Speaker 1: Welcome to the solid verbal. Pull that for me. I'm
Speaker 1: a man, I'm for.
Speaker 2: I've heard so many players say, well I want to
Speaker 2: be happy.
Speaker 1: You want to be happy for a day? Edo State
Speaker 1: is that? Whoo whoom? And Dan and Tie SEC Preview
Speaker 1: part say it? Tie, Yeah, I got a request out
Speaker 1: on discord that I never stopped doing that. Oh good,
Speaker 1: it seems like it's been a big hit.
Speaker 2: Well, that's the power of signing up to be a
Speaker 2: verballer at verballers dot com. You get to control what
Speaker 2: Tye says. You get to pull the puppet strings.
Speaker 1: Not exactly, but not opposed to that either, Okay, not
Speaker 1: opposed to that. We appreciate everybody's support out there. I
Speaker 1: am ty he is Dan. This is the solid verbal.
Speaker 1: This is part two of our ongoing SEC preview series,
Speaker 1: really of our ongoing college football twenty twenty four preview series.
Speaker 1: Right now, we've got both the ACC and the Big
Speaker 1: Twelve in the books. We've got part one of the
Speaker 1: SEC where we talked through our contender tiers. Also in
Speaker 1: the books, you can go back and listen to that episode.
Speaker 1: It's the last one out there on the feed today
Speaker 1: that we're actually going to start talking about specific SEC teams,
Speaker 1: and we're going to do so with a focus on
Speaker 1: these eight Remember there are sixteen teams now in the SEC.
Speaker 1: We're going to talk today about Georgia and Texas, about
Speaker 1: Ole miss and MISSOO, about Texas, A and M and Florida,
Speaker 1: and about Mississippi State and Vanderbilt to close things out. Yes,
Speaker 1: so for for you that you focused on, for for
Speaker 1: me that I focused on a little bit more intently
Speaker 1: as well. So excited to get into the nitty gritty
Speaker 1: about these teams and much much more. Hit follow hit
Speaker 1: subscribes that you don't miss any of our episodes on
Speaker 1: whatever platform you enjoy listening to podcasts on DAN. That's
Speaker 1: the rule. You know how it works by now, Yes,
Speaker 1: I absolutely do so. On the last episode we talked
Speaker 1: through our tiers, you and I both had Georgia and
Speaker 1: Texas pretty high. I don't think that is unique as
Speaker 1: compared to other college football people out there, folks who
Speaker 1: study this sort of thing. Most people kind of in
Speaker 1: an agreement that both Georgia and Texas deserve to be
Speaker 1: at the top. But where it gets interesting is when
Speaker 1: we start talking about the teams like the old Misses
Speaker 1: and the miszoos and certainly the texts A and MS
Speaker 1: where there's change to discuss in some cases, and influx
Speaker 1: of talent via the transfer portal. Florida, of course, is
Speaker 1: a very very interesting topic for discussion on a number
Speaker 1: of different fronts. And then you got teams like Mississippi
Speaker 1: State and Vanderbilt that notably are at the bottom here
Speaker 1: but are both starting over in some respect trying to
Speaker 1: reboot something within their program to see if they can
Speaker 1: get to greater heights. Where do you think you'd like
Speaker 1: to start with this discussion?
Speaker 2: I think we should start with Texas because they sort
Speaker 2: of encompass a lot of what's new and interesting about
Speaker 2: this conference, and we're not doing Alabama this episode, so
Speaker 2: we're not starting with the defending champ. I'm sure we'll
Speaker 2: get to Georgia next, but I don't know, let's start
Speaker 2: with the new. And the new with Texas is they're here.
Speaker 2: The new with Texas is that they've joined the SEC.
Speaker 2: They have an SEC schedule, And with Texas and Oklahoma,
Speaker 2: of course comes the end of divisions, so everybody's schedule
Speaker 2: looks sort of different. Right, there's protected matchups, but I
Speaker 2: don't know, divisionless football is a new thing, and Texas
Speaker 2: is one of those teams. So Texas brings back a
Speaker 2: ton As, a Big twelve playoff team for a second.
Speaker 1: Please you you're doing this again to me? Ah, sod?
Speaker 1: Where should we start? That's danger the SEC. We need
Speaker 1: to work on our communication here. I was waiting give
Speaker 1: me a runway so that I could shoehorn that sound in.
Speaker 2: But it's okay, Okay, Sorry, I apologize. So I'm very
Speaker 2: excited to talk SEC foot.
Speaker 1: I know, I know, I know, I appreciate that. Okay.
Speaker 2: Can I get back to what I was saying?
Speaker 1: Please do I apologize, sir? Okay? Can you?
Speaker 2: I'm very excited about Texas football, and the things that
Speaker 2: make me excited are the experience that Sark has been there,
Speaker 2: that there's continuity on the staff. Look, it's not to
Speaker 2: echo the laziest talking point of all, but it all
Speaker 2: starts up front. And Texas is entering into this conference
Speaker 2: with if not the best offensive line. A conversation that
Speaker 2: they have the best offensive line in this country, especially
Speaker 2: or in the conference, at least anchored by Calvin Banks,
Speaker 2: left tackle, All American and he's probably going to be
Speaker 2: top five to seven pick or whatever. In the twenty
Speaker 2: twenty five NFL Draft. They should be able to run,
Speaker 2: they should be able to throw, and they should be
Speaker 2: able to throw, replacing a lot both at receiver and
Speaker 2: tight end. But when you add in Isaiah Bond from Alabama,
Speaker 2: John Tay Cook, you know, former five star Silas Bolden
Speaker 2: from Oregon State, Ryan Wingo a five star coming in, Like,
Speaker 2: there are too many options for this passing game not
Speaker 2: to work really really well. Considering it Sarks, bread and Butter,
Speaker 2: considering the talent here, considering the experience, considering the line
Speaker 2: protecting Quinn Eewers, and maybe arch manning of Quinn Eewers
Speaker 2: goes down. There's just there's very little way, even with
Speaker 2: Texas's schedule, and I know George's on this schedule, that
Speaker 2: they're not going to have a top ten to twelve
Speaker 2: offense in America, if not higher.
Speaker 1: Oh, they're going to score thirty eight points a game
Speaker 1: with this offense.
Speaker 2: They're in a great starting place there. What I really
Speaker 2: like about where Texas is at is we knew what
Speaker 2: was the weak point of Texas. We knew that danger
Speaker 2: to Texas last year. By the end of last year
Speaker 2: and seeing certain quarterbacks have success was they weren't getting
Speaker 2: home off of the edge, and their DB's were losing
Speaker 2: one on one battles deep. They were giving up big
Speaker 2: pass plays. And it wasn't just on the secondary. Wasn't
Speaker 2: just on the pass rush. But if you have a
Speaker 2: pass rush, it's easier on the dbs, If you have
Speaker 2: sticky Will Johnson type corners, it becomes easier for everybody
Speaker 2: to get to the quarterback and to get the defense
Speaker 2: off the field. Texas has developed youth really well at
Speaker 2: all three levels, and guys who are rotation guys step
Speaker 2: in along the line at the linebacker spot, at both
Speaker 2: linebacker spots really and in the secondary. They also went
Speaker 2: into the portal once again to build up depth in
Speaker 2: the secondary, to build up depth at edge rusher. Trey
Speaker 2: Moore is that big name from UTSA they were after.
Speaker 2: I mean, this is sort of a common theme in
Speaker 2: the league right now, is building up beefy depth, you
Speaker 2: know a defensive tackle, which Texas did its best to do,
Speaker 2: you know, whiffed on a couple of transfer targets, but
Speaker 2: brought in guys and by and large, Texas should be
Speaker 2: in a very good spot now. The schedule is not
Speaker 2: the easiest in terms of what they have in a row,
Speaker 2: and I think there are trappy moments. You know, they
Speaker 2: have Oklahoma and Georgia. I think in consecutive weeks they
Speaker 2: do so Oklahoma of course in Dallas, and Georgia is
Speaker 2: in Auxton.
Speaker 1: Yeah, in Texas it's in Austin.
Speaker 2: Still, that's a horrific back to back for most teams.
Speaker 2: We'll see if it is for Texas. But there's a
Speaker 2: reason they're a contender. There's a reason that, like Okay,
Speaker 2: so their defensive tackles aren't quite where they were last
Speaker 2: year with Biro Murphy and Devandre Sweat. Very few teams
Speaker 2: you know, can say that they are. So I think
Speaker 2: Texas in a great spot. I really really do. We'll
Speaker 2: see like linebacker depth, will see defensive tackle depth, and
Speaker 2: that's when you start getting into the end of the year.
Speaker 2: Their run is looks like what Florida at Arkansas, Kentucky
Speaker 2: at A and M. You know, getting that Kentucky defense
Speaker 2: a week before traveling to College Station. It's just I
Speaker 2: don't know if it's going to be trickier as a
Speaker 2: look ahead spot playing against Kentucky or against A and M.
Speaker 2: After in a body blow spot. I mean, the emotion
Speaker 2: will be there, the motivation will be there as they
Speaker 2: reignite that rivalry with.
Speaker 1: A and M.
Speaker 2: But you really can't look at Texas and say like, oh,
Speaker 2: here's a major, major question and so yes, it's a
Speaker 2: transition to a new conference. You know, Sark doesn't have,
Speaker 2: you know, the experience game planning against all of these
Speaker 2: defensive coordinators and going to all of these stadiums. But look,
Speaker 2: they go to Alabama and beat them on the road.
Speaker 1: Well he kind of does, though he was in the
Speaker 1: SEC before he was at Texas.
Speaker 2: Yes he was. But I'm saying, with this roster, with
Speaker 2: this place whatever. Yeah, but that's me nitpicking, that's me.
Speaker 2: That's a half truth at best.
Speaker 1: I mean, I just think it says an awful lot
Speaker 1: about the job that Sark's done that they lost their
Speaker 1: top running back, their top five wide receivers both Sweat
Speaker 1: and Murphy off the line who you mentioned earlier.
Speaker 2: And they lost their running back like two thirds of
Speaker 2: the way into the year last year.
Speaker 1: Yeah, but still the point stands, there's a lot walking
Speaker 1: out the door and they're over under is still ten
Speaker 1: and a half going into what amounts to a much
Speaker 1: TOFTFER Conference. Now the over under is ten and a half.
Speaker 1: I would not bet on Texas going over ten and
Speaker 1: a half. And it's not because I don't like the team.
Speaker 1: It's because so much is changing. I like their talent.
Speaker 1: But to your point of, Okay, they've got Oklahoma and
Speaker 1: Georgia on back to back weeks. Okay, they've got Kentucky
Speaker 1: in that defense a week before squaring off against Texas
Speaker 1: A and M. We don't know yet what the bumps
Speaker 1: in the road are going to be for this team
Speaker 1: going into this conference.
Speaker 2: No, and look, if we're talking about Texas as a
Speaker 2: twenty twenty three playoff team last year, that path is different.
Speaker 2: It is they beat Alabama on the road, but the
Speaker 2: week to week path in getting And this is no
Speaker 2: disrespect intended, because these are a lot of quality teams
Speaker 2: on this listing of teams, but going through Kansas State
Speaker 2: getting Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, a lot of teams that
Speaker 2: just don't have the tech, don't have don't recruit on
Speaker 2: the level of a lot of the teams on Texas's
Speaker 2: new schedule. It's a different animal. And the other concern
Speaker 2: I would have with Texas, that's nothing they can control.
Speaker 2: They can't Texas can't control how Kansas recruits, they can't
Speaker 2: control how TC recruits and whatever. But the other animal
Speaker 2: here is something that I think we've we put in
Speaker 2: the past a little bit, where so two years ago
Speaker 2: they struggle in the second halves of games and we're
Speaker 2: just like, man, why are they losing this? Why are
Speaker 2: they not scoring this? Why are they swing three points
Speaker 2: in this second half loss to an inferior roster. Last
Speaker 2: year against Washington specifically, they're like, well, the running backs
Speaker 2: are fumbling a little, but they're running for seven yards
Speaker 2: of carry and they've abandoned the run in the second
Speaker 2: half and they're putting it all on Quinn yours. Now
Speaker 2: Washington has this ability to sort of pin their ears
Speaker 2: back and look at a more predictable second half Texas offense.
Speaker 2: The question then is, like sark toe to toe as
Speaker 2: an offensive coordinator in a big game and proved against
Speaker 2: Alabama on the road for sure last year. Is it
Speaker 2: going to be an every week thing that Texas either
Speaker 2: survives in spite of itself or loses something that they
Speaker 2: might not have had to because of you know, three
Speaker 2: weird three and outs in the second half against Georgia
Speaker 2: against Kentucky against A and M or something like that.
Speaker 2: That would be the concern as things become more difficult.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and look, I also think playing this type of
Speaker 1: schedule brings into focus the fact that quinn Ewers has
Speaker 1: had some health concerns in the past. Now they've got
Speaker 1: arch Manning behind him, yep, who hasn't played meaningful snaps.
Speaker 1: I think they feel good about their quarterback depth for
Speaker 1: obvious reasons. But one of those other points that I
Speaker 1: think worth is worth mentioning at this early juncture, and
Speaker 1: more to my point of we don't fully know what
Speaker 1: that transition into the SEC will look like. We assume
Speaker 1: it will go rather smoothly in that Texas's position well
Speaker 1: to deal with it. Yeah, but who knows?
Speaker 2: Who knows it's It's also I haven't been in a
Speaker 2: few years, but I've been to a few Texas games.
Speaker 2: It's not always an SEC the best of SEC, even
Speaker 2: though we consider Texas in this grouping. The environment at
Speaker 2: DKR it's a little quieter, it's a little less rowdy,
Speaker 2: it's a little less electric, it's a little bit less
Speaker 2: of a frenzy. Maybe it's changed the last few years
Speaker 2: as they've gotten better, but it's it's not exactly the
Speaker 2: hornet's nest that is multi sport field tie. Let's go
Speaker 2: to Georgia then, I mean, when we did our last episode,
Speaker 2: it seems the two teams that we felt best about
Speaker 2: were Texas and obviously Georgia. Thirteen and one last season
Speaker 2: lost to Alabama in the SEC title game. We'll talk
Speaker 2: about Bama on the next episode. Then went to the
Speaker 2: Orange Bowl and smoked Florida State by sixty points, just
Speaker 2: killed him. Obviously there were reasons for that, okay, but
Speaker 2: Georgia is a very good team, and Georgia was kind
Speaker 2: of at full strength going into that game. So now
Speaker 2: going into this new season, they're at a dynasty level
Speaker 2: with this program. Kirby Smartest done a really good job,
Speaker 2: and there's no reason to think that they won't get
Speaker 2: there again.
Speaker 1: This is probably one of those times where I'm supposed
Speaker 1: to have a hot take. I've got the volcano behind me,
Speaker 1: take a toa I've got other takes that will throw
Speaker 1: in that volcano, and I'll play my sound as we
Speaker 1: go through the course of this episode in the one
Speaker 1: after it. But I don't have a take. I don't
Speaker 1: have anything spicy that's going to rack up downloads of
Speaker 1: use or whatever like Georgia is take proof at this
Speaker 1: point from my standpoint.
Speaker 2: At least for on field stuff.
Speaker 1: For on field stuff, yes, of course for onfield So
Speaker 1: not going down that rabbit hole.
Speaker 2: I'm glad you said not going down that road, because
Speaker 2: that would have been an appropriate continue not going down
Speaker 2: that road.
Speaker 1: Beautiful.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: The best way I can describe this team on the
Speaker 1: field is that they are painfully yet scary. Boring. Okay,
Speaker 1: it's boring. It's boring. We already kind of know what
Speaker 1: we're going to get. And that's despite the loss of
Speaker 1: Brock Bowers, the lad McConkie and two guys in the
Speaker 1: backfield and many others. They're twenty ninth nationally in returning production,
Speaker 1: so they lost a lot but still rank very highly
Speaker 1: in terms of what they have coming back, which is
Speaker 1: something of a rarity, if I'm being honest with you.
Speaker 1: Here an elite team from a year ago that has
Speaker 1: this much back. Part of the reason why I like
Speaker 1: Michigan last season, it's popular pick to win the National Championship.
Speaker 1: I wasn't alone in that they have so much back
Speaker 1: from their team in twenty twenty two, obviously there was
Speaker 1: a lot to like. In twenty twenty three, they end
Speaker 1: up winning the National Championship. Not to be cliche, but
Speaker 1: the same is true for Georgia as it was for Texas.
Speaker 1: Where does it start, Dan, It starts up front, and
Speaker 1: this is going to be maybe the four straight year
Speaker 1: where they've got an offensive line that's a finalist for
Speaker 1: the Joe Moore Award, which they give out to the
Speaker 1: best offensive line in the country. Yep, you can just
Speaker 1: sort yeah, you can just sort of work backwards from there. Man,
Speaker 1: it's not that complicated. You got a Heisman caliber quarterback
Speaker 1: in Carson Beck. They bring over Trevor Etn from Florida,
Speaker 1: going to run the rock. They've got a stable of
Speaker 1: running backs. If it's not Trevor Etn, plenty of guys
Speaker 1: they could count on their receiver room. Maybe a bit
Speaker 1: weaker now with the dismissal of ra Ra Thomas due
Speaker 1: to his legal issues, but still dominic love it and
Speaker 1: Dylan Bell and Colby Young who comes up from Miami, London.
Speaker 1: Humphreys who was a big play guy from Vandy. He
Speaker 1: comes in oh an oscar dealt by the way, all right,
Speaker 1: We're going to talk a lot about Rock Bowers is leaving.
Speaker 1: He was maybe one of the better tight ends in
Speaker 1: the history of the game. Oscar delp is pretty good.
Speaker 1: He was good in relief effort when he had a
Speaker 1: step in for Brock Bowers on a full time basis
Speaker 1: here and there last season. Now he's going to be
Speaker 1: the duke.
Speaker 2: Ro Roh Thomas suspended indefinitely. He was the last thing
Speaker 2: I saw.
Speaker 1: Off the team. He's gone, He's off the team. Yeah,
Speaker 1: Oh okay, I'm just listed off names here. That's not
Speaker 1: the point of this, but it kind of is the
Speaker 1: point of it, right Like if you have been following
Speaker 1: this team, or this show or this damn sport for
Speaker 1: the last handful of years, you know, most of the
Speaker 1: names have just rattled off, not a whole lot of
Speaker 1: unknown quantities. And it's kind of the same deal on
Speaker 1: defense too. Loaded up front with Michel Williams, who might
Speaker 1: be a first round draft pick, will be a first
Speaker 1: round draft pick, na Zerr Stackhouse, There's a ton of
Speaker 1: experience in the linebacking corps, high level talent behind them.
Speaker 1: On the depth chart. If anything's weak, I guess it's
Speaker 1: the secondary. But I'm really reaching here. I'm really splitting Harris.
Speaker 1: They got a lot of do it's back there. Yeah,
Speaker 1: Georgia's week spots would be many other team's strengths. Again,
Speaker 1: I wish I had something spicier for you, but I don't.
Speaker 2: Well, it's the schedule. I think it's it's not a
Speaker 2: week spot per se, because everybody that they play is
Speaker 2: more terrified of Georgia than Georgia is of it. But
Speaker 2: I think again, if you have the schedule in front
Speaker 2: of you, it's like maybe the most difficult first five
Speaker 2: weeks of defense that a team might play in the country. Again,
Speaker 2: if you're like an average you know, your replacement level team,
Speaker 2: there's no team that I think has a more difficult
Speaker 2: is it? For the first five weeks it's Clemson, Kentucky?
Speaker 2: Who else is on there?
Speaker 1: In Kentucky? Alabama, Auburn are the Biggins. And then as
Speaker 1: you get into this week six, Week seven on the
Speaker 1: road at Texas that's on October the nineteenth, that's obviously
Speaker 1: going to be the marque matchup of the weekend. So defense, yeah,
Speaker 1: not really in short supply through the first half of
Speaker 1: the Georgia schedule, and it is a more difficult schedule
Speaker 1: than we saw last year, than we saw the year prior.
Speaker 1: It certainly is. I think many of these teams that
Speaker 1: are on this thing have up their game. But I
Speaker 1: still really like Georgia chances just because, again, so many
Speaker 1: known quantities. There's a reason that even with the schedule
Speaker 1: ten and a half ste over under, I don't think
Speaker 1: i'd take the bet. Honestly, I don't think I would.
Speaker 1: I love Georgia, I think George's winning the SEC, but
Speaker 1: I'm not taking that bet. It's not because I think
Speaker 1: they're overrated. It's because there are some tough runs here.
Speaker 1: That neutral Cider against Clemson in Week one. Weird things
Speaker 1: happen in Week one. Yeah, at Bamba at Bama. You
Speaker 1: could talk more about Bama on the next episode. Still
Speaker 1: a lot of talent there. At Texas at Old Miss.
Speaker 1: Anytime you go on the road in this conference, strange
Speaker 1: things can happen. By the way, that Old Miss game
Speaker 1: is a week after the Florida rivalry and a week
Speaker 1: before a home game against Tennessee. Talk about more beef
Speaker 1: on the schedule. They've got Auburn at home a week
Speaker 1: after the Bamba game.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and Auburn gave him a lot of trouble last year.
Speaker 1: Yeah, so I think despite the fact that I really
Speaker 1: like Georgia to win this conference to get back to
Speaker 1: that SEC title game, I think there's a good chance
Speaker 1: George drops one of these and they end up eleven
Speaker 1: to one, they still could hit that over. I don't
Speaker 1: know if they're losing two games, who's.
Speaker 2: Doing like the SEC on ABC, who is the main
Speaker 2: voice of that, like the big game of the week.
Speaker 1: Is it Joe Test I'm assuming it's going to be
Speaker 1: Joe Tess. I don't know.
Speaker 2: My question is this, is there a chance, like come
Speaker 2: week four, Week five, whatever, that whoever is calling Georgia
Speaker 2: a few weeks into the year is going to mention
Speaker 2: that you can tell the Georgia offense for the first
Speaker 2: time in quite some time, really does miss brock Bauers
Speaker 2: and lad mconkey because of the safety valve and almost
Speaker 2: like how not underrated because they've gotten a ton of attention,
Speaker 2: and that we just assume that because Georgia recruits this well,
Speaker 2: because they've hit the portal as well as they have,
Speaker 2: that they'll figure it out, which I think is a
Speaker 2: totally fair assumption. You don't get to be this good
Speaker 2: this often without figuring it out. But that was like,
Speaker 2: that was the main stay over two different quarterbacks, three
Speaker 2: different seasons in which they were excellent consecutively. That even
Speaker 2: with brock Bauer's injury last year, it was one of
Speaker 2: your favorite kinds of injuries. What did they call it,
Speaker 2: the procedure, the tyrope. Yeah, yeah, and lad McConkie was
Speaker 2: injured as well, and they had like ninety something catches
Speaker 2: between them last year. It was like one hundred and
Speaker 2: twenty the year before that. The successful Georgia offense, as
Speaker 2: much as they leaned on power rushing and bruising teams up,
Speaker 2: that so much of the explosivity of this offense ran
Speaker 2: through brock Bowers.
Speaker 1: In Lad McConkie.
Speaker 2: And that they're underrated, but that we're perhaps underrating their departures.
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, look, and they were mainstays. They were a
Speaker 1: big part of that offense. But to the point they
Speaker 1: were both hurt. Yeah, no, they were both dealing with
Speaker 1: a bunch. They needed to figure out how to win
Speaker 1: without those guys, and they did more often than not.
Speaker 1: They they absolutely did. I think the guys that they're
Speaker 1: backfilling with are fine. I don't know if anyone's brought Bowers,
Speaker 1: but Oscar delp was really good in a relief effort.
Speaker 1: Some of these guys that Georgia wentn and got in
Speaker 1: the transfer portal at the receiver position. It's clear that
Speaker 1: they knew they wanted to beef up that side of things.
Speaker 1: They knew that they were going to have some folks
Speaker 1: walking out the door. So I think they'll be just fine.
Speaker 1: My expectation is it will be something you hear the
Speaker 1: announcing crews talk about early, but maybe not so much late. Okay,
Speaker 1: that's fair. And by the way, we haven't even mentioned
Speaker 1: Carson Beck. We mentioned him once, mentioned him once. He
Speaker 1: might win the damn Heisman Trophy.
Speaker 2: Yeah, he's ridiculous and his moves crazy well, is accurate,
Speaker 2: is poised, and with whatever he had early on last
Speaker 2: season in terms of new quarterback adjustment period, he became
Speaker 2: exponentially more comfortable week over week last year and it showed.
Speaker 1: It absolutely showed. One of the things that our friend
Speaker 1: Bill Connolly talked about in his preview of Georgia was
Speaker 1: just how effective Georgia is at working the middle of
Speaker 1: the field in between the hashes. And we could talk
Speaker 1: about that a little bit maybe when we get to
Speaker 1: the Jalen mill Roe part of our conversation here in
Speaker 1: part three. But the throw over the middle is extremely difficult.
Speaker 1: There's just more that can go wrong. There are more
Speaker 1: guys in the middle of the field, and Carson Beck
Speaker 1: completed something like seventy four seventy five percent of his
Speaker 1: passes across the middle of the field. That's on top
Speaker 1: of what they were able to do in the running game,
Speaker 1: where they run between the tackles. That can beat you
Speaker 1: up over the middle. So there's just so many different
Speaker 1: ways this team can beat you. Carson Beck was very
Speaker 1: responsible with the football last season. We had a couple
Speaker 1: instances a year ago where we were curious what Beck
Speaker 1: would look like when they turned more of the offense
Speaker 1: over to him. I remember, I want to say it
Speaker 1: was either the Kentucky or the a Zuri game, especially
Speaker 1: last season, or we talked about what is Carson Beck
Speaker 1: gonna look like if they take away the running game.
Speaker 1: He was superb more often than not. I have no
Speaker 1: reason to expect otherwise this season. So for me, from
Speaker 1: where I sit, Georgia is the most proven quantity in
Speaker 1: this entire conference. Yes, the schedule is more difficult. No,
Speaker 1: I would not be surprised to see them drop a game,
Speaker 1: but they are still unequivocally my conference favorite and the
Speaker 1: team that I've gotten coming out of the SEC.
Speaker 2: I mean, they did play more competitive games last year
Speaker 2: than they did did it the couple of years prior,
Speaker 2: and it was what Georgia Tech. They were a little
Speaker 2: bit careless late and that was somewhat of a game
Speaker 2: Miszoo went toe to toe with them for a good
Speaker 2: chunk of that game. They lose Tobama in the SEC
Speaker 2: championship game, so slightly more human. If there's anything that
Speaker 2: was a danger last year is you could run on
Speaker 2: them a little bit and Auburn was creative with it,
Speaker 2: like you could. You could get some plays moving the
Speaker 2: ball on the ground against this Georgia team, and definitely
Speaker 2: wasn't the case those couple of years prior. And no
Speaker 2: more coach boom Ti, no must champ, no longer defensive coordinator.
Speaker 1: All right, so you had Old Miss in your SEC
Speaker 1: title game. Yes, Ole Miss has an over under of
Speaker 1: nine and a half this year. They were eleven and two.
Speaker 1: A year ago beat Penn State and the peach Ball
Speaker 1: lost to Baman Georgia. And that was sort of my
Speaker 1: hang up when we talked about ole Miss on the
Speaker 1: last episode, that in those games in particular, they weren't
Speaker 1: especially close. Is this the year for Old Miss because
Speaker 1: they've got a ton back a huge hole in the
Speaker 1: portal lane Kiffin, as I said last episode, not just
Speaker 1: using the portal plug holes. He did do it for
Speaker 1: those reasons, but he also did it to stack depth.
Speaker 1: Got a lot of depth in some positions. That's more
Speaker 1: of the case than others. But in this new era
Speaker 1: of the sport now or I end up playing more games,
Speaker 1: depth is kind of its own currency. I think Old
Speaker 1: Miss is set up really really well there. Stansterresian could
Speaker 1: get a boost from year number two under Pete Golding
Speaker 1: running the defense. The schedule kind of beautiful. It seems
Speaker 1: set up for at least nine wins in all likelihood,
Speaker 1: maybe ten or more. I understand the optimism around Ole Miss,
Speaker 1: but again I come back to is this the year
Speaker 1: and what will change if so to make it that year?
Speaker 2: Okay, Well, I think the offensive line is going to
Speaker 2: get better, which was a weak point last year. I
Speaker 2: think Jackson Dart, I mean, he's dealt with some offseason procedures,
Speaker 2: I believe, or treatment, whatever the word you want to
Speaker 2: look for. He was beat up last year and maybe
Speaker 2: that played a role, which, by the way, quick little
Speaker 2: apology if you want to play the sounds the boot
Speaker 2: boop ba doo. I feel like I was a little
Speaker 2: bit unfair to Baron Morton, given that I didn't bring
Speaker 2: up his ac joint injury last year, and as somebody
Speaker 2: currently suffering from a much better injury than what I'm
Speaker 2: sure Baron or was suffering from my sympathies and hopefully
Speaker 2: he's back. And I was more aware of it looking
Speaker 2: at Jackson Dart, who was beat up all of last
Speaker 2: year and gutted through a bunch of these games, but
Speaker 2: ole miss in their wins. They weren't running away from
Speaker 2: a lot of teams. And when I'm looking for like
Speaker 2: that next step, I'm looking for more comfortable wins against
Speaker 2: quality teams. And I think it is a skill to
Speaker 2: win and win those close games, beat against Auburn or Texas,
Speaker 2: a and ever or whatever. But these are, you know,
Speaker 2: the final year of Jimbo and an interim situation. It's
Speaker 2: year one of Hugh Freeze, and like I don't know,
Speaker 2: I feel like ole Miss should be further along if
Speaker 2: we're going to consider them a true contender. And you're
Speaker 2: absolutely right to bring up not being competitive at all
Speaker 2: against Alabama those final three quarters, and certainly the whole
Speaker 2: game against Georgia, but ole Miss being as proactive as
Speaker 2: they have been in the portal stacking receiving talent, which
Speaker 2: I think will only make them more dangerous. And I
Speaker 2: still think they're going to be dangerous on the ground.
Speaker 2: With out Quinn Shawn Judkins, we'll see along the offensive
Speaker 2: line they went. I think they got two of Washington's
Speaker 2: offensive linemen from last year inside, so hopefully that helps
Speaker 2: that that was the line that won the Joe More Award.
Speaker 2: And I think Jackson Dart is the big question to
Speaker 2: me if he is clearly better and I thought he
Speaker 2: was good, I thought it was really good last year,
Speaker 2: but if he has taken that next step to where
Speaker 2: he given these receivers given what the position this defense
Speaker 2: should put them in, given their schedule, like Jackson Dart
Speaker 2: should be at least I don't fringe all SEC quarterback
Speaker 2: fringe Heisman, you know, given Lane Kiffin's success on offense,
Speaker 2: I don't think that's a crazy thing to say given
Speaker 2: his experience, you know, on this roster in college football
Speaker 2: and coming back. So I like ole Miss a lot,
Speaker 2: I really really do. I think the firepowers there. I
Speaker 2: think they're gonna get after the quarterback better. I like
Speaker 2: the portal moves they made on defense. Walter Nolan is
Speaker 2: that big, big move in the middle where he should
Speaker 2: be a lot more disruptive against the run, which ole
Speaker 2: Miss can definitely stand to be more disruptive against the run.
Speaker 2: I think it's great. I think the big danger they
Speaker 2: pose is just like so much speed everywhere on this offense,
Speaker 2: and the danger to themselves is protecting Jackson Dart and
Speaker 2: perhaps playing down to teams at times. Because I think
Speaker 2: the defense is going to still get better. I think
Speaker 2: there's still a ton of room to improve, and I
Speaker 2: think they've addressed enough there that they will. It's to
Speaker 2: me and what, Princely, I want to hear you say it?
Speaker 2: Can you try and say it? Uman Lian Uman Mealen,
Speaker 2: Uman Mealen There, Princely Uman Mealen, Uman Mealen.
Speaker 1: What's really cool about the Florida or his entry on
Speaker 1: the Florida team website And they're starting to do more
Speaker 1: of this, which I think is a good thing, especially
Speaker 1: for idiots like me. You can actually play a voice file,
Speaker 1: a sound file of that player. Oh, I appreciate that.
Speaker 1: That's really pronouncing their own name. You know, it's legit.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and I haven't even mentioned Juice Wells, by the way,
Speaker 2: the embarrassment of riches on offense transferring in from South Carolina.
Speaker 2: So schedule wise, look, Ole Miss has Georgia and then
Speaker 2: a bye and then they're at Florida. That's a if
Speaker 2: you're going to play both of those teams, and you know,
Speaker 2: playing the Swamp is always difficult in its own way,
Speaker 2: that's a good way to do it. H Kentucky at
Speaker 2: South Carolina, which again I'm not looking past at LSU
Speaker 2: certainly not looking past with some of Ole Miss's recent
Speaker 2: defensive issues. And then they get a buye before Oklahoma.
Speaker 2: It's not an amazing schedule, but all things considered, missing
Speaker 2: the teams that they miss, I think it's pretty great.
Speaker 2: Considering their experience, consider considering their depth at this moment,
Speaker 2: I think they're in a great position.
Speaker 1: Do you think if Jackson Dark gets drafted into the NFL,
Speaker 1: he'll still do the Anakin Skywalker I black things. I
Speaker 1: should hope. So yeah, I feel like that's kind of
Speaker 1: his brand at this point. Yeah, Look, if the defense improves,
Speaker 1: the defense takes a jump forward. In year two, hunderd
Speaker 1: peak colding.
Speaker 2: I mean, weren't bad. This was like a top forty
Speaker 2: hours defense.
Speaker 1: No, no, no, they weren't bad at all. But it
Speaker 1: is still the thing that I think comes up most
Speaker 1: frequently and you talk to people about old miss and
Speaker 1: how they feel or don't feel. Yeah, if the defense
Speaker 1: takes a step four under peak Golding in year two,
Speaker 1: watch out, the.
Speaker 2: Pass rush was pretty good. They weren't terrible at anything.
Speaker 2: If they can get excellent at something right, stuffing everybody
Speaker 2: on the ground, getting after the quarterback, erasing things, and
Speaker 2: getting back to like a land shark look which look,
Speaker 2: they're very active. I mentioned offensive line, very active in
Speaker 2: the portal at dB as well. Then that's when they
Speaker 2: become truly a dangerous program. If they can do something
Speaker 2: excellently on defense, which is I think what's been holding
Speaker 2: them back. They haven't had that thing.
Speaker 1: So we'll say you mentioned the Florida Gators. Yeah, I
Speaker 1: spent two and a half hours studying the Florida Gators.
Speaker 1: I'm so sorry. Four and a half is the over
Speaker 1: under five and seven. Last season missed a Bowl for
Speaker 1: the first time since twenty seventeen. It's no wonder Billy
Speaker 1: Napiers on the hot seat coming into this this year,
Speaker 1: and man, that four and a half line, it's just
Speaker 1: shockingly low for a successful, a historically successful program like
Speaker 1: this to see that number, even for people like you
Speaker 1: and me who do this all the time and we're
Speaker 1: always on the lookout for news and we understand trajectories
Speaker 1: of programs and what it at number knocked me back.
Speaker 2: It really maybe it's just a sucker bet type number,
Speaker 2: right that you're just trying to.
Speaker 1: Loll coople in. It could be we know that over
Speaker 1: unders are greatly influenced by schedules. Oklahoma, who we're going
Speaker 1: to talk about next episodes another really good example of that.
Speaker 1: A team that might be better, but who's win loss
Speaker 1: record could be worse. That's why they're a seven and
Speaker 1: a half. Florida is projected to have the toughest schedule
Speaker 1: in America, and for that reason alone, it looks pretty
Speaker 1: beak for Billy Napier making it through this season. The irony, though,
Speaker 1: is that when you look at Florida in a vacuum
Speaker 1: separate from the schedule. They've got the hall of a
Speaker 1: team that take a step forward almost everywhere. Okay, just
Speaker 1: a question of whether or not their strides that they
Speaker 1: take forward are offset by like a I don't know,
Speaker 1: four and eight or five and seven records might not
Speaker 1: be able to see it because of the schedule.
Speaker 2: That number could also be that number every year we
Speaker 2: see it in major conferences, minor conferences, whatever, that like,
Speaker 2: it starts out poorly, somebody gets rid of a coach,
Speaker 2: or even they don't get rid of the coach, and
Speaker 2: just the wheels fall off.
Speaker 1: And there's a lot of wheels falling off potential because
Speaker 1: of the schedule. I talked about that UCF game in
Speaker 1: what is it, Week four or five pretty early in
Speaker 1: the season. That to me could be one of those games.
Speaker 1: But that aside, I came out of by Florida study
Speaker 1: feeling somewhat optimistic about where the team is headed, at
Speaker 1: least directionally. Okay. For one, they were super young last season,
Speaker 1: and they got a lot from their freshmen. You know,
Speaker 1: the saying freshmen becomes sophomores. Another year in the system
Speaker 1: I think should help raise the floor for the Gators.
Speaker 1: I also think Flarida will be pretty dangerous on offense,
Speaker 1: at least more dangerous on offense. For all the eye
Speaker 1: rolling that we did that I did, especially about Graham
Speaker 1: Mertz a year ago, he was really good. Yeah, just
Speaker 1: three interceptions, completed seventy three percent of his passes and
Speaker 1: that's the Spider line that gave up a sack one
Speaker 1: out of every ten dropbacks, which is crazy and was
Speaker 1: one hundred and fifteenth in the nation. So looking back,
Speaker 1: say what you want about Billion Napier. Absolutely a good
Speaker 1: move to bring in Graham Mertz and give him the keys.
Speaker 1: So now he's back. Graham Mertz is back. You add
Speaker 1: in DJ Lagway. They're big time recruit into the quarterback room.
Speaker 1: Maybe we'll see him a bit this year. I would
Speaker 1: expect we would. He does not have the pressure of
Speaker 1: having to be the true freshman going through this gauntlet
Speaker 1: of a schedule, trying to resurrect the program. Try and
Speaker 1: keep Billi Napier employed by the university. I think that's
Speaker 1: a good situation for him. Can use him in spots.
Speaker 1: Great Trevor etn transfers out, but Montreal Johnson, who actually
Speaker 1: led the team in rushing good. He's back. The receiver
Speaker 1: room is stacked. This was not an explosive offense last season.
Speaker 1: That's an obvious area where I think they need to improve.
Speaker 1: They've said as much, but my sense is that barring
Speaker 1: injury or any kind of unforeseen circumstances, this is the
Speaker 1: top twenty top twenty five caliber offense, they should be
Speaker 1: pretty good, Dan, I assume so. Yeah.
Speaker 2: I mean they were right around They were between forty
Speaker 2: and fifty last year, returning what they returned. I don't
Speaker 2: think that's a crazy thing to say.
Speaker 1: I don't know.
Speaker 2: I mean, if the offensive line is better, then yeah,
Speaker 2: they weren't great.
Speaker 1: They got to get the line sorted out right. If
Speaker 1: they're dangerous for all the reasons I described, they're in
Speaker 1: danger because the line it's just too leaky. Yeah, the
Speaker 1: line stats from last season were lousy. They're very bad
Speaker 1: in pass protection. Better in the game, But the line,
Speaker 1: first and foremost is central to what Billy Napier wants
Speaker 1: to build. He is on the record saying as much
Speaker 1: he wants to play the physical running game, wants that
Speaker 1: to be the main thing, and it like kind of
Speaker 1: has been. You could see maybe that he's trying to
Speaker 1: make it so, but the line just has not been there.
Speaker 1: I think it'll be better this year. I think it
Speaker 1: helps to be better this year. But if they're in
Speaker 1: danger at least at this point as we record this
Speaker 1: in late July early August, that's why. That's the main
Speaker 1: reason all that being said. Okay, I am burying the
Speaker 1: lead a big time way. Florida is in danger if
Speaker 1: it cannot figure out this damn defense. It's been the
Speaker 1: running joke for how many years? Two years now? Yep.
Speaker 1: This was a bad defense headed into last season, those
Speaker 1: bad defense. Coming out of last season, Billy Napier went
Speaker 1: with like a near full line change on the coaching staff.
Speaker 1: Kept Austin Armstrong, but added Ron Roberts, who I think
Speaker 1: previously was Armstrong's mentor. So there are two guys to
Speaker 1: know the same system right along the line. We've already
Speaker 1: talked about losing guys like Prince Lee Uman Mile said
Speaker 1: it the wrong way, Umane Uman Mealen, excuse me Aleen, Yeah,
Speaker 1: lose him in the portal to olbyss. But they also
Speaker 1: did some good work in the portal. They plugged some holes.
Speaker 1: Cormani MacLean, former five star, comes down from Colorado we'll see,
Speaker 1: we'll see, We'll see. Joey Slackman, my token transfer from
Speaker 1: a small Ivy League school. I'm overly excited to see
Speaker 1: comes in from Penn. L. J. McCrae, big time get
Speaker 1: in the recruiting. Gable on the defensive line was like
Speaker 1: the top rated defensive lineman in the country. Jamar Jane
Speaker 1: is still back at linebacker. It does not feel like
Speaker 1: a talent thing, Dan Rubinstein. The talent is there, talent's there.
Speaker 1: If they can't get the talent organized enough to get
Speaker 1: better on defense, that's on them.
Speaker 2: I think the talent's there to like compete for the ACC.
Speaker 2: I just think you look at their opponents and how
Speaker 2: their opponents recruit, and how their opponents are stacking depth
Speaker 2: on defense and finding more than just you know, a
Speaker 2: game changing receiver like That's the difference to me is
Speaker 2: that there are pieces, but not a grouping, not a palette.
Speaker 1: I'm not talking about winning the conference, no, I know,
Speaker 1: I'm talking about getting a damn bowl game game.
Speaker 2: I know, I hear you. Even talent is there for that.
Speaker 1: This is a brutal schedule anyway you want to measure this.
Speaker 1: It is a brutal schedule, but the talent is on
Speaker 1: this team to go to a bowl, and if they don't,
Speaker 1: and if it collapses, this is on the coaching staff.
Speaker 1: It would be the right move to get billion Apier.
Speaker 1: It probably would have been the right move last year
Speaker 1: to get rid of billion Apier. But the game of
Speaker 1: another bite at the apple here and the talent there.
Speaker 1: So if it does not come to fruition, if they
Speaker 1: do not take some stride forward, it's on him. Even
Speaker 1: against the brutals kin, I agree. The schedule, by the way,
Speaker 1: is a joke. I mean, walk me through it. First
Speaker 1: three games are home against Miami, against Samford, against Texas
Speaker 1: A and m Next week on the road at Mississippi State.
Speaker 1: That should be a win. I hope that's a win
Speaker 1: before a bye week. Then comes that home game against UCF,
Speaker 1: which is a week before the Tennessee matchup. And I
Speaker 1: could see that UCF game being very consequentially.
Speaker 2: kJ Jefferson beat him last year, right.
Speaker 1: KJ Jefferson beat him last year. It's a UCF team
Speaker 1: that could be dangerous for many of the reasons we
Speaker 1: described in our Big twelve preview episodes. I would not
Speaker 1: look past that game and I would not count that
Speaker 1: as a gimme. But then you're like, you know, at
Speaker 1: Tennessee home against Kentucky, neutral site against Georgia, at Texas
Speaker 1: home against LSU, these are all in a row by
Speaker 1: the way home versus All miss and then they go
Speaker 1: out the year at Florida State. You got to be
Speaker 1: kidding me. They've got Georgia and Texas on back to
Speaker 1: back weeks. Their November is a car crash. This schedule
Speaker 1: is brutal.
Speaker 2: Okay, can I ask you this if I'm going to
Speaker 2: tell you that I am a time traveler, I've come
Speaker 2: back from December, which is when you always say that
Speaker 2: we'll know more by and I tell you know what,
Speaker 2: I'm not going to tell you what Florida's record is.
Speaker 2: I'm not going to tell you how they did in
Speaker 2: these games, but I'm going to tell you this, they
Speaker 2: were legit pretty good this year.
Speaker 1: What is to you?
Speaker 2: What does that mean? Record wise? Like, if Florida is
Speaker 2: legit pretty good, they could start out the season five
Speaker 2: and zero. Right, these are beautifully blue and orange colored
Speaker 2: Florida Gator glasses. I'm now putting on sure, right, if
Speaker 2: they're legit pretty good, that they're not careless with the ball,
Speaker 2: that Trey Wilson has big games, that the defense comes
Speaker 2: together a little bit more, and they're fine, They're not amazing.
Speaker 2: They can beat Miami at home, Samford, Texas A and
Speaker 2: m at home. They can go on the road and
Speaker 2: beat a New Mississippi State, and they can beat UCF
Speaker 2: at home. No, it gets trickier from there. So let's
Speaker 2: say they lose to Tennessee, they lose at home to Kentucky,
Speaker 2: and they lose to Georgia. They're five and three. They
Speaker 2: lose to Texas, but beat LSU, so that's six and four,
Speaker 2: beat Ole miss seven and four, and then beat a
Speaker 2: struggling Florida State team who has taken a step back
Speaker 2: on offense and finish.
Speaker 1: Eight and five. I answer your question, I think quote
Speaker 1: unquote legit good Florida against this schedule relative to their
Speaker 1: talent on hand, because legit good Florida still isn't going
Speaker 1: to go ten and two against this.
Speaker 2: Right, Let's I'm saying, I think they're fully captive eight
Speaker 2: and four.
Speaker 1: Either're fully captid eight and four, seven and five, okay,
Speaker 1: and that would take a huge step forward. By that,
Speaker 1: I'd be a huge step forward. I do think you
Speaker 1: have to look at this within context, because if they
Speaker 1: go seven to five or eight and four against this,
Speaker 1: that represents a major strive forward, and that would be
Speaker 1: a big deal for Billy Napier. I don't think they
Speaker 1: could fire them if you win seven to five, eight
Speaker 1: and four against this, because that would represent so much
Speaker 1: of a positive step forward. I don't think they could
Speaker 1: do it now. I think he should get a raise
Speaker 1: at six and six. You can make that case. Where
Speaker 1: you can make that case, there's a whole separate conversation
Speaker 1: about whether the powers that be at Florida still feel
Speaker 1: invested in Billi Napier, and so I'm curious to see
Speaker 1: what happens if they encounter some headwinds through the first
Speaker 1: five six weeks of this season, because that UCF game
Speaker 1: looms pretty damn large.
Speaker 2: Okay, we're going A and M.
Speaker 1: Yeah, let's go A and M. Actually, uh, seven to six.
Speaker 1: Last year they got rid of Jimbo. They lost to
Speaker 1: Oklahoma State in the bowl game. I looked at A
Speaker 1: and M. You looked at them in more and more
Speaker 1: detail than me, But I looked at them and I said,
Speaker 1: is it just beer? Should they be pretty good this year?
Speaker 1: You know? Like, what is the range of Texas A
Speaker 1: and M outcomes this season?
Speaker 2: So I think you start with the fact that I
Speaker 2: I think we agree that they're getting a coaching upgrade,
Speaker 2: an in game coaching upgrade, a vision upgrade, a coach
Speaker 2: who is willing to adjust, a coach who is willing
Speaker 2: to take in more ideas. And I think there is
Speaker 2: reason to be confident that Mikelcho, especially given his experiences
Speaker 2: both the head coach and as a major coach at
Speaker 2: Texas A and M, that they will lose fewer winnable
Speaker 2: games than the Jimbo Fisher Texas A and M.
Speaker 1: I'd agree with that.
Speaker 2: Yeah, So it's very difficult for me to see, even
Speaker 2: with what I think is a pretty difficult schedule, considering
Speaker 2: they start with Notre Dame, it's very difficult for me
Speaker 2: to see this A and M team not making a Bowl,
Speaker 2: Like I don't think they have a loss to app
Speaker 2: State in them, Like I just I think they're going
Speaker 2: to be a better run program and they're just going
Speaker 2: to win what they should win inside of a game,
Speaker 2: not how we like look at a team. So floor
Speaker 2: and ceiling I have as six and six floor, nine
Speaker 2: and three ceiling.
Speaker 1: I wrote down the exact same the exact same thing.
Speaker 2: For Yeah Buddy Digital high five for Texas A and M.
Speaker 1: I mean, there's still a lot of talent on hand
Speaker 1: even after they lost so much in the portal thirty
Speaker 1: one guys. I think it speaks to the draw of
Speaker 1: Mike Elko and that vision that they were able to
Speaker 1: bring a lot of talent back in to kind of backfill,
Speaker 1: and how the roster in a pretty good spot. It
Speaker 1: does not feel like they are starting over from a
Speaker 1: talent standpoint, may maybe philosophically so.
Speaker 2: And I think depth wise they are depth.
Speaker 1: Wise Okay, yeah, they were hit a little bit on depth,
Speaker 1: but generally speaking from a talent standpoint, still really talented.
Speaker 1: There's obvious investment in this program. And Elko has been
Speaker 1: a guy who's been very very good coaching up defense,
Speaker 1: but has proven in his short time as a head
Speaker 1: coach that he knows how to get more out of less.
Speaker 1: So you put a guy like that in a situation
Speaker 1: like A and M that over under eight and a
Speaker 1: half makes a little bit more sense. The range of outcomes, though,
Speaker 1: I like that won't come into more focus until we
Speaker 1: have health answers about Connor Wegman until we see this
Speaker 1: team out there.
Speaker 2: Oh that's the whole thing. Yeah, even like Jalen Henderson
Speaker 2: was fine last year given the weird situation he entered
Speaker 2: into with you know, Connor Wagman going down to Max
Speaker 2: Johnson going down, Jalen Henderson looking like a more viable weapon. Look,
Speaker 2: the offensive line has been an issue. They've retooled it,
Speaker 2: They've brought in transfers. They lose, you know, a couple
Speaker 2: of gigantic literally gigantic defensive lineman Walter Nolan elt Overton.
Speaker 2: I don't know, they just bring back enough and enough
Speaker 2: promise that given Mike Elko as a defensive guy again
Speaker 2: we'll get to Ja Bateman in a second. That talent wise,
Speaker 2: they're in a good place. Superstars, we'll see losing Evan
Speaker 2: Stewart on offense. I still think there's enough dudes at
Speaker 2: receiver that excite me. There's enough youth, you know, Muse
Speaker 2: Muhammad steps into a bigger role there. Ruben Owens, I
Speaker 2: really like, is a big running back. Think that could
Speaker 2: be you know, a nice battering ram in the way
Speaker 2: that you know, Duke has had success on the ground
Speaker 2: and Kansas State has had success on the ground under
Speaker 2: Colin Klin, new offensive coordinator. I think it's gonna be
Speaker 2: a balance offense. It's Connor Wegman health. I just hope
Speaker 2: he's lucky right at a certain point, he's just been unlucky.
Speaker 2: I don't know if he's you know, frail and made
Speaker 2: of glass. I don't think that's the case. I think
Speaker 2: he is just you know, some guys are just snake bitten,
Speaker 2: and you have to approach that as a concern given
Speaker 2: his injury history. But if he can stay healthy, I
Speaker 2: think so much of what A and M has been
Speaker 2: through these last couple of years has been self inflicted.
Speaker 2: That literally just eliminating. That is the difference between you know,
Speaker 2: losing to Auburn and beating Auburn, losing Ole Miss and
Speaker 2: beating Ole Miss losing to I guess it was Old
Speaker 2: Miss last year, the shootout game that they'll just win more.
Speaker 2: And so I like too much of this team's potential
Speaker 2: to be down on the fact that they had thirty
Speaker 2: one transfers. They bring in twenty eight transfers. You know,
Speaker 2: des Rick's you know at corner and coming in. Cooper's gone,
Speaker 2: but even still linebackers in a good spot like, I
Speaker 2: don't know. My thing that is a danger right now
Speaker 2: is aside from you know, Connor Wegman health, I think
Speaker 2: Jay Bateman might have a little bit of like Ted Roof,
Speaker 2: like bring him in early, let him take the lumps
Speaker 2: when it doesn't go well on defense, you know, early
Speaker 2: for a defensive head coach. But it's really kind of
Speaker 2: the defensive head coach's defense. Like he wasn't good at
Speaker 2: North Carolina, he wasn't mostly not good at Army, like
Speaker 2: I don't know, I felt like at Texas A and M,
Speaker 2: when you have the resources to bring in a big
Speaker 2: name coordinator or somebody from a big name defense or
Speaker 2: something like that that was a contributing coach, like you
Speaker 2: do it. And I'm not sure I get this. Maybe
Speaker 2: I'm wrong about Jay Bateman, but his track record suggests
Speaker 2: that he's either been crazy unlucky or has not. And
Speaker 2: he was an Army by the way, when they were
Speaker 2: running an option, and it's one of the most advantaged
Speaker 2: places to call a defense because your defense generally gets
Speaker 2: a ton of rest if you have a successful offense.
Speaker 1: I don't know that one gave me.
Speaker 2: You know, pet chair aready caused for pause there but
Speaker 2: from a talent perspective, it's still depth. In this moment,
Speaker 2: I think he's going to recruit crazy well, and he's
Speaker 2: already started recruiting.
Speaker 1: He's already started recruit. Can I can I pause you
Speaker 1: and ask you a question? Please? Do A and M
Speaker 1: hosts Notre Dame in week one? Yeah, it's the marquee
Speaker 1: matchup of week one. Yeah, we haven't done a Notre
Speaker 1: Dame preview yet. Obviously I'm going to be a little
Speaker 1: bit more plugged in on the Notre Dame side than you,
Speaker 1: and that's fine. I don't blame you. Who would you
Speaker 1: pick in that matchup?
Speaker 2: Is there a spread or do you want me to
Speaker 2: just I think A.
Speaker 1: And M's favored by about too, but for our purposes here,
Speaker 1: just consider it.
Speaker 2: Even I'd probably lean in this moment A and M
Speaker 2: because it's at home in a pretty difficult place to play,
Speaker 2: because what they'll look like is going to be more mysterious.
Speaker 1: Now.
Speaker 2: Notre Dame has their own mystery mystery on offense, given
Speaker 2: new coordinator, new old coordinator and Riley Leonard who is
Speaker 2: coming off of injury, and michaelco is very familiar with
Speaker 2: I think I like the current A and M offensive
Speaker 2: pop upside more than Notre Dames, and considering it's at home,
Speaker 2: considering the mysterious miss, considering Marcus Freeman in big games
Speaker 2: against good teams, I think Mike Elcho is a better
Speaker 2: head coach to Marcus Freeman. That's not a take, right, No,
Speaker 2: I'll give the edge without fully diving into matchups to
Speaker 2: A and M.
Speaker 1: In this moment. It's a fascinating matchup. Yeah, and I
Speaker 1: understand why. I understand why the point spread is where
Speaker 1: it is. And this is not a Notre Dame preview.
Speaker 1: Obviously we're talking about A and M and a bunch
Speaker 1: of it can't be it's our show, No, But I
Speaker 1: think for both teams, the significance of that game cannot
Speaker 1: be overstated. Yeah, it's gonna be great. If you're A
Speaker 1: and M. You win that game at home against the
Speaker 1: top ten team, Suddenly expectations are dramatically different. Suddenly that
Speaker 1: eight and a half over under looks very attainable. At
Speaker 1: nine to three kind of plateau looks a little bit
Speaker 1: more attainable because you're beating a team of that caliber
Speaker 1: at home. Notre Dame factors to be the playoff contender
Speaker 1: this year. Even if they lose that A and M game.
Speaker 1: And on the Notre Dame side, obviously, if you go
Speaker 1: on the road place like College Station, that will be
Speaker 1: a milestone for somebody like Marcus Freeman to get the
Speaker 1: monkey off his back when a big game like that
Speaker 1: on the road against the team that we I think
Speaker 1: will be we believe will be nationally ranked by the
Speaker 1: end of the season.
Speaker 2: Yeah, their schedule as such that there's no obvious killer
Speaker 2: back to back on this schedule, there's difficulties. And you know,
Speaker 2: how good is South Carolina. Well, if they're actually like,
Speaker 2: we'll get there. But if Leonora Sellers is really good,
Speaker 2: then LSU South Carolina consecutive weeks could be very difficult.
Speaker 2: Right If the Auburn offense gets better, traveling to Auburn
Speaker 2: before hosting Texas could be very difficult. But as it
Speaker 2: stands now Texas A and M has no Georgia, Tennessee,
Speaker 2: Ole Miss and no Oklahoma for whatever you believe in Oklahoma.
Speaker 2: But like you also kind of have to look at
Speaker 2: it through the lens of like, well, who might be beatable
Speaker 2: in terms of the good teams. So schedule is pretty
Speaker 2: good and there's a lot of I'll use the word again.
Speaker 2: There's a lot of buttressing tie or a lot of.
Speaker 1: What's the word.
Speaker 2: I'm like buffering, not buttressing. Buffering. Right, there's a buffer
Speaker 2: zone between Florida and the rest of the SEC schedule.
Speaker 2: In Bowling Green, there's Arkansas, MISSOO Mississippi State. It's not
Speaker 2: terrible Mississippi State before LSU, which is now no longer
Speaker 2: the rivalry game because Texas A and M is Texas
Speaker 2: obviously South Carolina LSU. We'll see the new Mexico State,
Speaker 2: which I guess beware, but this is not Jerry Kill
Speaker 2: Diego Pavia and Auburn Texas. We think Auburn is going
Speaker 2: to be pretty good, but it's not Georgia Texas. It's
Speaker 2: not Bama Texas, so.
Speaker 1: I don't know.
Speaker 2: It's Nobama too right for A and M Yeah, no,
Speaker 2: no Obama.
Speaker 1: So I don't know.
Speaker 2: All things considered, it's been a pretty good off season
Speaker 2: for Mike Elco.
Speaker 1: Let's talk about the Missouri Tigers. Let's nine and a
Speaker 1: half over under eleven and two. A year ago, they
Speaker 1: beat Ohio State fourteen to three in the low scoring
Speaker 1: Cotton Bowl. Yes, big deal. Last year. One of the
Speaker 1: stories of the year. I am extremely high on Missouri
Speaker 1: with some qualifiers okay that I can get into here,
Speaker 1: but a lot back. Seventeenth nationally returning productions the easiest
Speaker 1: schedule in the SEC. As I said on Part one,
Speaker 1: the thirty seventh most difficult schedule in the country is
Speaker 1: not the easiest schedule by any stretch. They should be
Speaker 1: favored in ten or eleven of their games. A great
Speaker 1: my dilemma with Miszoo is whether this is a better
Speaker 1: team or TV show. Okay, what do I mean by that?
Speaker 1: All right? The Luther Burden experience, Well, they're dangerous basically
Speaker 1: because the entire offense is back, with a notable exception
Speaker 1: of Cody Schrader, the run back, and I think one
Speaker 1: guy along the offensive line. That's it. Everybody who caught
Speaker 1: a pass last season is back, including Luther Burden. Brady Cook,
Speaker 1: who had a renaissance here last year. He is back.
Speaker 1: Either Nate Knowle or Marcus Carroll, two guys that they
Speaker 1: got from the group of five from app State in
Speaker 1: Georgia State, respectively. One of those guys figures to be
Speaker 1: the straighter replacement. I don't have many questions about the offense.
Speaker 1: Dan They scored thirty two points a game last year.
Speaker 1: There's a good chance for pushing thirty five this season.
Speaker 1: It should be one of the best ten offenses in
Speaker 1: the nation, full stop. My questions are about the defense.
Speaker 1: There's a lot of turnover on defense, and I think
Speaker 1: it's worrying right, not the least of which is Blake Baker,
Speaker 1: the aforementioned prized, perhaps overpaid coordinator for how we'll see now, Yeah,
Speaker 1: we will see, we will see. But they lose him.
Speaker 1: They lose three solid defensive backs, their best linebacker, their
Speaker 1: best edge rusher, and three of their four intier defensive
Speaker 1: line There is a lot of turnover here, and even
Speaker 1: though I think Eli Drinkwitz did a really good job
Speaker 1: bringing in new talent via the portal and otherwise, I
Speaker 1: just worry that it might be too much for them
Speaker 1: to absorb. Okay, you know, like best case scenario. Best
Speaker 1: case scenario, it pops in MISSOO is legit top ten
Speaker 1: team most of the year. Worst case scenario, they're a
Speaker 1: fun half team that plays in some shootouts and makes
Speaker 1: for good TV. Are they a TV show? Are they
Speaker 1: a team? Right? So the defense is really the only
Speaker 1: reason I'm not jumping on the over here because I
Speaker 1: like Missoo a lot, and like I said before, the schedule,
Speaker 1: the schedule's great. The games that loom the largest are
Speaker 1: at Texas A and M and at Alabama they're home
Speaker 1: against Oklahoma. They play sub teams. It's not like a
Speaker 1: cakewalk or anything, right, But if you believe that Miszoo
Speaker 1: can win just one of those three games, then you
Speaker 1: bet the over man, you bet the over. You hope
Speaker 1: there are in any other hiccups all on the way.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think all of that is right. I also
Speaker 2: sort of think that in this sport we've seen enough
Speaker 2: that like success begets success that like sure there is momentum.
Speaker 2: You know, sometimes coaches are not good enough to take
Speaker 2: advantage whatever. I think Eli Drinkwitz has proven, especially with
Speaker 2: how he has sort of galvanized the money at Missoo, right,
Speaker 2: that they're competitive on the recruiting trail, they're competitive. They
Speaker 2: get like the most promising Oklahoma offensive lineman, right, Caden
Speaker 2: Green comes in steps in to sort of bolster things,
Speaker 2: and I think he's relatively local too Miszoo. But you're
Speaker 2: right about concerns about the defense and new coordinator losing
Speaker 2: key pieces. All of that is true. I think they're
Speaker 2: so advantaged on offense, and they're well coached enough, and
Speaker 2: I just have this sense that Miszoo, given their schedule,
Speaker 2: given their offense, is even if they're not as good
Speaker 2: as their final schedule indicates, their final record indicates, their
Speaker 2: final record is gonna be really good.
Speaker 1: I think they'll be good. I think they'll be a
Speaker 1: good team. And and and to the previous point of
Speaker 1: what are like the range of outcomes from Zoo, the
Speaker 1: range of outcomes are pretty good. And they're they're definitely
Speaker 1: skewing higher than they wear Texas A and m. This
Speaker 1: is a good team. It's a great offense. They're going
Speaker 1: to score like crazy. And the only reason I can't
Speaker 1: get fully into Mazoo and go even more aggressive on
Speaker 1: my Miszoo takes is because of that defense. Okay, and
Speaker 1: even that Dan even that, depending where you look and
Speaker 1: who you read, people have varying opinions about how much
Speaker 1: they actually lose, how much it will affect them versus
Speaker 1: won't affect them, if anything, That's the thing that everyone's
Speaker 1: pointed at. But even still there is disagreement over how
Speaker 1: much of an issue that's going to be for this team.
Speaker 1: This season, so you know, But otherwise on the schedule,
Speaker 1: like I mentioned those three big games A and M, Alabama, Oklahoma,
Speaker 1: beyond that, Murray State, Buffalo, Boston College, and Vandy all
Speaker 1: at home before a bye. Right also at UMass home
Speaker 1: against Auburn, at South Carolina, at Mississippi State home against Arkansas.
Speaker 1: They drew the correct straw to try and make a
Speaker 1: run at this thing. This is easy by comparison, still
Speaker 1: an SEC schedule, but easy, way easier than their peers
Speaker 1: by comparison. We just got to see on the defense.
Speaker 2: I mean, my only question in this moment is I
Speaker 2: think you're absolutely right. Who are the quarterbacks that are
Speaker 2: good enough or at least that appear to be good
Speaker 2: enough in this moment on this schedule, Like it's at
Speaker 2: A and M. So, it's at Connor Weigman, who I
Speaker 2: think is pretty good. It's at Jaln Milroe in Alabama.
Speaker 2: I think he's a good quarterback. We'll see on Lenora Sellers,
Speaker 2: We'll see on Jackson Arnold, We'll see on Blake Shaping
Speaker 2: and Jeff Levi's offense. We'll see Hayling Green and Bobby
Speaker 2: Patrino's off.
Speaker 1: Miss Castillanos the big guy, right, you're huge.
Speaker 2: I seven foot four, four hundred and eighteen pound Thomas Castillanos.
Speaker 1: He grew a foot since we did the BC preview.
Speaker 2: Yeah, like I Diego Pavia could be very challenging. And
Speaker 2: other Tim Beck offense not v Tim back, other Tim Beck.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I could talk about Van dy Nex. We got
Speaker 1: two teams left here that we're going to discuss.
Speaker 2: But no Carson Beck, No, no quin Yours, no Jackson
Speaker 2: Dart no, whatever you think of Garrett nus meyern LSU's
Speaker 2: what should be a really good offense, Like good place, man,
Speaker 2: it's a good place.
Speaker 1: Oh, it's a great place. It's a great place. And
Speaker 1: I almost felt guilty not being all in on Miszoo
Speaker 1: because we did that episode. No Nico right, No, Now,
Speaker 1: we did that episode a couple months ago, and we
Speaker 1: said Maszoo's projected as a top ten team and I
Speaker 1: could see them finishing as a top five team because
Speaker 1: of the schedule. I love this hype. I like him.
Speaker 1: I'm just very conflicted and that's why I had them
Speaker 1: in my So what's your number? Right?
Speaker 2: What is with this schedule? What is there over under?
Speaker 2: Would you say?
Speaker 1: No? Runners nine and a half over unders nine and
Speaker 1: a half. I'd still be inclined to go over. I'm
Speaker 1: not putting it in the volcano. I'm putting in the volcano.
Speaker 1: You want it in the volcano? Missoo ten wins? Yeah, oh,
Speaker 1: bartis why births.
Speaker 2: I don't even think it's that hot. I think it's
Speaker 2: it's a gentle warmth.
Speaker 1: Close things out. We got two teams left, yeah, two
Speaker 1: teams starting over in different respects Mississippi State and Vandy.
Speaker 1: But you mentioned Vandy, so let me do Vandy please?
Speaker 1: Two and ten. Last season, they only beat Hawaii and
Speaker 1: Alabama A and M. Then they lost ten straight. Not
Speaker 1: a great finish to the season for clark Lee. The
Speaker 1: issue at Vandy is talent. It is not any is
Speaker 1: a talent thing. And it's been tougher to recruit there
Speaker 1: because of the academics you layer in the portal. For example,
Speaker 1: they lose their top four receivers, just makes a job harder.
Speaker 1: The lines have struggled. The pass defense a specially, has
Speaker 1: struggled the last few seasons. Clark Lee now has two
Speaker 1: two to ten seasons to his name. It was time
Speaker 1: at Vandy. Overall, he's won just nine games and three.
Speaker 2: Years with the five and seven in there, Ty with
Speaker 2: and five and seven.
Speaker 1: The five and seven. So Vandy's obviously in danger for
Speaker 1: all of these reasons and many more that I won't describe.
Speaker 1: I am not here to grave dance or spike the
Speaker 1: football on the doors. If you root for him, you
Speaker 1: already know. Here are the two reasons why they could
Speaker 1: be dangerous. They could at least be interesting this season.
Speaker 1: The first is something that you mentioned. Changes on offense.
Speaker 1: Tim Beck, the one from New Mexico State, Yep, not
Speaker 1: the other one. He comes over. He brought Diego Pavia
Speaker 1: with him at quarterback. He also brought Jerry Kill with
Speaker 1: them to be an analyst.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: They also landed Date Johnson, the quarterback from Utah in
Speaker 1: the portal. It's going to be more of an option attack,
Speaker 1: which I don't think think is the worst idea in
Speaker 1: the world, do I, And I'm not an option guy.
Speaker 1: And it's not to say they're gonna be Navy or
Speaker 1: Army overnight, but it's more of that. I don't think
Speaker 1: that's a horrible idea. At a place like Vandy, you
Speaker 1: need the line play in order to make it work,
Speaker 1: which they have not had. But I like thinking out
Speaker 1: of the box here, Okay, and if nothing more, it
Speaker 1: makes it interesting, right, Diego Pinet makes it. He had
Speaker 1: the helmet twisted around, he runs hot. What's not to
Speaker 1: love about Diego Pavia? I think I'm with you. I
Speaker 1: think that that whole offense and some of the changes
Speaker 1: that Clarklee is trying to make there make this team interesting.
Speaker 1: And the second is that clark Lee has now taken
Speaker 1: over the rings on defense where he's got a good
Speaker 1: track record for being a coordinator. We are probably nearing
Speaker 1: the end of his run at Vandy. I hope not,
Speaker 1: But yeah, I hope not either. I'm a rooting for it.
Speaker 1: But if and when that happens, he can kind of
Speaker 1: pick the spot as a coordinator, right, like somebody would
Speaker 1: hire him with a moment's notice. Sure, so maybe he
Speaker 1: makes that defense more interesting. Again, it's just a talent
Speaker 1: thing for Vandy. Do they got the horses to contend
Speaker 1: in this now sixteen team conference where they don't have
Speaker 1: the easiest schedule where they lost ten straight a year ago,
Speaker 1: where they're over under is three this season, they have
Speaker 1: the lowest over under in the SEC. Again, I'm not
Speaker 1: here to spite the football, Yeah, those are at least are
Speaker 1: two reasons why they could be somewhat dangerous or at
Speaker 1: a minimum interesting.
Speaker 2: Yeah, they're going to be overlooked. There are teams on
Speaker 2: their schedule as I pull it up, but as I
Speaker 2: remember it, like, there are teams who could fall apart.
Speaker 2: There are teams who you could see having a very
Speaker 2: definitive weakness that they can't figure out.
Speaker 1: And if Vandy is.
Speaker 2: Better coached because of Jerry Kill, because Clark Lee has
Speaker 2: his fingerprints on the defense more than he's had, I
Speaker 2: think he's like they've recruited pretty well, They've lost a
Speaker 2: lot of those good recruits to other schools. I think
Speaker 2: the eye for talent is good. And there is something
Speaker 2: about merely being overlooked and feeling like you have nothing
Speaker 2: to lose that could make Vandy a little bit dangerous.
Speaker 2: I thought they were going to be more dangerous than
Speaker 2: they were last year, and there was you know, aj Swan,
Speaker 2: and they were trying to be a little more direct
Speaker 2: with things and they didn't really match up and they
Speaker 2: couldn't get it done. So obviously there was some sort
Speaker 2: of behind the scenes messaging that said, we need to
Speaker 2: bring in more players, and I know we don't always
Speaker 2: do this, and we need to bring in somebody who
Speaker 2: can help. And I know as things fell apart at
Speaker 2: New Mexico State that it became an attractive place. I
Speaker 2: think Jerry Kill didn't even go in with the idea
Speaker 2: of like trying to get hired as like an offensive
Speaker 2: coordinator something like that. He was just like, what about
Speaker 2: you know these guys, what about these guys? What about
Speaker 2: hiring me? I got nothing to do. Let's win some
Speaker 2: football games, and so I hope it works. So I
Speaker 2: hope it's a good marriage.
Speaker 1: I do. I hope it works. But Van Vandy's got
Speaker 1: an uphill climb, just as they always have.
Speaker 2: It'd be cool if they went to a bowl game,
Speaker 2: but it's real difficult to see with the schedule and
Speaker 2: where the conference is right.
Speaker 1: Now, from an over under of three to an over
Speaker 1: under of four with Mississippi State Dan bring us Home
Speaker 1: Mississippi State five and seven. Last year they fired Zach Arnett,
Speaker 1: who our friends over at Athlon mistakenly referred to in
Speaker 1: their magazine as Will Arnette different Arnett. Gmc all signs
Speaker 1: point to this being a rebuilding gear for the Bulldogs.
Speaker 1: What does the immediate future look like? What does it
Speaker 1: look like in the medium in longer terms, based on
Speaker 1: whatever indications we have now through just a couple months
Speaker 1: of the Levee regime.
Speaker 2: Right, we know what this offense is going to be obviously,
Speaker 2: given his time at UCF, given his time at Oklahoma.
Speaker 2: We know that they're going to play pretty quickly. We
Speaker 2: know that they're going to try to get the ball
Speaker 2: to receivers quickly and you know, play with with a
Speaker 2: good kind of reckless abandon as Jeff Levy offenses have.
Speaker 2: If receivers that they've brought in from the portal and
Speaker 2: that they've recruited recently work out and they're somewhat explosive,
Speaker 2: then there's a little bit of danger to them. Right,
Speaker 2: there's danger in a good way for Mississippi State. They
Speaker 2: already playing a difficult place to play. There are pieces
Speaker 2: along this defense that are interesting. They lost a couple
Speaker 2: big linebackers, of course, highlight by Bookie Wattson last year,
Speaker 2: but there are enough pieces up front on defense to
Speaker 2: make them interesting. If they can stay healthy, they're gonna
Speaker 2: be running a three four, so they're switching away from
Speaker 2: Zach Arnett's three three five, So a new base, but
Speaker 2: you know most teams play Nickel anyway, it's Coleman Hutzler
Speaker 2: who comes in who's actually has a really impressive special
Speaker 2: teams background as well, but he comes in from Alabama
Speaker 2: most recently where he's coached I believe linebackers. So new system.
Speaker 2: It's a year zero situation. It's been a weird situation
Speaker 2: all together because of Mike Leech's passing and how that
Speaker 2: sort of changed the schedule and coaching apparatus in Starkville.
Speaker 2: So I don't know, I think they're being very smart
Speaker 2: about how they're approaching things. You know, Blake Shapin is
Speaker 2: not looked at as like a high ceiling guy, but
Speaker 2: he's a guy with experience and was in a pretty
Speaker 2: bad situation at Baylor offensively last year. So we know
Speaker 2: the best of Blake Shapin is decently good. And so
Speaker 2: you pair that with a very quarterback friendly system. You know,
Speaker 2: the big question for Mississippi State is, you know, what
Speaker 2: do they look like in week in, year two, year three?
Speaker 2: Right this year is kind of a wash. We'll see
Speaker 2: you get what they're going for with Jeff Levy that
Speaker 2: they're trying to, you know, higher from the lane. Kiff
Speaker 2: and Tree and you know, a younger guy, fun offense,
Speaker 2: and hopefully that resonates in state. Hopefully he'll continue to
Speaker 2: recruit pretty well, which I think he will. So the
Speaker 2: danger is just that they don't have the pieces, they
Speaker 2: don't have the star power, and it's going to take
Speaker 2: a minute to rebuild this roster because last year clearly
Speaker 2: didn't work out, and they should be able to find
Speaker 2: it on both sides of the ball. We've seen the
Speaker 2: best of Mississippi State this past you know, Deck fifteen
Speaker 2: years or whatever. You can find top level offensive skill.
Speaker 2: Sometimes they're name Fred, which I always appreciate. You find
Speaker 2: all American caliber defensive linemen, linebackers, whatever, corners like. You
Speaker 2: can absolutely find an eight and four team in Starkville.
Speaker 2: And so if they're smart about how they build the offense,
Speaker 2: if the hires continue to be sound, Jeff Lebry hiring
Speaker 2: Jeff Leby's offensive coordinator is a good first step, I
Speaker 2: think they'll they're they're ceiling this year. Their danger is
Speaker 2: that they're fun and nobody figures out how to stop
Speaker 2: them quickly enough in a game and they lose. But
Speaker 2: making a bowl game is a big ask this year.
Speaker 2: But you know, if they're in that like five and seven,
Speaker 2: six and six range and playing for something late that's
Speaker 2: interesting to me. Sure, absolutely.
Speaker 1: Right in solidverbod gmail dot com. Let us know what
Speaker 1: we got right, what we got wrong. If you are
Speaker 1: on any of the platforms that allow you to comment,
Speaker 1: I'd love to hear your and be nice, but generally
Speaker 1: we'd love to hear what you have to say about
Speaker 1: what we got right, what we got wrong.
Speaker 2: At least if you're going to criticize Tye, I just
Speaker 2: need the preamble of Look, we can all agree Tye
Speaker 2: is handsome and charming.
Speaker 1: Com up, but I could deal with that, all right, Yeah,
Speaker 1: if you give me that, If you give me that,
Speaker 1: that we can seems like a great guy. But I
Speaker 1: don't know. Let's take on Miszoo is such that it's
Speaker 1: all I know. We're gonna get a lot of you
Speaker 1: didn't do your homework on socio. So that's okay, part
Speaker 1: of that, part of the part of the game here
Speaker 1: we all got to play. At this time of year,
Speaker 1: we're excited to play it. Look, we're halfway through all
Speaker 1: teams in the SEC. On our next episode, on part three,
Speaker 1: we're gonna do Alabama and LSU, Tennessee and Oklahoma, Kentucky
Speaker 1: and Auburn, and then close things out with South Carolina
Speaker 1: and Arkansas. Hope you'll be here with us. Make sure
Speaker 1: you hit follow or subscribe if you have yet to
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Speaker 1: to our Discord server. We've got college football twenty five
Speaker 1: dynasties spinning up. Dan, I need to talk to you
Speaker 1: about our recruiting strategy by the way, at my Okay,
Speaker 1: we'll talk about that offline a little bit, all right.
Speaker 1: Got got some news to share with you on that front,
Speaker 1: all right, And of course, yeah, follow us on social
Speaker 1: media and send us those emails at seliverball atmail dot com.
Speaker 1: So I have ty part two officially in the books
Speaker 1: for the sec one more to go here where it
Speaker 1: just means more for that guy, Dan Rubinstein, for myself.
Speaker 1: Tie old man, talk y'all in a few days. Stay solid, Peace,