September 9, 2025 • 45 mins
In the final hour of the show, the guys discuss the fact that Dave Canales didn't call plays in the preseason, talk with Hunter Bailey about the Charlotte 49ers after the loss to UNC and walk it off with their power rankings this week.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Wesson Walker show. Yeah, the Rick FLAIRIR
documentary was five. It's Wes. This came out. It's on Peacock.
It's called WOO. That was good.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Yeah, this man said real quick and Walker. It is
called WU. It's not the most glowing video over the
title only on Sports Radio ninety two point seven FM
w f n Z.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Like I thought there were going to be like a
lot of emphasis on the oh wow, and he was
just like, it's called WU.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
West and Walker.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
With one more hour to go, we're broadcasting live from
the Chandler Volta Studio. CV Injury Law dot Com, CV
Injury Law dot Com.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
One call.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
That's all the Carolina's personal injury lawyers. Bailey about to
join us at two point thirty to discuss Tim Alben.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Going going too at Charlotte.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
So far, they improved against North Care Carolina, even if
they only scored three points, but it.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Was a better three points, Wes.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
You're just gonna have to trust me out there if
you missed the game, Okay, it was a better three
points than the three points they scored against app State.
There was a drop touchdown pass, there was a miss
thirty yard field goal. There were a couple of interceptions.
So Charlotte got in their own way at times, which
I don't know if that's better than the other team
getting in their way, but I digress. It was better
(01:25):
and I'm sticking with it. Hopefully they can get a
win against Monmouth this weekend. FCS ranked miss solo.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
Worry from Charlotte forty nine A fan online about that
they are ranked.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, it'd be a pretty stinky loss. And that's no
disrespect to Monmouth. It's just if you are above a
programming level, then you would hope that they would take
care of business.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
All disrespect intended from Monmouth.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Yeah, sorry, king right, all disrespect in the world directed
towards Monmouth. So we'll talk a little bit more about
Charlotte's game this weekend against Monmouth. Uh in just a moment.
Also Tim Alben speaking with media a little while ago.
But until then, we have more Panthers takes to share
with you. Seven oh four five, seven ninety six to ten.
That's the fandual text line. A lot of people writing
it about the preseason West. We just go ahead and
(02:13):
go ahead and have another preseason conversation. You talk about victory.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
A lot of people taking the victory laps.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
This is why you play preseason, right, You guys know
my take on preseason. I have a new one for you,
just to not regurgitate the same thing over and over
and over again. I don't know if playing throw hiver
mini series you want out there, give me, give me
five on the high end, six more series. I don't
know if that allows them to win the game. Do
they look better?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Yeah? I could see that.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
I want to go back to a very distinct change
they made in the preseason when Dave Canalis allowed Brad
Izach to call plays a couple times, and when we
discussed it, then that was the issue that I had, where, Okay,
I like giving your guys some play calling opportunities. That's
cool that you do it in the preseason, But in
(03:03):
terms of operations, the reason you don't play starters in
the preseason is because you're scared to death that they're
gonna get hurt. Dave, are you gonna get hurt? Call
and plays, my man, Because if you're not gonna get
hurt calling plays, I don't want you to suffer any
kind of torn acl of the brain. Then go ahead
and practice what you're gonna be doing on the sideline
in the preseason frontal lobe. Yeah, there were some other
(03:27):
jokes I could have gone with that were a little
more dicey. So I'm not gonna do that. You're not
gonna have any injuries, right, You're gonna get a migraine.
There we go. You're gonna get a migraine calling plays
in the preseason. The argument for that is, Brad Izach
gets play calling opportunities. That's cool, and I do get it.
I do want to respect that. At the same time,
do I feel like Izac would not get a head
(03:48):
coaching opportunity somewhere simply because he didn't have a couple
games where he called plays in the preseason. Would that
be the difference in him getting ahead coaching job or not.
I would have to imagine now. Maybe, But I'd have
to imagine now when you hear about all these other
offensive assistants from bright offensive minds as the head coach,
(04:11):
I don't know how many times people reference them calling
preseason plays. So if it doesn't really help Brad Izick
all that much, Plus, if he's going to be the
head coach somewhere, let them call preseason plays when he's
the head coach. Yeah, I think that's a big issue,
especially with the very specific problems that we saw in
Week one. If some problems that we saw was the
(04:34):
operation between head coach, quarterback and center, not being on
the same page, not getting the play call in on time,
not calling protections out on time. With Austin Corbett and
Bryce Young. Well, that seems like a process that you
could have fixed a little bit more one had you
been calling plays while they're out there, but also if
they were out there a little bit more. So I'll
even concede to that just a bit. But I think
(04:55):
Dave Canalis, for a young head coach, we don't need
to be given up play call duties in preseason anymore.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
Yeah, And I mean there's always things that you can
look at and say, you know, maybe they should do
that going forward. Because he talks about things like getting
a rhythm calling plays. You hear that talked about by
coaches and different things of that nature. And so maybe
he gave his center and quarterback too much credit as
them being able to go into Game one and be
(05:22):
able to just get the plays off seamlessly. Maybe he
was thinking that maybe that was his mistake, and so
for Canalis, though, Yeah, I think that everybody needs to
get into the routine and the rhythm of what's going
to happen once the regular season comes.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
And Avero I don't believe his calling plays a couple
times as well with yeah, he passed off the duties
for that too. Who I just look man that I
don't want to come across as insensitive to what those
guys opportunities are. If I'm wrong on this and they
really do value being able to call plays when looking
for head coaching vacancies, then I'll shut up. I just
(05:56):
can't imagine that is the factor in decide whether you
get a job or not, or one of the more
important factors when deciding if you get a job or not.
And guess what if you hire that guy. I must
reiterate this point. You have the preseason to call your
plays as the head coach for whatever team's vacancy you
take care of. Dave Canalis, Avero, y'all call plays in
(06:17):
the preseason because nobody risk injury. I value keeping guys safe.
And I know that's a polarizing take, but that's just
is what it is. I value not having injured players.
I don't really have all that great of an argument
for the decisions that Dave Canalis made other than maybe
getting suspended for a game and then giving up play
calling duties to Brad Isaac. So I guess now he'll
(06:39):
be extra prepared for what he did in the preseason.
But man, how about you just don't get suspended, Dave.
I guess what they do too.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Maybe they look at it like NBA coaches look at
summer league and how they let the assistance coach the
games in a summer league.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Maybe they look at it that way.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
I'm not sure that's just me guesstimating here, because these guys,
you know, they are coordinators by titles, so I guess
they're like, hey, you know this is part your job
as well, so let's see how you do. But other
than that, I can't come up with any other rational
why they would do it. And maybe, you know, when
you talk about the value of it as opposed to
them getting another job, yeah, I mean right, I'm not
(07:13):
sure that that necessarily is com baked heavily into the
cake when you talk about them getting another job.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
When we were talking about the Panthers coaching vacancy, I
remember what was it? It was Brian Callahan with Cincinnati. Yeah,
offensive minded coach. He is behind the scenes working on
the offense. Did we ever once referenced he did a
great job calling plays in the preseason?
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Now, I mean I really didn't even know NFL coaches
really did that.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
Yeah, never heard any coach I'm going to tell you
from all my years of watching the Giants and how
many different coaches we've had, Yeah, there would be a
lot of different strategies. I have never heard them say
I do not call plays on my side of the
ball or whatever. We don't use our normal structure in
the preseason. So it's weird, yeah, and so not to
be labor that specific. But the reason I think it's
(08:01):
important is because if we can pick very specific problems
in Week one and say this is what could have
been helped in the preseason. I think the pre snap
operation could have been helped by practicing a little more
of that pre snap operation in the preseason, right, some
of the other things that could have been helped. Again,
I'm cool with coaches sitting their starters in the preseason
(08:23):
for the most part, but I'll admit perhaps a little
more chemistry between your young receivers and your quarterback that
would be helped. So you miss on a back shoulder
throw because of the timing in the preseason, you talk
it over now you're ready for it in the regular season.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Yeah, I could see value in that.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
The problem becomes, do you value fixing that specific play
more than a potential injury? That I understand winning those options,
But I do get that you can iron out at
least some of the kinks to where you don't win
that game against Jacksonville. I'm sorry, you can't convince me
six more preseason series what had you win? But but
(09:01):
maybe just maybe playing more preseason games with the starters
could have had it not look that terrible by moving
the chains a couple of times, and that I will understand.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Yeah, because I mean it's like, you know, we talk
about it on the show. I'm a proponent of guys
playing in the preseason because I think it kind of
gets you into that rhythm, because it is a different
speed from preseason to the regular season, and it feels like,
you know, you're watching a movie at a certain speed
and then all of a sudden, when it gets to
the best part of the movie, it speeds up and
you will wait a minute, what's going on here? And
(09:31):
so I think for some guys it helps there and
it just gets your team kind of into a rhythm
for doing different things, and like you said, important things
like quarterback, wide receiver, chemistry, center, making calls out there
to the offensive lineman and being able to identify the
front you know, in the preseason, getting your chemistry down there,
and so you know, there are a lot of ways
(09:52):
that that can help. And so for the Carolina Panthers,
maybe it is maybe this coming preseason that he will
play guys more. We'll see if that makes a difference.
But right now, you know, as you said, the preseason
could have helped, But right now, it just.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Looks like they don't have good enough players.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Yeah, and almost I will say, when we put so
much stock into the preseason, the other thing I think
is it almost absolves them from bad play. Like if
they just would have practiced a little more in the preseason,
it would have been.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Finn Yeah, you know, it'd be like a whole game
would have been more.
Speaker 5 (10:22):
Pas Minnesota didn't play a single player of significance in
the preseason. They looked much better than the Panthers looked
on Sunday last night.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
So the conversation right like, it's a case by case basis.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
You know, the exact opposite is true.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
In Cincinnati, We're gonna get rid of all of our
early start woes by playing a lot more in the preseason.
They still were pretty bad. In the second half of
that game against the Browns, they gained seven yards of offense.
It is the least amount of yards gained in the
second half by a winning team since god knows how long.
I forget the stat and they survived because a rookie
kicker for Cleveland missed a couple of field goals. Again,
(10:59):
speaking Nuance, I think there is that that deserves to
be considered with the preseason conversation. But that's why I
wanted to specifically mention the whole play calling of it all.
Because the argument to not play your starters is to
save them from injury. You are not going to get
injured calling plays. So call the place. Let's have that operation,
ready to work, Ready to work. Fandal text line seven
(11:21):
oh four, five seven oh ninety six to ten people
writing in Big Kat Dan says, we would have been
a lot crisper, probably cut the turnovers down, the Jags
still aren't the best team to me, but the Jags
were crisp Aaron and Nashville says. Clock issues are the
same as last year. Early On seven oh four says,
following Walker's theory on sitting the starters during preseason, new
(11:42):
drivers should not get a learners permit and practice driving
because they could have a wreck and get injured. I
think that is apples to apples comparison. I think you
did a great job with that comparison. Crazy Eddy says,
the Bears did play their starters and they looked great, great.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Yeah, I mean okay.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
For three quarters and then that fourth corner showed up
and they did exactly what the Bears always do.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Yeah, I fall apart.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
I don't think that fans are ever going to be
happy with the way Canalis views the preseason.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
This is what it is.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
And I think by the time we get to August
next year, West, I guess what's going to be on
the rundown. Should Canalis have played the starters more, It's
going to be there and tune in August seventeenth in
the middays, assuming that we're still here, baby, we're going
to be having that same conversation, and so this is
eventually just how it's all going to play out. What
(12:38):
were some of the other problems that you saw, like
maybe not that could have been fixed in the preseason,
but just that can be fixed going into Arizona West.
He do do you view anything that happened and say, yeah, okay.
As much as I'm concerned about the Panthers all season long,
I do feel like they can improve greatly going into
(12:58):
Week two, or improve even a decent amount going in
the WEEKO.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
I think first and foremost, I mean, I know run
defense is all about run fits, and so I would
be interested to be a fly on the wall in
those meetings and know where guys fill in their gaps
because we saw a lot of situations. We heard Canalis
break some of it down when he broke down the
ETN run and how they were supposed to spill it
to Merrik, but then things happened that threw that off
and ETN was able to get out the way he did,
(13:24):
and then missing the tackles. I think if I had
to point to one thing, I would probably say, and
it's a you know, it's kind of a league wide
issue for the most part, but tackling. I guess you
could say, man, it's just going up giving really good efforts.
Like I saw last night in the game when Caleb
Williams rented in and the dB comes and he just
throws his body at him. It's like, I don't know why,
(13:44):
for the life of me, why NFL players or why
just football players in general will not just hit a
guy and wrap up Like it just blows my mind
while they do that. Now I get it sometimes because
like the ETN run for Nick's guy, You got him
coming through there full speed, you know, two way go
right there. That's a hard tackle to make. You couldn't
(14:06):
make that tackle, but that's a hard tackle to make.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Nick Scott is one of the players I blame least
for that play.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Yeah, I mean you had a chance to make the
stop there, but oh was the hard tackle is to make.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
I think a better safety has a great chance of
making that play.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
But look, man, maybe I'm wrong.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
The way I saw Marik dancing down there, ETN just
juked him out of his shoes, And I feel like
what happens is if Merrig keeps lain integrity, goes down
the middle, ETN bounces it outside. Let him you have
cornerback help on that side. Yeah, so you have a cornerback.
And now I think as long as he continues to
run outside, you have a body out there at corner.
(14:44):
You can't turn upfield and go north as immediately as
you did by cutting back inside with Merrik being juked
the way that he was. So does that kind of
stuff figure itself out? Is Avaro pointing to that play
in particular, saying, hey, mark Man, just go ahead and
stick in the middle, like, don't don't go for the
pump fake, stay right there and then let the corner
take care of an outside run. Hopefully Wantam does a
(15:04):
better job of keeping contained too, rather than just falling
to the ground and taking his guy out. I'm with you,
Nick's gut got him blame. Yeah, Yeah, tackling is big.
I don't want to be a broken record with pre
snap operation, but it's just something that simply has to
be fixed. You want to burn timeouts, multiple timeouts in
the second half of football games, it's a great way
to make sure you never come back. Yeah, just fix that,
(15:27):
And I think a lot of the operation is going
to look a lot better. Get the play call in
on time, diagnose protections earlier and prosper It's WESN. Walker
Sports Radio ninety two to seven WFNZ. We have the
Live Wire and Hunter Bailey coming up next ninety two
seven FM.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
We're trying to move on as well. Around here.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
We look at the Arizona Cardinals the Panthers face in
week two, and there's another rookie corner that is highly tauted,
especially after his debut. Jordan Schultz tweeted this out. West
Cardinal's rookie cornerback Will Johnson had a sensational debut on Sunday.
The second round pick out of Michigan posted a ninety
point two coverage grade, second highest per Pro Football Focus,
(16:13):
with three pass breakups and sticky coverage all game elite instincts,
physical lockdown ability.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Arizona has something special here lock emoji.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
Yeah, man, Well we'll see this weekend. He's got another game,
gotta keep proving it. So maybe Tetoroa brings that grade
down significantly.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
I would hope.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So Tetoroa going against Travis Hunter a couple of times
against Jacksonville, but not a Ton actually talked about that
after the game, saying he was surprised. He didn't see
him nearly as much. There was one target he had
to catch against Hunter slant inside. I think it was
like maybe ten yards something like that. That was about
it from what I remember working against Tyson Campbell the
decent amount. But Tedoro McMillan did say he was surprised
(16:53):
he didn't see Hunter a lot. If Will Johnson is
your number one corner, then I guess I don't know
the system John Gannon runs.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
But yeah, not many corners travel, especially not a rookie,
so you'll see him, but not exclusively.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
And I will I do wonder how much t mac
might run some of his routes from the slot. There
wasn't very many this past week. It was like thirteen percent.
It was more than eighty out wide, which is where
we expect to do him to do a lot of
his work. But Dave can Alis will move his receivers around.
I guess I just don't know if you really can,
especially with three wide receivers, because if you got a
(17:28):
Hunter Renfro, you're not putting him outside. Yeah, I T
Mac in XL or you're outside, guys, you don't have
as much versatility without Coker being out there.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
That's the fact.
Speaker 4 (17:36):
So yeah, that'll be another part of the matchup that's
going to be a facet to keep your eyes on.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
I do if Coker and TMAC are out there, which
they will be at some point, I'll knock on Wood
again my injury. Knocking on wood hasn't been all that helpful,
but I'm still doing it, just to let you know
I'm putting my attempts in. I do like the idea
of putting TMAC in the slot every once in a while,
like kind of power fluid slot, letting him pick up
some yards after the catch, just kind of again fluid
(18:03):
with it. Different looks, different looks. And Dave Canallis likes
given defenses, some mismatches here and there. JT Sanders two
running out of the slot. Can we see a big
game from him this weekend? You think you might? You
just might. If we're looking for another producer in the
past game we don't feel great about Excel. Yeah, it's
(18:24):
got to be him. It's got to be right. Yes,
I think so too. And they looked for him downfield
like he's picking up big chunk plays. And we've already
referenced Dave Canalis liking to use his tight ends in
the slot more so than receivers. Really at times, like
if it's not Excel and it's not how A Renfro,
You're not gonna have Jimmy Horn sued up delayon Campbell,
(18:47):
Bryce and Tremaine. These are special teams, guys. There's it's
Rico who didn't get involved in the passing game all
that much. When he did, he was the problem for
that interception that was not Bryce's fault.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
This is man, it's j T. Sanders needs to step up.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Yeah, he has to because obviously you want production from
the tight end, you've got to keep the defense honest
as well.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
And so for j C.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Senters, for all we heard about them talking about him
being an MVP of camp and all the weight that
he lost and all those things that, yeah, they need
to put that to work. So I would be looking
for him to perhaps be able to capitalize because of
the attention that tedor Row is going to receive. And
unless Excel and Hunter Renfro, can you know, snap out
of it and really come to the table and bring something.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
It has to be j T. Sanders, in my.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Mind, forgot about the schedule a little bit. I did
not get enough preseason reps for the NFL regular season.
We need to go to the Live Wire just for
a couple of soundbites before we welcome Hunter Bailey at
two the Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
Real quick, we had to throw in that. Yes, I
had reported early in the Campus Corner. Deon Sanders did
refute the reports that Ryan Stobb will be the starter
versus Houston. He said, going in today's media, we don't
care about being corrected anymore. We just want to be first.
I did not want to be first, but a lot
of other people obviously did.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
I can't wait till Stob goes out there, right, and
he's still going to find a way to blame the
media somehow.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
But stop, how do you, by the way, how do
you come up with this report? You really think that
one of these reporters just said, you know what, I think.
I'm just going to put it out there today that
they're starting.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Stop. How about that start the pot? That's what I
want to do.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
You're ready for some sound Yeah, let's do it all right,
Live Wire with Floundy now.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
In the West and the West.
Speaker 5 (20:30):
All right, let's start with Dan Canalis yesterday because I
found this very interesting, he was quoted as saying yesterday
that he said that the team played the run consistently
well outside of a few explosive plays.
Speaker 6 (20:42):
I just saw a couple of explosive runs. To be honest,
you know, I thought that we played the run consistently
pretty well. But I thought that we gave up big plays.
We gave up a seventy, we gave up the reverse touchdown,
and then we gave up a couple of explosive runs
in the four minute. Those ones hurt because we talk
about finishing, We talk about just continuing to play right
(21:03):
regardless of what the situation is, and and they got
a couple of explosive runs there late, you know, And
I think you add those three up, that's that's about
one hundred yards and you don't want that.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
That's how these days happened, you know.
Speaker 6 (21:15):
But I just felt like if the guys were in
the right spot, we were playing stout up front, we
were playing with technique, and then there was a lapse
and there was.
Speaker 7 (21:24):
A big play.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
That's the NFL.
Speaker 6 (21:26):
We have to be consistent about it.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
All right.
Speaker 5 (21:29):
So that right there basically refutes the point that you
played it consistently pretty well. But what do you think
about what Dan uh Oh, Dan Morgan, what Dave Canalis
said right there? Do you believe that the Panthers actually
played the run pretty well for the most part, except
for the explosive plays.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
I mean, yeah, in theory, it sounds good for you
to say that, but at the end of the day,
you still gave up those explosive runs. So even if
you did have, but it's because I did think that
the Panthers had spurts what they did make it a
little tough on them, and they did because you know
Etn I was sitting there watching until that four minute
he said he was talking about. I was sitting there
(22:08):
and I was like, man, since Etn got that huge run,
I said, they've been doing a pretty decent job bottling
him up. And then late in that four minute drive,
then he started to break off of eight a ten
or twelve and some of that. So yeah, I mean,
I guess in some portions of the game you could
say that, but then Jacksonville still hit the big runs
that they hit, and you gave them up.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
It was only Etn. I will say.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Etn had fifty percent of the carries in this game.
He went for sixteen carries, one hundred and forty three yards.
Nobody else outside of Brian Thomas Junior on the end
around well, I guess LeQuinn Allen had seven yards on
his one carry, but there wasn't a monster yards per
carry average for some of these other players that took
off running. Yeah, it was Etn that had the bomb
seventy yarder and then it was fifteen rushes for seventy yards.
(22:52):
I get where he's coming from.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Still, there were.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Some big chunks gained, and I just need the early
down runs to be stopped. I'm sure it would be
maddening to see a third and seven rush attempts go
for a first down. That's a good way to make
me throw my remote control. But if you set an
offense up to be successful because of their first down
gain of five or more yards, like, that's when you
(23:16):
really get in trouble and you start to play behind
the sticks. Hate to see that. Hopefully they get it
fixed against Arizona, who again, I like James Connor. I
think he's really good and been an underrated guy for
a long time. Trey Benson was one of my more
favorite players coming out of college. Not very agile, but
just straight line speed. We'll give you a truck stick
and then move on. If you don't stop Arizona's run
(23:39):
game and you don't stop Jacksonville's, it's just there's going
to be a lot better rushing attacks that you have
to face, and I can't give you any confidence if
you don't stop those two teams.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
What else you got?
Speaker 5 (23:48):
All right, let's move on to Nick Saban because he
was talking on Saturday. This was actually on college game Day,
and he compared this year at North Carolina to his
first year at Michigan State.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
I mean, I know exactly how Bill feels because I
went through a very similar situation at the Cleveland Browns.
Speaker 7 (24:05):
We go to Michigan State.
Speaker 8 (24:06):
The first game we play against is Nebraska and they
just came off of winning a national championship.
Speaker 7 (24:12):
They've got Lawrence Phillips.
Speaker 8 (24:14):
I mean, we had a couple of good players, you know,
with Sin Muhammad, Tony Banks, but not that caliber. So
we go win this game and we get beat like
fifty six to seven, and I'm on the sideline saying,
we may never win a game here.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
We're horrible.
Speaker 7 (24:31):
I mean, we couldn't tackle anybody. I mean it, it
was awful. So I know exactly how Bill's feels. Fuck.
When I went out and shook hands with.
Speaker 8 (24:39):
Tom Osborne after the game, he put his arm around
me and he says, you're not as bad as you think.
And you know, we went on to go six and
six and went to a bowl game, you know, with
that team, because we weren't as bad as we thought.
Speaker 7 (24:52):
And I think it. Bill does a good.
Speaker 8 (24:54):
Job of getting these guys to play a little more
fundamentally sound, they won't be as bad as everybody thinks.
So I think for the Carolina fans, there's.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
A lot of hope there that there'll be a lot
of improved all right.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
So do you think that Nick Saban is right after
what we saw on Saturday with the Tarheles going up
against the forty nine ers, which we're about to talk
about here with Hunter Bailey.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
Yeah, coming from the goat, I mean, that's words of wisdom,
and they actually lost fifty to ten. But yeah, man,
it's tough when you're building a program with as many
new guys as they have.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
We talked about that.
Speaker 4 (25:28):
I thought that maybe the process would have been sped up,
But in retrospect, we look back and we say this
did look like a team that was put together in
the spring, and a lot of the things that coach
Saban just talked about were some of the things that
I thought that Belichick, at a minimum would have them
at as far as being fundamentally sound, being out of gaps,
because that's the bulk of what run defense is, being
(25:50):
out of your gaps. I thought that TCU really went
into their bag when you talk about the play calling,
the formations, all of those things.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
The ball was getting out quickly.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
This receiving corps was fantastic and it really negated their
pass rush too. So I thought that Bill really got
a crash course in dealing with college offenses with TCU
everything they threw at him. So yeah, that's why I
say it's just one game for me. And even though
they didn't look spectacular against Charlotte, they still got to
win their flawed football team, there's no doubt about that.
But that doesn't mean that they can't win. There are
(26:22):
some things there that a coach of Bill Belichick's ilk
can get out of them.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
I do have to say I'm picturing now fifty five
year old Sonny Dykes going out to midfield after destroying
the Carolina Tar heels, padding seventy three year old Bill Belichick,
multi time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick on the back
and saying it's okay, Bill, You're not as bad as
you think you are. Maybe a little bit different from
(26:47):
a forty three year old Nick Saban's perspective all the
way back in nineteen ninety five, saying I know how
you feel. I don't think he does. To be honest
with you, like Nick Saban, didn't need an ego check man.
My man was at Toledo for one year five year
years prior, and this was his first time coaching college
football outside of Toledo, where he went nine and two
and then took some time in the NFL. And he
(27:08):
also went bowling that year at six five and one, again,
thirty years Bill Belichick junior before he had accomplished a
whole lot. Bill Belichick's the goat yeah, and here it
is like as Sunny Dike's It's okay, Bill, You're gonna
be all right, buddy. Oh my god. That would have
made Bill Belichick flame right there.
Speaker 5 (27:27):
Just Boom probably should have done it based off of
the way that he was playing that game. He probably
told him you suck and your team sucks. We just
kicked your ass right here. I Tim alboud do it
the same thing. It'd been funny if Tim Albin felt
like North Carolina was struggling. It's okay, you only beat
us by seventeen.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Man.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
You guys are going to be a lot better. I
promise you. Just keep your head up and you'll be fine.
Hunter Bailey. He now joins us On Weston Walker covering
the Charlotte forty nine Ers football team. You can follow
him on Twitter at Hunter Underscore Bailey forty five. He
writes for the Charlotte Observer, and he talked on the
Highway forty podcast Hunter, how are you doing?
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Man? Doing good fellows? Hope you all over? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Absolutely, we appreciate you hopping on with us once again,
and we will go straight to the Tim Alvin presser.
I know you just fielded some questions, fielded some answers.
I should say, excuse me from the forty nine ers
head coach. It's Connor Harrel. He's starting at quarterback again
heading into this weekend against Mond Myth. I am not
as mad about it this go around, as concerned as
(28:26):
I was after the app State game. How concerned are
you with Connor Harrel this time around, compared to the
way you were feeling after that game against the Mountaineers.
Speaker 9 (28:36):
Yeah, So to start this past game, we get off
to a close start. He starts game two for five.
They go three and out three straight possessions, which pretty
similar to the week one opening loss against the Mountaineers.
He did kind of find a stride in the second quarter,
completed twelve straight passes. And when you when you hear
your quarterback is doing that, you're thinking, okay, so they
(28:58):
they're scoring touchdowns and then you look at the four
board and they're missing these opportunities, selling for fee goals
with drives stalling out in the red zone. Harold's specific
passing game wise, I thought he did all right. He's
got to pull the ball out and run. We've talked
about that before the season. After week one we're talking
about it again. Their offense isn't going to be very
(29:19):
good unless the quarterback is going to run the ball.
Tim Oltn said today he doesn't want quarterback with double
digit carries. He doesn't want him top right like a
running back. He wants him to be that true quarterback.
And when I look at this offense, I feel like
they're not playing to their strengths with that side of things,
and I think the quarterback battle is kind of finished
(29:39):
now based on Grayson Losses's performance. He really struggled. They
put him in with about six minutes to go, and
the offense moved up and down the field perfectly fine.
But he did throw three picks in that span to
only two of them counted, and I'll give them one
of them being at Heil Mary, you kind of want
to like a okay, you might as well throw the
(30:01):
ball up, is what it is. One of them was
negated due to a twelve minut on the field penalty
for the tar Heels, and then the other one is
just a bad throw. So it's to a point where
I think counter Harrell is the guy. And now I
don't really think there's a big competition there, but if
they're gonna play this style of offense, he's gonna have
to use his legs for them to beat even Modermouth on.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
Saturday, Hunter, you held in C to three points in
the second half and you guys, obviously you didn't score,
but you outgained them, held them to just three points.
And so what was your biggest takeaway. Do you feel
like that there were positives to be taken away based
off the second half of that game.
Speaker 9 (30:39):
Yeah, I think the North Carolina offense started a lot.
I mean, they quite a few questionable decisions from Freddy Kitchens,
including front a beat ball on fourth and one when
you clearly have the talent and size advantage up front.
So I don't think North Carolina really did themselves any favors.
I did think Charlotte's defense settled into the game. When
you give up a three play touchdown drive a fifty
(31:02):
yard touchdown to open the game, dig yourself a ten
oh hole, you're not doing yourself any favors. But I
agree with what you're saying West. They tightened up in
the second half. You saw Shave Taylor make some plays
from his linebacker position, Dwight Blutle at corner. They just
got a couple of miss cues to clean up on
that side of the ball, and now they're dealing. They're
(31:22):
gonna finish the rest of the year without DJ Burgess,
who's probably the best pass rusher on the team, so
we'll get to see some depth on the edge. They missed.
Jalen Johnson didn't play last week either. But someone like
Curtis Simpson, Braydon Mullen, guys like that are going to.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Have to step up.
Speaker 9 (31:37):
But as you said, Wes, you allowed three in the
second half and you still lose the game. In my mind,
that was maybe not a winnable game. You had your opportunities.
You could have definitely made it fun into the fourth quarter.
But again, they're not going to be competitive in these
games if they shoot themselves in the foot, and there
was a ton of that on offense with these fumbled snaps.
(31:58):
I mean, you're rushing less than one yard per carry
right now, and that's not a winnable recipe.
Speaker 4 (32:04):
Hana Mama's high flying offense to All American quarterback Derek
Robertson is back. I mean, how worried should Charlotte fans
be about this matchup?
Speaker 1 (32:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (32:15):
When I think the previous FCS games, some of them
have been the blowout type that you feel like Charlotte
should be able to get, and then the others I
think back to William and Mary a couple of years
ago at home. I think to even Gardner Webb last
season where Charlotte's getting blown out in that game and
needs their third string quarterback trucks variety to lead a comeback.
(32:36):
But Manas is a top twenty five SCS team. You're right,
their quarterbacks back again. They're scoring over forty points per game,
They've got great skilled position players, and talking to Charlotte's
players available to Dave Cale Curtin and Mason Bowers, they're
not treating us like an SCS team, and I think
that's the right approach for Charlotte. This doesn't need to
be look as a pushover game because, like I said,
(32:59):
I mean mom to score on over forty a game
and Charlotte is scoring just seven a game and hasn't
even scored touchdowns in both games. So I looked for
the defense to have the type of performance they did
in the second half. They're gonna need them to, and
I want to see more from the running game. It
sounds like Henry right, which is now awaiting an MRI,
so not sure that we'll see him again this week.
(33:20):
But you're gonna need more from guys like CJ. Stokes,
Rod Ganey Junior in the backfield because, like I said,
this is the type of game where your offensive line,
your running game gets right. This is against lesser talent,
and like I say, the SCS side of things, they
need to find a way to run a ball Saturday
to win this game.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
Yeah, Hunter, that's exactly where I wanted to go next.
How surprised are you that the offensive line has been
as lackluster as they have.
Speaker 9 (33:47):
I think the writing was on the wall there in
the offseason with him out and talking about wanting versatility
up front. You knew Johnny King was kind of the returner,
the senior leader, I guess the heart beat all defensive line,
and now he's dealing with an injury. Didn't practice today,
so they're doing more flip flopping that on that front.
(34:09):
I admittedly I expected it to be a little bit
better in pass bro I wasn't one hundred percent sure
about the running game, knowing they don't have Mitchell May's
and they're still awaiting this waivers. So in my mind,
they're gonna have to feare that out. Whatever the musical
chairs that Tim Alvin is set up front, they need
to find a way to find that right five and
(34:29):
at least get some positives. Not be so far behind
the chains, guys. I mean, their average third down distance
the last game is over ten yards so your first
and second down has been a huge struggle, and I
think you're seeing that with so many three and outs
with these guys.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Last thing, Hunter, what was something Tim Alvin said today
that you found particularly noteworthy?
Speaker 9 (34:50):
Yeah, I think and it sticks up front. He said,
the roster is kind of what it is, so he
knows there's deficiencies in you're one. I think it's pretty clear,
you know some of the portal additions you want to
make in the off season, what you're going to want
to focus on with high school recruiting.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
I think they'll.
Speaker 9 (35:07):
Again look to get another quarterback this offseason. They'll look
for more help, more big bodies up front. And he
talked about one hundred and five player roster limit, and
they got their numbers down to that, and then I
got the NCAA ruled that they could have more of
two point fifteen, and so they're missing some of the
guys that they would normally have and it's affecting how
(35:28):
they're practicing on the offensive line. So they only have
about eight guys available right now, so they can't even
go with two full units due to some of the
injuries the numbers that they have, so that's impacting practice.
I think until they kind of find like I said
that correct five, the push forward, I think it's going
to be a struggle upfront, which is going to result
in making it harder for someone like Connor Harold to
(35:49):
really find a stride this season.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
Hunter Bailey from The Charlotte Observer the Highway forty nine podcast.
You can follow him on Twitter at Hunter Underscore Bailey
forty five hundred. Great stuff as always, man, we appreciate
your time.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Thanks, Honah. All right, positive vibes going into Monmouth. Hopefully
we can take care of business.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
I am very glad that the forty nine ers are
not overlooking an FCS team. They're in no position to
do that. They cannot, which is funny. By the way,
just speaking of some house cleaning stuff, I mentioned that
Charlotte's three points this time was better than the amount
of points they scored last time, like the better three.
I forgot that they actually did score a touchdown late
(36:26):
in that game against a state just because it had
been three really the entire game, and so when he
said they averaged seven, I was like, how to the
world do they Oh, yeah, they did score a late touchdown.
It felt like three the first game.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
You'll always have.
Speaker 10 (36:38):
That great two point conversion that they ran.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
It was an awesome player. You said, what are you
worried A little bit? A little bit?
Speaker 5 (36:50):
I mean, hell, I'm worried against Richmond, so I would
be to definitely be worried if I'm you.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
I think Charlotte's gonna win. I did.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
We did see improvement from Connor Harrell in the passing game.
I mean, I will say it sucks that McGowan is
going to be out. We should have been asking about that,
to be honest with you, just didn't have enough time.
But McGowan out for I think the year. I did
like what Nicholas brought us with eleven receptions and one
hundred and twenty yards.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
That was their go to guy.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
So it seems like we found something after having absolutely
nothing in the past game. So hopefully we can have
some more success against Bondmouth, because if not, it's scary
season it is.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
It's already kind of yeah.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
I think this is going to be a very intriguing game.
I would love to watch this game, and I'm going to.
I don't like the way that you're looking right now.
I have to be honest with you. It's the walkoff
coming up next.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
I want to exit the segment Sports rated ninety two
to seven WFNZ.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Are you challenge for me to walk off? Oh yeah,
that's a walk off challenge, my friend.
Speaker 7 (37:58):
It's a walk off the.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
One more segments ago.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
What's the walk off on West and Walker Sports rated
ninety two to seven WFNZ. And let's get straight to
what's on tap because we have a game happening not
in Charlotte, but involving a Charlotte team. What's on Tap
is percented by Twin Peaks. Twin Peaks has locations in
Concord and Fort Mill. Twin Peaks is your local sports lodge.
Come in from May from Scratch Food and signature twenty
nine degree draft beers. The Charlotte Knights are in action,
(38:31):
bottom of the seventh. They are down on tough six'
one To omaha as it currently, Stands so we'll see
If charlotte can bounce back from a five run. Deficit
i'm trying to look at the pitching matchup bringing that.
Up i'll give you some more information a little bit,
later but it Was charlotte that scored in the first.
Inning they haven't scored since, obviously And omaha they have
scored in every inning from the third inning.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
On so the storm chaser is doing a Nice i'll
do it out. There, yeah if you just score every single, inning.
Speaker 10 (38:58):
Storm, chasers what a badass that?
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Is, god what did they? Know what do they used to?
Be because it didn't used to be?
Speaker 7 (39:03):
That?
Speaker 2 (39:04):
Right is the a minor league? Officionado remember What omaha
used to? Be i'll tell you that.
Speaker 10 (39:09):
One.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
Yeah, Same that sounds like something smoke would, now BUT
i don't. Think, YEAH i was looking right at him
he walked. In it's the only REASON i asked to be.
Fair SO i didn't know If omaha did they even
have a. TEAM i don't know, anyways all, right we'll
just research team drum get on, it my, man make
sure you get on that. Research and then of course
The Atlanta. Braves they will be playing The Chicago cubs,
(39:32):
tonight seven. Fifteen first, pitch It's Kate horton on the
mound For chicago nine to four record two seven EIGHT,
ra and It's Spencer streider on the bump For. Atlanta
he's five and twelve with a four to nine SEVEN.
Era atlanta did win yesterday against The. Cubs they ended
up Beating chicago four to. One Albie's olsen they both,
homered And Bryce elder had a strong. OUTING i haven't
(39:55):
been able to say that too many times this, year
but he. Did congratulations To, Elder congratulates To braves.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
Fans you want to go with the power? Rankings here
with THE. Ufl.
Speaker 2 (40:03):
Okay so after the first, WEEK i saw The RINGERS
Nfl Power rankings graphic and here's what they. Have philadelphia
they have as the best team in THE nfl after week.
One buffalo is, Second baltimore is, third Green bay is,
Fourth Kansas city is. Fifth we'll finish six to, ten
but you AND i will just come up with rankings
(40:24):
one through, five or you can go to. Ten don't
let me hold you. Back ram, Six detroit, Seven tampa,
Eight chargers Nine commanders come in at number. Ten how
do you feel about those? Rankings what would be your
top five teams in.
Speaker 1 (40:37):
The my top five is pretty much on part what there.
Speaker 4 (40:40):
Is IF i Have tampa in And i've Got Bill's,
Eagles Green, Bay Bill Lampa.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
Eagles In, Baltimore Green, Bay, Tampa, Baltimore, yes quick.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
Charges right on the outside looking.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
In how hard of a time did you have trying
to figure out Where baltimore should?
Speaker 1 (40:54):
Go not much BECAUSE i kind of put mine in no.
Speaker 4 (40:59):
Order but For, baltimore for, me IF i were to place,
THEM i probably would Go, Eagles, Bills. Baltimore SO i
probably have them thirty because they lost.
Speaker 1 (41:09):
THEM i have them.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
Thirty, Yeah SO i Put buffalo number. ONE i Put
philadelphia number, Two SO i switched those. TEAMS i think defending.
CHAMPS i know that they get some, love But i'm
gonna Put buffalo number, One philadelphia To baltimore. THREE i
did think about putting Green bay up there a little bit,
further BUT i got them. FOUR i have The rams.
FIVE i think that, defense in that, offense the way
that they, PERFORMED i have high, expectations perhaps a little
(41:32):
bit in line with what my expectations, were and they
delivered on a nice. Win got, Dicey BUT i have
The rams coming in at number Five. Flounder did we
knock it out of the park or did we struggle
with our?
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Rankings? YEAH i LIKE i like.
Speaker 5 (41:44):
IT i think both of them make a lot of
sense to. ME i Went eagles, One bills, Two packers,
Three ravens, four AND i went with The Washington commies
at number.
Speaker 1 (41:59):
Five is that what people are calling?
Speaker 2 (42:01):
Them, yeah they call them the CON i don't know
WHY i ever heard, that but.
Speaker 10 (42:04):
That's a Classic Peter.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Rosenberg oh, Okay, scotcha, OKAY i didn't understand that with
us giving out the awards before the season, Started, west
what's something that you feel really good? About that was
a bold? Take and what's something you feel really bad
about that could be just a run of the mill
take or even bold there as. Well Oh, JETS i would,
say looks pretty decent with the way that they.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Played, YEAH i.
Speaker 7 (42:26):
WAS i.
Speaker 1 (42:27):
Was that's a good point that you bring. UP i was.
Speaker 4 (42:29):
EXCITED i was looking at them to see if they
were going to. WIN i, Mean i'm No jets, fan
BUT i definitely wanted to, See, hey all these guys looking.
Speaker 1 (42:35):
Competitive so, offensively they didn't look.
Speaker 4 (42:37):
BAD i add The cardinals in, there even though they
beat The saints as, well but they got to win
on their opening one That i'm, like WHEN i look
at it IS.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
I, mean you could just be right on every other.
Pick DETROIT i think is looking good, too saying they
won't make the.
Speaker 1 (42:53):
Playoffs, Yeah, detroit perhaps so.
Speaker 4 (42:55):
EARLY i would say The texans right now is one
That i'm questioning that offensive.
Speaker 1 (43:00):
LINE i, Mean.
Speaker 10 (43:02):
Daniel jones is in that, division so watch out he.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
Is but so Is, miami which is just two easy. Wins,
APPARENTLY i guess that's the. Case i'm, Sorry, SOUTH i
didn't know What JACKSON i. Got My florida teams mixed
up a competitive, division, YEAH afc always because even The,
TEXANS i mean even The, titans as bad as THE
o line, is and they've got some components of a
(43:27):
team that picked one in the last, draft BUT i
still think they'll be.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
Pest the A Fc south is always the wildest.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
DIVISION i never know how to predict that division every
single season going. IN i had M dog say THAT
i looked sauced On. Saturday THE Afc south is they have,
resting high slash drunk.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
Things, well because in THE Nfc south you at least Have, tampa,
right you can always fall back to them and just, say,
oh go with the safe.
Speaker 10 (43:52):
Pick who is the safe pick in THE Afc, south you,
know like.
Speaker 1 (43:54):
The texans because they won the division the last two.
Speaker 10 (43:57):
Years, yes they're the safe one for.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
ME i think there's a difference between THE Nfc south
changes a, lot and you do get surprises with THE Nfc,
south but they've just been bad for a couple of.
Seasons Tampa bay helping you out. There as you MENTIONED Fc,
SOUTH i just don't know what's gonna. Happen The colts
are a hard team to get a grip. On miami
a little bit of, that even though they look Terrible week,
One tennessee that they had some money coming in On tennessee.
Speaker 5 (44:22):
Still keep saying That miami is in THE Afc. SOUTH
i don't know WHY i keep doing. THAT i keep
Jackson i'm.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
Picturing jacksonville, resonally it makes, sense, OKAY i.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
Don't know why we're going to believe.
Speaker 10 (44:35):
You and they did.
Speaker 5 (44:36):
Win they did, one believe it or not week, One
we've been talking about it all.
Speaker 2 (44:40):
Week i'm Picturing, jacksonville and Yet I'M i don't. Know
i'm the show's over. MAN i should have just quit
WHEN i was. AHEAD i know who MY Fc. South
you had a good power.
Speaker 4 (44:49):
Rankings, Okay i'm going to maybe some credit they should
be in The south based off.
Speaker 2 (44:53):
Geography don't give me that. CREDIT i DON'T i can't
MISS i can't mess that up. Twice not a good
walk off for me. YESTERDAY i also got My Justin
tuck And DeMarcus lawrence Slash ware Slash ocu and Your
Alba maters.
Speaker 5 (45:06):
Wrong you're you're swinging at pitches that are nowhere near
the plate in the WALK i, mean you're not even, Coming.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
Clint all, right some pretty bad ninth innings for your,
Boys so we try to be better the next. Time
west And walker tomorrow from twelve to. Three be there
OR B Square coming up, next it's The Kyle Bailey
show Alongside Smoke. Ludwig Sports radio ninety two SEVEN. Wfnz
listen To The wes And.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
Walker show week teas from noon to three only On
Sports radio ninety two point SEVEN. Fm COM, ufnz the
official home of The Charlotte Sports fan
This is the Wesson Walker show. Yeah, the Rick FLAIRIR
documentary was five. It's Wes. This came out. It's on Peacock.
It's called WOO. That was good.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Yeah, this man said real quick and Walker. It is
called WU. It's not the most glowing video over the
title only on Sports Radio ninety two point seven FM
w f n Z.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Like I thought there were going to be like a
lot of emphasis on the oh wow, and he was
just like, it's called WU.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
West and Walker.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
With one more hour to go, we're broadcasting live from
the Chandler Volta Studio. CV Injury Law dot Com, CV
Injury Law dot Com.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
One call.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
That's all the Carolina's personal injury lawyers. Bailey about to
join us at two point thirty to discuss Tim Alben.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Going going too at Charlotte.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
So far, they improved against North Care Carolina, even if
they only scored three points, but it.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Was a better three points, Wes.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
You're just gonna have to trust me out there if
you missed the game, Okay, it was a better three
points than the three points they scored against app State.
There was a drop touchdown pass, there was a miss
thirty yard field goal. There were a couple of interceptions.
So Charlotte got in their own way at times, which
I don't know if that's better than the other team
getting in their way, but I digress. It was better
(01:25):
and I'm sticking with it. Hopefully they can get a
win against Monmouth this weekend. FCS ranked miss solo.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
Worry from Charlotte forty nine A fan online about that
they are ranked.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, it'd be a pretty stinky loss. And that's no
disrespect to Monmouth. It's just if you are above a
programming level, then you would hope that they would take
care of business.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
All disrespect intended from Monmouth.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Yeah, sorry, king right, all disrespect in the world directed
towards Monmouth. So we'll talk a little bit more about
Charlotte's game this weekend against Monmouth. Uh in just a moment.
Also Tim Alben speaking with media a little while ago.
But until then, we have more Panthers takes to share
with you. Seven oh four five, seven ninety six to ten.
That's the fandual text line. A lot of people writing
it about the preseason West. We just go ahead and
(02:13):
go ahead and have another preseason conversation. You talk about victory.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
A lot of people taking the victory laps.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
This is why you play preseason, right, You guys know
my take on preseason. I have a new one for you,
just to not regurgitate the same thing over and over
and over again. I don't know if playing throw hiver
mini series you want out there, give me, give me
five on the high end, six more series. I don't
know if that allows them to win the game. Do
they look better?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Yeah? I could see that.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
I want to go back to a very distinct change
they made in the preseason when Dave Canalis allowed Brad
Izach to call plays a couple times, and when we
discussed it, then that was the issue that I had, where, Okay,
I like giving your guys some play calling opportunities. That's
cool that you do it in the preseason, But in
(03:03):
terms of operations, the reason you don't play starters in
the preseason is because you're scared to death that they're
gonna get hurt. Dave, are you gonna get hurt? Call
and plays, my man, Because if you're not gonna get
hurt calling plays, I don't want you to suffer any
kind of torn acl of the brain. Then go ahead
and practice what you're gonna be doing on the sideline
in the preseason frontal lobe. Yeah, there were some other
(03:27):
jokes I could have gone with that were a little
more dicey. So I'm not gonna do that. You're not
gonna have any injuries, right, You're gonna get a migraine.
There we go. You're gonna get a migraine calling plays
in the preseason. The argument for that is, Brad Izach
gets play calling opportunities. That's cool, and I do get it.
I do want to respect that. At the same time,
do I feel like Izac would not get a head
(03:48):
coaching opportunity somewhere simply because he didn't have a couple
games where he called plays in the preseason. Would that
be the difference in him getting ahead coaching job or not.
I would have to imagine now. Maybe, But I'd have
to imagine now when you hear about all these other
offensive assistants from bright offensive minds as the head coach,
(04:11):
I don't know how many times people reference them calling
preseason plays. So if it doesn't really help Brad Izick
all that much, Plus, if he's going to be the
head coach somewhere, let them call preseason plays when he's
the head coach. Yeah, I think that's a big issue,
especially with the very specific problems that we saw in
Week one. If some problems that we saw was the
(04:34):
operation between head coach, quarterback and center, not being on
the same page, not getting the play call in on time,
not calling protections out on time. With Austin Corbett and
Bryce Young. Well, that seems like a process that you
could have fixed a little bit more one had you
been calling plays while they're out there, but also if
they were out there a little bit more. So I'll
even concede to that just a bit. But I think
(04:55):
Dave Canalis, for a young head coach, we don't need
to be given up play call duties in preseason anymore.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
Yeah, And I mean there's always things that you can
look at and say, you know, maybe they should do
that going forward. Because he talks about things like getting
a rhythm calling plays. You hear that talked about by
coaches and different things of that nature. And so maybe
he gave his center and quarterback too much credit as
them being able to go into Game one and be
(05:22):
able to just get the plays off seamlessly. Maybe he
was thinking that maybe that was his mistake, and so
for Canalis, though, Yeah, I think that everybody needs to
get into the routine and the rhythm of what's going
to happen once the regular season comes.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
And Avero I don't believe his calling plays a couple
times as well with yeah, he passed off the duties
for that too. Who I just look man that I
don't want to come across as insensitive to what those
guys opportunities are. If I'm wrong on this and they
really do value being able to call plays when looking
for head coaching vacancies, then I'll shut up. I just
(05:56):
can't imagine that is the factor in decide whether you
get a job or not, or one of the more
important factors when deciding if you get a job or not.
And guess what if you hire that guy. I must
reiterate this point. You have the preseason to call your
plays as the head coach for whatever team's vacancy you
take care of. Dave Canalis, Avero, y'all call plays in
(06:17):
the preseason because nobody risk injury. I value keeping guys safe.
And I know that's a polarizing take, but that's just
is what it is. I value not having injured players.
I don't really have all that great of an argument
for the decisions that Dave Canalis made other than maybe
getting suspended for a game and then giving up play
calling duties to Brad Isaac. So I guess now he'll
(06:39):
be extra prepared for what he did in the preseason.
But man, how about you just don't get suspended, Dave.
I guess what they do too.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Maybe they look at it like NBA coaches look at
summer league and how they let the assistance coach the
games in a summer league.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Maybe they look at it that way.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
I'm not sure that's just me guesstimating here, because these guys,
you know, they are coordinators by titles, so I guess
they're like, hey, you know this is part your job
as well, so let's see how you do. But other
than that, I can't come up with any other rational
why they would do it. And maybe, you know, when
you talk about the value of it as opposed to
them getting another job, yeah, I mean right, I'm not
(07:13):
sure that that necessarily is com baked heavily into the
cake when you talk about them getting another job.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
When we were talking about the Panthers coaching vacancy, I
remember what was it? It was Brian Callahan with Cincinnati. Yeah,
offensive minded coach. He is behind the scenes working on
the offense. Did we ever once referenced he did a
great job calling plays in the preseason?
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Now, I mean I really didn't even know NFL coaches
really did that.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
Yeah, never heard any coach I'm going to tell you
from all my years of watching the Giants and how
many different coaches we've had, Yeah, there would be a
lot of different strategies. I have never heard them say
I do not call plays on my side of the
ball or whatever. We don't use our normal structure in
the preseason. So it's weird, yeah, and so not to
be labor that specific. But the reason I think it's
(08:01):
important is because if we can pick very specific problems
in Week one and say this is what could have
been helped in the preseason. I think the pre snap
operation could have been helped by practicing a little more
of that pre snap operation in the preseason, right, some
of the other things that could have been helped. Again,
I'm cool with coaches sitting their starters in the preseason
(08:23):
for the most part, but I'll admit perhaps a little
more chemistry between your young receivers and your quarterback that
would be helped. So you miss on a back shoulder
throw because of the timing in the preseason, you talk
it over now you're ready for it in the regular season.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Yeah, I could see value in that.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
The problem becomes, do you value fixing that specific play
more than a potential injury? That I understand winning those options,
But I do get that you can iron out at
least some of the kinks to where you don't win
that game against Jacksonville. I'm sorry, you can't convince me
six more preseason series what had you win? But but
(09:01):
maybe just maybe playing more preseason games with the starters
could have had it not look that terrible by moving
the chains a couple of times, and that I will understand.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Yeah, because I mean it's like, you know, we talk
about it on the show. I'm a proponent of guys
playing in the preseason because I think it kind of
gets you into that rhythm, because it is a different
speed from preseason to the regular season, and it feels like,
you know, you're watching a movie at a certain speed
and then all of a sudden, when it gets to
the best part of the movie, it speeds up and
you will wait a minute, what's going on here? And
(09:31):
so I think for some guys it helps there and
it just gets your team kind of into a rhythm
for doing different things, and like you said, important things
like quarterback, wide receiver, chemistry, center, making calls out there
to the offensive lineman and being able to identify the
front you know, in the preseason, getting your chemistry down there,
and so you know, there are a lot of ways
(09:52):
that that can help. And so for the Carolina Panthers,
maybe it is maybe this coming preseason that he will
play guys more. We'll see if that makes a difference.
But right now, you know, as you said, the preseason
could have helped, But right now, it just.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Looks like they don't have good enough players.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Yeah, and almost I will say, when we put so
much stock into the preseason, the other thing I think
is it almost absolves them from bad play. Like if
they just would have practiced a little more in the preseason,
it would have been.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Finn Yeah, you know, it'd be like a whole game
would have been more.
Speaker 5 (10:22):
Pas Minnesota didn't play a single player of significance in
the preseason. They looked much better than the Panthers looked
on Sunday last night.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
So the conversation right like, it's a case by case basis.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
You know, the exact opposite is true.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
In Cincinnati, We're gonna get rid of all of our
early start woes by playing a lot more in the preseason.
They still were pretty bad. In the second half of
that game against the Browns, they gained seven yards of offense.
It is the least amount of yards gained in the
second half by a winning team since god knows how long.
I forget the stat and they survived because a rookie
kicker for Cleveland missed a couple of field goals. Again,
(10:59):
speaking Nuance, I think there is that that deserves to
be considered with the preseason conversation. But that's why I
wanted to specifically mention the whole play calling of it all.
Because the argument to not play your starters is to
save them from injury. You are not going to get
injured calling plays. So call the place. Let's have that operation,
ready to work, Ready to work. Fandal text line seven
(11:21):
oh four, five seven oh ninety six to ten people
writing in Big Kat Dan says, we would have been
a lot crisper, probably cut the turnovers down, the Jags
still aren't the best team to me, but the Jags
were crisp Aaron and Nashville says. Clock issues are the
same as last year. Early On seven oh four says,
following Walker's theory on sitting the starters during preseason, new
(11:42):
drivers should not get a learners permit and practice driving
because they could have a wreck and get injured. I
think that is apples to apples comparison. I think you
did a great job with that comparison. Crazy Eddy says,
the Bears did play their starters and they looked great, great.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Yeah, I mean okay.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
For three quarters and then that fourth corner showed up
and they did exactly what the Bears always do.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Yeah, I fall apart.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
I don't think that fans are ever going to be
happy with the way Canalis views the preseason.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
This is what it is.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
And I think by the time we get to August
next year, West, I guess what's going to be on
the rundown. Should Canalis have played the starters more, It's
going to be there and tune in August seventeenth in
the middays, assuming that we're still here, baby, we're going
to be having that same conversation, and so this is
eventually just how it's all going to play out. What
(12:38):
were some of the other problems that you saw, like
maybe not that could have been fixed in the preseason,
but just that can be fixed going into Arizona West.
He do do you view anything that happened and say, yeah, okay.
As much as I'm concerned about the Panthers all season long,
I do feel like they can improve greatly going into
(12:58):
Week two, or improve even a decent amount going in
the WEEKO.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
I think first and foremost, I mean, I know run
defense is all about run fits, and so I would
be interested to be a fly on the wall in
those meetings and know where guys fill in their gaps
because we saw a lot of situations. We heard Canalis
break some of it down when he broke down the
ETN run and how they were supposed to spill it
to Merrik, but then things happened that threw that off
and ETN was able to get out the way he did,
(13:24):
and then missing the tackles. I think if I had
to point to one thing, I would probably say, and
it's a you know, it's kind of a league wide
issue for the most part, but tackling. I guess you
could say, man, it's just going up giving really good efforts.
Like I saw last night in the game when Caleb
Williams rented in and the dB comes and he just
throws his body at him. It's like, I don't know why,
(13:44):
for the life of me, why NFL players or why
just football players in general will not just hit a
guy and wrap up Like it just blows my mind
while they do that. Now I get it sometimes because
like the ETN run for Nick's guy, You got him
coming through there full speed, you know, two way go
right there. That's a hard tackle to make. You couldn't
(14:06):
make that tackle, but that's a hard tackle to make.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Nick Scott is one of the players I blame least
for that play.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Yeah, I mean you had a chance to make the
stop there, but oh was the hard tackle is to make.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
I think a better safety has a great chance of
making that play.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
But look, man, maybe I'm wrong.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
The way I saw Marik dancing down there, ETN just
juked him out of his shoes, And I feel like
what happens is if Merrig keeps lain integrity, goes down
the middle, ETN bounces it outside. Let him you have
cornerback help on that side. Yeah, so you have a cornerback.
And now I think as long as he continues to
run outside, you have a body out there at corner.
(14:44):
You can't turn upfield and go north as immediately as
you did by cutting back inside with Merrik being juked
the way that he was. So does that kind of
stuff figure itself out? Is Avaro pointing to that play
in particular, saying, hey, mark Man, just go ahead and
stick in the middle, like, don't don't go for the
pump fake, stay right there and then let the corner
take care of an outside run. Hopefully Wantam does a
(15:04):
better job of keeping contained too, rather than just falling
to the ground and taking his guy out. I'm with you,
Nick's gut got him blame. Yeah, Yeah, tackling is big.
I don't want to be a broken record with pre
snap operation, but it's just something that simply has to
be fixed. You want to burn timeouts, multiple timeouts in
the second half of football games, it's a great way
to make sure you never come back. Yeah, just fix that,
(15:27):
And I think a lot of the operation is going
to look a lot better. Get the play call in
on time, diagnose protections earlier and prosper It's WESN. Walker
Sports Radio ninety two to seven WFNZ. We have the
Live Wire and Hunter Bailey coming up next ninety two
seven FM.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
We're trying to move on as well. Around here.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
We look at the Arizona Cardinals the Panthers face in
week two, and there's another rookie corner that is highly tauted,
especially after his debut. Jordan Schultz tweeted this out. West
Cardinal's rookie cornerback Will Johnson had a sensational debut on Sunday.
The second round pick out of Michigan posted a ninety
point two coverage grade, second highest per Pro Football Focus,
(16:13):
with three pass breakups and sticky coverage all game elite instincts,
physical lockdown ability.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Arizona has something special here lock emoji.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
Yeah, man, Well we'll see this weekend. He's got another game,
gotta keep proving it. So maybe Tetoroa brings that grade
down significantly.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
I would hope.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So Tetoroa going against Travis Hunter a couple of times
against Jacksonville, but not a Ton actually talked about that
after the game, saying he was surprised. He didn't see
him nearly as much. There was one target he had
to catch against Hunter slant inside. I think it was
like maybe ten yards something like that. That was about
it from what I remember working against Tyson Campbell the
decent amount. But Tedoro McMillan did say he was surprised
(16:53):
he didn't see Hunter a lot. If Will Johnson is
your number one corner, then I guess I don't know
the system John Gannon runs.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
But yeah, not many corners travel, especially not a rookie,
so you'll see him, but not exclusively.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
And I will I do wonder how much t mac
might run some of his routes from the slot. There
wasn't very many this past week. It was like thirteen percent.
It was more than eighty out wide, which is where
we expect to do him to do a lot of
his work. But Dave can Alis will move his receivers around.
I guess I just don't know if you really can,
especially with three wide receivers, because if you got a
(17:28):
Hunter Renfro, you're not putting him outside. Yeah, I T
Mac in XL or you're outside, guys, you don't have
as much versatility without Coker being out there.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
That's the fact.
Speaker 4 (17:36):
So yeah, that'll be another part of the matchup that's
going to be a facet to keep your eyes on.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
I do if Coker and TMAC are out there, which
they will be at some point, I'll knock on Wood
again my injury. Knocking on wood hasn't been all that helpful,
but I'm still doing it, just to let you know
I'm putting my attempts in. I do like the idea
of putting TMAC in the slot every once in a while,
like kind of power fluid slot, letting him pick up
some yards after the catch, just kind of again fluid
(18:03):
with it. Different looks, different looks. And Dave Canallis likes
given defenses, some mismatches here and there. JT Sanders two
running out of the slot. Can we see a big
game from him this weekend? You think you might? You
just might. If we're looking for another producer in the
past game we don't feel great about Excel. Yeah, it's
(18:24):
got to be him. It's got to be right. Yes,
I think so too. And they looked for him downfield
like he's picking up big chunk plays. And we've already
referenced Dave Canalis liking to use his tight ends in
the slot more so than receivers. Really at times, like
if it's not Excel and it's not how A Renfro,
You're not gonna have Jimmy Horn sued up delayon Campbell,
(18:47):
Bryce and Tremaine. These are special teams, guys. There's it's
Rico who didn't get involved in the passing game all
that much. When he did, he was the problem for
that interception that was not Bryce's fault.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
This is man, it's j T. Sanders needs to step up.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Yeah, he has to because obviously you want production from
the tight end, you've got to keep the defense honest
as well.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
And so for j C.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Senters, for all we heard about them talking about him
being an MVP of camp and all the weight that
he lost and all those things that, yeah, they need
to put that to work. So I would be looking
for him to perhaps be able to capitalize because of
the attention that tedor Row is going to receive. And
unless Excel and Hunter Renfro, can you know, snap out
of it and really come to the table and bring something.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
It has to be j T. Sanders, in my.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Mind, forgot about the schedule a little bit. I did
not get enough preseason reps for the NFL regular season.
We need to go to the Live Wire just for
a couple of soundbites before we welcome Hunter Bailey at
two the Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
Real quick, we had to throw in that. Yes, I
had reported early in the Campus Corner. Deon Sanders did
refute the reports that Ryan Stobb will be the starter
versus Houston. He said, going in today's media, we don't
care about being corrected anymore. We just want to be first.
I did not want to be first, but a lot
of other people obviously did.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
I can't wait till Stob goes out there, right, and
he's still going to find a way to blame the
media somehow.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
But stop, how do you, by the way, how do
you come up with this report? You really think that
one of these reporters just said, you know what, I think.
I'm just going to put it out there today that
they're starting.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Stop. How about that start the pot? That's what I
want to do.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
You're ready for some sound Yeah, let's do it all right,
Live Wire with Floundy now.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
In the West and the West.
Speaker 5 (20:30):
All right, let's start with Dan Canalis yesterday because I
found this very interesting, he was quoted as saying yesterday
that he said that the team played the run consistently
well outside of a few explosive plays.
Speaker 6 (20:42):
I just saw a couple of explosive runs. To be honest,
you know, I thought that we played the run consistently
pretty well. But I thought that we gave up big plays.
We gave up a seventy, we gave up the reverse touchdown,
and then we gave up a couple of explosive runs
in the four minute. Those ones hurt because we talk
about finishing, We talk about just continuing to play right
(21:03):
regardless of what the situation is, and and they got
a couple of explosive runs there late, you know, And
I think you add those three up, that's that's about
one hundred yards and you don't want that.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
That's how these days happened, you know.
Speaker 6 (21:15):
But I just felt like if the guys were in
the right spot, we were playing stout up front, we
were playing with technique, and then there was a lapse
and there was.
Speaker 7 (21:24):
A big play.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
That's the NFL.
Speaker 6 (21:26):
We have to be consistent about it.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
All right.
Speaker 5 (21:29):
So that right there basically refutes the point that you
played it consistently pretty well. But what do you think
about what Dan uh Oh, Dan Morgan, what Dave Canalis
said right there? Do you believe that the Panthers actually
played the run pretty well for the most part, except
for the explosive plays.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
I mean, yeah, in theory, it sounds good for you
to say that, but at the end of the day,
you still gave up those explosive runs. So even if
you did have, but it's because I did think that
the Panthers had spurts what they did make it a
little tough on them, and they did because you know
Etn I was sitting there watching until that four minute
he said he was talking about. I was sitting there
(22:08):
and I was like, man, since Etn got that huge run,
I said, they've been doing a pretty decent job bottling
him up. And then late in that four minute drive,
then he started to break off of eight a ten
or twelve and some of that. So yeah, I mean,
I guess in some portions of the game you could
say that, but then Jacksonville still hit the big runs
that they hit, and you gave them up.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
It was only Etn. I will say.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Etn had fifty percent of the carries in this game.
He went for sixteen carries, one hundred and forty three yards.
Nobody else outside of Brian Thomas Junior on the end
around well, I guess LeQuinn Allen had seven yards on
his one carry, but there wasn't a monster yards per
carry average for some of these other players that took
off running. Yeah, it was Etn that had the bomb
seventy yarder and then it was fifteen rushes for seventy yards.
(22:52):
I get where he's coming from.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Still, there were.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Some big chunks gained, and I just need the early
down runs to be stopped. I'm sure it would be
maddening to see a third and seven rush attempts go
for a first down. That's a good way to make
me throw my remote control. But if you set an
offense up to be successful because of their first down
gain of five or more yards, like, that's when you
(23:16):
really get in trouble and you start to play behind
the sticks. Hate to see that. Hopefully they get it
fixed against Arizona, who again, I like James Connor. I
think he's really good and been an underrated guy for
a long time. Trey Benson was one of my more
favorite players coming out of college. Not very agile, but
just straight line speed. We'll give you a truck stick
and then move on. If you don't stop Arizona's run
(23:39):
game and you don't stop Jacksonville's, it's just there's going
to be a lot better rushing attacks that you have
to face, and I can't give you any confidence if
you don't stop those two teams.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
What else you got?
Speaker 5 (23:48):
All right, let's move on to Nick Saban because he
was talking on Saturday. This was actually on college game Day,
and he compared this year at North Carolina to his
first year at Michigan State.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
I mean, I know exactly how Bill feels because I
went through a very similar situation at the Cleveland Browns.
Speaker 7 (24:05):
We go to Michigan State.
Speaker 8 (24:06):
The first game we play against is Nebraska and they
just came off of winning a national championship.
Speaker 7 (24:12):
They've got Lawrence Phillips.
Speaker 8 (24:14):
I mean, we had a couple of good players, you know,
with Sin Muhammad, Tony Banks, but not that caliber. So
we go win this game and we get beat like
fifty six to seven, and I'm on the sideline saying,
we may never win a game here.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
We're horrible.
Speaker 7 (24:31):
I mean, we couldn't tackle anybody. I mean it, it
was awful. So I know exactly how Bill's feels. Fuck.
When I went out and shook hands with.
Speaker 8 (24:39):
Tom Osborne after the game, he put his arm around
me and he says, you're not as bad as you think.
And you know, we went on to go six and
six and went to a bowl game, you know, with
that team, because we weren't as bad as we thought.
Speaker 7 (24:52):
And I think it. Bill does a good.
Speaker 8 (24:54):
Job of getting these guys to play a little more
fundamentally sound, they won't be as bad as everybody thinks.
So I think for the Carolina fans, there's.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
A lot of hope there that there'll be a lot
of improved all right.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
So do you think that Nick Saban is right after
what we saw on Saturday with the Tarheles going up
against the forty nine ers, which we're about to talk
about here with Hunter Bailey.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
Yeah, coming from the goat, I mean, that's words of wisdom,
and they actually lost fifty to ten. But yeah, man,
it's tough when you're building a program with as many
new guys as they have.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
We talked about that.
Speaker 4 (25:28):
I thought that maybe the process would have been sped up,
But in retrospect, we look back and we say this
did look like a team that was put together in
the spring, and a lot of the things that coach
Saban just talked about were some of the things that
I thought that Belichick, at a minimum would have them
at as far as being fundamentally sound, being out of gaps,
because that's the bulk of what run defense is, being
(25:50):
out of your gaps. I thought that TCU really went
into their bag when you talk about the play calling,
the formations, all of those things.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
The ball was getting out quickly.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
This receiving corps was fantastic and it really negated their
pass rush too. So I thought that Bill really got
a crash course in dealing with college offenses with TCU
everything they threw at him. So yeah, that's why I
say it's just one game for me. And even though
they didn't look spectacular against Charlotte, they still got to
win their flawed football team, there's no doubt about that.
But that doesn't mean that they can't win. There are
(26:22):
some things there that a coach of Bill Belichick's ilk
can get out of them.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
I do have to say I'm picturing now fifty five
year old Sonny Dykes going out to midfield after destroying
the Carolina Tar heels, padding seventy three year old Bill Belichick,
multi time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick on the back
and saying it's okay, Bill, You're not as bad as
you think you are. Maybe a little bit different from
(26:47):
a forty three year old Nick Saban's perspective all the
way back in nineteen ninety five, saying I know how
you feel. I don't think he does. To be honest
with you, like Nick Saban, didn't need an ego check man.
My man was at Toledo for one year five year
years prior, and this was his first time coaching college
football outside of Toledo, where he went nine and two
and then took some time in the NFL. And he
(27:08):
also went bowling that year at six five and one, again,
thirty years Bill Belichick junior before he had accomplished a
whole lot. Bill Belichick's the goat yeah, and here it
is like as Sunny Dike's It's okay, Bill, You're gonna
be all right, buddy. Oh my god. That would have
made Bill Belichick flame right there.
Speaker 5 (27:27):
Just Boom probably should have done it based off of
the way that he was playing that game. He probably
told him you suck and your team sucks. We just
kicked your ass right here. I Tim alboud do it
the same thing. It'd been funny if Tim Albin felt
like North Carolina was struggling. It's okay, you only beat
us by seventeen.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Man.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
You guys are going to be a lot better. I
promise you. Just keep your head up and you'll be fine.
Hunter Bailey. He now joins us On Weston Walker covering
the Charlotte forty nine Ers football team. You can follow
him on Twitter at Hunter Underscore Bailey forty five. He
writes for the Charlotte Observer, and he talked on the
Highway forty podcast Hunter, how are you doing?
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Man? Doing good fellows? Hope you all over? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (28:05):
Absolutely, we appreciate you hopping on with us once again,
and we will go straight to the Tim Alvin presser.
I know you just fielded some questions, fielded some answers.
I should say, excuse me from the forty nine ers
head coach. It's Connor Harrel. He's starting at quarterback again
heading into this weekend against Mond Myth. I am not
as mad about it this go around, as concerned as
(28:26):
I was after the app State game. How concerned are
you with Connor Harrel this time around, compared to the
way you were feeling after that game against the Mountaineers.
Speaker 9 (28:36):
Yeah, So to start this past game, we get off
to a close start. He starts game two for five.
They go three and out three straight possessions, which pretty
similar to the week one opening loss against the Mountaineers.
He did kind of find a stride in the second quarter,
completed twelve straight passes. And when you when you hear
your quarterback is doing that, you're thinking, okay, so they
(28:58):
they're scoring touchdowns and then you look at the four
board and they're missing these opportunities, selling for fee goals
with drives stalling out in the red zone. Harold's specific
passing game wise, I thought he did all right. He's
got to pull the ball out and run. We've talked
about that before the season. After week one we're talking
about it again. Their offense isn't going to be very
(29:19):
good unless the quarterback is going to run the ball.
Tim Oltn said today he doesn't want quarterback with double
digit carries. He doesn't want him top right like a
running back. He wants him to be that true quarterback.
And when I look at this offense, I feel like
they're not playing to their strengths with that side of things,
and I think the quarterback battle is kind of finished
(29:39):
now based on Grayson Losses's performance. He really struggled. They
put him in with about six minutes to go, and
the offense moved up and down the field perfectly fine.
But he did throw three picks in that span to
only two of them counted, and I'll give them one
of them being at Heil Mary, you kind of want
to like a okay, you might as well throw the
(30:01):
ball up, is what it is. One of them was
negated due to a twelve minut on the field penalty
for the tar Heels, and then the other one is
just a bad throw. So it's to a point where
I think counter Harrell is the guy. And now I
don't really think there's a big competition there, but if
they're gonna play this style of offense, he's gonna have
to use his legs for them to beat even Modermouth on.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
Saturday, Hunter, you held in C to three points in
the second half and you guys, obviously you didn't score,
but you outgained them, held them to just three points.
And so what was your biggest takeaway. Do you feel
like that there were positives to be taken away based
off the second half of that game.
Speaker 9 (30:39):
Yeah, I think the North Carolina offense started a lot.
I mean, they quite a few questionable decisions from Freddy Kitchens,
including front a beat ball on fourth and one when
you clearly have the talent and size advantage up front.
So I don't think North Carolina really did themselves any favors.
I did think Charlotte's defense settled into the game. When
you give up a three play touchdown drive a fifty
(31:02):
yard touchdown to open the game, dig yourself a ten
oh hole, you're not doing yourself any favors. But I
agree with what you're saying West. They tightened up in
the second half. You saw Shave Taylor make some plays
from his linebacker position, Dwight Blutle at corner. They just
got a couple of miss cues to clean up on
that side of the ball, and now they're dealing. They're
(31:22):
gonna finish the rest of the year without DJ Burgess,
who's probably the best pass rusher on the team, so
we'll get to see some depth on the edge. They missed.
Jalen Johnson didn't play last week either. But someone like
Curtis Simpson, Braydon Mullen, guys like that are going to.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Have to step up.
Speaker 9 (31:37):
But as you said, Wes, you allowed three in the
second half and you still lose the game. In my mind,
that was maybe not a winnable game. You had your opportunities.
You could have definitely made it fun into the fourth quarter.
But again, they're not going to be competitive in these
games if they shoot themselves in the foot, and there
was a ton of that on offense with these fumbled snaps.
(31:58):
I mean, you're rushing less than one yard per carry
right now, and that's not a winnable recipe.
Speaker 4 (32:04):
Hana Mama's high flying offense to All American quarterback Derek
Robertson is back. I mean, how worried should Charlotte fans
be about this matchup?
Speaker 1 (32:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (32:15):
When I think the previous FCS games, some of them
have been the blowout type that you feel like Charlotte
should be able to get, and then the others I
think back to William and Mary a couple of years
ago at home. I think to even Gardner Webb last
season where Charlotte's getting blown out in that game and
needs their third string quarterback trucks variety to lead a comeback.
(32:36):
But Manas is a top twenty five SCS team. You're right,
their quarterbacks back again. They're scoring over forty points per game,
They've got great skilled position players, and talking to Charlotte's
players available to Dave Cale Curtin and Mason Bowers, they're
not treating us like an SCS team, and I think
that's the right approach for Charlotte. This doesn't need to
be look as a pushover game because, like I said,
(32:59):
I mean mom to score on over forty a game
and Charlotte is scoring just seven a game and hasn't
even scored touchdowns in both games. So I looked for
the defense to have the type of performance they did
in the second half. They're gonna need them to, and
I want to see more from the running game. It
sounds like Henry right, which is now awaiting an MRI,
so not sure that we'll see him again this week.
(33:20):
But you're gonna need more from guys like CJ. Stokes,
Rod Ganey Junior in the backfield because, like I said,
this is the type of game where your offensive line,
your running game gets right. This is against lesser talent,
and like I say, the SCS side of things, they
need to find a way to run a ball Saturday
to win this game.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
Yeah, Hunter, that's exactly where I wanted to go next.
How surprised are you that the offensive line has been
as lackluster as they have.
Speaker 9 (33:47):
I think the writing was on the wall there in
the offseason with him out and talking about wanting versatility
up front. You knew Johnny King was kind of the returner,
the senior leader, I guess the heart beat all defensive line,
and now he's dealing with an injury. Didn't practice today,
so they're doing more flip flopping that on that front.
(34:09):
I admittedly I expected it to be a little bit
better in pass bro I wasn't one hundred percent sure
about the running game, knowing they don't have Mitchell May's
and they're still awaiting this waivers. So in my mind,
they're gonna have to feare that out. Whatever the musical
chairs that Tim Alvin is set up front, they need
to find a way to find that right five and
(34:29):
at least get some positives. Not be so far behind
the chains, guys. I mean, their average third down distance
the last game is over ten yards so your first
and second down has been a huge struggle, and I
think you're seeing that with so many three and outs
with these guys.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Last thing, Hunter, what was something Tim Alvin said today
that you found particularly noteworthy?
Speaker 9 (34:50):
Yeah, I think and it sticks up front. He said,
the roster is kind of what it is, so he
knows there's deficiencies in you're one. I think it's pretty clear,
you know some of the portal additions you want to
make in the off season, what you're going to want
to focus on with high school recruiting.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
I think they'll.
Speaker 9 (35:07):
Again look to get another quarterback this offseason. They'll look
for more help, more big bodies up front. And he
talked about one hundred and five player roster limit, and
they got their numbers down to that, and then I
got the NCAA ruled that they could have more of
two point fifteen, and so they're missing some of the
guys that they would normally have and it's affecting how
(35:28):
they're practicing on the offensive line. So they only have
about eight guys available right now, so they can't even
go with two full units due to some of the
injuries the numbers that they have, so that's impacting practice.
I think until they kind of find like I said
that correct five, the push forward, I think it's going
to be a struggle upfront, which is going to result
in making it harder for someone like Connor Harold to
(35:49):
really find a stride this season.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
Hunter Bailey from The Charlotte Observer the Highway forty nine podcast.
You can follow him on Twitter at Hunter Underscore Bailey
forty five hundred. Great stuff as always, man, we appreciate
your time.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Thanks, Honah. All right, positive vibes going into Monmouth. Hopefully
we can take care of business.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
I am very glad that the forty nine ers are
not overlooking an FCS team. They're in no position to
do that. They cannot, which is funny. By the way,
just speaking of some house cleaning stuff, I mentioned that
Charlotte's three points this time was better than the amount
of points they scored last time, like the better three.
I forgot that they actually did score a touchdown late
(36:26):
in that game against a state just because it had
been three really the entire game, and so when he
said they averaged seven, I was like, how to the
world do they Oh, yeah, they did score a late touchdown.
It felt like three the first game.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
You'll always have.
Speaker 10 (36:38):
That great two point conversion that they ran.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
It was an awesome player. You said, what are you
worried A little bit? A little bit?
Speaker 5 (36:50):
I mean, hell, I'm worried against Richmond, so I would
be to definitely be worried if I'm you.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
I think Charlotte's gonna win. I did.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
We did see improvement from Connor Harrell in the passing game.
I mean, I will say it sucks that McGowan is
going to be out. We should have been asking about that,
to be honest with you, just didn't have enough time.
But McGowan out for I think the year. I did
like what Nicholas brought us with eleven receptions and one
hundred and twenty yards.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
That was their go to guy.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
So it seems like we found something after having absolutely
nothing in the past game. So hopefully we can have
some more success against Bondmouth, because if not, it's scary
season it is.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
It's already kind of yeah.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
I think this is going to be a very intriguing game.
I would love to watch this game, and I'm going to.
I don't like the way that you're looking right now.
I have to be honest with you. It's the walkoff
coming up next.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
I want to exit the segment Sports rated ninety two
to seven WFNZ.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Are you challenge for me to walk off? Oh yeah,
that's a walk off challenge, my friend.
Speaker 7 (37:58):
It's a walk off the.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
One more segments ago.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
What's the walk off on West and Walker Sports rated
ninety two to seven WFNZ. And let's get straight to
what's on tap because we have a game happening not
in Charlotte, but involving a Charlotte team. What's on Tap
is percented by Twin Peaks. Twin Peaks has locations in
Concord and Fort Mill. Twin Peaks is your local sports lodge.
Come in from May from Scratch Food and signature twenty
nine degree draft beers. The Charlotte Knights are in action,
(38:31):
bottom of the seventh. They are down on tough six'
one To omaha as it currently, Stands so we'll see
If charlotte can bounce back from a five run. Deficit
i'm trying to look at the pitching matchup bringing that.
Up i'll give you some more information a little bit,
later but it Was charlotte that scored in the first.
Inning they haven't scored since, obviously And omaha they have
scored in every inning from the third inning.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
On so the storm chaser is doing a Nice i'll
do it out. There, yeah if you just score every single, inning.
Speaker 10 (38:58):
Storm, chasers what a badass that?
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Is, god what did they? Know what do they used to?
Be because it didn't used to be?
Speaker 7 (39:03):
That?
Speaker 2 (39:04):
Right is the a minor league? Officionado remember What omaha
used to? Be i'll tell you that.
Speaker 10 (39:09):
One.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
Yeah, Same that sounds like something smoke would, now BUT
i don't. Think, YEAH i was looking right at him
he walked. In it's the only REASON i asked to be.
Fair SO i didn't know If omaha did they even
have a. TEAM i don't know, anyways all, right we'll
just research team drum get on, it my, man make
sure you get on that. Research and then of course
The Atlanta. Braves they will be playing The Chicago cubs,
(39:32):
tonight seven. Fifteen first, pitch It's Kate horton on the
mound For chicago nine to four record two seven EIGHT,
ra and It's Spencer streider on the bump For. Atlanta
he's five and twelve with a four to nine SEVEN.
Era atlanta did win yesterday against The. Cubs they ended
up Beating chicago four to. One Albie's olsen they both,
homered And Bryce elder had a strong. OUTING i haven't
(39:55):
been able to say that too many times this, year
but he. Did congratulations To, Elder congratulates To braves.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
Fans you want to go with the power? Rankings here
with THE. Ufl.
Speaker 2 (40:03):
Okay so after the first, WEEK i saw The RINGERS
Nfl Power rankings graphic and here's what they. Have philadelphia
they have as the best team in THE nfl after week.
One buffalo is, Second baltimore is, third Green bay is,
Fourth Kansas city is. Fifth we'll finish six to, ten
but you AND i will just come up with rankings
(40:24):
one through, five or you can go to. Ten don't
let me hold you. Back ram, Six detroit, Seven tampa,
Eight chargers Nine commanders come in at number. Ten how
do you feel about those? Rankings what would be your
top five teams in.
Speaker 1 (40:37):
The my top five is pretty much on part what there.
Speaker 4 (40:40):
Is IF i Have tampa in And i've Got Bill's,
Eagles Green, Bay Bill Lampa.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
Eagles In, Baltimore Green, Bay, Tampa, Baltimore, yes quick.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
Charges right on the outside looking.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
In how hard of a time did you have trying
to figure out Where baltimore should?
Speaker 1 (40:54):
Go not much BECAUSE i kind of put mine in no.
Speaker 4 (40:59):
Order but For, baltimore for, me IF i were to place,
THEM i probably would Go, Eagles, Bills. Baltimore SO i
probably have them thirty because they lost.
Speaker 1 (41:09):
THEM i have them.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
Thirty, Yeah SO i Put buffalo number. ONE i Put
philadelphia number, Two SO i switched those. TEAMS i think defending.
CHAMPS i know that they get some, love But i'm
gonna Put buffalo number, One philadelphia To baltimore. THREE i
did think about putting Green bay up there a little bit,
further BUT i got them. FOUR i have The rams.
FIVE i think that, defense in that, offense the way
that they, PERFORMED i have high, expectations perhaps a little
(41:32):
bit in line with what my expectations, were and they
delivered on a nice. Win got, Dicey BUT i have
The rams coming in at number Five. Flounder did we
knock it out of the park or did we struggle
with our?
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Rankings? YEAH i LIKE i like.
Speaker 5 (41:44):
IT i think both of them make a lot of
sense to. ME i Went eagles, One bills, Two packers,
Three ravens, four AND i went with The Washington commies
at number.
Speaker 1 (41:59):
Five is that what people are calling?
Speaker 2 (42:01):
Them, yeah they call them the CON i don't know
WHY i ever heard, that but.
Speaker 10 (42:04):
That's a Classic Peter.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Rosenberg oh, Okay, scotcha, OKAY i didn't understand that with
us giving out the awards before the season, Started, west
what's something that you feel really good? About that was
a bold? Take and what's something you feel really bad
about that could be just a run of the mill
take or even bold there as. Well Oh, JETS i would,
say looks pretty decent with the way that they.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Played, YEAH i.
Speaker 7 (42:26):
WAS i.
Speaker 1 (42:27):
Was that's a good point that you bring. UP i was.
Speaker 4 (42:29):
EXCITED i was looking at them to see if they
were going to. WIN i, Mean i'm No jets, fan
BUT i definitely wanted to, See, hey all these guys looking.
Speaker 1 (42:35):
Competitive so, offensively they didn't look.
Speaker 4 (42:37):
BAD i add The cardinals in, there even though they
beat The saints as, well but they got to win
on their opening one That i'm, like WHEN i look
at it IS.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
I, mean you could just be right on every other.
Pick DETROIT i think is looking good, too saying they
won't make the.
Speaker 1 (42:53):
Playoffs, Yeah, detroit perhaps so.
Speaker 4 (42:55):
EARLY i would say The texans right now is one
That i'm questioning that offensive.
Speaker 1 (43:00):
LINE i, Mean.
Speaker 10 (43:02):
Daniel jones is in that, division so watch out he.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
Is but so Is, miami which is just two easy. Wins,
APPARENTLY i guess that's the. Case i'm, Sorry, SOUTH i
didn't know What JACKSON i. Got My florida teams mixed
up a competitive, division, YEAH afc always because even The,
TEXANS i mean even The, titans as bad as THE
o line, is and they've got some components of a
(43:27):
team that picked one in the last, draft BUT i
still think they'll be.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
Pest the A Fc south is always the wildest.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
DIVISION i never know how to predict that division every
single season going. IN i had M dog say THAT
i looked sauced On. Saturday THE Afc south is they have,
resting high slash drunk.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
Things, well because in THE Nfc south you at least Have, tampa,
right you can always fall back to them and just, say,
oh go with the safe.
Speaker 10 (43:52):
Pick who is the safe pick in THE Afc, south you,
know like.
Speaker 1 (43:54):
The texans because they won the division the last two.
Speaker 10 (43:57):
Years, yes they're the safe one for.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
ME i think there's a difference between THE Nfc south
changes a, lot and you do get surprises with THE Nfc,
south but they've just been bad for a couple of.
Seasons Tampa bay helping you out. There as you MENTIONED Fc,
SOUTH i just don't know what's gonna. Happen The colts
are a hard team to get a grip. On miami
a little bit of, that even though they look Terrible week,
One tennessee that they had some money coming in On tennessee.
Speaker 5 (44:22):
Still keep saying That miami is in THE Afc. SOUTH
i don't know WHY i keep doing. THAT i keep
Jackson i'm.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
Picturing jacksonville, resonally it makes, sense, OKAY i.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
Don't know why we're going to believe.
Speaker 10 (44:35):
You and they did.
Speaker 5 (44:36):
Win they did, one believe it or not week, One
we've been talking about it all.
Speaker 2 (44:40):
Week i'm Picturing, jacksonville and Yet I'M i don't. Know
i'm the show's over. MAN i should have just quit
WHEN i was. AHEAD i know who MY Fc. South
you had a good power.
Speaker 4 (44:49):
Rankings, Okay i'm going to maybe some credit they should
be in The south based off.
Speaker 2 (44:53):
Geography don't give me that. CREDIT i DON'T i can't
MISS i can't mess that up. Twice not a good
walk off for me. YESTERDAY i also got My Justin
tuck And DeMarcus lawrence Slash ware Slash ocu and Your
Alba maters.
Speaker 5 (45:06):
Wrong you're you're swinging at pitches that are nowhere near
the plate in the WALK i, mean you're not even, Coming.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
Clint all, right some pretty bad ninth innings for your,
Boys so we try to be better the next. Time
west And walker tomorrow from twelve to. Three be there
OR B Square coming up, next it's The Kyle Bailey
show Alongside Smoke. Ludwig Sports radio ninety two SEVEN. Wfnz
listen To The wes And.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
Walker show week teas from noon to three only On
Sports radio ninety two point SEVEN. Fm COM, ufnz the
official home of The Charlotte Sports fan
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