1 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:10,640 Speaker 1: All right, welcome in. 2 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:12,800 Speaker 2: Late Kick is live. It is Sunday night. It is 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 2: March eighth, the year of our lower twenty twenty. We 4 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 2: got a jam packed show tonight, springball inching ever so 5 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 2: close or if not already upon us pretty much every 6 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 2: outpost in the SEC acc beyond. We're going to talk 7 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 2: actually some big ten tonight because I got a little 8 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 2: complaint from one of my relatives, Colin, the other night 9 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 2: that we were a little bit too SEC heavy. 10 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: How dare us? 11 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,840 Speaker 2: So before I get there, just a little housekeeping note 12 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:37,919 Speaker 2: because we got flooded with positive messages the other night, 13 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 2: So first and foremost thank you for that. But also, yeah, 14 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 2: we're gonna have it in podcast form. You didn't think 15 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 2: I was going to make the show and not put 16 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 2: it to you in podcast form, did you. So Yes, 17 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 2: the Late Kick podcast, to my knowledge, is already available. 18 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:51,239 Speaker 2: I wanted to wait the weekend just to make sure 19 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 2: we didn't do false advertising around here, but search the 20 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 2: Late Kick and it is available wherever you download your podcast, 21 00:00:57,480 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 2: and if not already, will be this week. We got 22 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 2: a lot of really talented people here working on a 23 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 2: whole lot of things. We're trying to get off the 24 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 2: ground simultaneously. Tonight on this program, we're going with a 25 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 2: fairly deep dive on Georgia. There are a couple of 26 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:12,479 Speaker 2: camps out there, a couple of schools thought with Georgia 27 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 2: about how this new offensive philosophy, quarterback coordinator, both of 28 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 2: whom are new, come in. What's it going to mean 29 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 2: for Georgia's offense this year? A lot of one possession 30 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 2: games last year that you'd Bulldog fans didn't think should 31 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 2: be one possession games. I'm going to hit that kind 32 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 2: of evolving my thinking there as the offense evolves. I'm 33 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 2: also going to talk about a mood tracker for Tennessee tonight. 34 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,040 Speaker 2: We always, at least on our show, we always when 35 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 2: we get into springball we do a mood tracker for 36 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 2: fan bases. Then when we go into fall camp we 37 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 2: do mood trackers for fan basis. 38 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 1: So we're going to do that tonight. 39 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 2: And also, this very pronounced gap that exists in the 40 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 2: ACC between Clemson and the rest of the field. For 41 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 2: a while, it looked like it was happening in the SEC. 42 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 2: But you're never going to have that happen for too 43 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 2: long between Alabama and everyone else. 44 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: So the Pack caught up to Alabama. 45 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 2: Well, is it happening In the short answer, yes, how 46 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 2: did it happen between Ohio State and the Pack? And 47 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 2: then how long could it last? We'll talk about that tonight, 48 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 2: So let's dive into this. And I wanted to start 49 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 2: in Athens, GA. We were originally going to touch on 50 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 2: this the other night, but I wanted to hold off. 51 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 2: I had someone I wanted to talk to. Not that 52 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 2: there's any breaking news that's going to be involved in 53 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 2: this particular segment, but I did want to start with 54 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:24,399 Speaker 2: Georgia tonight. Kirby Smart at Georgia. Really interesting dynamic here. 55 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 2: In one sense, they seem to ever be on the 56 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 2: precipice of winning the SEC national championship. 57 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: They're always in the playoff hunt. 58 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,639 Speaker 2: They have been since after his first season. Famously, they 59 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 2: were within an overtime period of winning a national championship 60 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 2: in his second year in Athens, and that's as close 61 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 2: as they've gotten. Granted, it's very hard to win a 62 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 2: national championship, so stans to rees and that's as closest 63 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 2: a lot of teams would ever get, and a lot 64 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 2: of them won't even get that close. Let me back up, 65 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 2: the last year. I thought James Coley, for those of 66 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 2: you unaware, the coordinator, the offensive coordinator at Georgia last year. 67 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,079 Speaker 2: I thought he took what I considered a lot of 68 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 2: undue criticism. And that's because George's offense, accorinting to most 69 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 2: people's perspective, underachieved last year. I don't argue with you 70 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: on that point. Where I did take a little bit 71 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 2: of exception. Was everyone trying to, you know, toss it 72 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:14,959 Speaker 2: on the shoulders of James Coley, just like they did 73 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 2: Mike Bobo a generation to go. Now one of your 74 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:20,359 Speaker 2: brethren in the SEC East are fairly excited about hiring 75 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 2: Mike Bobo. You wanted to hire Mike Bobo again, by 76 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 2: the way, a lot of you did this time, well, 77 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 2: not this time last year, this last offseason. So James 78 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 2: Coley last year, was he the problem? There was there 79 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 2: a big problem there. I don't think it was a 80 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 2: huge problem. But listen, they underachieved, and I don't think 81 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 2: that even the head coach at Georgia would argue that. 82 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 2: Obviously he's not argument because he made changes. And so 83 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 2: now Georgia fans got vast majority of you got what 84 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 2: you wanted and you got a new offensive coordinator in 85 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 2: and Todd munkin. 86 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: Who is he? We got plenty of time to talk 87 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: about that. 88 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 2: You also join him at the hip with a transfer 89 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 2: quarterback named Jamie Newman out of Wake Forest. I know 90 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 2: a lot of you have shared and read that Pro 91 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 2: Football focused piece, and there were a lot of glowing 92 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 2: reviews about Jamie Newman when he came to Athens by 93 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 2: way of wake Forest, and I'm with you on that. 94 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: I'm excited to see him too. 95 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 2: I think probably he's a guy that, when put in 96 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 2: the right system, at the right program, and surrounded with 97 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 2: capable talent, probably a guy that could really pop this year. 98 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 1: So you got what you wanted in that sense that 99 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: everyone says. 100 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 2: Right now, and keep in mind, right now means before 101 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:30,280 Speaker 2: the first helmet's been put on for spring practice, going 102 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 2: to be more explosive elements to the offense, gonna throw 103 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 2: the ball more, gonna be more aggressive. We're going to 104 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 2: where have we heard this before? More properly utilize our weapons. 105 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 2: In other words, we're going to properly leverage our recruiting. 106 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 2: And so when we're sitting here on National Signing Day 107 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 2: and in the past we've seen George Pickens and Don 108 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 2: Blaylock come in. And now this last signing day we 109 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:54,280 Speaker 2: see Arian Smith come in. We see Jermaine Burton. They 110 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 2: snatch him away from LSU at the last minute. Yeah, 111 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 2: you got all those guys on campus, but it doesn't 112 00:04:58,680 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 2: mean anything. 113 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:00,160 Speaker 1: You don't use them now. 114 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:03,040 Speaker 2: The word is, we're going to utilize that and leverage 115 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 2: that talent properly in Athens. 116 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:05,239 Speaker 1: That's great. 117 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 2: There are two camps forming right now as far as 118 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 2: I can see it with Georgia. And when I say camps, 119 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 2: I mean different schools of thought around Kirby Smart. I 120 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 2: know this because I have found myself at times in 121 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 2: both camps not quite sure where I'm falling. I'm going 122 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 2: to take a little bit of a stance here though. 123 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 2: I'm going to be in Camp B. But first let 124 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 2: me tell you where Camp A is. Camp A thinks 125 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 2: that Kirby Smart is who he is. Therefore it doesn't 126 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:32,840 Speaker 2: really matter who he hires, because ultimately, those offensive game 127 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 2: plans are decided by the headman, and they're endorsed by 128 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 2: the headman. It's not like and this is where I 129 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 2: felt like James Coley was probably a little bit unjustly 130 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 2: criticized last year. It's not like James Coley ever showed 131 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 2: up to Sandford Stadium on a Saturday whistled right on past. 132 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 2: Kirby Smart went up to the booth and just called 133 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 2: his game plan. Everything about what James Coley did last 134 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 2: year was signed off on and endorsed by the head coach. 135 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 2: Well be that as it made James Coley's out, Todd 136 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 2: Monkins zim, a lot of people would look at you 137 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 2: and say, doesn't matter who's up there, doesn't matter if 138 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 2: the most revolutionary offensive mind and the history of the 139 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 2: games up there, Kirby Smart is going to limit them. 140 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: He's going to jerk the reins. 141 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:14,479 Speaker 2: On him because he's got a championship caliber defense and 142 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 2: he doesn't want to see his program go down the 143 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 2: path of some of these other programs that have sold 144 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 2: out offensively and they put all their eggs in that 145 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 2: basket and then when it comes time to get a 146 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 2: stop in a forty eight to forty one game. 147 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 1: They can't do it. That's what one camp would lead 148 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 1: you to believe. 149 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 2: And that doesn't matter who the personnel or the staff is, 150 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 2: and looks like it's ultimately Kirby Smart's team and the 151 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 2: offense is always going to look the same. I understand 152 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 2: that thinking, and initially I may have bought into that thinking. 153 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:42,280 Speaker 1: Here's why I'm leaning. 154 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 2: Just a little bit to can't be can't be is 155 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:47,599 Speaker 2: the offense is going to evolve this year because Kirby 156 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,480 Speaker 2: Smart's going to evolve this year. Now you may think 157 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 2: to yourself, a coach is who he is, but that's garbage. 158 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 2: That's not always true. I think a lot of folks 159 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 2: don't realize how young Kirby Smart is. A lot of folks, 160 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 2: for that matter, don't realize how young a lot of 161 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 2: these guys are. Gus Malson at Auburn, Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma. 162 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 2: The entire landscape with this sport has changed. You used 163 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 2: to have to work your way up several rungs of 164 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 2: a ladder to ever sniff a job like Georgia. Now 165 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 2: you just get Georgia in your lap as your first 166 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 2: head coaching job. 167 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: And I'm not telling you Smart didn't earn it. Quite 168 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: the opposite. 169 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 2: But the fact of the matter is you and I 170 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 2: both know if the year is nineteen eighty instead of 171 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 2: twenty twenty or twenty sixteen as it were, that man 172 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 2: is not putting on his training wheels, are rather taking 173 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 2: him off at the University of Georgia. But things have changed. 174 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 2: Ryan Day is enjoying this now. Lincoln Riley, like I 175 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 2: said Gus malson a brief stay at Arkansas State, He's 176 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 2: now enjoying this at Auburn, and Kirby Smart's enjoying it 177 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 2: at Georgia. Well, here's why I mention all these guys 178 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:52,239 Speaker 2: coaches and the process in which coaches grow, evolve, learn, 179 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 2: in some cases very hard lessons. It hasn't changed. I 180 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 2: don't care if salaries have changed. I don't care if 181 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 2: the timetable on how quickly you can rise to one 182 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 2: of these has been expedited. You still got to learn lessons. 183 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 2: You still got to learn who you are as a 184 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 2: head coach. You still have to evolve and grow. KB 185 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 2: feels like he's been there forever and sometimes you just 186 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 2: feel like a coach is who he is. No, here's 187 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 2: how it used to work. The greats in this sport, 188 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 2: the Nick Sabans, you know Urban Meyer. Take Sabin and 189 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 2: Meyer for example, they learned hard lessons. They had to 190 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 2: develop their identity as a head coach. The difference is 191 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 2: they did it at places like Bowling Green or Utah 192 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 2: or Toledo in front of about forty five hundred people 193 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 2: on a Saturday. 194 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: I mean in the crowd were. 195 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 2: Parents of players, alumni, and degenerate gamblers. I mean those 196 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,440 Speaker 2: basically were the people who were watching Toledo and Bowling 197 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:46,239 Speaker 2: Green football games when Sabin and Meyer were at those stops, respectively. 198 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,679 Speaker 1: So they learned tough lessons too. Guys, they evolved their 199 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:50,199 Speaker 1: style too. 200 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 2: It's just you didn't notice it because they weren't under 201 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,200 Speaker 2: any microscope. They weren't under any white hot spotlight in 202 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 2: front of one hundred k and a multi million person 203 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 2: and viewing audience at home. There are no easy ways 204 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 2: to learn those lessons. For Kirby Smart, there is no 205 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 2: easy way to grow out of the spotlight. But yeah, 206 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,559 Speaker 2: that doesn't change the fact that they still got to 207 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 2: go through it, just like all the other guys went 208 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 2: through it even before they enjoyed their success. 209 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 1: And what I'm saying to you is, how can. 210 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 2: You know for sure that guy just is who he's 211 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:21,679 Speaker 2: always going to be as a head coach. He's not blind, 212 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 2: he's not stupid. If you sat there and you watched 213 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 2: the sport change, and you watched Alabama do what they've 214 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 2: done and Clemson do what they've done, in LSU do 215 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 2: what they've done. He faced them, He faced LSU last 216 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 2: year with a really good defense on the field, and 217 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 2: Georgia didn't play half bad and they were still in 218 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,679 Speaker 2: the end shredded. They were hurt by injury, but they 219 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:46,960 Speaker 2: were shredded. You don't think Kirby's smart. And I don't 220 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 2: care what he said at a press conference or too 221 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 2: any reporters. You don't think he got back home and 222 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 2: did it help the inventory of his program and realized 223 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 2: what the rest of us realize, and that is Georgia. 224 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:57,839 Speaker 1: Is ill equipped right now. 225 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 2: Even if they're healthy, they're ill equipped to go through 226 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 2: a stretch in Atlanta semi final National Championship game and 227 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 2: deal with several teams like this. Of course, he realizes 228 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:10,079 Speaker 2: that he's not blind. So here's what I'm asking. Could 229 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 2: it be? 230 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:12,679 Speaker 1: I don't think what I'm about to suggest is radical. 231 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: Could it be that. 232 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 2: Now five years, in six years, in seven years, in 233 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 2: we're entering a stretch wherein Kirby smart might evolve and 234 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 2: in turn you see Georgia offensively evolve. 235 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:26,319 Speaker 1: That's where I'm falling right now. 236 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 2: And that's actually what I expect to see from Georgia 237 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 2: this year. Now, first things first, you got to open spring, 238 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 2: and you got to get some positions figured out, and 239 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 2: we got to see what Jamie Newman is all about 240 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 2: at quarterback. Got to actually see what the offense will 241 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:41,959 Speaker 2: consist of. And what is a Georgia offense under Todd Monkin. 242 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 2: I don't know, but here's what I do know. The 243 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:46,959 Speaker 2: margin for error on this team has been far smaller 244 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 2: than it should be given the talent advantage that they have. 245 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 2: Nine times out of ten when they take the field. 246 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 2: I wrote down Notre Dame, Florida, Texas, A and M 247 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 2: and Auburn. Those were all one possession wins for Georgia 248 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 2: last year. They lost against South Carolina. Half a dozen 249 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 2: games on this schedule were one possession games, either losing 250 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 2: or winning last year. And I'm here to tell you 251 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 2: they had significant, moderate, two significant talent advantages in every 252 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:15,079 Speaker 2: one of these games. 253 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 1: How do you maximize that talent? Well, you do just that, 254 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 1: You maximize it by using it more. 255 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:23,199 Speaker 2: I don't think Georgia, and I think even Kirby smart 256 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 2: in his heart of hearts understands this utilized that talent 257 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 2: properly enough last year. The think about it is, you've 258 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 2: got to have the right weapons. I think, and most 259 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 2: of you think Georgia has the right weapons at quarterback 260 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:39,079 Speaker 2: most specifically, and then everywhere else around him. To do that, 261 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 2: to be an offense that overnight flips a switch and 262 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 2: becomes a juggernaut, they already have it defensively. 263 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 1: Here's what I think. 264 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 2: The one caveat in Kirby Smart's mind is I don't 265 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 2: think he suggests, and I don't think he intends to 266 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,079 Speaker 2: flip some radical switch and go from what Georgia was 267 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 2: last year to all of a sudden being what Alabama 268 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 2: is or turning into Oklahoma. And the reason is he's 269 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 2: watched Alabama, and even though Alabama hasn't fallen off, they're 270 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 2: still in the top tier. He looks and he sees 271 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 2: them losing an Iron Bowl forty eight to forty five, 272 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 2: and he sees them repeatedly in the second half against LSU, 273 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 2: trading punches but not able to get a stop, not 274 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 2: even coming close to be able to get a stop. 275 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 2: I don't think he ever wants to be there, So 276 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 2: I think to a certain extent. He understands we got 277 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 2: to evolve offensively. He's never sacrificing championship caliber defensive play. 278 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:30,440 Speaker 1: He's not throwing that out the window. And so whatever 279 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: a happy. 280 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 2: Medium is, maybe sixty forty the other way, seventy thirty 281 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 2: the other way. I think there's an effort to do that. 282 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 2: To be honest with you, I don't know if they 283 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 2: understand where the pin in the map is that they 284 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 2: want to get, but I do think they'll be concerted 285 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 2: effort underway this year, this spring, this summer, and ultimately 286 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 2: this fall to get there for Kirby, Smart and Georgia. 287 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 2: Let's move on, let's head up the road just a 288 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 2: couple of miles. 289 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: I would say. 290 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 2: I was on a podcast a couple of weeks ago 291 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 2: called a month ago. Tommy's not important. The question they 292 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:03,680 Speaker 2: asked is important. The question they asked me was is 293 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 2: Ohio State capable or is Ohio State currently doing to 294 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 2: the Big ten what Clemson has done to the ACC 295 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 2: in some ways what Oklahoma has done to the Big twelve. 296 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: I answered yes, I kind of gave both answers. 297 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 2: It's my belief that there is too much invested in 298 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 2: places like Michigan, like Wisconsin, like Penn State, for any 299 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 2: team to ever just totally detach themselves from the rest 300 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 2: of the field in the Big Ten. Having said that, 301 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 2: there is a clear and sizable gap between the Ohio 302 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 2: State Buckeys right now and whoever you want to call 303 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 2: second best up there now. I don't think anyone, including 304 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 2: our folks at Michigan or Penn State, are arguing that. 305 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 2: They're certainly not arguing it. In Columbus, they are waving 306 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:49,680 Speaker 2: their fist in agreement. So do I think it's possible 307 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 2: that they ever turned the Big Ten into what Clemson 308 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 2: has turned the ACC into. No, but I do think 309 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:56,439 Speaker 2: there's a very big gap here. They're on a totally 310 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 2: different level. The why to me is pretty easy. I'm 311 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:01,200 Speaker 2: going to give you the when it happened in a second, 312 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:03,720 Speaker 2: because I had a very interesting conversation with a couple 313 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 2: of my Michigan guys, one of whom works for this network, 314 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 2: the other just a dude I know from around the block. 315 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 2: I think that right now, every category, it's like a 316 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 2: video game when you get to design a player and 317 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:17,800 Speaker 2: you have so many points. Well, at Ohio State, they 318 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 2: have like unlimited points to design a program and everything's 319 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 2: a ten. Fundraising is a ten. Infrastructure and resources they're 320 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 2: all tens. Strength and conditioning is an eleven if that's possible. 321 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 2: Sports medicine is a ten. Their coaching staff is a ten, 322 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 2: they're recruiting is a ten, and their commitment level is 323 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 2: a ten. 324 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 1: Don't mistake this. 325 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 2: There's a big difference in places that are fully committed 326 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 2: and places that think they're fully committed. Ohio State, Alabama 327 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 2: clemes in these places will show you what it looks 328 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 2: like to truly be a freight train where every car 329 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 2: is just moving in the same direction. And a lot 330 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 2: of places think they're like that. Most places aren't, even 331 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 2: the places that have those big brand name Hell and 332 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 2: they got those trophy cases with a lot of those 333 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 2: trophies collecting dust, and they think they're serious, but they're 334 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 2: not quite as serious. They're like a seven in this category, 335 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 2: maybe an eight and a half here, but a six 336 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 2: and a half here. And when you're trying to compete 337 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 2: with ten, ten, ten, ten, ten across the board, makes 338 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 2: it really hard, and that's how a gap forms. They 339 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 2: care more, that's the short answer. At Ohio State. They 340 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 2: just care more than everyone else. The reason I know 341 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 2: it is because they prove it. They prove it in 342 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 2: every facet of the program. There's nothing left a chance, 343 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 2: there's no corner cut. When did it happen? This is 344 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 2: where I'm talking to one of my Michigan buddies about 345 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:40,640 Speaker 2: a month ago, and I just kind of listened to him. See, 346 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 2: when Jim Harbaugh got to Michigan, I was of the 347 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 2: opinion that it was a dawning of a new era 348 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 2: at the University of Michigan, and I thought ultimately that 349 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 2: he could do in short time at Michigan to Urban Meyer, 350 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 2: who was then at Ohio State, what Nick Saban did. 351 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 2: Nick Saban came into the SEC at Alabama. Seven was 352 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 2: a year eighty, got VAMA to Atlanta. They faced Florida. 353 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 2: It was a four quarter classic, back and forth TiVo 354 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 2: and Florida ended up winning, but the next year they 355 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 2: dethroned Florida. Florida as a program is never the same. 356 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 2: Meyer ends up leaving a short time thereafter, and I 357 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 2: thought that Jim Harbaugh could end up doing that at Michigan. 358 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 2: Revisionist history says, oh, he was never even close. Now 359 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 2: you and I both know that's not true. Here's when 360 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 2: it happened. It's very rare that you could just just 361 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 2: point your finger to a football game as being a 362 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,440 Speaker 2: turning point. A lot of times in literature they pretend 363 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 2: it happens like this. Most of the time, it's a 364 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 2: gradual build or a gradual decline. But if we go 365 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 2: back to that twenty sixteen Ohio State and Michigan game, 366 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 2: thirty twenty seven in overtime, very controversial ending, I certainly 367 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 2: don't have to remind Michigan folks how it happened. I 368 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 2: don't think I need to remind Buckeye fans either, how 369 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 2: it happened. Ohio State essentially as a program, not that 370 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 2: they were cruising at low altitude to begin with, but 371 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 2: it's like they hit a springboard that day, and their 372 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 2: trajectory has been unmistakable. Do you remember what Jim Harbaugh 373 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 2: and Michigan were like before that day? Before that day, 374 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:04,400 Speaker 2: I lived in Columbus, Georgia at the time, not Columbus Ohio, 375 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 2: and Jim Harbaugh had come down to Prattville, Alabama. This 376 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:09,359 Speaker 2: was when the satellite camp thing was all the rage 377 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 2: and it was gonna you know, I rode away. 378 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: The integrity of the sport. 379 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 2: He came down there and he stirred everyone up down there, 380 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 2: and he ruffled a lot of feathers, and he was 381 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,200 Speaker 2: really active on Twitter, and he was running his mouth 382 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 2: a lot. I didn't have a problem with it because 383 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 2: I knew he was marketing his program, and ultimately I 384 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 2: thought he was gonna be able to back it up. 385 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 2: So for two years he did that. And they go 386 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 2: into Columbus and they play toe to toe with Ohio State, 387 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 2: and I will never forget this. 388 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 1: I picked Michigan to win the game. 389 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:37,399 Speaker 2: And I was doing a show in Columbus, Georgia at 390 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 2: the time, of TV show with a buddy of mine, 391 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 2: and he was steadfast, Ohio State has got this in Harbaugh. 392 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 2: He's gonna let you down. Michigan's gonna let you down. 393 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:46,879 Speaker 2: And I was steadfast in the other direction. And so 394 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 2: I was at the Iron Bowl, but yet I was 395 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 2: not down on the field. I was up in the 396 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 2: press box cause the game's overlapped, and so as the 397 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 2: Iron Bowl's going on in front of me, I'm locked 398 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 2: on a computer screen here watching the enning of Ohio 399 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:00,919 Speaker 2: State Michigan. And I'll never forget watched that ending the 400 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 2: way it happened? 401 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: Is he short? Did he convert? Yes? 402 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:07,439 Speaker 2: He did touchdown Ohio State they win the game. You 403 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 2: can never know at the time the most seminal moments. 404 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 2: You know that was a big outcome. You know you're 405 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 2: going to be talking about that game for fifty years, 406 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:16,920 Speaker 2: but we never could know at the time. 407 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 1: In retrospect, that's as close as. 408 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:22,119 Speaker 2: Jim Harbor Michigan are going to get, not just to 409 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 2: beating Ohio State since then, but also possibly being relevant 410 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 2: as a national power. Now, I want you to play 411 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 2: a game with me. We're not going to do it long, 412 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 2: just thirty seconds. What in the world is different about 413 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,400 Speaker 2: the state of that rivalry, the state of the Big Ten, 414 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 2: and thus the state of college football? 415 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 1: If Michigan wins that game. 416 00:18:40,359 --> 00:18:42,679 Speaker 2: To me, and this goes back to what my Michigan 417 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:45,879 Speaker 2: buddy and I were talking about, it's almost like a 418 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:48,520 Speaker 2: breaking down of a Berlin wall. Not only do you 419 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:52,199 Speaker 2: end a streak and a rivalry, but also everything that 420 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 2: you have talked. If you're Jim Harborn Michigan, it's validated 421 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:57,160 Speaker 2: on that day. 422 00:18:57,520 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: Instead, Ohio State wins another. 423 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:02,959 Speaker 2: One, curse continues, whatever you want to call it, and 424 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 2: it's almost like as Ohio State hit that springboard, Michigan 425 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,719 Speaker 2: was neutered as a program. I had Sam Webb on 426 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:13,639 Speaker 2: the other day, not on this show, on another series 427 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:15,440 Speaker 2: of actual hits that we do here at twenty four 428 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:18,399 Speaker 2: seven Sports. Sam Webb works for the Michigan Insider dot 429 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:20,679 Speaker 2: com it's our Michigan twenty four seven side, and I 430 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:24,400 Speaker 2: was talking to him about spring football at Michigan, and yeah, 431 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 2: we delved into this position, in that position, in what's 432 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:28,919 Speaker 2: the overall mood, But really what it comes down to, 433 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 2: and he was brutally honest about it, and he's dead 434 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 2: on the money is nothing aside from Ohio State matters 435 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:37,719 Speaker 2: right now, which brings me to this point. It's not 436 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,880 Speaker 2: that everyone's not focused on Ohio State in the Big Ten. 437 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,240 Speaker 2: Commitment level is what it takes. Commitment talent is what 438 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:47,359 Speaker 2: it takes. You got to have a top notch coaching staff, 439 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,280 Speaker 2: but commitment level is what it's got to take. I 440 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:52,600 Speaker 2: no longer think they have the right guy at Michigan. 441 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:55,719 Speaker 2: I no longer think they have the right formula at Michigan. 442 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 2: So I was wrong about that because I thought they 443 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:00,080 Speaker 2: did have it. But what Sam Webb told me, what 444 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 2: I've observed to be true as well, is it doesn't 445 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 2: matter if the offensive line looks like it's coming together. 446 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:06,160 Speaker 1: It doesn't look It doesn't really matter if they. 447 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 2: Got a couple of hot new wide receiver prospects as 448 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:10,919 Speaker 2: true freshmen that look to contribute. It doesn't matter if 449 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 2: they start eight to zero. None of this stuff matters. 450 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 2: All Michigan folks care about, all Penn State folks care about. 451 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 2: All anyone cares about in the Big Ten is that 452 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:21,639 Speaker 2: circle date with that team from Columbus, And if you 453 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 2: beat them, then we can talk. And if you don't, 454 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 2: what in the world does it matter. So in that sense, yes, 455 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:31,120 Speaker 2: the Big Ten has become what the ACC is to Clemson. 456 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:33,160 Speaker 2: I just happen to think there may be a few 457 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 2: more qualified players in the Big Ten, players in terms 458 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:39,960 Speaker 2: of programs that are capable of making a push. But 459 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:43,679 Speaker 2: here's the final point that makes Ohio State not only 460 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 2: superpower right now college football and in the Big Ten, 461 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:49,320 Speaker 2: but here to State. You see the picture we have 462 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:51,359 Speaker 2: there on the lower third at the bottom of the screen. 463 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 2: That's Ryan Day, the day that urban Meyer announced his retirement. 464 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 2: I remember about a forty eight hour period where a 465 00:20:57,560 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 2: lot of you thought it was going to be open season, 466 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:01,640 Speaker 2: you were probably going to raid their roster or their 467 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:06,159 Speaker 2: recruiting class. And certainly the dynasty there was over. And 468 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:09,480 Speaker 2: yet I remember I didn't even have to talk to anyone. 469 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:13,359 Speaker 2: I remember observing the process in which he ended up 470 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 2: being the head coach there, and there wasn't this huge 471 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:20,520 Speaker 2: national coaching search. They didn't take three or four weeks 472 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 2: and go to this end of the world and that 473 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 2: end of the world. They at least as far as 474 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 2: I could tell, hired the guy they wanted to hire. 475 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 2: Anytime that a program the magnitude of Ohio State hires 476 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 2: the guy they want to hire, and they don't get 477 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 2: turned down five times before they hire someone, I'd be 478 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,640 Speaker 2: very hesitant, thinking it's going to be open season on anything. 479 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 2: Ryan Days a superstar. I don't care if he's been 480 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 2: here fifteen minutes. He's a superstar. And that is the 481 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 2: most important aspect to why they're not going anywhere. You 482 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 2: may catch them, it's going to take a heck of 483 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:56,200 Speaker 2: an effort. You may catch them, but they're not going anywhere. 484 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,160 Speaker 2: I don't hate on this because I enjoyed the commitment level, 485 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 2: and the thing about it is a lot of other 486 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 2: programs out there are technically capable of what Ohio State's done, 487 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 2: what Bama's done, what LSU's done, what Clemson's done. A 488 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,120 Speaker 2: lot of programs out there are capable of it. They 489 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 2: don't want it bad enough. Why in the world would 490 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 2: I get mad at Ohio State because they are pinging 491 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:19,720 Speaker 2: tends in all aspects of their program. How about it 492 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 2: get mad at the underachievers for not matching them. That's 493 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,119 Speaker 2: what I'm more likely to get mad at. There's a 494 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 2: program that we need to talk about. 495 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:28,920 Speaker 1: Now. 496 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:33,439 Speaker 2: This is not necessarily peeing and it tends. However, I 497 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,240 Speaker 2: will grant you this. There was a nice surge at 498 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 2: the end of the year last year that has caused 499 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 2: a lot of optimism. We got to go to Knoxville. 500 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 2: We're talking Tennessee football. We do mood trackers. I keep 501 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 2: a file, a running file in my Google drive here 502 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:50,159 Speaker 2: of all the major programs that we talk about the most, 503 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 2: and there's a running mood tracker, And at any given 504 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 2: point in the year, I can go back and I 505 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 2: can see what I thought the collective mood was. The temperature, 506 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 2: if you will, of the fan base. Sometimes it fun, 507 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:03,720 Speaker 2: other times it's kind of sad, but most times it 508 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 2: shows you the volatility and the fickle nature of what 509 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 2: perception versus reality is. Think about Tennessee's twenty nineteen season. 510 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 2: Do you remember how it started? Of course, but I 511 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 2: want to talk about how it ended too. This was 512 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 2: a program that looked like not only was it going 513 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:21,959 Speaker 2: to go completely off the rails last year, it looked 514 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:26,199 Speaker 2: like there possibly was going to be an overthrow of 515 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:28,880 Speaker 2: a coaching staff in like week three or week four, 516 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:31,959 Speaker 2: if you don't remember, this is a team the Tennessee 517 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:35,320 Speaker 2: Volunteers that lost to Georgia State at home in week one. 518 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:38,359 Speaker 2: They lost to Brigham Young in week two. That was 519 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:41,239 Speaker 2: a week famously where BYU would not ship me a 520 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 2: T shirt, but they had some really good designs and 521 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:45,640 Speaker 2: they wouldn't ship me a T shirt because I wasn't 522 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:48,159 Speaker 2: going to the game. So that's a grudge that I 523 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 2: still hold. They beat U t chat in week three, 524 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 2: so they won the end state rivalry. And then week 525 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 2: four they get crushed by Florida on the scoreboard. I 526 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:59,639 Speaker 2: think the game and score necessarily lined up. Nevertheless, they 527 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:02,720 Speaker 2: win their first bye week. They were one in three. 528 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 2: Rumors abound in Knoxville that there could be a situation 529 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:10,400 Speaker 2: where in Jeremy Prue has let go because he's lost 530 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:13,639 Speaker 2: the locker room, lost the program. Of all people, Phil 531 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:16,879 Speaker 2: Fullmer could barry Alvarez his way down the stairs and 532 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 2: onto the sideline and serve as an interim head coach. 533 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 2: I didn't necessarily know if that was going to happen. 534 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:24,119 Speaker 2: I didn't know which rumors to believe, because I had 535 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:26,119 Speaker 2: to be honest with you guys. I had some people 536 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 2: that I've come to trust at Tennessee. When I would 537 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 2: ask them, you know, with a little smiley face or 538 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,880 Speaker 2: laughing emoji, they text me back and say, I wouldn't 539 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 2: be so quick to laugh. I'm not so sure there's 540 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 2: not some validity here. They got to a point coming 541 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 2: out of that bye week where they had to play 542 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:44,679 Speaker 2: Alabama and Georgia. But they got to a point where 543 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 2: you start in week six and if I could take 544 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 2: the front of their schedule and I could put it 545 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 2: behind the end of their schedule. Last year, once they 546 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 2: got rolling, it felt like they were playing nine and 547 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,240 Speaker 2: three level football. They finished the year six and oh, 548 00:24:58,280 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 2: I think five and oh, six and oh with the 549 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 2: bowl game something like that. But you know, the way 550 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 2: they were playing at the end of the year obviously 551 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 2: did not warrant being a product and a team that 552 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:07,720 Speaker 2: would have lost. 553 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 1: To Georgia State or BYU. 554 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,199 Speaker 2: So they probably played nine to three level ball at 555 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:13,320 Speaker 2: the m after the Bowl game. 556 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: Because of the ending to last year you entered spring. 557 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 2: I would say the overall mood tracker right now that 558 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 2: we're gonna have on Tennessee is one of extreme extreme 559 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:27,199 Speaker 2: to extreme's cautious optimism. Because every statement that I have 560 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 2: heard come out of a Tennessee fan or a Tennessee 561 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 2: insider's mouth, there's this sprinkling of optimism. They give you 562 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 2: something to run with, and then there's a but you know, 563 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:40,479 Speaker 2: JJ Peterson, he's talented, but you gotta do it. This 564 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:43,760 Speaker 2: year hadn't shown us anything so far. I mean, Jared Guarantano, 565 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:47,399 Speaker 2: Brian Mauer, neither of whom do I view nor do 566 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:49,960 Speaker 2: you apparently view to be the answer. But then you 567 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 2: got Harrison Bailey and Mike Harrison Bailey, even as a 568 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 2: true freshman, be able to wow enough and be able 569 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 2: to perceptionally pull even with or maybe slightly ahead of 570 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 2: those guys enough to where all right, if I'm Jeremy Pruitt. 571 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 2: I'm willing to pull the trigger there. Hopeful though, that's 572 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:09,840 Speaker 2: what everyone is. They're hopeful in these coaching changes and 573 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:11,680 Speaker 2: locking down a top ten recruiting class. 574 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:12,879 Speaker 1: I'm gonna talk about that in a second. 575 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 2: A lot of people are hopeful that a lot of 576 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:18,479 Speaker 2: things they're seeing are not fooling their eyes. That end 577 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:21,159 Speaker 2: too the season last year. Hopefully it's a surge. I 578 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 2: think momentum is one of the most overused terms season 579 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 2: to season in college football, but hey, if it does exist, 580 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 2: hopefully there's a carryover momentum last year to this year. 581 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,400 Speaker 2: Survived Indiana in the bowl game, locked down a top 582 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:35,119 Speaker 2: ten recruiting class again. I'm gonna circle back to that 583 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 2: in a second in what it could mean. But you're 584 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 2: hopeful in a lot of areas. I don't necessarily think 585 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:42,000 Speaker 2: there's a reason not to be. There was a lot 586 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 2: of coaching turnover on this staff in the offseason. Now 587 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:46,680 Speaker 2: here's where I hit the pause button a little bit. 588 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:52,040 Speaker 2: I saw it just like you did. There are two 589 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 2: schools of thought on the Tennessee coaching turnover, just like 590 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:57,639 Speaker 2: there are two schools of thought without Georgia's offense is 591 00:26:57,640 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 2: going to play out this year. A lot of folks 592 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:03,520 Speaker 2: see Jeremy Prewit sort of burning the underbrush here and 593 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:06,280 Speaker 2: clearing things out so that you can have necessary growth 594 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 2: in the program. And maybe he had guys on his 595 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:12,080 Speaker 2: staff to get off the ground that collectively is a 596 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:15,679 Speaker 2: staff weren't capable of cruising pasted a certain altitude and 597 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 2: so now got to drop some sandbags, and then you 598 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 2: got to add and then hopefully you can fly a 599 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 2: little bit higher. But then the skeptic comes in and says, okay, well, 600 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 2: there's something to be said for continuity. Guys like Nick Saban, 601 00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 2: notwithstanding what he's done, the exception to the rule. Normally 602 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:33,960 Speaker 2: you want some continuity like maybe Dabbo and Clemson have. 603 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:37,880 Speaker 2: And what if behind closed doors, Jeremy Prutt just can't 604 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 2: keep a staff together because a lot of guys haven't 605 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 2: bought into his vision. 606 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 1: I don't think that's the case. 607 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 2: I think Jeremy Pruitt believes he upgraded his coaching staff here. 608 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 2: That remains to be seen. But here's why the ending 609 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:52,680 Speaker 2: to twenty nineteen was so important. I didn't necessarily care 610 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 2: because the teams they were beating they should have beaten, 611 00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:58,399 Speaker 2: So I didn't necessarily care about the results in and 612 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 2: of themselves. What I was looking for for Tennessee the 613 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:02,960 Speaker 2: whole season last year, and what I think they ultimately 614 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 2: got because of the way they finished on the recruiting 615 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:07,840 Speaker 2: trail is they just needed to be able to package 616 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 2: a vision. If you're watching this show when I was 617 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:11,960 Speaker 2: doing it independently last year, that's all I talked about. 618 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 2: Don't care about the win loss record for Tennessee. Granted, 619 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:16,439 Speaker 2: I don't want you to go three and nine, and 620 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 2: it looked for a second like that was possible, if 621 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:21,439 Speaker 2: not probable, they end up seven and five regular season. 622 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 2: I didn't care about six and six, seventy five, eight 623 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:26,040 Speaker 2: and four. What I cared about is can Jeremy Prout 624 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 2: package a vision? What I mean by that is you 625 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 2: got to understand the difference if you're in your mid 626 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 2: thirties or older forties, fifties. I'm in my mid thirties. 627 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:40,560 Speaker 2: You guys may be around there, you may be older 628 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 2: than that. For those of you who are older than 629 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:45,720 Speaker 2: your mid thirties, you've seen Tennessee play for SEC championships. 630 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 2: You've seen them be a perennial Top ten team. You 631 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 2: have seen Tennessee football win a national championship. If you're 632 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 2: a junior in high school, the last time Tennessee beat Alabama, 633 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 2: you were barely able to walk the Tennessee you remember, 634 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:04,080 Speaker 2: Those kids don't remember, and those kids are the ones 635 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 2: that you're recruiting. So what Tennessee needed to be able 636 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 2: to do is package a vision. They can't settle for 637 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 2: second best. If you're going to beat Georgia, you got 638 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 2: to beat Georgia with kids. They wanted kids that could 639 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 2: start at Georgia. That's normally the way that's going to happen, 640 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 2: unless you pull some kind of freak plus four turnover 641 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 2: kind of day like South Carolina did this past year. 642 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 2: To compare to Georgia as a program, you got to 643 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 2: have comparable athletes. And that's hard that I would say 644 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 2: it's easier said than done. It's not even easy to 645 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 2: say it's hard. It's especially hard when you can't go 646 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 2: out into those living rooms and reasonably sell a kid 647 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 2: on the idea that it's possible to play for an 648 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:44,760 Speaker 2: SEC championship here. 649 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: Well, no, it's not. 650 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:49,080 Speaker 2: I've never seen you do it. Like, how in the 651 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,160 Speaker 2: world are you trying to sell me on that? Well, 652 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 2: then all of a sudden, you get a little juice 653 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:54,959 Speaker 2: at the end of the year. And then as opposed 654 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:57,040 Speaker 2: to walking in after four and eight and my jobs 655 00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:58,440 Speaker 2: on the line, I walk. 656 00:29:58,280 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 1: In and we finished. 657 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 2: At least I could convince you that we finished as 658 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 2: one of the hottest teams in the country. And here's 659 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:06,120 Speaker 2: what I sell you on now. We played Alabama pretty 660 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 2: hard last year. A year before, we played Georgia pretty hard. 661 00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 2: We can't beat him right now, but we can't beat 662 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 2: him because we don't have the players. 663 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 1: You are one of those players. 664 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:17,160 Speaker 2: So what I'm telling you is forget about the past 665 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 2: for a second, look at the arrow, this orange arrow 666 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:23,160 Speaker 2: pointing up, and then consider what you could add to it. 667 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 2: I need players like you. I am accumulating players like you. 668 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:30,680 Speaker 2: We're gonna win with or without you, but I need 669 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 2: you on board. If you and the last season the 670 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 2: way you did, and then you go out on the 671 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:37,960 Speaker 2: trail and you pitch that here's what happens. What happens 672 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:40,280 Speaker 2: is I'm sitting on the stage behind this camera you're 673 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:42,920 Speaker 2: looking at. It's National Signing Day and we're doing our 674 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 2: National Signing Day show, and Barton Simmons and I are 675 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:46,720 Speaker 2: up here and Steve Woolfong's over here at the desk 676 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 2: that I'm sitting at, and all of a sudden, Colin 677 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 2: and Aaron from the control room come in our ear 678 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 2: and say, hey, we've got breaking news here, and then 679 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:56,120 Speaker 2: Tray Scott comes in here and says, hey, during a 680 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 2: commercial break, Tennessee, they just landed this guy and that guy, 681 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:01,640 Speaker 2: and they've cracked the t and we don't even have 682 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 2: a graphic ready for it because. 683 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:03,800 Speaker 1: No one anticipated it. 684 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:06,000 Speaker 2: We didn't even have one of the pre make graphics 685 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 2: ready for Tennessee finishing top ten. But yet they did 686 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:13,760 Speaker 2: make no mistake. The finish to last season was enough, 687 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 2: probably in the minds of enough kids, to push them 688 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 2: into that top ten category. Now there's still a sizable 689 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:22,760 Speaker 2: gap between the class Tennessee brought in and the class 690 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:27,040 Speaker 2: Georgia brought in Alabama brought in, but at least it's closing. 691 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:30,000 Speaker 2: At least for one year it was closing. So now 692 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 2: we look towards twenty twenty extremely cautious optimism. That's the 693 00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:37,600 Speaker 2: pre spring mood tracker for Tennessee. Here's one other important thing. 694 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:41,360 Speaker 2: They played a nightmarre schedule last year, and it's not easy. 695 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:43,720 Speaker 1: This year, they go to Oklahoma, they. 696 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 2: Got to play Florida, they got to play Alabama, they 697 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 2: got to play at Georgia. The important thing to note, 698 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 2: at least from what we can tell right now, is 699 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:53,640 Speaker 2: it's very unlikely they will ever have back to back 700 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 2: weeks in twenty twenty where they play top twenty teams. 701 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 2: So I always respected Tennessee fans patients. I used to 702 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:02,800 Speaker 2: harp on this pretty heavily on the previous version of 703 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:07,000 Speaker 2: this program. I always respected how even after they were 704 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 2: sort of like in battered animal syndrome, after the Duly 705 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:12,560 Speaker 2: experiment and the Kiffin experiment, and Butch Jones comes in 706 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:15,680 Speaker 2: and he asks for time so we can do a 707 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 2: complete overhaul here, and you guys gave him time. And 708 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,280 Speaker 2: whereas you entered territory where it looked briefly like there 709 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:25,320 Speaker 2: was a spark and that walk off win against Georgia, 710 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:26,960 Speaker 2: we were right there standing in the end zone for 711 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 2: that one. Ultimately it doesn't work out, and then it's 712 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:32,120 Speaker 2: time to burn it all down and it's time to 713 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:35,080 Speaker 2: start over again, and you get zero, I mean zero 714 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:38,640 Speaker 2: return on your emotional investment. The last thing in the 715 00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:41,120 Speaker 2: world you want to do is sit there on your computer, 716 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:43,440 Speaker 2: or sit there on your phone, or sit there in 717 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:45,840 Speaker 2: a press conference room and listen to a guy take 718 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 2: the stage and say we're gonna win here, but I'm 719 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:52,239 Speaker 2: gonna need patience and we're gonna need time. That's what 720 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:54,880 Speaker 2: worried me the most about prout last year. I didn't 721 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:57,120 Speaker 2: necessarily know if Tennessee fans were in any kind of 722 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:01,040 Speaker 2: mental space to give another coaching staff, especially when they 723 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:03,640 Speaker 2: start off losing to Georgia State and BYU, Well, at 724 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 2: least for now you have so selfishly, I really hope 725 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:08,880 Speaker 2: it pays off, because I'll. 726 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:09,200 Speaker 1: Be honest with you. 727 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:11,080 Speaker 2: I was in the office the other day and I 728 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 2: was talking to one of our guys here. I was 729 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 2: looking at web traffic for LSU, and LSU had a 730 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:19,880 Speaker 2: huge year last year, and understandably, their web traffic just exploded. 731 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 2: The numbers look like typos, that's how crazy it is. 732 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:26,000 Speaker 2: And I was thinking, just from our perspective, like what 733 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:28,560 Speaker 2: team could be that next team, which team is a 734 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:31,840 Speaker 2: massive fan base that is just dying to break through. 735 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:32,040 Speaker 1: Now. 736 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:35,200 Speaker 2: LSU, relatively speaking, was not in any kind of wilderness 737 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:37,880 Speaker 2: like Tennessee has been. But if Tennessee popped off a 738 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:39,960 Speaker 2: season all of a sudden where they were back in 739 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 2: contention for the SEC East. It would be pretty incredible, 740 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 2: I think for everyone from our IT department, our web 741 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:49,400 Speaker 2: traffic to just you guys, not even worried about any 742 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 2: of that stuff, just watching the resurgence in Tennessee in Knoxville. 743 00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 2: That would be fun to watch. Selfishly, I hope it 744 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:58,480 Speaker 2: happens because I would love to see against selfishly. I 745 00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:00,320 Speaker 2: know you guys in Athens can tune out right now. 746 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:04,400 Speaker 2: I'd love to see as cannibalistic an environment exist in 747 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:08,080 Speaker 2: the SEC East as exists in the SEC West. Right now, 748 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 2: talking to Colin before the show, the schedule is a 749 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:12,640 Speaker 2: lot more evenly divided this year. You don't have all 750 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:15,080 Speaker 2: the big games pushed towards the end, and so a 751 00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:16,920 Speaker 2: couple of more big time players in the East will 752 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:20,760 Speaker 2: go a long way towards further solidifying the SEC picture 753 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:25,719 Speaker 2: in essentially being a minor professional league. Before we go, 754 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:27,799 Speaker 2: I wanted to remind you, for those of you who 755 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:30,880 Speaker 2: weren't tuned in before, we have the podcast ready to go, 756 00:34:31,200 --> 00:34:34,000 Speaker 2: so by tomorrow, I would assume, if not already, it 757 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:36,560 Speaker 2: should be in your feeds. Search The Late Kick with 758 00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:39,399 Speaker 2: Josh Pape really original, same title as the YouTube show. 759 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:41,640 Speaker 2: A ton of you shared our show the other night, 760 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 2: a lot of you where was some mild concern as 761 00:34:43,920 --> 00:34:47,200 Speaker 2: to whether you would come over and find us no problem, 762 00:34:47,400 --> 00:34:50,560 Speaker 2: and so the twenty four seven Sports YouTube channel, I 763 00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:53,839 Speaker 2: know right now there have only been two live shows here. 764 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 1: Guys. 765 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:56,160 Speaker 2: We're building a lot of stuff here, and it's really 766 00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:58,440 Speaker 2: fun to come to work every day because there are 767 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:00,839 Speaker 2: a lot of people here that are really really good 768 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:03,359 Speaker 2: at what they do, and they are professionals and they're 769 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 2: the best in the business. That's why they're here. And 770 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:08,240 Speaker 2: so we got a lot of really capable folks working 771 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:09,920 Speaker 2: on a lot of really good stuff. Like I told 772 00:35:09,960 --> 00:35:12,320 Speaker 2: you the other night, this is the first live show 773 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:14,959 Speaker 2: that is airing that we've put together here. This won't 774 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:17,319 Speaker 2: be the only live show eventually that's airing here. So 775 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:21,879 Speaker 2: we're aiming to produce and provide a little something for everyone. Also, 776 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:23,799 Speaker 2: a lot of you asked the other night after the show, 777 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:25,440 Speaker 2: and I don't know why I didn't talk about this 778 00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:27,320 Speaker 2: about the tornadoes that hit Nashville. 779 00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: Now, twenty four seven Sports. 780 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:30,480 Speaker 2: Our office where we sit physically right now is about 781 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:33,319 Speaker 2: twenty minutes south of downtown. I live downtown though, and 782 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:35,319 Speaker 2: my building got hit by that tornado the other night, 783 00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:37,640 Speaker 2: So I've lived out of a hotel all week, and 784 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:40,719 Speaker 2: I've been displaced, which pales in comparison to what a 785 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:42,560 Speaker 2: lot of other folks went through up here. So I 786 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:45,399 Speaker 2: wanted to tell you thank you, first off, for all 787 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:49,040 Speaker 2: of your kind words. B continue to provide prayer and 788 00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:51,480 Speaker 2: support for the people up here because they really need it. 789 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:53,680 Speaker 1: But see, I just wanted to tell you. 790 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:56,000 Speaker 2: A couple of accounts from ground level where I live 791 00:35:56,040 --> 00:35:59,920 Speaker 2: in Germantown. A lot of volunteer teams that came in 792 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:02,680 Speaker 2: from out of state and from out of region. I 793 00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:06,120 Speaker 2: was told yesterday had to be turned around because they 794 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:08,919 Speaker 2: didn't have anything here for them. Because the community here 795 00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:12,640 Speaker 2: banded together so quickly and got clean up done so 796 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:16,040 Speaker 2: quickly free of charge, just volunteer that a lot of 797 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:19,440 Speaker 2: volunteers showed up National Guard, Red Cross and they came 798 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:21,160 Speaker 2: in and they kind of looked around and said. 799 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:22,480 Speaker 1: What do we do now? 800 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:24,719 Speaker 2: There is a ton and I mean a ton of 801 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:27,840 Speaker 2: devastation and clean up still to be done just east 802 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:30,839 Speaker 2: of us here across the Cumberland River. But a lot 803 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:32,439 Speaker 2: of you cared, and a lot of you reached out, 804 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:34,480 Speaker 2: So I really appreciate that we got our power back 805 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:36,319 Speaker 2: on about two hours ago, so I actually get to 806 00:36:36,320 --> 00:36:38,080 Speaker 2: go home to my apartment tonight. A lot of people 807 00:36:38,120 --> 00:36:40,960 Speaker 2: in my neighborhood are not nearly as fortunate, and certainly 808 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:42,399 Speaker 2: a lot of people to the east are not nearly 809 00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:44,600 Speaker 2: as fortunate. But a lot of clean up underway here, 810 00:36:44,840 --> 00:36:46,239 Speaker 2: a lot still to go, but a lot of you 811 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:48,400 Speaker 2: have reached out, and we really do appreciate that. So again, 812 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:52,120 Speaker 2: the programming schedule if you didn't catch it first Sunday 813 00:36:52,160 --> 00:36:55,600 Speaker 2: and Thursday nights seven o'clock Central time, eight Eastern time. 814 00:36:55,920 --> 00:36:58,520 Speaker 2: We'll do this through the entire spring, and then we'll 815 00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:01,440 Speaker 2: recalibrate and we'll reach just our schedule for the off season. 816 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:05,000 Speaker 2: But I appreciate you sharing the show all the comments. 817 00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:07,399 Speaker 2: As you can see, I read every single one of them. 818 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:09,360 Speaker 2: You guys have been really active here and we're just 819 00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:10,840 Speaker 2: getting started on what's going to. 820 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:12,759 Speaker 1: Be a lot of really really good content that we're 821 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:13,279 Speaker 1: going to bring you. 822 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:16,640 Speaker 2: So for myself, for Colin, for Aaron at home, I'm 823 00:37:16,719 --> 00:37:17,279 Speaker 2: Josh Pate. 824 00:37:17,560 --> 00:37:19,080 Speaker 1: This has been the Late Kick. Have a great week. 825 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:29,000 Speaker 2: We'll see you back here, same time Thursday night,