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2025 game Week 1, #1 Texas @ #3 Ohio State - What the Fuck is a Buckeye?


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Posted
If you can watch Texas play while around other people other than at a game, you’re a much better man than I am.  

My wife has usually gone to the bedroom tv by the second quarter.
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Posted
1 minute ago, Borrominion said:

Smart play - gotta keep the money-maker mug in optimal working condition.  FWIW the wife and I made the return trip to Austin in '06, our first visit to Texas, and we had an outstanding time.  I think the UT fans probably went out of their way even more than usual to play the counterpoint to their experience the year before, and were overly hospitable to the point of near annoyance.  It was a great intro to the town and a large part of the reason we live here now.

Probably not, actually.  Texans are friendly by nature.  We always had opposing fans dropping by our tailgates.  For that one, we served over 200 plates of food and went through 20 kegs of Live Oak and 10 cases of Tito's.  Tons of them were Ohio State fans.

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Posted
3 minutes ago, Skipper said:

I've been around Ohio St. fans that (with means to travel so not the poors) numerous times since then and didn't have an issue (including sitting in a 50/50 section at the semifinal last year).  That portion is pretty solid fans.  But '05 was unlike anything I've ever seen.  We went in Thurs night and went to a bar after dinner and it started there (aggressive in your face shit talking).  When it first started I thought those guys were joking considering teams had never played. It was bizarre.  But the game and gameday in particular was the perfect storm because (i) 8PM local kick so 12+ hours of drinking, (ii) weekend before school started so everyone just coming back into town and (iii) heavy "community college" or non-OSU student component (i.e., "NFL Fan" that also roots for the Buckeyes).  All the stories that were told were not hyperbole.  Worst I've ever seen and I've been to Lubbock for 6 or 7 games.   No desire to go back so I'm staying put for this one (and even a few days out no regrets on that decision) but buddy I went with 20 years ago couldn't resist.  Hopefully better experience.

I hope (and expect) that it will be a much smoother visit this time, and will be interested in hearing the field reports from those who make the trip again.

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Posted
17 minutes ago, Not a cat said:

In 2005 the fashionable thing to do was to yell "steers and queers" right in your face and look around to their fellow buckeye fans for affirmation that it was the most clever thing ever.  It was like they had a message board for drunken idiot buckeye fans (but I repeat myself) and they all landed on that one insult ahead of time.

100%.   Heard that 20X and they all thought it was hilarious and original.  

Posted
Just now, Borrominion said:

Smart play - gotta keep the money-maker mug in optimal working condition.  FWIW the wife and I made the return trip to Austin in '06, our first visit to Texas, and we had an outstanding time.  I think the UT fans probably went out of their way even more than usual to play the counterpoint to their experience the year before, and were overly hospitable to the point of near annoyance.  It was a great intro to the town and a large part of the reason we live here now.

You’re probably right. There was most likely a touch of good old fashioned passive aggression behind the overly polite reception you received. But my experience in Columbus caused me to treat all opposing fans a little better, especially if they aren’t a traditional rival.
 

But fuck OU. 

Posted
Just now, Guadaloopy said:

Mini-Melton agrees. 
IMG_0233.thumb.jpeg.1736cee4b5cd635154e881a863f0c613.jpeg

I have a set of these that my NASA friend brought me back from Russia.  My set is a little older, the second biggest is Hodges Mitchell, and the smallest is Casey Hampton. 

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Posted
Just now, utee94 said:

I have a set of these that my NASA friend brought me back from Russia.  My set is a little older, the second biggest is Hodges Mitchell, and the smallest is Casey Hampton. 

My dad brought it back for me after a visit to Moscow in ‘06.  

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Posted
2 minutes ago, Hagbard Celine said:

just in case you are not aware of the circumstances and facts regarding this topic.....

the date for saturday's game, 30 august 2025, was contracted 2 years ago during the negotiations between Texas, 0u, the sec, the rig12, disney and fox, which resulted in an agreement that paid 0u's fee to exit the rig12 a year early

https://www.si.com/college/2023/02/03/big-12-sec-texas-longhorns-oklahoma-sooners-split-explainer

Texas paid our own early exit fee

0u did not have the money to pay theirs

consequently, given that Texas could not move a year early without 0u, it was in Texas' interest to find the money for 0u

and thus, the venue for last year's Texas-michigan game, which was originally in Austin, was switched with the venue for the 2027 game, which was in ann arbor

the venue for this year's Texas-tosu game has always been columbus, however the date, 30 august 2025, was reconfirmed BY CONTRACT during the above mentioned negotiations in february 2023

the 2025/2027 venue flip of the Texas-michigan game was made so fox could broadcast last year's game in ann arbor under the fox b1g contract

that change helped create the cash necessary to pay 0u's early exit fee to the rig12

in addition, the dates for the 2025 (ann arbor) and 2026 (columbus) games were negotiated and set during the contract changes which rescheduled these games

YOU, tosu, were at the table during these negotiations

YOUR league was at the table during these negotiations

if you wanted the date changed, you, your league, and your tv partner should have made it part of the deal

and despite the above......

YOU, tosu, control the kick off time of the game this saturday

YOUR problem is YOUR b1g contract with fox because fox has a baseball contract that negates your ability to schedule marquee night games that would require a national fox ota broadcast

YOUR school, team, fanbase and media conflated our refusal to change the DAY of the game with with only 60 days notice, with YOUR belief that Texas was somehow responsible for YOU not getting YOUR night game

if your school wanted to change this game to the sunday of labor day weekend so it could be a night game and not violate fox's contract with major league baseball inre: no saturday night b1g national ota games, YOU should have rolled that in to the negotiations in february of 2023, rather than wait until 60 days out when thousands of fans had already booked flights, hotels, cars, bought tickets, and the University of Texas had already contracted it's charter flights, buses, hotels, etc.

2 years ago there would have been time to move back and reschedule all of the remaining non-conference games, and to work with the sec regarding our bye dates, in advance of the 2025 season schedule being set, all of which would have been done for YOUR benefit, not ours, to enable you and your league to get you a night game avoid conflict with your tv contract partner's relationship with major league baseball

it's amazing to me how that topic, the fox mlb contract regarding saturday primetime, was NEVER mentioned by your school, ad, fans or media, during their collective meltdown this summer over saturday's kickoff time

I mean yeah, I don't think TX is to blame for it and MY school sold its soul to the corporate broadcast devils in exchange for mountains of cash, and therefore must kneel at the feet of our FOX overlords in abject obedience of their every whim, but please don't expect the fan base to like it.

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Posted
Just now, Borrominion said:

I mean yeah, I don't think TX is to blame for it and MY school sold its soul to the corporate broadcast devils in exchange for mountains of cash, and therefore must kneel at the feet of our FOX overlords in abject obedience of their every whim, but please don't expect the fan base to like it.

I'll see your Fox Noon Kickoff and raise you an ESPN Longhorn Network and the slow death of the Big12.  

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Posted

Bucknuts writer examing the big open questions heading into week 1 for the Buckeyes:

Spoiler

What are biggest questions for Ohio State entering Week 1?

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Reply
 

Has Phillip Daniels secured the starting right tackle job for Ohio State? (Photo: Adam Cairns, USA TODAY Sports)

  • Dave Biddle avatar
     Dave BiddleStaff
    Posted on 3 hrs, V I P, User Since 174 months ago, User Post Count: 56454
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    As Ohio State attempts to be the first team in school history to repeat as national champions, what are the biggest questions facing the 2025 Buckeyes? Well, we will find out a lot about this squad right away this Saturday when they host Texas in a showdown of two of the top three teams in the land.

    Head coach Ryan Day will meet with the media Tuesday afternoon and will shed light on some of the questions that OSU must answer right off the bat. What are the most glaring ones? Let's take a close look.

    STARTING RIGHT TACKLE

    I do not view this as a concern, but it is still uncertain – at least publicly – who will start at right tackle for the Buckeyes against the Longhorns. I am confident it will be third-year sophomore Phillip Daniels, who transferred in from Minnesota in January, but senior Ethan Onianwa remains in the mix. The latter transferred in from Rice in January, received a large NIL deal and was expected to be the starting left tackle. However, he was moved to right tackle in camp, with Austin Siereveld taking over at left tackle. Onianwa has also received reps inside at guard, while Daniels was exclusively working at right tackle as of last week, when we last spoke with the coaches. This tells me that Onianwa is being groomed to be the "sixth man" of the offensive line, someone who can back up both tackle spots and kick inside to guard if needed.

    Onianwa is a big man at 6-foot-7, 331 pounds, but I've heard the physicality of Daniels (6-5, 315) is what will likely earn him the starting gig. It will be interesting to hear what Day says about this situation later today.

     
     
    13244613.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320

    BACKUP DEFENSIVE TACKLE

    We have talked about it all offseason, so let's talk about it at least one more time before the opener. I still am in the dark as to who will be the first defensive tackle off the bench behind starters Eddrick Houston and Kayden McDonald. Will it be fifth-year senior Tywone Malone who has barely played during his first two years in the program after transferring from Ole Miss? Is it one of the third-year sophomores – Jason Moore or Will Smith Jr. – who did not receive many game reps last year? Is it redshirt freshman Eric Mensah? Could it be true freshman Jarquez Carter?

    My guess is it will be one of the three older guys – Malone, Moore or Smith – with a heavy emphasis on "guess." Although, perhaps Day will tell us today that one or more of the aforementioned backups have proven they can provide quality play when the starters need to rest.

    STARTING SAFETY NEXT TO DOWNS

    It has been a good competition between junior Malik Hartford and sophomore Jaylen McClain for the starting safety spot next to junior Caleb Downs. As late as last week, safeties coach Matt Guerrieri was saying the battle continued to go "back and forth." I believe McClain will be the starter, but both guys will play a lot this season, including in the opener. McClain, being one of just a handful of "Iron Buckeyes" (players who excelled in the strength and conditioning program) during the summer, speaks volumes to me, and I expect to see him trot out there with the first-team defense when they take the field against Texas.

    WILL THE No. 4 WR GET MUCH PLAYING TIME?

    Typically, if you are not among the top three wide receivers on the team, you are not going to be a big factor in the offense. Brandon Inniss is the perfect example. As a sophomore last year, he was the Buckeyes' No. 4 wideout and he averaged less than one catch per game (14 receptions in 16 games). And it's not that he wasn't ready to have a bigger impact. It was just that OSU was stacked at WR, as usual under Brian Hartline, with Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate ahead of Inniss on the depth chart.

    Egbuka became the latest OSU wide receiver to become a first-round pick, elevating Inniss to starting status this year and having nearly everyone (present company definitely included) predicting a breakout season for him.

    Even Marvin Harrison Jr. barely played in 2021 when he was the team's No. 4 WR, because he had Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba ahead of him. And it wasn't as if Harrison wasn't ready to shine as a true freshman. How do we know this? Because when he finally got a chance to start a game that season – in the Rose Bowl because Wilson and Olave sat out – he had his breakout performance with three touchdown receptions.

    Such is life as Ohio State's No. 4 WR, no matter how good they are.

    This year's No. 4 wide receiver is likely to be redshirt freshman Mylan Graham. He looked great in the spring and definitely carried that over to camp. But as Hartline likes to say, who are you taking off the field to put your No. 4 receiver in the game? He needs to be at least as good as Smith, Tate or Inniss, or it's not happening. At least not very often.

    Could this year be different, though? Could Graham have a relatively big role in the offense, or will he average right around one catch per game like Inniss did last year? Perhaps it will be somewhere in the middle? Meaning, not necessarily a big role, but not a small one either?

    Until proven otherwise, I will say he will see about as much action as Inniss did last year. And this is not a bad thing; it's just more proof that Hartline's room is ridiculously stacked.

    WHO ARE THE SPECIAL TEAMS STARTERS?

    The final question that has not been answered is who will man the various starting special teams spots? Specifically, punter, kicker, punt returner and kickoff returner.

    At punter, I expect third-year sophomore Joe McGuire will be the guy, but Day said redshirt freshman Nick McLarty is very much in the mix. It will be interesting to see what he says on that front today.

    At kicker, I anticipate senior Jayden Fielding will get the nod, but he is being pushed by junior Jackson Courville who transferred in from Ball State. If Courville doesn't win the job, he can redshirt and retain two seasons of eligibility for 2026-27.

    At punt returner, I would roll with Inniss and Downs in big games and big moments. But I wouldn't have them field every punt, so you need someone else who can get the job done. Might I suggest Graham?

    Speaking of Graham, I think he would also be a great fit as the primary kickoff returner. True freshman Turbo Rogers would also be ideal in that role in my opinion. However, this is a topic that has not been addressed during interview sessions during camp.

    Perhaps that will change today when we meet with Day. Keep it locked to Bucknuts; it will be game day before you know it.

 

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Posted
7 minutes ago, Borrominion said:

I mean yeah, I don't think TX is to blame for it and MY school sold its soul to the corporate broadcast devils in exchange for mountains of cash, and therefore must kneel at the feet of our FOX overlords in abject obedience of their every whim, but please don't expect the fan base to like it.

i don't care if they like it or not

here's the reality when it comes to your school, ad, fans and media on the nightgame topic:

(confirmation bias + cognitive dissonance) * 1/iq =

image.jpeg.4d08e749acd195ef67d243a348c421e1.jpeg

Posted
1 hour ago, jdhorn92 said:

That's me on the right, as the cameras swept the Texas section after the Sweed TD catch... headphones and all.  Incredible atmosphere, but yeah, if i was fighting man, could have easily scrapped a half dozen times, it was that bad.  Got called a faggot several times walking to and from various bars /to stadium etc.. no biggie I suppose, and that was well before the game.

After the game was more verbal and just outright embarrassing for the tOSU fans, but water under the bridge, that was a long time ago.    We walked from stadium to downtown as the busses had stopped and several elderly fans in our throng of Texas fans needed the 'protection', so it took us a lot longer to get back. 

This was my experience as well.  I was with 8 other guys and I was one of the smallest of the group, and I am not small.  We basically ignored everyone and stayed together as much as we could.  We had mixed seats and I was not in the Texas section.   We had no threats at the game but a ton of shit talking.  The worst was getting back to town from the game.  Even the cops were constantly warning us to try to get back to the hotel as quickly as possible.  The problem was that proved to be very difficult and we walked forever.  I saw a lot of fights but almost all them were between Buckeye fans fighting each other.  I did meet Kirk Herbstreit briefly after the game and he was cordial and friendly, whatever you think of him as a sports personality.   

I regret I am not going this year but most of my travel crew is dead or disbursed.  This is not a game I would take the wife/girlfriend or kids to. 

Having the game at 11:00 should make a huge difference.  I am jealous of those who will make the game but I am not jealous of having to deal with Columbus, at least as it was back then.

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Posted
7 minutes ago, Hagbard Celine said:

i don't care if they like it or not

here's the reality when it comes to your school, ad, fans and media on the nightgame topic:

(confirmation bias + cognitive dissonance) * 1/iq =

image.jpeg.4d08e749acd195ef67d243a348c421e1.jpeg

OK, well, I am but a humble OSU fan (hah) and not an athletic department administrator or corporate television executive, so your objection is noted and we can move on.

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Posted
23 minutes ago, Borrominion said:

MY school sold its soul to the corporate broadcast devils in exchange for mountains of cash, and therefore must kneel at the feet of our FOX overlords in abject obedience of their every whim

This is damn near precisely the point CDC made to me probably 6 years ago regarding college football in general when chatting about scheduling after I asked whether he still had any ability to influence game times for the fan.   Hence why we have our first 2 home games in miserable Texas September afternoon heat (that I won't be attending).

Posted (edited)
10 minutes ago, Borrominion said:

OK, well, I am but a humble OSU fan (hah) and not an athletic department administrator or corporate television executive, so your objection is noted and we can move on.

Yeah our resident crazy person aside, I think most of the rest of us understand where you're coming from.  Our school has also allowed the conference television money to screw us over on kickoff times on numerous occasions.  It's not the fans' fault, we don't like it, and there's nothing we can do about it.

 

 

Edited by utee94
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Posted
2 minutes ago, Skipper said:

This is damn near precisely the point CDC made to me probably 6 years ago regarding college football in general when chatting about scheduling after I asked whether he still had any ability to influence game times for the fan.   Hence why we have our first 2 home games in miserable Texas September afternoon heat (that I won't be attending).

Aye, yes - and as much as I hate Big Noon, at least the 73-degree high in Columbus on Saturday isn't likely to kill anybody.

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Posted

Ill be on my boat this weekend in Orange Beach AL with several Bama fans.  Feverishly working on a hack to display the game on my Garmin Chart Plotter.  So far the parts will be here tomorrow and ill try to get it working before Saturday am.  If successful ill post some pics, otherwise we'll head back to the beach house at 11 after fishing to watch Texas and the Bama fans can go fuck themselves as my rig will be heading to the FloraBama for a Bushwacker and they can decide on their game watching preference.  

Note to msJDHORN92 (no pics) , may need to source me a better flag

image.thumb.png.47d5c289055f4e7a77da04b953abea18.png

 

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Posted
1 hour ago, utee94 said:

Probably not, actually.  Texans are friendly by nature.  We always had opposing fans dropping by our tailgates.  For that one, we served over 200 plates of food and went through 20 kegs of Live Oak and 10 cases of Tito's.  Tons of them were Ohio State fans.

Hell, some jerk with wearing ND garbage was a regular at your tailgates as were some aggies. 

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Posted
4 hours ago, Codaxx said:

I get that, but this is a legit excuse. Apologize, but I cannot watch the game at home because Fox and YouTube are in a battle. Will work on some, not on others. 

I believe you can sign up for a free trial for Hulu Live for 30 days or something 

Posted
11 minutes ago, BurntEyes said:

Yeah all teams need the likes of him and the @satyanash of the world.

We can't all be positive and sane all the time or it would get boring.

Yes. True. The vast majority of us are both sane and positive, with only a few outliers. 

a7dae07596c2bdccfb46b2fefdda49ae.gif

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Posted
1 hour ago, Chili dog said:

The ones who travel are generally the ones with money and something to live for outside of football. They’re also the ones with something to lose if they put a brick through a windshield. They were fine, but there were far too few of them. The subhuman cretins I saw in Columbus were straight out of the Brad Pitt zombie movie, the name of which I can’t currently recall. Texas fans all knew, without needing any formal announcement, that it was not safe to leave the stadium in small groups. We all waited until the stadium emptied of OSU fans before gathering in the Texas section and leaving in unison. 
 

Back at the hotel after the game, a guy walks in wearing an Ohio State sweatshirt. He takes it off to reveal his Texas polo underneath. We ask him what’s up, and he said his Ohio State buddy literally had to give him the shirt so he could drive his car from the stadium back to the hotel. We were staying right on High Street, so it wasn’t a far drive. I’m not sure why the dumb bastard drove, but his buddy assured him he would get a brick through the windshield if the degenerates outside saw him in his Texas shirt. The next morning, the storefront windows had all been smashed out and a few cars had been burned. 
 

Mind you, up to this point, the two schools had never played before. There was absolutely no history to support such a reaction. It made no sense. Savages. 

IMG_5988.jpeg.a373c2b5981733ba93929edae960cf89.jpeg

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Posted
1 hour ago, Borrominion said:

I hope (and expect) that it will be a much smoother visit this time, and will be interested in hearing the field reports from those who make the trip again.

I have family there, and I've been to a couple of games since 2005.  I can confirm that the crowd is much better behaved than it was during our last game, largely because of the SWAT armored personnel carriers and cops in full riot gear with long rifles.

I'm not kidding.

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Posted
21 minutes ago, William Bludworth said:

I believe you can sign up for a free trial for Hulu Live for 30 days or something 

 

Why go to all that trouble when most local stations have an app now? If by chance they don’t, OTA still works and is a good backup to have on hand anyway?

Posted
1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

Bucknuts writer examing the big open questions heading into week 1 for the Buckeyes:

  Reveal hidden contents

What are biggest questions for Ohio State entering Week 1?

VIP

Reply
 

Has Phillip Daniels secured the starting right tackle job for Ohio State? (Photo: Adam Cairns, USA TODAY Sports)

  • Dave Biddle avatar
     Dave BiddleStaff
    Posted on 3 hrs, V I P, User Since 174 months ago, User Post Count: 56454
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    • 174 months
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    As Ohio State attempts to be the first team in school history to repeat as national champions, what are the biggest questions facing the 2025 Buckeyes? Well, we will find out a lot about this squad right away this Saturday when they host Texas in a showdown of two of the top three teams in the land.

    Head coach Ryan Day will meet with the media Tuesday afternoon and will shed light on some of the questions that OSU must answer right off the bat. What are the most glaring ones? Let's take a close look.

    STARTING RIGHT TACKLE

    I do not view this as a concern, but it is still uncertain – at least publicly – who will start at right tackle for the Buckeyes against the Longhorns. I am confident it will be third-year sophomore Phillip Daniels, who transferred in from Minnesota in January, but senior Ethan Onianwa remains in the mix. The latter transferred in from Rice in January, received a large NIL deal and was expected to be the starting left tackle. However, he was moved to right tackle in camp, with Austin Siereveld taking over at left tackle. Onianwa has also received reps inside at guard, while Daniels was exclusively working at right tackle as of last week, when we last spoke with the coaches. This tells me that Onianwa is being groomed to be the "sixth man" of the offensive line, someone who can back up both tackle spots and kick inside to guard if needed.

    Onianwa is a big man at 6-foot-7, 331 pounds, but I've heard the physicality of Daniels (6-5, 315) is what will likely earn him the starting gig. It will be interesting to hear what Day says about this situation later today.

     
    13244613.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offset-y0.50&width=620&height=320

    BACKUP DEFENSIVE TACKLE

    We have talked about it all offseason, so let's talk about it at least one more time before the opener. I still am in the dark as to who will be the first defensive tackle off the bench behind starters Eddrick Houston and Kayden McDonald. Will it be fifth-year senior Tywone Malone who has barely played during his first two years in the program after transferring from Ole Miss? Is it one of the third-year sophomores – Jason Moore or Will Smith Jr. – who did not receive many game reps last year? Is it redshirt freshman Eric Mensah? Could it be true freshman Jarquez Carter?

    My guess is it will be one of the three older guys – Malone, Moore or Smith – with a heavy emphasis on "guess." Although, perhaps Day will tell us today that one or more of the aforementioned backups have proven they can provide quality play when the starters need to rest.

    STARTING SAFETY NEXT TO DOWNS

    It has been a good competition between junior Malik Hartford and sophomore Jaylen McClain for the starting safety spot next to junior Caleb Downs. As late as last week, safeties coach Matt Guerrieri was saying the battle continued to go "back and forth." I believe McClain will be the starter, but both guys will play a lot this season, including in the opener. McClain, being one of just a handful of "Iron Buckeyes" (players who excelled in the strength and conditioning program) during the summer, speaks volumes to me, and I expect to see him trot out there with the first-team defense when they take the field against Texas.

    WILL THE No. 4 WR GET MUCH PLAYING TIME?

    Typically, if you are not among the top three wide receivers on the team, you are not going to be a big factor in the offense. Brandon Inniss is the perfect example. As a sophomore last year, he was the Buckeyes' No. 4 wideout and he averaged less than one catch per game (14 receptions in 16 games). And it's not that he wasn't ready to have a bigger impact. It was just that OSU was stacked at WR, as usual under Brian Hartline, with Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate ahead of Inniss on the depth chart.

    Egbuka became the latest OSU wide receiver to become a first-round pick, elevating Inniss to starting status this year and having nearly everyone (present company definitely included) predicting a breakout season for him.

    Even Marvin Harrison Jr. barely played in 2021 when he was the team's No. 4 WR, because he had Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba ahead of him. And it wasn't as if Harrison wasn't ready to shine as a true freshman. How do we know this? Because when he finally got a chance to start a game that season – in the Rose Bowl because Wilson and Olave sat out – he had his breakout performance with three touchdown receptions.

    Such is life as Ohio State's No. 4 WR, no matter how good they are.

    This year's No. 4 wide receiver is likely to be redshirt freshman Mylan Graham. He looked great in the spring and definitely carried that over to camp. But as Hartline likes to say, who are you taking off the field to put your No. 4 receiver in the game? He needs to be at least as good as Smith, Tate or Inniss, or it's not happening. At least not very often.

    Could this year be different, though? Could Graham have a relatively big role in the offense, or will he average right around one catch per game like Inniss did last year? Perhaps it will be somewhere in the middle? Meaning, not necessarily a big role, but not a small one either?

    Until proven otherwise, I will say he will see about as much action as Inniss did last year. And this is not a bad thing; it's just more proof that Hartline's room is ridiculously stacked.

    WHO ARE THE SPECIAL TEAMS STARTERS?

    The final question that has not been answered is who will man the various starting special teams spots? Specifically, punter, kicker, punt returner and kickoff returner.

    At punter, I expect third-year sophomore Joe McGuire will be the guy, but Day said redshirt freshman Nick McLarty is very much in the mix. It will be interesting to see what he says on that front today.

    At kicker, I anticipate senior Jayden Fielding will get the nod, but he is being pushed by junior Jackson Courville who transferred in from Ball State. If Courville doesn't win the job, he can redshirt and retain two seasons of eligibility for 2026-27.

    At punt returner, I would roll with Inniss and Downs in big games and big moments. But I wouldn't have them field every punt, so you need someone else who can get the job done. Might I suggest Graham?

    Speaking of Graham, I think he would also be a great fit as the primary kickoff returner. True freshman Turbo Rogers would also be ideal in that role in my opinion. However, this is a topic that has not been addressed during interview sessions during camp.

    Perhaps that will change today when we meet with Day. Keep it locked to Bucknuts; it will be game day before you know it.

 

Do these writers know something we don’t about the quality of the offensive line? It’s so hard to tell if local beat writers are making good observations vs blinded by homerism and constant success.

Your expensive transfer tackle from Rice that was supposed to start at LT but might lose the RT competition somehow “isn’t a concern” and you’ll have the best OL ever? If that happened here this board would be shitting itself (more than usual) and ready to cancel the season. 

Posted
15 minutes ago, Hornsome said:

I can’t wait for this game. I attended the 2005 game and fuck those assholes.

The first red dot target and a statement game. Hook ‘em!

 

 

IMG_5955.png

Did his mother have an affair with Jim Breuer like 22 years ago, by chance?

Posted
Just now, Professor Chesney said:

Do these writers know something we don’t about the quality of the offensive line? It’s so hard to tell if local beat writers are making good observations vs blinded by homerism and constant success.

Your expensive transfer tackle from Rice that was supposed to start at LT but might lose the RT competition somehow “isn’t a concern” and you’ll have the best OL ever? If that happened here this board would be shitting itself (more than usual) and ready to cancel the season. 

They must. Because if you look at experience between Texas and Ohio State OL, it's almost equal # of starts and snaps.  If you look at the PFF ratings of those snaps from last season, Texas is way, way ahead of Ohio State and pretty much all of us are taking a wait and see approach.  Not to mention they have to play our front 7, which is better than theirs.

We can absolutely lose.  But if we play a relatively clean game and do not go worse than -1 in turnovers, we should win by 7 or more.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted

Arch Manning Is the Biggest College Quarterback Prospect Ever. Finally, He’s Getting the Keys.
https://www.wsj.com/sports/football/arch-manning-quarterback-texas-fa1423ab

 

Spoiler
58d50117d66be5b704b3ecb51c9837b883343c18.avif

Arch Manning is set to start at quarterback for Texas this season.

Like any wise grandkid, Arch Manning knows:
Grandpa’s going to say what grandpa’s going to say.
Grandpa in this case is Archie Manning, Arch’s beloved namesake, quarterback paterfamilias, Ole Miss legend, Saints martyr, father to Cooper, Peyton and Eli—and a proud septuagenarian who can’t help but occasionally stir it up with a public comment.
Earlier this month, Archie was quoted in Texas Monthly saying that his 21-year-old grandson—at last, the starting No. 1 quarterback for the University of Texas Longhorns—would keep his college eligibility and not enter next spring’s NFL draft, despite predictions that he, like uncles Peyton and Eli, could be taken No. 1 overall.
“Arch isn’t going to do that,” Archie said. “He’ll be at Texas.”
Gramps’s proclamation caused a tremor in Austin and the NFL. It came as news to many people—including Arch. 
“I don’t know where he got that from,” Arch said later. “He texted me and apologized about that.”
Maybe Arch is being the good grandchild, covering for his chatty grandpops. Maybe Archie’s right when he says the plan is to stay in school—that’s what Peyton and Eli did—and he simply jumped the gun on the news.
The freakout was a perfect encapsulation of the unusual life of Arch Manning, perhaps the most talked-about, swooned-over college football QB prospect ever.
On one hand is that incredible QB bloodline, three NFL pros, two College Hall of Famers, four Super Bowl rings, too many TV commercials to count. It’s often said that Cooper, the eldest of Archie’s three sons, was the best athlete of the Manning brothers, a star receiver forced to quit the game after spinal stenosis surgery. 
On the other hand is the public’s familiarity and fascination—and more than a little invasiveness. Everyone knows the Manning family. Or thinks they do.
The Mannings—led by Cooper and wife Ellen Heidingsfelder—have done their best to shield Arch from the chaos. Like his father and uncles, Arch attended Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, where a few of his games would wind up on ESPN, but his adolescence was as maintained as “normally” as possible.
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The Mannings —Eli, Peyton, Archie and Cooper—at the Manning Passing Academy in 2022.

Texas has tried to do the same, insulating their highest-profile recruit from the frenzy, as he played sparingly during his first two years on campus. 
That’s about to change. On Saturday at noon ET, Arch and the top-ranked Longhorns will visit defending champion and No. 3 Ohio State in a season opener so big and shiny it will block out the Columbus sun.
We’ll find out a lot. We’ll see just how strong coach Steve Sarkasian’s Texas team is. We’ll see if Ryan Day has Ohio State ready for a repeat. We’ll get the requisite conference flexing from SEC and Big Ten lunatics. 
And we’ll get more of Arch Manning than ever before. Get ready for Arch, Arch, Arch. And some more Arch. 
So far we’ve gotten a pinhole-sized view. OK: maybe a little more than that. Briefly in 2023 and more in 2024, Manning saw occasional time as an injury fill-in and sub for the main man at Texas, Quinn Ewers. 
Arch had his moments. Some good throws. A few great ones. He’s got a large body (6 foot 4, 220 pounds) with a big arm, and that pocket composure you want to see in a professional prospect. 
Plus he can run. Arch runs like his grandpa. If you remember Archie, you remember his ability to sprint and scamper—especially on the woebegone ’70s Saints, where the senior Manning often scrambled for his life.
Peyton and Eli didn’t move like that. Eli could be timed by sundial. Peyton ran like he was crossing a highway in his bathrobe.  
Arch’s abundant physical gifts—and that name—made him an absurdly enticing figure. He grew up surrounded by talent at the Manning Passing Academy, where he’s now a counselor. When it came time to pick a college, he chose not to follow family history, but take his own path with UT and Sarkisian, a proven NFL mentor. 
He’s smooth. Arch may project a certain shyness during his limited media sessions, but he’s already skilled in the art of deflection and neutralizing hot topics. 
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Arch Manning reacts during a practice in July.

That’s a family business, too. Peyton and Eli are media barons who weaponized their self-deprecating sibling rivalry into an NFL afterlife and a Monday night “Manningcast” in which the two serve as a good-natured Statler and Waldorf, analyzing today’s pro offenses. 
For Arch, the riddle is navigating a wildly different college football era. Today’s game is a turbulent free-for-all, where athletes can be compensated for their “name, image and likeness” but face constant scrutiny on social media. 
Archie, Peyton and Eli didn’t play in the time of mean tweets or TikToks ripping apart mechanics. That’s Arch’s road. He’s capitalized on NIL liberty—sponsors like Red Bull have made him the most-compensated college athlete of the moment—but that professionalization comes with merciless, round-the-clock discussion of mistakes. There’s little patience, definitely not for fans in struggling NFL cities like Arch’s hopeful hometown, eager to install another Manning Saint.
It’s a lot, for an heir apparent, or anyone. It helps that Arch has someone he can talk to: Archie. Arch says he and his grandfather “are like best friends.”
Every time they speak, 76-year-old Archie signs off with the same wisdom for his quarterback grandson:
Get down or get out of bounds.
That’s good advice. Arch Manning already knows. Listen to your grandpa.
Write to Jason Gay at Jason.Gay@wsj.com

 

Posted (edited)
18 minutes ago, Hank_Hill said:

Maybe we have the second best OL evar 👀

If the OSU OL gets dominated, we better start treating the OSU insiders like Looch and Graham Harmon for blatantly lying 

Edited by Js1
Posted
2 hours ago, Nivek said:

Melton scored in 2005.  

I remember that's what it looked like to me, but I haven't re-watched that play in years.  But, his stupid and unnecessary dive gave the booth an opportunity to review and overturn.  

Still, he found his place on defense and became a great Longhorn.

  • Hook 'Em 2
Posted (edited)

so are we playing Saturday or what? we are? great, who gives a fuck what time. I have nothing to bitch about, I'll make a breakfast taco spread to remember and me and my boys will plop our Saturday morning lazy asses on our couch and do what the troph families have done for years and years, cheer on the horns. 11am, 23pm, 7pm don't make a shit, it's perfect all the same, at least on the first saturday of the season. 

youtube tv can kiss my ass though for sure.

Edited by troph
  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted
1 minute ago, TexasExe14 said:

SIAP
 

pretty much, or J. Barron and A. Mukuba were/are that scary. Alfred Collins was stout and amazing but i don't think the new DL we accrued can replace that production.

Posted
4 minutes ago, troph said:

so are we playing Saturday or what? we are? great, who gives a fuck what time. I have nothing to bitch about, I'll make a breakfast taco spread to remember and me and my boys will plop our Saturday morning lazy asses on our couch and do what the troph families have done for years and years, cheer on the horns. 11am, 23pm, 7pm don't make a shit, it's perfect all the same, at least on the first saturday of the season. 

Those 23pm starts are the worst 

  • Haha 1
Posted
1 hour ago, deech said:

In a tight game, it's great to have an edge at Kicker and Punter.

I’d rather have him getting after the QB, but I guess if you’re kicking or punting the defense isn’t on the field, anyway. 

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