Bob Ballou, the longtime sports director for Austin's CBS television affiliate - KEYE-TV - joins the Flagship Podcast interview this week to help preview Big 12 football media days in Dallas and give his thoughts on where Texas football and basketball are headed.

Ballou gives his thoughts on what he sees as the strengths and weaknesses of the Longhorns' football team and how UT's quarterback battle might go on well into the season.

Ballou said it makes total sense that Texas is bringing running back Bijan Robinson to Dallas for Big 12 media days, and it makes no sense for Oklahoma to be bringing tight end Jeremiah Hall instead of quarterback Spencer Rattler.

When Ballou is asked why Texas football hasn't been able to find its footing since Mack Brown left following the 2013 season, he gives a detailed breakdown of his reasons why.

As much as everyone is excited about new football coach Steve Sarkisian, Ballou says, "We don't know about how well Sarkisian will do at Texas. His best season as a head coach was 9-4 at USC (in 2014)."

Ballou said Texas fans "need to let Sark grow back into that head-coaching role and look for signs that things are headed in the right direction."

When it comes to new Texas men's basketball coach Chris Beard, Ballou said Beard has done a great job of being "everywhere when it comes to UT."

"He was at the sendoff for Texas baseball when they left to go to Omaha," Ballou said of Beard. "He's showing everyone he's all in on Texas and that fans should be, too."

Ballou tells a story from a former Beard player about how he gets the most out of players while making that process fun for his players.

We ask Ballou to reveal what posters were up in his room as a kid growing up in Dallas with two parents who went to Texas and much, much more.

Don't miss this interview with Ballou, who has served as the sports director at KEYE-TV since 2007.

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