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The best quotes from Texas' coordinator and assistant availability

Joe Cookby: Joe Cook07/29/25josephcook89
AJ Milwee, Steve Sarkisian
AJ Milwee, Steve Sarkisian (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

Texas made its assistant coaches available to the media on Tuesday as the Longhorns get ready for preseason camp. That means…

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…were all made available to the media.

Here are the best quotes from each assistant.

Pete Kwiatkowski

“I think historically, when you have a young team, you don’t get as many turnovers because guys are more worried about what they’re supposed to do. So the more experience you have, you are now more comfortable. They’re faster processing what their alignment (is), what they’re supposed to do. They’re just more aware. We’re at a place now where we practice it all the time. It’s emphasized daily, stripping the ball, tips and overthrows, all that. I think the combination of experience that you have on the team and then they just come and find it. They feed off it. As corny as it is, that turnover sword they got, they get fired up about going over there and slamming the ball on top of that. It’s infectious.”

Jeff Banks

“Jack Endries gives us a proven pass receiver and then he gives us a physical blocker in the box that’s not necessarily the biggest guy. That’s what we were looking for in the transfer portal. (A guy) that could mesh with our team and fit our offense. When we saw him play at Cal, he was sliding back, he was inserting, he was doing a lot of things that we do in the run game. Then you see him vertically get past defenders, and you’re like ‘sweet, we’ve got a big time pass receiver that can block.'”

Kyle Flood

“(Right tackle) is definitely going to be a camp battle for sure. We have a couple guys who have been playing there in the spring in Andre Cojoe and Brandon Baker who have done a really nice job, a really nice job. I think both those guys have changed their bodies and improved their skill sets. We’ll figure out in training camp how it all plays out, but I think one of the advantages we have is we’re going to play against a really talented EDGE group in training camp. I think these guys are going to get challenged on a day-to-day basis.”

Duane Akina

“What I always do is when I come in, how are we fitting the run? You don’t get to pass defense if you can’t stop the run. From there, when I understand how we’re fitting the run, then we can blend (coverages). But like I said, this system is not broken. I’m just coming into say ‘hey, maybe we can tweak this rule.'”

AJ Milwee

“From a coaching standpoint, we have to coach (Arch Manning) really well to understand that it doesn’t have to be Superman runs every time. If it is a run and you can get 15 and get down, then lets do that. I used some coachable moments from last year when he wasn’t a starter. The Mississippi State game comes to mind. He had this run. He gets up the field. He gets five or six yards, and he could have easily dove. He takes the Mike linebacker on and takes a shot on his throwing shoulder. It didn’t hurt him at that point in time, but that hit over the course of 15, 16 games, that’s going to take a toll.”

Johnny Nansen

“It’s a joy to come to work every single day and work with (Anthony Hill). He’s one of those kids that’s always looking for improvement every single day, whatever that area is. He’s a football junkie. He’s up here all the time wanting to learn more and more. Always good to have that type of player.”

Chris Jackson

“The same (Emmett Mosley V) that I saw from his junior film in high school. This was a kid that plays at his own play speed. Was probably a full 6-2 in high school, that can run crossing routes, that provided a big body, a good catch radius, a good frame to catch the 50-50 catches, physical, and a very intelligent young man. This is who I recruited prior to him tearing his ACL prior to his senior season. To see what he was able to do at Stanford, and to answer your question what I look forward to is just getting him acclimated to Texas. This is Coach Sark‘s offense. This is what we do in 12 personnel. This is what we do in 11 personnel. This is what we require our wide receivers to block in the run game. This is how we take the top off the coverage in the play action pass world and in the RPO world. It’s just getting him completely acclimated in what we do and what we do well.”

Mark Orphey

“(Kobe Black) understands that this is a big year for him and for us, how important it is for him to step up and take that next step. I challenge him a lot obviously because I know what he has the ability to be. He’s been good. Super coachable. Love him on and off the field. I think he works really hard. I think he practices with intent. I’m excited.”

Chad Scott

“Really excited about (CJ Baxter) coming back and being a huge asset.”

Kenny Baker

“Cole (Brevard) has been great. The thing I’ve really tried to work on with Cole, and there’s nothing wrong with this but hear me out, but Cole viewed himself as a nose or a nose. He wanted to be right over the center, or he couldn’t function. Yes, that’s a strength of his. We plan on utilizing that piece of it this year. On the flip side of it, coming from the league, how are you maximizing your earning potential? If all you do is play zero nose, less than half the teams in the league are going to look at you. Now, you’re playing a zero nose, you’re playing a 3-technique, you’re playing the 2i, you’re playing the 4i, now you make yourself a little more marketable and valuable to that next level which you aspire to get to. He’s been great with it. Just trying to show him you’re not going to be just a one-trick pony. You’re good at that, but lets work on the other stuff too. Like playing 3-technique? Lets go, it’s the same damn thing, you’re just lined up a little bit wider.”

Michael Bimonte

“I think one thing about Arch that continues to jump out is he’s obsessed. He’s obsessed with developing. He’s obsessed with trying to accomplish his goals individually and then as a team. That makes it special for us to come into work every day, when you have a kid that you’re not asking to meet with or is always trying to bang down your door to try to find the next edge, get better, develop, and watch film.”

LaAllan Clark

“(Ethan) Burke, because he’s the only senior, when I need things to get done and when I went on vacation, I pushed my message through Burke. He led the way. Colin (Simmons) is stepping up as a vocal leader, which he has to. A lot of guys look up to that. You don’t have to be an older guy to be a leader.”

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Keynodo Hudson

“A little bit of everybody (at Star). Graceson Littleton is working there right now. Wardell Mack. Michael Taaffe is working there. A lot of various guys, Jelani McDonald. We’ve got some other guys that have an opportunity to work in the slot.”

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