Opening Kickoff 7-24-25 On the Gridiron with Antwan Staley and Shehan Jeyarajah

On this podcast: Dave Steinwedel and Payton Girod are back and head to the gridiron to talk all things NFL and College Football. (1:10-2:05)

New York Daily News Jets Writer Antwan Staley hops on to discuss the Bengals and contracts, what happened with the NFLPA, new outlook for the Jets, Aaron Rodgers, the AFC as a whole, Chiefs falling back to earth and more (2:06-33:27)

CBS Sports College Football Writer Shehan Jeyarajah stops by to discuss the Texas Tech situation, is Indiana a trend setter, the SEC battle that awaits, the Big 12, UNC, and more. (33:28-END) 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
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(00:23):
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next event. Hello and welcome to one already in progress

(01:15):
Opening Kickoff Podcast. I'm yours, Dave Steinwe old David Miles.
We have to salute our fallen friend here, Peyton Girod
my co host this week.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
I'll tell you what, having a kid, he just makes
it me like very horrified.

Speaker 3 (01:30):
It sounds horrible.

Speaker 2 (01:31):
He's just constantly on his back foot, He's constantly pivoting.
He's audibling every second of his life. You know, he
thinks he's going to be on a podcast. Now, he's
going to get milk lay at night. I mean, he's
just just all over the place. I feel it for
the guy. He's he's he's doing well, but you know
he's constantly audible and you know, making checks of the
line constantly.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
So that's a that's a good way to phrase it.
We have a full football pod for you this week.
We have Sheehan Jerajo CBS Sports. It's gonna join us
later to talk all things college football. But hey, well
when it comes to talking NFL, there's nobody else we'd
rather have on this podcast then our good friend. He
covers the Jets for the New York Daily News. He

(02:12):
visited Baltimore a couple of weeks ago, got to see
the O's really before they've just decided they're gonna dismantle everything.

Speaker 4 (02:19):
So that's a lot of fun.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
Antoine Stanley back with us Antoine, It is great to
see you.

Speaker 4 (02:25):
Uh are you ready for training camp to start?

Speaker 5 (02:29):
Well, yeah, I better be, but yeah, I definitely, Yeah,
I'm as ready for football like I'm excited. Had a
nice summer time to relax, but yeah, it'd be good
to get football a because you know, as y'all knows,
the sprint, so as soon as as quick as it is,
as soon as it starts, as quick as it starts,
it ends deck quickly. So yeah, I'm definitely ready for
the sprint.

Speaker 2 (02:49):
And I wouldn't say you started off so like the
Jets have leaned you into this training camp as opposed
to maybe the last two of Aaron Rodgers Mania, where
you've gotten, you know, a couple of exteps, so you
got something to talk about with Sauce and Garrett Wilson.
I want to get your take on you know, those
guys getting those extensions. But Breese Hall is still kind

(03:09):
of you know, he's playing out this steal, So what
do you I want to know what your take is
I guess on that or what's to expect is it
just play as hard as you can get a good
case to maybe get that extension or be with those
guys going forward or is there or is it just
going to be a one and done and see you
later after this year kind of thing.

Speaker 5 (03:27):
Yeah, I think, you know, I'll leave Breese to like
the second half of the answer, but the first half, Like,
I don't think anybody was surprised by Salson Garrett getting
in the stitch, and I think we all saw that coming,
just you know, with the tults that they've been having
dating Ben to the spring. It's just a matter of
how quickly it would get done. I think, you know,
the one thing that's you know, seeming like the Jets
are turning in the corner is like they're very proactive,

(03:47):
and you know, I think Darren Moogie and Aaron Glenn decided,
you know, they don't want a lot of distractions as
opposed to the previous regime there for a variety of
different reasons, so it was better for them to get
it done now as opposed to waiting the camp started
and you know, before the regular season, and then we're
asking about, you know, when's thistension happened? When is this
stension happen? And now we don't have to ask about

(04:10):
that because now it's done. It's done on both sides
with Garrett and Salts, and now you have your corners,
two of your cornerstone players locked up for the foreseeable future.
As it attains to brist Hall, you got to look
at it. He's the guy that I think a lot
had a lot of expectations coming out of Iowa State,
and for whatever reason, he just not, you know, hasn't
lived up to whether it be injuries he dealt with
one last year, his third first year in the league.

(04:31):
He towards a cl missed like ten games and the
rest of that season in twenty two. So and then
you look at the you know, the twenty three season,
he was just a little bit short of a thousand yards.
If it wasn't for a you know, stat era by
one of the statistic guys of the Jets, he probably
would have rushed four thousand yards against against the Patriots
in the finale. But the factor of matter is he

(04:52):
is not rushed for a thousand yards in the season.
It's been a lot of reasons why. I think last year,
you know, the Jets were very past happy under Aaron Rodgers,
and they checked a lot of players at the line
of scrimmage. I think now, when you get a guy
like at Justin Fields and they're gonna lean more on
the running game. So I think that definitely helps him,
you know, whether he's with the Jets or not. I
think the interesting name is gonna be is a couple

(05:14):
of things. One where the Jets are at the trading
trade deadline, because if they're completely out of it, then
maybe you know, you listen to offers and you know
it's gonna be a team that's contending. Maybe you have
an injury here or there and they need a running back,
and you know, they decide, you know, they want to
get Breist Hall for maybe like a fifth round pick,
you know, so I definitely think or a fourth round
pick maybe or conditional somewhere around there, and you decide

(05:36):
to do it. So I think if the Jets are
completely out of it till October, they may listen to
offers there for him. Otherwise, Yeah, I don't see it
as stitch and cover for him, just because I don't
know if he necessarily has earned it up to this point,
like fairly or unfairly. I think he would even tell
you like he needed to play better, he needs to
play better. I think this the season is a make

(05:57):
a break year for him because he doesn't have the
fifth option like you know, Salson Garrett or even Jermaine
Johnson has. So this will be his last year potentially
with the Jets.

Speaker 1 (06:07):
You mentioned you mentioned a little bit the dynamic in
the new regime versus the old regime. What is the
vibe like around the team now compared to the last
two or three years.

Speaker 5 (06:22):
Well, I think the last two or three years like
the last two years really well, this will be my
fourth year coat going into the cover of the Jets.
But you know, I think under Salad it was more
a you had a veteran team the last couple of years,
so it could be more I don't want to say
country club like, but it was kind of. It was intense,
but it wasn't like super intense now like how I
think Aaron Glenn wants it to be. He wants him

(06:43):
to be a Jets, to be a physical team. There
they have they have an abundance of youth, so I
think when you have that youth, you're gonna have there's
a lot of teaching moments out there. So I think
it's been a lot more communication among the coaches with
the players because you don't have a lot. I think
you have four players that are over the age of thirty,
so it's a lot more teaching going on. It kind
of reminds me of cover in college football, where you know,

(07:04):
you see a lot more you know, you're installing the system,
you're talking, you know through it, you know you're giving players.
It's a lot more communication happening with the Jets now
as opposed to you know, the Robert solid Area era.
It doesn't necessarily mean that's good or bad. It's just
that again, when you have younger players, then you know
it's gonna be probably a lot more mistakes that that's

(07:24):
going to happen as opposed to you know, a veteran
Layton group. So I think that's the first and foremost.
And you know Aaron glenn Is, you know, he's a
lot more intense per se. Yeah, so I think that
was definitely that's definitely a big change from the previous
regime too as well.

Speaker 2 (07:41):
I was I like that you said that, like obviously
the different changes than you're distinct in them. Obviously, Justin
Field's with a new quarterback coming in. I'm a Steelers
guy and I kind of wish that we could have
flop flopped. I wish I could have kept Justin Fields.
I really wanted him to be our quarterback going this year.
If I were to like change the scenario, do you
think there would have been a world where Aaron Rodgers

(08:02):
could have played with Aaron Glenn or do you think
it was always we've got to move on kind of
clean house, or do you think they really considered the
option of having Aaron Rodgers on the team.

Speaker 3 (08:11):
I know it was from Rodney's perstructive. It's a very
quick conversation.

Speaker 2 (08:14):
I'm sure behind the scenes there was a lot more discussion,
and I'm sure it wasn't like when they woke up
one day, you know kind of thing.

Speaker 3 (08:20):
I'm sure there's a lot of thought that went into it.

Speaker 2 (08:22):
I'm just curious if you think he would fit in
that building right now as it as stands today.

Speaker 5 (08:28):
Okay, those are two different questions, so let me let
me ask the first one, like, do I think they
considered keeping him? Yes, I think they did consider keeping him. However,
I think you viewed a negative like, here's the thing
with Eron and I told many people this, when you're
as good as what he was with the Packers, you
can get away with a lot more. You know, you
can get away with the distractions you can. You know

(08:50):
you'll take him like when he playing at the MVP level,
Like yeah, I mean you go on McAfee, you could
say this. You could say that because like the play
warrant is, you know, dealing with some of the extra back.
I guess that comes with it as he gets older.
He's almost forty two years old almost so going to
like and he will be in December. So I don't
think you necessarily want to deal with the extra distractions

(09:10):
for declining player now, you know, doesn't necessarily mean that
he can't be good with the Steelers. It just means
that I don't think, you know, him and Aaron Glenn
didn't really see have the same vision. So yeah, I don't. Yeah,
I didn't think it was any way that will work
between because Aaron Glenn is a guy that he wants
no distractions whatsoever. He wants to know it. He is
very old school. You have to remember who he played for.

(09:32):
You play for ourselves. Bill Belichick was his defensive coordinator
at one point in time, so we played under Pete Carroll.
So yeah, he's a guy that does not want those
added distractions, especially a guy that's going to go on
you know, Joe Rogan and you know again like all
this stuff that comes with Aaron Rodgers and yeah, and
he's that's just not his jam at all. So I

(09:52):
didn't see any way of that working whatsoever, even though
they did consider it.

Speaker 3 (09:57):
Yeah, I'm sorry I set you up there. I wanted to.
It was allo our question.

Speaker 5 (10:00):
Yeah, I had to clarify. Yeah, I don't know how
to kind of do it. So, yeah, I am a
media member, so I get it.

Speaker 3 (10:07):
Yeah, you're you're an expert. Yeah, I got it.

Speaker 4 (10:11):
I have to ask about this nfl PA situation. Oh god, uh,
you know what.

Speaker 1 (10:17):
I'm glad you had that reaction because I feel like
every day that's the reaction when I see something about
this story. First off, credit to Bablo Torri and Mike
Florio for their reporting in this It's been phenomenal.

Speaker 4 (10:34):
But yeah, what do you make of all this? Because
I can't.

Speaker 1 (10:39):
I can't seem to make sense of all of what
we're finding out here.

Speaker 5 (10:45):
Well, it's a bit of a loaded quick I'll just
say this kind of joking. I guess you know. I
have the same kind of taste in strip closest to
some of the nfl PA members that especially living in
South Florida. So I guess I guess one takeaway that
I had because I I've been to Titsy several times.
Oh no, I would never be dumb enough to charge
it on the union card.

Speaker 3 (11:06):
Yeah, I just it's insane.

Speaker 2 (11:09):
I just can't even understand how like it's just Magic
City and all these places. I feel like they're always
at the center of like these controversies. In one way,
I remember what was it, Lou will he got the
door dash from uh.

Speaker 3 (11:23):
During the tournament. Oh, I think we lose for a second.

Speaker 5 (11:26):
Yeah, yeah, I was kind of frozen there for a minute. Yeah,
I know you were talking about Lou Williams and the
Magic City Wayne. It just it just flavor, I know.

Speaker 2 (11:36):
But I remember it was like, you know, the DoorDash
or whenever they were the COVID tournament.

Speaker 3 (11:41):
It's always like, you know, it's always a little something
going on there. It's just it's funny, like how this
all broke out.

Speaker 2 (11:47):
It's like it almost seems like someone wrote like a
bad SNL joke and like they were like trying to
make it and they're like, how did this happen?

Speaker 3 (11:54):
But I don't even know where? What the hell they
say face on this?

Speaker 2 (11:57):
I guess because like Daves, guys are like very prominent
people inside the nfl PA.

Speaker 3 (12:02):
I guess what do you think there's are going forward
to clean up this mass?

Speaker 5 (12:08):
That's tough, man, Like you got to get people that
are dedicated and committed to doing things the right way
and not guys that are dumb enough to charge you know,
strip club dances and you know cars and stuff like
that to your union car. Like that just never made
sense to me, especially that, like how did you not
think people were gonna find out?

Speaker 2 (12:27):
Like I don't know, maybe maybe they think like they
were checking their own expenses.

Speaker 3 (12:32):
They're like they were approving their own stuff.

Speaker 5 (12:34):
And at it. And my thing is too, like they
took like cash advances out too. And then my thing was,
if you were gonna do that, why not just take
the cash advance out before you go to the strip club.
That way, nobody knows what you're doing at the strip, Like, yeah,
that would make more sense, But you know, it's neither
here or there. It's just a complete mess, like on

(12:55):
a lot of different sides, and you know, they talked about,
you know, keeping j C. Tota until and then he
was like I never thought that was a good option
at all, because like he was part of the problem,
like he was already investing, like he's part of the issue,
Like he how are you going to keep a guy
that's part of the problem on him, like the lead
of the PA, Like that never made sense to be
at all. So they got a lot to clean up,

(13:15):
Like it is a complete best it's a cluster, I
will say the other word, but it is a big
cluster that they have to clean up and clean up
fast because now you know, you got training camp and everything.
Wrap it up.

Speaker 1 (13:27):
Oh all right, here's here's a tough question for you, Antwine.
What's more of a cluster right now, the NFL PA
or the Cincinnati Bengals when it comes to negotiating contracts,
Because look, I like as bad as the NFLPA is,
I don't think we've ever seen what's happening in Cincinnati.

Speaker 5 (13:46):
Well we know they're cheap, like we already know that,
Like they have a cheap owner, like they like to
do things a certain way. I would say probably more
the PA situation, although the Bengal situation is not terribly surprising,
but it's just at some point do you want people,
do you want free agents to come there? Because if
you do, then you need to make this like you
need to make all this go away, Like you need

(14:08):
to Patrey Henderson get Steward in there, like this is
twenty twenty five, like players should have a certain amount
of guaranteed money on their contract. And yeah, you took
this guy even though I'm not the biggest Steward fan
coming out of a and m his stats, like you know,
you can talk about, you know, the player that he
was to product, the lack of production, all this stuff too,
but you thought he was good enough to take there

(14:28):
and you know, the mid first round. So you need
to pay this man what he is worth because he
is He's putting his body on the line. So yeah,
it just makes no sense to be And then now
like the longer you wait as far as like extensions,
and I tell people this, the worst off is gonna
because now you got TJ. Watt getting that big money,
So now Hendrison is gonna want more than that. So

(14:48):
now you're making it even worse for yourself. So the
Bengals continue to just get in their own way, and
they've always have and they always will and I think
that's a big part of why they've had the lack
of success that they've had. Even with they have guys
like Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase and they have a
talented team, but they can't get out of their own way.
Just you want to you want to win a championship,
you got to do things that you got to make

(15:09):
hard decisions, You got to do things that you know
championship teams do. Look at look at the Eagles, look
at the Ravens Steelers, look at the best organizations in
the league. They're not notoriously cheap. They willing to do
anything it takes to win. And the Bengals, to me,
with that ownership, as long as he is a lot
like and he's a pore, they're never gonna, you know,
achieve that as long as he's around and continue to

(15:30):
do the things that he's doing.

Speaker 2 (15:32):
Yeah, Like, I would be curious to know the stat
on and maybe you know about how many NFL teams
practice right next to their stadium in a field like,
I don't know that many.

Speaker 3 (15:42):
Do I know how many? How many you got?

Speaker 5 (15:46):
I don't know how many I don't know how many
off the top of my head, but I know the
Dolphins do. I used to cover them. I know the
Giants do. I know, Yeah, obviously the Bengals do. The
Panthers are another team. Who else? Yeah, the forty nine
Ers also do it. I'm trying to think of how

(16:07):
many Raiders the Raiders are not too. The Raiders are
and Henderson also, So I take that back, the Raiders
are not one of them. It's it's probably, I would
say probably, if I had to guess, probably, like you know,
more than a handful of team's probably like ten of
them they do.

Speaker 2 (16:20):
Yeah, I just think it's like a bad like a
sign of like that he doesn't want to spend like
on the facilities and things like that. And as I
Steelers saying, I constantly see the grade that we get,
but I'm still like, it ain't this bad, you know.

Speaker 3 (16:31):
What I mean.

Speaker 5 (16:32):
I guess it could be like the I guess you
could be like the Cardinals. The Cardinals get bad report
card grades too, So.

Speaker 2 (16:38):
It's gotta be like it's gotta be like waiting for
that probably and just sitting there like I wonder what
they're gonna give me this like this year, and like
he's probably like these on great, Like if they get
a good grade, he's probably like, oh, I'm the best,
you know, flate threego, but a bad one, they're probably
they probably just hammer down the wrong way.

Speaker 3 (16:54):
It's like it's just a shame, Like, Yeah, I.

Speaker 5 (16:58):
Never understood why you would if you're you're planning to
own a team, why would you be cheap? Like you
just sell the team if you don't, if you don't
want to pay these players, you don't want to do
the things that taste to win, just sell the team,
you know what, even getting for an NFL franchise, like
I would hell, I would be on a beach somewhere
if I didn't want to deal with this, like seriously,
like I don't. It's not like you're.

Speaker 2 (17:20):
Sitting on like seven billion dollars at any moment and
you could be out of this, like you don't.

Speaker 3 (17:25):
Yeah, it's a good point, you know what. That is
a good point. He should sell because he doesn't have
to be doing these oppressed conferences and making himself look
like you know, Scrooge and stuff like that.

Speaker 2 (17:35):
But he does look like every time he talks too,
he's like it's terrible.

Speaker 5 (17:39):
It just blows my mind that some of these owners
want to continue to be cheap and don't want to
do what it taskets. And yet again, like it's an
easy way to get out of it, because you know
how many people want to get in an NFL. They
want to buy a team, like you could call You
could make a phone call right now, and then you
have like a list of buyers of any NFL team.

Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, I was gonna say, also, I don't think I've
had experienced a situation. Probably has been, but I was
reading an article not long ago. It was can Bengals
draft picks so Marster go back to college. I don't
think I've ever read like a first round draft pick
considering going back except for Bo Jackson.

Speaker 5 (18:16):
I guess if he could, he could, Yeah, but I
already knew he could because of the rules or whatever.
But he could. He could be there at the facility.
We just couldn't play for an l which honestly, I
probably thought he should have stayed in school in it.
But that's a whole other conversation anyway. But you know,
it's it's just a mess on so many different levels,
and they're saying he's taking bad advice, Like I wouldn't

(18:36):
want to play for them either if they're not trying
to guarantee money.

Speaker 3 (18:40):
It's crazy. Yes, I agree completely, It's kind of like insanity.
It's like, hey, like you.

Speaker 2 (18:46):
It is also worse because the guy that they brought
him into replaces also going through this exact thing. So
Trey Hendrickson is probably I don't know if they're communicating,
but he's like, take, they're trying to screw you, Like
this is where I'm in right now, Like fast forward
four years when you're like, you're gonna be in the
same spot if you take that deal.

Speaker 5 (19:05):
So it's not it's just like this relationship, like somebody
gave me, you get them, how you lose them. So
like that, basically it's like like still is gonna be
in the same situation, you know, four or five years
from now to I'm gonna be talking about this and
talking about how cheat the Bengals still are.

Speaker 3 (19:23):
So bad.

Speaker 2 (19:23):
I'm happy because I'm a Steelers fan, but you know,
like hopefully they keep doing this, but they.

Speaker 5 (19:28):
Can't get out of their own way. Like if they
if they did things a certain way, like I would
pick them to win the division, but I'm not. I'm
not picking them the wind like they got. They still
have defensive issues, Like their offense is gonna be fine,
But you know, I'm not, I'm not worried. I mean,
I'm worried about their defense. Can they stop anybody?

Speaker 3 (19:44):
M hm, very good. Sure.

Speaker 2 (19:46):
I don't know if that they can, especially without their
star Edge guy.

Speaker 3 (19:50):
So I don't know if Dave you got anything there?

Speaker 1 (19:54):
Well no, I mean because to be totally honest, like Peyton,
no knock on your Steelers. I still have a lot
lot of questions about the Steelers too. Like to me,
it is when you look at the AFC North, it's
the Ravens division to lose. They're the most complete team,
They're the most balanced team Cincinnati. You can talk about

(20:14):
the Cincinnati defense all you want. They still haven't invested
in the offensive line enough for me to think they
can protect Joe Burrow for seventeen games.

Speaker 5 (20:24):
Yeah, that's fair, that's fair. I think every team in
that division has somewhat questions there. I think Ravens have
the least amount because I think they're the most Actually
think they're the most talented team in the AFC. Like
I'm willing to take it a step further. I'm not
saying they're going to win the AFC. I'm just saying
from a talent perspective, I think they are. You know,
they have the most talent out of any of the teams.
They're like, at least for me now going into the year.

(20:46):
But yeah, they definitely should win the division. That don't necessarily
mean they will, but they definitely should.

Speaker 3 (20:52):
Okay, well, this is.

Speaker 1 (20:55):
Right.

Speaker 2 (20:55):
I want to since very said who's the NFC's most
talented team to you right now on end the camp,
I guess.

Speaker 5 (21:01):
That's that's a little bit more complicate. I guess I'll
probably say the Eagles just by default. But I think
it's a lot more. I think the NFC is a
little bit more. I think it's a lot of teams
that are bunched up together that could end up coming
out of the NFC. I don't think it's like clear
cut as it is, like I think the like I said,
I think the Ravens could come out to the ANC.

(21:22):
Like I still I still think it's the Chiefs, you know,
conference to lose, you know, to proven otherwise. But you know,
I think the Ravens have continued to just mount talent
on top of and then Lamar Jackson's just playing out
of his world. He continues playing like that. Eventually, I
feel like he's gonna run into a super Bowl at
least get to a super Bowl at some point.

Speaker 3 (21:39):
Yeah, I agree with that.

Speaker 1 (21:41):
Yeah, Dave Well you speaking about the NFC as a whole.
I wanted to talk about Kansas City because I look
at the Chiefs and I feel like, this is the
year we finally see some of the regression that because
it eventually and every and we all.

Speaker 4 (22:01):
Know this is that.

Speaker 1 (22:03):
Eventually, the salary cap, the age, it all sort of
catches up with you. And it felt like when you
watch the Chiefs in that Super Bowl, that's what you
started to see. And then you have an off season
where you get rid, you trade Joe Tooney, who is
one of your best offensive linemen on a bad offensive line.

Speaker 4 (22:22):
Now you have.

Speaker 1 (22:22):
Rashid Rice is gonna face a multi game suspension for
his actions. Like it almost just feels like Travis Kelcey
also gonna be another year older. Like I just look
at Kansas City and I say, I feel like this
is the year and not rooting for it because Kansas
we want the best players at the top of their game.

(22:44):
But it just feels like this is what everybody's kind
of been expecting to happen with Kansas City is a regression.

Speaker 4 (22:51):
Do you see that?

Speaker 5 (22:54):
I mean we kind of saw that during the regular
season last year. Now, like they still want a division,
but you know, the Chargers of so much better. I mean,
you know, Jim Harball went in their first year, I
mean he made Justin Herbert made It's so efficient as
a quarterback until the playoff game, that is. But I
think the regular season, I think he only threw three interceptions.
So I think the Chargers are are stat I think

(23:15):
they're going to be the team to watch. I think
if anybody have a chance to supermate them, I would
say to them. I think Denver is also another good team.
They have an incredible offensive line. They have a really
good defense too as well. I know the Chiefs do
also have a good defense, but you know, and then
the Raiders are even better. Like I'm not saying the
Raiders are going to make the playoffs, but I feel
like every single one of those teams in the division
have gotten better. So I still think the Chiefs will

(23:38):
win the division, but they're not gonna you know, easily
skate by and just you know, claim it like how
they have been the last few years, like they're gonna
have to fight for it, you know, because I think
the charge I think you may have two other teams
that make the playoffs out of that Division two and
the Broncos and the Chargers was well, and you know,
I think the Raiders are not going to be any
slots with Pete Carroll there. I think their team that
can they might finish at last place, but they last

(23:59):
place might be seven maybe eight wins there. I think
they're that much better, especially if Geno Smith could be
a fishing quarterback he's been.

Speaker 3 (24:09):
Yeah, I mean I think that's true.

Speaker 2 (24:10):
I think also, like I've always I'm kind of like
I hate to do this to myself of like equating
the homes of career to like Brady's. But like you know,
to your point, David, you just made you know, Brady
won those three I don't want to say quickish, but
he did. And then there was that dry spell. He
did go through that rut. You know, some guys got
old and then yeah, yeah, and then then for some reason,

(24:33):
you know, he's just turned that switchback on and was like,
I'm gonna keep winning these things. I gonna get back
to that. So I kind of agree with that. Out
of out of, you know, the landscape of we talked
about the AFC, West talked about a bunch of divisions,
the AFCs, the division you cover, well, we don't know
what you think about, you know, with a lot of
you know people, a lot of in the hot seat

(24:54):
of Mike McDaniels, obviously Josh Daniels, Josh Allen isn't under
I wouldn't say a hot seat, but it starts to
kind of get to that point of you know, you
gotta you gotta make something here. We gotta get to
at least, you know, Super Bowl and show something for it,
or know what you're thinking, what you're thinking about, how
thin the packing order of that division will go this year?

Speaker 3 (25:12):
Right?

Speaker 5 (25:12):
Still the Bills. It's still the Bills the vision to
lose because I think I think they're the only playoff
team and out of the out of the teams in
that division with you, yeah, I think you know a
lot of people will say Miami, but I think my
Miami to me reminds me of a team like the
Jets last year where you got, Like I said, you
got to coach on the hot seat, they have to win,
like general manager also on the hot hell. You got

(25:32):
a quarterback in Tua, like if the GM is going,
if the coach is gone, they could actually release toua
uh for and then the cap hit won't be as
big next year if you do a Junie first designation.
So all of these guys, I'll say all that to say,
like they have to they have to make the playoffs.
And I don't even think making the playoffs is good
enough for the Dolphins. Like we're talking about a team

(25:54):
that has not won a playoff game in a quarter
of a century. Yeah, so they need to win a
playoff game. I think anything less than that. I think,
you know, unless injuries occur, something like that. And you
got a guy in Tua who you know, let's be honest,
like he has trouble staying healthy. So and also you
got Zach Wilson that's going to be his backup. I've

(26:15):
seen Zach Wilson, and I know, look, I know a
lot of people talk about he got better endeavor and
things of that nature, but it remains to be seen
if he could be a viable backup quarterback situation. We
saw it with the Jets with you know, Aaron Rodgers
went down. You know, I think Zach Wilson he may
have some good moments, but ultimately he's a guy that's
been highly inconsistent. So I'm not high on Miami. I

(26:37):
actually think they could, you know, if Tua gets hurt,
I actually think they could finish in last place.

Speaker 3 (26:41):
Like I think.

Speaker 5 (26:43):
I think that's how low I'm on the Dolphins. The
Patriots are the team I think, you know, or to
watch a little bit. I don't know if they're a
playoff team. But with Mike Brabil there, I think you're
gonna get better coaching. You know, Drake May, I think
is a guy that's going to be emerging there. I know,
you know, you had the young quarterbacks, you know, come
of age last year, especially with Jaydon Daniels. But I
like what Drake May brings to the table too. And

(27:04):
now you've gotten them some weapons there. You improve the
offensive line a little bit, you know, gotten a good
running game. I like Henderson, who they end up drafting
it in April. I think he's gonna be really good. Yeah,
a good tag team Tannel with Stevenson. I really like
what New England is gonna do. I think they can.
I think they're probably the second best team in that division,
probably maybe eight win team, but you know, it's still

(27:25):
Buffalo's team like division to lose. And I think to
your point with Josh Allen, the Bills, they got to
take advantage of that window. Why you can, especially if
Kansas City like falls down a little bit, you know,
you gotta you know, he had Bills have had, you know,
the Ravens number in the postseason a little bit. You
got to take advantage of that window. Why you can't
be cause you never know when you know or you
never know who the next team emerging is gonna come from.

(27:47):
So you got to make it happen in the next
couple of years, especially when you have the reigning MVP.

Speaker 2 (27:52):
Yeah, I was curious what have you thought about the Patriots,
because I feel like we're at this weird moment of
like people, I think one Mike's able to be Bill Belichick.
They just want him to do that whole thing again.
But I've heard other people think he'll fail, you know, miserably,
or he'll rebuild it.

Speaker 3 (28:08):
So I was curious to see what you thought about that.

Speaker 5 (28:10):
Well, he's I mean, you don't win the coach of
the Year if you're not like, you know, know what
you're doing. So is he Bill Belichick? No, Like, I
don't think I think people will be naive to believe that,
you know, you're going to put somebody just because he
played for Bill Belichick. Doesn't he's going to be that.
He's going to be his own coach there. Rabel is
a smart guy. Heck, I didn't think he should have
been fired at Tennessee when he was. I thought it
was a little bit premature. But I think he's in

(28:32):
a really good situation in New England where they're now
spending money. And you know, you had that one year
with girod Mayo, even though I think it was kind
of unfair to him, clearly they were rebuilding and he
just kind of took it on the chin there. And
you know, now you got Rabel in there. You know,
now they're spending money and everything like that. But I
think I think the Patriots are not necessarily this year,

(28:54):
but you know, maybe in twenty six that they're a
team that's submerging. There's going to be a team that's
going to contend for a playoff bitch player spot.

Speaker 1 (29:01):
Okay, speaking of the teams with a lot of expectations,
you have the Commanders, and it felt like about a
month ago everybody was, hey, this like this is gonna
be great. This is team's gonna be one of, if
not the best team in the NFC.

Speaker 4 (29:18):
And then you have the Terry McLaurin situation, which.

Speaker 1 (29:23):
Is baffling a little bit in that anybody that watched
any of the Commander games last year's knows how valuable
Terry McLaurin is to that team. And yet it's not
as it's not a Cincinnati situation, But we have this
stalemate that's affecting one of your best players and your

(29:45):
leader on the team.

Speaker 4 (29:48):
What do you make of all this?

Speaker 5 (29:50):
Yeah, I was gonna say, like, Terry reminds me, he's
been in some situation. He kind of reminds me of
Garrett Wilson in the way he's played with a lot
of had bad quarterbacks and then now you finally got
one and Jay he was elected. I mean, he was
good even with bad quarterback play. Like I thought, you know,
I said it years ago. I thought he was a
on the cust of being a top ten receiver, and
I think people were like somebody just dismissed it, But

(30:11):
I really think he's a top ten guy. I think
he can't. I think he could elevate even further too,
I mean, especially as time goes on. But you want
to take care of your best players, and he is
one of you. That's to Jade like, he is one
of your best players. So you got to get it done.
Like I know you might miss some time, like want
to miss some time to do some hold in you know,
during camp, but yeah, you got to get it done

(30:32):
because you know, again like with Garrett Wilson, you know,
getting that money is only going to get more expensive.
So the longer you wait, the worse off is going
to be. And you know, I think now you want
to make sure you get it done, whereas like once
the money starts kicking in, then it's not as big
of a cap hit as it would be as if
you wait.

Speaker 3 (30:49):
And he to your point, all those terrible quarterbacks you
can you.

Speaker 2 (30:53):
Can just imagine in your hat as you're listening this,
thinking about all the guys that have thrown the ball.
Terry McLaurin has had a thousand yard receiving five straight seasons,
so that alone like take away lasses for him to
have a thousand yards at all. And by the way,
his rookie year he had nine hundred and nineteen yards,
So I'll give him the grace. It's very This actually

(31:13):
might be you might have just said the most impressive
thing of all time that he's played with those guys
that he's produced.

Speaker 3 (31:19):
So yeah, he's been good.

Speaker 5 (31:20):
He's been he's been consistent, and like lastly, what even
is pressive to me is opposed to him playing with
bad quarterbacks is still putting up big numbers Like that
was impressive to me.

Speaker 3 (31:30):
Yeah, I was gonna say.

Speaker 2 (31:31):
He has played with ten different quarterbacks since joining in
twenty nineteen. Some of them are case Keenum, Dwayne Astens,
Colton Boy, Alex Smith, Kyle ale and Tyron Nickey, Garrett Gilbert,
what a name, Carson Wentz, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Sam Howe, and
Jayden Daniels.

Speaker 3 (31:46):
That is insane. Pay that guy some bathday.

Speaker 5 (31:50):
Get him, yes, get him, get him anything he wants, like,
give him whatever he wants.

Speaker 3 (31:55):
I also would like.

Speaker 2 (31:55):
To say, I don't know if you saw it, it
was very petty, also very Dan Snyder level petty of
them not to give him the wedding photo when they
posted out all the Commanders players the other day and
like someone said, that's wrong, and he literally liked that.
That's insane, Like like they were posting people getting married
or engaged never even heard us. And it's probably the

(32:17):
second most self jersey of your team in the last
five years.

Speaker 3 (32:21):
So just instance, he's the most.

Speaker 5 (32:24):
He's the most like I think he is the ivy,
like Jayden. Like obviously Jayden is you know, gonna be
your best player basically was last year. Terry is probably
like the heart and soul and like the captain of
that team, especially offensively, especially how long he's been there
and the teams that he's played for. So yeah, like
I said, give him whatever he wants and then just
keep it moving because you want you want to keep
your best quarter you want to keep your quarterback happy

(32:45):
and jayde Daniels, So yeah, the best way to do
that is to pay the man.

Speaker 3 (32:50):
Yeah absolutely, all.

Speaker 1 (32:51):
Right, Well, Antoine, we really appreciate all the time that
you gave us tonight. Always a pleasure, and we'll have
you on again during the football season.

Speaker 5 (33:03):
All right, sounds good fellas, I'll take it easy.

Speaker 3 (33:05):
Wait, tell people where they can find you, where can listen.

Speaker 5 (33:09):
Just my name Antoine Staley. Pretty simple. Find me you
know on Twitter at whatever the hell you call it.
And Antoine Staley also found my work at the Daily
News at Nydailynews dot com.

Speaker 4 (33:21):
He does a great job.

Speaker 1 (33:22):
Our good friend, Antoine Staley, Sheehan Jered Rajah of CBS
Up Next, Welcome back to the Opening Kickoff podcast. Dave
Stin Wintle Peyton drawn our thanks to Antoine Staley the
New York Daily News joining us to talk about the NFL.
So we figured we're gonna talk college football. We already
mentioned he'll be on, but our good friend from CBS Sports,

(33:43):
Sehan Jered Raja is back with us.

Speaker 4 (33:46):
Shahan, it is great to see you. Are you excited with.

Speaker 1 (33:50):
The calendar getting close to August and we got college
football coming up?

Speaker 6 (33:53):
Yeah, it's exciting, man. It's a if. It's been a
quick off season, I'll say, especially because of all the
freaking like housecased up, the trainsfer for like, there's been
too much going on, frankly, so I'm excited to just
like sit down and get to watch like a kid
drop a screen I'm really really excited for that.

Speaker 3 (34:15):
I think we all are. I think we're all just
itching for it.

Speaker 2 (34:18):
Any I think Hall of Fame's on Thursday, and everyone
shames it. I think if you shame that you don't
like football, you're not really in it.

Speaker 3 (34:25):
For the win. You know, in it for the right reasons.
But I want to mention something to you. I was
strolling TikTok the other day and your face popped up
on my phone, and it's the most targeted thing of
all time. You were talking about Love with Texas and
the people of Love with Texas and I just moved
to Love with Texas. So yeah, I know, crazy, and

(34:46):
I felt like you did a good job. I wanted
to talk to you about Texas Tech. There's a lot
of type doesn't seem like the right word.

Speaker 2 (34:55):
When that much money is invested into a team into
a season, what do you make of them? Obviously post
Big Twelve press conferences and all that, what do you think.

Speaker 3 (35:03):
The likelihood that they could run the table in the
Big Twelve this year?

Speaker 4 (35:06):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (35:07):
Well, first of all, it did not realize that you
had moved down to Loving texta all places.

Speaker 3 (35:11):
That's crazy.

Speaker 7 (35:12):
Well, if you're ever in the Metroplex. Let me know.

Speaker 6 (35:14):
But you know it's interesting, right, Like you talked about
so much invested into this roster and so such high expectations,
you know, talking to people around the program, Like the
reason that they put so much into this moment this
season is because they feel like, we've got the coaching staff,
we've got the facilities, we've got everything that you have

(35:35):
to offer.

Speaker 7 (35:36):
Accept trophies.

Speaker 6 (35:38):
They haven't won a conference championship outright since nineteen fifty five.
They haven't won a split conference championship since nineteen ninety three.
And by the way, there are six Power Conference programs
in the state of Texas. Five of them had had
their moment in the sun on the national level in
the past ten years. Essentially Texas tex is the exception

(36:01):
and that's why they did this, That's why they put
so much in I like Payton talked about the TikTok
was about a story that I wrote about a month
ago called Inside West Texas boom over at CBS Sports.

Speaker 7 (36:12):
Make sure and check that out if you get the chance.

Speaker 6 (36:14):
But they're putting a lot into this because they want
to finally have something to sell on the field. And
I do think They're in a really good position to
do it. The schedule lines up pretty nicely for them,
and with the trench talent that they've added, the like,
they're to the point where there should probably only be
maybe like four competitive games on their schedule. If he

(36:34):
split those, he got ten, and you've got a chance
to potentially play for a Big twelve title.

Speaker 3 (36:38):
And Dyu, I don't even know how competitive of a
game that is. Exactly Previously when you wrote that article, yeah,
I just think it's funny. I was like, what are
the odds I know you lived in Texas. Was like,
there's no way he lives in Loveck. I was like,
we gotta go get lunch or something like that. But yeah,
so that was cool. That was cool to see that. Yeah, God, Dave.

Speaker 1 (36:57):
I want to ask Shahan because and I'll get to
Indyana separately, but.

Speaker 4 (37:02):
It feels like to me when I look at.

Speaker 1 (37:04):
College football this offseason, you have these Texas tests, you
have the Illinois. Are we gonna start to see more
teams try to pull the Indiana where it's like, hey,
we're gonna shoot for that one big year relevance, We're
gonna hopefully go undefeated.

Speaker 4 (37:20):
We're gonna. I don't want to say make the schedule.

Speaker 1 (37:22):
Easy, but we're gonna have a lighter schedule to get
ourselves on the national conversation because look for better or worse,
Indiana is gonna be another good football team again this year,
but they were not talking about them. If it isn't
for what they did last year.

Speaker 6 (37:41):
Well it's a huge deal, right, you know, not to
make it all about tech, but like I talked to
Joey Maguire over there about his two thousand and six
two thousand and six Cedar Hill High School team, which,
like again he was a high school coach less than
ten years ago, which is crazy to think about.

Speaker 7 (37:56):
But like that team.

Speaker 6 (37:58):
Going and winging a state title and Cedar who had
never won a state high school playoff game before that,
it changed the expectation of that place you mentioned Indiana.
It's not just the fact that they had the one year.
It's what that one year is going to do for
them in terms of investment, long term investment in NIL

(38:18):
recruits looking there and seeing a place where you can
be successful. I mean, Bernando Mendoz was one of the
best quarterbacks in the portal. He's like, you know what,
I saw what Curtis Rourke did there last year. I
want to be a part of that, transferring from cal So,
Like that's kind of the goal here, right, is that
it used to be there were four teams making the

(38:40):
playoff every year, and maybe every year there'd be like
one sort of interloper, one school who doesn't usually belong
there in the same way Cincinnati, TCU, Michigan State, et cetera. Well,
like with the twelve team playoff, there's way more opportunities
for that, right, Like, there's like four or five schools
who might quote unquote not belong there. Last year, you

(39:02):
have Indiana, you have SMU, you have Arizona State as
a conference h you have Boise State. Like these are
all schools who haven't traditionally been in that conversation, and
when that opportunity is there, it gives you more opportunity
to try to build off of that as well.

Speaker 3 (39:19):
Yeah, I think that's well, very well said.

Speaker 2 (39:22):
I just think to your point of that, I think
there's just so much parody that will Like last year,
we thought that was parody, right we you know, we
compared it back to two thousand.

Speaker 3 (39:30):
And seven all over again.

Speaker 2 (39:31):
It just seems like it's gonna be even more chaotic
this year of teams making it. I mean, there's a
lot of I don't know what the stat was, but
how many like Power five schools are gonna start, you know,
first first quarterbacks or not first year quarterbacks, but this
is the first opportunity to start. So I wanted to
bring that up of who do you think from those

(39:52):
that twelve of last year, who do you think.

Speaker 3 (39:55):
Has the best chance to miss it this year? Because
of the turnover and things like that.

Speaker 6 (40:00):
It's a good question, you know, I mean, because there's
a obviously, you talk about a team like Clems and
they bring everybody back right like it's a really really
exciting time for them. You talk about a team like Texas,
they lose quite a bit, but they also bring back
some big players. And by the way, they got the
most famous name in college football potentially starting at quarterback
for them.

Speaker 7 (40:18):
So you know, I think that when you look at it,
like I'm gonna put.

Speaker 6 (40:22):
Boise State to the side, because I think they're a
little interested or a little unique after losing Ashton Genty,
that races for the group of five I think is
gonna be pretty much wide open.

Speaker 7 (40:32):
When I go down the list.

Speaker 6 (40:33):
I mean, Indiana would be one that would probably come
to mind, just because it's a completely new roster. They
bring back some key defensive players, but doing it a
second time just might be a little bit of a
tough ask.

Speaker 3 (40:47):
You know.

Speaker 6 (40:47):
I think that when you start talking about like the
teams that were maybe a little bit more elite, Like,
I'm fascinated to see how Oregon deals with all this turnover.
I think they'll still be there, but they're gonna be
more of a borderline team than the number one overall
seed than they were last year because again, you know,
Josh Connery, their star left tackle off to the NFL,

(41:09):
Dylan Gabriel off. They're gonna start a first year quarterback
in Dante More. Yeah, Evan Stewart being out for them
at receiver I think is a pretty big deal. So
like they just aren't the home run that they maybe
were a year ago. So you could see a lot
of movement, I think, and it's gonna make for a
really exciting race.

Speaker 2 (41:29):
I just want to say, do you or do you
believe the hype around Dante Moore or do you think
that's people blowing smoke? Cause I feel like I've heard like,
this guy's the next Heisman guy, and then I'm like,
but he's transferred and done all the It's like, it
didn't sound like the guy that's a superstar.

Speaker 3 (41:44):
He hasn't been. I mean, he's been kind of all
over the plus so it's hard for me to buy
into that.

Speaker 6 (41:49):
Well, well, let me say two things, right, So One,
I mean the last two guys that they started, I
think both were Heisman finalists, right and Joe Nicks and
uh and Dylan Gabrie both were Heisman finalists, And so
like that's the bar at that place, right, Like it's
it's being a Heisman finalist. And I don't think that
Dante Moore is gonna be a Heisman finalist. But the

(42:12):
other part of it is, I think that while they
have a whole lot more experience than them, both of
them were six year players when they transferred to to Oregon.
I think there's a case that he's the most talented
player of the group, but you trade that off again
with no experience, no meaningful experience, there's going to be

(42:33):
growing pains. We saw that when he was at UCLA,
he really struggled with turnovers. He was a true freshman,
So you know it's fair, but like that's what you're
up against, you know, and again you have a less
talented receiving corps, I would argue too, than what you've
had the last two or three years. So, like I said,
I think he might be the most talented quarterback of

(42:55):
the group. I think that he is a big time player.
I don't know if he's going to be able to
deliver for them in year one the same way that
you saw Dylan Gabriel and bo Nix each of the
past two or three years.

Speaker 4 (43:10):
I'm mate.

Speaker 3 (43:10):
Sure.

Speaker 1 (43:10):
I staid about the SEC because the SEC as.

Speaker 4 (43:16):
As a whole doesn't feel that deep. But yet when
you kind of sit down and.

Speaker 1 (43:21):
You look through the SEC, you go, Okay, there's realistically,
i'd say six or seven team Sean that I can
think could be a contender, with borderlines being South Carolina
old miss on the fringe. For me, when you look
at the SEC as a whole, how competitive is this

(43:41):
conference going to be?

Speaker 3 (43:43):
Well?

Speaker 6 (43:44):
I think what's interesting, right is when you start talking
about the idea of being deep, like there's two ways
about it, right, because like twenty twenty one, the SEC
isn't that deep. Because Georgia just rolls everybody, Right, But
I think that the top of the conference is lower
than it's been in a long time. There's a lot
of reasons that I you know, as a whole other

(44:04):
podcast about transfer, portal, nil, all this sort of stuff,
I think impacting player acquisition. But because of that, like
and then just let's talk about those top teams too, right,
the Georgia, the Texas, like they're turning over a lot.
Texas is turning over four offensive lineman, George is turning
over the vast majority of their roster. It's gonna be

(44:25):
a lot of new guys on both sides of the ball.
And so I think that when you talk about being
competitive for the conference and also by the way, competitive
for the playoff, Like, yeah, you talk about it, it's six, seven,
eight teams that potentially have a chance to be in
that conversation contending for the conference.

Speaker 7 (44:41):
I really am.

Speaker 6 (44:42):
Excited about LSU with with Garrett Andusmeyer coming back at quarterback.
I think he has a very realistic shot to be
a top five pack in next year's draft if you
can clean up its turnovers. You know, I think that
you know, Ole Miss is a fascinating team because of
what they you know, what they've brought in over the offseason.
Florida it was a team that I think found its

(45:05):
rhythm in the second half of the year. Texas, A
and M from a pass rush perspective, is really really good.
I think that they've got a roster around Marcel Reed
that's as good as it's been. So like you just
go down the list over and over and over. Like again,
there's six or seven teams that I think have the
ability to hang with Texas or Georgia, especially in a

(45:26):
year where I don't think we're getting.

Speaker 7 (45:28):
The best of either of those programs. So it'll be
a really deep league.

Speaker 6 (45:32):
The question for the SEC is will there be a
couple of teams that are able to emerge from the
pack because all points the last year, the SEC only
got three teams into the College Football Playoff last year,
which is crazy to think about in hindsight because it
was Texa and Georgia above everybody else. He was Tennessee,
who I think will take a step back this year

(45:54):
kind of being in that middle. And then there was
this glut of teams that were good not great in
all Labama, Ole, Miss, South, Carolina and nobody emerged from
the group, and ultimately none of them make the playoffs.
So I think that the irony is like they might
need some teams to separate themselves because if they're too close,

(46:14):
that's how you get multiple teams left out.

Speaker 2 (46:17):
Yeah, I will say it now, I'm sure you've seen it.
I'd like to go on the record and say, if
Florida wins eight or nine games, they should just get
an automatic bid because that's like the hardest schedule on
paper that I've ever I thought last year's was insane,
and I thought Billy Napier did a great job getting
through it, like because I mean, they had no idea
of DJ Lagway would probably throw them the fire as

(46:38):
fast as he was.

Speaker 3 (46:40):
I mean, it's insanity. Can you explain to me in
your own mind of why they're doing this, why they're
not why they're not choosing to.

Speaker 2 (46:48):
Play I mean, Kurt Signetty kind of threw play matt
at this week.

Speaker 3 (46:52):
He's like, we're playing Virginia, we're doing the SEC thing.

Speaker 2 (46:54):
Like why aren't they doing the conference thing that they're in,
Like it doesn't make sense to me.

Speaker 6 (47:00):
Well, you know, the Florida State game is an every
year thing, right, And I think that you know, for them,
you know, they go on the road to Miami, that's
obviously a home and away type situation, and so like,
so one, you know, you do schedule that game, and
I think that especially when you schedule it, I'd imagine
it was scheduled in twenty nineteen or twenty you're probably
feeling a little bit better about your situation then than

(47:23):
you do now. Although I think it's also a great
thing for college football just for that game to happen.

Speaker 3 (47:28):
Yeah, I agree.

Speaker 7 (47:29):
But the other piece.

Speaker 6 (47:31):
Of it too is that I mean, like you don't
get to control, right which SEC.

Speaker 7 (47:35):
Teams get on your schedule.

Speaker 6 (47:36):
Yeah, And I mean you mentioned a little bit earlier,
and I just want to touch on for a second,
like it's never been more critical for teams in a
sixteen seventeen eighteen team conference what your schedule draw is
because you look at some of the teams. I mean,
even like again, Texas I think was a top two

(47:57):
team in the SEC last year, but like they kind
of a cak to that game because of the way
that their schedules set up. You know, obviously I'm a big,
big twelve guy, like the way that schedules set up.
Like two years ago, Oklahoma State wins ten games and
makes a conference title game even though they're all that
good because their schedule is super easy, right, and so
like I think that the draw has never been more

(48:21):
important and valuable now. The thing is again, like the
funny thing about the SEC, because Florida is one that
has a crazy schedule, Oklahoma also has a crazy schedule.
And the thing about both those teams is that because
the SEC just flipped the home and away and kept
the same schedules from last year, they basically have to
go through it twice. They have to go through these

(48:42):
crazy schedules twice. So no, I mean, it's a tough
situation to be and I think that there's context there, right,
Like if they get to nine and three, I think
they're gonna have a very realistic chance to make the
playoffs as long as they don't mess up somewhere too bad.
But like you go and beat again, let's say that,

(49:03):
you know, let's say you go beat LSU Miami, but
then you lose to Texas, you lose to Georgia, you
be you know, like there's a combination of games here
where if you play well enough in your losses, Like
I think it's looked at differently than than than Alabama
getting blown out by Oklahoma for example.

Speaker 3 (49:22):
Yeah, very true.

Speaker 1 (49:24):
Can we get Thomas Castellanos to maybe back off his
comments here a little bit?

Speaker 3 (49:29):
He do?

Speaker 4 (49:31):
He's tripled down. He tripled down, he said something today, did.

Speaker 3 (49:39):
I? Yeah?

Speaker 6 (49:41):
Well, listen, man, I love it. I absolutely love it.
We need more of this in culture. I'll tell you
what this is. Okay, So you know we have all
of the you know, the four major media days going on, right,
we had SEC last week or whatever. It was the
most boring, buttoned up event that like I've ever seen
in my life.

Speaker 7 (50:01):
Like actually, we we cut.

Speaker 6 (50:03):
Some content that we had planned to do because nobody
said anything interesting. And if you're the ACC or the
Big twelve, especially, why not man like like fire some bullets,
you know, get some get some hype for these games.
I mean again, look, Florida State, you know, maybe famous
last they're not going to intend this year, right, like
they're gonna be better.

Speaker 7 (50:23):
I also don't think they're gonna hang with Alabama, But like,
why would you be scared?

Speaker 5 (50:27):
Right?

Speaker 8 (50:28):
Like?

Speaker 6 (50:28):
I know that people, I know that people still play
the clip of the Vanderbilt player calling out Alabama and
then but.

Speaker 3 (50:35):
Yeah, like that's another one.

Speaker 9 (50:37):
Look, that's another kid that he likes to talk a
lot too. Yeah, yeah, like he loves he I'll tell
you what. When he goes into they go to tuscaluis
to this year.

Speaker 2 (50:47):
Right, pray for that guy that day there will be
blood for him.

Speaker 6 (50:52):
But like, I mean again, here's the thing, right, It's
like it's like, Okay, it goes wrong, it's a little funny,
but like nobody's like mad at a.

Speaker 3 (51:01):
Vanda player for being excited very.

Speaker 6 (51:03):
And and so like I think that we've gotten so
much to a point. And again, the SEC especially is
so corporate in the way that they approach things that
like nobody wants to say anything because everybody's trying to
protect their brand and doesn't want to get clowned online. Dude, Like,
if Thomas Castellanos throws three interceptions in that game, we're
gonna have a ton of fun. If Thomas Castellanos throws

(51:26):
four touchdowns in an upset, we're gonna have a lot
of fun. Like, I love it personally, I want to
see more personality come out.

Speaker 7 (51:34):
And I think like.

Speaker 6 (51:35):
People like go, oh, well, why would you give them
bulletin board material? If Alabama doesn't need, like, if Alabama
needs bulletin board material to want to win a game
against Florida State in Week one, then they're already screwed anyway,
who cares, right, And so like I get it, you know, yeah,
it'll be talked about, it'll be put up all this
sort of stuff, but like that stuff matters for like

(51:57):
starting a game. Once you get to the second quarter,
it's just football, man, And yeah, I would much rather
have some excitement around a game. That, by the way,
especially before this looked pretty dry to be quite honest.
That then the alternative of everybody just saying, oh, well,
you know, we just we respect them so much and
we're excited for the opportunity.

Speaker 3 (52:18):
Yeah, I agree, I would say.

Speaker 2 (52:20):
I think it's like, if he wins, he kinda becomes
like manzell ast for like a week at least, But
if he doesn't, he just becomes Djuglile And it's just like,
look at his stats.

Speaker 3 (52:31):
Look at those stats. They're terrible.

Speaker 2 (52:33):
Remember that game against Entre Dame pretty good? But then
that's like that's all we end up doing.

Speaker 1 (52:37):
Yeah, feel that all right, Sean, We're gonna get you
out of here on this, Bill Belichick. Let's let's talk
about this realistically. Take all the off the field nonsense
and put it aside. This team on the field. What
is North Carolina capable of doing this year?

Speaker 6 (52:55):
Man, It's like there's been so much noise and all
this sort of other's that gets hidden the fact that,
like this roster is so weird, Like they don't return
very much at all. They were one of the worst
defenses in college football last season. They don't have many
answers at the quarterback position.

Speaker 7 (53:16):
They have a staff that hasn't really worked together all
that much before.

Speaker 6 (53:20):
Bill Belichick has never obviously coached at the college level.
And I don't know how he's gonna transition to you
eighteen and nineteen year olds who just don't know what
he's talking about. To a certain extent, I just don't know.
I mean, I don't think they're gonna be bad, because
I think that they're gonna have good enough plans to
not be bad. But like I think that the question

(53:42):
since he was hired to me has been what do
they view as their timeline? Do they view this as
like a we win nine games on the NFL's like,
oh Bill can still coach or is it a hey,
this is year one of a three year rebuild because
he signed a three year contract essentially a three year
contract especially, like, hey, this is just gonna be kind

(54:04):
of let's get our feet wet, let's get ourselves prepared,
let's make a name for ourselves. But like, I just
don't have a good feel of what it's gonna be.
So I think they'll be in a bowl game. I
mean I believe they were last year, but like, it's
just hard to to give you much more definitively than that,
because this roster is so weird.

Speaker 3 (54:26):
Did they I don't even know they announced a quarterback yet.
I don't even know if you've done that.

Speaker 6 (54:29):
They've got a they've got a competition going. So they've
got the fresh and Bryce Baker who came in really
really really talented player. Uh, they got a transfer from Perdue,
who was who started two.

Speaker 8 (54:41):
Games out on that guy, yeah, and so like and
then I've heard that Max Johnson, who was supposed to
be their guy last year, got week one, Like he's
still kind of coming back from the injury.

Speaker 6 (54:53):
So they don't know if he's gonna be fully ready.
And then they added, uh, the South Alabama ka Gio
Lopez as well, so that that's probably the Week one quarterback.
But that's a big jump in competition going from you know,
South Alabama to starting for Bill Belichick. So it's gonna
be interesting. It's gonna be real, really interesting. But I
don't know if it's gonna be good.

Speaker 3 (55:13):
Yeah, we'll find out.

Speaker 2 (55:14):
It'll be TV, It'll be it will be Dion Sanders,
but it'll be like, well, you know the early Bird
Special at the diner, Like, let's watch that.

Speaker 6 (55:22):
And and I'll get out of here on this. The
same coach who opened Dion's tenure is going to be
the one who opens Bill Belichick's because TCU goes on
the road against So Sunny dikes Is and and he
talked about it. He's like, we handled that moment so

(55:43):
poorly in twenty twenty three. It was the first game
off of the National Championship run, and so they they
are aware like, hey, we have to handle the emotional
moment better than this, But this is going to be
one of the weirdest football games that we've seen in
a long time.

Speaker 3 (56:00):
Wow, didn't even think about that. That's why you that's
why you do what you do, and I do what
I do.

Speaker 1 (56:06):
All Right, Sean, we know we gotta let you go.
Thank you for taking some time with us. We really
enjoyed this.

Speaker 7 (56:13):
Thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 1 (56:14):
All right, that's gonna do it for this edition of
the Opening Kickoff Podcast for Antoine Stalley, for Sean Jerraja,
for Peyton Drawd On Dave Staminal, So long and good night,