Latest / Talkin' Tech / Talkin' Tech 100th Episode Football Preview Spectacular ft. Tailgate Talks and Ramblin' Raiders

Transcript

Talkin' Tech 100th Episode Football Preview Spectacular ft. Tailgate Talks and Ramblin' Raiders · Talkin' Tech

0:40
SPEAKER_03: Welcome in everybody to the Talk and Tech Podcast, powered by Guns Up Nation, part of the Guns Up Nation Podcast Network.
0:47
SPEAKER_03: I am your host, Steven Rodriguez, my co-host Tristan McGonagall.
0:50
SPEAKER_03: Tristan, we did it.
0:52
SPEAKER_03: We made it to 100 episodes here on the Talk and Tech Pod.
0:58
SPEAKER_12: Unbelievable.
0:59
SPEAKER_12: It's uh what a journey it's been.
1:01
SPEAKER_12: There's been highs, there's been lows.
1:03
SPEAKER_12: There's been a lot of a lot of lows.
1:08
SPEAKER_03: I'm so surprised we made it, dude.
1:10
SPEAKER_03: 100 episodes.
1:11
SPEAKER_03: Did you think like honestly, did you think in August of 2020 when we started that we would get to 100?
1:18
SPEAKER_12: Uh I thought we'd stop after the first since we'd just be sick and tired of seeing each other's ugly faces every single week.
1:28
SPEAKER_12: But whenever whenever you're dedicated and have the dedication.
1:34
SPEAKER_04: Whenever you're on the grind.
1:36
SPEAKER_12: Whenever you're grinding, like we are, that's just you don't stop.
1:39
SPEAKER_12: See in the weight room.
1:41
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no, it's uh it honestly though, it's it's really cool.
1:46
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, having this podcast is has been really fun.
1:49
SPEAKER_03: Um, just shooting the shit with you every week, talking about tech sports.
1:53
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, we've seen some really fun times uh since we've had the pod.
1:57
SPEAKER_03: You know, we've seen uh yeah, we have.
1:59
SPEAKER_03: We've seen Joey get hired.
2:01
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, we saw, you know, we saw a good sweet 16 run with Mark Adams.
2:05
SPEAKER_03: We constantly see good baseball all the time.
2:07
SPEAKER_03: But um, you know, going back, I I I listened to the first episode not too long ago, and uh it was just so different.
2:14
SPEAKER_03: It's so different.
2:16
SPEAKER_03: Uh we clearly uh were so like tight with everything and uh didn't really know what the hell we were doing.
2:23
SPEAKER_03: And I don't I still don't think we know what the hell we're doing, but no, uh we managed to get yeah, we managed to get at least a hundred episodes in, and uh I think that's pretty cool.
2:32
SPEAKER_12: I think the biggest difference is we're not like reading off a script anymore, you know.
2:34
SPEAKER_12: And I'm like, hold on, I need to get my thoughts together before we start this.
2:38
SPEAKER_12: It's just all right, full sin, turn on the computer and dive in.
2:42
SPEAKER_03: No doubt.
2:43
SPEAKER_03: But uh no, seriously, uh thank y'all to all y'all that have been following the podcast, uh, whether it just be over social media, whether it be uh, you know, with the with the actual podcast itself, thank you to Guns Up Nation, um, you know, for picking us up and uh, you know, being really, really good to us and letting us join their network.
3:00
SPEAKER_03: Everybody that's been a guest, you know, from Austin McNamara to Joe Goodman to Ramblin' Raiders and Tailgate Talks.
3:06
SPEAKER_03: I mean, uh, we've had a lot of cool guests on here, and hopefully we'll have a lot more in the future.
3:10
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, this is kind of the guns up nation extravaganza episode when you think about it.
3:14
SPEAKER_12: I mean, this is like for those of you that listen, this is like hardcore history-linked episode.
3:19
SPEAKER_12: What's this could be like four hours?
3:21
SPEAKER_03: It's it's gonna be at least three, I'm thinking.
3:24
SPEAKER_03: Uh, we we give we are gonna give you a full football preview here in a second.
3:28
SPEAKER_03: With uh, we talk with tailgate talks about the offense, we talk with rambling raiders about uh you know defense and special teams, and uh it's a hundred episodes, so I gotta I gotta put in a blooper reel as well.
3:39
SPEAKER_03: Of course, keep keeping people around.
3:41
SPEAKER_12: You might want to lead in with like the episode title blooper reel, so people are stuck.
3:45
SPEAKER_12: And then they seem to let's ramble for three hours.
3:48
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and then they see the three-hour timestamp and they're like, Really?
3:51
SPEAKER_12: Yes, this is gonna be one where you're gonna have to chop up.
3:54
SPEAKER_12: This is gonna be a few commutes before you get through it.
3:57
SPEAKER_12: But I mean, that's a good thing whenever it comes to a football preview.
4:00
SPEAKER_12: Obviously, it's gonna take some time, especially whenever you get uh people that are much smarter than us on the podcast to talk about it.
4:06
SPEAKER_12: So it's I think it's gonna be a great episode, all in all.
4:09
SPEAKER_03: For sure, for sure.
4:10
SPEAKER_03: And yeah, uh, you know, hopefully we'll get some timestamps in here to help you all out.
4:14
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you can split it up into two, three, four listens potentially if you want to.
4:19
SPEAKER_03: Um, but yeah, we're gonna talk everything, literally everything, about this football team.
4:23
SPEAKER_03: We are gonna break down every single position.
4:26
SPEAKER_03: We're gonna give our thoughts on the new coordinators, on the new coaches, and uh, you know, just some predictions on what we think Texas Tech is gonna do.
4:33
SPEAKER_03: So why don't we shoot you over to the offensive part and then right after that, the defensive part here.
4:39
SPEAKER_03: Uh, here we go.
4:42
SPEAKER_03: All right, we are here with Dustin and Brooks from Tailgate Talks, the newest members of the Guns Up Nation Podcast Network.
4:51
SPEAKER_03: We're gonna talk some offense with these boys.
4:53
SPEAKER_03: How are you doing, fellas?
4:56
SPEAKER_13: Man, we're doing great, and it feels really good to be able to say that we are now powered by Guns Up Nation with the likes of you guys and rambling.
5:04
SPEAKER_13: Y'all both been friends of the show since we got started.
5:07
SPEAKER_13: So it feels really cool, man.
5:08
SPEAKER_13: We're happy to be here.
5:10
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, it's Joey Maguire saying, Let's go.
5:13
SPEAKER_12: Hey, don't go out there sharing our secret handshake with anybody, our guns up nation only handshake.
5:18
SPEAKER_12: All right, let's keep that between us.
5:21
SPEAKER_14: Yeah, we didn't know there wasn't a handshake yet.
5:24
SPEAKER_14: We because we're you know, we haven't met up with everybody.
5:26
SPEAKER_13: There's not we're good job there, bro.
5:30
SPEAKER_03: Well, man, there's there's no handshake, Tristan is full of secret good job, Steven.
5:39
SPEAKER_03: But boys, we're here talking offense.
5:42
SPEAKER_03: This is a really exciting time here at Texas Tech.
5:45
SPEAKER_03: Um, I was kind of thinking about it.
5:47
SPEAKER_03: I was like, hey, two years ago we had Matt Wells and David Yost, and now we have uh now we have Joey Maguire and Zach Kiddley, and that just feels like three upgrades.
5:57
SPEAKER_03: So um I guess just start there.
6:00
SPEAKER_03: Um what what are your thoughts on on Zach Kiddley going into this year, how he's gonna run the offense, and just kind of how excited are you for it?
6:10
SPEAKER_13: You know, yeah, when you've had Yoast uh in your past, and then you know, Combi came in and did an all right job, I thought, but you know, we're Texas Tech and we love the air raid offense here.
6:21
SPEAKER_13: You know, we were born in that air raid offense with Leech and those.
6:25
SPEAKER_13: So having Zach Hitley back, that air raid offense coming back to the Jones, that's exciting, man.
6:32
SPEAKER_13: Like you see what he did on at Western Kentucky, you see what he did at Houston Baptist, like those numbers are pretty damn high.
6:40
SPEAKER_13: Like 6,000 yards passing, that's crazy.
6:43
SPEAKER_13: Uh, and I don't expect that for us immediately, but to have that kind of offensive style back is going to be very exciting.
6:51
SPEAKER_13: I'm very excited for him.
6:53
SPEAKER_13: I I just can't wait.
6:54
SPEAKER_13: I can't wait for that first game, man.
6:57
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, him coming in.
6:58
SPEAKER_10: I mean, he was a disciple of Cliff, and Cliff got us back to that air raid style offense with Mahomes.
7:03
SPEAKER_10: And you know, he's Killy's quickly risen up from leaving Cliff, going to Houston Baptist, and now Western Kentucky having the number one offense last year at and then 44 points a game.
7:14
SPEAKER_10: I mean, that's two more touchdowns than what we scored last year.
7:17
SPEAKER_10: I mean, think about that.
7:18
SPEAKER_10: And so he's ready to sling the ball over the field and do whatever he has to do to score points.
7:23
SPEAKER_10: I love that their kind of mentality is that 50 burger shirt they've been wearing at camp all year.
7:29
SPEAKER_10: Um, he wants to score as many points as possible.
7:32
SPEAKER_10: And we we love that here, obviously.
7:34
SPEAKER_10: So I'm very excited to get back to an exciting offense in the Jones.
7:39
SPEAKER_10: Tristan, what do you feel about Zach Kidley?
7:41
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I think the listeners know how I feel about Zach Kitley for sure.
7:45
SPEAKER_12: I mean, I I I can't, I'm so pumped to have like the other boys have been touching on, having an air right offense back, high power offense there.
7:52
SPEAKER_12: Um, I I I he's the second most exciting thing being added to the program, in my opinion.
7:56
SPEAKER_12: I think after Joey McGuire, he is definitely the golden child.
8:00
SPEAKER_12: He's like kind of that uh that uh wayward son that's coming home and he's about to save his home.
8:05
SPEAKER_12: I mean, there's not a better guy, there's not a better champion for West Texas Lubbock in the program to do that.
8:10
SPEAKER_12: I'm just so excited for quarterbacks to matter at Texas Tech again, like they used to.
8:15
SPEAKER_12: You know, quarterbacks in Texas Tech used to be so uh synonymous, and like you could always count on a Texas Tech quarterback being a stud and putting up stupid numbers.
8:23
SPEAKER_12: And I'm excited for that.
8:24
SPEAKER_12: And obviously, wide receivers are there to make that happen, but dude, I just it's the most important flashy position position on the field.
8:29
SPEAKER_12: I want that to matter at Texas Tech selfishly.
8:32
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no, I don't think you're selfish at all for wanting that again, because you know, putting some more points on the board that just like the cliff years, they were fun, but hopefully this will kind of translate to a few more wins there.
8:43
SPEAKER_03: Um, and you know, that'll matter on the defense, and we'll get to that there in uh the second half of this pod.
8:48
SPEAKER_03: But uh, I guess I kind of want to run down just some losses and some additions for the offense this year, just some names, um, you know, uh uh transfers that are coming in, um, guys that either went to the NFL or just ran out of eligibility.
9:02
SPEAKER_03: Um, so some key losses we're getting on the offense or we're leaving the team.
9:07
SPEAKER_03: Obviously, Eric Ezukama is the first guy you talk about.
9:09
SPEAKER_03: Um, number one receiver last season, probably the last two seasons, uh, just an a dynamic weapon.
9:15
SPEAKER_03: Um, uh him and him and Dawson Deaton, who was an all Big 12 type uh offensive linemen.
9:22
SPEAKER_03: Um, losing those two guys to start off.
9:24
SPEAKER_03: I it's it stinks.
9:26
SPEAKER_03: Um, but you know, we we understand.
9:28
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, easy was one of the most fun receivers we've been able to watch come through here, uh, especially over these last few years.
9:35
SPEAKER_13: Like you're not gonna look back on the Wells era and think of a whole lot of players, but Easy is gonna be one of those guys that you're gonna remember because of the crazy numbers he put up, the great talent that he had.
9:47
SPEAKER_13: It was just unfortunate that he was here in a time where we didn't have any stability at quarterback.
9:52
SPEAKER_13: So we weren't really able to take full advantage of his skills.
9:56
SPEAKER_13: And so this year it's unfortunate that he's not here because I feel like this offense is primed and ready for a guy like him.
10:03
SPEAKER_13: Uh, but hey, you know, you got to go get that money in the NFL.
10:07
SPEAKER_13: And so excited to watch him on Sundays.
10:10
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, and on the flip side, he also didn't have great other receivers to draw defenses away from him.
10:16
SPEAKER_10: You know, he led the team.
10:19
SPEAKER_10: You mentioned the last two years.
10:20
SPEAKER_10: I actually saw three years in the last three seasons led in the receptions.
10:24
SPEAKER_10: And there's only a handful of guys at tech that have done that.
10:26
SPEAKER_10: Um, and so to lose your leading receiver from the last three years that's been your safety blanket, you could say, is definitely a big deal.
10:35
SPEAKER_10: So, where can we fill that void?
10:37
SPEAKER_10: We'll we'll figure it out, hopefully.
10:40
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I mean, with the wide receivers, it's just kind of the mentality of next guy up at Texas Tech.
10:44
SPEAKER_12: I feel like that's how it's always been.
10:45
SPEAKER_12: And it's we've always had a star.
10:47
SPEAKER_12: I can't remember the last time that there was a moment where like we just don't have the receiving core, we just don't have that stud, we don't have that guy.
10:54
SPEAKER_12: I just can't recall a season where that was the case in my brain.
10:57
SPEAKER_12: And I like how Brooks brought up how he's gonna be one of those guys that you're gonna look back fondly in the Wells era, the most beloved era of all Texas Tech football.
11:05
SPEAKER_12: I was so sad to see it go.
11:06
SPEAKER_12: Uh, could y'all let's make a quick detour yet?
11:08
SPEAKER_12: What other players would you say are like stand out in your head about like what players you're gonna really miss from the Matt Wells?
11:14
SPEAKER_12: Like, like just those top guys you can immediately think of for all three of y'all.
11:18
SPEAKER_12: Sorry to detour real quick.
11:19
SPEAKER_12: That was just yeah, brought up a great topic there in my head.
11:23
SPEAKER_03: No, that's actually yeah, that's something to think about.
11:25
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I think uh in terms of linebackers, you know, you think of uh Rico and you'll think of Colin Schooler and those type of players, schooler, yeah.
11:32
SPEAKER_01: So I thought as well.
11:33
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, the good part about Matt Wells actually is he brought in some studs that are gonna be on the team next year, you know, guys like Ray Shod Williams, uh guys like Tyree Wilson, you know, he brought in those guys.
11:45
SPEAKER_03: So, you know, when you think of Wells, I think you're still thinking of Wells' players in in the first year of Jelly.
11:51
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, and Easy wasn't he a cliff recruit, though.
11:54
SPEAKER_03: Or he was, yeah.
11:55
SPEAKER_03: Easy was a he was a cliff recruit, but I mean, you know, he he basically.
11:58
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, he did the majority of his playing under Wells.
12:01
SPEAKER_13: So I would say if if you're taking the top three people from the Wells, I think I think of Zach McPherson, I think Colin Schooler, and then probably Easy.
12:09
SPEAKER_13: Those would be, I think, the top three guys that will be remembered.
12:13
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, I just don't have much of a list from the Wells era, but I think Steven had a good point.
12:19
SPEAKER_10: He had to do so much trying to build the depth that Cliff left his bear with that he was filling in with you code as like schooler and then still barely getting freshman recruits.
12:30
SPEAKER_10: So it was a very scattered group.
12:32
SPEAKER_10: Um, easy is one of the guys that got to play the most out of all those guys.
12:35
SPEAKER_10: So we were kind of lucky that we had at least one guy um out of that group that was very stable.
12:40
SPEAKER_12: It's it's kind of crazy looking back at that era.
12:43
SPEAKER_12: You know, we we rag on Bad Wells for a lot, but that's uh this transfer portal ability was incredible.
12:50
SPEAKER_12: Like those guys were absolute studs.
12:51
SPEAKER_12: Yes, schooler was amazing.
12:53
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, missed the big name there, Garabe.
12:57
SPEAKER_13: We won't ever forget.
12:58
SPEAKER_13: Oh, let's go.
12:58
SPEAKER_13: I'm sorry about that.
12:59
SPEAKER_14: I'm sorry, Jonathan.
13:00
SPEAKER_10: Didn't mean to leave you off that it's in the special teams podcast.
13:03
SPEAKER_10: Who's got that one?
13:05
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, we'll get we'll get Jackson and the boys to talk about John Garabay, but uh um yeah, I mean we could even talk about Muddy Waters.
13:12
SPEAKER_03: You know, he was a guy that that uh Wells is bringing in that's gonna be on next year's team, so there's just a lot.
13:17
SPEAKER_03: Um, the transfer portal definitely Wells did pretty good at, but I mean, obviously his his downfall was high school recruiting and just his coaching in general, so a lot of other downfalls, yeah, exactly.
13:30
SPEAKER_03: So just to kind of you know lock down the couple more losses that we got from last year's team.
13:35
SPEAKER_03: Uh Caitlin Geiger uh going to the NFL, Travis Koontz was actually a pretty big piece that made some huge plays for us last season.
13:42
SPEAKER_03: Uh he ran out of eligibility.
13:43
SPEAKER_03: Josh Berger was a starter all season uh there on the offensive line.
13:47
SPEAKER_03: And then, you know, uh a couple more Henry Columbi and TJ Storman, who played big minutes, weren't fantastic, but you know, are our pieces that we lost as well.
13:57
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, Hollywood Heisman Henry, baby.
13:59
SPEAKER_12: I can't believe we lost him.
14:01
SPEAKER_12: The the herd got one, baby.
14:03
SPEAKER_12: The herd got one blocked by talking tech podcast blocked by the talking tech podcast blocked by Henry Columbi.
14:10
SPEAKER_03: Tough lucky, luckily for y'all.
14:13
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, I was gonna say there is a player on that list that I'll remember forever, and that's TJ Storm it.
14:19
SPEAKER_13: And it's not for good reasons, it's not for good reasons at all.
14:22
SPEAKER_03: Not at all, man.
14:23
SPEAKER_03: I was so frustrated every time 51 came out there.
14:27
SPEAKER_03: Oh no, and he's so hyped up, he's he's massive.
14:30
SPEAKER_03: He was this guy like highly tired of recruited coming from TCU, and it just did not work out.
14:37
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, and you know, losing Deaton and Berger that were starters, we'll talk about the offensive line coming up.
14:42
SPEAKER_10: That's a big deal.
14:43
SPEAKER_10: But Koontz, like we were just talking, Wells guy that he brought in.
14:47
SPEAKER_10: Actually, uh, first year nothing great, but last year was pretty pretty solid from him.
14:54
SPEAKER_10: Um, with his blocking and and receiving and some touchdowns there, being a big body for us.
14:59
SPEAKER_10: So he'll be missed a little bit, but we have a good replacement for him that we'll talk about coming up too.
15:04
SPEAKER_03: For sure.
15:05
SPEAKER_03: Absolutely.
15:06
SPEAKER_03: So um, good news is we got some boys in.
15:08
SPEAKER_03: We got some new additions.
15:09
SPEAKER_03: Joey's first uh transfer class coming in.
15:12
SPEAKER_03: So this is kind of the first group of Joey's guys, you know.
15:15
SPEAKER_03: Uh so it's uh we're gonna be really curious to see um how these guys perform and what their roles are gonna be.
15:20
SPEAKER_03: Just to name off a few, and we're gonna go position by position here, but uh just gonna pop off some additions.
15:25
SPEAKER_03: Cole Spencer coming from western Kentucky, Baylor Cup, obviously, the big kind of you know, hot new name transfer from Texas AM, uh Brady Boyd from Minnesota, Ty Buchanan, Cade Briggs, Dennis Wilburn, Monroe Mills, Michael Shanahan, Blake Bedwell.
15:41
SPEAKER_03: A lot of offensive line is what I'm seeing here.
15:45
SPEAKER_10: Bring the big boys in.
15:48
SPEAKER_13: Exactly.
15:48
SPEAKER_13: And the other name, you know, Brady Boyd just makes me think back to South Lake Carol Weed guy who uh made us all think that we're getting him and Quinn Ewers coming here.
15:58
SPEAKER_13: But hey, you got 50% of that right.
16:00
SPEAKER_13: And uh heard good things about Brady Boyd so far.
16:02
SPEAKER_13: So he's one that I'm kind of interested in.
16:05
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, yeah.
16:06
SPEAKER_12: I mean, this kind of just reflects the way Joe Joey's kind of been true to his word here.
16:10
SPEAKER_12: He there they got a lot of focus on the trenches, and that's a place where we've infamously been bad at, you know.
16:15
SPEAKER_12: We just we've never been good at about getting the big boys, you know, out in West Texas, you know, we can never bring in them cord fed guys.
16:21
SPEAKER_12: So glad to see we're finally uh getting some pounds on there.
16:24
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, for sure.
16:26
SPEAKER_03: We we've definitely had some players at offensive line, you know, that have gone on Jack Anderson, Dawson Deaton, but it's just never a very cohesive unit on the offensive line here.
16:36
SPEAKER_03: And hopefully Coach Hambi will uh will do something about that here.
16:39
SPEAKER_03: But uh we'll get to that.
16:41
SPEAKER_03: We need to start though with the biggest position on the offense.
16:45
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, the the position that a lot of people are talking about right now, who's gonna start?
16:51
SPEAKER_03: It's a three-way battle.
16:52
SPEAKER_03: We got to talk about the quarterbacks.
16:54
SPEAKER_03: We have three of them here, uh with with a fourth one.
16:56
SPEAKER_03: But there's a three-man race here um for quarterback right now.
17:00
SPEAKER_03: Tyler Shuck, the senior, Donovan Smith, the sophomore, and then Barron Morton, the red shirt freshman.
17:06
SPEAKER_03: Um, Brooke, we'll go Brooks, Dustin, Tristan.
17:09
SPEAKER_03: Um, who do you want to start here at quarterback?
17:13
SPEAKER_13: Man, that's a that's a tough one.
17:16
SPEAKER_13: Um, because I think we did this kind of question at uh right around the spring game.
17:22
SPEAKER_13: And my answer then was Barron, because it was like, hey, if Barron's a starter, that just shows all the improvement he made.
17:28
SPEAKER_13: But I think I got to go with Tyler Shuck.
17:30
SPEAKER_13: I think I gotta go with the seasoned vet, the guy who has experience.
17:35
SPEAKER_13: I don't think we saw the best of Tyler last year uh in that little you know three game span that we got to see him play.
17:42
SPEAKER_13: I think with a more uh pass heavy offense with like Zach Hitley that we're talking about, I think you're really gonna get to see him shine.
17:50
SPEAKER_13: And so I, you know, I think while I wouldn't be mad at anybody starting, I think I gotta go with Tyler Shuck here.
17:58
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, great group of quarterbacks.
18:01
SPEAKER_10: We have me and Brooks talked.
18:02
SPEAKER_10: We haven't had this good a quarterback room in a long time.
18:05
SPEAKER_10: Yes.
18:05
SPEAKER_10: I mean, we're a long way from the Henry Columbi, Jet Duffy, um, that group of dudes.
18:12
SPEAKER_10: Um, so we're we're very much along from that.
18:16
SPEAKER_10: I think Tyler Shuck is who I want to start with his experience.
18:21
SPEAKER_10: I mean, he's the most overall skill-wise guy that we can put out there, and I think he's he has the best upside, I think, right now.
18:30
SPEAKER_10: I think Barron's still a year or so away from seeing that upside um really shine through.
18:36
SPEAKER_10: And so I want Shuck to start.
18:38
SPEAKER_10: And I think with like Broke said, with come uh Killy's offense, he can shine a little more than he did with Sonny's offense.
18:46
SPEAKER_10: And I mean, he only got what three and a half games last year.
18:49
SPEAKER_10: He was just barely cracking the ice of what he could do in that offense, and so yeah, I think it can be even more exponentially better um with with this new offense.
19:00
SPEAKER_12: Gosh, man, I I I just feel like y'all just went down the line of take saying Tyler Shuck.
19:05
SPEAKER_12: I feel like I gotta pull a I'm not like other girls and pick someone else.
19:08
SPEAKER_12: But it's in this situation, it feels impossible.
19:12
SPEAKER_12: And like y'all are kind of really touching on, it's uh it's just such a great problem to have.
19:16
SPEAKER_12: It's definitely the hottest topic you can talk about with uh with our football program.
19:19
SPEAKER_12: Wow, what a shock we're talking about the quarterbacks the most.
19:22
SPEAKER_12: I mean, very unique of us, but it's um it's I have to go with y'all.
19:26
SPEAKER_12: It's Tyler Shuck, you know, this former four-star guy, highly taught that's touted recruit.
19:30
SPEAKER_12: You know, he got recruited to Oregon, not exactly a slouch of a quarterback destination.
19:35
SPEAKER_12: Um, and just couldn't really find his way there.
19:38
SPEAKER_12: But the reason why I'm going with Tyler Shuck is that I'm gonna just kind of copy Brooks, you know, he's he's the he's the most seasoned vet here.
19:44
SPEAKER_12: And like y'all kept kind of kept touching on with the Zach Kidley's offense, we're about to switch to something uh more pass heavy.
19:49
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, and uh, reason why I'm saying vet is, you know, obviously whenever you're running a an offense that requires much more of the quarterback's decision making, I'd rather go with the guy that's been on the field more just because he has a better feel for it, just out of pure experience.
20:02
SPEAKER_12: You know, he's like a level 12 while the rest of the guys are like level six on the experience scale, you know.
20:07
SPEAKER_12: So it's just uh it's gonna be interesting to watch to see how it happens.
20:10
SPEAKER_12: But I think no matter what, we're probably in good hands because you know, with our luck, there's been injuries like crazy.
20:15
SPEAKER_12: I'm gonna go ahead and knock on wood to make sure nothing happens, but damn, but uh that's how I feel about it.
20:21
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and and I, you know, there's no wrong answers here.
20:24
SPEAKER_03: If anybody says Baron Morton, Donovan Smith, or Tyler Shuck, it's not a wrong answer.
20:27
SPEAKER_03: I think all three of these guys are really talented, and all three of these guys can win you games.
20:32
SPEAKER_03: Um, for me, I I've been watching a lot of last season, just a lot of highlights these last couple days getting ready for this podcast.
20:39
SPEAKER_03: And um, you know, I I watched the second half of that Oklahoma game, I watched the Mississippi State game, I watched the Baylor game, and and to me, it it's it I want to see Donovan Smith start for this team.
20:52
SPEAKER_03: Um, it's he's so talented.
20:56
SPEAKER_03: Uh, he's he's so frisky in the pocket, he can escape, he can power run, he can slam into a couple guys, break some tackles, and he's man, he had some throws last season that were just on point.
21:09
SPEAKER_03: And uh, you you just look at that combination of talent from him.
21:12
SPEAKER_03: I think that gives you a little better of an advantage.
21:16
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, obviously Tyler Shuck probably has the best arm of these three guys, uh, but but Shuck's been known to make some mistakes, uh, some pivotal mistakes.
21:24
SPEAKER_03: You know, he he threw a couple pick sixes, one in the Stephen F.
21:27
SPEAKER_03: Austin game, one in the Texas game, uh, that and and one in the spring to start off the spring game.
21:33
SPEAKER_03: That uh that really didn't give you a good sign.
21:36
SPEAKER_03: And uh, you know, Barron Morton, obviously, we just haven't seen yet.
21:39
SPEAKER_03: So um to me, with the way Donovan carried himself during a uh a crazy season last year where he had an interim interim head coach uh and and you know managed to get us to bowl eligibility and and beat the shit out of Mike Leach.
21:52
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I I I'm all in.
21:55
SPEAKER_03: I'm all in on Donovan Smith.
21:57
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, some of the most versatile too.
21:59
SPEAKER_13: Yeah.
22:00
SPEAKER_13: There's not a wrong answer.
22:01
SPEAKER_13: Like between the two of them, I thought about this question all day is like, who do I want out of the two of them?
22:06
SPEAKER_13: And I think a lot of a lot of me still thinks back on that Iowa State victory and that Mississippi State victory.
22:12
SPEAKER_13: And I'm like, oh, I know he can do it.
22:14
SPEAKER_13: Uh, I just I don't know.
22:16
SPEAKER_13: I still I still feel like I want to see the best of Tyler Shuck that we thought we were getting last year that we really hadn't got to see just yet.
22:23
SPEAKER_13: Sure.
22:23
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
22:24
SPEAKER_03: And I mean, overall, I want a guy that's there the whole season.
22:28
SPEAKER_03: We've been it's been so it's been so long since Texas Tech has had a guy start and finish the season at quarterback.
22:34
SPEAKER_03: I think Nick Shimonek was the last guy to do it, and even he didn't start the last game of the year, but um, you know, uh so I want some consistency there.
22:42
SPEAKER_03: I'm not sure I'm sold on Joey's whole mantra of uh, you know, we're gonna bust out all three of these guys.
22:48
SPEAKER_03: And uh, you know, he's been saying that in some press conferences, and I I don't know how that works.
22:52
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, but um, I guess we can move on to next question.
22:57
SPEAKER_03: How are we feeling on the look of the offense?
23:00
SPEAKER_03: Are we thinking air raid or are we thinking more of a uh balanced attack, uh rushing passing, in y'all's opinion?
23:07
SPEAKER_03: We'll go Brooks, Dustin, Tristan again.
23:10
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, I think we're going to be more pass heavy this offense.
23:14
SPEAKER_13: Like, you just look at the numbers that Zach Hitley's offense had last year.
23:19
SPEAKER_13: They had 6,000 yards passing, they threw the ball 697 times.
23:23
SPEAKER_13: Bailey Zappi had 5,970 uh 67 yards, they had 63 pass touchdowns.
23:30
SPEAKER_13: Like his offense screams pass heavy.
23:33
SPEAKER_13: Now he didn't have the running back room, and we're about to get into that.
23:37
SPEAKER_13: He didn't have the running back room that we currently have here, which I think is pretty damn awesome.
23:42
SPEAKER_13: And so I definitely think while we'll be pass heavy, I think he would be a fool not to use those running backs to his advantage.
23:49
SPEAKER_13: So I don't see us having those kind of passing numbers like he had last year, but I expect it to be more um more pass heavy while still having a healthy dose of the run game.
24:01
SPEAKER_10: Right, and that's where I was gonna go more.
24:03
SPEAKER_10: I can see us getting more to the balance run pass game because our strength is going to be our two-headed monster at running back.
24:12
SPEAKER_10: And you know, Killy's not a dumb guy.
24:14
SPEAKER_10: I think he was using his personnel last year and against the defensive personnel, the matchup.
24:20
SPEAKER_10: He knew the other guys weren't as skillful to guard his dudes and Bailey Zappi.
24:24
SPEAKER_10: We saw him at Houston Baptist, he was a baller, and so he knew he could sling that thing and run around.
24:29
SPEAKER_10: But I think this year we don't have we don't know what we have at receiver.
24:34
SPEAKER_10: Let's say that we we have some dudes, but we don't know what they are yet.
24:37
SPEAKER_10: Um running back, we know we got a couple dudes back there, and I think that'll also help the offensive line that's figuring out some chemistry and some things, and so I could see us more balanced, kind of like we've seen Oklahoma and Oklahoma State do their spread offenses in the last handful of years, where they spread it out but have a really solid run game um in that kind of extent.
25:00
SPEAKER_10: So I think we use you know Brooks and Sir Roderick to propel the uh the passing game.
25:08
SPEAKER_12: You know, Zach Hitley's been taught every time people ask him, like, what's it gonna look like on the field?
25:13
SPEAKER_12: He he keeps coming back and back to uh he's gonna put the best players on the field to win, like he's gonna put the best weapons out there to score.
25:23
SPEAKER_12: So and I mean, I really believe him.
25:24
SPEAKER_12: I mean, that's that's obviously kind of a very basic answer from an offensive coordinator.
25:28
SPEAKER_12: And y'all really uh nailed it there.
25:29
SPEAKER_12: I think we got like the best running back duo in the conference, and that's kind of weird to say as a as a tech fan because it's just usually not our forte.
25:36
SPEAKER_12: We've had some absolutely studs, but this is just different.
25:39
SPEAKER_12: And like uh yeah, like Dustin kind of touched on, where we got some question marks at receiver, but we still obviously got some great players.
25:45
SPEAKER_12: And it's not just the receivers we're gonna talk about.
25:47
SPEAKER_12: I mean, we got tight ends to talk about, and it's obviously they catch the ball as well.
25:51
SPEAKER_12: So I think this is gonna be balanced, I think still be very pass heavy, but I think it's gonna be very balanced of who's catching the ball.
25:57
SPEAKER_12: I don't think it's gonna be just you know, your receivers like you're gonna see it in the hands of the tight ends a lot, and he'll probably work the backs into the passing game as well.
26:04
SPEAKER_12: Yep.
26:05
SPEAKER_12: So I I think I just think you're gonna see a big mix, but I think it would still will lean towards the passing game.
26:10
SPEAKER_12: Well, obviously, a good coordinator knows what he's got, and you're gonna be using the running backs, like especially in the red zone.
26:15
SPEAKER_12: You know, I definitely think they're gonna they're gonna be mixed in more so there.
26:18
SPEAKER_12: But it's I I I see this guy utilizing his weapons, but I'm gonna have to go ahead and say it's more of a passing situation.
26:25
SPEAKER_03: Good, uh, it's a good little transition to talk about the running back room, which uh I think a lot of us would agree that this is probably the most the best unit on this offense.
26:34
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, I I don't know what what y'all are thinking with that, but to me, the the the one-two punch here with Taj Brooks and Sir Roderick Thompson.
26:43
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you even have Cameron Valdez, who's probably gonna, you know, make a make a name for himself this year, uh, Blake Bedwell, the SMU transfer who we mentioned earlier, and uh true freshman Bryson Donald coming in as well.
26:54
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, this is this is a really, really, really good unit, and it's a deep unit.
26:58
SPEAKER_03: If one guy goes down, we have a guy to replace him.
27:00
SPEAKER_03: And uh uh, you know, to me, uh it's I don't know if it's really a an RB1, RB2 situation, but it if you're talking about who is going to be the best running back out of this group, who is that gonna be Brooks, Dustin, Tristan?
27:17
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, I think it's RB1A and RB1B with this group.
27:21
SPEAKER_13: Because if you look at it last year, Taj Brooks led the team in rushing yards, but Sir Rodrick led the team in attempts.
27:29
SPEAKER_13: And, you know, neither of them were healthy at the same time.
27:32
SPEAKER_13: The only time we got to see them both healthy at the peak of their powers was in that Mississippi State game.
27:38
SPEAKER_13: And Mississippi State could not stop them.
27:40
SPEAKER_13: Like Taj Brooks a hundred over a hundred yards.
27:43
SPEAKER_13: Sorodric had 80 yards.
27:45
SPEAKER_13: And so unfortunately, last year we didn't get both of them at the peak of their powers at the same time.
27:50
SPEAKER_13: This year, if you're able to do that, like it's not going to shock me if it's that same thing where maybe Taj Brooks has less carries, but he's more of the explosive type runner, gonna have the big play capability.
28:03
SPEAKER_13: So he might lead the team in rushing yards, but Sir Rodric might lead the team in in attempts because he's more of the physical type runner that you need.
28:10
SPEAKER_13: Um, but yeah, this is uh the best running back room that I can think of because you got Taj Brooks, who's pretty damn amazing, fast, can break away at any time.
28:19
SPEAKER_13: And then you have Sirodric, who's kind of that methodical runner who's gonna, you know, ground and pound it for 10 yards here and there, uh, occasionally get the breakaway.
28:28
SPEAKER_13: But I mean, this is as excited of a running back room as we've had in a long time, and I just can't wait to see both of these guys hopefully healthy throughout this year and just pound that rock with those guys.
28:41
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, you change the question to who's gonna be the best running back, and that's probably gonna be Taj Brooks because I think he's has the most versatility, you know.
28:49
SPEAKER_10: We already have Brooks on the show.
28:51
SPEAKER_13: He he's a big fan of Taj Brooks, big fan of guys that have my name.
28:55
SPEAKER_10: Brooks is on the team.
28:56
SPEAKER_10: Uh I just think that's that's why he was gonna be the best by the end of the year, but I think, like we said, we have a two-headed monster, you're gonna see a lot of Sir Roderick Thompson, he's gonna pound it up your face.
29:07
SPEAKER_10: I can't wait to see the goal line package with with him and Donovan.
29:13
SPEAKER_10: And because Donovan has that kind of Cam Newton style of he's gonna zone read, but he's gonna run it up your face as well.
29:21
SPEAKER_10: So, like those two guys in a package on the goal line is gonna be scary.
29:25
SPEAKER_10: Um, Todd's gonna get your receiving and your rushing yards.
29:29
SPEAKER_10: I mean, we could see his explosiveness a lot last year, and so I can't wait to see how Keely uses both these guys.
29:36
SPEAKER_10: We might even see both of them on the field at the same time quite a bit just to throw defenses off, and they don't know what's coming.
29:44
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, great point, dude.
29:45
SPEAKER_12: And I I really don't think I can add anything more of note to this one because I think y'all are absolutely right.
29:50
SPEAKER_12: I think it's just we have two extremely talented running backs.
29:52
SPEAKER_12: Uh, I think obviously the first one you go to with with with where your head's at of who's you know, a personally, I think I guess I am a little different than it's probably Sir Roger Thompson coming, he's your senior, you know, he's been on the field more, so obviously he's got that experience over Taj, but Taj has kind of been this breakout, you know.
30:07
SPEAKER_12: He's kind of been we talked about a lot more last season, so it but again, I it's it's it's an A B thing for me as well.
30:13
SPEAKER_12: I I just really don't I I can't uh uh conceptualize an offense where these guys aren't practically 50-50.
30:21
SPEAKER_12: I really can't.
30:23
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no, I I I I'm just really high on Tosh Brooks.
30:27
SPEAKER_03: I really like that guy.
30:28
SPEAKER_03: I think um, you know his ability to get yards after contact, I think is underrated.
30:36
SPEAKER_03: Um, every time that man carried the ball, he was at least getting three yards, if not much, much more.
30:41
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, Sir Roderick, Sir Rodric's whole history at Texas Tech has been injuries, uh, on and off, constantly, something here, something there.
30:50
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, so hopefully he can get a fully healthy season in here.
30:54
SPEAKER_03: But uh to me, Tosh Brooks is more durable.
30:57
SPEAKER_03: Um, he's he he just is more consistent to me.
31:01
SPEAKER_03: Um, I love the explosiveness of Sirodric.
31:04
SPEAKER_03: I love his big playability.
31:05
SPEAKER_03: Um, I love his his sweet feet, like we used to call him.
31:08
SPEAKER_03: That that nickname kind of dropped.
31:10
SPEAKER_03: But uh yeah, I I'm just really excited about this running back room as a whole.
31:14
SPEAKER_03: I think these top two guys, plus, you know, Blake Bedwell is gonna get some run.
31:18
SPEAKER_03: Cameron Valdez is gonna get some run here, even potentially the true freshman Bryson Donald is going to get some run.
31:23
SPEAKER_03: So um, you know, the the depth of it really gets me excited and uh really gets me ready that Zach Kitley, you know, is gonna have a run game involved in this offense.
31:33
SPEAKER_03: It's not gonna be Western Kentucky last season, it's not gonna be Houston Baptist before that.
31:37
SPEAKER_03: It's gonna be a balanced game.
31:38
SPEAKER_03: He's gonna use these dudes.
31:39
SPEAKER_13: So yeah, I want to uh to touch on Bledwell right quick.
31:42
SPEAKER_13: Sure, you know, at the spring game, he was impressing me.
31:45
SPEAKER_13: I was really impressed with him.
31:46
SPEAKER_13: I was like, this guy could be your third string running back, like that's crazy because this guy, like the way he looked at that spring game, looked like he could be a starter second string running back at pretty much any program the way he was running.
31:58
SPEAKER_13: So I mean, to have that guy in your back pocket is crazy.
32:02
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, absolutely.
32:03
SPEAKER_03: Uh, where does this running back unit rank in the Big 12, you think?
32:08
SPEAKER_13: That's tough because I think Texas obviously has B.
32:13
SPEAKER_13: John Robinson, who probably the best running back in all college football.
32:17
SPEAKER_13: Uh, if it's not the Kansas State running back and Deuce Vaughn, like those two guys, I think kind of put those schools at the top tier.
32:24
SPEAKER_13: But I think like if you talk about depth as a whole, I think we're right up there with anybody in this conference.
32:32
SPEAKER_13: Um, I just think those guys kind of put them a tier ahead because they're complete game changers uh on that side of the ball.
32:38
SPEAKER_13: And while I think like Todge Brooks could be that, uh, he just hasn't been what they have just yet.
32:45
SPEAKER_13: So I have to put us a tier below them.
32:48
SPEAKER_13: But uh, I mean, third best in the conference isn't a bad thing, I think.
32:52
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, that's where I had us.
32:54
SPEAKER_10: I had those two guys combined as the third best running back in this conference behind Bijan and Deuce.
33:01
SPEAKER_10: Um, and Deuce is such a headache to play.
33:04
SPEAKER_10: God, I hate, I can't wait till he leaves.
33:06
SPEAKER_10: I feel like he's been there forever.
33:08
SPEAKER_10: Uh but like these guys combined, I think can be at least the third best in this conference.
33:14
SPEAKER_10: I was looking up like other guys, and you know, TCU has a decent guy.
33:18
SPEAKER_10: I mean, Kansas has a good running back, but they don't have anything else, obviously.
33:22
SPEAKER_10: And everybody else, I'm like, oh, our two guys are definitely better than everybody else.
33:26
SPEAKER_10: So I would put us at least third, and if combined, not maybe better.
33:31
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, full agreement.
33:32
SPEAKER_12: Top three easily.
33:33
SPEAKER_12: I just think you know, like y'all kept touching on, we got we got the depth that I think outshines just the stars that they have.
33:39
SPEAKER_12: Uh, I'd rather have the depth, honestly.
33:41
SPEAKER_12: Um, and I I just don't know if we'll be able to put up the same numbers as they are because I don't think we'll be relying on the running game quite as much as those teams will be.
33:50
SPEAKER_12: So I just mean you may not see on paper the same thing, but I do think we're absolutely top three.
33:55
SPEAKER_12: I I really think the argument's there.
33:57
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, absolutely in full agreement here.
34:00
SPEAKER_03: Um, the thing that kind of shook Texas Tech's uh coaching staff, uh, right as soon as Joey was getting his full staff ready.
34:07
SPEAKER_03: Um, running back coach DeAndre Smith uh took a job with the New York Giants and uh kind of left the running back coach position open.
34:15
SPEAKER_03: Uh nobody was really didn't really have anybody in mind.
34:17
SPEAKER_03: And uh Joey moved um then special teams coach Kenny Perry, who is who is still, I believe, the special teams coach.
34:25
SPEAKER_03: Um, now he is going to be the running backs coach.
34:27
SPEAKER_03: This is uh this is a longtime high school football coach, uh, you know, won a lot of games at that level, knows Joey McGuire well, uh, but hasn't really coached running backs before.
34:38
SPEAKER_03: Uh, does that concern any of you guys at all?
34:42
SPEAKER_13: I think if we didn't have this running back room, it might a little bit more.
34:46
SPEAKER_13: But I mean, Sir Roderick has been here for forever.
34:49
SPEAKER_13: Taj Brooks is in his third year here.
34:51
SPEAKER_13: Like you have that veteran leadership with these guys, and so it I don't think it concerns me that much.
34:58
SPEAKER_13: Now, uh, you know, maybe mid-season we'll see something change, but I think you have guys who have uh can stabilize that uh right now and give really Coach Perry uh plenty to work with.
35:11
SPEAKER_13: So uh Dustin uh actually uh uh his mom is a friend of Kenny Perry's.
35:16
SPEAKER_13: So I'll kick this over to him.
35:17
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, probably has more insight than I do.
35:20
SPEAKER_10: Well, not football insight.
35:24
SPEAKER_10: I mean, I know Coach Perry might know a few places to go out and have a beverage with you with us.
35:29
SPEAKER_10: Uh so but football-wise, I mean just looking at his history, yeah, he's been a lot of special teams and defensive coach, but he's been around the game for so long.
35:38
SPEAKER_10: I don't doubt that he can figure it out.
35:39
SPEAKER_10: And like Brooke said, having the experience in the room, uh, I think what DeAnj brought us was a good recruiter, right?
35:47
SPEAKER_10: Um, but we've obviously filled that very well.
35:50
SPEAKER_10: So on the field, I think we can figure it out, and off the field, we've definitely covered those bases.
35:56
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I mean, it's it it kind of makes you concerned whenever a guy you did not bring in for that position takes over for that position, you know.
36:04
SPEAKER_12: It's it's it's you kind of feel like you're just filling in a slot that needs to be filled, which obviously raises some eyebrows.
36:11
SPEAKER_12: But uh you gotta trust Joey.
36:13
SPEAKER_12: He's he says he's you being Mr.
36:15
SPEAKER_12: CEO, and he could have gone out and found a new running back coach, but felt he could keep it in-house and just move some pieces around.
36:21
SPEAKER_12: So I think you just gotta trust the process with him.
36:23
SPEAKER_12: Um, he hasn't given us a reason to doubt him yet.
36:26
SPEAKER_12: So I think that's where I'm at.
36:27
SPEAKER_12: I think I'm just kind of a trust Joey Maguire on it more than more so than trust uh Perry.
36:31
SPEAKER_03: Love that.
36:32
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, for sure, for sure.
36:34
SPEAKER_03: I I didn't want to come that as like I'm negative on Kenny Perry.
36:37
SPEAKER_03: I think he's been fantastic ever since he's gotten here, but you know, just never coaching the running backs before.
36:41
SPEAKER_03: That it's it, you know, raised your eyebrows a little bit.
36:44
SPEAKER_03: But um, this next unit is probably the most uh I don't know if controversial is the right word, but just unknown, I'll say.
36:52
SPEAKER_03: Uh as we've mentioned earlier with the wide receivers.
36:55
SPEAKER_03: Um, we have some we have some studs, I'll say.
36:58
SPEAKER_03: Uh, but we also have a lot of guys that could potentially make that leap to be the next guy, could potentially, you know, fall in the rotation a little bit.
37:07
SPEAKER_03: But uh, you know, with our three receiving positions, the uh the slot, the Z and the X, we'll kind of start with the slot because uh the first guy you need to talk about on this receiving core is Miles Price.
37:19
SPEAKER_03: Um super, super talented uh individual.
37:23
SPEAKER_03: The only guy uh that had over 200 receiving yards that is returning for this season on this team.
37:30
SPEAKER_03: Um, but uh, you know, he's just so explosive.
37:33
SPEAKER_03: He's such a great playmaker.
37:35
SPEAKER_03: Um, and then of course, you know, you have guys that are converted wide receivers at the slot position here, uh guys like Xavier White, Jadarius Townsend, uh, you know, the the Lubbock local Nehemiah Martinez is coming on uh kind of late in in spring ball.
37:48
SPEAKER_03: So uh how are we feeling about uh you know the slot receiver position here at tech?
37:54
SPEAKER_13: I think when you have a guy like Miles Price, like you got to be really excited about this position.
38:00
SPEAKER_13: Um Xavier White, I'm not really worried about because I think he started off as a receiver, then changed to running back and now changed back to receiver.
38:07
SPEAKER_13: So uh he's familiar with that position.
38:09
SPEAKER_13: And also when he was running back, he did a lot of uh receiving out of that position.
38:14
SPEAKER_13: Um, you know, the other guys, I you know, I haven't dug too much into them, but I just have so much overwhelming confidence in Miles Price to lead this group.
38:23
SPEAKER_13: Uh, if you've watched any of the uh little docu-series that they did on the football team, if you watch any of his media availability, this is a guy that you want to root for.
38:33
SPEAKER_13: This is a guy that you are ecstatic that he's wearing the red and black because he represents you in the right way.
38:40
SPEAKER_13: He seems like he puts the work in.
38:42
SPEAKER_13: Uh, he hasn't had the numbers yet, but this is his year, and I fully expect him to take advantage of it.
38:47
SPEAKER_13: I expect him to be our leading receiver.
38:49
SPEAKER_13: Uh, you have in the notes, does he go over a thousand yards and 12 TDs?
38:53
SPEAKER_13: I just say hell yes, I think he does um because I think he's that kind of uh a talent.
38:58
SPEAKER_13: And so when you have that leading the slot position, I I think you're in really damn good hands.
39:05
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, I'm huge on Miles Price.
39:07
SPEAKER_10: You you saw a lot of good glimpses out of him last year and loved every time he got the ball and, like, oh, what's he gonna do?
39:13
SPEAKER_10: He has that Jakeem Grant type X factor of like, oh, I can't wait for him to touch the ball and see what happens.
39:20
SPEAKER_10: And I can see him following suit of a lot of the great slot receivers we've had for a long, long time here.
39:28
SPEAKER_10: For and so I would buy very much stock in Miles Price being like the number one option this year, over a thousand yards, touchdowns.
39:38
SPEAKER_10: I don't know.
39:38
SPEAKER_10: We have a lot of other better goal line options.
39:41
SPEAKER_03: Um, I set the bar, I set the bar pretty high with 12 T D's.
39:45
SPEAKER_03: I was looking at that, I was like, Oh, that might have been a little too much.
39:48
SPEAKER_10: We got two basketball players that tied in, and we got we got two big boys that can run the ball on the goal line too.
39:53
SPEAKER_10: So he might not get the touchdowns, but the yards I think will definitely be there.
39:57
SPEAKER_10: I would I'd love him.
39:59
SPEAKER_10: And then Xavier White, the other guy I want to talk about.
40:02
SPEAKER_10: Last year I always liked when he was that wide receiver, and I hated when he was lined up at running back.
40:07
SPEAKER_10: And we would try to give him the ball sometimes.
40:09
SPEAKER_10: And I'm like, what the hell are we doing?
40:11
SPEAKER_10: He was never good, he was never he never ran confident.
40:14
SPEAKER_10: Um, but at slot or out of the backfield, he was great, and he has some of those flashes also of great athleticism.
40:22
SPEAKER_10: So I like moving him outside and getting him in the slot and in space, letting him be athletic and explosive, and use his abilities the best we can.
40:31
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, yeah.
40:33
SPEAKER_12: I mean, I I really like what Brooke said.
40:34
SPEAKER_12: I was gonna be saying one, I was gonna say the same thing.
40:36
SPEAKER_12: I totally didn't just copy him.
40:38
SPEAKER_12: I was gonna say the same thing too.
40:39
SPEAKER_12: Okay.
40:39
SPEAKER_12: Um, like like I like what he said, we we we put Miles Price in front of the camera all the time.
40:46
SPEAKER_12: He we brought him to media days, didn't we?
40:48
SPEAKER_12: Uh yeah, yeah, he was one of the that just that just says that like the amount of confidence you have in the young man, and you don't just bring anybody in in in front of the camera.
40:57
SPEAKER_12: So I really feel like yeah, he's he's gonna be the breakout star.
41:00
SPEAKER_12: Like you know, I said this at the top of the episode that it's just the next man up, it's the next guy up.
41:04
SPEAKER_12: We're gonna have a break, we're gonna have a superstar at wide receiver, and Miles Price is built for it.
41:09
SPEAKER_12: I think that's this is like the probably easiest conversation we've had today, and I think that's kind of how it goes.
41:13
SPEAKER_12: I mean, I like how Brooks was just like full spin, a thousand yards, 12 touchdowns, no big deal.
41:18
SPEAKER_12: And you know, I love that energy.
41:20
SPEAKER_12: I'm gonna keep it.
41:20
SPEAKER_12: I'm in on it.
41:21
SPEAKER_12: I'm in on it.
41:22
SPEAKER_12: Why not?
41:22
SPEAKER_12: Full spin.
41:23
SPEAKER_13: Just having those numbers, that means we're having a great offensive season.
41:25
SPEAKER_13: So give me that all day, every day.
41:27
SPEAKER_12: Let's talk in existence.
41:29
SPEAKER_03: Absolutely.
41:30
SPEAKER_03: We saw on on uh Zach Kiddley's offense last season, Jared Stearns just leading receiver in the nation.
41:35
SPEAKER_03: He was unbelievable.
41:36
SPEAKER_03: I think Miles Price can be a similar type player, maybe not as much.
41:40
SPEAKER_03: You know, they won't have to rely on him as much as they did last season uh at Western Kentucky with Stearns.
41:46
SPEAKER_03: But um, yeah, I think it's I think it's it would surprise me if he doesn't eclipse a thousand yards next season.
41:52
SPEAKER_03: Uh now the touchdowns probably not gonna meet 12.
41:55
SPEAKER_03: 12 is a really high goal.
41:56
SPEAKER_03: Um, and and like Dustin mentioned, we have a ton of options here in the red zone.
42:00
SPEAKER_03: So uh, but yeah, it would surprise me if Miles Price doesn't go over a thousand.
42:04
SPEAKER_03: You'll get assists for those touchdowns that the other guys get.
42:07
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, exactly.
42:08
SPEAKER_03: Exactly.
42:09
SPEAKER_03: So uh the the two running backs turned receivers was super interesting to me.
42:14
SPEAKER_03: Um, because I agree with you.
42:16
SPEAKER_03: I I was scared when Xavier White was put in the backfield there uh and and given handoffs.
42:21
SPEAKER_03: And I just did he fumbled, he had a fumble problem.
42:24
SPEAKER_03: He's had that since he got to Texas Tech.
42:26
SPEAKER_03: Uh, he just can't hang on to the ball very well.
42:28
SPEAKER_03: Uh and then Townsend is interesting because he was hurt early in the year and missed the majority of last season, but he's a transfer from Alabama.
42:37
SPEAKER_03: He he's one of the fastest guys on the team still.
42:39
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, he was a wide receiver when he committed to Alabama, turned running back when he got to tech.
42:44
SPEAKER_03: Now he's back to wide receiver.
42:46
SPEAKER_03: So I think he could be a wild card there.
42:48
SPEAKER_03: He's also gonna probably be a guy that returns punts and returns kicks.
42:51
SPEAKER_10: So just thought I'd be done, he did that last year, and I think he's just trying to get on the field.
42:55
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, like running back room is pretty full, and that's why he was the return guy last year.
43:00
SPEAKER_10: So I think he's just trying to get on the field.
43:03
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no, exactly.
43:04
SPEAKER_03: Uh, and and I mentioned Nehemiah Martinez, he's the Lubbock legend.
43:08
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, he's coming in uh local kid, and uh he's gotten some gotten some praise coming in Springball.
43:14
SPEAKER_03: I mean, Don Williams was saying good things about him, and uh the coaching staff loves him.
43:18
SPEAKER_03: So uh, you know, we could potentially see him make a role for himself.
43:22
SPEAKER_03: But um over here at the uh the Z in the X position, uh it's just straight up height.
43:27
SPEAKER_03: You got now you got uh you got Jaram Bradley, you got Loick Fungi, you got Brady Boyd, you got JJ Sparkman, you got Trey Cleveland, all these guys.
43:35
SPEAKER_03: Brady Boyd's 6'1, I think, but the rest of these guys are 6'4.
43:38
SPEAKER_03: I mean, just huge receiving targets and athletic receiving targets.
43:43
SPEAKER_03: I mean, these dudes can jump out the building as well.
43:45
SPEAKER_03: So um, I guess what pops out to you about these these five guys in particular?
43:52
SPEAKER_13: I think it's the potential, right?
43:54
SPEAKER_13: Like we haven't, like you mentioned uh the guys who were on the roster last year, Lois.
44:00
SPEAKER_13: Jarund, JJ, Trey, like didn't go over 200 yards receiving.
44:04
SPEAKER_13: Um, and some of them have been here a couple of years.
44:07
SPEAKER_13: We really just haven't got to see them uh and what their full potential is.
44:11
SPEAKER_13: And so I think when I think about this, I think what can they be?
44:15
SPEAKER_13: And obviously they recruited here for a reason.
44:17
SPEAKER_13: They're most of them were pretty high recruits, too.
44:20
SPEAKER_13: Uh, and so right now it's just waiting to see what they can actually be with more opportunity, you know.
44:28
SPEAKER_13: Unfortunately, they didn't have that kind of opportunity last few years.
44:32
SPEAKER_13: And so now we're just waiting who's gonna step up, man.
44:35
SPEAKER_13: And and we've seen some nice plays from them.
44:38
SPEAKER_13: Um, each one of them had moments, but they've never had the amount of uh pressure that they're gonna have on them this season.
44:47
SPEAKER_13: So uh this is like one of the most questionable groups that we have, and it's nothing against them, it's just none of them have proved anything to us just yet.
44:56
SPEAKER_13: So um, but I love the potential that they have.
45:00
SPEAKER_10: Right.
45:00
SPEAKER_10: Questionable group, but very able group, and the height is amazing.
45:04
SPEAKER_10: Ray Boyd was kind of a good recruit to get transferred in.
45:09
SPEAKER_10: Um the guy that catches my eye at that was is Loick.
45:13
SPEAKER_10: He had some a few good games at the end of last year, and you saw like the kind of door creak open of like what could be with him, and so I kind of expect him in this Kitty offense to maybe explode onto the scene, and everybody else in the Big 12 be like, where did this guy come from?
45:30
SPEAKER_10: And we're like, Oh, we we saw it coming last year.
45:34
SPEAKER_10: Um, but the thing I looked at and wrote down was like I can see all these guys playing as much as the other guy.
45:41
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, I don't see any favoritism.
45:43
SPEAKER_10: Maybe Lowick does have that breakout and he secures a good spot and a little more touches, but this is a good, good group of guys that have a high ceiling.
45:53
SPEAKER_10: Um, so I'm really excited to see all these guys play.
45:57
SPEAKER_10: Um, and that'll help us spread the ball out too.
46:00
SPEAKER_10: Like that, and that's something we kind of missed out on last year.
46:03
SPEAKER_10: We kind of forced it to easy a lot, yeah, and didn't have one guy.
46:06
SPEAKER_10: And I think that'll help Miles Price a lot and Xavier White get open.
46:10
SPEAKER_10: Um, and then, like we just said, more goal line options having six, four and six five guys to throw the ball to.
46:17
SPEAKER_13: Can I ask a quick question?
46:19
SPEAKER_13: Sure.
46:20
SPEAKER_13: Do y'all know how to pronounce Loick's last name?
46:22
SPEAKER_13: Because today I was all just worried about how we're gonna touch it.
46:26
SPEAKER_03: I think I think it's fungy.
46:27
SPEAKER_03: I think it's just fungi.
46:29
SPEAKER_14: Okay, yeah.
46:30
unknown: Sure.
46:30
SPEAKER_14: I was all like worried today if I have to say his last name, like I was gonna completely butcher it.
46:35
SPEAKER_10: So I just like when we got Fardaws and we were like, I don't know how to say that last name.
46:40
SPEAKER_10: I don't know.
46:40
SPEAKER_10: Oh, Steam?
46:42
SPEAKER_10: All right.
46:43
SPEAKER_14: Sorry, Tristan.
46:44
SPEAKER_12: I just said no, no worries, man.
46:45
SPEAKER_12: Um, so whenever I look at the this height, and you're like, you know what, this height is great, but I mean, who's gonna be the main ball handler?
46:52
SPEAKER_12: And do we have a sinner or not?
46:53
SPEAKER_12: I mean, I trust Mark Adams, but like, are we are we are we are we filling out the roster or not here?
47:00
SPEAKER_12: Uh that I don't know if that joke's gonna land.
47:02
SPEAKER_12: No, it did, it hit.
47:05
SPEAKER_12: Thank you.
47:06
SPEAKER_12: Uh, and I'll shut up.
47:09
SPEAKER_12: There you go, there you go.
47:10
SPEAKER_13: It's all about that wing span, you know?
47:12
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, exactly.
47:13
SPEAKER_12: But uh, so anyway, I mean, hey, not that I've minded Mark Adams.
47:16
SPEAKER_12: He can do everything, he can have it all.
47:17
SPEAKER_12: Um, but uh um, but no, I think I think y'all are absolutely right.
47:20
SPEAKER_12: You know, where we were bringing up at the at the top of the episode, how this is with a questionable group, like you know, usually the wide receivers at Texas Tech, you're usually like, wow, we're gonna be we're gonna be great because we have this, this, and this.
47:30
SPEAKER_12: We just don't have the names yet that we really go to yet.
47:33
SPEAKER_12: And there's just a potential here for that to happen.
47:35
SPEAKER_12: But obviously, what they think we have to get into the season for it to happen.
47:38
SPEAKER_12: So I think I'm with y'all.
47:39
SPEAKER_12: It's just kind of like a buy into the potential and just kind of a wait and see, you know, and it was kind of it's kind of fun with Brady Boyd because he was like one of those guys are like, Oh, so maybe Quinn Ewers is really coming uh Texas Tech, you know, during that saga.
47:50
SPEAKER_12: So I'm I'm excited to see what that guy can pull off.
47:52
SPEAKER_12: Obviously, you know, it's always a fun to see what a talented transfer can do.
47:56
SPEAKER_12: But uh, I mean, we we got some great height and and abilities here.
47:59
SPEAKER_12: We just got to see them on the field.
48:01
SPEAKER_03: I'm uh if I'm taking a stand right here, I'm I'm all in.
48:05
SPEAKER_03: I'm on the JJ Sparkman hype train right now.
48:08
SPEAKER_03: I'm the I'm I'm the lead conductor of that hype train right now.
48:11
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I'm also really, really high on Joran Bradley.
48:15
SPEAKER_03: I the tallest guy of this group.
48:17
SPEAKER_03: He had a great play in the uh Mississippi State game, long touchdown.
48:21
SPEAKER_03: You just saw what this guy could do for you.
48:23
SPEAKER_03: Um, we've seen receivers in the recent, you know, recent pass that haven't quite met expectations with having all the intangibles.
48:31
SPEAKER_03: I'm looking at TJ Vasher there, who, by the way, you know, is is you know looking good in Cowboys camp and we're really rooting for him.
48:37
SPEAKER_03: But he's just he was one of those dudes where you're like, he you could be the best receiver in the Big 12, and it's just not happening.
48:44
SPEAKER_10: But uh, you know great offensive coordinator, don't forget.
48:47
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, exactly.
48:48
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
48:49
SPEAKER_03: That's true.
48:49
SPEAKER_03: That's true.
48:50
SPEAKER_03: But um, I I think all four to five of these guys could break out and be your number one or number two receiver.
48:57
SPEAKER_03: I think we we all agree that Miles Bryce is probably gonna be the number one guy, but um, you know, just in the outside, having these huge targets to throw to um, you know, against these smaller corners is gonna be really, really nice.
49:10
SPEAKER_03: And I'm excited for him.
49:11
SPEAKER_03: Um, there's a couple other couple other players on this wide receiving core that I think could make an impact potentially.
49:17
SPEAKER_03: They could not see the field at all, but I thought I'd mention them.
49:19
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, this is Cam Cantrell.
49:21
SPEAKER_03: Uh, we we know that last name well.
49:23
SPEAKER_03: Uh, this is his third year with the program.
49:25
SPEAKER_03: Uh, we'll see if he can do anything.
49:27
SPEAKER_03: Nate Floyd is a guy who um transferred from uh or switched, I should say, from uh I think he was a defensive back before and now he's a wide receiver.
49:36
SPEAKER_03: Um, we could see him potentially make a leap.
49:38
SPEAKER_03: And there's a couple freshmen and walk-ons that I'm really excited for.
49:41
SPEAKER_03: Um, whether they make an impact this year, whether it's next year or two years, who knows?
49:45
SPEAKER_03: But um, you know, Jordan Brown, the walk-on uh from Kansas, guy that played under Emmett Jones.
49:52
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, obviously Coach Jones saw something, wanted him to come to tech with him.
49:56
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, he made some plays in the spring game that were pretty, pretty exciting.
50:01
SPEAKER_03: Um, Drew Ho Cut, uh, another last name that we're uh we're all pretty familiar with as Texas Tech fans.
50:07
SPEAKER_03: He made some catches.
50:08
SPEAKER_03: There's been some some uh some chatter about Drew Hoe Cut potentially making a name for himself.
50:12
SPEAKER_03: And uh, you know, the freshman in Hayden Whitting Wiggington, Tyler King, and uh Coy Eakin, I think are all highly touted guys that could potentially, you know, like I said, make a name for themselves.
50:23
SPEAKER_03: But uh any of these guys stand out to y'all?
50:26
SPEAKER_13: Uh for me, it's uh Jordan Brown because uh, you know, when you're watching spring ball, there was a lot of highlights that they were uh the football team was posting of catches that he was making.
50:36
SPEAKER_13: So I think that's the main one that kind of sticks out to me.
50:40
SPEAKER_13: Um I I don't know about you guys.
50:42
SPEAKER_13: That's that's the first one that jumped off the screen.
50:44
SPEAKER_10: I was gonna say, I got to ref a friendship game that Drew Hokup played in, and he was pretty impressive.
50:51
SPEAKER_10: And to say the typical, like, he's a sneaky athletic white guy out there, he is.
50:58
SPEAKER_10: I mean, he fits the fits the mold.
51:00
SPEAKER_10: I mean, he's not big, he's not tall, he's just kind of quick and elusive, but he's just he was solid when he was at friendship, man.
51:08
SPEAKER_12: I mean, that sounds a lot like some of the most famous head wide receivers of all time.
51:12
SPEAKER_12: So he's in good company with being a sneaky white guy receiver.
51:16
SPEAKER_12: Not a bad thing.
51:16
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, probably the best school in the country, honestly, for that.
51:21
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, I got a I got a quick I got a question for y'all.
51:24
SPEAKER_13: So I had some over-unders that I kind of came up with here, and maybe I can get the quarterback running back ones at the end of this, but I got a receiving one for you guys.
51:32
SPEAKER_13: So last year, Zach Kitley's offense, they had their leading receiver had 1900 yards, their second leading receiver had 1400 yards.
51:41
SPEAKER_13: So I'm not saying like we're gonna be that, but over under one and a half receivers over a thousand yards this season.
51:49
SPEAKER_13: What do you take?
51:50
SPEAKER_13: Over 12.
51:53
SPEAKER_03: I um I'm not gonna I'm gonna say I'm gonna say we're gonna have one, and that's gonna be Miles Price, and then it's gonna be spread out.
52:00
SPEAKER_03: Like we're gonna have Loick's gonna have 700, you know, Durant's gonna have 650, JJ Sparkman's gonna have 800.
52:07
SPEAKER_03: It's gonna be something like that, you know, where uh, you know, they did have their two crazy right good receivers at Western Kentucky, and we have, you know, but it but it's really after Miles Price.
52:17
SPEAKER_03: I think it's gonna be that balance.
52:19
SPEAKER_03: And so, and we're even talking tight ends get in the mix there.
52:22
SPEAKER_03: So uh we have a lot more weapons on this Texas Tech team than they did at Western Kentucky.
52:28
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, I just I was trying to think of some clever over-unders.
52:31
SPEAKER_13: This was one that got me because I saw those two guys were just well over it, and yeah, Miles Price is my kind of guarantee at it.
52:38
SPEAKER_13: Uh, like we've talked about, there just hasn't been enough other receivers to prove that we could possibly have two.
52:44
SPEAKER_13: Um, I think you can definitely have more guys over 200 yards this year than we have.
52:50
SPEAKER_13: Um, but yeah, I think I think I would take the under as well, but I think there might be a couple guys that are close to it.
52:57
SPEAKER_13: Uh, it wouldn't shock me.
52:58
SPEAKER_13: But like you said, there's a lot of mouths to feed.
53:00
SPEAKER_12: So my my mentality on it is just I'm just chugging the the Zach Kit Kitley Kool-Aid, and we're just gonna have multiple stars that are gonna break out and just run crazy on defenses, and it will be spread out.
53:10
SPEAKER_12: But it's just well, I gotta be different here.
53:12
SPEAKER_12: I'm gonna be not like other girls, like I said earlier.
53:14
SPEAKER_12: And it's slammed the over.
53:16
SPEAKER_13: Like when I went all in on Miles Price, I love it because if there's two receivers over a thousand yards, it's gonna be a good season, right?
53:23
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, exactly.
53:24
SPEAKER_03: Absolutely, absolutely, or it's gonna be a season where we get a lot of points and maybe don't win a lot of games.
53:29
SPEAKER_03: So go back to the cliff era, but silence you do out here, man.
53:34
SPEAKER_12: We're not at that point yet, dog.
53:35
SPEAKER_12: Give us a date.
53:37
SPEAKER_03: It's true, it's true.
53:38
SPEAKER_03: Kind of to round out the receiving talk here, Coach Emmett Jones is back, and I tell you what, when that dude was announced that he was coming back to be the receiver's coach at tech, I was so hyped.
53:48
SPEAKER_03: I'm so ready for Coach Jones to be back here.
53:50
SPEAKER_03: He coached guys, he was the outside receiver's coach under uh the cliff regime for a time.
53:55
SPEAKER_03: Uh coach guys like TJ Basher, Antoine Wesley, Dylan Cantrell, Derek Willys.
54:00
SPEAKER_03: I mean, he he coached some really talented dudes here at Texas Tech.
54:04
SPEAKER_03: And uh it always seems like he has the next guy.
54:08
SPEAKER_03: He is he is ready to coach up these guys to take that next step, and that's why I'm so high on all these all these tall receivers that we have here.
54:16
SPEAKER_03: So, uh, what does it mean to y'all for for coach Jones to return to Lubbock?
54:21
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, I mean, how could you not be excited when you saw him?
54:25
SPEAKER_13: You know, my my biggest uh example of his success is Tweezy, you know, Antoine Wesley.
54:32
SPEAKER_13: He was kind of a nobody, and then all of a sudden, that last year he was unstoppable.
54:36
SPEAKER_13: Um, and so uh, and then TJ Vasher, you're talking about guys on the outside with size and the ability to coach them up and make them some of the best players in the game.
54:45
SPEAKER_13: You know, it wasn't his fault that we decided not to throw the ball to TJ Vasher, uh, you know, uh sometimes.
54:52
SPEAKER_13: But you know, those guys were really tough to defend.
54:55
SPEAKER_13: And so we're talking about a group with potential.
54:59
SPEAKER_13: Uh, this is the best coach that you can have for these guys that I think elevates their potential even more just because of what we've seen him do with other guys uh at that size and at these positions.
55:10
SPEAKER_13: So yeah, all in on him.
55:13
SPEAKER_10: And I mean, yeah, he's a guy who's been here before, he knows the program and knows a lot of the people around the building and the and the city.
55:22
SPEAKER_10: So it's not anything different for him.
55:24
SPEAKER_10: He can help these other new coaches kind of figure some things out and how to manage going through whatever channels they need to, but yeah, coaching the size, he's done that before and great recruiter.
55:34
SPEAKER_10: I think, like Bruce said, bringing up finding the next guy and bringing him up also.
55:38
SPEAKER_10: Um, I did laugh that you had Derek Willis on this list.
55:43
SPEAKER_03: He's notable, he's made an NFL career for himself.
55:46
SPEAKER_03: We can call it.
55:47
SPEAKER_03: Well, yeah, he's figured out how to not false start.
55:50
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, it's true, that's true.
55:52
SPEAKER_12: I mean, I think what's fun about Emmy Jones is we're talking about how excited he is to be back.
55:56
SPEAKER_12: I think he's just as excited as we are.
55:59
SPEAKER_12: I think he he as soon as he got that call, he's like, I'm there, I've already bought my ticket to Love Egg.
56:04
SPEAKER_12: See you there.
56:04
SPEAKER_12: Um, and the reason why another reason why I'm excited about is you know, obviously, obviously, besides his proven track record at our school, um, is I'm uh I Steve and I say this all the time when we talk about the Cliff Kingsbury uh era, is you know, we never doubted his ability to coach or anything like that.
56:22
SPEAKER_12: Like he has the X's and O's in his brain, he's he's a genius, and the people he put around him uh were super smart guys too on the offensive side of the ball.
56:30
SPEAKER_12: And that's why I was so excited to bring Zach Kitley in, a big basically another Cliff Kingsbury, but just on the offense, just on the office, offensive side of the ball.
56:39
SPEAKER_12: They know how to they know how to put points on the board.
56:41
SPEAKER_12: And him Jones is a part of that, was a part of that.
56:43
SPEAKER_12: He's worked with the with Kitley before, and I just think we've got a lot of synergy going.
56:47
SPEAKER_12: Kind of it's it's nice getting the the Kingsbury legacy without him at the head, is kind of what I guess trying to say.
56:54
SPEAKER_10: Kitley and and him have coached and Jones have coached together before, and that's they have some familiar stuff there.
57:01
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no doubt.
57:02
SPEAKER_03: So uh super excited for this receiving course, seeing uh the potential and just uh you know what are we gonna see out of these guys?
57:09
SPEAKER_03: Who's gonna be the the one to take the leap?
57:12
SPEAKER_03: But um, you know, this next group we don't talk about very often here at Texas Tech.
57:16
SPEAKER_03: Um, we've had certain uh tight ends that have um not really been tight ends while they've been to Texas Tech.
57:23
SPEAKER_03: I'm looking at you, Jason Morrow.
57:25
SPEAKER_03: Uh but I it's this is so interesting to me because Matt Wells obviously wanted to use tight ends, and he made an emphasis on trying to get these guys on campus and and use them in in Travis Koontz or Dante Thompson or any of those guys.
57:42
SPEAKER_03: So now we have three, we have three like really, really, really solid tight end options here.
57:49
SPEAKER_03: Uh, talking you know, in particular about Mason Thart, Baylor Cup, and Henry Teeter here.
57:54
SPEAKER_03: Um, to y'all, is this the most electric tight end group we've ever had at Texas Tech?
58:01
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, when you take it as a group, I think it has to be.
58:04
SPEAKER_13: When you're talking about an individual, I think Jay still holds that title.
58:08
SPEAKER_13: Um, but even like you said, you know, he was just a receiver out there.
58:12
SPEAKER_13: But hey, you look at the NFL now, Travis Kelsey.
58:15
SPEAKER_13: Uh uh, there's plenty of tight ends to go around that kind of fill that role.
58:19
SPEAKER_13: But I mean, yeah, this is as deep a group as we've had at tight end, um, where you have two guys that you think could potentially be uh on a uh a list at the end of the season uh with Baylor Cup or Mason Tharp.
58:36
SPEAKER_13: You know, Mason only got a few opportunities last year, but I think he made the most of those opportunities.
58:41
SPEAKER_13: And the dude's a fucking, I'm sorry, yeah, giant.
58:44
SPEAKER_13: I was saying, like he's like Brooks.
58:47
SPEAKER_13: Every time I see him out there, I'm just like, wow, how do you guard that?
58:50
SPEAKER_13: He's so big.
58:51
SPEAKER_13: Um, but he's agile and he makes it look super easy.
58:55
SPEAKER_13: And then, of course, Baylor Cup, like there's still some question marks with him.
58:59
SPEAKER_13: He hasn't been super healthy throughout his career, but you know, he was a five-star at one point, so you know the talents there.
59:05
SPEAKER_13: Can you bring the best out of him?
59:07
SPEAKER_13: I really hope so.
59:08
SPEAKER_13: And if you have those two guys clicking, like, I mean, that just mat adds a whole other dimension to this offense that you haven't had.
59:15
SPEAKER_13: Uh, like you said, Wells brought wanted tight ends, but you really didn't do a whole lot with them.
59:20
SPEAKER_13: Um, and so hopefully Kitley's able to figure out a way to take advantage of these guys, their size and their ability, whether that's in the receiving game, blocking game, or whatever.
59:31
SPEAKER_13: But I hope by the end of the season we're we're still as pumped about these guys as we were before.
59:36
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, this is my most exciting group because there's a little bit unknown.
59:41
SPEAKER_10: You know, Mason Dark got a lot of playing time last year, but there's still a lot of potential there.
59:46
SPEAKER_10: And Cup is this former five-star from an SEC school now.
59:50
SPEAKER_10: And so, what can be like the ceiling is we don't even know.
59:55
SPEAKER_10: And this reminds me of when Iowa State was kind of turning the corner like three years ago.
1:00:02
SPEAKER_10: They had two tight ends that were about six seven, and they were a mismatch nightmare, and that helped them win a lot of games and score a lot of points, and that's where Wells was kind of going before this.
1:00:14
SPEAKER_10: Um, and now we're seeing it coming come to fruition.
1:00:17
SPEAKER_10: And we saw Mason Tharp on the field quite a bit last year as a true freshman, and he's a beast of a blocker, too.
1:00:24
SPEAKER_10: Like, not only his size, like to be able to catch the ball, but he was a beast at blocking, and so we're gonna be able to put out a big package out there and still throw the ball, which is very nice uh option to have and creates a terrible mismatch for the defense.
1:00:39
SPEAKER_10: And so I'm very, very excited to see the potential for this group.
1:00:44
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I'm with Dustin.
1:00:45
SPEAKER_12: I think I think out of all the uh offensive units, I'm most excited about this one just because we don't talk about it at Tech Tech, like it's not something we bring up in the preseason.
1:00:54
SPEAKER_12: So, like the whenever we said the most electric tight end group at tech ever, I think I have to say yes because we're talking about it.
1:01:01
SPEAKER_12: It's just not really something you spend much time on any other season, you know.
1:01:05
SPEAKER_12: And it's kind of funny listening to Zach Kidley talk about him because they're like, So, what do you think about this tight end room?
1:01:09
SPEAKER_12: He kind of sits there and laughs, says, I don't know, I might pull out these uh bizarro packages, I've never done them before to get them all on the field just because they're that good, you know.
1:01:18
SPEAKER_12: And I'm excited to see it.
1:01:19
SPEAKER_12: I because I just think it's kind of this uh uh surprise factor, you know, that you can you can start throwing out to games where it's just like, what the heck do we do to counter this?
1:01:28
SPEAKER_12: You know, and just because the the talent and the the bodies are there, and I'm just excited to see it.
1:01:34
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and we saw it, we saw it last season with Iowa State, even though we pulled out that win, it was like anytime that ball was going to Kolar or Chase Allen, it was it was like, Yeah, they're probably gonna catch it.
1:01:45
SPEAKER_03: Because we just don't have big enough defensive bags, linebackers to yeah, it's a total mismatch.
1:01:51
SPEAKER_03: So uh, you know, Baylor Cup's the most interesting of the three, and and I'll get to teeter because teeter deserves to be talked about here.
1:01:58
SPEAKER_03: But um Baylor Cup, 6'7, 245, uh, like you mentioned, uh former five-star product and uh the number one tight end product of the class of uh 2019, committed AM, uh went went through a bunch of injuries, ankle, shoulders, uh, knocked him out for a couple seasons there, and then kind of fell behind in the rotation last season.
1:02:19
SPEAKER_03: Uh, behind Jalen Weidermeyer, who was probably one of the best tight ends in the nation last year for AM.
1:02:25
SPEAKER_03: So led AM in receiving yards, and uh, you know, it's just gonna be wild to have a recruit of this caliber come to Texas Tech.
1:02:36
SPEAKER_03: And now I know he hasn't gotten a lot of reps because of these injuries, and we hope he can stay healthy, but the potential is just through the roof with this kid.
1:02:43
SPEAKER_03: I mean, he I could see him being a Charlie Collar type athlete, you know, with Texas Tech.
1:02:50
SPEAKER_03: It's just can he stay healthy?
1:02:52
SPEAKER_03: Can he stay on the field?
1:02:54
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, it's so intriguing.
1:02:56
SPEAKER_13: I mean, I always just look to NFL teams like the Chiefs and Travis Kelsey and you know, uh Kyle Pitts get getting drafted like sixth overall to the Falcons.
1:03:05
SPEAKER_13: Having a tight end as a weapon changes the whole dynamic of your offense, and so having one guy that can do that is amazing.
1:03:13
SPEAKER_13: Having two possible guys and then a third who you expect to have moments from, that's that's almost unheard of, I think, in college.
1:03:23
SPEAKER_13: So uh it's incredible.
1:03:25
SPEAKER_10: I I can't wait to see what Kitley comes up with for these guys, but yeah, besides the big body, which is amazing in the athleticism, you're getting a guy that's been at a sec school, a top 10 sec school for the last two years and played against, I mean, played with these guys and against in practice.
1:03:43
SPEAKER_10: So he's bringing a lot of experience, even with the injuries at a high level.
1:03:48
SPEAKER_10: So you're bringing that on in the field and into the locker room, which is a great thing to have.
1:03:54
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, exactly.
1:03:54
SPEAKER_12: And I mean, I completely agree with y'all, and I don't think fans should be worried about him falling behind at AM and thinking that it's best to transfer out uh to find some playing time somewhere else.
1:04:05
SPEAKER_12: It's just it's so hard to claw like claw your way back into a starting lineup, but especially one that AM where they're really on a roll, you know, they're ranked, they're winning games, so it's kind of hard to blend them back in whenever you're on whenever things are working out for you.
1:04:17
SPEAKER_12: So I just think it was just a matter of him not having the opportunity to take a step step back in.
1:04:21
SPEAKER_12: So I really think here at Texas Tech, especially with our new offensive coordinator who's gonna be much more creative than the more orthodox guys we've had or more stuck in the war with their ways, I should say.
1:04:30
SPEAKER_12: I think we should be excited about it.
1:04:31
SPEAKER_12: And I think this guy is obviously just too good to keep off your bench.
1:04:34
SPEAKER_12: I think we have too smart of a coordinator to overlook that.
1:04:37
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, absolutely.
1:04:38
SPEAKER_03: And I think uh this third guy that we haven't really talked about much is is kind of a Swiss Army knife in Henry Teeter.
1:04:44
SPEAKER_03: Um, this is a dude who came on last season, uh, has really kind of shown in spring ball and uh you know into the summer that he's he's a leader on this team.
1:04:52
SPEAKER_03: He's a senior, he's uh he's been there before, he's gonna be a red zone target, he's a hell of a blocker.
1:04:57
SPEAKER_03: Dude is massive.
1:04:58
SPEAKER_03: I don't know if y'all have seen the uh the Instagram stuff lately, but uh man, dude's arms are huge.
1:05:04
SPEAKER_03: So I think teeter is gonna be a guy on this offense, and he's gonna be a dude that's that's gonna score some touchdowns for us and and be a weapon.
1:05:13
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, and and to have that plus you know, a guy that's six foot seven and six foot nine, uh, as uh, you know, the these weapons are just nuts.
1:05:22
SPEAKER_13: You can run a legit three tight end package.
1:05:25
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, honestly, that wasn't a joke when when Maguire said that in Media Day.
1:05:30
SPEAKER_03: He's like, No, yeah, we can do that.
1:05:32
unknown: That's amazing.
1:05:36
SPEAKER_10: New England Patriots when Gronk got started and Aaron Hernandez, and they would run the ball up your face, and then they'd put those guys on the field, and then you couldn't guard them either.
1:05:44
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, and so like you want to put safeties on the field, great, we're gonna run it.
1:05:49
SPEAKER_10: You want to put linebackers on the field, great, we're gonna throw it.
1:05:52
SPEAKER_10: Like, that's you're gonna see a lot of that this year with this group.
1:05:56
SPEAKER_13: Imagine like a goal line package.
1:05:57
SPEAKER_13: You got Donovan Smith, you
1:06:00
SPEAKER_04: Got Sir Roderick, and then you got Bradley like oh my god Sparkman two six three tight ends.
1:06:07
SPEAKER_04: Oh my god, just throw it to the to the canopy.
1:06:09
SPEAKER_12: A tree will catch it, you know.
1:06:11
SPEAKER_10: Hey, that's my other thing about this.
1:06:13
SPEAKER_10: Is I mentioned it to Brooks.
1:06:15
SPEAKER_10: Y'all remember with Cliff, we used to throw fades to Jakeem Grant in the end zone, which was the dumbest play ever.
1:06:22
SPEAKER_10: It always pissed me off.
1:06:23
SPEAKER_10: And now we have guys that are well over a foot taller than him.
1:06:26
SPEAKER_10: We can throw fades to.
1:06:27
SPEAKER_10: Yeah.
1:06:28
SPEAKER_10: And I know you're gonna get you might get to it.
1:06:30
SPEAKER_10: Who's gonna have the most touchdowns this year?
1:06:32
SPEAKER_10: This group, I give it to Mason Thark because he's goddamn 6'9, and we can just throw the ball up as high as possible, and he can get it.
1:06:39
SPEAKER_10: No one else can even touch touch his face mask.
1:06:42
SPEAKER_10: Like he can't even they have to pull his pants down and get a penalty.
1:06:46
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no doubt.
1:06:49
SPEAKER_03: Brooke, Brooks, who you think is gonna get the most touchdowns of these three?
1:06:53
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, I gotta go with Tharp.
1:06:55
SPEAKER_13: Like that that size is really unheard of at the tight end.
1:07:00
SPEAKER_13: Like most of your tight ends aren't 6'9, and the way he's able to move, like I just think it's uh a given when you're in a goal line kind of formation to just throw it up to him.
1:07:13
SPEAKER_13: Like there's nobody who's taller than him.
1:07:14
SPEAKER_13: You just gotta get that ball up there and he's gonna grab it.
1:07:18
SPEAKER_13: I I think back to like our inbounds plays when we used to have Zach Smith, we'd just throw it up and he'd just jump over everybody and get it.
1:07:25
SPEAKER_13: That's how that's like essentially what you got to do to get a touchdown to him is just lob it up there.
1:07:30
SPEAKER_13: Nobody's gonna get higher than he can.
1:07:33
SPEAKER_12: So we did record, we did we did recruit forwards then.
1:07:36
SPEAKER_03: Yes, no, yeah, these guys could multi multi-sport athletes here.
1:07:41
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, yeah, we got some and we got some MSS out here.
1:07:46
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, we got yeah, we got some Marcus Santo Silvas out here, but uh Tristan who got him being coming a tight end, speaking of tight end.
1:07:53
SPEAKER_03: I know what that was that was awesome, though.
1:07:56
SPEAKER_03: There's a there's a trend in the NFL these days where they're just like are you 6'7 and have pretty good hands?
1:08:02
SPEAKER_03: All right, we'll give you a shot.
1:08:03
SPEAKER_10: I was shocked though that he was making that switch because he doesn't look even on the basketball court, like the most athletic coordinated guy, like pretty good, but like NFL caliber, and then he's shown plenty of videos that he's he can handle it.
1:08:18
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, he looks good in a football jersey too.
1:08:21
SPEAKER_13: I was like, man, how it looks like he's played football his whole life in there.
1:08:24
SPEAKER_03: Well, I don't know about y'all, but I always he always looked like a football player to me.
1:08:28
SPEAKER_03: I was like, he's got the he's got the broad old shoulders.
1:08:31
SPEAKER_03: Oh totally, you know, the thing about San O Silva that I thought was going to translate well is he's quick on his feet, man.
1:08:37
SPEAKER_03: He stayed in front of a lot of guards last season.
1:08:39
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and I knew that that footwork and that that kind of quickness, sneaky quickness, would uh would translate to football pretty well.
1:08:45
SPEAKER_13: But uh name play that they had the block on their NBA guard now.
1:08:50
SPEAKER_13: Like, yeah, all right, yeah, that guy can translate.
1:08:52
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, so so no more on the human brick wall, no more about the truck.
1:08:55
SPEAKER_12: Okay, all right.
1:08:57
SPEAKER_12: The absolute bully down on the bait.
1:08:59
SPEAKER_12: Anyway, uh um you know what?
1:09:02
SPEAKER_12: I'll I'll be different.
1:09:02
SPEAKER_12: I'll go, I'll go against the the tailgate boys.
1:09:05
SPEAKER_12: I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go with uh I'm gonna go with Baylor Cup.
1:09:08
SPEAKER_12: There you go.
1:09:08
SPEAKER_12: There you go.
1:09:09
SPEAKER_12: Not a bad choice, but I'm gonna have to go with him.
1:09:11
SPEAKER_12: You know, I'm gonna have to go with the guy that saw the lights.
1:09:14
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I like it.
1:09:15
SPEAKER_03: There you go.
1:09:16
SPEAKER_03: I'll go with uh I'll go with Tharp as well.
1:09:18
SPEAKER_03: Uh although I think Teeter's gonna be a sneaky one for this one.
1:09:20
SPEAKER_03: I think uh I like Henry Teter a lot, but um no, I mean three three awesome weapons at the tight end position.
1:09:27
SPEAKER_03: Um, but uh much like you did earlier, Brooks, give you a little over-under here for you guys.
1:09:32
SPEAKER_03: Um talking receivers, tight ends, running backs potentially.
1:09:38
SPEAKER_03: How we had uh let's see, yeah, like I said, Miles Price, the only guy over 200 yards uh last season on returning to this team.
1:09:47
SPEAKER_03: How many guys are gonna eclipse 200 yards on this roster for for reference?
1:09:54
SPEAKER_03: Mason Tharp last year, 198 yards, so just under it.
1:09:59
SPEAKER_03: And he it didn't seem like he caught a ton of balls, but how many how many guys on this team are gonna eclipse that 200 yard mark receiving?
1:10:07
SPEAKER_13: So I have at least six guys that I think, and these are my like I think guarantee that they'll be over 200.
1:10:14
SPEAKER_13: I got Miles Price, I got Trey Cleveland, I've got Loick.
1:10:19
SPEAKER_13: Um, not gonna say the last name, uh, got JJ Sparkman, I've got Cup and Tharp, uh both going over 200 yards.
1:10:26
SPEAKER_13: And I think there's gonna be more, but these are my like six guarantees that I would be shocked if they are not over 200 yards by the end of the season, unless like they get hurt or something.
1:10:36
SPEAKER_13: That that'd be the only explanation, I think.
1:10:39
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, I had six to seven also, just knowing Kitley and how much he likes to throw it, even though that's not where I want to see it necessarily go, it's gonna happen.
1:10:48
SPEAKER_10: And I think he he's gonna get the ball to whoever's open and whoever can can get the ball, and he's gonna create these mismatches.
1:10:54
SPEAKER_10: I mean, I can see one of these guys getting 200 in a game.
1:10:58
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, yeah, we love that.
1:11:02
SPEAKER_12: You know, honestly, I'm gonna I'm gonna go pretty high.
1:11:04
SPEAKER_12: I'm gonna go like barely sub 10 because I even I think even uh a uh a back will eclipse 200 receiving yards because I just think we're gonna get just get so creative with the passing game.
1:11:14
SPEAKER_12: Um, and I think at least two tight ends will go past that that mark, but obviously I think we'll probably be easy to the tight end more in the red zone.
1:11:21
SPEAKER_12: Not a whole lot of yards you can gain there.
1:11:22
SPEAKER_12: But um it's yeah, I'm going, I'm going like I'll go nine.
1:11:26
SPEAKER_12: I'll go nine.
1:11:26
SPEAKER_12: All right, love that.
1:11:27
SPEAKER_12: I like it.
1:11:28
SPEAKER_03: There you go.
1:11:29
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I was just about to bring up I think I think Tosh Brooks gets hits that mark.
1:11:32
SPEAKER_03: He had a hundred 120 receiving yards last season.
1:11:35
SPEAKER_03: I think he gets even better under Zach Kidley.
1:11:38
SPEAKER_03: So I think him, like you said, probably two of those tight ends and and you know, four four to five receivers.
1:11:43
SPEAKER_03: So I'm gonna go seven.
1:11:44
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, play it safe right there.
1:11:46
SPEAKER_03: But um, yeah, I think uh just the sheer amount of weapons, the balance that we have on this entire offense on this receiving court is is uh huge.
1:11:55
SPEAKER_03: So, all right, we're moving on to the final offensive group, uh, which is the offensive line.
1:12:03
SPEAKER_03: Uh, a lot of new faces on the offensive line.
1:12:06
SPEAKER_03: Uh, pretty much the majority of our transfers.
1:12:08
SPEAKER_03: Tristan mentioned earlier.
1:12:10
SPEAKER_03: Uh Joey saw that our offensive line needed work and he switched everybody out.
1:12:14
SPEAKER_03: He was like, he kept a few.
1:12:16
SPEAKER_03: He kept guys like Caleb Rogers, Weston Wright, um, you know, a couple other guys that didn't really start play much.
1:12:22
SPEAKER_03: Um, but he's bringing in uh Cole Spencer.
1:12:26
SPEAKER_03: He's bringing in Dennis Wilburn, who's a community college transfer who I think is gonna have potential to be at that center position there.
1:12:32
SPEAKER_03: Uh Cade Briggs, guy from New Mexico who's pretty highly touted.
1:12:36
SPEAKER_03: Uh Monroe Mills coming from Oklahoma State, uh, as a, I believe he's a redshirt freshman, or now he's a sophomore.
1:12:42
SPEAKER_03: Ty Buchanan coming from USC, you know, guys from big programs.
1:12:47
SPEAKER_03: Um, Michael Shanahan from uh, you know, Tennessee Martin.
1:12:50
SPEAKER_03: And then we still have guys from last season, guys like Ethan Carr, Jacoby Jackson, Landon Peterson.
1:12:56
SPEAKER_03: Uh, what what are kind of your initial thoughts on uh on this O-line and and how you think it everything's gonna shake out with them?
1:13:03
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, I think like the next point you make on here is this the weakest unit on the team.
1:13:07
SPEAKER_13: I think as we go into the season, I think it is.
1:13:10
SPEAKER_13: Uh and maybe it's maybe it's not.
1:13:14
SPEAKER_13: It's just there's so many question marks.
1:13:16
SPEAKER_13: And I think Tristan said it earlier in the podcast, this just hasn't been a group that's connected very well for the a long time.
1:13:23
SPEAKER_13: Uh really it's kind of felt like since the leech days.
1:13:26
SPEAKER_13: We just haven't had a solid offensive line.
1:13:28
SPEAKER_13: Uh, you know, Mahomes was here running for his life almost every possession.
1:13:32
SPEAKER_13: It felt like uh same with all these other quarterbacks.
1:13:35
SPEAKER_13: So uh a lot of question marks, and you just hope that these guys were able to recruit, figure out who can fill in and you know give you a positive offensive line, somebody that can create holes for our talented running back group, can create time for our quarterbacks to throw.
1:13:53
SPEAKER_13: And so, you know, I like the pieces that we've added.
1:13:56
SPEAKER_13: We've added a lot of guys who have experience on the D1 level.
1:14:00
SPEAKER_13: That's always a positive.
1:14:01
SPEAKER_13: And so I'll take that as kind of like patchwork while we are clearly going heavy on young.
1:14:08
SPEAKER_13: Let's get in young offensive line, let's develop them.
1:14:11
SPEAKER_13: And so I think this is a good uh little hey, this is a bridge the gap until we get those younger guys in and develop them.
1:14:19
SPEAKER_13: But you know, I've liked the pieces that we've added now.
1:14:22
SPEAKER_13: Will it translate?
1:14:23
SPEAKER_13: Uh I I gotta be skeptical on it until I see it happen, just because we haven't haven't had one uh really be successful in a while.
1:14:32
SPEAKER_13: So uh that that's just kind of where I'm at on the offensive line.
1:14:36
SPEAKER_13: Sorry for the negativity on it, but it's just it's been hard.
1:14:40
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, big rotating door of guys here.
1:14:43
SPEAKER_10: I mean, you got Caleb Rogers and Western Wright who have experience and should start for you next year, but besides that, it's wide open at three other positions.
1:14:52
SPEAKER_10: I mean, Caleb probably go to left tackle.
1:14:55
SPEAKER_10: Weston can probably start at either guard position, and then you got three other spots that are wide open.
1:15:01
SPEAKER_10: But the thing is with all these uh transfers we brought in, I had to refresh my memory on all these guys just because there were so many of them.
1:15:08
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, and they're all very capable and high-level guys.
1:15:13
SPEAKER_10: Like, we're not just bringing in, you know, mid-level, like I just need to fill spots type guys.
1:15:18
SPEAKER_10: Like, no, you're bringing in, like you said, a lot of very capable guys.
1:15:22
SPEAKER_10: Um, my favorite one though is Cole Spencer, yeah, from Western Kentucky, coming with Kitley, so he knows the offense.
1:15:30
SPEAKER_10: He's probably gonna be a starter right away because of that.
1:15:34
SPEAKER_10: And I saw he was just named to whatever preseason linemen watch list.
1:15:39
SPEAKER_10: Um, and I think that has something to do with it because he's gonna have familiarity with the offense and Kitley, the calls, all that stuff.
1:15:46
SPEAKER_10: So transitioning into Texas Tech, he just put on a new uniform.
1:15:51
SPEAKER_10: That's all he's doing.
1:15:52
SPEAKER_10: He's gonna be running the same place.
1:15:54
SPEAKER_10: That's what he knows what we're doing, and so that's a great addition to have, too.
1:15:58
SPEAKER_10: But these other, like I said, two positions, like I said, Cole Spencer, I think, will start wherever he wants to.
1:16:04
SPEAKER_10: The other two positions can be filled by almost anybody, um, which might be a good thing.
1:16:09
SPEAKER_10: Um, just because you can get if the guy goes down, you're okay.
1:16:13
SPEAKER_10: Um, kind of like our quarterback position that we were questioning for a little bit, but now we're like, hey, if a guy goes down, we're very capable filling that hole and not like super worried like we've been in the past.
1:16:24
SPEAKER_10: Like we said, we've had Jack Anderson, Dawson Deaton, Terrence Steele.
1:16:29
SPEAKER_10: Like we've had a guy here or there, but if that guy goes down, we shit the bed almost, you know.
1:16:34
SPEAKER_10: And I think now we have enough guys with all these transfers to fill in and back them up.
1:16:42
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I mean, Joe Joey McGuire just flat out slammed that refresh button.
1:16:46
SPEAKER_12: You know, yeah, it's this is an entirely unique new unit, like we kept touching on.
1:16:50
SPEAKER_12: And you know what, Brooks, I know I never like sitting there being all negative, but this is how you can look at the negativity with the O-line.
1:16:55
SPEAKER_12: All right, the O-line can either uh, you know, since the kind of it's got some holes, it can either turn you into the greatest NFL work.
1:17:02
SPEAKER_13: I'm sorry, I'm scarred by storming.
1:17:05
SPEAKER_12: You can be running for your life and uh you know translate that into your professional game like uh Monsieur Mahomes, or you can uh have your body broken like Alan Bowman and never be the same again.
1:17:14
SPEAKER_12: You know, it's just um it's it's it's a mixed bag.
1:17:18
SPEAKER_12: But uh no, I I I'm I'm with y'all.
1:17:20
SPEAKER_12: I think uh what gives you hope.
1:17:22
SPEAKER_12: And Dustin touched on this was the transfers.
1:17:25
SPEAKER_12: It's yeah, you're you're you're bringing in experience, you know, you're not just bringing somebody that's straight out of high school that just obviously hasn't seen this kind of level of play yet.
1:17:33
SPEAKER_12: You are.
1:17:33
SPEAKER_12: I mean, obviously it's not the big 12, but you're still bringing in some serious players.
1:17:37
SPEAKER_12: I mean, and some of these guys that were coming in are all conference, like like Spencer was all conference USA.
1:17:41
SPEAKER_12: And I'm almost positive Kate Briggs was all conference uh Mountain West.
1:17:44
SPEAKER_12: And that's nothing to joke about.
1:17:45
SPEAKER_12: That means those guys can play anywhere.
1:17:47
SPEAKER_12: So that's that's uh that's that's a big deal.
1:17:50
SPEAKER_12: And I I think that we're hopefully able to, like as Brooks said, you know, patchwork it together to where it's serviceable enough to where you can start scoring some points.
1:17:58
SPEAKER_12: I mean, that's the most important part.
1:17:59
SPEAKER_12: So hopefully that's this.
1:18:00
SPEAKER_12: I think the way to say this is I hope this unit surprises us.
1:18:04
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, and I mentioned it earlier talking about the running backs.
1:18:07
SPEAKER_10: Sorry to cut you off, Steven.
1:18:08
SPEAKER_10: But like, no, you're good.
1:18:09
SPEAKER_10: I hope Kitley like to help this group run the ball, like uses our strong running backs because linemen like to go forward, they don't like to go backwards and get ran into and have to just try to hold up the whole time.
1:18:22
SPEAKER_10: And so I think we try to run the ball as much as we can, especially early in these first few games, while everybody's kind of figuring out and chemistry-wise, and even running or a passing game, like quick, quick stuff to so these guys don't have to block and switch off and get get screwed over by blitzes and stunts.
1:18:39
SPEAKER_10: And so I think Keely's gonna help them out as well.
1:18:43
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no, I think so too.
1:18:45
SPEAKER_03: There's there's pieces on this O-line.
1:18:48
SPEAKER_03: Um, can we put it all together?
1:18:50
SPEAKER_03: That's uh that's up to Coach Hambey.
1:18:52
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, but there are guys.
1:18:54
SPEAKER_03: I like Caleb Rogers, I like Weston Wright.
1:18:56
SPEAKER_03: Uh, those guys have been very consistent for us.
1:18:58
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, these last couple seasons.
1:19:00
SPEAKER_03: I think Caleb Rogers has much improved from the time he stepped on campus to right now.
1:19:04
SPEAKER_03: Uh Cole Spencer obviously is a stud.
1:19:08
SPEAKER_03: He's a dude that could that could go anywhere and be productive.
1:19:11
SPEAKER_03: Um, Cade Briggs is an interesting option there at center.
1:19:14
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I think him and Dennis Wilburn are kind of gonna fight out for the center position there.
1:19:18
SPEAKER_03: Um, but and you have options after that.
1:19:20
SPEAKER_03: Um, whether you know it all comes to fruition, we'll we'll have to see.
1:19:26
SPEAKER_03: But I think we have the right guy at the helm here to coach these guys up, a guy that brings some nasty.
1:19:32
SPEAKER_03: Uh, something that we really haven't had.
1:19:35
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I know our our offensive line coach, uh, I think is farmer the last couple seasons.
1:19:40
SPEAKER_03: He wasn't very good.
1:19:41
SPEAKER_03: He just wasn't.
1:19:42
SPEAKER_03: Uh, he in the O-line never seemed cohesive, it never seemed like a true unit.
1:19:47
SPEAKER_03: Um, what I think Coach Hambi is gonna bring is more of a togetherness, a nasty type to him.
1:19:54
SPEAKER_03: And that's what these O-line need, they need to be nasty, they need to push up on these guys, they need to have an attitude to them.
1:20:00
SPEAKER_03: I I this would be something where I'm not even afraid if they get some penalties for just being mean and just being because that's what we want to see at Texas Tech.
1:20:08
SPEAKER_03: That's what we want to see from your O-line.
1:20:10
SPEAKER_03: That's what we saw in 2008, Texas Tech with Coach Hambi, as he was, you know, handing the ball off to Graham Harold.
1:20:16
SPEAKER_03: So, um, this is this is something that I'm I'm excited about because of Coach Hambey.
1:20:22
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, this is a coach who, when we get an offensive line recruit, uh tweets out the little gif of him shoving that old Miss State dude in the face.
1:20:32
SPEAKER_13: Like, and yeah, he got penalized on that.
1:20:35
SPEAKER_13: I think he might have got kicked out of the game on that.
1:20:37
SPEAKER_13: I can't remember.
1:20:38
SPEAKER_13: Uh uh, but hey, I I love that man.
1:20:42
SPEAKER_13: I love that physicality.
1:20:43
SPEAKER_13: I think we're gonna be more physical on on the offensive line with this guy.
1:20:48
SPEAKER_13: Uh, he's a guy who was in that, you know, leech era line where you know they line, you know, the gaps were from Lubbock to Amarillo.
1:20:57
SPEAKER_13: I I think Brent Musberger said that on that Tech Texas game call.
1:21:01
SPEAKER_13: Uh, but he knows physicality, he's gonna bring that to this group.
1:21:04
SPEAKER_13: I think he was a home run higher.
1:21:06
SPEAKER_13: Uh, he played at tech, so he's even more motivated to succeed here.
1:21:11
SPEAKER_13: But yeah, I mean, how could you not love a guy who just immediately greets a recruit with that kind of physicality and just a gift?
1:21:19
SPEAKER_10: And look at his, I mean, short coaching history.
1:21:23
SPEAKER_10: He started at bowling green when they were lighting the offensive world on fire, and then he's been at Western Kentucky.
1:21:30
SPEAKER_10: Like, you gotta think, oh, so he's coming over with Kitley too, so he knows the offense and how to get these guys on the same page, and that's again another plus.
1:21:38
SPEAKER_10: Like, so we have two of our offensive assistant coaches that have worked with Kitley.
1:21:44
SPEAKER_10: That's a great addition to have.
1:21:46
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I mean, it's like like you just touched on where we're bringing in a we're we're we're picking up the Western Kentucky vibe and bringing it over Tech to Tech.
1:21:53
SPEAKER_12: So it's just that much more of a seamless transition, right?
1:21:56
SPEAKER_12: You know, so there's not a whole lot of chemistry building there, it's already there.
1:21:59
SPEAKER_12: And I like that y'all kept bringing up that he's a former player.
1:22:02
SPEAKER_12: We obviously love that as drug raiders.
1:22:03
SPEAKER_12: We're super into our own.
1:22:04
SPEAKER_12: We love that, we love that so much.
1:22:06
SPEAKER_12: That's why we're so excited about Kitley and now Andy.
1:22:09
SPEAKER_12: Um, and I think what was what's so cool to see him from the 2008 era, I know that's kind of something that are we sit there daydream, probably a little too much about, but it's just he knows what we can be, he knows he's seen success at Texas Tech.
1:22:20
SPEAKER_12: So he knows we can bring success back to Texas Tech.
1:22:23
SPEAKER_12: And the words the word the coaching staff keeps using is violence, you know, and that's something that we want to see on the O-line pretty much more than any other any of the others.
1:22:32
SPEAKER_12: So I I really like y'all keep saying, I just want to see that aggressiveness, I want to see that tenacity.
1:22:37
SPEAKER_12: And obviously, uh, I like that you all touched on that, you know, it's a guy that wants probably wants it more than anybody else you can bring it on since it's his alma mater, it just means something more in that sense.
1:22:45
SPEAKER_12: So I'm I'm pumped.
1:22:46
SPEAKER_12: I want to pick anybody else.
1:22:47
SPEAKER_12: I'm glad Kitley brought him over.
1:22:49
SPEAKER_10: And think about all those offensive lines like around that 08 time, how good they were, and how many not just individuals, but how much of a team they were.
1:22:57
SPEAKER_10: I mean, shoot, at one point there were three guys that played in Super Bowls together on those teams, and like he was right in the middle of that.
1:23:04
SPEAKER_10: So he has seen how individuals on the online work and how they work as a team, and that that excellence is great to have.
1:23:12
SPEAKER_03: No doubt, no doubt, man.
1:23:13
SPEAKER_03: But I I maybe I'm high on the offensive line after this talk.
1:23:16
SPEAKER_03: I don't know, man.
1:23:17
SPEAKER_03: I wouldn't sound like we're down at all.
1:23:20
SPEAKER_03: I went in, I put on the notes.
1:23:22
SPEAKER_04: I was like, is this the weakest unit?
1:23:23
SPEAKER_04: Now I'm like, Well, I don't know.
1:23:25
SPEAKER_04: Let's think about it.
1:23:26
SPEAKER_14: I'm already like, I think they may might be one of our best units already.
1:23:29
SPEAKER_14: I don't know.
1:23:30
SPEAKER_10: As I did more research on this in the last few days, I was like, God, I like our team way more than like four days ago.
1:23:39
SPEAKER_03: It happens every year, it happens every year.
1:23:42
SPEAKER_03: We get too hyped.
1:23:43
SPEAKER_03: Uh, but I think this is different.
1:23:45
SPEAKER_03: New coaching staff, yeah, new rejuvenation in the program.
1:23:48
SPEAKER_03: Got all this freaking money going into it now.
1:23:50
SPEAKER_03: So uh, I think we're ready.
1:23:52
SPEAKER_03: I think we're ready to take that leap level of it.
1:23:54
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, uh, but that's that's breaking down the positions, guys.
1:23:57
SPEAKER_03: This has been a blast.
1:23:59
SPEAKER_03: We got some final questions for everybody, and then we're gonna end it all.
1:24:02
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, throw on my uh couple of over-unders that I have for you guys.
1:24:05
SPEAKER_13: Let's do it.
1:24:05
SPEAKER_13: So I have I have a quarterback over-under, and I have one for each possible.
1:24:10
SPEAKER_13: Well, for Tyler Shuck for Donovan Smith.
1:24:14
SPEAKER_13: So I just kind of took like what on pace they were for yardage last year, uh, added like 10 more pass attempts for you know, accounting for Zach Kitley's offense, and came up with these over-unders.
1:24:26
SPEAKER_13: So Tyler Shuck, if Tyler Shuck is your week one starting quarterback, can play the whole season healthy over under 4,500 yards.
1:24:38
SPEAKER_03: Just for reference for all y'all, Tyler Shuck had 872 yards and six touchdowns through three and a fourth games last year.
1:24:46
SPEAKER_03: So this is, I mean, 4,500 yards isn't unrealistic.
1:24:50
SPEAKER_13: Um, yeah.
1:24:51
SPEAKER_13: So so kind of how I did the math on this, he was averaging 30 attempts per game at a 69 completion percentage.
1:24:58
SPEAKER_13: Nice.
1:24:59
SPEAKER_13: Um, and he was averaging about a little over 13.6 yards per completion.
1:25:06
SPEAKER_13: So I threw in, all right, let's throw 40 attempts per game at that same 69 clip, which equaled about 27 uh completions per game at 13 yards, which equaled about 376 yards per game times 12, and that came up to 4,512.
1:25:26
SPEAKER_13: So, right at 4,500 yards for that.
1:25:29
SPEAKER_13: So I think that's a very good over under.
1:25:31
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no, I yeah, your math checks out.
1:25:34
SPEAKER_03: I didn't really I look you lost me about halfway through that, but yeah, sorry.
1:25:39
SPEAKER_14: Very seriously, I was like big coming in here with some big math guy, relax.
1:25:45
SPEAKER_03: If if Tyler Shuck, if Tyler Shuck starts every game this season and Texas Tech wins seven games, I think he eclipses that uh that 4500 mark.
1:25:55
SPEAKER_03: Um, I think any of these quarterbacks, if they're playing all 12 games, are gonna do that.
1:25:59
SPEAKER_03: Uh now Donovan Smith's a little different because he he can run as well.
1:26:03
SPEAKER_03: Uh, but you know, Tyler Shuck's sneaky, good uh in the run there.
1:26:07
SPEAKER_03: Um, and and Barron Morton, we just don't know.
1:26:09
SPEAKER_03: So yeah, I'll I'll go over if Tyler Shuck starts all all the games.
1:26:14
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I'm gonna be boring and say over as well.
1:26:16
SPEAKER_12: I mean, I know he we're not it's not gonna be Bailey Zay, same sort of zone, but it's it's it's still the same headman, like the guy called McPlays behind him.
1:26:25
SPEAKER_12: So I have to go over.
1:26:27
SPEAKER_10: I'll take the under just because of the point I keep making.
1:26:31
SPEAKER_10: I hope we run the ball a little more than Western Kentucky did and don't have to rely on him to get 4,500 yards to win some games.
1:26:39
SPEAKER_13: When I did the same math uh for Donovan, if he starts all 12 games, I had 4,000 yards.
1:26:45
SPEAKER_13: Uh, like if you take his numbers at in like 10 more attempts, uh, he came out to about 4,000 yards.
1:26:51
SPEAKER_13: He was completing passes at 61% clip last year, about the same average per reception, but uh came out to about 4,000 for him.
1:27:00
SPEAKER_13: Y'all, y'all still on that overboat for him.
1:27:02
SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna go under on Donovan because I think he runs it.
1:27:05
SPEAKER_03: He yeah, yeah.
1:27:06
SPEAKER_13: I was about to say, is it is it total or is he just passing?
1:27:09
SPEAKER_13: So yeah, passing yards.
1:27:11
SPEAKER_13: When I did all that same math, I'm not gonna go through the whole equation for you guys.
1:27:14
SPEAKER_13: It came out to 4,067 uh yards.
1:27:18
SPEAKER_13: If I just added in like 10 more passes a game for him, um and so that's kind of why I set the line at 4,000.
1:27:25
SPEAKER_12: I have a hard time saying under again.
1:27:28
SPEAKER_12: I just it's hard not to imagine the ball being slung every single game.
1:27:35
SPEAKER_06: I mean 4,000.
1:27:38
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, 4,000.
1:27:40
SPEAKER_13: I I'm a little skeptical because I haven't seen him after his progression from last year yet.
1:27:48
SPEAKER_13: And he was very inaccurate at some times.
1:27:50
SPEAKER_13: Like I think back to that Oklahoma State game, you know, he he just really struggled against that defense.
1:27:55
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, um, and so you know, he's one of those things like I kind of got to.
1:28:00
SPEAKER_13: See it advanced before I think I could go over.
1:28:03
SPEAKER_13: But the his ability to run the football, I think, adds a different dimension to his game.
1:28:09
SPEAKER_13: So I think for Donovan, I might be just a little bit under, even though he'd probably be approaching that number.
1:28:16
SPEAKER_13: But those were the uh quarterback questions.
1:28:19
SPEAKER_13: And then I just had a Taj Brook Taj Brooks over under 800 yards.
1:28:23
SPEAKER_02: Over.
1:28:24
SPEAKER_02: Slam it.
1:28:25
SPEAKER_13: Over.
1:28:25
SPEAKER_02: Wow.
1:28:27
SPEAKER_10: Slam it.
1:28:28
SPEAKER_10: Big time.
1:28:29
SPEAKER_10: I'm with you, Steven.
1:28:30
SPEAKER_10: Hammer that.
1:28:31
SPEAKER_12: Ah, you know, fine.
1:28:32
SPEAKER_12: I'll be different.
1:28:32
SPEAKER_12: I'll go under.
1:28:33
SPEAKER_12: I'm since I'm so dedicated to the over on the passing yard.
1:28:37
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, this was this was one I just took his average from last year, which was like 63 yards a game, combined it.
1:28:44
SPEAKER_13: But you know, with what we're bringing in offensively to the pass game, you know, and Sir Rodrick being healthy for hopefully the whole season, I just wondered if his numbers would go up a whole lot, um, or what.
1:28:58
SPEAKER_13: Because you know, you think about it last year, Taj Brooks was kind of injured for most of the season, too.
1:29:03
SPEAKER_13: So uh he still was able to almost get 600 yards on uh still being injured.
1:29:10
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no, I'm I'm all in on Taj Brooks.
1:29:12
SPEAKER_03: Uh him and JJ Sparkman.
1:29:14
SPEAKER_03: I'm I'm all aboard that train.
1:29:16
SPEAKER_03: Donovan Smith as well, uh captain of those trains.
1:29:20
SPEAKER_03: Um, but all right, let's get to let's get to a few final questions and then we'll get the song of the week for everybody and uh end off this part.
1:29:26
SPEAKER_03: Uh and then we'll this is gonna be a long episode, tell you what.
1:29:30
SPEAKER_03: But uh we said it would be all this.
1:29:32
SPEAKER_03: But it's fun, it's it's fun times over here on talking tech.
1:29:35
SPEAKER_03: But um, all right, fellas, who is the most exciting player on offense this season?
1:29:40
SPEAKER_13: I'm gonna go with Miles Price.
1:29:42
SPEAKER_13: I mean, I I think it's an easy answer, but I'm just like so bought into him as not only just a player, but a person.
1:29:49
SPEAKER_13: Like he's one of the greatest personalities I think we've had at tech in a while.
1:29:54
SPEAKER_13: I can see this dude having a great college career, NFL career, and then coming back and doing some broadcasting or something like that.
1:30:01
SPEAKER_13: He's just uh magnetic as a person, but uh I'm all in on him having an amazing year, and I think what he can do with that slot position, like Dustin kind of mentioned earlier, it's kind of jakeem-esque.
1:30:13
SPEAKER_13: And uh I love having that potential on offense, so uh that that's it for me.
1:30:18
SPEAKER_12: I love that answer, I love that build up.
1:30:21
SPEAKER_13: Thank you.
1:30:22
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, all aboard the miles price train.
1:30:24
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, like get on board now because he's gonna be electric this season, he's gonna be the next great Texas Tech slot receiver.
1:30:32
SPEAKER_10: We're gonna talk about for years and years.
1:30:34
SPEAKER_10: And I mean, he showed flashes, and I think Kitley can't wait to use him everywhere, all over the field.
1:30:41
SPEAKER_10: He's gonna be Tyree Kill like in how much we move him around, like it's gonna drive teams nuts how much he's moving, and then he still will catch the ball, don't you worry?
1:30:52
SPEAKER_10: And he's gonna go for over a thousand yards, like Steven asked, and get assists on all these touchdowns that all the big boys get.
1:31:00
SPEAKER_12: Y'all think y'all had a cop out answer?
1:31:02
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I'm ready.
1:31:03
SPEAKER_12: I'm I'm you're gonna go shuck on the safe level here with the mine.
1:31:06
SPEAKER_12: I'm going with Tyler Shuck.
1:31:08
SPEAKER_12: The reason why is because uh we just have so many weapons, and they get so we have an offensive coordinator that's gonna get so creative that I need I need to get excited about a single single player that's gonna touch the ball every single time because otherwise we're gonna get lost in the sauce with how how how awesome it's gonna be.
1:31:25
SPEAKER_12: Um, and I feel like Tyler Shuck has really something to prove.
1:31:28
SPEAKER_12: I think he has something more to prove than anyone else in the locker room as at the QB position.
1:31:31
SPEAKER_12: He's got a lot of doubters, he's got a lot of doubters on the West Coast, he's got doubters here at home, and you know, there's a lot of people questioning if he's the guy.
1:31:38
SPEAKER_12: You know, you'd think he'd be already be announced the guy.
1:31:40
SPEAKER_12: So you think that I bet that's really putting a spur behind him there to really kick things out.
1:31:45
SPEAKER_12: And even more so, man, I I'm just I'm more excited.
1:31:48
SPEAKER_12: I just want to be excited about a tech quarterback again.
1:31:50
SPEAKER_12: I'm ready to ready to really just be like, man, when already talked about the great quarterbacks tech stack, I would like to list a guy again.
1:31:55
SPEAKER_12: And I want Tyler Shuck can absolutely fit that bill.
1:31:58
SPEAKER_12: Um, and last but not least, he uh he there's a secret video of him saying Red Raider Nation, let's ride.
1:32:05
SPEAKER_12: Red Raider Nation, let's ride.
1:32:08
SPEAKER_06: What so that's let's let's put that on the back the back burner of Twitter, please.
1:32:14
SPEAKER_10: Because the when the West Virginia quarterback came out with his, it was very bad.
1:32:18
SPEAKER_12: I I I I I'm a sucker for it right now.
1:32:20
SPEAKER_12: I'm still I'm still on board the meme until it dies.
1:32:22
SPEAKER_12: But uh, you know, I don't know if that I don't know if that's a sign, maybe he's a starter or not.
1:32:26
SPEAKER_12: So maybe the the let's ride has proven it.
1:32:28
SPEAKER_12: But um, yeah, I I I have to go.
1:32:30
SPEAKER_12: I want to I want to be in love with the quarterback again.
1:32:33
SPEAKER_03: There you go.
1:32:34
SPEAKER_03: I'm uh I'm I'm not gonna I'm not gonna choose Tyler Shuck, but I am gonna choose another quarterback, and I'm gonna choose another guy who is going to rise up draft boards, and he's going to become a name in the national media after this season, and that's Donovan Smith.
1:32:51
SPEAKER_03: Donovan Smith, yeah, I could be I'm going all in, and I could be completely wrong on this, but I'm just so high on everything about Donovan Smith.
1:33:00
SPEAKER_03: I think he's going to be electric next season.
1:33:03
SPEAKER_03: I think if he doesn't start the season, he's gonna end it.
1:33:06
SPEAKER_03: And uh I'm just I'm I'm super hyped.
1:33:09
SPEAKER_03: So I'm gonna go.
1:33:10
SPEAKER_03: I'm I Miles Price if I'm choosing a receiver, but but Donovan Smith, I think, is going to be the most electric and exciting player to watch on offense next year.
1:33:18
SPEAKER_03: Love it.
1:33:20
SPEAKER_03: So next one, best unit.
1:33:22
SPEAKER_13: Best unit.
1:33:23
SPEAKER_03: Go ahead.
1:33:25
SPEAKER_13: Um, I'm gonna go running back.
1:33:27
SPEAKER_13: I'm gonna go running back, hoping that maybe y'all cover some of the others.
1:33:31
SPEAKER_13: Um, I just man, Taj Brooks.
1:33:33
SPEAKER_13: It's it's a great name having Brooks in your name.
1:33:36
SPEAKER_13: Like you're obviously destined for greatness.
1:33:39
SPEAKER_13: We've had a lot of those guys, Jordan Brooks, uh Brooks Barrett, Taj Brooks.
1:33:43
SPEAKER_13: Um, so I'm just all in on this running.
1:33:46
SPEAKER_14: Good God.
1:33:48
SPEAKER_13: I'm all in on this running back group.
1:33:50
SPEAKER_13: I love Saroderick.
1:33:52
SPEAKER_13: I love Taj Brooks.
1:33:53
SPEAKER_13: I love that they stayed here uh despite you know the coaching change.
1:33:57
SPEAKER_13: I love how they seem bought into Joey Maguire in this era, and I hope for great health for them this season.
1:34:05
SPEAKER_13: And I think this this could be a game changer for us this year.
1:34:08
SPEAKER_10: So you know it's like me and Brooks do a podcast every week together because I had an answer if he took one of the other options that I had.
1:34:18
SPEAKER_10: You have backup because I'm gonna go tied in.
1:34:22
SPEAKER_10: I was we didn't text about this before, and I was like, Um, if he doesn't take this one, I'm taking this one.
1:34:27
SPEAKER_10: And I mentioned it with how big the mismatches are.
1:34:31
SPEAKER_10: One, the guys are big to begin with.
1:34:32
SPEAKER_10: I mean, Mason Tharp and Baylor Cup, they're gonna create mismatch problems.
1:34:36
SPEAKER_10: Kelly's gonna have a field day with the packages we can do with them, and it's gonna screw up teams so bad, and it's gonna be great for our running backs and receivers, linemen.
1:34:48
SPEAKER_10: It helps everybody else out on the field, and like those two big guys, three big guys are gonna be a great, great unit for this team.
1:34:57
SPEAKER_12: Well, I mean, I feel like after we we made our Colt Kool-Aid for the O-line, we gotta someone's gotta say the uh the oh the O-line, you know, we all need to agree, but but you know, I'm gonna make I'm gonna make this sharkcuterie board here.
1:35:10
SPEAKER_12: You know, we're all touching different subjects here.
1:35:13
SPEAKER_12: I'm gonna stay with my basic white girl.
1:35:15
SPEAKER_12: Um, and I I feel like I gotta say quarterbacks again, just because I don't think I've ever seen the depth like this at Texas Tech.
1:35:22
SPEAKER_12: And I'm not just saying like, you know, we haven't had a good line of quarterbacks, it's just like this is like proven depth, you know, that uh we can all we can we feel completely confident.
1:35:31
SPEAKER_12: Like I know I know I do I think Chuck's starting, he thinks uh Donovan's starting.
1:35:34
SPEAKER_12: That just shows how confident we are in the first two.
1:35:36
SPEAKER_12: And you have the the the West Texas son, the the chosen one, Barry Morton, ready to take his throne soon.
1:35:43
SPEAKER_12: And I just I really think that really you can't go wrong with any of those guys, and you just couldn't say the same.
1:35:48
SPEAKER_12: I look, I know yeah, I know Hollywood Henry is probably the best ever stepped on our field uh at that position, but I I just I can't say that I've seen a quarterback room this talented at Texas Tech in my fandom.
1:36:01
SPEAKER_13: I just I can't I can't really brought up Henry Hollywood Hollywood Henry's hair.
1:36:05
SPEAKER_13: I mean, kind of exactly that's that's where all the power comes from.
1:36:08
SPEAKER_03: If if I never had heard uh Henry Columbi's name again, I'd be just fine with that.
1:36:13
SPEAKER_12: So yeah, you know what, because he just won't remember how good he was.
1:36:16
SPEAKER_12: Like, we'll come back to that.
1:36:18
SPEAKER_13: I really had forgotten about him until I was doing research on offense last year, and I was like, Oh, yeah, Henry Columbi.
1:36:23
SPEAKER_03: Oh, yeah, he started five games for us last year.
1:36:26
SPEAKER_03: Yikes.
1:36:27
SPEAKER_03: Yikes.
1:36:29
SPEAKER_14: All right, the whole time we're begging for Donovan.
1:36:32
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, the whole time.
1:36:33
SPEAKER_03: We're just like, please, somebody else.
1:36:35
SPEAKER_03: Um, all right, we're gonna we're gonna make these one and one-word answers because we got to get through this first part.
1:36:41
SPEAKER_03: This this episode's gonna be so long.
1:36:43
SPEAKER_03: No, y'all are good, y'all have been awesome.
1:36:45
SPEAKER_03: Um, all right.
1:36:46
SPEAKER_03: Uh Texas Tech record prediction.
1:36:47
SPEAKER_03: Go ahead, Brooks.
1:36:49
SPEAKER_13: I got seven and five.
1:36:52
SPEAKER_12: Seven and five.
1:36:53
SPEAKER_12: Tristan?
1:36:54
SPEAKER_12: Six six and six, and then seven and five.
1:36:56
SPEAKER_12: Well, I know that doesn't make any sense.
1:36:57
SPEAKER_12: I'm going six and six.
1:36:59
SPEAKER_12: So final seven and six.
1:37:00
SPEAKER_12: I'm gonna go.
1:37:04
SPEAKER_03: We have a tough schedule.
1:37:05
SPEAKER_03: I'm going eight and four.
1:37:07
SPEAKER_03: Oh, let's go! Texas Tech, Joey Maguire, LFG.
1:37:12
SPEAKER_03: Um, this one, this one I thought was an interesting one to ask.
1:37:17
SPEAKER_03: Okay, how many games will the Jones sell out next year?
1:37:21
SPEAKER_13: Man, this one's a tough one because I don't really know how many games we've actually sold out.
1:37:25
SPEAKER_13: So it's I just said if there's gonna be any games that are gonna be sold out, it'll be the OU and Texas game.
1:37:32
SPEAKER_13: But I you know, I just really don't think we sell out the Jones a whole lot.
1:37:36
SPEAKER_13: Um but if those if there's two, it's gonna be OU Texas because it could be potentially the last time we see them.
1:37:43
SPEAKER_10: I got four out of six.
1:37:45
SPEAKER_10: I think obviously Kansas isn't gonna sell out.
1:37:48
SPEAKER_10: I don't think West Virginia sells out, but Texas Oklahoma, obviously.
1:37:52
SPEAKER_10: I think Houston being a big time in in-state rival sells out, and Murray State being Joey's first game.
1:37:59
SPEAKER_10: Everybody's gonna show up for that.
1:38:01
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I'm gonna copy Dustin's answer.
1:38:04
SPEAKER_12: I just I haven't seen this much excitement.
1:38:07
SPEAKER_12: No, yeah, it's you're good.
1:38:08
SPEAKER_12: I I just I I don't I've haven't seen this kind of excitement around the program in a long time, not since the the early Kingsbury days.
1:38:15
SPEAKER_12: So I think we're just gonna I think we're gonna see the fans really support this because I think there's a lot of bleed over from the basketball excitement that's finally gonna be harnessed into the football season.
1:38:22
SPEAKER_12: Um, I mean, obviously you can only buy into that so much.
1:38:24
SPEAKER_12: If we start losing games back to back to back, you can't expect us to sell out.
1:38:28
SPEAKER_12: But I I think I think if if we go solid, yeah, I think we're we're selling out about four games or more, hopefully.
1:38:34
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no, I'm gonna I'm gonna go three.
1:38:36
SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna go.
1:38:37
SPEAKER_03: We sell out that first game uh of the Joey Maguire era and then uh UTNOU.
1:38:42
SPEAKER_03: So I'm gonna go with three, um, with with many more in the future.
1:38:45
SPEAKER_03: So all right, fellas, what we do as as you guys well know, uh on the talking tech pod every single week.
1:38:52
SPEAKER_03: We give something for the people to listen to after, of course, they've listened to this episode, and after, of course, they've listened to the Tailgate Talks uh newest podcast that has been released.
1:39:01
SPEAKER_03: Uh, but they they need some songs, they need something to pipe them up or uh or you know, just mellow them out, whatever you're feeling.
1:39:08
SPEAKER_03: A song of the week for the people will go with Brooks, Dustin, Tristan, and then we'll finish off with myself.
1:39:16
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, so I have a personal one here.
1:39:19
SPEAKER_13: Uh, there is an artist goes by the name of Danny Mac D-A-N-I M-A-C-K.
1:39:27
SPEAKER_13: Uh, that is my sister.
1:39:29
SPEAKER_13: Her actual name, Bailey Barrett, born and raised in the desert out here in Lubbock, Texas.
1:39:34
SPEAKER_13: All right.
1:39:34
SPEAKER_13: So I know tech fans love supporting people from Lubbock.
1:39:38
SPEAKER_13: She was born here, raised here, now lives in LA, and she is pursuing a music career.
1:39:44
SPEAKER_13: And she released a song yesterday uh called Fleabag.
1:39:48
SPEAKER_13: I don't know if any of y'all have seen the TV show Fleabag on Amazon.
1:39:52
SPEAKER_13: It's a really good one if you haven't go watch it.
1:39:54
SPEAKER_13: But she really released this song, it's named Fleabag based off that show.
1:39:59
SPEAKER_13: It's a banger.
1:40:00
SPEAKER_13: I'm not just saying that because she's my sister, it's really damn good, and she's a really damn good artist and uh great at writing lyrics, and so uh I'm just really pumped for her.
1:40:12
SPEAKER_13: It was released yesterday, so go check it out.
1:40:15
SPEAKER_13: Fleabag, Danny Mac.
1:40:33
SPEAKER_13: So go support a Lubbock born and bred artist, man.
1:40:36
SPEAKER_13: She's trying to make it, so yeah, personal shout-out for me.
1:40:40
SPEAKER_03: We we love the local talent.
1:40:41
SPEAKER_03: Very nice.
1:40:41
SPEAKER_03: Go give it a listen.
1:40:42
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, because I saw that.
1:40:43
SPEAKER_13: I was like, uh, I knew when we were gonna be on here.
1:40:46
SPEAKER_13: I was like, oh hell yeah, I get a chance.
1:40:47
SPEAKER_13: Like, yeah, and timing, she just released it.
1:40:50
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, exactly.
1:40:51
SPEAKER_03: There are shameless plugs, and then there are just plugs, and you just gave us a plug.
1:40:55
SPEAKER_13: That's a wholesome plug.
1:40:56
SPEAKER_13: That's not shameless.
1:40:58
SPEAKER_03: No, that's what I'm saying.
1:40:59
SPEAKER_03: It's not a shameless plug.
1:41:00
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, I'm a I'm a proud big brother.
1:41:02
SPEAKER_13: I love her music, she's gifted, and I'm not just saying that because she's my sister, she's like really damn good, and so yeah, go support her.
1:41:10
SPEAKER_13: She's got a couple songs out right now, but yeah, flea bag just released.
1:41:13
SPEAKER_10: Very nice, Dustin.
1:41:14
SPEAKER_10: What you got?
1:41:15
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, mine's not personal at all.
1:41:17
SPEAKER_10: Mine is totally viral off of Twitter and TikTok of this last week.
1:41:21
SPEAKER_10: Uh, I don't know if y'all seen it.
1:41:23
SPEAKER_10: Edwin Diaz, the closer for the Mets.
1:41:26
SPEAKER_10: His entrance walk-in song is a song called Narco by Blaster Jacks and Timmy Trumpet.
1:41:33
SPEAKER_10: And it's like an EDM type song that has a sick, like Spanish trumpet walk-in, and it gets the people going.
1:41:42
SPEAKER_10: It is freaking electric, it'll get you going.
1:41:45
SPEAKER_10: You're going out night with the boys, going to the gym, whatever you need, put on narco by blaster jack, and it will pump you up.
1:42:06
SPEAKER_13: Nice, man.
1:42:07
SPEAKER_13: It is a banger.
1:42:08
SPEAKER_13: It is texted me that earlier, and I was like, Oh, yeah, this is awesome.
1:42:12
SPEAKER_10: I listened to it earlier getting ready for the gym.
1:42:14
SPEAKER_12: I was like, Oh, yeah, here we go.
1:42:15
SPEAKER_04: Awesome.
1:42:16
SPEAKER_04: Hell yeah.
1:42:16
SPEAKER_04: Tristan, what you got?
1:42:18
SPEAKER_12: Well, as soon as they're pumped, I'm gonna bring him down.
1:42:20
SPEAKER_12: So I y'all know me.
1:42:21
SPEAKER_12: I love my alternative country.
1:42:22
SPEAKER_12: Uh, this one, this one's a group out of Appalachia, the Yang to the Red Dirt Yang.
1:42:26
SPEAKER_12: I'm gonna go with a group called 49 Winchester, and the song is Russell County Line, just a great song to listen to when you're on the road.
1:42:33
SPEAKER_12: And it's just a slow one, but it's got a nice build-up.
1:42:36
SPEAKER_07: When I'm out on the road, Lord tried a home lift on it just for you to hold.
1:42:43
SPEAKER_07: And if you wonder how I'm doing more than I'm doing, fine, but I wish I was in Virginia on Russell County line.
1:42:56
SPEAKER_03: You always choose those songs that I just have no idea who these people are or uh what this what this kind of is.
1:43:03
SPEAKER_03: But hey, no, that's great.
1:43:04
SPEAKER_03: We all we need we love discovering new artists, we love uh, you know, giving the people something different.
1:43:08
SPEAKER_03: You know, we're not we don't like to give them Ed Sheeran, you know, we don't like to give them whatever.
1:43:14
SPEAKER_13: Get off the beaten path from time to time.
1:43:16
SPEAKER_03: Exactly, exactly.
1:43:17
SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna do one of those bands as well.
1:43:19
SPEAKER_03: Uh, probably a little more well known than what than what you just gave us, Tristan.
1:43:23
SPEAKER_03: But another country band, uh, one that you showed me, uh, The Wilder Blue.
1:43:27
SPEAKER_03: Great, great band, awesome, uh, awesome sound to them, good Americana uh type music.
1:43:32
SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna go with their song uh Palomino Gold.
1:43:35
SPEAKER_03: Fantastic one.
1:43:36
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, just about the Palomino and and just just a really, really smooth jam.
1:43:42
SPEAKER_03: I love smooth music.
1:43:43
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, I'll get I'll get pumped up every once in a while, but if I'm just listening to music, I want something smooth.
1:43:48
SPEAKER_03: I want some uh you know, easy listening, great voice, all that kind of stuff.
1:43:51
SPEAKER_03: And that this song has everything.
1:43:52
SPEAKER_03: So that's uh the Wilder Blue Palomino Gold.
1:43:56
SPEAKER_08: Frio River Blue, Palomino Gold, crossing my mind like these bodies.
1:44:05
SPEAKER_06: Memories of love to wild river.
1:44:14
SPEAKER_12: Palomino.
1:44:17
SPEAKER_12: And that band's led by Zayn Williams.
1:44:19
SPEAKER_12: A name, a name a lot of people know.
1:44:20
SPEAKER_12: That band's spectacular.
1:44:22
SPEAKER_12: All they everything they touch turns the gold.
1:44:23
SPEAKER_12: Good pick.
1:44:24
SPEAKER_12: Palmina gold.
1:44:25
SPEAKER_14: Palamine gold, yeah.
1:44:28
SPEAKER_03: Hell yeah, fellas.
1:44:29
SPEAKER_03: Well, hey, this has been awesome.
1:44:30
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I love getting ready for football season.
1:44:33
SPEAKER_03: We're just a little over 30 days away from it at the time of this recording.
1:44:36
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you guys have been great, providing a lot of analysis, a lot of uh, a lot of just introspective into this Texas Tech offense and what we're what it's gonna look like.
1:44:44
SPEAKER_03: So uh here's y'all's chance just to plug everything uh for tailgate talks and everything you need to right now, um, with with with the podcast and uh just what you need to do.
1:44:56
SPEAKER_13: Well, thanks for having us, guys.
1:44:57
SPEAKER_13: Uh a hundred episodes.
1:44:58
SPEAKER_13: That's awesome.
1:44:59
SPEAKER_13: Like, you know, we're on that grind, we're getting close to it.
1:45:02
SPEAKER_13: We understand what it's like.
1:45:04
SPEAKER_13: So uh just really thankful that y'all have us on for this episode.
1:45:08
SPEAKER_13: Celebrate with you guys, talk Texas Tech Football.
1:45:11
SPEAKER_13: It just feels right, man.
1:45:12
SPEAKER_13: It just feels good to have it close.
1:45:15
SPEAKER_13: But yeah, you can follow us.
1:45:16
SPEAKER_13: We're at Telgate underscore talks on Twitter.
1:45:19
SPEAKER_13: That's where we do most of our interacting with people, kind of like most podcasts nowadays.
1:45:24
SPEAKER_13: Uh, we're also on Facebook, we're also on Instagram.
1:45:27
SPEAKER_13: But if you want to listen to the podcast, we're on Apple, we're on Spotify.
1:45:31
SPEAKER_13: Uh, you can find us there, Telgate Talks.
1:45:33
SPEAKER_13: Uh, we just got our our you know new update with our new logo and everything.
1:45:37
SPEAKER_13: So you're gonna be able to find uh oh, I guess this isn't a video medium, but uh you're gonna be able to see our new logo uh on that podcast.
1:45:45
SPEAKER_13: So make sure you are you know liking, subscribing, following, rating, reviewing, all that good stuff.
1:45:51
SPEAKER_13: Uh, we also have a YouTube channel, and it's something I've been focusing on lately is trying to get out, you know, little good clips from each of our podcasts.
1:45:59
SPEAKER_13: We've had a couple videos really taken off lately.
1:46:03
SPEAKER_13: We uh, you know, taught BYU a little bit about Texas Tech.
1:46:07
SPEAKER_13: We had our full BYU interview out.
1:46:09
SPEAKER_13: Uh, tomorrow we have a Danny Amendola related video dropping.
1:46:14
SPEAKER_13: Well, tomorrow, as in the day that we're recording this, which is Thursday.
1:46:18
SPEAKER_13: So by the time this comes out, it'll be past past.
1:46:20
SPEAKER_13: But uh yeah, go follow our YouTube channel too, Tellgate Talks There.
1:46:24
SPEAKER_13: So that's pretty much all we've got.
1:46:25
SPEAKER_03: Very nice, guys.
1:46:26
SPEAKER_03: Well, hey, we really appreciate y'all coming on.
1:46:28
SPEAKER_03: Glad we could do this home and home.
1:46:30
SPEAKER_03: Finally, we got you on this pod, and uh to make it a talk and talks part two, just fantastic.
1:46:35
SPEAKER_13: Talk and talks, yeah.
1:46:36
SPEAKER_13: We just gotta keep this going until it's like part nine, part ten.
1:46:40
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, absolutely.
1:46:42
SPEAKER_13: Season two, part two.
1:46:45
SPEAKER_03: Well, all right, fellas.
1:46:46
SPEAKER_03: We really appreciate y'all coming on.
1:46:48
SPEAKER_13: Yeah, thanks.
1:46:48
SPEAKER_13: Thanks for having us.
1:46:52
SPEAKER_03: All right, we are here for the second part of this Mondo hundredth episode podcast, talking defense.
1:46:59
SPEAKER_03: Jackson from Ramblin' Raiders is here.
1:47:01
SPEAKER_03: What's up, man?
1:47:03
SPEAKER_09: Hey, not much.
1:47:04
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, I know that uh I'm really honored to be on this hundredth episode for Talking Tech.
1:47:08
SPEAKER_09: And man, I I had to give it to you guys.
1:47:10
SPEAKER_12: A vintage just thank you.
1:47:15
SPEAKER_12: Thank you.
1:47:16
SPEAKER_09: We're uh we're celebrating, we're talking some defense, but uh thank you all for having me on, man.
1:47:21
SPEAKER_09: I'm I'm uh always pumped to do these crossovers.
1:47:23
SPEAKER_12: Well, thank you for hopping on and chirping one right open at 3:30 on the day of the Lord.
1:47:28
SPEAKER_12: So that's that takes uh that's a real commitment and a real uh uh we're very grateful for that.
1:47:35
SPEAKER_09: Hey, if it helps, if it helps, I did go to church this morning, so I feel like I got a little bit of leeway.
1:47:40
SPEAKER_09: Absolutely for a beer or two.
1:47:42
SPEAKER_09: There you go.
1:47:43
SPEAKER_03: I uh I I didn't go to church this morning, but I'm gonna join you here.
1:47:47
SPEAKER_12: Oh all right, all right.
1:47:49
SPEAKER_12: How about how about y'all sit there and uh uh and uh banster while I run and grab one?
1:47:54
SPEAKER_12: This is gonna be a speed run.
1:47:56
SPEAKER_04: All right, Tristan has returned.
1:47:58
SPEAKER_12: That was that was kind of wimpy, but that's okay.
1:48:01
SPEAKER_12: Uh it's it's the spirit that counts, right?
1:48:03
SPEAKER_09: There you go.
1:48:03
SPEAKER_09: Hey man, well, yeah, and you got to get started because uh pre-pod, y'all were telling me your bachelor party's coming up, man.
1:48:09
SPEAKER_09: You gotta go ahead and get just keep keep the tolerance up while you can, man, before the big day comes.
1:48:13
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, keep keep warming up, right?
1:48:15
SPEAKER_09: That's it.
1:48:16
SPEAKER_09: Always, always stay ready, always stretch out your muscles, aka your liver.
1:48:20
SPEAKER_03: Whose bright idea was it to have two bachelor parties in three weeks?
1:48:25
SPEAKER_03: Uh it was ours.
1:48:26
SPEAKER_03: So it was, yes.
1:48:27
SPEAKER_12: This this month is not doing not doing a lot of good for our livers here this month, but uh we're selfishly picked water-based bachelor parties, so had to be in the summer, had to be back to back.
1:48:39
SPEAKER_03: Exactly, exactly.
1:48:41
SPEAKER_03: But we got to get back on topic here because we're talking defense, we're talking Texas Tech football preview right now.
1:48:48
SPEAKER_03: We have our good buddy Jackson here.
1:48:51
SPEAKER_03: Um, and and uh we wanted you on for the defense episode because you talked with Muddy Waters and you had a it's a great interview if you haven't go go listen to it on uh the Ramblin' Raiders feed.
1:49:00
SPEAKER_03: Um, but after talking to Muddy and kind of getting a feel of this defense, what what are kind of your initial thoughts on how it's gonna look?
1:49:08
SPEAKER_09: Man, I was really glad to hear that they're uh the the kind of overall theme that he had on that pod was that they're bought in.
1:49:15
SPEAKER_09: I mean that they they have hit the ground running, um, they're putting in the work when it's not even required of them.
1:49:21
SPEAKER_09: And uh especially this the starting unit, but this um he was speaking more to uh our secondary in the DBs, and just um he he said expect a lot of flying around, a lot of you know helmets uh popping and and just hopefully not for um you know targeting, right?
1:49:36
SPEAKER_09: Uh none of that, but a lot of just hats, you know, flying around and making tackles.
1:49:41
SPEAKER_09: And the other big thing was putting pressure on the quarterback, which I know tech fans will be relieved to hear just because that's been a bit of a thorn, you know, these last three years during the Matt Wells and Keith Patterson era.
1:49:52
SPEAKER_09: So um I'm excited, man.
1:49:53
SPEAKER_09: Uh a lot of depth and and a lot of energy, a lot of hunger on that side of the ball.
1:49:58
SPEAKER_09: And I think uh I got a little bit.
1:50:00
SPEAKER_09: Of a better look at Coach DeRooter, uh kind of his philosophies and what he's doing.
1:50:03
SPEAKER_09: And it sounds like he he he could be the real deal.
1:50:06
SPEAKER_09: So um yeah, it was it was a lot of fun.
1:50:08
SPEAKER_09: Really excited that he was able to come on uh Ramblin' Raiders.
1:50:12
SPEAKER_09: And um yeah, I mean I was I I left, I put it in my notes kind of for this podcast.
1:50:16
SPEAKER_09: I I left feeling pretty confident after that interview.
1:50:19
SPEAKER_03: That's awesome, man, because I we need something from our defense.
1:50:23
SPEAKER_03: And and actually last season was one of our better, uh, you know, in you talk about the last decade of Texas Tech football.
1:50:30
SPEAKER_03: You think of the terrible defenses that we had in the Mahomes era and all that kind of stuff.
1:50:35
SPEAKER_03: And last year was kind of a nice sight to see, and I and I think actually was a huge part of us winning those seven games, but um, you know, just kind of breaking down the losses, the additions, um, a lot of a lot of losses on the linebacker unit in particular, but um, you know, guys like Colin Schooler, um, guys like Rico Jeffers, DeMarcus Fields, you know, Eric Monroe put in uh a pretty good season last year, uh, Devin Drew, Nelson and Banasor, Jacob Morgan Stern, Brandon Boyer Randall, uh, the longtime Seth Collins.
1:51:09
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I I did I did some research.
1:51:12
SPEAKER_03: This man's freshman year was 2015, was his freshman year of college.
1:51:17
SPEAKER_03: He actually started at quarterback at Oregon State for a couple games in 2015.
1:51:24
SPEAKER_03: Is a wild about that.
1:51:26
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
1:51:27
SPEAKER_02: Wow.
1:51:28
SPEAKER_02: Wow.
1:51:29
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
1:51:29
SPEAKER_03: But um, and we're also talking special teams as well on this episode.
1:51:32
SPEAKER_03: So obviously, you know, losing John Garabay is is, you know, it sucks to be quite frank.
1:51:38
SPEAKER_03: Uh, one of our most consistent and best field goal kickers uh we've had at Texas Tech here in a long time.
1:51:44
SPEAKER_03: And uh, you know, we we lose him to the NFL.
1:51:47
SPEAKER_03: Hopefully he's gonna be on the Cowboys final roster here.
1:51:50
SPEAKER_03: But um, so so just initially with those losses, I mean, what what does that kind of tell y'all?
1:51:55
SPEAKER_03: What uh, you know, what do you think of the the losses that we have on this defense?
1:52:00
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, first thing that comes to my mind, you know, you you mentioned names like Colin Schooler, um, you know, Rico Jeffers, that's a lot of tackles, a lot of solo tackles, uh, a lot of um production out the door.
1:52:11
SPEAKER_09: And that's that's always you know gonna be a bit of a red flag and and kind of an indicator that you know you're gonna have to um refill that that that production, that output that you see.
1:52:22
SPEAKER_09: Um and I know that we're gonna kind of go through each tier of our defense, and I think our linebacking core is probably the most at risk right now.
1:52:31
SPEAKER_09: Um uh not saying that they won't be able to succeed or do well, but just when you lose that much uh productivity, it's gonna be hard to replace.
1:52:38
SPEAKER_09: So that's kind of my initial thought, is just that's a lot of uh a lot of stats, a lot of tackles right there between just those two guys.
1:52:45
SPEAKER_09: I know Colin Schooler led um, I believe, what was it, 106 tackles, led the team or something like that uh last year.
1:52:52
SPEAKER_09: So that's that's just gonna be tough tough to fill that void.
1:52:56
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, you know, I kind of touched on this in the offensive part.
1:52:59
SPEAKER_12: I'm sure we'll uh kind of be re-echoing some of the sentiments about the Matt Wells era.
1:53:03
SPEAKER_12: And whenever I look at these losses lists, you know, these are there's a lot of stars on here, man.
1:53:08
SPEAKER_12: A lot of great pickups from Matt Wells himself.
1:53:10
SPEAKER_12: Like uh, you know, like like I mentioned before, like you can rip on the guy for a lot.
1:53:14
SPEAKER_12: You cannot rip on his ability to identify talent in the transfer portal.
1:53:18
SPEAKER_12: I mean, you look at you look at a guy like Colin Schooler, and he was probably he was arguably our best defensive player last season.
1:53:23
SPEAKER_12: And it's just it's it's upsetting to see him go.
1:53:27
SPEAKER_12: And I feel like looking at this list, it hurts more than looking at the offensive losses, honestly.
1:53:31
SPEAKER_12: Because you know, we had really had some studs, especially, especially at a linebacker, and like uh Jackson already touched on that, might be our most uh questionable uh point just because of how talented it was this past season.
1:53:42
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, but with with the losses comes additions, you know.
1:53:46
SPEAKER_03: Uh, this is I I like looking at the the transfer group because this is really Joey's Joey's guys.
1:53:52
SPEAKER_03: You know, we have a lot of players returning that are coming from Matt Wells and even some from Cliff Kingsbury's time here.
1:53:57
SPEAKER_03: But um, you look at the transfer unit that we got, uh guys like Keon Blankenbaker, uh gonna you know add to that defensive back unit transfer from Wyoming, Tyler Owens coming from Texas, Dimitri Moore, uh Jacob Rodriguez, Miles Cole, Vital Scott, Gino Garcia, kicker brought in, uh, and then James Grando as well, coming from community college.
1:54:17
SPEAKER_03: Um, anybody from this transfer class on the defense, anybody stick out to you, Jackson?
1:54:24
SPEAKER_09: Uh so I was gonna say Dimitri Moore is is someone I'm excited about.
1:54:28
SPEAKER_09: Just uh kind of following him in the offseason.
1:54:30
SPEAKER_09: He's he's been really active and promoting the brand.
1:54:33
SPEAKER_09: And uh from an actual, you know, on-field standpoint and and how they're gonna produce, I'm uh I haven't really had a chance to look into besides just the the stars and kind of the general stats that pop up.
1:54:44
SPEAKER_09: But uh I think Dimitri Moore, his size is something that I I uh you know kind of does pop uh you know, initially you see that, right?
1:54:52
SPEAKER_09: Like his size pops off the page at you.
1:54:54
SPEAKER_09: And so I think he's physical, he's fit uh, you know, he's pretty built.
1:54:58
SPEAKER_09: And um I'm excited.
1:54:59
SPEAKER_09: He's just you know one of the guys in this um pretty, I'd say pretty uh you know uh dense group of transfers that we have in that that you know uh coach McGuire has been able to bring to the table.
1:55:11
SPEAKER_09: He's he's probably my my guy I'm most excited to see.
1:55:15
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, and uh I I to to bounce off that I gotta go uh Keon uh Blake and Baker, just because I mean he was one of the more sought-after transfers once he entered the portal.
1:55:23
SPEAKER_12: And it's always great getting a talented kid uh who's played at the top FPS level to come on over whenever he especially played on a solid Wyoming team.
1:55:30
SPEAKER_12: That was a good Cowboys team, a good Cowboys defense.
1:55:32
SPEAKER_12: So I'm excited to see that guy kind of transfer his abilities over to the even the to even a higher level.
1:55:37
SPEAKER_12: So I I'm just thinking that this guy is probably one of those G five guys that's that's gonna really shine.
1:55:41
SPEAKER_09: And they're and the name alone, man.
1:55:43
SPEAKER_09: The name alone exactly something like something worth celebrating for sure, and definitely bringing in experience.
1:55:50
SPEAKER_03: He's coming in using his final year of eligibility here, which is really cool.
1:55:54
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, that's worked out in the past for not only tech football, but you know, tech basketball and getting these grad transfers, they're always good.
1:56:01
SPEAKER_03: Um, wanted to move on to the new leader of our defense, the the new defensive coordinator, um, Tim DeRooter coming in from Oregon, but he's he's had many stops in his in his career.
1:56:14
SPEAKER_03: Uh, first off, I I was just going through his history.
1:56:17
SPEAKER_03: Defensive coordinator at Ohio, Navy, Nevada, Air Force, Texas AM, Cal, and Oregon, and now Texas Tech.
1:56:26
SPEAKER_03: Um, former head coach as well at Fresno State for a few years.
1:56:30
SPEAKER_03: Um, we'll go Jackson and then Tristan.
1:56:32
SPEAKER_03: Uh, what were your thoughts on this higher?
1:56:34
SPEAKER_09: So uh my initial reaction was I I thought it was, and this is you know might upset some fans, but as far as Texas Tech goes, when it comes to our history with defense, I thought it was a slam dunk, really.
1:56:46
SPEAKER_09: I thought it was the best, almost best case scenario because you have a guy who has you know 20 years experience as a as a you know, coaching at various programs with some pedigree, and then also as a head coach um at Fresno State, where he saw early success, right?
1:57:01
SPEAKER_09: They played for a conference championship his first two years at Fresno State before he kind of you know petered out there uh the last three years.
1:57:08
SPEAKER_09: But experience is important.
1:57:10
SPEAKER_09: It matters.
1:57:10
SPEAKER_09: He's got that.
1:57:11
SPEAKER_09: Um, and you know, although he was at Oregon for a short time, right?
1:57:15
SPEAKER_09: Short-lived, they finished 21 in the country, 10 and 4 record, uh played for a conference championship, played in the Alamo Bowl, and um their defense excelled at getting takeaways, which is something that I know tech fans will be excited to see.
1:57:28
SPEAKER_09: I think they they racked up 17 interceptions, which was fifth in the you know fifth best in the FBS, and 22 total takeaways, which was um you know ranked 26th nationally.
1:57:39
SPEAKER_09: So uh yeah, I mean it seems like I think he's he's got experience and and he's gonna be able to come in and provide enough on that side of the ball, hopefully some consistency.
1:57:49
SPEAKER_09: That's really what what I'd like to see.
1:57:51
SPEAKER_09: That's probably what's lacked the most.
1:57:53
SPEAKER_09: But if you can get a lot of turnovers, you know, with a Zach Killey offense behind you who's gonna be running and gunning and hopefully putting up points.
1:58:00
SPEAKER_09: Um, I'm excited.
1:58:01
SPEAKER_09: I mean, he's had 16 players drafted throughout his coaching career.
1:58:04
SPEAKER_09: Some uh you know, Von Miller was one of them that that he uh had got you know had his influence on.
1:58:10
SPEAKER_09: And so um I think he can develop and and and motivate.
1:58:13
SPEAKER_09: And uh I personally I think it's a great hire.
1:58:16
SPEAKER_09: I I don't know if we could have done much better, honestly.
1:58:19
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I'm in full agreement with Jackson.
1:58:21
SPEAKER_12: I think I think it's a great hire.
1:58:22
SPEAKER_12: I'm glad the uh the storm kind of formed into a perfect shape with uh the the the with Warrigan blowing up the way it did at the end of the season, uh kind of fell into our favor.
1:58:32
SPEAKER_12: So uh to grab a guy that at the back caliber into uh like the perfect timing, I guess.
1:58:36
SPEAKER_12: Uh and I'm I'm with Jackson.
1:58:38
SPEAKER_12: I think with the defensive coordinator, especially at a school like Texas Tech, is you want the tried and true, you want the experience.
1:58:44
SPEAKER_12: You don't need to get sexy about this.
1:58:46
SPEAKER_12: Like, because you look at the Zach Kidley hire, that's a sexy hire, that's a flashy hire, that's uh something out of the box.
1:58:52
SPEAKER_12: With this one, it's as straight line, straight edge as you can get.
1:58:55
SPEAKER_12: Like it's you're just you're hiring an old man who has been around the block.
1:58:59
SPEAKER_12: And I'm a-okay with that.
1:59:00
SPEAKER_12: And especially a guy that a lot of people can recognize.
1:59:02
SPEAKER_12: I think it's the first time in a while that uh people actually can really recognize our different defensive coordinator's name, especially people here in Texas.
1:59:08
SPEAKER_12: You know, he'll at Texas AM.
1:59:10
SPEAKER_12: I do like that, as Jackson brought up with Bon Bell Von Miller.
1:59:13
SPEAKER_12: So he understands uh Texas.
1:59:15
SPEAKER_12: Hopefully, he can add a bit of his experience to the recruiting as well.
1:59:17
SPEAKER_12: So I'm in full agreement.
1:59:19
SPEAKER_12: And obviously, having him as a head coach at one point is great too.
1:59:22
SPEAKER_12: You know, it just it just adds to that play calling experience and just control, you know, be able to influence the things at a different level.
1:59:29
SPEAKER_12: So I'm really excited about Tinder Reuter.
1:59:30
SPEAKER_12: I think I I you know, obviously, like I said, it's not as flashy as the Kitley hire, but I I I think this is the hire we needed rather than just let out wanted, you know.
1:59:39
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, absolutely.
1:59:40
SPEAKER_03: I 100% agree with both of y'all.
1:59:41
SPEAKER_03: I was I was thrilled when he was announced as the DC.
1:59:45
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, he's changed defenses in short times at a lot of these stops.
1:59:50
SPEAKER_03: You know, you talk about when he was first hired at Cal, they went from a terrible defense to, you know, a pretty solid uh looking group there.
1:59:58
SPEAKER_03: AM, he was there for uh, you know, a year and and made it pretty well in Oregon the same way.
2:00:04
SPEAKER_03: And he's coached up these stars.
2:00:06
SPEAKER_03: You know, you talk about Von Miller, you talked about Kayvon Thibodeau at Oregon last year.
2:00:11
SPEAKER_03: He knows talent and knows how to coach these guys.
2:00:14
SPEAKER_03: Uh and and he's already compared, you know, uh Kayvon Thibodeau to Tyree Wilson.
2:00:19
SPEAKER_03: And that's just an absolute banger of a comparison.
2:00:22
SPEAKER_03: We're okay with that.
2:00:23
SPEAKER_03: We're all right with that.
2:00:25
SPEAKER_03: And so um, you know, I was thrilled with the with the DeRooter hire.
2:00:29
SPEAKER_03: I think he's gonna be uh really solid for tech, even in the first season.
2:00:33
SPEAKER_03: Um, but you know, we you did Jackson mention kind of like what you wanted to see um, you know, from from the defense that we haven't quite seen uh at Texas Tech.
2:00:42
SPEAKER_03: Um, but with DeRooter's long history, a lot of stops, um, you know, it do you guys see this as more of just a stepping stone to the next job, or do you think he's ready to kind of just be here and stay here?
2:00:56
SPEAKER_09: So I'll be I'll be honest.
2:00:58
SPEAKER_09: This was one.
2:00:59
SPEAKER_09: Um I I you know, I know he's got some ties, right?
2:01:03
SPEAKER_09: Uh having coach at AM, although I believe it was just a year.
2:01:06
SPEAKER_09: I mean, it was kind of or I can't remember how long he was there.
2:01:09
SPEAKER_09: He was something happened.
2:01:10
SPEAKER_09: Uh, I was trying to look into that earlier.
2:01:11
SPEAKER_09: But, anyways, it is, you know, Fresno stays out in Oregon.
2:01:15
SPEAKER_09: His ties aren't, I wouldn't say aren't necessarily like deeply rooted in West Texas or Texas Tech.
2:01:20
SPEAKER_09: I think that he could, if we see some instant success, you know, we he comes out of the gate in year one, year two, absolutely blows up.
2:01:28
SPEAKER_09: Our defense is, you know, top 15, top 20, something like that.
2:01:32
SPEAKER_09: I could see him using Tech as a stepping stone to, you know, if he finds that instant success.
2:01:37
SPEAKER_09: But the thing is, is I'm okay with it if he does, because that means that he's doing something right on the field, right?
2:01:43
SPEAKER_09: It's something that's that's equating to winning football on the defensive side, uh, you know, on the defensive end.
2:01:50
SPEAKER_09: And uh that's that's the kind of product that we want to build.
2:01:53
SPEAKER_09: I will say this.
2:01:54
SPEAKER_09: Um, we've also seen, you know, Kirby Ho Cut and this Texas Tech Athletic Department are not afraid.
2:01:59
SPEAKER_09: Our alumni, our the manador club, what have you.
2:02:02
SPEAKER_09: I know they're more NIL, but but uh this this program and this athletic department is not afraid to pay coaches, head coaches, or assistant coaches what they think they need to to get them to stay on if they're doing well.
2:02:14
SPEAKER_09: We saw that with Mark Adams before uh he became the head coach with um, you know, he who must not be named.
2:02:20
SPEAKER_09: I mean, they came in and and they paid him fat, like heavy to keep him around.
2:02:24
SPEAKER_09: And so um, you know, I I think if if we see some instant success this year and DeRooter's a big part of that, I think tech will make a very hefty offer and a pretty concerted effort to keep him around.
2:02:35
SPEAKER_09: But um, but yeah, I you know, with DeRooter, who knows?
2:02:38
SPEAKER_09: I mean, he he's been around so long, and I know a lot of his ties are on the West Coast.
2:02:44
SPEAKER_09: You know, if the price isn't right and he can find something a little bit uh more appealing to him, I could see him, you know, taking that next step.
2:02:50
SPEAKER_09: But like I said, that just means that we're playing really good.
2:02:53
SPEAKER_09: That just means that we're doing something really well, and I'm I'm perfectly fine with that.
2:02:57
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I I you took the words right out of my right out of my mouth, Jackson.
2:03:00
SPEAKER_12: Uh I I feel like uh a problem, I'm not a problem, but a mentality that Texas Tech fans need to get over as a whole is being scared of people leaving.
2:03:08
SPEAKER_12: Because people leaving means that we are doing something right and awesome.
2:03:14
SPEAKER_12: So I mean we can backfill, you know, it's it's a building process.
2:03:18
SPEAKER_12: You you get in there, you have a great DC, he does a great job, you're a better defense for it.
2:03:23
SPEAKER_12: Okay, he leaves.
2:03:24
SPEAKER_12: He goes and becomes a DC out of blue blood or becomes a head coach again.
2:03:27
SPEAKER_12: Awesome.
2:03:28
SPEAKER_12: Or and then you can just bring it, then you're you're that much much more uh valuable to a prospect DC who's like, okay, tech defense isn't a joke anymore.
2:03:37
SPEAKER_12: They take it seriously.
2:03:38
SPEAKER_12: I can come in here and build on this.
2:03:40
SPEAKER_12: And the the cycle, the cycle kind of repeats itself, and tech's a better place for it.
2:03:45
SPEAKER_12: So I'm 100% for that.
2:03:47
SPEAKER_12: I don't know, I don't know enough about Timber Reader.
2:03:49
SPEAKER_12: Maybe he wants to go and become a head coach again.
2:03:50
SPEAKER_12: You know, he's an older man, he doesn't have that many years left in the coaching world left, probably what about 10 give or take um before he's ready to settle down.
2:03:57
SPEAKER_12: Um so maybe he wants one more shot at the head coach, or maybe he doesn't.
2:04:00
SPEAKER_12: And he's like, okay, I tried it, I'm I'm more comfortable as a coordinator.
2:04:02
SPEAKER_12: And maybe, like Jackson said, we're clearly proving that we got pockets to make people happy.
2:04:07
SPEAKER_12: So if he wants to just settle down in West Texas and just, you know, where the expectations really aren't that back breaking at his position and just kind of, you know, get comfortable, make something nice, and see where it goes.
2:04:19
SPEAKER_12: So I think that's kind of my mentality with it.
2:04:21
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I mean, that was obviously a very premature question.
2:04:24
SPEAKER_03: We haven't even seen him, you know, coach up this defense and in, you know, a game time decisions and all that kind of stuff.
2:04:29
SPEAKER_03: But I thought it was interesting just considering he's nearly 60.
2:04:32
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, he's been at a lot of stops in his career, and maybe it's time he wants to settle, you know, and just be at a place for a few years, you know.
2:04:41
SPEAKER_03: Um, but you know, just wanted to bring that up.
2:04:43
SPEAKER_03: But yeah, I think we're all excited for DeRuder.
2:04:45
SPEAKER_03: I think um, you know, we're we're curious to see his kind of sets that he runs.
2:04:49
SPEAKER_03: I know uh it's a lot of three-man rushes, uh, Texas Tech fans are familiar with that, but I think we have some personnel now to, you know, actually succeed in that type of thing.
2:05:01
SPEAKER_03: Uh, and then, you know, he's gonna throw a bunch of different stuff.
2:05:03
SPEAKER_03: We we just have a lot of talent on this defense.
2:05:06
SPEAKER_03: And that's why I wanted to kind of break it down by position groups because when you really look at this defense, you're like, oh my God, all these seniors.
2:05:13
SPEAKER_03: There's so many seniors on this defense.
2:05:16
SPEAKER_03: Uh, we we have the experience, you know.
2:05:19
SPEAKER_03: Can we put it together?
2:05:21
SPEAKER_03: But um we should start with the defensive backs because that's the most uh I think exciting group of this defense.
2:05:29
SPEAKER_03: Uh Jackson mentioned he talked to Muddy earlier, and they just really seem like a very cohesive unit.
2:05:33
SPEAKER_03: Uh now a lot of these guys have been together for a year or two at least.
2:05:37
SPEAKER_03: So, but you you just kind of break down uh the super seniors and the seniors on this team.
2:05:42
SPEAKER_03: You got Adrian Fry, you got Muddy Waters, you got Keon Blankenbaker, you got Kosai Eldridge, you got Rabbit, you got Malik Dunlap, Ray Shad Williams, Reggie Pearson, Tyler Owens, Cam Watts, all these guys are seniors.
2:05:55
SPEAKER_03: They're all seniors.
2:05:56
SPEAKER_03: It's ridiculous.
2:05:57
SPEAKER_09: No, I mean, first thing that comes to my mind is just um, you know, tech, uh, one of our biggest, I think, hindrances is that the the Big 12 slate is grueling, right?
2:06:07
SPEAKER_09: You're coming up against these offenses that are that are, you know, uh downfield, that are running down your throat.
2:06:13
SPEAKER_09: I mean, they're they're mixing it up on you.
2:06:14
SPEAKER_09: And it's just a honestly just a grueling season for for college football as it is.
2:06:19
SPEAKER_09: And in the past, I feel like when we had one or two guys maybe get dinged up or hurt, which is at this point any program almost can expect, it was who's gonna fill those shoes, right?
2:06:28
SPEAKER_09: Who's next man up?
2:06:30
SPEAKER_09: Maybe you know, someone in the wings nobody's heard of, sophomore freshman, something like that.
2:06:34
SPEAKER_09: This year we don't have that problem.
2:06:35
SPEAKER_09: We are deep, deep in this position.
2:06:38
SPEAKER_09: I mean, you lose one guy, there's five dudes, you know, waiting uh behind him.
2:06:42
SPEAKER_09: And the other thing, actually, I'll I'll say that uh that uh you know, Muddy Waters was talking about uh on the uh episode last week, or I guess that was the week before, was that um they they can rotate, that a lot of guys are really flexible on uh cornerback, on safety.
2:06:59
SPEAKER_09: There's a lot of mobility amongst this unit.
2:07:01
SPEAKER_09: So that really inspired me and gave me confidence because you know, um, if a guy's having a bad game here, he they might need to mix him up and kind of shift him around.
2:07:09
SPEAKER_09: So it sounded like DeRooter's philosophy of letting guys really just sort of uh play into their positions that they're that they're that they're having success with at that time.
2:07:18
SPEAKER_09: And the fact that they can adapt on the fly and move around, you know, shift spots if needed, to me, that is a a gonna be a huge you know asset to Texas Tech this year.
2:07:30
SPEAKER_09: Um, again, I mean you you just touched on it, Steven.
2:07:33
SPEAKER_09: I don't know, I honestly can't think, and I know Nick and Lane always give me like they talk a lot of trash because like they say my memory, like I'm just turned 30 last week, and they're like, dude, you're you ate too many Big Macs, you've got dementia now, like your big, your mind's already gone.
2:07:48
SPEAKER_09: But uh I cannot remember the last time legitimately.
2:07:53
SPEAKER_09: I mean, I'm talking Kingsbury.
2:07:55
SPEAKER_09: I can't think of when we've had we've been this deep in the secondary.
2:07:58
SPEAKER_09: I really can't.
2:07:58
SPEAKER_09: So that alone, and not only that, but these guys are talented.
2:08:01
SPEAKER_09: I mean, Marquise Waters played against Alabama, Clemson twice, Notre Dame.
2:08:06
SPEAKER_09: Like that guy has seen some high-level competition.
2:08:09
SPEAKER_09: And before he got hurt last year, he was going off.
2:08:12
SPEAKER_09: Man, he had a great game against U of H.
2:08:14
SPEAKER_09: He had that um, you know, pick six against, I think it was Stephen F.
2:08:17
SPEAKER_09: Austin.
2:08:18
SPEAKER_09: Um, I mean, he was really lighting it up and then unfortunately got banged up against UT.
2:08:23
SPEAKER_09: But uh, we it's it's not only depth, it's talent.
2:08:25
SPEAKER_09: So uh be ready for a lot of excitement here in the secondary this year.
2:08:30
SPEAKER_12: I I think the word of this of this episode with Jackson here is experience.
2:08:35
SPEAKER_12: I mean, he's he's old, he's 30 years old.
2:08:37
SPEAKER_12: Jackson's Jackson's got experience.
2:08:40
SPEAKER_12: Cheers, cheers, cheers to that.
2:08:42
SPEAKER_12: Cheers to 30.
2:08:44
SPEAKER_11: He's like he's and we got Tim DeRuder, who Jackson's only slightly younger than now, and uh he's got some experience, been around the block.
2:08:53
SPEAKER_12: But uh yeah, no, it's like like Stephen was like really hammered on and Jackson followed up with was how many freaking seniors we have, and not just seniors that have been brought up within the program, but transfers as well that are seniors.
2:09:03
SPEAKER_12: You know, they they've they've seen other teams, they've seen they've they've they've seen the field plenty.
2:09:08
SPEAKER_12: And I think the the backfield is probably one of those uh defensive steps that we've really taken a leap in these this pack past couple of years, you know.
2:09:15
SPEAKER_12: You know, like like Jackson touched on during the Kingsbury era, man, what a disaster! And now, you know, uh the Patterson kind of you know patted it up a bit.
2:09:23
SPEAKER_12: Credit to him and congrats on him uh for to him for going uh again that D1 job in Abilene.
2:09:28
SPEAKER_12: Uh that's awesome.
2:09:29
SPEAKER_12: But uh it's just it's so great to see, like Jackson said, that we just have the depth to work with and even some some talented kids below them.
2:09:37
SPEAKER_12: But it's just for once, I think we could finally take a breath with this position and not just think and not just look at them as a complete liability, which is which it has been for years and years.
2:09:47
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, I will tell y'all real quick 30.
2:09:50
SPEAKER_09: It does it hits different, man.
2:09:51
SPEAKER_09: It does it differently.
2:09:52
SPEAKER_09: So, like brace yourself because the morning of you wake up and you're like, This is not as exciting as I thought it was it it does hit a little bit different.
2:10:03
SPEAKER_09: I just wanted to let our uh let all the listeners know about that, man.
2:10:05
SPEAKER_09: Let y'all listen to that's we we still get starts.
2:10:08
SPEAKER_03: No, you're good.
2:10:09
SPEAKER_03: We said we still got a a few years before we hit that mark, but uh not that many, not as many as we'd like to.
2:10:14
SPEAKER_03: Four years, it's something.
2:10:16
SPEAKER_03: So three and a half.
2:10:17
SPEAKER_09: Y'all are good, but hey, they'll go by quick, but yeah, no, hey, just hold on to those uh those last years of the 20s, man.
2:10:24
SPEAKER_03: There you go.
2:10:25
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, absolutely.
2:10:25
SPEAKER_03: Uh I Jackson, I'm glad you brought up, you know, muddy playing against good competition because uh all these guys have.
2:10:31
SPEAKER_03: You talk about even the guys that are transferring in, you know, Richie Pearson came from Wisconsin, he played Big Tenball, you know.
2:10:37
SPEAKER_03: Uh Rashad Williams came from UCLA, you know, uh Malik Dunlap came from NC State.
2:10:43
SPEAKER_03: So all these guys have played tough teams and the and the highest level, you know, the power five level of college football.
2:10:49
SPEAKER_03: Nothing that's gonna surprise this group, and that's what's so great about it.
2:10:53
SPEAKER_03: Um I did just kind of want to touch on uh the coaching of the DBs because uh, you know, we lose uh Coach Derek Jones, Coach Cheetah uh goes off to Virginia Tech, um, but we gain a guy in Marcel Yates who comes with Tim DeRuder from Oregon.
2:11:10
SPEAKER_03: Um you know, are are we excited about this guy coming over?
2:11:14
SPEAKER_03: Uh are we are we you know sad that we lose Coach Jones, but happy we get another guy?
2:11:18
SPEAKER_03: Uh what are kind of your thoughts on the on the secondary defensive backs coach?
2:11:23
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, I'll say uh I know that that uh coach Jones, man.
2:11:27
SPEAKER_09: I mean, the DB unit was extremely loyal to him.
2:11:29
SPEAKER_09: Um, you know, he he uh Marquise Waters actually touched on him saying that you know he was the one that uh recruited him to Duke, and then that was hit was a big influence on why he transferred to Texas Tech.
2:11:41
SPEAKER_09: So um, you know, played uh that that unit played really hard for him, just a great coach, great leader, motivator.
2:11:46
SPEAKER_09: You know, I really enjoyed a lot of his kind of uh motivational bits he put out on Twitter and things like that.
2:11:52
SPEAKER_09: But uh, but yeah, you know, I'll be perfectly honest.
2:11:55
SPEAKER_09: I don't know much about Coach Yates, but I do trust F.
2:12:00
SPEAKER_09: After learning more about Coach DeRuder, I trust his judgment and the leadership of you know Coach Maguire and Coach DeRooter and bringing him on board.
2:12:08
SPEAKER_09: The good news is he has a lot of talent to work with.
2:12:11
SPEAKER_09: Like, I mean, if you're gonna come in on a new job, this is about as you know as good of a slate of players as you could ask for.
2:12:18
SPEAKER_09: So although I don't know much about his career and kind of what he provides, I do I do trust in the direction of this staff and um and of this side of the ball.
2:12:27
SPEAKER_09: So um I'm excited to see what he can do.
2:12:29
SPEAKER_09: And you know, uh it seems to me like they're gonna really try to mix up some bliss packaging.
2:12:35
SPEAKER_09: You know, one thing that that uh uh Marquise you know really, really keyed in on was hey, you know, we're gonna get to the quarterback.
2:12:43
SPEAKER_09: Like one way or another, we are gonna get to the quarterback.
2:12:45
SPEAKER_09: And it's the three down front, which is it's funny, you know, tech fans were, and I was one of them, you know, you you watch this, you watch quarterbacks skate around so much.
2:12:54
SPEAKER_09: Eventually you're like, okay, we got to do something here.
2:12:56
SPEAKER_09: We got to put a guy on the line.
2:12:57
SPEAKER_09: But you know, you see Iowa State does it pretty effectively.
2:13:00
SPEAKER_09: You see other teams that are able to do that.
2:13:03
SPEAKER_09: And so um, it sounds like they're gonna mix up a lot of different blitzing packages, whether it's out of the secondary, whether it's it's bringing that kind of like uh I know Patterson and them called it the uh like Raider position, but that hybrid linebacker um DN position, you know, they're they're gonna be bringing some pressure.
2:13:19
SPEAKER_09: And so he really having you know been a part of the team last year, he was like, one thing you can count on is that we are gonna be getting after the quarterback.
2:13:27
SPEAKER_09: And so that, you know, I think with a team like Tech that recruits, you know, is recruiting better.
2:13:32
SPEAKER_09: It recruited, you know, better under uh Wells than Kingsbury, is recruiting even better under Maguire, or it's so far, right?
2:13:40
SPEAKER_09: It's it's an early sample size, but better under McGuire than um than so far even than Wells, is is that you know, the talent that we get, right?
2:13:49
SPEAKER_09: It's you're gonna have to take calculated risks.
2:13:51
SPEAKER_09: You're just gonna do it.
2:13:52
SPEAKER_09: You're not Alabama, you don't have five stars across the board to sit back and play it safe, bend, don't break.
2:13:57
SPEAKER_09: Like it doesn't work like that.
2:13:59
SPEAKER_09: Like we're gonna have to take calculated risks.
2:14:01
SPEAKER_09: And I think this uh coaching staff, Coach Yates, Coach DeRuder, they're the kind of guys that understand that and and have worked that into the game plan.
2:14:09
SPEAKER_09: So yeah, I'm excited.
2:14:10
SPEAKER_09: I mean, I think Coach Yates is is gonna be a good addition.
2:14:13
SPEAKER_09: I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do.
2:14:15
SPEAKER_12: I I love how Jackson catered the answer to Texas Tech.
2:14:19
SPEAKER_12: Like I really like how he really took that answer from a Texas Tech point of view.
2:14:22
SPEAKER_12: That was awesome.
2:14:22
SPEAKER_12: I think you I don't think I could add anything that would really uh add on to that.
2:14:27
SPEAKER_12: But what I will say about Coach Yates is like Jackson, you know, uh, I mean I'm sure most tech fans is we don't know much about him.
2:14:32
SPEAKER_12: You know, I don't think most of us were glued to Oregon's coaching staff this past season.
2:14:38
SPEAKER_12: Uh, I think I think the one thing to be happy about is, you know, he's coming over with Tim DeRuder.
2:14:43
SPEAKER_12: So he's got that chemist coaching chemistry with him already.
2:14:45
SPEAKER_12: He's got that compatibility.
2:14:47
SPEAKER_12: And obviously Joey McGuire has to stamp off at a off of it as well.
2:14:51
SPEAKER_12: And if if he met him and it was like, okay, yeah, I'm cool with this, then I have to trust the the CEO approach Joey McGuire wants to take to this.
2:14:59
SPEAKER_12: Um, and another thing is I I hate being that guy, but and it's kind of a cop-out.
2:15:05
SPEAKER_12: But he does have that Oregon shininess to him.
2:15:08
SPEAKER_12: It's not like he's coming in from a G5 program.
2:15:10
SPEAKER_12: Um, but you're you're getting a guy who's coming from a program that's been a cut above Texas Tech this century, without without question.
2:15:17
SPEAKER_12: So if they were if they thought he was good enough to bring him into one of the best programs of the pack, I think I can accept that he's good enough to come to Texas Tech.
2:15:24
SPEAKER_12: And I think I'm comfortable going from there.
2:15:27
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, for sure.
2:15:28
SPEAKER_03: Um, looking at this unit as a whole, Jackson, Tristan, and then I'll finish off.
2:15:33
SPEAKER_03: Who's your favorite player of this group?
2:15:36
SPEAKER_09: Man, you know, obviously, you know, uh having interviewed Muddy Waters, man, Marquise is a lot of fun.
2:15:43
SPEAKER_09: I love uh the rabbit, dude.
2:15:45
SPEAKER_09: I think he's also, I mean, he's just uh he's he's one of those guys you can tell has a lot of passion for our fan base for this program and is all in, bought in.
2:15:54
SPEAKER_09: He also had a lot of, you know, uh produced at a high level last year, had a lot of big games, big plays.
2:16:00
SPEAKER_09: Um, I know got dinged up.
2:16:01
SPEAKER_09: Uh, you know, injuries were definitely plagued us last year, but I expect him to have a big season.
2:16:07
SPEAKER_09: Uh, I really do.
2:16:08
SPEAKER_09: I like his experience, and it's hard for me to.
2:16:11
SPEAKER_09: I'll I'll go with those two guys.
2:16:13
SPEAKER_09: I think they're gonna be, you know, two of the anchors.
2:16:15
SPEAKER_09: I know they will be our anchors back there, um, you know, in the way back, man, the way back boys and the safeties out there.
2:16:21
SPEAKER_09: So they'll be doing their thing, and and I know they work well in tandem.
2:16:24
SPEAKER_09: So I'm excited to see what those two guys can do.
2:16:28
SPEAKER_12: Dude, for me, uh, I I gotta go with uh Reggie Pearson from Wisconsin.
2:16:31
SPEAKER_12: I mean, I just I I think that kid just hasn't had a chance to really shine yet.
2:16:35
SPEAKER_12: You know, he had his injury problems at Wisconsin.
2:16:37
SPEAKER_12: And if you're if you're gonna have to be recruited by Wisconsin on defense, you're a stud.
2:16:40
SPEAKER_12: So that's they take that so seriously up there.
2:16:42
SPEAKER_12: Uh I think this is just a guy that is just waiting to break out and wants and every time you see him on the field, he's usually done doing something pretty exciting.
2:16:50
SPEAKER_12: So I'm gonna go with the the transfer the badger from Wisconsin there.
2:16:53
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, Reggie's a Reggie's a hard-hidden MFer, man.
2:16:56
SPEAKER_03: I'll tell you what.
2:16:57
SPEAKER_03: He had a couple hits last year where he just knocked the dudes on their ass.
2:17:00
SPEAKER_03: It was great.
2:17:01
SPEAKER_03: Um, uh Rabbit, it rabbit and muddy are are two great picks, and and you know, Reggie's a great pick as well.
2:17:07
SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna choose Ray Shod here.
2:17:09
SPEAKER_03: Um I Ray Shod Williams really came on strong as your number one corner uh last season, and I think he's gonna do a lot of the same this coming year, but be even better.
2:17:18
SPEAKER_03: Um, he's a lockdown corner by all means in my eyes.
2:17:21
SPEAKER_03: I think uh he's got the height, he's got the wingspan, he's got the mobility to really stay in front of some of these really tall and strong receivers in the Big 12, like we have every year.
2:17:32
SPEAKER_03: So I'm excited to see Ray Shad Williams.
2:17:34
SPEAKER_03: Uh I'm never excited about tech corners.
2:17:37
SPEAKER_03: I'm excited about this guy.
2:17:38
SPEAKER_03: So this is, I mean, Tristan knows that uh my my hatred and my disdain for Texas Tech Corners in the past.
2:17:46
SPEAKER_03: Oh and uh it's hilarious.
2:17:48
SPEAKER_09: There's there's been some doozies.
2:17:50
SPEAKER_09: There has been some doozies.
2:17:53
SPEAKER_09: I won't call them out by name, but uh oh, there were some headaches back in the day, man, when we were all up there at tech that were just oh yeah, the many funny moments in the stands with Steven.
2:18:02
SPEAKER_12: I mean, we were losing forced losing by like 20 something points, but uh many funny moments from from Steven about the DBs.
2:18:10
SPEAKER_09: Hey, I'll cheers to moving past the dark days, man.
2:18:13
SPEAKER_09: We're we're done with those corners.
2:18:14
SPEAKER_09: Cheers to that.
2:18:15
SPEAKER_09: We got the we got the uh the A1 corners now, man.
2:18:18
SPEAKER_09: It's and and we don't have to worry about those uh dark times anymore.
2:18:22
SPEAKER_09: Absolutely.
2:18:23
SPEAKER_12: Before we move on from the DBs, uh Gil, let's just talk about a freshman real quick.
2:18:28
SPEAKER_12: Can we just talk about how grateful we are for Mirion Horn staying with Texas Tech?
2:18:32
SPEAKER_12: Like you lose the guy that recruited somehow.
2:18:34
SPEAKER_12: Matt Wells gets his four-star recruit out of high school and he stays with Texas Tech after Matt Wells is gone out of Oklahoma there.
2:18:42
SPEAKER_12: So I I can't wait to see this guy grow into the program as well.
2:18:45
SPEAKER_12: Just uh to touch on a young man, real quick.
2:18:47
SPEAKER_12: Big time, yeah.
2:18:48
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, he's one of those dudes that was just a straight up athlete out of high school.
2:18:52
SPEAKER_03: I mean, he could have played a myriad of positions at Texas Tech.
2:18:56
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I know he kind of he they talked about him being a receiver, they talked about him being a DB, but I guess ultimately they decided putting him on defense was the best.
2:19:04
SPEAKER_03: Uh yeah, Landon Holliby's another guy who's a true freshman coming in who I think can be, you know, make a real impact, whether it's this year, whether it's you know next year.
2:19:12
SPEAKER_03: I think he's gonna be a real piece.
2:19:13
SPEAKER_03: And Jalen Peoples, of course, coming from Cedar Hill, you know, he's one of those guys that Joey knows well.
2:19:18
SPEAKER_03: So uh, you know, the freshman unit here is is really nice.
2:19:21
SPEAKER_03: And after this season with all these seniors, you know, we're gonna need some help uh, you know, for the future.
2:19:27
SPEAKER_03: So uh that's good that you touched on that, Tristan.
2:19:30
SPEAKER_03: But uh let's move on to the linebackers because uh uh it's interesting.
2:19:35
SPEAKER_03: It's super interesting.
2:19:36
SPEAKER_03: We lost a lot.
2:19:37
SPEAKER_03: Um, we've moved some guys around to be, you know, go from defensive line to linebacker or uh, you know, guys that are gonna have to step up this season.
2:19:46
SPEAKER_03: Uh talk about the outside linebackers first.
2:19:49
SPEAKER_03: Um, it's not often you talk about a 6'6, 275-pound guy looking at be being an offensive outside linebacker.
2:19:57
SPEAKER_03: Uh, but Tyree Wilson is now listed as an outside linebacker on this team.
2:20:01
SPEAKER_03: Uh, really gonna be more of an edge rusher in my eyes, but uh, you know, he he's gonna line up in linebacker sometimes.
2:20:07
SPEAKER_03: Uh he's gonna be there.
2:20:09
SPEAKER_03: We have guys like Josiah Pierre, Bryce Ramirez, James Grando, Robert Luton, who came in, uh, a mid-year transfer last year from Virginia Tech.
2:20:17
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I think he's gonna be a guy, and and you know, the perfect name, LB Moore, uh playing the LB position.
2:20:24
SPEAKER_03: Uh, this this outside linebacking unit, uh, and we'll get to the inside ones here in a second, but um, these guys in particular, what are what are your thoughts, Jackson?
2:20:32
SPEAKER_03: On uh uh we'll go, Tristan, after you um, on this outside linebacking core.
2:20:38
SPEAKER_09: So when I heard that that Tyree was moving to that position, and I I I you know I just touched on the raider position.
2:20:45
SPEAKER_09: They might have changed the name of it now with this new coaching staff, but I have a feeling he's definitely gonna be you know utilized the most there.
2:20:51
SPEAKER_09: But I'm just gonna assume that uh offensive coordinators are gonna want to go run away from him on that side.
2:20:58
SPEAKER_09: I mean, I don't know if we've ever had a linebacker, a you know, quote unquote linebacker of his size and stature.
2:21:05
SPEAKER_09: Um I I mean I don't know what his 40 time is is looking like, you know, going into this season, but if he can move all that that muscle mass, I mean, that is it's dangerous, man.
2:21:17
SPEAKER_09: I think it's it can be one of two things, either kind of a testament to our uh D-line with with Hutchings and um uh Tony uh Bradford, you know, they're stepping up and the fact that they think that maybe that outside linebacking position needs a little bit more help, so they're gonna move Tyree up there.
2:21:34
SPEAKER_09: Um so yeah, I mean, one of two things.
2:21:37
SPEAKER_09: Either the linebacker, either they're they have a deficit there and they're they're trying to move guys around to make it work, or it's just a compliment again that we're pretty uh pretty set on our defensive line um in the sense of you know, we our our pass rushers are already gonna be doing the work, man, and he's gonna be able to kind of help out where he can.
2:21:55
SPEAKER_09: I'm I'm interested.
2:21:56
SPEAKER_09: I mean, I'll be honest.
2:21:57
SPEAKER_09: I don't um, you know, I can't, I just can't get over the fact of thinking of a guy.
2:22:02
SPEAKER_09: I mean, you saw that picture of him, how big Tyree was how big he is, dropping into coverage, like I just almost want to just see it like for pure speculation, right?
2:22:11
SPEAKER_09: Like as a fan, um, although I think he's yeah, like you said, he's gonna be utilized more of a rush.
2:22:16
SPEAKER_09: Um, this is I will say, this is definitely the group that took the biggest hit from last year, just our linebacking core in general, right?
2:22:22
SPEAKER_09: So uh when you lose that much production, I I would say going into, and we're I know we're gonna touch on uh Merriweather here on the inside in a second, but you know, it's this is definitely the the most susceptible group uh of our defense right now.
2:22:36
SPEAKER_09: And so um it's it's gonna be a challenge.
2:22:40
SPEAKER_09: I'm glad that our head coach is, you know, his experience is um on that, you know, that side of the ball that his his um you know X's and O's and his expertise, I mean, is is with linebackers.
2:22:51
SPEAKER_09: So I think he's gonna be able to really provide some um helpful insight there.
2:22:55
SPEAKER_09: But uh yeah, I mean it's it's I'm not gonna lie, I think our outside linebackers, Pierre's another, I mean, he's a good one.
2:23:01
SPEAKER_09: I think he's gonna be able to produce, but um, it'll be interesting.
2:23:05
SPEAKER_09: They have they have a lot to accomplish this year, a lot, uh big shoes to fill.
2:23:09
SPEAKER_09: And so uh we'll see how they do.
2:23:10
SPEAKER_09: But if I see Tyree Wilson dropping back into coverage, it's gonna make my day win.
2:23:15
SPEAKER_09: I mean, win or lose, uh hopefully we win, but like I just want to see that guy go, you know, play the flats, man.
2:23:22
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I mean, it this this whole segment right here, it's it's the tire hurry wilson segment.
2:23:28
SPEAKER_12: I mean, what he because I mean just think about how much space the man takes up.
2:23:31
SPEAKER_12: He's gonna take up that much space in this segment as well.
2:23:33
SPEAKER_12: Um, I think out of all the players on our team, I mean, how many players have this level of NFL potential?
2:23:40
SPEAKER_12: You know, it's seriously across the entire team.
2:23:42
SPEAKER_12: He's got all the tangibles you can think of.
2:23:44
SPEAKER_12: Um, and he's just he's just scary, you know, and that's that's what you need on the defense.
2:23:48
SPEAKER_12: So I'm really excited about that.
2:23:49
SPEAKER_12: You know, Jackson, Jackson really touched on it.
2:23:52
SPEAKER_12: You know, this is something that it's just a position group that lost a lot.
2:23:57
SPEAKER_12: But somehow this has been a position group that has surprised us year in and year out, where it's just been one of the probably the strongest part of our defense.
2:24:04
SPEAKER_12: And kind of like how we always say, you know, on the offensive side of the ball, you can never be too worried about the wide receivers because of just how talented we always are and how people just come up and surprise us uh in that that position.
2:24:14
SPEAKER_12: I'm hoping that this that the the linebacking position is a reflection of that on offense.
2:24:19
SPEAKER_12: So uh we definitely got some players that can pop out and do it.
2:24:22
SPEAKER_12: So I hope we can see it.
2:24:24
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I I I tell you why I'm not afraid of the Tyree Wilson position switch, and it's what we said earlier.
2:24:30
SPEAKER_03: Tim DeRooter has seen some talented players, he's seen Von Miller, he's seen Kayvon Thibodeau.
2:24:37
SPEAKER_03: He knows how to coach these guys that just have everything you want in a defensive player uh and an NFL prospect.
2:24:45
SPEAKER_03: So um I'm gonna trust De Reuter here with uh with doing this.
2:24:49
SPEAKER_03: But yeah, like I like I said earlier, I think Tyree's really gonna be uh an edge rusher.
2:24:54
SPEAKER_03: You know, he's gonna uh he I don't think he's gonna be dropping back in coverage much, uh, even though that that wingspan would help.
2:25:00
SPEAKER_03: I tell you what, that dude is just absolute a giant.
2:25:03
SPEAKER_12: Um if Tyree Wilson pointed at me and I'm quarterback, I'm not, I'm I'm I'm gonna get rid of the ball as fast as possible.
2:25:09
SPEAKER_12: I'm gonna like we do running plays not.
2:25:12
SPEAKER_09: I'm calling a timeout or an audible right there.
2:25:14
SPEAKER_09: I'm like, we're we're going away from that guy.
2:25:16
SPEAKER_09: I'm out of here.
2:25:17
SPEAKER_03: He's definitely one of those off the bus dudes that you're just like, oh my God, no, I do not want to play against him.
2:25:24
SPEAKER_03: But uh yeah, Josiah Pierre, I think he's gonna have a big year as well.
2:25:28
SPEAKER_03: I think he's gonna take a lot of that um, you know, production that was lost with Schooler and Rico and uh, you know, utilize it for himself because he's he's a Florida transfer, he's been in the SEC before, uh, he knows how to hit hard and how to play hard.
2:25:41
SPEAKER_03: So um the inside linebackers, I I think this is a this is a position as well that can can be good, but it's definitely a lot of question marks.
2:25:51
SPEAKER_03: You know, you have your big returner in Krishan Merriweather, uh, really hard hitting, uh stops the run really well.
2:25:58
SPEAKER_03: I think he's he's that type of linebacker that's just gonna stop you in your tracks.
2:26:01
SPEAKER_03: He's super strong.
2:26:02
SPEAKER_03: Um, you got Dimitri Moore, like we mentioned earlier, coming in, uh, a guy who was an all-sec freshman at Vanderbilt, um, you know, and then had a couple stops on the way.
2:26:12
SPEAKER_03: Matthew Young's a super senior, Tyreek Matthews is a senior, uh, Bryce Robinson, Jacob Rodriguez, the transfer from uh Virginia Tech.
2:26:20
SPEAKER_03: He's an interesting guy.
2:26:21
SPEAKER_03: Uh, played every position according to the coaching staff at Virginia Tech, including quarterback.
2:26:27
SPEAKER_03: Uh, so you know, that's different.
2:26:29
SPEAKER_03: Um, and then Derek Lewis as well is is a guy who had the uh, I think he had the big play in the spring game uh on the goal line there, where he kind of he batted the ball away, caught it, and returned it for a touchdown.
2:26:40
SPEAKER_03: Um, and then a couple freshmen in Ticana and uh Tavaris Elston as well.
2:26:44
SPEAKER_03: Um what this inside linebacking core, what's what's your initial thoughts on it, Jackson?
2:26:51
SPEAKER_09: Well, um, you said it, man.
2:26:52
SPEAKER_09: I mean, Krishna Merriweather is is uh I feel like we've had now for the last uh really dating back to Dakota Allen and and um um Jordan Brooks, right?
2:27:03
SPEAKER_09: Like we've had that guy, like that dude who's who's you know your leading tackler, who's who's really getting after it.
2:27:09
SPEAKER_09: You know, it just goes on and on, Colin Schooler, Rico Jeffers.
2:27:13
SPEAKER_09: I think this is his year, right?
2:27:14
SPEAKER_09: Like this is his year, his moment in that position.
2:27:17
SPEAKER_09: And uh quite frankly, we're gonna need a a big year out of him.
2:27:21
SPEAKER_09: Um he's I think he's gonna have to step up and and he's capable.
2:27:24
SPEAKER_09: He's more than capable.
2:27:25
SPEAKER_09: He he can be a game changer, he's a hard hitter.
2:27:28
SPEAKER_09: Um, luckily, this staff has as you know uh offset the the the losses that we experienced um this last year through the transfer portal, which is good.
2:27:37
SPEAKER_09: Again, like Dimitri Moore.
2:27:38
SPEAKER_09: I mean, he's he's a guy who I'm excited to see.
2:27:40
SPEAKER_09: You know, any anyone, despite it being at Vanderbilt, you're playing in the SEC, you know, you're going up against good competition.
2:27:47
SPEAKER_09: You're you know, you're playing um um uh physically.
2:27:51
SPEAKER_09: I I say I wasn't gonna say I wouldn't give them too much off uh offensive paralysis, right?
2:27:56
SPEAKER_09: But like physically dominating, they're just uh they're they're a you know physical brand of football.
2:28:01
SPEAKER_09: They're they're big individuals.
2:28:02
SPEAKER_09: And so um Dimitri Moore, uh, I expect I really hope that he, you know, I think he's got a lot of upside.
2:28:08
SPEAKER_09: I'd like to see him kind of come out and surprise a lot of people this year and and really show out for Texas Tech.
2:28:13
SPEAKER_09: But yeah, Christian Merriweather, I mean, he's he's the anchor.
2:28:16
SPEAKER_09: He's gonna be the you know heart and soul really uh of this this linebacking core.
2:28:22
SPEAKER_09: And he's next in line, man.
2:28:23
SPEAKER_09: He's just the like I said, he's the next guy in line out of these great linebackers that we've had um for for four or five, you know, all the way back to the Kingsbury days.
2:28:32
SPEAKER_09: These these, you know, for a while now.
2:28:34
SPEAKER_09: Um and I hope, you know, I I I think that those guys really can can get it done.
2:28:39
SPEAKER_09: I just we got to pray, no injuries, man, in that that position group because you lose, you start losing more mereweather, you know, some of these other transfers, it's it's what do you have next?
2:28:49
SPEAKER_09: And I know uh Ty, I gotta give him a shout out, man, out of the Katie area, H Town guy, um, you know, highly touted coming in.
2:28:56
SPEAKER_09: So I think he's a he's uh someone who can is gonna develop and can produce later on down the road, maybe not so much as freshman campaign, but um yeah, this is it's gonna be interesting.
2:29:07
SPEAKER_09: It really is.
2:29:07
SPEAKER_09: And and uh I like what um Tristan said about you know, we never worry about our receivers at Texas Tech, right?
2:29:13
SPEAKER_09: We always know there's gonna be that guy who's gonna step up.
2:29:16
SPEAKER_09: And it feels like that's kind of where our linebacking unit has been now.
2:29:20
SPEAKER_09: There's gonna be whether you lose someone, you know, you get someone in the transfer portal, what have you, uh whatever shakes out, someone's gonna be able to produce, and we've seen it.
2:29:29
SPEAKER_09: So um I know this is later on down the line, but uh I expect Merryweather to be our you know be our leading tackler this year.
2:29:34
SPEAKER_09: I don't know if he'll hit the same numbers as Schooler at 106, but um we'll see.
2:29:39
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, I'm excited.
2:29:39
SPEAKER_09: We just gotta stay healthy.
2:29:41
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I couldn't say better myself.
2:29:43
SPEAKER_12: I think this uh I think this is the the veteran captain year of Preachan Merriweather.
2:29:47
SPEAKER_12: It's up to him to step up.
2:29:48
SPEAKER_12: And I I think he will.
2:29:49
SPEAKER_12: I mean, like like like Jackson said, maybe he won't be Schooler or Brooks, so but he doesn't have to be, you know, especially with these guys that are around him that'll hopefully step up as well.
2:29:58
SPEAKER_12: So he just hopefully he kind of sit fills into that leader role, that captain role that we need back there.
2:30:03
SPEAKER_12: Um and with Dimitri Moore, the last the last guy I could touch on here, um, is I what uh Jackson's really excited about him.
2:30:10
SPEAKER_12: That may that gets me excited about it.
2:30:12
SPEAKER_12: You know, obviously I I didn't go back and like look at a lot of film on the guy, but to me, it seems like this guy's improvement mode because you know he he goes to Vanderbilt and he transfers to an F uh FTF school uh at Missouri State and uh proves that he's too good, he's still too good to be there.
2:30:25
SPEAKER_12: So I feel like he's gonna come back to the power five level and show what he's got.
2:30:29
SPEAKER_12: And I really hope it's kind of a breakout year for him and for our sake and his sake.
2:30:32
SPEAKER_12: So I think that's all I gotta say about that since we touched on most of it on my last uh ramble there.
2:30:37
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, yeah, definitely.
2:30:38
SPEAKER_09: He went to Cedar Hill, uh Cedar Hill High School.
2:30:40
SPEAKER_09: So I know he's got the ties with Coach Maguire.
2:30:43
SPEAKER_09: So uh, you know, if there's anyone he is gonna play uh play hard for, it's gonna be Coach McGuire because he you know he's got experience with him in the past.
2:30:51
SPEAKER_09: So that'll be exciting to see those two back together and uh going to work.
2:30:55
SPEAKER_03: And I want to say Dimitri Moore's senior season was Joey's last season.
2:31:00
SPEAKER_03: So I think he's actually played under Joey, the head coach.
2:31:04
SPEAKER_03: So um, yeah, he's definitely a guy to watch.
2:31:07
SPEAKER_03: The thing that I look at with this entire linebacking core as a whole, we have a lot of great run defenders.
2:31:13
SPEAKER_03: We don't have a lot of great coverage defenders.
2:31:15
SPEAKER_03: Uh Chrishan is not one of those guys, he's a great run defender.
2:31:19
SPEAKER_03: Uh, he can stop the run.
2:31:20
SPEAKER_03: Like I said, he's a brick wall, but in coverage, he struggles.
2:31:23
SPEAKER_03: And we've seen that even Schooler at times struggled in coverage, and Rico struggled in coverage.
2:31:29
SPEAKER_03: And so we need guys like Dimitri Moore or Josiah Pierre, somebody who's got that kind of quickness and athleticism to, you know, really engage in that side of it.
2:31:38
SPEAKER_03: Uh, and you know, a lot of that goes to the defensive backs as well.
2:31:41
SPEAKER_03: But um, you know, uh run defense, I'm I'm perfectly content with with this group, but uh in coverage, I think it's gonna be a little different story.
2:31:49
SPEAKER_03: But um I wanted to wanted to touch on the coaches too, because we have Josh Bookbinder who's coming over from Baylor, um, and we have CJIU, who is uh a terrifying individual in his own right, uh, could probably step on the field and uh and be a dude on this linebacking court.
2:32:06
SPEAKER_03: Um you know, Bookbinder coming from Baylor.
2:32:09
SPEAKER_03: CJ coming uh was an all Big 12 type player at Oklahoma, um, you know, had some stops in the pros, even had a stint in the in the new XFL and they tried to ramp that back up.
2:32:20
SPEAKER_03: Um, but Joey at Baylor has been the linebacking coach.
2:32:24
SPEAKER_03: He's been the guy who, yeah, he's really brought on as a recruiter, but he's been the designated coach for the linebackers at Baylor.
2:32:31
SPEAKER_03: Do you think he's gonna have kind of the most say in this core versus kind of the rest of the units here on both offense and defense?
2:32:41
SPEAKER_09: I would uh yeah, uh, I would absolutely think so.
2:32:44
SPEAKER_09: Um, and again, it's kind of a perfect storm on this side of the ball of like, you know, the position group where you have talent, but um, and that was a great point, Stephen.
2:32:53
SPEAKER_09: Honestly, yeah, you're you're you know dead right on that about uh coverage is a with this group, um is definitely I think going to be probably the you know biggest concern.
2:33:04
SPEAKER_09: But uh yeah, I mean, you know, this is the group that was depleted the most from uh 2021 now to 2022.
2:33:11
SPEAKER_09: And your head coach just so happens to be he's a linebacker guru.
2:33:15
SPEAKER_09: That was his you know, uh position coach at Baylor, which you know, Baylor uh and and uh the other guy's name I forgot to mention coming from Baylor.
2:33:23
SPEAKER_09: And I'll be honest, I hadn't booked my yeah, I haven't you know really been able to kind of track his career and everything, but just looking at what Baylor has done in the last X, you know, let's say three, uh, you know, they've gone through two rebuilds, but their defense just looking purely at last year was elite, man.
2:33:42
SPEAKER_09: I mean, it was it was that linebacking core was exceptional.
2:33:45
SPEAKER_09: So again, it's like a perfect storm.
2:33:47
SPEAKER_09: I mean, the the one position group that I would uh not not to say that we won't be tested in the other, you know, in the secondary or on the D line, but the group that you probably need the most attention uh adverted to, right?
2:34:00
SPEAKER_09: Your head coach is there to kind of fill that void.
2:34:02
SPEAKER_09: So that could play a big role.
2:34:04
SPEAKER_09: It really could.
2:34:05
SPEAKER_09: I mean, these guys could come out and uh and and surprise us.
2:34:08
SPEAKER_09: And I think that's a a huge advantage, honestly.
2:34:11
SPEAKER_12: Well, we have a head coach that's seen every part of the field.
2:34:14
SPEAKER_12: You know, he's probably coached probably pretty much every part of the field.
2:34:17
SPEAKER_12: He's been head coach before at the high school level, still football.
2:34:20
SPEAKER_12: Um, and obviously at Baylor, he's going back and coach.
2:34:23
SPEAKER_12: Does he take it a little more seriously than the rest?
2:34:25
SPEAKER_12: I don't know.
2:34:26
SPEAKER_12: Maybe.
2:34:26
SPEAKER_12: Uh I I I think he really he's yeah, I believe him when he says that he's the CEO of this team, where he's kind of he kind of has this flat line expectation that goes across the team that uh, you know, it's I hired you to have I'm giving you a ton of freedom.
2:34:40
SPEAKER_12: This is your group, but I expect this to be the best group there is.
2:34:44
SPEAKER_12: So I I I maybe there is.
2:34:46
SPEAKER_12: And I think just as a Texas Tech coach, you're expected to give more attention to the defense just because of how infamous of infamously bad we've been at it.
2:34:55
SPEAKER_12: So I'm sure he gets a lot of fire in the rear end um for that.
2:34:58
SPEAKER_12: So just to make sure that that's taken care of.
2:35:01
SPEAKER_12: But uh other than that, I I maybe maybe he can hop over real quick and be like, oh, he goes, What is that bailer?
2:35:06
SPEAKER_12: But other than that, I think he really is just kind of this boss that's at the top of the field that's just kind of pointing around.
2:35:12
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I I brought up the question because it seems like whether it's the brand TV show or whether it's just uh a short clip that Texas Tech football, you know, social media is putting out, it always seems like Joey's with the linebackers.
2:35:24
SPEAKER_03: He's always right next to Dimitri Moore in like every drill.
2:35:28
SPEAKER_03: So I just I think he's gonna have a little bit, you know, it's to his heart because he's he's a linebacker, he's a defensive-minded guy at heart.
2:35:36
SPEAKER_03: And so, um, and and with like Jackson mentioned, with this turnover with kind of the unknown of the linebacking unit, I think he's gonna spend a little more time and energy there, uh, you know, versus some of the experience that we have on the secondary or the defensive line.
2:35:51
SPEAKER_03: And um, you know, just thought I'd bring that up.
2:35:53
SPEAKER_03: But um we should talk about the defensive line because this is obviously your big boys down there.
2:35:59
SPEAKER_03: This is the guy that uh the group that you want to get to the quarterback and absolutely make his life hell in the pocket there.
2:36:07
SPEAKER_03: Uh, and we have a a mixture, man, of of upperclassmen and underclassmen here.
2:36:12
SPEAKER_03: We have a a lot of true freshman defensive line uh prospects that Joey has brought in in his first year, but we also have some experience and some talent and guys that we've seen a lot of games and a lot of snaps in the Red Raider uniform.
2:36:26
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, specifically guys like Jalen Hutchings, guys like Tony Bradford.
2:36:30
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, we're bringing uh Philip Blitdy is gonna have a big role in this year's team.
2:36:35
SPEAKER_03: Uh and we brought in some transfers, Miles Cole coming from UL Monroe, uh Vital Scott coming in from Arkansas State.
2:36:41
SPEAKER_03: So uh what what are kind of your thoughts on the defensive line unit and uh just kind of this group in general?
2:36:50
SPEAKER_09: So um, yeah, I I uh I'm excited because you know, again, we have some veterans coming back and we went and got talent in the portal where I think tech can really at this point in time succeed with a universe uh UL Monroe, right?
2:37:03
SPEAKER_09: A team that has seen success, but just not quite at that, they're not at that, well, I say that, I mean they beat who was it, Iowa State like a year or two ago.
2:37:11
SPEAKER_09: I mean, they've they've proven themselves, they've played Texas to the wire, right?
2:37:14
SPEAKER_09: But they're just still not quite on that that uh P5 caliber yet.
2:37:18
SPEAKER_09: But still you you have guys that are P5 caliber there.
2:37:21
SPEAKER_09: And so I think we've brought in, we we've uh, you know, from from what we needed or from what this staff kind of needed to do, they brought in the right guys.
2:37:30
SPEAKER_09: And then I think I'm expecting uh Tony Bradford and and Jalen Hutchins to have a really good year.
2:37:35
SPEAKER_09: I I you know um Hutchings showed some serious potential last year.
2:37:41
SPEAKER_09: I mean, he he produced, he's had a great career at Texas Tech, but he had some big moments, big sacks, and critical junctures of of uh, you know, certain games last year.
2:37:51
SPEAKER_09: And and um I'm a big believer in experience matters, and you just you know you get better with time.
2:37:55
SPEAKER_09: And at tech, most guys that develop um, you know, most guys develop uh in that in that positive direction.
2:38:01
SPEAKER_09: So having those two is our anchor right there, Tony Bradford Jr.
2:38:05
SPEAKER_09: and Jalen Hutchings.
2:38:06
SPEAKER_09: I'm I expect them to see a lot of playing time.
2:38:08
SPEAKER_09: I expect them to really produce.
2:38:10
SPEAKER_09: And then, like you said, we have um, you know, we we supplement the the um output that was lost last year, or in just moving Tyree Wilson to the linebacker position with other transfers that are coming in from Arkansas State, another good really good G5 uh or G6.
2:38:30
SPEAKER_09: I don't know.
2:38:31
SPEAKER_09: With realignment, I don't even know what the numbers are anymore with these conferences, but Arkansas State, a a team that played really well against Kansas State and um Purdue.
2:38:40
SPEAKER_09: So you're getting talented individuals from these uh not P5 programs.
2:38:45
SPEAKER_09: Um, and so I'm excited.
2:38:46
SPEAKER_09: I I don't know if they're quite as deep as our secondary, but I believe they're gonna be in contention to be a uh potentially our most you know um product or uh production heavy you know unit this year.
2:39:00
SPEAKER_12: Well, what what I'm really excited about with the defensive line is you know, you look at the the 50, like Steven mentioned here on his on his outline, the 50-50 mixture with the upper and uh lower classmen is you know, I I see that as a great thing.
2:39:11
SPEAKER_12: I think that's uh I think that's a wonderful thing for year one for Joey McGuire because you get you you get the you get the experience, you get the better and see like Jackson was touching on for the production and big moments on the field, but it also trickles down like that that that way these younger guys can can learn and build off of what they their their older guys have um into moving forward because in many ways this is a foundational year.
2:39:32
SPEAKER_12: I'm not expecting Texas Tech to go crazy in the win column this year.
2:39:35
SPEAKER_12: I just want to see some good progress, some good foundation being laid out.
2:39:39
SPEAKER_12: So I think this is a wonderful unit to kind of get that going on.
2:39:42
SPEAKER_12: And as a school that struggles in the trenches historically, uh, this is this is a great look.
2:39:48
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
2:39:50
SPEAKER_03: I would say I I I put that on the outline because this is this is the unit that I think we're gonna see a lot of freshman snaps from.
2:39:58
SPEAKER_03: Um, if if one of these guys, you know, God willing, if Jalen Hutchins gets hurt or Tony Bradford gets hurt, you know, you're gonna have to throw these freshmen into the fire and you know see what they can do.
2:40:10
SPEAKER_03: And and we have some talent, you know, guys like Harvey Dyson or Joseph Adedai or Sincere Massey, these are really, really good pieces, guys that are huge, guys that were sought out.
2:40:23
SPEAKER_03: Uh, and and I think, you know, we're gonna really see them play some key snaps this year for us.
2:40:28
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, you could also put Taekwondo in that category with the linebackers or put Morion Horn with the uh with the DBs.
2:40:34
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I I I I I but I really see it with the defensive line.
2:40:38
SPEAKER_03: These freshmen are gonna get some play.
2:40:40
SPEAKER_03: Um, but yeah, Jackson, you mentioned it.
2:40:42
SPEAKER_03: Jalen Hutchings is awesome.
2:40:43
SPEAKER_03: Tony Bradford is probably the best person of all time.
2:40:46
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, he's always he's yeah, he's always shown to be working in the community and and doing great stuff for the city of Lubbock and uh, you know, representing Texas Tech in the Big 12, you know, as as just the greatest person ever award.
2:41:01
SPEAKER_03: So, you know, I I I love this unit.
2:41:04
SPEAKER_03: I love these, these, these players, these personalities, these people that are on this unit.
2:41:09
SPEAKER_03: Um, and I'm really excited for for Zarnel Fitch.
2:41:12
SPEAKER_03: Um, this is a coach coming over, been in the Big 12, been at TCU.
2:41:16
SPEAKER_03: Uh he's a he's a unit of a human in of himself.
2:41:20
SPEAKER_03: Uh, and and you know, he's probably my favorite position coach, not just because he put my graphic as uh as his profile picture.
2:41:27
SPEAKER_03: Shout out Coach Fitch.
2:41:29
SPEAKER_03: Um but because he he brings this leadership and this talent and uh uh just a lot to this program.
2:41:37
SPEAKER_03: What Jackson, what are what are your thoughts on on Coach Fitch and what he brings to this unit?
2:41:42
SPEAKER_09: So you you just took the words out of my mouth, man.
2:41:44
SPEAKER_09: I couldn't have said it better.
2:41:45
SPEAKER_09: Coach Fitch, um, I I I love just his his um ability.
2:41:50
SPEAKER_09: You know, one thing I'll say is is like you look at what Coach Cumby did last year with the pump jack mentality, you know, like you got to have this your sort of own way of of energizing and motive and motivating your players.
2:42:02
SPEAKER_09: And Coach Fitch has that, the QB hunters, right?
2:42:04
SPEAKER_09: Like he's got his thing, he's got his his tactic that he uses.
2:42:08
SPEAKER_09: And I love that that kind of mantra that they you know that they uh um adhere to and that that he's incorporating with the brand.
2:42:15
SPEAKER_09: His, I guess, yeah, I'll say his kind of personal brand.
2:42:19
SPEAKER_09: Also, excuse me, I also love that he's a rider, dude.
2:42:22
SPEAKER_09: Like when that guy, uh when what's his name?
2:42:25
SPEAKER_09: Brian something at uh oh yeah, the TCU Carrington.
2:42:29
SPEAKER_09: Um yeah, yeah.
2:42:29
SPEAKER_09: So he, I mean, when that all happened, that all shook out, like he was in the trenches on Texas Tech Twitter with us, you know, being like, oh, I love the desert, I love it out here.
2:42:39
SPEAKER_09: And coming from TCU, it made it that much more personal and that much better.
2:42:43
SPEAKER_09: And so I think that he's uh perfect for this new era of Texas Tech, this new um kind of energized focus that Joey McGuire is bringing to our fan base and to the football program.
2:42:56
SPEAKER_09: He fits in, he fits that mold well.
2:42:59
SPEAKER_09: And um, yeah, I mean, let's let's be real, TCU.
2:43:02
SPEAKER_09: I know they had Coach Patterson who is one of the greatest, as much as it pains me to say, especially now that he's in a UT, you know, he's in that orange, that ugly orange and white.
2:43:11
SPEAKER_09: But he is one of the greatest, you know, defensive minds in college football, uh at that pos you know, at that level um of all time.
2:43:20
SPEAKER_09: And so for for uh Coach Fitch to come from him, where they saw success on the defensive line, they had some beast, I mean beasts up front uh uh for TCU's um DL.
2:43:31
SPEAKER_09: So now he's gonna bring what he's learned and incorporate that at Texas Tech.
2:43:35
SPEAKER_09: I love it, man.
2:43:36
SPEAKER_09: And I love um I we actually put a video out, or it was like a one of those meme videos from The Watch, kind of making fun.
2:43:44
SPEAKER_09: I don't know if y'all saw that one of uh, you know, messing with um God, what's that guy's name at TCU that D-bag?
2:43:51
SPEAKER_09: Carrington?
2:43:52
SPEAKER_09: Carrington, yeah.
2:43:53
SPEAKER_09: It was like it was like all the neighborhood watch guys like take down the streets.
2:43:56
SPEAKER_09: Oh, yeah, yeah.
2:43:58
SPEAKER_09: It had like Carrington's face on it.
2:44:00
SPEAKER_09: And so I purposely put Fitch at the end when all the neighborhood watch guys walk up and it's like McGuire and Kitty.
2:44:06
SPEAKER_09: I put Fitch in there because I was like, dude, he he's a writer, man.
2:44:09
SPEAKER_09: He's just he's all about Texas Tech and about this team and this program.
2:44:13
SPEAKER_09: And I love it, man.
2:44:14
SPEAKER_09: I I don't, I mean, I don't again, I don't know if we could have a better fit.
2:44:17
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I'm just picking back of off of Jackson.
2:44:19
SPEAKER_12: I love the buy-in this guy has given Lubbock.
2:44:22
SPEAKER_12: He seems very involved, he seems very vocal and involved with the community and the university.
2:44:26
SPEAKER_12: And what more could you ask out of a coach, especially coming from a rival school?
2:44:30
SPEAKER_12: Like, I don't know if I'm biased to say that he's happier here at Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas than he was in Fort Worth at TCU.
2:44:37
SPEAKER_12: So I'm like, is his pin tweet is they lied to you about Lubbock, Texas.
2:44:41
SPEAKER_12: You will fall in love with this university community and fan base.
2:44:43
SPEAKER_12: I love that.
2:44:44
SPEAKER_12: I mean, it's just as as a that just means a little more to a Red Raider fan than most fan bases for the amount of crap we get for and for Lubbock kids.
2:44:53
SPEAKER_12: So, you know, it just it really is.
2:44:54
SPEAKER_12: So I I I love his brand, like you touched on.
2:44:57
SPEAKER_12: And I I I really this I think I agree with Steven.
2:45:00
SPEAKER_12: He might be my favorite position coach, and it might not be close.
2:45:04
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah, he's he's a beast.
2:45:06
SPEAKER_03: I I love I love Coach Fitch.
2:45:07
SPEAKER_03: I'm excited about what he is gonna bring to this defensive line unit.
2:45:12
SPEAKER_03: Um, and and just really excited for just the defense as a whole.
2:45:15
SPEAKER_03: And and I I you know, you don't say that often about Texas Tech.
2:45:19
SPEAKER_03: You don't say that often uh about just excitement about defense here.
2:45:24
SPEAKER_03: We're gonna stop some people, it's gonna be awesome.
2:45:27
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, it like like Jackson said, I mean, I I I we all hate to admit it, but having a Patterson guy on her defense is not the worst thing in the world.
2:45:35
SPEAKER_12: I still think TCU's out of their freaking mind for firing one of the greatest coaches of all time.
2:45:39
SPEAKER_12: So they need to that was uh that's another one.
2:45:42
SPEAKER_09: That was I I think that could end up like when uh UT fired Mac Brown.
2:45:47
SPEAKER_09: I mean, we'll see how it plays out, but I'm sorry, you do not.
2:45:50
SPEAKER_09: There's certain coaches, you don't fire Mike Gundy, you don't fire Gary Patterson, you don't fire uh at the time Mac Brown.
2:45:57
SPEAKER_09: I mean, yeah, it just we'll see, we'll see.
2:46:00
SPEAKER_09: But I don't, yeah, I'm I'm with you on that, Tristan.
2:46:02
SPEAKER_09: I will I don't I don't know if the grass is greener on the other side for them.
2:46:05
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, for sure.
2:46:06
SPEAKER_03: But we we've talked defense, uh, we've talked about all the position groups.
2:46:10
SPEAKER_03: We need to talk about special teams, uh, because it's a very important part of the team.
2:46:15
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, it's it's kind of an a very underrated aspect of the team.
2:46:19
SPEAKER_03: And and we had an awesome special teams unit last year.
2:46:23
SPEAKER_03: Uh, had a great kicker in John Garabay, uh returning a great punter.
2:46:27
SPEAKER_03: Probably he is absolutely the best punter in the Big 12, despite what uh the Big 12 preseason, you know, writers wanted to say.
2:46:34
SPEAKER_03: Um, this special teams unit, I think, is is there's some question marks, especially with kicking.
2:46:41
SPEAKER_03: You know, you're replacing a legend, uh, but your punting is still fantastic.
2:46:45
SPEAKER_03: And I think we have a lot of key guys that are gonna be returning balls for us.
2:46:49
SPEAKER_03: But um, let's talk about Austin McNamara because he is uh not only because he's a friend of the podcast, but because he is an absolutely elite punter.
2:46:59
SPEAKER_03: And this man is gonna be a longtime player in the NFL, um, I in my opinion.
2:47:04
SPEAKER_03: And I'm really excited to return Austin McNamara to this year's team.
2:47:09
SPEAKER_09: That's huge.
2:47:10
SPEAKER_09: And I was about to say, I don't I'm assuming he's a senior.
2:47:13
SPEAKER_09: I think he's 21.
2:47:14
SPEAKER_09: I was gonna say if there's a guy, if there's a guy on the team I probably wouldn't mind like having a beer with and catching up with, it's Austin McNamara.
2:47:21
SPEAKER_09: He seems like he just seems like a homie, like a really you know, good dude, good person.
2:47:26
SPEAKER_09: And uh yeah, no, I mean let's he hold the record, right?
2:47:29
SPEAKER_09: If I'm not mistaken for the longest, yeah, was like 101.
2:47:32
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, he's like a crazy punt that he had.
2:47:35
SPEAKER_09: I mean, um uh I can't remember if that was last year or the year before, but anyways, no, he's had a fantastic career at Texas Tech.
2:47:42
SPEAKER_09: Um, absolutely and and it I don't care what people say, I've heard different takes on this that like if you're hyping up your special teams, your team sucks.
2:47:52
SPEAKER_09: I I I can understand it to an extent, but like it makes a difference.
2:47:56
SPEAKER_09: It really does, man.
2:47:57
SPEAKER_09: When you have a guy that can bury you know your opponent deep in their their side of the field and their um you know territory like on a dime and also be able to do it on short punts as well and has that precision, that makes a difference.
2:48:12
SPEAKER_09: I'm sorry.
2:48:13
SPEAKER_09: I mean, those little extra yardages, like it's a game of inches, right?
2:48:16
SPEAKER_09: That stuff matters, it adds up.
2:48:18
SPEAKER_09: And so, yeah, I'm pumped.
2:48:19
SPEAKER_09: I mean, Austin McNamara, I think that's he's you know, electric, electric factory, and um man, I'd love I maybe that's another good collab we could do, get the four of us together on a pod because uh I'd love, yeah, love to uh interact with him.
2:48:32
SPEAKER_09: Man, he seems like a great guy.
2:48:33
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, he was so much fun to have on, man.
2:48:35
SPEAKER_12: He he really was the nicest dude you could ask for on the podcast.
2:48:38
SPEAKER_12: Um, and he uh he is I'm not joking, he is my favorite player on the team.
2:48:43
SPEAKER_12: I get excited every time I see uh Austin on the field, and I am not joking.
2:48:48
SPEAKER_12: He he he's just that good, and obviously being a friend of the pod doesn't hurt either.
2:48:52
SPEAKER_12: Um, but uh, you know, I'm with you, Jackson.
2:48:55
SPEAKER_12: This guy he's he's gonna be our greatest blunter in school history, and uh, you know, he obviously holding the record doesn't hurt his chances on that.
2:49:01
SPEAKER_12: And whoever you have is the defensive woes that we do, having a guy that can just bury the opposing team into their own territory means a ton.
2:49:11
SPEAKER_12: So I don't care if people say that you're typing over your special teams, there's a problem because not with this guy, he's just that good.
2:49:17
SPEAKER_12: He's he's got pro potential and really like I said, he's my favorite player on the team.
2:49:21
SPEAKER_12: And I'm not joking.
2:49:22
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
2:49:23
SPEAKER_03: Listen, if you're only talking about your special teams, it's a problem.
2:49:26
SPEAKER_03: But I think we're in what hour three of this podcast?
2:49:29
SPEAKER_03: I think we've had uh we've had a lot of time to talk about the other units as well.
2:49:33
SPEAKER_03: But um kicking, kicking is a question mark.
2:49:38
SPEAKER_03: Uh, like I said, you're replacing a legend, you're replacing a guy who had a 62-yard field goal at the buzzer to get you to bowl eligibility.
2:49:45
SPEAKER_03: Um, in John Garabay, who you know we wish the best for uh in his Dallas Cowboys or whatever team he ends up on uh in his NFL future.
2:49:54
SPEAKER_03: But um we have two guys here that are competing for the job.
2:49:57
SPEAKER_03: Uh nobody's been named your starting kicker yet.
2:50:00
SPEAKER_03: Um Trey Wolf is a guy who's been at Texas Tech for a long time, had a great freshman season, and then had a pretty poor 2020 year.
2:50:08
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I think he went one for five before he was ultimately replaced by Jonathan Garabay.
2:50:13
SPEAKER_03: So we've seen great stuff from Trey Wolf and we've seen uh not so great stuff from Trey Wolf.
2:50:19
SPEAKER_03: Um and we also brought in this guy Gino Garcia from Houston Baptist, who unfortunately uh we know Houston Baptist pretty well.
2:50:25
SPEAKER_03: Um but good and bad.
2:50:29
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, good and bad.
2:50:30
SPEAKER_03: Zach Kidley, good, good.
2:50:32
SPEAKER_03: Uh but to y'all in in y'all's eyes, who who's gonna be the winner of this kicking job?
2:50:37
SPEAKER_03: Who's gonna be the guy kicking field goals for tech next year?
2:50:41
SPEAKER_09: Man, I'll tell you, I personally I'm rooting for Trey Wolf.
2:50:44
SPEAKER_09: I am.
2:50:44
SPEAKER_09: I think he's a guy who stuck it out, right?
2:50:47
SPEAKER_09: And I know I I don't I'd have to go back and look at the the stats or like the numbers on uh special teams guys who transfer out, but in the day and age of NIL and instant gratification, right?
2:50:58
SPEAKER_09: Dudes are leaving left and right doing this.
2:51:00
SPEAKER_09: He's stuck it out, you know, and and and um has been a part of this this program for a long time.
2:51:06
SPEAKER_09: Another guy who's uh I like to look at you know what these uh these players do off the field on social media, how they engage.
2:51:14
SPEAKER_09: He's always in he's in he's interactive with fans, he's hyping up the program.
2:51:18
SPEAKER_09: He's he's just about Texas Tech, about this brand.
2:51:21
SPEAKER_09: And um it's not as much as or not as much of a do I think I I have no idea.
2:51:26
SPEAKER_09: I'll be perfectly candid here with Gino Garcia.
2:51:29
SPEAKER_09: Um Houston Baptist, I I know for sure had our you know had our number.
2:51:33
SPEAKER_09: I think they did actually miss a field goal in that game, though.
2:51:36
SPEAKER_05: Okay.
2:51:36
SPEAKER_09: If I'm not mistaken, that close one.
2:51:38
SPEAKER_09: I I'd have to go back, but my deep down somewhere there's like a colonel in my my brain that's telling me that guy missed some important kick.
2:51:46
SPEAKER_09: Um, but you don't have to go back and watch that, Jackson.
2:51:48
SPEAKER_12: You don't have to do that.
2:51:49
SPEAKER_09: No, believe me.
2:51:50
SPEAKER_09: The only reason I would go back and watch it now is to say that that offensive coordinator is with us now.
2:51:56
SPEAKER_09: Like that's it.
2:51:57
SPEAKER_09: And I remember Nick at the time was like, dude, we need to go get that guy like right this second, man.
2:52:03
SPEAKER_09: I know he was super young and in uh in his career, but he's uh anyways, but yeah, so I'm rooting.
2:52:08
SPEAKER_09: I again I don't know who's technically better with all that's being said, but I'm rooting for Trey Wolf just because I think he's you know he's been through it, man.
2:52:15
SPEAKER_09: He's been through the ups and downs and supportive of Jonathan Garbay even after he took his spot.
2:52:20
SPEAKER_09: Like, I want to see him do well.
2:52:21
SPEAKER_09: I want the I want him to do well.
2:52:24
SPEAKER_09: But it does concern me.
2:52:24
SPEAKER_09: I'll be I'll be honest, it does concern me a little bit.
2:52:27
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, full full agreement with Jackson.
2:52:29
SPEAKER_12: Uh the guy started his freshman year.
2:52:31
SPEAKER_12: You know, you're you're you're starting a freshman year, that doesn't suck.
2:52:34
SPEAKER_12: And then you put up the numbers he did.
2:52:35
SPEAKER_12: If I'm not mistaken, the reason why he kind of uh fell off his sophomore year wasn't he battling an injury or a surgery.
2:52:42
SPEAKER_03: There there may have been something to that.
2:52:44
SPEAKER_03: That I feel like if I had yeah, that sounds accurate.
2:52:48
SPEAKER_09: I feel like I think you're yeah, I think you're right.
2:52:50
SPEAKER_12: It was one or the other, and I really think that probably contributed to his his uh lack of performance.
2:52:55
SPEAKER_12: So and I think that's probably why he stuck around.
2:52:57
SPEAKER_12: Like he knows that he can do this, and I think he will too.
2:52:59
SPEAKER_12: I think that Trey Wolf will be the starter this year, and uh hopefully this Geno guy is just there to fill in for next year.
2:53:04
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, absolutely.
2:53:05
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I wanted to look back 2019.
2:53:07
SPEAKER_03: Trey Wolf went 20 for 22 on field goals.
2:53:10
SPEAKER_03: Um, he was electric, he was awesome.
2:53:13
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, uh in in 2019, he he went five for five from uh 30 to 39 yards, four of six, 40 to 49 yards.
2:53:20
SPEAKER_03: So uh dude is talented, he has the leg for it.
2:53:23
SPEAKER_03: And you know, we've said it time and time on this podcast, it's such a mental battle with these guys.
2:53:29
SPEAKER_03: Uh, it's you know, they all have the talent to make these field goals, they all have the boot to kick that thing 50 yards.
2:53:35
SPEAKER_03: It's just can you do it in the moment when you got a full stadium yelling at you in Norman, Oklahoma or something, you know?
2:53:42
SPEAKER_03: Um, and and and we've seen Trey Wolf succeed in that kind of stuff.
2:53:47
SPEAKER_03: This was 2019, this is pre-COVID.
2:53:49
SPEAKER_03: So, you know, he was in packed stadiums before.
2:53:52
SPEAKER_03: Um, I I like you said, Jackson, I'm absolutely rooting for Trey Wolf to get this job and have this kind of comeback story um, you know, of of seeing, you know, falling really low and and coming back to the top.
2:54:04
SPEAKER_03: Um, so I I'm I'm interested uh in this core.
2:54:08
SPEAKER_03: Obviously, you hate to lose a guy like John Garabay, um, but I I think there's a lot of potential in both of these guys.
2:54:15
SPEAKER_03: I think Gino's impressed some coaches in uh, you know, in uh spring ball and uh into the summer and stuff like that.
2:54:22
SPEAKER_03: So uh the the thing that's really important to me about the special teams unit is they're all so freaking tight.
2:54:27
SPEAKER_03: Whether it's the long snapper, whether it's McNamara, Garabay, they were they're all bros.
2:54:33
SPEAKER_03: Like they're the best of buds.
2:54:35
SPEAKER_03: And uh, you know, you need that because it's a it's a three-way street.
2:54:38
SPEAKER_03: You know, you get the kicker, you get the holder, and you get the snapper.
2:54:41
SPEAKER_03: Um, and so it's a it's exciting.
2:54:43
SPEAKER_03: Um, our special teams is uh a very important aspect of this team and of this program.
2:54:49
SPEAKER_03: So um wanted to wanted to touch on those guys because they deserve to be talked about.
2:54:53
SPEAKER_03: Um returners, returners.
2:54:56
SPEAKER_03: Uh, we we didn't have great returners last year.
2:54:59
SPEAKER_03: We saw some some poor punting, uh punt returns.
2:55:03
SPEAKER_03: We saw uh at at I don't know about you, Jackson, but towards the end of last season, I was just like, please just let it go every time.
2:55:10
SPEAKER_03: Just let it go.
2:55:10
SPEAKER_03: Forget it.
2:55:11
SPEAKER_03: Let it go.
2:55:12
SPEAKER_03: I don't care.
2:55:13
SPEAKER_03: Please just don't try to return it because I'm afraid we're gonna fumble it or I'm afraid we're gonna freaking mishandle it and go to somebody else.
2:55:21
SPEAKER_03: But um, the guys I had in mind for returners, guys that returned a lot last season and previous seasons, Adrian Fry is one of those dudes who who had some decent punt returns last year, had some mistakes.
2:55:33
SPEAKER_03: Um, Kadarius Townsend is an ultra athletic uh Alabama transfer uh type player.
2:55:40
SPEAKER_03: Miles Price could return stuff, Nehemiah Martinez could return stuff.
2:55:43
SPEAKER_03: Uh, what are what are kind of your thoughts on on who returns kicks in 2022?
2:55:50
SPEAKER_09: So I'm trying to remember who was the last guy to return a punt?
2:55:55
SPEAKER_09: Was it it had to be Joeem Grant, right?
2:55:57
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, oh yeah, Joe.
2:55:58
SPEAKER_09: It had to be Dream.
2:56:00
SPEAKER_09: I but that it is kind.
2:56:02
SPEAKER_09: I mean, we haven't, I can't even remember the last like 30 yard return we had on a punt.
2:56:09
SPEAKER_09: I mean, you're right.
2:56:10
SPEAKER_09: It's of our special teams, our biggest woes has been with returning, man.
2:56:15
SPEAKER_09: It's been absolutely atro it was absolutely atrocious during the Matt Well um stint and and uh with Kingsbury, I felt like it was kicking, was like our number one.
2:56:25
SPEAKER_09: I was like, dude, we gotta we gotta we gotta find a kicker, man.
2:56:28
SPEAKER_09: This is terrible.
2:56:29
SPEAKER_09: Now it's it's gotten to returning, which is kind of sad to me because I feel like we do have the guys that are capable of, like you just said, uh Jadarius Townsend.
2:56:38
SPEAKER_09: I mean, to me, he's like a prototype, so quick, um, you know, real like uh fast laterally.
2:56:44
SPEAKER_09: I mean, he's like perfect, but but just you know, didn't either get enough opportunities or or just wasn't it wasn't ripe for him previously.
2:56:52
SPEAKER_09: If I had to take two guys that I would put as my front runners, it'd be Miles Price and Townsend.
2:56:58
SPEAKER_09: I think they're I think you're they're they're your most athletic returners.
2:57:01
SPEAKER_09: Adrian Fry was funny to me because I'm like, maybe he's back there because he is at athletic to an extent, right?
2:57:07
SPEAKER_09: I mean, obviously he's a he's a D1, you know, cornerback.
2:57:10
SPEAKER_09: He's athletic, but like he's sure hands.
2:57:12
SPEAKER_09: He's always gonna catch it and then maybe do something.
2:57:15
SPEAKER_09: Well, we found out that was not the case, right?
2:57:17
SPEAKER_09: Like, so not sure hands.
2:57:19
SPEAKER_09: So I'm like, I don't really get that one.
2:57:21
SPEAKER_09: Um, I would say Miles Price or or uh or or yeah, Jadarius Townsend, man.
2:57:25
SPEAKER_09: I mean, those two dudes just they're they're quick, they're uh lateral movement, man.
2:57:29
SPEAKER_09: I mean they're they're they're fast paced.
2:57:31
SPEAKER_09: Like I would I'd like to see one of them back there.
2:57:34
SPEAKER_09: I'm just looking forward back to the days of like positive yardage on a punt return or just fair catching it and it being okay.
2:57:41
SPEAKER_09: Nothing, nothing goes wrong.
2:57:42
SPEAKER_09: That's all we want.
2:57:43
SPEAKER_09: Not like sweating out, sweating out every damn punt.
2:57:47
SPEAKER_09: So yeah, those would be my two number one, or my two guys I'd like.
2:57:50
SPEAKER_12: I think I'd want Jadarius Townsend to be the returner.
2:57:53
SPEAKER_12: And the reason why it's kind of bad, but also kind of good is one, okay.
2:57:57
SPEAKER_12: Let's start with the positive.
2:57:58
SPEAKER_12: You're getting a guy with Alabama athleticism.
2:58:00
SPEAKER_12: You know, he he he came in from the Tuscaloosa, he's obviously good enough to play at that level of ball.
2:58:05
SPEAKER_12: They only recruit guys are athletic freaks.
2:58:07
SPEAKER_12: So he's got that ability, like Jackson touched on.
2:58:10
SPEAKER_12: And the reason why I would put him there is because he hasn't found a groove anywhere else on the team.
2:58:14
SPEAKER_12: And I just I don't want to risk injury to a guy like Adrian Pry or Miles Price on a return on a punt return because that's just such a volatile thing to do with your body.
2:58:24
SPEAKER_12: So I would go with a guy that's just raw athleticism, like a Jadarius Townsend.
2:58:28
SPEAKER_12: If it gets hurt, it's not like you're losing one of your best receivers or something.
2:58:31
SPEAKER_12: So it's just, you know, that's probably why I would go there.
2:58:33
SPEAKER_12: Kind of a conservative answer, I would suppose.
2:58:36
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I think that's hard.
2:58:37
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I think there's this is where you're gonna see potentially a guy like Morion Horn play.
2:58:42
SPEAKER_03: Uh, he could he could be a guy that returns stuff for you as a true freshman.
2:58:47
SPEAKER_03: He's obviously got the athleticism.
2:58:48
SPEAKER_03: I think Nehemiah Martinez is another guy too, the the Lubbock local, who is uh a super athletic type player, has you know sure hands.
2:58:56
SPEAKER_03: He's a receiver.
2:58:57
SPEAKER_03: So, you know, they obviously trust him with that type of stuff.
2:58:59
SPEAKER_03: But I I I I would like to see Miles Price there.
2:59:03
SPEAKER_03: I don't think they're gonna put him there because he's gonna have such a big role on offense.
2:59:07
SPEAKER_03: I think he's gonna be your leading receiver.
2:59:08
SPEAKER_03: So I don't know if you put him in that situation where he's having to return punts as well.
2:59:13
SPEAKER_03: Um, but uh they very well could, I'm not sure.
2:59:15
SPEAKER_03: But I think the coaching staff is gonna look towards uh a Chidarius Townsend, a uh Morion Horn, a you know, a Nehemiah Martinez type uh player.
2:59:24
SPEAKER_09: But you know, I I feel like gone gone are the days of Michael Crabtree returning, like returning kickoffs and punts, man.
2:59:32
SPEAKER_09: I mean, that stuff, and I get it, like it's just so hard to risk an injury on there.
2:59:36
SPEAKER_09: But uh yeah, yeah, no, that's a good point, man.
2:59:39
SPEAKER_09: I mean, price is gonna provide so much.
2:59:40
SPEAKER_09: I know y'all were with uh tailgate talks on that one, but it it you're right.
2:59:45
SPEAKER_09: Honestly, it's probably not even worth the risk.
2:59:47
SPEAKER_03: For sure, for sure.
2:59:49
SPEAKER_03: But uh thought I'd mention it because we just want some consistency.
2:59:52
SPEAKER_03: We just want to just be conservative, just catch it, fair catch.
2:59:56
SPEAKER_03: We're good.
2:59:57
SPEAKER_03: Catch it.
2:59:58
SPEAKER_03: We'll let we'll let Tyler Shuck and Donovan Smith, you know, or or even Baron Morton, you know, work it from there.
3:00:03
SPEAKER_12: But Tex Tech is famously conservative with their with their play, so that's uh there's there's been some head scratchers, uh definitely.
3:00:13
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and that's your goals on second down, that doesn't tickle your fancy.
3:00:17
SPEAKER_09: Ow I miss, I miss the days.
3:00:21
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, I don't second second and eight, right?
3:00:24
SPEAKER_09: No, I I uh that one I'll still never forget.
3:00:28
SPEAKER_09: I thought there was a glitch on the screen because I was watching on my phone in uh Lexington, Kentucky with my family at this bar, and I'm sitting there going, Oh, it's oh I missed some plays.
3:00:37
SPEAKER_09: It's fourth down already.
3:00:38
SPEAKER_09: And they were like, No, I I get on Twitter and it's like, did we just kick yeah, yeah, yeah.
3:00:43
SPEAKER_12: Well, that was the moment, guys.
3:00:44
SPEAKER_12: Was that the moment you think of Kirby?
3:00:46
SPEAKER_11: That was that was like the second that was the second season of Wells, wasn't it?
3:00:51
SPEAKER_11: It was oh, it wasn't this last season.
3:00:53
SPEAKER_11: No, I think it was just so whirled into my head.
3:00:55
SPEAKER_03: No, it was 20 it was 2020 because we got so upset with it because Trey Wolf missed the field goal, and it was it wasn't Garabay yet.
3:01:04
SPEAKER_09: Well, let's not forget the sky kick against UT.
3:01:07
SPEAKER_09: Yes, where it was like, dude, what are we doing?
3:01:10
SPEAKER_09: We're up like 10 to 14.
3:01:12
SPEAKER_09: Oh, dude, yeah.
3:01:13
SPEAKER_09: Oh my god, that game.
3:01:14
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, yeah.
3:01:15
SPEAKER_09: There was I'm like, why are we pooching it?
3:01:17
SPEAKER_09: Kick it out of the damn end zone, or like you have to trust your special teams enough, man.
3:01:22
SPEAKER_09: I mean, it was oh, but hey, new era, yes, new era.
3:01:30
SPEAKER_04: We're excited, we're excited about it.
3:01:33
SPEAKER_03: I think this uh this special teams unit uh hopefully will be much improved from last season.
3:01:37
SPEAKER_03: Um, got some final questions for everybody here.
3:01:40
SPEAKER_03: Um, and then we'll get to Jackson, your song of the week.
3:01:43
SPEAKER_03: We gave ours with Tailgate Talk, so we're just gonna give you the floor there.
3:01:46
SPEAKER_03: But um, for y'all, who's the most exciting player on the on this defense were you?
3:01:51
SPEAKER_09: I'm gonna go, and again, uh it sounds pretty biased because we had him on the podcast, but uh Marquise Muddy Waters, I'm most excited to see because honestly, and I would say this no matter what, because he had so much potential in those first three games, man.
3:02:06
SPEAKER_09: I mean, he was playing exceptionally well, and then the injury completely derailed his season.
3:02:13
SPEAKER_09: But the pick six, U of H, some huge plays.
3:02:15
SPEAKER_09: I think he might have had a pick against U of H or a couple deflections at least.
3:02:19
SPEAKER_09: He was on a really good path.
3:02:21
SPEAKER_09: And then, um, anyways, yeah, he he's I'm I mean, talking to him, he said he's healthy, he feels better than he did before the injury.
3:02:29
SPEAKER_09: So I'm really pumped to see what he's gonna be capable of, you know, and what he's able to do this year.
3:02:34
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, fellow bias pick.
3:02:35
SPEAKER_12: Austin McMare, baby.
3:02:37
SPEAKER_12: Let's go.
3:02:38
SPEAKER_12: Let's get that NFL draft stock up, boy.
3:02:41
SPEAKER_12: Let's go.
3:02:42
SPEAKER_03: I'll be I'll be uh I'll be basic here and say Tyree Wilson.
3:02:45
SPEAKER_03: He's a the he's your best NFL prospect since Jordan Brooks.
3:02:49
SPEAKER_03: Um and he's just he's a unit, he's a bust of a person, and I'm excited to see how they line him up and what they use him for.
3:02:56
SPEAKER_03: And hopefully he gets uh a lot of sacks on on these quarterbacks here.
3:03:00
SPEAKER_03: But uh yeah, Tyree Wilson is my choice.
3:03:02
SPEAKER_03: Um, best unit on this defense, Jackson.
3:03:05
SPEAKER_03: Who you got?
3:03:06
SPEAKER_09: I'm gonna go secondary, followed closely by our D line, but I just think the secondary this year has so much depth and talent.
3:03:13
SPEAKER_09: It's it's it's really their their defense to kind of be in control of.
3:03:19
SPEAKER_12: You can't look at this paper and say that it's not the backs.
3:03:22
SPEAKER_12: You see so many SRs next to their names.
3:03:24
SPEAKER_12: It's just the experience alone is just above the rest of the units.
3:03:27
SPEAKER_12: I have to go with them, thank God for once, you know.
3:03:30
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I'll I'll agree with both of y'all say secondary.
3:03:33
SPEAKER_03: Um, who leads the team in tackles?
3:03:35
SPEAKER_09: Um, I'll go uh the cop out, easy answer here.
3:03:39
SPEAKER_09: Um, Krishna Merriweather.
3:03:40
SPEAKER_09: But I'm also gonna go with uh to uh Tyree Wilson for most in the flat interception pick sixes, six six, whatever you know, many pounds run down the field, get ready for it.
3:03:52
SPEAKER_09: I know we're gonna see it once.
3:03:54
SPEAKER_09: I know we're gonna see it at least one time, but yeah, no, give me Merryweather.
3:03:57
SPEAKER_09: I don't know if he gets to 106 with Schooler, but uh, I just think he's he's gonna be a unit in there and um he's gonna make a lot of tackles.
3:04:05
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I'm I'm going the same.
3:04:06
SPEAKER_12: Merryweather, the next next one up in the linebacking.
3:04:09
SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna say a guy to keep out for.
3:04:11
SPEAKER_03: I'm I'm probably gonna go with Merriweather as well, but a guy to look out for for this is Josiah Pierre.
3:04:15
SPEAKER_03: I think he's gonna be a guy who gained gets a lot of tackles this season, and it's gonna be kind of the guy that comes out of nowhere.
3:04:21
SPEAKER_03: He was hurt a lot last season, he was coming in his first year at tech.
3:04:24
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I think I think Josiah Pierre is in for a pretty big year.
3:04:28
SPEAKER_03: Um, but let's go.
3:04:31
SPEAKER_03: Okay, so for reference, last season, we held every team except four under 30 points.
3:04:37
SPEAKER_03: Surprisingly, uh, I was looking back at this and I was like, oh, okay, but you know, those four games we gave up 70 to Texas, 52 to TCU, you know, 50 whatever to Oklahoma.
3:04:48
SPEAKER_03: How many teams do we keep under 30 points this season?
3:04:52
SPEAKER_09: So this is gonna be a deceptive.
3:04:54
SPEAKER_09: This is a it might sound harsh initially, but um I'm gonna say actually less than we did last year because of our, I think our I think Zach Kitley's offense is gonna create more opportunity for.
3:05:10
SPEAKER_09: I mean, he what what I hope at least is that uh he's scoring enough points to where our defense is still balling out, but they're just gonna be, you know, on the field more.
3:05:20
SPEAKER_09: They're gonna other teams gonna be out there because we're gonna be putting up points so quick.
3:05:25
SPEAKER_09: Um, I think it'll be close.
3:05:27
SPEAKER_09: The 30 points mark.
3:05:28
SPEAKER_09: I mean, last year was so damn inconsistent.
3:05:30
SPEAKER_09: That's what killed me.
3:05:31
SPEAKER_09: Is it's like 23 here and then 50 here, and then it's like we just had no consistency.
3:05:36
SPEAKER_09: I think you're gonna have a lot of fringe games that are right there at like 34 or 32 or something close, but I'm gonna actually go less.
3:05:44
SPEAKER_09: I'm gonna say um we hold I'll go five.
3:05:49
SPEAKER_09: Uh you could wait, wait, wait, did we do six last year?
3:05:52
SPEAKER_03: We four four teams scored over 30 against us last year.
3:05:56
SPEAKER_09: Scored over 30.
3:05:57
SPEAKER_09: Oh, no, okay.
3:05:57
SPEAKER_09: So that was yeah, yeah.
3:05:58
SPEAKER_09: So we actually held a lot of teams under.
3:06:00
SPEAKER_09: I would say I'm gonna say this year I'll go six that we hold six teams under 30.
3:06:05
SPEAKER_09: But yeah, we feel that that's not not necessarily a bad thing.
3:06:08
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, exactly.
3:06:09
SPEAKER_12: Uh, I'm with John with I'm with Jackson the same as well.
3:06:12
SPEAKER_12: I think I think we'll do it only be like four, five, six because um it's gonna be the mentality this year is probably gonna be outscore the other team.
3:06:19
SPEAKER_12: I mean, obviously that's a hurger, that's the point of the game, but it's gonna be kind of a throwback to the Kingsbury era where it's just I think this tier it's gonna just be pedaled to the metal to make up, you know, for any uh lacking we have on that side of the ball, you know, and uh see see what this offense is made of.
3:06:35
SPEAKER_12: And I I think I think that's that's how we're gonna make up for a first year coach.
3:06:39
SPEAKER_12: So I think that's I think that's the way we're gonna see some retro Texas tech.
3:06:42
SPEAKER_12: So I I I but I I'm with Jackson.
3:06:44
SPEAKER_12: I do think that this defense is worth something.
3:06:46
SPEAKER_12: It's better than a Kingsbury defense, but I just think it's gonna be it's gonna be another shootout kind of year.
3:06:51
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I uh I'm gonna agree with both of you.
3:06:53
SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna say because of the improved offense, hopefully, and because of the more high-powered, we're gonna score a lot more points.
3:07:00
SPEAKER_03: Naturally, that's gonna lead to the other team scoring a few more points per game.
3:07:04
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, we were kind of forced to do that last year because our offense was so stagnant at a lot of times.
3:07:11
SPEAKER_03: Uh, but uh yeah, I'll probably say, I don't know, probably five, six, six teams are gonna score over 30, but I think we're gonna get a few more wins and and better offensive production.
3:07:22
SPEAKER_03: Um, I just thought that was an interesting question.
3:07:24
SPEAKER_03: But um we had tailgate talks on to talk offense.
3:07:27
SPEAKER_03: Uh Jackson, you've been awesome talking defense and special teams with us.
3:07:30
SPEAKER_03: But uh we got to ask you while you're here, who who do you who do you think starts a quarterback and who do you want to start a quarterback?
3:07:39
SPEAKER_09: So this is such a it's you know been probably the biggest debate in the offseason, right?
3:07:44
SPEAKER_09: Besides like, you know, how uh what emoji to use to represent the desert, right?
3:07:49
SPEAKER_09: Cactus clearly uh won that one.
3:07:51
SPEAKER_09: I saw some people debate on that.
3:07:52
SPEAKER_09: But like what you know it's a blessing that we have such a talented QB room, and it's so crazy me crazy for me to think that um uh Smith could be actually be our third string quarterback.
3:08:06
SPEAKER_09: And I actually I really deep down kind of feel that he that he might be, which is wild at how thinking about thinking about how well he produced last year when he got in.
3:08:15
SPEAKER_09: And I as a what what was he a true freshman last year?
3:08:19
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, redshirt.
3:08:20
SPEAKER_09: He was a redshirt.
3:08:20
SPEAKER_09: He was a redshirt freshman last year.
3:08:22
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, I'm like, and and he had a I mean great bowl game.
3:08:24
SPEAKER_09: Um, but I think with Zach Kittley's offense, I don't know if it necessarily plays into his style as well.
3:08:31
SPEAKER_09: My I I think it's gonna be uh Tyler is gonna be starting.
3:08:35
SPEAKER_09: Tyler Shuck's gonna be our number one.
3:08:37
SPEAKER_09: Um, Baron Morton, I I really hope we don't lose that guy down the road to the transfer portal because I think he has some massive upside to him.
3:08:46
SPEAKER_09: And and the way I'd kind of have it is I think you have Tyler Shucks, your your number one guy.
3:08:51
SPEAKER_09: If he implodes, because uh Morton's still so young, so is Smith.
3:08:55
SPEAKER_09: They're both so young still.
3:08:56
SPEAKER_09: If he absolutely implodes, you got one of these two dudes in the wings.
3:09:00
SPEAKER_09: Personally, I think Barron Morton's the future, man.
3:09:02
SPEAKER_09: I'm not gonna lie.
3:09:03
SPEAKER_09: Watching that guy operate, I really do think that he's he's kind of the next next guy.
3:09:08
SPEAKER_09: Um, and so maybe I don't know if I'd say it's short leash, but if if it really goes downhill for Shuck, let's let's have Barron Morton there.
3:09:15
SPEAKER_09: Um, but I'm gonna go Tyler just because let's say let's I mean as a Red Raider, he's 3-0 as a well, actually, never mind.
3:09:21
SPEAKER_09: I was gonna say games he completed.
3:09:24
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, 3-1 as a starter, 3-0 games he completed.
3:09:27
SPEAKER_09: Granted, two of those are SFA and whoever the hell we played that third game.
3:09:30
SPEAKER_09: But um I think he's I think he's shown a lot of potential, man, and just a lot of um good play throughout his career uh at Oregon, at um, you know, what he was able to do last year, offseason highlight videos.
3:09:43
SPEAKER_09: I mean, he he seems like the kind of guy that is just he's that veteran who can produce.
3:09:47
SPEAKER_09: So I want to see Tyler, but um, but Baron, I I I'm I'm a Barron Morton fan, man, big Barron Morton fan.
3:09:53
SPEAKER_09: I'd like to see him kind of right there in the wings, and it's just crazy that Smith's so talented.
3:09:58
SPEAKER_09: And yet I it's like it's it's a good problem to have, I'll say it's a very good problem to have.
3:10:02
SPEAKER_09: But yeah, Shuck gets the day one start.
3:10:05
SPEAKER_09: Tristan, you still on the Shuck train?
3:10:07
SPEAKER_12: Yeah, I think like I said, I think with this Pat this quarterback heavy position, you want to go with the veteran.
3:10:13
SPEAKER_12: So I'm I gotta go with with Shuck.
3:10:15
SPEAKER_12: But I'm with I'm with Jackson.
3:10:16
SPEAKER_12: I think I think Barry Morton's the chosen one.
3:10:18
SPEAKER_12: I think he's the uh the West Texas son.
3:10:20
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, Jackson, you didn't get a chance to listen to our our talk with with tailgate talks, but I am I am so in on Donovan Smith, it's it's kind of crazy.
3:10:29
SPEAKER_03: Uh I just think that dude brings such a different element to the game, and he's so big and he's so talented.
3:10:35
SPEAKER_03: All three of these guys are awesome.
3:10:37
SPEAKER_03: And there's no wrong answer here, in my opinion.
3:10:40
SPEAKER_09: And it's like it's like, how do you bench him?
3:10:41
SPEAKER_09: I mean, honestly, after what he did, how do you how do you put it like how do you bench him?
3:10:45
SPEAKER_09: I don't I don't know.
3:10:47
SPEAKER_09: It's it's it's gonna be really crazy to see how that plays out this year.
3:10:50
SPEAKER_09: Unfortunately, I will say, and this isn't really a hot take, but uh, you know, I think one of these guys is inevitably gonna end up in the portal, just the way college football works.
3:11:00
SPEAKER_09: Um, you know, it's not like you wait your turn, kind of like the Mike Leach days of hey, we're gonna, you know, this guy's a fifth-year senior, Cody Hodges, and goes to the Cotton Bowl, right?
3:11:09
SPEAKER_09: Like those days are those days are over, but uh Smith is amazing.
3:11:14
SPEAKER_09: Like again, it's just like how do you bench him?
3:11:16
SPEAKER_09: I don't I don't know, man.
3:11:17
SPEAKER_09: It's gonna be crazy.
3:11:18
SPEAKER_03: It's a tough challenge, but a good problem to have, like you mentioned.
3:11:22
SPEAKER_03: So uh just wanted to get your opinion on that.
3:11:24
SPEAKER_03: Uh Tristan predicted six and six.
3:11:27
SPEAKER_03: I I am drinking the Kool-Aid, I predicted eight and four.
3:11:30
SPEAKER_03: Jackson, what what's Texas Text record?
3:11:33
SPEAKER_09: So I said this last year.
3:11:35
SPEAKER_09: I said U of H is a huge indicator.
3:11:38
SPEAKER_09: It was for us last year, even though it was like a topsy turvy, crazy year with firing wells in the middle of the season.
3:11:45
SPEAKER_09: I think the U of H game is a huge indicator for us again this year.
3:11:49
SPEAKER_09: If they win that game, I'll go uh I'll go I'll go seven and five if they beat U of H.
3:11:57
SPEAKER_09: I really think seven and five's uh a good point.
3:11:59
SPEAKER_09: The thing is, it's just it's such an uphill battle for this team with U of H and North Carolina State.
3:12:05
SPEAKER_09: Um and and so I'll I'll go seven five.
3:12:07
SPEAKER_09: If we lose to U of H, I I think you're looking at a six and six, five and seven type year, which fans got to remember, year one, you got you gotta let McGuire get in there and massage and kind of do his thing and build this up.
3:12:21
SPEAKER_09: Um and you know, with Wells, I think we saw signs early that were huge red flags.
3:12:26
SPEAKER_09: I mean, I'm talking, we we just we just talked about them a second ago.
3:12:30
SPEAKER_09: Massive analytical, like red flags.
3:12:32
SPEAKER_09: You're like, what is happening right now?
3:12:35
SPEAKER_09: Maguire, even a five and seven year with Maguire, six and six, I it it's just looking for that those marginal improvements that you're moving in the right direction.
3:12:44
SPEAKER_09: But that U of H game, I think, is gonna be a big indicator.
3:12:47
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, it's it's how this team prepares, it's how this team plays and fights.
3:12:52
SPEAKER_03: And it seems like Joey's got a good mentality, a good brand on uh on the program.
3:12:56
SPEAKER_03: So uh excited for that.
3:12:58
SPEAKER_03: Um, this is a tricky question, and this is gonna be our final one before we get to your song of the week.
3:13:04
SPEAKER_03: Um, the Jones, uh, obviously there's a lot of hype around the program right now.
3:13:09
SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, with with all the money that's being thrown into it and and Joey being here and hyping up everybody.
3:13:15
SPEAKER_03: How many games do we sell out at the Jones next year?
3:13:19
SPEAKER_09: That when y'all sent me the outline, that was the one that kind of uh yeah, threw me for a loop, just trying to think because I'm it's a tough question because tech fans are so bi can be so bipolar, right?
3:13:31
SPEAKER_09: They're so up and down.
3:13:32
SPEAKER_09: Um, unless you're like basketball and you have sustained success, then it's a then it's a sellout.
3:13:38
SPEAKER_09: But like last year, hell, I think it was the TCU game.
3:13:41
SPEAKER_09: I mean, we were packing it out, bringing, you know, Tristan was there.
3:13:45
SPEAKER_09: Right?
3:13:46
SPEAKER_09: I mean, I I know it wasn't a sellout, but I think it was a pretty substantial crowd.
3:13:49
SPEAKER_09: And then you get absolutely demolished, and it's like, well, what did we do this for?
3:13:55
SPEAKER_09: So I'll say this.
3:13:57
SPEAKER_09: If we beat U of H and somehow go on the road and beat North Carolina State, that UT game will absolutely be sold out.
3:14:03
SPEAKER_09: If you're 3-0 going into that one, um you know what?
3:14:09
SPEAKER_09: I'm gonna tell I'll just take a stab at it.
3:14:10
SPEAKER_09: I'll say two.
3:14:11
SPEAKER_09: I think we sell out truly and honestly, like to the brim, max capacity.
3:14:15
SPEAKER_09: I think you get I'll say, yeah, two.
3:14:18
SPEAKER_09: I'll get I'll give it two.
3:14:20
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, you you have a really good home schedule.
3:14:22
SPEAKER_03: And so I think that helps you in terms of like this question.
3:14:24
SPEAKER_03: You know, you got UT, you got OU, you got Baylor.
3:14:27
SPEAKER_03: Uh, and then I think that I really think that Murray State game, I think it's gonna be sold out because I think I think people are hyped up about the program and about the state and and with everything we've seen on social media this offseason, everybody coming together with this cactus thing and uh you know just just being pissed off and feel like we're we're ready to be freaking good at football.
3:14:49
SPEAKER_03: I think that Murray State game is gonna be sold out.
3:14:51
SPEAKER_03: I think U of H will probably be a toss-up, uh depending on how the Murray State game goes.
3:14:56
SPEAKER_03: And then I think you have to sell out U T and O U, right?
3:14:59
SPEAKER_03: This is potentially their last game ever in Lubbock, or or at least for a long time in Lubbock.
3:15:04
SPEAKER_03: So uh it's it's a difficult question.
3:15:07
SPEAKER_03: There's you know, you go a bunch of different ways with it.
3:15:10
SPEAKER_09: Does does TCU on the road count?
3:15:12
SPEAKER_09: Because I know that absolutely counts.
3:15:14
SPEAKER_09: We yeah, we're we're going to go.
3:15:15
SPEAKER_09: In that case, I'm I'm bumping it to three then for sure.
3:15:18
SPEAKER_09: That's going to be a sellout.
3:15:20
SPEAKER_09: It's just crazy because some of these games, like there's you know, huge attendance, and you're like, man, the Jones is packed, but it's like not quite a sellout.
3:15:28
SPEAKER_09: So it's like I could see us having some really lively games, but yeah, no, if you add that TCU on the road, because that is like low, you know, Texas Tech South, right?
3:15:37
SPEAKER_09: Like uh, you know, Texas Tech Jr.
3:15:39
SPEAKER_09: So including that one for sure.
3:15:41
SPEAKER_09: Add it to the tally.
3:15:42
SPEAKER_03: For sure, for sure.
3:15:44
SPEAKER_03: Well, well, me and Tristan already gave our songs of the week with the Tailgate Talks boys.
3:15:48
SPEAKER_03: But Jackson, you've been on the podcast now.
3:15:50
SPEAKER_03: I think this is your third time.
3:15:51
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know what it is with uh with the song of the week, giving something for the people to listen to.
3:15:56
SPEAKER_03: What you got for us?
3:15:58
SPEAKER_09: Well, so uh, and this one's a little on theme because I know you two guys are about to get married, you know, soon coming up, right?
3:16:04
SPEAKER_09: Um, this team, we're revitalized.
3:16:07
SPEAKER_09: We're we're you know, it's a new era.
3:16:09
SPEAKER_09: This is uh this song is a wedding favorite.
3:16:11
SPEAKER_09: It's an absolute wedding staple, and it's it's it's a classic.
3:16:15
SPEAKER_09: It's one of the, you know, one of the goats when it comes to uh classical songs.
3:16:19
SPEAKER_09: We're going with Journey, Don't Stop Believing, man.
3:16:22
SPEAKER_09: Because Texas Tech Football, we've had our lows, we've had our highs, we've been up and down.
3:16:27
SPEAKER_09: I know we've gone through a lot of lows lately.
3:16:30
SPEAKER_09: Don't stop believing in this program, in this team, and uh, and I know you guys are gonna be jamming it at y'all's weddings, man.
3:16:36
SPEAKER_09: So I'm I'm I'm uh I'm going with Don't Stop Believing.
3:16:53
SPEAKER_12: Excellent pick, man.
3:16:55
SPEAKER_12: I love the connection.
3:16:56
SPEAKER_12: I'm honored that you uh threw that out there for the two of us in our patrol group.
3:17:01
SPEAKER_12: So that's that's excellent.
3:17:03
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, for sure.
3:17:04
SPEAKER_03: Uh and I think Journey was just in town in Lubbock, uh, for the people uh that actually live uh up there in West Texas.
3:17:10
SPEAKER_03: Unfortunately, us three do not.
3:17:12
SPEAKER_03: But uh yeah, that's all that's a great pick.
3:17:14
SPEAKER_03: That's always a great song uh to get the people going at the weddings.
3:17:18
SPEAKER_03: I thought for sure you were gonna do the killer song.
3:17:20
SPEAKER_03: Uh what's uh Mr.
3:17:22
SPEAKER_03: Brightside.
3:17:23
SPEAKER_04: I thought for sure it's like every wedding you're going to, Mr.
3:17:25
SPEAKER_04: Brightside is the white person and anthem.
3:17:28
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and all the white people go crazy.
3:17:30
SPEAKER_09: Oh, dude, that that could have been a good one too, honestly.
3:17:32
SPEAKER_09: That that's right there, yeah.
3:17:33
SPEAKER_09: With with with the wedding uh, you know, anthems for sure.
3:17:37
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, no doubt.
3:17:38
SPEAKER_03: Well, Jackson, uh, you know, this has been awesome.
3:17:40
SPEAKER_03: Uh it was great to have you and and Brooks and Dustin from Tailgate Talks on the on the 100th episode.
3:17:46
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, this massive football preview.
3:17:50
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I hope by this point y'all are still listening.
3:17:53
SPEAKER_03: And if you're not, I get it.
3:17:54
SPEAKER_03: You're probably an hour early.
3:17:56
SPEAKER_03: Uh but but Jackson, this is your chance.
3:18:00
SPEAKER_03: uh plug everything for rambling raiders that you need to.
3:18:03
SPEAKER_09: Yeah guys so we're uh we're on you know the social medias our twitters at rambling raiders instagram at rambling raiders and our Facebook page is rambling raiders podcast we're pretty active on all three um been a little bit um distracted with work on Twitter lately but we're getting back there and then um we're on all all of the uh the podcasting platforms our big thing that's coming up that I've been trying to promote and we got some things in the works for it is we're starting a uh live interactive segment that that we I'd love to get you guys on to called the Rip um which is going to be kind of modeled yeah after like the Yak you know where they we do a little bit of um it's gonna be Texas Tech breakdown on our it's on our YouTube channel so that's ultimately what I'm getting at is you got to go follow our our YouTube channel is Ramblin' Raiders Media drop us a sub there but it's it's gonna be interactive you know we're gonna be taking questions it's gonna be Texas tech content who we're playing that week how the last game went some sports betting advice and then just some you know uh common you know foolery there at the end some hot takes and you know just mess around stuff um with our our buddy Joe and then also um you know hot takes with Laney cakes so YouTube's our big one that we're really trying to push out uh Ramblin' Rangers Media on YouTube but um yeah guys thanks for having me on honestly I I love collaborating with you guys and our our uh podcast network with the Guns Up Nation Network man I mean uh uh tailgate talks guys are are are great as well I'm glad they're a part of it too so this has been a lot of fun man it's always good during this antsy period right before the season starts to just get it get it all out there yeah in this honeymoon phase as well man and hey we don't we don't do this no we don't collaborate enough dude and uh this I've always wanted to do like a live QA sort of thing so it's it sounds like a ton of fun dude uh anytime you want uh one of us one of our dumb asses to hop on dude I know we will so hey hey let me tell you the beer will be flowing and and the takes will be loose so bring it all I will say get i like i'm i'm having to take a crash course in like youtube how to do all the streaming stuff i'm like the worst guy at that so there's a bit of a learning curve but when i get it finally get it figured out man yeah i want to have y'all on there for sure absolutely man well jackson it's been real it's been awesome uh and we just appreciate having you on man yes sir man wreck them that's a lot of football we just talked my guy yeah i i know everyone's thinking national champion at this point i know i am i won't accept anything less here at texas tech we have that standard where it's it's national titles or it's nothing so yeah definitely in Joey's first season we are but i i mean i think you know we're obviously very positive when it comes to texas tech football and i i we have no reason to to be honest with you but uh it's it we like being positive we like looking at the good parts of the team and and saying hey you know this is a talented team that we have on on both sides of the field in my opinion and uh you know this but this is the first year of a new coaching staff there are going to be you know some some bumps in the road it's it's Joey's first time being a power five head coach so uh you know the expectations are not as high as what we think of the team I think if that makes sense um you know I I predict Aiden Ford you predicted a more a much more reasonable six and six for the season and uh you know I think it's I think these are pretty reasonable expectations me obviously being on the higher end and you being kind of more on the on the more realistic side of it.
3:21:29
SPEAKER_12: Yeah absolutely I I think this like I've said over and over again I've said in this episode that it's a foundational year and I'm not going to look at the record unless it's just flat out unexcusable uh as an L.
3:21:39
SPEAKER_12: You know it's just it's this is the first step of many.
3:21:42
SPEAKER_12: And we hired Joey McGuire for the long run, not the first year.
3:21:46
SPEAKER_03: Yeah no doubt but uh the other good thing about this episode not only that it's the hundredth not only that we've had two great guests on is is it's the hundredth episode so you you have to get a blooper reel.
3:21:57
SPEAKER_03: The the talk and tech blooper reel part two we did this with episode 50 uh I I've kept some clips from episodes 51 to 99 and uh you know kind of mash them all together just to give you a little look into how stupid we really are and uh what we cut out of the podcast all the time uh just to not you know give y'all that horrible stupidity that just loses brain cells all the time.
3:22:22
SPEAKER_12: Yeah we we try to keep the the small talk and the stupidity out of the podcast.
3:22:26
SPEAKER_12: It's not we all are here for you're here for the the crappy takes we've got so we'll we'll we'll have to see uh we'll have to unload here and uh give the people what they want.
3:22:35
SPEAKER_12: I know it was a big hit 50 episodes ago and I know I love hearing how stupid I am I like being reminded of that that's for sure.
3:22:41
SPEAKER_03: Yeah man so here we go talk and tech blooper reel part two LFG quick warning everybody this is not a family friendly blooper reel we do say quite a few curse words uh so I just want to give you a preemptive warning already thanks here we go oh yeah wow that's that's got that's blooper alerts for the next 50 we got the shakeroni by the way nice how was it I think it fucks round and he says it's too heavy it's just too big it's way too big it's a shakeroni pizza what are you doing it's fucking huge dude like this is not just you only need one slice and you're fine welcome in everybody what the fuck that's it we have to try again tomorrow all right you threw off my groove threw off a groove welcome in everybody to fucking god you're on the list bucko shut your damn mouth is it worth two little c's because that's what I'm basing this on.
3:24:12
SPEAKER_12: Yeah because I feel like it it probably fills you up just as much and it's better.
3:24:16
SPEAKER_12: As two little c's okay that's not true.
3:24:19
SPEAKER_03: All right it won't fill you up as much two large pizzas but it's like it's still the chakraroni is still larger than a one bigger yeah and it's got it's got more girth to it it's got more cheese and pepperoni and sauce than uh little Caesars girth it's got girth this is all on record recording right now it's got girth you ready no why are you lifting up your shirt what's that about not lifting up my shirt what are you talking about what is that this is a blanket I have the dog on my laptop oh I was about to say how you're not hot as shit it's I'm in the house I'm not outside yeah but it's still 100 degrees out there it's not a hundred degrees in here whatever bro this is you just leave the you the AC off and you're just like I'm just gonna live it however hot it is outside is however hot it's gonna be in my living space.
3:25:13
SPEAKER_04: That's how God wanted it to be just like the caveman did it welcome to the talk and tech podcast presented by Shacaroni.
3:25:24
SPEAKER_12: That'd be sick as hell that would be sick we have to eat the shakeroni the whole time not gonna lie to you I don't think I can eat a third slice shakeroni right now.
3:25:35
SPEAKER_03: But we we told Shaq we'd complete this pizza we promised him all right that's thing rolling rolling rolling rollin' roll and roll and what I keep rolling rolling rolling rolling y'all I know y'all know right here did we do a limp biscuit song of the week we haven't i that's the only limp oh no wait i think that's the only limpistic song I know bro there's plenty there's five keep on rolling baby you know what that's we met Shaq that would be so sick yeah I would love meeting Shaq listen to your podcast and what you do Shaq Rooney listen to the episode touchdown chiefs is that's this is the conference championship right yes this is for all the marbles well no it's the next round well not actually this is for all the marbles until that's for the marbles that's for more marbles who would have thought more marbles would be the mistake stupid this game against Texas is for all the marbles we go pee real quick oh my god we are idiots my friend um we're not smart people uh the people know that but you know they they come back to listen for some reason yeah it's it's never been confirmed that the IQs are uh collectively above 80 um and I'm just very happy that we brought some people onto the podcast to help us out today but man after listening to that it's just yeah people we're not doing anybody any favors no no and and you know thank goodness for editing so we can cut this stuff out uh normally but uh no I hope you enjoyed that stupidity uh we are two normal dudes that are well I don't even know if you can call us normal we're we're idiots uh by all means uh our fiance think that and uh so do we we don't try to hide it not at all man it's it's been a ton of blasts uh you got any day one is out there since the beginning i hope so man let us know yeah let's hear it reach out yeah reach out to us on twitter and said hey i've been listening since yeah whether it's episode 10 or one or 50 who cares like 99 or 99 if you're coming back you know we really do appreciate y'all coming 69 maybe maybe episode 69 nice you know but this is where it ends the mondo episode uh if you've been here for for as long as you have uh we really appreciate who uses mondo uses an adjective you me he she we wombo oh god no this is a uh so much this is uh this has been so long we need to end it right yeah please all right you can follow both me and tristan on twitter tristan is at tristy mick i'm at outlin underscore s underscore rodriguez you can follow the pod on twitter at talk at tech pod follow our songs the week playlist uh they are on spotify and apple music uh like rate review subscribe to the podcast tell your family tell your friends about us uh you know keep on listening we appreciate everybody and uh seriously if if y'all been here since day one or whatever you decide to join and listen to the podcast we do appreciate y'all and uh you know here's to a hundred more absolutely man uh the next episode will be another four hour one by the way this is like a new thing for us no no we cannot do this Mondo sequel I cannot do this longer an episode again but again everybody appreciate y'all always recap tech uh wow first of all uh got a lot of respect for Steven and Tristan uh their program tough guys just uh a lot of fun I love the game of basketball but also love West Texas and I love Steven and Tristan I'm extremely proud I don't know where we go from here I'm I'm thinking I'm just gonna sit back down this is not getting better than this I would like to thank uh Steven and Tristan this is incredible these guys have a passion and a love for this school