December 31, 2025 • 13 mins
Following the end of the season, Bowl Games are still underway daily with teams across all the conferences hoping to cap off their season finale with a victory. Taking a look at UT and the Longhorns following their adequate season ending at 9-3, the Longhorns have a chance to make a 10-win season regarding their afternoon kickoff today between them and the Michigan Wolverines in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. Tossing around some final predictions ahead of kickoff, Texas Sports Unfiltered and host of Locked on Longhorns, Brad Kellner, joins the guys briefly ahead of today's kickoff with a few pointers fans should begin to take into account moving into next season regarding both teams.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Suck some long Horns right now.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Brad Kellner from Texas Sport on Filtered and Locked on
Longhorns joins us on the Morning Tribe b K Happy
at A twenty twenty five and I can tell you
probably as a long Horn fan, you're ready for twenty
twenty six because you're sick and tired of hearing about
how you missed the playoff.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Right absolutely ready to turn the page to twenty twenty six.
You know, nine to three for a lot of teams
is not a bad season. But the long Horns have
obviously made it to the College Football Playoffs semi final
the last two years and started the years the preseason
number one team in America, So the expectations were not
talking about.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
How cheesy we woke up feeling today.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
We were thinking about a playoff this year. Unfortunately it
didn't happen.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
So yeah, a lot of the focus is about what's
going to happen in twenty twenty six for sure.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
And Brad, I mean, you know a lot of people
look at bowl games now and they're like, if you win, well,
you know, that's momentum for next season.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
If you lose, it didn't matter.
Speaker 5 (00:51):
You had about half the team not playing, but sounds
like this team is really loaded up for this one,
like they want to be able to kind of prove like, hey,
you should have had us in the college football playoff.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Is that accurate?
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Yeah, they're saying that, right man.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I mean Steve Sarkisian, all the players, all the coaches,
everybody who's been in front of a microphone since the
Longhorns got to Orlando on Friday have been talking about
going out and want to win this football game.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
So you know, we've seen times.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
I think of Georgia after the twenty twenty three season
when they were left out of the college football playoffs,
they clearly were on a mission to prove to the
playoff committee that they made a mistake by leaving them out.
They boat raced Florida State in their bowl game, and
then at times, you know last year with Alabama at
nine and three. Sorry about this, coal, but they got
left out of the college football playoffs, and you know,
they know showed against the same Michigan team and they
(01:41):
were like quest bowls.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
So you know a lot of opt outs.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
I mean, seven defensive starters for Texas will not play
in this game. The Longhorns are down four running backs,
they're down a receiver, So on one hand, it's it's
not the full complement of players that they had during
the regular season.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
But again, I mean, the mindset, at least.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Outwardly, has been all about doing whatever they need to
do to.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Win this game today.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
So yeah, I think Texas will have the energy. I
think they'll have the intensity, and it seems like they're
treating this one the way they treated every game during
the regular season.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
BK, what does a win mean over Michigan, especially if
arch meaning is able to ball on out in today's game.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
Yeah, Paul, I'll be honest with you.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
To me, it doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I mean, ten win seasons in college football used to
mean something, but with how devalued these non playoff bowl
games are, I don't think any Texas fans should be
puffing their chest out too much if the Longhorns are
able to win this game.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
But I am focused.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I'm glad you brought up arch Manning because that's my
focus today is just individual performances. And arch Manning obviously
finished this twenty twenty five season.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
On a high, and he was really, really good in.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
The second half of the year after so many people
wrote him off following the Longhorns loss to Florida. I mean,
it would be nice against a good Michigan defense to have.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
A really, really good game.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
You know, you're looking for some of these young guys
to step up.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
To give you confidence that, Okay, the returning players that
Texas has for next season are good enough to where
you can feel confident that the Longhorns can get back
to the college football playoffs.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
So you know, you're looking for good, strong performances.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
I don't think too many folks are going to be
crowning Texas with the win today, considering everything that Michigan
has gone through over the last three weeks since they
fired sure own more and considering some of the opt
outs on their side, But would be nice from a
confidence standpoint. And again, I know some old school college
football fans still care about that ten wins thing. You know,
Texas hasn't had three straight ten win seasons since Mack
(03:33):
Brown two thousand and seven to two thousand and nine,
so it's been a while for the Longhorns to stack
these you know, consistent good seasons together. So there's definitely
some pride in that, but again, more of it for
me is just about looking at good, strong, individual performances
to try to get some confidence for what this team's
going to look like next fall.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
I'm on old.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
I'm sorry, man, I apologize that I am somebody who
cares about this sanctity of Bowl games and that ten
win season.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Do me something to me at this part of town.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
You know, I'm still trying to learn the ways of
the SEC. Right.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
This is only Texas's second year in the.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
COP here we go.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
I'm just preparing myself, like.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
If the Longhorns lose today, I have to say we
didn't want to be there, right, I'm just precticing.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
This game even before kickoff.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I'm letting y'all know that we don't want to be there,
so just in case things don't.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
Go well this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
You guys know, at least one Texas fan stands on
this whole thing.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Yeah, hedging, that's allowed, Brad. I mean, well, we'll allow
you to do that. Hedging. Hedging is being smart with
your money, and in this case right here, it's credibility
on social media.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
We get it, we get it, we totally do.
Speaker 5 (04:40):
He's brat Jellinger again, Texas Sports Unfiltered locked on Longhorns
as well. Hey, I mean, we've talked about this a
lot on this show and curious to get your thoughts
on this and what you guys have been talking about
in Austin. I thought I thought sarks line that he
had about moving on from Pete Kwakowski and bringing in
Will mus Champ, I thought it was pretty weak.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Do you. I feel like that Longhorn fans are going.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
To be looking even harder at him and his offensive
play calling now that he has made that decision and
moving away from a guy that has been really good
as a defensive coordinator.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
They had one hundred percent Dan, I mean, you typically
don't see coaches at any level college football in the NFL,
even high school that do things that turn up the
heats on their seats, right, and that it feels like
that's what Steve Sarksan did by making a move off
of Pete quit Kowski. I mean, Texas's defense has been
better than its offense over the last three seasons. There
are a lot of Longhorn fans asking about coaching changes
(05:35):
to Steve Sarksan's staff because of.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
The disappointment of this twenty twenty five season.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
I don't think a single Longhorn fan was asking for
a change at defensive coordinator. And like you said, I
mean sark referenced it in his press conference right after
the move was made, basically talked about, you know, kind
of hinted to having to babysit Pete Quitkowski, right, he
had to do too much on the defensive headset on
game day, which prevented him from being able to coach
an offense that he wanted to.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
So it's a big risk.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Again, you typically don't see coaches make moves like this
to increase the pressure on themselves, but it's Steve sarkis
and telling you that, you know, he thinks the move
to Will Muschamp is going to make the defense better
but also more importantly allow him to focus on the
Longhorns offense even more.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
In twenty twenty six, and yeah, it was a bit
of a down year.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
I mean, Texas had his worst rushing offense since nineteen
forty four this year.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Obviously some inconsistencies with the passing game.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
The offensive line was as bad as it's been in
the five years that sark has been the head coach
in Austin. So sark side of the ball was not
nearly good enough this year, and everything he's saying is
talking about that offense being better next year and him
being able to focus on that side of the ball
more next year. Longhorn fans are definitely expecting the results
to be a heck of a lot better in twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Okay, be caam, I'm gonna put you on the spot.
You get to play matchmaker in the transfer portal. It's
opening up on Friday. Who is a name that you
have to see in a Longhorn uniform in twenty twenty six.
I'm gonna go stit further step further Gobby offense only offense.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Okay, okay, I mean it's obvious, and this is the
guy who has yet to announce his intentions to enter
the portal. But it's Jayden Ball, the second team All
SEC running back from Florida, and the long Horns also
made a change at running backs coach. They got rid
of chat Scott, they hired recently fired or I should
say you know he was let go after the coaching
changed at Florida. But they brought in jabar to Luke,
who was Jayden Ball's running back coach at Florida, the
(07:23):
guy who recruited him to Gainesville a couple of years ago.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
I mean, that's the guy again.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
I mentioned that Texas had its worst rushing offense since
World War Two this season, and the Longhorns have already
seen four running backs enter the portal, including Trey Wisner,
who shocked everybody by entering the day after Christmas last week.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
So Texas is in dire need.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I think they probably are going to bring in two
running backs from the portal, but they need a difference maker.
They need an impact player at that position.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Because the identity everyone's going to focus on Arch Manning.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
It's just how it works when your last name is Manning.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
But the identity of the Steve Sarkejan offense at his
core is about the running game.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Right.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
This was the first year that sark has been a
head coach or an offensive coordinator that he did not
have a thousand yard rusher on his team.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
So it's comperative for his offense to.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Do what it wants to do that they have a
really dynamic difference maker in the backfield.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
Jaden Ball instantly.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Will become the number one running back if he hits
the portal. And again, I think Texas would have hired
Jabarge Luke regardless of if Jaden Ball was coming. But
that would be the icing on the cake if they're
able to bring in a difference maker like that at
running back.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
So he is priority number one for I.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Think like ninety percent of Texas fans out there right now.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Cole, Hey, Brad, let's just go ahead and take the
pessimistic view next season at this time, if we have
you on and it's a similar season nine to three,
you miss out on the college football playoff. You even
mentioned it about Sark putting himself on the hot seat
with the decision to bring in Will muss Champ. If
that happens, what are Texas fans saying about his job?
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Yeah, I mean it's a great question, right, it's you know,
it's funny with results come experts. Obviously, Steve Sarkuson has
done a tremendous job turning.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
This Texas football program around.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
I mean, they were admired in a dozen years of
suck from twenty ten to twenty twenty two. And obviously,
you know Sark was able to lead Texas to back
to back playoffs. If the Longhorns won a big twelve
championship in twenty twenty three, that got to the SEC
title game in twenty twenty four, which is great, but
when you have those results again, the bar gets raised
even higher. And if the Longhorns go from that's to
(09:28):
missing the playoffs and back to back years, yeah, there
will absolutely be people calling for Steve Sarkisian's job here
in Austin.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Now. He's got a pretty hefty buyout.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
But we see buyoffs look like nothing.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Around the country. And y'all know as well as I.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Do that Texas has enough money to pay whatever they
need to pay to make something happen. So yeah, I mean,
there would be a ton of disappointment if Texas doesn't
make the playoff next year. I don't think the Longhorns
are going to be preseason number one in twenty twenty six,
but I do think they'll be preseason top five.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
And also, Dan, I think part of the answer to.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
That question is, you know, what does the playoff look
like next year? It sounds like we're headed to at.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Least fourteen, maybe sixteen teams.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
If we had that in twenty twenty five, Texas would
have been in the playoffs, So it'd be a totally
different discussion surrounding this team in this.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Situation this year. If it's a.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Sixteen team playoff and Texas gets left out, then yeah,
there are going to be a lot of folks looking
for answers and some folks looking for changes to be
made in Austin for sure.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Bekal get you out of here on this College football
playoffs starts tonight out in Arlington. Three more games tomorrow,
then two, then one. You have an opportunity to name
who is going to be the national champion. Who is
your pick and why?
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Yeah, I'm gonna go with Georgia. I mean, they were
my preseason pick to win the SEC. They were my
preseason pick to win the national championship. And like, I
think my UTSD might be kicking in a little bit
because of what they've done to the Longhorns the last
few times they've played. But I mean, it's scary to
see a Georgia team with the competent, high powered, explosive offense,
(10:59):
right and they've always been known for their defense under
Kirby Smart And it's not like their defense is bad.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
It's still very very good.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
They don't have the difference makers that they've had in
some recent years. But love the way Gunner Stockton's playing,
Love the way that running game has evolved.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
I think they're battle tested by playing.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
In the SEC. And yeah, I mean I'm gonna go.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
I'm gonna go with George even though I'm in Columbus,
Ohio right now, guys, quick story here. I've got a
New Year's Eve wedding tonight and it's an Ohio State
fan who's the groom that's getting married, And I'm kind
of rooting for some chaos there, kind of calling for
a Hurricanes upset just to see what happens at this wedding.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
That's perfect, That's exactly what we want to Yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
Exactly exactly. So Ohio State's good. I mean, Indiana is
obviously a great story.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
But I think Kirby Smart's the best coach in college football.
I think that Georgia roster is complete. Again, I think
they're battle tested. So they are my pick, and I
know I'm not alone right now for sure.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
DK thirty seconds your last say something nice about Texas Tech?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
No, can I just say no.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
For thirty seconds? No? No, No, you know it's it's great,
It's good.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
For them.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
They need a big brother.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
To leave the conference for them to finally do something
of notes. So, you know, congrats to Texas Tech. They're
obviously having a great year. Look, they're they're in a
position in the Big twelve to kind of run that
league for the foreseeable future.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
So a great year for Texas Tech.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
But obviously it's gonna get a heck of a lot
tougher having to play Oregon and you know, some real
teams from some real conferences.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Once this playoff gets going, there we go. That's what
I wanted to see her. See, you're truly in the
SEC now, Brad, you got it, You got it?
Speaker 5 (12:42):
Well, welcome in, Welcome in, all right, he's Brad Kellner again,
Texas Sport's Unfiltered as well as you can find his
work as part of Locked On Longhorns too as well,
and he hopped on with us here for a few minutes.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
B K.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
Have a happy new year, buddy, be safe getting back
from Columbus and I'm sure catching up with you again
here very soon.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Always fun, guys, Thanks so much for the time, and
happy New Year to y'all and you Alays listeners too.
Suck some long Horns right now.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Brad Kellner from Texas Sport on Filtered and Locked on
Longhorns joins us on the Morning Tribe b K Happy
at A twenty twenty five and I can tell you
probably as a long Horn fan, you're ready for twenty
twenty six because you're sick and tired of hearing about
how you missed the playoff.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Right absolutely ready to turn the page to twenty twenty six.
You know, nine to three for a lot of teams
is not a bad season. But the long Horns have
obviously made it to the College Football Playoffs semi final
the last two years and started the years the preseason
number one team in America, So the expectations were not
talking about.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
How cheesy we woke up feeling today.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
We were thinking about a playoff this year. Unfortunately it
didn't happen.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
So yeah, a lot of the focus is about what's
going to happen in twenty twenty six for sure.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
And Brad, I mean, you know a lot of people
look at bowl games now and they're like, if you win, well,
you know, that's momentum for next season.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
If you lose, it didn't matter.
Speaker 5 (00:51):
You had about half the team not playing, but sounds
like this team is really loaded up for this one,
like they want to be able to kind of prove like, hey,
you should have had us in the college football playoff.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Is that accurate?
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Yeah, they're saying that, right man.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I mean Steve Sarkisian, all the players, all the coaches,
everybody who's been in front of a microphone since the
Longhorns got to Orlando on Friday have been talking about
going out and want to win this football game.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
So you know, we've seen times.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
I think of Georgia after the twenty twenty three season
when they were left out of the college football playoffs,
they clearly were on a mission to prove to the
playoff committee that they made a mistake by leaving them out.
They boat raced Florida State in their bowl game, and
then at times, you know last year with Alabama at
nine and three. Sorry about this, coal, but they got
left out of the college football playoffs, and you know,
they know showed against the same Michigan team and they
(01:41):
were like quest bowls.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
So you know a lot of opt outs.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
I mean, seven defensive starters for Texas will not play
in this game. The Longhorns are down four running backs,
they're down a receiver, So on one hand, it's it's
not the full complement of players that they had during
the regular season.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
But again, I mean, the mindset, at least.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Outwardly, has been all about doing whatever they need to
do to.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Win this game today.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
So yeah, I think Texas will have the energy. I
think they'll have the intensity, and it seems like they're
treating this one the way they treated every game during
the regular season.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
BK, what does a win mean over Michigan, especially if
arch meaning is able to ball on out in today's game.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
Yeah, Paul, I'll be honest with you.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
To me, it doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I mean, ten win seasons in college football used to
mean something, but with how devalued these non playoff bowl
games are, I don't think any Texas fans should be
puffing their chest out too much if the Longhorns are
able to win this game.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
But I am focused.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I'm glad you brought up arch Manning because that's my
focus today is just individual performances. And arch Manning obviously
finished this twenty twenty five season.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
On a high, and he was really, really good in.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
The second half of the year after so many people
wrote him off following the Longhorns loss to Florida. I mean,
it would be nice against a good Michigan defense to have.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
A really, really good game.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
You know, you're looking for some of these young guys
to step up.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
To give you confidence that, Okay, the returning players that
Texas has for next season are good enough to where
you can feel confident that the Longhorns can get back
to the college football playoffs.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
So you know, you're looking for good, strong performances.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
I don't think too many folks are going to be
crowning Texas with the win today, considering everything that Michigan
has gone through over the last three weeks since they
fired sure own more and considering some of the opt
outs on their side, But would be nice from a
confidence standpoint. And again, I know some old school college
football fans still care about that ten wins thing. You know,
Texas hasn't had three straight ten win seasons since Mack
(03:33):
Brown two thousand and seven to two thousand and nine,
so it's been a while for the Longhorns to stack
these you know, consistent good seasons together. So there's definitely
some pride in that, but again, more of it for
me is just about looking at good, strong, individual performances
to try to get some confidence for what this team's
going to look like next fall.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
I'm on old.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
I'm sorry, man, I apologize that I am somebody who
cares about this sanctity of Bowl games and that ten
win season.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Do me something to me at this part of town.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
You know, I'm still trying to learn the ways of
the SEC. Right.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
This is only Texas's second year in the.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
COP here we go.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
I'm just preparing myself, like.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
If the Longhorns lose today, I have to say we
didn't want to be there, right, I'm just precticing.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
This game even before kickoff.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I'm letting y'all know that we don't want to be there,
so just in case things don't.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
Go well this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
You guys know, at least one Texas fan stands on
this whole thing.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Yeah, hedging, that's allowed, Brad. I mean, well, we'll allow
you to do that. Hedging. Hedging is being smart with
your money, and in this case right here, it's credibility
on social media.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
We get it, we get it, we totally do.
Speaker 5 (04:40):
He's brat Jellinger again, Texas Sports Unfiltered locked on Longhorns
as well. Hey, I mean, we've talked about this a
lot on this show and curious to get your thoughts
on this and what you guys have been talking about
in Austin. I thought I thought sarks line that he
had about moving on from Pete Kwakowski and bringing in
Will mus Champ, I thought it was pretty weak.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Do you. I feel like that Longhorn fans are going.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
To be looking even harder at him and his offensive
play calling now that he has made that decision and
moving away from a guy that has been really good
as a defensive coordinator.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
They had one hundred percent Dan, I mean, you typically
don't see coaches at any level college football in the NFL,
even high school that do things that turn up the
heats on their seats, right, and that it feels like
that's what Steve Sarksan did by making a move off
of Pete quit Kowski. I mean, Texas's defense has been
better than its offense over the last three seasons. There
are a lot of Longhorn fans asking about coaching changes
(05:35):
to Steve Sarksan's staff because of.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
The disappointment of this twenty twenty five season.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
I don't think a single Longhorn fan was asking for
a change at defensive coordinator. And like you said, I
mean sark referenced it in his press conference right after
the move was made, basically talked about, you know, kind
of hinted to having to babysit Pete Quitkowski, right, he
had to do too much on the defensive headset on
game day, which prevented him from being able to coach
an offense that he wanted to.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
So it's a big risk.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Again, you typically don't see coaches make moves like this
to increase the pressure on themselves, but it's Steve sarkis
and telling you that, you know, he thinks the move
to Will Muschamp is going to make the defense better
but also more importantly allow him to focus on the
Longhorns offense even more.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
In twenty twenty six, and yeah, it was a bit
of a down year.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
I mean, Texas had his worst rushing offense since nineteen
forty four this year.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Obviously some inconsistencies with the passing game.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
The offensive line was as bad as it's been in
the five years that sark has been the head coach
in Austin. So sark side of the ball was not
nearly good enough this year, and everything he's saying is
talking about that offense being better next year and him
being able to focus on that side of the ball
more next year. Longhorn fans are definitely expecting the results
to be a heck of a lot better in twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Okay, be caam, I'm gonna put you on the spot.
You get to play matchmaker in the transfer portal. It's
opening up on Friday. Who is a name that you
have to see in a Longhorn uniform in twenty twenty six.
I'm gonna go stit further step further Gobby offense only offense.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Okay, okay, I mean it's obvious, and this is the
guy who has yet to announce his intentions to enter
the portal. But it's Jayden Ball, the second team All
SEC running back from Florida, and the long Horns also
made a change at running backs coach. They got rid
of chat Scott, they hired recently fired or I should
say you know he was let go after the coaching
changed at Florida. But they brought in jabar to Luke,
who was Jayden Ball's running back coach at Florida, the
(07:23):
guy who recruited him to Gainesville a couple of years ago.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
I mean, that's the guy again.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
I mentioned that Texas had its worst rushing offense since
World War Two this season, and the Longhorns have already
seen four running backs enter the portal, including Trey Wisner,
who shocked everybody by entering the day after Christmas last week.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
So Texas is in dire need.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I think they probably are going to bring in two
running backs from the portal, but they need a difference maker.
They need an impact player at that position.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Because the identity everyone's going to focus on Arch Manning.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
It's just how it works when your last name is Manning.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
But the identity of the Steve Sarkejan offense at his
core is about the running game.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Right.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
This was the first year that sark has been a
head coach or an offensive coordinator that he did not
have a thousand yard rusher on his team.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
So it's comperative for his offense to.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Do what it wants to do that they have a
really dynamic difference maker in the backfield.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
Jaden Ball instantly.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Will become the number one running back if he hits
the portal. And again, I think Texas would have hired
Jabarge Luke regardless of if Jaden Ball was coming. But
that would be the icing on the cake if they're
able to bring in a difference maker like that at
running back.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
So he is priority number one for I.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Think like ninety percent of Texas fans out there right now.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Cole, Hey, Brad, let's just go ahead and take the
pessimistic view next season at this time, if we have
you on and it's a similar season nine to three,
you miss out on the college football playoff. You even
mentioned it about Sark putting himself on the hot seat
with the decision to bring in Will muss Champ. If
that happens, what are Texas fans saying about his job?
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Yeah, I mean it's a great question, right, it's you know,
it's funny with results come experts. Obviously, Steve Sarkuson has
done a tremendous job turning.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
This Texas football program around.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
I mean, they were admired in a dozen years of
suck from twenty ten to twenty twenty two. And obviously,
you know Sark was able to lead Texas to back
to back playoffs. If the Longhorns won a big twelve
championship in twenty twenty three, that got to the SEC
title game in twenty twenty four, which is great, but
when you have those results again, the bar gets raised
even higher. And if the Longhorns go from that's to
(09:28):
missing the playoffs and back to back years, yeah, there
will absolutely be people calling for Steve Sarkisian's job here
in Austin.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Now. He's got a pretty hefty buyout.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
But we see buyoffs look like nothing.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Around the country. And y'all know as well as I.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Do that Texas has enough money to pay whatever they
need to pay to make something happen. So yeah, I mean,
there would be a ton of disappointment if Texas doesn't
make the playoff next year. I don't think the Longhorns
are going to be preseason number one in twenty twenty six,
but I do think they'll be preseason top five.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
And also, Dan, I think part of the answer to.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
That question is, you know, what does the playoff look
like next year? It sounds like we're headed to at.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Least fourteen, maybe sixteen teams.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
If we had that in twenty twenty five, Texas would
have been in the playoffs, So it'd be a totally
different discussion surrounding this team in this.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Situation this year. If it's a.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Sixteen team playoff and Texas gets left out, then yeah,
there are going to be a lot of folks looking
for answers and some folks looking for changes to be
made in Austin for sure.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Bekal get you out of here on this College football
playoffs starts tonight out in Arlington. Three more games tomorrow,
then two, then one. You have an opportunity to name
who is going to be the national champion. Who is
your pick and why?
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Yeah, I'm gonna go with Georgia. I mean, they were
my preseason pick to win the SEC. They were my
preseason pick to win the national championship. And like, I
think my UTSD might be kicking in a little bit
because of what they've done to the Longhorns the last
few times they've played. But I mean, it's scary to
see a Georgia team with the competent, high powered, explosive offense,
(10:59):
right and they've always been known for their defense under
Kirby Smart And it's not like their defense is bad.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
It's still very very good.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
They don't have the difference makers that they've had in
some recent years. But love the way Gunner Stockton's playing,
Love the way that running game has evolved.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
I think they're battle tested by playing.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
In the SEC. And yeah, I mean I'm gonna go.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
I'm gonna go with George even though I'm in Columbus,
Ohio right now, guys, quick story here. I've got a
New Year's Eve wedding tonight and it's an Ohio State
fan who's the groom that's getting married, And I'm kind
of rooting for some chaos there, kind of calling for
a Hurricanes upset just to see what happens at this wedding.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
That's perfect, That's exactly what we want to Yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
Exactly exactly. So Ohio State's good. I mean, Indiana is
obviously a great story.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
But I think Kirby Smart's the best coach in college football.
I think that Georgia roster is complete. Again, I think
they're battle tested. So they are my pick, and I
know I'm not alone right now for sure.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
DK thirty seconds your last say something nice about Texas Tech?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
No, can I just say no.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
For thirty seconds? No? No, No, you know it's it's great,
It's good.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
For them.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
They need a big brother.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
To leave the conference for them to finally do something
of notes. So, you know, congrats to Texas Tech. They're
obviously having a great year. Look, they're they're in a
position in the Big twelve to kind of run that
league for the foreseeable future.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
So a great year for Texas Tech.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
But obviously it's gonna get a heck of a lot
tougher having to play Oregon and you know, some real
teams from some real conferences.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Once this playoff gets going, there we go. That's what
I wanted to see her. See, you're truly in the
SEC now, Brad, you got it, You got it?
Speaker 5 (12:42):
Well, welcome in, Welcome in, all right, he's Brad Kellner again,
Texas Sport's Unfiltered as well as you can find his
work as part of Locked On Longhorns too as well,
and he hopped on with us here for a few minutes.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
B K.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
Have a happy new year, buddy, be safe getting back
from Columbus and I'm sure catching up with you again
here very soon.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Always fun, guys, Thanks so much for the time, and
happy New Year to y'all and you Alays listeners too.
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