Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I always ask you this about it being a rite
of passage here and signposts and all that other kinds
of stuff, meaning that we're inside of fifty days to
kick off. So is it a different feeling A lot
of folks have asked me, is it a different feeling
for Texas this time around, going into SEC media days?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Well, I think it is a little bit different. First
of all, it's great to be here, isn't it. I mean,
I love this time of year, getting ready for the
college football season. It's right around the corner. Last year,
there was such hoopla our first year in the SEC.
It was in Dallas. They're handing out cowboy hats, they're
doing all the things to the players, And here it
kind of feels a little bit more like.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
We're back to normal or in Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Obviously, this is where the SEC championship game is played,
and having earned a trip to that game last year
and then coming back to the Peach Bowl winning that game,
and now being back for this this kind of feels
like second home to some degree, which is a good thing.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
When you're in the.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Southeastern Conference, Atlanta's got to feel like a second home
because there's so many big games that you have to
play here if you really want to be successful into January.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
What was the takeaway you had coming out of spring
ball with the guys who were a big part of
what happened last year and even the young guys who
were learning it and now stepping into some of those roles.
The vibe that you got from those guys coming out
of that, coming out of their individual work, now getting
ready for this next.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Push, this next rove.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Yeah, you know, I think spring was a unique one
for us because we had so many new faces. You know,
we had twenty two high school kids, you know, that
were enrolled early in school. Jonah was still with the
baseball team, so twenty one plus another I believe five
or six, you know, transfers, and so there were so
many new faces in spring, and so many players on
our team that were elevating into a new role. When
(01:47):
you have a new quarterback does obviously change there. We
had offensive line turnover, We were nicked up at the
receiver position. DeAndre and Moore was out, Ryan Wingo was
down for a significant amount of time. So a bunch
of new faces and so we got a lot of
quality work done throughout spring. What I've noticed, and I
was talking to the team about this at the end
of last week, is how far they've come this summer
(02:10):
and the connectivity that they have. You can really feel
the leadership growing on this team. You can feel the
connectivity amongst the players, the work ethic, the continuity, which
is something that you're always striving for as a coach.
Right what's the continuity like up front? What's the continuity
like with the quarterback and receivers, what's the continuity like
in the back end? You know with the dvs you
(02:31):
got some new faces there, and you know, what's that
communication like? And so all those things are very encouraging
to me. Right now, you know, we got a we
got a week and a half or so more to go,
which is going to be needed. They'll get a little
bit of a break and then and then we really
start to tighten the screws when training camp starts. And
but that's that's such the exciting part of everything that
(02:51):
we get to do. But but I really like this team.
I like the leadership. I think we've got a got
a very talented roster full of good people with great
depth on both sides of the ball.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
I love the fact that our.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Specialists are all seniors, you know, senior long snapper, senior holder,
senior punter, senior kicker, senior kickoff guy. So the idea
that we've got experience there, now we got to put
it all together, you know. And now now we got it,
we got to pour it all in the pot and
start making it, making the stew and hopefully it tastes good.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Interested to get your thoughts on this. There are always
narratives that go into things and and and you know,
from the commissioner's perspective, all the narratives about the playoff
and all and the relationship with the Big ten and
yattayad and on and on. With regard to your own dude,
one of the popular narratives is, hey, this is a
really good team, but only the one returning start on
(03:40):
the offensive line.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Well, that's a big question mark.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
And I've continued to say those are always going to
be annual questions. But when you have a group like
you had that played as many snaps as as your
O line did, it's a bit more comforting these days
than say, five.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Years ago or so, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Well, I'm I'm grateful for those guys that they did
play as much as they played. You know, I think
one of the biggest mistakes you can make as a
coach is you you recruit young offensive lineman and then
you throw them to the wolves, especially in this conference,
because that's when your confidence can start to struggle because
you're you're going against the elite defensive players all the time.
The fact that we've been able to develop offensive lineman
(04:18):
in the lab as we like to call it, as
opposed to having him throwing him on the field, I
think is really going to benefit us now. DJ Campbells
played a ton of football for US. Cole Hudson's played
a ton of football for US. Trevor Gooseby got great
experience last year when when he got when he got
forced into action. But we've got some really good young
players too that are growing. And we've got guys who
have been working. NATO's been working, Brandon Baker's been working,
(04:42):
you know, Nate Kibble's been working, Jayden Chapman's been working,
Connor Strow has been working. You know, Nick Brooks, I mean,
how fast can this guy come on? You know, he's
built like he's been at ten year NFL VET. So
those guys have had the opportunity to grow. But yet
they're growing, you know, behind the scenes, and that doesn't
mean they're not going to be really good players.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
You know.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
We we think that we've got a very good chance
to be a good offensive line. But that's all got
to tie together with Archie quarterback, and then you know
Trey and C four and Jerk and Christian in the backfield.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
The we got new faces at.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Tight ends with Jack injury showing up. But then there's
Spencer Shannon, there's Jordan Washington. We love Lamar and Winston,
we love Nick Townsend. So there's some new faces. But
if there's anything I learned at my time with with
Pete Carroll and Nick Saban and the and you know
that some of those great teams that they had, we
never felt like it was a year where this is
a rebuild year. It was more reload because we've recruited
(05:39):
the right way. But the key to that is developing
your young players. When they're in year one and year
two in their program. Well maybe they're not the frontline
starters yet.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
I always ask you for a health update to let
fans know where guys are in relation to getting ready
for the start of workout.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
You know, the one guy who I think is probably
going to be the most limited at the start of
camp would be Smith of Rogbo, which we knew when
we signed him a year ago, and so hopefully we
can get him back going kind of in the middle
of camp. Everybody else is gonna be practicing camp. Some
guys may be a little more limited than others. Hey,
I would love Cedric Baxter to go out the first
day and be ripping and running all those things.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
But we gotta be smart. This is a long journey.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
This is a long season that we're about to bark on,
and I want to make sure that that he can
continue to grow and get better and better and better
and become the best player that he can be in
the second half of this season. So we're gonna be
mindful of that in training camp. But then and then
there's a few other guys that are not maybe not
quite that extreme. Derek Williams seems great. It's great to
have him back in the secondary, so we feel good
(06:39):
about it health wise, And you know, see me at
the end of their first week of spread training camp,
and hopefully I don't have to say what I said
last year. You know where we were looking for a
running back in the portal after five praxes.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Final thing here, this would be It may not even
be the first, but it'll be one of empteen thousand
questions you get about Hargs. But I'm curious to get
your thoughts on how you've seen him encompass everything, not
just command of the offense and the leader and then
being in the locker room, but just the whole concept
(07:12):
of he's the guy now for your program.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah no, this definitely feels like his team, you know.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
And when you look at our roster, you know, Arch
is going into year three in our program, and you
think about that class of guys with Anthony hill Manny Mohammad, you.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Know, Gooseby.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
There's a lot of guys that have been in that
group and they don't even know any different than playing
in a conference championship game and going to the college
football playoff and playing in the semi finals. That's all
they've seen their first two years of college and their experience.
But the bulk of our roster, those first year, second
or third year players that really makes up our roster.
There's a few fourth year seniors in there mixed in
(07:51):
and Obviously, Michael Taffs the great ambassador of that group
of guys and what they're about.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
But this feels like his team.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
These are his guys either guys that he's been working
with in his time here. And I think he's very relatable,
which is a key component, you know, whether it's in
the locker room, on the field, when they're when when we're.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Traveling, when they're out and about. I think it doesn't matter.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
All the guys can relate to Arch and they feel
good about and if there's a sense of comfort in
having a relationship with him.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
And that's the key at quarterback.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Man I say it all the time, is physically gifted
as you need to be at quarterback as talented, you know,
mentally to knowing your system and knowing your scheme. Do
you instill belief and that's the key. Do you still
believe in your teammates? Do you still belief in the
coaching staff? Do you and still belief in the fans?
And I think Arch Manning does that for us. And
there's gonna be some bumps in the road, obviously, but I.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Think he's poised for a great season.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
And by the way, somebody asked me about what I
thought one of your great traits was, and I thought
I used that word relatable, relatable to your guys. You
always strive for.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
That, I really do, you know, I try to have
a connection with all the guys on a personal basis. Naturally,
when you talk to the group of the team, you know,
on the regular, that's that's a little bit of the
easier part. But I do get them to try to
get to know me. And I think the one thing
about this group maybe as much more than ever as
these guys reaching out to me directly one on one.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
And I really appreciate that. You know, when you get
a text from Michael Taff last.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Night about today or or or you know, arch or
Ant Hill, all these guys about you know, the things
that we have going on for this, it's just I
love that they have the enough comfort level with me
that they can reach out directly to me and they.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Don't have to go to their position coach all the time.
Appreciate the time I'm ready to get this thing on.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Hey, I just want to say one last thing here,
Craig obviously, thoughts and prayers with everybody in Central Texas
devastating flooding that has occurred, and the impact that has
had on so many families and that that so many communities. Uh,
just know the Longhorns are there with y'all, and our
thoughts and prayers are with you, and we'll be here
in full support as we get everybody through it all.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
Okay, appreciate the time. Thanks you got it. Thank you.