Speaker 1: Welcome to the solid verbal ull that for me, I'm
Speaker 1: a man, I'm forty. I've heard so many players say, well,
Speaker 1: I want to be happy. You want to be happy
Speaker 1: for a day? Edith State is that? Woo woo?
Speaker 2: And Dan and Tie, welcome back to the solid verbal
Speaker 2: boys and girls. My name is Ty Hildenbrandt, joining me
Speaker 2: as always, yet still way over there in sunny southern
Speaker 2: California amid the June gloom. His name is Dan Rubinstein, Sir,
Speaker 2: how are you you know? Ty?
Speaker 1: It is sunny outside right now in California, sunny as ever,
Speaker 1: but inside in this literal closet that I am still
Speaker 1: the Claw office is still where I'm recording on the
Speaker 1: news feed in front of me, I'm seeing a lot
Speaker 1: of that June gloom. Tie, Can you give me I
Speaker 1: forget who sings it? Can you tell me something good
Speaker 1: because I'm really I'm needing it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Well, it wouldn't be about college football, nor about
Speaker 2: a Corona virus, right, nor about a lot of what's
Speaker 2: going on out there in the world. We do have
Speaker 2: some news tidbits that we're going to go through, as
Speaker 2: we've been doing at the top of each and every episode,
Speaker 2: and I guess the good thing that I would say
Speaker 2: is that we're we're going to assume, for the purposes
Speaker 2: of today's concept, that there is going to be a
Speaker 2: college football season, and we got a fun game that
Speaker 2: we're going to play.
Speaker 1: So I'm excited about that. Ty. Not only do we
Speaker 1: have a fun game that we're going to play. Maybe
Speaker 1: this is just a tease, but I did something that
Speaker 1: I haven't done in literal days. I took a shower WHOA,
Speaker 1: and I do some of my best thinking during those showers,
Speaker 1: and I think I came up with a really for
Speaker 1: me interesting way to frame how we evaluate what we're
Speaker 1: going to evaluate in this game. That's a tease. Let's
Speaker 1: do how's housekeeping and news first, but you're going to
Speaker 1: want to stick around.
Speaker 2: You will want to stick around, and if you want
Speaker 2: to pay attention to everything that we are forcing out
Speaker 2: there through the airwaves and social media channels, check us
Speaker 2: out on Instagram, check us out on Twitter, on Facebook.
Speaker 2: There's also a subreddit at solidverbal dot reddit dot com,
Speaker 2: and if you missed anything along the way, going out
Speaker 2: to our website at solid verbal dot com. Sign up
Speaker 2: for our newsletter we're gonna be sending that out more. Oh,
Speaker 2: and subscribe to the show if you haven't done that already.
Speaker 2: We don't know what form this is all gonna take on,
Speaker 2: because there remains a pretty open question, which I'll get
Speaker 2: to momentarily, but please feel free to subscribe and tell
Speaker 2: your friends that they can find us on Spotify, on Apple,
Speaker 2: on Google, really anywhere you get a podcast, you can
Speaker 2: find us. We are gonna be broadcasting all throughout the
Speaker 2: four seeable future.
Speaker 1: Dan, Yeah, that's the plan. Boo boo boo boop.
Speaker 2: Okay, So this may not be a news bullet per se,
Speaker 2: but I would just add that the news over the
Speaker 2: last seven to ten days, at least as it relates
Speaker 2: to a college football season, has definitely taken on a
Speaker 2: different feel. We have been going for a while with
Speaker 2: this mindset that we're confident there's going to be a season.
Speaker 2: We're confident there's going to be something. I think to
Speaker 2: a large extent, we still are confident there will be something,
Speaker 2: but the mood. Is it fair to say the mood
Speaker 2: has shifted from a more optimistic tone to what we've
Speaker 2: seen lately, which is certainly more pessimistic.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't know pessimistic. I guess is sort of
Speaker 1: in the eye of the beholder, you know, on twenty
Speaker 1: four to seven Sports, which I suppose is part of
Speaker 1: this show based on the rubric we're going to work
Speaker 1: off of for the main segment. But do you know
Speaker 1: you're familiar with the crystal ball. Of course, they have
Speaker 1: the experts, you know, say okay, I'm going to giving
Speaker 1: a crystal ball for this school. Sometimes there will be
Speaker 1: a prospect, as for my understanding, where they're just they're
Speaker 1: not sure. They just they want to put something in
Speaker 1: and they're not sure, and it says cloudy. I wouldn't
Speaker 1: go as far as putting a crystal ball in for
Speaker 1: some sort of dramatic canceled situation, but I think it's
Speaker 1: squarely cloudy. Ty It is cloudy, you know.
Speaker 2: And I was thinking about this in the build up
Speaker 2: to the show as I was getting ready. But and
Speaker 2: you know, it's my favorite quote of all times from
Speaker 2: Mike Tyson, the one about everyone having a plan until
Speaker 2: they get punched in the mouth. And I think it
Speaker 2: applies here because look, we all expected that players would
Speaker 2: be testing positive and as an abstract concept, we discussed it,
Speaker 2: we accepted it to some extent. We were I guess
Speaker 2: okay with talking about it, but now that it's here,
Speaker 2: that optimism about a season happening at all has really
Speaker 2: taken that turn over the last week to ten days
Speaker 2: or so. It's just it feels different now that it's here,
Speaker 2: and that's where we're going to start with this new cycle.
Speaker 2: Twenty three Clemson players testing positive. That mayor of Clemson
Speaker 2: is saying that there's an elevated amount of virus in
Speaker 2: the wastewater, which we've come to learn is one way
Speaker 2: they can predict where it did. See that, Yeah, outbreaks
Speaker 2: and hotspots are going to occur. Next they're trying to
Speaker 2: do more down there at Clemson to control the spread
Speaker 2: of the virus. But twenty three student athletes testing positive.
Speaker 2: At LSU, we've got thirty players in quarantine. It says
Speaker 2: at least thirty of LSU's one hundred and fifteen players
Speaker 2: have been isolated because they tested positive for COVID nineteen
Speaker 2: or were found to have had contact with those who
Speaker 2: tested positive. Thankfully, no athlete or a staff member has
Speaker 2: required hospitalization. Most of the symptoms are mild, but still
Speaker 2: thirty is an awfully big number. Then at k State,
Speaker 2: as of Friday, fourteen student athletes tested positive for active
Speaker 2: COVID nineteen, following testing of more than one hundred and
Speaker 2: thirty athletes. The school said that those who have tested
Speaker 2: positive are being medically managed according to current guidelines. So
Speaker 2: how do we digest how do we react to that news? Dan,
Speaker 2: does it change how you feel about the prospects for
Speaker 2: a season in twenty twenty?
Speaker 1: Not especially. I think all of these schools came into
Speaker 1: the scenario thinking we're going to have positive tests. We
Speaker 1: need to have rules in place. We need to have
Speaker 1: procedures in place to quarantine, to isolate, to trace, and
Speaker 1: to figure out how we're going to act swiftly and safely.
Speaker 1: So you know, ed Orgron talked about this at LSU
Speaker 1: that this was an expectation. Now that those numbers are scary.
Speaker 1: I'm not going to tell you they're not scary, just
Speaker 1: because it is an indicator of just how easily something
Speaker 1: like this can spread. We just so, I don't know
Speaker 1: if you saw what happened in Croatia with Novak Djokovic,
Speaker 1: Oh my god, and the tennis players there. To be fair,
Speaker 1: there was video of all of them dancing in a
Speaker 1: club together without taking any sort of precautions. So I
Speaker 1: know there have been some time to a nightclub, I
Speaker 1: think in Baton Rouge, but I really do think that
Speaker 1: this was an expectation. The thing that's scary is we
Speaker 1: don't know what the short, medium, and long term effects
Speaker 1: are even for players who are asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic.
Speaker 1: That sure, you're not hospitalized, but if you have more
Speaker 1: and more trouble breathing, it's harder to become an elite
Speaker 1: athlete at LSU clems in Kansas State, Texas wherever. So
Speaker 1: that to me is the problem where even if they're
Speaker 1: not in the ICU, if there are thirty seven players
Speaker 1: who are not feeling well enough to suit up, it's
Speaker 1: very difficult to play a major college football game.
Speaker 2: Can you imagine midway through the season something like this
Speaker 2: coming down. Let's say Alabama is in the middle of
Speaker 2: a title run and suddenly twenty of their players need
Speaker 2: to be in quarantine for two weeks, maybe the last
Speaker 2: two weeks of the year, when they've got some big
Speaker 2: action on the schedule.
Speaker 1: I don't know that any school has offered a magic number. Now,
Speaker 1: that's to me is the interesting thing. And I saw
Speaker 1: some people tweeting about, well, we were seeing all this,
Speaker 1: all this attention being given to college foall programs and
Speaker 1: what they're doing. What are schools themselves doing. I've seen
Speaker 1: some schools come, you know, out now. We've seen some
Speaker 1: scheduling changes at places like South Carolina. I know Notre
Speaker 1: Dame has been very clear about how they're going to
Speaker 1: organize things for students and campuses. But we're talking about
Speaker 1: for the majority of the time on this show, we're
Speaker 1: talking about huge, huge universities with tons of people on
Speaker 1: quads and in lecture halls. Notre Dame is a small school.
Speaker 1: What's going to happen at Washington, at Michigan, pennst at
Speaker 1: Penn State. And I'm you know, everybody knows about your
Speaker 1: time in college and just how many people you came across, sure,
Speaker 1: and just the indelible mark you left on the student population.
Speaker 1: But these are huge, huge campuses. What is the plan
Speaker 1: at these places? It's still June, but you know when
Speaker 1: you see some of the dominoes across different sports that
Speaker 1: tennis players are not coming into contact with each other,
Speaker 1: golfers are not coming into contact with each other, basketball
Speaker 1: players are not coming into contact with each other because
Speaker 1: there's just so many more football players on a field
Speaker 1: at any given time, it's hard not to be worried.
Speaker 2: While to that end, thirty UCLA players have demanded protections
Speaker 2: I read to you from the La Times. The document,
Speaker 2: reviewed by the La Times late Thursday, asserts that players
Speaker 2: do not trust UCLA to act in their best interest,
Speaker 2: particularly in regard to their health, a realm where it
Speaker 2: says the school has quote perpetually failed US citing neglected
Speaker 2: and mismanaged injury cases. The document does not provide example.
Speaker 2: So this is thirty UCLA players getting behind a document.
Speaker 2: Some of their demands are a third party health official
Speaker 2: being on hand for all football activities to see that
Speaker 2: protocols for virus prevention are being followed, that anonymous whistleblower
Speaker 2: protections are provided for athletes and staff to report violations,
Speaker 2: and that each player can make a decision about whether
Speaker 2: to come back to Westwood without fear of losing his
Speaker 2: scholarship or other retaliation.
Speaker 1: Dan. Yeah, And there was a clarification that I thought
Speaker 1: was important because the way it was worded when it
Speaker 1: came out was they don't trust Chip Kelly's program with
Speaker 1: it almost seemed like the words Chip and Kelly were
Speaker 1: in bold and underlined and italicized, when in fact it
Speaker 1: was just a way to define the program. And Dorian
Speaker 1: Thompson Robinson, the UCLA starting quarterback, came out and said,
Speaker 1: it's not about Chip specifically, it's about where the UCLA
Speaker 1: program is right now, and certainly Chip is the figurehead
Speaker 1: and he's the you know, the buck stops with him.
Speaker 1: But they were very clear that it was just a
Speaker 1: general fear and they issued that statement. It seems maybe
Speaker 1: I got this wrong. I hope I don't have it wrong.
Speaker 1: It seems that UCLA they hadn't really met with each
Speaker 1: other about the protocol and plans, and that they were
Speaker 1: planning on introducing a third party, non UCLA medical professor
Speaker 1: at the scene of testing and care. So hopefully everything
Speaker 1: is on the same page at UCLI. Because it's scary stuff.
Speaker 1: It's one hundred percent scary stuff. And I don't blame
Speaker 1: the players at all for banding together and saying this
Speaker 1: is what we want if we're going to go out
Speaker 1: there and take risks more so than usual, because we're
Speaker 1: playing games for what seems to be the sole purpose
Speaker 1: of money and entertainment. Because if it weren't a money
Speaker 1: and entertainment thing, maybe this season would be postponed a
Speaker 1: little bit.
Speaker 2: Final news tidbit here much different. Note this is breaking
Speaker 2: on Twitter per Anna Maria Trulo. We just saw this
Speaker 2: before we hit record. West Virginia football assistant defensive coordinator
Speaker 2: Vic Kaneig placed on administrative leave following allegations of insensitive
Speaker 2: comments regarding race and religion. So certainly more to come
Speaker 2: on that one, but late breaking news here right before
Speaker 2: we hit the record buttoned.
Speaker 1: In Yeah, I have not read anything yet by certainly
Speaker 1: West Virginia and vac caning a name that's been around
Speaker 1: a long long time. So I guess read up if
Speaker 1: you're listening right now, and hope hope, because it's it's
Speaker 1: one of those things. It's not as bad. The truth
Speaker 1: is not as bad because that's that's pretty ugly if true.
Speaker 2: Where shall we go next? Do you want to get
Speaker 2: to our game?
Speaker 1: I would love to get to our game? Tie? Is
Speaker 1: that the people's core music? It is we are the
Speaker 1: people and this is all. Explain this to me? What
Speaker 1: is going on here? So from nineteen eighty one to
Speaker 1: nineteen ninety three, Tie, this was the theme song. So
Speaker 1: what we're doing is a couple of weeks ago, our
Speaker 1: pal Bud Elliott now at two four seven twenty four
Speaker 1: seven Sports, came out with his twenty twenty blue Chip Ratio,
Speaker 1: And quite simply, the blue chip ratio is what percentage
Speaker 1: of your team is made up via scholarship offer, not transfer,
Speaker 1: not walk ons of four and five star players, Because,
Speaker 1: as he's found, national champions are exclusively made up of
Speaker 1: teams with the blue chip ratio of at least fifty percent.
Speaker 1: At least half of your team was a four or
Speaker 1: five star according to the twenty four to seven Composite rating.
Speaker 1: And so there are fifteen teams in twenty twenty whose
Speaker 1: rosters fall in line with at least fifty percent being
Speaker 1: a blue chip athlete coming out of high school. And
Speaker 1: what we're going to do is we're going to pair
Speaker 1: these teams, these fifteen teams in a sort of bracket
Speaker 1: style like in the NCAA tournament, the one seed plays
Speaker 1: against the sixteen seed, right, so we are going to
Speaker 1: draft pairs. So the fifteen seed in this case is
Speaker 1: Texas A and M. They are exactly at fifty percent,
Speaker 1: whereas Alabama is it at eighty three percent. So Alabama
Speaker 1: has the highest percentage of blue chip, Texas A and
Speaker 1: M at exactly fifty the lowest percentage of blue chips
Speaker 1: of these blue chip ratio teams. So we're going to
Speaker 1: go back and forth and draft pairings of these teams
Speaker 1: with the blue chip ratio of at least fifty percent,
Speaker 1: and we're going to hope for one of the teams
Speaker 1: in our pairings, we're going to hope that they win
Speaker 1: the national championship. So you have to be strategic tie
Speaker 1: because it's not just about drafting Ohio State, because perhaps
Speaker 1: a pairing of Clemson and Michigan is a better combination
Speaker 1: odds wise, or Ohio State and Washington is a better
Speaker 1: combination odds wise than say Georgia USC or Alabama, Texas
Speaker 1: A and M.
Speaker 2: Now, what I don't like about this game. What I
Speaker 2: don't like about this game is we've paired up one
Speaker 2: in fifteen and as we do the bracket thing the
Speaker 2: whole way through, we're left with Florida. Yeah, without a
Speaker 2: dance partner, Florida's the eighth seed. Now, typically typically I
Speaker 2: would give them the nine seed, right correct, I'm giving
Speaker 2: them a wild card and I'm giving them two teams.
Speaker 2: And that's and you can ask your question now, Yeah,
Speaker 2: I mean, typically Alabama would get that wild card, but
Speaker 2: we've chosen to run our own bracket pool a little
Speaker 2: bit differently here correct, And we've also named some of
Speaker 2: these pairings, and so it made more sense to stick
Speaker 2: Florida with both Florida State and Miami and refer to
Speaker 2: that trio as Florida men, correct, Florida men. So here's
Speaker 2: what we got. Here's how our pairings are are shaping up.
Speaker 2: We've got the free do you want it?
Speaker 1: Yeah? Of course I wanted the whole show.
Speaker 2: We just looped Alabama and A and M the so
Speaker 2: called Francioni Farm that's correct, Georgia and USC the Jarvis
Speaker 2: Jones junction literation there, Dan, can't you say?
Speaker 1: Yeah?
Speaker 2: Ohio State and Washington recent Rosie ranch more literation.
Speaker 1: Are you crazy? Why not? Why not Texas and Notre Dame?
Speaker 2: You called it eighteen wheel warehouse. I didn't like it
Speaker 2: when I heard it. I still don't, but I haven't
Speaker 2: thought of anything better. So that's what it is. HM
Speaker 2: LSU and Penn State, the Joe Brady bunch.
Speaker 1: This is the best one. Thank you, Oh Klahoma and Auburn,
Speaker 1: the Sugary Sweethearts, that's cute. Twenty seventeen Sugar Bowl. You
Speaker 1: really like talking with this under you, don't you?
Speaker 2: I do bed People's Court music, Clemson and Michigan, the
Speaker 2: Rashawn Gary round About, and finally, as we said, Florida
Speaker 2: Flora State.
Speaker 1: In Miami, that trio rounding out Florida. Mind. Yeah, So
Speaker 1: what we're gonna do is if you I mean, I'll
Speaker 1: give you the first pick. I don't really care. But
Speaker 1: if you select with the first pick the eighteen wheeler Warehouse,
Speaker 1: Texas and Notre Dame, you feel like the National Championship
Speaker 1: is going to come from that pair? You felt you
Speaker 1: feel it so strongly that you're taking that pair. You
Speaker 1: have to make the case. And then I'm going to
Speaker 1: make the case against. And I want people to weigh
Speaker 1: in listening. Not that they agree that Texas or Notre
Speaker 1: Dame is going to make the championship game or excuse me,
Speaker 1: win the national championship, but who did a better job
Speaker 1: arguing for or against? Okay, like, if you really think,
Speaker 1: ty like, look, that's a tough ask to defend Texas
Speaker 1: and Notre Dame going to the National championship game or
Speaker 1: winning the national championship. Excuse me, that's a tough ask. Well,
Speaker 1: you know what he really positioned it. Well, I'm giving
Speaker 1: him the nod. There, So a better job of this game,
Speaker 1: am I? I think you're gonna do great. I'm not
Speaker 1: going to do well at this game. Just ty, It's
Speaker 1: not isn't it. What's it called? George Costanza, you said
Speaker 1: it's not a lie. If you believe true, you need
Speaker 1: to get to that place mentally and emotionally.
Speaker 2: Tie. Okay, a lot of bs going to be coming
Speaker 2: through this microphone.
Speaker 1: I hope you're ready to do okay. And the other
Speaker 1: thing is we should mention whichever team wins the national championship.
Speaker 1: Say Ohio State wins the national championship, they are the
Speaker 1: three reseed, and if they're on your squad, I'll buy
Speaker 1: you three beers. I'll buy you three tacos. I'll buy
Speaker 1: you three of any reasonably reasonably priced social eating or
Speaker 1: drinking item. Okay, is that the bet? That's the bet.
Speaker 1: As long as it's not a hair bet, I'm fine
Speaker 1: with that. It's not a hair bet. But if A
Speaker 1: and M or USC wins, it's pricey Florist state wins
Speaker 1: a national championship. Yeah, so you want me to go first? Yeah,
Speaker 1: take the first pick? What are we calling this a
Speaker 1: national championship draft. I will come up with a more
Speaker 1: clever name later. I have the Blue Ship Fantasy Court
Speaker 1: like blue Chip Blue Championship. But it's workshop. Take that
Speaker 1: first pack, all right?
Speaker 2: With my first overall pick. We get so much mileage
Speaker 2: out of that draft.
Speaker 1: Chot so much it makes me feel great.
Speaker 2: You know, I'm not crazy about Michigan, but it's hard
Speaker 2: for me to bet against Clemson, So I am going
Speaker 2: to go with the Rashawn Gary roundabout pairing. Wow, and
Speaker 2: I'm going to take both Clemson and Michigan. Let me
Speaker 2: start with Michigan. Yeah, I hate this selection.
Speaker 1: What you got to sell? It sell me. I don't
Speaker 1: have to do anything. I don't want to. I don't
Speaker 1: have to do anything. I don't want to tie. What
Speaker 1: I will sell.
Speaker 2: You on is why Michigan will not win the national
Speaker 2: championship this year. Okay, they got questions at quarterback.
Speaker 1: You're not so supposed to do that?
Speaker 2: Show I could do whatever I damn well, please, all right,
Speaker 2: I'm taking here, sir, sir Michigan's got questions at quarterback,
Speaker 2: questions on the line, questions about their wide receiver depth.
Speaker 2: I'm very mixed on their defense. I have no idea
Speaker 2: which direction the program is headed. I really genuinely root
Speaker 2: for Michigan to be better than they've been and to
Speaker 2: truly make that push into the upper echelon of college football.
Speaker 2: They're not there yet. I don't know what they'll get
Speaker 2: there under gym hardball. They're my hand, okay, because Clemson.
Speaker 1: So I mean, now I have to make the case
Speaker 1: for Michigan in order to see who does better. There's
Speaker 1: no logical case for Michigan. Disagree, disagree, Continue, well, what's
Speaker 1: the case? Go ahead. The case for Michigan is they've
Speaker 1: routinely had an excellent defense, certainly until the Ohio State game.
Speaker 1: But maybe it's one of those things, like those dig headlines,
Speaker 1: where it's like this one little wrinkle opened up everything.
Speaker 1: Perhaps this is the year because they're deep. I like
Speaker 1: them at all three levels. Michigan. They returned key players
Speaker 1: at all three levels on defense, and yes, quarterback is
Speaker 1: an issue, but they haven't had to rely on a
Speaker 1: transfer like they've had to do in multiple years with
Speaker 1: Jake Rudock and Shaye Patterson more recently. So they have
Speaker 1: system guys in Joe Milton and Dylan McCaffrey. Are the killers. No,
Speaker 1: probably not no, But you don't necessarily need that if
Speaker 1: you have an excellent defense and you surround them with
Speaker 1: talented dudes. They're better at running back than where they
Speaker 1: were last year. They've gotten a lot better along the
Speaker 1: offensive line these past couple of years with the hiring
Speaker 1: of a new coach and Ed Warren. And while I
Speaker 1: definitely have questions about receiver Josh Gattison year two, maybe
Speaker 1: he's adjusting things. He's still pretty well regarded, maybe not
Speaker 1: among Michigan fans, but in the coaching community. People I
Speaker 1: think think pretty highly of him. The schedule works out
Speaker 1: pretty well, ty the schedules. I mean, I know they
Speaker 1: go to Columbus, but before that, you know, to get
Speaker 1: Washington as early as they do is a good thing.
Speaker 1: As they break in a new offensive system with your guy,
Speaker 1: John Donovan, I think they can there.
Speaker 2: J there are Michigan fans out there ripping off their
Speaker 2: face masks and just given a good old primal scream.
Speaker 2: Right now, you've given Michigan fans more joy than they've
Speaker 2: experienced in the last several months.
Speaker 1: I'm just saying there's a certain degree of continuity, and
Speaker 1: you don't break through until you do right. You don't
Speaker 1: go through. Clemson didn't beat Florida State until they did Okay,
Speaker 1: So with Ohio State having to replace what they do
Speaker 1: on defense, and we'll get to Ohio State for and against,
Speaker 1: I'm not saying it's a great to be going to Columbus.
Speaker 1: I certainly am not.
Speaker 2: Edge up Michigan as part of a trade like a
Speaker 2: three for one trade to see if I can pry
Speaker 2: a true contender away from you.
Speaker 1: But Michigan is fine. I've got Michigan. Look, Wisconsin and
Speaker 1: Penn State are both at home this year. It's successive weeks.
Speaker 1: In late September early October. They traveled to Minnesota without
Speaker 1: Kirk Sharaka, but with your boy Mike Sandford calling the offense.
Speaker 1: And the back half of their schedule Purdue by Maryland, Rutgers, Indiana,
Speaker 1: Ohio State. If they can win games that are close,
Speaker 1: they can win some toss ups and quarterback works out.
Speaker 1: My problem with Michigan, and even though I just made
Speaker 1: the case for him, my problem with them is what
Speaker 1: I discovered while taking a shower. Oh and my problem
Speaker 1: is literally that word. I think Michigan has a problem
Speaker 1: problem on offense, a problem problem, and that is I
Speaker 1: don't know of any player on their offense. When you
Speaker 1: look at teams that compete for national championships regularly, they
Speaker 1: all have players that can be described has problems. Najee
Speaker 1: Harris is a problem justin Ross was and unfortunately won't
Speaker 1: be this year. A problem justin fields is a problem
Speaker 1: where you know what they're going to just relate to
Speaker 1: what you found in the shower. This is I was
Speaker 1: thinking about how I felt about Michigan in the shower time. Okay,
Speaker 1: so no antomical references here, Okay, no, no, no, everything
Speaker 1: is totally acceptable as per usual in the shower. But
Speaker 1: that's what I was thinking about. That I was thinking about.
Speaker 1: And then you look at the back half of this
Speaker 1: blue chip ratio list, is what does their roster of
Speaker 1: problems in a good way look like? And especially on
Speaker 1: the outside like Hassan Haskins and Zach Sharbone in the backfield,
Speaker 1: they're pretty good. I need problems if I'm holding up hardware.
Speaker 1: Travis etn JK. Dobbins Hilaires. They're probably do a college
Speaker 1: football podcast. You think about this stuff in the shower.
Speaker 1: All right, I can be done with Michigan. Can we
Speaker 1: be done with Michigan? Please? All right? Make make a
Speaker 1: Clemson case. Be positive.
Speaker 2: Now, I'm very positive. I'm very bullish on Clemson. One
Speaker 2: to three favorites. I believe to with Ohio State atop
Speaker 2: the latest Vegas polls or Vegas odds.
Speaker 1: Trevor Lawrence is probably going to.
Speaker 2: Win the Heisman, maybe him or Justin Fields, but he's
Speaker 2: certainly in the conversation. He's also going to have some
Speaker 2: competition from his own backfield with Travis Etn who I
Speaker 2: think burrowed some brows by saying he's coming back.
Speaker 1: Yeah, big deal.
Speaker 2: Amari Rodgers is going to have to pull a little
Speaker 2: bit more weight in that receiving core now that Justin
Speaker 2: Ross is going to be out with his own health issues,
Speaker 2: and of course they had t Higgins move on to
Speaker 2: the NFL. They've got a cavalcade of playmakers. It's been
Speaker 2: a thing at Clemson. In case you haven't noticed. They
Speaker 2: do have some questions on their offensive line, but they
Speaker 2: recruited very well there. Their defense should be really good.
Speaker 1: In the front four. And we've seen what Clemson can do,
Speaker 1: and they've got a really good front for haven't we. Yeah,
Speaker 1: we have the back seven.
Speaker 2: More questions about the back seven, thankfully though, Brent Venables
Speaker 2: is a guy who knows how to build up defense. Sure,
Speaker 2: I'm looking at the schedule, I'm looking at this team.
Speaker 2: I'm looking at another run through the playoffs, another run
Speaker 2: into that national championship game. I feel very confident. I
Speaker 2: feel very confident Dan that this is one of the
Speaker 2: final two teams standing at the end of all of this,
Speaker 2: assuming they can get by the Notre Dame fighting.
Speaker 1: Ours should talk about a little bit later. I mean,
Speaker 1: that's the huge hurdle because it's in South Bend, right
Speaker 1: in South Bend. It's in so huge. I think they
Speaker 1: have problems in a good way on both sides. I'm
Speaker 1: gonna have to qualify that throughout the show. Did you
Speaker 1: find these while in the shower the Clemson good problems? Yeah?
Speaker 1: I did not find that. This is all a Michigan
Speaker 1: shower Michigan right, Okay. There are pieces on all three
Speaker 1: levels of Clemson's defense that I like a lot, especially
Speaker 1: when you look at their incoming recruiting class. The justin
Speaker 1: Ross loss is a huge hit, even though they've developed
Speaker 1: receivers perhaps better than any other school. You know, Dabos
Speaker 1: Sweeney's background makes it so. And Travis CTN is you know,
Speaker 1: you give them an inch, you're given up a mile.
Speaker 1: So the case is really difficult against Clemson. But what
Speaker 1: we've seen from Clemson almost annually is that yearly lapse,
Speaker 1: that brain fart Saturday, whether it was North Carolina and
Speaker 1: allowing the tar Heels to control the ball, whether it
Speaker 1: was NC State, whether it's pit whoever. That it's tough
Speaker 1: sometimes when you are so far ahead of the pack,
Speaker 1: no pun intended to keep your focus all year long,
Speaker 1: no matter the success you've had and because of and
Speaker 1: I still think the ACC is getting better, but not
Speaker 1: anywhere near as deep as it needs to be to
Speaker 1: be getting respect from me and probably you. If they
Speaker 1: have that slip up this year, even if it's against
Speaker 1: a good notreed aime team, they're going to be dinged
Speaker 1: more so than other teams, thus making their path harder.
Speaker 1: And we've seen it in a lot of seasons that
Speaker 1: a clear playoff worthy team is left out just because
Speaker 1: of a week of lapsing. So that to me, is
Speaker 1: the case against Clemson that because they're so thoroughly deep everywhere,
Speaker 1: you know, they lose a huge problem in Isaiah Tim
Speaker 1: Simmons in a good way on defense, who is so
Speaker 1: do everything. But I'm not worried, particularly about a brand
Speaker 1: Venable's defense right now that that's going to be an
Speaker 1: actual issue. So I think your case is strong. That's
Speaker 1: the only way I see them being left out. That
Speaker 1: they are just an extraordinary eleven and one twelve and one,
Speaker 1: but everything just broke unluckily for them.
Speaker 2: Interesting game in Week two against Louisville kille Cunningham. Okay,
Speaker 2: it is your selection, Dan, I have selected to and Michigan.
Speaker 1: I'd really like to be fun, but my cases against
Speaker 1: so many players just are hanging on my head. I'm
Speaker 1: going to take Alabama and Texas A and M almost.
Speaker 1: I mean, I know that I'm going to make the
Speaker 1: case for Texas A and M which is difficult tie,
Speaker 1: but I play the game. I buy in sure. So
Speaker 1: the case for Alabama is pretty straightforward. The most talented
Speaker 1: team in the country. They are going to be a
Speaker 1: lot healthier upfront on defense than they were last year.
Speaker 1: They should, I believe get Dylan Moses back at a
Speaker 1: certain high rate of play. The schedule is, you know what,
Speaker 1: it is trickier than usual, But they've earned a benefit
Speaker 1: of the doubt that I don't think anybody has. They
Speaker 1: have USC on a neutral site, as at least by
Speaker 1: the time we're talking, they do. They have Georgia during
Speaker 1: the regular season, which is great, but it's in Tuscaloosas
Speaker 1: that's nice for them. They've got to buy between their
Speaker 1: two toughest road games in the conference, and that's at
Speaker 1: Tennessee at LSU, and they finish against Texas A and
Speaker 1: M and Auburn. The case for is that they have
Speaker 1: one of the best five running backs in the country,
Speaker 1: maybe one of the best ten players in the country,
Speaker 1: a Heisman candidate in Najie Harris. They still have DeVante
Speaker 1: Smith and Jalen Waddle, and even though the secondary looks
Speaker 1: to be pretty new, they don't really have seasons that
Speaker 1: you can point to where you can say, man, you
Speaker 1: could just throw on Alabama Nick Saban. This is what
Speaker 1: he does. He transforms and develops and identifies quality defensive backs.
Speaker 1: So I'm dancing around the quarterback thing because sometimes it
Speaker 1: just doesn't matter. They won a national championship with Jake Koker,
Speaker 1: who is fine. Mac Jones is at least fine. Bryce Young,
Speaker 1: while a true freshman, looks like he'll develop into something
Speaker 1: probably special. Now will he be that guy in September
Speaker 1: if he wins the job. I don't know that Georgia
Speaker 1: defense looks like it's really really good, But just in
Speaker 1: terms of what we've seen in the last decade, Alabama
Speaker 1: and the odds feels pretty smart. Make your case against
Speaker 1: Alabama right now.
Speaker 2: I don't have a good case against Alabama.
Speaker 1: I guess you're killing me here.
Speaker 2: You're killing me well if you were trying to, if
Speaker 2: you were trying to establish one. I guess you can
Speaker 2: point to inexperience on the defense maybe maybe sure picking
Speaker 2: them apart though, but you're splitting hairs here.
Speaker 1: They're just so good. They're so good across the board.
Speaker 2: The Mac Jones Bryce Young thing, I think will be
Speaker 2: a question, right, what's the offense going to look like?
Speaker 2: That's tough to say, but I think you hit it.
Speaker 2: In either case. We have seen Nick Saban thrive both
Speaker 2: with and without a dynamic dual threat quarterback, especially when
Speaker 2: he's got a beast offensive line and a running back
Speaker 2: like Naji.
Speaker 1: Harris, which they do.
Speaker 2: The line is great, which they do, and they've got
Speaker 2: receivers out wide. They will find ways to put up points.
Speaker 2: There's not a doubt in my mind. Defensively, I guess
Speaker 2: the only thing that there is some inexperience, but they're
Speaker 2: just so good the level of talent there. Again, this
Speaker 2: is the top blue chip ratio team at eighty three percent,
Speaker 2: so I think they're they're doing just fine. The schedule
Speaker 2: is interesting to me. It features USC, a team that
Speaker 2: we're going to discuss here.
Speaker 1: It features that's the clear reason. I think that's the
Speaker 1: clear reason to pick against them.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Georgia in Week three early on against a really
Speaker 2: good defense. As you said, there are road spots at Tennessee,
Speaker 2: at LSU, and then later in the year home against
Speaker 2: A and M, who we're going to talk about momentarily
Speaker 2: and Auburn. It's an SEC West schedule. They do get Georgia,
Speaker 2: they add in USC. This is not a Clemson schedule,
Speaker 2: you know, and no disrespect to Clemson, but this is
Speaker 2: an SEC West schedule.
Speaker 1: They got to play two of the three best teams
Speaker 1: in the East. We got a tough draw with Georgia,
Speaker 1: and they tack on USC as well.
Speaker 2: So I guess that would be the case that you
Speaker 2: could find a slip up there on the Alabama side
Speaker 2: of things.
Speaker 1: You can find two slip ups you could find. You
Speaker 1: could see Georgia and going to Baton Rouge if if
Speaker 1: LSU is still pretty good, which I think they will
Speaker 1: be on offense anyway with terras Marshall and mar Chase,
Speaker 1: those are problems. Die those are big time problems. So
Speaker 1: going to Baton Rouge even after a bye they both
Speaker 1: have that bye week and having Georgia, they could have
Speaker 1: a very successful ten and two season and not even
Speaker 1: end up in the playoffs.
Speaker 2: Can I can I ask you about your handcuff in
Speaker 2: this selection A and M. You want the case if
Speaker 2: I swapped out TCU for A and M this year,
Speaker 2: would you think less of me?
Speaker 1: Oh? I'd much rather have A and M on TCU?
Speaker 1: What is with you in TCU? I just I've had
Speaker 1: a hard time quitting TCU. You know how it is?
Speaker 1: Do you should? We like have our pal Marshall who
Speaker 1: played at TCU Marshall Newhouse, so you can just say
Speaker 1: tell me frog stories. Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2: I have a hard tuitting TCU, but I feel like
Speaker 2: it's easier if I stay in the Great State of Texas.
Speaker 2: Give me the case four and against A and M.
Speaker 1: Okay, Mike Elco is one of the absolute best defensive
Speaker 1: coordinators in the country. You saw the step they took
Speaker 1: forward on defense last year the Aggies. You look at
Speaker 1: their schedule, it was a murderer's role last year. You
Speaker 1: look at their skeed this year. I am not going
Speaker 1: as bullish as you would went with Nebraska and their
Speaker 1: ability to potentially start seven to zero. I'm saying non zero,
Speaker 1: nine and one or ten and oh start for Texas,
Speaker 1: A and M. They have four straight first year coaches
Speaker 1: and I don't remember the exact order, but in Colorado, Arkansas,
Speaker 1: Fresno State, and Mississippi State early on five overall because
Speaker 1: they also have Lanekiffen on their schedule, and that includes
Speaker 1: trips to Auburn and two South Carolina. I believe in
Speaker 1: successive weeks, but this was a team that got that's
Speaker 1: just sort of out ugly Auburn in a losing effort
Speaker 1: last year. South Carolina is doable. I think they'll have
Speaker 1: a better offense with Mike Bobo, but even traveling to Columbia.
Speaker 1: I think it's a it's a winnable game, and they've
Speaker 1: recruited well enough that some gaps can be filled by
Speaker 1: four and five star guys, especially on defense. Now they're
Speaker 1: going to need to rush the pass or better. The
Speaker 1: offensive line needs to be a lot more consistent, and
Speaker 1: obviously biggest of all Kellen Mond, who does play up
Speaker 1: to big games times, you know, especially with his legs.
Speaker 1: We saw the near win against Clemson a couple of
Speaker 1: years ago. He's played well against Alabama. If Kellen Mond
Speaker 1: can string together in year thirteen of his time at
Speaker 1: Texas A and M a top four season in the SEC.
Speaker 1: Quarterback wise, he's a fishing. He doesn't give the ball back.
Speaker 1: He you know, guts out third and seven's with his
Speaker 1: legs to keep drives going. I understand the case. It's
Speaker 1: a good year to get LSU because we don't know
Speaker 1: anything about what they're going to be Miles Brennan wise,
Speaker 1: and you know, I think they're gonna be excellent on
Speaker 1: defense with bow Polini. But it's a good year. If
Speaker 1: any year is to come, it's a good year to
Speaker 1: get them. So I'm going to ride the recruiting and
Speaker 1: Mike Elco to say, we're going to fill in some gaps,
Speaker 1: We're going to take advantage of inexperienced sidelines early on,
Speaker 1: and we're just going to pile up small victories and
Speaker 1: then suddenly we're sitting at nine and one or ten
Speaker 1: and zero. That's the case for all right. The case
Speaker 1: against the.
Speaker 2: Case against them is that they're in the SEC West,
Speaker 2: and sure, while I think they've got a decent enough
Speaker 2: quarterback and Kellen Mond. Talked a lot about Kellen Mond
Speaker 2: last year and how it was really all on his shoulders.
Speaker 1: He didn't get much help. I think he's decent enough.
Speaker 2: The argument against A and M is that he's not
Speaker 2: nearly decent enough to beat someone like Trevor Lawrence or
Speaker 2: Justin Fields in a national championship. I could make the
Speaker 2: case that A and M could start ten and oh.
Speaker 2: I don't know if I truly believe it, like I
Speaker 2: believe Nebraska seven and zero, but I could make that case.
Speaker 1: I'll make the case against Nebraska. Watch a Nebraska game.
Speaker 1: Adam Christian North Texas, Colorado, Arkansas, neutral site, Mississippi, Staten
Speaker 1: Starkville going to be difficult. Fresno at Auburn at South
Speaker 1: Carolina by Ole, Miss Vandy at Bama and LSU at
Speaker 1: home at Kyle Field to end the season.
Speaker 2: I mean, I could make that case for ten and zero.
Speaker 2: The schedule's nice. They've got the veteran QB and Mond.
Speaker 2: The issue I see is that he needs help around him,
Speaker 2: you know, like, who are the vertical charts? Can they
Speaker 2: block up front? Can they rush the pass?
Speaker 1: Problem? Problem? Is that what you're saying. I think that's
Speaker 1: what I'm saying. I think that's what I'm saying. The
Speaker 1: problem problem. It could be Jimbo Fisher. The problem problem could.
Speaker 2: Be the recruiting class that he has turned in the
Speaker 2: last couple of years. He's done a really good job there.
Speaker 2: But as for that one playmaker, one or two playmakers,
Speaker 2: and I.
Speaker 1: Don't know who that is. Yeah, and I don't know
Speaker 1: the problem.
Speaker 2: I don't think Kellen Mond can turn into that guy.
Speaker 2: We know a lot about what he is already, and
Speaker 2: I think it's asking an awful lot to expect that
Speaker 2: he is suddenly going to turn into this ultra efficient
Speaker 2: passer who is very responsible with the football. Just doesn't
Speaker 2: seem like that's the direction this is going to go be.
Speaker 2: I would love to be puzzling surprised, but it would
Speaker 2: definitely be a surprise.
Speaker 1: I worked you through an exercise. It's a weird way
Speaker 1: of phrasing what I'm about to say. I worked you
Speaker 1: through an exercise saying if if the Aggie's had the
Speaker 1: best fourth best SEC quarterback of the past decade or so,
Speaker 1: if it's you know, so, like who is the best
Speaker 1: fourth best during a specific season quarterback? You know Tyler Wilson,
Speaker 1: Nick Marshall, Brandon Allen, Connor Shaw, guys like that who
Speaker 1: are definitely pretty good, dependable, just not killers. Does that
Speaker 1: vault Texas A and M to a different strata? And
Speaker 1: so you know Kyle Shermer. Do those names move the
Speaker 1: needle for you enough to say now I think differently
Speaker 1: about Texas A and M if.
Speaker 2: Kyle Shermer were the quarterback at A and M and
Speaker 2: not Kellen mand Is that what you're asking?
Speaker 1: Right? Who has Kyle Shermer really did not win or
Speaker 1: perform admirably in huge Vanderbilt games, but you put up
Speaker 1: nice numbers? I think, oh, man, that's impossible. I don't know.
Speaker 1: I don't know.
Speaker 2: I still think the question remains. You like Melko though, right,
Speaker 2: I do like my Irish heart, I do. The question
Speaker 2: remains about the help though. It doesn't matter what quarterback
Speaker 2: you put in there. Tell me about the help Tell
Speaker 2: me who's running the rock. Tell me who the vertical
Speaker 2: threats are? None of those guys for the helpers? Yeah,
Speaker 2: who are the helpers? One of those guys who's rushing
Speaker 2: the passer?
Speaker 1: Right?
Speaker 2: These are questions that I have, regardless of who the
Speaker 2: quarterback is.
Speaker 1: Do you want to make a selection a new path?
Speaker 1: I think? Now? Do you get too in a row?
Speaker 1: Are we doing this fantasy draft?
Speaker 2: Oh?
Speaker 1: We're snaking it. It's up to you. Yeah, I'm you
Speaker 1: made the game. No, you know what? No, I didn't
Speaker 1: say that as we started. So this the pick goes
Speaker 1: to you. It says right here, fantasy snakes. Yeah.
Speaker 2: In the rules that you wrote up, my and Dan
Speaker 2: will conduct a snake style fantasy draft of teams.
Speaker 1: In the pool of teams, can I make a selection?
Speaker 1: Who do you got? I'm going to take the Jarvis
Speaker 1: Jones junction? Ty whoa Georgia? Georgia usc Jarvis Jones transferring
Speaker 1: transferring to the Dogs from the Trojans. The case for
Speaker 1: Georgia is somewhat straightforward, though it does have its limitations.
Speaker 1: The case for Georgia is Kirby Smart and his staff
Speaker 1: and that program. They've amassed an absurd amount of talent,
Speaker 1: especially on defense. Dan Lanning, I thought did a great
Speaker 1: job last year as he stepped into the role coordinating
Speaker 1: the defense, especially upfront, especially in the meat of that defense.
Speaker 1: They're going to get after the quarterback. They're going to
Speaker 1: collapse pockets. There are no shortage of problems good problems
Speaker 1: on that Georgia defense. Offensively is actually where my question is,
Speaker 1: even though people seem to be pretty bullish because of
Speaker 1: the combination of Jamie Newman and new offensive coordinator Todd Mounkin,
Speaker 1: they don't have any time together. Ty No, they didn't
Speaker 1: practice over the spring, and it's something we talked about
Speaker 1: I talked about with Joe Morehead, which is what are
Speaker 1: offenses going to look like with new coordinators when they
Speaker 1: don't have time to sort of see what they have
Speaker 1: both in their returning players and in the case of Georgia,
Speaker 1: what do they have in this transfer in Jamie Newman.
Speaker 1: He's a very different kind of quarterback than what they've
Speaker 1: done recently. A lot of RPO stuff. He runs a
Speaker 1: lot he's extremely talented, but they don't have time. They
Speaker 1: don't have time with him. The good news is they're
Speaker 1: surrounding him with good problems ty George Pickens, Demetrius Robertson good.
Speaker 1: But it'll be a new offensive line. But they've recruited
Speaker 1: there really well should be as a mere white in
Speaker 1: the backfield, former number one running back who's had injury issues.
Speaker 1: But there's enough there even without their killers in the
Speaker 1: backfield recently with Nick Chubb and Sony Michelle and DeAndre
Speaker 1: Swift that all of their offensive issues probably won't be
Speaker 1: solved because of the introducing Jamie Newman and Todd Monkin
Speaker 1: really quickly. But you look at what they look like
Speaker 1: after or because during and after the South Carolina game
Speaker 1: last year, they weren't scoring thirty points. I don't think
Speaker 1: they did until Georgia Tech with that much talent. So
Speaker 1: that's the case against and also they traveled to Alabama
Speaker 1: and you can hop on this little bit more. I'm
Speaker 1: doing your work for you. The middle of their schedule
Speaker 1: is trappy. I don't know if you have it in
Speaker 1: front of you. I do, but it's Georgia has been
Speaker 1: a troubling October team. These past couple of years, so that,
Speaker 1: to me would be my concern. But I think the
Speaker 1: case is strong that there's just so much in so
Speaker 1: many places on both sides of the ball.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it's so hard to split hairs with Georgia.
Speaker 2: You love the talent level, I absolutely am with you.
Speaker 2: I love the defense. They're completely loaded back there. Offensively,
Speaker 2: I've been reading the same optimism. I want to feel optimistic.
Speaker 1: I want to feel more confident.
Speaker 2: But to your point, Jamie Newman, Todd Monkin, there's a
Speaker 2: lot there that remains to be seen. What will this
Speaker 2: offense look like. There's also a lot of turnover all
Speaker 2: on the offensive line, sure, which is troubling in the SEC.
Speaker 2: I'm looking at the schedule now, there are four true
Speaker 2: road games.
Speaker 1: That's it.
Speaker 2: There are a couple neutral siders, but for true road games.
Speaker 2: And you mentioned that stretch in October. Start off the
Speaker 2: month with Vandy at home, then they get Auburn at home.
Speaker 2: Then they go to Missouri, which is a weird place
Speaker 2: to play.
Speaker 1: Let's be honest. Now we look ahead week before the
Speaker 1: bye yeah.
Speaker 2: Bye week before the Florida game in Jacksonville, and then
Speaker 2: there is what I think could be a weird letdown
Speaker 2: look ahead spot on the road in Columbia, South Carolina
Speaker 2: against the South Carolina game Cocks before coming back home
Speaker 2: to square off against Tennessee.
Speaker 1: Yeah. I don't think they'll look past it after losing
Speaker 1: last year. It's certainly a revenge spot, but that is
Speaker 1: a hell of a sandwich.
Speaker 2: Definitely some letdown potential there, depending on the way the
Speaker 2: Florida game goes. Because Florida is another team on our
Speaker 2: list and they should be pretty solid as well. It's
Speaker 2: an interesting schedule. I think it's well balanced all throughout.
Speaker 2: They do need to get through that middle portion. I
Speaker 2: like the fact that they get Alabama early. Alabama's got
Speaker 2: some questions. We talked about Alabama not that many, but
Speaker 2: what's the offense look like? Some questions elsewhere that they
Speaker 2: need to answer. I like the fact that George has
Speaker 2: got a rock solid defense and they've got the Crimson
Speaker 2: tider early. I think that works to their advantage. I
Speaker 2: like this pick a lot, I really do. I thought
Speaker 2: about going with this if I had the opportunity to
Speaker 2: steal them off the back of a truck if you didn't.
Speaker 1: But the one.
Speaker 2: That I'm most interested in, actually yeah, of this pairing
Speaker 2: is not Georgia but USC.
Speaker 1: This is listen. I'm I'm putting myself out there because
Speaker 1: we've enjoyed making fun of USC and hype for USC
Speaker 1: and expectations for USC each and every year. And next
Speaker 1: year is the year. Next year is the year. The
Speaker 1: case is pretty straightforward for USC. They returned the best
Speaker 1: quarterback in the conference. It's a good place to start, Tye.
Speaker 1: Keaton's Loovas is the best returning quarterback in the Pac twelve.
Speaker 1: And there are other guys who are talented. Nobody accomplished
Speaker 1: what he accomplished. Nobody don't think has the ceiling that
Speaker 1: he does. The best of Keaton Slovas is the clear
Speaker 1: highest in the conference right now. The talent up front
Speaker 1: on defense, I like j Twu Felly, I like Drake.
Speaker 1: I always forget Drake Jackson. I think Drake Jackson is
Speaker 1: the defensive lineman. Drake London is the pass catcher. I
Speaker 1: like Drake Jackson. I like Pollier. I'll get it right
Speaker 1: by the season. Not Taeote. I like him at linebacker.
Speaker 1: The secondary's experience. Todd Orlando I still think is a
Speaker 1: good defensive coordinator, but I don't think he was right
Speaker 1: for what ailed Texas last season. I like Graham Harrell
Speaker 1: a lot. Their schedule sucks, it's what kind of sucks
Speaker 1: that's the case against. But even still, it's a Utah
Speaker 1: team that's always pretty good and it's on the road
Speaker 1: in Salt Lake. I always like picking against pretty decent
Speaker 1: teams with some hype going to Salt Lake City because
Speaker 1: that's just it's where pretty good teams go to die
Speaker 1: and get exposed. They're traveling to Eugene early on in November.
Speaker 1: Washington is back at home. They're on the road against Ucla,
Speaker 1: but not really because it's with in La and then
Speaker 1: they finished with Notre Dame at home. It's a tough schedule,
Speaker 1: but the receivers, the defront on defense, the coaching upgrade
Speaker 1: I think. I think. I still think to Orlando is
Speaker 1: an upgrade to Clancy Pendergast in twenty twenty. So that's
Speaker 1: the case right now is for a somewhat open Pac
Speaker 1: twelve South. Their road to the Pack twelve championship game,
Speaker 1: if there is one, is not terribly bumpy. I hate
Speaker 1: going to Utah, but other than that, yeah, you can
Speaker 1: make a good Keaton Slovis factor is you get to
Speaker 1: early December, anything can happen. Perhaps that's the case to me.
Speaker 2: See, I mean the move last year to the air
Speaker 2: raid was something that I know we spent a lot
Speaker 2: of timeline and I think looking back now, you have
Speaker 2: to look back at it, and the injury to JT.
Speaker 2: Daniels was unfortunate. But finding Keaton slovas a true freshman,
Speaker 2: there's a huge win for Clay Hilton. Installing that air
Speaker 2: raid and getting as much out of it as they
Speaker 2: did a huge win. That offense should be dynamic again
Speaker 2: this year. It's not just clear that quarterback room. By
Speaker 2: the way, did you see that? I see they cleared
Speaker 2: it up, but Matt Think is still there. Matt Think
Speaker 2: might be a professor at this point. He's in like
Speaker 2: his ninth year of eligibility. He never left. No, he's
Speaker 2: gonna get the memo. Okay, he's the backup. But my
Speaker 2: point here on the offense is just that it's not Slovas.
Speaker 1: It's not just Slovs.
Speaker 2: They've got a good line in front of him, They've
Speaker 2: got good receivers out wide. I think they'll be dynamic defensively.
Speaker 2: It's a mixed bag. It's a mixed bag. I don't
Speaker 2: know if we know what to expect. I do agree
Speaker 2: that Todd Orlando is an upgrade, but trying to come
Speaker 2: in and fix things, especially in this day and age
Speaker 2: with the coronavirus and practices being canceled and maybe not
Speaker 2: being able to work as much with the team as
Speaker 2: he would like.
Speaker 1: It's tough to say. It's tough to say.
Speaker 2: I'm really intrigued by USC, and I was pleasantly surprised
Speaker 2: when I went in and did some quick research on
Speaker 2: them going into twenty twenty. I honestly found myself excited
Speaker 2: to see what this team turns into.
Speaker 1: If we had said three years ago that USC got
Speaker 1: Todd Orlando to run their defense, everybody's super pumped.
Speaker 2: Right, I would think, so, yeah, okay, because you have
Speaker 2: both Alabama and Georgia.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I feel like I'm in a bit of somebody.
Speaker 2: I'm in a bit of a defensive spot here, and
Speaker 2: I need to go to Ohio State and Washington the
Speaker 2: so called recent Rosie Ranch Dan.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeh. Playing the rose ball a couple years ago.
Speaker 1: It is hard to bet against a team with Justin Fields.
Speaker 2: I really like Ohio State. I like what Ryan Day
Speaker 2: did a year ago. Let me start by making the
Speaker 2: case against Ohio State.
Speaker 1: Wait, this is very confusing for me. So this now
Speaker 1: I have to make the case for. No.
Speaker 2: No, I'm gonna make both cases. I'm gonna play both
Speaker 2: sides of this coin.
Speaker 1: I gave you the rules up front. I am making
Speaker 1: my own rules. Is my show.
Speaker 2: Yeah, there's an awful lot of turnover here, there is.
Speaker 2: I cannot make the case for without first acknowledging that
Speaker 2: there's somewhat of a case against because the secondary got crushed.
Speaker 2: They got turnover along the defensive line, at wide receiver end,
Speaker 2: at running back.
Speaker 1: Mm hmm.
Speaker 2: You look at this team, there's a lot there that
Speaker 2: remains to be answered. But you start with justin fields.
Speaker 2: I think that's a pretty damn good starting point. You
Speaker 2: look around the roster, up and down that roster. Yes,
Speaker 2: there are guys leaving, but god of their guys coming in.
Speaker 2: This is a really, really good Ohio State team. As
Speaker 2: I look at this schedule, Dan, of course, they've got
Speaker 2: some games on there that I think are notable, particularly
Speaker 2: in mid to late October. They got a Michigan State
Speaker 2: game that I think in recent years might look a
Speaker 2: little bit more formidable.
Speaker 1: But they've got a new sandwich there. Huh.
Speaker 2: Yeah, who knows what direction that game's gonna head. They
Speaker 2: do go to Beaver Stadium October twenty fourth. That's been
Speaker 2: a tough place for them to play. But outside of that,
Speaker 2: Dan and maybe that Oregon game. What do you mean,
Speaker 2: maybe that organ maybe that Oregon game. Oregon's like the
Speaker 2: number five team in the country.
Speaker 1: New quarterback. Don't know what's going on at Oudson at
Speaker 1: Autsin in front of a probable empty stadium. Probable empty stadium. Yeah,
Speaker 1: I think the schedule works out okay.
Speaker 2: Otherwise Bowling Green, Buffalo, Rutgers, Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana at Maryland
Speaker 2: at Illinois.
Speaker 1: And then a home game against Michigan.
Speaker 2: There are land mines there a schedule.
Speaker 1: I was gonna say, you just said the word Iowa,
Speaker 1: like you didn't watch the game from two years ago.
Speaker 2: I just I feel like it's well balanced. I feel
Speaker 2: like it sets up okay for them. It's just so
Speaker 2: hard to go against justin field. Right now, Ohio State
Speaker 2: is a one to three co favorite to win the
Speaker 2: national championship, and despite all that turnover, you still you
Speaker 2: still have to feel really good about their chances to
Speaker 2: go and certainly make it through the Big Ten, but
Speaker 2: also make it back into that playoff.
Speaker 1: All right, I'm gonna light a candle right now because
Speaker 1: I'm gonna set the mode, because I want you to
Speaker 1: make that sweet, sweet case for national championship Washington Osky football.
Speaker 1: All Right, hold on, it's getting sentual in here. I
Speaker 1: don't I don't have I don't know if you have
Speaker 1: LEX steels drop or anything like that. Do I have?
Speaker 1: Of course I have LEX. You know that I always
Speaker 1: have Lex. All Right, Ty, I'm getting a little steamy
Speaker 1: in this, Clowice, make the case for national champion Washington.
Speaker 2: New offensive coordinator John Donovan very dynamic in the NFL,
Speaker 2: you can say with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dan, Yeah, if
Speaker 2: you're not familiar with his work, prepared to be dazzled.
Speaker 1: I'm ready. I am available for. I am available for
Speaker 1: I'm available.
Speaker 2: For Counsel Husky. I am available for Council Husky fans.
Speaker 2: FYI starting another jac in twenty twenty this time maybe
Speaker 2: maybe maybe maybe Jacob's sermon, Yeah, could be the them
Speaker 2: coming in.
Speaker 1: For Jacob Eason. What else do we got here? Yeah?
Speaker 2: I don't have much for Washington, Dan, I just wanted
Speaker 2: to grab Ohio State.
Speaker 1: Would you like me to make the case and you
Speaker 1: want to make the case against them? Is that something
Speaker 1: you want to do.
Speaker 2: I don't think there's a case for which is part
Speaker 2: of my issue. I just wanted to have Clemson in
Speaker 2: Ohio State on my roster, Lesz.
Speaker 1: There is no real case for Washington as a national champion.
Speaker 1: The best I can do, and I try to approach
Speaker 1: all of these in earnest. They've recruited really well. They're
Speaker 1: a blue chip ratio team TI. There's a good amount
Speaker 1: of talent, especially on defense, really on all three levels,
Speaker 1: actually along the line and in the secondary. I really
Speaker 1: really like their secondary treent McDuffie and Elijah Molten, both
Speaker 1: very very talented corners. Jimmy Lake has built a really
Speaker 1: good defensive program at Washington. I imagine, like most defensive head coaches,
Speaker 1: they're going to try to go ball control on offense
Speaker 1: and John Donovan and ball control hand in hand. I
Speaker 1: think they have a problem problem Outside of Puka Nakua,
Speaker 1: I think is a good, really good wide receiver for
Speaker 1: you dub Their schedule is nah great time schedule. They
Speaker 1: open with Michigan, They're on the road, against Oregon, Utah
Speaker 1: Cal USC and Wazoo. Has Jimmy Lake fielded a defense
Speaker 1: that has lost to Wazoo? He has not. Has he
Speaker 1: fielded a defense that has lost to Oregon Utah Cal? Yeah,
Speaker 1: he has. He definitely has. So the case is if
Speaker 1: they ride ball control and a defense and it's a
Speaker 1: weird season because of no crowds. So it's a good
Speaker 1: good year to have no crowd at Oregon if you're
Speaker 1: on the road, and that's that's something. It's good year
Speaker 1: to have no crowd in Salt Lake City. That's a
Speaker 1: very tough place to play. I think that's the case
Speaker 1: that they play smart, they ride their defense, and they
Speaker 1: just they pile up w's. But that's a lot of ats, ty,
Speaker 1: it's a lot of ats. All right. I want to
Speaker 1: go to my next pick, if that's okay with you, Okay, okay,
Speaker 1: please do.
Speaker 2: Give me that Joe Brady bunch, give me Joe Brady Bunch.
Speaker 1: Take them.
Speaker 2: Let me start with Penn State. Penn State's the reason
Speaker 2: I'm taking this LSU and Penn State pairing. And I
Speaker 2: like LSU, but Penn State might be the sleeper. They're
Speaker 2: at seven to one right now, according to.
Speaker 1: Yeah, to get to the playoff, not to win it all,
Speaker 1: to get in to the playoffs. Excuse me. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Kirk Shiraka coming over from Minnesota, new offensive coordinator. I
Speaker 2: love that hire. I think it's an outstanding higher. I
Speaker 2: like the line. I think the running backs are very capable.
Speaker 2: They're deep at running back. I don't know if John
Speaker 2: Dotson can step up and step in for kJ Hamler.
Speaker 1: That's sort of the main question offensively.
Speaker 2: But the bones are there. The bones are there. Sean Clifford.
Speaker 2: I think Shiraka is going to get more out of him.
Speaker 2: He's a legit dual threat quarterback. He can do a lot.
Speaker 2: I think Shiraka can make the most of that situation. Defensively,
Speaker 2: they got some losses, but they got some big names
Speaker 2: coming back. They got Shock Tony and Jason Oway and
Speaker 2: Micah Parsons at linebacker, Tariq Castro fields, Lamont Wade all
Speaker 2: in the back. I said it before, I'll say it again.
Speaker 2: They got to give up fewer backbreaking pass plays. They
Speaker 2: got to get more out of their own passing game.
Speaker 2: But this is a team that I think is in
Speaker 2: a really, really good spot to maybe maybe be a surprise.
Speaker 2: I now have Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State out
Speaker 2: of the big ten eiees. So I'm gonna get somebody
Speaker 2: with the chance, somebody who's in the conversation come the
Speaker 2: latter half of the season.
Speaker 1: Penn State schedule this year is it's a good mix.
Speaker 2: I feel like it's the kind of schedule that you'd
Speaker 2: put together in the old NCAA fourteen video game series.
Speaker 2: You're trying to get that a plus in the scheduled
Speaker 2: department while not totally maiming yourself, right, and so it's
Speaker 2: well balanced. On the road at Virginia Tech, Week two
Speaker 2: will be a challenge again. Lane Stadium, maybe without people different.
Speaker 1: What's going to be the most haunting empty stadium. It's like, Oh,
Speaker 1: that's so weird to look at fully empty, fully devoid
Speaker 1: of fans. Wow, that's me. It might be Kyle Field.
Speaker 1: I was gonna say the Michige so big, Yeah, Michigan, Yeah,
Speaker 1: is a good answer. Michigan actually looked really cool. The
Speaker 1: way that they've built the MM in the square m
Speaker 1: into the seats, that'll look at least look cool. Kyle
Speaker 1: Field without I know, people like to make fun of
Speaker 1: the sort of faux militariness of Texas A and M.
Speaker 1: But there's an energy about Texas A and M games
Speaker 1: that it's going to feel very weird to see fully,
Speaker 1: you know, vacuumed.
Speaker 2: On the road lane Stadium. Week two, they got San
Speaker 2: Jose State and Northwestern before going on the road to Michigan.
Speaker 1: Mm hmm.
Speaker 2: Then they've got to buy. Then they have Iowa at home,
Speaker 2: which will totally be a trap game, before Ohio State
Speaker 2: at home, Correct at Indiana at Nebraska, Michigan State, Maryland
Speaker 2: at Rutgers to close out the year.
Speaker 1: That's a workable schedule. That's an awesome back half, which
Speaker 1: is also what people say about me in the shower tie.
Speaker 1: But that's an awesome back half. That's a workable schedule.
Speaker 2: So if Penn State can assemble the pieces I think
Speaker 2: primarily on offense and just make a few tweaks on defense,
Speaker 2: they're in a really really good spot here onto LSU.
Speaker 1: Can I say something about Penn State real quick? Sure can't.
Speaker 1: You can't get picked apart by Kirk Shiraka. If you
Speaker 1: hire Kirk, that's right, that's right. You can't. Dan taps
Speaker 1: his forehead. Hire him. If you can't beat him, hire them.
Speaker 1: I don't think they have any winter wonders on offense.
Speaker 1: That's the clear case. I actually know I should take
Speaker 1: that back. There's a lot of Journey Brown. I like
Speaker 1: there's a lot about that, dude. I like a lot.
Speaker 1: But your Johan Dotson question, I like Baby Gronk, Pat
Speaker 1: friarm youth, But I worry about who's stretching the field
Speaker 1: against Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa. That to me is a
Speaker 1: huge question about Penn State because Michael Parsons on defense
Speaker 1: is see the best linebacker in the country. He's a
Speaker 1: top five draft pick. Yeah, easily. I think they're able
Speaker 1: to with an offensive step forward. I don't think they're
Speaker 1: getting to the playoff, but I think they become even
Speaker 1: more dangerous.
Speaker 2: You may ask about lsues. What does this team look
Speaker 2: like without Joe Burrow, without Joe Brady. What's it look
Speaker 2: like without Clyde Edwards, Hilaire and Justin Jefferson and four
Speaker 2: guys that need to be replaced along that offensive line.
Speaker 2: I don't have an answer for you. This is a
Speaker 2: team that went through a bit of a revolution last year.
Speaker 2: They caught liking in a bottle with Joe Burrow.
Speaker 1: I don't think it was a fluke.
Speaker 2: I'm not implying that, but that combination of Brady and
Speaker 2: Burrow was one of the all time greatest offensive seasons
Speaker 2: we've ever seen. They outscored everybody. Joe Burrow had ridiculous numbers.
Speaker 2: They blew out their opponent in the National Championship game.
Speaker 2: This was clearly a once in a generation offense, once
Speaker 2: in a generation team.
Speaker 1: They deserved it.
Speaker 2: Moving on beyond that, it strikes me that there's still
Speaker 2: a lot of talent on this team. Awful lot of
Speaker 2: talent on this team. Even if, as you said, Miles
Speaker 2: Brennan is two thirds as good as what we saw
Speaker 2: Joe Burrow do last season, that's still pretty damn good.
Speaker 2: That still gives you a chance in most of these
Speaker 2: games in the SEC. What I like about them is
Speaker 2: that they can rely on that defense.
Speaker 1: I thought you were going to say, Scott Linehan, Sorry, continue.
Speaker 1: I like that Bo Polini is back beaty. Oh love that.
Speaker 2: I like that he's back. I like that they're good
Speaker 2: up front. I love Derek Stingley in the back. There
Speaker 2: are questions at linebacker. There are questions at linebacker, and
Speaker 2: I got real questions about what happens when Texas comes
Speaker 2: to town in week two. But I still think this
Speaker 2: team is really well positioned. They've recruited so well. They're
Speaker 2: riding high here after winning that national championship. It does
Speaker 2: feel like they've got some momentum now at Orgeron realize
Speaker 2: the air of his ways and needed to make some
Speaker 2: changes on offense. We'll see if they carry over now
Speaker 2: post Joe Brady. But you have to feel awfully good
Speaker 2: about where this team is at, even despite all the losses.
Speaker 1: Dan, Yeah, I think they'll be good rushing the quarterback,
Speaker 1: even though that's a question. They're just they're going to
Speaker 1: be too talented on every level, especially on the inside
Speaker 1: of their defense. They've got a lot of beef the
Speaker 1: middle of that defense, so it's going to open things
Speaker 1: up everywhere else. I think you hit everything. They should
Speaker 1: be in a good place. And I actually want to
Speaker 1: change my answer. I think Death Valley is going to
Speaker 1: be the most haunting place empty. You got two back
Speaker 1: to back picks here, Dan, Okay, I guess I'll take
Speaker 1: Sugary Sweethearts. So that's Oklahoma and Auburn. Oklahoma is end Auburn.
Speaker 2: Dan, why do you start with Oklahoma here because they've
Speaker 2: got a quarterback.
Speaker 1: You know, I think we feel pretty.
Speaker 2: Okay about what Lincoln Riley can do with a new quarterback.
Speaker 2: He's sort of our track record at this point. But
Speaker 2: the Ceede Lamb loss to the NFL hurts. What kind
Speaker 2: of production do we get from guys out wide? What
Speaker 2: does it mean to lose Kenneth Murray in the heart
Speaker 2: of that defense? Like there there's some real questions at
Speaker 2: all three levels of this defense. So I was shying
Speaker 2: away from this pick because of questions not only about
Speaker 2: Oklahoma but also Auburn shall get too momentarily, but start
Speaker 2: with the Sooners here.
Speaker 1: How do you feel? Well? I mean, you loved Penn State,
Speaker 1: so we can go through all the Penn State College
Speaker 1: Football playoff memories you have. Because Oklahoma gets there, say
Speaker 1: what you will about what they do once there. They
Speaker 1: get there. He's your road, for sure, but they get there.
Speaker 1: The case for Oklahoma is I think pretty straightforward. They
Speaker 1: actually improved on defense the last we saw of them.
Speaker 1: That statement doesn't make sense, but during the Big Twelve
Speaker 1: season they did enough confusing teams, creating havoc attacking quarterbacks
Speaker 1: that it's clear that Alex Grinch. I don't know what
Speaker 1: his ceiling is in Norman, but it's clear that he
Speaker 1: is improving things. He is getting them to an interesting place.
Speaker 1: Spencer Ratler was incredibly well thought of coming out of
Speaker 1: high school. I think he was a number one quarterback
Speaker 1: in the class couple of years ago. He steps in
Speaker 1: with experience in the program, and for the first time,
Speaker 1: he's not transferring in like the last couple quarterbacks granted
Speaker 1: or less three quarterbacks, two of them one. Heisman's pretty
Speaker 1: good track record, so Spencer Ratler should be in a
Speaker 1: good position. Even though they lose Cede Lamb, all they
Speaker 1: do is keep replacing really great receivers with really great receivers.
Speaker 1: Maybe that's Charleston Rambo. I know they're dealing with injuries
Speaker 1: there with Jadon Hazelwood and Theo Howard, but I'm still
Speaker 1: not worried. They lose Trey Sermon, they solve Kennedy Brooks,
Speaker 1: they return a ton along the offensive line, and even
Speaker 1: though you know you mentioned Kenneth Murray and you mentioned
Speaker 1: questions on all three levels, I don't know if there's
Speaker 1: a long list right now with big twelve quarterbacks that
Speaker 1: just out and out scare me. You take the good,
Speaker 1: you take the bad. There's Brock Purdy, Right, you take
Speaker 1: the good, you take the bad. There's Sam Ellinger. There's
Speaker 1: nobody that is just like man, I don't know. I
Speaker 1: don't know what this defense is gonna do against that guy,
Speaker 1: Joe Burrow. Yeah, that's a question. They get Caleb Kelly back,
Speaker 1: hopefully for a full season. I like this Oklahoma team.
Speaker 1: It's not an amazing schedule, but it's fine. They get
Speaker 1: Baylor at home, they get Texas, you know, the new
Speaker 1: neutral site like they do every year, through on the
Speaker 1: road against the TCU team. I have a lot of
Speaker 1: questions about It's a pretty smooth November. I'm not going
Speaker 1: to take Army lightly because we all watched that game
Speaker 1: a little while ago, and they have Tennessee early on.
Speaker 1: But it's Oklahoma. They just keep winning the conference, and
Speaker 1: I think Spencer Ratler, with time to develop now, I
Speaker 1: think he is going to have probably more upside than
Speaker 1: at least they had last year in the long term.
Speaker 1: So I like Oklahoma good amount. Is that candle still
Speaker 1: burning that you lit for Washington?
Speaker 2: You're going to make me talk about bon Nix, Talk
Speaker 2: to me about your love for Sweet Sweet true sophomore
Speaker 2: bon Nicks. Dan make that case for bow Nicks Heisman,
Speaker 2: Heisman contender and National Championship contender.
Speaker 1: Walk me through every single game that bon Nicks has
Speaker 1: lost to Alabama. Walk me through every single one of them.
Speaker 1: He beat Oregon even though he tried not. He beat
Speaker 1: him with that last throw and led an offense in
Speaker 1: a win against Alabama with ant Tua, but nonetheless mid Alabama,
Speaker 1: so he has played up in big moments. Chad Morris
Speaker 1: takes over at offensive coordinator. I think that's an upgrade.
Speaker 1: Kevin Steele is one of the best three defensive coordinators
Speaker 1: in the country. They lose a lot up front, and
Speaker 1: I'm not terribly concerned. Maybe I should be, but they've
Speaker 1: recruited well enough and Kevin Steel year over year over
Speaker 1: year just keeps not allowing anything of offenses, So I'm
Speaker 1: going to give them the benefit of the doubt. Linebacker
Speaker 1: looks really, really good. The secondary should be fine. They
Speaker 1: lose key pieces, but they should be fine. And I
Speaker 1: think we assume even with a new line in front
Speaker 1: of him, and you know, a sort of up in
Speaker 1: the air situation with a couple good returning receivers. Bownicks
Speaker 1: can get too efficient, because I don't think he was
Speaker 1: last year. I think he can become a lot more
Speaker 1: concern distant this year. Chad Morris has a good reputation,
Speaker 1: at least had a good reputation with what he did
Speaker 1: at Clemson as a coordinator. So with this schedule, North
Speaker 1: Carolina at a neutral site on the road against Georgia,
Speaker 1: I think they have a bye before Mississippi State and
Speaker 1: then they finished with LSU and on the road in
Speaker 1: the Iron Bowl. It's a tough schedule for sure, but
Speaker 1: they're you know, they're chaotic Auburn and why count them out?
Speaker 1: So I'm rolling with them if we could just add
Speaker 1: a little bit more texture here, give me the case
Speaker 1: against do it you against Auburn? Yeah, that's your job now.
Speaker 1: I made the case for both of these teams.
Speaker 2: Entirely new offensive line. You said you kind of panned
Speaker 2: the fact that it's a new offensive line. You're five
Speaker 2: five starters up front in front of a quarterback who,
Speaker 2: let's be honest, had some shaky moments. I liked that
Speaker 2: decidedly more than you all last year.
Speaker 1: That much is clear. Go back and listen. Yeah, but.
Speaker 2: Losing five starters up front it's gonna take a while,
Speaker 2: especially in this day and age with the Rona running wild,
Speaker 2: to get that kind of cohesion that you need to
Speaker 2: keep him protected.
Speaker 1: I worry about that.
Speaker 2: And again I agree that Kevin Steele one of the
Speaker 2: best defensive coordinators in the country for sure, But losing
Speaker 2: Derek Brown, losing Marlin Davidson.
Speaker 1: I think you give the secondary a little too much credit.
Speaker 2: I think it's questionable. I just I'm not as bullish
Speaker 2: on the defense as I think you are.
Speaker 1: The one defense to really accomplish something against LSU last year.
Speaker 1: Now Derek Brown's gone, there's a lot different about this defense.
Speaker 1: But man, just every year, every year you turn around
Speaker 1: and they're like the best defense in the red zone
Speaker 1: in the country.
Speaker 2: All Right, you get one other PI is your last pick?
Speaker 2: Make it worthwhile?
Speaker 1: I guess I have to take. Wait, I guess I
Speaker 1: could take either the eighteen wheel Warehouse or Florida. Man, right,
Speaker 1: that's you get one of the other one or the other.
Speaker 1: You know what, I'm gonna take the eighteen wheel Warehouse.
Speaker 1: Do it, do it, keep gonna make and baby, let's
Speaker 1: start with Notre Dame. Let's get real with it, ty.
Speaker 2: Let's get real. Does this mean I get to make
Speaker 2: the case against Notre Dame.
Speaker 1: That's correct? That is correct, baby, go ahead, Oh baby,
Speaker 1: are you like an and one sideline announcer? Oh? Baby,
Speaker 1: so I've long now said quarterback and defense. That's my
Speaker 1: combination for playoff caliber. Ian Book is a playoff quarterback.
Speaker 2: Correct uh, he is a playoff participating quarterback.
Speaker 1: He has led a team to the college football playoffs.
Speaker 1: Correct sir, you're on the stand, You're under oath. Okay,
Speaker 1: so that is that is fact. That is fact. Only
Speaker 1: their defense, they have probably one of the best seven
Speaker 1: defensive coordinators in the country. And Clark Lee, right, I
Speaker 1: think he's a total stud. You you have a little
Speaker 1: bit of a Clark Lee boner. You love Clark Okay,
Speaker 1: Ty's easy. I know the candles burning hot. They don't
Speaker 1: have any obvious killers to me at offensive skill position.
Speaker 1: And you know, Chase Claypool had to do a lot himself.
Speaker 1: They tried to build the whole, the whole plane out
Speaker 1: of Chase Claypool last season and it worked to a
Speaker 1: decent extent. But I don't I don't see an obvious
Speaker 1: replacement for him. Cole Koment in the backfield is. It
Speaker 1: just seems like they're just guys. The offensive line should
Speaker 1: be really good in front of in front of ian book,
Speaker 1: They're a decent shaped linebacker. I don't think they're gonna
Speaker 1: get after the quarterback in the way that they have
Speaker 1: in previous years. But I still think they have guys.
Speaker 1: Dalen Hayes is still I think, yet to reach his potential.
Speaker 1: We'll see, but I think clark Lee will put him
Speaker 1: in a decent enough position. With a schedule that man,
Speaker 1: they've got, They've got the body blowback to back with
Speaker 1: Wisconsin and Stanford, but even that, like Davis Mills check Cone,
Speaker 1: I just I'm not terribly sweating everything. They have McHale
Speaker 1: and Kevin Slovas back to back to finish the season.
Speaker 1: McHale I believe is in South Bend. The USC is
Speaker 1: in LA. But I don't I think they're They always
Speaker 1: seem to be good enough. They you know, they got
Speaker 1: blown out of the water by what Michigan last year.
Speaker 1: They ran all over them. Yep, And they might have
Speaker 1: one of those weeks and maybe maybe it'll be against Clemson,
Speaker 1: but I don't know. Combination defense, secondary should be pretty good.
Speaker 1: Kyle Hamilton steps in Aloi, Gilman gone. I think it's
Speaker 1: just I think they're going to be solid enough where
Speaker 1: they'll squeak out some Twenty seven to twenty three is
Speaker 1: more often than not. I was going to discredit your
Speaker 1: whole case.
Speaker 2: Yeah, before you missed, I said, Kyle Hamilton, Kyle Hamilton,
Speaker 2: come on your guy. I would be content letting Clark
Speaker 2: Lee play Kyle Hamilton at all eleven defensive positions.
Speaker 1: Sure, move him around like.
Speaker 2: He's Isaiah sim and see what he can do, because
Speaker 2: he's he's really good, he's big, he's really good. He's
Speaker 2: going to play safety. He's going to get more minutes
Speaker 2: as a safety this year. And I think they should
Speaker 2: be really good on defense. The schedule's not bad. They
Speaker 2: got four games that basically determine everything you mentioned, Louisville
Speaker 2: and USC, and there's that Wisconsin game earlier on in
Speaker 2: the year, and then as we get to November, the
Speaker 2: home game against Clemson. And it's really those four games
Speaker 2: that I think will decide a lot, and what we'll
Speaker 2: decide at all truly won't be the defense. It's going
Speaker 2: to be Ian book and what Tommy Reese can squeeze
Speaker 2: out of Ian Book, what can you get out of
Speaker 2: him this year.
Speaker 1: Who's catching the passes? Don't know?
Speaker 2: Who's lining up in the backfield, don't know. Can Chris
Speaker 2: Tyree give him something? I hope so, yeah, yeah, I
Speaker 2: hope her in the backfield. I don't feel great about
Speaker 2: Jafar Armstrong, but I think the line will be okay.
Speaker 2: They recruited well up front. There's a lot to like
Speaker 2: about the offense. I just don't know if we know
Speaker 2: who that problem problem is yet. There are definitely problem
Speaker 2: problems on defense. They'll be fine on defense, but offensive.
Speaker 1: I feel like I've confused you with that term. Yeah.
Speaker 2: I mean it's a double negative in the worst way.
Speaker 1: But it's fine. It's fine if your friends problem problem
Speaker 1: that means you have an issue having standout players. It's
Speaker 1: a weird term. A lack of standout players is a
Speaker 1: problem problem.
Speaker 2: I I feel okay, mm hmm okay about the case
Speaker 2: of chance is what it's just a schedule Ian book
Speaker 2: and not having game changers on offense.
Speaker 1: Okay, yeah, so I have to I think Texas is
Speaker 1: actually a really easy defense. Texas has seven new assistant coaches,
Speaker 1: two new coordinators, and Mike Rsicch and Chris ash mm hmm.
Speaker 1: On paper, the thing that really jumps out on offense
Speaker 1: is losing your two big wideouts and Devin de Verne
Speaker 1: and Colin Johns. You're making the case four right now,
Speaker 1: I just draft him. You're making the case for it.
Speaker 1: Want to be straight here. The case for this is
Speaker 1: what I do with Texas. I like, I know there's
Speaker 1: there's something about the lone star state between TCU Texas
Speaker 1: and Bucky. You just it sings to you. I think
Speaker 1: they'll be fine.
Speaker 2: They got Sam Elliot, they'll be fun and defensively, you
Speaker 2: other Chris Ashy changing the system. He's trying to be
Speaker 2: a little more reliant on creating pressure without blitzing. Yeah,
Speaker 2: they got a lot back on defense, so you got
Speaker 2: to like that. The schedule is is favorable. I like
Speaker 2: that those crash lsu early, maybe in an empty stadium.
Speaker 2: Can you imagine how back Texas would be if they
Speaker 2: went on the road to Tiger Stadium in one week
Speaker 2: two against Elisee with help, no crowd noise, no crowd noise,
Speaker 2: ten out of ten back nest right there.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, meet George on the Sugar Bowl a
Speaker 1: couple of years ago. So their their record is is
Speaker 1: pretty decent against top SEC teams recently, other than you know,
Speaker 1: the lost to LSU last year. Uh yeah, I think
Speaker 1: you're right the optimism. There's a lot of very interesting pieces.
Speaker 1: They return a bunch on the offensive line. The running
Speaker 1: backs are good. It was a question last year, and
Speaker 1: now they have answers there to wreak black transfers in
Speaker 1: to help the receiving corps. I think they moved a
Speaker 1: blue chip running back over to slot receiver, so I
Speaker 1: think there's enough speed, enough talent around Sam Ellinger, who
Speaker 1: has proved himself to play up to big games at times.
Speaker 1: I like the Chris ash higher. They're going to be
Speaker 1: healthier in the secondary. I like the pieces up front.
Speaker 1: I think they were probably they were probably a year
Speaker 1: away last year, which was weird timing given the win
Speaker 1: over Georgia the year before and the momentum coming into
Speaker 1: the season, But they were probably a year away with
Speaker 1: how young they were on defense, and so now if
Speaker 1: they're healthier and more experienced, those freshman sophomores become sophomores
Speaker 1: and juniors. I think there's a I like Mike Gearsick
Speaker 1: a lot as a coordinator. He makes every place better
Speaker 1: so the case is obviously there. The case against is
Speaker 1: just they are Texas. The universe views them as Texas
Speaker 1: and treats them as such. And you're going to get
Speaker 1: your shootouts against Kansas, You're going to get your weird
Speaker 1: losses to Iowa State or can can you turn those
Speaker 1: close ugly losses into close ugly wins sometimes? But with
Speaker 1: Sam Allinger, with the talent around him, it feels like
Speaker 1: a year set up. Even with all of the changes
Speaker 1: on the sideline and the coaching staff, it feels like
Speaker 1: a good year to maximize what Texas can be because
Speaker 1: their road games are Kansas State tough place to play,
Speaker 1: probably an empty stadium, Oklahoma State tough place to play,
Speaker 1: probably an empty stadium, and LSU same for them, And
Speaker 1: so it works out pretty well for Texas, especially in
Speaker 1: week two, if they're getting a Miles Brennan who's still
Speaker 1: a little bit raw and unsure of himself, it's great
Speaker 1: for Texas, all right.
Speaker 2: That means that I have one pick to make here,
Speaker 2: doesn't it correct? I am stuck with Florida, man. I
Speaker 2: like Florida the Gators. I think Dan Mullen will get
Speaker 2: them ratchet it up. I have come around on calm
Speaker 2: throw Kyle. Do have some questions about some of the
Speaker 2: playmakers on offense, in the backfield elsewhere, but I've come
Speaker 2: to trust Dan Mullen. I think I think he will
Speaker 2: do a fine job in that situation. Defensively, I think
Speaker 2: they're stout as well, and I like the schedule.
Speaker 1: Frankly, I think the.
Speaker 2: Schedule works to their favor. Their road games listen to this,
Speaker 2: At Tennessee a bit of rivalry, right, but at Tennessee
Speaker 2: that's a winnable game. Yeah, on the road, at Old
Speaker 2: miss on the road, at Vandy, on the road at
Speaker 2: Florida State, the close out the year, of course of
Speaker 2: Georgia games, Neutral Cider.
Speaker 1: It's a great schedule, really good schedule. In between. They've
Speaker 1: got Eastern Washington, Kentucky, South Alabama, South Carolina, LSU tough
Speaker 1: game but at home. Yeah, but l season games well.
Speaker 2: Yeah, they've got Missouri, New Mexico State. Like these are
Speaker 2: all very very winnable games. I find it hard to
Speaker 2: believe that we're not looking at at least a ten
Speaker 2: and two Florida team. And yes, depending on what happens
Speaker 2: elsewhere around the SEC East, you could probably make a
Speaker 2: case that this is a contending team. They've recruited well.
Speaker 2: If the offense can take more strides forward. Given what
Speaker 2: Dan Moull did last year having to start Kyle Trask
Speaker 2: on short notice, slowly built that offense up around him,
Speaker 2: There's an awful lot to like there, favorable schedule, good
Speaker 2: talent level. If things break in their direction, this is
Speaker 2: a steal, could be potentially a steal.
Speaker 1: Another haunting empty stadium swamp. Oh god, wow, that would
Speaker 1: be difficult to watch, but I'll happily do it. I
Speaker 1: will happily watch college football if it means empty stadiums,
Speaker 1: that's okay. Yeah, I think you laid it out pretty well.
Speaker 1: I think they lost probably too many game changes on defense.
Speaker 1: I think there's intriguing dudes, young red shirting whatever that
Speaker 1: could come in and immediately play an interesting role on defense.
Speaker 1: And I think they have an offensive problem problem. I
Speaker 1: love Kyle Trask. I think he is a really impressive quarterback,
Speaker 1: probably the best guy in the SEC returning, and I
Speaker 1: really like Kyle Pitts. But in terms of guys, I'm
Speaker 1: just really scared of either in the backfield or lining
Speaker 1: up out wide. I'm not sure I see it. I'm
Speaker 1: not sure I see it that's the case against but
Speaker 1: they look to have double digitalent. I like their coordinators
Speaker 1: at least I like Todd Grantham and Dan Mullen should
Speaker 1: be calling the place. Maybe something has changed.
Speaker 2: But.
Speaker 1: There's way more to like about Florida than not and
Speaker 1: getting LSU at home, getting probably an empty Tennessee stadium
Speaker 1: on the road. It's great or to set up to
Speaker 1: have a really, really impressive year, and they've they've closed
Speaker 1: the gap against Georgia. They went from being completely out
Speaker 1: of that game to losing by a touchdown. And it's
Speaker 1: a good year to get Georgia.
Speaker 2: This means that I have to try and defend Florida
Speaker 2: State and Miami, doesn't it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean you can do it really quickly. You
Speaker 1: don't have to spend a ton of time by apposition
Speaker 1: groups and coaches.
Speaker 2: I will say that of these two teams, Miami is
Speaker 2: certainly the more interesting. Florida State's in transition. I have
Speaker 2: a lot of faith in Mike Norvell. I think he'll
Speaker 2: do a good job in Tallahassee. But the Miami situation
Speaker 2: is interesting because they you know, they made a big
Speaker 2: deal dan enos last year and Tate Martell coming down
Speaker 2: from Ohio State.
Speaker 1: That didn't work. Yeah no, But they've now brought in
Speaker 1: Rhett Lashley.
Speaker 2: He's going to change up the system again. They've added
Speaker 2: Deeric King from Houston, who's an exciting player. They got
Speaker 2: to improve their offensive line, but they've got a really
Speaker 2: good pass rush, really really good pass rush. And now
Speaker 2: the back half of the defense won't be as good.
Speaker 2: But when you got that pass rush up front, that
Speaker 2: pass rush, Dan.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, that Temple influence Quincy Manny dis you.
Speaker 2: Gotta feel pretty good about that. I'm looking at the schedule, now,
Speaker 2: listen to this Temple Wagner UAB. On the road at
Speaker 2: Michigan State, they.
Speaker 1: Should win that game. You read schedules, Ty, You read
Speaker 1: schedules like you're doing an audio book. Wagner UAB, You're great.
Speaker 1: You have a talent that I'll never have.
Speaker 2: Home against Pitt on the road at Wake, Home against
Speaker 2: North Carolina at UVA, Home against Florida State at Virginia Tech,
Speaker 2: at Georgia Tech, and home against Duke.
Speaker 1: They go twelve at oh I would have just cut
Speaker 1: off at like, Hey, Derek King's exciting and they probably
Speaker 1: have the best duo of defensive ends in the country,
Speaker 1: and Greg Rossel and Quincy Rochek tell.
Speaker 2: Me they couldn't go twelve and zero against the schedule.
Speaker 1: They won't coach against the schedule.
Speaker 2: There's a lot of problems in Miami. They can't protect
Speaker 2: their quarterback. Derek King's just going to sail too many mistakes.
Speaker 2: He's a defense. Yeah, work with me here, Okay, I'm trying.
Speaker 2: I think that's what rad Lashley will be saying to
Speaker 2: the offensive line coach at some point this year. I
Speaker 2: also am not a huge like RHT Lashley, as I
Speaker 2: think built up his reputation somewhat going to coach for
Speaker 2: head coaches who are already the offensive mastermind of their
Speaker 2: team and gusmels On and recently Sunny Dykes at SMU.
Speaker 1: So I hope he's good. I just I'm not sold,
Speaker 1: all right, Dan, Well, here's what we got.
Speaker 2: I have Ohio State in Washington, Boom Killers, LSU and
Speaker 2: Penn State. I have Clemson in Michigan, and I have
Speaker 2: Florida Florida State in Miami. And for you, you have
Speaker 2: Alabama and an m the Ranchione Farm which is the
Speaker 2: best name, thank you.
Speaker 1: Georgia and USC Texas in Notre Dame. I love this.
Speaker 1: Hell yeah, hell yeah. Well look, think if Texas beats Oklahoma,
Speaker 1: think about it, thank about it. Even if they lose,
Speaker 1: tell us you twelve and one and winning the Big twelve.
Speaker 1: It's a pretty good position. Got Oklahoma there last year,
Speaker 1: and you've got Oklahoma and Auburn. Yeah sugreat greathearts. So
Speaker 1: look right in Solid Verbal at gmail dot com.
Speaker 2: Let us know who has the better roster. Let us
Speaker 2: know what we left out and our cases for and against.
Speaker 1: Don't forget.
Speaker 2: You can always find us out there on Instagram, on Facebook,
Speaker 2: on Twitter, go on the subreddit, argue your side if
Speaker 2: you will, Uh, don't forget the Subscribe to the show
Speaker 2: on Spotify, on Apple, on Google, anywhere you get a podcast.
Speaker 2: You can find the Solid Verbal all year round. And
Speaker 2: if you missed anything, going out to the website at
Speaker 2: solidverbal dot com. While you're there, sign up for the
Speaker 2: newsletter because I'm going to be sending out more as
Speaker 2: we announce all sorts of fun stuff here in the off.
Speaker 1: Season Dan in the meantime fun Show.
Speaker 2: But let's keep those fingers crossed that there can be
Speaker 2: a safe way to put all of these selections to
Speaker 2: the test because otherwise it's gosh, we're gonna have to
Speaker 2: simulate this in NCAA fourteen with new rosters.
Speaker 1: Will you play the People's Court music as you give
Speaker 1: the places where people can subscribe and follow, and like,
Speaker 1: do you want me? You really want me to? Yeah?
Speaker 1: I absolutely do. Subscribe to the show Spotify, Apple, Google,
Speaker 1: anywhere you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2: M M.
Speaker 1: That's all I got. Okay, that's all I have.
Speaker 2: I'm pretty happy with my squad, for that guy over there,
Speaker 2: my good friend Dan Rubinstein, for myself, Tie Hilton Brand.
Speaker 1: We'll be back in two days. We'll talk to you then.
Speaker 1: In the meantime, stay solid, Pace,