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Speaker 1: Welcome to the solid verbal hull. For me, I'm a man,

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Speaker 1: I'm for it.

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Speaker 2: I've heard so many players say, well, I want to

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Speaker 2: be happy. You want to be happy for a day?

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Speaker 1: Edith Steak, is that woo woom? And then and Tie

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Speaker 1: Dan Rubinstein happy Saint Patrick's Day? Oh thank you, my man?

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Speaker 1: Where's your green You know you're watching it.

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Speaker 2: If you're watching it, look at the screen, Tie, I'm

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Speaker 2: wearing a green shirt underneath this. Listen, I have I've

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Speaker 2: been in the midst of setting leprechaun traps with a kindergartener.

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Speaker 1: Tie.

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Speaker 2: I can't forget Saint Patti's Day. That's a thing around here.

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Speaker 2: Like we went over to a friend's house yesterday and

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Speaker 2: they had a very intricate leprechaun trap with lucky charms

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Speaker 2: in the box and some sort of closing mechanism to

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Speaker 2: trap the leprechaun who is going to sneak into the

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Speaker 2: house overnight. So Ty, this is and I know you're

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Speaker 2: a Notre Dame person, so obviously I'm there's a certain

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Speaker 2: amount of sensitivity or all things fighting Irish, but we

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Speaker 2: don't forget in this house.

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Speaker 1: What is your bait that you're using for your trap.

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Speaker 2: We put in something like cookie crumbs. It was a

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Speaker 2: pizza box with a whole cutout a toilet paper tube

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Speaker 2: with netting on the bottom, with a little bit of

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Speaker 2: cookie crumbles down there, so the leprechaun would smell the

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Speaker 2: cookies and then become trapped in the net and smell

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Speaker 2: the delicious It was a used pizza box, so smell

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Speaker 2: the pizza leftovers, not leftovers, but the aroma of that pizza,

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Speaker 2: and be seduced into jumping into that toilet paper tube.

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Speaker 1: I have so many questions about this. Why don't we

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Speaker 1: save those for the end of the end. That's fine,

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Speaker 1: that's fine with you. I don't have that many more

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Speaker 1: answers beyond what I just issued. No, Well, hey, welcome

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Speaker 1: back to Chicago. Yes, I saw you. We were both

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Speaker 1: in New York. It was good to see you. Among others,

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Speaker 1: welcome back into the Verballer hood one and all. Thank

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Speaker 1: you for coming on back here. On today's episode, we're

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Speaker 1: gonna do a little bit of a diagnosis, which Dan,

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Speaker 1: you could talk through in just a minute. What the

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Speaker 1: purpose of this episode is. I actually love this idea.

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Speaker 1: I think this is gonna be a lot of thank you,

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Speaker 1: so let's talk through what that means in just a moment.

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Speaker 1: Of course, if you are new here, even if you're

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Speaker 1: not HIT, follow HIT subscribes that you don't miss any

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Speaker 1: of our offseason episodes right now two week for the

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Speaker 1: foreseeable future. Still got a ways to go before we

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Speaker 1: get to the season, but hopefully this episode can I

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Speaker 1: don't know, we can collectively take a step back and

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Speaker 1: take a look at some things we think need to

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Speaker 1: change going into the twenty five calendar season. Of course,

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Speaker 1: verbalers dot com is our Patreon where you can go

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Speaker 1: for the ad free episodes and the bonus content, the

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Speaker 1: discord access and if you want to play in the

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Speaker 1: college football dynasty we got going, you could play out

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Speaker 1: there just verballers dot com. Check it out, or you

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Speaker 1: can always send us an email at soliverbal at gmail

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Speaker 1: dot com if you have questions. Yes, absolutely so.

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Speaker 2: Here here's the thought with this game exercise whatever spring

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Speaker 2: practice is underway, and you're gonna get the normal quotes

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Speaker 2: from Marcus Freeman, from Scott Frost, from Matt Ruhle, from

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Speaker 2: Justin Wilcox, whoever where. It's just like it's good to

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Speaker 2: get back out on the field, right It's good to

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Speaker 2: see pads hitting. It's good to see what the young

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Speaker 2: players are doing in terms of good habits and trying

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Speaker 2: to shine on a field full of veterans. It's it's

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Speaker 2: fun to see the transfers come in and see, you know,

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Speaker 2: how they can contribute. And you know it's all about

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Speaker 2: just you know, getting better with the fundamentals.

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Speaker 1: Tie or building a good thing.

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Speaker 2: Right, you know that the fall success begins in the winter,

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Speaker 2: workouts in the spring, right that, like beach bodies start

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Speaker 2: on jan one.

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Speaker 1: That there is.

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Speaker 2: That that line of thinking where it's just like, okay,

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Speaker 2: let's take a look at what we are, what we're not,

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Speaker 2: and how we can get a few inches closer every day.

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Speaker 2: And I appreciate that. I subscribe to that theory that

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Speaker 2: nothing happens overnight. And so we took a look at

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Speaker 2: we are taking a look at a number of teams

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Speaker 2: who had glaring issues that needed attention. Now, obviously, if

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Speaker 2: you are a team who was catastrophically bad.

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Speaker 1: At everything, you need to work on everything.

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Speaker 2: If you are a team who couldn't stop the run,

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Speaker 2: couldn't rush the passer, couldn't protect the passer, committed too

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Speaker 2: many penalties on both sides of the ball lost all

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Speaker 2: of your interesting skill talent, and it's not clear who's

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Speaker 2: replacing them. There's never any one thing for teams like that.

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Speaker 2: There's a lot that needs correcting. But I think what

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Speaker 2: we did and we didn't do this together, we're coming

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Speaker 2: together right now to do this is select a number

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Speaker 2: of teams who had something glaring that stood out that

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Speaker 2: sort of kept them between what they were and perhaps

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Speaker 2: what their goals were, something that prevented wins in close

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Speaker 2: losses or in a number of close losses, or something

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Speaker 2: that they tried to address last season and it obviously

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Speaker 2: didn't work out, And we are going to say, here

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Speaker 2: was something that stood out. Here is what they're trying

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Speaker 2: to do to address that right now, and here's what

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Speaker 2: we think they can realistically do to address that. Does

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Speaker 2: that ring true.

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Speaker 1: To your ears? I think so. And to your point, like,

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Speaker 1: we're not going to do Florida State, no on, no

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Speaker 1: I took No, I didn't take that route. You know,

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Speaker 1: Florida State had a lot wrong with it last year.

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Speaker 1: And this is not an episode so much to pile on,

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Speaker 1: though there will be a little bit of tongue in

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Speaker 1: cheekness going on here. I'm sure, but we're not here

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Speaker 1: to pile on anyone. But I specifically tried to zero

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Speaker 1: in on the teams that had one glaring weakness, one

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Speaker 1: spot of deep red on the spreadsheet. Yes, that needs

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Speaker 1: an explanation, or at a minimum, needs to be fixed.

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Speaker 1: So I pulled out a bunch of those. I know

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Speaker 1: you did as well. This was your idea, So why

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Speaker 1: don't you start give me your first diagnosis here in

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Speaker 1: the springtime. You can't live arm or speak no? Right?

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Speaker 1: I like that? What is that from? Don't even that's

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Speaker 1: from Simpsons? Thing? That's from the softball episode of the Simpsons.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, oh yeah, Okay, I'm gonna start with a

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Speaker 2: team that is sort of a sexy Top fifteen type pick.

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Speaker 2: And I always like using the word sexy because you

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Speaker 2: could also say borderline erootic. With Brett Bieloma and the

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Speaker 2: Illinois Fighting Lion, I oh, Illinois was a fascinating team

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Speaker 2: last year. They did a lot right, They improved upon

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Speaker 2: a lot of things. They sort of went counter to

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Speaker 2: Brettiloma's reputation, even if it's an unfair reputation of just

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Speaker 2: playing sort of smashy man ball because at Arkansas they

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Speaker 2: threw the ball a lot with him and now at Illinois.

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Speaker 2: The best of what Illinois did last season probably came

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Speaker 2: from the back half of the defense and the passing game.

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Speaker 2: On offense, Luke Altmeyer's ascension to you know, upper tier,

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Speaker 2: you know, upper half of the Big Ten in terms

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Speaker 2: of quarterback play and Pat Bryan and Zakari Franklin out wide.

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Speaker 2: But really what was interesting about Illinois was they kind

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Speaker 2: of left some meat on the bone. Now, they weren't

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Speaker 2: as good as Penn State, they weren't as good as Oregon.

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Speaker 2: They probably had a decent shot to beat Minnesota at home.

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Speaker 2: But if you're going to nitpick Illinois in a very

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Speaker 2: specific way, that like, what can they fix given what's

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Speaker 2: coming back, given what's not coming back. It's kind of

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Speaker 2: the beefy stuff. It's kind of their rush defense, it's

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Speaker 2: kind of their offensive line play. It's kind of slow starts,

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Speaker 2: slow finishes. In terms of Minnesota, the thing that stood

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Speaker 2: out to me about Illinois, a team that did so

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Speaker 2: many things either really well or decently well, is they

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Speaker 2: were horrible on third down. Illinois was very, very bad

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Speaker 2: on third down, and they went after defensive lineman kind

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Speaker 2: of all from Wisconsin. Three dudes upfront that played or

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Speaker 2: in one case injured for Wisconsin last year. Who is

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Speaker 2: showing a lot of promise thing, It's James Thompson. Illinois

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Speaker 2: has an opportunity, given what they do return on both

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Speaker 2: sides of the ball, if they're able to figure out

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Speaker 2: high quality defensive line play, and so that is havoc

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Speaker 2: plays up front, that is putting pressure on the quarterback,

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Speaker 2: especially on third down as mentioned, that is forcing quarterbacks

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Speaker 2: into faster decisions than they'd like. Illinois has an opportunity

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Speaker 2: to be actually special, and it was the inability to

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Speaker 2: just get off the field force more mistakes. Excuse me,

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Speaker 2: I'm just very emotional about this, or you know, I

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Speaker 2: have a sore throat. Force more mistakes from this Illinois

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Speaker 2: defensive line that you know, you saw Oregon go up

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Speaker 2: something like thirty five to three at halftime, whatever. You know,

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Speaker 2: a defensive line probably wasn't going to make a huge

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Speaker 2: difference in that game. But with keeping the score close

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Speaker 2: against Penn State or close ish and obviously not really

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Speaker 2: being able to get to Darius Taylor that much in

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Speaker 2: that Minnesota loss, if there were an uptick in defensive

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Speaker 2: line play this year, for the Ali and I.

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Speaker 1: It becomes real interesting.

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Speaker 2: They don't play I don't believe a ton of obviously

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Speaker 2: great offenses and quarterbacks this season.

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Speaker 1: Now I'm looking at their schedule right now. Yeah, And

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Speaker 1: I got to say, I mean, we talked about it

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Speaker 1: a little bit, especially in the immediate aftermath of the

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Speaker 1: national championship, when everybody starts putting together. They're way too early,

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Speaker 1: top twenty fives, way too playoff brackets. You know you've

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Speaker 1: seen those. I was taken aback a little bit by

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Speaker 1: how high some people had Illinois in those rankings. But

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Speaker 1: then but then you look at the schedule and it

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Speaker 1: totally computes. Because with what I am looking at here,

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Speaker 1: They've got a game towards the end of September on

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Speaker 1: the road at Indiana. Don't know what version of Indiana

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Speaker 1: we're going to get in the Big Ten. The following week,

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Speaker 1: it's back home against USC again early part of the

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Speaker 1: season for USC. I don't know what to expect from USC.

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Speaker 1: I think they'll be better, but I know year to

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Speaker 1: year with USC has become a bit of an inexact

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Speaker 1: science trying to figure out which direction things had right.

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Speaker 1: They have Ohio State at home that'll be tough one.

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Speaker 1: That'll probably be a loss middle of October. But the

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Speaker 1: rest of the way, I mean, they go to Washington,

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Speaker 1: I guess Washington will be improved. They go to Wisconsin.

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Speaker 1: That's a tough place to play. But you and I

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Speaker 1: both have a lot to say about Wisconsin and where

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Speaker 1: that program's headed. There's not a lot of ammo on

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Speaker 1: here that really frightens me. So to the point, I

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Speaker 1: totally get where people are coming from by virtue of

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Speaker 1: the fact that Illinois has been building for a bit

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Speaker 1: now under Bilima and the schedule seems to set up

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Speaker 1: pretty well for them.

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Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely, And look if literally, if they're they're somewhere

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Speaker 2: I don't know why I said literally, it's not literally,

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Speaker 2: but if they're somewhere within a standard deviation of where

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Speaker 2: they were last season in terms of quality on the

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Speaker 2: field and production on the field, if you are adding

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Speaker 2: in a defense that gets off the field a little

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Speaker 2: bit more often, like they're the seventieth best third down

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Speaker 2: defense instead of they were like in the hundreds this

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Speaker 2: year in terms of third down defense. What that does

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Speaker 2: for your offensive lines, fitness, for your running game. For

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Speaker 2: Luke Altmeyer, perhaps looking at more worn down defenses that

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Speaker 2: are on the field a little bit longer and you know,

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Speaker 2: the best of what they were on the ground was

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Speaker 2: kind of fun last year with Josh McCray, et cetera.

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Speaker 2: That I think that would go such a long way

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Speaker 2: if these new guys and the guys that are returning

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Speaker 2: on this defensive line and defensive front are just playmakers.

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Speaker 2: If they are, if you could categorize them as a

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Speaker 2: group that sometimes has playmakers. Last season, their defensive line

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Speaker 2: havoc right reading stats is not fun to do out loud.

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Speaker 2: One hundred and thirty fourth not great in terms of

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Speaker 2: run stuffs and tipped passes and sacks and tackles for

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Speaker 2: a loss. Like those types of big headline plays for

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Speaker 2: defensive linemen and their linebackers were good, and sometimes it's

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Speaker 2: hard to quantify who's a you know, a defensive end

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Speaker 2: and who's an outside linebacker how that plays into those numbers.

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Speaker 2: But they were dead last in terms of plays made,

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Speaker 2: especially in those big third down moments. So I don't

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Speaker 2: know if Illinois can take like a noticeable step forward

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Speaker 2: there in terms of defensive beef that becomes real fun Illinois.

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Speaker 1: Per Bill Connolly's post on returning production third nationally, they

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Speaker 1: have coming sense seventy six percent of their production returns,

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Speaker 1: fifth on offense, eighth on defense. There's a lot coming

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Speaker 1: back with the schedule that I think sets up pretty well,

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Speaker 1: So we'll see if they can get that sorted out.

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Speaker 1: You know what my favorite random Illinois I guess factoid is.

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Speaker 2: Is it just Pat Bryant scoring a touchdown against Rutgers

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Speaker 2: nobody guarding no, no, no the game?

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Speaker 1: Yeah, this is a broader, sort of trivial pursuit style

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Speaker 1: question about Illinois within the Big Ten. If you line

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Speaker 1: up all the Big Ten teams in alphabetical order, Illinois

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Speaker 1: is actually the first team in the big time. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: that is true, which is a lot of crazy nugget,

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Speaker 1: but go and look it's one hundred percent true.

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Speaker 2: Well, and it didn't get better with expansion with what

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Speaker 2: to U's an O and a W Yeah, okay, I

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Speaker 2: like that. Where do you want to go?

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Speaker 1: Since we teased a bit with Wisconsin? Okay, I want

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Speaker 1: to talk a little bit about Wisconsin's ed. Oh no, ed.

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Speaker 1: They have a big explosion deficiency up in Madison, Dan. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: and there are a bunch of ways that you can

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Speaker 1: measure that there's not one tried and true number for

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Speaker 1: measuring how explosive a team is. You can go yards

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Speaker 1: per play, you can go plays over twenty yards. Bill Connolly,

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Speaker 1: the aforementioned mastermind for all things college football statistics, He

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Speaker 1: measures something called I think marginal explosiveness, which is really

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Speaker 1: just removing garbage time and stuff like that. It doesn't

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Speaker 1: matter which stat you want to use, whatever works for you,

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Speaker 1: stick with that. The only thing that all of the

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Speaker 1: stats agree on is that Wisconsin was among the five

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Speaker 1: worst teams in terms of explosion last year. They were

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Speaker 1: just really really bad. Lost their quarterback early, their starting quarterback,

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Speaker 1: lost their starting quarterback. It wasn't as bad on the

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Speaker 1: ground as it was through the air, where they just

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Speaker 1: weren't throwing downfield at All I looked at was one

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Speaker 1: hundred and sixteenth in their yards per target, and there

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Speaker 1: were something like ninety fifth nationally in just catching contested passes.

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Speaker 1: All of these measures that we have for is the

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Speaker 1: offense getting chunk plays? Why isn't the offense getting chunk plays?

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Speaker 1: You can point to a thousand different reasons on the

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Speaker 1: Wisconsin side, but it's a real problem, and I think

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Speaker 1: it's part of the reason why whenever you hear us

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Speaker 1: talk about Wisconsin here. Obviously this is the very early

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Speaker 1: part of the preseason. Now, that's the source of the skepticism.

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Speaker 1: That's the source of the skepticism. Now, you could probably

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Speaker 1: speak a little bit more to the point of whether

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Speaker 1: some of the changes Luke Fickle has made or is

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Speaker 1: attempting to make, will have a better effect on this

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Speaker 1: offense as a whole. But you cannot look at this

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Speaker 1: Wisconsin team now in mid March and point a finger,

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Speaker 1: at least in my eyes, at anything other than the

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Speaker 1: lack of explosion, because it really just sort of capped

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Speaker 1: their offense. They couldn't do much because they could not

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Speaker 1: move the ball at least provide that threat of moving

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Speaker 1: the ball in big chunks. And teams knew about it.

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Speaker 2: Right, And look, it's weirdly something that binds together every

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Speaker 2: sport when it's obvious that you can't do something. What

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Speaker 2: that does in terms of changing the other team's game plan.

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Speaker 2: If you can't hit deep balls on a baseball field,

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Speaker 2: the outfield comes in. If you can't hit three pointers,

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Speaker 2: the defense comes in and packs the key. And so

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Speaker 2: when you play with Wisconsin, and you know Brandon Locke

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Speaker 2: is not in the offense. It's not just on him,

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Speaker 2: but he was backup quarterback. That receivers aren't getting open often,

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Speaker 2: that the offensive line isn't opening up huge lanes. You

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Speaker 2: don't need to run an air raid to be an

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Speaker 2: explosive offense, or you don't need to have a first

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Speaker 2: round quarterback to run an explosive offense. You can run

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Speaker 2: an efficient offense. There needs to be a threat of something.

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Speaker 2: There needs to be you know, Noah Fan and TJ.

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Speaker 2: Hawkinson as tight ends in an otherwise not super explosive

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Speaker 2: offense that's sort of built on ball control or this

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Speaker 2: old Stanford tight ends when they were running the ball

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Speaker 2: down people's throats. There needs to be something that at

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Speaker 2: least has the threat of being bad for a defense.

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Speaker 2: And I think that's to your point that there wasn't

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Speaker 2: even an idea of what Wisconsin could do to generate

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Speaker 2: bigger plays.

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Speaker 1: And as I'm sure.

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Speaker 2: You're going to note, or is implied with everything you've

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Speaker 2: already said, you have to play fully mistake free, hyper efficient,

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Speaker 2: four yards at a time football To win with that

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Speaker 2: type of offense, which is kind of.

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Speaker 1: Borderline impossible in college football, well, it's hard to do,

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Speaker 1: especially in a tough conference like the Big Ten, Right,

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Speaker 1: it just is now they have changed their offensive staff.

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Speaker 1: Now they're going to go with Jeff Grimes as a

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Speaker 1: new offensive coordinator. Who knows if that is going to

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Speaker 1: lift this offense in any kind of significant way given

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Speaker 1: the personnel. The Phil Longo thing always kind of felt

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Speaker 1: weird to me. It didn't seem like we were, I

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Speaker 1: don't know, looking at a compatible situation up there, and

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Speaker 1: obviously it hasn't really done a whole lot of good.

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Speaker 1: So we'll see if going in a different direction is

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Speaker 1: enough to fix the issue. You know, if we're talking

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Speaker 1: about it in March, they know about it already up

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Speaker 1: in Madison. This is not, I'm sure, any great surprise

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Speaker 1: to Luke Fickle, but I think that's got to be

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Speaker 1: job one for Jeff Grimes, does it not. I mean,

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Speaker 1: just finding some way to add a little bit more

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Speaker 1: variability to the offense would probably go a long way.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, Well, they've been spenders in the portal space obviously,

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Speaker 2: it's what Billy Edwards coming in from Maryland is going

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Speaker 2: to be the guy who seems to have a higher

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Speaker 2: ceiling than.

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Speaker 1: Where their offense has been.

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Speaker 2: But yeah, I think the idea that they were going

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Speaker 2: to open things up as well as Philongo and North

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Speaker 2: Carolina ran the ball when he was there in a

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Speaker 2: more wide, open, balanced offense, which certainly seemed to be

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Speaker 2: the goal for Wisconsin when they hired him. That Personnel wise,

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Speaker 2: there wasn't a ton of and health has played a role,

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Speaker 2: but star power at running back. I mean Braylan Allen awesome,

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Speaker 2: of course, but behind him and whatever his strengths were

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Speaker 2: and maybe didn't fully align all the time with what

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Speaker 2: Phil Longo was trying to do a couple of years ago.

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Speaker 2: And then the guys recently, in particular last season, I

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Speaker 2: think we're fine. But as a collective, in terms of

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Speaker 2: play calling offensive lineman, the threat of receivers and tight

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Speaker 2: ends consistently, the threat of a quarterback going downfield. I

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Speaker 2: just remember the end of that Oregon game, which was

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Speaker 2: the Wisconsin game I watched closer than any where. Wisconsin

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Speaker 2: had opportunities to drive down the field and win the game,

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Speaker 2: tie the game, whatever, and there was never I don't

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Speaker 2: think if an Oregon fan were watching that game, they

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Speaker 2: would say like, oh, yeah.

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Speaker 1: That was real scary near the end.

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Speaker 2: It's like, no, they were just being overwhelmed by the

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Speaker 2: Oregon defense and didn't really have an opportunity to show anything.

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Speaker 2: So that was that was the issue with Wisconsin. I

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Speaker 2: mean in terms of, like, are you optimistic that they

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Speaker 2: can address that this year?

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Speaker 1: I was optimistic about the Luke Fickle Higher. Yeah, but

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Speaker 1: that optimism has waned a little bit, honestly, right, And

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Speaker 1: I know they weren't helped by injuries and the TVD things. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: that sucked. There's just no way around that. I have

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Speaker 1: tempered optimism. I think at best.

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Speaker 2: Billy Edwards. Again, this is not all on him, but

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Speaker 2: last year at Maryland, Maryland had the one hundred and

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Speaker 2: twenty third most explosive passing offense in America.

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Speaker 1: I've seen flashes from Billy Edwards here and there. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: he obviously needs to do a lot more of it.

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Speaker 1: But I don't hate that signing. Okay, I don't hate it.

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Speaker 1: I want to talk now about Colorado. If we could,

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Speaker 1: let's talk Colorado. So here here is the general sort

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Speaker 1: of quandary that I think Colorado finds itself in. And

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Speaker 1: this is what I sent to you on Slack before

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Speaker 1: we hit record. Here. We didn't really compare too many

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Speaker 1: of our notes, but this is one that I sent

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Speaker 1: to you because I'm just I'm genuinely curious about this.

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Speaker 1: Colorado's leading rusher from a year ago ran for three

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Speaker 1: hundred and seventy three yards and four touchdowns. They basically

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Speaker 1: put it all on shador In, Travis Hunter and a

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Speaker 1: really good receiving court. They had really good receivers. The

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Speaker 1: offense as a whole, I think was pretty good. The

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Speaker 1: line got better, like, there were definitely steps forward for Colorado. Right,

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Speaker 1: this is not me dumping on Colorado.

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Speaker 2: The offensive line still wasn't It wasn't goodlast year, but

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Speaker 2: it wasn't catastrophically bad. It was morally more normal bad.

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Speaker 1: Exactly. It was better than it was the year before. Yes, undeniably. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: the problem that I have this year obviously shador is gone,

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Speaker 1: Travis Hunter is gone. They went out and they got

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Speaker 1: Cayden Salter from Liberty, presumably to come and be their starter. Now.

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Speaker 1: I know they've also gotten some blue chip talent via

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Speaker 1: high school recruiting that could play a factor at some point,

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Speaker 1: but my assumption is right now, mid March, that's going

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Speaker 1: to be Kayden Salter. Caden Salter is not Shadoor Sanders.

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Speaker 1: You're not going to give him the rock and tell

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Speaker 1: him to throw at forty five times a game and

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Speaker 1: expect him to win through the air. Caden Salter is

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Speaker 1: fundamentally a different kind of quarterback. He ran for nearly

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Speaker 1: seven hundred yards a year ago. He's just much more

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Speaker 1: of a read option type of quarterback. Doesn't mean he

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Speaker 1: can't throw, doesn't mean he won't throw. I'm sure he

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Speaker 1: will throw it more in that offense. But the real

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Speaker 1: conundrum I find at this point as I'm looking at

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Speaker 1: these rosters is are they going to change the whole

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Speaker 1: thing up now? After not running basically an entire season,

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Speaker 1: are they now going to switch up to a format

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Speaker 1: that's better for Caden Salter or are they going to

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Speaker 1: try to make him Shador Sanders. Well, I think here's

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Speaker 1: the underlying question too, is Colorado coaches are not dumb.

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Speaker 1: Now you can make the argument they're like, oh, they

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Speaker 1: wanted to really showcase Shador Sanders, it's the coach's son whatever,

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Speaker 1: and they knew they had a huge talent in him.

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Speaker 1: Obviously a huge talent in Travis Hunter. Sure, but it's

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Speaker 1: a question of like, did they know this offensive line

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Speaker 1: wasn't good enough to pave the way consistently for even

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Speaker 1: an average run game. If not, why beat your head

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Speaker 1: against a brick wall when you can throw the ball

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Speaker 1: more successfully than you can even hope to run the ball.

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Speaker 1: So why run for the sake of running to prove

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Speaker 1: to very handsome podcasters like Dan and Tye that you

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Speaker 1: can run when in fact you're not built to run.

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Speaker 1: So if you're not built to run and your running

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Speaker 1: numbers indicate that you don't care about running the ball

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Speaker 1: that much, and you do have a breakthrough season, it

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Speaker 1: almost feels like the right decision was made for the

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Speaker 1: talent on hand. But also, if you can't run long term,

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Speaker 1: what does that mean for your program in short yardage?

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Speaker 1: What does that mean for your program in the red zone?

431
00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:21,359
Speaker 1: And they were a good red zone team last year,

432
00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:24,280
Speaker 1: but can you keep getting away with not having that

433
00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:28,720
Speaker 1: option in high leverage moments? I think your implication there

434
00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:31,600
Speaker 1: is correct. Yeah, I mean their offensive coordinator is Pat Shermer.

435
00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:36,840
Speaker 1: Pat Shermer's NFL guy. He runs NFL systems, that's kind

436
00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,919
Speaker 1: of his his go buy. I just I find it

437
00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:42,560
Speaker 1: very hard to believe they're going to change the whole

438
00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:44,920
Speaker 1: offense up now that they've got a different style quarterback,

439
00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:46,920
Speaker 1: and I don't know if he necessarily fits what they're

440
00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:49,160
Speaker 1: trying to do. I could be wrong, right, I mean,

441
00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:51,920
Speaker 1: Colorad approved a lot of people wrong this past season.

442
00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:53,879
Speaker 1: They had a good year, and good on Dion for

443
00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:56,040
Speaker 1: that and for sticking around. I'm curious to see what

444
00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:59,600
Speaker 1: this next chapter looks like. But that personnel decision, to me,

445
00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:02,760
Speaker 1: feels a little bit off, and I'm genuinely curious to

446
00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:05,479
Speaker 1: see if that's something that they fix. You know, it

447
00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:07,600
Speaker 1: was a huge deficiency. We talked about it all throughout

448
00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:09,160
Speaker 1: the course of the air. To your point, it didn't

449
00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:11,360
Speaker 1: necessarily come back to bite them that much because they

450
00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:14,840
Speaker 1: just committed to Shador and getting the job done through

451
00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:16,840
Speaker 1: the air. But I do think now if they're going

452
00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:18,920
Speaker 1: to go in this Caiden Salter direction for any period

453
00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,440
Speaker 1: of time, that's the thing that they need to fix.

454
00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:24,480
Speaker 1: And I have not seen great steps in the direction

455
00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:26,439
Speaker 1: of trying to fix it. So we'll see. I don't know.

456
00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,680
Speaker 2: Yeah, So obviously the offensive line will look a little

457
00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:31,479
Speaker 2: bit new last year, but there are a bunch of

458
00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:33,359
Speaker 2: dudes returning on both sides of the ball.

459
00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:37,440
Speaker 1: It's also a matter of Colorado should be good enough

460
00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:40,480
Speaker 1: to be up for sometimes with three and a half

461
00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:44,120
Speaker 1: minutes left. Yeah, you kind of have to be able

462
00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:46,280
Speaker 1: to at least run the ball. You got to figure

463
00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:50,840
Speaker 1: out ways to possess in those moments that If they're

464
00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,760
Speaker 1: still struggling to run the ball and keep running quality

465
00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:56,960
Speaker 1: running backs around Dylan Edwards obviously back to Kansas State

466
00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:01,760
Speaker 1: before last season, then it's a pretty sizable question about

467
00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:05,760
Speaker 1: what Colorado's ceiling is and what it should be. If

468
00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:09,199
Speaker 1: they are able to build out a more formidable rushing attack,

469
00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:13,640
Speaker 1: we'll see. I mean, they've got it's not just Caden Salter, right,

470
00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:17,800
Speaker 1: It's four other guys on this offense. They've got a receiver,

471
00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:20,679
Speaker 1: they've got two linemen, and they've got a tight end

472
00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:22,520
Speaker 1: that they're bringing in. All these guys are coming over

473
00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:25,679
Speaker 1: via transfers. They're not the only transfers on the roster

474
00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:30,320
Speaker 1: on offense. I mean, Colorado now kind of has established

475
00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:31,760
Speaker 1: itself as a team that's going to go out and

476
00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:33,400
Speaker 1: work the portal, and they've done a pretty good job

477
00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:36,920
Speaker 1: of that all things considered. But I'm just I'm very

478
00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,399
Speaker 1: very skittish on this decision to go Caden Salter. I

479
00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:41,159
Speaker 1: totally agree.

480
00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:42,600
Speaker 2: I'm going to stay in the Big Twelve if I

481
00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:46,960
Speaker 2: may please. Kansas State's fascinating to me because if you

482
00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:50,000
Speaker 2: look at way too early evaluations of the Big Twelve,

483
00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:52,639
Speaker 2: Kansas State is at or near the top because of

484
00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:56,800
Speaker 2: what they return, especially in the backfield Till Netwards, Avery Johnson.

485
00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:00,840
Speaker 2: They had winnable games last year, or they had games

486
00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:04,560
Speaker 2: in which, all things being equal, could have been a

487
00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:05,880
Speaker 2: win if not.

488
00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:10,120
Speaker 1: For turnovers, turnovers, Kansas.

489
00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:15,320
Speaker 2: State interceptions, fumbles letting games get out of hand. That

490
00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:19,520
Speaker 2: BYU game winnable games like Pharmageddon with I think it

491
00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:22,720
Speaker 2: was two short field touchdowns for Iowa State off of fumbles.

492
00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:27,320
Speaker 2: That was it was. You know, turnovers can be random.

493
00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:29,679
Speaker 2: You can fumble it and recover a fumble, as we know.

494
00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:33,200
Speaker 2: You can fumble it and lose a fumble as we know. Sure,

495
00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:36,760
Speaker 2: And there's bad luck with interceptions. You know, a perfect

496
00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:39,680
Speaker 2: pass that gets tipped or a receiver runs the wrong

497
00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:41,879
Speaker 2: route and it's not on the quarterback because that was

498
00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:45,000
Speaker 2: where the ball should have been thrown. But Avery Johnson

499
00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:49,679
Speaker 2: still was undisciplined as a first year starting quarterback for

500
00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:53,159
Speaker 2: Kansas State. Now sort of offensive coordinator change and that

501
00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:56,240
Speaker 2: Matt Wells fully assumes, but he's been there, fully assumes

502
00:26:56,280 --> 00:27:02,520
Speaker 2: the role of offensive coordinator. We'll see, I assume right

503
00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:04,919
Speaker 2: now in terms of mental reps, in terms of tape,

504
00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:09,040
Speaker 2: in terms of getting his first post starter spring, Avery

505
00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:10,360
Speaker 2: Johnson's gonna be better this year.

506
00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:14,119
Speaker 1: Now. I don't think they have a deep roster of

507
00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:18,640
Speaker 1: star power at receivers, but getting jas brown back has

508
00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:21,320
Speaker 1: like the clear number one. Losing a couple guys to

509
00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:23,680
Speaker 1: the portal, bringing in a couple guys into the portal.

510
00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:26,480
Speaker 1: I just I feel like Kansas State's always going to

511
00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:32,320
Speaker 1: figure out offensive line. It's sort of just discipline.

512
00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:36,239
Speaker 2: It's ball security, and it's understanding where defenses are, how

513
00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:41,080
Speaker 2: to read a defense pre snap, having communication and you know,

514
00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:43,800
Speaker 2: working with receivers in the summer, in the spring, whatever,

515
00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:47,159
Speaker 2: that everybody's on the same page. Because I believe the

516
00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:49,800
Speaker 2: best of Avery Johnson to be an all big twelve

517
00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:55,320
Speaker 2: caliber quarterback. Yeah, and so Kansas State just, I mean,

518
00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:57,560
Speaker 2: is a nice win laid against Kansas in a back

519
00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:01,760
Speaker 2: and forth game. Kansasate just took themselves out of opportunities

520
00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:03,919
Speaker 2: too often. Now, some of that was on the defense,

521
00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:05,520
Speaker 2: gave up way too many big plays. They were a

522
00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:10,159
Speaker 2: bad tackling team uncharacteristically last season, but even with that,

523
00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:14,119
Speaker 2: there were opportunities to close out games, win games, and

524
00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:16,080
Speaker 2: they want a couple close ones like the Colorado one.

525
00:28:16,119 --> 00:28:18,560
Speaker 2: Was very impressive going to Boulder and winning that game.

526
00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:21,040
Speaker 1: But I don't know.

527
00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:23,720
Speaker 2: As soon as I see a quarterback throwing double digit picks,

528
00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:26,639
Speaker 2: I think to myself, hard to imagine that there's a

529
00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:28,879
Speaker 2: bigger issue right now with this team.

530
00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:29,560
Speaker 1: And so.

531
00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:34,840
Speaker 2: I really don't doubt Kansas State's ceiling because Avery Johnson

532
00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:37,359
Speaker 2: offers so much. I think there's so many more positives

533
00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:40,160
Speaker 2: to say about him than negatives. But to me, it's

534
00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:44,840
Speaker 2: just a discipline turnover randomness that it's going to come

535
00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:48,760
Speaker 2: with age and experience, which lucky for Avery Johnson, we're

536
00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:50,880
Speaker 2: all getting older and more experienced every minute.

537
00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:52,760
Speaker 1: Tie Father time waits for no man.

538
00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:56,120
Speaker 2: So that's what I have for Kansas State, that there

539
00:28:56,120 --> 00:28:58,320
Speaker 2: are so many interesting pieces on both sides of the ball,

540
00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,200
Speaker 2: promising pieces. Obviously, they've they've always been sort of active

541
00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:04,960
Speaker 2: in the portal that if receivers are there and we

542
00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:07,000
Speaker 2: know at least one is, and we know running back

543
00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:09,120
Speaker 2: is there. In Dylan Edwards DJ Giddens for all of

544
00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:11,200
Speaker 2: the greatness that he was last year. I think we

545
00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:14,960
Speaker 2: went for over thirteen hundred yards. Can't drop the ball,

546
00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:18,320
Speaker 2: can't get the ball stripped, and that was a difference

547
00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:22,200
Speaker 2: maker in Kansas State season last year. That lucky for them.

548
00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:26,400
Speaker 2: Turnovers can be random and there's no clear indication that

549
00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:28,440
Speaker 2: you know if your turnover prone one year that you

550
00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:31,480
Speaker 2: will be the next year. So I feel good about

551
00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,960
Speaker 2: Kansas State's ability to bounce back. It's a weird but

552
00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:36,320
Speaker 2: kind of nice schedule too.

553
00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:38,360
Speaker 1: Yeah, I was just looking at well, they of course

554
00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:40,600
Speaker 1: had the Pharmageddon game, which they open up Week zero

555
00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:45,040
Speaker 1: in Ireland in Ireland, Yeah, which is very strange. But nonetheless,

556
00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:47,960
Speaker 1: it seems like it is spaced out pretty well. It

557
00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:51,080
Speaker 1: doesn't seem like there are any true gauntlets on the

558
00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:55,400
Speaker 1: schedule that concern me. And again we keep bringing this up,

559
00:29:55,400 --> 00:29:59,080
Speaker 1: and we talked about the Big Twelve. But like, stability

560
00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:02,840
Speaker 1: is currency in this era of college football, and certainly

561
00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:06,160
Speaker 1: in the Big Twelve, stability is currency. There are a

562
00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:08,040
Speaker 1: bunch of teams in this conference. I have no idea

563
00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:08,760
Speaker 1: what to expect.

564
00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:13,040
Speaker 2: You're absolutely right, and by the way, just in terms

565
00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:16,600
Speaker 2: of like the let's accept this program as having a

566
00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:19,720
Speaker 2: year in, year out good defense. How many are on there?

567
00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:23,000
Speaker 2: Not many Like Iowa State. I don't know if I

568
00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:24,680
Speaker 2: fully believe it. With Army, I haven't looked at their

569
00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:30,240
Speaker 2: roster this season yet. Arizona, UCF, Baylor, TCU, Kansas, Texas Tech,

570
00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:33,320
Speaker 2: Oklahoma State, I mean, Colorado and Utah. Utah had a

571
00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:37,120
Speaker 2: good defense all things considered. Colorado's defense, you know, vastly improved.

572
00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:42,840
Speaker 2: But there's a lot out there for thirty five to

573
00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:47,080
Speaker 2: forty two point performances. Oh completely, completely, a lot of

574
00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:50,880
Speaker 2: quarterback questions, right, I'm just saying, strictly in terms of defense,

575
00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:55,120
Speaker 2: just playing mistake free, semi explosive football should get Kansas

576
00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:55,960
Speaker 2: State to eight nine wins.

577
00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:59,640
Speaker 1: Again, totally agree. Let me actually stick with that point

578
00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:02,320
Speaker 1: of turn because you're talking about Kansas State, let's talk

579
00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:09,600
Speaker 1: about Arkansas. Arkansas was in sort of similar position. If

580
00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:12,720
Speaker 1: you're comparing Avery Johnson, we could compare him to Taylor

581
00:31:12,800 --> 00:31:20,040
Speaker 1: Green SU and Arkansas had a pretty interesting case of

582
00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:25,200
Speaker 1: fumble lightis slash, uh, well, throw a toast. I don't

583
00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:28,920
Speaker 1: know I'm making this up, but their turnover margin on

584
00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:32,840
Speaker 1: the year was negative eight per Bill's numbers, they were

585
00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:34,959
Speaker 1: actually a little bit lucky. So they were a thro

586
00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:38,600
Speaker 1: negative for Taylor Green's blood type throw negative. That sounds

587
00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:41,240
Speaker 1: like that, right, Okay, he was the best of him,

588
00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:43,960
Speaker 1: was so so good though, But yeah, talk about highs

589
00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:48,360
Speaker 1: and lows. Man. Yeah, Bill says they were actually a

590
00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:50,960
Speaker 1: little bit lucky in the turnover department, and even still

591
00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:53,800
Speaker 1: they were among the worst in college football. There were

592
00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:56,880
Speaker 1: a couple close games. As an Arkansas fans, I'm sure no, Well,

593
00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:00,240
Speaker 1: I think it was what three losses by one or

594
00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:07,440
Speaker 1: like whenever you are having turnover issues. Yeah, clearly it's

595
00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:10,480
Speaker 1: close games like that where it can show its ugly face.

596
00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:14,480
Speaker 1: Tailor Green threw nine picks on the year. He fumbled

597
00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:19,760
Speaker 1: eight times. Now he only lost four of them. But still, yeah,

598
00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:24,200
Speaker 1: if you're painting a picture, it is not unreasonable to

599
00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:27,640
Speaker 1: say that there's some ball security issues there, Yes, with

600
00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:29,840
Speaker 1: tail and Green, maybe trying to do a little too much,

601
00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:33,160
Speaker 1: maybe trying to make a play. To your point, like

602
00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:36,720
Speaker 1: the best of Tailing Green's awesome. He's a big dude.

603
00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:39,360
Speaker 1: He's a big dude. He can run, he can throw,

604
00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:41,520
Speaker 1: He's got a lot of physical tools that I think

605
00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:45,280
Speaker 1: make him a really really interesting prospect, but he needs

606
00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:48,360
Speaker 1: to hone the game. He can't turn the ball over,

607
00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:52,800
Speaker 1: can't fumble eight times right, work on those drills where

608
00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:55,200
Speaker 1: they're running through the gall and everybody's slapping at the

609
00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:58,200
Speaker 1: ball or something. You know. I don't know, but they

610
00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:00,480
Speaker 1: got to find some way for this coming and to

611
00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:02,400
Speaker 1: make him a little bit more responsible with the football.

612
00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:05,000
Speaker 1: The wise Arkansas is going to find itself and perhaps

613
00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:08,440
Speaker 1: an equally frustrating situation because if your Arkansas, the schedule

614
00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:11,400
Speaker 1: never eases up. They got Notre Dame this year as well.

615
00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:14,520
Speaker 1: Like it's it's going to be a tough road as

616
00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:16,840
Speaker 1: you would expect for an SEC West team or former

617
00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:21,400
Speaker 1: SEC West team. Taylor Green has potential to booy this

618
00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:23,200
Speaker 1: whole thing, but he's got to get better at not

619
00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:24,200
Speaker 1: turning the football over.

620
00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:26,200
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it's it's really it's what are you

621
00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:28,520
Speaker 2: leaving on the table? Where's the meat on the bone?

622
00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:30,720
Speaker 2: And you look at the Miszoo game. Zoo had two

623
00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:33,640
Speaker 2: touchdown drives under I think it was forty yards or fewer.

624
00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:36,600
Speaker 2: The Oklahoma Stake game was obviously winnable. The text A

625
00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:40,600
Speaker 2: and M game was obviously winnable, and It's easy to

626
00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:44,760
Speaker 2: say this one play cost them the game, but it's

627
00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:49,840
Speaker 2: the it's the typical undisciplined style of any team that

628
00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:54,560
Speaker 2: shows you short field touchdown, short field touchdown, special teams touchdown.

629
00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:59,080
Speaker 2: Those types of mistakes on the margins are killer. They're

630
00:33:59,080 --> 00:34:02,520
Speaker 2: absolutely killer. Whatever you give Miszoo, a team that was

631
00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:07,040
Speaker 2: struggling with defenses this season. Obviously they weren't a hugely

632
00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:09,200
Speaker 2: explosive passing offense like we thought they were going to be.

633
00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:12,960
Speaker 2: You give them short fields, you give them opportunities, you

634
00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,640
Speaker 2: get your own defense worn down because of those turnovers.

635
00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:19,799
Speaker 2: I mean, it's not unfair to say Arkansas absolutely left

636
00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:22,319
Speaker 2: three winnable games on the table this year.

637
00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:26,640
Speaker 1: Let me let me go back to the Big twelve

638
00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:29,600
Speaker 1: here for a second. Please, I'll talk about Texas Tech.

639
00:34:29,680 --> 00:34:31,320
Speaker 1: I think we're gonna be talking a lot about Texas

640
00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:35,239
Speaker 1: Tech this Yeah, Texas Tech had last season what I

641
00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:39,239
Speaker 1: referred to here as a severe case of slipnosis.

642
00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:42,840
Speaker 2: By the way, I have an alt for uh, because

643
00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:47,280
Speaker 2: you said fumbleitis. Yeah, Uh throws empic, throws empic, perfect,

644
00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:50,560
Speaker 2: throws empic obviously throws ending up in a loss.

645
00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:56,600
Speaker 1: Perfect. Thank you slip nooses for Texas Tech. Okay, and

646
00:34:56,640 --> 00:35:00,000
Speaker 1: this is because they were a horrible tackling team. Yeah,

647
00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:05,040
Speaker 1: horrible tackling team. And it just affects everything. It affects everything.

648
00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:08,480
Speaker 1: One hundred and thirty third nationally in tackle rate tackle

649
00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:11,319
Speaker 1: success rate. Again, I don't know how they compute these things.

650
00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:15,160
Speaker 1: I trust the people that do. That's a bad number. Yeah,

651
00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:18,400
Speaker 1: and it kind of leads to other deficiencies. Right, one

652
00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:21,600
Speaker 1: hundred and thirteenth in have ac rate. So they're not

653
00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:25,520
Speaker 1: good at stopping plays or creating plays with their defense.

654
00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:28,000
Speaker 1: It's basically they made a change. They made a change.

655
00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:30,880
Speaker 1: It didn't make a change. It did make a change.

656
00:35:30,920 --> 00:35:33,760
Speaker 1: And I think if I'm trying to put a positive

657
00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:36,759
Speaker 1: spin on this, that's where I go next. A a

658
00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:41,040
Speaker 1: ton of returning production. Their first nationally in returning production

659
00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:43,399
Speaker 1: on defense. They bring back eighty two percent of their

660
00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:47,239
Speaker 1: production crew a year ago. Again, to the point, is

661
00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:50,359
Speaker 1: that good because the defense was bad? I don't know. Well,

662
00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:52,399
Speaker 1: they bring a new coordinator in, that's the But they're

663
00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:55,279
Speaker 1: bringing in Shieldwood, right, they're bringing Shelwood. He comes over

664
00:35:55,280 --> 00:35:58,160
Speaker 1: from Houston. Selwood has been with seven different teams over

665
00:35:58,200 --> 00:35:59,040
Speaker 1: the last eight years.

666
00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:03,800
Speaker 2: Jim Cheney coordinator consultants.

667
00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:06,759
Speaker 1: There's a little bit of Jim Cheney hired Gunniss going

668
00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:09,399
Speaker 1: on there with shit would but guys only forty two.

669
00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:12,160
Speaker 1: He's I think, widely assumed to be kind of an

670
00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:16,560
Speaker 1: up and comer in the defensive coordination world, in the

671
00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:22,480
Speaker 1: coaching world in college football to get Houston last season

672
00:36:23,320 --> 00:36:25,920
Speaker 1: to be a top fifty defense amid all of the

673
00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:29,399
Speaker 1: coaching changes and roster turnover, no offense. There was no

674
00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:32,040
Speaker 1: offense for Houston, no offense to speak of. That was

675
00:36:32,239 --> 00:36:35,040
Speaker 1: a decent enough defense. He did a good job. He

676
00:36:35,080 --> 00:36:37,800
Speaker 1: had come over with Willie Fritz from Tulane year prior,

677
00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:39,680
Speaker 1: and like I said, there were a bunch of stops

678
00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:42,279
Speaker 1: before that, but he did a good job. I am

679
00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:44,000
Speaker 1: curious to see and I think this will be a

680
00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:50,399
Speaker 1: really really interesting test case for can a coordinator lead

681
00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:56,640
Speaker 1: to more discipline right away? Right? We will know because

682
00:36:57,239 --> 00:36:59,480
Speaker 1: it really can't get much worse for Texas Tech. They

683
00:36:59,520 --> 00:37:02,640
Speaker 1: were undis plan. They didn't tackle. Well, let's see what

684
00:37:02,680 --> 00:37:05,680
Speaker 1: sheil Wood can do coming over and if his system

685
00:37:05,719 --> 00:37:08,160
Speaker 1: is a better fit and if it can take hole quickly,

686
00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:10,879
Speaker 1: it's going to need to take hole quickly. I think

687
00:37:10,920 --> 00:37:15,520
Speaker 1: Texas Tech, among many other offseason storylines on the Tech front,

688
00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:19,680
Speaker 1: is serious about trying to build something. They have been spenders.

689
00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:23,680
Speaker 1: They are absolutely spenders. They are trying as best they

690
00:37:23,719 --> 00:37:25,839
Speaker 1: can to try and turn this into something this coming year.

691
00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:28,359
Speaker 1: I think they like their coach, but I think they

692
00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:30,919
Speaker 1: know across the board that it needs to get better.

693
00:37:31,360 --> 00:37:36,799
Speaker 1: They need to raise that benchmark, so Shell would like.

694
00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:39,239
Speaker 1: I think that's how they try to fix the tackling

695
00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:41,560
Speaker 1: and the havoc rates and stuff like that. Again, it

696
00:37:41,600 --> 00:37:44,880
Speaker 1: does not need to be a top ten caliber defense.

697
00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:48,360
Speaker 1: It just needs to be marginally better because the offense

698
00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:49,839
Speaker 1: I still think will be pretty good.

699
00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:52,600
Speaker 2: Well, here's the important thing too, Texas Tech spent on

700
00:37:52,719 --> 00:37:56,319
Speaker 2: defense in the portal. Yes that Texas Tech in their

701
00:37:56,360 --> 00:38:00,200
Speaker 2: priorities seem to be in the defensive backfield and defensive line,

702
00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:03,719
Speaker 2: and so the easiest way to get better at defense

703
00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:06,600
Speaker 2: is to bring in better players. So, yes, you're right

704
00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:10,080
Speaker 2: to point out the returning production overall, but that they're

705
00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:14,080
Speaker 2: bringing in highly thought of defensive transfers at both corner

706
00:38:14,120 --> 00:38:18,279
Speaker 2: and along the defensive line and a new coordinator. The

707
00:38:18,320 --> 00:38:21,520
Speaker 2: best case scenario is the Texas Tech defense is now

708
00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:25,000
Speaker 2: a mystery that nobody has a really good concept with

709
00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:27,719
Speaker 2: shield Wood, right, the defensive coordinator, what he's going to

710
00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:29,920
Speaker 2: do with these players, how these players are going to

711
00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:33,480
Speaker 2: fit in with the existing and returning players, and that

712
00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:35,719
Speaker 2: Texas Tech and adding some of the firepower that they

713
00:38:35,719 --> 00:38:38,759
Speaker 2: did on offense, especially along the offensive line. That if

714
00:38:38,800 --> 00:38:41,400
Speaker 2: the offense is playing better, then maybe teams are you know,

715
00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:43,359
Speaker 2: all the all of a sudden down double digits and

716
00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:46,319
Speaker 2: playing you know, sloppy football to try to claw back

717
00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:49,200
Speaker 2: into games which can force mistakes. Like there's a good

718
00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:54,799
Speaker 2: amount of complimentary positivity that should be ingested about Texas Tech.

719
00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:56,279
Speaker 1: That's barely English. I understand that.

720
00:38:57,360 --> 00:39:00,359
Speaker 2: But no, that's why hopes are high. That they've been

721
00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:03,720
Speaker 2: aggressive in terms of making coaching changes, making personnel changes

722
00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:06,080
Speaker 2: and that. And I don't have the numbers here. I

723
00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:08,000
Speaker 2: assume they were like one of the absolute worst teams

724
00:39:08,040 --> 00:39:10,120
Speaker 2: in terms of allowing explosive plays.

725
00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:12,600
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, Texas Tech. It was all pretty bad. That

726
00:39:13,719 --> 00:39:19,000
Speaker 1: the quickest way to allow fewer better tacklers, better pass rushers,

727
00:39:19,080 --> 00:39:21,200
Speaker 1: you know, better coverage guys. And that's what it seems

728
00:39:21,239 --> 00:39:24,080
Speaker 1: like Texas Tech has done so in terms of like

729
00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:26,879
Speaker 1: looking at all of these teams that we've mentioned so far,

730
00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:29,840
Speaker 1: it almost seems like Texas Tech has done the most

731
00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:34,600
Speaker 1: correctible thing. Well I think so, and it at a minimum,

732
00:39:35,040 --> 00:39:37,359
Speaker 1: it seems as if they're serious about trying to make

733
00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:40,360
Speaker 1: the whole thing better. Yeah. So, if you're one of

734
00:39:40,400 --> 00:39:43,960
Speaker 1: the many Tech fans who are hanging out on Texas

735
00:39:43,960 --> 00:39:46,640
Speaker 1: Tech message boards talk about the soliverbal thank you for that.

736
00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:49,200
Speaker 1: By the way. Obviously obviously read all these message boards.

737
00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:51,880
Speaker 1: I know you're out there. We appreciate all the links

738
00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:54,960
Speaker 1: you posted about our show when we were talking about

739
00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:58,760
Speaker 1: Texas Tech this past season. I would welcome Tech fans

740
00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:01,000
Speaker 1: to weigh in and let us know your thoughts on

741
00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:04,200
Speaker 1: some of these offseason moves because there's been a lot

742
00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:06,320
Speaker 1: and I think again, as a fan of a team,

743
00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:09,719
Speaker 1: all you really care about, you you want there to

744
00:40:09,719 --> 00:40:12,919
Speaker 1: be wins, for sure, because that's the name of the game.

745
00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:15,759
Speaker 1: But you also want to know that the administration, that

746
00:40:15,760 --> 00:40:17,719
Speaker 1: the people running the thing are serious about trying to

747
00:40:17,719 --> 00:40:22,040
Speaker 1: get better, because I would lose count if I tried

748
00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:24,239
Speaker 1: to name all the schools that you can't say that

749
00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:27,560
Speaker 1: for Texas Tech is I think in a good spot.

750
00:40:27,719 --> 00:40:30,480
Speaker 1: Texas Tech, I think is committed to trying to get better.

751
00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:33,000
Speaker 1: I'm just curious to hear from people if you think

752
00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:33,640
Speaker 1: it's going to work.

753
00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:36,719
Speaker 2: I mean, I saw that one of their major boosters

754
00:40:36,719 --> 00:40:39,319
Speaker 2: sold his oil and gas company for four point four

755
00:40:39,320 --> 00:40:41,960
Speaker 2: billion dollars. It helps, That does help. That's a really

756
00:40:42,080 --> 00:40:44,920
Speaker 2: nice starting point. Should also mention my fun fact you

757
00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:46,959
Speaker 2: mentioned some of the fun facts that you enjoyed about

758
00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:50,400
Speaker 2: last season, or like Illinois being the highest alphabetical school

759
00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:53,360
Speaker 2: in the Big Ten. Texas Tech beat both teams in

760
00:40:53,360 --> 00:40:56,160
Speaker 2: the Big Twelve championship games. Yes, they dare so their

761
00:40:56,200 --> 00:41:00,600
Speaker 2: starting point is at their ceiling and at opt health.

762
00:41:01,120 --> 00:41:03,839
Speaker 2: They can beat the best of the conference and not

763
00:41:04,200 --> 00:41:06,560
Speaker 2: make the conference championship game themselves.

764
00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:09,200
Speaker 1: Tech was Tech was one of the most fascinating teams

765
00:41:09,239 --> 00:41:12,480
Speaker 1: a year ago. Yeah, and there were so many statistical

766
00:41:12,520 --> 00:41:15,600
Speaker 1: anomalies on this sheet that we use every week that

767
00:41:16,680 --> 00:41:19,080
Speaker 1: you have a couple teams like that every year, you

768
00:41:19,120 --> 00:41:21,920
Speaker 1: know where it's like it doesn't all fit together, it

769
00:41:21,920 --> 00:41:25,840
Speaker 1: doesn't make sense. Tech was one of those teams.

770
00:41:26,120 --> 00:41:29,120
Speaker 2: Yeah, so we'll see where it goes this year. Giving

771
00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:34,040
Speaker 2: up forty eight points to last year's Oklahoma state team

772
00:41:34,320 --> 00:41:38,080
Speaker 2: in a winning effort is unacceptable. Giving up sixty to

773
00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:42,040
Speaker 2: Baylor in a losing effort. It's unacceptable, and that seemed

774
00:41:42,080 --> 00:41:44,880
Speaker 2: to be the tack the exact like the minute the

775
00:41:44,920 --> 00:41:46,719
Speaker 2: season ended, they're like, all right, what are we? What

776
00:41:46,760 --> 00:41:49,840
Speaker 2: are we doing to never go through that specific and

777
00:41:49,840 --> 00:41:53,640
Speaker 2: tex Attack unfortunately has like a fraught defensive recent history,

778
00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:57,840
Speaker 2: but it's never been a better time to quickly fix that.

779
00:41:58,000 --> 00:41:58,399
Speaker 1: Right now.

780
00:41:59,640 --> 00:42:01,600
Speaker 2: I want to go to who's next time? I'm gonna

781
00:42:01,600 --> 00:42:05,040
Speaker 2: go to USC, oh, because I guess there is Quintin

782
00:42:05,239 --> 00:42:06,680
Speaker 2: Joiner connective tissue?

783
00:42:07,040 --> 00:42:09,680
Speaker 1: Okay? Is is that who went to Texas Tech? From USC.

784
00:42:11,640 --> 00:42:18,800
Speaker 1: USC's issue to me is a little bit more ah vague.

785
00:42:19,880 --> 00:42:24,040
Speaker 2: It's finishing games or being prepared to finish games, especially

786
00:42:24,080 --> 00:42:26,040
Speaker 2: on the road. So I don't know if it's a

787
00:42:26,080 --> 00:42:28,480
Speaker 2: body clock thing. I don't know if it's a preparedness thing.

788
00:42:28,480 --> 00:42:30,000
Speaker 2: I don't know if it's a fitness thing. At the

789
00:42:30,080 --> 00:42:34,800
Speaker 2: end of games USC's off season, their twenty twenty five

790
00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:38,200
Speaker 2: recruiting class, the way that they've decided to approach or

791
00:42:38,280 --> 00:42:41,440
Speaker 2: not approach changes needed that. They stepped up financially with

792
00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:43,200
Speaker 2: Danton Lynn when he was starting to get attention.

793
00:42:43,280 --> 00:42:45,840
Speaker 1: I think from I think Penn state where he played.

794
00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:50,560
Speaker 2: When their defensive coordinator job became open, Lincoln Riley talked

795
00:42:50,560 --> 00:42:54,840
Speaker 2: about this that you know they're they're like undefeated until

796
00:42:54,840 --> 00:42:56,800
Speaker 2: like the last minute of all these different games, and

797
00:42:56,840 --> 00:43:00,239
Speaker 2: they were terrible on the road with losses against Minnesota

798
00:43:00,320 --> 00:43:05,200
Speaker 2: and Washington, Michigan and Maryland. Minnesota, Michigan, Maryland. Yeah. Uh,

799
00:43:06,360 --> 00:43:09,600
Speaker 2: they make a quarterback change. I wouldn't say going to

800
00:43:09,680 --> 00:43:14,399
Speaker 2: Jade Mayova was a change in search of reliability and

801
00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:17,399
Speaker 2: risk aversion because he was still throwing the ball up.

802
00:43:17,719 --> 00:43:21,360
Speaker 2: He still threw two absolutely backbreaking print backbreaking picks to

803
00:43:21,440 --> 00:43:24,120
Speaker 2: Notre Dame in near the end of the season.

804
00:43:24,120 --> 00:43:25,560
Speaker 1: I should say, but.

805
00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:31,880
Speaker 2: There is something about USC with they can't keep losing

806
00:43:32,000 --> 00:43:35,400
Speaker 2: like this multiple years in a row. Their schedule is

807
00:43:35,719 --> 00:43:39,680
Speaker 2: awesome this year, their schedule means they should be taking

808
00:43:39,719 --> 00:43:43,320
Speaker 2: a step forward. I don't think their defense has actual

809
00:43:43,360 --> 00:43:44,480
Speaker 2: guys this year.

810
00:43:44,640 --> 00:43:45,040
Speaker 1: Up front.

811
00:43:45,080 --> 00:43:46,680
Speaker 2: I know they you know, they're active in the portal.

812
00:43:46,719 --> 00:43:49,480
Speaker 2: Once again, they lose some key pass catchers and you

813
00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:52,400
Speaker 2: know Zack Rye Branch and Deuce Robinson and Kyroen Hudson.

814
00:43:52,680 --> 00:43:55,800
Speaker 2: These were like top five receivers for USC last season.

815
00:43:56,520 --> 00:43:59,520
Speaker 2: But to me, it is almost just a mental thing

816
00:43:59,560 --> 00:44:03,320
Speaker 2: with you s like to have guys in the huddle

817
00:44:03,800 --> 00:44:07,840
Speaker 2: who don't have the mindset of like, here we go again,

818
00:44:08,320 --> 00:44:09,840
Speaker 2: with three and a half minutes left.

819
00:44:09,719 --> 00:44:11,520
Speaker 1: Oller instinct, you're talking about killer instinct.

820
00:44:11,520 --> 00:44:14,880
Speaker 2: I'm talking about total killer instinct and such confidence in

821
00:44:14,960 --> 00:44:19,160
Speaker 2: their preparation that they can finish games across the country

822
00:44:19,320 --> 00:44:22,600
Speaker 2: being in College Park or Minneapolis or something like that,

823
00:44:22,719 --> 00:44:25,680
Speaker 2: or even on the West coast in Seattle. They are

824
00:44:25,719 --> 00:44:30,480
Speaker 2: in Eugene this season, I believe, But otherwise their home

825
00:44:30,560 --> 00:44:34,880
Speaker 2: road splits are pretty great. The interesting thing with USC

826
00:44:35,160 --> 00:44:36,480
Speaker 2: is you look at the teams and you're like, oh,

827
00:44:36,480 --> 00:44:38,920
Speaker 2: there's not a lot of killers on this schedule, but

828
00:44:39,080 --> 00:44:42,960
Speaker 2: the roster of head coaches that they play is quietly

829
00:44:43,080 --> 00:44:45,640
Speaker 2: very impressive, even if the teams and the rosters and

830
00:44:45,680 --> 00:44:48,480
Speaker 2: the recent results aren't like it's Matt Rule and Jonathan

831
00:44:48,480 --> 00:44:50,720
Speaker 2: Smith and Dan Lane, Like, there's a lot of really

832
00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:53,120
Speaker 2: tough coaches on this schedule that if we're talking about

833
00:44:53,160 --> 00:44:57,960
Speaker 2: late game maneuverability and Lincoln Riley not having Miller Moss

834
00:44:58,040 --> 00:45:01,200
Speaker 2: or Jade Mayova ready with as you said, killer instinct

835
00:45:01,239 --> 00:45:05,920
Speaker 2: at the end of games, like, can these coaches figure

836
00:45:05,920 --> 00:45:09,600
Speaker 2: out ways once again with inferior rosters in some regards

837
00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:13,400
Speaker 2: to eke out wins against a more talented favorite in USC.

838
00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:16,640
Speaker 2: So that to me is like, it's a culture, it's

839
00:45:16,680 --> 00:45:19,799
Speaker 2: a mindset thing for USC. There's still talent on both

840
00:45:19,840 --> 00:45:22,799
Speaker 2: sides of the ball. You know, Eric Gentry is back

841
00:45:22,840 --> 00:45:26,640
Speaker 2: at linebacker, Makayle Lemon and Jacoby Lane at receivers should

842
00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:29,319
Speaker 2: be great, we'll see it. Running Back Jade Mayava has

843
00:45:29,360 --> 00:45:31,560
Speaker 2: now like a full off season as like knowing he's

844
00:45:31,640 --> 00:45:35,720
Speaker 2: the guy, which is interesting to me. They made interesting

845
00:45:35,800 --> 00:45:39,240
Speaker 2: changes on the offensive line, you know, I think promising

846
00:45:39,320 --> 00:45:42,280
Speaker 2: dudes from Syracuse and Purdue. But to me, once again,

847
00:45:42,840 --> 00:45:47,200
Speaker 2: how do you correct it? It's killer, it's cultural, it's confidence.

848
00:45:47,280 --> 00:45:50,600
Speaker 2: I guess those are all cuss sounds, and it's it's

849
00:45:50,640 --> 00:45:54,279
Speaker 2: one of those things that starts now that it's so

850
00:45:54,440 --> 00:45:57,319
Speaker 2: obvious what their formative offense is, what their hurry up

851
00:45:57,360 --> 00:46:00,440
Speaker 2: offense is with you know, no timeouts or the end

852
00:46:00,440 --> 00:46:04,160
Speaker 2: of games that there's just no excuse this year if

853
00:46:04,200 --> 00:46:05,319
Speaker 2: they're losing in dumb ways.

854
00:46:05,360 --> 00:46:09,920
Speaker 1: Late I sent you, I guess the very early projection.

855
00:46:10,640 --> 00:46:13,719
Speaker 1: Oh okay, I'm saying this now of what USC's depth

856
00:46:13,760 --> 00:46:16,680
Speaker 1: chart looks like on offense. Now, this is unofficial. You

857
00:46:16,719 --> 00:46:22,799
Speaker 1: know how these things work. It's mid March. Does that

858
00:46:22,920 --> 00:46:29,120
Speaker 1: offensive roster scare you? Uh? It doesn't. But look at

859
00:46:29,120 --> 00:46:31,480
Speaker 1: the schedule too. I think that's a schedule is a

860
00:46:31,480 --> 00:46:33,200
Speaker 1: separate thing, and I think you're right to bring that up.

861
00:46:33,239 --> 00:46:37,319
Speaker 1: But just looking at this roster, yeah, is that does

862
00:46:37,320 --> 00:46:37,840
Speaker 1: that scare you?

863
00:46:39,840 --> 00:46:42,520
Speaker 2: You can do worse than those two receivers in terms

864
00:46:42,520 --> 00:46:44,480
Speaker 2: of a receiving duel. I think most of the teams,

865
00:46:44,480 --> 00:46:46,080
Speaker 2: if not all of the teams we've discussed today, would

866
00:46:46,120 --> 00:46:51,960
Speaker 2: love to have Jacobe Lane for sure. No, it doesn't

867
00:46:52,000 --> 00:46:54,480
Speaker 2: seem to be like a threat for a Big ten

868
00:46:54,560 --> 00:46:57,200
Speaker 2: championship offensive two deep.

869
00:46:57,120 --> 00:47:02,800
Speaker 1: No, not at this juncture. Things change, sure. I'm curious

870
00:47:02,840 --> 00:47:05,399
Speaker 1: to see if Jada Mayava, with like a full off

871
00:47:05,440 --> 00:47:09,719
Speaker 1: season to get prepped totally and having a year with

872
00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:13,680
Speaker 1: some limited experience under his belt, if they were able

873
00:47:13,719 --> 00:47:16,080
Speaker 1: to do some stuff. The best of him is very

874
00:47:16,160 --> 00:47:17,080
Speaker 1: very exciting as well.

875
00:47:18,040 --> 00:47:20,920
Speaker 2: Is there anybody behind him? So, Hassan long Straight is

876
00:47:20,960 --> 00:47:23,120
Speaker 2: a true freshman, but four or five star depending on

877
00:47:23,120 --> 00:47:27,040
Speaker 2: where you look. I think Sam Hewart hasn't played meaningful

878
00:47:27,040 --> 00:47:31,520
Speaker 2: minutes for anybody on the FBS level. Utah's quarterback situation

879
00:47:31,640 --> 00:47:33,920
Speaker 2: was awful after Cam Rising last year and Sam Hewart

880
00:47:33,920 --> 00:47:35,200
Speaker 2: I don't think had to throw last Maybe it was

881
00:47:35,239 --> 00:47:37,799
Speaker 2: hurt all last year. I don't know, but no, it

882
00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:42,080
Speaker 2: is surprising that this many years into Lincoln Riley's tenure

883
00:47:42,080 --> 00:47:46,120
Speaker 2: at USC that last year the receiving room looks stacked,

884
00:47:46,160 --> 00:47:48,440
Speaker 2: obviously having woody marks and Quinton Joyner was one of

885
00:47:48,480 --> 00:47:51,239
Speaker 2: the great one to two combos in college football at

886
00:47:51,280 --> 00:47:56,600
Speaker 2: running back, but it is surprising that the obvious talent

887
00:47:56,719 --> 00:48:00,000
Speaker 2: level is lacking at USC under Lincoln Riley.

888
00:48:00,000 --> 00:48:07,520
Speaker 1: Weird. It is weird, it really is. I don't know, Look,

889
00:48:07,520 --> 00:48:11,640
Speaker 1: we'll see. I I feel like Lincoln often talks himself

890
00:48:11,680 --> 00:48:16,080
Speaker 1: into a corner, right and then gets asked a question

891
00:48:16,160 --> 00:48:19,960
Speaker 1: about something and kind of gets defensive. Not to say

892
00:48:20,000 --> 00:48:22,799
Speaker 1: that's happened a whole lot this offseason, but it's I

893
00:48:22,800 --> 00:48:25,440
Speaker 1: think the only reason that stuff like that happens is

894
00:48:25,480 --> 00:48:28,320
Speaker 1: because you're feeling the heat or you're feel pressure. Of course,

895
00:48:28,600 --> 00:48:31,279
Speaker 1: and these are all competitive guys. You're at a big

896
00:48:31,280 --> 00:48:33,600
Speaker 1: place like USC. They've been spending I mean, it was

897
00:48:33,640 --> 00:48:35,719
Speaker 1: a big deal to lock up Dan Lynn. They went out,

898
00:48:35,760 --> 00:48:39,080
Speaker 1: they hired a GM away from Notre Dame. It seems

899
00:48:39,080 --> 00:48:42,799
Speaker 1: as if many of the moves that they're making are

900
00:48:42,840 --> 00:48:45,600
Speaker 1: the right ones. They're serious about this, they want to win,

901
00:48:45,600 --> 00:48:47,920
Speaker 1: they're freaking USC. But I just I look at this roster,

902
00:48:49,120 --> 00:48:51,160
Speaker 1: at least on offense, there's not a lot here that

903
00:48:51,200 --> 00:48:51,840
Speaker 1: really frightens I.

904
00:48:51,920 --> 00:48:54,080
Speaker 2: Look, yeah, I wonder what the defense looks like this

905
00:48:54,160 --> 00:48:57,680
Speaker 2: here too. This is not a season preview, but I

906
00:48:57,680 --> 00:48:59,440
Speaker 2: think the defensive numbers last year might have been a

907
00:48:59,440 --> 00:49:00,800
Speaker 2: little bit miss leading given.

908
00:49:00,600 --> 00:49:01,520
Speaker 1: The quarterbacks faced.

909
00:49:01,640 --> 00:49:05,000
Speaker 2: Yeah, or the USC agreed, but even still, it's better

910
00:49:05,000 --> 00:49:07,000
Speaker 2: to have those numbers than not, and have those performances

911
00:49:07,000 --> 00:49:08,880
Speaker 2: than not. It's also kind of surprising when you look

912
00:49:08,920 --> 00:49:13,960
Speaker 2: at this offensive roster. You're like, Lincoln Riley couldn't get

913
00:49:14,000 --> 00:49:17,080
Speaker 2: like a more established killer at quarterback given his reputation,

914
00:49:17,320 --> 00:49:20,239
Speaker 2: given Baker Mayfield, Jalen Hurst just winning a Super Bowl,

915
00:49:20,320 --> 00:49:21,239
Speaker 2: Kyler Murray, like.

916
00:49:21,920 --> 00:49:23,560
Speaker 1: You would think you'd be able to trade off that.

917
00:49:24,440 --> 00:49:26,279
Speaker 1: You know, you would think you'd be able to trade

918
00:49:26,280 --> 00:49:29,520
Speaker 1: off Day unless he really likes Jade mabb I guess so, yeah,

919
00:49:29,880 --> 00:49:32,000
Speaker 1: unless he really likes him, didn't like him enough to

920
00:49:32,040 --> 00:49:35,800
Speaker 1: start him over Miller Moss No last year. Yeah, Okay,

921
00:49:36,120 --> 00:49:39,400
Speaker 1: I have two other teams here on my list, and

922
00:49:39,480 --> 00:49:42,280
Speaker 1: I think we have one of them in common for sure. Okay,

923
00:49:42,480 --> 00:49:47,920
Speaker 1: Virginia Tech. Yes, I jotted down the Virginia Tech as narcolepsy.

924
00:49:48,360 --> 00:49:52,480
Speaker 1: I e. They kept falling asleep in the middle of drives.

925
00:49:52,760 --> 00:49:56,719
Speaker 1: Mm hmm. Virginia Tech went three and out thirty three

926
00:49:56,760 --> 00:50:00,560
Speaker 1: percent of the time, which is high. That's a number.

927
00:50:01,160 --> 00:50:03,759
Speaker 1: Their passing offense was not good. Their offensive line was

928
00:50:03,800 --> 00:50:05,680
Speaker 1: really bad. That probably had more to do with it

929
00:50:05,680 --> 00:50:09,560
Speaker 1: than anything else. This is a team that when what

930
00:50:09,760 --> 00:50:13,200
Speaker 1: six and six regular season, they lost six times to

931
00:50:13,280 --> 00:50:17,000
Speaker 1: power conference bowl teams, So they weren't losing the bad teams,

932
00:50:17,800 --> 00:50:20,320
Speaker 1: but they just did it often. A lot of the

933
00:50:20,400 --> 00:50:23,600
Speaker 1: underlying numbers are actually quite solid for Virginia Tech. Yeah,

934
00:50:23,680 --> 00:50:26,560
Speaker 1: I mean a lot of the underlying games were absolutely winnable,

935
00:50:27,080 --> 00:50:29,279
Speaker 1: very winnable. But there are a couple things that I

936
00:50:29,320 --> 00:50:31,759
Speaker 1: think we need to diagnose here, not the least of

937
00:50:31,800 --> 00:50:34,640
Speaker 1: which is the third down thing or going three and

938
00:50:34,719 --> 00:50:38,040
Speaker 1: out thing, or the offensive line thing, or the fact

939
00:50:38,040 --> 00:50:40,920
Speaker 1: that Kyen Jroones was banged up and they were playing

940
00:50:40,960 --> 00:50:43,920
Speaker 1: some musical chairs at quarterback. They've got a new offensive

941
00:50:43,920 --> 00:50:49,160
Speaker 1: coordinator this year, Phil Montgomery, stepping in. Whether or not

942
00:50:49,400 --> 00:50:51,880
Speaker 1: that is able to give them the change that they

943
00:50:51,920 --> 00:50:53,400
Speaker 1: need remains to be seen. They just need to be

944
00:50:53,440 --> 00:50:57,479
Speaker 1: more consistent. They need to be more consistent, especially through

945
00:50:57,520 --> 00:50:59,279
Speaker 1: the air, and they need to try and keep their

946
00:50:59,360 --> 00:51:02,279
Speaker 1: quarterback hurt or from getting hurt, from getting hurt. Yeah,

947
00:51:02,280 --> 00:51:04,279
Speaker 1: that was a weird, weird direction you went with that.

948
00:51:04,320 --> 00:51:07,000
Speaker 1: But yeah, speaking speaking of eye construction, Stan.

949
00:51:07,120 --> 00:51:11,200
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, I totally agree, Ti. I am you look

950
00:51:11,200 --> 00:51:14,319
Speaker 2: at what Virginia Tech season involved last year, and it

951
00:51:14,560 --> 00:51:18,640
Speaker 2: was well, they lost another winnable moment, Yeah, Virginia, whether

952
00:51:18,680 --> 00:51:21,520
Speaker 2: it was against I mean, obviously the headliner was the

953
00:51:21,600 --> 00:51:26,719
Speaker 2: ending of that Miami game, but this team wasn't far

954
00:51:26,760 --> 00:51:29,560
Speaker 2: off and as you mentioned, the underlying numbers indicate that

955
00:51:30,160 --> 00:51:35,280
Speaker 2: it was quarterback health. It was explosive passing, which obviously

956
00:51:35,360 --> 00:51:39,680
Speaker 2: goes hand in hand with quarterback health. And what does

957
00:51:39,719 --> 00:51:41,480
Speaker 2: this team look like and how prepared are they at

958
00:51:41,520 --> 00:51:44,240
Speaker 2: the end of games? What is there no timeouts? Offense

959
00:51:44,280 --> 00:51:46,239
Speaker 2: look like you know, our guys aware to get out

960
00:51:46,280 --> 00:51:48,560
Speaker 2: of bounds or get down and get lined up for

961
00:51:48,600 --> 00:51:49,080
Speaker 2: a spike.

962
00:51:49,520 --> 00:51:50,840
Speaker 1: What does it look like? I don't know what they

963
00:51:50,880 --> 00:51:53,920
Speaker 1: could have done against Miami. That was just referee.

964
00:51:53,560 --> 00:51:58,160
Speaker 2: Judgment, but they were forcing turnovers. They were obviously running

965
00:51:58,200 --> 00:52:00,720
Speaker 2: the ball quite well against Miami. A lot of teams

966
00:52:00,719 --> 00:52:05,319
Speaker 2: did what does it look like killer instinct wise? Up three,

967
00:52:05,640 --> 00:52:07,919
Speaker 2: down four whatever with two and a half minutes left

968
00:52:07,960 --> 00:52:12,440
Speaker 2: against Syracuse, against Clemson, all these teams that you know,

969
00:52:12,600 --> 00:52:14,600
Speaker 2: there were moments where was like, oh, Virginia Tech might

970
00:52:14,640 --> 00:52:16,360
Speaker 2: have a shot here or looks like they're going to

971
00:52:16,400 --> 00:52:20,000
Speaker 2: win this game, and you're right, it does come down

972
00:52:20,040 --> 00:52:22,759
Speaker 2: to the uh, the ability to deliver late.

973
00:52:24,040 --> 00:52:28,799
Speaker 1: I am really curious to see what this Virginia Tech

974
00:52:28,800 --> 00:52:33,160
Speaker 1: team looks like this year, because they weren't that far off.

975
00:52:34,360 --> 00:52:37,319
Speaker 1: They were frustrating. I have to believe if you were

976
00:52:37,320 --> 00:52:40,319
Speaker 1: a Virginia Tech fan. Yeah, and it feels to me

977
00:52:40,400 --> 00:52:43,880
Speaker 1: looking at this schedule like this is gettable. This is

978
00:52:43,920 --> 00:52:48,040
Speaker 1: a very very workable schedule. They open up the year

979
00:52:48,600 --> 00:52:52,400
Speaker 1: neutral Cider against South Carolina. That'll be a tough game. Yeah,

980
00:52:52,640 --> 00:52:54,759
Speaker 1: But outside of that, you got Vanderbilt and you got

981
00:52:54,760 --> 00:52:58,080
Speaker 1: Old Dominion, you got Wafford, you got NC State, you

982
00:52:58,160 --> 00:53:01,200
Speaker 1: got Wake Forest, Georgia Tech. I guess on the road

983
00:53:01,280 --> 00:53:04,600
Speaker 1: could be a plucky game. Really, you gotta go all

984
00:53:04,640 --> 00:53:08,319
Speaker 1: the way into November before you start getting to what

985
00:53:08,360 --> 00:53:09,880
Speaker 1: I think will be the real meat of the schedule.

986
00:53:09,880 --> 00:53:14,399
Speaker 1: It's a very, very backloaded schedule. Louisville before a bye week.

987
00:53:14,440 --> 00:53:16,759
Speaker 1: That game, by the way, is in Blacksburg. They're at

988
00:53:16,800 --> 00:53:19,640
Speaker 1: Florida State, They're home against Miami. They close out the

989
00:53:19,719 --> 00:53:22,000
Speaker 1: year Commonwealth Cup on the road at Virginia game they

990
00:53:22,000 --> 00:53:24,400
Speaker 1: should win. There's a lot of wins on this schedule.

991
00:53:24,880 --> 00:53:28,440
Speaker 1: So if they can just do a little bit of

992
00:53:28,440 --> 00:53:31,919
Speaker 1: cleanup with that offense and again just get marginally better

993
00:53:32,000 --> 00:53:35,360
Speaker 1: under Phil Montgomery, I think there's a lot of upside

994
00:53:35,400 --> 00:53:38,160
Speaker 1: here if you're a Tech fan. Yeah, but we kind

995
00:53:38,160 --> 00:53:41,400
Speaker 1: of say that every year what we do. And I

996
00:53:41,400 --> 00:53:46,480
Speaker 1: guess the bigger point about Tech then is if you're

997
00:53:46,560 --> 00:53:50,640
Speaker 1: not gonna have like a nine to three season this

998
00:53:50,760 --> 00:53:54,200
Speaker 1: year against the schedule, which seems like it could be

999
00:53:54,239 --> 00:54:00,359
Speaker 1: doable to me, right even eight and four long did

1000
00:54:00,360 --> 00:54:01,400
Speaker 1: they give Brent pry.

1001
00:54:02,719 --> 00:54:05,680
Speaker 2: It's a good question. I mean, look, they know what

1002
00:54:05,920 --> 00:54:09,600
Speaker 2: needs addressing. They brought over I think exclusively West Virginia

1003
00:54:09,640 --> 00:54:15,480
Speaker 2: offensive lineman. That's right, so that can go a long way. Obviously,

1004
00:54:15,560 --> 00:54:17,799
Speaker 2: you start, you know, up front in a in a

1005
00:54:17,840 --> 00:54:19,719
Speaker 2: better position. Depending on what you think of these West

1006
00:54:19,800 --> 00:54:24,279
Speaker 2: Virginia offensive linemen, then they'll be good. Right that that

1007
00:54:24,280 --> 00:54:26,560
Speaker 2: can take you know, keep a quarterback healthier than a

1008
00:54:26,640 --> 00:54:29,440
Speaker 2: quarterback is going to be better. They allowed way too

1009
00:54:29,480 --> 00:54:31,839
Speaker 2: much pressure on him, which plays a role in third downs,

1010
00:54:31,840 --> 00:54:34,200
Speaker 2: which plays a role in closing games out, you know, deeper,

1011
00:54:34,560 --> 00:54:38,799
Speaker 2: better offensive line. Not breaking news, no, it's helpful. So

1012
00:54:39,600 --> 00:54:43,440
Speaker 2: I appreciate that they have looked at this roster. They've

1013
00:54:43,440 --> 00:54:45,200
Speaker 2: looked at the results of what they were on the

1014
00:54:45,200 --> 00:54:48,720
Speaker 2: offensive line last year, whether it was players playing healthy,

1015
00:54:48,920 --> 00:54:51,160
Speaker 2: you know, players not playing beat up that you're like,

1016
00:54:51,239 --> 00:54:53,319
Speaker 2: we need more. We absolutely need more if we want

1017
00:54:53,360 --> 00:54:54,759
Speaker 2: to win eight nine games.

1018
00:54:54,520 --> 00:54:56,359
Speaker 1: And they got to be more consistent. You can't go

1019
00:54:56,400 --> 00:54:58,920
Speaker 1: three and out a third of the time. No, you

1020
00:54:59,040 --> 00:54:59,640
Speaker 1: just can't do that.

1021
00:54:59,680 --> 00:55:04,160
Speaker 2: But that's pressure. Yeah, right, that's dealing with I'm not

1022
00:55:04,200 --> 00:55:05,000
Speaker 2: saying pressure is in.

1023
00:55:05,120 --> 00:55:08,000
Speaker 1: Like the the.

1024
00:55:07,000 --> 00:55:11,280
Speaker 2: The what Brent Prye feels every week, what Kyra Jones

1025
00:55:11,280 --> 00:55:13,520
Speaker 2: feels every week on third and four, third and eleven,

1026
00:55:13,560 --> 00:55:16,279
Speaker 2: whatever that they have to deal with the best of

1027
00:55:16,280 --> 00:55:18,080
Speaker 2: what the ACC is throwing the themb up front.

1028
00:55:19,080 --> 00:55:21,719
Speaker 1: It's one final point on this and then I'm gonna

1029
00:55:21,719 --> 00:55:23,040
Speaker 1: move on. I have one other team here in the

1030
00:55:23,040 --> 00:55:25,200
Speaker 1: a SEC I want to talk about briefly. But you know,

1031
00:55:25,280 --> 00:55:28,839
Speaker 1: like their previous coordinator I believe was Tyler Bowen, right

1032
00:55:29,160 --> 00:55:31,000
Speaker 1: left an hour and a half ago to go to

1033
00:55:31,080 --> 00:55:37,440
Speaker 1: Ihow State. Yeah, and he's got a pedigree working with

1034
00:55:37,560 --> 00:55:41,959
Speaker 1: offensive lineman m this is a really bad offensive line. Yep.

1035
00:55:42,560 --> 00:55:47,480
Speaker 1: So that side of it didn't really work. No, it

1036
00:55:47,560 --> 00:55:50,560
Speaker 1: didn't really work, to say the least. No where else

1037
00:55:50,560 --> 00:55:51,880
Speaker 1: did you want to go on the ACC. I think

1038
00:55:51,880 --> 00:55:54,680
Speaker 1: I only have one team left. I have Wake Forest. Actually,

1039
00:55:55,000 --> 00:55:57,839
Speaker 1: oh okay, wake Forest. We didn't talk a whole lot

1040
00:55:57,840 --> 00:56:02,600
Speaker 1: of wake last year, but wake Forest, on both lines

1041
00:56:03,480 --> 00:56:06,919
Speaker 1: in particular, was among the worst teams in the nation.

1042
00:56:07,480 --> 00:56:09,480
Speaker 1: On defense, it was bad and it was still not

1043
00:56:09,560 --> 00:56:11,719
Speaker 1: the worst part of the defense. That defense was a

1044
00:56:11,800 --> 00:56:17,760
Speaker 1: train wreck. The class of twenty twenty five high school

1045
00:56:17,760 --> 00:56:21,240
Speaker 1: recruiting I went through and looked it only featured about

1046
00:56:21,320 --> 00:56:25,520
Speaker 1: three or four offensive linemen. So Jake Dickard comes in

1047
00:56:26,360 --> 00:56:29,960
Speaker 1: the new coach from Wazoo. He paid attention to the

1048
00:56:30,000 --> 00:56:33,520
Speaker 1: Lions I think significantly via the portal Wake Forest took

1049
00:56:33,520 --> 00:56:35,920
Speaker 1: in twenty two transfers. They were tied for the seventh

1050
00:56:35,960 --> 00:56:39,680
Speaker 1: most in FBS. It was clear upon him taking that

1051
00:56:39,800 --> 00:56:41,120
Speaker 1: job that he knew he needed to go out and

1052
00:56:41,120 --> 00:56:43,640
Speaker 1: try and beef up the lines, so especially in the

1053
00:56:43,680 --> 00:56:46,600
Speaker 1: offensive side of the ball, he did do that to

1054
00:56:46,640 --> 00:56:49,919
Speaker 1: some extent. It's going to be a longer term build.

1055
00:56:49,960 --> 00:56:53,279
Speaker 1: It's going to be a work in progress, you know.

1056
00:56:53,480 --> 00:56:57,520
Speaker 1: If you're able to, I think, build a little bit

1057
00:56:57,560 --> 00:57:01,239
Speaker 1: more consistency along those lines. It makes Wake Forest a

1058
00:57:01,280 --> 00:57:03,080
Speaker 1: hell of a lot better in the ACC which again

1059
00:57:03,120 --> 00:57:06,720
Speaker 1: is still a gettable conference, very gettible. There's no reason

1060
00:57:06,719 --> 00:57:08,759
Speaker 1: that Wake Forest should have been where they were. Wake

1061
00:57:08,800 --> 00:57:11,160
Speaker 1: Forest is one of those teams that's been hampered I

1062
00:57:11,600 --> 00:57:15,080
Speaker 1: know by the transfer portal, i e. Other teams taking

1063
00:57:15,120 --> 00:57:17,880
Speaker 1: their players the last couple of years. But this is

1064
00:57:17,920 --> 00:57:21,600
Speaker 1: an opportunity to refresh now under Jake dicker and see

1065
00:57:21,640 --> 00:57:24,320
Speaker 1: if he can build, you know, a better version of

1066
00:57:24,320 --> 00:57:27,280
Speaker 1: what he had up at Wazoo. Weird fit to me

1067
00:57:27,440 --> 00:57:30,240
Speaker 1: going cross country to take the wake job, right, But

1068
00:57:30,840 --> 00:57:32,800
Speaker 1: I like Jake Dickert. I'm curious to see what he's

1069
00:57:32,800 --> 00:57:34,439
Speaker 1: got in store here. But they need to fix those

1070
00:57:34,480 --> 00:57:36,480
Speaker 1: lines were real bad last year.

1071
00:57:37,080 --> 00:57:40,200
Speaker 2: Yeah, I didn't look at any new coach teams because

1072
00:57:40,560 --> 00:57:43,040
Speaker 2: obviously this is not a Jake Dickertt wasn't a coach

1073
00:57:43,080 --> 00:57:46,640
Speaker 2: who went through everything with Wake Forest last year and

1074
00:57:46,960 --> 00:57:49,680
Speaker 2: has a concept. But I also appreciate you throwing in

1075
00:57:49,680 --> 00:57:51,840
Speaker 2: that wrinkle because we haven't done any new coach teams

1076
00:57:52,400 --> 00:57:56,240
Speaker 2: of like, Okay, here is the glaring thing right now

1077
00:57:56,520 --> 00:57:59,240
Speaker 2: that if it's not able to be solved, not solved,

1078
00:57:59,280 --> 00:58:01,320
Speaker 2: but you know, aroached any sort of meaningful way in

1079
00:58:01,360 --> 00:58:03,440
Speaker 2: year one, that's kind of a problem if something is

1080
00:58:03,480 --> 00:58:09,880
Speaker 2: that obvious. My final team is air Force. Air Force

1081
00:58:09,880 --> 00:58:14,120
Speaker 2: has been kind of like a study inconsistency that winning

1082
00:58:14,240 --> 00:58:16,640
Speaker 2: nine ten to eleven games the last few years. I

1083
00:58:16,720 --> 00:58:18,480
Speaker 2: think they went three to three during the COVID year,

1084
00:58:18,520 --> 00:58:22,000
Speaker 2: but otherwise they've won a ton of games in the

1085
00:58:22,000 --> 00:58:25,320
Speaker 2: Mountain West with a very specific formula of like a fast,

1086
00:58:25,400 --> 00:58:29,080
Speaker 2: angry defense up front and ball control, and you need

1087
00:58:29,440 --> 00:58:31,720
Speaker 2: both of those things to win the number of games

1088
00:58:31,720 --> 00:58:34,560
Speaker 2: that air Force has won because if you stop possessing

1089
00:58:34,600 --> 00:58:37,680
Speaker 2: the ball and you start I think it was John

1090
00:58:37,720 --> 00:58:40,280
Speaker 2: Bouche was the starting quarterback for a chunk of last

1091
00:58:40,280 --> 00:58:44,400
Speaker 2: season when look, they're not throwing the ball, but when

1092
00:58:44,440 --> 00:58:47,240
Speaker 2: you do throw the ball. You can't throw picks right

1093
00:58:47,520 --> 00:58:50,040
Speaker 2: if you're going to never throw the ball and really

1094
00:58:50,080 --> 00:58:52,120
Speaker 2: pick your spots. If you pick your spot and it

1095
00:58:52,200 --> 00:58:54,760
Speaker 2: goes awry and goes to the other team, that makes

1096
00:58:54,800 --> 00:58:59,000
Speaker 2: it impossible if the whole formula is possess and suffocate.

1097
00:59:00,120 --> 00:59:03,120
Speaker 2: And so that to me is where Air Force. They

1098
00:59:03,120 --> 00:59:05,440
Speaker 2: made the change to Quinn hay Is at quarterback near

1099
00:59:05,480 --> 00:59:07,240
Speaker 2: the end of last season. They finished the season winning

1100
00:59:07,280 --> 00:59:10,240
Speaker 2: four straight and appears that will jump start and continue

1101
00:59:10,280 --> 00:59:12,480
Speaker 2: to jump start things for air Force. But to me,

1102
00:59:12,680 --> 00:59:16,760
Speaker 2: it is really the defense that is the calling card

1103
00:59:16,840 --> 00:59:20,160
Speaker 2: for recent Air Force success. And they had to replace

1104
00:59:20,160 --> 00:59:21,680
Speaker 2: a ton of guys last year. And now I know

1105
00:59:21,720 --> 00:59:23,680
Speaker 2: they lose a couple of key guys to the portal,

1106
00:59:23,760 --> 00:59:27,479
Speaker 2: especially off the edge, but they were so young last year.

1107
00:59:28,160 --> 00:59:34,160
Speaker 2: I can't diagnose just experience. But really it's just getting

1108
00:59:34,160 --> 00:59:37,439
Speaker 2: off the field in big moments for air Force. Yeah,

1109
00:59:37,520 --> 00:59:39,520
Speaker 2: I mean that's the like you know you see at

1110
00:59:39,520 --> 00:59:41,320
Speaker 2: the bottom of the page the spamm me like this,

1111
00:59:41,360 --> 00:59:43,960
Speaker 2: one simple trick, We'll get rid of belly fat. The

1112
00:59:44,000 --> 00:59:48,680
Speaker 2: one simple trick for air Force is trusting their very

1113
00:59:48,720 --> 00:59:52,959
Speaker 2: experienced coaching staff to make great third down calls because

1114
00:59:53,000 --> 00:59:55,480
Speaker 2: if they get off the field on defense and they

1115
00:59:55,480 --> 00:59:58,160
Speaker 2: even improve their possessing their ability to possess just a

1116
00:59:58,200 --> 01:00:00,960
Speaker 2: little bit on offense to stay on the field. It's

1117
01:00:00,960 --> 01:00:04,240
Speaker 2: sort of that get off, stay on complimentary dynamic for

1118
01:00:04,320 --> 01:00:07,840
Speaker 2: Air Force. They go from you know, a five to

1119
01:00:07,880 --> 01:00:11,840
Speaker 2: six type win team to immediately ten with how much

1120
01:00:11,840 --> 01:00:13,640
Speaker 2: of a pain in the ass they can be when

1121
01:00:13,680 --> 01:00:15,280
Speaker 2: they're playing to their capability.

1122
01:00:15,560 --> 01:00:18,240
Speaker 1: This was a top thirty defense in twenty twenty three.

1123
01:00:18,280 --> 01:00:19,920
Speaker 1: It fell the seventy ninth.

1124
01:00:20,360 --> 01:00:22,120
Speaker 2: And it was it was not even top thirty, it

1125
01:00:22,160 --> 01:00:24,560
Speaker 2: was like top dozen in the country for like a

1126
01:00:24,640 --> 01:00:25,919
Speaker 2: large swath of that year.

1127
01:00:26,000 --> 01:00:28,680
Speaker 1: Oh go faated a little bit. To go back to

1128
01:00:28,920 --> 01:00:31,160
Speaker 1: twenty twenty, they were a top ten unit. Go back

1129
01:00:31,160 --> 01:00:34,240
Speaker 1: to twenty twenty two, they were twelfth in the country.

1130
01:00:34,280 --> 01:00:36,200
Speaker 1: This is to your point, they've been very, very good

1131
01:00:36,240 --> 01:00:39,120
Speaker 1: on defense. They weren't last year. They were really bad

1132
01:00:39,120 --> 01:00:42,760
Speaker 1: on offense last year. Yes, they really took a step back,

1133
01:00:42,760 --> 01:00:45,120
Speaker 1: and there are reasons for that that we don't have

1134
01:00:45,160 --> 01:00:47,040
Speaker 1: to get into. I mean, there were injuries, they had

1135
01:00:47,280 --> 01:00:49,960
Speaker 1: some issues that they were dealing with, but there was

1136
01:00:50,000 --> 01:00:52,720
Speaker 1: a big chunk of this season where they lost seven games,

1137
01:00:53,560 --> 01:00:57,760
Speaker 1: seven games consecutively, starting in Week two, running all the

1138
01:00:57,760 --> 01:01:00,680
Speaker 1: way through Week ten against Army on the road right

1139
01:01:00,800 --> 01:01:03,360
Speaker 1: before they won those four street to close out the season.

1140
01:01:03,640 --> 01:01:06,560
Speaker 1: What's I think really striking if you look at that

1141
01:01:06,640 --> 01:01:08,800
Speaker 1: seven game losing streak right in the middle of the season,

1142
01:01:09,520 --> 01:01:12,680
Speaker 1: look at things like postgame win expectancy, which gives you

1143
01:01:12,720 --> 01:01:14,960
Speaker 1: some tell as to whether or not was the game close,

1144
01:01:15,480 --> 01:01:18,200
Speaker 1: could they have won, were they playing better than their opponent,

1145
01:01:18,240 --> 01:01:21,760
Speaker 1: but they got an unlucky break. I'm looking at three percent,

1146
01:01:22,200 --> 01:01:24,960
Speaker 1: one percent, there's a nine percent and a ten percent

1147
01:01:25,000 --> 01:01:26,600
Speaker 1: in here, and there are a bunch of zeros. They

1148
01:01:26,600 --> 01:01:29,600
Speaker 1: weren't even close in some of these games that they lost.

1149
01:01:29,720 --> 01:01:32,560
Speaker 1: So hopefully this is a scenario in which it clicked

1150
01:01:32,560 --> 01:01:37,720
Speaker 1: for him, right and uh, you know, moving into this

1151
01:01:37,760 --> 01:01:39,919
Speaker 1: new season, things are going to take on a little

1152
01:01:39,920 --> 01:01:42,360
Speaker 1: bit of a different shape, but definitely a rough go

1153
01:01:42,640 --> 01:01:45,800
Speaker 1: for the majority of the Air Force season last.

1154
01:01:45,680 --> 01:01:47,840
Speaker 2: Year and not you know, we talk about this with

1155
01:01:47,880 --> 01:01:50,640
Speaker 2: a lot of these heavy rushing teams that not always

1156
01:01:50,640 --> 01:01:52,800
Speaker 2: built to come back when they're down seventeen to three

1157
01:01:52,920 --> 01:01:56,439
Speaker 2: or fourteen to nothing pretty quickly. And it was two

1158
01:01:56,480 --> 01:01:59,000
Speaker 2: short field touchdowns against Colorado State, by the way, the

1159
01:01:59,080 --> 01:02:01,360
Speaker 2: Rams were on the verge of the Mountain West Championship

1160
01:02:01,400 --> 01:02:05,920
Speaker 2: game and just it's too hard to come back with

1161
01:02:05,960 --> 01:02:10,360
Speaker 2: an undisciplined offense when and it wasn't, you know, obviously

1162
01:02:10,400 --> 01:02:12,080
Speaker 2: the defense's fault. It was I think it was a

1163
01:02:12,120 --> 01:02:14,920
Speaker 2: short field punt that set up the first touchdown and

1164
01:02:14,960 --> 01:02:18,240
Speaker 2: then a fumble and another short field touchdown for Colorado State,

1165
01:02:18,320 --> 01:02:20,760
Speaker 2: and they you know, they they did everything they could

1166
01:02:20,880 --> 01:02:23,880
Speaker 2: late to scrap and fight at the end of that game.

1167
01:02:24,320 --> 01:02:26,640
Speaker 2: And the thing with air Force too is they have

1168
01:02:26,680 --> 01:02:30,200
Speaker 2: to rely on experience because there aren't transfers coming in

1169
01:02:30,320 --> 01:02:33,400
Speaker 2: now to the Air Force Academy for the Falcons, and

1170
01:02:33,480 --> 01:02:36,320
Speaker 2: so that's one of those things too where there may

1171
01:02:36,360 --> 01:02:39,880
Speaker 2: be lump years occasionally, but all things considered, Troy Calhoun

1172
01:02:39,920 --> 01:02:44,760
Speaker 2: has done a great job building up depth consistently keeping

1173
01:02:44,800 --> 01:02:47,600
Speaker 2: the roster where he wants it to be that they

1174
01:02:47,640 --> 01:02:51,400
Speaker 2: can continuously threaten double digit wins most seasons, and so

1175
01:02:52,240 --> 01:02:54,320
Speaker 2: they're like a big benefit of the doubt team to

1176
01:02:54,400 --> 01:02:56,840
Speaker 2: me right now, even in this like very different era

1177
01:02:57,520 --> 01:03:00,280
Speaker 2: that there's been so much consistency there that it just

1178
01:03:00,360 --> 01:03:03,520
Speaker 2: little tweaks for air Force, hopefully with Quinin Hayes looking

1179
01:03:03,600 --> 01:03:05,640
Speaker 2: a little bit more, promising them where they were at

1180
01:03:05,680 --> 01:03:07,480
Speaker 2: quarterback last season for a large swath.

1181
01:03:08,560 --> 01:03:11,280
Speaker 1: All right, why don't we leave it there? Yes, you

1182
01:03:11,320 --> 01:03:14,720
Speaker 1: listened to this whole episode, an hour or so of

1183
01:03:14,800 --> 01:03:20,200
Speaker 1: us diagnosing very specific maladies with some of these teams.

1184
01:03:20,280 --> 01:03:22,160
Speaker 1: Hit us up solid verbal at gmail dot com. Let

1185
01:03:22,240 --> 01:03:24,800
Speaker 1: us know where we're right and wrong. What your thoughts are. Yeah,

1186
01:03:24,880 --> 01:03:26,720
Speaker 1: if you're a fan of one of these teams, did

1187
01:03:26,760 --> 01:03:30,080
Speaker 1: it get fixed? Did it not get fixed? Are you optimistic? Pessimistic?

1188
01:03:30,160 --> 01:03:33,480
Speaker 1: You know the drill? Reach out via email, social media.

1189
01:03:34,040 --> 01:03:36,400
Speaker 1: We read all of those comments. Of course, leave a comment,

1190
01:03:36,520 --> 01:03:39,600
Speaker 1: hit follow, hit subscribe where we can. We appreciate having

1191
01:03:39,600 --> 01:03:42,840
Speaker 1: you with us here in the verballerhood. We are recording this,

1192
01:03:42,880 --> 01:03:45,800
Speaker 1: as we said, on Monday, which is Saint Patrick's Day. Yes,

1193
01:03:46,160 --> 01:03:50,880
Speaker 1: the NCAA tournament starts on Thursday. If are either of

1194
01:03:50,920 --> 01:03:53,520
Speaker 1: your teams in it? Notre Dame Penn State are they

1195
01:03:53,520 --> 01:03:55,840
Speaker 1: making appearance this year? No? No, I don't know. I

1196
01:03:55,840 --> 01:03:57,360
Speaker 1: know Penn State's not that good. I don't know about

1197
01:03:57,360 --> 01:04:01,400
Speaker 1: Notre Dame Organs in Pennsorgans and the five. I know

1198
01:04:01,480 --> 01:04:05,800
Speaker 1: that in State's terrible. Oregans of five Alas. We are

1199
01:04:05,840 --> 01:04:09,000
Speaker 1: going to have a basketball pool. I started it up

1200
01:04:09,040 --> 01:04:10,800
Speaker 1: this morning. We've already got some people who found it

1201
01:04:10,840 --> 01:04:13,400
Speaker 1: and have been signing up. But if you go on

1202
01:04:13,480 --> 01:04:17,360
Speaker 1: out to our patreon at for ballers dot com free

1203
01:04:17,400 --> 01:04:20,800
Speaker 1: game open everybody, I'll post the link. Just go sign

1204
01:04:20,880 --> 01:04:23,720
Speaker 1: up it for ballers dot Com free member, paid member,

1205
01:04:23,800 --> 01:04:26,600
Speaker 1: whatever you're into. We'll give away a couple of shirts

1206
01:04:27,240 --> 01:04:29,360
Speaker 1: if you're cool with that, to whoever wins. Yeah. The

1207
01:04:30,280 --> 01:04:33,840
Speaker 1: Pickham Pool, the bracket pool that we've got going on

1208
01:04:35,080 --> 01:04:36,400
Speaker 1: its guests starting on Thursday.

1209
01:04:37,320 --> 01:04:40,320
Speaker 2: I'm looking to see which teams in PA are. It

1210
01:04:40,320 --> 01:04:42,959
Speaker 2: looks like Saint Francis is playing in a play in state.

1211
01:04:43,160 --> 01:04:45,080
Speaker 2: Saint Francis is playing in a playing game.

1212
01:04:46,400 --> 01:04:51,440
Speaker 1: Any other Pennsylvania, any of like I don't believe so, Drexel,

1213
01:04:51,600 --> 01:04:54,920
Speaker 1: any of those. I don't believe so Temple Is Temple

1214
01:04:54,960 --> 01:04:58,760
Speaker 1: in the tournament? I don't think so. Oh man, PA

1215
01:04:59,040 --> 01:05:01,960
Speaker 1: not showing the great's not in basketball this year?

1216
01:05:02,320 --> 01:05:04,680
Speaker 2: Oh man, I'm looking all over the place. Maybe I'm

1217
01:05:04,720 --> 01:05:07,520
Speaker 2: missing something with PA. Oregon has Liberty in the first

1218
01:05:07,600 --> 01:05:10,800
Speaker 2: round and could play Arizona and Old Pac ten twelve

1219
01:05:10,880 --> 01:05:14,120
Speaker 2: running mates in the second round and they're in like

1220
01:05:14,200 --> 01:05:16,840
Speaker 2: the Duke quadrants. I don't know a ton about Oregon

1221
01:05:16,840 --> 01:05:19,720
Speaker 2: basketball right now, but you will.

1222
01:05:19,520 --> 01:05:22,680
Speaker 1: Buy thirsd time. You will buy. You have time, you

1223
01:05:22,800 --> 01:05:24,920
Speaker 1: can't wait check it out. Yeah, so get in for

1224
01:05:24,960 --> 01:05:27,800
Speaker 1: Ballers dot Com again. It's free, free to play, free game.

1225
01:05:28,280 --> 01:05:31,480
Speaker 1: Just go and sign up there and I'll post the

1226
01:05:31,520 --> 01:05:34,760
Speaker 1: link out shortly. The only other thing I have for you.

1227
01:05:35,240 --> 01:05:37,440
Speaker 1: I do need more details at some point. Maybe we

1228
01:05:37,480 --> 01:05:40,680
Speaker 1: can talk about this on the Thursday bonus episode. Okay,

1229
01:05:40,840 --> 01:05:43,880
Speaker 1: the Leprechaun trap. I've only learned about this in the

1230
01:05:43,960 --> 01:05:46,280
Speaker 1: last twenty four hours. I'm gonna need more from you.

1231
01:05:46,320 --> 01:05:48,120
Speaker 1: I'm gonna give you some time to stew over this.

1232
01:05:48,160 --> 01:05:49,600
Speaker 1: We can talk about it on Thursday.

1233
01:05:49,760 --> 01:05:51,760
Speaker 2: I was told by Jody with and I like, hey,

1234
01:05:51,920 --> 01:05:53,919
Speaker 2: go to Walgreens and see if they have any little

1235
01:05:53,960 --> 01:05:56,560
Speaker 2: leprechauns to put in the trap, because that's a big

1236
01:05:56,680 --> 01:05:57,200
Speaker 2: deal thing.

1237
01:05:57,240 --> 01:06:00,360
Speaker 1: I was like, oh, okay, I've never heard of that before. Yeah,

1238
01:06:00,360 --> 01:06:02,320
Speaker 1: that's the thing here. I guess I had no idea.

1239
01:06:02,840 --> 01:06:04,640
Speaker 1: I would like to know from people if you've built

1240
01:06:04,640 --> 01:06:07,480
Speaker 1: the leprechaun trap to what ends have you gone to

1241
01:06:07,560 --> 01:06:11,400
Speaker 1: make it a high fidelity leprechan trap, like one that

1242
01:06:11,520 --> 01:06:13,280
Speaker 1: might actually work if Leprechans were real.

1243
01:06:13,800 --> 01:06:17,320
Speaker 2: I was told my four year old was terrified during

1244
01:06:17,320 --> 01:06:21,360
Speaker 2: the Leprechaun trap reveal at a friend's house yesterday. Okay,

1245
01:06:21,760 --> 01:06:24,720
Speaker 2: like hiding behind grown ups. So I guess it's a thing.

1246
01:06:26,560 --> 01:06:30,160
Speaker 1: Why don't we leave it there? On that note, if

1247
01:06:30,160 --> 01:06:32,320
Speaker 1: you listened again, hit follow it, subscribe, reach out, let

1248
01:06:32,400 --> 01:06:35,200
Speaker 1: us sing your thoughts. Yes for that guy there, my

1249
01:06:35,240 --> 01:06:37,520
Speaker 1: good friend Dan Rubinstein, form myself, Tie Hilton Brandt. We

1250
01:06:37,520 --> 01:06:41,000
Speaker 1: will talk to you all on Thursday. Stay sat Peece