September 5, 2025 • 52 mins
Ben Criddle talks BYU sports every weekday from 2 to 6 pm.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
What's going on in the world of Cougar athletics. Here
from players, coaches and experts on all the latest happenings
with the Cougars.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Welcome back to your sports one three nine ninety eight point
three ESPO the band.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
I'm back little broadcasting from.
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(00:42):
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to earn your business. Today, let's get into some of
the news and notes. I got Sean Walkercassel dot Com
by my side and Brett always bringing the hammer, Brett Hammer.
Let's talk a little bit about college football in the
(01:49):
Big Twelve if we can start out here, so a
couple of things. What did we learn about the Big
Twelve through these first few weeks. There's some good games,
some bad games, some beautiful games, some ugly games. I
put together a little synopsis of what we learned. I'll
start off with this as I cast my Gays northward.
(02:12):
I do believe Utah is a better team than they
were last season.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Hot takes, hot takes.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
And it's not a hot take, right. This is just
us discussing what is occurring, what's happened in the offseason.
Jason Beck is a phenomenal offensive coordinator. Now he's gonna
have trials, he's gonna have tribulations. It's not like he
won a ton of games when he was oci at
at Syracuse, like he had some problems there.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
But he also at Syracuse did.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Not have a top twenty five defense, did not have
a top twenty five special teams unit, and he most
likely has that to booy him off, to help him.
Yet one of the best offensive lines in the country.
So that Utah game is gonna be a ferocious one.
It's gonna be a big one, one of the biggest,
I would say in the modern era. Why because Kyle
(03:03):
Whittingham has figuratively figuratively one foot out the door. If
he wins, he says farewell to college football. Is one
of the best college football coaches over the last twenty years,
winning a lot of football games, winning championships and putting
a significant amount of football players in the NFL, mostly
(03:26):
defensive and special teamers.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Though that's what he's done.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Well, that's his mojo, that's his that's his that's been
his thesis for a long time of that's been their culture.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
That's who they recruit, that's who they developed, that's who
they put in the league.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
So I think that that particular Holy War battle will
ultimately solidify him, in my opinion, his legacy at the
University of Utahn.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
This is where the hot take comes.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Because I know, you know you're poking, You're you're poking
fun at me. I would say much of his legacy
at the University of Utah is centered around beating BYU.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
It's beating BYU.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yes, he's taking his teams to championships, partial championships, not
outright championships.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
Right.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Yes, he's taking them to a Rolls Bowl, but he
has not won there. He's not won maybe the big
time game outside of the Sugar Bowl, you could say
versus Alabama, but a depleted Alabama, you know, staff Fis Bowl.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
He was on staff, but he wasn't the head coach.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
So I believe his legacy if you were to pie
chart pie charted out. I think you could objectively take
seventy percent of his legacy and say, look, much of
the great feelings that the Utah fan base have centered
around Kyle Whittingham is his dominance in the modern era
(04:58):
over BYU post twenty ten. He's on a two game
losing streak, though if he goes to three game losing streak,
is the legacy solely Sean Walker in your opinion.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
Uh, objectively, In my humble and unbiased opinion speaking completely
objectively numerically, over the course of a twenty plus year
career both as a head coach and as a defensive
coordinator on the hill at Utah, I don't think it is.
I don't think one game is enough to truly solely
(05:36):
Kyle Whittingham's legacy at the U. I don't think one
game is enough to really like damp in what he's
done with that program. But subjectively, completely subjectively speaking emotionally speaking,
in regionally bias, rivalry, recency bias, what that game means
(05:57):
on the watats front, I think it does. Absolutely think
it does. Because you don't want to go out. I mean,
Kyle Waitningham was pretty open I think at Big Twelve
media days and in a couple of follow up interviews
since then, that he didn't want to go out on
the season that Utah had last year five and seven,
not going to a bowl game, first year in the
Big Twelve, trying to run the Big Twelve, and they
(06:19):
did not still haven't won a Big Twelve home game.
I think I believe, I believe that's the number is
zero Big Twelve home wins currently. You guys can correct
me if I'm wrong Utah fans, But Kyle didn't want
to go out on last season, and if he has
anything that's even remotely similar to last season, then I
think subjectively that will kind of tarnish a little bit
(06:42):
of what kind of the end of his Utah tenure
has been at the very least, so overall, should it
Should it solely anything with his career, No, absolutely, But
it may tarnish the way his career ended, which I
think will impact how a long lot of people, at
the very least right now see his tenure on the
(07:04):
hill at the University of Utah. Now that being said,
I think we're speaking specifically of that October eighteenth game
at BYU. Between these two rivals. I don't think that's
going to be even remotely the case. This is a
game on October eighteenth that very well could feature two
six and o teams. There's a strong possibility there are
(07:28):
two teams that are at least five and one at
the very very least. You know me, Ben, I don't
like to pick perfection. I don't like picking anybody going perfect.
I just college football is such a weird sport relying
on eighteen to twenty two year old young men that
I don't necessarily like to expect perfection from anyone or anything.
But at the very least, these two teams BAYU and
Utah when they meet in provo at LS on October eighteenth,
(07:51):
probably should be five and one. You know, maybe you
can make an argument for four and two again, maybe
you can make an argument for s right, these are
gonna be. Yeah, these are gonna be two very teams,
two teams that are in the think of the Big
twelve title of Big tweal title contention.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
And think of a bigger game in the modern era
post twenty ten than this rivalry.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Co post ten.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yeah, because that's when like the independence and in in
Pac twelve affiliation occurred, like that's the modernor that is
the Kyle Whittingham era, Like you the Mountain West era
was fifty to fifty, right, it was fifty to fifty
in the in the so that Kyle Whittingham got five
and then b YU got six, seven, Kylwhitingham got eight,
(08:36):
b YU got nine. Utah got two thousand ten. So
after that the dominance ensued. That's when the dominance ensued.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Yeah, no, I know exactly what you're saying.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
So there's not a bigger game in my opinion than
this one out of all those when you when you
look at it, because the impact has conference implications. Yes,
before when BYU beat Utah in two thousan twenty one
for the first time in a long time, it really
didn't matter. It didn't derail Utah because they ended up
(09:06):
in the in the Rose Bowl, their crowning jewel Bowl
game of Kyle Whittingham's career as a head coach against
the Ohio State Buck guys. But they fell short forty
eight to forty five. Couldn't get the dub by you
had beaten him earlier in the season twenty six to seventeen,
and they won it through trench warfare. They won it
(09:27):
through physical play. Remember how Tyler Alzier was able to
run the ball effectively late in that game, milk the
clock and seal the deal so that the offense of
Utah couldn't get back onto the field.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
The defense, the.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Power of this Utah football team, the leadership of the
football team couldn't get off the field when it counted
most in that in that year. So that wasn't a
big game for Utah and it hasn't been all that
impactful in the rivalry.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
That's what I'm saying. This is this is it right here.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
This is the last foray into this rivalry game that
has been under Kyle Winningham Petty competitive yep, and extremely
sometimes even volatile.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Uh yeah. Extremely This is the biggest edition of the
BYU Utah rivalry whatever you want to call it, since
twenty ten.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
This is easily the biggest since twenty ten, just for
that exact region. There are conference and implications on the line.
There are potential accomplished championship ramifications on the line, assuming
everything goes as a lot of people are expecting up
to that point in the season. Twenty ten had some
conference championships on the line, although you can are you know,
(10:50):
based off of BYU season, maybe it wasn't both ways
the same way that this October meeting could potentially be
for both teams. But you, tich did a great job
of using that game to springboard them into what was
essentially the Mountain West kind of championship bowl game. You know,
(11:12):
remember the old Las Vegas Bowl, those ties first back
from the Mountain West. You ended up going to the
MAKEU Bowl Las Vegas it was called that year. Again,
I think that was Boise State that they played that season.
I think they played Boise State that year again. Correct
me if I'm wrong, you can you can text my
burner account at Ron the Three Men Weave on x
or on Twitter. But yeah, I have I have no problem,
(11:36):
just whole hardly agreeing with that take. This is this
October will be the Veggas BYU football game since twenty ten.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Uh So, yeah, I have my eyes set on that.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
When there was a certain amount of confidence that I
think most BYU fans the media members have of BYU
being undefeated or five on one in Utah being in
a similar boat in uh you know, then as we initiate.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
And really get into the meat of Big twelve play.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Now, getting back to what we learned about BYU scheduling
opponents after the first two weeks. Obviously, Portland State is
the worst team in college football. Stamford is becoming increasingly
even though over the five year span of recruiting the
two four seven Sports rivals, the complosite rankings has them
as a formidable foe from a personnel standpoint. They did
lose some in the transfer portal after the Frank Reich news,
(12:29):
after Andrew luck let go of Troy Taylor ETCA. We
saw a little bit of a transfer portal exodus there.
But Stamford is not who they were in the Shaw era.
They weren't They're not even close to who they were
in the Harbor era, and they're trying to they're rebuild mode.
Even though there's some good play there. There's some good
talent there, decent talent. But BYU should win, will they cover.
(12:50):
I'm not completely convinced they're going to cover, even though
you're at home, and even though BYU it's early, which
means they're healthy and in the Killane era, when BAU
is healthy and strong early in the season, they've tended
to beat the P four programs. When you get into
the later portion of your schedule and you have a
formidable foe, that's when you lost because your depth issues.
(13:11):
So Stanford has talent, they're decent, but by you should win.
I'm just only the only concern I have is will
they cover? And that's not even a concern. You just
got to survive in advance. Early in the season. East Carolina,
they lost their competitives. East Carolina lost to NC State.
NC State has some good things going for him. East
(13:33):
Carolina could be better than we think, twenty four to seventeen.
NC State I think is a good program with good
talent that that East Carolina game could be interesting.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
On the road.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Colorado lost to Georgia Tech. Gorgia, tex a good football
team twenty seven to twenty. I believe West Virginia demolished
Robert Morris. I'm concerned maybe about that three game stretch there,
a little bit more than I was initially. Arizona beat Hawaii,
if that gives you any indication of how good Stanford is.
If you're looking at common opponents here, we know Arizona
(14:09):
football two a degree BYU has played asy enough over
the last decade to know what the traditional talent level is,
and they've beaten that talent typically. Now they've been close games.
These have been competitive games. If Arizona beat Hawaii forty
to six, yes, and in Stanford lost to why yes
(14:31):
on the road. That's why I'm overly confident that Bay's
gonna get to win. I just don't know if they're
gonna win by twenty one. Okay, that's a little common foe.
UTA obviously demolished, just destroyed UCLA. You know that Utah
is gonna be good this year. If dam Pere is healthy,
it's gonna be tough to stop. That offense will be
tough to stop. I aloways state they're gonna be good.
(14:53):
Matt Campbell, I fear that man. I fear his culture.
I fear his physicality. They completely embarrassed be One when
they came to town and b YU and they're all plaques.
Wanted to go into the void and be forgotten. That
game needs to be forgotten.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
They wore vapors thunder Heyn.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
That game needs to be forgotten anyway. Texas Tech, they're
one to know. They destroyed Arkansas Line Bluff TCUs better
than you maybe thought or is unc just one of
the worst P four teams in the country. I tend
to lean towards TCUs the real deal this year, Like
I really believe TCU is the real deal.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
Cincinnati lost to Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
I do think Matt Roll and then in the corn
Huskers are better than they have been in the past.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
They're not just almost winning, They're.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
They're they're they're they're they they they're They're a good
team this year. And I think actually Cincinnati's a decent
team too. So that was a nice that that was
a nice win for Nebraska, and in Cincinnati is a
good team. UCF barely beat Jacksonville State seventeen to ten.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
You want to make an argument that.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Jacksonville State still has some holdover talent from the prime era,
I don't know if that's that's accurate. I just think,
you know, what's going on is that UCF is not
a good team this year. There's a reason why Gus
Malson said, I'm not going to be the head coach
here anymore. I'm gonna go take equivalent money as a coordinator.
I don't believe I can win here, and that's why
(16:20):
he took his talents elsewhere and he wanted to focus
on what he does best, which is coordinate.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
What does it say about UCF the Gus mauzam would
probably rather go be the offensive coordinator if a to
win Florida State team, then coach that UCF team. Yeah,
it could be a long year in Central Florida.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
A couple other things here as we get into some
of the news and notes of the day. Ryder Lions
ends up signing with under Armor an NIL deal with
some significant cash. The deal aligns him with a prominent
prominent NFL starts like Justin Jefferson camp Ward, Jake Ferguson,
Luther Burden the Third and Nick m and Warri and
(16:58):
they are all associated with the brand. And there was
a fantastic pump up video of many of these players
that you can check out on social media. Shout out
to the five star quarterback, the BYU commit, Ryder Lions.
Sp plus actually predicting BYU to get a nice win
over the Stanford Cardinals. P Plus gives b YU a
ninety four percent chance to win with an expected score
(17:18):
of thirty.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Nine to fourteen.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
So Bill Conley and his metric loves them some Brigham
and he is picking them to cover Boy's chances, you know,
are solid, and I think the over or excuse me,
the spread right now, it wasn't eighteen and a half.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Maybe it's up to twenty and a half now.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
The last time I checked, by remains the first team
out of the top twenty five and the AP bole.
But they are in the top twenty five and the
coaches poll. If you didn't, if you haven't stayed up
to date on some of the preseason postseason polling BYU
hasn't moved a whole lot. And it's because they didn't
play Week zero and they beat the worst team in
college football Portland, say, sixty nine to zero, and other
(17:59):
team's had maybe better, better opponents.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
I'm fine with it.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
They didn't move down, really they I mean they moved
down two slots in the coaching Paul, I get it,
I got it. But they didn't move out of the
top twenty five. Okay, they kept them in there.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Kimi. I think Boya fans are totally fine if you
want to keep underrating BAU football for as long as possible,
out of the top twe five, as long as possible.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Yep, Yes, indeed, keep him out. A couple other things. Yeah,
I need I need that. I need that hatred, I
need that chip on the shoulder right. A couple other
things as relates to b YU football and some recruiting.
If you like local football, if you like Utah Preps football,
make sure you're watching Springville at Orum Lopetti Moala. That
(18:42):
dude's had a great season thus far. He's a beast
in the middle of that arm defensive line, Mountain Crest
at Ridgeline, Graham Livings and he's had himself an explosive season.
Got a little Dax Milne to him. I think he's
a good football player, a little combo of Dax Milne
and maybe Parker Kingson. He's got great speed, athleticism, he's
been dynamic in catching the football.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
I think I said on these other ways before, but
i'll repeat a Graham Livingsten most underrated commit on bau's
current class of twenty twenty six roster, and he's proving
me right right now with the start too. He's here
for Ridge On High School. It' he's Yeah, he's been awesome.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
No doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Lone Peak or sorry, Desert Hills at Lehigh legend glasger
wide receiver athlete. He'll be showcase Loan Peak at Bishop Gorman,
Las Vegas, Nevada. Bob Mulatalo with a with a big
opportunity to let him signify himself as a maybe a
high level four maybe even five star recruiting this twenty
(19:36):
twenty six class, he's going. When you're going against the
best at Bishop Gorman, You're you're gonna elevate your play,
I think, and you could elevate your recruiting ranking as well.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Park City at Olympus.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Keep an eye on Adam Bywater, the younger brother of
Ben Bywater. Tipanoga's at Pineview. We got broadcast the four
star tight end that has been very impressive thus far
this season. He's a in my opinion, more more refined
developed Dennis pittotype player Folsome High School at Mission Viejo, California.
You got Ryder Lions, the now under armoor athlete. How
(20:10):
do you feel about the under armoured deal? By the way, Sean,
I know you're a man of fine twined.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
Linens personally or professionally. Professionally, I'm wondering, why would an
athlete that's committed to a proud Nike institution like BYU,
sign with a brand like under Armour, but I understand
personally a lot of those connections and affiliations go out
the window. Cooper flag very famously last year was a
(20:34):
New Balanced athlete, signed a New Balanced deal. Was still
a New Balance athlete while playing for Duke. He obviously
played in Nikes, but then everything off the court, even
some of his practices and whatnot. He would wear New
Balance wear, New Balance gear. Kind of rep that brand.
Do ad some promotions. It's fine, it is what it is.
I also personally don't hate under Armour. I think they
(20:55):
are a very strong apparel company. We could talk about
their shoes a little bit later. I had some issues
under Armour. Not a sponsor could be called me if
you want my list, But in terms of apparel, they're great.
They do great work and if they're willing to pay
Rider Lions, go get that bag, man, go get that bag.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
I think the best cleat that under Armour ever made
was the Cam Newton high top Ooh, that is a
good cleat. I am a shoe guy. I love cleats.
I like basketball shoes, I like tennis shoes, and I
think the best cleat that they made was that like
overly high high top cam Newton cleat. It was fantastic.
It was a really good cleat, a good performance cleat
as well.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
Could they give you good traction on a December home
college football game in Provo during the COVID pandemic.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yeah, that would be interesting.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
A molded cleat does not do as well on natural
grass in my opinion. But all the turf fields and
early fall, you know, early October, you're okay with it.
ESPN reports NCAA approved single January transfer window. Speaking of
recruiting and transfer portal stuff, the NCAA FBS this Oversight
Committee voted on September four, twenty twenty five, to replace
the current dual transfer windows with a single ten day
(22:06):
transfer portal period starting January second, twenty twenty six, spending
approval by the Division One Administrative Committee before October first.
This change eliminates the spring transfer portal window, aiming to
enhance roster stability and allow players and coaches to focus
on the season the windows. The window follows the college
football playoff quarterfinals, aligning with the twenty twenty five twenty
(22:28):
twenty six postseason schedule where semi finals are January ninth
and tenth, and the national title game is January twentieth.
The committee also proposed making December a recruiting dead period,
prohibiting both on and off campus recruiting visits but allowing
contact with the recruits. The decision follows unanimous support from
FBS coaches at the American Football Coaches Association convention, addressing
(22:51):
concerns about the overlap of transfer activity, coaching changes, and
postseason games. Last season issues such as Penn State and
SMU losing quarterbacks during the playof and Marshall opting out
of the bowl game due to roster shortages highlighted these challenges.
The single window reduces the transferportal period from thirty days
to ten, potentially creating a frenzied market and raising concerns
about restricting athlete movement, which would, in my opinion, face
(23:16):
once again legal scrutiny. You know what I mean, Like
graduate transfers previously allowed to enter the portal earlier October
one last year must now wait until January two. Exceptions
for coaching changes or late postseason angs may still apply.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Zach, did you have comments on this, Buddy?
Speaker 5 (23:37):
I had a little bit of comments. I think it's
good to have a good single window in January. That's
always the best best option for a player as well.
But yeah, that's all I have rea that to say,
the transfer portal is gonna be really interesting in the
next next few months.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Well, this feels like something that probably needs to be
collectively bargained though, because you're talking about restricting a transfer
portal window which doesn't apply to coaches, which this is
the group that is essentially.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
About the incity of legalities by laws coaches versus players.
It's like it's just insane, like congruency.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
I understand the desire and the need to to try
to clean up the transfer saga, the annual transfer saga. Uh,
that is impacting college sports, particularly college football. I don't
know if this is the answer, though, and I feel
like this is something that could probably use some students,
(24:37):
some athletes, some student athlete input and appreciation, something that
you can probably really only get through the use of
a collective bargaining agreement. And as we all know, Ben,
because you are a lawyer, I'm like me.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
I am not but not a lawyer, but I do
talk to many lawyers.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Yeah, but a collective marketing agreement would require these athletes
to also be employees of the university. So again I understand,
I understand their issues are legal ramifications there, but it
just it feels like a lot of power and leverage
that's trying to impact a group of players that have
a marginalized voice in the current college sports ecosystem, which
I don't necessarily like about this move. Will a pass? Probably?
(25:19):
Is it? Yeah? Is it bound to pass? Share again
and sim needs to be approved by the administrative council
by October. But I the only share thing in college
football right now are billable hours, and I think some
lawyers are going to make some money off of this
one too.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
No doubt about it. Uh.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
That's our segment, guys, Little college Football, Little World to
b YU Football and College Football segment brought to you
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Speaker 3 (26:02):
We'll take a brief time out. We'll be back. Don't
go anywhere.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
This is Cougar Sports on one all three, nine ninety
eight point three e SPN The Fan.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Get to know the Cougar's opponents and rivals right now,
I need to know the faux segment tod Cougar Sports
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Advisors are certified financial planners. Nobody does it better than Banterwealth.
It is stop for a little know the faux segment.
One of my favorite segments is gonna get to know
the Stanford Cardinal.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Through the eyes.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
The voice of the UH, the play by play voice
can't wait to get into it. Uh, we're gonna uh
give a big cougar roar to our sponsors before we
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Choose Dental pros dentalprosview dot com. Let's get out to
the hotline. Welcome in the voice of the Stanford Cardinal.
You're gonna hear them if you, if you, if you
turn the dial over to the Stanford stream. Let's welcome
in Troy Clardy to the show. Troy, how are you.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
Doing? Terristic? Looking forward to uh hey, only an hour
and a half main fight this time a realm. This
should be fun and heading to a fairly familiar territory
and being at the base of the Lostatche Mountains is
always awesome, So looking forward to looking forward to being
back in the mix tomorrow should be interesting.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
Lejo, Yeah, have you called a game at Lavelle before?
Speaker 6 (27:53):
Have not called a game, But I was there the
last time that Stanford football was in Provo. That was
two thousand and three. Stanford won that one, eighteen to fourteen,
and they won that game despite passing for only twenty
five yards on the entire evening. They still won that
game somehow. I was there, saw it with my own eyes,
(28:16):
and I'm sure that Stanford would love to have a
repeat from the winning side of things, at least from
that perspective. Now, the passing game and some question this
time around, and I'm sure that Stamford would love to,
you know, at the very least have a more functional
passing game this time around. But if they can get
both of those check marks tomorrow, get the Cougars, I'm
(28:37):
sure it'll be very happy.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
What's the history like between these two programs, would you say?
I think Stanford all time two wins, one loss. But
they've maybe been more competitive in the recruiting the recruiting
battles than they have actually been on the field of battle.
Speaker 6 (28:57):
Yeah, it certainly seemed that way. I mean, this isn't
you know, much of a series, all told, only the
fourth time that these two squads are going to meet
Stanford two to one in that series, and of course
the last time that these two teams met the season
finale of twenty twenty two, closing out what ended up
being David Shaw's final game as the as the head
(29:18):
coach at Stanford. But but you are right, I mean
they have, especially during much of the David saw era
Anderson who had some pretty deep ties to the b
High State and Lance Anderson was Stanford's defensive coordinator and
helped head up many of Stamford's recruiting efforts during that time.
Certainly there were some recruiting battles between Stanford and b UYU,
(29:43):
with each team you know, claiming some pretty significant victories
on each side. So you know, I think, you know,
the the rivalry or of course, if you want to
call it that, the series. It's been a series, you know,
on the football field, but it's been it's been fairly
tightly contested, you know, in the recruiting side of things,
So you know, intriguing to see that that perspective and
(30:06):
that side of things from Stanford and b YU. But
where it really matters is is on the field of play,
and here we go, let's place him up.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Yeah, I can't wait to see what happens yet. From
from a recruiting battle standpoint, I feel like Stanford's been
a Thorn and b YU side. Shoot Like Taysom Hill
could have been a member of the Stanford Cardinal football
team had his mission maybe had been elongated or had
(30:36):
ended a little bit sooner so he could have had
a scholarship available.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
There's been so many players. Gabe Reid came out of
the state.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
If you Brendan Fanica Dallas Lloyd, you got another guy
who's going to be your starting safety. That was essentially
you know they he chose the Stanford Cardinal over b
YU b B Why you got a few back right
recently with Nucy, Tom Mooypeu and maybe Bear Bachmeyer. But
it has been a bit of a Born and BAU
(31:03):
side in the recruiting front.
Speaker 6 (31:06):
No, don't forget that Jay Martin, who's oh yeah, off
to a terrific start this season. And of course uh
was bus leading Russia a couple of years ago, and
at one point he was within Stanford's clutches and and
that changed around. But you're a friend of Scotti. Edwards,
who one of the starting safeties for Stanford did not play,
was a bit dinged up in Stanford's opener a couple
(31:26):
of weeks ago at Hawaii. But he should be good
to go for this one. And he's fired up. You know,
he was part of the player media availability earlier this week,
a homecoming for that young man Olympics high school in Holiday,
of course, right up the street from Provo. And look,
he's expecting more than a hundred friends and family members
out there tomorrow, whether they're rooting for Stanford or not.
(31:49):
He grew up going to BYU games. He'd rushed the
field a few times in Provo, so he's already had
experience and lost some logsome foot time on that field.
So he's fired up and ready to go, not just
because this will be his first game back after missing
the season opener, but this will be his first game
back on his home turf. And certainly you know the
(32:11):
Stanford defense, you know we'll see I mean, look sixty
nine to nothing. I mean, I don't know exactly how
much value you extract, you know, from a result like
that and from competition like that, but at the same time,
it certainly gets your attention. The offense, as you guys
saw it, for b YU did what it needed to
do against Portland State behind Bart Bockmeyer in a cast
(32:32):
of thousands. That even continued when the backup came in
in the second half. So the Stanford defense, which byan orange,
held its own and performed well against Hawaii. You know,
you think of Hawaii and the run issue offense that
Timmy Chang runs out there. You think of quarterbacks, you know,
throwing the ball fifty five sixty times and ball for
(32:54):
four hundred and four and fifty yards, and that didn't
really happen this time of the round. Stanford really didn't
give Hawaii any big plays through the air, but they
gave up their share of little ones and that was
the key to the game. Hawaii made big made little
plays through the air. Stanford couldn't make any plays through
the air, and that ended up being the difference in
this in that one.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Yeah, I feel like this.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
These two teams have matched up pretty well on the
football field, and they have a same similar recruiting pitch
and uh the type of player that they want to
bring into their program. So you see equivalency of strengths,
maybe equivalencies of weaknesses. How do you think these two
teams match up in provo this year?
Speaker 6 (33:41):
Yeah, it's it's going to be intriguing and I think
the number one thing obviously was Stanford coming off of
its performance in Hawaii. The good news is that there
might actually be production from the running back position in
the running game this year. Much of the running the
last production over the last two years was actually performed
by a quarterback. Stanford running backs did not have a
(34:02):
single rushing touchdown in twenty twenty four and throughout much
of twenty three. When Micah Ford bulled in from a
couple of yards out in Honolulu a couple of weeks ago,
that was Stanford's first rushing touchdown from a running back
in exactly twenty three months. But it was good to
see that return as Stanford was able to get good, steady,
(34:24):
consistent games. Had some opportunities for bigger and longer, more
exposive plays, but they were able to control the ball
for the most part with their running game and with
their running backs. That was nice to see anything else
offensively tough setting just just absolutely no production at all
outside of the thirty six yard completion relatively late in
(34:44):
the game. Bengal Brampson, the sixth year the transfer from
Oregon State, getting the first start, getting his first start
for Stanford and quite honestly, did not do much completely
just fifty percent of his passes and through a game
changing interception on a drive that's should have been I
should have given Stanford some dagger points and if they've
gotten a touchdown, they would have gone up twenty seven
(35:06):
to seventeen with inside about five four minutes to go
or so. But as it was, that interception point is
the way to the game time field goal, to a
one to go and eventually the game winning field goal,
and was with no time on the clock at all,
so go. Branson struggled mightily, got decent protection from the
offensive line. I'm not sure that he got much help
(35:26):
from his receivers, as they had problems getting separation a
little bit and winning contested balls. So look, the quarterback's
going to get their line share of the credit when
things go right, as I think you guys might be
experiencing right now, and they're here more than they're here
at the blame when things go wrong. As I think
what might be happening in the Stanford fan base right now,
(35:47):
there are so many things and so many fast as
they have to go into an effective passing game, and
we haven't quite seen that so far. About that being said,
can Stanford's offensive line continue and build upon some things
that it showed against Hawaii in the run game? Can
they get up to that second level? Can they? Can
they win the line of scrimmage? Can they get to
(36:09):
the second level? And and and and get hats and
arms and and and anything else they can legally? Of course,
anyway on those on those outstanding BYU linebackers that can
key to this game as well. And Stanford will see
what they throw a b YU from a covered standpoint
against a very young bear Bachmeyer who has only played
a half of college football, and Stanford does know him
(36:32):
a little bit. So there's gonna be a lot of
intriguing things to watch on the field between these two tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
Yeah, what what feedback did you get from the coaching
staff during springball on bear Bachmeier? Was he truly positioned
to compete for the starting job?
Speaker 6 (36:50):
Going back and thinking back, and you know, I you know,
it seems like so long reasons of trying to reach
back and think exactly to it, it did not seem
that he was in any real you know, pecking order
at near or near the top of the pecking order.
It seemed at that time. At that time, it was
(37:12):
Elijah Brown who was the only returning started or the
only returning quarterback with any experience you know, from last
year's team. Asking Daniels started most of the games. He
transferred to Auburn justin Lampson's grad transferred to Montana State.
So Elijah Brown at the incumbent, Charlie Myers there as well,
(37:32):
and Bear bock Myer was was was in that mix,
probably behind Miles Jackson, so he might have been looking
around third or fourth or so during the spring was
Stanford knowing that they were also going to make some
additions potentially in the transfer portal once spring ball was done.
So that was really, you know, true indication that that
(37:53):
that Bear was was was you know, anywhere near really
as it seemed at that point anyway, I didn't really
at any and any sense of this anyway that that
Bear was was close to the top of the pecking
order for the quarterbacks. Now, obviously, in this day and
age in college football, especially now, a lot can change
in a few months. I mean, look, how close would
(38:15):
bear Bockmeyer be to the to the starting quarterback role
if Repslaff was still in the mix in Provo? Would
would he be high as number two? Who knows? But hey,
the dominoes fell in the right way for him, and
he certainly impressed for out much of the first half,
obviously in b YU after a relatively slow start. But yeah,
it's it's it's kind of if it was a surprise
(38:36):
of folks in Provo, it might have been a little
bit of surprise since the folks here on the West
Coast as well.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Talking some Stanford cardinal here on your Utah ESPN Radio net.
We're going to know the faux segment brought to you
by Dental Pros of Utah Dental prosiviu du dot com.
So what are the strengths of this Stanford football team.
It seems like the run game is their strength. You know,
Michael Ford is a nice football player. The offensive line
(39:03):
suit's pretty robust. Would you say that that is the
strength of the offense, and what's the strength of the defense?
Speaker 6 (39:09):
Strength is the defense I think overall as a team
defense and special teams with a fantastic kicker in Emma
Kenny who hit two walk off field goals for the
Cardinal last year. But defensively, that is where much of
the experience returning experience on this team lay. Certainly upfront,
(39:30):
with a bunch of experienced dudes Anthony Franklin, Zach Rowels At, Bucky,
Clay Patterson's seventh year Omar Stables, and Omar Staples rather
end Brady Marcelo Lanka also in reserve. So up front
they are deep and they are very, very experienced, So
I'm intrigued to see what they can do against Yu's
(39:52):
offensive line. Starting linebackers on the inside not starting experience
from from last year as tackling machines Tritis and Claire
and Guys and Berndale both graduated, but both those guys
very experienced, with Matt Rose with thirteen tackles a couple
of weeks ago against Hawaii and Josiah Galdon probably the
(40:13):
ones at inside linebacker and help along the way with
Hunter barta transfer from cal. I didn't realize it was
legal for folks to transfer from cal to Stanford that's
probably like folks transfer from Utah to BYU, although that's
been happening a bit lately as well. Zak Johnson the
transfer from Idaho a bit in reserve along againster Sam Mattingly.
Edge rushers I think are a bit underrated. Temp Ruitz
(40:35):
of FEEDI blew up last year. He can make life
miserable in the opposing backfields for quarterbacks and running backs
and can racked up TFLs. Gets help. Wilfredo Ibar who
who will covered the fumble in the end zone on
the first defensive snap of the game for Stanford in
Hawaii a couple of weeks ago, and Ernest Cooper has
(40:56):
really shown some terrific flashes as well, and an experience secondary.
Colin Wright, the best corner did not play, was gamed
up a couple weeks ago against the Rainbow Warriors, but
he's back in the mix. We talked about Scotty Edwards,
Jay Green, a fantastic leader at safety, Mitch Lieber in
the mix there as well, and a couple of young
corners in Nicholson and Richardson who were just thrown into
(41:20):
the fire. The secondary was just ravaged by injury last year.
Stanford by the time November rolled around had just one
of their top seven defensive backs available to them last year,
so it was rough setting. Now, that did mean opportunities
for Cam Richardson and Brandon Nicholson, and they were able
to take some months but make the most of it.
So they bring that experience with them into this year.
(41:42):
So really, from front to back, the defense can do
some things and while the offense still tries to find
at sea legs, especially through the air, and defense is
gonna be counted on. I think maybeing leaned on a
bit more heavily in the.
Speaker 2 (41:55):
Interim Troy, What does the future of Stamp football look like?
There's an interim head coach. You have a GM that
is an all time great, Andrew Luck. There's a new
landscape of college football transfer portal NIL kind of a
free market system. The Stanford Cardinal are part of the ACC,
(42:19):
multiple time zones away. That's got to be difficult from
a logistical, operational and even a maybe even a profit
revenue generation standpoint, with the branding and imaging.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
And travel, et cetera.
Speaker 2 (42:32):
What does the future of Stanford athletics look like, especially
in the football program, under these these parameters.
Speaker 6 (42:38):
Well, yeah, and let me start here. Stanford very grateful
to be NBACC, especially with the dominoes and how they
fell and how everything went and with the Importance book.
PAT twelve did the best job of embracing women's sports
and Olympic sports and placing importsance on them. The only
(42:59):
other powerful were a Power five at that time. Conference
that even came close to the PAT twelve's commitment to
women's sports and Olympic sports was the ACC. So that
was very important to Stanford and for cal because let's
face as Stanford and Cow are tethered together at the
hip and a look, the travel is what it is,
you know, all the other things that going to Stanford
being in the ACC, that is what that is. But
(43:21):
they were able to come away with with more answers
and more clear path forward than unfortunately Oregon State and
Washington State were. But staffand and Cow both very very
glad and they're very grateful to be in the ACC. Now.
As for the overall future of Stanford football, and I
think it looks sprighter than it might have just a
(43:43):
few months ago for a couple of reasons. Number one, yes,
Andrew Ruck is in the mix. As the general manager,
and he's super passionate about this job. Still learning on
the job. You know, admitted to stubbing his toes a
couple of times, especially in the early part of things
when he was trying to fig throughout that. Look, the
duties of the gig, the parameters of the job are
(44:05):
ever shifting along with the landscape of college football. You know,
what applies today might not necessarily apply tomorrow. So he's
trying to figure things out on the run. But the
good news is that, and I think this is the
most important thing, there is support from the university leadership
(44:26):
as a whole. There was a Stanford got a new
president's running things and building tent on the on the
Stanford campus. He just assumed office about about a year ago,
and he has been he's not been shy about embracing
athletics and what it can be and the positive force
that it can be in the university's ecosystem. And he
(44:49):
was the one that was behind a hiring Andrew Locke
to oversee the football program. And you know, John Antman,
the new president, actually shows up to a football practice
a couple of weeks ago. We were all shocked. I mean,
there have been some university presidents that have been more
supportive of and cognizant of what athletics can mean to
a university UH than others. But even the ones that
(45:11):
were more supportive, UH, no one could remember them those
guys showing up to a football practice at all. So
that that that's been good to see, and I think
that's been the most important piece of the puzzle. If
you don't have that leadership at the very top who
realizes what football and what athletics can be and how
positive it can be, then you're you're you're spinning your wheels.
(45:36):
And I think as long as that holds, and as
long as those folks are in place, I think the
I think the future of of Stanford football and the
athletic department as in its entirety is largely going to
be heading in the right direction.
Speaker 2 (45:50):
Do you think b YU in Stanford UH can continue,
you know, some some sort of an agreement intercomp in
non conference agreement going forward to have home and homes
in the future, in the near future.
Speaker 6 (46:10):
It's possible, and it certainly makes sense geographically right. You know,
obviously Stanford not going to be very interested and you know,
in non conference games against Army, you know, anymore hitting
across the country where they're going to be doing that
for several times and multiple times throughout the course of
conference season. And you know, Stanford has had a running
(46:31):
series with Notre Dame that has been played in every
year except to dating bank to nineteen eighty eight. That
might not be happening anymore after this year, when Stanford
and Notre Dame tangle to close out the regular season.
So Stanford might be on the lookout for, you know,
(46:51):
maybe if it may be another non conference opponent. You know,
I'm not in those meetings, you know, I'm not thriven
to those conversations, but I would imagine that there would be,
you know, some potential reasons why, you know, both schools,
and some beneficial reasons and some benefits for both schools,
and maybe you know, take a potential closer look at
maybe making this thing a more a more regular occurrence. Now,
(47:16):
you know, not knowing exactly what by use future schedules
look like or anything like that, but you know, my
knee jerk reaction, it makes sense. You know, we'll see
how it goes.
Speaker 2 (47:27):
Last, Think Troy, how do you think this game plays out?
You got a score prediction.
Speaker 4 (47:31):
For me.
Speaker 6 (47:35):
The year twenty twenty knocks me out of the prediction business.
I'm not gonna make it overall fordiction here for that,
but you know, just just going back to a couple
of things that that that that would drop up earlier
during this chat. Can Stanford find ways to win the
line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Can
(47:55):
it hold its own? Can it find me you know
what by you I'm sure would love to do on
the ground, pound the rock a little bit with L. J.
Martin and Une Mula as well. And can it, you know,
give Bear Bachmeyer some looks and some things that he
hasn't quite seen before. And in the meantime, if the
Stanford defense is successful, can the offense make plays? Hold
(48:19):
on to the ball? A little ball control might not
be a bad idea, but you know, when you get
into the red zone, at least get you know, within
sniffing distance of the end zone. Can they get sixes
instead of freeze? That was a big problem against Hawaii
for Stanford a couple of weeks ago as well. So
you know, Stanford can can maximize and take advantage of
the opportunities that are presented for them. And by the way,
(48:44):
if they can complete you know, downfield passes. Gave to
think the complete forward passes more than five to ten
yards beyond the line of scrimmage, that will help out
a lot too. So for from Stanford's perspective, I think
those things might be the most important things to keep
an eye on as the skame goes a lot tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (49:00):
Roy, we salute you, We appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (49:03):
We invite everyone to follow you on X and there's
a certain you know, segment of our listenership. I'd like
to hear what the opposition has to say, so maybe
they'll tune into your stream as well. Thanks so much
for joining us day true.
Speaker 6 (49:19):
Yeah, you appreciate it anytime. Stay safe, stay thing, stay
healthy and ghos Stanford.
Speaker 2 (49:25):
All right, we'll see you in provo on Saturday. Thanks
so much, Troy Clardy. Ladies and gentlemen appreciate him joining us.
That segment was brought to you by Dental Prose of
Youtah Dentalprosiviewtah dot com.
Speaker 3 (49:36):
All right, guys, that's our show. We're sticking to it.
Speaker 2 (49:38):
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Speaker 3 (49:46):
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Speaker 2 (49:48):
Make sure you're still following us on all of our
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(50:09):
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Speaker 3 (51:08):
We'll be back tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (51:09):
Get your prep, getting you ready for a big game
in provo versus the Stafford Cardinal. Now's the time, Now's
the place to really stick it to the Cardinal for
too long. The hubris, the pompous nature of these so
called erudites, these academics that stiffed arm Brigham Young University
(51:30):
from entering pack twelve country, pack ten country, pack eight country.
They're bigotry, they're they're I would say, they're prejudice limited
us from having Glorian victory in a conference and having ten, fifteen,
twenty thirty forty million dollars per year in our conference
to build up our program. They were the school, one
(51:52):
of the big schools that said, nay, we don't like
these Mormon.
Speaker 3 (51:56):
Ways, these Latter day Saints.
Speaker 2 (51:59):
They're not academic institution, they're not an R one institution.
Their religious bigotry will not be accepted in our conference.
Speaker 3 (52:08):
We gotta stick it to them.
Speaker 2 (52:10):
Now is the time, now's the place, So come on out,
show up, show out, guys. It's gonna be a tremendous
game by you very well could cover. They're definitely gonna win. Guys,
we'll call that a show and we wish you a
very good night, have a safe night.
Speaker 3 (52:23):
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Let's talk a little bit about college football in the
(01:49):
Big Twelve if we can start out here, so a
couple of things. What did we learn about the Big
Twelve through these first few weeks. There's some good games,
some bad games, some beautiful games, some ugly games. I
put together a little synopsis of what we learned. I'll
start off with this as I cast my Gays northward.
(02:12):
I do believe Utah is a better team than they
were last season.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Hot takes, hot takes.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
And it's not a hot take, right. This is just
us discussing what is occurring, what's happened in the offseason.
Jason Beck is a phenomenal offensive coordinator. Now he's gonna
have trials, he's gonna have tribulations. It's not like he
won a ton of games when he was oci at
at Syracuse, like he had some problems there.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
But he also at Syracuse did.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Not have a top twenty five defense, did not have
a top twenty five special teams unit, and he most
likely has that to booy him off, to help him.
Yet one of the best offensive lines in the country.
So that Utah game is gonna be a ferocious one.
It's gonna be a big one, one of the biggest,
I would say in the modern era. Why because Kyle
(03:03):
Whittingham has figuratively figuratively one foot out the door. If
he wins, he says farewell to college football. Is one
of the best college football coaches over the last twenty years,
winning a lot of football games, winning championships and putting
a significant amount of football players in the NFL, mostly
(03:26):
defensive and special teamers.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Though that's what he's done.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Well, that's his mojo, that's his that's his that's been
his thesis for a long time of that's been their culture.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
That's who they recruit, that's who they developed, that's who
they put in the league.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
So I think that that particular Holy War battle will
ultimately solidify him, in my opinion, his legacy at the
University of Utahn.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
This is where the hot take comes.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Because I know, you know you're poking, You're you're poking
fun at me. I would say much of his legacy
at the University of Utah is centered around beating BYU.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
It's beating BYU.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yes, he's taking his teams to championships, partial championships, not
outright championships.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
Right.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Yes, he's taking them to a Rolls Bowl, but he
has not won there. He's not won maybe the big
time game outside of the Sugar Bowl, you could say
versus Alabama, but a depleted Alabama, you know, staff Fis Bowl.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
He was on staff, but he wasn't the head coach.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
So I believe his legacy if you were to pie
chart pie charted out. I think you could objectively take
seventy percent of his legacy and say, look, much of
the great feelings that the Utah fan base have centered
around Kyle Whittingham is his dominance in the modern era
(04:58):
over BYU post twenty ten. He's on a two game
losing streak, though if he goes to three game losing streak,
is the legacy solely Sean Walker in your opinion.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
Uh, objectively, In my humble and unbiased opinion speaking completely
objectively numerically, over the course of a twenty plus year
career both as a head coach and as a defensive
coordinator on the hill at Utah, I don't think it is.
I don't think one game is enough to truly solely
(05:36):
Kyle Whittingham's legacy at the U. I don't think one
game is enough to really like damp in what he's
done with that program. But subjectively, completely subjectively speaking emotionally speaking,
in regionally bias, rivalry, recency bias, what that game means
(05:57):
on the watats front, I think it does. Absolutely think
it does. Because you don't want to go out. I mean,
Kyle Waitningham was pretty open I think at Big Twelve
media days and in a couple of follow up interviews
since then, that he didn't want to go out on
the season that Utah had last year five and seven,
not going to a bowl game, first year in the
Big Twelve, trying to run the Big Twelve, and they
(06:19):
did not still haven't won a Big Twelve home game.
I think I believe, I believe that's the number is
zero Big Twelve home wins currently. You guys can correct
me if I'm wrong Utah fans, But Kyle didn't want
to go out on last season, and if he has
anything that's even remotely similar to last season, then I
think subjectively that will kind of tarnish a little bit
(06:42):
of what kind of the end of his Utah tenure
has been at the very least, so overall, should it
Should it solely anything with his career, No, absolutely, But
it may tarnish the way his career ended, which I
think will impact how a long lot of people, at
the very least right now see his tenure on the
(07:04):
hill at the University of Utah. Now that being said,
I think we're speaking specifically of that October eighteenth game
at BYU. Between these two rivals. I don't think that's
going to be even remotely the case. This is a
game on October eighteenth that very well could feature two
six and o teams. There's a strong possibility there are
(07:28):
two teams that are at least five and one at
the very very least. You know me, Ben, I don't
like to pick perfection. I don't like picking anybody going perfect.
I just college football is such a weird sport relying
on eighteen to twenty two year old young men that
I don't necessarily like to expect perfection from anyone or anything.
But at the very least, these two teams BAYU and
Utah when they meet in provo at LS on October eighteenth,
(07:51):
probably should be five and one. You know, maybe you
can make an argument for four and two again, maybe
you can make an argument for s right, these are
gonna be. Yeah, these are gonna be two very teams,
two teams that are in the think of the Big
twelve title of Big tweal title contention.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
And think of a bigger game in the modern era
post twenty ten than this rivalry.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Co post ten.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yeah, because that's when like the independence and in in
Pac twelve affiliation occurred, like that's the modernor that is
the Kyle Whittingham era, Like you the Mountain West era
was fifty to fifty, right, it was fifty to fifty
in the in the so that Kyle Whittingham got five
and then b YU got six, seven, Kylwhitingham got eight,
(08:36):
b YU got nine. Utah got two thousand ten. So
after that the dominance ensued. That's when the dominance ensued.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Yeah, no, I know exactly what you're saying.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
So there's not a bigger game in my opinion than
this one out of all those when you when you
look at it, because the impact has conference implications. Yes,
before when BYU beat Utah in two thousan twenty one
for the first time in a long time, it really
didn't matter. It didn't derail Utah because they ended up
(09:06):
in the in the Rose Bowl, their crowning jewel Bowl
game of Kyle Whittingham's career as a head coach against
the Ohio State Buck guys. But they fell short forty
eight to forty five. Couldn't get the dub by you
had beaten him earlier in the season twenty six to seventeen,
and they won it through trench warfare. They won it
(09:27):
through physical play. Remember how Tyler Alzier was able to
run the ball effectively late in that game, milk the
clock and seal the deal so that the offense of
Utah couldn't get back onto the field.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
The defense, the.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Power of this Utah football team, the leadership of the
football team couldn't get off the field when it counted
most in that in that year. So that wasn't a
big game for Utah and it hasn't been all that
impactful in the rivalry.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
That's what I'm saying. This is this is it right here.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
This is the last foray into this rivalry game that
has been under Kyle Winningham Petty competitive yep, and extremely
sometimes even volatile.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Uh yeah. Extremely This is the biggest edition of the
BYU Utah rivalry whatever you want to call it, since
twenty ten.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
This is easily the biggest since twenty ten, just for
that exact region. There are conference and implications on the line.
There are potential accomplished championship ramifications on the line, assuming
everything goes as a lot of people are expecting up
to that point in the season. Twenty ten had some
conference championships on the line, although you can are you know,
(10:50):
based off of BYU season, maybe it wasn't both ways
the same way that this October meeting could potentially be
for both teams. But you, tich did a great job
of using that game to springboard them into what was
essentially the Mountain West kind of championship bowl game. You know,
(11:12):
remember the old Las Vegas Bowl, those ties first back
from the Mountain West. You ended up going to the
MAKEU Bowl Las Vegas it was called that year. Again,
I think that was Boise State that they played that season.
I think they played Boise State that year again. Correct
me if I'm wrong, you can you can text my
burner account at Ron the Three Men Weave on x
or on Twitter. But yeah, I have I have no problem,
(11:36):
just whole hardly agreeing with that take. This is this
October will be the Veggas BYU football game since twenty ten.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Uh So, yeah, I have my eyes set on that.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
When there was a certain amount of confidence that I
think most BYU fans the media members have of BYU
being undefeated or five on one in Utah being in
a similar boat in uh you know, then as we initiate.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
And really get into the meat of Big twelve play.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Now, getting back to what we learned about BYU scheduling
opponents after the first two weeks. Obviously, Portland State is
the worst team in college football. Stamford is becoming increasingly
even though over the five year span of recruiting the
two four seven Sports rivals, the complosite rankings has them
as a formidable foe from a personnel standpoint. They did
lose some in the transfer portal after the Frank Reich news,
(12:29):
after Andrew luck let go of Troy Taylor ETCA. We
saw a little bit of a transfer portal exodus there.
But Stamford is not who they were in the Shaw era.
They weren't They're not even close to who they were
in the Harbor era, and they're trying to they're rebuild mode.
Even though there's some good play there. There's some good
talent there, decent talent. But BYU should win, will they cover.
(12:50):
I'm not completely convinced they're going to cover, even though
you're at home, and even though BYU it's early, which
means they're healthy and in the Killane era, when BAU
is healthy and strong early in the season, they've tended
to beat the P four programs. When you get into
the later portion of your schedule and you have a
formidable foe, that's when you lost because your depth issues.
(13:11):
So Stanford has talent, they're decent, but by you should win.
I'm just only the only concern I have is will
they cover? And that's not even a concern. You just
got to survive in advance. Early in the season. East Carolina,
they lost their competitives. East Carolina lost to NC State.
NC State has some good things going for him. East
(13:33):
Carolina could be better than we think, twenty four to seventeen.
NC State I think is a good program with good
talent that that East Carolina game could be interesting.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
On the road.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Colorado lost to Georgia Tech. Gorgia, tex a good football
team twenty seven to twenty. I believe West Virginia demolished
Robert Morris. I'm concerned maybe about that three game stretch there,
a little bit more than I was initially. Arizona beat Hawaii,
if that gives you any indication of how good Stanford is.
If you're looking at common opponents here, we know Arizona
(14:09):
football two a degree BYU has played asy enough over
the last decade to know what the traditional talent level is,
and they've beaten that talent typically. Now they've been close games.
These have been competitive games. If Arizona beat Hawaii forty
to six, yes, and in Stanford lost to why yes
(14:31):
on the road. That's why I'm overly confident that Bay's
gonna get to win. I just don't know if they're
gonna win by twenty one. Okay, that's a little common foe.
UTA obviously demolished, just destroyed UCLA. You know that Utah
is gonna be good this year. If dam Pere is healthy,
it's gonna be tough to stop. That offense will be
tough to stop. I aloways state they're gonna be good.
(14:53):
Matt Campbell, I fear that man. I fear his culture.
I fear his physicality. They completely embarrassed be One when
they came to town and b YU and they're all plaques.
Wanted to go into the void and be forgotten. That
game needs to be forgotten.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
They wore vapors thunder Heyn.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
That game needs to be forgotten anyway. Texas Tech, they're
one to know. They destroyed Arkansas Line Bluff TCUs better
than you maybe thought or is unc just one of
the worst P four teams in the country. I tend
to lean towards TCUs the real deal this year, Like
I really believe TCU is the real deal.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
Cincinnati lost to Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
I do think Matt Roll and then in the corn
Huskers are better than they have been in the past.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
They're not just almost winning, They're.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
They're they're they're they're they they they're They're a good
team this year. And I think actually Cincinnati's a decent
team too. So that was a nice that that was
a nice win for Nebraska, and in Cincinnati is a
good team. UCF barely beat Jacksonville State seventeen to ten.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
You want to make an argument that.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Jacksonville State still has some holdover talent from the prime era,
I don't know if that's that's accurate. I just think,
you know, what's going on is that UCF is not
a good team this year. There's a reason why Gus
Malson said, I'm not going to be the head coach
here anymore. I'm gonna go take equivalent money as a coordinator.
I don't believe I can win here, and that's why
(16:20):
he took his talents elsewhere and he wanted to focus
on what he does best, which is coordinate.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
What does it say about UCF the Gus mauzam would
probably rather go be the offensive coordinator if a to
win Florida State team, then coach that UCF team. Yeah,
it could be a long year in Central Florida.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
A couple other things here as we get into some
of the news and notes of the day. Ryder Lions
ends up signing with under Armor an NIL deal with
some significant cash. The deal aligns him with a prominent
prominent NFL starts like Justin Jefferson camp Ward, Jake Ferguson,
Luther Burden the Third and Nick m and Warri and
(16:58):
they are all associated with the brand. And there was
a fantastic pump up video of many of these players
that you can check out on social media. Shout out
to the five star quarterback, the BYU commit, Ryder Lions.
Sp plus actually predicting BYU to get a nice win
over the Stanford Cardinals. P Plus gives b YU a
ninety four percent chance to win with an expected score
(17:18):
of thirty.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Nine to fourteen.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
So Bill Conley and his metric loves them some Brigham
and he is picking them to cover Boy's chances, you know,
are solid, and I think the over or excuse me,
the spread right now, it wasn't eighteen and a half.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Maybe it's up to twenty and a half now.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
The last time I checked, by remains the first team
out of the top twenty five and the AP bole.
But they are in the top twenty five and the
coaches poll. If you didn't, if you haven't stayed up
to date on some of the preseason postseason polling BYU
hasn't moved a whole lot. And it's because they didn't
play Week zero and they beat the worst team in
college football Portland, say, sixty nine to zero, and other
(17:59):
team's had maybe better, better opponents.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
I'm fine with it.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
They didn't move down, really they I mean they moved
down two slots in the coaching Paul, I get it,
I got it. But they didn't move out of the
top twenty five. Okay, they kept them in there.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Kimi. I think Boya fans are totally fine if you
want to keep underrating BAU football for as long as possible,
out of the top twe five, as long as possible.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Yep, Yes, indeed, keep him out. A couple other things. Yeah,
I need I need that. I need that hatred, I
need that chip on the shoulder right. A couple other
things as relates to b YU football and some recruiting.
If you like local football, if you like Utah Preps football,
make sure you're watching Springville at Orum Lopetti Moala. That
(18:42):
dude's had a great season thus far. He's a beast
in the middle of that arm defensive line, Mountain Crest
at Ridgeline, Graham Livings and he's had himself an explosive season.
Got a little Dax Milne to him. I think he's
a good football player, a little combo of Dax Milne
and maybe Parker Kingson. He's got great speed, athleticism, he's
been dynamic in catching the football.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
I think I said on these other ways before, but
i'll repeat a Graham Livingsten most underrated commit on bau's
current class of twenty twenty six roster, and he's proving
me right right now with the start too. He's here
for Ridge On High School. It' he's Yeah, he's been awesome.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
No doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Lone Peak or sorry, Desert Hills at Lehigh legend glasger
wide receiver athlete. He'll be showcase Loan Peak at Bishop Gorman,
Las Vegas, Nevada. Bob Mulatalo with a with a big
opportunity to let him signify himself as a maybe a
high level four maybe even five star recruiting this twenty
(19:36):
twenty six class, he's going. When you're going against the
best at Bishop Gorman, You're you're gonna elevate your play,
I think, and you could elevate your recruiting ranking as well.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Park City at Olympus.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Keep an eye on Adam Bywater, the younger brother of
Ben Bywater. Tipanoga's at Pineview. We got broadcast the four
star tight end that has been very impressive thus far
this season. He's a in my opinion, more more refined
developed Dennis pittotype player Folsome High School at Mission Viejo, California.
You got Ryder Lions, the now under armoor athlete. How
(20:10):
do you feel about the under armoured deal? By the way, Sean,
I know you're a man of fine twined.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
Linens personally or professionally. Professionally, I'm wondering, why would an
athlete that's committed to a proud Nike institution like BYU,
sign with a brand like under Armour, but I understand
personally a lot of those connections and affiliations go out
the window. Cooper flag very famously last year was a
(20:34):
New Balanced athlete, signed a New Balanced deal. Was still
a New Balance athlete while playing for Duke. He obviously
played in Nikes, but then everything off the court, even
some of his practices and whatnot. He would wear New
Balance wear, New Balance gear. Kind of rep that brand.
Do ad some promotions. It's fine, it is what it is.
I also personally don't hate under Armour. I think they
(20:55):
are a very strong apparel company. We could talk about
their shoes a little bit later. I had some issues
under Armour. Not a sponsor could be called me if
you want my list, But in terms of apparel, they're great.
They do great work and if they're willing to pay
Rider Lions, go get that bag, man, go get that bag.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
I think the best cleat that under Armour ever made
was the Cam Newton high top Ooh, that is a
good cleat. I am a shoe guy. I love cleats.
I like basketball shoes, I like tennis shoes, and I
think the best cleat that they made was that like
overly high high top cam Newton cleat. It was fantastic.
It was a really good cleat, a good performance cleat
as well.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
Could they give you good traction on a December home
college football game in Provo during the COVID pandemic.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yeah, that would be interesting.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
A molded cleat does not do as well on natural
grass in my opinion. But all the turf fields and
early fall, you know, early October, you're okay with it.
ESPN reports NCAA approved single January transfer window. Speaking of
recruiting and transfer portal stuff, the NCAA FBS this Oversight
Committee voted on September four, twenty twenty five, to replace
the current dual transfer windows with a single ten day
(22:06):
transfer portal period starting January second, twenty twenty six, spending
approval by the Division One Administrative Committee before October first.
This change eliminates the spring transfer portal window, aiming to
enhance roster stability and allow players and coaches to focus
on the season the windows. The window follows the college
football playoff quarterfinals, aligning with the twenty twenty five twenty
(22:28):
twenty six postseason schedule where semi finals are January ninth
and tenth, and the national title game is January twentieth.
The committee also proposed making December a recruiting dead period,
prohibiting both on and off campus recruiting visits but allowing
contact with the recruits. The decision follows unanimous support from
FBS coaches at the American Football Coaches Association convention, addressing
(22:51):
concerns about the overlap of transfer activity, coaching changes, and
postseason games. Last season issues such as Penn State and
SMU losing quarterbacks during the playof and Marshall opting out
of the bowl game due to roster shortages highlighted these challenges.
The single window reduces the transferportal period from thirty days
to ten, potentially creating a frenzied market and raising concerns
about restricting athlete movement, which would, in my opinion, face
(23:16):
once again legal scrutiny. You know what I mean, Like
graduate transfers previously allowed to enter the portal earlier October
one last year must now wait until January two. Exceptions
for coaching changes or late postseason angs may still apply.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Zach, did you have comments on this, Buddy?
Speaker 5 (23:37):
I had a little bit of comments. I think it's
good to have a good single window in January. That's
always the best best option for a player as well.
But yeah, that's all I have rea that to say,
the transfer portal is gonna be really interesting in the
next next few months.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Well, this feels like something that probably needs to be
collectively bargained though, because you're talking about restricting a transfer
portal window which doesn't apply to coaches, which this is
the group that is essentially.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
About the incity of legalities by laws coaches versus players.
It's like it's just insane, like congruency.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
I understand the desire and the need to to try
to clean up the transfer saga, the annual transfer saga. Uh,
that is impacting college sports, particularly college football. I don't
know if this is the answer, though, and I feel
like this is something that could probably use some students,
(24:37):
some athletes, some student athlete input and appreciation, something that
you can probably really only get through the use of
a collective bargaining agreement. And as we all know, Ben,
because you are a lawyer, I'm like me.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
I am not but not a lawyer, but I do
talk to many lawyers.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Yeah, but a collective marketing agreement would require these athletes
to also be employees of the university. So again I understand,
I understand their issues are legal ramifications there, but it
just it feels like a lot of power and leverage
that's trying to impact a group of players that have
a marginalized voice in the current college sports ecosystem, which
I don't necessarily like about this move. Will a pass? Probably?
(25:19):
Is it? Yeah? Is it bound to pass? Share again
and sim needs to be approved by the administrative council
by October. But I the only share thing in college
football right now are billable hours, and I think some
lawyers are going to make some money off of this
one too.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
No doubt about it. Uh.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
That's our segment, guys, Little college Football, Little World to
b YU Football and College Football segment brought to you
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Speaker 3 (26:02):
We'll take a brief time out. We'll be back. Don't
go anywhere.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
This is Cougar Sports on one all three, nine ninety
eight point three e SPN The Fan.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Get to know the Cougar's opponents and rivals right now,
I need to know the faux segment tod Cougar Sports
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Speaker 2 (26:15):
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It is stop for a little know the faux segment.
One of my favorite segments is gonna get to know
the Stanford Cardinal.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Through the eyes.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
The voice of the UH, the play by play voice
can't wait to get into it. Uh, we're gonna uh
give a big cougar roar to our sponsors before we
get out to the hotline. It's always brought to you
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Choose Dental pros dentalprosview dot com. Let's get out to
the hotline. Welcome in the voice of the Stanford Cardinal.
You're gonna hear them if you, if you, if you
turn the dial over to the Stanford stream. Let's welcome
in Troy Clardy to the show. Troy, how are you.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
Doing? Terristic? Looking forward to uh hey, only an hour
and a half main fight this time a realm. This
should be fun and heading to a fairly familiar territory
and being at the base of the Lostatche Mountains is
always awesome, So looking forward to looking forward to being
back in the mix tomorrow should be interesting.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
Lejo, Yeah, have you called a game at Lavelle before?
Speaker 6 (27:53):
Have not called a game, But I was there the
last time that Stanford football was in Provo. That was
two thousand and three. Stanford won that one, eighteen to fourteen,
and they won that game despite passing for only twenty
five yards on the entire evening. They still won that
game somehow. I was there, saw it with my own eyes,
(28:16):
and I'm sure that Stanford would love to have a
repeat from the winning side of things, at least from
that perspective. Now, the passing game and some question this
time around, and I'm sure that Stamford would love to,
you know, at the very least have a more functional
passing game this time around. But if they can get
both of those check marks tomorrow, get the Cougars, I'm
(28:37):
sure it'll be very happy.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
What's the history like between these two programs, would you say?
I think Stanford all time two wins, one loss. But
they've maybe been more competitive in the recruiting the recruiting
battles than they have actually been on the field of battle.
Speaker 6 (28:57):
Yeah, it certainly seemed that way. I mean, this isn't
you know, much of a series, all told, only the
fourth time that these two squads are going to meet
Stanford two to one in that series, and of course
the last time that these two teams met the season
finale of twenty twenty two, closing out what ended up
being David Shaw's final game as the as the head
(29:18):
coach at Stanford. But but you are right, I mean
they have, especially during much of the David saw era
Anderson who had some pretty deep ties to the b
High State and Lance Anderson was Stanford's defensive coordinator and
helped head up many of Stamford's recruiting efforts during that time.
Certainly there were some recruiting battles between Stanford and b UYU,
(29:43):
with each team you know, claiming some pretty significant victories
on each side. So you know, I think, you know,
the the rivalry or of course, if you want to
call it that, the series. It's been a series, you know,
on the football field, but it's been it's been fairly
tightly contested, you know, in the recruiting side of things,
So you know, intriguing to see that that perspective and
(30:06):
that side of things from Stanford and b YU. But
where it really matters is is on the field of play,
and here we go, let's place him up.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Yeah, I can't wait to see what happens yet. From
from a recruiting battle standpoint, I feel like Stanford's been
a Thorn and b YU side. Shoot Like Taysom Hill
could have been a member of the Stanford Cardinal football
team had his mission maybe had been elongated or had
(30:36):
ended a little bit sooner so he could have had
a scholarship available.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
There's been so many players. Gabe Reid came out of
the state.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
If you Brendan Fanica Dallas Lloyd, you got another guy
who's going to be your starting safety. That was essentially
you know they he chose the Stanford Cardinal over b
YU b B Why you got a few back right
recently with Nucy, Tom Mooypeu and maybe Bear Bachmeyer. But
it has been a bit of a Born and BAU
(31:03):
side in the recruiting front.
Speaker 6 (31:06):
No, don't forget that Jay Martin, who's oh yeah, off
to a terrific start this season. And of course uh
was bus leading Russia a couple of years ago, and
at one point he was within Stanford's clutches and and
that changed around. But you're a friend of Scotti. Edwards,
who one of the starting safeties for Stanford did not play,
was a bit dinged up in Stanford's opener a couple
(31:26):
of weeks ago at Hawaii. But he should be good
to go for this one. And he's fired up. You know,
he was part of the player media availability earlier this week,
a homecoming for that young man Olympics high school in Holiday,
of course, right up the street from Provo. And look,
he's expecting more than a hundred friends and family members
out there tomorrow, whether they're rooting for Stanford or not.
(31:49):
He grew up going to BYU games. He'd rushed the
field a few times in Provo, so he's already had
experience and lost some logsome foot time on that field.
So he's fired up and ready to go, not just
because this will be his first game back after missing
the season opener, but this will be his first game
back on his home turf. And certainly you know the
(32:11):
Stanford defense, you know we'll see I mean, look sixty
nine to nothing. I mean, I don't know exactly how
much value you extract, you know, from a result like
that and from competition like that, but at the same time,
it certainly gets your attention. The offense, as you guys
saw it, for b YU did what it needed to
do against Portland State behind Bart Bockmeyer in a cast
(32:32):
of thousands. That even continued when the backup came in
in the second half. So the Stanford defense, which byan orange,
held its own and performed well against Hawaii. You know,
you think of Hawaii and the run issue offense that
Timmy Chang runs out there. You think of quarterbacks, you know,
throwing the ball fifty five sixty times and ball for
(32:54):
four hundred and four and fifty yards, and that didn't
really happen this time of the round. Stanford really didn't
give Hawaii any big plays through the air, but they
gave up their share of little ones and that was
the key to the game. Hawaii made big made little
plays through the air. Stanford couldn't make any plays through
the air, and that ended up being the difference in
this in that one.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Yeah, I feel like this.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
These two teams have matched up pretty well on the
football field, and they have a same similar recruiting pitch
and uh the type of player that they want to
bring into their program. So you see equivalency of strengths,
maybe equivalencies of weaknesses. How do you think these two
teams match up in provo this year?
Speaker 6 (33:41):
Yeah, it's it's going to be intriguing and I think
the number one thing obviously was Stanford coming off of
its performance in Hawaii. The good news is that there
might actually be production from the running back position in
the running game this year. Much of the running the
last production over the last two years was actually performed
by a quarterback. Stanford running backs did not have a
(34:02):
single rushing touchdown in twenty twenty four and throughout much
of twenty three. When Micah Ford bulled in from a
couple of yards out in Honolulu a couple of weeks ago,
that was Stanford's first rushing touchdown from a running back
in exactly twenty three months. But it was good to
see that return as Stanford was able to get good, steady,
(34:24):
consistent games. Had some opportunities for bigger and longer, more
exposive plays, but they were able to control the ball
for the most part with their running game and with
their running backs. That was nice to see anything else
offensively tough setting just just absolutely no production at all
outside of the thirty six yard completion relatively late in
(34:44):
the game. Bengal Brampson, the sixth year the transfer from
Oregon State, getting the first start, getting his first start
for Stanford and quite honestly, did not do much completely
just fifty percent of his passes and through a game
changing interception on a drive that's should have been I
should have given Stanford some dagger points and if they've
gotten a touchdown, they would have gone up twenty seven
(35:06):
to seventeen with inside about five four minutes to go
or so. But as it was, that interception point is
the way to the game time field goal, to a
one to go and eventually the game winning field goal,
and was with no time on the clock at all,
so go. Branson struggled mightily, got decent protection from the
offensive line. I'm not sure that he got much help
(35:26):
from his receivers, as they had problems getting separation a
little bit and winning contested balls. So look, the quarterback's
going to get their line share of the credit when
things go right, as I think you guys might be
experiencing right now, and they're here more than they're here
at the blame when things go wrong. As I think
what might be happening in the Stanford fan base right now,
(35:47):
there are so many things and so many fast as
they have to go into an effective passing game, and
we haven't quite seen that so far. About that being said,
can Stanford's offensive line continue and build upon some things
that it showed against Hawaii in the run game? Can
they get up to that second level? Can they? Can
they win the line of scrimmage? Can they get to
(36:09):
the second level? And and and and get hats and
arms and and and anything else they can legally? Of course,
anyway on those on those outstanding BYU linebackers that can
key to this game as well. And Stanford will see
what they throw a b YU from a covered standpoint
against a very young bear Bachmeyer who has only played
a half of college football, and Stanford does know him
(36:32):
a little bit. So there's gonna be a lot of
intriguing things to watch on the field between these two tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
Yeah, what what feedback did you get from the coaching
staff during springball on bear Bachmeier? Was he truly positioned
to compete for the starting job?
Speaker 6 (36:50):
Going back and thinking back, and you know, I you know,
it seems like so long reasons of trying to reach
back and think exactly to it, it did not seem
that he was in any real you know, pecking order
at near or near the top of the pecking order.
It seemed at that time. At that time, it was
(37:12):
Elijah Brown who was the only returning started or the
only returning quarterback with any experience you know, from last
year's team. Asking Daniels started most of the games. He
transferred to Auburn justin Lampson's grad transferred to Montana State.
So Elijah Brown at the incumbent, Charlie Myers there as well,
(37:32):
and Bear bock Myer was was was in that mix,
probably behind Miles Jackson, so he might have been looking
around third or fourth or so during the spring was
Stanford knowing that they were also going to make some
additions potentially in the transfer portal once spring ball was done.
So that was really, you know, true indication that that
(37:53):
that Bear was was was you know, anywhere near really
as it seemed at that point anyway, I didn't really
at any and any sense of this anyway that that
Bear was was close to the top of the pecking
order for the quarterbacks. Now, obviously, in this day and
age in college football, especially now, a lot can change
in a few months. I mean, look, how close would
(38:15):
bear Bockmeyer be to the to the starting quarterback role
if Repslaff was still in the mix in Provo? Would
would he be high as number two? Who knows? But hey,
the dominoes fell in the right way for him, and
he certainly impressed for out much of the first half,
obviously in b YU after a relatively slow start. But yeah,
it's it's it's kind of if it was a surprise
(38:36):
of folks in Provo, it might have been a little
bit of surprise since the folks here on the West
Coast as well.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Talking some Stanford cardinal here on your Utah ESPN Radio net.
We're going to know the faux segment brought to you
by Dental Pros of Utah Dental prosiviu du dot com.
So what are the strengths of this Stanford football team.
It seems like the run game is their strength. You know,
Michael Ford is a nice football player. The offensive line
(39:03):
suit's pretty robust. Would you say that that is the
strength of the offense, and what's the strength of the defense?
Speaker 6 (39:09):
Strength is the defense I think overall as a team
defense and special teams with a fantastic kicker in Emma
Kenny who hit two walk off field goals for the
Cardinal last year. But defensively, that is where much of
the experience returning experience on this team lay. Certainly upfront,
(39:30):
with a bunch of experienced dudes Anthony Franklin, Zach Rowels At, Bucky,
Clay Patterson's seventh year Omar Stables, and Omar Staples rather
end Brady Marcelo Lanka also in reserve. So up front
they are deep and they are very, very experienced, So
I'm intrigued to see what they can do against Yu's
(39:52):
offensive line. Starting linebackers on the inside not starting experience
from from last year as tackling machines Tritis and Claire
and Guys and Berndale both graduated, but both those guys
very experienced, with Matt Rose with thirteen tackles a couple
of weeks ago against Hawaii and Josiah Galdon probably the
(40:13):
ones at inside linebacker and help along the way with
Hunter barta transfer from cal. I didn't realize it was
legal for folks to transfer from cal to Stanford that's
probably like folks transfer from Utah to BYU, although that's
been happening a bit lately as well. Zak Johnson the
transfer from Idaho a bit in reserve along againster Sam Mattingly.
Edge rushers I think are a bit underrated. Temp Ruitz
(40:35):
of FEEDI blew up last year. He can make life
miserable in the opposing backfields for quarterbacks and running backs
and can racked up TFLs. Gets help. Wilfredo Ibar who
who will covered the fumble in the end zone on
the first defensive snap of the game for Stanford in
Hawaii a couple of weeks ago, and Ernest Cooper has
(40:56):
really shown some terrific flashes as well, and an experience secondary.
Colin Wright, the best corner did not play, was gamed
up a couple weeks ago against the Rainbow Warriors, but
he's back in the mix. We talked about Scotty Edwards,
Jay Green, a fantastic leader at safety, Mitch Lieber in
the mix there as well, and a couple of young
corners in Nicholson and Richardson who were just thrown into
(41:20):
the fire. The secondary was just ravaged by injury last year.
Stanford by the time November rolled around had just one
of their top seven defensive backs available to them last year,
so it was rough setting. Now, that did mean opportunities
for Cam Richardson and Brandon Nicholson, and they were able
to take some months but make the most of it.
So they bring that experience with them into this year.
(41:42):
So really, from front to back, the defense can do
some things and while the offense still tries to find
at sea legs, especially through the air, and defense is
gonna be counted on. I think maybeing leaned on a
bit more heavily in the.
Speaker 2 (41:55):
Interim Troy, What does the future of Stamp football look like?
There's an interim head coach. You have a GM that
is an all time great, Andrew Luck. There's a new
landscape of college football transfer portal NIL kind of a
free market system. The Stanford Cardinal are part of the ACC,
(42:19):
multiple time zones away. That's got to be difficult from
a logistical, operational and even a maybe even a profit
revenue generation standpoint, with the branding and imaging.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
And travel, et cetera.
Speaker 2 (42:32):
What does the future of Stanford athletics look like, especially
in the football program, under these these parameters.
Speaker 6 (42:38):
Well, yeah, and let me start here. Stanford very grateful
to be NBACC, especially with the dominoes and how they
fell and how everything went and with the Importance book.
PAT twelve did the best job of embracing women's sports
and Olympic sports and placing importsance on them. The only
(42:59):
other powerful were a Power five at that time. Conference
that even came close to the PAT twelve's commitment to
women's sports and Olympic sports was the ACC. So that
was very important to Stanford and for cal because let's
face as Stanford and Cow are tethered together at the
hip and a look, the travel is what it is,
you know, all the other things that going to Stanford
being in the ACC, that is what that is. But
(43:21):
they were able to come away with with more answers
and more clear path forward than unfortunately Oregon State and
Washington State were. But staffand and Cow both very very
glad and they're very grateful to be in the ACC. Now.
As for the overall future of Stanford football, and I
think it looks sprighter than it might have just a
(43:43):
few months ago for a couple of reasons. Number one, yes,
Andrew Ruck is in the mix. As the general manager,
and he's super passionate about this job. Still learning on
the job. You know, admitted to stubbing his toes a
couple of times, especially in the early part of things
when he was trying to fig throughout that. Look, the
duties of the gig, the parameters of the job are
(44:05):
ever shifting along with the landscape of college football. You know,
what applies today might not necessarily apply tomorrow. So he's
trying to figure things out on the run. But the
good news is that, and I think this is the
most important thing, there is support from the university leadership
(44:26):
as a whole. There was a Stanford got a new
president's running things and building tent on the on the
Stanford campus. He just assumed office about about a year ago,
and he has been he's not been shy about embracing
athletics and what it can be and the positive force
that it can be in the university's ecosystem. And he
(44:49):
was the one that was behind a hiring Andrew Locke
to oversee the football program. And you know, John Antman,
the new president, actually shows up to a football practice
a couple of weeks ago. We were all shocked. I mean,
there have been some university presidents that have been more
supportive of and cognizant of what athletics can mean to
a university UH than others. But even the ones that
(45:11):
were more supportive, UH, no one could remember them those
guys showing up to a football practice at all. So
that that that's been good to see, and I think
that's been the most important piece of the puzzle. If
you don't have that leadership at the very top who
realizes what football and what athletics can be and how
positive it can be, then you're you're you're spinning your wheels.
(45:36):
And I think as long as that holds, and as
long as those folks are in place, I think the
I think the future of of Stanford football and the
athletic department as in its entirety is largely going to
be heading in the right direction.
Speaker 2 (45:50):
Do you think b YU in Stanford UH can continue,
you know, some some sort of an agreement intercomp in
non conference agreement going forward to have home and homes
in the future, in the near future.
Speaker 6 (46:10):
It's possible, and it certainly makes sense geographically right. You know,
obviously Stanford not going to be very interested and you know,
in non conference games against Army, you know, anymore hitting
across the country where they're going to be doing that
for several times and multiple times throughout the course of
conference season. And you know, Stanford has had a running
(46:31):
series with Notre Dame that has been played in every
year except to dating bank to nineteen eighty eight. That
might not be happening anymore after this year, when Stanford
and Notre Dame tangle to close out the regular season.
So Stanford might be on the lookout for, you know,
(46:51):
maybe if it may be another non conference opponent. You know,
I'm not in those meetings, you know, I'm not thriven
to those conversations, but I would imagine that there would be,
you know, some potential reasons why, you know, both schools,
and some beneficial reasons and some benefits for both schools,
and maybe you know, take a potential closer look at
maybe making this thing a more a more regular occurrence. Now,
(47:16):
you know, not knowing exactly what by use future schedules
look like or anything like that, but you know, my
knee jerk reaction, it makes sense. You know, we'll see
how it goes.
Speaker 2 (47:27):
Last, Think Troy, how do you think this game plays out?
You got a score prediction.
Speaker 4 (47:31):
For me.
Speaker 6 (47:35):
The year twenty twenty knocks me out of the prediction business.
I'm not gonna make it overall fordiction here for that,
but you know, just just going back to a couple
of things that that that that would drop up earlier
during this chat. Can Stanford find ways to win the
line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Can
(47:55):
it hold its own? Can it find me you know
what by you I'm sure would love to do on
the ground, pound the rock a little bit with L. J.
Martin and Une Mula as well. And can it, you know,
give Bear Bachmeyer some looks and some things that he
hasn't quite seen before. And in the meantime, if the
Stanford defense is successful, can the offense make plays? Hold
(48:19):
on to the ball? A little ball control might not
be a bad idea, but you know, when you get
into the red zone, at least get you know, within
sniffing distance of the end zone. Can they get sixes
instead of freeze? That was a big problem against Hawaii
for Stanford a couple of weeks ago as well. So
you know, Stanford can can maximize and take advantage of
the opportunities that are presented for them. And by the way,
(48:44):
if they can complete you know, downfield passes. Gave to
think the complete forward passes more than five to ten
yards beyond the line of scrimmage, that will help out
a lot too. So for from Stanford's perspective, I think
those things might be the most important things to keep
an eye on as the skame goes a lot tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (49:00):
Roy, we salute you, We appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (49:03):
We invite everyone to follow you on X and there's
a certain you know, segment of our listenership. I'd like
to hear what the opposition has to say, so maybe
they'll tune into your stream as well. Thanks so much
for joining us day true.
Speaker 6 (49:19):
Yeah, you appreciate it anytime. Stay safe, stay thing, stay
healthy and ghos Stanford.
Speaker 2 (49:25):
All right, we'll see you in provo on Saturday. Thanks
so much, Troy Clardy. Ladies and gentlemen appreciate him joining us.
That segment was brought to you by Dental Prose of
Youtah Dentalprosiviewtah dot com.
Speaker 3 (49:36):
All right, guys, that's our show. We're sticking to it.
Speaker 2 (49:38):
Download the podcast iTunes, Spreaker, Google Play Music, iHeartRadio, Spotify,
Give us a rating, give us a review.
Speaker 3 (49:46):
We appreciate it when you do.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
Make sure you're still following us on all of our
social media platforms. At Cridle Benjamin at ESPN the Fan,
we're gonna be at our tailgate tomorrow. Give getting your
prep getting you ready, essentially starting it off at two pm.
You can stop by and hang out with us. Get
some Cougar sports content. We're gonna be leading you all.
They have to kickoff on ESPN the Fan, the one
o three to nine FM DOW, the ninety eight point
(50:09):
three FM DOW. You can stream us espnfan dot Com,
ESPN the Fan the App, download those apps from the
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we can't do our show without our sponsors. Always give
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(50:29):
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Let them earn your business today, Big Cougar Or to
everyone that joined us, guys, a fantastic show. Matt Brown
Jackson Payne, Brandon, Heeney Brydon, Day of Odion, Min'swuere, Troy
Clardy Voice of the Stanford Cardinal. It was a jam
pack show, a star study cast, Big Cogara, Zach Robinson,
(50:52):
bred always bring in the hammer, Ronald the three Man Weaver,
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Speaker 3 (51:08):
We'll be back tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (51:09):
Get your prep, getting you ready for a big game
in provo versus the Stafford Cardinal. Now's the time, Now's
the place to really stick it to the Cardinal for
too long. The hubris, the pompous nature of these so
called erudites, these academics that stiffed arm Brigham Young University
(51:30):
from entering pack twelve country, pack ten country, pack eight country.
They're bigotry, they're they're I would say, they're prejudice limited
us from having Glorian victory in a conference and having ten, fifteen,
twenty thirty forty million dollars per year in our conference
to build up our program. They were the school, one
(51:52):
of the big schools that said, nay, we don't like
these Mormon.
Speaker 3 (51:56):
Ways, these Latter day Saints.
Speaker 2 (51:59):
They're not academic institution, they're not an R one institution.
Their religious bigotry will not be accepted in our conference.
Speaker 3 (52:08):
We gotta stick it to them.
Speaker 2 (52:10):
Now is the time, now's the place, So come on out,
show up, show out, guys. It's gonna be a tremendous
game by you very well could cover. They're definitely gonna win. Guys,
we'll call that a show and we wish you a
very good night, have a safe night.
Speaker 3 (52:23):
You've been listening to Cougar Sports
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