Jason Batacao on the Utah FB ranking #1 in the Big12 preseason media poll, a look around the Big12 + more

Jason, James, and Porter on the Utes ranking #1 in the Big12 preseason media poll in their first season in the conference, what he thought of the Utes FB program before he came to Utah, which Big12 teams are the biggest threats to Utah, and more!

Episode Transcript

(00:10):
Run along here our one. We'rejust calling it the Nameless midday Show for
one more day at least, aswe the Bill Riley Shows in our rearview
mirror. We're looking forward and superexcited to welcome o cback. Starting on
Monday, July eighth, he willbe down at Big twelve Media Days as
well. The next two days afterthat, July ninth and tenth. He

(00:32):
and Spence check Its will anchor ourcoverage down there at Allegiance Stadium, and
our next guest will also be there, Jason Batakio. He's the University of
Utah beat writer, basically brand newUniversity of Utah beat writer for the Salt
Lake Tribune. Jason, how's itgoing man? Going good? Going good?

(00:54):
Just preparing for the fourth of Julyand kind of cruising off into the
afternoon. Nothing too crazy going onhere. How about you doing well?
James Peterson, Porter Larson with youhere. We're excited to kind of get
to know you. First time I'vebeen able to talk to you on the
air. I think you've been onwith with the Drive. Porter and Spence

(01:15):
if chat with you on the Drivebefore first off, just let our listeners
know kind of your background, comein here. I know that you spent
a number of years covering Oklahoma Soonersbefore coming here. Were there other stops
and kind of tell us about yourjourney here to Salt Lake. Yeah.

(01:36):
Yeah, I have a pretty goodfamiliarity with the Big twelve. I guess
you could say I've covered it forfour years, range of different sports from
OU football that's kind of the pinnacle, to men's basketball, women's basketball,
their softball program that's just one forconsecutive national championships. So have experience in

(01:57):
all those realms. I've made astop at the Arkansas Democrat is at in
Little Rock, covered a bit ofthe SEC there, whether it was from
NIL or you know, when Ericmussel One was there. Yeah, I
did a few stories on that,and yeah, so I've I have a
range of experience from a team enteringthe SEC or a program entering SEC and

(02:21):
a team that was and still isin the SEC. So yeah, I
have a range of experience and excitedto cover the Uthes now as they enter
the Big twelve. So yeah,Jason, just being you know, part
of that Big twelve footprint and existingin that space for quite some time.
What is your reaction to yesterday's BigTwelve preseason media poll in Utah, the

(02:46):
team that you now cover being tabbedas the number one team in their first
year in what is now the BigTwelve. Honestly, there's no surprise on
my end. You know, Ithink Utah has a very talented football team
on both ends of the football.You know, obviously Cam Rising is the
signature name that everybody looks to.I mean he's entering what his seventh or

(03:09):
sixth year, It's hard to keeptracking at this point, but season,
sixth season, yeah, sixth season. Yeah, he's entering his sixth season,
and you know, everybody knows whatsort of talent he brings to the
table, probably the top of everyquarterback list and the Big Twelve from what
I've seen. But we all knowthe type of defense that Utah is going

(03:30):
to bring out there as well underKyle Whittingham and the soon head coach and
waiting Morgan Scalley. So it's nosurprise for me. You know, Oklahoma
State I think is going to begood. I think Kansas State are going
to be is really it's going tobe good as well. But honestly,
I go back to this and Ikind of talked with Spence and Porter about

(03:51):
this the last time was on Ithink the Big twelve is really wide open.
You know, there's a lot ofprojections out there that have different teams
and a lot of times Utah thetop of that, which is expected.
You know, they're bringing back avery experienced team, very talented quarterback and
a good receiver, corps and etcetera, et cetera. But I think
the Big twelve has a lot oftalent across the board, a lot of

(04:14):
talent, you know, talented defensesas well, and it'll definitely be exciting
to see how Utah and the restof the teams pan out toward the end
of the season. So yeah,Jason, I'm curious also as someone who
is brand new to our market andbrand new to covering the Utes, I'm
curious what your impressions were going beforeyou got here and what the talk was

(04:39):
in Oklahoma and the Big twelve footprintthat you were in about Kyle Whittingham's program.
What is it that you that youhad heard and your kind of impressions
of that from Afar before you gotbefore you got here to Salt Lake and
have been able to see it frommuch closer. Yeah, the two words
that they come to mind, especiallywhen I was covering a you about Kyle

(05:00):
Wooding games program in the Utes,was just consistency and stability. You know,
there's not a lot of turnover thathappened obviously, you know, in
the world of the transfer portal,people come in and they go, but
there's not a lot of coaching turnover, which is very surprising in the world
of college athletics that we live innow. But another thing that kind of

(05:23):
I alluded to was consistency. Youknow, they've been to two Rose Bowls,
They've been above five hundred I thinkfor almost a decade now. I
think it's been a long time sinceUtah has had a losing season. You
know, they they've beaten marquee teamslike USC, They've been up there with

(05:44):
Washington and et cetera, et cetera. So that's just what comes to mind
for me. You know, Iknow there's a kind of lore once an
undefeated Pac twelve team comes into RiceCycles, it can be a brutal scene
from what I've heard. So definitely, definitely consistency instability is what came to

(06:06):
mind. And I'm starting to becomemore familiar with that now as I cover
the team for almost a month now. So yeah, yeah, I'm excited
to get you in Recycle Stadium andyou know, to see that environment and
get a real feel of it.Jason, with the Big Twelve moving into
a different era, where do youfeel the conference is positioned without Oklahoma and

(06:30):
Texas and with the recent additions they'vemade, just in the landscape of college
football? And how long you thinkthis iteration of the Big Twelve looks like
it does today? Yeah, Ican't speak too much on the current iteration
of the Big Twelve. I thinkthere's speculation that you know, it could

(06:50):
blow up in a few years.You know, they could last a long
time. I know we all hearwords about the power our two potentially happening,
you know, between the Big Tenand the SEC. But in terms
of you know, what this upcomingseason brings in the future, I think,
you know, the Big Twelve andand certainly Brett Yormark has really done

(07:15):
his best to try and position thisleague in the legs of the Big Ten
and the SEC. Obviously, theirtheir media shares and their revenue agreements with
different you know, TV companies areare lower, but you know, your
market, and the rest of theteams and in the Big twelve have done
their best at the state competitive andin whatever sport it is. And I

(07:40):
think getting the four corner schools likethey did once the Pac twelve imploded,
uh, showed a sign that,like brett Ormark always says, is Big
twelve is open for business. Andyou know, we've we've continued to see
that, whether it was you know, a potential all state Big twelve deal
potentially happening to siphon millions to differentprograms inside of the Big twelve, or

(08:03):
you know, potential for private equitysharing to continue building revenues and so forth.
So I think it's it's really cohesive. But all of that is honestly
very speculative onl end because we Ithink it would be bad for me to
say anything in that regard, especiallyin the current world of college athletics,

(08:26):
because everything is changing within five minutes, it seems. So Yeah, yeah,
the only consonant right now in collegeathletics is change, and that's what
we're learning fast and furious here.So yeah, absolutely understand there your sentiment
there. I wanted to ask you, going back to the media poll it

(08:48):
seems like the the Big Twelve mediaalso really likes Kansas State. Oklahoma State
and Kansas and Arizona also round outthat top five. I'm curious, as
someone who for the last four yearshas covered this conference in football and other
sports, I'm curious, what otherteam is that the group of teams or

(09:11):
are there other teams that you couldsee making a big challenge to Utah to
win this conference in the utes firstyear. Yeah, in my mind,
those five teams that you mentioned,I believe are going to be at the
top of the Big Twelve next year. Now, I'm sure that there will
be some surprises. I think oneteam that's getting really underrated, and this

(09:33):
is purely my opinion, is Kansas. You know, obviously Jalen Daniels can
stay healthy. I think they're wellpositioned for this season and in the future,
especially as a program. I mean, they're getting a new stadium,
their donors have started focusing a bitmore on football. Obviously, we all
know Kansas as a blue blood basketballschool, but you know they I think

(09:58):
they have one of the best backfieldsin the Big well, if not the
best. You know, Devin Nilsreally good, Deuce high Shaw or Daniel
high Shaw is really good as well. So that's a team that I have
my eyes on outside of Utah.You know, we always know what Oklahoma
State brings to the table, LikeKyle Whitningham, Mike Dundee is the epitome

(10:20):
of stability and consistency, you know, Mike gun. You don't know what
team he's gonna trot out there,but you can bet on them at least
having eight wins each season. AndI think that's a testament to the type
of program Mike Mike Dundy is builtthere. Arizona, I think they have
a really good quarterback. I thinkthey have a really good defense, you

(10:41):
know, which is surprising, especiallywith their head coach leaving for Washington.
But you know, I, likeI said, I think all five of
those teams are very well positioned inthe new Big Twelve. You know,
like I said, there there probablywill be some surprises. It's the Big
Twelve. You know, you neverknow what to expect every year. You
know, if you would have toldme two years ago that TCU would have

(11:03):
been in the National Championship Game,I would have thought you're crazy. But
stuff like that happens, and that'sjust what makes the Big twelve a fun
conference to cover? Jason, We'refifty seven days away from kickoff, and
maybe you need to dial into theroster a little bit, you know,
more deeply. But if I askedyou today, what questions you still have
about about Utah football? Is it, you know, Cam Rising and Brant

(11:26):
Keathy coming back after a year anda half of no football. Is it
replacing the safeties that are heading tothe NFL? What is the big question
mark you have as an outside observercoming into Salt Lake City about this team
fifty seven days away from kick Yeah, I think my main question kind of
goes back to Cam Rising's how youknow, we've seen him play at a

(11:50):
high level when he's on the field, but can he stay healthy for a
full you know, slate of regularseason games and potentially postseason? And I
think that's kind of what's riding onthe success of Utah this season. You
know, obviously they picked up SamHWard, who is a potential backup for

(12:13):
them. You know, they haveZach Wilson's brother if I'm still not if
I'm not mistaken there, so youknow there's there's potential in that quarterback room.
If if Cam does get hurt,but I think for this team to
make a deep run and potentially havea berth in the College Football Playoff,
Cam's going to have to be healthy. And that's kind of what I point

(12:35):
to, you know, kind oflike you mentioned on the back end,
I'm intrigued to see how they replacethe safeties to the NFL. But yeah,
I'm still getting tuned in with theroster as I go along, just
trying to build up sourcing and talkto people that, yeah, the roster
is still learning as I go ifI'm being totally honest, So yeah,

(12:56):
no worries. Jason, Thank youso much for the insights and and and
belated welcome to Salt Lake City aswell. Hopefully you're settling in just fine.
We we have a we're kind ofwe kind of have an unofficial partnership
with the Salt Lake Tribune with theamount of with the amount of regular guests
we have with the trip, sowe're excited to have that you guys have
have brought that They've brought you into be the beat writer at that seat

(13:20):
had been vacant for a while,so we're excited that we've got that in
we'll certainly have you on some more. So appreciate your time and have a
good rest of your day. Man, you too, appreciate you guys.
Thanks for having me on. JasonBatakio, the new University of Utah beat
writer for the Salt Lake Tribune.Our friends at the Tribune. I really

(13:41):
like, really like Jason. Itwas really an interview, good conversation,
good insights, and even though he'snot that familiar, he's he's still building
up familiarity with the with the programand the roster. I think you hit
the nail right on the head atthe end there to your last question.
It really does starting in with thequarterback and any football team. But but
you gotta until we see Camp.I think we're all confident that Cam's going

(14:03):
to be healthy throughout the season,but until we see it, it's still
a question mark. Now. Imean, especially with a quarterback like Cam
Rising, who we watched what hedid against USC, right, we watched
what he did in the in thePAC twelve title runs, and and and
the Rose Bull appearances. This isa player who makes like big time plays

(14:24):
in big time moments. He's ahe's a he's a gamer in that way.
He's not a player who is goingto go out and throw for five
thousand yards this year, but he'sgoing to make big plays in big moments.
He's going to run the offense reallycleanly. He knows Andy Ludwig's offense
as well as anyone. So foryou tah to reach the lofty expectations that
they have, and for them tomaybe reach even the loftier expectations that some

(14:48):
fans and media has, Cam's gotto be healthy, maybe not for twelve
weeks, but at least ten oreleven. Right, if if you have
to, you know, pull aBryson Barnes versus Washington State. Hopefully that
doesn't come in, you know,a crucial game down the stretch. But
you also have to face the factthat Cam hasn't gotten through a full football

(15:11):
season without facing some sort of injurylike that. So there there's part of
there's part of this where there isa hope that Cam stays healthy, but
he's also got to maybe look athow he plays a little bit as well.
Right, a player who is reallynot scared of taking contact, not

(15:33):
scared of initiating contact. When you'renot the size of Cam Newton, that
can sometimes be a tough place tobe And so for Cam Rising, I
don't want him to stop doing that. That that's what makes him the type
of player he is. But youdo have to pick your spots, and
you do have to stay healthy andin order for you taught to reach some

(15:54):
of those goals, I think he'sgot to do it for just about all
the season. Yeah, this wouldbe the time for him to play a
full twelve game regular season, andbeyond one would help as we get to
as they get to hopefully a bigtwelve championship game hopefully for them, and
and and and the postseason beyond that. So yeah, this would be this

(16:15):
would be the year with this kindof when you have a team with this
kind of expectation, expectations, thisis it's imperative that that he has that
kind of year health wise this year. So yeah, until we see him
healthy and for for just about afull season, it will be it will
be a question mark. But asyou can tell from the media poll,

(16:37):
not many people are are too discouragedby his health or anything else about this
team. They were voted number one, close vote, with Kansas State just
behind them at number two. Butbut there's not a lot of not a
lot of people see huge question markswith this team, and I think that's
about right. As we inch closerto their first Big twelve season, Big

(17:03):
twelve Media Days, we will belive at Allegiance Stadium next week for that
Spence and OC Sean O'Connell. We'llbe down there anchoring our coverage again.
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(17:27):
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(17:52):
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