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October 2, 2025 • 48 mins
Bob Labriola joins the guys to talk the Steelers historic win in Dublin. Matt and Wes also take a look at their weekly college quarterback check

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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
Good afternoon, Steelers Nation, It's the Drive on the Steelers
Audio Network. West Steeler and Matt Williamson with you here
for the next two hours on your twenty four to
seven home of the Black and the Gold. On a
Thursday here, heading into a bye week, a little bit
of a I don't know, different show today. Maybe we
will have, you know, some normal Steelers related conversation as

(00:53):
we always do. We're gonna jump back into some of
our college quarterback conversation as well.

Speaker 3 (00:57):
Matt.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
It's been a couple I guess just last week, the
week we took off due to travel into Ireland and
in a different schedule and all that kind of stuff.

Speaker 4 (01:05):
We will tall on top of that though.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:06):
Absolutely, I got a handy dandy little spreadsheet for us
that I'll continue to kind of update and add to
throughout the season. And we're also going to catch up
in about ten minutes with our buddy Bob Labriola. So
let's jump right into it here before we get to Labs, Matt,
we spent a lot of time. There were a lot
of different things that you and I that you and
Dale that Motes and I that everybody who you know

(01:29):
did Steelers content, radio, writing, video, whatever. Throughout the off season,
spent time discussing, Yeah, a couple of key things. You
got to get those sack numbers back up. Yeah, you
got to improve the UH yards per rush, yards per
rush has to improve. We talked about turnover differential and
sack differential, and explosive play differential, red zone.

Speaker 4 (01:46):
Offense, red zone offense another one.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
And there's been some of those departments I think certainly
where they have shown growth, shown improvement, taking steps forward. Yes,
there's been some of those where they've still to be desired.
So I wanted to as we are, you know, kind
of stinks like you can't call it the quarter poll
the quarterway into the season anymore, because its pretty close
pretty much since we're basically one month in the we

(02:10):
got a month in the books. It's the bye week.
It's time to maybe take a look at some of
those bigger picture things and.

Speaker 4 (02:15):
We're into bye week season. Yes, like that means you're
pretty far into.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
Thing exactly right, And let's start with the one that
you always say is and not just you, I mean
the facts back this up. It's not like it's a
like a personal belief, right right. Turnover differential. Turnover differential
the number one indicator of success in the National Football
League on a team basis. The Steelers so far plus
seven through four games.

Speaker 4 (02:40):
That's great among us. You know why they're three and
one and okay, you're losing the yardage differential and things
like that. Yardage differential is onst important is turnover differential?
It just isn't you know? And that this has been
a Steeler theme for a long time now. I mean,
no matter who the quarterback is a lot of changes
on defense. They're super opportunistic on that side of the ball.

(03:01):
I was on a different podcast earlier, as I'm on
a lot. I don't know if you heard the Robert
Flores quote from this week. Someone asked him they were
talking about turnovers and things like that. He's like, so,
I got a young daughter. You'll get a kick out
of this. You got a young daughter, Like if she
hugs me for bed and isn't trying to get the
football out, she's out. You gotta keep punching at the

(03:24):
ball no matter what, you know, Like, yeah, yeah, she's
not working on ball security or she's crying to the bunk,
right if she's gonna hug me better at least punching
at that football.

Speaker 2 (03:34):
That's a good one. That's a real good one by
Brian Floora. That's that's that's hilarious. I like that.

Speaker 4 (03:39):
So they're plus seven plus.

Speaker 2 (03:40):
Seven, great place to be, great start.

Speaker 4 (03:43):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
The only game that they haven't been positive in the
turnover differential was the one they lost to Seattle, where
they were neutral zero.

Speaker 3 (03:50):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Zero. I mean I'm actually looking at it if oh
wait no, because the Caleb Johnson one didn't.

Speaker 4 (03:56):
Actually can it actually doesn't count, but it obviously is
the same effect.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
If that doesn't happen, maybe end of pointing that game.
But that technically for this exercise doesn't factor. While the
turnover differential is very encouraging plus seven through four games, uh,
keep that rolling. The explosive play differential, both in the
run game and the pass games still leaving plenty to
be desired. Matt, Yeah, minus eight explosive run ten or

(04:24):
more yards. That's how the that's how we track this.
Ten or more yards is an explosive run. Steelers are
minus eight.

Speaker 4 (04:29):
But at least they were plus three this past week.
First time it took. That's the first explosive thing that
went their way.

Speaker 2 (04:36):
In the explosive run differential so far minus six against
the Jets, minus three against Seattle, minus two against New England,
plus three against Minnesota. So hey, their most performance was
their best performance. Let's continue to see more of that.

Speaker 4 (04:49):
I meant everyone remembers the Jets game. They were just
getting gash or explosive run.

Speaker 2 (04:54):
Yeah, fields and and brees Hall Right. Explosive pass differential
has been the opposite. The Steelers won it their first
game and have lost it their last three plus three
against the Jets, minus six against Seattle, minus two against
New England, minus five last week, and the explosive past
differential in Dublin against the Vikings. They are negative ten
overall on the season. Twenty yards or more is an

(05:15):
explosive pass play.

Speaker 4 (05:16):
One note, and I just happened to hear it on
a podcast as I was pulling in is I think
Seattle is number one in explosive pass rate. I mean,
that's your worst game there. I mean, you wouldn't think
Smith the Jigma Cup. They don't have like these Mossy
gilgames numbers, but they're scheming it up and they're hitting
big plays and Darnald is not missing downfield.

Speaker 2 (05:37):
So overall though, this does not se negative eighteen through
four games combined in the explosive pass and rush differential
minus three against New York, minus nine against Seattle, minus
four against New England, and minus two against.

Speaker 4 (05:53):
The Thinking minus nine, And it's hard to win a
game when you have nine fewer explosive plays than your opponent.

Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yes, those are twenty yard passes, right.

Speaker 4 (06:02):
I mean, that's substantial stuff right there.

Speaker 2 (06:05):
On the surface is twenty you know, twenty yard games
there that many times is gonna that's not gonna paper
cut you to death. That's just going to take you out.

Speaker 4 (06:15):
You were even in turnovers that game, and you're minus
nine in explosive explosive play differential. That's a rough way
to live.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
That's a rough way to live. It certainly is that's
the one that really needs to get moving in the
right direction because sack differential did not start out well
but has returned to form of where we want it
to be.

Speaker 4 (06:33):
I hope we're where we're supposed to be, not that
this is the flash in the pan.

Speaker 2 (06:36):
And you know you pointed to this in the offseason,
all throughout training camp, and when we would have these
type of conversations that this is the one that you
really think that they could get turned around pretty easily. Yes,
negative three.

Speaker 4 (06:48):
The one thing though, and I have brought some before.
I thought Rogers would take fewer sacks, but he's just
not very mobile, you know, and get rid of the
ball quick and the ball's coming out, so that part's working.
But I thought sack avoidance was something I would be
more keen on than I am at the moment, you know.
But them getting after the quarterback is obviously taking it, taking.

Speaker 2 (07:10):
Over, especially the last two weeks, because the first two
games Steelers minus three in the sack differential against New York,
minus one in that department against the Patriots, but then
plus five or part of me minus one against Seattle,
party minus three against New York, minus one against Seattle,
but then plus five against the Patriots, plus four against
the Vikings, plus nine in their last two games. Yeah,

(07:31):
now you're five overall. Now we're talking now.

Speaker 4 (07:34):
Yeah, I mean, if you could keep a similar pace,
I don't think you're going to average plus four point
five every game, you know, these last two. But if
you're at least in the positive. I think that's something
I can definitely live with, and I think they probably
should be.

Speaker 2 (07:48):
Yes, you know, that's an area where they need to
and should make hay Yes. The first couple of weeks, hey,
Cam Hayward was still knocking off the rust. You didn't
have Derek Harmon in those first couple of weeks. Now
you've gotten both of those things moving in the right direction.
Her Big and TJ Water playing at a high level.
Here comes Keanu Benton as well too, with his best

(08:08):
game as a pittsa Hi Smith returns. Patrick Queen is
added in in this department as well too. Man he
trucked Carson Wentz at Croke Park.

Speaker 4 (08:18):
So I just start fiddling with Matt's stats for the Browns,
and obviously I can't do a lot because they haven't
played yet. So I did all Steeler stuff. I think
eleven different Steelers have a sack this year. It's like
eleven or twelve. It's double digit defenders. That's a ton.
So they're getting them from all over.

Speaker 2 (08:32):
Yeah, and we haven't seen a Ramsey sack yet.

Speaker 4 (08:35):
I don't, right, I don't think he'll get one at
some point I'm sure, Elliott, and yeah, right right, No,
that's Clark or Pepper's or you know, right, that's that
they're blitzing a lot and they're bringing a lot of
different people.

Speaker 2 (08:45):
That's encouraging. So this is something that we'll keep an
eye on throughout the season. But just to wrap it up,
turn over differential steelers plus seven, keep that up. Sack
differential plus five. It's gotten a lot better of the
last two weeks.

Speaker 4 (08:57):
Let those things.

Speaker 2 (08:58):
Feeling real good about both of those things. Explosive explosive
runs minus eight, explosive pass differential minus ten. Add those up.
That's negative eighteen. That's got to at least get closer
to neutral. Yeah, even if they're not, if it's not
going to be a strength for them, fine, but it
can't be that large of a weakness.

Speaker 4 (09:15):
I think they've been They have been better in allowing them.
You know, I think the tackling's better. They were really
bad tackling team the first two weeks. And maybe that's
just how the season started. And I would like to
see play action throw a bomb a little bit more,
you know, take two shots at least a game. Yeah,
you know, they even taken any.

Speaker 2 (09:35):
Shots I'm with you on that, and I'm hopeful that
that's kind of the final piece of the offense that
we're going to see here. Obviously a lot of things
relate to that pass pro being probably at the forefront.
Maybe that's something that we'll talk to our buddy about,
Bob Labriola about when we return on the other side.
Plenty to get to on a busy week with our
with our buddy Bob Labriola, when we returned West Huler

(09:55):
Matt Williamson. You are tuned into the Drive at Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.

Speaker 1 (10:07):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal. Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
Back on the drive here on a Thursday, into the
phone lines we go. It's time to catch up with
Steelers historian asked and answered Steelers dot Com, Steelers Digest.
Of course you all know the great Bob Labriola Labs.
Thank you for taking the time here for us on
a Thursday. I didn't want to ask you before we
got into some particulars. Maybe just a bigger picture question

(10:50):
coming off the back of this weekend the historic game
at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland labs. I don't think
there's too many people that Matt and I could talk
to here on the show Shoe that would kind of
be better positioned to talk about what having that regular
season game in Dublin. Finally, what winning that first regular
season game in Dublin meant to the Pittsburgh Steelers organization

(11:13):
and obviously particularly the Rooney family.

Speaker 3 (11:17):
Yeah, I mean, you know, Mike Tomlin certainly talked about
it a little bit. You know. The whole thing, you know,
was it was Dan Rooney's vision to bring American football
to Ireland, and you know, in nineteen ninety seven he
did that. It was a preseason game against the Chicago Bears,

(11:37):
and you know it was one it was because it
was a preseason game. You know, a lot of it.
He had to kind of put it together himself. I mean,
there wasn't a lot of league involvement in it, and
so it really was, I think at that time a
labor of love for him. And then to have it

(12:00):
evolved and blossom into the first NFL regular season game
ever played there. You know, their their family, that's their homeland,
that the team, uh is their the you know, their
family business and has been for you know, generations now, uh.

(12:20):
And for it to be such a rousing success, for
having it to be so well received, uh, certainly in
Ireland by the Irish people. You know, a success by
any measure in terms of the production of it, the
ticket sales, what it looked like, what it sounded like,

(12:40):
you know, all of those things for the people who
are in Croke Park were watching it on TV.

Speaker 4 (12:45):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (12:46):
And then the Steelers won the game. So yeah, I
I I really don't know if I can put it
into words, but I'm sure for the family, for the organization,
you know, it was huge to be able to deliver
a win there. And then you know, for it to

(13:07):
be so well received, I think, you know, it's kind
of a cherry on the Sunday Yeah.

Speaker 4 (13:13):
Well said Labs. And it was an awesome environment. And
I go, to be honest, so sweat in the last
couple of minutes of the game, though, I mean, it's
been a whole different feel if Minnesota could have sneaked
that one out.

Speaker 3 (13:25):
Yeah, But I mean that seems to be the be
that this team's m o. You know, close games, one
score games. But I've seen some stats talking about how
how well the Steelers have done in one score game,
so you know, it's probably an attribute. It certainly doesn't

(13:48):
do much for It didn't do much for my nervous stomach.
But yeah, as I said, you know it, it was
a win. And let me say this too, I thought
that they also looked better than they had in any
of the other the three previous games.

Speaker 4 (14:07):
That was actually my next question for you is do
you think that's the best they've played?

Speaker 3 (14:12):
Yes, yeah, I think that's the best team they played, too, true,
which is a factor, and so yeah, I just I mean,
I just don't. I don't see any negatives that came
out of it. I really don't, except for maybe, you know,
the injuries to Jalen Ramsey and maybe Calvin Austin.

Speaker 2 (14:33):
Yeah, no doubt. That's certainly something that we're going to
monitor here post bye week and hopefully get an update
on early next week. It is Bob Labriola with us
here on the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the
Steelers Audio Network. Labs were through the month of September,
and you know, Matt and I were kind of laughing
in the in the opening segments. You can't really do
the quarterpole thing anymore now, because they're seventeen regular season games,

(14:55):
but fairly close. What are your impressions of Aaron Rodgers
so far? I thought another in incredibly efficient performance, effective
buttoned up performance by him at Croke Park, and exactly
what this offense needs while they continue to try and
develop an identity and find their footing.

Speaker 3 (15:13):
Yeah, I mean, I could talk about a lot of
different things with respect Aaron Rodgers, and you know, on
previous times and you guys and myself have got together,
you know, I've sung his praises and certainly I didn't
see anything against the Vikings that changed my mind. But
what I thought he really gave the Steelers, specifically against

(15:38):
that team and against that defense, was his ability at
the line of scrimmage to you know, I think the
way Mike Tomlin referred to it once is used cadence
as a weapon, and not that he was drawing them
off sides or anything. But Brian Floor is the defensive
coordinator for the Vikings. You know, I guess his his signature,

(16:01):
his calling card, however you might want to describe it.
They do a lot of disguising. They're aggressive and you know,
Harrison Smith, their veteran safety, is kind of Brian Flores's
extension on the field, and you know, he gets the

(16:21):
group into the disguises and out of the disguises, you know,
in a timely fashion, you know, because you don't want
to you don't want to tip your hand too soon,
or you don't want to be too late, and so
you know that that's a you kind of got to
thread that needle there in the timeframe thing. Well, what

(16:43):
I think Aaron Rodgers was doing was he was with
with some of the you know, you know, going going
deep into with the play clock. He was forcing the
Vikings to show their hand, I think, and then then
react to it, quickly, recognize it, and then do what
needed to be done in terms of you know, counteracting

(17:06):
or combating what he saw at that point. I don't
know that there's anybody else who could do that as well,
certainly no one else the Steelers have had since pre
elbow surgery Ben who could handle that kind of assignment.
And I think that was a big part of you know,
some of those plays we saw some of the maybe

(17:29):
some of the big plays in terms of yardage, but
also with the running game, you know, getting the whatever
if he's calling blocking assignments or keeping the Steelers at
the line of scrimmage long enough to figure out what
the Vikings were gonna do and then they could deal

(17:50):
with it better then maybe with another quarterback, so that
kind of, you know, it doesn't show up on the
stat sheet or anything, that kind of you know, veteran savvy,
veteran presence. You know, it's it's it's invaluable. It just is.
And he's giving this team something that it hasn't had,

(18:12):
and I believe it's something that this team is needs,
not only for this Vikings game, but now moving forward
to the rest of this schedule.

Speaker 4 (18:19):
Yeah, I couldn't agree more. And above the neck, I
think he's just been fantastic and you know that that's brains.
But I want to talk about a little bit of
bron You know, we saw a new wrinkle here with
a lot more Darnell Washington and a lot more Spencer
Anderson is a sixth offensive lineman. Do you think that
beefy set is something that's here to say.

Speaker 2 (18:40):
The corn beef package, and I called it, you know.

Speaker 3 (18:45):
If that's what it's what's necessary to run the football. Yes,
I mean maybe that has something to do with a
particular opponent and their particular defense, how you use that,
how often you use that. Maybe some wrinkles come off
of that based on the particular opponent and the and
the particular defense that that opponent uses. But you know,

(19:07):
I have I certainly would be in favor of that
if that's what's necessary to get the running game going.
And I think that everyone would agree that the Steelers
running game was what it needed to be against the
Vikings in that game. It was what it needed to
be for the first time this regular season. So uh,

(19:27):
you know, again I don't know enough about it, you know,
break down any of the it's good with outside zones
or inside zones or any you know, any of that
kind of stuff. But yeah, if that's what it's if
that's what is necessary, fine, and if that's if you know,
if you can do that, ah, then you make you

(19:52):
maybe create a little bit of an identity or maybe
a little bit of a tendency which then sets up,
you know, for you to do something different out of
that to surprise that particular defense. For example, you know,
I Darnell Washington just because he's out there doesn't necessarily
mean it has to be a running play now, I

(20:12):
personally believe that Darnell Washington's role with the Pittsburgh Steelers
is not ever going to be strictly a receiving tight end.
So if the opponent, for example, seems to have caught
on to Darnell Washington and Spencer Anderson are on the field,
it's got to be a run. Well maybe you know

(20:35):
down the scene, because you know number eight can diagnose
that quick, get the ball out quick, it will be
on target and on time. And you know, a tight
ends going down the scene are not necessarily an easy
an easy thing for the opposing defense to deal with.

Speaker 2 (20:54):
No, there's certainly not, Labs, I wanted to ask you
as well. You know, we we've seen some attrition I think,
certainly to this Steelers team, particularly on the defensive side
of the football early on in the season. At one point,
as we've all pointed out, they had a secondary that
was entirely made up of guys who weren't on the
team last year. When DeShawn Elliott and Joey Porter Junior

(21:16):
were both out, Deshaun Elliott returned to action on Sunday
in Dublin made an immediate impact. Matt and I were
kind of trying to find the term for him, like
a glue guy. Almost sounds like you're under selling him,
like he said, like he's like a fourth line goon
on a hockey team or something, and he has much
more impact than that. And I thought that that was,

(21:38):
you know, perfectly on display Sunday against the Vikings.

Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yeah. And the thing with the Shawn Elliott too is
you know, I have heard people compare him to Ryan Clark. Now,
the difference between those two players for me is, you know,
Ryan Clark may have been that kind of communicator, hub

(22:03):
of communication in the secondary, but I think Ryan Clark
was on the field more more, more often than not
a complimentary guy. You know, he was and this is
this is not meant to be a criticism. You know,
he was Troy Poulmulo's sidekick, you know, if they were

(22:23):
Batman and Robin Troy was Batman. But to Shaun Elliott,
he has he has some ability to be Batman when
it's necessary, uh, taking the ball away, making big hits,
you know, different kinds of things like that. So I
don't really know if if I can, if I can

(22:47):
compare him to someone, but let me just say this,
he's critical I will say that, and uh, he is
a guy who you know, if you want rank the
defensive players that you can't afford to lose to injury.
Just off the top of my head, he's top five, easy, easy,

(23:10):
top five.

Speaker 4 (23:11):
We had a very similar conversation in a day or
two ago where I'm much sure in the off season
I would have had him as high as I do now,
that's for sure, right.

Speaker 3 (23:20):
Yeah, mean, because even last year I didn't know or
what hadn't seen. And maybe it was strictly because of
you know, the personnel on the field and Minko was
there at the time and the way they were playing
defense or whatever. But I I liked Shaun Elliott a
lot right from the beginning, you know, when he came

(23:42):
to the Steelers, but I didn't know he was this
good or I didn't see it, and yeah he is. He. Well,
I don't want to say irreplaceable because you know, then
you're almost you know, teasing the odds here the injury gods,
and I don't want to do that. But as I said,

(24:05):
I'll just stick with what I had said earlier. If
you're going to list the guy so you cannot lose
to injury, on this defense to Shaun Elliott is easily
in the top five.

Speaker 4 (24:18):
So high Smith has been injured, and I think he's
a very very good player. We know exactly what TJ.
Watt is, but her Big blows me away, labs. I mean,
every time he's gotten on the field, it seems like
he makes an impact. You know, he's there, and when
he plays extended stretches, he's just as potent. I don't

(24:38):
know how you keep him off the field, and I
don't know how to handle that, but I think he
is a real real find.

Speaker 3 (24:46):
Yeah, and you know what he has evolved into this
season that I didn't think he was last season was
not a liability against the run. I agreed, because you know,
in Herbig's first couple of seasons, a lot of people
while't they moved him to inside linebacker. You know, Steelers

(25:08):
fans love that, moving Shasier to safety, all of that
kind of stuff.

Speaker 2 (25:13):
Washington left tackle, right, Yeah, there you go.

Speaker 3 (25:15):
Yeah, there's another one. But I just didn't think, you know,
Nick Herbig was built physically for the interior on an
NFL defense, just his physical you know, size and whatever.
But now he is I don't know that he's any bigger.

(25:39):
Maybe he is stronger, but I think he may be
just smarter and more experienced and he knows how to
deal with things better, because you know, there were there
were times last year and you know before that where
you know, Herbig was Nick. Herbig to me was almost
like a pin runner in baseball. You know, a guy

(26:02):
who could be very effective but in a limited role,
and put him in the game. It could be a
critical situation too. You put him in the game for
him to perform his specialty, which was getting after the
quarterback and doing it in an athletic way with speed
more than power. And you know, it was kind of

(26:26):
a you know, it was kind of like he hate
using these baseball things. But you know you had high Smith,
who was you know, and I don't want to pigeonhole
him either, but he's more he was more of a
power kind of rusher and Herbig was more of the
speed kind of rusher. And I don't know, I would
imagine a tackle who is dealing with one of them

(26:51):
for a good bit of the afternoon and then the
other one coming in, you know, and if he's not
if the tackle isn't really watching the defensive substitutions or whatever.
He might come out of the huddle getting his stance.
Look up, Oh god, it's the other guy. You know,
before you know it, the ball snapped and you're dealing

(27:13):
with something you really weren't expecting. So but I don't
think Nick Herbog gets that anymore. I'm not saying that
he's not quick and fasten athletic off the ball. I
don't think he's one dimensional anymore. And I you know,
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (27:31):
He's got to play a lot.

Speaker 3 (27:33):
Yeah, I mean I certainly wouldn't curtail his playing time
if Alex Highsmith gets healthy.

Speaker 4 (27:44):
You know, nice problem to have, but yeah.

Speaker 3 (27:47):
You know, more more than you can use is better
than not.

Speaker 2 (27:51):
Enough, no doubt, No doubt. There is a there's a
nice maybe leadoff hitter versus clean up hitter type of
type of an allergy there, But no that that makes
a lot of sense, and that certainly is a good
problem to have. Bob Labriola kind enough to give us
some of his time here on a Thursday, Labs, great stuff,
Thank you so much as always, and enjoy the bye week.

Speaker 3 (28:12):
Yeah, I was just gonna say happy bye week, fellas.

Speaker 2 (28:15):
Oh, I can't wait, can't wait.

Speaker 3 (28:16):
Thanks Mike Toalma would tell you, don't be that guy.

Speaker 4 (28:19):
Tell me that guy.

Speaker 2 (28:20):
Right, I'm going I'm going to Nema Colin with the
missus Labs, so I better.

Speaker 3 (28:25):
I I got no worries about you. But because if
you were saying you were going to Morganton or something,
I was gonna I was gonna try you.

Speaker 2 (28:33):
No, no hooton and hard for me this weekend, Labs.
Just on my best behavior with the misses. Thank thanks
for the time.

Speaker 4 (28:40):
As always, Bob, all right, take care.

Speaker 2 (28:42):
There is Bob Labriola, Steelers Historian Steelers Digest Steelers dot
Com asked an answered part of the Steelers pregame show
regular here on the Drive. He does it all great
stuff as always by Labs. Matt. When we come back
to close down the first hour of the show, what
do you say you want to jump back in and
take a look at some college quarterbacks.

Speaker 4 (29:01):
Yeah, I'm like to do that.

Speaker 2 (29:02):
How they've you know, they're a little further along than
their kind of quarter pole position in the college football season.
We got some real they're not.

Speaker 4 (29:08):
Quite the halfway yet. I wouldn't say though.

Speaker 2 (29:10):
Right after this week will be about halfway. After this week,
most of the teams will have played six games. It's
a twelve game makes sense. Now there's I mean in
a playoffs. Yeah, conference championship games and playoff games and so.
But yeah, we are getting closer to the halfway point
of the college football season. Plenty to discuss with some
of these quarterbacks, and we will do so when we
return West Sheeler. Matt Williamson, It's the Drive on Steelers

(29:32):
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network, Your teams.

Speaker 1 (29:43):
About drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (30:00):
Back on the Drive here on a Thursday. As we
roll along, we will have thinking maybe early next week, Matt,
we can do like some some bigger picture global stuff
like pick division winners, and yeah, I'd.

Speaker 4 (30:12):
Like to repick the vision playoff teams and some of
that stuff.

Speaker 2 (30:16):
Like by Wednesday, we'll be fully focused on the Brown,
you know, but Monday and Monday will be a little weird.

Speaker 4 (30:22):
We can get some stuff of the weekend.

Speaker 2 (30:24):
Absolutely, we will certainly go around the league and all that.

Speaker 4 (30:26):
I might even want to pick like MVP. To this point,
you'll must treat.

Speaker 2 (30:30):
It like the quarter pole it right, I absolutely love it,
and so we'll do plenty of that Monday and Tuesday,
I think, before kind of turning the page on Wednesday
to the Browns.

Speaker 4 (30:39):
One thing that might have to dip back into this
even on Monday to bring it up, you know.

Speaker 2 (30:44):
A little what have we've been calling it? College quarterback
kind of report if you will, maybe the college QB Report.
This is something we did the first couple of weeks
of the season. Took a week off last week just
because we were traveling for two days, and when we
were in Ireland with a couple hundred people at the pub,
they didn't want to hear us time quarterbacks. They want
to hear us time.

Speaker 4 (31:04):
I don't have to do it every week, but we
need to check in, yeah.

Speaker 2 (31:07):
No doubt, And so I kind of started putting together
a little spreadsheet for us. I'll beef this thing up.
Corn beef this thing up more over the over the
bye weekend and early next week. But Matt, I got
a couple names that I want to discuss with you today.
You want the familiar faces, some of the names that
we've discussed already.

Speaker 4 (31:24):
Quick question before because I think I know the answer,
but it sounds like a lot of people are like, oh,
this quarterback classes and what everyone thought it was going
to be. It's a little disappointing through a month, but
there's new names.

Speaker 2 (31:38):
So to me, that's the people that had been harping
on arch Manning, Leonoras, Sellers, Drew Aller, Garrett Nussmeier, Cade,
Club Nick. Those are the big five names coming into
this year. Yes, four of those. I think Sellers is
different because he got a concussion, he got hurt, he
just got back. He's not disappointing. He just missed a

(32:00):
couple games with injury.

Speaker 4 (32:01):
Okay, right.

Speaker 2 (32:02):
John Mattier is kind of in that same department now
as you list. But those other guys, yes, have not
bathed themselves and covered themselves in glory to this point.
It's been a rough.

Speaker 4 (32:12):
Start running away with a first overall pick for any
of them.

Speaker 2 (32:15):
It's been a rough start for arch Manning, Club, Nick,
and and Nuts have been up and down. Alor's been
up and down. Well, it's tough to judge because they
played three little sisters of the four, you know, villain
and then he wasn't good against Oregon and kind of
their first real test of the season. It's also organ

(32:35):
though who's been one of the best programs in college
football for the last few years.

Speaker 4 (32:38):
And they were highly competitive that game.

Speaker 2 (32:40):
And Oregan's won like sixteen of their last seventeen games
and the only one they lost was to the national
champion Ohio State Buckeyes last year.

Speaker 4 (32:47):
You know, like they're a top seven or eight program.

Speaker 2 (32:49):
Yes, their their coach, Dan Lanning. If I could have
any coach to be w VU's head coach for the
next ten years, it would be Dan Planning. Who's the
head coach of Oregon right now.

Speaker 4 (32:58):
So let me know you strongly, Okay.

Speaker 2 (33:01):
Yeah, hits his fourth year as the head coach there,
and I mean they've been in the National Championship, won
the Big Ten last year, their first year in the
conference pro pumping out tons of pros.

Speaker 4 (33:12):
Programs, got a little money.

Speaker 2 (33:13):
Programs, certainly in the NIL era. With the help of
Phil Knight, they can do a little flex in there,
more than more than most can. And they quarterback. They
they have a quarterback in Dante Moore. He's the one
who everybody is talking about now in this discussion. Started
his college career at UCLA. He's now in his second
year at Oregon. Matt and I mean, going into that

(33:34):
white out, that crazy environment at Penn State that it is,
you know, one hundred and ten thousand people night game.
All he did was throw for two point fifty three touchdowns,
no sacks, no turnovers, ran for three first downs as
well too. Obviously, more tests to come for him as
the season goes along, but I think that was the
first time for him that he had been in a

(33:55):
national spotlight a lot of people who hadn't heard the
name Dante Moore, and I don't think he could have
showed much better. Everybody now who does this, I don't
care if you're looking at it from an NFL perspective
of like who are going to be the top quarterbacks
coming out mock drafts and that kind of thing, like
we do it, or if you're just somebody who is
a college football person and it's a Heisman list or

(34:16):
a top quarterbacks list, he is quickly rocketing up every list,
every draft board, and rightfully so.

Speaker 4 (34:22):
Yeah, I mentioned I was going to watch the JT. O.
Sullivan quarterback school of him against Penn State. I think
I through the first half, but it was enough to
really get a good feel and O'Sullivan even meant he's
like this kid was dynamite at the Elite eleven. You're like,
people have known who he is. You don't go to
Oregon as a starter sty you know, right, But he's

(34:43):
well built, real effortless rower. I mean the ball comes
out of his hands nice and real quick. Didn't see
a lot of mistakes, you know, in a big game
like that too. So again, you're more on top of
the stuff than I am this time of year, you know,
But he's starting to get a lot of buzz. This
could be the first pick the draft y. Yeah, like that,
that seemed like that's when it's.

Speaker 2 (35:04):
And you know how this works. It's almost like the
NFL Power rankings, like it's back and forth every week.
But a lot of people who do those weekly mock drafts,
he was number one, number two, number three this week
for a lot of people.

Speaker 4 (35:15):
Makes sense not.

Speaker 2 (35:15):
Surprising bye week for organ this weekend.

Speaker 4 (35:18):
Because other guys aren't also grabbing it or so aren't.

Speaker 2 (35:21):
Again, like it hasn't been the I still think by
the time we get to April, we're gonna be talking
about five, six, seven of these guys being drafted in
the first round. Yea, But it hasn't been the The
Usane Bolts start out of a shoot that I think
a lot of people expected. Bye week for Organ this weekend,
Bye week for our guy. Fernando Mendoza this weekend.

Speaker 4 (35:39):
He's also hot.

Speaker 2 (35:41):
He is another Heisman favorite right now, went into a
tough environment in Iowa, played well, led them on a
scoring drive with like ninety seconds left in the game
through the game winning touchdown pass. He's another would be
a top five, top ten pick if the draft was
happening this if tonight Thursday was the first round of
the NFL Draft like it is, he'd be a top
ten pick.

Speaker 4 (35:58):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (35:59):
Those two organ those two quarterbacks, those two teams both
off this Saturday. But next Saturday they meet in Eugene,
Oregon at Austin Stadium, which is going to be a
top ten matchup. Three point thirty game, crazy atmosphere. That's
a must watch, I think, just if you're looking for
and if you are especially kind of trying to keep

(36:19):
an eye, even if you're someone who doesn't really give
a rip about college football, you want to keep an
eye on the quarterbacks. Yeah, those are two quarterbacks who
could certainly be drafted in the top ten, who could
certainly we could be all through you know, February March
April talking about them as potential Pittsburgh Steelers.

Speaker 4 (36:34):
Okay, my one question. I've seen some of Mendoza. Again,
I haven't studied any of.

Speaker 2 (36:40):
These I send you. I send you random clips and
stuff from time. Yeah, he's not throw that he just made.

Speaker 4 (36:46):
He's not a super athlete runner though, right.

Speaker 2 (36:49):
He is not. I wouldn't say he's the statue of
Liberty back there.

Speaker 4 (36:53):
No one is not.

Speaker 2 (36:54):
But he's not. He's not Sellers, He's not Dante More,
He's he's not to that level.

Speaker 4 (36:59):
I mean, whenever we I'm always looking through a draft lens.
You know, if we're talking about more Sellers and Mendoza
and maybe no better than I But it seems like
to me they're probably if the draft for today, maybe
they'd be the ones fighting for top spot.

Speaker 2 (37:13):
I would think.

Speaker 4 (37:14):
So the knock on him will be, well, he's not
as athletic as the other do correct. You know, everyone's
gonna have a positive call him and a negative call him.

Speaker 2 (37:20):
And now he might have the more traditional kind of
frame and body type.

Speaker 4 (37:23):
Yeah, yeah, but what you're looking for, as.

Speaker 2 (37:25):
You point out all the time, now It's not that
you have to necessarily be a dual threat guy, but
you have to have some level of run game and
mobility in your in your game.

Speaker 4 (37:34):
Yeah, I mean there was always a bar you had
to get over.

Speaker 2 (37:37):
That's it. There's a bar, and the bar is way
higher than it was five.

Speaker 4 (37:40):
Years ago, ten years ago, let alone drew Bledsoe twenty
years ago. You have to have some plus while you learn.
Everyone knows the transition in the league is so hard.
You can rely on your legs as a cheek cut,
you know, while you're learning.

Speaker 2 (37:52):
You know, saw some of that from Josh Allen. Oh yeah,
I saw that from Lamar. I mean a lot of
guys who have turned into very good passers but were
able to buy themselves some time while they were getting there.

Speaker 4 (38:01):
I actually think Mike Shanahan with Washington when he was
the then Redskins head coach, really did that with RG
three was the first one that just said, Okay, I
know you a lot of work to do, but you're
going to be a super just when you're not. Your
run Like that was way ahead of its time. Yeah,
that doesn't seem like that long ago.

Speaker 2 (38:17):
It really does. A couple of new names to throw
at you, Matt here. I want everybody at home to
kind of add these to their spreadsheets, add these to
their names, to be brought more to the first time
we brought up more, I got up. I got three
more to bring up to you here now. Jada Miava
out a USC started his college career at UNLV's now
in his second year with the Trojan six four to

(38:38):
two thirty. I like that, and he can move. He's
got fifteen total touchdowns, already comfortably number one in QBR
through September amongst college football. You know, yeah, yeah, yah, yeah,
played so many snaps, made so many throws.

Speaker 4 (38:54):
Does ESPN do college QBR?

Speaker 2 (38:56):
They do, Yes, they do. I thought they. You had
a dramatic comeback win in a Top twenty matchup against
Illinois U last week on the road. Big win for them,
Big win for Lincoln Riley, their head coach, who had
kind of been on the hot seat coming into this year.
I thought it was his worst game of the season.
He still threw for three hundred and sixty four yards,
had a QBR of eighty five point five. It was

(39:20):
his worst game of the season, was still super productive
and found a way to get it done and will
his team to victory even when he wasn't at his best.
That's what I like to see from these guys too.

Speaker 4 (39:29):
Now, I'm not married to this thought from the Steelers
first round pick if they're if they do go that route,
but I definitely prefer someone with size, you know, I
mean Ben versus Picket, you know, just the way that
they get ragged alled in the pot tot, you know,
things like that. Totally I'm gonna have. I would have
a hard time between now and the draft putting a
stamp of approval on a smaller dude. So I love

(39:51):
here in six four two thirty that can move, you
know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (39:54):
And and Dante More is not tiny either.

Speaker 4 (39:56):
He's he's pretty well built.

Speaker 2 (39:57):
Three two six yeah, yeah, yeah, But but Mia six
four to two thirty is is a big quarter, a
big dude. Ty Simpson from Alabama is starting to get
a lot of mention in these first round box. He's
in his fourth year at Bbama, not one of these
portal guys. He's been there six two, two hundred and
eight pounds, over eleven hundred passing yards thirteen total touchdowns.

(40:18):
Really struggled in their season opener against Florida State where
Alabama went there, Uh, to Tallahassee. I was said, to Tuscaloosa,
that's where Alabama is. They went to Tallahassee and and
lost that opening game in kind of dreadful fashion to
Florida State. He has been very, very good since then.

(40:39):
Get this, Matt. He is h He went into Georgia
right in there, into Athens two hundred and seventy six
yards passing, two touchdowns through the air, a rushing touchdown,
two rushing first downs. Right now, he is on pace
this season to throw for over thirty seven hundred yards,
forty two touchdowns, zero interceptions zero at the moment.

Speaker 4 (41:00):
Yeah, they'll probably throw it.

Speaker 2 (41:02):
From games, has not yet.

Speaker 4 (41:04):
That's huge.

Speaker 2 (41:05):
He is one that is doing it against some some
good competition here and again a name that I just
wanted to bring up that we would have on our
list and in this conversation.

Speaker 4 (41:13):
Good, no, no, no, I didn't know much about him, but
I knew to I didn't know. Things have turned around
for Bama a little bit, like they're not ready to
execute the head coach again. Yeah, not yet. I'm real
quick on Georgia. Like from what I understand Georgia's defense
is still awesome, but it's not like first round pick

(41:35):
backed up by first round pick like it was the
last couple of years. Does that sound right? Yes, I
mean they have like five defensive guys going.

Speaker 2 (41:41):
They are still one of the best teams in college football,
but they're not the absolute juggernaut that they.

Speaker 4 (41:45):
Were those couple of years.

Speaker 2 (41:47):
Those couple of years Carter Jordan, Davis Walker, they won
twenty nine out of thirty games in back to back
championships those two years.

Speaker 4 (41:56):
It was one of the best college defense I've ever seen.

Speaker 2 (41:57):
Hundred percent, yeah, one hundred percent. Guys all over it
in the NFL.

Speaker 4 (42:01):
Some of them couldn't get because they couldn't get the
quarterback fast enough because the guy was behind him exactly.

Speaker 2 (42:06):
Right, exactly right. Leonora's Sellers again, I still I know
a lot of people are down on him, but he's
been injured. Their run game is non existent, their offensive
line is terrible. They rank one hundred and twenty sixth
MATT in Division I college football and pressure rate alowed
their offensive line, yes, one hundred and nineteenth, and sacks

(42:27):
per pressure. Some of that is on Sellers. He's done.
Some of them super athlete. I'm on the cape and
try and make a play.

Speaker 4 (42:34):
I knew that was on the summer concerns. Like I read,
you know a lot of summer previews of these guys,
and they said he can hold the ball a little
and try to shrug off the nine tacklers. But you
also gotta remember, like the best example I ever saw
was Jay Cutler at Vanderbilt. He ended be the first
round pick, and I think they won like one game.
I mean they were always over.

Speaker 2 (42:53):
Not at Alabama or Georgia or LSU.

Speaker 4 (42:55):
He can't just game manage. He has to be Superman
for them to beat those teams.

Speaker 2 (42:59):
You know what I'm really encouraged by from him, other
than the body type six three two forty, the athleticism
that that we all have seen, averaging fifteen point three
yards per completion, that's top ten in college football. He's
feld averaging nine point two yards every time he tucks
the ball and scrambles.

Speaker 4 (43:19):
He's unbelievably hard to tackle. That much I've seen out
of him.

Speaker 2 (43:21):
He's only ridiculously only on one turnover, despite taking some
sacks and trying to play like Superman. Only one turnover.
Your guy, Johnthane, I think so too. Yeah, yeah, he would,
even though he hasn't shown his best through almost the
first half ish of the college football season.

Speaker 4 (43:39):
But wait till he gets a senior bowl in the Combine.

Speaker 2 (43:41):
He could still very easily be the first overall pick
if the draft was this weekend. H Mattier still out
had that hand surgery, expected to be back at some point.
But I tell you what I think. It's it's I
shouldn't say nice to see, but you could see Oklahoma's
offense turned from dangerous to mediocre without him, Okay, and

(44:01):
that's a real testament to him. And then yeah, we
mentioned Garrett nus Meyer matt I mean he's banged up
as well too. LSU's run game is not good. They
are just they're struggling. Their defense is excellent, but their
offenses is very bad. One hundred and fifteenth in air
yards per attempt forty third and completion rate one hundred

(44:23):
and twelfth in yards per completion. He's I think, going
backwards on some of these big boards.

Speaker 4 (44:29):
He doesn't blow me away physically either. I mean, big, strong, fast,
aren't gonna.

Speaker 2 (44:33):
Be also in his fifth year at LSU, right, you know,
he's not a twenty year old that there's a ton
more potential there in juice to squeeze.

Speaker 4 (44:40):
And I love like that he's a coordinator in the
league and he's super smart and all that, but that
might just be long term backup that ends up a
multi millionaire spot starter guy. I mean, you could have tools,
no doubt.

Speaker 2 (44:51):
Yeah, yeah, you absolutely have tools, and I just don't.
He hasn't shown much through in that department. For Again,
a guy who's twenty three years old has been in
this system now for a long time and should be.

Speaker 4 (45:03):
He should make it look easier. Huh.

Speaker 2 (45:06):
They should not be leaning on their defense to win
games like they have been, and that's the reason that
they that they lost Old Miss this past week for
their for their first season. Old Miss does as well too.
Oh yeah, I did not mention him, sorry, Trinidad Chamberliss
was the last person I wanted to miss. He wally
pipped Old Miss's original starter got in because of injury,
but played so well that Old Miss has not taken

(45:27):
him out. He spent two years at Farris State before
transferring to Old Miss this past year, and just a
handful of starts over a thousand pass yards, two hundred
and seventy rush yards, seven total touchdowns, a lot of
explosive plays, very few negative plays, and he's got that
that run threat, you know, dual threat ability. Won the

(45:49):
Division two National championship last year at Farris State as
the starter before chance, and I think, Matt, there's a
real good chance Old Miss has never been to an
SEC champion ship game before in program history. He could
be the he could be the guy who finally leads
him there.

Speaker 4 (46:04):
So this is really the first I've even heard of him.
But this goes back to the Jackson Dart evaluation from
a year ago. That's the most Mickey Mouse offense I've
ever seen, not even.

Speaker 2 (46:15):
Real manipulates those wide hash marks to brilliantly a brilliant
extent at that level of football.

Speaker 4 (46:21):
Yes, yes, yes, I mean, and we haven't seen Dart
really struggle in the transition. But that worried me to
no end. And I don't think Darts out of the
wood yet either. I mean, that is a Mickey Mouse offense.

Speaker 2 (46:31):
Yes it is. And there's a reason why Lane Kiffin,
through all his stops, has produced a lot of good
college quarterbacks that I think he's brilliant that haven't necessarily
had the most success in the pros. He's a brilliant
college because he's another one. Like if I could have
him as the head coach at WU for the next decade,
I'd sign the contract. Yeah yeah, yeah, But it doesn't as.

Speaker 4 (46:48):
A quarterback seem like there is joystick a little bit.

Speaker 2 (46:50):
It doesn't translate the best to to how you have
to play now I have to win the quarterback.

Speaker 4 (46:54):
It's the harder transition for these guys. Doesn't mean they can.

Speaker 2 (46:57):
There's our college quarterback FU update here for for a
week what would be Week six in college football, Week
five in the NFL. A couple more names that we'll
that we'll get to next week as well too. I
feel like man Hayes King from Georgia Tech probably deserves
a shout out. Sawyer Robinson from Baylor probably deserves some
some spin here seas.

Speaker 4 (47:17):
And stuff I did on Robinson I thought was appealing.
We didn't bring up Club Nick.

Speaker 2 (47:20):
We didn't bring bring up club much Sam Levitt from
Arizona State recently. So again, like this could be one
of those five, six, seven first round type quarterback guys.
UH type quarterback drafts Part of me come April. So
this is something we'll continue to expand and grow.

Speaker 4 (47:36):
Last an we run. But he didn't blow me away
at Georgia. But Carson Beck seems to be gaining steam.

Speaker 2 (47:41):
He deserves mentioning it, you know, like.

Speaker 4 (47:44):
He first overall pick just came out of that school
last year.

Speaker 2 (47:46):
First overall pick came out at school last year. They're
a top five team in the country right now, playing
very well. The offense is humming. He's looking much more
like the prospect people thought he was when he first
got the Georgia.

Speaker 4 (47:56):
Now this is third hand information, but I've heard a
lot of people he really mature as a human being,
you know.

Speaker 2 (48:01):
Good for him.

Speaker 4 (48:02):
This guy's Lamborghini stolen or whatever.

Speaker 2 (48:04):
I was gonna say. I couldn't imagine someone paying me
like seven million dollars to go to South Beach and
me maturing as a human being. But good on him.

Speaker 4 (48:11):
Yeah, Ellen, maybe going there like Ward did is good
for quarterbacks.

Speaker 2 (48:15):
I don't know, Maybe there's something there. Certainly hour in
the books, Another Hour to go West Huuler Matt Williams
since the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network
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