Meet Man Up: Chris Riley

Hometown - Every memory I have growing up is from Spring, TX, but I was actually born in Oklahoma City and lived in Edmond, OK, for a year before moving to Spring.

Favorite thing about hometown - My parents still live in the same house they got 25 years ago, and my brother and sister both live in the area.

Least favorite thing about hometown - The suburbs are terrible.

Occupation - I'm one of 10 people who works the Austin region of Redbox, the $1 DVD rental machines. I drive up and down I-35 each week putting new DVDs into machines and taking old ones out.

Favorite sports teams - Houston Texans, Houston Rockets, Florida Marlins (their inaugural season was in 1993 when I was nine, so I've followed them ever since).

Prediction for UT football's record next season - 10-3

Your choice for UT's coordinator positions - Offensive: I'm okay with either Bryan Harsin from Boise State or Paul Cryst from Wisconsin. Defensive: Justin Wilcox, even though I'm not a Tennessee fan. I want young blood on both sides.

Favorite BBQ joint - Black's or Franklin. It kills me that I've never been to Opie's or Cooper's, but having been to New Zion Missionary Baptist Church BBQ in Huntsville hopefully makes up for that some.

Favorite BBQ menu item - the two meat plate at Franklin with brisket and pulled pork and a double helping of beans.

Favorite Man Up outing - I represented Man Up at the SXSW BBQ Crash Course this year. It was one of the best meals I've ever eaten. As far as regular Man Up outings open to anyone go, I'd say the time we had about 20 people at Snow's. I think my review of that trip is still the longest review in Man Up history.

Why are your reviews usually twice as long as everyone else's? - I have a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and I'm incredibly details-oriented. My fiancee also tells me I care about food a lot.

Fiancee!? - Yep, I'm engaged and getting married to an awesome girl named Jenny who actually went on Man Up's first trip to Louie Mueller's. We're also having BBQ at our wedding, but I won't say from where.

Sauce or no sauce - I used to think sauce, but then at the Crash Course I decided to combine Rudy's sauce, which is excellent and one of my favorites, and Louie Mueller's brisket, which is in my top three briskets. The result was disappointing because the flavors didn't mesh well. Since then I've been in the no sauce camp.