Nash Savage Joins The Horn Report
Mateo Rios:
Good afternoon, Longhorn Nation, and welcome back to The Horn Report, your home for in-depth Texas athletics coverage from The Daily Texan. I’m your host, Mateo Rios. And today, I’m joined by a man who's lit a fire under this program in his first season in Austin — head coach Nash Savage. Coach, welcome to the show.
Nash Savage:
Appreciate it, Mateo. Glad to be here.
Mateo Rios:
Coach, Texas fans are still buzzing after that instant classic against Oklahoma. You've been part of some storied rivalries over your career — where does the Red River Showdown stack up for you?
Nash Savage:
Man, it’s right at the top. I’ve seen my fair share of rivalries — back in south Georgia, they’ve got one literally called “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate.” But even with all that history, nothing compares to the Red River. I never got the chance to play in it myself, but just being on that sideline? It felt like the entire state of Texas descended on the Cotton Bowl. The energy, the stakes, the noise — it was electric. Gives you chills.
Mateo Rios:
It was a big one — not just for you, but for your seniors who’d never beaten OU. Coming off your own loss in last year’s SEC Championship Game to them, what was the mindset of the team heading into this year’s matchup?
Nash Savage:
We were locked in. That stretch to start the year was a gauntlet — six ranked opponents in seven games, and only Auburn not in the preseason Top 25. So our mentality was simple: survive the climb, hit Oklahoma with momentum, and make a statement. Add in the emotional layer — trying to send guys like Stephen Sharga and Marquis Pettis out with a win over our biggest rival — and yeah, that game carried weight. You could feel it in the locker room before kickoff, and especially in those final moments.
Mateo Rios:
Speaking of emotion — let’s talk about Syracuse. You faced your former team earlier this season. First time since leaving. What was that experience like for you?
Nash Savage:
Whew — that one hit different. A lot of those kids on that roster are guys I personally recruited. Going into the game, I had some mixed feelings, no lie. If you’d asked me a year ago, I would’ve said I hoped to face Syracuse after those players had graduated. But you don’t always get to script this stuff. In the end, I’m glad it happened. It was a moment of closure. One more game with — and against — some guys I care deeply about. I respect that program, and I always will.
Mateo Rios:
Let’s bring it back to the present. With Oklahoma in the rearview and the early gauntlet behind you, is the road to the SEC title game smoother now?
Nash Savage:
Let me stop you right there — nothing’s smooth in this conference. We may be through the toughest stretch, but we’re not coasting. Ole Miss is playing tough, A&M always gets up for us, and LSU is LSU. We’re one game up on the Sooners. That’s it. One slip-up, and they’re right back in it. So, nah — no smooth sailing here. We’ve got work to do.
Mateo Rios:
Fair enough. Let’s say you finish strong, take the SEC West — odds are, Georgia’s waiting in Atlanta. Thoughts on potentially facing your former employer?
Nash Savage:
If that’s how it shakes out, so be it. I’ve got nothing but respect for Georgia — they brought me in, treated me right. I’m grateful for my time there. But I’m at Texas now. I’m building something here. So if we line up across from each other in December, I’ll shake hands before kickoff, and then we’ll go to war. That’s the deal.
Mateo Rios:
You say you’ve got no hard feelings — but let’s be honest, the media didn’t exactly give you a warm send-off. After the start you’ve had at Texas, do you feel vindicated?
Nash Savage: (laughs)
Mateo, I don’t need vindication. I know I made the right move — for me, for my career, for my family. The media? Their job is to talk. Mine is to win football games. I don’t spend time scrolling through headlines. That’s noise. We’re focused on results.
Mateo Rios:
Let’s talk recruiting before we wrap. You’ve got a top-10 class coming in, including three 5-star prospects. But all eyes are on Emilio Delgado — the dual-threat QB out of New Mexico who looks poised to commit soon. With five scholarship QBs already expected on the roster next year, why was Emilio such a priority?
Nash Savage:
Great question. Look — you never stop building at the quarterback position. Things happen. Injuries, inconsistencies, all of it. At Syracuse, we won a title with a backup. That’s why I don’t take chances at that position.
As for Emilio — the kid is special. He’s dynamic with his legs, no doubt, but his arm talent? Scary. You try to contain him in the pocket, and he’ll burn you over the top. He reminds me a lot of DaShawn Salako from last year — only we’re hoping Emilio gets a bit more runway to develop. DaShawn got thrown into the fire, and while he held his own, you always want to give your quarterbacks time to grow. That’s the plan with Emilio — if we land him — but you never know how the season shakes out.
Mateo Rios:
Coach, really appreciate your time. Best of luck down the stretch, and we’ll look forward to having you back on The Horn Report soon.
Nash Savage:
Always a pleasure, Mateo. Hook ’em.
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