September 5, 2025 • 45 mins
Ben Criddle talks BYU sports every weekday from 2 to 6 pm.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's with Ben Krettle at its time for the Cougar Beat.
Getting the dish from the local reporters that cover Cougar athletics.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Welcome back Cougar Sports. One of three nine ninety eight
point three, ESPN the Fan. I've been crital broadcasting from
our Vanderwild studios. Bantererwell dot com got a star studded
cast in studio. Shout out to Sean Walkercasel dot Com,
Brett Hammer, Ronald than three Man Weaver, Jeff Fuller, Shout
out to Vic Graham and Zach Robinson as well doing
the work behind the scenes, and he stop for a
little Cougar Beat. It's gonna be brought to you by
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(00:34):
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ESPN the Fan. I don't know which coupon code is active.
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Speaker 1 (00:41):
Uh no, not yet.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
They're working on getting it fixed on boiled down.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
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premoglf apparel dot com. All right, let's get into a
cougar beet with action Jackson Payn of the desertt News. Jackson,
how are you man? Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
It's good to be here. Man doing well.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
How are you guys doing awesome?
Speaker 5 (01:18):
Man?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Thanks for joining us. A couple of things I want
to delve into to start it off. My guy, Jeff Fuller,
the man of metrics, love when he delves into the data.
He posted this earlier today. Twenty four to seven has
their roster rankings. These are the five least talented P
four rosters per two four seven. It's BYU at seventy
(01:42):
I was stated seventy one, Indiana at seventy two, Cincinnati
a seventy three and seventy four. Wake Forest, You know
what does this mean to you? Right as you're covering BYU,
you've seen what they're doing. Over the last four five
years or so, they've had three couple of digit win seasons.
Yet they're roster typically ranks from a talent standpoint per
(02:05):
two four seven and two four seven is a credible institution, right,
They're pretty good at what they do. It's all they do.
They've been doing it over twenty years. This is their specialty.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
What does it?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
What story does this tell you about by you or
even I always state Indiana Cincinnati Wake Force.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
Yeah, I mean recruiting is such a cosmic gumbo, right,
Like you never know what you're really gonna get. A
lot of these classes that BIU brings in some of
the higher rated players might not amount to much, but
a walk on becomes a Tyler Algier type story, right.
And so I feel like I've said it before on
this program. I've said it before many times. It's kind
of like that scene from Miracle where Herb Brook says,
(02:43):
we don't want the best players, we want the right ones.
And b YU has a very specific fit that they
look for in players, and sometimes that doesn't align with
traditional recruiting stars or prestige. And it's worked out pretty well.
I mean, there's a talented coaching staff, Jay Hill and
Gernardo Guildford, Aaron Roderick Harvey Unga. I mean there's there's
a lot of really solid coaches on this by staff
that develop players well and find diamonds and the rough.
(03:05):
You know, they find these walk ons, they find these
FCS Weaver state type transfers, they develop players well. I
just I don't. I mean, recruiting is important in college football,
but let's not act like it's the end all be all.
Player development is so key and so I just think
it goes. It's just a testament to Colonie Sataki's operation
and being able to get the most out of his
guys that develop guys and find, like I said, the
(03:26):
right guys for the perfect thing, and you know, for
the culture that BYU has, which is unique, and it's
not just you can't just plug in the best players.
You want guys who can fit exactly what you're trying
to do, and they've done a really good job at that.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
I'm gonna include Jeff in this conversation too, Jeff Fowller,
who put out the tweet and has been aggregating a
lot of this data. What are your three factors here?
That you contribute these these stats to these objective data
points too.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, And Jackson hit on the first two
of those. I think the first one is, you know,
how well do you develop the players that you have?
You know, first off getting the right ones, but you know, coaching,
are you developing the players and making the most out
of them that they can be? And maybe you know,
the seasoning of the mission time might be helpful for
some of those guys, whether it's maturity or body development
(04:11):
for some of the linemen, the non skill players might
be might have a little benefit where the skill players
may have a little setback by being away from the game.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
And then number two is you know.
Speaker 5 (04:23):
Are they how well are they sort of finding these
diamonds in the rough? Are they able to evaluate some
talent that maybe is off the radar, you know, being
in a relatively smaller market like here in Utah and
other places like you know, Iowa State and and other places.
Are you finding you know, these Idaho farm boys, are
you finding these you know Iowa farm boys that are
(04:43):
that are just not on the radar? And I think
that leads into the number number three one is these
recruiting side algorithms. You know, they they do have great evaluators,
they have people who are full time that they're professional institutions,
and there's no questioning that you have to have elite
talent to rise to the highest levels of the sport.
(05:06):
The blue chip ratio, other things. If you want to
win a national championship. You know, it's it's been shown
for close to twenty years now. I think that you
have to have the majority of your roster needs to
be above you know, four or five stars, and you know,
will someone eventually break that ceiling. Maybe, But when these
players get these offers from some of the top blue
(05:27):
blood programs, these algorithms go crazy and their ratings get boosted.
They used to call it the Bama bump, where you
got that Alabama offer where you may have been rated
an eighty US.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Yeah. Yeah, and there's something to that.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
You know, these programs don't want to they don't they're
not going to offer someone that's horrible. So you know,
they have good evaluators, but at a certain point it
becomes a self fulfilling prophecy as well that hey, we
offer a guy and maybe he was a ninety one,
but now that we offered him he's a ninety ninety
five and he's a five star instead of a four star.
(06:02):
And so you get that bump by getting the offers
from some of the elite programs. And and also as
I've gone through and looked at all this recruiting information
and where teams that these big markets, so Los Angeles,
the Texas markets, and especially Florida, there is some insane
like great inflation going on at.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
High school recruiting.
Speaker 5 (06:24):
And uh, I've got some of that listed in some
of these reports that we've put up over the last
few weeks. But uh, that's that feeds part of this.
There is something too. You might take some of the
Florida schools or Texas schools or California schools total talent
rankings with a little bit of a grain of salt,
because a lot of these players are coming through these
recruiting mills, these seven on seven you know, circuits and camps,
(06:47):
and they you know, they they get they get a
benefit from going to that and being having all these
eyes on them, getting all these offers.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
They're their recruiting rankings do jump up.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, you look at the you know, for instance, the
Stanford game Action Jackson Pain of the Desert ret News.
You look at their recruiting ranks over the last five years,
and I mean they have a probably a I don't know,
a median average recruiting ranking around forty. Stanford is much better,
almost twice as good then BYU from a personal acquisition standpoint.
(07:16):
Yet they are a heavy dog in this game. What
do you make of it, Jackson? What do you see
in this game? Give me a little prognostication and comments
on this.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Yeah, I mean Stanford might be better at getting recruits,
but by he's better at winning games. That's just kind
of the story of the story of the programs right there.
But I think Stanford's definitely got something to prove. I'd assume,
like you know, they got an interim coach. They lost
in dramatic fashion at Hawaii, which is never something to
hang your hat on. I think that it's a chip
(07:50):
on their shoulder type team. They're trying to just figure out.
Guys are playing for the future, playing for the portal,
playing for you know, what they're gonna do after this year,
and so there's a hungry group. Can't underestimate this team.
But at the same time, there's just not a ton
of great talent, Like BYU is the far superior team.
You know, if you were to look at kind of stakes,
it feels like this is kind of from Stanford's perspective.
(08:12):
This is like BYU going into Wisconsin in twenty eighteen,
and you know, Wisconsin played a poor game. BYU did
everything game plan wise to perfection. You know, they ran
the ball well, they played solid defense. That's kind of
a key to Stanford. I feel like, is you got
to make Bear Bachmeyer's life really difficult, blitz him, pressure
him everything you can do, and then try to control
(08:33):
the clock. But I just I don't know. Just BYU
is just it's a more well coached team, It's a
more talented team. It's really hard to play in provo
at late at night. I just I just don't see
any world where Stanford wins this game. You know, covering
is a whole other things because the spread is so big.
But still, like even then, I feel like BYU wins
by at least three touchdowns like that. It's just it's
really hard for me to see a scenario where that
(08:54):
doesn't happen. So long as you know, Bear isn't getting
sacked every other play, right.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
So you're prognosticating, you're predicting BAYU covers the spread. I
think last time I checked it was at twenty and
a half. Yeah, you're sitting at twenty and a half.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Yeah, I mean, I'm not a gambling man, but I
think that's a decent bet. Ba's defense is really good
and Stanford doesn't have a great offense. Like Stanford's defense
is okay, like they're gonna make things interesting for Bear,
but at the same time, like Bear was a four
star recruit for a reason, and BYU's offensive playmakers that
the LJ. Martins, the Chase Roberts is, I mean, they're
that's a solid crop they got there. And so I'm
I just feel like the matchup just favors BYU two
(09:32):
too heavily.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Yeah, and what you.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
Said earlier about, you know, by US the more talented team.
You know, you look at those twenty for seven rankings
and has been alluded to, you know, Stanford's closer to
a forty fifth total talent ranking and BYU seventieth. But
I mean, anyone who puts eyes on those teams and
watches them over the last couple of years, BYU clearly
looks like the more talented team, even though that that
(09:57):
sort of runs in the face of the recruiting rankings.
So again, kudos to the staff, the development, strength and conditioning,
the players themselves who are bought in. You know, it's
great to see what's been happening there and it'll be
interesting to see, you know, who rises did the occasion
this Saturday as far as beating expectations, because that's what
it's all about. You know, you can you beat the expectations?
(10:18):
Can you you know, impress the voters and the metrics
and the computers and everything.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
So what does a win over Stanford at home for
BYU mean to this program? Do you think? What does
it mean in the grand scheme of things in collegeotable
outside of just getting another victory, another notch at b
why you spelled in twenty twenty five? What do you
make of it?
Speaker 4 (10:41):
I mean, it's it's a power four team, but Stanford
maybe the worst power four team in the country, and
Stanford the brand has kind of lost as luster, And
I mean it's just it's a powerful win on paper
that looks good I think more than anything, like just
until you you're certain that Bear is the guy if
he can do it against Portland State, can you still
do it against Stanford? And then after that, can you
(11:02):
do it against East Carolina? Like East Carolina probably beat Stanford,
you would think, so his competition is gonna get tougher
and tougher each week. It's a favorable situation being at home,
being late night, playing against the bad team. I just
I think, just I don't know, I don't think. To me,
maybe Stanford just having been a recruiting rival of BYU
for so long, the whole Pac twelve, the former Pac
(11:24):
twelve thing, and just wanting to make a statement in
that regard Shore that probably means something. But at the
same time, it's not like this is the Andrew Luck,
Andrew Luck the player I should say, the Andrew Luck
Christian McCaffrey Stanford team. I just I mean, it's just
this is a bad team that that's coming to Provo,
and by you should be able to pounce. And so
I think just winning handily is the statement that, yeah,
BYU's as good as we think they are. This is
(11:46):
the Portland State thing. Wasn't just a bad FBS team.
This is you can do this against the FBS team.
You can you do this against the power team let
alone a bet, like you know, albeit a bad one.
But I think BYU just needs to do what they're
supposed to and that means something and in this match,
no doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Jackson Payne Deseratnews Desratnews dot com. Jackson, last question for you.
It's a it's a philosophical one. But you've been a
part of rivalry rivalry twitter. Uh now and again I
know how you like to dabble in a little bit
of it. Yay or nay? Would you say on this?
Do you sustain or do you not sustain? My guy,
Dave Christensen BYU fan, he's over at a ward Co says,
(12:25):
I'm establishing a new rule that you can't tweet about
UTAH or b YU football unless you have your name
and photo in your profile. Goes into affect two pm
Eastern time today. Do you sustain or not? Do you
like this or hate it?
Speaker 6 (12:40):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (12:40):
I think it's smart, you know, I mean, you got
to give you Accountability is an important thing in Enlightened.
So if you're gonna be dishing it out, be willing
to put a face behind it, be willing to stay
by your takes. You know, don't don't don't what's out
Like obviously, my as I've tried to grow more and
more professional over the years, I've tried to stay away
from starting fires and jumping in on the pot. But
(13:00):
at the same time, I see the things on the
on my timeline. I see U taught fans of CBAU fans,
I see Utah State fans. It's it's I mean, it
can get brutal out there. And so yeah, it's let's
not get the wires crossed right, like, let's let's stand
by your takes. Let's let's own up to what you do.
Let's be accountable. And I mean, if you're not willing
(13:20):
to show who you are when you say something, is
it worth saying at all?
Speaker 1 (13:24):
You know?
Speaker 4 (13:24):
So I just I think it's a smart rule.
Speaker 6 (13:26):
Dave.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
Dave's got something going on.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Love it, Jackson. Best way to support to you what
you do, how you do it before you let you go.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Yeah, read the Desert News. We're free, we're online, we're
in we're in print, follow me at Jackson five, paint
on Twitter or x whatever you call it. And yeah,
I mean I'm putting out stuff there all the time.
So check it out.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Love it man. Thanks so much Jackson, appreciate you joining
us for a cougar beat.
Speaker 6 (13:46):
All right, so you guys, thank you diego.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
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a cougar segment under our belt. One of the last
players of a of an Era by Gone Okay, Brandon Heeney,
former BAU defensive back, will join us next to discuss
what those battles of Brigham versus Stanford, what they were like.
In three and O four, will get caught up with
him his family, what he's doing these days, and also
talks on BYU and Stanford football. Coming up next, this
(14:53):
is Cougar Sports on one oh three, nine ninety eight
point three esp Cheaping up with the Cougars.
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before you head out to thrust in your sickle with
your mic and lay it up in store that you
perisheth not. Let's get out to the hotline and welcome
in former BYU. Great defensive back he played versus Stamford
(16:41):
once upon a time at three ZHO four. He was
a transfer from Air Force. Let's welcome in the speedster
out of Trebuco Hills, California. Brandon Heeney number thirty four.
What's up, Brandon, my man, Ben.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
Great to be back connected man, thanks for having me on.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Always a pleasure man. Love connecting with you first and foremost.
How's the family. Give us an update on family work,
Where you live in all that stuff?
Speaker 5 (17:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (17:05):
Absolutely, absolutely, so really quick. I actually live up here
in Park City, Utah. I am a work for Sallic
City Fire. I am the health and wellness captain for
the whole department. Been with the department for eighteen years.
And we have three kids. I've got a daughter thirteen,
two sons nine and seven, and my wife, she's a
(17:27):
former BIU standout soccer player. So I married Bobby Tillotson
and we have a great life up here in Park City.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Tell us about the kiddos.
Speaker 6 (17:37):
Yeah, So, my thirteen year old daughter, she for some
reason loves football, can you imagine that? And she plays
lacrosse and some other sports, but she has gone all
in on flag football. It's a new sport here, high
school sport in the state of Utah. This is the
first year that the state is holding a league. And
(17:58):
I'm actually helping co the high school team up here.
In Park City, so we're excited about that. And really
it's just been awesome to have a path forward for
these girls to play football. I think I Betty should
have the opportunity to play this awesome game. And it's
really fun to see my daughter come up through those
ranks and participate in it.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
I love it. Man. How can the community get involved?
This sounds like a fantastic thing, and you know, you
got to get the ladies falling out on the football field.
I've seen Steve Young coach up his daughters. It sounds
like you're doing the.
Speaker 6 (18:29):
Same same thing, same thing. This is the inaugural league.
The Raiders are actually sponsoring the league, which is really cool.
So all of our uniforms have the Raider logo on it.
There's ten teams in the league and we actually kick
off the season September fifteenth at Cottonwood High School. We
have two teams at Park City because we had so
many girls come out for the team, so we had
to split up into two teams and we have a
(18:53):
two games that night and we'll just be traveling around.
Most of the games will be held in Park City
and then down in the valley at Cottonwood and Lee
High throughout the season. It's a eight to ten game
season and then playoffs in November. So it's just the
start of something really big. And what we found is
the demand these girls. Just culturally in America, it's football
is part of the culture. And these girls have been
(19:14):
watching their dads and the brothers watch this game and
play this game, and they've been there by their sides
and now they have an avenue to get out on
this field and play it too. And I tell you what,
they are good. They are really good. And it's fun.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Love that Brandon Haney, former by Great Defense is back talking,
just getting caught up with him his family and they get
to talk to some ball here Brandon BYU Stanford, what
do you recall about those battles once upon the time
three to four?
Speaker 6 (19:41):
Absolutely? So you know, my biggest recollection of Stanford is
they play assignment sound football. They were big, they were disciplined,
they were smart, which is no surprise, right, and you
couldn't make mistakes against Stanford, and if you threw the
interception or you blew some coverages, they were going to capitalize.
And in three we had we had a good defensive game,
(20:02):
but we had some some turnovers in that game and we
weren't able to capitalize. We should have been able to
capitalize at home and Lavella Edwards, I'm really hoping to
see us take that win tomorrow against them, a little
revenge game. But then at Stanford that next season, man,
they just they blew the top off of us. So
they took a kick return back in ninety seven yards
(20:22):
for a touchdown and then the game was over after that.
You can't make mistakes against Stanford and otherwise they capitalize.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Yeah, it's it's always an interesting battle with those that
kind of mirror who b YU has been in recruiting
right like same similar you went to Air Force. There's
a little bit of a common theme of culture, you know,
personalities in the locker room a little bit. There's some
equivalent scenes. But amongst those three teams. Now, b Y
(20:51):
typically really good in the trench warfare game with offensive
defensive line of big guys. Air Force not so much
due to those restrictions of high weight, I guess when
you're into the Air Force. But Stafford has has some
mirrored talents. I would say on the other.
Speaker 6 (21:05):
Side, absolutely, they you know, they know who they are.
They have an identity and that was going back to
when we played them, and that really paved the way
for then Harbaugh came in as the coach and then
Brianshaw continued that, and they just have a legacy of
establishing who they are and you have to match that
and you have to beat them with your own game.
And I think going back to three h four was
(21:27):
a tail end of Croton's career, same as mine. My
career spanned the same with as curtains and with some
QB injuries and the inability just to establish an identity
and a culture. Those stronger culture teams are going to
win and they have the edge up and so we
lost some of that those last couple of years of curtain.
(21:50):
Fortunately for the program itself, we had Bronco within the
coaching ranks and was able to establish his culture and
he set that identity, but we we kind of lost
that for a couple of years.
Speaker 7 (22:03):
Hey, Brandon and Sean here and this is game too
obviously for both of these teams. Stanford obviously started a
little bit earlier Week zero game at Hawaii BYU opening
up last week against Portland State and SCS team. Was
there anything from last week's game against the Vikings that
maybe by you can kind of take and translate into playing,
(22:26):
let's be totally realized, a significant step up in competition,
going from the lower tier of the SCS to a
powerful opponent in Stanford.
Speaker 6 (22:34):
You know, it's just it's confidence, and it's it's believing
in yourself, leaving in your team, believing what you had
done throughout this offseason. And this is a it was
a pivotal coming out game for you know, a freshman QB.
And that was a great opponent to start the season with.
And so we just have to I think even though
we may we're not going to face another you know,
town level like Port and State, we can take what
(22:56):
we learned from that, and that's the confidence, and that's
the ability to turn that into moments going up against Stanford.
I think that would be the biggest takeaway.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
What do you recall about that era, that Gary Croton era.
Why is it that you guys had so much talent?
You guys are a great You guys had a great
set of football players, and some great recruits come through,
some ended up in the NFL, and and there was
a lot of success there. But what was it that
that limited maybe that that O three to H four
(23:26):
team from meeting its potential.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
Yeah, and I you know, I think injury had to
do with it. We had a little bit of a
quarterback carousel, and to nobody's fault, right, we just had
some injuries at the quarterback position and forced John beck
H to play as a true freshman, and which was
great for the program, you know, two three, four years
down the road, but it was a tough transition period
to the program and we didn't have the long game
(23:50):
due to see it out with coach Croton and I
think coach Uh he was a little bit of a
journeyman coach as well, and so he was learning his
culture and his identity and his how to establish the
standard and maintain that. But if you if you're trying
to figure that out, you know, for a couple of years,
that's not the time to do it at b YU.
(24:11):
And so I think that translated over to some some
losses that should have been wins, and then things cut,
you know, and you don't go to bull game for
a couple of years. The standard set at Uyu. We
go to bull games and we compete, and when you
can't do that, you know it's time for a new
new coach, which is unfortunate. I really like coach Curtin
as a person. I love my time at DOYU. We
(24:33):
had some great athletes NFL talent level, Aaron Francisco, Brady Papinga,
and ultimately she just couldn't have the glue to sustain
some of those, you know, those storms that that you're
ultimately going to face in the season.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
You guys are also running a three three five? What
what the what? What percentage of man coverage are you
guys employing at the time. Seems like you guys are
bringing the house on every play.
Speaker 6 (24:57):
Yeah, you know, I think it was.
Speaker 8 (24:58):
It was.
Speaker 6 (24:59):
It was deceptive. It was acceptive because I don't think
I played a whole lot of man coverage. If I
had my choice, man, put me up on the line
of scrimmage and just leave me one on one with
the receiver. That's how I would.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
But you guys didn't play a lot of man coverage
in that three three five When Bronco came over, No.
Speaker 6 (25:14):
No, we did it. We were we were zoned. We
were shifting and dropping in and disguising stuff. But we
were all lined up ten yards off the ball eight
yards off the ball and then we were moving from there,
and so it was tough. And you have a receiver
ten yard head smart because you're trying to disguise the
back end because you're playing at three three five right,
you don't have the bodies up front to manhandle and
(25:37):
sotoft the run, and so it's more of a smoke
and mirrors defense than it is, you know, just a
come out of defense. And I would have for my
skill level, skill set, I would have loved to play
more man demand. We just didn't have that. But that
being said, it was a fun defensive play like we
were flying around in you know, bronfo. It was all
effort all the time, somewhat to the detriment of our
(25:58):
house on the side there fas because we were going
full speed on Thursdays and Fridays. But that was just
he was setting the tone and the culture was starting
then for his ultimate you know, taker of the program.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
A couple of years later, Brandon Heeney, former BA defensive back,
talking some BYU Football here on ESPN the Fan and
a keeping Up with the Cougar segment brought to you
by odeon Men's where Odion Men'swear dot Com. So, Brandon,
have you been keeping tabs on this BWA you Cougar
football team. Do you have any favorite players you've enjoyed
watching on this team or in the last year's team?
Speaker 6 (26:32):
You know a little here and there. The problem is
with life once you have three kids and you you
spread thin and your coaching three different teams, it's tough
to sit down and catch full games. But there has
been a lot of fun to catch the games when
I can. And unfortunately I haven't been to a game
in a few years now, and I would love to
make it back to Lavelle and catch a game. It
(26:55):
just hasn't hasn't happened recently. But I'm really excited about
the pet potential of bear Man. I think if you
can come out as a freshman and ball like that
and play and just get some confidence and put together
a string of games this year, I mean, I don't
know what the ceiling is, you know, as a program two, three,
(27:15):
four years from now. You mentioned that's the most exciting
part for me.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Yeah, you mentioned the true freshman John Beck being trotted out.
He eventually became a second round draft pick to the
Miami Dolphins in the National Football League, But you know,
junior and senior year was where he really took off.
As everyone grew into the system, everyone grew into maybe
the strength and conditioning room, etc. That young talent really
(27:39):
developed and Bear fortunately has a very good tenured supporting
cast offensively, defensively, in special teams. Which if you're going
to start a true freshman quarterback, that's the ideal situation,
not the one that John Beck found himself in.
Speaker 6 (27:54):
No ideal, ideal, ideal, and the coaching staff just kudos
to them, right building that and planning for that and
having the pieces around him so that it's not on him.
He can hand the ball off and he can run
his plays within his scope and doesn't have to extend
beyond what he is capable of right now as a
true freshman. And that's just going to build his confidence.
And that's why you love football because it takes all
(28:15):
eleven on both sides of the ball. It's not on
one person. And so that experience on both sides of
the ball, like it takes all of us. We're one
team united in this front and as we take on
Sanford and the rest of the opponents, and so it's
not on him, which is great.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
Last question for you, Brandon, who are the toughest receiver.
Who's the toughest receiver you had to guard while at BYU?
And who's the toughest receiver you had to guard when
you were going against the foes of the BYU football schedule.
Speaker 6 (28:48):
Okay, so I'm going to go two names at YU,
both for different reasons. Number not even in order. So
my roommate Kobe Christensen, all time shifty slot receiver. Right,
He's gonna shake and bake you, super hard to handle
on the inside when he's got a two way go
coming at you. And even though he didn't catch a
lot of balls against me in practice, he was awesome
(29:10):
in the games. And then number two would be Todd Watkins.
I mean his speed, just his flat out speed. You
were always just having a turn those hip and protect
yourself on the backside, which gave him the deep comeback,
which gave him the deep in which gave him the
curl like because you were had to get out of
here if she wanted to defend him over the top.
So those two definitely come to mind off the top
(29:31):
of my head. And then Mike Williams out of USC
just talk about a tall, lanky receiver that could use
his body and go up and get get it. You know,
six' five, first five to, ten that's a that's a tough.
Matchup but he you, know he was all everything AT
usc and he tried to leave early for a good
(29:51):
reason because he was.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Dynamic i'd echo those same. Sentiments Todd watkins was a
very tough. GUARD i can't minute and five right after
you graduate and had to guard him on the scout
team every single. Day that was, tough, right very.
Speaker 8 (30:07):
Humbling, indeed you have his track spikes on and he
was just going deep and you had to go with
him and then you just break it off and which is, good.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
No doubt about. It, Well, brandon we'll see you soon
down At Lavelle Edward. Stadium thanks for hopping on for
a little keeping up with The. Cougars and hopefully This
cougar football team can make it two in a row
and even the score BYU's one and two all time
against The Stanford. Cardinals so if they win, tomorrow it's
two and two and we can you, know bring ballance
(30:38):
to the force if you.
Speaker 6 (30:39):
Will, absolutely let's Go. CUBES i appreciate.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
It ben thank, You thank You Brendon. Heeney ladies and.
Gentlemen that was a keeping up with The cougar segment
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sports on ONE o three nine ninety eight point three eesp.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
It Ben krittle's life accomplishments include a two time conference,
championship creator of the ode to the Walk on business,
mogul and Every cougar fans favorite weekday sports radio. Host
this Is Cougar sports With Ben krittle right here on
ONE o three Nine night THREE espn The.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
Fan, yes this is college football music right, Here disturb
Ropp in two, thousand down with the. Sickness you can
lift thirty five more weight when you're listening to this
(32:08):
type of.
Speaker 7 (32:09):
MUSIC i was just about to, say this feels like
high school me weightlifting.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Music bro after one Rep Max, DAY i mean, YEAH
i mean you were probably jamming out to To Disturb
band of The. Day down with the, Sickness but we're.
Sick we're down with the sickness of just loving college.
Football and that's the way we love gollge football college.
(32:34):
Football we are the secos of college. Football here out OF,
esbn the fan band of. That he brought to By
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(32:54):
ten percent off your. Order that's coupon CODE espn nine six.
Sixty come, on don't you want to lift weights right?
Now it's like do like a set of skull crushers
with a burnout of like close grip bench press and
then just like get up and just look at the tries,
afterwards like just. Yacked oh my, GOSH i miss those.
(33:16):
Days jeff knows What i'm talking. About, okay maybe on The.
Speaker 7 (33:21):
Jef jeff actually fun fact just barely came from the,
gym because he's looking pretty swell right. Now in that
that's your, studio there's.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
A vitrio retinal. Surgeon he lifts weights to keep the
the neuromuscular dexterity on point so he can perform the
best surgeries in the. Business Guys Sean, Walker brad always
bringing the. Hammer Jeff fuller in the. House ronald took
a little potty. Break wish him, Well. Ronnie get back
soon so we can talk some ball. TOGETHER a couple
(33:48):
of THINGS i want to get to in this. Segment
little college football, here, Dude time and time, AGAIN i
am just like slightly like, appalled not even, surprised but
just a pall That Nick saban's comments on the state
of college. Football, nick we see through The, fugazi The
(34:11):
fugeesi that you were living, In like we see through.
It this is What Nick saban had to say. Recently
and Look nick objectively all time great college football coach no,
censor buts about that maybe the greatest some people would.
Say Nick saban CLAIMS nil has given the big tenet
(34:33):
advantage over THE. Sec this is what he had to.
SAY i, mean kids grew up wanting to go TO, Lsu, Alabama,
georgia got the. Money now they don't mind going To Ohio,
state they don't mind going to play other. Places so
that geographic advantage at The Southeast conference may be changing
(34:56):
a little bit now with a different, culture With nil
and the money he involved in decision, MAKING i think
that's greated a bit of an edge for the big
teddy hopped out of The pat mac if you show
and that's what he had to. Say what is the
truth of the, Matter, Nick, NICK i, mean you're A bama.
Speaker 5 (35:13):
Guy HE'S i, mean he's not a next door, neighbor
but we we do live on the same lake and
have been on his dock and we're actually a dock
builder built his dock and was possibly gonna build. Our
so he took us there to sort of show us
and and. Such, Nick, yeah you're spot on the but
the goat of coaching and you, know yes he had
(35:35):
the best. Talent it was a time when you, know THE,
sec all the top programs have been given the bag
to some, degree and THE, SEC i think has been
able to keep it lower profile for longer and maybe.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
All liquid cash true bag.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
Yep so.
Speaker 5 (35:54):
Uh and you Know nick had the advantage as well
as he could get in a zoom meeting or get
in some you, know bring him into his office and
he could just line up his whole hands full of you,
know national championship, RINGS sec championship. RINGS i mean that
that was a big. Thing and he could tell every
every Recruit he's, like if you come, here you will
(36:14):
win a national. Championship and even if you don't start
the first couple of, years you you you, know over
a fifty percent chance you'll get drafted in the top three.
Rounds so absolutely greatest. Coach you, know no one will
ever achieve what he. Achieved but partly because of this
this nil and partly because of the transfer, portal the
world is flat now that the talent has spread. Around
(36:37):
you can't stack As georgia And alabama have been doing
talent so.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
Deep that that will.
Speaker 5 (36:42):
Wait they're going to go to you, know they're going
to go to ANOTHER sec. School a big ten school
they're gonna go. To you, know some of them may
even transfer down to THE g five level to be the,
starter to be the. Man, yeah because they know they
can parlay that into you, know a BIG nil contract going.
Speaker 3 (36:57):
Forward and it's.
Speaker 5 (36:58):
Great it's great for college for, well it's great to
see the, talent more talent on the field and more.
Programs uh, so, yeah very very tone deaf this. Kids you,
know kids have to go To Ohio state. Now they
all wanted to go To, Georgia, ALABAMA. LSU i mean
those are TOP sec. Programs but this geographic, ADVANTAGE i
(37:19):
don't say it's. GEOGRAPHIC i mean it was a financial
and you, know program reputation advantage that is that has
relatively gone away.
Speaker 7 (37:27):
NOW i think that's a great, Point, jeff because my
favorite part of the quote was the last part that
geographic advantage of The Southeast conference may be changing a
little bit now with the different, culture WITH nil the
money involved in decision. Making Did Nick saban just admit
openly on a live microphone on The pat McAfee show
THAT sec schools were the only teams that were paying
(37:49):
their athletes PRE, nil pre pre new era of college
football pre wild While west pre all of.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
That, like is that is that What nick?
Speaker 5 (37:59):
Saying it looking doesn't? It BECAUSE i don't call me.
CRAZY i don't think geography has Changed. Latch so the
geographics are, moving but they're not moving that that's that's,
if that's if that's the.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
CLAIM i, mean come, on tone, Deaf, nick you can do.
Speaker 5 (38:17):
Better and the goat of coaching definitely not the goat
of college football, analysis no.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
Commentating LIKE i don't know if he was truly aware
of anything that was going on during his tenure from
the donor, base from the fan, base. Etcetera he probably, said,
here no, evil, speak no, evil see no. EVIL i
just want to be able to coach. Football but there's
a reason Why Nick saban. Retired he saw the riding
(38:43):
on the, wall he saw the tsunami, coming he saw the,
Parody he saw what was going to. Happen he had
no more control of the third and fourth, strings second
string guys from you, know he still has got to have.
Speaker 5 (38:57):
His first string game. Guys Caleb, DOWNS i mean He
Caleb samons went To Ohio, state and you know he
he was forthright about saying. That, Uh nick was he
was like you, know it's, tough you, know DON'T i
don't like. This my wife doesn't like, dealing you. Know
all he, said all these players want to know now
is how Much i'm gonna get paid next. YEAR i
need to, know this, coach BECAUSE i need to know
(39:18):
If i'm gonna stay, here IF i have to look.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
Elsewhere and you, know.
Speaker 2 (39:22):
He never had to change for, Him he never had
to deal with that is what he never had to
deal with. That he let the, donors the bagman handle.
It lsho's been doing, It george's EVERY a lot of schools.
Speaker 3 (39:33):
Have been doing Bag Men states been doing.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
It Ohio state's been doing for a long. Time All
i've been doing. It now it's now it's perfectly you,
know within the by laws you can do. It so
never everybody can do. It and and so that's WHY,
smu who was given the death penalty for doing what
everybody else was doing in nineteen eighty is now at
the top of the food chain. Again, yep they were
in the top twenty five and made to The College
(39:56):
Football playoff last, season and they were a Competiti they were.
Good that's what's. Happened that's WHY BYU i think is
on the rise as. Well they've always been, Good they've
always been. Great they've always done more with less than
any other school out. There at, LEAST i think over
the last sixty years more wins per dollars spent than
any of the. Team AND i think we have enough
(40:17):
objective data now to probably proclaim that the, only the,
only the only, team the only university that has maybe
something to say about it in the modern era post
two thousand Is Boise state per dollars spent in their,
budget et. Cetera but look like these fans at the,
time they're not are spot on. Translation everyone is paying players,
(40:38):
now so THE sec lost the edge it used to.
Have we know that this is this is true now
since we're not the only schools paying, players we've lost our.
Advantage that is an. Act there's a reason Why vanderbilt
all of a sudden can Be. ALABAMA i, Mean vandy
was probably at even though they're a part of THE,
(41:00):
sec they were probably at a competitive disadvantage within THE
sec because they weren't allowed to.
Speaker 5 (41:06):
Cheat, well they were just they were paying their baseball.
Players they were top baseball, products.
Speaker 2 (41:11):
They were focused off. Baseball they weren't allocating the bagmen
weren't allocating resources of the football team. Period now they
are and now they Beat, alabama you know WHAT i.
Speaker 5 (41:25):
Mean IT'S i mean, yep and what would they have
Beat alabama If nick was still? THERE a lot Of alabama,
fans you, know they they Missed. NICK i think even
that that the program change has been interesting to see
Because Kalen beborg comes from The west where things are
a little. More you, know football is, important but football is.
Speaker 3 (41:43):
Not life to.
Speaker 5 (41:45):
Everybody, uh and he you, know the players were used
to a very, disciplined very structured, program and it's it's
been a it's been a tough. Transition and you know
a lot of people are loving to See alabama five
and five over their last ten, games with four losses
to unranked. TEAMS i, mean this is people are freaking
out In. Tuscaloosa it's it's, uh it's quite is this
(42:08):
is his homestead halfway entertaining from my from my, Perspective.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
YEAH i mean this there's a lot of mental health
issues that are going on In tuscaloosa right.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Now, yeah it's.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
True they want him, fired they want him. Out. Yep
HOW i, mean what.
Speaker 3 (42:24):
What sixty million dollar, buyout sixty million dollar.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
Buyout what would it take in your, opinion what does
the record have to be in order For kaylen to
get the boot or do you think it'll happen this
year even no matter, What.
Speaker 5 (42:37):
No if he if he makes the, playoff they're. Good he,
doesn't you, know he doesn't have to win the. PLAYOFF
i think if they make the, playoff if they show
progress this year from last, year he's gonna. Survive and
it's a big, biout it's a it's a structured. Buyout
it's it's planned, over you, know tapers, off and it's
something that people, say if there's you, know four or
(42:59):
more losses, again.
Speaker 3 (43:01):
He's he's. Gone he's. Gone so we'll we'll see if,
that if that comes to comes to.
Speaker 2 (43:07):
Fruition Oklahoma state is taking On oregon this week In,
gundy part of Our big twelve. Family one of our,
favorites The mullet, Himself i'm a, Man i'm a. Man,
well the man making some excuses. Here he says he
kind of gave a you know a little shot at
At Dan lanning and The Oregon, ducks you, know talking, about,
(43:29):
hey they spent like thirty million on their. Roster we
only spent like seven or something like, that And Dan,
Willing Dan lanning quit. Back we spend to. Win some
people save to have an.
Speaker 5 (43:41):
Excuse, yeah that was a that was a softball launched
up there For Dan lanning and and yeah, great great for.
HIM i Mean Mike gundy, COMPLAINED i Mean Phil knight
got the idea of doing what he did From Tebones,
pickings that mega Donor, Yeah oklahoma. State you, know for
them to, say you, know the money advantage is just not.
(44:03):
Right it comes across as a little little cynical to say, that.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
No doubt about. It that's a little segment there and
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we'll go to. Break don't go anywhere more to get
To this Is Cougar sports on one oh three nine
ninety eight point three
It's with Ben Krettle at its time for the Cougar Beat.
Getting the dish from the local reporters that cover Cougar athletics.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Welcome back Cougar Sports. One of three nine ninety eight
point three, ESPN the Fan. I've been crital broadcasting from
our Vanderwild studios. Bantererwell dot com got a star studded
cast in studio. Shout out to Sean Walkercasel dot Com,
Brett Hammer, Ronald than three Man Weaver, Jeff Fuller, Shout
out to Vic Graham and Zach Robinson as well doing
the work behind the scenes, and he stop for a
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Premo Golf Apparel. Premo Golf Apparel dot com utilize the
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ESPN the Fan. I don't know which coupon code is active.
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Speaker 1 (00:41):
Uh no, not yet.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
They're working on getting it fixed on boiled down.
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Okay, yeah, yeah, let me know ESPN nine sixty or
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premoglf apparel dot com. All right, let's get into a
cougar beet with action Jackson Payn of the desertt News. Jackson,
how are you man? Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
It's good to be here. Man doing well.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
How are you guys doing awesome?
Speaker 5 (01:18):
Man?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Thanks for joining us. A couple of things I want
to delve into to start it off. My guy, Jeff Fuller,
the man of metrics, love when he delves into the data.
He posted this earlier today. Twenty four to seven has
their roster rankings. These are the five least talented P
four rosters per two four seven. It's BYU at seventy
(01:42):
I was stated seventy one, Indiana at seventy two, Cincinnati
a seventy three and seventy four. Wake Forest, You know
what does this mean to you? Right as you're covering BYU,
you've seen what they're doing. Over the last four five
years or so, they've had three couple of digit win seasons.
Yet they're roster typically ranks from a talent standpoint per
(02:05):
two four seven and two four seven is a credible institution, right,
They're pretty good at what they do. It's all they do.
They've been doing it over twenty years. This is their specialty.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
What does it?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
What story does this tell you about by you or
even I always state Indiana Cincinnati Wake Force.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
Yeah, I mean recruiting is such a cosmic gumbo, right,
Like you never know what you're really gonna get. A
lot of these classes that BIU brings in some of
the higher rated players might not amount to much, but
a walk on becomes a Tyler Algier type story, right.
And so I feel like I've said it before on
this program. I've said it before many times. It's kind
of like that scene from Miracle where Herb Brook says,
(02:43):
we don't want the best players, we want the right ones.
And b YU has a very specific fit that they
look for in players, and sometimes that doesn't align with
traditional recruiting stars or prestige. And it's worked out pretty well.
I mean, there's a talented coaching staff, Jay Hill and
Gernardo Guildford, Aaron Roderick Harvey Unga. I mean there's there's
a lot of really solid coaches on this by staff
that develop players well and find diamonds and the rough.
(03:05):
You know, they find these walk ons, they find these
FCS Weaver state type transfers, they develop players well. I
just I don't. I mean, recruiting is important in college football,
but let's not act like it's the end all be all.
Player development is so key and so I just think
it goes. It's just a testament to Colonie Sataki's operation
and being able to get the most out of his
guys that develop guys and find, like I said, the
(03:26):
right guys for the perfect thing, and you know, for
the culture that BYU has, which is unique, and it's
not just you can't just plug in the best players.
You want guys who can fit exactly what you're trying
to do, and they've done a really good job at that.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
I'm gonna include Jeff in this conversation too, Jeff Fowller,
who put out the tweet and has been aggregating a
lot of this data. What are your three factors here?
That you contribute these these stats to these objective data
points too.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, And Jackson hit on the first two
of those. I think the first one is, you know,
how well do you develop the players that you have?
You know, first off getting the right ones, but you know, coaching,
are you developing the players and making the most out
of them that they can be? And maybe you know,
the seasoning of the mission time might be helpful for
some of those guys, whether it's maturity or body development
(04:11):
for some of the linemen, the non skill players might
be might have a little benefit where the skill players
may have a little setback by being away from the game.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
And then number two is you know.
Speaker 5 (04:23):
Are they how well are they sort of finding these
diamonds in the rough? Are they able to evaluate some
talent that maybe is off the radar, you know, being
in a relatively smaller market like here in Utah and
other places like you know, Iowa State and and other places.
Are you finding you know, these Idaho farm boys, are
you finding these you know Iowa farm boys that are
(04:43):
that are just not on the radar? And I think
that leads into the number number three one is these
recruiting side algorithms. You know, they they do have great evaluators,
they have people who are full time that they're professional institutions,
and there's no questioning that you have to have elite
talent to rise to the highest levels of the sport.
(05:06):
The blue chip ratio, other things. If you want to
win a national championship. You know, it's it's been shown
for close to twenty years now. I think that you
have to have the majority of your roster needs to
be above you know, four or five stars, and you know,
will someone eventually break that ceiling. Maybe, But when these
players get these offers from some of the top blue
(05:27):
blood programs, these algorithms go crazy and their ratings get boosted.
They used to call it the Bama bump, where you
got that Alabama offer where you may have been rated
an eighty US.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Yeah. Yeah, and there's something to that.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
You know, these programs don't want to they don't they're
not going to offer someone that's horrible. So you know,
they have good evaluators, but at a certain point it
becomes a self fulfilling prophecy as well that hey, we
offer a guy and maybe he was a ninety one,
but now that we offered him he's a ninety ninety
five and he's a five star instead of a four star.
(06:02):
And so you get that bump by getting the offers
from some of the elite programs. And and also as
I've gone through and looked at all this recruiting information
and where teams that these big markets, so Los Angeles,
the Texas markets, and especially Florida, there is some insane
like great inflation going on at.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
High school recruiting.
Speaker 5 (06:24):
And uh, I've got some of that listed in some
of these reports that we've put up over the last
few weeks. But uh, that's that feeds part of this.
There is something too. You might take some of the
Florida schools or Texas schools or California schools total talent
rankings with a little bit of a grain of salt,
because a lot of these players are coming through these
recruiting mills, these seven on seven you know, circuits and camps,
(06:47):
and they you know, they they get they get a
benefit from going to that and being having all these
eyes on them, getting all these offers.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
They're their recruiting rankings do jump up.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, you look at the you know, for instance, the
Stanford game Action Jackson Pain of the Desert ret News.
You look at their recruiting ranks over the last five years,
and I mean they have a probably a I don't know,
a median average recruiting ranking around forty. Stanford is much better,
almost twice as good then BYU from a personal acquisition standpoint.
(07:16):
Yet they are a heavy dog in this game. What
do you make of it, Jackson? What do you see
in this game? Give me a little prognostication and comments
on this.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Yeah, I mean Stanford might be better at getting recruits,
but by he's better at winning games. That's just kind
of the story of the story of the programs right there.
But I think Stanford's definitely got something to prove. I'd assume,
like you know, they got an interim coach. They lost
in dramatic fashion at Hawaii, which is never something to
hang your hat on. I think that it's a chip
(07:50):
on their shoulder type team. They're trying to just figure out.
Guys are playing for the future, playing for the portal,
playing for you know, what they're gonna do after this year,
and so there's a hungry group. Can't underestimate this team.
But at the same time, there's just not a ton
of great talent, Like BYU is the far superior team.
You know, if you were to look at kind of stakes,
it feels like this is kind of from Stanford's perspective.
(08:12):
This is like BYU going into Wisconsin in twenty eighteen,
and you know, Wisconsin played a poor game. BYU did
everything game plan wise to perfection. You know, they ran
the ball well, they played solid defense. That's kind of
a key to Stanford. I feel like, is you got
to make Bear Bachmeyer's life really difficult, blitz him, pressure
him everything you can do, and then try to control
(08:33):
the clock. But I just I don't know. Just BYU
is just it's a more well coached team, It's a
more talented team. It's really hard to play in provo
at late at night. I just I just don't see
any world where Stanford wins this game. You know, covering
is a whole other things because the spread is so big.
But still, like even then, I feel like BYU wins
by at least three touchdowns like that. It's just it's
really hard for me to see a scenario where that
(08:54):
doesn't happen. So long as you know, Bear isn't getting
sacked every other play, right.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
So you're prognosticating, you're predicting BAYU covers the spread. I
think last time I checked it was at twenty and
a half. Yeah, you're sitting at twenty and a half.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Yeah, I mean, I'm not a gambling man, but I
think that's a decent bet. Ba's defense is really good
and Stanford doesn't have a great offense. Like Stanford's defense
is okay, like they're gonna make things interesting for Bear,
but at the same time, like Bear was a four
star recruit for a reason, and BYU's offensive playmakers that
the LJ. Martins, the Chase Roberts is, I mean, they're
that's a solid crop they got there. And so I'm
I just feel like the matchup just favors BYU two
(09:32):
too heavily.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Yeah, and what you.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
Said earlier about, you know, by US the more talented team.
You know, you look at those twenty for seven rankings
and has been alluded to, you know, Stanford's closer to
a forty fifth total talent ranking and BYU seventieth. But
I mean, anyone who puts eyes on those teams and
watches them over the last couple of years, BYU clearly
looks like the more talented team, even though that that
(09:57):
sort of runs in the face of the recruiting rankings.
So again, kudos to the staff, the development, strength and conditioning,
the players themselves who are bought in. You know, it's
great to see what's been happening there and it'll be
interesting to see, you know, who rises did the occasion
this Saturday as far as beating expectations, because that's what
it's all about. You know, you can you beat the expectations?
(10:18):
Can you you know, impress the voters and the metrics
and the computers and everything.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
So what does a win over Stanford at home for
BYU mean to this program? Do you think? What does
it mean in the grand scheme of things in collegeotable
outside of just getting another victory, another notch at b
why you spelled in twenty twenty five? What do you
make of it?
Speaker 4 (10:41):
I mean, it's it's a power four team, but Stanford
maybe the worst power four team in the country, and
Stanford the brand has kind of lost as luster, And
I mean it's just it's a powerful win on paper
that looks good I think more than anything, like just
until you you're certain that Bear is the guy if
he can do it against Portland State, can you still
do it against Stanford? And then after that, can you
(11:02):
do it against East Carolina? Like East Carolina probably beat Stanford,
you would think, so his competition is gonna get tougher
and tougher each week. It's a favorable situation being at home,
being late night, playing against the bad team. I just
I think, just I don't know, I don't think. To me,
maybe Stanford just having been a recruiting rival of BYU
for so long, the whole Pac twelve, the former Pac
(11:24):
twelve thing, and just wanting to make a statement in
that regard Shore that probably means something. But at the
same time, it's not like this is the Andrew Luck,
Andrew Luck the player I should say, the Andrew Luck
Christian McCaffrey Stanford team. I just I mean, it's just
this is a bad team that that's coming to Provo,
and by you should be able to pounce. And so
I think just winning handily is the statement that, yeah,
BYU's as good as we think they are. This is
(11:46):
the Portland State thing. Wasn't just a bad FBS team.
This is you can do this against the FBS team.
You can you do this against the power team let
alone a bet, like you know, albeit a bad one.
But I think BYU just needs to do what they're
supposed to and that means something and in this match,
no doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Jackson Payne Deseratnews Desratnews dot com. Jackson, last question for you.
It's a it's a philosophical one. But you've been a
part of rivalry rivalry twitter. Uh now and again I
know how you like to dabble in a little bit
of it. Yay or nay? Would you say on this?
Do you sustain or do you not sustain? My guy,
Dave Christensen BYU fan, he's over at a ward Co says,
(12:25):
I'm establishing a new rule that you can't tweet about
UTAH or b YU football unless you have your name
and photo in your profile. Goes into affect two pm
Eastern time today. Do you sustain or not? Do you
like this or hate it?
Speaker 6 (12:40):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (12:40):
I think it's smart, you know, I mean, you got
to give you Accountability is an important thing in Enlightened.
So if you're gonna be dishing it out, be willing
to put a face behind it, be willing to stay
by your takes. You know, don't don't don't what's out
Like obviously, my as I've tried to grow more and
more professional over the years, I've tried to stay away
from starting fires and jumping in on the pot. But
(13:00):
at the same time, I see the things on the
on my timeline. I see U taught fans of CBAU fans,
I see Utah State fans. It's it's I mean, it
can get brutal out there. And so yeah, it's let's
not get the wires crossed right, like, let's let's stand
by your takes. Let's let's own up to what you do.
Let's be accountable. And I mean, if you're not willing
(13:20):
to show who you are when you say something, is
it worth saying at all?
Speaker 1 (13:24):
You know?
Speaker 4 (13:24):
So I just I think it's a smart rule.
Speaker 6 (13:26):
Dave.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
Dave's got something going on.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Love it, Jackson. Best way to support to you what
you do, how you do it before you let you go.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Yeah, read the Desert News. We're free, we're online, we're
in we're in print, follow me at Jackson five, paint
on Twitter or x whatever you call it. And yeah,
I mean I'm putting out stuff there all the time.
So check it out.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Love it man. Thanks so much Jackson, appreciate you joining
us for a cougar beat.
Speaker 6 (13:46):
All right, so you guys, thank you diego.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
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(14:31):
a cougar segment under our belt. One of the last
players of a of an Era by Gone Okay, Brandon Heeney,
former BAU defensive back, will join us next to discuss
what those battles of Brigham versus Stanford, what they were like.
In three and O four, will get caught up with
him his family, what he's doing these days, and also
talks on BYU and Stanford football. Coming up next, this
(14:53):
is Cougar Sports on one oh three, nine ninety eight
point three esp Cheaping up with the Cougars.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
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Speaker 2 (15:13):
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before you head out to thrust in your sickle with
your mic and lay it up in store that you
perisheth not. Let's get out to the hotline and welcome
in former BYU. Great defensive back he played versus Stamford
(16:41):
once upon a time at three ZHO four. He was
a transfer from Air Force. Let's welcome in the speedster
out of Trebuco Hills, California. Brandon Heeney number thirty four.
What's up, Brandon, my man, Ben.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
Great to be back connected man, thanks for having me on.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Always a pleasure man. Love connecting with you first and foremost.
How's the family. Give us an update on family work,
Where you live in all that stuff?
Speaker 5 (17:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (17:05):
Absolutely, absolutely, so really quick. I actually live up here
in Park City, Utah. I am a work for Sallic
City Fire. I am the health and wellness captain for
the whole department. Been with the department for eighteen years.
And we have three kids. I've got a daughter thirteen,
two sons nine and seven, and my wife, she's a
(17:27):
former BIU standout soccer player. So I married Bobby Tillotson
and we have a great life up here in Park City.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Tell us about the kiddos.
Speaker 6 (17:37):
Yeah, So, my thirteen year old daughter, she for some
reason loves football, can you imagine that? And she plays
lacrosse and some other sports, but she has gone all
in on flag football. It's a new sport here, high
school sport in the state of Utah. This is the
first year that the state is holding a league. And
(17:58):
I'm actually helping co the high school team up here.
In Park City, so we're excited about that. And really
it's just been awesome to have a path forward for
these girls to play football. I think I Betty should
have the opportunity to play this awesome game. And it's
really fun to see my daughter come up through those
ranks and participate in it.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
I love it. Man. How can the community get involved?
This sounds like a fantastic thing, and you know, you
got to get the ladies falling out on the football field.
I've seen Steve Young coach up his daughters. It sounds
like you're doing the.
Speaker 6 (18:29):
Same same thing, same thing. This is the inaugural league.
The Raiders are actually sponsoring the league, which is really cool.
So all of our uniforms have the Raider logo on it.
There's ten teams in the league and we actually kick
off the season September fifteenth at Cottonwood High School. We
have two teams at Park City because we had so
many girls come out for the team, so we had
to split up into two teams and we have a
(18:53):
two games that night and we'll just be traveling around.
Most of the games will be held in Park City
and then down in the valley at Cottonwood and Lee
High throughout the season. It's a eight to ten game
season and then playoffs in November. So it's just the
start of something really big. And what we found is
the demand these girls. Just culturally in America, it's football
is part of the culture. And these girls have been
(19:14):
watching their dads and the brothers watch this game and
play this game, and they've been there by their sides
and now they have an avenue to get out on
this field and play it too. And I tell you what,
they are good. They are really good. And it's fun.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Love that Brandon Haney, former by Great Defense is back talking,
just getting caught up with him his family and they get
to talk to some ball here Brandon BYU Stanford, what
do you recall about those battles once upon the time
three to four?
Speaker 6 (19:41):
Absolutely? So you know, my biggest recollection of Stanford is
they play assignment sound football. They were big, they were disciplined,
they were smart, which is no surprise, right, and you
couldn't make mistakes against Stanford, and if you threw the
interception or you blew some coverages, they were going to capitalize.
And in three we had we had a good defensive game,
(20:02):
but we had some some turnovers in that game and we
weren't able to capitalize. We should have been able to
capitalize at home and Lavella Edwards, I'm really hoping to
see us take that win tomorrow against them, a little
revenge game. But then at Stanford that next season, man,
they just they blew the top off of us. So
they took a kick return back in ninety seven yards
(20:22):
for a touchdown and then the game was over after that.
You can't make mistakes against Stanford and otherwise they capitalize.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Yeah, it's it's always an interesting battle with those that
kind of mirror who b YU has been in recruiting
right like same similar you went to Air Force. There's
a little bit of a common theme of culture, you know,
personalities in the locker room a little bit. There's some
equivalent scenes. But amongst those three teams. Now, b Y
(20:51):
typically really good in the trench warfare game with offensive
defensive line of big guys. Air Force not so much
due to those restrictions of high weight, I guess when
you're into the Air Force. But Stafford has has some
mirrored talents. I would say on the other.
Speaker 6 (21:05):
Side, absolutely, they you know, they know who they are.
They have an identity and that was going back to
when we played them, and that really paved the way
for then Harbaugh came in as the coach and then
Brianshaw continued that, and they just have a legacy of
establishing who they are and you have to match that
and you have to beat them with your own game.
And I think going back to three h four was
(21:27):
a tail end of Croton's career, same as mine. My
career spanned the same with as curtains and with some
QB injuries and the inability just to establish an identity
and a culture. Those stronger culture teams are going to
win and they have the edge up and so we
lost some of that those last couple of years of curtain.
(21:50):
Fortunately for the program itself, we had Bronco within the
coaching ranks and was able to establish his culture and
he set that identity, but we we kind of lost
that for a couple of years.
Speaker 7 (22:03):
Hey, Brandon and Sean here and this is game too
obviously for both of these teams. Stanford obviously started a
little bit earlier Week zero game at Hawaii BYU opening
up last week against Portland State and SCS team. Was
there anything from last week's game against the Vikings that
maybe by you can kind of take and translate into playing,
(22:26):
let's be totally realized, a significant step up in competition,
going from the lower tier of the SCS to a
powerful opponent in Stanford.
Speaker 6 (22:34):
You know, it's just it's confidence, and it's it's believing
in yourself, leaving in your team, believing what you had
done throughout this offseason. And this is a it was
a pivotal coming out game for you know, a freshman QB.
And that was a great opponent to start the season with.
And so we just have to I think even though
we may we're not going to face another you know,
town level like Port and State, we can take what
(22:56):
we learned from that, and that's the confidence, and that's
the ability to turn that into moments going up against Stanford.
I think that would be the biggest takeaway.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
What do you recall about that era, that Gary Croton era.
Why is it that you guys had so much talent?
You guys are a great You guys had a great
set of football players, and some great recruits come through,
some ended up in the NFL, and and there was
a lot of success there. But what was it that
that limited maybe that that O three to H four
(23:26):
team from meeting its potential.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
Yeah, and I you know, I think injury had to
do with it. We had a little bit of a
quarterback carousel, and to nobody's fault, right, we just had
some injuries at the quarterback position and forced John beck
H to play as a true freshman, and which was
great for the program, you know, two three, four years
down the road, but it was a tough transition period
to the program and we didn't have the long game
(23:50):
due to see it out with coach Croton and I
think coach Uh he was a little bit of a
journeyman coach as well, and so he was learning his
culture and his identity and his how to establish the
standard and maintain that. But if you if you're trying
to figure that out, you know, for a couple of years,
that's not the time to do it at b YU.
(24:11):
And so I think that translated over to some some
losses that should have been wins, and then things cut,
you know, and you don't go to bull game for
a couple of years. The standard set at Uyu. We
go to bull games and we compete, and when you
can't do that, you know it's time for a new
new coach, which is unfortunate. I really like coach Curtin
as a person. I love my time at DOYU. We
(24:33):
had some great athletes NFL talent level, Aaron Francisco, Brady Papinga,
and ultimately she just couldn't have the glue to sustain
some of those, you know, those storms that that you're
ultimately going to face in the season.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
You guys are also running a three three five? What
what the what? What percentage of man coverage are you
guys employing at the time. Seems like you guys are
bringing the house on every play.
Speaker 6 (24:57):
Yeah, you know, I think it was.
Speaker 8 (24:58):
It was.
Speaker 6 (24:59):
It was deceptive. It was acceptive because I don't think
I played a whole lot of man coverage. If I
had my choice, man, put me up on the line
of scrimmage and just leave me one on one with
the receiver. That's how I would.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
But you guys didn't play a lot of man coverage
in that three three five When Bronco came over, No.
Speaker 6 (25:14):
No, we did it. We were we were zoned. We
were shifting and dropping in and disguising stuff. But we
were all lined up ten yards off the ball eight
yards off the ball and then we were moving from there,
and so it was tough. And you have a receiver
ten yard head smart because you're trying to disguise the
back end because you're playing at three three five right,
you don't have the bodies up front to manhandle and
(25:37):
sotoft the run, and so it's more of a smoke
and mirrors defense than it is, you know, just a
come out of defense. And I would have for my
skill level, skill set, I would have loved to play
more man demand. We just didn't have that. But that
being said, it was a fun defensive play like we
were flying around in you know, bronfo. It was all
effort all the time, somewhat to the detriment of our
(25:58):
house on the side there fas because we were going
full speed on Thursdays and Fridays. But that was just
he was setting the tone and the culture was starting
then for his ultimate you know, taker of the program.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
A couple of years later, Brandon Heeney, former BA defensive back,
talking some BYU Football here on ESPN the Fan and
a keeping Up with the Cougar segment brought to you
by odeon Men's where Odion Men'swear dot Com. So, Brandon,
have you been keeping tabs on this BWA you Cougar
football team. Do you have any favorite players you've enjoyed
watching on this team or in the last year's team?
Speaker 6 (26:32):
You know a little here and there. The problem is
with life once you have three kids and you you
spread thin and your coaching three different teams, it's tough
to sit down and catch full games. But there has
been a lot of fun to catch the games when
I can. And unfortunately I haven't been to a game
in a few years now, and I would love to
make it back to Lavelle and catch a game. It
(26:55):
just hasn't hasn't happened recently. But I'm really excited about
the pet potential of bear Man. I think if you
can come out as a freshman and ball like that
and play and just get some confidence and put together
a string of games this year, I mean, I don't
know what the ceiling is, you know, as a program two, three,
(27:15):
four years from now. You mentioned that's the most exciting
part for me.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Yeah, you mentioned the true freshman John Beck being trotted out.
He eventually became a second round draft pick to the
Miami Dolphins in the National Football League, But you know,
junior and senior year was where he really took off.
As everyone grew into the system, everyone grew into maybe
the strength and conditioning room, etc. That young talent really
(27:39):
developed and Bear fortunately has a very good tenured supporting
cast offensively, defensively, in special teams. Which if you're going
to start a true freshman quarterback, that's the ideal situation,
not the one that John Beck found himself in.
Speaker 6 (27:54):
No ideal, ideal, ideal, and the coaching staff just kudos
to them, right building that and planning for that and
having the pieces around him so that it's not on him.
He can hand the ball off and he can run
his plays within his scope and doesn't have to extend
beyond what he is capable of right now as a
true freshman. And that's just going to build his confidence.
And that's why you love football because it takes all
(28:15):
eleven on both sides of the ball. It's not on
one person. And so that experience on both sides of
the ball, like it takes all of us. We're one
team united in this front and as we take on
Sanford and the rest of the opponents, and so it's
not on him, which is great.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
Last question for you, Brandon, who are the toughest receiver.
Who's the toughest receiver you had to guard while at BYU?
And who's the toughest receiver you had to guard when
you were going against the foes of the BYU football schedule.
Speaker 6 (28:48):
Okay, so I'm going to go two names at YU,
both for different reasons. Number not even in order. So
my roommate Kobe Christensen, all time shifty slot receiver. Right,
He's gonna shake and bake you, super hard to handle
on the inside when he's got a two way go
coming at you. And even though he didn't catch a
lot of balls against me in practice, he was awesome
(29:10):
in the games. And then number two would be Todd Watkins.
I mean his speed, just his flat out speed. You
were always just having a turn those hip and protect
yourself on the backside, which gave him the deep comeback,
which gave him the deep in which gave him the
curl like because you were had to get out of
here if she wanted to defend him over the top.
So those two definitely come to mind off the top
(29:31):
of my head. And then Mike Williams out of USC
just talk about a tall, lanky receiver that could use
his body and go up and get get it. You know,
six' five, first five to, ten that's a that's a tough.
Matchup but he you, know he was all everything AT
usc and he tried to leave early for a good
(29:51):
reason because he was.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Dynamic i'd echo those same. Sentiments Todd watkins was a
very tough. GUARD i can't minute and five right after
you graduate and had to guard him on the scout
team every single. Day that was, tough, right very.
Speaker 8 (30:07):
Humbling, indeed you have his track spikes on and he
was just going deep and you had to go with
him and then you just break it off and which is, good.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
No doubt about. It, Well, brandon we'll see you soon
down At Lavelle Edward. Stadium thanks for hopping on for
a little keeping up with The. Cougars and hopefully This
cougar football team can make it two in a row
and even the score BYU's one and two all time
against The Stanford. Cardinals so if they win, tomorrow it's
two and two and we can you, know bring ballance
(30:38):
to the force if you.
Speaker 6 (30:39):
Will, absolutely let's Go. CUBES i appreciate.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
It ben thank, You thank You Brendon. Heeney ladies and.
Gentlemen that was a keeping up with The cougar segment
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sports on ONE o three nine ninety eight point three eesp.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
It Ben krittle's life accomplishments include a two time conference,
championship creator of the ode to the Walk on business,
mogul and Every cougar fans favorite weekday sports radio. Host
this Is Cougar sports With Ben krittle right here on
ONE o three Nine night THREE espn The.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
Fan, yes this is college football music right, Here disturb
Ropp in two, thousand down with the. Sickness you can
lift thirty five more weight when you're listening to this
(32:08):
type of.
Speaker 7 (32:09):
MUSIC i was just about to, say this feels like
high school me weightlifting.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Music bro after one Rep Max, DAY i mean, YEAH
i mean you were probably jamming out to To Disturb
band of The. Day down with the, Sickness but we're.
Sick we're down with the sickness of just loving college.
Football and that's the way we love gollge football college.
(32:34):
Football we are the secos of college. Football here out OF,
esbn the fan band of. That he brought to By
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(32:54):
ten percent off your. Order that's coupon CODE espn nine six.
Sixty come, on don't you want to lift weights right?
Now it's like do like a set of skull crushers
with a burnout of like close grip bench press and
then just like get up and just look at the tries,
afterwards like just. Yacked oh my, GOSH i miss those.
(33:16):
Days jeff knows What i'm talking. About, okay maybe on The.
Speaker 7 (33:21):
Jef jeff actually fun fact just barely came from the,
gym because he's looking pretty swell right. Now in that
that's your, studio there's.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
A vitrio retinal. Surgeon he lifts weights to keep the
the neuromuscular dexterity on point so he can perform the
best surgeries in the. Business Guys Sean, Walker brad always
bringing the. Hammer Jeff fuller in the. House ronald took
a little potty. Break wish him, Well. Ronnie get back
soon so we can talk some ball. TOGETHER a couple
(33:48):
of THINGS i want to get to in this. Segment
little college football, here, Dude time and time, AGAIN i
am just like slightly like, appalled not even, surprised but
just a pall That Nick saban's comments on the state
of college. Football, nick we see through The, fugazi The
(34:11):
fugeesi that you were living, In like we see through.
It this is What Nick saban had to say. Recently
and Look nick objectively all time great college football coach no,
censor buts about that maybe the greatest some people would.
Say Nick saban CLAIMS nil has given the big tenet
(34:33):
advantage over THE. Sec this is what he had to.
SAY i, mean kids grew up wanting to go TO, Lsu, Alabama,
georgia got the. Money now they don't mind going To Ohio,
state they don't mind going to play other. Places so
that geographic advantage at The Southeast conference may be changing
(34:56):
a little bit now with a different, culture With nil
and the money he involved in decision, MAKING i think
that's greated a bit of an edge for the big
teddy hopped out of The pat mac if you show
and that's what he had to. Say what is the
truth of the, Matter, Nick, NICK i, mean you're A bama.
Speaker 5 (35:13):
Guy HE'S i, mean he's not a next door, neighbor
but we we do live on the same lake and
have been on his dock and we're actually a dock
builder built his dock and was possibly gonna build. Our
so he took us there to sort of show us
and and. Such, Nick, yeah you're spot on the but
the goat of coaching and you, know yes he had
(35:35):
the best. Talent it was a time when you, know THE,
sec all the top programs have been given the bag
to some, degree and THE, SEC i think has been
able to keep it lower profile for longer and maybe.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
All liquid cash true bag.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
Yep so.
Speaker 5 (35:54):
Uh and you Know nick had the advantage as well
as he could get in a zoom meeting or get
in some you, know bring him into his office and
he could just line up his whole hands full of you,
know national championship, RINGS sec championship. RINGS i mean that
that was a big. Thing and he could tell every
every Recruit he's, like if you come, here you will
(36:14):
win a national. Championship and even if you don't start
the first couple of, years you you you, know over
a fifty percent chance you'll get drafted in the top three.
Rounds so absolutely greatest. Coach you, know no one will
ever achieve what he. Achieved but partly because of this
this nil and partly because of the transfer, portal the
world is flat now that the talent has spread. Around
(36:37):
you can't stack As georgia And alabama have been doing
talent so.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
Deep that that will.
Speaker 5 (36:42):
Wait they're going to go to you, know they're going
to go to ANOTHER sec. School a big ten school
they're gonna go. To you, know some of them may
even transfer down to THE g five level to be the,
starter to be the. Man, yeah because they know they
can parlay that into you, know a BIG nil contract going.
Speaker 3 (36:57):
Forward and it's.
Speaker 5 (36:58):
Great it's great for college for, well it's great to
see the, talent more talent on the field and more.
Programs uh, so, yeah very very tone deaf this. Kids you,
know kids have to go To Ohio state. Now they
all wanted to go To, Georgia, ALABAMA. LSU i mean
those are TOP sec. Programs but this geographic, ADVANTAGE i
(37:19):
don't say it's. GEOGRAPHIC i mean it was a financial
and you, know program reputation advantage that is that has
relatively gone away.
Speaker 7 (37:27):
NOW i think that's a great, Point, jeff because my
favorite part of the quote was the last part that
geographic advantage of The Southeast conference may be changing a
little bit now with the different, culture WITH nil the
money involved in decision. Making Did Nick saban just admit
openly on a live microphone on The pat McAfee show
THAT sec schools were the only teams that were paying
(37:49):
their athletes PRE, nil pre pre new era of college
football pre wild While west pre all of.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
That, like is that is that What nick?
Speaker 5 (37:59):
Saying it looking doesn't? It BECAUSE i don't call me.
CRAZY i don't think geography has Changed. Latch so the
geographics are, moving but they're not moving that that's that's,
if that's if that's the.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
CLAIM i, mean come, on tone, Deaf, nick you can do.
Speaker 5 (38:17):
Better and the goat of coaching definitely not the goat
of college football, analysis no.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
Commentating LIKE i don't know if he was truly aware
of anything that was going on during his tenure from
the donor, base from the fan, base. Etcetera he probably, said,
here no, evil, speak no, evil see no. EVIL i
just want to be able to coach. Football but there's
a reason Why Nick saban. Retired he saw the riding
(38:43):
on the, wall he saw the tsunami, coming he saw the,
Parody he saw what was going to. Happen he had
no more control of the third and fourth, strings second
string guys from you, know he still has got to have.
Speaker 5 (38:57):
His first string game. Guys Caleb, DOWNS i mean He
Caleb samons went To Ohio, state and you know he
he was forthright about saying. That, Uh nick was he
was like you, know it's, tough you, know DON'T i
don't like. This my wife doesn't like, dealing you. Know
all he, said all these players want to know now
is how Much i'm gonna get paid next. YEAR i
need to, know this, coach BECAUSE i need to know
(39:18):
If i'm gonna stay, here IF i have to look.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
Elsewhere and you, know.
Speaker 2 (39:22):
He never had to change for, Him he never had
to deal with that is what he never had to
deal with. That he let the, donors the bagman handle.
It lsho's been doing, It george's EVERY a lot of schools.
Speaker 3 (39:33):
Have been doing Bag Men states been doing.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
It Ohio state's been doing for a long. Time All
i've been doing. It now it's now it's perfectly you,
know within the by laws you can do. It so
never everybody can do. It and and so that's WHY,
smu who was given the death penalty for doing what
everybody else was doing in nineteen eighty is now at
the top of the food chain. Again, yep they were
in the top twenty five and made to The College
(39:56):
Football playoff last, season and they were a Competiti they were.
Good that's what's. Happened that's WHY BYU i think is
on the rise as. Well they've always been, Good they've
always been. Great they've always done more with less than
any other school out. There at, LEAST i think over
the last sixty years more wins per dollars spent than
any of the. Team AND i think we have enough
(40:17):
objective data now to probably proclaim that the, only the,
only the only, team the only university that has maybe
something to say about it in the modern era post
two thousand Is Boise state per dollars spent in their,
budget et. Cetera but look like these fans at the,
time they're not are spot on. Translation everyone is paying players,
(40:38):
now so THE sec lost the edge it used to.
Have we know that this is this is true now
since we're not the only schools paying, players we've lost our.
Advantage that is an. Act there's a reason Why vanderbilt
all of a sudden can Be. ALABAMA i, Mean vandy
was probably at even though they're a part of THE,
(41:00):
sec they were probably at a competitive disadvantage within THE
sec because they weren't allowed to.
Speaker 5 (41:06):
Cheat, well they were just they were paying their baseball.
Players they were top baseball, products.
Speaker 2 (41:11):
They were focused off. Baseball they weren't allocating the bagmen
weren't allocating resources of the football team. Period now they
are and now they Beat, alabama you know WHAT i.
Speaker 5 (41:25):
Mean IT'S i mean, yep and what would they have
Beat alabama If nick was still? THERE a lot Of alabama,
fans you, know they they Missed. NICK i think even
that that the program change has been interesting to see
Because Kalen beborg comes from The west where things are
a little. More you, know football is, important but football is.
Speaker 3 (41:43):
Not life to.
Speaker 5 (41:45):
Everybody, uh and he you, know the players were used
to a very, disciplined very structured, program and it's it's
been a it's been a tough. Transition and you know
a lot of people are loving to See alabama five
and five over their last ten, games with four losses
to unranked. TEAMS i, mean this is people are freaking
out In. Tuscaloosa it's it's, uh it's quite is this
(42:08):
is his homestead halfway entertaining from my from my, Perspective.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
YEAH i mean this there's a lot of mental health
issues that are going on In tuscaloosa right.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Now, yeah it's.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
True they want him, fired they want him. Out. Yep
HOW i, mean what.
Speaker 3 (42:24):
What sixty million dollar, buyout sixty million dollar.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
Buyout what would it take in your, opinion what does
the record have to be in order For kaylen to
get the boot or do you think it'll happen this
year even no matter, What.
Speaker 5 (42:37):
No if he if he makes the, playoff they're. Good he,
doesn't you, know he doesn't have to win the. PLAYOFF
i think if they make the, playoff if they show
progress this year from last, year he's gonna. Survive and
it's a big, biout it's a it's a structured. Buyout
it's it's planned, over you, know tapers, off and it's
something that people, say if there's you, know four or
(42:59):
more losses, again.
Speaker 3 (43:01):
He's he's. Gone he's. Gone so we'll we'll see if,
that if that comes to comes to.
Speaker 2 (43:07):
Fruition Oklahoma state is taking On oregon this week In,
gundy part of Our big twelve. Family one of our,
favorites The mullet, Himself i'm a, Man i'm a. Man,
well the man making some excuses. Here he says he
kind of gave a you know a little shot at
At Dan lanning and The Oregon, ducks you, know talking, about,
(43:29):
hey they spent like thirty million on their. Roster we
only spent like seven or something like, that And Dan,
Willing Dan lanning quit. Back we spend to. Win some
people save to have an.
Speaker 5 (43:41):
Excuse, yeah that was a that was a softball launched
up there For Dan lanning and and yeah, great great for.
HIM i Mean Mike gundy, COMPLAINED i Mean Phil knight
got the idea of doing what he did From Tebones,
pickings that mega Donor, Yeah oklahoma. State you, know for
them to, say you, know the money advantage is just not.
(44:03):
Right it comes across as a little little cynical to say, that.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
No doubt about. It that's a little segment there and
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over At Royal Army brand dot. Com, also, Guys Big
Cougar war to all of our. Sponsors can't do our
show without our. Sponsors many of, you, guys you guys
may have been in an. Accident if you've been in an,
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