08-28-25 Mark Johnson with KOA Sports

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's a new era.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
I've seen you football as we head out to the
Chatoway cowspirit Hell Highline and bring on the Voice of
the Buffalo's Mark Johnson joining us here Nate Jackson in studio.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Mark, it's always great to catch up with you, my friend.
How are you.

Speaker 3 (00:13):
Clerrel? And you only say those things about somebody about
once every twenty years. You'd see that like that, And
I'm not sure we're going to see that the Tramp
and Hunter for a long time.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
No, it certainly doesn't feel like that, and I think
that's led to a lot of people wondering what this
season is going to look like.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
And the expectation is kind of all over the place.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
And it's not to say that there isn't plenty of talent,
because it certainly looks like it's a very talented team.
But I guess we'll start in the big picture here, man,
what's your expectation for the season.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Kana football team. You're not going to see the high
wire acts of Shador standrews Rama Dunder. I think this
is going to be a much more run oriented team.
I spent the time yesterday with Pat Shermer and here
right right we're talking about that very thing. He's very
high on the Liberty transfer that's starting to get Quarterback
Cage Pelter, who's got a dynamic running ability and as

(01:03):
a britty darn good pattered in four years at Liberty
through for nearly six out in the yard and almost
seventy touchdowns total over the course those four years. So
they put him behind a bunt improved offens line. They
brought in four new starters. Jordan Steaton is the only
offensive quarter back from a year ago, and so I
think it's gonna be a much more run oriented team

(01:23):
out of the ground of town kind of deal. And
then he'll him winging around a little bit because the
one thing we know about Deah Standards knows how to
identify wide receiver in defensive backs, and they've got plenty
of them to see and they guy, I'm like, it's
Alden like the Broncos. I think the defense that the
Buffs have might be as good as any of the
Big twelve. And I'm speculating a little bit, but I'm
telling you what, it's your two for patter, Rob Livingson

(01:44):
rather and I like what they've done. They brought in
some really athletic linebackers and really bultered that defensive front.
So I think it's gonna be a defensive strengthened team
and then the team that's gonna run a football and
do so. A lot of consition the basis please text
the Hope.

Speaker 1 (01:58):
Anyway, Ark, you mentioned Coach Prime.

Speaker 4 (02:01):
He had some health issues in offseason. He was absent
for a while. He's back, He's coaching this team. How's
he doing. What's the vibe around Coach Prime? He's the
inspirational leader to this team. He means so much to
the team. What's your sense on how Coach Prime is
handling all this?

Speaker 3 (02:16):
You know, Nate, he and I just did our show
yesterday and somebody, it looks fantastic. Act a normal this
can be And the one thing he cantend if I've
gotten you too, after the years being around Prime, I mean,
he is all energy, all motivation, he's all does all.
I mean, he's really an interesting guy to be around.
Now he's deal with some you know, some continuing health

(02:39):
issues or lifestyle issues. He talked openly about that during
his print conference, and I can't imagine that's gonna affect
him in any way, you know, that we're going to
really notice from a coaching standpoint, because I'm telling you
what the way he's been, it's been all in. So
if you're around him right now, you don't notice any
difference in him whatsoever in terms ofcount of the day
to day how he's handling himself. And like I said,

(02:59):
he look fantastic right now channing with.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
Mark Johnson voice the buffs. Now, I want to go
back to the offensive side of the ball. I like
the idea of a really good running attack. I think
that's going to be good for this team. But you
had to replace so many wide receivers, right, I mean,
some of these guys making that jump to the NFL level.
I know Sincere Brown and the Campbell's the guy that
people are pretty excited about. What's that wide receiver corps
look like?

Speaker 3 (03:22):
Well, it looks like it always does, Fran I mean,
it's like I said, he identifies those body types. And
so look look at the four guys that are wide
receivers during the NFL right now, just got when they
made the cut to fifty three, four guys made NFL runchers,
and the guys he's broughten in look the same way.
I mean, they're all six two sick three. Brown's actually
six foot five. I did an interviewed with him a

(03:42):
couple of weeks ago. He said, pols I am a big,
long rangey kind of guy. But you've got a couple
of Williams, a young man, both transfer guys. One Joseph
one first name, that's taking with me right now, but
another transfer guy. There are six two six three and
that two ten the two fifteen range. And then you
bring back to the two Miller Miller boys. They should
say they're not brothers, but they're both named Miller, Omyra

(04:05):
Marion and dray Lawn and they were both on the
team a year ago and kind of got lost in
the shuffle of all the talent they had there. I
think they're both NFL guys. I m I remember Omarion
Miller had one huge game for the Buffaloes last year.
He broke out because there was some injuries that had
you know, by a couple of hundred yards and a
couple of touchdowns. And a Draylon Miller might be the guy.
You know we were joking about not saying same unda

(04:27):
a freaker and alien Draylon Miller might have a chance
He's extremely versatile guy, plays running back, plays in a
slap and put him out wide on occasion. He really
is kind of an interesting athlete. And so they're loaded
a wide receiver once.

Speaker 4 (04:39):
Again, Mark, could you talk a little bit about Kayden
Salter the quarterback and sort of his skill set and
his experience and how that's going to be valuable to
this team.

Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yeah, you know, he's played a lot of football. He
and the Cape wasn't the quarterback at Clemson, I think
had scored are responsible for the most touchdowns total in
the last two seasons in college football as quarterbacks guys
that are still playing. They both have sixty six centsdowns.
One of them rushed for twenty one, the other of
a nineteen. So he's a very dynamic guy in terms

(05:11):
of the the athletic system. When I talked to Prime Minster,
he said why him, He said, well, he's been there,
he's done it, he's seen it, he's been part of
a football There's nothing he's going to surprise him because
he's played four years where he was competing with Judge Lewis,
who I think is going to be a star. By
the way, he was the number two high school quarterback
in America coming out and really has the chance to
be I think, spectful and unique. But you know, he's

(05:32):
seventeen years old. Guys. He don't durn eighteen until he
ended September. He graduated early, so he's missing his senior
year of high school to be in college right now.
And so that was the competition really coming down of
track for the quarterback position. They went with Salter because
of how dynamic he is with his seat and how
maturity is with his head and what he's seen from
an experience standpoint. And when I was sitting with Pat

(05:55):
Shermery yesterday we got talking about it, I said, is
he as good answer as you did? He goes ark
he's better than people think. And so they seem sold
on him that they think he could really have a
breakout year and kind of become a national name at quarterback.
And if he's running behind you know, the kind of
line they hope they have, I think that's the possibility.

Speaker 2 (06:14):
Yeah, a lot of optimism there assaults I heard when
I when kut Frum was talking a couple of days ago,
he may sort of sound like, oh, this is sort
of a matter of fact. But the one thing that
was interesting about that. He said, Julian Lewis is going
to work into the game. What do you think that
looks like they're they're going.

Speaker 3 (06:29):
To have a package for him. Now, no one does
that look like eight ten plays the game. The one thing.
And and by the way, he and Pat Shermer are
very very close. H you know, Patty when I'm talking
to Patty said, he's almost like a son to me.
So they're they're that close and known him for a
long time. And and so that said, we're gonna be
very careful and kind of soon feed him, make sure
they put him a position where he can be successful,

(06:50):
right And and so they've got a package for him.
He's the kind of guy, guys, when you want him
that blow comes out on time, on target, and it's
at tight viral and he really has an opportunity. And
I now, you know, when Gary Barnett, my partner, watches
a film Money, he says, part he's really talented, and
he said, like any young quarterback, you've got to learn
to play with some traffic in your face and kind

(07:11):
of how to deal with all that. So that's going
to be part of the learning curve. So They're going
to be very careful how they use him and put
in the positions where he can be successful. He kind
of helpedil that confidence that he's that he you know,
is going to need at this level. But they love
him a lot. They think he is the next star quarterback.
You know, we're really going to have Cayden Salton for
one year here at Color but I've always got left

(07:31):
to play, and then then it's Julian Lewis the team
until they want him to kind of be if I
can borrow that fraition from the NFL, the franchise guy
for the next three years after this and and so
they're going to slowly kind of work him in. But
but don't be surprised if you see him in the
first game. I bet they've got eight ten plays where
they kind of look at saying this circumstance, we can utilize,
you know, his talents out there and start to kind of,

(07:52):
you know, give him a baptism if you will.

Speaker 1 (07:53):
Man, I'm so excited about this.

Speaker 2 (07:55):
Tomorrow Night's bus Georgia Tech last one for you, Mark,
always appreciate man, just to our night's game. Let's let's
talk about it for just a moment. You know, see
you hosting this game. Yeah, Georgia Tech is favored in it.
And I think we kind of understand because you don't
really know what to spec expect from CU.

Speaker 1 (08:09):
What are you expecting tomorrow night?

Speaker 3 (08:12):
Well, I think that's that's the reason, right. You know,
Vegas doesn't know what to think of Colorado because you
took out the Marque guys from a year ago and
then so there's wonderings about what the buss are. Listen,
I think Georgia Tech is. They come in off of
two consecutive seven wins seasons back to back all years.
They've got Haines King a very athletic an other guy's
gonna run. This might be the first time in my

(08:34):
twenty one previous season doing a game at CEU where
I'm watching two quarterbacks who are primary runners. Because you're
gonna see that tomorrow night. Both of these guys have
put up huge numbers two years ago, Haines staying at
one thousand yard rushing season and guys, remember we saw
him he came in here and with that twenty and
twenty one where Klimu have played a top ten team
at Texas A and m at Mile heighth Stadium. He

(08:55):
was the starting quarterback for A and M that day
and broke the lake halfway through the first quarter. So
the second time the buff will get a chance to
play against him. But they've got him, They've got a
dynamic running back which considered maybe the best in the ACC.
They've got high expectations. They believe they compete for they
can compete for an a SEC championship, and so they're
coming into this thinking this is a tough game. Yes,

(09:18):
but again that kind of puts some on the map
for a great season. So I think it's an interesting
storyline of many a front. And then of course there's
the thirty five year debate about who should have won
the nineteen ninety national championship, Georgia, Sack or Colorado. What
do we find out the other day everything we thought
about Tom Osbourne turned out to be absolutely true. He
voted to bust down, and so that becomes another sidebar.

Speaker 2 (09:40):
For this game as well said absolutely, I was just
thinking about that a little bit ago.

Speaker 1 (09:46):
Really quick, Rolfie, what are we doing here? What's going on?
What's the latest? Are we going to have a running
Ralphie or not not?

Speaker 3 (09:54):
Tomorrow night we're not going to now they do have
another running back. But by the way, and that release
came out and they said the reason they were retiring
her is because she had an indifference to running. I
thought that makes read that right. Or so Emperor or
Ralpie six is going to retire, so he's off into

(10:16):
you know, hanging out and meeting grants and uh now
the new Ralphie seven, who they have had around for
a few months, they continue to train her. They're hopeles
that you'd be ready for game one. I think they're
hoping for you know, down the road, Game two, three, four,
whatever it's going to be. But we'll see Ralpie seven
at some point this season.

Speaker 2 (10:31):
Outstanding, Mark, I can't wait to hear you back on
the radio, my friend. Thank you so much for the
time tonight. We always appreciate it.

Speaker 3 (10:36):
Thanks Mark, Okay, thank care so all right?

Speaker 1 (10:39):
Feel eyes Mark Johnson