Stories Inside the Man Cave
Stories Inside the Man Cave
The Pass Rush with Stevie Lee, Clynch, & Adams: This is a rebuilding season for the Longhorns
Texas takes its lumps against Georgia and we sort through what’s real: penalties, drops, youth on defense, and a run-game identity that keeps disappearing. We lay out how to win out against Arkansas and A&M without ducking smoke or sugarcoating expectations.
• Georgia loss dissected and early optimism checked
• Rebuild vs reload after massive roster turnover
• Arch Manning’s growth and leadership under pressure
• Receiver drops on key crossers and drive killers
• Penalties and procedural discipline biting field position
• Run-game commitment, sequencing, and scheme variety
• Secondary youth targeted opposite Manny Muhammad
• Arkansas preview and trap-game urgency
• A&M debate, identity talk, and Heisman chatter
• OU’s résumé, SEC pecking order, and CFP context
• Texas high school playoff shoutouts and gratitude
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Ooh, I know that it is triggering for all Longhorn fans to repeat what happened Saturday night in Athens, Georgia. Something like that. The onside kick. Steve Sarkeesian said the team worked on that leading up to it. There were so many mistakes in that game, but for two and a half quarters, that Texas defense kept the Longhorns in that game. But just like most of the season, the Texas defense has been on the field a lot. There have been some bright spots on the offense. I stand tall, and I know I'll get criticized for this, that Arch Manning has come a long way. He has developed throughout this season. But the theme of this season so far has been the drops by the receivers. Offensive line has finally developed. They found the right combination nine games in. And, you know, things like that. The drops, the penalties? I mean, nine penalties against Georgia. In fact, plain and simple, Texas got beat 35-10. College football playoff hopes are minimal now. Texas has to win out. Beat Arkansas this week and then beat Texas AM the night after Thanksgiving. And I cannot wait, cannot wait to hear what Stevie Lee has to say in the Playmaker83. Mike Adams, the former Texas receiving great in his segment. We're going to dive deep into this. But before we do all that, definitely want to encourage you to follow us on all social media platforms Facebook, IGX, YouTube, and TikTok. And the best thing about YouTube, you can subscribe to it for free. All right. Let's not waste any more time. Let's dig into it, episode 494. We're going to try to figure out the problems and address what many of you who are Longhorn fans, what you're thinking, and Aggie fans, you're riding high. Best start since 1992.
SPEAKER_05:Let's ride being a more physical team. You have to recruit physical players and they have to buy into that process. I don't know that a lot of these kids nowadays they want to check. They don't want physicality. And if you you have the check and no physicality, you end up with nothing. So we're not just getting checks at our place. We're hitting people.
SPEAKER_11:Stevie Lee, uh man, good to see you again. Um, have you recovered from Saturday? And Georgia's still Georgia. Kirby Smart's not lying. And tell me how close you think Texas is to becoming what Georgia is now.
SPEAKER_07:Uh, I guess I'm a little bit more optimistic than uh everyone else around town. How you doing, man? Man, I'm doing good, man. It's good to see your face. And you know, it was kind of quiet this weekend. Yeah, but no, I'm I'm happy. Um, Kirby Smart has a machine going over there in Athens, man. So um, yeah, I mean, they're just good right now, period. Um, we are we are not as good as we thought we were gonna be. In fact, I think we should call this a rebuilding year. Normally, what you would call this type of um uh year uh coming off of you know going to the college football playoffs, getting a new quarterback, getting a basically a whole new offensive line, you would have called this a rebuilding year in the beginning of the year anyway. And now it's starting to feel like it was a rebuilding year. Um uh the the polls just got it really wrong by putting us first in the country. Um but yeah, Kirby has a machine over there right now. Um, you know, heavy is the head that wears the crown. They got the crown right now.
SPEAKER_11:Man, I love your philosophy, Stevie Lee, the philosopher. Yeah, I love it, man. Uh there's a there's so many negative things brewing in. I mean, do you remember our con so we'll go back to our kickoff show at the Boulevard? The bar and grill. Remember that. And I do remember you and I talking, and I said, you know what? I'm optimistic. I think uh Sark has this program to, you know, with all these multiple levels or layers of recruiting, that maybe it's time they can just plug and play. Maybe they've reached that where they can plug and play. But I did say, I even though I was being optimistic about this Texas Longhorn team, I did say I don't care if you have backups on the offensive line, if you lose four of them, four starters, and and trying to create starters out of them, that's the hardest position to create starters and cohesiveness, find the right combination, then you lose your your your NFL caliber receivers. And people again will kill me for saying this. Killing me by criticizing me. Just because a quarterback is on campus for three years, I'm not being apologetic, I'm not being an arch apologist. It's a fact. If you're not playing meaningful snaps and starting, and you have an offensive line that's new, that's not good for any QB. None. That's what I'm saying. And an NFL caliber tight end, 24, I believe, Longhorns have been drafted in two years.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, so we had to rebuild our program after that. So it's um it's just showing true right now that we are rebuilding uh and reloading. I think that a good off-season is gonna uh do us very, very well. Um good uh spring ball, good spring game, and good uh camp going into next year is gonna do us well.
SPEAKER_11:Well, the season's not over. Still two. Oh, it's not over.
SPEAKER_07:You're right. It's not over, but the goals that was in front of them um are likely over. Like we wanted to win um the uh SEC. Well, that's probably not gonna happen at this point, right?
SPEAKER_11:More than likely. Right?
SPEAKER_07:And then and then you get into the college football playoffs, more than likely won't happen. There's gotta be some miracles that happen down the road that that's out of our hands.
SPEAKER_11:You know what? Yeah, in those situations in which you feel flat or you need a little pick me up or just some permanent smiles, man. You know what? I think people should go visit our guy on Far West Boulevard. Yeah, Dave Ramirez, the owner and operator of Northwest Hills Liquor on Far West Boulevard. Man, he is fun, he loves college football, he loves Stevie Lee, loves Mike Adams. Uh, the thing is, he has good knowledge on all wines, bourbons, spirits, you name it, has a really good selection, and um he's not a big guy like those other ones, but they do deliver and they do cater events. Northwest Hills Liquor, where you're not uh um not a customer? Yeah, not a customer. You're a guest. You're a guest. I've got all these slogans for all of our beautiful partners. I almost said where a handshake still means something. I hey the handshake does mean something to Dave Rems, too. Oh my god, man, it's time. Let's bring in our guy Mike Adams, man. We maybe we'll get him to run a route for us like he used to Mike Adams, how you doing, brother? What's going on, fellas? Y'all good? Man, we good. Uh we we got a little long-winded because there's just so much to talk about. Um, I guess initially, I want to come. You want me to come in hard, hard, or just ease into it?
SPEAKER_08:Well, well, since I didn't get a chance to join you guys last week in action, I mean, I guess you might as well just come in hard.
SPEAKER_11:Come in hard, man. That's uh tell you what, today Desmond Howard drops uh something on Instagram about he said, I don't know anything, but don't be surprised of a mutual parting of ways between Mac, I almost said Mac Brown, Steve Sarkesian and the University of Texas, man. What and I'll add to that, on that Instagram post, Chris Del Conte pose, he responded to it, and he said, glad for the insight. What's your take on this, Mike?
SPEAKER_08:Man, I you know, I'm not gonna speculate any more than I guess what Desmond Howard is doing. I maybe he knows something, maybe he doesn't, but you know, I I think uh man, however that plays out, it plays out. But I all I guess I would say about it is you know, you know, Sark's a great coach. Um, he's gonna be in demand. I mean, that that's no secret that you know college coaches, you know, the top college coaches across the land are you know getting interest from other colleges from the NFL, what have you. So yeah, you know, when that bridge gets ready to get crossed, uh, I'm sure we'll all hear about it then. But till then, I'm gonna be a responsible individual and just not really gonna touch that because I don't I don't know.
SPEAKER_11:Stevie, quick real quick, I didn't I wanted to save it from when Mike entered the room, but you saw it, you saw Chris Del Cone in the comments, which I thought was classic. And any used emojis. This one, thank you for the uh insight. You think there's any fire to all this? Because this is twice now in the last three or four weeks.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, um, I don't think, I don't think well, man. So I don't I don't know. I don't know, but Desmond wouldn't, I don't think that Desmond would have said anything if there was some something out there, you know what I mean? Uh I can agree with that. I mean because nobody asked him, right? But he all of a sudden he just said something. So out of the blue, out of the blue, exactly. So um, I don't know, man, but you know, with all the coaching vacancies out there uh in college football right now, uh I I thought that there would be some guys on our staff that would have gotten looks. Yeah, yeah, but Coach Sarkeesian, no, I I I didn't think uh it that that that that would happen, but we all know that he would like to go to the NFL, and there's gonna be some NFL vacancies out there too.
SPEAKER_11:I don't know what to put this rest. I don't think there's any any strength or truth to any of this. I do think his name is being circulated, and they have sources uh saying it, and I'm not gonna be one of those, well, there's smoke, there's fire. We'll we'll know soon enough. Wide receiver drops. It has been something that's been a theme for this year, and Arts actually filtered a question about it today.
SPEAKER_04:Just just move on. I mean, there's been countless times where I have not thrown them a good ball, and they've bailed me out. And so uh you just got to move on, learn from it, and keep going. There's nothing they're not trying to drop the ball. I'm not trying to throw a bad ball. You know, we're all human, make mistakes.
SPEAKER_11:So I'm gonna ask the guy that uh played on the defensive line for Stevie. Mike alluded to it. You've got a lot of young receivers, but that response from Arch, I mean, it's what else is he gonna say? You know, you can't criticize him. He he's made progress. If anything, in that Georgia game offensively, I thought Arch continued this trajectory on improvement.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, um, I I didn't lie, I didn't too much like the response. I I think the a no response is a better response. It's uh um uh we we're getting better every day of catching the ball, that's all, you know, and just move on from it. Um I get I guess his response felt like uh he was agreeing with the reporter for asking the question, you know. So um, but again, he's young, he'll get better at Media Day, you know.
SPEAKER_08:Hey, hey, but but before you move on though, I actually I love his response. I love his response because you know, we've all heard the mantra of hey, you drop the pass, you do a bad pass. I mean, you gotta have a DB mindset. Hey, you got burned, you gotta be ready. Next play, next play mentality. And as a receiver, man, if you start thinking about the one ball you drop, you're probably gonna drop the next three. You gotta get over it, man. You got to get over it. I mean, and that's something that could linger into the next game, and you don't want it to. Like Hart said, you know, I've thrown bad passes, balls that they caught and made me look good, and vice versa. So, so man, I mean, it it I agree with him in that sentiment. You know, maybe people didn't really like his um demeanor as he was answering that question because it was just kind of laid back nonchalant, like, yeah, let's just move on. You know, we all make mistakes, but but I think he's absolutely right, man. You dropped the ball, wingo didn't try to drop the pass. I've dropped balls before, I didn't try to drop it. You know, but I can honestly say I think I dropped like maybe eight, nine balls in my 177 catches that I've caught. So that's like a 92% catch ratio. So I I I do take pride in catching the ball, and yeah, it's definitely important, man. And you know, what we can't see is us coming back this next two or three games, and we're dropping the same types of passes. That's all right.
SPEAKER_07:I like MA knowing his uh his his catch percentages, man. I love that.
SPEAKER_11:He's permanently, it's it's permanently stored on that right lobe of his brain.
SPEAKER_07:No question. That's good, man.
SPEAKER_08:There were a couple I should have caught, and I it plugs me to this day.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, I hear you, man.
SPEAKER_08:Nobody, nobody uh that upsets no one more than the person that dropped the bats, yeah, or made that pick.
SPEAKER_11:You wanna you you remember the ones you didn't make over the ones you did. Oh, for sure. For sure. That they eat so I think what fans and and you know this, Mike. We've seen it, and it's not to run a young guy down, but it's those crossing, those modern intermediate crossing routes that uh drag routes that I think wingo has dropped quite a bit this season. And it's you know, they were they're drive killers, and that's what people are are criticizing them about.
SPEAKER_08:Oh yeah, and man, it's just and and it's a concentration day. I I can see if every because you you've seen him make great stabs. I mean, catch the end zone, man, use his hand, had his body in position. I mean, pretty good catch, defender on his back. I mean, you've seen him catch some D balls. I mean, I mean, while he he's dropped a couple, but the easy routes like that shallow cross in the first quarter, man, that would have put us in position to get a first down and tie the ball game up. But but that's a situation where you know he's trying to catch the ball and run run with it before he catches it. I mean, those are correctable actions. Now, to me, what needs to happen is we don't need to see him have the same type of drop this next game or the following games. Because then that tells me that either something's not being taught correctly, we're not going back and watching and trying to figure out how to better our mistakes, or his concentration level really is a problem, which I think that leads back to coaching too. Yeah, so hopefully we should see some improvement, you know, this next ball game.
SPEAKER_11:You you would think, um, this is the one topic that bugs me. I just I literally, this is funny. Now, envision this me putting together, doing the math, and I had to just double check, confirm. Dating back to last year's game in Austin against Georgia, the SEC Championship, and this past Saturday's game against Georgia, Texas total in those three games, 83 yards rushing, 83 yards total. Um, and Sark brought it up. He was asked about it. I thought we actually ran it pretty good.
SPEAKER_10:We just didn't get enough opportunities.
SPEAKER_11:So, how do you? I mean, I I I'm trying to figure that out. You don't get opportunities. What does that mean, Stevie?
SPEAKER_07:I don't know why you came to me because I don't know. Um maybe the playmaker uh he played offense, maybe he knows. Uh are we doing what the defense gives us, or are we trying to do what we want to do?
SPEAKER_08:You know, see, I I I think if if I can interpret that, what what Sark is saying, that we didn't have enough opportunities. I think that points to the the the flow of the game. And and I and I think you know, if the game is flowing a certain way, if we're in rhythm and we're able to establish a run, you know, you know, play in front of the sticks and not get in, you know, passing downs. I mean, I mean, there were a lot of times we were playing behind the sticks and we really didn't get a chance to to really establish the run. Now, some of that could be you know, maybe we switch up our scheme, our attack, you know, maybe run on first down, or or maybe you know, you know, run on you know, second and long. I mean, just just something to to throw the defense off to mix it up a little bit. But but offense, man, it's tricky, and and you got to get in the Florida game. To be a play caller, I mean, start as we we've all talked about it, he he gets in the flow, he has his 15, 20 play script to start the game, and and and and a lot of those are pass plays, but but I know we like to run the ball, and sometimes you just gotta make your mind up, you're going to uh force your will on a defense. We know Georgia's the type of defense to where, man, they're gonna play the run. And it looked like to me, they probably wanted Arch to throw as much as he did. You know, with our inexperienced offensive line, I don't know, maybe maybe we felt like we couldn't really establish a run. But it's the type of runs that we try to do also. I mean, because they're an aggressive defense. I mean, they float the ball real fast. I mean, you got to work in some reverses. I I mean, you got to run some stretch plays, even though that goes against conventional wisdom, because those guys are fast, they play sideline to sideline. But that helps set up their aggressiveness, you know, with other types of runs and pass plays. So sometimes you got to crawl before you can walk, and you can't get away from running up the middle. I mean, this was a Florida D-line, or excuse me, a Georgia D line that you know people said wasn't one of their best D lines compared to the years of the past. Not saying that they're not good, but it's certainly not Jordan Davis and those guys. So you gotta work the run game, even if you're getting two yards in a cloud of dust. So it's just a matter of finding a rhythm. Well, I think that's what he's trying to say.
SPEAKER_11:Here's the hardest part they started that game, and then all the people who say you know, Wisner is not your it's not a number one back. I mean, the guy had a thousand yards rushing last year. He's tough, he's tough to bring down. Um, they had 33 yards rushing early on. Early on, yeah, they ended up they were negative 10 the rest of the game.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, yeah. We and the first drive, we hit we hit him for what 16 yards and then uh five, and then something like that. We was hitting them in the mouth for pretty good, and then Sarkeesen abandoned the run. He he just abandoned it. He it wasn't opportunities that they were giving us or haven't didn't get the opportunities, it was just that he went away from the run.
SPEAKER_08:And the game was tight, the game was tight to till the fourth quarter. Now, I will say, looking at our personnel and the types of backs that we have, I I mean, you know, maybe people are questioning that in terms of production. And I mean, because I, you know, I think we have some good solid backs, but I don't think we have a guy that if I'm doing the sky report for the week for the opposite team, I don't know if anybody fears me. I don't know if anybody, you know, in our backfield, I'm afraid they could take the ball, you know, 80 yards on on an outside pitch or an inside blast play, you know, take it to the distance. Like uh, say, I don't know, Louisville Louisville has a guy, Isaac Brown. That guy's pretty good. That guy's a home run hitter. I don't know if we have a home run hitter at the running back position. Somebody that you know, we've all seen those types of guys before. I mean, we had them here on our yard before. I I mean, Ricky was you know, Ricky was Ricky, but Ricky could take it to the house if there's a crease. I mean, I mean, I mean, Jamal Charles, those type of explosive type, we don't have that. And I I think it's easy for defenses to while they respect our run game, they don't fear our run game, especially with an inexperienced offensive line.
SPEAKER_11:Right. Yeah. Well, it doesn't help when you're committing penalties after penalties. I've got a stat for y'all. There are 136 college football programs at the FBS level. You guys want to take a guess where Texas is as far as penalties for this year? Ranked amongst 136 programs. Man.
SPEAKER_07:136.
SPEAKER_11:They're ranked, they are the second, the second most penalized team in FBS.
SPEAKER_07:So 135.
SPEAKER_11:Yep. 135. I wouldn't probably say top 20, top 25. It's insane, man. Yeah, that's at least to my source, my uh not not a human, but uh the digital resources out there.
SPEAKER_08:Okay, so so what do you think that's attributed to? I mean, because you know they they normally equate you know a team being the most penalized with a team that's undisciplined. Coaching. I mean, do we have an undisciplined football team? Yes, obviously, in certain areas, yes.
SPEAKER_07:Because most of the time those are false starts, and that's discipline on the offensive line.
SPEAKER_11:Procedural penalties, yeah.
SPEAKER_07:And uh so there is a discipline problem. Um, and I feel like it wasn't addressed in the beginning of the season, so they never addressed it, you know. Um, we've had penalty problems every single game. Uh every game. Yeah, so it's not being addressed, or it's not a priority to them to try to fix it.
SPEAKER_08:So is that a discipline problem? Because that that sounds like, I mean, is that a coaching problem?
SPEAKER_07:Or are they uncoachable? I think that's discipline is coming from coaching.
SPEAKER_08:Right. Yeah, because coaches can correct that. I mean, obviously the players, I mean, that that's something that, you know, repetition and practice and you know, being on count, knowing formations, you know, not being illegal and different things like that, not having those pre-snap penalties, you know, which which which can be avoided. But if that's not being worked on and being corrected, I mean, I mean, do you blame the the player at that point? What did Mike Lee say? Yeah, you're either coaching it or allowing it.
SPEAKER_11:Yeah. But even on you go to you we're fucked, we're talking about the offense, but look at uh Colin Simmons. Now everyone's human. We all make mistakes, but when Colin Simmons jumped offside, that gave Georgia more opportunity.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah.
SPEAKER_11:Because that that's I don't I don't I don't know what it is. I just feel like that's the theme of this team. Uh poor red zone offense, uh uh execution, penalties, and wide receiver drops. And that's and now we're starting to have defensive breakdowns, secondary concerns, and special teams. Uh Stevie, which of those three worries you the most? Because I feel like you guys tell me collectively, the defense has been on the field a lot longer than the offense. Is that a problem in you guys, to your in your opinion? Because the secondaries, they're getting the backside, man, they're giving up a lot of yards in the last four or five weeks.
SPEAKER_07:So I'll I I would never say this out loud, but I'm about to say it out loud. Um I was wondering if the game has already passed um Coach Aquina. Um, our DVs did not look up for the task. Um, but yes, they're still on the field too long. Yeah, my biggest worry, I'm not too worried about the um the special teams that they're gonna do that right, but the offense is is my biggest worry. And then then the breakdowns on the on the back end of the uh defense, the secondary, right? Those are my worries.
SPEAKER_08:I I I think usually when you you see those things, especially on the back end, and coach Aquina, man, he he's yeah, you know, one of the greatest DB coaches at the game is known. No, the experiences there. I mean, he's put some guys in the league and all that type of stuff. You know, I to me, I think it all goes back to youth. I mean, we we just got a bunch of young players across the board on both sides of the ball. Uh they're learning how to play in-game situations, uh, you know, for the first time. These are things that I think are typical with uh a young football team. Yeah, I think they earned the right to be number one. They they can't help they were chosen to be number one during the season. Arch can't help the hype that he got. You know, you gotta give and take those things as they come. I mean, and you know, it can't we I I knew Arch was gonna struggle. I mean, I'm not a you know type of individual. Correct. Arch not having played, you know, even when sitting on the bench for a couple years and been in the system, man, there's nothing like game reps. I don't care what what the position is, and you're you're gonna have to go out there. The game reps are a lot faster than good on good in practice. I'm sorry. I don't care who's on the other side of the ball. That that's somewhat scripted in practice. You're not taking guys to the ground, you know, you're not having to deal with adverse things like you are when you're playing another team with another jersey. It's not like you're gonna find that you're fast, defenses are different. I uh I mean, those in-game reps are very, very important. So I just think we're just a young team. And we're still 73, chance to win out, possibly even go to playoffs. So, man, I I mean, I think we just gotta take it all with a grain of salt. But expectations were high. That's what happens when you go to Texas, especially here in the last 15-20 years, people expect championships, and this is just what comes with it. You know, we gotta be okay when it doesn't happen.
SPEAKER_11:And it's if they get to if they get to nine wins, I I feel like that's a great year for this team. And I think the fan base really needs to embrace how this roster was composed. Seriously, the the makeup of it. And because when you look at the DBs, teams are avoiding throwing on Manny Muhammad, right? But they're picking on the other side big time. They did this last game because we haven't Texas hasn't settled on someone at corner. Littleton's, I think, is going to be a great uh safety, but to your point. He's making youthful uh errors.
SPEAKER_08:Easy to do with safety, too. I mean you know you gotta be a cerebral heady guy back there at safety. I mean, I mean Taft been there three, four years, very experienced. I mean, I mean, you know, the leader of that secondary. I I mean, he I mean, he's a guy. You know, is he one of the best cover guys? No. I mean, one of the younger guys may actually be a better cover guy, but in terms of knowing the defense, seeing the field, knowing schemes and things like that, he he's light years ahead of uh freshman guys or young sophomore guys, red shirt freshmen who haven't played. I mean, it goes back again to those reps, even at corner. I mean, corner corners, man. You you'll come back a lot better the following year once you had a year of getting burned. The way it goes.
SPEAKER_11:I remember I was in high school and 1988. It was Eric Metcast last year, and they had all freshman DBs. Mark Berry, yeah. Um, I think Lance Gunn was one of them. Stanley Richard. Man, those guys took it on the chin all season long. 89, 90, they got better and better and better. Man, there's been other classes like that. Chris Carter was during your time, that group, yeah. And uh uh Trey Carter.
SPEAKER_08:I mean, Trey though those dudes like Westbrook, Trey, Trey Thomas, Carter, you know, Tony Holmes, and all those guys came in when I was here, my my third year, and these guys are you know, or came in a year after me going into my sophomore year, and I had a year under my belt. These guys, like, man, we used to be scared of going against you in practice. Hey, I'm killing those dudes. I mean, they they were just young DBs, and and you know, you you take somebody with a high skill level, man, that's gonna be that's gonna be easy money. But as those dudes grew through the years and we all became seniors, and yeah, I'm like, man, these dudes are really improved a lot. I mean, everybody's gotten bigger, everybody's gotten faster, and everybody understands how to play the position. I I mean that that that comes with time, man. We just gotta be. I I know it's hard, you know, it's tough seeing us get dominated the way we got dominated, but that very well could be Texas next year. They Texas could be doing the dominating.
SPEAKER_11:Kirby Smart is to Sark with Bob Stutz was to Mac Brown for a little while.
SPEAKER_07:Oh I don't want to talk about it.
SPEAKER_11:Yeah, oh that's right. Stevie was a part of that. But remember, Bob won a national title in year three or two, and they had that momentum. Texas was trying to get there, it took them five years to get to that point. Kirby's won multiple. It's not just quick because you're Texas, it's just not gonna happen that quickly, and it's just not.
SPEAKER_08:Um and he's been in the championship game, man, since what 2017, 2018 before Shark even got to Texas. So so Shark Shark is playing catch up if we're trying to compare him to Curry. Yeah, and I mean, it's not even a fair comparison, to be honest, because Curry's already been there a couple two or three times, and Shark Shark has done great work within a short time he's been there and had us close to the game. I mean, we've been right there, but you know, and it's gonna take it's hard to take down the king. I guess right now you it's hard not to argue that Curry Smart is probably the best coach in college football. They haven't won a title in the last couple years or whatever, but man, Georgia's right there. They're the most consistent team, and it's the one that you don't want to play that that you fear, you know. Um, yeah, it's a tough, it's a it's a tough, tough ask for anybody.
SPEAKER_11:Well, I want to pause for the viewer here. Um send us a DM, comment here on Facebook, comment on Instagram, comment on TikTok, um, wherever, whatever platform you're you're you're following us, or hopefully if you're watching, it's on X, Facebook, um, and YouTube. Tell me why you uh justify firing sorry. I've seen that a lot here in the last few days. Why? Why would you want to do that? Hey, no judgment, it's your opinion on it. We just want to know why, because I've seen it, and just where you feel, where your headspace is right now, because you the fan. Hey, I get it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. All right, so Texas is four and two in the SEC, and they're essentially tied with Oklahoma and Bandy, and then there's one, two, three teams with one loss. Georgia's done with the regular season in the SEC. They're done because they got a non-conference against Charlotte and another non-conference in Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech could beat Georgia. Um, and Ole Miss could get beat in that rivalry game in the egg bowl, and Bama's got the Iron Bowl. I mean, so anything can happen, and OU's got Missouri and then LSU at home. A lot of football still left. And if Texas finds a way to start out by beating Arkansas, and to the folks that don't understand, that's a big time rivalry. And I want to point this out I know they're two and eight. They have a former head coach as their interim. Six of those eight losses were by a combined 17 points. Bobby Petrino is who I'm talking about. He was asked about how they're holding together because I think you'll agree as we both return. Stevie, you even said it, they should have beaten LSU.
SPEAKER_00:But those guys in that locker room have been putting a tremendous amount of effort in it, and they have a lot of pride. And um, I don't think there's anyone in that locker room that has given up and not prepared and not came out and and competed extremely hard. So just gonna stay after it.
SPEAKER_11:And they're gonna come after Texas, and Stevie, they I think they got hosed on that game against LSU.
SPEAKER_07:I didn't watch the game, but um, you know, LSU, well, I guess they're both playing with interim coaches.
SPEAKER_10:Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, the interim coaches both. Um, but it I don't know, man. I they uh I don't know. I I do know that they're gonna be fired up. We are their biggest rival, one of their biggest rivals. Um, and it'll save their season if they came in to uh Texas to beat Texas, you know. Um, but I I don't see it, if I'm being honest. I don't see it because um they have a really good run offense, and we just have a really good run defense, and I think that um our offense gets on track and then uh start picking apart, picking the Arkansas defense apart, too.
SPEAKER_11:So Taylon Green, quarterback, very athletic. Yeah, virtue of his legs, and then uh Mike Washington Jr. I think he has over 900 yards rushing. So, Stevie, you said it um the best. Um A, are you worried? I I I'm gonna be honest with you. If Texas doesn't come out and beat them by double digits, I think they're I mean Arkansas.
SPEAKER_08:I mean, I I saw a little bit of the LSU game, and it was a tight game. It was a game they could have won. Like you mentioned, they've lost you know six games by a total of 17 points. I mean, I saw some of their game against Auburn. That's another game they could have won. No, they they played uh very competitively in the SEC conference, losing some very close games against some tough competition. So it's not gonna be a cakewalk for us this weekend. I mean, it's it's a game that if we're still thinking about the Georgia loss, uh it could be a tight ball game uh throughout its entirety. So we better be ready to play. Arkansas is uh basically playing for pride at this point, right? And man, Petrino, who who's been in you know, a few other stops and has had success as a head coach, is probably gonna pull out all the stops this weekend. Oh you know it's if he were to beat us this weekend, they might give him a job. And he's lost a few games to win a game like this on the road, a big time situation, big time moment. I mean, I it wouldn't stop me one bit if they gave him the job. I mean, we don't need to allow that to happen. We need to come out and jump on these guys real quick. And Green is a man, he's a beast to me. I like him, I like what he brings to the table, very athletic. He kind of reminds me, kind of reminds me of VY, to be honest, with with his height and the way he moves. I mean, he's a playmaker quarterback, dude. Has a strong arm, so we can't we can't take Arkansas for granted, right? And you know, it was a good game last year, it really was the last two years been kind of tight.
SPEAKER_11:So we we can't we can't take it for granted. I'm gonna tell you what, I went up there in 2021, Sark's first year. I never want to go back as a visit. Yeah, I guess that's a good kind of stuff.
SPEAKER_08:Yeah, man, they they they put it on us.
SPEAKER_11:AM 10 0. Stevie, uh, you talked about it before we brought Mike in. You know, I gotta feel you in what he said, Mike. He said that even when AM was down 30 to 3, he uh Stevie said that he he without question, he knew AM was coming back. Is that how you fell?
SPEAKER_08:Man, I I'm not gonna lie, I I thought it was over. I I I thought South Carolina, I did because that AM I saw the first half, that's the AM I saw last year on Thanksgiving weekend against Texas. And that and to me, that's that that's my perception of AM until until they beat us, and I know they won all the games this year, and I know they beat Notre Dame and you know got a couple of no decent victories. I I I want to see them in about two next weekend. That that's what I want to see. Then we're gonna see their name to be able to say that's a different AM team. Because I'm not convinced that they're gonna beat us here next weekend. I'm not convinced. Uh I'm not convinced that Tyler Simmons is gonna be blocked and not get to the backfield like South Carolina's defense did. Man, they they was living in the backfield. And if those guys catch, they they picked him off two or three times. If they catch another one or two of those potential picks, man, he he's throwing five interceptions. One of those would have gone to the house. The kid just dropped, they dropped five interceptions. Like, I'm I'm not convinced. I'm not so I and it's a great team, don't get me wrong. I think they're very good. I think they deserve the ranking. I I think everything that they're getting right now and coach getting a new cut and all that. I I mean they they deserve it, but I I'm still not sold that this team is you know unbeatable, or they're getting ready to roll over here and and and beat up on the long horns next weekend. I I need to see it.
SPEAKER_11:That's gonna be that's gonna be fun, and I hope that's gonna be a great environment here in Austin. So uh Mike Elko, he was asked what happened at halftime. What did he say? What did they do? And essentially he said it's not anything they did, it's the realization of who they are.
SPEAKER_01:We have we have an identity of who we are. If we play to our identity, we're a good football team. If we start thinking that's not who we are, if we start thinking we're something else, if we start having time to play a different way, um, that's not us. That's not who we are. We're a blue-collar team, we're a physical team, uh, we're a team that has to control the line of scrimmage, we're a team that has to play with a lot of energy, and um, we just weren't doing any of those things in the first half. And um, I think the the vibes were good. Given you know, all things considered, the vibes were good. The kids believed we were gonna come out and win that game in the second half.
SPEAKER_11:So there you go.
SPEAKER_08:Anyway, yep. I they they are what the first half said they are because they didn't play like none of that you know in the first half. South Carolina came out there, they dominated them. I mean, you had guys looking over their shoulder, you had guys missing extra points, you know, that they were panicking on the sideline. I mean, AM didn't do a good job of running football. I mean, South Carolina was stuffing. I think our defense is better than South Carolina. I think a three-and-six or whatever they are, two and seven South Carolina football team lost their game more than AM won the game. I mean, they barely won the game.
SPEAKER_07:But in the same breath, though, the AM is who we saw who they were in the first half. So, who was that in the second half?
SPEAKER_08:I think that's more of a reflection of a two and six or two and seven, three and six South Carolina team than it is of a 10 and 0 and m team. That that's my personal opinion.
SPEAKER_07:Respectfully disagree. Respectfully, um, they they uh they showed us who they could be that in that second half, and I knew that they were coming back. I it it felt fluke-ish to me, and I honestly I text uh some of my people uh in a group text. I said AM was definitely getting ready for Texas and tried to overlook South Carolina. Because last two years in a row, they would love to come in the DKR and beat us. Um I agree with that sentiment. I don't think they were overlooking South Carolina. I I believe they were. I believe that coach was um tied up in his contract negotiations, um, and just wasn't focused. And they went in the uh locker room and said, Y'all do know we're playing a football game right now, right? And they woke up and they came out and played to their standard. This is a really good football team.
SPEAKER_08:I I believe they are good. I believe I believe they're good. And I think I think we're gonna show people, and here's why people are still saying that we still have a chance to make the playoff with a victory over AM. I feel like a lot of the prognosticators they don't feel like AM is gonna beat Texas. I think if they had to choose today who's gonna win that game, I think I think most people would pick Texas to beat AM. And I think the image that's stuck in everybody's head is what happened last year because this was supposed to be AM last year. Yeah, man, they barely even moved, they barely got a first down.
SPEAKER_07:So the the the same people that are saying that we can be AM or going to beat AM also voted us number one in the beginning of the season.
SPEAKER_11:So it's it's like the first half against South Carolina, and then uh your other arguments the second half versus South Carolina.
SPEAKER_07:Now, MA, I want you to be right. Don't get me I know from that standpoint, I mean, of course, but we can put a beer on it or a bottle of a bourbon, whatever you want.
SPEAKER_08:We can definitely do that. I think it'll be a tight, and we shouldn't even be talking about AM in Texas right now because that that's next week and all that kind of stuff. But I don't know, man. We're it wouldn't shock me one bit if we won that game and we won it by 10 points or more. And them are gonna have to show me. They are they're gonna show they're gonna show 100,000 in D card DKR the day after Thanksgiving, they're gonna show the nation that they're worth their number three ranking.
SPEAKER_11:Well, I I don't think they were Stevie, they they were looking ahead to playing FCS Sanford this week. Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_08:I know they're gonna look at two weeks ahead to Texas.
SPEAKER_07:I think they were man. I I honestly think that they started putting a game plan in for Texas because South Carolina is just South Carolina to them, just a bunch of cops, yeah. A bunch of cocks, and Sanford was Sanford. They started game planning and implementing for Texas so they can cruise past them, and then they're like, uh-oh, wait a minute, we got a game before we get to Texas.
SPEAKER_08:Hey, and man, I I I love the quarterback. Marcel Reed, I think I think he's a very good quarterback, but man, he almost played himself out of Heisman in that first half. He was making some very ill-advised throws, they weren't even close. I think he actually did.
SPEAKER_07:I think he actually did uh intercept himself out of the Heisman talk.
SPEAKER_08:I mean, well, I think he threw himself back into it, throwing 400 yards at second hand. Nah, that was I still think he's in there. I still think he goes to New York. I mean, to be honest.
SPEAKER_07:Oh, okay. Gotcha.
SPEAKER_08:I I still think he he played himself back into it within one game. I mean, have we ever seen that before? A guy play himself out of the Heisman and back into the Heisman all within a span of 30 minutes. I mean, I think he did that. Well, man, I honestly believe and the hottest player on defense in the country right now, or one of them, is Colin Simmons. He is going to present a problem for AM and everybody that he goes goes up against. And I think Marcel Reed is gonna be thinking about that. And I think with their inability to really sustain the run game, oh, kind of like us, you're asking Marcel Reed to drive back now as much as he's going to, we're gonna get to the backfield. That's gonna be man, that's gonna be a hell of a game. I can't wait to watch it.
SPEAKER_11:You know, and um Anthony Hill, we don't know yet. Yeah, that's gonna be a danger. He may be he may be out for some time. Um, you know, the AM we'll wrap it up with this. You know, the Ruben Owens that uh running back, the AM didn't have many rushing yards, but Conception, that was that receiver, legit.
SPEAKER_08:He's dangerous, dude. KC Conception, very dangerous. They're receiving man, they're nice, they're they're very nice, so man. You you know, I think if AM play a certain way, a certain style, they could pose some problems for some defenses, including us. They could.
SPEAKER_11:I agree, and you know who else can I I think they might be in. I I mean OU has Missouri and LSU left. They went into Tuscaloosa. So since Texas and OU have entered the big or the SEC, they're not enjoying this because Alabama has taken a defeat to both Texas and Oklahoma here in recent years. And OU has done really well against Oklahoma. They won last year and they won this year, and they won in a sugar bowl before that. Hey, I I think OU's in the postseason, although a CFP right now. And those Bowen brothers, my God, but I don't know. I I don't know. Um OU. They've got they got two losses as well as Texas in the SEC. But I you've got to rank them ahead of Texas now because OU's figured it out since that game.
SPEAKER_08:Man, without question, I don't even think it's close. And honestly, if I had to pick a defense that I want to go into a the tournament with, I might be picking OU's defense.
SPEAKER_11:They're so great.
SPEAKER_08:Within the first, I guess, a couple years they've been the SEC, man, they resemble what we all have come to know as an SEC type of defense. Nah, man, they're fast, they flow, they're aggressive. I mean, they got one of the best D-lines in the country. Just the makeup of their entire team, man. They're gritty. Matthew is a dog. You can't, I mean, I know he hasn't had the best, you know, outlook here when it comes to passing the last few games. But look at who they've beaten. They went on the road, beat Tennessee. They went to Alabama, beat those dudes. I mean, what what other team in the country has played those two opponents at their home place and defeated them? I mean, I mean, give me a better resume of a team that's been on the road and won two games like that.
SPEAKER_11:I I just I feel like right now, OU's a much better team than Texas collectively.
SPEAKER_08:I think OU's finding like the seventh best team in the country right now. Easily. Easily. I I think they're you gotta ring them in front of Alabama. You got to. That's right.
SPEAKER_11:Well, let's go to the let's go to the power 12 and see where they are. Of course, uh Tuesday night CFP is the only one matter. So this is your consolation prize, the uh the R Power 12. And then we'll a quick debate. Yep, man, this is becoming a long episode, man. A lot to talk about here, but uh I don't think there's any argument on Texas is out. Right? I mean, can you disagree with that? I think that's safe to say right now. Yeah. Oh my god.
SPEAKER_07:I'm not saying anything.
SPEAKER_11:Oh, yeah. Hey, real quick, this was animated, and I want to show y'all something. Stephen F. Austin won their conference championship. Well, uh close to share of it, and uh to the lower division one, FCS division uh playoffs. This was their coach, Kobe Carthell, afterwards with the ESPN reporter. Absolutely hilarious. Love it, love it, love it. Oh man, I love that. Hey, seventh year, he's had to battle. NIL, he's had to battle transfer portal every year. Four, five, six guys leave that team to go up. And and and we got a collective now. I say we.
SPEAKER_08:That's a big time win. Kind of kind of kind of needed that for the and and the program has a state championship, you know, finally got that monkey off our back, but we haven't been able to beat Westlake the last couple times we've played him. And and that that's a big win for a lot of reasons. So all you kids that are, you know, you had Vandegriff down on your totem pole a little bit, and you're not getting any playing time at Westlake, come to Vandegriff. Make my sugar knight pitch.
SPEAKER_11:Well, Westlake, they're having a little bit of a rebuilding year. They'll be back. They'll be back competing. There's no doubt.
SPEAKER_08:I mean, we say that, Sean, but something's happening out there at dripping springs. They might have finally figured it out because they they've been teetering. They've been teetering a little bit. They've been playing behind Westlake and Lake Travis and Vandegriff, and you know, and they they beat those teams at various times, but but and this year could be a little different for them. I mean, they still need to get over the hump and maybe get a state semifinal appearance and maybe in the state championship appearance, but Drip is one of those programs, man, just outside the Austin area. You know, one horse town. I can see it developing.
SPEAKER_11:It's coming. It's coming. Lake Travis is adding another high school, but dripping springs will soon add another high school. So I don't know what that's gonna do to the that's gonna hurt.
SPEAKER_08:That's gonna hurt him if that happens. I hadn't heard that. If that happens, that's gonna hurt him.
SPEAKER_11:That'll hurt him. Umly Cougars, though. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_08:Coach Burton's uh dominated our playoff game, you know, beat us. You guys are going around too. Going around two, man. Got the uh defending state champion, Richmond Randall, I believe. So that's gonna be a tough assignment, but but but we're gonna be up for it. We're gonna be up for it.
SPEAKER_07:Where is the game?
SPEAKER_08:It's gonna be in Bryant at uh Merrill Green Stadium. So Friday night, 7 p.m. So, man, we're we're gonna be up for it, man. It's a great experience for our guys, young football team. So, so so whatever happens on Friday, they'll be able to take a lot from it and and you know, hopefully move on to round three, but if not, got a lot to take into the offseason.
SPEAKER_11:Next thing I want to show you. So, new to the playoff scene, which uh Anderson Trojans under Don Donald Hatcher made it to the postseason for the first time in 14 years last year, uh almost beat Laporte last year, but lost in the by-district. This past weekend, um, Anderson won their second playoff game in school history. Wow. And they beat Friendswood by a point at House Park, and Caleb Crenshaw eclipsed the AISD rushing record. And the video you're about to see is of one of their DB slash receivers who is committed to play for Texas. Akina is high on him. They call him Miami, and then you see Caleb's run. It was very Ricky Williams-esque when he eclipsed the record uh against uh Texas AM that year. Real quick, here you go. Hey, Mene, it's been fun as usual. I love, we love how you can hit a wide variety of topics. You can critic you can criticize something, but give it love at the same time.
SPEAKER_08:Hey man, you you kind of have to, man. I I I I've seen out here in this this this this media world we in. I see some guys getting soft out there and getting kind of speculated a little bit, tight about a certain podcast. I don't know if they was referring to yours or but I put a name on that, bro. We keep it real around here. Yes, 100%. Hey, what did you hear? Hey, just like they just talking about people saying stuff about certain podcasts and not mentioning names. Nah, nah, we we keep it real around here, man. We don't we don't duck, we don't we don't duck smoke. So I don't know, I don't know who that that that may not even been in reference to us, but I'm just putting that out there. We don't duck smoke.
SPEAKER_07:No question.
SPEAKER_08:No, hey, well, we we own it. We own it.
SPEAKER_11:If you're listening, if you're listening, whoever you are, we don't duck smoke. We don't bring it. We want the we bring the smoke. We don't dug it. Hey brother, much love to the Adams family. That's no uh, I'm not in me didn't mean any humor by that. Yes, sir. Uh no, yeah. No doubt, man. No doubt. Have a good week, my brother Stevie. We're gonna wrap up real quick. This we may this may be the record longest episode, and I'm loving it. I'm loving it. Much love, T M A. Only to get long as we dwindle down the season. I'm sure we're gonna have a lot to talk about, especially if they beat AM. Yes, sir. Appreciate you, brother, man. We appreciate you, brother. Much love. We'll chat next week. Double hook them. Double hook them.
SPEAKER_08:We'll see another side.
SPEAKER_11:No smoke ducking. Double hooking. No smoke ducking, double hook them. Much love, MA. Let's give some love to Hardgrove Roofing. Stevie, I see another side.
SPEAKER_07:Let's do it.
SPEAKER_03:Yes, sir. Here at Hardgrove Roofing, uh, we try to think outside the box to kind of get the creative juices flowing. So I brought in my friend Stevie Lee, former defensive tackle for the Texas Longhorns. Um, he's gonna help the team strategize, really motivate them by the fire.
SPEAKER_06:This guy's gonna block down. This guy's gonna block down. You put your butt into that guard, and that way my mic linebacker gets free to do what.
SPEAKER_03:Not only are they gonna learn a thing or two. But they're gonna also leave with a great attitude and a bunch of smiles on their faces.
SPEAKER_06:I'm sorry, what does this have to do with roofing exactly? Get out right now. I said get out.
SPEAKER_03:For me, that's what it's all about. It's just having fun, making our employees have a great time. Hardgrove roofing. Know who's on your roof, and I'm gonna get a lot of people.
SPEAKER_06:Hey Ben, tell me something good.
SPEAKER_11:Well, the Texas high school football playoffs, that's good. All right, that's the end of the show. Yeah.
SPEAKER_07:That is good. That is Texas football. Um, Texas high school football is uh on fire right now. That is something really good. I was gonna say something really good, really, really quick, man. It's um it's uh the last week of work and it's getting getting up to uh Thanksgiving and give thanks that we are here, we're happy, we are able to get on a podcast and talk a lot of trash. And um, I'm thankful for my friends, man. So this pre-thankful weekend week. Um next I'll be coming to you live from uh Shreveport, Louisiana, my mama's kitchen. Hey, will you bring me a plate back? I will, but we we did we did vow as a family not to cook too much food on Thanksgiving because we're gonna wake up on Friday morning and drive straight back to Austin to uh to go to the game.
SPEAKER_11:Hey, I'd be grateful to see y'all there, man. And we'll have a hot toddy.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, no question.
SPEAKER_11:Hot toddy. I'll tell you something good. Back to the high school football, man. It is I'm an Anderson Trojan through and through. And to see something like that that that program's not used to, and these last two years, it's phenomenal to look up there and see people from our era just glowing with pride. That's good. And because we didn't even come close. We just we just we'd get a couple of wins, maybe three. JV, we won five games. Hell, we thought that was we won a state championship. But man, that's great. Texas high school football playoffs. There's 29 area Austin area schools playing that who have advanced to the round area round, which is round two. It's a beautiful thing, it's the purest form of football, and it's beautiful, and that's what's something good. And as we I'm truly thankful for that. Hey, for Hardgrove Roofing in the beautiful city of Shreveport, Louisiana, positioned geographically in the northwest part of Louisiana. There, it's the home of Stevie Lee and his beautiful family. Hello to Mama Lee, and uh, I'll take uh some giblet gravy and her homemade stuffing and dressing and uh whatever else that she may have. Uh, and I'll give her, I'll give you guys at least some pie. I'll make a pie for you guys and to Nackyochis and all of East Texas and all of you watching, and to the Stephen F. Austin, the uh South and Conference football champions and the Anderson Trojans bi-district champions and all 28 other bi-district champions from the great city of Austin in the area around us in the hill country and to the south and the east, and to all of you who watch this and making this great and putting up with us for perhaps our longest episode in stories inside the man cave history, in addition to the three-hour live that Stevie and I put together for it back in August. Hey, we love you for it, and last but certainly not least, to the OG Man Cave boys, that man Harbaugh Harsh, Big Mike, and Knee Coach Mo. What do we tell him, Stevie Lee?
SPEAKER_07:We out. You see the JP. I'm in my car in a gide.
SPEAKER_02:I said get out.