
The late Dana Demo, who was the head coach, said,
we're not just going to retire his number. We're going
to have his number two jersey worn by someone who

(07:08):
exemplifies his spirit, his drive, his work ethic, what it
means to be a UTEP minor. And so they've had
a few different guys wear it. The other wrinkle about
this is that it's not just wearing the number two.
Whoever wears the jersey for Luke Lathenberg also wears the
jersey with the name Wathenburg on the back. In other words,

(07:32):
the player surrenders their own name to wear that jersey,
and in this case it was for this year. Marcus Torres.
Tarres was a red shirt freshman from l Passo. He'd
played it Pebble Hills High and he had walked on
as a true freshman. He was awarded a scholarship as

(07:55):
a red shirt freshman, and he will where the number
two jersey with Laufenberg on the back for tomorrow's game.
The other local connection to that is that Marcus played
for his dad, Mark Torres at Pebble Hills. Well. Mark
was there until last year when he took the head

(08:17):
coaching job at Hayes. So there's the local connection. Mark
Torres is now the head football coach at Hayes. They
had a heartbreaking loss last night, a crazy game with Hendrickson.
Had a Thursday night game over at the field in
Flugerville and lost forty two to forty one. But anyway,
Mark Torres is the head coach at Hayes. His son
Marcus is the scholarship wide receiver who is wearing the

(08:41):
number two Waffenburg jersey, and Babe is coming down for
the game to Mars. So we had him on yesterday
and it was a great conversation and you can hear
that conversation. He said, it's standalone. They can find it
there on the website.

Speaker 5 (08:55):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (08:55):
They can find it on wherever they get their podcast
under the Craig Ways Show. It's also in the podcast
episode that has the entire show, so if you want
to hear everything before and after as well. One of
my favorite parts of that conversation, Craig, your discussion with
Babe about the lifespan of a quarterback and the cycles
that their career progresses.

Speaker 1 (09:16):
Yeah, that thing broken down. It was great. It was
really good. So it's a pretty pretty entertaining and also
I would say someone inspiring conversation because Babe tells the
whole story about Luke on there, so it's really cool.
So you can find that at AM thirteen under the
Zone dot com on our podcast page, or as Jake mentioned,
where you're getting your podcast, you can find it there

(09:38):
on the Craig Way Show. All right, so that was yesterday. Today,
we have a couple of things to get you ready
for this matchup with youtep one. Like I said, coming
up here in just a few minutes, we'll visit with
long Worn's head coach Steve Sarkisian. So we will do
that or we'll have the conversation. I won't visit with him.
Their soundbites obviously, and that is from yesterday's Media Zoom.

(10:03):
Now there is a visit with Sart that I had
as well, and you're gonna hear that in the four
o'clock hour. That's an excerpt from last night's Longhorn Weekly
with Coach Start where we specifically look at the opponent,
the UTEP Miners. So that's coming up the four o'clock hour.
In between time in the three o'clock hour, and this

(10:23):
is the part where I said it'll be a couple
of segments to listen to. We had a conversation yesterday.
We visited the head coach of the UTEP Miners, Scottie Walden.
And if this guy didn't get you fired up to
play football, I don't know that anybody can. I mean,
this is a guy who lives and coaches enthusiastically and

(10:45):
is an eternal optimists and all that sort of stuff.
I met him over the summer Coaching School when I
was moderating the panel discussion, and he was he was
just all this side of optimism and excitement and all that.
And that's coming off of three and nine season. First
year you kept trying to get it turned. We'll talk
to him about that and what his plan is to
how to get it turned. And we'll talk to him

(11:07):
about the Luke Lofenburg part of it as well, and
about this matchup with Texas and what he sees from
the Longhorns that is coming up in the three o'clock hour.
Also in the four o'clock hour. Gene Watson our man
to talk some baseball with us from the Chicago White
Sox are MLB insider because we are inside now the

(11:28):
final three weekends of Major League Baseball, the final three
weeks this weekend, and then there's two weeks beyond that.
So we'll visit with Gino to talk about that in
the Baseball penn and Races. So all that and more
is coming up here this afternoon. We look forward to
bringing you all of those opportunities, all right, So stay

(11:48):
with us because coming up next we'll hear from Log
Worns head coach Steve Sarkishan. It's a Friday edition of
the program here on Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone.
Cameron Parker when he's here likes to refer to this
is fire me up Friday here. So some early album
rock from Cream is that I'd like, you know, Sunshine

(12:12):
of You Loved there By Cream, Eric Craft, Eric Clapton, Uh,
Jack Baker, Jinger, Bruce, Cream all it. But I didn't
know you were into that. That doesn't fire you up, Craig,
It's okay. I'm a classic rock fan, so yeah, I
just you just took me by surprise. But that's okay.

Speaker 2 (12:28):
Well, I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. We're
gonna make a feb this afternoon. Now past is known
as the Sun City, Yes it is, and so we
got some sun theme fired me up Friday.

Speaker 1 (12:37):
Good, good good. I can think of lots of great
songs that have sun or the word sunshine in it.
Beatles Chicago anyway, there's lots of different stuff off that.
All right, all right, Well we continue here on this
Friday afternoon. Let's hear from the head football coach, Steve
Sarkisian uh. This this is from yesterday's Media Zoo Now

(12:59):
again coming up with the four o'clock hour, we'll hear
sark discuss the UTEP miners in specific in my conversation
with him from last night's edition Long Worn Weekly. Also,
when I left this out, we have a couple of
conversations from our man Will Matthews, our sideline reporter, as
he'll be visiting with Parker Livingston and who am I

(13:22):
leaving out Ethanburgh. So those conversations are coming up this
afternoon as well. So we've got a lot to get
you ready for this weekend in football, Starting with Sart
talking about the intensity of his football team. He mentioned
with regard to the penalties that happened, that sometimes there's

(13:43):
just a tendency to relax, and he said, but we
can't relax. We've got to keep the intensity. He wants
to keep the intensity, but he doesn't want it to
get over the top, in other words, occurring four penalties.
So there is a balance of keeping that intensity high
in practice.

Speaker 5 (14:04):
Yeah, no, it's a great question.

Speaker 6 (14:06):
I thought the intensity was as high as it's been
all season Tuesday and Wednesday, and I credit that to
our Scout team players. And you think about a lot
of these guys on Scout team. They're fighting for playing time,
they want to play, and so that's a lot of
their opportunity to show us, you know, their ability to play,
how to play, and so they raise the level of

(14:27):
intensity and that put a challenge on you know, the
first team offense, the first team defense to perform. And
so that as that intensity rose, I think you could
feel it on both sides of the ball.

Speaker 5 (14:37):
And we owe a ton to the.

Speaker 6 (14:38):
Guys that we're working on Scout team this week because
I thought they gave an excellent look. It was highly competitive.
There's very talented people on both sides of the ball
on those two teams, and so it made practice intense,
it made it fun. I think the guys appreciated the
work that we got definitely on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Speaker 1 (14:57):
All right, so now they get ready for an other opponent.
But the evaluation process is always ongoing for the intensity
for the defense, yes, for his offense, and also for
his quarterback, Arch Manning.

Speaker 5 (15:09):
I thought it's been good.

Speaker 6 (15:10):
You know, obviously, when you get under center to play pass,
you kind of have to get under center to do
a few other things too. And we've gotten under center
and ran the ball a little bit more than we
have historically. We got under center last week and ran
a jet suitep to Ryan Wingo, something that we haven't
really done. So we just try to evolve and play
to the strengths of the guys. I think Arch is

(15:32):
very comfortable under center in his mechanics. And here's a
guy who's been studying the quarterback position his whole life,
and so you know, I'm sure watching his uncles and
mimicking those things in the backyard when he was a kid,
it's a little more comfortable for him. I feel like
it helps our run game some in that you know,
when you look at a back like C four him
to be able to line up seven and a half

(15:53):
yards behind the quarterback, run downhill, get his pad square,
and be physical. But also think he helps the play
action passing CD not to not to I'm getting your
answer now, because I do think there's something to be
said about the quarterback, you know, turning his back to
the line of scrimmage the offensive line with an opportunity.

Speaker 5 (16:10):
To fire out.

Speaker 6 (16:11):
It gives a little bit of a different feel than
when the quarterbacks just in the gun and the running
backs coming across. And so we're trying to create those
voids in the secondary and those intermediate throws.

Speaker 5 (16:22):
And you know, we hit a couple of those.

Speaker 6 (16:23):
I think we hit Jordan Washington on a pretty nice
one last week. I think the twelve personnel stuff has
been good for us, getting under center and doing those things.
And and you you know, we're always evolving. We're always
adapting and adapting, and sometimes you have to go back
to adapt and a lot of the stuff we're doing
right now is kind of similar to what we did
with Matt Jones uh in twenty twenty at Alabama. That

(16:46):
was he had a real level of comfort there and
it allowed us to do some of those things. And
so again, we've got a lot of offense, and it's
and then it's trying to tap into the areas where
we think we're at our best, that our players can
we can put them in the best position to be successful.

Speaker 1 (16:59):
Okay, how about an overview overall over the course of
two weeks on each side of the football.

Speaker 6 (17:05):
I'd be remiss if I didn't say we've got a
really good defense. You know, these guys are are They're physical,
they're fast, they're smart, they're ball howking we're we're we
are balanced on defense. When I say that, meaning we
can stop the run, we can stop the pass, we're attacking.
And so I think that definitely when you think about

(17:26):
where are we at as a team right now and
say that's the strength of our team and we've got
really good depth over there. We're able to play a
lot of a lot of players, and we've got good
experience on that side of the ball. I think offensively,
I think we all can feel and see potential and
now it's it's our job as coaches to continue to
push them and try to propel them so that it's
we can drop the word potential and we can say

(17:48):
this is who we are and we see glimpses of it,
and we're seeing things that definitely excite us. But we're
seeing things that can be frustrating too as coaches. And
that's our job as coaches is to find this level
of concis to see on the offensive side of the ball.
And I think on special teams right now, I'm seeing
a lot of what ifs. You know, we had two
opportunities to block punts that we just miss in each game.

(18:13):
We had a couple of kickoff returns that we felt
like could have been big returns, and it was one
block that just didn't happen that we don't get the
big return. And so for us and in that aspect,
it's like we got to get over the what ifs
on special teams and start becoming And again this early
in the season, as I said earlier in the week,
I don't know if week three, I don't know if

(18:34):
anybody wants to be a finished product in week three,
you know, it's a long way to go.

Speaker 5 (18:38):
Uh and and but but we have plenty to work
on that.

Speaker 6 (18:41):
I think we worked on this week, and and my
goal is that we see growth, that we see growth
in the things that we're emphasizing, and if we can
continue to do that, find areas where we can improve,
apply it, and the players work on it and get
better at it from one week to the next, that's
the incremental growth that we're going to need as this
season continues on.

Speaker 1 (19:00):
All Right, So there's some thoughts from Sark on the
first couple of weeks. This was one area, and I
talked about this with Roger Wallace yesterday. I was a
little bit fascinated by the prolific use of the tight
end spot. Not so much in terms of just going
to Jack Andrees. We knew what he was going to
offer and what he could bring to the program this year,

(19:22):
but tight ends, young tight ends who hadn't really proven
an awful lot yet to this point, but obviously have
been proving it in practice. And in an addition to Jack Andres, Spencer,
Shannon Jordan Washington, Nick Townsend, even Amari Winston, all of
those were on the mind of the head coach when
asked about his tight end spot.

Speaker 6 (19:40):
Yeah, they're both very natural catchers, they both got very
good hands.

Speaker 5 (19:45):
Both of those guys.

Speaker 6 (19:47):
You know, Jordan in particular was really almost a wide
receiver in high school, so it's his comfort level running
routes and catching the ball is just it's normal to him.

Speaker 5 (19:58):
As well as Amari.

Speaker 6 (20:00):
I think the evolution for those guys of really becoming
tight ends, especially for Jordan how you know how critical
was last year for him of learning the position of
tight end, and you know, having missed basically all of
spring football practice. A credit to him to get back
to where he is now as being a reliable, you know,
three down player for us that way. And I think

(20:20):
one of the unsung guys and all this is Nick Townsend.
I just don't think that everybody's seen him yet. He's
a very physical player. He's got great hands as well.
So that's a deep room for us, probably deeper than
we've had since we've been here. And we're just trying
to utilize all those guys to the best of their ability.

Speaker 1 (20:36):
One thing that Sark is fond of discussing. We've done
it several times of the prior four seasons of Long
Worn Weekly, I mean even the first year, the five
and seven season in twenty twenty one. In twenty twenty
two at eight and five, and then of course twelve
and two, in twenty twenty three and thirteen and three
last year. One of the things that we discussed, because

(21:01):
Sark likes to talk about it, is the thinking man's
game and the emotional and mental makeup of the collegiate
football player, in other words, the psychology of the game.
And that was another thing topic that came up in
this media availability yesterday. His psychology of the players. You know,
when Sark talks about them, be it in the press

(21:23):
conference or just in regular study sessions with the team,
film sessions with the team, when players' names are come up.
With the psychology of all of that, I don't.

Speaker 6 (21:33):
Know necessarily, I've never really asked them that question. I'm
assuming if they didn't see it, somebody and their family did.

Speaker 5 (21:41):
You know, we've all.

Speaker 6 (21:42):
I know my mom watches every one of my press conferences,
so I'm assuming they're moms and dads too, right.

Speaker 5 (21:48):
But the part for me that is.

Speaker 6 (21:53):
I'm okay with talking about our players that way because
nothing I say to you all, I haven't already said
to them, whether it's personal directly to them or amongst
the offense, the defense, or in front of the entire team.
So nothing I'm saying to you that they should hear
is new to them that they should know. That's exactly
how I feel one way or the other about the

(22:14):
way they're playing, or what they're capable of, or their
strengths or areas where they need to improve. You know,
I'm really transparent and honest with our guys, and so
I'm okay sharing things here knowingly that I've already shared
some of those things to them personally.

Speaker 1 (22:29):
Okay, all right, Now back to the wide receiver spot,
because it was a question going into the year and
it's continued to be a question for several reasons. First
of all, I think folks are still waiting for Ryan
Wingo to really get going. He's caught six passes for
sixty five yards at this point. We've seen Parker Livingston

(22:51):
really make an impact. He's caught six passes for one
hundred and seventy five yards and three touchdowns, including the
eighty three yarder last week. But it's mainly about the
fact trying to keep guys healthy. Because DeAndre Moore, whose
caught six passes early, is banged up. I'm not expecting
to see him on the field tomorrow. In fact, Sark

(23:12):
listed several different guys yesterday as being doubtful to out,
and DeAndre Moore was in that category, so good chance
he won't see the field tomorrow. Em Mostly, we have
yet to see the Stanford transfer on the field because
of the injury that he's trying to an off season
medical procedures he's trying to overcome, so I don't think

(23:34):
we'll see him tomorrow. So those two guys are are
out and banged up, So maybe it opens the door
for a youngster like Dylan McCutcheon who's caught a couple
of passes early on and has a really good nose
for the game and good feel for the game. And
Sark was asked if there is a real opportunity here

(23:54):
for as his teammates call him, Day Day Daylon McCutcheon.

Speaker 6 (23:57):
I think it is a great opportunity for Dayalen. You know,
he I give him a lot of credit, you know,
when he came to springball. Spring ball is tough. When
you come mid year you should still be in high school.
But he picked up what we did really well. It
was very natural to him. He wasn't perfect, but his
ability to learn multiple positions, his ability to be fearless,

(24:21):
and I think that's something that as a as a
freshman receiver, you kind of need to be because you're
never really knowing if you're right or wrong half the time,
and they're just out there, especially early on in their
career in springball and training camp. But he was fearless,
and when his opportunities presented themselves, he went and made plays.
He competed blocking on the perimeter. As I said, he

(24:42):
played in the slot, he's played outside, and so he's
earned a lot of trust from us. That's probably the
biggest thing that's that's occurred. He's earned trust, and with
trust comes more opportunities. And then with opportunities, what do
you do? What do you do with those opportunities? And
so he's got a great one here in front of
him this week and and if you know that, if
history is any indicator of the future, I think he's

(25:02):
going to maximize the opportunities that are presented to him
this weekend.

Speaker 1 (25:05):
All right, And one final thing from Sark talking about
the challenge his largely young and still developing offensive line
will face from UTEP. The UTEP defense, which has been
hunting sacks and tackles for losses. And they've got some
guys like a Shot Haul who has a couple of
sacks early the rush end, and Micah Davey the middle

(25:28):
linebacker already his twenty two tackles with a sack and
a pressure and the type of challenge that presents for
his offensive front very.

Speaker 6 (25:35):
Unique, you know, I talked about a money to your point, Jeff,
is like the first game we played Ohio State and
they were a big physical.

Speaker 5 (25:44):
Especially on first second down.

Speaker 6 (25:45):
Not a ton of movement, you know, almost two gap
in us to play in San Jose State. Last week,
they were smaller, quicker, moved every snap, stunted, you know,
all all the different things were stemming the front and
UTEP kind of falls into that category of San Jose State.
You know, we're gonna get a ton of movement, and
I don't think we handled it really well last week.

(26:06):
I felt like we could have been much better than
we were, and so we've challenged them this week. I
don't know if we ran a snap on scout team
defense where the D lineman just stood in the same spot,
you know, and so our job as coaches, like I
was talking about earlier, it's like, Okay, if we're going
to emphasize blocking movement better, we surely better give them
more movement throughout the week. And we got to give
them more difficult looks that way to prepare them for that.

(26:30):
And again, I thought our scout d line did a
great job of wiping blocks, running their games, doing their
things and stressed our offensive line a ton, and I
thought we improved as the week went on. And so
that's gonna be a good challenge for Saturday. It's gonna
be something worth watching for sure.

Speaker 1 (26:44):
Okay, all right, there's some comments from long Oorng's head
coach Steve Sarkishan again part of Longhorn Weekly. My Shit
Down Show with sark each week comes up on Thursdays,
and we always remove an excerpt from that to play
on this show on Fridays. We'll do that in the

(27:06):
four o'clock hour, speaking in specifics about you. Tip up next,
it's inconceivable on a Friday here I'm thirteen under the Zone.
You get a second hour of the program here on
thirteen hundred the Zone. Craig Waite join by the producer
Jay Kerrman. Glad to have you with us as we
help you plunge headlong into the weekend college football weekend,

(27:27):
and that includes obviously the Longhorns game tomorrow. More on
that in a little bit. In terms of your college
football Friday, that's right, college football Friday.

Speaker 4 (27:42):
Now.

Speaker 1 (27:42):
You know, it's interesting we talked about this last week
that the NFL calendar will have to move forward one
week next year because of that nineteen sixty one Act
of Congress to protect college and high school football by

(28:05):
not allowing the NFL to have Friday night games until
after Labor Day. So the Chargers Chiefs game this year,
the Packers Eagles game last year, those will go by
the wayside until after Labor Day. Is the way that
that will work. Now that the reason that legislation went

(28:26):
through was, as I mentioned, it was to protect college
and high school football. Well, college football is just kind
of went yeah, yeah, okay, We're gonna play on Fridays,
it doesn't matter. So there's there's five games on the
schedule tonight in college football. First of all, the Battle

(28:48):
of the Hoosier State, Indiana who is ranked twenty second
hosting Indiana State, and then outside of that, the upstate
New York battle Colgate at Syracuse Colgate's in Hammel I
believe it's in Hamilton, New York, or because where Colgate
is at Syracuse. There's a game, a conference game in
the Big Twelve, Houston hosting Colorado. You got all these

(29:12):
great high school football games going on in Houston, and
University of Houston agrees to play a Friday night home
game against Colorado. You have another Big Twelve game Kansas
State at Arizona, and New Mexico is at UCLA. That's
a non conference game there. Then you get to the

(29:33):
Saturday games. So, Jay, Carbon, I'm going to college. How
you tell me if you have any interest at all
in any of these other games? And I know what
your deal is. You'll be busy, obviously, you know, down
on Bevo Boulevard engineering the Long Orange Game Day programming,
and that'll go up till two o'clock. But then the

(29:53):
rest of your day is freight. By the way, are
you planning to go to the game or are you
just planning to go back home and watch some other action.
What's you're playing beyond Long Orange Game Day tomorrow?

Speaker 4 (30:02):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (30:02):
Not this time. I'm gonna go home.

Speaker 2 (30:03):
I'm gonna tear down the equipment, make sure everything goes
off smoothly, get home, relax, prepare to call some soccer
on Sunday, and no doubt, have some college football on
in the background.

Speaker 1 (30:13):
Okay, all right, so I'm gonna call out these games,
and you tell me if you have any interest in
any of these games. One that'll kick off at eleven
o'clock in the morning. Twelve Frank Clemson at Georgia Tech.
Highly highly interested in that. Okay, Clemson's looked a little
bit shaky and Georgia Tech. Every year it seems like
they're close to pulling off one of these big upsets.

(30:33):
Maybe this is the one. Also at eleven am Oklahoma
up to number thirteen. After that, winter Michigan at Temple.
They're playing at Lincoln Financial Field.

Speaker 2 (30:43):
Yeah, I heard there's gonna be a lot of Oklahoma
fans there. Probably.

Speaker 4 (30:48):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (30:48):
I can tell you this. No matter where I go
in the United States, and maybe my antenna are up
a little more because of what I do with regard
to the University of Texas, But it seems like no
matter where I go, I always come across Oklahoma fans
in Texas, A and m They got a knack huh.

(31:09):
I'll never forget this. This is a few years ago.
I had my two sons with me and we were
driving the North Carolina vacation and my wife and daughters
were going to fly and to meet us. And we're
going through the mountains in North Carolina. And I mean,
it's in a remote area North Carolina, but there was
a there was a nice little inn, a little motel
that I knew of that we could spend the night.

(31:31):
The next day we were going to go to a
baseball game or whatever. And we pull it in this
little thing and it's in the middle of nowhere, and
we get out of the car and there's a car
parked right there and it had the OU logo sticker
on the back window. My son looks saying, goes, Dad,
look at that. And I said, they're everywhere, same thing

(31:52):
in Texas An, I'm sure they feel the same way
about University of Texas.

Speaker 4 (31:55):
That's right.

Speaker 1 (31:55):
But Oklahoma was playing at Temple, all right, it's so interesting. Yeah, Okay,
how about Wisconsin and Alabama. That's another eleven AM kick.

Speaker 2 (32:02):
Yeah, Alabama is a little bit of a different animal
at home under Kaylin de Board. Now, they looked great
against Louisiana Monroe last week. But you know Wisconsin, Wisconsin struggled.
Wisconsin has struggled. So this is a game that the
alarm bells go off for Alabama if it's not comfortable.

Speaker 1 (32:21):
Okay, all right. Now, beyond that is Central Michigan at Michigan,
Houston Christian at Nebraska, Towson at Maryland, the Battle of
the Greater Baltimore Washington area. There since Marylands and College
Park between d C and Baltimore and Towson's in Baltimore.

Speaker 2 (32:41):
Right it is a little bit north of there, and
Maryland almost lost last week, so they're looking to get
a little bit more comfortable footing.

Speaker 1 (32:49):
Bill and mary are playing at Virginia. Let's see, you
got Baylor hosting Samford coming off that big win at SMU.
Memphis is at Troy, Buffalo at Kent State South Alabama,
and Auburn Louisiana at Missouri. There's several of these games
that don't hold much interest. However, how about these Georgia

(33:10):
at Tennessee, number six in the country, at number fifteen.

Speaker 2 (33:12):
I will be seated for that as soon as I
get seated back on my couch.

Speaker 1 (33:16):
Okay, all right, As as an alumnus, of the University
of North Texas. I have some interests in this. They're
two and zero and they're hosting hosting in Denton, Washington State. Yeah,
they're a slim favored in that one.

Speaker 3 (33:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (33:28):
Yeah. SMU is at Missouri State backyard Brawl pitt West Virginia.
If West Virginia had not lost to Ohio. ESPN College
Game Day probably would be in Morgantown, that's right, not
the case. Richmond at North Carolina. First North Carolina football
game I ever saw when I was sixteen was I

(33:49):
think it was Northwestern North Carolina. But then the one
right after that I saw was Richmond at North Carolina,
the Spiders Spider. I had a cousin who played for
the Richmond Spider, all right, and just looking to see
if Virginy South Florida a Miami. That one probably holds
as much interest for me as just about any on
this non conference.

Speaker 2 (34:04):
Weekend dial it up on the CW. By the way,
Oddsmaker is not given South Florida much respect in that one.
Miami favored by seventeen and a half.

Speaker 1 (34:12):
Wow. Okay, all right, South Florida coming off the road
win at Florida. We'll see what it's like they're at
what's it called now, hard Rock Stadium. What's the name
of the hard rock right.

Speaker 2 (34:23):
Hard Rock Stadium. And for tennis they put a stadium
inside the stadium.

Speaker 1 (34:26):
Yeah, yeah, that's right, that's right. And then yeah, Ohio
State is hosting Ohio which beat West Virginia. But I
don't think there's a great deal of interest in that one.
LSU Florida to find out if Florida can get off
the mat and play a game at Tough and then
Texas A and M at Notre Dame. That's very intriguing

(34:47):
as well. Yes, yes it is. There's another SEC game.
Vanderbilt is at South Carolina.

Speaker 2 (34:55):
That's an underrated matchup in South Carolina. Only a three
and a half point favorite speck being given for Diego Pavia,
Cedric Alexander and the Commodore.

Speaker 1 (35:03):
And that game's in Colombia as well. And in case
you're wondering, it's a nine to thirty kickoff. It's on TNT,
it's on True TV, It's on HBO Max. The Texas
State Bobcats will be on HBO Max. Texas State at
Arizona State. They had the great game last year in
San Marcos that Arizona State won. So that's that's one

(35:25):
to keep track of. I think I'll be watching that
one late tomorrow night.

Speaker 2 (35:28):
Tough timing for Texas State to have this road test
because Arizona State is going to be angry.

Speaker 1 (35:34):
Yeah, yeah, no doubt about it. Letting the one slip
away there in Starkville last weekend. But I will tell
you this, if Texas State can find a way to
win that game, they I think, shoot to the top
of the G five considerations.

Speaker 2 (35:47):
Sure, and they're rooting for a South Florida stumble at Miami.

Speaker 1 (35:50):
Yeah, yeah, exactly. Okay, of course the long runs play
utap here tomorrow. Our coverage begins really at eleven thirty
with the with the third and long Worn Guy's preview,
and then our Longhorn game day coverage begins at high noon.
Cameron Parker, Mike Hardball, Harg, Mark Henry. There, they're at

(36:12):
winship Circle. There the hook hang out there, Long Bevo
Boulevard Network pregame at two and the kickoff at three.
Let's hear a conversation from our sideline reporter Will Matthews
as he sat down to visit with Long Worton's defensive
end Ethan Burke.

Speaker 3 (36:25):
You've been here for a couple of years.

Speaker 7 (36:26):
How has it been playing in front of home where
family can come and people can really see.

Speaker 3 (36:32):
Yeah, it's just such a blessing. Right, My family's right
down the street. They can all come. Friends are always
coming to the.

Speaker 8 (36:39):
Game, so it's great to see them after and know
that they're out there supporting me with the other one
hundred thousand fans.

Speaker 3 (36:44):
And the environment is it's hard to be and it's
just really a blast.

Speaker 7 (36:49):
As you continue to move into your leadership role on
the defensive line and also walking into DKR for the
first time this year. Talk about the atmosphere dk AND
as well as your leadership role inside of that atmosphere.

Speaker 8 (37:03):
Yeah, I think just loud and rowdy, and for me,
just trying to make sure that we're focused for all
four quarters, for all sixty.

Speaker 3 (37:11):
Minutes of the game.

Speaker 5 (37:12):
It's a long game.

Speaker 8 (37:13):
And you can lose focus sometimes, myself included. So just
making sure the young guys are always locked in and
that we're playing fast and that when we are beating
a team pretty bad, that the twos, threes, fours whoever
are in there and living up to the standard.

Speaker 7 (37:27):
That standard continually. Your teammates have been talking about that,
talk about the standard, especially as it relates to your
inroom and your guys in there.

Speaker 8 (37:37):
Yeah, I think for us, just being physical and effort
is just the two things that start with me, and
we've got to do better at that, honestly. But I
think our effort has been really good and our physicality
has been solid.

Speaker 3 (37:51):
And it's such a long season.

Speaker 8 (37:52):
We have so much more time to grow, and I
think by the end of the year, good teams improved,
and I think we'll be up there with the.

Speaker 7 (38:01):
As you got two more games at home and looking
into SEC play, what should we expect over these next
couple of weeks and what does making a step forward,
especially on the defensive line look like.

Speaker 4 (38:13):
For us?

Speaker 8 (38:15):
We need to get closer. No one's gonna be perfect,
but we need to get closer to it. Right with
our execution, you know, the little thing's eyes, hands, feet,
whatever it is, and we just have to get better
those things.

Speaker 3 (38:30):
And we need to dominate.

Speaker 8 (38:31):
The next two opponents is what we need to do.

Speaker 7 (38:34):
Dominating the next two opponents, getting ready, taking steps forward,
also being in front of family really special time. Tell
us about the what is the rally cry on the
defensive line at the moment you said being more physical,
But what else? What are you guys staying behind the scenes.
I think, you know, just using our hands better.

Speaker 8 (38:56):
I think for me specifically, and the edge room and
and most of the Delaine is.

Speaker 3 (39:01):
Just we're striking, We're doing our job.

Speaker 8 (39:04):
But how can we take another step and make the play,
you know, not just fill our gap but actually make plays,
get off blocks and just be more violent and play
play a little less robotic.

Speaker 1 (39:16):
Will Matthews conversation with Long Worn's Devinsive and Ethan Burke.
Up next, we talk about UTEP with the head coach
of the UTEP, Minor Scotty Walden. When we continue on
thirteen under the Zone. Yeah, you know, since you know
sun City has l pass, so then why not some
Beatle offering there with Good Day Sunshine nineteen sixty six

(39:38):
Revolver the album really transcended album there for the Beatles
there in the immortal Paul McCartney. All right, we continue
here on this Friday on thirteen under the Zone. We've
heard from long Wartn players, some from Sark. We heard
more from Steve Sarkisian next hour. How about from the
other side. Fascinating conversation I had yesterday evening, late yesterday afternoon,

(40:00):
in early yesterday evening with Scotty Walden, the head coach
of the UTEP Minors, and so fascinating. In fact, we
bring it to you in two parts. Here's part number one,
and you'll see why his optimism and enthusiasm is a
bit infectious.

Speaker 4 (40:15):
Coach.

Speaker 1 (40:15):
The first thing I've got to ask you is, this
is something that Coach Sark said to me when we
were doing a show the other night, and across the board,
folks one hundred percent have said, to know Scotty Walden
is to know optimism and enthusiasm every day that he lives.
And I noticed it myself when it was down there

(40:36):
at coaching school and we got a chance to visit.
But I'm curious, how important is it for you being
genuinely like that, in being able to work the way
you and your staff are working to try to turn
things around out there.

Speaker 9 (40:50):
And I'll passo one hundred percent. Craig, Yeah, no, I
think that's I appreciate those sentiments by you know, by people,
and I think, you know, my wife went to Cree
in high school together and uh, you know, we we've
been together total about you know, eighteen uh yeah, eighteen
years total, eleven years of marriage now, so she knows
he's better than anybody.

Speaker 4 (41:08):
And she always reminds me that, you know, uh, you.

Speaker 9 (41:11):
Know, like Scottie, like at first, like some people you know,
might think you're like being fake about like your energy
and your and your positivity and stuff. Because it's just
it's kind of unnatural, I guess, and and and it's
it's good for her to give me that perspective because
I feel like, uh that people looking at me crazy,
I'm looking at them crazy, you know, like, oh man,
why why why don't you think we can get it
turned around to you?

Speaker 4 (41:31):
What are you talking about? You know? But like I
just I just think, Craig.

Speaker 9 (41:35):
I just you know, I was I was very blessed
to be uh surrounded by a lot of great mentors
in my life. There were you know, really positive impacts
in my life and and helped me, uh you know,
just to see things in a different way.

Speaker 4 (41:45):
And I think.

Speaker 9 (41:47):
That I've always been that guy, uh, whether as a
player on my team or even as a young coach
that you know, Uh. I always saw the bottle half
full and just felt like, you know, why would you
see it any other way? Because you know, any other way,
you know, promotes disbelief in yourself. And uh, you know,
telling our kids the other day that, like, I want
people that have a little you know, a little bit

(42:08):
of unrealistic uh uh you know mindset to themselves. You
know that they either they can do something that no
one else may be saw in them. And uh, I
think that surrounding our program with those people coaching and
player wise is really important because if we're gonna turn
a program around like University of Texas at Olpaso, you

(42:28):
can't have the same old thing.

Speaker 4 (42:29):
You can't have the same old mindset.

Speaker 9 (42:31):
We got to bring a winning attitude and a and
a winning positivity. And and I've been so thoroughly impressed
with this city, uh, our university. I mean, we've got
the best kept secret in the state of Texas and
people just don't know it yet. And I and I
promise you I would say that, I'll I'll tell.

Speaker 4 (42:48):
You that fifteen years from now.

Speaker 9 (42:49):
You know, we we've got a phenomenal city that's full
of passionate fans, a fan base that's hungry for a winner,
and we got a university UH that's willing to to
uh you know, pour into us to to us get
to where we need to get to. And I just
think that at the end of the day, the greatest
loss in life is a loss of enthusiasm.

Speaker 4 (43:06):
And I never want to lose that.

Speaker 10 (43:07):
Man.

Speaker 9 (43:09):
The day I ever lose that, you know, I'm gonna
stop coaching, you know. And I get to be around
young people, I get to make an impact in their lives.
And then we get to take a program that is
looking for something to believe in at a city that's
looking for a football program to believe in, and we
have that opportunity in our hands to capture that. That's
something that gets me fired up every day I put

(43:29):
my two feet on the floor, man.

Speaker 4 (43:30):
So that's what drives it.

Speaker 1 (43:32):
Well. One thing that I've also know is obviously you
never had a losing season at the FCS level, and
what you did at Austin p stands for itself. And
when I hear people talk about the difference between FCS
and FBS, one of the things that I was told
about your program is the Okags, our kind of guys,

(43:54):
and that you're willing to look beyond the boundaries of
FBS to find guys like that.

Speaker 9 (44:00):
Yeah, I think, I think. Look, I mean, here's the reality. Man,
I'm a D three guy. I've I've played the Division
three football, I've I've coached D three, I coach f
C s and coach FBS twife now, and you know.

Speaker 4 (44:11):
I get it. Man, I'm a I'm a young guy coming.

Speaker 9 (44:13):
Up the ranks, and there's differences at every level that
you have to adapt to. I was very fortunate to
be at the University of Southern Mississippi UH for three
seasons and and to be able to, you know, understand
what this level looks like at the G five level.
And obviously I've never been a Power five coach, so
I can't pretend to be there and know what that
looks like. But you know, I think that there's an

(44:36):
outside misconception that there's not good players down at that
level or anything like that. I mean, there's a lot
of great players. I think the differences are in the
the offensive defensive line, specifically of the size that that's
a vast difference for sure. And I think that even
if you look at the winning programs at the G
five level and and even Power five. I mean the

(44:57):
ones that are consistent, you know, cons so they winners
year and year out. They have recruited and own the
region and recruiting, and they have developed, uh, great players
and great people. And I still think an element of
that exists, you know, even in this transfer port era.
And when we say okay, geez, we talk about our
kind of guys, Guys that between the white lines.

Speaker 4 (45:20):
Exemplify the way that we want to play the football fairless,
fast and physical.

Speaker 9 (45:25):
Uh, and then outside the lines that represent our core
values of peblue committed, relentless people. They're unselfish, they're tough people,
and they're and they're and they're people that are in
people of integrity, they're they're trustworthy people. And I will
take a guy like that that is hungry, and that
guy will come to our place and that guy will

(45:45):
thrive in our shop. And all of a sudden, you
take a player that, Okay, maybe he was the step
slower than this guy, but those characteristics and those traits
and the development over the course of time is going
to outweigh Uh. The guy that might have a little
faster step, but he's not willing to buy into the
details and what it takes to be a day in

(46:06):
and day out consistent player from a character standpoint, and
I just think that again, it goes back to what
you're trying to build.

Speaker 4 (46:12):
You know, we're trying to build a program. You know,
we're not trying to build a team.

Speaker 9 (46:15):
We're not trying to hit all right, man, let's just
let's just get a one hit wonder.

Speaker 4 (46:18):
And let's get out of here.

Speaker 9 (46:20):
Like we're trying to build consistency here at UTAP that
hasn't been here. And I understand we're in a day
and age where you got to focus year to year
on that team, you know, because your team might change
pretty quickly.

Speaker 4 (46:30):
I totally understand that.

Speaker 9 (46:31):
But I feel like if you can retain seventy percent
and even sixty five percent above your freshman classes that
you sign every year, that eventually that that depth is
going to start to show itself. And then all of
a sudden, you've got god your culture, that you've developed consistency, continuity,
and all of a sudden, that is going to give
you the edge in the fourth quarter.

Speaker 4 (46:52):
That's going to give you the edge and over time,
that's going to give you the.

Speaker 9 (46:54):
Edge in Coase ball games, and that's how you develop
a program and a consistent winner winner, and so I
to that formula can work at this.

Speaker 4 (47:02):
Level as well.

Speaker 1 (47:03):
Well. Two of the guys that kind of fall into
that category, at least from the outside looking at and
it's interesting looking at their paths. One on your defensive
side is a shod Hal. Here's a guy came in
FCS HBCU player at South Carolina State. It's got a
couple of sacks for you early, some TFLs. And then
on the other side of that, you got Malachai Nelson,

(47:23):
who was nationally known as a top five recruit. He
and Arch Manning knew each other. Well, goe to the
Manning academy camps and all that stuff, and all he's
done is produced for you. And here's a guy with
all those accolades. I mean, is that kind of what
you're talking about, the mixture of all of those different kinds.

Speaker 4 (47:41):
Of Yeah, No, Craig, you're right.

Speaker 9 (47:43):
I mean, like I think that we've kind of looked
at going to SCSD two route and when you bring
in portal guys, because number one, it goes back to
the to the characteristic trait of Alakai and a shod
that you just mentioned that aligned. I know Malachi was
a Peace five guy, but here's the difference. Here's the
alignment with a guy we might bring from D two
and with a guy from Peachot. The alignment and the

(48:06):
correlation here is both of those kids are extremely hungry.
And at the end of the day, if you bring
in hungry players that truly love football, it.

Speaker 4 (48:15):
Doesn't matter the level. But if you get the guys enough,
guys like.

Speaker 9 (48:18):
That, then you're gonna be successful. I think the FCSD
two kids are so hungry because they like, we got
guys right now there and that now the caveat to
this and you know this, Greig, like, if we bring
in the FCSD two guy, we're gonna bring in an
all American, Like we're gonna bring in who they got accolades,
Like you know, you've got to produce and you and
you got to play at a high level for us
to bring you up to the FBS level. Those guys

(48:39):
come up here though, like we we've got a you know,
a kid named Trayvon Tait who was a stud D
two receiver and Eric Willis, they were stud D two
receivers all Americans multi time. They're sitting there, like going
to the nutrition room every day, like, holy crap, we
have a nutrition room. Like oh my gosh, I got
string coaches that will roll me out, like are you
kidding me? Like we got we got, we got their guns.
Like you know, they they look at sun Bowl and

(49:00):
they see this is their Alabama.

Speaker 4 (49:02):
You know what I mean?

Speaker 9 (49:03):
This is like, oh my gosh, I made it, and
they play hungry. They were hungry. And when you infuse
your program with guys like that, you're going to be successful.
When you look at Malachi, the thing that we hadent,
I'm always a little more constious when it is a
Power five transfer that maybe hasn't played, I'm a little
more caustious because if that guy is he is, how
hungry is he going to be coming to it? To

(49:25):
UTEP and to all passive The things that we identified
with Malachi was he has I think people don't understand
this about him. He has an extreme amount of humility.
He's very confident, but he's also very humble and not
one time in the recruiting process did this guy ever
talk about about a coach, about a program.

Speaker 4 (49:43):
I found that very interesting.

Speaker 9 (49:44):
It was not a conversation of yeah, well, if this
coach would have gave me a chance how to start
at at bois No, No, it was one hundred percent genuine, authentic. Look,
I wish I would have done I wish I'd understood this.
I wish I'd done this to earn that job or
whatever it was. And then I saw the level of
hunger that he has to want to be a starting quarterback.
And I've gone public saying this, and there's note like

(50:04):
but like, I can't tell you how much money he
turned down to be a UTEP minor, Like there are
other programs that were paying top dollar for this guy
wanted top dollar.

Speaker 4 (50:14):
And I always go.

Speaker 9 (50:15):
Back when he made the decision to come here. Obviously
I was elated because he chose us, but also I
sat down and I was like, there's a lot more
to this kid than maybe even I knew about, because
for him to turn down what he turned down to
be a UTEP minor two.

Speaker 4 (50:30):
Bet on himself and to say, I am I've been.

Speaker 9 (50:34):
At I've seen that highest level. I've gotten all the
money blah blah blah, don't care about that. I want
to play football, And I want to. That showed me
this guy's truly got a love for the game, a hunger,
and he's got humility. And I think those are traits
that you look for regardless of the level out of
the portal, but certainly those lower.

Speaker 4 (50:48):
Level guys normally have that as they come of the rank.

Speaker 1 (50:51):
So there's part one. You see what I'm talking about
with regardless to Scottie Walten coming up, we're gonna let
you hear a little more from him, also talking about
the Loghorns when we continue on thirteen under the Zone.
And okay, we've heard part one of that conversation there
with Scotty Walden, who does not lack energy, and there's
some more here from Coach Walden, some really good stuff

(51:13):
and his thoughts on this matchup with the Loghorns as well.
I would be remiss if it didn't ask you about this.
And the more that I've read about it and learned
about it, the more fascinated I've come by it. And
that is your young man, Marcus Taurus. And the reason
why I bring him up. I had Babel Ofthenburg on
our show yesterday, and I've known Babel a long time,

(51:33):
and it got into the whole story of what Luke
Laufenburg meant to and what still means to the UTEP program.
And then of course there's the local connection here where
Marcus of course played at Pebble Hills, but his dad
Marcus now the head coach at Hayes High School here
in the Greater Austin area, which is really cool. And
I guess the most fascinating part about this, I know

(51:55):
it was to Babe, was to see the player who
is given that honor of wearing that jersey. Uh, not
only where's the number, he's got the name Laffenburg on
the back, and he said, and that really just choked
him up the minute he saw it. And I know, uh,
Marcus trus must be a special young man for you
to a move him from walk on the scholarship football

(52:16):
player and b to have him be the one represent
the program.

Speaker 4 (52:21):
Yes, sir, there's no doubt, Craig and Babe is just
an amazing human being.

Speaker 9 (52:25):
And I and I I you know, being a full
Worth guy. You know, I'm a huge Cowboys fan, so
I'm I'm you know, all things DFW, and obviously I
I from a distance, you know, I knew who baby
Lafenberg was I. I grew up watching him on TV,
you know, and and then and then I get into coaching,
and and I and I from social media see from

(52:45):
a distance what's happening with Luke and the tragedy that
you know, just what he all he went through. And
when I took this job, Uh, Babe and I got
on the phone and I immediately before he brought anything up,
I said, Babe, I just want to let you know,
I know you, I know the story. I want to
tell you we want to continue Luke's legacy. And that
was an absolute no brainer for for us and I

(53:09):
and I give so much credit to UH, my predecessor,
God rests whole, Dana Demo who he and his staff.
I thought that was a phenomenal gesture of you know,
creating that tradition of having UH the hardest worker in
this program, everything that Luke stood for, you know, being
a committed player, being relentless, being that guy that stayed
after practicing cop balls, you know, like like honoring him

(53:33):
in that way. And I asked the babe on that
on that first phone call, I said, hey, I want
to make sure I get this right.

Speaker 4 (53:39):
I never had the honor to meet Luke, but describe
him to me, you know, if if you don't mind.
And Babe just went on and on, and.

Speaker 9 (53:46):
I'm sitting there and I'm like, that's exactly how we're
that's exactly what OKG is. That's exactly what Cob, who
our core values exemplifies. So and I and I and
I regurgitated those two babe and babes like that, that's it,
that's what we're looking for.

Speaker 4 (53:58):
And I said, well, we're going to find that hitting
our program and we're going to continue this tradition.

Speaker 9 (54:02):
And there's nothing better that exemplified that than Marcus Torres.
Marcus came here as a walk on, has absolutely worked
his tail off. I mean, Craig like, it's December of
the season's over. I'm in my office that overlooks the Stumble.
I'm looking down at the sun Bowl and there's a
slew of guys that come in and out every day
to throw and catch, and it's cold out there.

Speaker 4 (54:23):
That guy hood he's on whatever, and.

Speaker 9 (54:24):
Believe or not, he gets cold out pouts every now
and then. And uh, you know, Marcus Torres is consistently
one of those guys that he was. He was down
there working from December, and it showed he was one
of our stud receivers in the spring, and and he
had a great Paul camp. He earned everything that was
thrown his way. And then when we approached him because
the way he plays the game, he plays with the

(54:45):
edge man and he plays hardy blocks, he runs physical routes,
we approached him about, uh, you know, wearing the Luke
Lauferberg jersey.

Speaker 4 (54:52):
He won was all in.

Speaker 9 (54:55):
He's like, coach, I mean, like it's an honor to
be ASKEDT and you and and and Craig, you understand
this and maybe understands of two in this day and
age of you know, we have this, you know, kind
of a I don't know culture, if you will, of
me and me.

Speaker 4 (55:07):
It's not me, it's about I.

Speaker 9 (55:09):
And to take your name off the back of your jersey,
to put the Laufenberg name onto, to die to self,
which is what our program's about. For Marcus to just
jump in and do that, I think he speaks everything
to his character and I don't think we we could
have found a better person to exemplify Luke's fighting legacy
than Marcus.

Speaker 4 (55:28):
And I'm just so happy that we can continue.

Speaker 9 (55:31):
Uh, you know, Luke's legacy here in our football program,
no doubt about him.

Speaker 1 (55:35):
Hey, uh, let me get your thoughts on Texas. What
do you see when you look at the Longhorns there
on tape.

Speaker 9 (55:42):
First off, extremely well coached. I think they're they're huge
upfront on the offensive line. Those two tackles are the
real deal. I think they're they're running backs run extremely
physical obviously Stark, you know, just just getting the meeting
behind the scenes a few times. Man, I'm so uh
just impressed that, like, you know, he's the head coach
of the University of Texas, but has a level of

(56:02):
humility to talk to us. Uh, you know, smaller time
coaches if you will, you know, like he's you know,
he's not one of those guys at the big times. Yeah,
and I and I think that permeates to his program.
And I think, again being a Texas guy, seeing him
revitalize the Texas program with that level of leadership, I
think he's really cool to see.

Speaker 4 (56:19):
And his team plays like it, you know, like they
they go the extra mile.

Speaker 9 (56:24):
Whether it's training on a block, training on a run,
training on a route. And I think he's one of
the most creative play callers in the country, and they're
they're they're they're just lethal to handle on offense. I mean,
they're their offenses just you know, uh, you know that
they can run it on you. They can get in
condensed sets and then you know, work across country routes
and your your double moves and they're really hard to defend.

(56:45):
Obviously ours Manning. I think he is as good as advertised.
I think he's the real deal. I think it'll be
somebody that we talk about in the game of football
for a really long time and you just see, you know,
he's getting better from the Ohio State games, Sanos a
game and not too much better against us, but after that,
he'd be as good as he wants to be. But uh,

(57:06):
you know, I I just think that he is uh
you know, really really smart player's got a strong arm,
can move in the pocket, and then he's he's a
freaking plus one run threat and so that.

Speaker 4 (57:15):
That makes you stay honest.

Speaker 9 (57:16):
And then on the defensive side of the football, man
they hunt the football with really less intent. I mean
I I really you know, on Tabo have been so
impressed with that. I think the taft kid in the
back end. Who forgive me on this, but it's kind
of like we're talking about Marcus and stuff. I think
he was a walk on it ended up getting on scholarship.

Speaker 4 (57:37):
If I'm not mistaken, that's all right.

Speaker 9 (57:39):
And I just man, I'm telling you, like you talk
about hunger, that kid's hungry. That kid gets like he
is the quarterback of that defense. He gets that defense going,
gets them lined up. He plays physical, He's a sure tackler.
I think the Hill kid number zero is an unbelievable linebacker.
You know that they play extremely physical on defense, and

(58:00):
so I think I think stematically what they do sits
their personnel. And you know, we certainly got our hands
fuld a really good football team. But you know we
we got to go compete. You know, we we we
are as we build our program, we are instilling the
mindset that you know, this is West Texas tough. You know,
the UTEP miners don't back down from a challenge. And

(58:21):
we got to every every single opportunity we get on Saturday,
whether it's against Texas or anybody, we got to show
up and we got to play our brand of football
and play extremely hard and physical and you know, going
there and cut it loose against a great football team,
and you know, we're really excited for that opportunity and
that challenge.

Speaker 1 (58:40):
Interesting revelations there from the head coach of the UTEP Miners,
Scottie Walden. All right, we have more coming up to
stay with us here on this Friday afternoon on Sports
Radio AM thirteen under the Zone in the iHeartRadio app.
Third and final hour of the program here on Sports
Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone, final hour of the week,
we get you ready for long warn football tomorrow. Coming

(59:00):
up just a few minutes. We'll hear from Will Matthews's
conversation with Parker Livingston, Texas wide receiver Gene Watson will
join us a little bit later on this hour a
half hour to talk Major League Baseball, headed down the
home stretch of that, and then we'll hear from coach
Sarry from Longhorn Weekly last night talking in specific about

(59:20):
the UTEP Miners. In the first hour of the program,
actually no, at the start of the second hour, we
talked about the college football schedule for the weekend, how
about the NFL schedule. Well, the game that carried the
most interest for the producer, Jay Carman Hewert has already
come and gone. That was last night the Packers beat
the Commanders twenty seven to eighteen. But you remain optimistic

(59:43):
about washing what they can do. I mean, there's a
tough assignment to go to lambeau Field and play that
Green Bay events.

Speaker 2 (59:48):
Yeah, going on the road short rest against Michael Parsons,
who gave the Commanders all sorts of trouble when he
was wearing the Dallas Cowboys star on his helmet. And
you know, there's lots of things to be worried abo out,
mainly the injuries. You lose a veteran presence in the
backfield like Austin Eckler. My biggest worry was, z oh No,
that's a great pass protector, just a well rounded guy

(01:00:09):
that you know you're gonna miss that veteran presence.

Speaker 1 (01:00:11):
It's hurt seemingly every year.

Speaker 2 (01:00:13):
Yeah, and the Commanders traded Brian Robinson Junior before the season. Now,
all of a sudden, you're relying on a couple of young,
unproven guys, even my beloved Bill Crossky merrit it's gonna
have to step up in a big way in that backfield.
And you know, still still a couple of the same
problems from last year. Pass rush, a little bit quiet
for two three drives in a row, a little bit

(01:00:34):
of a flat start. Can't win the game with a
flat start and two missfield goals on the road.

Speaker 1 (01:00:38):
Okay, the games that will be going on in the
NFL the rest of the weekend on Sunday, Begels and
Jaguars are both one and oh. Okay, Cowboys which you
can hear on ninety eight point one FM on our
sister station as they host the Giants. Bears are at
the Lions, Rams play at the Titans, Dolphins host the Patriots,

(01:01:02):
forty nine Ers at New Orleans, Jets host the Bills.
The Seahawks play at Pittsburgh, Baltimore at home against Cleveland
Denver and Indianapolis, Arizona at home against Carolina, Philadelphia at
Kansas City. That's got the nation's attention, certainly, and Atlanta
at Minnesota. So there are those games there which one

(01:01:26):
has your attention.

Speaker 2 (01:01:28):
Well, I'd like to see how a couple of offenses
that really disappointed in Week one are going to bounce
back in that Miami game. Obviously, Atlanta Minnesota two, I
mean Michael Pennix and company. I didn't think they played
all that poorly against Tampa Bay, but that was a
game that certainly was winnable slipped through their fingers. And

(01:01:48):
I think that between Pennix and JJ McCarthy, you're going
to see two quarterbacks that clashed in that National Championship
game in twenty twenty three squaring off again in the
game the Falcons need.

Speaker 1 (01:01:59):
Yeah, they do. And that's the Sunday night NBC game.
The big national game is the Super Bowl rematch of
Chiefs and Eagles on that and then, by the way,
we have a Monday night double header. The Disney family
likes to do that. Texans in the early window against
the Buccaneers and then Chargers Raiders at in Vegas in

(01:02:22):
the late window.

Speaker 2 (01:02:24):
Chicago Detroit as well. You've got the Ben Johnson return
to fort Field. That should be spicy.

Speaker 1 (01:02:30):
Yeah, yeah, Okay, let's turn our attention back to Long
Worn Football just for a few minutes. Will Matthews, our
sideline reporter on the Long Worn Radio Network, his conversation
with Texas wide receiver and early season standout Parker Livingstone.

Speaker 3 (01:02:46):
Hey, guys got a special treat here.

Speaker 7 (01:02:48):
We got Parker living stun living Ston and y'all, y'all
know it's doun now.

Speaker 3 (01:02:54):
So the stone is done, bro, Just thank you for
your time.

Speaker 7 (01:02:59):
We've got two games down moving into week three. Early
in the season, a lot has changed, a lot of
ups and downs already one and one.

Speaker 3 (01:03:09):
How are you feeling moving into week three? Feel good?

Speaker 11 (01:03:13):
I think we had a huge jump offensively from week
one to week two, but still not where it needs
to be. So we gotta make another jump this week.
And I think we keep on making jumps every week,
we'll be fine.

Speaker 7 (01:03:25):
So when you talk about making a jump, what does
that look like offensively? And then also personally for you,
I mean two touchdowns one touchdown Ohio State. I mean
every time you catch the balls to the house, what
does that mean taking a jump for you?

Speaker 11 (01:03:40):
For me, I just gotta I gotta be more consistent
in the run game, picking up safeties or linebackers, corners,
whatever it is to you know, make the explosive runs
for our running back so then you know they get
to eat as well. And just opening up. Also the
play action pass even more than what it already is, and.

Speaker 3 (01:03:58):
You're feeling so even more.

Speaker 7 (01:04:01):
You guys just wanting to stack stack, stack every day
a little bit better, a little bit better. What if
the vibe in the locker room how focused? Then is exciting?
I know when you guys get happy and I can
see all smiling on the field, good things happen.

Speaker 3 (01:04:14):
What's the vibe in the locker room. I think it's good.

Speaker 11 (01:04:16):
I think everyone for a little bit, and after the
Ohio State loss, everyone was still kind of down. But
now about month this time last week, you know, we
were like, can't change the past anymore. So now we
set to go one and out every week, and so
I think everyone's happy, you know, looking forward to playing
against a UTEP this week.

Speaker 3 (01:04:33):
So it's gotta keep on going one now.

Speaker 7 (01:04:35):
With another home game coming up, what should we expect
from the Longhorns this week?

Speaker 11 (01:04:42):
Real good offense, Real good offense. I mean defense is
doing their job getting the turnovers and stuff. And you
know we did a good job capitalizing on those turnovers.
But we just got to be more consistent, you know,
third fourth quarter, especially this two opening drives, we can't
go through and out.

Speaker 3 (01:04:57):
We got to be able to move the ball.

Speaker 7 (01:05:00):
Thank you, Parker, appreciate your time. Luckless league, see soon.

Speaker 1 (01:05:03):
First engage Parker Livingston, one of the early season standouts
for Texas, visiting with our Will Matthews. Will of course,
we'll be on the sidelines for US tomorrow. Roger Robles
will join me in the booth. Our coverage begins eleven
thirty in the morning with the Third and Longhorn Podcast
Guys with a preview, and then at high noon Long
Worn Game Day with Cameron Parker, My cardboll Harge and

(01:05:26):
Mark Henry. Network pregame at two and the kickoff at
three o'clock. All right, up, next, we shift to baseball,
heading down the home stretch of the Major League regular season.
Gene Watson from the Chicago White Sox front office joins
us our MLB insider. That's next right here on Sports
Radio AM thirteen under the Zone at the iHeartRadio app. Okay,
so it's a Friday, and we do obviously get ready

(01:05:50):
for a football weekend, so too does our man with
whom we talk baseball. And we're going to talk baseball
with Gene Watson from the Chicago White Sox front office
and just a moment we'll do that. But Geno's in Chicago,
which is what a ninety minute drive to South Bend
Indiana is that today? And I'm sure, I'm I'm I'm

(01:06:11):
guessing you're going to be there by you in touchdown Jesus,
just hanging out in the end zone waiting to see
those fight in Texas Haaggies tomorrow night.

Speaker 10 (01:06:22):
I have to tell you that the city of Chicago
is a little bit too much.

Speaker 4 (01:06:24):
Maroon right now.

Speaker 10 (01:06:25):
There are a lot of Aggie fans here. I think
that you know, we've holds eighty thousand. I think the
Texas A and M will have fifteen to twenty thousand fans.
And the city's alive right now. Everybody's here for the
Cub game today and.

Speaker 4 (01:06:38):
Regally will be full of maroon.

Speaker 10 (01:06:39):
And it's going to be a fun night in South
End tomorrow night.

Speaker 1 (01:06:42):
Okay, all right, but you will be there, right yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:06:45):
Oh yeah. We're leaving in the morning.

Speaker 10 (01:06:47):
I have a full itinerary for our group and we
we arrive on campus at ten thirty and then we've
got a full day of tailgates and mass and the
band and the team walk and it's going to be
a fun day.

Speaker 1 (01:06:57):
Hey, is the linebacker lound still a thing there in
South Bend? Is that still happening?

Speaker 4 (01:07:04):
I can't say that I've a lot.

Speaker 5 (01:07:07):
Yeah, of course it is.

Speaker 4 (01:07:10):
Yeah.

Speaker 10 (01:07:11):
I had a wonderful night there with my daughter.

Speaker 4 (01:07:12):
Last year. I found out she can drink more than me. Yeah,
so wonderful.

Speaker 1 (01:07:16):
Yeah, all right, I got you. All right, let's talk
to baseball. I want to start with something a little different.
I'm usually really on the collective, the team and the races,
but I do want to start with something individual.

Speaker 4 (01:07:29):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (01:07:29):
Sarah Langs who I know, you know, who works for
MLB and writes a lot of great things.

Speaker 4 (01:07:35):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (01:07:35):
She She did a piece on the fact that Gen
Carlos Stanton and Aaron Judge we had two home runs
last night to tie Joe DiMaggio the all time career record.

Speaker 3 (01:07:48):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (01:07:49):
She put down how they joined the ranks of Ruth
and Gerrig and McCovey and Mays as the all time
homer hitting duo. So I'm kind of curious. And she
lists Eddie Matthews and Hank Aaron as number one all
time with seventy six in terms of the regular season

(01:08:12):
games when they both homered, and then she's got Ruth
and Garrick at seventy five, McCovey and May's tied at third,
and sixty eight with Duke Snyder and Gil Hodges. Then
there's Billy Williams and Ron Santo at sixty four, Chipper
Jones and Andrew Jones were there when you were in
Atlanta with sixty one, Harmon Killer Brew and Bob Allison,
Jim Rice and Dwight Evans, and then Aaron Judge and

(01:08:34):
John Carlo Stanton with fifty six. There they've done it
where they've homered in the same game fifty six times.
Where do you place those guys, Judge and Stanton in
with some of those other names that I mentioned.

Speaker 4 (01:08:48):
Well, I think there's two thoughts with that.

Speaker 10 (01:08:50):
One is, you know, gim Carlo has only played about
forty percent of the games over the last three years,
so for him to put up the numbers he's had,
and you know, there's going to be a real conversation
on him in the coming years as he gets closer
to five hundred home runs. Is he a Hall of Famer?
Because I mean the numbers are going to speak to it.
He's been injured a lot, his body's been broken down

(01:09:11):
over the last three years, so that's going to be
a real debate amongst the voters. Is his health versus performance.
But the other big one I think that things are
going to look at when comparing these two to those
other groups.

Speaker 4 (01:09:22):
Is the ballpark.

Speaker 10 (01:09:23):
And I think that everybody knows a Yankee Stadium is
a very offensive ballpark, and so I think that those
are two things that people will look at when they
compare them. But truly, two of the great middle of
the order run producing bats in the game, and Gia
Carlo is going to be a really interesting test case
with the voters when his career is over.

Speaker 1 (01:09:42):
Interesting. Okay, all right, now we jump from hitting the pitching.
And I know, you know, I personally don't know of
too many people who know pitching better than you did,
since you used to do it and your son did
it as well, and you've been around it your entire
professional life. Curious to get your thoughts on this. Walker
Bueller had gotten released by the Red Sox. The Philly
signed him, and now he gets an opportunity tonight he'll

(01:10:06):
pitch for the Phillies for the first game the three
game weekend series with the Royals. And in this story
that ESPN had Bueller list among the main reasons for
him being excited is that he hated the automatic ball
strike system used in the minor leagues and was likely

(01:10:27):
and still is likely to be considered at some point
down the road by MLB for regular season use. His
quote was, I think it's inaccurate. I think in most
of the stadiums it's not even actually on the plate.
I think it shifts certain directions in certain ballparks. I
think human element is a huge part of the game.
I think starting pitchers that have pitched a long time

(01:10:47):
deserves certain parts of the plate that other guys don't get.

Speaker 4 (01:10:50):
He said.

Speaker 1 (01:10:51):
I think the punishment for challenging something that's clearly a
strike is not big enough. He said, I could kind
of go on. I think the ABS system in general
is very good idea. Yeah, I don't think we have
any idea where to put it on the plate. I
don't think we have any idea how to function it
correctly in terms of angles at ballparks. I don't think
the umpires unions are going to be very happy about it.

(01:11:12):
End quote. So I was kind of entertaining that I
could just hear Walker's voice on all of that. What's
your take, not necessarily or just separately of Buehler, but
about the ABS system you've seen it countless times in
all of your minor league ballparks that you've sat in
on that. How about your thoughts on the whole thing.

Speaker 10 (01:11:33):
Well, I think it's great, and I'm on record as
to saying that I think it's great.

Speaker 4 (01:11:37):
I would disagree with the fact that.

Speaker 10 (01:11:38):
He thinks it's inaccurate because I mean, the hawkeye technology,
this technology is used in Wimbledon, It's used in a
lot of different things that it is precise. We're just
in a phase of the industry, in a phase of
the game where there's too much money on the line.
It's a thirteen billion dollar industry you're talking about, you know,

(01:12:00):
so much being on the line in October that I
don't care how we get there. Let's just get it right.
And I'll take you back in twenty fourteen and in
Game five where you know, Jason Vargas is called out
on a pitch at the top of the zone, and
you know, if that ball four takes place, Lorenzo Kaine
is up and a key part of the game, and

(01:12:20):
there's a chance that we may go and win back
to back World Series, and I just think.

Speaker 4 (01:12:24):
There's too much on the line.

Speaker 10 (01:12:26):
What I will say, is these umpires doing an unbelievable job.
It's an incredibly difficult job to be right all the time.
They've never been exposed more than they are today with
Umpire Auditor and all of the social media of grades
and the way they're graded. But they do an unbelievable job.
And I just think at the end of the day,

(01:12:46):
there's too much technology not.

Speaker 4 (01:12:48):
To use, not to get it right with so much
on the line.

Speaker 1 (01:12:51):
Well, I'll tell you two things. First of all, I
think Bueller is speaking from the perspective of a guy
who's seven and seven with a five RA so he's
had a struggles the season. That's one thing. Another thing
is you mentioned that hawkeye technology you know where else
it choose. I just discovered this the other night in
CAAA volleyball, Loghorns came back. They're the number two team
in the country. They were down two sets to one

(01:13:13):
to Louisville, number four in the country. Came back me
and them. They were showing the Hawkeye technology that were
playing that on the neutral floor in Fort Worth. That
was pretty cool to see. So the technology, I would
imagine GINO is really advanced enough to where a lot
of folks can be comfortable with it using at the
highest level, isn't it?

Speaker 4 (01:13:31):
It is?

Speaker 10 (01:13:31):
And I think that you're going to find a lot
of times, and we've seen it in the minor league,
where there's so much fan involvement with it that that
oftentimes the fans get behind the umpires when they start
getting the challenges right. But the fact of the matter
is in the key moments of the game, bottom of
the eighth, bases loaded, a three to two pitch on
the corner. You just want to get that moment right,

(01:13:52):
and we have the technology to do that.

Speaker 4 (01:13:53):
It's going to be great once it gets here.

Speaker 1 (01:13:55):
Talk with Baseball with Geene Watson here, personal director of
the Chicago White Tax here on thirteen hundred the zone.
All right, so Gino, let's turn our attention to the
Pennant races. I'll start in the American League. Toronto just
finished taking two or three from the Astros. They've won
six of their last ten. The Yankees have split their
last ten. In the Red Sox have split or have
won six of their last ten. It's a three game

(01:14:17):
lead for Toronto over the Yankees in the East, with
Boston three and a half back. We have three weekends
a little over two weeks to go, about fifteen games
left the season. What's your take on the AL East.

Speaker 10 (01:14:29):
Well, I think it's gonna be interesting. I think of
the three, the best team is the Boston Red Sox.
They've got, you know, three very good starting pitchers. They've
got arguably the best closer in the history of baseball
right now, Rodis Shaman hasn't given up anything in forever.
And they just have a team that's so dynamic and
can beat you so many ways. They can beat you

(01:14:49):
at the home run, they can beat you you know,
running the base, is stealing extra is stealing bags, taking
extra bases, and so like four October, I would say
that the Red Sox are the most talent the team.
I think the shift and not to take you there,
but I think that the West is where things could
really really get interesting because Houston is really struggling to

(01:15:10):
the finish line. Texas is just playing unbelievable baseball right now.
And the schedule works out for where Texas, Seattle, and
Houston all have matchups coming up in the coming weeks,
and those games are going to be essentially playoff games,
and I think you're going to see more potential movement
surprises coming out of the West, and I think what
you're going to see in the East. But for me

(01:15:32):
for October, if you were going to pick a team
that I think could be a surprise Day one of
the playoffs, I think the Boston Red Sox are that team.

Speaker 1 (01:15:39):
Yeah, Okay, And that's where I was going next to
the West, because the Tigers are going to win the Central.
They're up eight and a half on the Guardians, who
have been good of late. They've won seven of their
last ten and they're trying to hang in there. In
the wild card picture, they're three and a half back.
The Rangers are two back Ashers lose yesterday, Mariners win
late last night, so they're tied at a flat footed

(01:16:02):
tie for first, and if it were to go to
the tiebreaker right now, that tie break is in favor
of the Mariners. So in the wild card standings, it
shows the Yankees and first, the Red Sox and second,
and the Astros in third, with a two game cushion
on the Rangers and the Guardians three and a half back.
The Royals have now fallen back to five back. How

(01:16:24):
about the race for that last wildcard.

Speaker 10 (01:16:26):
There I have to say, and this is not going
to make the Astro fans happy, but I would say
that with just the momentum they have and the sense
of urgency that the Rangers are playing with for Bruce Bochi,
I think you even with the two game lead, I
don't feel like that's safe. And I think that if
we're going to see something, I think we have a
chance to see the Rangers pass the Astros and make

(01:16:48):
no mistake, what Houston has done this season, and I
was talking to Dana Brown about this at the trade deadline,
just a truly remarkable job. And it speaks to you know,
Jim Crane and his you know, a level of expectation.
His expectations drive the results, and they've just done a
tremendous job for eight years now and this season for
them of all has been just the most overcheasing situation

(01:17:11):
you could ever put. But I think with the way
the schedule sets up, I think that they're going to
have a tough time. If Texas can remain healthy, I
think they're gonna have a tough time holding off the Rangers.

Speaker 1 (01:17:21):
So so let me see if I've got this right. Gino,
are you saying that you feel there's a pretty good
chance that the Mariners win the West, the Rangers get
the third wildcard, and the Asters are completely left out
of the playoffs.

Speaker 10 (01:17:36):
I think the way it's trending right now, there's a
possibility that could happen.

Speaker 1 (01:17:39):
Wow, Okay, all right now to the National Leagueese Phillies
are running away with the division. You've mentioned you thought
they're the best team in baseball here pretty much in
the second half of the season. What a huge weekend
series this is in New York, Geno Rangers at Mets
as the Mets still try to hold onto that third
wildcard spot. While they've been slipping, they've dropped six in
a row and of their last ten, and that Nation

(01:18:02):
League wildcard picture. All of a sudden, he are the
surging Giants who are game and a half back, and
the Red's a game and a half back of the
Mets for that final playoff spot that will final wildcard spot.

Speaker 10 (01:18:16):
I think what's interesting about that series this weekend. And
I don't know how the rotation is falling from the Mets,
but if Jonatol, Noel McClain, Nolan McClain, and Brandon Sprote
are pitching, these are three of the better young pitching
prospects in the game of baseball. And I don't know
that they're pitching in this series, but if they are,
that's going to be a difficult task because not only

(01:18:36):
is this an interleague matchup, but they don't know these guys,
and these guys are have very good stuff. They've got lenked,
they've got endurance, and this could be a situation like
the ninety one Braves where you have those young stud
starters that come up late and really help your team.

Speaker 4 (01:18:52):
And so it could be interesting.

Speaker 10 (01:18:54):
However, the rotation falls that the Mets, I don't know
that you can rely on a lot in our October
when you talk about three young guys, I think it's
really difficult for those guys to step up in that
moment and all perform. But it has happened before and
so but I think the tell all in this situation
for the Mets is.

Speaker 1 (01:19:12):
They've got a very very bright.

Speaker 4 (01:19:14):
Future ahead of them.

Speaker 10 (01:19:15):
When you're talking about some of the best young pitching
and professional baseball, well.

Speaker 1 (01:19:18):
I'll tell you this tonight's matchup. You got a Jacob
to Graham homecoming and Jonah Thong is pitching for the Mets. Tonight.

Speaker 10 (01:19:28):
That's going to be a great matchup and Jake, Jake
is well rested. You know, he's coming back from the injury.
He's on top of his game right now. So if
they can jump out and get some runs off the
kid early, they got a chancel win in that game.

Speaker 1 (01:19:39):
Patrick Corbin and Brandon Sprote tomorrow in that series. And
then it's Jacob Latz against Nolan McLain, who's had quite
the impact for the Mets in the Sunday matchup.

Speaker 4 (01:19:50):
Yeah, Nolan McClain was a two way guy.

Speaker 10 (01:19:52):
I mean, this is a guy I saw last year
in Double A and Bowie and you know, this guy,
had he been able to sling the bat, probably would
have been like a two forty two fifty hitter, you know,
ten to fifteen, maybe twenty home runs of the season.
But there was just so much ceiling for the player
on the mound, and I think they eventually went to
him and said, look, we can continue to do this
two way thing, but it's going to take you a

(01:20:13):
little bit longer to get to the big league and
its ceiling is so high. As the starting pitcher that
that he bought into the plan and the vision for him,
and it's worked out for him and for the organization.

Speaker 1 (01:20:23):
Finally in the Nation League West, Dodgers up two and
a half on the Podres. But you've said all along,
this thing's going down to the final week and and
here comes the emotion.

Speaker 10 (01:20:33):
And we talked about this since since May. We know
when they had the first incident. But now you know,
now we know what's on the line.

Speaker 4 (01:20:40):
Now they know.

Speaker 10 (01:20:41):
There's a good chance they're going to meet up again
in October, and so you're going to start to see
the intensity and the emotion level amp.

Speaker 4 (01:20:48):
Up in this series. And it's going to be if
there was one series I.

Speaker 10 (01:20:52):
Would pay attention to the rest of this season and
into the playoffs, it would be the Dodgers and Padres.

Speaker 1 (01:20:57):
Yeah, and the Dodgers and Giants play this weekend in
San Francisco, which is really big for the Giants who
made their push. But you're to your point, Geno, there's
a really decent shot that depending on how the Pod
Race finish, if they wind up as that wildcard, that
they could wind up as the sixth seed and the
Dodgers is a three seed, would you know, wind up

(01:21:18):
playing them in the first round in that Wildcard series
and a best of free So that's that's bare knuckles.

Speaker 10 (01:21:25):
Throw just throw, throw it all out the window. The
way they use their starters and the bullpens and the
emotion of each game, you.

Speaker 4 (01:21:31):
Could throw it out the window.

Speaker 10 (01:21:32):
But as we said last week with the Giants, I mean,
and I talked to Zach Mnaski and Junior at Link yesterday,
they're so just proud of the way they handled the
deadline and the way their team is playing and it
and it lends to great momentum for them, you know,
into the offseason into next year, to know that most
of that twenty six man core group is going to
be back. They've proven that they can play with the

(01:21:53):
best of the best the second half. You know, And
and this this speaks to clubhouse too. You know, you
trade away that bullpenning, you bring back all that impact
and trades, but it also speaks to like when you
bring in young talented players that can impact the clubhouse
in a positive way, this is the kind.

Speaker 4 (01:22:09):
Of role you can go on.

Speaker 10 (01:22:10):
And while it might not end up the way they
wanted it to in twenty twenty five, they certainly have
a lot to look forward to in twenty twenty six.

Speaker 1 (01:22:17):
He's Geen Watson from the Chicago White Sox joins us
to talk baseball. Every do me a favor, make me
a promise he won't get into a throwdown with a
Naggi fan at the game tomorrow night.

Speaker 10 (01:22:27):
That would be my wife, and that's already happened this morning.
Oh she can, she can have more maroon on tomorrow.

Speaker 4 (01:22:32):
Then I don't know what to do.

Speaker 1 (01:22:33):
Is hey, enjoy the weekend, Gino. We'll do it again
next week. Appreciate it.

Speaker 4 (01:22:37):
Thanks you having all right.

Speaker 1 (01:22:38):
That's Gean Watson from the Chicago White Sox coming up.
More from Coach Sark when we continue on thirteen Under
the Zone, Geene Watson joining us to discuss the Major
League Baseball pennant races, and they are raised. An interesting
take from Gino that he could actually see could see.
He didn't say it was definitely gonna happen, but he
could see it as a realistic possibility that the Mariners

(01:23:01):
could wind up winning the American League West, that the
Rangers could wind up being that third wild card, and
that the Astros could be completely left after leading the
vision virtually the last two and a half three months
of the season.

Speaker 2 (01:23:12):
And you would have never thought that was possible a
couple months ago. But you also wouldn't have thought that
the Astros would have so so many pitching injuries. It's
been a really tough injury luck season for the Astros.
And it's not even a case of well, they've played
all this extra baseball over the last few years. These
are not all guys that were a part of those
Pennant runs, So just tough luck for them on that front.

Speaker 1 (01:23:31):
Well, and the Rangers, of course, have had their own
injury battles that they've had to go through as well,
and yet they have found a way to stay the
course and are right there in the thick of the
fight that's in the American League. And it's gonna be
interesting to see if the Blue Jays not only hold
on to win the American Leagues, but if they can
catch the Detroit Tigers have been slumping of like for
the best overall record in the American League. But those

(01:23:54):
two teams, or whoever wins the East along with the Tigers,
will be the two ten tams. It'll get buys in
the first round in the American Langue and nashally, that's
that's still up for grabs, although it's almost certain to
be either the Brewers or the Phillies is the top
seed and the other team will be the second seed.
The Nation League West winner is almost certain to be

(01:24:14):
the number three seed. I'll tell you what I know.

Speaker 2 (01:24:16):
It's a tough schedule coming up for your Los Angeles Dodgers,
with the Giants coming in over the weekend and the
Phillies coming to town next week.

Speaker 1 (01:24:23):
But then they got the Giants at home.

Speaker 2 (01:24:24):
Yeah, but you sweep the Phillies and win the series
against the Giants, all of a sudden, you're clawing towards
avoiding that wildcard round.

Speaker 1 (01:24:32):
There's some room to go, though. I'm just trying to
I'm trying to chart a path for you, okay. I
appreciate that that they were swept by the Phillies earlier
this year, so hopefully they can returned the favor or
something out of that. We'll see right now. I'm just
hoping they hold on and hold off the Padres to
win the West, even if they wind up being the
three seed, even if they wind up playing San Diego.
I think if they win the West, or if the

(01:24:54):
Padres win the West, the other team will want to
be in the five seed and would have to deal
with the Cubs in the first round, and then the
sixth seed would be that Mets Giants red survivor that
would then play the Nation League West winner in the
first round. We'll see, it'll be interesting to see.

Speaker 2 (01:25:12):
And the Padres get to host the Colorado Rockies this weekend.

Speaker 1 (01:25:14):
They got off to a good start by beating them
last night, shutting them out.

Speaker 2 (01:25:17):
The only time I saw the Rockies on my screen
this week. I like to watch the MLB Big Inning stream.
The only time I saw them on my screen this week.
A routine pop up drop between first and second base
in that Dodger game, and he had Kyle Farmer, the
former Dodger. At first it was I turned to Linden
and we were watching it live at the time, and
I said, that's how falls and Gaston after you, No,
after you Pard Deo demois and the ball drops right

(01:25:40):
in between them something like that.

Speaker 1 (01:25:42):
All right, let's turn back to Longhorn football. This was
from last night's tearing of Longhorn Weekly with Coach Sark.
Each week we do this the segment where we take
a look at the opponent, and this was the conversation
we had talking about the UTEP miners. The UTEP miners
come in at one in one and they come in

(01:26:02):
a team that anybody that spend any time around Scotty
Wolden and has heard him speak kind of walks away
a little bit infused and feeling better about themselves. He
really has a lot of energy and drive to him. Yeh,
I love Scotty.

Speaker 6 (01:26:17):
I've got a chance to get around him a few
different times, obviously at coaching school and different things. But
this guy has got so much energy and he's so positive,
and there's such belief in his program, the way he
runs it, the players in his program, and you can
feel it in their style of play. This is a
very aggressive style team. I don't want to call him

(01:26:39):
an unorthodox, but there's there are some things that are
unorthodox in the offensive play. There's unbalanced formations from spread sets,
there's the big splits.

Speaker 5 (01:26:47):
They throw the.

Speaker 6 (01:26:48):
Ball, they run the ball, very attacking style defense. I
think they one of the leaders in the country. And
you know TFLs. I think they have twenty three and
a half TFLs. I think they have ten and a
half sacks through two games. So there's a style in
which they want to play the game. And I think
that all starts with Scotty and and that's a that's
a tribute to him and the job that he's done
throughout his career.

Speaker 1 (01:27:07):
You know, one thing it's interesting in talking to their
people is one thing that coach Walden brought in when
he came in last year was he said, we we
want to get a team full of O kgs, our
kind of guys. And toward that end, they went into
the portal like others team, but they would go FC yes,
Division two, Division three, even Nai to find what they

(01:27:28):
called our kind of guys they could help develop. They
really do.

Speaker 6 (01:27:32):
And you see it, like I said, in the way
they play. It's high energy. They don't shy away from anything.
They're physical, they play fast shoot. I think the one
linebacker that transferred in I think Makai Davey. I think
he had had one hundred and fifty five tackles last
year at the last school was at.

Speaker 5 (01:27:50):
So these guys have played football. He's just assembled them
all now.

Speaker 6 (01:27:54):
He's kind of got them all there and and they're
they're there. You can see the growth from one week
to the next quickly and that's hard to do when
you've got a lot of new players.

Speaker 1 (01:28:01):
You're quite acquainted with his quarterback Malachi Nelson, who was
one of the top recruited quarterbacks in the country when
he started out at USC.

Speaker 6 (01:28:09):
Yeah, I am very aware of Malachi. He's a young
man who's kind of from in the same area where
I grew up. I got a chance to watch him
throw in the eighth grade, offered a scholarship in the
eighth grade when.

Speaker 5 (01:28:22):
I was at Alabama at the time.

Speaker 6 (01:28:24):
He was that gifted even as an eighth grader and
had a great career at Lo sal Amidos High School
that they championships and the whole thing. He had some
really good receivers around him. Mackay Lemon, DeAndre Moore his
junior year was there, very gifted player signed with SC
You know, I think he might have been the same
year as Arch if I'm not mistaken. Arch comes here,

(01:28:45):
he goes to USC, goes to Boise and is now
there and he's a high level player. Can throw the
ball all over the field, very quick liver, quick delivery,
quick release, and so heck of a player for them
At UTEP.

Speaker 1 (01:28:57):
A reminder you can hear long more weekly with coach
Sark each Thursday right here on thirteen under the Zone.
All right, we'll be back to wrap up the week.
Get you ready for this football weekend up next on
sports Radio AM thirteen Under the Zone and the iHeartRadio
app