August 12, 2025 • 19 mins
Ben Criddle talks BYU sports every weekday from 2 to 6 pm.
Today's Co-Hosts: Ben Criddle (@criddlebenjamin)
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Today's Co-Hosts: Ben Criddle (@criddlebenjamin)
Subscribe to the Cougar Sports with Ben Criddle podcast:
Apple Podcasts:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-sports-with-ben-criddle/id99676
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's time to celebrate the previous team sport known to man,
where modern day gladiators collide for all the glory on
the grid.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
I let's talk some.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
College football on Cougar Sports with Benkrip Welcome back Cougar Sports.
One of three nine ninety eight point three e SPN
the Fan. I'm Ben Prittle broadcasting from our Banterwillth Studios,
Banterwealth dot Com. Get a vision or else you're'll parish
say the scriptures. Gotta get a vision of what your
financial future is gonna be. Let's band together and build
some wealth at Bantererwealth Bantererwilth dot com. Get on a
(00:30):
free Q and a no obligation to invest Q and
a Today Ronald the three Man we were buy my shode.
We're gonna talk some college football Big twelve football in
new segment with a college Football Big twelve insider, and
it's gonna be brought to you by Dental prosi Utah
Dentalprosiutah dot com. If you've been told you need a filling,
a crown, a rooking out, all I'm asking you to
do is get a second opinion at Dental pros. We're
gonna save your teeth and you're gonna save money in
(00:51):
the long run. VIP Products VP Service VFP discounts all day,
every day at Dental Pros of Utah in American Fork.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Let's get out to the hotline.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Wellcome and see foot six, two hundred and fifteen powder
out of Baylor University, locked on Big twelve Insider. We
got Drake Tall, also a voice of the Savanna Banas.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
What's up, Drake Tall?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
You know, Ben, all I would have took was one
college coach to really just take a chance on me,
and I would have been an All American.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
But you know, no, Dice, what the heck was wrong
with those coaches locally? Why didn't at least a local coach,
a juco coach give you an opportunity to ball out
like you your genetics were capable of.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
That's what I'm saying, man. A lot of people don't know.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
My dad was drafted in ninety four by the Blue Jays.
They were sitting on gold. But now instead of doing
this for us, I just have to talk about it
every day.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Well, you do a heck of a job doing that.
Let's get caught up. What are you doing? What do
you how are you keeping busy? What content have you
been producing over there at Lockdown Big twelve as well
as the Savannah Banas.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
It's been crazy and it stays crazy, you know.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
It's locked on really working in the lab on my
Big twelve preseason rankings where I think everybody will sit
at the end of this and that's going to release
I think next Monday. As we get closer to ioway
stay in Kansas State game week almost upon us.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
And a lot going on.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
We have a very special announcement soon through Amazons Streaming.
I'll be headed out to Dallas every week hosting studio
show with the company to promote college football and locked
on in a partnership.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Couple of pretty high profile hosts.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
That all be sitting next to me as well and
the banana side as fun and crazy and zany as ever.
We're headed to Arkansas, my home state, this weekend at
bomb Walker Stadium, home with the Razorbacks. Last weekend spent
a little soaree out of LSU down in Baton Rouge
with the party animals and doesn't stop.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Man, I sleep on planes and that's about it.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Drake told ladies and gentlemen Drake, How are you feeling
about the Big Twelve right now? What have you learned
about the Big Twelve during fall camp? Anything of note,
any gems you've been able to acquire. Do you have
a different opinion on who your favorites are right now
to win the conference?
Speaker 4 (03:12):
You know, I'm higher on Colorado.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
With Deon Sanders being in house, that's going to help them.
Had he been forced to higher, they'd be put in
a much tougher spot, So.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
I'm glad that he's back.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Increasingly, we seem to like Utah. Their offensive line is solid,
their defense is going to be fairly okay, and increasingly
this Tech. I'm a very big fan of what Texas
Tech has done in the portal. Number one class in
the country per certain outlets. And there's one team that
I trust. I think it's the Red Raiders, who are
trying to build the Ohio state of the Big Twelve.
(03:44):
Let's go get just the best roster possible and even
if Ryan Day is your coach, you can still win.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
But instead of Brian Day, they have Julie Maguire.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
I think is a great ball coach. I'm also a
lot higher on Houston. Heard a lot of great things
out of their camp in the offseason, and I'm very
excited to see what they can do this season. They
were above expectation last year. Now I think they'll carry
that momentum of this year and give some teams a
run for their money.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
And then the BYU.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Cougars and their their quarterback battle is something I've had
a finger on the.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Pulse up for a while.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
And man's what's tough about it is. I'm the kind
of analyst. I'm the kind of college football guy that
I want a head coach to look at the country,
to look at his roster, to look his offense, and say,
here is our guy, this is our leader. If you
have two quarterbacks, you have no quarterbacks, you have three,
you have negative one.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
And for b.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
YU to be in a spot where you hear from
one analyst that, oh, wow, tration looks really good today,
and the next analysts said, well, bar Bachmeer's your guy,
and wow, I can't believe McKay what he can do
with his legs. I am. I'm concerned with the lack
of just assuredness in one guy. Now, it may mean
that all three are you leading, maybe that all three
(04:54):
are very good representations of what BYU could be in
a team that contends for a Big Twelve title.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
But oft the storylines and the.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Way that fall has played out to this point, or
at least camps had played out to this point, I think,
I still you have to have the big question mark
around day's quarterback play, and I wonder will we ever
get an answer from a Rod or Kalan Taitake that
says this is the guy because that's what I.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
Want in a quarterback.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
It should happen.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
I think this week, at least, you hope there are
some signs that the quarterback competition has been whittled down
to two quarterbacks. We were down there a practice earlier. Today,
Beart Bachmeyer may have become the lead dog in the clubhouse,
and he got a lot of Team one reps.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
So we'll see how it plays out.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
But bear Bachmeyer positioning himself very nicely to compete and
become the guy right now, so it'll be intriguing. Now,
let me ask you this, eight people dropped yesterday. Do
you feel like the Big Twelve was disrespected by these
media pundits, these analysts, these so called experts amongst the media.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah, I thought it was quite a slap in the face,
and that slap of the face being the Big Twelve
doesn't get invited to the party the way they probably
should have.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
But only are you're not invited the party the way
you expect it to be. You learned you were the
first ones out, like man, we just hit capacity in
the fire code at this at this place, and you
didn't make it in.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
What is what is going to bode well for the
Big twelve is that if the AP voters stick to this,
it means that inevitably, when the teams from the seventeen
to twenty three range twenty four twenty five range lose
in that first week or so, the Big Twelve can
wiggle its way into that twenty five spot with Yu,
Baylor or Utah.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
The problem with that, in my mind is that the.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
AT voters aren't always going to stick to that. And
I'm gonna say, well, I had YU at twenty four
and so I have to move them up, or I
had YU at twenty seven.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Of my brain, I have to move them up. They
don't always operate that way.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
So I am concerned with how the Big twelve stacks
up because we have three teams.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Left out and left out right there.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
And also let's consider this Iowa stayed in Kansas State,
the loser that.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Going to be taken out by the AT voters.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
On the other side of that, when you're looking at
a BYU, a Utah, Baylor, I mean, if those schools
win a game or lose a game, it bodes so well.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
If there's a number next.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
To your name for the strength of schedule and for
the FPI and for all the ESPN metrics.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
It is frustrating and confusing, this.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Alarming, disappointing to see that the Big Twelve could have
some of the most elite teams in the country, but
because you were twenty six and not twenty four, it's
not a ranked win. Because you were twenty seven and
not seventeen, your strength of schedule doesn't go up as well.
That's the part that's going to bite chain the butt
in the end.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Drake Toll Big twelve Insider Lockdown Big Twelve discussing Big
twelve College football and some BYU football as well here
on your Utah ESPN Radio network. Is there is there
something you know cooking right now with the Big twelve?
Speaker 2 (08:03):
You know, I would say kind of like the brand right.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
It's like you talk with brett yor Mark and he
says parity and depth, and I think I discussed this
with you at Big twelve media days. It seems deluded, right,
And is this just a reflection of the national perspective
of the Big twelve. You can talk about parity and
depth all you want, but if you don't have those
(08:28):
elite teams that are winning at a high level, then
you may have a branding problem in the Big twelve.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
You do right now, because the world wants to see
teams play that are number number five and number eight.
They don't want to see teams play they are number
twenty one and number twenty four.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
If you are a brand like.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Let's use, for example, somebody outside of the Big twelve,
like a Wake Forest NC State. I don't know if
the country really cares when those two teams play, but
if NC State's number five fourth number seven, America turns
its eyes to that game because now it affects Georgia,
now it.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Affects Ohio State, it affects the standings.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
The Big twelve needs a couple of schools.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
That are hovering around the top ten year in and
year out, because it affects the rest of the country,
and that's when people turn their eyes to it. If again,
you're sitting at twenty one, you have a very good
football team that wins ten games, they're twenty first in
the country.
Speaker 5 (09:21):
Most people just don't care as much.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
And the Big Twelve needs two big dogs, really two
Clemson and Florida State of the ACC and then pass
that the.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Gaff's pretty large.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
I think those two, based on prowess to this point,
brand and spending are Texas Tech and BYU. Talk to
Chris Level with the Red Raider Sports Network yesterday. He
said the same thing, that it's those two and then
everybody else from an nil and recruiting standpoint and soon
to be in my opinion, wins on the field. I
(09:51):
think those are the brands in this conference that could
become your Clemson in Florida State, the brands that become
the top dogs that.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
Put your league on the map.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
We need it desperately, and those are the two BYU
and Texas Tech that should be up there.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Drake, which Big Twelve team is most likely to bounce
back from their subpar average season of a year ago?
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Of a season ago.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
I still believe it's Houston, and a lot of people
are gonna say that I'm crazy, But after listening to
Willie Fritz in Big twelve media days, I think Willi
Fritz is a great football coach for the Houston Cougars
right now.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
In five years he won't be I do believe.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Slowly but surely, the game is passing him by because
he's the old ball coach.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
But he builds a roster.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
And he's recruiting well too.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
He's laying the five star quarterback.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
He's got Steven f Austin, Bryce, Colorado, Oregon State to
open up his schedule. I think those can be four
wins for him. Texas Tech is tough, but I think
he beats Oklahoma State, he beats Houston. All of a sudden,
you're looking at six and one Houston and everybody else is.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Going to say, how do we get here?
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Well, yeah, the schedule is kind of easy to open
their slate. But on top of that, they've still got
an opportunity with West Virginia, UCF TCU Baylor down the stretch.
I think Arizona State's a loss on the road, They've
got an opportunity. They win a couple of games they're
not supposed to to go eight and four, nine and three,
and as we learned last year, eight and four nine
and three will get to you, possibly in the Big
(11:21):
twelve championship game, or at least in the conversation.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Drake is by you, what's your ceiling and floor for
BYU football right now? From a regular season record standpoint?
What do you think they're their floor and ceiling is
for the regular season.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
I think BYU's floor needs to be seven and five.
You've got three free wins at the beginning of the year,
and some people are gonna disagree with that, but you
have three or free wins. The way that BYU plays
at home, I don't expect that even if they flop
in a couple of games, that they'll give up on
the year shipp at in and go six and six.
I thinks seven and five is where you sit, considering
the schedule is so easy. And then to me, your
(11:59):
p is still eleven and one. I've said it before.
It's a bit of a cop out.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Of course, you want to have your.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
Senior quarterback out there. You don't now, but he was
eleven in the Big twelve and QBR that is below
average there's a law of averages. Therefore, if say Bear
Bachmeier is just an average quarterback, he is now better
per the.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
Metrics than what Jake Rerhetz laugh gave you.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Because as much as he won you those games last
year against Oklahoma State or Utah, he also lost you
Kansas and Arizona State. So this year, for BYU, your
floor seven and five, your ceilings eleven and one. Because
still that schedule is just as easy as it gets
in the Big twelve.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
That's not a bad thing. You shouldn't be upset with that.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Bau fans should rejoice that in a year where your
starting quarterback is gone, you still have a slate that
is fairly, fairly manageable. Now Texas, tecond Iowa State that
by week in between those your two most brutal. If
you end up winning one of those, you're favored, and
probably the rest of the games you play that's eleven
and one. Now you could lose both, you'd probably go
(12:55):
ten to two in that case, but still favored in
my opinion, ten off your twelve game on paper right now. Therefore,
BYU at eleven and one should not shocked shock anyone.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Love that breakdown from Drake toll locked on Big twelve.
He's a Big twelve football inshider. Make sure you're subscribed
to his podcast. Make sure you're following on X. Couple
last things before we let you go, Drake, appreciate you
joining us. What are the pros and cons of trotting
out a true freshman for the twenty twenty five football season.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Do you think if Bear Bachmeier wins the job, do you.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Want to ask Kyle Whittingham about Isaac Wilson?
Speaker 4 (13:38):
You know, I mean there.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Are your pro could be seeing a star before your eyes,
like a Jameis Winston was so young when he was
in Heisman contention. Your con is seeing in Isaac Wilson,
who I do think could be a good college quarterback
in a couple of years.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
He just wasn't ready.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
He really wasn't bad in the Southern Utah game, and
he looked bad the rest of the season when he
came into the youths.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
That's what you're risking.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
I think if you'd ask any BYU fan during his
recruiting process, do you want Isaac Wilson.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
They would have said yes.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
It's not like BYU can say.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Alway's always been a bad quarter right now. Everybody wanted
the kid and put in the right position. I think
we all agree he can be good. But if you
give a guy too much to bite and chew before
he's ready, you can can squash a college career fairly early.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
And I don't think by using the business of doing that,
and they will do that.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
But for Bear Bachmeier, he could be Jameis Winston or
he could be Isaac Wilson. Those are the pros and
the cons. That's your your ceiling and your floor. We
just saw the floor of it in the Big Twelve
last season with the team forty miles away.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
It happens, man, Sometimes you got to try a true
freshman out there and deal with the consequences, the cons
and the pro Sometimes the cons how weigh the pros.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
But BYU's initial schedule.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
That may bode well for Brigham Trotten out a true freshman.
There's some winnable games there, I think.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
So that's where I have full confidence that BYU can
build these for three Stanford is a dumpster fire. I
mean truly, it may be easier than a couple of
those games against FCS opponents. You're going on the road
against Eastern Carolina that could be the toughest of the
three actually because of how bad Stanford looks right now.
And given those I love that if it is bear Bachmeyer,
he gets an opportunity to play against an FCS school.
(15:27):
Then from there he gets to play it against the
Division one school but still at home or Division one
A school, I should say.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
And then finally go on the road. Play play a wiley.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Team like East Carolina that's not going to have the
defensive line of a Texas Tech or the backfield defensive
backfield of Utah. Play a team on the road like
East Carolina. Get your feet underneath you. That could play
really well for.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
A young guy.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
And again that's why I think BYU can use this
as a launch board for a season that isn't disappointing
just because there isn't a guy named Jake Retz laugh
under center?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Do you think Jake's QB one and two? Lane?
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (16:02):
Man?
Speaker 4 (16:02):
I know you're.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Recovering Lane Wave, but what does your heart tell you?
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Well, when you have three quarterbacks, you have negative one, right.
We learned that at Oklahoma State when Gundy had his
son out there just trying everything and anything. A couple
of years ago, we're gonna see, man, we're gonna see
something like that. I think in tu Lane they're gonna
take too long to figure it out and it might
go south.
Speaker 5 (16:27):
I just don't know.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
If again, Ben, if we've if we learned anything out
of his whole Retslav situation, he just he maybe isn't
as good when you really get him out there.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
As as the as the cult hero he became at.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
B yu uh and you could be better off without him.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Take that as an taken as an example. He's at
Tulane and he's not even a sure fire starter. That
that shows me the buy You didn't need him to
win this year. Now, had he signed with Notre Dame
have been there number one, then you're going, shoot, we
really lost a good one. But if if I'm if
I'm a Cougars fan again, you wish the best forum
for the rest of his career. But moving on isn't
(17:04):
going to end the entire world.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Bye guy, Drake told ladies and gentlemen, Drake. Best way
to support you what you do, how you do it
For all of our listeners.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Yep at locked on Big twelve on Twitter, where we
fund your podcast and YouTube and if you like bad tweets.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
It's at Drake C Toll before you find all those.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Drake love and appreciate you man. Thanks for hopping on today.
Speaker 4 (17:25):
Ben, always a pleasure. We'll talk again in a couple
of weeks.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Let's go.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
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Speaker 6 (17:53):
I like this comment, you know, in regards to trying
out a true freshman quarterback, and thought about what happened
Isac will and that kind of gets underplayed of confidence, right,
you know? And I think you go back to the recruitment.
A lot of fans did want Isaac. You know what
happened with Zach everything, Oh yeah, and then when he
started planning things didn't go well. You're like, maybe I
don't want him anymore, you know, So that's a that's
(18:15):
a good fear, you know, to have their pros and cons.
I think the boat, but I just liked that he
took a local kid and actually an actual situation you
could look at and be like, okay, this, then maybe
go to what not getting granted, the schedule was different
for BYU and how you look at if Bear were
to be the guy, if in having Portland State, Stanford
and then East Carolina, I think the non conference is different.
(18:35):
But that's a worrisome if things didn't go well and
you if that's the direction they win, and then you
resorted to a experienced guy, how much confidence would that
kill in? You know, the freshman Bear backamros it completely
not even that he just balls out. You don't know, Ben,
But I just wanted to highlight that that was something
I didn't think about.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
We'll got a break, don't go anywhere. Still a lot
to get to.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
On a Tuesday edition August twelfth edition of Cougar Sports.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Here on one of three nine a ninety eight point
three he
It's time to celebrate the previous team sport known to man,
where modern day gladiators collide for all the glory on
the grid.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
I let's talk some.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
College football on Cougar Sports with Benkrip Welcome back Cougar Sports.
One of three nine ninety eight point three e SPN
the Fan. I'm Ben Prittle broadcasting from our Banterwillth Studios,
Banterwealth dot Com. Get a vision or else you're'll parish
say the scriptures. Gotta get a vision of what your
financial future is gonna be. Let's band together and build
some wealth at Bantererwealth Bantererwilth dot com. Get on a
(00:30):
free Q and a no obligation to invest Q and
a Today Ronald the three Man we were buy my shode.
We're gonna talk some college football Big twelve football in
new segment with a college Football Big twelve insider, and
it's gonna be brought to you by Dental prosi Utah
Dentalprosiutah dot com. If you've been told you need a filling,
a crown, a rooking out, all I'm asking you to
do is get a second opinion at Dental pros. We're
gonna save your teeth and you're gonna save money in
(00:51):
the long run. VIP Products VP Service VFP discounts all day,
every day at Dental Pros of Utah in American Fork.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Let's get out to the hotline.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Wellcome and see foot six, two hundred and fifteen powder
out of Baylor University, locked on Big twelve Insider. We
got Drake Tall, also a voice of the Savanna Banas.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
What's up, Drake Tall?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
You know, Ben, all I would have took was one
college coach to really just take a chance on me,
and I would have been an All American.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
But you know, no, Dice, what the heck was wrong
with those coaches locally? Why didn't at least a local coach,
a juco coach give you an opportunity to ball out
like you your genetics were capable of.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
That's what I'm saying, man. A lot of people don't know.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
My dad was drafted in ninety four by the Blue Jays.
They were sitting on gold. But now instead of doing
this for us, I just have to talk about it
every day.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Well, you do a heck of a job doing that.
Let's get caught up. What are you doing? What do
you how are you keeping busy? What content have you
been producing over there at Lockdown Big twelve as well
as the Savannah Banas.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
It's been crazy and it stays crazy, you know.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
It's locked on really working in the lab on my
Big twelve preseason rankings where I think everybody will sit
at the end of this and that's going to release
I think next Monday. As we get closer to ioway
stay in Kansas State game week almost upon us.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
And a lot going on.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
We have a very special announcement soon through Amazons Streaming.
I'll be headed out to Dallas every week hosting studio
show with the company to promote college football and locked
on in a partnership.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Couple of pretty high profile hosts.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
That all be sitting next to me as well and
the banana side as fun and crazy and zany as ever.
We're headed to Arkansas, my home state, this weekend at
bomb Walker Stadium, home with the Razorbacks. Last weekend spent
a little soaree out of LSU down in Baton Rouge
with the party animals and doesn't stop.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Man, I sleep on planes and that's about it.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Drake told ladies and gentlemen Drake, How are you feeling
about the Big Twelve right now? What have you learned
about the Big Twelve during fall camp? Anything of note,
any gems you've been able to acquire. Do you have
a different opinion on who your favorites are right now
to win the conference?
Speaker 4 (03:12):
You know, I'm higher on Colorado.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
With Deon Sanders being in house, that's going to help them.
Had he been forced to higher, they'd be put in
a much tougher spot, So.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
I'm glad that he's back.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Increasingly, we seem to like Utah. Their offensive line is solid,
their defense is going to be fairly okay, and increasingly
this Tech. I'm a very big fan of what Texas
Tech has done in the portal. Number one class in
the country per certain outlets. And there's one team that
I trust. I think it's the Red Raiders, who are
trying to build the Ohio state of the Big Twelve.
(03:44):
Let's go get just the best roster possible and even
if Ryan Day is your coach, you can still win.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
But instead of Brian Day, they have Julie Maguire.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
I think is a great ball coach. I'm also a
lot higher on Houston. Heard a lot of great things
out of their camp in the offseason, and I'm very
excited to see what they can do this season. They
were above expectation last year. Now I think they'll carry
that momentum of this year and give some teams a
run for their money.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
And then the BYU.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Cougars and their their quarterback battle is something I've had
a finger on the.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Pulse up for a while.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
And man's what's tough about it is. I'm the kind
of analyst. I'm the kind of college football guy that
I want a head coach to look at the country,
to look at his roster, to look his offense, and say,
here is our guy, this is our leader. If you
have two quarterbacks, you have no quarterbacks, you have three,
you have negative one.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
And for b.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
YU to be in a spot where you hear from
one analyst that, oh, wow, tration looks really good today,
and the next analysts said, well, bar Bachmeer's your guy,
and wow, I can't believe McKay what he can do
with his legs. I am. I'm concerned with the lack
of just assuredness in one guy. Now, it may mean
that all three are you leading, maybe that all three
(04:54):
are very good representations of what BYU could be in
a team that contends for a Big Twelve title.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
But oft the storylines and the.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Way that fall has played out to this point, or
at least camps had played out to this point, I think,
I still you have to have the big question mark
around day's quarterback play, and I wonder will we ever
get an answer from a Rod or Kalan Taitake that
says this is the guy because that's what I.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
Want in a quarterback.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
It should happen.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
I think this week, at least, you hope there are
some signs that the quarterback competition has been whittled down
to two quarterbacks. We were down there a practice earlier. Today,
Beart Bachmeyer may have become the lead dog in the clubhouse,
and he got a lot of Team one reps.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
So we'll see how it plays out.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
But bear Bachmeyer positioning himself very nicely to compete and
become the guy right now, so it'll be intriguing. Now,
let me ask you this, eight people dropped yesterday. Do
you feel like the Big Twelve was disrespected by these
media pundits, these analysts, these so called experts amongst the media.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah, I thought it was quite a slap in the face,
and that slap of the face being the Big Twelve
doesn't get invited to the party the way they probably
should have.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
But only are you're not invited the party the way
you expect it to be. You learned you were the
first ones out, like man, we just hit capacity in
the fire code at this at this place, and you
didn't make it in.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
What is what is going to bode well for the
Big twelve is that if the AP voters stick to this,
it means that inevitably, when the teams from the seventeen
to twenty three range twenty four twenty five range lose
in that first week or so, the Big Twelve can
wiggle its way into that twenty five spot with Yu,
Baylor or Utah.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
The problem with that, in my mind is that the.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
AT voters aren't always going to stick to that. And
I'm gonna say, well, I had YU at twenty four
and so I have to move them up, or I
had YU at twenty seven.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Of my brain, I have to move them up. They
don't always operate that way.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
So I am concerned with how the Big twelve stacks
up because we have three teams.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Left out and left out right there.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
And also let's consider this Iowa stayed in Kansas State,
the loser that.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Going to be taken out by the AT voters.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
On the other side of that, when you're looking at
a BYU, a Utah, Baylor, I mean, if those schools
win a game or lose a game, it bodes so well.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
If there's a number next.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
To your name for the strength of schedule and for
the FPI and for all the ESPN metrics.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
It is frustrating and confusing, this.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Alarming, disappointing to see that the Big Twelve could have
some of the most elite teams in the country, but
because you were twenty six and not twenty four, it's
not a ranked win. Because you were twenty seven and
not seventeen, your strength of schedule doesn't go up as well.
That's the part that's going to bite chain the butt
in the end.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Drake Toll Big twelve Insider Lockdown Big Twelve discussing Big
twelve College football and some BYU football as well here
on your Utah ESPN Radio network. Is there is there
something you know cooking right now with the Big twelve?
Speaker 2 (08:03):
You know, I would say kind of like the brand right.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
It's like you talk with brett yor Mark and he
says parity and depth, and I think I discussed this
with you at Big twelve media days. It seems deluded, right,
And is this just a reflection of the national perspective
of the Big twelve. You can talk about parity and
depth all you want, but if you don't have those
(08:28):
elite teams that are winning at a high level, then
you may have a branding problem in the Big twelve.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
You do right now, because the world wants to see
teams play that are number number five and number eight.
They don't want to see teams play they are number
twenty one and number twenty four.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
If you are a brand like.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Let's use, for example, somebody outside of the Big twelve,
like a Wake Forest NC State. I don't know if
the country really cares when those two teams play, but
if NC State's number five fourth number seven, America turns
its eyes to that game because now it affects Georgia,
now it.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Affects Ohio State, it affects the standings.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
The Big twelve needs a couple of schools.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
That are hovering around the top ten year in and
year out, because it affects the rest of the country,
and that's when people turn their eyes to it. If again,
you're sitting at twenty one, you have a very good
football team that wins ten games, they're twenty first in
the country.
Speaker 5 (09:21):
Most people just don't care as much.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
And the Big Twelve needs two big dogs, really two
Clemson and Florida State of the ACC and then pass
that the.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Gaff's pretty large.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
I think those two, based on prowess to this point,
brand and spending are Texas Tech and BYU. Talk to
Chris Level with the Red Raider Sports Network yesterday. He
said the same thing, that it's those two and then
everybody else from an nil and recruiting standpoint and soon
to be in my opinion, wins on the field. I
(09:51):
think those are the brands in this conference that could
become your Clemson in Florida State, the brands that become
the top dogs that.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
Put your league on the map.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
We need it desperately, and those are the two BYU
and Texas Tech that should be up there.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Drake, which Big Twelve team is most likely to bounce
back from their subpar average season of a year ago?
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Of a season ago.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
I still believe it's Houston, and a lot of people
are gonna say that I'm crazy, But after listening to
Willie Fritz in Big twelve media days, I think Willi
Fritz is a great football coach for the Houston Cougars
right now.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
In five years he won't be I do believe.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Slowly but surely, the game is passing him by because
he's the old ball coach.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
But he builds a roster.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
And he's recruiting well too.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
He's laying the five star quarterback.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
He's got Steven f Austin, Bryce, Colorado, Oregon State to
open up his schedule. I think those can be four
wins for him. Texas Tech is tough, but I think
he beats Oklahoma State, he beats Houston. All of a sudden,
you're looking at six and one Houston and everybody else is.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Going to say, how do we get here?
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Well, yeah, the schedule is kind of easy to open
their slate. But on top of that, they've still got
an opportunity with West Virginia, UCF TCU Baylor down the stretch.
I think Arizona State's a loss on the road, They've
got an opportunity. They win a couple of games they're
not supposed to to go eight and four, nine and three,
and as we learned last year, eight and four nine
and three will get to you, possibly in the Big
(11:21):
twelve championship game, or at least in the conversation.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Drake is by you, what's your ceiling and floor for
BYU football right now? From a regular season record standpoint?
What do you think they're their floor and ceiling is
for the regular season.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
I think BYU's floor needs to be seven and five.
You've got three free wins at the beginning of the year,
and some people are gonna disagree with that, but you
have three or free wins. The way that BYU plays
at home, I don't expect that even if they flop
in a couple of games, that they'll give up on
the year shipp at in and go six and six.
I thinks seven and five is where you sit, considering
the schedule is so easy. And then to me, your
(11:59):
p is still eleven and one. I've said it before.
It's a bit of a cop out.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Of course, you want to have your.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
Senior quarterback out there. You don't now, but he was
eleven in the Big twelve and QBR that is below
average there's a law of averages. Therefore, if say Bear
Bachmeier is just an average quarterback, he is now better
per the.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
Metrics than what Jake Rerhetz laugh gave you.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Because as much as he won you those games last
year against Oklahoma State or Utah, he also lost you
Kansas and Arizona State. So this year, for BYU, your
floor seven and five, your ceilings eleven and one. Because
still that schedule is just as easy as it gets
in the Big twelve.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
That's not a bad thing. You shouldn't be upset with that.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Bau fans should rejoice that in a year where your
starting quarterback is gone, you still have a slate that
is fairly, fairly manageable. Now Texas, tecond Iowa State that
by week in between those your two most brutal. If
you end up winning one of those, you're favored, and
probably the rest of the games you play that's eleven
and one. Now you could lose both, you'd probably go
(12:55):
ten to two in that case, but still favored in
my opinion, ten off your twelve game on paper right now. Therefore,
BYU at eleven and one should not shocked shock anyone.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Love that breakdown from Drake toll locked on Big twelve.
He's a Big twelve football inshider. Make sure you're subscribed
to his podcast. Make sure you're following on X. Couple
last things before we let you go, Drake, appreciate you
joining us. What are the pros and cons of trotting
out a true freshman for the twenty twenty five football season.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Do you think if Bear Bachmeier wins the job, do you.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Want to ask Kyle Whittingham about Isaac Wilson?
Speaker 4 (13:38):
You know, I mean there.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Are your pro could be seeing a star before your eyes,
like a Jameis Winston was so young when he was
in Heisman contention. Your con is seeing in Isaac Wilson,
who I do think could be a good college quarterback
in a couple of years.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
He just wasn't ready.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
He really wasn't bad in the Southern Utah game, and
he looked bad the rest of the season when he
came into the youths.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
That's what you're risking.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
I think if you'd ask any BYU fan during his
recruiting process, do you want Isaac Wilson.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
They would have said yes.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
It's not like BYU can say.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Alway's always been a bad quarter right now. Everybody wanted
the kid and put in the right position. I think
we all agree he can be good. But if you
give a guy too much to bite and chew before
he's ready, you can can squash a college career fairly early.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
And I don't think by using the business of doing that,
and they will do that.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
But for Bear Bachmeier, he could be Jameis Winston or
he could be Isaac Wilson. Those are the pros and
the cons. That's your your ceiling and your floor. We
just saw the floor of it in the Big Twelve
last season with the team forty miles away.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
It happens, man, Sometimes you got to try a true
freshman out there and deal with the consequences, the cons
and the pro Sometimes the cons how weigh the pros.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
But BYU's initial schedule.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
That may bode well for Brigham Trotten out a true freshman.
There's some winnable games there, I think.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
So that's where I have full confidence that BYU can
build these for three Stanford is a dumpster fire. I
mean truly, it may be easier than a couple of
those games against FCS opponents. You're going on the road
against Eastern Carolina that could be the toughest of the
three actually because of how bad Stanford looks right now.
And given those I love that if it is bear Bachmeyer,
he gets an opportunity to play against an FCS school.
(15:27):
Then from there he gets to play it against the
Division one school but still at home or Division one
A school, I should say.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
And then finally go on the road. Play play a wiley.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Team like East Carolina that's not going to have the
defensive line of a Texas Tech or the backfield defensive
backfield of Utah. Play a team on the road like
East Carolina. Get your feet underneath you. That could play
really well for.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
A young guy.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
And again that's why I think BYU can use this
as a launch board for a season that isn't disappointing
just because there isn't a guy named Jake Retz laugh
under center?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Do you think Jake's QB one and two? Lane?
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (16:02):
Man?
Speaker 4 (16:02):
I know you're.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Recovering Lane Wave, but what does your heart tell you?
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Well, when you have three quarterbacks, you have negative one, right.
We learned that at Oklahoma State when Gundy had his
son out there just trying everything and anything. A couple
of years ago, we're gonna see, man, we're gonna see
something like that. I think in tu Lane they're gonna
take too long to figure it out and it might
go south.
Speaker 5 (16:27):
I just don't know.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
If again, Ben, if we've if we learned anything out
of his whole Retslav situation, he just he maybe isn't
as good when you really get him out there.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
As as the as the cult hero he became at.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
B yu uh and you could be better off without him.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Take that as an taken as an example. He's at
Tulane and he's not even a sure fire starter. That
that shows me the buy You didn't need him to
win this year. Now, had he signed with Notre Dame
have been there number one, then you're going, shoot, we
really lost a good one. But if if I'm if
I'm a Cougars fan again, you wish the best forum
for the rest of his career. But moving on isn't
(17:04):
going to end the entire world.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Bye guy, Drake told ladies and gentlemen, Drake. Best way
to support you what you do, how you do it
For all of our listeners.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Yep at locked on Big twelve on Twitter, where we
fund your podcast and YouTube and if you like bad tweets.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
It's at Drake C Toll before you find all those.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Drake love and appreciate you man. Thanks for hopping on today.
Speaker 4 (17:25):
Ben, always a pleasure. We'll talk again in a couple
of weeks.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Let's go.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
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choose Bomba Metics over anything else. Ronnie, your thoughts, your commentary,
your follow up.
Speaker 6 (17:53):
I like this comment, you know, in regards to trying
out a true freshman quarterback, and thought about what happened
Isac will and that kind of gets underplayed of confidence, right,
you know? And I think you go back to the recruitment.
A lot of fans did want Isaac. You know what
happened with Zach everything, Oh yeah, and then when he
started planning things didn't go well. You're like, maybe I
don't want him anymore, you know, So that's a that's
(18:15):
a good fear, you know, to have their pros and cons.
I think the boat, but I just liked that he
took a local kid and actually an actual situation you
could look at and be like, okay, this, then maybe
go to what not getting granted, the schedule was different
for BYU and how you look at if Bear were
to be the guy, if in having Portland State, Stanford
and then East Carolina, I think the non conference is different.
(18:35):
But that's a worrisome if things didn't go well and
you if that's the direction they win, and then you
resorted to a experienced guy, how much confidence would that
kill in? You know, the freshman Bear backamros it completely
not even that he just balls out. You don't know, Ben,
But I just wanted to highlight that that was something
I didn't think about.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
We'll got a break, don't go anywhere. Still a lot
to get to.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
On a Tuesday edition August twelfth edition of Cougar Sports.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Here on one of three nine a ninety eight point
three he
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