Podcast Summary

Podcast: House Rhules
Episode: #40 – New York and Texas Agree: Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire Knows Football and BBQ | Ep. 6
Date: September 25, 2025
Host: Matt Rhule (Nebraska Head Coach)
Co-Host: Anthony “the Cuz” Gargano
Guest: Joey McGuire (Texas Tech Head Coach)

Episode Overview

This week’s House Rhules features a lively and in-depth conversation between Matt Rhule, Anthony Gargano, and special guest Joey McGuire, the dynamic head coach of Texas Tech. The episode covers lessons from a tough Nebraska–Michigan football game, the mindset and culture of winning teams, the unapologetically passionate world of special teams, and the leadership journey of McGuire from Texas high school legend to Power Five head coach. The discussion is rich with personal stories and coaching insights, touching on family, career crossroads, the role of belief in program-building, and, of course, Texas barbecue. The tone is gritty, honest, occasionally playful, and always focused on the intersection of football and life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Lessons from a Close Loss and Building a Winning Culture

Recapping Nebraska vs. Michigan:

• Rhule rejects "moral victories" but lauds his team’s fight and resilience following a narrow loss to Michigan, contrasting it with a blowout two years prior.
  • Quote:
    “I’m smiling, but I’m angry on the inside…We have a great team, and we had every chance to win the game, but, you know, that’s Big Ten football. It’s going to come down to the last play.” (Rhule, 00:22)
• Praises his squad’s new mentality: fighting back from deficits, resilience, increased confidence—hallmarks of a “program on the rise.”
  • Quote:
    “That’s not our guy’s mindset anymore. That, that...the mindset piece, which is when you take over a program that’s been losing, that’s the hardest thing to conquer.” (Rhule, 01:18)
• Emphasizes the importance of measured response after setbacks—neither overreacting nor underreacting.
  • Quote: “You can’t overreact, but you can’t underreact…It’s important to go back and say, okay, here’s the things we did well…” (Rhule, 01:43)

Standard of Expectation:

• Cites Bill Walsh: “Champions act like champions before they’re champions.”
• Focus is on teaching players to believe and carry themselves like winners now, even before success is fully realized.

Confidence & Growth:

• Rhule details reviewing film—celebrating successes, honestly assessing errors.
• Encourages ownership: “There’s probably about 40 plays in that game that if something just goes a little differently, we come out on top.” (Rhule, 04:31)

Quarterback Spotlight

On Dylan:

• Despite adversity (seven sacks), QB Dylan remains poised, throws for over 300 yards, and leads clutch plays, including a key Hail Mary.
• Praised for his maturity and ability to think on his feet (“…makes the check…Dylan’s out there, that’s like we said, he's playing pro football...”). (Rhule, 06:29)

Special Teams – “Block Kick Chaos”

[Starts 07:14]

• Weekend recaps in NFL and college football saw a rash of blocked kicks and punts.
• Rhule correlates success in special teams with aggressive, “fearless” team mentality.
  • “To block a punt…that’s a team playing fearlessly.” (Rhule, 07:36)
• Special teams coordinators are described as unique, passionate and critical “mini-GMs,” managing diverse personnel and loving the gritty aspects of football.
  • “Our special teams coordinator here, Mike Eckler…he runs to the game from the hotel.” (Rhule, 09:18)
• John Harbaugh and other coaches’ rise from special teams noted as proof of the leadership and organizational skills born on “third phase” coaching staff.

Notable Anecdotes:

• Rhule and Mesco’s running challenges in Italy—humorously illustrating the wired-for-action personality of special teams coaches. (11:21)

Joey McGuire’s Journey: High School Hero to Power Five Head Coach

[Section starts 12:04]

The Baylor Leap

• McGuire recounts meeting Rhule (then a New York/Philly outsider at Baylor) and the unlikely, immediate connection.
  • “There’s something about this guy, and I got to figure out what it is.” (McGuire, 13:57)
  • It began in an IHOP, more coffee talk than formal interview.
• On leaving his beloved Cedar Hill HS for Baylor:
  • “If he offers us the job, we’re going to Baylor…Everything that we believe in, he believes in.” (McGuire, 14:44)

“Build the Trophy Case” – Culture Before Winning

• Early lesson about planting the seeds for success even when none exists yet; inspired by basketball coach’s advice to “build the cases first.”
  • “That trophy case was empty…There was black letters that said ‘believe’ in the trophy case. So before Ted Lasso did Believe…” (McGuire, 16:13)
• Draws the parallel that coaching is about people, not just X’s and O’s—impacting lives, not just games.

Coaching Relationships & Impact

• Stories of mentoring players and the ripple effect when those players become coaches themselves.
  • “James Lockhart…now he’s a coach…he’s sending me pictures as soon as [his daughter is] born, saying, hey, you’re a granddad now, because he’s like a son to me…That’s the whole reason you coach.” (McGuire, 21:18)

Tough Decisions & Regret

• McGuire opens up about saying no to jobs (UTSA, following Rhule to Carolina), almost getting the Baylor head job, and how “regret” can consume you unless purposefully shifted to positivity.
  • “I had to stop talking to myself in different ways. Like, the inner voice we’re always feeding, good or bad…I was feeding a lot of regret.” (McGuire, 25:57)
  • Making peace with career setbacks and trusting things will work out.

Maintaining Identity & Relationships

• Adjusting to head coaching scale, fighting loneliness at the top, finding meaning in family and authentic connections.
  • “I get lonely in this job, which, if you’re doing it right, you probably are gonna get a little bit lonely. Cause you’re leading.” (Rhule, 29:17)

Lighter Moments

• McGuire’s daughter’s wedding—a Texas/New York family fusion (“almost a movie...”), and his love for real New York Italian food. (32:10 – 33:00)
• Rhule asks for the ultimate non-Lubbock Texas BBQ recommendation—McGuire says “Cooper’s in Llano, Texas.” (33:22)
• Reminiscence on hospitality—staying at McGuire’s house, epic breakfasts, and family summers at the Jersey Shore.

Mailbag: Parenting, Leadership, and Raising Warrior Girls

[Starts 33:54]

Advice for New Dads & Book Recommendation

• Rhule recommends How to Really Love Your Child, focusing on the “love tank” metaphor.
  • “I think one of the things you think about is you think about like your child having, like, a love tank...have I filled up their love tank?” (Rhule, 34:28)
• Shares hard-won lessons about parenting competitive daughters gleaned from women’s coaches Amy Williams (Nebraska WBB) and Cori Close (UCLA WBB). Sometimes the best thing is to let kids be fiercely competitive and not try to “fix” them.
  • “Leave her alone. If she’s competitive, like, breed it. It’s so hard to find. Don’t take that away from her.” (Advice from Amy Williams relayed by Rhule, 36:01)

On Empathy:

• Rhule cites his father’s wisdom: don’t ask “what’s wrong with that person?,” ask “what happened to that person?” It’s a better lens for parenting and leadership.
  • “Maybe we can be the solution. Maybe we can be the person who corrects those things...” (Rhule, 37:41)

Looking Ahead: Gameday, Recovery, and Leadership Through Loss

[Starts 39:04]

• Rhule explains his (and the team's) schedule during the bye week: rest, self-scout, recruit, and then support Omaha’s champ, Bud Crawford, at a celebratory parade.
• Stresses the importance of showing up and leading “after a loss,” not just after wins.
  • “It’s easy to lead when things are going well. Give the speech, break everybody down who shows up when there’s some adversity. But here’s the thing. Every college football team, maybe one or two, is going to lose a ball game this year. Who are you the next day, the day after, the day after?” (Rhule, 41:27)
• Rhule and Gargano close with the message that leadership means sticking to standards and processes, especially when the outcome has been disappointing.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Rhule (on champion mindset):
  “Bill Walsh said years ago, champions act like champions before they’re champions.” (01:07)
• McGuire (on belief):
  “There was black letters that said believe in the trophy case. So before Ted Lasso did Believe…” (16:13)
• Rhule (on coaching relationships/loneliness):
  “I get lonely in this job, which, if you’re doing it right, you probably are gonna get a little bit lonely. Cause you’re leading.” (29:17)
• Rhule (on loss and leadership):
  “Who are you the next day, the day after, the day after? And so that’s...I can’t say that to my team...and then not do it myself.” (41:27)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:09 | Nebraska–Michigan game recap, mindset after loss, learning from adversity | | 06:07 | Spotlight on QB Dylan and performing under pressure | | 07:14 | Special teams chaos and the unique character of special teams coaches | | 12:04 | Joey McGuire’s Texas roots, hiring at Baylor, and the power of connection | | 15:12 | “Build the Trophy Case” story: belief before results | | 18:17 | Mentoring, coaching sons, and coaching relationships | | 20:00 | Coaching “between the white lines,” intensity, and boundaries on gameday | | 22:22 | Career crossroads—turning down jobs, surviving disappointment, inner voice management | | 26:16 | Social media, negativity, and protecting player/coach cultures | | 28:19 | Family, connections, and “the real reason you coach” | | 29:17 | The loneliness and challenge of head coaching at the highest level | | 32:07 | Family stories, weddings, and the universality of Italian food | | 33:22 | Best Texas BBQ?—Cooper’s in Llano | | 33:54 | Mailbag: Advice for new dads, raising warrior daughters, high standards, empathy | | 39:04 | Leader’s response after a loss, sticking to process, bye-week details | | 41:27 | Closing thoughts on leadership, adversity, and authenticity |

Tone and Language

Throughout, the conversation is candid, motivational, and down-to-earth—balancing football grit with warmth, wisdom, and humor. The camaraderie between Rhule, Gargano, and McGuire brings out storytelling that’s equal parts locker room, life lesson, and family reunion, all focused on becoming better leaders, coaches, and people.

For listeners (or readers) who missed the episode, this summary offers a deep dive into the mindsets, decision-making, and personal philosophies of two of college football’s most authentic coaches—and a few barbecue tips for good measure.