WEBVTT - Topp Gun: An Interview with Bailey Zappe 0:00:02.160 --> 0:00:05.560 Welcome to the solid verbal hell that for me. 0:00:06.680 --> 0:00:08.119 I'm a man, I'm for it. 0:00:08.240 --> 0:00:10.119 I've heard so many players say, well, I want to 0:00:10.119 --> 0:00:12.080 be happy, you want to be happy for a day? 0:00:12.520 --> 0:00:17.080 Edith Steak, is that woo woom? And then and tie. 0:00:19.239 --> 0:00:21.840 Welcome back to the solid verbal boys and girls. My 0:00:21.920 --> 0:00:24.759 name is Ty hilden Brandt joining me is always over there. 0:00:25.320 --> 0:00:27.480 The man with the plan, Dan Rubensteinzer, how are you. 0:00:28.120 --> 0:00:31.880 I have no plans, I have no instincts about where 0:00:31.880 --> 0:00:35.080 we go with this show, but I'm very excited for it. 0:00:35.120 --> 0:00:37.839 I'm good and this is, I guess, for us an 0:00:37.920 --> 0:00:43.000 unusual show. It is that normally our guest situation is 0:00:43.920 --> 0:00:47.120 centered in like media pals, and that's not what we're 0:00:47.120 --> 0:00:49.240 doing with today's show. That is correct. 0:00:49.240 --> 0:00:53.199 We have ditched the normal Friday music the WSV Moniker 0:00:53.240 --> 0:00:55.600 of only for a week because we wanted to roll 0:00:55.600 --> 0:00:59.120 out the special solid verbal red carpet for a beast 0:00:59.160 --> 0:01:02.240 of honor today. Mister Bailey Zappi, you may now be 0:01:02.320 --> 0:01:06.680 familiar with Bailey Zappi as the starting quarterback from Western Kentucky. 0:01:06.720 --> 0:01:11.039 He transferred up in the offseason from Houston Baptist. He 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:14.920 has since led the nation in yards passing per game. 0:01:15.200 --> 0:01:19.320 The offense is a flutter down there at Western Kitana, 0:01:19.920 --> 0:01:22.240 and we wanted to get to know Bailey Zappi and 0:01:22.280 --> 0:01:23.880 his story a little bit more. So he's going to 0:01:23.920 --> 0:01:26.400 be coming up here momentarily. We're thrilled we're able to 0:01:26.400 --> 0:01:27.600 spend some time with them. 0:01:28.160 --> 0:01:31.920 Here are some underlying numbers for how successful Western Kentucky 0:01:31.920 --> 0:01:35.360 has been. Obviously, he and some teammates a terrific story 0:01:35.480 --> 0:01:39.040 at Western Kentucky, transferring from Houston Baptist, who have lit 0:01:39.120 --> 0:01:42.480 up a number of FBS teams, Louisiana Tech, Texas Tech, 0:01:42.480 --> 0:01:45.039 anybody whose name is Tech. Obviously, this year they played 0:01:45.440 --> 0:01:48.840 Army Indiana Michigan State. I don't think has anybody scored 0:01:48.960 --> 0:01:52.240 more than WKU against Michigan State this season. I don't 0:01:52.240 --> 0:01:54.120 know if anybody scored more than twenty or twenty one 0:01:54.200 --> 0:01:58.400 other than WKU, who dropped over thirty. So it's just 0:01:58.600 --> 0:02:01.400 a crazy story. He's leading the name in yardage and 0:02:01.440 --> 0:02:06.760 I believe touchdown passes, yardage per game, and just a 0:02:06.800 --> 0:02:09.600 fascinating start. We haven't seen that FCS to FBS come 0:02:09.680 --> 0:02:12.000 up from a quarterback really in a big successful way, 0:02:12.000 --> 0:02:14.760 other than Vernon Adams who did the same thing playing 0:02:14.800 --> 0:02:17.160 against PAC twelve teams when he was at Eastern Washington. 0:02:17.480 --> 0:02:19.960 So excited to have him on and hear more about 0:02:20.000 --> 0:02:23.240 his story. And I just mentioned the underlying numbers. It's 0:02:23.240 --> 0:02:25.799 just all you know. It's Tyson Hilton, obviously the head 0:02:25.800 --> 0:02:28.600 coach a WKU was at USC with his brother Clay 0:02:28.639 --> 0:02:31.480 as a coordinator. And just their rushing success rate fifth, 0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:35.440 passing success rate fourth, They're great on first down, second towns, 0:02:35.480 --> 0:02:39.200 third downs. They're the number one open play so it's 0:02:39.560 --> 0:02:41.560 not red zone, not backed up, number one in the 0:02:41.680 --> 0:02:45.920 nation of just on a regular down being successful as 0:02:45.919 --> 0:02:48.160 an offense. And that is in large part to the 0:02:48.160 --> 0:02:51.960 guys that came over from Houston Baptist, including offensive coordinator. 0:02:52.040 --> 0:02:56.320 So a really cool story, and again I just want 0:02:56.360 --> 0:02:56.839 to learn more. 0:02:56.840 --> 0:02:57.040 Man. 0:02:57.280 --> 0:03:03.040 We have the sound, by the way, and the good 0:03:03.080 --> 0:03:05.600 folks at Conference USA and Western Kentucky heard it and 0:03:05.600 --> 0:03:08.040 we're like, you want the guy, and we said, yeah, we. 0:03:08.400 --> 0:03:11.959 Need to talk about a potential Heisman campaign. I agree, 0:03:12.080 --> 0:03:15.520 we need to talk about a thing because it's early enough. 0:03:15.639 --> 0:03:19.120 We haven't gotten into November yet. If you lay down 0:03:19.840 --> 0:03:23.600 the markers now mm hmm, you can start gaining some traction. 0:03:24.120 --> 0:03:24.520 Mm hmm. 0:03:24.680 --> 0:03:27.520 I want to help however we can. He throws the passes. 0:03:27.560 --> 0:03:29.440 We have nothing to do with anything, but if we 0:03:29.440 --> 0:03:32.600 can offer any kind of creative juice, give this thing 0:03:32.639 --> 0:03:34.920 a little bit of fire. I'm down, I'm down. Let's 0:03:34.920 --> 0:03:35.160 do it. 0:03:35.760 --> 0:03:36.160 Yeah. 0:03:36.280 --> 0:03:39.760 Now, I'm just thinking. Remember because I hear Homer Simpson 0:03:39.840 --> 0:03:42.160 in my ears, there was a Simpsons episode where like, 0:03:42.160 --> 0:03:44.320 think on sexy thoughts, think on sexy thoughts, and then 0:03:44.320 --> 0:03:49.680 he sees sexy Flanders in like the skin tight skiing apparel. 0:03:50.000 --> 0:03:52.160 I think my if I had to say to myself, 0:03:52.240 --> 0:03:55.880 think un sexy thoughts to like stay professional, I might 0:03:55.880 --> 0:03:59.160 think about Big Red. I might think about the mascot 0:03:59.160 --> 0:04:03.280 of Western KENTI just picture Big Red, and that'd be impossible. 0:04:03.280 --> 0:04:06.000 You're dying to ask Bailey Zappi about Big Red. 0:04:06.360 --> 0:04:09.240 I've never seen Big Red in person. I need to know. 0:04:09.600 --> 0:04:12.560 I think it's a fair question. It's a fair question. 0:04:12.600 --> 0:04:14.560 Well, look, if you are tuning in for the first time, 0:04:14.680 --> 0:04:15.200 I am tie. 0:04:15.320 --> 0:04:15.760 He's Dan. 0:04:15.840 --> 0:04:18.400 We are the Solid Verbal. Go on out to our 0:04:18.440 --> 0:04:22.000 website at solidverbal dot com. We post all of our 0:04:22.040 --> 0:04:26.560 episodes out there, three of which go down every week. Monday, Wednesday, 0:04:26.960 --> 0:04:30.400 and this one on Friday. We also post three articles 0:04:30.400 --> 0:04:33.640 a week every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Go on out 0:04:33.640 --> 0:04:36.240 and check out stats that are going to influence the 0:04:36.279 --> 0:04:40.800 coming week ahead. Also a watch grid that our Frank 0:04:40.800 --> 0:04:43.920 Connor puts together to help guide you through your Saturday 0:04:43.960 --> 0:04:47.240 watching arrangement. And then every Friday Bradley puts together a 0:04:47.279 --> 0:04:50.920 fun colm. This week it is I believe college football 0:04:51.000 --> 0:04:54.920 Halloween Costumes nice. Please do check that out again at 0:04:54.960 --> 0:04:58.360 solidverbal dot com. If you like the show, leave a review. 0:04:59.080 --> 0:05:01.240 If you really want to like the show, and if 0:05:01.240 --> 0:05:02.960 you really want to be part of the verballerhood, you 0:05:03.000 --> 0:05:06.719 can go on out to Herballers dot com. That's our patreon. Otherwise, 0:05:06.800 --> 0:05:09.039 the only other thing that we do we already do 0:05:09.120 --> 0:05:12.800 so much, but solid Saturday dot com is where you 0:05:12.839 --> 0:05:15.960 can tune into the live stream that goes down every 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:19.920 Saturday morning at eleven am Eastern time on our YouTube 0:05:20.000 --> 0:05:22.320 channel for free. So going out subscribe and hit the 0:05:22.320 --> 0:05:24.240 bell and the like button and all the little do 0:05:24.400 --> 0:05:26.719 hickeys that you can find out there on the YouTube channel, 0:05:27.120 --> 0:05:29.760 But tune in Saturday morning at eleven am. 0:05:30.400 --> 0:05:35.159 May I offer a quick apology slash correction. Slash retraction, 0:05:35.360 --> 0:05:38.200 I guess would be the word. Sure, So, just a 0:05:38.200 --> 0:05:42.560 little bit ago, I conflated Simpsons moments and it was 0:05:42.680 --> 0:05:46.160 not the Flanders looking sexy. Homer was trying not to 0:05:46.200 --> 0:05:49.080 think of a woman, and he thought of Barney, of course, 0:05:49.160 --> 0:05:53.320 his friend from Moe's wearing a bikini. And so that's 0:05:53.320 --> 0:05:55.400 on me. I apologize, Okay, that's it. 0:05:55.960 --> 0:05:58.000 I know you're a Simpsons fan and that's meaningful to you. 0:05:58.040 --> 0:05:58.960 I hope you can forgive me. 0:05:59.080 --> 0:05:59.400 All right. 0:05:59.440 --> 0:06:02.360 Well, before we get to our interview with Bailey ZAPPI 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:05.159 a couple news items that we need to hit a 0:06:05.160 --> 0:06:08.080 little harder. We mentioned some of these in passing when 0:06:08.120 --> 0:06:11.160 we did our preview show. The first of which is 0:06:11.200 --> 0:06:14.280 Matt Wells was fired. We did allude to it when 0:06:14.320 --> 0:06:16.680 we talked about the Texas Tech Game this weekend. But 0:06:17.080 --> 0:06:20.240 Matt Wells fired after like what two and a half 0:06:20.360 --> 0:06:25.320 seasons ish he had a thirteen and seventeen record. Chris 0:06:25.440 --> 0:06:29.839 Cleiman I saw his former colleague from Kansas State saying 0:06:29.839 --> 0:06:32.440 that it was a bad deal for Matt Wells. There 0:06:32.480 --> 0:06:36.840 are some names now popping up as potential replacements, some 0:06:36.920 --> 0:06:39.919 of which I think are very interesting. The one that 0:06:40.000 --> 0:06:42.800 jumped out to me was Sunny Dyke's who sure is 0:06:43.839 --> 0:06:47.840 good year at SMU. What other names have you seen 0:06:47.920 --> 0:06:50.760 that are of interest from your standpoint? 0:06:51.120 --> 0:06:54.120 Yeah, a number of names who have succeeded within Texas 0:06:54.200 --> 0:06:56.800 or the Big Twelve. Obviously Jeff Trailer we've mentioned and 0:06:56.960 --> 0:06:59.680 his success at UTSA leading the road Runners to a 0:06:59.720 --> 0:07:02.039 currently undefeated record, and he goes back to his time 0:07:02.200 --> 0:07:04.599 as a high school coach in the state of Texas. 0:07:04.640 --> 0:07:08.720 Kendall Briles given his success on the football field, specifically 0:07:08.800 --> 0:07:11.840 hat Baylor. You know, I saw that Art Brill's name 0:07:11.880 --> 0:07:15.000 came up and Kirby Hocutt kind of offered a non 0:07:15.840 --> 0:07:18.280 like denial, which was a little bit odd. I would 0:07:18.320 --> 0:07:21.400 say Jay Norvel's name has come up. Obviously, what he's 0:07:21.400 --> 0:07:25.120 done at Nevada has been quite impressive. What other names 0:07:25.240 --> 0:07:27.840 to you have well stood out? I mean Sounny Dyke, 0:07:27.840 --> 0:07:30.000 So what he's out at SMU has been very, very strong. 0:07:30.160 --> 0:07:32.920 This is the first coaching search in a while that 0:07:33.040 --> 0:07:37.440 has a dual sonny feel to it. Yeah, Sonny Comby 0:07:37.560 --> 0:07:39.560 is the interim coach. He could also get a look. 0:07:39.680 --> 0:07:40.160 It's true. 0:07:40.240 --> 0:07:44.280 I don't know how likely that is. But he's a 0:07:44.320 --> 0:07:48.520 guy who worked in Lubbock for a time, you know, 0:07:48.640 --> 0:07:53.400 ten years ago as an assistant. He's also very familiar 0:07:53.440 --> 0:07:54.360 with the state of Texas. 0:07:54.440 --> 0:07:58.560 So I saw Graham Harrell obviously given his success playing 0:07:58.640 --> 0:08:01.240 for Texas Tech, and we assume to be affinity for 0:08:01.280 --> 0:08:01.720 the school. 0:08:02.040 --> 0:08:04.080 I saw, did you mention Jeff Grimes? 0:08:06.000 --> 0:08:09.520 Did not mention Jeff Grimes, but certainly given where Baylor's 0:08:09.520 --> 0:08:12.200 offense and where BYU's offense was, should be considered. 0:08:12.280 --> 0:08:15.440 Yeah, Grimes, you would be an interesting move as well. 0:08:15.560 --> 0:08:17.520 Texas Tech, I think is an interesting job. I think 0:08:17.560 --> 0:08:19.440 people are quick to point out like, oh, it's so 0:08:19.560 --> 0:08:22.720 far removed, and it's sort of like they're not a 0:08:22.840 --> 0:08:25.080 have in the way that Texas and Oklahoma, who are 0:08:25.120 --> 0:08:28.400 obviously now leaving the conference, but that they are sort 0:08:28.440 --> 0:08:30.760 of you know, Lubbick is a weird place. First of all, 0:08:30.760 --> 0:08:33.720 the facilities at Texas Tech are really good, right, so, 0:08:33.840 --> 0:08:36.800 like they invest in this program. Obviously, there's no shortage 0:08:36.800 --> 0:08:40.400 for lack of caring about football at Texas Tech. It's 0:08:40.440 --> 0:08:42.880 a different kind of job because it's not near a 0:08:42.960 --> 0:08:45.319 metro area, but it's in the Big twelve and there's 0:08:45.400 --> 0:08:48.160 talent in Texas. I think the right guy can succeed 0:08:48.200 --> 0:08:52.040 on an interesting level at Texas Tech. But yeah, it's 0:08:52.120 --> 0:08:54.920 not the headline job in the conference. But who even 0:08:54.960 --> 0:08:57.240 knows what the conference is going to look like moving forward? 0:08:57.320 --> 0:08:59.960 So I think it's a good job. It's an interesting job. 0:09:00.040 --> 0:09:04.520 It's just another one to the growing list of coaching openings. 0:09:04.800 --> 0:09:06.440 Who knows how many more there will be. 0:09:07.080 --> 0:09:09.400 Yeah, and now Matt Wells will be an amazing NFL 0:09:09.440 --> 0:09:11.679 coach right now that he's been fired by Texas Tech. 0:09:11.720 --> 0:09:12.480 That's how it works. 0:09:12.800 --> 0:09:17.959 That is how it works. Okay, elsewhere Harrison Bailey once 0:09:18.000 --> 0:09:22.960 thought to be the crown jewel of the Tennessee recruiting 0:09:23.040 --> 0:09:27.120 effort that, of course, under their previous coach, Harrison Bailey 0:09:27.280 --> 0:09:31.520 is now in the transfer portal. At one point, he 0:09:31.720 --> 0:09:37.120 was the third overall pro quarterback prospect behind dj Uyangilala 0:09:37.840 --> 0:09:38.360 and CJ. 0:09:38.520 --> 0:09:39.000 Stroud. 0:09:39.120 --> 0:09:42.400 He was ahead of Ethan Garber's who we saw recently 0:09:42.440 --> 0:09:43.760 for UCLA. 0:09:43.480 --> 0:09:46.240 Your boy J Butterfield out my gagon. 0:09:46.320 --> 0:09:50.960 Yeah, Harrison Bailey was a really highly regarded four star prospect, 0:09:50.960 --> 0:09:54.000 the top one hundred kid. So the fact that he 0:09:54.080 --> 0:09:56.480 has decided to move on is significant. He's not the 0:09:56.480 --> 0:10:00.480 only one entering the transfer portal in limited action for 0:10:00.559 --> 0:10:03.800 Tennessee it was mixed, but it has been a tumultuous 0:10:03.800 --> 0:10:08.280 time in Knoxville. What other names are out there with 0:10:08.320 --> 0:10:09.560 regard to the poor right now? 0:10:10.080 --> 0:10:12.000 First of all, I like that you refer to Jeremy 0:10:12.000 --> 0:10:14.839 Pruitt as the previous coach, as if he didn't as 0:10:14.840 --> 0:10:17.800 if you have something against him, or it's a he's 0:10:17.840 --> 0:10:20.520 been vacated, yeah, or it's a Techmos super Bowl like 0:10:20.559 --> 0:10:22.240 where we don't have the rights to say his name. 0:10:22.320 --> 0:10:27.600 So he's QB Eagles. There's a five star offensive tackle 0:10:27.600 --> 0:10:32.280 at Oregon Kingsley Swamatia Taia that he decided to leave. 0:10:32.280 --> 0:10:34.719 It looks like he is. It looks like BYU he's 0:10:34.720 --> 0:10:37.040 from the state of Utah and so hopefully that's a 0:10:37.080 --> 0:10:40.040 good fit for him. LSU lost a couple of guys, 0:10:40.080 --> 0:10:43.480 a receiver and a linebacker, who were relatively highly ranked, 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:47.079 and understandably so. When their coaching changes, when their system changes, 0:10:47.160 --> 0:10:50.960 and relationship changes between position coaches, whatever, sometimes you just 0:10:51.120 --> 0:10:53.480 want to go somewhere where you feel more comfortable. And 0:10:53.679 --> 0:10:56.000 I think that's the case as we look across the sport. 0:10:56.559 --> 0:10:58.880 I saw that Wisconsin got a commitment from a former 0:10:58.920 --> 0:11:02.400 Michigan state corner. Wisconsin has lost more guys, it seems 0:11:02.840 --> 0:11:05.440 the transfer portal this season than usual. You know, as 0:11:05.480 --> 0:11:07.920 you look at Wisconsin over the years, it's just like 0:11:08.240 --> 0:11:10.439 there's guys that just year have over year. It's just 0:11:10.520 --> 0:11:12.840 juniors and senior starting that they've been in the program 0:11:13.080 --> 0:11:16.320 for so long. So some changes there, but you know, 0:11:16.480 --> 0:11:19.880 by and large, I haven't seen anything enormous, enormous in 0:11:19.960 --> 0:11:22.800 terms of like a proven, proven player like AJ Davis 0:11:22.800 --> 0:11:25.400 from pitt entered the portal running back who's played a good, 0:11:25.480 --> 0:11:30.079 good amount for the Panthers, but now no clear stars 0:11:30.120 --> 0:11:33.760 of the future like a Bailey's appy type for instances, 0:11:34.640 --> 0:11:36.959 a Bailey's appy type who entered the portal and had 0:11:37.000 --> 0:11:40.280 interest by the way, from bigger schools than WKU. I 0:11:40.280 --> 0:11:42.960 imagine they were like, we watch you for depth, and 0:11:43.200 --> 0:11:45.720 I was like, I want to play. And that's how 0:11:45.880 --> 0:11:49.600 it's taking out at WKU, working out swimmingly, as you said, 0:11:50.040 --> 0:11:51.600 setting the offense a flutter. 0:11:52.640 --> 0:11:55.800 I believe that's accurate, Dan, thank you. And finally, last, 0:11:55.880 --> 0:11:57.920 but certainly not least, before we get to our guest 0:11:57.920 --> 0:12:04.720 of honor. Did you see what went down with Mike Tomlin. Yeah, 0:12:04.920 --> 0:12:08.559 just awesome, just awesome. So here's what's going on. USC 0:12:08.720 --> 0:12:13.480 has a very high profile opening. Carson Palmer, native son 0:12:13.520 --> 0:12:16.920 of the USC football program, went on The Dan Patrick Show. 0:12:17.880 --> 0:12:22.200 And it's been labeled a couple different ways, but Carson 0:12:22.200 --> 0:12:25.080 Palmer's been involved to some degree with the search. He 0:12:25.080 --> 0:12:28.319 says he's been involved to whatever extent they've allowed him 0:12:28.840 --> 0:12:32.000 to be evolved, So make of that what you will. 0:12:33.040 --> 0:12:36.480 He trotted out four names as potentials. James Franklin because 0:12:36.520 --> 0:12:38.520 James Franklin's in the hunt for everything these days. 0:12:39.360 --> 0:12:40.959 Matt Campbell or wins over Illinois. 0:12:40.960 --> 0:12:42.440 Con for wins over Illinois, thank you. 0:12:42.559 --> 0:12:43.960 He was in the hunt. He was in the hunt 0:12:44.120 --> 0:12:44.679 to be fair. 0:12:45.080 --> 0:12:49.400 Matt Campbell from Iowa State. No surprise there, Luke Fickle. 0:12:50.120 --> 0:12:55.120 His connection to new USC athletic director Mike Boone is 0:12:55.480 --> 0:12:57.760 well known at this point, so it's not any great surprise. 0:12:57.880 --> 0:13:01.439 And then he said Mike Tomlin, Yeah, And in the 0:13:01.440 --> 0:13:05.440 football media world, Mike Tomlin was like, whoa, Okay, this 0:13:05.520 --> 0:13:07.520 is where did this come from? It's out of left field. 0:13:08.840 --> 0:13:11.480 Would he potentially think of leaving the Steelers? Guys want 0:13:11.559 --> 0:13:13.959 a super Bowl. That would be a coup. Any tea 0:13:13.960 --> 0:13:17.040 would want Mike Tomlin. So naturally they asked Mike Tomlin 0:13:17.080 --> 0:13:20.520 about it. Yea quote, Hey, guys, I don't have time 0:13:20.520 --> 0:13:21.440 for that speculation. 0:13:21.960 --> 0:13:23.600 I mean, it's a joke to me. 0:13:23.960 --> 0:13:25.560 I got one of the best jobs in all of 0:13:25.559 --> 0:13:29.040 professional sport. Why would I have any interest in college football? 0:13:29.600 --> 0:13:33.840 Great question? Answers a question with a question, He goes further. Quote, 0:13:34.360 --> 0:13:36.280 this will be the last time that I address it, 0:13:36.800 --> 0:13:41.199 not only today, but moving forward. Never say never, but never. Okay, 0:13:41.920 --> 0:13:45.079 anybody else got questions about any other college jobs. There's 0:13:45.080 --> 0:13:48.600 not a booster with a big enough blank check end quote. 0:13:49.720 --> 0:13:51.920 I think he put it to bed. He did say, 0:13:52.440 --> 0:13:54.079 but never, but never. 0:13:55.040 --> 0:13:57.880 Yeah, Mike Tomlin probably not going to get that USC job. 0:13:58.640 --> 0:14:01.400 No, No, I don't think so. You know, it's probably 0:14:01.440 --> 0:14:05.600 just a case of USC somebody at USC, you know, 0:14:06.000 --> 0:14:10.559 doing due diligence, searching, vetting, whatever, knows Mike Tomlin's agent 0:14:10.679 --> 0:14:12.520 or knows somebody connected to Mike tom and be like, 0:14:12.559 --> 0:14:15.559 should we kick the tires? And Carson Potter like, it's 0:14:15.600 --> 0:14:18.200 probably a game of telephone that got to Carson Palmer 0:14:18.720 --> 0:14:22.000 and it went from like we should kick the tires 0:14:22.040 --> 0:14:24.560 to see if he's interested in maybe doing college instead 0:14:24.560 --> 0:14:27.080 of pro and by the time it got to Carson Palmer, 0:14:27.120 --> 0:14:33.680 it was like, there's a Mike Tomlin conversation and it 0:14:33.760 --> 0:14:36.440 seems ridiculous. It does seem ridiculous. USC is a very 0:14:36.440 --> 0:14:40.600 good job. It will attract interesting names. Obviously, it has 0:14:40.640 --> 0:14:43.280 not been a job that has been filled from a 0:14:43.480 --> 0:14:47.800 national search, and not accurately, but at all, right, it's 0:14:47.800 --> 0:14:50.080 been Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian and Clay Hilton these 0:14:50.120 --> 0:14:53.280 past few years, it's been USC, guys. I imagine the 0:14:53.320 --> 0:14:56.040 scope of this search will be wider, that the net 0:14:56.080 --> 0:14:59.400 that will be cast will be wider, and many more 0:14:59.480 --> 0:15:03.680 names than you usual will be involved. I just I 0:15:03.920 --> 0:15:07.080 don't have a lean. I would imagine James Franklin is 0:15:07.200 --> 0:15:12.440 probably the most realistic. Deep conversations are being had at 0:15:12.440 --> 0:15:17.360 some point name in this process. But yeah, you know, 0:15:17.400 --> 0:15:18.840 they're not going to hire Norm Chow. 0:15:21.640 --> 0:15:25.360 Like like Colin, he seemed offended by it. If you 0:15:25.440 --> 0:15:30.160 saw his response, he did not. He did not appreciate, 0:15:30.880 --> 0:15:32.520 He did not take it as a compliment that he 0:15:32.600 --> 0:15:35.120 was being considered or being mentioned for a. 0:15:35.040 --> 0:15:37.360 College now and it's it's going to be a fascinating search, 0:15:37.440 --> 0:15:40.120 as will LSU as well Texas Tech obviously there there 0:15:40.120 --> 0:15:43.760 are schools all over and it's it's an interesting and 0:15:43.800 --> 0:15:45.800 I think Ross Ellinger wrote about this for SI. It's 0:15:45.800 --> 0:15:49.240 an interesting time in coach firing with many more coaches 0:15:49.280 --> 0:15:51.640 being lego early and now you say to yourself, well, 0:15:51.840 --> 0:15:53.640 so that they have more time for the search, but 0:15:53.680 --> 0:15:55.960 also you want to get somebody in there as early 0:15:55.960 --> 0:15:58.560 as possible with the early signing period now becoming the 0:15:58.720 --> 0:16:03.320 signing period in mental December, and so that's increasingly tricky 0:16:03.400 --> 0:16:06.920 as coaches that are in demand are taking their teams 0:16:06.920 --> 0:16:11.400 to January Bowl games by and large. So it's I 0:16:11.440 --> 0:16:13.600 don't know, it's it leaves a lot of teams and 0:16:13.640 --> 0:16:16.680 programs and recruiting departments sort of in the lurch with 0:16:16.760 --> 0:16:20.720 the uncertainty firing them this you know, quickly into the season. 0:16:21.480 --> 0:16:25.360 But man, I don't know. It's I just I can't 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:27.520 wait to see that the twists and turns. 0:16:28.080 --> 0:16:30.920 Without further Ado, Dan, can you please play that Bailey 0:16:31.000 --> 0:16:38.880 Zappi sound one more time. His name is Bailey Zappi. 0:16:39.000 --> 0:16:43.480 He is the starting quarterback for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 0:16:43.520 --> 0:16:48.280 setting the world on fire. Bailey, Welcome to the soliverbal 0:16:48.320 --> 0:16:48.680 How are. 0:16:48.600 --> 0:16:49.360 You you do? 0:16:49.520 --> 0:16:49.720 Good? 0:16:49.800 --> 0:16:50.800 Thank you for having me. 0:16:51.160 --> 0:16:54.680 Talk me through this last like year and a half. 0:16:54.800 --> 0:16:57.520 For you whatever it's been like, it has to be 0:16:57.600 --> 0:16:59.080 a whirlwind for you, is it not? 0:17:00.360 --> 0:17:01.080 One hundred percent? 0:17:01.960 --> 0:17:05.119 My life has changed completely, you know, going from you know, 0:17:05.280 --> 0:17:09.720 hbut here in that whole process and you know, coming 0:17:09.760 --> 0:17:11.359 here and being able to do what we've been able 0:17:11.359 --> 0:17:12.560 to do has been awesome to see. 0:17:12.600 --> 0:17:15.399 And you know it's been you know the best decision 0:17:15.440 --> 0:17:16.960 of my life, you know, coming here. 0:17:17.000 --> 0:17:19.520 And I'm really grateful that, you know, Coach Helton gave 0:17:19.560 --> 0:17:21.760 me and you know Coach kit Lee and the Stearns 0:17:21.800 --> 0:17:23.439 and Ben Ratz laugh, you know, a chance to come 0:17:23.480 --> 0:17:24.720 here and be a part of the program. 0:17:25.280 --> 0:17:27.320 So talk us through that process. 0:17:27.400 --> 0:17:31.119 Because you mentioned coach Helton went out, He brought you 0:17:31.160 --> 0:17:35.040 guys over from HBU via the transfer portal. He brought 0:17:35.040 --> 0:17:37.639 a lot of you over that doesn't typically happen, like 0:17:37.720 --> 0:17:41.359 he pretty much brought the whole offense. So what was 0:17:41.400 --> 0:17:45.320 exactly that workflow? How did that go down? Did Coach 0:17:45.400 --> 0:17:48.080 Kittley make the move first and then recruit the rest 0:17:48.119 --> 0:17:50.520 of you talk us through the mechanics of that. 0:17:51.359 --> 0:17:55.160 So of course, you know all the NCAA rules, Coach 0:17:55.240 --> 0:17:58.560 Keilly really couldn't talk to us once he like signed 0:17:58.560 --> 0:18:00.720 the doted line or whatever idea was gonna be the 0:18:00.800 --> 0:18:03.679 o C here. So I think majority of it was 0:18:03.720 --> 0:18:06.640 just between you know, me, the Startings and Rats Lab 0:18:06.720 --> 0:18:09.439 all of us just talking to me like, hey, you know, 0:18:09.480 --> 0:18:12.280 we we would like to stay with coach Kittley. You know, 0:18:12.359 --> 0:18:14.560 Chrich Kitley has really helped, you know, change all of 0:18:14.600 --> 0:18:15.520 our careers around. 0:18:17.000 --> 0:18:19.000 So that kind of played a huge part into it. 0:18:19.080 --> 0:18:21.960 And then you know, for me solely, you know, talking 0:18:22.000 --> 0:18:23.520 to my family and everything is. 0:18:23.440 --> 0:18:25.840 When Kittley left, I figured, you. 0:18:25.840 --> 0:18:27.359 Know, if I was going to learn a new offense 0:18:27.400 --> 0:18:30.000 like I was at HBU, I would like to transfer 0:18:30.080 --> 0:18:32.199 and go to somewhere that's a you know, a bigger, 0:18:32.560 --> 0:18:35.440 bigger school, better opportunity. And if I was going to 0:18:35.520 --> 0:18:36.840 learn a new offense, I want to do it at 0:18:36.920 --> 0:18:39.919 be a school or follow Kittlee at Western Kentucky. So 0:18:40.000 --> 0:18:42.880 that kind of played into why I, you know, went 0:18:42.880 --> 0:18:45.080 into the transfer portal. And then of course, you know 0:18:45.080 --> 0:18:46.640 a lot of that I wasn't talking to kit Lee, 0:18:46.640 --> 0:18:49.720 of course because all the NCAA rules. But he was 0:18:49.760 --> 0:18:51.879 actually the first one to call me at ain't thirty 0:18:51.880 --> 0:18:53.000 in the morning when I. 0:18:53.680 --> 0:18:55.480 Was still sleep and I was in the transfer portal 0:18:55.520 --> 0:18:56.320 and I was sleep and he. 0:18:56.359 --> 0:18:58.639 Was like, hey, what are you doing? And I was like, 0:18:58.680 --> 0:19:01.280 I'm sleeping. Why are you calling me? And I was like, 0:19:01.440 --> 0:19:03.160 you can't call me and he was like, well, you're 0:19:03.200 --> 0:19:07.080 in the transferport now, so WK is offering you. And 0:19:07.119 --> 0:19:10.600 I was like, okay, that's but you know it's I 0:19:10.640 --> 0:19:12.359 think majority of it was just between me and the 0:19:12.400 --> 0:19:13.360 Starns and Rass laugh. 0:19:13.840 --> 0:19:15.760 You know, we all we all wanted to stick together. 0:19:16.680 --> 0:19:16.879 You know. 0:19:16.960 --> 0:19:19.600 Of course everybody sees me and you know Jared's connection, 0:19:19.800 --> 0:19:22.560 so that's really paid off, you know, us following each 0:19:22.600 --> 0:19:24.960 other here and you know, it's been a blessing and 0:19:25.160 --> 0:19:26.439 we're extremely grateful for it. 0:19:26.600 --> 0:19:29.040 What was that a hard decision to go into the 0:19:29.040 --> 0:19:31.280 transfer portal because you had been at HBU for a while. 0:19:31.720 --> 0:19:34.560 It was kind of difficult, you know, because it's been 0:19:34.600 --> 0:19:36.360 like home, Like you said, it's been my home for 0:19:36.359 --> 0:19:39.200 four years. You know, I was an hour and a 0:19:39.240 --> 0:19:41.639 half from my family and I could drive home on 0:19:41.720 --> 0:19:43.960 a Saturday, come back on a Sunday, so I was 0:19:44.000 --> 0:19:45.879 able to see them a lot more than I am now. 0:19:46.240 --> 0:19:48.840 So a lot of that stuff went into play. But 0:19:48.960 --> 0:19:52.680 you know, it's you know, it's a life changing situation 0:19:52.760 --> 0:19:54.800 to come here and play here at the FBS level 0:19:55.119 --> 0:19:57.560 a big better opportunity. You know, we all have hopes 0:19:57.560 --> 0:19:59.879 and dreams of going in the NFL, and you know, 0:20:00.119 --> 0:20:01.760 come in here and playing here, you know it gives 0:20:01.760 --> 0:20:04.320 you a better opportunity to do that and showcase your talents. 0:20:04.359 --> 0:20:08.720 And you know that's what you know, really, you know, 0:20:08.800 --> 0:20:10.120 helped me make that decision. 0:20:10.160 --> 0:20:12.080 And I said. 0:20:11.880 --> 0:20:15.399