Red River Rivalry Week with "Nelly", former Longhorn, Chris Nelson

·23 min·2 clips

Former Longhorn Chris Nelson reveals how the split tunnel at the Red River Rivalry felt like a smack in the face.

The episode is an interview with Chris "Nelly" Nelson, a former University of Texas defensive tackle, conducted by the hosts of Stories Inside the Man Cave. The conversation occurs during the week of the Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma. Nelson begins by describing his initial lack of knowledge about the rivalry before arriving at Texas and the overwhelming sensory experience of his first game, particularly the tunnel where teams enter the field split between fans. He details the intense, almost confrontational energy in that shared space, stating it felt like they could start the fight right there. Nelson played for Texas from 2015-2018, beating Oklahoma twice and winning the Sugar Bowl in 2018. He explains how the 2018 victory over OU provided a crucial confidence boost that propelled the team through a successful season culminating in a Big 12 Championship appearance and Sugar Bowl win. Currently, Nelson is a graduate assistant coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio under head coach Jeff Traylor, whom he praises and credits for giving him his coaching start. He discusses the challenges at UTSA with a young team and his role in slowing the game down for players. Nelson shares his coaching philosophy, emphasizing teaching life balance and post-football planning alongside on-field intensity. He makes a prediction for the upcoming Texas-OU game, suggesting it will be a defensive battle rather than a high-scoring shootout, which may surprise fans. The interview includes personal anecdotes about former teammates like Breckin Hager, Sam Ehlinger, and Trey Watson, and their roles in team chemistry. Nelson also mentions a friendly wager with a Sooner coach on his UTSA staff about the rivalry outcome. The hosts promote their social media and upcoming episodes, and Nelson expresses gratitude for his relationship with the podcast.

As heard by us

Chris Nelson grounds Red River week in the tunnel, the hat, and the feel of Texas-OU up close.

Red River Rivalry Week comes into focus through Chris Nelson's memory of learning what the Texas-OU game really means. The former Longhorn, known as Nelly, arrived from Florida with only a loose sense of the rivalry, then felt it land when he saw the tunnel divided between Texas…

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Why you'd press play

You get Chris "Nelly" Nelson's firsthand memory of learning Red River by walking out of that split tunnel.

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