The Craig Way Show
Andrew Mukuba likens game-sealing interception to Hollywood movie ending
New Year, New Year has never been easier than with family dollar. Snack smarter for less with great deals on trail mix, bottled water, and more. Don't forget your smart coupons to save more than ever before. Family Dollar helping you do more. New Year, New Year has never been easier than with family dollar. Snack smarter for less with great deals on trail mix, bottled water, and more. Don't forget your smart coupons to save more than ever before. Family Dollar helping you do more. It's the Craig Wachem with the voice of the Texas Longhorns and Hall of Fame broadcaster, Craig Way. Notre Dame on to attempt a 48-yard field goal right now near an end of the first half between Georgia and Notre Dame in the All-State Sugar Bowl. The college football playoff quarter-final. Mitch Jeter already successful from 43 yards earlier in the game. So now attempting to get a 48-yarder that would put Notre Dame in front 6-3 if he were to make it and believe he just did right down the upright. So Notre Dame, their first lead in this game with 38 seconds to go in the first half, leading 6-3 over the Georgia Bulldogs. Again, mentioned we had some sound here from yesterday's post-game show on the Longhorn Radio Network with Will Matthews and Roger Wallace. Let's get to Gunnar Helm. Stay on the offensive side of the ball. Helm had these touchdown in the second overtime, the first play 25 yards out. Only three catches in this game was used a lot in running past blocking situations, but Helm came up big in the second half specifically with that touchdown grab. Here is his post-game conversation with Will Matthews. Gunnar, can you talk us through this game and what you saw, especially early in the game? You guys come out to play, bam, a little bit of a lull and then turn it back on late in the game. Yeah, we stressed the point of jumping on him fast and that's exactly what we did. I was going on the second play of the game. So we came out hot and then we just got to find a way to keep that fire going into the second quarter and the flow of the game was the flow of the game. I don't think we got more than 25 plays in the first half, so we got to capitalize on the opportunities when they come. But other than that, just so proud of these guys persevering through the adversity and there's a lot of fight in this team and I can't wait to see what we do next week. Yeah, you talk about adversity, the pick, and then the last three times, Quinn touches the ball, touchdown, touchdown, two-point conversion. What's that same bunch of quarterback? Yeah, I mean it says that he's a complete competitor, he's one of my best friends off the field and he's the exact same way off the field, just a competitor. Doesn't like to lose at all, but when Quinn gets the ball in his hands, it's dangerous and we know that and we know that he can make these plays and we're just super proud of him. When the game starts to change and momentum shifts, it can feel almost like sinking. But you guys were able to focus even though that there was adversity. Talk us through, why? You know, I think it speaks volumes on how Coach Stark gets us ready for the game. He told us this was exactly what's going to happen. You know, we knew that they tried to short the game. They liked to try to short the game and you know, we were going to have limited opportunities so we had to make the most for opportunities. But he got us ready throughout this whole week. He said we were going to have adversity and when it struck, we knew how to, I guess, get through it. Your view of fourth and 13 entire season on the line and Quinn and Matt come up with that touchdown. I mean, yeah, it was just hard, hard sank and just the most relief I've ever felt in my whole life. But they made a great play. Quinn threw a great ball and Matt made a great play. He came out completely clutch for us today and super proud of him and his efforts. Gunnar, talk about this defense and what they bring. You guys are really complimentary. They do their thing. You do their thing. Talk about that connection. Yeah, I don't think that we are very complimentary early on in the season. I think that we kind of hung him out to try a couple of times early on in the season. But just as we grew as a football team and we started to establish the run game and getting all of our playmakers to ball in their hands. You know, I think that we really started to put the defense in the best situation that we possibly could because that's our job. We want to keep them off the field. We need long drives. Keep them out the field, keep them fresh, keep them healthy, keep them ready. Gunnar, thank you so much for your time. Enjoy this one. See you. Yes, sir. See you guys in Dallas. It's two straight games that Gunnar Helms had two big touchdowns in the college football playoffs. Being the college football playoff Notre Dame, forcing another turnover strip-sacking Gunnar stocked and recovered by Notre Dame. First play touchdown. Fighting Irish, their first touchdown of the game. Riley Leonard throwing a touchdown pass to Collins over the middle of Notre Dame a chance to go up 13 to 3 at the end of the first half. What a flip in this game. It was 3-3. Georgia with the football and now the dogs may be going in the halftime yet again, trailing in their second member, the Trailigans taxes in the SEC title game have not played since then. Looks like they'll be trailing in halftime going into this one as the extra point on the way is good. 13-3 fighting Irish leading Georgia in the college football playoff quarter final at the sugar ball. Okay, that was Gunnar Helms now on to the man who had the game ceiling interception, Andrew Makuba. Coming waiting for a lifetime for your fifth interception. Oh, I mean, this whole thing really started when we was down and you know, we was getting ready to go out. You know, I told you, hey, man, you the leader, but you the leader of this team, you know, bring everybody together and pick this defense up because the energy was low and he got everybody together to talk to everybody, pick the energy up. And on that, on that same, on that same job, we went out though. Obviously, we got the game winning. We got the game winning interception, but you know, it all started with Jada getting those guys together, talking to those guys, you know, lifting those guys up and telling them we got to pick this energy up. So he really started with him. You say that and then Jada gets the defense player of the game. And the first thing he does is mention you. Does that kind of sum up that DB room? I mean, yeah, and this the type of person Jada is, man, he's never really going to take credit, but you know, he deserved the credit, but you know, he the type of person is going to give everybody else the credit and I take the credit. So I just want to, you know, give a shout out to him because he played his heart out and he definitely deserved that MVP trophy. Tonight, ASU came out really strong. They kept coming back growing and growing. What was that? What was the defense? What were y'all talking about on the sideline when y'all were going into that? Man, what was you telling everybody, man, whatever, whatever it takes, whatever it takes to get this job done, you know, no matter how we're down or we owe, whatever it takes to finish this game. So that was just the mentality, man. Street fight mentality, you know, go out there, you know, fight, you fighting to not stop and not quit, and you know, obviously you see the results, man, we just kept going. That's how we just believed and kept going. Andrew, we asked Matt if he saw your pick. He said, "Yeah, of course. That was pretty nice." Did you see his fourth down catch to keep the season alive? I mean, I seen everything Matt did today, man. That was, that was really phenomenal, man. He really, he really helped us obviously win the game. So, you know, shout out to Matt, man. He was definitely doing this time today. He asked you, really great opponent going against Scatterboo and Levitt. Can you talk about what the defense brought to that when that match up to that? I mean, we knew it was going to be a physical game, you know, coming in with Scatterboo. You know, he's definitely one of the best backs in the country. You know, you know, I'll give credit with credit to do every respect we respect this do. He's definitely one of the best guys in the country at that random deposition, but we knew it was going to be a physical game. So we just, we just, we're not, you know, we just had to match this to Cali and we had to be the most physical team to what, in order to come out on top of the game because they are a pretty good physical team as far as the quarterback. He had a good quarterback. You know, he went, he, he was having a lot of success at the beginning of the game and, you know, made a game. So we just knew we had to make adjustments, you know, find ways to cause turnovers or get stops on third down and get them off the field. Andrew, we talked on Monday and I said, is this kind of what you vision when you made the move back home? He said, exactly. I want to be one of the pieces they needed. Hard to imagine this one though that helped get Texas to the final four. I mean, I've been, I've been saying this the whole, the whole year, man. This year it felt like a movie for me. You know, in the guys in the room and it felt like this whole thing was scripted for me coming home, playing my best ball, helping the team, you know, what happened today. Just everything, everything in general just felt like a move and I'm just thankful for the opportunities I'm getting and just thankful overall. Last quick question, talk about the 512. All three of you guys playing at the, at the top doing your thing, your fifth interception today. Talk about it. I mean, you know, it's amazing to have, obviously, those two guys alongside, you know, you know, great, great competitors, good players. You know, guys is going to make plays, but you know, it's amazing to really see that because, you know, it's this, these are two guys with three, three in total. You know, there's a going out there, you know, making plays where there's me making the play this game, tap making play this game, try to make the play where we are through making plays. So, you know, it's great to see that, you know, I'm happy for those guys and I'm really proud of those guys. Andrew, thank you so much for your time. Rest up. Get ready for Dallas. Thank you, man. See you all in Dallas. And Makuba is saying it felt like a movie. Everything's been scripted. It's a, Texas would not be here without the play of Andrew Makuba this season. I think he's worked into the hearts of Texas fans. One of their favorite players on this defense plays so hard, delivers some of the biggest hits we have seen in college football and came up with a big interception that clinched the game. Last post game interview for you comes from Alfred Collins, a guy who's been with this program for a couple of years now, stuck through it, has developed into one of the frontline starters and has been a big piece of this defensive line. We got Alfred Collins right here. Alfred, talk to us about those over times, especially how you guys were able to continually focus up and make the play when it was needed. You know, I feel like, like I always say, it's our preparation, you know. At the end of the day, you know, we got to do, we got to do, you know, we had to go to two over times and, you know, we came out on top. Alfred, you never know how games are going to go. You guys had to dig deep because you were out there a lot. What was that like and what was that like down the stretch to just find every ounce of energy you had left? Man, you know, I owe it to this organization, to start, to the defense, to the offense, to everybody, you know, to just give it my all. Even if I'm on one leg, you know, I'm going to give it my all with that one leg, so yeah. So the game is coming. You guys go down and then have to fight back. Was there a rallying cry? What was going on on those sidelines over there? Oh, you know, we just, we just, we just came together as a team, as a defense, as an offense. As a defense, as an offense, you know, we just regroup, said like, you know, we didn't blink, you know, I'm saying, we're like, let's go back out there and do what that'll do, you know. Give me your view of Andrew's pick and kind of the emotion going through you. Man, it was, I had butterflies, man. It's just so happy, man. You know, I didn't, we don't want to, I mean, we went to overtime the game to like, man, it was just a special moment, man. I already don't have words for it. I was just happy. That says it all right there. Yeah, I was just happy. Definitely says it all. And now you guys are going up to Dallas, kind of talk us through. I know you're going to enjoy this one tonight, but what's that? What's that focus? You know, just getting, getting healthy tomorrow, you know, I'm saying or hitting the train to run everybody. And then just attacking the game plan, attacking practice, being intentional and everything we do and prepare for whoever we got this. It's going to be a tough task against Ohio State. Caleb Downs, one of the best safeties in college football. They have a fantastic secondary. They have a good front for that can get pressure on Quinn, yours, and they have probably the most explosive offense in college football. Will Howard is a capable quarterback, but when you have Trayvon Henderson and Quinn John Juggen's in the backfield and plus Jeremiah Smith and Abuko on the outside, it'll be tough for the Texas defense. They will have their hands full in this game. And I said it earlier on the show. I said it again right now, I don't know if we've seen a full four quarter game from Texas this year, but to beat Ohio State, they are going to need a complete performance from offense, defense, and special teams. I got a feeling winner of this game will win the national championship. Speaking of other college football playoff games, Notre Dame, a 13, three lead at halftime now officially. Huge turnover towards the end of the second quarter from Gunnar Stockton, a fumble recovered by Notre Dame. They would score on the ensuing play. They go up by 10 points and they'll take on Penn State next week. The winner that game will take on Penn State and of course, Texas will take on Ohio State next Friday, 6 30 p.m. kickoff. Ohio State and Texas at the Cotton Bowl. Our coverage will begin at 3 30 until 5 30. And then Craig Way, Will Matthews, Roger Wallace will have the call the Penn State versus Notre Dame Georgia winner. That'll be on Thursday at 6 30 p.m. the Capital One Orange Bowl and then Texas Ohio State Friday at 6 30 and all roads lead to Atlanta January 20th. We'll be back to wrap up today's program here on A.M. 1300 the zone. New Year, New Year has never been easier than with Family Dollar. Snack smarter for less with great deals on trail mix, bottled water, and more. Don't forget your smart coupons to save more than ever before. Family Dollar helping you do more. New Year, New Year has never been easier than with Family Dollar. Snack smarter for less with great deals on trail mix, bottled water, and more. Don't forget your smart coupons to save more than ever before. Family Dollar helping you do more.
Hear from Andrew Mukuba and Alfred Collins during their postgame interviews on the Longhorn Radio Network after Texas advanced to the CFP Semifinals.