December 5, 2025 • 31 mins
In the fourth hour, Dick Fain and Hugh Millen discuss Sam Darnold and his career stats compared to other quarterbacks in the NFL, replay yesterday’s college football insights from Rick Neuheisel, then preview high school football championships with Todd Milles.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I rolling into the final hour our chat with Rick
Neweisl will come up chat with Todd Millis previewing the
three A and four A State High School championship games,
which we will air on nine to fifty KM. That
is coming up the three A game at seven o'clock tonight,
the four A game at eight o'clock tonight, and Hugh,
(00:20):
You and I started talking about Sam Donald the beginning
of the show, and we kind of morphed quickly into
the defense, so we didn't spend a lot of time
chewing on Donald himself. And I'll just give you what
my expectations were of Sam Donald going in, and then
maybe you can.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Bounce off that.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
But Sam Donald was was a one quarterback for the
first six years of his career. He was another quarterback
last year, and so all I was expecting was something
in the middle that would trend closer to the Minnesota
quarterback obviously than the way he was with the Jets
(00:55):
and with Carolina, and I put some numbers behind it.
I've had these numbers on my notes for the since
the beginning of the season, so I didn't forget what
my actual expectations was in Sam Darnold prior seasons, if
you just took a pro rated look, if you just said, okay,
give me all his seasons pro rated on a seventeen
game season, what was he in New York and Carolina?
He was a sixty percent completion guy. He was a
(01:17):
passer rating of eighty two guy, twenty touchdowns and eighteen
interceptions on a just a general average seventeen game season.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Well, last year, that.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Sixty percent went up to sixty six percent, forty three
hundred yards, thirty five touchdowns, twelve interceptions, a passer rating
of one oh two, and he finally got his QBR
over fifty where it was sub fifty before that. In
twenty twenty five, he has taken his completion percentage just
(01:48):
from sixty six to sixty eight percent. He's taken his
yards per attempt from seven point nine to nine. Now,
he doesn't have quite the interception to touch touchdown interception
ratio that he had last year, but he still has
a tick higher passer rating one oh three versus one
o two, and his QBR heugh, which I know you
love and for good reason, it has jumped from fifty
(02:10):
seven to sixty four as a QBR. So yeah, a
lot of metrics would say Sam's actually better this season
than he was last year with the Minnesota Vike.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Yeah, and you know you say last year. For me,
I find the define the defining point to be November
twenty seventh, twenty twenty two, three years ago, when he
was twenty five years old, because that was the end
of the twenty twenty two season. He got his first
start of the year in week twelve. Prior to that,
(02:42):
he had had four seasons, three with the Jets and
one with Carolina where he had just started solid. So
the first time he had a break was in in
that that twenty fifth his twenty fifty year when when
he was twenty five. Here's how the breakdown was. So
that's the first forty nine starts versus the last thirty six. Now,
(03:04):
when I say last thirty six, we're talking four teams.
We're talking Carolina, San Francisco, Minnesota, and Seattle, four different
coaches obviously prior to the so we'll just call that
the date, all right, got me November twenty seven, basically
a little over three years ago. Prior to that date,
win percent is under thirty five thirty four point seven.
(03:25):
Since then, seventy five percent. Uh, how does that compare
Pat Mahomes in that same stretch He's only won seventy
two and a half percent. Tom Brady only won in
his entire career seventy five point four percent, and again
for last thirty six games, Donald at seventy five percent.
How about passer ratings? The number of games where you
(03:48):
have a triple digit passer rating first forty nine game
for Donald, sixteen percent of his games he was going
to give you a triple digit passer rating the last
thirty six games sixty six point seven two thirds of
his starts, twenty four out of thirty six. How does
(04:09):
that compare in Pat mahomes entire career He's fifty percent, exactly,
he in the last three years, he's thirty seven percent.
Tom Brady is forty seven percent for his whole career,
and again sixty seven percent for Sam Donald over the
last thirty six games. And here's a here's a here's
a fun little thing. And I'll close with this. So
(04:30):
Pat Mahomes outs one hundred and twenty four starts in
his entire career. So where you could say, hey, how
have I done my last thirty six games? Well, that
didn't start for Pat Mahomes until eighty nine starts, So
he's got eighty nine starts where he could he could
go back and say, how have I done in my
last thirty six starts? Of the eighty nine starts he
(04:53):
has a chance to reflect that way, only three of
eighty nine did he have a better stretch than Sam Donald.
Tom Brady has get two hundred and ninety eight starts
that he could go back, smoke a cigar, kick his
feet up and say, hey, how, by the way, what's
how many triple digit games have I had in my
(05:16):
last thirty six games? The of the two hundred and
ninety eight starts that he could reflect on that, only
nineteen of them were thirty six of his last thirty
six did he have a rate that exceeded what Sam
Darnold has giving you right now over the last thirty
six games. That's how how impressive he's been. And so
(05:40):
I don't know. Obviously, we hope he keeps going. But
that gets my attention when you say, hang on, he's
been doing this for three years, he's been a different guy.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Well, I mean, I think we all feel like whether
or not this defense is as good as the twenty
thirteen defense. We all feel like it's championship caliber at
this point. So then the question goes to the offensive
side of the ball, and particularly the quarterback. Is this
quarterback championship a quarterback that's good enough to be a
(06:10):
Super Bowl champion? And you know, I'll kind of go
to the whole magic eight ball, right, We've got you've
got unquestionably yes. The signs point to yes. The signs
point to know or no. Now, I'm assuming you're not
going to say no. But is this more of an
unquestionably yes that this quarterback is good enough with the
(06:33):
pieces around him to win a Super Bowl?
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Or is it still more the signs point to yes.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
I think it's mostly mostly yes. I think the signs
point to yes. For me, I look at you know,
probability lives in a world greater in zero in less
than a hundred, right right, So for me, I think
it's likely just because there's clear evidence that he's a
different quarterback over the last three years. Like I just
gave you some of the numbers. But now you say, well,
(07:00):
what about in the clutch games?
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Let me ask you this.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Remember last year when Seattle had to beat either Green
Bay or Minnesota to give their playoff chances to keep
that alive. Yes, you remember when the Vikings came in
and Sam Donald had an incredible game? Was that a
big game?
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Well our people, Okay, what about the two Green Bay
games that he had where he played very well and won?
What about the Ram game in the regular season earlier
where he played great but they lost, and you know
the other Detroit game, or she the other Detroit game
where you know, he put up twenty nine points but
(07:36):
lost and he had a phenomenal game, Sam. My point
is Sam Donald had a bunch of big games last year,
and why people only focus on the last two games?
Speaker 4 (07:50):
You know?
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I just think, as Don James told the Seattle Times
in nineteen ninety nine, the big game is always the
one that you lost. They never want to give you
credit for the one that you want. That's fair, and
I think that's been dogging Sam Darnold and so until
he beats the Rams on December eighteenth, this question is
(08:11):
going to be hanging over him.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
No question, And I think part of it's the timing too.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I think one is people, yes, are more critical than
they are complimentary. Two, I think you know, just the timing,
you know, the last game in the playoff game. I mean,
that's the timing of those games weren't weren't great. But
we'll break down a lot more Sam. We'll have another
piece of data here when we talk next on Monday.
We will have another piece of data against the Atlanta
fell against defense. When we come back. Rick new Heis
(08:36):
our conversation yesterday. He's going to talk about Lane Kiffin.
He's going to evaluate the Husky regular season with us
is he a proponent of the Big Ten football playoff
weekend And Todd Millis will join us as well, talking
about the high school football championships coming up next on
ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 5 (08:56):
Your home for college football Saturdays, is live with CBS
Sports anal Rick new Heiseel powered buy Taco Time.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Hungry at Taco Time.
Speaker 5 (09:04):
It's easy to create exactly what you're craving, and we
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Rick new Heisel, Here's Softian Dick.
Speaker 6 (09:21):
Live the five.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Twenty Bar and Grill Softie and Dick without the soft
one today. But we have Rick new Heiseel in tow
who is just absolutely on fire. Hawaii minus eight and
a half against Wyoming, they win twenty seven to seven. Rick,
you are seven and two against the spread of your
last nine games.
Speaker 7 (09:42):
My friend, I'm here for the people. I mean, what
else can I tell you? I'm here for the people.
I got out of the blocks a little slow, I said, listen,
I looked at myself in the mirror, said you've got
to give them something that they need, and other than
Chris Burritos, what else can I deliver? That's what I'm
trying to help you with.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
I love it. Can't wait for your Taco Time pick
of the week in about fifteen minutes or so. But
let's start at what we saw at Montlake on Saturday.
It's just it was unbelievable that the numbers on first down. Rick,
I did a little breakdown after the game because I
was like God, it seemed.
Speaker 6 (10:16):
Like we were terrible passing the ball on first down.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
They were two of eight with two interceptions and two
sacks on first down passes. Meanwhile, they carried the ball
fourteen times for one hundred and five yards.
Speaker 6 (10:29):
When they ran the ball on first down. Is there
a point.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Where you just talk to your coordinators, you talk to
your coaches, and say, we're just not gonna throw on
first down anymore when it's that desparate.
Speaker 7 (10:42):
Well, when you're looking at it after the fact, you
sat there and scratch your head and said, we should
never have thrown. But when you're talking about a talent
like Deman Williams, you just can't believe that he would
be that inconsistent. But there were signs of that at
the Rose Bowl the week before, even though it was
an easy victory. What his accuracy and his rhythm to
(11:02):
his throwing in terms of the footwork tied to the
arm were off. And that's got to get fixed before
they play their postseason game because he's too talented to
be as inaccurate as he's been the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
And then the defense just kept doing what the defense
has done all year long against everybody, the best teams,
the terrible teams, everybody in between. That they just kept
the dogs in the game, just like they did against
Ohio State, just like they did against Michigan, and the
offense just couldn't, couldn't muster anything. I mean, this defense
carrying over for next year. I mean, this could be
(11:38):
a top fifteen, top twelve unit in America.
Speaker 6 (11:40):
Can it?
Speaker 7 (11:42):
There's no question? And Ryan Walters deserves a huge amount
of credit to put this team in the position that
they were in to corral an Oregon running game that
had run roughshot over everybody. Unfortunately, when you do that,
you have to commit extra guys to the box, and
you Taymore was talented enough to you know, hit some
(12:02):
passes down the field and give the Ducks the advantage.
But a huge effort and a huge performance by Ryan
Walters in year one at Washington.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
So how would you evaluate the irregular season overall? They
go from six and seven last year, six and six
in the regular season to.
Speaker 6 (12:20):
I think a fairly predictable eight and four.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
If you'd have told me at the beginning of the
year they were going to go eight and four and
they were going to lose to Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan,
and Wisconsin, I think you.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
Probably would have said, Yeah, that sounds about right.
Speaker 7 (12:33):
That's exactly right. I think it was a very good season.
I think the hope for that breakthrough game didn't quite materialize.
But there's no reason to think that after another year recruiting,
assuming that Jed has the same you know, kind of
caliber class and the event and also the same resources
to go and cultivate a great class that you won't have,
(12:55):
you know, the game breakers that will be the difference
in those games that keep her from the penthouse. I
guess of the Big Ten, that's where they're trying to
get and that's where I think Washington deserves to be.
We'll see if they can get that done.
Speaker 8 (13:09):
Well.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Yeah, twelve frank recruiting class helps, That's that's not bad.
So Jed did a nice nice job there. But Rick
Newizel joining us Rick. It seems like every three or
four years, Lane Kiffen is front and center in the
most newsworthy person in college football for.
Speaker 6 (13:27):
One reason or another.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Is this more what we're what we saw with Kiffen
over the last week and really over the last month.
Is this more of a college football problem that will
reappear on a regular basis, or is this more unique
to Lane Kiffen.
Speaker 7 (13:42):
There is no question that it's awkward. There's no question
that it is awkward. He does not need to make
it this awkward, But college football is at fault in
terms of the calendar. For coaches needing to make decisions
prior to making the change from one school to another
shouldn't be happening in the middle of a playoff run.
(14:03):
The transfer portal shouldn't happen in the middle of a
playoff run. This should all be different, uh, And I
hope that someday it will be, because it just requires
a little common sense. But there's no question that Dismount
Danny otherwise known as Lane Kiffin has once again, you know,
busted a knee, busted an ankle. He just can't land it.
He just can't land it.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
It's just an impossibility for the lad You know, eight
of the nine to and top nine teams in the
rankings are from the Big ten or the SEC. It
just seems to me like the gap continues to grow
between the two super conferences and the rest. I mean,
we're talking about potentially an ACC conference without any tournament
(14:43):
worthy teams. So how long will there be talk about
the four four two two one model if the ACC
and the Big twelve can't carry their weight? I mean,
are we going to see the talk go to five
five one one? Here in the few.
Speaker 7 (15:01):
Well, we're getting close to that anyway, and I think
that the ACC and Big twelve are seeing the writing
on the wall. Certainly, Tony Pettiti is pushing for automatic qualifiers,
and the fact that they extended the deadline from December
first to January twenty third, I think they're going to
blow right past sixteen. I won't be shocked that we
go to twenty four and in so doing create automatic
(15:21):
qualifiers for all those other conferences so that they can
have play in games and create some more revenue for themselves.
It doesn't seem hard for Texas Tech, who have a
couple of billionaires that are financing their recruiting and their roster.
But not everybody's blessed with oil men at the est
of an athletic department. So fingers crossed that we can
(15:43):
come to some common sense about the economics of the game.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Well, you mentioned the play in games in the future.
This weekend, maybe a Big ten playoff weekend instead of
just a Big ten championship weekend. We've talked to Wilner
about it, about a three versus six game, a four
versus yea five games, But.
Speaker 7 (16:02):
Now you're talking that's exactly what needs to happen. It's
silly for Ohio State in Indiana to risk their rosters
to injury this week for a game that doesn't matter.
I mean, it's nice to have a big ten plaque
on your wall, but it pales in comparison to a
national championship. And if we had three versus six and
four versus five, we could solve some of the Vanderbilt problems,
(16:23):
some of the other problems in these other conferences. USC
would like to have a chance at this thing, right,
so everybody would like a chance, and that's what I
think is ultimately going to happen.
Speaker 6 (16:33):
And what's interesting about that is had we had that.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
System this year, the Huskies Oregon game actually would have
been for a berth for the Dogs as the sixth
spot in the playing game, because if they would have
beaten Oregon, they would have had they would have been
in a tie with Iowa, and they would have held
the strength to schedule advantage by virtue of that win
over Oregon, and they would have played Oregon again. We
(16:58):
could have had a situation where they play Oregon last
week at home and Oregon on the road at autsin
the next week. I mean, it would it would have
made last week in a heck of a lot more
entertaining and interesting going into.
Speaker 7 (17:11):
It, and the excitement for that would have been one
of those things that I think you could have been
absolutely felt. So that's that's the future. We're headed that way,
I promise you.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
What is the intrigue of watching Ohio State Indiana this week?
I mean, is it just for Indiana to try to
get their first Big Ten championship game in forever? And
do you think they play harder than Ohio State because
Ohio State isn't really all that concern with winning a
Big Ten championship.
Speaker 7 (17:39):
The big thing in this game is the quarterbacks because
they're playing for a Heisman trophy. If Julian Sayan has
a monster game, he's going to be the straight arm winner.
And if Fernando Mendoza has a monster game, he's going
to be the straight arm winner. That will be the case.
If neither has a great game, and this is a
defensive tug a tug of war, then we're going to
(17:59):
see ba Go Pavia from Vanderbilt win the Heisman. So
it's there's some intrigue involved. I just hope that Ryan
Day and Kurt Signetti watched eleven guys get up every
time as the tray piles on this field in Indianapolis.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Be terrible if somebody got hurt for this one in
before the playoffs, Rick, if Texas would have played McNeese
State instead of Ohio State in the first week of
the season and they finished ten and two, would they
have been in the playoffs.
Speaker 7 (18:33):
Based on the brand? I mean, that's the same as
as Alabama being in the playoff at ten and two
having lost to Florida State. It's the same as Notre
Dame being ten and two having started the season zero
and two. We believe in brands, which is why the
Elliott Eli drinkwitz Is of the world want automatic qualifiers.
We don't start the season believing that Vanderbilt or Missouri
(18:54):
or Texas Tech can be great. We end up learning
that they can be Why use eleven one is still
sits at eleven. But the brands, if they get to
that number, they're in because they resonate and they sit
in our minds as quality football programs, and they also
draw television ice Is.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
That going to make coaches fearful, especially big time programs,
fearful to schedule those cross conference games because they can
just say, hey, cautionary tail.
Speaker 6 (19:22):
Look at Texas.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
All they needed to do is play Idaho instead of
Ohio State and they'd be in the playoffs.
Speaker 7 (19:27):
I think the television people have too much clout for
them to be able to stop scheduling good games for
television content. So what I think is going to happen
is we're going to have some deals made amongst the
Power conferences that rely on where you finished. If a
SEC finishes number one, then they're going to get an
SEC one schedule, which means that they'll play the number
(19:51):
one team at the Big Ten next year, they'll play
the number two team from the Big twelve at home,
and they'll play the number four team from the ACC
the road. You can Understan, you can follow my logic here.
Then they're going to have predetermined schedules that all create
great television content, but pit the good teams against good
teams so that we get some parody and these other
(20:14):
teams that are sitting in your struggle to keep up
with the Joneses in their Power conferences can get some
chances to have a little bite at the apple.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Well to your point, if they go to a twenty
four team, then you can do more of those things
because coaches aren't afraid to lose those games because then
you know, if you're sard if you're like, we're gonna
make the twenty four team playoff regardless.
Speaker 7 (20:35):
Well you should, but you have to win and the
television content for the fans and for everybody is important.
So my belief is that that will be the case.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
You mentioned BYU. They are stuck between Miami and Notre
Dame right now, So if BYU loses this weekend, then
presumably Miami and Notre Dame would be next to each other,
and the tournament committee, the playoff commit Teddy Cheris, said, Hey,
we really haven't judged Miami a Notre Dame because they
haven't been next to each other.
Speaker 6 (21:06):
There's a thought that now the head to head.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
Matchup that Miami won would be looked at more closely
if they're next to each other in next week's poll.
So could you actually see Miami jumping Notre Dame in
that scenario or are they pretty much stuck where they are?
Speaker 7 (21:20):
I think the committee chair, the athletic director Markansas, said
that they were in the same pool this last couple
of weeks and still they felt Notre Dame was ahead,
which is incredibly confounding given the fact that every tiebreaker
I've ever known and the same schedule, if you played
each other, then it's head to head. And yet we
(21:41):
still see Notre Dame ahead of Miami. But that being said,
if they changed that with not either team playing this week,
it would be completely ridiculous. And I just don't know
we can trust the committee. Not that I am calling
anybody out as not doing their job. I just think
the committee thing is very very close to the ap
(22:01):
which means that you're just kind of going by wins
and losses and favorite teams.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
All right, Rick, I can feel your heat through the phone. Man,
You're absolutely on fire. Seven and two of your Taco
Time pick of the week over the last nine weeks.
I'll take a couple of Chris Beef burritos and some
Tatar fries and the coke.
Speaker 6 (22:21):
That'll be my pick of the week. What is yours?
Speaker 7 (22:24):
We are going with the Ohio State Buckeyes. They're laying
five and a half. And as much as I love
Kurt Signetti and I am a devout parishioner at the
Church of Signetti, I believe the buck Eyes with their
unbelievable stable of wide receivers and a quarterback that's sitting
close to eighty percent of his passes and a defense
that has held opponents that less than one hundred points.
(22:46):
No other team is even close to that. I am
going with the Buckeyes.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Love it, love it. We'll talk to you next week.
I like that pick. Well, we'll see on Thursday. Thanks coach.
Speaker 7 (22:56):
All right, babies, talk to you soon.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
Great stuffrom Rick new Heisley has been absolutely in fuego.
He is taking Ohio State minus the five and a
half against Indiana in the Big Ten championship game.
Speaker 6 (23:08):
We're gonna go from.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Talking college football to talking high school football tonight on
nine fifty kjr AM.
Speaker 6 (23:15):
There is the three A State championship.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Tomorrow I'll have the call on nine to fifty kjr
AM of the four A State championship between Lake Stevens.
Speaker 6 (23:23):
And Sumner and talk about it all.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Todd Millis are from from Varsity WA News coming up
next in our final segment in ninety three point three KJFM.
Speaker 8 (23:31):
Now back to Football Friday Age sponsored by Tito's Handmade
Vodka on your home for the NFL Sports Radio ninety
three point three KJR FM.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Rolling into the final segment of the show on a
Friday night, and if you flip over to nine to
fifty KJR AM in about fifteen minutes, you will hear
the dulcet tones of one Michael Benton calling a three
A state championship game and to preview it with us
from Varsity WA News, our friend Todd and Millis Todd.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
How you doing good?
Speaker 4 (24:04):
Good? I'm doing well man?
Speaker 7 (24:06):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (24:06):
Wa are windy? You here at Husky Stadium? So I
imagine it, And it's supposed to stay throughout the day,
so it's gonna make it for very interesting state championship
games for the rest of the day.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
That's the thing.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
I mean, this change from indoor, cozy climate and Tacoma
that we've had forever and ever and ever now to
Husky Stadium is going to be different.
Speaker 8 (24:23):
Now.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
It does not sound like in the three A game
tonight is going to be much as much an impact
as it would necessarily in the four A game, because
it sounds like Mount Tahoma and Oday, these two big
time teams this year just want to grind it out
on the ground anyway, right, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
They're built very very similarly, Dick. And it's interesting because
we all know about Oday and Monte Cohler and the
Viera offense, and we're going to rotate three or four
guys play power football and we're gonna let our defense
do its thing. Montahoma's built exactly like that. They've got
three running backs that they will rely on. You know,
Nezzie White and Felix Diaz are kind of leading the
(25:02):
leading the committee, and they'll take some they'll take some
chances with Mika Cadero and Elijah Door. So Husky fans
get used to that name because he's signed with the
University of Washington and he's had a fantastic year, the
MVP of the three APSL. So, but I think tonight
it's going to be run the football and play defense.
That's the kind of whether it is. I mean, we've
(25:22):
got thirty thirty thirty mile an hour gusts of wind
going in one direction, so if you're going to the east,
if your offense is going to the east, you're gonna
have a really difficult time scoring.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Would this be an upset? I mean, I know Oday's
the one seed, Mount Tahoma is the two. Was it
first of all, was it an upset last week when
Mount Tahoma beat East Side Catholic even though Mountahoma had
a higher seed and we all think of East Side
Catholic as this big, huge megalith power and yet Mount
Tahoma got the win fairly easily twenty one to six.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
Was that seen as an upset after that game? I
mean maybe marginally.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
What I think what would took everybody back was was
the fact that mounts a home of controlled the football
game and Mountahoma's defense. I mean, they would fare very
well this year with their twenty sixteeniors in the three
A Metro League. So I don't think the fact that
they went toe to toe with Eastside Catholic doesn't surprise anybody.
But the fact that they they got out to the
(26:19):
big lead and East Side Catholic did not score until
the final minutes, yeah, that was a little bit of
a surprisal. So in that regard, Yeah, but hey, listen,
this team is I know it's it's difficult for people
outside Seattle, and I used to a brand of football
that wins, you know, the win t of Bellevue and
power football of Oday and East Side Catholic. You know
(26:41):
that that's kind of ruled the roost the last decade
or so, and Mounta Home has kind of taken a
little bit of everything there and and and kind of
applied it to their twenty sixteen years and they're just
playing great football. But much like oday, the defense from
Mounta Homa drives the bus stick and I expect that
to happen tonight, especially with this one and very low
(27:01):
scoring game. I'm anticipating well.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
And then tomorrow night in the game I'll be calling
along with Chris Kidd at seven o'clock. We should see
more balls in the air, so we'll see if there's
a thirty five mill an hour wins tomorrow night. That
may favor Sumner a little bit as the Sumner Spartans,
the defending four A state champions taking on Lake Stevens,
who does love to chuck it around. What do you
(27:23):
think about this game matching two fabulous longtime coaches, Keith
Ross of Sumner in his twenty seventh year and Tom
Try from Lake Stevens.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
Yeah, it's only the second time in state history in
the four A game where the past two state champions
have played the following year they played each other, So
Lake Stevens winning it in twenty two and twenty three.
Like you said, Sumner beating Camus last year for the
state championship its first in a very long time and
Keith Ross's first as a coach. You know, these teams
played in Week one. It was a rematch of the
(27:55):
season opener last year, and like last year, it came
down to the final play and Lake Stevens ended up
pulling it off on a last second touchdown pass from
Blake Moser. You're gonna have fun watching Blake Moser. If
he's not completing passes in the wind is affecting the
pass game, he can beat you with his legs. He
is a it's like, well, it's like he's sort of
like being shot out of the cannon so fast. And
(28:17):
then if you put too much attention with him, then
Jamian Ferrell, the really twitchy running back, can take it
the distance too. It's a very very dangerous offensive backfield
that Lake Stephens has. But if it's not Wendy, then
you got Mac. You know, you've got three really good
receivers that Lake Stephens has on the perimeter to throw
the football too. They're a really, really dangerous offense and
(28:38):
there's a reason why they put up fifty sixty seventy
points in the postseason. They're really really difficult to stop Dick.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
And if anything, if last week's game has anything to
do with this week's game, for Sumner, all I have
to do is remember two names, and that's running back
Lance McGee and wide receiver Braylan Polp. Braylan Polp because
Coach Ross told me that those two got four forty
nine touches out of the fifty plays they ran last
year or last week. Rather, Lance McGee a two thousand
(29:07):
yard running back and then Braylan Pope was absolutely fantastic
ten catches, one hundred and thirty three yards and two
touchdowns last week.
Speaker 4 (29:16):
Yeah, and Braylan Pope, like you mentioned, had a big
game against Lake Stephens the first time with four touchdown catches.
He's tough to stop. And so Lake Stevens is going
to have to figure out a way to bracket him
or get some help on him. But I think you're
going to see Lake Stevens defense gear to stop Lance McGee.
I mean, he cannot run for three hundred and thirteen
yards against Lake Stevens like he did last week against
(29:37):
If the Bikes think they're going to win the game,
So I think they're probably going to load the box
and really key in on Lance and find some help
against Braylin and and force Sumner to kind of go
to other guys. Like you said, those two really hogged
targets and touches last week. If those guys are allowed
to dictate the game like they did last week against
pull Up, it could be for a very long night
(30:00):
for the Lake Stephens defense, a defense that has struggled
at times here in the postseason against a good passing game.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Hey, enjoy the game tonight. I'll talk to you tomorrow night.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
Before we let you go, tell everybody how we can,
especially old school fans of Todd Millis and the Tacoma
News Tribune. Where can we get Todd Millis now on
his on his Varsity News reports.
Speaker 4 (30:22):
Well, I appreciate the support. Man. We're at Varsitylawnnews dot com.
It's myself and and former Tacoma you should be in
sportswriter Lawrence Smith, and we started our own website in
the in the summer, covering the whole state of Washington
and uh man, it's the you know the Uh, the
support's been unbelievable. Really appreciate all the listeners and the readers.
And we'll be here all weekend here at Husky Stadium, uh,
(30:45):
for for all six games, and then uh, you know,
we'll get one day off and then we'll give ourselves
toward basketball and girls like football and wrestling probably my
favorite favorite time of the year. So but I appreciate
the support for everybody that's that's logged on and subscribe
and supported us.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Love it. Hey, we have appreciate it. Todd, thanks so much.
Enjoy the game tonight.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
Appreciate it, Dick. Thanks man.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
Todd Millis Varsity one News.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
He'll be covering the three A state title game tonight
and the four A state title game tomorrow. Both games
can be heard at seven pm. Mike Benton tonight, Dick
Faine tomorrow. Hey, that's me. I'm speaking in third person, Jackson.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
I'm excited to hear this with you tomorrow.
Speaker 6 (31:22):
Benton.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Today, let's go.
Speaker 9 (31:23):
It's been a while since I've done a football game.
I've done a billion basketball game. Has been a while
since I've done a football game. But this should be
an absolutely fantastic matchup. Both these games should be very
very good, so you'll have some high school football on
the radio on nine to fifty KJRM.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
That's gonna do it for us.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Great stuff thanks to Hubreed, Love Millan, thanks to Todd
Millis there, Rick new Heisel don't forget picking the locks
on ninety three point three. KJRFM is coming up next
with our friend MJ in the Midday and Lee Sterling
say everybody have a great
I rolling into the final hour our chat with Rick
Neweisl will come up chat with Todd Millis previewing the
three A and four A State High School championship games,
which we will air on nine to fifty KM. That
is coming up the three A game at seven o'clock tonight,
the four A game at eight o'clock tonight, and Hugh,
(00:20):
You and I started talking about Sam Donald the beginning
of the show, and we kind of morphed quickly into
the defense, so we didn't spend a lot of time
chewing on Donald himself. And I'll just give you what
my expectations were of Sam Donald going in, and then
maybe you can.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Bounce off that.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
But Sam Donald was was a one quarterback for the
first six years of his career. He was another quarterback
last year, and so all I was expecting was something
in the middle that would trend closer to the Minnesota
quarterback obviously than the way he was with the Jets
(00:55):
and with Carolina, and I put some numbers behind it.
I've had these numbers on my notes for the since
the beginning of the season, so I didn't forget what
my actual expectations was in Sam Darnold prior seasons, if
you just took a pro rated look, if you just said, okay,
give me all his seasons pro rated on a seventeen
game season, what was he in New York and Carolina?
He was a sixty percent completion guy. He was a
(01:17):
passer rating of eighty two guy, twenty touchdowns and eighteen
interceptions on a just a general average seventeen game season.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Well, last year, that.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Sixty percent went up to sixty six percent, forty three
hundred yards, thirty five touchdowns, twelve interceptions, a passer rating
of one oh two, and he finally got his QBR
over fifty where it was sub fifty before that. In
twenty twenty five, he has taken his completion percentage just
(01:48):
from sixty six to sixty eight percent. He's taken his
yards per attempt from seven point nine to nine. Now,
he doesn't have quite the interception to touch touchdown interception
ratio that he had last year, but he still has
a tick higher passer rating one oh three versus one
o two, and his QBR heugh, which I know you
love and for good reason, it has jumped from fifty
(02:10):
seven to sixty four as a QBR. So yeah, a
lot of metrics would say Sam's actually better this season
than he was last year with the Minnesota Vike.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Yeah, and you know you say last year. For me,
I find the define the defining point to be November
twenty seventh, twenty twenty two, three years ago, when he
was twenty five years old, because that was the end
of the twenty twenty two season. He got his first
start of the year in week twelve. Prior to that,
(02:42):
he had had four seasons, three with the Jets and
one with Carolina where he had just started solid. So
the first time he had a break was in in
that that twenty fifth his twenty fifty year when when
he was twenty five. Here's how the breakdown was. So
that's the first forty nine starts versus the last thirty six. Now,
(03:04):
when I say last thirty six, we're talking four teams.
We're talking Carolina, San Francisco, Minnesota, and Seattle, four different
coaches obviously prior to the so we'll just call that
the date, all right, got me November twenty seven, basically
a little over three years ago. Prior to that date,
win percent is under thirty five thirty four point seven.
(03:25):
Since then, seventy five percent. Uh, how does that compare
Pat Mahomes in that same stretch He's only won seventy
two and a half percent. Tom Brady only won in
his entire career seventy five point four percent, and again
for last thirty six games, Donald at seventy five percent.
How about passer ratings? The number of games where you
(03:48):
have a triple digit passer rating first forty nine game
for Donald, sixteen percent of his games he was going
to give you a triple digit passer rating the last
thirty six games sixty six point seven two thirds of
his starts, twenty four out of thirty six. How does
(04:09):
that compare in Pat mahomes entire career He's fifty percent, exactly,
he in the last three years, he's thirty seven percent.
Tom Brady is forty seven percent for his whole career,
and again sixty seven percent for Sam Donald over the
last thirty six games. And here's a here's a here's
a fun little thing. And I'll close with this. So
(04:30):
Pat Mahomes outs one hundred and twenty four starts in
his entire career. So where you could say, hey, how
have I done my last thirty six games? Well, that
didn't start for Pat Mahomes until eighty nine starts, So
he's got eighty nine starts where he could he could
go back and say, how have I done in my
last thirty six starts? Of the eighty nine starts he
(04:53):
has a chance to reflect that way, only three of
eighty nine did he have a better stretch than Sam Donald.
Tom Brady has get two hundred and ninety eight starts
that he could go back, smoke a cigar, kick his
feet up and say, hey, how, by the way, what's
how many triple digit games have I had in my
(05:16):
last thirty six games? The of the two hundred and
ninety eight starts that he could reflect on that, only
nineteen of them were thirty six of his last thirty
six did he have a rate that exceeded what Sam
Darnold has giving you right now over the last thirty
six games. That's how how impressive he's been. And so
(05:40):
I don't know. Obviously, we hope he keeps going. But
that gets my attention when you say, hang on, he's
been doing this for three years, he's been a different guy.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Well, I mean, I think we all feel like whether
or not this defense is as good as the twenty
thirteen defense. We all feel like it's championship caliber at
this point. So then the question goes to the offensive
side of the ball, and particularly the quarterback. Is this
quarterback championship a quarterback that's good enough to be a
(06:10):
Super Bowl champion? And you know, I'll kind of go
to the whole magic eight ball, right, We've got you've
got unquestionably yes. The signs point to yes. The signs
point to know or no. Now, I'm assuming you're not
going to say no. But is this more of an
unquestionably yes that this quarterback is good enough with the
(06:33):
pieces around him to win a Super Bowl?
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Or is it still more the signs point to yes.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
I think it's mostly mostly yes. I think the signs
point to yes. For me, I look at you know,
probability lives in a world greater in zero in less
than a hundred, right right, So for me, I think
it's likely just because there's clear evidence that he's a
different quarterback over the last three years. Like I just
gave you some of the numbers. But now you say, well,
(07:00):
what about in the clutch games?
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Let me ask you this.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Remember last year when Seattle had to beat either Green
Bay or Minnesota to give their playoff chances to keep
that alive. Yes, you remember when the Vikings came in
and Sam Donald had an incredible game? Was that a
big game?
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Well our people, Okay, what about the two Green Bay
games that he had where he played very well and won?
What about the Ram game in the regular season earlier
where he played great but they lost, and you know
the other Detroit game, or she the other Detroit game
where you know, he put up twenty nine points but
(07:36):
lost and he had a phenomenal game, Sam. My point
is Sam Donald had a bunch of big games last year,
and why people only focus on the last two games?
Speaker 4 (07:50):
You know?
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I just think, as Don James told the Seattle Times
in nineteen ninety nine, the big game is always the
one that you lost. They never want to give you
credit for the one that you want. That's fair, and
I think that's been dogging Sam Darnold and so until
he beats the Rams on December eighteenth, this question is
(08:11):
going to be hanging over him.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
No question, And I think part of it's the timing too.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I think one is people, yes, are more critical than
they are complimentary. Two, I think you know, just the timing,
you know, the last game in the playoff game. I mean,
that's the timing of those games weren't weren't great. But
we'll break down a lot more Sam. We'll have another
piece of data here when we talk next on Monday.
We will have another piece of data against the Atlanta
fell against defense. When we come back. Rick new Heis
(08:36):
our conversation yesterday. He's going to talk about Lane Kiffin.
He's going to evaluate the Husky regular season with us
is he a proponent of the Big Ten football playoff
weekend And Todd Millis will join us as well, talking
about the high school football championships coming up next on
ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 5 (08:56):
Your home for college football Saturdays, is live with CBS
Sports anal Rick new Heiseel powered buy Taco Time.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Hungry at Taco Time.
Speaker 5 (09:04):
It's easy to create exactly what you're craving, and we
wouldn't have it any other way. How do you Taco Time,
customize your meal and order ahead on the Taco Time
Northwest at Taco Time Time for something different Now with
Rick new Heisel, Here's Softian Dick.
Speaker 6 (09:21):
Live the five.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Twenty Bar and Grill Softie and Dick without the soft
one today. But we have Rick new Heiseel in tow
who is just absolutely on fire. Hawaii minus eight and
a half against Wyoming, they win twenty seven to seven. Rick,
you are seven and two against the spread of your
last nine games.
Speaker 7 (09:42):
My friend, I'm here for the people. I mean, what
else can I tell you? I'm here for the people.
I got out of the blocks a little slow, I said, listen,
I looked at myself in the mirror, said you've got
to give them something that they need, and other than
Chris Burritos, what else can I deliver? That's what I'm
trying to help you with.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
I love it. Can't wait for your Taco Time pick
of the week in about fifteen minutes or so. But
let's start at what we saw at Montlake on Saturday.
It's just it was unbelievable that the numbers on first down. Rick,
I did a little breakdown after the game because I
was like God, it seemed.
Speaker 6 (10:16):
Like we were terrible passing the ball on first down.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
They were two of eight with two interceptions and two
sacks on first down passes. Meanwhile, they carried the ball
fourteen times for one hundred and five yards.
Speaker 6 (10:29):
When they ran the ball on first down. Is there
a point.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Where you just talk to your coordinators, you talk to
your coaches, and say, we're just not gonna throw on
first down anymore when it's that desparate.
Speaker 7 (10:42):
Well, when you're looking at it after the fact, you
sat there and scratch your head and said, we should
never have thrown. But when you're talking about a talent
like Deman Williams, you just can't believe that he would
be that inconsistent. But there were signs of that at
the Rose Bowl the week before, even though it was
an easy victory. What his accuracy and his rhythm to
(11:02):
his throwing in terms of the footwork tied to the
arm were off. And that's got to get fixed before
they play their postseason game because he's too talented to
be as inaccurate as he's been the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
And then the defense just kept doing what the defense
has done all year long against everybody, the best teams,
the terrible teams, everybody in between. That they just kept
the dogs in the game, just like they did against
Ohio State, just like they did against Michigan, and the
offense just couldn't, couldn't muster anything. I mean, this defense
carrying over for next year. I mean, this could be
(11:38):
a top fifteen, top twelve unit in America.
Speaker 6 (11:40):
Can it?
Speaker 7 (11:42):
There's no question? And Ryan Walters deserves a huge amount
of credit to put this team in the position that
they were in to corral an Oregon running game that
had run roughshot over everybody. Unfortunately, when you do that,
you have to commit extra guys to the box, and
you Taymore was talented enough to you know, hit some
(12:02):
passes down the field and give the Ducks the advantage.
But a huge effort and a huge performance by Ryan
Walters in year one at Washington.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
So how would you evaluate the irregular season overall? They
go from six and seven last year, six and six
in the regular season to.
Speaker 6 (12:20):
I think a fairly predictable eight and four.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
If you'd have told me at the beginning of the
year they were going to go eight and four and
they were going to lose to Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan,
and Wisconsin, I think you.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
Probably would have said, Yeah, that sounds about right.
Speaker 7 (12:33):
That's exactly right. I think it was a very good season.
I think the hope for that breakthrough game didn't quite materialize.
But there's no reason to think that after another year recruiting,
assuming that Jed has the same you know, kind of
caliber class and the event and also the same resources
to go and cultivate a great class that you won't have,
(12:55):
you know, the game breakers that will be the difference
in those games that keep her from the penthouse. I
guess of the Big Ten, that's where they're trying to
get and that's where I think Washington deserves to be.
We'll see if they can get that done.
Speaker 8 (13:09):
Well.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Yeah, twelve frank recruiting class helps, That's that's not bad.
So Jed did a nice nice job there. But Rick
Newizel joining us Rick. It seems like every three or
four years, Lane Kiffen is front and center in the
most newsworthy person in college football for.
Speaker 6 (13:27):
One reason or another.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Is this more what we're what we saw with Kiffen
over the last week and really over the last month.
Is this more of a college football problem that will
reappear on a regular basis, or is this more unique
to Lane Kiffen.
Speaker 7 (13:42):
There is no question that it's awkward. There's no question
that it is awkward. He does not need to make
it this awkward, But college football is at fault in
terms of the calendar. For coaches needing to make decisions
prior to making the change from one school to another
shouldn't be happening in the middle of a playoff run.
(14:03):
The transfer portal shouldn't happen in the middle of a
playoff run. This should all be different, uh, And I
hope that someday it will be, because it just requires
a little common sense. But there's no question that Dismount
Danny otherwise known as Lane Kiffin has once again, you know,
busted a knee, busted an ankle. He just can't land it.
He just can't land it.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
It's just an impossibility for the lad You know, eight
of the nine to and top nine teams in the
rankings are from the Big ten or the SEC. It
just seems to me like the gap continues to grow
between the two super conferences and the rest. I mean,
we're talking about potentially an ACC conference without any tournament
(14:43):
worthy teams. So how long will there be talk about
the four four two two one model if the ACC
and the Big twelve can't carry their weight? I mean,
are we going to see the talk go to five
five one one? Here in the few.
Speaker 7 (15:01):
Well, we're getting close to that anyway, and I think
that the ACC and Big twelve are seeing the writing
on the wall. Certainly, Tony Pettiti is pushing for automatic qualifiers,
and the fact that they extended the deadline from December
first to January twenty third, I think they're going to
blow right past sixteen. I won't be shocked that we
go to twenty four and in so doing create automatic
(15:21):
qualifiers for all those other conferences so that they can
have play in games and create some more revenue for themselves.
It doesn't seem hard for Texas Tech, who have a
couple of billionaires that are financing their recruiting and their roster.
But not everybody's blessed with oil men at the est
of an athletic department. So fingers crossed that we can
(15:43):
come to some common sense about the economics of the game.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Well, you mentioned the play in games in the future.
This weekend, maybe a Big ten playoff weekend instead of
just a Big ten championship weekend. We've talked to Wilner
about it, about a three versus six game, a four
versus yea five games, But.
Speaker 7 (16:02):
Now you're talking that's exactly what needs to happen. It's
silly for Ohio State in Indiana to risk their rosters
to injury this week for a game that doesn't matter.
I mean, it's nice to have a big ten plaque
on your wall, but it pales in comparison to a
national championship. And if we had three versus six and
four versus five, we could solve some of the Vanderbilt problems,
(16:23):
some of the other problems in these other conferences. USC
would like to have a chance at this thing, right,
so everybody would like a chance, and that's what I
think is ultimately going to happen.
Speaker 6 (16:33):
And what's interesting about that is had we had that.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
System this year, the Huskies Oregon game actually would have
been for a berth for the Dogs as the sixth
spot in the playing game, because if they would have
beaten Oregon, they would have had they would have been
in a tie with Iowa, and they would have held
the strength to schedule advantage by virtue of that win
over Oregon, and they would have played Oregon again. We
(16:58):
could have had a situation where they play Oregon last
week at home and Oregon on the road at autsin
the next week. I mean, it would it would have
made last week in a heck of a lot more
entertaining and interesting going into.
Speaker 7 (17:11):
It, and the excitement for that would have been one
of those things that I think you could have been
absolutely felt. So that's that's the future. We're headed that way,
I promise you.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
What is the intrigue of watching Ohio State Indiana this week?
I mean, is it just for Indiana to try to
get their first Big Ten championship game in forever? And
do you think they play harder than Ohio State because
Ohio State isn't really all that concern with winning a
Big Ten championship.
Speaker 7 (17:39):
The big thing in this game is the quarterbacks because
they're playing for a Heisman trophy. If Julian Sayan has
a monster game, he's going to be the straight arm winner.
And if Fernando Mendoza has a monster game, he's going
to be the straight arm winner. That will be the case.
If neither has a great game, and this is a
defensive tug a tug of war, then we're going to
(17:59):
see ba Go Pavia from Vanderbilt win the Heisman. So
it's there's some intrigue involved. I just hope that Ryan
Day and Kurt Signetti watched eleven guys get up every
time as the tray piles on this field in Indianapolis.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Be terrible if somebody got hurt for this one in
before the playoffs, Rick, if Texas would have played McNeese
State instead of Ohio State in the first week of
the season and they finished ten and two, would they
have been in the playoffs.
Speaker 7 (18:33):
Based on the brand? I mean, that's the same as
as Alabama being in the playoff at ten and two
having lost to Florida State. It's the same as Notre
Dame being ten and two having started the season zero
and two. We believe in brands, which is why the
Elliott Eli drinkwitz Is of the world want automatic qualifiers.
We don't start the season believing that Vanderbilt or Missouri
(18:54):
or Texas Tech can be great. We end up learning
that they can be Why use eleven one is still
sits at eleven. But the brands, if they get to
that number, they're in because they resonate and they sit
in our minds as quality football programs, and they also
draw television ice Is.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
That going to make coaches fearful, especially big time programs,
fearful to schedule those cross conference games because they can
just say, hey, cautionary tail.
Speaker 6 (19:22):
Look at Texas.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
All they needed to do is play Idaho instead of
Ohio State and they'd be in the playoffs.
Speaker 7 (19:27):
I think the television people have too much clout for
them to be able to stop scheduling good games for
television content. So what I think is going to happen
is we're going to have some deals made amongst the
Power conferences that rely on where you finished. If a
SEC finishes number one, then they're going to get an
SEC one schedule, which means that they'll play the number
(19:51):
one team at the Big Ten next year, they'll play
the number two team from the Big twelve at home,
and they'll play the number four team from the ACC
the road. You can Understan, you can follow my logic here.
Then they're going to have predetermined schedules that all create
great television content, but pit the good teams against good
teams so that we get some parody and these other
(20:14):
teams that are sitting in your struggle to keep up
with the Joneses in their Power conferences can get some
chances to have a little bite at the apple.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Well to your point, if they go to a twenty
four team, then you can do more of those things
because coaches aren't afraid to lose those games because then
you know, if you're sard if you're like, we're gonna
make the twenty four team playoff regardless.
Speaker 7 (20:35):
Well you should, but you have to win and the
television content for the fans and for everybody is important.
So my belief is that that will be the case.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
You mentioned BYU. They are stuck between Miami and Notre
Dame right now, So if BYU loses this weekend, then
presumably Miami and Notre Dame would be next to each other,
and the tournament committee, the playoff commit Teddy Cheris, said, Hey,
we really haven't judged Miami a Notre Dame because they
haven't been next to each other.
Speaker 6 (21:06):
There's a thought that now the head to head.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
Matchup that Miami won would be looked at more closely
if they're next to each other in next week's poll.
So could you actually see Miami jumping Notre Dame in
that scenario or are they pretty much stuck where they are?
Speaker 7 (21:20):
I think the committee chair, the athletic director Markansas, said
that they were in the same pool this last couple
of weeks and still they felt Notre Dame was ahead,
which is incredibly confounding given the fact that every tiebreaker
I've ever known and the same schedule, if you played
each other, then it's head to head. And yet we
(21:41):
still see Notre Dame ahead of Miami. But that being said,
if they changed that with not either team playing this week,
it would be completely ridiculous. And I just don't know
we can trust the committee. Not that I am calling
anybody out as not doing their job. I just think
the committee thing is very very close to the ap
(22:01):
which means that you're just kind of going by wins
and losses and favorite teams.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
All right, Rick, I can feel your heat through the phone. Man,
You're absolutely on fire. Seven and two of your Taco
Time pick of the week over the last nine weeks.
I'll take a couple of Chris Beef burritos and some
Tatar fries and the coke.
Speaker 6 (22:21):
That'll be my pick of the week. What is yours?
Speaker 7 (22:24):
We are going with the Ohio State Buckeyes. They're laying
five and a half. And as much as I love
Kurt Signetti and I am a devout parishioner at the
Church of Signetti, I believe the buck Eyes with their
unbelievable stable of wide receivers and a quarterback that's sitting
close to eighty percent of his passes and a defense
that has held opponents that less than one hundred points.
(22:46):
No other team is even close to that. I am
going with the Buckeyes.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Love it, love it. We'll talk to you next week.
I like that pick. Well, we'll see on Thursday. Thanks coach.
Speaker 7 (22:56):
All right, babies, talk to you soon.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
Great stuffrom Rick new Heisley has been absolutely in fuego.
He is taking Ohio State minus the five and a
half against Indiana in the Big Ten championship game.
Speaker 6 (23:08):
We're gonna go from.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Talking college football to talking high school football tonight on
nine fifty kjr AM.
Speaker 6 (23:15):
There is the three A State championship.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Tomorrow I'll have the call on nine to fifty kjr
AM of the four A State championship between Lake Stevens.
Speaker 6 (23:23):
And Sumner and talk about it all.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Todd Millis are from from Varsity WA News coming up
next in our final segment in ninety three point three KJFM.
Speaker 8 (23:31):
Now back to Football Friday Age sponsored by Tito's Handmade
Vodka on your home for the NFL Sports Radio ninety
three point three KJR FM.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Rolling into the final segment of the show on a
Friday night, and if you flip over to nine to
fifty KJR AM in about fifteen minutes, you will hear
the dulcet tones of one Michael Benton calling a three
A state championship game and to preview it with us
from Varsity WA News, our friend Todd and Millis Todd.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
How you doing good?
Speaker 4 (24:04):
Good? I'm doing well man?
Speaker 7 (24:06):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (24:06):
Wa are windy? You here at Husky Stadium? So I
imagine it, And it's supposed to stay throughout the day,
so it's gonna make it for very interesting state championship
games for the rest of the day.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
That's the thing.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
I mean, this change from indoor, cozy climate and Tacoma
that we've had forever and ever and ever now to
Husky Stadium is going to be different.
Speaker 8 (24:23):
Now.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
It does not sound like in the three A game
tonight is going to be much as much an impact
as it would necessarily in the four A game, because
it sounds like Mount Tahoma and Oday, these two big
time teams this year just want to grind it out
on the ground anyway, right, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
They're built very very similarly, Dick. And it's interesting because
we all know about Oday and Monte Cohler and the
Viera offense, and we're going to rotate three or four
guys play power football and we're gonna let our defense
do its thing. Montahoma's built exactly like that. They've got
three running backs that they will rely on. You know,
Nezzie White and Felix Diaz are kind of leading the
(25:02):
leading the committee, and they'll take some they'll take some
chances with Mika Cadero and Elijah Door. So Husky fans
get used to that name because he's signed with the
University of Washington and he's had a fantastic year, the
MVP of the three APSL. So, but I think tonight
it's going to be run the football and play defense.
That's the kind of whether it is. I mean, we've
(25:22):
got thirty thirty thirty mile an hour gusts of wind
going in one direction, so if you're going to the east,
if your offense is going to the east, you're gonna
have a really difficult time scoring.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Would this be an upset? I mean, I know Oday's
the one seed, Mount Tahoma is the two. Was it
first of all, was it an upset last week when
Mount Tahoma beat East Side Catholic even though Mountahoma had
a higher seed and we all think of East Side
Catholic as this big, huge megalith power and yet Mount
Tahoma got the win fairly easily twenty one to six.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
Was that seen as an upset after that game? I
mean maybe marginally.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
What I think what would took everybody back was was
the fact that mounts a home of controlled the football
game and Mountahoma's defense. I mean, they would fare very
well this year with their twenty sixteeniors in the three
A Metro League. So I don't think the fact that
they went toe to toe with Eastside Catholic doesn't surprise anybody.
But the fact that they they got out to the
(26:19):
big lead and East Side Catholic did not score until
the final minutes, yeah, that was a little bit of
a surprisal. So in that regard, Yeah, but hey, listen,
this team is I know it's it's difficult for people
outside Seattle, and I used to a brand of football
that wins, you know, the win t of Bellevue and
power football of Oday and East Side Catholic. You know
(26:41):
that that's kind of ruled the roost the last decade
or so, and Mounta Home has kind of taken a
little bit of everything there and and and kind of
applied it to their twenty sixteen years and they're just
playing great football. But much like oday, the defense from
Mounta Homa drives the bus stick and I expect that
to happen tonight, especially with this one and very low
(27:01):
scoring game. I'm anticipating well.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
And then tomorrow night in the game I'll be calling
along with Chris Kidd at seven o'clock. We should see
more balls in the air, so we'll see if there's
a thirty five mill an hour wins tomorrow night. That
may favor Sumner a little bit as the Sumner Spartans,
the defending four A state champions taking on Lake Stevens,
who does love to chuck it around. What do you
(27:23):
think about this game matching two fabulous longtime coaches, Keith
Ross of Sumner in his twenty seventh year and Tom
Try from Lake Stevens.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
Yeah, it's only the second time in state history in
the four A game where the past two state champions
have played the following year they played each other, So
Lake Stevens winning it in twenty two and twenty three.
Like you said, Sumner beating Camus last year for the
state championship its first in a very long time and
Keith Ross's first as a coach. You know, these teams
played in Week one. It was a rematch of the
(27:55):
season opener last year, and like last year, it came
down to the final play and Lake Stevens ended up
pulling it off on a last second touchdown pass from
Blake Moser. You're gonna have fun watching Blake Moser. If
he's not completing passes in the wind is affecting the
pass game, he can beat you with his legs. He
is a it's like, well, it's like he's sort of
like being shot out of the cannon so fast. And
(28:17):
then if you put too much attention with him, then
Jamian Ferrell, the really twitchy running back, can take it
the distance too. It's a very very dangerous offensive backfield
that Lake Stephens has. But if it's not Wendy, then
you got Mac. You know, you've got three really good
receivers that Lake Stephens has on the perimeter to throw
the football too. They're a really, really dangerous offense and
(28:38):
there's a reason why they put up fifty sixty seventy
points in the postseason. They're really really difficult to stop Dick.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
And if anything, if last week's game has anything to
do with this week's game, for Sumner, all I have
to do is remember two names, and that's running back
Lance McGee and wide receiver Braylan Polp. Braylan Polp because
Coach Ross told me that those two got four forty
nine touches out of the fifty plays they ran last
year or last week. Rather, Lance McGee a two thousand
(29:07):
yard running back and then Braylan Pope was absolutely fantastic
ten catches, one hundred and thirty three yards and two
touchdowns last week.
Speaker 4 (29:16):
Yeah, and Braylan Pope, like you mentioned, had a big
game against Lake Stephens the first time with four touchdown catches.
He's tough to stop. And so Lake Stevens is going
to have to figure out a way to bracket him
or get some help on him. But I think you're
going to see Lake Stevens defense gear to stop Lance McGee.
I mean, he cannot run for three hundred and thirteen
yards against Lake Stevens like he did last week against
(29:37):
If the Bikes think they're going to win the game,
So I think they're probably going to load the box
and really key in on Lance and find some help
against Braylin and and force Sumner to kind of go
to other guys. Like you said, those two really hogged
targets and touches last week. If those guys are allowed
to dictate the game like they did last week against
pull Up, it could be for a very long night
(30:00):
for the Lake Stephens defense, a defense that has struggled
at times here in the postseason against a good passing game.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Hey, enjoy the game tonight. I'll talk to you tomorrow night.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
Before we let you go, tell everybody how we can,
especially old school fans of Todd Millis and the Tacoma
News Tribune. Where can we get Todd Millis now on
his on his Varsity News reports.
Speaker 4 (30:22):
Well, I appreciate the support. Man. We're at Varsitylawnnews dot com.
It's myself and and former Tacoma you should be in
sportswriter Lawrence Smith, and we started our own website in
the in the summer, covering the whole state of Washington
and uh man, it's the you know the Uh, the
support's been unbelievable. Really appreciate all the listeners and the readers.
And we'll be here all weekend here at Husky Stadium, uh,
(30:45):
for for all six games, and then uh, you know,
we'll get one day off and then we'll give ourselves
toward basketball and girls like football and wrestling probably my
favorite favorite time of the year. So but I appreciate
the support for everybody that's that's logged on and subscribe
and supported us.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Love it. Hey, we have appreciate it. Todd, thanks so much.
Enjoy the game tonight.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
Appreciate it, Dick. Thanks man.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
Todd Millis Varsity one News.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
He'll be covering the three A state title game tonight
and the four A state title game tomorrow. Both games
can be heard at seven pm. Mike Benton tonight, Dick
Faine tomorrow. Hey, that's me. I'm speaking in third person, Jackson.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
I'm excited to hear this with you tomorrow.
Speaker 6 (31:22):
Benton.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Today, let's go.
Speaker 9 (31:23):
It's been a while since I've done a football game.
I've done a billion basketball game. Has been a while
since I've done a football game. But this should be
an absolutely fantastic matchup. Both these games should be very
very good, so you'll have some high school football on
the radio on nine to fifty KJRM.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
That's gonna do it for us.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Great stuff thanks to Hubreed, Love Millan, thanks to Todd
Millis there, Rick new Heisel don't forget picking the locks
on ninety three point three. KJRFM is coming up next
with our friend MJ in the Midday and Lee Sterling
say everybody have a great
Dave 'Softy' Mahler and Dick Fain News
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