The Kyle Bailey Show: Roman Harper

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We were talking about the twenty twenty six Hall of
Fame class for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Earlier today,
the Hall of Fame announced the one hundred and twenty
eight Modern era players nominated for the Class of twenty
twenty six. Thirteen of those players eligible for the first time,
including Drew Brees and Philip Rivers, who we were just
talking about there In the previous segment. Texter two three

(00:20):
one just said, I fear sports Hall of Fames are
turning into the Hall of Good?

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Is that true?

Speaker 1 (00:25):
Or is just time marching on and people are and
more people are being added?

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Like is it?

Speaker 1 (00:29):
Do you really feel like, how many Hall of Fames
do you think are really in danger of turning into
the Hall of Good? Or is it simply some of
us have been on the earth for multiple decades and
they're just adding more people into the Hall of Fames,
more of the latter. But the only one that really
has done that, I think is basketball, just because you
include college.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
And then guys like Mitch Richmond are getting into hall.

Speaker 3 (00:48):
No offense to Mitch Richmond, but okay, and the fact
that there's probably a legit chance that Draymond Green is
going to make the Basketball Hall of Fame, sure, but
football I still think it's they're making it tougher again
because of the limited amount of modern era finalists that
get in per year.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
Now Yeah, yeah, I don't know.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
I mean you say it's I think it's dependent upon
which Hall of Fame you're looking at, to Smoke's point,
but this is the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and
so you know, I think those making the case for
Cam Newton that are referencing Auburn and the Heisman Trophy.
I won't pretend that it doesn't matter at all, but
there's a college football Hall of Fame that exists for
great college careers.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
This is about that, No sure.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
And our next guest, a good friend of the show,
Roman Harper, played with a guy who's headlining that list
and is about to be a lock first ballot Hall
of Famer, and that's, of course, Drew Brees, former Saints
in Alabama and Carolina Panthers safety SEC Network analyst our
buddy Roman Harper back with us for his Wednesday conversation.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
What's up, Rome?

Speaker 4 (01:43):
How are you yo? What's good? How do you guys
do it? Actually? I've had a I'm blessed, how he's
favorite cop. Honestly, Yeah, I'm yeah, man. I got to
play some golf today. I've hung around my kids. They're
pretty busy. I got to take them driving around a
little bit. Where else would I'd rather be? You know, world,
It's been a good day, kind of deale with most
of my work for the week, it's it's been a grind.

(02:04):
I've been back and forth, couple great campuses. It's been good.
I like, how can I complain? I like that as
Panthers one, you know, how can anybody complain? Right now?
That's true, you can, but you know, good luck.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
Well, what did I as you mentioned it? What over
the Falcons? Almost nobody saw that coming? What did you
think of it?

Speaker 4 (02:24):
Congrats? You know, winning the game, getting a couple turnovers,
a square on defense like that always helps, and so
winning in different ways than you imagine, especially especially for
a big rivalry game, I guess quote unquote divisional game
for sure. So it always counts two and so that
that's good. You handled your side of it. But at
the end of the day, it's kind of exactly where

(02:46):
you think the Panthers are going to be, and so
continue on this journey. It's not written, it's not the
end all. It's still just the season. And so you
got to remember this. You can't get caught up emotionally
on one or two losses in between, because ultimately, what
is your vision of this team, whatever it may be,
whether it's seven wins, eight wins, nine wins, you still
got to get there. And so it was good that

(03:07):
they actually split or have a chance to split with
Atlanta within the division. That gives you a chance. All
you got to do is win the division. Don't don't
get don't get too caught up on how many games
you play, remember the ones that count more than others.

Speaker 1 (03:18):
It's a week to wid Yeah, and you know this
better than anybody in this conversation. It's a week to
week league. I mean, you could look awful one week
and the next week you can look fan. I mean
the Panthers have done that. Like, it's so hard to
win in this league, Roman that you know, you'd like
to believe that what you saw Sunday is the start
of more wins and more good football, but you just
you never know.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
In the NFL.

Speaker 4 (03:37):
Well, it also helps Kyle when you don't start off
with two turnovers. You know, yeah, you know, let's just
go over here and put ourselves right over here by
this eight ball and try not to hit it right.
It's like, okay, So from there you got to build
from so to sometimes learn how to win, you got
to learn how not to lose it. So that's that's
also a mindset too, okay, and then it's proof in
the pudding. So once you get it done or you

(03:58):
execute it, now feel better. We can do these things.
You've got to learn how to win in the league,
especially with a whole bunch of young guys. New coach,
new staff knew a lot, and you know, at some
point winning brings you together. So congrats to them and
getting to win, because they're not always they're not they're
definitely not guaranteed in the league, and they come hard,
and so that's why you should celebrate them when you

(04:19):
get them. I appreciate them as well, and then learn
from it.

Speaker 1 (04:21):
I've known you for a while now, We've done a
lot of work together. But I don't know how you'll
take this question. It's about quarterbacks and Bryce Young specifically.
I mentioned Drew Brees a second ago. When Bryce was
coming out of Alabama, one of the very popular comparisons
or things that people said about him was, you know,
he's kind of like Steph Curry at the quarterback position.
But when it came to, you know, actually comparing him

(04:41):
to other previous quarterbacks, Drew Brees did come up a
number of times. Now that was largely I think undersized
quarterback without the rocket arm of Cam Newton Josh Allen.
But he still succeeded in the highest way with you
and your team in New Orleans. As you watch Bryce,
just kind of looking back to some of those comparisons,
do you still see any of Drew Brees when you
watch him?

Speaker 2 (05:00):
Player? Was that a comp that didn't make sense to you?

Speaker 4 (05:04):
I don't know if it made sense, but I mean
I could get it. Bryce's a lot smaller than Drew.
I mean a lot smaller, meaning like two inches, Yeah,
whatever that means. But at the end of the day,
I get it because he's accurate. He has the ability
to anticipate. He hits windows tight window throws that you
know I used to look systems and fits matter, right,

(05:29):
It's not just about a coach and a player, and
this player, no matter where he went to, no matter
where he was at at the timing, as well, like
that wouldn't matter. That's wrong. Not everybody's that type of talent,
Like those are Eric Dickerson's, Dion Sanders, different Hall of Famers,
another level of it, right, the ones that truly truly
changed the game, and Drew did in his own way,

(05:50):
so he will be a Hall of Famer, But Drew
wasn't a Hall of Famer till he got with Sean Payton,
and Sean Payton wasn't a Hall of Fame type of
coach that he got with Greg Williams on defense. Right,
So it's these effects with the players that all match
at the right time to help you achieve what you're
able to achieve. Because Drew isn't Drew without the Saints.

(06:11):
In that journey trajectory where he had all these he
had Colston, Devree Henderson, you know Lance More. He also
had Robert Meacham, you know Jimmy Graham, all these players
that came in that fed into this offense, Jeremy Shockey,
Reggie Bush. But you go all in deuced. So it's
different levels of it as well. This thing continue to evolve.
So Drew isn't Drew without Sean and Shawn isn't Sean

(06:34):
without Greg and that whole Saints Super Bowl run with
Vilma and all the guys on defense as well. So
Will Smith included Charles Grant, so that part all helps.
It's not just singular one person with everybody. Does that
make sense. It's not just a talent that was able
to travel and pick up and go and still be
great no matter where he was. That's different as far

(06:56):
as Hall of Fame talk.

Speaker 1 (06:57):
Okay, all right, well, let let's pivot back to the
SEC here because I've got some interesting things to ask you,
some really big stuff happening this week, and I want
to start with Oklahoma. You know, that was a big
game last week in Norman against Auburn, and you know,
Oklahoma comes out on top twenty four to seventeen. The
officiating was a big part of that story, Jackson Arnold
saying his old team, all that stuff.

Speaker 2 (07:18):
But Oklahoma gets to win.

Speaker 1 (07:20):
But then we find out yesterday that John Mattier is
going to be out for the foreseeable future. Was the Heisman,
you know, leading odds to win the Heisman at this
point in the season. What does that do to their season?
His injury and where do you think Oklahoma goes from here.

Speaker 4 (07:34):
Clearly, it can derail it. But luckily you saw last
year that you know, the committee, those that pick, they
do take injuries into account, and so they have a
four or five game stretch where you hopefully he's able
to come back still better. I don't even know what
the injury is, you know, so.

Speaker 2 (07:52):
Yeah, hey, it's like a hand or thumb, right, like
a thumb injury.

Speaker 4 (07:56):
How did it happen? What?

Speaker 3 (07:57):
Like?

Speaker 4 (07:57):
I don't even know. I'd have to have way more details. Yeah,
right for me to actually like really really speak on it.
But it can totally derail this This Oklahoma team who's
really really good on defense. So they'll be in a
lot of games because of their defense and their defensive
line specifically. But outside of that, you know, the committee

(08:18):
does weigh into account about the injuries. Hopefully, you know,
by the time he comes back to have a chance,
but he has to protect himself. I've noticed that about
Jeome Materier all year long. It's great, but Oklahoma at
some point had to gain a traditional run game. That
has been their one weakness is being able to run
the football from the running back position consistently. Jehnmetier has

(08:38):
been able to make plays with them with his legs,
but you don't want to win that way long term.
The SEC season is way too long, way too physical.
That's why they don't run him in the league. And
the secs as the close as you're going to get
to the league. So that's just part of the game.
But we're going to see if you lose two games,
you can still get in the playoffs. They said that
last year.

Speaker 1 (08:58):
That's true, and I'm looking at the SEC he's standings
right now, and much like other conferences, it doesn't look
like we thought it would look. As we go into
week five of the college football season. Currently, Ole miss
sitting atop the conference at two and o LSU. Of course,
you know they were expected to be in the mix.
But the Missouri Tigers sitting near the top of the
conference right now. They just beat South Carolina this past

(09:19):
week in twenty nine to twenty, ran the ball pretty
much at will, and they overcame a nice night from
Lenora's Sellers too. How good is Missouri in your mind?

Speaker 4 (09:28):
I think Missouri Missouri is a really good team because
they know who they are. They got a really good
running back and Ahmad Hardy who's the perfect marriage for
this outside zone stretch run team. Bok Bula throws the
ball a lot better than I, and I didn't know.
I just didn't know. I was ignorant to the sense
of how good he could actually throw the ball because
Penn State never asked him to do that. So so

(09:50):
that that's kind of the perfect marriage with the right synergy.
Some of the guys on the outside, Marquise Johnson, a
wide receiver number two, He's making some plays and you know,
so they're fitting together. They also have a long schedule
ahead of them, and so Missouri has a chance, an
outside chance too if you do go down, go down
just enough, or lose the right games, and they have

(10:13):
an outside chance definitely to be in the playoffs. And
if not, then just go win them all and keep
it rolling. So Missouri is a really good team. Who
knows they are. They rotate a lot of different guys
and Josiah Trotter, I think I talked to him about
you last week or the week before you in the
middle of the defense. The dude is a player. I'm
telling you, nobody's watching, but like he shows up on tape.

(10:35):
That's all I'm saying. That's all I know. And also
the other thing about Missouri that I like is their
corners tackle. And so for me and an NFL terms mindset, Kyle,
you know that's how talk are try and come from
this base of that. The toughness of your defense will
be judged upon how good your corners tackle, because they
always just crack down. Make the corners tackle. That's how

(10:57):
run games are built, right, I'll run a back could
beat that guy, he don't want to tackle him. Well,
if your DB's and your corners tackle, you're a tough defense.
And that's what Missouri shows as well. Those things show
up on tape. And so because of that, they always
got a fighter's chance. I don't care who they're playing,
send their whole schedules at home.

Speaker 1 (11:14):
It is, yeah, And they just beat South Carolina, which
is where I'll go next. South Carolina goes back home
this weekend they host Kentucky. Kentucky comes into and one.
South Carolina feels like they're in a very big spot
right now. They had lost the previous week Lenora Sellers
went down. You could understand that, but they couldn't find
a way to beat Missouri. And again, it's a good team.
But this again feels like they're all big in the SEC.

(11:35):
We know that all these games are important, so that's
I don't.

Speaker 4 (11:37):
Want to be I don't want to be big spot Right.

Speaker 1 (11:40):
They're all big, but you know you've lost back to
back games and you're zero to two in the SEC.
That's not where you want to be. Critical game. Where
where can they get better? What can they do better
against Kentucky to get things back on track and get
this first conference win?

Speaker 4 (11:54):
Run the football? They can't run the ball. Cop They
had negative yards versus Missouri negative and I know that
includes sex, but still negative. Nobody else is doing that,
all right, And so Kyle, I try to look at
the numbers because you know, I have people that helped
me with those things. And so compared to their wins
and losses of last year, right, and their wins they

(12:15):
were rushing back one hundred and ninety some yards one
hundred and eighty, one hundred ninety yards, and their losses
was one thirties, one twenties. Dude, they're not even close
to that right now as a team. They're under hundreds.
They're in the eighth maybe in the eighties. So they
got to find ways to be more effective running the
football and then Allowora Sells the Noora Sellers and his

(12:36):
great playmaking ability to flourish off of that. They hadn't
been able to do that, and so I don't know
where they go until they're able to show that. And
then also defensively, a team that's able to just run
right at them the way Missouri did will always have
an advantage towards what South Carolina's trying to do, especially

(12:56):
if they don't turn the football over. So South Carolina
is big on that. Also, Swain did not have a
return for touchdowns. So special teams has also been a
big reason why this South Carolina team's been special. So
you got to try and win that game too. So
if they don't win that, then how do they win
the game? Ultimately, two out of the three you know, defense,

(13:17):
special teams, offense, you got to at least win two
of those, and last week they didn't do that, So
you got to find a way to still a possession
of something on special teams as well. All right, that's
an advantage.

Speaker 1 (13:26):
Let's look to this week. Then, all right, we got
a big one and you know which one.

Speaker 4 (13:29):
You know who the quarterback is for Kentucky. I have
no idea that. Also, I have no idea who's gonna
play quarterback.

Speaker 2 (13:35):
I believe I don't know, I believe you.

Speaker 1 (13:37):
But the game that more people are going to care
about this weekend, Alabama Georgia both teams do, I know
you do? Most people will both teams coming off of
bye weeks. Alabama thumped Wisconsin. They've had the week to
get healthy. Georgia got out of Knoxville with a big win.
They get the week to get healthy. How do you
feel about this matchup? Obviously you know both these teams well,
Alabama better, but you know, I think Todd Simpsons played

(13:59):
pretty well. It's a three and a half point game
according to Vegas and Georgia's favor How do you think
this thing plays out well?

Speaker 4 (14:07):
Number one? Kyle. I'm so excited that I'm going to
be there in Athens for this game. So it's really fun.
The atmosphere, the environment, it's going to be awesome. Shout
out SCC nextion, I'll be there. But anyways, the crazy
thing is, I don't really know how this game is
going to play because there's so many emotions that everything

(14:28):
involved in this game, all right, Kirby Smart lost like
one game at home since like twenty nineteen, and the
fans are literally like, can Kirby do it? Right? Yeah?
Can he actually beat Alabama? That's crazy? They sound bananas
and they know that, and so you have those emotions
that are into it. And also it's also Alabama beating

(14:49):
Georgia's kind of what they do, So how are their
confidence going? But then at the end of the day,
that's off the field. On the field specifically, Tennessee showed
that Georgia can be beat downfield, and Alabama naturally has
this offense that they want to be a downfield passing team.
They want to attack teams vertically down the field, threaten

(15:09):
him in two to three four different layers of their
defense vertically, and they have the receivers to do it.
Really good guys, NFL guys on both players. Three receivers
will be drafted or have NFL potential on Alabama's roster.
That's not a question, not even counting the younger ones.
Hey kids, chill, sorry about that, and so life Kyle,

(15:30):
you already know it. Yeah, And so that is a
if Alabama can protect the quarterback. And so Alabama's starting
to try and build some things out to be able
to make Ty Simpson calm down, make protect him when
he's protected and feels comfortable. He's played really well, exactly
what you led to, Kyle. He has done well when
his feet they're not all over the place. What Florida

(15:51):
State did to him speed him up, he wasn't. You
could just tell he's playing at a different pace versus
where he's played the last few weeks. And so that
part is has to play a part in it. Protecting
him first and then allow him to make the right decisions.
He will do that, and so and George is not
unbeatable defensively, and so all of those aspects played the

(16:13):
very very interesting side of it. And also Alabama has
defensively did not play well versus Florida State, and so
those things are out there too. How can Georgia test
Alabama's eye discipline on defense and then go attack them
vertically because they showed the ability to be able to
do that too. It's gonna be a lot of different ways.
I'm really excited about this.

Speaker 1 (16:32):
I'm pumped to I really am all right. Last thing,
lsu Ole miss in Oxford this Saturday tonight, we have
We talked to your to our friend Ryan McGee on
the show yesterday. He joined us every Tuesday. Ye can't
wait for TI. I am so excited about this thing tonight.
The many lives of Lane Kiffin on ESPN. I mean,
it's a massive game. They do, they win, They're favored

(16:55):
slightly at home. Who do you like here?

Speaker 4 (16:59):
Number one? I will not tell you my pick.

Speaker 2 (17:00):
Oh, okay, you got to do that Saturday, right, That's
that's fair.

Speaker 4 (17:03):
You already know that. I will talk to you about
the game. For me. What I'm looking at this is
the stat you ready for it? If we go, Kyle,
I'll give you some juice, all right? This is what
I do know. This LSU defense has been the biggest
surprise in the SEC so far. They've been lights out. Okay,
they've they got corners that can cover, they got safeties

(17:23):
that are smart and know what they're doing. I think
Blake Baker described him as being on their all on
their on their NFL terms, their contract year, a lot
of seniors, a lot of guys coming together. They're all
here for a reason, trying to win everybody by the right.
That's great. It's a great place to be, right, So
this LSU defense is different, but they have not faced

(17:44):
a running quarterback like this Trinidad Chambliss, who's played a
lot of ball, right, reps matter. All the quarterbacks that
are struggling in college football right now haven't had as
many reps. This dude, Trinidad Tamblas has had reps at
Fair State and other places. All right, he's a fifth
year guy, He's played a lot of ball, and he's
a running quarterback as well as throwing the ball. He

(18:04):
can throw it as well. Right, But last year versus
running quarterbacks LSU's defense, I know they weren't as good,
but they got crushed in this Jayla Molrow one hundred
and eighty five yards, four touchdowns, all right, Marcel Reid
who didn't even start the game, nine carries, sixty plus yards,
three touchdowns. They haven't faced this. So how does LSU

(18:26):
control the quarterback run? I gotta know that to me,
would be the determined factor in this game. If they
don't control the quarterback run.

Speaker 1 (18:32):
Oh, miss Wins, I'm looking forward to it. Any buddy,
We've kept you long enough. Thank you for the time.
We'll do it again next Wednesday. Save travels, all right, man,
thanks Bro,