The host of Down & Dirty and Utes legend on how things change from the end of fall camp to preparing for the season opener, NFL preseason, Should QB salaries be exempt from the cap (?)
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
This is the Sean O'Connell Show.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
You were almost the best inside of your youth.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Let's get back to wo see from the Murdoch Chevrolet
Studio of the ESPN seven ninety two to one am.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Sean O'Connell Show on ESPN seven hundred ninety Happy Monday, everybody.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Glad to have you with us.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Glad to have Scott Mitchell hosted The Down and Dirty
Color Analyst on Utah Football Radio broadcasts. First one this
year is twelve days from now. Scott joins us to
talk about all things Utah football. Scott, welcome, How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:45):
You know? I am doing quite well, Thank you very much.
I'm excited for football to start, but I'm doing well. Thanks.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
So, the transition from general football preparation to game install
happens kind of about now when you're you're focusing in,
I mean, you get it's the first week of the season.
You get kind of the bye week, the extra week
of time to prepare. So coaches usually start shifting over.
(01:13):
You're watching film on UCLA. You're doing playbook install type
stuff specifically for UCLA, and that is different than the
regular structure of practice for a quarterback, the position you
played for so long, how much does it change what
you're doing on a day to day basis When you
go from just like getting your chemistry down and you're
timing down with your receivers and everyone else in the
(01:35):
offense to now you're preparing for what you're gonna see
week one.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
I think it's one of the hardest transitions of like
the entire year, and not just for a quarterback, but
really for everyone. When you're in fault camp, everyone gets reps.
You're involved, you're important, You go to the meetings, and
when you're in the meeting, you actually watch plays of
that you're in. You know, when you're when you're a back,
(02:03):
like everyone gets to watch place and there's a there's
a tempo to it, there's a pace, there's a rhythm,
and then all of a sudden, it just changes. And
so all the guys who are getting reps don't get
reps anymore, and they're maybe a little disgruntled for a
little bit of time. So you got to work through
the emotion of that. And then the starter and the starters,
(02:27):
you know, now they're getting all the reps and it's exciting.
But I think one of the biggest challenges is doing
too much. Like you can over prepare, you can overhype yourself.
I think a couple of years ago when Utah went
to Florida, I think that might have been the case.
You know, they may be may be over prepared, and
and you get that paralysis. By now you're just like
(02:50):
you're just lethargic. You're you're because they're a normal game
week repetition and rhythm is just that one week boom
and you got and so it's it's harder. And again,
I just think it's the hardest time you have all
year to prepare and to deal with a practice week
(03:12):
because it's weeks and it's a couple of weeks, and
and everyone is thrown off because everyone's been on this
different schedule and it hasn't been you know, I've been
on that schedule for you know, for two or three weeks,
and it's hard for everyone to kind of get out
of that rhythm.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
You want to play a start bench cut with me.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Scott, I always do. Sean, you know that.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
This one's, uh, this one's a little unorthodox because we're
not talking about a particular player here. We're talking Utah football,
UTA Athletics, royal families. All right, start one bench, one
cut one.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Oh wow, that's a fun one.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
The Ellis family okay, the Dyson family okay, the Barton
family okay. Honorable mention to the Kruegers, the kaim Oyatu's,
the low To Lalais, Mocha, Feces, Calfun, Lucis. There's there's
other such families, but I settled on Ellis, Dyson, and Barton.
Now you know the resumes of some of these people.
(04:09):
So start one bench, one cut one.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
So really quickly before you start. I just realized something.
It's not been hard to recruit at Utah. Like the
secret of Utah is you get one kid and you
get the whole family and they all have lot. I mean,
Luther had twelve kids. He probably had five or six
Hall of famers still in his in diapers at his house.
He's got so many kids. But I know this is
(04:37):
I know this will be a little unorthodox, but ah, man,
like Paul Barton is my guy because we were teammates,
and I just think that Paul is one of the
funniest people in the world because he's so he's so unfiltered.
You know, he'll just tell you like how it is.
And it's just so pleasant to talk to him all
the time. And he's funny, and I don't think he
(04:59):
realizes how funny is. Uh And and he's had three
pretty darn good ones. Uh And but Luther, Luther is
my guy. And oh jeez, I don't know. See I'm
totally biased on this. It's gonna be one of those. Uh.
I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go start the Bartons, bench
(05:20):
the Ellis's and cut the Dyson's. All right, sorry, Kevin
and I played Kevin and I played golf together a
couple of times and it was really fun. He's he's
a good guy too, But sorry, Kevin.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
They're just grinding their teeth. Kevin and Andre Dyson just mad,
just real mad. Now all right, Uh, Scott Mitchell starts
the Barton family, benches the Yellis family, and cuts the
Dyson family. Uh, It's that's it's a tough one because
you don't know, like lander is still you don't know
that story is not all the way written.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Same is true with the Ellis family to your point,
But we've.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Got two first tea ball America, two consiens us all
Americans out of the ellises so far, but there's more
Bartons if you if you factor in mom and you
factor in sister, you're talking about like all conference decorations everywhere.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
So it's tough. It's a tough one.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
I think of all your start bench cut this is
your best one, like this one. This is a good one.
I liked it. You got up early and got creative
on that one.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Yes, that's exactly what did not happen.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
All right, So as we get closer to UCLA, I
mean next week is when we'll really dive into UCLA.
But the opportunity in front of a team starting with
a powerful opponent that is I mean, it's a winnable game.
It's not dissimilar from some we've seen in past seasons,
(06:52):
but it's not going to be a great year by
most projections for UCLA. They still have four or five
six NFL guys on the roster and it's still a
brand of sorts. It's not the same as starting your
season with USC or Oregon. But it's a big enough game.
So how do you balance that if you're the coaching staff,
(07:12):
if you're a player on this team, and it's not
a tune up game against Cal Poly or Weaber State
or whatever. It's also not traveling to the swamp in
week one. How do you find the goldilock zone here?
Speaker 1 (07:27):
So this game might be the most important game for
Utah all year, just because last year and even the
year before had such a bad taste and it was
one that kind of rocked to the foundations of what
had taken years and years to build. And I think
everyone in the program said, hey, we're a great place.
(07:48):
People around the country felt that way. The Utah was
picked to win the conference. There's a tremendous Utah build up,
a tremendous amount of respect Kyle Whittingham and that whole
pro what they've done and well deserved, and all of
a sudden it's like, wait a minute, I mean, worst
record in I don't know, fifteen sixteen years and just
(08:11):
wasn't what anyone expected. So and then you make changes,
and you have this new quarterback and you're supposed to
have this great offensive line, and you know, it looks
like there's going to be better production offensively. But I
think for the psyche of the program, for everyone, I
think even the coaches, the fans, the players that are there,
(08:32):
they know the expectation. They know, they know what's at staken.
So I really think this is a critical game to
just make a statement, to kind of get out there
and say, Okay, we got this thing headed in the
right direction, because you're not going to know when you
play cal Paly. You know you're going to you're going
to run over cal Pauly with your third teamers, and
(08:52):
you're not going to really know in Laramie because you know,
everything that happens in Laramie is like, you know, it's
it's like a conspiracy theory. It doesn't exist. It's weird,
and you're not going to know there, and you want
to know, at least you want to, And I think
this is the game that you're really going to at
least have a pretty good indication of a lot of things.
I mean, there's still questions about the defensive line, there's
(09:15):
questions about the wide receivers. You know, they're kind of
questions about maybe a cornerback position. But I think this
is a hugely important game just for the psyche of everyone.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Scott Mitchell's our guest here on the Sean O'Connell Show,
talking all things Utah football right now with UCLA approaching
twelve days from now, in these final twelve days, how
much can you improve as a team.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Well, I think you can. I think you can improve
a lot, But I think you can be you got
to be really careful about doing too much, like you
just you just kind of burn yourself out, and you
can get into bad habits because you're just the monotony
of practicing over and over and over again. And so
it's really important to get the work, but also to
(10:02):
keep it fresh. Uh. And and I think getting into
you know, finding the right rhythm to get into game mode,
which they're probably into by now, or at least after
their last scrimmage. I would think, Uh, you know, it's
just so important for it's a it's the new guys,
you know, it's the guys, the wide receivers really and
(10:25):
and the and the and the quarterback finding as much
rhythm as they possibly can. Uh. In the next couple
of weeks, that's probably the place where you're gonna you're
gonna see it the most.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
In a game. First game of the season.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
How how many throws did it take Scott Mitchell to
feel like he was you know, he got the timing down,
you know, how fast the pass rushers are coming, you
know how fast the dbs are moving, you know how
fast your route runners are going.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Because game speed.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
No matter how hard you prepare in practice, no matter
how diligently you focus on emulating a game, there's nothing
like real games.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
There's nothing like actual competition.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
So how many throws did it take before you were like,
all right here, I am got it?
Speaker 1 (11:08):
So for me it was the first preseason game. It
was it was weird. Every year this in the NFL.
College is different, but in the NFL, the first preseason game,
you have this major question mark in the back of
your head after the game's over. And the reason is
when you're when you're in practice, you're kind of in
a conscious mode. You're and when you get into a game,
(11:31):
no matter what, whether it's preseason or regular season, there's
just kind of this like instinct that kicks in. You know,
you're kind of almost in a subconscious state. You know,
you react to a lot of things just uh, subconsciously,
and so you kind of freaked out because you don't
know if your instincts are still there or not. And
then you go watch the film and you go, okay,
(11:53):
I I felt that you know, it's it's so much
about moving in the pocket and and feeling comfortable and
then and then after that it's like, all right, I'm
good and and but it does take that first game
to just kind of trust your instincts to get him going,
because there's nothing, especially for a quarterback, like you never
get hit in practice, so there's nothing like that, you know,
(12:17):
game speed and being in a game. You know, every
year I think was different as far as the regular
season goes, but you felt I felt pretty ready by
the time I got that. I was someone who liked
to actually go more as I went through preseason, And
it's very different now because I really just felt the
(12:37):
more work I got, I just I just felt it
just felt like going into the regular season was just
another game. A lot of guys never like Barry Sanders,
never played in the preseason, and it would take him
almost two games before he was even in game shape
enough as good as he was to really hit on
all cylinders. So it's more games and it is actual throws.
(13:01):
And for me, it was just more the more time
I had the preseason, the better off I was early
on in the season hitting my strude.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
There's a preseason game on tonight Bengals Commanders, And these
are two teams who have you know, a top five
player on their roster sitting out. Frey Hendrickson for the
Bengals has been holding out and the impass got to
such a point they're like, all right, go ahead and
see if you can find a trade partner. Same thing
(13:33):
true for Commander's wide receiver Terry McLaurin. So if you're
on the roster, how are you looking at this? If
you're another player on the team, because you're like, man,
we need this guy, we want this guy, and ownership's
not getting a deal done with this guy. My understanding,
and you know a million times better than I do,
My understanding is like most people on the roster want
(13:55):
guys to get paid for the most part. So if
you're in that locker room and I'm not talking about
the preseason guys trying to battle for their roster spot,
I'm talking about Joe Burrow, You're like, man, our best
defensive player might might not be on the team this
year and.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
We're going to play real games in three weeks.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
How are you thinking about it?
Speaker 1 (14:18):
It's it's extremely disheartening, and what I think someone brought
this idea up. I don't know who it was. I
just heard it somewhere. It could have even been a dream,
you know, I had. I don't know where it came from.
But the idea was to not count quarterbacks against the
salary cap and and just kind of have them in
their own category because they just they just get paid
(14:39):
so differently, and the impact that one player has on
the team is kind of unfair, and so because it
stifles you other areas, and it's like, it's not fair
that the quarterback doesn't get paid. You know, it's like
I got to take a pay cut so everyone else
can get paid so we can have a team around you.
That's because that's not really your true value. And and it's
(15:01):
not fair for the other players because it's like, you know,
the teams have to make hard decisions and it's like
do we pay our wide receivers or do we pay
our great defensive end or or you know, with the
commander's situation, you know, it's it's it's just like, you know,
it's sad because they probably have the money and they
just aren't paying it. And really, you know, there should
(15:27):
be some kind of exception or modification to the salary cap,
because you develop a player and they work in your
system and then you have to you know, they get
to a certain age or a certain salary and you
have to make a hard choice to keep them around
or not. And they build a fan following and you
build a team and a chemistry, and it just throws
(15:47):
everything off. And you know, I'm always for everyone getting
paid as much as they can, and it's and it's
it's just a tough situation that teams get into because
they've got to make these hard decisions on guys and
and they and it throws everything off. And I think
so much of it is is that the quarterback position
is just too valued in the salary cap. And if
(16:09):
there was a way to kind of take it out
and have it as an exception, that that it might
make more sense. And then then you keep more of
these teams together and you keep the continuity, uh and
and it ultimately, I think Sean makes it for a
better product. You know, if you get players on teams
and these teams are more competitive and they it just
(16:29):
you're gonna you know, the Cincinnati Bengals should be a
playoff contending, super Bowl contending team with the type of
players they have and and to dismantle. And same with
the Washington Commanders. I mean, these these guys are you
know from last year it looked really good. So I
just I that's my solution. I hated it as a player.
(16:50):
Usually when a guy held out because he doesn't get
the reps and the conditioning, they usually when they do sign,
they usually get injured, you know, and so there, so
it's almost like, if I sit out, you can pretty
much guarantee he's not gonna have a great year even
when he comes back. That's kind of how I always
looked at.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
It, with the receiver situation in particular.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Right, and you make a lot of great points, and
I actually like that idea of just exempting quarterback contracts.
Alter the salary cap however you want to, but say,
like pay what Pay the quarterback as much as you want.
He doesn't count fill your team with the best talent
you can find. If you're a young quarterback. This is
the case for the Commanders. Right, You're a guy heading
(17:33):
into your second year and the team can't come to
an agreement with your best target, your best option as
a quarterback.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
You don't get to do the job by yourself.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Same is obviously true for the wide receiver, and that's
a partnership that both guys want to continue. And it's
not like it's not like Terry's not making any money.
I mean, he's making twenty two million bucks a year.
So you're the young quarterback who's still on your rookie
dar your window is open right now and you're looking
(18:03):
at a guy who's not quite thirty, so he's older
than you who's holding out.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
And is that an impass with the team?
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Who are you more mad at the player or the
team that you can't get the deal done so I
can have my favorite wide receiver.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Well, the gifts that the commanders have been given every
team wishes to have, and that's to have really good
quarterback play at bargain prices. Yes, you know, like what
the forty nine ers had. I mean, and you're very
lucky to have it. I mean, so many young quarterbacks
struggle and have a hard time figuring it out, and
you know, it takes three or four years, and then
(18:38):
all of a sudden you have to pay a Trevor Lawrence,
You have to pay a to and you really wonder,
you know, was it worth it to us to do that.
But when you have what Jade Daniels did and looks
to be, you have to make hey, whatever whatever it takes.
And I think it's really on the team more than anything.
You have to surround him. You have to just say,
(19:01):
this is our window. We got a real shot here
to be ultra competitive to go play in the super Bowl,
and we got to make moves across the board, uh
to make that happen. And they and they have the
space to do it. And that's that's what I'm saying.
You know, it makes no sense why they don't pay
the wide receiver and uh and and and if if
anything's going to throw a young quarterback off, it's going
(19:23):
to be his favorite target. The guy's most comfortable with
not being there. I mean that that's just like that's
just like here, once't you just cut off my left arm,
you know, and let me go play. Because having that
confidence in a guy is it's very automatic in clutch situations.
You know, it's you know you're going to go to
that guy. You know he's going to deliver for you.
(19:44):
It's just you know, the third down solutions, the red
zone solutions when it really matters, and you have that
confidence in a guy that's just like gold and and
to take that away and to not understand that is,
you know, people that just don't understand kind of the
finer details of football and a really high level quarterback play.
And every great quarterback has a guy and they always
(20:07):
have and they always will and to take that away
is just foolish.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Well, we're going to see how it plays out in Washington,
in Cincinnati and in Dallas, because they've got the same
situation happening with Micah Parsons. Last thing before I let
you go, you're now an owner of a team. Every
one of those guys has been granted the option to
go seek trade. You own the Salt Lake City Stallions
(20:37):
in the NFL. Which of those guys are you going
out and putting a package together to trade for?
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Oh? I mean, I would look at a player like
Micah Parsons is that's a special player. It's always that
special position that you need to find a guy, and
he'd certainly be the top of my list of those guys.
Wide receivers, as good as they are, they're just a
lot easier to find. And Trey Hendrickson, as good as
(21:05):
he is, he's not like that elite, elite guy. You know,
he's still really good, so there's a likelihood you could
find and develop a guy like him. But that top tier,
which I believe Micah Parsons is and could be, that's
the rarest thing that you want to go get and
find if you can get it.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Scott, you're the man. Appreciate you giving me time every week.
Thank you, sir.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
Always a pleasure sewn anytime, and thank you.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
Scott Mitchell, former Utah quarterback, longtime NFL veteran, and of
course host of The Down and Dirty and colour analyst
on Utah radio broadcasts. We are twelve days away from
the start of Utah's football season against UCLA.
This is the Sean O'Connell Show.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
You were almost the best inside of your youth.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Let's get back to wo see from the Murdoch Chevrolet
Studio of the ESPN seven ninety two to one am.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Sean O'Connell Show on ESPN seven hundred ninety Happy Monday, everybody.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Glad to have you with us.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Glad to have Scott Mitchell hosted The Down and Dirty
Color Analyst on Utah Football Radio broadcasts. First one this
year is twelve days from now. Scott joins us to
talk about all things Utah football. Scott, welcome, How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:45):
You know? I am doing quite well, Thank you very much.
I'm excited for football to start, but I'm doing well. Thanks.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
So, the transition from general football preparation to game install
happens kind of about now when you're you're focusing in,
I mean, you get it's the first week of the season.
You get kind of the bye week, the extra week
of time to prepare. So coaches usually start shifting over.
(01:13):
You're watching film on UCLA. You're doing playbook install type
stuff specifically for UCLA, and that is different than the
regular structure of practice for a quarterback, the position you
played for so long, how much does it change what
you're doing on a day to day basis When you
go from just like getting your chemistry down and you're
timing down with your receivers and everyone else in the
(01:35):
offense to now you're preparing for what you're gonna see
week one.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
I think it's one of the hardest transitions of like
the entire year, and not just for a quarterback, but
really for everyone. When you're in fault camp, everyone gets reps.
You're involved, you're important, You go to the meetings, and
when you're in the meeting, you actually watch plays of
that you're in. You know, when you're when you're a back,
(02:03):
like everyone gets to watch place and there's a there's
a tempo to it, there's a pace, there's a rhythm,
and then all of a sudden, it just changes. And
so all the guys who are getting reps don't get
reps anymore, and they're maybe a little disgruntled for a
little bit of time. So you got to work through
the emotion of that. And then the starter and the starters,
(02:27):
you know, now they're getting all the reps and it's exciting.
But I think one of the biggest challenges is doing
too much. Like you can over prepare, you can overhype yourself.
I think a couple of years ago when Utah went
to Florida, I think that might have been the case.
You know, they may be may be over prepared, and
and you get that paralysis. By now you're just like
(02:50):
you're just lethargic. You're you're because they're a normal game
week repetition and rhythm is just that one week boom
and you got and so it's it's harder. And again,
I just think it's the hardest time you have all
year to prepare and to deal with a practice week
(03:12):
because it's weeks and it's a couple of weeks, and
and everyone is thrown off because everyone's been on this
different schedule and it hasn't been you know, I've been
on that schedule for you know, for two or three weeks,
and it's hard for everyone to kind of get out
of that rhythm.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
You want to play a start bench cut with me.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Scott, I always do. Sean, you know that.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
This one's, uh, this one's a little unorthodox because we're
not talking about a particular player here. We're talking Utah football,
UTA Athletics, royal families. All right, start one bench, one
cut one.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Oh wow, that's a fun one.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
The Ellis family okay, the Dyson family okay, the Barton
family okay. Honorable mention to the Kruegers, the kaim Oyatu's,
the low To Lalais, Mocha, Feces, Calfun, Lucis. There's there's
other such families, but I settled on Ellis, Dyson, and Barton.
Now you know the resumes of some of these people.
(04:09):
So start one bench, one cut one.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
So really quickly before you start. I just realized something.
It's not been hard to recruit at Utah. Like the
secret of Utah is you get one kid and you
get the whole family and they all have lot. I mean,
Luther had twelve kids. He probably had five or six
Hall of famers still in his in diapers at his house.
He's got so many kids. But I know this is
(04:37):
I know this will be a little unorthodox, but ah, man,
like Paul Barton is my guy because we were teammates,
and I just think that Paul is one of the
funniest people in the world because he's so he's so unfiltered.
You know, he'll just tell you like how it is.
And it's just so pleasant to talk to him all
the time. And he's funny, and I don't think he
(04:59):
realizes how funny is. Uh And and he's had three
pretty darn good ones. Uh And but Luther, Luther is
my guy. And oh jeez, I don't know. See I'm
totally biased on this. It's gonna be one of those. Uh.
I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go start the Bartons, bench
(05:20):
the Ellis's and cut the Dyson's. All right, sorry, Kevin
and I played Kevin and I played golf together a
couple of times and it was really fun. He's he's
a good guy too, But sorry, Kevin.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
They're just grinding their teeth. Kevin and Andre Dyson just mad,
just real mad. Now all right, Uh, Scott Mitchell starts
the Barton family, benches the Yellis family, and cuts the
Dyson family. Uh, It's that's it's a tough one because
you don't know, like lander is still you don't know
that story is not all the way written.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Same is true with the Ellis family to your point,
But we've.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Got two first tea ball America, two consiens us all
Americans out of the ellises so far, but there's more
Bartons if you if you factor in mom and you
factor in sister, you're talking about like all conference decorations everywhere.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
So it's tough. It's a tough one.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
I think of all your start bench cut this is
your best one, like this one. This is a good one.
I liked it. You got up early and got creative
on that one.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Yes, that's exactly what did not happen.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
All right, So as we get closer to UCLA, I
mean next week is when we'll really dive into UCLA.
But the opportunity in front of a team starting with
a powerful opponent that is I mean, it's a winnable game.
It's not dissimilar from some we've seen in past seasons,
(06:52):
but it's not going to be a great year by
most projections for UCLA. They still have four or five
six NFL guys on the roster and it's still a
brand of sorts. It's not the same as starting your
season with USC or Oregon. But it's a big enough game.
So how do you balance that if you're the coaching staff,
(07:12):
if you're a player on this team, and it's not
a tune up game against Cal Poly or Weaber State
or whatever. It's also not traveling to the swamp in
week one. How do you find the goldilock zone here?
Speaker 1 (07:27):
So this game might be the most important game for
Utah all year, just because last year and even the
year before had such a bad taste and it was
one that kind of rocked to the foundations of what
had taken years and years to build. And I think
everyone in the program said, hey, we're a great place.
(07:48):
People around the country felt that way. The Utah was
picked to win the conference. There's a tremendous Utah build up,
a tremendous amount of respect Kyle Whittingham and that whole
pro what they've done and well deserved, and all of
a sudden it's like, wait a minute, I mean, worst
record in I don't know, fifteen sixteen years and just
(08:11):
wasn't what anyone expected. So and then you make changes,
and you have this new quarterback and you're supposed to
have this great offensive line, and you know, it looks
like there's going to be better production offensively. But I
think for the psyche of the program, for everyone, I
think even the coaches, the fans, the players that are there,
(08:32):
they know the expectation. They know, they know what's at staken.
So I really think this is a critical game to
just make a statement, to kind of get out there
and say, Okay, we got this thing headed in the
right direction, because you're not going to know when you
play cal Paly. You know you're going to you're going
to run over cal Pauly with your third teamers, and
(08:52):
you're not going to really know in Laramie because you know,
everything that happens in Laramie is like, you know, it's
it's like a conspiracy theory. It doesn't exist. It's weird,
and you're not going to know there, and you want
to know, at least you want to, And I think
this is the game that you're really going to at
least have a pretty good indication of a lot of things.
I mean, there's still questions about the defensive line, there's
(09:15):
questions about the wide receivers. You know, they're kind of
questions about maybe a cornerback position. But I think this
is a hugely important game just for the psyche of everyone.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Scott Mitchell's our guest here on the Sean O'Connell Show,
talking all things Utah football right now with UCLA approaching
twelve days from now, in these final twelve days, how
much can you improve as a team.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Well, I think you can. I think you can improve
a lot, But I think you can be you got
to be really careful about doing too much, like you
just you just kind of burn yourself out, and you
can get into bad habits because you're just the monotony
of practicing over and over and over again. And so
it's really important to get the work, but also to
(10:02):
keep it fresh. Uh. And and I think getting into
you know, finding the right rhythm to get into game mode,
which they're probably into by now, or at least after
their last scrimmage. I would think, Uh, you know, it's
just so important for it's a it's the new guys,
you know, it's the guys, the wide receivers really and
(10:25):
and the and the and the quarterback finding as much
rhythm as they possibly can. Uh. In the next couple
of weeks, that's probably the place where you're gonna you're
gonna see it the most.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
In a game. First game of the season.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
How how many throws did it take Scott Mitchell to
feel like he was you know, he got the timing down,
you know, how fast the pass rushers are coming, you
know how fast the dbs are moving, you know how
fast your route runners are going.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Because game speed.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
No matter how hard you prepare in practice, no matter
how diligently you focus on emulating a game, there's nothing
like real games.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
There's nothing like actual competition.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
So how many throws did it take before you were like,
all right here, I am got it?
Speaker 1 (11:08):
So for me it was the first preseason game. It
was it was weird. Every year this in the NFL.
College is different, but in the NFL, the first preseason game,
you have this major question mark in the back of
your head after the game's over. And the reason is
when you're when you're in practice, you're kind of in
a conscious mode. You're and when you get into a game,
(11:31):
no matter what, whether it's preseason or regular season, there's
just kind of this like instinct that kicks in. You know,
you're kind of almost in a subconscious state. You know,
you react to a lot of things just uh, subconsciously,
and so you kind of freaked out because you don't
know if your instincts are still there or not. And
then you go watch the film and you go, okay,
(11:53):
I I felt that you know, it's it's so much
about moving in the pocket and and feeling comfortable and
then and then after that it's like, all right, I'm
good and and but it does take that first game
to just kind of trust your instincts to get him going,
because there's nothing, especially for a quarterback, like you never
get hit in practice, so there's nothing like that, you know,
(12:17):
game speed and being in a game. You know, every
year I think was different as far as the regular
season goes, but you felt I felt pretty ready by
the time I got that. I was someone who liked
to actually go more as I went through preseason, And
it's very different now because I really just felt the
(12:37):
more work I got, I just I just felt it
just felt like going into the regular season was just
another game. A lot of guys never like Barry Sanders,
never played in the preseason, and it would take him
almost two games before he was even in game shape
enough as good as he was to really hit on
all cylinders. So it's more games and it is actual throws.
(13:01):
And for me, it was just more the more time
I had the preseason, the better off I was early
on in the season hitting my strude.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
There's a preseason game on tonight Bengals Commanders, And these
are two teams who have you know, a top five
player on their roster sitting out. Frey Hendrickson for the
Bengals has been holding out and the impass got to
such a point they're like, all right, go ahead and
see if you can find a trade partner. Same thing
(13:33):
true for Commander's wide receiver Terry McLaurin. So if you're
on the roster, how are you looking at this? If
you're another player on the team, because you're like, man,
we need this guy, we want this guy, and ownership's
not getting a deal done with this guy. My understanding,
and you know a million times better than I do,
My understanding is like most people on the roster want
(13:55):
guys to get paid for the most part. So if
you're in that locker room and I'm not talking about
the preseason guys trying to battle for their roster spot,
I'm talking about Joe Burrow, You're like, man, our best
defensive player might might not be on the team this
year and.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
We're going to play real games in three weeks.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
How are you thinking about it?
Speaker 1 (14:18):
It's it's extremely disheartening, and what I think someone brought
this idea up. I don't know who it was. I
just heard it somewhere. It could have even been a dream,
you know, I had. I don't know where it came from.
But the idea was to not count quarterbacks against the
salary cap and and just kind of have them in
their own category because they just they just get paid
(14:39):
so differently, and the impact that one player has on
the team is kind of unfair, and so because it
stifles you other areas, and it's like, it's not fair
that the quarterback doesn't get paid. You know, it's like
I got to take a pay cut so everyone else
can get paid so we can have a team around you.
That's because that's not really your true value. And and it's
(15:01):
not fair for the other players because it's like, you know,
the teams have to make hard decisions and it's like
do we pay our wide receivers or do we pay
our great defensive end or or you know, with the
commander's situation, you know, it's it's it's just like, you know,
it's sad because they probably have the money and they
just aren't paying it. And really, you know, there should
(15:27):
be some kind of exception or modification to the salary cap,
because you develop a player and they work in your
system and then you have to you know, they get
to a certain age or a certain salary and you
have to make a hard choice to keep them around
or not. And they build a fan following and you
build a team and a chemistry, and it just throws
(15:47):
everything off. And you know, I'm always for everyone getting
paid as much as they can, and it's and it's
it's just a tough situation that teams get into because
they've got to make these hard decisions on guys and
and they and it throws everything off. And I think
so much of it is is that the quarterback position
is just too valued in the salary cap. And if
(16:09):
there was a way to kind of take it out
and have it as an exception, that that it might
make more sense. And then then you keep more of
these teams together and you keep the continuity, uh and
and it ultimately, I think Sean makes it for a
better product. You know, if you get players on teams
and these teams are more competitive and they it just
(16:29):
you're gonna you know, the Cincinnati Bengals should be a
playoff contending, super Bowl contending team with the type of
players they have and and to dismantle. And same with
the Washington Commanders. I mean, these these guys are you
know from last year it looked really good. So I
just I that's my solution. I hated it as a player.
(16:50):
Usually when a guy held out because he doesn't get
the reps and the conditioning, they usually when they do sign,
they usually get injured, you know, and so there, so
it's almost like, if I sit out, you can pretty
much guarantee he's not gonna have a great year even
when he comes back. That's kind of how I always
looked at.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
It, with the receiver situation in particular.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Right, and you make a lot of great points, and
I actually like that idea of just exempting quarterback contracts.
Alter the salary cap however you want to, but say,
like pay what Pay the quarterback as much as you want.
He doesn't count fill your team with the best talent
you can find. If you're a young quarterback. This is
the case for the Commanders. Right, You're a guy heading
(17:33):
into your second year and the team can't come to
an agreement with your best target, your best option as
a quarterback.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
You don't get to do the job by yourself.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Same is obviously true for the wide receiver, and that's
a partnership that both guys want to continue. And it's
not like it's not like Terry's not making any money.
I mean, he's making twenty two million bucks a year.
So you're the young quarterback who's still on your rookie
dar your window is open right now and you're looking
(18:03):
at a guy who's not quite thirty, so he's older
than you who's holding out.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
And is that an impass with the team?
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Who are you more mad at the player or the
team that you can't get the deal done so I
can have my favorite wide receiver.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Well, the gifts that the commanders have been given every
team wishes to have, and that's to have really good
quarterback play at bargain prices. Yes, you know, like what
the forty nine ers had. I mean, and you're very
lucky to have it. I mean, so many young quarterbacks
struggle and have a hard time figuring it out, and
you know, it takes three or four years, and then
(18:38):
all of a sudden you have to pay a Trevor Lawrence,
You have to pay a to and you really wonder,
you know, was it worth it to us to do that.
But when you have what Jade Daniels did and looks
to be, you have to make hey, whatever whatever it takes.
And I think it's really on the team more than anything.
You have to surround him. You have to just say,
(19:01):
this is our window. We got a real shot here
to be ultra competitive to go play in the super Bowl,
and we got to make moves across the board, uh
to make that happen. And they and they have the
space to do it. And that's that's what I'm saying.
You know, it makes no sense why they don't pay
the wide receiver and uh and and and if if
anything's going to throw a young quarterback off, it's going
(19:23):
to be his favorite target. The guy's most comfortable with
not being there. I mean that that's just like that's
just like here, once't you just cut off my left arm,
you know, and let me go play. Because having that
confidence in a guy is it's very automatic in clutch situations.
You know, it's you know you're going to go to
that guy. You know he's going to deliver for you.
(19:44):
It's just you know, the third down solutions, the red
zone solutions when it really matters, and you have that
confidence in a guy that's just like gold and and
to take that away and to not understand that is,
you know, people that just don't understand kind of the
finer details of football and a really high level quarterback play.
And every great quarterback has a guy and they always
(20:07):
have and they always will and to take that away
is just foolish.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Well, we're going to see how it plays out in Washington,
in Cincinnati and in Dallas, because they've got the same
situation happening with Micah Parsons. Last thing before I let
you go, you're now an owner of a team. Every
one of those guys has been granted the option to
go seek trade. You own the Salt Lake City Stallions
(20:37):
in the NFL. Which of those guys are you going
out and putting a package together to trade for?
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Oh? I mean, I would look at a player like
Micah Parsons is that's a special player. It's always that
special position that you need to find a guy, and
he'd certainly be the top of my list of those guys.
Wide receivers, as good as they are, they're just a
lot easier to find. And Trey Hendrickson, as good as
(21:05):
he is, he's not like that elite, elite guy. You know,
he's still really good, so there's a likelihood you could
find and develop a guy like him. But that top tier,
which I believe Micah Parsons is and could be, that's
the rarest thing that you want to go get and
find if you can get it.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Scott, you're the man. Appreciate you giving me time every week.
Thank you, sir.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
Always a pleasure sewn anytime, and thank you.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
Scott Mitchell, former Utah quarterback, longtime NFL veteran, and of
course host of The Down and Dirty and colour analyst
on Utah radio broadcasts. We are twelve days away from
the start of Utah's football season against UCLA.
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