September 19, 2024 • 26 mins
Lifetime Longhorn Fozzy Whittaker joined the show on Thursday to discuss his new role at ESPN, working with Lowell Galindo, his transition from the football field to the broadcast booth, and his thoughts on Texas and ULM this weekend.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
And we're back to the Craigway Show. Have a message
for Craig, share it by using the talkback feature on
the Ihearts Radio app.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
And we're glad to have you with us here on
this Thursday afternoon as we continue to navigate a hot
late September afternoon heading up to the game Saturday. Yes,
it's going to be in the upper nineties during the
day and that sort of thing. It'll be a warm evening.
But you know what, that's not going to matter to
our next guest. You see, he was on with us
(00:41):
at Pluckers a little over a week ago with log
worn Weekly with Coach Sark, and when it was announced
that he was going to be on the broadcast on
the telecast of the game with Old Galindo, this huge
round of applause went up. But no one was happier
that he was going to be at the game than
(01:02):
the man himself, Fazi Whitaker, who joins us on the hotline.
Am I correct, Faz, you were probably the happiest guy
about that whole deal. The fact that you knew you
were going to get to work a home game.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Absolutely, And I think the bigger picture for me with
my first year doing ESPN traveling cover in college football
in the booth, is that I get a chance to
actually cover.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
The not just the Texas Longhorns, but the number.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
One team in the nation in my first year.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Doing play by play and analysts.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
In the booth.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
So I thought that was a really cool special touch
to the start.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Of my broadcasting career in the booth. And man, I've
been grateful and super blessed to be in this position. Man,
I can't wait for Saturday Night to come fast enough.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
All right now, Fazi, I gotta ask you this because
I'm just fascinated and have been by your career path
and the way it's going to We talked a little
bit about it on Weekly last week. What you went
through and the time that you had to prove yourself
as a player, coming through all the injuries and then
and as you did all that, I know you believed
in yourself as a player all along. Did you have
(02:12):
any inkling that this might be the next avenue for
you into the broadcast world.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
I didn't know I would necessarily be in a booth,
but I did love to do studio work. Whenever I
started with Longhorn Network and doing the pregame, halftime and
postgame show. My actual degree in undergrad is in communication,
and that was something that I had to explored because
(02:41):
I felt like I wanted to be in some sort
of way in a broadcast role. I didn't know how
my career would shape out athletically, and then I didn't
even know honestly how my career would shape out from
a broadcast standpoint. But honestly, if it wasn't for Longhorn
New Network being positioned in Austin my senior year twenty eleven,
(03:05):
I may not have gotten introduced to what it means
to be a part of a broadcast team, what it
takes in order to actually go through an entire programming
for a show for a game, covering the pre half
posts as well as play by play for the Longhorn
Network televised games. So the exposure that ESPN was able
(03:27):
to provide by bringing Longhorn Network to Austin was the
biggest blessing that I never would have gotten had I
not come to Texas. And obviously this wasn't necessarily in
the works whenever I originally committed to the University of Texas,
but just another perk of going to In my opinion,
the greatest university in the world is having that opportunity
(03:49):
and that exposure which allows me to be in the
position that I am in now in twenty twenty four,
being able to cover the team and the role that
I'm at with ESPN Now.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Fozi Whitaker joining us here on Sportsbant thirteen hundred zent
r so Fozzi, how did the next step happen? Is
that a deal where your representation is talking to the
ESPN people said hey, you know, the dude can also
work in the booth, he could be announced. Or did
they just flat out call you and say, hey, how
would you like to give being a game analyst to try?
Speaker 5 (04:16):
How did that all.
Speaker 6 (04:19):
Envelop and unfold for you?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
It was actually an interesting kind of development. Andy Wall
executive producer of Longhorn Network. She just finished up her
tenure with ESPN as Longhorn Network came to a close.
One of the most absolutely lovely women that I've had
the chance to be able to work with and work
(04:43):
for and just she was the one that initially saw
I guess my talent for broadcasting and brought me on
to Longhoor Network. Whenever I did show up in twenty
nineteen was that very first season that I was on
there full time, a year after I retired from the NFL,
(05:04):
and she was the one that ended up reaching out
to some of the executives and said, hey, I got
Fazzi here. He's interested in continuing a career path in
the broadcast industry and I feel like he could be
of help. And they listened and actually flew me out
to Charlotte, North Carolina, which is where the headquarters of
(05:27):
the SEC network is, and I did an interview in
person interview with a lot of the ESPN execs there,
and then even did a mock segment with SEC network
legendary Noka, and he and I even jabbed a little
fun with each other about the rare river robbery since
he is an Oklahoma grad.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
But it was just a.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Fun time to be able to express some of my
personality and then see how I played off of, you know,
the idea of being in a studio, being in the
game with somebody that I hadn't necessarily ever worked with before.
And then it took probably about four months. At the
end of February, I didn't I didn't find out until
(06:09):
about the end of June that I would be actually
doing games, and originally it was discussed doing like games
and studio depending on how they wanted to utilize me,
and to that degree, I still may do some more
studio opportunities, but at the moment, I've been scheduled for
(06:31):
just calling the games each week, and it's been an
absolute blast because I'm with one of the best people
in the industry in my opinion, who's opened so many doors.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
In the anchor in the Captain with I think we
lost a lost Fazzi. He was talking about low Glendo
with whom he worked at Longhoorn New work. So we'll
try to we'll try to get him back off that.
It's it's uh. It's a fascinating career path uh for
(07:07):
for Fozzy UH from being a player to working with
LongRun Network as a pregame and post game analyst there
on the desk there or and then in the studio
and then now in the play by play rail Fiz.
When we lost you were talking about uh, you were
talking about Lowell and does that has that made it
easier for you in the transition working with a guy
(07:28):
you know and have worked with before since you two
are a team now working games together.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
Absolutely, and and just to give you a.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Little example, you probably can't talk about doing Brock type
of work in communications without having some technical so I'm.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
Not quite sure what happened.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
With my phone there, but you just got to roll
with the.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Punches, right Yeah.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
And that's the.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Kind of has been a mentor for me, right. I
don't I don't even know if Lowell knew kind of
what direction it's Whenever long One Network announced, you know
that they would cease operations once Texas moves into the SEC.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
And I mean he had different options that.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
He could have went. And man, whenever.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
We shared the call together that we would be in
a crew working with each other on a weekly basis,
I think I was the the world, but Lowell probably
matched my same intensity just because of the rapport that
we've built together in.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
The relationship that we've been able to foster.
Speaker 5 (08:34):
And low has been truly.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
A beacon onto what it takes from in daily you know,
production standpoint, a different travel, what questions to ask the
coaches while we're prepping for games, what he's looking for
whenever he does film review, how how his cadence is
whenever he's going through the pay by play analysis while
(09:01):
the play is actually happening, and then giving me room
to breathe and allowing me to use my expertise and
analyze and break down.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
The play and then pass it back over to him.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
And I think our dynamic has been truly amazing just
because of the chemistry and the history that we have together.
So it's been amazing and I'm excited to continue to
work with Law for the rest of the season.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
All Right, So that first game, that first game you
had was Tarleton against mc knees. Were you nervous when
you're in the booths when it started?
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Absolutely, I absolutely was nervous.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
It was week zero.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Also, we were on ESPN two, so it wasn't even
just on the app.
Speaker 5 (09:42):
That we would be.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Accessible from a viewers standpoint, so we had more coverage
from the national perspective. And like I said, it was
the first time that I.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
Got to do it, not covering a team that.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
I was associated with, because I got to do Texas
and Wyoming last year, but that was still on Longhorn Network,
so it wasn't the same viewership opportunity. And so this
being you know, being my first it was two thirty
in the middle of the day, I thought that was
number one, truly amazing, and I had that opportunity. But
(10:16):
then number two, the nerves was there. But just like
in football.
Speaker 4 (10:19):
Whenever I played after the first.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Kick and I got to speak for that very first time,
those nerves went away and.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
Flowed like.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
And then analyzing it as such.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Yeah, all right, so tell me this. Now, you've got
three games under your belt. You had that that first one,
and I know you had to buy you bucket last
week with Houston beating right, I forgot the second one.
Speaker 5 (10:45):
What was the second one? You had? The second I.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Had Auburn and Alabama A and M week one, and
then I had the Missouri Buffalo week two, and then
last week was to buy you bucket Week three Houston
and Rice.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
So you've had four games counting the zero week actually
had four games, now, okay, all right, so you probably
feel like an old pro.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
Now, so I figured out how to pack.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
That's about the only thing that I've figured out so.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Far which brings us to this game. So no need
to worry about the packing, right and or all right?
So how I know that you know, we all have
to do our preparation, and I call the same team
every week, obviously in calling Texas for radio, but it
does provide the opportunity to update the home team preparation
(11:34):
in my case for Texas, and then of course there's
an entirely different team in this case. U El Monroe,
how about your preparation knowing what you know about the
Longhorns and learning the things you need to learn about
the Warhawks? What has this week been like for you
in preparing for this telecast? Did we lose them again? Okay,
we'll try them again. It was a long setup by me, happened,
(11:57):
So we'll try to get it back one more time.
And we'll do this here because this is an important element.
I want to ask him about this one other part
of this thing. And again, as we said, there were
a couple of little technical glitches we had in the
studio today, so it's probably on our end, FIS, it's
probably not on your end.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
So I'm going to ask you this.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Knowing what you know about the Longhorns and having seen
them and watch fall camp workouts and things like that,
knowing them as well as you know, and then having
to get together the information and learn what you can
about the Warhawks, what has this week been like for
you in terms of preparing for this gig.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
Fun today.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
All right, I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what
we're up against the break, we'll take a break. We'll
try to get Fuzzy back on again. I want to
ask him about that and a couple other things, So
we'll do that. We'll continue here on Sports Radio A
of thirteen under the Zone and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
And we're back to the Craigway Show. Have a message
for Craig, share it by using the talkback feature on
the iheartsradio.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Wise.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
All right, phone grem one so inconveniently and also inconsiderately
interrupted our conversation with Pozzy Whitker, so we wanted to
get Foz back on for a couple of minutes.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
Here.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I'm telling you, Phozzi, this is the most important question
I have for you. I've started to ask it twice
when we had the problems, But that is that is
the how has knowing this program, knowing Sark, how you
know and knowing this team?
Speaker 5 (13:39):
I know?
Speaker 2 (13:40):
What has this week been like in preparation for you?
Since it's Texas getting ready to play a team that
you're seeing for the first time.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
It does make it a little bit easier from the
standpoint of the familiarity that I have with Texas.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
And Sark and the players.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
But at the same time, I've taken this approach as
if it's another team that I'm unfamiliar with, another team
that you know, I'm getting in preparation for, so that
I go through my weekly routine and nothing changes from
what I've been doing over the past four weeks and
what I plan to continue to do once I'm at
another game next week and it's not Texas across the chest.
(14:19):
And so I think that has been beneficial.
Speaker 5 (14:22):
Finding a routine.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
That's probably the biggest key benefit that I can say.
That's allowed me to understand how to prep for each
game every single week, especially with the week's notice just
about in the amount of time.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
That we have in order to prepare for the next team.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
But I take it the same way, right, I've broken
down every game that Texas played, and the same way
I've broken down every game that's Louisiana Monroe Warhawks I've played,
and then I find key players, and I find the
storylines for a lot of the key players, and it's
more Lowell's job as a play by played that he
fits in some of those storylines within the broadcast. But
(15:03):
being able to have that same knowledge and be on
the same page and then use the meetings that we
have with the coaches and some of the players to
be able to boost kind of what we're trying to
portray about the team is very beneficial. So I treat
it the same as if it was you know, McNeice
and Tarnton State, or as if it was Rights in
Houston last week, And that gives me an opportunity to
(15:25):
stay consistent with my study and regiment and how I
plan to prepare to do things moving forward.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Is it a little more challenging for you because this
is not a Loghorn Network telecast. It is an ESPN telecast.
And I know, just like I do. I try to
give the other team credit when they do well, obviously,
but people who listen to me know who I want
to win the game, but I don't say we, and
you know I don't do the homer things. But but
you try to have that era professionalism. Is it a
(15:53):
little more challenging for you? Having warned the burn Orange,
having excelled as a member of the Loghorns and to
play it down the middle.
Speaker 5 (16:02):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
And it's funny because even today, whenever we had our
meetings with Louisiana Monroe, I pop.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Onto my zoom and.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
I'm in the zoom room early before everybody else gets there,
and I realized my zoom profile picture is me and Longhorns.
Year I was like, oh, they probably not going to
appreciate if I this as my profile photo before I
get a chance to speak with them. And it's those
(16:31):
types of small things that I'm not even aware that
I have it up there, or like it's not making
a big reference point to doing that. And now on
the broadcast I make a point to say, you know
Texas and not we, so that I don't show that
biasness in there, but at the same time it is
always there, and suppressing it is probably the most challenging
(16:53):
part knowing that my interest in rooting interests in particular
live with the success of this Texas football team.
Speaker 5 (17:00):
It would only be natural if that was the case.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Hey, Pozzi, I appreciate you taking the time to do
this and bearing through the little phone greblin thing, but
I look forward to seeing you up in the up
in the broadcast area on Saturday. You am Lowell and
I'm grateful to you for taking the time to join
us today.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
Absolutely well.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
I appreciate you as a legend paving a way for
a lot.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
Of us to do what we do.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I'm just very appreciative that you would consider me to
hop on the call with you and then I had
absolute blast.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
So look forward to you Saturday. Thanks Foz, appreciate it.
All right.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Is Fozzie Whitakers the long worn legend that he is,
and he'll be working the telecast with local Into on
Saturday night. All right, I do want to hear some
more from from Sark from the media. From the media
availability did today the Zoom media availabilities, here's a few
more thoughts from him. One of those is is what
(18:01):
he would like to see? And again the preponderance of
the questions were going to be about Arch banning and
quin yours quin status art starting those types of things,
and so Sark was asked, are there any specifics things
that he's looking for that he'd like to see from
Arch in his first start as a collegiate.
Speaker 7 (18:22):
I just really execute, you know, I think I think
one thing when you come in called off the bench,
like he like he got kind of thrown into last week.
And what I what I really appreciated about him. He
really executed the offense, whether it was you know, the
passing game, whether it was the motions, a shift, all
the all the stuff, him having to pull it and run.
Speaker 6 (18:44):
I mean, he executed. But that was almost the reaction
to go in.
Speaker 7 (18:49):
Now he's had all week to really study the game plan,
knowing the openers, things of that nature.
Speaker 6 (18:54):
What what I my goals. I just don't want him
to kind.
Speaker 7 (18:57):
Of overanalyze and and and get himself in kind of
the paralysis by analysis state. I want him to play football,
and the best way to play football is trust the call,
go execute it, and then move on to the next play.
And so that's my goal for him that I'd love
to see come out of Saturday night.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Okay, so that's Archer's role. What about Quinn's role on
the sideline. Obviously he'll be there if he's not playing
or whatever, and might be on the headset as well.
And you know there's that and then oh, by the way,
there's another quarterback. Remember Trey Owens got on the field
later in the game. He now really realistically becomes the
(19:33):
backup quarterback or is he still number three? How does
that whole dynamic playout? These are the questions put to start.
Speaker 7 (19:41):
Quinn will obviously have an earpiece in He'll hear every
play call and without question, you know, his support of
Arch is critical and I don't foresee anything different than that.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
I think he's going to be engaged, He's going to
know the calls.
Speaker 7 (19:53):
There's gonna be great dialogue on the sideline with Arch
and Coach Milwey about what they're seeing and what we're
trying to do. So that think that role is pretty clean,
and I think you know, supporting his the rest of
the team, you know, but that's Sue Quinn is. He's
a great leader, so I expect nothing else of that.
Cole Lord will be the third quarterback with Trey being
the backup quarterback.
Speaker 6 (20:15):
You know, Trey had a good week.
Speaker 7 (20:17):
You know, it's different when you're doing a lot of
scout team work and then you're trying to know the
offense for a couple of reps here and there. Is
different than when you spend all week up with us
and and you're running the game plan plays. And I
thought he's really come along all week, had a very
good practice today, So feel good about that. And Cole,
you know, one of his best attribute is he knows
(20:37):
our offense inside.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
Now.
Speaker 7 (20:38):
You know, he's been with us now for quite some time.
Every time we put him in there, he plays well.
He played well in the spring game, so we feel
good about him as well.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Yeah, and Cole, in case you're wondering, where's number nineteen,
so be wearing number nineteen on Saturday. I've seen your
walk on from Los Angeles, California. Okay, a couple other
things out the quarterback on the other side, General Booty,
and as I mentioned, uh, General Booty, the quarterback for
(21:08):
Joel Monroe is the nephew of John David Booty, who
was coached by Sark on the USC staff back in
the early two thousands.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
So the question for.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Sark is does he see any similarities between General Booty
and his uncle, John David Booty, that whom Sark coached
at USC.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
Well, I think one.
Speaker 7 (21:28):
Thing that Johnny Booty, uh, you know John Davis dad
did and with all those with all the boys, is
they they just have a knack for throwing the ball.
They you know, I used to laugh when they were
when they were back there in high school, they would
just if people blitzed them, they got they backed up
further in the shotgun. They'd be back about nine yards
deep and they they let it rip.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
You know.
Speaker 7 (21:47):
So, uh, general can can can throw it and he
can let it rip. And it's very natural for him.
It's very you know, it's not like he's working too
hard to throw the ball and to make reads and
throw him under under dress.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Okay, a couple other things from Sark. How important is
it to him? We've heard Sark talk about playing a
lot of guys. They had seventy seven guys see action
in the season opener. They had seventy seven guys see
action in the game last Saturday against UTSA with respect
to certain positions, like, for example, in the offensive line,
(22:22):
Trevor Gooseby, who saw some action at left tackle. He's
the red shirt freshman from Melissa. Brandon Baker's the freshman
out of the Modern Day program in California as well.
How's important it is it for guys like those two
guys to continue to get reps and snaps.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
Well, I think it's huge for their development.
Speaker 7 (22:39):
You know, as much as we you know, we make
our practice tough and competitive and all that. There's nothing
like game like reps, and there's nothing like feeling the
speed of the game. There's nothing like having to make
those calls with some consequences. There's nothing like honestly using
the wrong footwork and getting beat and then realizing the
consequence of the quarterback getting hit or the running back
(23:00):
getting tackled. That there's some there's some there's some consequences
to it, and so we need them to feel that.
But also I think just finding their finding their footing
and getting their comfort level of playing in game. You know,
a couple of those guys, they're a play away and
you never know when that one play could occur, and
now you're in there and now you're playing. So these
reps that they're getting now, in my opinion, are so
(23:23):
valuable for the short term future, but to your point,
the long term future of their development.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Okay, Gunner Helm a guy who's just been on fire.
He's called ten passes, one hundred and eighty nine yards
in a touchdown, he's averaging nineteen yards per catch. Has
either Sark or Gunner himself raised his bar with the
way he has played this season?
Speaker 6 (23:44):
Yeah? No, I think you're spot on.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
He's had he had a great spring, he had a
great summer, he had a really good training camp, and
then we put more on his plate and he's delivered.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
You know.
Speaker 7 (23:54):
So the more things we've asked of him to do,
which was a little bit of a different role than
what we asked of him likelast year with JT being here,
you know, he's assumed that role and then he's excelled
at it. And so to your point, yes, we have
raised the standard for him of an expectation of style
of play but also quality of play, and he and
he's met it and exceeded it quite frankly. So I've
(24:16):
been very pleased with him. But I do agree with
you he's very focused right now and in trying to be,
in my opinion, one of the best, if not the
best tied end in the country.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
All right, Yet, one more, one more quarterback question. How
as a quarterback, and Sark has been there before, do
you walk the line in your first start of wanting
to please your coaches but also staying loose and being
yourself and playing the game.
Speaker 7 (24:41):
Well, I think that's that's the challenge, right, I Mean,
that's that's why sometimes it's almost easier to get called
in off the bench when you haven't had to have
all week thinking about playing in the game. You just
get put in and then you go play. I think
one thing that that arch has done a really good
job of is even when he's the backup, he prepares
(25:03):
like the starter. And so I don't think this week
from a preparation standpoint has been much different for him,
because that's just the way he goes about his business.
Speaker 6 (25:12):
Now.
Speaker 7 (25:13):
In the end, is like I was saying earlier, it's
like just that ability to go out.
Speaker 6 (25:18):
And play the game and let the plays work.
Speaker 7 (25:20):
And execute the plays and not feel like you got
to go prove it to anybody.
Speaker 6 (25:25):
There's nothing to prove. You already did that last week, right.
Speaker 7 (25:27):
I mean, you go out and you have five touchdowns
coming in off the bench, You've already proved you can play.
Now it's about executing the plan, doing it with confidence,
and you know, fixing some of the issues on the
field when they arise, you know, running backs on the
wrong side, things of that nature, the coach calls the
wrong protection. All sorts of things can happen, and if
you're really clear minded, then he's going to be able
(25:48):
to make those adjustments on the fly, play calm football,
but yet still have his competitive spirit really high. And
I think the Arch definitely has a high competitive spirit.
You can see it in his reactions when he makes plays.
You know, he wants to play really good football. As
much as it is he wants to play good for himself,
he wants to play really good for his teammates because
I think he really values the work and the time
(26:09):
and the effort that everybody's putting in, and he wants
to be a great teammate to them.
Speaker 6 (26:13):
And so that's that's the goal.
Speaker 7 (26:15):
And but to your point that that is challenging, you know,
to to get your get in the right frame of mind.
But I think when you have a routine, it's a
little easier to get into that frame of mind week
in and week out. And I think his routine has
been very good as the backup as he transitions into
starting this week.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Sark answering the question from our good friend Cedric Golden
and the Austin American Statesmen. There, all right, we'll be
back to wrap up today's program here on Sports Radio
AM thirteen under the zone of the iHeartRadio app
And we're back to the Craigway Show. Have a message
for Craig, share it by using the talkback feature on
the Ihearts Radio app.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
And we're glad to have you with us here on
this Thursday afternoon as we continue to navigate a hot
late September afternoon heading up to the game Saturday. Yes,
it's going to be in the upper nineties during the
day and that sort of thing. It'll be a warm evening.
But you know what, that's not going to matter to
our next guest. You see, he was on with us
(00:41):
at Pluckers a little over a week ago with log
worn Weekly with Coach Sark, and when it was announced
that he was going to be on the broadcast on
the telecast of the game with Old Galindo, this huge
round of applause went up. But no one was happier
that he was going to be at the game than
(01:02):
the man himself, Fazi Whitaker, who joins us on the hotline.
Am I correct, Faz, you were probably the happiest guy
about that whole deal. The fact that you knew you
were going to get to work a home game.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Absolutely, And I think the bigger picture for me with
my first year doing ESPN traveling cover in college football
in the booth, is that I get a chance to
actually cover.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
The not just the Texas Longhorns, but the number.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
One team in the nation in my first year.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Doing play by play and analysts.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
In the booth.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
So I thought that was a really cool special touch
to the start.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Of my broadcasting career in the booth. And man, I've
been grateful and super blessed to be in this position. Man,
I can't wait for Saturday Night to come fast enough.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
All right now, Fazi, I gotta ask you this because
I'm just fascinated and have been by your career path
and the way it's going to We talked a little
bit about it on Weekly last week. What you went
through and the time that you had to prove yourself
as a player, coming through all the injuries and then
and as you did all that, I know you believed
in yourself as a player all along. Did you have
(02:12):
any inkling that this might be the next avenue for
you into the broadcast world.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
I didn't know I would necessarily be in a booth,
but I did love to do studio work. Whenever I
started with Longhorn Network and doing the pregame, halftime and
postgame show. My actual degree in undergrad is in communication,
and that was something that I had to explored because
(02:41):
I felt like I wanted to be in some sort
of way in a broadcast role. I didn't know how
my career would shape out athletically, and then I didn't
even know honestly how my career would shape out from
a broadcast standpoint. But honestly, if it wasn't for Longhorn
New Network being positioned in Austin my senior year twenty eleven,
(03:05):
I may not have gotten introduced to what it means
to be a part of a broadcast team, what it
takes in order to actually go through an entire programming
for a show for a game, covering the pre half
posts as well as play by play for the Longhorn
Network televised games. So the exposure that ESPN was able
(03:27):
to provide by bringing Longhorn Network to Austin was the
biggest blessing that I never would have gotten had I
not come to Texas. And obviously this wasn't necessarily in
the works whenever I originally committed to the University of Texas,
but just another perk of going to In my opinion,
the greatest university in the world is having that opportunity
(03:49):
and that exposure which allows me to be in the
position that I am in now in twenty twenty four,
being able to cover the team and the role that
I'm at with ESPN Now.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Fozi Whitaker joining us here on Sportsbant thirteen hundred zent
r so Fozzi, how did the next step happen? Is
that a deal where your representation is talking to the
ESPN people said hey, you know, the dude can also
work in the booth, he could be announced. Or did
they just flat out call you and say, hey, how
would you like to give being a game analyst to try?
Speaker 5 (04:16):
How did that all.
Speaker 6 (04:19):
Envelop and unfold for you?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
It was actually an interesting kind of development. Andy Wall
executive producer of Longhorn Network. She just finished up her
tenure with ESPN as Longhorn Network came to a close.
One of the most absolutely lovely women that I've had
the chance to be able to work with and work
(04:43):
for and just she was the one that initially saw
I guess my talent for broadcasting and brought me on
to Longhoor Network. Whenever I did show up in twenty
nineteen was that very first season that I was on
there full time, a year after I retired from the NFL,
(05:04):
and she was the one that ended up reaching out
to some of the executives and said, hey, I got
Fazzi here. He's interested in continuing a career path in
the broadcast industry and I feel like he could be
of help. And they listened and actually flew me out
to Charlotte, North Carolina, which is where the headquarters of
(05:27):
the SEC network is, and I did an interview in
person interview with a lot of the ESPN execs there,
and then even did a mock segment with SEC network
legendary Noka, and he and I even jabbed a little
fun with each other about the rare river robbery since
he is an Oklahoma grad.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
But it was just a.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Fun time to be able to express some of my
personality and then see how I played off of, you know,
the idea of being in a studio, being in the
game with somebody that I hadn't necessarily ever worked with before.
And then it took probably about four months. At the
end of February, I didn't I didn't find out until
(06:09):
about the end of June that I would be actually
doing games, and originally it was discussed doing like games
and studio depending on how they wanted to utilize me,
and to that degree, I still may do some more
studio opportunities, but at the moment, I've been scheduled for
(06:31):
just calling the games each week, and it's been an
absolute blast because I'm with one of the best people
in the industry in my opinion, who's opened so many doors.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
In the anchor in the Captain with I think we
lost a lost Fazzi. He was talking about low Glendo
with whom he worked at Longhoorn New work. So we'll
try to we'll try to get him back off that.
It's it's uh. It's a fascinating career path uh for
(07:07):
for Fozzy UH from being a player to working with
LongRun Network as a pregame and post game analyst there
on the desk there or and then in the studio
and then now in the play by play rail Fiz.
When we lost you were talking about uh, you were
talking about Lowell and does that has that made it
easier for you in the transition working with a guy
(07:28):
you know and have worked with before since you two
are a team now working games together.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
Absolutely, and and just to give you a.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Little example, you probably can't talk about doing Brock type
of work in communications without having some technical so I'm.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
Not quite sure what happened.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
With my phone there, but you just got to roll
with the.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Punches, right Yeah.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
And that's the.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Kind of has been a mentor for me, right. I
don't I don't even know if Lowell knew kind of
what direction it's Whenever long One Network announced, you know
that they would cease operations once Texas moves into the SEC.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
And I mean he had different options that.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
He could have went. And man, whenever.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
We shared the call together that we would be in
a crew working with each other on a weekly basis,
I think I was the the world, but Lowell probably
matched my same intensity just because of the rapport that
we've built together in.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
The relationship that we've been able to foster.
Speaker 5 (08:34):
And low has been truly.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
A beacon onto what it takes from in daily you know,
production standpoint, a different travel, what questions to ask the
coaches while we're prepping for games, what he's looking for
whenever he does film review, how how his cadence is
whenever he's going through the pay by play analysis while
(09:01):
the play is actually happening, and then giving me room
to breathe and allowing me to use my expertise and
analyze and break down.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
The play and then pass it back over to him.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
And I think our dynamic has been truly amazing just
because of the chemistry and the history that we have together.
So it's been amazing and I'm excited to continue to
work with Law for the rest of the season.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
All Right, So that first game, that first game you
had was Tarleton against mc knees. Were you nervous when
you're in the booths when it started?
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Absolutely, I absolutely was nervous.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
It was week zero.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Also, we were on ESPN two, so it wasn't even
just on the app.
Speaker 5 (09:42):
That we would be.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Accessible from a viewers standpoint, so we had more coverage
from the national perspective. And like I said, it was
the first time that I.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
Got to do it, not covering a team that.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
I was associated with, because I got to do Texas
and Wyoming last year, but that was still on Longhorn Network,
so it wasn't the same viewership opportunity. And so this
being you know, being my first it was two thirty
in the middle of the day, I thought that was
number one, truly amazing, and I had that opportunity. But
(10:16):
then number two, the nerves was there. But just like
in football.
Speaker 4 (10:19):
Whenever I played after the first.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Kick and I got to speak for that very first time,
those nerves went away and.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
Flowed like.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
And then analyzing it as such.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Yeah, all right, so tell me this. Now, you've got
three games under your belt. You had that that first one,
and I know you had to buy you bucket last
week with Houston beating right, I forgot the second one.
Speaker 5 (10:45):
What was the second one? You had? The second I.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Had Auburn and Alabama A and M week one, and
then I had the Missouri Buffalo week two, and then
last week was to buy you bucket Week three Houston
and Rice.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
So you've had four games counting the zero week actually
had four games, now, okay, all right, so you probably
feel like an old pro.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
Now, so I figured out how to pack.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
That's about the only thing that I've figured out so.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Far which brings us to this game. So no need
to worry about the packing, right and or all right?
So how I know that you know, we all have
to do our preparation, and I call the same team
every week, obviously in calling Texas for radio, but it
does provide the opportunity to update the home team preparation
(11:34):
in my case for Texas, and then of course there's
an entirely different team in this case. U El Monroe,
how about your preparation knowing what you know about the
Longhorns and learning the things you need to learn about
the Warhawks? What has this week been like for you
in preparing for this telecast? Did we lose them again? Okay,
we'll try them again. It was a long setup by me, happened,
(11:57):
So we'll try to get it back one more time.
And we'll do this here because this is an important element.
I want to ask him about this one other part
of this thing. And again, as we said, there were
a couple of little technical glitches we had in the
studio today, so it's probably on our end, FIS, it's
probably not on your end.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
So I'm going to ask you this.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Knowing what you know about the Longhorns and having seen
them and watch fall camp workouts and things like that,
knowing them as well as you know, and then having
to get together the information and learn what you can
about the Warhawks, what has this week been like for
you in terms of preparing for this gig.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
Fun today.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
All right, I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what
we're up against the break, we'll take a break. We'll
try to get Fuzzy back on again. I want to
ask him about that and a couple other things, So
we'll do that. We'll continue here on Sports Radio A
of thirteen under the Zone and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
And we're back to the Craigway Show. Have a message
for Craig, share it by using the talkback feature on
the iheartsradio.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Wise.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
All right, phone grem one so inconveniently and also inconsiderately
interrupted our conversation with Pozzy Whitker, so we wanted to
get Foz back on for a couple of minutes.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
Here.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I'm telling you, Phozzi, this is the most important question
I have for you. I've started to ask it twice
when we had the problems, But that is that is
the how has knowing this program, knowing Sark, how you
know and knowing this team?
Speaker 5 (13:39):
I know?
Speaker 2 (13:40):
What has this week been like in preparation for you?
Since it's Texas getting ready to play a team that
you're seeing for the first time.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
It does make it a little bit easier from the
standpoint of the familiarity that I have with Texas.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
And Sark and the players.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
But at the same time, I've taken this approach as
if it's another team that I'm unfamiliar with, another team
that you know, I'm getting in preparation for, so that
I go through my weekly routine and nothing changes from
what I've been doing over the past four weeks and
what I plan to continue to do once I'm at
another game next week and it's not Texas across the chest.
(14:19):
And so I think that has been beneficial.
Speaker 5 (14:22):
Finding a routine.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
That's probably the biggest key benefit that I can say.
That's allowed me to understand how to prep for each
game every single week, especially with the week's notice just
about in the amount of time.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
That we have in order to prepare for the next team.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
But I take it the same way, right, I've broken
down every game that Texas played, and the same way
I've broken down every game that's Louisiana Monroe Warhawks I've played,
and then I find key players, and I find the
storylines for a lot of the key players, and it's
more Lowell's job as a play by played that he
fits in some of those storylines within the broadcast. But
(15:03):
being able to have that same knowledge and be on
the same page and then use the meetings that we
have with the coaches and some of the players to
be able to boost kind of what we're trying to
portray about the team is very beneficial. So I treat
it the same as if it was you know, McNeice
and Tarnton State, or as if it was Rights in
Houston last week, And that gives me an opportunity to
(15:25):
stay consistent with my study and regiment and how I
plan to prepare to do things moving forward.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Is it a little more challenging for you because this
is not a Loghorn Network telecast. It is an ESPN telecast.
And I know, just like I do. I try to
give the other team credit when they do well, obviously,
but people who listen to me know who I want
to win the game, but I don't say we, and
you know I don't do the homer things. But but
you try to have that era professionalism. Is it a
(15:53):
little more challenging for you? Having warned the burn Orange,
having excelled as a member of the Loghorns and to
play it down the middle.
Speaker 5 (16:02):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
And it's funny because even today, whenever we had our
meetings with Louisiana Monroe, I pop.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Onto my zoom and.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
I'm in the zoom room early before everybody else gets there,
and I realized my zoom profile picture is me and Longhorns.
Year I was like, oh, they probably not going to
appreciate if I this as my profile photo before I
get a chance to speak with them. And it's those
(16:31):
types of small things that I'm not even aware that
I have it up there, or like it's not making
a big reference point to doing that. And now on
the broadcast I make a point to say, you know
Texas and not we, so that I don't show that
biasness in there, but at the same time it is
always there, and suppressing it is probably the most challenging
(16:53):
part knowing that my interest in rooting interests in particular
live with the success of this Texas football team.
Speaker 5 (17:00):
It would only be natural if that was the case.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Hey, Pozzi, I appreciate you taking the time to do
this and bearing through the little phone greblin thing, but
I look forward to seeing you up in the up
in the broadcast area on Saturday. You am Lowell and
I'm grateful to you for taking the time to join
us today.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
Absolutely well.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
I appreciate you as a legend paving a way for
a lot.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
Of us to do what we do.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I'm just very appreciative that you would consider me to
hop on the call with you and then I had
absolute blast.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
So look forward to you Saturday. Thanks Foz, appreciate it.
All right.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Is Fozzie Whitakers the long worn legend that he is,
and he'll be working the telecast with local Into on
Saturday night. All right, I do want to hear some
more from from Sark from the media. From the media
availability did today the Zoom media availabilities, here's a few
more thoughts from him. One of those is is what
(18:01):
he would like to see? And again the preponderance of
the questions were going to be about Arch banning and
quin yours quin status art starting those types of things,
and so Sark was asked, are there any specifics things
that he's looking for that he'd like to see from
Arch in his first start as a collegiate.
Speaker 7 (18:22):
I just really execute, you know, I think I think
one thing when you come in called off the bench,
like he like he got kind of thrown into last week.
And what I what I really appreciated about him. He
really executed the offense, whether it was you know, the
passing game, whether it was the motions, a shift, all
the all the stuff, him having to pull it and run.
Speaker 6 (18:44):
I mean, he executed. But that was almost the reaction
to go in.
Speaker 7 (18:49):
Now he's had all week to really study the game plan,
knowing the openers, things of that nature.
Speaker 6 (18:54):
What what I my goals. I just don't want him
to kind.
Speaker 7 (18:57):
Of overanalyze and and and get himself in kind of
the paralysis by analysis state. I want him to play football,
and the best way to play football is trust the call,
go execute it, and then move on to the next play.
And so that's my goal for him that I'd love
to see come out of Saturday night.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Okay, so that's Archer's role. What about Quinn's role on
the sideline. Obviously he'll be there if he's not playing
or whatever, and might be on the headset as well.
And you know there's that and then oh, by the way,
there's another quarterback. Remember Trey Owens got on the field
later in the game. He now really realistically becomes the
(19:33):
backup quarterback or is he still number three? How does
that whole dynamic playout? These are the questions put to start.
Speaker 7 (19:41):
Quinn will obviously have an earpiece in He'll hear every
play call and without question, you know, his support of
Arch is critical and I don't foresee anything different than that.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
I think he's going to be engaged, He's going to
know the calls.
Speaker 7 (19:53):
There's gonna be great dialogue on the sideline with Arch
and Coach Milwey about what they're seeing and what we're
trying to do. So that think that role is pretty clean,
and I think you know, supporting his the rest of
the team, you know, but that's Sue Quinn is. He's
a great leader, so I expect nothing else of that.
Cole Lord will be the third quarterback with Trey being
the backup quarterback.
Speaker 6 (20:15):
You know, Trey had a good week.
Speaker 7 (20:17):
You know, it's different when you're doing a lot of
scout team work and then you're trying to know the
offense for a couple of reps here and there. Is
different than when you spend all week up with us
and and you're running the game plan plays. And I
thought he's really come along all week, had a very
good practice today, So feel good about that. And Cole,
you know, one of his best attribute is he knows
(20:37):
our offense inside.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
Now.
Speaker 7 (20:38):
You know, he's been with us now for quite some time.
Every time we put him in there, he plays well.
He played well in the spring game, so we feel
good about him as well.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Yeah, and Cole, in case you're wondering, where's number nineteen,
so be wearing number nineteen on Saturday. I've seen your
walk on from Los Angeles, California. Okay, a couple other
things out the quarterback on the other side, General Booty,
and as I mentioned, uh, General Booty, the quarterback for
(21:08):
Joel Monroe is the nephew of John David Booty, who
was coached by Sark on the USC staff back in
the early two thousands.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
So the question for.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Sark is does he see any similarities between General Booty
and his uncle, John David Booty, that whom Sark coached
at USC.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
Well, I think one.
Speaker 7 (21:28):
Thing that Johnny Booty, uh, you know John Davis dad
did and with all those with all the boys, is
they they just have a knack for throwing the ball.
They you know, I used to laugh when they were
when they were back there in high school, they would
just if people blitzed them, they got they backed up
further in the shotgun. They'd be back about nine yards
deep and they they let it rip.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
You know.
Speaker 7 (21:47):
So, uh, general can can can throw it and he
can let it rip. And it's very natural for him.
It's very you know, it's not like he's working too
hard to throw the ball and to make reads and
throw him under under dress.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Okay, a couple other things from Sark. How important is
it to him? We've heard Sark talk about playing a
lot of guys. They had seventy seven guys see action
in the season opener. They had seventy seven guys see
action in the game last Saturday against UTSA with respect
to certain positions, like, for example, in the offensive line,
(22:22):
Trevor Gooseby, who saw some action at left tackle. He's
the red shirt freshman from Melissa. Brandon Baker's the freshman
out of the Modern Day program in California as well.
How's important it is it for guys like those two
guys to continue to get reps and snaps.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
Well, I think it's huge for their development.
Speaker 7 (22:39):
You know, as much as we you know, we make
our practice tough and competitive and all that. There's nothing
like game like reps, and there's nothing like feeling the
speed of the game. There's nothing like having to make
those calls with some consequences. There's nothing like honestly using
the wrong footwork and getting beat and then realizing the
consequence of the quarterback getting hit or the running back
(23:00):
getting tackled. That there's some there's some there's some consequences
to it, and so we need them to feel that.
But also I think just finding their finding their footing
and getting their comfort level of playing in game. You know,
a couple of those guys, they're a play away and
you never know when that one play could occur, and
now you're in there and now you're playing. So these
reps that they're getting now, in my opinion, are so
(23:23):
valuable for the short term future, but to your point,
the long term future of their development.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Okay, Gunner Helm a guy who's just been on fire.
He's called ten passes, one hundred and eighty nine yards
in a touchdown, he's averaging nineteen yards per catch. Has
either Sark or Gunner himself raised his bar with the
way he has played this season?
Speaker 6 (23:44):
Yeah? No, I think you're spot on.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
He's had he had a great spring, he had a
great summer, he had a really good training camp, and
then we put more on his plate and he's delivered.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
You know.
Speaker 7 (23:54):
So the more things we've asked of him to do,
which was a little bit of a different role than
what we asked of him likelast year with JT being here,
you know, he's assumed that role and then he's excelled
at it. And so to your point, yes, we have
raised the standard for him of an expectation of style
of play but also quality of play, and he and
he's met it and exceeded it quite frankly. So I've
(24:16):
been very pleased with him. But I do agree with
you he's very focused right now and in trying to be,
in my opinion, one of the best, if not the
best tied end in the country.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
All right, Yet, one more, one more quarterback question. How
as a quarterback, and Sark has been there before, do
you walk the line in your first start of wanting
to please your coaches but also staying loose and being
yourself and playing the game.
Speaker 7 (24:41):
Well, I think that's that's the challenge, right, I Mean,
that's that's why sometimes it's almost easier to get called
in off the bench when you haven't had to have
all week thinking about playing in the game. You just
get put in and then you go play. I think
one thing that that arch has done a really good
job of is even when he's the backup, he prepares
(25:03):
like the starter. And so I don't think this week
from a preparation standpoint has been much different for him,
because that's just the way he goes about his business.
Speaker 6 (25:12):
Now.
Speaker 7 (25:13):
In the end, is like I was saying earlier, it's
like just that ability to go out.
Speaker 6 (25:18):
And play the game and let the plays work.
Speaker 7 (25:20):
And execute the plays and not feel like you got
to go prove it to anybody.
Speaker 6 (25:25):
There's nothing to prove. You already did that last week, right.
Speaker 7 (25:27):
I mean, you go out and you have five touchdowns
coming in off the bench, You've already proved you can play.
Now it's about executing the plan, doing it with confidence,
and you know, fixing some of the issues on the
field when they arise, you know, running backs on the
wrong side, things of that nature, the coach calls the
wrong protection. All sorts of things can happen, and if
you're really clear minded, then he's going to be able
(25:48):
to make those adjustments on the fly, play calm football,
but yet still have his competitive spirit really high. And
I think the Arch definitely has a high competitive spirit.
You can see it in his reactions when he makes plays.
You know, he wants to play really good football. As
much as it is he wants to play good for himself,
he wants to play really good for his teammates because
I think he really values the work and the time
(26:09):
and the effort that everybody's putting in, and he wants
to be a great teammate to them.
Speaker 6 (26:13):
And so that's that's the goal.
Speaker 7 (26:15):
And but to your point that that is challenging, you know,
to to get your get in the right frame of mind.
But I think when you have a routine, it's a
little easier to get into that frame of mind week
in and week out. And I think his routine has
been very good as the backup as he transitions into
starting this week.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Sark answering the question from our good friend Cedric Golden
and the Austin American Statesmen. There, all right, we'll be
back to wrap up today's program here on Sports Radio
AM thirteen under the zone of the iHeartRadio app
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