May 29, 2025 • 32 mins
Colin credits Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with a dominant series win over Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves and how SGA is becoming "The Standard" for other NBA stars across the league. He reacts to positive reports out of Browns OTAs regarding quarterback Shedeur Sanders and why he is clearly going to win the starting job in Cleveland. He also talks to Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham about their incredible run to the College Football Playoff and what we can expect from their promising QB Sam Leavitt
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
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Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Oh, We're gonna have a great Thursday show.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
We are live. It is the Herd wherever you may be,
however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part
of your day. This week's of a college football week SEC
media days.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
A lot of changes happening. Joel Klass's gonna stop by
in one hour from now. We love that. Kenny Dillingham,
Arizona State football coach, brilliant young coach, is going to
be joining us as well. Jmack listen last night in
a laugher. Not much of a game, and I understand this.
I have said during the Pacers Knicks series, stop beating
up on the Knicks. It's about the Pacers. They have
(01:06):
the best point guard and the best offense and the
best pace in the league and I feel like this
with Minnesota, like they're not as good as Oka. See,
they don't have they don't have the depth, they don't
have the youth, they don't have multiple guys who can
score like that, and so I just I feel like
we should kind of honor okac An SGA more than
Hammer Minnesota.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
A reasonable take to start the show call, and I
like it.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
I like it, So let's start with that obviously. Okay,
see that game was over in about seven minutes. The
great thing about Sga, of the many great things, what
I really like is he is delivering and fulfilling everything
I've been told Jason Tatum does but doesn't really. Last year,
the Celtics go on their championship run, Jalen Brown's the
(01:49):
MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals, Jalen Brown's the Finals MVP,
and Jalen Brown's the aggressor and often the initiator. SGA
wants the ball, is always the aggressor, and he plays
Williams home Gred. He's got multiple great players around him,
but he is clearly the alpha. And that's all I
(02:10):
ever asked with Tatum and got pushedback. You know, that's
I'm holding Jason tatum to the standard. You guys all
lectured me on for years on Lebron when Lebron didn't
take the shot. He's the Alpha, he's the one. If
he wants to be MJ, he's got to always take
the shot. Okay, Well that's the standard of SGA and
Yokicic right now. Like I think both Jokic and SGA
(02:35):
can elevate teammates, and clearly do elevate teammates.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
But there is no.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Question in this Oklahoma City room or that Denver locker room,
or in the huddle or any time there's a late
possession who's the man. And I mean, we could crush
the t Wolves right They were awful.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Their effort was weak.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
But this series is not about the t Wolves and
the Knicks pacers, which I think will end soon. Is
not really about the Knicks failures. Indiana is the best
offense in the league, with the best pace. OKAC is
easily the best defense and the greatest score. I mean,
SGA is only the fourth player in twenty years to
win the MVP and reach the finals.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
The other three Steph, Kobe, and Lebron.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
I don't know that feels historic to me, so I
just I look at them between SGA and Okac's defense.
This is gonna be a great final. I get the
best offense, I get the best defense, I get the
best point guard, and I get the best score. And
I know it's not catchy, and I know it doesn't sound,
(03:46):
you know, dynamic, but I think SGA's nickname should be
the standard. This is the standard for a true number
one in the locker room, in the huddle, every big possession.
He is a number one has to be dominating, offensively,
understood by all, even his talented teammates, debilitating to your defense,
(04:12):
an adult, consistent number one on the bus, on the plane,
in the room. SG Alpha the Western Conference Finals, undisputed, MVP.
This is not about Minnesota's failures. It's about a historic player.
He's one of three guys in league history to have
(04:35):
thirty points five plus assists at least ten times in
the playoffs. M jan lebron to the other two. This
kid is special. Every time he talks, every time he leads,
you just see what a one should be. And here
he is after winning the conference finals.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
MVP. Yeah, it's a really good feeling.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
I think Stuffy Jim about as a kid and then,
of course I want to.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Think much inmates. Without them, I'm nothing Claire's Dave.
Speaker 6 (05:04):
I don't have one hundred and twenty fourth point by myself.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
I love these guys to death.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
With all that being said, this is a step in
the right direction where we have a lot more work
to do, and we know that, and that's the work
focused on.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
So if buckle up and you're ready, listen.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
They won by an average margin of twelve point nine
points per game. And I understand, like veteran teams in
the regular season, don't give it. You know, Lebron's going
to take some night offs, and the older players, you know,
they're dinged up a little bit. I understand their youth
is a big component to it. But here's what else is.
This is as good a defensive team as I remember.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Now.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Detroit Pistons were great, but you could tackle back then.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
That was a little different. But given what.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
You can do now, you can't really you can't handcheck,
you can't use that forearm on your back, given what
you're allowed to do by NBA protocol and rules, this
is the best defense I've ever seen. They hound and
they confound their aggressive to rim protectors on the back end.
Even SGA plays defense and as long like this is
(06:09):
as good as defense gets. So we can bang on Minnesota,
but they're not built to beat this team. Julius Randold's
probably a three, not a two. Go Beart's got no offense,
Conley great veteran presence, not an offensive threat, and Ant
just isn't there yet to single handedly beat this offense.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Way to go? Okay, See all right, listen. I don't
want to make.
Speaker 7 (06:34):
A big deal out of this, but some pretty interesting
information trickled over my phone from the Cleveland Browns o
TA yesterday.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
I'm not great at math, but let's put the numbers
up for the television audience.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
It appears in the four quarterback derby.
Speaker 8 (06:57):
Hmm.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Again, not a mathematician, but one of them has more
tds than completions. That feels important to me. Despite the
fact that Shadu Sanders had the fewest attempts, he was
the most efficient and most productive with the fewest reps,
so the quarterback tracker for those radio audience members, Flacco
(07:23):
was nine for fourteen in a touchdown. Piket nine for
sixteen no touchdown. Dylan Gabriel eleven of sixteen, two touchdowns
on a pick and Sanders seven of nine, three touchdowns
no picks. This justin I've seen enough. I'm calling in
a rap. The Herd newsroom is calling it in Ohio
(07:47):
by a landslide. Shaduur Sanders should be starting. We are
calling Ohio as the projected winner in a race that
is not as close as the fake news projected. You
can keep selling me on Picket, you can keep selling
me on Dylan Gabriel. Now Flacco. I buy flacoh. I
(08:08):
like he's one of my one of my favorite guys
that's ever played in the league. He's like everybody likes
Flacco and I think he's gonna win the starting job. Initially,
I really like Flacco, but I'm calling it. I'm calling
it for Shador and here's Flacco on Shador.
Speaker 9 (08:25):
Shador has been great. I mean, he's a lot of
fun to be around in those meeting rooms, and I
think once, I think so far there's been you know,
at least once in the media room that he's he's
made me crack a smile, and that's what it's all about.
You know, he's a young guy trying to learn some
football and come out here and practice well and do
those things. And like I said, he's been a lot
(08:45):
of fun.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Okay, you you know people either everybody's trying to sell you.
I mean, TikTok's selling you. IG's selling you using filters.
Everybody is selling you stuff. Now people are talking about
the election that wasn't for Biden and was for Trump.
Everybody's selling me their takes. You all keep selling me.
I got scouts telling me he's a fifth or a
(09:07):
six round talent all I know, with very average personnel.
Outside of Travis Hunter, against the very best teams he played,
they didn't win games, but he was highly productive, and
a lot of college quarterbacks against the best teams with
better teammates weren't as productive, size, movement, accuracy.
Speaker 5 (09:31):
I like him.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I know I didn't love I didn't love the legendary
draft room stuff. I thought it was a lacked a
little self awareness. But again, you're twenty one, you're twenty two.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
You know we were all running around pulling fire hydrants
in college, so I mean, you know, you know, you know,
the pull the lever in college dorm rooms.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
We were all idiots at some point. We all had,
you know, lack of judgment or self awareness. I'm not
going to crush anybody for that, but I think he's ready.
I think he's really talented, and I think you're seeing it.
Speaker 9 (10:04):
J Mack.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
We're calling it for Ohio. Oh boy, you know what else?
You know what?
Speaker 4 (10:12):
I've left the station and it's may for shud Dor standards. Okay,
got it, Okay, Ota stats, that's a new one.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Let me let me just throw this at you. Back
to Oklahoma City.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
So like when you lose a playoff series or are
losing a playoff series.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
We've talked about this with the Knicks.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
It's like you kind of see what doesn't work against
an elite team. Brunson and Cat on the floor in
the Anna kind of abuses them, so you probably want
to move off Cat. You could keep him if you
added another catch and shoot guy, but you can see
your problems when you face an elite team. Like you
watch the t Wolves and you're like, oh.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
You know, Julius randall Is.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
It was fun, but boy, when you play Okc's defense,
he is really limited and Ant isn't there yet. So
you great teams are clarity. Like when Ann tr Luck
came into the NFL and was eleven and five with
a bad roster. You're like, oh, yeah, that's what great is.
You can be eleven and five without a Pro Bowl
or anywhere near the offense. But here's another takeaway and
(11:11):
I'll get into it later. The t Wolves ran the
Lakers out of the building and can't compete against OKC.
So for all those thinking we're inches away, the t
Wolves bodied the Lakers, physically pushed them around. Dude, they
(11:31):
could not compete in this series. They had one really
good game, one of five. So I'm just saying, greatness
creates clarity. If you think you're closed or you think
you're flawless, but you don't think you have vulnerabilities. Oklahoma
City Indiana Pacers show you the truth, and you have
(11:53):
to grasp the truth. You have to embrace the truth.
You can't push back and be defensive. But Laker fans
Minnesota bodied you. They got blown out of the building
in this series, Colin, I love it.
Speaker 8 (12:06):
You know.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
I can't help my son with eighth grade math. He's
doing like the advanced math.
Speaker 6 (12:09):
It's hard.
Speaker 4 (12:10):
I don't I have to ask jat GBT okay, but
I do remember in elementary school there were the all
these math properties.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
If A plus B equal C.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Just because Minnesota smashed the Lakers, it does not mean
that the Lakers can't beat OKAC.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
They match up great with OKC.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
That essentially, the Thunder had two rounds to watch Anthony
Edwards and they were like, oh, here's how we stop him.
Let's put up a picket wall at the free throw
line and say you're not getting in the lane.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
We'll go go ahead and have Jaydon.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
McDaniels shoot the lights out or Julius Randall and Minnesota didn't.
Nobody else showed up for them in the series and
it was a rap. I still I think your worst
take in the NBA playoffs has been the Lakers are
far off.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
I think you're way, way wrong there. But again, maybe
I'm being a Lebron homer.
Speaker 7 (12:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Maybe be sure to catch live editions of The Herd
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Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
You are now entering the No Bull Zone sponsored by
Credible Great Rates and none of the bold so Bears
quarterback Caleb Williams has said it's a bit of a distraction,
but he finally addressed yesterday.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
I'll get to it in a second.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Seth Wickersham, great writer ESPN, has come out with a
book called American King's Biography of the Quarterback, and it
revealed that Caleb and his dad did, at one point,
you know, consider ways to avoid going to the Bears
based on their chaotic history and their inability to elevate quarterbacks.
(13:44):
So finally, yesterday he addressed it, and here's Caleb Williams.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
And I wanted to come here and you know, be
the guy and be a part and be a reason why,
you know, Chicago Bears turn this thing around. So that
last thing that was said, all of that, I think
was the most important thing is that I wanted to
be here and I love being here. I love my teammates.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
So my take is different.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
There was a radio host in New York that said,
he's been breath takingly entitled and I'll get to that
in a second, But I don't think being concerned about
an environment or a job before you get there at
twenty two to twenty three years old or older is entitled.
A historically chaotic business, the Chicago Bears and offense. It's
(14:32):
like global travel for the rest of us. What's my budget?
What are the safest parts. I'm new, I don't know
it very well. I want to do my homework. It's
called due diligence utilizing available information. Listen, if you may
need a malaria shot, if you travel to certain parts
of Africa. I don't think you're an entitled traveler. I
(14:54):
just think that's the reality. And Caleb and his dad
looked at the history of the Bears and thought, yes, yeah,
they've never had a four thousand yard passer. It's probably
not all on the quarterback. It could be the ownership
in the front office and you know, a Steeler like
devotion to defense.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
And they were right. Again, I don't think that's entitled.
I think it's intelligent.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
When you buy a house, are you entitled if you're like, yeah,
this neighborhood, I got kids, it's not walkable. I don't
think it's safe. I don't like the schools. I don't
think you're entitled. You can afford a better house, go
buy it, so you know, I listen. Taylor Williams and
I actually have a lot in common. We just moved
(15:38):
to Chicago. Now only one of us takes the train
to work, but we both moved to Chicago. I was
warned about whether he was warned about the Bears. I
think it's okay. I think when you're talking about young people,
twenty four year olds now, they don't go to a restaurant,
they don't go to a restaurant without reading Yelp reviews.
(15:59):
They don't do it. I mean they just I mean,
I watch my kids. I lean on my kids for
this stuff. I think it's breathtaking lee out of touch
or tone deaf to think a twenty three year old.
And historically in the NFL, you get one shot to
be a number one if a team moves off you.
Now things have changed over the last four or five
years with Donald and Gino and Baker, But most of
(16:21):
my life, first team that drafts you, that's your big shot.
You'll come with baggage and a reputation everywhere else. I
mean Baker is difficult, No he's not. Gino doesn't have it,
yes he does. Darnald can't can't play without being reckless.
Oh wait, he got the right coach, So maybe Caleb,
if it doesn't work in Chicago, will get other opportunities.
(16:42):
But we are in the age of information, and nobody
is better at finding and accumulating and using that information
than twenty and thirty year olds. So I don't have
a problem with it. He decided on Chicago. The fact
that it made it out isn't entitled. It's honest. He
didn't have to tell us that. Give the reporter credit,
(17:03):
Seth Wickersham who found it, and the athlete and the
dad who are honest enough to admit it. There's a
lot of stuff out there that like this, we just
don't hear about. You know, I always said this when
Tiger Woods got caught fooling around. You think he's the
only golfer to ever do that. They all fly golf streams.
He's the only one on the road, all right, That's
just the one you heard about. This is just a concern.
(17:25):
Like the Mannings, they did a lot of this stuff.
They did it behind the scenes. You just didn't know
much about it. Or John Elway and Jack his dad,
you just didn't hear about it. This stuff, I mean,
it's just the way we live now. We get all
the information. You can't hide anything. It could be the
White House or a football team.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
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Speaker 10 (17:48):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 8 (17:53):
You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern,
two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of
course the iHeart Radio app.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 8 (18:02):
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on
in the world.
Speaker 10 (18:07):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture,
stories that well, other shows don't seem to have the
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Speaker 8 (18:15):
And the fact that we've been friends for the last
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Speaker 3 (18:20):
So check us out.
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Speaker 8 (18:26):
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Speaker 10 (18:30):
Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on
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Speaker 3 (18:42):
That's Covino and Rich.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
How cool would it be to coach at your alma mater?
Even cooler pick for last finish first, unprecedented, unsure. I
can think of a comp to what Kenny Dillingham did
at Arizona State Big twelve Coach of the Year and
he's joining us Figure twelve Media Days Live. What an
incredible story, you know, coach, It's interesting. I just saw
(19:05):
this morning obviously the transfer portals alive and well and
the nil you went and got I love this. You
went and got a running back from army.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
You know, you know he's gonna come in ready to play.
And when you when you went and.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Got the Army running back in the nil, did an
academy matter like a guy that would fit into your culture?
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Because I think that's such you didn't.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
You know, some of these coaches use it a lot,
Lincoln Riley, some of it you more sparingly, Dabo Sweeney
doesn't like it at all.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
You went and got an Army running back? Why yeah?
Speaker 11 (19:41):
I mean well, one of his film was really good.
So you turn on the film You're like, Okay, this
kid's a good player. And then on top of that
when when you talk to him on the phone, his
maturity level was obviously super high. And part of that
his discipline level was super high. And part of that
is directly correlated to know is his school he was at.
(20:03):
And for us, we wanted a kid who is driven
mature to come in here and try to replace what
people are watching on the screen right now is not.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
The easiest thing to do, so we needed somebody who
was mature.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
You know, it's interesting you had to create self belief
last year. Well, you know players can read right, they
see sixteenth in the Big twelve, and you've got to
create this No, that's not what we are. Give me
the moment last year you may have believed it, but
that you felt your team finally came out of that
(20:35):
tunnel and thought we're really good.
Speaker 6 (20:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (20:40):
I mean, for us, the first the start of Kansas
State on the road in Manhattan, one of the best
coaching staffs I think in the country, one of the
better teams in our league, one of the better teams
in the country, and we just started with our hair
on fire all three phases of the game. And that
was the moment that I was like, oh wow, or
(21:02):
this team's pretty good. We can actually do this, we
can actually do something. I think that was the moment
when we started a game where I was like, Wow,
the game versus the win versus Utah was critical for
our program and the belief of the team and the physicality.
But that moment we ran out of the tunnel vers
Kansas State and started that fast.
Speaker 6 (21:19):
That was a turning point.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
So I want to talk transfer portal. Brian Kelly did
a lot, didn't work. Lincoln Riley did it a lot,
didn't work, Dion had to do it kind of worked.
What is your worldview on the transfer portal? How much
to use and how much to avoid?
Speaker 11 (21:37):
Yeah, I mean I think it's you want to make
sure you get the right guys for your program, whether
it's high school or transfer portal. I think I don't
want to live in a world where it's all this
or all that. I think every year your team's going
to be different for me. I want to replace transfers
with transfers, and I still want to be able to
sign the high school class based off graduating seniors.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
And if you're doing it.
Speaker 11 (21:58):
Right, you will hope that the kids in your program
can become the starters can develop to become the starters.
But if you ever need a transfer to come in
here and fill an immediate needs, you have that ability.
So I would say the transfer portal to us should
hopefully be to fill gaps, not to build the house.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
So you came from a totally different program. It was
West Coast, but it was Oregon where you had Phil Knight,
where you had history, where you had inertia, and you're
going to Arizona State and kind of rebuilding this thing.
But give me, despite some dissimilarities, give me the one
thing you took out of Oregon and you thought, hey,
we can replicate that pretty early.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
The fun.
Speaker 11 (22:37):
I think when you think of Oregon, there's a brand
behind what they do. Everybody thinks of Oregon football. They
know what you think about, green, yellow, fast, fun, explosive.
That's what you think about, right And I think for
me it was what is the brand of ASU football
going to be? When people look at that photo and
they look at those gold jerseys you're looking at right now,
(22:58):
what do they think about?
Speaker 6 (23:00):
And I wanted to be passion?
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Man.
Speaker 11 (23:02):
Those guys play so hard, they have so much fun
playing hard, man, That's what I think of.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
Look at those guys on the screen.
Speaker 11 (23:09):
I want people to think we're gonna have so much fun,
playing so hard and growing up and learning how to
become a person.
Speaker 6 (23:17):
Learning how to become an adult.
Speaker 11 (23:18):
I want the fun, the excitement back, and I want
people to think about that when they think about Arizona
State football.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
What is you are coaching your alma mater. Are there
ever moments on the sideline You're like, I was at
a frat house nine years ago. What I mean is it?
Do you have pinch me moments?
Speaker 11 (23:39):
Well, I mean you look at post Utah when they're
interviewing me in the crowds definitely around And that was
a pinch me moment when I jumped into.
Speaker 6 (23:47):
The crowd said I was one of these guys and
kind of lost it there. That was a moment in game,
I'm pretty focused.
Speaker 11 (23:54):
Usually people can't even get my attention, But after the game,
I usually have those pinch me moments after the game,
in the locker room, moments like that was scatt. What
I'm just with the guys is when those pinch me
moments happened, Like when I'm just in it and it's
just pure relationship and it's just it's special, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
So you return a bunch of starters. Sixteen, Sam Levit's
a really good player. When you have a young quarterback
and you're building that culture and now you're a winning culture.
What are the steps for Sam Levitt productive doesn't make
a ton of mistakes. Do you light in the leash
up a little bit? Do you let them do more?
Speaker 3 (24:34):
Like?
Speaker 1 (24:34):
Like, what's the growth for a young quarterback at the
college level?
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Can you open up the play record? Did you use
all of it last year?
Speaker 6 (24:41):
Yeah? I think uh No, we grew as the season progressed.
Speaker 11 (24:44):
So I think a big reason for our success was
we opened that playbook up gradually throughout the season.
Speaker 6 (24:51):
As Sam got better, Sam got more comfortable JT.
Speaker 11 (24:54):
I mean, there's multiple players that went into it, but
obviously your quarterback's a big piece. And uh, I think
this year it's going to be how do we control
early downs? I think the biggest sign of a quarterback
is if you lean on him controlling early down, quick
passing game.
Speaker 6 (25:09):
If your quarterback can take.
Speaker 11 (25:10):
Control of first and second down in rhythm passing game
and you have enough confidence in him, that's when a
quarterback really takes control. That's when he can really grow
and become a Heisman level player. So I think for
him this year, it's taking control of the early downs
and putting the ball in his hands more on good
down and distances earlier in games and on early TuS.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
So Cam Skataboo became everybody's favorite running back in the country.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
And again I'll pose this question.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Obviously you liked him, but twenty three hundred scrimmage jarge
is insane. Were there moments that you would watch him
and go, this, this guy, this guy's better than we recruited.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
He's better than I think.
Speaker 6 (25:55):
Yeah, I mean for sure. I mean there's times in
the game. I remember year one. I mean we were
so bad Year one.
Speaker 11 (26:01):
I mean it was like watching paint dry, and he
catches the ball of one of our only decent games
that we still lost first USC in Game one, he
catches the swing pass on the sideline, Steff's on the
dude and goes for like fifty five and I'm like,
holy cow. And then you're watching the highlight tape.
Speaker 6 (26:17):
One person just couldn't.
Speaker 11 (26:18):
Bring him down and it would be over and over again.
You'd watch these plays, and I think one of the
plays that really you know separates Cam was.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
We're in the Big tal title game.
Speaker 11 (26:27):
We toss him though, we hand him the ball, he
runs left, He's about to lose eight yards. He parroettes backwards,
throws the ball away, like who has the awareness at
running back?
Speaker 6 (26:36):
Just throw the ball away? Every fan has said it,
why didn't he just throw it away? He's the lost
twelve yards. Well he did it.
Speaker 11 (26:44):
He did the thing that everybody said, why don't they
always do it?
Speaker 6 (26:47):
And that was Cam and that's what made him special.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
Okay, you play I think Colorado late in the season.
I look at it here.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
I want you to go back one year because you
obviously know personnel, and I think Shador Sanders is And
the reason I do is because he didn't have much
of an O line and he didn't he didn't have
Camps Kataboo in the backfield, and he played a lot
of good teams in your conference and he didn't win
a lot of those games, but he was darn productive
and a lot of people. You know, you've played at
(27:14):
Ohio State, you know you play at Texas, you don't
get touched. You play at Colorado last year and you're
running around. Give me an evaluation on film and what
you saw from Shador Sanders who dropped in the draft.
If I said to you, coach, there's one thing he's
going to do really well in the NFL. Was there
one thing that jumped off on tape when you prep
for him?
Speaker 6 (27:35):
Yeah, I mean preparation.
Speaker 11 (27:37):
Uh you know when I actually recruited Shador and you
know I got a chance against nor him a little bit,
and being able to meet with him in the recruiting
process is just intelligence for the game. His passion for
the game and his intelligence on the whiteboard was something
that blew me away back when he was a sixteen
year old, so I can only imagine that is now.
(27:58):
So I think for him, when you watch his tape,
you see a guy who's prepared. You see a guy
who has a plan, and you see a guy who's poised.
And I think, you know, when you can great quarterbacks
can play, you know when they're under pressure, and it
never looks like they're under pressure. And I think there's
a lot of times on his tape where you know
he's being pressured, but he's calm, he's collected, and he
(28:18):
knows where to go with the ball.
Speaker 6 (28:19):
And that's based off the preparation.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Yeah, So whether you play teams or not, you see
a ton of him on film and he was on
TV or on film and you're watching and I just
think he's got something special. Finally, when you look at
your age, a lot of people are going to go,
look at this kid, and this guy's going to the NFL.
This guy and I have no problem with that. There's
a lot of changes in college football. You guys don't
(28:42):
get enough time off. Is there a concern with you
where the NFL does have space for coaches to have
a life? You guys got two recruiting windows. Now you're
recruiting your own players. If you could change college college football,
if you were running the sport, you're the czar.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Of it, would you would you give?
Speaker 1 (29:00):
Is there anything that a young coach you feel like, Man,
I'd probably change.
Speaker 6 (29:06):
I would just try to change. Stop changing.
Speaker 11 (29:10):
I don't know that sense like that would be My
change is let's just stop changing.
Speaker 6 (29:16):
Let's figure out what's best for these players.
Speaker 11 (29:18):
At the end of the day, this is college athletics, Like,
it's all about the player. Everything I'll ever do is
about the players. Everything I'll ever fight for, everything I'll
ever compete for is about how do I make the
player experience, the players pockets, the player experience, the player energy,
and what they remember college to be about better. Like,
we're molding these kids for the rest of their life
(29:40):
and it's all about the players. So I would just say,
how do we stop change, create some consistency, whatever that is,
and make it about the player again and make these
kids still eighteen to twenty two year olds, regardless of
how much they make, regardless of how much we publicize them.
Speaker 6 (29:56):
These are still eighteen to twenty two year.
Speaker 11 (29:58):
Old who we have their responsibility to help them be
successful and figure out this time of their life. And
I think too many times we kind of put these
guys on too high of a pedal stool. They'll be
perfect because they make money now, because they're famous at sixteen, seventeen,
eighteen years old, that we lose sight that they're still
eighteen to twenty two year old. So if I could
change one thing, it would be stop putting so much
(30:20):
pressure on these guys. Even if they're making money. It's
not their fault. This is an adults problem that the
kids are living in, and let's let these kids have
fun be in college athletes and living out their dream.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
You know, you're so youthful looking. You know, it's just I'm.
Speaker 6 (30:36):
Actually so yeah, it's a good twist.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
It's just incredible what you've done first year in the
Big Twelve. Pick for last wins the conference. Good for
you man, not the last we've seen. If you off
that army running back works out. I got a feeling
him and Sam Levit are going to make a nice
combo coach. Thanks for coming on the.
Speaker 6 (30:58):
Hurd saying at Godevils.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Just just incredible offensive coordinator. He was a very popular
offensive coordinator at Oregon and I think he left after
the twenty twenty two season. And then he goes to
Arizona State and they weren't good initially. And Arizona State's
always been kind of a sleeping giant, but they've been
sleeping for a long time. Like there was not a
lot of giant. There was a lot of sleeping. And
(31:23):
then he goes there and about midway through the season,
I'm like, what is their record? What's happening with Arizona State?
And they had this young Levitch, like just a kid,
and you're watching them in Scataboo and it's like, wow,
the quarterback's.
Speaker 3 (31:37):
Young, the coach is young.
Speaker 5 (31:42):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Arizona State undergrads sixty five thousand students. It's it's a gig.
It's a beautiful campus. By the way they over the
last twenty years. Boy, they have I think they have
the I think Arizona State has the largest off campus
they have. It's amazing how many people aren't on campus
that go to the school. Off campus students undergrad is
(32:08):
sixty five thousand. My staff just wrote that largest in
the country.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
How about that?
Speaker 1 (32:12):
And Sam Levitt last year in his last seven games,
sixteen tds, two picks, So that that young quarterback, keep
your eye on him. He is he's getting really and
he can move. He can and he can throw it
when he's moving it
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
noon Pacific. Find your local station for the Herd at
Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio
or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Oh, We're gonna have a great Thursday show.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
We are live. It is the Herd wherever you may be,
however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part
of your day. This week's of a college football week SEC
media days.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
A lot of changes happening. Joel Klass's gonna stop by
in one hour from now. We love that. Kenny Dillingham,
Arizona State football coach, brilliant young coach, is going to
be joining us as well. Jmack listen last night in
a laugher. Not much of a game, and I understand this.
I have said during the Pacers Knicks series, stop beating
up on the Knicks. It's about the Pacers. They have
(01:06):
the best point guard and the best offense and the
best pace in the league and I feel like this
with Minnesota, like they're not as good as Oka. See,
they don't have they don't have the depth, they don't
have the youth, they don't have multiple guys who can
score like that, and so I just I feel like
we should kind of honor okac An SGA more than
Hammer Minnesota.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
A reasonable take to start the show call, and I
like it.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
I like it, So let's start with that obviously. Okay,
see that game was over in about seven minutes. The
great thing about Sga, of the many great things, what
I really like is he is delivering and fulfilling everything
I've been told Jason Tatum does but doesn't really. Last year,
the Celtics go on their championship run, Jalen Brown's the
(01:49):
MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals, Jalen Brown's the Finals MVP,
and Jalen Brown's the aggressor and often the initiator. SGA
wants the ball, is always the aggressor, and he plays
Williams home Gred. He's got multiple great players around him,
but he is clearly the alpha. And that's all I
(02:10):
ever asked with Tatum and got pushedback. You know, that's
I'm holding Jason tatum to the standard. You guys all
lectured me on for years on Lebron when Lebron didn't
take the shot. He's the Alpha, he's the one. If
he wants to be MJ, he's got to always take
the shot. Okay, Well that's the standard of SGA and
Yokicic right now. Like I think both Jokic and SGA
(02:35):
can elevate teammates, and clearly do elevate teammates.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
But there is no.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Question in this Oklahoma City room or that Denver locker room,
or in the huddle or any time there's a late
possession who's the man. And I mean, we could crush
the t Wolves right They were awful.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Their effort was weak.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
But this series is not about the t Wolves and
the Knicks pacers, which I think will end soon. Is
not really about the Knicks failures. Indiana is the best
offense in the league, with the best pace. OKAC is
easily the best defense and the greatest score. I mean,
SGA is only the fourth player in twenty years to
win the MVP and reach the finals.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
The other three Steph, Kobe, and Lebron.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
I don't know that feels historic to me, so I
just I look at them between SGA and Okac's defense.
This is gonna be a great final. I get the
best offense, I get the best defense, I get the
best point guard, and I get the best score. And
I know it's not catchy, and I know it doesn't sound,
(03:46):
you know, dynamic, but I think SGA's nickname should be
the standard. This is the standard for a true number
one in the locker room, in the huddle, every big possession.
He is a number one has to be dominating, offensively,
understood by all, even his talented teammates, debilitating to your defense,
(04:12):
an adult, consistent number one on the bus, on the plane,
in the room. SG Alpha the Western Conference Finals, undisputed, MVP.
This is not about Minnesota's failures. It's about a historic player.
He's one of three guys in league history to have
(04:35):
thirty points five plus assists at least ten times in
the playoffs. M jan lebron to the other two. This
kid is special. Every time he talks, every time he leads,
you just see what a one should be. And here
he is after winning the conference finals.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
MVP. Yeah, it's a really good feeling.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
I think Stuffy Jim about as a kid and then,
of course I want to.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Think much inmates. Without them, I'm nothing Claire's Dave.
Speaker 6 (05:04):
I don't have one hundred and twenty fourth point by myself.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
I love these guys to death.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
With all that being said, this is a step in
the right direction where we have a lot more work
to do, and we know that, and that's the work
focused on.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
So if buckle up and you're ready, listen.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
They won by an average margin of twelve point nine
points per game. And I understand, like veteran teams in
the regular season, don't give it. You know, Lebron's going
to take some night offs, and the older players, you know,
they're dinged up a little bit. I understand their youth
is a big component to it. But here's what else is.
This is as good a defensive team as I remember.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Now.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Detroit Pistons were great, but you could tackle back then.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
That was a little different. But given what.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
You can do now, you can't really you can't handcheck,
you can't use that forearm on your back, given what
you're allowed to do by NBA protocol and rules, this
is the best defense I've ever seen. They hound and
they confound their aggressive to rim protectors on the back end.
Even SGA plays defense and as long like this is
(06:09):
as good as defense gets. So we can bang on Minnesota,
but they're not built to beat this team. Julius Randold's
probably a three, not a two. Go Beart's got no offense,
Conley great veteran presence, not an offensive threat, and Ant
just isn't there yet to single handedly beat this offense.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Way to go? Okay, See all right, listen. I don't
want to make.
Speaker 7 (06:34):
A big deal out of this, but some pretty interesting
information trickled over my phone from the Cleveland Browns o
TA yesterday.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
I'm not great at math, but let's put the numbers
up for the television audience.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
It appears in the four quarterback derby.
Speaker 8 (06:57):
Hmm.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Again, not a mathematician, but one of them has more
tds than completions. That feels important to me. Despite the
fact that Shadu Sanders had the fewest attempts, he was
the most efficient and most productive with the fewest reps,
so the quarterback tracker for those radio audience members, Flacco
(07:23):
was nine for fourteen in a touchdown. Piket nine for
sixteen no touchdown. Dylan Gabriel eleven of sixteen, two touchdowns
on a pick and Sanders seven of nine, three touchdowns
no picks. This justin I've seen enough. I'm calling in
a rap. The Herd newsroom is calling it in Ohio
(07:47):
by a landslide. Shaduur Sanders should be starting. We are
calling Ohio as the projected winner in a race that
is not as close as the fake news projected. You
can keep selling me on Picket, you can keep selling
me on Dylan Gabriel. Now Flacco. I buy flacoh. I
(08:08):
like he's one of my one of my favorite guys
that's ever played in the league. He's like everybody likes
Flacco and I think he's gonna win the starting job. Initially,
I really like Flacco, but I'm calling it. I'm calling
it for Shador and here's Flacco on Shador.
Speaker 9 (08:25):
Shador has been great. I mean, he's a lot of
fun to be around in those meeting rooms, and I
think once, I think so far there's been you know,
at least once in the media room that he's he's
made me crack a smile, and that's what it's all about.
You know, he's a young guy trying to learn some
football and come out here and practice well and do
those things. And like I said, he's been a lot
(08:45):
of fun.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Okay, you you know people either everybody's trying to sell you.
I mean, TikTok's selling you. IG's selling you using filters.
Everybody is selling you stuff. Now people are talking about
the election that wasn't for Biden and was for Trump.
Everybody's selling me their takes. You all keep selling me.
I got scouts telling me he's a fifth or a
(09:07):
six round talent all I know, with very average personnel.
Outside of Travis Hunter, against the very best teams he played,
they didn't win games, but he was highly productive, and
a lot of college quarterbacks against the best teams with
better teammates weren't as productive, size, movement, accuracy.
Speaker 5 (09:31):
I like him.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I know I didn't love I didn't love the legendary
draft room stuff. I thought it was a lacked a
little self awareness. But again, you're twenty one, you're twenty two.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
You know we were all running around pulling fire hydrants
in college, so I mean, you know, you know, you know,
the pull the lever in college dorm rooms.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
We were all idiots at some point. We all had,
you know, lack of judgment or self awareness. I'm not
going to crush anybody for that, but I think he's ready.
I think he's really talented, and I think you're seeing it.
Speaker 9 (10:04):
J Mack.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
We're calling it for Ohio. Oh boy, you know what else?
You know what?
Speaker 4 (10:12):
I've left the station and it's may for shud Dor standards. Okay,
got it, Okay, Ota stats, that's a new one.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Let me let me just throw this at you. Back
to Oklahoma City.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
So like when you lose a playoff series or are
losing a playoff series.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
We've talked about this with the Knicks.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
It's like you kind of see what doesn't work against
an elite team. Brunson and Cat on the floor in
the Anna kind of abuses them, so you probably want
to move off Cat. You could keep him if you
added another catch and shoot guy, but you can see
your problems when you face an elite team. Like you
watch the t Wolves and you're like, oh.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
You know, Julius randall Is.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
It was fun, but boy, when you play Okc's defense,
he is really limited and Ant isn't there yet. So
you great teams are clarity. Like when Ann tr Luck
came into the NFL and was eleven and five with
a bad roster. You're like, oh, yeah, that's what great is.
You can be eleven and five without a Pro Bowl
or anywhere near the offense. But here's another takeaway and
(11:11):
I'll get into it later. The t Wolves ran the
Lakers out of the building and can't compete against OKC.
So for all those thinking we're inches away, the t
Wolves bodied the Lakers, physically pushed them around. Dude, they
(11:31):
could not compete in this series. They had one really
good game, one of five. So I'm just saying, greatness
creates clarity. If you think you're closed or you think
you're flawless, but you don't think you have vulnerabilities. Oklahoma
City Indiana Pacers show you the truth, and you have
(11:53):
to grasp the truth. You have to embrace the truth.
You can't push back and be defensive. But Laker fans
Minnesota bodied you. They got blown out of the building
in this series, Colin, I love it.
Speaker 8 (12:06):
You know.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
I can't help my son with eighth grade math. He's
doing like the advanced math.
Speaker 6 (12:09):
It's hard.
Speaker 4 (12:10):
I don't I have to ask jat GBT okay, but
I do remember in elementary school there were the all
these math properties.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
If A plus B equal C.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Just because Minnesota smashed the Lakers, it does not mean
that the Lakers can't beat OKAC.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
They match up great with OKC.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
That essentially, the Thunder had two rounds to watch Anthony
Edwards and they were like, oh, here's how we stop him.
Let's put up a picket wall at the free throw
line and say you're not getting in the lane.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
We'll go go ahead and have Jaydon.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
McDaniels shoot the lights out or Julius Randall and Minnesota didn't.
Nobody else showed up for them in the series and
it was a rap. I still I think your worst
take in the NBA playoffs has been the Lakers are
far off.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
I think you're way, way wrong there. But again, maybe
I'm being a Lebron homer.
Speaker 7 (12:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Maybe be sure to catch live editions of The Herd
weekdays in neon Easter non a em Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
You are now entering the No Bull Zone sponsored by
Credible Great Rates and none of the bold so Bears
quarterback Caleb Williams has said it's a bit of a distraction,
but he finally addressed yesterday.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
I'll get to it in a second.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Seth Wickersham, great writer ESPN, has come out with a
book called American King's Biography of the Quarterback, and it
revealed that Caleb and his dad did, at one point,
you know, consider ways to avoid going to the Bears
based on their chaotic history and their inability to elevate quarterbacks.
(13:44):
So finally, yesterday he addressed it, and here's Caleb Williams.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
And I wanted to come here and you know, be
the guy and be a part and be a reason why,
you know, Chicago Bears turn this thing around. So that
last thing that was said, all of that, I think
was the most important thing is that I wanted to
be here and I love being here. I love my teammates.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
So my take is different.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
There was a radio host in New York that said,
he's been breath takingly entitled and I'll get to that
in a second, But I don't think being concerned about
an environment or a job before you get there at
twenty two to twenty three years old or older is entitled.
A historically chaotic business, the Chicago Bears and offense. It's
(14:32):
like global travel for the rest of us. What's my budget?
What are the safest parts. I'm new, I don't know
it very well. I want to do my homework. It's
called due diligence utilizing available information. Listen, if you may
need a malaria shot, if you travel to certain parts
of Africa. I don't think you're an entitled traveler. I
(14:54):
just think that's the reality. And Caleb and his dad
looked at the history of the Bears and thought, yes, yeah,
they've never had a four thousand yard passer. It's probably
not all on the quarterback. It could be the ownership
in the front office and you know, a Steeler like
devotion to defense.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
And they were right. Again, I don't think that's entitled.
I think it's intelligent.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
When you buy a house, are you entitled if you're like, yeah,
this neighborhood, I got kids, it's not walkable. I don't
think it's safe. I don't like the schools. I don't
think you're entitled. You can afford a better house, go
buy it, so you know, I listen. Taylor Williams and
I actually have a lot in common. We just moved
(15:38):
to Chicago. Now only one of us takes the train
to work, but we both moved to Chicago. I was
warned about whether he was warned about the Bears. I
think it's okay. I think when you're talking about young people,
twenty four year olds now, they don't go to a restaurant,
they don't go to a restaurant without reading Yelp reviews.
(15:59):
They don't do it. I mean they just I mean,
I watch my kids. I lean on my kids for
this stuff. I think it's breathtaking lee out of touch
or tone deaf to think a twenty three year old.
And historically in the NFL, you get one shot to
be a number one if a team moves off you.
Now things have changed over the last four or five
years with Donald and Gino and Baker, But most of
(16:21):
my life, first team that drafts you, that's your big shot.
You'll come with baggage and a reputation everywhere else. I
mean Baker is difficult, No he's not. Gino doesn't have it,
yes he does. Darnald can't can't play without being reckless.
Oh wait, he got the right coach, So maybe Caleb,
if it doesn't work in Chicago, will get other opportunities.
(16:42):
But we are in the age of information, and nobody
is better at finding and accumulating and using that information
than twenty and thirty year olds. So I don't have
a problem with it. He decided on Chicago. The fact
that it made it out isn't entitled. It's honest. He
didn't have to tell us that. Give the reporter credit,
(17:03):
Seth Wickersham who found it, and the athlete and the
dad who are honest enough to admit it. There's a
lot of stuff out there that like this, we just
don't hear about. You know, I always said this when
Tiger Woods got caught fooling around. You think he's the
only golfer to ever do that. They all fly golf streams.
He's the only one on the road, all right, That's
just the one you heard about. This is just a concern.
(17:25):
Like the Mannings, they did a lot of this stuff.
They did it behind the scenes. You just didn't know
much about it. Or John Elway and Jack his dad,
you just didn't hear about it. This stuff, I mean,
it's just the way we live now. We get all
the information. You can't hide anything. It could be the
White House or a football team.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
and Noone Eastern not am Pacific.
Speaker 10 (17:48):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 8 (17:53):
You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern,
two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of
course the iHeart Radio app.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 8 (18:02):
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on
in the world.
Speaker 10 (18:07):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture,
stories that well, other shows don't seem to have the
time to discuss.
Speaker 8 (18:15):
And the fact that we've been friends for the last
twenty years and still work together. I mean that says something, right.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
So check us out.
Speaker 10 (18:21):
We like to get you involved too, take your phone calls,
chop it up.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
As they say, I'd.
Speaker 8 (18:26):
Say, the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe
the most interactive show on planetar.
Speaker 10 (18:30):
Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to
seven pm Eastern, two to four Pacific, And if you
miss any of the live show, just search Covino and
Rich wherever you get your podcasts, And of course on
social media.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
That's Covino and Rich.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
How cool would it be to coach at your alma mater?
Even cooler pick for last finish first, unprecedented, unsure. I
can think of a comp to what Kenny Dillingham did
at Arizona State Big twelve Coach of the Year and
he's joining us Figure twelve Media Days Live. What an
incredible story, you know, coach, It's interesting. I just saw
(19:05):
this morning obviously the transfer portals alive and well and
the nil you went and got I love this. You
went and got a running back from army.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
You know, you know he's gonna come in ready to play.
And when you when you went and.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Got the Army running back in the nil, did an
academy matter like a guy that would fit into your culture?
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Because I think that's such you didn't.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
You know, some of these coaches use it a lot,
Lincoln Riley, some of it you more sparingly, Dabo Sweeney
doesn't like it at all.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
You went and got an Army running back? Why yeah?
Speaker 11 (19:41):
I mean well, one of his film was really good.
So you turn on the film You're like, Okay, this
kid's a good player. And then on top of that
when when you talk to him on the phone, his
maturity level was obviously super high. And part of that
his discipline level was super high. And part of that
is directly correlated to know is his school he was at.
(20:03):
And for us, we wanted a kid who is driven
mature to come in here and try to replace what
people are watching on the screen right now is not.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
The easiest thing to do, so we needed somebody who
was mature.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
You know, it's interesting you had to create self belief
last year. Well, you know players can read right, they
see sixteenth in the Big twelve, and you've got to
create this No, that's not what we are. Give me
the moment last year you may have believed it, but
that you felt your team finally came out of that
(20:35):
tunnel and thought we're really good.
Speaker 6 (20:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (20:40):
I mean, for us, the first the start of Kansas
State on the road in Manhattan, one of the best
coaching staffs I think in the country, one of the
better teams in our league, one of the better teams
in the country, and we just started with our hair
on fire all three phases of the game. And that
was the moment that I was like, oh wow, or
(21:02):
this team's pretty good. We can actually do this, we
can actually do something. I think that was the moment
when we started a game where I was like, Wow,
the game versus the win versus Utah was critical for
our program and the belief of the team and the physicality.
But that moment we ran out of the tunnel vers
Kansas State and started that fast.
Speaker 6 (21:19):
That was a turning point.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
So I want to talk transfer portal. Brian Kelly did
a lot, didn't work. Lincoln Riley did it a lot,
didn't work, Dion had to do it kind of worked.
What is your worldview on the transfer portal? How much
to use and how much to avoid?
Speaker 11 (21:37):
Yeah, I mean I think it's you want to make
sure you get the right guys for your program, whether
it's high school or transfer portal. I think I don't
want to live in a world where it's all this
or all that. I think every year your team's going
to be different for me. I want to replace transfers
with transfers, and I still want to be able to
sign the high school class based off graduating seniors.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
And if you're doing it.
Speaker 11 (21:58):
Right, you will hope that the kids in your program
can become the starters can develop to become the starters.
But if you ever need a transfer to come in
here and fill an immediate needs, you have that ability.
So I would say the transfer portal to us should
hopefully be to fill gaps, not to build the house.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
So you came from a totally different program. It was
West Coast, but it was Oregon where you had Phil Knight,
where you had history, where you had inertia, and you're
going to Arizona State and kind of rebuilding this thing.
But give me, despite some dissimilarities, give me the one
thing you took out of Oregon and you thought, hey,
we can replicate that pretty early.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
The fun.
Speaker 11 (22:37):
I think when you think of Oregon, there's a brand
behind what they do. Everybody thinks of Oregon football. They
know what you think about, green, yellow, fast, fun, explosive.
That's what you think about, right And I think for
me it was what is the brand of ASU football
going to be? When people look at that photo and
they look at those gold jerseys you're looking at right now,
(22:58):
what do they think about?
Speaker 6 (23:00):
And I wanted to be passion?
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Man.
Speaker 11 (23:02):
Those guys play so hard, they have so much fun
playing hard, man, That's what I think of.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
Look at those guys on the screen.
Speaker 11 (23:09):
I want people to think we're gonna have so much fun,
playing so hard and growing up and learning how to
become a person.
Speaker 6 (23:17):
Learning how to become an adult.
Speaker 11 (23:18):
I want the fun, the excitement back, and I want
people to think about that when they think about Arizona
State football.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
What is you are coaching your alma mater. Are there
ever moments on the sideline You're like, I was at
a frat house nine years ago. What I mean is it?
Do you have pinch me moments?
Speaker 11 (23:39):
Well, I mean you look at post Utah when they're
interviewing me in the crowds definitely around And that was
a pinch me moment when I jumped into.
Speaker 6 (23:47):
The crowd said I was one of these guys and
kind of lost it there. That was a moment in game,
I'm pretty focused.
Speaker 11 (23:54):
Usually people can't even get my attention, But after the game,
I usually have those pinch me moments after the game,
in the locker room, moments like that was scatt. What
I'm just with the guys is when those pinch me
moments happened, Like when I'm just in it and it's
just pure relationship and it's just it's special, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
So you return a bunch of starters. Sixteen, Sam Levit's
a really good player. When you have a young quarterback
and you're building that culture and now you're a winning culture.
What are the steps for Sam Levitt productive doesn't make
a ton of mistakes. Do you light in the leash
up a little bit? Do you let them do more?
Speaker 3 (24:34):
Like?
Speaker 1 (24:34):
Like, what's the growth for a young quarterback at the
college level?
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Can you open up the play record? Did you use
all of it last year?
Speaker 6 (24:41):
Yeah? I think uh No, we grew as the season progressed.
Speaker 11 (24:44):
So I think a big reason for our success was
we opened that playbook up gradually throughout the season.
Speaker 6 (24:51):
As Sam got better, Sam got more comfortable JT.
Speaker 11 (24:54):
I mean, there's multiple players that went into it, but
obviously your quarterback's a big piece. And uh, I think
this year it's going to be how do we control
early downs? I think the biggest sign of a quarterback
is if you lean on him controlling early down, quick
passing game.
Speaker 6 (25:09):
If your quarterback can take.
Speaker 11 (25:10):
Control of first and second down in rhythm passing game
and you have enough confidence in him, that's when a
quarterback really takes control. That's when he can really grow
and become a Heisman level player. So I think for
him this year, it's taking control of the early downs
and putting the ball in his hands more on good
down and distances earlier in games and on early TuS.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
So Cam Skataboo became everybody's favorite running back in the country.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
And again I'll pose this question.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Obviously you liked him, but twenty three hundred scrimmage jarge
is insane. Were there moments that you would watch him
and go, this, this guy, this guy's better than we recruited.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
He's better than I think.
Speaker 6 (25:55):
Yeah, I mean for sure. I mean there's times in
the game. I remember year one. I mean we were
so bad Year one.
Speaker 11 (26:01):
I mean it was like watching paint dry, and he
catches the ball of one of our only decent games
that we still lost first USC in Game one, he
catches the swing pass on the sideline, Steff's on the
dude and goes for like fifty five and I'm like,
holy cow. And then you're watching the highlight tape.
Speaker 6 (26:17):
One person just couldn't.
Speaker 11 (26:18):
Bring him down and it would be over and over again.
You'd watch these plays, and I think one of the
plays that really you know separates Cam was.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
We're in the Big tal title game.
Speaker 11 (26:27):
We toss him though, we hand him the ball, he
runs left, He's about to lose eight yards. He parroettes backwards,
throws the ball away, like who has the awareness at
running back?
Speaker 6 (26:36):
Just throw the ball away? Every fan has said it,
why didn't he just throw it away? He's the lost
twelve yards. Well he did it.
Speaker 11 (26:44):
He did the thing that everybody said, why don't they
always do it?
Speaker 6 (26:47):
And that was Cam and that's what made him special.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
Okay, you play I think Colorado late in the season.
I look at it here.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
I want you to go back one year because you
obviously know personnel, and I think Shador Sanders is And
the reason I do is because he didn't have much
of an O line and he didn't he didn't have
Camps Kataboo in the backfield, and he played a lot
of good teams in your conference and he didn't win
a lot of those games, but he was darn productive
and a lot of people. You know, you've played at
(27:14):
Ohio State, you know you play at Texas, you don't
get touched. You play at Colorado last year and you're
running around. Give me an evaluation on film and what
you saw from Shador Sanders who dropped in the draft.
If I said to you, coach, there's one thing he's
going to do really well in the NFL. Was there
one thing that jumped off on tape when you prep
for him?
Speaker 6 (27:35):
Yeah, I mean preparation.
Speaker 11 (27:37):
Uh you know when I actually recruited Shador and you
know I got a chance against nor him a little bit,
and being able to meet with him in the recruiting
process is just intelligence for the game. His passion for
the game and his intelligence on the whiteboard was something
that blew me away back when he was a sixteen
year old, so I can only imagine that is now.
(27:58):
So I think for him, when you watch his tape,
you see a guy who's prepared. You see a guy
who has a plan, and you see a guy who's poised.
And I think, you know, when you can great quarterbacks
can play, you know when they're under pressure, and it
never looks like they're under pressure. And I think there's
a lot of times on his tape where you know
he's being pressured, but he's calm, he's collected, and he
(28:18):
knows where to go with the ball.
Speaker 6 (28:19):
And that's based off the preparation.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Yeah, So whether you play teams or not, you see
a ton of him on film and he was on
TV or on film and you're watching and I just
think he's got something special. Finally, when you look at
your age, a lot of people are going to go,
look at this kid, and this guy's going to the NFL.
This guy and I have no problem with that. There's
a lot of changes in college football. You guys don't
(28:42):
get enough time off. Is there a concern with you
where the NFL does have space for coaches to have
a life? You guys got two recruiting windows. Now you're
recruiting your own players. If you could change college college football,
if you were running the sport, you're the czar.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Of it, would you would you give?
Speaker 1 (29:00):
Is there anything that a young coach you feel like, Man,
I'd probably change.
Speaker 6 (29:06):
I would just try to change. Stop changing.
Speaker 11 (29:10):
I don't know that sense like that would be My
change is let's just stop changing.
Speaker 6 (29:16):
Let's figure out what's best for these players.
Speaker 11 (29:18):
At the end of the day, this is college athletics, Like,
it's all about the player. Everything I'll ever do is
about the players. Everything I'll ever fight for, everything I'll
ever compete for is about how do I make the
player experience, the players pockets, the player experience, the player energy,
and what they remember college to be about better. Like,
we're molding these kids for the rest of their life
(29:40):
and it's all about the players. So I would just say,
how do we stop change, create some consistency, whatever that is,
and make it about the player again and make these
kids still eighteen to twenty two year olds, regardless of
how much they make, regardless of how much we publicize them.
Speaker 6 (29:56):
These are still eighteen to twenty two year.
Speaker 11 (29:58):
Old who we have their responsibility to help them be
successful and figure out this time of their life. And
I think too many times we kind of put these
guys on too high of a pedal stool. They'll be
perfect because they make money now, because they're famous at sixteen, seventeen,
eighteen years old, that we lose sight that they're still
eighteen to twenty two year old. So if I could
change one thing, it would be stop putting so much
(30:20):
pressure on these guys. Even if they're making money. It's
not their fault. This is an adults problem that the
kids are living in, and let's let these kids have
fun be in college athletes and living out their dream.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
You know, you're so youthful looking. You know, it's just I'm.
Speaker 6 (30:36):
Actually so yeah, it's a good twist.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
It's just incredible what you've done first year in the
Big Twelve. Pick for last wins the conference. Good for
you man, not the last we've seen. If you off
that army running back works out. I got a feeling
him and Sam Levit are going to make a nice
combo coach. Thanks for coming on the.
Speaker 6 (30:58):
Hurd saying at Godevils.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Just just incredible offensive coordinator. He was a very popular
offensive coordinator at Oregon and I think he left after
the twenty twenty two season. And then he goes to
Arizona State and they weren't good initially. And Arizona State's
always been kind of a sleeping giant, but they've been
sleeping for a long time. Like there was not a
lot of giant. There was a lot of sleeping. And
(31:23):
then he goes there and about midway through the season,
I'm like, what is their record? What's happening with Arizona State?
And they had this young Levitch, like just a kid,
and you're watching them in Scataboo and it's like, wow,
the quarterback's.
Speaker 3 (31:37):
Young, the coach is young.
Speaker 5 (31:42):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Arizona State undergrads sixty five thousand students. It's it's a gig.
It's a beautiful campus. By the way they over the
last twenty years. Boy, they have I think they have
the I think Arizona State has the largest off campus
they have. It's amazing how many people aren't on campus
that go to the school. Off campus students undergrad is
(32:08):
sixty five thousand. My staff just wrote that largest in
the country.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
How about that?
Speaker 1 (32:12):
And Sam Levitt last year in his last seven games,
sixteen tds, two picks, So that that young quarterback, keep
your eye on him. He is he's getting really and
he can move. He can and he can throw it
when he's moving it
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