Sean O'Connell Show - Full POD 8-6-25

OC talks college football with Roxy Bernstein, LA Rams with JB Long, Over/under passing TD's for Utah in 2025 + more

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:07):
It's the Shan O'Connell Show, brought to you by Big
Willies on Utah's number one sports talk and home of
the ESPN seven and ninety two one AFM, a proud
part of Utah's ESPN Radio Network.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Happy Home Day, everybody, Welcome to the Shan O'Connell Show.
Happy to have you with us. That's always the case.
Roxy Bernstein is going to join me in half an hour.
Love catching up with Roxy. At one o'clock we'll have JB.

Speaker 3 (00:57):
Long.

Speaker 4 (00:58):
We'll fill the rest of the time with information and entertainment.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
At least I hope that will be the case here
on ESPN seven hundred and ninety two one FM. The
show's brought to you today and every day by Big Willies.
Big Willies is Utah Sports Bar at seventeen seventeen South
Main Street. With the season twenty four days away. You
know what, a lot of you are not going to
make the trip to southern California. You're not going to

(01:24):
the Rose Bowl to watch a season opener. What you're
doing is you're finding a place to watch it. So
go to Big Willies seventeen seventeen South Maine in Salt
Lake City, they've got the pool haul, they've got the
craft food menu, they've got Kraft Cocktails, craft beers on tap.

(01:48):
They've got it all. Big Willies. Shout out to them.
The list of all lists is out in college football.
You know I'm a big list guy. No list every
season is better than the athletics Freaks List, the guys

(02:11):
on college football rosters that are just absolutely inhuman. I
went through the Freaks List and I grabbed the people
with Utah connections. I grabbed the people that the University
of Utah is going to see on the schedule this year.
We'll go through some of the big bodies on the
Freaks List, because holy cow, it is just it's a

(02:32):
different thing college football now that it used to be.
It's absolutely absurd what some of these folks are capable
of from a physical standpoint in their testing, and obviously
for a lot of them that translates to production on
a football field as well.

Speaker 4 (02:50):
We've been having.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Fun with start bench cut and this last week with
overs and unders for the Utah football offense. We'll get
to the Utah football defensive numbers at some point. The
one today that I'm setting is the passing touchdowns number.
That we project for twenty twenty five, how many passing

(03:11):
touchdowns do you think the University of Utah offense is
going to generate in twenty twenty five. The number I
have said is twenty three and a half. Twenty three
and a half, meaning the over you take twenty four
touchdowns plus through the air, the under you think it'll

(03:32):
be less than that. I always try to put these
numbers in context for you. Last year, Utah's offense in
a really bad year, especially a really bad year passing
the football.

Speaker 4 (03:44):
I almost had to double take this one.

Speaker 2 (03:46):
Last year, Utah's offense did generate twenty passing touchdowns that
was good enough for tenth place in the Big twelve Conference.
They actually tied for tenth. I guess West Virginia and
Utah both had twenty passing touchdowns. Now, unlike the run,

(04:12):
the rush yards per game, unlike the the passing yardage total,
you're not gonna find anyone in the bottom half of
the conference in passing touchdowns that kind of outperformed that
number some of these other stats. You look at it
and it doesn't necessarily translate directly to wins. Now being

(04:35):
the most prolific passing touchdown team in the conference doesn't
make you a conference champion. But if you're in the
bottom half, if you're in the cellar when it comes
to how many passing touchdowns your offerens generated last year,
it's really really hard to overcome that and have a
big time winning season.

Speaker 4 (04:54):
Now.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
BYU produced surprisingly few passing touchdowns. They only had twenty
one passing touchdowns last year. That was good enough to
tie for eighth with Oklahoma State, who, of course was
ended up being the worst team of the conference. Basically
it goes Colorado won thirty seven passing touchdowns, but as

(05:18):
we all know, they were overly dependent on the passing game.
Texas Tech was second in the conference, six touchdowns behind
the Buffaloes. They had thirty one. Baylor also had thirty one.
TCU with twenty nine alone in fourth place. Arizona State,
your eventual conference champion last year, came in fifth place

(05:38):
with twenty six passing touchdowns. Iowa State Kansas State each
had twenty five, Oklahoma State and BYU had twenty one,
and that it's West Virginia, Utah, Arizona, Cincinnati each had eighteen,
Kansas had fifteen, UCF had fourteen Houston, the bottom twenty

(06:00):
the conference, had nine passing touchdowns last year. They were
horrifically bad in the passing game, in total yardage, in
yards per play, in everything. They just could not pass
the ball last year, which is almost shocking how.

Speaker 4 (06:15):
Bad it was.

Speaker 2 (06:17):
So Utah had twenty last year. Do you think they
can get an extra four this year with Devin Dampierre.
Of course, again, you gotta look at what Utah's offense
was last year, and you got to look at what
Devin Dampier was in the New Mexico offense last year.

Speaker 4 (06:32):
He had twelve passing touchdowns.

Speaker 2 (06:35):
The numbers that everyone looks at and likes for Devin
Dampierre rush yards, touchdowns per possession or per play, basically,
the total yardage, all that stuff. You look at Devon
and you're like, all right, cool, this is great. You
get to that passing touchdowns number and you're.

Speaker 4 (06:57):
I don't love that. The touchdown inner ratio.

Speaker 2 (07:01):
I mean, if this was nineteen sixties NFL football, it's
Hall of Fame numbers. But we're not there anymore, right.
I think that is the stat line, that's the portion
of the stat line that has to be better for
Devin Dan Pier this year.

Speaker 4 (07:15):
We've all talked about that.

Speaker 2 (07:16):
We all know that he's going to come on our show,
and I'm sure we'll have some discussions about that and
how he's worked to improve that particular thing. Again, New
Mexico's offense was still one of the most prolific offenses
in the land. That particular number is a scary number

(07:36):
because when I go twenty three and a half, as
you're over under, that's your quarterback has to double last
year's number. To hit the over you only have to
be four touchdown passes better than your bad passing offense
last year, But the guy who actually throws the ball
has to double last year's production. And you assume that

(07:58):
it's not going to be a one to one this year.
Twenty four touchdowns twelve interceptions. I think you probably still
would take that over under twenty three and a half
passing touchdowns for the Utah football offense in twenty twenty five,
knowing that last year that would have been good enough
for eighth. Again, we keep landing on this, not on purpose, James,

(08:18):
We keep landing on this where the numbers I set
for Utah's offensive improvement are not rock at them.

Speaker 4 (08:26):
To the top of the list.

Speaker 2 (08:27):
It's just get them to the middle, especially with these
passing numbers, and this one again puts you at number
eight if you get to twenty four hitting the over
on twenty three and a half eight seven seven three
five three zero seven hundred. If you want to weigh
in on our text line at realoc Sports is how
you get a hold of me on Twitter?

Speaker 4 (08:46):
And that's always the case, James.

Speaker 2 (08:49):
Your first plus reaction to twenty three and a half
over or under, My first reaction is that seems very doable.
My next reaction action is what you kind of the
process you went through, which was, yeah, that seems verydoable
because it's only four more than last year. But oh wait,
that's double what Devin dan Peer did in the same

(09:13):
offense the year before. Well what about this, Osie, What
about they get to twenty four but Devin gets sixteen.
Backup quarterbacks get three, Nate Johnson out of the Wildcat
gets the rest, Like wait, what what if it's something
like that, Well, then you're asking for Nate Johnson to
have five passages.

Speaker 4 (09:34):
That's a good point.

Speaker 2 (09:35):
So I read, okay, okay, quarterback backup quarterbacks Isaac Wilson, Bird, Bird, Ficklin,
whoever it might be, not backup quarterbacks not named Nate Johnson,
because he's not technically in the quarterback room. Although you
seem to be in love with the idea of he's
a true wildcat, I mean, is that not why they

(09:58):
Is that not what the athlete role means? I don't
think it does actually for him. I think the athlete
wrote they need wide receivers. I mean, I think they're like,
I think he's gonna line up everywhere. But I think
what they're really hoping for from Nate Johnson is that
he is a wide receiver that runs past people and
catches footballs.

Speaker 4 (10:16):
Because you just don't have a bunch of those guys.

Speaker 2 (10:18):
I just think it's more likely that he lines up
in the backfield, either as the wildcat quarterback or next
to the quarterback and runs past people.

Speaker 4 (10:26):
You know What's because.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
I just do we know you can do Johnson number.
We'll set in Nate Johnson number at snaps in the
backfield as a prestap alignment or as a wide receiver
in the slot around on that because I just I mean,
maybe they figured this out. Hopefully they figured that out
there right now, But yeah, the on the pole. Hopefully

(10:49):
they figured out through he was it spring, he was
in spring practice, he's part of spring practices now in
fall camp. Hopefully they've figured out whether he is like
we know he has, he has the body, he has
the athleticism to be receiver. We don't know if he
can do the most important thing a receiver can do,
which is catch the ball. And I know that that

(11:10):
sounds harsh. I don't mean it to sound as harsh
as it probably does. I believe that he's probably capable
of doing that or developing that if if he needs
more development, but we haven't seen it yet. We know
he's not an incredible passer at quarterback, which is why

(11:30):
that which is why they're.

Speaker 5 (11:33):
Moving.

Speaker 2 (11:33):
They're trying him at this role, the athlete role. What
we the only thing we do know is that when
he has the ball in his hands, he can run
past people. He can make people miss. So that's why
I'm like, I see him as a wildcat, more wildcat
quarterback or lining up in the backfield as a as
a running back, taking handoffs or direct snaps and running

(11:56):
run at the ball, then as a receiver.

Speaker 4 (11:58):
But maybe I'm wrong.

Speaker 2 (12:00):
Quarterback can do that though, Yeah, like your actual quarterback
feel the real of being the wildcat guy that can
run past everyone, and in a design quarterback run the
wildcat is typically traditionally been a change of pace thing
to your point, So maybe that's why you don't that.
Maybe that's why we won't see direct snap wildcat things
because Devin that wouldn't be a change of pace from Devon.

(12:23):
So yeah, I we shall see. But anyway, I tongue
in cheek, Well maybe it's five. Maybe it's five touchdowns
from backup quarterback and then maybe a couple from Nate
Johnson or trick play whoever else. I think I think
I'm gonna say slightly under because that seems like a

(12:48):
big leap for Devin Dampier, even though twenty four touchdowns
doesn't sound like a lot for a.

Speaker 4 (12:55):
Power for.

Speaker 2 (12:57):
Quarter starting quarterback who's had who's had as much hype
as Devin dan Pier. But it's it's double what he
got last year in the same offense, twice as many
passing touchdowns as he had last year in the same offense,
and it's it's only eighth best in the conference. And
there were teams like BYU was right above that number.
They were at twenty one passing touchdowns ended up having

(13:19):
an eleven win season. It's not a requirement that you
passed for twenty four touchdowns. B YU also had more
defensive touchdowns in Utah. They certainly had more special teams
touchdowns than Utah, so that they made up.

Speaker 4 (13:35):
Downs in general.

Speaker 2 (13:36):
They had more touchdowns in general, but specifically in those
two areas, they were able to make up for their
relative lack of passing touchdowns. Also, they had great running
game despite it being a bit by committee, so they
were able to make up for it with the special
teams and defensive touchdowns and more rushing touchdowns. I believe

(13:57):
Utah can follow the same recipe. Especially ought to be
able to get more rushing touchdowns and expected certainly more
than last year. By the way, when we get to
the rushing touchdown numbers, setting that over under, people are
gonna throw up in their car.

Speaker 4 (14:13):
This is gonna be really high.

Speaker 2 (14:14):
Right Well well just wait, just wait, because, like I mean,
you have to put context to all of these numbers.
And if we're setting overs and unders, this is a
big ask. Twenty three and a half hitting that over
at twenty four passing touchdowns is double the quarterbacks production
from last year. In this same offense. It's not only hey,

(14:34):
you have to be better as an individual, it's the
play calling has to be a little bit different. Your
wide receiving cores has to be capable of this, and
that includes the tight ends. Of course, you have to
have the option, and there were teams, even good teams
and last year's Big Twelve Conference and nationally that just
didn't have the option of passing the ball in the

(14:58):
red zone a ton of passing the ball and creating
explosive plays that translated to multiple touchdowns. Do you know
which team in the country had the most passing touchdowns
last year? Colorado is very close to the top. I'll
say they had thirty seven last year.

Speaker 4 (15:18):
Was it wasn't Texas?

Speaker 1 (15:20):
Was it?

Speaker 4 (15:21):
Texas? Was second?

Speaker 2 (15:22):
Okay, good guess it was Miami. Miami the eventual number
one overall war. They really relied on cam Ward and
they had They had a couple of games. The Cow
game is one I can think of where they really
had to rely on him even more because they had
such big deficit to come back from. Yeah, they had

(15:42):
forty one passing touchdowns, eight interceptions who Colorado Heisman Trophy
Colorado tied with finalists Clemson and Ohio State, your eventual
national champions at thirty seven passing touchdowns.

Speaker 4 (16:00):
Wow, all right, So tell me what.

Speaker 2 (16:01):
You think of that over under twenty three and a
half touchdowns through the air for Utah football at RIALOC Sports. Like,
like I was saying, tongue in cheek about the backup quarterbacks,
maybe you get maybe you have a lot of garbage
time and you can get you can get over that
number from Isaac Wilson playing a lot in the fourth quarters.

Speaker 4 (16:19):
I don't know. I'm not sure. I'm not sure Devin
gets to that number.

Speaker 2 (16:23):
Though, I think if I mean, I'm not putting I'm
putting all these quarterback numbers on Devn specifically because I
want that's I want us to be talking about Devon
dam Pier starting every damn game for the University of U. Yes,
and not just because he's gonna be on the show
every week once the football season starts. Yeah, but that

(16:44):
that's another another reason why we want to always talk
to Devin dam Pier. We'll have a start date, hopefully soon.
Will the date of the first Devin Damn Pier interview
by the way, so stay tuned for that. We're hoping
some point in fall camp might end up being not
until the first week of the season.

Speaker 4 (17:05):
We will, We'll let you know.

Speaker 2 (17:06):
We also need to come up with a clever name
for it. Maybe because you know, Bill had conversations with
Cam we changed it to the Rising Report for all
seven of them that we ended up doing. Yeah, and
we had the Bernard breakdown, which were chosen by Makai.
Maybe we just need to maybe we seed to ask Devin, Hey,
what do you want to show? Yeah, we'll leave it

(17:27):
to Devin maybe, but it'd be good to give him
some options. Yeah, eight seven seven three five three zero
seven hundred.

Speaker 4 (17:34):
Let me know.

Speaker 2 (17:35):
Sixteen twenty four says we keep bringing up dam Pire
only having twelve tds.

Speaker 4 (17:39):
That was him doing everything himself. He has help. Now.

Speaker 2 (17:43):
I think the team will have a good twenty six
twenty six passing touchdowns. So all right, sixteen to twenty
four is going over going the over we better protection
equals less picks and more tds.

Speaker 4 (17:55):
I would think we appreciate that texture.

Speaker 2 (17:57):
By the way, I think he's an everyday texture of ours,
and I don't know, I don't think he's in the
cranky Texter group. If I'm not mistaken. Maybe sometimes doesn't
appear so because we appreciate you, doesn't appear to be
eight seven seventy three five three zero seven hundred. Tell
us why if you think they're going to hit the
over or the under. I love hearing the logic behind
people's choice on those things. All right, I want I

(18:20):
want to give this plenty of time. Will probably end
up touching on this in a couple different segments today,
but sorry, can I say just a small counterpoint to
what are very appreciated Texters said there?

Speaker 4 (18:34):
They had a receiver.

Speaker 2 (18:35):
Who's who on New Mexico who had over eight hundred yards,
which is better than almost every receiver of the last
ten years that Utahs had. Production Wise, they also had
I'm spacing on I'm spacing on names, but they also
had some really good running backs next to Devin. So

(18:57):
I would say, yes, that talent, the athleticism, because they're
power for players versus Mountain West Conference players.

Speaker 4 (19:07):
Yes, you would.

Speaker 2 (19:08):
You would hope that with that, with that higher level
of talent, you that he has a better supporting cast
around him. But production wise, New Mexico is pretty productive
around him well, and he only had twelve touchdowns. The
hope is that you end up with more depth of
talent in the receiver room, but again that is a

(19:30):
massive question mark. It's great to have a go to receiver,
is not great if you only have a go to receiver.
And we've seen what that looks like for Utah in
the past. We've seen also what it looks like when
you can spread it around a little bit and you
have like a downtown Freddie Brown and you have a
David Reid, and you have a Bradon Godfree, and you

(19:53):
have an Eddie wide out of the backfield, like, oh,
look at this. It doesn't necessarily mean anyone's a thousand
yard receiver, but now you have options and your offense
can be prolific and you get a bunch of scoring
touchdowns or passing touchdowns. So keep him coming your thoughts
on the over under at twenty three and a half
passing touchdowns eight seven seven three five three zero seven

(20:14):
hundred are at real oc Sports on Twitter. The Freaks List.
Bruce Feldman does.

Speaker 4 (20:19):
This every year. We'll try to get him on to
talk about it.

Speaker 2 (20:21):
The Freaks List in the athletic refreshed just the other day,
and I went and I compiled the Utah connections. There's
no BUYU player on the freaks list. There's no University
of Utah player on the freaks list.

Speaker 4 (20:37):
Oh.

Speaker 2 (20:37):
I would actually really like to get Doug Alisiah on
and talk to him about who are the freaks for
Utah football? Who did Bruce miss? Who are generating the
huge numbers for Utah football? And by the way, it's
actually a little bit difficult now when ten years ago,
if you were talking about a player with speed talking

(21:00):
about their forty times, and as counterintuitive as that was,
we all learned that that is how you measure speed
in college football and in football in general, and in
the combine. And then we adopted an understanding based on all, right, well,
I've seen that guy who runs a four to five,

(21:21):
and I know he's really fast. So when I hear
someone who runs a four to four, he's really fast.
And if I hear someone who runs a four to
two or a four to three, that's somebody who's freakishly fast.
Now you get those numbers, but the number that teams
actually rely on is the miles per hour, is the
GPS accelerometer. It's the they wear the band around the

(21:44):
chest or whatever, and they track how fast guys are
going on camera. And now you can use AI and
there's all these different ways that you can gauge somebody's
actual game speed, functional speed, and and that number is
referenced a lot more on the Freaks list now, which
is probably harder even for me to understand as I'm

(22:06):
reading it, Like this guy hit twenty two miles per hour. Okay,
that sounds fast. How fast is twenty two miles per hour?

Speaker 5 (22:14):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (22:14):
It was like I always need to have like who
is faster and who is slower than that number to
get an idea of like, so how fast that actually is?

Speaker 4 (22:25):
I'll say this.

Speaker 2 (22:28):
The fastest, the fastest speed that has been measured in
the NFL in a game.

Speaker 4 (22:35):
Is twenty three miles an hour.

Speaker 2 (22:37):
Was that Derrick Henry's long Was it a Derrick Henry
long run? Or was it was Tyreek Hill on one
hundred and five yard kickoff for TI?

Speaker 4 (22:45):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (22:45):
Okay, Tyreek remember it hit twenty three where he mostered
his hit twenty three. Okay, those guys have both flirted
with twenty two and a half twenty two and three
quarters Deshaun Jackson.

Speaker 4 (22:57):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (22:58):
The thing is, I thought at one point point Derrick
Henry had a really long run and he had broken it,
which blew my mind because that guy is so big
you don't think of him as like super fast.

Speaker 4 (23:08):
But that must have been a while ago.

Speaker 2 (23:10):
So for example the Freaks List, the number one guy
on the Freaks List is James's favorite player in college football,
Jeremiah Smith. Yes, of course, and the freak the the
Heisman Trophy winner this year six three and a half
two hundred and twenty three pounds. Gosh, he hit twenty
three and a half miles an hour on the GPS,

(23:30):
which means at six three two twenty five he, according
to Ohio State's measurement, has Tyreek Hill's speed, which is
bananas because I don't think Tyreek Hill is that big.
Maybe I'm wrong as far as tiny, Yeah, like definitely
not that tall. I don't think he's that I don't
think he weighs. He weighs like one hundred and eighty pounds. Yeah,

(23:51):
so that's that's wild.

Speaker 4 (23:53):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (23:54):
He also squatted five hundred and fifty pounds, which that's
a big, big number for a wide receive. AT's a
disgusting number for a wide receiver when you get when
you look at the top ten guys here, how about
this Cayden Proctor, Alabama offensive tackle. This is the guy
along with Isaiah World that everyone is comparing Caleb Lomu

(24:14):
and Spencer Fano two.

Speaker 4 (24:16):
They say it's.

Speaker 2 (24:17):
Those are the top four, top five tackles in the country.
And Caden Proctor is six seven three sixty six all right,
he has a big boy. He has a thirty two
inch vertical at three hundred and sixty six pounds. You know,
that just makes me feel awful about about being six

(24:37):
y three and not even being close to touching a
basketball rim like I have.

Speaker 4 (24:42):
I've never had hops.

Speaker 2 (24:43):
Man like to put this in context, and Bruce does
a great job doing this. So remember Lejonte Wester, the
Colorado wide receiver. Yeah, at the combine, Lejonte Wester is
a wide receiver, had a thirty two inch vertical. He
weighed in two hundred and three pounds lighter than Caden Procter.

(25:05):
He's a whole person lighter, a whole adult male lighter.
Caden Proctor squatted eight hundred and fifteen pounds benched five
hundred and thirty five pounds and power cleaned four hundred
and five pounds.

Speaker 4 (25:19):
That's off to you, Caden Procter.

Speaker 2 (25:21):
My gosh, Nick Harbor number three from South Carolina, whatever
deity you think is appropriate for the football worlds right,
because as a man of faith, I don't know that
God cares a whole lot about football the way we
think he does. But the football gods, whatever they are
out there, thank them that Utah doesn't have to see
any of these freaks. Okay, Nick Harbor from South Carolina

(25:45):
six five two forty five.

Speaker 4 (25:47):
That's a defensive end body uh huh right.

Speaker 2 (25:50):
He ran a ten one one hundred meter. That's that's disgusting.
That's like you can compete in college track running a.

Speaker 4 (26:02):
Table on you could.

Speaker 2 (26:03):
You could go to an Olympic trial and hold your
own with some of those guys. At six five two
forty five, his body fat measured five percent.

Speaker 1 (26:14):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (26:14):
By the way, you probably don't know anyone in your
life who has five percent body fat, Like that's a
that's a crazy low number.

Speaker 4 (26:23):
Most of us who walk through life, just.

Speaker 2 (26:25):
Among the mere mortals of the world, the skinniest, leanest,
most ripped person you know is probably in that eight
to ten percent range. Yeah, there's skinny fat that you
have to account for, Like you look skinny, but there's
still some fat there that you don't realize. I mean,
I'm talking the most the most freakishly ripped guy that

(26:47):
I know personally is a fighter we have in the PFL.
He just posted last week his decks of body scan thing,
and the dude is like, let's just say that he's
exactly the kind of person that would post their body
fat on Instagram. But in any case, that guy is
three and a half percent body fat. You can see

(27:11):
the muscle striations in his jaw, like he is crazy,
crazy ripped. He's also one hundred and eighty pounds. Oh crap,
this guy is two forty five with a negligible difference
in body fat and he plays wide receiver.

Speaker 4 (27:27):
He's another DK Metcalf.

Speaker 2 (27:29):
Yeah, speaking of DK Metcalf, do you know, without looking
it up, do you know what his body fat percentage is?

Speaker 4 (27:35):
I would probably say right around that five four or
five one point nine. That's not real.

Speaker 2 (27:40):
According to the point nine is fatal. According to an
article from the Times of India a month ago, all right,
the Times of India. I don't know where they got
him the Times of It. It got traction other places too.
I don't know why they had it The Times of India,

(28:02):
also says DK metcalf is seven foot four. All right, well,
we got to take a break to get to Roxy Bernstein.
I want to make sure we give that conversation plenty
of time because I love talking all things with Roxy.
He could touch on baseball, basketball, and of course this
approaching football season will jump back into the freaks list
because we haven't even gotten to the big twelve guys

(28:23):
that Utah is going to see. There's actually a former
Utah High schooler who's on the list as well. We'll
get to that later in the shows The Sean O'Connell
Show on Utah's number one Sports Talk ESPN seven ninety
twofm you.

Speaker 1 (28:37):
Two The Sean O'Connell Show from the Murdoch Chevrolet Studio
of ESPN seven hundred and one half.

Speaker 2 (28:44):
Ass, Welcome back to the Sean O'Connell Show, and welcome
in our good.

Speaker 4 (28:53):
Friend Roxy Bernstein.

Speaker 2 (28:55):
A sports encyclopedia and he could talk anything football, baseball.
But I could ask Roxy questions only about the little
League World Series and he'd probably knock it out of
the park pun intended.

Speaker 4 (29:08):
I'm not going to do that. But he's here with
us to talk all things. Roxy. Welcome. How are you?

Speaker 6 (29:13):
Oh see, you would stump me on the Little League
World Series. Okay, that's where you got me.

Speaker 4 (29:18):
There's limits, I guess.

Speaker 6 (29:20):
Yeah. There's only so much bandwidth.

Speaker 2 (29:21):
I have, so talking about that bandwidth. I mean, you've
been working baseball, Football's coming, Like do you do? You
have to switch into different parts of the Roxy Bernstein
sports brain in order to handle the two different sports,
or the three different sports that you're touching on at
different phases of the year.

Speaker 6 (29:41):
Or hockey, the four sports that I cover right Compartmentalizing
can be challenging. Luckily, I have like a little break
here in August to recharge because September.

Speaker 5 (29:55):
Is going to be a grind.

Speaker 6 (29:56):
I mean that's when college football it just really gets
cranking up. I know, August thirtieth is kind of the
opening weekend, but Major League Baseball heading down the stretch
in September, the NFL is starting. Then you have the
NHL and college basketball kind of right around the corner.
So this is my calm before the storm right now,

(30:20):
and then I just have like the emotions of being
a parent. Tomorrow, OC, I am taking my daughter to college.
We are dropping her off, flying to Texas to take
my daughter to college. I'm still trying to come to
grips with that that.

Speaker 4 (30:34):
I'm sure that won't be a waterworks type moment at all.

Speaker 6 (30:36):
Rocks, Oh not at all.

Speaker 2 (30:40):
No, I don't even like thinking My oldest is only
six and I don't even like thinking about that.

Speaker 6 (30:45):
So, dude, it's going to hit you before you know it.
It's like yesterday, I'm walking her into a kindergarten class,
and now here we are I'm going to be dropping
her off at TCU.

Speaker 2 (30:54):
Well, I'm sure she will have a great time and
do wonderful things. And I wish you luck in that adventure. Man,
that sounds rough. Let's talk some college football, you like,
like you know, and I know that the bandwidth is
what it is. But I know you've been paying attention
to this offseason the way that I have, and you know,
we're trying to figure out where Utah is going to be.

(31:17):
There are some publications, some voices that are like, yeah,
they figured out they hired a new offense, basically, you
got a new quarterback who was very prolific last year,
even if it wasn't in the passing game per se.
And you got Kyle Whittingham and a defense that is
good every single year. So Utah should be back in
a deep and parody late in.

Speaker 4 (31:37):
Big twelve conference.

Speaker 2 (31:38):
There are other people that are out there, like God, no,
they're going to be middle of the pack. They're going
to be kind of like sixth seventh in the league.
Where do you see Utah fitting in?

Speaker 3 (31:47):
As we get rolling?

Speaker 6 (31:49):
I think when you talk about the youth six seven
in the Big twelve, I think that's kind of the
bottom for them, right. I still believe in coach Wit
and what this team does. They're so good upfront on
both sides of the ball, right with the offensive line
that we know has been an anchor for this team
along with the d line for years. It is a

(32:09):
competitive Big twelve and certainly Arizona State shocked a lot
of people last year. A lot of people are excited
about what Kansas State can do this year. The money
that Texas Tech spent to retool their roster. But this
is a really good league and I definitely think Utah
is going to be in the upper half of the league.
Can they crack the top five of the Big twelve?

(32:30):
That remains to be seen, but I think the opportunity
is there for them.

Speaker 2 (32:33):
Well, you and I spent a lot of time talking
Pac twelve everything and covering that conference, and you called
innumerable games in that conference, and one of the things
that ended up hurting that conference in the long run
was the parody for the average football fan to know
that it's going to be a competitive game every Saturday
or Thursday night or whatever it is. That's fun, but

(32:56):
at the end of the year, it would hurt the
Pac twelve and it could potentially hurt the Big Twelve.
It hurt the Big twelve a little bit last year,
and there's expected to be even more parody in it
this year. So as an announcer, but more importantly as
a fan, how do you view a deep league, a
league like this one? Because you end up cannibalizing and

(33:16):
shooting yourself in the foot sometimes.

Speaker 4 (33:18):
Put the football is good every weekend.

Speaker 6 (33:20):
And I think that's why the non conference seawan is
going to be so critical, right because that's when you
have opportunities to really boost your profile because of now
the really well you look at the conferences and what's
happened and the consolidation with four power conferences, you're going
to have deeper, more balanced leagues. And that's and it's

(33:41):
not just the Big Twelve that's in that category. I
would put the ACC in there, I'd put the Big
Ten in there, and I'd put the SEC in there
as well, because there is so much more depth to
these leagues. And you mentioned the PAC twelve. We'll look
at last year Arizona state their success, what Oregon did,
and these were teams that had success in the Pac twelve.

(34:03):
And he threw in certainly the year and year out
presence of a USC in Washington. But now all these
teams have scattered. But that's something you're going to have
to get used to. Is this depth to these leagues
because of for example, sixteen teams in the Big Twelve
that there's just going to be more competition and the

(34:24):
games that you're supposed to win, you'd better win because
I don't know if there are opportunities to get them back.
To be honest with you, the depth of these leagues.
And you look at, for example, the non conference slate
opening week for the Utes going to the Rose Bowl.
It's paramount. I think they win that game against UCLA,
and once you get into league play, everybody's beating themselves up.

(34:47):
You have to have success before you get into conference play.

Speaker 2 (34:51):
Roxy Bernstein is our guest here on the Sean O'Connell show,
talk at All Things Sports, all Things college football. At
the moment, the the idea that you know you're going
to get a playoff representative, a single playoff representative at
least for the Big twelve conference, and there's a looming
decision about what expansion might look like and whether they'll

(35:12):
be automatic bids or not. Does that make this year
any more significant in playoff representation for the Big Twelve,
for the ACC, for the mid majors, because you know,
ultimately it's going to be the SEC and the Big
Ten who lead this thing and end up with the
most spots. But can anything happen in twenty twenty five

(35:33):
that will influence how many spots there are at the
table in the future for these these leagues that are
kind of chasing.

Speaker 6 (35:40):
I just think the perception, Sean, that the teams that
across the national landscape there needs to be an impact
from the ACC and the Big Twelve this year because
of what you talked about trying to get more seats
to the table. And for example, when you looked at
last year and the preseason picks, Arizona State was at

(36:03):
the bottom of the Big Twelve. Nobody thought. Nobody thought
they'd I don't even think Kenny Dillingham, to be honest
with you, thought they do what they did, but they
did it, and now the perception clearly of Arizona State
football has changed. That's why I think you need to
lay the foundation if you can find some way to
get at least two maybe three teams into the College

(36:26):
Football Playoff, which is certainly going to be difficult, but
that changes the narrative nationally. And a lot of people
paid attention to Colorado because of coach Prime and what
he was doing, but let's face it, the other teams
are having more success. Campbell has done at Iowa State
certainly has opened some eyes and they're going to be
near the top of the league this year. But if

(36:48):
you can find some way to get at least two,
and if you can get three and then the College
Football Playoff, I think that changes the way people will
look at the Big.

Speaker 4 (36:56):
Twelve called a lot of games. Now in the.

Speaker 2 (37:02):
Transfer portal era, you've seen the impact that new players
have on teams, great players at a previous school coming
in and doing something in a new spot. What is
the biggest challenge in your mind, what has been as
you've observed this phenomenon over these last few years, what

(37:22):
is the biggest obstacle to having it be seamless? Because
Utah and a lot of teams in this Big twelve
and around the country, they're relying on transfer players, in
Utel's case, at the most important position, but at very
important positions.

Speaker 6 (37:36):
Well, from a broadcasting standpoint, Sean, it's like, you know
the game that inside the NBA would play who he
played for. That's what we have to kind of figure out, right,
because from year to year, you don't know who he
played for. And one year he could be here and
then he moved to a different spot, and to keep

(37:56):
up with the changes. It makes it challenging, not just
for us, but imagine the coaches and what they're dealing with. Okay,
the portal and you're trying to plug a hole. You
think you have a player that you're going to develop,
but then they're gone in a year, and that's I
have an issue with the NCAA and the way the
portal is run. I'm all for these players sean getting

(38:20):
a one time free transfer that there's no penalty. You're
not sitting out. The kid made a bad decision, the
coach leaves for whatever reason. I'm giving you that one
time get out of jail free card. You want to
go someplace else to play. The second time you transfer,
I think you should have to sit out regardless. I
don't care if there is a family hardship, an illness

(38:44):
in the family, whatever went on in your previous school.
The second time you transfer, there should be that penalty
for an automatic sit out a year. You shouldn't lose
that year athletically, but you have to sit because I
think it's made a mockery of what college athletics supposed
to be. And I get it they're getting paid now
with nil and the way the revenue sharing everything's going

(39:05):
to go. But they're also students at universities and the
education has taken a back seat, where I think that
needs to be brought to the forefront, and really the
base of what college athletics should be about.

Speaker 2 (39:19):
Is there a team this year that you could foresee
that that's not one of these blue bloods. Right we
know who the haves are and who the have notts are,
and who is kind of in the middle is the
kind of haves? Is there someone even from the kind
of haves category that you could see making a national
splash like Arizona State did last year They very nearly
beat Texas in a playoff game, but almost only counts

(39:43):
in hand grenades and horseshoes. So is there some team
out there that could pull that off this year?

Speaker 6 (39:49):
An interesting team for me is Kansas State because of
what they're bringing back in terms of at quarterback with
Avery Johnson. When you look at the schedule, for example,
I think it's relatively favorable for them, although they will
have that big showdown in Salt Lake City, you know,
I think at the end of November, and they will

(40:11):
play some other competitive teams. But I do believe that
there was a path for Kansas State to make a
push this year. Outside of that. It's really tough now
because when I look at the ACC, well, Clemson to
me has really an inside track to get to the
College Football Playoff and get a high seat. I just

(40:33):
don't think there's the depth and balance to the ACC
that there is, for example, in the Big twelve. So
Clemson has an easy path. But that's kind of, you know,
a blue blood that's kind of found themselves again.

Speaker 5 (40:46):
Right.

Speaker 6 (40:47):
For years Clemson was out of the national equation, but
in recent years they've come back. And I think this
is a year that Clemson can really make a run
because of I think the parody that's in the ACC,
and I don't think it's top heavy, and Clemson to
me is far and away the best team in the league.

Speaker 4 (41:05):
How are your cal Bears going to look this year?

Speaker 6 (41:07):
Roxy you know, it's funny, Sean, because they did lose
a lot, right Franda mendoz are the quarterback transfers to Indiana,
Jaydon Odd transfers to Oklahoma, Jack Andres transfers to Texas.
Those are three key weapons Offensively. I think they're going
to be really good defensively, which has always been really
a trademark of the Justin Wilcox teams. Offensively, there's some questions.

(41:31):
If they can figure those out, they can be maybe
an eight win team at best. That's the way I
look at Cal. The more likely probably six and six
could go seven and five, but I think they have
a weaker schedule that gives them the opportunity to get
to eight wins before I.

Speaker 2 (41:48):
Let you go touching on a little bit of baseball.
As you know, it's a marathon of a regular season.
You know that far better than I do. But there's
gonna be a little crisp in the air soon enough,
and that's when things really get serious in Major League Baseball.
How many teams are World Series contenders as we round
into August.

Speaker 6 (42:09):
I look at the six teams in the National League,
and I give them all legitimate shots that I see
as playoff team sean because of the way the trade
deadline worked right, Certainly the money the Dodgers have put
in to what they do, and a lot of their
work was done in the off season in the winner.
But when I look at those six teams, for example,

(42:32):
I don't see any team breaking through and taking a
playoff spot away from the Phillies, the Mets, the Brewers,
the Cubs, Dodgers, Padres. I could see any of those
teams winning it. And you know, when you get to September,
baseball it's a crapshoot because it's not always the best
team that wins a lot. Like the NCAA basketball tournament,

(42:53):
it's the team that's playing the best at that time
of the year. And in the American League, I think
there's a little bit more parody. I don't like the
way the Yankees are trending right now. It's been a
rough go of and now Judge just came back, but
they've still lost five in a row. To push the
Toronto's made and how aggressive they were at the deadline
bringing in a former Cy Young Award winner, Boston is

(43:15):
shocked everybody with what they've done. The Tigers to me
seeing the class of the American League, but I think
there's more power and strength of the National League and
those six teams. I think our World Series champion comes
from the NL. I really do, rox Seye.

Speaker 2 (43:29):
I love picking your brain every time we get a chance.
Any trips to Salt Lake City scheduled anytime soon?

Speaker 6 (43:35):
I am coming in a couple of weeks. Sean Well,
I was just there last week they and last Monday
nowted down at BYU. They had a retirement party for
Tom Holmo that I flew in for as Tom and
I go as you know, go back a long way,
so I wanted to be there for him and his family.
Was a great night down at Lavelle Edwards Stadium. But
I'm coming back. Count and Crows are coming to Salt

(43:57):
Lake Shawan. You know, if I could squeeze in a
trip to red Iguana the Show, you know.

Speaker 2 (44:04):
Me, there's no there's no more quick to essential Roxy
Bernstein experience than red Iguana Counting Crows. I guess you
would have to call a game while you were here
in order to make it the perfect trifecta.

Speaker 6 (44:17):
That's that's a very good point. There's no games for
me to call in Salt Lake City at that point
of the year, so unfortunately I can't pull off the
hat trick.

Speaker 2 (44:27):
Maybe maybe we'll have our guy Tony Parks take a
night off for the Salt Lake Bees and you could
check out the new ballpark.

Speaker 6 (44:34):
You know, I want to see it. I've heard great
things about it. I know it's a little bit of
a track from downtown, but I've heard great things about
that ballpark.

Speaker 4 (44:42):
Yeah, I've heard both.

Speaker 2 (44:43):
I've heard people who love it and people who like
me miss the one, the Smiths Ballpark right in the
heart of the city. That was that was more convenient
for me, which is all I care about.

Speaker 5 (44:53):
Roxy.

Speaker 6 (44:53):
It's all about us, and I'm with you one hundred percent.
What's ever easier works best for me?

Speaker 4 (44:59):
You're the man.

Speaker 2 (45:00):
Talk to you soon. If you have time while you're
in town. Let's let's go grab a burrito or something.

Speaker 6 (45:05):
I'll text to you.

Speaker 4 (45:06):
I'll all right. That's Roxy Bernstein.

Speaker 2 (45:09):
You can hear him calling football games, basketball games, hockey
games right now, baseball games, and if you go to
the Counting Crows concert you'll see him there. He does
the occasional ESPN Radio baseball game. Our listeners are very
familiar with Tar and him on ESPN Radio, so I'm
sure we'll hear plenty of that before the regular season's over.

Speaker 4 (45:33):
Roxy.

Speaker 2 (45:34):
Somehow, he's got restaurant connections and ticket connections everywhere he goes,
because he's just the man.

Speaker 4 (45:41):
I didn't.

Speaker 2 (45:42):
I didn't realize he and Tom Homo had such a
close relationship.

Speaker 4 (45:46):
Probably Tom's time with the Niners.

Speaker 2 (45:49):
I'm guessing with Cal, tom Homo was the head coach
of oh I did not realize that.

Speaker 4 (45:53):
Okay, yeah, Tom Homo. Actually this was when I was
in high school. Tom Homo was the Cal football head coach.
Maybe know that about Tom Homo, maybe even.

Speaker 2 (46:02):
When he was with the Niners for Roxy, but you know,
Roxy is a tried and true cal guy and Tom
Tom was there. Which I don't think people, especially Utah fans,
I don't think people have a full appreciation for the
football journey of Tom Homo.

Speaker 4 (46:21):
I certainly don't.

Speaker 2 (46:22):
I did not know he was a head coach college
program before, so I certainly did not have not had
a full appreciation for that. Played in the NFL, coached
in the NFL, coached in college football in what was
at the time the Pac TEN. I mean, he's been around,
obviously ad for a long time. Just just retiring from that.
We're very familiar with that here and it's pretty high

(46:45):
level college football and d YU had things really rolling.
So yeah, I think we could say it because you know,
Tom deserves his flowers, especially if he just had his
retirement party and it doesn't affect anyone anymore at the
University of Utah level. Tom Homo was a hell of
an athletic director in a time where like he's passing

(47:07):
the baton when it's easiest to be the BYU athletic director.

Speaker 4 (47:12):
He did it.

Speaker 2 (47:13):
He did the job during the hardest years during the
independence years, during the hey, you can't keep up with
your rival right now years during the if there's going
to be benefits, they're going to be impermissible benefits, and
Emery's going to take a jetta and you're gonna have
to deal with that.

Speaker 5 (47:30):
Ye.

Speaker 2 (47:31):
He was the athletic director when the Honor Code Office
was at the height of its powers. All of these
things were very, very difficult to handle from an athletic
perspective at BYU.

Speaker 4 (47:43):
The scheduling first and foremost among them.

Speaker 2 (47:46):
And Tom Homo did it with a lot of a
plum and a lot of class, and by the way,
still had some fun and had great Halloween costumes all
along the road.

Speaker 4 (47:55):
Yeah, he did.

Speaker 2 (47:56):
In the scheduling thing like we not something to gloss over.
Like you think about Mark Harlin in comparison, who's been
in a conference, and and doctor Chris Hill before that,
who has been in conferences. That the bulk of your
schedules scheduled for you every year by the conference and Independence,

(48:16):
like Notre Dame, BYU others, you have to basically make
that schedule every year. And by the way, Notre Dames
schedule is effectively set.

Speaker 4 (48:28):
Yeah, they have half their games or opponents.

Speaker 2 (48:31):
And even before that happened, you had these historic ties
as an independent, right, it was just like, you're gonna
play usc You're gonna play Stanford, you're gonna play Michigan,
you're gonna play Navy, like all of these things. You
were just like, yeah, they were set. Yeah, and BYU
had some of that. They played Boise State every year.

(48:52):
They played Utah State every year, but there wasn't much
of that. The Boise State thing might have been the
only miscalculation, like like choosing to play that team when
you didn't have to that Boise State is the exact
team you don't want to play because they're good enough
to beat you, and even when you beat them, it's

(49:13):
not overly impressive because they're supposed to be beneath you
in the pecking order. Boise State is bad news. So okay,
I found one thing about Tom Holmo's tenure that was
less impressive anyway. Big thanks to Roxy for jumping on
with us one of the all time most beloved Utah

(49:35):
Jazz players, not because he's a great player, but he's back.

Speaker 4 (49:39):
Baby. We'll talk about that briefly.

Speaker 2 (49:41):
Next on the seat O'Connell Show, ESPN seven hundred and
ninety to Onefmsten to.

Speaker 1 (49:55):
Sean O'Connell Show from the Murdoch Hyundai Studio of ESPN
SE one hundred and ninety two to one a f M.

Speaker 4 (50:04):
The Mini Man is back, Baby Whoo Woo. George Meang.

Speaker 2 (50:09):
Acquired by the Utah Jazz in a trade with the
Boston Celtics. The Jazz will be sending a fan favorite R. J.
Lewis junior to the Celtics. They get back George Yang
two future second round picks and uh, this is one
of those moves that somehow you got to give Austin

(50:31):
A's credit. You're you're making a move that your fan
base is going to appreciate, that's not going to actually
make you a better team and add wins that will
take you out of your lottery odds. Again for the
second year tank, which is a different kind of tank.
It's a it's a less obvious tank, even though it's

(50:53):
equally obvious because you don't have any good players in
the roster. Yeah, yeah, I will to take it further
as to what as to why this is a brilliant
move by Austin Age. Not only those two things that
you said, uh, fan favorite, so the fans like it
for that reason. Also not good enough to help you

(51:14):
win that many games, also a good also a good
thing for next season. But the third reason why it's
a brilliant move is because he is now the kind
of veteran player that you can really you can probably
really rely on to help bring your young guys along.

(51:38):
Two and you only have him before I think he's
it's an expiring deal. So it's like, would just we
want you to be a good veteran presence mentor type
guy for our young guys, and.

Speaker 4 (51:51):
We want you to.

Speaker 2 (51:51):
We want you to show him what being a pro is,
and we want you to we want you to play
well on both ends. And we know that when you
play well on both ends, you're not gonna help us
win that much anyway. So, like all due respect to
George Niang, he is not an all star player that's
gonna that's gonna put many more wins in the win.
You playing at your very very best is not make

(52:12):
up for the lack of overall talent we have on
this roster or experience we have on this roster. And
so you're the perfect You're You're absolutely right, it is.
It's absolutely one of these locker room professionalism type moves. Uh,
the famous phrases pups don't raise pups, Right, You can't
have a whole roster full of twenty one year olds

(52:35):
and expect them to come along at an optimal pace.
So now you've got Lowry Markinen, who is what jazz
basketball wants.

Speaker 4 (52:45):
To be and he's a veteran himself.

Speaker 2 (52:47):
Now, yeah, you've got George Yang, who's a guy that
is no one is gonna no one on this roster
is gonna look at George Nyang and say I want
to be exactly like him as a player. But he's
the right kind of person to show you what you
should be as a teammate, how you should be in
the community, how you should be as a professional, and
what kind of habits you should be you should be

(53:10):
implementing to give you to have a long career and
to be the kind of player that Will Hardy wants
you to be. And minivan enthusiasts across the state rejoice
because he brings a certain amount of cool factor to
the minivan into the minivan state. Of course, in state
of Utah, with all the big families. The other fantastic.

(53:32):
The other reason why this is brilliant You get two
second round picks out of it. Now, second round picks
are not first round picks, so it's not something to
get overly excited about. But like that's still like a
lot of these a lot of these deals, like Kevin
Durant's deal, for example, included five second round picks. A
lot of these deals, second round picks are starting to

(53:54):
factor in a lot for whether they're big names or
big name role players. Like to get two second round
picks in exchange for a two way player you just
signed basically a month ago on an expiring contract, and
that guy is George Niang, Like that's a that's a
brilliant move by Austin h on the March, so.

Speaker 4 (54:16):
So lowry market and will's stay.

Speaker 2 (54:18):
George Vang will have his role as kind of the
the other veteran sort of in the room. Kevin Love
is not going to be on your roster. There's gonna
be a bio situation. kJ Martin probably the same, Yeah,
kJ Martin, I could see either way. I haven't heard
any reports though maybe there's reports that they're saying he's

(54:38):
on his way out too. But and then Kyle Anderson
is another veteran that the Jazz got in the same
deal with Kevin Love. That remains to be seen with
what happens with him. So you know you're you're gonna
be Uh do we call use of Nurkica a veteran
that is helpful to other Yeah? I think I think
he could be. He's he's been a good player. Uh,

(54:59):
there's no not really much accounts of him being a
head case or anything like that either. I think there's
a lot worse guys for people like Walker Kessler, your
center of the future to learn from. I will say this,
trying to talk about this Jazz team in the fall
is going to be brutally painful.

Speaker 4 (55:22):
Yeah, it just is.

Speaker 2 (55:25):
And thank goodness, will have Mammoth Hockey running concurrently a
team that's pursuing actual playoff inclusion because spending eighty two
games following along and finding creative ways to say, well,
they're sucking on purpose in a different way this year,
hoping that aj Debonsa wears the Mountain jersey, that it's

(55:50):
gonna be rough man. Thank goodness, it should be a
fun football season and a fun hockey season. But Welcome back,
George niang Ye, welcome back to the Bleep Show.

Speaker 4 (56:00):
We love it.

Speaker 2 (56:01):
Uh. Also we there's a really good chance. The tank
Race update is one of our creative ways to talk
about the Jazz team on the Shout O'Connell show. There's
really good chance, and maybe we have a different script
to it. I you you kind of inspired me a
little bit and say less, uh the less. It's not
as obvious as last year. Well, but it's still as

(56:24):
obvious as last year.

Speaker 4 (56:25):
Something like that.

Speaker 2 (56:27):
Open, It's equally obvious, but it's less in your face
where it's just like the guy that should be playing
to help us win is just sitting on the bench.

Speaker 4 (56:37):
You're not gonna get that this year, Austin Ainge promised us.

Speaker 2 (56:40):
Yeah, maybe maybe I was just gonna say, maybe I
just take the audio of him saying not gonna see
that this year and put that in the in the
segment open. I don't know, we'll see. Oh you know
what we have We have him that clip. We can
make that the answer to any question. We can make
that the answer to any question we want now, really
Jazz winning important games, not gonna see that, not gonna

(57:03):
see that this year? Yeah, and with and then we'll
get the the video clips so we can get Ryan
Smith's face too. Why are you asking if we're gonna
win important games? B YU football winning the conference championship?
Not gonna see that this year?

Speaker 4 (57:17):
Right as well?

Speaker 2 (57:19):
Man, I thought that you were probably a fan because
your dad's Wow, well he did he did? He not
play for by U two Austin.

Speaker 4 (57:27):
That's right.

Speaker 2 (57:30):
Anyway, all right, we gotta take get the team on
that right on that oc Yeah.

Speaker 4 (57:34):
Well done.

Speaker 2 (57:36):
Thirty one days of Football are brought to you by
Baskin Robbins. Great Football Conversation happens Monday through Friday. We
cover the you it's the Big twelve the NFL as
we close in on the start of football season, and
then on Saturdays, we're gonna have classic calls leading up
to the season opener.

Speaker 4 (57:51):
This weekend.

Speaker 2 (57:52):
It'll be Utah State from last September. Everyone always likes
beating up on little brother and uh and and hearing
about that. Being reminded of that. You can find that
on the ESPN seven hundred app. Tell your smart speaker
to play ESPN seven hundred, ESPN seven hundred sports dot Com.
The Listen Live part of that tab. There's plenty of

(58:14):
options for you to get the content you're looking for
here on the Sean O'Connell Show and on ESPN seven hundred.
Also before we take a break, All Time Low is
coming to the Union October sixteenth. We're giving away tickets
on the show. We gave away a pair yesterday. We're
gonna give away a pair again today. Topical Trivia comes
on toward the end of the show around one forty five.

(58:38):
We'll get back into this freaks list. How many of
the folks who made Bruce Feldman's iconic Freaks List is
Utah Football actually going to see this year? I'll tell
you next on ESPN seven hundred ninety twofm proud part
of Utah's ESPN Radio Network.

Speaker 1 (58:55):
Peas by Sean O'Connell's show, you were home of the
best insight your use. Let's get back to WOC from
the Murdoch Chevrolet Studio of DESPN seven hundred ninety two
to one am.

Speaker 2 (59:16):
Now checking it on the text flight eight seven seven
three five three zero seven hundred Before we get to
the Bruce Feldman Freaks List and how many Big twelve
players are on it, especially the Big twelve players that
Utah will face on the schedule this year. This question
coming in from forty nine toh nine, Caden says, three

(59:36):
weeks until game day, do you think we see the
offense on full display out of the gate against UCLA
or do you keep it vanilla? Well, you see lander
on the offense too soon, question Mark. Here's the thing.
UCLA is not the toughest test you're gonna have this year,
but they are a team that if you don't take
it seriously, if you try to keep too many bullets

(59:56):
in the gun or whatever, they can beat you. You
have to go out there. You have to play well.
This is not cal Poly. This is not all respect
to my Wildcats. This is not a Weaber State game.
This is not an FCS opponent coming in, or you're
not going to their place to say hey, thanks for the.

Speaker 4 (01:00:14):
Tune up game. UCLA's got a bunch of athletes.

Speaker 2 (01:00:17):
There's what six or seven guys on that roster every
year that make it to the NFL. You still have
to take UCLA very, very seriously. One of the better
quarterbacks in the nation last year too, Nico and Iamaliava
is their starting quarterback? Like that, that's another reason like that,
I think there's a danger in how a lot of

(01:00:42):
us are taking in the media and among the fan
base are thinking about that game because penciling it in,
that's a win and then you got the cal Poly
win like that, that's a tough game and it's not
a hostile road environment.

Speaker 4 (01:00:57):
It should be a beautiful night.

Speaker 2 (01:00:59):
I mean, it's Oregon on the West coast part of
the Big Ten, but it's still that's still a you
think about, should be a good quarterback and the short
answer at a road game like that's not gonna be.
It's not a given win, even though we do expect
Utah to win that game, and you should expect to

(01:01:19):
win the game because Ucla is not markedly improved since
you were conference opponents against one another. They're not anything special.
Nico is an improvement at the quarterback position. They're They're
a good team, and you saw plenty of times where
Utah was supposed to be the better team in the

(01:01:39):
Pac twelve against UCLA, and Ucla gave you a hell
of a game because they have athletes every single year
and they have them again this year, including their starting quarterback.
Who's gonna cause you some problems. You gotta put up points.
So the short answer is, will we keep it vanilla? No,
you're gonna put the full offense on display. Never ever,

(01:02:00):
ever in the history of football, has the entire playbook
been featured in a single game. So certainly there will
be plays that you can bust out against Texas Tech
in Arizona State that you didn't use against UCLA. It's
the following week against cal Poly that you can just say,
all right, guys, like, we're gonna go pretty basic here,

(01:02:20):
and the way we win this game is just by
physically dominating this team. You can't count on that the
same way against UCLA, and your defensive front more than
your offense, really, your defensive front in in the UCLA game,
has to show that they're up to snuff. They've got
at least one offensive lineman who's gonna be in the NFL.
They've got Nico who's gonna be in the NFL someday,

(01:02:42):
and you've got to create some problems for those people,
because if you allow him to sit back and have
five six seconds to throw, they're gonna dice you up.
And that means your offense is gonna have to keep
up with the scoring clip.

Speaker 4 (01:02:54):
That's not the way you want that game to go.

Speaker 2 (01:02:56):
Great question on the text line at eight seven seven
three five to three zero seven hundred. Oh see you said,
you said, may they hold some things back against cal
Poly or counterpoint they go, we gotta get to twenty
four passing touchdowns.

Speaker 4 (01:03:12):
We can't hold any back.

Speaker 2 (01:03:14):
Three and a half is the over under number that
we set for passing touchdowns. Devin's gonna get ten touchdowns
this game. If we're gonna do doubling the production from
last year for Devin dan Pierre as an individual, that
is four extra passing touchdowns over what Utah had in
twenty twenty four. Even setting it at the over, even

(01:03:35):
if you hit twenty four, that's that only would have
been good enough for eighth in the Big Twelve Conference
last year. So again, I don't think it's a huge
ask on the over under. All right, let's get to
this Freaks list. I love this thing. We touched on,
like the top five. There was one guy that we
didn't want. He's number seven on the Freaks List. Okay.

(01:03:56):
His name is Logan Jones. He's the center for the
Iowa Hawkeyes. He weighs three hundred and three pounds and
he has a thirty six inch vertical leap at three
hundred and three pounds thirty six inches. There's another guy

(01:04:17):
making me feel bad about I'm Gordy's guy can't jump
over a phone book guy okay Man seven hundred and
five pounds, squat thirty six inch vertical and he his
hang clean, which for people who don't know, there's the
power clean where you come straight from the floor. There's
the hand clean, where you're allowed to pull it off
a rack, and then you start from basically the well

(01:04:41):
the hanging position. It's in your grip already, and it's
ostensibly harder because you don't get to do the full
squat explosive movement from the floor. You have to like
start from a dead hang and then create that motion yourself.
It's it measures explosiveness, feels like it feels like much more,

(01:05:01):
much more of an upper body or towards or core
kind of thing than the power clean because you can
use a lot of your legs.

Speaker 4 (01:05:07):
You can use your legs with the power.

Speaker 2 (01:05:08):
Clean, there's a shorter range of motion. It's a yeah,
it's more upper body explosion. It's a more technical lift.
He had a four hundred and seventy pounds hand clean,
which is only good enough for second in program history.

Speaker 4 (01:05:22):
At Iowa.

Speaker 2 (01:05:23):
Tristan Wurf's, who's been killing it in the NFL, was
a legendary strong man at Iowa.

Speaker 4 (01:05:29):
So all right, I did.

Speaker 2 (01:05:31):
I mean, I could go player by player on this list,
because it's really impressive some of the numbers guys are
putting up. But I parsed out the dudes that Utah
is going to see this season, the individuals that Utah
is going to have to actually try to block, tackle,
et cetera. When you play Cincinnati, they've got randomly Cincinnati,

(01:05:54):
who's not expected to be a great team. Cincinnati's got
like three guys on this freaks list. They've got some athletes.
Dante Corleone one of the coolest names in all of
college football. Six foot three thirty six defensive lineman. He
squats six hundred and fifteen pounds, and both his ten

(01:06:15):
yard split and his forty yard dash would have made
him the third fastest d lineman at this year's NFL combine.
So he's an NFL defensive lineman who's six foot and
three hundred and thirty six pounds. Gets under the pad level,
very disruptive, creates a lot of problems. And also it
also has apparently a bunch of family members that will.

Speaker 4 (01:06:36):
That you could be sleeping with the fishes.

Speaker 2 (01:06:38):
Yeah, you could be sleeping with the fishes with because
of Dante Corleone's family members too. This one that's also impressive.
This one for Cincinnati, I think is the most impressive.
Jeff Caldwell wide receiver sixty four to two oh eight. He
had an eleven foot nine inch broad jump, which is
seven inches better than anyone at the NFL Combine in

(01:06:59):
his hide for the longest broad jump ever at the
NFL Combine.

Speaker 4 (01:07:02):
Eleven foot broad.

Speaker 2 (01:07:04):
Jump almost twelve eleven foot nine inch uh thirty six
and a half inch vertical at six four to two
hundred and eight pounds. Now, if he was a quarterback
with that broad jump, he'd be a Hall of Famer.
The their linebacker Jake Golday six four and a half
two hundred and forty pounds all right. Uh the short

(01:07:27):
shuttle he ran in a four to two four, which
would have been the fastest among linebackers at this year's
NFL Combine. This guy is a baby erlacker all right,
you're talking about a tall, big body linebacker who moves
with incredible speed. People remember Brian Urlacker played safety in
college and he returned punts at sixty four two hundred

(01:07:52):
and thirty something pounds and obviously got even bigger when
he made it with the NFL. I didn't realized he
was a returner in college. My god, this guy, this
is the craziest thing. Also, at six six five and
a half two hundred and forty pounds, he did nineteen
full pull ups. Big guys have a hard time doing
pull ups. This big guy doesn't have a hard time
doing pull ups. So that's just in the Cincinnati game.

(01:08:15):
You're gonna see those guys. In the Kansas game. They've
got a running back named Daniel high Shaw five foot ten,
two hundred and twenty pounds, forty three and a half
inch vertical jump, five hundred and forty pounds.

Speaker 4 (01:08:29):
Squat with that guy in the dunk contest.

Speaker 2 (01:08:32):
Vertic That means you are crazy explosive is what that
translates to. H Texas Tech had some some people on
this list. David Bailey was the guy that they put
at the top that Bruce Feldman decided to put at
the top six three two point fifty, five hundred and
fifty pounds squat, and again, to put in context, what

(01:08:54):
these miles per hour on the GPS mean. He hit
twenty two miles an hour on the GPS at six
three two fifty. There were only like seven guys in
the NFL who hit that speed, and they were all
defensive backs, returners or wide receivers.

Speaker 4 (01:09:11):
Yeah, that's fast.

Speaker 2 (01:09:12):
Twenty two miles an hour at that speed is disgusting.
Josh Cameron in the Baylor game, he's a wide receiver. Okay,
he's a wide receiver who's six one two twenty five,
all right, That is Karne Reid was sixty one two
twenty five.

Speaker 4 (01:09:32):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:09:32):
So this is a guy who's built like a linebacker,
and he's probably stronger than most of the linebackers in
the Big twelve Conference. Six one two twenty five, three
hundred and three hundred ninety five pound bench, five hundred
and twenty eight pounds squat, three hundred and nineteen pound
power clean. By the way, those are all linebacker numbers.

(01:09:57):
This is a wide receiver. Twenty one points six miles
per hour on the GPS, almost twenty two miles an hour.
Clayton Smith, defensive end from Arizona State six four to two
point fifty two, hit twenty two miles an hour on
the GPS. Texas Tech's got another guy, Davion Carter. Their

(01:10:20):
offensive line, by the way, is wild. They've got a
six foot eight inch starter, and they've got a six
foot starter.

Speaker 4 (01:10:27):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (01:10:28):
Six foot for a starting offensive lineman, and in college
football is too short. It's very very short. But Davion
Carter is uh six feet tall. He benches four hundred
and twenty five pounds. He squats six hundred and fifty
five pounds at six foot Maybe more impressive not maybe

(01:10:49):
definitely more impressive for me. Howard Sampson, offensive tackle at
Texas Tech, is six' eight three thirty five and he
squats six hundred and five. Pounds squat is a lift
that defensive, lineman especially thick leg usually on the shorter
side defensive, lineman they can put up really big.

Speaker 4 (01:11:10):
Numbers for someone.

Speaker 2 (01:11:11):
To be six foot eight and have to go all
the way down to get to parallel and go all
the way back up with six hundred and five pounds
on their back is. Ridiculous Texas tech's got a couple
of guys squatting six hundred plus pounds on their offensive
line and a REASON i want to talk To Doug,
alisiah AND i would like to talk to THE byu

(01:11:33):
strength coach as.

Speaker 4 (01:11:34):
Well forgot what his name. Is it'll come back to.

Speaker 2 (01:11:37):
Me there's almost certainly players ON utah AND byus teams
that are in that six hundred pounds squat.

Speaker 4 (01:11:46):
Range that's. Beef that's, big.

Speaker 2 (01:11:49):
RIGHT i don't know what THE gps numbers are like
for the. BEST i, MEAN i would love to know
What devin Dan PIER'S gps speed number, is BECAUSE i
bet it's way way up. THERE i would like to
know What meriweathers. IS i would like to know What
Creed widdemor's. IS i want to know how fast if
you let Way Sean parker get out into, space whether
he's cracking twenty two miles an. HOUR i would love

(01:12:10):
to know When Jack kelly Or Isaiah glasker is bending
the edge and trying to get to a, quarterback or
is in pursuit of someone who looks like they're about
to break. OUT i want to know how fast these
guys go to put them in comparative context with This freaks,
List wyoming might have the most impressive athlete That utah

(01:12:34):
is going to face this.

Speaker 4 (01:12:35):
YEAR i almost missed him on.

Speaker 2 (01:12:38):
The freaks list BECAUSE i was looking for all the
players in The big twelve, conference, right and THEN i,
remember oh, wait There's wyoming is on the schedule.

Speaker 4 (01:12:45):
Too there's no Way wyoming has a guy on this.

Speaker 2 (01:12:48):
List not only do Does wyoming have a guy on the,
List he's probably the most impressive guy on the. List
his name Is John Michael. Gillenborg he's a tight, end.
Incredible get that six five two hundred and fifty.

Speaker 4 (01:13:03):
Pounds write it.

Speaker 2 (01:13:06):
Down six, five two fifty thirty seven inch vertical jump,
man ten foot eight inch broad, jump five hundred and
fifty pound, squad three hundred and fifty pound, bench three
hundred and thirty five pound Clean and this is the
number that. Like it's great to be, strong, Right, oh

(01:13:26):
it's great to be strong and. Explosive thirty seven inch
vert you're. Explosive you're also six foot. Five you're also
two hundred and fifty. Pounds his ten yard split in
the forty yard dash is point nine to three, seconds
who meaning he hits that Ten he hits that first

(01:13:48):
down marker in less than a. Second oh my, gosh
that acceleration for someone who's six five two fifty is.

Speaker 4 (01:13:57):
Stupid what what position is? He he's a tight? End tight.

Speaker 2 (01:14:01):
End this guy should be playing defensive end and using
that to attack the. Passer but that that is, like
go through the entire. List it's at the athletic it's
the freaks.

Speaker 4 (01:14:11):
List it's.

Speaker 2 (01:14:11):
Awesome and look at everyone else's ten yard splits and
it's like one point five, seconds one point four, seconds
really fast, guys one point three three. Seconds this, dude
according To wyomings testing point nine to three seconds to
get from zero to ten. Yards and it's not a slot.

(01:14:34):
Receiver it's not A briton cubby sized quick. Dude it's
a six foot five, inch two hundred and fifty pounds
thirty seven inch, vertical big time, bench big time, squad
big time, power.

Speaker 4 (01:14:46):
Clean monster of a.

Speaker 2 (01:14:48):
Man watch out for that guy In wyoming's passing game
and laryerm me in that a, month LIKE i look
At utah's linebacking core and how they're going to match
up with tight ends around the. League there's some really tight.
End is now a spot where you put some of
the best athletes in. Football, right those guys see what

(01:15:11):
you Know Jimmy graham made in his career and What
Travis kelcey's made.

Speaker 4 (01:15:14):
In his, career all of Famer Antonio.

Speaker 2 (01:15:16):
Gates they look at it and they're just, Like, OKAY
i can play that. Position i'm, Big i'm also, Fast
i've got a little body, control a little, awareness little.
FINESSE i played basketball and barely any FOOTBALL i can do.
This so you get really great athletes at the tight end.
Position this dude At wyoming is one of the best
athletes period in all of college.

Speaker 4 (01:15:37):
Football zero point nine to, three zero to ten. Yards that's.

Speaker 2 (01:15:44):
Bananas, also here's the thing about the just in the
very back of my, mind going off of the team's own,
testing which SO i feel like just a titch of
salt you gotta take with all this because not that
they're going to deliberately fudge the, numbers but it's not
an independent person doing. This it's not AN nfl combine

(01:16:08):
where the league is doing, this or even The big
twelve prod's where the where that league was doing. This so,
yeah but still incredible numbers for all those guys That
wyoming tight. END i, mean who who would have thought
that That wyoming would have that? Guy great question coming
in on the text line IS i keep telling you
like all these dudes hitting twenty two miles an hour

(01:16:30):
on THE. Gps question came, In, well what was you
Saying bolt's top miles per?

Speaker 4 (01:16:35):
Hour that is a great. Question do we know where
we can find?

Speaker 2 (01:16:40):
That, well we have computers in front of us with
access to the collected information of mankind on The, internet
and according to twenty seven point three to three miles an,
Hour so the fastest man on earth ran twenty seven

(01:17:01):
miles an. Hour the fastest guy in THE nfl was
touching on almost twenty four In Tyreek, hill and a
bunch of these guys in college football now are flirting
with twenty two twenty three and a. Half if You're
Jeremiah smith at two hundred and twenty five, pounds that

(01:17:25):
is scary looking. Up Because american Sprinter Noah, lyles who
Was who's who was one of the fastest people?

Speaker 4 (01:17:33):
Alive he, Didn't i'm not.

Speaker 2 (01:17:35):
Sure he won the hundred meter in The, olympics so
he can call himself fastest man, alive but he didn't
do quite as well in the other, events as we
thought he. Would in the sprinting, events as thought he.
Would So i'll say one of the fastest men, alive
certainly In. America twenty seven point one is what he's
tracked at in one hundred meter in the hundred, meters.

Speaker 4 (01:17:56):
So at The, OLYMPICS i.

Speaker 2 (01:17:57):
Mean track speed is different than football. Speed and that's
Actually Jeremiah smith was asked about because he's twenty three
and a half and he was, asked, hey can you
hit twenty?

Speaker 4 (01:18:05):
Four he's, LIKE i don't.

Speaker 2 (01:18:07):
Know that's that's, like that's, sprinters that's track, speed that's
international track.

Speaker 4 (01:18:11):
Speed twenty seven is. Ridiculous, yeah BUT.

Speaker 2 (01:18:15):
I was curious when you said, That, like how's our,
Guy Noah lyles compared To Usain bolt pretty. Favorably here's
what if you want to get like an intuitive look at,
This go find the church parking lot nearest to, you all,
right and just take, yourself take your, spouse take your,
shelf take your, neighbor get in the cars right starting

(01:18:36):
line and make sure there's enough there's enough, room, right
but just go to twenty four miles an, hour go
to twenty two miles an, hour and maybe do like
a control test where the average speed of a college
football player is probably around like nineteen because the really

(01:18:58):
fast offensive linemen are getting up to like.

Speaker 4 (01:19:01):
Nineteen so.

Speaker 2 (01:19:03):
Have someone go nineteen and then have someone go twenty
two and see how big that gap. Is because it's
a big. Gap but the fact that these are human
beings at two hundred and sometimes fifty pounds running that
fast or attaining that, speed and most of them over
short distances is pretty. INSANE i should have done this

(01:19:25):
brea right. List there's the right name for the. List
i'm Gonna i'm gonna have To, Uh we're gonna have
to call The wyoming strength. Coach call him right now
if you don't, Mind. James, yeah because This John Michael.
Gillenborg according to the NFL's official, testing he's almost half
a second faster Than Chris johnson in the zero to

(01:19:45):
ten yard. Split, Gosh Chris, johnson the guy who was
almost sprinter speed as a running back for a long,
Time he had the fastest NFL's combine right Until John
ross beat.

Speaker 4 (01:19:57):
Him, yeah he was so.

Speaker 2 (01:20:00):
Fast, Yeah And wyoming is saying that they're six foot five,
inch two hundred and fifty pound tight end can get
to ten yards half a second faster Than Chris.

Speaker 4 (01:20:10):
Johnson.

Speaker 2 (01:20:10):
Almost that's WHY i mentioned back in my, mind Like
i'm throwing some skepticism. Out i'm glad you said something
BECAUSE i was, like you know, what it's Not. Bruce
by the, Way bruce doesn't do these. Numbers he takes
the numbers given to him by the. Schools but wowsa,
ye what nine to? Three that's that's impossibly. Fast that's
faster Than Chris. Johnson, yeah never, mind just a little

(01:20:31):
bit of. SKEPTICISM i never, mind don't worry about that.
Guy never mind his thirty seven inch, vertical never mind
his great, lists never mind his broad, jump never mind
any of. That he they lied about his point nine
to three. Acceleration so he's. Out John Michael, gillenborg you
have been. Omitted you have been evicted from The freaks
list on The sean O'Connell.

Speaker 4 (01:20:51):
Show, YEAH i don't trust the. Number yeah take.

Speaker 2 (01:20:53):
That uh you said there were some guys With utah
Ties state Of utah ties on this list from there's a.

Speaker 4 (01:21:01):
Guy one. Guy his name Is Abe.

Speaker 2 (01:21:03):
Williams West High, School Panther Weaber State wildcat wide receiver
return man who is now At New, mexico and he
will he hit twenty two point five miles an. Hour
he had a thirty nine inch vertical and a ten
to five broad.

Speaker 4 (01:21:24):
Jump. Wow so that's a fast dude with a big.

Speaker 2 (01:21:29):
Vertical although and watch out watch out for when he
can do that ten foot that ten foot broad jump
on the football field. Too watch out for that six
one eight. Six so he's like he's immortal. Size he's
like a normal sized, human WHICH i guess makes those
numbers a little less, impressive but still twenty two and a.

(01:21:52):
Half that's, fast twenty two point five miles an. Hour
and what we need to do is we need to
start marrying these miles per hour numbers with forty times
to help us transition our, understanding, yeah to the new
way of.

Speaker 4 (01:22:07):
Measurement right.

Speaker 2 (01:22:10):
So let me just let me do a little on
air searching right, now which is always good radio A.

Speaker 4 (01:22:14):
Abe, williams is that what you?

Speaker 2 (01:22:16):
Said the guy's name is shout Out Todave, williams the
one guy with The state Of utah, Ties.

Speaker 4 (01:22:21):
And i'm with.

Speaker 2 (01:22:22):
You it'd be great to Get Doug alisiah And BYU's
Strength coach on the show to just because there's guys
that are freak list caliber on On utah AND, Byu
i'd be great to get them on the show to
to see how our local, guys Even Utah State, aggie
is how those guys compare to the Two Bruce spelman's freaquist.

Speaker 4 (01:22:45):
Guys so if you hit.

Speaker 2 (01:22:46):
Twenty two and a, half you're in The you're you're
probably running four or, five which is considered a lead.

Speaker 4 (01:22:51):
Speed, yeah, okay all, right.

Speaker 6 (01:22:55):
All.

Speaker 2 (01:22:55):
RIGHT i put a poll question out earlier related To james's,
hypothesis the wondering about Where Nate johnson is going to,
be you, know the biggest contributor For utah. Football is
it going to be plays out of the. Backfield he's an,
athlete he's A Swiss army. Knife is it going to

(01:23:16):
be lined up out on the edge or in the?
SLOT i put a pole question. Out we'll give you
the update on the pole. Question will take some of
your comments from the text line as. Well eight seven
seven three five three zero seven hundred at RIO Oc
sports is how you get ahold of Us the freaks
list any if you want go look at the freaks
lists at the athletic throw anyone else at me that

(01:23:37):
you're crazy impressed By we gave, you like the top.
Five those are, aliens they're not even. Humans and then
it's one hundred and one. Players and what was the final? Count, one, two, three, six,
seven eight. Nine ten of those Guys utah football is
gonna have to play against this, year.

Speaker 4 (01:24:00):
The big twelve and one From, wyoming of all.

Speaker 2 (01:24:03):
Places Although, wyoming you you need to show us empirical
evidence that he really hit point nine three point nine
three seconds zero to ten. Yards it's the fastest number
reported on The freaks, list and it is apparently humanly
impossible because no one in THE nfl combine has ever done.

Speaker 4 (01:24:24):
It NOW i feel bad at The cowboys for lying to.

Speaker 2 (01:24:28):
Us it's A sean O'Connell show on utahs number One
Sports TALK espn seven hundred and ninety to ONE. Fm
Belong may.

Speaker 1 (01:24:39):
You were listening to About sean O'Connell's. Show it's your
source for the best use football. Copies here's oc from
The Murdoch Hyundai studio OF espn seven hundred ninety two to.

Speaker 7 (01:24:50):
One after as, so we had a couple of, Questions,
Uh james pulls the, thought for one about Where Nate
johnson might be lining up more this.

Speaker 2 (01:25:02):
Season as we explored the over under number of twenty
three and a half passing touchdowns For utah football in
twenty twenty five miles.

Speaker 4 (01:25:12):
Per, Hour oh, sorry passing.

Speaker 2 (01:25:13):
Time how much could you rely On devin Dan pierre
to generate twenty, four doubling his production from last. Year
maybe you take the under because that's just a bridge too.
Far it's too big of a leap for. You it's
not a requirement that you hit twenty FOUR byu had
twenty one passing touchdowns last year and ended up with a,
really really good. Season everyone who is in the conference

(01:25:37):
championship race for the most, part had on that twenty five.

Speaker 4 (01:25:44):
Range so would have hit the.

Speaker 2 (01:25:46):
Overs do you need that At utah football in order
to pursue a conference? Championship we'll. See but Is Nate
johnson going to be part of that? Equation is he
going to throw a touchdown? Pass as the athlete who
was at one point a quarterback and obviously depart of the,
program came back to the. Program my understanding Of Nate

(01:26:06):
johnson's role is he's gonna be a wide. Receiver and
he'll maybe be a wide receiver like with a little
bit of extra oomph on potential end, rounds with the
possibility of lining up in the backfield to give a
crazy look and then going into, motion maybe taking a
direct snap here and, there jet, sweeps what have. YOU

(01:26:29):
i just don't believe He's. GOD i, mean if he
throws the, pass it'll be a gadget. Play it'll be
a gimmick play and hopefully will not be like a
cold in an important. Game let's go ahead and have
you throw a pass and your first pass is going
to be an interception kind of a. Situation not to
point anything out or bring up old stuff that hurts anyone's.

Speaker 4 (01:26:49):
Feelings what a tough position to Put Damian alford.

Speaker 2 (01:26:52):
In it was the worst thing That it was the
worst offensive play call that happened last. Year, yeah, anyway
we can move on from that we released. Today emotionally
we haven't moved, on but we can move on. Conversationally
so now you've got a guy coming in who is

(01:27:13):
not shy about using whatever weapons are at his disposal
In Jason. Beck and the weapon that you brought back
to the program is one of the fastest. DUDES i
mean he would be if we put The Utah Freaks list,
together he would be maybe the. Headliner, YEAH i would
think as far as speed, GOES i he Maybe. Devin

(01:27:35):
Maybe devin might get a faster speed in the miles per.
Hour But, NATE i Mean nate was a high school sprinter, too,
right SO i would guess it would be.

Speaker 4 (01:27:44):
Him what was his one hundred meter? Time ten to?
Five ten five is? Good that's really?

Speaker 2 (01:27:53):
Good, uh says nothing of the guys that were on
This freaks list that hit ten to, one that's, YEAH
i mean, Disgusting but ten fives is a great. Time
anything under eleven, seconds you're very very. Fast, anyway ten
five hundred For Nate, johnson ten to five to. Two
according to an old article FROM ksl dot. Com that's,

(01:28:16):
uh we could Trust josh for, along, Right, yeah so,
yeah That's. Josh so he's probably one of the guys
that's on The Freaks. List he's one of the fastest
guys on the. Team who is the eight seven seven
three five three zero seven Hundred who is the fastest
guy on This utah football?

Speaker 4 (01:28:31):
Team if it's Not Nate, JOHNSON i Mean Dadrin zipper
probably makes the CASE i think.

Speaker 2 (01:28:37):
YOU i would Say devin is probably one of the
fastest guys on the. Team i'm Sure devin Dan pier
is one of the fastest guys on the. Team what
about what about one of the uh say running a?
Four what about one of the defensive Backs Smith? Snowden
how quick are we? Seeing smith is very fast and.
QUICK i think that he probably he's he. STRIKES i
think he's faster Than. SCOOBY i think he's faster Than Rabbit.

(01:29:00):
EVANS i think he's faster than. Anyone rabbit could be
could be one of the. Fastest if your name Is,
rabbit you should you? Promist and that might be What
i'm what why that came to My, hey, guys Name's. Rabbit,
no and he seemed pretty quick in the action he
got last year. Too but we Asked we asked the
question because of the debate, earlier like where do we

(01:29:22):
Think Nate johnson will line up more For utah football this?

Speaker 4 (01:29:25):
Year, slaughter wide out or in the?

Speaker 2 (01:29:27):
Backfield seventy seven percent of the response is he'll be
a slot or wide out for more, snaps and twenty
three percent say he'll be in the. Backfield, yeah and
you in the backfield, PEOPLE i don't understand.

Speaker 4 (01:29:40):
You he he's going to be a wide.

Speaker 2 (01:29:42):
Receiver this team needs wide, Receivers this team needs, athleticism.
Speed the only thing that would prevent that from being
the reality is if in spring football and in fall
camp they're figuring out that he's got brick hands and
he just can't. Catch but, then but, THEN i, MEAN
i didn't account for the amount of ways you can

(01:30:03):
do handoffs from the from the wide, receiver from the
lining up as a wide. Receiver you mentioned him and,
arounds jet, sweeps so THAT i didn't account for. That
WHEN i said he's, THERE i would imagine he's gonna
he either gets direct. Snaps he's gonna get a lot
of direct, snaps or he's getting a lot of. Handoffs

(01:30:24):
he could get a lot of handoffs from the wide
receiver position on the. Field SO i will say this
about About Nate. Johnson so far in his, career all,
right two seasons At, utah one season At, vanderbilt he
has passed for four. Touchdowns he has he's only scored two,

(01:30:45):
touchdowns not passing as a as a. Receiver he scored
two touchdowns At, vanderbilt he had one receiving, touchdown and
in twenty twenty two At utah he had one receiving.

Speaker 4 (01:31:00):
Touchdown so his usage so far.

Speaker 2 (01:31:05):
Has been mostly is a, quarterback but that's not what
he was brought back to. Do and more, importantly the
reason Why Nate johnson is going to be something else
At utah is because you have a quarterback who knock on,
wood stays healthy this, year can run the ball for,
you is probably your fastest and most instinctual, runner all

(01:31:29):
respect to Way Sean.

Speaker 4 (01:31:30):
Parker he's going to be better through.

Speaker 2 (01:31:31):
CONTACT i think That devin is the better elusive. Runner
yeah HE i, Mean Nate johnson is the poor Man's
devin Dan.

Speaker 4 (01:31:42):
Pier so you're.

Speaker 2 (01:31:44):
Not you made that great point AS i was AS
i was thinking out loud about maybe he wines up
in the backfield more than at wide receiver in that athlete.
Role that a lot of times when you have quarterbacks
that you bring in to do, that it's because they're
different than who your regular quarterback, is your starting quarterback.

Speaker 4 (01:32:05):
Is you're starting quarterbacks more.

Speaker 2 (01:32:06):
Of a pocket pastor, presence not much of a design run.

Speaker 4 (01:32:11):
Guy so.

Speaker 2 (01:32:14):
Every once in a while in a game we bring
in the backup quarterback who is more of a design run,
guy and that's not the case For utah this. Year
this conversation part of Our big twelve At Noon, conversation
brought to you By Mountland.

Speaker 4 (01:32:32):
Supply Visit Mountland supply dot com.

Speaker 2 (01:32:34):
Today Granary Live Concert series also In Salt Lake city
From Nightingale college And Murdock, Hundai utah's number One hundai,
DEALER espn seven hundred sports Dot com for more information
on the live night Events Granary Live Concert. Series summertime
is winding, down, unfortunately your kids are going to be

(01:32:55):
back in school in two, weeks and football, season, thankfully
will be upon us before we know. It we are
twenty four days away from the college football. Season that's
that's actually from week one we. Are what does that
make us seventeen days away from week zero.

Speaker 4 (01:33:12):
Games, yeah we're.

Speaker 2 (01:33:13):
Gonna Have we're gonna have one week zero game on
the station as. Well i'd have to have to look
up what that, is but It's Westwood, one part Of
Westwood one's college football. Package so it's not The Iowa
State Kansas State farmageddon, game, which by the, way to
have that as a week zero game is. Bananas you

(01:33:34):
mentioned you mentioned. YESTERDAY i THINK o see that we're
gonna have big, Time big twelve games that are gonna
they're gonna be a big part of deciding the, season
big part of deciding The big twelve. Season, uh you
know twenty four twenty five days away, yesterday twenty four
days away. Today, WELL i mean there's gonna be one

(01:33:55):
seventeen days away from from today In. FARMAGEDDON a rivalry
game like that being played On august twenty third In,
Dublin ireland is one of the strangest things THAT i
tweeted this a couple of weeks, ago because they're announcing these, games,

(01:34:19):
right somebody's doing a game in Like, Berlin. Germany It's
michigan And Western michigan exports To. Germany, yeah it sort
of makes sense when you put The Notre dame Fighting
irish in like A shamrock series game In.

Speaker 4 (01:34:35):
Ireland sort of makes.

Speaker 2 (01:34:36):
SENSE i guess if you really want to stretch, IT
i would love to.

Speaker 4 (01:34:41):
Know and there are plenty of expats In.

Speaker 2 (01:34:44):
DUBLIN i will say that there are a lot Of
americans who live In dublin because Like amazon has an
office over. There APPLE i think has an office over.
There the government In, Dublin, ireland about ten years ago
created a bunch of tax incentives for foreign, business especially,
tech to come in and do like secondary headquarters or

(01:35:08):
offices regional offices In. Dublin you can get to the
rest Of europe very easily From, dublin although not quite
as easily as from Mainland. Europe but in any, case,
uh there's a lot Of americans that live. There but
if you take like The irish sports, Fan, hey do
you want to go to a college football? Game all, Right,

(01:35:29):
okay who's? Playing It's Notre. Dame oh the Fighting. Irish
we've heard of. Them how many of these people have
actually even heard Of Iowa State cyclones And Kansas State.
Wildcats how many of those people have any idea Where,
Manhattan kansas is Then, Ames iowa was actually even a real.
City they're, going oh the they played In. Manhattan, REALLY
i Know, Manhattan No. Kansas you, know.

Speaker 4 (01:35:53):
My great great grandfather was over there for a.

Speaker 2 (01:35:55):
Time The Little, apple As Gordy chizo likes to call, It,
yes The Little. Apple your week zero, games there's actually
a couple Of big Twelve you've Got Iowa, State Kansas.
State as we Mentioned Idaho STATE unlv can't miss that.
One Uh Fresno state Against. Kansas So kansas also Involved Sam,

(01:36:17):
Houston Western kentucky and Then hawaii usually plays A week zero.
Game they've Got stanford to open their season at The
Clarence Teaching Athletics, complex which is right now the Smallest
DIVISION ie stadium In america because it's you, know they
they condemned the Old Aloha, bowl The Punch. Bowl, oh

(01:36:41):
it's so there's this long drawn out process for a
new stadium deal at The university Of hawaii and this
it's like a this This Clarence Ching Athletics complex is
like it's the old soccer field that they put bigger bleachers.
On interesting like five thousand seats or. SOMETHING i didn't
know they can them the the olda loh sad and.

Speaker 4 (01:37:02):
Sad that is. Sad it's very. Sad the stadium where
they had The Pro, bowls they had The Pro bowl
for a long long.

Speaker 2 (01:37:08):
TIME i still they still do the swap beat in
the parking, lot If i'm not, mistaken is not, condemned
but the uh, there the stadium itself is no longer
fit for hosting games apparently sad sad.

Speaker 3 (01:37:22):
Deal those are A week zero games and Like james,
said we'll have, YEAH i.

Speaker 2 (01:37:26):
WILL i will get back to everyone ONCE i ONCE
i verify what The westwood one one. IS i just
know that it is not Far, mageddon which which is
obviously the high highest Profile week zero game In. Dublin Kansas,
state by the, way a three point favorite right now
at The Aviva stadium matchup In dublin For Far, mageddon

(01:37:48):
that fire mcgeddon will matter you if you're where was
that game that was supposed to be played At Kansas
state this? Year MAYBE i can't remember which one it,
was which one it was at last?

Speaker 4 (01:38:01):
YEAR i think it was supposed to Be Kansas state this.

Speaker 2 (01:38:03):
Year if they ever, Hey i'm on record right now
if they are, Listening big, twelve if they if you
ever try to export The Holy war to some other,
place even if It's, Dublin, ireland the land of my,
ancestors the, O'Connell's we. Revolt you can't take rivalry games

(01:38:24):
and put them on foreign. Soil I've i've got Some
irish in me, too but we Got kurrigans on my.

Speaker 4 (01:38:31):
Side, really you, know have you done the twenty three and?
Media you, KNOW i have, not.

Speaker 2 (01:38:37):
But you, know growing, up growing Up, mormon there's plenty
of family history that's been done in my. Family so
we we have an idea of. That my lovely wife
went to like the whatever it, is the family history whatever,
interface whatever interface all You mormon's used to find your family,

(01:38:57):
history and she put in my Family she's, like, okay
what was your, like what was your dad's what's your
dad's name? On what's your what's your grandpa's full? Name
if she put it, in and it's, like, oh you
could trace back to my.

Speaker 4 (01:39:09):
Grandparents my uncle's don't.

Speaker 2 (01:39:12):
Work but they apparently the whatever it, is ancestry dot,
com whatever, whatever the one that family search, it.

Speaker 4 (01:39:20):
Family, search that's.

Speaker 2 (01:39:20):
It apparently family search doesn't have a lot Of Irish catholic,
uh a lot Of Irish catholic. Archive your your in
laws haven't haven't done any temple work for your for
your ancestors that passed.

Speaker 4 (01:39:34):
On see if they, have they know not to tell.

Speaker 2 (01:39:37):
Me The sha o'conna show ON espn seven or ninety
TWO nfl proud part Of UTAH'S Espn radio.

Speaker 1 (01:39:42):
Network you tuned to The shan O'Connell show from The
Murdochrolet studio OF espn seven.

Speaker 2 (01:39:50):
Hundred all, Right Jamie long is going to join us
in just a couple of minutes here on The sean O'Connell.
Show the over under number we set today was twenty
three and a half touchdown passes for The utah football.

(01:40:13):
OFFENSE i did not WHEN i was giving you context
on what it means For utah, football what it would
mean for the COMPETITIVENESS i should say of this. TEAM
i did not, GO i think deep enough into it

(01:40:34):
BECAUSE i didn't tell you how many touchdown passes you
had in your best. Years this has never been a
team that relies overly on the.

Speaker 4 (01:40:44):
Pass it's not going to be that. Way With Kyle
whittingham at The.

Speaker 2 (01:40:47):
Helm twenty twenty Two conference championship, season thirty one, touchdowns
twenty twenty One Conference championship season twenty four, Touchdowns so
just barely hitting the over that we have set for this.
Year conference championship contention years twenty nineteen twenty. Touchdowns that's
the same number you hit last, year and it just

(01:41:09):
abysmally bad offensive. Year last year twenty, nineteen you only
had twenty touchdowns through the. Air twenty, Eighteen, james you,
had you had, Nineteen my, goodness twenty. Sixteen, again these
are not bad years Of utah. Football fifteen passing touchdowns
in twenty, seventeen eighteen passing, Touchdowns LIKE i, said in twenty,

(01:41:34):
eighteen there was. Nineteen in twenty, nineteen there was. Twenty
twenty twenty doesn't. Count but the back twelve championship, years
you had twenty four and thirty one passing. Touchdowns in
twenty twenty, three that eight and four season that we
all thought was like the basement For utah, football fifteen passing,
touchdowns and then last year you had. Twenty of course

(01:41:55):
there was also seventeen interceptions to go with that.

Speaker 4 (01:41:57):
Twenty SO i did not reach that last.

Speaker 2 (01:42:01):
Year we'd be looking back a year later and, going
you know, what that was one of the better passing
touchdown years of the last ten.

Speaker 4 (01:42:10):
Years, wow that surprises the heck out of.

Speaker 2 (01:42:14):
Me, yeah, Right like twenty nineteen you lost the conference, championship, Right,
yeah that was the that was the year they lost To.
Oregon this's the year they lost To. Oregon in twenty
eighteen is when they lost To washington, Right i'm not
up in the night here right.

Speaker 4 (01:42:27):
Now those were those were conference championship game.

Speaker 2 (01:42:30):
Years twenty nineteen you had twenty passing touchdowns the same
as twenty twenty. Four what, anyway there's some context for
you as you decide on you're over under at RIALO
Ci sports eight seven seven three five three zero seven.

Speaker 4 (01:42:43):
Hundred all. RIGHT. Jb long is joining. Us next we
talk a little college.

Speaker 2 (01:42:48):
FOOTBALL jb also heavily involved with The La rams and
we are now in OUR espn family here and so
lake we're an OFFICIAL rams. Affiliate you could find all
THE rams games over on our sibling. Station it's A
sean O'Connell show ON espn seven hundred ninety two ONE,
fm proud part Of UTAH'S Espn Radio.

Speaker 1 (01:43:07):
Network you're listening to The sean O'Connell show from The
Murdock Hunting studio OF espn seven hundred and ninety two ONE.

Speaker 8 (01:43:18):
Afm sean O'condll show ON espn seven hundred and ninety TWE.

Speaker 2 (01:43:29):
Fm welcome To wednesday, edition and welcome in J. B,
long friend of the, PROGRAM Rams, insider college football, insider
everything sort of.

Speaker 3 (01:43:39):
INSIDER.

Speaker 4 (01:43:40):
Jb welcome. Back how are.

Speaker 9 (01:43:41):
You, yeah that's a nice way of saying knows a
little bit about a lot and nothing about most everything
good to be with you see happy football.

Speaker 2 (01:43:49):
Season, yeah football season is upon us with THE nfl preseason.
Underway and look when when you go to THE Jb
Long twitter account and you find the very top thing
is About Britain, Covey it's, like you, know how This
utah market is going to be jumping on The rams
bandwagon with already the local connections With puka and Now Britain.

(01:44:11):
Covey it's a repost of an article About britain in
THE Oc. Register but the more salient, QUESTION i think
for youth fans and for me is how's he fitting?

Speaker 5 (01:44:22):
In that's your, paper, right THE Oc?

Speaker 4 (01:44:25):
Paper, yes you run that. One that's.

Speaker 9 (01:44:27):
Belief but, yeah it was good to see that in
The Orange County. REGISTER i believe AND i enjoyed that.
Story AND i feel Like i've been reading About Britain
covey for over a decade.

Speaker 5 (01:44:36):
Now i'm sure you feel the same.

Speaker 9 (01:44:37):
WAY i know how great he was as a prep
player back in his, day and it was fun to
see the angle of, him you, know kind of thinking
Of puka as the younger, brother, right the younger brother
who would come in and raise his parents' fridge and
hang out with his older. Brothers SO i, think you
know it was you, know playing varsity at the time
While puka was a younger. Player and now here they

(01:44:58):
are in the same training camp, proster obviously at different
stages of their career and with different.

Speaker 5 (01:45:04):
Levels of expectation and.

Speaker 9 (01:45:06):
Visibility pooka is one of the elite receivers in The
National Football. League Now covey is fighting for a roster
spot on The rams initial fifty three.

Speaker 5 (01:45:14):
Man BUT i really.

Speaker 9 (01:45:17):
Enjoyed his time In Salt Lake city At, utah as you,
know was a Great pac twelve, player great kick return
or great, receiver battle through all sorts of health things
along the. Way and so to see him now as
A Super bowl champion and someone who's made it in
the league is really enjoyable when you.

Speaker 2 (01:45:34):
Watch guys Like Britain, covey and this is the story
over and over and over where, GUYS i, mean he
was an elite college, player and then you, know it's
hard to find footing in THE nfl even if you
were an elite college player sometimes because of physical. Deficiencies
you're not big, enough fast, enough strong. Enough sometimes the

(01:45:55):
game moves a little too fast. Forward you can't mentally process.
It but how good are? You you, know when you
go to A rams camp and you're starting to watch
These rams preseason games and you, know interviewing the players
and maybe talking to the coaches and knowing like who's
gonna stick and who's? Not, like how good are you
at recognizing the difference between a great college player and

(01:46:17):
a TRUE nfl.

Speaker 9 (01:46:18):
Player that's a fascinating, question AND i think it kind
of depends on the. Year the last couple of, years
The rams have had all sorts of roster spots. Available
they drafted twenty four players across their previous two, classes
and so there was ample opportunity throughout the offseason program
and during summer camp to see not only how they
stacked their depth, chart but who was capable of impacting

(01:46:40):
winning on offense and. Defense this, year they drafted only six,
players which tied a franchise low BECAUSE i don't think
there's many helmets available on game. Days so they're looking
for different things this, year, Right they're looking for players
who can contribute as a core special teams. Player they're
looking for someone who can challenge for the kick return
role like, you who can also fill a wide receiver six.

(01:47:02):
Role SO i think that is more difficult to assess
because you might see them go through one on ones
or you might see them in a red zone period
and maybe they, impress maybe they. Don't but in terms
of what will actually dictate whether they're part of the
initial roster Come september has nothing to do with. That
it's how are they as the personal protector for the punt,

(01:47:22):
team or how can they jam a gunner or how can.

Speaker 5 (01:47:25):
They go cover a kickoff?

Speaker 9 (01:47:26):
Right all those things are probably going to determine the
fate of the players that we'll see starting this weekend
AT Sofi, stadium those battling for the fifty, fifty, first fifty,
second fifty third spot on the team to Begin and
the good news, is as you, know practice squad rosters have,
expanded there's more mobility from the practice squad to the
game day. Roster so even if you don't make it

(01:47:47):
through the first round of cuts or make it through
the waiver wide of the practice, squad there's no doubt
that players from that practice squad are going to impact
outcomes this fall On sunday.

Speaker 2 (01:48:00):
Inspired your offensive line continuity?

Speaker 4 (01:48:03):
Study like? That?

Speaker 2 (01:48:04):
YOU i love the, tweet quick little study that no
one asked for on the McVay. Era why did you
decide to dive into offensive line continuity and where you
know losing guys on that in that position group in
particular has affected the team's performance and ability.

Speaker 4 (01:48:20):
To be a factor of the.

Speaker 9 (01:48:21):
Postseason, YEAH i think what inspired it was it was
either that or helping my kids with their summer school.
Worksheets SO i decided to duck into my office and
study some.

Speaker 5 (01:48:30):
Football, no it's it's.

Speaker 9 (01:48:32):
Because i've been close enough to it to know that
that's what's determined wins and losses in the eight seasons
that we've Had sean McVay In Los. ANGELES i, think broader,
perspective it is often what correlates with winning across The
National Football. League and it's poignant right now for The
rams because as of this, moment there would be starting
left Tackle oula At, jackson who they extended this, offseason

(01:48:55):
had a recurrence of blood, clots so he has not
played yet at full speed this. Summer and then the
other thing is they brought in a center In Coleman,
shelton who was great with them for a few, years
went To chicago and came back this, year and they're
really trusting his communication and his cohesiveness to elevate their
offensive line.

Speaker 5 (01:49:13):
Play but that can.

Speaker 9 (01:49:14):
Only be true if you get those guys' time on,
task and right now they've not had that luxury at
least at all five spots. Now this summer is as you,
know a lot about cross, training who can play multiple,
positions who could be your backup center or interior or
swing tackle on game. Day so there's still time to
settle into, roles AND i think The rams will get.

(01:49:35):
There they're in a much better position in twenty twenty
five than they were twelve months, ago and hopefully that bodes.
Well the other REASON i did it is because, normally
when things go wrong up, front you, lose and last
year The rams won double digit, games won the, division
won a playoff game despite some injuries up, front AND
i think that was a difference of real difference for

(01:49:56):
The sean McVay rams.

Speaker 2 (01:50:00):
LONGER i guess here on The sean O'Connell, show that
offensive line continuity going to be so massive for college
football teams obviously For utah, Especially is there anyone in
THE nfl and by extension of college football has real
depth on the offensive line where it doesn't affect, You
would you lose?

Speaker 9 (01:50:17):
Someone that's a great. QUESTION i would say largely. NO
i think you see that in THE, nfl mostly in
the veteran free agent. Market like if you lose a
starting caliber piece in, season there is no TRIPLE a
right for professional, football it's really difficult to find someone

(01:50:40):
who can.

Speaker 5 (01:50:40):
Replace that that.

Speaker 9 (01:50:42):
Piece AND i also think that offensive line play tends
to be like a weakest link, unit meaning you can
only be as good as your weakest member up, front
that group of. Five you, KNOW i think certainly it's
easier in college because you can recruit multiple waves of
five star offensive. Linemen but the other thing that's a
real limiting, force and you know this, too is the

(01:51:04):
amount of practice time that you, have the amount of
days that you do go full, speed that you do
have pads, on pass, protection run. Removal it's different when
you're blocking a guy in shorts and a jersey compared
to when you're got helmets and pads. On SO i
think offensive line play continues to be really difficult to
project from college to the.

Speaker 5 (01:51:21):
Pros and then there's just an.

Speaker 9 (01:51:24):
Utter lack of guys who are three hundred pounds and
can run four six forties and you, know broad jump
and do all the other things that are required of
stopping a premier position in the national football to get
any level of, football like an edge, rusher a defensive,
end any defensive lineman in.

Speaker 2 (01:51:41):
General, well one of the fun Things i've seen in
This rams offseason Was Jared verse working out With Aaron.
Donald when you talk about the premier position and pass
rusher at you, know Air donald is, legendary, right and
for a young guy to go work out with, him
and he was somewhat facetious what he. SAID i was
Telling donald's wife to call the. POLICE i don't know

(01:52:03):
If youte fans or if people here In Salt Lake
city have seen that little piece that they, did but,
man just it's two, things. Right It's Jared versus showing
the human side and his sense of humor and all
that kind of, stuff and also from a football, sense
like a young guy who's very very, promising leaning on
one of the all time greats and, saying how CAN

(01:52:25):
i get? Better come work out with me and let
me show you what it really takes to be one
of the all time. Best if you're A rams, fan
you got to love.

Speaker 9 (01:52:33):
THAT i think that was all really well articulated by, You.
Shawn there's so much in that story. One we're just
thankful for the off season storylines and content, right especially
from players of their. Stature we love the fact That
Aaron donald has stayed in The Greater Los angeles area
to raise his family despite having really deep ties To
pittsburgh and he always. Will the fact that he opens his.

(01:52:56):
Home they didn't meet at the, Gym he opens his
home where he still works out like the maniac he's
always been to THE Nfl Defensive rookie of The, year
something that he did back.

Speaker 5 (01:53:06):
In his first season as A.

Speaker 9 (01:53:07):
Ram it all stitches the pass and the present together
in a really nice, way especially because there is no
Replacing Aaron. Donald, Truthfully Jared vers and he don't even
play the same position that they do play on the
same side of the ball for the same.

Speaker 5 (01:53:21):
Team.

Speaker 9 (01:53:22):
Right but in the first year After Aaron donald retired
AND i believe he's the greatest player in franchise, history
The rams got better as a pass, rush WHICH i
always have to stop and check to see if that
was really, true and it, was and let it kind
of just saturate because it's a real testament to What
verse and others. Did and SO i think he deserves

(01:53:43):
to Have rookie of The year despite only having four
and a half, Sacks AND i think his understanding that
they're still so far to go was all emblematic of
that anecdote you just. Told you, know they used to
say About Aaron donald that even after he got, paid
even after he Won Defensive player of The, year he
always worked as if he was a college free agent
and that he was on a one year. Deal and

(01:54:05):
the more That jared or any of, us quite frankly
can maintain that growth, mindset the better his future will.

Speaker 1 (01:54:11):
Be the.

Speaker 2 (01:54:17):
Nostalgic, part and nostalage is probably not even the right,
word but like the person in me who wants to
see more Of Aaron donald reads something or see something
like that and, goes, well if he's still working out this,
hard he's still willing to put that portion of the
job in what why is he? Retired get this guy
back on the Field if he's still able to outpace you,
know one of the rising young stars of the.

Speaker 4 (01:54:38):
League in the weight.

Speaker 2 (01:54:39):
ROOM a lot of the veterans will tell you, like
that's when they know it's time to hang it up
because they don't want to put in all that work
away from the. Facility they don't want to do the
whole offseason thing that it requires to get ready for another.
Season Aaron donald seems like he's still doing.

Speaker 4 (01:54:56):
That is? THERE i don't, know like a small.

Speaker 2 (01:54:59):
Glimmer even The rams organization that they could convince him
to come back out of. Retirement he's still young enough
and clearly he's still the physical specimen that he always.

Speaker 9 (01:55:07):
Was, well there's more of a glimmer this afternoon than
there was this time. Yesterday And i'll tell you. Why
it's because some of your audiences may have seen on
social media that While Micah parsons is holding in in
ox nart At cowboys, camp The rands were there for
joint practices yesterday and someone suggested, that you, Know micah
would look good in, horns And aaron replied to a

(01:55:27):
social media, post if he does, THAT i may have
to get in football shape. Again so you, Know i'm
going to try and reverse jinks this ocie by saying
there's no chance that'll ever, happen BECAUSE i would love
to see. It BUT i know how Good aaron's life
is right, now AND i don't think that door is open,
anymore as evidenced by the fact that we're going to
have a Babble day For aaron at a game AT
Sofi stadium this. Season but, hey just because you have

(01:55:49):
a bobblehead doesn't mean you can't keep. Going seoan mcvay's got,
one and he's only in year, NINE.

Speaker 2 (01:55:54):
I, Think and Then i'm, projecting BUT i think you're
probably like me where your, affiliation in your association with
the OLD pac twelve probably colors some of your perception
of guys trying to make rosters and fit in and
see what they can be in THE. Nfl AND I
i'm reading some of the stuff coming out OF rams
camp That Nate, landman the Former colorado linebacker who at

(01:56:18):
one point was like the only good defensive player on
The colorado.

Speaker 4 (01:56:22):
Football, team is killing.

Speaker 2 (01:56:25):
It it is making an impact IN rams, Camp AND
i don't know if you're like me and you hold
over some of your fandom from covering a guy like
that in THE pac, twelve but kind of fun to
see his name popping up in THE nfl context as
an impact player.

Speaker 4 (01:56:40):
Potentially.

Speaker 9 (01:56:41):
Totally i'm the same way WHEN i saw that, SIGNING i, thought,
wait The.

Speaker 5 (01:56:44):
Hammer he's coming over From.

Speaker 9 (01:56:46):
Atlanta that's, Great LIKE i remember his days In, boulder
and you're, right.

Speaker 5 (01:56:49):
He was super impressive.

Speaker 9 (01:56:50):
There and it's a great example of how thin the
line is between being out of work in professional football
or wearing the green dot and starting for a team
which championship. ASPIRATIONS i, mean you want to talk about
one team's trash as another team's. Treasure atlanta is trying
to improve, DEFENSIVELY i mean they're trying to go for
That south and they didn't have use for someone who

(01:57:12):
was basically signed for a veteran minimum. Deal The rams
are very much trying to get better at off ball,
linebacker and despite drafting someone into that, Position lambon walked
right in and, said you know, What i'm going to
take over this comm. System i'm going to run this.
Defense i'm going to note like the back of my.
Hand i'm going to go jar some football loose and
win this. Job and there's been no doubt through training

(01:57:32):
camp that he's going to be the starting middle linebacker
for this.

Speaker 4 (01:57:35):
Team, wow it's.

Speaker 2 (01:57:37):
Awesome we've seen that with guys that in one organization
it's just kind of mediocre or, worse and then they
landed the right spot and suddenly they are what we
thought they could be at THE nfl. Level cool to
see that for a Former Colorado. Buffalo you said green,
dot and it sparked this thing in my. Head we

(01:57:57):
were talking the other day after The hall Of Fame
sarah early this week about you, know how there's the
statistical impact somebody has and that that's what puts you,
know that's what you put on the, resume The All,
pro The Pro, bowls that kind of stuff for why
they belong in The hall Of. Fame and then there's
the other context of who they were on their, team

(01:58:19):
what they, meant you, know year over, year to the
to THE, nfl and especially to their. Teams how should
we wait things that are beyond statistical. Importance BUT i was,
using you, Know Eric weddle as a jumping off. Point
he came out of retirement to help Those rams win
A Super bowl and went from being off the couch

(01:58:41):
to having the green dot for a very important run
in the, postseason and he's kind of a BORDERLINE Nfl
hall Of fame, guy pro Football hall Of fame guy
from a statistical, Standpoint but any one of us who
knows him is, like, yeah but he was a captain
on every team he was a member, of and he
was important in THE nfl well for that reason as.

(01:59:01):
Well how much should we wait things like that that
go beyond just statistical production when we're Considering hall of.

Speaker 9 (01:59:07):
FAMERS i, mean you're making the hair on the back
of my next stand up thinking Of wettell coming in
and tearing his peck while winning A Super.

Speaker 5 (01:59:15):
Bowl it was one of the greatest sports stories That
i've ever been a part.

Speaker 9 (01:59:20):
Of and he was actually out at training camp the
other day and still looks at like he could go
out and do it right now if he needed. To
BUT i like the point you make there, that especially
in a twenty two man chaos sport like, football it's
difficult to statistically quantify how good someone is at all
of those.

Speaker 5 (01:59:37):
Positions entities like Next gen stats.

Speaker 9 (01:59:41):
In Pro Football FOCUS i think have advanced our ability
to assess those roles and, responsibilities but it's. Imperfect it's super.
Subjective and WHAT i do like about THE nfl The
Pro Football hall Of fames process is it's an open.
Discussion you need someone or multiple someones to advocate for,

(02:00:01):
you to explain why you're more than tackles and interceptions
and for. Stumbles AND i Think well is certainly one
of those. Players AND i think he's also the type
of person for whom plenty of people will line up
to give testimonials that bolster his.

Speaker 5 (02:00:17):
CASE.

Speaker 2 (02:00:18):
Jb long for another couple of minutes here on The
sean O'Connell, show TALKING nfl football with The rams in their,
preseason crossing it, over bridging it over to the college football.
WORLD i, mean Look utah in The Big, TWELVE byu
in The Big. Twelve The Big twelve conference right now
is an absolute mess of projection and. Prognostication nobody knows

(02:00:41):
if four teams are going to be competing for the,
championship if it's going to be eight teams with a real.
Case Where utah fits into that is a, MYSTERY i
guess for. Everyone for someone who's you, know who's been
around the college football game and sees the changes that have,
happened and whoever emerges from an acc whoever emerges from

(02:01:05):
A Big. Twelve how important is it this year before
a college football playoff format change comes that those teams
that are the NON sec and the Non Big ten
champs are actually compelling playoff, competitors are actually maybe advancing
past that first round and part of a national championship

(02:01:26):
conversation instead of just, oh, well you made it because
there's automatic.

Speaker 9 (02:01:30):
Qualifiers, YEAH i, mean you AND i could do a
whole show on, this and maybe we should. Someday BUT
i think last year was a great starting, point right
in terms of having a playoff approve it on the
field bracket and seeing that it wasn't just THE sec
that rose to the. Top, RIGHT i went To Notre.
Dame you can imagine what that was like to live
through last winter after basically forty years of understanding that

(02:01:53):
The funding And irish were not going to play in
that space, anymore, right that the game had passed them
by For, Utah, like it's impressive and hilarious and understandable
to me that The Big twelve, decided why are we
even doing the preseason poll based on what happened last?

Speaker 5 (02:02:08):
Year? Right, LIKE i think that checks.

Speaker 9 (02:02:10):
OUT i think that makes a ton of sense after
What Kenny dillingham and HIS Asu Sun devils were able to.
Do but because they were able to do, that shouldn't
that be a bullet point on the big twelves resume moving?
Forward and shouldn't other conferences benefit from that, evidence albeit
in the small sample. Size And i'll just land On utah,
here And i'm not fully versed in the twenty twenty five,

(02:02:32):
utes THOUGH i will be paying close attention this. Fall
BUT i did see their new, Quarterback Damn pier last
year At New. MEXICO i did one of his games
middle of the season when he looked like The Mountain
west offensive player of the. Year AND i think his
coaching staff knew even back In october that he was
playing himself into a high major offer in the transfer.
Portal AND i love it for him AND i love

(02:02:54):
it For Kyle winningham that they found each other and
the offensive coordinator who made him so, successful and that
they're bringing that To Rice ecles.

Speaker 2 (02:03:06):
Who is the must watch player or players for you
in college football this? YEAR i, mean the bandwidth can
only be spread so, thin and you can focus sometimes
on THE, nfl you focus sometimes on one particular, conference
all these competitors that look like they're going to be
in the national Championship. HUNT i thought we were spoiled
a little bit when we were in The pac twelve

(02:03:27):
where there were some guys like A christian. McCaffrey you
had to watch. Him Travis hunter last year For. COLORADO
i had to watch that guy playing on both sides
of the. Ball is there anyone like that in college
football this year for?

Speaker 4 (02:03:39):
YOU i like The.

Speaker 9 (02:03:40):
Hoover kid AT, tcu his story of turning Down tennessee
and opting to stay With Sunny. DYKE i think he's
got huge upside in that, offense in that. System i'd
say the same About levitt At Arizona. STATE i think
those are Two heisman caliber quarterbacks in a conference that.

Speaker 5 (02:03:56):
You're going to see this.

Speaker 9 (02:03:58):
Year so those are two of the names that jump
immediately to.

Speaker 5 (02:04:01):
MIND.

Speaker 2 (02:04:04):
JB i could pick your brain all. Day, unfortunately we
have a commercial clocks that we have to get. In
so thank you so much for joining us on the show,
today and every time you, DO i look forward to
our next.

Speaker 4 (02:04:14):
Conversation.

Speaker 9 (02:04:15):
Already lucky for, me you got to go because that's
all that my sign apps has had, left so we
exhausted today's supply and looking forward to doing it. Again
have a good rest of your show in your, day
and can't wait for THE rams to be coming your
way this weekend against The Dallas.

Speaker 4 (02:04:29):
Cowboys THAT'S. Jb.

Speaker 2 (02:04:31):
Long you can hear him ON rams, broadcasts you can
hear him around the college football, world and every once
in a while you can hear him right here on
The sean O'Connell. Show big thanks TO jb for stopping
buy all.

Speaker 4 (02:04:45):
Right plenty left to get.

Speaker 2 (02:04:46):
To we'll dive one more time into our, poll into
the text line, updates and we'll put some context on
another offensive number THAT utah is hoping to. Hit this
Year's sean O'Connell's, show ESPN's ninety TWO, nfm proud part
Of UTAH'S Espn Radio.

Speaker 4 (02:05:03):
Network this.

Speaker 1 (02:05:13):
Is By sean O'Connell. Show you were home of the
best inside of your. Utes let's get back TO oc
from The Murdoch Chevrolet studio OF espn seven hundred and
ninety two to ONE.

Speaker 10 (02:05:24):
Fm sean O'Connell, SHOW espn seven hundred ninety two to ONE.

Speaker 2 (02:05:37):
Fm all, right we asked the question at the top
of the Show james over under twenty three and a
half passing touchdowns For utah's offense this.

Speaker 4 (02:05:49):
Year can they make that?

Speaker 2 (02:05:51):
Happen that would be doubling the production From devin Dan
pierce season last. Year that would be increasing four touchdowns
from what you saw four touchdown passes from what you
saw a year. AGO i think probably the more salient.
Comparison the more important, comparison, though is Comparing utah's offenses

(02:06:16):
here To New mexico's offense last, year, right because you're
bringing in the, coordinator you're bringing in the. Quarterback so
twelve passing touchdowns last year For New, mexico if that's
the total this, year that's problematic for The university Of.
Utah AND i was, like all, right, well is it
realistic to ask someone to double, production to ask an

(02:06:38):
offense to double? Production depending on what your comparison. Is,
right you don't have to double production in the passing
touchdowns For utah last, year but you're Asking devin to
do the. Same to do, that have we seen that
For utah football at any? Point the biggest increase That
utah football offense has had from year to two year

(02:07:01):
THAT i could, find as you go all the way
back To Urban myers first year as the head coach
at The university Of, utah seventeen passing. Touchdowns his second
and final, Year Fiesta bow, year there were thirty three passing. Touchdowns,
yeah so basically. Doubled you almost. Doubled, yeah, Right and

(02:07:23):
obviously that Was Heisman trophy Finalist Alex. Smith that was
a really really good wide receiving. CORPS i, mean the
tight end effectively was a non factor in the. Offense
but you Had Steve, Savoy Paris, Warren John, Madsen Travis.

(02:07:45):
LATANDRAS i, mean you had really really high quality wide,
receivers high quality targets For Alex smith to be throwing
Two and, again it's a bit of an apple's an
oranges comparison, here because it's not Like devin Dan piers
heading into his second year as a starter at The

(02:08:07):
university Of utah the way That Alex smith. Was but
that's the biggest leap That utah football has made from
a passing touchdowns improvement standpoint THAT i could find when
you go back through all the old, stats and that
obviously is you, know one of the outliered years of
great success In utah football. History so using that as

(02:08:31):
the line of demarcation or using that as the example
might be it might be asking too much to be
frank eight seven seven three five three zero seven. Hundred
let me know what you think about the ability For

(02:08:54):
utah football to increase their passing touchdowns to at least
twenty four this. Year it's twenty three and a. Half
by the, Way i'm going back to those those Mount
west years for The university Of, utah and aside from

(02:09:15):
The Sugar bowl year in The Kyle whittingham, tenure twenty
four is kind of like the ceiling almost. Interesting there's
an outlier year in twenty twenty two where we had thirty,
one but a lot Of utah's success even you, know
solid years in The Mountain, west and then you get
into The pac twelve conference and it's, like you, know

(02:09:36):
you're you're in that that seventeen twenty twenty one passing touchdown.
Thing it's so weird because maybe it's because in those
years we're talking about in The pac, twelve going back
to the to The mountain the good years in The Mountain,
west and And Kyle whittingham's ten uere as a head.

(02:09:57):
Coach the really good years, there the team was so,
good you thought that the offense was, humming you, know
and like you would think to a level where even
the throw, game which is secondary to the run, game
Under Kyle whittingham and his offensive coordinators and his, tenure

(02:10:20):
even that was humming much more than you thought it.
Would then you go, back like we're doing, now and
you go they threw in the. Teams as far as
passing touchdowns most of those, years thirty one is the.
Highest there's almost there's almost like an inverse if you go,
back there's almost like an inverse relationship to the passing

(02:10:42):
touchdowns being higher and the wins being.

Speaker 4 (02:10:45):
Lower, yeah it's very. Weird so it. Is here's What
i'm very. Straight here's not having to do to be,
safe all.

Speaker 2 (02:10:52):
Right i've taken the under on twenty three and a.
Half so we're both we're both going. Under i'm going.
Under i'm saying twenty two passing touchdowns for The university
Of utah this year is like The goldilock. Zone that's
the perfect. Number it's an improvement over what you saw last.
Year but it also means that when you get down
to the red, zone you're running the, ball you're punching it,

(02:11:15):
through you're pounding the ball in with your run, game
or you're you're Allowing Devin dampier to. Scramble i'm totally
fine with that as long as the. Outcome and, weirdly
With utah football and the history That i'm looking at
here going even previous, two like we're talking ten win,
seasons we're talking nine win, Seasons we're, talking you, know

(02:11:36):
years That utah was. Good it's like nineteen passing, touchdowns
twenty passing, touchdowns twenty one passing. Touchdowns there are other
teams in the, country other programs in the, country if
that's their, number they're, like we.

Speaker 4 (02:11:50):
Suck we're, terrible we lost.

Speaker 2 (02:11:51):
Everything and that was the case For utah last, year
where you had twenty passing touchdowns and you were.

Speaker 4 (02:11:55):
Bad but.

Speaker 2 (02:12:00):
This might be the, number the point generating the scoring
number that is most disconnected From utah football's actual. Success
passing touchdowns might be the one that is furthest away
from the win. Column weirdly, enough going back to look
At utah, history AND i would not have expected that

(02:12:23):
WHEN i thought of this, question sort of opposed this
question as one of our over unders that it would
be so disjointed or or there'd be this much dissonance
between passing touchdown success and actual team success with some outlier,
performances right with some like IF i told anyone out, there, like,

(02:12:45):
hey last year's offense was better at scoring in the
passing game then two of the years where you WERE
pac twelve championship runner ups runners. Up IF i told somebody,
that you, know twenty twenty four was actually a better
passing touchdown year than eighteen or twenty, nineteen, yeah people be, like, well,

(02:13:11):
no we were good in twenty eighteen twenty.

Speaker 4 (02:13:13):
Nineteen, NO i know you. WERE i know this team
was really.

Speaker 2 (02:13:16):
Good but you didn't score your touchdowns through the air
in those.

Speaker 4 (02:13:21):
Years you scored more through the.

Speaker 2 (02:13:24):
Air last, year when you were a bad, team when
you were an unsuccessful, team when you were an injury
riddled team that didn't make a bowl, game five quarterbacks
combined for more touchdown passes than one quarterback did in
in your really good years when you made it to
conference championship. Game in the fact, Twelve, hey just so

(02:13:46):
you guys, Know Tyler huntley's year where he had seventy
three percent completions three thousand yards.

Speaker 4 (02:13:54):
In The university Of.

Speaker 2 (02:13:55):
Utah social media was campaigning for him to be A heisman.

Speaker 4 (02:14:00):
Finalist ten yards per.

Speaker 2 (02:14:02):
Attempt, okay one of the best quarterbacking years you've ever
seen at The university Of. Utah the the conglomeration of
five quarterbacks going all the way down To ferrari is
gonna produce more passing touchdowns Than Tyler huntley's best year
in A utah. Uniform that would not have been on

(02:14:26):
My bengo card. Today oh, See i'm going to give
you a couple Of Hive i'm gonna give you a
couple of receivers touchdowns in recent.

Speaker 4 (02:14:34):
Years it's gonna probably make you.

Speaker 2 (02:14:36):
Cry DeVante smith when he won The, heisman how many
receiving touchdowns do you think he?

Speaker 4 (02:14:43):
Had probably like twenty?

Speaker 2 (02:14:45):
Seven he had, seventeen so less than, that but like
that's almost as, much almost as your whole. Test that's
almost that's better than than than some of these really
good years That utah have.

Speaker 4 (02:14:56):
Had passing.

Speaker 2 (02:14:57):
Touchdowns Jeremiah smith last, Year Guy Ohio state less Than Demonte.
Smith he had fifteen fifteen just in receiving, touchdowns just by. Himself,
taw you. Taw apparently even in the really good, years
struggles to get twenty there's a couple. Outliers he had twenty.

(02:15:18):
Four you said in twenty twenty, one thirty one and
twenty two The pack toal champ and.

Speaker 4 (02:15:22):
Those Were pack twelve championship.

Speaker 2 (02:15:24):
YEARS i feel like twenty, one If cam is the
starter all, season probably that's probably another thirty touchdown year
or close to. It, YEAH i think that that's gonna.
Look it all worked out in the. End you, Won
you won The pack twelve. Championship. Two there's two big

(02:15:45):
what ifs in that year for. Me, yeah both of
them Are Cam rising, related which shows you how important
he is and was to this.

Speaker 4 (02:15:53):
Program if he starts every game that, year.

Speaker 2 (02:15:58):
You're probably a college football playoff team instead of being
just in The Rose.

Speaker 4 (02:16:01):
Bowl you you.

Speaker 2 (02:16:03):
Beat you win That San Diego state, game and you
BEAT byu and you and you maybe BEAT. Byu, yeah
that One i'm not as certain on because that was
a good year FOR byu and they had it rolling that,
night but it was still a close game and may
have been may have been different If camp, Plays If
cam plays that, game if and If Cam rising doesn't

(02:16:25):
get hurt in The Rose, bowl as heroic As bryce And,
barnes you, know throwing the touchdown past the amazing. Moment,
yeah but If Cam rising is able to finish that,
game are you able to Beat Ohio? STATE i mean
that that changes the trajectory Of. UTAH i really believe
if that had been the, case and you, know if
if some butts were candy and, NUTS i, Understand but

(02:16:47):
if if those two things, happen we're talking about twenty
twenty one definitively as the greatest season In utah football.
History and and by the, way it still deserves to
be in the conversation with four and.

Speaker 4 (02:16:59):
Eight it.

Speaker 2 (02:17:00):
Does, yeah but If Cam rising is somehow able to
stay in that game in The Rose, bowl or If
Cam rising is you, know the starter all, year but
especially in That Rose bull. Game If utah Beats Ohio
state in The Rose, Bowl Kyle whittingham's. DONE i believe.
That i'll believe that UNTIL i. Die if they win

(02:17:21):
That Rose, Bowl Kyle whittingham rides off into the, SUNSET i, think,
well you got to think about like that obviously has
an effect On utah football's. Program if that would have
Been Kyle whittingham's last. Game it would would have an
effect on the program today if that was the. Case
but also you think about winning The Rose bowl and

(02:17:43):
not just winning The Rose bull beating a a iconic
brand Like Ohio state in That Rose bowl. Game you,
know put setting aside the fact that they had plenty
of starters that didn't play too just Like utah, did
that's still that's still an iconic brand and they still
had really good play on that field today that. Day
beating that, TEAM i would think that the, recruiting the

(02:18:08):
recruiting impact would have been much higher than it even.
Was it had a Huge just getting to That Rose
bowl and playing as well as they did had a
huge impact impact on the. Recruiting imagine if they had,
won imagine LIKE i think, IT i think would have been.
Different i'm not, sure not sure they would have had

(02:18:28):
the the down years they they had the last two,
years because they probably would have had even better, depth you,
know uh than they. Did because of the recruiting impact
of winning that game against an iconic brand like. That
because you were bringing up other, stats we're talking about passing,
touchdowns you, know the potential for passing touchdown production for

(02:18:50):
The university Of utah offense in twenty twenty. Five do
you know THE lsu championship year With Joe burrow at?
Quarterback you know how many passing touchdowns they had as
a team that? YEAR i mean it's a national, championship,
yeah and one of the best quarterback seasons, ever the,
best the best quarterback season and the best wide receiving

(02:19:12):
course that college quarterbacks ever had forty something fifty, something
like didn't he? Have Didn't burrow have forty something touchdowns?
Himself Like chill burrowl threw sixty? Touchdowns try, sixty that's,
right And Miles brennan came in and through. One so
they had sixty one passing. Touchdowns that's like three seasons

(02:19:34):
Of utah Of utah football's best. SEASONS i mean even
Good utah football seasons where you're averaging in that twenty.
Range it's this is a sixty one touchdown season at.

Speaker 4 (02:19:47):
Hell it's.

Speaker 2 (02:19:48):
Great how many you, mentioned uh the eight season being
one of the. Outliers how many touchdowns did they? Throw
Did Brian johnson and company throw that? Year let me
go find it. AGAIN i think it was twenty? Four
was it twenty?

Speaker 4 (02:20:01):
Four?

Speaker 2 (02:20:02):
Again, Okay so twenty four is the second highest In
Kyle whittingham's, tenure or is that just of the of
the good?

Speaker 4 (02:20:12):
Seasons let me find, It let me find.

Speaker 2 (02:20:16):
It, YEAH i don't want to misquote, here, Right misinformation
is not our you know. What, actually we'll take a
break And i'll have the right answer for you when
we return on The sean O'conna. Show we're also giving
away some some tickets next as we close out the
SHOW cespn seven HUNDRED.

Speaker 1 (02:20:31):
Ninetywefm if you were listening to The sean O'Connell, show
your source for the best youth football Copyreach here's oc
from The Murdoch Hyundai studio OF espn seven hundred at
ninety two one AF.

Speaker 2 (02:20:50):
Am underneath the. Star we're gonna pair tickets for you
if you can answer our trivia questions today eight, seven,
seven three five three, zero seven Hundred good. Times the
highest touchdown passes total in The power four era for
a season for The university Of utah is how many
touchdown passes as the over under today wash was said

(02:21:14):
it twenty three and a half touchdown. Passes for the
upcoming season of twenty twenty, five that would be.

Speaker 4 (02:21:20):
Four more than last.

Speaker 2 (02:21:21):
Year that would be double What devin Dan pier produced
in The New mexico offense last. Year that's the over under.
Question excuse, me that's the over under, question the tributae.
Question for two tickets at eight seven seven three five
three zero seven.

Speaker 4 (02:21:34):
Hundred is.

Speaker 2 (02:21:38):
The single season touchdown pass total highest which was the
best touchdown past year For utah football in The power four.
Era let me, Know i'll give you two. Tickets that's
all time. Low by the, way coming to The union
On october, sixteenth check its is in the studio with me.

(02:22:01):
Now the drive is coming up Next. Spence how are?

Speaker 3 (02:22:07):
You i'm, Well. Sean how you're doing on a Hot wednesday? Afternoon,
well it's not hot in here for, once which was.
Great feels lovely in.

Speaker 2 (02:22:14):
Here the air conditioning finally started working in the, building
which is a very luxurious thing to.

Speaker 3 (02:22:20):
Have Air conditioning is a nice modern day luxury that
oftentimes if you go without, it you appreciate it more.
So shout out to our building. Manager after seventy seven,
emails they decided to fire up the air. Conditioning and
all you've been quite a diva about.

Speaker 2 (02:22:36):
IT i can't argue with that spence over under twenty
four or twenty three and a half touchdown passes For
utah football in this coming.

Speaker 3 (02:22:47):
Season it's funny the way you phrase. It only four
more than last year feels very, Gettable but then it's
double the amount of passes That devin had a year
ago To. Mexico, yeah it's a good. LINE i just
continue you to be very skeptical of audacious numbers in
the throw, game As kyle would, say only because we
don't know who the wide receivers are going to, be

(02:23:08):
And devin. Didn't oh you got we have some.

Speaker 2 (02:23:11):
News, NO i just want to tell you audacious would
only be good for eighth best in the.

Speaker 4 (02:23:16):
Conference.

Speaker 3 (02:23:16):
Yeah, yeah the context you put on, it feels like
only four more than last year should be very doable
since they started four quarterbacks all year. Long BUT i
just have a feeling this is going to be a
very run heavy, attack AND i just don't know enough
about these wide receivers to be very confident that to

(02:23:37):
take the over on that, number even THOUGH i think
it's a good, Line i'll take the under.

Speaker 2 (02:23:40):
Slightly by the, Way, james it was The Sugar bowl
season twenty nine touchdown passes for The university Of utah that,
year twenty seven For Brian johnson and two For Matt.
Assiata matt had. Two Matt asiata had two touchdown passes
in That Sugar bowl.

Speaker 3 (02:23:59):
Year didn't you SAY p four era?

Speaker 4 (02:24:01):
Era, Yeah i'm talking about that was the answer to
a different. Question.

Speaker 2 (02:24:05):
Gotcha, okay all time low tickets if you, know the
highest touchdown pass total for A utah football season since
they were invited to The back twelve, conference and of
course we're in The big, twelve which we told you
last year was not the record sitting.

Speaker 3 (02:24:20):
Year, yeah that's pretty, clear was?

Speaker 5 (02:24:22):
It is?

Speaker 9 (02:24:22):
It?

Speaker 4 (02:24:22):
Cameron is?

Speaker 5 (02:24:23):
It?

Speaker 3 (02:24:23):
Cams it?

Speaker 5 (02:24:24):
Is?

Speaker 4 (02:24:25):
Okay which one.

Speaker 3 (02:24:27):
His first better? Year, no say his second, best second best?
Year which was what's the? Number did somebody text in? You?

Speaker 4 (02:24:36):
Nope not?

Speaker 3 (02:24:37):
Yet, OKAY i have a. NUMBER i want to just
tell us the.

Speaker 2 (02:24:42):
Number, well we get the tickets eight seven seven three
five three zero seven.

Speaker 3 (02:24:45):
HUNDRED i have a NUMBER i want to. Get we talked.

Speaker 4 (02:24:47):
About it earlier on the, show not even like thirty minutes. Ago,
wait who are we giving tickets to all time? Low?

Speaker 3 (02:24:53):
Yeah, MAN i mean people might have the, answer but you,
know it's kind of kind.

Speaker 4 (02:24:59):
Of like, THAT i just don't do.

Speaker 1 (02:25:00):
That.

Speaker 3 (02:25:01):
Well we gave away limb biscuit tickets and the texture text,
aback and he's, Like i'm, GOOD i got the answer,
right But i'm. Good i'm not down with the, nookie.

Speaker 2 (02:25:10):
Which by the, way is a mistake because that concert
would have been worth going to for the people watching, Alone, yes.

Speaker 3 (02:25:16):
But not just the people watching. Alone the people watching,
ONLY i mean prime Fred durst wasn't worth. It fifty
five year Old Fred durst is not motivating anybody to
like leave the. HOUSE i can't. Imagine it was the
first Time i've been doing this twenty. Years you're kind
of in the same. Area it was the first Time
i've given anything, away and it was promptly sent, back.

Speaker 2 (02:25:38):
All, right we have a correct answer. Now it was thirty, one,
okay one. TOUCHDOWN i thought it was over. Thirty so
that was kind of the area where my head was.
At it's good for half of the production you got
from LSU's record sitting offense in their national. Championship Here
burrow sixty touchdown passes thrown By Joe burrow in one, season.

Speaker 3 (02:25:56):
The most entertaining college Offense i've probably ever.

Speaker 4 (02:25:59):
SEEN i THINK i think that might.

Speaker 2 (02:26:01):
Be and it's impossible to compare eras and, stuff but
you could make a very easy case that that was
the best college football team.

Speaker 3 (02:26:09):
Ever, yeah, yep certainly most. Entertaining did you see the
video Of burrow trying to throw a? Baseball?

Speaker 4 (02:26:15):
Yeah what? Happened that's so weird.

Speaker 3 (02:26:17):
To, Me LIKE i always find, That, like there's this
video going around Of lebron golfing With bronni And Lebron
james isn't just the best basketball player of this. Generation
there's an argument to me made he's the best athlete
of this. Generation we could get lost in the weeds
with some other football Players megatron or, whatever And lebron

(02:26:37):
looks like he has never swung a golf club in his.

Speaker 4 (02:26:40):
Life, yeah And.

Speaker 3 (02:26:43):
Joe burrow is not the best quarterback in THE, nfl
but just aesthetically pleasing watching somebody throw a. Football joe's
right up there and he looks like he has never
thrown a baseball in his entire. Life i'm always fascinated
watching like great athletes try something.

Speaker 4 (02:26:57):
Else and not be.

Speaker 3 (02:26:58):
Good, yeah which is wild to. Me Like djokovic participated
in a pro am golf, tournament and you would think
a tennis player would naturally be able to make contact
with a golf. Ball no, Shot, like not a. Chance
it's pretty.

Speaker 2 (02:27:11):
Wild well that that one makes more sense to me
because it's such a tennis is such a hyper specialized.
Thing to become an elite tennis, player you don't ever
play anything else for your whole life from your.

Speaker 3 (02:27:22):
Childhood, yeah it's.

Speaker 2 (02:27:23):
True like, you he probably is one of the great
athletes of our, generation but he was never allowed to play.
Basketball he never threw a football, around you, Know AND
i guess there's a little bit of that With. Lebron
lebron became hyper specialized in basketball.

Speaker 4 (02:27:39):
When he was.

Speaker 2 (02:27:40):
Sixteen, yeah he was a highly thought of and recruited wide.
Receiver and then they were just, like, dude you're gonna
be a generational talent in.

Speaker 4 (02:27:49):
Basketball don't hurt yourself catching a.

Speaker 3 (02:27:51):
Touchdown, pas you are a former college football player and
a prize fighter who's won a. Championship what's one athletic
endeavor that you're just Not you're not good at you
can't do it, Swimming i'm, Terrible so, like are you
going to? Drown i'm Not i'm not throwing you in
a pool and ask you, to you, know raise somebody
in like the, butterfly like if you just hop in.

Speaker 4 (02:28:13):
Them, no are you in?

Speaker 2 (02:28:14):
Trouble LIKE i. CAN i can last about five. Minutes
if you threw me off a, boat you better circle
back around quick Because i'm such an inefficient swimmer THAT
i get exhausted very.

Speaker 4 (02:28:27):
Rapidly oh, interesting it's a, bad bad. Deal AND i can't.
Float too much bone density or something can't.

Speaker 3 (02:28:34):
Float have you ever tried just to lay on your
back thing and trust the? Process, yes and that doesn't even.
Work i'll tell you what.

Speaker 2 (02:28:39):
Happens every TIME i have this conversation with, someone especially
someone who's like a water, Person it's, LIKE i could
teach you how to.

Speaker 3 (02:28:45):
FLOAT i can do.

Speaker 2 (02:28:46):
It i'm, like, hey go, ahead AND i mean we're
talking swim. Instructors my, buddy who's a like a surf
champ out on The North, Shore he's, like, dude come,
ON i can teach.

Speaker 4 (02:28:57):
You, no you. Can't my body does do. It it's
just not. Happening it doesn't do.

Speaker 2 (02:29:01):
It LIKE i lay back and be as relaxed AS i,
want fill my lungs with, air and THEN i.

Speaker 4 (02:29:07):
Just broop the water.

Speaker 3 (02:29:09):
Swallow so if you're on a lake water skiing with
a family and it's your turn to give it a
whirl and you get up on the skis skin doing
the thing and then, boom you go, down it's like an.
Emergency they have To, well you're wearing a life a life. Jacket,
yeah but sand's life. Jacket we've got to come back
and get. Set so this is a this is a real.

Speaker 4 (02:29:27):
Thing my.

Speaker 2 (02:29:32):
Right when my wife AND i got, married we went
To Bear lake and we were paddle boarding on the
lake AND i was in fight camp AND i was,
like you know WHAT i need TO i need to
get a workout. In So i'm going to jump off
my paddle board And i'm gonna swim alongside your paddle
board because that makes me more tired than anything.

Speaker 4 (02:29:51):
Else just stay close to. Me she's, like, okay. COOL
i jumped off the.

Speaker 2 (02:29:55):
Paddle board AND i still had the leash on or, whatever,
right So i'm kind of towing the paddle board And i'm, like,
hey stay close to, me and she ends up Because
i'm a slow. Swimmer, also she ends up like one
hundred and fifty yards away from me AND i notice
And i'm just, like, Oh i'm going to die out.
Here i'm just, like, hey you need to come. Back

(02:30:16):
and she's, like why you're. Fine i'm, like, hurry come,
Back i'm. Dying it's just, yeah it's it's SOMETHING i
need to actually remedy as a especially as a. Dad
like if my kids are in trouble in a, POOL
i can go get them and be. Fine if they're
in trouble in the ocean or a, lake then Like
i'm going down trying to get.

Speaker 4 (02:30:35):
Them you know what i.

Speaker 3 (02:30:36):
Mean when you're on, vacation do you get in the?
Ocean you enjoy.

Speaker 4 (02:30:40):
It SO i go surfing with my. BUDDY i go
paddle boarding with my.

Speaker 2 (02:30:44):
BUDDY i double my leash in case the leash breaks
on a, surfboard because as long As i'm attached to
something that, Floats i'm.

Speaker 3 (02:30:51):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (02:30:51):
Sure If i'm paddleboarding out on a lake or, Whatever
i'll put a life, jacket strap it to the board
just in. Case, okay it's, embarrassing but it's. Wise let's
save it's safety.

Speaker 3 (02:31:04):
First, YEAH i have to care NOW i have small.

Speaker 4 (02:31:07):
Children.

Speaker 3 (02:31:07):
Yeah, yeah it's not just. You you have to think
about Nowt. No my senior, trip me and a few
of my friends went To, cancun AND i ignored any
sort of like. Warning AND i love the. OCEAN i
want to get in the ocean. Whenever i'm, like even In,
california some of those beaches aren't, awesome but you find
a good. PLACE i want to get in the. OCEAN
i want to enjoy, it so ignore. Everything i'm seventeen years,

(02:31:30):
OLD i just. Bear as soon as we have the
ability to get on a, BEACH i just sprint out
in the. OCEAN i just start swimming AND i get
taken by a.

Speaker 4 (02:31:39):
Tide oh.

Speaker 3 (02:31:39):
No AND i didn't realize it all. SUDDEN i turned.
Around i'm, LIKE i am so far out, here. Dude
it took EVERYTHING i had in me just to swim
as hard AS i could to just get back into
a place WHERE i could be towed back into the.
Ocean AND i end up just laying on the, beach
grateful for. Sand, yeah it took Every there were a

(02:32:01):
few MINUTES i was, like this is HOW i. Go
i'm seventeen In cancun And i'm dying in the. Ocean
you don't get a little sweaty palm thinking about.

Speaker 2 (02:32:09):
It you can mess with, it, no, because like, AGAIN
i have so much admiration for people who are good
in the water because it's not just an athletic, thing
it's a life. Skill it's like A i mean that
that buddy of Mine i've told you. Watched go watch
The Shark whisper On, netflix all of you out.

Speaker 4 (02:32:27):
There it's very it's.

Speaker 2 (02:32:28):
Fascinating and the young Woman Ocean, ramsey who has made
shark conservation her life's, work is a Person i've swam with.
HER i went diving with her and did the whole
like free swimming with sharks things on The north. Shore
the guy in that documentary is one of my best
friends on the, Planet Keoni. Bothorp he has literally saved

(02:32:52):
multiple people in the ocean because he can. Swim he's
an incredibly strong. Swimmer he saved a man from a shark.
Attack he saved another woman like casually At why May
Obey WHEN i was out there, visiting there was a
kind of on the older side woman who is a
tourist from Some asian. Country, yeah and her family was
just ignoring the fact that she was dying in the.

(02:33:13):
Ocean they were like on the beach taking pictures and he's, like,
hey is She is she screaming for? Help do you
not like? Her are you hoping this swim mount? Gun
like that's heroism that just casually happens if you're a good, swimmer.

Speaker 3 (02:33:27):
Well especially especially In Whya maya and on The North
shore where those waves depending on the time of. Year
but but you catch those waves in the wrong, time
LIKE i don't, know.

Speaker 4 (02:33:35):
It was summertime and there were no. Waves it was, like,
yeah swimming. Pool but you can still drown for.

Speaker 3 (02:33:41):
Sure but you get out there in Like January, february you,
know in the water when the eddie might be going,
on you're in. Trouble there's something about surfing documentaries that
are it's gripping, television Like Momentum generation that doc ON
hbo About slater and all those dudes coming up thousand foot?

Speaker 4 (02:33:57):
Wave unbelieve is it hundred? Foot?

Speaker 3 (02:34:00):
Yeah SEE i dream Big garrett Back.

Speaker 4 (02:34:02):
Fromara, yeah there you.

Speaker 3 (02:34:03):
Go there's something gripping about surfing. Documentary like even if
you're not big into, surfing Like i've served maybe ten
fifteen times in my. Life, Yeah i'm terrible at. It,
yeah it's a really tough. Thing it's a tough. Scale
there's something about those documentaries that are gripping. Television i'm
not sure what it. Is but, kids be safe in
the water out.

Speaker 2 (02:34:18):
There everybody be careful and thank you for tuning Into
Surf radio here In Salt Lake. City oh that's it
for The sean O'Connell. Show stay tuned for The drive
With spence check. Its we'll do it again tomorrow from
eleven to. Two IT'S espn seven hundred and ninety TWO,
onefm proud part Of UTAH'S Espn Radio.

Speaker 4 (02:34:33):
Network