No hotter seat in the AKL than the head coach of the CeeDeez Nutz Austin “Big Tex” Hall, who finished in last place last year. Many were calling this a prove it year since this franchise has seen nothing but regression since making it to the first AKL Championship back in 2023/24. After that championship loss many of the Nutz fans thought they would be back, but like Aaron Rodgers they fell off. Getting bounced in the first round in 24/25, then not even making the playoffs last year.
Coach Tex said he had to do some soul searching to get back to the playcaller he was before. Some of the teams failures in the past of been bad injury luck, but Tex wants no excuses. He said “Every team has injuries, it’s up to the coaching staff to have the next guy up ready to go.” He took a lot of responablity for the past seasons shortcomings. He told us in the past he got cute. Started looking for players with flash and style and that got away from the style of football he wants to play; HARD NOSE FOOTBALL!
In what can only be described as a Rocky montage at Winstar World Casino, he got back to his old ways. In the place he loves the most he had to go back to his roots. Tex equates life to gambling. Sometimes to win you have to take risks, and when life gives you a bad hand you double down on that mother f*****. After four Crown Apple, Spite, and Cranberries and all his buttons on his shirt ripped off, it’s safe to say he’s back!
After a huge win against Big Odle Energy in week four in the Austin Bowl, we decided to sit down with Coach Hall and see how the season was going:
Mike: After finishing last place last year what was the expectations heading into this year?
Tex: I mean honestly to get back in the playoffs. After making it to the championship game in my first season. Then getting bounced in the first round the year after, to not making it to the playoffs last year I just want us back in the dance. Really just looking at people I think are going to be a dawg. Last year I had a baby team and injuries. Having Ja’mar Chase underperforming last year was an issue, but now putting my season and my life in the hands of the Cowboys is scary but I love it.
Mike: After a 3-1 start have those expectations changed?
Tex: Realistically they’ve stayed the same becasue the thing about wanting dawgs for a team is it starts at the top. 3-1 looks good on paper but not satisfied. With our first loss last against Boble after Achane went out early with an injury, but honestly the dawg was put in the kennel that week. But we have to have players step up and that’s what they did last week. In fact it was Achane who got up in front of the team and gave a great speech and told CeeDee to put in his grill and go!
Mike: So after losing De’Vone Achane last week early to a torn ACL, bouncing back with a dominant performace shows the resilience of this team. Can you speak on that?
Tex: It really just shows that you know, when you lose one that you’ve got to have another one loaded and ready to go. I think that this team has a lot of heart. I think that running backs, receivers, tight ends, quaterbacks, wherever you look you know there’s somebody waiting on thenext to get a little taste of that field. And I think that is what drives this team. Um, that they just want a ball, they just want to ball out Especially after last year and what this team went through and what we saw. It just shows that, you know, that trip to Cancun this past summer where we all bonded at a swing bar, just shows that this team is it.
Mike: Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb have arguably the best chemistry of any duo in the league. Is this something you instilled or was it a match from the go?
You know, I think that when Dallas brought in Pickens, I think that lit a little bit of a fire between them. Knowing that, you know, they are Dallas; they are the Cowboys if you would say. I think that, you know, that’s not something that you can teach. That is something that is just there. It’s a brotherhood. Um, and I think that I could yell at them all day, I could hang out with them, do whatever but that brotherhood is just there. They are America’s team.
Mike: Bolstering the best offense in the league is specia, teams who have the best offense in the AKL have won two of the last three championships. How do you keep this offense rolling and on the same page?
Um, just good communication. Um you know, it’s not always just, you know, the two people. Williams comes out last week and on the same team with them and everything like that, rushes for 3 touchdowns, that was a big thing for u. Um, and then you got another big dawg for us sitting there at the wide receiver slo, Chris Olave. He’s going to get you 20 every week. Um, the number one target, he’s averaging almost 10 catches a game right now. He is going for over 100 yards a game. Um, not finding the endzone as much as we’d like. Only scoring once in 3 games. But he knows that if he can get his team close to the endzone, they’ll punch it in. Um, Saint’s struggling a little bit here and there, but you know, spots are there. We’re just going to keep moving the ball, keep getting touches in. Again another receiver here, Debo Samuel really showing back out back on the 49ers. I think it’s a place where he needs to be averaging, you know, between 12 to 18 points a week, which is a big number for us.And then, you know, some might say my favorite. I would actully have to agree, Brandon Aubrey. The numbers this kid puts up. You pretty much have another receiver at kicker. So, I think we just keep trucking, keep moving. I think that, you know, it will be good. It’ll be good.
Mike: Many say your coaching style is that of a gambler. Personally after seeing you run th Mississippi Stud Tables I can say I agree. How do you gage a calculated risk vurses a reckless decision?
Really it just depends. Um, I think with stronger opponents and stuff like that, a lot of people would be like; oh you got to be calculated, and I don’t think that. I think that you have to go all in and double down your bet when you’re staring at, you know, two 10s on the table and everything like that. You know, you gotta risk it for the biscuits, stuff like that. But you know, sometimes there are some calculated moves going into there. Dalton Kincaid’s had a rough 2 weeks. This week we’re going up against Jett and you know he’s got that Allen man as his quaterback and it’s, you know, that’s got to be a calculated situation. Do you throw in the back up tight end becasue you’re hoping that Allen has a bad game, or do you let it ride? That’s something we’ll have to sit down and look at, but honestly I just like to gamble. You know, why settle for less when I could have it all is the way I think, and the way this team thinks.
Mike: With injuries to some key guys while also being at the top of the league are you looking for any roster moves or is this current roster good enough to win?
Tex: Personally, you know it’s early. You know and 3-1 looks good but you’re gonna have issues. We have a plan for, you know, unfortunately more injuries and stuff like that. That’s something we didn’t plan for last year.We went balls to the walls and didn’t have any backups or anything like that, and it ended up hurting us pretty bad. Um, like we’ve seen, you know, unfortunatly my man T-Dogg is hurting right now. That’s something that, you know, as a coach you’ve got to prepare for. I do think that, you know, we sit here and look at our bench, with Junkins last week. Putting up 21. I think the Browns are going to rise right now. I’m pretty sure they’re undefeated. (FACT CHECK: They are not undefeated, they’re 3-1). You know that’s a man who’s going to at least get you 10. Xavier Worthy, he’s gonna have a game or two. Um, and then having that Tyler Shough, you know, as a Saints fan as I am you know, back there. Last week only having 17, but prior weeks 35, 24, 32. You know unfortunately if Dak goes down we have that dawg ready to go. Vele, Ollie Gordon, you know, having the bench we have. I think that we’re set up pretty good and ready for anything that’s thrown at us.
Mike: What would be a successful season for you?
A successful season for us, honestly, I think is making it back to the playoffs. Um, the first year that we played this back in 2023, uh we had a great team. Fought hard and um, I want to say our record was 9-8 or something like that. You know one win overr .500 and we go into the playoffs and we kick butt. We get 2nd in the championship, and that one… that one still sits pretty nasty in the mouth. The after that you know, for next year after that, we’re bounced in the very first round of the playoffs. And then last year just, you know, not even making it anywhere close to the playoffs.So right now I think that the front goal is: Can we make it back into the playoffs. And I think that we can. I think this is a high caliber team. I thiunk that, you know, that’s a great starting point, but realistically, we want the chip. We want to go in there and show them that, you know, this is not a team to wrecking with. And you know the Cowboys might suck, and yes they do, but CeeDee and Dak are going to lead us to the promise land.
Mike: To kind an follow up to that. Coming into this season there was a lot of presure and a lot of heat on your seat. A lot of people were calling for maybe a coaching change because of your regression in the last three years. Getting onto a 3-1 start is an easy way to get rid of those pressures, but do you still feel the pressure from the front office, from the fans? Or is that something that you feel like you’ve moved on from?
Tex: I think there’s always going to be pressure. Um, we saw what happened with the Johnsonville Rodsuckers, you know, they get rid of Eli and they bring in their new head coach and you know. We’re a faithful fan base around here. The front offices are good and everything like that. You know, they know that you’re going to have a bad season. It’s going to happen, you know? And we’re back on track right now. And I think things could change, you know, but I think pressure makes diamonds. (FACT CHECK: many things go into making diamonds, one of those being pressure but the diamond making process is much more intricate.) Um, and if you just, you know, get all relaxed and think “oh you know, we’re good here.” That’s when things go really bad, but I do believe that with the fan base and the energy that we have around here is that, poppa is here to stay. But at the same time, you can never be satisfied, you know? One day waking up in your mansion, getting in your Lamborghini. And the next day, driving a Honda Tucson XRT, going to be an electrician, you know, who knows? Who knows?
Mike: Finally, I like to give space to my guest to get anything off your chest or share any thing you’d like.
Tex: Yeah, Yeah. Um, really you know, first want to say to the other Austin, you know I loveya. You got great kids, but last week was a statement. You know, the name around town might bew Big Tex, but everyone knows I’m the real Austin. And unfortunately you know, I think my team took that personally there and they really just had to show that I am the Austin around here. But much love.
Mike: Absolutely, well if there’s nothing else we can part ways.
Tex: That’s it from my side. I will say you know, I do love what the commissioner’s doing around here. Um, the website’s been great, the atmosphere around here is great but I will say we do need to look into the name of this organization. Um, I understand, you know, we have some ladies and stuff in here niw andI get it. But the name, Armchair Kickers. Not a fan, not a fan around here. So I think, uh maybe next year we’ll have to have to do some voting or something to get it fixed.
Mike: As every head coach knows in the AKL there is an offical form that you can fill out and the commissioner reviews. And he and I work very closely and he and I are very much on the same pages. But he does read those and takes them very seriiously. So a formal submission should be fine. He’ll review them and then we’ll see it in the offseason.
Tex: Ok, yes sir thank you.
Mike: Absolutely, well i appreciate your time.
Tex: Appreciate you.
Mike: You have a good one.
Tex: You too.
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