Colin discusses Indiana winning the College Football National Championship in one of the more remarkable stories in sports going from losingest program in college football to the number 1 team in the country.
He looks at the Bills after firing head coach Sean McDermott and why the move makes sense despite making the playoffs in 7 straight seasons
Colin talks to Urban Meyer about Indiana beating Miami for the National Championship, the Indiana program, Fernando Mendoza, and more
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Here we go on a Tuesday with all sorts of
activity in the coaching industry in the National Football League.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
We are live or in Chicago. It's the Herd wherever
you may be and however you may be listening, whatever
the platform. Thanks for making us part of your day. Well,
I was, like many of you, most of you watching
a sports talk show. I sat and watched Indiana Miami
(00:59):
last night, not only the first sixteen to OH team,
but for the first time I ever remember watching a
national championship in college football. It felt like fifty percent
NFL and I am here for it. College football rosters
are getting older, wiser. Miami's D line and O line
(01:21):
those are NFL bodies. Miami's got a defensive lineman about
to turn twenty five. Indiana, by design, is a roster
filled with mature twenty two and twenty three year olds,
both quarterbacks, three year starters. That's why Indiana played such
mistake free football. It's an older, smarter roster. What last
(01:42):
night allows is more sophisticated defenses. Miami's doing part zone,
part man de man on the same play you've got.
Indiana never fumbles, no errant snaps, They don't throw interceptions,
they rarely get penalized. Defenses offenses much more sophisticated. That's
(02:03):
why Sunday football has always been three times to four
times higher rated than college football. College football can be
regional and provincial and full of mistakes. It's rare that
you see a good college program with even decent special teams.
But college football has officially grown up, and last night
(02:25):
felt different. Three year starters at quarterback, players getting paid,
players staying in college longer. That's never a bad thing,
and the product on the field to me, reflects it.
Georgia won a national title in the early eighties and
completed one pass, no thank you, not interested. The SEC,
(02:46):
which has now fallen behind the Big ten. Notre Dame
in Miami has always felt two ground and pound, Oh
miss is the new way to win a lot of offense,
a lot of movement, some trickery and score point. Last night,
three of Indiana's biggest plays came after Kurt Signetty timeouts.
Very NFL feeling. Fernando Mendoza on that TD run talked
(03:10):
about expecting his own seeing man the man. It was
a little of both, and like Andrew luck Elway, Josh
Allen put his head down, got hammered and scored that touchdown.
I don't know. Indiana to me, is absolutely great for
college football. It's a football starved Midwest base alumni, huge
(03:33):
alumni that has always been in the shadow of an
Ohio State, a Michigan, a Penn State, a Wisconsin in
Iowa for football. To me, Indiana is a shining beacon
of hope. If you get the coach right, you got
a couple of well healed NIL boosters. You don't need
five star recruits. It'd be nice going forward to have some.
(03:58):
But suddenly you look around if you get the coach
right with the nil and transfer portal, and you ask yourself,
why not us? The Indiana football story was not possible
pre portal. It was not possible pre nil. You couldn't
have done this. Now you got to get the coach right,
(04:19):
and Kurt Signetti is like Nick Saban without the charm
and a little bit of a sense of humor. He's
got neither. He is dead serious, he is all business.
And the truth is Saban got funnier and more charming
after the rebuild was complete at Alabama. This is probably
right now for this time, what the Hoosiers need. But
(04:41):
last night was also what college football needed. A new story,
a new champion, a new way of doing business. That
is the greatest script ever written in the history of
college football. It was so totally cool and so totally
sixteen to zero perfect. Indiana deserved every part of last
(05:03):
night with this coach, the big boosters, they're going absolutely nowhere.
Ask yourself, are you the next Indiana? Why not Purdue?
Why not Michigan State? Why not Kentucky Football? Why not us?
(05:25):
Here's the humorless head coach, as brilliant as he is.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
After It's a great thing, Indiana win a national championship
two years into our tenure.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
You do it with people and a plan.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Can't say enough about our senior leadership and the people
we have in the locker room and the people we
have on our staff and we're sixteen and O and
we're I guess we're twenty seven and two since Indiana,
but we're sixteen and no. Sixteen national champions at Indiana University,
which I know a lot of people thought was never possible.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
A couple more natties and my guess he'll crack more
regularly a smile. There's a lot of tension in Buffalo today.
Buffalo is one of those great American cities where people,
despite the snowdrifts, are proud of being from there. Buffalo
(06:24):
has been a winning NFL city for a couple different
stretches in my lifetime, in probably yours, the Marv Levy,
Jim Kelly years and now the Josh Allen Sean McDermott years,
and now he's gone. And attention is because Brandon, being
the general manager since Josh Allen arrived, has what fifty
(06:45):
six draft picks? Two Pro Bowlers? Is he as many
your claiming kind of a suck up to the owner?
I was told months ago he's more of a cap
guy than a personnel guy. He's a smart guy, got
a little bit of an ego. But Buffalo fans and
media are a little bit tense today because of the firing.
(07:06):
But let me just say this, it's easy to do
the Pittsburgh thing. Hey, we're over five hundred A playoff
wins are overrated. It's hard to do what Buffalo did.
Sean McDermott was well liked and respected, ninety eight and
fifty with eight playoff wins. They just couldn't beat Mahomes
(07:27):
and Andy Reid join the club. What probably was his
undoing because we all thought he was safe after beating
Jacksonville in Jacksonville, a very good team. According to Vic Carucci,
a respected reporter covering the Bills for a long time,
five weeks ago, McDermott met with Brandon Bean and the owner.
(07:48):
McDermott and this takes some guts, sat down with his
two bosses and said, I don't think we have enough
all star level, Pro Bowl level talent to win a
Super Bowl. According to vich Carucci, it did not go
over well. So and I will say this, Buffalo found
(08:11):
ways to lose every January. They couldn't get the tush
push right. That was a year ago. The thirteen second
loss this year, five turnovers, and complaining about officiating as
bo Nix was more efficient than Josh Allen, but Dallas
and Jerry Jones it appears will no longer pay top
(08:32):
dollar for a head coach, and Pittsburgh, it appeared forever
was not willing to move off a coach who couldn't
win playoff games, and as far as I can tell,
Buffalo's willing to do both. So in their last six
playoff exits, you can blame Brandon Bean, you can blame
Sean McDermott. In their last six playoff exits with a
(08:56):
defensive coach and now a Bosa and previously a von Miller,
they're allowing on average thirty three points per game and losses,
So you can blame whoever you want. Something had to change.
You may not like the GM, maybe you'll miss the
head coach, but they're willing to take a swing. It's
(09:18):
so much easier to do the Pittsburgh thing. Nobody's offended.
Everybody in the building is happy. Yes, people from the
outside the dark side may criticize the Steelers, but hey,
we do what we do. Buffalo's a small town. They're
taking a big swing. I respect it. Albert brewed yesterday
(09:39):
on the move.
Speaker 6 (09:41):
There was a different feel in that building. The last
couple of months, more tension. I think, more pressure on everybody.
They realize that they've got in front of them the
opportunity that Josh Allen as a quarterback gives them. And
I think some of that's spilled out Colin after the
game on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Yeah, listen, I understand the engine. But you know, Jerry
Jones is ironic because he always talks about every time
he seeks a bargain, that's exactly what he gets. And
I feel like Jerry Jones should listen to his own words.
It feels like he's always trying to get a bargain
at head coach. Look around the playoffs. No Mahomes, no Allen,
(10:22):
no Lamar, no Burrow. Once you pay that star quarterback,
it doesn't matter if Andy Reids your coach, it's hard
to be great. Buffalo is suffering through what the Chiefs, what? Cincinnati?
Speaker 7 (10:42):
What?
Speaker 1 (10:42):
A lot of these highly compensated quarterback franchises are struggling
with their roster's got some holes, Buffalo's does Chiefs do right?
The difference is one of those franchises has the trophies,
but they're not just going to sit here and they're
they're gonna make a move and you don't have to
(11:03):
love the GM, but by and large, when we think
about the Buffalo Bills over the last seven eight nine years,
you know what we think, smartly owned, great quarterback, pretty
well run. That's why so many fee people are uncomfortable
with the McDermott stuff because he was a really good coach.
You didn't swing and miss on four, you swung and
(11:26):
connected on one. But it is time and it is
the kind of thing that can make the smaller town
that doesn't love change a little uncomfortable. But I think
it's the right move. I gotta tell you j McK
watching that game last night, Robert Salli got the Titans job.
We'll talk more about that. As I was watching that
(11:48):
game last night, I am not saying Andrew Luck is
John Elway or Andrew Luck the two best quarterback prospects
ever out of college. If you talk to longtime and
f guys, those are great prospects. But Fernando Mendoza on
that touchdown run that looked like Andrew Luck, that was
(12:09):
Andrew Luck is one of those guys, big fit kid
who actually seeks. Remember you Stowa say, I don't feel
like the game starts until I get popped Mendoza similarly
multiple times this year. W lip is bloodied off the
field back on like that that run that was so
Andrew luck I mean it was. It had a Josh
(12:29):
Allen Andrew Luckfield. And I'm he's not that kind of prospect.
He's a very good prospect. He's not that level of prospect.
But that run was. I mean, if you were on
the fence on Fernando Mendoza after that run, tear the
fence down. He's the number one pick.
Speaker 7 (12:45):
I think Tommy Frazier of Nebraska had an incredible run
against Florida National Championship. Remember that you Okay, this was
to me like the equivalent of that. It was a
big play fourth down. But here's the other thing. Mendoza.
I don't even think he had two hundred yards passing Colin,
but it was the important passes he needed. Third and seven,
boom got it, fourth and five got it. I'm just
(13:06):
telling you, man, I said a couple of weeks ago,
I see a young Tom Brady, not soup seven super
Bowl Brady, but like in the pocket, takes the hits,
keeps on ticking. This guy's a winner.
Speaker 8 (13:15):
Man.
Speaker 7 (13:16):
I'm if I'm the Jets. I have to at least
think about trading up or trying to for him. And
I know Raiders fans are gonna say no way, but
that kid looks special. Man, He's got everything you want
a quarterback.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
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Speaker 1 (14:05):
Here's what the SEC should truly be concerned about. Miami
and Notre Dame. They're not in the big ten, maybe
the two best recruiters in the country as coaches, two
unique but magnificent college football brands, and both with massive
(14:26):
nil checkbooks. We all know the Big Ten is separated.
They'll be favored to win the Natty next year. They
already are. But with Mario Christobal, you're getting a highly
aggressive nil, a highly aggressive transfer portal team, and Dade
and Broward County probably the richest counties in the country
(14:51):
for high school football recruiting and Crystabaal has made it
his sole purpose to build a fence around Dade and
Broward and he is an unbelieve recruiter. So adding to that,
Miami's economy is on fire. It is the fastest growing
tech startup city in the country. Translation, there is an
(15:15):
ocean of cash in Miami now and they want to
spend it, and a lot of people want to spend
it on the U. It is their college program of choice.
So the consensus for twenty twenty six recruiting Mario Cristobal
in Miami and they're just starting had a better class
than Florida or LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, USC bought better
(15:41):
classes than anybody not named Alabama. Bama had a good one.
But for the record, Miami's now going to buy Duke's quarterback.
Reportedly he's good, he'll get better. Surrounded by Sunday bodies.
So the new reality of college football. If you look
at the odds, it is not just the Big Ten,
it is Miami and Notre Dame are going to be
(16:04):
a major problem. The top five odds to win next year.
The only SEC team is Texas and that is oil
money and the reason Texas is even in there reportedly
spending forty million dollars on next year's roster. So my takeaway,
(16:24):
the three best teams I saw play this year if
I had to vote today, number one Indiana, Number two Miami,
and number three Ohio State. Nobody in the SEC felt
like this physically punishing relentless defenses. Here's Mario Christobal after
the loss.
Speaker 10 (16:44):
Got to a playoffs for the first time in Miami history.
And then each four top ten teams beat seven top
twenty five teams, won the Fiesta Bowl, won the Cotton Bowl.
And you know what, I'll take full blame for where
one drive short of win in the National Championship. So
I don't see anything negative, but I do see pain
(17:05):
in moments like this, and we should if we're a
competitor that's worth anything.
Speaker 5 (17:10):
You feel it and you use it, and you give
those feelings a direction.
Speaker 10 (17:13):
I know the guys coming back will and I know
that the guys moving on will also use that as fule.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Hard enough to beat Indiana. Probably not going to do
it if you get a punt blocked and it becomes
a touchdown for the Hoosiers. But I thought Miami played great.
I think they played a smartly coach physical game with
the kind of skill players that can beat Indiana. The
only two teams I watched play Indiana this year was
not Alabama. I can assure you that the only two
(17:43):
teams that matched up with Indiana Ohio State and Miami.
And a lot of it was the checkbook. Sorry, a
lot of it was the checkbook. Good coaching, good cornerback play.
This is now a very administrative business, a little NFL,
a lot NFL. But Miami in Ohio State came the
(18:03):
closest and it started with grabbing a pen and signing
a check. J Mack with the news, Turn on the news.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
This is the herdline news.
Speaker 7 (18:16):
All right, let's dive right into the NFL head coaching situation.
The carousel is spinning wildly, uh Colin. Yesterday Jeff Halfley
from the Packers landed with the Miami Dolphins. Miami fans
are non pulse. Did I say that right? Nonplused by
the higher Halflee. You know he's fine, but he doesn't
bring Micae Parsons with him. Meanwhile, overnight there was a
(18:36):
big one that Tennessee Titans got Robert Salah from the Niners.
This is being Valley Hoot is a big time get.
They're curious to see who his offensive coordinator will be.
A lot of chatter about Mike McDaniel.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
That would be a good hire to me. Sala was
the best defensive coordinator this year. Mike McDaniel by next
year would be a top two to three offensive coordinator.
You could do far worse than Saul and Mike McDaniel.
And McDaniel now has head coaching experience. I think that
always helps for a coordinator. They sort of understand the
macro day to day play to play understanding a coach
(19:12):
has to deal with. I think Tennessee they didn't get
a John Harbaugh or a Stefanski necessarily, but Sala and
Mike McDaniel those I mean, listen, remember they work together.
Sala knows he's from the San Francisco tree.
Speaker 7 (19:26):
The only problem with that is If McDaniel absolutely cooks
and is awesome and cam Ward is great, McDaniel's going
to get a head coaching job, and so now you're
going for a third straight offensive coordinator. But that's kind
of the world. That's the way it works, right Colin.
If you hire a defensive coach and you've got a
great offensive coordinator, he's going to be in demand if
he does well well.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
I when a head coach thinks he's going to be
retained and gets fired, it can leave a sour taste
in your mouth. There are also worse places to live
in America than Nashville, Tennessee to a great and if
you start winning for the first time consistently since Rabel,
I could see Mike McDaniel saying, dude, all sign a
(20:09):
long pack here. And I also think Mike McDaniel's quirky.
He's not Campbell or Rabel or Sala. He was a
quirky higher I don't think he should have taken most
of the blame. That's more too in the GM. But
I don't think everybody's going to be lining up for
Mike McDaniel. I think he could go there for four
years and he and Robert Sala could win that division
(20:29):
multiple times.
Speaker 7 (20:30):
Well, there's a lot of chatter Tampa Bay wants him,
he likes Florida, the weather might want to stay in Tampa.
I'll just say this about Sala. They've got a couple
defensive pieces on the line, Jeffrey Simmons and a young
kid from Texas. Other than that, there's not a lot.
There's a lot of rebuilding to do. But we just
saw Sala with very little do a great job in
(20:50):
San Francisco. I will just say, here are the head
coaching openings still available. Pittsburgh Steelers, Wow, Baltimore, Ra's good job.
We know that Raiders is open, Cardinals, Browns, and Bills.
I think the Bills probably get their choice of guy.
I'm gonna guess they're gonna stay with Joe Brady. Would
you agree the OC?
Speaker 1 (21:13):
I don't know. I think no. Very interesting.
Speaker 7 (21:19):
How about this, Rick, Can you rank the seven vacancies
for me? We'll just give you Bills at one and
I guess Ravens at two because they have Lamar. What's
three on that list? Is it Raiders because of Mendoza.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
You know they've been so dysfunctional. But if you give
me Mendoza, brock Bauers, Ashton Genty, and I just have
to clean up the defense, was okay, If I have
to clean up the offensive line, I think the Raiders
are very interesting.
Speaker 7 (21:44):
So the Raiders are a better job right now than
the Steelers. Pittsburgh fans, I want to hear this, Colin,
They don't.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Right now, and they don't have now. The Steelers have
a lot of interesting draft picks. They also may move
up to get Tis Simpson, who appears to be clearly
the number two quarterback. So let's wait post draft. The
Steelers could look like a mess today. But if they
get the coach they want, and they get Ty Simpson,
(22:10):
you know, who's viewed as kind of a late first
round quarterback, then maybe I don't feel that way. I
would say the Steelers have not really been in the
let's find a new coach business for a long time,
so this is all very very new for them.
Speaker 7 (22:23):
Yeah, all right, Let's move on to Matt Stafford and
the Rams. They're playing Seattle in the NFC Championship Game.
It's on Fox this weekend. Stafford will turn thirty eight
a day before the Super Bowl. Colin and was asked
if he considers this his last shot at winning it all.
Speaker 8 (22:41):
I try not to think about that kind of stuff.
I just try to enjoy the team that I'm on
in the moment that i'm in. I love coming to work,
I love the group that we get to do it with.
These Like I said, opportunities don't come every single year,
so I just try to live in them and cherish
them when they're here. I sure hope it's not my
last opportunity, but we'll see. You never know, these these
games and these seasons one at a time and figure
(23:03):
it out from there. But I just know that I'm happy,
you know, happy in the moment than I am right
now doing what I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Well, here's the thing. I've thought a lot about this.
They have two first round picks, a second, a third,
couple of fifths, couple of six, couple of sevens. What
if you go to Stafford, because you know the contract now,
you go to Stafford and say, listen, we're not going
to draft a starting quarterback. It's not a good class.
We may draft a quarterback with one of our fifth
(23:31):
round picks. But what we're going to do if you
take the kind of deal that we'd like you to
take any extension are two First, we'll go get a tackle,
a corner, a star wide receiver that we're going to
take our elite picks and go one more great year
with you. He'll probably want a two year deal, but
I could see them saying, listen, we're not going to
go get a quarterback. Don't worry about that. We'll keep Garoppolo.
(23:52):
We got Stetson Bennett. It's not a good quarterback class.
We don't really like anybody but maybe Mendoza. And we're
just going to take all these top picks and we're
gonna make the old line better and the secondary better,
and we're going to make another Super Bowl run. Now
the following draft, Matt, we are going to go get
a quarterback. Our scouting department likes it. But I've thought
about this if you're the Rams and you're trying to
(24:14):
get because to me, Stafford's now a top five quarterback.
He's been healthy this year, he's playing great. The symmetry
with him and McVeigh is amazing. All these skill people.
I can see the Rams going, hey, we don't like
any of the core I mean, we don't gonna give
up six picks to go get ty Simpson and just
say the reality is we'll load up for one more
(24:34):
Super Bowl run. We'll attack all of our deficiencies, tackle corner.
I could see the Rams doing that.
Speaker 7 (24:41):
If you're looking for best storyline left in the playoffs,
it would be Stafford winning another Super Bowl. I think
that's undeniable. I know people are all aboard the drake
May train. He's got fifteen more years. Sam Darnold, you know,
reinvention stories excellent, but Stafford is the man and God,
I'm surprised even out here in LA you know, I
talk to people in the building. They're not given the
Rams a chance. Nobody is. This is people living in
(25:04):
Los Angeles thing off Seattle. It's a rap. Everybody on
your Seahawks. Any read on how that you think that's
gonna go?
Speaker 8 (25:12):
There?
Speaker 7 (25:13):
Big guy, you know where I'm leading.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
I don't think the Rams can play as perfectly as
they played in Chicago. No drop passes, no penalties, no picks,
And I think Seattle's better than Chicago, and that game
went overtime. Seattle should be favored, but last weekend, fewer
turnovers won every game, and Seattle is more reckless than
the Rams. Rams play at their best nearly perfect football.
(25:37):
I mean, I mean no penalties or one penalty. They
just don't get penalized. And so I don't think they
can duplicate the efficiency of last week because I think
Seattle's defense forces you into more mistakes, penalties, and turnovers.
To not have a drop pass in that Chicago weather,
that's incredible. So I don't think they'll be as clean.
(25:58):
But I do think they have what you need to
beat Seattle, and that is a defense that will speed
Sam Darnold up. And that's the way to beat Seattle.
Force Sam into a couple reckless throws, because you're not
just going straight up on Seattle. You've got to make
them uncomfortable because the Seahawks make everybody else uncomfortable when
(26:20):
you watch them play. They make Christian McCaffrey disappear. So
you have to make Seattle a little uncomfortable, and I
think the Rams are one of the few teams that
can do that with their defensive front.
Speaker 7 (26:31):
You remember that Thursday night game what six weeks ago?
But Rams did whatever they wanted for three and a
half quarters yep, until the punt return triggered some wackiness.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Okay, you know Seahawks, Big edge special teams, Big edge
special teams.
Speaker 7 (26:44):
Yes, for sure. Final story, Colin is to the NBA,
where NBA All Star voting is complete and Lebron's streak
of being a starter for twenty one straight years is over.
He was edged out by young bucks like Wemby, Jokich,
Sga and Luka Doncic in the West starting five. I
know a lot of people are making a big deal
out of this. I'll remind everybody when Michael Jordan was
(27:06):
in his final year with the Wizards age thirty nine,
he was not voted an All Star starter. Vince Carter
gave up his spot so Jordan could get it. I
don't think this is a huge story. It's a young
man's game and Lebron, you know, got missed a couple
of games early for fourteen. Yeah, he's got good numbers.
He's averaging twenty three, six and six or whatever.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Lebron is not an NBA starter any long. Yeah, all
Star starter, he's not. You look at these players, you
know the kid that doesn't get a lot of press
because it's the pista cade. Cunningham is a great player.
Speaker 7 (27:39):
He's awesome.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
He is a great, great player. And you know you
get one superstar, the right coach, and some complimentary pieces.
Detroit has every opportunity to win the East as long
as Jason Tatum and is out right for the year.
Keep your eye on the Pistons.
Speaker 7 (27:56):
So so, I'm just curious. Do you see a situation
where Lucas says Lebron, hey, man, you're the man, love you, bro,
you can have my starting spot in the el stroke game.
Do you think Luca or anyone would do that?
Speaker 1 (28:07):
Listen, I think this whole you know Lebron's situation with
his agent. I think it's a little tense because these
new owners, they don't care. They're not beholden to any
great fading star. That's this franchise is Luca first, JJ
Reddick second, Austin Reeves third, everybody else. You can move
(28:28):
those chairs, everybody else, including Lebron. J Mack with the news,
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
herd Line News. I will defend the NFL getting rid
dismissing for the time being, many of them will get
second chances. Ten coaches. Urban Meyer right around the corner
(28:49):
on what he whiskness last night. Can Indiana keep doing this.
I mean, they had the sixtieth best recruiting class. Won't
it get better? Bloomington Tonight's town. They got nil money
to make of Indiana. Is it a one off? They
can't do this again?
Speaker 8 (29:04):
Right?
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Or can they? Urban Meyerneck.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
in newon Easter not a em Pacific.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
All right, welcome back, Well, I listen. In terms of talent,
Miami had more Sunday NFL bodies. In terms of efficiency,
Indiana is one of the best teams I've ever seen.
Urban Meyer three time national champ, two at Florida one
with a Buckeyes three time coach of the Year. Fox
Sports is joining us. So what let's start with this.
(29:38):
What was your big takeaway from the game.
Speaker 11 (29:42):
First of all, great show, great environment. That's what makes
college football is what it is. I was with Tbow
and we stood about fifteen yards away from where you
threw the jump pass in eight. So just great memories.
But I'm telling you this Miami outfit they're not going
away that on paper, Miami had a roster that I
(30:03):
stood next to Miami and Washington warm up that was
every bit of the old SEC dominant looking team, but
Indiana football right up there with the Vince Yon rung
and the Tableau jump pass and some of the other
iconic moments. The fourth and five QB draw and I'm
launching so I can't wait to see the bronze statue
(30:25):
in Bloomington of Mendoza diamond across the end zone and
one of the great all around football teams in college
football history.
Speaker 5 (30:33):
Incredible, incredible night.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
I said this because the NIL is keeping more and
more kids in college for a year, that the game
is getting older, and because of that, it's getting smarter.
You can you're dealing with twenty three and twenty four
year olds. Miami's got a guy that's gonna be twenty five.
And to me, it's a little more pro football, which
which people can be uncomfortable with. But the quality of defenses,
(30:56):
the quality the layering of the offenses in college football
last night Urban that felt thirty percent pro football. The
quality of coaching and play and bodies. I thought it
was a spectacular showcase of talent, coaching and maturity.
Speaker 11 (31:13):
Yeah. I was with Eric Shanks too, obviously that the
boss at Fox, and he mentioned this. He said, all
the chaos that's going on in college football, all the
negativity about nil this this, he looked at me, he goes,
keep bringing in the chaos.
Speaker 5 (31:26):
It's never been better.
Speaker 11 (31:27):
College football arguably has never been better for a lot
of the reasons. You just said, kids are grad I mean,
how about this, d I want to say, it's an
eighty percent jumping kids graduates playing college football. So they
are graduating. It's it's a phenomenal story. And you're seeing that.
You know who's going to watch for Oregon next year.
They're going to follow the same template that the Wolverines did,
(31:49):
Ohio State did, and now Indiana did, where you're having
grown ass men and you've got grown men in that
locker room instead of the eight.
Speaker 5 (31:57):
Year you're counting on. You used to come.
Speaker 11 (31:59):
I used to I was seventeen, eighteen, nineteen year olds.
These are twenty four year olds. So it's a it's
a phenomena that's really great to watch.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
So Indiana has been doing it with a lot of
three star guys. Now now everybody will say myself included,
well Mark Cuban now is on board. They can go
get five star guys. But I would say they just
wanted nanny went sixteen to no with three star guys.
Does Curtin Signetti have to be careful to keep this
culture which is very much team first. But listen, if
(32:30):
you get a five star left tackle, take him. But
would you be a little concerned that the culture could
take could veer off if you do start getting opportunities
to find five star kids everywhere?
Speaker 5 (32:42):
You know.
Speaker 11 (32:42):
The great story was back with Michigan State under D'Antonio
and defense coordinator paton Or Doosey and I talked to
one time about that, and they were them in Wisconsin
back in the day, were the best in the business.
In Utah Kyle Winningham taking that three star guy and
making him an NFL player, and then Michigan State started winning,
went to the Rose Ball, won the Rose Bowl, And
(33:03):
now all of a sudden, they're s getting.
Speaker 5 (33:04):
The highly highly, highly.
Speaker 11 (33:06):
Recruited guys to either for visit or sometimes come, and
you start to lose a little bit of that underdog
where the misfits we're going to just out, you know,
outwork you.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
So I think they got to be very cautious, and.
Speaker 11 (33:21):
I think the other thing he's got to be aware
of he's going to start losing that staff. Yeah, those
are those two coordinators. How they're not head coaches yet
they are what.
Speaker 5 (33:32):
They've done there.
Speaker 11 (33:33):
If there's ever more deserving of two coordinators that belong
to be a head coach, it's Shanahan and Haynes, a
two offensive defense coordinator in Indiana.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
I'll tell you, and I know people you know they
don't want to hear this, But for years and years
I said, even when I worked here at Fox, which
has a Big ten deal, I'm like, the games down
south look different. They're bigger, faster. Well, Ohio State last
year in Michigan, the year before Miami, the SEC doesn't
(34:03):
look the same. Alabama and Georgia do not look the same.
Oh Miss with that offense and all that movement and creativity,
that to me is the future of college football in
the South. Can we now say definitively and it Maybe
the GAP's not huge, but it does feel like Big
ten football. Oh Hi, look at all the quarterbacks coming
back next year, Mayava, Dante Moore, Julian sand It just
(34:26):
feels like the Big ten's better my eyes, That's what
it tells me. What does it tell you?
Speaker 11 (34:33):
I think that the Wolverines in Ohio State proved that
the Big ten is better at the highest level. But
what's happened Colin? Now there's depth in them. There's never
been depth in the Big ten. It used to be
the big two in Little eight back when I grew up. Now,
all of a sudden, you got Indiana, Oregon and you're
not even counting the Wisconsins and Michigan State, who used
to be very good. Pet State was down, the Wolverines
(34:56):
were down. So yeah, I think it's not only the
top now. Oh and this is actually so hard to believe.
The depth of the Big ten is greater than that
of the SEC.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Look how good Illinois was this year?
Speaker 11 (35:10):
Seriously hell out of them? I think Tennessee and then
Iowa beats Vanderbilt. Yeah, I think that the shifts and
I think saban or someone said the reason is is
they're paying kids to go up north.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
Now they are. What do you make of Fernando Mendoza.
Is there any I mean, I you know what it's
it's he's got How about this, he's got t bow software,
but Andrew luck hardware is that he's got all the
intangibles that t Bow had, humility and decency and just
(35:44):
this this commitment to the game. But he's got a
little Andrew Luck just big strong arm. I mean, have
you who would you who does he remind you of?
Speaker 11 (35:54):
I think t Bow in a lot of ways, just
because I know the kid now. He was on our podcast.
We covered him so much, text with the guy all
the time. He's the most respectful kid.
Speaker 5 (36:03):
You know.
Speaker 11 (36:04):
It just reminds me of Tim. And then you watch
him play and he throws his body around. So I
would say that Here's what's interesting, too, Colin, is that
you know, mid season, Todd McShay myself, we just were
talking and on air somewhere and I think his podcast.
We all felt he needed one more year because there
was a time to start the season he was okay
(36:26):
even mid season, just okay. And then he won on
a five game, five game run that made him a
bunch of money to be the number one pick. He
won the Heisman and now a national champion. He'll go
down as one of the great stories. And I didn't
believe he was ready to go to the NFL. I
do now what he's done the last five weeks. You
know he's going to go to the Raiders, I'm sure,
(36:46):
and they're going to try to build a franchise around
the guy. And I would not bet against what I witnessed.
And I'm close and got to know this guy. I
would not bet against that cat.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
Now, let's give Miami a little love. In that second
half urban hm, they looked a part that was I mean,
Indiana was holding on for dear life in the second half.
What did it feel like being there?
Speaker 11 (37:10):
Well, it's Miami had almost three of the yards offense
and they held in the end of the one fifty five.
It felt like a mismatch. It felt like Miami is
going to win the national title. But I'm sure coach
Chris de Ball is going to address this. They are
a mistake team. Yeah, They've been a mistake team all year.
And you think about the off sides by Baines, you
think about the pass interference penalties, and one of the
(37:32):
worst penalties of the night was that third and seventeen
face mask and then the play and then the play
Colin and they didn't even try to block the punt.
It was one guy out efforting another guy. That'll you know,
I mean, my heart hurts for that player and whoever
coaches that position. Walking in the office today, knowing if
they don't block that punt, I think Miami.
Speaker 5 (37:54):
Is the national champion.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
Yeah, no, they looked apart. Man. I love having Miami back.
A lot of people don't like Miami. I think there.
I love them.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
They're back.
Speaker 11 (38:04):
Colin there there. I felt it on the sideline. The
crowd is Miami. I was worried that with the Miami
crowd evens show up, Uh, that that program is not good.
They got money, they got a great place to go
to school, and now they are back.
Speaker 5 (38:16):
You watch Miami. H they're not going anywhere.
Speaker 1 (38:19):
Hey, by the way, you got some rich buddies, would
you try one more coaching stint if you got the
right nal guys.
Speaker 11 (38:26):
Hill, He'll no, No, great scenior coach, great sceni stay
war Oh.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
Right, Well, of course Chicago. The Sun's coming out maybe
in June, but it's coming out here eventually. Uh, the
great Urban Meyer Nick right top of next hour. Yeah,
I mean that second half that that block kick is it?
I mean, Miami looks the part and there's a way
to beat Indiana. Ohio State did a lot of it.
You gotta have skill players that can that can shorten
(38:54):
drives like Fletcher's run. Tony's an incredible talent for Miami.
He's a a freshman. So you got to have the
right kind of skill people to beat this Indiana team,
because you're not going to get fourteen play drive fifteen
play drivet. You got to go over the top. You
got to have better than average quarterback play. Carson Beck's
better than your average college quarterback, and you gotta be
You gotta be relentless, tough, disruptive, physical, and a little chippy.
(39:16):
You had to get Ohio State Miami. You gotta be
almost play through the whistle. There were some personal fouls
that were not called. One of them, I can't believe
helmet on helmet on Mendoza wasn't called. It wasn't whatever.
But but I mean you, Miami played and was coached
to beat Indiana. This is not on crystaball. I thought
(39:38):
their game plan was excellent. I thought from the beginning
of the game, I'm like, okay, this ten to nothing
at half, They've got to open up the offense. Saban
said that they had to open up the offense, and
they did. But I will say, Miami, that's how you
coach to beat the perfect team. You gotta be a
little chippy. You got to get in their head, hit
them a little late, bloody a lip and then you
got it. Then you need some great offensive skill down
(40:02):
the stretch, and between Tony and Fletcher they had it. So,
I mean that's Mario Cristobal for years has been well,
he's just a recruiter. I thought the game plan was outstanding.
I thought his staff was great, and I thought the
second half coaching for Miami. Listen, Miami was not very
good in me mid season, they were good enough to
win a Natty by the end of the year. That's
(40:23):
called coaching. So you can say whatever you want about
Crystal Ball being a better recruiter than the coach. I
thought they're coaching was great. I thought their game plan
that's exactly what you do. You write it down, chippy early,
lean on them, be physical, maybe a little inappropriate bloody ellip,
and then open it up at halftime. I mean Nick
Saban said it, they got to open it up. It
(40:43):
is exactly what they did. So I thought it was
a great game plan in a great season. Man, so exciting.
Oh J Mack, you know I love college football. A
lot of people are saying ten new coaches is over
the top all make an argument could have gone to
twelve and it would have been okay.
Speaker 7 (41:02):
A lot of people are often wrong. I mean, common
Jets could have fired Aaron Glenn. Nobody would have beat.
Speaker 10 (41:07):
It an eye.
Speaker 7 (41:08):
It would have been like, oh, yeah, that makes total sense.
I get that, I see that, and I'm sure you
can find another one somewhere around the league. All the
bad teams were really rotten this past year.
Speaker 1 (41:16):
Yeah, all right. In fact, there's only one team that
fired their coach that I disagree with. I'll talk about
that Nick Wright. Coming up hour two. It is a Tuesday.
We're live in Chicago.
Thanks for listening to 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 Foxsports Radio dot com,
or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Here we go on a Tuesday with all sorts of
activity in the coaching industry in the National Football League.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
We are live or in Chicago. It's the Herd wherever
you may be and however you may be listening, whatever
the platform. Thanks for making us part of your day. Well,
I was, like many of you, most of you watching
a sports talk show. I sat and watched Indiana Miami
(00:59):
last night, not only the first sixteen to OH team,
but for the first time I ever remember watching a
national championship in college football. It felt like fifty percent
NFL and I am here for it. College football rosters
are getting older, wiser. Miami's D line and O line
(01:21):
those are NFL bodies. Miami's got a defensive lineman about
to turn twenty five. Indiana, by design, is a roster
filled with mature twenty two and twenty three year olds,
both quarterbacks, three year starters. That's why Indiana played such
mistake free football. It's an older, smarter roster. What last
(01:42):
night allows is more sophisticated defenses. Miami's doing part zone,
part man de man on the same play you've got.
Indiana never fumbles, no errant snaps, They don't throw interceptions,
they rarely get penalized. Defenses offenses much more sophisticated. That's
(02:03):
why Sunday football has always been three times to four
times higher rated than college football. College football can be
regional and provincial and full of mistakes. It's rare that
you see a good college program with even decent special teams.
But college football has officially grown up, and last night
(02:25):
felt different. Three year starters at quarterback, players getting paid,
players staying in college longer. That's never a bad thing,
and the product on the field to me, reflects it.
Georgia won a national title in the early eighties and
completed one pass, no thank you, not interested. The SEC,
(02:46):
which has now fallen behind the Big ten. Notre Dame
in Miami has always felt two ground and pound, Oh
miss is the new way to win a lot of offense,
a lot of movement, some trickery and score point. Last night,
three of Indiana's biggest plays came after Kurt Signetty timeouts.
Very NFL feeling. Fernando Mendoza on that TD run talked
(03:10):
about expecting his own seeing man the man. It was
a little of both, and like Andrew luck Elway, Josh
Allen put his head down, got hammered and scored that touchdown.
I don't know. Indiana to me, is absolutely great for
college football. It's a football starved Midwest base alumni, huge
(03:33):
alumni that has always been in the shadow of an
Ohio State, a Michigan, a Penn State, a Wisconsin in
Iowa for football. To me, Indiana is a shining beacon
of hope. If you get the coach right, you got
a couple of well healed NIL boosters. You don't need
five star recruits. It'd be nice going forward to have some.
(03:58):
But suddenly you look around if you get the coach
right with the nil and transfer portal, and you ask yourself,
why not us? The Indiana football story was not possible
pre portal. It was not possible pre nil. You couldn't
have done this. Now you got to get the coach right,
(04:19):
and Kurt Signetti is like Nick Saban without the charm
and a little bit of a sense of humor. He's
got neither. He is dead serious, he is all business.
And the truth is Saban got funnier and more charming
after the rebuild was complete at Alabama. This is probably
right now for this time, what the Hoosiers need. But
(04:41):
last night was also what college football needed. A new story,
a new champion, a new way of doing business. That
is the greatest script ever written in the history of
college football. It was so totally cool and so totally
sixteen to zero perfect. Indiana deserved every part of last
(05:03):
night with this coach, the big boosters, they're going absolutely nowhere.
Ask yourself, are you the next Indiana? Why not Purdue?
Why not Michigan State? Why not Kentucky Football? Why not us?
(05:25):
Here's the humorless head coach, as brilliant as he is.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
After It's a great thing, Indiana win a national championship
two years into our tenure.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
You do it with people and a plan.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Can't say enough about our senior leadership and the people
we have in the locker room and the people we
have on our staff and we're sixteen and O and
we're I guess we're twenty seven and two since Indiana,
but we're sixteen and no. Sixteen national champions at Indiana University,
which I know a lot of people thought was never possible.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
A couple more natties and my guess he'll crack more
regularly a smile. There's a lot of tension in Buffalo today.
Buffalo is one of those great American cities where people,
despite the snowdrifts, are proud of being from there. Buffalo
(06:24):
has been a winning NFL city for a couple different
stretches in my lifetime, in probably yours, the Marv Levy,
Jim Kelly years and now the Josh Allen Sean McDermott years,
and now he's gone. And attention is because Brandon, being
the general manager since Josh Allen arrived, has what fifty
(06:45):
six draft picks? Two Pro Bowlers? Is he as many
your claiming kind of a suck up to the owner?
I was told months ago he's more of a cap
guy than a personnel guy. He's a smart guy, got
a little bit of an ego. But Buffalo fans and
media are a little bit tense today because of the firing.
(07:06):
But let me just say this, it's easy to do
the Pittsburgh thing. Hey, we're over five hundred A playoff
wins are overrated. It's hard to do what Buffalo did.
Sean McDermott was well liked and respected, ninety eight and
fifty with eight playoff wins. They just couldn't beat Mahomes
(07:27):
and Andy Reid join the club. What probably was his
undoing because we all thought he was safe after beating
Jacksonville in Jacksonville, a very good team. According to Vic Carucci,
a respected reporter covering the Bills for a long time,
five weeks ago, McDermott met with Brandon Bean and the owner.
(07:48):
McDermott and this takes some guts, sat down with his
two bosses and said, I don't think we have enough
all star level, Pro Bowl level talent to win a
Super Bowl. According to vich Carucci, it did not go
over well. So and I will say this, Buffalo found
(08:11):
ways to lose every January. They couldn't get the tush
push right. That was a year ago. The thirteen second
loss this year, five turnovers, and complaining about officiating as
bo Nix was more efficient than Josh Allen, but Dallas
and Jerry Jones it appears will no longer pay top
(08:32):
dollar for a head coach, and Pittsburgh, it appeared forever
was not willing to move off a coach who couldn't
win playoff games, and as far as I can tell,
Buffalo's willing to do both. So in their last six
playoff exits, you can blame Brandon Bean, you can blame
Sean McDermott. In their last six playoff exits with a
(08:56):
defensive coach and now a Bosa and previously a von Miller,
they're allowing on average thirty three points per game and losses,
So you can blame whoever you want. Something had to change.
You may not like the GM, maybe you'll miss the
head coach, but they're willing to take a swing. It's
(09:18):
so much easier to do the Pittsburgh thing. Nobody's offended.
Everybody in the building is happy. Yes, people from the
outside the dark side may criticize the Steelers, but hey,
we do what we do. Buffalo's a small town. They're
taking a big swing. I respect it. Albert brewed yesterday
(09:39):
on the move.
Speaker 6 (09:41):
There was a different feel in that building. The last
couple of months, more tension. I think, more pressure on everybody.
They realize that they've got in front of them the
opportunity that Josh Allen as a quarterback gives them. And
I think some of that's spilled out Colin after the
game on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Yeah, listen, I understand the engine. But you know, Jerry
Jones is ironic because he always talks about every time
he seeks a bargain, that's exactly what he gets. And
I feel like Jerry Jones should listen to his own words.
It feels like he's always trying to get a bargain
at head coach. Look around the playoffs. No Mahomes, no Allen,
(10:22):
no Lamar, no Burrow. Once you pay that star quarterback,
it doesn't matter if Andy Reids your coach, it's hard
to be great. Buffalo is suffering through what the Chiefs, what? Cincinnati?
Speaker 7 (10:42):
What?
Speaker 1 (10:42):
A lot of these highly compensated quarterback franchises are struggling
with their roster's got some holes, Buffalo's does Chiefs do right?
The difference is one of those franchises has the trophies,
but they're not just going to sit here and they're
they're gonna make a move and you don't have to
(11:03):
love the GM, but by and large, when we think
about the Buffalo Bills over the last seven eight nine years,
you know what we think, smartly owned, great quarterback, pretty
well run. That's why so many fee people are uncomfortable
with the McDermott stuff because he was a really good coach.
You didn't swing and miss on four, you swung and
(11:26):
connected on one. But it is time and it is
the kind of thing that can make the smaller town
that doesn't love change a little uncomfortable. But I think
it's the right move. I gotta tell you j McK
watching that game last night, Robert Salli got the Titans job.
We'll talk more about that. As I was watching that
(11:48):
game last night, I am not saying Andrew Luck is
John Elway or Andrew Luck the two best quarterback prospects
ever out of college. If you talk to longtime and
f guys, those are great prospects. But Fernando Mendoza on
that touchdown run that looked like Andrew Luck, that was
(12:09):
Andrew Luck is one of those guys, big fit kid
who actually seeks. Remember you Stowa say, I don't feel
like the game starts until I get popped Mendoza similarly
multiple times this year. W lip is bloodied off the
field back on like that that run that was so
Andrew luck I mean it was. It had a Josh
(12:29):
Allen Andrew Luckfield. And I'm he's not that kind of prospect.
He's a very good prospect. He's not that level of prospect.
But that run was. I mean, if you were on
the fence on Fernando Mendoza after that run, tear the
fence down. He's the number one pick.
Speaker 7 (12:45):
I think Tommy Frazier of Nebraska had an incredible run
against Florida National Championship. Remember that you Okay, this was
to me like the equivalent of that. It was a
big play fourth down. But here's the other thing. Mendoza.
I don't even think he had two hundred yards passing Colin,
but it was the important passes he needed. Third and seven,
boom got it, fourth and five got it. I'm just
(13:06):
telling you, man, I said a couple of weeks ago,
I see a young Tom Brady, not soup seven super
Bowl Brady, but like in the pocket, takes the hits,
keeps on ticking. This guy's a winner.
Speaker 8 (13:15):
Man.
Speaker 7 (13:16):
I'm if I'm the Jets. I have to at least
think about trading up or trying to for him. And
I know Raiders fans are gonna say no way, but
that kid looks special. Man, He's got everything you want
a quarterback.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
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Now, in addition to hearing us live weekdays from five
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Speaker 1 (13:48):
Yup, that's right.
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Speaker 1 (14:05):
Here's what the SEC should truly be concerned about. Miami
and Notre Dame. They're not in the big ten, maybe
the two best recruiters in the country as coaches, two
unique but magnificent college football brands, and both with massive
(14:26):
nil checkbooks. We all know the Big Ten is separated.
They'll be favored to win the Natty next year. They
already are. But with Mario Christobal, you're getting a highly
aggressive nil, a highly aggressive transfer portal team, and Dade
and Broward County probably the richest counties in the country
(14:51):
for high school football recruiting and Crystabaal has made it
his sole purpose to build a fence around Dade and
Broward and he is an unbelieve recruiter. So adding to that,
Miami's economy is on fire. It is the fastest growing
tech startup city in the country. Translation, there is an
(15:15):
ocean of cash in Miami now and they want to
spend it, and a lot of people want to spend
it on the U. It is their college program of choice.
So the consensus for twenty twenty six recruiting Mario Cristobal
in Miami and they're just starting had a better class
than Florida or LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, USC bought better
(15:41):
classes than anybody not named Alabama. Bama had a good one.
But for the record, Miami's now going to buy Duke's quarterback.
Reportedly he's good, he'll get better. Surrounded by Sunday bodies.
So the new reality of college football. If you look
at the odds, it is not just the Big Ten,
it is Miami and Notre Dame are going to be
(16:04):
a major problem. The top five odds to win next year.
The only SEC team is Texas and that is oil
money and the reason Texas is even in there reportedly
spending forty million dollars on next year's roster. So my takeaway,
(16:24):
the three best teams I saw play this year if
I had to vote today, number one Indiana, Number two Miami,
and number three Ohio State. Nobody in the SEC felt
like this physically punishing relentless defenses. Here's Mario Christobal after
the loss.
Speaker 10 (16:44):
Got to a playoffs for the first time in Miami history.
And then each four top ten teams beat seven top
twenty five teams, won the Fiesta Bowl, won the Cotton Bowl.
And you know what, I'll take full blame for where
one drive short of win in the National Championship. So
I don't see anything negative, but I do see pain
(17:05):
in moments like this, and we should if we're a
competitor that's worth anything.
Speaker 5 (17:10):
You feel it and you use it, and you give
those feelings a direction.
Speaker 10 (17:13):
I know the guys coming back will and I know
that the guys moving on will also use that as fule.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Hard enough to beat Indiana. Probably not going to do
it if you get a punt blocked and it becomes
a touchdown for the Hoosiers. But I thought Miami played great.
I think they played a smartly coach physical game with
the kind of skill players that can beat Indiana. The
only two teams I watched play Indiana this year was
not Alabama. I can assure you that the only two
(17:43):
teams that matched up with Indiana Ohio State and Miami.
And a lot of it was the checkbook. Sorry, a
lot of it was the checkbook. Good coaching, good cornerback play.
This is now a very administrative business, a little NFL,
a lot NFL. But Miami in Ohio State came the
(18:03):
closest and it started with grabbing a pen and signing
a check. J Mack with the news, Turn on the news.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
This is the herdline news.
Speaker 7 (18:16):
All right, let's dive right into the NFL head coaching situation.
The carousel is spinning wildly, uh Colin. Yesterday Jeff Halfley
from the Packers landed with the Miami Dolphins. Miami fans
are non pulse. Did I say that right? Nonplused by
the higher Halflee. You know he's fine, but he doesn't
bring Micae Parsons with him. Meanwhile, overnight there was a
(18:36):
big one that Tennessee Titans got Robert Salah from the Niners.
This is being Valley Hoot is a big time get.
They're curious to see who his offensive coordinator will be.
A lot of chatter about Mike McDaniel.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
That would be a good hire to me. Sala was
the best defensive coordinator this year. Mike McDaniel by next
year would be a top two to three offensive coordinator.
You could do far worse than Saul and Mike McDaniel.
And McDaniel now has head coaching experience. I think that
always helps for a coordinator. They sort of understand the
macro day to day play to play understanding a coach
(19:12):
has to deal with. I think Tennessee they didn't get
a John Harbaugh or a Stefanski necessarily, but Sala and
Mike McDaniel those I mean, listen, remember they work together.
Sala knows he's from the San Francisco tree.
Speaker 7 (19:26):
The only problem with that is If McDaniel absolutely cooks
and is awesome and cam Ward is great, McDaniel's going
to get a head coaching job, and so now you're
going for a third straight offensive coordinator. But that's kind
of the world. That's the way it works, right Colin.
If you hire a defensive coach and you've got a
great offensive coordinator, he's going to be in demand if
he does well well.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
I when a head coach thinks he's going to be
retained and gets fired, it can leave a sour taste
in your mouth. There are also worse places to live
in America than Nashville, Tennessee to a great and if
you start winning for the first time consistently since Rabel,
I could see Mike McDaniel saying, dude, all sign a
(20:09):
long pack here. And I also think Mike McDaniel's quirky.
He's not Campbell or Rabel or Sala. He was a
quirky higher I don't think he should have taken most
of the blame. That's more too in the GM. But
I don't think everybody's going to be lining up for
Mike McDaniel. I think he could go there for four
years and he and Robert Sala could win that division
(20:29):
multiple times.
Speaker 7 (20:30):
Well, there's a lot of chatter Tampa Bay wants him,
he likes Florida, the weather might want to stay in Tampa.
I'll just say this about Sala. They've got a couple
defensive pieces on the line, Jeffrey Simmons and a young
kid from Texas. Other than that, there's not a lot.
There's a lot of rebuilding to do. But we just
saw Sala with very little do a great job in
(20:50):
San Francisco. I will just say, here are the head
coaching openings still available. Pittsburgh Steelers, Wow, Baltimore, Ra's good job.
We know that Raiders is open, Cardinals, Browns, and Bills.
I think the Bills probably get their choice of guy.
I'm gonna guess they're gonna stay with Joe Brady. Would
you agree the OC?
Speaker 1 (21:13):
I don't know. I think no. Very interesting.
Speaker 7 (21:19):
How about this, Rick, Can you rank the seven vacancies
for me? We'll just give you Bills at one and
I guess Ravens at two because they have Lamar. What's
three on that list? Is it Raiders because of Mendoza.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
You know they've been so dysfunctional. But if you give
me Mendoza, brock Bauers, Ashton Genty, and I just have
to clean up the defense, was okay, If I have
to clean up the offensive line, I think the Raiders
are very interesting.
Speaker 7 (21:44):
So the Raiders are a better job right now than
the Steelers. Pittsburgh fans, I want to hear this, Colin,
They don't.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Right now, and they don't have now. The Steelers have
a lot of interesting draft picks. They also may move
up to get Tis Simpson, who appears to be clearly
the number two quarterback. So let's wait post draft. The
Steelers could look like a mess today. But if they
get the coach they want, and they get Ty Simpson,
(22:10):
you know, who's viewed as kind of a late first
round quarterback, then maybe I don't feel that way. I
would say the Steelers have not really been in the
let's find a new coach business for a long time,
so this is all very very new for them.
Speaker 7 (22:23):
Yeah, all right, Let's move on to Matt Stafford and
the Rams. They're playing Seattle in the NFC Championship Game.
It's on Fox this weekend. Stafford will turn thirty eight
a day before the Super Bowl. Colin and was asked
if he considers this his last shot at winning it all.
Speaker 8 (22:41):
I try not to think about that kind of stuff.
I just try to enjoy the team that I'm on
in the moment that i'm in. I love coming to work,
I love the group that we get to do it with.
These Like I said, opportunities don't come every single year,
so I just try to live in them and cherish
them when they're here. I sure hope it's not my
last opportunity, but we'll see. You never know, these these
games and these seasons one at a time and figure
(23:03):
it out from there. But I just know that I'm happy,
you know, happy in the moment than I am right
now doing what I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Well, here's the thing. I've thought a lot about this.
They have two first round picks, a second, a third,
couple of fifths, couple of six, couple of sevens. What
if you go to Stafford, because you know the contract now,
you go to Stafford and say, listen, we're not going
to draft a starting quarterback. It's not a good class.
We may draft a quarterback with one of our fifth
(23:31):
round picks. But what we're going to do if you
take the kind of deal that we'd like you to
take any extension are two First, we'll go get a tackle,
a corner, a star wide receiver that we're going to
take our elite picks and go one more great year
with you. He'll probably want a two year deal, but
I could see them saying, listen, we're not going to
go get a quarterback. Don't worry about that. We'll keep Garoppolo.
(23:52):
We got Stetson Bennett. It's not a good quarterback class.
We don't really like anybody but maybe Mendoza. And we're
just going to take all these top picks and we're
gonna make the old line better and the secondary better,
and we're going to make another Super Bowl run. Now
the following draft, Matt, we are going to go get
a quarterback. Our scouting department likes it. But I've thought
about this if you're the Rams and you're trying to
(24:14):
get because to me, Stafford's now a top five quarterback.
He's been healthy this year, he's playing great. The symmetry
with him and McVeigh is amazing. All these skill people.
I can see the Rams going, hey, we don't like
any of the core I mean, we don't gonna give
up six picks to go get ty Simpson and just
say the reality is we'll load up for one more
(24:34):
Super Bowl run. We'll attack all of our deficiencies, tackle corner.
I could see the Rams doing that.
Speaker 7 (24:41):
If you're looking for best storyline left in the playoffs,
it would be Stafford winning another Super Bowl. I think
that's undeniable. I know people are all aboard the drake
May train. He's got fifteen more years. Sam Darnold, you know,
reinvention stories excellent, but Stafford is the man and God,
I'm surprised even out here in LA you know, I
talk to people in the building. They're not given the
Rams a chance. Nobody is. This is people living in
(25:04):
Los Angeles thing off Seattle. It's a rap. Everybody on
your Seahawks. Any read on how that you think that's
gonna go?
Speaker 8 (25:12):
There?
Speaker 7 (25:13):
Big guy, you know where I'm leading.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
I don't think the Rams can play as perfectly as
they played in Chicago. No drop passes, no penalties, no picks,
And I think Seattle's better than Chicago, and that game
went overtime. Seattle should be favored, but last weekend, fewer
turnovers won every game, and Seattle is more reckless than
the Rams. Rams play at their best nearly perfect football.
(25:37):
I mean, I mean no penalties or one penalty. They
just don't get penalized. And so I don't think they
can duplicate the efficiency of last week because I think
Seattle's defense forces you into more mistakes, penalties, and turnovers.
To not have a drop pass in that Chicago weather,
that's incredible. So I don't think they'll be as clean.
(25:58):
But I do think they have what you need to
beat Seattle, and that is a defense that will speed
Sam Darnold up. And that's the way to beat Seattle.
Force Sam into a couple reckless throws, because you're not
just going straight up on Seattle. You've got to make
them uncomfortable because the Seahawks make everybody else uncomfortable when
(26:20):
you watch them play. They make Christian McCaffrey disappear. So
you have to make Seattle a little uncomfortable, and I
think the Rams are one of the few teams that
can do that with their defensive front.
Speaker 7 (26:31):
You remember that Thursday night game what six weeks ago?
But Rams did whatever they wanted for three and a
half quarters yep, until the punt return triggered some wackiness.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Okay, you know Seahawks, Big edge special teams, Big edge
special teams.
Speaker 7 (26:44):
Yes, for sure. Final story, Colin is to the NBA,
where NBA All Star voting is complete and Lebron's streak
of being a starter for twenty one straight years is over.
He was edged out by young bucks like Wemby, Jokich,
Sga and Luka Doncic in the West starting five. I
know a lot of people are making a big deal
out of this. I'll remind everybody when Michael Jordan was
(27:06):
in his final year with the Wizards age thirty nine,
he was not voted an All Star starter. Vince Carter
gave up his spot so Jordan could get it. I
don't think this is a huge story. It's a young
man's game and Lebron, you know, got missed a couple
of games early for fourteen. Yeah, he's got good numbers.
He's averaging twenty three, six and six or whatever.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Lebron is not an NBA starter any long. Yeah, all
Star starter, he's not. You look at these players, you
know the kid that doesn't get a lot of press
because it's the pista cade. Cunningham is a great player.
Speaker 7 (27:39):
He's awesome.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
He is a great, great player. And you know you
get one superstar, the right coach, and some complimentary pieces.
Detroit has every opportunity to win the East as long
as Jason Tatum and is out right for the year.
Keep your eye on the Pistons.
Speaker 7 (27:56):
So so, I'm just curious. Do you see a situation
where Lucas says Lebron, hey, man, you're the man, love you, bro,
you can have my starting spot in the el stroke game.
Do you think Luca or anyone would do that?
Speaker 1 (28:07):
Listen, I think this whole you know Lebron's situation with
his agent. I think it's a little tense because these
new owners, they don't care. They're not beholden to any
great fading star. That's this franchise is Luca first, JJ
Reddick second, Austin Reeves third, everybody else. You can move
(28:28):
those chairs, everybody else, including Lebron. J Mack with the news,
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
herd Line News. I will defend the NFL getting rid
dismissing for the time being, many of them will get
second chances. Ten coaches. Urban Meyer right around the corner
(28:49):
on what he whiskness last night. Can Indiana keep doing this.
I mean, they had the sixtieth best recruiting class. Won't
it get better? Bloomington Tonight's town. They got nil money
to make of Indiana. Is it a one off? They
can't do this again?
Speaker 8 (29:04):
Right?
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Or can they? Urban Meyerneck.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
in newon Easter not a em Pacific.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
All right, welcome back, Well, I listen. In terms of talent,
Miami had more Sunday NFL bodies. In terms of efficiency,
Indiana is one of the best teams I've ever seen.
Urban Meyer three time national champ, two at Florida one
with a Buckeyes three time coach of the Year. Fox
Sports is joining us. So what let's start with this.
(29:38):
What was your big takeaway from the game.
Speaker 11 (29:42):
First of all, great show, great environment. That's what makes
college football is what it is. I was with Tbow
and we stood about fifteen yards away from where you
threw the jump pass in eight. So just great memories.
But I'm telling you this Miami outfit they're not going
away that on paper, Miami had a roster that I
(30:03):
stood next to Miami and Washington warm up that was
every bit of the old SEC dominant looking team, but
Indiana football right up there with the Vince Yon rung
and the Tableau jump pass and some of the other
iconic moments. The fourth and five QB draw and I'm
launching so I can't wait to see the bronze statue
(30:25):
in Bloomington of Mendoza diamond across the end zone and
one of the great all around football teams in college
football history.
Speaker 5 (30:33):
Incredible, incredible night.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
I said this because the NIL is keeping more and
more kids in college for a year, that the game
is getting older, and because of that, it's getting smarter.
You can you're dealing with twenty three and twenty four
year olds. Miami's got a guy that's gonna be twenty five.
And to me, it's a little more pro football, which
which people can be uncomfortable with. But the quality of defenses,
(30:56):
the quality the layering of the offenses in college football
last night Urban that felt thirty percent pro football. The
quality of coaching and play and bodies. I thought it
was a spectacular showcase of talent, coaching and maturity.
Speaker 11 (31:13):
Yeah. I was with Eric Shanks too, obviously that the
boss at Fox, and he mentioned this. He said, all
the chaos that's going on in college football, all the
negativity about nil this this, he looked at me, he goes,
keep bringing in the chaos.
Speaker 5 (31:26):
It's never been better.
Speaker 11 (31:27):
College football arguably has never been better for a lot
of the reasons. You just said, kids are grad I mean,
how about this, d I want to say, it's an
eighty percent jumping kids graduates playing college football. So they
are graduating. It's it's a phenomenal story. And you're seeing that.
You know who's going to watch for Oregon next year.
They're going to follow the same template that the Wolverines did,
(31:49):
Ohio State did, and now Indiana did, where you're having
grown ass men and you've got grown men in that
locker room instead of the eight.
Speaker 5 (31:57):
Year you're counting on. You used to come.
Speaker 11 (31:59):
I used to I was seventeen, eighteen, nineteen year olds.
These are twenty four year olds. So it's a it's
a phenomena that's really great to watch.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
So Indiana has been doing it with a lot of
three star guys. Now now everybody will say myself included,
well Mark Cuban now is on board. They can go
get five star guys. But I would say they just
wanted nanny went sixteen to no with three star guys.
Does Curtin Signetti have to be careful to keep this
culture which is very much team first. But listen, if
(32:30):
you get a five star left tackle, take him. But
would you be a little concerned that the culture could
take could veer off if you do start getting opportunities
to find five star kids everywhere?
Speaker 5 (32:42):
You know.
Speaker 11 (32:42):
The great story was back with Michigan State under D'Antonio
and defense coordinator paton Or Doosey and I talked to
one time about that, and they were them in Wisconsin
back in the day, were the best in the business.
In Utah Kyle Winningham taking that three star guy and
making him an NFL player, and then Michigan State started winning,
went to the Rose Ball, won the Rose Bowl, And
(33:03):
now all of a sudden, they're s getting.
Speaker 5 (33:04):
The highly highly, highly.
Speaker 11 (33:06):
Recruited guys to either for visit or sometimes come, and
you start to lose a little bit of that underdog
where the misfits we're going to just out, you know,
outwork you.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
So I think they got to be very cautious, and.
Speaker 11 (33:21):
I think the other thing he's got to be aware
of he's going to start losing that staff. Yeah, those
are those two coordinators. How they're not head coaches yet
they are what.
Speaker 5 (33:32):
They've done there.
Speaker 11 (33:33):
If there's ever more deserving of two coordinators that belong
to be a head coach, it's Shanahan and Haynes, a
two offensive defense coordinator in Indiana.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
I'll tell you, and I know people you know they
don't want to hear this, But for years and years
I said, even when I worked here at Fox, which
has a Big ten deal, I'm like, the games down
south look different. They're bigger, faster. Well, Ohio State last
year in Michigan, the year before Miami, the SEC doesn't
(34:03):
look the same. Alabama and Georgia do not look the same.
Oh Miss with that offense and all that movement and creativity,
that to me is the future of college football in
the South. Can we now say definitively and it Maybe
the GAP's not huge, but it does feel like Big
ten football. Oh Hi, look at all the quarterbacks coming
back next year, Mayava, Dante Moore, Julian sand It just
(34:26):
feels like the Big ten's better my eyes, That's what
it tells me. What does it tell you?
Speaker 11 (34:33):
I think that the Wolverines in Ohio State proved that
the Big ten is better at the highest level. But
what's happened Colin? Now there's depth in them. There's never
been depth in the Big ten. It used to be
the big two in Little eight back when I grew up. Now,
all of a sudden, you got Indiana, Oregon and you're
not even counting the Wisconsins and Michigan State, who used
to be very good. Pet State was down, the Wolverines
(34:56):
were down. So yeah, I think it's not only the
top now. Oh and this is actually so hard to believe.
The depth of the Big ten is greater than that
of the SEC.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Look how good Illinois was this year?
Speaker 11 (35:10):
Seriously hell out of them? I think Tennessee and then
Iowa beats Vanderbilt. Yeah, I think that the shifts and
I think saban or someone said the reason is is
they're paying kids to go up north.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
Now they are. What do you make of Fernando Mendoza.
Is there any I mean, I you know what it's
it's he's got How about this, he's got t bow software,
but Andrew luck hardware is that he's got all the
intangibles that t Bow had, humility and decency and just
(35:44):
this this commitment to the game. But he's got a
little Andrew Luck just big strong arm. I mean, have
you who would you who does he remind you of?
Speaker 11 (35:54):
I think t Bow in a lot of ways, just
because I know the kid now. He was on our podcast.
We covered him so much, text with the guy all
the time. He's the most respectful kid.
Speaker 5 (36:03):
You know.
Speaker 11 (36:04):
It just reminds me of Tim. And then you watch
him play and he throws his body around. So I
would say that Here's what's interesting, too, Colin, is that
you know, mid season, Todd McShay myself, we just were
talking and on air somewhere and I think his podcast.
We all felt he needed one more year because there
was a time to start the season he was okay
(36:26):
even mid season, just okay. And then he won on
a five game, five game run that made him a
bunch of money to be the number one pick. He
won the Heisman and now a national champion. He'll go
down as one of the great stories. And I didn't
believe he was ready to go to the NFL. I
do now what he's done the last five weeks. You
know he's going to go to the Raiders, I'm sure,
(36:46):
and they're going to try to build a franchise around
the guy. And I would not bet against what I witnessed.
And I'm close and got to know this guy. I
would not bet against that cat.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
Now, let's give Miami a little love. In that second
half urban hm, they looked a part that was I mean,
Indiana was holding on for dear life in the second half.
What did it feel like being there?
Speaker 11 (37:10):
Well, it's Miami had almost three of the yards offense
and they held in the end of the one fifty five.
It felt like a mismatch. It felt like Miami is
going to win the national title. But I'm sure coach
Chris de Ball is going to address this. They are
a mistake team. Yeah, They've been a mistake team all year.
And you think about the off sides by Baines, you
think about the pass interference penalties, and one of the
(37:32):
worst penalties of the night was that third and seventeen
face mask and then the play and then the play
Colin and they didn't even try to block the punt.
It was one guy out efforting another guy. That'll you know,
I mean, my heart hurts for that player and whoever
coaches that position. Walking in the office today, knowing if
they don't block that punt, I think Miami.
Speaker 5 (37:54):
Is the national champion.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
Yeah, no, they looked apart. Man. I love having Miami back.
A lot of people don't like Miami. I think there.
I love them.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
They're back.
Speaker 11 (38:04):
Colin there there. I felt it on the sideline. The
crowd is Miami. I was worried that with the Miami
crowd evens show up, Uh, that that program is not good.
They got money, they got a great place to go
to school, and now they are back.
Speaker 5 (38:16):
You watch Miami. H they're not going anywhere.
Speaker 1 (38:19):
Hey, by the way, you got some rich buddies, would
you try one more coaching stint if you got the
right nal guys.
Speaker 11 (38:26):
Hill, He'll no, No, great scenior coach, great sceni stay
war Oh.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
Right, Well, of course Chicago. The Sun's coming out maybe
in June, but it's coming out here eventually. Uh, the
great Urban Meyer Nick right top of next hour. Yeah,
I mean that second half that that block kick is it?
I mean, Miami looks the part and there's a way
to beat Indiana. Ohio State did a lot of it.
You gotta have skill players that can that can shorten
(38:54):
drives like Fletcher's run. Tony's an incredible talent for Miami.
He's a a freshman. So you got to have the
right kind of skill people to beat this Indiana team,
because you're not going to get fourteen play drive fifteen
play drivet. You got to go over the top. You
got to have better than average quarterback play. Carson Beck's
better than your average college quarterback, and you gotta be
You gotta be relentless, tough, disruptive, physical, and a little chippy.
(39:16):
You had to get Ohio State Miami. You gotta be
almost play through the whistle. There were some personal fouls
that were not called. One of them, I can't believe
helmet on helmet on Mendoza wasn't called. It wasn't whatever.
But but I mean you, Miami played and was coached
to beat Indiana. This is not on crystaball. I thought
(39:38):
their game plan was excellent. I thought from the beginning
of the game, I'm like, okay, this ten to nothing
at half, They've got to open up the offense. Saban
said that they had to open up the offense, and
they did. But I will say, Miami, that's how you
coach to beat the perfect team. You gotta be a
little chippy. You got to get in their head, hit
them a little late, bloody a lip and then you
got it. Then you need some great offensive skill down
(40:02):
the stretch, and between Tony and Fletcher they had it. So,
I mean that's Mario Cristobal for years has been well,
he's just a recruiter. I thought the game plan was outstanding.
I thought his staff was great, and I thought the
second half coaching for Miami. Listen, Miami was not very
good in me mid season, they were good enough to
win a Natty by the end of the year. That's
(40:23):
called coaching. So you can say whatever you want about
Crystal Ball being a better recruiter than the coach. I
thought they're coaching was great. I thought their game plan
that's exactly what you do. You write it down, chippy early,
lean on them, be physical, maybe a little inappropriate bloody ellip,
and then open it up at halftime. I mean Nick
Saban said it, they got to open it up. It
(40:43):
is exactly what they did. So I thought it was
a great game plan in a great season. Man, so exciting.
Oh J Mack, you know I love college football. A
lot of people are saying ten new coaches is over
the top all make an argument could have gone to
twelve and it would have been okay.
Speaker 7 (41:02):
A lot of people are often wrong. I mean, common
Jets could have fired Aaron Glenn. Nobody would have beat.
Speaker 10 (41:07):
It an eye.
Speaker 7 (41:08):
It would have been like, oh, yeah, that makes total sense.
I get that, I see that, and I'm sure you
can find another one somewhere around the league. All the
bad teams were really rotten this past year.
Speaker 1 (41:16):
Yeah, all right. In fact, there's only one team that
fired their coach that I disagree with. I'll talk about
that Nick Wright. Coming up hour two. It is a Tuesday.
We're live in Chicago.
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Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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