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On Texas Football
LIVE: You’re Not Playing at Texas — You’re Playing FOR Texas | Why the 2026 Longhorns Feel Different
00:56:08
Rod Babers and Jeff Howe react to the SEC preseason poll and debate where Texas truly belongs in the conference hierarchy. Is Georgia still in a tier by itself, or does Steve Sarkisian finally have the roster capable of overtaking Kirby Smart? The...
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- [00:02]
Rod Babers
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- [00:30]
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Rod Babers
Where?
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Rod Babers
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Jeff Howe
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Jeff Howe
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- [01:42]
Rod Babers
Welcome back to on Texas Football. Welcome back to our Friday live stream. I'm Lifetime Longhorn Rod Babers. Pleased to be joined by my good friend Steam colleague Jeff Howe. I got lot to get into on the show today. We got the the all SEC preseason poll that was released earlier today. The all preseason SEC team was also released. We can get into that and also we can talk about all the other news notes and nuggets that are surrounding Texas football, of course. But anything you guys want to talk about, throw it out there. We'll try to address as many questions and comments as we can. Super chats always jump to the front of the line and you can interrupt the show at any time. Just throw out a super chat. Jeff, I haven't got a chance to talk to you since SEC media days ended. You guys did a great job by the way. Down here to see media days. OTF was well represented. Yeah, it was great coverage, man. It really was. Like I was sitting here back and I. I don't feel like I missed anything because you guys were so thorough in your coverage against the media days, all the teams. So I'll ask you this. Do you think that was a winner of SEC media days in your opinion? I think somebody won it. Is it possible Last year people kept saying Texas might have won SEC media days because you had some splash announcements doing? I think it got a commitment sometime around that time and something like that. But do you feel like that was a lot of momentum created for any particular program during the SEC media days?
- [03:01]
Jeff Howe
Well, I do know for all of us here on the Friday afternoon live stream, by the way, shout out to everybody in the chat. It's much appreciated. Let's get. We're getting you right for the weekend. We all lose, Rod, because Josie's in the chat early. So that means we're. We all lose. None of us win with that. But no, I. First off, I think. I think Sark. Sark has done a really good job since he took the job for the most part. We can certainly find instances here and there. I'm not saying anything overly grandiose. Not saying anything that's going to back himself into a corner. I know he ruffles some feathers with the kind of the roster construction talk. He just said the quiet part out loud. Like that's. That's one thing. We can get into that if you want, Rod. But it's, you know, when I hear stuff like, oh, college football is not the same and it's changed and what happened to my college football? No, this. This has always been your college football. It's just not everybody is now seeing how the sausage is made and not everybody necessarily likes the taste. Like, this is. This is what it is. Like these discussions that has always happened behind the curtain. Now they're being held in. In a public forum. So, yeah, there's that part of it. I thought Sark. I. I like what I heard and saw from Sark in Texas. That, that stuff was. Was great. But one school is, strange as it might sound considering it's a state staff change. But I. And how involved Texas was trying to be and in some cases was with some of their guys that jumped in the portal. I love Florida. 1.
- [04:26]
Rod Babers
Wow.
- [04:27]
Jeff Howe
Some people made too big of a deal of the John Sumrall thing, which, by the way, I was sitting two seats down from where that happened. It was a cameraman's alarm. He set an alarm on his phone. I don't know why. His arm was shook. Shook one by mob Deep.
- [04:41]
Rod Babers
I don't know why.
- [04:42]
Jeff Howe
But I was checking my computer, like to make sure, like my music or something. Come on. Because that's something that would have come from my phone or my computer. Computer.
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Rod Babers
Mike.
- [04:50]
Jeff Howe
I'm looking. I'm looking down. It was so. Yeah. And it took. So it took the guy a long time to come from the back of the room up front. And that's why.
- [04:57]
Rod Babers
Oh, man, that's brutal. That's brutal. I didn't know. I didn't know. That's the way it went down. That's great.
- [05:01]
Jeff Howe
Yeah, yeah, There you go. See, I'm at. I'm adding some context here. Right? Some contest.
- [05:07]
Rod Babers
What was the song again?
- [05:08]
Jeff Howe
You said Shook Ones by Mobb Deep. It was the, that was the, The B Rabbit freestyle.
- [05:16]
Rod Babers
It was on long enough for you to identify the song.
- [05:20]
Jeff Howe
I didn't need for that song. I didn't need that long to identify it, trust me. But at any rate, no, I thought Florida. Of all the coaches there, I just, I, I like John Sumrall, seems to understand that job. And what I've always said, Rod, when you take over a blue blood, it usually works or doesn't work based on two things. Does a guy understand, truly understand the job he's walking into and what does his initial staff look like? And I think for John Sumrall, I think he gets what Florida is because guys played at Kentucky. He understands the sec.
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Commercial Voice
He.
- [05:53]
Jeff Howe
He has a firm grasp on what Florida was at its height. And I think, I think he hired a really good staff. I think he made some really good hires. So. And look, it's. It's Florida, right? At some point. At some point, it's kind of like we have with Texas with Sark. At some point, Florida's gonna hire the right guy and they're gonna start winning games again. And it may or may not be John Sumrall, but I was, I was really impressed with, With John Sumrall in Florida.
- [06:18]
Rod Babers
Yeah. No, and I, I like, I like the hire of Buster Faulkner as the oc. I thought that was a really good hire. He's one of. He. If you're a football theorist like Jeff and I consider ourselves to be just kind of diving into football philosophy. He's got one of the more innovative offenses in college football. So I like that. And I'm with you. If you could beat Texas. You know, people always talk about Stark, always brings up the Ohio State game. You brought it up again talking about strength of schedule and that kind of stuff at the SC media days. But ultimately it was Florida that kept you from making the playoffs because that was a bad football team with a lot with high quality talent, with high end talent. And on that day, they actually had a good game plan. They usually got out coached from game to game. That's why Florida was a bad team. Talent wise. Florida is one of the most talented teams in sec. Got out coached from game to game. That game, they had a really good game plan. And let's Be honest. They were just a tougher team on the field in Texas that day. So I'm with you about Florida. Florida's a lot of teams think if I'm. I've been looking at the sleeper teams for a lot of the, you know, college football analysts around the country, and Florida's a popular kind of sleeper team that may go. Because if you look at the matter, we can start talking about the. The preseason poll right now.
- [07:31]
Jeff Howe
Let's do it.
- [07:32]
Rod Babers
It is clearly a tier one in everybody's preseason prognostications for the sec. It is Texas. It is Georgia. What are you looking at? The amount of players. I think Texas and Georgia have the most players selected for the preseason selections for the all SEC team. And they also have the most, what they call them champion votes, whatever, for the. For the SEC preseason poll. And then after that, that's when it gets really interesting because, honestly, it's just Georgia and then Texas as the two front runners. It gets really interesting after that because I think the other teams have. Have the elite qualities, but also could have tragic flaws. And the assumption is Texas and Georgia don't have tragic Shakespearean flaws, that they may have some things they got to tinker with, but they don't have anything that's going to tragically bring them down. Everybody else you name in that tier, 2, a. M, Ole Miss, Oklahoma is in there. Right. Alabama's in that tier, too. You know, I mean, that. That group there, you probably can throw out an elite trait about them, but you also can throw out any Le Bas. Not elite, but a tragic flaw about them as well.
- [08:43]
Jeff Howe
Yeah, I actually think there's three tiers, Rod, when. When you look at the SEC this year, I think.
- [08:47]
Rod Babers
Oh, yeah, I think. I think it's four. I think there's a bottom tier, which is like Arkansas and. And so I think there's four, actually. And then there's the three. So I agree with you. Yeah, you're right. I don't.
- [08:58]
Jeff Howe
Don't sleep on Mississippi State. Like, Mississippi State's one of those programs. And I try to, like, compare it to. Because I think Texas fans in a lot of. In a lot of ways are still getting familiar with the SEC teams and some of their traditions and, like, who they traditionally are. Man, Mississippi State is kind of like, if I could compare them to anybody, maybe, like. Maybe like West Virginia.
- [09:20]
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- [09:33]
Rod Babers
Where?
- [09:35]
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- [09:52]
Jeff Howe
I don't know that they're ever going to really be a threat to win the conference, but you look at their roster and they've usually got, I don't know, three to five guys, give or take. Given the year where you're like, how the heck West Virginia get him? Like, I'll tell you what. Like, Rod, I. I walk by Kelly Jones in the on.
- [10:08]
Rod Babers
He's nice.
- [10:10]
Jeff Howe
I do. You're a corner. Like, you look. You look like you go like play H back or something.
- [10:14]
Rod Babers
Yeah.
- [10:15]
Jeff Howe
Kelly Jones is a big dude for a quarter. I. I don't. In Mississippi State's flirting with bowl eligibility. We saw them. We saw them get close to that last year. But no, I think the three tiers at the top, I think Georgia's in a tear by itself because I think in big games there is no pro. There is no head coach in this conference I trust more than Kirby Smart to have his team ready for a big game. There's no head coach I trust more to push the right buttons in the flow of a game than Kirby Smart. And I'll tell you this.
- [10:42]
Rod Babers
I.
- [10:43]
Jeff Howe
We can get into why I didn't do it. I didn't submit my SEC preseason ballot just because I don't like the way the SEC does it. I just don't. It's just kind of a cluster. But if I was, and this has nothing to do with NFL draft, mind you, or it has nothing to do with how I feel about them as players. But if I'm just projecting going into the year how I would tear the SEC quarterbacks, I would have Arch third behind Trinidad Chambliss, who I think is the most proven commodity at that position in the league. And I don't know. Gunner Stockton may be a day three draft pick for all I know. He may be a guy that's out of the league in two years, but for what he means to Georgia as a quarterback. Yeah, I don't know that I. There are very few guys I take over him if I just want somebody to lead my team and that the guys will rally around and put their bodies on the line for as a leader of men, I. I just love the intangibles Gunner Stockton has so that it always goes back. Rod, what do you always say, do you trust the head coach? Do you trust the quarterback? No combo in this league. I trust more than Kirby Smart and Gunner Stockton. And then I think Texas is on the second tier because I think you look at the roster. Yeah, I think it is the most talented roster in the sec. It's almost down to roster Sark has had. He said there's no real, like, as you said, the tragic flaw. But that third tier, Oklahoma from. Oklahoma's on that third tier. Yeah. LSU's on that third tier.
- [12:06]
Rod Babers
Yep.
- [12:07]
Jeff Howe
Texas A and M's on that third tier.
- [12:09]
Rod Babers
Agree.
- [12:09]
Jeff Howe
Alabama's on that third tier. And you know what? I'm gonna put Florida on that third tier too.
- [12:13]
Rod Babers
Okay. Because.
- [12:15]
Jeff Howe
Yeah. Okay. I, I don't know where they are from a depth standpoint, but man, you start looking at just top end talent, whether you're looking at Burnell Brown or Jaden Ball or Jalen woods. Like, you just look at some of their top end guys at certain positions, it's like, yeah, they, they've got a roster where you can see them winning nine games. I think, I think Florida, I don't know if Florida is going to compete for the conference championship, but I think they're gonna, they're gonna win a game or two that's gonna determine who gets to Atlanta and who gets in the playoff.
- [12:43]
Rod Babers
That's good. No, I like your. I like to. Honestly, that's why I like that you broke up to Georgia in their own tier because I guess you're always disrespecting Georgia to put Texas in the same tier with them because they've already proven and done it and Texas hasn't necessarily done it yet. So I like that we're thinking along the same lines. Is that the most interesting tier is that tier with. Oh, with basically A M, lsu, Bama, and like I said, I throw Ole Miss. How people like Ole Miss. But if you look at the. Because you're, you're. One of your great takes is SEC's a lot of scrimmage league. You were saying that for a long time. Honestly, you might be the first person I heard say. I'm sure somebody may have said it before, Jeff, but you're the first person that kept talking about scrimmage league because you kept talking about the Texas OU game being a line of scrimmage game. And it kind of compared to the sec and ironically Texas and Oklahoma both in the SEC now. But so if you go look at line of scrimmage players, that's what Georgia. You go to all SEC selections in the preseason, I believe they have 12 of them, five of them on the O line and the D line. You know, I mean, and for Texas, I want to say Texas is like 3o line and D line selections overall. If you look at, I think it's Baker, Goosby and then Simmons. See, but that's how they win. And then they got a tight end. So you throw that tight end often works with the line of scriptures. We talk about that. They throw a tight end in there and they got a running back that's also was a pre. And then. So the running back back, that helps you control the game. Right, the running game. And he talked about Gunnar Stockton. So throw the quarterback in there because ultimately the quarterback helps you control the entire complexion of the game. Right. And make good decisions and stay out of bad situations. So in terms of being able to control the game, they are built for that line of scrimmage league you talk about. And that's why I think Georgia, they are the. Probably should be in a tier by themselves because they, they check all those boxes and Texas checks damn near all of those boxes. And I don't think anybody else really checks all of them. Ole Miss is interesting because, you know, I think their tragic flash is losing Lane Kiffin. Like, how do you respond? How's the first year head coach of Pete Golding? Other than that, they still. They got it. They got talent. I mean, you go. They got seven all SEC selection in the preseason. That is I believe the fifth most of any team. The one that doesn't line up is oklahoma. Oklahoma's got 10 selections.
- [14:58]
Commercial Voice
Right.
- [14:58]
Rod Babers
They got a lot of selections on there and it's not adding up in terms of the people seeing them. So maybe that schedule for Oklahoma, it just doesn't. Maybe it's the schedule.
- [15:07]
Jeff Howe
Well, there's that. Look at where Oklahoma's all SEC selections are too. It's all interior, defensive line, edge, secondary. Yeah, it's all they. They might have the best defense in the conference, but Rod, Oklahoma does have a tragic flaw and that is if their skill possessions aren't markedly better than they were last year. There's a really, there's a really hard ceiling if, if you're, if you're just counting on John Mattier to, to kind of pull the rest of the offense with them. You've got a hard ceiling trying to win that way.
- [15:40]
Rod Babers
Yeah. Here. Too much hero ball for John. For John material. I agree with you. And then, you know, LSU's the same way. LSU's got a lot of talent, but it's the first year head coach. Even though Lane Kiffin is proven to be first year there. How's that coming together? But they got, I believe like nine selections somewhere around there on that all SEC team. So they got a lot of them too. So it's, it'll be interesting to see the talent, I think in that, that tier of. That's that third tier as you talk about, second tier that I'm looking at. It's really interesting because it's all about who rises to the occasion. Like if Marcel Reed, like The A M1 doesn't line up A and M doesn't have a lot of selections on the all SEC team, they had a lot to replace. Yeah, but the, I guess the, the media that's voting, they're looking at the overall talent. It's unproven, but they do have a ton of talent. They've been stockpile. Elko's doing a good job bringing in the talent. But honestly, it's all about Marcel Reed. They replace a lot on the O line too. Can Marcel Reed take his game to the next level and can that O line gel? So everybody's got those questions in that tier. That's going to determine a lot. Obviously Texas with Texas and Georgia with the fewest amount of those uncertainties.
- [16:52]
Jeff Howe
If you, if we compare the SEC race to like I had a track coach in middle school tell me, hey, you got to be fast and athletic to participate in running events. But he's at the 400 to 400 meters, 400 man's race. Because it takes, it takes more than speed. It takes endurance. It takes a lot to run that quarter. If we're comparing this to that quarter mile ou at probably about the 70, 80 meter mark, they're gonna have a pro, I'd say probably go out to maybe 100 to 125. A M's gonna have a pretty good lead because look at their schedule early on. Like, they've got a very manageable schedule early. Like A and m can start 7 0. But how in terms of like, if you think about a quarter, okay, how far can you stretch your league? Can you stretch it far enough to where you're gonna be? Your tank's gonna be empty earlier, but you're gonna have enough to kind of coast in. Can, can this roster come together and can you iron the kinks out before that schedule gets really tough down the stretch?
- [17:47]
Rod Babers
Yeah, A M's November is brutal. Yeah, they got a brutal stretch down, so we'll see. That's a great point. I agree with you about scheduling is a big part of it. And honestly, I think everybody's got challenges schedule wise. If you look at it, it just depends on like for A M, it's November. For Texas, I think it's a lot of those road games I don't see Georgia actually is one of the only teams. Yeah, they still got it. They, they got to play nine SEC games, but they, they don't have any heavyweights back to back. If you go look at their schedule.
- [18:14]
Jeff Howe
Yeah, LSU's is a little bit like that too. Like where it's kind of, they kind of got a balance, LSU schedule balance. That's another reason why I like Georgia when the sec, because I think by the time this war of attrition that this league is going to be. Georgia may just be in the best shape from a depth standpoint by the time you get to the end of it.
- [18:30]
Rod Babers
That's true too. Yeah, I agree with that. No question about it. All right, before we dive into. I know we got some questions. We'll get into some questions here and then talk about Texas selections for the all SEC team. Let's first thank a couple of our sponsors. Thank our friends over at Garage Beer. The Garage is always open, ladies and gentlemen, especially to get the weekend started. No better way to get the weekend started. Dinner with our friends over at Garage Beer. It is a fantastic product. Actually been enjoying their light beer for a while now, but now the secret is out. You can find Garage Beer pretty much anywhere you buy your favorite light beer spirits anywhere you do grocery shopping. Crisp, refreshing, only 95 calories. They call it beer flavored beer. But I can tell you it is delicious. They're not trying to impress you with their secret brewing techniques or their rich history or all their fancy ingredients. No, they. The only thing you care about, they know is that it's great tasting and that it's like beer and it's fantastic. I can tell you about that too. They also got it in lime, the traditional flavor, but also in lime. So check it out wherever you do your grocery shopping. Try it out. And once you try it out, you'll be a fan like me. That's Garage Beer. The Garage is always open. Thank you very much to our friends over at Garage Beer. While we're thanking sponsors, let's also thank our friends over at Prize Picks as well. Prize Picks is great. A great way to enjoy your sports viewing experience even that much more. And it doesn't really matter what you, what sports you like, right? They have all the sports available now. The World cup is over. You still got baseball in full swing. You still got your WNBA action, even if esports is your thing. Whatever you like, our friends over at Prize Picks give you a variety of different ways to enjoy it's America's number one sports picks apps and honestly it's about as simple as it gets for player picks. All you do is choose more or less on few player stats and lock in your lineup. That's it. And if you're someone who likes picking teams instead of individual players prize picks as you covered there too, you can now pick the winner, the the spread or the total on games and even fights prospects available in all 50 states. In most states, excuse me, including Texas, California and Florida. So chances are you can jump in today. And one of my favorite features is that you can follow users on, on you know, on all the sports, right. If you like the picks that you're making, you can follow them and you know, use some of their picks to advise your picks or influence your picks. You can tell them with one click and you can follow your friends picks as well. And now here's the best part. If you've never tried projects before, play your first five dollar lineup and you if you win you'll get 150 in bonus lineups. Just make sure use the code HMA when you sign up. They actually just updated this offer so there's never been a better time right now to get started. So download the prize picks, use the code HMA, play the first $5 lineup. If you win, you'll get $150 in bonus lineup. That's prize picks code HMA and as always, play smart. Play responsibly. Play prize.
- [21:25]
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- [21:55]
Rod Babers
All right, we got some questions. Oh we got some super chats actually. Shout out to Rocky for Thank you Rocky for we appreciate that. Good to hear from you. Hope all is going well. He says first part of this question. Colleen Orange are the clear leaders and enjoying it. I agree with that. They did seem very confident, sure of themselves at SEC media days. Then says our second players are getting faster or chilling faster Excuse me. Than anticipated. Day number three, Dark Sark. Darth Sark is setting the tone that I anticipated. Confident and talking Ish. Six more Fridays until the reckoning begins. Thank you very much. Rocky, for you were there. Jeff. You got a chance to see these guys in action there at SC Media days. You agree with Rocky Poor.
- [22:40]
Jeff Howe
I think both those guys, Colin and Arch, I think you see growth from both those guys. Arch talked about kind of his goal for the off season. You're thinking, okay, is it to. Obviously recovering from the foot surgery was part of that. But you know, hey, you want to work on short passing game? What do you want to work on? Arc said his goal is just being present. Like that's what he's focused on. Well, would, wouldn't we all like to work on that, Rod? But you know, Arch. Arch said he, he feels like he's more prepared going into this year because he's done a better job. He feels of just staying present, staying in the moment. Don't worry about what's down the road. Don't think too far ahead. Take it one day at a time is cliche, but I think it, I think it's. It's a really good self reflection by Arch to kind of show how he's growing. I think Colin, when, when you hear Colin Simmons go back and, and rewind, rewind, going back to last year, really go back to last spring when Colin's saying, hey, I'm gunning for the sack record. Like, I don't think I've ever heard a Texas pass rusher openly. But now I don't know if Colin realized what the sack record was, but I don't think I've ever heard somebody just say, yeah, I'm going for that record. And now for Colin to say, yo, my individual goals are the team goals. Yeah. Want to win. And he talked about Texas as a family. Like, this is his family. The name on the front means just as much to him as the name on the back. And Rod, you know, when you get to that point now you're not playing at Texas now you're playing for Texas. I think that's, that's where these guys specifically and when you can recruit. Look, Texas is really fortunate to be where they're at because they've got guys at premium positions. Those three guys that were there in Tampa yesterday with us, they. And when. I mean the royal us with the OTF crew, those guys,
- [24:21]
Commercial Voice
they.
- [24:22]
Jeff Howe
When you can get guys in your program, when you can recruit them and have them grow and you'll understand Your culture. Those are the kind of guys, Rod, that you need on your roster. And it's even better if they're premium position guys because those are the guys that get to a point where they're not playing at Texas, they're playing for Texas. I think all three of those guys that were there yesterday are at that point, as far as players gelling faster, just real quick. I mean, that's. I, I can't tell you, Rocky, over the years how many articles I've written about guys getting together for barbecues or playing ping pong and how much it helps the team grow. Some years it, I've heard five win teams say that. I've heard teams that have competed for national championships say that. So that kind of, that's neither here nor there for me. But, you know, Sark, I just think Sark is confident in this team. I think he likes this team. And I think he probably feels like when he was talking about penalties, Rod, I, I feel better not to say that I think the penalty situation is going to get fixed. But when he talks about, hey, they've let Tory Becton handle discipline. You know, for guys that mess up, if you get penalized in practice, you don't just get punished. The whole position group gets punished. So you're making guys be accountable for it. That's the, that was my biggest takeaway from Sark. I know he had all the other sound bites and everything, but it's not just okay. It's one thing to understand, like, yeah, you were almost butt naked last in the country last year in penalties. We all know it's unacceptable. What are you doing to fix it? And yesterday was kind of the first time we've heard what happened to fix it. Now you feel like, okay, if that resonated, if it really did resonate, which Rod, you've been in that position. Typically when one guy screws up and the whole group gets punished, typically that resonates. Now you're getting somewhere.
- [26:03]
Rod Babers
Yeah. It's interesting that he didn't get into detail, but he did talk about how basically they're kind of infusing some of their solutions into the off season workouts with the guys just all around discipline. And I wonder if also, and I, because I don't know what Mark Stoops's specific role is as the, like, assistant to the head coach, special assistant, special assistant to the head coach, whatever it is. But I don't know how, but Kentucky was really good in minimizing penalties when he was there. That was like one, like, I Want to say, in three out of his last five years at Kentucky, they were at the field. The least amount of penalties in the SEC are the second fewest penalties in the sec. Hey, I don't know what was going on there, but that's just something that. His teams were really disciplined in that regard. Maybe he knows something about the refs. Whatever it is, hopefully he's willing to share that, too. I remember thinking about that. We talked about that earlier, so. All right, good take there, Rocky P. Appreciate the super chat. How about this one from Juan? Thank you, Juan. He says, was Gene Chisik ever a candidate for the Texas job in between Charlie and Tom Herman? No, I never heard that.
- [27:12]
Jeff Howe
No. He wasn't there when. When Charlie Strong got fired, there was one candidate, and it was the guy that got the job. Like it was.
- [27:20]
Rod Babers
Yeah. Yeah.
- [27:20]
Jeff Howe
So no, Gene Chisik was. I wish I had a more elaborate answer, Juan. Thank you for the super chat. But no, Gene Chiswick was not a candidate.
- [27:28]
Rod Babers
Probably should have been a more expansive search. I always thought. I always said if I was hiring, I would. Whether it be a college football coach or an NFL coach, I would bring in as many applicants as I could. Because what you don't realize is they're trying to impress you. So they're gonna give you secrets to whatever their experiences were, wherever they. Wherever they were just, you know, coaching. So if I was. If I was hiring the NFL as a gm, I'd bring in as many of the. The lifting coordinators as I could because they're all going to give me their philosophy and secrets just so they can impress me to try to get the job. Same thing in college. So if, at the very least, I'm just learning more about college football, I'm learning more about football, period. I'm learning more about the NFL and these successful organizations. So I don't understand why you would ever just say, you can tell somebody, hey, you're my guy. I'm gonna hire you. I would always open it up. I'm just trying to learn more. I would treat it like research, pretty much.
- [28:25]
Jeff Howe
I think that's the difference between. And I. I like Mike Perrin a lot personally, but I think that's the difference between an interim AD and kind of an inexperienced president, kind of getting caught up in the agent talk and rushing to make a decision to make sure you get your guy. Whereas a guy like cdc, CDC is one of those guys that he's always. You always have to have that plan. Right? Because the Chris Beard situation is a perfect example. You Never know when something's going to happen. You've got to have that ready to go because you never know. And cdc, to his credit, the. The transition is pretty quick, but that search is. He does a ton of due diligence on those searches. And there's a reason why his hit rate is pretty high, Very high.
- [29:15]
Rod Babers
I'm with you. I think he does a lot of research beforehand. Like, I don't know how expansive his searches are for the most part with cdc in that situation where Texas was in, I would expand it. But you're right, he has a really high hit rate and he usually moves really fast. I think when he fires somebody or somebody who's on, he already knows. Now, Chris Beard, very different circumstances, right. You have to adjust on the fly. But I think he knows when he removes somebody from that position exactly who's he's gonna hire on his very short list. All right, thank you, Juan. We appreciate the super chat there. All right, how about this one from Marco? He says what is a tendency breaker, slash wrinkle you would all like to see this season? I would like to see turn time as a full back and goal line plays. With his strength, speed and athleticism, he can be a weapon. Turntime might be good in that 6,0 line package that they haven't used in like two years. They didn't use it at all last year. I don't think we saw it at all in 2024 either. Honestly. If we did, it was sparingly, maybe in goal line situations. I would bring back that. They call it the Big 11, Big 12. Essentially, they take out a tight end, just put in the extra offensive lineman. I turn time can do that because he's athletic now. You know, they don't send him out on routes. I think they run like maybe five, six routes a season. So it's really just for extra blocking. But I mean, I think he would be great in that role. So I like that idea.
- [30:45]
Jeff Howe
I. I don't want to mess with turn time as a fullback. I don't want to be gimmicky with him because depending on. Look, this Lawrence Seymour thing, it's not set in stone that he's gonna be the starting left guard. He's gonna have to go compete for the job and needs to compete for the job. And I think if you're Kyle Flood, you need to figure out, okay, who it. Who of my backups, even the freshman, who can I count on? Like if John Turntine can be in theory the backup left tackle, which I think if you Know, knock on wood, something happened to Trevor Groos, but you're probably shifting some pieces around. John Turntine may not be the first guy off the bench, but if Turntime can be your backup left tackle, would that give you some flexibility to tinker with? Hey, what does Jordan Coleman look like a guard? If you need to. If. If you're not happy with what you've got at left guard. So I don't want to get what you're saying, Rod, what you're describing with the 60 line package, to me, that is totally different than experimenting with an old lineman at fullback. That to me is way too gimmicky for where this O line is right now. If you, like, if you had George's offensive line, right, and you look at Georgia's line like we were talking about this in the OTF frat house. Like, Georgia, if you look at their offensive line, like they're basically starting like five interior linemen online. But all five of those guys are probably gonna play in the NFL. Like, they may not conventionally, size wise be what you would expect, but like, they're all really talented, really good, and really physical. If Texas had that set up, yeah, tinker with an offensive lineman at fullback, but you're not. You're not there.
- [32:22]
Rod Babers
It's interesting, you say that they have basically kind of taken guys who may have traits that translate to interior offensive line and just kind of put them all out there because that's their best five. Like, hey, we're looking for our best five, my best five. And it seems like Texas, best five. They're looking for more tackles that they can just put, you know, I mean, on the online. Like they're moving Brandon Baker inside. So they want more athleticism. It seems like Georgia just wants more physicality. Yeah, you can move another human being against his will. Yeah, we won't throw in our own line because their, their philosophy is a little bit different. Texas is built around. I think this year will be. It's a, it's a finesse approach because I think pass pro in Sark's offense, whether he wants to admit it or not, is probably more important than run blocking.
- [33:09]
Jeff Howe
And I think as much wide zone, as much wide zone, as much zone as you run, period. Yeah, you need more athletic linemen as much as they, as much as they pull their guards. Yeah, you need more athletic linemen. You know, we'll see if they get back to running a little more duo than they did last year. But yeah, I just think for. I feel like having a more Athletic line opens you up to being more diverse with your run game schemes and really what you can do in terms of pass pro. I know that sometimes they like to pull guards and pass pro on pass protection plays. So I mean I just think there's definitely, trust me, there's nothing wrong with the way Georgia does it. Like it just. It kind of limits your scope a little bit. But I think for Sart to be. We talked about having that counter punch. If somebody's going to try to stop the wide zone, where do you go from there? I think if you got a more athletic line that can do more, I think it's easier to come up with that counter punch when you gotta, you gotta swerve.
- [34:09]
Commercial Voice
Yeah.
- [34:09]
Rod Babers
No, I think it's interesting because last year Texas ran more gap power schemes than ever before, but also had their worst run game that Sark has had since he was a play calling head coach. And I have a feeling he's going to revert back to being heavy outside zone this year with smothers and relief Brown and kind of go back to that. And nothing wrong with that. That'll you pop more explosive runs that way getting to the C and the D gap via the outside zone. But remember the big issue was, and that's what Jeff is talking about, you didn't have a, you didn't have a second run scheme that you could rely on when teams could stop your outside zone. When you got to a Georgia or it was an Arizona State or when you got to Ohio State. Now you may not have to worry about that but four or five times on the schedule. But those four or five times could be crucial and critical.
- [34:57]
Commercial Voice
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- [35:28]
Rod Babers
So if you're gonna be heavy outside zone, just know you better have something to fall back on when a team inevitably stops it, because they will. You got too many good teams. You're gonna play on your schedule. Somebody's gonna figure it out.
- [35:38]
Jeff Howe
Yeah, like Arizona State didn't have ideal personnel in the Peach Bowl. Yeah, they stopped it because they schematically they made it a point to, you know what's Interesting though, too, when we look at the. The zone run game Texas has specifically, like going back to the wide zone being your bread and butter. One thing we didn't talk about, we talked a lot about Mark Stoops and, you know, some of the other assistants that got hired. You bring over Billy Gonzalez from Florida, which you hired Jabarja Luke, you bring over Billy Gonzalez like that. That should tell you to give you a little insight into how much that Florida loss bothered Sark last year, like hired two guys off that staff to basically tell us what's wrong with us. And we can kind of deconstruct it from the inside from that standpoint. But one of the higher that I don't think we talked about Harley at all. Rod was hiring, bringing in Steve Casula from Michigan, who was the tight ends coach at Michigan. And you know, you bring it like you said, you bring in Mark Stoops. Mark Stoops understands how to play within the margins and be buttoned up and disciplined because he had to at Kentucky.
- [36:33]
Rod Babers
Kentucky, yeah. Not enough talent.
- [36:34]
Jeff Howe
You're never going to have the talent advantage over anybody in the SEC when you're the head coach of Kentucky. So you got to figure out how to make up ground wherever you can. And that's the way he coaches. And I think Sark needs some of that again, I think in Jabar, Jaluke, Billy Gonzalez, and I think Steve Kasula. Steve Kasula, he's been a part of staffs that have beaten Ohio State. He knows. He knows what it takes to. To win a game against Ohio State. He's been in those meeting rooms. So I think you bring him in. And something Trevor Goosby said yesterday, too, when I was asking him about, you know, I was asking him about the coaches, the new hires, improving the physicality. Actually, that's Colin Simmons that. But CJ Asked Trevor Goosby, I think about the tight end room and what Texas getting out of the tight end room. And Trevor Goosby mentioned Steve Kazula as a guy that's really helped get more out of that room. Now they brought in Massunas. Nick Townsend's a year older, but I don't know. Right. I don't know if we probably have given it as much attention as we should. Just kind of how Sark just put more resources into the tight ends.
- [37:36]
Rod Babers
Yeah. No, you're right.
- [37:37]
Jeff Howe
That position's better.
- [37:38]
Rod Babers
Yeah. No, it's. And he has a chance now for the Titan position to be more physical than it's ever been. Now, I don't know if It'll be as skilled because Helm was a hell of a tight end in terms of skill and so was J.T. sanders. But you may have a chance to have your most physical version, physical room at the tight end position. Nick Townsend, Michael Massunas, I liked. You brought up the addition of the coaching staff as well, so that's pretty good. All right, let's. Oh, Rocky Poor with another super chat here. Thank you, Rocky. Port says Ed. Rod, thoughts on Meredith reclassifying and that? Jeff, how did it feel being in the house of a team that won a Super bowl this century? Go Bucks. You know.
- [38:17]
Jeff Howe
You know where I was when I was at Raymond James Stadium for the media party, which is where we did the.
- [38:21]
Rod Babers
Oh, nice.
- [38:22]
Jeff Howe
Which is where we did the Wednesday night live streams. By the way, Rod had to remind everybody. Yes, the Tampa Bay Bucks are on your resume as a team you spent time with in the end.
- [38:29]
Rod Babers
Very true.
- [38:29]
Jeff Howe
Yeah, yeah, I know. The Bucks have won a Super bowl and they've been super bowl celebrated. You know what else happened at Raymond James Stadium? That's where Dak Prescott ended Tom Brady's career at Raymond James Stadium.
- [38:44]
Rod Babers
So I remember that, actually. I remember that game. Yeah, I remember that game because it was like, the Cowboys are clearly better, but it's Tom Brady. Did we pick against Tom Brady. And hey, Dak did his thing.
- [38:54]
Jeff Howe
Scoreboard for life.
- [38:56]
Rod Babers
Yeah. Oh, do you remember that? You gotta remember times you beat Tom Brady.
- [39:00]
Jeff Howe
As a Cowboys fan, I haven't had much in the last 30 years, Ross. I'll take those. Those victories. I'm gonna hold on to them.
- [39:06]
Rod Babers
Yeah, that was some big Dak energy right there. But thoughts on America reclassifying? I thought it was a brilliant strategic move. He. You know, there were other options. Like, I think people talked about possibly him going to. To play at IMG Academy or something like that. He clearly wasn't. He did not want to go play a Euler's Trinity, which is. He could have gone back there. He's like, no, I'm not playing for those folks. But I like. I love the move. We've seen this a couple of times, right? Richard Wesley is a guy that reclassified, and they're still high on him. He reclassified. And I've heard multiple times and talked to Lance Jackson. It's like, oh, no. He's going to play like the coaches really like, they like them that much. And I feel like Meredith is going to be in that same conversation. Guy's gonna come in early reclassified and still be a guy that the coaches like. Early, like, enough early on for. I don't know if he's gonna play into this season with the way things are working out. But in terms early on in his career, I think he. I think in 2027, he'll be competing for a starting spot.
- [40:08]
Jeff Howe
That's. Yeah, that's kind of. That's kind of what. What the hope should be. I don't. I don't have big plans for John Meredith in 2026 because there are so many guys. I mean, there were guys that competed their tails off for the position, the spots they've got in spring ball. I mean, your. Your corner room is so competitive. That's the. That's one of the reasons why that we've heard about the idea toying around, kicking around the idea of putting Kobe black at safety. So. Because you feel really good about your corner room. Where I think John Meredith, if he can get to a point where maybe he's competing with. With Smoke Matthews or maybe. Maybe a Warren Roberson, like, that may be the ceiling for John Meredith this year. If he can get to a point where he's taking some of those snaps and Smoke Matthews or Warren Roberson would get. But I'm not even expecting him to do that. Rod, like it. If your Texas have him have his developmental year, if it's going to be that, if he's going to go to IMG or whatever, have that developmental year, be in your program. So that way, basically, basically for John Merritt, it's going to be like the longest spring practice of his life, pretty much is what this season's gonna be.
- [41:18]
Rod Babers
Yeah, no, I agree with that.
- [41:19]
Jeff Howe
I'm sorry I didn't cut you off, but we live in a world now with five for five, so it's not like you got to worry about, well, do we play him in four games? Like, hey, if you. If he's good enough, like on, I don't know, on kickoff team.
- [41:32]
Rod Babers
Exactly.
- [41:33]
Jeff Howe
Let him play every game on the kickoff team just to get his feet wet because it's not hurting anything as far as his eligibility goes.
- [41:38]
Rod Babers
Yep. I, I saw that from Nathaniel. Nathaniel here, Loper, 5, 8, 3, 5. Great point, says Rod. Do you see John Meredith playing special teams here? I do. I think he's. And this is. This question actually relates to another question I saw from the Green Lantern. He says to both of you, is blocking a punch scheme or talent? Everyone talks about Jermaine Bishop's extreme quickness. Would he be an outstanding, outstanding punt blocker? This is why I like this question. And I think it does actually relate to Nathaniel's question. I want twitchy, long athletes on my special teams. Twitchy and long. And that especially helps you when it comes to blocking kicks. Twitchy and long. All right, Twitchy. And you can add explosive in there, right? You want a guy that can jump high enough and penetrate the line to be able and. But he's long. He's got long arms, long wingspan. Those have always been your best kick. Guys that block kicks at Texas, go look at him. Were you talking about Brian Robeson? Are you talking about Tyrone Jones? Was in that conversation. Hell, my man. Oh. Michael Griffin might be the greatest punt blocker in the history of Texas football.
- [42:46]
Jeff Howe
I think he had eight, but that's. There's a tw. There's a twitch. Naturally athletic guy.
- [42:50]
Rod Babers
He was too lynchy.
- [42:52]
Jeff Howe
Talk about length. Ethan Burke.
- [42:54]
Rod Babers
Ethan Burke was good. He was long. Yes. Great one. Yeah. You gotta have one of them elite. You gotta be twitchy because twitchy will get you off the line. And I was twitchy. I blocked a couple of kicks in my time at Texas because I was twitchy and I had a long. I had long arms, too. I'm short, but I got long horse wingspan. And I think if you're twitchy, that would get you your BGO off the line. But if you're long, it's stretch. Teams happen so quick. Everything is about timing. I mean, they practice over and over again to get it down to 3.2 seconds or 1.5 seconds, whatever it is. So the snap to the corner, to the punter, to get it off. Like they measure it every time they practice. So you have to be precise and efficient in your movements and quick off the line to get you that jump and length. So to your point about John Nerves, he's twitchy and he's long. So he would be a guy that I would definitely put out there. I try McDonough. I try him on the punt lot unit. He's so big that you can. He's like kind of that Jonah Will. He can fit almost all special teams games because you don't get DBs. DBs are twitchy by nature that are that long and range. We talked about this. How many DBs in tech? How many corners in Texas for history have been 6, 2 legit 6, 2 like him. Not many.
- [44:03]
Jeff Howe
Not that many.
- [44:03]
Rod Babers
Not that many. So, yes, he should be out there. And by the way, it is. I think it's both scheme and talent. Michael Griffin just had a knack for. Guy had a knack for. I think Ethan Burke Had a knack for it. I'm with you on that side. I think Ethan Berg had a little knack for it on the interior line. Some guys have. The timing has got to be right, too. It's a lot of things that combine it. I think it's more. I think it's more like skill and innate ability than it is scheme. I think some guys have a knack for blocking kicks and some guys don't, period.
- [44:32]
Jeff Howe
I think it's more about. It's more about length on field goal block to me because. Let's shout out Rod. Rod Held Texas. Look, that 2002 Texas team back when half of this meant something, they went on the road. They won in Lincoln and Manhattan in the same year. That's back when beating Nebraska on the road meant something.
- [44:51]
Rod Babers
It did mean something back then. Yeah, that was tough to do. Ain't gonna lie.
- [44:55]
Jeff Howe
Chris Sims mangled his finger, by the way. But at any rate, no, I think. I think field goal block to me is more about link because it's so hard to get off the edge on field goal block. Punt block. To me, though, that's. That's where. That's where Keelan Robinson was so good at Punk black. Because at that point, like, hey, who's our fastest guy? That's a little bit twitchy. But as a running back, he understands how to play through contact, get off the block. Like, just get in your track stance and go like.
- [45:25]
Rod Babers
That's.
- [45:25]
Jeff Howe
That's why Keelan Robinson was so good in that role. Michael Griffin's another one. And, and because the scheme part of it, I think we're going, wait, this is why you and I don't need to do too many shows together deep in the weeds. But I think pump block, it's more of. It's less you drawing up some kind of elaborate game and more of where in their pump protection are their vulnerabilities.
- [45:49]
Rod Babers
Yeah, good point.
- [45:50]
Jeff Howe
That chess match gets people beat in games and loses games way more often than you might think. If you just are haphazard about your. Your punt protection, man, a really good special teams coach will dissect and be like, nope. Like, look, the up back is. He's too far back here. He's too far up here. If we send multiple guys here like, they.
- [46:11]
Rod Babers
That.
- [46:12]
Jeff Howe
That beer punt block scheme, if it's not buttoned up, dude, it will get you beat more often than not.
- [46:18]
Rod Babers
Honestly, Jeff, I'll take it even further. We won't go too deep. We'll end it after this because you. You're Right about that. We get too, too much nerd them on the show, Football nerd them. But that's what Georgia has done. I think special teams is all about finding that one little weak point and Georgia has done that. Against Texas. The onside kickles that it was one of our guys leaving too early and they noticed like he's leaving about a step early. Did to the freshman who was playing
- [46:39]
Jeff Howe
baseball in the spring.
- [46:40]
Rod Babers
Exactly. They literally was like, yeah, that guy leaving early, he's gonna be hyped up for that.
- [46:44]
Jeff Howe
Not a knock on Jonah, but yeah, it's, it's perfect.
- [46:47]
Rod Babers
It's just, it's just a. You're right. It's the perfect execution on Georgia's board, but also attacking, pinpoint accuracy, the weakness in the scheme. And they did it, they did in the SEC title game too with the fake, fake punt too. That's what special teams I think comes down to. It's like. But it's all about the timing when you're gonna do it. You can't just do it whenever because you got to make sure you do at the right time when that that weakness is going to be most vulnerable. I totally agree. Good stuff there. All right, let's thank our sponsors one more time. Let's take our friends over at Hayes City Store. I love Hay City Store. I've been a big fan of it forever. I feel old because me and my wife who've been together a long time, we used to take, I used to take on dates to Hayes City Store back in the day because I thought it was a really cool spot. I thought it was a really cool date spot. So it is a cool day spot, but also a great family spot because we still go there now. All right, we got the little one and we just take them. Got dogs out there. It's always a great time. Out at Hayes City Store. Scratch made Texas comfort food. They've got their famous truck stop enchiladas, award winning chicken fried steak, homemade desserts, all of it absolutely delicious. All of it made from scratch. There's also live music six nights a week with 50 beers on tap, ice cold long necks and tasty margaritas. Also 11 TVs alone in their ice house. Perfect for game days. And they've even have brunch from 10am to 3pm every Sunday. Hayes City Store is dog friendly, as I said, also very kid friendly. They got a big tree net for the kids to run around on. Plenty of space for the kids to run around, have a good time. So bring the dogs, bring the Whole crew and join the folks out at Hayes City Store. For more information, check out the website at hayscity store tx.com that's hayscity store. Tx.com Hayes City Store. It's uniquely.
- [48:19]
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- [48:32]
Rod Babers
Where?
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- [48:49]
Rod Babers
Texas. All right. And also while we got a little time, let's take our friends over at Garage Beer. We appreciate them for being our lead sponsor today. The garage is always open, especially on the weekends. No better way to get your weekend started than to do it with our friends over at Garage Beer. They're not trying to impress you with their super secret brewing techniques or their rich history or their really fancy ingredients. No, the only thing you care about is that it's great tasting, which I can attest. It is one of my favorite light beers. Only 95 calories. It's crisp, it's refreshing. Beer flavored beer as they describe it. But it's great, folks. Now the secret is out. You can find it anywhere. You do your grocery shopping, where you buy your favorite beer, you buy your wine and spirits. Also, it's available in traditional and also in lime as well. The garage is always open with our friends over at Garage Beer. One last thing before we get out of here. I want to thank the folks who had me. I got a chance to go out and visit some. Some Texas Longhorns. Some true and loyal Texas Longhorn fans. I actually spoke at a Texas Exes event in Aggieland. Oh, yeah, down there in Aggie land. Oh, yeah.
- [49:55]
Jeff Howe
Territory.
- [49:56]
Rod Babers
Texas Exes who live, like, in the heart of Aggieland. Like, they live there. All right, so I was in Brian College Station doing a Texas exit event. So God bless y'. All. Y' all are the. The people.
- [50:07]
Jeff Howe
Keep those people in your thoughts.
- [50:08]
Rod Babers
Hey, they're the bravest at the most. So thank you, Caesar. Appreciate it. Thank you to Shelly. Thank you to all the folks out there, man. They were really, really great. It was a great event. I had a good time. So I just want to tell them, give them a shout out because it was really, really fun. All right, Jeff, thank you for sitting in. Appreciate you taking the time as well. Thanks to Matthew behind the scenes. Oh. Oh, we got a super chat here. Came in. I don't know. I appreciate that. Billy says, is there a lens where a 20, 26 natty overtakes 2005 natty hook them. Wow. See, now you're gonna start this at the right end of the show. This is like a 20 minute topic.
- [50:44]
Jeff Howe
Yeah.
- [50:46]
Rod Babers
Okay. I'll say. This is my thing because Vince Young arches this thing. Vince Young has a different aura. Trying to explain to people how beloved Vince Young is among Longhorn fans because of that championship and how he had to put the cape on time after time. Right. He put the cape on. And whether it been against, I don't know, Kansas or an Oklahoma State, the season was so surreal because even in a couple of times where Texas was in a tight situation and a critical moment, there was no fear or doubt in the fans because of him. Like, they were that sure of him. I. I don't know if they're that sure of Arch. I do know they're the players I think are. Yeah, but I don't know if the fans are there yet. Where the season was so enjoyable. There is no. There was no true stress level. Even when you're down Oklahoma State and all that, because you believe in that VY would find a way the. One of the most clutch, if not the most clutch player in cosplay history. He's in that conversation like he was that clutch in critical moments. So that's why that team holds a special place. It's because of what by did. And then honestly, the. The microcosm is on the biggest stage, the biggest play of the game. Game on the line. He did it again. He did what he did time and time. So that is the key. Will they. Will they be able to do it in a dramatic fashion? Can they go undefeated? That would be amazing with the strength of schedule. But can they do it in a dramatic, thrilling fashion that captivates and hooks a generation of Longhorn fans? Yeah. That's interesting.
- [52:18]
Jeff Howe
Like some national champions, like 2001, Miami, 2019, LSU. You remember them for how good they were. But did either one of those teams have, like, a historic game that you really remember? Like, okay, this was the game where it happened?
- [52:36]
Rod Babers
Like.
- [52:36]
Jeff Howe
No, because both those, Both those teams are title game wins. Miami against Nebraska and LSU against Clemson. They were no contests like, they. They rolled? I. I would say. I would say no only because of this, Rod. The national title game against usc.
- [52:52]
Rod Babers
You.
- [52:53]
Jeff Howe
You can't bottle that and recreate it. Like, I, I have accepted that that was a once in a lifetime type game. I will probably never see a game like that. That is that well constructed, that is that hyped, that exceeds the expectations. And it's almost like going back and watching your favorite movie. For me it is anyway. And all the reverberating effects coming out of that game. It's the Rose bowl, it was Keith Jackson's last game. It's SC's winning streak. It's Vince Young. You can't bottle. You can't recreate that like that was. That's a historic moment in time that it's gonna. It stands the test of time for how historic it was. So I. All national championships are special. That's like asking, hey, which. Which super bowl win is special? Which. Which one of your kids was more special than the other when they were born. It's impossible to pick. But I would just say O5 is going to stand alone and long after all of us here are. Are gone from this mortal earth because of that title game and how special it was.
- [53:58]
Rod Babers
Was. Yeah. And then remember all season long the narrative was it's gonna be Texas and usc. Like it was like it was one of those things that it was like everybody knew it was happening. So it was, it was. The whole season was like a lead up. It's like a teaser for it. So I know, I remember it will not surpass 05 and I love it. The. The comment about the transfer portal and rev share and all these things that are dramatically changing cost football but also very advantageous to Texas us, let's be honest. And so Mac did have those advantages and so 05 is gonna be special and it should be. But if they do something like that in 2026, I hope we can have this debate at the end of the season. That'd be great.
- [54:36]
Jeff Howe
Yeah.
- [54:38]
Rod Babers
Yes. We'll do a whole show on it.
- [54:39]
Jeff Howe
We'll do the whole show.
- [54:41]
Rod Babers
It'd be great. All right. Thank you, Jeff. Great stuff as always. Thank you guys for the questions and super chats. Really appreciate it. Thank you. Matthew. He's a real MVP behind the scenes. But if anything breaks in the meantime, keep it tuned here it's on. Texas football, football. And only Texas football.com SEC ain't ready for this. Whoa. There you go. Last question. How did Stark screw up the ring flare quote? To be the champion, you have to beat the champion. I didn't hear that because somebody, I think C.J. asked him about Georgia and he's like, to be the champion, you gotta beat the champ. To be the man, you gotta beat the man. Then you give it a woo. A Rick flat. Woo. Come on, sir. That should be.
- [55:20]
Jeff Howe
That should be like one of those crocheted and framed sayings, like, hanging up by everybody's bathroom hallway. Like, it's.
- [55:27]
Rod Babers
I was like, how did you mess that with to be the chat? I've never even heard it put like that before. To be the champion, you gotta beat the champion. No, to be the man, you gotta beat the man. That's the great Red Flair said, hey,
- [55:37]
Jeff Howe
Sergeant Sark's just proven they were. None of us are perfect.
- [55:41]
Rod Babers
That's true, that's true. But, man, think about how. How much street credit he would have got if he nailed the quote and then gave the Ric Flair Woo.
- [55:48]
Jeff Howe
I almost wonder if you get negative street cred for going the other way, though. What if you bought it?
- [55:55]
Rod Babers
The Rick Flair Woo. Should never get you negative street cred. All right, thank you, Jeff. Appreciate you.
- [56:00]
Jeff Howe
Thanks.
- [56:00]
Rod Babers
To Matthew. For Jeff. For Matthew, Lifestyle local and ride bears.
- [56:03]
Jeff Howe
Until next time, hook them.