September 12, 2025 • 26 mins
Catch “The Drive with Spence Checketts” from 2 pm to 6 pm weekdays on ESPN 700 & 92.1 FM. Produced by Porter Larsen. The latest on the Utah Jazz, Real Salt Lake, Utes, BYU + more sports storylines.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
About three hours from kickoff for Friday night college football
Big twelve style, it's Colorado Houston. Then ninety minutes after that,
two Big twelve teams are playing, but it is not
a conference game. It's Kansas State, Arizona and Tucson. That
game was scheduled when Arizona was in the PAC twelve.
Stanford once was in the PAC twelve, Utah was once
in the PAC twelve. My next guest knows a thing
(00:22):
or two about that. Always a pleasure to catch up
with Bo McNally on a Friday afternoon.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Bo, Happy Friday, buddy. How are we doing?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Hey, I'm doing great, Spence.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
Thanks, And I want to start out because I know you,
of all people, appreciate my son Jack more than anybody,
and it's it's his tenth birthday today, so I just
want to give a quick shout out, Happy birthday.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
To my son Jack.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
How's that?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
How's that guy doing big double digits? How's always doing great?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Good?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Good? He's good.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
He's playing he's on a you know, the skyline, a
Grimlin football team.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
He's playing left guard, sometimes right guard. He's one of
their biggest dudes. He's having a blast.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
I don't know what it is about the picture as
you post, he just looks like a good time.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I don't know, I don't know. Jack just seems like it's.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Exactly exactly what he is. So the pictures aren't lying
to you.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Love it man? How's the rest of the fam? Everybody good?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Oh? Everyone's great? Yeah, thank you. We're you know, we're
in the busy season.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
You were talking about, you know how fall is one
of your favorite times a year earlier in the show,
and it's ours too. We have three kids in tackle
football this year, are three older boys, and then we
got a four year old who's running around and my
wife is due with baby number five in about three weeks.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
So I'm just about to add to the craziness year.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Congratulations, I guess number five?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
But what do you?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
What are you thinking?
Speaker 3 (01:36):
That is? That is everybody's reaction.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
And we actually didn't do some big public Instagram posts
announcing number five because we're like most people are going
to be kind of like, really, you're gonna do this again?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
So no, but we're we're really.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Excited and uh yeah, we we like chaos, clearly we
thrive in it.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Well, bo, I'm the oldest of six and there was
a there was a time where you get it. Oh
my goodness, there was a time where we had six
thirteen and under. And so I grew up in the chaos,
and look, it really is the good stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
So since here, congratulations to you and your bride man.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Thank you, sir, thank you appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
You got it all right?
Speaker 1 (02:10):
So you were on this you were an honorary captain
for Stanford and Provo.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Did I see that? Is that right?
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Bo? Yeah, yeah, yep, that's right.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Okay, let's start there. What was that like? That must
have been a really cool honor for you.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Oh yeah, no, it's it was really special.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
And you know, I've actually had just over the last
I think the first time I was honorary captain for
it was at Washington State back in twenty seventeen, and
then I had a chance to be honorary captain for
a cal game as well. But this one was it
was really special for me. And and you know, growing
up in Utah, you know, I grew up in Salt Lake.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
My grandpa was a season ticket holder for the.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
University of Utah, so I got to go to a
bunch of those games growing up at Rice Ecles and
also minmoid down a pro a couple of times. And
you know, I don't hold any ill will, but neither
you thought or YU offered me a scholar out of
high school, and Stanford was the one school that that did.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
And so as a player, I dreamt of, you.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Know, finding the opportunity to play against Utah BYU in
a bowl game, and and never got that opportunity. Of course,
right after I left Utah joined the PAC twelve and
and then some home and homes were scheduled with YU.
But h so, you know, being on our captain and
being able to be with the team. I spoke to
them the night before the game at the hotel. I
got to be with them, you know, pregame on the
field and locker room and and out for the coin toss.
(03:28):
That was, you know, truly the next best thing to
actually be able to play against them, and and you
know by us as you know is is it's a
pretty incredible environment. You know, the fans down there, just
like the right cycles, are super passionate and and it's.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
An electric environment.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
And got to have my kids down there and a
bunch of my friends and some of their.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Buddies and and some families. So it was a it
was a great experience.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
I gotta know, what's what's the reaction of your boys
when they see dad walk out like that?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Are Are they impressed?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Is it?
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Like?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah, I mean they have to look at you like
a hero.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
Yeah, you know, I I hope so. But uh there,
I think Luckily for me, I'm just kind of dad
to them.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
And uh, I've been very lucky.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
You know when we live in the Bay Area, they've
they've been able to have some experiences like that with
war being down on the field and meeting players and
you know, I've got buddies that are in the NFL
now that I've given us access.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
So it's a little bit.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
You know, my oldest son especially, he's probably done that
seven or eight times. So but you know, it's it's
it's it isn't a special experience to be able to
share that with them and to to get the pictures
down on the field and for them to you know,
Scott Edwards, who's an Olympus high school product, he interned
for me a couple of summers ago and have my
my boys be able to give him high five as
he takes the field for warm ups. And for the game,
Like you know, that's kind of stuff as the dad
(04:42):
you dream of, right to be able to do that
for your kids. And so yeah, it was fuci.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Well that's the good stuff.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Let's let's let's let's lean into your alma mater for
a minute, and then I do want to talk about
the game for how would you articulate just what I
perceived to be kind of like a pivot period for
Stanford foot all right? Now, I mean, look, Andrew luck
is like a no brainer. If he wants to, if
he wants the gig, give him the gig. He's smart
enough that at some point, I'm sure a guy like
(05:08):
that's going to figure out a path to get Stanford
football back to where we're used to seeing them. But
how would you articulate kind of the process slash progress
that's going on right now with Stanford?
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yeah, so it's a really you're right in.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
That it is a uh, it is a pivotal time
for Stanford and and and we recognize that, Andrew recognizes that,
the administration recognizes that, and it is kind of all
hands on deck too to get football back to where
Stanford football belongs and kind of landscape of college football,
and you know, the the.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Hard reality is that we are playing catch up.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
The the prior president and kind of an administration of
Stanford was not invested in major athletics.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
They didn't see the value in it.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
They didn't understand that it was part of Stanford's core
mission because Stanford as an institution, and anyone who's gone
there or been a part of Stanford would would echo,
this is what Stanford aspires to be is excellent in
anything that we do, right, research, academics, you know, computer science,
the medical the medical school, the business school, and then
(06:15):
major athletics like you know, men's football, women's basketball, men's basketball,
and and also all the Olympic sports. And the prior
president and provost didn't really see it that way, and
that was reflected in the resources and the investment that
athletics got. Now, the unbelievably good news for Stanford is
that we brought a new president, President Levin, and he
(06:37):
he is the one who single handily kind of hand
selected Andrew for this this role as football GM and
he has completely changed the culture since he took over
around what what what Stanford is aspiring to be in
the athletic part and that is reflected in who the
athletic director is, John Donahue, who's a major sports exec
that that's company.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Actually his first day was Monday this week. I had
a chance to meet him at that.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
B y U game, And and the momentum and the
energy behind and the enthusiasm behind what what Andrew is
doing at Stanford right now is it's really unparalleled. The
closest I can imagine or can compare it to, is
is Harbaugh's kind of like, you know, maybe twenty ten,
which was Andrew's sophomore year, Retrod sophomore year. But but
(07:21):
but even then, like it was still a little bit
unknown and wasn't sure. Now now what with the known
quantity of Andrew and what his passion and his dedication
to the program and into the mission of Stanford is.
We are seeing our alumni, based the football alumni, general
alumni really rally around the program to, like I said,
get Stanford caught up to this modern era of football
(07:42):
and Spence. I'm not sure if you've seen some of
the in our first couple of games, there's there's been
these graphics on the TV copy of the games where
they're showing this this last off season, Stanford was able
to attract seventeen players in from the transfer portal. That
is more than all previous years combined. And that's a
sign of the administration, uh uh, kind.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Of learning and adapting to this new era.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
That's a sign of more players being willing to come
and join our program. And you know, and Stanford's doing
that all while not sacrificing the kind of academic integrity
and overall mission of the school.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
And so we're getting we're getting.
Speaker 4 (08:19):
Guys to come join and be a part of this
program that are our Stanford Men as we call them,
that are trying to be great on and off the field.
And and it's you know, it's it's really exciting the
way it's moving. We still have a steep mountain to
climb to get Stanford back to where we all want
it to be, which is competing for conference championships every year,
competing for that college football playoff, and and being part
of the next major shakeup in major college football and
(08:43):
making sure that when that time comes, Stanford has the
seat at the table. And and and Andrew is not
shy about being very clear that that is our mission
at Stanford.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Football and what we're what we're aspiring to do.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
So recently, Andrew gave an interview TESPN and he talked
about the quote value proposition of a stamp scholarship. But
ultimately the recent shift, as you know, bo with nil
and the money that schools can pay it really has
not been a positive development for the academic schools because
one of the competitive advantages of a place like Stanford,
(09:17):
who recently, I think was number four in the latest
US News and World Report College University rankings, was the
value of that scholarship, which is higher than those of
their competitors. So how do you balance that where you know,
once upon a time, because you referenced, you weren't recruited
by by you were Utah, But my dude, you went
(09:37):
to Stanford like you had a great, wonderful educational opportunity,
which is a great benefit for now your ability to
go live your life. That value proposition that Andrew talks about,
the gap is a little bit smaller now because of
the ability that other schools have to simply pay players.
How do you guys balance that as you're trying to
build this thing back up.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
It's a great question, it's a great challenge for us
and and what we we believe.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Both things are true.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
That this new era football that's empowered these players to
make money while they're playing makes things, makes the makes
the vision of a place like Stanford harder to understand
and harder to see the long term value of a
degree and a network from Stanford.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
That can be true.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
While also having the flip side of that being we
can prove that to these kids while they're at school
so that when they get there they don't want to leave.
And that is you know, there's I I co founded
a football alumni group at Stanford called Stanford Football Alumni United,
with some some former teammates of minds, some guys from
different generations, and some some big names like you know,
(10:51):
Richard Sherman and Christ McCaffrey and John Lynch and and
what we are trying to do is take this network,
the Stanford network, this alumni network, and and and put
some real, some real structure behind it so that when
these players come to Stanford, they see what they're leaving
behind if they were to transfer out. These these recruits
and these parents when they're coming on visits are getting
(11:13):
introduced to a very tangible representation of the value of
that that Stanford degree.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Now what we what Stanford.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
You know, of course, now with with with revenue share
and obviously the nil portion of this and how that
plays and everything, Stanford is going to.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Be competitive playing paying players. We're committed to that. You know.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
I I don't have any inside intel into what Stanford
or Andrew in the front office do in terms of
how much they're actually paying kids. But I do know
that there have been examples, not not necessarily with football specifically,
but with other sports at Stanford where where players that
come to Stanford play a couple of years and have
tremendous success in their sport and are getting offers to
leave have have made have explicitly made the decision to
(11:53):
stay at Stanford because they they place real monetary value
on the Stanford degree above beyond what the spread might be.
The difference if it's you know, who are one hundred
and fifty thousand dollars difference today, They say, well, if
I go to this X, Y, and Z school, that degree,
that network is far less valuable to me than than
what the Stanford degree can offer. So I'm willing to
(12:15):
stay here, even if it might be a couple hundred
thousand dollars less. So it's it's it's a very real challenge,
but it's from our perspective, it's more of it's it
puts the onus on us as alumni to make sure
that these current players really see the value of the
Stanford network while they are there and while they are
being recruited, instead of having to wait until after they graduate,
(12:36):
which to be clear, that's when I found found the
value is.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
I didn't quite realize what the power.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
Was until I graduated and started looking for a job
and had all these incredibly people that were at the
very very top of their industry taking meetings with me
and making introductions and finding job opportunities for me that
I didn't even know existed.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
And so you know, it's it's an uphill battle in
some ways.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
But we also we still view that that Stanford network,
that education factors as a competitive advantage for us, as
long as we also come to the table and.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Are competitive on the revenue share.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
In an aisle site, I want to ask you about
Andrew specifically Andrew Luck and we're catching up with Bo
mcdally played his college football at Stanford. Stanford and BYU
played a couple of weeks ago. I guess it was
last week. I don't remember what I had for breakfast,
so anyway, but I find Andrew Luck to be one
of the most fascinating individuals in just the history of sport.
(13:31):
I mean, you walk away after seven years at the
peak of your abilities at the age of twenty nine,
and he was so good. And we always used to
talk about the Colts wasting the opportunity with the generational
player under center, and the pressure on that staff to
surround him with better players because you don't know how
long you're gonna have a quarterback like that. Now, they
(13:52):
didn't know it was going to be cut that short,
so Andrew walks away and he could have probably played
for another five six.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Years and made another couple ndred million dollars.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Danford hires him as the GM, but it's different than
some of the other gms because he's he's over all
of it. My understanding is not just football. He's over
business like. He is the guy in charge here. I've
never had a chance to meet him or interview him.
I certainly would more than welcome that. What is he
like bo and why is he the right guy for
this job?
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (14:22):
He's he's a he's a really interesting dude, and you
know that kind of.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I use this term in a very endearing way that.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Kind of like goofy, dorky, like really a kind of
thoughtful person you see in all of his interviews is
exactly how he is in private interactions. And I I was,
you know, lucky enough to be a teammate of his.
He was three years younger, and he was the starting
quarterback my senior year. And he while he comes across
as very unassuming and kind of you know, goofy, he
(14:55):
is as competitive, competitive as anybody I've ever met. And and
he is a worker.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
He's a workhorse.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
And when he took this job, truthfully, I didn't know
if it was just kind of a you know, kind
of what you're seeing with with I think Shack at
LSU is like a quote unquote assistant Jim. I didn't know,
but it was just kind of like, hey, we're trying
to attach a big name to Stanford, and it was
gonna be a little bit more of like he shows
up every now and then and shakes some hands and and.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
And then moves on his way.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
I mean, that dude is in everything right, Like you said,
he is touching every part of the program. He is uh, eating, sleeping,
breathing Stanford football and and and he believes like I do,
that that Stamford football being relevant in the major college
football landscape is a necessary component of college football. And
(15:47):
it's it's necessary for Stanford to be a top program.
And he's not gonna to rest until it happens. And
you know when he when that job. When when it
was announced that he took the DM job, he happened
to be coming to Utah to ski for a little
bit at the beginning of the year, and and and
meet with some Stamford alumna here.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
And uh, he and I were able to get get
together for coffee and for dinner.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
And I kind of went in to say, Hey, I
want to help any way I can, whatever support you need.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I also went in to be like, what, you know,
what's his plan? What is you know? Because I don't
I'm not sure what to expect.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
And I was blown away with you know, how methodical
and strategic he's being, how how he's you know, he's
thinking long term, but he's also being very tactical about
the near term milestones we need to hit in order
to be able to get to those outcome goals that
we're all aspiring to. And you know, the energy again,
the energy he has brought to the program right now
(16:38):
is is pretty incredible. And listen, firing the head coach
in April, when you've been on the job for three months,
you know that that takes some some gusto and uh
and and then and then you know, making the decision
to go to the interim route with with Frank Reich,
I mean all of these things like he is.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
He is taking it head on right.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
He's not shying away from making hard decisions and doing
what he believes is right for.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
The program in the near term in the long term.
Speaker 4 (17:04):
And I speak for every Stamford football alumni and Stanford
rumny that I've spoken with about this when I say this,
we could not imagine a better person for the job.
And and Stanford's in good hands with him, and we're
just all grateful that he's willing to step in and
do this and and kind of be the steward for
our programs.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
So you referenced the decision to fire Troy Taylor spends
him time here in Salt Lake with the University of Utah.
He brings in his old buddy, Frank Reich, and it
seems like every football person has a lot of respect
for Frank.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Bo.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
All the reports I see is this is a one
year deal period. End of story.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Is that you're understanding and if so, any idea what's
next with that position?
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Yeah? No, that that's That's been my understanding.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
And you know, I don't have a ton of insight
intel to share other than part of the purpose behind
the interim coach was, you know, springtime's a very weird time.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
To try to hire a a long term head coach. Right.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Most coaches that you would want would not agree to
leave their program at that point in the year, right.
They feel bad about leaving their their their their program
at that time in the middle of spring ball or
right before spring ball. And so the idea behind the
interim coach was to make sure that Stanford has access
to all of the best candidates in this next.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Coaching cycle, right.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
And uh And you know, obviously Andrew was in town
with the team when I was on our captain. We
actually got to go Stanford had a commit in town
from East Side Catholic in Seattle playing East High School
and so Andrew and I went over there and watched
the second half of that game together, and and I
kind of tried to tried to get him to give
me some insight intel about you know, the coaching search.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Had he names in mind, and and uh, you.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Know, he was smart and he was coy about it,
but he just said, yeah, he's like, I'm already kind
of starting to think about the process, right. You know,
the actual hiring will likely take take place towards the
end of the season.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
That's an assumption for me, not what he's told me.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
But you know, as much as I've learned about Andrew
and known him, you know, since i've known him for
the last unfortunately it spent almost twenty years, he uh,
he's a very methodical person. So he's gonna he's gonna,
you know, cross every T and dot every I to
make sure that that Stanford ends up with the right
person in charge of the program from the coaching side.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Moving forward, All right, bo, let's move over now to
the game. It's and you know, of course, as we
have just outlined, this is a period of kind of
a recalibration for Stanford to try to get back to
where they once were. Under coach Shaw while trying to
understand the modern day and age of college football and
the landscape and what you need to do.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
So where are they at right now?
Speaker 1 (19:38):
And we'll also attended to that question, what were your
impressions of BYU as you were on the sidelines last
week for BYU's win over your Stanford Cardinal.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Yeah, it's a you know, it's a great question.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
And like you said, I'm going to kind of hone
in on something you said because Stanford the football program
is in a strange spot.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Four st rate three.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
Win seasons, you know, uh, three head coaches over that
that time period. Uh, more guys transferring out of the
program than transferring into the program. It's been you know,
it has been a difficult era for Stanford football the
last four years. And you know, if there's some some
real college football nerds listening to this and then they'll
(20:18):
remember my my retch at freshman year at Stanford was
was as bad as it's been for Stanford now.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
My freshman year was far far worse. Walt Harris was
our head coach.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
He's the head coach of pitt when Utah beat them
in the Festival, and then he took the Stanford job
after that year, and we went one and eleven in
two thousand and six, and we were as bad as
football teams get. And then Harbaugh came in and we
went four and eight and then five and seven, and
then and then my senior year with Andrew Luck as
a starter, we we had our first winning.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
Season in almost a decade.
Speaker 4 (20:50):
And when I spoke to the team Friday night, I
kind of told him about my experience during that One
of the things I challenged them with is one of
the hardest things coming out of a consistent, you know,
multi year stretch of losing seasons, is is believing that
you've done enough to earn the right to expect to
win games because you're gonna be an underdog in almost
every game you go into. And and I told them,
(21:12):
and I believe this that they have all the all
the talent that they need, all the the folks and
the coaching staff that we need to win a lot
of football games this year. But you've got you've got
to have a little some confidence and swagger, even if
you know you've got to fake it till you make it.
Because I believe me, that's what I have to do.
And and so Stanford is in a in a tough spot.
But but we've got everything that we need in that
locker room to win a bunch of football games this year.
(21:33):
And I actually, you know, obviously the outcome wasn't wasn't
what we wanted for Stanford against BYU.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
But but it didn't.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
The game against you actually further proved my point in
my mind, because you know, the defense was phenomenal, like
Stanford's was like we we we gave the defense, gave
gave the the team a chance to every chance to
win that game. You know, had to to turnovers early
in the game deep in our own territory and help
if you want you to feel go both times. Uh,
(22:02):
you know, uh really really did a nice job with
with with defending the run and and limiting the pass.
And and you know by U is a super talented
team too. I mean their defense, I think I think
they're number one of the in the country right now
and in rushing yards allowed, and and they had a
bunch of dogs and and and you know, Stanford held
their own And now our our offense right now is
(22:22):
really struggling. Like anybody that that's walked our games can
see that. And it's you know, it's a new system.
It's it's a new quarterback. We've got you know, young
guys across the board, and and and we're like I
I'm a true optimist with with my my sports teams,
and uh it's it's served me well over the course
of my life. And uh I I I fully believe
(22:44):
that Stanford has the pieces in place so long as
to be successful, to see, so long as we continually
approve week over week, and and that improvement needs to
happen at at every position, both sides of the balls,
special teams, everything, and and you know, again, I think
by us going to win a lot of football games
this year, I think they're they're being smart about what
(23:05):
to do with the true freshman quarterback and not asking
a whole lot of them and letting letting him you know,
use his legs and throw quick passes and and not
make mistakes.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
But uh, you know, it's it's a for for Stanford.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
I'm encouraged after after that game seeing you know, this
is this team can compete with really really good programs.
But we just got to you know, we've got to
keep improving week over a week in order to make
sure that we can.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
We can turn some of these like hey we're competing
into hey we're.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Starting to win some games, and hopefully that starts with
the Saturday against Boston College.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Before I say you lose bo since we are the
home of the Utes, I'll kick the tires with your
thoughts on Coach Wit the program. Right now, they're going
up to Wyoming, which is a tricky place for I mean,
Texas Tech lost there a couple of years ago. Texas
had to rally in the second half to win. Utah
is a twenty three point favorite thereabouts. They should roll.
But Coach Wit himself called last year debacle. And it's
(23:59):
been a couple of years since we've seen the standard
for Utah football be met. And a lot of that
is health related, but a bunch of new transfers, namely
Devin dan Pier brings his offensive coordinator with him. How
do you think utahskan affair this year? Year two in
the Big twelve bow?
Speaker 4 (24:14):
Yeah, you know, I I think last year was a
little bit of an anomaly for Utah, and and you know,
Coach Witt and and you know, I can't remember if
you remember Spence.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
I'm sure the listeners don't.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
But you know, I go, I go way back with
coach Scally and you know, he and I grew up
in the same neighborhood and went to the same high
school and he was several years ahead of me, and I,
you know, as a kid, want to go watch him
pay high school and he was mister football in Utah think
nineteen ninety seven.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
And one thing about about that program.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
And I've had a chance to go, you know, talk
with with Scali up there a couple of times, and
is that they don't like the culture that they have
does not tolerate you know, back to back years like
what happened last year, right, And and the the culture
that they have is that they're they're tough. You know,
they've play hard, they play good defense, they play physical,
which allows them to bounce back after you're like last year,
(25:05):
especially when they reload with talent talent scouting, and uh yeah,
Devin Dampier, he's you know, he appears to be a
guy right that can that can help Utel win a
lot of football games. And so you know, the Big twelve,
you know, it feels pretty wide.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Open to me right now.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
And I think that Utah is one of those, you know,
I don't know five or six teams that for sure
can make a run at at a conference championship this year.
And and like you said, it's gonna be a lot
have a lot to do with staying healthy. And we
got a quarterback as dynamic as as Devin Dampier. That's
one thing you're always worried about, right is if he's
making a lot of plays, this feed is gonna be
able to toward that contact and stay healthy. And if you can,
then I think Utah is going to be, you know,
(25:45):
one of those teams that are gonna be in the
mix in November for for that big fat championship.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Well, buddy, I always appreciate the time, good insight, and
most importantly, happy birthday, Jack will set you loose.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Have a great weekend.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Bo okay, okay, I appreciate you guys. Thanks mess bau.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Mcdalley played his college ball at Stanford. Was a really
good player at Highland High School Stanford. BYU last week
BYU ran over him twenty seven to three. And we'll
see what sort of test that is. By you want
to buy this week. They'll be at East Carolina next
week and we'll see how it goes down. Special thank
you to Bow and Happy birthday to was boy Jack.
Today brought to you today by IFA Country Stores. With
(26:21):
IFA's Step four Fall and Winter lawn Food, you'll get
stronger roots now and in early green up next spring.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
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Speaker 1 (26:28):
Move more at your local IFA or at IFA dot
co op
About three hours from kickoff for Friday night college football
Big twelve style, it's Colorado Houston. Then ninety minutes after that,
two Big twelve teams are playing, but it is not
a conference game. It's Kansas State, Arizona and Tucson. That
game was scheduled when Arizona was in the PAC twelve.
Stanford once was in the PAC twelve, Utah was once
in the PAC twelve. My next guest knows a thing
(00:22):
or two about that. Always a pleasure to catch up
with Bo McNally on a Friday afternoon.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Bo, Happy Friday, buddy. How are we doing?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Hey, I'm doing great, Spence.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
Thanks, And I want to start out because I know you,
of all people, appreciate my son Jack more than anybody,
and it's it's his tenth birthday today, so I just
want to give a quick shout out, Happy birthday.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
To my son Jack.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
How's that?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
How's that guy doing big double digits? How's always doing great?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Good?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Good? He's good.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
He's playing he's on a you know, the skyline, a
Grimlin football team.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
He's playing left guard, sometimes right guard. He's one of
their biggest dudes. He's having a blast.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
I don't know what it is about the picture as
you post, he just looks like a good time.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I don't know, I don't know. Jack just seems like it's.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Exactly exactly what he is. So the pictures aren't lying
to you.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Love it man? How's the rest of the fam? Everybody good?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Oh? Everyone's great? Yeah, thank you. We're you know, we're
in the busy season.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
You were talking about, you know how fall is one
of your favorite times a year earlier in the show,
and it's ours too. We have three kids in tackle
football this year, are three older boys, and then we
got a four year old who's running around and my
wife is due with baby number five in about three weeks.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
So I'm just about to add to the craziness year.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Congratulations, I guess number five?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
But what do you?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
What are you thinking?
Speaker 3 (01:36):
That is? That is everybody's reaction.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
And we actually didn't do some big public Instagram posts
announcing number five because we're like most people are going
to be kind of like, really, you're gonna do this again?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
So no, but we're we're really.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Excited and uh yeah, we we like chaos, clearly we
thrive in it.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Well, bo, I'm the oldest of six and there was
a there was a time where you get it. Oh
my goodness, there was a time where we had six
thirteen and under. And so I grew up in the chaos,
and look, it really is the good stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
So since here, congratulations to you and your bride man.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Thank you, sir, thank you appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
You got it all right?
Speaker 1 (02:10):
So you were on this you were an honorary captain
for Stanford and Provo.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Did I see that? Is that right?
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Bo? Yeah, yeah, yep, that's right.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Okay, let's start there. What was that like? That must
have been a really cool honor for you.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Oh yeah, no, it's it was really special.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
And you know, I've actually had just over the last
I think the first time I was honorary captain for
it was at Washington State back in twenty seventeen, and
then I had a chance to be honorary captain for
a cal game as well. But this one was it
was really special for me. And and you know, growing
up in Utah, you know, I grew up in Salt Lake.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
My grandpa was a season ticket holder for the.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
University of Utah, so I got to go to a
bunch of those games growing up at Rice Ecles and
also minmoid down a pro a couple of times. And
you know, I don't hold any ill will, but neither
you thought or YU offered me a scholar out of
high school, and Stanford was the one school that that did.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
And so as a player, I dreamt of, you.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Know, finding the opportunity to play against Utah BYU in
a bowl game, and and never got that opportunity. Of course,
right after I left Utah joined the PAC twelve and
and then some home and homes were scheduled with YU.
But h so, you know, being on our captain and
being able to be with the team. I spoke to
them the night before the game at the hotel. I
got to be with them, you know, pregame on the
field and locker room and and out for the coin toss.
(03:28):
That was, you know, truly the next best thing to
actually be able to play against them, and and you
know by us as you know is is it's a
pretty incredible environment. You know, the fans down there, just
like the right cycles, are super passionate and and it's.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
An electric environment.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
And got to have my kids down there and a
bunch of my friends and some of their.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Buddies and and some families. So it was a it
was a great experience.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
I gotta know, what's what's the reaction of your boys
when they see dad walk out like that?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Are Are they impressed?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Is it?
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Like?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah, I mean they have to look at you like
a hero.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
Yeah, you know, I I hope so. But uh there,
I think Luckily for me, I'm just kind of dad
to them.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
And uh, I've been very lucky.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
You know when we live in the Bay Area, they've
they've been able to have some experiences like that with
war being down on the field and meeting players and
you know, I've got buddies that are in the NFL
now that I've given us access.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
So it's a little bit.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
You know, my oldest son especially, he's probably done that
seven or eight times. So but you know, it's it's
it's it isn't a special experience to be able to
share that with them and to to get the pictures
down on the field and for them to you know,
Scott Edwards, who's an Olympus high school product, he interned
for me a couple of summers ago and have my
my boys be able to give him high five as
he takes the field for warm ups. And for the game,
Like you know, that's kind of stuff as the dad
(04:42):
you dream of, right to be able to do that
for your kids. And so yeah, it was fuci.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Well that's the good stuff.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Let's let's let's let's lean into your alma mater for
a minute, and then I do want to talk about
the game for how would you articulate just what I
perceived to be kind of like a pivot period for
Stanford foot all right? Now, I mean, look, Andrew luck
is like a no brainer. If he wants to, if
he wants the gig, give him the gig. He's smart
enough that at some point, I'm sure a guy like
(05:08):
that's going to figure out a path to get Stanford
football back to where we're used to seeing them. But
how would you articulate kind of the process slash progress
that's going on right now with Stanford?
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yeah, so it's a really you're right in.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
That it is a uh, it is a pivotal time
for Stanford and and and we recognize that, Andrew recognizes that,
the administration recognizes that, and it is kind of all
hands on deck too to get football back to where
Stanford football belongs and kind of landscape of college football,
and you know, the the.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Hard reality is that we are playing catch up.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
The the prior president and kind of an administration of
Stanford was not invested in major athletics.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
They didn't see the value in it.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
They didn't understand that it was part of Stanford's core
mission because Stanford as an institution, and anyone who's gone
there or been a part of Stanford would would echo,
this is what Stanford aspires to be is excellent in
anything that we do, right, research, academics, you know, computer science,
the medical the medical school, the business school, and then
(06:15):
major athletics like you know, men's football, women's basketball, men's basketball,
and and also all the Olympic sports. And the prior
president and provost didn't really see it that way, and
that was reflected in the resources and the investment that
athletics got. Now, the unbelievably good news for Stanford is
that we brought a new president, President Levin, and he
(06:37):
he is the one who single handily kind of hand
selected Andrew for this this role as football GM and
he has completely changed the culture since he took over
around what what what Stanford is aspiring to be in
the athletic part and that is reflected in who the
athletic director is, John Donahue, who's a major sports exec
that that's company.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Actually his first day was Monday this week. I had
a chance to meet him at that.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
B y U game, And and the momentum and the
energy behind and the enthusiasm behind what what Andrew is
doing at Stanford right now is it's really unparalleled. The
closest I can imagine or can compare it to, is
is Harbaugh's kind of like, you know, maybe twenty ten,
which was Andrew's sophomore year, Retrod sophomore year. But but
(07:21):
but even then, like it was still a little bit
unknown and wasn't sure. Now now what with the known
quantity of Andrew and what his passion and his dedication
to the program and into the mission of Stanford is.
We are seeing our alumni, based the football alumni, general
alumni really rally around the program to, like I said,
get Stanford caught up to this modern era of football
(07:42):
and Spence. I'm not sure if you've seen some of
the in our first couple of games, there's there's been
these graphics on the TV copy of the games where
they're showing this this last off season, Stanford was able
to attract seventeen players in from the transfer portal. That
is more than all previous years combined. And that's a
sign of the administration, uh uh, kind.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Of learning and adapting to this new era.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
That's a sign of more players being willing to come
and join our program. And you know, and Stanford's doing
that all while not sacrificing the kind of academic integrity
and overall mission of the school.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
And so we're getting we're getting.
Speaker 4 (08:19):
Guys to come join and be a part of this
program that are our Stanford Men as we call them,
that are trying to be great on and off the field.
And and it's you know, it's it's really exciting the
way it's moving. We still have a steep mountain to
climb to get Stanford back to where we all want
it to be, which is competing for conference championships every year,
competing for that college football playoff, and and being part
of the next major shakeup in major college football and
(08:43):
making sure that when that time comes, Stanford has the
seat at the table. And and and Andrew is not
shy about being very clear that that is our mission
at Stanford.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Football and what we're what we're aspiring to do.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
So recently, Andrew gave an interview TESPN and he talked
about the quote value proposition of a stamp scholarship. But
ultimately the recent shift, as you know, bo with nil
and the money that schools can pay it really has
not been a positive development for the academic schools because
one of the competitive advantages of a place like Stanford,
(09:17):
who recently, I think was number four in the latest
US News and World Report College University rankings, was the
value of that scholarship, which is higher than those of
their competitors. So how do you balance that where you know,
once upon a time, because you referenced, you weren't recruited
by by you were Utah, But my dude, you went
(09:37):
to Stanford like you had a great, wonderful educational opportunity,
which is a great benefit for now your ability to
go live your life. That value proposition that Andrew talks about,
the gap is a little bit smaller now because of
the ability that other schools have to simply pay players.
How do you guys balance that as you're trying to
build this thing back up.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
It's a great question, it's a great challenge for us
and and what we we believe.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Both things are true.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
That this new era football that's empowered these players to
make money while they're playing makes things, makes the makes
the vision of a place like Stanford harder to understand
and harder to see the long term value of a
degree and a network from Stanford.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
That can be true.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
While also having the flip side of that being we
can prove that to these kids while they're at school
so that when they get there they don't want to leave.
And that is you know, there's I I co founded
a football alumni group at Stanford called Stanford Football Alumni United,
with some some former teammates of minds, some guys from
different generations, and some some big names like you know,
(10:51):
Richard Sherman and Christ McCaffrey and John Lynch and and
what we are trying to do is take this network,
the Stanford network, this alumni network, and and and put
some real, some real structure behind it so that when
these players come to Stanford, they see what they're leaving
behind if they were to transfer out. These these recruits
and these parents when they're coming on visits are getting
(11:13):
introduced to a very tangible representation of the value of
that that Stanford degree.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Now what we what Stanford.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
You know, of course, now with with with revenue share
and obviously the nil portion of this and how that
plays and everything, Stanford is going to.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Be competitive playing paying players. We're committed to that. You know.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
I I don't have any inside intel into what Stanford
or Andrew in the front office do in terms of
how much they're actually paying kids. But I do know
that there have been examples, not not necessarily with football specifically,
but with other sports at Stanford where where players that
come to Stanford play a couple of years and have
tremendous success in their sport and are getting offers to
leave have have made have explicitly made the decision to
(11:53):
stay at Stanford because they they place real monetary value
on the Stanford degree above beyond what the spread might be.
The difference if it's you know, who are one hundred
and fifty thousand dollars difference today, They say, well, if
I go to this X, Y, and Z school, that degree,
that network is far less valuable to me than than
what the Stanford degree can offer. So I'm willing to
(12:15):
stay here, even if it might be a couple hundred
thousand dollars less. So it's it's it's a very real challenge,
but it's from our perspective, it's more of it's it
puts the onus on us as alumni to make sure
that these current players really see the value of the
Stanford network while they are there and while they are
being recruited, instead of having to wait until after they graduate,
(12:36):
which to be clear, that's when I found found the
value is.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
I didn't quite realize what the power.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
Was until I graduated and started looking for a job
and had all these incredibly people that were at the
very very top of their industry taking meetings with me
and making introductions and finding job opportunities for me that
I didn't even know existed.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
And so you know, it's it's an uphill battle in
some ways.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
But we also we still view that that Stanford network,
that education factors as a competitive advantage for us, as
long as we also come to the table and.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Are competitive on the revenue share.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
In an aisle site, I want to ask you about
Andrew specifically Andrew Luck and we're catching up with Bo
mcdally played his college football at Stanford. Stanford and BYU
played a couple of weeks ago. I guess it was
last week. I don't remember what I had for breakfast,
so anyway, but I find Andrew Luck to be one
of the most fascinating individuals in just the history of sport.
(13:31):
I mean, you walk away after seven years at the
peak of your abilities at the age of twenty nine,
and he was so good. And we always used to
talk about the Colts wasting the opportunity with the generational
player under center, and the pressure on that staff to
surround him with better players because you don't know how
long you're gonna have a quarterback like that. Now, they
(13:52):
didn't know it was going to be cut that short,
so Andrew walks away and he could have probably played
for another five six.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Years and made another couple ndred million dollars.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Danford hires him as the GM, but it's different than
some of the other gms because he's he's over all
of it. My understanding is not just football. He's over
business like. He is the guy in charge here. I've
never had a chance to meet him or interview him.
I certainly would more than welcome that. What is he
like bo and why is he the right guy for
this job?
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (14:22):
He's he's a he's a really interesting dude, and you
know that kind of.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I use this term in a very endearing way that.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Kind of like goofy, dorky, like really a kind of
thoughtful person you see in all of his interviews is
exactly how he is in private interactions. And I I was,
you know, lucky enough to be a teammate of his.
He was three years younger, and he was the starting
quarterback my senior year. And he while he comes across
as very unassuming and kind of you know, goofy, he
(14:55):
is as competitive, competitive as anybody I've ever met. And and
he is a worker.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
He's a workhorse.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
And when he took this job, truthfully, I didn't know
if it was just kind of a you know, kind
of what you're seeing with with I think Shack at
LSU is like a quote unquote assistant Jim. I didn't know,
but it was just kind of like, hey, we're trying
to attach a big name to Stanford, and it was
gonna be a little bit more of like he shows
up every now and then and shakes some hands and and.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
And then moves on his way.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
I mean, that dude is in everything right, Like you said,
he is touching every part of the program. He is uh, eating, sleeping,
breathing Stanford football and and and he believes like I do,
that that Stamford football being relevant in the major college
football landscape is a necessary component of college football. And
(15:47):
it's it's necessary for Stanford to be a top program.
And he's not gonna to rest until it happens. And
you know when he when that job. When when it
was announced that he took the DM job, he happened
to be coming to Utah to ski for a little
bit at the beginning of the year, and and and
meet with some Stamford alumna here.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
And uh, he and I were able to get get
together for coffee and for dinner.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
And I kind of went in to say, Hey, I
want to help any way I can, whatever support you need.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I also went in to be like, what, you know,
what's his plan? What is you know? Because I don't
I'm not sure what to expect.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
And I was blown away with you know, how methodical
and strategic he's being, how how he's you know, he's
thinking long term, but he's also being very tactical about
the near term milestones we need to hit in order
to be able to get to those outcome goals that
we're all aspiring to. And you know, the energy again,
the energy he has brought to the program right now
(16:38):
is is pretty incredible. And listen, firing the head coach
in April, when you've been on the job for three months,
you know that that takes some some gusto and uh
and and then and then you know, making the decision
to go to the interim route with with Frank Reich,
I mean all of these things like he is.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
He is taking it head on right.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
He's not shying away from making hard decisions and doing
what he believes is right for.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
The program in the near term in the long term.
Speaker 4 (17:04):
And I speak for every Stamford football alumni and Stanford
rumny that I've spoken with about this when I say this,
we could not imagine a better person for the job.
And and Stanford's in good hands with him, and we're
just all grateful that he's willing to step in and
do this and and kind of be the steward for
our programs.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
So you referenced the decision to fire Troy Taylor spends
him time here in Salt Lake with the University of Utah.
He brings in his old buddy, Frank Reich, and it
seems like every football person has a lot of respect
for Frank.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Bo.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
All the reports I see is this is a one
year deal period. End of story.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Is that you're understanding and if so, any idea what's
next with that position?
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Yeah? No, that that's That's been my understanding.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
And you know, I don't have a ton of insight
intel to share other than part of the purpose behind
the interim coach was, you know, springtime's a very weird time.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
To try to hire a a long term head coach. Right.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Most coaches that you would want would not agree to
leave their program at that point in the year, right.
They feel bad about leaving their their their their program
at that time in the middle of spring ball or
right before spring ball. And so the idea behind the
interim coach was to make sure that Stanford has access
to all of the best candidates in this next.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Coaching cycle, right.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
And uh And you know, obviously Andrew was in town
with the team when I was on our captain. We
actually got to go Stanford had a commit in town
from East Side Catholic in Seattle playing East High School
and so Andrew and I went over there and watched
the second half of that game together, and and I
kind of tried to tried to get him to give
me some insight intel about you know, the coaching search.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Had he names in mind, and and uh, you.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Know, he was smart and he was coy about it,
but he just said, yeah, he's like, I'm already kind
of starting to think about the process, right. You know,
the actual hiring will likely take take place towards the
end of the season.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
That's an assumption for me, not what he's told me.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
But you know, as much as I've learned about Andrew
and known him, you know, since i've known him for
the last unfortunately it spent almost twenty years, he uh,
he's a very methodical person. So he's gonna he's gonna,
you know, cross every T and dot every I to
make sure that that Stanford ends up with the right
person in charge of the program from the coaching side.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Moving forward, All right, bo, let's move over now to
the game. It's and you know, of course, as we
have just outlined, this is a period of kind of
a recalibration for Stanford to try to get back to
where they once were. Under coach Shaw while trying to
understand the modern day and age of college football and
the landscape and what you need to do.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
So where are they at right now?
Speaker 1 (19:38):
And we'll also attended to that question, what were your
impressions of BYU as you were on the sidelines last
week for BYU's win over your Stanford Cardinal.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Yeah, it's a you know, it's a great question.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
And like you said, I'm going to kind of hone
in on something you said because Stanford the football program
is in a strange spot.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Four st rate three.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
Win seasons, you know, uh, three head coaches over that
that time period. Uh, more guys transferring out of the
program than transferring into the program. It's been you know,
it has been a difficult era for Stanford football the
last four years. And you know, if there's some some
real college football nerds listening to this and then they'll
(20:18):
remember my my retch at freshman year at Stanford was
was as bad as it's been for Stanford now.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
My freshman year was far far worse. Walt Harris was
our head coach.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
He's the head coach of pitt when Utah beat them
in the Festival, and then he took the Stanford job
after that year, and we went one and eleven in
two thousand and six, and we were as bad as
football teams get. And then Harbaugh came in and we
went four and eight and then five and seven, and
then and then my senior year with Andrew Luck as
a starter, we we had our first winning.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
Season in almost a decade.
Speaker 4 (20:50):
And when I spoke to the team Friday night, I
kind of told him about my experience during that One
of the things I challenged them with is one of
the hardest things coming out of a consistent, you know,
multi year stretch of losing seasons, is is believing that
you've done enough to earn the right to expect to
win games because you're gonna be an underdog in almost
every game you go into. And and I told them,
(21:12):
and I believe this that they have all the all
the talent that they need, all the the folks and
the coaching staff that we need to win a lot
of football games this year. But you've got you've got
to have a little some confidence and swagger, even if
you know you've got to fake it till you make it.
Because I believe me, that's what I have to do.
And and so Stanford is in a in a tough spot.
But but we've got everything that we need in that
locker room to win a bunch of football games this year.
(21:33):
And I actually, you know, obviously the outcome wasn't wasn't
what we wanted for Stanford against BYU.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
But but it didn't.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
The game against you actually further proved my point in
my mind, because you know, the defense was phenomenal, like
Stanford's was like we we we gave the defense, gave
gave the the team a chance to every chance to
win that game. You know, had to to turnovers early
in the game deep in our own territory and help
if you want you to feel go both times. Uh,
(22:02):
you know, uh really really did a nice job with
with with defending the run and and limiting the pass.
And and you know by U is a super talented
team too. I mean their defense, I think I think
they're number one of the in the country right now
and in rushing yards allowed, and and they had a
bunch of dogs and and and you know, Stanford held
their own And now our our offense right now is
(22:22):
really struggling. Like anybody that that's walked our games can
see that. And it's you know, it's a new system.
It's it's a new quarterback. We've got you know, young
guys across the board, and and and we're like I
I'm a true optimist with with my my sports teams,
and uh it's it's served me well over the course
of my life. And uh I I I fully believe
(22:44):
that Stanford has the pieces in place so long as
to be successful, to see, so long as we continually
approve week over week, and and that improvement needs to
happen at at every position, both sides of the balls,
special teams, everything, and and you know, again, I think
by us going to win a lot of football games
this year, I think they're they're being smart about what
(23:05):
to do with the true freshman quarterback and not asking
a whole lot of them and letting letting him you know,
use his legs and throw quick passes and and not
make mistakes.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
But uh, you know, it's it's a for for Stanford.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
I'm encouraged after after that game seeing you know, this
is this team can compete with really really good programs.
But we just got to you know, we've got to
keep improving week over a week in order to make
sure that we can.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
We can turn some of these like hey we're competing
into hey we're.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Starting to win some games, and hopefully that starts with
the Saturday against Boston College.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Before I say you lose bo since we are the
home of the Utes, I'll kick the tires with your
thoughts on Coach Wit the program. Right now, they're going
up to Wyoming, which is a tricky place for I mean,
Texas Tech lost there a couple of years ago. Texas
had to rally in the second half to win. Utah
is a twenty three point favorite thereabouts. They should roll.
But Coach Wit himself called last year debacle. And it's
(23:59):
been a couple of years since we've seen the standard
for Utah football be met. And a lot of that
is health related, but a bunch of new transfers, namely
Devin dan Pier brings his offensive coordinator with him. How
do you think utahskan affair this year? Year two in
the Big twelve bow?
Speaker 4 (24:14):
Yeah, you know, I I think last year was a
little bit of an anomaly for Utah, and and you know,
Coach Witt and and you know, I can't remember if
you remember Spence.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
I'm sure the listeners don't.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
But you know, I go, I go way back with
coach Scally and you know, he and I grew up
in the same neighborhood and went to the same high
school and he was several years ahead of me, and I,
you know, as a kid, want to go watch him
pay high school and he was mister football in Utah think
nineteen ninety seven.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
And one thing about about that program.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
And I've had a chance to go, you know, talk
with with Scali up there a couple of times, and
is that they don't like the culture that they have
does not tolerate you know, back to back years like
what happened last year, right, And and the the culture
that they have is that they're they're tough. You know,
they've play hard, they play good defense, they play physical,
which allows them to bounce back after you're like last year,
(25:05):
especially when they reload with talent talent scouting, and uh yeah,
Devin Dampier, he's you know, he appears to be a
guy right that can that can help Utel win a
lot of football games. And so you know, the Big twelve,
you know, it feels pretty wide.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Open to me right now.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
And I think that Utah is one of those, you know,
I don't know five or six teams that for sure
can make a run at at a conference championship this year.
And and like you said, it's gonna be a lot
have a lot to do with staying healthy. And we
got a quarterback as dynamic as as Devin Dampier. That's
one thing you're always worried about, right is if he's
making a lot of plays, this feed is gonna be
able to toward that contact and stay healthy. And if you can,
then I think Utah is going to be, you know,
(25:45):
one of those teams that are gonna be in the
mix in November for for that big fat championship.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Well, buddy, I always appreciate the time, good insight, and
most importantly, happy birthday, Jack will set you loose.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Have a great weekend.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Bo okay, okay, I appreciate you guys. Thanks mess bau.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Mcdalley played his college ball at Stanford. Was a really
good player at Highland High School Stanford. BYU last week
BYU ran over him twenty seven to three. And we'll
see what sort of test that is. By you want
to buy this week. They'll be at East Carolina next
week and we'll see how it goes down. Special thank
you to Bow and Happy birthday to was boy Jack.
Today brought to you today by IFA Country Stores. With
(26:21):
IFA's Step four Fall and Winter lawn Food, you'll get
stronger roots now and in early green up next spring.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
It is the ultimate lawn owner power.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Move more at your local IFA or at IFA dot
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