All Episodes

October 10, 2025 19 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.
Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
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 (00:14):
How are you?

Speaker 3 (00:15):
I'm doing great?

Speaker 2 (00:16):
How are you all good? Here? All good here?

Speaker 1 (00:19):
So a little bit 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, what do you make

(00:41):
of this news and how does it impact the game.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Well, it actually just came out twenty around twenty five
ish minutes ago that Levit's actually just Sea's out. So
it is basically confirmed now that Jeff Simms will be
starting for Arizona State on Saturday. And you know, 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.

(01:05):
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. You got

(01:26):
to get him in these long, long distance situations too,
if you if you should goose that 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 2 (01:46):
Now.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, I mean I have seen Jeff Simms play in
the past Georgia Tech, Nebraska.

Speaker 2 (01:53):
He hasn't played much at ASU. He's just not a
good quarterback. I'm sorry.

Speaker 1 (01:57):
I don't want to crack on the kid. He's just
not very good. I mean, it was highly soad of
coming out of high school. He was a you know,
top ten dual threat quarterback coming out of high school.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
But this doesn't change.

Speaker 1 (02:08):
Sammy the fact that they have Rleik Brown, who's not
Cam Scattaboo, but really not a lot of people are.
So I would imagine anticipate the Kenny Dillingham based off
of your point of Sim's 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 3 (02:28):
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

(02:50):
positive thing that Aliki vi Mahi and doubts Machalaan here
both off the availability report, like I think the bye
week helped both. So I'm obviously I Lagi 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

(03:10):
well aware that this is probably gonna come 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 1 (03:25):
It was.

Speaker 3 (03:26):
They were until you know, towards the end when the
twos were in and you talk, 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 a run first game, honestly, on both sides
of the ball.

Speaker 1 (03:43):
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
probaball be week by week. But the injuries Utah has
suffered really the defensive backfield, and Smith isn't a safety.

(04:07):
But you know, we've seen Smith utilized on offense a
little here there, not as much against West Virginia. But
do you think there's a chance they might kill that plan?
You know, first of all, they've got to make sure
they're containing the Jordan Tyson kid.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
I imagine Smith would be part of that.

Speaker 1 (04:22):
But also with the injuries in the defensive backfield, it's
probably a little bit more vital to keep Smith healthy
on defense. Do you think we're done seeing him offensively?

Speaker 3 (04:32):
I think we'll still see Smith and Jackson on offense,
but I wouldn't be shocked to see their their REP
count start to trickle down a little bit. I think that, yeah,
Smith will be the primary in my 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,

(04:53):
against the best receiver on the opposing team, and by
far that 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 you might start to see those numbers trickle down,

(05:15):
especially if you talking get Tobias Merriweather going and stuff,
which I know that's something that every time we talk,
I talk about, you know, getting getting Tobias going and
stuff like that, but 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 going to be completely unusable on the
offensive side of the wall. I think there you will

(05:36):
still see them bits and pieces at times. But I
think for right now, uh, 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 Nickel position. So you can
keep Smith on Jordan Tyson.

Speaker 1 (05:59):
All right, 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.

Speaker 2 (06:13):
Are and doesn't really tell the story of what a
team is.

Speaker 1 (06:15):
But the numbers so far Sammy have said that Arizona
State is pretty good against the rush, but they're a
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 (06:35):
And in the one stiff.

Speaker 1 (06:36):
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 (06:52):
What are your thoughts?

Speaker 3 (06:53):
I think well, and I said this earlier this week
on Ute Zone, I think that there's case Beck has
a lot of creativity in this playbook and while running
the ball. Primarily people think that you know, a gap,
B DApp off, tackle whatever you want to whatever, whicheverone
suits your fancy. But I think that you know, there's
there's there's versatility, and there's a lot of different ways

(07:15):
that you know the ball can be run. Whether it's
like you know, getting Brian Davis Jackson Denny Smith noteon
Daniel Bray someone on a jet screen, getting them into
space and letting them beat airsona 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 gonna

(07:35):
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 do

(07:56):
try and push it if weather's allowing, if that if
it's torrential downpouring, I do not expect this to be
a throw. I don't expect anyone to be throwing the
ball in any way, shape or form. 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 packed

(08:18):
gloves after dark vibes. You know, the rain air's a
States quarterback situation. Now what's going on. There's just a
lot of things that are giving us at turning this
into a major passed glove after dark vibe.

Speaker 2 (08:31):
Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 1 (08:32):
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 gonna be jocking with at

(08:54):
the end in Texas.

Speaker 2 (08:54):
Tech and Arizona State.

Speaker 1 (08:56):
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 (09:09):
Do you believe that if you want to win a.

Speaker 1 (09:11):
Big twelve championship, Tomorrow night for Utah feels more or
less like.

Speaker 2 (09:14):
A must win.

Speaker 3 (09:17):
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
fastor into it? BYU doesn't play Arizona State, So there's
there's so many there's not a lot of tie breakers

(09:38):
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 think that, you know, also it's big for the program.
Like I was looking back and Utah hasn't won a

(10:00):
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, since that USC

(10:23):
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 job for the

(10:43):
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 than I think a win this win would
be one of those things.

Speaker 1 (11:03):
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 a 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

(11:24):
and the final score is what the final score was.
And they have won every game this year by at
least twenty four points. I think they're going to roll
again this weekend. I think most people believe that it
is Tech's conference to lose at this point.

Speaker 2 (11:36):
Do you believe the same thing.

Speaker 3 (11:39):
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 about it, like BAU 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 obviously

(12:01):
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, playoff spots,

(12:25):
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
a certain extent. They've shown their weaknesses. Cincinnati. I was,

(12:49):
I was always a little bit high on Cincinnati heading
into this season, and I think, you know, them backing
it up with that win for Siowa State kind of
you know, they're not going to go down lightly. Colorado
is not great right now, and I think, you know,
if you're 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
making it to the championship.

Speaker 1 (13:11):
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

(13:33):
you could reduce it down to four or five, who
do you think the legitimate Big twelve conference contenders are
this year?

Speaker 3 (13:42):
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,

(14:06):
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 of South where they kind of ate

(14:26):
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 gonna be eating each other up as
we get further and further into conference play.

Speaker 2 (14:38):
Now, I tend to agree.

Speaker 1 (14:39):
So let's lean into this, and you touched on it earlier,
we don't.

Speaker 2 (14:42):
I mean, it's Utah.

Speaker 1 (14:43):
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 rain and it will be cold.

Speaker 2 (14:52):
Who does that favor, if anybody?

Speaker 1 (14:54):
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.

Speaker 2 (14:59):
Going to be.

Speaker 3 (15:00):
Honestly, I someone if someone on our message words 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
Leavitt out, I think I tend to lean a little
bit more into Utah's favor. I just you know, I

(15:20):
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 gonna do? How are they
going to handle things like that? Because you can only
spray of football so much, and it's spreading to football,
so gatorade bottle doesn't really compare to you know, actually

(15:42):
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 tunes this week, he hasn't done a lot with
the ones. We don't know what the game how the
game plan is going to have to shift and change
without without Levitce. So if you would have asked me
earlier in the week, I would have probably said it's

(16:03):
a toss up. But now I'm kind of leaning more
Utah's favor.

Speaker 1 (16:10):
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,
but it is the receiving room 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

(16:31):
favorite target, Sammy is clearly you know, he's landed on Ryan.

Speaker 2 (16:36):
He's landed on Ryan Davis.

Speaker 1 (16:37):
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 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.

(16:58):
But why do you think this connect has proven to
be by far Devin's favorite direction.

Speaker 3 (17:04):
Well, like you said, it's 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,

(17:26):
But 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 trucks it to Ryan, and Ryan, you know,

(17:48):
comes 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
tag 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

(18:08):
came joined the program this summer, So there's that there's
not as much 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 Dallan 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

(18:29):
other one. 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 (18:39):
Sammy, have you packed your poncho and your beanie and
your umbrella?

Speaker 2 (18:42):
Are you prepared for the elements tomorrow night?

Speaker 3 (18:45):
Hey? I mean I'll be in the press box so
I won't have to deal with it.

Speaker 1 (18:49):
Okay, Hey, thanks for the time. Enjoy the game. We'll
chat soon.

Speaker 3 (18:53):
Okay, Thanks, talk to you later.

Speaker 2 (18:56):
Sammy Mora.

Speaker 1 (18:57):
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 (19:04):
With IFA Step four Falling.

Speaker 1 (19:05):
Winter lawn Food, you'll get suner 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
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.