January 29, 2026 • 10 mins
A little UC basketball, a little UC football, and a whole lot of Chad.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, Alexa, who's gonna win it all?
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Getting ESPN fifteen thirty from iHeartRadio, maybe the Bearcats hurting
away from four o'clock. This is the ESPN tit I
say that with straight face.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
What's that?
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Hut?
Speaker 1 (00:15):
You couldn't say to say that was a straight face.
I wish you was streaming live.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Well, that's why I said, we're gonna, We're gonna, We're
gonna stream live the last two hours today.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Yes, huh, well that's why I said that.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Now, you know, if if if they win the rest
of their games, ten more regular season games, run through
the Big Twelve tournament, then win all six in the
NCAA Tournament, they will be given the National Championship Trophy.
I can't even say that. I can't even say that
without like slurring the words. Chad Rendel's here Bearcat journal
(00:49):
dot com on Twitter at Chad Rendall.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Hid Chad, there's this thing in your subconscious that does
that to you when you're trying to lie to yourself.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yes, yes, here's what's not a lie. And here's here's why.
Here's why I'm frustrated. Here's why I'm frustrating. There's lots
of reasons to be frustrated with the season, but this,
this is at the root of the root of it
for me.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
This team's good defensively, yes at times, Okay.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
I think I think the thing that's been interesting for
me this year is it's much different than we've seen
UCB defensively over the past thirty five years. Like it
is a lot more. They have been great defensively over
(01:45):
the years because their team defense, the communication, the assignment,
the scouting report, whatever, has been awesome under Mick under
Hugs at times. You know, most of Wess run. The
defenses have been really good this year. It feels like
(02:06):
there's more elite individual talent defensively, but not as much
of that cohesion. So that's why you see the breakdowns
against Arizona State, you know, the second half against Arizona
it doesn't feel like they're is connected at times, but
(02:26):
there's more individual like Bobob's been outstanding defensively. Buck Harris
is really good defensively. Dayda is really good defensively. Like
they've got really good individual defenders. It feels like, and
maybe this is just a nature of college basketball in
twenty twenty six. These guys haven't played together for a
long time, So some of that communication and the natural
(02:50):
like understanding of where your teammate is going to be
has dipped a little, but the individual talent defensively has
been oft.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Do they have a prayer on Saturday in Houston?
Speaker 3 (03:05):
No. They had their chance against Houston and they missed it.
That's generally how this goes, right, Like when you play
one of these elite teams, and especially when you play
him twice, they're not gonna let you get a second
bite of the apple. Cincinnati was up ten down the
stretch against Houston and they didn't get across the finish line,
(03:30):
especially going down there. I don't have a lot of
faith in them, you know, making this a great game
down to the wire type situation, because the same thing
we I mean, I just don't think they're good enough
offensively against Houston to sustain that for a second time
(03:54):
and play like they did back at the beginning of January.
I mean, you know, stranger things have happened, but that one.
Usually you get one shot when you're in a position
like Cincinnati in the fifties sixties in the metrics, you
get that one shot to take that team down the
second time around. Usually reality sets back.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
In I feared that was the answer, but I agree
when you have played twenty one games and like now,
you know, attrition continues to be an issue.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Sean Aabayev.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
That didn't look like an injury that's gonna have him
miss just a game or two just watching him on
the bench in a boot and needing crutches, and so
I'll assume that at least in the short term, the
fix isn't gonna come with you know, him going through
an offensive a period of growth offensively that they can
benefit from. You've played twenty one games, your offensive issues
(04:49):
have been well established. You want to go on a
run here post Houston because they play some teams that
are beatable, including one they had on the ropes in
UCF Who comes here next weekend for to go on
a run, They're going to have to achieve a level
of offensive efficiency that they haven't yet all season long,
in the absence of some dude coming in that maybe
(05:09):
played for the Chicago Bulls last year or something.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
How does that happen?
Speaker 3 (05:15):
The problem is what we've talked about for a long
time with these guards. No, you know there are times
Gessel James and Dade Thomas. You feel like, hey, we've
had a lot of Big twelve games with these two,
but ultimately they're inefficient players. They don't get to the rim,
(05:36):
they don't take a lot of layups, they don't take
a lot of shots at the rim, they don't get
to the free throw line, and they shoot a lot
of long mid range jumpers, long twos, and like the
analytics have become popular for a reason. That reason is
because they're usually statistically correct. That's how analytics work. When
(05:58):
you're not getting to the line and you're not taking
a bigger number of shots at the rim, and instead
you're replacing them with seventeen to twenty foot two point attempts,
like the odds are eventually going to catch up to you.
And it feels like that's why over the last three years,
we have not seen this team be able to string
together a four to five game run right where they
(06:21):
go four and one or you know, five and zero
and really gain some momentum in the Big Twelve. It's
a lot of play well for two or three games
and then dip for two or three games, then play
well for two or three games, and then dip for
three or four games and A lot of that is
because offensively, they're just not efficient. The brand of offense
(06:43):
is not up to par up to snuff in the
modern era. They do a lot of things that you know,
the smart basketball minds of twenty twenty six are no
longer doing and that's not changing this year, and that's
going to make it hard to get on any sort
(07:04):
of extended run to make it feel like there is
a chance for this team to turn a corner.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Got time for a football question, Sure, how well have
they done in the portal?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I think they've done pretty well. I mean, obviously a
lot of that is going to come down to did
they hit on quarterback? But in terms of you know,
I thought that the number one thing outside of replacing
Brendan Soresby, was giving the defense more life, more size,
(07:40):
more speed, more length for whoever the new defensive coordinator
was to work with. And I think they did a
lot of that. I think they got three safeties that
I really liked. They got a couple of corners that
look promising. I'm still a little concerned on the defensive line.
If I had a major concern for this team, it
would be can they turn the corner on the defensive
(08:03):
front because that there was the worst defensive line in
the Big Twelve analytically last year. They got to get up,
you know, middle of the pact and higher to really
give this defensive chance to be decent. But overall, I
think I like what they did at wide receiver. You know,
I think the defense at least has a chance to
(08:25):
be better because of the pieces that they've added. So
I'm positive about it. But another part of that is
I also give Jack Zach Griff Zach Grant the benefit
of the doubt more often than not, because I think
he's really good at figuring out what the plan is,
what the coaching stats asking for, and then being able
(08:45):
to go out and find it. So I think there's
a chance they can be pretty good.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
J C.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
French going to be the starting quarterback?
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Yeah, that you know, that's how this goes well. The
guy that you bring in like the first quarterback that
steps on campus. Now, was there another quarterback they wanted
that ended up somewhere else, Yes, but J C. French
was the pivot from that got him on campus, got
him committed before he left. That's your starting quarterback, So
(09:15):
will there be competition if he's bad? Yeah, I'm sure
there will be, but I think all expectations Thanks spring
balls like five weeks away, four and a half, five
weeks away, I think all expectations are the JC French.
We'll step into that QB one role when camp begins.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Awesome as always, man, thanks so much, Thanks mate, That's
our guy. Chad Brendle bearkad journal dot com. Follow him
on Twitter at Chad Breundle. Well ask a question about
Dan Pitcher coming up at four to twenty. But first,
let's stop making something that's not important seem important. I'll
(09:55):
explain on ESPN fifteen thirty
Speaker 1 (10:00):
You wont stop for advertising call
Hey, Alexa, who's gonna win it all?
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Getting ESPN fifteen thirty from iHeartRadio, maybe the Bearcats hurting
away from four o'clock. This is the ESPN tit I
say that with straight face.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
What's that?
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Hut?
Speaker 1 (00:15):
You couldn't say to say that was a straight face.
I wish you was streaming live.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Well, that's why I said, we're gonna, We're gonna, We're
gonna stream live the last two hours today.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Yes, huh, well that's why I said that.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Now, you know, if if if they win the rest
of their games, ten more regular season games, run through
the Big Twelve tournament, then win all six in the
NCAA Tournament, they will be given the National Championship Trophy.
I can't even say that. I can't even say that
without like slurring the words. Chad Rendel's here Bearcat journal
(00:49):
dot com on Twitter at Chad Rendall.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Hid Chad, there's this thing in your subconscious that does
that to you when you're trying to lie to yourself.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yes, yes, here's what's not a lie. And here's here's why.
Here's why I'm frustrated. Here's why I'm frustrating. There's lots
of reasons to be frustrated with the season, but this,
this is at the root of the root of it
for me.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
This team's good defensively, yes at times, Okay.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
I think I think the thing that's been interesting for
me this year is it's much different than we've seen
UCB defensively over the past thirty five years. Like it
is a lot more. They have been great defensively over
(01:45):
the years because their team defense, the communication, the assignment,
the scouting report, whatever, has been awesome under Mick under
Hugs at times. You know, most of Wess run. The
defenses have been really good this year. It feels like
(02:06):
there's more elite individual talent defensively, but not as much
of that cohesion. So that's why you see the breakdowns
against Arizona State, you know, the second half against Arizona
it doesn't feel like they're is connected at times, but
(02:26):
there's more individual like Bobob's been outstanding defensively. Buck Harris
is really good defensively. Dayda is really good defensively. Like
they've got really good individual defenders. It feels like, and
maybe this is just a nature of college basketball in
twenty twenty six. These guys haven't played together for a
long time, So some of that communication and the natural
(02:50):
like understanding of where your teammate is going to be
has dipped a little, but the individual talent defensively has
been oft.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Do they have a prayer on Saturday in Houston?
Speaker 3 (03:05):
No. They had their chance against Houston and they missed it.
That's generally how this goes, right, Like when you play
one of these elite teams, and especially when you play
him twice, they're not gonna let you get a second
bite of the apple. Cincinnati was up ten down the
stretch against Houston and they didn't get across the finish line,
(03:30):
especially going down there. I don't have a lot of
faith in them, you know, making this a great game
down to the wire type situation, because the same thing
we I mean, I just don't think they're good enough
offensively against Houston to sustain that for a second time
(03:54):
and play like they did back at the beginning of January.
I mean, you know, stranger things have happened, but that one.
Usually you get one shot when you're in a position
like Cincinnati in the fifties sixties in the metrics, you
get that one shot to take that team down the
second time around. Usually reality sets back.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
In I feared that was the answer, but I agree
when you have played twenty one games and like now,
you know, attrition continues to be an issue.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Sean Aabayev.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
That didn't look like an injury that's gonna have him
miss just a game or two just watching him on
the bench in a boot and needing crutches, and so
I'll assume that at least in the short term, the
fix isn't gonna come with you know, him going through
an offensive a period of growth offensively that they can
benefit from. You've played twenty one games, your offensive issues
(04:49):
have been well established. You want to go on a
run here post Houston because they play some teams that
are beatable, including one they had on the ropes in
UCF Who comes here next weekend for to go on
a run, They're going to have to achieve a level
of offensive efficiency that they haven't yet all season long,
in the absence of some dude coming in that maybe
(05:09):
played for the Chicago Bulls last year or something.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
How does that happen?
Speaker 3 (05:15):
The problem is what we've talked about for a long
time with these guards. No, you know there are times
Gessel James and Dade Thomas. You feel like, hey, we've
had a lot of Big twelve games with these two,
but ultimately they're inefficient players. They don't get to the rim,
(05:36):
they don't take a lot of layups, they don't take
a lot of shots at the rim, they don't get
to the free throw line, and they shoot a lot
of long mid range jumpers, long twos, and like the
analytics have become popular for a reason. That reason is
because they're usually statistically correct. That's how analytics work. When
(05:58):
you're not getting to the line and you're not taking
a bigger number of shots at the rim, and instead
you're replacing them with seventeen to twenty foot two point attempts,
like the odds are eventually going to catch up to you.
And it feels like that's why over the last three years,
we have not seen this team be able to string
together a four to five game run right where they
(06:21):
go four and one or you know, five and zero
and really gain some momentum in the Big Twelve. It's
a lot of play well for two or three games
and then dip for two or three games, then play
well for two or three games, and then dip for
three or four games and A lot of that is
because offensively, they're just not efficient. The brand of offense
(06:43):
is not up to par up to snuff in the
modern era. They do a lot of things that you know,
the smart basketball minds of twenty twenty six are no
longer doing and that's not changing this year, and that's
going to make it hard to get on any sort
(07:04):
of extended run to make it feel like there is
a chance for this team to turn a corner.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Got time for a football question, Sure, how well have
they done in the portal?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I think they've done pretty well. I mean, obviously a
lot of that is going to come down to did
they hit on quarterback? But in terms of you know,
I thought that the number one thing outside of replacing
Brendan Soresby, was giving the defense more life, more size,
(07:40):
more speed, more length for whoever the new defensive coordinator
was to work with. And I think they did a
lot of that. I think they got three safeties that
I really liked. They got a couple of corners that
look promising. I'm still a little concerned on the defensive line.
If I had a major concern for this team, it
would be can they turn the corner on the defensive
(08:03):
front because that there was the worst defensive line in
the Big Twelve analytically last year. They got to get up,
you know, middle of the pact and higher to really
give this defensive chance to be decent. But overall, I
think I like what they did at wide receiver. You know,
I think the defense at least has a chance to
(08:25):
be better because of the pieces that they've added. So
I'm positive about it. But another part of that is
I also give Jack Zach Griff Zach Grant the benefit
of the doubt more often than not, because I think
he's really good at figuring out what the plan is,
what the coaching stats asking for, and then being able
(08:45):
to go out and find it. So I think there's
a chance they can be pretty good.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
J C.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
French going to be the starting quarterback?
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Yeah, that you know, that's how this goes well. The
guy that you bring in like the first quarterback that
steps on campus. Now, was there another quarterback they wanted
that ended up somewhere else, Yes, but J C. French
was the pivot from that got him on campus, got
him committed before he left. That's your starting quarterback, So
(09:15):
will there be competition if he's bad? Yeah, I'm sure
there will be, but I think all expectations Thanks spring
balls like five weeks away, four and a half, five
weeks away, I think all expectations are the JC French.
We'll step into that QB one role when camp begins.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Awesome as always, man, thanks so much, Thanks mate, That's
our guy. Chad Brendle bearkad journal dot com. Follow him
on Twitter at Chad Breundle. Well ask a question about
Dan Pitcher coming up at four to twenty. But first,
let's stop making something that's not important seem important. I'll
(09:55):
explain on ESPN fifteen thirty
Speaker 1 (10:00):
You wont stop for advertising call
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