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Steve Sarkisian on K.J. Lacey's Development | Will QB2 Be Ready If Called Upon? | Texas Football
00:13:55
This update focuses on the growth of KJ Lacey as he adapts to the system during critical spring practice sessions. We analyze the specific feedback provided by Steve Sarkisian regarding his performance, providing a clear picture of where the young...
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- [00:00]
Car Buyer
The car is beautiful. Where did you end up going for it? This exclusive place that dad has connections with. They have more cars for more dealerships than like anywhere else. You have to put me in touch. What's it called? It's Dune Dial.
- [00:13]
Bobby Burton
Where?
- [00:15]
Car Buyer
Dune Dial. There's an accent on the E. Do you mean. Yes. I got it undone. Dale. Cars, lift, please. You going past Kimage? Oh, Kimmage. No. Done deal cars. You couldn't possibly go anywhere else.
- [00:30]
Hank South
If worse comes to worse, is Texas ready for a backup quarterback? Our Jerry Hamilton asked Steve Sarkeesian about K.J. lacy at SEC Media Days.
- [00:42]
Bobby Burton
K.J. lacy got a lot of invaluable reps in the spring. How would you assess his spring and where is he at in his development in terms of you guys playing?
- [00:51]
Steve Sarkeesian
Yeah, you know, KJ is a guy that as we've gone through, gone through this with him, and I felt this way in high school and as we've grown and gone, you know, I. I hate comparing guys because it's never fair, but he's got a lot of qualities. He reminds me a lot of Bryce Young, you know, and obviously a bit similar in stature. Both natural passers, both very instinctual. Both are sneaky with their legs and can hurt you with their legs when they get there. And now it's the maturation process of understanding schematically. And. And where do I. Where do I play when I play so well? Off schedule, but yet play on schedule so that I can play off schedule, if that makes sense. And so I think he's kind of learning that as we go. I felt like there were some moments in spring where he was fantastic. There were moments in spring where there were learning moments. I felt like as we've been on the grass with the guys now for the past, you know, I think it's now five weeks or six weeks or so, whatever it's been this summer. I've seen the best version of KJ Lacy this summer, and that's encouraging to us that he took the stuff we wanted him to get better at from spring and apply it in the summer, and we've seen that. I think he'd be a dangerous guy if he got in the game because of his off schedule stuff that he can do, but also his ability just to throw the ball in rhythm and in timing. He's a natural passer that way, and he's thrown a ton of passes. In high school, they threw a ton of balls, and so it's very comfortable and natural for him to do that.
- [02:20]
Hank South
Hank south joining me I'm Bobby Burton. This is episode brought to you by our friend Laura Baker over at Andy Allen. Andy Allen team of Keller Williams Realty hey Hank, the question I had coming out of that, we all know that Texas has needed a backup quarterback. Last year Matthew Caldwell comes in against Mississippi State and in crunch time and overtime delivers a dime to EMT Mosley. Arch Manning came in the year before that and spelled Quinn Ers who was hurt with an abdominal issue. It's likely to happen even though Arch Manning is very durable. Is KJ Lacy, in your opinion and based on what Steve Saian has said and what you've heard, be behind the scenes, is he capable and prepared to be a guy that can be a one or two game starter and kind of get you through some tough spots?
- [03:14]
Bobby Burton
I think he's capable. I think a lot of that depends on the one or two games he would need to start and, and which defenses he's facing up against. But I, I like the fact that this is his second year going into the program. He's a guy that's now more knowledgeable of Steve Sarkeesian's offense and the fact that he got a year behind Matthew Caldwell and you know, to learn about, hey, how do I stay ready if a Mississippi State situation arises or if I potentially need to start that Vanderbilt game? Arch Manning was of course able to play. So I like that about him. I like that he's, he's more knowledgeable about the offense. He got reps in the spring as the first team quarterback at times when you know, Arch Manning was coming off of his, his medical issue. So I, I think he's absolutely capable. I'm not going to say, I'm not going to sit here and say I feel great about the possibility of that happening. Of course, you know, he, he's probably gonna have to come in. It's a long, long season if you, if you get to the finish line. But I think you, you have a little bit of veteran edge. He has MJ Morris who they brought in from Coastal Carolina, who, you know, K.J. lacy I think is probably a more talented quarterback, but you have that veteran aspect from MJ Morris that can be in his ear and kind of help him along. As we've seen that kind of happens in the NFL where you have like a, an 8, an older backup quarterback, third string quarterback that can help the younger guys stay ready. So he's absolutely capable. But again it, you know, is he capable against a top level SEC defense? We'll see.
- [04:41]
Hank South
Just reviewing what he did in high school, state champ, I believe, his junior year, runner up his senior year, something like that. Highly prolific. Had Ryan Williams as his wide receiver, who's now what, a pick for second team all conference in the SEC over at Alabama. But KJ Lacy, he creates with his legs and with his arm. He's not necessarily a runner just like Bryce Young wasn't a runner, but he does have some elusiveness to him, correct?
- [05:13]
Bobby Burton
Yeah. And I've always said this about him. Like when you, when you look at him and you stand next to him, he's not going to blow you away with the measurables. And that, that's where Steve Sarkeesian, you know, brought up Bryce Young and, and that, you know, Bryce Young's a pretty, pretty, he's a shorter quarterback. He, you know, you're not, you're going to look at him and say this guy plays quarterback, but you put him in a game and he moves the ball down the field. He, he's just a gamer. That's always been my description of K.J. lacy. He's not the craziest athletic. He can, he can, he can, can create with his feet if he needs to, but he's just good at moving the ball down the field. He's good at not making mistakes. As a senior at Sarah Land, he, he threw 40 touchdowns to seven interceptions. He's not going to turn the ball over much. He's going to do it. He, you know, Steve Sarkeesian talks about the progression offense and the, in the first read, the second read, that's what, that's what. He's good. He's good between the ears. And so he, he's going to give them exactly what they want. You just, it's a situation where you just can't feel great about it until you see it on the field. And that's where he's best. You don't really have a great grasp of, you know, until he's actually in the game. I think that's where he kind of comes alive. So it will be curious to see if he does need to come into a game because I think he could surprise a lot of people in the fact that that's where he really kind of relishes the, the moment.
- [06:20]
Hank South
The deep ball may not be there in that offense as much as it is with Arch Manning, but there may be more first downs involved is what you're basically saying. It. The offense kind of changes maybe in the prioritization of it if you bring someone like him in. Well, you mentioned in MJ Morris but neither you nor Steve Sarkeesian mentioned Diabell, the true freshman out of South Florida who was the nation's number one quarterback in his class year. But he's only been on campus for six months. Is it completely unfair to try to play push him into a QB3 or a race for QB2 this early in, in his career?
- [07:01]
Car Buyer
The car is beautiful. Where did you end up going for it? This exclusive place that dad has connections with. They have more cars for more dealerships than like anywhere else. You have to put me in touch. What's it called? It's Dune Dial. Where? Dune Dial. There's an accent on the E. Do you mean. Yes. I got it undone. Deal cars. Lift please. You going past Kimage? Oh, Kimmage. No, done. Deal cars. You couldn't possibly go anywhere else.
- [07:33]
Bobby Burton
I think so in my, my point in saying that is he's, he didn't play a ton as a senior. He got hurt really early on, had to get a season ending surgery. He doesn't have that, that full senior year of development. And then we even saw him kind of get banged up a little bit prior to the, the spring showcase scrimmage at the end of April when, when he, he tried to give it a go the morning of, and, and you know, just sat out. So we really only saw K.J. lacy and M.J. morris in that, in that scrimmage setting. I, I just think this is, this is a kid that needs it. You know, I, I think he'll be ready to compete for this job next spring. I, I think it's, it's, I think it's unfair to assume that he's going to step in and be the backup to Arch Manning his first year on campus, especially when he has such limited, limited experience. The talents there, of course, I just, you know, I, I worry about him getting up to speed, him staying healthy or being full, you know, maybe give him another year on, on getting ready to, getting ready to play physically. But I think he's absolutely a guy that's going to challenge KJ Lacy next spring or whoever ends in the quarterback room, assuming, you know, if Arch Manning goes pro. And I think another guy that could really benefit from, from talking to MJ Morrison, having him in his ear again. I don't think MJ Morris is a guy that's going to be the backup quarterback like it was a Matthew Caldwell situation. I think he's going to help these quarterbacks grow and, and kind of understand the position more.
- [08:48]
Hank South
This episode of On Texas Football, brought to you by our friend Laura Baker, your Austin real estate expert laura@andyallenteam.com 512-784-0505 that's 512784505 she has a open house later today over at Westminster Glen off City Park Road. That's 8802 Westminster Glenn open from Saturday from 2 to 4. Again, if you're moving to, from or within the Austin area and think you need a real estate expert, there is no one finer than Laura Baker. Keller Williams the Andy Allen team as we talk about was a blessing to have Matthew Caldwell ready to go. That, that, that guy that had had three years worth of starting experience at various places even if it was on a lower level than what he played for at Texas. You could tell when he came in against Mississippi State he had the confidence to work through what was going on on the field. Texas is going to lack that this year. To your point. KJ Lacy, however, that is seems to be what he is good at. He seems to be a guy that as you said is good between the ears and doesn't get too rattled. If you listen to, to Steve Sarkeesian and what he said, part of the aspect that gives them confidence there is his own demeanor and how he handles himself and you know, some of that comes with being a state champ. Yeah, I think too, you know.
- [10:22]
Bobby Burton
Yeah, I'll say this about Saraland High School. I mean that's a, that's a top flight school in the state of Alabama. It's a 6A program. I actually got to go out to his game. When Texas played at Alabama in 2023 and KJ was a junior, they were playing a really good, a really good St. Paul's team which always puts out D1 talent. I think they had a five star edge rusher and he just, he just tore them apart. And you're at the Star Land Stadium. It's like a little miniature college. They, they even have the light show like Texas does when they score touchdowns. It's like flashing red and white. So he, you know, I'm not comparing that to the, you know, an SEC stadium. But you know, he's been in the, been in the limelight. And one other thing I want to note, you know, I, I think the people around him, I, I, I talk about Arch and longevity and you know, will you need a backup quarterback? I think if Texas has it the way they want it, it's not going to be a situation where Arch is going to be running for his life or he needs to reuse his Legs. I think Arch is going to be able to be more comfortable and maybe be able to stay upright a little bit more and not have to, not have to get banged up in SEC play. If, if everything comes together how they want to. They have the playmakers around them. I think KJ Lacy's had Ryan Williams to throw to. He's never had Cam Coleman, Ryan Wingo, EMT Mosley, Jermaine Bishop, and then, you know, the, the rest of the guys beyond that to throw the football to. So I think everyone's going to raise the level of play. I think they're going to help each other and kind of take pressure off each other.
- [11:40]
Hank South
This is a good question. Going back to his high school film, was he good dumping it down to the running backs too? He was. He seemed to have good from the film, I remember and recall. Seem to have good timing in the short game.
- [11:52]
Bobby Burton
Yeah. And he actually, it's interesting you say that when I saw him in 2023 live, there's, there's a young running back, I believe his name was DeShawn. DeShawn Bishop. Or not DeShawn Bishop, that's the Tennessee running back, but his name was deshawn. I'm butchering his name. But he hadn't really come onto the scene yet. Their starting running back was hurt. He played and there was a lot of checkdowns and little swing passes and he's good at not trying to do too much. And that kid went on. I think he signed with Auburn so he, you know, he kind of, that was the game that really put him on the map. But no, yeah, he's good at the check down game. I think he can. He, like you said, he's not going to push the ball down the field as much, but he's also not going to get you in situations where you're turning the ball over and, you know, playing behind the stick. So he's certainly good in that aspect.
- [12:32]
Steve Sarkeesian
Highly.
- [12:33]
Hank South
All right. You know, we don't wish this on anybody. Fingers crossed with Arch Manning, knock on wood, whatever you want to call it. But I think it's smart to really ask the question about Steve Sarkeesian, about where that number two quarterback is, because just in about every single year that we followed Texas football, there's been a need for a backup quarterback. Hopefully not as much this year, not when they play Ohio State, not when they go to Tennessee or go to the Red river, but we'll see. Keep your eyes on KJ Lacy. And then MJ Morris would be third string and Diabell the true freshman right now, would be fourth string if they move to KJ Lacy ever. We'd see if Diabell might leapfrog someone like MJ Morris. All right, thank you very much, Hank. Thank you also to our sponsor, Laura Baker.
- [13:23]
Car Buyer
The car is beautiful. Where did you end up going for it? This exclusive place that dad has connections with. They have more cars for more dealerships than like, anywhere else. You have to put me in touch. What's it called? It's Dune DL. Where? Dune Dial. There's an accent on the E. Do you mean. Yes. I got it undone. Deal cars. Lift, please. You going past Kimage? Oh, Kimmage. No. Done. Deal cars. You couldn't possibly go anywhere else of Keller Williams.