Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
On a Friday afternoon live at Smith's before we catch
up with Sammy Morik.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
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Speaker 3 (00:08):
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Speaker 2 (01:25):
All season long? All right, some big news.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Quite frankly, you know, I've seen some ute fans who
masquerade as media members sending out social media posts like, hey,
you gotta be careful because this Jeffson kicks not like
stop it, Okay, Jeff Simms is not half the quarterback
that Sam Levitt is now. Jeff Simms, just for a
little bit of history, Once upon a time was a
very highly sought after high school quarterback in Jacksonville and
(01:51):
really could have gone anywhere he wanted. Initially committed to
Florida State, and at the time he would have been
backing up a kid named James Blackman. He wasn't to
lead eleven kid coming out of Florida ultimately landed at
Georgia Tech, is where he started his football career. He
was a top ten dual threat kid coming out of
high school. But at Georgia Tech, good not great, you know,
(02:13):
a couple of decent games. His most successful time as
a college quarterback was at Georgia Tech, where he started
ten games as a freshman. He started six games as
a soft and then seven games as a junior, and
then transferred to Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Didn't win much.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Of Georgia Tech and honestly doesn't do very many things well.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
You know, a dual threat guy.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Where at Georgia Tech he did have thirteen rushing touchdowns
as a freshman. He's never been an accurate passer, you know,
goes to Nebraska, has a couple of starts, and then
lands at Arizona State where four games. Played Three of
those games he essentially was playing in blowouts, and then
had one start where they lost and he didn't play
very well. This is a player that has played a
(02:57):
lot of college football, with twenty three he starts under
his belt, but he is not half the quarterback that
Sam Levitt is.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
So if you're Utah, I.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Understand you have to be prepared, you know, and you
want to prepare the same way, regardless if it's Levitt
or Sims, regardless who's under center. To me, this indicates
you need to go blow their doors off. You have
to go send a statement, get to this kid early,
and there's.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Really not a whole lot he does well. I'm being
dead serious.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
I'm not trying to crack on the kid or be
too overly critical, but this feels like a game where
if Utah's rush defense can lock down the Relik Brown
kid who's had a very good year. I don't think
the throw game is going to be there with Sims.
I think they're really going to rely on their offensive
line and their ground game and their rushing attack, and
I don't think they're going to be able to run
the football that's successfully on Utah. This does change things
(03:49):
in a pretty massive way. Despite the ute homers who
masquerade his media members trying to convince you otherwise, this
means to me, I thought Utah was going to win
the game anyway, and we will give you our picks
before we get out of here at six o'clock for
the game tonight. But this quarterback news absolutely changes.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
The scope of what we should see tomorrow night.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
I want to remind you the kicktime is eight fifteen
for Utah and Arizona State. The game is on ESPN,
and of course you can hear it on our radio
station as we are You're home with the Youth's.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Our pregame coverage with Porter.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
And Trevor Riley will begin just after four fifteen, and
then Bill Scott and Slide will have you taken care
of starting at eight fifteen.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Is she gonna join us? Okay, sounds good.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
They'll they'll get you going at eight fifteen, and then
ultimately they're gonna be on air for a long long time.
So U Tah Arizona State, and the news that Sam
Levitt is not going to play, or at least he
is doubtful, really does change the scope of what we're
going to see BYU continues to be a very slight
favorite on the road at Arizona. One point five points
(04:55):
is what the spread has been and where it does remain.
Arizona so far has own to be, you know, one
of those teams in the landscape of the Big twelve,
where like, Okay.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Exactly where do you fit?
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Do we consider you Tier one or are they going
to be one of those teams that ends up kind
of middle of the table. They're four and one so far,
They're one loss there's been to Iowa State in ames
they did win against k State.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
How good is KSE State? We're not really sure.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Probably not near as good as we thought they were
going to be. And then they're coming off. Just to
ask kicking of Oklahoma State, who is the worst team in.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
The Big Twelve? Now?
Speaker 1 (05:29):
So far, Arizona has been very stout against the run.
The question is have they played a great rushing team.
Iowa State had success against them, but BYU's rushing attack
number two in the conference with LJ. Martin in addition
of bear Bachmeyer.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
We'll give you our picks.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
This ultimately could be a little bit of a tricky
situation because Tucson can get tricky. But I think if
you're a BYU fan, you should feel pretty confident. All right,
We are live today at Smith's thirty two fifteen South
Valley Street, right Nex TORII, so up in the Mill
Creek area ultimately is where you can find us. And
the Snowmobiles Snowmobile Show is coming up.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
I'm out there pretty much every single year.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Let's welcome in Ryan from the aforementioned Snowmobile Show.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Hello, Ryan, how are you?
Speaker 4 (06:15):
Hey?
Speaker 5 (06:15):
I'm doing good. How are you guys?
Speaker 2 (06:17):
We're good, We're good.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
So what do you want our listeners to know? It's
a really fun events. Give us the date, give us
a location. What do you want our listeners to know?
Speaker 5 (06:24):
Yeah, we've been doing this Snowmoville show in Utah for jeez,
it's been twenty five years. This year we've we've moved
to a new location. We're actually in Farmington. We're at
Western Sports Park, which is just south across the street
from Station Park, and the show runs today and tomorrow.
We open the doors at three o'clock today and run
until nine pm, and then tomorrow we're back at ten
(06:45):
am until six.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
And Ryan, how can people go get tickets? And what
are the price points? You have any specials going on
that our listeners need to know about.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
Yeah, the tickets are ten dollars for the weekend. So
if you come in today, you spend ten dollars for
risk band and that gets you in today and tomorrow
military get a fifty percent discount. Kids twelven under free.
The show runs all weekend, like we said, yeah, and
you can get tickets right here at the gate here
Western Sports Park.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Last thing, obviously, we're high speed ahead to cold conditions.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
The snow is going to be on the ground pretty quickly.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
What sort of special deals just generally speaking, do you
guys have up at the Snowmobile Show.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
You know, this is the best place to get a
deal on any kind of winter equipment, you know, gloves, boots, coats,
anything that you need just for being outside, regardless of
what you're doing with it. But as far as snowmobill
gear goes, these are the best prices you're going to
find anywhere all season on any kind of equipment you need.
And you can come check out all the twenty twenty
six snowmobills from Playeriffska doo arditcat Links. There's snow bikes here, trailers.
(07:46):
The snowmobil Clubs are here to help you, you know,
get set up on where to go, ride, a lot
of good information, a lot of great people to come
talk to.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Well, best of luck. It's a great event.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
I always enjoy attending myself and thank you for the time, sir.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Have a great weekend.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
Okay, yeah, thank you.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
Guys.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Got everything you need for your tailgate. And it's gonna
be a fun tailgate tomorrow. It's gonna be cold, it's
gonna be rainy. The game starts at eight fifteen as
Arizona State is in town. Our pregame coverage with Porter
and Trevor Riley will start at four fifteen. Our next
guest covers the Utes, and I always appreciate her time.
Sammy Mora back on the show on a Friday. Hello, Sammy,
Happy Friday.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
How are you.
Speaker 7 (08:22):
I'm doing great?
Speaker 2 (08:23):
How are you all good? Here? All good here? So
a little bit.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Of a bombshell this morning, as Pete Sammel and others
have reported that Sam Levitt is doubtful to play against
the Utes coming up tomorrow night, and it's gonna be
Jeff Simms, who's been playing college football for six years
but doesn't really do anything well, the line has moved
pretty rapidly. Utah is now an eight point five point favorite. Sammy,
(08:47):
what do you make of this news and how does
it impact the game.
Speaker 7 (08:50):
Well, it actually just came out twenty around twenty five
ish minutes ago that Levit's actually just seas out. So
it is basically confirmed now that Jeff Simms will be
starting for Arizona State on Saturday, And you know, it's
it sucks to see Levitt not be able to come
out and play this game. I think everyone always wants
to see the best competition face off against the best competition.
(09:12):
But at the same time, you know, I don't really
think it's going to change anything for at least from
my vantage point. You know, Sims is another duel threat
or he's a mobile quarterback. He's not the most accurate
guy you've ever seen. I think his career completion percentages
somewhere in the fifties and this is his sixty year
of college football. You know, he's turnover prone.
Speaker 8 (09:32):
You got to get him in these long, long.
Speaker 7 (09:35):
Distance situations too. If you put if you should goose
at in with it, cover with like a with two
double high safety move. I don't think he's going to
be very successful at in the rain the short week.
I don't know how much of a game plan has
been made for him. It's going to be interesting to
see how this goes.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Now, Yeah, I mean I have seen Jeff Simms play
in the past Georgia Tech, Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
He hasn't played much at a SU He's just.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Not a good quarterback. I'm sorry, I don't want to
cracker on the kid. He's just not very good. I mean,
it was highly soad of coming out of high school.
He was a top ten dual threat quarterback coming out
of high school. But this doesn't change Sammy. The fact
that they have Rleik Brown, who's not Cam Scataboo, but
really not a lot of people are so I would
imagine anticipate that Kenny Dillingham based off of your point
(10:25):
of Sims being a pretty inaccurate thrower, I think they're
going to try to run the football. That would be
my guest. Do you think Utah will be up to
the task to just stop the run? That feels like
one of the bigger keys.
Speaker 7 (10:35):
I think running the ball was always going to be
like the big factor in this game. You know, the
weather is not going to be great, It's going to
be wet. I even said earlier this week that I
think that you know, short distance, short to eat, intermediate
passing is probably the most we'll see, depending on how
severe the rain is. And I think Utah is up
to the task stopping the run game. It's a very
(10:57):
positive thing that Aliki Vi Maahi doubts off the line here,
both off the availability report, like I think the bye
week helped both of them. Obviously a league he didn't
play versus West Virginia and then Dallas left the West
Virginia game with an injury. So both of them being
off the availability report bodes well for the interior of
this defensive line. And you know, I think Utah is
very well aware that this is probably going to come
(11:19):
down to running the ball and who can do that
effectively and successfully And outside of you know, garbage time
versus West Virginia, this defensive group has done good at
stopping the run. I know everyone's like that West Virginia
game wasn't great at stopping the run.
Speaker 8 (11:32):
It was.
Speaker 7 (11:33):
They were until you know, towards the end when the
twos were in and Utah got burned on a couple
of plays. So I honestly am not too afraid of
the run of the run defense for Utah right now.
I think everyone is well aware that this is going
to be your run first game, honestly, on both sides
of the ball.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Also, to add excellent news not seeing Jackson Benny on
the injury report as well. So some of the injuries
that Utah suffered the past week or two so far
haven't necessarily been as bad as we feared. So let
me ask you this, and you know, we'll see it's
probably week by week. But the injuries Utah has suffered
really the defensive backfield and Smith isn't a safety. But
(12:14):
you know, we've seen Smith utilized on offense a little
here there, not as much against West Virginia.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
But do you think there's a chance they might kill
that plan?
Speaker 1 (12:24):
You know, first of all, they've got to make sure
they're containing the Jordan Tyson kid.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
I imagine Smith would be part of that.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
But also with the injuries in the defensive backfield, it's
probably a little bit more vital to keep Smith healthy
on defense.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Do you think we're done seeing him offensively?
Speaker 7 (12:39):
I think we'll still see Smith and Jackson on offense,
but I wouldn't be shocked to see their REP count
start to trickle down a little bit. I think that, yeah,
Smith will be the primary in my dvantage point, my opinion,
my view, I think Smith is going to be the
guy who is assigned to Jordan Tyson. You know, he
always wants to be lined up against your best, against
(13:00):
the best receiver on the opposing team, and by far
that's Jordan Tyson. So I wouldn't be shocked to see
him there. I still think we will see Benny at Nickel,
and I think that Nate Tillman, the true freshman, will
probably get his first career start opposite Tao in that
in the safety in the in the in the safety
room and stuff, and so I think he'll start to
see you might start to see those numbers trickle down,
(13:22):
especially if you tah can get Tobias Merriweather going and stuff,
which I know that's something that every time we talk,
I talk about, you know, get getting Tobias going and
stuff like that. But that's that's just a fact at
this point. If they can get him going, I think
that takes some of the pressure off Smith and Jackson.
I don't think that they're gonna be completely unusable on
the offensive side of the wall. I think there you
(13:43):
will still see them bits and pieces at times, but
I think for right now that's where I stand. If
Nate Tillman does struggle, I would not be shocked to
see Utah, move Benny back to safety and then go
for someone like either a J. C. Hart or a
rock called Well at the Nippel position, so you can
(14:03):
keep Smith on Jordan Tyson.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
All right.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
So you know, because we do with most of these
teams don't have massive sample sizes against good teams, it
is still a little bit difficult to really understand how
real the data is and how real the numbers are
and doesn't really tell the story of what a team is.
But the numbers so far Sammy have said that Arizona
State is pretty good against the rush, but they're a
(14:29):
little bit susceptible in the throw game. As coach Weight
would like to say, it feels like Devon's gonna have
to throw it a little bit. And what we've seen
from Devon against teams that maybe don't have the same
talent Utah does is that he has really picked them apart.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
And in the one stiff.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Test he's faced and yes, I'm aware that they said
he was dealing with an ankle against Texas Tech, it
just didn't look good. So if Arizona State does sell
out to try to stop the run, if they really
are as good against the run as the numbers say
they are. Can Devin take advantage of that with his arm?
Speaker 2 (14:59):
What are your thoughts?
Speaker 7 (15:00):
I think well, and I I said this earlier this
week on Mute though, and I think that there there's
Jason Beck has a lot of creativity in this playbook
and while running the ball. Primarily people think that you know,
a gap B gap off tackle, whatever you want to whatever,
which everyone suits your fancy. But I think that you know,
there's there's there's versatility, and there's a lot of different
(15:22):
ways that you know the ball can be run. Whether
it's like you know, getting Bryan Davis Jackson, Denny Smith
noteon Daniel Bray someone on a jet screen, getting them
into space and letting them beat Arizona State with their
with their speed. But like I said earlier, I do
think that you know, Utah might need to use that
short to intermediate passing him. I don't think that they're
(15:42):
gonna go deep. If they do, you want to go
after in that secondary room, especially because they're going to
be without their all conference safety Xavi and Alford for
the third or fourth game this season. So I think
that you if you do push it downfield, you need
to go for those weak areas. You know they did.
You did say that they have been somewhat susceptible to
the throw game, and I think that, you know, you
(16:03):
do try and push it if weather's allowing, if that,
if it's torrentially downpouring. I do not expect this to
be a throw I don't expect anyone to be throwing
the ball in any way.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
Shape or form.
Speaker 7 (16:13):
It's going to be very much like you're watching a
service academy. Just pound the ball with the triple option,
but it's just running constantly. But at the same time
like it's This game is so funky because it's giving
off major passed gloves after dark vibes. You know, the
rain airs, AT's say, it's quarterback situation. Now, what's going on.
There's just a lot of things that are giving this
(16:34):
at turning this into a major passed flow after dark vibe.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Yeah, for sure, eighty three percent chance of rain tomorrow
night around eight o'clock, and obviously the game kicks off
at eight fifteen. So Sammy, we've been talking about this
all week long, and I want to get your take
on it. I don't think two conference losses is a
complete death sentence, but it might be, especially if your
two conference losses are against two teams that you're probably
(17:00):
going to be jocking with at the end, in Texas
Tech and Arizona State. So it's a long way of
me asking you, Tomorrow night feels really really important and
very very big, And it feels like there's a little
bit of a back against the wall dynamic here with
Utah already suffered a conference loss.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Do you believe that if you want to win a.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Big twelve championship, Tomorrow Night for Utah feels more or
less like a must win.
Speaker 7 (17:24):
I think so. I think it's you know, like you said,
like you can still make it to the Big twelve
championship game. But it just it's so murky and complicated
with two conference losses, you know, especially because like Utah
doesn't play Iowa State this year, so how do they
fast into it? BYU doesn't play Arizona State, So there's
there's so many there's not a lot of tie breakers
(17:45):
this season, and so like the tiebreaker the biggest one
that I know of is Tech plays Utah, Arizona State,
and BUYU, So there's that that's one common opponent for
those three teams. But it feels like it does feel
like a back against the wall kind of win, and
I I think that, you know, also it's big for
the program. Like I was looking back and Utah hasn't
(18:05):
won a like big time conference game since USC in
twenty twenty three. I know everyone's like, well, Oklahoma State
was a big conference game last year, but look how
bad Oklahoma State ended up to be, So it doesn't
I don't really count that as a big time conference win.
Like Utah hasn't won anything of substance, of substance or
of you know, heavy carrying weight since twenty twenty three,
(18:29):
since that USC game where Bryce and Barnes you know,
led the team to victory in the coliseum. So this
game feels very, very very important. And it's it's it's
weird that you're feeling like this, you know, two game,
three games into your conference schedule, but I think that's
just how the Big Twelve is shaping up to be.
And I think that, you know, Utah has done good
(18:49):
job for the most part of being back against the
wall and you know, turning something into or turning nothing
into something, and this week I think carries a lot
more weight than people are truly realizing and stuff like,
there's a lot a lot that can you know, shift
the momentum in the Big twelve, And I think a
win this win would be one of those things.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Yeah, I agree, well said you and I have not
been able to visit since the Tech game, Sammy, so
I wanted to kick the tires with you on a
dynamic that seem to have manifested after that game. And
I believe that the best win in this conference this
year is what Tech did at Utah and Saul Lake.
Now it was a rock fight for about three, you know,
three and a half quarters, but then it got loose
(19:31):
and the final score is what the final score was.
And they have won every game this year by at
least twenty four points.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
I think they're going to roll again this weekend.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
I think most people believe that it is Tech's conference
to lose at this point.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Do you believe the same thing.
Speaker 7 (19:46):
I think that, you know, until proven otherwise. I think
Tech is by far the best team in this conference.
I mean, the only other like BYU is the only
other undefeated team in the conference. And from you know,
thinking of about it, like BUYU actually hasn't even played
anybody of substance either, so their first test is actually
going to be tomorrow versus Arizona and then they play
(20:08):
obviously Utah next week. But Tech, by and large, I
think is the best team. I think you can make
an argument for Iowa State still being number two, but
you know that loss of Cincinnati is kind of a
little bit of a head scratcher. But after you get
to two, I think it gets the water gets really
murky in the Big Twelve as to you know, who
is also a contender for you know, titles, you know,
(20:31):
playoff spots, big time Bowl games. There's a lot of
things that's kind of you know interesting with this Big Twelve.
I think if Utah wins on Saturday, I think you
can put them in that contenders title, you know, and
spot and if they beat b Yu again, I you know,
Utah's off of the races, because I don't think, you know,
Baylor's has shown that they're not as they're beatable to
(20:52):
a certain extent. They've shown their weaknesses. Cincinnati. I was
I was always a little bit high on Cincinnati heading
into this season, and I think, you know, then back
it up with that winvers Iowa State kind of you
know they're not going to go down lightly. Colorado is
not great right now. And I think that you know,
if you talking go through these next two games too,
and oh, I think you know us in a very
very very good position for you know, their goals of
(21:14):
making it to the championship.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Okay, so you actually kind of answer my next question,
but I want to ask it anyway, and just I'll
kind of be a little bit more reductive. Let's just
call it tier one in this conference and teams, and look,
it's still so jam packed and crowded that the answer
this probably could be you know, six or seven different teams.
But I want to ask you, like for real, if
(21:40):
you could reduce it down to four or five, who
do you think the legitimate Big twelve Conference contenders are
this year?
Speaker 7 (21:49):
Tech is obviously one. I think you put Iowa State
in that category. If I have questions about by U,
so I'm hesitant to put them in there, but I
will put them in there. So I think my five
would probably be going back Texas, Tech, Iowa State, Utah,
Arizona State, BYU. If Utah can handle business heavy handle business,
(22:13):
then you know it's you feel a little bit more
confident saying Utah. If if BYU shows a lot more
deficiencies versus Arizona. You might have lose a little confidence,
and then there's there's still so much that you don't
know about this conference, Like it really feels kind of
uh crazy. I compared it to somebody who's kind of
like the past twelve South where they kind of ate
(22:33):
each other up, And I feel like that's kind of
where we're at with the Big twelve right now. Outside
of Tech, Everyone's going to be eating each other up
as we get further and further into conference play.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
Now, I tend to agree.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
So let's lean into this, and you touched on it earlier,
we don't. I mean, it's Utah. If you don't like
the weather, wait twenty minutes, as we always say, But
if the forecast and the radar are accurate, it will
be rainy and it will be cold.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Who does that favor, if anybody?
Speaker 1 (23:01):
And how does it change the way that you think
Utah will go about it if it is as nasty
as it looks like it's going to be.
Speaker 7 (23:07):
Honestly, I someone if someone on our youne message where
it's asking me this question this week for our we
do a weekly mail bag, and I said, you know,
it could go honestly either way. I do think now
with with Levit out, I think I tend to lean
a little bit more into Utah's favor. I just you know,
(23:27):
I hate I hate using weather as like an excuse.
It's kind of like when Utah would go when Utah
went down to the swamp, and everyone was like, well,
how can they handle the humidity? But like to a
certain extent, it's wet and cold, that's not Arizona's four K.
How are they what are they going to do? How
are they going to handle things like that? Because you
can only spray of a football so much, and it's spreading
to football, so gatorade bottle doesn't really compare to you know,
(23:49):
actually playing in the elements and stuff like that. So
I think, you know, with with Jeff Jeff Simms, that
might that kind of leans into Utah's favor I think
a little bit. You know, how he's taken a lot
of reps with the this week, he hasn't done a.
Speaker 6 (24:01):
Lot with the ones.
Speaker 7 (24:02):
We don't know what the game how the game plan
is gonna have to shift and change without without Levitt.
So if you would have asked me earlier in the week,
I would have probably said it's a toss up, but
now I'm kind of leaning more Utah's favor.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
So let's move over here, because you and I have
discussed this every time you've joined us, and we talked
about it preseason, and you alluded to a few dynamics earlier.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
But it is the receiving room.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
And there really have not been a lot of chunk
plays this year. Way Sean is responsible for both of
the biggest plays. One is a rush and one as
you know, catching a ball out of the backfield. But
his favorite target, Devin's favorite target, Sammy is clearly you
know he's landed on Ryan.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
He's landed on Ryan Davis.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
And I've asked Max Brown, Scott Mitchell, a bunch of
like the ex college and NFL quarterbacks we've had on
the show, like is this a matter of them being
familiar with each other because they were in New Mexico
together last year or are we overthinking it? And Ryan's
just the one that gets open, and if if you
look at the tape, Ryan's the one that's open. And
certainly they're familiar with each other and he knows the system,
(25:05):
But why you think this connection has proven to be
by far Devin's favorite direction.
Speaker 7 (25:11):
Well, like you said, he's getting separation. There's a lot
of there's past connections between the two of them, and
they trust each other, and I think Ryan knows what
Devon's gonna do, and Devin knows what Ryan's going to do.
Like on that scramble drill, that is who that is
who Devin tries to lock onto. It's either Ryan or
it's Dallan. Dallen has really has really emerged as someone
else that Devin trusts at this point too. So but
(25:33):
I think I think it's it's it's the connectivity that
the two of them have. I think it's the trust
that they have in each other. It's the knowledge that
they know what each other is going to do. And
I think that's that's you try to use that to
their advantage. I think, you know, one big play that
stands out to me is that in that West Virginia game,
when Devin you know, scrambling out, it looks like he's
gonna get sacked, and then all of a sudden, he
just trusts it to Ryan, and Ryan, you know, comes
(25:55):
like a justice body in a weird way and comes
back to it and comes up with the reception and
is able to bounce off a defensive defender and get
a first down. So I think that, you know, that's
the big thing is they know what each other is
going to do, and I think that's what you tudge
using to their advantage. You know, with Tobias, Devin is
still trying. You know, they're trying to get to that point.
Obviously Meriweather wasn't here for spring well, it came joined
(26:15):
the program this summer, so there's that there's not as
not as much time to get those two on the
same page. And I think that's also why you know
you've seen Devin and Dallan connect so well, like Dallen
is very You could make an argument that Ryan and
Dallan are Devin's favorite target one and one A and
one B, because I feel like if it's not going
to one of them, it's going to the other one.
(26:37):
But I think you know, there's it's it just goes
back to trust and comfort and you know that whole thing.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
Sammy, have you packed your poncho and your beanie and
your umbrella? Are you prepared for the elements tomorrow night?
Speaker 8 (26:52):
Hey?
Speaker 7 (26:52):
I mean I'll be in the press box so I
won't have to.
Speaker 8 (26:54):
Deal with it.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
Okay, Hey, thanks for the time. Enjoy the game's soon.
Speaker 7 (27:00):
Okay, thanks, tought to you later.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
Samy Mora You zone at s Underscore more two four
seven on social is where you find her work to
get you ready for the game tomorrow night.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
With IFA step four falling.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
Winter lawn Food, you'll get sumer roots now in an
early green up next spring. It is the ultimate lawn
owner power move mort Your local IFA or at IFA
dot co op is where you find and we're live
today at Smith's. Come on buy and say hi. Thirty
two to fifteen South Valley Street. It's about thirty three
hundred east. It's right next to Arii. The ten dollars
smith gift cards are very popular. My lovely assistant sitting
(27:35):
next to me, we'll hand you one if you walk
in and say hello. We also have tailgate passes for
the Smith's tailgate that's set up on the corner of
Guardsman's for the game tomorrow. So come on buy and
say what's up. We'll catch a break. We'll bring in
Rojo Robert Johnson coming up on the other side right here.
On ESPN seven hundred and the Snowmobile Snowmobile Show is
coming up. I'm out there pretty much every single year.
(27:57):
Let's welcome in Ryan from the aforementioned Snowball Snowmobile Show.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
Hello, Ryan, how are you Hey?
Speaker 5 (28:02):
I'm doing good. How are you guys?
Speaker 2 (28:04):
We're good, We're good.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
So what do you want our listeners to know? It's
really fun events. Give us the date, give us a location.
What do you want our listeners to know?
Speaker 5 (28:12):
Yeah, we've been doing the Snowmoville Show in Utah for jeez,
it's been twenty five years. This year we've moved to
a new location. We're actually in Farmington. We're at Western
Sports Park, which is just south across the street from
Station Park, and the show runs today and tomorrow. We
open the doors at three o'clock today and run until
nine pm, and then tomorrow we're back at ten am
(28:33):
until six.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
And Ryan, how can people go get tickets? And what
are the price points? You have any specials going on
that our listeners need to know about.
Speaker 5 (28:42):
Yeah, the tickets are ten dollars for the weekend. So
if you come in today, you spend ten dollars for
a riskban that gets you in today and tomorrow. Military
get a fifty percent discount kids sweven under free. The
show runs all weekend, like we said, yeah, and you
can get tickets right here at the gate here Western
Sports Park thing.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
Obviously we're high speed ahead to cold conditions. The snow
is going to be on the ground pretty quickly. What
sort of special deals just generally speaking, do you guys
have up at the Snowmobile Show.
Speaker 5 (29:10):
You know, this is the best place to get a
deal on any kind of winter equipment, you know, gloves, boots, coats,
anything that you need just for being outside, regardless of
what you're doing with it. But as far as snowmoll
bill gear goes, these are the best prices you're going
to find anywhere all season on any kind of equipment
you need. And you can come check out all the
twenty twenty six snowmobills from Playeriffska Doo, Arcticcat Links. There's
(29:32):
snow bikes here, trailers. The Snowmobill Clubs are here to
help you, you know, get set up on where to
go ride, a lot of good information, a lot of
great people to come talk to.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Well, best of luck. It's a great event.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
I always enjoy attending myself and thank you for the time, sir, have.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
A great weekend.
Speaker 5 (29:46):
Okay, thank you guys.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
Chus.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
Smith's is your one stop shop for all your tailgating needs.
Meat and cheese trays, vegetable trays, fresh baked threads and desserts,
handcut meats, ribs, burgers, along with chicken and fresh fish
for the bar arberque. Plenty of drinks, beer options, so
at options, and of course don't forget the ice.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
Here at Smith's at thirty two.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
Fifteen South Valley Street, which is about thirty three hundred east.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Were right by ARII to give you a frame of reference.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Our next guest knows a thing or two about night
games at rise Eco Stadium because he played in them
once upon a time. Former Utah safety played in the NFL.
Robert Johnson, Rojo, Happy Friday, young man.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
How are you?
Speaker 6 (30:26):
I'm doing good?
Speaker 2 (30:27):
How are you doing good? Man?
Speaker 1 (30:28):
So from a player's standpoint, because we talk about this
all the time.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
You know, I think a.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Lot of fans like earlier games so they can get
some stuff done after the game, or you kind of
go to a football game early afternoon, go to dinner afterwards,
or whatever it is. As a player, what part of
the day did you like playing in the most and why?
Speaker 6 (30:49):
Well, for me, it was, I like the mid the
mid evening, so like the six o'clock is seven, Like
six six o'clock seven is where it's still is still
a daytime, but it's like going into the night game.
So like for me, having that getting yourself prepared for
everything was always nice whenever at that time, and then
(31:10):
like as soon as the second the fourth quarter hit
is night. So it's like now you know, that's when
you already warmed up, you already know where you're at,
you know what the score is, you know what to do.
So that's that's what my suggestion, what I like to recommend,
was like that's six o'clockish, that's fallen into the seven
at seven to eight o'clockish.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
I see, I see. So it looks like ro Joe,
it's going to be rainy and cold.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
There's about an eighty three percent chance of rain around
kickoff time.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Now it's Utah, it could shift, you never know.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
But if it is cold and if it is rainy,
how does that affect the field? How does it affect
the mentality of a player?
Speaker 6 (31:47):
It changes, It completely changes because now you got to
remember that like the ball. Like me playing defense, I
understood that the ball is wet, so I want to
go for the ball. I want to try to cause
more fun was caused more like, you know, cause more
chaos that you're supposed to cause on defense. But you
have to remember that your offense has the same type
(32:07):
of thoughts that they trying to hold on to the
ball a wet ball. And you know, it's fun when
you get into turnovers, but it sucks when you're the
one that's giving up turnovers.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
Yeah, no, for sure, do you anticipate let's operate off
the assumption that the forecast is correct and the radar.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Is telling us the truth. Do you anticipated ground and
pound games?
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Does this pretty much eliminate any sort of a deep
throw threat if it is rainy and cold, are we
going to see just three yards in a cloud of
dust from both teams?
Speaker 6 (32:40):
It's possible, But then you got to remember that some
offenses are built around any weather that they can throw.
Like okay, like think about I mean, our coach love
with our offensive coordinator a couple of years back, you know,
like our offense was really not really a deep, a
deep passing type of offense. It was always just five
yards here and there, a little quick slam, you know,
(33:00):
you know, throwing the smoke screens. I feel like when
it comes to this type of weather, you want to
do the exact same thing. And then you know, every
blue moon hit somebody deep to see what happens, to
see what can come out of it. But it's one
of those things that you're on defense, you just naturally
know that this is going to be one of those games.
There's just hey, he's going to be small, small passing
(33:22):
and a lot of running. And when you get to
the point where our running back is getting sixteen twenty
to twenty five carries, it is tough. It's tough.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
Tell me what you've seen from Devin. From Devin damp Here,
Utah's quarterback who in the four Utah wins against competition
that probably isn't on par with what they'll see tomorrow night.
He's been really good and very accurate. Turnovers have been low,
completion percentage has been high. We know he's dynamic and
he's a dual threat, But tell me what you've seen
(33:53):
from him so far and what do you anticipate seeing
from him tomorrow night when they play another very good
team in Arizona's.
Speaker 6 (34:00):
Eight, I feel like he's he's a really good quarterback.
Speaker 8 (34:03):
He's doing really well.
Speaker 6 (34:04):
You know, it's definitely I'm a blessing to have a
player like that on your team because he's such unique
in his own way. And what I will say is
that sometimes confidence, you know, the confidence is something that
a lot of people forget that's really important when it
comes to a quarterback. All our wins he had, he
was very confidence. He was very confident in his throwing
(34:26):
and his running, and he was making really good decisions.
And then you know that Wyoming game, it was it
was tough.
Speaker 8 (34:32):
It was tough.
Speaker 6 (34:33):
It was you see it and it was like what
is going on? But then the confidence, from what I feel,
wasn't as strong, and then you know Texas Tech it
was it was just confidence just not there at all.
Like some of the throws I think that he was
meaning it was some people that was opening he could
have hit and he didn't really see him or he
didn't get to him. And I'm not fully sure. I
(34:56):
love him, he's a great, great young man, and love
the way he play and love that he's here with us,
but this would be another game that We're going to
have to measure where he's at with everything because this
is a really good team, Arizona State. We all know
that Arizona State is not a pushover team. They always
find ways to make games close and find ways to
(35:16):
win some of those games that they have been in.
So I'm hoping that he steps up and be confident
to know that you had a home field adventis use it,
you know, be very happy about where you at. That's
what I'm hoping.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
Yeah, you're not wrong about Arizona State after Kenny Dillingham
took over, and I wonder what your impressions have been, Rojoe,
of this team and this coach, because he.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
Took over after Herm Edwards left.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
It behind in shambles and a lot of people thought
it was going to take four or five six years
to get that thing back and ticking because they were
facing some sanctions. Most of the sanctions went to the
former coaching staff because they clearly were doing things that
were against the rules. In Kenny Dillingham, since he has
taken over, has really studied this ship and bright young guy.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Coach Witz speaks about him in glowing terms.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
What do you make of the job he's done down
there in such a short time to get this program
back to one of the top programs in the entire
Big twelve.
Speaker 6 (36:12):
The biggest thing, and once again, like I was talking
about Dan piret confidence, The biggest thing that comes to
a team is belief. It's almost like you know, Ted
ted Lasso, Like if some of the fans are the
listeners out there, have they ever watched the show ted Lasso.
It's the exact same situation of the coach that's in
Arizona State right now, is that he came into a situation.
Speaker 8 (36:31):
Where it was tough. It was gonna be one of those.
Speaker 6 (36:35):
Like you said, from the outside looking in, it was
gonna take a couple of years before they can get
back to a competitive a competitive team. But he stepped
in and he made the current players on the roster believe.
And sometimes that's one of the biggest things to do
for players. Like if you can make a player believe
that he can run through a wall, even though that
(36:56):
wall might be cement, then that's the best as a
coach because now you know that you can say whatever
you want and get them going and they're gonna find
ways to win. So it's been one of those amazing
stories to kind of hear at these young men. I
think he's my age too. The coach is like, I'm
thirty eight. I think he's around my age. And he
has these players playing so hard for him, and he
(37:17):
has the fan base believing in him. So it's a
story of the word belief. You know Ted Lasso favorite line.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
Well said, yeah, big fan of the show.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
So I wonder what your thought is on this dynamic Rojo,
because news broke well this morning, it came down that
Sam levit was questionable, and then about forty five minutes
ago it's now official that he's out. Okay, So the backup,
Jeff Simms is going to step in and play. And
Jeff Simms, for any college football fan, you know the
name because he's played college football.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
This is his sixth year.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
He's right or something like that.
Speaker 1 (37:52):
Sorry, Well, start, he started at Georgia Tech, and then
he transferred to Nebraska, and then he ended up at
Arizona State, where he's only played four games. He had
one start last year in a game they lost. And look,
if you've watched him, and then you look at the numbers,
his career completion percentage is about fifty seven percent. He
can run a little bit, but he's not even elite
(38:14):
at that. Like, this is not near the same option
under center as Sam Levitt is for Kenny Dillingham. From
a player's perspective, since you played the game, when you
hear the news that it's the backup not the starter,
what's the biggest challenge to make sure that you stay
dialed in regardless of who the quarterback is.
Speaker 6 (38:32):
I mean, back then, when I was playing football at
the University of you saw if there's a backup that's starting,
I'm like, I'm licking my tops. I'm like, yeah, this
is about to be great because I know that he
hasn't seen coverages, he don't know me. But then as
I'm matured now, you know, and I'm looking at everything,
you got to look at the backstory behind this quarterback,
Like is I think Georgia don't just give out scholarships
(38:53):
to anybody, especially at the quarterback position. So is something
about this quarterback that's special? And hopefully he don't find
it against us. That's the whole goal, is that he
don't all of a sudden just play out of his mind.
But backup quarterbacks has been a big struggle for us
here at the university. You thought, to be honest, the
more I look at our record and everything, whenever as
(39:13):
a backup quarterbacks, it seemed like we didn't get enough
film to pick up on that quarterback. So I'm really
hoping that he just don't play as well, he just
play as he play as a backup. That's what I
might hoping that he plays as a backup and we
play as the starters.
Speaker 1 (39:34):
Yes, well said, let's move over here, because you were
a guy that played in the defensive backfield, a major
living in the defensive backfield, and Arizona State rolls into
Reseco Stadium with one of the best wide receivers in America.
Not just the Big Twelve now changes, it changes a
lot of things, ro Joe, as you know that it's
(39:54):
not Levitt back there, and it is Sims. But when
you have a player like Jordan Tyson, you've got to
try to force the action anyway because he's just that good.
He has thirty nine catches on the year for eighty three.
He leads the Big Twelve in every receiving category. He
already has seven receiving touchdowns. But he is really their
only weapon on the outside, and there really hasn't been
(40:16):
a second weapon that is manifested from a wide receiver standpoint.
The Shaman Matayer kids, they tied Inn who has seventeen catches.
They do use Relak Brown out of the backfield a
little bit, but only for checkdowns. He has nineteen catches,
just over one hundred yards averages about five point five
per Take us through how you stop one weapon, because
it looks like Utah's defense on the outside just has
(40:39):
to stop one weapon, and that is Jordan Tyson.
Speaker 2 (40:41):
How do you do that?
Speaker 9 (40:44):
You can't.
Speaker 6 (40:44):
You can't stop a good player like that, like the
Jordan Tyson kid. I've seen some plays that he made
and he's the NFL call of a receiver. The only
thing that you can do is just maintain and just
play ben don't break defense. What I mean by that
is that Tyson he will get his catches, he will
get his yards, but catches in yards doesn't put points
(41:06):
on the board. So the thing that I will like
how I play when I played back then with these
good receivers, the goal is always they're gonna get there.
So just what it is the loans, they're not touching
that red zone.
Speaker 8 (41:19):
Like that's all what matters.
Speaker 6 (41:20):
So you know he can walk away with the game
with twelve catches probably one hundred and eighty yards the longs,
he got zero touchdowns. It's a win in my books
because you have a higher chance of winning those type
of games because you have their star player that might
get frustrated that he's not getting in the end zone
during the game and then you just basically start homing
in on them of like make sure this player don't
(41:43):
beat us. That's what it always would turn into, especially
in those type of situations where it's a backup quarterback,
because he's gonna look for the weapon, like he's probably
been told look for the weapon, which is Jordan Tyson.
Now you take the weapon away, you can maybe put
that quarterback at a point where he don't know who's
the next person or who's the next man up, and
then give us a higher chance at getting to win.
(42:05):
As you think about a quarterback holding the ball longer
than what he's supposed to and our D line is
no pushover D line. They're gonna get there and then
they're gonna get to him.
Speaker 1 (42:14):
So we've seen Rojo coach Beck utilize some defensive players
on offense kind of intermediately intermittently, I should say, over
the course of the season so far, not as much
against West Virginia. I mean, they didn't need him. They
ran away from West Virginia, as you know. But again,
you played in the secondary. Right now, Utah with the
(42:34):
Nate Richie News has three players in the secondary, two
out for the year and Nate out four who knows
but certainly is not going to play tomorrow night.
Speaker 2 (42:43):
Do you think because of the.
Speaker 1 (42:43):
Injuries piling up in the secondary, maybe we don't see
Smith on offense because he is just that important stay
upright on defense.
Speaker 6 (42:51):
I will hope that we don't because he I feel
like he's gonna be the person. He's gonna be our
guy that's gonna probably roam around with Jordan's roam around
covering Jordan Tyson. That's what I will hope. But you
never know, because like we just was talking about, it's
a lot of variables that kicks in when it comes.
Speaker 2 (43:08):
To these night games.
Speaker 6 (43:10):
The rain, you know, the weather, the crowd, like it
can be a lot of different things that can happen.
But I'm hoping that we just our offense can just
do what they did you know, against West ra Jane,
like you just mentioned, I don't think any of our
defensive players scored that game. It was more of our
our tight ends and some of our receivers. So I'm
(43:30):
just hoping that we can play it that way without
having to use our defensive players because especially not our
our secondary wise, because we really need them for Jordan
Tyson and the rest of their crew that they bring
it in.
Speaker 1 (43:43):
So I haven't spoken it Rojo since the Texas Tech game,
and you know, after that win, and I think so far,
I've said this number of times on the show. When
you look at every Big twelve team and you dissect
their records through five six games, depending on which team
you're talking about, everyone played five. I think if like
k State's played six, Colorado West Virginia too. If you
(44:05):
analyze every win, Tech Text win over Utah and Salt Lake,
I think is the best win that any team has.
There was not a lot of success in the non con.
Maybe if UCLA was the team that they were against
Penn State, Utah's win at the Rose Bowl would have
looked a little bit more impressive. Nonetheless, after Tech rolled
into Salt Lake and beat Utah, the way they did.
Speaker 2 (44:27):
Pulling away in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 1 (44:28):
Most people believe now that this conference is theirs to lose.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
Do you believe that?
Speaker 6 (44:34):
Yes? I fully do, because Texas Tech came out of
nowhere like they like, I wouldn't say they came out
of nowhere. Well, I know there was a pretty decent team,
but I don't think anybody knew that quarterback was going
to play the way that he's been playing. And then
all of a sudden against us, it was like, oh yeah,
he got hurt, he had a chance. Then they backup
quarterback stepped in and started doing really well. So now
(44:55):
Texas Tech has a two quarterback system. From last time
I checked, they they didn't planning their backup now a
little bit more so in my in my eyes and
my eyes, all they have to do is this, They
make a one mistake by losing the game, and then
the conference is right back open. So yes, one hundred
percent correct. It's it's a conference that up to them
(45:17):
to lose it, and it ain't really up to anybody
to beat them. It's just up to them to lose it.
Speaker 1 (45:21):
I feel like, all right, So that leads me to
my next question, which is, uh, if Utah is unable
to get it done tomorrow night, that would be their
second conference loss. Now, I don't think two conference losses
rojo is an absolute nail in the Coffin death sentence,
but it might be right, especially if your two losses
(45:43):
are to one Texas Tech, who will have something to
say about this at the end, and two Arizona State,
who also probably will be there at the.
Speaker 2 (45:51):
End, because what that means is rojo.
Speaker 1 (45:52):
As you know, you lose the tiebreaker to both Arizona
State and Texas Tech. So does it feel to you
that tomorrow night is a must win for Utah if
they want to win a big twelve championship this year?
Speaker 6 (46:05):
I feel like every game that's left in the season
is important because you got to remember, we still got
a run into the team down south and were just
discussing about the belief symbol like coach of Taki love him.
He got people believing, and sometimes that belief should be
overpowering some of the some of the talent that you see.
(46:26):
So you know, we just got to stick to what
coach with has always taught us. And some of my
some of my my ex teammates, my my old teammates,
that I played football with. They know, coach with saying
one game at a time, and right now I feel
like they we need to take it one game at
a time. Let's worry about this game. Let's not worry
about what happens in the conference. Everything. The dominoes will
(46:47):
fall the way is supposed to fall. When is time,
So focusing on this game. We just got to hope
everybody else die out. We just got to hope everybody
else die out.
Speaker 8 (46:55):
Not die out, but lose lose a lot of games.
Speaker 1 (46:59):
One of the things we haven't seen from the offense
a lot of big chunk plays. I mean most of
the big chunk plays have come against teams you know,
cal Poly or what have you.
Speaker 2 (47:07):
Does that concern you at all?
Speaker 1 (47:08):
And why do you think we haven't seen you know,
you know they're among the last in the conference in
explosive plays of more than forty yards. Is that concerning
to you or do you think that's by design? There's
nothing wrong with being a ball control offense, you know,
moving the ball up the field incrementally, taking care of
the football, giving your offense some rest. So I don't
(47:29):
know that it's a huge deal, But are you concerned
that the lack of chunk plays that we have not
seen just yet from this offense.
Speaker 8 (47:36):
I am.
Speaker 6 (47:36):
I'm a little bit concerned because I know that our
offensive offensive scheme is very explosive.
Speaker 8 (47:42):
Suppose you know, supposed to be explosive.
Speaker 6 (47:43):
That's that's how it's supposed to be. But I'm not
seeing the big, the big plays that I was assuming
that I'll see. But then also i have to remember
that this is our first year in this system and
me just looking at looking back at that Texas Tech game,
like some of the cornerbacks that's in the Pecs in
the Big twelve, they didn't got a whole lot better
(48:04):
and they got taller, Like I feel like most of
the corners are like six two and up now, and
it's like if you're not six, if you're not six two,
then we can't put you at corner. But I'm more
concerned about it because it seems like now you got
teams that's homing in on our run game. And I'm
just hoping that we could start opening up the playbook
more if there is even more plays in the playbook
(48:25):
that could be open. But it is a concern for
me because that was going to be the special thing
for the University of you saw was these new explosive plays,
these new designs, these new ways of scoring, and it
seems like it's been a little bit tougher to see
some of them being scored.
Speaker 2 (48:45):
Are you concerned about the depth on Utah's roster? Rojo?
Speaker 1 (48:48):
I asked you that because Trevor Riley was in the
studio this week, and Trevor goes to practices, he watches
the game from the sidelines, and what we have in
the modern day and age, in current landscape of college football,
like I'll give you for instance, Slaane Kiffin gave an
interview to ESPN last week and he said that the
days of dynasties are over, and he's talking about some
(49:09):
of the bigger teams in the South in the SEC.
Speaker 2 (49:12):
That don't have the depth they used to.
Speaker 1 (49:14):
You know the deal like back in the day when
Saban was at Bama, if he lost a defensive end,
he'd be like, okay, fine, I've got two five stars
sitting behind him. And now if you're a five star
and you're not getting playing time, you're gonna get a
phone call from a coach. It's going to offer you
a paycheck. And offer your starting job, so you just leave.
So it's not an issue only for Utah.
Speaker 2 (49:35):
But are you concerned.
Speaker 1 (49:37):
About what Trevor Riley believes is a lack of depth
on this roster?
Speaker 6 (49:42):
Yeah, a certain positions at certain positions to sit like.
So I'm not fully into our recruiting process and everything.
I'm not like all the way in there to know
what's what's happening and things like that. But what I
do say until is that some of our players are
not built for the new offensive playbook that we acquired
(50:03):
through having back and everything. So I feel like the
depth is not going to be there because you have
to pick, you have to recruit players that fit those positions.
And I feel like right now the positions that we
have that need to be filled is not being filled,
or maybe the players are not. We haven't found the
star players. Like I mentioned a couple of weeks ago
about our receivering coreps, like our receivering room, we don't
(50:27):
have that player at that player that's like we don't
have the Jordan Tyson. That's like you have one receiver,
it's like you know that this is a really good receiver,
but for this offense to go the way it's supposed to.
I feel like we need to have some of those,
and right now the depth is not good. Like we
pointed out, our offense is picking up some of our
defensive players just to kind of cover some of the
(50:49):
missing pieces that we don't have.
Speaker 1 (50:54):
So almost every week, Rojo, it's been surprising to see
missed tackles from defense for a team who's head coaches
Kyle Whittingham, and whose defensive coordinators more than Scalley. The
coaches themselves have said this is a point of emphasis.
We have to clean it up. You were a defensive player.
How do you improve on this? What do you do
during the week to make sure that when the game
(51:16):
time comes you're not missing these tackles?
Speaker 8 (51:20):
Go back to the basics, that's the main thing.
Speaker 9 (51:23):
Go back to the basics, like tackling dummies, being like
taking taking one step, being able to get your head
on the football when it's time to make a tackle,
and things like that.
Speaker 6 (51:34):
It's a you know, it's one of those it's one
of those things that us players we hate to do
it because it's like we've been doing this for so
many years. We don't need to go back into time
and go back to when we was playing a little
kid football and you got to learn how to tackle
and take the legs or do this. But in these
type of situations, you got to take that step back
and go back to the basics. And it does make people.
(51:57):
It makes some players uncomfortable because they hate doing it.
But if you hate doing it, then you need to
make the tackles when it's time to make the tackles. See,
so going back to the basics is something that I
believe the coach will do.
Speaker 1 (52:12):
All right, buddy, last thing and I'll set you loose.
Simply put give me two three keys to the game
for you tah to get the win tomorrow night.
Speaker 6 (52:21):
I mean the main key.
Speaker 8 (52:25):
This is always one of those games where.
Speaker 6 (52:27):
It's a night game. Our fans are really important to us,
and this is one of those games where the fans
is going to be the most important piece. We need
to get some false starts, we need to get that
set backup quarterback uncomfortable, and it's not going to be
just the football team to do it. It has to
be the fans as well. So I mean, I will
probably put out a challenge that you said, like what
would be the keys? I mean the challenge should be
(52:48):
more of our fans being there and continue to support
us like they've been doing. And on top of that,
be loud and may understand that there's a backup quarterback
that's coming into our stadium, that come into our back
in our backyard. So they need to step up and
do what they need to do as defends. So hopefully
defends are listening and they can spread the word, get
to the game, you know, and really make the quarterback
(53:11):
know that Salt Lake City is not something to mess with.
Speaker 1 (53:16):
All right, ro Joe, Well, you're the man. Appreciate the
time today, have a great weekend.
Speaker 2 (53:20):
And enjoy the game.
Speaker 6 (53:21):
Okay, you so thank you, so use all right.
Speaker 1 (53:25):
Robert Johnson, former Utah safety played pro football as well.
Always appreciate his time to provide some insight and break
down the game for us on the program on a Friday.
We're live today at Smith's. Okay, come on down and
say hello at thirty two fifteen South Valley Street where
they're selling everything you need for your tailgate. They even
have ute grills, they've got some camping shares, they've got
(53:46):
stuff to keep you warm, and guys, that's the key
for tomorrow. If you need a jacket, a poncho. They've
got t shirts, sweatshirts, meat and cheese trays. They've got
vegetable trays, fresh baked breads and desserts, handcut meats as
well as ribs, along with chicken and fresh fish for
the barbecue. Plenty of drinks, beer options, and of course
don't forget the ice. Let's talk a little golf on
(54:08):
a Friday afternoon. Paul Pugmyer, Utah Golf Radio. Hello, Paul,
how are.
Speaker 2 (54:12):
You, sir? Hey stands doing great, appreciate the time.
Speaker 1 (54:16):
So your boy over here took a little jaunt down
south last week to play Black Desert in Prep. I
gotta say, man, the course is set up for the
Bank of Utah Championship. The greens were rolling out at
a twelve, So I was not at Bonneville. Do you
respect to Bonneville? And Bonneville's greens are underrated, as you know.
(54:38):
But everything was set up, the grand stand was set up.
They have done such a phenomenal job with that golf course.
Speaker 2 (54:46):
Paul, as you know.
Speaker 1 (54:47):
So as the PGA Tour gets ready to make their
stop in our state. Just from the standpoint of being
our golf expert, how sizable of an event is this
when it comes to the tour in Utah.
Speaker 4 (54:59):
It's a deal. No matter how you slice it, no
matter how you cut it, no matter how you look
at it. It is a big deal by every measure.
First of all, some quick context. The PGA Tour used
to come to Utah in the forties and fifties. It
was sixty one years last year when it came back.
Sixty one year gap from when the PGA Tour was
(55:20):
in Utah. And so obviously the tour is a very
different animal now than it was sixty one years ago,
much bigger deal. And you've got an international TV audience
on this now, and Black Desert pops on TV, and
this event, the Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert,
(55:42):
at that golf course, really does an amazing job of
promoting and exposing Utah and its beauty and its attractions
to an audience worldwide. And then you add on top
of that that you've got a field that includes some
of the world's very best players. And you know, we've
talked about this a lot. Everybody on the PJ Tour
(56:06):
is a great player. This is just a formula. They
can't miss. It is so fun.
Speaker 1 (56:12):
So let's move over to the field. And I know
you and you're right. All these guys are incredible players.
We talked about this all the time. This is like
the This is the guys who I used to play
basketball with at twenty four hour fitness that always would
claim that they could earn a ten day NBA contract
if they had a chance to play against pros And
I'm like, dude, you couldn't get a shot off. Okay,
(56:33):
So same same here when it comes to these golfers.
But I'm gonna need you to let me know, like,
who are the notable names that are in this field?
Because you're the expert, I'm still a novice here and
I'll be honest, I don't recognize a ton of them.
Speaker 4 (56:47):
Yeah. The problem with trying to answer that question is
we won't know until the Friday prior to the event
what the field is.
Speaker 8 (56:57):
The players the way the.
Speaker 4 (56:59):
PJ tours it is, the players have an app. Of course,
there's an app for that, right. The players have an
app that shuts off at five pm Eastern time the
Friday evening prior to the event five pm Eastern regardless
of where the event is and they have to indicate
their desire to play in the tournament or not. And
(57:23):
then immediately thereafter this tour will will know who with
their different playing statuses and their different priority ranking, which
players are in the field. So we won't really know
until the until the Friday evening prior to the event,
and then there will be half a dozen or so
(57:46):
spots that have yet to be filled. Those will be
filled by the Monday qualifier that takes place the next Monday,
and then we'll have the full field. But there are
a few that we know to keep an eye on.
On the top of that list is our own Tony Fina.
So these Fall Series events are set up to attract
(58:07):
and to reward the players who finished between fifty and
one fifty in the FedEx Points Race at the end
of the Tour Championship. Tony finished sixty three and so
is he is a target for this and Tony's incentive
is to use the Fall Series event to play his
(58:29):
way up into the top fifty. The problem is he
had foot surgery, had a stress fracture in his foot,
and so there's an open question that he doesn't know
the answer to yet about what his body will be
like by the Friday prior to the tournament. Now, Tony
is playing over in Japan this weekend at the Bay Current,
(58:51):
but it's a different kind of event because it's a
no cut affair, and so you know he made the
trip to do that, but he will gauge how he
does following that to determine if he's able to play
at Black Desert.
Speaker 1 (59:05):
Well, I owe the listeners and apology because I did
a quick search for Utah Championship field Black Desert Resort,
and what I am looking at is the Utah Championship
presented by Zion's Bank at Oak Ridge Country Club, and
which is a corn Ferry Tour event. My bad, My bad,
So tell me this. Do we know any of the
(59:26):
players that will be at Black Desert? Have any of
that been announced?
Speaker 4 (59:31):
Yeah, we do know some of them. Yes. First of all,
we know that Patrick Fishburn will be there. Patrick, of
course a BYU player, grew up in Ogden and he
is on the PGA Tour full status on the PGA Tour.
He currently sits at number ninety five on the PGA
Tour points list, so he's inside the top one hundred.
His objective this fall is to stay inside the top
(59:53):
one hundred. Really, all what he needs to do is
make the cuts in each of the fall events and
he will stay inside the top. He's been doing that
so far, So Patrick will will lead the way. For
those of us of interest here in Utah, Zach Blair
will be in the field. We expect, We expect Peter
(01:00:13):
Quest to be in the field, and eagerly awaiting for
Black Desert to announce the the exemptions that they give.
They always are very cognizant of and respectful of local
players who are on their way up. Last year they
had key Hey, Aquina and Bowen Moss in the field.
Key Hey now a freshman at BYU, Bowen now a
(01:00:36):
freshman at ASU. And so those are the kinds of
names from the game here locally that we expect to
be in the field at Black Desert.
Speaker 2 (01:00:45):
So I am not reporting anything here.
Speaker 1 (01:00:48):
I am passing on information that has been shared with
me to see if you have the same information.
Speaker 2 (01:00:54):
Are you ready?
Speaker 6 (01:00:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:00:56):
I am told that Tony will not be there, and
I think I'll leave the reasoning off air, because again,
I don't want to report anything that is not true.
If the reasoning that I've been told is true. I'll
just share that it's pretty disappointing, and I don't know
how much of this is coming from Tony. I feel
like most of it's coming from his father. I'll leave
that on the side. What's your understanding about the potential
(01:01:21):
of Tony being there regardless of the necessity for him
to qualify for whatever and get more points.
Speaker 4 (01:01:28):
Last time I talked with Tony, he said he would
not be there, and he was limping pretty noticeably. He
was clearly in pain, clearly would not be tournament ready. However,
since then, he has signed up for the Bay Current.
So I don't know where his health stands, and I
don't know where he is thinking about what he can
(01:01:51):
do with it.
Speaker 10 (01:01:54):
I just don't know.
Speaker 4 (01:01:55):
It's been three weeks since I talked with Tony about that,
and things can change in.
Speaker 2 (01:02:00):
Three weeks, so I will share this as well.
Speaker 1 (01:02:05):
I have been told that there is a big name
that is considering UH and may have already agreed, and
that name is Colin Morikawa. I've heard a lot, Okay,
so tell me why would he do it and how
does that work? As far as like you reference sponsor
exemptions or whatever. It is is is Colin just at
(01:02:25):
the level where he can pick and choose wherever he
wants to play? Like does how does that work? And
how does this benefit Colin Moricow.
Speaker 4 (01:02:34):
Well, one percent. Colin gets to pick exactly where he
wants to play. He has the very top status and
the PG Tour there's layers and layers of rank order
in the PG Tour status list, Colin Moracau is at
the very top and so all he has to do
is go on the app prior to Friday before the
tournament and say yes, I'm going, and he's automatically in.
(01:02:57):
What I have heard is that Colin watched it on
TV last year and was really intrigued with it. Thought
it looked like a fun course in an amazing place.
Thought he would want to come and play with it,
play the tournament and experience Southern Utah. Plus the way
it fits on the schedule, it's during the time when
he's not getting a lot of reps otherwise, and so
it fits trying to keep his game sharp.
Speaker 1 (01:03:20):
Is there any way I get access to this app
where I can just fired up and be like, yep,
I'm playing in the Masters this year?
Speaker 2 (01:03:26):
Is that possible?
Speaker 4 (01:03:29):
Well, I know people who use the app and I
post similar questions to them and they tell me what
I've got to tell you.
Speaker 1 (01:03:36):
Nope, Just while we're in this space, have you heard
any other rumors of any other what I would qualify
as big names who are looking to potentially join this tournament?
Speaker 4 (01:03:49):
I have not that I'm interested.
Speaker 2 (01:03:51):
If you have, I haven't. The Morikala.
Speaker 1 (01:03:55):
I've been told that Morical is very seriously considering it,
and that Tony and his people that have informed the.
Speaker 2 (01:04:00):
Group down there that they will not be there. Those
are the two pieces of information I have.
Speaker 1 (01:04:05):
All Right, all right, let's move over to the tournament
that's going on right now, the Bay Current Classic. What's
golf like in Japan, Paul, let me let's start there.
And what do you know about the Yokohama Country Club.
Speaker 4 (01:04:19):
Well, I've actually played golf in Japan, and it's different.
I know, right, it is different than you experienced in America.
That the support structures around the game are just more
detailed and more personal, and it's really an amazing experience.
(01:04:41):
The Yokohama Country Club is an old school parkland course.
It was developed when golf had its first explosion in Japan.
It was one of the early courses developed in Japan.
It's a thirty six hole facility actually, and like many
thirty six hole facilities, for this tournament, they will be
(01:05:04):
playing a hybrid between the two courses. It's a course
that's long and lush and really nice green complexes. There's
a premium on driving accuracy. This will be a solid test.
It's a course with a lot of Japanese tour and
(01:05:26):
Japanese golf history. A lot of the Japanese tournaments that
matter over the years have been played at the Yokohama
Country Club, and so it's really cool that the PGA
Tour is there. I'm quite eager to see how it
all plays out and you know what kind of score
wins and who emerges on this.
Speaker 1 (01:05:46):
There's some big names, there's some big dogs in the field.
Xander second at eight under. Sahita Gala is seven under
par As you kind of scroll down a little bit,
Colin afore mentioned Colin more cow in the field. Max
Holma is playing our own Patrick Fishburne. As you referenced,
I have not seen Tony yet Wyndham Clarks, So help
(01:06:09):
me understand why some of these big names are in
the field. I mean, you know, is this just a
matter of them wanting to get reps, earn more points.
Speaker 2 (01:06:15):
You know, why would they choose to play in this tournament?
Speaker 4 (01:06:18):
Points, guaranteed points, guaranteed check, there's no cut. It's a
small field event, only seventy eight players, and so you know,
again you go down the list of priority to see
who accepts the invitation, and in this case, there were
enough of the top players and then enough of the
(01:06:40):
mid range players that say mid between one and one
hundred that got to where Patrick Fishburne was able to
get in the field, which is really great. But the
attraction is a combination of guaranteed points, guaranteed payday and
a trip to Japan. You know, kind of interesting to
go play golf, fall around the world and experience different
(01:07:02):
things in terms of you know, you mentioned a couple
of players making some noise there. Zandershoffley has personal family
connections to the Land of the Rising Sun. So does
Colin Morta Kawa. Both of them want to play there
for personal and family reasons. And I think it's just great.
Speaker 2 (01:07:24):
It looks like a really beautiful course. I mean, gosh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:07:29):
I've never I've been to Tokyo. I've never played golf
in Japan, but man, it looks like a really, really
pretty spot. Hey, I'm sure you know the corn Faery
Championship is going on. I believe there are twenty PGA
Tour cards on the line, so a lot of pressure
involved here. Do we have any local guys in this
field that could potentially grab their card if.
Speaker 2 (01:07:49):
They do well?
Speaker 4 (01:07:50):
Peter Quest would need a win that the t He
could put himself in the mix for a card with
a win, And you're exactly right. That is the headline
this week at the corn Ferry Championship is the top
twenty making their way to the PGA Tour, But there
are compelling stories hanging around the number seventy five. The
(01:08:11):
top seventy five give themselves full status on the corn
Ferry Tour next year, which really translates into having a job.
They are playing for their job right now now. Peter
Quest is in the mid forties and so he's slid.
He will absolutely have access to the corn Ferry next year.
(01:08:31):
But there are a lot of really interesting human drama
stories going on around that number seventy five.
Speaker 2 (01:08:39):
How much of a grind is this life?
Speaker 1 (01:08:43):
I ask you that, Paul, because you know, as you recall,
we were paired with Steele Dualt, who's an excellent local
golfer who once upon a time was kind of on
the path to potentially maybe even being a PGA Tour player,
and I found his insight really really fascinating. Now, Steal's
a little bit of an exception because when he was
(01:09:04):
a young person, he found his way into an area
to make some money in a way where he told me, well,
you know, earning money no longer became the priority, and
so you know, I've had the ability to earn some
money in a different way, so he didn't have to
grind for a paycheck. I believe he said, you know,
the financial motivation became immaterial, which is a great blessing
(01:09:25):
to have when you're in your twenties if you find
a way to make money like that. But he also
shared the lifestyle, and I think most casual golf fans
probably just tune in when these guys have made their
way to the top of the game and they're pros
and they're playing in major championships, just how much of
a grind is the process of qualifying for these tournaments?
(01:09:46):
Being a corn fairy player, maybe eventually getting your card,
hopefully keeping your card and maybe at some point breaking
through what's that life like.
Speaker 4 (01:09:54):
It's a hard life, and Steele chose not to continue it.
He had conditions status on the corn ferry at one point.
There's a BYU star named David Timmins two three years ago.
He tried it for just a short time and said
this sucks, and he came back home and now he's
living a good quality, normal life and playing golf for fun.
(01:10:19):
And you see people do that pretty consistently, though it's
not the majority. The grind to get to the tour
is really hard, really wearing, very fatiguing. It is very
difficult on personal lives and personal relationships. And one way
to look at it is, look, you and your listeners
(01:10:41):
are all well familiar with the D League that the
NBA runs and how that can be such a grind
on your body, on your emotions, on your life. But
in the D League there's a traveling secretary making all
the plans for the travel, and you show up for
the team bus, and you show up for the team flights,
and your task is to be on time. In the
(01:11:06):
golf professional golf World all of that function is done
by each individual player. You've got to be making all
the travel plans, You've got to be making everything happen,
handling all the logistics while at the same time keeping
your game sharp. It's a difficult life. Now. The potential
(01:11:27):
for really big riches is out there. That is certainly
a motivation. The potential to achieve things in the sport
of your dreams since you were a child. That's a
big motivation. Hard to get there, all right?
Speaker 1 (01:11:43):
You know, the Ryder Cup is the gift that keeps
on giving as it pertains to content and golf, you know,
podcasts and angles and storylines, and you know, we had
you on the week after with some good insight. Rex
Hoggard from the Golf Channel joined us the week after that,
and Rex is a and I've read others that have
also written about this is when it comes to the
(01:12:04):
next captain, you beg and plead that Tiger take the job.
I liked your idea about theo Epstein. It's definitely out
of the box. He's a smart guy who has a
proven track record of results. But what do you think
about that idea? Just for whoever makes this decision to
just basically plead with Tiger, like, we need you to
take on this task because clearly, Paul, what's been very
(01:12:28):
prevalent and relevant and obvious now for a long time,
and I hate to be reductive, is they're really good
at this and we're just not as of now.
Speaker 2 (01:12:36):
Something has to change. You think, do you think Tiger's
the guy?
Speaker 4 (01:12:40):
Tiger could be the guy, and except to him to
answer some key questions as to whether he would be
or not there and I'm very familiar, of course with
the arguments to have Tiger be the guy. And I
have deep respect for Rex Hargart. He's smarter than me,
he's more experienced than me, and he's more connected than me.
I'm really into every time he has something to say.
(01:13:03):
The thing that ultimately has to happen is the decades
old tradition of this being treated as some combination of
a hobby and a reward for a career or for
status in the game. That can not continue. And what
(01:13:27):
Europe has built proves it. Europe has built what I'm
going to call a corporate structure. It is a constant, consistent,
well organized, deeply widely functioning structure that focuses on this event.
And as of right now, the PGA of America, which
(01:13:50):
owns and operates the American portion of the Ryder Cup,
doesn't even have a separate office within their organization that
focuses on the Ryder Cup. I find that staggering and
it has to change now in terms of a right
of a captaincy for Tiger Woods. To answer your question directly,
(01:14:11):
there is whether it's a theo Epstein or you hear
the word Mike named Mike Skrzewski or people like that.
And I through have theo Epstein as a as an
example as a category. But even though theo would be great,
somebody who is excellent and proven at a major undertaking
and making of work, and the thing that absolutely has
(01:14:33):
to happen is that the captain cannot be a currently
competitive player. And I think Keegan Bradley proved that.
Speaker 5 (01:14:42):
Now.
Speaker 4 (01:14:43):
I have immense respect for Keegan Bradley, but the reality
is he was very clearly a competitive player and he
is as of today a competitive player. And so he
couldn't take two years of one percent focus and give
it to the Ryder Cup, because if he was playing
his way into East Lake into the Tour Championship, which
(01:15:03):
he accomplished, and Luke Donald his competitive days are over.
Tiger Woods. Are his competitive days over? We don't know
that yet, but that is I think the threshold foundational
question that has to be answered by any captain.
Speaker 1 (01:15:22):
Look, I don't want to be the one that says
into a microphone Tiger's competitive days are over. But at
what point, Paul, do we just have to consider it?
I mean every time? And yeah, look right, I mean
I feel like we're kind of in the space where
it's okay to have that conversation, are we not?
Speaker 5 (01:15:37):
Yeah, we are.
Speaker 4 (01:15:38):
And so look I have said before, I'll say it again.
Right now. The landscape, the landscape is strewn with the
dead and rodding carcasses of people who have a bet
against Tiger Woods don't do it. But every indication is
that his competitive.
Speaker 8 (01:15:56):
Days are over.
Speaker 4 (01:15:57):
So I don't believe they are over until Tiger says
they are over. But it's getting more and more and
more that it is time for Tiger to say they're over,
and at that point for him to be a Ryder
Cup captain. Now it starts to make sense. If he's
going to give his one focus to the Ryder Cup.
Speaker 2 (01:16:19):
I'll finish in a way where we started.
Speaker 1 (01:16:21):
Get a little bit of a callback when it comes
to the Black Desert Championship or the Bank of Utah
whatever it's branded, coming up in just under two weeks
down to the Black Desert Resort in well, just outside.
Speaker 2 (01:16:31):
Of Saint George and Ivans. Is there any chance and how.
Speaker 1 (01:16:35):
Does this work for the folks that run the tournament
on the PGA side and the people that are in
charge down there in southern Utah too. At some point
maybe move this from a fall tournament to earlier in
the schedule, so at some point you and I are
driving down to Saint George to see the biggest and
best players in the world playing in this event.
Speaker 4 (01:16:57):
Absolutely, and that that is very much in discussion and
has been for somewhere between six months and a year.
And what's really driving the boat here is that the
biggest driver in this is the LPGA. Keep in mind,
the LPGA also has a five year contract with Black
(01:17:20):
Desert to host a tournament at Black Desert, and what
they learned last year was being on a six month,
six month schedule was far more difficult than having the
tournament spaced more closely together. All of the ramp up
and ramp down for infrastructure, for things like parking support,
(01:17:41):
and you know, some of the some of the tedious
items that nonetheless really matter for putting on a tournament.
They learned that that was harder to do with things
spread out over the year. And one of the places
they looked at was the US Open. USGA has in
the last few years a couple of times put the
Women's Open and the US Open back to back, and
(01:18:04):
so piggybacking on the experience of the USGA in that regard,
they found that it's easier to put everything together so
that you have an annual ramp up in an annual cycle. Now,
there are so many variables to making all that happen,
and they're all above my pay grade. But I am
(01:18:25):
quite certain because I've talked to the people who are
in the room, who are at the table talking about it,
that there are people in the room and at the
table talking about it.
Speaker 1 (01:18:35):
All Right, Paul, what comes up on the radio show tomorrow?
Give our listeners little cheese.
Speaker 4 (01:18:40):
Well, this past week was high School Championship. In the
High School Championship Week in Utah, the three A, four A,
five A and six eight divisions all held their state championships.
There were some compelling stories in particular five A. You
had a playoff for the individual champion, Austin Shelley won it,
and you had a one stroke margin of victory for
(01:19:04):
Skyline to win the state championship. We're going to be
talking with the Skyline coach. We're going to be talking
high school championships, and then we've got some other things
getting ourselves ready for Black Desert.
Speaker 1 (01:19:18):
All right, my friend, thank you for the time on
a Friday. Have a great weekend, a great show. We'll
chat zoom.
Speaker 2 (01:19:23):
Thank you, Spencer, Paul pug Meyer, you taw Golf Radio.
I want to tell you guys about my friends that
you went to golf.
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Of distance at you went to golf, and you went
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So check them out. Our good friends that you in
too golf.
Speaker 1 (01:19:42):
Our next guest covers college football for the Athletic and
joins us on a regular basis.
Speaker 2 (01:19:47):
Chris Comroonnie.
Speaker 1 (01:19:48):
If you walked into Smith's and I gave you a
ten dollars Smith's gift card.
Speaker 2 (01:19:52):
How are you using that, young man?
Speaker 11 (01:19:56):
I would probably buy three bags of Albanis coming because
that is my vice in life, and I think the
bags average out to be three dollars and fifty cents,
So yeah, that's what it would be.
Speaker 2 (01:20:11):
Okay, there you go, there you go. All right, A
very sizable piece of news broke earlier today.
Speaker 1 (01:20:19):
I know that some have taken a social media you
fans masquerading as media members to say it's not a
big deal.
Speaker 2 (01:20:26):
It very much is.
Speaker 1 (01:20:26):
Sam Levitt is now out, he is not playing tonight,
and Jeff Simms is going to be under center. Jeff
Simms has played a lot of college football, and.
Speaker 2 (01:20:35):
None of it very well.
Speaker 1 (01:20:36):
He was a very good high school quarterback, good dual
threat who started his career Georgia Tech and actually had
his best years when he was younger. Inaccurate passer, adequate runner.
But what is this, Excuse me? What does this piece
of breaking news, in your opinion mean for the game
tomorrow night.
Speaker 11 (01:20:55):
It means that a must win game for Utah remains
a must win game Utah, and if anything, it puts
more pressure on the home team because Arizona State is
going to be without it's best player, arguably one of
the best quarterbacks in the conference, probably the quarterback that
has the highest pro upside at the next level, even
(01:21:19):
though he hasn't played as well as he did last year.
And yeah, you're going to be going up against the
guy who I think is kind of your ideal backup
quarterback in this new era of college football, a seasoned
veteran who isn't as talented as your QB one, but
a guy who isn't going to see, you know, deer
(01:21:39):
in the headlights type stuff once he goes in. I
will say, I remember the last time I watched Jeff
Since play a game was when Nebraska was at CU
in Dion's first year, and I think he threw like
four or five interceptions, and that that CU team wasn't
even that good. So granted, now I'm sure he's playing
around more talented players at ASU than he was during
(01:22:02):
his time at a bad Nebraska team. But that's all
to say that, Yeah, I mean, he's a guy that's
going to be a dual threat. He's going to run
the ball, and if the weather shapes out to be
like we're seeing.
Speaker 10 (01:22:16):
It, potentially can be tomorrow night.
Speaker 11 (01:22:18):
Then he will probably be more of a threat on
the ground than in the air.
Speaker 1 (01:22:23):
I think it's their only option, and even if it
was Sonny in seventy, it might be their only option.
I mean, the best year that Simms has had throwing
the football sixty percent completion rate as a sophomore, and
for his career he's about fifty six percent completion rate.
He was an adequate but not great runner at Tech.
(01:22:44):
He was a good dual threat quarterback coming out of
high school. Transfers to Nebraska, didn't play much. He's only
started one game for Arizona State. They lost that game.
But if he does one thing above average, it is
run the football. I mean, I'm sure they're going to
try to throw it up to Jordan Tyson, but this
might be a situation ck where it's a one trick pony.
(01:23:05):
And obviously the Ralik Brown kid has had a really,
really good year. But this to me takes away the
threat even with Jordan Tyson on the outside of their
ability to potentially, you know, throw the football, looks like
it's going to be out of necessity. Arizona State trying
to ground and pound. What does that mean for Utah?
Speaker 2 (01:23:24):
On defense?
Speaker 11 (01:23:26):
It reminds me potentially of a game at Auxin Stadium,
and I can't remember exactly what year it was, but
Utah was fairly highly ranked going to play an Oregon
team that was kind of down that year.
Speaker 10 (01:23:40):
And Oregon ended up running like.
Speaker 11 (01:23:43):
Two hundred and eighty three hundred total yards of offense
on the ground, and they had a quarterback that could
barely throw and he was a huge threat on the ground.
Speaker 10 (01:23:54):
So that's all to be said that.
Speaker 11 (01:23:57):
You know, while Utah can probably predict how things are
going to go, you still have to go out and execute.
And while the defense has looked good against bad teams,
it held up against a good team for you know,
three quarters. But Asu is no pushover. I mean, they're
the reigning Big twelve champions, So you're gonna have to
(01:24:17):
if Utah's gonna want to stay in the Big twelve mix,
they're going to have to go to toe toe to
toe with the with the champs and beat him, no
matter who's under center. Interested to see how the tackling
issues sort out. I know that's been a point of
emphasis for Kyle and those guys the last few weeks.
I know that they didn't have as many against West Virginia.
(01:24:39):
I think it was like around ten compared to it
was like twenty three against Tech. So all that to
be said that Arizona State has various skilled players on offense.
Releak Brown is you know the USC transfer who once
upon a time was being used kind of as a
slot type player and now he is primarily a running back.
Speaker 10 (01:24:57):
And obviously Kenny Dillingham knows what he's doing.
Speaker 11 (01:25:00):
And then you mentioned Jordan Tyson, who will probably be
a first round draft pick next spring even if Jeff
Simms struggles. If he's a fifty six career completion percentage quarterback,
if you can throw it in the general vicinity of
a guy like Jordan Tyson, more often than not, that
will work out for you. I will just proceed with
caution if you are a Utah fan who's jumping up
(01:25:23):
and down saying like we got this in the bag.
Utah hasn't won a Big twelve game at home since
they joined the conference. And if it gets thirty five
mile an hour, wins and starts pouring rain at rice Ecles,
it could be tricky. And if there's one thing that
Utah's offense has struggled with, I mean, I mean, there've
been a few things, but guys like Wayshaun Parker, I've
(01:25:45):
had trouble holding onto the ball. So this will be
a game. As you know, any football junkie like myself
or yourself would tell you, ball, security, field position, all
of that stuff is to come into play.
Speaker 1 (01:26:02):
So the Levitt news has obviously affected the line for
this game. You know, it opened up Utah minus one
point five was the opening line. It shot up really
quickly within a few hours, and then within a day
it had settled with Utah.
Speaker 2 (01:26:20):
About a five point five six point favorite.
Speaker 1 (01:26:22):
As we sit here today, Chris, the six sports books
have in front of me all have now Utah favored
by nine point five points.
Speaker 2 (01:26:31):
Does that feel right?
Speaker 1 (01:26:32):
And you know, like don't bet on sports, just don't
do that. And with the line that big and inclement
weather potentially part of the equation, this feels like it
could have a thirteen to ten like feel all over
the place as far as the potential of what we
could see.
Speaker 2 (01:26:49):
What do you think of the line moving the way
that it has.
Speaker 11 (01:26:52):
Yeah, I don't know much about sports betting, but nine
and a half does seem like a stretch going into
a game like this. I'm with you, thirteen to ten
might be a little bit on the lower side, but
a twenty to seventeen type deal makes makes perfect sense.
I'll just say, like the next two weeks and frankly
for the you know, the rest of the season, when
(01:27:13):
Utah has really good teams ahead of him, Like these
are the types of games that Utah brought Devin damp
Here in to win. Like, you know, a lot of
Utah fans are high on the prospect of Devin damp
Here and what he can do, and he has some,
you know, tantalizing plays, but you know, you brought him
in to be able to beat the reigning.
Speaker 10 (01:27:34):
BAG twelve champs. You bought him.
Speaker 11 (01:27:36):
You brought him in to be able to beat your
rival next week on the road. Like this, to me,
no matter you know, if it's obviously it's not gonna
be Sam Levitt, but if it's Jeff Sims or whomever,
like this is to me, this is the type of
game that Devin Dampier needs to show the fan base
and the coaching staff and the country that like he's
the he's the quarterback that everyone believes him to be.
(01:27:58):
And that's not to say that he hasn't been good.
He's been fine, but against Tech he was hampered and
he wasn't good. So like when you coming up up
against these teams that are ahead of you and the
standings that have won conference championships before, it's time to
kind of show your worth. And that's what I'm looking
at these next two weeks.
Speaker 1 (01:28:19):
And Arizona State like Utah, like BYU, like a lot
of the teams in the Big Twelve. You know, it's
just hard to know exactly who they are based off
of who they've played so far. I bring that up
because the data at this point and look, they have
played two Big twelve teams and two Big twelve teams
(01:28:41):
that a lot of people believe would be I'll just
say in the upper you know, half of the conference with.
Speaker 2 (01:28:46):
Baylor and TCU, and they beat both of them.
Speaker 1 (01:28:49):
Went to Starkville and lost a close game to Mississippi State,
and I think a lot of people believe Mississippi State
is among the worst teams in the SEC. But they
should have beat Tennessee. But the numbers simply say this
ck Arizona State has been very stout against the run
and not good at all against the throw game, as
coach Witt would say, they at this point when we
(01:29:10):
sit here and you look at the numbers, they're top
ten rushing defense in the country, not just the conference,
top ten rushing defense in the country, and they're one
hundredth against the pass.
Speaker 2 (01:29:21):
So look, again, the weather will have an effect. But
if these numbers are.
Speaker 1 (01:29:26):
Real based off of what we've seen so far, and
you can only go off the data that's in front
of you, I feel like Devon's gonna have to throw it.
Speaker 2 (01:29:33):
And maybe his ankle was really really bad against Tech.
Speaker 1 (01:29:36):
That was the storyline after the game, but the one
really good defense. Look, I think Tech is probably heading
shoulders above a lot of teams in this conference.
Speaker 2 (01:29:43):
I think they've shown that so far.
Speaker 1 (01:29:45):
But if they're eighth in rushing defense one hundredth in
passing defense, it feels like Devon's gonna have to throw
a little bit, and against subpar competition.
Speaker 2 (01:29:52):
Devon has been good.
Speaker 1 (01:29:53):
Can he throw it if he needs to the way
that Utah needs him to to win the game tomorrow night?
Speaker 10 (01:30:00):
Will he have time?
Speaker 11 (01:30:01):
And I guess I'll say, like this is the type
of game along with you know, Devn's arrival, can he
announce himself as the type of Utah quarterback that can
lead them to you know, potential conference contention later on
in the season. Is this Utah offensive line that's gotten
so much praise and individually and collectively, can they show
up and.
Speaker 10 (01:30:21):
Be able to put an.
Speaker 11 (01:30:24):
Opposing defensive line on their heels and say, bullyball time.
We're going to run the ball thirty five to forty times.
We're going to get that two hundred and fifty yards
of you know, rushing yards that Kyle wants. Can we
do that regardless of the weather conditions? I mean, I
think that's it because if if they can establish the
(01:30:46):
run game, that will help. But to your point, can
they can they pass protect? Can they give Devin enough
time to throw? Because as you know, like just because
Arizona State's bad against the pass does mean that's his
secondary issue. Primarily, it could be that they're pass rushing.
Pass rushing isn't as good as their you know, their
(01:31:08):
their their ground attack up front. So that's all to
say that I agree with you. Devon's gonna have to
throw in order for Utah to beat a very good
ASU team without its starting quarterback, without its star player.
Speaker 10 (01:31:22):
But who's he going to be throwing to.
Speaker 11 (01:31:24):
Like if you're Kenny Dillingham and that defense, it's like, okay,
you're key in on number nine, like he's obviously Devin's guy,
and you find a way to try to neutralize down Bentley,
and then what do you do if you're Devin, if
you're Utah's offense.
Speaker 10 (01:31:39):
I think like that's part of the.
Speaker 11 (01:31:41):
Equation that has I think a lot of Utah fans
wondering how this rest of the season is going to
shake out, because like, yeah, Ryan Davis has been good
and he's been reliable, but eventually you're going to have
to be able to have two to three other guys
in my opinion, step up and make the type of
plays allow you to be in the mix come late
(01:32:03):
October early November.
Speaker 1 (01:32:05):
So Dallas vaka Loacki is probable. Jackson Benny was not
on the injury report at all. Nate Ritchie out and
not season ending according to Wit, but it looks like
he's gonna miss some weeks. So you know, certainly, based
on the past few years, the health at this point
of the season has to be celebrated, but you never
know what's going to happen and they've already lost three safeties.
(01:32:28):
I bring this up as a result of a conversation
I had this week with Trevor Riley, and Trevor was
very adamant that Utah football does not have depth. And
Trevor goes to practices, he's at all the games, he's
in communication with the staff. Like, if Trevor believes that
to be true, then I'm sure there's some truth to it,
and I would.
Speaker 2 (01:32:48):
Imagine they're very well aware of it up there.
Speaker 1 (01:32:51):
Maybe that's why they didn't go live very much during
fall spring. You know, they're utilizing some defensive players on offense,
and Trevor point is that indicates his point, which is
they don't have depth, and potentially this is just part
of the new reality of the sport because Lane Kiffin
himself last week ESPN gave an interview and discussed kind
(01:33:12):
of this dynamic where dynasties are over. You know, the
days of Nick Saban being able to tap into a
five star backup if his defensive end gets hurt are over.
Because if you're a five star and you're playing behind
another five star, another big time program is gonna come
grab you and pay you and tell you you're gonna
start there. But what do you make of this dynamic
(01:33:34):
because it felt like the past the final few years
in the PAC twelve, the narrative was we did have
depth here. You actually did build up the depth that
they need. But do you feel like, to Trevor's point,
this is a roster that is a little bit void
of the depth that they need to survive a season.
Speaker 11 (01:33:50):
I think both things can be true, Spence. I think
there was a time where, whether it be because of
the COVID years or hitting on guys the portal, or
just retaining players that developed later, Utah did have more
depth than it had in previous years. But you know,
(01:34:11):
roster attention and just roster building in college football is
going to be cyclical, obviously, but now it's going to
spin at a higher rate more than ever because of
the portal, and you know, obviously that's going to change
now with only one window. But I don't think Trevor's wrong.
I mean, listen, there are two trains of thought here, Like, yes,
(01:34:32):
Utah was smart to be able to deploy its best
athletes early on in the season on both sides of
the ball, because it helped them win games. Do I
think Utah want to beat UCLA without Smith, Snowden and
Lander Barton on offense?
Speaker 10 (01:34:45):
Yes, I do.
Speaker 11 (01:34:46):
It looked good and they looked like they fit the bill.
But Trevor's not wrong, and we've talked about Utah and
this is all to me. This is always going to
be the same broke record topic. Utah has always had
a problem with at the skill position, with skill positions
(01:35:06):
on offense, and it's been like this for Kyle's entire tenure.
You look at the amount of shopping that they did
in the portal. You know, lots of state media were saying,
get stoked about this guy who barely played at Southern
miss Or get stoked about Tobias Merriweather. He's got NFL
in tangibles like those guys might come along and they
(01:35:28):
might make a difference, but so far they haven't. And
you know, a lot goes into that. It's not always
on the individual. It's a team game. You know, Devn's
got to see those guys when they're open. The offensive
line has to block.
Speaker 10 (01:35:40):
I get it.
Speaker 11 (01:35:41):
But still, ironically, through all through all the random changes
of offensive ideologies and minds.
Speaker 10 (01:35:51):
And phases like Utah still is.
Speaker 11 (01:35:54):
A running team under its new offensive coordinator. They have
one good receiver that they that Devin can throw to
at the moment, and they have a good tight end.
It sounds like basically Utah offense the Utah offense for
the last twenty years. So that's all to say that
Utah does not have depth where it used to and
(01:36:15):
you're seeing you're seeing it drop off. I mean, once
upon a time, you know, Utah's secondary could have the
types of guys step in when when guys went down.
But that's all to say that. I think when Utah
stays healthy, like most teams like, they generally have good seasons.
But I think this season is emblematic of where the
(01:36:38):
program is and how that they can't necessarily rest on
their laurels going forward because they have to find a
way to improve that depth. I mean, I told you,
I text you, I thought, like you're in Trevor's discussion
the other day. Was was very enlightening. And I know,
I think a lot of people think that Trevor is,
you know, howling at the moon off and he might,
(01:37:01):
you know, I don't know what he does, you know
at night, he might be a howler, but he everything
that he said was was spot on in my mind,
and I think if you're asking somebody who has a
finger on the pulse of the program, I think Trevor
Riley's the top of the list well.
Speaker 1 (01:37:16):
And then further into the discussion was the conversation and
this is as this is as a result of what
Texas Tech did to Utah here in Salt Lake and
what Texas Tech has done to every team they played,
is whether or not the economics are where they need
to be for Utah to keep up.
Speaker 2 (01:37:35):
And again, just to be fair, the lack of depth issue.
Speaker 1 (01:37:39):
I mean, I heard a college football podcast talking about
how Georgia has no linebacker depth this year. Now Tennessee
is in trouble because they've lost a couple of players
in their defensive secondary. This is not a Utah problem only,
but certainly when you look at you know, the studies
done by Matt Brown from Extra Points about the budgets
the college football have at their disposal top rate their program,
(01:38:03):
and you combine that with some of the reports that
we have with you guys at the Athletic and on
three elsewhere of the top spending NIL schools, there's not
an entirely straight line between that list and the top
twenty and the AP but there almost is. You know,
obviously there's Texas, there's Penn State, the number one and
two team in the country to start the season, and
(01:38:24):
now we're out of the top twenty five all together.
But it just leads to a bigger discussion. Trevor's point
is his understanding right now is the economic model at
Utah is left wanting a little bit. The question just
simply remains, is Utah on a spot economically to keep
up with the teams that have the ability to spend.
Stanford just got a fifty million dollar check, Kansas just
(01:38:45):
got a couple one hundred million dollar donation, and we
know the deal with Texas Tech, And obviously there's a
school down south forty miles from us that seems to
have figured this stuff out.
Speaker 2 (01:38:54):
So give me your thoughts on that.
Speaker 11 (01:38:57):
Yeah, I think we've talked about this before. I will say, yes,
you can tell that there is a a hole there,
and and Kyle really hasn't really, you know, tiptoed around
that either when he's asked in public settings like which
is it's not surprising, but it's also it goes to
(01:39:20):
show that Kyle kind of understands that the deck that
he's dealing with right now. I will say that while
we could look at this from like a top heavy
level down like it BEF. We're putting BYU and Tech
in theory in the in the upper echelon of the
big spenders of the Big Twelve, and maybe BYU just
(01:39:41):
mainly basketball so far.
Speaker 10 (01:39:42):
But Tech hasn't won anything yet. I mean, like they're
they They.
Speaker 11 (01:39:47):
Put together maybe the deepest roster in the Big Twelve,
but they still have to get through the rest of
their schedule.
Speaker 10 (01:39:53):
You never know how things are going to shake out.
Speaker 11 (01:39:56):
What Utah has going for it is it's part of
the newest era of the Pac twelve. I mean that
somebody is going to beat another team on a weekly
basis that nobody saw coming. Kyle said it himself in
the Monday presser, like he didn't see Cincinnati beating Iowa State,
And I think a lot of people who know college
football didn't really see that either. That game wasn't as
close as even the final score showed showed it to be.
(01:40:18):
So that's all to say that I think Utah eventually
is going to have to find the man with the
golden goose and and hopefully, you know, for them, if
they're able to get there, then that will probably allow
them to be able to stand and retain and go
out and be more impactful in the portal.
Speaker 10 (01:40:40):
But I think my whole stance is going to be.
Speaker 11 (01:40:46):
Until the until the Big Twelve establishes a quote unquote
heavyweight at the top. And by heavyweight, I mean the
type of team that wins the conference and wins a
couple of games in the playoff and then maybe does
it a year or two in a row after that.
Then I think everyone can start to sweat. I just
don't see that happening in this conference.
Speaker 10 (01:41:07):
I just don't.
Speaker 11 (01:41:08):
I mean, like, if you're looking at look at a
school at Colorado that has, you know, the biggest superstar
coach in the sport and has you know, hundreds of
millions of dollars of economic impact and media rights impact
and all this stuff, and they're two and three now,
it always is going to come down to roster construction.
I get that, But this is a very long winded
(01:41:28):
way of saying nobody in the Big Twelve is great,
and I don't know if anybody's going to be great
in the Big twelve for a long time.
Speaker 1 (01:41:35):
Is there a chance that Tech is that team this year?
I mean after what they did to Utah, And then
you know, combine that with the current landscape of the
conference where maybe outside of Tech there is not another
elite team due respect to BYU who's undefeated, and Utah
and Iowa stayed in others. But Tech has not played
(01:41:55):
a close game this year. And that includes a game
here in Salt Lake, and I know the narrative, and
it was a bit of a rock five through three quarters,
but you pull away. The final score is where the
final score is. They go to Houston and improve Houston team,
at least offensively, That's what the numbers say, and they
just curve stop them.
Speaker 2 (01:42:11):
They get Kansas at home.
Speaker 1 (01:42:14):
Jaylen Daniel's gonna have to play the game of his
life to make that thing close. Most people that cover
this conference, Chris, believe that it is Tech and everybody else.
Speaker 2 (01:42:21):
Do you believe that?
Speaker 8 (01:42:23):
I do?
Speaker 11 (01:42:23):
But so far, like we are probably overestimating, or I
can say we were at the time overestimating how quote
unquote good Utah was at the time. I think a
lot of people fell in love with the start with
the addition of Devin that they had the quote unquote
best offensive line in the history of the school. You know,
the typical Kyle Whittingham Morgan's scaley defense. You have to
(01:42:46):
see how this thing plays out on a week to
week basis and then eventually you can assess assess the
entirety of the schedule at the end of the year.
But so far, to me, Texas Tech hasn't played anybody
that great.
Speaker 10 (01:42:56):
And yes, you have to play whoever is on your schedule.
Speaker 11 (01:43:00):
I get that, But we talked about last week, like
their schedule is very easy throughout the rest of the
throughout the rest of the Big Twelve Conference, So like, yeah,
they could, they could win it, and then they could
maybe get matched up with somebody that they don't want
to see in the in the second round of the playoff,
if a good SEC team gets in at you know,
(01:43:23):
eleven or twelve and they get to go play them
the same way ASU drew Texas last year. I just
think I don't think anybody in the Big twelve is great,
and I don't know if any team in college football
is great this year. And I think that is also
a byproduct of the parody that's going to be introduced
in the nil era, in the portal era. I think
(01:43:43):
it's healthy for college football. I know some people say,
you know, the dynasty's help. I'm more about spreading the wealth.
But I just don't see a pathway for a Big
twelve team currently that says like, yeah, I'm in a
them against or again, I'm going to pick them against
(01:44:04):
you know, Ohio State, I'm going to pick them against Miami.
Speaker 10 (01:44:07):
I just don't see it.
Speaker 1 (01:44:09):
So the conversation we've been having this week and your
take on this is that I don't think two losses.
Speaker 2 (01:44:16):
Completely kills your chances.
Speaker 1 (01:44:18):
I don't think two losses is a death sentence, but
it might be, and certainly with those two losses potentially
being against two teams that you will be competing with
at the end. Utah has already lost to Tech, and
so Texas Tech has the tiebreaker over Utah. They lose
Tomorrow night, they have Arizona State has the tiebreaker. Utes
(01:44:38):
if Utah wants to win a Big twelve championship, is
Tomorrow night simply put a must win.
Speaker 11 (01:44:45):
Yes, because it would be in theory if they lost
another home loss as well, meaning that you would have
to make up for that against other teams later on
in the season more likely than not on the road
than the fact that you get BYU the next week
Lavelle Edwards Stadium, who will either be six and oho
or five and one and ahead of you in the
in the conference standings. Yeah, I mean, I'm with you
(01:45:08):
on the on the two wins basically keeps you alive.
But to lose your first two Big twelve Conference home
games of the year, I think would be a death Now.
I just don't really see that that would mean One,
this team isn't as good as a lot of people
said they were going to be. And two, you know
they the conference will be able to shake itself out
(01:45:31):
without Utah. So yeah, I think I think if you
be ASU, you're you're in okay shape. But I think
once you get once Utah gets a second loss, then
it's gonna they're gonna find themselves in a precarious position.
But again, I'm going to always go back to you know, precedent,
and you and a lot of your listeners remember that
(01:45:53):
crazy finish to the twenty twenty.
Speaker 10 (01:45:56):
Two PAC twelve season.
Speaker 11 (01:45:58):
When like Utah needed like six to go right for
them in the last two weeks of the season and
everything did. Then they end up smoking USC in the
Packed Hoole title game and get a second berth into
the Rose Bowl. So it's not fair to compare different
totally different eras. But I'm just saying, like there is
a recent precedent that Utah had, you know, kind of
(01:46:19):
been on live support so to speak, when it came
to contending for a conference title.
Speaker 10 (01:46:24):
It eventually worked out.
Speaker 11 (01:46:26):
I just don't think that that this team is as
good as you know, those teams when when Cam Rising
was healthy and they had you know, the.
Speaker 10 (01:46:34):
Dalton Kincaids of the world.
Speaker 11 (01:46:36):
And yeah, I just think I tried to warn everybody,
you know me, I think a lot of people think
that I'm this, this this bummer guy.
Speaker 3 (01:46:44):
You know.
Speaker 11 (01:46:45):
I know, I know I exude that. But you know,
let's let's see how these games play out. Because everyone
was saying, Devin damp here for Heisman and Utah is
going to steamroll the conference. It's like, no, man, you
got to see how this team is put together on
the fly, see if they and stay healthy, and see
if they can beat good teams, because so far they've
played one good team and they did not.
Speaker 2 (01:47:04):
Win last thing.
Speaker 1 (01:47:07):
I was thinking about this after watching I think it
was Arizona who just dismantled Oklahoma State and Mike gun
He's lost his job. Players who even transfer portal like
they don't even look like a college football team. They
were picked to win the Big Twelve a year ago.
This stuff is so fleeting and it could change at
the drop of a hat. I mean, Bill Belichick might
not coach in two weeks, but if Utah loses tomorrow
(01:47:30):
night against Arizona State, it's another Big Twelve home game
they lose. Utah for the past few years feels like
it has been a benefit of the doubt program from
media members who just say, well, yeah, Kyle Whittingham's the coach,
They're gonna be in every game. Are are we getting
dangerously close where Utah football is no longer a benefit
of the doubt program.
Speaker 11 (01:47:52):
That's a great question. I think a lot will be
decided on how this season shakes out. Honestly, I think
if if Utah finishes eight and four or nine to three,
I think I think that will continue. If if the
wheels fall off and you're talking six, six, five and seven,
(01:48:13):
Uh yeah, I mean I think that would be fair,
but I think a lot would have to go wrong.
I think you'd have to see a lot of injuries
pile up as they have the last couple of years,
and that is one thing obviously you can't really plan for.
Speaker 10 (01:48:27):
You just have to deal with.
Speaker 11 (01:48:29):
But that's that's part of the reason why Spence, like
I say, like instead of going off of this off
the theory, go off.
Speaker 10 (01:48:39):
Of the evidence, go off the data.
Speaker 11 (01:48:41):
And that's why you know, when when Utah was healthy,
you know, those few years were cam rising, when they
had all those stars on defense, when they had a
future I think Dalton was a first round pick, when
they had a future first round pick as you know,
a combo tight end, wide receiver whatever. Like yeah, like
the the concept the data was there because they were
(01:49:02):
winning big games and they were doing it on a
weekly basis, and they were going toe to toe with
teams that were as good and sometimes you know, on
paper quote unquote better than them. The last couple of years,
with the amount of injuries they've dealt with, with the
amount of roster turnover, with the uncertainty of you know,
with the Andy Ludwig departure, I think you can.
Speaker 10 (01:49:25):
I think we got to see how the season turns out.
Speaker 11 (01:49:27):
But that all goes back to my point of saying,
like instead of just going off of what you see
on Twitter and saying, like, guys, this guy's gonna be it, it's like,
let's see if that guy actually does it and does
it against good teams on a weekend to week out
basis for a long time. Like unfortunately, people are going
(01:49:49):
to still being up in arms about the end of
Cam's career and how you know, the will he will
he not be limping off against ASU, but like when
he he was healthy, like he did it.
Speaker 10 (01:50:01):
Man, Like the same.
Speaker 11 (01:50:02):
Thing with with you know, guys like Tyler Huntley and
Brian Johnson and Alex Like you have to have the proof.
And I think it's so easy for some people to
glom onto this notion that no I read somebody say
this on Twitter or I read this that you know,
Devin Dampier is going to be the dark Hope Dyke,
(01:50:23):
dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate guy.
Speaker 10 (01:50:26):
And I'm like, oh, man, like, let.
Speaker 11 (01:50:27):
Like he he has he has as you like to say,
as the kids like to say, he has juice, but
let's see him do it against good teams and let's
see him do it week in on, week out.
Speaker 1 (01:50:38):
Well, Christopher, it should be interesting tomorrow night. I do
think the quarterback news changes a lot, even though some
people may disagree. Appreciate the time man. Give Leo high
five and I'll see assume yes, Sir. Chris Comaraddi covers
college football for the Athletic and does it at a
very elite level on social media at Chris com Roddie
(01:50:59):
is where you find him for the links all of
his work all right. Week six of the NFL started
last night. We are Week seven of college football. So far,
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Here's the thing. Neat DVR, but what an awesome promotion
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Speaker 1 (01:54:05):
I even failed to mention that the Jazz are in
action tonight, like this weekend, we have everything going on.
A couple of weeks ago Utah Utah stayed on a
bye by. You played on Friday night and RSL was
off that week too. I think, well that changes this week,
so tonight you have Utah the Utah Jazz taking on
the San Antonio Spurs some preseason action. After Ace Bailey
(01:54:28):
looked awesome on Wednesday against Houston, the Utah Mammoth lost
their season opener against the Avalanche. The Avalanche might might
hoist Lord Stanley's Cup this year. They're going to try
to get their first win of the season tomorrow against Nashville.
Speaker 2 (01:54:44):
RSL is up in Seattle at lumen Field.
Speaker 1 (01:54:46):
Dramatic scenes expected, rainy and cold shocking Seattle, Rainy and
cold on in October Saturday night, and then of course
we have BYU Arizona a big one tomorrow night at
six o'clock on ESPN two. And then the game that
we've all been looking forward to and previewing all week long.
It's Utah Arizona State coming up tomorrow night at Rice
Cycle Stadium. Want to remind you that kick will be
(01:55:09):
at eight to fifteen. There's an eighty three percent chance
of rain, and the temps is going to be in
the fifties, So dress warm. Porter and Trevor Riley will
have pregame for you coming up on tomorrow at about
four point fifteen, so stay tuned for that. So pretty
much everyone in action. Utah Royals taking on San Diego,
the Utah State Aggies are on the rock taking on HAWAIII.
(01:55:32):
We have Major League Baseball Playoffs for you. It's a
big one because it is a win or go home.
The Tigers and the Mariners coming up at T Mobile Park.
When we say goodnight, all right, Porter, I will not
press you for your pick because you'll save that tomorrow
during the pregame show.
Speaker 2 (01:55:47):
Correct.
Speaker 12 (01:55:49):
Yeah, I think, well at least a score prediction. But
we can I mean we can.
Speaker 1 (01:55:52):
Dive into this all right, I'm ready to give you
my final score prediction for tomorrow's Utah State excuse me,
Tomorrow's Utah Arizona State game. I just had the Utah
State spread pulled up, the line moved a couple of
different times, and you know, ultimately Vegas favors Utah by
(01:56:12):
about nine and a half points. I do think the
quarterback news is very, very noteworthy and sizable. I do
think it changes the scope of how this game is
going to go. That's a compliment to Sam Levitt more
than it is a knock on Jeff Simms. Jeff Sims
played a lot of college football. You got a lot
of tape on him. I don't think he's a great option.
(01:56:32):
So I am taking Utah to win, and I'm also
taking them to cover the final score. I'm going to
take Utah twenty seven, Arizona State seventeen. So I think
the Utes get it done tomorrow night at risecl Stadium.
Speaker 2 (01:56:47):
All right, that'll do it.
Speaker 1 (01:56:48):
Final segment of the day and of the week Porter
what comes our way on a Monday edition of the show.
Speaker 12 (01:56:53):
On a Monday edition of the program, Spencer will react
to the weekend that was as you mentioned eight busy
weekend Utah utes byu RSL Jazz Mammoth, all of the above,
Doctor Chris Hill, we'll stop by on a Monday. We
will catch up with Riley Jensen after we tried on
(01:57:15):
this Friday afternoon. We're gonna chat with the new voice
of the Utah Jazz in studio. He has won, Mark Denman,
and then we'll go from there. We'll also have some
sound from Kyle Whittingham and I'm sure a member of
the broadcast crew, Bill Scott or Sly. We'll stop buying
a Monday too.
Speaker 2 (01:57:33):
All right, there you go.
Speaker 1 (01:57:33):
Keep in mind our pregame coverage for Utah football with
Porter Larson and Trevor Riley begins tomorrow at four fifteen.
Coming up on the other side of a quick break.
It is elimination time in the world of Major League
Baseball the Alds Game five.
Speaker 2 (01:57:46):
It's the Tigers and the Mariners.
Speaker 1 (01:57:47):
Special thank you today for Mark my onside tech, our
good friends here at Smith to Sammy Moore, to Robert Johnson,
to Paul Pugmyer, to Riley Jensen. A little bit we
try to connect in and work today and obviously one
of our favorites Chris Camaraddie. For any of the sound
you may have missed, go to the website which is
ESPN seven hundred sports dot com. Make sure to download
our mobile app and take us on the go. That
app is available in the App Store in the Google
(01:58:09):
Play Store. Then, finally, for what we do in our
space every afternoon for four hours, please go support our
podcast page.
Speaker 2 (01:58:16):
Wherever you get your shows. It's called the Drive with Spence.
Speaker 1 (01:58:18):
Check it's subscribe, rate reviews, Sana singers in the comments,
give us all the stars. It helps reporter. I'm Spence
saying todnight, have a great weekend. Everybody, begind to yourself,
Begod to each other. Join us for some Utah football
tomorrow and we'll talk to you on a Monday edition
of the program.
Speaker 2 (01:58:30):
And as always, you can catch it right here on
ESPN seven hundred