1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: It is showtime. A very pleasant, good evening, everybody. Greetings 2 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: from the original Montgomery In home of the world's greatest rips. 3 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:17,639 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Scott Saderfield Radio Show. Now, as you know, 4 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: this show is normally on a Tuesday night. Because the 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,319 Speaker 1: basketball team played last night, the football show moves to 6 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: Wednesday night, which, as it turns out, is a very 7 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: important night for the coaching staff. So Coach Saderfield is 8 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: not here this evening, but we've got a couple of 9 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: great guests that are going to carry us through the 10 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 1: next hour. Up first, the athletic director at the University 11 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: of Cincinnati, please welcome John Cunningham. 12 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 2: And a little bit. 13 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 1: Later in the show we will hear from UC's football 14 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: general manager, Zach Grant. Great conversations coming up with John 15 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: and Zach. Let's start with the season tonight for this 16 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: football program. Seven and two, with three games left in 17 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: the regular season. If the Bearcats win, and these last 18 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 1: three games are all against very good opponents Arizona, BYU 19 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: and on the road at TCU. But if Cincinnati wins 20 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,400 Speaker 1: these three games, the Bearcats will play for the Big 21 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 1: Twelve championship in Dallas. It's year three in this league. 22 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:20,759 Speaker 1: That would be an extraordinary accomplishment if they can pull 23 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 1: it off. 24 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:24,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's very exciting. Obviously, there's only a couple schools 25 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 3: in the country that can say that everything's still in 26 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 3: front of them, and more one of them. I mean, 27 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:30,040 Speaker 3: if you think about it, you could just say that 28 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 3: the playoffs starts this Saturday, and you just sort of 29 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:35,959 Speaker 3: win in advance, win in advance, and you get to 30 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 3: the goal, which was at the beginning of the year 31 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 3: and really all spring, all summer, everybody all they talked 32 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 3: about was let's get to Dallas. Let's play for a 33 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 3: championship in Dallas, a Big twelve championship, because we know 34 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 3: when we get there, you're one game away from the 35 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 3: playoff and you just kind of take it from there. 36 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 3: So exciting to be in this position, really proud of 37 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 3: this group to, like you said, in year three, to 38 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 3: have this oppportunity. 39 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: Coach Sadderfield took over a couple of years ago under 40 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: challenging circumstances. Whenever you have a coaching change nowadays in 41 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 1: college football, everybody's free to leave. A lot of players do. 42 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: In his case, he was also moving into a much 43 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: tougher league, so that made things doubly challenging. What has 44 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: impressed you about the job he's not only done this year, 45 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: but over the course of two and a half years. 46 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 3: It's been his steadiness. It's just who he is, you know. 47 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 3: I mean, he had a system that he wanted to 48 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 3: put into place. He knew he was going to take 49 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 3: some time. He had to get the people around him 50 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 3: and you know, start to recruit his players and all 51 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 3: those things. It just takes time to do that, you know, 52 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 3: And so I think his steadiness throughout this process. Somebody 53 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 3: asked me, am I surprised by this year, and I 54 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:46,960 Speaker 3: told him, oh, I actually I would have been surprised 55 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 3: if it didn't go this way, because what I saw 56 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 3: leading into this year was a team that was really gelling, 57 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 3: coming together. Our best players are our leaders, are captains, 58 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 3: and great teams have captain that lead the team. And 59 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 3: I just felt like that's what we were experiencing in 60 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 3: the off season. And then just talking to people around 61 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 3: the program. You'll hear from Zach Grant here in a minute, 62 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:11,359 Speaker 3: but you know, the Nico of the world, and to 63 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 3: Zach Grant and the assistant coaches and John Daniel, who 64 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 3: works closely with the program. It just really felt like 65 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 3: this was going to be a breakout year, that we 66 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 3: had the pieces in place to go do this. So 67 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 3: really proud of him, like I said, but in terms 68 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 3: of Scott who he is as a person, his steadiness 69 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 3: is what I think always impresses me about him. 70 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: Let's talk about Zach's department, because one of the things 71 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: you did, and Coach Saderfield did when he took over 72 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: as head coach was expand the recruiting general manager, et cetera. 73 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: That entire department. I don't know if you've doubled it, 74 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: tripled it or whatever, but it is considerably larger than 75 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: it used to be. You're spending a lot more money 76 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: in that area. You have to be able to compete 77 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: at this level. And that decision has paid big dividends. 78 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's been it's been a unit. It's been really 79 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 3: fun to see it come together. Obviously, the centerpieces Zach 80 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 3: grant able to get him from Western Kentucky has ties 81 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 3: to Ohio State, you know, a lot of different connections 82 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 3: around the country, and so he he starts to build 83 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 3: out his team, brings in Jack Griffith and Casts and 84 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:21,359 Speaker 3: and all these guys that are just so talented, and 85 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 3: he can talk about each one of them, but they 86 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:25,039 Speaker 3: all do a different thing and they all have a 87 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 3: different skill set. One looks at high school recruiting, one 88 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 3: looks at portal recruiting, and I think, really, you know, 89 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 3: I'd love being around him because they work so hard 90 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 3: and they're so knowledgeable. And if you ever want to 91 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 3: know what's going on in the country in terms of 92 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:40,839 Speaker 3: high school recruiting and or portal recruiting, you talk to 93 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 3: these guys. But I'm impressed, especially with the portal side 94 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:47,839 Speaker 3: of things, because that's been the new the new angle to, 95 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 3: you know, making sure that you have a roster that 96 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 3: can compete is going out and finding the right guys 97 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 3: out of the portal that want to be Bearcats and 98 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 3: maybe are a little under the radar, under recruited. And 99 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 3: we've been able to find those guys and they're they're 100 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 3: participating at such a high level and they're some of 101 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 3: our best players. So give them a lot of credit 102 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 3: for what we've been able to build over over the 103 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 3: last three years. 104 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:13,600 Speaker 1: Beginning on July first, colleges could begin paying players directly. 105 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: Has it stabilized college sports at all? 106 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 3: Boy loading question I don't know if it has yet, Okay, 107 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 3: And so I said this the other day, I'm hopeful. 108 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 3: I'm hopeful that it will because I do I do 109 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 3: think that you know, every every league it has a 110 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 3: soury cap, right, every league has a cap every you know, 111 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 3: And that's kind of what we've got to develop in 112 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 3: a short period of time. I mean, everybody, everybody. Actually, 113 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 3: we've been doing this a long time. The house case 114 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:46,159 Speaker 3: that led to us bringing this in house didn't actually 115 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:49,359 Speaker 3: officially get adopted until June of this year. And we 116 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:51,719 Speaker 3: all anticipated that it was going to happen, and so 117 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 3: we put some things into place to get ready for it, 118 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,359 Speaker 3: but it didn't actually happen until June. And so, you know, 119 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 3: I'm hopeful that that some of these systems that you know, 120 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 3: the NCAA and then this new entity called the College 121 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:07,720 Speaker 3: Sports Commission have adopted can be put into place, and 122 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 3: then we can get what we what we really signed 123 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 3: up for with the house house case, which was a 124 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 3: hard cap, a real a true cap in some system 125 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 3: around that. And then maybe we look at transfers and 126 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 3: whether or not we're doing the right things when it 127 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 3: comes to free transfer. Can we work it back and 128 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 3: go back to a time period in which you get 129 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 3: to transfer once and that's it. Those types of things. 130 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 3: So I do think there's a lot of work being done, 131 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:34,280 Speaker 3: and we may need some help from Congress. We may 132 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 3: need some different things to finally get it settled, but 133 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 3: we're making progress. 134 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: The next two football games are at Nippert Stadium this 135 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: Saturday at noon against Arizona the following Saturday against by U. 136 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: We don't have a game time yet on that, we'll 137 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 1: find out on Sunday. ESPN Game Day was at Utah 138 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 1: a few weeks ago when Cincinnati played there, did another 139 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 1: Big twelve game this past week at Texas Tech. Kind 140 00:06:57,600 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 1: of feels like maybe it's unlikely they would keep going 141 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 1: big twelve games, So maybe that is not in the 142 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: mix for Cincinnati. But what about the possibility of Fox's 143 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: big Saturday pregame show coming to Nippert? Is it you're 144 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: feeling that that could be in the cards for BYU 145 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: if things go well? 146 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 3: You know, I certainly think so. You know, we have 147 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 3: early conversations with ESPN and Fox and both they're very 148 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 3: interested in how this plays out this weekend. Obviously, we've 149 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 3: got a really tough opponent. I mean, Arizona is no slouch. 150 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 3: They could easily be nine to one right now, and 151 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 3: so that's gonna be a game we have to we 152 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 3: have to go perform and play well. If we do that, 153 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 3: and then b YU has a tough opponent. I think 154 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 3: they're at TCU that you say, yeah, so so if 155 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 3: we both win, it could set up a big time matchup. 156 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 3: And that week specifically, there's not a lot of games 157 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 3: that you point to and say, you know, Game Day 158 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 3: or or Fox Big Noon is going to go there. 159 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 3: And so we're right in the hunt and we're hopeful 160 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 3: that that if those things happen, that would that would 161 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:55,120 Speaker 3: be great. 162 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: A big twelve championship game is obviously a major goal 163 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: and has been all year. And if you can get 164 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: there and win or maybe even lose, now you're talking 165 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: about playing in the twelve team playoff, which would be 166 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 1: amazing to be back in the college football playoff just 167 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: a few years after going in twenty twenty one. But 168 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: regardless of all of that, you're going back to a 169 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: ball game this year. I don't know about you. I've 170 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: started diving into the ball projections. They come out early 171 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: every week, and one nice thing about being in the 172 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: Big Twelve as opposed to being in the American is 173 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: that all of these ball games are really attractive. They're 174 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: in great stadiums against big name opponents on good dates. 175 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 1: So you know that Cincinnati hopefully is going to the 176 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 1: Big twelve playoff, but even are the Big the twelve 177 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 1: team playoff, But even if that doesn't happen, this team 178 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: is going to be playing in a very attractive ball game. 179 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 3: Always exciting. Feel so happy for our seniors. You know 180 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 3: the Gavin gear Hearts of the world that specifically said 181 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:53,199 Speaker 3: we got to get back there. We got to get 182 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 3: back to a ball game. That's who we are. We 183 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,199 Speaker 3: go to bowl games, and so yeah, just it'll be fun. 184 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:00,599 Speaker 3: I actually haven't dove in do it too much. I 185 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,079 Speaker 3: think my wife has more than I have because it's 186 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 3: always a family trip for us around the holiday, so 187 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 3: she's trying to figure it all out. I know, my 188 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 3: boys told me the other day they love pop Tarts, 189 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 3: so I don't know what that means. 190 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 1: But well, the Pop Tarts Bowl is in Orlando, so 191 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: you would have the double dip. Your boys could possibly 192 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 1: get to Disney or one of the other theme parks 193 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: there in Orlando. But some of the other balls that 194 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: have been mentioned with s where Cincinnati is concerned. There's 195 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: one in Phoenix, there's one in San Antonio, Houston. So 196 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: these are great markets, good stadiums, big time opponents. It's 197 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: going to be great wherever Cincinnati winds up. This is 198 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 1: the Scott Saderfield Show. We're leaning toward football topics tonight. 199 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 1: But before we turn it over to the audience, want 200 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:45,079 Speaker 1: to ask you about basketball. Wes Miller's team approved a 201 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 1: three and oh last night. Beating a good opponent Dayton 202 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 1: obviously is always good. You know, by the end of 203 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 1: the year, that one's going to be good for Cincinnati's metrics. 204 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:54,839 Speaker 1: That was a nice win last night. 205 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was a lot of fun. I mean, it 206 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 3: was a great atmosphere. It was great to see Fifth 207 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 3: Third rocking again the way that we saw it all 208 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 3: the whole entire Big twelve season last year. And so 209 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,079 Speaker 3: really really good win. I'm telling you, Dayton's a really 210 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 3: good team. 211 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 2: You know. 212 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 3: We we certainly had the things that are gonna drive 213 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 3: Wes Miller nuts today. As he watched the film last night. 214 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 3: He immediately watches the film with his staff after the game. 215 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 3: So I'm sure he's getting on him about throwing the 216 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 3: ball all over the gym a little bit, but every 217 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:24,319 Speaker 3: once in a while they threw it in the hoop, 218 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 3: which was good. So we were able to get a 219 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 3: lot of points and beat a really good Dayton team. 220 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:31,960 Speaker 3: And the other thing is we the defense. The defense 221 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 3: really showed up, and we were talking about that before 222 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 3: he came on the air. I just I felt like 223 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 3: they really played really hard defensively and locked him down 224 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 3: and and some really kind of breakout performances. I thought 225 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 3: Tyler McKinley was really good yesterday. Is just somebody that 226 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 3: was so solid and made a lot of really smart plays. 227 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:51,679 Speaker 3: And so I think it's gonna be somebody new every night. 228 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 3: You know, we've we've seen that already. Bob I had 229 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 3: a great night, and then you know Sean has a 230 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 3: great night and Dada has a great night. So it's 231 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 3: just gonna be one of those teams. But there really athletic. 232 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 3: They're going to get up and down the floor and 233 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 3: it's gonna be a fun year. 234 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 2: All right. 235 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: This is the Scott Sadderfield Radio Show, Live from the 236 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 1: original Montgomery In Home of the World's Greatest Ribs. Our 237 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 1: guest in the first half hour is athletic director John Cunningham. 238 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 1: We're going to take a time out. We'll open it 239 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 1: up to questions from the audience when we come back 240 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 1: here on seven hundred wlw. 241 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 3: Oh, that's fun to hear this. 242 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Scott Saderfield Radio Show, live from 243 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:34,839 Speaker 1: the original Montgomery in the home of the world's greatest ribs. 244 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: Our special guest tonight pinch hitting for Coach Saderfield, Athletic 245 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 1: director John Cunningham in the first half hour, and the 246 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: general manager of the football program, Zach Grant in the 247 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 1: second half hour. We will be taking questions from the audience. Tonight, 248 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 1: our man John Daniel working the room with a wireless mike, 249 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: and he has arrived at Brian's side for the first question. 250 00:11:56,679 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 4: Mister Cunningham, Cincinnati has not had a lot of years 251 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 4: where it feels like football and basketball are really excelling 252 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 4: at the same time. And I'm not saying both are 253 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 4: excelling yet, but both are really kind of trending up. 254 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 4: What does it take in your position to get both 255 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 4: of those sports, you know, the big sports, get them 256 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 4: trending up the way they are at the same time. 257 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 4: You're you're definitely spread a little wide trying to focus 258 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:24,040 Speaker 4: on both and getting them getting them rolling. 259 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, I think both are unique in what 260 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:30,320 Speaker 3: you have to build around a program and the resources 261 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 3: you have to give to it. I do think you know, 262 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,199 Speaker 3: typically football is gonna take it's got to be a 263 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 3: little bit more foundational. You gotta you gotta really take 264 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 3: your time to build football up from from the ground up. 265 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:43,440 Speaker 3: I think that's that's the way to do it. To 266 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 3: get a sustained success in football basketball with the transfer 267 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:49,439 Speaker 3: portal and things, it's you know, you've seen these rosters flip, 268 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 3: and you just got to have really skilled recruiters, and 269 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 3: you got to have a real game plan on the 270 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:57,439 Speaker 3: type of roster you want to build, and you got 271 00:12:57,440 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 3: to kind of just you know, really be focused in 272 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 3: on on making sure year to year that you've got 273 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 3: your your you know, seven to ten guys that can 274 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 3: go out there and compete. So it's a little bit 275 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 3: different that way, But certainly it starts with coaching. And 276 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 3: you know, both of our coaches are are so good 277 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 3: and so dedicated to what they do, love the student athletes. 278 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 3: You know, Coach Sadderfield and coach Miller are are you 279 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 3: know guys that these players are going to be able 280 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 3: to call in fifteen twenty years for help and guidance 281 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:29,719 Speaker 3: and that's what you're looking for, and I think that's 282 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 3: how you get successful in both. 283 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 1: All right, Phyllis is up next. 284 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 5: I have both an observation kind of slash duvetail on 285 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 5: what you just said, John. I think those that stayed 286 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 5: really speaks volumes to this football program and people aren't 287 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:54,199 Speaker 5: really picking up on that, and I think that that 288 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,720 Speaker 5: speaks to the coaching staff and to how they feel 289 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 5: really into this program. And then I have another question 290 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 5: after you answered to that. 291 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 3: I agree, and then you know, that's what I when 292 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:11,839 Speaker 3: we were asked sort of were you surprised that That's 293 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 3: why I wasn't surprised because I do feel like the 294 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 3: culture in that building obviously a brand new, beautiful building, 295 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 3: but even before that, the culture was strong and you 296 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 3: could just kind of feel feel that around the program. 297 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 3: And I think our student athletes feel supported, and you know, 298 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 3: we're trying to make them great football players that are 299 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 3: going to make it to the NFL, but we're also 300 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 3: trying to really work on them as people and make 301 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 3: sure that they, you know, our great fathers and individuals 302 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 3: in the community. So all that plays into that. And 303 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 3: I believe that those that transfer from other schools see 304 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 3: the difference, and then I believe that those are that 305 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 3: are here stay here because of that. I think that's true. 306 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 5: Then I want to ask you to speak to the 307 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 5: Impact Fund and the impact of that fund and how 308 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 5: that is whole different thing than just not throwing money 309 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 5: into a whole so to speak, and what that does 310 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 5: for especially football, basketball and all of our athletic programs. 311 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:17,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, the Impact Fund in John Daniels holding the mic, 312 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 3: he's my my CFO and holds me accountable for money 313 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 3: every day. But I always say money is not everything, 314 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 3: but it's right up there with oxygen, and it is 315 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 3: because we in order to do what we need to do, 316 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 3: we've got we've got to have resources to compete in 317 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 3: the Big twelve. And so the Impact Fund is really 318 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 3: us going out and trying to scale as large as 319 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 3: we can to our three hundred and sixty five thousand 320 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 3: living alumni to say, this is your program, we want 321 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 3: it to be great in the Big twelve. We're gonna 322 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 3: need resources to be great. And you know how I've 323 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 3: looked at the revenue share piece to it. I view 324 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 3: that as just that's just table stakes. You have to 325 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 3: be a full, full revenue share program. What that does 326 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 3: is that takes a large chunk of money and puts 327 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 3: it into that well. That means everything else needs resources. 328 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 3: So all of our sports are gonna need resources to 329 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 3: backfill the amount of money that we're putting into the 330 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 3: table stakes of playing in the Big twelve, which is 331 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:17,680 Speaker 3: revenue share. So to your point, Phillis, it's really about 332 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 3: it's really about just just funding all of our programs 333 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 3: and just saying I'm a bear Cat. I want Bearcat 334 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 3: athletics to be important because it makes the university better, 335 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 3: it makes our city better, and that's what that's all about. 336 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 3: So we're just asking people to look into it, give 337 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 3: what you can, obviously, and and try to make us great. 338 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 2: Bob. So it's been a little over five years, and 339 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 2: I remember you probably didn't anticipate on your first day 340 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 2: having to advocate for completing a ballgame in Birmingham if 341 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 2: you could, you foresee dealing with all of the isolation 342 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 2: of COVID. But other than that, how's the rest of 343 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 2: the time worked out for you? And where do we 344 00:16:57,440 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 2: go from here. 345 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, you throw in an I L and you're throwing 346 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 3: collectives and you throw in uh yeah. So I don't know. 347 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:07,439 Speaker 3: I had a I had an old uh employee of 348 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 3: ours that that is now the CFO at the Big 349 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 3: twelve nick Bows, and I don't know, maybe the first 350 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 3: three years he looked at me and he's like, I 351 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 3: think it's you. I think I think you're the one 352 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 3: that has caused everything to go haywire. But my my 353 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 3: tenure has been has been pretty crazy. But you know, 354 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:27,360 Speaker 3: I think what I've learned being here is that you've 355 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 3: got to be malleable. You've got to be willing to 356 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:33,120 Speaker 3: adjust and and change course when you need to. And 357 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 3: it's all about people. It's all about people in the building. 358 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 3: It's all about coaches, the right coaches, and it's all 359 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 3: about these young men and women that that I love 360 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:46,919 Speaker 3: being around. If I need energy, I go to the 361 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:50,399 Speaker 3: Gold Family Dining Hall and I sit with our student 362 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 3: athletes for launch or breakfast, and that's how I get 363 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:55,520 Speaker 3: my juice for the day. Because when you make it 364 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 3: about them, you're you're you typically do the right things. 365 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 1: Plus, in the new Football Indoor practice facility, those meals 366 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 1: are really good. 367 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 3: They're really good. 368 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 6: Yeah yeah, okay, So keeping on that same tone, what 369 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 6: are we doing to advance women's sport? Since women's basketball 370 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:16,040 Speaker 6: is on the up and up, what can we do 371 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:18,880 Speaker 6: to help further our women's programs? 372 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, volleyball. Just one tonight, by the way, So another 373 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:25,119 Speaker 3: victory by volleyball over UCF. They're having a really good 374 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 3: year under under Daniel Tomach in her first year, going 375 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 3: toe to toe in the Big twelve, which is really 376 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 3: good in volleyball. To I think it's I think it 377 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 3: starts with just supporting the women's programs by attending. We 378 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:40,159 Speaker 3: got to get people the fifth third to watch our 379 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:43,480 Speaker 3: volleyball program, to watch our women's basketball program, to get 380 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,920 Speaker 3: to getler to watch our soccer program and our lacrosse 381 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 3: program tennis. We've got to get people out and supporting 382 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 3: in that way. That makes a huge difference. When you start, 383 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 3: they feel it so much more. You know, our men's 384 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 3: basketball program is gonna play in front of big crowds 385 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:01,680 Speaker 3: all the time. But when we get a really big 386 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 3: crowd for women's basketball, or a really big crowd in volleyball, 387 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:06,919 Speaker 3: which we've had already this year, it makes such a 388 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 3: big difference for those young women, and so I think 389 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 3: it starts there. I think it starts with just getting 390 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:15,120 Speaker 3: to the games and telling people about it and doing that. 391 00:19:15,359 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 3: And then obviously there's other ways to support. Each one 392 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 3: of those programs have their own development funds, and again 393 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 3: they need funding just like everybody else, and they're trying 394 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 3: to be top level in the Big twelve, and so 395 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 3: we need to support them financially as well. 396 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:31,200 Speaker 1: I think attendance for the women's game is going to 397 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:33,439 Speaker 1: get a big bump when d Alexander is able to 398 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: play the most highly touted recruited school history, a local player, 399 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:40,960 Speaker 1: three time miss basketball in the state of Ohio. Unfortunately, 400 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 1: she's going to miss the first half of this season 401 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 1: due to injury. But I'm really intrigued by what Katrina 402 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 1: Merriweather is doing. Six freshmen in this recruiting class, two 403 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 1: top one hundred freshmen, and it's kind of different from 404 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 1: the way many men's programs are approaching it with a 405 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 1: quick fix. This is old school. She's getting great players 406 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:04,200 Speaker 1: to grow together, and there are gonna be some growing 407 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: pains early on, but the potential payoff would be tremendous. 408 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:08,120 Speaker 2: Yeah. 409 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 3: I mean, she's been talking about this class for for 410 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 3: a couple of years, and she always said that, she said, John, 411 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 3: I'm gonna I'm gonna dig deep and we're gonna create 412 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 3: something really good, and it's gonna start with this freshman 413 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 3: class that's so highly touted and we've seen bits and 414 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 3: pieces of it. We haven't seen the Alexander. We have 415 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:25,679 Speaker 3: another key injury on that team, so they're kind of 416 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 3: down two players, but they've got two freshman guards out 417 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 3: there that are really really good. I think they can 418 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:33,959 Speaker 3: drive Katrina nuts at times because they're freshman guards and 419 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 3: we understand that, but they are really good, and you know, 420 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:39,680 Speaker 3: they're they're all they're They're not off to a great 421 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 3: start this year. They've they've battled some you know, battle 422 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 3: Penn State at Penn State and those things. But I 423 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 3: think what I told Katrina the other day is that 424 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:51,359 Speaker 3: that's the worst games are behind them and it's just 425 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:53,160 Speaker 3: gonna get better and better and better because you get 426 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:55,880 Speaker 3: young people out there getting experience and they're just gonna 427 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:57,880 Speaker 3: they're gonna gel together and start to figure it out. 428 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 3: But I'm excited to see d L Lexander as well. 429 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:03,159 Speaker 3: She's got some rehab to do, but hopefully, you know, 430 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:04,880 Speaker 3: mid season or so we get her back. 431 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: All right, we're going to be joined by Zach Grant 432 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: just a moment, but I just want to wrap this 433 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:10,840 Speaker 1: up with you by asking you about the GM that 434 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:14,120 Speaker 1: the basketball program has hired. Corey Evans has come aboard 435 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: from the Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA champion last year. 436 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,639 Speaker 1: So now you've gone to this model in football and 437 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 1: men's basketball with GMS helping the head coach and the 438 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: entire coaching staff build a roster. 439 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:30,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's been fun to be around Zach Grant obviously, 440 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:33,680 Speaker 3: but but Corey Evans is special as well, and Corey's 441 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 3: been around basketball. I've actually known Corey for several years. 442 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:39,679 Speaker 3: He's there was a guy that they used to call 443 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 3: worldwide West and Basketball because he knew everybody. I feel 444 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,640 Speaker 3: like Corey's worldwide Corey because he knows he goes everywhere 445 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:48,360 Speaker 3: in the basketball world. People know who he is, and 446 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 3: it's just been such a key to to building this 447 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:54,639 Speaker 3: this roster. Ian. I'm so excited about what he's going 448 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 3: to do in the future because he's already talking about, 449 00:21:57,359 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 3: you know, players that he's seen out and about in 450 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 3: the future, and he's got ties to Europe, and he's 451 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 3: got ties to the NBA, and he's got ties to 452 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,400 Speaker 3: the G League and all those good things. So it's 453 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 3: gonna be fun to watch him and Wes and that 454 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 3: whole crew work together to build the roster. But Cory's 455 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:17,680 Speaker 3: a unique individual, very very smart nose basketball top to bottom, 456 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 3: and again he knows everybody in the industry. 457 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 1: All right, we'll take a time out. We'll be joined 458 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:25,360 Speaker 1: by general manager of the Football Program, Zach Grant, when 459 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:28,680 Speaker 1: we con continue. This is the Scott Sadderfield Radio Show. 460 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 1: We're live at the original Montgomery In home of the 461 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 1: world's greatest ribs, on seven hundred WLW. We are back 462 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,679 Speaker 1: on the Scott Satderfield Radio Show a Wednesday night this 463 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 1: week instead of the normal Tuesday night. As a result, 464 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 1: we've got a couple of special guests taking us through 465 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 1: the show this evening. We had Athletic director John Cunningham 466 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: join us in the first half hour, and now we 467 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:56,679 Speaker 1: are joined by the Football Program's general manager, Zach Grant. 468 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 1: Here in the second half hour. We'll take questions from 469 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 1: the audience and just a bit we also have stuff 470 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:03,400 Speaker 1: to give away at the end of the show. Here 471 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 1: at the original Montgomery d Zach. I want to start 472 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:12,320 Speaker 1: with your quarterback, Brendan Soresby. He had good, not great 473 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:17,200 Speaker 1: statistics at Indiana. He wasn't that highly recruited coming out 474 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:19,879 Speaker 1: of his high school in Texas. What did you and 475 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 1: your staff see on the tape from the limited playing 476 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:27,120 Speaker 1: time he had at Indiana that made you say, this 477 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 1: guy can be a great quarterback for us. 478 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:30,919 Speaker 3: Yeah. 479 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 7: The first thing when we were looking at what we 480 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 7: need to do at the quarterback position after the twenty 481 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 7: three season, we knew we needed to go get a starter, 482 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:44,440 Speaker 7: and it was my job to kind of evaluate the 483 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,920 Speaker 7: whole country, all the quarterbacks in different situations who may 484 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 7: or may not leave. 485 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:49,880 Speaker 3: So I'm just. 486 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 7: Initially grading all of them. When I hit on Soresby, 487 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 7: the number one thing that stood out was his toughness. 488 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:01,640 Speaker 7: I think that's an underrated thing the quarterback position that 489 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:03,920 Speaker 7: not a lot of people look at it. 490 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 3: You know, you're looking. 491 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 7: At his arm strength and this and that. But if 492 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 7: you are the leader of the football program and you 493 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:13,920 Speaker 7: want your players to play hard for you, you need 494 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 7: to be really tough. And his toughness showed out at Indiana. 495 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 7: We'd watch his postgame press conferences. He was playing through 496 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 7: an ac joint spraint on his throwing shoulder, and he 497 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 7: never complained. He never missed a beat. But beyond that, 498 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 7: you know, he had good feet in the pocket. He 499 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:32,639 Speaker 7: was calm operating from within the pocket. He was able 500 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:36,160 Speaker 7: to elude and avoid sacks playing with you know, an 501 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 7: average offensive line, and you know Indiana was making a 502 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 7: run through the season with that. Eventually they were getting 503 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:45,920 Speaker 7: fired as a staff, you know, that's how it ended. 504 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:49,879 Speaker 7: But when Brendan took over the job, I saw a 505 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 7: noticeable difference in the way the players around him played. 506 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 7: And I simply thought that when when wideouts were open, 507 00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 7: he was hitting them, So I thought he saw the 508 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 7: field well. Truthfully, I think getting him here and it's 509 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,880 Speaker 7: probably due to the injury, his arm talent is better 510 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 7: than I thought, But everything else has been a dream 511 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 7: come true. And it's a testament to coach Siderfield and 512 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:17,200 Speaker 7: coach Thomas developing him from year one to year two. 513 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 7: I mean, everyone can see the jump he's made, and 514 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 7: a lot of it's the pieces around him, but you 515 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 7: know he'd fit our offense perfectly, and they've done an 516 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 7: incredible job. 517 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,919 Speaker 1: Similar question about Jake Gold Day. Dame Brugler from The 518 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 1: Athletic came out with his top fifty NFL draft board 519 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:35,920 Speaker 1: this week. He's got Jake going number forty two. I think, 520 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 1: so that would be a high second round pick in 521 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:41,679 Speaker 1: next year's draft. He played at Central Arkansas. He was 522 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:44,520 Speaker 1: not heavily recruited out of high school, kind of a 523 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 1: rush end type player as opposed to an off the 524 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 1: ball linebacker. What did you guys see in Jake gold 525 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 1: Day that made you think this guy can play that 526 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:55,160 Speaker 1: position and play it well for us? 527 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 7: Yeah, honestly, that one was pretty simple. When we showed 528 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:01,400 Speaker 7: him to our defense of staff, it was like three 529 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:03,200 Speaker 7: clips and it was like, this is the biggest freak 530 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:08,640 Speaker 7: there is the portal. He never got tweeted about, there 531 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:10,879 Speaker 7: was no publicity around him, and he never got ranked, 532 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:15,880 Speaker 7: and all those situations are perfect, Like we were convicted 533 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 7: about what we saw in the person he was. His 534 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:21,360 Speaker 7: path to get to where he was playing the linebacker 535 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:24,760 Speaker 7: position probably helped us, and that it was a little 536 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:26,960 Speaker 7: unique out of high school. He was a COVID recruit, 537 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 7: so that's how he got lost. When we go back 538 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:33,159 Speaker 7: and evaluate why we like these portal players, now, what 539 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 7: did they look like in high school and how can 540 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 7: it inform our decisions? Then he showed everything on high 541 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:40,400 Speaker 7: school tabe you would want. I think he just got 542 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:42,879 Speaker 7: lost in the shuffle, and he played two years as 543 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 7: an edge rusher at Central Arkansas on one year off 544 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:50,679 Speaker 7: the ball. The instincts playing off the ball have improved 545 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 7: now in year two in the system, but the athletic 546 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:56,080 Speaker 7: gifts have always been there. And I would predict that 547 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:58,600 Speaker 7: his draft stock increases once he runs. 548 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,800 Speaker 1: The forty, because it's going to be very fast for 549 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,119 Speaker 1: guy who's two hundred and forty pounds. I happened to 550 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,439 Speaker 1: talk to Jake for a podcast earlier this week, and 551 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: on the flip side of this, when he enters the 552 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:13,880 Speaker 1: portal and you guys try to recruit him to Cincinnati, 553 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:17,119 Speaker 1: he mentioned that a member the coaching staff flew down 554 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:20,119 Speaker 1: to where he was three times in the first week 555 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 1: to take him out to dinner. 556 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 7: Yeah, I think Jake was embellishing that a little bit. 557 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 7: I remember it being too. Due to the specific NCAA 558 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:31,760 Speaker 7: rules surrounding you're allowed to do it once a week, 559 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 7: so coach brads went on either like a Thursday, Friday, 560 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:39,560 Speaker 7: or Saturday, and then the following Monday, which was the 561 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:43,640 Speaker 7: New week. But the rules always changed in college football. 562 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 7: Currently we're not able to see the portal players like 563 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:54,040 Speaker 7: that was in the spring, I guess, but you know 564 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:57,040 Speaker 7: it was an open period when he was able to 565 00:27:57,080 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 7: go and anybody was like, you're able to do it. 566 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 7: So this past cycle you weren't, okay, But as the 567 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 7: rules change, we're going to take advantage of every possible 568 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 7: thing we can. And you know, when you go to 569 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:13,720 Speaker 7: see a kid in person one day after they go 570 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 7: in the portal, I think that's pretty impressive and shows. 571 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:16,560 Speaker 3: The commitment to him. 572 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:18,440 Speaker 7: And you know, the moment he went in the portal, 573 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:21,120 Speaker 7: we knew we wanted him, and coach Breswell shot down 574 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:23,160 Speaker 7: and did a great. 575 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 1: Job strictly by the rules. Just to be clear. So 576 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:30,680 Speaker 1: when you identify somebody who is quote unquote on under 577 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 1: the radar type recruit. Maybe he's at a smaller school, 578 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:37,399 Speaker 1: maybe he's had injury problems, but you've seen stuff on 579 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:39,640 Speaker 1: tape that you like and you want to bring him 580 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 1: to Cincinnati. How do you keep it secretive? How worried 581 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: do you get about you know, the word getting out 582 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 1: on a guy? 583 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 7: Yeah, I think it starts with our just the way 584 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 7: I came up being at Western Kentucky for five years, 585 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 7: Like we're never I. 586 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,360 Speaker 3: Was never in the limelight in any way. Nobody was ranked. 587 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 3: There was none of that. 588 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 7: It was just purely the conviction you had about the player, 589 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 7: their skill set, and what you wanted as a team. 590 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 7: How we try to manufacture less publicity in the recruiting process, 591 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:17,720 Speaker 7: you know, we're just not advertising what we do. Some 592 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:22,720 Speaker 7: people try to artificially do that to gain like Hooplin 593 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 7: publicity and. 594 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 3: Buzz. 595 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 7: You know, there's two ways to do it. That's a 596 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 7: positive decision in some ways. Certainly for us, we just 597 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 7: want to acquire the player and it doesn't have to 598 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:42,560 Speaker 7: come with four stars. As a matter of factly some 599 00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:45,479 Speaker 7: schools will lobby the two four seven reporters to make 600 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 7: the rankings higher for them. We would rather do it 601 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:52,040 Speaker 7: the opposite way, both to have a chip on the 602 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 7: shoulder on our guys and just to keep them away 603 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 7: from other teams that might just look at that stuff 604 00:29:57,600 --> 00:29:59,920 Speaker 7: and want to recruit them. So we'll let the ranking 605 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 7: fall how they are. For us, it's about the person 606 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:04,800 Speaker 7: and about the player and the fit. 607 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:06,360 Speaker 3: At Cincinnati, one of. 608 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 1: The real success stories on the team this year is 609 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:12,040 Speaker 1: the wide receiver position. You brought all these guys basically 610 00:30:12,080 --> 00:30:14,840 Speaker 1: in five guys in the transfer portal, and it's not like, 611 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:16,840 Speaker 1: all right, you hit on one and the other guys 612 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:21,440 Speaker 1: are okay. They've all made major contributions. How did you 613 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 1: pull that off with this group? What were you looking for? 614 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 1: And why have this? Why have all five of these 615 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:27,560 Speaker 1: guys been successful. 616 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:32,240 Speaker 7: Yeah, when you're trying to build a receiver room, it's 617 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:35,440 Speaker 7: it's like a basketball team. Everybody has their own specific 618 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:38,520 Speaker 7: skill set and what you need. We have one of 619 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 7: the fastest players in the country in Caleb Goodie. You know, 620 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 7: we have a point guard so to speak, in Cyrus Allen. 621 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 7: You know, there's a do it all type player, and 622 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 7: Noah Jennings. There's a scorer at you know, power forward 623 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:54,040 Speaker 7: or shooting guard or whatever you want to call it, 624 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 7: and Jeff Caldwell and I don't know if there's a 625 00:30:57,360 --> 00:30:59,600 Speaker 7: basketball term for it, but the best one with the 626 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:03,840 Speaker 7: ball in his hands is Isaiah Johnson. So it all 627 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:05,840 Speaker 7: worked out in that way. You're trying to fit different 628 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:08,440 Speaker 7: pieces together so that you have different answers to things. 629 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 7: Defenses new but the key to it all truly. Number 630 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:15,880 Speaker 7: one obviously was VJ. Stingley. He did an incredible job 631 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:21,280 Speaker 7: recruiting those guys. But Brendan Soresby I saw him grow 632 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:24,920 Speaker 7: as a leader as he helped recruit those players. He 633 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:27,479 Speaker 7: took ownership of it. He knew if he was going 634 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:29,400 Speaker 7: to be really good, he needed guys to throw the 635 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 7: ball to that not only were good, but we're there 636 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 7: because he talked to them. It like talked him into 637 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:39,080 Speaker 7: it and could lead them once he's there or once 638 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:43,680 Speaker 7: they're there. And you know, they all watched the tape 639 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:47,200 Speaker 7: and they saw the arm talent Brendan had and he 640 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:48,480 Speaker 7: was a big reason for it. 641 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 1: Is Cincinnati unusual in the way that you have veteran 642 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:57,760 Speaker 1: leaders more or less vet the transfer players that you're considering. 643 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 7: I'd be shocked if more teams don't do that. I 644 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 7: just think it's so obvious. But we make an intentional 645 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 7: focus to make that happen. You know, we talk about 646 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 7: coach Sadderfield's philosophy in terms of team building and leadership, 647 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 7: and it's a player driven program. 648 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 3: You know, John. 649 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:20,440 Speaker 7: Cunningham made mention to this. But you know, we're good 650 00:32:20,480 --> 00:32:23,480 Speaker 7: because we have incredible leaders on this team. Starting with 651 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 7: Gavin Gearhart and the the number of the players that 652 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:31,560 Speaker 7: were here you know, even before coach that got here 653 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:34,880 Speaker 7: and since jac mentioned it, I want to give name 654 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:36,920 Speaker 7: to those guys. There's ten players on the team that 655 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:41,360 Speaker 7: we're here when Coach sat arrived that have stayed. And 656 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 7: when you talk about the culture and the fibric of 657 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 7: the team and guys being through the fire, it doesn't 658 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 7: like it doesn't get more than that after surviving a 659 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 7: coaching change, going three and nine, staying here throughout all 660 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:56,960 Speaker 7: of it, for us, it's really special. And that's Brady Lichtenberg, 661 00:32:57,480 --> 00:33:03,200 Speaker 7: Gavin Gearheart, Ethan Green, Dante Corleone, Rob Jackson, Drew Logan, 662 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 7: Jonathan Thompson, Jack Dingle, Sincere Lewis, Ben Blevins, and you know, 663 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:15,120 Speaker 7: those ten guys truly like some of more like high 664 00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:16,680 Speaker 7: profile leadership roles than others. 665 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:18,840 Speaker 3: But you know they control and. 666 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:20,920 Speaker 7: Monitor the locker room at a high level, along with 667 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 7: some other transfers we brought in. And if it's going 668 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,479 Speaker 7: to be a player driven program, we need to make 669 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:30,240 Speaker 7: sure those guys are around them or the transfers when 670 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:33,080 Speaker 7: we bring them in just to self select the right 671 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:34,280 Speaker 7: types of players. 672 00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 1: It's good stuff. We're going to take a time out. 673 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:39,320 Speaker 1: Questions from the audience when we continue. Our guest is 674 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:41,880 Speaker 1: the general manager of the seven and two U SEE 675 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:45,240 Speaker 1: football team, ranked twenty second in the country, Zach Grant. 676 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 1: Big game coming up for the Bearcats this Saturday at 677 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:51,840 Speaker 1: noon against six and three Arizona Wildcats will continue from 678 00:33:51,840 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 1: the original Montgomery In, home of the world's greatest rips. 679 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 1: In just a moment on seven hundred WLW, we are 680 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:01,840 Speaker 1: back at the original Montgomery In, home of the world's 681 00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 1: greatest dribs and the Scott Saderfield Radio Show. Here in 682 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:07,600 Speaker 1: seven under WLW. We will be back here tomorrow night 683 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:11,239 Speaker 1: for the Wes Miller Radio Show eight to nine tomorrow 684 00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:14,200 Speaker 1: again on the Big One. Time for questions from the 685 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:17,720 Speaker 1: audience for the general manager at football program, Zach Grant. 686 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:20,080 Speaker 3: Bob is up first, Hi, Zach. 687 00:34:21,160 --> 00:34:23,000 Speaker 2: If you're like me, I want a team full of 688 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:25,800 Speaker 2: players that really want to be here and want to 689 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:28,799 Speaker 2: be Cincinnati Bearcats. But they don't all start out that way. 690 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:31,080 Speaker 2: You got to sort of sell them on the idea. 691 00:34:31,200 --> 00:34:33,759 Speaker 2: So what point in the process to you to you 692 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:38,279 Speaker 2: sort of switch from selling to evaluating how badly they 693 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:39,200 Speaker 2: want to be Bearcats. 694 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:40,640 Speaker 3: It's a great question. 695 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:45,319 Speaker 7: We're always evaluating them throughout the process. We get very 696 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:48,880 Speaker 7: limited exposure to like seeing them in person, just because 697 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 7: we either have to go to them or they come 698 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:53,640 Speaker 7: to campus, so seeing how they are as people during 699 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:59,200 Speaker 7: that time were constantly evaluating them. But within the ever 700 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:02,239 Speaker 7: and never ending cycle of recruiting and the different touch 701 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:05,279 Speaker 7: points that they have with people on our staff, Cass 702 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:09,480 Speaker 7: Simmons and tyg Leach, along with the gas QC's interns 703 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:12,680 Speaker 7: and the position coaches are typically selling the players so 704 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:15,399 Speaker 7: that they want to come up here and visit right 705 00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:19,480 Speaker 7: But once they sit down with coach Sadderfield. This is 706 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:22,480 Speaker 7: frustrating for me at times because I'm like, go close 707 00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:25,520 Speaker 7: this guy, But his philosophy is I want to make 708 00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:27,719 Speaker 7: sure they want to come here and want to play here, 709 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:31,319 Speaker 7: so he's never going to beg anybody to come. I 710 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:33,600 Speaker 7: think now that we have started to have the success 711 00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:36,600 Speaker 7: that we knew was coming, it's easier to operate that 712 00:35:36,640 --> 00:35:41,520 Speaker 7: way out of a position of power, certainly, but that's 713 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 7: one way to self select the right types of players. 714 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:47,680 Speaker 7: We're just going to be as authentic and real as possible, 715 00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:49,920 Speaker 7: make sure they know what they're getting into when they 716 00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:53,440 Speaker 7: sign up for it. It's a hard program. The offseason 717 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:55,920 Speaker 7: is going to make them better, but it's brutal with 718 00:35:56,000 --> 00:35:59,640 Speaker 7: coach Nico, So they need to know that coming up. 719 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:01,480 Speaker 7: And if a guy, if you see the look in 720 00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:04,960 Speaker 7: their eye that they want that fire, then then let's go. 721 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:09,879 Speaker 7: And that's one good way to know Fellas. 722 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:15,440 Speaker 5: Zach, everybody has been so amazed and impressed and everything 723 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:18,120 Speaker 5: else you can think of with Jake Golday, is there 724 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:23,040 Speaker 5: another player that also has been an absolute gem that 725 00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 5: not just met your expectations but exceeded it even. 726 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:35,799 Speaker 7: When you're comparing him to Jake Golda, that's tough. One 727 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:39,320 Speaker 7: guy that doesn't get a lot of, you know, publicity, 728 00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:42,560 Speaker 7: I'd say, is Trey Gola Collard. He's a safety in 729 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:46,319 Speaker 7: his second year. Came from Southern Utah. He was at 730 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 7: University of Mary before then. But he is an extremely 731 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:55,120 Speaker 7: consistent player playing the boundary safety position. He's put in 732 00:36:55,160 --> 00:36:58,239 Speaker 7: a lot of conflict situations but always plays fast and physical. 733 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:03,760 Speaker 7: But he's an incredible teammate and an incredible human being. 734 00:37:05,719 --> 00:37:08,560 Speaker 7: Similar to what makes Jake great beyond the physical gifts 735 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:11,439 Speaker 7: is his his intentionality and want to become the best 736 00:37:11,480 --> 00:37:13,400 Speaker 7: version of himself. And you see the same thing in 737 00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:16,120 Speaker 7: Trey and a number of our other players. But to 738 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:18,960 Speaker 7: single one out especially that doesn't get a lot of love. 739 00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:22,320 Speaker 1: I'd say Trey, all right, I see where John Daniel 740 00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:23,799 Speaker 1: is so that I know the mic is in. 741 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:25,960 Speaker 3: The back of the room, and we're got to Elijah. 742 00:37:26,120 --> 00:37:29,120 Speaker 1: Okay, sorry, what was your name? 743 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:30,440 Speaker 8: I didn't get it? 744 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:31,759 Speaker 1: You're Zach grant Is. 745 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:39,040 Speaker 8: Two questions. First off, other than because Xavier is not 746 00:37:39,080 --> 00:37:41,200 Speaker 8: a football school, the Xavier doesn't have football, but I 747 00:37:41,239 --> 00:37:44,040 Speaker 8: say that's our biggest rival, like in basketball, but in football, 748 00:37:44,440 --> 00:37:47,279 Speaker 8: who would you say when I consider like, who do 749 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:49,720 Speaker 8: you really get pumped up to play against? Because obviously 750 00:37:49,719 --> 00:37:51,800 Speaker 8: we don't play Louisville as much as we used to 751 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:55,839 Speaker 8: or Pitt. I mean I consider UCF, like when we 752 00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:58,160 Speaker 8: play UCF, I get pretty pumped up, or maybe Houston. 753 00:37:58,800 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 8: What other schools do you get pumped up to play against? 754 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:04,719 Speaker 8: In the players? And then secondly, do you think uc 755 00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:09,080 Speaker 8: could ever be on the level of competitiveness is like 756 00:38:09,120 --> 00:38:12,360 Speaker 8: a Big ten school like Ohio State or Michigan, Because 757 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:15,480 Speaker 8: I mean you look at now compared to ten years ago. 758 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:18,200 Speaker 8: I mean we're in the Big twelve or you know, 759 00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:22,440 Speaker 8: our facilities are much nicer. So do you think that 760 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:24,120 Speaker 8: could ever be a possibility in the future. 761 00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:28,640 Speaker 7: Yeah, First question number one for us, it's still Miami. 762 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:32,720 Speaker 7: You know, we don't play them this year, but when 763 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:34,640 Speaker 7: we play them, I thought you guys probably saw it 764 00:38:34,719 --> 00:38:40,279 Speaker 7: last year. Our team was incredibly enthused both before the game, 765 00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:42,120 Speaker 7: going into it, during the game, and after the game 766 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:47,719 Speaker 7: with the celebration within conference. I'd say UCF or Iowa State, 767 00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:49,919 Speaker 7: Iowa State, there's a lot of similarities in the way 768 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:53,040 Speaker 7: we do things. We're gonna play them again next year. 769 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:56,839 Speaker 7: It'll be four straight years. I don't think we play 770 00:38:56,920 --> 00:39:01,120 Speaker 7: UCF next year, but that rivalry, despite not being me 771 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:04,040 Speaker 7: being here when we're in the in the AAC, I've 772 00:39:04,120 --> 00:39:07,239 Speaker 7: still felt that since I since I got here, and 773 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:10,359 Speaker 7: I think that will continue. So i'd say those three 774 00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:13,360 Speaker 7: in my book, And then question number two, I absolutely 775 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:14,239 Speaker 7: think we can get there. 776 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:16,400 Speaker 3: That's not gonna happen overnight. 777 00:39:17,680 --> 00:39:22,120 Speaker 7: To me. We need to continually climb the ladder and 778 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:25,600 Speaker 7: you know, meet every ring of that ladder in terms 779 00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:28,279 Speaker 7: of like meeting the next goal in front of us, 780 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:30,600 Speaker 7: then the next goal and the next goal, and uh, 781 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:33,400 Speaker 7: you know, I think we have everything available here to 782 00:39:33,480 --> 00:39:33,799 Speaker 7: do it. 783 00:39:33,960 --> 00:39:37,200 Speaker 3: We're gonna have to, you know, harness the. 784 00:39:37,080 --> 00:39:41,000 Speaker 7: Power of the city and you know, leverage those relationships 785 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:44,920 Speaker 7: with big businesses as we you know, increase our just 786 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:49,839 Speaker 7: financial capacity to meet, uh, the competition level at that 787 00:39:49,960 --> 00:39:53,680 Speaker 7: level in terms of you know, nil and revenue share. 788 00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:57,040 Speaker 7: But I think we have everything in front of us 789 00:39:57,080 --> 00:40:00,600 Speaker 7: and every resource possible to eventually reach that goal. We 790 00:40:00,680 --> 00:40:03,319 Speaker 7: just gotta it doesn't happen overnight. We got to hit 791 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:04,360 Speaker 7: every ring of that ladder. 792 00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:09,359 Speaker 4: First, Brian, how many hours a week do you think 793 00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:13,440 Speaker 4: you spend watching video and what do you do in 794 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:15,360 Speaker 4: the other hours that you're not watching video? 795 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:22,000 Speaker 7: Yeah, well those four hours, you know, in my role, 796 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:26,200 Speaker 7: especially depending on the time of year, I don't get 797 00:40:26,239 --> 00:40:28,040 Speaker 7: to watch as much as I want to, like when 798 00:40:28,120 --> 00:40:29,759 Speaker 7: you when I say that, I would like to do 799 00:40:29,800 --> 00:40:33,920 Speaker 7: it like twenty four hours a day. But I'm blessed 800 00:40:34,120 --> 00:40:37,879 Speaker 7: with an incredible staff that I'm able to work with, 801 00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:42,480 Speaker 7: and Carter Wilson doing scouting for high school, Jack Griffith 802 00:40:42,560 --> 00:40:45,840 Speaker 7: doing scouting for the portal, Cassimmitson and Taiji Leitch and 803 00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:50,239 Speaker 7: Peter Abrams doing a lot of communicating and recruiting and 804 00:40:50,239 --> 00:40:55,359 Speaker 7: then Caroline Tart doing our like visit setup. A lot 805 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:57,000 Speaker 7: of people in my role that I talk to across 806 00:40:57,040 --> 00:41:00,040 Speaker 7: the country aren't as fortunate as I am where I 807 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:01,759 Speaker 7: truly trust those people to do what they do and 808 00:41:01,800 --> 00:41:03,839 Speaker 7: they do it at as high of a level as 809 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:08,600 Speaker 7: anybody out there. That frees me up to not worry 810 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:14,399 Speaker 7: that I'm not uncovering the unheralded player from an hour 811 00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:16,520 Speaker 7: up the road. I know Carter is already doing that, 812 00:41:16,560 --> 00:41:19,880 Speaker 7: you know what I mean. So in terms of hours, 813 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:23,239 Speaker 7: I probably try to make sure I'm watching film for 814 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:26,480 Speaker 7: three or four hours a day and the rest of 815 00:41:26,520 --> 00:41:30,239 Speaker 7: the time, there's different conversations with our coaches. The communication 816 00:41:30,360 --> 00:41:32,480 Speaker 7: with them has to be on point for every specific 817 00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:37,080 Speaker 7: recruiting situation. You know, agents are becoming a big thing 818 00:41:37,080 --> 00:41:40,360 Speaker 7: in college football now. We talk to them a lot 819 00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:43,480 Speaker 7: to gather information more than anything that the name of 820 00:41:43,520 --> 00:41:45,640 Speaker 7: the game and knowing how the market's trending and all 821 00:41:45,680 --> 00:41:50,520 Speaker 7: that for what it will cost for positions and different 822 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:53,160 Speaker 7: things like just being on the phone and letting them 823 00:41:53,200 --> 00:41:59,680 Speaker 7: talk and then you know, different meetings according to you know, 824 00:41:59,719 --> 00:42:04,040 Speaker 7: what our strategy is in terms of revenue share stuff, 825 00:42:04,080 --> 00:42:07,680 Speaker 7: and like different stuff like that. That's how I kind 826 00:42:07,719 --> 00:42:11,680 Speaker 7: of wrap it up. And then part of it's just 827 00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:14,280 Speaker 7: sitting down and making sure I'm prepared for different meetings 828 00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:16,960 Speaker 7: and trying to lead my team in the best way 829 00:42:16,960 --> 00:42:19,600 Speaker 7: I can. Like, I feel like I have six people 830 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:23,000 Speaker 7: that operate at such a high level. As long as 831 00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:25,600 Speaker 7: I can give them the correct direction and way to go, 832 00:42:25,600 --> 00:42:27,360 Speaker 7: good things will happen. So I try to be as 833 00:42:27,400 --> 00:42:29,520 Speaker 7: intentional as I can about that. And then in my 834 00:42:29,560 --> 00:42:31,160 Speaker 7: free time, I want to spend as much time as 835 00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:33,560 Speaker 7: I can with my wife and my six month old 836 00:42:33,719 --> 00:42:34,400 Speaker 7: and my dog. 837 00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:34,960 Speaker 3: Winning. 838 00:42:35,040 --> 00:42:40,600 Speaker 1: So don't neglect winning what recruiting has done this time 839 00:42:40,640 --> 00:42:43,040 Speaker 1: of year where the coaches are involved, Are you meeting 840 00:42:43,040 --> 00:42:45,799 Speaker 1: with them and showing them people during this time of 841 00:42:45,800 --> 00:42:46,240 Speaker 1: the season. 842 00:42:46,400 --> 00:42:47,280 Speaker 3: Yeah. 843 00:42:47,760 --> 00:42:51,640 Speaker 7: Right now in season, every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning, 844 00:42:51,719 --> 00:42:53,880 Speaker 7: we spend thirty minutes with the offense and the defense 845 00:42:53,960 --> 00:42:58,600 Speaker 7: presenting recruits. It might be guys we've watched before, it 846 00:42:58,680 --> 00:43:01,160 Speaker 7: might be our current commits. We see their role being 847 00:43:02,320 --> 00:43:05,760 Speaker 7: information and knowledge is power, so we want them to 848 00:43:05,880 --> 00:43:09,000 Speaker 7: be exposed to everything we're seeing and every critical player that. 849 00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:09,960 Speaker 3: Needs to get in front of them. 850 00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:11,880 Speaker 7: That's the time to do it, and then I have 851 00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:15,080 Speaker 7: a little bit more time with coach sat during position meetings. 852 00:43:15,080 --> 00:43:17,080 Speaker 7: When the coaches are in position meetings, we can sit 853 00:43:17,160 --> 00:43:22,200 Speaker 7: down together and you know, strategize on our roster and 854 00:43:22,200 --> 00:43:23,800 Speaker 7: and different recruits that he needs to see. 855 00:43:23,880 --> 00:43:26,960 Speaker 1: What impact is the shake Lee indoor practice facility having. 856 00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:32,919 Speaker 7: Oh, it's been tremendous from a recruiting standpoint. I think 857 00:43:32,960 --> 00:43:37,480 Speaker 7: it just ties everything together for the recruits. We became 858 00:43:37,520 --> 00:43:42,719 Speaker 7: a big twelve team, we've started winning, and now they 859 00:43:42,719 --> 00:43:45,080 Speaker 7: see the facility, and some that have come before and 860 00:43:45,160 --> 00:43:49,560 Speaker 7: didn't now they're like, Okay, this legitimizes everything. It checks 861 00:43:49,560 --> 00:43:54,440 Speaker 7: every box that Cincinnati's legitimately in the in the ballgame. 862 00:43:54,600 --> 00:43:59,480 Speaker 7: Being a real power for team. From the team perspective, 863 00:43:59,520 --> 00:44:03,080 Speaker 7: I think it's even more critical as much of a 864 00:44:03,120 --> 00:44:09,640 Speaker 7: recruiting advantage it is our players rehab, I call it prehab, 865 00:44:09,680 --> 00:44:12,400 Speaker 7: that's probably not the right word, but like training their 866 00:44:12,440 --> 00:44:14,680 Speaker 7: bodies to not get hurt ahead of time, like what 867 00:44:14,719 --> 00:44:17,359 Speaker 7: Aaron Himmler does and what Nico palace EDDI do down 868 00:44:17,360 --> 00:44:20,040 Speaker 7: there in our training room, in our weight room. Like 869 00:44:20,120 --> 00:44:22,919 Speaker 7: you talk about the elite of the elite, they're as 870 00:44:22,920 --> 00:44:26,799 Speaker 7: good as it gets. So we have so many resources. 871 00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:29,640 Speaker 7: I think I read an article this came out like 872 00:44:29,680 --> 00:44:31,399 Speaker 7: six years ago, so the numbers might be a little 873 00:44:31,400 --> 00:44:34,759 Speaker 7: different now. But James Harrison, the Steelers ed rusher, he 874 00:44:34,840 --> 00:44:37,480 Speaker 7: used to spend I think it was like five hundred 875 00:44:37,520 --> 00:44:41,160 Speaker 7: thousand dollars every off season doing different modalities to. 876 00:44:41,120 --> 00:44:41,920 Speaker 3: Get his body right. 877 00:44:42,560 --> 00:44:46,000 Speaker 7: We have every single thing he used and more in 878 00:44:46,080 --> 00:44:48,360 Speaker 7: our facility. And when you tell that to recruits, it's like, 879 00:44:48,400 --> 00:44:50,640 Speaker 7: we're going to invest in you in your personal development, 880 00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:53,160 Speaker 7: your football development. We're going to invest in you in 881 00:44:53,200 --> 00:44:56,960 Speaker 7: rev share and nil. But you're gonna have every resource 882 00:44:57,040 --> 00:44:59,360 Speaker 7: right at the tips of your fingers in an extremely 883 00:44:59,400 --> 00:45:04,440 Speaker 7: functionalit building. It's a compelling deal for them and it 884 00:45:04,520 --> 00:45:05,360 Speaker 7: really really helps. 885 00:45:05,719 --> 00:45:08,520 Speaker 1: That's a great nugget because I remember James Harrison spent 886 00:45:08,560 --> 00:45:10,520 Speaker 1: one year with the Bengals, okay, and I remember all 887 00:45:10,560 --> 00:45:13,239 Speaker 1: the stuff he was doing for that freakish physique that 888 00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:16,160 Speaker 1: he had back then. Zach, this has been a lot 889 00:45:16,160 --> 00:45:19,799 Speaker 1: of fun. Always appreciate your time. Congratulations on the job 890 00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:23,520 Speaker 1: you and your staff along with the coaching staff, have 891 00:45:23,600 --> 00:45:26,080 Speaker 1: done and putting together the roster of the twenty second 892 00:45:26,160 --> 00:45:28,200 Speaker 1: ranked team in the country with a chance to play 893 00:45:28,520 --> 00:45:30,400 Speaker 1: for a big twelve championship in a few weeks. 894 00:45:30,440 --> 00:45:32,200 Speaker 3: Thank you. It's a lot of work still to be done. 895 00:45:32,160 --> 00:45:35,960 Speaker 1: All right, let's hear it for Zach Graft that is 896 00:45:36,239 --> 00:45:38,600 Speaker 1: just about going to do it for our show tonight. 897 00:45:38,719 --> 00:45:42,080 Speaker 1: Thanks to Joe Strecker, our on site engineer. Thanks to 898 00:45:42,200 --> 00:45:44,800 Speaker 1: Joe Waddell back in the studio, we've got stuff to 899 00:45:44,840 --> 00:45:46,920 Speaker 1: give away for the folks who are here at the 900 00:45:46,920 --> 00:45:50,160 Speaker 1: original Montgomery in you've been listening to the Scott Centerfield 901 00:45:50,239 --> 00:45:52,600 Speaker 1: Radio Show on seven hundred WLW