Hr1: Roster Moves, Around Campus

The Drive discusses the latest Steelers Roster moves. They also look at the quarterbacks across college football and how they performed last week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Your tune's about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal, Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
What's going on Steelers Nation Radio. It's the Drive on
the Steelers Audio Network. We Shouler and Matt Williamson with
you here on a Wednesday afternoon. Matt, how we doing?
How we feeling?

Speaker 3 (00:39):
Good Man? Midweek, Simon started thinking about the opponent. You
got to move on. So I don't think I've ever
told you this, but back in the day, like when
Twitter was new, I used to host a chat on
ESPN dot com, you know, a chat room, and everybody
would come join it.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Like a live chat. Yeah you questions, and it.

Speaker 3 (00:56):
Was very popular. I really enjoyed. It was from noon
to one every Wednesday, and that was like the perfect
middle of the week when you like turn the page
to next week. And that's where we're at right now, you.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
Know, absolutely kind of the moving and shaking in terms
of coaches, press conferences and injury updates and all those things.
Those tend to come out Monday Tuesday, and then you're right,
Wednesday's kind of the all right, any final thoughts on
everything that transpired? Yeah, yeah, and then let's let's start
to look ahead here at the upcoming opponent, the upcoming week,

(01:28):
the NFL slate, We've got another very.

Speaker 3 (01:30):
Especially from a media perspective, like where we sit one
hundred percent shows kind of recap in chatting blah blah blah.
But now it's I'm like, okay, it's the middle of
the road here.

Speaker 2 (01:39):
You start to turn the page a little bit.

Speaker 4 (01:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
Absolutely, And we'll have another very intriguing Thursday night football
game that we'll discuss tomorrow as we are back and
running and really into the thick of things here. We
will also about half an hour forty minutes from now,
we're going to I don't know if we'll do it
every single week, Matt, but I think at least pretty
regularly a college quarterback conversation where we will lay out

(02:03):
a lot of those five six, seven names, what they've
been doing, stock up, stock down, a little college quarterback
watch that I think we're going to continue to do
and that everybody should be very interested in, because a
very high chance the Steelers are going to be swimming
in those waters on the North Shore in April, no.

Speaker 3 (02:22):
No question about it. I think there's a real good
chance that that. I think that's the plan. You know, now,
Rogers could win the super Bowl in the MVP and
say hey, I want to come back. Let's wait a year,
all right, cool, you know whatever, draft of whatever. But
I think Steelers are going to be one of five
to seven teams are so heavily associated with first round.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
Quarterbacks, without a doubt, and it feels like a good
year to be one of those teams. There's certainly a
lot of meat on that are so good. Yeah, and
we will discuss that today as well, too. We'll catch
up with Chris Hallick.

Speaker 3 (02:53):
And new guests of the show. How about that new.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
Guest of the show, Chris Halleck going to be one
of our regulars here and a special guest of the show,
Ben Skronnik, gonna join us as well too. Here in
about fifteen minutes or so, so that we can catch
up on the big day that he had Sunday, the
touchdown reception, the fumble recovery. We'll spend a few minutes
talking to Ben Scronnick here in just a few minutes.

Speaker 3 (03:18):
You need those role guys, you need those fourth line wingers,
you know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (03:22):
It's a great analogy. I think everyone is really I mean,
I don't know how you could. And after Sunday's performance,
where his value, Like I mentioned those two massive plays,
I thought he was a net positive every time he
was on the field.

Speaker 3 (03:35):
Yeah, and that's been a.

Speaker 2 (03:38):
Common theme since he's been the Steeler. It's not like
they ask him to play a huge role, but what
they ask him to do, he does very well, very effectively.
And Yeah, be looking forward to talk to him about
fifteen minutes or so from now as the Steelers get
ready for their home opener. I'm sure he'll be excited
about that as well. But Matt, we start with some
news of the day, as we tend to do here

(04:00):
this program. We had discussed some of the injury news
from yesterday, the addition of Jabrill Peppers, what that might
mean for the active roster. Could someone be going on, ir,
how's that all your somebody? If you're adding one, you
got to subtract one led Zeppelin. If one goes in
through the outdoor, you got to go out through the indoor,

(04:20):
something like that. It's not the rolling Stones, it's led Zeppelin.
That's all you need to know. Active roster additions today,
Matt Jabrill, Peppers and James Pierre moved to the active roster.

Speaker 3 (04:32):
Playing real quick on Pierre. This is different than the
game day call up move. You know. This is now
you're on the fifty three because he was.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
Still technically a practice squad ga exactly even even despite
the the game day call up. So Jabrel Peppers of course,
now of this Parish now Pittsburgh Steeler and James Pierre
to the active roster. With that, Malik Harrison, who we
talked about his knee injury yesterday, and Skyler Thompson have

(04:59):
been placed on one injured the injured reserve list.

Speaker 3 (05:02):
Now, I know one's a corner and one's of safety,
but I do find it interesting you add two defensive
backs and don't subtract any you know. So, does the
Pierre move tell you that Porter's more doubtful than questionable
start with that one? Or or are they just sick
of bringing them up because he's just like Scornic and
a course special teamer.

Speaker 2 (05:19):
It could be a little bit of both.

Speaker 3 (05:21):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
Yeah, I think we saw that they are very confident
in their top four cornerbacks, and particularly with Ramsey and Eccles,
whatever role they have to ask them to play.

Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yes, agreed, but I'm again, if Eccles is your fourth corner,
that is way better situation. With all respectful per usually
Pierre is like your third or fourth, then he shouldn't be.
He should be your fifth and your special team. Or
if Eccles is your four, I've been joking all week
like that's the best depth of corner they've had since
the seventies.

Speaker 2 (05:54):
I don't think the cour I don't think it's particularly
close right right, And he's a guy who's got he
doesn't only you feel confident about him out there box.
He checks the versatility box as well too.

Speaker 3 (06:05):
Yeah, inside out, you know he doesn't play.

Speaker 2 (06:07):
It's the Beanie Bishop conversation that we r. Beanie Bishop
accounts for one helmet on game day. Eckles accounts for
three helmets on three guys, and that is quite often
the difference in getting onto the field and certainly the
difference in feeling more confident in that group. So it's
a good question for you to ask as it relates
to Joey Porter.

Speaker 3 (06:25):
At first I dawned on me it was a couple
of minutes ago, but I also was thinking through this,
you can always use Joey Porter. He's a really good player.
But if this is a Ramsey following JSN situation, who's
a heavy heavy slot component guy. I kind of think Cooper,
cup Shot and Horton the rookie is their third guy

(06:45):
and they don't play a ton of three wide. Maybe
this isn't the best week, or maybe this is a
good week to give Porter one more rest, you know,
and have Pierre active. Eccles is your three. I can
handle that, you know what I mean?

Speaker 2 (07:00):
A lot of times I think we can be too
detail oriented. Pedantic. That's the big word to use, right,
that's being obsessed with small details. Pedantic. I think sometimes
we can be pedantic with what coaches say weekend week out.
But when Mike Tomlin was talking about her Big and

(07:21):
Joey Porter Jr. I don't forget, I forget exactly now
on the spot what the exact quote is. But he
said he was optimistic about Joey Porter Jr. But very
optimistic about Nick Herbig. So there was a distinction there
between the two. Now that you asked that question, could
that be they could that be reading the tea leaves.
They're not the same, he used. He used an extra

(07:43):
you know, an extra word there to describe his excitement,
very optimistic for Nick Herbig, I believe is what it was.
So there was a little bit, looking back in hindsight,
a little bit more of a distinction between those two
who are in the questionable realm.

Speaker 3 (08:00):
It reminds me of a conversation I had in the
postgame show with Mike Persuda, who's been probably at Bennett
every Tomlin press conference and knows Tomlin speak after the
years and flat out. So I'll tell you the story
in a minute, But it was after Harmon's injury in
the preseason, and Mike and I are host of the
pregame show, and a lot of us are like, oh, look,

(08:22):
Harmon's on the sidelines. He's joking. He's not going on
iar who they have avoided a huge injury, which ended
up being true for Pursuda and his hate say it
wisdom is like Tomlin did say, he used the word
substantial with the injury, you know, like he never the
words that come out of that head coach's mouth aren't

(08:44):
accident ever, you know, like the fact that he deciphered
between Porter and Herbig, the fact that he said substantial
with Harmon doesn't mean he's playing. He's practicing the next day.
You know how Pursuda said, like tap the breaks, he
could still be an ir guy, but it looks like
he's avoided season ending. And he was right, it is
gonna It was end up being four to five weeks
from the day of the injury.

Speaker 2 (09:05):
You know, and now that we're kind of all rehashing
this too, he painted a more optimistic picture all throughout
camp and pre season with Calvin Austin. Yes, and we
saw him ready to go, no problem, no questions week one.
So you're right, we can be too pedantic with that stuff.
But I think when it's someone like Mike Tomlin who's.

Speaker 3 (09:23):
Been his first year coaching, right, it's our first year
trying to decipher what.

Speaker 2 (09:27):
Closer to it was twentieth, Right, it's close to his
thirtieth year coaching than it is his first year coaching.
And so you know what, I I hadn't kind of
put the tea leaves together in that regard, but I
but as.

Speaker 3 (09:38):
We talked through it, maybe it's a little more questionable
than you think. And her big isn't you know.

Speaker 2 (09:43):
I think that's that's a fair thought process. At this point,
we will obviously consult injury reports and all of that
as we were along this week final kind of thing
with that. Now with Skylick Thompson to the reserved injured
list as well to Logan, Woodside has been bumped up
as Will Howard is still now who knows.

Speaker 3 (10:02):
That that Howard could come back.

Speaker 2 (10:04):
That could change soon too, because he's kind of starting
to get similar with Derek Harmon right in that timetable
of could be ramp up period. But for now, Woodside's
the one bumping up there. And if we don't hear
anything about Will Howard's status, he would be obviously your
emergency QB three for the home opener on someday.

Speaker 3 (10:21):
Good that Woodside around, But I think we saw enough
of him to know what he is. You know, like,
if it gets the point where he's in an NFL game,
we have problems. You know, you got major problems.

Speaker 2 (10:32):
You've had some serious bad luck in the in the
injury department, without a doubt. If that is the case.

Speaker 3 (10:36):
Now we know this organization, it's not even a Pomlin
thing necessarily. I mean, this goes this is a Rooney
thing for fifty years or whatever. They keep three and
I bet they're a little nervous with two on the
roster right this second, you know. I mean, that's just
not how they operate. So it tells me again, I'm
guessing that Howard must be close and they're probably going

(10:58):
to bring him back on real soon, you know what
I mean, real quick before I forget. Doesn't break my
heart that you're without Harrison for a while. I mean,
I think he's replaceable. He's You're you didn't even play
a snap of Holcombe at an inside linebacker. That card
still out there to be played. Bruner is a real
good special team or Pierre's now on the active roster.

(11:19):
You're okay, you know, I mean that doesn't hurt you.
But I find kind of curious or funny and not
accusing them of anything, but did Skyler Thompson like drop
a headset or a uh the clipboard on his toe
during the game? I mean, how did he get back?

Speaker 2 (11:36):
I remember on on the last injury report before the game,
he was listed.

Speaker 3 (11:40):
With Okay, I didn't say much, okay.

Speaker 2 (11:42):
That final Friday injury get hurt practice. I suppose he
was listed before.

Speaker 3 (11:47):
The Jets just works not well that you can place
him there for the for a little bit.

Speaker 2 (11:51):
I see, I see the cynic in you I.

Speaker 3 (11:53):
Get a hangnail that I didn't know about. You know, Okay,
that's fine.

Speaker 2 (11:56):
He jumped out of his car too fast, and it happened,
bumped his head, happened stangers on the roof of on
the roof of his truck.

Speaker 3 (12:02):
A lot of ways you can get banged up out there.

Speaker 2 (12:03):
There, certainly are. We've seen some crazy ones. But yes,
he was, Uh, you're right. I should have mentioned that too.
He was on the injury report, the last injury report
on Friday, heading heading into that week one contest against
the Jets.

Speaker 3 (12:16):
And you'd hope you don't need them this week or.

Speaker 2 (12:19):
Certainly certainly, and you feel obviously goes about saying very confident,
and Mason Rudolph is your number two, but you you
still want some some I think, greater insurance with your
emergency quarterback. But that's the hand they've been dealt for now.
And that's, uh, that's where we're at, and we'll navigate
that as we roll along here.

Speaker 3 (12:37):
Arterbacks your same game, you're probably not probably.

Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yes, you're you're up to your your waist in it
at that point, maybe even maybe even up to your
to your shoulders or your chin Matt, before we take
a break here in a few minutes and get to
UH Steelers wide receiver, special teamer all around contributor Ben Skronick.
I did want to unveil for you the inaugural Best

(13:03):
of the West here on the drive.

Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah, I'm kind of curious. How are you going to
hit me with this?

Speaker 2 (13:07):
So what it's going to be the majority of the
time during the regular season is just my top ten
power rankings, my best teams in the NFL today. But
I will throw you some curve balls because we do
big picture power rankings on Tuesdays. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I
will throw you some curve balls throughout the year. Sometimes
it might be best top ten quarterbacks in the NFL
right now, top ten running backs in the NFL right now,

(13:29):
top ten defensive coordinators in the NFL right now. We
might switch it up a little bit, pizza and then
when we get it, then we get then when we
get into the off season, it can be your top
ten favorite Led Zeppelin songs, things things like that. But
for today, Matt, it is the Best of the West,
my top ten teams in the NFL. As we stayed
here today, Wednesday, September tenth.

Speaker 3 (13:50):
I have no room to be critical, but I will
analyze and no, I would like you to be yeah.

Speaker 2 (13:56):
You got that way too high or way too low,
or where's this team? Where's the team? I will almost
like a college ap pole type. My three other teams
receiving votes got just outside of the top ten are Pittsburgh, Denver,
and the Chargers. Those are my just outside of the
top ten, also receiving votes number ten, I've got the

(14:17):
Minnesota Vikings.

Speaker 3 (14:19):
I'm absolutely fine with that.

Speaker 2 (14:20):
I got it.

Speaker 3 (14:20):
I think I put I guess the way to look
at it. Since I only your other nine, would I
put the Vikings ahead of those three teams? Yes, I
know Chargers were really impressive. Denver was really not exactly right.

Speaker 2 (14:34):
Chargers are an interesting one.

Speaker 3 (14:36):
Right. Herbert was really really good, very very good. And
I'm a believer to begin with.

Speaker 2 (14:40):
I just for game one, and I know he had
his struggles, but the way he rebounded. If they can
just get JJ McCarthy to eliminate the mistakes, that Vikings
team is going to be really good.

Speaker 3 (14:49):
Everything else is there.

Speaker 2 (14:50):
Everything else he will ultimately determine their ceiling and if
they're a super Bowl contender, a Super Bowl favorite, a
division contender, a divisional favorite. But if they can just
get some of the low light tape stuff out of there,
they are going to be a tough ask every Sunday.

Speaker 3 (15:05):
Now, that was a really rough start to that game,
but in a brutal environment, his first ever start. I mean,
Bears fans are rampant on a Monday night, all lubed up,
new coach, first overall pick quarterback. They're finally excited about,
like we should have known it was gonna be a
slow star for McCarthy. Do you feel better or worse

(15:26):
about him now than you did four days ago? My opinion,
I don't think changed. I mean, I still I still
think it's a if.

Speaker 2 (15:34):
I'm doing stock up stock down.

Speaker 3 (15:37):
Hmmm, I think stalks about the same.

Speaker 2 (15:39):
I still know, yeah, yeah, a couple more data points.

Speaker 3 (15:43):
Right right right, I would say it's still incomplete.

Speaker 2 (15:45):
Like we'll sure, we'll revisit that before we go to
Dublin and see him in person. After two more games,
two more games.

Speaker 3 (15:53):
Oh, he's starting to get it, you know.

Speaker 2 (15:54):
Number nine. I got the la rams A lot of questions.
But if the defense plays like that, if Matthew Stafford
is healthy.

Speaker 3 (16:02):
I'd have him of the Vikes.

Speaker 2 (16:03):
That's another team that, again, I don't know if they're
quite super Bowl contender, certainly not super Bowl favorite.

Speaker 3 (16:09):
They give the Eagles all they could have in the
playoffs last year too.

Speaker 2 (16:12):
They played the Eagles the best of anybody in the postseason. Yeah,
I think their defense might even be a little bit better.

Speaker 3 (16:17):
I agree.

Speaker 2 (16:18):
And Matthew Stafford continues to do Matthew Stafford things. He's
a top ten quarterback in the NFL. That's a really
good team and well coached too.

Speaker 3 (16:24):
Yeah, I think he's the best coach in the league.
I'm not sure if we've had that conversation, but I
used to think it was read. I think McVeigh could
do so many different things. Stafford played like a top
five quarterback this past week. And we can talk about
his back all you want, but if he's out there,
I can't talk about it. I mean, I'm not a doctor,
I'm not a chiropractor. I don't know anyth about his back.

(16:46):
If he's out there, I'm gonna evaluate him. And he's
out there, so let's go.

Speaker 2 (16:49):
And if he blows out his back in Week seven,
guess what they're not going to be. You know, Number
nine in my power rankings that week, they'll drop substantially.
But with what we know right now.

Speaker 3 (16:58):
And I understand there's more risk with him than others,
but this is true for all I mean all started quarter.
I mean, if Josh Allen gets thirtd, he's not gonna
be and they're not gonna be in the top three
either or whatever. You know.

Speaker 2 (17:08):
Membrainy've got the Lions.

Speaker 3 (17:10):
I think disappointing week one.

Speaker 2 (17:12):
But like I think that will be their low point.

Speaker 3 (17:15):
I tend to agree too. That's another tough situation lambeau Field.

Speaker 2 (17:19):
Two new coordinators, reworked offensive line. Yeah, Micah Parson's thrown
into the mix. That's a that's a tough ass week
one for Detroit. I think that'll be their low point.
I think they'll improve. Like you've mentioned, I don't know
if that super Bowl window is still open for them,
But I don't think that means that they're suddenly a
bad team either. They just might be second tier in

(17:39):
the NFC instead of first tier. I've got them at
number eight.

Speaker 3 (17:43):
I'm cool with that. I would have them ahead of
those other two NFC teams you just mentioned. Laflor to
me is also a massively underrated coach and especially offensive mind.

Speaker 2 (17:52):
Oh he does go to the playoffs win double digit games.

Speaker 3 (17:54):
All the time, right, and you know Love was out
for a while, So they run the ball a ton
with Willis and still you know, are highly competitive. That's
a new defensive coordinator going up against a masterful offensive
mind in week one. Yeah, I don't think the lines
are going anywhere as a top ten type of team.
I don't know that they're a super Bowl champion type team.

Speaker 2 (18:14):
We might not have them in the top five like
r the last couple of years, but I think that's
six to ten range. They'll still comfortably be there number seven.
This is maybe the hardest team to judge for me,
but I got the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But I just
think the way that they were able to the way
Baker Mayfield was able to knock off some early rust. Yeah,
the way that they were able to get I mean,

(18:35):
as you talked about this yesterday, they moved Graham Barton
their center to tackle because Tris. Because their best offensive lineman,
Tristan Wurf's is out.

Speaker 3 (18:42):
Like it's a second year guy too, you know.

Speaker 2 (18:44):
Right, They're wide receivers are banged up, but you got
a mecha Buka out there making plays.

Speaker 3 (18:49):
Well.

Speaker 2 (18:49):
I think the Bucks are a good team right now,
who is only going to get better. As again, you
got to have that good fortune happen. But you know,
if they get some these reinforcements back on offense.

Speaker 3 (19:01):
I think they're a team too now that has earned
the benefit of the doubt. I mean, some of it
goes back to the Brady era, but since then they
just went in division every year, you know, and we
just kind of yeah, you know, you know, right, you know,
that's there's something to be said for a winning organization
that gets it. And I think Todd Bowles is leveled
up a little bit as a head coach as well

(19:21):
new offensive coordinator. It's only one game, but it doesn't
seem like it held them back in any major ways.
You're thinking when I go lines or Bucks splitting hairs?

Speaker 2 (19:32):
Yeah, right, Bucks made the playoffs five straight years. I
think they they are, they are They've earned benefit of
the doubts the organization a team that hasn't earned benefit
of the doubt as an organization. This was another tough
one for me, but I've got them at number six
because of how much I believe in the quarterback, and
I think they found something at running back. I got
the Washington Commanders at number six.

Speaker 3 (19:54):
They go to Lambeau tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (19:56):
That's what I was talking about that Thursday night game.
We're gonna really get to know that and the Packers
a little bit better Thursday night.

Speaker 3 (20:03):
So my reservations. I think they are a lot like
the Bengals, and I think their offense can be top
five and their defense could be bottom five. But I
do believe in the quarterback. Their offensive line changes really
paid off in Week one two new tackles the first
round guy Tonsla left. They get to move Coleman from
tackle to guard, so they got better at like three spots,

(20:25):
even though one of the best guys caused me still
isn't even in there in the O line. They ran
the ball really really well. Debo paid off huge right
off the bats. I mean they got him the ball
more than McLaurin and looks like he's really going to
be a focal point. They're pretty good. I would probably
have them behind Tampa and Detroit, but they're definitely in

(20:46):
the top ten.

Speaker 2 (20:46):
I think they're certainly in the top ten.

Speaker 3 (20:48):
Daniels might be special maybe I'm giving.

Speaker 2 (20:50):
Them a little too much credit because the last time
we saw them the final four on the NFC Championship Yah. Yeah,
and then Jaydeen Daniels doing what he does in Week one.

Speaker 3 (20:59):
Yeah, I think that they're hard to argue with this.

Speaker 2 (21:01):
I barring obviously something unforeseen where they even improved from
last year, which you and I don't think is going
to be the case, this is the highest I'll have them.

Speaker 3 (21:11):
I can see that. I can see that.

Speaker 2 (21:12):
Coming off the NFC Championship game, what we saw from
from Daniels Week one. I don't think I'll have a
much higher than six again unless they just shatter what
we think their ceiling is for this year. But I
think they'll be in about the six to eleven ish
range for most of the year.

Speaker 3 (21:29):
I get that I didn't pick them to go to
the playoffs. I think it's harder to go to the
playoffs in the NFC than AFC, but I also think
there's a lot of AFC teams coming at the top
of the league here as well. My thing I want
to watch for with Washington is what's their defense do
in Lambeau tomorrow. I mean, that's a short week and

(21:50):
that's going to be a difficult conversation for anybody. But
I don't know if the Giants could exploit what I
don't think was a great defense. We'll see if the
Packers can't.

Speaker 2 (21:58):
That we will a little over to twenty four hours
from now into the top five. Not a lot of
surprises here. I've got the Chiefs at five. Yeah, I
think they were the least impressive, certainly of the quote
unquote elite teams. But I'm still keeping them in that
in that group.

Speaker 3 (22:12):
I did a mailbag podcast today and you'd be blown
away how many questions were Are the Chiefs done? Time
to write them off? I'm like they were fifteen and
two last year, went to the Super Bowl. I mean,
this is their fourth loss since opening day of last year,
including three playoff games. Like done. Maybe I'm a little concerned.
The weapons are banged up and old and they might.

Speaker 2 (22:34):
Go twelve and five instead of fifteen and two. Right,
That doesn't mean that they're cooked.

Speaker 3 (22:38):
I mean we were doing predictions. If people were like, oh,
I'm predicting the Chiefs aren't making the playoffs, Like, I
don't think they're going from fifteen wins to eight, you know,
I mean.

Speaker 2 (22:46):
Not with the quarterback and the head coach.

Speaker 3 (22:48):
No, and they know how to win. And I don't
know who they play this week, but I'm gonna pick
them and after losing, and are they gonna lose two
in a row.

Speaker 2 (22:57):
I got the Ravens at number four.

Speaker 3 (22:59):
I'm fine with that.

Speaker 2 (23:01):
They could be you have to.

Speaker 3 (23:02):
Have them below the Bills, but I still think if
they played the Bills one hundred and eleven times in
which toa Kansas they beat them, they win the series.

Speaker 2 (23:11):
Number three, I've got the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Speaker 3 (23:15):
Okay, Eagles were factors I was asked about today and
I'm torn and the best team of the NFC.

Speaker 2 (23:21):
I think the Eagles are still great, but I don't
think the defense is going to be quite what it
was last year.

Speaker 3 (23:25):
They had a number two corner issue.

Speaker 2 (23:27):
They got a number two corner issue. Yeah, they're not
they're defensive front. They're not as deep as they were
along that defensive line last year. And they still they
still have a loaded offense. But I don't know if
the offensive line is going to be quite as great
as it was.

Speaker 3 (23:43):
That's a great point. I don't know what the interior
I still think Lane and Mulatto will be yeah, crazy combination.
Yeah yeah, and the inside will be fine. You know,
that's not what they're used to. Dickerson's playing with an injury.

Speaker 2 (23:56):
Right now, you know, and that's not a good way
to start the series.

Speaker 3 (23:58):
Yeah, some blurb on my phone. I think Goddard's banged
up too.

Speaker 2 (24:02):
Number two. Nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills.

Speaker 3 (24:07):
Yeah, I think a big story with Buffalo is key on.
Coleman came on really, really strong in week one, so
people know, I do a lot of shows, and I
did a Dynasty show this morning of whose Dynasty stock
rose the most from week one, and it was Coleman.
But I mean he didn't go from the tenth receiver
to the eighth. I mean he went from fiftieth to

(24:30):
the thirtieth. Like he could be their number one. I
mean they have not really had number one since Diggs,
and he's different than the guys they've been thrown to,
the Kincaid's and Shakirs of the world. I mean, that's
one more thing that they've added recently that could pay
off for him. I mean, Alan and himself makes him
a top five team he's so remarkable to.

Speaker 2 (24:50):
Watch that he is. He has entered that stratosphere for me.
Of I don't like the Bills offense as much as
I like some of these teams offense, but they got
Josh Hell yeah.

Speaker 3 (24:59):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (25:00):
I don't like the Bill's defense as much as I
like is some of these teams, but they got Josh Allen.

Speaker 3 (25:04):
Yeah. Right, I just I mean, he's getting to the
point now where if you can line up all the
Hall of Fame quarterbacks and I used to say this
about Rogers when he was in his prime, and we're
picking teams, there's not many I'm taking ahead of them.
I mean, like maybe Mahomes, Yeah, I mean, I mean,
like ever I'm talking about I want Farvar Allen. I
don't think Josh you know, do I want el Way

(25:26):
or Allen? M That's where I'm at. I mean, like,
who do you want to play? Do you want to
play against him? No? Ever?

Speaker 2 (25:34):
Right, he's so hard to game plan for it, right,
he can beat in so many different ways. And Number one,
the Green Bay Packers, I get it.

Speaker 3 (25:41):
I mean, you wipe the floor with the Lions with.

Speaker 2 (25:43):
A division champion from the team that.

Speaker 3 (25:46):
Should be in your top ten, and clearly is that's
a statement game. I mean that was as much of
a statement game. Bill's beat the Ravens. But it wasn't like, man,
they're way better.

Speaker 2 (25:55):
It wasn't over in the fourth quarter, all.

Speaker 3 (25:57):
Right, right right? Yeah, I mean that game was a
statement game.

Speaker 2 (26:01):
So there's your Well, I guess now Week two best
of the West.

Speaker 3 (26:05):
Okay, not bad. I CAN'TQUI with it too much.

Speaker 2 (26:07):
They had the Commander's down a few spots lower, but
I think other than that, not too many. Not too
much beef there, right.

Speaker 3 (26:12):
I guess one team I want to mention that has
not been mentioned and didn't make your just miss. They
would not be in my top ten. Cincinnati.

Speaker 2 (26:22):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (26:23):
I don't think they'd be in my top thirteen either.

Speaker 2 (26:27):
Because because I had three others in the receiving votes, right,
I think Cincinnati would be fourteen.

Speaker 3 (26:31):
Okay, I mean they were not. They did not play
well in Week one, No, they did it. I don't
think they were even the better team. But Burrow and
Allen aren't the same. But they have Brie Burrow. That's
all you going back to. Yeah, they they got that guy.

Speaker 2 (26:47):
I think that they will be involved in this conversation.
Certainly curious what they do.

Speaker 3 (26:53):
I don't know the schedule very well this week. I'm
curious where they're.

Speaker 2 (26:56):
Headed the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 3 (27:00):
The Browns get the Ravens, which they have.

Speaker 2 (27:03):
They're at home against Jacksonville. The Bengals are this Sunday
interesting one there, interesting one with the Jags team that
looked pretty good on Sunday they did. Matt, Let's take
a break when we come back on the other side.
Ben Scronic one of the heroes of Sunday's victory, a
handful of pivotal plays in special teams and on offense.

(27:25):
We'll talk to him about that win and the upcoming
challenge against the Seattle Seahawks defense that is on the
horizon Sunday one o'clock at Akroschuur Stadium. All that and
more as we roll along West Shuler, Matt Williamson. It
is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network, your tunes.

Speaker 1 (27:50):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal. Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (28:13):
Back on the drive here as we now go to
the phone lines, and we welcome a special guest from
your Pittsburgh Steelers, A huge part of that thirty four
thirty two win over the Giants to open the season.
It is wide receiver Ben Scronick. Ben, thank you so
much for taking the time. And I just got to
ask you. I mean, you were a part of two

(28:33):
very integral plays in the Steelers securing victory. Of course,
your touchdown reception and then your fumble recovery on special teams?
Which one of those did you enjoy more? I imagine?
I imagine it was the touchdown reception of Steelers first
touchdown of the season. But I also know the pride
you all put in taking your work on special teams.
Which which one of those more? Which one of those

(28:55):
got you a little more jacked up?

Speaker 4 (28:57):
I don't want to send anybody in the organization, so
uh they both got me, you know, pretty sad answer.
I don't want to send anybody. But it was fun,
scorn and touchdown, so.

Speaker 3 (29:08):
Wes kind of mentioned it. I mean, you've become an
exceptional special teams player. And I'm always curious, like I
don't know your history, but I assume you were a
pretty darn good high school player and a great junior
high player. And when did you get thrust into special teams,
and at what age and what stage of your development

(29:28):
did you really dedicate yourself to becoming as good as
you are in that phase.

Speaker 4 (29:34):
Well, actually, I played some kickoff in high school did
and I played kickoff return. But I always like kickoff
because I played a lot of offense and I was
able to just run down the field. And usually in
high school, you know the guys that end up going
D one and make it to the NFL, they're usually
you know, bigger, faster, and stronger than the people there
lined up against. So I would just run down the
field and just smack somebody, and that was a lot

(29:56):
of fun. And then when I got to college, I
did not a much special teams at all. And when
I went to the NFL, I found out if you're
not a starting player, you better play special teams. You're
not gonna have a job for long. So I had
a great coach my first two years in LA Joe D. Kamillis,
and he made it fun and taught me a lot.

(30:19):
And then you know, obviously coming here or then I
had Chase Blackburn my third year in l A and
he taught me a bunch of stuff. And then I
came here and you know have you know, a Hall
of Fame coach and Danny Smith and you know, older
players to learn from. So you know, I'm still evolving
and there's still things I can get better on in
that phase of the game. But just being an offensive

(30:39):
player that's able to go cover kicks, it's it's a
lot of fun for me because you know, I hate
being labeled as a receiver. I'd rather have the Steelers
list my position as FP football player because I like
to tackle, I like the block, I like to catch.
I just, you know, want to be a football player first.
And coach Simon always emphasizes the importance of special teams

(31:01):
and team meetings and stuff, so you know, it's it's
a very big part of what we do in Pittsburgh, PA.
And you know, you saw it on Sunday. It turned
the game a little bit for us.

Speaker 3 (31:11):
Ben I was the director of football opposite Akron a
million years ago when Chase Blackburn was our star linebacker.
That's a good guy to learn from. Man.

Speaker 4 (31:20):
Oh, he's a great guy.

Speaker 2 (31:22):
That's awesome. That's cool.

Speaker 4 (31:23):
Full I talked talked to him on Sunday night, so
we stay in touch still, and he's a great guy.

Speaker 2 (31:28):
That's a full circle moment here on the Steelers Audio Network, Ben,
what's that mindset for you like though, because you know,
when dk Metcalf catches a touchdown pass, he gets to
go to the sidelines and get some you know, some
pats on the back and and breathe for a minute.
You catch a touchdown pass and you're right back out
there into a different phase of the game. What's that
mindset that focus have to be like for you?

Speaker 4 (31:51):
Well, yeah, you know, you just want to celebrate with
your teammates. You know, obviously the offensive line works hard
and then you know, all eleven and then the guys
in the sideline want to congratulate you.

Speaker 3 (31:58):
You know.

Speaker 4 (31:59):
And for me on that one, I told myself all
off season once we got Aaron, I was like, you know,
if I catch a touchdown from him this year, I'm
keeping the ball. Well, the funny thing is it was
his first touchdown with the Steelers too, but you know
he said, I can keep the ball. I want to
get that one signed from him because he's going to
be a gold jacket guy, so that'd be cool. Yeah,
he's got like five hundred, so you know, that was

(32:24):
the first order of business. I was like, I got
to get this ball to somebody, get this thing. Make
sure I get this ball, you know, back to Pittsburgh.
Let's not use it the rest of the game.

Speaker 3 (32:34):
And then.

Speaker 4 (32:36):
Luckily there's a TV timeout because you're out of breath
when everyone's jumping on you and everything, so there's a
TV time out and then just back to business. Gotta
go cover kick. And then you know, for me, you know,
like you said, guys like DK, you know, he's our
number one guy, so he just plays offense. But you know,
I got to be alert all game, whether it's punt return, kickoff,

(32:56):
kickoff return, you know, field goal blocking and stuff like that.
So I just got to be alert on the sidelines.
You know, obviously you want to enjoy the good moments,
but it's the NFL. You're you know, one player doesn't
define a game, and you better, you know, make more.

Speaker 3 (33:12):
But we don't want to keep you along. But I
have to ask you how much of a stickler for
route running and precision is Aaron Rodgers. Sure he certainly
has a reputation.

Speaker 4 (33:23):
You know, it's funny you say that because you know,
being around the league, you kind of hear that you
like me being a sports guy, a football lover, you know,
I watched stuff, see stuff, and you know, that's always
been his reputation of he's hard on the receivers. But
you know, I've never really noticed anything that he's too
hard on us. I think he just wants to win,

(33:44):
and I think we have a group that wants to win.
So when he makes a coaching point, it's not like
he's being hard on us. It's it's something that you know,
we expect, we want to be great, and he wants
to be great. And you know, I think the group
we have of skilled players, you know, there's coaching points
that you know, I think him being demanding is a
good thing, you know, like I don't think it's a
negative thing at all. And you know, he's not, you know,

(34:06):
too demanding to the point where like he gives us
freedom out there to to do put our own flavor
on things and stuff like that. But I think that
narrative that he's hard on his receivers, I mean, I
don't see it. I don't think we have a soft
group of people who can't, you know, take coaching from
somebody who's won four m vps, won the Super Bowl,
had so much, so much success in this league. It's

(34:27):
like once you want, don't you want those coaching points.
He's coached you know, Devonte Adams or played with DeVante
Adams and obviously like play with a ton of great
players and coaches and just has so much more football
IQ than us. It's like, give give me all the
information I can get. And I think that's the mindset
you know, DK has, certainly you know, Calvin, Austin, Roman,

(34:49):
Scottie and myself, the tight ends. You know, we're all
asking questions. The coaches ask him questions. He asked the
coaches questions. It's just a good working environment that we have.
And you know, so far since Latrobe to we One,
you know, I've learned so much football, and you know,
it's just it's fun working with a guy like that.
You know, a guy that every single route you run,
he can be open, he'll find you. You know, it's

(35:10):
not like some other quarterbacks where they're kind of limited
in what they can do mentally. You know, Aaron's a
very bright guy. He's fun to play with, and I
think we're it's just you know, coming in every day,
practice meetings, whatever, and just having fun and playing football.
You know, it's it's it's pure football out here in Pittsburgh.
It almost feels like we're playing high school again, man,
because coach Tomlin all he cares about is winning. And

(35:34):
I think the culture of the city, man, it's awesome.
And I think Aaron's really you know, bought into that.
And you know, I'll speak for myself. When I came
here last year, I was I was just kind of shocked.
It was like, it's all football out here. That's what
that's what everyone cares about. You know. I loved my
time in LA, but there's a lot of other things
to do out in LA. So I've really enjoyed it
out here in Pittsburgh. I think he's enjoying it, and

(35:55):
I think our team is, you know, real close and
just want wants to win football games.

Speaker 2 (36:01):
Ben Scronnick, Steelers FP football player kind enough to give
us a few minutes of his time here on a
busy day. Ben, thank you so much and all the
best in the home opener against Seattle on Sunday.

Speaker 4 (36:13):
I appreciate you guys. I can't wait.

Speaker 2 (36:15):
We are looking forward to it. Ben Scronick, there he goes.
Great stuff from him, and thanks to Steelers PR for
hooking us up with that. I like that Matt FP
football player.

Speaker 3 (36:24):
That he qualifies one thousand percent.

Speaker 2 (36:26):
He certainly does, and I don't think that's just going
to be a one week phenomenon. I expect to see
that from him all throughout the season. We have got
to get to a break. We'll go around campus, little
college conversation as we continue to monitor these quarterbacks. When
we return West Shuler, Matt Williamson, it is the Drive
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (37:21):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (37:46):
Back on the drive here it is not Matt Williams Radio. Uh,
and great stuff there with Ben Scronick. Thanks for taking
a few minutes with us. And like you always point out, Matt,
there is not as much time in the week for
these players, for these coaches as people assume.

Speaker 3 (38:01):
No, they got a lot of stuff to do.

Speaker 2 (38:02):
They got a lot of stuff they got on field work,
they got off field work, they got therapy and recovery
and installs and meetings and a million different things. So
big thanks to him, big thanks to everybody with Steelers PR.
For setting that out for us.

Speaker 3 (38:16):
I'm sure like hockey, basketball, and baseball coaches would massively
dispute it. But you need way more time to prep
for a football game, just x's and o's. I'm only
talking like body healing and all that stuff, compared to
I mean, there's a set play and then you stop.
I mean, there's so much randomness in this other game.

Speaker 2 (38:35):
It's not even close Baseball obviously, it is its own
entity because it's the most controlled one pitch, one batter,
one pitcher, one batter, I mean, and.

Speaker 3 (38:43):
I'm sure there's a ton of scouting the starting totally,
you know, no question, think about don't think it takes
a week.

Speaker 2 (38:48):
Think about it. In baseball, they once they get past
training camp, spring training, they don't even practice. They're playing
six games a week.

Speaker 3 (38:54):
Yeah right, you can't practice. I think they have like
batting practice.

Speaker 2 (38:57):
Yeah, you've got one hundred and sixty track games.

Speaker 3 (38:59):
Like I'm enough practice tonight from.

Speaker 2 (39:01):
You're playing six games a week and like traveling on
the other day. You know, you're you're not you're not
practicing like crazy.

Speaker 3 (39:07):
How often is hockey practice a few times a week? Okay,
on off days?

Speaker 2 (39:11):
On off days, you know, if the Penguins are coming
back from Minnesota, like you know, they'll probably get an
off day, as opposed to if they're home and they
have an off day, that'll be a prime.

Speaker 3 (39:22):
Same with basketball, different levels of intensity.

Speaker 2 (39:25):
Coaching certainly matters in basketball and hockey without a doubt.
It matters in baseball too, It matters in everything. But
football is it's its own animal. It's not closed, not
not even close to you stop.

Speaker 3 (39:35):
You run a specific hall right right.

Speaker 2 (39:38):
A formation to defend that play right.

Speaker 3 (39:41):
Nothing's really improv you know.

Speaker 2 (39:42):
I think again, I'm I'm being two. It's not actually
the truth. But like, give me twenty seven year old
Lebron James. Yeah, and I don't care how how much
I know my ex'es and o's. I'm good with.

Speaker 3 (39:57):
Give you might want to win it all. You might
get out coached in a play off or something, but
you'll probably have a winning record.

Speaker 2 (40:02):
But yeah, I bet you'll go to the post. Give
me twenty seven year old Kobe or somebody like that.
And like, I'm at least going to the playoffs as
a basketball coach.

Speaker 3 (40:09):
Let alone, give me like shocking Kobe exactly pretty well.

Speaker 2 (40:13):
Dwayne Wade, Yeah, I think I think a lot of
coaches could figure that one out. Matt to campus we go.
Maybe that's what we could call this around campus. Maybe
this segment that we're going to do and checking in
on these college quarterbacks.

Speaker 3 (40:25):
All right, I'm gonna stop you super quick, as I
often do. Sorry, that's all good. I'm a little concerned
because you watch a lot more college football than me,
so I don't know that I'll be on top of
what is completion percentage. I definitely won't be you know,
where they who, they even played the week before. But
I absolutely am looking forward to this segment because I
want to keep up with all these guys, or at

(40:46):
least a couple of them a week. Like I watched
the MA Tier a lot. I know you did, you know,
But Saturdays, I just don't. I'm not glued to the
TV because it's the only day. I'm kind of doing
other things. But I can't wait for the segment. I
think this is great and very needed.

Speaker 2 (41:02):
Absolutely, and I'm not I'm not going to go crazy
deep into the show. There's like there's like five or
six guys that will want to touch on every single week. Absolutely,
and I do. I watch a lot of college football.
But it also varies because like this past Saturday, I
was getting on a plane to New York, which in
the middle of the day, so I'm watching the noon
games before we take off. I'm flipping it on as
soon as we land.

Speaker 3 (41:21):
But you know, like all the top twenty five. Yeah, absolutely,
Like I don't even know that.

Speaker 2 (41:25):
This coming Saturday, Matthew, I'll I'll be leaving my house
bright and early to go about seventy eighty miles south
on seventy nine to Morgantown and I'll be tailgating and
out there the whole day for the three thirty backyard
brawl that I do not anticipate is going to go
well for my Mountaineers. Who's a day dog, But I'll
seven point dog at home?

Speaker 3 (41:43):
Wow? Yeah Wow Yeah about that? That tells you just
you'll just be fanboy on Saturday. Yeah, oh yeah, big time.

Speaker 2 (41:50):
One thing in my life that is still I mean,
I do a WU show in podcast, but like, yeah,
I'm a season ticket holder for football. It's and it's
pure and Jay, Yes, absolutely, And so even when we're good,
which we haven't been for a long time, even when
we stink like we do right now, I will be there, baby,
because these colors don't run. Even though I do anticipate

(42:11):
Pat Nardoozi and Pitt having their their fair share of
fun at Mountaineer Field Saturdays afternoon. I think Holstein's pretty good.

Speaker 3 (42:18):
I think that whole reed's pretty good.

Speaker 2 (42:20):
I think they've got a solid defense. I think Florida
State and Miami are the best two teams in the
ACC pretty clearly. Clemson as well too, But I think
Pitt could be towards the top of that next tier
above average as much as I as much as I
hate to say it. And w has got a brand
new staff, eighty one new players on the roster. We
are not there right now, not even close. So yeah,

(42:41):
so Saturdays a lot of times, I'm down in Morgantown
the whole day. But I do. I love college football.
It's my favorite, just pure spectator sport, just from a
take work and what I do for a living out
of the equation. So I think it'll be a lot
of fun for us to go through this and everything.
We will talk about your boy mateer here in a minute,
but I think it's hard not to start these conversations

(43:01):
with Lenora Sellers. Every week is he's I think everybody's
assumed number one at this point, and that could change.

Speaker 4 (43:07):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (43:08):
They played South Carolina State this past week and that's
the hard to that's their FCS game. Yeah, and he
didn't do I mean, he didn't do a ton.

Speaker 4 (43:15):
You know.

Speaker 2 (43:15):
He had one hundred and twenty eight passing yards, a touchdown,
no turnovers, no interceptions or anything like that. But it
was a lot of we're playing an inferior opponent. We're
not gonna go We're not gonna They handed the ball
off a lot. They didn't ask him to run much
at all. He had just twenty three rushing yards and
was out of the game.

Speaker 3 (43:33):
You know exactly how they should handle that situation. They
have a bigger fish to fry.

Speaker 2 (43:36):
So he's another one of those kind of like I
don't know if the arrows pointing up or down. It
was just to go through emotions and we're gonna get
out of there with a with a comfortable wind type
real quick.

Speaker 3 (43:46):
On him. I think a lot of people, and probably
some of our listeners, are like, oh man, he'd be
a great stealer. They should grab him, maybe move up
a couple of spots, and you know, and I don't
know where the Steelers are gonna end up, but we
always asume they're gonna pick twentieth because they kind of
always had you, just knowing what I know about what

(44:06):
scouts look for and how this whole draft process works,
he might be the consensus number one overall when it's
all said and done. You know, Like, I'm not sure
I could say that about Club Nick or Nuts or
those guys, but I look at this guy and be like,
if Anthony Richardson goes four or five, this guy might
be easily number one if he has a good year.

Speaker 2 (44:27):
If you're going to Vegas right now and you're putting
a chip on the table of which quarterback is first
off the board? Yeah, and which player is first off
the board in late April on the north shore of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
when this all goes down, he would be the odds
on favorite for both both of them, the first quarterback
first overall right now, one of the time between now

(44:48):
and then.

Speaker 3 (44:48):
But and I bet the odds only pay off worse
and worse going forward. Not unless he's terrible.

Speaker 2 (44:53):
You're not getting very good on right, Yeah, first overall pick.
You might still get okay, odds first quarterback. I don't
think you're getting too much use on that squeeze.

Speaker 3 (45:00):
And that's kind of with the assumption that Arch isn't
going to be involved, you know, I mean, I'm not
watching him out.

Speaker 2 (45:06):
We'll mention him in a minute. I don't think he's
going to be involved. Texas is going to pay him
ten twelve million dollars to come back next year, and
why why would you?

Speaker 3 (45:15):
Grandpa is not a believer in coming out. Early history
hasn't been as kind to those guys as dude to say.
He doesn't need the money, and but he could still make.

Speaker 2 (45:22):
He can make close to what he would make as
a top ten pick anyways, and who wouldn't want to
stay in beautiful Austin, Texas. He'll probably taking ballroom dancing
and wine tasting as his two classes. Yeah, let's talk
about your boy John Matteer, because his stock was up
more than.

Speaker 3 (45:41):
The first time I really watched him.

Speaker 2 (45:42):
More than anybody's.

Speaker 3 (45:44):
Matt primetime game helps and all that.

Speaker 2 (45:46):
It sure does.

Speaker 3 (45:47):
The exposure situation that was.

Speaker 2 (45:50):
A I think some of the better tape that you'll
see from him this year, I'm sure, because he was
very good against Michigan's in a weird spot as a
program right now. I think I wink Martindale as their
defensive coordinator, I bet they've got a zillion dollars nil
right Like, even if they go eight and four this year,
that defense is still legit and is gonna have a

(46:12):
has an NFL defensive coordinator with a lot of NFL
defensive talent. You know, you saw the interception. You saw,
That's the I'm trying to think, like maybe kind of
similar to a conversation that we had with Josh Allen
when he came into the league. The highlight tape is there,
Oh yeah, so is the risk, so is the low light.
So is the kind of the Caleb Williams conversation. One

(46:34):
play it's wow, where did that come from? The next play,
it's what the heck were you thinking? But he did
a very good job of limiting that what the heck
were you thinking against Michigan, And if he continues to
do that, yeah, he could be a top ten pick
without a doubt.

Speaker 3 (46:47):
So you'll see my view on the Steelers next quarterback,
or no matter what team it would be. If I'm
investing in a high draft pick quarterback, if I strike out,
I strike out, but I am going to get my
c you know, like I That was my complaint with
the picket deal. You know, Dale and I he was
Pickett was a twentieth pick in the draft. Dale and

(47:08):
I did our top twenty prospects for the Steelers. He
was not in my twenty. He was actually twenty first,
so close right there. But my complaint was if he hits,
I don't think he can hit Josh Allen hit, you
know what I mean, like I think you need I'm
looking for superheroes. And I know Matiers only six to one,
which probably means he's six foot six three or something

(47:32):
at the combine. You know, he's probably under six to
one if he's listed at sixty to one. But he's
not short short, and he's got a weird build. He
kind of looks like a fullback. But he used it
to his advantage. I mean, it's not like he's stiff
or you know, unathletic, or doesn't change direction as well.
And I noticed a lot of his throws are on
the line. It's always the most catchable ball. Kaepernick was

(47:53):
that way, you know, like gotta put a little more
touch on everything, doesn't have to be an five mile
an hour fast ball especial to the ball. But boy,
he is so athletic and flat out fast and accelerate
so quickly. And his arm he has easy gas as
a thrower. I mean it's flick of a wrist.

Speaker 1 (48:15):
Wrong.

Speaker 3 (48:16):
I mean he's got all that stuff to work with.
Does he need reeled in a little bit? Of course,
and all these guys have it, But boy is he
competitive too. And you can just see that it rubs off.

Speaker 2 (48:26):
Oh, Oklahoma really struggle. They struggledlightily last year, particularly on offense.
Their def they went six and six last year, Matt.
If their defense wasn't a top ten, top fifteen defense
in college football, Oklahoma would have had their first losing
record as a program since the nineties, right, Okay, Like
they are one of the more const They've only won
one national championship in the twenty first century. That was

(48:48):
with Bob Stoops in like three or four o two whenever.
It was right before that USC and Tim Tebow kind
of take over there. That was USC and Florida winning
the national championships for that Dregs.

Speaker 3 (48:59):
White their quarter he won the year.

Speaker 2 (49:02):
So yes, I remember for Sam Bradford. I was with
Larry and we thought Larry should Larry should have won
the Heisman when he absolutely even as Pittsburgh's foremost mountaineer,
will tell you that Larry Fitzgerald should have won the
Heisman that year. But they have been if you go
and look, they are the most consistently good. Like them
in Ohio State, like even Alabama in the twenty first

(49:23):
century has had five six win seasons, you know, losing seasons.
Before Saban got there, they were down, they were They're
Oklahoma six and six season to them is like same
with Ohio State. It's like the Scott's the exactly right,
exactly right. One thing that I really give if we
see the progression from Matier, it's it's kind of a
similar I give this. I should have mentioned this during

(49:45):
the Power rankings the Best of the West when we
were talking about Josh Allen. Quarterbacks that succeed with defensive
head coaches, I give more credit to Yeah, I agree,
I give Ben credit for that. I give Allen credit
for that. That they don't they didn't have Andy Reid
an offensive mass Her mind is like Mahomes does.

Speaker 3 (50:01):
I love Drew Brees, but he played in the Dome
with Peyton. Correct, that's different than bat Matteer.

Speaker 2 (50:07):
Brent Venables, Oklahoma's head coach is a defensive guy. He
was Clemson's defensive coordinator in the Watson Law when Clemson
won those two national championships. So if he develops, I
will like, they obviously have a very good offensive coaching staff.
It's Oklahoma. They've got one of the biggest budgets of
any program. They're in the SEC. They've got money. But

(50:28):
his head coach and their program is based on defense
as opposed to you know, some of these other guys
like a Garrettnutmeyer of LSU, who's got Brian Kelly who's
an offensive quarterback.

Speaker 3 (50:40):
And his dad's an offensive coordinator. Elite, right right.

Speaker 2 (50:43):
So that's just the kind of the final note I
wanted to make with Matier as well too.

Speaker 3 (50:48):
Here's one note too that you'll notice when we start
talking quarterbacks is I'm going to aim for the the sky.
You know, I mean, if I miss, so be it.
But if I only hit one out of three in
naded but Josh Allen and wy every twenty years, you're
still thrilled. And I mentioned how competitive Matier is, and
I hesitate to do that at times, but his really

(51:09):
stands out in terms of aggressiveness and taking the extra
hit or dragon tacklers and all that stuff, because I
believe at this you know, this stage, if you're telling
me he's first one in the building, last guy out,
or he'll do anything to win a game, I'm like, okay,
he can come sit at the table at the conversation
if he doesn't have that by like that, just that,

(51:31):
just that's the anti. You know everybody has that. You know,
everyone you're playing events has that.

Speaker 2 (51:36):
That's like you work hard. Congratulations.

Speaker 3 (51:37):
Yeahulation, that's that's step one.

Speaker 2 (51:40):
That's your that's your key card, just to swipe into.

Speaker 3 (51:42):
The right, right right, that's the anti to sit the
poker table.

Speaker 2 (51:46):
Matt I should have probably mentioned and I started with
sellers and then and then I knew you wanted to
talk about Matier. I should have probably lumped in like
Drew Aller of Penn State, KG Klubnick of Clemson, Smyer
of l s U. They were all in that same
conversation as where they played some pushover opponents this week
and week two. They played, they played well, they managed

(52:07):
the game, they handed the ball off, they didn't do
anything crazy. There's not a lot to report they did.
They checked the box of doing their job and getting
their team out with a comfort. Well for Clemson, they
were actually down sixteen to nothing Detroit at one point,
but comfortable win in the in the macro for all those.

Speaker 3 (52:24):
Games, yeah, okay, and then I know there wasn't a
lot of Marquis.

Speaker 2 (52:29):
Arch Manning kind of same thing, like we should mention
him because he's just a name that everybody knows and
wants to hear about. They beat up, they beat up
on San Jose State. He threw for four touchdowns, looked
much better. I mean hard not to based off how
he started Week one and Columbus against Ohio State. But
but okay, that's what you wanted to see from arch
to bounce back against a bad opponent.

Speaker 3 (52:50):
So I just noticed this as a random thing and
a lot of these quarterbacks that semi applies to. But
just watching the ticker top twenty five scores, I can't
remember many weeks where more teams won by sixty seventy,
Like Florida State won by like seventy or something.

Speaker 2 (53:06):
It's like, so the college schedule is kind of changed
in a weird way of it used to be. Week
one was your FCS beat the crap out.

Speaker 3 (53:13):
Of them, a pasion right.

Speaker 2 (53:15):
Week two was like a G five an akron of
the South Florida somebody like that.

Speaker 3 (53:20):
Your building a little bit better.

Speaker 2 (53:22):
And then week three was like you're you're at a
conference rival or your your Ohio State Texas type.

Speaker 4 (53:29):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (53:30):
Where it's kind of changed now is where they're scheduling
week one because they know the NFL season is not
there and they have the attention.

Speaker 3 (53:35):
Of labor days.

Speaker 2 (53:36):
South Carolina's playing Virginia Tech, Ohio State's playing Texas, LSU's
playing who did they play, Not Florida State, somebody the
LSU played, somebody was Clemson, Notre Dames play in Miami.
Like college football has really started moving those big non conference.

Speaker 3 (53:54):
Because it's weekend adventures.

Speaker 2 (53:57):
Don't have to compete with the NFL. I all wanted
to mention our boy, Fernando Mendoza, quarterback of Indiana. Who, Matt,
you watch everybody else who's doing these type of quarterback
report things around Pittsburgh. No one's mentioning Fernando Mendoza. So
I'm just I'm hoping that that he's our guy that
will that everybody else will hop on the moving train
later than us Kennesaw State. Terrible opponent, but he did

(54:19):
what he did what you wanted them to do. Two
hundred and forty five yards, seventy two percent completion percentage,
four touchdowns, no interceptions, played very well against a bad opponent.
Clean game. Yeah, their schedule starts to ramp up, and
they've got Indiana State one more kind of pushover. But
then they get into that big ten slate and we'll
really start to learn more about him.

Speaker 3 (54:38):
What's a little interesting thing I think probably goes out
saying is there'll be a lot of games where his
team's not as talented as the opponent, where that only
happens maybe twice the Alur or not Tom or Club
Nick or you know what I mean. Yes, there's not
gonna be many where those guys don't have the best
checkers that's in their pockets.

Speaker 2 (54:55):
That's going to be exciting here when we just get
another another week or two into this thing. Let's take
our last break here the first hour. We'll reset for
hour number two, a little hodgepodge of randomness, right, and
our number two as we go through some stats and
some of Matt's on earthings. We'll also catch up with
our buddy Chris Halleck with all the latest moving and
shaking with the Steelers down on the South Side. All

(55:17):
of that and more and hour number two of the
Drive West Shouler Matt Williamson, Steelers Nation Radio on the
Steelers Audio Network