Derrick Johnson, Jeremy Hills, Rod Babers, and Nick Shuley are joined by Texas Senior Associate Athletic Director for Communications, John Bianco. They discuss how he ended up at Texas, Ricky Williams’ Heisman year, building relationships with players over the years, how his job has evolved, and working with head coach Steve Sarkisian.
3rd & Longhorn is a weekly in-depth Texas Longhorn Football show providing analysis and commentary from Lifetime Longhorn Football Players: Derrick Johnson, Alex Okafor, Fozzy Whittaker, Rod Babers, Jeremy Hills, and Clark Field Collective Founder Nick Shuley. 3rd & Longhorn takes you deep inside the world of Texas Football with a unique perspective from some of the best to ever put on the pads at the 40 acres.
Derrick Johnson: / superdj56
Alex Okafor: / alexokafor
Jeremy Hills: / jhills5
Fozzy Whittaker: / fozzywhitt
Rod Babers: / rodbabers
Nick Shuley: / nickshuley
0:00 - Welcome to Third and Longhorn
0:07 - Introduction to John Bianco
0:27 - John Bianco’s Journey to Texas
1:19 - Early Career and Influences
2:09 - Transition to Texas
4:04 - Memorable Moments at Texas
7:51 - The Heisman Era with Ricky Williams
10:36 - National Championship Highlights
13:39 - The Role of Media Relations
15:07 - Prioritizing Player Relationships
18:05 - Impact on Players and Community
19:01 - Handling Media and Social Media
20:05 - Navigating Social Media Challenges
25:06 - Why You Should Think Twice Before Tweeting
26:01 - The Importance of Professionalism on Social Media
27:05 - Lessons from NFL Coaches: Handling Media and Crisis
28:23 - Comparing Coaching Styles: From John Mackovic to Mack Brown to Charlie Strong to Tom Herman to Steve Sarkisian
34:03 - A Day in the Life of a Sports Media Professional
37:02 - Managing Communication in a High-Pressure Role
38:54 - Balancing Work and Personal Life
41:43 - Predicting Post-Professional Careers: Insights from Experience
44:05 - The Future of Media Careers for Former Athletes
45:29 - Advice for Aspiring Sports Information Professionals