1300 The Zone Expands The Morning Kickoff

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, August 17, 2026 | 11:22am CT

Mike ''Hardball'' Hardge and Mark Henry

iHeartMedia's KVET-AM (1300 The Zone) in Austin has expanded "The Morning Kickoff" with Mike "Hardball" Hardge and Mark Henry to three hours, effective August 17. The sports morning show will now air weekdays from 6-9am, adding an hour to its previous schedule. Hardge and Henry, a WWE Hall of Famer known as the "World's Strongest Man," will continue to offer sports analysis, commentary, interviews and conversation with a focus on University of Texas athletics.

The expansion comes as the station prepares for the start of the 2026 college football season. KVET serves as the flagship radio station for University of Texas Athletics.

"With the 2026 college football season just around the corner, this move gives Longhorn fans another hour of the in-depth analysis, big-name interviews and passionate discussion they've come to expect from Hardge and Henry," said iHeartMedia Austin Region Program Director Bryan Erickson.

Elsewhere in the station's weekday lineup, longtime Voice of the Texas Longhorns Craig Way hosts "The Craig Way Show" in afternoon drive, providing coverage and analysis of Texas athletics.

"Bucky & BK" follows in afternoons with coverage of the Longhorns and other major sports stories.