1 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to the solid verbal. I'll that for me. 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 2: I'm a man, I'm forty. I've heard so many players say, well, 3 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 2: I want to be happy. 4 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: You want to be happy for Dake Edith State. 5 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:19,279 Speaker 3: Is that whoo whoom? And Dan and Tye welcome back 6 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:21,799 Speaker 3: to the solid verbal, Boys and girls, my name is 7 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 3: ty Hildebrand, joining me as always over there in sunny, springy, 8 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:31,319 Speaker 3: still fatherly New York City. My man Dan Rubinstein, I 9 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 3: guess I should add Sweet sixteen y New York City. 10 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 3: Your Organ ducks in the Sweet sixteen. 11 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: Oh, that's true. They're not playing. I think they're playing wouis. 12 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 3: This is a basketball show now, in case you weren't 13 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 3: made aware. 14 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I've watched three Organ games this year, and I'm 15 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:53,279 Speaker 1: here to tell you all about them. They're tall, Thank 16 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: you very much. I accomplished a lot with the Sweet sixteen. 17 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: I'm sorry if I sound distracted. The I'm hearing the 18 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 1: faint screams of my son, the solid baby in the back. 19 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:02,639 Speaker 3: We'll have this, see, we'll have this now. 20 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, he has so many Wisconsin thoughts, and I told 21 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 1: him you're not able to articulate them in a concise manner. 22 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 1: So we can't have you on the show quite yet, 23 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: so he's real bummed. What is the over under for 24 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,279 Speaker 1: when we'll get our first commentary from the solid baby 25 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: on the show? When did you see the Clemson, Oklahoma 26 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: home and home that was announced in twenty thirty six 27 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: and thirty seven? Yeah, okay, he will be a redshirt 28 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: freshman on one of those teams. 29 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 3: See if we work this right, yeah, he can just 30 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 3: take over for you and then I'll just have to 31 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 3: come up with a filling on my end, much younger filling. 32 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: Is this like when Casey Caasem's daughter tried to take 33 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:44,199 Speaker 1: over his Top forty show. 34 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:45,040 Speaker 3: I don't remember that. 35 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: I am almost positive she there was something along those 36 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: lines that she got into broadcasting. I'm looking this up 37 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: while you give people the relevant information. 38 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 3: Well, welcome back to the show, boys and girls. We're 39 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 3: at Solid Verbal at gmail dot com, solid verbal dot com. 40 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 3: You can find us on Twitter, on Instagram, on Facebook, 41 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 3: as well as our subreddit at reddit dot com slash 42 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 3: r slash solid verbal, and I do get the notifications 43 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 3: every time somebody signs up for our newsletter, it pops 44 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 3: up on my phone. So if you want to drive 45 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 3: me crazy, even if you're not interested in what we 46 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 3: send out. Occasionally you can drive me nuts and interrupt 47 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 3: the mysterious day job by signing up for our newsletter, 48 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 3: which you can find again at our website at solidverbal 49 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 3: dot com. So, if you've been listening to us this 50 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 3: long cold off season, it's only been a few months, 51 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 3: but you know that we've been doing these conference autopsies. Specifically, 52 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 3: you've been going out talking to the people, yeah, and 53 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 3: doing conference autopsies. We've got one major conference left and 54 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 3: that is the Big Ten Patriot going oh, sorry, the 55 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:55,519 Speaker 3: Big ten Dan, which we're going to be addressing today 56 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:57,559 Speaker 3: courtesy of our good friend whom. 57 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 1: We're going to be talking to, Matt Fortuna. Hopefully that's 58 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 1: how you pronounce it, and he doesn't hate people pronouncing 59 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: it too. It's not my Fortuna Fortuna. I don't think 60 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: it's the tuna. Yeah, Matt Fortuna from the Athletic He 61 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: used to be at ESPN. He's a national college football 62 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: writer but based in the Midwest and does a saw. 63 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: He just did a piece on Hunter Johnson, the transfer 64 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,639 Speaker 1: quarterback coming into Northwestern, the former Blue Chipper from Clemson. 65 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 1: So figured we'd lean into the Big Ten with Matt Fortuna. 66 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:26,799 Speaker 1: He covered Notre Dame I believe for ESPN a while 67 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: like that was the specific beat and did a very 68 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 1: good job with that. You would know better than I. 69 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 1: Sure you probably were assuming consuming more Irish content than 70 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: I was, but quite excited. I don't think we've had 71 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 1: him on the show. We haven't. 72 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 3: I actually checked. 73 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: It's tough because we've had such an incredible roster of 74 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: guests that it would have made sense for him to 75 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: be on at a certain point. But I guess if 76 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: he were only covering Notre Dame, you and you and 77 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 1: Pete Sampson are pretty hot and heavy, right, So that's uh. 78 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: That means I'm excited to have him on and welcome 79 00:03:57,960 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: a new guest. 80 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 3: So as you look back now on the Big Ten 81 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 3: from twenty eighteen, what is the one question that stands 82 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 3: out most to you? If you're doing a one man 83 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 3: autopsyn and you got to ask one question of what 84 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 3: you saw in the Big Ten last year? 85 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 2: What is it? 86 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: Uh? God, I don't know if there's a single question 87 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,159 Speaker 1: that covers it. There are certain themes that hit me 88 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 1: as I was preparing for this show. Thematically, there were 89 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 1: a lot of wasted windows to me in the Big Ten. 90 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 1: This year you had this, You had Ohio State finally 91 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 1: breaking through with a quarterback who is like a first 92 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 1: round NFL quality and was immediately and like, what could 93 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: have been with this Ohio State team, which certainly had 94 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: its flaws on both sides of the ball, But to 95 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: have Dwayne Haskins, to have a more wide open offense, 96 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: to have this roster receivers, what could have happened if 97 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: they don't blow the Purdue game, what could have happened 98 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 1: with Michigan? And maybe forget about the Notre Dame game. 99 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:57,599 Speaker 1: But if they're just competitive against Ohio State, if they're 100 00:04:57,600 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 1: able to get it together, if their defense looks like 101 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 1: a looks against Ohio State like what it did the 102 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: rest of the year, could they have, you know, had 103 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 1: a nice case to get into the playoff. A better 104 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 1: case in Ohio State. Who loses to Purdue in that fashion? Iowa, Iowa. 105 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 1: I didn't even think about the window for Iowa, but 106 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: a crazy ideal schedule. They have two NFL first round 107 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:24,280 Speaker 1: we believe tight ends, an experienced quarterback, and unbelievable pass defense, 108 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:27,919 Speaker 1: and they just they lost games in dumb moments and 109 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: dumb ways where I think the Iowa window was actually 110 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: pretty strong, and I'm interested to talk to Matt about that. 111 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,039 Speaker 1: So that kept popping up across a few teams that 112 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 1: this year might say this year twenty eighteen set up 113 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 1: nicely and didn't work out and it was kind of 114 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: barely for a couple of these teams. Michigan is what 115 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 1: jumps out to me. Michigan has been this work in 116 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 1: progress now under Jim horror Boss since he got there. 117 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 1: Look a really good year, ten wins, ten and three overall, 118 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,479 Speaker 1: eight and one in conference. You speak of windows, they 119 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: had a window. Yeah, it really truly had a window. 120 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 1: It didn't with what they returned on defense. 121 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, the addition of Shape Patterson was clearly a talking 122 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 3: point headed into the Big Ten season, and I'm curious 123 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,719 Speaker 3: to get Matt's thoughts on how that worked out and 124 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,239 Speaker 3: maybe take a peek forward where it might go next 125 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 3: for jib Harbaugh, because again for me, this is like 126 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:23,839 Speaker 3: you look at the Big Ten. I know I'm a 127 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 3: Penn State grad and Ohio State has ruled supreme in 128 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 3: the Big Ten for quite some time now under Urban Meyer. 129 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 3: But the Michigan storyline to me is what I find 130 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:33,799 Speaker 3: most interesting. 131 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: One thing that I hadn't thought about after the fact 132 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 1: after the season ended, and just sort of pieced together 133 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:42,360 Speaker 1: as I was going back because I was thinking about 134 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 1: Maryland and looking up some Maryland stuff. Maryland came within 135 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 1: what a single bad pass of beating both the Sugar 136 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: and Rose Bull champs. This is one hundred percent accurate. 137 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: That is I had totally forgotten about. And this is 138 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: because I'm a dumb dumb about just the Anthony McFarland 139 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: experience that came on at the end of the season 140 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:05,599 Speaker 1: where it goes for over five hundred yards and just 141 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: two weeks. 142 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,840 Speaker 3: Us wrongly thinking he was Burger McFarland's son. 143 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, that was unfortunate. Well, Booger McFarland's name is Anthony. 144 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 3: That was all me. 145 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 1: It's okay you you admitted faults and we circled back. 146 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: I'm gonna throw in a Notre Dame question, I believe 147 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 1: as well from at Fortune and because we're not going 148 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 1: to do a Notre Dame autopsy episode because I think 149 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 1: that would take too much out of you. It would 150 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: having to relive some of some of twenty eight the 151 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: relitigation of that playoff game would be an issue. Yeah, 152 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: so that's what I'm There were little nuggets like that, 153 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: like I with the Purdue season, how weird it started, 154 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: how weird it ended? 155 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 2: With that? 156 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: Just one like how much should that win over Ohio State? 157 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: Characterize what we think of Purdue? And they're twenty eighteen 158 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 1: and moving forward in Indiana as well, a team where 159 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: there are just like, what the hell happened to that 160 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: defense in twenty eighteen? So it's really good to sort 161 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 1: of fire a couple of darts, you know, at questions 162 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 1: that that can't come up when I have a little 163 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: bit more time to think about specifics like this and 164 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: then think about where things are headed for these teams. 165 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 3: All right, So again we're gonna be joined momentarily by 166 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 3: Matt for Tuna from the Athletic going to talk through 167 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 3: all things twenty eighteen, Big ten and Notre Dame just 168 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 3: for good measure to sprinkle it in there, very Midwest. 169 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 3: You know how to find us. We're on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, 170 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 3: all the usual hotspots. Before we go any further though, 171 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 3: this show brought to you by our good friends over at. 172 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: Bombas dan Ah. 173 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 3: Yes, what is your favorite part of the Bombas socks 174 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 3: that you own. 175 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: My favorite part. Okay, I'll tell you this is very specific, 176 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,559 Speaker 1: but I almost exclusively when I do run run in 177 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: Bombas now because there's something about there that's the no 178 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 1: show socks, which I like running because I don't want 179 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,439 Speaker 1: to have weird tans on my legs summertime. And I'm 180 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: impressing everybody, that's right. But they have that the rim 181 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: around the top of the sock that I tend to 182 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: get irritated on my achilles where the running shoe hits 183 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 1: the achilles. 184 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,560 Speaker 3: It's that little extra layer of padding. Right. 185 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: The shape of the Bombas is excellent. If you love 186 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 1: running an ankle or no show socks, you get that 187 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 1: padding and there's that zero irritation factor, which I've had 188 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 1: some real gross looking achilles in years past. Ye no 189 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 1: more tie. 190 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 3: My thing is that hive pattern that goes around your midfoot. 191 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 3: You know what I mean. 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Bombas, 213 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,679 Speaker 3: bo m Bas dot com slash Solid twenty percent off 214 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 3: b O M b a s dot Com slash Solid. 215 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: Just take a moment, take a second before you continue 216 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: on with your life and think about how great the 217 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 1: feeling is of putting on a brand new pair of 218 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 1: socks and kept multiple feelings at the same time. Tye, 219 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: it's a no brainer. 220 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 3: On that note, let's hop in with Matt Fortuna from 221 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 3: the athletic. 222 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: And with that we are now joined or I am 223 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: now joined by Matt Fortuna correct pronunciation. Yes, yes, Oh 224 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: my gosh. That's a relief, because I screw up names 225 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: all during the season because sometimes somehow I don't pay 226 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 1: attention to the name of Iowa States kicker and then 227 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: I sound like a moron. And so Fortuna is easy enough. 228 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: You're in Chicago, you're from New York, and if I 229 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: am to read this correctly, you are the president of 230 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 1: the Football Writers Association of America. 231 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 2: That is correct. If you ever are in the Chicago area, 232 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 2: I will treat you to Wendy's, Burger King, McDonald's, or 233 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 2: any other fast food item of your accounts. That's the 234 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 2: kind hospitable guy I am. 235 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: And that's if you're a college football champion of any kind, 236 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 1: that's what you get served. That's how it works in 237 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 1: twenty nineteen. 238 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 2: So that's right. A shutdown or not. We are ready 239 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 2: to go. 240 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,199 Speaker 1: So give out your phone number real quick. If anybody 241 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 1: has to complain about anything written about college football that 242 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 1: goes through you, correct. That's how it works pretty much. 243 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:24,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I won't get too far into the 244 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:27,199 Speaker 2: week too, but you're not too far off in some cases. 245 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:29,679 Speaker 1: Oh wow, I like it. Okay, good, a little bit 246 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:34,200 Speaker 1: of mystery, maybe a tease for another episode. Let's start here. 247 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 1: It's the big ten autopsy that we're conducting. I don't 248 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 1: know what the proper verb would be, but I'm now 249 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 1: intimidated that you are the writer of writers. But let's 250 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:46,560 Speaker 1: we're What we're doing is simple. We are going to 251 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:49,560 Speaker 1: go through teams through a random style that we have 252 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:51,319 Speaker 1: figured out. I'm going to ask you to give me 253 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 1: a number between one and fourteen, and then we are 254 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 1: going to run through questions about twenty eighteen and how 255 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: is how it relates to twenty nineteen, and hopefully we're 256 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: all a little bit smarter after the process. 257 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,559 Speaker 2: I will do my best to avoid whatever number of 258 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 2: Rutgers is on and go thirte but we will. We'll 259 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 2: give it a go here. 260 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 1: This is especially random because usually I'll just start writing 261 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: and listing teams that I remember are in a conference 262 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 1: and then it's the last ones. This is a peak 263 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,080 Speaker 1: behind the curtain that I'm like, oh right, Iowa States 264 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: in the Big twelve, Oh right, US half whatever. Give 265 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: me a number between one and fourteen. 266 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 2: Let's go with lucky number thirteen. 267 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 1: Number thirteen. You didn't hit Rutgers. That's great. We're gonna 268 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 1: start with Iowa and the general the steadiness, the competitiveness 269 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:42,080 Speaker 1: of Iowa is definitely admirable. They have good lines every year, 270 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 1: steady quarterback play, good defense all has gotten them. It's 271 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:49,160 Speaker 1: kind of pretty damn far. But with last year's tight 272 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: ends and experience quarterback in Nate Stanley, a mostly yeah, 273 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 1: very good defense. I would say last year had a 274 00:13:55,600 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 1: terrific schedule. Did the did the Hotkeyes waist maybe a 275 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: ten win regular season window last year? Was it there 276 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:05,079 Speaker 1: for them? 277 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 2: I think it absolutely was there for them. And that's 278 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:11,080 Speaker 2: kind of the beauty and the curse, if you will, 279 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,520 Speaker 2: about really the entire Kirk Ferrench regime there. I mean, 280 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 2: I don't think you'll find a major college football program 281 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 2: that has more of an identity than Iowa, who is 282 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 2: more comfortable with being themselves than Iowa they're good for 283 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 2: eight or nine wins probably every year, and in a 284 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 2: rare year like twenty fifteen, they're gonna make a run 285 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 2: and almost make the playoff and end up in the 286 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 2: Rose Bowl. And I think, you know, when you run 287 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 2: a clean program, when you represent your university the right 288 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 2: way on and off the field, there's not a whole 289 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 2: lot more you can ask for. 290 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 3: That. 291 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 2: That said, when your neighbor is Wisconsin and they're swinging 292 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 2: slightly above your weight every year, definitely not last year, 293 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 2: but for the most part in the last fifteen twenty 294 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 2: years or so, I can understand why there's a hunger 295 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 2: for more. And it's always funny. You obviously held my 296 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 2: colleague Bruceselman on for the PAC twelve. Stuart Mendel's another 297 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 2: colleague of mine. They did their coaches rankings about a 298 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 2: month ago, and I don't think Stew's ever had Kirk 299 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 2: Friends on there. And he said he's never hears more 300 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 2: backlash from any fan base than Iowa. And it's a 301 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 2: mixed bag. It's half them saying, what are you doing? 302 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 2: He's one of the best there is, he's been there 303 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 2: twenty years. How do you exclude him? And it's the 304 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 2: other half saying, like, you know, he's the worst, why 305 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 2: would you ever even entertain and thank god you didn't 306 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 2: have him on there. And when you look, especially at 307 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 2: last season, I mean that's kind of the Kirk Prince 308 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 2: tenured in a nutshell. I mean nine to four. But 309 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 2: every single one of those games that they lost they 310 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 2: should have won. Yeah, and look some of the ones 311 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 2: they won they probably should have lost too, if we 312 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 2: really want split hairs here, But I mean that Wisconsin 313 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 2: game went down to the final minute. That Northwestern game, 314 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 2: they just did absolutely nothing offensively. Northwestern got one of 315 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 2: the best catches in all the college football season to 316 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 2: multimately pull out a fourteen ten win and win the 317 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 2: division in Iowa City. The Perdue game they lost in 318 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 2: the last second field goal. The Penn State game was 319 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 2: just a hot message back and forth, crazy touchdowns and 320 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 2: turnovers and you name it. And now you look up 321 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 2: and you're losing two all American caliber tight ends and 322 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 2: all found in TJ. Hockinson, and you wonder, kind of, 323 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 2: like you said, Dan, did they just waste a ten 324 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 2: or eleven one season? I mean, that division was there 325 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 2: for the taking. All due respect to Northwestern, who wanted 326 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 2: Farren square and wanted I think pretty much going away. 327 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 2: I think they won it by two games last year, 328 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 2: three games over Iowa. Actually, that was a very wittable division, 329 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 2: more so than any other time, because you had Wisconsin down, 330 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 2: because you had a new coach at Nebraska. You know, 331 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 2: Northwestern obviously was great, but they didn't start off great 332 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 2: non conference and were certainly vulnerable, as pretty much every 333 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 2: other team in that division was. So when you look 334 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 2: ahead to this year, you have to feel comfortable and 335 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 2: Nathan Stanley coming back at quarterback, you have to like 336 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 2: those pieces on defense. You have to like that offensive 337 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 2: line which is always pretty good, if not great, and 338 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 2: returns to starting tackles is coming here. But you talk 339 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:07,200 Speaker 2: to coaches around the league and elsewhere, and it's the 340 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:10,959 Speaker 2: same vein refrain. Every year it's Iowa. They'll probably win 341 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 2: eight games, they'll be who they are. Yeah. 342 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 1: No, And for the record, Kirk Farence deserves to be 343 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 1: in that best coaches grouping. When you take unhralded recruits, 344 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 1: develop them and not only hang with, but regularly beat 345 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 1: the powers the perceived powers of your conference. I'm pro 346 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 1: ferens in that regard. Give me another number. Let's go 347 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 1: with seven number seven. Did you hit the Rutgers Wami? 348 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:40,160 Speaker 1: You did not, Michigan State. I'm a big believer that 349 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: two things can be true at once. In this case, Hey, 350 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: Mark D'Antonio is a really good coach who deserves the 351 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:50,439 Speaker 1: benefit of the doubt. And at the same time, Sparti's 352 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 1: offense has been this is an official journalism term, But 353 00:17:55,359 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 1: do we live in a world where Michigan State's offense 354 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:02,879 Speaker 1: can become dramatically more of what they look like in 355 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:06,879 Speaker 1: twenty fourteen with Connor Cook? Excuse me ahead of and 356 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 1: during a year in which I think they get Northwestern, 357 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 1: Ohio State, Michigan, and Wisconsin all away from East Lansing. 358 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:16,680 Speaker 1: Do you believe in a Mark d Antonio transformation project? 359 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:19,239 Speaker 2: I mean, when you look at those box scores from 360 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:21,680 Speaker 2: last season, it's not just losing seven to six in 361 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 2: a bowl game. It's not just losing nine to six 362 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 2: at Nebraska, for sixteen to thirteen at Arizona State, or 363 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 2: only putting up six points against Ohio State. I mean, 364 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 2: it was just really tough to watch. And then Mark 365 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:36,920 Speaker 2: D'Antonio comes out with the big press conference this winter, Hey, 366 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:39,040 Speaker 2: what's the big news we're keeping everyone on SAP. We're 367 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 2: just give them all different titles. I'm not sure I've 368 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:43,920 Speaker 2: seen anything like that, and I'm in the same boat 369 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 2: as you. I mean, if anyone has deserved the benefit 370 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:48,959 Speaker 2: of the doubt over his decade plus tenure, it's probably 371 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,679 Speaker 2: this guy. I mean, there's no reason Michigan State should 372 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:54,159 Speaker 2: have been annually winning or contending for Big ten titles 373 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 2: the way it has been for the most part under 374 00:18:57,320 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 2: Mark D'Antonio. But you look at what they did last 375 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 2: you look at what they did three years ago. Now 376 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 2: in twenty sixteen, you have to wonder. I don't want 377 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 2: to say the jig is up, because it's not like 378 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 2: he was pulling then you want he's a great coach 379 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:14,679 Speaker 2: and he's built a tremendous program, But I don't know 380 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:17,239 Speaker 2: what you get excited about. To your point when you 381 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 2: look at that offense. I mean, I do like Brian Lawurki. 382 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 2: I like those receivers, but I like them a lot 383 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:22,719 Speaker 2: going into last year too, and so did a lot 384 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 2: of people I talked to in that league. And they 385 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 2: didn't really deliver around the field on Saturdays, which is 386 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:29,439 Speaker 2: why they finished with a seven and six record and 387 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:32,920 Speaker 2: so Mark D'Antonio reminds me a lot of Jerry Patterson 388 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:35,440 Speaker 2: in the sense that they're both at programs that a 389 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:40,119 Speaker 2: punch above their weight. When he's historically speaking, under these regimes, 390 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 2: they've had a down season every now and then, and 391 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 2: they've almost always come back with authority. I Michigan State 392 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:49,119 Speaker 2: went from playoff in fifteen to three and nine and 393 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:53,679 Speaker 2: sixteen to ten wins in seventeen, and so I know 394 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 2: better than to doubt these guys. That said, looking at 395 00:19:57,440 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 2: what we've seen from them and from the returning guys 396 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:03,440 Speaker 2: from LA season on film, I can't understand why there's 397 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:04,720 Speaker 2: some skepticalized in he's lanting. 398 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I wouldn't hate them finding that grain of 399 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: sand to stick into the I think it's an oyster 400 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: shell to make a pearl, to go outside of the program, 401 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: to bring in somebody that makes things a little bit 402 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:17,720 Speaker 1: uncomfortable to run the offense, whether it's somebody from a 403 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 1: lower level or a smaller school, to just refresh, reboot 404 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:24,880 Speaker 1: and hope for the best. Give me a number that's 405 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 1: not seven or thirteen. Let's go one number one. Let's 406 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:33,400 Speaker 1: talk Indiana. Let us talk about a team who they 407 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 1: lost six of seven with a couple within reach. And 408 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: the confusing part was, and there's there was definitely turnover. 409 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 1: Why did a Tom Allen defense fall basically off a cliff? 410 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: I think it was like twenty fifth to seventy fifth 411 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 1: in the S and P plus rankings or ratings after 412 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:56,440 Speaker 1: twenty seventeens version. And is this team, if this team 413 00:20:56,480 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: is going to succeed now which I guess, which side 414 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 1: will it be on? 415 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 2: It has to be defense, right if you're Tom Allen. 416 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:06,919 Speaker 2: I mean it's funny. I mean Tie and myself are 417 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 2: both Penn State graduates, and I use this analogy a lot. 418 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 2: Indiana football, to me is just like Penn State basketball. 419 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 2: So we're going to and I'm not sure if I 420 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 2: mean that in during way or an insulting way, but 421 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:23,399 Speaker 2: it's clear which sports are the breadwinners on their respective campuses. 422 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 2: And when you watch either team play in conference play, 423 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:29,359 Speaker 2: and we saw it last year when they went to 424 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 2: the Big House, I mean they are going to do 425 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 2: everything humanly possible to win a game and pull off 426 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 2: enough that they have no business winning, only to lose 427 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:39,879 Speaker 2: it by three or seven points at the end. I 428 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:42,200 Speaker 2: mean they do that every year against Missus and him 429 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:44,880 Speaker 2: Harbaugh's gone there and they've done it a good deal 430 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 2: against James Shrink withins Pence State teams as well. I 431 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 2: don't know if that makes you proud or frustrated. Probably neither, 432 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 2: because I'm not sure enough people in Bloemy can care 433 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 2: about the football product to really have strong feelings either way. 434 00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 2: That said, I think the worst thing to have this 435 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 2: program for years and I like Tom Allen is their 436 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 2: chief rival, got Jeff Brong, who I think is a 437 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,399 Speaker 2: top and coaching college football right now, and even worse, 438 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 2: he stayed, which when you look around the country at 439 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 2: all the hirings and firings elsewhere, the best hire, the 440 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 2: best move anyone made was perdue keeping Jeff bron because 441 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 2: when you look at what he's been able to do 442 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 2: his first two years in West Lafe, given the talent 443 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 2: or lack the aref that he inherited from the previous regime, 444 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:27,200 Speaker 2: there's no doubting that he's going to have the boiler 445 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:31,159 Speaker 2: Makers competing for at least the Vision titles year and 446 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:33,440 Speaker 2: a year out once he gets his full REGI full 447 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 2: I should say, foraging full four recruiting classes in there, 448 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 2: and if you're Indiana, that's not working in your favor. 449 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 2: Getting the unluck of the draw and falling in the 450 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,640 Speaker 2: east with penn State, Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State, you name. 451 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:48,359 Speaker 2: It does not work in your favor. And again, like 452 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 2: you said last year, that defense finished thirteenth out of 453 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 2: fourteens is a big tending guards for play, and that's 454 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 2: supposed to be your mo when you promote a defense cordiator, 455 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:57,840 Speaker 2: a head coach, and when you're not pulling your weight 456 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:01,880 Speaker 2: on that side of the ball. Sure, how much optimism 457 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 2: is warranted when you're looking into your three of this regime. 458 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:06,920 Speaker 1: I think that's an interesting thing. And I was thinking 459 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,760 Speaker 1: about as you were talking about having Purdue in state. 460 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:13,719 Speaker 1: Indiana also has Notre Dame in state, certainly not in 461 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 1: the conference. But if you think about if there's a 462 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:20,200 Speaker 1: top level blue chip recruit in Minnesota or in Iowa 463 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 1: or in well, Pennsylvania, there's pit but in a lot 464 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 1: of big ten states, there are not that many options, 465 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 1: and you will always consider that hometown or the home 466 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:34,639 Speaker 1: state school. And within Indiana, you had another down school 467 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 1: for a long time and then you have this legendary program, 468 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 1: and so it almost feels like it's that much more 469 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:40,920 Speaker 1: difficult in Bloomington. 470 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 2: It is. And when you look at that schedule next year, 471 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 2: I mean, look Fall State, Eastern Illinois, Yukon in a 472 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 2: non conference. I mean, those should be three wins if 473 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:55,640 Speaker 2: you're a competent, big time program. The crossovers are Nebraska, Northwestern, obviously, Purdue. 474 00:23:57,400 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 2: The West is just a craps here. I mean, yeah, 475 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 2: one through six, with apologies and my friends in Champagne. 476 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:05,920 Speaker 2: I think if you threw six of those teams in 477 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:07,399 Speaker 2: a hat and they came out any which way, it 478 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:09,879 Speaker 2: would not surprise me regardless, because I think it's that 479 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:12,920 Speaker 2: wide open, especially this year as DJ fly Can Scott 480 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:16,159 Speaker 2: Cross start to get their things together. In the respect 481 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:18,719 Speaker 2: of new locale, I just think it's wide open, especially 482 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 2: when we saw what Northwestern was able to do and 483 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,879 Speaker 2: taking advantage of the down division last year. But so 484 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:26,280 Speaker 2: that makes it hard to gauge, really strength to schedule 485 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 2: when you're looking at Indiana. But you need the breaks 486 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:30,239 Speaker 2: to fall in your favor, and you need to take 487 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 2: advantage of those breaks when they do fall in your 488 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:34,159 Speaker 2: favorite Otherwise it's easy to get lost in the shovel. 489 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:36,320 Speaker 1: All right, give me a number that is not one 490 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 1: seven or thirteen. 491 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 2: Not one seven or thirteen, how about two two? 492 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:45,720 Speaker 1: We're still we have missed the Wammi of Rutgers Again. Northwestern, 493 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: which is your hometown team, Northwestern is they're flat out good. 494 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 1: But when they had moments in twenty eighteen that were 495 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:59,440 Speaker 1: less than that, it was generally because of the offense. 496 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 1: The hope is and I think you wrote about him, 497 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:05,920 Speaker 1: the hope is blue chip Clemson quarterback transfer Hunter Johnson. 498 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:09,520 Speaker 1: Is that difference? Is that all it? I guess, is 499 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: that all it should take for Northwestern to stop losing 500 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 1: something stupid in September and close out one more power? 501 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 1: Or is or is there more that needs to be 502 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:19,160 Speaker 1: tapped into. 503 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 2: I don't know if it's that simple, because it's not 504 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 2: like he's replacing of guy who wasn't good. I mean, 505 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 2: Clayton Thorson was a four year starter, and yeah, you know, 506 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 2: for all of his ups and downs, he's going to 507 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 2: go down as one of the best quarterbacks in Northwestern 508 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 2: Western history. Is definitely statistically speaking, it is probably going 509 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:36,440 Speaker 2: to make a lot of money in the draft, whether 510 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 2: it's day one, Day two, or day three next month. 511 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:41,639 Speaker 2: So I'm not sure, I look at it in that 512 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 2: sense like quarterback was the only piece they were missing, 513 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:48,320 Speaker 2: because they had a pretty good one, right, But they 514 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 2: haven't had a recruit at this position with these kind 515 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 2: of credentials the way they have in Hunter Johnson, and 516 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 2: when you talk to people around the program, when you 517 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 2: talk to people familiar with Johnson, it was almost good 518 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:03,200 Speaker 2: for this kid, who was, you know, the Camp Miss 519 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 2: number one quarterback prospect of the country two years ago 520 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 2: to kind of, want to say, be humbled because he, 521 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:09,960 Speaker 2: by all County is a good head on his shoulders, 522 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 2: but to get a year away from the spotlight, to 523 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:14,920 Speaker 2: run the scout team against one of the better defenses 524 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,119 Speaker 2: where they tend to learn from a guy like clating 525 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 2: course at Torson, to become familiar with the verbiage of 526 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:23,600 Speaker 2: the playbook and with the new coaching staff, and now 527 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 2: a year later, to be kind of unvealed for the 528 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:29,439 Speaker 2: world to see and look, this program is operating at 529 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:32,440 Speaker 2: a level which I don't think it's ever been done. Certainly, 530 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:34,440 Speaker 2: they've been in the rosewell before and have had better 531 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 2: individual seasons, but they're coming off they're winning his four 532 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 2: year stretch in Big Ten play in program history. They 533 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:42,879 Speaker 2: have now their first spring and first full year in 534 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:45,800 Speaker 2: that brand new two hundred and seventy million dollar facility 535 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 2: that overlooks Lake Michigan. That is worth the hype and 536 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:51,760 Speaker 2: then some. I recommend anyone try to visit if you're 537 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 2: in the Chicago area. And they had a lot of young, 538 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:58,680 Speaker 2: talented pieces last year. I think that the roses the 539 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 2: surface at gul Isaiah Paus with the running back in particular, 540 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 2: is one. I mean, they plan on red shirting this 541 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,879 Speaker 2: guy last year until Jeremy Larkin went down and was 542 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:08,879 Speaker 2: forced to medically retired, and that guy looks like one 543 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 2: of the best running backs in the big time forward 544 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 2: the end of the season. So I think the pieces 545 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:18,880 Speaker 2: are coming together where uh, they should probably win nine 546 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:20,920 Speaker 2: games or more this season and Granny get an extra 547 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:23,640 Speaker 2: game when when you win your division and go to Indianapolis. 548 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:27,920 Speaker 2: But I think, like you said, everyone else is kind 549 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,920 Speaker 2: of waiting for them to take that not first set, 550 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 2: but but get through September without a the fuddling loss. 551 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 2: Don't use lose to the UNLV in your home opener 552 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:41,200 Speaker 2: next year, all right? That I think will help people, 553 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 2: the people of the been breathe a little bit easier. 554 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:45,920 Speaker 2: You open at Stanford. I don't think there's any shame 555 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:49,440 Speaker 2: in losing a hard fought game at Stanford, but don't 556 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 2: lose the UNLV please, no absolutely or masses that matter, 557 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 2: I should say that, Oh they. 558 00:27:56,240 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 1: Do have you, you masses when Oh, that's later on 559 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:04,160 Speaker 1: in the season. There, Northwestern, your typical SEC scheduling team, 560 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 1: scheduling a low team in November. That's that's just how 561 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:09,320 Speaker 1: it works. 562 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 2: Big Get Ohio State off of By on a Friday night? Why? Yeah, 563 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:17,240 Speaker 2: a rematch of the big time title game, a game 564 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:19,680 Speaker 2: that last time moves at Evanston. Got college Game Day 565 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:21,679 Speaker 2: to Evanston. Why would you put that on a Friday night? 566 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 2: I don't know. And knowing Chicago traffic with a six 567 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:27,920 Speaker 2: or flock local start time, that's going to cause some problems. 568 00:28:28,119 --> 00:28:31,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, Evanston in the direction of all the suburbs on 569 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:34,400 Speaker 1: the northern side of Chicago. Great job, big ten, great job. 570 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:39,040 Speaker 1: Give me a number that is not one, two, seven, 571 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:43,720 Speaker 1: or thirteen. All right, number eight Ohio State. Oh, what 572 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 1: a transition. That was so nice of you. It'd be 573 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 1: it'd be easy and almost certainly true that the tangible 574 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 1: proof of Ryan Day's effect on Ohio State would be 575 00:28:57,280 --> 00:29:02,080 Speaker 1: Dwayne Haskins and the superb that he had. But is 576 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 1: there something beyond that in terms of his fingerprints on 577 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: the Buckeye offense from last year and how that potentially 578 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:12,880 Speaker 1: carries forward to twenty nineteen that you saw or that 579 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 1: that struck you. 580 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 2: That's a good question, because I mean, erban Meyer was 581 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 2: such an involved figure and not necessarily playholer, but figure 582 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:24,719 Speaker 2: with the offense. And so when you get the blessing 583 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 2: of approval from irban Meyer, obviously that speaks very highly 584 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 2: of you and Brian days sterling credentials as well. But 585 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 2: with new personnel, at least a quarterback, I'm just very 586 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 2: curious to see what this offense looks like with a 587 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:41,240 Speaker 2: guy like Justin Fields, who's had so much hype, might 588 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:44,080 Speaker 2: not playing a whole lot who got the hardship waiver 589 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 2: is going to be able to start immediately, which is 590 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 2: a tremendous early win for Ryan Day and his staff. 591 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 2: I'm not saying the jury still out, because I think 592 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 2: we all know the talent in that building and on 593 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:58,440 Speaker 2: those sidelines is far away the best of the Big 594 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 2: Ten pretty much year and a year out. I just 595 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:03,880 Speaker 2: don't want to take for granted the fact that there's 596 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 2: a new coach on that sideline and things may be different. 597 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,800 Speaker 2: I think pulling away Greg Madison from Michigan was a 598 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 2: nice way to stick it to your arrival again a 599 00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:17,160 Speaker 2: couple other guys Mike Carrits from Oklahoma State Washington as well. 600 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:20,320 Speaker 2: I just think things are going to look different in 601 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 2: Columbus next year. I'm just not sure how different they're 602 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:24,640 Speaker 2: going to look. And I think a lot of that, 603 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:26,920 Speaker 2: right le Ron is going to fall on a guy 604 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:29,160 Speaker 2: like Justin Fields, who was one of the top quarterback 605 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:32,560 Speaker 2: recruits in the country and who I think everyone is 606 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 2: expecting big things from, especially given how good Dwayne Haskins 607 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 2: looked in just as Loane. You're starting Columbus last year. 608 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:42,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, And the advantage that Haskins had was he had 609 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:45,760 Speaker 1: time to sit and learn and get mental rests. Where 610 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 1: Justin Fields will be expected to come in right away. 611 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:50,040 Speaker 1: He won't have that advantage. You won't have the advantage 612 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: of Hunter Johnson, who you mentioned at Northwestern. So it 613 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:56,479 Speaker 1: is immediately, you know, feet to the fire kind of 614 00:30:57,080 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 1: in Columbus. 615 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 2: So yeah, the other part of that too, I mean, 616 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 2: Dwayne Haskins ran a slower forward to an Eli Manning. 617 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:05,880 Speaker 2: We might be backing up next year, so they want 618 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 2: to run him more than he did by all indicasions, and. 619 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:09,280 Speaker 1: He just didn't do it. 620 00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:12,360 Speaker 2: And Justin Fields is much more of a dual threat 621 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 2: kind of guy. I don't want to say in the 622 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:16,440 Speaker 2: mold of jac Barrett because I think they're completely different players. 623 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:18,840 Speaker 2: But J. C. Barrett Bible has stayed out with his 624 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 2: legs a lot more than they did with his arms 625 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:23,760 Speaker 2: and times during his three or four year tenure as 626 00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:26,520 Speaker 2: a starter. So I'm just curious to see how this 627 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 2: offense looks. I think, again, the pieces are there to 628 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:31,160 Speaker 2: be the best in the Big Ten the way they 629 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:33,720 Speaker 2: usually are. I think they were turn enough on defense 630 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,240 Speaker 2: that's going to make all of us forget some of 631 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:40,800 Speaker 2: the tackling dummies and kind of whiffs they had throughout 632 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:43,200 Speaker 2: the middle of last season, which I think, when you 633 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:46,360 Speaker 2: look at the big picture of Ohio State's twenty eighteen season, 634 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 2: was grossly overlooked because of the way they finishing, because 635 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 2: of Erbami retiring and so much overshadowing what happened on 636 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 2: the field last year. But that defense was not great, 637 00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:58,800 Speaker 2: and I think they had the potential and the chance 638 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:01,120 Speaker 2: to be much much better this season. And I think 639 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 2: that's something that we have almost forgotten about because they 640 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,040 Speaker 2: still won the Big Ten last year despite not looking 641 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:09,600 Speaker 2: the part during October and November a. 642 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:18,320 Speaker 1: Great point three, four, five, six, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, fourteen, ten. Oh, 643 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:22,680 Speaker 1: you hit the whammy. It was gonna happen. Sorry, Rutgers fans, 644 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 1: you're probably good people. I assume you are. Scarlet Knights 645 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:34,320 Speaker 1: were lately, yeah, well fair the Scarlet Knights. They were terrific. 646 00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:39,040 Speaker 1: Yet yet they were right there versus Northwestern and Michigan 647 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:43,440 Speaker 1: State and sort of Penn State. Is Rutgers in any 648 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:47,560 Speaker 1: sort of position to scratch and claw their way to 649 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:51,520 Speaker 1: more of that? Or is the the mess of Rutgers 650 00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:55,400 Speaker 1: athletics in general, the big picture mess too much for anyone, 651 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:59,520 Speaker 1: I guess, specifically Chris ash to overcome. Right now. 652 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:02,400 Speaker 2: I don't want to put Rutgers in Illinois in the 653 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:06,880 Speaker 2: same category because historically Illinois has had some success football life. 654 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 2: Maybe not recent history, but traditionally, especially in the Big Ten. 655 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:13,520 Speaker 2: That said, I look at them in somewhat similar veins 656 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:18,040 Speaker 2: when evaluating the work of those coaching staffs, because I 657 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:20,280 Speaker 2: remember talking to someone familiar with the Rutgers program in 658 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 2: between years one and two of the Chris ash era, 659 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:26,000 Speaker 2: and it was what progress, as crazy as it sounds 660 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:28,360 Speaker 2: might be, you know, losing thirty to nothing in says 661 00:33:28,360 --> 00:33:30,280 Speaker 2: sixty Johan the way we were last year. I mean, 662 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:35,040 Speaker 2: that's how much of a whole I think that staff 663 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:37,040 Speaker 2: has had to dig out of. And you saw it 664 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 2: last year. You win your first game against Texas State 665 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:42,920 Speaker 2: and you lose out. And there were games, like you said, 666 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:45,640 Speaker 2: against Northwestern, even against Penn State for a little bit, 667 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 2: and of course against Michigan State, which forgot about offense 668 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 2: last year, where hey, maybe they're going to do this, 669 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 2: maybe they're going to break through, and they just didn't 670 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 2: do it. And I know people's patience is thin in 671 00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:01,960 Speaker 2: this environment, in this era of college football. But when 672 00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:05,880 Speaker 2: you look at that division, I mean, what's a realistic expectation, 673 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:09,640 Speaker 2: realistic high expectation. I mean, you tell me you're always 674 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:15,120 Speaker 2: going to be at best in that division? Right? Am 675 00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:17,040 Speaker 2: I missing something? No? 676 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:17,520 Speaker 1: That's right? 677 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:21,439 Speaker 2: I just don't know. And you could say this about 678 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:23,160 Speaker 2: a lot of teams. I think at the Power five 679 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:24,920 Speaker 2: levels we're kind of ringing up the rear and the 680 00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:27,799 Speaker 2: respect and conferences. I don't know what you expect, but 681 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:30,400 Speaker 2: when you lose by forty one points to a Kansas 682 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:33,239 Speaker 2: team to end up firing as coach, I think that 683 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:34,200 Speaker 2: kind of speaks for itself. 684 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:36,239 Speaker 1: No, No, I think I think all of that is 685 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:39,920 Speaker 1: all reasonable. And I don't know where they go, and 686 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:42,760 Speaker 1: I don't know that the Big Ten is super happy 687 00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:45,960 Speaker 1: about having a team like this. At least Illinois has 688 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 1: carried its weight in the last decade, twelve years, whatever where, 689 00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:54,040 Speaker 1: and basketball wise, they've They've been interesting at times. But yeah, 690 00:34:54,080 --> 00:34:56,160 Speaker 1: this is it's a rough stretch. It's a rough stretch 691 00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 1: for the Big Ten. 692 00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:00,560 Speaker 2: With Rutgers, it's similar for vast well team. I mean, 693 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:02,439 Speaker 2: they didn't win a whole lot to understand now they killed, 694 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:04,560 Speaker 2: They've been competitive, and it has been a team you 695 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:06,680 Speaker 2: can't overlook anymore. And I don't want to say that's 696 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:08,480 Speaker 2: all you can ask for, but early on, I mean, 697 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:12,040 Speaker 2: I think you have to take baby steps and celebrate 698 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:14,479 Speaker 2: not moral victories, but small victories on and off the court. 699 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 2: One other thing, look at their schedule. Now Hugh Breeze 700 00:35:17,239 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 2: comes to town. How can we forget that? 701 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:23,200 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, I did not even yep. That's good 702 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:32,880 Speaker 1: for Hugh Freese, good for the Liberty Flames. Three, four, five, six, nine, eleven, twelve, fourteen, 703 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:37,480 Speaker 1: let's go twelve, all right? Twelve? Wisconsin a much cheerier position, 704 00:35:37,640 --> 00:35:41,799 Speaker 1: even after disappointing twenty eighteen. By the Badger's standards, it 705 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:44,719 Speaker 1: was rough. For sure, It'd be easy and it'd be 706 00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:47,840 Speaker 1: correct to point out the injuries all over the place. 707 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:52,320 Speaker 1: But upon further reflection, we're now almost four months away 708 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:56,120 Speaker 1: from this past season. Was it more than just a 709 00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:59,560 Speaker 1: ton of injuries? And if so, is it correctable? 710 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 2: He gets correctable. I think it's the program. And I 711 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:05,680 Speaker 2: don't want to blame a kid or put too much 712 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:08,719 Speaker 2: on a kid, but I think Alex hornybrook leaving, I mean, 713 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:11,479 Speaker 2: was best for both parties. I think both the team 714 00:36:11,520 --> 00:36:14,000 Speaker 2: and the player were in need of a fresh start. 715 00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:19,920 Speaker 2: It was a weird season for Wisconsin because they pretty 716 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:22,640 Speaker 2: much win that division every year and they're always slept 717 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:24,840 Speaker 2: on and last year they were off Sports Illustrated covers. 718 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:27,120 Speaker 2: I picked them to win the league and go to 719 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:32,400 Speaker 2: the playoff. I mean, it was very antithetical to Wisconsin's DNA, 720 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:34,520 Speaker 2: if you will, in terms of being over sold and 721 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:38,040 Speaker 2: under delivering. That said, bring back Chasit Taylor, who might 722 00:36:38,080 --> 00:36:39,560 Speaker 2: be the best player in college fotball, and you bring 723 00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:41,879 Speaker 2: back pretty much all your big playmakers in the receiving game. 724 00:36:42,719 --> 00:36:45,040 Speaker 2: You got four quarterbacks plugging out right now in spring. 725 00:36:45,080 --> 00:36:46,920 Speaker 2: Graham Mertz is the guy I know fans want to 726 00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:49,879 Speaker 2: eventually went out and be given the chance because he's 727 00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:52,160 Speaker 2: the highest rated recruit they've ever had at the position, 728 00:36:52,239 --> 00:36:55,359 Speaker 2: and this is a staff that knows what it's doing 729 00:36:55,360 --> 00:36:57,080 Speaker 2: when it comes to quarterbacks. I think they've gone the 730 00:36:57,080 --> 00:36:59,160 Speaker 2: absolute most out of everyone they've had there so far. 731 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:05,160 Speaker 2: And that defense was not bad. I mean they weren't great. 732 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:07,040 Speaker 2: They weren't a top two unit the way they had 733 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:10,560 Speaker 2: been the first couple of years under three different coordinators 734 00:37:10,600 --> 00:37:12,960 Speaker 2: in three years. They're the latest of them beat being 735 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:16,520 Speaker 2: former safety standout Jim Leonard. But they weren't bad. So 736 00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:20,879 Speaker 2: I think this is a very fixable program or team, 737 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:22,640 Speaker 2: if people, whatever you want to call it. I think 738 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:25,560 Speaker 2: they're a lot closer to winning that division this year 739 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:29,640 Speaker 2: than they are to finishing at sixth or seventh. I'm 740 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:32,680 Speaker 2: buying Wisconsin stock right now. I know last year left 741 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:35,359 Speaker 2: a sour taste, a lot of people's mouths. But when 742 00:37:35,360 --> 00:37:37,000 Speaker 2: you go through injury, is a quarterback, when you go 743 00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:39,799 Speaker 2: through uncertainty a quarterback every other week, it seemed like 744 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:42,680 Speaker 2: it was a will here, won't he? With Alex Hornybrook 745 00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:47,040 Speaker 2: and Jack Cone, And you could just see the looks 746 00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:49,120 Speaker 2: on people's faces, not just at Wisconsin but at other 747 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:51,399 Speaker 2: places in the past. When you've had one guy there 748 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:54,160 Speaker 2: for so long who's had so many ups and downs 749 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:57,120 Speaker 2: and has been subjected to so much scrutiny, you can 750 00:37:57,160 --> 00:38:00,279 Speaker 2: tell in the locker room on a coaching staff, and 751 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:02,719 Speaker 2: that kind of stuff seeps into a program and it 752 00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:05,759 Speaker 2: just wears everyone out. And again, I don't want to 753 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:08,359 Speaker 2: be too harsh and all of torny Brook here, I 754 00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:10,560 Speaker 2: think everyone at Wisconsin thanks them for his service and 755 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:13,160 Speaker 2: wishes them the best of the lockdown in Tallahassee, but 756 00:38:13,719 --> 00:38:17,280 Speaker 2: I think everyone needed a fresh start, and I think 757 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:20,879 Speaker 2: if Graham Mertz is that guy, maybe not if Jack 758 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:22,520 Speaker 2: con is that guy. But but again, he's going to 759 00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:24,880 Speaker 2: be a junior now he's hopefully improved. A lot of 760 00:38:24,920 --> 00:38:27,919 Speaker 2: Wisconsin fans takes they should be better. I mean, they're 761 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:29,720 Speaker 2: always going to be good on the offensive line. Charles 762 00:38:29,760 --> 00:38:32,719 Speaker 2: and Taylor had the quietest season I think of any 763 00:38:32,719 --> 00:38:35,880 Speaker 2: great player we've ever really seen last year, there's no 764 00:38:35,920 --> 00:38:38,560 Speaker 2: reason he shouldn't be as good or better. I think 765 00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:41,719 Speaker 2: this program's a good spot, I really do. I don't 766 00:38:41,719 --> 00:38:43,279 Speaker 2: think they're gonna be down for long. I think they 767 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:46,240 Speaker 2: should be competing for a division title again this season 768 00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:48,719 Speaker 2: and maybe more if everything breaks their way the way 769 00:38:48,719 --> 00:38:51,319 Speaker 2: it did two years ago. But I just can't get 770 00:38:51,320 --> 00:38:53,200 Speaker 2: too down on these guys after they started thirty four 771 00:38:53,239 --> 00:38:54,480 Speaker 2: and seven under Paul Chris in the. 772 00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:57,160 Speaker 1: First three years, though, Yeah, just underscorees how difficult it 773 00:38:57,200 --> 00:39:00,400 Speaker 1: is to do to win ten games forever been a 774 00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:04,399 Speaker 1: program like Wisconsin with a an identity in place and 775 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:08,000 Speaker 1: you know, an advantageous division for these past few years, 776 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:11,040 Speaker 1: it's just difficult. It's just it's a tough ass to 777 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:11,279 Speaker 1: do it. 778 00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:14,440 Speaker 2: Every year they went eight and five and they were 779 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:16,680 Speaker 2: finishing second in that division. I know there are two 780 00:39:16,719 --> 00:39:19,160 Speaker 2: games out of first and really three since they lost Northwestern, 781 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:23,040 Speaker 2: but it wasn't the disaster. I think we're all remembering, 782 00:39:23,120 --> 00:39:25,440 Speaker 2: as I think our preaching the expectations of this team, 783 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:30,160 Speaker 2: did U snow favors and coloring the reality of what 784 00:39:30,160 --> 00:39:31,520 Speaker 2: they were on the field last year. 785 00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:33,200 Speaker 1: And you mentioned the will they won't they? I think 786 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:35,880 Speaker 1: they finished like their final eight games were win loss, 787 00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:38,520 Speaker 1: win loss, win loss, win loss. So the will they 788 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:45,799 Speaker 1: won't that thing is is very accurate. Three, four, five, six, nine, eleven, fourteen, 789 00:39:46,320 --> 00:39:49,400 Speaker 1: Let's go nine, Let's go nine. You probably won't have 790 00:39:49,400 --> 00:39:53,480 Speaker 1: a lot to say about this, but Illinois. It's it's 791 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:56,840 Speaker 1: kind of true to say Illinois got better in twenty eighteen. 792 00:39:56,920 --> 00:40:00,160 Speaker 1: It is they ran the ball well, they were more 793 00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:04,279 Speaker 1: competitive overall. Please ignore the Iowa game. Is it? Is 794 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:06,640 Speaker 1: it a talent thing? Is it an approach thing? Is 795 00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:09,560 Speaker 1: it a coaching thing? Is it an injury thing? Isn't 796 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:13,400 Speaker 1: an everything that could go wrong has thing? What is 797 00:40:13,400 --> 00:40:16,759 Speaker 1: it right now with Illinois that defines their status? 798 00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:18,720 Speaker 2: You know, it's funny because today I had a story 799 00:40:18,719 --> 00:40:21,720 Speaker 2: on their athletic director, Josh Whitman, who had played there 800 00:40:22,080 --> 00:40:24,040 Speaker 2: in the late nineties and early two thousands, and I 801 00:40:24,080 --> 00:40:26,000 Speaker 2: was actually unaware of this until he had said it 802 00:40:26,040 --> 00:40:29,480 Speaker 2: to me. He got there during Ron Turner's first year 803 00:40:29,480 --> 00:40:31,400 Speaker 2: and at enna seven they went oh to eleven, and 804 00:40:31,480 --> 00:40:34,160 Speaker 2: by year three they won eight or nine games. They 805 00:40:34,160 --> 00:40:36,200 Speaker 2: won it. The big pass against Tom Brady. They won 806 00:40:36,239 --> 00:40:40,279 Speaker 2: at Ohio State. This is not that situation, clearly. I 807 00:40:40,320 --> 00:40:44,080 Speaker 2: think Illinois football is digging out of a much deeper 808 00:40:44,120 --> 00:40:46,719 Speaker 2: hole at the beginning of the Lovey Smith regime than 809 00:40:46,719 --> 00:40:48,920 Speaker 2: it was at the beginning of the Ron Turner regime. 810 00:40:49,680 --> 00:40:52,000 Speaker 2: But they did get better last year. And again, I 811 00:40:52,040 --> 00:40:55,040 Speaker 2: know this sounds like faint praise, but they lost to 812 00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:57,360 Speaker 2: Penn State by thirty nine points. They were winning that 813 00:40:57,360 --> 00:41:01,600 Speaker 2: game in the second half. Yeah, for what a that's worth? No? 814 00:41:01,680 --> 00:41:04,200 Speaker 2: I mean yeah, that South Florida game I was at 815 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:07,000 Speaker 2: at Soldier Field. They were up nineteen seven at the 816 00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:09,839 Speaker 2: start of the fourth quarter and South Florida basically need 817 00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:11,120 Speaker 2: a Hail Mary to beat them at the end. I 818 00:41:11,160 --> 00:41:14,160 Speaker 2: know South Florida ended up collapsing and not being the 819 00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:16,200 Speaker 2: great group of five team that we all expected them 820 00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:18,319 Speaker 2: to be at the beginning of the year, but that's 821 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:21,400 Speaker 2: a game they should have won. Can they get to 822 00:41:21,480 --> 00:41:23,120 Speaker 2: a bowl this year? If they do, I think that 823 00:41:23,160 --> 00:41:26,320 Speaker 2: would be phenomenal for Lovely Smith, for that staff, for 824 00:41:26,880 --> 00:41:29,560 Speaker 2: momentum for that program moving forward. I think I'm Jay 825 00:41:29,640 --> 00:41:32,280 Speaker 2: Rivers is probably going to be the guy at quarterback. 826 00:41:32,680 --> 00:41:36,320 Speaker 2: I think that offense took tremendous strides under rad Smith. 827 00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:38,400 Speaker 2: I mean again, when you go four and eight and 828 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:40,920 Speaker 2: two and seven to Big ten play, people aren't looking 829 00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:44,080 Speaker 2: too closely at the numbers, and I understand that when 830 00:41:44,120 --> 00:41:46,600 Speaker 2: you're in a Power five conference. But they went from 831 00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:49,200 Speaker 2: I want to say one twenty seventh to maybe sixty 832 00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:52,560 Speaker 2: third nationally yards per play. The problem is that defense 833 00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:55,880 Speaker 2: was got awful, and they had a coordinator resign mid season, 834 00:41:56,000 --> 00:41:57,960 Speaker 2: and with all that time to go out and hire someone, 835 00:41:58,320 --> 00:42:02,279 Speaker 2: Lovely Smith ended up promoting himself this year, which we'll see. 836 00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:04,480 Speaker 2: I think that's Lovely putting his chips on the table. 837 00:42:04,520 --> 00:42:06,400 Speaker 2: I think that's him saying, you know it's on me 838 00:42:06,520 --> 00:42:08,439 Speaker 2: right now, make or break. I know it's year four, 839 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:10,560 Speaker 2: we're going to look at it probably as year three 840 00:42:10,600 --> 00:42:12,680 Speaker 2: because he got hired in March to twenty sixteen and 841 00:42:12,920 --> 00:42:15,360 Speaker 2: he didn't have a chance of recruiting and really install 842 00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:17,160 Speaker 2: things the way he wanted to for the spring. Then 843 00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:20,480 Speaker 2: they've had a lot of attrition. I think going into 844 00:42:20,520 --> 00:42:23,040 Speaker 2: this year, there's a clear line between one through six 845 00:42:23,080 --> 00:42:24,960 Speaker 2: in that division and number seven, who in this case 846 00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:28,359 Speaker 2: is Illinois. But I'm not as sour on them as 847 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:30,399 Speaker 2: everyone else. I mean, even if they only win four 848 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:34,359 Speaker 2: games again this year under Lovely Smith, that probably gets 849 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:36,480 Speaker 2: it fired. I know it might be a little bit 850 00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:40,279 Speaker 2: premature to talk about toach of maneuvers, but I just 851 00:42:40,320 --> 00:42:44,920 Speaker 2: think with getting actually them up to eighty five scholarships, 852 00:42:44,960 --> 00:42:48,120 Speaker 2: getting them close to a level playing field with the 853 00:42:48,760 --> 00:42:51,400 Speaker 2: rest of their peers, and not doing anything or gregious 854 00:42:51,480 --> 00:42:54,600 Speaker 2: off the field, that combined with an eighty million dollar 855 00:42:54,719 --> 00:42:57,280 Speaker 2: facility opening at the start of training camp this summer, 856 00:42:57,719 --> 00:43:00,160 Speaker 2: is going to leave this program in better position or 857 00:43:00,200 --> 00:43:03,120 Speaker 2: whoever ends up getting the job going into next year. 858 00:43:03,120 --> 00:43:04,960 Speaker 2: And I don't want to write this off as a 859 00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:09,480 Speaker 2: lost season just yet, but I think you need to 860 00:43:09,560 --> 00:43:11,600 Speaker 2: take baby steps, and I think you need to look 861 00:43:11,640 --> 00:43:15,480 Speaker 2: at Victory's beyond the box score, and unless that defense 862 00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:17,719 Speaker 2: can make the kind of improvements that the offense did 863 00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:20,560 Speaker 2: last year, I'm not sure I see five or six 864 00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:21,480 Speaker 2: wins on that schedule. 865 00:43:21,880 --> 00:43:23,480 Speaker 1: All right, Well, we've got to go into a bit 866 00:43:23,520 --> 00:43:26,160 Speaker 1: of a lightning mode because you are the president and 867 00:43:26,200 --> 00:43:28,840 Speaker 1: you have things to do and people to speak to. 868 00:43:29,600 --> 00:43:33,520 Speaker 1: So three four or five change diapers to change three four, five, 869 00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:38,960 Speaker 1: six eleven or fourteen fourteen fourteen, it is okay we're 870 00:43:38,960 --> 00:43:41,520 Speaker 1: talking Nebraska. At the beginning of last year, it seemed 871 00:43:41,560 --> 00:43:45,600 Speaker 1: like there was optimism that faded and then rose like 872 00:43:45,719 --> 00:43:50,120 Speaker 1: the phoenix, as the Huskers look like. At the very least, 873 00:43:50,160 --> 00:43:52,319 Speaker 1: they were a competitive Big Ten team week in and 874 00:43:52,360 --> 00:43:57,759 Speaker 1: week out. Is it too mild to say maintaining that 875 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:00,359 Speaker 1: seems like a win or is there reason to raise 876 00:44:00,480 --> 00:44:05,120 Speaker 1: the Husker threat level from decent threat to full on threat. 877 00:44:05,360 --> 00:44:06,799 Speaker 2: I don't think it's too early to say full on 878 00:44:06,840 --> 00:44:08,440 Speaker 2: threat when you look at the state of the division, 879 00:44:08,680 --> 00:44:10,600 Speaker 2: and when you look at Scott Frost's history, and when 880 00:44:10,640 --> 00:44:12,960 Speaker 2: you look at how well this team played even in 881 00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:15,160 Speaker 2: some losses. I mean, I was at that Northwestern game 882 00:44:15,280 --> 00:44:19,759 Speaker 2: last year, and I think the win probability with five 883 00:44:19,760 --> 00:44:22,400 Speaker 2: minutes left was probably ninety eight ninety nine percent Northwestern. 884 00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:27,040 Speaker 2: I mean, Northwestern had to score ten points and basically 885 00:44:27,160 --> 00:44:31,680 Speaker 2: less than two minutes without any timeouts, using what at 886 00:44:31,719 --> 00:44:34,320 Speaker 2: the time coming off that non conference slight which was 887 00:44:34,360 --> 00:44:36,840 Speaker 2: a disaster, one of the worst offenses in all of 888 00:44:36,840 --> 00:44:38,640 Speaker 2: college football, and they were able to do that. I mean, 889 00:44:38,719 --> 00:44:42,160 Speaker 2: the way Nebraska threw that game away was absolutely perplexing, 890 00:44:42,200 --> 00:44:44,719 Speaker 2: and Scott Frost and the press conference afterward I mean 891 00:44:44,760 --> 00:44:46,120 Speaker 2: he looked like his dog died. I mean, you just 892 00:44:46,200 --> 00:44:47,960 Speaker 2: want to give the poor guy a hug because he 893 00:44:48,080 --> 00:44:52,879 Speaker 2: just had no answers. But I also think, as gut 894 00:44:52,880 --> 00:44:55,640 Speaker 2: Regen as it was to live through as a Nebraska 895 00:44:55,680 --> 00:44:59,080 Speaker 2: fan or player and coach, there's a lot of talent 896 00:44:59,120 --> 00:45:02,080 Speaker 2: on that raster. Adrian Martinez is like a thirty five 897 00:45:02,120 --> 00:45:03,960 Speaker 2: year old man in the nineteen year old's body. I mean, 898 00:45:04,160 --> 00:45:07,080 Speaker 2: he's just one of the most mature guys I think 899 00:45:07,080 --> 00:45:09,640 Speaker 2: I've ever seen speak publicly. And this will be a 900 00:45:09,680 --> 00:45:12,520 Speaker 2: plug here, but our Sherman, our new nebrassa writer, had 901 00:45:12,520 --> 00:45:15,920 Speaker 2: a tremendous story going out to his hometown in California, 902 00:45:16,040 --> 00:45:18,399 Speaker 2: writing about his background. When you read about this guy, 903 00:45:18,480 --> 00:45:20,160 Speaker 2: when you see what he was able to do last 904 00:45:20,239 --> 00:45:22,040 Speaker 2: year through the thick and the thin, I have no 905 00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:24,279 Speaker 2: doubt that this is going to be one of the 906 00:45:24,280 --> 00:45:26,640 Speaker 2: best quarterbacks of the big time as soon as next year. 907 00:45:26,880 --> 00:45:28,920 Speaker 2: I think that highly of them. I think the highly 908 00:45:29,280 --> 00:45:32,239 Speaker 2: of the coaching staff. Even when they lost two of 909 00:45:32,280 --> 00:45:35,839 Speaker 2: their last six games last year, the Ohio State game 910 00:45:36,160 --> 00:45:38,880 Speaker 2: and the Iowa game, they were both right in toward 911 00:45:38,920 --> 00:45:43,320 Speaker 2: the end and had a chance to win both those games, 912 00:45:43,360 --> 00:45:45,560 Speaker 2: and I think going forward to after an zero to 913 00:45:45,600 --> 00:45:48,480 Speaker 2: six start, winning the Michigan State game the way they 914 00:45:48,480 --> 00:45:50,200 Speaker 2: were able to win. I know it was nine to six, 915 00:45:50,280 --> 00:45:53,759 Speaker 2: but I think to win ugly after losing pretty for 916 00:45:53,880 --> 00:45:56,399 Speaker 2: lack of a better analogy, so much that season said 917 00:45:56,400 --> 00:45:58,640 Speaker 2: a lot about the character of that team. And I 918 00:45:58,719 --> 00:46:00,520 Speaker 2: just think they've got a clicking right now down all 919 00:46:00,560 --> 00:46:04,560 Speaker 2: the phases you need from a program standpoint to be 920 00:46:04,680 --> 00:46:07,239 Speaker 2: in position to compete for division titles. So I don't 921 00:46:07,280 --> 00:46:09,440 Speaker 2: think it's too early to think of these guys as 922 00:46:09,480 --> 00:46:10,560 Speaker 2: a contender in the Less this year. 923 00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:15,520 Speaker 1: All right, three four, five six eleven three three Minnesota? 924 00:46:17,000 --> 00:46:20,080 Speaker 1: What was what was the biggest difference between the Minnesota 925 00:46:20,120 --> 00:46:24,640 Speaker 1: team that lost five of six relatively early, that includes 926 00:46:24,719 --> 00:46:28,360 Speaker 1: being demolished by Illinois, by the way, and the team 927 00:46:28,480 --> 00:46:32,400 Speaker 1: that comfortably beat Purdue, Wisconsin and Georgia Tech. Is that 928 00:46:32,520 --> 00:46:34,840 Speaker 1: is that all Tanner Morgan, Well, I mean. 929 00:46:34,800 --> 00:46:38,040 Speaker 2: Tanner Morgan, but Joe ROSSI they fired their defense coordinator 930 00:46:38,600 --> 00:46:41,279 Speaker 2: Rob Smith after Illinois, and they came out and beat 931 00:46:41,320 --> 00:46:43,480 Speaker 2: Purdue the way they did, and they were able to 932 00:46:43,480 --> 00:46:46,040 Speaker 2: beat Wisconsin and send Paul Johnson into retirement on a 933 00:46:46,040 --> 00:46:49,240 Speaker 2: sour note, in the Detroit Bowl whatever they call it nowadays. 934 00:46:49,280 --> 00:46:53,160 Speaker 2: I mean that defense from a personality standpoint just looks 935 00:46:53,200 --> 00:46:56,440 Speaker 2: so much different those last five or six games under Rossie, 936 00:46:56,440 --> 00:47:00,360 Speaker 2: who obviously was promoted to the coordinator position full time 937 00:47:00,760 --> 00:47:03,480 Speaker 2: after the season. I think they're flying to the ball better. 938 00:47:04,120 --> 00:47:07,560 Speaker 2: They had much better morale, and you see that translate offensively. 939 00:47:07,600 --> 00:47:10,719 Speaker 2: I mean the first three weeks, that injury report was 940 00:47:10,800 --> 00:47:13,960 Speaker 2: just the most oppressing thing to read in the world. 941 00:47:13,960 --> 00:47:17,880 Speaker 2: I mean, Roddie Smith, who's going to go down as 942 00:47:17,880 --> 00:47:20,000 Speaker 2: maybe the second leading rusher in school history, went down 943 00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:22,640 Speaker 2: for the year. They had another running back go down, 944 00:47:23,160 --> 00:47:26,200 Speaker 2: all of whom returned this year. They were very optimistic 945 00:47:26,600 --> 00:47:28,799 Speaker 2: in the Twin Cities this year. I haven't been up 946 00:47:28,840 --> 00:47:31,960 Speaker 2: there yet myself. I'm hoping to Final four weekend to 947 00:47:32,000 --> 00:47:35,080 Speaker 2: see that staff and to see you practice or two. 948 00:47:35,160 --> 00:47:39,319 Speaker 2: But they quietly think that they can compete for the 949 00:47:39,360 --> 00:47:41,920 Speaker 2: division title this year. And I know that's a familiar thing. 950 00:47:41,960 --> 00:47:43,840 Speaker 2: I feel like I've been saying about every team outside 951 00:47:43,840 --> 00:47:47,560 Speaker 2: of Illinois in that division. But it's true. I mean, 952 00:47:47,560 --> 00:47:51,000 Speaker 2: the margin for error is so close that when you 953 00:47:51,040 --> 00:47:52,880 Speaker 2: beat to Wisconsin the way you did last year on 954 00:47:52,920 --> 00:47:55,120 Speaker 2: the road, when you win a bowl game by twenty 955 00:47:55,160 --> 00:47:59,239 Speaker 2: four points, when you return two quarterbacks with extensive playing time, 956 00:47:59,280 --> 00:48:01,880 Speaker 2: and you're going to the year three with a different 957 00:48:01,960 --> 00:48:05,239 Speaker 2: level of recruit there than what has been coming to 958 00:48:05,239 --> 00:48:08,640 Speaker 2: campus in the past, there's reason propximism, and even PJ. 959 00:48:08,760 --> 00:48:12,680 Speaker 2: Flack at the start of springing ball a battle week ago, said, 960 00:48:12,719 --> 00:48:15,280 Speaker 2: you know, we're not playing with that. You know, underdog, 961 00:48:15,320 --> 00:48:18,439 Speaker 2: don't nobody believes in us. We expect to be here now. 962 00:48:18,680 --> 00:48:20,680 Speaker 2: We know we're capable of with the way we finished 963 00:48:20,760 --> 00:48:23,200 Speaker 2: last season, and we're going to hope that translates to 964 00:48:23,239 --> 00:48:23,919 Speaker 2: the field this fall. 965 00:48:24,160 --> 00:48:29,040 Speaker 1: Four five six eleven four four Michigan with the with 966 00:48:29,120 --> 00:48:32,720 Speaker 1: the benefit of time since the Michigan season ended, looking 967 00:48:32,760 --> 00:48:36,520 Speaker 1: back to you, if Michigan is to break through, which 968 00:48:36,560 --> 00:48:38,560 Speaker 1: to me means win the Big Ten and go to 969 00:48:38,560 --> 00:48:42,640 Speaker 1: the playoff, is job number one? Their their offensive style, 970 00:48:42,800 --> 00:48:48,520 Speaker 1: which they've addressed, or big game defense that's been arguably 971 00:48:48,560 --> 00:48:52,560 Speaker 1: a bigger factor holding Michigan back. Just a performance together 972 00:48:52,760 --> 00:48:55,719 Speaker 1: the performances against the best that the Big Ten has 973 00:48:55,760 --> 00:48:57,720 Speaker 1: to offer on offense, that's. 974 00:48:57,600 --> 00:48:59,840 Speaker 2: A good question. I leaned toward the offensive side of 975 00:48:59,840 --> 00:49:02,560 Speaker 2: the all made the change there for a reason. Josh 976 00:49:02,640 --> 00:49:06,080 Speaker 2: Gattis did a great job with Nicksaban Alabama for a 977 00:49:06,120 --> 00:49:09,040 Speaker 2: year and was tremendous at Penn State before that. Is 978 00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:12,040 Speaker 2: he the answer that remains to be seen. But I 979 00:49:12,080 --> 00:49:14,359 Speaker 2: think we're in an era of college football right now 980 00:49:14,400 --> 00:49:17,759 Speaker 2: where a strong traditional defense will only get you so 981 00:49:17,880 --> 00:49:19,640 Speaker 2: far and makes you a little bit predictable and easy 982 00:49:19,680 --> 00:49:23,799 Speaker 2: to prepare for. You need to have something on the 983 00:49:23,800 --> 00:49:25,640 Speaker 2: other side of the ball that's a threat and that 984 00:49:25,760 --> 00:49:28,680 Speaker 2: occupies the other team's defense. And when you see them 985 00:49:28,680 --> 00:49:30,680 Speaker 2: play against in Ohio State at the end of the 986 00:49:30,719 --> 00:49:34,040 Speaker 2: last season, when you see them play in the bowl 987 00:49:34,040 --> 00:49:37,640 Speaker 2: game against Florida last year, there was nothing that really 988 00:49:38,480 --> 00:49:41,959 Speaker 2: scared you about them. They looked almost predictable at times. 989 00:49:42,200 --> 00:49:44,560 Speaker 2: And the hope is that Jash Gadason, Ben McDaniels, I 990 00:49:44,560 --> 00:49:46,520 Speaker 2: should add, who they had a quarterback coach this year, 991 00:49:47,040 --> 00:49:49,000 Speaker 2: are going to fix things up. I mean, Jay Patterson, 992 00:49:49,080 --> 00:49:51,960 Speaker 2: I think was pretty good, and I think he returns 993 00:49:53,200 --> 00:49:56,360 Speaker 2: most of his key skill players this season, which is 994 00:49:56,360 --> 00:49:59,000 Speaker 2: going to be a major plus for Michigan. But I'm 995 00:49:59,040 --> 00:50:01,640 Speaker 2: lying to you if I say the biggest reason for opximism. 996 00:50:01,840 --> 00:50:03,760 Speaker 2: If you're Jim Harbaugh, right now is that Herbert Myers 997 00:50:03,840 --> 00:50:06,400 Speaker 2: no longer coaching in the Big Ten. I don't want 998 00:50:06,400 --> 00:50:11,480 Speaker 2: to oversimplify art the difference between first and second in 999 00:50:11,520 --> 00:50:14,480 Speaker 2: the division this year, but that's certainly a huge factor. 1000 00:50:14,560 --> 00:50:17,160 Speaker 2: But now the onus is on Michigan. I mean, there 1001 00:50:17,200 --> 00:50:19,880 Speaker 2: are no more excuses now. It seems like we've been 1002 00:50:19,920 --> 00:50:21,960 Speaker 2: saying that every year, but there really are't. Especially with 1003 00:50:22,000 --> 00:50:25,719 Speaker 2: Ohio State coming to the Big House this season, it 1004 00:50:25,800 --> 00:50:28,680 Speaker 2: really is put up for shut up time. I think 1005 00:50:28,719 --> 00:50:31,360 Speaker 2: you've seen a lot less of the harbas cherates publicly 1006 00:50:31,360 --> 00:50:33,319 Speaker 2: in the off season that we were used to in 1007 00:50:33,360 --> 00:50:36,560 Speaker 2: the first two years, and I think in an arbor 1008 00:50:36,600 --> 00:50:40,400 Speaker 2: they know they need to take advantage right now. Without 1009 00:50:40,400 --> 00:50:42,319 Speaker 2: one of the greatest college football coaches of all time 1010 00:50:42,400 --> 00:50:45,239 Speaker 2: being just down the road in Columbus, this should be 1011 00:50:45,440 --> 00:50:48,319 Speaker 2: Michigan's lead to lose, and I think they have at 1012 00:50:48,400 --> 00:50:51,600 Speaker 2: least the talent and the pieces there that will put 1013 00:50:51,640 --> 00:50:54,040 Speaker 2: them in position to do it. It's a matter of 1014 00:50:54,080 --> 00:50:55,520 Speaker 2: really that one game at the end of the year, 1015 00:50:55,719 --> 00:50:59,239 Speaker 2: who's going to take it more personally and who's going 1016 00:50:59,239 --> 00:50:59,879 Speaker 2: to prepare better. 1017 00:51:00,320 --> 00:51:05,439 Speaker 1: Five six eleven is what we have left six all right, 1018 00:51:05,440 --> 00:51:09,880 Speaker 1: Penn State so Nvie Lions had a weird year. The 1019 00:51:09,920 --> 00:51:13,839 Speaker 1: offense took a noticeable step back without Choe Morehead and 1020 00:51:13,880 --> 00:51:17,880 Speaker 1: Sakwon Barkley should be mentioned. And with yes, they had 1021 00:51:17,880 --> 00:51:20,680 Speaker 1: a whole bunch of drops in the passing game, but 1022 00:51:21,880 --> 00:51:25,960 Speaker 1: with how Ohio State and Michigan State ended those two games, 1023 00:51:26,440 --> 00:51:31,319 Speaker 1: they were about seventeen seconds away from being eleven to one, 1024 00:51:31,880 --> 00:51:34,879 Speaker 1: with the one being obviously uttered destruction at the hands 1025 00:51:34,920 --> 00:51:40,320 Speaker 1: of Michigan. Is that coupled with a wildly talented roster, 1026 00:51:41,000 --> 00:51:44,680 Speaker 1: is it? Is it cause for optimism or more big 1027 00:51:44,719 --> 00:51:47,440 Speaker 1: game concern when you look at Michigan State and Ohio State. 1028 00:51:47,480 --> 00:51:50,960 Speaker 1: Now those games ended as they get farther away from 1029 00:51:51,200 --> 00:51:53,800 Speaker 1: the moorhead and now trace McSorley era. 1030 00:51:54,680 --> 00:51:58,640 Speaker 2: I think this is the year where James Franklin's recruiting 1031 00:51:58,680 --> 00:52:02,480 Speaker 2: will be highlight are discounted more than any others. I 1032 00:52:02,480 --> 00:52:05,960 Speaker 2: mean the freshman software junior classes here are all members 1033 00:52:05,960 --> 00:52:09,560 Speaker 2: of top fifteen classes nationally that have been really as 1034 00:52:09,600 --> 00:52:11,759 Speaker 2: good as anyone in the Big ten outside of Ohio State. 1035 00:52:12,040 --> 00:52:14,480 Speaker 2: And so that talent is going to have to grow 1036 00:52:14,520 --> 00:52:17,279 Speaker 2: up quickly because Trace mcsorely, I think made up for 1037 00:52:17,400 --> 00:52:20,640 Speaker 2: a lot of holes on that roster, definitely last year 1038 00:52:20,640 --> 00:52:23,239 Speaker 2: and at parts throughout his three seasons as start. I mean, 1039 00:52:23,239 --> 00:52:27,880 Speaker 2: that was a generational player for that program at quarterback, 1040 00:52:27,920 --> 00:52:30,520 Speaker 2: with the records he broke, with the way he willed 1041 00:52:30,560 --> 00:52:33,279 Speaker 2: them to big game victories again and again. You mentioned 1042 00:52:33,320 --> 00:52:35,080 Speaker 2: the Michigan State don't have state games. Is the same 1043 00:52:35,080 --> 00:52:36,839 Speaker 2: thing the year before, right, They lost to both those 1044 00:52:36,840 --> 00:52:39,160 Speaker 2: teams in a two week span, and that threw them 1045 00:52:39,160 --> 00:52:41,960 Speaker 2: out of the playoff mix. You could just as easily 1046 00:52:42,000 --> 00:52:45,360 Speaker 2: look at the Appalachian State games and maybe the Iowa 1047 00:52:45,440 --> 00:52:47,360 Speaker 2: game and think, you know what, they probably should have 1048 00:52:47,360 --> 00:52:50,000 Speaker 2: lost those, So they probably got what they deserved the 1049 00:52:50,000 --> 00:52:51,560 Speaker 2: grand scheme of things when you look at their nine 1050 00:52:51,600 --> 00:52:54,160 Speaker 2: and four finish. But the biggest question is going to 1051 00:52:54,200 --> 00:52:56,960 Speaker 2: be whose quarterback. I mean, we all had expected for 1052 00:52:57,040 --> 00:52:58,920 Speaker 2: many years that Tommy Stevens would be it. I mean, 1053 00:52:58,920 --> 00:53:01,759 Speaker 2: by all accounts, he almost beat Trades mc sorely in 1054 00:53:01,840 --> 00:53:04,840 Speaker 2: camp before the twenty sixteen season, and they made great 1055 00:53:04,960 --> 00:53:07,799 Speaker 2: use of him. I wouldn't say as the backup. I'd 1056 00:53:07,800 --> 00:53:09,640 Speaker 2: say as a jack of all trades offensive player. He 1057 00:53:09,719 --> 00:53:12,360 Speaker 2: throw her touchdowns, he rushed for touchdowns, he catch touchdowns, 1058 00:53:12,840 --> 00:53:15,319 Speaker 2: and then he got hurt. He was banged up pretty 1059 00:53:15,400 --> 00:53:18,239 Speaker 2: much every part of his body last season, and they 1060 00:53:18,320 --> 00:53:21,560 Speaker 2: just weren't able to really unleash that new wrinkle in 1061 00:53:21,600 --> 00:53:24,279 Speaker 2: their offense. So you do wonder about his health. You 1062 00:53:24,320 --> 00:53:26,319 Speaker 2: wonder if Sean Clifford is going to push him to 1063 00:53:26,320 --> 00:53:29,520 Speaker 2: maybe overtake him for the starting spot. And as you 1064 00:53:29,560 --> 00:53:32,720 Speaker 2: mentioned to the outset, you do wonder about that offense 1065 00:53:32,800 --> 00:53:34,520 Speaker 2: just because Joe Moore has not there anymore and they 1066 00:53:34,520 --> 00:53:37,319 Speaker 2: struggled at times without him. So I do have faith 1067 00:53:37,320 --> 00:53:38,840 Speaker 2: and Ricky Ronnie, I think he's better than a lot 1068 00:53:38,840 --> 00:53:41,520 Speaker 2: of people are giving him credit for. I think some 1069 00:53:41,560 --> 00:53:44,719 Speaker 2: of the holes on that roster came to fruition at 1070 00:53:44,719 --> 00:53:46,359 Speaker 2: the end of some of those big games last year. 1071 00:53:46,880 --> 00:53:49,239 Speaker 2: But ultimately it's going to come down to how good 1072 00:53:49,320 --> 00:53:50,600 Speaker 2: is the quarterback? Whoever that is? 1073 00:53:50,920 --> 00:53:51,680 Speaker 1: Five or eleven? 1074 00:53:52,520 --> 00:53:53,000 Speaker 2: Eleven? 1075 00:53:53,120 --> 00:53:56,400 Speaker 1: All right, eleven is Maryland. And given the context of 1076 00:53:56,520 --> 00:54:01,160 Speaker 1: twenty eighteen, the Terps were understandably all over the place 1077 00:54:01,440 --> 00:54:05,200 Speaker 1: on the field. At their best, they beat or came 1078 00:54:05,200 --> 00:54:09,600 Speaker 1: within a play of beating top top teams, and at 1079 00:54:09,640 --> 00:54:12,680 Speaker 1: their worst they were awful. They were very, very bad 1080 00:54:13,239 --> 00:54:17,359 Speaker 1: in terms of a steadying presence. Do you expect more 1081 00:54:17,440 --> 00:54:21,719 Speaker 1: clarity from the Mike Loxley era, as in, Okay, this 1082 00:54:21,840 --> 00:54:24,359 Speaker 1: is clearly who they are good or bad. This is 1083 00:54:24,680 --> 00:54:28,640 Speaker 1: we understand what Maryland is, and they'll you know, beat 1084 00:54:28,680 --> 00:54:31,000 Speaker 1: teams they're better then, and they'll lose teams that they're worse. 1085 00:54:31,040 --> 00:54:31,880 Speaker 1: Then Do you expect that? 1086 00:54:32,440 --> 00:54:35,600 Speaker 2: I think the range of possibilities, both good and bad, 1087 00:54:36,160 --> 00:54:38,520 Speaker 2: is greater with Mike Loxley than that of any new 1088 00:54:38,560 --> 00:54:42,520 Speaker 2: head coach in twenty nineteen moving forward. I mean, yeah, 1089 00:54:42,560 --> 00:54:44,880 Speaker 2: obviously a great work in Alabama. He got the Nick 1090 00:54:44,920 --> 00:54:47,279 Speaker 2: Damn stamp of approval, he won the Broils Award. He's 1091 00:54:47,320 --> 00:54:51,239 Speaker 2: obviously familiar with Maryland and will recruit that region well, 1092 00:54:51,880 --> 00:54:53,960 Speaker 2: which is something they should have been doing in the past. 1093 00:54:54,000 --> 00:54:56,640 Speaker 2: But it's tough on that side of the big ten. 1094 00:54:58,320 --> 00:55:03,200 Speaker 2: I mean, you say his head coaching tenure beforehand was 1095 00:55:03,239 --> 00:55:05,680 Speaker 2: a disaster. I think would be the biggest understatement you 1096 00:55:05,680 --> 00:55:09,520 Speaker 2: could possibly say. When you look at at other word gets. 1097 00:55:09,880 --> 00:55:12,040 Speaker 2: Culture gets thrown around a lot in Tel football. When 1098 00:55:12,040 --> 00:55:14,640 Speaker 2: you look at the culture around that program with the 1099 00:55:14,640 --> 00:55:18,960 Speaker 2: way things ended last year, I think it's a bit 1100 00:55:19,000 --> 00:55:22,560 Speaker 2: of a head scratch. I really do they got Josh 1101 00:55:22,640 --> 00:55:25,520 Speaker 2: Jackson who looked a part when he was healthy under 1102 00:55:25,640 --> 00:55:28,279 Speaker 2: Justin Puente Virginia Tech, and I think I'd be surprised 1103 00:55:28,840 --> 00:55:31,600 Speaker 2: if he wasn't their starter Week one going into next season, 1104 00:55:31,640 --> 00:55:35,120 Speaker 2: assuming he's at full health. But as you said at 1105 00:55:35,120 --> 00:55:39,879 Speaker 2: the outfite of this, that's a tough division. Expectations are 1106 00:55:39,960 --> 00:55:42,960 Speaker 2: going to be really all over the place because there's 1107 00:55:43,000 --> 00:55:45,719 Speaker 2: talent in that region. But historically Maryland football is not 1108 00:55:45,760 --> 00:55:48,640 Speaker 2: Ohio State football. It's not Penn State, it's not Michigan. 1109 00:55:49,960 --> 00:55:51,799 Speaker 2: At their best last year they were beating Texas, who 1110 00:55:51,880 --> 00:55:54,080 Speaker 2: ended up winning the Sugar Bowl. I'm not sure how 1111 00:55:54,160 --> 00:55:56,239 Speaker 2: much more you can ask for from a program than that. 1112 00:55:57,120 --> 00:56:00,000 Speaker 2: But at it's worse thirty eight to three against a good, 1113 00:56:00,120 --> 00:56:01,879 Speaker 2: not great Penn State team to close out the year. 1114 00:56:04,320 --> 00:56:06,080 Speaker 2: This one is the hardest one to forecast because I 1115 00:56:06,520 --> 00:56:09,640 Speaker 2: think there's potential with that job. I think there's potential 1116 00:56:09,640 --> 00:56:12,200 Speaker 2: with Mike Croxley there. There's potential for a lot of 1117 00:56:12,200 --> 00:56:12,759 Speaker 2: bad there too. 1118 00:56:12,960 --> 00:56:14,399 Speaker 1: Yeah. I mentioned this at the top of the show. 1119 00:56:14,440 --> 00:56:16,520 Speaker 1: By the way, that would have been a win over 1120 00:56:16,960 --> 00:56:19,239 Speaker 1: the Sugar Bowl champion, and they were a throwaway from 1121 00:56:19,239 --> 00:56:22,360 Speaker 1: beating the rose Ball champion, which is so weird to 1122 00:56:22,360 --> 00:56:24,520 Speaker 1: think about when you think about the rest of Maryland season. 1123 00:56:24,800 --> 00:56:26,239 Speaker 2: Well, you look at that through and I don't want 1124 00:56:26,280 --> 00:56:30,160 Speaker 2: to harp on Maryland too much, but that throw changed 1125 00:56:30,160 --> 00:56:33,680 Speaker 2: so much. I mean, yeah, Michigan clinches the division if 1126 00:56:33,680 --> 00:56:36,640 Speaker 2: that's converted. So what's the higher State Michigan game like 1127 00:56:36,640 --> 00:56:39,440 Speaker 2: the next week without anything technically to play for? I mean, 1128 00:56:39,480 --> 00:56:42,319 Speaker 2: I'm sure Ohio State is still hungry to get after it, 1129 00:56:42,360 --> 00:56:45,000 Speaker 2: but they're not playing for a conference title. Then Michigan's 1130 00:56:45,000 --> 00:56:47,319 Speaker 2: going to Indianapolis next week regardless. That's going to change 1131 00:56:47,320 --> 00:56:49,719 Speaker 2: the narrative we have on Jim Harbaugh, regardless of what 1132 00:56:49,760 --> 00:56:52,560 Speaker 2: happens against Ohio State that week. And who knows the 1133 00:56:52,680 --> 00:56:55,160 Speaker 2: Erbami are going to retire after losing like that. I 1134 00:56:55,200 --> 00:56:58,360 Speaker 2: don't know. I mean, this is a large what a 1135 00:56:58,520 --> 00:57:01,239 Speaker 2: scenario that has a lot of different legs to it, 1136 00:57:01,320 --> 00:57:05,440 Speaker 2: But when you look back at that misfire two point conversion, 1137 00:57:06,040 --> 00:57:07,160 Speaker 2: it really gets the mind wondering. 1138 00:57:07,600 --> 00:57:10,480 Speaker 1: Wow, So let's see Northwesterns within three points of Michigan. 1139 00:57:10,520 --> 00:57:14,080 Speaker 1: They meet them again in a rematch in Indianapolis and 1140 00:57:14,160 --> 00:57:17,680 Speaker 1: probably have a lot better shot to get back to Pasadena. 1141 00:57:18,320 --> 00:57:18,720 Speaker 2: Wow. 1142 00:57:19,400 --> 00:57:23,640 Speaker 1: Okay, that just that is my galaxy brain is firing. 1143 00:57:24,680 --> 00:57:27,760 Speaker 1: The final team is Purdue. You mentioned them earlier in 1144 00:57:27,800 --> 00:57:30,200 Speaker 1: the context of thinking Jeff Brahm is probably around a 1145 00:57:30,200 --> 00:57:34,160 Speaker 1: top ten quarterback in the country, and the Boilers in 1146 00:57:34,200 --> 00:57:36,000 Speaker 1: the middle of the year they win four in a row, 1147 00:57:36,200 --> 00:57:38,919 Speaker 1: with I believe the final of those four being that 1148 00:57:39,200 --> 00:57:43,080 Speaker 1: huge emotional Ohio State win being just, you know, a 1149 00:57:43,120 --> 00:57:46,400 Speaker 1: season if not era defining win, and then they lose 1150 00:57:46,520 --> 00:57:51,480 Speaker 1: four of six, highlighted by getting just shellacked by Minnesota 1151 00:57:51,560 --> 00:57:54,360 Speaker 1: and then Auburn in the bowl game. If we shouldn't 1152 00:57:54,440 --> 00:57:56,920 Speaker 1: judge I mean, we shouldn't judge people. We definitely shouldn't 1153 00:57:56,960 --> 00:58:00,280 Speaker 1: judge teams. But if we shouldn't judge anybody by their 1154 00:58:00,320 --> 00:58:03,200 Speaker 1: worst or their best day, So I don't know which is. 1155 00:58:03,240 --> 00:58:04,960 Speaker 1: You know, it's the Minnesota the Auburn game being the 1156 00:58:05,000 --> 00:58:07,800 Speaker 1: worst in Ohio State being the best. How should we 1157 00:58:07,880 --> 00:58:10,840 Speaker 1: judge the status quo of Purdue if we're throwing out 1158 00:58:10,920 --> 00:58:13,360 Speaker 1: those disparate outcomes. 1159 00:58:13,800 --> 00:58:16,880 Speaker 2: I think that's what you get when you have a 1160 00:58:16,960 --> 00:58:19,560 Speaker 2: really good coaching staff with a really young team that 1161 00:58:20,360 --> 00:58:24,040 Speaker 2: isn't necessarily used to winning at a pretty high level. 1162 00:58:24,040 --> 00:58:26,479 Speaker 2: I was there. I want to say the week after 1163 00:58:26,520 --> 00:58:28,600 Speaker 2: they be in Ohio State and I sat down with 1164 00:58:28,680 --> 00:58:31,920 Speaker 2: Jeff Brohm, and you know, they started zero to three too. 1165 00:58:31,960 --> 00:58:33,520 Speaker 2: I mean, it wasn't just losing the way they did 1166 00:58:33,600 --> 00:58:35,800 Speaker 2: in the bowl game and some other games. At the end, 1167 00:58:36,040 --> 00:58:39,360 Speaker 2: they lost Eastern Michigan and Missouri at home, and Jeff 1168 00:58:39,400 --> 00:58:43,000 Speaker 2: Brohm said, you know, I take that one on the chin. 1169 00:58:43,560 --> 00:58:45,920 Speaker 2: We lost one game early on and I thought we 1170 00:58:45,960 --> 00:58:48,600 Speaker 2: should have bottled things up a little bit more. We 1171 00:58:48,680 --> 00:58:51,080 Speaker 2: got out of character. We were afraid to make mistakes, 1172 00:58:51,440 --> 00:58:54,400 Speaker 2: and that's just not pretty football. Under Jeff Brom, I mean, 1173 00:58:54,480 --> 00:58:56,520 Speaker 2: it is one of the most fun teams to watch 1174 00:58:57,320 --> 00:58:59,680 Speaker 2: when they are slinging it and firing on all cylinders 1175 00:59:00,040 --> 00:59:02,439 Speaker 2: out of fredom main mistakes, which is why they're good 1176 00:59:02,440 --> 00:59:04,960 Speaker 2: for a big upset every year under him. The hashtag 1177 00:59:05,760 --> 00:59:07,440 Speaker 2: that they have on her shirts there and that they 1178 00:59:07,480 --> 00:59:10,280 Speaker 2: have on their Twitter kinds Let's play football, which he 1179 00:59:10,320 --> 00:59:13,320 Speaker 2: obviously made famous from his XFL interview on the sideline 1180 00:59:13,320 --> 00:59:18,200 Speaker 2: while playing half a Brain. Probably yeah, that is Purdue 1181 00:59:18,200 --> 00:59:20,120 Speaker 2: football is m O and they really got away from 1182 00:59:20,120 --> 00:59:22,960 Speaker 2: that early on in the season. In addition to probably 1183 00:59:23,000 --> 00:59:24,920 Speaker 2: starting the wrong guy a quarterback to begin with with 1184 00:59:25,000 --> 00:59:27,400 Speaker 2: Elijisin Laara with David Black, who they lose this year. 1185 00:59:27,440 --> 00:59:32,240 Speaker 2: But I think now with three recruiting classes there, with 1186 00:59:32,600 --> 00:59:34,680 Speaker 2: probably the best player of the conference and Rondel Moore 1187 00:59:35,040 --> 00:59:38,600 Speaker 2: possibly superhighs made Trophy candle candidate going into this year, 1188 00:59:38,600 --> 00:59:40,600 Speaker 2: and with Elijah Cindelaar who's played a lot of football 1189 00:59:40,600 --> 00:59:43,720 Speaker 2: there that knows this isn't very well, I think now 1190 00:59:43,800 --> 00:59:47,880 Speaker 2: is when those losses will become less forgivable, especially with 1191 00:59:47,920 --> 00:59:50,880 Speaker 2: Brown gain the extension that he did, being courted so 1192 00:59:51,000 --> 00:59:53,280 Speaker 2: publicly by his alma mater Louisville and turning them down 1193 00:59:53,320 --> 00:59:55,640 Speaker 2: to stay at Perdue, which by the way, has one 1194 00:59:55,640 --> 00:59:59,120 Speaker 2: of the best football facilities indoors in all the country. 1195 00:59:59,160 --> 01:00:00,840 Speaker 2: I know no one talks about because it's not on 1196 01:00:00,880 --> 01:00:02,840 Speaker 2: the lake and it doesn't have a slide. I mean, 1197 01:00:03,280 --> 01:00:07,560 Speaker 2: their facility is phenomenal. I went there for the first 1198 01:00:07,600 --> 01:00:10,240 Speaker 2: time and could not believe I was at Purdue University 1199 01:00:10,560 --> 01:00:12,960 Speaker 2: that they have put money into that program that I 1200 01:00:13,000 --> 01:00:16,440 Speaker 2: think few teams in the Big Ten have and what 1201 01:00:16,600 --> 01:00:18,840 Speaker 2: that's going to be going to come expectations. I think 1202 01:00:18,880 --> 01:00:21,480 Speaker 2: Jeff Brown is the guy who will altimately get them there. 1203 01:00:21,760 --> 01:00:23,480 Speaker 1: All right, Matt for Tuna, thank you very much for 1204 01:00:23,520 --> 01:00:25,400 Speaker 1: your time. I know you have to run. We started 1205 01:00:25,400 --> 01:00:30,080 Speaker 1: talking about your presidency. Is there a perk that you 1206 01:00:30,160 --> 01:00:33,200 Speaker 1: did not realize you would have. Do you have like 1207 01:00:33,240 --> 01:00:35,720 Speaker 1: a special card that gets you out of like you 1208 01:00:35,760 --> 01:00:38,200 Speaker 1: get a front row best seat in the house in 1209 01:00:38,280 --> 01:00:40,400 Speaker 1: press boxes? Do you have a butler? Do you have 1210 01:00:40,520 --> 01:00:43,080 Speaker 1: catered meals as the president? Is there a perk that 1211 01:00:43,160 --> 01:00:43,600 Speaker 1: we don't know? 1212 01:00:44,480 --> 01:00:47,840 Speaker 2: Well? I haven't covered a football game yet since I've 1213 01:00:48,040 --> 01:00:51,760 Speaker 2: taken off of Oh okay, so I started again. They 1214 01:00:51,840 --> 01:00:53,640 Speaker 2: do it at the National Peblicon every year, and I 1215 01:00:53,720 --> 01:00:55,720 Speaker 2: was actually not there this year because my daughter was 1216 01:00:55,720 --> 01:00:57,960 Speaker 2: born that week, so I missed the RSSLE. That was 1217 01:00:57,960 --> 01:00:59,840 Speaker 2: an exciting week, right, I didn't miss much of a 1218 01:00:59,840 --> 01:01:03,680 Speaker 2: game either. Nope, so we'll see. I hope the press 1219 01:01:03,720 --> 01:01:07,040 Speaker 2: boxes in Evanston, South then and all my usual locales 1220 01:01:07,680 --> 01:01:09,840 Speaker 2: give me a suite, maybe the presidential suite. I don't know. 1221 01:01:10,040 --> 01:01:12,320 Speaker 2: That remains to be staying helples. I own too many 1222 01:01:12,320 --> 01:01:15,640 Speaker 2: people off between now and then, and my approval rating 1223 01:01:15,720 --> 01:01:17,480 Speaker 2: doesn't think too much between now and the start of 1224 01:01:17,480 --> 01:01:18,280 Speaker 2: the football season. 1225 01:01:18,560 --> 01:01:20,440 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, I can I'm trying to now picture 1226 01:01:20,440 --> 01:01:22,360 Speaker 1: what a secret Service member for the head of the 1227 01:01:22,440 --> 01:01:26,400 Speaker 1: f WAA might look like. And the division that comes 1228 01:01:26,440 --> 01:01:28,360 Speaker 1: into my head of who would protect the head of 1229 01:01:28,400 --> 01:01:33,600 Speaker 1: a football writers association is not intimidating, not intimidating. 1230 01:01:33,760 --> 01:01:35,240 Speaker 2: I'll see if I can get Brian Kelly on my 1231 01:01:35,240 --> 01:01:37,760 Speaker 2: side anytime he's on game. Danny has ooh boss is on. 1232 01:01:37,920 --> 01:01:41,800 Speaker 2: He looks a lot like not necessarily Paul there from WW, 1233 01:01:42,000 --> 01:01:45,240 Speaker 2: but he looks like a great classic WW wrestling manager, 1234 01:01:46,000 --> 01:01:48,800 Speaker 2: and I think that would be a role that would 1235 01:01:48,800 --> 01:01:50,400 Speaker 2: suit him well whenever he decides to retire. 1236 01:01:50,600 --> 01:01:53,440 Speaker 1: Oh my god, that's so true. Possibly a little bit 1237 01:01:53,440 --> 01:01:57,120 Speaker 1: more bark than bite. You know, he's more of a present. 1238 01:01:57,160 --> 01:01:58,920 Speaker 1: He's not huge, but he has a presence. 1239 01:01:59,200 --> 01:02:01,760 Speaker 2: He absolutely has a presence. I want to say every 1240 01:02:01,800 --> 01:02:04,800 Speaker 2: day should be Saturday. Said this first on Twitter many 1241 01:02:04,880 --> 01:02:06,920 Speaker 2: years ago. I'm not one hundred percent sure about that. 1242 01:02:07,000 --> 01:02:08,960 Speaker 2: I can't take full credit for it. But while we're 1243 01:02:08,960 --> 01:02:12,600 Speaker 2: talking secret service and bodyguards and a guy that I'm 1244 01:02:12,600 --> 01:02:15,080 Speaker 2: probably as familiar with as any coaches from my time 1245 01:02:15,120 --> 01:02:17,960 Speaker 2: being a nerd a beat writer. Well, I hope you 1246 01:02:17,960 --> 01:02:20,160 Speaker 2: wouldn't hate me too much, but but I would feel 1247 01:02:20,160 --> 01:02:21,040 Speaker 2: safe with him guarding me. 1248 01:02:21,760 --> 01:02:25,120 Speaker 1: Nice. That's a good compliment. I would if somebody said 1249 01:02:25,120 --> 01:02:28,000 Speaker 1: that about me, I would be thrilled. Not many people do. 1250 01:02:29,680 --> 01:02:31,640 Speaker 1: Matt for Tuna, Thank you very much for your time. 1251 01:02:31,760 --> 01:02:34,160 Speaker 1: I hope we all got smarter talking about the Big 1252 01:02:34,200 --> 01:02:36,920 Speaker 1: Ten today, and thank you for listening. Thank you for 1253 01:02:37,040 --> 01:02:39,400 Speaker 1: joining us, and we hope to have you on again soon. 1254 01:02:39,880 --> 01:02:41,880 Speaker 2: Thank you, my friend, long time. First time. I'm happy 1255 01:02:41,960 --> 01:02:44,920 Speaker 2: we can have consecutive guests from the Athletic. Hope this 1256 01:02:45,000 --> 01:02:46,120 Speaker 2: isn't the last time. 1257 01:02:46,400 --> 01:02:50,080 Speaker 1: Oh. I would probably count on it because I think 1258 01:02:50,160 --> 01:02:53,720 Speaker 1: everybody there, everybody works at the Athletic now, so it 1259 01:02:53,760 --> 01:02:55,160 Speaker 1: won't be terribly difficult. 1260 01:02:55,480 --> 01:02:57,120 Speaker 2: Well, I appreciate buddy, Thanks for having me. 1261 01:03:02,480 --> 01:03:06,400 Speaker 3: All right, Dan, we are back big thanks to Matt 1262 01:03:06,440 --> 01:03:11,720 Speaker 3: for Tuna from the Athletic jumping in talking all things 1263 01:03:11,840 --> 01:03:16,400 Speaker 3: Big ten with us, first time, longtime. Glad to finally 1264 01:03:16,400 --> 01:03:21,680 Speaker 3: get him on the program. I did want to tease 1265 01:03:21,760 --> 01:03:25,600 Speaker 3: out something that is unrelated to the Big Ten right time, 1266 01:03:25,720 --> 01:03:26,600 Speaker 3: related to the Big Ten. 1267 01:03:26,800 --> 01:03:28,720 Speaker 1: Harris standing up on the back of my neck. 1268 01:03:29,440 --> 01:03:34,000 Speaker 3: We've got a show in the holster for next week. 1269 01:03:34,720 --> 01:03:37,040 Speaker 1: You're very mpr right now. I want to point that out, 1270 01:03:37,080 --> 01:03:39,080 Speaker 1: am I. Yeah, yeah, If you want to add some 1271 01:03:39,200 --> 01:03:42,520 Speaker 1: like birds tweeting that kind of thing, Chirpin. 1272 01:03:42,880 --> 01:03:44,919 Speaker 3: I am very excited about this show now. 1273 01:03:44,920 --> 01:03:46,640 Speaker 1: Dateline, Alan Town. 1274 01:03:46,800 --> 01:03:50,360 Speaker 3: That's right, very excited about the show that I think 1275 01:03:50,400 --> 01:03:53,360 Speaker 3: we've got ready for next week. Yes, didn't have enough 1276 01:03:53,560 --> 01:03:56,840 Speaker 3: lead time to put it together for this evening, but 1277 01:03:57,240 --> 01:04:00,600 Speaker 3: next week as we start April, I think it's a 1278 01:04:00,600 --> 01:04:07,120 Speaker 3: good time topical topical. It's very timely, little out there, upbeat, 1279 01:04:07,200 --> 01:04:09,760 Speaker 3: little out there, as is usually the case with this 1280 01:04:09,840 --> 01:04:15,120 Speaker 3: dumb show. Japanese influence, Japanese influence yet love that kidding? 1281 01:04:15,200 --> 01:04:16,560 Speaker 1: Not even kidding about that or not? 1282 01:04:17,760 --> 01:04:20,640 Speaker 3: So stay tuned to the Solid Verbal Solidverbal dot Com 1283 01:04:20,680 --> 01:04:22,840 Speaker 3: subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. 1284 01:04:22,880 --> 01:04:25,600 Speaker 1: I'm excited, Ty, I'm just flat out excited. I'm not 1285 01:04:25,640 --> 01:04:27,960 Speaker 1: gonna beat around the bush here before we. 1286 01:04:27,920 --> 01:04:30,560 Speaker 3: Go any further and before we close out this show, 1287 01:04:30,600 --> 01:04:33,520 Speaker 3: just because we haven't talked in a while, Yeah, let's talk. 1288 01:04:33,720 --> 01:04:36,040 Speaker 3: I need a steaming hot food take from you. 1289 01:04:36,480 --> 01:04:39,640 Speaker 1: Oh, here's okay. I'm going to tie together two things. 1290 01:04:40,360 --> 01:04:42,480 Speaker 1: What the two things that I'm gonna tie together are 1291 01:04:42,640 --> 01:04:45,800 Speaker 1: food and being a new parent. How about that? Please, 1292 01:04:46,160 --> 01:04:50,000 Speaker 1: let's be obnoxious about it. When your child is born, 1293 01:04:51,000 --> 01:04:53,760 Speaker 1: it has been a very good decision that I've made. 1294 01:04:53,920 --> 01:04:57,480 Speaker 1: Recommend it. Don't have to don't drink or eat sugar 1295 01:04:58,360 --> 01:05:02,360 Speaker 1: because those two things can affect your sleep. Yeah, and 1296 01:05:02,920 --> 01:05:04,720 Speaker 1: you're not going to get as nearly as much sleep 1297 01:05:04,760 --> 01:05:06,800 Speaker 1: as you think you are or that you used to get, 1298 01:05:07,240 --> 01:05:11,360 Speaker 1: and so give yourself. It's almost like performance enhancing giving up. 1299 01:05:11,760 --> 01:05:14,280 Speaker 1: Not like bread or anything like that. Just stop eating 1300 01:05:14,320 --> 01:05:17,680 Speaker 1: M and m's and Starburst or Danishes or whatever, and 1301 01:05:18,640 --> 01:05:21,320 Speaker 1: either don't drink or just cut way back on your drinking. 1302 01:05:21,960 --> 01:05:25,800 Speaker 1: When I do sleep tie, I'm out in seconds. I 1303 01:05:25,960 --> 01:05:31,240 Speaker 1: sleep hard. Excuse me, that sounded wrong. I sleep hard. 1304 01:05:31,520 --> 01:05:36,400 Speaker 1: I stand by it. That's my steaming hot food take. 1305 01:05:36,480 --> 01:05:38,680 Speaker 1: You can like mayonnaise, you cannot like mayonnaise. I don't 1306 01:05:38,680 --> 01:05:41,200 Speaker 1: really care like what you like, but that is That 1307 01:05:41,360 --> 01:05:45,440 Speaker 1: is my constructive bit of food related life advice. 1308 01:05:45,680 --> 01:05:47,800 Speaker 3: All right, Well, I don't really have much to add. 1309 01:05:48,400 --> 01:05:51,160 Speaker 3: Why did you ask about food specifically? Because it's your 1310 01:05:51,200 --> 01:05:53,360 Speaker 3: thing and I feel like we haven't talked about it 1311 01:05:53,360 --> 01:05:55,720 Speaker 3: in a while. People really subscribe to what Dan has to. 1312 01:05:55,880 --> 01:05:58,280 Speaker 1: Oh you're ready, I'll give you an actual hot take. 1313 01:05:58,360 --> 01:05:59,919 Speaker 3: Give me hot take, real quick. 1314 01:06:00,000 --> 01:06:03,000 Speaker 1: New York Pizzas overrated yeah, I agree. I agree with that, 1315 01:06:04,040 --> 01:06:06,560 Speaker 1: Like there is excellent pizza to be had in New York, 1316 01:06:07,080 --> 01:06:11,520 Speaker 1: but the barrier to entry making of making good pizza. 1317 01:06:11,760 --> 01:06:13,960 Speaker 1: You can make good pizza in Cincinnati, you can make 1318 01:06:13,960 --> 01:06:17,160 Speaker 1: it Indicator, you can make it in Amarillo, Texas. And 1319 01:06:17,240 --> 01:06:21,040 Speaker 1: there are probably fewer places in those places because of population. 1320 01:06:21,360 --> 01:06:23,120 Speaker 1: There's just fewer people willing to put in the time 1321 01:06:23,160 --> 01:06:27,800 Speaker 1: to make good pizza. But New York pizza is largely 1322 01:06:28,200 --> 01:06:32,280 Speaker 1: just more everywhere than it is excellent. All right, how 1323 01:06:32,320 --> 01:06:32,760 Speaker 1: about that. 1324 01:06:33,320 --> 01:06:34,960 Speaker 3: Let's close out on that, Dan, what do you say? 1325 01:06:35,040 --> 01:06:37,200 Speaker 1: Okay, I like it. I mean this is a big 1326 01:06:37,240 --> 01:06:40,720 Speaker 1: ten town, so it all comes full circle. Indeed, thank 1327 01:06:40,720 --> 01:06:42,360 Speaker 1: you to Matt Fortu so wiped. 1328 01:06:42,400 --> 01:06:45,480 Speaker 3: I love it from the Athletic for stopping on by 1329 01:06:45,600 --> 01:06:49,480 Speaker 3: sharing his wisdom with us. Don't forget big show coming 1330 01:06:49,560 --> 01:06:53,280 Speaker 3: next week. Big Show. I'm excited. I am excited. Good 1331 01:06:53,400 --> 01:06:55,840 Speaker 3: keep it right here. We're at solid ruble dot com. 1332 01:06:55,880 --> 01:06:59,760 Speaker 3: Find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and check out the 1333 01:07:00,080 --> 01:07:05,840 Speaker 3: uh subreddit. Are slash Soliverble started buiver ballers for footballers, 1334 01:07:05,920 --> 01:07:08,280 Speaker 3: and sign up for the newsletter soliverb dot com for 1335 01:07:08,640 --> 01:07:11,520 Speaker 3: that guy over there, Dan Rubinstein for myself, Ty hilden Brand, 1336 01:07:13,320 --> 01:07:16,000 Speaker 3: enjoy your week enjoy your weekend, and stay solid Peace