Big June Q&A + College Football Podcast for 6/23

Ty and Dan dive into a heaping pile of Verballer questions for the month of June, ranging from Steve Sarkisian's future at Texas to sleeping recruiting juggernauts to the underrated elements that make college football great. This is the public facing portion of a larger Q&A episode, with part 2 available exclusively at Verballers.com.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to the solid verbal. Ll that for me. I'm
a man, I'm forty. I've heard so many players say,
well I want to be happy. You want to be
happy for a day? Edo steak is that woo woom?
And Dan and Tie.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Welcome back to the solid verbal boys and girls. My
name is Ty Hildebrand. That fine gentleman over there, he
is the birdman of Chicago.

Speaker 1 (00:26):
Tras Dan rubenses, Sir.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
I have a bone to pick with you on the
bird thing. Oh because I called it a hawk, Well
you called it a red tailed hawk. And as I
was thinking more about it, I was wondering if it
was some of your Lafayette bias coming through anti mountain hawk,
mountain hawks, lehigh.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
What's always the engineers, always the engineers? TI, come on,
how are you? I'm good, life is Life is pretty good.
I just had a little bit of food, I'm caffeinated,
I'm hydrated, and I'm all together. Extremely excited for the
questions we received. Of course, patrons from verballers dot com
get priority with this Q and a MEGAQ and a episode.

(01:04):
Of course, it's extended for patrons on verballers dot com.
I love these episodes. I love the give and take
of hearing from listeners weighing in on what they're curious about,
be it about quarterbacks or coaches, or records or road
trip diner strategies, which is I think something that came

(01:28):
in there, or any sort of animus towards Draymond Green
for entering the podcasting space. I love all of those
those ways. So no, these are always my favorite shows,
and it is reflective in the number of people who
ask questions and listen to these shows absolutely well.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
Today, as Dan mentioned, is the Big June Q and
A episode. It's two parter. Part one, the larger part,
let's say, will be available publicly, but we're gonna save
some of the good stuff for the Patreon baller Hood,
which again you can access over at verbalers dot com.
Get access to the whole shebang, not only the whole shabang,
but also video. You can also dive on in with

(02:10):
our discord server or discord chat, whichever terminology you prefer,
and some of the other bonus stuff that we're offering
over on Patreon. One more time verballers dot com. Oh,
by the way, this episode allver episode driven by our
good friends over at Geico. We appreciate their support so so.

Speaker 1 (02:28):
Very very much.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
Yes, don't forget to go on out to solid giveaway
dot com. You got about a week left to throw
your name in the hat to win that Brian Brazie
signed Clemson mini helmet.

Speaker 1 (02:38):
About a week left.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
We will draw a winner when the contest is through
and send that helmet out. And if I didn't mention
it at the top, do not hesitate to subscribe to
the Solid Verbal.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
We are doing episodes each and every.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
Week, twice a week until we get into preview mode
at some point next season, at which point we flip
the switch, we throw the breaker dam and then suddenly
it's three episodes a week. That's when the rubble really
meets the road for us here at Solid Verbal HQ,
because that definitely signifies the start of preview for all
intents and purposes to start a college football season.

Speaker 1 (03:13):
So subscribe to the show.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Tell your friends, subscribe to the show, Follow us and
social media so you don't miss any of the clips
and fun stuff that we're posting out on YouTube or
TikTok or Instagram or wherever. Things are going to start
heating up here within the next month or so.

Speaker 1 (03:27):
Four plus shows if you're on Patreon right every week
during the season, news regarding merchandiseners regarding live shows, news
regarding updates to Patreon, news regarding updates to audio and video,
all sorts of stuff. We got previews starting before we
know it. So this is a time of great change.

Speaker 2 (03:49):
Oh yeah, Well, on that note, yeah, congratulations, Skippy, you've
got mail.

Speaker 1 (03:55):
You've got mail on the solid ruble.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
Once a month here in the office, and Dan, we've
been doing our part to pay homage to those of
you who write into soliverble at gmail dot com, to
those of you who send us tweets and dms on
Instagram and TikTok and YouTube and gosh knows wherever else, Facebook,
snail mail, carrier, pigeon, All of those communication methods have

(04:21):
been accounted for here in this big old doc that
we put together for our big June Q and A.
This is a combination of messages that we got from
folks publicly and folks privately, both an email and on Patreon.
So with that said, Dan, we've got a football bucket
and non football bucket.

Speaker 1 (04:41):
I leave it to you to pick the very first question.
Where do you want to go first? We're starting with football.
This is a college football audio program. And if you
can hear the lawnmower outside, the yard work outside, look,
we are lawn forward here because even as college football
goes more towards a turf model, which I understand, that's
smell of fresh grass that draws us back each autumn. Tie,

(05:03):
Am I wrong? Am I wrong? Raoul Alpha Patron if
blank could be one college football program, or could be several,
really gets it going on the recruiting trail, it would
cut into Alabama, Georgia or Ohio State's dominance in the sport.
Ohio State has been dominating the Big Ten East for

(05:24):
the most part. So who's to say, have they won
a national championship in a little It's been a minute,
right in a minute, in a minute, Ohio State, they've
dominated the recruiting trail in a way that ninety nine
point nine percent of the sport has not. But they
have they won a national championship since the inaugural College
Football Playoff b forgetting one, It's been a minute. Okay,

(05:44):
at a while. The Zeke Elliott over Oregon just incredible performance,
especially on that defense. Okay, I'm just wondering, is there
that program or programs that you say, okay, what Alabama
is doing. Obviously Texas A and M did this past
year has not gotten it done on the field, hasn't
gotten the results to cut into the on field dominance.

(06:05):
But certainly if a program could recruit like Texas A
and M just did consistently, it seems like it would
result in results. Who's that program? Who are those programs
that you're like, Okay, if this one to three grouping
of teams were generating top three classes most years, we

(06:27):
could see that taking a toll on Alabama, Georgia, well,
Ohio State, maybe to a lesser extent, Clemson.

Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yeah, it's a tricky question for two reasons. The first
is that this team, this group of teams, in order
to be eligible for the answer of this question must
have underperformed on some level over the last decade or so, right,
That's how I read it. And then secondly, the team

(06:54):
at least has to be in some strategic region so
that it could affect a Georgia and Ohio State in Alabama.
Those three programs, by the way, are somewhat unique in
that they've grown to a level where they can truly
recruit nationally. It doesn't matter where they're at. Obviously, if
you're in the Southeast, that works to Georgia's favor. If
you're in the Midwest the Northeast, that works so Ohio

(07:17):
State's favor. But these are programs that are recruiting from
all over. It's not limited to anyone corridor. So for
that reason, the most obvious answer for me was Florida State.
Florida State's recruiting over the last five years, you got
to go back about five years to find when they
were on the cusp of being a top ten program
in terms of recruiting. Outside of that, the last four

(07:39):
years it has basically been a top twenty program on
the recruiting trail. They would have done better last cycle
if not for the Travis Hunter debacle, which we've covered
extensively here on this show and many others have covered
on that bacle.

Speaker 1 (07:51):
He went to where he wanted to go for whatever reason.
That's okay, not a debacle for him, but there were
many folks out there who are calling Mike Norvel's head.
So in whatever level of debauchery you want to kind
of count that Travis Hunter thing. To Bacher, I love
that wherever you want to put the Travis Hunter thing. Yeah,

(08:13):
it definitely did not work to Florida State's favor. So
I think if they.

Speaker 2 (08:15):
Can quote unquote get it going, that could definitely eat
into the dominance that Alabama's had recruiting the state of Florida,
that Georgia's had recruiting the southeast, maybe Ohio state to
some extent. I would also then broaden the scope of
that answer and say, really, any of the teams in Florida, right, Miami,

(08:36):
Miami's done fairly well early on here in the Crystal
Ball here. If they can continue some of that momentum,
perhaps it eats into the Alabama side of things.

Speaker 1 (08:46):
Right.

Speaker 2 (08:46):
One of the things that we heard so much about
with Alabama as they have risen, Miami has kind of
gone in the opposite direction. And one of the things
that the recruiting people will tell you is that Alabama
built pipelines into South Florida. It eight directly into where
Miami would usually recruit. And so maybe if Crystal Ball
could rebuild some of those pipelines and steer some of

(09:06):
those guys away from other programs, can it can have
some sort of knock on effect. I would also throw
Florida in there. Look, we've talked a lot about Billy Napier,
how he liked Billy Napier at Gainsville, and and why
we think he can do well there. The recruiting last
cycle one great definitely could have been better.

Speaker 1 (09:26):
So Dan Mullen had some really good but not great
classes top ten ish but not necessarily every year. And
unless you're stacking top ten top six types classes, then
it is it is difficult to make that dent. It's
difficult to make the dent.

Speaker 2 (09:42):
It's also difficult to truly include Florida as part of
this answer because Florida's bio art has been okay on
the recruiting trail, it hasn't been disaster. So I just
I was really focused on Florida with this answer, if
only because there is such a high concentration of D
one talent down there.

Speaker 1 (10:00):
So I got a two pronged answer. The easiest way
to end or curtail the dominance of these types of
programs on the field is for teams within their division
or conference to be the ones attracting more and more talent.
Because if Alabama goes ten to two, eleven and one
and are clearly excellent, but are not winning the West.
And yes they've gotten to the playoff without winning their division,

(10:22):
but it's harder, it's a more difficult path, as we
saw last year with Ohio State. Ohio State lost once
in the Big Ten, but they lost to the team
that won the division. And even though they were of
playoff caliber, especially on offense, mostly on offense, they weren't
sniffing the playoff. So Michigan ascending even though Michigan hasn't
recruited in a way anywhere near Ohio State. Interesting, I mean,

(10:44):
that's not fully fair, but yes, they've recruited well, but
not cartoonishly well like Ohio State has. So the answer
to me is so like LSU, right, LSU has can
has the ability to string together top five classes. If
they can find that quarterback like they sort of stumbled
into with Joe Burrow, then all of a sudden it

(11:04):
becomes increasingly difficult for both Georgia and Alabama to dominate
the field and get to the playoff. LSU because of
you know, the being in Louisiana, which per capita is
one of the most intensely sought after states to find recruits,
and also their access to East Texas in the Houston area,
and they've raised their reputation nationally. Like, if you're a

(11:25):
top dB, why wouldn't you consider LSU with what they've
put into the league recently and over the last you know, ten, fifteen,
twenty years. So LSU is one of those programs. To me,
Tennessee could potentially, especially if they are able to continue
finding quarterbacks to run that sort of exciting type of offense,
because as we're seeing, the teams that attract the best

(11:47):
receivers tend to find themselves in those January situations, right
that they have those types of game breakers that no
matter how well you scheme, if you can't stay in
front of DeVante Smith, if you can't stay in front
of Jermaine Burton, if you can't stand in front of
Jerry Judy or whoever, doesn't matter. The other prong to
this is probably USC, even though USC is not in

(12:10):
the division or the conference of those schools, but because
those schools have become reliant on plundering the West Coast
for pieces, especially on offense. When you look at the
best tight end in college football last year was from Napa, California.
Brock Bowers, c J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Now, DJ, you

(12:32):
didn't work out to us from the West coast footprint
in Hawaii. And so when those schools are able to
start filling in spots with West coast talent, West coast
quarterbacks and Ohio State going to I think the state
of Washington. They've gotten receivers from there. The number one
overall player defensive lineman JT. Tuamalu is from Washington. That

(12:53):
when those schools are able to go into the backyard
of USC, Oregon, Washington, Stanford, Arizona State, whoever be John
Robinson from Arizona. Like, there's all sorts of examples of
these schools from elsewhere coming to the West coast in
a way that they traditionally hadn't when either USC, UCLA,

(13:13):
Oregon whoever was able to keep those guys within the footprint.
So USC rising to the occasion and keeping CJ. Stroud home,
Bryce Young hoolme he was committed to USC at a
certain time. Now Malachi Nelson is the current five star
that's committed to USC that otherwise in the Clay Helton
Era may have committed to and may have been committed

(13:33):
to Oklahoma right and to a school not in that footprint.
So those are the types of schools that I think
a lot is dependent on the PAC twelve. This is
a hypothetical establishing itself as a big time college football conference.
I feel like because talking about that possibility for ten years,

(13:54):
right and it was who was it that there's a
running back? I think it's Kendall Milton from Northern California,
Najie Harris from Northern California that how do you blame
any of these guys for going to the sec ACC
Big ten when the stage is under much brighter lights
and there's just so much more attention, So you can't
blame them for leaving. But if Dan Landing does the job,

(14:16):
if Lincoln Riley does the job that they should be
doing in terms of recruiting the West Coast, that will
eat into some of the gains that those types of
schools that can sort of have their choice of guys
for the most part, no matter where they are in
the country. So that that would be my like, that's
my two pronged answer. It's LSU, Tennessee, USC, maybe to

(14:38):
a lesser extent, Oregon just because it's more difficult to
attract guys to Eugene than it is to LA. But
like Texas has recruited super well well.

Speaker 2 (14:47):
And that's why I didn't include USC frankly, because USC
has not especially had what I would consider a recruiting problem.
Maybe they've recruited the wrong types of guys, and talent
development has been a big issue. But I think what
you're describing is taking recruiting to a different stratosphere, and
that's seemingly what Lincoln Riley has started to do. We'll

(15:08):
see if that trend can continue.

Speaker 1 (15:10):
Yeah, no, and it's it really is eating into the
dominance along the lines of scrimmage. Ohio State and Alabama
Georgia have done such a good job recruiting offense and
a defensive lineman and you're just not going to get
that in the West coast footprint. But if LSU starts
bringing in more guys Tennessee again is the other name
Texas A and M has started to do that. It

(15:30):
was top five to ten type classes until last year,
and so you start stringing those types of classes together. Yeah,
A and M beat Alabama with a roster that won't
be as good as it will be in the next
couple of years. So that's a good sign. A and
M needs to find that quarterback, develop that quarterback, and
let that quarterback shine. And what I would argue is

(15:51):
a better and more productive offensive system than what they're
where they've been these past few years under Jimbo. But yeah,
that's the obvious answer that if if if if if
if if, if the Aggies can fulfill the promise of
their roster, that's the most obvious short term answer. But
in terms of stacking those classes year over year, I

(16:12):
think there are a few. Yeah, I mean, the other
way to fill in the blank is to say, if
nil can really get going on the recruiting trail, sure
I could cut into Bama, Georgia, Ohio State. I've got
an interesting answer, auxiliary, not as obvious, what about Michigan
State because mel Tucker has been an aggressor both in
recruiting high school talent and in the portal where I

(16:35):
don't think they will supplant Ohio State if things continue
going the direction that they are. But if you'll remember
the best of Michigan State playoff program, albeit briefly could
have was a major major thorn, a sharp, aggressive thorn
in Ohio state side under Urban Meyer.

Speaker 2 (16:54):
Yeah, well, I was just reading an article before we
hit record on Jack Broussard yeperhaps what he could mean
to the Spartan program. I look, I think there is
real value in a program, maybe not rising up to
be playoff caliber, but recruiting well enough and being coached
well enough to be a truth thorn in the side,

(17:14):
that sharp, prickly thorn.

Speaker 1 (17:17):
A peyton thorn. Oh boy, oh oh my, yeah, I'm
printing that one. Hold on, I'm printing out of that
one that goof out loud, just to put it on
my wall for later continue.

Speaker 2 (17:32):
I think there's real value in being that thorn in
the side of especially in the big ten East, where
you've got Penn State, you've got Ohio State, you've got
Michigan all vying to be that next team up, you know,
to rise up on the national level, let's say, and
be a real serious contender for the championship. Michigan State

(17:54):
could potentially be that team that is the fly in
the ointment, the thorn in the side that prevents it
all from happening, and over the course of time, Dan,
that could have an effect too. Yeah, that can have
an effect on my reading trail as well.

Speaker 1 (18:06):
All right. Next question, by the way, my answer would
have included Penn State, had we not already seen James
Franklin recruit on a high level and not put a
dent in Io State's postseason aspirations all that often. Yea, yeah,
so we've tried to see that happen, but it has not. Okay,
next question, who is the most dude alert? I don't

(18:28):
have it the sound you may who is the most
dude alert player in solid verbal history? Wow?

Speaker 2 (18:35):
I do not have it on the soundboard at the moment,
and I feel a sense of shame honestly for not
having it. But it is the off season.

Speaker 1 (18:44):
Oh wait, no, hold on, I do? Hold on?

Speaker 2 (18:45):
Do you I think I do? Tide, And right in
the middle of my soundboard, I apologize to one and
all most due to alert. So we give dood alerts
out during the season after particular amazing individual performances, and
after a long time of doing this show, we developed

(19:08):
the sound for it because we felt we just needed
to give awards for these types of performances that just
bring us to our feet over the course of time.
If you get enough duod alerts, we just retire you
from being a dude now you can't get too many
dood alerts. We need to start paving the way for
other folks. So you're the one who puts the list together, true,

(19:29):
and so I sort of defer to you on this one.
I have some names obviously that come to mind, but
who really stands out to you in the dood alert category?

Speaker 1 (19:40):
Okay? So there are a couple of positions that I
put at a higher level of individual excellence than other positions,
and that's basically a pass rusher or a wide receiver.
Running Backs have the ability, like we can look at
melgor who was sensational, but they have the ability to

(20:01):
change games and put up a ton of yardage. But
some of them are advantaged in ways that others aren't.
That like if you're running in a Wisconsin system or
what was Stanford's system, well successful version of Stanford's system,
Like I would argue the two most not unstoppable but
impressive performers like Christian McCaffrey because he was all everything,

(20:26):
like Reggie Bush predates dude alert, so I can't. He
predates the solid verbal like Christian McCaffrey, especially the way
he finished his career against Iowa in the All purpose
way where like anytime he touches the ball like you
should be holding your breath, Like Iowa didn't touch him
the first half of that Rose Bowl a good good
Iowa defense shout out? Was it Josie Jewel who I

(20:47):
don't know in that linebacking corps. DeVante Smith is another
one where when you watch that player, like you can
talk about Aiden Hutchinson and Jadeveon Clowney and guys who
are just unstoppable no matter like the other pass rusher,
by the way is now I'm totally blanking on his name,
can completely picture him. The Ohio State defensive end Chase Young,

(21:09):
Chase Young, Chase Young, yep where at the start of
every game Kirk Kurbstreet Joel klatt Wax is poetic about
how the other team's offense has to completely change the
way that they game plan because of this single game wrecker.
So Chase Young falls under that like all time, dude,

(21:31):
list what DeVante Smith did in saying you can do
any type of you can call any type of coverage,
you can put your best corner, you can have a
safety over the top and we'll just get it to
me on an end around and oh it went for
eighty three. That type of thing is what separates him

(21:51):
from other excellent receivers, that there's just nothing you can do,
like maybe Taevon Austin when he lined up at running
back in a pin against Oklahoma and a losing effort.
There are guys like that, but that type of there's
nothing you can do, including double teams to stop what
we have with this player, That to me is the

(22:13):
essence of dutyness, the essence of duty noess. I was
thinking of Scooby Right.

Speaker 2 (22:19):
I don't know if that was before the day and
age of doodle alerts, but Scooby Wright was a name
that before that. I know we talked an awful lot
about we developed the whole sound for Nick Foles in
a losing effort. I feel like that also predates our
dood alert segment. Nick Foles surely would have been a

(22:39):
dude in that segment if not for the fact that
he lost every game and we had a separate sound
for him back in twenty eleven whenever that was right.
So I agree with you that there are some positions
that stand out a little bit more than others. And
I refer to your judgment here because you are the
one putting the list together on a weekly basis.

Speaker 1 (22:57):
Shout out Suburban legends for that clip an all time
legendary Orange County SKA band. Yeah. When the ability to
shine through double teams when you look at the end
of the season and a defensive tackle has thirty three
tackles for a loss, like oh and Dominican Sue is different.
Aaron Donald is different and so that to me, like

(23:20):
Nick Fairley when he was shining for Auburn. Now it
predates the sound that we used in the awards that
weekly awards that we give at the end of our
recap shows. But yeah, the ability to shine, no matter
how many talented players are thrown at him, separates the
dudes from the merely great running back, great receiver, great

(23:42):
edge rusher, whatever. Like Aiden Hutchinson flashed all time dutyess
excellence last year. Yeah, that's all all right. Next topic,
Next question, Ty, which freshman or newcomer are you most
excited to watch this fall? Could be a freshman, a transfer,
someone who hasn't played much yet.

Speaker 2 (24:05):
Yeah, I mean, there are a couple of different ways
you could go with this.

Speaker 1 (24:08):
He really this is Chris, I believe. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (24:11):
From Patreon there are so many different ways that you
can answer this question, he says, freshman, newcomer transfer. Really
could be anybody, Yeah, could be anybody. I'm interested in
the quinn Ewers thing, Okay, when yours isn't under the
radar by any stretch. That's partially by design. But we
just haven't seen any actual gameplay from him yet. And

(24:34):
can he be the guy who elevates the Texas the
Sark offense to a different level and finally gets Texas
to what we would consider quote unquote back mm hmm, maybe, sir. Personally,
I'm interested in Tyler Buckner, the real TB twelve, as
you and I have started referring to him on our
slack chat Buckner, we didn't see a whole lot of them.

(24:55):
I think the bits and pieces we did for me
as a Notre Dame fan were frustrated because I know
he can do more than just run. This season, it's
his team. This season, we'll find out what Buckner's made
out of and hopefully he can stay healthy and hopefully
we can see that true dual threat nature to his
game and what Tommy Reese and unfetter Tommy rees can

(25:17):
do with that remains to be seen. Other names that
jump out to me, I am a little bit selfish
with the answer to this question. Nicholas Singleton for Penn State, right,
the heralded running back out of Redding, PA, The five star.
Penn State's running game has been truly awful the last
two seasons, and it is painful to watch that occur,

(25:40):
if only because in recent memory we've got the Saquon
Barkley eram. A lot of that was probably Saquon's individual
brilliance overcoming some shortcomings on the offensive line, But it's
hard to go from watching Saquon to watching what Penn
State's been as a a rushing team over the last

(26:01):
couple of seasons. Can Singleton do that? Can Singleton do
the Saquon stuff? Probably not, but he's a pretty gifted runner.
He can get north and south pretty quickly, and if
any of what he did in high school translates to
the college game, that could be a really exciting moment
for Penn State football.

Speaker 1 (26:20):
In that offense, I've.

Speaker 2 (26:22):
Already got Sean Clifford. It's gonna be a year two
is of Mike Yersic. Let's see what they can do
with a bona fide five star running back in Nick Singleton,
other names.

Speaker 1 (26:32):
Other names. I've got a lot, I've got a lot.
I mean Caleb Williams at USC with the receiver throwing
to Mario Williams and Jordan Addison. Sure, no excuse, Like, look,
the USC's offensive line will only be well, we'll should
probably be fine, but nothing crazy. It's not what Oklahoma's
was for all those years. I am. I'm curious about

(26:56):
the freshman quarterbacks who are already going to be the
most popular players on the team behind Sean Clifford and
dj Uyungala La. So you got dru Alar at Penn
State who physically looks the part, right, he's a bigger dude, Yeah,
I believe right, fall are bigger, and then Kate Klubnick
at Clemson because they're already like, yeah, if he's good,

(27:17):
yeah quickly if Dju isn't, well, that conversation start to happen.
So those are some I'm curious about the eventual deep
rotation of Texas A and M's defensive line. You know,
Walter Nolan and the guys like that who came in
and are immediately going to be pretty dangerous as far
as I can tell, DJ Diurkins defense as he replaces

(27:40):
Mike Elko. There have been quarterback transfers all over. I
mean Dylan Gabriel at Oklahoma. That's it's a fun system
that Jeff Levy runs. The depth of receiver and offensive
skill talent isn't there to me the way has been
these past years, which is okay. But I think he's
talented enough and you know what he can do in
bombing it downfield, and has the experience with Jeff Levy,

(28:00):
which I think makes it interesting enough. I mean, those
are headline type programs and the headline type players at
those programs. Here's another name, just in terms of younger
quarterbacks pushing in trench starters. What about JJ McCarthy at
Michigan The uh there's a legend of JJ McCarthy. Yeah,

(28:21):
there's a lot around the sport this year that's just
low key. Well, if this guy doesn't really improve, who's
the probable starter, Like I don't know, there's somebody behind
him who we can have a conversation about in Week five.
There's a lot of that within the sport this year,
very quietly, and some of it's already like shaken out
with like Blake Shapin taking over for Bohannon, even though

(28:43):
Bohannon was the entrent starter, but Shapen looked good in
his limited time at Baylor when Bohannon was hurt. There's
a lot of that around the sport. Like we got
an email that was like, hey, guys, just so you know,
Garrett and Asmeyer is going to be the guy at LSU. Great,
that's a name I'm interested in. All of of a
sudden has one of the probable what three to five
best receivers in the game in Kay sham Boute. Like

(29:05):
it's all over the place that we have these just
very quiet quarterback not battles, but somebody waiting in the
wings that has people more intrigued. I mean it's the
old you know, is the backup better than the starter
kind of thing. There's a lot of that this year. Yeah,
oh yeah.

Speaker 2 (29:21):
Did you mention Evan Stewart for a and m wide out?

Speaker 1 (29:24):
No? No, I mean yeah, he's he's for sure a
new name that he's Freshman receivers can be tricky, but yes.

Speaker 2 (29:30):
I think he's the real deal and I think if
if if as good as advertised, he could help take
that offense to another level. Just his ability to get downfield,
it is really exciting. I'm also excited to see Bo Nicks.
I never thought i'd say I never thought i'd say that.
You don't mean that, and Idi, you are fronting for

(29:52):
the verballers.

Speaker 1 (29:53):
I am not fronting.

Speaker 2 (29:54):
I am genuinely excited to see what that looks like
because it always felt like a.

Speaker 1 (29:58):
Weird transfer to me.

Speaker 2 (29:59):
I understand the connection to Kenny Dillingham, but yeah, to
go from Auburn where he's a legacy and everybody liked
him to Oregon in a place where nobody knows him,
he's not familiar, and he's just following a coach that
coached him up to some degree as freshman year. Right,
I'm genuinely excited see what that looks like.

Speaker 1 (30:18):
So I don't know what the Oregon offense looks like.

Speaker 2 (30:20):
And Bo Nixon is like the the the poster child
for it in whatever incarnation it takes on.

Speaker 1 (30:27):
What about Spencer Rattler? Sure, yeah, great answer. I'm not
as excited for that me neither. I'm just Rattler's stock
is low right now, but certainly better than where they
were a quarterback last year. Yeah, it's it's in general
It's the theme of this year and it will probably
be a theme moving forward. Is there are so many

(30:47):
quarterbacks on the move, how quickly can they gel with coordinators, receivers,
head coaches, new places, dealing with off field drama. Because
the more you move around, the further you are from
your friends, you're you know, whoever, you're dating, your family, whatever, Like,
there are more human changes to these quarterbacks moving around.
The low key name I'm interested in is Cameron Ward

(31:10):
at Wazoo, my boy, because that just doesn't work the
FCS to FBS and Vernon Adams at least had the experience.
He's like the lone success story. That to me is
interesting because you know, I'm gonna die of that hill.
You know, I'm all in on Cameron word. Wazoo is
a very much boomer bust school. I know, as they

(31:33):
make that borderline emotional decision to keep with Jake Dickert after,
you know he's able to navigate them in the in
the wake of everything that happened off the field with
Nick Rolovich. If he's as special as he was at
a lower level, if he shows the flashes of of brilliance,

(31:55):
that's interesting.

Speaker 2 (31:56):
I spent two weeks in the later half of December,
watching every Cameron re ward video on YouTube.

Speaker 1 (32:03):
I remember I'm all in. I'm all in, yeah, I'm
hell or high water, I'm all in. Yeah. I hope
Sam Houston State is on Wazoo's schedule for like seven
straight weeks. Next question, Next question, All right, next question.
What is something you've changed your mind about with with
regard to college football since you first started covering the sport.
That's from Tiger Chant Tiger Chant, you what something you've

(32:27):
changed your mind about with college football. I know you've
mentioned the scholarship thing before that that was a suitable
enough reward. Yeah, that's the big time college football.

Speaker 2 (32:36):
That's my answer, and I am gonna use it again
here because I get it's worthy of repeating it. I
was raised by a first grade teacher, m HM, who
taught me that education is everything, and that very much
played into the whole scholar I'm quoting here a quotes

(32:58):
for the Yeah, non visual medium that the scholarship should
quote unquote be enough, right, and I still believe that
education is everything. It's important, right, It is something that
should be emphasized, especially if we're going to continue calling
this college football.

Speaker 1 (33:16):
Yeah, I fully disagree.

Speaker 2 (33:17):
However, However, however, I do think the mindset, the scholarship
is everything mindset is antiquated and too simplistic in today's
day and age.

Speaker 1 (33:27):
Yeah, of course.

Speaker 2 (33:28):
And the moment for me did not come while doing
this podcast. It came when a good friend of mine
was a walk on kicker at Penn State and his
quote to me was, they owned me. This is Robbie
gold era Penn State. Okay, a walk on kicker doing

(33:49):
his best and trying to get some sort of FaceTime,
some sort of playing time, be it as a kickoff special,
as an on side kick special, if just anything, tryind
of trying to carve out his little his little spot
on the roster, and even for a walk on fledgling

(34:10):
never going to play kicker, they owned them. Yeah, And
what he went through to be part of the football
program was all consuming. There was no time for anything else,
not the least of which was class right, And so
that that really changed my perspective on thanks and the
lengths to which even no name will never play talent

(34:35):
has to go through to try and be part of
the college football experience. It just seemed to me like
maybe education isn't everything here? Maybe maybe there needs to
be something that can help give these players a little
bit more for their efforts. And that seed has been
growing for a while now, and certainly as we've done

(34:55):
this podcast, I've and now we've arrived at this nil era.
It's now a fully blooming tree of just pay the
damn players.

Speaker 1 (35:04):
I'm trying to figure out an example of something, a
topic about which I've been wrong, and I just keep
coming back to like I'm just nailing everything over and
over time. I'm just nailing it over and over. I look,
I've been wrong about a ton of head coaching hires,

(35:25):
for sure that I thought were going to work out.
But with regard to the sport itself, there's not much.
There's not much that that has been dramatic, because I
will know so I've always been a proponent of like
they're making a lot of money these schools. I'm trying

(35:45):
to think, what is there that I've changed my mind
about dramatically. Okay, I've done an about turn. Obviously, I've
been vocal about my thoughts on the postseason. I was
pro playoff. I was all about, like, let's move to
a playoff, let's get eight teams or twelve teams or
sixteen teams. Let's settle things on the field. It's so
frustrating that we can have these situations. We can have

(36:08):
a split national champion. We can have the AP give
it to USC and the BCS give it to LSU
or whatever. That's ridiculous. That is a ridiculous thing for
a major sport to do. And I still feel that way.
I think split national champions are ridiculous. But I was
positive the playoff was going to be awesome for college football.
I was positive it was going to on a competitive plane,

(36:31):
make things more interesting with more access for teams, and
it has made the sport so much worse from afar,
Like on any given Week seven that you know Minnesota
is playing Iowa or Oregon's playing like, that's still great.
Like the actual games are amazing, The actual experience is incredible.

(36:53):
The other thing that I've changed on and I think
it's sort of overrated and on rated. I think because
the way I started my career after college going to
games and going to tailgates, that I think my opinion
that going to college football games was great has gotten worse.

(37:17):
Like I am so much less inclined to figure out
how to get to a game. Now, I live where
I live, and I've moved all over and I was
in New York in LA, and there's just not a
lot of big college football games within driving distance of
those places. But I thought going to games was the
end all be all. I think going to tailgates remains.
I think going to the place of the game remains

(37:39):
the greatest thing in the world. Well, eating food with
your friends and family and watching games on TV. Whatever.
I loved going to games. And the last few games
I've been to, granted have been Bowl games, and you know,
non non you know, campus sites and stuff like that.
It's not a good experience. So I'm glad to bring that.

Speaker 2 (38:00):
I'm glad you bring that up because the second part
of his question was what's the most underrated part of
college football? And the most underrated part of college football
is a tradition, bar none, all right, It's a texture
that makes college football college football.

Speaker 1 (38:13):
It's a tie that binds everybody who roots for the sport.

Speaker 2 (38:15):
I had a very interesting conversation with a friend, a
mutual friend of ours, Larry, who listens to the show,
and we were talking about Ohio State's a big Ohio
State fan, and he said his comment to me was
about tradition. I would rather go to an Ohio State
game and experience all the traditions, right, the band on
the field, all the pregame stuff, all the traditions that

(38:37):
go with Ohio State football. I would rather take that
experience than an experience that.

Speaker 1 (38:44):
Is void of all the tradition.

Speaker 2 (38:46):
Of course, I would take the tradition a million times
out of a million over just going to see a
sterile Ohio State Michigan game.

Speaker 1 (38:55):
Right. And I've been thinking about that ever since he
mentioned it, and I think he's right.

Speaker 2 (39:00):
The tradition is truly what makes the sport unique is
the what remains, even though everybody knows about it, the
most underrated component of college football. And if you don't
believe me, go watch to the NFL, or go to
an NFL game, and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.
Each team, the Eagles may have their fly Agles fly chant,
it may be a very hostile and.

Speaker 1 (39:19):
Get the Bills mafia jumping through table.

Speaker 2 (39:21):
I mean, every team has their thing, but none of
those pro teams is college. None of them have the
college football experienced in the way that we are privileged
to have it here at the Soliverbal and as college
football fans at large.

Speaker 1 (39:34):
I agree. The worst part of going to a college
football game is probably the experience of watching the football
game because of how slow the game appears to be
in person and the TV timeouts and god, is there
anything worse than seeing the TV ref on the field
with the big neon orange wristband or whatever. Somebody I
just hit my table.

Speaker 2 (39:53):
Somebody who follows media and how the commercial structure and
all that stuff would probably tell me I'm wrong about this. Yeah,
there got to be more commercials at NFL games, aren't there.
I've been NFL games, Well, it feels like there's twice
as many.

Speaker 1 (40:09):
Yeah, I mean, part of it is that college games
take longer because of the way the clock stoppage rules
are different in college in the NFL, So there's that
element to things. But everything about going to a college
football game in person is incredible, except for the football
experience at times. Uh, it's just a better TV sport

(40:31):
than it is an in person sport. Now, watching a
game with other fans is the best. Celebrating with other
fans or being nervous with other fans and complete strangers
around you. That's incredible tailgating, the best of the best,
all of the traditions, the band, you know, the sayings.
You know at autsin Stadium they say it never ruins
at Autson Stadium. Blah blahy blah, it's liquid sunshine. All

(40:54):
that stuff is corny and cheesy and the best. The
pain of getting to games and parking and waiting in
line with tickets or waiting in line for the bathroom.
That's that's where it takes a hit that, you know,
stadium experience has not I don't care about Wi Fi
that much. I've changed on that. It's fine watch a
football game, hang out with your people, but if you

(41:14):
need to call an uber, but if you need to,
like you know, actually use your phone to call Triple
A because as I've done, left your battery on accidentally
in the parking lot. It's nice to have internet access.
But yeah, that that, to me is the underrated part
of going to college football games is, or the underrated
part of college football is forever going to be everything

(41:37):
that surrounds the sport because you can never properly rate it.
It's the best and anything short of that is not
doing a justice. Next question, yeah, next, all right, these
have all been from overballers. Colin. If you could choose
any team beside your own for everything to go quote right,
for who would it be? Okay, I know your answer
is Texas.

Speaker 2 (41:56):
No it isn't. Oh, okay, it isn't Texas. That would
be the obvious answer for me. So he said, outside
of your team. So I'm gonna strike from the record
any Notre Dame or Penn State stuff. Yep, Tennessee winning
the SEC. Oh God, Tennessee winning the SEC would cause
a lot of soul searching among the current powers in

(42:18):
that conference. Yeah, all right, yeah, that would be That
would be fun. I think fun to cover. I'm maybe
coming at this from a different perspective as somebody who
runs a national podcast, but I think that would make
for very interesting story lines.

Speaker 1 (42:32):
I mean, you're asking about the missing piece to an
entertaining season, essentially.

Speaker 2 (42:36):
Nebraska, Nebraska, if only because we kind of feel like
everything went wrong last year? So what happens if it
goes right?

Speaker 1 (42:45):
Ah? Do they win the West? Do they contend? I
still don't think they contend, but.

Speaker 2 (42:49):
I think if only because the universe was very cruel
to the corn Husters last season. I would very much
like to see what happens if it all goes right.
That's another answer for me. Everything going right for BYU
this season means that there is another uncomfortable group of
five slash independent playoff conversation, and I'm always game for those.

(43:10):
You know this, h It also probably means they beat
Notre Dame, which I'm not down for. But if a
result of BYU beating Notre Dame is that we've got
that uncomfortable playoff discussion, I'm okay with it. I think okay,
I'm okay with it. At least they lost to a
playoff team.

Speaker 1 (43:26):
Hey right.

Speaker 2 (43:27):
And then the other one is my pet team of
the year, which is Texas Tech.

Speaker 1 (43:31):
I was gonna say, continue, yeah, it's Texas Tech.

Speaker 2 (43:34):
Everything quote unquote going right for the Red Readers probably
means like eight and four. Sure, but it's a fun
as hell eight and four, isn't it.

Speaker 1 (43:42):
You want competent thorns in the sport.

Speaker 2 (43:44):
I do want I do so eight and four everything
quote unquote going right.

Speaker 1 (43:49):
For the Red Raiders.

Speaker 2 (43:50):
That's a fun as hell's season for us to cover.
Those are my four answers just off the bat, what
about you.

Speaker 1 (43:57):
I want Virginia Tech to strike gold with Brent pry okay,
apparent alleged massive hog alleged of course, per message for
a genius's post. Yeah, there's something about Virginia Tech that
there seems to be a void in the ACC. All
due respect to North Carolina basketball school, all due respect
to NC State, and the ACC is a basketball conference

(44:18):
traditionally speaking, but that brings some balance into the college
football universe within that conference, especially that we haven't had
and you can and they fall under that, like, look,
they're not going to win eleven games, but a full
on good Virginia Tech team this year whatever that means,
that's interesting. That's interesting for the conference. That's interesting for

(44:41):
a conference desperate for a good defense. That would be
my answer. At least within the ACC. We can have
a Florida State conversation as well. I'm not desperate for
Florida State to be amazing whatever. Within the SEC, I
think Tennessee is a good answer. I also would be
within the ACC Louisville just because they have a quarterback

(45:01):
I like, and the recruiting on a high level, I think,
you know, Adidas is getting very involved with in il
that kind of thing, so that would be really nice.
I think Texas Tech is the answer, maybe TCU within
the Big twelve, because that means Sonny Dike's system and
quarterback development in the short term got nailed, absolutely got
nailed in Fort Worth, so I'm good with that. I

(45:24):
think UCLA would provide some balance. We talked about having
talent not leave the West Coast and the Pac Twelve
do more to establish itself via teams actually being good
as a big time conference, UCLA being really good even
though they went what eight and four last year with
a really good offense. Chip Kelly's that known quantity within
the sport and UCLA is that no, I'm basketball school again.

(45:48):
I think that would be an answer that would bring
balance in a missing piece to the sport, so that
I just would like it to happen because I grew
up a UCLA fan in southern California and it would
be to see it come full circle with the coach
that was formative to my college football enjoyment. Otherwise, I
don't know. I have a soft spot for a number

(46:09):
of these West Coast teams just because it's where I'm from.
I think that's kind of it. With the teams that
you mentioned as well. I think those are all good answers.
So all right, good answer, next question, good answer, next
next question. But Kansas State top three Big twelve finish.

(46:30):
Thomas wants to know Tom going for it here?

Speaker 2 (46:34):
Okay, I we had Bill on Bill Connolly ESPN. I
believe in passing. He mentioned that Kansas State is either
a top fifteen caliber team or at least has a
top fifteen caliber defense.

Speaker 1 (46:48):
Yeah, potentially. He liked the defense especially, and you know
they have the most intriguing physical running back and the
sport induced vawn. So there's fun about there's fun things
about both sides the ball here.

Speaker 2 (47:01):
I like k State. I'm rooting for KSE State. I
really like Chris Cleman. The problem that I have with
k State this year is I don't like the schedule.
I don't like the schedule at all. They're at Oklahoma,
They've got the Sandwich game after Oklahoma, coming back home
against Texas Tech, which there's our Farest Gump team of
the year. Yeah, who knows what to expect there? They

(47:22):
go to Iowa State, they go to TCU, they go
to Baylor, and then to top it all off, they
go to West Virginia, which is not an easy place
to play by any stretch of the imagination. The stretch
of games for k State between the end of September
and the middle of November, for my money, is among
the most brutal in the Big Twelve. And so I

(47:43):
don't care how good the team is, how good the
defense is, how good Adrian Martinez ends up being. I'm
just I'm really spooked by that schedule.

Speaker 1 (47:53):
Top fifteen.

Speaker 2 (47:54):
I don't think top fifteen, but I think they're probably
good enough to be ranked at the end of the season,
probably good enough to go eight and four amid that schedule.

Speaker 1 (48:03):
But I just think it's going to be so tough
if they're good. I know you said you didn't care
if they're good, or you don't care how good they are.
I don't care. I don't care how much talent they have.

Speaker 2 (48:16):
Let me put it to you that way. I think
it will be difficult to have a good record, a
nine to three record, let's say, with the schedule that
they've gotten in front of them, it just keeps calling
it up right now, Yeah, I mean, I could read
it off to you. It starts fine, I'm a visual person.
I needed up Keennessas State god Kanisas State has the
SEO on KSU, woof wo. It starts South Dakota, Missouri.

(48:41):
Second week of the year, yep and two lane and
then they go right into the big twelve stuff at Oklahoma,
Texas Tech, Iowa State on the road, then an off week,
then at TCU home against Oklahoma State, home against Texas,
next week at Baylor. They close out the season at
West Virginia home against Kansas. That's not an easy slate.

Speaker 1 (49:02):
No, but it's a good year. You talk about it's
a difficult schedule. It's a good year to have a
difficult looking schedule in the summer because you're saying Iowa
State and TCU and Oklahoma State and Texas and Baylor
in a row appears to be difficult. But the floor
for some of those teams also is something that's a

(49:24):
bit of an unknown. Like we never thought TCU's defense
could look as bad as it did last year. So
even if TCU's defense improves, which oh, look, you're cherry picking.
You're cherry picking.

Speaker 2 (49:33):
No, No, I am cherry picking cherry I'm saying is
I don't even have TCU highlighted on our spreadsheet.

Speaker 1 (49:39):
No, I know, but I'm saying just because they play
them in a row, they have TCU, Oklahoma State, Texas,
Baylor in a row. What I'm saying is it's kind
of a wide open Big twelve. And Bill Connelly's point
was top fifteen potential, not top fifteen caliber, And so
because of the nature of the combination of new quarterbacks
and new coaches and new systems on both sides of

(50:02):
the ball, and like, are you high on the JT.
Daniels Graham Harrold pairing without any real game changing type receiver,
I'm not. Graham Harrold had game changing receivers at USC,
and like, that's what we saw from their offense. He
had five star quarterbacks with game changing receivers. It wasn't
an especially fun offense until they decided to throw everything

(50:23):
to Drake London. And even still they didn't win games.
So that doesn't do much for me. I'm just saying,
the continuity of having Chris Climb in a year whatever
it is you're three or four or something like that. Again,
so much change in that conference, Like Oklahoma State's defense
is going to take a step back. Texas's defense is
still probably going to be average at best. That you

(50:44):
talk about, not a wounders row. As we mentioned on
our schedule preview string of episodes. I don't know, man,
a good Kansas State team can go nine to three.
I'm I'm saying there is a it's a toss up
right now for top three within the within the Big twelve.

(51:05):
Absolutely all right, opportunity, it's an opportunity truck situations. They
might just be top three by proxy by way of
all of those teams hitting walls in week eight, that
they just happen to find themselves right there because they're
a little bit more consistent than everybody. Now, the word
consistent and Adrian Martinez in the same thought exercise not ideal,

(51:29):
not ideal, but still I'm okay with it. I'm okay
with a good Kansas State team going nine and three,
especially with their association with Colin Klein. I'm good with it.
Next question, Next question, we'll do a couple more football
before going into non football questions. With Cincinnati. We'll say

(51:50):
Big twelve with Cincinnati, BYU Houston and UCF joining the
Big Twelve next summer. What's something about the current Big
Twelve that's on your bucket list before potentially goes away
next season. I don't know exactly what the illusion to
bucket list is because I'm not going to a Big
twelve game. No.

Speaker 2 (52:06):
Well, at the moment, and I'm going to change this question.
I appreciate, I appreciate something that's lost with this. Well,
let me change the question a little bit. Okay, my
answer to this question is Texas or Oklahoma winning the
Big Twelve. And here is why that's my answer. Yes,
it is not on my bucket list.

Speaker 1 (52:25):
I don't care.

Speaker 2 (52:26):
Yeah, I just assume kay State win the Big Twelve. Yeah,
that'd be more interesting for us here on the show.
The reason it should be on every Texas and Oklahoma
fans bucket list is because when they go to the SEC,
it may never happen again. Right now, win the SEC,
you may not get to the playoff until they expand
to sixteen or one hundred or whatever they're going to

(52:47):
eventually end up doing. So get your getting while it's
good now, because when you go to the SEC, it's
going to be a lot harder to make it through
that field and give yourself an opportunity.

Speaker 1 (52:57):
To win a national championships. Since no, that that makes
sense that My answer is basically, and every every program
has this where you have your rivals, you have your
Red River, right, you have your Pharmageddon, you have your whatever.
There's always you know, the revivalry that's a given. The

(53:18):
thing that's lost with so much so many teams moving
around in realignment is the almost it's not even second tier,
it's almost a third tier rivalry. The oh we always
have trouble with right Texas, we always have trouble with
Kansas State, Oh, Oklahoma, We've always got trouble with Iowa State.
And there it's it's the fabric of a season where

(53:41):
like as an Oregon fan, I have that team in
my mind. With a Notre Dame fan, you have that
team in your mind, probably in a different way. With
Penn State, you definitely like Iowa is not a rival
of Penn State, but buddy, Iowa and Penn State always
give each other a lot of fiss Yeah, And so
there's you have that that hitte that grows over time

(54:01):
where you're stringing together these seven games, these eleven games
of like, oh man, remember the Michael Robinson thing against
this team. Remember the Matt McGloin thing against this team.
And so in the case of the Big Twelve, it's
remembering those weird games between teams like for example, like
if Oklahoma State were to leave, if it were the

(54:22):
Pac sixteen, right, if Oklahoma State were to leave, then
you lose that weird bond between Oklahoma State and Iowa
State and the upset from twenty eleven. Right, So what
you're doing is you're shattering these very thin but still
meaningful connections throughout a conference. And so that's what you lose.
And look, we'll get the new we'll get new ones

(54:44):
for as long as Cincinnati, UCFBYU and Houston are in
the conference. But it takes a long time to develop
those type that type of scar tissue I think is
super valuable within college football. And I again I have
that for Oregon. Like Oregon in the Arizona schools not rivals,
very little in the way of connection, but like Dennis

(55:04):
Dixon towards ACL in the desert, Kellen Clemens and what
he you know, what he was able to do got
hurt in the desert, And Oregon has always had those
weird games against the Arizona schools. Now, if there's some
sort of super conference and Oregon is no longer playing
those schools. It's okay, but you lose the scar tissue,
and I think that is the like underrated part of

(55:27):
the sport, all of the wounds that we've amassed as
fans over the years or given over the years. So
when you lose and everybody is throwing everything at Oklahoma
and everybody's throwing everything at Texas, so that you upsetting
one of those schools when they're at their best, now
that that means less, now that you're no longer associated

(55:48):
with those programs, I think that kind of sucks. So
I am treasuring the last of those matchups. I'm treasuring
the last of Texas Kansas State, you know, the last
of TCU completely owning Texas over this last decade. Treasuring
the last of like weird Oklahoma possibly losing to Kansas
or either of those teams possibly or definitely losing to Kansas.

(56:10):
That to me is like that shared history is what
I'm going to cherish these next couple of years or whatever.

Speaker 2 (56:15):
We also don't know exactly when this is going to happen.
When that's true, when this move away, we may get
the final two books of Game of Thrones before this happens,
we have no idea when in fact these two programs
are going to go to the SEC.

Speaker 1 (56:27):
By the way, who who else is Penn States scar
tissue other than Iowa? Because I was at least like
a really really good program, Like who is Penn State's
we always have trouble?

Speaker 2 (56:36):
Well, there's Minnesota scar tissue dating back to nineteen ninety
nine eight whenever that was. There is certainly scar tissue
on the Ohio state side, because I feel like they've
they've been close.

Speaker 1 (56:50):
But I'm talking like cet rival. Yeah yeah, yeah, like
even though they're not good, there's always something tricky about.

Speaker 2 (56:58):
Them, they've had some and Minnesota is a pretty good answer. Yeah,
Minnesota is up there.

Speaker 1 (57:03):
Obviously.

Speaker 2 (57:03):
The Iowa one is probably the one that that comes
to mind first and foremost. There are some games against Northwestern,
there have been some games there. I don't know if
it's rises to the level of scar tissue.

Speaker 1 (57:14):
Yeah, but we would be losing something as a sport
if we didn't, Like if we were to go back
and watch Saquon leaping over an Iowa defender, I mean,
like the clash of those two helmets no longer exists.
That's a bummer.

Speaker 2 (57:26):
Here's our final football question before we do one non
football question and then do the rest of this show
for our Patreon for bawlersover atverballers dot com. Okay, this
question from Todd. If Texas goes five and seven or worse,
we'll Sark get the boot.

Speaker 1 (57:45):
Man. I don't believe, so I get. I love that
we're asking this question. So Sark in year two going
five and seven, I think would get the benefit of
go make some wholesale changes to your coordinators and assistance
unless there is something specific about Sark and the culture

(58:08):
of the Texas program, like guys just quit on him,
have no interest in playing for him, see through him
in some sort of meaningful way, that like this guy
is a fraud on some level that is irreparable, because
that is always on the table for anybody getting fired prematurely.
That there is basically a zero confidence situation that can't
get repaired. So if that's why they go fy and

(58:30):
five and seven, that they go they start the season
four and one with a win over Bama or five
and zero with a win over Bama and completely collapse
because of something interpersonal that Sark is directly involved in,
then yes, it's on the table, especially if that interpersonal
thing means that they don't have to pay Sark a buyout.

(58:51):
So yes, if there's a Bobby Petrino situation, anybody's you know,
able to be relieved of their duties. But short of that,
short of Texas just being inconsistent and not making the
types of defensive changes that they need to make, and
are not tackling better and are making the same mistakes
that they did last year, and that they're scoring twenty

(59:12):
one in the first half and zero in the second half,
I think he would get another year to change assistance
and strategy and maybe lose some of his responsibilities and
turn them over to whoever on offense. I don't know,
but yeah, I think you really have to stretch to
find a five and seven twenty twenty three Texas team.

(59:34):
And for that reason, I'm going to say I don't.
I don't think this question is based in a lot
of reality. Coaching changes are a lot like selling your house. Okay,
I'm listening.

Speaker 2 (59:47):
Ideally, you want to move on to a better situation, right,
but what is that better situation and what is the market. Right,
the market last year was insane, and per my note,
the current housing market it is also insane.

Speaker 1 (01:00:02):
Yeah, I mean a little bit.

Speaker 2 (01:00:04):
If you sell your house, you get Yeah, you now
have the trouble trying to find a new one. But
that's basically the same situation here for Texas. Are you
shopping in the Dave Randa neighborhood?

Speaker 1 (01:00:14):
Is tave Randa is shopping in Austin?

Speaker 2 (01:00:15):
Are you shopping in the Dion Sanders the Josh Hipel neighborhood? Like,
I have no idea who would the better option What
would the better neighborhood be for the Texas Longhorns at
this point because so many of the big name guys
have already been poached, I have already gone elsewhere. What
we saw last year was definitely a typical on the
coaching carousel, right, we always see movement. We don't generally

(01:00:38):
see that much high profile movement. If your taxes, presumably
you're not looking to downsize, you're looking to upsize.

Speaker 1 (01:00:43):
You're looking to.

Speaker 2 (01:00:45):
Revitalize the program and take it back to former glory.
I just don't know who that person would be. If
not Steve Sarkisian, who would you go out and get.

Speaker 1 (01:00:53):
It almost doesn't matter when you have that kind of
stupid money, that if you fully believe that you can
throw money at this problem and solve it, which Texas
has a reputation of trying to do with the biggest
of names. Now coaches are becoming more and more hip
to the issues Texas has behind the scenes, and so, yeah,

(01:01:14):
do I want to make twelve million dollars at Texas
and deal with a whole boatload of crap? Or am
I good to making nine point two at LSU or
Oregon or USC or Notre Dame. Like that's the thing,
Like if Texas is a disaster this year and Notre
Dame goes ten and two or eleven and one, and

(01:01:35):
Marcus Freeman's this young up and comer and Texas is
like they identify him as like he's the guy we
want to and they throw fourteen million dollars at Marcus Freeman.
I think Marcus Freeman's smart enough to know there's a
reason why Texas has to pay a premium and he's
probably got it pretty good there. So that to me
is the issue that if Texas is going five and seven,

(01:01:57):
if Texas is missing Bowl games for consecutive years that
a lot of smart people are going to look at
that job and say, yeah, there's a ton of potential there,
but the reasons why they're not fulfilling that potential persist.

Speaker 2 (01:02:11):
If Texas goes five and seven, are we talking about
an urban Meyer conversation?

Speaker 1 (01:02:16):
Sure? I think it's stupid too, but there will be
factions that do.

Speaker 2 (01:02:22):
Yeah, that's the name that comes to mind if they
go five and seven.

Speaker 1 (01:02:26):
Yeah. I mean, I think he's radioactive, but I would agree. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:02:31):
But the Marcus Freeman thing also speaks to something that
has plagued a lot of other coaching hires in that
you're working with a very limited sample size and you're
paying a lot of money.

Speaker 1 (01:02:44):
Sure, Oh man, I just don't see it. But that's
me all right, Thanks everybody for listening. Hold on, We've
got one more. Do you want to go? Not one
non college football before we leave, Let's stick with Todd.

Speaker 2 (01:02:55):
Here's our non college football question. Is a taste unintended
of what's to come if you go on over to
verballers dot com and sign up now. Is cheese pizza?
I ask you, Dandramstein Pizza condos sour Oh cheese pizza
for anyone over seventeen years old, over or underrated?

Speaker 1 (01:03:14):
Your thoughts under obviously underrated, And I you want to
ask me about something I've changed my mind on. That's
something since I started baking pizza ten, twelve, fourteen times
a week, that's something I've changed my mind on. Now,
if you go to a place that you are not

(01:03:35):
expecting good pizza to be served at, that's not great. English.
If you're going to a roller rink, right, if you're
going to a tourist y, you know you're by the beach, Yeah,
you're not getting good pizza. You might as well get
pepperoni at a roller rink, right, you might as well
get sausage or like a veggie pie because it's probably

(01:03:55):
gonna need as much flavor as possible to combat the
probably pedestrian pizza effort overall. So, if you're going to
that type of place, like you're going to a vacation
destination and there's just like a big old brow hub
and they've got you know, they've got pizza, they got burgers,
they got wings, they got salads, Like, the pizza is
probably not gonna be great the more that this place
is cooking. So yes, load up on toppings at those places,

(01:04:18):
But if you are into pizza on some level beyond
its just being like something you find delicious, if you
are interested in finding really good pizza, you can taste
the tomato and the cheese and how good the crust
is primarily through ordering that plain cheese pie. I will

(01:04:42):
order both a lot of times, as I want to
try as much as I can, But I think it's
an underrated thing depending on the pizza destination. That's my
pretentious answer. Do you do feel that same way about,
you know, a plain pie as you do like penne pasta,
Like that's your way to judge, Like just I do?

Speaker 2 (01:04:59):
Yeah, No, I I do. I'm glad you brought that up.
I think we're of very penny vodka. Yeah, we're very
like mind here, Like it's sometimes very difficult to do
something that appears simple. Yeah, and cheese pizza I think
falls into that category.

Speaker 1 (01:05:15):
It's a good BIGS line. Everybody makes it.

Speaker 2 (01:05:18):
Everybody makes a lot of the same you know, pepperoni
saushas that type of pizza, but there's nothing more simple
than the old cheese pie. So I think it's very underrated. Frankly,
And if you're ordering pies for a bunch of people.
It's probably the one version of pizza that everybody can
agree on.

Speaker 1 (01:05:36):
Yeah, so that's true. Under my take, if I'm going
to kick on my spurs at the Zesty Ranch, my take,
which is an episode from a few weeks ago, a
couple of weeks ago, that we had takes on my pizza,
my Zesty Pizza take is the most overrated pizza that
people seem to quite literally love is the meat lover pie.

(01:06:01):
If you're putting on pepperoni, sausage, ham, bacon onto a
pizza one, it's delicious. I'm not gonna tell you it's
not delicious. It's delicious. But as far as pizzas go,
less to me is more still with toppings, like do pepperoni, garlic?
Do you know, sausage and onion? Whatever? But I think

(01:06:22):
you want to taste both the pizza and the toppings.
And when you start to load up with your supremes
or your meat lovers, I don't know what are they hiding.
It's what are you hiding? And it's just go to
a barbecue restaurant and get a meat platter. If you're
interested in meat, go get a meat platter like or
if you're interested in meat a ton of meat and pizza,
get a bucket of wings and a pizza like that

(01:06:44):
to me is generally speaking, meat lover's pizza is a
cover for probably not great pizza.

Speaker 2 (01:06:52):
On that note, we're going to stop here on the
Public Show. This converse will rage long after the final
bell for about another half hour or so. Over on
our Patreon, which again you can find at verbalers dot com,
you can sign up and get access to this show,
early access to all of our shows beyond this one,

(01:07:14):
and many other perks including discord including you know, being
part of polls and other things that we plan on
posting here in the very future. So we appreciate everybody
writing on in at sliverabletgmail dot com across all of
our social media platforms. The public shows will again be
back on Tuesday of next week as we inch ever

(01:07:34):
so close to college football previous season, but in the meantime,
Dan