December 5, 2025 • 11 mins
Todd Blackledge from NBC Sports joins the program to give his perspective on tomorrow’s Big Ten Championship game between Indiana and Ohio State. He believes that Fernando Mendoza will use his legs more tomorrow night than he has during the season to keep the edge rushers for Ohio State at ease, admits that Indiana needs to find ways to make Julian Sayin uncomfortable because nobody has done that yet, and evaluates the chances of either OSU or IU still having a first round bye in the CFP with a loss.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now, one guy who has an objectivity about him because
he has to is Todd Blackletch, who of course is
with NBC when it comes to Big ten college football.
And I want to get the objective side of it,
because listen, I'm going to be a homer today because
I never thought i'd see it at fifty three years old,
that Indiana is right here, and I know how good
(00:20):
Ohio State is. But Todd black Litz joins us now
on the Java House Peel and poor guest line to
break down this game. Todd, it is a pleasure. How
are you?
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I'm doing good, Jake, how are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
You know? Hey, I'm I'm not gonna lie to you, man.
I'm fired up because I never thought i'd see it. Man,
I never ever thought i'd see it.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
I know Ohio State is outstanding. I know they're outstanding.
But let's begin with Indiana and this story of Kurt Signetti.
And it's not a news story, Todd, it's season two
of it. But as somebody who's been around the game
a lot, to what do you pinpoint the ability of
this guy to get this program to this point.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Well, you know it is the second year, but it's
no less remarkable still, I mean the job that he
has done and the turnaround and how immediate the turnaround
has been, and bringing the guys in from JMU, whether
it's staff guys or players that ended up being outstanding
Big Ten players as well. It's it truly is remarkable,
(01:23):
and it obviously started with him and starts with him
and his leadership and his process and culture. And I mean,
I think it's one of the great great stories of
college football since I've been covering it. You know, I think,
you know, what Nick Saban did at Alabama over a
period of time and just the championship level caliber that
(01:45):
he had that program, man, was an amazing story to
me also, But this what Percy that has done is remarkable.
And I think they're you know, I don't think they're
going anywhere soon, you know. I think they're better this
year than they were a year ago. And uh and
they were pretty good last year.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
When you look at and you played obviously Todd, you know,
for the biggest of programs, right, I mean at Penn
State and when you're playing for a legendary coach and
Joe Paterno and national championships and all of that. At
Penn State. It's kind of expected when you go there, right,
I mean, you knew what the pressure was going to
be from the time that you arrived. In Indiana's case,
(02:26):
and I know, again it's year number two and they
have become accustomed to winning under Kurt Signetti. But at
the same time, there is so much at stake with
this game in their home state against that program. Right,
do fans fans get nervous about it? Do you think
players do?
Speaker 2 (02:45):
I don't think they get nervous. I mean, you know,
there's a there's a normal energy, and you know, everybody
has butterflies, you know, before a game of this magnitude.
But then once, you know, once kickoff starts and you
start playing, it just gets back down to playing and
playing ball, you know, and doing what you've done week
in and week out. And again, you know, in the
case of Kurt Signetti and his staff, and the same
(03:07):
thing I would say with Ryan Day and his staff.
You know, they they have a process in place, a
day to day, practice to practice, game to game process
that doesn't deviate just because this is a different caliber
of game. I mean, they treat everything the same way.
It's in a different venue. You know, be a different
crowd makeup kind of thing. But at the same time,
(03:30):
they're going to stick to their process, and I think
both of them are very confident in the process and
then you know the way they do things.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I've been Todd Blackledge is my guest. He's on the
job of house peeling for guest line top. When you
look at this game, and I know Ohio State's outstanding,
so too is Indiana. You know, this really is to
some extent like that that little Spider Man gift right
of two strengths looking at one another because both teams
seemingly do the same things. Well, which which of these
(03:59):
two teams has the vulnerability that is more easier to
expose for the other?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Well, that's you know that that's gonna be a fun
thing to watch. I don't know. I would not say
that either team has a glaring vulnerability. You know. I
think they're both really well coached teams. I think they're
really solid in all three phases of the game, and
I think that's why they are where they are and
both being undefeated. You know, the one thing I will
(04:28):
say when I studied Indiana's game against Penn State, because
I had Penn State Nebraska, you know, a couple of
games after that. But when I studied that game, you
know it, it concerned me a little bit that the
protection for mendo Mendoza was you know that he was
running for his life some you know. Now, he came
(04:50):
back at the end and led a great drive and
the protection was good enough in that last drive for
him to hit some big time throws and but for
a lot of that game he under duress and so
that you know, that was the one little red flag maybe,
But again, I think the other part of that, you know,
he was playing without his favorite target and one of
(05:12):
his best receivers in Surat, and so you know that
took us something away from their past game. But I
think that that's you know, if I'm Indiana, that's my
first thing I've got. I've got to figure. I got
to make sure I protect the quarterback, you know, and
that's because he gives them a chance and you know,
as a you know, as a dual threat guy. And
I do think his legs in this game can be
(05:36):
a real factor. You know, at your point in the
season now where you know you you you don't hold
anything back. You give it your best shot and I
think that's Kurt Signetti's personality. I think that's Mendoza's personality.
And I think that, you know, part of their plan
will will involve him making plays with his legs as well.
(05:56):
I think he is more of a threat to do
that than Julian's saying is on the other side.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
That's okay. So let me ask you this, Todd Blackledge,
my guest, Indiana does have an ability to get to
quarterbacks on their defensive front. I mean, their pass rush
is very stout. But does that matter against saying I
haven't seen him enough to know how he is when
he has to kind of if he's got to be
slippery in the pocket. I know he's an incredibly accurate passer,
but is he Can you disrupt him at all?
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Well? I think you can, and I think you have to.
I mean, if you want to have a chance to
beat them, you have to find ways to make him uncomfortable.
Because this is a team. This is not like some
other Ohio State teams I've seen in the past, or
most college football teams. This is a team that throws
the ball better than they run the football. And you know,
(06:44):
I think their running game has gotten better. I think
Bo Jackson has kind of e merged as their feature back.
I think the left side of their offensive line from
a run blocking standpoint, is very solid, better than the
right side of their line. But the biggest thing they
do in the best thing they do because of the
skill set of Julian saying, and then the skill set
(07:05):
in particular of the guys out out wide, you know,
and Tate and Smith and now the tight end Max Claire,
is throw the football, and so you have to defend them,
maybe even a little bit more so like you would
defend an NFL team, which is we've got to affect
the quarterback. You know, we want to defend the run.
But you don't go into playing Ohio State saying we
(07:27):
have to we have to stop the run. That's first
and foremost. We have to stop the run because they'll
throw it, you know. And if you can't make the
quarterback uncomfortable, if you can't give him different looks, if
you can't put a little pressure on him, make him
hold the ball a little bit longer, get him out
of his comfort zone. He's just too accurate of a passer.
(07:48):
And those guys on the outside, you can't cover them.
So you know on a consistent basis, So so yes,
you have to find a way to make him uncomfortable.
And I think that Indiana, you know, with their simulated
pressures and the way they kind of do things defensively,
I think they have a chance to do that.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Todd, do you believe that regardless of what happens in
this game? And I know how bad Indiana fans want to,
you know, especially when to beat Ohio State, because to
be the best, you got to beat the best, right,
But h do both of these teams deserve a first
round by regardless of what happens tomorrow?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Uh, it's a good question. I don't. I don't know
if I don't know that that will happen, you know,
And I don't know for sure, you know, based on
the based on last year, whether that first round by
is a great thing or a point, you know, a
point I think. I think if you're playing well and
(08:43):
you've got things on a role, and you're healthy, you know,
I think most guys want to keep playing, you know. Now,
if you get some guys banged up in this game
and you need a little extra time, then then then
it can be beneficial. But but I'm not sure it's
the greatest thing to have. If you get a home game,
you know, and another chance to play in front of
(09:04):
your home crowd in December, and a playoff mode would
be pretty awesome.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Lastly, Bo Jackson, you mentioned the running back for Ohio State.
We have mentioned it several times this week. He is
of no relation. He is, of course, of the same name,
but no relation to the Bo Jackson Heisman winner and
legendary running back out of Auburn. Sometimes I feel bad
when guys have the same name of great players, because
that means one of the two kind of gets lost
in it and no bigger example of that, and both
(09:32):
of them are fabulous players. Kurt Warner the quarterback. Unfortunately,
I think Todd made people some people forget about Kurt Warner,
the running back and the one that you played with
at Penn State and went on to Seattle. I think
is one of the most underrated and underappreciated running backs
of the late eighties.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Tell me I'm wrong, Well, I see, you know, I'm
pretty biased, but I thought he was the best guy
I ever played with ever teammate. He was an outstanding
player at Penn State, and even though his career was shortened,
you know, by a knee injury. When he was in
the NFL, he was still incredibly productive, made a couple
of Pro Bowls, got the Seahawks into the playoffs. He
(10:10):
was a great, great player, and he had the ability
to you know, to me, his superpower as a running
back was he had the ability to cut and move
laterally without losing speed. And you know, just very few
guys that I've seen, you know, have that ability to
do that. But he was. He was a special player.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Over fourteen hundred yards on two occasions, for over one
thousand yards in his NFL career. Loved Kurt Warner, and
I love those Seahawks uniforms, so there's probably a bias
for me there as well. Loved him Todd one time.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
What's that funny? I was just gonna say one thing.
That's funny. You talked about Bo Jackson and having the
same name. The irony of that is his actual real
Oh I know, LaVar, Yeah, but he knows by both
if you're not related to either one.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Of course, here's the thing, Todd, let's be real, okay,
I mean he's going to be fine no matter which
one of those he replicates, right, I mean either one.
He gets the career of either one of those two guys.
He's in pretty good shape.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Yeah, that's right, Todd.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
I appreciate the time. I know it's a busy time
and certainly enjoy watching you with all of your coverage,
especially on NBC. And appreciate the.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Time today you got it man, enjoy the weekend.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Appreciate it. Todd Blackliss joining US Java House, Peel and
Port guest
Now, one guy who has an objectivity about him because
he has to is Todd Blackletch, who of course is
with NBC when it comes to Big ten college football.
And I want to get the objective side of it,
because listen, I'm going to be a homer today because
I never thought i'd see it at fifty three years old,
that Indiana is right here, and I know how good
(00:20):
Ohio State is. But Todd black Litz joins us now
on the Java House Peel and poor guest line to
break down this game. Todd, it is a pleasure. How
are you?
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I'm doing good, Jake, how are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
You know? Hey, I'm I'm not gonna lie to you, man.
I'm fired up because I never thought i'd see it. Man,
I never ever thought i'd see it.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
I know Ohio State is outstanding. I know they're outstanding.
But let's begin with Indiana and this story of Kurt Signetti.
And it's not a news story, Todd, it's season two
of it. But as somebody who's been around the game
a lot, to what do you pinpoint the ability of
this guy to get this program to this point.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Well, you know it is the second year, but it's
no less remarkable still, I mean the job that he
has done and the turnaround and how immediate the turnaround
has been, and bringing the guys in from JMU, whether
it's staff guys or players that ended up being outstanding
Big Ten players as well. It's it truly is remarkable,
(01:23):
and it obviously started with him and starts with him
and his leadership and his process and culture. And I mean,
I think it's one of the great great stories of
college football since I've been covering it. You know, I think,
you know, what Nick Saban did at Alabama over a
period of time and just the championship level caliber that
(01:45):
he had that program, man, was an amazing story to
me also, But this what Percy that has done is remarkable.
And I think they're you know, I don't think they're
going anywhere soon, you know. I think they're better this
year than they were a year ago. And uh and
they were pretty good last year.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
When you look at and you played obviously Todd, you know,
for the biggest of programs, right, I mean at Penn
State and when you're playing for a legendary coach and
Joe Paterno and national championships and all of that. At
Penn State. It's kind of expected when you go there, right,
I mean, you knew what the pressure was going to
be from the time that you arrived. In Indiana's case,
(02:26):
and I know, again it's year number two and they
have become accustomed to winning under Kurt Signetti. But at
the same time, there is so much at stake with
this game in their home state against that program. Right,
do fans fans get nervous about it? Do you think
players do?
Speaker 2 (02:45):
I don't think they get nervous. I mean, you know,
there's a there's a normal energy, and you know, everybody
has butterflies, you know, before a game of this magnitude.
But then once, you know, once kickoff starts and you
start playing, it just gets back down to playing and
playing ball, you know, and doing what you've done week
in and week out. And again, you know, in the
case of Kurt Signetti and his staff, and the same
(03:07):
thing I would say with Ryan Day and his staff.
You know, they they have a process in place, a
day to day, practice to practice, game to game process
that doesn't deviate just because this is a different caliber
of game. I mean, they treat everything the same way.
It's in a different venue. You know, be a different
crowd makeup kind of thing. But at the same time,
(03:30):
they're going to stick to their process, and I think
both of them are very confident in the process and
then you know the way they do things.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I've been Todd Blackledge is my guest. He's on the
job of house peeling for guest line top. When you
look at this game, and I know Ohio State's outstanding,
so too is Indiana. You know, this really is to
some extent like that that little Spider Man gift right
of two strengths looking at one another because both teams
seemingly do the same things. Well, which which of these
(03:59):
two teams has the vulnerability that is more easier to
expose for the other?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Well, that's you know that that's gonna be a fun
thing to watch. I don't know. I would not say
that either team has a glaring vulnerability. You know. I
think they're both really well coached teams. I think they're
really solid in all three phases of the game, and
I think that's why they are where they are and
both being undefeated. You know, the one thing I will
(04:28):
say when I studied Indiana's game against Penn State, because
I had Penn State Nebraska, you know, a couple of
games after that. But when I studied that game, you
know it, it concerned me a little bit that the
protection for mendo Mendoza was you know that he was
running for his life some you know. Now, he came
(04:50):
back at the end and led a great drive and
the protection was good enough in that last drive for
him to hit some big time throws and but for
a lot of that game he under duress and so
that you know, that was the one little red flag maybe,
But again, I think the other part of that, you know,
he was playing without his favorite target and one of
(05:12):
his best receivers in Surat, and so you know that
took us something away from their past game. But I
think that that's you know, if I'm Indiana, that's my
first thing I've got. I've got to figure. I got
to make sure I protect the quarterback, you know, and
that's because he gives them a chance and you know,
as a you know, as a dual threat guy. And
I do think his legs in this game can be
(05:36):
a real factor. You know, at your point in the
season now where you know you you you don't hold
anything back. You give it your best shot and I
think that's Kurt Signetti's personality. I think that's Mendoza's personality.
And I think that, you know, part of their plan
will will involve him making plays with his legs as well.
(05:56):
I think he is more of a threat to do
that than Julian's saying is on the other side.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
That's okay. So let me ask you this, Todd Blackledge,
my guest, Indiana does have an ability to get to
quarterbacks on their defensive front. I mean, their pass rush
is very stout. But does that matter against saying I
haven't seen him enough to know how he is when
he has to kind of if he's got to be
slippery in the pocket. I know he's an incredibly accurate passer,
but is he Can you disrupt him at all?
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Well? I think you can, and I think you have to.
I mean, if you want to have a chance to
beat them, you have to find ways to make him uncomfortable.
Because this is a team. This is not like some
other Ohio State teams I've seen in the past, or
most college football teams. This is a team that throws
the ball better than they run the football. And you know,
(06:44):
I think their running game has gotten better. I think
Bo Jackson has kind of e merged as their feature back.
I think the left side of their offensive line from
a run blocking standpoint, is very solid, better than the
right side of their line. But the biggest thing they
do in the best thing they do because of the
skill set of Julian saying, and then the skill set
(07:05):
in particular of the guys out out wide, you know,
and Tate and Smith and now the tight end Max Claire,
is throw the football, and so you have to defend them,
maybe even a little bit more so like you would
defend an NFL team, which is we've got to affect
the quarterback. You know, we want to defend the run.
But you don't go into playing Ohio State saying we
(07:27):
have to we have to stop the run. That's first
and foremost. We have to stop the run because they'll
throw it, you know. And if you can't make the
quarterback uncomfortable, if you can't give him different looks, if
you can't put a little pressure on him, make him
hold the ball a little bit longer, get him out
of his comfort zone. He's just too accurate of a passer.
(07:48):
And those guys on the outside, you can't cover them.
So you know on a consistent basis, So so yes,
you have to find a way to make him uncomfortable.
And I think that Indiana, you know, with their simulated
pressures and the way they kind of do things defensively,
I think they have a chance to do that.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Todd, do you believe that regardless of what happens in
this game? And I know how bad Indiana fans want to,
you know, especially when to beat Ohio State, because to
be the best, you got to beat the best, right,
But h do both of these teams deserve a first
round by regardless of what happens tomorrow?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Uh, it's a good question. I don't. I don't know
if I don't know that that will happen, you know,
And I don't know for sure, you know, based on
the based on last year, whether that first round by
is a great thing or a point, you know, a
point I think. I think if you're playing well and
(08:43):
you've got things on a role, and you're healthy, you know,
I think most guys want to keep playing, you know. Now,
if you get some guys banged up in this game
and you need a little extra time, then then then
it can be beneficial. But but I'm not sure it's
the greatest thing to have. If you get a home game,
you know, and another chance to play in front of
(09:04):
your home crowd in December, and a playoff mode would
be pretty awesome.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Lastly, Bo Jackson, you mentioned the running back for Ohio State.
We have mentioned it several times this week. He is
of no relation. He is, of course, of the same name,
but no relation to the Bo Jackson Heisman winner and
legendary running back out of Auburn. Sometimes I feel bad
when guys have the same name of great players, because
that means one of the two kind of gets lost
in it and no bigger example of that, and both
(09:32):
of them are fabulous players. Kurt Warner the quarterback. Unfortunately,
I think Todd made people some people forget about Kurt Warner,
the running back and the one that you played with
at Penn State and went on to Seattle. I think
is one of the most underrated and underappreciated running backs
of the late eighties.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Tell me I'm wrong, Well, I see, you know, I'm
pretty biased, but I thought he was the best guy
I ever played with ever teammate. He was an outstanding
player at Penn State, and even though his career was shortened,
you know, by a knee injury. When he was in
the NFL, he was still incredibly productive, made a couple
of Pro Bowls, got the Seahawks into the playoffs. He
(10:10):
was a great, great player, and he had the ability
to you know, to me, his superpower as a running
back was he had the ability to cut and move
laterally without losing speed. And you know, just very few
guys that I've seen, you know, have that ability to
do that. But he was. He was a special player.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Over fourteen hundred yards on two occasions, for over one
thousand yards in his NFL career. Loved Kurt Warner, and
I love those Seahawks uniforms, so there's probably a bias
for me there as well. Loved him Todd one time.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
What's that funny? I was just gonna say one thing.
That's funny. You talked about Bo Jackson and having the
same name. The irony of that is his actual real
Oh I know, LaVar, Yeah, but he knows by both
if you're not related to either one.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Of course, here's the thing, Todd, let's be real, okay,
I mean he's going to be fine no matter which
one of those he replicates, right, I mean either one.
He gets the career of either one of those two guys.
He's in pretty good shape.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Yeah, that's right, Todd.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
I appreciate the time. I know it's a busy time
and certainly enjoy watching you with all of your coverage,
especially on NBC. And appreciate the.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Time today you got it man, enjoy the weekend.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Appreciate it. Todd Blackliss joining US Java House, Peel and
Port guest
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