October 10, 2025 • 48 mins
Today’s Best of Features:
(00:00-13:15) – Kyle Neddenriep from the Indianapolis Star joins the program to preview the penultimate week of the high school football regular season. Kyle discusses a couple of the big games on tap tonight, credits Kyle Wright for the job he’s done turning around Carmel in his first season for the Greyhounds and evaluates how soon we will start discussing high school basketball.
(13:15-34:22) – Mike DeCourcy from the Sporting News and FOX Sports makes his first appearance of the year on Query & Company to chat about his latest story on Braden Smith and the legacy he wants to leave behind at Purdue. Mike explains what Matt Painter has done the last ten years that has led to being so dominant in college basketball and comments on what he has heard thus far about what Darian DeVries has done at IU leading up to his first year at the Hoosiers basketball coach.
(34:22-48:07) – Big Ten Network’s Dave Revsine joins Jake Query to preview the biggest game in college football this weekend, IU at Oregon. Dave explains why people need to view Indiana as a contender in the College Football Playoff, what position battle he is going to be closely monitoring based off of what Curt Cignetti said prior to the start of the season and highlights a couple of teams that have underperformed thus far in the college football season in the Big Ten.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
High school football. Man, it is hard to believe you
just sard Terry Stacey talking about it. We finally are
starting to get some of that autumn air and the
high school football season. I'm telling you every year, once
it kicks off, it just flies past and you start
getting a real feel for who are the pretenders? Who
are the contenders. Kyle Nettrip joins us now from the
Indianapolis Star. Of course, he covers all of the high
(00:21):
school sports for them, and joins us to preview what
he is going to be getting into tonight. Kyle, the
big game tonight you have your eye on would be Witch.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
I'll be down at Lawrence North and Center Grove tonight
seeing the Trojans at home against Lawrence North team I
actually saw last week play really well, really really explosive,
fast offensive team, and I think that should be a
fun game. Lan had lost to them is several years
in a row until last year, so they were able
(00:51):
to break through against Center Grove and see if they
can do it again. The other game I would say,
of you know, probably equal interest would Carmel and Warren Central.
You know, after seeing Warren Central last week, really was
impressed with them. Offensively scored forty two points in the
first half against l N and then you know, weren't
able to stop Ellen in the second half. But I
(01:12):
think a team that you know is just going to
get better and better. A lot of those guys coming
back next year as well, so it seemed to be
on the right track there. Of course, Carmel we've talked
about a lot with what they've done this year, so
that I think that'll be a really interesting game as well.
You know, some of the others, I would say probably
Whiteland and Plainfield I think will be a good one.
(01:36):
Let's see Stared at try West, both those teams six
and one, Fishers in Westfield, both those teams five and two.
So there's there's several that have definitely intrigued tonight in
week eight.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
You know when you Kyle look at a week and
I think it was a week ago, right when Center
Grove was with Cathedral. Was that last Friday?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Yeah, yeah, that was last Friday?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
You know that obviously did we learn more in that
game about and Cathedral. We've talked about this. Each year
Cathedral will drop a few early because they really test
themselves and then they seem to kind of right the
ship and go through. Did we learn more last week
about Cathedral or Center Grove?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Well, I probably Cathedral, I would say, just because you know,
they were defensively there. They always seem to play better
as the year goes along. Center Grove was dealing with
some a lot of injuries unfortunately, and it's all not all,
but a lot of them at the same position at
running back. You know, Ricky Laying again, he was a
sophomore who had been playing really well. He went out
last week. So it's been kind of a rotating door
(02:37):
at running back for Center Grove. And that's not to say,
you know, Cathedral didn't play really well. They did. I think,
you know, I think they're going to be a handful.
I can't wait to see what you know, the sexual
draw is going to come out and we'll find out
when you know, Cathedral could potentially play a new pal.
You know, that'll be one of the more interesting things
Sunday when the draw comes out. But but yeah, I mean,
Center Grove I think is still going to be fine.
(02:59):
They you know, they just statistically actually played pretty well Friday,
but just could not you know, you know, they're down
that game eighteen to nothing at one point, so just
hard to overcome. You know, they had a lot of sacks,
a lot of things that just come with negative against them,
and a lot of that's because of Cathedral, but man,
it's just been you know, when you can't keep your
(03:20):
your rotating door of running backs healthy, and they lost
Drake mcclergy, who was their top receiver. So it's just
been kind of a you know, unfortunately, kind of an
injury plague season that a lot of the same position.
But I still think, you know, they still have, you know,
some good players obviously on that offensive side of the ball,
and the defense it's really veteran and good. So I
(03:40):
think they're still going to be a big problem as
a tournament moves forward. But honestly, watching that score the
other night, I'm like, man, Cathedral, you know, they may
have something for New pal and we'll see. I mean
that that'll be I think the game of the year
in five A when that game does happen. And you know,
but I think I think, to me, that said a
lot about Heed to win that game.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Who's the biggest surprise of the year.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
I mean probably, I mean from a standpoint of what
they did last year. Probably Carmel.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Uh's legit, aren't they?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah? I mean I I put this in my Monday column,
but I'm not sure you know they in all credit
to Brownsburg is number one defending champ. Have done nothing
to lose that spot. But I mean the Carmel Brownsburg game,
I don't know who you'd pick. I mean they, I
think they're that good. Uh, you know, and that could
end up being the state championship game. But you know,
(04:33):
who knows. We're a long way from that point. But
but just to do what they've done this year, and
if they close out and you know, win these next
two weeks and finish eight and one, they still have
Warren tonight, like I said, and Lawrence Central, who's kind
of a sleeper good team next week.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
But if they finish eight and one and their only
losses to Louisville Trinity, I mean, who would have saw
that coming out? I don't know if anybody you know
would have thought that. Now they don't play. You know,
there's some teams that you know, they'll go back into
the mix schedule next year and they'll play, you know,
teams like Center Grove again, which they didn't play this year,
and you know, Lawrence North, which they didn't play this year,
so the schedule will be different next year, but still
(05:11):
to go through in B six and one and look
really good in accumulating that record is to me, that's
been a little bit of a surprise. And I think
even you know Kevin, right, I don't think it would
be surprised necessarily, but I remember talking to him before
the season. He didn't know for sure how good this
team would be, So I think, to me, that's kind
of been the one of the big stories of the
(05:31):
season so far.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
I just I mean, look, I've known Kevin a long time,
so maybe I'm biased here, but when you look at
the resources at Carmel, combined with the enrollment of Carmel
and then the fact that this guy's won everywhere he's gone, essentially,
it's one of those Kyle, is it not, where you
almost look back and go, how did we not see
that that was going to happen? Right?
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Yeah, for sure? And I feel kind of, you know,
even calling Carmel surprise sounds stupid on the surface, but
and I definitely thought he would get it going there
and looking honestly, looking at what they you know, the
talent that they had coming back. You know, it did
look promising, but I'd be lying if I if I
said I expected this, And even the first couple of
(06:14):
weeks of the season when they played Fishers in Westfield.
You know, those are really good teams that they handled easily.
Both those teams are ranked in the top ten and
you know have gone on to have really good seasons,
and I think Westfield will they you know, if those
teams play again, I think that game will be closer.
I really like the job Josh Miracle does there at Westfield,
(06:34):
and I think they're a team that's kind of trending
in the right direction since that loss. So you know,
we'll see if in the rematch, I think would be
a better game. But but yeah, I mean to the
extent of, you know, I think we all knew is
all right, well, Kevin Wright's going to get it going there,
But to say I thought it would be this quickly,
you know that that would probably be you know, overstating it.
(06:57):
So these these obviously it's really there and it's worked
right away.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Kyle, when will we get into Kyle Netrip is my
guest from the Indianapolstar. He's on the JAVA house Peel
and poor guest line, when will we get into Kyle
High School basketball and some of your previews? And I
know that sounds crazy, but I mean we're in mid
October already, right and before we know it, we're going
to start talking about tournaments and things like that.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
No, yeah, for sure, we'll have actually was getting our
photo shoots set just yesterday, so getting all that lined
up for the next there'll be in a couple of
weeks and then you know, we'll get right into it
basically once you know, once November hits. I can't remember
the exact practice started practice actual practice states, but that's
(07:43):
probably about, you know what, three weeks three, a little
more than three weeks out, So yeah, it's not it's
not far away. November is a crazy month where you know,
the crossover of football and basketball can drive you crazy
basically up through Thanksgiving weekend. But but yeah, it'll be
you know, we'll have a lot of coverage coming and
(08:04):
I look forward to it every year. I kind of
you know, there's always these football stories I want to
make sure I get to as well. So it's it's
a little bit of a juggling act, but yeah, it's
it's it's coming right around the corner for sure, and
you know, by by early October, it's definitely something that's
on my radar, trying to get things planned and lined up, uh,
for our for our season.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
You know, you had your article which was awesome on
just like some of the lost and the old and
the historic gems of Indiana. In that same capacity, give
me your best, Give me your best two to three.
Maybe not even by size and volume and like fandom, tailgate,
et cetera, but maybe just neighborhood or whatever it might be.
(08:45):
Give me your two to three best high school football
experiences in Central.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Indiana experience as far as stadiums.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Go, all of it. Yeah, all things and all things considered.
So Friday night lights, it calls you up and they say, look,
we're gonna we're doing a documentary on high school football
in Indiana, and we want one that just shows a
big stadium aerial, and then we want another one that
just shows great atmosphere and neighborhood loyalty, et cetera.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Yeah, man, that's a that's a great question, I would say. Man.
I was, Yeah, I've been to some good ones. One
of my favorite experiences and they don't play games there anymore.
It was at Arlington when and this is probably not
a great memory for Center Grove people who thought the
game should have been played elsewhere, but I think it
was twenty twenty or twenty one when they played that
(09:35):
Mud Bowl game and the just the you know, the
field was just complete mess and the tailgate, you know,
the tailgateing Cathedral was doing, and and Center Grove people,
it just felt like such a huge, huge game. And
I think even I don't know if this is right
or not, but there might have been a Sunday night,
you know they Sunday night they show those games on NBC,
(09:58):
and I don't know if that was the game that
they showed, but I remember I'm showing one of those
one of those games Cathedral played. But you know, that's
one that always Unfortunately, you know, Arlington's not hosting games
anymore there, and it wasn't even necessarily the place it was,
but just the mud situation and the two teams playing
against each other made that one super memorable, you know.
(10:18):
And I end up I cover a lot of larger
school games, so you may not have the small town atmosphere,
but I think I always think Center Grove does a
great job. I mean that always feels like a big
time atmosphere. You know Brownsburg now, I would say, you know,
having been there one game this year, was that feels
like a big time you know. John Hart of Brownsburg there,
(10:40):
he compared it to kind of a Texas you know experience.
Now I can't. I can't say I've been to games
in Texas, but it certainly has that big, big game
atmosphere to it now. But you know, those are a
couple that come to mind. I would say there was
a game I covered Try West and Gibson Southern. It
was more about the Gibson Southern people being there, but man,
they they really showed out and they were they had
(11:03):
the campers and the you know, the the hot dogs
and hamburgers grilled out there. That that was a really
cool atmosphere. But yeah, that's a good That's I'd have
to go through my all my experiences and maybe narrow
that down. That's a that's a good story idea.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
I mean, it's got some it's just you know, they're
even going so far as and I'm not even sure
to your point, like with Arlington, if they play still
games where I'm about to mention, but the old Indianapolis
how High School, like the stadium in the back was
kind of nestled like in this region, you know what
I mean, Like it's cool, like there's and there are
(11:40):
so many of them like that, right.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Yeah, definitely, Yeah, that's a good one. You know, I've
covered games that have it's really it's in the city,
but then it feels like you're in a little town
there when it's uh, you're kind of back in the
back in the trees. You know, they're there are a lot.
I mean, yeah, I'd have to kind of go through
and think about it. I did cover a game Upox
one time that was kind of a different, you know,
definitely different atmosphere. Yeah, the small town ones are cool.
(12:06):
I mean I've covered a lot of those too, but
sometimes those are the best. You know, New pal Has
are really you know, they have a good you know,
when it's playoff time and they're hosting that, it feels
like a really big time atmosphere. The different thing about
football is the actual stadiums a lot of times aren't
as unique as you might see in basketball, but the
overall experiences can be certainly a memory.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Usually like whatever's around. You know, it's usually just a
couple of bleachers, right, but it's whatever's around the stadium
that makes it cool. Tonight. By the way, the other
school that we always mentioned, Crystal House, will be taken
on per New Englewood. That is a seven o'clock start
as well, Kyle, tell me again which game you will
be in attendance.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
I'll be down at Center Grove tonight for Lawrence North.
It should be two top ten teams and should be
a really good game. Pat Mallory used to coach for
Eric More at Center Growth, so those guys are really close,
and uh, you know, it should be It should be
a fun game.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
All right. We will look forward to it, and we
will see all of the coverage, of course in the
Indianapolis Star. Pleasure as always, Kyle, you bet. Thanks, Kyle
neednrup joining us on the Java House, Peel and Poor
Guest line. Speaking of consistency, it is that and more
that has carried Purdue basketball for the better part of
the Matt Paynter tenure. Mike Decursi is of course a
(13:24):
friend of the show. Joins us now on the Java House,
Peel and Poor Guest line. He has an article on
the Sporting News produce Braiden Smith can become the all
time n CAA Assists Champion, but he wants a different
NCAA title. Mike, it is a really good piece about
Braiden Smith, and I wanted to bring you on to
(13:45):
discuss this and you and you could certainly tell me
that I'm wrong here, I think, and I don't know
how long it sustains. But what Purdue has been able
to do in terms of keeping continuity and chemy from
one year to the next of roster for the most
part and the trains for nil era is truly, I think,
(14:07):
almost special. Now, am I overstating that.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
No, I don't think at all.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
I think that What's interesting is that Matt talked about
this yesterday in his address at Big ten Media Day,
and he talked about how there is a common narrative
I guess you'd call it. That's for me. Narrative now
has been defined as something that a lot of people
believe that isn't really one hundred percent true. And the
(14:35):
narrative about Purdue is that they don't lose transfers on
the way out, like that the door only swings one way.
And he says that's not true, he says, but we
don't lose starters. And I thought that was a really
interesting concept. I mean, not far from then, from where
he was sitting when he was talking about that. Chad
Baker Mazara was sitting over there representing USC and he
(14:59):
was in the final four year ago with Auburn. That
that wouldn't happen at Purdue hasn't happened. I mean, they
did lose players off of last season's team, and probably
understandably so.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
They had a couple.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Of very capable, promising players that just couldn't get the
run that they thought they were capable of, that they
might have been capable of. And if you look at
in last year's situation, I mean, you saw Miles Colvin
average eighteen minutes a game, cam Heidi averaged twenty. And
(15:39):
the limitation on their time wasn't totally on them. It
wasn't totally on Matt It's just the way this lineup
worked best. Those guys didn't quite fit in. Neither of
them took a huge step forward to either take down
Fletcher Lawyer or perhaps a lead shoved their way onto
(16:01):
the same court, and so they went off searching for
more playing time, but that they don't they This team now,
even with the loss of two very capable, promising wings,
looks demonstrably better of entering the twenty sixth season.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
You know, I remember a couple of years ago, Mike,
and I know that this is not sustainable what I'm
about to say, but I've told the story before, and
I'm not going to say the name of the player.
But several years ago I was up at a Purdue
practice and I was talking to not Matt Painter, but
members of the staff about a player that I was
surprised wasn't in the mix with Purdue in the recruiting process.
(16:42):
And they said, well, paint was pretty clear about the
fact that he felt that was a kid that would
have been a handout kid, you know, wanting this was
pre nil, right, So just a player that was a
little too individualized of need. And I was impressed by that,
because sometimes talent is impossible to just bypass on if
(17:06):
you don't believe that, like the total mold of character
is there of what you need. The reason I bring
that up is because is it possible that part of
why we're seeing this continuity at Purdue is because they
have this vetting system of what works for their fabric
more so than other programs might do.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Not just possible.
Speaker 4 (17:25):
It's on the record, fact, Jake, I think it was
twenty fourteen. I'm pretty sure that's the year again. Back
to Big Ten media days when they did them a
little differently and every coach would.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Come into to the room in the.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Morning and give his fifteen minutes or so and then
take questions whatever it was. And I remember this as
well as just about anything in covering college basketball. Matt
came in. They were coming off a losing season. I
think they'd finished last or close to last in the
Big Ten that year, which was obviously coming from the
Humble era, as those of us who are friends with
(18:06):
Robbie like to call it that. Coming off that and
going toward the bottom of the league was really jarring.
And Matt got up there at Big Ten Media Day
and said that it was on him that he had
from that point on he was going to recruit not
talent necessarily, not that the guys he's bring in aren't talented,
(18:28):
but not specifically an only talent, but he was going
to recruit Purdue talent, so to speak. So he was
going to bring in guys that were going to fit
into what they did, who were going to be happy
with how they were coached when they didn't play, when
they did play what they if they were told what
(18:49):
they needed to do to get better to play, then
they would be amenable to that. And from that point
on they have been an NCAA tournament team. They have
been on multiple occasions Final four contenders, and in twenty
twenty three and probably again this year, they were National
Championship contenders.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
Which do you think, Mike Matt Painter, These are both
skills he is very good at. Okay, so don't think
that I'm trying to But if you had to pick
the thing that he does better than his peers, which
more so is does he stand out in a seeing
(19:30):
talent that perhaps other schools don't see, or and therefore
knowing that they are going to be a piece to
the puzzle or b making and coming up with the
proper game plans. Once he has the talent assembled and
coming up with ways to win with the roster, he's
able to accumulate.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
I'm going to say the former, because it's more important
getting players who were talented and team oriented and that
will respond to you, is more important than being the smartest,
best strategist. I don't think that. I mean, I don't
think I'm insulting him to say that. Mike Krzyzewsky, while
(20:14):
the greatest college coach in history, was not the greatest
strategist in history, wasn't bad at it. Don't get me wrong,
but it wasn't. His superpower was getting talented players to play.
As he described it, like a fist five fingers that
if you slap somebody, it doesn't hurt as much as
if you punch him, so to speak. And that was
(20:36):
his superpower as a coach. He got them to play
together and to communicate on the floor so that they
so that they didn't necessarily need him as much. And
so you know, yeah, Bobby Hurley and Grant Hill out there,
as long as they're doing what they've been coached to do,
you don't got to call a lot of plays. And
the great example that I look back at this story
(20:56):
when I was working on the on the Braden article,
because because I spoke to Bobby Hurley was right there
in Indianapolis. The three pointer he made with two and
change left against UNLV when his team was down five
and looked like they might be out of it. Now
they're down two because he made the decision on his
(21:16):
own to take it. He didn't need Mike. He was
he knew what he knew, what he'd learned from his dad,
he knew what he'd learned from from from Mike, and
he saw a defensive change and he said, there's an
opening here for me to take a shot. I'm going
to shoot it and make it. And he did, and
they ended up winning that game in one of the
great Final Four upsets ever. So that's that's really the
more important element of it. He is an excellent strategist, Matt.
(21:40):
He is really good at finding offenses that work for
the players that he has. But the most important thing
is getting really good players to execute those strategies.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Mike, de course he is our guest. Of course, he
is on the Java House Peel Important guest linesporting news
dot Com, where you can read his work. Mike, it
seems like, like you know, college basketball is college football
like I love. As a matter of fact, I'm not
certain that I don't now love college football even more
so or as much as the NFL. It's not a
(22:11):
slight on the NFL. I mean, I just really love
college football and college basketball I've always loved And then
when people started talking about tournament tournament expansion, and there
was always questions, you know, with the portal and free agency,
if you will, I think there were people that thought
it was doomsday and college basketball was done as we
know it. Where do we stand? Like once the dust
(22:32):
settles on all of this, I'm.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
Really worried about what will happen if they expand the
NCAA tournament. A lot of people, Oh, you're going to
ruin the tournament. No you're not. I mean, if you're
one of those people, and there are a lot of
them out there, if you if you say to somebody,
would you prefer sixty eight or seventy two or seventy six?
I did a Twitter pol exactly that several months ago.
(22:56):
The people who answer sixty sixty eight often will then
said we really only need sixty four. Those people will
always turn on the tournament at noon on Thursday. They
will not ever watch whatever you put unless it's their team.
Indian on some occasions has been in those games Carolina
last year. Unless it's their team, They're not turning on
(23:19):
the television on Tuesday or Wednesday. They're turning it on
when the sixty four goes up. So you're not going
to damage the tournament. What you're going to damage is
the college basketball regular season, which a large part of
the media, of very loud voices in the media that
have huge platforms already tell you it doesn't matter. Oh,
(23:41):
it's a one month sport. You hear it all the time,
not in Indiana very often unless you're turning on somebody national,
But that's what they say. And if you go to
putting seventy six teams in the field, there's a very
then we start to take the boat toward toward them
being right. And I don't want that.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
I love the.
Speaker 4 (24:02):
College basketball regular season. It's entertaining, it's invigorating, and there
is great suspense. Think about especially the people who are
listening to me now. Think about what it was like
in the last two weeks of last season when Ohio State, Nebraska,
and Indiana all had a chance to get in and
all happened to be playing in like a triangular thing.
(24:25):
They one played one, one played the other, then they
played and it all went around in a circle or
a triangle or whatever, and it was really something and
that will be gone like that will be that sort
of triangle will be contested among teams that aren't very
good at all, I mean at all. There's always a bubble,
(24:47):
but when you get that bubble to be teams that
really aren't any good. I mean, Indiana was pretty good
last year, just not good enough. Nebraska, same, Ohio State, same.
They all had deficiencies. They almost got there and they
probably you know, you could make the case for any
of them, Nebraska not after they missed a Big ten tournament.
If you could make a case for Ohio State or
(25:07):
Indiana that they could have been but they probably didn't
deserve it. And that's what we want. We want to
It's like the way I describe it is like should
a Deans list should it, like a B minus average
be a Deans list student? Just to make everybody feel better?
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Well, and my thing is this, Mike, and tell me
if you agree with this. If the NCAA Tournament wants
to expand, you know, the seventy two, seventy four cities
at whatever, Okay, fine, but I would hope that in
doing so, it is to allow the twenty eight and
three College of Charleston that got upset in the first
(25:42):
round of their conference tournament to still give them an
at large. If we're doing this in order to include
more seventeen and sixteen Minnesotas, Okay, that doesn't do anything.
Speaker 4 (25:53):
It's trying to happen. That's what's going to happen, because
I know the science of the bracket. I mean, I mean,
I'm not saying I've perfected it, but I've been doing
this for Fox Sports now for six years. We only
had a tournament in five but for six years, and
some of my brackets have scored very high. So I
have a good idea of what is next. And I'm
(26:15):
not saying that there are there aren't a team or here,
here or there that we'll be able to get in
that wouldn't have under the old formula. But if you
really like I was at Atlantic ten Media Day, they
had it here in Pittsburgh. It's the fiftieth anniversary of
the Atlantic ten at fiftieth anniversary season, so this is
where the league began. So they brought media day here.
(26:36):
They're bringing the tournament here in March, and there's a
lot of consternation there. But the problem that they have
isn't that they're not being evaluated properly. In the end,
the problem that they have is that they're not able
to schedule in the way that would be reasonable, especially
with the advent of this player's era stuff in Vegas,
(26:57):
and it's become even harder for them to get on
a neutral floor in Maui or the Bahamas or Charleston,
South Carolina, or wherever with teams at the high major level,
and so it becomes sort of exclusionary on that sense.
But they're not going to get in now because they
(27:18):
change the formula. At the end, it's just going to
be more teams from the Big ten, SEC, ACC, Big twelve,
and I mean even Tony Patiti said yesterday that the
reason that the league supports it, the Big Ten supports it,
is that with the size of the league, there is
concern about whether or not there are enough bids available
for the expanded major conferences. I mean, from that standpoint,
(27:43):
you got fourteen out of sixteen in the SEC last year.
If you're good enough, they're going to put you in.
It's that simple. And the ACC hasn't been good enough.
They talk a good game on media day in the ACC,
but then they don't back it up in non conference
play the Sea. He tore through a non conference play
last year and got all the bids they deserved. If
(28:05):
the Big Ten does that this year, and there's a
good chance that's going to happen, they'll get all the
bids they deserve.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Mike, do we have any idea yet, Mike de COURSI
is my guest from Sporting News. You know, I know this.
I know Indiana just played Obviously, Darren Devrees took his
guys down, played some exhibition games, and by all account
he is a very likable guy. I don't know a
lot about him. I don't know much about their roster
other than the fact also that it looks like they
(28:34):
could start the year out with four guys coming off
of injury. What do we know or what do you
feel about Indiana coming into this season?
Speaker 4 (28:44):
Well, first of all, Darren is a.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
He really built toward this.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
I mean, he spent gosh almost two decades coaching with
two of the great minds in college basketball. While at Creighton,
first Dana Allton uh and then uh and Ben mac McDermott.
He he coached under two of the best, and then
he got his break at Drake and he never didn't succeed.
(29:14):
And then he went to West Virginia and even with
a very injured roster, including his son Tucker is now
a Hoosier. Uh, they still were probably were They were
the one team that last year had a legit claim
to we really should have been in There was there
were there were marks against them, but they had a
legit shot that they could have been in to say,
say Carolina. But he so he has done a really
(29:38):
good coaching job every chance he's had. And so I
think that you have to feel like at Indiana you
have somebody who understands the game at a high level. Now, Uh,
he's going to have to get the recruiting back to
where say it was under Arch or maybe early early
(30:00):
under Mike Woodson they had some really good recruiting circumstances.
And then also you have to be shrewd in the
transfer portal. I think he did a good job with
some of the guys he brought in. Connor in Right,
for instance, did a really nice job at the Paul
last year. They actually won some games at some Big
East games at the Paul.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Connor was a part of that.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
So I think it's it's not going to be an
immediate fix, but they will be.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
They will play.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
Good basketball under degrees. And I think that in very
short order next year, the year after, you'll start to
see the rewards for investing in the higher I think
he wants to embrace being the Indiana coach. I always
wondered about Arts. I've known Arts for twenty years, twenty
(30:49):
five years, because we're both Pittsburgh people, and and so
I always wondered about whether that part of it, the
public part of it, would work for him. And I
convince myself after his press conference, Okay, it can work,
And then the next couple of years you could see
that it really just wasn't for him. And I don't
(31:09):
think it was ever for him for Mike Woodson, it
just he never connected with that. And I think Darren
understands that you do you take on the Indiana job,
you have to inhabit.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
That part of it as well.
Speaker 4 (31:21):
If you think you can just go hide in the
gym and X and O all day, it's never gonna work.
And I liked what he said at his press conference
in Chicago yesterday. He was very bright and engaging and
answered every question and seemed to embrace the role. I'm
(31:43):
not going to say he's John Calipari in that sense,
but I think he understands it, and I think he
can fulfill that.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Part of it.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
I have zero doubt about fulfilling the basketball part of it.
And then it's just a question of the recruiting part
is the third element, and.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
I suspect they'll find a way to do that.
Speaker 4 (32:00):
And in times when Mike was not not excelling, he
still was able to bring in some talent.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
Okay, you mentioned, Mike de Coursi that you are a
Pittsburgh guy, So I cannot let you go without asking this.
Because Indianapolis is off to a surprising start. Obviously at
four and one, I think we can say the Colts
are pretty good. And then you start looking around the
AFC at teams that you know, maybe are in that
same mix of a little bit better or in a
(32:27):
better situation than we thought. Is Pittsburgh legitimately good in
that AFC North or are that the beneficiary of two
teams in Cincinnati and Baltimore that have had injury hold
them back.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
Well, they haven't been beneficiary of that yet. I think
they would like to get on there.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
I just leading the Division.
Speaker 4 (32:44):
Yeah, I know, I'm just was going to make a
Lamar joke, but I mean, I think they'd like to
have a chance to be the beneficiary of not having
to play against Lamar, is what I was going to say,
because he's amazing. Is they have not played well yet,
except for the Vikings game in Ireland when they were
quite good. So they appear to be on an upwear trend.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
But they'll have a very difficult.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
Game on Sunday. I know, you look at it, three
and one Steelers, one in four Browns.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
What's hard about that?
Speaker 4 (33:11):
If you've watched the Browns, you understand it's not as
simple as it seems. It's an outstanding defense, maybe the
best defense in the league, and you have to be
ready to play against that. I think the Steelers can
get very good. I think they can, but their offensive
line has to get much better than it's been and
(33:33):
it's a process. They won't resolve that all in a week,
but it's possible that they could feel really good about
themselves by the time Indy gets here. It's also possible
that they could go the opposite direction. But if it
does go the opposite direction, they've got problems.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
November by the way, is that date when the Colts
will be in Pittsburgh and we will see very possible?
Does excuse me? That could be I should say, two
teams that might face one another, you know, somehow into
the postseason, but a lot of football to be played
between now and then. Mike appreciate it as always great
article on Braden Smith and the Boilers, and we certainly
(34:12):
look forward to talking to you over the course of
the basketball.
Speaker 4 (34:14):
Season anytime, Jake, always a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
I appreciate it. Mike de Coursey joining us on the
Java House, Peel and Poor Guests. Joining us now on
the Java House, Peel and Poor Guest line. He is
a friend of the show. You see him on the
Big ten Network. Dave Revsen joins us to talk primarily
Indiana and Oregon. Dave, how are you?
Speaker 3 (34:34):
I am doing well? What's going on?
Speaker 2 (34:36):
Jake?
Speaker 1 (34:37):
You know I'm still Dave. I just said I feel
like I'm in week fifty of saying to myself, is
this the week we find out if Indiana's for real?
Because it just still feels surreal, right, and the fact
that here it is top ten matchup with Oregon, and
yet I don't know you know with Oregon. I mean
(34:57):
this is they always have that time of year, Dave,
that's called Separation Saturday, where just teams kind of separate
from one another with big matchups. Is this one of them,
or in reality, is this a game that so long
it stays closed, it doesn't derail either team's postseason hopes.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
I think the latter, Jacob. I think these are both
really good teams. I mean, they're both in the top
ten in the nation in scoring offense, in scoring defense.
I don't think there's an obvious weakness that we've seen
with either one of them. I think they're both really good.
They've both had some games where they've played better than
other games. And you know, I still think Indiana's win
(35:38):
over Illinois like what else do you need? I mean,
they won by fifty three points. Like it's crazy to
me that there's still people who are doubting Indiana. And
I don't think like if you go into Oregon and
don't win at a place where you know, the home
team has won the most consecutive games of any stadium
in America, like somehow that that's going to reflect poorly Indiana.
(36:00):
Like I just don't get it. I don't. I don't
know what else they have to do. But obviously, were
they to go in and win, I mean, I think
this whole thing would hit like a totally different level.
I mean, you know, you might be looking at an
Indiana team that's that's ranked second in the nation or
you know, depending on what happens in Champagne. I mean,
you know, this is this could be a seismic win,
(36:22):
as I'm sure you know they've never won a road
game against the top five team in the history of
the program. I mean, you know, this would be in
some ways the most impressive win in the history of
Indiana football. So it's a huge opportunity. But I just
think that if they don't win, I don't think that
that tells us anything other than they're playing a really
good team tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
I watched Oregon, you know, like most against Penn State,
and Dave where I was so impressed was say what
you want about Penn State, and you know they're they're
disappointment a week later in the Rose Bowl. But to
go into Happy Valley in a why out like that,
in a hostile environment, Oregon not once, but like two
(37:02):
or three times in the last ten minutes of that
game had to have drives of complete pinpoint accuracy and
did exactly that. I thought. Offensively, they looked as efficient
as anybody I've seen in quite some time in those situations.
But what is what is the overwhelming strength and presentable
(37:23):
weakness of Oregon as you look at what Indiana is
going to try to exploit.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
I think that you can run the ball on Oregon
to go to the weakness, and we've seen some teams
do that. I thought Northwestern ran the ball pretty well
on them, so that that would be the one area
in obviously, so we know. I'm me in Indiana started
the year over three hundred yards for straight games running
the ball, and then you're just not going to do
that to Iowa. I mean, I wish is too good defensively,
(37:50):
but I think that that's the one area of weakness
that I could find, or relative weakness. I still think
Oregon's got a good run defense as far as strengths
say pretty much everything else. I mean, I I just
think they're really really good. I think you could make
an argument they're the most complete team in the country.
To your point, Dante More is just great. He's got
(38:11):
very talented wide receivers to Corey and Moore is outstanding
the freshman wide receiver. They've got talented wrong backs. They're
just a very very good team. They're gonna they're gonna
create some havoc up front and on defense. So I
think that's gonna be a challenge for sure. You know,
dealing with Mettelia Leangle. I mean, he's a he's a force,
(38:33):
and and you know, we saw It's interesting because I
think Kurtzignetti has said this right that like what separated
them last year from the from the two elite teams
that they lost to was offensive line, and was the
offensive line good enough? And he felt like it wasn't
and so they went out and made some changes. This
will be a good test of that how they deal
with Oregon's offensive line, because it's it's really good, really talented.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
Dave Revson is our guest good the defensive line. Sorry up, Yeah,
Dave Repsin's our guest from the Big Ten Network. He's
on the Java House peeling for guest line, Dave. When
you look at the conference in general, you know, and
I think obviously up top, those that we thought were
going to be there are there. But be it somebody
that is playing more competently than you expected, or somebody
(39:18):
who has been slower out of the gate than expected.
Who is your biggest surprise so far in the Big Ten.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
I think Michigan's actually a little bit better than I
thought they would be. I just thought, like with a
freshman quarterback, there'd be some growing pains, and they didn't
play great clearly when they play Oklahoma. But I think
they're a little ahead. I didn't think Justice Haynes would
be this good. I mean, he is really good. He's
as good at running back maybe as there is in
the country. I still don't think they're great at wide receiver.
(39:48):
They're very good defensively. I think it's a really interesting
game tomorrow them going to USC, because I think those
are two teams that you have to split too hard
to think. If things fall their way, they could be
teams that are in the College Football Playoff discussion. So
I think we learn a lot about Michigan, but I
didn't think they were quite at that CFP level. They
(40:08):
may not be. I mean, we may get to the
end of the day tomorrow and USC beats them, and
that would be a challenge for Michigan to make it
from there, but I'd say they're a little better. Look,
Penn State is a huge story on the flip side.
I mean they're not the only one, right We're dealing
with number one, number two, and number four in the
preseason poll are all out of the poll through one
(40:29):
week of games in October. I mean, that's just crazy.
It shows you, I think you know the degree of
parody that we have in college football right now. But
I'm astonished at what happened to Penn State. Not against Oregon.
I think Oregon's fabulous, and I thought Oregon was going
to win that game, but I mean to go to
UCLA and to lose, and to have so many chances
to come back and win the game and just never
(40:50):
be able to get a stop. I mean, it's really
astonishing to see what happened to them last week. And
you know they got to win out now. I mean,
they still have Indiana and Ohio State. So if you
win both those games, you're going to be in the playoffs.
I mean, you win everything else. But but there just
isn't a whole lot of evidence to support the notion
that they would win those you don't games because of
receiving from them.
Speaker 1 (41:10):
Dave one of them that has surprised me and I
because it's been like all of a sudden, I just
looked and saw it, you know, kind of snuck up
on me, I guess, And so maybe I'm naive here.
What has caused the you know, we're so used to
and accustomed to seeing Wisconsin being at the top. And
I think they have a good coach or certainly one
(41:32):
that came in with a big pedigree. What has been
the issue for the Badgers?
Speaker 3 (41:39):
Man, where do you want to start? They can't run
the ball. They cannot line up and run the ball.
And it's so weird because you think about the tradition
with Aryl Rez. Yeah, kind of the way that they
built that program. That part of it is crazy. I
believe they're lasting the big ten in rushing yards have
(42:00):
to they're either last or next to last, So that
part of it is really stunning. Look, they've had quarterback injuries.
Third straight year. Their starting quarterbacks gotten hurt. They're now
with a third different starter. They started Hunter Simmons, he's
a Southern Illinois transfer. Last week they have Danny O'Neil
who started at San Diego State last year. He started games. Obviously,
(42:22):
Billy Edwards is brought in to be the start of
the Maryland transfer. He's been hurt, so it's hard. There
are a lot of teams that are able to go
three deep at quarterback, and it felt like they kind
of reinforced themselves for just this eventuality and you know,
they find themselves here again. So they've had some rotten luck.
Their schedule is absolutely brutal, and so that doesn't help either.
(42:44):
I mean, there just aren't a lot of places on
the schedule for them to get well. But I'd say
those are the big things. I mean, just kind of offensively,
they're nowhere near reed expecting to be. They've got a
really good run defense, they've done on a great pass defense. Yeah,
it's it's wild. I mean, it's crazy to see it
because they've just been the model of consistency here, as
(43:04):
you know, Jake, for years and they're.
Speaker 2 (43:07):
Just not there.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
And it's the things that they built the identity of
the program around that they can't do.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
One other one for you, Dave, only because we haven't
had a chance to talk to you since you guys
were able to go around as a matter of fact, paratrooping, skydiving,
into the different which was fun. Into the different camps
over the course of the preseason, you got a chance
to be around and I know at this point zero
and two in the conference, but I personally, just in
watching games, I really liked what I've seen out of
(43:36):
Bury otom And by that, I mean he just looks
like a guy that has a control of the sidelines.
And while I realize that he is trying to get
a program going in the right direction, Purdue looks to
me like a team that does play with an increased
level of discipline. But I've not been to their practices.
You were around it. What were your impressions and takeaways
(43:56):
from West Lafayette.
Speaker 3 (43:58):
Well, I would just say, first of all, I agree
with everything you said about Barry Otam. He's great, Like
he's just totally buttoned out. He gets it. I can
see where players would really like him. He is a
low key demeanor to him that I think would be
really relatable for young people. I will say, Jake, like
they had they were not good the day we were there.
I mean they scrimmage and it was it was rough.
(44:21):
Now they everyone was getting reps, I mean literally every
single guy on the roster, and so sometimes you're looking at,
you know, look at a player like, wow, I was
a mess. But they are guys who probably aren't gonna
play all year, and it's hard to discern that. But
they to the degree to which they improved from the
day that we were there to the day they kicked
off the season was market It was really impressive. I
(44:43):
think offensively they're good. I mean, Ryan Brown has been
very good. I like a lot of the receivers they have.
It's been a little bit more of a challenge to
stop people defensively. Sometimes that takes longer. I just think
it's harder to out scheme people defensively, Like ultimately, you
still have to make the backle and they just haven't
necessarily been able to do that. They haven't necessarily been
(45:04):
able to cover in the way that they want to.
But I have one hundred percent belief in that he's
the right guy and that they'll turn this thing around
here sooner rather than later. Like, I don't think this
is going to be this kind of laborious build that
we used to see because in this day and age,
you can't turn things around much more quickly. Evidence what's
(45:25):
happened in Bloomington so yeah, I agree with you. I
think they got the right guy. I again, I just
think like fitting all those pieces together, It's not going
to happen overnight. But I think they've got a good plan,
and I really really like the direction of that program.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
Going to be a really busy slate of games in
the Big Ten coming up, obviously, as it is each
and every Saturday. Dave Revsen Big Ten Network lifelong White
Sox fan, but Cubs with a chance to punch their
ticket to the NLCS tomorrow? Do you get on the
Cubs bandwagon? I can't recall if you are one of
these that's like a North and South Side fan.
Speaker 3 (45:58):
No, I do not, in any way get on the
Cubs bandwagon. I would say I have, I have softened
this somewhat. In my old age, there was definitely, you know,
for years, I was just like, you know, if the
Cubs win the World Series, I'll just have to leave
the country. But once the White Sox had won it
(46:18):
and I saw it was a really special moment for
me and I don't want to, you know, take up time,
you know, talking about the two thousand and five Chicago
White Sox. So I'm sure it's a huge interest to
your listenership. It didn't Eve was the last game, as
you know, like my dad passed away in two thousand
and seven, and it was a huge sports fans the
reason I'm a sports fan. The last sporting event I
went to with my dad was Game two of the
(46:39):
World Series. Scott a pathetic to walk off home run
in the rain, and it is a memory I'll take
with me forever. And I have so many friends who's
who are Cubs fans and who I wanted to see
experience something similar with special people in their lives. So
I was happy when the Cubs won it. But now
that they've done it, I don't need to see them
do it again. So no, you know, like I'm I'm
(47:00):
all in on the Brewers.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
And yeah, he's wearing his throwback Cecil Cooper jersey as
we're talking.
Speaker 3 (47:08):
Yes, I mean that's just where I am. Like, like
I want to, you know, I want to pretend I'm
like a nice guy, but I mean everyone has their limits.
Speaker 1 (47:17):
No, that's their mind, I said, Dave. I'm telling you
I and my parents are huge Cubs fans. I grew
up a Reds fan, I said, when the Cubs were
on the cusp of it in twenty sixteen. I'm like, look,
it's great if you win a World Series, but once
you win a Cubs fans, you just become another obnoxious
fan base. Right the LoVa a loser, Matra is gone.
(47:39):
You're just another fan base. So I get it. So
go Brew crew.
Speaker 3 (47:43):
Right, I'm with you, Fingers come in.
Speaker 1 (47:53):
That's right. Better known as the President of the Gordon
Thomas Fan Club, Dave Repsen on the Java House, Peel
and Port guest line, Dave appreciate it as always, man,
enjoy the games this weekend. Great talk to Jake Dave
reps Some of the Big ten Network joining us
High school football. Man, it is hard to believe you
just sard Terry Stacey talking about it. We finally are
starting to get some of that autumn air and the
high school football season. I'm telling you every year, once
it kicks off, it just flies past and you start
getting a real feel for who are the pretenders? Who
are the contenders. Kyle Nettrip joins us now from the
Indianapolis Star. Of course, he covers all of the high
(00:21):
school sports for them, and joins us to preview what
he is going to be getting into tonight. Kyle, the
big game tonight you have your eye on would be Witch.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
I'll be down at Lawrence North and Center Grove tonight
seeing the Trojans at home against Lawrence North team I
actually saw last week play really well, really really explosive,
fast offensive team, and I think that should be a
fun game. Lan had lost to them is several years
in a row until last year, so they were able
(00:51):
to break through against Center Grove and see if they
can do it again. The other game I would say,
of you know, probably equal interest would Carmel and Warren Central.
You know, after seeing Warren Central last week, really was
impressed with them. Offensively scored forty two points in the
first half against l N and then you know, weren't
able to stop Ellen in the second half. But I
(01:12):
think a team that you know is just going to
get better and better. A lot of those guys coming
back next year as well, so it seemed to be
on the right track there. Of course, Carmel we've talked
about a lot with what they've done this year, so
that I think that'll be a really interesting game as well.
You know, some of the others, I would say probably
Whiteland and Plainfield I think will be a good one.
(01:36):
Let's see Stared at try West, both those teams six
and one, Fishers in Westfield, both those teams five and two.
So there's there's several that have definitely intrigued tonight in
week eight.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
You know when you Kyle look at a week and
I think it was a week ago, right when Center
Grove was with Cathedral. Was that last Friday?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Yeah, yeah, that was last Friday?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
You know that obviously did we learn more in that
game about and Cathedral. We've talked about this. Each year
Cathedral will drop a few early because they really test
themselves and then they seem to kind of right the
ship and go through. Did we learn more last week
about Cathedral or Center Grove?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Well, I probably Cathedral, I would say, just because you know,
they were defensively there. They always seem to play better
as the year goes along. Center Grove was dealing with
some a lot of injuries unfortunately, and it's all not all,
but a lot of them at the same position at
running back. You know, Ricky Laying again, he was a
sophomore who had been playing really well. He went out
last week. So it's been kind of a rotating door
(02:37):
at running back for Center Grove. And that's not to say,
you know, Cathedral didn't play really well. They did. I think,
you know, I think they're going to be a handful.
I can't wait to see what you know, the sexual
draw is going to come out and we'll find out
when you know, Cathedral could potentially play a new pal.
You know, that'll be one of the more interesting things
Sunday when the draw comes out. But but yeah, I mean,
Center Grove I think is still going to be fine.
(02:59):
They you know, they just statistically actually played pretty well Friday,
but just could not you know, you know, they're down
that game eighteen to nothing at one point, so just
hard to overcome. You know, they had a lot of sacks,
a lot of things that just come with negative against them,
and a lot of that's because of Cathedral, but man,
it's just been you know, when you can't keep your
(03:20):
your rotating door of running backs healthy, and they lost
Drake mcclergy, who was their top receiver. So it's just
been kind of a you know, unfortunately, kind of an
injury plague season that a lot of the same position.
But I still think, you know, they still have, you know,
some good players obviously on that offensive side of the ball,
and the defense it's really veteran and good. So I
(03:40):
think they're still going to be a big problem as
a tournament moves forward. But honestly, watching that score the
other night, I'm like, man, Cathedral, you know, they may
have something for New pal and we'll see. I mean
that that'll be I think the game of the year
in five A when that game does happen. And you know,
but I think I think, to me, that said a
lot about Heed to win that game.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Who's the biggest surprise of the year.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
I mean probably, I mean from a standpoint of what
they did last year. Probably Carmel.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Uh's legit, aren't they?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah? I mean I I put this in my Monday column,
but I'm not sure you know they in all credit
to Brownsburg is number one defending champ. Have done nothing
to lose that spot. But I mean the Carmel Brownsburg game,
I don't know who you'd pick. I mean they, I
think they're that good. Uh, you know, and that could
end up being the state championship game. But you know,
(04:33):
who knows. We're a long way from that point. But
but just to do what they've done this year, and
if they close out and you know, win these next
two weeks and finish eight and one, they still have
Warren tonight, like I said, and Lawrence Central, who's kind
of a sleeper good team next week.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
But if they finish eight and one and their only
losses to Louisville Trinity, I mean, who would have saw
that coming out? I don't know if anybody you know
would have thought that. Now they don't play. You know,
there's some teams that you know, they'll go back into
the mix schedule next year and they'll play, you know,
teams like Center Grove again, which they didn't play this year,
and you know, Lawrence North, which they didn't play this year,
so the schedule will be different next year, but still
(05:11):
to go through in B six and one and look
really good in accumulating that record is to me, that's
been a little bit of a surprise. And I think
even you know Kevin, right, I don't think it would
be surprised necessarily, but I remember talking to him before
the season. He didn't know for sure how good this
team would be, So I think, to me, that's kind
of been the one of the big stories of the
(05:31):
season so far.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
I just I mean, look, I've known Kevin a long time,
so maybe I'm biased here, but when you look at
the resources at Carmel, combined with the enrollment of Carmel
and then the fact that this guy's won everywhere he's gone, essentially,
it's one of those Kyle, is it not, where you
almost look back and go, how did we not see
that that was going to happen? Right?
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Yeah, for sure? And I feel kind of, you know,
even calling Carmel surprise sounds stupid on the surface, but
and I definitely thought he would get it going there
and looking honestly, looking at what they you know, the
talent that they had coming back. You know, it did
look promising, but I'd be lying if I if I
said I expected this, And even the first couple of
(06:14):
weeks of the season when they played Fishers in Westfield.
You know, those are really good teams that they handled easily.
Both those teams are ranked in the top ten and
you know have gone on to have really good seasons,
and I think Westfield will they you know, if those
teams play again, I think that game will be closer.
I really like the job Josh Miracle does there at Westfield,
(06:34):
and I think they're a team that's kind of trending
in the right direction since that loss. So you know,
we'll see if in the rematch, I think would be
a better game. But but yeah, I mean to the
extent of, you know, I think we all knew is
all right, well, Kevin Wright's going to get it going there,
But to say I thought it would be this quickly,
you know that that would probably be you know, overstating it.
(06:57):
So these these obviously it's really there and it's worked
right away.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Kyle, when will we get into Kyle Netrip is my
guest from the Indianapolstar. He's on the JAVA house Peel
and poor guest line, when will we get into Kyle
High School basketball and some of your previews? And I
know that sounds crazy, but I mean we're in mid
October already, right and before we know it, we're going
to start talking about tournaments and things like that.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
No, yeah, for sure, we'll have actually was getting our
photo shoots set just yesterday, so getting all that lined
up for the next there'll be in a couple of
weeks and then you know, we'll get right into it
basically once you know, once November hits. I can't remember
the exact practice started practice actual practice states, but that's
(07:43):
probably about, you know what, three weeks three, a little
more than three weeks out, So yeah, it's not it's
not far away. November is a crazy month where you know,
the crossover of football and basketball can drive you crazy
basically up through Thanksgiving weekend. But but yeah, it'll be
you know, we'll have a lot of coverage coming and
(08:04):
I look forward to it every year. I kind of
you know, there's always these football stories I want to
make sure I get to as well. So it's it's
a little bit of a juggling act, but yeah, it's
it's it's coming right around the corner for sure, and
you know, by by early October, it's definitely something that's
on my radar, trying to get things planned and lined up, uh,
for our for our season.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
You know, you had your article which was awesome on
just like some of the lost and the old and
the historic gems of Indiana. In that same capacity, give
me your best, Give me your best two to three.
Maybe not even by size and volume and like fandom, tailgate,
et cetera, but maybe just neighborhood or whatever it might be.
(08:45):
Give me your two to three best high school football
experiences in Central.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Indiana experience as far as stadiums.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Go, all of it. Yeah, all things and all things considered.
So Friday night lights, it calls you up and they say, look,
we're gonna we're doing a documentary on high school football
in Indiana, and we want one that just shows a
big stadium aerial, and then we want another one that
just shows great atmosphere and neighborhood loyalty, et cetera.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Yeah, man, that's a that's a great question, I would say. Man.
I was, Yeah, I've been to some good ones. One
of my favorite experiences and they don't play games there anymore.
It was at Arlington when and this is probably not
a great memory for Center Grove people who thought the
game should have been played elsewhere, but I think it
was twenty twenty or twenty one when they played that
(09:35):
Mud Bowl game and the just the you know, the
field was just complete mess and the tailgate, you know,
the tailgateing Cathedral was doing, and and Center Grove people,
it just felt like such a huge, huge game. And
I think even I don't know if this is right
or not, but there might have been a Sunday night,
you know they Sunday night they show those games on NBC,
(09:58):
and I don't know if that was the game that
they showed, but I remember I'm showing one of those
one of those games Cathedral played. But you know, that's
one that always Unfortunately, you know, Arlington's not hosting games
anymore there, and it wasn't even necessarily the place it was,
but just the mud situation and the two teams playing
against each other made that one super memorable, you know.
(10:18):
And I end up I cover a lot of larger
school games, so you may not have the small town atmosphere,
but I think I always think Center Grove does a
great job. I mean that always feels like a big
time atmosphere. You know Brownsburg now, I would say, you know,
having been there one game this year, was that feels
like a big time you know. John Hart of Brownsburg there,
(10:40):
he compared it to kind of a Texas you know experience.
Now I can't. I can't say I've been to games
in Texas, but it certainly has that big, big game
atmosphere to it now. But you know, those are a
couple that come to mind. I would say there was
a game I covered Try West and Gibson Southern. It
was more about the Gibson Southern people being there, but man,
they they really showed out and they were they had
(11:03):
the campers and the you know, the the hot dogs
and hamburgers grilled out there. That that was a really
cool atmosphere. But yeah, that's a good That's I'd have
to go through my all my experiences and maybe narrow
that down. That's a that's a good story idea.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
I mean, it's got some it's just you know, they're
even going so far as and I'm not even sure
to your point, like with Arlington, if they play still
games where I'm about to mention, but the old Indianapolis
how High School, like the stadium in the back was
kind of nestled like in this region, you know what
I mean, Like it's cool, like there's and there are
(11:40):
so many of them like that, right.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Yeah, definitely, Yeah, that's a good one. You know, I've
covered games that have it's really it's in the city,
but then it feels like you're in a little town
there when it's uh, you're kind of back in the
back in the trees. You know, they're there are a lot.
I mean, yeah, I'd have to kind of go through
and think about it. I did cover a game Upox
one time that was kind of a different, you know,
definitely different atmosphere. Yeah, the small town ones are cool.
(12:06):
I mean I've covered a lot of those too, but
sometimes those are the best. You know, New pal Has
are really you know, they have a good you know,
when it's playoff time and they're hosting that, it feels
like a really big time atmosphere. The different thing about
football is the actual stadiums a lot of times aren't
as unique as you might see in basketball, but the
overall experiences can be certainly a memory.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Usually like whatever's around. You know, it's usually just a
couple of bleachers, right, but it's whatever's around the stadium
that makes it cool. Tonight. By the way, the other
school that we always mentioned, Crystal House, will be taken
on per New Englewood. That is a seven o'clock start
as well, Kyle, tell me again which game you will
be in attendance.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
I'll be down at Center Grove tonight for Lawrence North.
It should be two top ten teams and should be
a really good game. Pat Mallory used to coach for
Eric More at Center Growth, so those guys are really close,
and uh, you know, it should be It should be
a fun game.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
All right. We will look forward to it, and we
will see all of the coverage, of course in the
Indianapolis Star. Pleasure as always, Kyle, you bet. Thanks, Kyle
neednrup joining us on the Java House, Peel and Poor
Guest line. Speaking of consistency, it is that and more
that has carried Purdue basketball for the better part of
the Matt Paynter tenure. Mike Decursi is of course a
(13:24):
friend of the show. Joins us now on the Java House,
Peel and Poor Guest line. He has an article on
the Sporting News produce Braiden Smith can become the all
time n CAA Assists Champion, but he wants a different
NCAA title. Mike, it is a really good piece about
Braiden Smith, and I wanted to bring you on to
(13:45):
discuss this and you and you could certainly tell me
that I'm wrong here, I think, and I don't know
how long it sustains. But what Purdue has been able
to do in terms of keeping continuity and chemy from
one year to the next of roster for the most
part and the trains for nil era is truly, I think,
(14:07):
almost special. Now, am I overstating that.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
No, I don't think at all.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
I think that What's interesting is that Matt talked about
this yesterday in his address at Big ten Media Day,
and he talked about how there is a common narrative
I guess you'd call it. That's for me. Narrative now
has been defined as something that a lot of people
believe that isn't really one hundred percent true. And the
(14:35):
narrative about Purdue is that they don't lose transfers on
the way out, like that the door only swings one way.
And he says that's not true, he says, but we
don't lose starters. And I thought that was a really
interesting concept. I mean, not far from then, from where
he was sitting when he was talking about that. Chad
Baker Mazara was sitting over there representing USC and he
(14:59):
was in the final four year ago with Auburn. That
that wouldn't happen at Purdue hasn't happened. I mean, they
did lose players off of last season's team, and probably
understandably so.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
They had a couple.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Of very capable, promising players that just couldn't get the
run that they thought they were capable of, that they
might have been capable of. And if you look at
in last year's situation, I mean, you saw Miles Colvin
average eighteen minutes a game, cam Heidi averaged twenty. And
(15:39):
the limitation on their time wasn't totally on them. It
wasn't totally on Matt It's just the way this lineup
worked best. Those guys didn't quite fit in. Neither of
them took a huge step forward to either take down
Fletcher Lawyer or perhaps a lead shoved their way onto
(16:01):
the same court, and so they went off searching for
more playing time, but that they don't they This team now,
even with the loss of two very capable, promising wings,
looks demonstrably better of entering the twenty sixth season.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
You know, I remember a couple of years ago, Mike,
and I know that this is not sustainable what I'm
about to say, but I've told the story before, and
I'm not going to say the name of the player.
But several years ago I was up at a Purdue
practice and I was talking to not Matt Painter, but
members of the staff about a player that I was
surprised wasn't in the mix with Purdue in the recruiting process.
(16:42):
And they said, well, paint was pretty clear about the
fact that he felt that was a kid that would
have been a handout kid, you know, wanting this was
pre nil, right, So just a player that was a
little too individualized of need. And I was impressed by that,
because sometimes talent is impossible to just bypass on if
(17:06):
you don't believe that, like the total mold of character
is there of what you need. The reason I bring
that up is because is it possible that part of
why we're seeing this continuity at Purdue is because they
have this vetting system of what works for their fabric
more so than other programs might do.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Not just possible.
Speaker 4 (17:25):
It's on the record, fact, Jake, I think it was
twenty fourteen. I'm pretty sure that's the year again. Back
to Big Ten media days when they did them a
little differently and every coach would.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Come into to the room in the.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Morning and give his fifteen minutes or so and then
take questions whatever it was. And I remember this as
well as just about anything in covering college basketball. Matt
came in. They were coming off a losing season. I
think they'd finished last or close to last in the
Big Ten that year, which was obviously coming from the
Humble era, as those of us who are friends with
(18:06):
Robbie like to call it that. Coming off that and
going toward the bottom of the league was really jarring.
And Matt got up there at Big Ten Media Day
and said that it was on him that he had
from that point on he was going to recruit not
talent necessarily, not that the guys he's bring in aren't talented,
(18:28):
but not specifically an only talent, but he was going
to recruit Purdue talent, so to speak. So he was
going to bring in guys that were going to fit
into what they did, who were going to be happy
with how they were coached when they didn't play, when
they did play what they if they were told what
(18:49):
they needed to do to get better to play, then
they would be amenable to that. And from that point
on they have been an NCAA tournament team. They have
been on multiple occasions Final four contenders, and in twenty
twenty three and probably again this year, they were National
Championship contenders.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
Which do you think, Mike Matt Painter, These are both
skills he is very good at. Okay, so don't think
that I'm trying to But if you had to pick
the thing that he does better than his peers, which
more so is does he stand out in a seeing
(19:30):
talent that perhaps other schools don't see, or and therefore
knowing that they are going to be a piece to
the puzzle or b making and coming up with the
proper game plans. Once he has the talent assembled and
coming up with ways to win with the roster, he's
able to accumulate.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
I'm going to say the former, because it's more important
getting players who were talented and team oriented and that
will respond to you, is more important than being the smartest,
best strategist. I don't think that. I mean, I don't
think I'm insulting him to say that. Mike Krzyzewsky, while
(20:14):
the greatest college coach in history, was not the greatest
strategist in history, wasn't bad at it. Don't get me wrong,
but it wasn't. His superpower was getting talented players to play.
As he described it, like a fist five fingers that
if you slap somebody, it doesn't hurt as much as
if you punch him, so to speak. And that was
(20:36):
his superpower as a coach. He got them to play
together and to communicate on the floor so that they
so that they didn't necessarily need him as much. And
so you know, yeah, Bobby Hurley and Grant Hill out there,
as long as they're doing what they've been coached to do,
you don't got to call a lot of plays. And
the great example that I look back at this story
(20:56):
when I was working on the on the Braden article,
because because I spoke to Bobby Hurley was right there
in Indianapolis. The three pointer he made with two and
change left against UNLV when his team was down five
and looked like they might be out of it. Now
they're down two because he made the decision on his
(21:16):
own to take it. He didn't need Mike. He was
he knew what he knew, what he'd learned from his dad,
he knew what he'd learned from from from Mike, and
he saw a defensive change and he said, there's an
opening here for me to take a shot. I'm going
to shoot it and make it. And he did, and
they ended up winning that game in one of the
great Final Four upsets ever. So that's that's really the
more important element of it. He is an excellent strategist, Matt.
(21:40):
He is really good at finding offenses that work for
the players that he has. But the most important thing
is getting really good players to execute those strategies.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Mike, de course he is our guest. Of course, he
is on the Java House Peel Important guest linesporting news
dot Com, where you can read his work. Mike, it
seems like, like you know, college basketball is college football
like I love. As a matter of fact, I'm not
certain that I don't now love college football even more
so or as much as the NFL. It's not a
(22:11):
slight on the NFL. I mean, I just really love
college football and college basketball I've always loved And then
when people started talking about tournament tournament expansion, and there
was always questions, you know, with the portal and free agency,
if you will, I think there were people that thought
it was doomsday and college basketball was done as we
know it. Where do we stand? Like once the dust
(22:32):
settles on all of this, I'm.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
Really worried about what will happen if they expand the
NCAA tournament. A lot of people, Oh, you're going to
ruin the tournament. No you're not. I mean, if you're
one of those people, and there are a lot of
them out there, if you if you say to somebody,
would you prefer sixty eight or seventy two or seventy six?
I did a Twitter pol exactly that several months ago.
(22:56):
The people who answer sixty sixty eight often will then
said we really only need sixty four. Those people will
always turn on the tournament at noon on Thursday. They
will not ever watch whatever you put unless it's their team.
Indian on some occasions has been in those games Carolina
last year. Unless it's their team, They're not turning on
(23:19):
the television on Tuesday or Wednesday. They're turning it on
when the sixty four goes up. So you're not going
to damage the tournament. What you're going to damage is
the college basketball regular season, which a large part of
the media, of very loud voices in the media that
have huge platforms already tell you it doesn't matter. Oh,
(23:41):
it's a one month sport. You hear it all the time,
not in Indiana very often unless you're turning on somebody national,
But that's what they say. And if you go to
putting seventy six teams in the field, there's a very
then we start to take the boat toward toward them
being right. And I don't want that.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
I love the.
Speaker 4 (24:02):
College basketball regular season. It's entertaining, it's invigorating, and there
is great suspense. Think about especially the people who are
listening to me now. Think about what it was like
in the last two weeks of last season when Ohio State, Nebraska,
and Indiana all had a chance to get in and
all happened to be playing in like a triangular thing.
(24:25):
They one played one, one played the other, then they
played and it all went around in a circle or
a triangle or whatever, and it was really something and
that will be gone like that will be that sort
of triangle will be contested among teams that aren't very
good at all, I mean at all. There's always a bubble,
(24:47):
but when you get that bubble to be teams that
really aren't any good. I mean, Indiana was pretty good
last year, just not good enough. Nebraska, same, Ohio State, same.
They all had deficiencies. They almost got there and they
probably you know, you could make the case for any
of them, Nebraska not after they missed a Big ten tournament.
If you could make a case for Ohio State or
(25:07):
Indiana that they could have been but they probably didn't
deserve it. And that's what we want. We want to
It's like the way I describe it is like should
a Deans list should it, like a B minus average
be a Deans list student? Just to make everybody feel better?
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Well, and my thing is this, Mike, and tell me
if you agree with this. If the NCAA Tournament wants
to expand, you know, the seventy two, seventy four cities
at whatever, Okay, fine, but I would hope that in
doing so, it is to allow the twenty eight and
three College of Charleston that got upset in the first
(25:42):
round of their conference tournament to still give them an
at large. If we're doing this in order to include
more seventeen and sixteen Minnesotas, Okay, that doesn't do anything.
Speaker 4 (25:53):
It's trying to happen. That's what's going to happen, because
I know the science of the bracket. I mean, I mean,
I'm not saying I've perfected it, but I've been doing
this for Fox Sports now for six years. We only
had a tournament in five but for six years, and
some of my brackets have scored very high. So I
have a good idea of what is next. And I'm
(26:15):
not saying that there are there aren't a team or here,
here or there that we'll be able to get in
that wouldn't have under the old formula. But if you
really like I was at Atlantic ten Media Day, they
had it here in Pittsburgh. It's the fiftieth anniversary of
the Atlantic ten at fiftieth anniversary season, so this is
where the league began. So they brought media day here.
(26:36):
They're bringing the tournament here in March, and there's a
lot of consternation there. But the problem that they have
isn't that they're not being evaluated properly. In the end,
the problem that they have is that they're not able
to schedule in the way that would be reasonable, especially
with the advent of this player's era stuff in Vegas,
(26:57):
and it's become even harder for them to get on
a neutral floor in Maui or the Bahamas or Charleston,
South Carolina, or wherever with teams at the high major level,
and so it becomes sort of exclusionary on that sense.
But they're not going to get in now because they
(27:18):
change the formula. At the end, it's just going to
be more teams from the Big ten, SEC, ACC, Big twelve,
and I mean even Tony Patiti said yesterday that the
reason that the league supports it, the Big Ten supports it,
is that with the size of the league, there is
concern about whether or not there are enough bids available
for the expanded major conferences. I mean, from that standpoint,
(27:43):
you got fourteen out of sixteen in the SEC last year.
If you're good enough, they're going to put you in.
It's that simple. And the ACC hasn't been good enough.
They talk a good game on media day in the ACC,
but then they don't back it up in non conference
play the Sea. He tore through a non conference play
last year and got all the bids they deserved. If
(28:05):
the Big Ten does that this year, and there's a
good chance that's going to happen, they'll get all the
bids they deserve.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Mike, do we have any idea yet, Mike de COURSI
is my guest from Sporting News. You know, I know this.
I know Indiana just played Obviously, Darren Devrees took his
guys down, played some exhibition games, and by all account
he is a very likable guy. I don't know a
lot about him. I don't know much about their roster
other than the fact also that it looks like they
(28:34):
could start the year out with four guys coming off
of injury. What do we know or what do you
feel about Indiana coming into this season?
Speaker 4 (28:44):
Well, first of all, Darren is a.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
He really built toward this.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
I mean, he spent gosh almost two decades coaching with
two of the great minds in college basketball. While at Creighton,
first Dana Allton uh and then uh and Ben mac McDermott.
He he coached under two of the best, and then
he got his break at Drake and he never didn't succeed.
(29:14):
And then he went to West Virginia and even with
a very injured roster, including his son Tucker is now
a Hoosier. Uh, they still were probably were They were
the one team that last year had a legit claim
to we really should have been in There was there
were there were marks against them, but they had a
legit shot that they could have been in to say,
say Carolina. But he so he has done a really
(29:38):
good coaching job every chance he's had. And so I
think that you have to feel like at Indiana you
have somebody who understands the game at a high level. Now, Uh,
he's going to have to get the recruiting back to
where say it was under Arch or maybe early early
(30:00):
under Mike Woodson they had some really good recruiting circumstances.
And then also you have to be shrewd in the
transfer portal. I think he did a good job with
some of the guys he brought in. Connor in Right,
for instance, did a really nice job at the Paul
last year. They actually won some games at some Big
East games at the Paul.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Connor was a part of that.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
So I think it's it's not going to be an
immediate fix, but they will be.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
They will play.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
Good basketball under degrees. And I think that in very
short order next year, the year after, you'll start to
see the rewards for investing in the higher I think
he wants to embrace being the Indiana coach. I always
wondered about Arts. I've known Arts for twenty years, twenty
(30:49):
five years, because we're both Pittsburgh people, and and so
I always wondered about whether that part of it, the
public part of it, would work for him. And I
convince myself after his press conference, Okay, it can work,
And then the next couple of years you could see
that it really just wasn't for him. And I don't
(31:09):
think it was ever for him for Mike Woodson, it
just he never connected with that. And I think Darren
understands that you do you take on the Indiana job,
you have to inhabit.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
That part of it as well.
Speaker 4 (31:21):
If you think you can just go hide in the
gym and X and O all day, it's never gonna work.
And I liked what he said at his press conference
in Chicago yesterday. He was very bright and engaging and
answered every question and seemed to embrace the role. I'm
(31:43):
not going to say he's John Calipari in that sense,
but I think he understands it, and I think he
can fulfill that.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Part of it.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
I have zero doubt about fulfilling the basketball part of it.
And then it's just a question of the recruiting part
is the third element, and.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
I suspect they'll find a way to do that.
Speaker 4 (32:00):
And in times when Mike was not not excelling, he
still was able to bring in some talent.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
Okay, you mentioned, Mike de Coursi that you are a
Pittsburgh guy, So I cannot let you go without asking this.
Because Indianapolis is off to a surprising start. Obviously at
four and one, I think we can say the Colts
are pretty good. And then you start looking around the
AFC at teams that you know, maybe are in that
same mix of a little bit better or in a
(32:27):
better situation than we thought. Is Pittsburgh legitimately good in
that AFC North or are that the beneficiary of two
teams in Cincinnati and Baltimore that have had injury hold
them back.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
Well, they haven't been beneficiary of that yet. I think
they would like to get on there.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
I just leading the Division.
Speaker 4 (32:44):
Yeah, I know, I'm just was going to make a
Lamar joke, but I mean, I think they'd like to
have a chance to be the beneficiary of not having
to play against Lamar, is what I was going to say,
because he's amazing. Is they have not played well yet,
except for the Vikings game in Ireland when they were
quite good. So they appear to be on an upwear trend.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
But they'll have a very difficult.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
Game on Sunday. I know, you look at it, three
and one Steelers, one in four Browns.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
What's hard about that?
Speaker 4 (33:11):
If you've watched the Browns, you understand it's not as
simple as it seems. It's an outstanding defense, maybe the
best defense in the league, and you have to be
ready to play against that. I think the Steelers can
get very good. I think they can, but their offensive
line has to get much better than it's been and
(33:33):
it's a process. They won't resolve that all in a week,
but it's possible that they could feel really good about
themselves by the time Indy gets here. It's also possible
that they could go the opposite direction. But if it
does go the opposite direction, they've got problems.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
November by the way, is that date when the Colts
will be in Pittsburgh and we will see very possible?
Does excuse me? That could be I should say, two
teams that might face one another, you know, somehow into
the postseason, but a lot of football to be played
between now and then. Mike appreciate it as always great
article on Braden Smith and the Boilers, and we certainly
(34:12):
look forward to talking to you over the course of
the basketball.
Speaker 4 (34:14):
Season anytime, Jake, always a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
I appreciate it. Mike de Coursey joining us on the
Java House, Peel and Poor Guests. Joining us now on
the Java House, Peel and Poor Guest line. He is
a friend of the show. You see him on the
Big ten Network. Dave Revsen joins us to talk primarily
Indiana and Oregon. Dave, how are you?
Speaker 3 (34:34):
I am doing well? What's going on?
Speaker 2 (34:36):
Jake?
Speaker 1 (34:37):
You know I'm still Dave. I just said I feel
like I'm in week fifty of saying to myself, is
this the week we find out if Indiana's for real?
Because it just still feels surreal, right, and the fact
that here it is top ten matchup with Oregon, and
yet I don't know you know with Oregon. I mean
(34:57):
this is they always have that time of year, Dave,
that's called Separation Saturday, where just teams kind of separate
from one another with big matchups. Is this one of them,
or in reality, is this a game that so long
it stays closed, it doesn't derail either team's postseason hopes.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
I think the latter, Jacob. I think these are both
really good teams. I mean, they're both in the top
ten in the nation in scoring offense, in scoring defense.
I don't think there's an obvious weakness that we've seen
with either one of them. I think they're both really good.
They've both had some games where they've played better than
other games. And you know, I still think Indiana's win
(35:38):
over Illinois like what else do you need? I mean,
they won by fifty three points. Like it's crazy to
me that there's still people who are doubting Indiana. And
I don't think like if you go into Oregon and
don't win at a place where you know, the home
team has won the most consecutive games of any stadium
in America, like somehow that that's going to reflect poorly Indiana.
(36:00):
Like I just don't get it. I don't. I don't
know what else they have to do. But obviously, were
they to go in and win, I mean, I think
this whole thing would hit like a totally different level.
I mean, you know, you might be looking at an
Indiana team that's that's ranked second in the nation or
you know, depending on what happens in Champagne. I mean,
you know, this is this could be a seismic win,
(36:22):
as I'm sure you know they've never won a road
game against the top five team in the history of
the program. I mean, you know, this would be in
some ways the most impressive win in the history of
Indiana football. So it's a huge opportunity. But I just
think that if they don't win, I don't think that
that tells us anything other than they're playing a really
good team tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
I watched Oregon, you know, like most against Penn State,
and Dave where I was so impressed was say what
you want about Penn State, and you know they're they're
disappointment a week later in the Rose Bowl. But to
go into Happy Valley in a why out like that,
in a hostile environment, Oregon not once, but like two
(37:02):
or three times in the last ten minutes of that
game had to have drives of complete pinpoint accuracy and
did exactly that. I thought. Offensively, they looked as efficient
as anybody I've seen in quite some time in those situations.
But what is what is the overwhelming strength and presentable
(37:23):
weakness of Oregon as you look at what Indiana is
going to try to exploit.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
I think that you can run the ball on Oregon
to go to the weakness, and we've seen some teams
do that. I thought Northwestern ran the ball pretty well
on them, so that that would be the one area
in obviously, so we know. I'm me in Indiana started
the year over three hundred yards for straight games running
the ball, and then you're just not going to do
that to Iowa. I mean, I wish is too good defensively,
(37:50):
but I think that that's the one area of weakness
that I could find, or relative weakness. I still think
Oregon's got a good run defense as far as strengths
say pretty much everything else. I mean, I I just
think they're really really good. I think you could make
an argument they're the most complete team in the country.
To your point, Dante More is just great. He's got
(38:11):
very talented wide receivers to Corey and Moore is outstanding
the freshman wide receiver. They've got talented wrong backs. They're
just a very very good team. They're gonna they're gonna
create some havoc up front and on defense. So I
think that's gonna be a challenge for sure. You know,
dealing with Mettelia Leangle. I mean, he's a he's a force,
(38:33):
and and you know, we saw It's interesting because I
think Kurtzignetti has said this right that like what separated
them last year from the from the two elite teams
that they lost to was offensive line, and was the
offensive line good enough? And he felt like it wasn't
and so they went out and made some changes. This
will be a good test of that how they deal
with Oregon's offensive line, because it's it's really good, really talented.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
Dave Revson is our guest good the defensive line. Sorry up, Yeah,
Dave Repsin's our guest from the Big Ten Network. He's
on the Java House peeling for guest line, Dave. When
you look at the conference in general, you know, and
I think obviously up top, those that we thought were
going to be there are there. But be it somebody
that is playing more competently than you expected, or somebody
(39:18):
who has been slower out of the gate than expected.
Who is your biggest surprise so far in the Big Ten.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
I think Michigan's actually a little bit better than I
thought they would be. I just thought, like with a
freshman quarterback, there'd be some growing pains, and they didn't
play great clearly when they play Oklahoma. But I think
they're a little ahead. I didn't think Justice Haynes would
be this good. I mean, he is really good. He's
as good at running back maybe as there is in
the country. I still don't think they're great at wide receiver.
(39:48):
They're very good defensively. I think it's a really interesting
game tomorrow them going to USC, because I think those
are two teams that you have to split too hard
to think. If things fall their way, they could be
teams that are in the College Football Playoff discussion. So
I think we learn a lot about Michigan, but I
didn't think they were quite at that CFP level. They
(40:08):
may not be. I mean, we may get to the
end of the day tomorrow and USC beats them, and
that would be a challenge for Michigan to make it
from there, but I'd say they're a little better. Look,
Penn State is a huge story on the flip side.
I mean they're not the only one, right We're dealing
with number one, number two, and number four in the
preseason poll are all out of the poll through one
(40:29):
week of games in October. I mean, that's just crazy.
It shows you, I think you know the degree of
parody that we have in college football right now. But
I'm astonished at what happened to Penn State. Not against Oregon.
I think Oregon's fabulous, and I thought Oregon was going
to win that game, but I mean to go to
UCLA and to lose, and to have so many chances
to come back and win the game and just never
(40:50):
be able to get a stop. I mean, it's really
astonishing to see what happened to them last week. And
you know they got to win out now. I mean,
they still have Indiana and Ohio State. So if you
win both those games, you're going to be in the playoffs.
I mean, you win everything else. But but there just
isn't a whole lot of evidence to support the notion
that they would win those you don't games because of
receiving from them.
Speaker 1 (41:10):
Dave one of them that has surprised me and I
because it's been like all of a sudden, I just
looked and saw it, you know, kind of snuck up
on me, I guess, And so maybe I'm naive here.
What has caused the you know, we're so used to
and accustomed to seeing Wisconsin being at the top. And
I think they have a good coach or certainly one
(41:32):
that came in with a big pedigree. What has been
the issue for the Badgers?
Speaker 3 (41:39):
Man, where do you want to start? They can't run
the ball. They cannot line up and run the ball.
And it's so weird because you think about the tradition
with Aryl Rez. Yeah, kind of the way that they
built that program. That part of it is crazy. I
believe they're lasting the big ten in rushing yards have
(42:00):
to they're either last or next to last, So that
part of it is really stunning. Look, they've had quarterback injuries.
Third straight year. Their starting quarterbacks gotten hurt. They're now
with a third different starter. They started Hunter Simmons, he's
a Southern Illinois transfer. Last week they have Danny O'Neil
who started at San Diego State last year. He started games. Obviously,
(42:22):
Billy Edwards is brought in to be the start of
the Maryland transfer. He's been hurt, so it's hard. There
are a lot of teams that are able to go
three deep at quarterback, and it felt like they kind
of reinforced themselves for just this eventuality and you know,
they find themselves here again. So they've had some rotten luck.
Their schedule is absolutely brutal, and so that doesn't help either.
(42:44):
I mean, there just aren't a lot of places on
the schedule for them to get well. But I'd say
those are the big things. I mean, just kind of offensively,
they're nowhere near reed expecting to be. They've got a
really good run defense, they've done on a great pass defense. Yeah,
it's it's wild. I mean, it's crazy to see it
because they've just been the model of consistency here, as
(43:04):
you know, Jake, for years and they're.
Speaker 2 (43:07):
Just not there.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
And it's the things that they built the identity of
the program around that they can't do.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
One other one for you, Dave, only because we haven't
had a chance to talk to you since you guys
were able to go around as a matter of fact, paratrooping, skydiving,
into the different which was fun. Into the different camps
over the course of the preseason, you got a chance
to be around and I know at this point zero
and two in the conference, but I personally, just in
watching games, I really liked what I've seen out of
(43:36):
Bury otom And by that, I mean he just looks
like a guy that has a control of the sidelines.
And while I realize that he is trying to get
a program going in the right direction, Purdue looks to
me like a team that does play with an increased
level of discipline. But I've not been to their practices.
You were around it. What were your impressions and takeaways
(43:56):
from West Lafayette.
Speaker 3 (43:58):
Well, I would just say, first of all, I agree
with everything you said about Barry Otam. He's great, Like
he's just totally buttoned out. He gets it. I can
see where players would really like him. He is a
low key demeanor to him that I think would be
really relatable for young people. I will say, Jake, like
they had they were not good the day we were there.
I mean they scrimmage and it was it was rough.
(44:21):
Now they everyone was getting reps, I mean literally every
single guy on the roster, and so sometimes you're looking at,
you know, look at a player like, wow, I was
a mess. But they are guys who probably aren't gonna
play all year, and it's hard to discern that. But
they to the degree to which they improved from the
day that we were there to the day they kicked
off the season was market It was really impressive. I
(44:43):
think offensively they're good. I mean, Ryan Brown has been
very good. I like a lot of the receivers they have.
It's been a little bit more of a challenge to
stop people defensively. Sometimes that takes longer. I just think
it's harder to out scheme people defensively, Like ultimately, you
still have to make the backle and they just haven't
necessarily been able to do that. They haven't necessarily been
(45:04):
able to cover in the way that they want to.
But I have one hundred percent belief in that he's
the right guy and that they'll turn this thing around
here sooner rather than later. Like, I don't think this
is going to be this kind of laborious build that
we used to see because in this day and age,
you can't turn things around much more quickly. Evidence what's
(45:25):
happened in Bloomington so yeah, I agree with you. I
think they got the right guy. I again, I just
think like fitting all those pieces together, It's not going
to happen overnight. But I think they've got a good plan,
and I really really like the direction of that program.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
Going to be a really busy slate of games in
the Big Ten coming up, obviously, as it is each
and every Saturday. Dave Revsen Big Ten Network lifelong White
Sox fan, but Cubs with a chance to punch their
ticket to the NLCS tomorrow? Do you get on the
Cubs bandwagon? I can't recall if you are one of
these that's like a North and South Side fan.
Speaker 3 (45:58):
No, I do not, in any way get on the
Cubs bandwagon. I would say I have, I have softened
this somewhat. In my old age, there was definitely, you know,
for years, I was just like, you know, if the
Cubs win the World Series, I'll just have to leave
the country. But once the White Sox had won it
(46:18):
and I saw it was a really special moment for
me and I don't want to, you know, take up time,
you know, talking about the two thousand and five Chicago
White Sox. So I'm sure it's a huge interest to
your listenership. It didn't Eve was the last game, as
you know, like my dad passed away in two thousand
and seven, and it was a huge sports fans the
reason I'm a sports fan. The last sporting event I
went to with my dad was Game two of the
(46:39):
World Series. Scott a pathetic to walk off home run
in the rain, and it is a memory I'll take
with me forever. And I have so many friends who's
who are Cubs fans and who I wanted to see
experience something similar with special people in their lives. So
I was happy when the Cubs won it. But now
that they've done it, I don't need to see them
do it again. So no, you know, like I'm I'm
(47:00):
all in on the Brewers.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
And yeah, he's wearing his throwback Cecil Cooper jersey as
we're talking.
Speaker 3 (47:08):
Yes, I mean that's just where I am. Like, like
I want to, you know, I want to pretend I'm
like a nice guy, but I mean everyone has their limits.
Speaker 1 (47:17):
No, that's their mind, I said, Dave. I'm telling you
I and my parents are huge Cubs fans. I grew
up a Reds fan, I said, when the Cubs were
on the cusp of it in twenty sixteen. I'm like, look,
it's great if you win a World Series, but once
you win a Cubs fans, you just become another obnoxious
fan base. Right the LoVa a loser, Matra is gone.
(47:39):
You're just another fan base. So I get it. So
go Brew crew.
Speaker 3 (47:43):
Right, I'm with you, Fingers come in.
Speaker 1 (47:53):
That's right. Better known as the President of the Gordon
Thomas Fan Club, Dave Repsen on the Java House, Peel
and Port guest line, Dave appreciate it as always, man,
enjoy the games this weekend. Great talk to Jake Dave
reps Some of the Big ten Network joining us
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