Deny, deny, deny. Composite image by Brandon Strange.

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Deshaun Watson spoke to the media Tuesday and repeated his mantra: “I never assaulted anyone. I never harassed anyone. I never disrespected anyone. I never forced anyone to do anything."

What did you expect him to say? Watson is more under wraps by his legal team than the burritos at El Tiempo Cantina. From now until – let’s see what NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has to say – Watson will be more rehearsed than Shakespeare in the Park. Marshawn Lynch was a quote machine at the 2015 Super Bowl compared to Watson’s legal marching orders. His entire press conference Tuesday was an exercise in saying nothing about nothing. And that’s the way it’s going to stay this entire season – or how much of a season Watson gets to play. It could be all, some, none, but most believe all has left town.

Remember last training camp with the Texans when Houston media chased Watson every step he took and he never said anything? Cleveland, he’s all yours now. Tuesday’s “press opportunity” was just a dress rehearsal.

Q. You’ve said that you won’t offer financial settlements to your accusers. But a report says you offered $100,000 to them.

A. There’s a lot of articles that’s out there and facts and things like that … I can’t really get too far in details with that with the process that was going on before I became a Cleveland Brown. That’s a whole other discussion.

Q. You’ve said that you’ve hired about 45 masseuses over the five years you’ve played in Houston. A New York Times article says you’ve hired 66 masseuses in just 17 months.

A. I don’t know. That’s more of a legal question that I can’t really get into details about. So you probably need to ask my attorneys and things like that to confirm.

Deny, deny, deny. So far, 24 women have filed civil lawsuits charging sexual misconduct against Watson. More may be waiting in the wings. Watson denies every allegation. The cases won’t head into a courtroom until 2023 unless Watson and the women reach a settlement.

Until then, Watson will know less about these cases than Sgt. Schultz from Hogan’s Heroes, and he knew “nothing.”

Clamming up and “that’s my story and I’m sticking to it,” isn’t exactly a new tactic. The truth will come out eventually and it’s presumed that Watson is innocent.

Lenny Bruce, the controversial comedian from the 1950s once said, if your wife barges into the room and catches you in bed with another woman, deny it. Just say you’re not there. Once you admit to anything, they’ll never let you forget it.”

That actually was a scene in the 1967 film Advice for the Married Man. In a scene now known as “Deny, Deny, Deny,” a wife catches her husband having sex with a young lady.

Wife: What are you doing?

Husband: Where?

Wife: There! With her!

Husband: Who?

Wife: Her! How could you?

Husband: What?

Wife: That!

Husband: When?

During the past two months, we heard Amber Heard go into graphic detail about the physical abuse she suffered at the hands of her former husband Johnny Depp. The actor simply responded, “I have never assaulted any woman in my life.” Sound familiar? A jury believed Depp, didn’t buy Heard’s story and now Heard will have to pay $10 million that she doesn’t have to Depp.

Probably the most unbelievable denial occurred during O.J. Simpson’s civil trial after the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Simpson and waiter Ron Goldman. Investigators found bloody footprints from size 12 Bruno Magli shoes mixed with evidence from the crime scene. Simpson wore size 12 shoes.

Attorney: Mr. Simpson, do you own Bruno Magli shoes?

Simpson: No, I wouldn’t wear those ‘ugly ass shoes.’

Attorney: Well, what about this photo of you wearing those ugly ass shoes?

Simpson: I never wore those shoes.

Attorney: Well, here are 31 more photos, all taken at different times, of you wearing those same shoes.

Simpson: Those aren’t my shoes.

Simpson was found responsible for the murders in that civil case. The jury, so to speak, is still out on Watson.

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The Longhorns host Georgia on Saturday night. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

By any measure, from the official statistics to the informal eye test, top-ranked Texas' defense has been dominant.

The Longhorns rank No. 1 in total defense and scoring defense. They are top 10 in first downs allowed, tackles for loss and passing yards. Much of that is built against opponents starting former walk-on quarterbacks ( Michigan ) and freshmen ( Mississippi State and Oklahoma.)

But the level of quarterback play Texas will face, in both talent and experience, is about to get much better over the second half of the season.

Texas hosts No. 5 Georgia on Saturday night in the first matchup of top five teams in Austin since 2006, before playing the next week at Vanderbilt. Bulldogs senior Carson Beck was a preseason first team Associated Press All-America pick, and standout Vanderbilt transfer Diego Pavia has carried the Commodores to a surprising 4-2 start, including a historic win over then-No. 1 Alabama.

Quite simply, Texas hasn't defended this caliber of quarterback all season.

Beck is a player on the doorstep of the NFL, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said.

“There's nothing in the throw game (Beck) can't do,” Sarkisian said. “He's played enough football now, too. It's kind of hard to confuse guys when they've played that much football.”

Texas (6-0, 2-0 SEC) has allowed just one team to pass for more than 200 yards this season. Beck passed for 459 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions last week in a 41-31 win over Mississippi State. His 36 completions set a Georgia record.

Even when Beck struggled early in Georgia's loss to Alabama, he rallied the Bulldogs to a late fourth-quarter lead. He finished with 439 yards in the loss where Georgia's rally ended with an Alabama interception in the end zone in the final minute.

Sarkisian recruited Beck when the Texas coach was an assistant at Alabama. Beck had initially committed to the Crimson Tide before switching to Georgia.

Beck is 18-2 in his career as a starter, and 6-2 against top 20 opponents.

The Bulldogs (5-1, 3-1) will need another exceptional game from him Saturday. A second SEC loss could threaten any chance of playing for the SEC championship, and raise the alarms on the College Football Playoff as well.

Texas has all but overwhelmed opposing quarterbacks so far.

In last week's 34-3 thrashing of rival Oklahoma, the Longhorns sacked Sooners freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. five times, and held him to 27 yards on 20 carries. Texas allowed just 225 total yards.

Hawkins was the first Sooners freshman to start at quarterback against the Longhorns in the 120-year history of the rivalry and was quickly swallowed up by a relentless pass rush.

By the numbers, the Longhorns program is on pace for a historic season. Sarkisian has said his favorite stat is points allowed, which is not many.

Texas has surrendered only three touchdowns all season. Opponents have snatched four turnovers inside Texas territory, but none have produced points.

That ability to snuff momentum can drain an opponent, Sarkisian said.

“We're so composed as a defense,” Texas safety Michael Taaffe said. “We're so confident, that no matter what happens, everything is going to be alright.”

The only time Texas has trailed this season was a 3-0 early deficit against Oklahoma. Several Longhorns starters were still on the field when the Sooners' final drive stalled at the Texas 6-yard-line as the game ended.

The stars emerging for the Longhorns have been second-year linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and freshman edge rusher Colin Simmons.

Hill leads the team in total tackles (42), sacks (4 1/2) and tackles for loss (8 1/2). His sideline-to-sideline speed and move this season from the edge to the middle of the Texas defense has drawn comparisons to former Longhorns All-American Derrick Johnson 20 years ago.

Simmons has four sacks and 7 1/2 tackles for losses, second on the team in both categories.

“Size, speed,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said in summing up the Texas defense.

“They’re the complete package on defense," Smart said. "The consistency you watch them play with, it reminds me of some of our best teams here.”By any measure, from the official statistics to the informal eye test, top-ranked Texas' defense has been dominant.