August 7, 2024 • 13 mins
We love love talking college football with Phil Steele, whose annual preview publication is a must for any summer vacation reading list. Phil joined me to talk about the upcoming season for area programs.
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Podcasts of The Mo Egger Radio Show are a service of Longnecks Sports Grill.
Listen to the show live weekday afternoons 3:00 - 6:00 on ESPN1530.
Listen Live: ESPN1530.com/listen
Get more: https://linktr.ee/MoEgger
Follow on X: @MoEgger
Instagram too: @MoEgger
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Perse in footballs. The Orange and Black kick off their
preseason schedule against Tampa Bay. Incredible catch Pie, It's the
Bengals and Buccaneers in a pigskin season preview.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The second effort get the tagles but touchdown.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Look Zach Kaylord's men proof they're ready for a super
Bowl bound season. Down the Call from Dan Ord and
Dave Laffa. Coverage starts Saturday at three on ESPN fifteen thirty,
The Apple Home of the Bengals.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
It's a four oh five on ESPN fifteen thirty on Oeger.
Thank you so much for joining us. This is a
right of summer for us. Either late July or early August.
We get our guy, Phil Steel on his annual college
football preview magazine is out.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
It is available. You could order it.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
You can have it within seconds. Got to Phil Steel
dot com. There's an FCS version. We love having Phil
on the show. We talk every year about his publication
and absolute labor of love. I want to start with that, because, boy,
in the era of player movement, how you prepare for
the season as a fan is a lot different. How
you prepare for the season as a coach is a
(01:08):
lot different. Tell me how different it is preparing for
the publication of the preseason preview when you've got so
many guys changing programs.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Yeah, it makes it a lot tougher, I'll tell you that, Bo.
And you know, it used to be. This is the
thirtieth year of the magazine, and we used to be
able to go to the press in the middle of
May because we knew everybody's roster, you know, coming out
of spring practice. Everybody is set. Now the Dancer Portal
closes on April the thirtieth, and so we knew the
players that hit the portal, but we didn't know where
they landed. So we gave it the entire month of
(01:39):
May and even the first week of June to make
sure we captured everybody where they went. A lot more
rewrites in the magazine, you know, I do within a
three right through section. The first right through his postseason,
second one is pre spring, third one is after talking
to the head coaches. And so we actually went to
the press June seventh this year, much later than normal,
but we were able to capture all this transfer portal
(02:01):
activity makes it a lot more hectic down the stretch.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah, and one of those programs impacted dramatically by the
ability to bring players in the University of Cincinnati. And
you know, for me, I always turned to well, for
years it was the AAC and now it's the Big Twelve.
This year, I was looking for the page where you
have the most improved teams from this year to last year,
which this year was page thirty six, because I thought, boy,
(02:25):
if the Bearcats aren't on this page, it's going to
be a long season. You had them, and then you
wrote and you're bored about them? You think they're going
to go to a bowl game? Tell me what you
like about the squad.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah, the only teams that make my most improved list
are teams that had a losing record last year that
I think can make a bowl game this year. And
there's a lot to like about Cincinnati. First of all,
let's talk about last year. Now. Last year, the Bearcats
are one of the least experienced teams in the entire country,
number one twenty eight. They had like one offensive lineman back,
they had very little experience at quarterback, the defense decimated
(02:59):
by players leaving. And then they've of course taken a
step up to the Big Twelve, and I thought they
played better than expected you know, almost weekly, I was
picking against him in my Inside the press Box newsletter,
and almost every time we got to the half, I'm like, damn,
I'm not going to win this one. Bearcats are looking
pretty good, but that lack of depth they wore down
last year. We're all those things. They're corrected this year,
(03:22):
much more experience. Do you look at them. They've got
eight starters back on offense, seven on defense. They've got
better depth this year. I like the way they run
the football. You know, last year they were number five
in the NCAA and running the football this year that
we were right up there again. They've got three mobile
quarterbacks with soreersby Lichtenberg and Jones, so they don't have
to protect their QB. They got Kiner, Pryor and Williams.
(03:44):
I thought they lacked some explosiveness and running back last year.
They've added explosiveness this year. That's a big plus. The
entire offensive line is back. The Godfather's back up front
on the defensive line. This much improved Cincinnati team and
one I think is going to get off to a
great start. I've got him favorite in their first four
games of the year, and if they jump out to
a four and zero start, that we're playing with a
(04:05):
lot of confidence. And I also have great confidence in
Scott Sanderfield as a head coach. I think he's got
it done wherever he's been and I think he's going
to get a do a great job here with the Bearcats.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
You know you rank positional units.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I figured you would have Cincinnati's offensive line in your
top fifteen, which you did. You've seen Brendan Sores being
right now, he's the favorite to be the starting quarterback.
I think everybody would acknowledge that you've watched him. When
you've seen him, what have you watched? Well?
Speaker 4 (04:32):
You know he's a guy that has a quick release,
he's accurate, he does have some mobility, and he moves
well for his size. He's a big guy at six
six three two hundred and thirty five pounds, doesn't shy
away from contact, but he doesn't get rattled. He's got
a lot of poise. So there's a lot to like
about soorersby at the quarterback position.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
It's a different type of big twelve. It's a different
type of league across the country. I guess if we're
doing this anecdotally, but top bottom, the big twelve, I
know you have it a run or two.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Be low.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
The other power conference is handicap this Big twelve race
for me, and talk about if you can the schools
that you think have the best chance to make the
expanded college football playoff.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Yeah, I think the Big twelve is wide open head
and the end of the year, and you could probably
go ten, maybe even eleven deep with teams that could
possibly win the Big Twelve this year. And if Moe,
you put me on the line, you said, hey, make
a case for West Virginia, make a case for TCU,
Texas Tech UCF. I can make that case for you
and say, hey, they've got a great shot to get
(05:35):
into the Big twelve title game. But I don't know
if we're going to get more than one or two
teams that make the playoff out of the Big Twelve.
I think the playoffs this year might just be loaded
with SEC and Big Ten teams. However, in the Big twelve,
your biggest playoff contenders in my mind are Utah, Kansas State,
Oklahoma State, and then possibly Iowa State as well. And
(05:56):
with Utah, they are my pick to win the Big
Twelve this year. For the Pac twelve, the Pac twelve
last year I thought was on par with the SEC
and the Big Ten, and they played all the big
boys in the Pac twelve on the road. They played
Oregon State, USC, Washington, Arizona, all ranked all on the
road last year. It was part of their eight and
five record. But the biggest part of their eight and
five record was a lack of a quarterback. I mean,
(06:18):
in August they lost their backup quarterback, Brandon Rose. Then
they lose Cam Rising, so they were down to their third, fourth,
fifth string QB. Teams could stack the box on them
and not worry about it. Well, Rising's back the Brandon
Roses back. They had Sam Hurd coming in from cal Poly.
He originally signed with Washington, so they're much deeper in
the quarterback room, solved at the line of scrimmage. Taking
(06:39):
a step down conference wise. I feel from the Pac
twelve to the Big twelve, and I've got Utah win
in the Big twelve this year.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
The great Phil Steele is with us.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
The twenty twenty four of Phil Steel College Football Preview
Magazine is available right now. You can get the digital
version by the time this conversation is over going to
Phil Steel dot com. It's a national champampionship or bust
season for the Ohio State Buckeyes. You talked about as
off seasons go, between the players that they have retained,
the players they have gotten via the portal, and Jim
(07:09):
Harball leaving for the NFL, I'm not sure you could
ask for a better offseason for the Buckeyes. What is
your biggest concern about Ryan Day's team?
Speaker 4 (07:19):
Biggest concern, which aren't many, maybe that we need to
see a quarterback emerge. I think Will Howard will be
the guy. They'll run the football a little bit more,
and maybe a little bit on the offensive line. It
hasn't lived up to its potential the last couple of years.
But I mean they've got basically four starters back, plus
they had an Alabama tr answer, so there's really no
(07:39):
weakness on this Ohio State team. In fact, the unit
I ranked the lowest is the special teams and only
rate at number thirty three in the country. All the
other units rank in my top nineteen, including that quarterback position.
And you know, Ohio State's got Michigan to thank for
all this. Why is that well last year or this year,
they probably could have lost like eleven guys the NFL Draft,
(08:00):
but they only lost four because a lot of these
guys don't have a pair of gold pants. They haven't
beaten Michigan yet, and they weren't gonna leave Ohio State
without a pair of gold pants and beating Michigan and
winning the Big Ten. And this loaded Ohio State team,
best defense in the country, best running back room in
the country, one of the best receiving corps in the country,
offensive line, quarterback are really really good. They're gonna be dangerous.
(08:23):
But they do play Oregon on the road, and I've
got Oregon up there with Ohio State, and so even
if they lose that game, I think they easily make
the Big Ten title game this year. And we may
see Ohio State and Oregon play each other three times
this year, once in the regular season, once in a
Big Ten championship, maybe once again in the playoff.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Yeah, and each time.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
If that happens, it's still going to be weird to
me to talk about Oregon and Ohio State in the
same conference.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
But that's something that we're all going to have to
get used to. I feel like we do this every year.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
And my prelude to talking about the University of Kentucky
is the same every year, where you know Mark stubs
Keith's getting them to bowl games every year. They play
a soft ish non conference schedule. You look at the
games they have on their schedule in the SEC, you
know which ones they'll be underdogs in, and yet you
know that's as consistent a program as you'll find in
college football. Give me a minute here on the Wildcats
(09:15):
and what would have to happen for them to win
some of those games that Vegas is going to say
they shouldn't.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
Yeah. I think the big thing is going to be
the quarterback play this year because I love the defense.
You look up front on the defensive line, Dean Walker's
up there, JJ Weaver. They have one of the best
defensive lines in the country. In fact, I rate at
number nine. I rate their linebacking core number thirteen SYS
a very good defense. Offensively, I rate their big Blue
(09:42):
and it hasn't really been the big blue offensive line
the last couple of years, but this year they do
look like it. I've got them ready to number seventeen.
The receiving course dynamic. Now quarterbacks the question they do
bring in Brock Vandergriff, a guy with a ton of potential,
but he just has to show it. Last year with Georgia,
he had a very solid as a backup, yet twelve
of eighteen passes with the two oz ratio. They've got
(10:04):
Gavin wimset behind them, Boe Allen behind them, but I
need to see a quarterback emerging. You know, the last
two years you thought that their quarterback was going to
be great. Didn't pan out that way. We'll see what
they do this year.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
You're the only national analyst I can get on.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
I say this every year as well that I can
talk about the Miami RedHawks with. And you know, they
beat Cincinnati early in the season, much to my dismay.
But I walked away from that game in Nippert Stadium
and I said, I think the RedHawks might actually be
really good.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
And they were.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
They only lost one more game after the season opener.
That was the game where Brett Gabbert got hurt. All
the way until their bowl game against Appalachian State.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Gabbert is back.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Last year, you and I talked about the experience that
Chuck Martin had. You still have the RedHawks a top
your rankings of teams in the MAC. For the RedHawks
to get back to the MAC Championship game. What things
have to happen this year that happened last year.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
I just think they have to stay healthy because arguably
they are the most talented team in the MAC. This year,
You've got Brett Gabbert back at QB. Gabert is now
close to one hundred percent and remember last year he
was coming off the injury, so he wasn't having That's
a big plus. Offensive line looks solid. They got four
starters back, and the linebacking corps, I mean, with Salad
(11:20):
Pack and Wyse, that's one of the best linebacking corps
in the country. Upfront, they're solid with Uglu and Hilton,
and then the secondary. You know, they've got a new
starting quarterback that's going to be inexperienced, but the rest
of the secondary is a veteran group. So I think
they are the most talented team in the MAC coming in.
They also have my number fifteen rated special teams and
(11:40):
that's despite losing the lu Grose Award winner and Graham Nicholson.
They bring in dob Dizabane who comes in and he's
got some experience, so I think it's going to be
interesting to see what happens with Miami. But I believe
if they stay healthy, they're the best team in the mac.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Phil Steele dot Com.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
Order the two thousand, twenty four Phil Steel College Football
Preview Magazine. It is over three hundred and fifty pages
of information you will need as the season inches closer.
It is always awesome to have you. I do appreciate it.
We've been doing this now for like twelve thirteen years.
I always look forward to it, always enjoyed the conversation. Phil,
thanks so much.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Sounds good, mom. We should do this more often, my friend.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Let's make it a half years ago.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
Let's make it happen. Let's do that intermittently during the season.
I'll hold you that, okay, all right?
Speaker 4 (12:27):
Sounds good, mom.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
You got the great Phil Steele. Order his publication. What
I love about Phil Steele, Well, there's a lot of things.
I love the preseason publication. There's a digital version. You
can get it right now. But if you ever go
to his website to order any of his magazines, there's
an option for well, people who are incarcerated. It says
click here for correctional facility orders. So those guys who
(12:54):
broke into my house can get a copy of the
Phil Steel twenty twenty four college football preview. It's like
getting really chippy following the people who are there down
there covering the Bengals training camp. It's Mike Petrellier writes
on Twitter. It's getting borderline out of control. We have
some poll questions. We'll ask them about one of the
mini fights and perhaps take a phone call or two
(13:15):
when we come back. It's seventeen after four, ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station, Cincinnati's ESPN fifty
Perse in footballs. The Orange and Black kick off their
preseason schedule against Tampa Bay. Incredible catch Pie, It's the
Bengals and Buccaneers in a pigskin season preview.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The second effort get the tagles but touchdown.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Look Zach Kaylord's men proof they're ready for a super
Bowl bound season. Down the Call from Dan Ord and
Dave Laffa. Coverage starts Saturday at three on ESPN fifteen thirty,
The Apple Home of the Bengals.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
It's a four oh five on ESPN fifteen thirty on Oeger.
Thank you so much for joining us. This is a
right of summer for us. Either late July or early August.
We get our guy, Phil Steel on his annual college
football preview magazine is out.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
It is available. You could order it.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
You can have it within seconds. Got to Phil Steel
dot com. There's an FCS version. We love having Phil
on the show. We talk every year about his publication
and absolute labor of love. I want to start with that, because, boy,
in the era of player movement, how you prepare for
the season as a fan is a lot different. How
you prepare for the season as a coach is a
(01:08):
lot different. Tell me how different it is preparing for
the publication of the preseason preview when you've got so
many guys changing programs.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Yeah, it makes it a lot tougher, I'll tell you that, Bo.
And you know, it used to be. This is the
thirtieth year of the magazine, and we used to be
able to go to the press in the middle of
May because we knew everybody's roster, you know, coming out
of spring practice. Everybody is set. Now the Dancer Portal
closes on April the thirtieth, and so we knew the
players that hit the portal, but we didn't know where
they landed. So we gave it the entire month of
(01:39):
May and even the first week of June to make
sure we captured everybody where they went. A lot more
rewrites in the magazine, you know, I do within a
three right through section. The first right through his postseason,
second one is pre spring, third one is after talking
to the head coaches. And so we actually went to
the press June seventh this year, much later than normal,
but we were able to capture all this transfer portal
(02:01):
activity makes it a lot more hectic down the stretch.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah, and one of those programs impacted dramatically by the
ability to bring players in the University of Cincinnati. And
you know, for me, I always turned to well, for
years it was the AAC and now it's the Big Twelve.
This year, I was looking for the page where you
have the most improved teams from this year to last year,
which this year was page thirty six, because I thought, boy,
(02:25):
if the Bearcats aren't on this page, it's going to
be a long season. You had them, and then you
wrote and you're bored about them? You think they're going
to go to a bowl game? Tell me what you
like about the squad.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah, the only teams that make my most improved list
are teams that had a losing record last year that
I think can make a bowl game this year. And
there's a lot to like about Cincinnati. First of all,
let's talk about last year. Now. Last year, the Bearcats
are one of the least experienced teams in the entire country,
number one twenty eight. They had like one offensive lineman back,
they had very little experience at quarterback, the defense decimated
(02:59):
by players leaving. And then they've of course taken a
step up to the Big Twelve, and I thought they
played better than expected you know, almost weekly, I was
picking against him in my Inside the press Box newsletter,
and almost every time we got to the half, I'm like, damn,
I'm not going to win this one. Bearcats are looking
pretty good, but that lack of depth they wore down
last year. We're all those things. They're corrected this year,
(03:22):
much more experience. Do you look at them. They've got
eight starters back on offense, seven on defense. They've got
better depth this year. I like the way they run
the football. You know, last year they were number five
in the NCAA and running the football this year that
we were right up there again. They've got three mobile
quarterbacks with soreersby Lichtenberg and Jones, so they don't have
to protect their QB. They got Kiner, Pryor and Williams.
(03:44):
I thought they lacked some explosiveness and running back last year.
They've added explosiveness this year. That's a big plus. The
entire offensive line is back. The Godfather's back up front
on the defensive line. This much improved Cincinnati team and
one I think is going to get off to a
great start. I've got him favorite in their first four
games of the year, and if they jump out to
a four and zero start, that we're playing with a
(04:05):
lot of confidence. And I also have great confidence in
Scott Sanderfield as a head coach. I think he's got
it done wherever he's been and I think he's going
to get a do a great job here with the Bearcats.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
You know you rank positional units.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I figured you would have Cincinnati's offensive line in your
top fifteen, which you did. You've seen Brendan Sores being
right now, he's the favorite to be the starting quarterback.
I think everybody would acknowledge that you've watched him. When
you've seen him, what have you watched? Well?
Speaker 4 (04:32):
You know he's a guy that has a quick release,
he's accurate, he does have some mobility, and he moves
well for his size. He's a big guy at six
six three two hundred and thirty five pounds, doesn't shy
away from contact, but he doesn't get rattled. He's got
a lot of poise. So there's a lot to like
about soorersby at the quarterback position.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
It's a different type of big twelve. It's a different
type of league across the country. I guess if we're
doing this anecdotally, but top bottom, the big twelve, I
know you have it a run or two.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Be low.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
The other power conference is handicap this Big twelve race
for me, and talk about if you can the schools
that you think have the best chance to make the
expanded college football playoff.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Yeah, I think the Big twelve is wide open head
and the end of the year, and you could probably
go ten, maybe even eleven deep with teams that could
possibly win the Big Twelve this year. And if Moe,
you put me on the line, you said, hey, make
a case for West Virginia, make a case for TCU,
Texas Tech UCF. I can make that case for you
and say, hey, they've got a great shot to get
(05:35):
into the Big twelve title game. But I don't know
if we're going to get more than one or two
teams that make the playoff out of the Big Twelve.
I think the playoffs this year might just be loaded
with SEC and Big Ten teams. However, in the Big twelve,
your biggest playoff contenders in my mind are Utah, Kansas State,
Oklahoma State, and then possibly Iowa State as well. And
(05:56):
with Utah, they are my pick to win the Big
Twelve this year. For the Pac twelve, the Pac twelve
last year I thought was on par with the SEC
and the Big Ten, and they played all the big
boys in the Pac twelve on the road. They played
Oregon State, USC, Washington, Arizona, all ranked all on the
road last year. It was part of their eight and
five record. But the biggest part of their eight and
five record was a lack of a quarterback. I mean,
(06:18):
in August they lost their backup quarterback, Brandon Rose. Then
they lose Cam Rising, so they were down to their third, fourth,
fifth string QB. Teams could stack the box on them
and not worry about it. Well, Rising's back the Brandon
Roses back. They had Sam Hurd coming in from cal Poly.
He originally signed with Washington, so they're much deeper in
the quarterback room, solved at the line of scrimmage. Taking
(06:39):
a step down conference wise. I feel from the Pac
twelve to the Big twelve, and I've got Utah win
in the Big twelve this year.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
The great Phil Steele is with us.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
The twenty twenty four of Phil Steel College Football Preview
Magazine is available right now. You can get the digital
version by the time this conversation is over going to
Phil Steel dot com. It's a national champampionship or bust
season for the Ohio State Buckeyes. You talked about as
off seasons go, between the players that they have retained,
the players they have gotten via the portal, and Jim
(07:09):
Harball leaving for the NFL, I'm not sure you could
ask for a better offseason for the Buckeyes. What is
your biggest concern about Ryan Day's team?
Speaker 4 (07:19):
Biggest concern, which aren't many, maybe that we need to
see a quarterback emerge. I think Will Howard will be
the guy. They'll run the football a little bit more,
and maybe a little bit on the offensive line. It
hasn't lived up to its potential the last couple of years.
But I mean they've got basically four starters back, plus
they had an Alabama tr answer, so there's really no
(07:39):
weakness on this Ohio State team. In fact, the unit
I ranked the lowest is the special teams and only
rate at number thirty three in the country. All the
other units rank in my top nineteen, including that quarterback position.
And you know, Ohio State's got Michigan to thank for
all this. Why is that well last year or this year,
they probably could have lost like eleven guys the NFL Draft,
(08:00):
but they only lost four because a lot of these
guys don't have a pair of gold pants. They haven't
beaten Michigan yet, and they weren't gonna leave Ohio State
without a pair of gold pants and beating Michigan and
winning the Big Ten. And this loaded Ohio State team,
best defense in the country, best running back room in
the country, one of the best receiving corps in the country,
offensive line, quarterback are really really good. They're gonna be dangerous.
(08:23):
But they do play Oregon on the road, and I've
got Oregon up there with Ohio State, and so even
if they lose that game, I think they easily make
the Big Ten title game this year. And we may
see Ohio State and Oregon play each other three times
this year, once in the regular season, once in a
Big Ten championship, maybe once again in the playoff.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Yeah, and each time.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
If that happens, it's still going to be weird to
me to talk about Oregon and Ohio State in the
same conference.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
But that's something that we're all going to have to
get used to. I feel like we do this every year.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
And my prelude to talking about the University of Kentucky
is the same every year, where you know Mark stubs
Keith's getting them to bowl games every year. They play
a soft ish non conference schedule. You look at the
games they have on their schedule in the SEC, you
know which ones they'll be underdogs in, and yet you
know that's as consistent a program as you'll find in
college football. Give me a minute here on the Wildcats
(09:15):
and what would have to happen for them to win
some of those games that Vegas is going to say
they shouldn't.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
Yeah. I think the big thing is going to be
the quarterback play this year because I love the defense.
You look up front on the defensive line, Dean Walker's
up there, JJ Weaver. They have one of the best
defensive lines in the country. In fact, I rate at
number nine. I rate their linebacking core number thirteen SYS
a very good defense. Offensively, I rate their big Blue
(09:42):
and it hasn't really been the big blue offensive line
the last couple of years, but this year they do
look like it. I've got them ready to number seventeen.
The receiving course dynamic. Now quarterbacks the question they do
bring in Brock Vandergriff, a guy with a ton of potential,
but he just has to show it. Last year with Georgia,
he had a very solid as a backup, yet twelve
of eighteen passes with the two oz ratio. They've got
(10:04):
Gavin wimset behind them, Boe Allen behind them, but I
need to see a quarterback emerging. You know, the last
two years you thought that their quarterback was going to
be great. Didn't pan out that way. We'll see what
they do this year.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
You're the only national analyst I can get on.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
I say this every year as well that I can
talk about the Miami RedHawks with. And you know, they
beat Cincinnati early in the season, much to my dismay.
But I walked away from that game in Nippert Stadium
and I said, I think the RedHawks might actually be
really good.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
And they were.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
They only lost one more game after the season opener.
That was the game where Brett Gabbert got hurt. All
the way until their bowl game against Appalachian State.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Gabbert is back.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Last year, you and I talked about the experience that
Chuck Martin had. You still have the RedHawks a top
your rankings of teams in the MAC. For the RedHawks
to get back to the MAC Championship game. What things
have to happen this year that happened last year.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
I just think they have to stay healthy because arguably
they are the most talented team in the MAC. This year,
You've got Brett Gabbert back at QB. Gabert is now
close to one hundred percent and remember last year he
was coming off the injury, so he wasn't having That's
a big plus. Offensive line looks solid. They got four
starters back, and the linebacking corps, I mean, with Salad
(11:20):
Pack and Wyse, that's one of the best linebacking corps
in the country. Upfront, they're solid with Uglu and Hilton,
and then the secondary. You know, they've got a new
starting quarterback that's going to be inexperienced, but the rest
of the secondary is a veteran group. So I think
they are the most talented team in the MAC coming in.
They also have my number fifteen rated special teams and
(11:40):
that's despite losing the lu Grose Award winner and Graham Nicholson.
They bring in dob Dizabane who comes in and he's
got some experience, so I think it's going to be
interesting to see what happens with Miami. But I believe
if they stay healthy, they're the best team in the mac.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Phil Steele dot Com.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
Order the two thousand, twenty four Phil Steel College Football
Preview Magazine. It is over three hundred and fifty pages
of information you will need as the season inches closer.
It is always awesome to have you. I do appreciate it.
We've been doing this now for like twelve thirteen years.
I always look forward to it, always enjoyed the conversation. Phil,
thanks so much.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Sounds good, mom. We should do this more often, my friend.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Let's make it a half years ago.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
Let's make it happen. Let's do that intermittently during the season.
I'll hold you that, okay, all right?
Speaker 4 (12:27):
Sounds good, mom.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
You got the great Phil Steele. Order his publication. What
I love about Phil Steele, Well, there's a lot of things.
I love the preseason publication. There's a digital version. You
can get it right now. But if you ever go
to his website to order any of his magazines, there's
an option for well, people who are incarcerated. It says
click here for correctional facility orders. So those guys who
(12:54):
broke into my house can get a copy of the
Phil Steel twenty twenty four college football preview. It's like
getting really chippy following the people who are there down
there covering the Bengals training camp. It's Mike Petrellier writes
on Twitter. It's getting borderline out of control. We have
some poll questions. We'll ask them about one of the
mini fights and perhaps take a phone call or two
(13:15):
when we come back. It's seventeen after four, ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station, Cincinnati's ESPN fifty
Mo Egger News
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