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Inside Texas Football
Former Players Break Down the Upcoming Texas Schedule
00:40:33
Let's see the schedule through the eyes of a player.
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- [00:01]
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Tex Homer
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- [00:54]
Jed Bush
Yikes.
- [00:55]
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Tex Homer
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Tex Homer
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- [02:01]
Tex Homer
Happy Tuesday evening everyone. I'm Tex Homer, joined by former players Jet Bush and Drew Kelson and we are going to look at the schedule from the player point of view. First head over to Inside Texas where you can join for $1, then 50 off your first year new members only link is down in that description below. All right, so we don't turn this into a whole hour because going through a schedule can take a long time. We'll kind of go piece by piece mostly to show what Drew and Jed are thinking about the opponents. Also the little things of the mindset there and Also just our opinions on that'll be a hard game or we might have an easy win. But players don't like to say easy win. So I doubt we're going to get a bunch of those. But I like to say it sometimes. All right, let's start off with non con. I think the first major factor is, of course you have Ohio State. That's a big deal. There's only three of them now. That's also a big deal. And Texas State and UTSA aren't soft. Like, like these are respectable programs. The coaches there are great. So it's not even like a Sam Houston thing or like, you know, we don't play fcs. But it's not even that bottom of the barrel ULM type teams. These are ones that are going to want to beat you. I know Texas State for a fact. One of our staff members is good friends with the head coach of Texas State and he will not give him any intel about what their plans are. He knows that it'll get to us eventually. But Kenny is gonna definitely try to play offense. I can imagine that. So first things first. The opener is at Texas State, known for their offense, struggled on defense a little bit. But what do you guys think of the opener or just being a player in general getting right for the opener? Whoever wants to go first may do so.
- [03:37]
Jed Bush
I mean, these guys believe that's. That's one thing I do know, which is kind of funny. I remember when I have friends who used to play at Rice and it didn't matter. They. They came into every game believing. Now they at the time were not, I would say were not capable and didn't have the talent and certainly didn't have at least the. The coaching and the preparedness that I think DJ Kenny will bring to the table. I mean, this is an opportunity for Texas State and for GJ and that staff to. To really show up and make a statement. And whether that means try to burn up the scoreboard and keep up or slow things down, I expect them to have some type of strategy to just kind of bastardize the game in a way. So you just never know in those first games, especially when you're playing an overmatched opponent. And so you just got those curveballs out there that you just want to make sure you get out clean, just allow your talent to take over, take it seriously, and come away with the win.
- [04:34]
Tex Homer
I think too. Jed, I want to ask you about this. Their offense is good and like schematically good. So you. We have the athlete advantage. But if Your athlete's five yards in the wrong direction, you know, with his own rules, you know, it doesn't really matter how athletic you are. So how do you think? Because I think the secondary is going to get tested, Linebackers too, early on,
- [04:52]
Drew Kelson
schematically, Yeah, I think it'll all be tested for sure. They're going to take their shots, they're going to be very aggressive. They don't really have a choice. You know, they definitely want to win. Or at least worst case scenario, like, put on a good show and at least be like, you know, this is what we did against Texas is Texas State. It's a recruiting deal for them as well. Show them that they get to play on the big stage and stuff like that. And, you know, they, they did really good last year. I don't know if they beat or lost to Rice and whatever bowl game they played, but Rice didn't have a bad season by any means. And they've actually, we all know they've stepped it up a lot too. So, you know, shout out to their coaching staff for kind of killing it. But in terms of like the player mentality, in terms of a realistic standpoint, obviously you expect going in there, like to put on, I would say, a dominant performance. You control the game and like I said, no errors. Don't turn the ball over, don't fumble the ball. Get turnovers and fumble. Create fumbles on defense and be technically sound and, you know, don't mess up on your, you know, gap assignments and just, you know, that's what I mean when I say technically sound or just basic assignments. So, you know, definitely be looking out for those. I don't think it shouldn't be a problem. I don't care how many trick plays they're going to run, because they will run them. Because Herman always would talk about that, how he was at Rice or whenever we play these type of schools or these situations, how many trick plays or onside kicks or fake punts or fake pats that they had up their sleeve. So that is always a situation, that is always realistic thing you have to be out for. And that's also good to test your specialties. Make sure everybody else is on point as well. I'm a big special teams guy, obviously, I love it. And so, you know, it's just good to kind of see, you know, kind of go feel the water. For the first time. I have high expectations. Clearly we have better athletes. Clearly we have. I think we should put on, you know, be able. People are going to feel like we should Be able to score every time we touch the football because we're Texas, they're Texas State. You know what I mean? But solid performance overall, you know, just chemistry. Want to see it? Whether it's the run game, the pass game, how the defense flows together, and just those fundamentals, you know, Probably a. Probably a good time, too, over there in this. In the stands.
- [07:01]
Tex Homer
Texas State shocked Baylor in their opener. We're at a different level of Baylor, that's for sure. But. And I think trick. When you say trick plays, I think utsa. I don't know. We'll see what's going to say. I think they're gonna get us on some pass plays just straight up. And you played. You. We'll talk about Ohio State, but I want to talk about the UTSA first. You played utsa, right, Jet?
- [07:22]
Drew Kelson
Yep. They almost beat us.
- [07:24]
Tex Homer
Yep.
- [07:25]
Drew Kelson
Yeah, they almost beat us on. Oh, no, no, that wasn't our. That wasn't our championship season. Yeah, no, we. We beat them pretty. Yeah, but they almost beat us. They had a trick play that worked. Double pass and shout out. Gary Patterson. He. The story was told to me by a former player that played with me, and he was just standing next to him so happily before the play, and he just casually walks by and goes like, watch your double pass. Like, bang. Next thing you know, throws a little bubble screen to the middle receiver. Double pass. And then I get off the field and he told me that.
- [08:03]
Tex Homer
I was like, that.
- [08:04]
Drew Kelson
That is nuts.
- [08:05]
Tex Homer
That level of knowledge where you seem psychic. It's just like. It's absolutely awesome.
- [08:10]
Drew Kelson
It's. It's one of the more impressive things I've ever heard.
- [08:13]
Tex Homer
For sure. Yeah. What. What is. What is it like playing a trailer team, though? What it.
- [08:18]
Drew Kelson
Are they. I mean, we're talking about whenever we're talking about utsa, though, right?
- [08:21]
Tex Homer
Yeah, we're not talking Ohio State. Utsa.
- [08:24]
Drew Kelson
Okay. Yeah, you. I mean, like, they're legit. I definitely, obviously, have them, like, in my personal bias, like, a step above, for sure. Texas State, like, in terms of reputation and just like, history overall, they're like, you know, legit program. And they've had some. A lot of success here in the past few years. And the thing they have is they recruit a lot of Texas talent that probably doesn't get a Texas offer. And I want to stay home and now wants to play for a Texas State school. And so, you know, a lot of that talent is a lot better than where you get more than other schools, like, to be honest. And these kids are, you know, Coached and raised in football. Texas, you know, Texas high school football. They're well accumulated to maturing really fast and being a very good player. You know, that's always an aspect of that. And so I just think that's a little overlooked. I think they're always a little overlooked. I have a lot of respect for them. One, because they almost beat us, but they always. They always, like, came to fight, and they always had, like, really good linemen, like, who were, you know, just dirty and want to get nasty. Like, I always had a lot of respect for utsa, so that's.
- [09:29]
Tex Homer
That's.
- [09:29]
Drew Kelson
That's what I think about them. They're definitely somebody you can't take lightly. They're gonna come out guns blazing. They're like one of those teams, even though, like, it is most teams, but they, like, legitimately believe they're gonna go in and win that game. And if you don't respect them, that's. That's the worst thing.
- [09:42]
Tex Homer
Really good.
- [09:43]
Drew Kelson
Yeah, like, they could. Like, the worst thing you can do is, like, you know, lack of respect. You know, at the end of the day, you're disrespecting the ball game and, you know, the balls. Nothing's more important than the ball, and it'll always show you that, you know,
- [09:58]
Tex Homer
what is in the next. Drew, you're gonna have an advantage here. Ohio State, so they're coming to play at home here, but what are your. What are your. Quick. So we don't go for an hour, but what do you. What comes to mind when you think of Ohio State?
- [10:16]
Jed Bush
I mean, I know everyone else thinks about the stage of the national championship and all this other stuff, but I'm just happy to get great football, two great rivalries. Like, I mean, you can try to pick this game or go one side or the other, but I think it's. It's a great litmus test. I mean, we. We kind of live for these at the beginning of the season. You know, gives you something to set the foundation for. For really. Okay. Set the baseline for who Are we? And a good measuring stick to take on through the rest of the year. So no exciting game, especially at night at dkr. I mean, you couldn't ask for better.
- [10:49]
Tex Homer
Is this. This is super easy. There's no motivation. Sark doesn't need to do any work here with the players, right?
- [10:55]
Jed Bush
No, no, no. At this point, the players need to have some fun. Like, this is one of those star games. It's like, go have fun. It's like, go have fun. Like that. You really don't have to explain much other than that.
- [11:07]
Tex Homer
How was it when y' all played like Bama early Jet? Was it just circled? Y' all knew that that was the moment. Oh, yeah.
- [11:14]
Drew Kelson
I mean, I had it circled since the last time we lost. I was like, this will never happen again. I was like, next year. I can't wait. And so I guarantee you those players have had this circle since about 30 seconds after they lost last game, at least mentally. I promise you, I don't even have to ask. Like, I'm very confident. I know their mentality. I think this is clearly gonna be a revenge game, you know, mentality. Get back. We're gonna come in, have, and we're gonna want to be physical. At the end of the day, that's. That's what's going to be preached, is physicality is going to win this football game. And that's what I truly believe. If I was an ESPN analyst, I would tell you the same thing. You know, whether it's in the trenches, whether you're going down for putting your shoulder down, trying to gain a few extra yards before you go out of bounds as wide receiver, whether you want them to, you know, really put that shoulder into their gut so you can drive them into the dirt and really make them feel that however you go about it, physicality is going to be the key to success. For this, I believe you're going to really want to send a message, not to the entire country, but really to the other team and be like, this is not the same team you should play last year. You know what I mean? Like, there's a lot of. Of tension, a lot of intensity, a lot of edge that is just weighing on these players, and they want to take it off. And, like, no, I'm sure we feel it as a fan. We're hungry for a national championship. We know this is a national championship game. We're. We're starving. You know, I feel like as a. As a franchise over here at the University of Texas. So we want to go out there and we want to prove a point. And I know Sark does. That's good. That's great for his reputation. It's great for everybody. Every. You know, when we win, we all eat. That was something that we said, and that's a fact. And so everybody. Everybody. Everybody gets food at the table because you care about your. Your family, you know, and so you go out there and you win, and it's just like, Bama. We didn't really. Like, we didn't really care that they went up in the fourth quarter. It's just kind of like you look at each other, you're like, yeah, like we know we're gonna win this game. Like it's just this steadfast, concrete confidence faith.
- [13:23]
Tex Homer
Texas gets through this non con with however you win, win by half a point versus Ohio State. But a confident showing versus Texas State. New tsa. I feel good. I have respect for all three of these teams. Like I said, this is not a light non con. You'll be able to tell a lot about this team strengths and weaknesses really early on. And like we said earlier, that's it for non con. And then you're right into a nine game SEC schedule for fans. It's wonderful, man, because just week after week you're get. There's not a game on here that I'm not excited to watch for one reason or another and that's absolutely awesome. So we're gonna open at Tennessee. We haven't played them yet, of course, all the who's the real Texas side like that, but one of the coolest stadiums in college football. It's just, it's hangs over you, man. It's, it's gonna the fan. Hopefully the players are ready for it too because it's going to be a gladiatorial event. But you got to open up here, right? There's really, there's really no ramp on the schedule and there's really no ramp in the sec. But they got to be ready immediately for conference play. Whatever happens in non con.
- [14:30]
Commercial Narrator
Drew.
- [14:32]
Jed Bush
Yeah, I mean, but I, I, you want to be a team that doesn't have to play for a ramp, right? Like you want to be a team that has the ment mentality, the depth and just the wherewithal to come out sharp. I mean, you're returning, you know, as far as key places and key leadership, you are returning those key pieces. So I get what, what everyone's saying from the standpoint of playing nine SEC games straight. And yes, it'll be great for the fans, but it's great for the players too. Like you have every week, you have the talent, you have the depth that's going to keep you sharp every week. You, you just, you can't avoid it. And so I do think baked into, I mean this, this SEC opener on the road during the day like that, that is, this is fun, man. Like there's every reason to show up and play this game and be excited about it. But before heading into that, that by week.
- [15:29]
Tex Homer
Yeah. All right, let's, let's so this is one of my theories. And. And it's half wrong, half right thing. I don't like bye weeks or like, you know, playing bad teams because I think there's something mentally to staying sharp. On the flip side, I understand that you're hurt, and so I think that bye week or that week off is great. You physically need to heal at some level. But just y' all personally, did you like playing that bad team in the middle? Do you like the bye week or do you feel. Do you feel like you lose anything mentally in that period or.
- [16:01]
Jed Bush
No,
- [16:04]
Drew Kelson
you know, I don't. I don't know. I was like, always. It's. I feel like it's, you know, kind of player to player thing, to be honest. But I was always, like, I could watch Saturday, you know, games and, like, basically feel like I just played a game. I'm taking so many visual reps. Like, I'm like, I'm every. I can't watch football today and, like, not take visual reps. Like, the whole time I'm, like, evaluating the defense or evaluating the offense and, like, what would I do if I was in his. Because I know exactly what his job is every play. It's actually kind of annoying and hard to enjoy sometimes, but that's not the point. The point is, like. Sorry, what was the question again?
- [16:47]
Jed Bush
Does it. Does.
- [16:48]
Tex Homer
Do you lose the mental edge?
- [16:50]
Drew Kelson
Oh, no, I. I don't. Like, I. I don't. I think you can if you don't do anything, because, like, they'll give you a couple of days to do nothing then. Or maybe one day, one off day, like, true off day to do nothing. So you're not really doing anything. If anything, you're like, preparing more. Like, we. We get an extra week to prepare for this opponent, and we get an extra week to take care of our bodies. And I feel like it's really how you attack that year, like that week, you know, player to player. I didn't really have any problem. Maybe some people feel like they didn't get the game reps or whatever that they needed, but I always felt like I needed more rest, so that's. That was more. But then, like, the. The little games aren't rest, like, by any means. I'm still going all out, like I'm playing. You know what I mean? So I. I prefer the. The actual true bye weeks, especially. I feel like you feel this more as you get older, clearly, because you're just getting older. But I always enjoyed, you know, just college game day Saturday on the couch. And you get to watch it for once, you know, and enjoy, like, kind of like that whole deal. So that was always really big for me in terms of recovery and kind of getting your body right for that next week. And kind of banged up a lot of my last year, so that was, you know, that helped.
- [18:04]
Tex Homer
All right, next up will be the Oklahoma Sooners. Y' all are familiar. We talk about this a lot, but that seems like the same thing as, like, a marquee. Non con. It's just. It's always sk. It's always one. One thing I think is fun is. And I've noticed this maybe in the Sark area. I don't know how long, but OU will come out of the tunnel, like, acting like we are so aggressive and excited and hopping. It seems kind of performative. And Texas has always, under Sark stayed much more kind of calm and cool, which I think is kind of a true form of confidence. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. But do you. Do y' all notice that when players are kind of like, putting it on out of the tunnel and trying to act like it's a old school Under Armour commercial?
- [18:54]
Jed Bush
I think it has everything to do with. I mean, look at the record of Texas vs. OU over the last several years. And so you do. I mean, over the last decade, right? I think you do get. Sorry, Jet. You do get just a certain amount of hype. Just people putting on the jersey and feeling like this is enough to go win the game. And so you just feel confident in having that type of energy. I think Sark, for better or for worse, he. He likes his players, as he says, to play with emotion but not be emotional. And so it kind of lives that out. And so it is actually good to see in such a hyped game and such a. A game that means so much, regardless of the implications of the sec. Like, this is. This doesn't matter. Oh, Texas and ou. It matters to us. I mean, didn't matter where you put the football, didn't matter the conference. So, yeah, I mean, I have noticed, especially in the last several years, that they come out a little fired up because, yeah, energy is important, but I think confidence and certainty and preparedness stand for a lot. And I think Sark and the team
- [20:04]
Tex Homer
have proven that feels like they're putting it on. Like, there was a funny one where they, like, came up to Lance Jackson and he was just like, we're about to play like, there's no need for this show. You know, it's like when the fighter the fighters talk before when they're selling the fight, and then one of the fighters are like, we will fight. There's a. You don't fight me here. So does that game Jet feel different in game? I know it feels all the pageantry, of course, here in the Cotton bowl, but that one, as a fan, it feels like there's more than the usual adjusting occurs in that game. It feels more chess than usual.
- [20:39]
Drew Kelson
Yeah. It feels like it's the only game in the entire world that matters, that ever existed, is how it feels. Like this is the only thing that happens every year in the Coliseum and everybody gathers. You know what I mean? Like, that's how it feels. The hate is real. The. The rivalry is real. Everything is to the ground, like, to the dirt.
- [21:01]
Tex Homer
How's the crowd difference?
- [21:03]
Drew Kelson
The crowd is pretty much the same because everybody hates us pretty much. But they're different because they have, like, they're just more. They're just from Oklahoma, I guess, or.
- [21:16]
Tex Homer
But do you feel the difference in the split of the stadium?
- [21:20]
Drew Kelson
I mean. Oh, the splits in the stadium is the coolest thing of all time. Like, there's nothing like. It just, like, down 50 and like, you come in and it's just boo. And all you hear is, you know, whatever. X all the way to, you know, A, all the way to Z.
- [21:32]
Tex Homer
You've.
- [21:33]
Drew Kelson
Everything under the sun is said, and then it's just boo. And then it's ah. And it just gets louder with Oz and cheers. And it's like the coolest transition that unless you run those. That tunnel and play for Texas, you'll never experience that.
- [21:46]
Jed Bush
Ooh.
- [21:47]
Drew Kelson
Like, it's one of the most unique. Like, I could see Drew thinking about it, like, you know what I mean? Like, it's one of the most unique experiences an individual can have, and it just gets you more fired up than anything, especially somebody who's not really being a big rah rah. I mean, I am, but, like, not to myself in terms of, like, the extracurriculars outside of the locker room, like, not really. Everything I do is pretty much inside, so. So, you know, I mean, I. I act the same. If they want to. If they want to put on a show and, you know, try to get under my skin, that's cool. I.
- [22:22]
Tex Homer
You know, I'm already crazy.
- [22:23]
Drew Kelson
I'm already crazy. You have no idea. You know what I mean? It's how I feel. I'm like, if you really want to find out, like, you just come meet me in the concrete, like, right after this game and go at it, you know what I mean? Or you just go ask you guys, one of my teammates, how they, how they feel about me, you know, how that situation would go with another person.
- [22:43]
Tex Homer
So we're coming to the midway point after Florida here. So Florida loses coaching staff, have a new coaching staff. But Drew pointed out before the show LA last year they had athletes, they had NFL players. They couldn't figure it out, but it wasn't a lack of talent at Florida. And then this year it's not a lack of talent at Florida. We wanted their running back, we wanted their wide receiver. So they're, they have real talent here is it year one. And then also there's then that back and forth, right? We ran up score on them two years ago. I don't even think we were trying like we were calling run plays and going for 60 in the second half. It wasn't like we were bombing fades. But we did end up running up score significantly. And then of course they black our eye last year. So it's not, I'm not, it's not a rivalry but there's a little three game history here now that I think is interesting. What's the thought there with Florida if you're a player and you took that loss last year?
- [23:37]
Jed Bush
I, I, I do think when we ran into Florida last year, I mean you can call it revenge, you can call it thoughts of the player. Last year when we first, when we played Florida, we had no idea who they were even going to that game. I mean we knew they were talented but they had underperformed prior to playing against them. I think this year at least there's several weeks under the belt to kind of see who they are. They'll be routed into form. They, so we'll know a bit more about who they are in spite of, you know, the talent they are. And I think that's really the main risk of Florida this year. It's, it's, and that's in spite of some of the known talent they have. It's really more of do we know who they are and are we prepared down to, to, to the detail to, to really show up and play well against them the week after ou. I mean it's easy especially we talked about that bye week before ou to really put so much energy and investment into that game to where you'd hope you don't feel exhausted at the end of it. But it's, it's exhaust or not, you need to be able to pivot and you need to be able to prepare and to be able to focus on on Florida that final week. And so one thing I do feel good about is we should know a lot more about them and how they're being deployed and what they like to do and what they're great at, at least so far that season. When we see them this year, so far, less concern. I don't really put much into the revenge side of it. We have business to handle and much bigger fish to fry than just putting a, a target on Florida's back.
- [25:04]
Tex Homer
So you have to have a target on every game. This, everyone is has a reason to have a target on them. Everyone's pretty good.
- [25:10]
Drew Kelson
Yeah, that's me.
- [25:11]
Tex Homer
The trick. All right, we will talk the back half of the schedule as soon as we hear a word from David. Big financial decisions don't have to feel overwhelming. There's someone who can guide you every step of the way. David McClellan is a fiduciary financial advisor with Forum Financial, and he's working closely with his clients as a true financial life coach, guiding every as aspect of your financial journey with expertise and care. If his name sounds familiar, that's because David was a swimmer at Texas and a member of several national championship teams. Today, he channels that same championship mindset into helping people win with their finances. David specializes in financial planning, and he's contributed numerous articles to Kiplinger on the topic of retirement tax bombs. And right now, David is offering viewers a free intro consultation to assess your financial situation. Do not miss this chance to get personalized guidance from a trusted expert. To schedule your free consult email David McClellanorumfinancial.com or you can call him directly at 312-933-8823. The contact info is in the description. All right, new opponent that we haven't seen yet in Ole Miss. Of course they're talented. Lane heads over to lsu. We'll talk about them later. But what, what happens here, Jet? Whenever you're getting to the middle of the season, what does that feel? Are you run down or you. I'm halfway there, but I got halfway to go. What does that Midpoint.
- [26:40]
Drew Kelson
You know, you just train so hard and honestly, you. Nobody feels great. Like, nobody feels good. Everybody's hurt. There's a difference between hurt and being injured. You know what I mean? Everybody's hurting. I guess you could say to a certain extent. It's a very physical game. You do feel the wear and tear. But this is where you like, this is where you rely on your preparation, you rely on your recovery, your discipline to do everything you can outside of the game to be always prepared in for the game. And no matter what you do, you're always going to get banged up. It's always, you know, turf burn a dink here, like a nick there. Hurt shoulder, stinger. Like, I had a stinger really bad. Oh, like, nothing worse. I had a stinger really bad that senior season, like, and I just, you know, just kind of play through it. These are things you got to overcome with, you know, that toughness in your training. But at the end of the day, it's not like. And it's not a bearable. Like, it's not the end of the world. And, yeah, we probably will pay for it a little bit more later in life, but that's what you do. You just love the game and, you know, you just fight through this, these little hurt things. And at the end of the day, you just love the game a lot more. And, you know, we're all banged up, but we want to perform and want to do our best out there. We want to go out there and perform our best for ourselves and our families and our. And our team and our. And our. And our fans.
- [28:08]
Tex Homer
So now we're in the middle part Ole Miss.
- [28:12]
Drew Kelson
But in terms of Ole Miss, like,
- [28:13]
Tex Homer
well, you're just gonna have to watch out for Chambliss. We don't have to do a breakdown of every.
- [28:17]
Commercial Narrator
No, no.
- [28:18]
Drew Kelson
But in terms of, like, Ole Miss and being in the middle of the schedule, it's like another thing to kind of look forward to. Like, if it was an FCS team, it's just like, man, I don't even want to go play. You know what I mean? Like, no disrespect, but, like, I just don't, like, you know what I mean? It's just like, let me go pad my stats is how I look at it. If it's Ole Miss, it's like, let's go. Like, if I could play. I love playing big games. Like, those are the most exciting ones.
- [28:40]
Tex Homer
Well, it's like you have ou emotional game, Florida, potentially, right? Because in the back of your head, for those players on the team are like, they embarrassed us last year. They could. They. I don't think they were the reason we got held out of the playoffs. But you can take that angle of that's why we got held out of the playoffs. So I think that has emotional potentiality. And it doesn't matter. There's like, no breaks. You're into Ole Miss. Great quarterback, new coaching, but still dynamic. And then I'm gonna ask you about this one, Drew? Mississippi State, they took us down to the wire, they just don't know how to finish. You can tell they're still kind of a young figuring it out. They couldn't. We were on the ropes man and they let us off the hook or Niblet let us off the hook and then, and then why am I blank on the second string quarterback? Oh, Caldwell legend through the touchdown. But what's your thought here Drew? Mississippi State. I think we all have respect for that offense.
- [29:33]
Jed Bush
Yeah, I mean Mississippi State, I mean you, you know you have the four quarter game. I mean at the end of the day Leby, if nothing else, he's going to try to attack you and find some explosive plays. So you know you're going to have a four quarter game. I think when it comes to you, we don't have. You don't get to pick which game. Ryan Niblet's going to be your hero or hopefully this year Ryan Wingo gets to be some hero like you don't get to pick the game. Where heroism is, is needed. Right. But you need it when you need it. And so at the end of the day when looking at this entire schedule, there's going to be different things that, that unfold and it may be Mississippi State, it may be on the road at Missouri, it may be against Arkansas. You don't get to pick that but you got to be prepared for it. So we'd love to see one of these games, especially on the back end, just kind of show up a little bit easier to execute than expected. But you don't get to choose. You don't know until you show up, put on the pads and go hit something to know if they're going to lay down or know if your, your game plan and your talent's gonna just outlast them. So you just got to show up true honest with yourself and, and playing hard. So yeah, you don't get to tune anybody out and assume they can lay down or they will lay down. So that, that is a good thing about having some of those closer games last season I believe is the key leaders on this team this year. I know well in advance that you can't take those games for granted.
- [31:09]
Tex Homer
By the patronic third time seeing the variant shoot this season should pay off. Yeah, it feels like half the damn teams are running the veering shoot right now. All right then we're going to play Mizzou. New opponent at Mizzou, they've had a schedule like the easiest schedules the past three years. And I think it's kind of their success is a mirage, at least for one or two wins a season. Now they're gonna have to play better teams. On the flip side, they like to run the ball and hopefully Ahmad Hardy, I need to check in on them. Heals up from that gunshot room and play because that's sad and he's fun to watch. But this is a heavy run team, Jet, and they want to actually physically dominate. It's late in the season. It's the week before lsu. Probably gonna have a big game versus Ole Miss. What's that mindset like of like, okay, this team's gonna try to legit bully us and run on us.
- [31:55]
Jed Bush
Us.
- [31:57]
Drew Kelson
You know, I can't speak for this team. Clearly. I was very excited when people tried to run the ball on us.
- [32:03]
Tex Homer
So.
- [32:04]
Drew Kelson
So from my, you know, my. But I, I mean, I'm sure, I'm sure they, you know, taken on and they're excited, but there's a difference between them taking it on and t Sweating by Burphy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You got, you know, got to call a space fade.
- [32:19]
Tex Homer
It was pretty fun for you.
- [32:20]
Drew Kelson
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I had a great time.
- [32:22]
Jed Bush
You know what I mean?
- [32:23]
Drew Kelson
It was. I could get off. I was a one on one pretty much majority of the time, so I could just kind of hang out and do my thing. They were doing all the dirty work. Talk about watching film. If you're ever an interior guy. This is Byron Murphy, man. Nobody better. I think in terms of even just playing football in general, he's like the best football player, you know, besides Bijan probably. I call him 1A 1B for me that I've ever seen with my own eyes. So he was great. But like, I think they're gonna I quicker game. I don't know if that gets you pumped at all. If the player like, however you need to get motivated and jazz for it, you got. You're gonna have to because it's gonna be a physical game. They're gonna run the ball.
- [33:07]
Tex Homer
Yeah.
- [33:07]
Drew Kelson
Oklahoma Traits died to do it to us with the Doe Walker Award winner and got like 30 yards entire game. They got like maybe 1 yard a carrying, maybe less.
- [33:18]
Tex Homer
Was it Byron Murphy that was talking on Instagram before?
- [33:21]
Drew Kelson
Because they were talking about him.
- [33:23]
Tex Homer
He's like, yeah, we'll see about that.
- [33:24]
Drew Kelson
And yeah, I know each other from South Dallas. So that's why they were all talking.
- [33:29]
Tex Homer
Yeah.
- [33:29]
Drew Kelson
And so they knew each other. And yeah, he, he got.
- [33:35]
Tex Homer
There's some players that talk and you're like, there's some players that talk. And as a fan, you're kind of embarrassed of, like, why are you doing this? Anytime Byron did, I was like, thank God. Like, it's gonna work.
- [33:45]
Drew Kelson
Yeah.
- [33:45]
Jed Bush
It's effective.
- [33:46]
Drew Kelson
Like, yes.
- [33:47]
Tex Homer
It depends on who talks trash.
- [33:49]
Drew Kelson
Yeah.
- [33:50]
Tex Homer
Before the game.
- [33:50]
Drew Kelson
But I. I don't know. Personally, I'm excited for it.
- [33:52]
Tex Homer
Good.
- [33:53]
Drew Kelson
You know, let's get the game over with quicker. The clock's gonna be running. I can go and do whatever I want after that. And I get another W on the board. That's how I view it.
- [34:02]
Tex Homer
Drew, lsu, incredible environment, legendary team, but they get Lane Kiffin, who is offensively a wizard, much like Sark, and they're going to have great talent as well. What's that mindset coming in when you're gonna face. And I don't know about year one, but Lane's fielded elite offenses. What's the difference there as a defender when you know you're facing potentially a top 10 offense?
- [34:29]
Jed Bush
I mean, go make some money, bro. Like, I mean, that. That's. That's. I mean, you get 12 of these games. You get 12 of these games. You're competing every week against your own teammates for. For snapshots. A game like this on the road, go make some money. Like, that is what you're built to do. Like, even when looking at this entire schedule, when people talk about it being a gauntlet, all these players are preparing to play in the NFL, where every week requires the discipline and consistency and the focus and the, you know, paying attention to your body and paying through playing through pain and playing on the road in hostile environments. So, I mean, you want to play at the next level, Go play LSU on the road. Like, go do that. Go own it. Go show what you're made of. Like, that. That's what it's about. You don't shy away from anything like this. So this is an exciting opportunity. And if anybody is looking to put something on film for NFL teams, these are one of those games you circle hands down.
- [35:33]
Drew Kelson
Yeah. I think also, like, in terms of how I attack it throughout the week, like, I'm probably watching more film. They got more film to watch. They've got more situations that they can do more things with because they have more talent and crazy play calling.
- [35:46]
Tex Homer
And it's deep in the season, and
- [35:48]
Drew Kelson
it's deep in the season, so you don't know what they've been saving or what they've been preparing for or what they've been setting up on film. So there's all that to evaluate what about Arkansas?
- [35:58]
Tex Homer
Is. Is Arkansas a rival to the players? I know the old school guys think Arkansas's arrival, the new generation is like, we'll play along, but we don't really feel like they're rival.
- [36:08]
Drew Kelson
You know, you kind of hit it on the head right there. Like, we want them to be arrival, but they're just like. I mean, unless that one season, we didn't win very many games other than that, like, which is just like, what
- [36:20]
Tex Homer
they just have to play, you know,
- [36:22]
Drew Kelson
just be better, and then we can play closer games, and then more people will be intrigued. Simple math equation there for you.
- [36:29]
Tex Homer
Yeah. Drew, what do you think?
- [36:32]
Jed Bush
Arkansas is definitely a rival. If they never become great, we'll never get to see it. But I promise, Texas fans who do not know this, if Arkansas ever gets a roster and we have to play on the road there, do not go to that game.
- [36:49]
Tex Homer
Fayetteville is cool, man. Like, it's awesome.
- [36:52]
Jed Bush
But, yeah, to be fair, they're one
- [36:55]
Drew Kelson
of the only teams I ever went to and, like, knew that these people just hated us. You could feel it in the air. The history is just stuck in the air. It's as old as dirt. Like, they just hate you, and you can just smell it in the air.
- [37:11]
Tex Homer
Dude, that game where they. They got y' all bad. Got us. I'm a fan. They got all of us bad. I've never heard that. The consistent ambient sound of a stadium that loud wall to wall, like, for just. It was just a. It was just this sound. Even on television, you could just hear this hum constantly.
- [37:31]
Drew Kelson
Yeah, I heard my ankle that game, and I'm pretty much to this day, like, I can't walk right.
- [37:38]
Tex Homer
Like, actually, it's more than the loss. It's just like, you guys.
- [37:41]
Drew Kelson
Yeah, I like, you think you guys have it bad. Like, every time I walk, I.
- [37:46]
Tex Homer
In that game, but honestly, Fayetteville is a really cool town. I went up there to. There's cabins, like, a little bit north of it. And I was like, this is actually a cool town. You know, we have the stereotype of Arkansas that, like, they're hillbillies and, like, and totally impoverished. And then you go there, you're like. It's actually a beautiful resort area, and it's pretty nice. All right, final game is versus Texas A M. All right. This one, I've been told, is a big one, too. We've. We've beat them twice. It's pretty fun. Did you get to play them, Jet? I can't remember.
- [38:20]
Drew Kelson
No, no.
- [38:21]
Tex Homer
Yeah, they. You can't you were there the last season in the Big 12. That's a bummer. Drew, what was it like playing them?
- [38:28]
Jed Bush
You know, it was different for us because, you know, every player on both rosters was pretty much from the state of Texas. We all knew each other. We, you know, it was still a rivalry, obviously. Still competitive, obviously. But there was a respect, too. So it's definitely not like the Arkansas hate, but we actually live with these people. We see them every day at work. We see him everywhere. So it is a little bit different of a rivalry. Meaning do we still. And do they still want to win this game more than anything? Absolutely. But they especially want to win this game more than anything. But there's just a different pride here. Like I said, whether we were in the SEC or not, similar with ou, this is a game like, nah, you need to go 3, 0, then next year go 4, 0, then the next year go 5. Like, keep the street. Like, that is what this get. That is exactly what your mentality should be as a Texas player is you're not going to be the first team to. To let one go to A M because you are prepared. You do know who you are, and there's no reason we should go into this game not prepared to. To go take them down. So definitely one of the. The best rivalries. I'm excited to have back. I've had A M fans who have been talking for years that I haven't heard from in two years. So, yeah, man, it's. It's. It's. It's quiet here in Houston when it comes to the Aggies. And, you know, it'll.
- [39:59]
Drew Kelson
It'll start.
- [40:00]
Jed Bush
I'm sure it'll be much louder by the time we get to November.
- [40:04]
Tex Homer
So. I always argue that Kyle Field is definitely not a tough place to play, just because if you look at them, they don't beat the spread there. And the only way I can evaluate if it's hard to play there is if you consistently beat the. Beat the spread. But every player I talked to is like, no, it is different. Like, quandary Diggs, when I was talking to him, he's like, that's the only stadium that gave me a headache. Like, he was like, I needed to go ask for Tylenol on the sidelines, because he's like, they wouldn't shut up. What did you think, Drew, is the environment? I know we have to be careful. Is it cool?
- [40:34]
Jed Bush
It is. So that is the. That is the. That's. That's the word there. I mean, it is one of the coolest environment. It doesn't feel like hate, though. I mean, it feels like a spectacle.
- [40:46]
Tex Homer
Like you're at a fireworks show. They say the words.
- [40:49]
Jed Bush
I mean, they can say the word. Saw Varsity's horns off. But, I mean, you love us. Like, this is. We're in your song, bro. Like, I'm sorry. I don't feel intimidated by them swaying back and forth, or I don't feel like they're loud, but they're. I mean, it just. It gives you a lot of pride playing there. I don't know how it is for anybody else, but when you're in another stadium and you're hated so much, to where they do special things just for you coming to town. I mean, dude, that. That's. That's. That's why you want to play there. I'm actually excited we're playing there this year. So, yeah, I wouldn't say it's an intimidating environment, but there's nothing. I take nothing away from A and M with the way they show up for four quarters when we play in College Station.
- [41:35]
Tex Homer
Definitely a unique environment. Were y' all bummed out? Jed, Did y' all ever talk about amongst yourselves that you wish you could play that game?
- [41:41]
Drew Kelson
Oh, yeah, absolutely. That's one of the ones we knew that they were going to get next season, so that sucked. But I'll tell you what, I almost got about 1800 fights when I was actually there at the game, so I was definitely doing my job because I think we beat them so bad. And I was. Yeah, I was still playing up in Canada, so I was coming off of an injury, and I was on one foot, talking more than anybody could ever talk all day of their life. But it was a good time, and it was great experience, even from the stands, that game, for sure.
- [42:16]
Tex Homer
All right, we got through the schedule fairly reasonable time. Good for us. Everyone head over to Inside Texas. Join for $1, then 50 off your first year. The link is down in the description below. Everyone, enjoy the rest of your Tuesday evening. See you later.
- [42:35]
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