Texas’ Path to Avoiding a Road Defensive Battle | IT Live

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2:13you can book a therapy session in minutes and begin in as little as two days, not the national 48-day average. See if you could pay as little as $0 for therapy in seconds at growththerapy.com slash book now. That's growththerapy.com slash book now. Availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plan. Welcome back, lovely inside Texas viewers on this Thursday morning joined by Ian Boyd and Justin Wells as always. Talking to Texas Longhorns as we prepare this road trip to Knoxville, Tennessee. Before we get into it, make sure you go over to insidetexas.com, check it out, our awesome deals. 60% off our first year. You can join inside Texas today and get all the benefits for 60% off of you, everything just in the rest of the staff are doing. Of course, thank you to Academy Sports and Outdoors for sponsoring this live. As we've got a visitor to the background of Ian's, it's a four person show now. Just now you're doing this morning. I'm good, Bob. How about you guys? I'm doing well.

3:14Gotta refresh. These Thursday morning shows sometimes we show up a little sluggish, feeling good going in. Hope you all in the comments are doing good. It's telling our progress to Prima. No. Tyler's at his Juan and Cheese tasting and Venice or whatever that Ellie is on right now. We'll be up in Knoxville. We'll see him there in Tennessee, but hope you're doing well, CB. Before we get into Ian's article that he dropped this morning, we're actually going to go look over to the initial SEC injury report. A lot of stuff that we kind of reported inside Texas shows up. I think maybe the only thing we weren't quite aware of was the Jordan Coleman injury. But I think just in the first thing that really stands out to me is on the good side of things with a probable calling Simmons and just no mention of Kobe Black. Yeah. Yeah. Those are the two biggest ones in my opinion. And the big thing is with Colin is, you know, we know he's dealing with a few things. And so, but he can't keep, keep him off the field. He's so ready to be in Knoxville and that and Kobe Black. Look, I'm a Derek Williams guy.

4:15I think he's a good football player and a good safety. I think he still will step off. And I think that's why Kobe Black took the spot. I think that's why he was the starter. And I think him coming back in there is also a positive as well. And so we know they're both dealing with stuff, but we also know that it's going to be hard to keep them off the field Saturday. Yeah. I think I think Kobe's looked the part at say to the first two games. I mean, I made the tweet about it. Those big hits back in the back in the locker. But Ian, I do look at the doubtful and questionable and especially with Coleman as well out. And I go, the power run game looks like it might be taking a hit. The hope would be that some others, if your question on Wednesday, the decent chance you can get's probable by Friday and playing on Saturday. But you know, that's a down blocker at Tide and Nick Towns and that's your goal line jumbo player and Jordan Colton, which maybe Andre Kodra can do that. And then your best running back. Does that maybe give you any reservations about how Texas will be able to run in short

5:16yardage? What are your thoughts on those players? Well, that's a good question. But probably just depends on what Smothers ailment is. If he's basically himself, then no, I don't think it's a big deal. Winston has been pretty good at the second tight end blocks. Everything is so much easier because of how good Janon is playing in line. I guess we'll see how that goes this week. But I think he already passed the test versus Ohio State. So I think we can just generally feel good about how that's going. For some reason, they needed to run it and Winston wasn't giving them enough, which I doubt because he's looked good. They still have misunous as well. It was great. That was a great outweigh last game. Although I know that's PFF grades on 15 snaps. Yeah, he's great. He would be starting for us if Shannon was injured or hadn't turned the corner or whatever.

6:20And we would still be in pretty good shape in that spot. You know what's interesting is that I noticed against UTSA that they had John T. Newman at Wright Tackle and Andre Codjo at Lift Tackle. I was charting all the run game stuff and I made a note when the second line came in and who was on the second line. And that kind of surprised me a little bit, but I was busy and I didn't think much of it. And now it's like, oh, Coleman was out. That's why he, that's why Newman was in. That's why Coleman wasn't in there. But then we should pull up the Derek Cooper touchdown and see who was the, who was the jumbo tied in when they ran it in. I can try to do it. That Coleman and he got injured on that player. Was it somebody else? Hey, that's a good question. I don't remember from watching the warmups from above seeing Coleman out or not seeing

7:25him dressed. I'm trying to pull up this Cooper touchdown right now. It might be hard to tell because of, uh, it's just somebody wearing 99. Oh, I think I see, Codjo. Oh, and then it disappears. Yeah, this is why Twitter is the best. Okay. Well, we'll get back to that one a little bit, but, um, yeah, that's the, that's the Dwayne Potter. Try to share things on Twitter. But we'll go back to this injury report and, uh, yeah, I do think, um, you know, on the mischievous point, like, I almost expected to come into this season being underwhelmed with him, like watching him going, oh, yeah, mischievous is in. It's clear that it's a step down from Shannon. And I haven't really felt that way. I do think there's a lot of good depth in this Texas tight end room where losing towns in for one to two games isn't that big of the deal you get the buy after this, where you should probably be able to go to for Oklahoma after. So, uh, yeah, Winston's been good, especially in that kind of full back blocking role. So, um, you know, the other major name on this is Justice Terry's out. Didn't play last week. Didn't play a week two against Ohio State. They were expecting to use him. Uh, Justin, just kind of the same as we're used to with this D line from with Ohio State

8:26game. And once Terry is able to get healthy, maybe for Oklahoma, that's when you're maybe going to see him unleash a little bit as a pass rusher. Yeah. Well, I mean, it's, it's, it's, it's looking like a turtow. And those things can be very, very tricky, uh, especially for a big guy that's trying to cut and move and make, make, make the, you know, bend the edge a little bit. Um, and so it's kind of hit and miss with him. I, honestly, I think him being out this week and then getting into the buy that gives him a full two weeks to potentially get back and, and be ready for Oklahoma because they want him on the field. The coolest thing about the Texas defensive front is they don't necessarily have to play him. Like he doesn't, they can go on and be fine, but you want as much justice Terry as you can get. We saw what he did in the spring. We know, we read what he did in the summer. Uh, we, we know he can be that kind of impactful guy. It's just a turftow is one of those injuries man that it can really take down your biggest athlete.

9:26Yeah. It's just lingers, lingers as well. It just, it's a painful thing. Um, let's look at Tennessee's Ian and, and the name that think stands out. Technically, two names will stand out, but we've known Edries Farouk their safety was not going to be playing in this game. I believe he's out for the year, which is let DeWon Lane, maybe start a little bit more from the I highlight in my article yesterday, but Ethan Davis is Tennessee's number one tie down. And we'll talk a little bit more about how they're using tight ends this year more. But that's a pretty significant guy to have had lost out for the year. I believe after the Georgia Tech game, right? Uh, yeah, I don't know when he went down. I didn't realize it till the report came out because I focused when I studied them on fill my focused mostly on Georgia Tech, because I was like the only team with like barely a pulse that they've even played this year. Right. And so I didn't realize he was out. Ethan Davis is a, that's a big loss. Like he's a good blocker and they were playing a lot of 12 personnel early. Um, and I don't know.

10:29Maybe they're just not going to do that much against Texas because now they lost their top dude for it. Ethan Davis, like they had a play against Georgia Tech where they're like tied in lead blocking all over the place. And then they ran a play where he went to lead on the edge and then just kept going. And then they hit him on like the pop pass for a touchdown. And without him, I, yeah, seem that they'll play more spread and just run, uh, just run that heck out of a phase on Brandon. Hey, you got the answer. Man, um, I will say Lewis is also a safety for them. Dylan Lewis that they're at the bottom who's played this year. I believe he's third in their safety reps, at least deep safety. So that is a really thin room for Tennessee right now. It's, it's Metcalf. It's Lane. I believe Metcalf's brothers on the team as well who also played safety in like a Zachariah branch and whatever his brother's name and played safety at Georgia kind of thing is,

11:32but they're really thin there. And then Nathan Robinson, who you mentioned in the article that we're going to go to in a little bit, uh, that, that's someone who's in one of their main defensive fronts. And he's, I believe the nose tag or not nose tag of a main defensive tackle. Yeah, he's the nose. Yeah. Uh, those are some significant defensive players to look out for. Yeah, especially in the secondary like, uh, I've, man, you can get in a real trouble when you get into your bench in the secondary. And it's young guys that haven't played before and all of a sudden, every one of your play calls becomes a, well, everyone do their job. We'll find out. Kind of deal. Um, I assume Robinson plays. And I also assume that they've got some other guys that can step in there without everything falling apart. But the, uh, the secondary, that's a big one for them. And then obviously, I guess Ethan Davis has been out for a minute. And I just didn't know about it because who was paying attention to Tennessee when they're

12:35playing Kinesa State. But that's, that's definitely a big deal. Um, yeah, I just looked at their, their game charges like that. Davis who I knew was their starter was not playing at Kinesa. I looked it up and I go, oh, well, he is out for the year apparently. So yeah, that's, that's a big loss for them. That's also, you know, that's the, the safety blanket for a young quarterback. Like that's where you're, you're really looking to on third downs and on, must have plays for someone like Brandon where, hey, that's an experienced veteran, died in who's got a good pair of hands. Probably going to get drafted in NFL. At least if he was helpfully healthy, uh, that's a really big loss for a young quarterback going against the Texas defense like this. Yeah. Justin, did you give like a prognosis? Do you know what the timetable could be or eat or Evan, if you know, for, uh, Terry coming back from turf toe? No, yeah, I gave one. It, it's undetermined. It's a turf toe. It could be three days. It could be three weeks. A turf toe was one of those.

13:36It's tough to gauge that. Hmm. It's so, so frustrating that this poor guy, it's like warm ups. Yeah. Ain't no one else. Hey, like I said, about 10 minutes ago, um, this is good. A good week off for him because that now it gives him two weeks to, to kind of not, you know, to get him, get him right before Oklahoma. And again, you want justice Terry on the field, like he can be impactful. But I think Texas will be okay with that. They've, they've shown that they'll, they'll be okay without him. They're stronger with him, but it's not a big loss, like someone else could have been. Yeah, they're very, they're very deep there. Uh, in this week, it's like Tennessee's just going to want to pound you. So having just just fraud and Watson and January and canoe, you're fine. But against Oklahoma, without shaky, they've been on the inside, having a guy like Terry, they can just rip through there and create negative plays if you're really fun.

14:38So I missed that earlier. I was pulling up Derek Cooper's touchdown. It's all good. It wasn't like I was breaking anything. Well, I'm sorry to everyone that had to hear you explain it twice. Yeah, they don't want to hear my voice more than once. I promise you. I wanted to play about the stiffels or legups. Coleman was in on the touchdown. And let's be with just on that play. Uh, I bet it was a practice. Yeah, but, um, uh, it also could have been, uh, just the other Coleman, because who even knows? Yeah, right. Uh, just what it, what is smothers is ailment, just bumps and bruises. That's what I'll say. Let's go with that. Let's go with that. Okay. Well, let's, uh, let's dive in. Um, I do kind of want to put up in on Terry discussion for later. Excited some thoughts about that maybe how it works with Simmons and the Texas pass rush. But let's go talk about your article in a really good one, kind of explaining what Tennessee's philosophy,

15:39what their goals are in a game like this. I first you present it. So I do want to ask it. How similar maybe is this to the game against Florida last year, you know, road game to into an SEC East team, young and experienced quarterback, some playmakers on the outside? Is it kind of a similar vibe of team you're playing against given the maybe let down week you had before? Yeah, I think there's a big parallel where, uh, so Texas played, uh, you tip before they played Florida last year. Is that right? Yeah. Oh, how state. Oh, that's right. They got same Houston state. That's right. So that might have been the one where they did play well, but you know, a bad out of conference later Texas. Yeah. So they're obviously like, uh, a similar deal where it's like you've been. And a lackluster against cream puffs. Now you're going up first SEC game on the road. And the team you're playing is planning on being like really good on defense, attacking your interior and running the ding ball.

16:44And last time like Texas came into it and they knew what they were in for and Florida still just kind of went down the field on them on that first drive with Jaden Bob's kind of running through people. And it still looked like Texas. They really struggled to flip that on switch and like, brace for that for the for the uptick and physicality that they experienced. And, uh, a little loan fact about that Florida game is that. Really, if not for Dallas, Wilson takes probably one that game anyway. But it's crazy. Is that sounds you're right. He's currently the momentum swinging like plus seven EBA kind of plays in that game. 100 yards and two touchdowns on like three catches. Like he had a rainy mobs type of satellite. Just a typical dominant outsider, Civer kind of deal where they show up a few times and it makes all the difference. But with or without Wilson, Florida dominated Texas and the trenches on both sides of the football.

17:46Yeah. So that was the concern. And then it was like, are we like actually soft? What's wrong with this team? Like seven of that. And then they were, they were fine from there in the defensive front. Obviously the offensive front was not fine. But they got better. It was fine. They figured it out, but they took that huge loss and they had that big concern early. So this, it's the same kind of setup where you're going on the road. You're playing a physical SEC team that is going to try to drag you into a run the ball, play defense, struggle. And we're going to find out if it's like a perfect parallel to see if this team is to see like it's the bus champ effect. Real playing with extra prior. Are they going to be prepared? Are they going to get exposed in any way on the train? They're terrified that Tennessee is going to run the ball well. Yeah, that's I really am like that. That you'll see that reflected in my round table prediction. Like I, I, I got to see, I got you got to prove me, prove me wrong.

18:51Because I think Tennessee is going to run the ball down, not down Texas throat, but to the point where it's effective and potentially winning. It's a lengthy round table. Whoever made those questions was doing too much. Before we dive deeper. That round table was like 27 questions long. The citizenship test doesn't take years long. We're here for our, we're here for our sponsor Academy Sports it outdoors. We'll put before we dive deeper into this. Turn everyday spending into more fun. Earn unlimited two percent of awards when you spend outside Academy. My Academy rewards master card, the official card of fun. So I know Ian that, you know, Tennessee is known for that kind of virulent shoot. And that's the, the, the, the browsing system. That's the idea you think of with hypo, Jaylen Hyatt and Chris Brasile going to reach. So yeah, it's a microcosm of leech. Yeah. And let me tell you that that SEC media window we had yesterday, that's all people asked him about.

19:56Sarka, but it seems like from their first games and really that sort of second one that you say that it was a lot less like that. Regarice and super standard to that type of play style and said a lot more 12. They might expect right. Yep. Yep. They have, they don't do the wide splits is consistently. It's still a big part of what they do. But it's not quite as consistent. It's also like the virulent shoot is ultimately an option offense. Yes. 100% and Tennessee is not running it as much of an option offense right now, because they got a freshman quarterback. Yeah. And they're all hypo tweaked it. hypo tweaked it. So they're going to have like pre determined shots for, for phase on. Or it's just like play action, just like Texas. And it's not like throw deep on a run play or something like that. They don't give them a lot of perimeter screen RPOs.

20:59They had been just like when they were able to play with two tight ends, they could just like pre determine run. And just hammer people. But I don't know if they were going to be able to do that against Texas, even if Ethan Davis hadn't been injured. And then with him out, I think they absolutely are going to have to just scheme up some like misdirection sweeps and stuff and court pre determined quarterback runs. Or maybe we'll see how we'll see how Brandon is in the quarterback run option. Or if they just like pre determine it for him. But I think they're going to. That's a good question. I think they're going to, I think they're just going to. They'll play more spread, but they're still just going to like hammer him. And they're not going to be as option oriented as, you know, if they still had regular. I don't think Hyde was going to ask Frank, phase on to win the game. I don't think that's going to be any part of their plan of that guy having to win the game.

22:02The biggest thing for them is him not losing the game. They're going to lean heavy on Bishop in that run game. They may lead on him just in the sense of that like Michigan leaned on Bryce underwear against Oklahoma, where you ran the ball like 17 times. Yeah. I'm not sure if that's the right answer. I think that maybe even a little less though Ian, because even then I think Bryce is a little bit better of an athlete and a bigger kid doing that. They look kind of similar. I don't know. But I did there they are. They are. They don't they don't want to your point. They do not want phase on making decisions. No, no. I think this kind of stat line from the Georgia Tech games a good highlight. Like you seven yards for attempt to touch down no turnovers is what they need from a guy like this. Now you hope the completion percentage is better, but I think that's closer what we're looking for then. What you think of a Tennessee quarterback airing it out for 350 plus, but they lose a 45 42 game like like Joey Aguilar with Georgia last year.

23:05Yeah, they yeah, 21 passes is about that's about the top end of where you want him to be in this game. Yeah. Yeah, and I think I think their strengths are clear on this team. Even if Davis is not playing, I think the two players that really stand out are Sean Bishop, the running back and David St. Sanders, the left tackle. Every time I was watching every time I was watching it felt like every explosive run play they had in they had well, Ian's gone. So I just explained for myself just they would have Sanders pull into an A or B gap and just light up a linebacker. And that was their money. I mean, Bishop, I think scored scored a touchdown on one and then his longest running a short attack was Sanders pulling inside and just meeting a linebacker on the whole. It seems like those two are significantly step ahead from kind of everyone else in this offense. Maybe Mike Matthews and Staley deserve some love, but Ian, how do you feel about Sanders's impact on a game like this? Hmm. I'll tell you when he's done about him as well. It was recruitment.

24:06I mean, he's good. I think that he doesn't play on the interior. And Texas has some huge dudes on the interior that are playing very well. I don't know. If this game is about being able to pull Sanders around and find cry or find Biles on lead blocks. And that's what determines the game. Texas could get into some trouble for sure. But to do that, you have to like at least do something. You have to do something inside against a fraud and watch and in all those guys. And if their interior is just getting dominated and they can't get anything going movement wise up front, then he's going to be a little bit limited in what he. I think that kid is gold. I think David Sanders is. There was a reason he was the number one tackle in the class. I think it was a couple of years ago.

25:07I got to meet him and his family at the on three elite series, Dylan Nashville a few years ago. Where's the phone? He is from maybe North Carolina. I can pull it up. I think it's North Carolina North Carolina. Million dollar smile, million dollar personality. Draped in a red velvet suit for the evening wear, like for the dinner and the whole thing. Like this guy came dressed to the nines, man. He was awesome. And he was a great, he had a good personality. I remember last year, what in the hurt for most of the year last year? I can't remember if he was injured last year. He was started about eight games. He ended up taking over for a herd, 100 up going to that's right. That's right. It was only a matter of time for this kid. Like you could just see him. You could see it. He has the perfect frame. He has a great mentality, a great mindset. And they're going to run behind him. I feel like so.

26:08Just as I will say, I mean, that 2025 class just had a lot of really high level offence line records. But feels like the freshman offence of tackles are really hitting well for a lot of these teams where they're getting them in freshman year. And then they're able to start their second year and be a pretty outstanding player. I mean, Fassouci, if he wasn't getting hurt all the time, I think it would be something like that will black in another game. I think it's playing for them. It's funny. You say that too because there's only about five or 10 of these kids every year that that are that that can actually come in and be effective, be impactful playing on an offensive line at high P4 level. Like there's not a lot of these kids, but the ones that are there are found quickly. Your your your will blacks, your guys that are just just no brainer could come in and probably start at half the schools in the country as seniors in high school. Some of these kids, they understand left tackle is as valuable as quarterback, as edge rusher, as you know, past catching receiver.

27:11Like left tackle is very, very, very important. And these guys are getting paid a lot of money to play left tackle. That spot gets more money than the rest of the line. So you got guys really you have five or 10 every tackle that are like clamoring to get that opportunity to get that type of spot, to get that type of of chance. And you're right. Some of these guys are showing up ready to go like Dave. And that's that's the nature of college football in 2026. Some of these high school recruits understand the role. What's even crazier? Some of them reclassified some of them are a year younger than other guys. But like I said, there's about five or 10 every cycle that and they are identified early and often usually as freshmen or softmores in high school. They just look different. They just act different. They cost different because their effect is different. They are the colleges need to get them on the field quicker too. Because if you pay a kid two million a year out of high school, it ain't that much.

28:15But yes, Oh, yeah, Oh, Joe was wasn't it? No, no, it wasn't. No, no. That was over a three year deal. Yeah, but didn't it add up to like 2.2 over three years? It wasn't. It wasn't. There's there are the only offensive linemen in college football making two million. The Trevor Goose, he doesn't make that like an old. You were exaggerating. I was just trying to bring you back down a little bit. No, this is just these numbers. You hear all kinds of stuff. I know you hear on no, but those are real years in contrast on like a contractor and agree. Anytime you know, I'd love to hear it. Anyway, one million dollars if you're paying it too much. If you're paying a guy that big a chunk of your salary cap revenue sharing or just available funds, you need him to play. Yeah. You need him to play and you need him to play early. That you see that sometimes like if your team's getting holes, like if you invest big money in a player, then they're not good.

29:18Or they can't work in the NFL. It's bad. Yeah, it's working in some of these. Let's keep going down here on this. I like this. This she showed us play call sheet. Texas has been majoring in this penny front where they get Biles at the line of scrimmage off the edge. He's got a player like Jackson, Zena next to him. And then McDonald will come in and play like a deep linebacker in the box safety area as the strong safety rotates the backside. What kind of challenges does this face to a quarterback, especially a freshman quarterback? Yeah, Biles is the money sign for everybody. So they like they shut down Jeremiah Smith with this. Because they would have say that Jeremiah Smith is the X. They'd have that corner bail deep so that Smith couldn't run by him, although he still didn't mean like in the second half. Yeah, okay. Yeah, they got burned on the robes and play that. They were getting killed with what they were trying to do against like nine catches in the first half. Yeah, they destroyed them.

30:18They shut him down in the second. So like that corner would bail deep and then Biles would drop underneath him. And Biles is so good in that those zone drops. So like it's like a like normally your Jack would be there and you drop your Jack out every now and then. But your Jack linebacker, the edge guy is usually not like a super savvy coverage dropper. And you're not spending a ton of time and practice developing them there because you want to develop him in his past. So that's what the stretch moves. But when you put Biles there and you drop him out like he would like just just about he nearly picked a throw that they tried to throw to Smith running in between in the spaces. And he's real dangerous there. But then you can't just assume he's going to be there because he's on the edge. He could also stunts inside. He could blitz the corner. It's very tricky for defenses. The catch is that you just lost your linebacker because you're playing him out in space like a safety or you're bringing him off the edge like a defensive end.

31:24So then what do you do in linebacker? You dropped your line of McDonald down. He's all about it. And this is what you're lining McDonald was doing when he put that hit on that ETSA running back on that check down. Or whoever it was that he hit and you're like how in the world the gelini McDonald get there so fast. It's like well, he was already playing downhill in this alignment where he was coming down to replace Biles at linebacker. So this has been really good to them. There's like so much they can do out of it with who blitzes and who comes after the quarterback. But then it can also just drop out into this. This is just a really stable cover three look. But it puts it puts guys in really good positions because Biles is so good as a flat dropper and because McDonald is so good replacing a linebacker. So you put this in front of a freshman quarterback in his line and they're they're immediately like, OK, we've got to be on our piezing cues here because there's five guys across the line.

32:31And if they all come we're all one on one. And if you're the quarterback, you got to be ready to make really fast decisions and good ones. And it's just it. If Tennessee gets in a position where they need to beat this in the passing game regularly. Yeah, then we're going to have a great Saturday. It's just not going to happen. They have to be able to run the ball and avoid and avoid it. I think the real mismatch here too is say, so here, O'Connor can be that T that tackle and the right guard spots the one and all these sets and fans are really highlighting of man. This guy has not been good enough this year, even against the weaker competition like, Connu one on one against some of these worse interior off as Lyman. That's a big mismatch in the favor of Texas both in run and pass. Yeah, they have to run on this and they need to be able to catch cry in the wrong hole like UTSA did some they need to be able to try to get the ball out of the edge see if they can exploit

33:32Simmons on the edge like a couple teams have done at times earlier in the year. Or else, yeah. Yeah, they're there. It's huge trouble. All right. Well, we're going to talk about Jim Knowles and his defensive first. Let's hear from our sponsor, Lux Kitchen and Bath. Are you ready to love your kitchen and bathroom again? Lux Kitchen and Bath will bring that to life. Lux has been offering high in kitchen and bathroom remodels for three generations throughout the greater Austin area with five star review after five star review on Google and Facebook and an A plus rating from the better business bureau. You can put your faith in Lux Kitchen and Bath's award-winning designers and skilled crafts people to bring your dream vision to life. But that's not all. Lux's all star team also provides full home remodels, large additions and even commercial buildouts as well. So call Lux Kitchen and Bath at 833-358-LUX today or visit Lux Kitchen Bath.com to discover where quality meets luxury and begin the process of transforming your home. Get your free quote today by calling 833-358-LUX.

34:35That's L-U-X-E or by visiting Lux Kitchen Bath.com. Contact info is in the description. All right. Let's talk about this Jim Knowles defense. He's been using this 335 a lot. Which kind of gets almost jokes about in the college ball space. But without Chad Coleman who I don't know how many people remember this whole situation, but you know top tier transfer from Penn State really flashed. I don't believe it's either sophomore's a freshman last year. I kind of just fell through big money big money edition. That's not with the team anymore. At least is not playing with them right now. So they're using kind of a different look with this Leo linebacker Jeremiah to lander and they basically return three starters at linebacker and added a fourth veteran one with with the MRE Campbell. So what does this defense do well? Ian, how is it a Knowles type of defense? Knowles is really, really good at throwing a lot of two up front. And creating tackles for loss and negative plays while playing like they have this like this Tampa two deal that they put Caleb downs in the middle and they were wrecking people when they won the national championship with this.

35:49They're good at playing like aggressive two deep quarters. They're very good just in general at causing problems and then positioning their safeties over the top to punish bad throws. I can still see Casey Thompson throwing an intercept a pick six to one of their safeties, talking downhill on a slant when I close my eyes before I go to bed when he was at Oklahoma state. This one is really interesting because they got that the Leo is their hybrid player and he's like. Kind of in like a weird flex position over top of the left guard almost yeah. And they he has these looks where he'll put he'll put that guy on the edge like a normal team would let him just do normal edge stuff like a Collins Simmons or someone like that. Then I'll put him here and he has these like really simple rules for them where they just turn into like almost like a flex defensive tackle.

36:50And then they got other stuff to where you just drops out like a normal linebacker. So he's really good at throwing different looks at you up front and moving pieces around and those guys are all really athletic. They don't have like a big heavy nose tackle. They're they're all like pretty fast. So the concern is if you beat them in like in the run game, you're beating them for a small game because they got their safeties backed up and they'll come up and make a tackle before you kill them. And then if you don't block them, then they got a negative play and then your drive is screwed up. So they're just really good at playing that balance of how do we create disruption without giving up big plays. Yeah, and seems like their D lines got good players. I think Xavier Gillian might be their best defensive player, but he's a maybe not the elite edge rusher. It's more of a group. Whether it's B gets a lot of those kind of pass or snaps die. I had a lot of I believe you had two sex in order to tech, but maybe no one like Coleman and definitely no one like Simmons on this team that you're going man one on one. I'm not sure I'm happy with that match up no matter who's blocking him.

38:03Yeah, they don't have that, but honestly, even if you did have that, Texas is not a great team to beat that way anyway. Because like you just goose being Ciani are really hard to beat consistently. If your plan is for Texas and passing situations and then beat Ciani and goose be off the edge. That's not like a very that's not really a winning formula. You need to be good at attacking the interior and Texas is spent obviously spent the offseason, showing that up. Yes, but I think they the would this will be a good test. This will be a test because they're got Gilliam going inside is dangerous to lander in these off alignments is dangerous and their linebacker blitzes in general are dangerous. The linebacker room is pretty impressive just the amount of experience and talent they have on there between the Campbell Carter to lander. There's one more down some element out spilling and I believe his name is. Paul noted against UTSA that Dylan Sikorsky when he's playing against defensive lineman. He's awesome, but he can't have trouble in space trying to pick up twisting and stunting linebackers.

39:13So I'm sure that they saw that on film and that they're going to come after Sikorsky. It will see how it goes. Baker. Talk to me. Talk about. We talked about it earlier, but you highlight Spencer Chan in this article. What is he doing against this 335? He is a big problem for a three down front because you put him on the line and then you create an extra gap. And so these three down teams thrive when they don't have as many gaps. So the three down lineman can fill up most of the gaps and the linebackers can stay back. If you create another gap on the line, somebody needs to be there to defend it. So you end up either in four down or you just it limits. It limits how they can use their linebackers. And it also makes it harder to play two deep safeties. If you're creating extra gaps with particularly in 12 personnel. So that could be a very effect.

40:13I would not be at all surprised if Texas plays a ton of 12 personnel in this game. And just runs the dang ball and tries to get Tennessee to bring down their defensive backs to set up the shots over the top. And Texas is going on the run. That's where they don't really, especially Cooper healthy. And that's where Townsend is nice to have in 12 personnel. But Chan and being there is very important. And Winston can also be a blocker and even be a better pass catcher than what we've seen from the other two. Justin, do you agree kind of with this final synopsis from Ian here? Texas likely wins either way, but it's a lot simpler if arch can get those deep shots. Brandon is putting a position where he has to win the game. If arch doesn't hit those deep shots, horns are losing on Saturday. Like, I mean, it's inevitable. I don't, I, I, I'm worried about stopping the run. I think, I think Tennessee is going to lean on it. I think if they ask arch to win the game, I don't know what's going to happen.

41:17Like he has, he has a history of doing just that. But he also, he's, he's had some tough road, some road woes over his career in Austin. And so I just don't like that three high safety. I, I, I don't like that. I don't like that with Sark. I think if, if arch is a little confused or a little off like he was last week, I can't imagine what that would do to him on a Saturday morning in Knoxville. So, yeah, I, like I said, I, I, I got to Tennessee winning in the roundtable. I, I, I'm worried about Texas ability to stop the run. I, I think this is, I think Tennessee knows what they're good at. And I think Hype is going to scheme up some really good stuff. Well, I'll tell you why I think Texas is okay. Even if arch is not super sharp. Is that I think they're good. They're too good situationally to lose out to a team with a freshman quarterback.

42:17I think if it's a close game, Texas is going to get two May. That was Mikey Hawkins. Yes. But it's not this, this is a different kid player of the week. I don't think this kid is ready for this. I don't think he sees the field very well yet. I think what must champs going to throw at him is going to be tough for him. And that to me will be the difference. That's going to be the difference is because much champ is built for this type of game. This is what I'm not worried about which Texas does on defense. Like I think they're built for this type of game. I just think Hype will smart. I think he knows exactly what they're good at. And I think he knows how to bait Texas. And I'm, and I'm curious what Knowles does with the three high safety with arch. Look, if arch is a couple deep shots early. One's by double figures because then they're just going to go back. You're going to rope and know you big time. If Texas scores early on anyone, they will go in when that game.

43:19Tell me. I've been kind of debating writing that article this week. And I'm like, I feel like a, I feel like a parent. Like I'm like every week they text against good teams. Texas has to start well early. Here's the stats on why they haven't been starting well early. They're not doing it. Someone asked in the chat and you also mentioned it just. I want to find a comment. Oh, we're going to get to some of these comments. Y'all have been saying you guys been putting some good stuff in here. Yeah, Sarc figured out the three high safety Z. And because this is something that knows what we'll look to. Uh, you know, ish. He knows what he wants to do against it. He has a plan against it. Yeah, they're good. It's, it's when you play in 12. You make it really hard on teams that try to play back. So I go, how state tried to play three high safeties and what it's like to. It's ran the ding ball. So his, his answer to it is generally to get really pro style. And run the ball and throw it underneath in the drop back game with arch. And they're, they see they look really good at those things.

44:20So I could see a game. I could see a game where arch is not amazing. But he runs for 40, 50 yards and some scrambles. He completes a bunch of third downs throwing underneath the Mosley. They run the ball decently well and they get out 20 to 13. I wonder if that's what this team is in 2026. What? I wonder if that's what this team is in 2026. It's a 20 to 13 winning team. Uh, I think we've short sold a little bit of how early in the year we are with Cam Coleman and archmaning. Because I got nothing to get to camp. Well, but I've been at least we've seen them connect on one true deep ball this year. It's not just them. I think it's, it's arch connecting in general. Yeah, fair. Yeah, but I think it's just Cam. Like him and Cam have a great. I think they've got a good rapport. They just, they haven't connected on that.

45:20And that's what opens that whole thing up. Like I'm with Ian. I think they're going to try to run the ball in three. I like they did against Ohio State. I was shocked how well they ran the football inside the tackles. That gets to Ohio State. Like I almost thought they should lean more into it. Here's the only thing though is that. You're not playing Ohio State. In DKR on Saturday where it's 100 degrees. And you can wait. They were in the ball consistently well against Ohio State throughout that game. But they really like put them away and made that. And they're going to be playing in like 40s or 50s. In Tennessee and the mountains. That's not going to, they're not going to have that same. Advantage. Bring up Bobby. Good. Yeah. Yeah. And the little. No. No. No. No. No. No.

46:20No. I'd like ours to come back for another year. I think he's spectacular. I think him coming off of the UTSA game. I know what three high safety does to Sark. And I know that sometimes. Archer over thinks of stuff and look we're. We're in this day and age. We're so hyper critical of every throw. All these kids make in the more they make more popular. They are the more we criticize. I mean it's almost. It's almost not fun to play quarterback anymore. Because every single mistake gets scrutinized. To the point. I could see people being tired of it getting wore out by it. I'm fatigued by some of it. Because I see a really good quarterback in archmaning. I see him processing a little slower. I see some. Some dumb throws. I see that every Saturday and Sunday across the football stratosphere. I am not. You're not. I'm on arch in Austin as long as possible.

47:22I'm not. It's not. It's not a great day. For me. For me. The best he gets. The best he gets. That's a fact. I'm just. Against Tennessee in Na human. What this situation. What this circumstance. The way Tennessee can run the ball. The way Texas. I'm trying to see if they can stop this big. Rush attack because. The balls are going to lean on this. Especially being at home. I have my. I'm a little apprehensive with. There's kind of the. in this conversation. I'm not too worried about it. I want. They have time to get it right. You really want to really want to have it down by Oklahoma so you can just absolutely pound the goober's. But this week I think I think this game could be closer than people want. But every time I've thought about the game. Team team in the country. Ian I know but it's in a stadium known for its stadium for its crowd

48:28for its impact its atmosphere. If Texas this I just I like the 11 a and kick off actually I love it because a night game I would have been a little bit go ahead. That's the best part about this. It is hard to see the gaming it's a true freshman at 11 a.m. Can you all think of a can you all think of a similar game or a quarterback with this experience level was able to put his team over the top as underdogs. You talk about Tennessee's position. Yeah. Reggie McNeil. A&M O O3 his freshman year beating upsetting Oklahoma at home. Wasn't that like the circumstances that were different. The differences are all different Ian. You wanted a similarity and I gave you. All right. That was a long time ago. Freshman Reggie McNeil had people in A&M buying tickets to the national championship. Like they they thought they had finally found the

49:30quarterback after 150 years of football they thought okay we found a guy that can play quarterback and win the games and buddy that wore off before he was done being a freshman. I did want to someone kind of brought it up the very start of the show. Just just how good do we think this Texas team is going to be this year. I wrote about a little bit this morning about kind of where the power ratings have them stood and then there's still compared to the rest of the country. They're still rate pretty highly like a top four team pretty much consensusly. Is that where this team is at heading into this game and a win just kind of elevates that idea or how much work do they need to do to get you guys to feel like this is a true top five title contender. Get a W. Win it all. Win no matter how it looks because it's going to be tough. Try to avoid it can tuck you Mississippi State of Florida on the road top atmosphere like they did last year

50:31and they pulled out two of those games. I think it's going to be tougher to do that with Naila. Just get the win. Like honestly I don't I think Texas fans would have a collective if they get this W because they go into the buy you got two weeks to prepare for Oklahoma. They have no clue and hell what they're doing on offense. That does nothing but help and make much more thirsty for blood. This game is big because you don't want that three in one setting on your stomach heading into OU. You don't want that for two to have to talk about that for two weeks and it's going to prove I think it proves to the country. Hey it's to the sea a juggernaut this year not so much but they are good guys. There is talent on both sides of the ball that are going to be playing on Sundays and Hypo is regularly in his bag. I just think Texas fans need to be prepared for that. I think that's fine. We'll find about this team. We want to see

51:34the passing game connect. Yeah that's a great thing for me. Usually when Ian's not worried I'm not worried. Justin's right you just got to survive these games and by time for more practices and more cohesion in the passing game and for Archit to get out of his head a little bit and they'll be fine. Just like last year. You can't take those like last year they were really clicking by the end. You just got to make sure you don't take on water before that happens like last year. Yes a good comment. I kind of ties in with happening to a house state but I do feel like even if Brandon has some success in that first half that freshman quarterback is going to play a big role. This like affluent must chance had some time to get his eyes on what he's doing adjust that get his playmakers a little more in the backfield. That's where it's hard for me to pick against Texas where I'm like you know Brandon's probably in for one turn over that really skews this game

52:37and Texas has the kind of as you're pointing out earlier Ian just like success in the third down of Red Zone personnel and proven wise that it's hard for me to think that just a one turn over can release kind of tip the scales in a favor that really gets Texas over the hump even if it is close in in the third fourth quarter. Yeah watching him he he does not process very quickly. No and there's just no the ball. Texas is going to be a really good shape. Yes and there's nothing else we haven't talked about that I think is probably the most one of the most underlying factors is this going to be one of the worst uniform games in the history of college football. I see whites how can it be the worst of I see whites are on the field. And you've seen what they're playing against. There's going to be triple levels of orange in that in that in that stadium okay. We're going to have burnt orange and then you're going to

53:41have that fruity orange obviously and then you're going to have the greatest orange you've ever seen like it's magnificent like I've been told it's the greatest of all time orange like you got three levels of orange okay. I think these uniforms are going to be freaking hideous. Are they going to wear their they're just going to wear their normal I don't know. I almost want them to wear that crap smoky gray. I like to do a night game. I'm just the contrast on my television set like I want to make sure that there's there's like just telling you I I think we've had some incredible uniform games this year and I think we're headed towards a stinker. It looks like they're wearing their normal they're normal. Oh that's what I was already about. We're also going to check our board out. It's going to be an interesting looking atmosphere seeing so much orange in opposition of Texas. I'm just telling you no one is talking about this and this is the thing that's really

54:45getting to the players and the coaches. How freaking ugly this uniform game is going to be so you better get a wins because I I don't want to have to go back to Newland for another four years. Kirk Bolz was trying his very best to get Trevor Goose be to say he didn't like the Tennessee Orange and he didn't quite couldn't click at the clothe out. For balls. Kirk Bolz looks like a 65 year old British nanny. We love Kirk in the in the quarter space but that's a cool. I'm serious man. I'm saying he was all missed his doubt fire. Like don't don't don't don't bring me Kirk Bolz. That guy he's got the little chain thing underneath things like you know that your grandmother wore. He drinking a nut. He brings himself a noscle warm glass of milk with his spoon so he could stir in his crackers in his milk. I'll talk about glass of milk with Mr. Boyd down there. Oh I'm already going to hammer him off the show. He's over here doing this stirring his milk kind of stuff. I mean what are we doing here man?

55:45What does that beverage you were drinking? It's like a sparkling water with the supplement in it. Oh it looked like a very milk. Yeah I know. The bone strength up. Yeah. Look he's trying to get buffed in swoles. Yeah well because he's going to get the V-Metting V-next to come back. Listen once that once he starts building it out those V-nexts are going to come back and they're just going to stretch. Ian's going to be like yeah and that's going to be Liam's touchdown. That's going to be Liam's touchdown celebration. He's just going to go boy yeah. You finally scored a touchdown in practice last night. Yes. I love it. Finally. Yeah he's got it. He moved him to running back and installed the option because he's retired of watching our offense previously. And he got a big picture. You make adjustments Ian. No one makes adjustments better. Thank you. This Nura Nelson question is good. If Tennessee had Joey Aguilar on this team,

56:46would that concern you more? Yes. Oh yeah. Yes. Oh yeah. I think Matthews and Staley are a lot better than we're seeing this here. My Matthews is in a future NFL all-pro. They would be I'm a little surprised they're not even playing back entire. I guess he was just not quite. That's a good question. Figuring it out. He's a year older. Yeah he's already a year older but I thought in the spring he looked kind of decent in the RPOs. But I don't know maybe they're paying face-on too much to sit him on the bench. That's probably accurate. Kurt Scott into that football game really quick for Vanderbilt. They keep doing this man. Tennessee, they keep going like they get like a old veteran quarterback that everybody thinks isn't very good and they dominate. Then they go get a young five star in recruiting. They play the young five star. He's a friend. Then they have to go back to the old veteran that people don't think is that good.

57:48Then they wait again and it's awesome and then it's like great. Meanwhile we pulled money to throw it another young five star. So we're going to go get him and suck again. I think that's what's going to happen to him this year. I think it starts on Saturday. Well, Bishop doesn't have much time left there either. I feel like that's the number one guy you can have around a young quarterback on that offense. He's eligible this year. I'm not sure if he's going to go to the draft but Matthews is going to go to the draft. Staley's probably going to go to the draft. It's not not getting easier to build this roster around these freshman quarterbacks. Any other last thoughts you guys wanted to get? Check on. I know we're talking about V next a lot in the chat right now but I'm just a good point. Tennessee Wider Severs on her high pull. Not been very good in the NFL. What I mean, Jaylin's diet is the only one that really comes to mind. Brasel got hurt. Hasn't got a chance to play. There was one more after Hyatt who's name I'm forgetting. Puts. Worldwide. Squall White went to Florida State I think. Yeah, I don't think he's

58:48an NFL guy. I forgot about DGG. That guy is an insane prospect. Oh, you tell me the freshman running back next year when Tennessee comes to Austin. Oh, buddy. Oh, man. There are two running backs in that cycle that are generational. Okay. DGG and Caman Spiel. Go watch both of those two running backs. They are going to bring back the popularity of the running back. And I tell you that because they are being paid unlike any running backs never got paid in NIL until this cycle. They just didn't get I mean, they would get a little bit but not like the other guys. DGG and Caman Spiel. Oh, completely worth the money. Those two guys are going to come in as freshmen. I get a Cedric Benson Petersen top five with those guys in that they're going to come in as freshmen and probably be your best running back day one. Hey, Rex. Yes, me and Paul are at noon

59:51live. So we'll see you in an hour and a half back on here. And what are you all diving deep into? Just more. Yeah, I'm sure I honestly fancy. But Justin, you should give Tennessee a chance sometime. I would love to go to Texas game. It's tennis. I think that's a beautiful part of the country. I've I've frequented the state of Tennessee many times. I'm a fan actually. I've really only driven through it. I drove through it to go to North Carolina a couple years ago, which is also a wonderful place. Beautiful. I love that. Appalachian mountains. It's great. Oh, man. It's underrated. Driving from Pittsburgh to West Virginia, Morgantown. That's a beautiful drive. Like you don't know there's some trees. That's out of Pittsburgh. Like it's it's beautiful. No, I've frequented Tennessee a lot. I want to go to Newland. I've got friends that are going this weekend. I've had friends that have been there before. They say it's an experience. It's one

1:00:54of those things. And that's one of the cool reasons Texas joined the SEC. Like now Texas fans get to kind of enjoy some of these new places in the South Eastern region. And they get some of these new experiences. I think Tennessee's a blast. I've been Nashville a couple times. I've been a Memphis a couple times. Hell, I even went to freaking see Elvis's house. Where was that? I thought Tampa Bay was nice when we went there for a few days. Atlanta. The Chote of America. Not a big fan of it. You know, he's funny. You know, when I was in Atlanta for a couple weeks last year, you know, I didn't get it. I liked it. It was easy. It was easy for me to get around a little bit. The traffic wasn't that bad. And a lot of those big schools are just circled around the city of Atlanta. So you can really kind of loop that thing and knock out five or six players. I had no issues with Atlanta. Thing I did like about Atlanta. There are 217 waffle houses in within that that city limits alone.

1:02:01I'm not exaggerating. A Joe cooking. I went to three of them. I guarantee you I had a couple of them. And I got to tell you something else. You know, they're awesome. They're amazing. But no, I like Tennessee. My ex, she used to be. She used to have property in the ones at Gatlinburg somewhere. It's a beautiful place. I think Texas should go there. I like, I think the horns should visit there on Saturday morning. Go in there, kick some volunteer, but come home. That way we can watch the rest of college football. Get the W. But come home so we can watch the rest of college football on Saturday with a smile. And then move on. But what's the night game this week? Is there Oklahoma, Georgia? God. No, I think that was it. Tom Tom. No, I think it's Florida Ole Miss, maybe. Florida Ole Miss is going to be my team. I think A&M plays. Oh, LSU. LSU at night. Oh, I'm not sure. Dude, Ole Miss, Florida is going to tell us something

1:03:03about those two teams. I think it's going to tell us the favorite. Tell us what's it going to give us a hint. What? Give us a hint. I think the both those teams look really good. I'm a lot more worried about those teams than I am Tennessee. They come back to bite me in 48, 72 hours or whatever, but I think how those teams are, they look scary. Those games aren't more important than Oklahoma and A&M because of the rivalry, but they probably are more important in terms of SEC and playoff implications at this point, being team like Florida. Yeah, I think they need to split those games. Yeah. And win this one. And win the rivalries. And win this one. They got Ole Miss at home. I think that helps. Yeah, that does help. Jamble's is going to come in by our net pool. Yeah, we'll say multi-two by the time we know.

1:04:03Well, we are running a little over. Good discussion today, boys. Good show. Thank you so much, all 742 people in the chats. A really good number. Appreciate y'all. So many chatter as well for talking. I wish we could go into every single comment, but make sure you're going over to Inside Texas and checking out our awesome deal. 60% off the first of you. You can join Inside Texas right now. Get that for 60% off your first year. You got everything Ian, what he wrote today. You get much more of that. It's well stuff and Justin Eric, myself and everyone else in the staff. Thank you so much for watching. This has been presented by Academy Sports Nounddoors. We'll catch you guys next time on the Inside Texas Live. Thursday morning. Carlos football is back. So Hilton called to me the superstition concierge to make your fan rituals a reality. Need a room to match your lucky number? We got you. Want to make sure our team doesn't want your lucky jersey. Oh, that smells lucky. Hilton's unmatched hospitality can keep up with any superstition. Even a marching bandwick up call it 555 and 55 seconds. Hit it! When you need a team

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