September 9, 2024 • 11 mins
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian visited with the media on Monday and warned his team of suffering the same fate as Notre Dame did in Week 2. Sark talks about avoiding a let down against UTSA, the Texas pass rush, what will define this season after the win, and more.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's the Craigway Show with the voice of the Texas
Longhorns in Hall of Fame Broadcasting Craig Way.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
We're glad to have you here on this Monday, coming
off a big football weekend. As always, we invite your participation,
your questions, your comments, your thoughts. Two ways to do it.
One is on our text line. You can text the
(00:37):
program to you text the word Texas follow by your
question or comment to eight one five to three zero. Again,
you text the word Texas follow by your question or
comment to eight one five to three zero. Standard messaging
and data rates may apply. You can also reach us
via our talkback feature that It's as simple as making
(01:01):
sure you have the iHeartRadio app downloaded on your smartphone.
If you don't have it, you can download really easy.
It's free, there's no charge, nothing like that and easy
to do. Once you have a downloaded you just go
to where it says AM thirteen hundred the zone. You
just pull that up and then you'll see two buttons
on there. One is the out of the two buttons
(01:23):
that you see. One of the two buttons is a
red one that has a white arrow in the middle
of it, and you just hit that one if you
want to listen to the show. But if you want
to send us a voice message via talkback, you hit
the little white button, a little white microphone inside the
red button. You'll see it, and then you can just
(01:45):
leave us a voice message up to thirty seconds and
just tell us what's on your mind in coming days
and things like that. When we give away more tickets
Long one games, that's how you will have to respond
to it. If you want a chance to win, it'll
be through that talkback feature. All right, let's jump right
to it. Long wrn's head coach Steve Sarkashan held his
weekly news conference this morning and you heard it live
(02:07):
right here on AM thirteen under the Zone as part
of our Long Orange Monday presentation. So let's start off
some comments from start. First of all, his opening message
as he opened today's press conference.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
First of all, I want to give a big thank
you to Michigan and their hospitality. What a great environment
for that game, and I thought it was a great
experience for our fans, for our players, for such a
big time college atmosphere, and just looking around in pregame
warmups at the amount of the enormity of people on
the field and high level people in college game day
(02:42):
and Fox Big New Kick being on the field.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
It was a tremendous environment.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I was really proud of our players for the poison
composure they played within the game, and I thought the
first drive was kind of indicative of that, where we
were stubbing our own toes with a couple of the penalties,
but then rebounding and getting third down conversions, throwing the
touchdown pass, getting a holding penalty, uh missing the field goal.
(03:08):
But through all that we never wavered, you know, and
we went and I think we scored on four consecutive
drives and really outgained them almost nearly three hundred yards
I think to about ninety or so yards there in
the first half. So I just that that, to me
was indicative of the poise and composure that we played
in the game. I definitely thought we played a physical
brand of football. We were not perfect. There was definitely
(03:30):
uh missed assignments and different things on our end that
we have to get cleaned up. We are not a
finished product by any means, but definitely proud of our
guys for going into to that environment playing the way
that we played together. As one as a team, and
then you know, post game two to celebrate with Longhorn
Nation in that stadium, and what a turnout you know,
(03:51):
I know our reference this in the postgame presser, but
what a turnout, you know. To to hear Texas fight
echoing through that iconic stadium and to sing the eyes
with with everybody with our team was definitely a special moment.
So uh one, that uh one that will definitely hold
on to for a while. But that being said, moving forward,
we got to continue some of the things that I
think we've done really well. I think from a situational standpoint,
(04:14):
we're doing some things really well. Obviously, I think we've
had eleven trips into the red area. I think we
scored ten touchdowns in a field goal. I think we're
plus four on the season right now in the turnover margin.
So we're taking care of the ball, third down rate
on offense, third down rate on defense, or both where
we want to be. So we're doing some of the
things in the situational stuff really well, which is in
(04:35):
turn helping us from a complimentary football standpoint. But there
are things that we need to clean up still too,
And you know, like for a couple of those kickoffs
to get out. You know, our kickoff coverage union is
something we take a lot of pride in. Uh So
we got some things to clean up there and then
and then dealing you know, dealing with when we get leads,
you know, having that ability to to really put people
(04:57):
away late and getting the quarterback on the ground. You know,
we did a great job of creating some interceptions and fumbles,
which was good, but now hopefully we can get some
sacked fumbles and things of that nature. And then you know,
possessing the football in the fourth quarter. So we're always
challenging our guys. We're always trying to find ways to
continue to get better. But again proud of our guys
and and heading into this week, we know we have
a dangerous opponent. You know, the worst opponents that are
(05:20):
the toughest opponents to play are the ones that are wounded,
that are back into it, back into a corner. And
UTSA has got a very talented team, really well coach
Coach Trailer has done a nice job there and they're
a little wounded coming out of last week. So we
know we're gonna get their best shot. We're gonna get
their best version, and so we got to prepare really
well this week, like like we have the previous two weeks,
(05:43):
in knowing that, hey, we got to know we're gonna
get their best shot. We need to ensure that they
get our best shot.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Plain and simple about that, in getting his team ready
for that and saying, you know, the most difficult kind
of opponent's one that's wounded and a little bit desperate,
and it had to be a stunner to a lot
of people. The way that UTSA basically then what he's
referring to the way they were pretty much taken apart
by Texas State. On Saturday in San Marcus forty nine
(06:11):
to ten, I was I had just left the stadium
and was driving back to the hotel in Michigan, and
I went to the iHeartRadio app and was listening to
our good friend Andy Everett, the voice of the UTSA
Roadrunners on the call. And by the way, Andy'll be
on the program later this week. We're doing a little
(06:32):
reciprocity thing. I'm on his going to be on his
show down on the Ticket in San Antonio, and he's
gonna be on this program. And by the way, I
believe we're gonna have Jeff Trailer on the show tomorrow,
so finishing up some arrangements on that. But listening to
the game, I was just stunned. When I got in
the car at the time, I think it was already
thirty five to three, and I was like, are you
(06:52):
kidding me? I couldn't believe it. I was shocked, and
I know a lot of people were that it wound
up being that way, but it did. And so now
it's onto this matchup, all right. So in terms of
on for the Loghorns, that was the first question. The
follow up question came is how do you prevent being
(07:15):
too relaxed or having the same fate happened to you
that happened to Notre Dame after the winning college station
going home and losing to Northern Illinois. That was the
first question out of the box after those opening words
from Sarty twofold.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I think one is we try to hold ourselves to
our standard. You know, we have a saying around here
the standard is a standard, and a jersey, a helmet,
a stadium doesn't dictate how we prepare. You know, we
dictate how we prepare. I think that's the first part,
But the second part is human nature is human nature.
And so what did I do this morning? I walked
them through the Notre Dame scenario of them going into
(07:52):
college station a week ago and winning that game and
being anointed top five team, and then the college football
playoff and a week later losing to Northern Illinois. And
so I showed that clip of the field goal, and
I showed the clip of Northern Illinois storm in the
field this morning as a good reminder that nothing. We
are entitled to nothing. You know, we're capable of anything.
(08:13):
We've got a really good team, but we're entitled to nothing,
and we're gonna earn everything we get, and we're gonna
have to earn the victory here Saturday night, plain and.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Simple there and talking about the things that they have
to do that they have to get done in order
to get from two and oh to three and oh
and saying we're entitled to nothing. I kind of sets
the tone for it on that all right. Other things
out of the press conference for Sark coming down the pipe,
(08:44):
he was asked about their pass rush and is he
pleased with what he's seen from his pass rush?
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Yeah, I mean I think the rush has been good.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
You know, the first game was probably a little bit
more difficult than this game, where they even though the
score got out of hand, they kind of stayed committed
to the run.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Colorado State did.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
And then even in this game, I felt like Michigan,
as the lead extended, they still stayed committed to the run.
And a lot of times when people are trying to
come back, they start throwing the ball more. And I
think that's what we saw at a Michigan in the
fourth quarter, and I think that's when the pass rush
really started to come into effect. That Trey had some
good rushes, Ethan Burke calling. You know, a lot of
(09:26):
times pass rushers don't get credit for some of the
turnovers that happened. But I thought the interception that Macuba
had was really forced by the pass rush by Ethan Burke,
and he got his hands up and forced a high
air and throw that Manny Muhammad in turn gets his
hands on that ball and then Macuba you know, catches
the tip ball and for the interception. So you know, hey,
(09:48):
we all would like sacks. We'd all like to get
more hits on the quarterback. I think we need to
improve upon not letting the quarterback out of the pocket,
and I think I think the Michigan's quarterback surprised us
a little bit with his athleticism and his ability to
get out of the pocket and make plays. And so
as much as it is is just penning years back
and getting to the quarterback, we've got to do a
good job in our rush lanes and not letting quarterbacks
(10:11):
out of the pocket extending plays, which inevitably is what
led to the touchdown that they got late in the
ball game.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
You may have heard or remembered Sark saying last week
about this Michigan game that whether they won or lost,
the Michigan game was not going to define this team
in this program this season, win or lose, it was
not going to define. So the follow up this week is,
since you mentioned that it was not going to define
(10:36):
the season, win or lose, what does define this season
for Texas?
Speaker 3 (10:41):
I think what's going to define our season is the
totality of the body of work. You know, how do
we eventually end up in the Southeastern Conference? Are we
fortunate enough to make it to the college football playoff?
And then what does that run look like? If we
can get into the college foot play that the totality
of the season will define the season, and this is
(11:01):
part of that.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
Right that Michigan win was part of it.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
But I think more importantly, this game, to me, should
serve as a measuring stick of Okay, here's where we're
at against a quality opponent and a tough environment on
the road. Here's where we can improve. And I think
we identified those things with the team this morning, and
we're starting to work on those things because as good
as we think we played, in my humble opinion, we're
going to need to play better to go try to
(11:25):
accomplish some of the goals that we have for the season.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
All Right, there's some more thoughts from Long Warne's head
coach Steve Sarkisha. We'll get more throughout the course of
the afternoon on the program here, but up next Inconceivable
on a Monday afternoon, coming off a hot weekend, right
here on sports Radio AM thirteen under the zone of
the iHeartRadio app.
It's the Craigway Show with the voice of the Texas
Longhorns in Hall of Fame Broadcasting Craig Way.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
We're glad to have you here on this Monday, coming
off a big football weekend. As always, we invite your participation,
your questions, your comments, your thoughts. Two ways to do it.
One is on our text line. You can text the
(00:37):
program to you text the word Texas follow by your
question or comment to eight one five to three zero. Again,
you text the word Texas follow by your question or
comment to eight one five to three zero. Standard messaging
and data rates may apply. You can also reach us
via our talkback feature that It's as simple as making
(01:01):
sure you have the iHeartRadio app downloaded on your smartphone.
If you don't have it, you can download really easy.
It's free, there's no charge, nothing like that and easy
to do. Once you have a downloaded you just go
to where it says AM thirteen hundred the zone. You
just pull that up and then you'll see two buttons
on there. One is the out of the two buttons
(01:23):
that you see. One of the two buttons is a
red one that has a white arrow in the middle
of it, and you just hit that one if you
want to listen to the show. But if you want
to send us a voice message via talkback, you hit
the little white button, a little white microphone inside the
red button. You'll see it, and then you can just
(01:45):
leave us a voice message up to thirty seconds and
just tell us what's on your mind in coming days
and things like that. When we give away more tickets
Long one games, that's how you will have to respond
to it. If you want a chance to win, it'll
be through that talkback feature. All right, let's jump right
to it. Long wrn's head coach Steve Sarkashan held his
weekly news conference this morning and you heard it live
(02:07):
right here on AM thirteen under the Zone as part
of our Long Orange Monday presentation. So let's start off
some comments from start. First of all, his opening message
as he opened today's press conference.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
First of all, I want to give a big thank
you to Michigan and their hospitality. What a great environment
for that game, and I thought it was a great
experience for our fans, for our players, for such a
big time college atmosphere, and just looking around in pregame
warmups at the amount of the enormity of people on
the field and high level people in college game day
(02:42):
and Fox Big New Kick being on the field.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
It was a tremendous environment.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I was really proud of our players for the poison
composure they played within the game, and I thought the
first drive was kind of indicative of that, where we
were stubbing our own toes with a couple of the penalties,
but then rebounding and getting third down conversions, throwing the
touchdown pass, getting a holding penalty, uh missing the field goal.
(03:08):
But through all that we never wavered, you know, and
we went and I think we scored on four consecutive
drives and really outgained them almost nearly three hundred yards
I think to about ninety or so yards there in
the first half. So I just that that, to me
was indicative of the poise and composure that we played
in the game. I definitely thought we played a physical
brand of football. We were not perfect. There was definitely
(03:30):
uh missed assignments and different things on our end that
we have to get cleaned up. We are not a
finished product by any means, but definitely proud of our
guys for going into to that environment playing the way
that we played together. As one as a team, and
then you know, post game two to celebrate with Longhorn
Nation in that stadium, and what a turnout you know,
(03:51):
I know our reference this in the postgame presser, but
what a turnout, you know. To to hear Texas fight
echoing through that iconic stadium and to sing the eyes
with with everybody with our team was definitely a special moment.
So uh one, that uh one that will definitely hold
on to for a while. But that being said, moving forward,
we got to continue some of the things that I
think we've done really well. I think from a situational standpoint,
(04:14):
we're doing some things really well. Obviously, I think we've
had eleven trips into the red area. I think we
scored ten touchdowns in a field goal. I think we're
plus four on the season right now in the turnover margin.
So we're taking care of the ball, third down rate
on offense, third down rate on defense, or both where
we want to be. So we're doing some of the
things in the situational stuff really well, which is in
(04:35):
turn helping us from a complimentary football standpoint. But there
are things that we need to clean up still too,
And you know, like for a couple of those kickoffs
to get out. You know, our kickoff coverage union is
something we take a lot of pride in. Uh So
we got some things to clean up there and then
and then dealing you know, dealing with when we get leads,
you know, having that ability to to really put people
(04:57):
away late and getting the quarterback on the ground. You know,
we did a great job of creating some interceptions and fumbles,
which was good, but now hopefully we can get some
sacked fumbles and things of that nature. And then you know,
possessing the football in the fourth quarter. So we're always
challenging our guys. We're always trying to find ways to
continue to get better. But again proud of our guys
and and heading into this week, we know we have
a dangerous opponent. You know, the worst opponents that are
(05:20):
the toughest opponents to play are the ones that are wounded,
that are back into it, back into a corner. And
UTSA has got a very talented team, really well coach
Coach Trailer has done a nice job there and they're
a little wounded coming out of last week. So we
know we're gonna get their best shot. We're gonna get
their best version, and so we got to prepare really
well this week, like like we have the previous two weeks,
(05:43):
in knowing that, hey, we got to know we're gonna
get their best shot. We need to ensure that they
get our best shot.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Plain and simple about that, in getting his team ready
for that and saying, you know, the most difficult kind
of opponent's one that's wounded and a little bit desperate,
and it had to be a stunner to a lot
of people. The way that UTSA basically then what he's
referring to the way they were pretty much taken apart
by Texas State. On Saturday in San Marcus forty nine
(06:11):
to ten, I was I had just left the stadium
and was driving back to the hotel in Michigan, and
I went to the iHeartRadio app and was listening to
our good friend Andy Everett, the voice of the UTSA
Roadrunners on the call. And by the way, Andy'll be
on the program later this week. We're doing a little
(06:32):
reciprocity thing. I'm on his going to be on his
show down on the Ticket in San Antonio, and he's
gonna be on this program. And by the way, I
believe we're gonna have Jeff Trailer on the show tomorrow,
so finishing up some arrangements on that. But listening to
the game, I was just stunned. When I got in
the car at the time, I think it was already
thirty five to three, and I was like, are you
(06:52):
kidding me? I couldn't believe it. I was shocked, and
I know a lot of people were that it wound
up being that way, but it did. And so now
it's onto this matchup, all right. So in terms of
on for the Loghorns, that was the first question. The
follow up question came is how do you prevent being
(07:15):
too relaxed or having the same fate happened to you
that happened to Notre Dame after the winning college station
going home and losing to Northern Illinois. That was the
first question out of the box after those opening words
from Sarty twofold.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I think one is we try to hold ourselves to
our standard. You know, we have a saying around here
the standard is a standard, and a jersey, a helmet,
a stadium doesn't dictate how we prepare. You know, we
dictate how we prepare. I think that's the first part,
But the second part is human nature is human nature.
And so what did I do this morning? I walked
them through the Notre Dame scenario of them going into
(07:52):
college station a week ago and winning that game and
being anointed top five team, and then the college football
playoff and a week later losing to Northern Illinois. And
so I showed that clip of the field goal, and
I showed the clip of Northern Illinois storm in the
field this morning as a good reminder that nothing. We
are entitled to nothing. You know, we're capable of anything.
(08:13):
We've got a really good team, but we're entitled to nothing,
and we're gonna earn everything we get, and we're gonna
have to earn the victory here Saturday night, plain and.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Simple there and talking about the things that they have
to do that they have to get done in order
to get from two and oh to three and oh
and saying we're entitled to nothing. I kind of sets
the tone for it on that all right. Other things
out of the press conference for Sark coming down the pipe,
(08:44):
he was asked about their pass rush and is he
pleased with what he's seen from his pass rush?
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Yeah, I mean I think the rush has been good.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
You know, the first game was probably a little bit
more difficult than this game, where they even though the
score got out of hand, they kind of stayed committed
to the run.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Colorado State did.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
And then even in this game, I felt like Michigan,
as the lead extended, they still stayed committed to the run.
And a lot of times when people are trying to
come back, they start throwing the ball more. And I
think that's what we saw at a Michigan in the
fourth quarter, and I think that's when the pass rush
really started to come into effect. That Trey had some
good rushes, Ethan Burke calling. You know, a lot of
(09:26):
times pass rushers don't get credit for some of the
turnovers that happened. But I thought the interception that Macuba
had was really forced by the pass rush by Ethan Burke,
and he got his hands up and forced a high
air and throw that Manny Muhammad in turn gets his
hands on that ball and then Macuba you know, catches
the tip ball and for the interception. So you know, hey,
(09:48):
we all would like sacks. We'd all like to get
more hits on the quarterback. I think we need to
improve upon not letting the quarterback out of the pocket,
and I think I think the Michigan's quarterback surprised us
a little bit with his athleticism and his ability to
get out of the pocket and make plays. And so
as much as it is is just penning years back
and getting to the quarterback, we've got to do a
good job in our rush lanes and not letting quarterbacks
(10:11):
out of the pocket extending plays, which inevitably is what
led to the touchdown that they got late in the
ball game.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
You may have heard or remembered Sark saying last week
about this Michigan game that whether they won or lost,
the Michigan game was not going to define this team
in this program this season, win or lose, it was
not going to define. So the follow up this week is,
since you mentioned that it was not going to define
(10:36):
the season, win or lose, what does define this season
for Texas?
Speaker 3 (10:41):
I think what's going to define our season is the
totality of the body of work. You know, how do
we eventually end up in the Southeastern Conference? Are we
fortunate enough to make it to the college football playoff?
And then what does that run look like? If we
can get into the college foot play that the totality
of the season will define the season, and this is
(11:01):
part of that.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
Right that Michigan win was part of it.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
But I think more importantly, this game, to me, should
serve as a measuring stick of Okay, here's where we're
at against a quality opponent and a tough environment on
the road. Here's where we can improve. And I think
we identified those things with the team this morning, and
we're starting to work on those things because as good
as we think we played, in my humble opinion, we're
going to need to play better to go try to
(11:25):
accomplish some of the goals that we have for the season.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
All Right, there's some more thoughts from Long Warne's head
coach Steve Sarkisha. We'll get more throughout the course of
the afternoon on the program here, but up next Inconceivable
on a Monday afternoon, coming off a hot weekend, right
here on sports Radio AM thirteen under the zone of
the iHeartRadio app.
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