Speaker 1: Welcome to the solid verbal hell that for me.
Speaker 2: I'm a man, I'm for it.
Speaker 3: I've heard so many players say, well, I want to
Speaker 3: be happy, you want to be happy for a day?
Speaker 3: Edith Steak, is that woo woom? And then and tie.
Speaker 1: Welcome back to the solid verbal boys and girls. My
Speaker 1: name is Ty hilden Brandt joining me is always over there.
Speaker 1: The man with the plan, Dan Rubensteinzer, how are you.
Speaker 3: I have no plans, I have no instincts about where
Speaker 3: we go with this show, but I'm very excited for it.
Speaker 3: I'm good and this is, I guess, for us an
Speaker 3: unusual show. It is that normally our guest situation is
Speaker 3: centered in like media pals, and that's not what we're
Speaker 3: doing with today's show. That is correct.
Speaker 1: We have ditched the normal Friday music the WSV Moniker
Speaker 1: of only for a week because we wanted to roll
Speaker 1: out the special solid verbal red carpet for a beast
Speaker 1: of honor today. Mister Bailey Zappi, you may now be
Speaker 1: familiar with Bailey Zappi as the starting quarterback from Western Kentucky.
Speaker 1: He transferred up in the offseason from Houston Baptist. He
Speaker 1: has since led the nation in yards passing per game.
Speaker 1: The offense is a flutter down there at Western Kitana,
Speaker 1: and we wanted to get to know Bailey Zappi and
Speaker 1: his story a little bit more. So he's going to
Speaker 1: be coming up here momentarily. We're thrilled we're able to
Speaker 1: spend some time with them.
Speaker 3: Here are some underlying numbers for how successful Western Kentucky
Speaker 3: has been. Obviously, he and some teammates a terrific story
Speaker 3: at Western Kentucky, transferring from Houston Baptist, who have lit
Speaker 3: up a number of FBS teams, Louisiana Tech, Texas Tech,
Speaker 3: anybody whose name is Tech. Obviously, this year they played
Speaker 3: Army Indiana Michigan State. I don't think has anybody scored
Speaker 3: more than WKU against Michigan State this season. I don't
Speaker 3: know if anybody scored more than twenty or twenty one
Speaker 3: other than WKU, who dropped over thirty. So it's just
Speaker 3: a crazy story. He's leading the name in yardage and
Speaker 3: I believe touchdown passes, yardage per game, and just a
Speaker 3: fascinating start. We haven't seen that FCS to FBS come
Speaker 3: up from a quarterback really in a big successful way,
Speaker 3: other than Vernon Adams who did the same thing playing
Speaker 3: against PAC twelve teams when he was at Eastern Washington.
Speaker 3: So excited to have him on and hear more about
Speaker 3: his story. And I just mentioned the underlying numbers. It's
Speaker 3: just all you know. It's Tyson Hilton, obviously the head
Speaker 3: coach a WKU was at USC with his brother Clay
Speaker 3: as a coordinator. And just their rushing success rate fifth,
Speaker 3: passing success rate fourth, They're great on first down, second towns,
Speaker 3: third downs. They're the number one open play so it's
Speaker 3: not red zone, not backed up, number one in the
Speaker 3: nation of just on a regular down being successful as
Speaker 3: an offense. And that is in large part to the
Speaker 3: guys that came over from Houston Baptist, including offensive coordinator.
Speaker 3: So a really cool story, and again I just want
Speaker 3: to learn more.
Speaker 2: Man.
Speaker 3: We have the sound, by the way, and the good
Speaker 3: folks at Conference USA and Western Kentucky heard it and
Speaker 3: we're like, you want the guy, and we said, yeah, we.
Speaker 1: Need to talk about a potential Heisman campaign. I agree,
Speaker 1: we need to talk about a thing because it's early enough.
Speaker 1: We haven't gotten into November yet. If you lay down
Speaker 1: the markers now mm hmm, you can start gaining some traction.
Speaker 2: Mm hmm.
Speaker 1: I want to help however we can. He throws the passes.
Speaker 1: We have nothing to do with anything, but if we
Speaker 1: can offer any kind of creative juice, give this thing
Speaker 1: a little bit of fire. I'm down, I'm down. Let's
Speaker 1: do it.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Now, I'm just thinking. Remember because I hear Homer Simpson
Speaker 3: in my ears, there was a Simpsons episode where like,
Speaker 3: think on sexy thoughts, think on sexy thoughts, and then
Speaker 3: he sees sexy Flanders in like the skin tight skiing apparel.
Speaker 3: I think my if I had to say to myself,
Speaker 3: think un sexy thoughts to like stay professional, I might
Speaker 3: think about Big Red. I might think about the mascot
Speaker 3: of Western KENTI just picture Big Red, and that'd be impossible.
Speaker 1: You're dying to ask Bailey Zappi about Big Red.
Speaker 3: I've never seen Big Red in person. I need to know.
Speaker 3: I think it's a fair question. It's a fair question.
Speaker 1: Well, look, if you are tuning in for the first time,
Speaker 1: I am tie.
Speaker 3: He's Dan.
Speaker 1: We are the Solid Verbal. Go on out to our
Speaker 1: website at solidverbal dot com. We post all of our
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Speaker 1: and this one on Friday. We also post three articles
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Speaker 1: and check out stats that are going to influence the
Speaker 1: coming week ahead. Also a watch grid that our Frank
Speaker 1: Connor puts together to help guide you through your Saturday
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Speaker 1: Halloween Costumes nice. Please do check that out again at
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Speaker 1: But tune in Saturday morning at eleven am.
Speaker 3: May I offer a quick apology slash correction. Slash retraction,
Speaker 3: I guess would be the word. Sure, So, just a
Speaker 3: little bit ago, I conflated Simpsons moments and it was
Speaker 3: not the Flanders looking sexy. Homer was trying not to
Speaker 3: think of a woman, and he thought of Barney, of course,
Speaker 3: his friend from Moe's wearing a bikini. And so that's
Speaker 3: on me. I apologize, Okay, that's it.
Speaker 1: I know you're a Simpsons fan and that's meaningful to you.
Speaker 3: I hope you can forgive me.
Speaker 2: All right.
Speaker 1: Well, before we get to our interview with Bailey ZAPPI
Speaker 1: a couple news items that we need to hit a
Speaker 1: little harder. We mentioned some of these in passing when
Speaker 1: we did our preview show. The first of which is
Speaker 1: Matt Wells was fired. We did allude to it when
Speaker 1: we talked about the Texas Tech Game this weekend. But
Speaker 1: Matt Wells fired after like what two and a half
Speaker 1: seasons ish he had a thirteen and seventeen record. Chris
Speaker 1: Cleiman I saw his former colleague from Kansas State saying
Speaker 1: that it was a bad deal for Matt Wells. There
Speaker 1: are some names now popping up as potential replacements, some
Speaker 1: of which I think are very interesting. The one that
Speaker 1: jumped out to me was Sunny Dyke's who sure is
Speaker 1: good year at SMU. What other names have you seen
Speaker 1: that are of interest from your standpoint?
Speaker 3: Yeah, a number of names who have succeeded within Texas
Speaker 3: or the Big Twelve. Obviously Jeff Trailer we've mentioned and
Speaker 3: his success at UTSA leading the road Runners to a
Speaker 3: currently undefeated record, and he goes back to his time
Speaker 3: as a high school coach in the state of Texas.
Speaker 3: Kendall Briles given his success on the football field, specifically
Speaker 3: hat Baylor. You know, I saw that Art Brill's name
Speaker 3: came up and Kirby Hocutt kind of offered a non
Speaker 3: like denial, which was a little bit odd. I would
Speaker 3: say Jay Norvel's name has come up. Obviously, what he's
Speaker 3: done at Nevada has been quite impressive. What other names
Speaker 3: to you have well stood out? I mean Sounny Dyke,
Speaker 3: So what he's out at SMU has been very, very strong.
Speaker 1: This is the first coaching search in a while that
Speaker 1: has a dual sonny feel to it. Yeah, Sonny Comby
Speaker 1: is the interim coach. He could also get a look.
Speaker 3: It's true.
Speaker 1: I don't know how likely that is. But he's a
Speaker 1: guy who worked in Lubbock for a time, you know,
Speaker 1: ten years ago as an assistant. He's also very familiar
Speaker 1: with the state of Texas.
Speaker 3: So I saw Graham Harrell obviously given his success playing
Speaker 3: for Texas Tech, and we assume to be affinity for
Speaker 3: the school.
Speaker 1: I saw, did you mention Jeff Grimes?
Speaker 3: Did not mention Jeff Grimes, but certainly given where Baylor's
Speaker 3: offense and where BYU's offense was, should be considered.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Grimes, you would be an interesting move as well.
Speaker 3: Texas Tech, I think is an interesting job. I think
Speaker 3: people are quick to point out like, oh, it's so
Speaker 3: far removed, and it's sort of like they're not a
Speaker 3: have in the way that Texas and Oklahoma, who are
Speaker 3: obviously now leaving the conference, but that they are sort
Speaker 3: of you know, Lubbick is a weird place. First of all,
Speaker 3: the facilities at Texas Tech are really good, right, so,
Speaker 3: like they invest in this program. Obviously, there's no shortage
Speaker 3: for lack of caring about football at Texas Tech. It's
Speaker 3: a different kind of job because it's not near a
Speaker 3: metro area, but it's in the Big twelve and there's
Speaker 3: talent in Texas. I think the right guy can succeed
Speaker 3: on an interesting level at Texas Tech. But yeah, it's
Speaker 3: not the headline job in the conference. But who even
Speaker 3: knows what the conference is going to look like moving forward?
Speaker 3: So I think it's a good job. It's an interesting job.
Speaker 1: It's just another one to the growing list of coaching openings.
Speaker 1: Who knows how many more there will be.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and now Matt Wells will be an amazing NFL
Speaker 3: coach right now that he's been fired by Texas Tech.
Speaker 3: That's how it works.
Speaker 1: That is how it works. Okay, elsewhere Harrison Bailey once
Speaker 1: thought to be the crown jewel of the Tennessee recruiting
Speaker 1: effort that, of course, under their previous coach, Harrison Bailey
Speaker 1: is now in the transfer portal. At one point, he
Speaker 1: was the third overall pro quarterback prospect behind dj Uyangilala
Speaker 1: and CJ.
Speaker 3: Stroud.
Speaker 1: He was ahead of Ethan Garber's who we saw recently
Speaker 1: for UCLA.
Speaker 3: Your boy J Butterfield out my gagon.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Harrison Bailey was a really highly regarded four star prospect,
Speaker 1: the top one hundred kid. So the fact that he
Speaker 1: has decided to move on is significant. He's not the
Speaker 1: only one entering the transfer portal in limited action for
Speaker 1: Tennessee it was mixed, but it has been a tumultuous
Speaker 1: time in Knoxville. What other names are out there with
Speaker 1: regard to the poor right now?
Speaker 3: First of all, I like that you refer to Jeremy
Speaker 3: Pruitt as the previous coach, as if he didn't as
Speaker 3: if you have something against him, or it's a he's
Speaker 3: been vacated, yeah, or it's a Techmos super Bowl like
Speaker 3: where we don't have the rights to say his name.
Speaker 3: So he's QB Eagles. There's a five star offensive tackle
Speaker 3: at Oregon Kingsley Swamatia Taia that he decided to leave.
Speaker 3: It looks like he is. It looks like BYU he's
Speaker 3: from the state of Utah and so hopefully that's a
Speaker 3: good fit for him. LSU lost a couple of guys,
Speaker 3: a receiver and a linebacker, who were relatively highly ranked,
Speaker 3: and understandably so. When their coaching changes, when their system changes,
Speaker 3: and relationship changes between position coaches, whatever, sometimes you just
Speaker 3: want to go somewhere where you feel more comfortable. And
Speaker 3: I think that's the case as we look across the sport.
Speaker 3: I saw that Wisconsin got a commitment from a former
Speaker 3: Michigan state corner. Wisconsin has lost more guys, it seems
Speaker 3: the transfer portal this season than usual. You know, as
Speaker 3: you look at Wisconsin over the years, it's just like
Speaker 3: there's guys that just year have over year. It's just
Speaker 3: juniors and senior starting that they've been in the program
Speaker 3: for so long. So some changes there, but you know,
Speaker 3: by and large, I haven't seen anything enormous, enormous in
Speaker 3: terms of like a proven, proven player like AJ Davis
Speaker 3: from pitt entered the portal running back who's played a good,
Speaker 3: good amount for the Panthers, but now no clear stars
Speaker 3: of the future like a Bailey's appy type for instances,
Speaker 3: a Bailey's appy type who entered the portal and had
Speaker 3: interest by the way, from bigger schools than WKU. I
Speaker 3: imagine they were like, we watch you for depth, and
Speaker 3: I was like, I want to play. And that's how
Speaker 3: it's taking out at WKU, working out swimmingly, as you said,
Speaker 3: setting the offense a flutter.
Speaker 1: I believe that's accurate, Dan, thank you. And finally, last,
Speaker 1: but certainly not least, before we get to our guest
Speaker 1: of honor. Did you see what went down with Mike Tomlin. Yeah,
Speaker 1: just awesome, just awesome. So here's what's going on. USC
Speaker 1: has a very high profile opening. Carson Palmer, native son
Speaker 1: of the USC football program, went on The Dan Patrick Show.
Speaker 1: And it's been labeled a couple different ways, but Carson
Speaker 1: Palmer's been involved to some degree with the search. He
Speaker 1: says he's been involved to whatever extent they've allowed him
Speaker 1: to be evolved, So make of that what you will.
Speaker 1: He trotted out four names as potentials. James Franklin because
Speaker 1: James Franklin's in the hunt for everything these days.
Speaker 3: Matt Campbell or wins over Illinois.
Speaker 1: Con for wins over Illinois, thank you.
Speaker 3: He was in the hunt. He was in the hunt
Speaker 3: to be fair.
Speaker 1: Matt Campbell from Iowa State. No surprise there, Luke Fickle.
Speaker 1: His connection to new USC athletic director Mike Boone is
Speaker 1: well known at this point, so it's not any great surprise.
Speaker 1: And then he said Mike Tomlin, Yeah, And in the
Speaker 1: football media world, Mike Tomlin was like, whoa, Okay, this
Speaker 1: is where did this come from? It's out of left field.
Speaker 1: Would he potentially think of leaving the Steelers? Guys want
Speaker 1: a super Bowl. That would be a coup. Any tea
Speaker 1: would want Mike Tomlin. So naturally they asked Mike Tomlin
Speaker 1: about it. Yea quote, Hey, guys, I don't have time
Speaker 1: for that speculation.
Speaker 3: I mean, it's a joke to me.
Speaker 1: I got one of the best jobs in all of
Speaker 1: professional sport. Why would I have any interest in college football?
Speaker 1: Great question? Answers a question with a question, He goes further. Quote,
Speaker 1: this will be the last time that I address it,
Speaker 1: not only today, but moving forward. Never say never, but never. Okay,
Speaker 1: anybody else got questions about any other college jobs. There's
Speaker 1: not a booster with a big enough blank check end quote.
Speaker 3: I think he put it to bed. He did say,
Speaker 3: but never, but never.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Mike Tomlin probably not going to get that USC job.
Speaker 3: No, No, I don't think so. You know, it's probably
Speaker 3: just a case of USC somebody at USC, you know,
Speaker 3: doing due diligence, searching, vetting, whatever, knows Mike Tomlin's agent
Speaker 3: or knows somebody connected to Mike tom and be like,
Speaker 3: should we kick the tires? And Carson Potter like, it's
Speaker 3: probably a game of telephone that got to Carson Palmer
Speaker 3: and it went from like we should kick the tires
Speaker 3: to see if he's interested in maybe doing college instead
Speaker 3: of pro and by the time it got to Carson Palmer,
Speaker 3: it was like, there's a Mike Tomlin conversation and it
Speaker 3: seems ridiculous. It does seem ridiculous. USC is a very
Speaker 3: good job. It will attract interesting names. Obviously, it has
Speaker 3: not been a job that has been filled from a
Speaker 3: national search, and not accurately, but at all, right, it's
Speaker 3: been Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian and Clay Hilton these
Speaker 3: past few years, it's been USC, guys. I imagine the
Speaker 3: scope of this search will be wider, that the net
Speaker 3: that will be cast will be wider, and many more
Speaker 3: names than you usual will be involved. I just I
Speaker 3: don't have a lean. I would imagine James Franklin is
Speaker 3: probably the most realistic. Deep conversations are being had at
Speaker 3: some point name in this process. But yeah, you know,
Speaker 3: they're not going to hire Norm Chow.
Speaker 1: Like like Colin, he seemed offended by it. If you
Speaker 1: saw his response, he did not. He did not appreciate,
Speaker 1: He did not take it as a compliment that he
Speaker 1: was being considered or being mentioned for a.
Speaker 3: College now and it's it's going to be a fascinating search,
Speaker 3: as will LSU as well Texas Tech obviously there there
Speaker 3: are schools all over and it's it's an interesting and
Speaker 3: I think Ross Ellinger wrote about this for SI. It's
Speaker 3: an interesting time in coach firing with many more coaches
Speaker 3: being lego early and now you say to yourself, well,
Speaker 3: so that they have more time for the search, but
Speaker 3: also you want to get somebody in there as early
Speaker 3: as possible with the early signing period now becoming the
Speaker 3: signing period in mental December, and so that's increasingly tricky
Speaker 3: as coaches that are in demand are taking their teams
Speaker 3: to January Bowl games by and large. So it's I
Speaker 3: don't know, it's it leaves a lot of teams and
Speaker 3: programs and recruiting departments sort of in the lurch with
Speaker 3: the uncertainty firing them this you know, quickly into the season.
Speaker 3: But man, I don't know. It's I just I can't
Speaker 3: wait to see that the twists and turns.
Speaker 1: Without further Ado, Dan, can you please play that Bailey
Speaker 1: Zappi sound one more time. His name is Bailey Zappi.
Speaker 1: He is the starting quarterback for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Speaker 1: setting the world on fire. Bailey, Welcome to the soliverbal
Speaker 1: How are.
Speaker 2: You you do?
Speaker 4: Good?
Speaker 2: Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1: Talk me through this last like year and a half.
Speaker 1: For you whatever it's been like, it has to be
Speaker 1: a whirlwind for you, is it not?
Speaker 2: One hundred percent?
Speaker 4: My life has changed completely, you know, going from you know,
Speaker 4: hbut here in that whole process and you know, coming
Speaker 4: here and being able to do what we've been able
Speaker 4: to do has been awesome to see.
Speaker 2: And you know it's been you know the best decision
Speaker 2: of my life, you know, coming here.
Speaker 4: And I'm really grateful that, you know, Coach Helton gave
Speaker 4: me and you know Coach kit Lee and the Stearns
Speaker 4: and Ben Ratz laugh, you know, a chance to come
Speaker 4: here and be a part of the program.
Speaker 3: So talk us through that process.
Speaker 1: Because you mentioned coach Helton went out, He brought you
Speaker 1: guys over from HBU via the transfer portal. He brought
Speaker 1: a lot of you over that doesn't typically happen, like
Speaker 1: he pretty much brought the whole offense. So what was
Speaker 1: exactly that workflow? How did that go down? Did Coach
Speaker 1: Kittley make the move first and then recruit the rest
Speaker 1: of you talk us through the mechanics of that.
Speaker 4: So of course, you know all the NCAA rules, Coach
Speaker 4: Keilly really couldn't talk to us once he like signed
Speaker 4: the doted line or whatever idea was gonna be the
Speaker 4: o C here. So I think majority of it was
Speaker 4: just between you know, me, the Startings and Rats Lab
Speaker 4: all of us just talking to me like, hey, you know,
Speaker 4: we we would like to stay with coach Kittley. You know,
Speaker 4: Chrich Kitley has really helped, you know, change all of
Speaker 4: our careers around.
Speaker 2: So that kind of played a huge part into it.
Speaker 4: And then you know, for me solely, you know, talking
Speaker 4: to my family and everything is.
Speaker 2: When Kittley left, I figured, you.
Speaker 4: Know, if I was going to learn a new offense
Speaker 4: like I was at HBU, I would like to transfer
Speaker 4: and go to somewhere that's a you know, a bigger,
Speaker 4: bigger school, better opportunity. And if I was going to
Speaker 4: learn a new offense, I want to do it at
Speaker 4: be a school or follow Kittlee at Western Kentucky. So
Speaker 4: that kind of played into why I, you know, went
Speaker 4: into the transfer portal. And then of course, you know
Speaker 4: a lot of that I wasn't talking to kit Lee,
Speaker 4: of course because all the NCAA rules. But he was
Speaker 4: actually the first one to call me at ain't thirty
Speaker 4: in the morning when I.
Speaker 2: Was still sleep and I was in the transfer portal
Speaker 2: and I was sleep and he.
Speaker 4: Was like, hey, what are you doing? And I was like,
Speaker 4: I'm sleeping. Why are you calling me? And I was like,
Speaker 4: you can't call me and he was like, well, you're
Speaker 4: in the transferport now, so WK is offering you. And
Speaker 4: I was like, okay, that's but you know it's I
Speaker 4: think majority of it was just between me and the
Speaker 4: Starns and Rass laugh.
Speaker 2: You know, we all we all wanted to stick together.
Speaker 2: You know.
Speaker 4: Of course everybody sees me and you know Jared's connection,
Speaker 4: so that's really paid off, you know, us following each
Speaker 4: other here and you know, it's been a blessing and
Speaker 4: we're extremely grateful for it.
Speaker 1: What was that a hard decision to go into the
Speaker 1: transfer portal because you had been at HBU for a while.
Speaker 4: It was kind of difficult, you know, because it's been
Speaker 4: like home, Like you said, it's been my home for
Speaker 4: four years. You know, I was an hour and a
Speaker 4: half from my family and I could drive home on
Speaker 4: a Saturday, come back on a Sunday, so I was
Speaker 4: able to see them a lot more than I am now.
Speaker 4: So a lot of that stuff went into play. But
Speaker 4: you know, it's you know, it's a life changing situation
Speaker 4: to come here and play here at the FBS level
Speaker 4: a big better opportunity. You know, we all have hopes
Speaker 4: and dreams of going in the NFL, and you know,
Speaker 4: come in here and playing here, you know it gives
Speaker 4: you a better opportunity to do that and showcase your talents.
Speaker 4: And you know that's what you know, really, you know,
Speaker 4: helped me make that decision.
Speaker 2: And I said.
Speaker 3: I'm thankful for people now know who you are, Bailey,
Speaker 3: and you've you've thrown for a tonnage of yards and
Speaker 3: touchdowns both at HBU and at WKU against really large
Speaker 3: programs at both schools. Obviously you got a lot of
Speaker 3: attention for what you did against Texas Tech a couple
Speaker 3: of years ago, and this year of course, you know,
Speaker 3: playing against Michigan State for example, obviously had had a
Speaker 3: really nice game that didn't work out for WKU. I'm
Speaker 3: sure as the way you would have liked. But my
Speaker 3: question to you is where did you come from in that,
Speaker 3: in that, and I mean this is a compliment. I
Speaker 3: mean this is a compliment because a number of top
Speaker 3: quarterbacks who have succeeded in college for whatever reason, don't
Speaker 3: get recruited heavily. You know, obviously there are the stories
Speaker 3: about like Aaron Rodgers, right he had a late growth spurt,
Speaker 3: or guys who had injuries their junior years and they
Speaker 3: don't get recruited, or guys who transfer or for whatever
Speaker 3: reason sort of fly under the radar. It looks like,
Speaker 3: if the stats are right, you had something like fifty
Speaker 3: two touchdowns as a senior in high school. Were you
Speaker 3: five foot three? What happened where that you were not?
Speaker 3: Because you're in Texas, You're not terribly far from Houston
Speaker 3: or San Antonio relatively speaking. Why did you fly under
Speaker 3: the radar? Why was the attention not on you?
Speaker 4: Well, believe it or not. Even though I'm six', one
Speaker 4: many schools told me THAT i was too. Short, Okay
Speaker 4: i've had multiple look being on and be, like, well
Speaker 4: if you were an inch or too, TALL i read
Speaker 4: off for you right.
Speaker 2: Now but you're, not so we're gonna go with this,
Speaker 2: guy Right.
Speaker 4: And Then i'm from a small, Town, Victoria, texas bottom Of.
Speaker 4: Texas we have sixty five thousand, people SO i mean
Speaker 4: it's not a huge, city so you, know it's.
Speaker 2: Kind of in the middle of.
Speaker 4: Nowhere not a lot of people make their way down
Speaker 4: their recruiting. Wise you, KNOW i was actually my, class
Speaker 4: we had about two or three guys go you, know
Speaker 4: played college. Football we were only actually the first class
Speaker 4: that actually was able to get recruited down. There okayo
Speaker 4: players to get, Recruited so we were kind of like
Speaker 4: the start of it. All so we really didn't get
Speaker 4: a lot of, looks you, know as we would if
Speaker 4: we're at a bigger school Up North, texas like in
Speaker 4: The dallas Or houston.
Speaker 2: Area SO i think that played a huge part in,
Speaker 2: it just being In.
Speaker 4: Victoria and then of, course you, know not being the
Speaker 4: prototypical six four or six five, guy WHICH i think
Speaker 4: a lot of people are starting to straight away from
Speaker 4: now as you see guys like you, Know Baker, Mayfield Kyler,
Speaker 4: murray guys like that in a field balling. Home SO
Speaker 4: i think that's kind of the main reasons Why.
Speaker 3: Okay fair, enough and did you look up to, anybody
Speaker 3: because obviously the transfer portal is a relatively new. Thing
Speaker 3: there haven't been a ton of quarterbacks that have made
Speaker 3: the move FROM fcs TO fbs who have really lit it.
Speaker 3: Up one of, them, though Was Vernon, adams who Goes
Speaker 3: Eastern washington To. Oregon was he or was there any
Speaker 3: any budyho said that you saw that sort of gave
Speaker 3: you the confidence to, say you know, What I've i've
Speaker 3: played well AGAINST fbs, teams Against power five. Teams this
Speaker 3: is this is the. Blueprint this is WHERE i THINK
Speaker 3: i can. Shine did you look at any of that
Speaker 3: or did you look at yourself as, like you know,
Speaker 3: what nobody has really done it all that, Often i'm
Speaker 3: gonna give it a. SHOT i think it was more of, that.
Speaker 2: You, know just kind of believing.
Speaker 4: Myself and you, know after playing those last four games
Speaker 4: this past year against you, know THREE fbs, schools two
Speaker 4: of them being actually in the conference.
Speaker 2: Essay you, know just being able to do what we
Speaker 2: did AT.
Speaker 4: Fcs school against those, teams you know kind of gave,
Speaker 4: us you, know not, me but you, know starting To Ben,
Speaker 4: ratsoff guys that also transferred FROM fbs TO fbs the
Speaker 4: confidence needed to you, know make that. Jump AND i
Speaker 4: think a lot of, that you, know came from you,
Speaker 4: know talking to Coach Kittlee wallas in the, portal getting his,
Speaker 4: insight getting his feedback on what he. Thinks you, Know
Speaker 4: i've you, KNOW i really look up to him, especially
Speaker 4: AND i listened to him a. Lot Know I'm i'm you,
Speaker 4: know grateful to have him as a, coach and you,
Speaker 4: KNOW i listened to him a lot through that process
Speaker 4: and believed in him and believed in. Myself AND i
Speaker 4: think that's, what you, know helped.
Speaker 2: Me make this.
Speaker 3: Jump what's been the biggest, Difference what's been the biggest?
Speaker 3: Adjustment obviously from the outside looking, in it seems like
Speaker 3: the adjustment and the the change has been a pretty successful.
Speaker 3: One what what has been the new? THING i guess
Speaker 3: besides they're not being A cvs on the field like
Speaker 3: there was A Houston baptist.
Speaker 2: Having two sides to the. Stadium yeah that, too.
Speaker 4: Yep of, course you know everybody, says you, know speed
Speaker 4: of the, game especially going to Play Indiana Michigan state
Speaker 4: and you're out there and you're playing against guys that
Speaker 4: you know could possibly go first second, round and you're
Speaker 4: out there Like holy cow was last YEAR i was
Speaker 4: playing a F cs And i'm playing against the first second.
Speaker 2: ROUNDERS i guess speed my game. UP i guess be what?
Speaker 4: Up WHAT i do? Up SO i think that's what you,
Speaker 4: know jumping from high school TO, fcs in AN FCS,
Speaker 4: FBS i think that's what you know has been the biggest,
Speaker 4: difference just to be the, game.
Speaker 2: Not really all act can.
Speaker 1: Think, Of, billy where do you put some of WHAT
Speaker 1: i would imagine is anfl, interest you, know coming FROM,
Speaker 1: hbu now you've gotten much more of the, spotlight leading
Speaker 1: the nation in yards per. Game from a passing, standpoint
Speaker 1: you have your coach saying that you're the best that
Speaker 1: he's ever coached at the. Position and this is a
Speaker 1: guy who Coached Sam darnold before much to the point
Speaker 1: of it being a. Whirlwind how are you dealing with
Speaker 1: maybe that influx of, attention.
Speaker 4: You, Know i'm embracing, it you, know goming from you,
Speaker 4: know being underrecruited and, everything not getting that. Stuff you,
Speaker 4: know it's kind of you, know you kind of enjoy,
Speaker 4: it you, know seeing seeing your, name all, stuff seeing you,
Speaker 4: Know jared's, name all, stuff kind of coming from you,
Speaker 4: know not being the most looked at guys at you
Speaker 4: know in high school or AT hbu and got to see,
Speaker 4: names watch them.
Speaker 2: And stuff like, that and we talk about all the,
Speaker 2: time you know how cool it, is you, know be
Speaker 2: doing it.
Speaker 4: Together and then you, know seeing What Coach shelton to
Speaker 4: say about, us you, know we were grateful For Coach
Speaker 4: shelton and what he says about, us and you, know
Speaker 4: giving giving us that.
Speaker 2: Attention you, know both.
Speaker 4: Of our dreams and my, dreams you, know SINCE i
Speaker 4: was five years old WHERE i began playing football is
Speaker 4: to make it to THE.
Speaker 2: Nfl and that's been my dream since.
Speaker 4: Then and to be able to be in this situation
Speaker 4: where you know it's kind of at arms reach of
Speaker 4: being able to go to that next level was you,
Speaker 4: know it's amazing and you know it's something THAT i
Speaker 4: can't describe, personally AND i.
Speaker 2: Really look forward to.
Speaker 4: That but we but as we all, know you, KNOW
Speaker 4: i we still have five or actually seven games left
Speaker 4: if we continue to, win and you, know that's the.
Speaker 2: Most important thing in my mind right.
Speaker 4: Now you, know when the time comes and you know
Speaker 4: THE nfl is, Knocking i'll be.
Speaker 3: Ready who was your team growing?
Speaker 1: Up BECAUSE i looked Up victoria on the Map i've
Speaker 1: seen some notable, Natives Stone, Cold Steve, Austin Cowboy. Troy
Speaker 1: there's a whole number of, people so it's kind of
Speaker 1: like a budding pop culture, hotbed if you. Will as you,
Speaker 1: say in the middle of, Nowhere. Texas but you can
Speaker 1: make a case for The. Cowboys you're In, texas you're
Speaker 1: within the stone's throw Of, houston The, saints you're near
Speaker 1: The gulf Of. Mexico who is your? Team actually neither of.
Speaker 4: THOSE i wasn't actually a team. GUY i was more quarterback.
Speaker 4: Guy except that's the only POSITION i ever. Played to
Speaker 4: be honest with, YOU i haven't played defense SINCE i
Speaker 4: was five years old my, Life SO i was actually
Speaker 4: a peyton manning.
Speaker 1: Guy, OKAY i had you, know the.
Speaker 4: Fatthead stickers on the, walls you, KNOW i had the
Speaker 4: PEYTON i, MEAN i had it. All so we would
Speaker 4: actually go to The Colts texans game WHEN i was
Speaker 4: In houston every year whenever it was. So and then
Speaker 4: WHEN i, realized of COURSE i wasn't even be, six
Speaker 4: kind of changed. Up you know WHO i looked at
Speaker 4: or as a you, know a role model type of the,
Speaker 4: quarterback and you, KNOW i started doing a lot Of
Speaker 4: Drew brees studying And Drew brees a lot and you
Speaker 4: know kind of what he, Does so you, know it
Speaker 4: really WASN'T i really don't have a team a kind
Speaker 4: of a bandwagon of. Quarterbacks like now It's Tom. BRADY i,
Speaker 4: mean you can't Like Tom. Brady so it's just a quarterback.
Speaker 1: Guy so how how do, you maybe as a young
Speaker 1: kid playing, football maybe as an older kid playing higher level,
Speaker 1: football how do you try to Incorporate Peyton manning's game
Speaker 1: into your, Own Drew brees's game into your, Own Tom
Speaker 1: brady's game into your? Own like how are you breaking them?
Speaker 1: Down and what are you doing to try and pull
Speaker 1: in some of the facets of their.
Speaker 4: Game, so speaking On Drew, BREES i think a lot
Speaker 4: of him is we all see as. MECHANICS i mean
Speaker 4: he's mechanically. SOUNDED i mean everything he does is so
Speaker 4: smooth and so like.
Speaker 2: PERFECT i mean everything he does is perfect mechanical. Wise
Speaker 2: AND i think that's a lot of WHAT i look.
Speaker 4: At as, well you, know being almost the same high
Speaker 4: as he is and being able to see over the.
Speaker 2: Line you, know it's a lot WHAT i look at as.
Speaker 4: Well and the accuracy From Drew brees as, well is
Speaker 4: probably one of the best to ever you, know step
Speaker 4: on THE nfl. Field and then you, know between all those,
Speaker 4: guys they all have one thing in, common and that's.
Speaker 4: LEADERSHIP i, mean they all have been able to lead
Speaker 4: their teams and make the guys around them. Better and you,
Speaker 4: know preparation stuff like that is a lot of things
Speaker 4: THAT i look, at and.
Speaker 2: Those three guys prepare their butts.
Speaker 4: OFF i, mean they they're able, to you, know understand
Speaker 4: the defense before the defense even knows what they're. Doing
Speaker 4: AND i think that's what you, KNOW i would like
Speaker 4: to start. Doing that's What i've tried to do a
Speaker 4: lot more, now a lot of pre snap reading before
Speaker 4: the ball, snapped trying to see what the defense is
Speaker 4: in before the ball, stamper before they start, rolling and
Speaker 4: stuff like.
Speaker 2: That AND i think that a.
Speaker 4: Lot that helps us out a lot, too is being
Speaker 4: able to see that and check in and out.
Speaker 2: Of place as.
Speaker 3: Well how long did it take you to get comfortable AT.
Speaker 3: Wku obviously you're familiar with your old coach FROM, hbu
Speaker 3: but how long does it take even with the familiarity with,
Speaker 3: receivers it's a new offensive, line it's new, facilities, right
Speaker 3: it's a new, schedule it's a new. Campus how long
Speaker 3: does it take you to get comfortable because you're coming
Speaker 3: in at the most important position for a team that
Speaker 3: is playing on a new. Level was it? Immediate was
Speaker 3: there a learning? Process what was that learning? Curve?
Speaker 4: Like it was actually a lot quicker than you, KNOW
Speaker 4: i personally always, thought as, well you, know everybody welcomed
Speaker 4: me with open, arms.
Speaker 2: The, players you, know, coaches training, staff.
Speaker 4: Everybody, ACTUALLY i think the second day HERE i was
Speaker 4: already outside on the field thrown with the. Receivers, SO i,
Speaker 4: mean it was kind of a quick process of you,
Speaker 4: know building that connection and building that camaraderie between you,
Speaker 4: know me and.
Speaker 2: Everybody and.
Speaker 4: You, know Like I've i've, said you, know we've had
Speaker 4: team meetings and stuff like. That you, Know i've sat
Speaker 4: in front of, everybody and you, Know i'm grateful the
Speaker 4: way they've you, know welcomed, me they brought me into,
Speaker 4: ad you, know is kind of just a smooth transition
Speaker 4: from you, know going to or going TO hpu and coming.
Speaker 2: Here you, KNOW i love it here AND i Wish
Speaker 2: i'll see here more than one. Year so you, know
Speaker 2: it was honestly a great. Transition you, KNOW i love my.
Speaker 4: TEAMMATES i love the way they've you, know welcomed me,
Speaker 4: here and you know it's been.
Speaker 3: Awesome so you talk about how everybody has embraced you
Speaker 3: and how the transition has been. Smooth we are now
Speaker 3: in a, bright shiny new era of nil, name image.
Speaker 3: Likeness have you had? Opportunities do you want? Opportunities sponsorship
Speaker 3: opportunities right because you're you're in this spotlight and maybe
Speaker 3: not even just for, you and your offensive, line you
Speaker 3: and your receivers is? There you? Know is it a restaurant?
Speaker 3: Thing is it an apparel? Thing like we're Talking Bailey's
Speaker 3: appy the? Brand what what are we talking? LIKE i
Speaker 3: Know fruit of The loom is based In Bowling. GREEN
Speaker 3: i know. THAT i don't know if you're A fruit
Speaker 3: of The loom. GUY i don't. KNOW i Don't Russell,
Speaker 3: athletic you know all that's In Bowling green as. WELL
Speaker 3: i don't know if there are. RESTAURANTS i don't. Know
Speaker 3: what is your dream situation in terms of taking advantage
Speaker 3: now for yourself or your teammates with regard to UH a.
Speaker 3: Sponsorship here you have the floor, chick Fil, A chick, Choice,
Speaker 3: Yeah chick.
Speaker 2: Fil, A i would. Everybody I'm i'm solely with.
Speaker 3: Forever what is your order.
Speaker 2: DEPEND i go over there for, breakfast, breakfast, lunch and,
Speaker 2: dinner SO i mean it changes.
Speaker 1: Time how would you power rank the, sauces because that's a.
Speaker 1: Question we get a Lot chick Fil a sauce number one, okay,
Speaker 1: okay and Then.
Speaker 2: Bawnesian, WOW i like. It, Yeah Buffalo saucer or any
Speaker 2: of the.
Speaker 4: Others that's the main, TOO i. GET i get The
Speaker 4: Baesian chick Fil a sauce and the. Ketchup that's ALL i.
Speaker 2: GET i don't know any other on any.
Speaker 3: Drinks, shakes, tea what what is the drink selection for?
Speaker 3: You i'm really trying To i'm trying to speak To
Speaker 3: chick Fil a with this one as. Well sweet.
Speaker 4: Tea that's THE i get everywhere, too so sweet. Tea
Speaker 4: and then you, know the vanilla shakes there are amazing,
Speaker 4: TOO a great with, those.
Speaker 3: Man they're not a solid verbal. Sponsor they could be
Speaker 3: on me For Baileys happy absolutely.
Speaker 2: Just for.
Speaker 3: Me tie. YOU i think you've been curious About bailey's
Speaker 3: interests outside of, football not necessarily About chick Fil, A
Speaker 3: BUT i mean there are other big brands tie, right.
Speaker 1: There Are really What i'm interested in is try to
Speaker 1: craft A heisman campaign for. You And i'm wondering if
Speaker 1: If western has done anything akin to you, know coming
Speaker 1: up with like bumper, stickers, slogans songs like has anybody
Speaker 1: tried anything?
Speaker 3: Yet BECAUSE i have. Ideas what About Top gun with
Speaker 3: two p's right for the, toppers he's got a cannon
Speaker 3: for an. ARM i just came up with. That that's,
Speaker 3: good that's actually Quite take, that please have?
Speaker 2: It That Top GUN.
Speaker 3: Ti, drafting we're, experimenting we're braving. One that's. True they
Speaker 3: Got they haven't released that, yet have. They now it's
Speaker 3: been a long, Time like the trailer came, out it
Speaker 3: felt like two years. Ago so you would embrace A heisman,
Speaker 3: campaign Especially Top gun with two.
Speaker 2: P's, OKAY i like.
Speaker 1: THIS i had what did a workshop? HERE i Had
Speaker 1: Sweet Sassy, mozappi WHICH i that's not as good as
Speaker 1: top that's not. Great that's not good life liberty and
Speaker 1: pursuit of. ZAPPINESS i don't hate, it but it's. Long
Speaker 1: you could if there's a music department At, western you
Speaker 1: could rewrite happy By.
Speaker 3: Farrell Oh, Zapy, yeah that would.
Speaker 1: WORK i also jotted Down Zappi khakis in the w
Speaker 1: K U team, store WHICH i don't know if that's a,
Speaker 1: thing And Zappi. Taffy you are close to The gulf Of,
Speaker 1: mexico so maybe there's a saltwater taffy brand that would.
Speaker 1: Work BUT i do like top Gun. Dan that's WHAT
Speaker 1: i think is the. Move, YEAH i think is the.
Speaker 3: MOVE I i did notice on The instagram he's a
Speaker 3: bit of a, hunter LIKE i JUST i don't. KNOW
Speaker 3: i think we can lock this. In we don't have much,
Speaker 3: time so we got to get the athletic department on.
Speaker 3: It we got to Get Jared stearns some sort of
Speaker 3: attention on there as, well your number one receiver who's
Speaker 3: up over a thousand yards like. TY i THINK i
Speaker 3: think we have. IT i think we got to get
Speaker 3: somebody On, photoshop and we got to get The we
Speaker 3: got to get the flyers and the postcards.
Speaker 4: Out.
Speaker 3: YEAH i like. It Bailey's appy has a few more games,
Speaker 3: left of, course culminating with a couple of tough, ones
Speaker 3: especially tough ones With fau And. Marshall anything else that
Speaker 3: you want people to know about THE wku, offense the
Speaker 3: journey that you've been on and uh in your season thus, FAR.
Speaker 2: I mean none really just you, know we have ours
Speaker 2: five or seven games. LEFT i think we're only just getting.
Speaker 4: STARTED i don't think we've played our best game, yet
Speaker 4: to be honest with, You and.
Speaker 2: That's kind of. SCARY i, mean we've been able to
Speaker 2: put some crazy.
Speaker 4: Numbers up and and we've we've had a lot of
Speaker 4: mistakes in those. Games AND i think if we're able
Speaker 4: to clean that stuff, UP i think there's nobody and you,
Speaker 4: know and our next few games that can really stop.
Speaker 2: Us on the offensive.
Speaker 4: Side and you, know with the way the defense is
Speaker 4: starting to you, know play as, WELL i think we're
Speaker 4: a pretty dangerous. Team and you, Know i'm excited AND i,
Speaker 4: think you, know we have a real shot at you,
Speaker 4: know getting us that you, know conference championship.
Speaker 3: RING i actually DO ty have one more? Question Big
Speaker 3: red up, close strange. ENCOURAGING i was gonna, say, like
Speaker 3: is it? Distracting like you're trying to lock, In you're,
Speaker 3: like oh my, god they and cover three and like
Speaker 3: then you See Big red on the. Sidelines is it
Speaker 3: take you out of? It what is what is the
Speaker 3: mood there when you see Big Red.
Speaker 2: NOW i just kind of try to ignore.
Speaker 4: It WHEN i first got my entire family was, like
Speaker 4: did you know you have a big red blob as a?
Speaker 4: MASCOT i was, like, what there's just a big red.
Speaker 4: Blob it walks, around but the old, one, right it
Speaker 4: would just just eat.
Speaker 2: People.
Speaker 4: Correct I'm i'm going from a, Husky so the mascots
Speaker 4: are totally two.
Speaker 3: Different, yeah like an off brand hershey? Kiss, yeah all,
Speaker 3: right that's ALL i. Have that's the best point to end.
Speaker 3: It do you know that you have a big red
Speaker 3: blob for a?
Speaker 1: Mascot big, Blob Bailey, zavi it's a pleasure to speak with.
Speaker 1: You we wish you and your team nothing but continued
Speaker 1: success and will continue following your story. Man best of.
Speaker 2: Luck, yes, sir thank you for having.
Speaker 1: Me Alrighty, Dan there he Is Bailey, zappi starting quarterback
Speaker 1: for The Western Kentucky. Hilltoppers you did get the question
Speaker 1: in about Big. RED i appreciate.
Speaker 3: That did you know you're going from a husky to
Speaker 3: a big red? Blob it's a good way to think about.
Speaker 3: It it's a good WAY i was looking. IN i
Speaker 3: went on yelp AND i looked for the food spots
Speaker 3: that looked the best In Bowling, green AND i thought to, myself,
Speaker 3: well this isn't a, huge huge. Place how there were
Speaker 3: really good looking places to. Eat but he dropped a
Speaker 3: national because he's shooting high for his, nil SO i respect.
Speaker 3: IT i respect it as.
Speaker 1: Well his story has been a ton of fun for
Speaker 1: us to follow From. Afar we will clearly be following
Speaker 1: it much more closely now having met with the.
Speaker 3: Gentleman, yeah fearless dude by the, way with the football
Speaker 3: in his. HANDS i don't know how MUCH i know
Speaker 3: you've watched SOME, wku especially in preparation for. This like
Speaker 3: the word gunslinger is, overused but his mentality is balls out.
Speaker 3: Quick i'm going, downfield AND i just have every confidence
Speaker 3: in my, receivers LIKE i. Love like he threw a
Speaker 3: couple of absolute dimes Against Michigan, state like that he
Speaker 3: just didn't care who he was, playing which is an
Speaker 3: unreal mentality given the smaller stature of his background OF.
Speaker 3: Hbu but just crazy. Impressive and you can see why
Speaker 3: the numbers are gaudy this.
Speaker 1: Year and he has absolutely dusted some defenders on like
Speaker 1: a quarter, pump fake, yes just a. Flint it's not
Speaker 1: even a pump fake.
Speaker 3: Right but maybe that's The Peyton manning. Ty maybe it.
Speaker 1: Is i've seen countless highlights of a guy burning a
Speaker 1: defender on an out and up or just a stutter
Speaker 1: step combined with that little pump and Suddenly bailey's got
Speaker 1: a touchdown or a long. Game so, yeah, look it's
Speaker 1: great to have him on the. Show we appreciate everybody
Speaker 1: From CONFERENCE usa And Western kentucky making that. HAPPEN i
Speaker 1: love the Top, Gun thank, You heisman candidacy. IDEA i
Speaker 1: love that we came up with that on the, fly
Speaker 1: AND i hope that we will see it soon somewhere
Speaker 1: on social. Media, yeah it's a free idea That Western
Speaker 1: kentucky can.
Speaker 3: Take run with, it run with, it all. RIGHT i
Speaker 3: was trying to like fly into what The bailey z.
Speaker 3: OWN i don't. Know we got to come up with
Speaker 3: something there, too but like a, tagline we need the
Speaker 3: top gun. Tagline what's the name of the new? One Just.
Speaker 3: MAVERICK i think It's.
Speaker 1: Maverick, yeah, yeah all, right that works for. Me on that,
Speaker 1: note we appreciate our guest of honor, Today BAILEY zappi
Speaker 1: check him out this weekend squaring off Against. Charlotte hopefully
Speaker 1: he has continued. Success check out our website at solid
Speaker 1: verbal dot. Com check out our live stream tomorrow At
Speaker 1: Solid saturday dot. Com and if you're a super verbaler
Speaker 1: and you want to know more about the bonus features
Speaker 1: that we have to, offer go on out to verbalers dot.
Speaker 1: Com that's V E R B A L l e
Speaker 1: r s dot. Com as you're watching the games On,
Speaker 1: saturday if you got something to get off your, chest
Speaker 1: give us a phone call on the. Reverbline it is
Speaker 1: four oh Eight verbal one four zero eight eight three
Speaker 1: seven two two five. One we will cut all of
Speaker 1: those voice, messages or most of those voice messages together
Speaker 1: into about a four minute clip and we will play
Speaker 1: them as part of our weekly recap, show a little
Speaker 1: segment WHAT i call the reverb Stand, yes.
Speaker 3: SIR i think that's ALL i.
Speaker 1: Got that's ALL i have for that guy over, there
Speaker 1: my good Friend Dan, rubinstein for, Myself ty hilde A.
Speaker 1: Brand we will talk to you all after week. Nine stay, Solid,
Speaker 1: yes