Furness Show 12-13: Greg Cosell, Danny O'Neil, Rob Rang.

Greg Cosell from NFL Films joins to tell us what the film says about the matchup between Seattle and Green Bay on Sunday Night.   Danny O'Neil from the Dang Apostrophe joins the show to talk about Bill Belechick to UNC and so much more.   Daily Power Play as the Kraken win vs Boston.   Rob Rang, our FOX Sports NFL Draft analyst joins the show to talk about the Heisman race in 2024 and more.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 1 (00:30):
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Speaker 2 (00:33):
Head lines are brought to you by Frostpreit Cores. I
choose Chill Seahawks injury port coming out here in the
next few minutes. We'll let you know what it is.
Probably about one thirty today. Greg Cosala is standing by.
We don't make him wait at all. Cracking winners last
night over Boston. They are four to one on one
in their last six games. Next up Tampa at Bay tomorrow.
That's a six thirty pre game with the Captain Mike
Benton from Network Central seven o'clock drop of the pipe.

(00:54):
Speaking of the Captain, you can watch him tonight Fox
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a cat and he's at Team Canada camp. So is
Scott Rausel for this's gay captain of a great call
for you tonight as well. Mariners have done nothing today.
That's all you need to know. Let's get to Greg Cosell.

Speaker 1 (01:15):
Ititch time for Egan's weekly visit with NFL Films Greg Coso,
brought to you by Seattle Cider Company on your home
for the twelfth Man and the NFL Sports Radio ninety
three point three kjr FM.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
All right, and here we go, Greg coselle joining us.
It is time for our week we visit. Thanks to
Seattle Sider, they got all kinds of great stuff going on.
I'll tell you about that in a second, but first
let me just welcome in mister Cosell, who who did
not stay up late on the East Coast last night
to watch what I was told was the worst Thursday
night football game ever. And I would never guess that
was the rams of the forty nine ers. So we
won't even discuss how the forty nine ers. The one

(01:51):
time Greg, the Seahawk fans were rooting for the forty
nine ers last night, they couldn't help us out. They
couldn't even help us out here in Seattle last night.
I don't know, maybe score a touch down, maybe just one,
just one.

Speaker 3 (02:02):
Greg, Well, the Rams didn't score touchdown either.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
That's a good point. Yeah, yeah, touchet. Yeah, I'm gonna
tell you this. I hope you don't have to watch
the film on tape on that one. That's all I know.
That's why. I just so, I hope you don't have
to go break that one down.

Speaker 3 (02:15):
And the thing is, I really don't like watching games
in really bad weather. That's just yeah. Yeah, it's just
not my thing, but you know, sometimes you have to.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
We were there a couple of years ago and they
have the downpours for like four days, the floods, and
there was a playoff game. When was that twenty twenty one?
I think it was, Yeah, and it was it was.
It was not fun down there, all right. Seahawks Packers
Sunday Night Football, Gray, we gotta we got a doozy
this week on Sunday Night Football. Seahawks.

Speaker 3 (02:43):
It was a huge game. It is a huge game.
This is me.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
This is a massive, massive game all on the way.
Let me take one step back. Last week, Seattle went
down and they they beat the Arizona Cardinals again. And
they did and they again held Kyler Murray check. They
after the first drive, they didn't score another touchdown. They
held James Connor in check as well. That defense, it

(03:08):
just continues, is that Seattle defense continues to evolve under
Mike McDonald. What are you seeing with these guys?

Speaker 3 (03:15):
Well, I think you know a number of things have happened,
and we've touched on some in the last couple of weeks,
but it's worth, you know, reiterating number one. We've seen
that Big Nickel has now become one of the foundations
of what they do. And we talked about Jenkins before
the season started. Of course he ended up on IR
for quite some time, but now that he's back, they
play a meaningful number of snaps of Big Nickel with

(03:38):
three safeties, so people understand what big Nickel is. So
it's love Brian and Jenkins, and Jenkins is almost always
playing kind of in the box overhang almost as a
as a sort of hybrid linebacker safety, and that's become foundational.
The other thing that's clearly evident is the linebacker play.
Since it's been Jones and night has clearly been an

(03:59):
upgrade from what it was prior. And the D line
has a tremendous rotation really good players that get rolled
in and out, and they don't blitz a lot. They're
not a high percentage blitz defense, meaning they don't rush
five a lot, you know, relative to the rest of
the NFL. But they've gotten really good play up front,

(04:20):
and they keep those guys fresh, and they have some
players who are multi positional, they move people around. So
the defense has played really well. And I probably mentioned
this a week ago, but I think Love has played
at a really, really high level. You know, I'm not
sure he gets the national attention that he probably deserves,
but he's played at a really high level.

Speaker 2 (04:40):
The I want to get back to the front in
a second, but I'm just I'm just going to look
in at the depth chart for Seattle, and I'd like
you to tell me one of the things I talked
to We talked to Hugh. Are you know I kind
of bookend my week. I've got your friend Hugh Millan
on Mondays and I've got you on Fridays, and so
I feel like I get smarter on those two days.
And then I lose it, and I get dumbred on Tuesday.

Speaker 3 (04:58):
Wen you certainly get smarter on Mondays.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
You know, I get smarter enough Fridays too. But I
was talking to Hugh about Devin Witherspoon on Monday, and
you know, the Pro Bowl votings coming out and other
stuff's going on, you know, and you look around the league,
and you know guys are getting accolades, you know, And
I mean, we'll just use it for an example. Xavier
McKinney has seven interceptions this season for the Green Bay Packers,

(05:22):
who we're going to see on Sunday. When people look
at defensive backs, oftentimes they look at those types of numbers,
What are their interceptions? Devin Witherspoon doesn't necessarily fill up
a stat sheet, but I'm sure he fills up the
film room, if that makes sense. What do you see
from number twenty one on tape?

Speaker 3 (05:40):
And let me tell you something. As I talk to
defensive coaches, you know, he's a tempo setter for a defense,
and that means a lot to a defense. You know,
you don't have to necessarily fill up a stat sheet
to be a really important player on a defense. But defense,
obviously every position is about technique, doing the right things,
playing the right way, you know, do your job players

(06:02):
you're coached. But defense has that added element of swagger
and intensity and competitiveness that has to be built into
a defense to be really good. And every really good
defense has a guy or two and it may not
be the best player in terms of physical traits. And
not that Weatherspoon doesn't have good physical traits, because he does,

(06:23):
but he's that kind of player, and I think that
that becomes really really important for a defense. So and
you know, it's funny when when I we spoke with
you a couple of weeks ago on the radio, we
talked about whether Spoon being on the outside, and the
more and more I thought about it, the more I
think that he's it's it's more important for him to

(06:45):
be closer to the action. So, you know, just something
I thought of, you know, as I keep watching tape
and think about this stuff, which of course I do,
probably way too much, but this is what I do,
you know, And I think that Josh Job has handled
himself well. Does he get beat once in a while,
but I think for the most part he has not
been a liability at outside corner playing to the field

(07:06):
because Willan plays to the boundary. Joe plays to the field.
He's not been a liability. And that's the number one thing.

Speaker 4 (07:12):
You know.

Speaker 3 (07:13):
Obviously our corner is going to get beat sometimes it's
the NFL. Yes, but he's not hurt this team.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
You tell me when you're telling me that Rasheon Jenkins
is playing the big nickel and he's kind of in
the box. He's up there the line the screen hes
sixty one.

Speaker 3 (07:24):
He plays in the dime obviously too. They when they
go three safeties and three corners.

Speaker 2 (07:28):
He's you know, and he's six one, two ten. Witherspoon's
not that big. If if someone was coming, if someone
from Green Bay said to you today, Greg Cosell, I'm
doing the green Bay Packers segment with Greg Cosell. He's
breaking down Sunday night football, and I'll ask you this
question from their perspectives, I think it's it's it's interesting
you just said he needs to be in the mix
a little bit. He needs to be in the action.
The basic what does a Greg what does Devin Witherspoon play?

(07:51):
What is he I'm just gonna ask you that what
is Devin Witherspoon?

Speaker 3 (07:55):
Well, well, I mean obviously he plays outside in the
base and he plays nickel on the sab. I mean
that's what he does. And what will be really interesting
in this particular matchup is Green Bay does line up
a good amount with twelve personnel, so he might be
playing on the outside. Green Bay does a ton of motion.
Reid is their predominant motion player, Jaden Reid, and it

(08:17):
was weird because I don't think in the last game
that he had any targets, but that was an aberration.
He's a really important player. But they run the ball
really effectively. That's sort of their foundation. I mean, this
is the weather supposed to be decent on side.

Speaker 2 (08:31):
I think it's going to be kind of bad all
weekend and then clear up around four or five hours
before the game starts. Yeah, I think it's gonna be decent.

Speaker 3 (08:37):
Yeah, because green Bay is a really this could be
a mino monotype game because green Bay does line up
and run the football. I mean, a couple of weeks ago,
I think it was against the Niners, they had forty
two rushers for one hundred and sixty nine yards. They
want to run the football and Josh Jacobs is a physical,
powerful runner. They also play a meaningful number of snaps
with two backs, two running backs to what we called

(09:00):
the pony package, and they do a lot of cool things.
There's a lot of backfield action with the Packers, so
they try to play with the eye discipline and play
with the eyes of second level defender, so you have
to be really careful with what you see. There's a
lot of homework involved during the week of what they do,
so you're aware of the things they do off particular

(09:20):
motions and movements. But they're a heavy motion offense, and
they do want to be physical and run the ball.
And then you still have the quarterback, who, yes, is
every once in a while. Is he reckless and undisciplined, Yes,
but he is also just in terms of sheer talent,
you know, and I always say this and people think, no,
he's not. I'm not talking about whether he's a top
three or five quarterback overall in the league, but in

(09:42):
terms of physical traits, he's top five. Just physical traits.
It's six ' four, two twenty. He's got a gun,
and he is willing to make difficult throws. He will
turn it loose, he will turn it loose late in
the down too, so you can't give up on coverage,
whether it's zone or man. He does have movement ability,
so you're dealing with a guy he could throw two

(10:03):
really bad picks and then come back and end up
throwing for three point fifty and beat you.

Speaker 2 (10:07):
This is a game Greg Cozelle joining us brought to
by Seattle Sider Greg. This is a game that a
few weeks ago. Now, I mean it's a massive matchup.
It's a big challenge for Seattle. But if this matchup
would have taken place in week five or six, when
the Seahawk defense was scuffling around and it was Baker
and it was Dotson at linebacker, I'd be like, well,
you know what's going on here? And you know now
they've got chennan U Wosu is back. He was limited

(10:30):
in the snaps last week, but he's back. He's going
to play a lot more this week and probably set
that edge on the run. You can. You mentioned there's
some depth up there as well. What is is it
simple to say that Ernest Jones has made that much
of a difference and Tyreese Knight has made that much
of a difference in this team being able to stop
the run.

Speaker 3 (10:48):
Yeah, I mean that's part of it for sure. I mean,
those guys are just better players. I mean, you know sometimes, Look,
I'm not going to sit here and say I know
all the tweaks and the nuances and the subtleties of
my McDonald's scheme. I'm not going to say that because
I don't and I'm not in the meeting, so I
wouldn't begin to say that. But I think sometimes when
it comes to playing against the run, it is it

(11:08):
does become mono at times, and if you have really
good players, or better players than you had before, you
play it better. But I mean, look, they do have,
you know, as we've said, a lot of depth up front. Now,
I mean even inside. You got Murphy, you got Reed,
you got Hankins. I mean you know, Roberts and Harris
at times will play inside as well, depending on who

(11:30):
they put out there. You've got some meaningful depth and
good players up front. And you know, so now, as
you mentioned, and then we'll sue back, I mean, you
have Hall, You've got Mafi, I mean, you've got good
football Draymond Jones. He's another guy we haven't really talked
about him. He plays both outside and inside. So They've
got a number of multi positional players who are good

(11:51):
football players, and they're just the defense.

Speaker 5 (11:54):
You know.

Speaker 3 (11:55):
I know a lot of people look at numbers and
DVOA and all these you know, whatever these numbers are.
But over the last I think six seven, eight weeks,
this defense has played really, really well.

Speaker 2 (12:05):
My afternoon host just started laughing and he he hears
things like DVOA and he loses his mind. He says,
I just want to watch these guys.

Speaker 3 (12:11):
That's what people talk about. Yeah, I don't even know
what that means.

Speaker 2 (12:15):
Yeah, it's softy. There you go. You've got a kindred
soul and our friend Greg Cosel joining us right now.

Speaker 3 (12:20):
I don't even know what that stuff means.

Speaker 2 (12:21):
Yeah, I love it. The receiving you just touched on.
They play a lot of twelve personnel. Jayden Reid he's
got forty four catches this season on pace for like
just over sixty sixty five. So it sounds like Jordan
Love really does spread things out, right.

Speaker 3 (12:34):
Oh yeah, they do. They got a lot of good receivers.
I don't know what what Dobbs' status is this week,
and do you know if he's gone?

Speaker 2 (12:39):
I'm not sure. Yeah, I'm not sure as we as
we have this conversation, I'm not sure.

Speaker 3 (12:43):
No, Yeah, but they've got a lot of good receivers.
They've got they've got really good tight ends. I mean,
this is this is a really good team from a
talent perspective. So it's it's you know, you got to
be careful here. I mean, this is you know this
there's no real weak spot when you start talking about
their receiving corps. We don't have the one guy that
you go, oh my god, that guy's killer. But you know,

(13:03):
Watson can beat you over the top for sure. Wicks
is a big receiver who works in the middle of
the field. We talked about reed Bo Melton plays meaningful
stabs every once in a while. They put Malik Heath
out there, who's a big body as well. You know,
when they've got Tucker Kraft now again Musgraves, you know
he's out. But they will play a lot with Ben Simms.

(13:24):
They'll play with twelve personnel, and Kraft, by the way,
is a really really good player.

Speaker 2 (13:28):
Greg if I would have if someone had told me
last week, well, you know, Gino's going to be okay
on Sunday against the Cardinals, he's going to go twenty
four for thirty two, thirty three. He won't throw an interception,
just one touchdown though. I'mn like, man, if they only
had two thirty three through the air, they probably lose
that game. But then I come back and say, well,
they had one hundred and seventy six yards rushing. Zach
Charbonney went for one thirty four and two touchdowns along

(13:48):
of fifty one. Kenny Macintosh showed some explosions seven for
thirty eight. Uh yeah, help me out. Here is it?
It puts the talent man again.

Speaker 3 (14:00):
Here's what I don't know. Here's what I do know.
From Tate, they changed the foundation of their run game.
There was a ton more gap scheme, which means that
that's that's man concepts where you pull people you either
pull one or you pull two. So I don't know
if that Here's what I don't know. I don't know
if that was done for Charboney. I don't know if
that was done for the old Lion. I don't know

(14:21):
if that was done for the opponent. But the bottom
line is last week they changed their run game in
a meaningful way where they were heavy gap scheme concepts
and it was very effective. Now they they played the kid,
is it Lumea, Yes, that's from Utah.

Speaker 2 (14:37):
Yeah, the rookie from you.

Speaker 3 (14:37):
Oh yeah, I did him coming out. He was a
tackle in college. I went back and looked at my
notes and I said he'd have to transition to the
NFL at guard. So you know, you know, he played
well last week, and I don't know if he's going
to be the guy again this week.

Speaker 2 (14:49):
Yes he is. He's solidly in their right guard right now. Absolutely,
he's our guy.

Speaker 3 (14:53):
I thought he played well. But the point is is
we'll see what their run game is walker back or
is he out?

Speaker 2 (14:59):
I'm thinking he he's not going to play or he
would be limited, and we'll find out about about an
hour from when we tape this. Yeah, we'll find out. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Okay.

Speaker 3 (15:06):
Well, the bottom line is, you know, like I said,
I don't know if what they did last week, but
you have to believe that they're going to run more
gap scheme just like they did last week. It was
very very effective.

Speaker 2 (15:17):
You'll love this. This is where our synergy comes in.
On Monday, we spent a lot of time with one
Hugh breed Love Millon talking about their gap scheme running.
This isn't scripted people, This is not Drake can tell yet,
this is not scripted. We did not script this out.
I didn't give you the heads up. But that's exactly
what you talked about on Monday, is that gap scheme
I got and and you know, I don't know if
it fit like you said, who knows? Does it fit

(15:39):
better with what Zach Charbonay does. I don't know. But
at the end of the look, yeah.

Speaker 3 (15:44):
You don't mean well enough to know that. There's never
a personal statement here. But Scharboneau is to me because
he's kind of stiff in the hips. To me, the
gap scheme run game, excuse me works better for him
because you want to give him a defined spot to
hit like. I don't view him as a zone runner,
where you know he has to sort of figure it

(16:04):
out on the move and then put his foot in
the ground and go to me, that's not who he is.
I think with the gap scheme, you're pretty much are
defining the hole. I mean, the fifty one yard touchdown
was classic. That was power strong to the field. It's
another gap scheme run. Lumeya was the kickout Polo Lucas
was the rapper. They had a great double team with

(16:26):
Cross did a great job of double teaming on the
nose then climbing to get the safety at the next level.
You know, to me, that's sort of foundationally what their
run game should look like with Charbonny.

Speaker 2 (16:37):
What is Green Bay on defense?

Speaker 6 (16:39):
They?

Speaker 2 (16:39):
I mean, I mentioned Zavier McKinney's got seven interceptions. What's
kind of jumps off the page at us a little bit?
Rashan Gary leads a team with five and a half sacks.
What jumps off the tape at you with what Green
Bay dess defense?

Speaker 3 (16:48):
They're a good defense. I mean, they're good up front.
This will be a challenge as far as running the football.
Kenny Clark's been a good player for a long time.
DeVante Wyatt in his third year. He's another Georgia kid.
He's been coming on. TJ. Slayon gets meaningful snaps when
it's run defense time. He's a big guy with pretty
light feet. Carl Brooks. I mean, they they're very much
like Seattle and they run people out there who are good,

(17:11):
solid players. Kobe Wooden's getting meaningful snaps. Kway Walker is
a really solid linebacker. You know, McDuffie's been getting some
good snaps as well for them. He plays. And I
think one thing that's going to be that's important for
green Bay if you're a green Bay fan, is that
Jerry Alexander was a full participant this week and he's

(17:31):
going to be back. And the reason that's important is
clearly the number one receiver now for Seattle is Jackson
Smith and Jigba, and they're going to need to move
Nixon back into this slot. He's been playing outside and
playing well. He's a very good player and he's but
he's a slot corner. That's what he's done like the
last two three four years in the league. They just

(17:53):
had to move him outside due to injury and play
the rookie Bullard in the slot. I would not be
surprised if you've see Nicks and play many more snaps
than the slot now when they're in there, Nickel, because
you've got to deal with Smith and Jig. But who's
got far and away the most slot targets and the
most slot receptions of any receiver in the league.

Speaker 2 (18:11):
We wow, and we just were I was just going
to bring up Jackson Smith and Jig, but DK metcalf
was asked about him this week, he says, yeah, it's like,
you know, I'm like a proud popoll watching him develop
along the way. It feels like those two, Like as
you said, he's become kind of the guy, maybe more
so than DK. Is that because he's the guy, or
is that because DK is getting so much attention elsewhere

(18:33):
and JSN is just kind of taken advantage of that.

Speaker 3 (18:36):
This is no knock at all on Metcalf because I
you know, we talked about him, and I think he's
very good. But I think Smith and Jigba is just
becoming the guy. I mean, and that could be a
function of Smith's comfort level, that could be a function
of the way they call the game. I did a
piece on him this week in the Matchup show. By
the way, on Jackson s we but Dari Spotler and
I broke down three plays, really cool plays. So he's

(18:59):
just look I remember remember watching him. He didn't hardly
played his last year at Ohio State, but I did
him the year before when he had the big year
in detail, and I loved him. He's got great short
area of quickness. He's not long speed explosive, but he's
short explosive, and he's really explosive, and you know he's
just has a feel for finding voids and zone he

(19:19):
can beat man coverage. I think that Grub's been doing
a pretty good job with man beater concepts. So you know,
he's just become a guy. You know, every quarterback sometimes
has a guy they just feel comfortable with. I can't
say this for a fact. I don't know what's in
genos in his head, but sometimes you have a guy
that you're just really comfortable with. That doesn't mean another
guy is not a really good player, it's just the

(19:40):
way it kind of plays out.

Speaker 2 (19:41):
I is there. I think I read something this week
someone that had written about that, is Green Bay vulnerable
a little bit when teams have had success moving the
ball against him? Is it middle of the field stuff?
And that that comes where JSN jumps in, like, you know,
find a hole in his zone. Things like that. Is
that where you can take advantage of this green baby?

Speaker 3 (19:57):
He makes a heavy z own team more than a man.
So now you've got to work the zones and you've
got to make window throws. We know that Gino is
not shy about turning the ball loose. He's always been
that guy. And every once in a while, the guys
who were window throwers will throw a bad pick, you know,
just because sometimes the window closes a little quicker than
they might have thought. But he's also made some great

(20:18):
window throws this year. Uh but yeah, I mean it's
you know, obviously, you look, interceptions are interesting. I can't
recall everyone by McKinney, but interceptions are like sacks. You
got to look at every one, you know, to know.
People always say, you know, when guys, particularly college guys,
they come out and if a guy has six interceptions,
people say, oh, man, the guy's always around the ball. Well,

(20:41):
you know, you have to look at the place. You
know that that may mean something, it may not mean something.
But McKinney's a good player anyway. Believe me, he's a
really good football player. And I don't know if Evan
Williams is going to play this week because I think
he got a concussion. But that was a Thursday game,
so I don't know. He's he's an Oregon kid, and
I really like this kid coming out. He was a

(21:02):
fourth round pick because he doesn't have high level athletic traits,
but he's a really he's one of those savvy foot
you know, I'm not going to compare him to Julian
Love exactly because Love has been in the league and
Love's a great player, but he's that kind of player,
maybe not the best athlete on the back end, but
just knows how to play.

Speaker 2 (21:19):
I love that. Yeah, I mean, the Packers are plus
nine and turnover margin and Seattle's fo de plus nine. However,
you get plus nine, that's good. I mean, you're you're
a plus nine. You're that's that's good. They're number six
in the league in turnover margin. So it sounds like
if people record and get to the matchup show this weekend,
because it's on, you know, early, early early for us

(21:40):
out here on the West coast. You know, Greg, we're
three hours behind you guys out there, Like you guys
are way ahead of us out there.

Speaker 3 (21:44):
I'm well aware of that.

Speaker 2 (21:46):
Yeah, well ahead of us. But if people turn on,
it sounds like Seahawks fans would have a good time
watching you break some stuff down with the Seahawks this week.

Speaker 3 (21:54):
Yeah. We had Darius and I had fun doing the
piece because obviously him being a former dB, you know,
we we kind of did the so we had a
little fun doing it.

Speaker 2 (22:01):
I'd love that, all right, we'll look for that on
the ESPN Matchup show in the meantime. Big thanks to
seattlesatder salessider dot com SIRT. We'll talk to you in
a week's time. Thank you was always great stuff. And
you know, listen, get some rest this weekend. I feel like,
you know, I feel like you're burning the candle at
both ends.

Speaker 3 (22:16):
Well, you know, there's no there's no rest. There's no rest,
there's tape study, there's no rest.

Speaker 2 (22:21):
I think that's that. Sounds like that, sounds like Russell
Wilson back in the day. No days off, you know it.

Speaker 3 (22:25):
Well, let me tell you some at least we're gonna
have really big games going down the stretch here and.

Speaker 2 (22:29):
That you know what. And we've always been I'll just
a side note, Greg, we've been lucky to say I'll
look this up today, you know when, By and large,
it has been very very rare, even last year and
Seattle didn't make the playoffs. Set the Seattle Seahawks have
played relevant football games up until the last week, including
the last week of the season, all but three seasons
since twenty ten. Like it's pretty well I'll tell you what.

Speaker 3 (22:51):
We're going to be having a good time next week
because they played Minnesota and that's another huge game. No
matter what happens this week, that's going to be a
huge game.

Speaker 2 (22:58):
Minnesota. How are they and too well, we'll talk about
that next week. All right, my friend Gray stuff, I'll
talk to you then. Thank you, sir, alrighty, and thanks
so much, Greg co sal Brought to you by Seattle Sider.
We got Rob Rand coming up at two o'clock. A
shortened show for us today, stick around more to come
on a wash the State Beef Commission Football Friday ninety
three point three KJFM.

Speaker 1 (23:19):
It's time now for Danny O'Neal of the Dangapostrophe, the
best Seattle sports writing you'll get out of New York City.
Brought to you by Northwest Handling Systems from forklifts to
Pella jacks, conveyors, diloading dock equipment. We sell Rand and
service all of your warehouse. He needs request quote today
at nwachs dot com or call four two five two

(23:41):
five five zero five hundreds. Now here's he in with
Danny o'neio.

Speaker 2 (23:47):
Danie O'Neil joins us on Friday afternoons, usually in the
twelve o'clock hour, but with the extravaganza called Army Navy
and the Big Big Show Today with Jess and Greg
back east. We came on a little later at one o'clock,
which is actually a normal time of time. Yeah, a
normal time back in the day. So we're on with
Danny the later. They appreciate him being flexible. Hello, sir,

(24:08):
how are you.

Speaker 5 (24:10):
I'm doing very well. I'm excited to join you. Ian.

Speaker 4 (24:13):
I think it's cool that you guys, that you guys
have people representatives, not only just representatives, but a West
Point grad cover, an Army Navy.

Speaker 6 (24:20):
That's pretty awesome.

Speaker 2 (24:21):
Yeah, those guys. I think Greg has gone back there
for a while. I want to say, probably five or
six years to our station at least. Yeah, it's been
a while, and then Jes started doing the last three
years and it's a really cool thing. It's brought to
you by I should pump these guys up. Warrior Injury Law,
local law firm here with a veteran who runs it
and others also USAA. But they had Dan Quinn on

(24:45):
right before the end of the show, who you know
very well, who was just a. I'm not has there
ever been a more popular assistant coach in Seahawks history
than dan Quinn Danny, especially with us in the media.

Speaker 4 (24:56):
Yeah, he's just a good dude, and he has an
energy and an enthusiasm about him that is always been
really consistent.

Speaker 5 (25:05):
And he's somebody that Jim Mora brought in.

Speaker 4 (25:07):
He was one of two coaches that Pete Carroll kept
around and I've I've never seen that dude waiver and
his approacher is an enthusiasm.

Speaker 2 (25:14):
Uh, what do you make of our football team? Did
you see them last Sunday? They ran the football? I
don't know if you know this. I didn't. I look
down there. I was like looking to see is Okung
out there? Is it? Is it? Max Hunger at center?
Is Marshawn behind Breno JOCKAMEDI what was going on there? Danny?

Speaker 5 (25:30):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (25:30):
I find myself getting getting very close to boarding what
one of our former co workers used to call the
dere to dream express.

Speaker 2 (25:39):
Ah tip of the stick, taps for the grass. Huh,
let's go gross, That's.

Speaker 5 (25:45):
Exactly right, a memorial of the days of the shanty.
And I've found myself this is how bad it got.

Speaker 4 (25:53):
I started talking myself into the idea that man, they've
got ol Ola.

Speaker 5 (25:56):
With tem me out here, and he's getting better.

Speaker 4 (25:58):
And once they put the garden placed, the rookie Lamia
and Abe Lucas is now back up to steam and
we have a fully functional opera offensive.

Speaker 5 (26:07):
Line going it.

Speaker 6 (26:09):
It did.

Speaker 5 (26:10):
It looked really good. And that was a defensive line.

Speaker 4 (26:13):
I even went and checked to say, was there somebody
out where they missing someone? Nope, Arizona had the same
seven dudes and after giving up seventy yards on twenty
five carries, fifteen days later, the Seahawks went in and
marched right down right up the middle with impunity throughout
the game.

Speaker 2 (26:32):
That was amazing. Uh, you know, La Man is an
interesting one. I just we just had Greg Cosell on
a minute ago. I was asking what was the miss
here like he has He said he was a healthy
scratch for most of the first half of season, and
they inserting the line now that blocking scheme was different.
As Greg pointed out, they went to the gap scheme
blocking and into a more man on man and that
seems to fit what they want to do or these

(26:53):
guys better. But the other part of it is he
was a tackle in college and they've you know, made
him into a guard. But yeah, I mean, god, if
they found some thing at right guard finally, and maybe
they found something at center finally, Abe Lucas is healthy,
maybe it is a serviceable offensive line.

Speaker 5 (27:10):
And it's made me say, hey, plant the flag here.

Speaker 4 (27:14):
Don't go switching these guys around, like, don't let people
walk in free agency when it gets to that point.
Build some continuity here, puts put some money into this.
If this is a group of guys that can get
it done, let them, let them grow together. And if
if you see continued progress. I don't expect them to
run the ball every week as well as they did
last week, but if you see progress this second half

(27:37):
of the season compared to the first half, let's let's
maintain some consistency because I think that's been one of
the really big problems.

Speaker 5 (27:44):
It's not that they've drafted poorly, though they have at.

Speaker 4 (27:48):
Times, but every time those guys get to free agency,
they let them walk, whether it's George Span the first
time this past year with Damian Lewis, I think that
Seattle has decided that we're not going to pay a
veteran premium for rank and file starters. And I kind
of think that's a mistake on the offensive line. I
think that that continuity is valuable and they should be

(28:10):
keeping They should certainly lean more toward keeping guys around.

Speaker 2 (28:13):
Yeah, your dog thinks the same thing. I mean, everyone's
thinking of right now.

Speaker 5 (28:16):
Right, I'm fired up, ready to go.

Speaker 2 (28:18):
You know, I got all totally fired up. But did
you say plant the flag? No more planning the flag?
That's now a felony in Ohio, sir.

Speaker 4 (28:23):
That is that is the softest thing ever.

Speaker 2 (28:27):
Oh god, oh my gosh. I'm I'm not a fan
of the flag planning. And you know, and I say
that somewhat with a little bit of hypocrisy in my voice,
because there was a part of me that did smile
and Jade Delora did it a few years ago. But really, honestly, like, no,
stop it. But I don't know if that would quite

(28:51):
should quite reach the court system at a felony level.
I don't know. I don't know if that would be
the case. I just I think we may have to
draw the line before that.

Speaker 5 (28:59):
I would tend to agree.

Speaker 4 (29:01):
Here's I didn't get mad when Delora planted the flag,
and part of that was because I was so furious
at Washington that year and Jimmy Lake that I kind
of felt like the Huskies deserved to be humiliated on
their on their own field.

Speaker 5 (29:13):
And I also think if if you.

Speaker 4 (29:15):
Are going to go and plan a flag, you're basically
you're basically daring the other team to fight you, and
you you have to that is being punched. Is a
logical outcome of deciding you're going to plant a flag, yeah,
on the opponents the opponent's home field. And I understand
why you can't sort of sanction things that lead to fights,

(29:39):
especially in a postgame environment, because there it's it's dangerous.

Speaker 5 (29:45):
You can't just have pure six brawls happening out there.

Speaker 4 (29:49):
However, I do feel we've gone a little bit overboard
in the forbidding of fights. There are certain situations that
that call for fights, and I'm gonna attempt a wild
a wild jump here.

Speaker 5 (30:03):
Have you been familiar with what's happened to Paul sets Nasty? Yes?

Speaker 2 (30:07):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah, I mean
he he beat the crap out of a couple of
those little Irish gypsy weirdos. Yeah. Absolutely, like people, oh god, so.

Speaker 4 (30:22):
People who don't know this nasty was in a He
was in a restaurant in Scottsdale called Houston's that he patronizes.

Speaker 6 (30:28):
He was ordering his favorite salad.

Speaker 4 (30:30):
He saw someone accosting the manager, and because he was
a regular there, he stepped into defend it.

Speaker 5 (30:35):
He ended up getting jumped by six dudes. Now they're
a whole legal process that's ensuing. But I contend that
the fairest solution to this is not jail of fines
for any of those guys. It's to mandate that they fight.

Speaker 6 (30:48):
Him one on one.

Speaker 4 (30:49):
In fact, you can line all six of them up
in succession and he gets a one on one crack
with him.

Speaker 5 (30:54):
And I.

Speaker 4 (30:56):
Know it's caveman and barbaric, but there's a certain amount
of like maybe fights can be used to settle things sometimes.

Speaker 2 (31:02):
I think I think it was. I think the line
he used is and they're I think they're selling charity
T shirts. Now I took somebody gave more. He said,
like he just he said, he goes, he goes, the
one he goes, he goes. I dropped that one in bred.
I'll tell you that right now. Those guys, those guys were,

(31:24):
those guys are something though they like they knocked over,
they kind of picked a fight and roughed up and
kind of assaulted a female employee at a golf course before
they went to Houston's and I guess there they got
some some construction scheme going across the country, the Irish
mob of some sort. I mean, yeah, that was that.
And the videos now come out, it's awesome. You can

(31:45):
see him like without a shirt and he's still throwing punches,
and it's just like, yeah, he's just a badass man.

Speaker 5 (31:52):
I will I can tell you all that. Ian and
I have been down the.

Speaker 4 (31:55):
Exact same rabbit the hole this week because I am
very familiar with the Irish travel.

Speaker 2 (32:06):
Oh yeah, took some, gave more. Oh my gosh, Oh
that is so good, and I mean it just yeah, goes,
I hit that that one in bred my god. And
the best thing was the mugshots of those guys, like
I think four or five of the six of them,
you could tell it got their ass kicked, Like why
one guy? Yes, I mean just lord, yeah, yeah, there

(32:30):
is a there is a time and place for for
that along the way. Uh, Before I let go, what's
your what's your thoughts on Belichick moving and what he
might be taking your esteemed defensive coordinator from Washington as well.

Speaker 4 (32:42):
I'm not thrilled about that, because I did like how
Washington's defense played. However, as someone who is just generally
over Belichick's entire approach, I and and his son had
the same sort of thing of acting like any public

(33:02):
statement about their team is the most painful and unnecessary
and ridiculous thing that they could possibly be asked for.
I don't mind the fact that he's going. I don't
have any hard feelings about it. The thing that I'm
I don't assume that Bill Belichick is going to be
a successful college coach. And I read today Beaumani Jones.

Speaker 6 (33:25):
He wrote, Hey, Pete Carrold.

Speaker 4 (33:27):
Have to turn me down fifteen times before I ever
even consider Bill Belichick. And I'm inclined to agree with that,
because I really we talk a lot about how hard
it is for college coaches to succeed in the NFL,
and how frequently guys Matt Rule is probably the most
recent example guys who've been tremendously successful at multiple stops

(33:48):
in college that go to the NFL and it doesn't.

Speaker 5 (33:51):
Work out for them.

Speaker 4 (33:52):
There's not a great number of coaches that have gone
from the NFL and gone to college. And I'm talking
about career NFL coaches like Dave Wannstat when he went
to Pitt and stumped, or Mike Sherman when he went
to Texas A and m and went twenty five and
twenty five. Jim Mora did not set the world on
fire at UCLA and is now at Yukon. So I

(34:15):
kind of think they're really two different different jobs. It's
the same sport, but they require such different skill sets.

Speaker 5 (34:24):
And I just don't see eighteen and nineties. If Tom
Brady got sick of playing for Bill Belichick and how.

Speaker 4 (34:32):
Negative he is, what's a freshman quarterback from one of
these Orange County powerhouse high school's going to feel like
when Belichick rips into him in a video session.

Speaker 5 (34:45):
I just I'm not sure it's going to work.

Speaker 6 (34:47):
Well.

Speaker 2 (34:47):
I just look, I mean, before they go, I mean,
I just I think you can just look at our
state and say what college coaches didn't work recently in
football and why Rolovich was weird? So that actually COVID
exposed what a freak he was. But that's so that's
why he didn't work. But if I go back. You know,
let's just look at your why did why did Tyrone

(35:09):
not work? Aloof arrogant, unwilling to work with boosters and
and you know, be flexible. Let's see who was the
next guy, Jimmy Lake check check check right.

Speaker 6 (35:21):
Yeah, just really abrasive and certain that he has all
the answers.

Speaker 2 (35:26):
You can't do that in today's college football. You've got
to go out there and you got to go talk
to you know, hey, I got to go meet Montlake
futures guy that's got five million dollars to spend if
I can convince him to, and I got to go
kiss his ass and do that. Belichick ain't doing that.
I guess they got some sort of twenty million dollar
war chest, which I'm sure that Hubert Davis and the
basketball team are like, uh what like what what like

(35:51):
like wait a second? Are what?

Speaker 5 (35:54):
Wait?

Speaker 2 (35:54):
Are wait? When did we turn into a football school?

Speaker 5 (35:59):
We're actually good here?

Speaker 6 (36:00):
What exactly are we doing over there?

Speaker 2 (36:02):
What in the name of Dean Smith are we doing here? Man?
Come on, like you can't be what come on?

Speaker 6 (36:08):
Man?

Speaker 2 (36:09):
Like I heard somebody say today, maybe Michael Jordan will
just like open up the coffers and start spending money
in for football. I'm like again, basketball guy like like
this is this is not who you are.

Speaker 4 (36:21):
I don't know if there's anything we've seen from Michael Jordan.
Once he gets involved in a managerial capacity with something,
that thing just goes straight to the moon, doesn't it.

Speaker 2 (36:29):
Oh you know what, You're right? Yeah, I forgot about
I forgot about the instant and unmitigated success he has
any time he touches something in terms of management or ownership. Yeah,
that's that's a good point as well. So all right,
I'll let you go back to looking at the Irish
gypsies and concrete issues. God, there's guys. There's guys back
in New York where you're at right now, going, man,

(36:50):
these guys are messed up like.

Speaker 6 (36:53):
Drywallhangers. Have you heard about these guys out of Texas?

Speaker 2 (36:58):
You got there's guy said, if you go down, if
you go down a little literaly right now and swing
into Imberto's clamhouse, and those guys a bunch of dudes
meet in the card going man, I'll tell you right now,
those guys are messed up. Those guys are messed up.
Those Irish gipsy guys do.

Speaker 5 (37:11):
Not go messing with the travelers from Fort Worth.

Speaker 2 (37:13):
I'll tell you that unless you can one punch the
mongrel out of the group. Yeah, then I guess you're
okay at that point. So all right, buddy, I'll tell
tell people how they cant a good little subscription for
the over the holidays. What can people do with the
dang apostrophe?

Speaker 6 (37:25):
You can fight up at Danny O'Neil dot com.

Speaker 4 (37:28):
And there's no update on on Irish travelers yet, but
I may have to remedy that for next week.

Speaker 5 (37:34):
We may have to have an update.

Speaker 2 (37:36):
Please do please do for me. I would I would
please do that for me. I'll look I'll look forward
to seeing that pop into my inbox. I can't wait.
Take care, buddy, have a great weekend.

Speaker 5 (37:46):
All right, Take care guys.

Speaker 2 (37:47):
That's Danny O'Neil. Take quick break, come back, very quick,
Daily power play Rob rang two o'clock.

Speaker 6 (37:53):
Falcon shoots one on GOLDI FLEs I stuff, it's crossby stop.

Speaker 2 (38:01):
This is the daily power play.

Speaker 3 (38:03):
Deep slot.

Speaker 2 (38:09):
Now I Sports Radio ninety three point three Wait kJ
r f M All right, well, quick daily power play
here and home for the crack of the night three
point three kJ R F M Crack and winners last
night over Boston five to one. They're four to one
on one their last six, so points in five of
their last six games. How much does that little California

(38:31):
a couple of games hurt now or hurts Laska. You've
done it, You've kind of made up for it, and
then some you've beat teams that you didn't expect to
along the way. It also shows that you've I'd rather
have this set stretch, you think so, because it proves
that you're probably a better team than you have been
looking like for a long time. Okay, I'll dance on
the Yeah, they're they're better. They're playing well, playing hard,

(38:53):
they're playing really hard, which there is a yeah, there's
an element of hockey that's try hard, man and and
they're working hard along the wall. And that's a big win.
Last night. Tomorrow, bew test, you got the Tampa Bay
Lightning rolling into town seven o'clock drop of the buck,
six thirty pre game with the Captain Mike Benton will
have that for you, so make sure you tune into
that here on kJ R. Tampa had a little win

(39:17):
last night and Calgary they scored they scored eight goals.
Oh wow, just eight?

Speaker 3 (39:22):
Yeah? Is eight?

Speaker 2 (39:24):
Is that possible? Uh yeah? And four and the third
kind of just floodgates open. They made Dan Fladar just
eat it too, Thanks for coming, and you're gonna eat
eight like swam and had to eat eight the other
night in Winnipegh. God, yeah, it's it's It was like
a picture, like you get deep enough in the game,
like it's on you. Yeah, yeah, it's on you. Sorry, yep,

(39:46):
I'd like to help you out. Sorry. Nikita kuscher I
had only six points last night, going five assists. Pretty
good player for the Kraken, though. Man they uh olver
Bu York Strength continues to play really well, really really well.
It should be fun to moor night Saturday night hockey.
Get out there if you haven't yet, go check it out.
See the Kracken taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning seven

(40:09):
o'clock dropping. I love that, right, Tulivin and York Strand line.
I think it's a great spot for fifty one to be.
I just laughed. I was talking to the captain earlier
when he popped his head in here to offer his wisdom,
and he's we were laughing, you know, the Canadian media,
specifically especially out of Montreal, like just chirping about that.
They're the ones chirping, Oh, how's slap coughs? You know

(40:32):
this year? Yeah, exactly, It's called regression.

Speaker 5 (40:34):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (40:34):
Oh Shane Wright, I don't know, can I'll be a bust.
Yeah he looks pretty goodright, Yeah, he looks pretty good
looks and he's twenty years of age. All right, let's
take a break, come back, Rob Raank. Heisman Trophy is tomorrow.
We'll be presenting the four finals back in New York.
Let's find out what the NFL chances are for those
guys to preview that. Our weekly visit with Rob Rank,
plus a Seahawk injury update next.

Speaker 1 (40:56):
Now from the Star Rentals Sports to us your n
kJ R FM sports headlines.

Speaker 2 (41:02):
Headlines are brought to you by Frost Brewed Cores Light
Choose chill on this. Washington State Beef Commission Football Friday
injury report is out for the Seahawks and the Packers
will touch it a little deeper on this coming up
at one thirty to a half. We talked to Rob Rang,
but out for the Seahawks, Trey Brown, Jerrick Reed, Brady Russell, Stone, Forsyth,
Kevon Wallace, doubtful, Ardie Burns, and Ken Walker. The third

(41:26):
Packers are gonna be missing. Junior here Alexander, who just
talked about with our friend Great co Sel an hour ago,
cracking winners last night at home five to one over
the Boston Bruins. Next up Tampa Bay tomorrow. That game
is at seven o'clock six thirty. Pre game right here
on ninety three point three kJ R f M. Rob
Rang standing by, Let's get to it. As part of
our never ending coverage of the NFL. It's time for

(41:48):
Ian's weekly visit with Rob Rang from foxsports dot Com,
brought to you by Farelli's Pizza on your Home for
the twelfth Man and the NFL Sports Radio ninety three
point three k FM. All right, here we go. Time
to check in with our good buddy Rob Rang from
foxsports dot com. He's got some stuff up there on
Bowl games. We'll get to that in a second. His

(42:09):
latest article at Fox sports dot com, and he's brought
to you by ferrellis for Allies Pizza dot com. Look
for a location in the South Sound, especially in the
holiday season, eat a happy hour, maybe kind of put
a little pause and all the shopping you're doing running around.
Go swing by a local Farralles. Great pizza, great appetizers,
terrific happy hours early in late appyrs for Ellis Pizza
dot com for a location near you. Ranger, How are you,

(42:30):
my friend.

Speaker 6 (42:31):
I'm doing very well.

Speaker 2 (42:33):
I'm good. Tomorrow would be the awarding of the Heisman
Trophy for the most outstanding college football player in the country.
We have four finalists out there as well, Dylan Gabriel,
Travis Hunter, cam Ward, and Ashton Genty, and I thought
today would be fun. We got there's a bowl game
coming up in it a couple of days and all
that kind of stuff. Some minor bowls starting, but college

(42:54):
football playoffs begin next week. But with the Heisman Trophy tomorrow,
I think we've done this the last few years. We
kind of talked about the Heisman Trophy finalists and where
they kind of slot in as far as the NFL
Draft is concerned, what kind of NFL prospects they are.
We've done that in the past. Some of mirrors, like
you know last year, I mean Panics number two, Daniels won,

(43:16):
I mean those guys. I remember who's number three last
year I'm trying to think who was number three last year.
I should know I voted anyway they I mean, those
two guys both obviously first round pixel on the way.
This year, there's the four finalists in New York tomorrow, Rob,
So let's kind of go through what their draft possibilities
NFL prospects would be. I'm going to start with Oregon

(43:37):
quarterback Dylan Gabriel.

Speaker 6 (43:40):
Yeah, and that's one of the things I'm kind of
excited to talk about this with you because, unlike most years,
all four of these players I believe have bright NFL futures. However,
when we start talking the conversation with Dylan Gabriel, I
do fully expect him to be the last of these
four players to get drafted into the NFL. Dylan Gabriel,

(44:03):
you know, the biggest knock on him is just his size.
He is generously listed by the Oregon Ducks at six
foot two hundred pounds. I think he's going to come
in closer to five ten and a half five eleven,
probably one hundred and eighty five one hundred and ninety pounds.
Wouldn't be surprised if he pulled a trick from another
Heisman Trophy whinner Bryce Young, and you know, wears the

(44:25):
high heeled shoes essentially to try and make himself look tall.
But like Bryce Young, what you see is poise in
the pocket. You see accuracy to all levels of the field.
We've talked about this essentially all year long, because I
really believe that Oregon is rightly the number one team
in the country in A big part of that is

(44:47):
Dylan Gabriel and his ability to play his best football
in the most critical of situations. Is seventy three point
two percent completion percentages as all that you really need
to know about accuracy, especially in the short to intermediate range.
He's got thirty five hundred passing yard three thousand, five

(45:08):
hundred and fifty eight passing yards so far this season,
twenty eight touchdowns, six interceptions. He's played six seasons at
the major collegiate level, originally of course, at Central Florida,
then went to Oklahoma. Was a winner everywhere that he went.
And again I think that NFL teams are going to
view him as a guy that is not going to

(45:29):
be a fit for everybody, but the reality is that
he has been incredibly productive everywhere that he has gone.
He had a major knee injury overcame that, and I
just see basically Brock Purty part two. I see a
quarterback to that is so slight that he is going
to probably follow in the Day three of the NFL Draft.
But I think that somebody is going to very much

(45:52):
be happy with the decision they make when they bring
Dylan Gabriel onto their NFL roster.

Speaker 2 (45:56):
And to speaking Dylan Gabriel, I don't know how I
forgot this. Bo Nicks was last year's other rough. I
don't know his finished third on Thank You Andrews. So
if Gabriel was six ' one six ' two, would
he be a Day two draft pick, But instead he's
going to be a Day three draft pick. And I
won't hold it out obviously.

Speaker 6 (46:13):
Well, yeah, you know, we can't magically add interest to
this young man's heights here. But what the other thing is,
I think it's not only the heights. I think that
he's got kind of a narrow shouldered frame and that
always spooks teams a little bit. And I just don't
see the absolute hose of an arm that you see
with some of the top right quarterback prospects, like for example,

(46:33):
cam Ward that is one of the things that he
has shown significant improvement over his college career. That was
one of the reasons why I had some questions about
him and where he would be able to go in
terms of his pro future. With Dylan Gabriel, he is
so reliant on his anticipation and accuracy rather than just

(46:54):
pure velocity. Now, I think that pure velocity is actually
one of the most overrated elements and evaluating quarterbacks. After
yourcy in anticipation to me that that's exactly what Joe
Montana used to win with, and as I mentioned before,
brock Purty continues to win with now. But at the
same time, I think that those physical the lack of

(47:15):
elite physical traits like height, like arm strength, like straight
line speed are going to be some of the reasons
why Dylan Gabriel is likely available on Day three.

Speaker 2 (47:24):
Rob rang Bright to by Ferrellispizza Frelispizza dot Com. Okay,
let's get to another finalist who's a quarterback and you
mentioned his name a minute ago, cam Ward University of
Miami Heisman finalists. First of all, if you would have
told me that a year ago, right now and be
like nuts man anyway, he's a Heisman finalist. Is cam
Ward had a I mean just filled up the stat
sheet this year at the University of Miami so pro

(47:46):
And I think I mean before I ask you about
this year, Rob, we talked about cam Ward last year
when we first started doing our draft, you know, our
twenty twenty four draft conversations, which you know we usually
give Rob Blake, I don't know, a week off before
we start that following the college football season. By the way, Rob,
just a note here, you may not get even that
off because with the college football playoffs it goes deeper

(48:08):
this year. But that that aside, Well, we were talking
last year. I think you were telling me that cam
Woard probably would have been the next quarterback picked after
all those guys in the first round went last year,
maybe a Day two or a Day three guy. That's
changed dramatically for him. He's helped his draft status. But
am I right? Last year he would have been probably
like a Day two, day three guy.

Speaker 6 (48:28):
Yeah, I think you've been right on the edge there,
a third to fourth round, you know, entering entering last season,
you know, so after his first season in the Washington States,
but but not at you know, but not this past year.
I had him as a as a Day three guy,
and somebody frankly that in my own BC Lions, the

(48:48):
Canadian Football League might be looking at. I mean, he's
always shown the improvisational ability, the exciting kind of elements
to his game that you know, and just fits in
very well with the wider fields that you see in
the CFL. I did not see the big time velocity
in his arm. He has improved in that regard. He

(49:11):
is bigger, stronger man. Miami lists him at six foot two,
two hundred and twenty three pounds. I'm curious to see
if he actually is that, but I do think that
he is going to be well north of six foot,
well north of two hundred and ten pounds, which is
what I basically estimated him at a year or so ago.
He also is not an elite straight line speed guy.

(49:32):
He's more elusive. He looks to throw from the pockets.
Washington State used him a lot as a runner. You know,
a couple of years ago for Washington State, he had
one hundred and forty four rushing yards, which isn't that many,
but he had eight rushing touchdowns for Miami this past season,
he had you know that basically had cut in half
to four rushing touchdowns. He also caught a touchdown, and

(49:53):
again we were talking about Dylan Gabriel a moment ago.
Cam Ward basically beats Dylan Gabriel in every mean full
passing statistic other than wins of course, which you know
number one team in the country at Oregon, but and
an incompletion percentage as I mentioned, Dylan Gabriel seventy three
point two cam Ward sixty seven point four, which is

(50:15):
still a very high number considering how many of the
throws that he attempts and makes, like Michael Pennix, were
very much downfield this season for Miami four thousand, one
hundred and twenty three passing yards, a thirty six to
seven touchdown to interception ratio. You know, he has had
an unbelievable season. There is no quarterback in college football

(50:38):
and who boosted his stock more than cam Ward did
this past season for the Miami Hurricanes, again on the
heels of what Michael Pennix did last year at the
University of Washington. It really is a very very cool
story from a lot of perspectives. I know there's a
lot of Cougar fans out there who are you know
A little bit hurts over it, and I certainly understand that,

(50:58):
and that's just the name of college football's business at
this point, and I regretfully so. But at the same time,
there is no doubt that cam Ward has a completely
legitimized himself as an NFL prospect. He now is very
likely to go in the first round. I have him
going in the first round at mock draft that is
going to be at Fox Sports is actually posted at

(51:19):
Fox Sports right now. I have him going to Pittsburgh
Steelers as a possible replacement to Russell Wilson and Justin
Fields as a late first round player. I know a
lot of my cohorts in the draft business view cam
Ward is a top five candidate. To me, this is
not a top twenty NFL prospect, But after Colorado Shaduer Standers,
to me, the conversation really goes down to cam Ward

(51:42):
or I quinn Ewers A Carson Beck from Texas and
Georgia respectively. I think cam Ward is a better and
more instinctive player than either of these those two players.
And that's why a quarterback needy team and there's an
awful lot of them, including some clubs that are picking
very very early in the draft, like the Raiders, like
they they may have to pull the trigger just because

(52:02):
there is not a lot of quarterback talent this year
and cam Ward's star continues to ascend, and think there's
a lot of a lot of NFL teams they want
to hitch their wagons so to speak.

Speaker 2 (52:11):
To cam Ward, Rob Rang, Jordaans, Chrisia Freiespezzafroiespizza dot Com. Okay,
let's get to the other two Heisman finalist, well, because
I think Travis will take a little while, so we'll
just go because of the position situation which I want
to get to in a segment, Travis Hunter. Ashton Gent,
running back for the Boise State Broncos.

Speaker 6 (52:30):
Yeah, Ashton Genty, you know, I think is an absolute
slam dunk first round pick, and of course that's pretty
rare at the running back position. Five foot nine, two
hundred and fifteen pounds. And you want to talk about
the most impressive statistics of any of these Heisman candies.
To me, Gent has that two thousand, four hundred and
ninety seven rushing yards. He is averaging seven point three

(52:53):
yards per carry. Despite leading the country in rushing attempt,
so every single time he hitches the ball seven point
three yards twenty nine touchdowns also leads the country. He
didn't have nearly as many receptions this year. That's going
to be a ding for some, but he just to
go back a year ago, he had forty three grabs
for five hundred and sixty nine yards and five touchdowns.

(53:16):
This year he had twenty passes for a twenty reception
for one hundred and sixteen yards in a touchdown. Ian
As I mentioned, five point nine two hundred and fifteen pounds.
He's got sighs that are just so massive, and that's
the power. Then you see the ability to do jump
cuts to the sea where the hole is going to
be and basically throttle up or down to kind of

(53:38):
change his speeds, throw off pursuit angles, his ability to
spin off of contact or just lower his shoulder. Again,
one of the mentioned before cam Ward, former Washington State player.
One of the plays that I thought was one of
Ashton Jenk's absolute best was the game opening touchdown against
Washington State this year where he looked like he was

(53:59):
completely bobbed. There was four different washing stick defenders that
hit him head on. He both broke through all of
them ran for a seventy yard touchdown. I mean that's
Ashton Jens basically in a nutshell where I see him.
I see in second uh, a second version basically of
Alvin Kamara, a guy who I think can be an
absolute superstar in the NFL.

Speaker 2 (54:20):
I go back. I'd rather not think about the game
against Wazoo, to be honest with you. But that's fine.
You want to bring it up, Rang, that's fine. Holiday season,
that's good. You just you just do that to us
right now. Actually, what I was thinking last Friday a
week ago today, we're watching the Mountain West Conference championship game.
You know, UNLV had just done whatever it could right
to bottle him up, and team started doing that at
the end of the year, like we're just going to

(54:41):
game plan. We're going to could put eight guys in
the box and you know dare att and and yet
there he was. He found just a small crease and
he housed one at the end of the first half.
Like it was just the explosiveness for him. Rob just
jumps off the page at me, because just when you think,
hey man, we've kind of held Ashton gent and check
so far, that. Oh wow, It's like it's like a
home run hitter in baseball, right, guy strikes out two

(55:02):
or three times, that's fine, we got up all Wow,
he just hit a bomb like that, and that's what
this guy does.

Speaker 6 (55:09):
No question about it. And again, comparing that to Alba
Kamara to me is pretty heavy stuff because for my money,
Alba Kamar is one of the most dynamic running backs
that we've seen the last twenty years in the NFL.
I mean his ability as a receiver and as a runner,
his ability to kind of gets skating through the whole.
As you mentioned with that running that touchdown against UNLB

(55:30):
in the Mountain West Conference game. I mean again, as
you said, you know, v was doing everything they possibly could.
They have legitimate NFL talent on defense, and he made
them look silly. Boise State is not just ascid genty
in my opinion, they are legitimately deserved to be in
the position they are here in the college football playoffs.
But the Heisman Trophy now has become an award it's

(55:51):
more about flash and all that. If it was truly
a MDP award, as I think it was intended to be,
there's no question about who the winner should be, at
least my opinion, there should be asking gent all.

Speaker 2 (56:02):
Right, Rob rang with us for Relispizza dot com. Travis
Hunter from Colorado. He's a cornerback. He is a wide receiver.
And I'm sure that whether it be you editors at
Fox sports dot com or others asking you for draft
conversation and expertise, you probably get asked about him all
the time. And I guess the biggest question is what
is he? But I'll just leave it with you. What's

(56:23):
what are his draft prospects?

Speaker 6 (56:25):
I have him the number one overall in the mock
draft I just mentioned that Fox Sports. I have him
number one overall in the last three mock drafts that
I've written there. I just think that he is the
player that is almost beyond comparison. You know, it's unprecedented
to see a player play as much as he has
on both sides of the football and play that incredibly

(56:46):
well on both sides of the football. In terms of
the comparison, the comparisone to you is actually physically doesn't
really match up that well, but in terms of how
instinctive that he is on defense, I'm actually going to
compare him to one that a lot of local Seahawks
fans are very excited about not being dead with Witherspoon.
I just you don't see corners that have the instincts,

(57:08):
just the anticipation of what's going on around them, that
this young man possesses. He is physical in run support
what he needs to be. He is so good in
coverage just because again he playing a wide receiver as
well as corner. He understands what the opponent is trying
to do. His ability to read the intentions of the

(57:31):
wide receiver sneak peaks back at the quarterback, and then
when the ball is anywhere near him, he shows receiver
like hands to be able to pluck the football out
of the air. Just statistically, on defense, he's got thirty
two tackles so far this season because teams are basically
trying to avoid him almost at all costs. He has
four interceptions. He led the Big Twelve with eleven pass

(57:54):
breakups despite not having the ball thrown against him very often,
so again just as an indication of his instincts. And
then as the receiver, ninety two catches, eleven one hundred
and fifty two receiving yards, fourteen touchdowns, and The guy
can do anything in everything that you need him to
do on the football field, and unlike the quarterbacks that

(58:17):
was throwing the ball to him, shduer centers. There are
absolutely no questions about Travis Hunter's desire as a football player,
as a leader, complete commitments to the program and to winning.
I mean, this is a five star recruit that could
have signed anywhere, chose to sign with Deion Sanders and
Jackson stayed a couple of years ago, had one year
there and then of course transfer to Colorado and has

(58:39):
been an absolute superstar every step of the way. To me,
the only question you have about him is six foot
one hundred and eighty five pounds, is he has the
durability you'll be able to play both roles in the NFL?
I think that he can. For my money, because I'm
more of a defensive guy, I would rather stick the defense.
I think he can absolutely shut down half of the field.
But the way the NFL is playing wide excuse me,

(59:01):
pain wide receivers in today's era, I wouldn't be surprised
at all even if the team looks to use him
not just as a gimmick wide receiver occasionally, but truly
try to test and see how much he can play
both roles. Again, I have him number one overall in
the NFL in the NFL mock draft. I think if
this is an award about the best player, which it

(59:21):
rarely is anymore, but if this was an award about
the absolute best player of football, then this is a
slam dunk. The best player in football is Travis Hummon.

Speaker 2 (59:29):
Rob Do you have him number one overall because of
his versatility? Because I'm let me just throw this at
you and you tell me where I'm right where I'm wrong.
I Travis Hunter. Maybe he's probably a top ten wide
receiver in college football right now. There's guys that are
probably better wide receivers. He's probably a top five, top
three cornerback in college football right now. But the combination

(59:52):
of the two makes him what you just said. And
if NFL teams think they can play him on both
sides of the ball, probably full time on one side,
unlimited on the other, then that makes sense. Where do
you fall in that?

Speaker 6 (01:00:05):
Well? And for me, he's easily the number one cornerback
in Okay, Okay co. And then as far as wide receivers,
at least in this class, if we're going to throw
out the freshman. I think there's a couple of freshmen
out there. Jeremiah Smith is the first one that really
comes to my Ohio state. I think he's the number
one wide receiver in the country right now, and again

(01:00:26):
he's a true freshman. He's not available for this draft,
but in terms of the draft eligible wide receivers, hell,
I think that Travis Hunter is the number one receiver
in this class as well. So again, that's just how
good I think this guy is.

Speaker 2 (01:00:39):
Now.

Speaker 6 (01:00:39):
I don't know that he is going to have the
lightning fast forty yard dash to I think that people
might freak out if he runs a you know, four
or five two. But again and has been running four
or five to three, and my goodness, does he play fast.
And that's again one of the things about Travis Hunters.
Some players just have an uncanny sense about them. They're
just instinctive, you know, football player. Travis Hunter definitely.

Speaker 2 (01:01:02):
Is that John Ross rounds round the fastest forty time
ever at the time, and I'm not sure he's been
on like three teams and never Yeah, so it's a yeah,
there's football fast, there's other fast. All those fast and
I'm with you on that regard. All right, what do
you got up at forts foxsports dot com right now,
my friend?

Speaker 6 (01:01:17):
Yeah, the draft is up right now. I got some
interesting selections here, you know, just because of the fact
that this is a a funny draft classes this year.
Ian we're seeing the real effects now of the you know,
the COVID year of course, and then also nil we're
seeing we used to see annually one hundred plus underclassmen

(01:01:40):
jump into the NFL to just to try to get
a bite of that that big money apple, so to speak.
Now there's a lot of that money is now in
college football and teams are just transferring. So I wouldn't
be surprised off if we see fifty, maybe sixty at
most underclassmen make that NFL jump. So what that's going
to mean is the class of twenty twenty five, this

(01:02:02):
upcoming NFL draft is not nearly as talented as it
has been in the last twenty years since I've been
doing this, And so I don't want to be, you know,
a buzzkill and knock this class. I think that people
should be excited about the draft. Certainly, that's obviously part
of my business. But at the same time, I'm just
telling you the top end talent is basically not there.

(01:02:23):
That there's five or six players who I think are
true blue chip players. Usually there's closer to ten or
twelve guys. Usually there's a consensus fifteen seventeen players that
easily every team knows that's the first round guy. I
think there's ten of those guys in this year's class,
and then the next forty basically are kind of picked
your poison. What do you need a quarterback? Do you
need a running back? Do you need this or that?

(01:02:44):
And I mentioned quarterbacks and running backs. Quarterbacks obviously drive
the game. I think that most you're gonna see two
quarterbacks go in the first round. As they said before,
Shador Sanders I think is a lock campb Woreener I
think has a good chance. Those to me are the
two top quarterbacks you know. As far as who's going
to in the first round, running back I think is
much deeper and more talented than we've seen quite some time.

(01:03:05):
Tight End is actually a very good position this year.
Wide receiver is lacking the real talent along the offensive
and defensive lines, but that doesn't get people quite as
excited as so called skill position talent. So again that
to me is one of the big storylines of the
twenty twenty five draft class, is it just lacks some
of the big talents that we've seen in years in

(01:03:26):
the past.

Speaker 2 (01:03:26):
Great stuff, my friend. We'll talk to you next week.
Have a great weekend, looking forward to it.

Speaker 6 (01:03:30):
As always, Letty stick here.