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Speaker 1: All right, Dan, listen up. We are doing live shows

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Speaker 1: starting at the end of August. We are going to

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Speaker 1: Chicago later in the year, going to New York later

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Speaker 1: in the year, going to Atlanta, closing things out in

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Speaker 1: the calendar year twenty twenty three, all the way out

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Speaker 1: in your old neck of the woods, good old Los

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Speaker 1: Angeles at the Troubadour. Where can folks go if they

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Speaker 1: want to come and see us live.

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Speaker 2: To the shows. No, solid verballive dot Com for all

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Speaker 2: sorts of ticket information, more information off the shows, greatest

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Speaker 2: shows we will ever absolutely do. And once again ty

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Speaker 2: has not committed. But the implication is he will let

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Speaker 2: you smell his hair. The implication, I mean, we did

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Speaker 2: not agree on this.

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Speaker 1: Dan.

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Speaker 2: All I need is one person to walk up behind

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Speaker 2: you and do like a dramatic oh yeah worth it.

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Speaker 2: That's all I need.

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Speaker 1: Solid Verballive dot Com get your tickets today. Welcome to

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Speaker 1: the solid verbal call that for me.

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Speaker 2: I'm a man, I'm I've heard so many players say, well,

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Speaker 2: I want to be happy. You want to be happy

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Speaker 2: for day ed of State?

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Speaker 1: Is that? Whoo whoo?

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Speaker 2: And no, Dan and Tye.

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Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Cealburbo Boys and girls. My name

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Speaker 1: is Ty Hildenbrand. That fine gentleman over there, the one,

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Speaker 1: the only, still, the incomparable Dan Rubinstein. Sir, sir, it

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Speaker 1: is sec West preview day. How are you the only

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Speaker 1: preview that matters? It just means the most, Ty, I'm great.

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Speaker 1: What is there not to like about being in the

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Speaker 1: month in which college football begins? I, Ty, I'm ready

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Speaker 1: to go through in detail. I'm ready to go through

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Speaker 1: with takes, and I'm ready to go through because this

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Speaker 1: is what coming soon.

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Speaker 2: Lah blah blah to a theater near you. I have

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Speaker 2: a strange movie audio quote metaphor that I'm always excited

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Speaker 2: to throw out into the universe. Ty, So let's roll.

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Speaker 1: Excellent this episode, all of our episodes driven by our

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Speaker 1: good friends over at Geico. If you like this show,

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Speaker 1: dot com. V E R B A L L e

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Speaker 1: r s dot com is where you can go. And

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Speaker 1: as we said at the very top of the show,

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Speaker 1: soliverblelive dot com if you are ever so inclined to

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Speaker 1: come and see us live. The Fantasy Things Live Draft

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Speaker 1: will be in Chicago. That's the most fun we'll probably

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Speaker 1: ever have doing a live show. It's our homegrown concept.

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Speaker 1: We're very excited about it. Solid Verballive dot com is

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Speaker 1: where you can go. So, look, we are just plodding

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Speaker 1: our way through these previews. Man, last episode we did

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Speaker 1: all things SEC East.

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Speaker 2: Today it is.

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Speaker 1: Your time to shine. You drew the lucky straw. You've

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Speaker 1: got the SEC West, Dan Rubinstein, So why don't we

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Speaker 1: start there? Why don't we start at the very top.

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Speaker 1: We've been comparing all of these divisions within conferences to movies,

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Speaker 1: trying to make them more relatable to the verballerhood. Right,

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Speaker 1: that's what That's what the whole thing is about. So

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Speaker 1: with that is the mat near you? Yeah, thank you?

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Speaker 1: What is our movie for today?

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Speaker 2: So look, the SEC West has the reputation for good reason,

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Speaker 2: that it's a gauntlet, that it's powers, that there's just

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Speaker 2: danger at every corner, at every turn. And this look

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Speaker 2: I'm putting together, looking at everybody's schedules within the West,

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Speaker 2: and it's just one giant, meaty middle. Nobody has a

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Speaker 2: span where they're like, okay, we can take a breath

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Speaker 2: between whatever it is late September, early November, right, some

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Speaker 2: teams have some lesser opponents before rivalry week, but otherwise

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Speaker 2: this it's all meaty middle. It's all a gauntlet of

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Speaker 2: vipers tie there's venom everywhere, And so whenever I think

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Speaker 2: about venom and a gauntlet, I think about kill Bill.

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Speaker 2: It really was ah Torri Hanzo Blade that Beatrix Kiddo

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Speaker 2: aka the Bride had all along as she avenged the

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Speaker 2: violence in her life at her own wedding. So I

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Speaker 2: don't know where the comparison is to the you know,

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Speaker 2: the pressure point, the five pressure point technique that ultimately

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Speaker 2: spoiler alert got her full vengeance. But yeah, that is

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Speaker 2: the end of the scene in which, again spoiler alert

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Speaker 2: for a movie that came out I don't know, seventeen

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Speaker 2: years ago something like that when she defeated Ohran She

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Speaker 2: oh Rai and so Gauntlet of Vipers, I go to

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Speaker 2: kill Bill. Where do we want to start within this gauntlet? Dan,

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Speaker 2: Let's start with the top. Let's just start with Alabama.

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Speaker 2: Does that make sense? Or do you want to start

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Speaker 2: at the bottom? And that's where the take comes in?

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Speaker 2: Who is at the bottom?

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Speaker 1: I want to start with Alabama. Let's start with Alabama here, Alabama.

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Speaker 1: I'm looking at the schedule right now. It is not

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Speaker 1: what I consider an easy schedule by any stretch of

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Speaker 1: course not. It's an SEC West schedule. I've got a

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Speaker 1: very tough October that includes the likes of an Arkansas game,

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Speaker 1: a Texas game, the rivalry game of course against Tennessee,

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Speaker 1: followed by Mississippi State, which I don't know enough about

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Speaker 1: Mississippi State. I'm hoping you can enlighten me here as

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Speaker 1: we get a little bit deeper into this. They close

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Speaker 1: out the month of October with a bye. This is

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Speaker 1: an SEC West schedule. It's never easy. This is Alabama.

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Speaker 1: They're always good. When push comes to shove, Which of

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Speaker 1: those two sides wins? Is it? Nick saban and is

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Speaker 1: ever talented roster that just simply reloads instead of rebuilds.

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Speaker 1: Or is it that SEC schedule which has certainly taken

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Speaker 1: down many a good team over the last decade.

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Speaker 2: It's a good question, ty, where would you like to begin?

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Speaker 2: You want to begin with where they were, where they

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Speaker 2: will be. I mean, we know, I mean more about

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Speaker 2: Alabama than perhaps most teams, just because they've been in

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Speaker 2: the public eye and there's so much attention on the tide.

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Speaker 2: And look, they were excellent last year, and they were

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Speaker 2: excellent last year with big time injuries on defense, with

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Speaker 2: an offensive line that was disappointing at times but had

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Speaker 2: a big time left tackle and Evan Neil who's now

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Speaker 2: of course gone to the NFL. They have a Heisman

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Speaker 2: winner at quarterback, and they had decidedly less obvious star

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Speaker 2: power at receiver and running back than they had in

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Speaker 2: recent years and still were not that far away from

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Speaker 2: winning it all, which is a wonderful place to be.

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Speaker 2: So with that as a starting point, Alabama has a

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Speaker 2: considerable amount of continuity, which is very strange to say,

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Speaker 2: with Bob Back calling the offense, with Pete Goldingback calling

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Speaker 2: the defense, and you know, they make changes elsewhere at

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Speaker 2: you know, different position coaches, but I they're in a

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Speaker 2: great place with Bryce Young as a red shirt sophomore

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Speaker 2: and looking to somehow even top what he did last year.

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Speaker 2: And the good news in terms of star power, if

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Speaker 2: we want to start with offense, is the offensive line

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Speaker 2: hopefully will be a little bit better. There were struggles

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Speaker 2: at times, but then you know, replacements were found last year,

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Speaker 2: so they solidified things, correcting some mistakes that they made,

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Speaker 2: and the star power on offense, adding Jamiir Gibbs into

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Speaker 2: the fold at running back, adding Tyler Harrell, the receiver

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Speaker 2: transfer from Louisville, Adding Tyler Stein, which, by the way,

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Speaker 2: if you're going to combine our names, Alabama's new left

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Speaker 2: tackle's name is Tyler Steen, which is pretty wonderful, perfect

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Speaker 2: transferring from Vandy. So Alabama is kind of in a

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Speaker 2: wonderful place. Not as wonderful as they were when they

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Speaker 2: went five six deep first round talent receivers, but still

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Speaker 2: guys that are there that are I mean, but I'm sorry,

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Speaker 2: still guys that are there and going to thrive. Jermaine Burton,

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Speaker 2: the guy that comes in from Georgia as well, who

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Speaker 2: should look, he's not Jerry Judy, He's not Devonte Smith.

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Speaker 2: He's not that level. But if that's a consolation prize

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Speaker 2: for your offense, you're a pretty great place. So if

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Speaker 2: Alabama's offensive line is good enough to protect Bryce Young

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Speaker 2: a little bit more, there's nothing not to at least

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Speaker 2: like a whole lot about this year's Alabama offense. And

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Speaker 2: that is a large preamble to the point where I

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Speaker 2: can say Will Anderson's name because he is America's gravitational player.

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Speaker 2: There is no player on either side of the ball

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Speaker 2: or on special teams, all due respect to Doucevaan that

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Speaker 2: commands as much terrifying attention as Will Anderson did does

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Speaker 2: and will moving forward, no pun intended. And so look,

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Speaker 2: the rest of the defensive line is merely really good. Yeah,

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Speaker 2: the linebacking corps, even with replacing some pretty big star power,

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Speaker 2: should still be really good. Secondary should still be really good.

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Speaker 2: But when you have that kind of one man havoc

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Speaker 2: on the edge like Will Anderson is, it changes everything.

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Speaker 2: It changes the calculus for everybody. And so Henry Totee

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Speaker 2: is still back at linebacker. He will continue to make plays.

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Speaker 2: Jordan Battle and kool Aid McKinstry and the secondary will

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Speaker 2: continue to make plays you add Eli Rix into the fold,

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Speaker 2: not too bad in terms of depth. So Alabama's in

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Speaker 2: a great place. I think the defense will be possibly

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Speaker 2: even a little bit better, even with losing what they

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Speaker 2: did at linebacker. Wow, just because of the experience there

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Speaker 2: and just because the gravitational force of having that kind

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Speaker 2: of edge player, I think they're gonna be better. I

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Speaker 2: really do. And so it's very difficult to see a

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Speaker 2: loss in Alabama's schedule at the moment, even with some

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Speaker 2: of the road tilts that they have with you know

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Speaker 2: what we assume as an improved Texas traveling to Arkansas,

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Speaker 2: which gave them a lot last year, a lot to handle.

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Speaker 2: Now it's an Arkansas team down a couple of huge

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Speaker 2: pieces from last year at Tennessee, at LSU, at Ole Miss,

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Speaker 2: and they have the iron Ball at home, so they

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Speaker 2: will be challenged. Alabama will definitely be challenged. I still

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Speaker 2: worry a little bit about the offensive line. I still

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Speaker 2: worry a little bit about giving up some bigger plays

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Speaker 2: on defense. But otherwise, no, man, I think they're gonna

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Speaker 2: get things corrected. They're in a great place. Yeah.

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Speaker 1: I when we talked about the A Day game, Yeah,

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Speaker 1: forget what month that was I guess May, and we

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Speaker 1: took a look back at Alabama. We had noted a

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Speaker 1: lot of the same stuff. These aren't necessarily new points

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Speaker 1: that you're bringing up about the offensive line, certainly about

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Speaker 1: Jamiir Gibbs coming over and what that could mean for

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Speaker 1: the offense. Alabama, as you've said time and again, here

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Speaker 1: isn't a really good place, right. This is Alabama, this

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Speaker 1: is Nick Saban. We kind of know what we've got

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Speaker 1: on our hands here. What I find really interesting in

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Speaker 1: what I'm curious to see on the Jamiir Gibbs front

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Speaker 1: is whether or not they use him out of the backfield.

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Speaker 1: I remember as a quote from Sabin or some of

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Speaker 1: the offensive staff on the Alabama side about how Jamir

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Speaker 1: Gibbs actually gave them a lot coming out of the

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Speaker 1: backfield as a pass catcher, and that I think is

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Speaker 1: particularly interesting. Not that Alabama is really ever short on

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Speaker 1: wide receiver options, but as opposed to what we saw

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Speaker 1: maybe two years ago, there just aren't obvious names.

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Speaker 2: We know.

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Speaker 1: Jermaine Burton came over from Georgia, and I expect he'll

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Speaker 1: have a good year. My boy, Cameron Lattu as a

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Speaker 1: tight end is going to get some work as well,

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Speaker 1: but until they figure out what those names are out wide,

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Speaker 1: much the way they figured out Jamison Williams last season,

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Speaker 1: I think it's good to have a guy like a

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Speaker 1: Gibbs who you can get work out of the backfield.

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Speaker 1: He can catch some passes, they can move them around,

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Speaker 1: and they can use that until they figure out what

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Speaker 1: their targets are out wide. That will help Bryce Young obviously,

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Speaker 1: that will help Bryce Young live up to I think

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Speaker 1: the standard we've set for him now after winning the

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Speaker 1: Heisman in his first full year as a starter, the

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Speaker 1: offense will be in a very fine place defensively. Obviously,

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Speaker 1: it's just Alabama. They're gonna be fine. The schedule is

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Speaker 1: interesting to me though. Okay, there are road tilts on

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Speaker 1: there that I think you can look at and say,

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Speaker 1: all right, well, a couple injuries here, a couple injuries there,

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Speaker 1: maybe things, maybe that poses a problem. The absolute flour

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Speaker 1: is still ten wins for Alabama. Everything goes south, it's

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Speaker 1: still ten wins.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a great place to be. It's interesting though,

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Speaker 2: The thing with Alabama and for the rest of Nick

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Speaker 2: Saban's tenure and whoever comes after him, if they're excellent.

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Speaker 2: The attraction to playing for Alabama and developing into an

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Speaker 2: NFL player, which is probably more likely to happen at

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Speaker 2: Alabama than anywhere else in the country. Just if you

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Speaker 2: look at the results over time, also means that guys

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Speaker 2: are going to leave, Guys who are not able to

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Speaker 2: crack rotations, who are heralded recruits who came in to compete,

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Speaker 2: and for whatever reason, guys were better that they got

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Speaker 2: lost on the depth chart because of injury that it

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Speaker 2: didn't work out for them in tuscaloosas So Alabama is

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Speaker 2: going to see a fair amount of guys leave more

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Speaker 2: often than not, and they're also going to bring guys in,

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Speaker 2: of course to fill holes that are necessary, like they

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Speaker 2: did this year. But you know, a couple key pieces

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Speaker 2: on both sides of the ball, Jalil Billingsley and a

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Speaker 2: Ji Hall. They both go to Texas Kamara Wheaton to

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Speaker 2: smu a heralded running back. On the other side, Drew Sanders,

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Speaker 2: who stepped up during an injury ravage time for Alabama

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Speaker 2: on the edge goes to Arkansas. Marcus Banks, a heralded

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Speaker 2: corner to Mississippi State. It's it's a tenuous time for

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Speaker 2: a lot of teams. Alabama will have an easier time

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Speaker 2: than pretty much everybody. There will a portal in filling holes,

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Speaker 2: but yeah, there is. There is roster turnover, and there

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Speaker 2: will be because of the Alabama brand. It's just if

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Speaker 2: you're going to take a chance on a guy in

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Speaker 2: a portal who hasn't really played, but he was recruited by,

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Speaker 2: and signed by and partially developed by Alabama, there's gonna

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Speaker 2: be interest. There's just going to be. So there's Alabama

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Speaker 2: transfers all over the country right now. They lost a ton,

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Speaker 2: but they plugged in their holes effectively.

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Speaker 1: It's like going to Harvard or Yale. You put that

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Speaker 1: on a resume, right, Yeah, it sort of sells itself.

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Speaker 1: One final point on the offensive line thing. One note

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Speaker 1: that I have from the spring game, for whatever that's worth.

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Speaker 1: There were fifteen total sacks in that spring game. Yes,

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Speaker 1: Bryce Young took ten of them. Most of that pressure

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Speaker 1: came from the edge because Alabama is very good along

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Speaker 1: the edge. Don't take that at face value, but tends

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Speaker 1: a lot, tens a lot against a good defense. There

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Speaker 1: are many other good defenses in the SEC. They're going

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Speaker 1: to have to get that offensive line sorted out. It's

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Speaker 1: certainly not a mess. They'll be fine in due time.

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Speaker 1: But if you're really splitting hairs, maybe something to keep

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Speaker 1: tabs on.

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Speaker 2: Yeah. Eric Wolford, by the way, the new offensive line

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Speaker 2: coach for Alabama, did a great job at Kentucky. You know,

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Speaker 2: the assistants that have done a really good job at

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Speaker 2: Kentucky have been in high demand. We'll get to LSU

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Speaker 2: and Matt House, of course, but that is expected to

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Speaker 2: be I think an upgrade in terms of his recent

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Speaker 2: ability to develop within the SEC. I think Alabama's offensive

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Speaker 2: line long term will benefit from that higher So.

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Speaker 1: I want to stay inside the state of Alabama and

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Speaker 1: talk about Auburn. That's because Auburn with especially with Brian Harson,

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Speaker 1: was one of those storylines that was just really weird

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Speaker 1: at the beginning of the offseason. Did they want him?

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Speaker 1: Did they try to get him fired? No, they're keeping

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Speaker 1: him now. Tank Bigsby recruited out of the transfer portal, thankfully,

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Speaker 1: they're keeping him around, presumably turning the keys over to

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Speaker 1: another transfer in Zach Calzada, who comes in from A

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Speaker 1: and M to replace Bo Nix who went to Oregon.

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Speaker 1: A lot of moving pieces here still in the SEC West.

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Speaker 1: The schedule is absolute murder. It is murder for Auburn,

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Speaker 1: and so even if they improve on last season's mark,

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Speaker 1: it's not necessarily going to show up in the win

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Speaker 1: loss record because the schedule is just brutal. They've got

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Speaker 1: both Bama and Georgia on the road in addition to

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Speaker 1: many other quality opponents on this thing outside the month

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Speaker 1: of September. It's the whole Thing's are murderers, bro Dan.

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Speaker 1: It gets very, very difficult pretty quickly for the Auburn Tigers.

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Speaker 1: So which direction do we see things headed? I know,

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Speaker 1: when we've talked about Auburn before in the past, it

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Speaker 1: was difficult to understand the plan to see where this

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Speaker 1: thing was going under Brian Harrison, to just suss out

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Speaker 1: whether or not it was going to be a long

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Speaker 1: term solution. But where are we at here for the Tigers.

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Speaker 2: Look, it's not more true anywhere else in the SEC

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Speaker 2: West in terms of playoff expectations that you need to

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Speaker 2: marry quarterback and defense and especially defensive line. And where

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Speaker 2: Auburn is right now at quarterback and defense, well, they

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Speaker 2: had a top fifteen, top twenty defense last year, but

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Speaker 2: they were able to do a lot because of their

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Speaker 2: just terrific corners last year. On defense, those guys are gone.

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Speaker 2: They had a bunch of defensive line and transfer out.

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Speaker 2: They hit the portal hard themselves on defense. The big

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Speaker 2: thing is, even before all of the dramatic late winter

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Speaker 2: stuff with Brian Harson and the comments from former players

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Speaker 2: and guys who went to the portal, then players who

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Speaker 2: supported him, and then the coordinators leaving, you know, he

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Speaker 2: fires Mike Bobo and Derek Mason takes a pay cut

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Speaker 2: to go to Oklahoma State. It was kind of a

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Speaker 2: nightmare way to end their season last year. And you

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Speaker 2: look at the five straight losses including the Bowl game,

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Speaker 2: bo Nix's injury, the almost win against Alabama, that still

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Speaker 2: I think keeps you up at night in terms of

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Speaker 2: what Auburn could have to win for two.

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Speaker 1: They should have went for two. They should have went

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Speaker 1: for two.

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Speaker 2: So TJ. Finley still there. Zach Halzad is the presume

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Speaker 2: starter after recovering from I think shoulder surgery. He was

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Speaker 2: beat up in the spring though they brought in Robbie

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Speaker 2: Ashford from Oregon to compete. You know, more of a

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Speaker 2: dual threat guy than either of those guys. But the

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Speaker 2: thing that's tough is Auburn does not sort of exist

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Speaker 2: on solid ground. It seems the offensive line took a

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Speaker 2: step forward last year. They've got I don't know if

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Speaker 2: Jarques Hunter and Tank Bigsby are the best running back

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Speaker 2: duo in the conference, but they're in that conversation. They're

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Speaker 2: in a really nice place at running back, wide receivers

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Speaker 2: A question. You know, the defense just as a whole

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Speaker 2: is a question. Look, they plugged in holes, they went

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Speaker 2: to the portal. There are guys. There's upside on this defense,

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Speaker 2: I think, especially at linebacker, but there's just a certain

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Speaker 2: amount of greenness to what this defense is and will be.

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Speaker 2: I think the players will emerge. I think good dudes

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Speaker 2: will emerge on this defense. But your point about the

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Speaker 2: schedule and the amount of turnover and I think distraction

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Speaker 2: going on on the planes is my reason for a

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Speaker 2: good amount of pessimism. Even if they randomly win a

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Speaker 2: huge game like I think they have the ability to

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Speaker 2: play super well. It's just you know, they promote from

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Speaker 2: within at coordinator with Eric Kisaw, who's been all over

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Speaker 2: and has a good reputation at offensive coordinator specifically. But

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Speaker 2: I don't know, man, I just it's so it's Penn

356
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Speaker 2: State Week three. You're high on Penn State in that game,

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Speaker 2: which I already am mourning you. It goes against my foundation.

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Speaker 2: Now I know I'm living, I'm living my morals here.

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Speaker 2: I just yeah, LSU at Georgia at ole Miss. They

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Speaker 2: get a bye week thankfully before Arkansas at Mississippi State

361
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Speaker 2: at A and M and the Iron Bowls on the

362
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Speaker 2: road this year. It's just the foundation to endure, endure

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Speaker 2: that kind of road, especially getting the games that you know,

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Speaker 2: it's just it's bad, dumb luck. I guess that Auburn

365
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Speaker 2: has a rival that they're going to play every year

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Speaker 2: in Georgia that like that's going to be part of

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Speaker 2: their East West split every year moving forward. That you know,

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Speaker 2: as you rebuild and you don't really have a quarterback

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Speaker 2: and there isn't a lot of star power on defense,

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Speaker 2: and you don't really know who the quarterbacks throw into

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Speaker 2: a lot of the time, I think there again, I

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Speaker 2: think they're gonna be fine. I think they're gonna be

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Speaker 2: pretty good on defense, But against that that slate, I

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Speaker 2: just don't think that's enough. So I think Auburn, if

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Speaker 2: if things break appropriately and they can sort of come

376
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Speaker 2: together as one can be a bowl team. But you

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Speaker 2: can see it coin south.

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Speaker 1: Yeah. One thing that I would note from last year's team,

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Speaker 1: so you rightfully mentioned, the season kind of ended in

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Speaker 1: nightmare fashion. They lost all throughout November. They lost their

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Speaker 1: bowl game to Houston. The offense as a whole with

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Speaker 1: bow Knicks going up to Oregon like, there was definitely

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Speaker 1: a moment in the early part of last season where

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Speaker 1: you and I on this show we're talking about bow

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Speaker 1: Knicks turning a corner. It felt like he was more

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Speaker 1: responsible with the ball. They maybe weren't asking him to

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Speaker 1: do as much as he had done before. He seemed okay,

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Speaker 1: and then he got hurt and then things went south.

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Speaker 2: Yep.

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Speaker 1: One of the things they need to try and fix

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Speaker 1: on this new incarnation of their offense is big plays,

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Speaker 1: as in they had none last year. This was a

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Speaker 1: very a very very compact offense from the standpoint of

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Speaker 1: they just didn't generate some of those big chunk plays

395
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Speaker 1: that can really take the lid off of a defense.

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Speaker 1: Maybe Tank Bigsby behind that offensive line can generate more

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Speaker 1: of them. But I have the same questions as you

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Speaker 1: new quarterback questions out wide, Where are those plays coming

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Speaker 1: from You need to generate those if you're going to

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Speaker 1: play an SEC West schedule. It's just not obvious to

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Speaker 1: me what that solution is at this point. We're recording

402
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Speaker 1: this in early August. Maybe they'll develop throughout that month

403
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Speaker 1: of September when the schedule is a little easier, but

404
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Speaker 1: it's going to get real in a hurry. As they

405
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Speaker 1: turned the page into October.

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Speaker 2: It's gravity once again, it's finding that receiver and they've

407
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Speaker 2: had that guy at times at quarters, at halves, but no,

408
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Speaker 2: and whether it was a Bownix thing, whether it was

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Speaker 2: a Gus offensive thing, because the best of bow Knicks

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Speaker 2: last year against Arkansas, against I believe Ole miss was

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Speaker 2: pretty confident and impressive. But your cherry picking, your cherry

412
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Speaker 2: picking halves, your cherry picking games. Obviously the Mississippi State

413
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Speaker 2: game a high point and a low point all in one.

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Speaker 2: And so there is, you know, the fresh start element

415
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Speaker 2: for both Bonnicks and for Auburn that they're both fraught

416
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Speaker 2: with as much baggage given his family background with Auburn

417
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Speaker 2: that you know, maybe a fresh start is great for

418
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Speaker 2: everybody involved, and that includes Auburn. Yeah, and probably a

419
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Speaker 2: fresh start really nice to have for Zach Calzada and everything.

420
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Speaker 2: He went through ups and downs at A and M.

421
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Speaker 2: But it's just so many moving pieces. When the name

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Speaker 2: of the game is some combination of talent and continuity,

423
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Speaker 2: and when Auburn kind of has talent, it seems though

424
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Speaker 2: recruiting has kind of taken a nose dive and the

425
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Speaker 2: continuity is nowhere to be seen. It's just rough to

426
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Speaker 2: feel so high on them. I'd love for that to

427
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Speaker 2: be the case that they are, you know, a secret

428
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Speaker 2: eight to nine win team. It's just difficult at this time.

429
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Speaker 2: Was so much that is yet to be proven from

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Speaker 2: these guys, like sure, like the they weirdly had this

431
00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:46,879
Speaker 2: like talent sharing agreement with Oregon with Bonnicks going to Eugene,

432
00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:50,040
Speaker 2: and then what's Robbie ash for Jalen Jason Jones, Yes,

433
00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:52,479
Speaker 2: and DJ James who started a corner for Oregan last year.

434
00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:55,920
Speaker 2: He comes in. So there are guys, there are guys

435
00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:59,879
Speaker 2: who can absolutely play high level SEC games. It's just

436
00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:03,040
Speaker 2: the star power doesn't seem like it's there at the moment.

437
00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:05,600
Speaker 1: The over under is six and a half for the

438
00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:09,359
Speaker 1: Auburn Tigers, which feels like about the right number. It

439
00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,360
Speaker 1: feels like it could very easily be a six and six,

440
00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:15,399
Speaker 1: seven and five team with the slate that they've got

441
00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:17,040
Speaker 1: in front of them, with some of the questions that

442
00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:20,800
Speaker 1: I think we've outlined here, I guess the question would be,

443
00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:24,399
Speaker 1: and this is probably one for another day, if Auburn

444
00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:27,000
Speaker 1: goes six and six, what does the future look like

445
00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:29,560
Speaker 1: for Brian Harson because he was on a nice edge

446
00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:31,280
Speaker 1: this whole offseason.

447
00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:33,119
Speaker 2: I think you know, ty I think you know the

448
00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:34,119
Speaker 2: answer to your own question.

449
00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:37,000
Speaker 1: Well, it's almost not fair because of how difficult the

450
00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:39,520
Speaker 1: schedule is. That being said, it's always going to be

451
00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:41,639
Speaker 1: that difficult if you take the job at Auburn and

452
00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:43,520
Speaker 1: there is an expectation that you'll do better.

453
00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:46,360
Speaker 2: The good news is the good news on Auburn's schedule

454
00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,879
Speaker 2: is when you look at opposing quarterbacks, it's not a

455
00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:53,960
Speaker 2: wounders row Tye. There are questions at LSU right, There

456
00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:56,399
Speaker 2: are questions at all miss There's not really questions at

457
00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:58,200
Speaker 2: Misissippi State that offense is gonna be able to move

458
00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,640
Speaker 2: the ball through the air. But the questions that come

459
00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:06,800
Speaker 2: from the opponents on this schedule at least are interesting,

460
00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:09,640
Speaker 2: like could Arkansas take a step back in the passing game,

461
00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:12,639
Speaker 2: even with a really good quarterback, but losing arguably the

462
00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:14,600
Speaker 2: best or one of the best receivers in the conference.

463
00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:19,760
Speaker 2: Sure like that's at least something that's interesting that it's

464
00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:23,080
Speaker 2: hard to be as confident in quarterback across the board

465
00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:25,320
Speaker 2: when you look at Auburn's a Shan Clifford on the

466
00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:27,359
Speaker 2: road in a difficult place to play. That's not bad.

467
00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:31,560
Speaker 2: That's not bad. That's all I have. I'm hopeful, but

468
00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:34,480
Speaker 2: there's a lot. There's just too many questions to feel

469
00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:35,159
Speaker 2: all too giddy.

470
00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:39,080
Speaker 1: You mentioned Mississippi State a couple times. Mississippi State was

471
00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:42,720
Speaker 1: your team last year. They were like your pet project teams,

472
00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:46,600
Speaker 1: and it's so close to fulfilling my expectations. You were

473
00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:51,280
Speaker 1: all in on the Bulldogs last season. When we went

474
00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:55,679
Speaker 1: through a couple months ago and talked about schedule previews,

475
00:24:56,200 --> 00:25:00,600
Speaker 1: I had flagged Mississippi State as potentially having a minimum

476
00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:07,840
Speaker 1: the hardest October in SEC. Scheduleville maybe the hardest slate

477
00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:11,480
Speaker 1: in all of the SEC. Given that they've got both

478
00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:15,520
Speaker 1: Georgia and Alabama on this thing. They've got a stretch

479
00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:18,639
Speaker 1: of games in October which is just brutal. Texas A

480
00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,879
Speaker 1: and m Arkansas both at home, but then Kentucky and

481
00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:25,439
Speaker 1: Alabama consecutively on the road. That's about as tough as

482
00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:27,920
Speaker 1: you're going to get in any four weeks slate here.

483
00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:32,480
Speaker 1: I struggle with that. I struggle with the Mike Leach thing.

484
00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:35,280
Speaker 1: You know, I don't know how many years we are

485
00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:40,800
Speaker 1: removed now from this sport wide fascination, if you want

486
00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,320
Speaker 1: to call it that with with Mike Leach. He of

487
00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:45,800
Speaker 1: course started things off on the right foot when he

488
00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:49,280
Speaker 1: came to Mississippi State, had the banner start to his

489
00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:53,840
Speaker 1: sec coach hood, but that kind of went a much

490
00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:57,159
Speaker 1: different direction after Week one. Is this thing going to

491
00:25:57,200 --> 00:25:59,040
Speaker 1: be more of the same that we've come to know

492
00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:02,239
Speaker 1: from a Mike Leach team, where it's all offense, a

493
00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:05,639
Speaker 1: lot of half team miss on defense, even though defense

494
00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:06,760
Speaker 1: was pretty good last season?

495
00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:07,359
Speaker 2: Yeah?

496
00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:09,680
Speaker 1: Or do we expect that there's gonna be some sort

497
00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:12,480
Speaker 1: of quantum leep forward and Mississippi State's going to take

498
00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:13,800
Speaker 1: some people with them.

499
00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:18,320
Speaker 2: It's a good question. Here's the reality about Mississippi State's

500
00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:22,560
Speaker 2: season last year. You ready? Yeah, Memphis last second loss

501
00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:26,479
Speaker 2: by two, LSU last second loss by three. I mean

502
00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:30,880
Speaker 2: they get destroyed by Alabama Arkansas last second loss by three,

503
00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:35,399
Speaker 2: like they were not that far away from having a

504
00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:40,880
Speaker 2: super impressive season. And look, you can have the conversation that, like, hey,

505
00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:43,720
Speaker 2: good teams finish games against lesser teams or games in

506
00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:45,640
Speaker 2: which they play well for the majority of the game.

507
00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:49,640
Speaker 2: I think Mississippi State will do a better job finishing

508
00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:51,439
Speaker 2: this year. And this is why I think Will Rogers

509
00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:53,399
Speaker 2: will be better now. They lose the number one receiver

510
00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:56,280
Speaker 2: in McKai poke from last year Cal transfer, which is

511
00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:57,719
Speaker 2: so wild to think about it. He didn't do much

512
00:26:57,760 --> 00:26:59,760
Speaker 2: at Cal, but that offense and the ability to find

513
00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,880
Speaker 2: court was so bad that they didn't really nobody saw

514
00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:04,760
Speaker 2: it coming in this way that he was going to

515
00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:06,720
Speaker 2: be a true number one receiver in the SEC for

516
00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:10,120
Speaker 2: a pretty good team. The running backs or whatever, they're

517
00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:11,600
Speaker 2: not going to be utilized all that much, but the

518
00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:14,960
Speaker 2: offensive line. And that was sort of a quiet thing

519
00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:18,000
Speaker 2: about Mike Leech's tenure at Wazoo. They did a really

520
00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:21,040
Speaker 2: good job finding and developing offensive lineman, like higher level

521
00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:24,399
Speaker 2: NFL draft pick talent, especially along the edges. They have

522
00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:27,840
Speaker 2: that once again at Mississippi State. But you're i think

523
00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:31,400
Speaker 2: broader or grander point about the defense I think is fair.

524
00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:35,560
Speaker 2: They return a ton, They've got older guys on this defense.

525
00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,680
Speaker 2: The secondary is the question to me. But even still,

526
00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:43,040
Speaker 2: I really like Zach Garnett. They run that three three five,

527
00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:45,520
Speaker 2: you know, coming from the San Diego State background, I

528
00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:50,960
Speaker 2: still like this team a good amount. Look, I'm gonna

529
00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:54,680
Speaker 2: put it within context of the schedule. Tie. Yeah, that

530
00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:57,359
Speaker 2: that's It's a lot to ask, especially who they have

531
00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:00,160
Speaker 2: Arizona between Memphis and NEALYSU. They have a Week two

532
00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:03,600
Speaker 2: sandwich game in the Desert. I'm not terrified of Arizona,

533
00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:06,359
Speaker 2: but situationally, it's a pretty good place to get what

534
00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:09,240
Speaker 2: I still considered be a pretty good team in Mississippi State.

535
00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:13,000
Speaker 2: So I don't know, there's some shuffling along the line,

536
00:28:13,119 --> 00:28:16,399
Speaker 2: but I don't think the line matters as much for

537
00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:18,840
Speaker 2: a system that gets the ball out as quickly as

538
00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:23,720
Speaker 2: Mississippi States does. And then I think this is one

539
00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:26,280
Speaker 2: of the better linebacking corps in the SEC, if not

540
00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:28,560
Speaker 2: the country. Like, there's just a good amount of talent

541
00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:32,119
Speaker 2: returning up front, and so the big thing to me

542
00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:34,600
Speaker 2: is just gonna be scheme comfort on both sides of

543
00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:36,679
Speaker 2: the ball, you know, doing a lot of reading that

544
00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:40,040
Speaker 2: seemed to be the consensus is just like, it's a

545
00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:43,560
Speaker 2: really good defense because they can confuse teams, but they

546
00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:47,520
Speaker 2: can confuse themselves and get involved with coverage bus as

547
00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:49,840
Speaker 2: we saw like in the bowl game against Texas Tech.

548
00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:53,520
Speaker 2: And so if these guys are nails in terms of communication,

549
00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:57,760
Speaker 2: in terms of assignment and lanes, it's a good defense.

550
00:28:57,800 --> 00:28:59,560
Speaker 2: It's gonna be a full on good defense. So you

551
00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:02,240
Speaker 2: get that Experiences a third year starter and Will Rogers

552
00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:04,160
Speaker 2: now who took over for kJ Costello a couple of

553
00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:07,920
Speaker 2: years ago. So if more guys emerge at receiver and

554
00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:10,840
Speaker 2: they're able to generate more explosive plays, that's the thing.

555
00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:14,600
Speaker 2: They cannot win nine games nickel and diming people all

556
00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:16,680
Speaker 2: season long. They need to figure out how to turn

557
00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:20,880
Speaker 2: you know, seven yards into twenty yards occasionally.

558
00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:23,800
Speaker 1: Well, and by the way, that was their issue last season.

559
00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:26,680
Speaker 1: They were really bad at both generating the big plays

560
00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:29,440
Speaker 1: and preventing them on the defensive side of the ball.

561
00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:32,080
Speaker 1: That's what came back to to your point earlier. This

562
00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:33,840
Speaker 1: is a seven and five team. If you look at

563
00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:38,040
Speaker 1: the second order wins category, which we typically will refer to,

564
00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:42,160
Speaker 1: this was eight point eight, which means that they were

565
00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:44,160
Speaker 1: this close from being a nine win team.

566
00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:46,720
Speaker 2: It's a good team. It's a tough schedule, as you

567
00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:49,080
Speaker 2: mentioned when you say October A and m Arkansas at

568
00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:52,560
Speaker 2: Kentucky at Bama, and then Auburn Georgia. So getting Georgia

569
00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:54,959
Speaker 2: and Kentucky from the East not ideal. I don't know

570
00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:57,880
Speaker 2: the specifics of either. I mean, I know Georgia a

571
00:29:57,880 --> 00:29:59,640
Speaker 2: little bit, but I don't know the specifics of what

572
00:29:59,720 --> 00:30:02,520
Speaker 2: Kentuck he's returning on defense this year. If they're a

573
00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:05,600
Speaker 2: good team, they're winning eight games because there's a lot

574
00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:08,600
Speaker 2: of meat on that schedule, and so I have the

575
00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:11,240
Speaker 2: last year. I had them a little bit more flirty

576
00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:13,040
Speaker 2: with double digit wins going into the year, and I

577
00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,520
Speaker 2: still stand by that line of thinking just because they

578
00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:19,160
Speaker 2: were right there. But I think eightish wins makes more

579
00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:21,240
Speaker 2: sense because I still like the Comminate. I think they

580
00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:25,040
Speaker 2: have a better combination of quarterback and defensive front, especially

581
00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:26,400
Speaker 2: than most teams in the SEC.

582
00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:30,160
Speaker 1: The over under is six and a half, by the way, Yeah,

583
00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:32,320
Speaker 1: I would take the over. Yeah, six and a half,

584
00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:35,880
Speaker 1: much like Auburn. On the Auburn side, it seems like

585
00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:39,800
Speaker 1: folks are hitting the under pretty good. On the Mississippi

586
00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:43,200
Speaker 1: State side definitely more of a skew towards that over.

587
00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:46,760
Speaker 1: Not quite as heavily as the Auburn under but it

588
00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:48,800
Speaker 1: does seem as if the general public likes the over

589
00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:49,960
Speaker 1: as well in Mississippi State.

590
00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:53,640
Speaker 2: I get it, and especially with the specific matchup of

591
00:30:54,760 --> 00:31:00,000
Speaker 2: secondaries against this Mississippi State offense, the air raid. It's nice.

592
00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:02,520
Speaker 2: It's a nice year to have a third year starter

593
00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:05,720
Speaker 2: at quarterback. But isn't every year? Tie? Isn't every year

594
00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:07,640
Speaker 2: nice to have that? Yeah, that's all.

595
00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:10,320
Speaker 1: Let's stay in Mississippi and let's talk about old miss

596
00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:15,040
Speaker 1: Okay Lane Kiffin again. Working the transfer portal hard brings

597
00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:19,760
Speaker 1: over Jackson Dart That's not it. I'm sure we will

598
00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:22,280
Speaker 1: talk more about some of the other contributors from that

599
00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:28,680
Speaker 1: transfer portal. But easier games are front loaded on this schedule.

600
00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:32,720
Speaker 1: It gets very difficult late in this season. From week

601
00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:35,480
Speaker 1: eight on here is what they are dealing with. At

602
00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:39,680
Speaker 1: LSU at Texas A and M a bye week before

603
00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:44,320
Speaker 1: a home game against Alabama. The next week it's at Arkansas.

604
00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:46,760
Speaker 1: They close out with the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State,

605
00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:50,960
Speaker 1: a team by Dan Rubinstein's metrics should still be pretty good.

606
00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:54,240
Speaker 1: So everything before that is much much easier, if only

607
00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:57,600
Speaker 1: because it's tough to get harder. That is a brutal

608
00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:01,400
Speaker 1: stretch from about mid season all for Old Miss. Are

609
00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:04,760
Speaker 1: they equipped to handle that kind of a murderer's road

610
00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:05,719
Speaker 1: to close out the season.

611
00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:10,920
Speaker 2: Probably yes, Probably yes. The portal King as he has

612
00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:14,640
Speaker 2: been dubbed as he dubs himself, Lane Kiffin, I think

613
00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:17,400
Speaker 2: they're they're pretty well equipped. Now. They lose both coordinators,

614
00:32:17,480 --> 00:32:20,200
Speaker 2: Jeff Leby and Dj Dirkin lebed to Oklahoma, Dj Dirkin

615
00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:23,720
Speaker 2: to A and M. And it's a good sign to

616
00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:26,840
Speaker 2: lose coordinators, that your head coach not lose coordinators and

617
00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:29,560
Speaker 2: getting fired. Lose coordinators and that they're in demand. So

618
00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:31,440
Speaker 2: it's a good sign that your coach has the ability

619
00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:34,680
Speaker 2: to identify fits for what he wants to do. And

620
00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:40,040
Speaker 2: so bringing in Charlie Weiss junior mixed results, but has

621
00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:42,640
Speaker 2: a reputation, bring a bright young offensive mind, hiring from

622
00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:45,200
Speaker 2: within on defense, and what they were able to do

623
00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:48,880
Speaker 2: on defense last year was really maximize how well the

624
00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:51,600
Speaker 2: speed on the defense played. They played a three two

625
00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:53,800
Speaker 2: six sort of a base dime, which has become sort

626
00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:56,000
Speaker 2: of in vogue, and dealing with more prolific and wide

627
00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:59,040
Speaker 2: open passing offenses. They've got Miles Battle, one of the

628
00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:02,240
Speaker 2: best corners probably in the country, big tall corner, converted receiver.

629
00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:06,520
Speaker 2: They're in a really good spot to compete with anybody now.

630
00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:10,600
Speaker 2: Jackson darkeets the attention didn't have a great spring, and

631
00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:14,120
Speaker 2: Luke Altmeyer is more consistent and has been in the

632
00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:16,400
Speaker 2: system a little bit longer, has more familiarity with the

633
00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:19,640
Speaker 2: receivers and with Lane Kiffin. The problem is so much

634
00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:23,280
Speaker 2: as new that how comfortable you are in a system

635
00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:25,640
Speaker 2: when you know you have Ulysses Bentley and Zach Evans

636
00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:27,840
Speaker 2: in the backfield next to you. You lose the receivers,

637
00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:30,920
Speaker 2: you lose the running backs that you do that. I

638
00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:34,840
Speaker 2: don't know how much that will fully matter. But they

639
00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:38,800
Speaker 2: brought in really good names like Jalen Robinson, if you remember,

640
00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:42,120
Speaker 2: was really good at UCF at receiver, So that's a

641
00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:44,400
Speaker 2: big deal. Michael Trigg coming in from USC at tight end,

642
00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:47,200
Speaker 2: that's a big deal. If you're looking for the loan

643
00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:50,600
Speaker 2: appeal for ole Miss, it's going to be excitement. It's

644
00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:52,760
Speaker 2: going to be there won't be boring ole Miss games.

645
00:33:52,800 --> 00:33:55,040
Speaker 2: They're going to play quickly. You know, Lane Kiffin is

646
00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:57,600
Speaker 2: going to lean on the analytics and he's going gopher

647
00:33:57,600 --> 00:33:59,720
Speaker 2: it on fourth downs whether it works or not. He's

648
00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:03,320
Speaker 2: just you know, the all gas, no breaks lifestyle. I

649
00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:06,800
Speaker 2: don't know why you wouldn't watch ole Miss football, even

650
00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:09,200
Speaker 2: if they have the schedule that they do, even if

651
00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:11,759
Speaker 2: you know quarterback is a toss up right now that

652
00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:14,440
Speaker 2: Jackson Dart has sort of arm strength and upside and

653
00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:17,920
Speaker 2: Altmeyer is more consistent that there's just so much speed

654
00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:20,160
Speaker 2: and so many interesting players. And when you look at

655
00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:22,920
Speaker 2: the jump they made last year on defense, like you

656
00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:25,520
Speaker 2: just you have to watch ole Miss football? A look

657
00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:27,839
Speaker 2: am I watching? Because they also wear those baby blue

658
00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:31,200
Speaker 2: helmets sometimes I do. Yeah, the costume department is electric

659
00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:36,440
Speaker 2: in Oxford. But this is you know what you're getting

660
00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:39,800
Speaker 2: out of Ole Miss. You're getting entertainment and you're getting

661
00:34:40,640 --> 00:34:45,399
Speaker 2: just maximum attempts at aggression every week. And I'm I'm

662
00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:47,200
Speaker 2: how can I hate that?

663
00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:53,120
Speaker 1: Their adjusted pace last season was third nationally, which means

664
00:34:53,160 --> 00:34:57,120
Speaker 1: they play very quickly. Yeah, on offense, Tennessee was first.

665
00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:01,279
Speaker 1: As we discussed on our previous episode, this is a

666
00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:03,960
Speaker 1: team that has a lot of newness though, and I

667
00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:08,399
Speaker 1: think we are entertained at a minimum by Lane Kiff,

668
00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:10,359
Speaker 1: and it will be interesting to see how he's able

669
00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:15,239
Speaker 1: to compile these pieces, new pieces, new faces quickly and

670
00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:18,480
Speaker 1: try to get this thing moving forward. As I said,

671
00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:20,040
Speaker 1: it gets tough.

672
00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:20,320
Speaker 2: In a hurry.

673
00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:24,640
Speaker 1: But you feel okay about that, yes, which actually catches

674
00:35:24,680 --> 00:35:27,600
Speaker 1: me by surprise. I did not think you would feel

675
00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:29,000
Speaker 1: as confident about Old Miss.

676
00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:32,279
Speaker 2: I mean, it's just one of those things where they're

677
00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:36,640
Speaker 2: such a wild card that at a certain point if

678
00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:39,600
Speaker 2: you have a coach who is just isn't going to

679
00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:42,200
Speaker 2: hesitate in the way that perhaps a team with more

680
00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:44,440
Speaker 2: talent like A and M, who has more talent, who

681
00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:46,520
Speaker 2: absolutely has more talent right now because of what they're

682
00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:49,719
Speaker 2: bringing back on defense and on offense, just there's more

683
00:35:49,719 --> 00:35:51,840
Speaker 2: familiarity with the Texas A and M system from the

684
00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:54,160
Speaker 2: guys there, even though the young defensive lineman will get there.

685
00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:57,040
Speaker 2: Maybe this is the easy transition, But Texas A and

686
00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:00,480
Speaker 2: M doesn't generate big plays on offense. Texas A and M,

687
00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:04,640
Speaker 2: I think holds back quarterbacks a little bit. Is it

688
00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:08,400
Speaker 2: as aggressive on fourth down? And when these two teams

689
00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:11,799
Speaker 2: played last year, the more aggressive team the team who

690
00:36:11,840 --> 00:36:14,960
Speaker 2: decided I'm gonna utilize every single moment to try and

691
00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:18,520
Speaker 2: dominate won the game. And so that to me makes

692
00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:21,760
Speaker 2: me feel better about Ole Miss than most. That everything's

693
00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:24,719
Speaker 2: going to be left on the field, both physically and intellectually.

694
00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:25,759
Speaker 2: So I'm good with.

695
00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:29,719
Speaker 1: It physically and intellect Nobody over under is seven and

696
00:36:29,719 --> 00:36:31,399
Speaker 1: a half. The publics on the over.

697
00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:36,480
Speaker 2: I would be on the over two. Yeah, look, looking

698
00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:39,279
Speaker 2: at this schedule. Looking at the schedule, I like A

699
00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:42,480
Speaker 2: and M a lot. I like LSU a lot. I

700
00:36:42,600 --> 00:36:45,360
Speaker 2: like Arkansas a lot. I like Mississippi State a lot.

701
00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:49,040
Speaker 2: But do I love Brian Kelly and the ability to

702
00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:51,840
Speaker 2: select a quarterback and find the guy consistently?

703
00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:54,080
Speaker 1: That is my love language. Dan, Thank you for bringing

704
00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:56,200
Speaker 1: that up. We'll go there next again.

705
00:36:56,280 --> 00:36:59,560
Speaker 2: Do I love the choices that A and M has

706
00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:03,680
Speaker 2: at core uarterback? Not entirely all the time. I don't

707
00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:08,120
Speaker 2: Alabama's gonna be really good. We know that I like

708
00:37:08,239 --> 00:37:11,319
Speaker 2: Arkansas a good deal, and I like Mississippi State. But

709
00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:14,200
Speaker 2: once again, I think the egg bowls in Oxford this year?

710
00:37:14,239 --> 00:37:15,520
Speaker 2: Am I reading the schedule correct?

711
00:37:15,600 --> 00:37:18,600
Speaker 1: The egg Bowl is in Oxford? Yes, I just.

712
00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:22,239
Speaker 2: Look, Maybe this just scratches me where I hitch tie.

713
00:37:22,520 --> 00:37:27,360
Speaker 2: It's entirely possible. But give me this sort of attitude

714
00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:29,279
Speaker 2: every sort of week. I like it.

715
00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:33,480
Speaker 1: So to recap, Dan is in on Ole, miss in

716
00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:37,279
Speaker 1: on Mississippi State, very obviously in on Alabama because of

717
00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:42,920
Speaker 1: course it's Alabama. Auburn. Okay, maybe not as much. Yeah,

718
00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:47,919
Speaker 1: what about LSU. When we highlighted LSU's schedule a couple

719
00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:54,840
Speaker 1: months ago, very tough November, much easier towards the early

720
00:37:54,920 --> 00:37:57,520
Speaker 1: part of the schedule, I remember calling out that this

721
00:37:57,600 --> 00:37:59,879
Speaker 1: is a team that could potentially start five and zero.

722
00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:03,040
Speaker 1: We are seeing reports though, And I sent this to you.

723
00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:07,839
Speaker 1: I retweeted this out on three on three Sports. Yeah,

724
00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:13,400
Speaker 1: college football site JD. Pickele predicts LSU starting quarterback competition

725
00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:18,040
Speaker 1: could continue well into the regular season. Quote, full transparency.

726
00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:20,800
Speaker 1: I think there's a really good chance you see all

727
00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:26,680
Speaker 1: three of these guys play. Yes, Yes, Brian Kelly has

728
00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:30,200
Speaker 1: never met a quarterback room that he couldn't turn into controversy.

729
00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:32,239
Speaker 1: It's just who he is, just what he does. He

730
00:38:32,360 --> 00:38:36,160
Speaker 1: likes them all so damn much. He can't pick just one. Yeah,

731
00:38:36,200 --> 00:38:38,279
Speaker 1: where are we at with LSU? Brian Kelly? You're one?

732
00:38:38,719 --> 00:38:41,520
Speaker 2: Okay, So look we'll start with the quarterback battle in

733
00:38:41,560 --> 00:38:44,440
Speaker 2: that the three guys that are likely going to be

734
00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:47,120
Speaker 2: the guys competing with Walker Howard probably as a likely

735
00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:50,160
Speaker 2: red shirt who has a good amount of upside that

736
00:38:50,560 --> 00:38:53,000
Speaker 2: Brian Kelly recruited to Notre Dame and then when he

737
00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:55,120
Speaker 2: came over to LSU was able to hold onto the commitment.

738
00:38:56,280 --> 00:38:59,319
Speaker 2: Jaden Daniels is seasoned, He's played in big games. He's

739
00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:02,600
Speaker 2: one big game. He has the most starts of these guys.

740
00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:07,200
Speaker 2: Garrett Nussmeyer has upside, has played a little bit, not huge,

741
00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:11,000
Speaker 2: not a big physical force. And then Miles Brennan is

742
00:39:11,160 --> 00:39:13,160
Speaker 2: seems to be you know, he's been beat up and

743
00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:15,480
Speaker 2: has has had his own injury issues. He's most familiar

744
00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:17,520
Speaker 2: with the talent on hand, He's probably the most consistent.

745
00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:21,919
Speaker 2: He's not a physical force though, and so it makes

746
00:39:21,960 --> 00:39:25,000
Speaker 2: it too easy for Brian Kelly to waiver between these

747
00:39:25,040 --> 00:39:27,879
Speaker 2: guys because there's nobody it seems obvious at the moment

748
00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:31,520
Speaker 2: unless Nussmeyer really just has a command that he offers

749
00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:35,160
Speaker 2: them the upside that is needed with this receiver room,

750
00:39:35,160 --> 00:39:38,520
Speaker 2: which looks to be really promising, led by Kashan Butte,

751
00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:40,720
Speaker 2: probably one of the best three receivers in the country.

752
00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:43,680
Speaker 2: I don't know something in that range. It's a good

753
00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:46,440
Speaker 2: receiver or five receivers in the country, but he's among

754
00:39:46,520 --> 00:39:50,880
Speaker 2: the country's best for sure. Definitely, the offensive line I

755
00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:54,960
Speaker 2: think was a question but has rounded into shape. I'm

756
00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:57,440
Speaker 2: not as worried about the offensive line at this point

757
00:39:57,480 --> 00:40:00,520
Speaker 2: than I was I think a little while ago. Still question,

758
00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:02,719
Speaker 2: but I think the upside is very clearly there. And

759
00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:04,400
Speaker 2: you know, they have a left tackle of the future.

760
00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:06,920
Speaker 2: So there's a lot to actually like about LSU on offense,

761
00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:09,399
Speaker 2: especially you know John Emery, the five the former five

762
00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:11,600
Speaker 2: star running back. He seems to be, you know, turning

763
00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:15,160
Speaker 2: a corner, and so I think they're in good shape.

764
00:40:15,239 --> 00:40:17,160
Speaker 2: Now what we can say about and you can talk

765
00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:21,719
Speaker 2: about Notre Dame stuff with Brian Kelly offenses, but even

766
00:40:21,760 --> 00:40:26,400
Speaker 2: without consistently finding a great receiver, even without consistently figuring

767
00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:29,520
Speaker 2: out who the best quarterback is or should be, that

768
00:40:29,840 --> 00:40:35,359
Speaker 2: there's a certain amount of organization, offensive line development, and

769
00:40:35,719 --> 00:40:39,280
Speaker 2: ultimately it doesn't cost them winning a ton of games.

770
00:40:39,480 --> 00:40:43,719
Speaker 2: That the floor is still extremely high most years with

771
00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:48,000
Speaker 2: Brian Kelly offenses, because he tends to hire pretty good coordinators,

772
00:40:48,120 --> 00:40:50,520
Speaker 2: tends to not always, but he tends to sort of

773
00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:53,200
Speaker 2: have a very specific vision for his offenses a lot

774
00:40:53,239 --> 00:40:55,759
Speaker 2: going to the tight end. There have been years where

775
00:40:55,800 --> 00:40:58,160
Speaker 2: Brian Kelly has found that, you know, game changing receiver

776
00:40:58,239 --> 00:41:01,000
Speaker 2: you look at, you know, early on with what Michael

777
00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:04,319
Speaker 2: Floyd and that overlapped right between Charlie Weiss and Brian

778
00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:07,279
Speaker 2: Kelly and then more recently Chase Claypool. Guys like that

779
00:41:07,360 --> 00:41:11,120
Speaker 2: have emerged, and he's inheriting Keisham Boutet, He's inheriting a

780
00:41:11,239 --> 00:41:14,759
Speaker 2: number of super promising younger receivers. So I don't think

781
00:41:14,800 --> 00:41:16,799
Speaker 2: finding that guy will be as difficult it is just

782
00:41:16,840 --> 00:41:19,680
Speaker 2: locking in on that quarterback position, which is not to

783
00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:22,640
Speaker 2: say that it's a small deal but the big If

784
00:41:23,160 --> 00:41:26,200
Speaker 2: he's able to relatively early on before the season, early

785
00:41:26,239 --> 00:41:28,799
Speaker 2: on in the season, I don't know, there's a lot

786
00:41:28,840 --> 00:41:31,719
Speaker 2: to really like about, especially if because he hit the

787
00:41:31,719 --> 00:41:34,040
Speaker 2: portal hard on both sides of the ball, If the

788
00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:37,680
Speaker 2: depth is there like it appears to be now, I

789
00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:39,799
Speaker 2: don't know, man, I don't see the offense holding them

790
00:41:39,840 --> 00:41:42,840
Speaker 2: back to a significant degree if he waivers a bunch

791
00:41:42,840 --> 00:41:47,799
Speaker 2: of quarterback Sure, absolutely your point obviously stands, But I

792
00:41:47,800 --> 00:41:50,480
Speaker 2: don't know I see this as a little bit harder

793
00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:52,360
Speaker 2: to screw up than going like should I.

794
00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:54,560
Speaker 1: Go Drew Pier, Tyler Buckner or Jack.

795
00:41:54,520 --> 00:41:57,440
Speaker 2: Cohne, Like this is the floor with these guy with

796
00:41:57,480 --> 00:42:00,239
Speaker 2: this decision seems quite a bit higher.

797
00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:03,640
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's not apples to apples in that sense, no, right,

798
00:42:03,680 --> 00:42:06,440
Speaker 1: I mean there is so much talent across the board,

799
00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:09,560
Speaker 1: and especially a quarterback. Even though there is some confusion,

800
00:42:09,840 --> 00:42:12,359
Speaker 1: and even though I joke it will continue to joke

801
00:42:13,239 --> 00:42:17,440
Speaker 1: about his inability to pick one and stick with one.

802
00:42:17,560 --> 00:42:21,920
Speaker 1: Whoever they pick, they'll probably be fine. They'll probably any

803
00:42:21,920 --> 00:42:23,880
Speaker 1: of those, any of those guys. It's probably an upgrade

804
00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:26,239
Speaker 1: over where Notre Dame was last year. Yeah, I would

805
00:42:26,239 --> 00:42:29,360
Speaker 1: agree with that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I would be fine

806
00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:32,160
Speaker 1: with pretty much any of these guys. Curious to see

807
00:42:32,200 --> 00:42:34,040
Speaker 1: what he does. Where he gets himself into trouble is

808
00:42:34,040 --> 00:42:38,000
Speaker 1: because he tries to play too many and he'll inevitably

809
00:42:38,040 --> 00:42:39,880
Speaker 1: do the package thing where it's like I've got a

810
00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:43,040
Speaker 1: package for Jane Daniels, and he's gonna play that guy

811
00:42:43,160 --> 00:42:45,640
Speaker 1: in a big spot, in a big game. He's gonna

812
00:42:45,640 --> 00:42:47,960
Speaker 1: do well, He's gonna perform because they always perform. And

813
00:42:48,000 --> 00:42:51,680
Speaker 1: then suddenly it's gonna be a gigantic mess. Who do

814
00:42:51,719 --> 00:42:53,239
Speaker 1: we start, when do we start, and what does the

815
00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:55,760
Speaker 1: thing look like? We don't know who's running the ship,

816
00:42:55,800 --> 00:42:58,080
Speaker 1: and that's how things go a little bit sideways. But

817
00:42:58,280 --> 00:43:01,160
Speaker 1: there's just so much talent elsewhere. As you said, I

818
00:43:01,160 --> 00:43:04,600
Speaker 1: think it's hard for me to envision them truly screwing up.

819
00:43:04,760 --> 00:43:06,920
Speaker 1: The floor is high with Brian Kelly. A lot of

820
00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:10,000
Speaker 1: people don't like him. He is a good coach. He's

821
00:43:10,000 --> 00:43:12,279
Speaker 1: got a track row. Yeah, he's won everywhere he's been,

822
00:43:12,960 --> 00:43:14,960
Speaker 1: So I think they'll be just fine. I agree with

823
00:43:15,000 --> 00:43:18,520
Speaker 1: the organization and development points, all all of which you raised,

824
00:43:18,560 --> 00:43:21,919
Speaker 1: I think and said the right things. Are they gonna

825
00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:23,600
Speaker 1: beat Florida State in Week one?

826
00:43:23,880 --> 00:43:28,080
Speaker 2: Yeah? Yeah they will. It's in New Orleans. There are

827
00:43:28,200 --> 00:43:31,560
Speaker 2: enough really impressive faces on this defense that I'd be

828
00:43:31,640 --> 00:43:35,440
Speaker 2: more worried about Jordan Travis throwing into this defense. LSU

829
00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:37,080
Speaker 2: gets after it. They should be getting after it. On

830
00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:40,000
Speaker 2: the edge. They brought in transfers, They lost guys on defense.

831
00:43:40,040 --> 00:43:42,560
Speaker 2: They're just there are new faces, but I don't know

832
00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:45,400
Speaker 2: they seem stacked on the defensive line. Linebacker has a

833
00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:47,840
Speaker 2: good amount of upside. A lot of faces lost, but

834
00:43:47,880 --> 00:43:49,360
Speaker 2: a lot of faces in. They get a you know,

835
00:43:49,400 --> 00:43:52,480
Speaker 2: a top corner from Oklahoma State coming in, they get

836
00:43:52,520 --> 00:43:55,120
Speaker 2: guys from Arkansas. They're I think they're going to be

837
00:43:55,120 --> 00:43:57,680
Speaker 2: in good shape. There are so many new faces though,

838
00:43:57,719 --> 00:43:59,799
Speaker 2: because honestly it was needed. You remember the stories going

839
00:43:59,840 --> 00:44:01,759
Speaker 2: in the bowl game against Kansas State, We're like, they

840
00:44:01,760 --> 00:44:05,680
Speaker 2: have thirty one guys available, where not even exaggerating, it

841
00:44:05,719 --> 00:44:08,839
Speaker 2: was right around that number that they needed numbers and

842
00:44:08,880 --> 00:44:12,279
Speaker 2: Brian Kelly needed to hit the portal. It seemed pretty necessary.

843
00:44:12,360 --> 00:44:15,520
Speaker 2: So I think they're gonna be in a good spot now.

844
00:44:16,640 --> 00:44:21,120
Speaker 2: Florida State's in a tougher spot situationally, just because of

845
00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:23,840
Speaker 2: where the game is and how much is unknown about

846
00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:25,799
Speaker 2: what LSU is going to look like. You know, from

847
00:44:25,840 --> 00:44:27,359
Speaker 2: the top down, what are they gonna look like on offense?

848
00:44:27,360 --> 00:44:30,080
Speaker 2: Who's going to be playing quarterback? But I like Matt House.

849
00:44:30,080 --> 00:44:33,719
Speaker 2: He has helped us solidify the Kentucky defense, and you know,

850
00:44:33,800 --> 00:44:35,520
Speaker 2: when you have that kind of consistency and that kind

851
00:44:35,560 --> 00:44:37,920
Speaker 2: of buy in from Kentucky, I think you're going to

852
00:44:37,960 --> 00:44:39,799
Speaker 2: see it from LSU. And look, if you can rush

853
00:44:39,840 --> 00:44:42,359
Speaker 2: the passer and if you have speed in the secondary, Yeah,

854
00:44:42,360 --> 00:44:43,879
Speaker 2: I think they're gonna beat Florida State. I thin they're

855
00:44:43,880 --> 00:44:46,279
Speaker 2: gonna be a good team. I think the asterisk with

856
00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:50,080
Speaker 2: LSU is whether it's because of the quarterback battle, whether

857
00:44:50,120 --> 00:44:52,359
Speaker 2: it's going to be because of the newness of it all,

858
00:44:53,200 --> 00:44:57,759
Speaker 2: that they'll lose one to three games because their act

859
00:44:57,840 --> 00:45:00,480
Speaker 2: is just not together as a program under b Kelly,

860
00:45:00,520 --> 00:45:03,120
Speaker 2: that everybody's just not on the same page yet. So

861
00:45:03,200 --> 00:45:06,319
Speaker 2: I have them maxing out around nine wins, but I

862
00:45:06,360 --> 00:45:09,279
Speaker 2: have them in that eight or nine win range. The

863
00:45:09,320 --> 00:45:12,280
Speaker 2: schedule again, everybody's got that mety middle. But the schedule

864
00:45:12,320 --> 00:45:15,840
Speaker 2: of Florida State early at Auburn, Tennessee from the east,

865
00:45:16,160 --> 00:45:19,040
Speaker 2: Florida of course, from the east, and Florida's on the road,

866
00:45:19,480 --> 00:45:21,319
Speaker 2: and we don't know all that much about Florida at

867
00:45:21,320 --> 00:45:24,280
Speaker 2: the moment. We had that crazy shootout last year where

868
00:45:24,640 --> 00:45:29,319
Speaker 2: somehow LSU was able to get a ton at on

869
00:45:29,400 --> 00:45:32,040
Speaker 2: the ground and still not win the game. Just a

870
00:45:32,080 --> 00:45:37,120
Speaker 2: turnover palooza Ole Miss Bama at Arkansas, and then you

871
00:45:37,160 --> 00:45:40,920
Speaker 2: know there's the supposed down week. It's UAB for LSU

872
00:45:41,000 --> 00:45:43,680
Speaker 2: this year at New Coach for UAB of course, and

873
00:45:43,719 --> 00:45:45,880
Speaker 2: then on the road at a and M so a

874
00:45:45,920 --> 00:45:51,360
Speaker 2: really tough schedule. But I think secretly, maybe not so secretly,

875
00:45:51,360 --> 00:45:53,200
Speaker 2: I don't know, it's not a secret to LSU fans,

876
00:45:53,200 --> 00:45:54,960
Speaker 2: but I think there's a good amount of star power

877
00:45:55,120 --> 00:45:58,520
Speaker 2: with this LSU team, especially given the circumstances of how

878
00:45:58,600 --> 00:46:00,799
Speaker 2: much turnover they've had on this rossed over the past

879
00:46:00,840 --> 00:46:04,400
Speaker 2: couple of years. Young guys you know, made green mistakes

880
00:46:04,480 --> 00:46:06,600
Speaker 2: last year and are now coming into their own and

881
00:46:06,680 --> 00:46:09,520
Speaker 2: so there's a good amount to like about this LSU

882
00:46:09,560 --> 00:46:13,239
Speaker 2: team if they can find I think answers in the

883
00:46:13,280 --> 00:46:16,319
Speaker 2: secondary consistently and on the offensive line. But I think

884
00:46:16,320 --> 00:46:17,279
Speaker 2: they're in a good place yet.

885
00:46:17,360 --> 00:46:22,600
Speaker 1: Generally speaking, LSU and Florida feel very similar to me

886
00:46:22,960 --> 00:46:26,440
Speaker 1: in that there's a perception whenever you turn over a

887
00:46:26,480 --> 00:46:30,279
Speaker 1: coach that either the bottom has fallen out on a

888
00:46:30,320 --> 00:46:33,600
Speaker 1: program or that there is some sort of systemic issue

889
00:46:33,640 --> 00:46:36,680
Speaker 1: that's going to take a while to rebuild. I don't

890
00:46:36,680 --> 00:46:39,719
Speaker 1: think that's the case in either place. I think both

891
00:46:39,760 --> 00:46:43,239
Speaker 1: of the cupboards are pretty well stocked and it's not

892
00:46:43,320 --> 00:46:45,839
Speaker 1: going to be a huge rebuild on either side. Both

893
00:46:45,880 --> 00:46:48,319
Speaker 1: have good coaches taking over in Billy Napier and in

894
00:46:48,360 --> 00:46:51,120
Speaker 1: this case Brian Kelly and I think before long we'll

895
00:46:51,160 --> 00:46:53,480
Speaker 1: see both of those programs on the rise. LS is

896
00:46:53,520 --> 00:46:54,799
Speaker 1: going to be in a good spot. The over under,

897
00:46:54,800 --> 00:46:57,759
Speaker 1: by the way, is seven even seven. It feels like

898
00:46:57,760 --> 00:46:59,920
Speaker 1: a stretch to me that they would go below that.

899
00:47:01,120 --> 00:47:03,319
Speaker 1: So we'll talk more about this as I've been saying here.

900
00:47:03,320 --> 00:47:04,879
Speaker 1: We're going to do an over undershow as we get

901
00:47:04,880 --> 00:47:07,400
Speaker 1: a little bit closer to the season. But LSU is

902
00:47:07,440 --> 00:47:10,160
Speaker 1: one that I'm interested in with that over because I

903
00:47:10,239 --> 00:47:12,319
Speaker 1: just I don't know. They're not a six and six

904
00:47:12,360 --> 00:47:14,440
Speaker 1: team Dan, even if things they're just south, they're not

905
00:47:14,480 --> 00:47:15,360
Speaker 1: a six to sixteen.

906
00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:19,600
Speaker 2: The case for them being somewhat disappointing in year one

907
00:47:19,680 --> 00:47:22,920
Speaker 2: is just how many new faces, both on the sideland

908
00:47:22,920 --> 00:47:25,160
Speaker 2: and on the on the field are being thrown together

909
00:47:25,280 --> 00:47:27,920
Speaker 2: to figure things out kind of all at once. That

910
00:47:27,960 --> 00:47:30,000
Speaker 2: the offensive line is going to need some time to gel,

911
00:47:30,280 --> 00:47:32,440
Speaker 2: that the secondary is going to need some time to gel.

912
00:47:32,760 --> 00:47:36,120
Speaker 2: That the receiver room, while strong, it's sorting out who's who,

913
00:47:36,480 --> 00:47:38,960
Speaker 2: while the quarterbacks seem like they have a high floor

914
00:47:39,320 --> 00:47:41,880
Speaker 2: who's actually the guy right? That there are so many

915
00:47:41,920 --> 00:47:45,160
Speaker 2: just gelling questions at hand that they might have a

916
00:47:45,200 --> 00:47:48,160
Speaker 2: disappointing opening half of the season and then get their

917
00:47:48,160 --> 00:47:51,200
Speaker 2: act together in the back half. That's entirely possible for

918
00:47:51,320 --> 00:47:54,360
Speaker 2: just as many new pieces being thrown into Baton rouge.

919
00:47:55,160 --> 00:47:58,960
Speaker 1: Speaking a new pieces, Texas A and M y Sexas

920
00:47:59,000 --> 00:48:03,480
Speaker 1: A and M had a historic recruiting class. Many of

921
00:48:03,520 --> 00:48:06,799
Speaker 1: those prospects are going to play I think a significant

922
00:48:06,880 --> 00:48:11,000
Speaker 1: role in this year's A and M team. You can

923
00:48:11,040 --> 00:48:14,160
Speaker 1: talk more to that than I can, But I am

924
00:48:14,160 --> 00:48:17,440
Speaker 1: looking at their schedule here. I am intrigued by it.

925
00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:22,000
Speaker 1: They've got an intriguing non conference game Week three against Miami.

926
00:48:22,440 --> 00:48:25,560
Speaker 1: That game is at home. We talked about Miami on

927
00:48:25,600 --> 00:48:28,600
Speaker 1: a previous episode. They've got a really tough stretch of

928
00:48:28,640 --> 00:48:32,799
Speaker 1: games here between weeks four and six. In that it

929
00:48:32,880 --> 00:48:37,520
Speaker 1: is Arkansas neutral site game, it is Alabama in week six,

930
00:48:37,600 --> 00:48:41,640
Speaker 1: and in between there is a very obvious let down

931
00:48:41,640 --> 00:48:46,279
Speaker 1: look ahead Sandwich game against Mississippi State, your Mississippi State Bulldogs.

932
00:48:46,640 --> 00:48:47,920
Speaker 2: Yeah.

933
00:48:48,160 --> 00:48:52,520
Speaker 1: So can Texas A and M possibly live up to

934
00:48:52,560 --> 00:48:56,240
Speaker 1: the hype that came as a result of that really

935
00:48:56,239 --> 00:49:00,200
Speaker 1: big recruiting hall and all of the offseason headlines that

936
00:49:00,239 --> 00:49:02,560
Speaker 1: came with Jimbo Fisher digging in his heels a little

937
00:49:02,560 --> 00:49:06,440
Speaker 1: bit and taking exception to Alabama Nick Saban.

938
00:49:07,600 --> 00:49:11,840
Speaker 2: Yeah, oh, A and M can absolutely live up to expectations.

939
00:49:11,840 --> 00:49:14,719
Speaker 2: But we say that a lot of years the concerns

940
00:49:14,800 --> 00:49:18,440
Speaker 2: are not all that pronounced right. The skill talent appears

941
00:49:18,440 --> 00:49:20,600
Speaker 2: to be in a good place. That that was a

942
00:49:20,760 --> 00:49:23,080
Speaker 2: sort of complaint or worry that we had in years past.

943
00:49:23,120 --> 00:49:25,920
Speaker 2: They're like, who's popping at receiver? Who's that threat downfield?

944
00:49:25,920 --> 00:49:29,960
Speaker 2: Who's that gravitational force? Now a nice Smith back charges

945
00:49:30,000 --> 00:49:32,879
Speaker 2: dropped in the case that he had Devin ah Chan

946
00:49:32,960 --> 00:49:36,120
Speaker 2: is in the backfield. There's promising upside everywhere in the

947
00:49:36,120 --> 00:49:38,600
Speaker 2: offensive skill situation that you're starting over a little bit

948
00:49:38,600 --> 00:49:42,600
Speaker 2: at tight end, leave Max Johnson's brother also coming in

949
00:49:42,600 --> 00:49:46,400
Speaker 2: in addition to Max Johnson at tight end. The question

950
00:49:46,440 --> 00:49:53,080
Speaker 2: to me is the Jimbo Fisher restricter plate is, is

951
00:49:53,960 --> 00:49:57,279
Speaker 2: we have a Kellen Mond situation forever and ever? And

952
00:49:58,600 --> 00:50:02,120
Speaker 2: the moments that Kellen Mond good downfield, you know, filled

953
00:50:02,160 --> 00:50:04,440
Speaker 2: A and M fans with promise. The moments that Zach

954
00:50:04,520 --> 00:50:07,080
Speaker 2: Calzada had downfield, you know, making the huge throws that

955
00:50:07,080 --> 00:50:10,000
Speaker 2: he did. I'm not saying people are watching Zach Calzatta,

956
00:50:10,000 --> 00:50:12,040
Speaker 2: who's a backup for a reason. Last year and thought,

957
00:50:12,040 --> 00:50:13,960
Speaker 2: this is our guy for as long as he will

958
00:50:14,000 --> 00:50:19,000
Speaker 2: stay here. But you saw hints of it and it's

959
00:50:19,080 --> 00:50:22,520
Speaker 2: just for whatever reason. Even now with Evan Stewart, the

960
00:50:22,560 --> 00:50:25,160
Speaker 2: super promising freshman who should get on the field as

961
00:50:25,200 --> 00:50:25,880
Speaker 2: a true fresh.

962
00:50:25,680 --> 00:50:27,359
Speaker 1: Plug and play, right, he's plug and.

963
00:50:27,320 --> 00:50:29,640
Speaker 2: Play, plug and play. Yeah, shined in the in the

964
00:50:29,680 --> 00:50:34,680
Speaker 2: spring game. It's how much does Jimbo Fisher want to

965
00:50:34,760 --> 00:50:38,200
Speaker 2: take in terms of chances, in terms of taking the

966
00:50:38,239 --> 00:50:40,920
Speaker 2: plastic off of this offense. Is he somebody who is like, no,

967
00:50:40,960 --> 00:50:42,920
Speaker 2: you got to keep the original packaging because we're going

968
00:50:43,000 --> 00:50:45,799
Speaker 2: to sell it down the line, or just play with

969
00:50:45,800 --> 00:50:48,960
Speaker 2: your toys, right, and look, humans are beings are not toys.

970
00:50:49,360 --> 00:50:52,880
Speaker 2: But how much is there like an effet mentality, be

971
00:50:52,960 --> 00:50:57,200
Speaker 2: it with Max Johnson or Wegman the freshman with a

972
00:50:57,239 --> 00:51:00,919
Speaker 2: ton of promise, or Haines King who got the last year,

973
00:51:01,239 --> 00:51:04,759
Speaker 2: whoever is starting at quarterback, It's how many f it

974
00:51:04,920 --> 00:51:07,520
Speaker 2: go deep. Let's trust Evan Stewart, Let's trust a Nia

975
00:51:07,600 --> 00:51:10,880
Speaker 2: Smith and get creative with him once again. That's the

976
00:51:10,960 --> 00:51:13,719
Speaker 2: question to me is how much actual aggression is coming

977
00:51:13,760 --> 00:51:16,399
Speaker 2: from the sidelines with this A and M team, Because

978
00:51:16,400 --> 00:51:19,440
Speaker 2: once again, on defense, even though new coordinator Mike Elko,

979
00:51:19,600 --> 00:51:22,279
Speaker 2: because can't go wrong going to the Brian Kelly footprint, right,

980
00:51:23,080 --> 00:51:25,920
Speaker 2: Mike Elko was incredible. This defense was incredible. They have

981
00:51:25,920 --> 00:51:29,080
Speaker 2: a lot to replace upfront. That was super successful. They're

982
00:51:29,080 --> 00:51:31,640
Speaker 2: incredible in the red zone. They're incredible situationally, you know,

983
00:51:31,680 --> 00:51:34,960
Speaker 2: on passing downs, on third downs, getting off the field.

984
00:51:35,480 --> 00:51:38,280
Speaker 2: But this offense was something like ninety first in terms

985
00:51:38,320 --> 00:51:41,680
Speaker 2: of three and out percentage. That there was an a

986
00:51:41,800 --> 00:51:44,840
Speaker 2: rhythmic quality to whatever they were doing. Was Zach Calzada

987
00:51:44,880 --> 00:51:48,040
Speaker 2: in this offense last year. So it's how much trust

988
00:51:48,080 --> 00:51:51,279
Speaker 2: does Jimbo in this offensive staff have a quarterback, How

989
00:51:51,320 --> 00:51:54,439
Speaker 2: much trust do they have in maybe more wild card

990
00:51:54,520 --> 00:51:58,560
Speaker 2: receivers or wild card you know, series of play calling

991
00:51:58,680 --> 00:52:01,759
Speaker 2: and situations, and how much is it just like this

992
00:52:01,800 --> 00:52:04,480
Speaker 2: is what we do, we call screens on third downs

993
00:52:04,520 --> 00:52:07,160
Speaker 2: like and that is that is a hallmark of the

994
00:52:07,239 --> 00:52:10,160
Speaker 2: Jimbo Fisher offense. And it's just how much is he

995
00:52:10,200 --> 00:52:12,799
Speaker 2: willing to throw out and say, you know what, screw it.

996
00:52:13,080 --> 00:52:16,680
Speaker 2: We're taking notes from Ole miss, We're taking notes from Alabama.

997
00:52:16,960 --> 00:52:20,560
Speaker 2: I think Jimbo's probably too proud to abandon what got

998
00:52:20,600 --> 00:52:23,120
Speaker 2: him here. But if we're going to see A and

999
00:52:23,239 --> 00:52:26,800
Speaker 2: M turn a corner, it's got to be some more

1000
00:52:26,920 --> 00:52:30,680
Speaker 2: balls to the wall to this offense. That's what concerns me.

1001
00:52:31,000 --> 00:52:32,360
Speaker 1: Who do you think should be quarterback?

1002
00:52:33,320 --> 00:52:38,560
Speaker 2: I don't know. I'm not in practice. I think you

1003
00:52:38,760 --> 00:52:42,560
Speaker 2: limit yourself in terms of playoff aspirations with Max Johnson.

1004
00:52:42,920 --> 00:52:43,320
Speaker 1: I agree.

1005
00:52:43,360 --> 00:52:47,120
Speaker 2: I think it's it's very difficult to see this to

1006
00:52:47,160 --> 00:52:50,000
Speaker 2: say balls to the wall and Max Johnson in the

1007
00:52:50,040 --> 00:52:53,040
Speaker 2: same thought. I think he's pretty good. I think he's

1008
00:52:53,080 --> 00:52:56,440
Speaker 2: a playmaker. I don't know if he's the right arm

1009
00:52:56,520 --> 00:53:01,160
Speaker 2: for this job now, Haynes coming off an injury. There's

1010
00:53:01,160 --> 00:53:03,399
Speaker 2: a reason he won that that job last year. Maybe

1011
00:53:03,400 --> 00:53:06,240
Speaker 2: he's really good. I don't know if that's the buzz

1012
00:53:06,320 --> 00:53:08,399
Speaker 2: that I'm always hearing from A and M. I mean,

1013
00:53:08,480 --> 00:53:10,080
Speaker 2: just not night either way. You just don't hear a

1014
00:53:10,080 --> 00:53:13,879
Speaker 2: lot of Haines King buzz. Wegman's promising, but smaller. God,

1015
00:53:13,920 --> 00:53:15,920
Speaker 2: you would love for there to be a Wegman quarterback.

1016
00:53:15,920 --> 00:53:18,960
Speaker 1: I would love that major college of sponsor could be. Yeah,

1017
00:53:19,120 --> 00:53:19,480
Speaker 1: I don't know.

1018
00:53:19,520 --> 00:53:22,360
Speaker 2: I think you probably roll with Haines King just because

1019
00:53:22,400 --> 00:53:24,320
Speaker 2: he earned it last year. See what he has in

1020
00:53:24,400 --> 00:53:26,200
Speaker 2: terms of rhythm with these guys that have been around

1021
00:53:26,200 --> 00:53:30,480
Speaker 2: for a while that there's familiarity there, But I don't know.

1022
00:53:30,680 --> 00:53:32,439
Speaker 2: The offensive line is in a pretty good spot. They

1023
00:53:32,440 --> 00:53:34,920
Speaker 2: return a good amount, especially on the inside of this line.

1024
00:53:34,680 --> 00:53:36,880
Speaker 1: And that helps, right, That helpespecially if you're trying to

1025
00:53:36,880 --> 00:53:40,759
Speaker 1: figure out your quarterback situation. It helps. What about defense, right,

1026
00:53:40,880 --> 00:53:44,399
Speaker 1: We've we've heard so much about the new toys coming

1027
00:53:44,440 --> 00:53:46,360
Speaker 1: in on the offensive side, but a fair amount of

1028
00:53:46,400 --> 00:53:49,960
Speaker 1: beef coming along the defensive line. Walter Nolan all right

1029
00:53:49,960 --> 00:53:52,840
Speaker 1: made headlines going to Texas A and m Is it

1030
00:53:52,920 --> 00:53:55,319
Speaker 1: a plug and place situation as well? For some of

1031
00:53:55,320 --> 00:54:00,399
Speaker 1: those freshmen five star blue chip caliber freshman that coming

1032
00:54:00,440 --> 00:54:03,400
Speaker 1: into college station, are we going to see them making

1033
00:54:03,440 --> 00:54:05,799
Speaker 1: as big an impact as some of the names on

1034
00:54:05,840 --> 00:54:06,800
Speaker 1: the offensive side.

1035
00:54:07,200 --> 00:54:11,080
Speaker 2: Yes, my answer is yes, because there are so many

1036
00:54:11,120 --> 00:54:13,799
Speaker 2: of them. Yeah, that not a lot of these guys.

1037
00:54:13,840 --> 00:54:16,319
Speaker 2: There are interesting young guys who have played. They lost

1038
00:54:16,320 --> 00:54:18,440
Speaker 2: a bunch of upperclassmen and then of course the incoming

1039
00:54:18,480 --> 00:54:21,319
Speaker 2: class because I think a lot of these guys will

1040
00:54:21,360 --> 00:54:23,759
Speaker 2: have fresh legs in DJ Diurkins system and they're not

1041
00:54:23,840 --> 00:54:25,640
Speaker 2: changing a whole bunch from what Mike Elko did. We

1042
00:54:25,719 --> 00:54:29,240
Speaker 2: talked to Sam Cohn right a few months ago about

1043
00:54:29,280 --> 00:54:31,680
Speaker 2: where Texas A and M stood as a program, that

1044
00:54:31,760 --> 00:54:35,640
Speaker 2: there are just so many dudes who can wreak havoc

1045
00:54:35,719 --> 00:54:38,560
Speaker 2: coming in or are young guys in the system that

1046
00:54:39,160 --> 00:54:41,920
Speaker 2: the concern, like linebackers, kind of a concern losing the

1047
00:54:41,920 --> 00:54:44,600
Speaker 2: guys that they did. There's absolute talent there. It's just

1048
00:54:44,760 --> 00:54:47,040
Speaker 2: is the star power obvious from day one. They're in

1049
00:54:47,080 --> 00:54:49,640
Speaker 2: a really good spot in the secondary. So if they're

1050
00:54:49,680 --> 00:54:52,719
Speaker 2: able to trust the secondary. Dj Dirkin did a great

1051
00:54:52,800 --> 00:54:56,319
Speaker 2: job last year turning around the old Miss defense. If

1052
00:54:56,360 --> 00:54:58,680
Speaker 2: you're rightfully able to trust the secondary and you're rightfully

1053
00:54:58,719 --> 00:55:00,719
Speaker 2: able to trust the defensive life I'm been coming in

1054
00:55:00,800 --> 00:55:02,560
Speaker 2: or have been in for only a little while. Guys

1055
00:55:02,600 --> 00:55:06,439
Speaker 2: like Shamar Stewart, They're gonna be really really really really

1056
00:55:06,480 --> 00:55:09,279
Speaker 2: really good. The defense is gonna be really really really good.

1057
00:55:09,440 --> 00:55:11,720
Speaker 2: How much does that matter? Are they getting to ten wins?

1058
00:55:12,600 --> 00:55:14,960
Speaker 2: I think with the right quarterback and the right offensive aggression,

1059
00:55:15,040 --> 00:55:18,359
Speaker 2: yes they can get to ten wins, But wow, do

1060
00:55:18,400 --> 00:55:21,520
Speaker 2: you subtract one because the Jimbo Fisher restrictor plate, because

1061
00:55:21,560 --> 00:55:25,040
Speaker 2: they have what they showed against Ole Miss last year,

1062
00:55:25,080 --> 00:55:28,080
Speaker 2: because they what now it should be an upgrade over

1063
00:55:28,200 --> 00:55:31,640
Speaker 2: Zach Calzada. But God, watching the Arkansas game last year

1064
00:55:31,640 --> 00:55:35,200
Speaker 2: at Jerry World, where the entire offense was an Isaiah

1065
00:55:35,280 --> 00:55:38,879
Speaker 2: Spiller run, That's what worries me. The restrictor plate where

1066
00:55:38,880 --> 00:55:41,279
Speaker 2: they're just gonna throw in a game and a half

1067
00:55:41,600 --> 00:55:47,120
Speaker 2: of just doug As offense and aggression and play calling

1068
00:55:47,120 --> 00:55:49,120
Speaker 2: and the ability to adjust even with the talent that

1069
00:55:49,120 --> 00:55:52,000
Speaker 2: they have. That's the worry for me, that's the true worry.

1070
00:55:52,040 --> 00:55:53,200
Speaker 2: So I put them at nine wins.

1071
00:55:53,280 --> 00:55:54,960
Speaker 1: Eight and a half is where Vegas has it.

1072
00:55:55,520 --> 00:55:58,279
Speaker 2: I would go slightly over. Now the Miami game, I

1073
00:55:58,280 --> 00:56:00,600
Speaker 2: think it's a good time to get Miami with as

1074
00:56:00,640 --> 00:56:03,360
Speaker 2: much as it's new and as much as there is

1075
00:56:03,400 --> 00:56:05,759
Speaker 2: new in Coral Gables, and the fact that the game

1076
00:56:05,840 --> 00:56:08,680
Speaker 2: is where it is right it's in College Station, correct, correct,

1077
00:56:09,440 --> 00:56:10,600
Speaker 2: I think it's a good time. It's a good time

1078
00:56:10,600 --> 00:56:11,919
Speaker 2: to get Miami because I think they're going to improve

1079
00:56:11,960 --> 00:56:12,840
Speaker 2: over the course of the season.

1080
00:56:13,719 --> 00:56:13,959
Speaker 1: Yeah.

1081
00:56:14,000 --> 00:56:17,080
Speaker 2: I have them at nine with at times looking like

1082
00:56:17,120 --> 00:56:19,480
Speaker 2: a ten to eleven win program because there's just so

1083
00:56:19,560 --> 00:56:28,360
Speaker 2: much there. Okay, Arkansas, Yeah, buddy, best for last. Arkansas

1084
00:56:28,600 --> 00:56:32,600
Speaker 2: not an easy slate, but about the best home road

1085
00:56:32,680 --> 00:56:35,399
Speaker 2: splits you could hope for if you're going to play

1086
00:56:35,400 --> 00:56:36,680
Speaker 2: an SEC West schedule.

1087
00:56:37,000 --> 00:56:40,360
Speaker 1: Here is what that looks like. Texas A and M

1088
00:56:40,400 --> 00:56:44,520
Speaker 1: at home, Alabama at home, road games in the SEC

1089
00:56:45,320 --> 00:56:51,799
Speaker 1: Mississippi State, Auburn and missoo not bad. Also LSU now

1090
00:56:52,440 --> 00:56:57,239
Speaker 1: also Old Miss at home, South Carolina at home. There's

1091
00:56:57,280 --> 00:57:01,080
Speaker 1: only four road games true road games on the schedule,

1092
00:57:01,480 --> 00:57:04,600
Speaker 1: five away from home. I misspoke a little bit that

1093
00:57:04,680 --> 00:57:07,000
Speaker 1: A and M games the neutral cider in Jerry's world,

1094
00:57:07,040 --> 00:57:11,399
Speaker 1: But even still, this is a schedule for Arkansas that,

1095
00:57:11,760 --> 00:57:14,440
Speaker 1: all things consider, I think sets up fairly well for

1096
00:57:14,480 --> 00:57:16,360
Speaker 1: the Hogs. How do you feel you in on kJ

1097
00:57:16,520 --> 00:57:16,880
Speaker 1: this year?

1098
00:57:18,080 --> 00:57:20,560
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, of course. But it's just the concern to

1099
00:57:20,640 --> 00:57:23,120
Speaker 2: me with Arkansas. Is it just it gets very real,

1100
00:57:23,200 --> 00:57:26,280
Speaker 2: very quickly in that they have Cincinnati and South Carolina

1101
00:57:26,360 --> 00:57:29,640
Speaker 2: right in the first couple of weeks, so they're going

1102
00:57:29,720 --> 00:57:33,280
Speaker 2: to need their acts together immediately. Now, that's finding a

1103
00:57:33,320 --> 00:57:37,520
Speaker 2: receiver to replace Trailon Burks, is it? Jaden Hazel would maybe? Absolutely, maybe,

1104
00:57:37,720 --> 00:57:41,160
Speaker 2: But Burks was otherworldly at times last year, just in

1105
00:57:41,240 --> 00:57:44,160
Speaker 2: terms of wide receiver gravity in the SEC. On defense

1106
00:57:44,200 --> 00:57:45,800
Speaker 2: is where they look like upfront I don't know if

1107
00:57:45,800 --> 00:57:48,480
Speaker 2: Cincinnati or South Carolina is that team to take advantage

1108
00:57:48,520 --> 00:57:51,080
Speaker 2: of it. But how quickly are they finding dudes? You know?

1109
00:57:51,120 --> 00:57:54,920
Speaker 2: Adding Drew Sanders the Alabama guy great. The appeal to

1110
00:57:54,920 --> 00:57:59,800
Speaker 2: me with Arkansas is essentially kJ Jefferson and his ability

1111
00:57:59,800 --> 00:58:02,240
Speaker 2: to you or not to turn into the Wally Zrbiak

1112
00:58:02,320 --> 00:58:05,000
Speaker 2: of the SEC West. How much can he do on

1113
00:58:05,040 --> 00:58:07,480
Speaker 2: his own? He's big, he's got a big arm. He's

1114
00:58:07,480 --> 00:58:11,000
Speaker 2: gotten better at reading defenses and making plays downfield. You know,

1115
00:58:11,040 --> 00:58:13,480
Speaker 2: the coordinators both being back is a huge deal in

1116
00:58:13,600 --> 00:58:16,280
Speaker 2: Kendall Briles and Barry Odom. The offensive line I think

1117
00:58:16,360 --> 00:58:18,800
Speaker 2: is always going to be very strong under Sam Pittman,

1118
00:58:18,840 --> 00:58:20,560
Speaker 2: so I think he's going to be protected. They don't

1119
00:58:20,600 --> 00:58:22,560
Speaker 2: lose a lot. I don't believe along their offensive line

1120
00:58:22,720 --> 00:58:25,640
Speaker 2: running back is in good shape, even losing Traylon Smith.

1121
00:58:26,680 --> 00:58:29,920
Speaker 2: It's just to me is how much is kJ Jefferson

1122
00:58:29,960 --> 00:58:32,280
Speaker 2: able to do in terms of growing and how much

1123
00:58:32,360 --> 00:58:35,240
Speaker 2: is he able to do in terms of finding that

1124
00:58:35,360 --> 00:58:37,800
Speaker 2: next guy? Because again, when you have that gravity, it

1125
00:58:37,840 --> 00:58:40,000
Speaker 2: opens things up. We saw him make plays with him

1126
00:58:40,000 --> 00:58:43,600
Speaker 2: against the Alabama defense, with the Alabama defense knowing he

1127
00:58:43,720 --> 00:58:46,880
Speaker 2: was going to Burks and it didn't matter. And so

1128
00:58:47,240 --> 00:58:49,480
Speaker 2: if they're able to find the beef upfront on defense,

1129
00:58:49,680 --> 00:58:51,520
Speaker 2: they're in good shape at linebacker. I think they're in

1130
00:58:51,520 --> 00:58:54,080
Speaker 2: pretty good shape. New names, but pretty good shape at secondary,

1131
00:58:54,160 --> 00:58:58,400
Speaker 2: in the secondary, especially at corner. Yeah, but man, it's

1132
00:58:58,440 --> 00:59:00,200
Speaker 2: just another one of those teamshe I'm like, I'm going

1133
00:59:00,240 --> 00:59:02,840
Speaker 2: to watch Arkansas much more often than not. The appeal

1134
00:59:02,880 --> 00:59:06,240
Speaker 2: to me is quarterback is the ability to get after

1135
00:59:06,280 --> 00:59:10,840
Speaker 2: the quarterback and just a fiery Sam Pittman on the sideline.

1136
00:59:10,920 --> 00:59:13,600
Speaker 2: If we're treating this like a trailer, if we're treating

1137
00:59:13,600 --> 00:59:16,800
Speaker 2: this like, why would you watch Arkansas football in twenty

1138
00:59:16,840 --> 00:59:20,360
Speaker 2: twenty two, it's kind of easy for me. It's kind

1139
00:59:20,360 --> 00:59:22,320
Speaker 2: of easy for me because the quarterback is going to

1140
00:59:22,320 --> 00:59:25,120
Speaker 2: be entertaining, the coach is going to be entertaining, and

1141
00:59:25,360 --> 00:59:27,920
Speaker 2: even if they take some hits on defense, maybe we'll

1142
00:59:27,920 --> 00:59:30,960
Speaker 2: get another fifty two to fifty one game. How about that.

1143
00:59:30,960 --> 00:59:31,720
Speaker 2: That's not the worst.

1144
00:59:32,240 --> 00:59:35,240
Speaker 1: No, I mean, in terms of a TV show, it's

1145
00:59:35,280 --> 00:59:38,040
Speaker 1: a great TV show to watch with kJ Jefferson. The

1146
00:59:38,400 --> 00:59:40,280
Speaker 1: question I had for you is whether or not they're

1147
00:59:40,280 --> 00:59:41,880
Speaker 1: going to be able to balance that offense out a

1148
00:59:41,920 --> 00:59:44,480
Speaker 1: little bit more because kJ was very good last year.

1149
00:59:44,520 --> 00:59:49,880
Speaker 1: Right completed sixty seven ish percent of his passes, had

1150
00:59:49,920 --> 00:59:53,560
Speaker 1: a very good touchdown interception ratio. He was responsible with

1151
00:59:53,600 --> 00:59:57,240
Speaker 1: the football, but was also the team's leading rusher. Right

1152
00:59:57,320 --> 00:59:59,240
Speaker 1: And I always get a little bit leary when it's

1153
00:59:59,280 --> 01:00:02,440
Speaker 1: like so much on one guy. If they give the factor,

1154
01:00:02,520 --> 01:00:04,560
Speaker 1: if they can build it out around him and give

1155
01:00:04,640 --> 01:00:08,400
Speaker 1: him a little bit more support just in the event

1156
01:00:08,480 --> 01:00:10,880
Speaker 1: that he would go down, you would miss some snaps

1157
01:00:10,920 --> 01:00:13,720
Speaker 1: here and there. At least they've got something of a

1158
01:00:13,760 --> 01:00:17,439
Speaker 1: safety net. Is Arkansas playing without that safety net this year?

1159
01:00:17,480 --> 01:00:20,840
Speaker 1: What does it look like around him?

1160
01:00:21,160 --> 01:00:24,880
Speaker 2: Ah, it's good again. Hey, you're okay with it, then

1161
01:00:25,120 --> 01:00:27,680
Speaker 2: I'm okay. I'm okay with it because I think the

1162
01:00:27,760 --> 01:00:29,880
Speaker 2: running backs will take some of the weight off of

1163
01:00:29,960 --> 01:00:33,120
Speaker 2: kJ Jefferson's shoulders. I think guys will emerge at receiver.

1164
01:00:33,200 --> 01:00:35,000
Speaker 2: Not on the level of trail On Burks because he

1165
01:00:35,160 --> 01:00:38,160
Speaker 2: was special, but I think guys will be good. I

1166
01:00:38,160 --> 01:00:39,760
Speaker 2: think to me more, the question is going to come

1167
01:00:39,760 --> 01:00:42,440
Speaker 2: down to defense and giving up fewer big plays, finding

1168
01:00:42,560 --> 01:00:44,280
Speaker 2: answers up front, because they were good against the run

1169
01:00:44,400 --> 01:00:46,840
Speaker 2: last year, but there are there are new faces on

1170
01:00:47,200 --> 01:00:51,120
Speaker 2: in this front. Seven and what do they look like

1171
01:00:51,840 --> 01:00:53,840
Speaker 2: staying on the field, which was an issue at times,

1172
01:00:53,880 --> 01:00:56,480
Speaker 2: and they can be for explosive teams that you're sort

1173
01:00:56,480 --> 01:00:59,640
Speaker 2: of an get that all or nothing mindset, but defensively

1174
01:00:59,680 --> 01:01:01,840
Speaker 2: as well, well how quickly you're getting off the field,

1175
01:01:01,880 --> 01:01:03,640
Speaker 2: because I don't think they still I don't think they

1176
01:01:03,680 --> 01:01:06,439
Speaker 2: have the depth to sort of weather long drive after

1177
01:01:06,520 --> 01:01:08,520
Speaker 2: long drive week in and week out. So if they're

1178
01:01:08,520 --> 01:01:10,400
Speaker 2: able to take that step forward, I think I like

1179
01:01:10,440 --> 01:01:12,280
Speaker 2: Barry Oteam a lot. I think he is one of

1180
01:01:12,320 --> 01:01:14,200
Speaker 2: the you know, the best defensive coordinators in the country.

1181
01:01:14,240 --> 01:01:16,880
Speaker 2: That's not a hot take, that's just that's a reality

1182
01:01:16,920 --> 01:01:19,760
Speaker 2: take that in which we live. So I don't know

1183
01:01:19,800 --> 01:01:22,600
Speaker 2: if they're confusing teams and on third and seven getting

1184
01:01:22,600 --> 01:01:25,320
Speaker 2: off the field, Arkansas can just gonna be a tough out.

1185
01:01:25,360 --> 01:01:27,200
Speaker 2: They're a pain in the ass to play with. How

1186
01:01:27,200 --> 01:01:29,200
Speaker 2: good their offensive line should be year and a year

1187
01:01:29,240 --> 01:01:32,960
Speaker 2: out and now having you know, a top eight to

1188
01:01:33,040 --> 01:01:35,600
Speaker 2: ten quarterback in the country, I don't know. I think

1189
01:01:35,640 --> 01:01:38,720
Speaker 2: they're just going to be They're gonna be molars sore

1190
01:01:38,800 --> 01:01:41,240
Speaker 2: molars for everybody.

1191
01:01:40,920 --> 01:01:43,560
Speaker 1: Arkansas is over Under is also seven and a half,

1192
01:01:44,000 --> 01:01:47,360
Speaker 1: and I would remind you that you have now taken

1193
01:01:47,360 --> 01:01:52,240
Speaker 1: the over on Alabama, Texas, A and M, LSU, Ole

1194
01:01:52,360 --> 01:01:53,720
Speaker 1: Miss and Mississippi State.

1195
01:01:54,280 --> 01:02:01,479
Speaker 2: Yeah. I think I'm right. I think I'm barely over.

1196
01:02:01,880 --> 01:02:05,560
Speaker 1: I think I am all over all over SEC West. Literally.

1197
01:02:06,160 --> 01:02:08,520
Speaker 2: Now let me look at okay, so let me look

1198
01:02:08,520 --> 01:02:10,320
Speaker 2: at their schedule once again, just to be sure.

1199
01:02:10,520 --> 01:02:16,680
Speaker 1: Cincinnati, South Carolina, Missouri State first three week after that,

1200
01:02:16,840 --> 01:02:19,720
Speaker 1: A and M neutral site game again in Jerry World

1201
01:02:20,240 --> 01:02:24,680
Speaker 1: home against Bama, road Tilts in consecutive weeks against Mississippi

1202
01:02:24,720 --> 01:02:29,680
Speaker 1: State and then BYU, which I don't think should be overlooked.

1203
01:02:29,680 --> 01:02:30,720
Speaker 1: We'll talk about by now.

1204
01:02:30,760 --> 01:02:32,520
Speaker 2: It's on the road, it's in provo right at in

1205
01:02:32,600 --> 01:02:33,480
Speaker 2: pro multitude.

1206
01:02:33,600 --> 01:02:36,280
Speaker 1: Yeah, after the bye, they close out their season the

1207
01:02:36,320 --> 01:02:40,160
Speaker 1: last five weeks with road game against Auburn, home against Liberty,

1208
01:02:40,200 --> 01:02:44,320
Speaker 1: and LSU home against Ole Miss. Final game of the

1209
01:02:44,400 --> 01:02:46,560
Speaker 1: year on the road against Missouri.

1210
01:02:46,880 --> 01:02:53,560
Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, I'm right there. Seven eight. That's my issue

1211
01:02:53,600 --> 01:02:57,320
Speaker 2: is up front is if I'm gonna say quarterback and defense,

1212
01:02:57,400 --> 01:02:59,800
Speaker 2: especially upfront, is where's the star power up front? And

1213
01:03:00,120 --> 01:03:03,240
Speaker 2: I'm not there, and so that is a limiting factor.

1214
01:03:03,320 --> 01:03:07,360
Speaker 2: So that question, along with receiver to me, is they

1215
01:03:07,360 --> 01:03:10,200
Speaker 2: can lose games like fifty two to fifty one. They

1216
01:03:10,200 --> 01:03:12,160
Speaker 2: can lose games forty seven to forty four. They can

1217
01:03:12,200 --> 01:03:15,960
Speaker 2: lose games thirty five thirty three. That the ability to

1218
01:03:16,000 --> 01:03:17,720
Speaker 2: stay on and get off the field is going to

1219
01:03:17,800 --> 01:03:20,760
Speaker 2: hurt them a little bit too often. And that's how

1220
01:03:20,760 --> 01:03:22,600
Speaker 2: you get you know, you take a nine to three

1221
01:03:22,640 --> 01:03:25,920
Speaker 2: ceiling and take it to seven and five. So if

1222
01:03:25,920 --> 01:03:27,880
Speaker 2: you're saying take the over at eight or the under

1223
01:03:27,920 --> 01:03:32,320
Speaker 2: at seven, and you have Cincinnati to open the season,

1224
01:03:32,360 --> 01:03:36,800
Speaker 2: I'll be it at home. God heart says eight. I

1225
01:03:36,800 --> 01:03:38,480
Speaker 2: guess the heads will say seven. How about that.

1226
01:03:38,560 --> 01:03:41,640
Speaker 1: I think they're beating Cincinnati at home. Okay, with all

1227
01:03:41,680 --> 01:03:43,840
Speaker 1: that Cincinnati is losing, I.

1228
01:03:43,960 --> 01:03:46,439
Speaker 2: Look, I don't like Cincinnati losing what they do and

1229
01:03:46,520 --> 01:03:49,440
Speaker 2: going on the road. Still good, good team.

1230
01:03:49,280 --> 01:03:51,640
Speaker 1: It's a good team. It's a well coached team. They

1231
01:03:51,680 --> 01:03:53,439
Speaker 1: lose too much. They lose too much.

1232
01:03:54,120 --> 01:03:56,720
Speaker 2: Yeah, if, and I guess if if a thin depth

1233
01:03:56,800 --> 01:03:59,280
Speaker 2: chart at spots on defense is an issue, maybe it

1234
01:03:59,320 --> 01:04:01,280
Speaker 2: won't be an issue Week one against a team with

1235
01:04:01,320 --> 01:04:04,480
Speaker 2: a new quarterback and a bunch new in terms of

1236
01:04:04,480 --> 01:04:06,480
Speaker 2: production being worked in on both sides of all but

1237
01:04:06,480 --> 01:04:09,520
Speaker 2: specifically oftense. Okay, I like Arkansas. There at least in

1238
01:04:09,560 --> 01:04:10,720
Speaker 2: early August.

1239
01:04:10,400 --> 01:04:14,360
Speaker 1: Bama is still winning the West. Yes, who comes in second?

1240
01:04:14,520 --> 01:04:17,880
Speaker 2: A and M A and M. But if Brian Kelly

1241
01:04:17,880 --> 01:04:19,120
Speaker 2: finds a guy LSU.

1242
01:04:19,480 --> 01:04:23,560
Speaker 1: Fair enough, fair enough, there's your sec West kill bill

1243
01:04:23,920 --> 01:04:29,720
Speaker 1: is the kill bill? Very good?

1244
01:04:31,600 --> 01:04:33,320
Speaker 2: By the way, Oh, Rennie, she's saying that, I believe

1245
01:04:33,320 --> 01:04:36,080
Speaker 2: without a scalp, so pretty talented.

1246
01:04:37,120 --> 01:04:39,640
Speaker 1: Talented rangeye yeah, rangeye.

1247
01:04:40,000 --> 01:04:41,840
Speaker 2: All right, you want to talk sun Belt real quick?

1248
01:04:42,040 --> 01:04:42,840
Speaker 2: Sun Belt West.

1249
01:04:42,920 --> 01:04:48,040
Speaker 1: Yeah, let's scroup these divisions together, sun Belt West. Let's

1250
01:04:48,040 --> 01:04:53,680
Speaker 1: start with Louisiana, because Louisiana has very much been the

1251
01:04:53,680 --> 01:04:56,800
Speaker 1: the king of the castle on the sun Belt side

1252
01:04:56,880 --> 01:04:59,960
Speaker 1: for a while. Now thirteen and one last year eight

1253
01:05:00,240 --> 01:05:04,920
Speaker 1: in conference, Louisiana's one four straight championship. Billy Napier is

1254
01:05:04,960 --> 01:05:08,840
Speaker 1: now coaching at Florida. The Cajuns have their work cut

1255
01:05:08,880 --> 01:05:12,440
Speaker 1: out for them for a variety of reasons, but they

1256
01:05:12,480 --> 01:05:16,240
Speaker 1: are very clearly trying to keep this thing going, keep

1257
01:05:16,280 --> 01:05:18,520
Speaker 1: the train on the tracks, keep the boat afloat, use

1258
01:05:18,560 --> 01:05:22,040
Speaker 1: whatever metaphor you want. They hired from within. Their new

1259
01:05:22,080 --> 01:05:25,840
Speaker 1: coach is Michael Desormo, who played at Louisiana as a

1260
01:05:25,880 --> 01:05:28,200
Speaker 1: young guy. He's just thirty six years old. He's been

1261
01:05:28,200 --> 01:05:33,520
Speaker 1: coaching there in some capacity since twenty sixteen. His hires

1262
01:05:33,560 --> 01:05:36,439
Speaker 1: were also from the Billy Napier staff. So again, trying

1263
01:05:36,480 --> 01:05:39,600
Speaker 1: to keep it together, keep the band together. Mm hm.

1264
01:05:40,160 --> 01:05:42,560
Speaker 1: The issue is that there is just a lot to replace.

1265
01:05:43,960 --> 01:05:46,280
Speaker 1: Levi Lewis, their quarterback has been there for a while,

1266
01:05:46,360 --> 01:05:50,200
Speaker 1: two running backs, their most targeted wide receiver, four guys

1267
01:05:50,240 --> 01:05:54,600
Speaker 1: along the offensive line. That's just on offense. Dand recruiting

1268
01:05:54,640 --> 01:05:57,480
Speaker 1: has been good, but it's just another one of those

1269
01:05:57,480 --> 01:06:03,280
Speaker 1: deals where coaching and players a lot of turnover. You

1270
01:06:03,360 --> 01:06:06,880
Speaker 1: can't expect it all to happen overnight. That gives me

1271
01:06:06,960 --> 01:06:11,400
Speaker 1: parts good defense last year, there's a lot back off

1272
01:06:11,440 --> 01:06:14,840
Speaker 1: that too deep. There's a lot back. Linebacker and corner

1273
01:06:14,880 --> 01:06:18,720
Speaker 1: are really the weak points this season, probably gettable by

1274
01:06:18,800 --> 01:06:22,320
Speaker 1: someone who exactly that is, at least in the Sun Belt.

1275
01:06:22,320 --> 01:06:25,680
Speaker 1: Remains to be seen. That team may or may not

1276
01:06:25,760 --> 01:06:27,400
Speaker 1: exist on this Louisiana schedule.

1277
01:06:27,440 --> 01:06:30,680
Speaker 2: To be real with you here, Okay, it's an easier look.

1278
01:06:30,800 --> 01:06:33,360
Speaker 1: Yeah, at least on their regular season conference schedules. So

1279
01:06:33,720 --> 01:06:37,120
Speaker 1: your takeaway on the Louisiana side is a ton replaced

1280
01:06:37,120 --> 01:06:40,720
Speaker 1: on offense, defense, is in a pretty good spot. There

1281
01:06:40,760 --> 01:06:42,320
Speaker 1: may be some lumps here. I don't know if they're

1282
01:06:42,360 --> 01:06:44,240
Speaker 1: going thirteen and one again this season. I don't know

1283
01:06:44,280 --> 01:06:48,000
Speaker 1: if they're going unbeaten in conference. But year one, Mike

1284
01:06:48,080 --> 01:06:52,440
Speaker 1: Desormo should feel pretty solid because Billy Napier left the

1285
01:06:52,440 --> 01:06:56,600
Speaker 1: cupboard fairly well stocked. What's their toughest game and where

1286
01:06:56,680 --> 01:07:00,200
Speaker 1: is it toughest game outside of a Florida State game,

1287
01:07:01,320 --> 01:07:03,960
Speaker 1: which is on the road second to last week of

1288
01:07:04,000 --> 01:07:09,320
Speaker 1: the season. I have some real questions looking at this

1289
01:07:10,280 --> 01:07:16,200
Speaker 1: about Troy. Okay, I could see that being interesting if

1290
01:07:16,200 --> 01:07:18,160
Speaker 1: only because I could talk about Troy next. Troy has

1291
01:07:18,200 --> 01:07:23,000
Speaker 1: real half team potential, great half potential. This is a

1292
01:07:23,040 --> 01:07:27,080
Speaker 1: team that's got a really good defense, and depending on

1293
01:07:27,160 --> 01:07:32,440
Speaker 1: where Louisiana's at from an offensive standpoint, could see them

1294
01:07:32,440 --> 01:07:35,040
Speaker 1: maybe posing some challenges there that game a little bit

1295
01:07:35,080 --> 01:07:38,320
Speaker 1: later in the year. Is it in Troy, It's in Louisiana.

1296
01:07:38,600 --> 01:07:41,640
Speaker 1: Oh okay, But if I'm looking at this, that's why

1297
01:07:41,960 --> 01:07:45,200
Speaker 1: that's when that jumps out at me. You know, maybe

1298
01:07:45,200 --> 01:07:47,120
Speaker 1: we could talk about Marshall at some point if that's

1299
01:07:47,240 --> 01:07:50,040
Speaker 1: if that's an interesting team to you, But at least

1300
01:07:50,040 --> 01:07:51,960
Speaker 1: of the time being. If I'm if I'm gauging from this,

1301
01:07:52,040 --> 01:07:54,960
Speaker 1: I would probably say Troy because I also did preview

1302
01:07:55,000 --> 01:07:58,640
Speaker 1: the Troy Trojans. Talk talk to me about Troy five

1303
01:07:58,680 --> 01:08:02,680
Speaker 1: and seven. Last season, Troy knelt at the altar of

1304
01:08:02,760 --> 01:08:06,800
Speaker 1: half team adness, Dan, I always love it. They won

1305
01:08:06,920 --> 01:08:10,840
Speaker 1: five games for the third consecutive year. They responded by

1306
01:08:10,960 --> 01:08:16,200
Speaker 1: firing Chip Lindsay and hiring John Sumral away from Kentucky.

1307
01:08:16,240 --> 01:08:19,479
Speaker 1: They will probably do the half team thing again this

1308
01:08:19,560 --> 01:08:23,320
Speaker 1: season because the defense as a just eluded as loaded,

1309
01:08:23,800 --> 01:08:26,639
Speaker 1: and that makes them dangerous. I wouldn't want to count

1310
01:08:26,720 --> 01:08:32,439
Speaker 1: him out because of that defense. The X factor is offense. Okay,

1311
01:08:33,000 --> 01:08:36,240
Speaker 1: and they were super young and really bad last year. Yeah,

1312
01:08:36,479 --> 01:08:39,559
Speaker 1: it is not good. It is unclear how quickly they'll

1313
01:08:39,560 --> 01:08:43,000
Speaker 1: develop or if they will develop further. You can't just

1314
01:08:43,080 --> 01:08:45,679
Speaker 1: assume because they were young that they're going to get better.

1315
01:08:46,360 --> 01:08:51,040
Speaker 1: I don't know about that. I like Ted Johnson. He

1316
01:08:51,080 --> 01:08:52,679
Speaker 1: works a lot out of the slot. I think he'll

1317
01:08:52,680 --> 01:08:55,439
Speaker 1: be fun to watch, But that offensive development. Really you

1318
01:08:55,479 --> 01:08:58,360
Speaker 1: want to talk about restrictor plates. That's the John Sumral

1319
01:08:58,360 --> 01:09:01,799
Speaker 1: restrictor plate comes over in his first year from Kentucky.

1320
01:09:02,320 --> 01:09:06,160
Speaker 1: Defense will be fine. That definitely serves as a as

1321
01:09:06,200 --> 01:09:08,639
Speaker 1: a good like cap to how far this team can fall.

1322
01:09:08,680 --> 01:09:11,479
Speaker 1: But offensively they got to improve in a hurry. Maybe

1323
01:09:11,479 --> 01:09:12,680
Speaker 1: they will, maybe they won't. I don't know.

1324
01:09:13,880 --> 01:09:16,680
Speaker 2: That's all I got. Okay, who's next? Who's jumping out?

1325
01:09:17,160 --> 01:09:23,639
Speaker 1: South Alabama? The Jags? Baby? Speaking of half teams, Kane

1326
01:09:23,680 --> 01:09:27,080
Speaker 1: Wollmack would like a word with you, mister Sumraw. Sir.

1327
01:09:27,840 --> 01:09:31,919
Speaker 1: Kane Wallmack was the first year coach for South Alabama

1328
01:09:32,000 --> 01:09:35,720
Speaker 1: last year. He improved things almost immediately, which was a

1329
01:09:35,720 --> 01:09:38,240
Speaker 1: good story. It was the best defense that had been

1330
01:09:38,280 --> 01:09:43,760
Speaker 1: there since twenty fourteen. It's been a while since they

1331
01:09:43,800 --> 01:09:48,719
Speaker 1: had a defense that good. The offense very at best,

1332
01:09:48,720 --> 01:09:51,320
Speaker 1: but still a step forward from where it was in

1333
01:09:51,400 --> 01:09:55,720
Speaker 1: twenty twenty. Defense has a ton of potential. There's a

1334
01:09:55,840 --> 01:09:59,200
Speaker 1: lot of starting talent back in addition to some newcomers

1335
01:09:59,240 --> 01:10:00,920
Speaker 1: that they pulled over from the portal. So I think

1336
01:10:00,960 --> 01:10:04,080
Speaker 1: defensively they will be very good. They will fit this

1337
01:10:04,280 --> 01:10:07,680
Speaker 1: mold of what I just described with Troy. The offense, though,

1338
01:10:07,720 --> 01:10:10,040
Speaker 1: is a mixed bag, and it is one of those

1339
01:10:10,080 --> 01:10:12,920
Speaker 1: deals where they bring back eight starters, but there's still

1340
01:10:13,000 --> 01:10:16,280
Speaker 1: somehow an open question at every position. Yeah, it's never

1341
01:10:16,400 --> 01:10:19,160
Speaker 1: never a great place to be one of those deals

1342
01:10:19,200 --> 01:10:22,160
Speaker 1: again coming back? Is that good?

1343
01:10:22,000 --> 01:10:22,280
Speaker 2: Good thing.

1344
01:10:22,800 --> 01:10:25,360
Speaker 1: I'll get back to you. Yeah, talk to me in

1345
01:10:25,400 --> 01:10:30,320
Speaker 1: mid October. But five and seven last year. Can Womack

1346
01:10:30,400 --> 01:10:31,720
Speaker 1: did a good job in year one.

1347
01:10:32,080 --> 01:10:33,840
Speaker 2: It's not Jake Bentley anymore, is it?

1348
01:10:34,000 --> 01:10:37,680
Speaker 1: No? Okay, No, it's not Jake Bentley, all right, not

1349
01:10:37,800 --> 01:10:43,360
Speaker 1: Jake Bentley. South Alabama, by the way, plays Louisiana first

1350
01:10:43,360 --> 01:10:48,520
Speaker 1: week of October in Louisiana, games in Lafayette, a Cajun field,

1351
01:10:48,760 --> 01:10:52,760
Speaker 1: and it's on Louisiana's homecoming, So that could be another

1352
01:10:52,800 --> 01:10:53,679
Speaker 1: interesting matchup.

1353
01:10:53,920 --> 01:10:56,519
Speaker 2: Do they have a big opponent, like a Power five

1354
01:10:56,560 --> 01:10:59,200
Speaker 2: opponent like early on they can just sneak up on.

1355
01:11:00,120 --> 01:11:03,320
Speaker 1: South Alabama plays UCLA on the road Week three. How

1356
01:11:03,360 --> 01:11:04,360
Speaker 1: do you feel about that one?

1357
01:11:05,120 --> 01:11:07,800
Speaker 2: I don't know enough about South Alabama.

1358
01:11:08,439 --> 01:11:11,000
Speaker 1: But they're not probably probably not beating UCLA on the road.

1359
01:11:11,120 --> 01:11:12,080
Speaker 1: That's probably not.

1360
01:11:12,560 --> 01:11:14,280
Speaker 2: Maybe it's if it's a sandwich game. If it's not,

1361
01:11:14,280 --> 01:11:16,519
Speaker 2: I don't know who else UCLA has around it. Maybe

1362
01:11:16,680 --> 01:11:18,000
Speaker 2: you know, half teams are dangerous.

1363
01:11:18,280 --> 01:11:21,800
Speaker 1: UCLA has got South Alabama a week after Alabama State

1364
01:11:21,840 --> 01:11:24,160
Speaker 1: and a week before Colorado that is not a sandwich.

1365
01:11:24,280 --> 01:11:27,760
Speaker 2: No, no, it is not. Okay, just checking.

1366
01:11:27,720 --> 01:11:31,759
Speaker 1: Who else elsewhere as we look around the sun Belt West.

1367
01:11:31,960 --> 01:11:34,120
Speaker 1: Let's close this out by talking about a couple teams

1368
01:11:34,120 --> 01:11:38,400
Speaker 1: here that I don't know. Texas State four and eight

1369
01:11:38,479 --> 01:11:41,639
Speaker 1: last year offense has talent across the board. They should

1370
01:11:41,640 --> 01:11:44,840
Speaker 1: be decent enough. Leane Hatcher their quarterback. Oh, he's a

1371
01:11:44,880 --> 01:11:48,599
Speaker 1: transfer from Arkansas State. Calvin Hill is their running back.

1372
01:11:48,640 --> 01:11:50,559
Speaker 1: He's five to seven and a shot of life.

1373
01:11:51,040 --> 01:11:51,320
Speaker 2: Yep.

1374
01:11:51,640 --> 01:11:54,760
Speaker 1: Again, we're in the city limits of half Teamsville.

1375
01:11:55,720 --> 01:11:57,040
Speaker 2: Yeah, their defense is a disaster.

1376
01:11:57,600 --> 01:11:59,639
Speaker 1: We are plumbing the depths here of the sun Belt,

1377
01:12:00,360 --> 01:12:05,559
Speaker 1: and Jake Spavatol is probably on city council. Yeah. He

1378
01:12:05,640 --> 01:12:09,680
Speaker 1: appears to be exclusively recruiting the transfer portal, which is

1379
01:12:09,680 --> 01:12:12,400
Speaker 1: a bit of a zag. You know, it's worked, It

1380
01:12:12,479 --> 01:12:16,760
Speaker 1: worked for Western Kentucky. I just don't like that strategy.

1381
01:12:16,880 --> 01:12:21,080
Speaker 1: It feels like a very high risk reward type of

1382
01:12:21,120 --> 01:12:24,640
Speaker 1: scenario for Texas State this year. The defense is going

1383
01:12:24,680 --> 01:12:25,519
Speaker 1: to be a struggle. Buzz.

1384
01:12:25,720 --> 01:12:30,000
Speaker 2: It's just I don't know, Okay, Arkansas State anything to

1385
01:12:30,160 --> 01:12:33,960
Speaker 2: like beyond Is there anything to consider them to be

1386
01:12:34,040 --> 01:12:36,639
Speaker 2: anything above a complete twenty twenty one disaster.

1387
01:12:37,160 --> 01:12:41,160
Speaker 1: But John James Blackman's the quarterback, all right. He figures

1388
01:12:41,240 --> 01:12:43,320
Speaker 1: to be the starter of the transfer from Florida State.

1389
01:12:43,360 --> 01:12:48,479
Speaker 1: The receivers are good, his line is not good. On

1390
01:12:48,560 --> 01:12:50,840
Speaker 1: the other side of the ball, line in secondary are

1391
01:12:50,880 --> 01:12:52,639
Speaker 1: going to be a real issue as well.

1392
01:12:53,000 --> 01:12:57,519
Speaker 2: Other than that, other than that, they're great, Arkansas State

1393
01:12:57,560 --> 01:12:59,920
Speaker 2: should be a place somebody wins often that it should be.

1394
01:13:00,040 --> 01:13:02,200
Speaker 1: It should be. James Blackman will make it interesting. You know.

1395
01:13:02,240 --> 01:13:04,120
Speaker 1: I was never the biggest James Blackman fan when he

1396
01:13:04,200 --> 01:13:08,280
Speaker 1: was at Florida State, but just that combo of having him,

1397
01:13:08,360 --> 01:13:10,840
Speaker 1: you know, we know he can run, so maybe not

1398
01:13:10,960 --> 01:13:12,720
Speaker 1: having a line won't be as big of a deal

1399
01:13:12,760 --> 01:13:16,360
Speaker 1: because he's mobile. Having receivers out wide that are good

1400
01:13:17,240 --> 01:13:20,960
Speaker 1: is a nice perk. But otherwise there's just too many

1401
01:13:21,000 --> 01:13:23,120
Speaker 1: open questions for me to feel too good about the

1402
01:13:23,200 --> 01:13:23,799
Speaker 1: Red Wolves.

1403
01:13:24,560 --> 01:13:27,120
Speaker 2: Ah damn. Okay, So who do you have coming out

1404
01:13:27,120 --> 01:13:28,800
Speaker 2: of the West? Louisiana?

1405
01:13:29,040 --> 01:13:31,120
Speaker 1: Yeah, I still have Louisiana coming out of the West.

1406
01:13:31,400 --> 01:13:34,360
Speaker 1: As I look around, just very quickly, Louisiana, Monroe. It's

1407
01:13:34,400 --> 01:13:36,960
Speaker 1: a really big rebuild on defense for Terry Bowden in

1408
01:13:37,040 --> 01:13:40,080
Speaker 1: year two. You know, maybe the offense takes a step forward.

1409
01:13:40,160 --> 01:13:43,559
Speaker 1: But I don't know. I should say that their best

1410
01:13:43,600 --> 01:13:46,439
Speaker 1: receiver is back and his name is Boogie Knight, which.

1411
01:13:46,280 --> 01:13:48,360
Speaker 2: Is oh right, right right, Yeah, I saw his air.

1412
01:13:48,640 --> 01:13:53,040
Speaker 1: Which is awesome, but the defensive rebuild scares me Southern Miss.

1413
01:13:53,600 --> 01:13:57,040
Speaker 1: Southern Miss has at least three things that make them interesting.

1414
01:13:58,479 --> 01:14:01,040
Speaker 1: They moved over from conference to US, say, starting the

1415
01:14:01,080 --> 01:14:05,559
Speaker 1: season right. Secondly, they've got Frank Gor's kid on this team.

1416
01:14:05,640 --> 01:14:06,800
Speaker 2: Yeah did last year too.

1417
01:14:06,960 --> 01:14:09,360
Speaker 1: Yeah, he's playing running back, so if you really want

1418
01:14:09,360 --> 01:14:12,840
Speaker 1: to feel old, Frank Gore's kid playing running back. And also,

1419
01:14:12,920 --> 01:14:16,120
Speaker 1: ten starters are back on offense and most of their

1420
01:14:16,120 --> 01:14:18,639
Speaker 1: starters are back on defense. So they'll be interesting because

1421
01:14:18,680 --> 01:14:21,559
Speaker 1: of that. I don't know what they're what their ceiling

1422
01:14:21,640 --> 01:14:23,640
Speaker 1: is moving into a new conference having gone three to

1423
01:14:23,720 --> 01:14:26,680
Speaker 1: nine a year ago, Louisiana still comes out of this

1424
01:14:26,760 --> 01:14:29,799
Speaker 1: side of the Sunbelt. I don't know if it's particularly close.

1425
01:14:29,920 --> 01:14:32,760
Speaker 1: Maybe Troy, maybe one of these other teams can jump

1426
01:14:32,840 --> 01:14:35,080
Speaker 1: up and get them a week because Louisiana's got some

1427
01:14:35,120 --> 01:14:37,360
Speaker 1: of their own rebuilt to do. But still feel good

1428
01:14:37,360 --> 01:14:39,120
Speaker 1: about the raging Cagents.

1429
01:14:39,360 --> 01:14:41,360
Speaker 2: Yeah, not to pick on Southern Miss. They're just trying

1430
01:14:41,400 --> 01:14:43,920
Speaker 2: to do their thing, but after they beat Grambling. Yeah,

1431
01:14:44,040 --> 01:14:50,000
Speaker 2: FCS team, this is their point score totals nine fourteen, seventeen,

1432
01:14:50,080 --> 01:14:53,120
Speaker 2: thirteen zero, ten fourteen seventeen.

1433
01:14:52,720 --> 01:14:54,240
Speaker 1: So yep, yep, yep.

1434
01:14:54,840 --> 01:14:58,439
Speaker 2: Arguably one of the worst offenses in America with a

1435
01:14:58,479 --> 01:15:00,880
Speaker 2: relatively recent new coach. Yes, Will Haul.

1436
01:15:01,439 --> 01:15:03,000
Speaker 1: We're not here to talk about the past. We're here

1437
01:15:03,000 --> 01:15:03,920
Speaker 1: to talk about the future. Dad.

1438
01:15:04,240 --> 01:15:06,360
Speaker 2: Yeah, a lot of work, a lot of room for improvement.

1439
01:15:07,680 --> 01:15:11,680
Speaker 1: That does it, SEC and Sun Belt West on the

1440
01:15:11,680 --> 01:15:16,240
Speaker 1: solid verbal. We would encourage you to listen to our

1441
01:15:16,280 --> 01:15:20,280
Speaker 1: final two preview episodes that are right around the corner.

1442
01:15:20,280 --> 01:15:22,120
Speaker 1: We're going to be talking about the PAC twelve South

1443
01:15:22,120 --> 01:15:25,080
Speaker 1: and the PAC twelve North, in addition to Mountain West

1444
01:15:25,120 --> 01:15:28,200
Speaker 1: West and Mountain West Mountain Divisions.

1445
01:15:28,920 --> 01:15:29,360
Speaker 2: Nailed it.

1446
01:15:29,720 --> 01:15:33,960
Speaker 1: At that point, all ten of our preview episodes are

1447
01:15:33,960 --> 01:15:37,519
Speaker 1: in the bag. Man, are done. You're ready for the season.

1448
01:15:37,600 --> 01:15:39,559
Speaker 1: Got a couple episodes that are going to be coming

1449
01:15:39,640 --> 01:15:42,720
Speaker 1: up before the start of the college football season. As

1450
01:15:42,720 --> 01:15:44,840
Speaker 1: I've talked about time and again the over unders, we'll

1451
01:15:44,880 --> 01:15:47,400
Speaker 1: be previewing week zero and talking about anything we may

1452
01:15:47,400 --> 01:15:51,880
Speaker 1: have missed that arises with quarterback battles and whatnot in

1453
01:15:51,960 --> 01:15:55,559
Speaker 1: the preseason, but seasons getting awfully big in the window,

1454
01:15:55,840 --> 01:16:01,400
Speaker 1: as is the live show in Chicago, Yes August twenty seventh.

1455
01:16:01,479 --> 01:16:04,120
Speaker 1: Go to soliverblelive dot com, buy our tickets, come on out,

1456
01:16:04,479 --> 01:16:08,880
Speaker 1: see us draft, our fantasy things, our narratives, our storylines

1457
01:16:09,360 --> 01:16:12,000
Speaker 1: are points of intrigue as we go into the twenty

1458
01:16:12,040 --> 01:16:16,640
Speaker 1: twenty two college football season. Cannot wait, cannot wait all right,

1459
01:16:16,720 --> 01:16:23,040
Speaker 1: solidverblelive dot com, solidverballive dot com, soliverblelive dot com. Absolutely

1460
01:16:23,479 --> 01:16:25,439
Speaker 1: forballers dot com is where you go to get the

1461
01:16:25,479 --> 01:16:29,360
Speaker 1: perks if you're a superverballer. Verballers dot com is where

1462
01:16:29,439 --> 01:16:33,240
Speaker 1: it is at and again one more time, soliverblelive dot

1463
01:16:33,280 --> 01:16:36,360
Speaker 1: com is where you get those tickets. Four back up there,

1464
01:16:36,439 --> 01:16:39,000
Speaker 1: my good friend Dan Rubinstein for myself, Tie hilden Brand,

1465
01:16:39,200 --> 01:16:41,639
Speaker 1: thanks so much for downloading, listening, playing along at home.

1466
01:16:42,040 --> 01:16:45,080
Speaker 1: We'll be back next episode talking all things packed twelve.

1467
01:16:45,120 --> 01:16:47,080
Speaker 1: In the meantime, stay solid, peace,