Longhorns Spring Football Buzz And A Sweet 16 Game Plan For Texas

We connect the dots between Steve Sarkisian’s spring football comments and what Texas needs from its running back room after a historically down rushing season. Then we pivot to March Madness in San Jose with injury updates and a full Sweet 16 preview of Texas vs Purdue, plus our picks for the rest of the Thursday games. 
• Sarkisian’s “make guys miss” comment and what it says about last season’s rushing issues 
• Why Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers change Texas’ explosive run profile 
• The value of a two-back rotation and real competition through spring ball 
• Coaching change urgency at running backs and why the staff moves fast 
• Sponsor message from Custom Built Trailers of Mississippi 
• Jordan Pope status after Gonzaga and why Texas needs his shot creation 
• Purdue matchup concerns, especially interior scoring and paint touches 
• Keys for Texas, including perimeter pressure and big nights from Tramon Mark and Dailyn Swain 
• Sweet 16 predictions for Arizona vs Arkansas, Iowa vs Nebraska, Houston vs Illinois 
• Texas vs Purdue pick against the spread and final outlook 

Transcript

Welcome And What’s Ahead

SPEAKER_02 0:05

Latesta aieșmania. Welcome into another edition of the Texas Longhorns on SI podcast. I'm your host, Matt Galatson. Joining me today, as always, is my co-host, Zach Demitt, who is live on scene in San Jose for the Texas Longhorns Suite 16 matchup against the Purdue Boilermakers. We will get into that quite extensively, as a matter of fact, because we've got some interesting updates there. We're also going to make our predictions for the game.

Sark’s Take On Texas Backs

SPEAKER_02 1:10

But first, Zach, a little bit of football. Steve Sarkeesian met with the media this week to talk spring football and pro day and all the different things. And he said some particularly interesting stuff about the running backs that I'm going to tell you about right now. Almost throwing a little bit of shade, not necessarily intentional, at his 2025 running backs, but he said the ability to speak of Hollywood Smothers and Relique Brown specifically, he says the ability to make guys miss in tight quarters in the open field is something we had the luxury of the first two years, first few years here. We were very fortunate to have that aspect of our team the first four years here that maybe we didn't have a year ago. And I think that that's a very, very fair statement. Texas had its basically its worst rushing attack since World War II this past year with Trey Weisner and CJ Baxter, neither of which were the shiftiest guys in the world, neither of which were uh the fastest guys in the world, especially CJ Baxter coming off of his injury. Trey Weisner is just kind of a workhorse guy that made some big plays and some big games, but not necessarily the most athletically gifted guy in the world, and that's okay. They got the job done, specifically Wisner, when it mattered the most against Oklahoma and Texas AM. And like those things are all really, really important. Uh, but now you bring in a couple of other guys in Relique Brown and Hollywood Smothers that have the ability to be the big game-breaking duo that Texas really has not had since you know, you go back to even 2024 when you had Jaden Blue, who is a big play guy. 2023, you had Jonathan Brooks, uh, a little bit of Jaden Blue late in the year. You also had a healthy CJ Baxter. Before that, you had B. John Robinson and Roshan Johnson. You can see what I'm getting at here. This this group of running backs with the two that I mentioned, plus even Derek Cooper, uh, I think really give you an opportunity to have that type of explosive rushing attack that you desperately need.

SPEAKER_03 3:23

For sure. And yeah, last season, uh, it's no secret that the standard was not even close to being met when it came to the running back room. Um, the production was not there. Uh, it was the worst rushing attack under Steve Sarkeesian, and like you mentioned, not only that, one of the worst in program history. And so uh it's you know, Texas is considered RBU, you know, in college football, in my opinion. There's maybe a few other schools you could throw in there, but the standard is is really high at that position, obviously. So um, you know, I I do think that uh the past couple seasons during the runs to the college football playoff, the running back room uh was a was a standout group. Um and I I love what I loved what Quintravion Weisner did at Texas, but I think that his value was at its best when he had that complimentary uh back alongside him. Um and the pairing of him and CJ Baxter last season, it just it just wasn't really what what the team what the team needed, in my opinion. Um, I think Jaden Blue and Wisner, that was a really good pairing there. Um yeah, he had a bruiser guy and you had a speedy guy. And it's it's hard in college football and and then you know and then NFL as well to just have one guy be able to you know be a workhorse for you. And I think it works out for Texas when you have two guys that can do, you know, again that can handle significant reps. And I certainly think that Hollywood smells and relic brown will be able to do that. Um you enter the spring with neither one necessarily being the seen as the full-time starter. That's that's a good thing, in my opinion, because they'll challenge each other uh during during spring and headed into fall to potentially win that starting job, and that'll make both of them better uh as a result. So I mean they added Derek Cooper to the mix, where he's a guy that you can see in the future being uh that star level running back that can that can handle uh a heavy workload. So uh yeah, obviously the standard wasn't met, and Steve Sarkeesian and and the staff said uh we're not gonna waste any time with making sure this thing gets turned around right away because this is a make or break year. Fired Chad Scott, hired Jabbar Jaluk at running backs coach. Um, you know, Chad Scott had only been there for one season. You may think, oh, it was just one bad year, we'll give him another chance, and then and then we'll decide about his future. No, they they said uh, you know, the the standard was not met, so Chad Scott, you're out of here, Jabbar Jaluk, you're coming in here because this is Texas, and we're here to win win a national championship, and Texas couldn't even make the college football playoff last season, and maybe in large part due to that that running back uh that that room. So um, yeah, excited about what what the future holds for that position. And I certainly think that the Longhorns won't be um finishing under a thousand total yards or or not have a thousand yard rusher uh next

Why Brown And Smothers Matter

SPEAKER_03 6:15

season. I I think that's pretty safe to say.

SPEAKER_02 6:18

Yeah, uh apologies for my microphone not being plugged in for the first part of the show, by the way. I hope that this sounds better. Uh yeah, I mean you you look at what the what these two guys bring to the table, and it's extremely exciting. Uh, you know, first of all, talking about Hollywood Smothers and the game-breaking ability that he has. Uh after contact, he had 614 total yards, averaged 3.84 yards per carry uh per com after contact per attempt. And in comparison with Texas last year, Trey Weisner had 423 total yards after after contact, averaged 3.25 uh after contact per carry, and Relique Brown, who you know we're we're also talking about here, had 607 yards of total contact, averaging 32.28 yards per play after contact. Uh both of those stats are extremely big for Texas because you know, either one of them would have led the team last year in terms of those total yards after contact, which is huge. But it's the breakaway percentage that is interesting to me. Uh uh Hollywood Smothers' breakaway percentage uh was forty-five point eight percent, whereas Trey Wisner was at twenty-seven point one percent. Um oh sorry, Brown was at 45.8%, and and Hollywood Smothers is a is at 52.8%, so that's even better. And then you know, you look over at Relique Brown, uh it's he he like you compare him to Jaden Blue a little bit, uh, which is which was kind of my comp for him, maybe not as fast, but but kind of the same type of player. Uh Relique Brown, like I said, uh just under 46% with the breakaway percentage, but in terms of explosive runs, you know, Jaden Blue in 2024 had 13 uh runs of 10 10 or more yards. That's pretty good. Relique Brown had 31. That's elite. And uh those are the kinds of things that that these two guys are bringing to the table that I'm particularly excited about.

SPEAKER_03 8:22

Yeah, and that that's a that's a pretty eye-popping stat right there. Um, because Jaden Blue, he you know, uh he probably could have had a few more uh of those of those runs, uh those uh explosive runs, if not for some of the fumbling issues, and yet he still probably wouldn't have gotten anywhere close to that number that Relique Brown was able to do. So that that that that says a lot right there. Um yeah, it's the standard will be met, I feel like, in that room next season. Uh I think that the fact that you got Relique Brown, uh and he was seen as the starter, the starter out of the portal, and you thought, oh, the this is the work is done at that position, and then you go and add another guy with starting level potential. And Hollywood Smithers, Sark even said that if you would have told him they were gonna be able to get um two guys at that level, he he would have thought he would have thought it was pretty unlikely, and yet they were able to pull it off and things fell, um, fell the right way. And uh, of course, what we've been hearing is that um what what Sark was saying, at least in the beginning of spring practice, was uh both of those guys are also uh two the their closest friends already in spring in spring ball. And so uh not only um is the talent there, but the chemistry is there in the running back room where neither guy is gonna is gonna let the ego get in the way about who's the starter, who's not. It's about winning a championship, and that goes a long way. Um, I know the you know the running backs having chemistry together doesn't necessarily equal a championship, but it the locker room presence uh is where it needs to be and what the mentality is, uh you know, it's it's already off to a good start. So uh yeah, I'm I'm pretty excited for that room, and we still got months ahead of uh uh more updates and seeing what they can do, and uh so yeah, excited for that.

SPEAKER_02 10:08

Yeah, and you're right, it it doesn't really matter on the field necessarily if they have chemistry, but those two guys getting along off the field and in the locker room can only bode well for the chemistry uh in the room overall. And and you know, they they love playing with each other, they love having the ability to play off of each other uh and come in and pick the other one up or whatever the case may be. All those things are actually very important, and I'm

Turning Over The Running Back Room

SPEAKER_02 10:33

glad you brought that up. Let's take a quick break, Zach, because when we come back, we're going to give you an exhaustive preview of the Longhorns Suite 16 matchup tonight, just a couple of hours away against the Purdue Boilermakers. So stick with us after this break, and we'll be right back.

SPEAKER_00 10:47

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SPEAKER_02 11:39

Welcome back to the Texas Longhorns on SI podcast. I am your host, Matt Golatson, joined by Zach Demitt, who is live in San Jose for the Longhorns Suite 16 matchup against the Purdue Boilermakers. And first, before we get into the game, Zach, uh a little bit of concerning news after the Gonzaga game. Jordan Pope came up injured. Um, you know, uh it's we we didn't know if it was gonna be anything serious, how it was gonna affect his game against Purdue. Uh, you asked Sean Miller about that, and uh he had some some pretty solid news for us and some pretty exciting news for Longhorn fan regarding that injury.

SPEAKER_03 12:19

Yeah, uh definitely a little bit of a concern. Um, but it's trending in a positive way, I would say. Um, you know, Sean Miller had said even uh after the game that you know that he felt pretty good about about Jordan Pope being able to play against Purdue um after the Gonzaga game. Jordan Pope even said uh that he you know he's 100% sure that he's gonna be playing. Um and so it's it's good to hear that from him, but it's all about what do the trainers think, what does the medical

Sponsor Break

SPEAKER_03 12:48

staff think? Um and uh so yeah, he he was he was hobbled a little bit after that, uh after that Gonzaga game. Um, but the adrenaline was certainly kicking in. And so uh what does it now look like a few days after that? Um you know, uh we'll have to wait and see. He's he's listened as questionable tonight against Purdue. Uh obviously, you know, he has come up so big for Texas during this March Madness run. Um, and there's no no secret that Longhorns will need him, uh, you know, even if he's not at 100%, which he won't be. So we'll have to wait and see um what is what his status uh looks like tonight. Uh he was on the practice court a little bit yesterday um during the media session uh of practice, which is about 15 minutes long. He was not on the court. Um but uh you know in the locker room afterwards, uh when when the media was allowed in there yesterday, he he was saying that he's gonna be playing. So um certainly something to watch there. Uh obviously he hit some big threes against Gonzaga, hit some big threes against BYU. Uh, you know, he's uh Texas's best shooter um when it comes to threes at least. Uh he I he's almost double the next guy, uh Camden Heidi um in total threes

Jordan Pope Injury Update

SPEAKER_03 14:05

made this season. So um yeah, I I think that uh if Texas has any chance of winning, they need Jordan Pope to play. If he doesn't play, uh Longhorns have a will have a very tough time against Purdue. And another thing to watch um on the injury front is uh Purdue guard uh CJ Cox, he suffered a uh hyperxtended uh knee uh in that win over to Miami in the second round. Um, you know, you hate to see that injury regardless of who the player is. Um but at the end of the day, that's another injury to the opposing team that that Texas uh has has kind of been gifted a little bit. Um, you know, the Longhorns shouldn't apologize for some of their wins in the NCAA tournament, but the other team uh in each round that they face has now potentially dealt with a serious injury. And CJ Cox's list is questionable as well. He's not out for the game. Um, but I think with him, it's it seems less likely that he would play than Jordan Pope, if if I were to guess, uh just based on what the what those guys were sitting in the locker room afterwards. And um CJ Cox is a starter for Purdue. Uh eight points per game. Um, but I think he's probably up there uh with being their best wing defender. And if you don't have your best wing defender against Tramon Mark and Dalen Swain, who I think will have the size and athleticism advantage against Purdue, uh that could be that could be a potential um thing to watch for Texas, and they they they should be able to try to take advantage of that. So yeah, something to watch there for both teams. I think uh Jordan Pope, he's from Oakley, California, not Oakland, Oakley. And so that's only about 50 minutes from here uh in San Jose. He's gonna have lots of friends and family there. I'd be hard pressed to imagine that he doesn't at least try to give it a go, even if he's gonna be a little bit hobbled. Uh, it's it's hard to see him just see sitting on that bench when he's when his college career is on the line and he's playing near in his home state and near his hometown. Um, I think he's definitely gonna be in the lineup tonight and how much of an impact he'll have, we'll have to wait and see. But um it's hard to imagine that he's gonna be on the bench tonight. So uh that's just my opinion on it. We'll have to wait and see in a few hours from now. But just a few injury notes to look out for. Um, other than that, both teams pretty healthy. Texas obviously still without Lasty and Triore, who will miss his 13th straight game. Um, he's not even with the team right now. Uh he's he's back home in Austin. So um, but yeah, uh if Purdue doesn't have CJ Cox, that that's definitely notable. And if Texas doesn't have Jordan Pope, that's even more notable uh because of the impact they have on this roster. So a few more hours and we'll know for sure.

SPEAKER_02 16:40

Yeah, uh Texas has gotten real fortunate with uh with injury news for uh the opposing teams. And you know, maybe it'll end up playing a factor, maybe it won't. Um what I do know is that, you know, if Texas does have Jordan Pope in this game, which I expect they they will to a certain extent, at least, uh they are a much better team with him than they are without him, because he's one of the few players on the floor for Texas offensively that can they can get his own shot when the when he needs it. Like him, Tremone Mark, and Dalen Swain are pretty much the only guys you can rely on consistently to do those kinds of things. So if you take one of them out of the equation that that, you know, Texas's offense takes a big hit, I think that you know, having him in the lineup is obviously incredibly important. And you and we've seen what the you know what the team has been able to do in terms of picking each other up offensively uh over the last couple of games. I mean, you know, against Gonzaga, the the box score was a little bit different than what we're typically used to seeing with like Nick Cody getting 12 and uh you know uh Termot Mark and Dalen Swain combining for 17 and Texas still ends up winning the basketball game. Like that's something we don't see uh that you know terribly too often with the Texas Longhorns basketball team. So it's really important to have one of those guys out on the floor with Jordan Pope. Uh but Zach, in terms of the game tonight, Purdue is a extremely good team. Uh they played for a national championship not too long ago, if I remember correctly, not last year, uh, but the year before. Um, and you know, it's it's a tremendous program. I know people are kind of giving me shit for yesterday, not calling them a basketball school in comparison to Texas. Like, I just think it's kind of funny that like you know one team is considered a basketball school, yet the other team has more NCAA tournament appearances and Final Four appearances are equal, and like Texas has made the the Elite Eight more in the last you know this century than Purdue has. Like those kinds of things are like are always you know kind of funny to me. But anyway, uh Purdue is an extremely talented team, and they they present a few different things for Texas that are concerning, most notably their bigs going up you

How Texas Can Attack Purdue

SPEAKER_02 18:55

know against Texas's uh lack of defense on the interior, which has been an issue all season long. That's extremely concerning. Uh so how do you see Texas attacking that issue and and trying to force Purdue's hand and play their and you know, play the Texas longhorn style of basketball and keep them out of the paint?

SPEAKER_03 19:14

Yeah, you know, I I think that uh Purdue's bigs are really elite. Um, you know, Trade Kaufman, Ren, Oscar Clef, uh, those guys are gonna try to get as much as they can in the paint. Um Purdue is efficient from three, but it's all gonna start down low. Um, and so uh modest Pokemon titles, he's a great offensive player. He's not exactly a rim protector necessarily. He doesn't like blow you away with all these block numbers or anything like that. And he also he fouls quite a bit too. So um he's gonna have some, he's gonna have a tough time. But um, but I I think it starts with with the predator defense. Um if Dalen Swain and Tramon Mark and Kendall Weaver um can cause a little bit of havoc for Braden Smith, who's the and now the NCAA's all-time leader and assist. I think you're gonna potentially limit some of those those paint touches, and then you you'd rather you'd rather do take a lot of threes and take a lot of shots in the paint um and be and draw and fouls at the same time. So uh you know, you're gonna have to kick something there. Um, even though they're an efficient three-point shooting team, top 10 in the country, you you'd much rather have that than all a bunch of paint touches uh for easy looks with some of those with those two bigs that they have. So um, yeah, and then on the opposite end for Texas's offense, like I mentioned, I mean, Texas has an elite offense. There's no secret about that. It's number Purdue is is number one. Um, but Texas is about a top 15 Ken Palm offense. They were top 10 at one point this season. So um I think hitting their offensive ceiling and being able to you don't want to go bucket for bucket with Purdue, it's not gonna go well for Texas uh because Purdue probably will outscore them in that case. Um, but I think that if you lean on, like I've mentioned before, uh Tremont Mark and Dalen Swain's length. I don't know who on Purdue's roster will be able to guard those guys. I really don't. I mean, that's obviously a team, a team thing, um, where it's not all about one guy guarding one guy. Like some people like to see it as. Purdue could utilize a zone uh to limit three-point shots and limit those guys uh going one-on-one. But Tramon Mark and Dalen Swain, uh, I think they can both have big nights. Uh, Tramon Mark can hit the mid-range shot over pretty much all the wings on Purdue's roster. I mean, Fletcher Lawyer, he's a great shooter. He's not gonna be able to guard Dalen Swain and Tramon Mark. This is not his strength. Brain Smith's a smaller guy, not his strength either. So if Texas is gonna win this game, I think it's gonna come down to those two guys, and of course, Montismo Titus can be able to score down low and you know, potentially uh get one of those uh Purdue big men in foul trouble. Um, you know, those are some of the keys for me. And uh also, you know, just a Jordan Pope update super quick. Uh John Rothstein, who's uh you know, great college basketball uh re reporter there for CBS, he he reported just a few minutes ago that Jordan Pope uh is gonna be a game time decision for tonight. So interesting there. He was listed as questionable. You don't like to for it to get down to game time decisions or anything like that. But uh kind of kind of expected a little bit, just based on the fact that he wasn't super, super active on the practice floor uh the yesterday. So we'll have to wait and see what happens until then. I know Texas fans will kind of be sweating that one out. Like I said previously, I do lean on uh you know the uh possibility that he'll be active, even though he won't be 100%. Uh I mean this you you don't get to the Sweet 16 um, you know, pretty much ever sometimes if you're some of these college basketball players. And so being able to uh play in a game like this, one of the biggest games of your career, like it is for Jordan Pope, I don't think he's gonna pass it up. I think he's gonna try to give it a go. So uh we'll have to wait and see what happens there.

SPEAKER_02 22:52

Yeah, big update there. Uh breaking news on the Texas Longhorns on S High podcast. Uh yeah, I mean it's it's it's gonna be interesting to see whether or not he's able to get onto the floor. I mean, I'm kind of with you. I I I feel like he's gonna try to give this thing a go because this very well could be his last college basketball game, and I don't think he's gonna want to miss it sitting on the bench. Um, you know, and I think he'll probably lobby pretty heavily with Sean Miller, who, by the way, has been very hard on Jordan Pope this year. I think that that is kind of uh finally when we we've gotten to to quality basketball here in March Madness, I think that that's really made a difference and he's really gotten through to him over the last couple weeks. So, you know, I I'd like to see that continue. I I really would, because Jordan Pope's a heck of a player when he's on a hot streak, and and you know, that's uh that's something that the Texas is gonna desperately need.

Sweet 16 Picks Before Texas

SPEAKER_02 23:45

Uh all right, Zach, let's make our predictions. We're we're gonna do Texas last. We're gonna predict all of these games that are being played in the Sweet 16. Uh we well, or should we just do the Friday games since we're gonna be back tomorrow talking about uh recapping and we can okay, let's let's just do let's do the the Thursday night games are the ones we're gonna predict. Uh we're gonna do Texas last, like I said. Uh why don't we start with why don't we start with Arizona and Arkansas? I feel like that's kind of a kind of a big one. Uh I love Darius Acuff. I think he's arguably the best player in college basketball. A true freshman can really fill it up. Uh Arizona is an absolute unit, though. They're a fantastic basketball team. They won the Big 12. They're my pick to win the national championship now that Florida is out of it. Um so I I guess with that in mind, I can't exactly go back on my pick now, can I? Can I, Zach? I I guess I'm gonna pick Arizona.

SPEAKER_03 24:48

Yeah, uh I'm I'm really high on Arkansas. I think that they're a potential uh sleeper team to what to win it all. Not I mean, not only make the final four, but to win it all. So um, but I mean I don't think Arkansas we will be able to defend Arizona um as much as they would like to. I I was watching the Arkansas High Point game um in Portland when Texas was there, and uh High Point looked really, really good. Uh, but I think in large part that was due to maybe Arkansas's defense not being what it needed to be. I mean, Arkansas has some crazy good athletes, they can really run the floor, they can dunk it all over you. But um I I don't know if if they'll be able if they couldn't really defend high point that well, how are they gonna defend uh a team like Arizona? Um, I would like to see Arkansas win and and you know uh win one for the SEC if Texas is unable to pull it off against Purdue, but um I gotta go Arizona. It's just tough. I mean we're all we are in California, Arizona will have lots of fans here. Um so uh I'll go the Wildcats on that one.

SPEAKER_02 25:50

Okay. Uh let's now let's go over to Iowa and Nebraska. I don't know anything about either of these teams, if I'm being completely 100% honest, because I had uh Florida and Vanderbilt playing in this game in my bracket. So uh I was looking forward to talking about that matchup, but I mean I'm I guess I'm gonna go with Iowa just because I I would like Iowa to win this game. It's you know, there's gonna be a lot of corn in those stands, I'll tell you that. But uh maybe the most boring matchup in the Sweet 16 tonight, but I I guess I'm gonna go with Iowa just because I want another upset.

SPEAKER_03 26:29

Yeah, you know, I'm gonna go Iowa too. Um the Nebraska, this is their first ever Sweet 16 appearance. It'd be a great story if the Corn Huskers could potentially keep advancing past this. Um, you know, yeah, I'm a little biased too. I do kind of want the lower seed to win. Uh you know, Iowa is a nine seed. Uh I think them being beating Florida was so big. Uh that shows a lot about what they're capable of. Ben McCollum, first year head coach there. He he was a division uh division two guy, and he really rose his way up the ranks, and he's been really good at Iowa. And Bennett Stewart's is their their guard, and he's just so composed. Um star-level guy for the hot guys. I just think them beating Florida, um, that that just says a lot about what they can do. And so I'm gonna go Iowa in this one. Nebraska's a really solid team, great on offense. Um, you know, they they they got some great shooters, but I don't know. I was really impressed by what Iowa was able to do last round, and so I'm gonna go with the hot guys for that one.

SPEAKER_02 27:28

I like it. I like it. Uh Zach and I are on the same page so far. Uh I guess the other big one tonight, Zach, Houston and Illinois. Uh, this is gonna be a heck of a matchup. A two-three Houston two-seed Houston versus a three-seed in Illinois. Uh, I know a lot about Houston basketball because that's one of the teams that we cover on our on SI umbrella. Um you know, Kingston Flemings, Emmanuel Sharp, Jojo Tugler, Chris Sanak. Uh, you can go on down the list. This, this, this entire starting five is NBA quality. There's two lottery pick talents in the lottery. I th I mean in the on the team. I think Kingston Flemings is a surefire lottery pick. I think I think Chris Sanak has that in him. Uh, he's not quite there yet, but they are a they are an absolute unit as well. Like they they played Arizona in the Big 12 championship. Uh, I think that Houston is a certified national title contender, so I'm gonna pick the Cougars.

SPEAKER_03 28:32

Yeah, I mean this game is in the Toyota Center in Houston, only a few miles away from the campus. Uh, so uh there's obviously gonna um get gonna be a large cougar contingency there. Uh Illinois's a great team, uh great offense. Um, I think Keaton Waggler, uh Keaton Waggler, I should say, uh I think he is uh absolutely elite freshman. Um he had like 40-something points on the road against Purdue uh earlier this season. Um and so uh yeah, but I just think Houston, after coming up just short last year, this is gonna be potentially their year. And uh they got fortunate that uh Florida, the number one seed in their region, got knocked out. So now they're probably gonna look and be looking to take full advantage of that. And so uh it's hard to it's hard to bet against the Cougars. They're just one of the best programs in the country, if not the best, in my opinion. Um, and so Illinois's a great team, but I think I think Houston's gonna be able to get it done. I I think this might be their year.

Texas Vs Purdue Prediction And Wrap

SPEAKER_02 29:30

Yeah, I mean that they they look like they're primed to make a run, um, especially with Florida out, like you said. So we're still a hundred percent aligned, Zach. Let's see if that changes for Texas versus Purdue. Texas is the lowest remaining seed in the tournament at an 11 seed. I called them the highest yesterday. It meant the same thing, don't worry about it. Uh, but Texas is currently, you know, f up against a team that is also seemingly primed to make a run deep into the tournament, potentially Elite Eight Final Four material. They're 29-8. Uh they have a 75.6% chance to win the game, according to ESPN's matchup predictor. They're now favored by eight and a half, which it is up a point from yesterday, likely because of the Jordan Pope news. Um we're gonna pick this one against the spread first, and then we'll go to the final score, I guess. But uh I'm gonna pick Texas to cover. I think that Texas is gonna make this thing close. Sean Miller has his team playing really, really well. Um, you know, I I think it's a four to five point game, uh, but I do think that Purdue ends the Longhorn's magical run here.

SPEAKER_03 30:52

Well, it looks like we are gonna be 100% aligned because I was gonna say the same thing. I I do think Texas can cover uh there is potential for uh a blowout win for Purdue, in my opinion, if Texas is not able to play the kind of defense that it's been able to you know put together the past couple games. Um But in March, these games are pretty close, and with the way Texas has been able to play, you know, I think it's unlikely they'll get blown out if just based on the way they've been able to you know perform the past couple past couple games. But um yeah, I'll take Texas to cover the eight and a half point spread because that's a decently large spread. Um and so even if you lose by a few possessions at seven points or something like that, you're still covering, and I think that's certainly the cards, but it's gonna be tough for Texas to win this game, in my opinion. You're gonna need a bad offensive game from Purdue, which is unlikely. Uh they're the number one offense in the country after all, according to Ken Palms. So um you're gonna need a bad shooting night from them. Uh you're gonna need a uh a great shooting night to potentially keep up with the numbers they're gonna be putting up. But I think Texas has the skill for that, but if you don't have Jordan Pope, uh, which is a possibility now, um it's gonna be really, really hard. So it does kind of depend on Jordan Pope's availability. But either way, I think Texas will lose this game. Unfortunately, uh the run will come to an end. But despite that, what a season for Sean Miller. Um, it's the the your years based on uh what you're able to do in March and the fact they're able to even make the sweet 16 after barely squeaking into the tournament says a lot about what he was able to do this season and what the team was able to do. And so it's already a success. They've already overachieved. If they come up short tonight, uh it's it's there's nothing to hang your head about if you're Texas. So uh unfortunately I do think it'll end tonight, but I said that about the Gonzaga game as well, and Texas was able to plot a win there, so hopefully I'm wrong again.

SPEAKER_02 32:39

Yeah, I mean, we're we're not too far off, Zach. I mean, I I didn't think Texas was gonna make it past Gonzaga. I didn't think Texas was gonna make it past BYU. I had doubts against NC State. By the way, Will Wade goes back to LSU. What a weird hire. So it's just like the guy they fired four years ago is now back. It's like, what are we doing? Uh they just collect uh, you know, uh weird head coaches, Lane Kiffin, Kim Mulkey, Will Wade, like I don't know, weird stuff. Anyway, I digress. Texas, uh, you know, they proved the doubters wrong so far. Can they do it again against Purdue? We will find out tonight in just under two hours, tip off at 6.10 p.m. Central Time. This podcast will go up very quickly so you guys can all listen before the sh before the game. Zach is going to be off to go cover that one in person here as soon as I stop talking. So let me wrap this thing up. Uh, thank you so much for tuning into the Texas Longhorns on SI podcast today. Make sure to like, rate, and subscribe on our podcast. We're on every major podcast platform. Also, comment down below on YouTube and let us know your thoughts. It really helps us out in the and the algorithm. But most importantly, be sure to tell somebody you love them. We'll catch you in the next one.