I'm sure I'll catch some flack but when I see an grown man wearing an NFL jersey, I assume about a 20 point deduct in average I.Q.

She wants to look into a lady bird deed. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

I am curious which network will televise the game. Will this be CBS's rights to the new Big 10?

Afternoon or night game?

The only other game that weekend that has any interest would be, Colorado vs. Nebraska.

Wife and I are going to head out on a much needed date night tonight. Looking for the best meal in Austin where we have a realistic shot at a reservation this evening. Price doesn’t matter just don’t know anything about the current dining scene as we are out in the burbs. Been to all the usual Austin hot spots, Uchi, Jeffries, Uchiko, Red Ash etc.

Offensive tackle Ty Haywood is one of the country’s top overall prospects in the 2025 recruiting class and he has offers from programs all over the country. To this point, the Denton Ryan standout has taken things at a pretty slow pace with his recruitment, but he’s hoping that changes over the next couple of weekends with two big campus visits.

This weekend, Haywood is hoping to make his first-ever stop at Texas for a UT junior day. He’ll follow that up with a trip to College Station the following weekend to get a closer look at the Aggies’ program.

“I’m just looking for the experience with the coaches and the facilities, things like that,” Haywood said of the pending visits.

The 6-6, 270-pound Haywood actually saw the Longhorns play twice in the fall, but this will be his first time on the Forty Acres. Haywood was in Waco when Texas defeated Baylor and he was also at the Cotton Bowl when Texas and Oklahoma squared off. He likes what he’s seen from the Longhorns and has developed a solid connection with Texas offensive line coach Kyle Flood.

“Texas is a pretty good school. Coach Flood, he’s a pretty good guy. I’ve talked to him once or twice. He wants me to get down there,” Haywood said. “He has a good O-line. Whatever he has going on there is working. I’ve talked to coach Sarkisian too. Hopefully I can make it down there on Saturday.”

Haywood holds about 30 scholarship offers at this early stage and said he’s keeping an open mind to all of them. He’s not in a hurry to narrow his focus or make a final decision, saying a commitment probably won’t happen until next fall.

“Right now I’m completely open. I really don’t know (when he’ll trim his list),” Haywood said. “Hopefully (he’ll decide) in my senior season.”

Texas has had success in recruiting Denton Ryan in recent years, including recently-named freshman all-American linebacker Anthony Hill. Haywood has heard positive reviews from Hill about his first year in Austin.

Ranked No. 59 on the Rivals100, Haywood is a fantastic prospect but says there’s always room to get better.

“I’m still improving on being a better player. I can still work on some things. Being a lineman, you can never really be perfect, but you can get the most down that you need to dominate the person in front of you,” Haywood said. “I guess (coaches) like the way I play. I’m violent, good feet, good hands, drive them off the ball. I’m physical, definitely.”

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This was a further exploration of what I wrote about in 10TFTW.

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During that conversation [with wife and children], I really ached to be home with them. I fantasized about crawling through the phone to be home with them.
~~~~~~~ Ron Harris, and wife Carol

NOTE: Little different format today. Work with me.

Harris was working on a production at the Fairmont Hotel in New Orleans. Late one night he calls home, and afterward he felt exceptionally lonely. He later wrote that he was "...in that pitch-dark room...and the ideas just came to me, right here in this very room. The word 'very' electrified me." He got out of bed and began to write, in the dark because he didn't want anything to change. Two days later his wife joined him, and using the piano in the hotel's showroom, they collaborated in writing "In This Very Room," inspired by their faith and love of family.

As I read this story, I wondered if they knew how fortunate they were. Not so much for their talent---the world is full of talented people, some of them right here at TG--- but what I really wanted to know was whether they recognized the great blessing they had in that kind of family love. To have a home you yearn for, that you share with the best people you know, and they with you. I hope they know. Some of us here at TG do know; others don't. But there's something in the lyrics to that song that we can all have and share. Check out the excerpt below.

Be blessed my friends,
NT
Romans 8:38-39

In this very room, there's quite enough love for one like me,
And in this very room there's quite enough joy for one like me,
And there's quite enough hope, and quite enough power
To chase away any gloom,
For Jesus, Lord Jesus...is in this very room.

I’m ready for it.

A microwave,

2024 Big 12 Conference Preview

At last, the final sports season in the Big 12 has arrived. Before jumping into the nitty gritty, here is a brief recap of Longhorns Baseball during their soon to be 28th season in the Big 12.

Since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, the Longhorns have put together an impressive resume, appearing in 20 Regionals, 13 Super Regionals, 11 College World Series, and 10 Regular Season Conference Championships. Going into their final year in the Big 12, the Horns have been in a Regional 74% of the time, 48% of the time in the Super Regionals, 41% of the time in the College World Series, and 37% of the time as regular season Conference Champions. Now it is time for the Horns to follow in the footsteps of the football team and go out with a bang!

While most are familiar with the new look Big 12 at this point, here is a reminder of what the Big 12 baseball landscape looks like. In addition to the mainstays of Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, and West Virginia, the Big 12 baseball slate welcomes BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and Central Florida.

Due to the sheet size of the breakdown, the Big 12 preview will be spread out over three separate posts, starting from the projected bottom of the conference and working upwards.

Here is my projection for how the Big 12 will finish the 2024 regular season.





Projected Regional teams from the Big 12:

• TCU
• Texas
• Texas Tech
• Kansas State
• Oklahoma
• Oklahoma State

Conference Team Breakdown:

Part One - Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, UCF
Part Two - Kansas, Houston, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma
Part Three - Kansas State, Texas Tech, Texas TCU




Baylor Bears

2023 Record: 20-35 (6-18 Big 12)

Last Appearance:
Regional: 2019
Super Regional: 2012
College World Series: 2005

2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 33
Away: 19
Neutral: 3

Conference Home Series: Texas Tech, Cincinnati, Kansas, TCU, UCF
Conference Away Series: Houston, Texas, BYU, West Virginia, Oklahoma

Notable non-conference opponents: Indiana, Oral Roberts, Dallas Baptist, TCU, Oregon, Tennessee

Overarching thoughts on schedule:
The 2024 Bears will learn who they are very quickly during a brutal 12 game stretch to open the season. Baylor must improve overall, but their 3-16 away record in 2023 is especially bad and needs to improve.

Pitcher to Watch: Mason Marriott
Hitter to Watch: Hunter Teplanszky

Team Overview:
Just like 2023, the Bears have numerous issues to solve. Gone is freshman sensation Kolby Branch, Baylor’s leading hitter last season, along with 12 others to the portal. That certainly does not help 2nd year head Coach Mitch Thompson who’s 2023 squad was last in batting average, ERA, and fielding.

Offensively, the Bears will rely upon returning starter and former TCU transfer Hunter Teplanszky who is the only returning starter to hit above .300 last season. Gonzaga outfield transfer Enzo Apodaca is another player that the Bears will look to help lead them offensively as well. Another transfer, Mason Greer, formerly of Missouri State comes to Baylor looking to find the success he had at McLennan under Coach Thompson and erase his struggles from last season. Yet another transfer, Jack Little, formerly of Wichita State will immediately factor into the starting lineup as well for a Bears team that needs an injection of talent. Lastly, two other names to look out for are Cortlan Greer and Gavin Brzozowski

On the mound, the Bears had an ERA of 8 during the 2023 season, which as mentioned was dead last in the Big 12. The positive news for Baylor is that they return a number of pitchers who logged innings for them last season. The staff ace will almost certainly be Mason Marriott, but Andrew Petrowski, Jared Matheson, and Grant Golomb will all play large roles. While the staff had an abysmal ERA last season, experience is always a good thing and if a few guys can make progress, it would go a long way towards helping the Bears win more games. The pitching staff last season was also subject to extremely shaky run production and fielding, which adds further pressure on the staff. Cole Stasio and Ethan Calder are two pitchers that the staff believe can make a difference out of the bullpen. In addition, Lamar transfer Patrick Hail (3.37 ERA, 38K/42IP) will help shore up the pitching issues seen last season. Lastly, two freshman arms have the potential to make an instant impact this season. Cayden Baker and Caleb Bergman are two big arms that have a ton of talent and potential.




BYU Cougars

2023 Record: 24-28 (13-14 Mountain West)

Last Appearance:
Regional: 2017
Super Regional: n/a
College World Series: 1971

2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 23
Away: 27
Neutral: 5

Conference Home Series: Houston, Kansas, Baylor, Oklahoma, Cincinnati
Conference Away Series: West Virginia, Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Notable non-conference opponents: Gonzaga, Grand Canyon, California, Utah, USC, Ohio State

Overarching thoughts on schedule:
Brutal conference away series for BYU. A ton of road games, including a tough non-conference series at Miami.

Pitcher to Watch: Bryce Robison
Hitter to Watch: Cooper Vest

Team Overview:
Inexperience and a massive jump in competition. Those are the hurdles that BYU will have to overcome in the 2024 season. The Cougars have some talent on campus, but how fast they mature and adjust will determine the outcome of their season. Last season, BYU dealt with a number of injury issues that derailed it. This season, BYU has an absolutely brutal away conference slate that suggests they will be at or near the bottom of the Big 12.

Offensively, Cooper Vest is the main name to know. While Vest isn’t the biggest guy on the field, the left handed hitter has solid power and is a middle of the lineup player who will drive the offense. Collin Reuter missed last season due to injury, but he brings a plethora of power to the plate and the Cougars will hope that he can be a big factor, even if it is at DH. Parker Goff is another option for the Cougars behind the plate, and he is a solid hitter as well. Utah Tech transfer Bryker Hurdsman is a twitchy athlete that can put pressure on opposing staffs on the base path. 6th year senior Crew Robinson, a UCSD transfer is an athletic left handed hitter that brings experience and utility to the lineup. Brock Watkins is another guy that missed last season due to injury, but brings experience to the lineup, which is desperately needed.

On the mound, BYU will turn to 5th year senior RHP Bryce Robison to lead the line. Robison will definitely not wow folks with his velocity, but he did have an outstanding whiff rate last year. LHP Brett Hansen looks to be the second starter. The redshirt junior is a Vanderbilt transfer, but has spent time on his mission. Hansen has a big arm and can run up his fastball to 96, but he does not have a ton of game time. Hansen’s younger brother, Ben will also factor into the rotation. Last season he was 0-5 in 10 starts as a freshman, but will hope to dramatically improve upon that in 2024. Two freshman who could impact the starting rotation are Maddax Peck and Cayson Bell. The backend of the pitching rotation is more settled as BYU can rely upon the trio of Boston Mabeus, Mason Olson, and Stone Cushing.




Cincinnati Bearcats

2023 Record: 24-33 (10-14 American Athletic Conference)

Last Appearance:
Regional: 2019 (first time in 45 years)
Super Regional: n/a
College World Series: n/a

2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 28
Away: 25
Neutral: 3

Conference Home Series: Kansas, TCU, Houston, West Virginia, Oklahoma
Conference Away Series: Kansas State, Baylor, Oklahoma State, UCF, BYU

Notable non-conference opponents: Indiana, UConn, Northern Kentucky, Louisville, Coastal Carolina, Xavier

Overarching thoughts on schedule:
Overall thoughts on schedule: The Bearcats conference away series isn’t that daunting. Their home conference series schedule could be much worse as well, as they avoid both Texas and Texas Tech. In non-conference play, there are only a handful of really tough games.

Pitcher to Watch: Tommy Boba
Hitter to Watch: Josh Kross

Team Overview:
A new Coach and new conference. Tough hurdles to overcome, especially given the questions around the pitching staff. I do like new head Coach Jordan Bischel, previously of Central Michigan. Much like BYU, I expect that Cincy will be near the bottom of the Big 12 in large part due to the increase in competition and the state of the pitching staff.

Offensively, Tommy O’Connor looks the part and if he is more consistent at the plate, it will give the Bearcats two solid hitters at the top of the lineup. The best hitter on the team is likely Eastern Michigan transfer Josh Kross. Kross put up some really solid numbers while at EMU, but will need to adjust to Big 12 pitching. The lead off man will likely be Central Michigan transfer Christian Mitchelle. At CMU, he hit .307 and has the ability to hit to all sides of the field and when on base loves to run and put pressure on opposing pitchers. Launden Brooks, a Texas Tech transfer, will look to improve upon his .231 average. Dalton Pearson, a Georgia State transfer is another guy that the staff believes can drive the offense. Indiana transfer Hunter Jessee, brings a ton of experience to the lineup, which is always invaluable, while last year’s offensive leader Josh Hegemann is back again and hopes to replicate his success.

The biggest question on the team is the pitching staff, as noted above. Cincinnati lost a significant number of innings pitched and appearances from last year's squad. Sophomore Tommy Boba will look to be the main guy for the Bearcats. In 2023 he posted a 2-1 record with a 6.27 ERA in 14 games, 12 of which were starts. Kentucky transfer Seth Logue is a senior that will be counted upon to step into the starting rotation and lean on his experience. Chase Horst is another sophomore who is looking to improve upon his 2023 performance (3-4 record with a 4.99 ERA). The name to know from the bullpen is sophomore Griffin Hugus. He has a mid 90s fastball and is very athletic. Indiana State transfer Joey Hurth brings experience to the bullpen, despite not having stellar numbers. A pair of Central Michigan transfers, Michael Conte and Ryan Insco will look to carve out roles for themselves after being integral to the CMU bullpen.




UCF Knights

2023 Record: 33-26 (12-12 American Athletic Conference)

Last Appearance:
Regional: 2017
Super Regional: n/a
College World Series: n/a

2024 Schedule Breakdown:
Home: 34
Away: 22
Neutral: 0

Conference Home Series: Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Cincinnati, Texas
Conference Away Series: Oklahoma, Kansas, West Virginia, Houston, Baylor

Notable non-conference opponents: Miami, Florida, Samford, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast

Overarching thoughts on schedule:
UCF has a brutal conference home series, so they must go on the road and get some wins. Have to improve upon their home record from 2023.

Pitcher to Watch: Kyle Kramer
Hitter to Watch: Andrew Sundean

Team Overview:
A new coaching staff and a new conference for the Knights. Rich Wallace, a former UCF player and assistant coach, takes over as the head man in 2024. He has put together a solid coaching staff, bringing in former Miami assistant Norberto Lopez and pitching coach Drew Thomas. Making the move from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12 will certainly be a jump in competition, but UCF has played a tough non-conference schedule previously, having played the likes of Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, and Georgia Southern. In addition, UCF played East Carolina, Tulane, Wichita State, and future Big 12 foes Houston and Cincinnati in conference play. The big question for UCF is run production and front line pitching. UCF coaches had tried to address that, evidenced by a roster that is made up of 60% transfers.

Offensively, the clear leader of the team is Andrew Sundean. After hitting .340 with 10 doubles, 16 home runs, and a 1.054 OPS, Sundean will look to improve upon those numbers and be the offensive playmaker that the Knights desperately need after returning only 39 of 109 home runs from last season. Sundean is moving from DH to catcher in 2024, so time will tell whether that slows him down at the plate. Lex Boedicker is outstanding defensively at 1B and will look to improve upon his average of .266 from last season. Good news is that Lex did hit 16 home runs last season, so he and Sundean create quite the 1-2 combo at the plate. Richmond transfer Mikey Kluska was a stalwart for the Spiders last season, hitting .325 with nine doubles, five triples, and five home runs, and will look to elevate his game at UCF. Importantly, he is very good defensively and will help anchor the infield for UCF in 2024. A couple of other candidates for the infield are Andrew Estrella and Braden Calise, both of whom bring something a little different to the field. Estrella has great raw power, whereas Calise is coming back from injury after not playing last season at Louisville due to an ACL injury. Calise did look very good this Fall and is a top of the order type hitter. In the outfield, UCF is dealing with the loss of two-sport star John Rhys Plumlee after the UCF quarterback decided that he will forgo his final season of baseball to focus on the NFL draft. Notre Dame transfer Jack Zyska looks to be a lock for one of the corner spots and is known for his power at the plate, having led Notre Dame in 2022 with 13 home runs. Pitt transfer AJ Nessler hit .293 last season, while Florida transfer Matt Prevesk is a left handed hitter with extremely fast hands, having hit .286 in limited at-bats this past season. Anthony Calabro, a West Georgia (Div II) transfer hit .418 last season with 14 home runs and will be an instant impact player for UCF assuming he can make a seamless transition to Div 1 competition.

Drew Thomas spent the past two seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers system and was the pitching coach for Coastal Carolina when they made their magical run to Omaha in 2016. Unfortunately, he has his work cut out for him in filling out a starting rotation in 2024. Florida transfer Tyler Nesbitt and Campbell transfer Cade Boxrucker will compete against returning players Dom Stagliano, Dominic Castellano, and Ben Vepsi for a spot in the rotation. Nesbitt had limited outings at Florida last season, but appears to be the guy that can make an instant impact for the Knights. Boxrucker is known for his explosive stuff, but also his inconsistency. If Thomas can help Boxrucker dial in, he can be a real weapon for the Knights. Stagliano is the safe bet to play a big role in 2024 as well. He has a solid changeup with a high whiff rate, but only used it a fraction of the time last season. If the Knights can carry a lead late into the game, it certainly bodes well for them as the backend of the staff is the strength of the team. Najer Victor and Kyle Kramer both return for another season and have really good stuff. Victor (3-1, 2.88 ERA) turned down the opportunity to get drafted in the late rounds to come back and improve his stock, while Kramer (6-2, 3.96 ERA) returns having made twenty seven appearances, racking up eight saves last season. Alex Galvan, a Louisville transfer, is a big bodied pitcher that did not get many opportunities for the Cardinals last season, but has shown a lot of promise after some adjustments were made mechanically. Two other transfers that look to play a role out of the bullpen are Spencer Bauer (Elon) and Wiley Hartley (Campbell).

Probably taco, but...

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Who knew?

Go check out Amigoprovisions.com and USE PROMO CODE: 'OBLOODS' for 15% off your order!

******



DT Tiki Hola enjoys recent UT visit, says Texas is high on his list

Bastrop defensive tackle Tiki Hola is one of the nation’s top prospects in the 2026 recruiting cycle, checking in at No. 83 on the Rivals100. The Texas Longhorns have already offered and while UT has a defensive line coaching vacancy, Hola still took part in Texas’ recent junior day. He said it was a good experience overall.

“It’s great. This was my first time face-to-face with coach Sark. I can really see a big difference with what he’s building here and he’s just a great coach,” Hola said.

The 6-3, 270-pound Hola is curious to learn more about Texas’ defensive line coaching hire, but said he has confidence that Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian will make a strong hire.

“It’s all about patience, just waiting for them to get everything figured out,” Hola said. “I’m just going to trust in Sark that he’s going to find someone right to come here to Texas.”

During the junior day visit, Hola got some one-on-one time with Sarkisian and he said the two used the time to get to know each other better.

“He just wanted to get to know me a little bit more personally. I’m Polynesian and there’s not a lot of Polynesians from where I come from down in Bastrop, Texas. So he just wanted to get to know me a little bit more,” Hola said.

Hola and his family members also got better acquainted with new Texas assistant coach Johnny Nansen.

“That’s my guy. Him and my dad had a good conversation going,” Hola said. “We both come from the same Polynesian roots, Samoan and Tongan. He’s just a great guy. He was really good to connect with.”

Hola doesn’t have any other visits on the schedule at this time. He’s keeping an open mind at this early stage of the recruiting process, but said Texas is a school that will receive strong consideration.

“I love it. I love it here. I’m just trying to look for a home, someplace I feel really comfortable with. Texas is definitely on that list,” Hola said.

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As if Netanyahu -- or any other Israeli leader -- would give two flips about "Gaza's impact on [Biden's] re-election chances" compared to Israel's long-term security. From Axios today:


Chaser:

“I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades.” — Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Joe Biden

“Don’t underestimate Joe’s ability to f__k things up.” — Former president Barack Obama on Joe Biden

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EDGE Zina Umeozulu – Texas signee​

On300 Ranking: No. 94
Next Highest Ranking: No. 191 (Rivals)
Industry Comparison
Scouting Take: Zina Umeozulu was arguably one of the more difficult evaluations for us throughout the recruiting cycle. The body type and movement skills have always been there, but the film and production never matched what we saw in a camp setting or live viewing. The gifted edge rusher from Allen (TX) has the frame and movement skills to be a special talent and we saw some improvement in his production towards the back end of the senior season which gave us a ton of hope going into the Under Armour All-American week. It was there where we finally saw Umeozulu put the whole package together. He was flying off the line of scrimmage and was mixing up pass rush moves to get after the quarterback. He was stout and powerful against the run. It’s like it all clicked for him in that instance and he was dominant throughout the entire week. We believe the arrow is continuing to point up and he should develop into a game wrecker against the run and the pass at the next level. – Cody Bellaire, On3 National Scout

Adam Loewy is one of the top personal injury lawyers in Austin. Adam is a proud graduate of the University of Texas School of Law and started his law firm in 2005. Adam helps people who have been injured in car crashes, slip and falls, dog bites, and other assorted ways. He is actively involved in every case he handles and is always available to talk or text. If you or a loved one has been injured, call the Loewy Law Firm today at (512) 280-0800.

This kind of column has historically been reserved for August. That is usually when optimism about the Longhorn football program is at a high and fans are intaking burnt orange Kool-Aid through an IV drip. Ketch and I have joked for years about the Longhorn fan calendar: pessimism in January and February, a rise of optimism during the spring, followed by confidence during the summer. Once training camp begins, Longhorn fans were convinced their team would compete for a national title with nothing factual to support those thoughts.

Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian has eliminated the need for caution this offseason. Sarkisian guided the Longhorns to a Big 12 Championship, a college football playoff appearance, and finished the season with a 12-2 record. If there was ever an offseason for Longhorn fans to justifiably dream big, this is the one. There is no reason for Texas fans to worry about entering the big and bad SEC when the Longhorns defeated Alabama on the road last season.

Correction: Texas beat Alabama into submission on the road last season.

We know Sarkisian has worked from day one to develop a team that could consistently compete in every game. It is easy to see the fruits of his labor. The majority of his position rooms are stacked with talent. And history has shown us if there is a question mark about any position before a season, players have stepped up and become standouts. Your examples are linebacker Jaylan Ford, defensive tackles Byron Murphy II and T’Vondre Sweat, and running back Jonathon Brooks.

Sure, everyone outside Longhorn Nation will joke if we say “Texas is back.” That phrase has become a silly punchline among the critics, even though the evidence suggests that it is true. Texas does not need to win a national title to be back. The success Sarkisian had on the field is all the proof you need to say Texas finally has substance and is a powerhouse team again.

More importantly, all roads to a national title may need to run through Austin in the immediate future.

No, Unc is not day-drinking.

I promise you no Rogue products were consumed before this column.

Just hear me out for a moment.

Do you remember the days when 10 wins was the floor for your Longhorns? Do you remember when 10 wins was a letdown? I know you remember the abyss Texas was in since the 2009 season. Sure, the 2018 season happened, and there was a lot of optimism after that win against Georgia. However, the foundation was never laid (elite talent on the offensive and defensive lines), and Texas was a good program when everyone wanted greatness.

Remember when we watched TCU’s college football playoff run in 2022? We knew TCU caught lightning in a bottle and would never be able to duplicate that success. Heck, TCU knew it and put a playoff sign in its stadium to celebrate just being there. TCU hit the lottery but is back to reality.

Sarkisian has built a team capable of sustainable consistent success. Ten wins should be the floor for this program in the foreseeable future. In addition, Texas should be a program that competes for a national title every year. After you say Georgia and Ohio State, the next team should be Texas. Heck, I could argue Texas and Georgia should be the first two teams mentioned.

There has been a power-shift in real-time.

The national championship discussion has involved the same list of teams for years. Georgia and Alabama were always the first teams everyone mentioned. After those obvious selections, Ohio State and Michigan were the other obvious contenders. Notre Dame has been in the discussion. Other teams had occasional cups of coffee in the conversation. Texas has been an afterthought for numerous years.

However, three things have occurred since the college football playoffs.

Alabama coach Nick Saban retired.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL.

Washington coach Kalen DeBoer quit and must rebuild the Crimson Tide.

Sarkisian is the only playoff coach from last season who does not need new business cards.

According to CBSSports.com, “The turnover is historically significant. No coach, let alone three, had ever left his school the offseason following a BCS or CFP appearance (1998-2023). (Texas' Steve Sarkisian is the only one returning to the same school.) The last coach to leave after a national championship at all was Nebraska's Tom Osborne in 1997.”

Georgia will be back this season but Alabama will not be the same. Ole Miss might enter the SEC title conversation due to its success last season and 2024 transfer portal additions. Michigan thrived on “Us vs. The World” last season but it will be hard to manufacture that motivation this year. Washington without Michael Penix Jr.? Good luck.

The big dogs may bark but will run inside the house this season.

Speaking of “The Big House”, Michigan without Harbaugh is huge for Texas.

When we looked at the schedule a few weeks ago, that road game against Michigan made you say, “Oh boy.” Texas had to go into the defending national champion’s home and find a way to win. The Longhorns would need to find a way to duplicate their success against Alabama last season.

ESPN listed it as the fourth-most important game with playoff implications:

Texas at Michigan, Sept. 7

Last meeting: Texas 38, Michigan 37 (Jan. 1, 2005)

Why it will matter to the committee: Remember No. 1 on this list? If Texas loses at home to Georgia, beating the defending national champs on the road will take on even more importance for the Longhorns' playoff hopes. You can expect to see a two-loss team in the 12-team field -- if not this year, then eventually -- because there's more margin for error. It becomes risky, though, and the committee will continue to scrutinize nonconference wins to separate teams competing for those at-large spots. If Texas doesn't win the SEC in its first season in the league, it's going to have a lot of competition still from the rest of the conference (Ole Miss, Missouri, LSU, Oklahoma, etc.,) for the other spots. A win at Michigan could go a long way in helping separate Texas from other contenders with weaker nonconference résumés. Texas and Michigan could win their respective conferences, which means the winner of this game might ultimately boast to the committee a nonconference win against a Power 5 champion -- much like Texas was able to do in 2023 after beating SEC champion Alabama.

Michigan coach Sherrone Moore shed tears in support of Harbaugh and filled in admirably during the coach’s suspension.

However, filling in for a great coach and running your own program is not easy.

Just ask any Texas men’s basketball fan who has watched Rodney Terry replace Chris Beard.

More importantly, Sarkisian may love the transfer portal more than the OB staff loves PrizePicks.

Okay, maybe not that much.

Sarkisian has acquired Andrew Mukaba (Clemson), Trey Moore (UTSA), Matthew Golden (Houston), Silas Bolden, Kendrick Blackshire (Alabama), Isaiah Bond, (Alabama), and Amari Niblack (Alabama) through the transfer portal. After those acquisitions, Texas fans wanted to know how Sarkisian would upgrade the defensive line room.

On Tuesday, former Arizona defensive lineman Tiaoalii Savea transferred to Texas.

And we know Sarkisian will return to the transfer portal after the spring game and add quality players to his roster.

The landscape of college football is shifting, and Texas is at the forefront of this transformation.

The departure of premier coaches and the emergence of Sarkisian as the sole returning playoff coach to his school indicate a unique stability that sets Texas apart from the majority of college football programs. The national championship discussion now includes the Longhorns.

The 2023 season was not just a fleeting moment for Sarkisian’s program but an indicator of sustainable success.

Is Texas back?

Dare to dream?

Let the comedians have the punchlines.

All roads to a national title may need to run through Austin in the immediate future.

Funniest Things You Will See This Week

This is for the military people
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Do they need to have another child?
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This is why women live longer than men
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Fellas, I found your soulmate (warning: adult humor)
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Sports On A Dime

1. Texas fans do not care. I repeat, Texas fans do not care
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2. Texas defensive line coach Kenny Baker may be a great hire when we reflect on what occurred this past week. Baker is known for being a hard worker who understands X’s and O’s and can communicate that to his players. However, Baker will need to succeed as a recruiter to have an impact. Former Texas offensive line coach Herb Hand was good on the field but his inability to obtain elite recruits led to his lack of success at Texas. If Sarkisian and Jeff Banks can teach Baker how to recruit elite players, nobody will second-guess this hire.

3. Speaking of Baker, six of 10 of Sarkisian’s original coaching hires are still with the program. Two of his assistants were promoted to head coach, one had a lateral move, and the other is seemingly out of football.

Jeff Banks, Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends
Jeff Choate, Co-Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers (Nevada’s head coach)
Andre Coleman, Wide Receivers (not listed as a coach on his Twitter account)
Bo Davis, Defensive Line (LSU defensive line coach)
Stan Drayton, Offensive Run Game Coordinator/Running Backs (Temple’s head coach)
Kyle Flood, Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line
Blake Gideon, Safeties
Terry Joseph, Defensive Passing Game Coordinator and Secondary
Pete Kwiatkowski, Defensive Coordinator and Outside Linebackers
AJ Milwee, Quarterbacks

*Torre Becton, Director of Football Performance is still will the Longhorns.

4. The Athletic decided to re-rank the 2021 quarterback class this past week (using 247’s rankings). It was a fascinating exercise. The website’s top four quarterbacks were 1. Caleb Williams (No.2 originally), 2. Drake Maye (No.9 originally), 3. J.J. McCarthy (No.5 originally) and No.4 Quinn Ewers (No. 1 originally)

Quinn Ewers, Texas (via Ohio State)
Original ranking: No. 1 QB (No. 1 overall)
Why he’s here: Ewers was originally a part of the 2022 recruiting cycle until he reclassified in August 2021 and enrolled at Ohio State. He transferred to Texas after one semester and posted his best season this past year (3,479 yards and 22 touchdown passes) as he led the Longhorns to their first CFP appearance. While Ewers has shown some positive flashes, he’s missed multiple games in each of the past two seasons because of injuries and has had bouts of inconsistency that have prevented him from living up to his lofty recruiting hype. Ewers opted to return to Texas for one more year and should deliver another solid season.
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5. That being said, Ewers has a great chance to visit New York in December
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6. Here are my Championship Sunday predictions:

Baltimore 30, Kansas City 27
San Francisco 28, Detroit 20

For the record, I want Detroit to win
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7. Dicker the Kicker has always known what to do when the camera is on him
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8. As a former fantasy football player who had Bijan Robinson on his team in 2023, I understand the former Texas running back’s excitement to have a new head coach.
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9. The easiest way to prevent Michigan players from exiting the program like Alabama was to promote Sherrone Moore. However, Michigan did not overspend for Moore, which gives the Wolverines the ability to move on if it does not work out.
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10. Keith Thurman on pay-per-view? Roy Jones Jr. versus Antonio Tarver? Oh, boxing
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That is all.

Anwar and I the Bo Davis story one last time.

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Countdown to UT Football 2024 schedule

37 Days to Spring Practice: Monday, March 6th
82 Days to Spring Game: Saturday, April 20th
87 Days to NFL Draft: Thursday April 25th
tbd Days to Fall Practice: tbd in early August
215 Days to Fall Kickoff: August 31st
313 Days to SEC CG: December 7th
326 Days to Round 1 CFP: Friday/Saturday, December 20th/21st
337 Days to CFP Quarter-Finals: Tuesday/Wednesday, December 31st/January1st
346 Days to CFP Semi-Finals: Thursday/Friday, January 9th/10th 2025
357 Days to CFP National Championship: Monday, January 20th 2025

Winter Conditioning, Sark and his staff are doing great in the off season.

And a little over a month to Spring Football - Hook'em!

To every other university in Texas (re: recruiting)
@Ketchum

Every year it’s the same ole’ song and dance!
Just look at Power 4 (was 5) schools by state…

Texas:
1)THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
2)aggy
3)Cougar high
4)Baylor (show-me-where-the-bad-man-
touched-you aggy
5) Tech (Sand/Prairie Aggy)
6) frog
7) smu

Broken down:
2 SEC schools
4 B12 schools
1 ACC school

Compare that to every other state: with power 4

Alabama: 2
Bama
Auburn

Arizona:
Arizona
Arizona St

Arkansas:
Arkansas

California:
USC
UCLA
UC-Berkeley
Stanford

Colorado:
Colorado

Florida: 4
FSU
Florida
Miami
UCF

Georgia: 2
UGA
Ga Tech

Illinois:
Illinois
Northwestern

Indiana:
Indiana
Notre Dame
Purdue

Iowa:
Iowa
Iowa St.

Kansas:
Kansas
Kansas St.

Kentucky:
U of Kentucky
Louisville

Louisiana:
LSU

Maryland:
Maryland

Massachusetts:
BC

Michigan:
Michigan
Michigan St.

Minnesota:
Minnesota

Mississippi:
Ole Miss
Miss St.

Missouri:
Missouri

Nebraska:
Nebraska

New Jersey:
Rutgers

New York;
Syracuse

North Carolina:
Duke
NC-Chapel Hill
NC St.
Wake Forest

Oklahoma:
OU
OSU

Ohio:
Ohio State
Cinncy

Oregon:
Oregon
Oregon St*

Pennsylvania:
Pitt
Penn St

South Carolina:
Clemson
South Carolina

Tennessee:
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

Texas:
TEXAS
aggy
Smu
Tcu
Baylor
Houston
Tech

Utah:
BYU
Utah

Virginia:
Virginia
VA Tech

Washington:
Washington
Washington St. *

West Virginia
West Virginia

Wisconsin:
Wisconsin

***if I missed one, my bad***

The point is that the state of Texas has 7 power 4 (or 5) universities compared with 4 (max) power 4 (or 5) universities across the rest of the states…

Places like LSU, Mizzou, and Arkansas, are the only P5 program outside of the state… meanwhile the states of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and South Carolina only have 2 each?!?

If we’re talking about playing for the state of Texas and having your families play closer to home, then there is no comparison as to which schools are competing for the best players in Texas.

Ya.... Clob is awake because babies get colicky after 3 weeks. Fvck that sh!t. It's real.
Anyway- so I'm stuck awake- rocking back and forth and bouncing like an epileptic on a trampoline..... trying to make a baby go to sleep......but I've been watching this documentary on Amazon prime- and it's about the IRA and Northern Ireland and terrorist attacks- the struggle between the Catholics and the Protestants- and of course the British. And I know some of you mutts are Irish.... and might gain some insight.

That is all.

Good lord
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