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October 13, 2025 146 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):
Hello, how are you. Let's get to it.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
It is drivetime on a Monday afternoon, ten minutes past
the hour of two o'clock.

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Beautiful fall day, gorgeous day.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Looks like we've got a really nice week of weather ahead.

Speaker 1 (00:11):
Some cooler temperatures midweek for.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
The weekend's looking good, A good forecast for a Saturday
night in Provo that is shaping up to be quite
a football game between two really good teams.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
And this is when it's the most fun.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Rival Re week is upon us, the week where all
of US media hacks try to not stumble over that
phrase all week long.

Speaker 1 (00:31):
As number twenty three Utah will.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Travel to Provo to take on the fifteenth ranked team
in the country BYU. Both teams with successful wins over
the weekend and two different styles of games, certainly, but
the way I phrased it during crosstalk with Sean is
I was relieved to see the way Utah handled Arizona
State forty two to ten, and it could have been.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
Worse than that.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
And I'll say that I was impressed with the way
BYU was able to steady the ship and come back
after going down ten points in the fourth quarter.

Speaker 1 (01:03):
Weather was chaotic for both teams.

Speaker 2 (01:06):
At one point I was told by somebody who would
very much know, they considered pushing the start of the
Utah football game to nine o'clock. They did not have
to do that because despite the rain, wasn't a lot
of lightning, so we were able to get going more
or less on time in Utah opening kick boom, first drive, touchdown,
and that game.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
Really wasn't very close. Said last week, you know Jeff Simms.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
We've been watching Jeff Simms play college football for a
long time, and he's just not very good at much
of anything.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
Due respect, I'm.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
Sure that game is a little bit different with Sam
Levit under quarterback, but nonetheless Utah takes advantage of the
opportunity and they just steamroll Asu. Saturday night in Salt Lake,
Devin Dampier with a QBR of ninety nine point nine.
Keep in mind, one hundred is perfect, fifty is bad,
around seventy five is average, but anything close to one hundred,

(01:54):
like it didn't flow the way I thought it was
going to flow. I thought Devin was gonna have to
throw it a lot more than he did. But man,
was he dynamic on the ground. Utah continues to be
one of the best rushing teams in all of college football.
In a five to one Utah youth football team with
a loss that I think is going to age well
and already has age wee with Texas Tech looking like

(02:15):
one of the best teams in the country, just not
one of the best teams in the Big Twelve. But
only for the fourth time in the one hundred and
three year history I know BYU tries to just kind
of change the dynamic of how many times the game
has been played so they can wipe some of.

Speaker 1 (02:31):
The losses off their side. That's always struck me as weird.
Nineteen twenty two was.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
The first iteration of Utah BYU one hundred and three
football games and only the fourth time two teams ranked
nationally to go ahead to head. Coming up on Saturday night,
Utah is a early favorite minus three point five. So
we'll get you ready for that game today. Certainly that'll
be the bulk of our coverage all week long to
get you ready.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
For Utah BYU.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
A big weekend in the landscape of college football, both
on and off the field. Life comes out you really fast, man.
I'll tell you what. Two weeks ago, James Franklin was
coaching a top five football team that was up on
Oregon by seven points in overtime, and now he's out
of a job, and that is a blue blood job
for sure, a massive, massive buyout, and a lot of

(03:18):
other coaches probably on the hot seat at this point.
This is kind of the time of year where we
start to understand the landscape in what sort of hand
we've been dealt. Indiana goes up to Austin and pulls
off a great upset, Iowa State, excuse me, Ohio State
stays clean. A lot of upsets both in the national
landscape and in the Big twelve two So we're still

(03:39):
trying to learn a little bit about this Big twelve conference.
We'll talk some Big twelve, we'll talk some college football.
Will break it all down with you guys on a
Monday edition of the Show. Hope you had a great
weekend and thanks for making us a part of your Monday.

Speaker 1 (03:51):
There are other things going on.

Speaker 2 (03:54):
The NFL will wrap up its weekend action with a
double header tonight. It's the Bills and the Falcons in
Atlanta and then the Bears and Commanders in Landover, Maryland.
So Week six of the NFL. Get gets wrapped up
tonight with a couple of Monday night football games. After
a really fun Sunday, the Utah Jazz are back in action.
They've got the MAVs in town tonight. It's an opportunity

(04:16):
to see Cooper Flag and Ace Bailey, two of the
favorites already in Vegas to win a Rookie of the Year.
Cooper's your overwhelming favorite, but through two preseason games, man
Aces look really good. He's probably the main attraction of
this point and the first sign of hope I think
Jazz fans have had since the decision was made to
break down the go Bear Mitchell team and Quinn left
and all that stuff.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
So do some NBA.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
Our NBA Daily is this segment will return into the
coming week, says the NBA will kind of get going.
RSL went up to Seattle and really wasn't dangerous all night.
It's kind of the story of the team all season long.
Ratha Cabral kept them in it. They could not find
the back of the net. And so now it is
decision day coming up on Saturday, where it's simple RSL

(04:59):
has to beat say Loui on the road to qualify
for the postseason if they lose their out. There are
a couple of scenarios where I believe if they tie,
they have to have a couple of other things go
their way. So we'll see if ourself can get it
ton All right, good Monday guest list. We're gonna have
a great guest list all week. You guys know how
we roll on this show, Doctor Hill, Doctor Chris Hill,
will join me live in studio for an entire hour.

Speaker 1 (05:21):
Of course, we'll talk BYU Utah.

Speaker 2 (05:23):
We'll get you ready for the game and get some
of Doctor Hill's favorite memories from this rivalry. Riley Jensen
played quarterback at BYU and Utah State.

Speaker 1 (05:30):
We'll preview the game coming up with Riley Jensen.

Speaker 2 (05:33):
We've got Scott Mitchell on the program today, of course,
former Utah quarterback, longtime NFL VET. And then, as we
do every day, we're probably gonna save this for the
five o'clock hour. I should say, as we do every Monday,
when Coach Wait addresses the media, we replay those comments
for you. So busy show, Doctor Chris Zil, Riley Jensen.
We also have Mark Denman stopping by. He's the new

(05:55):
in arena voice for the Utah Jazz. So we'll get
to know him a little bit on the program for
that Excited to meet him, Scott Mitchell, we'll play a
little coach with presser me Spence check. It's happy Monday,
all of you, the great listeners and that guy Porter Larson.
Have you been able to dry out after that rainy
Saturday night game at rice Cycles?

Speaker 1 (06:13):
Fairly? Fairly?

Speaker 3 (06:14):
It took me all of Sunday, at least after as
you mentioned, what was a wet and late Saturday night
in Rice Cycles. Thankfully it wasn't delayed because it could
have been well into Sunday morning like it was last time,
actually two times ago in Provo. You remember the BYU

(06:36):
Utah game which was delayed I want to say over
an hour. I remember driving home from that one. It
was after two am, So I'm glad we avoided that,
But yeah, it was.

Speaker 1 (06:46):
It was wet out.

Speaker 3 (06:47):
It was if you were down on the field, you
saw waterfalls coming off of the grand stands and just
drenching the entire field. So brave the conditions. And we're
back here on a Monday.

Speaker 2 (07:00):
I was down on the field how long about ten
minutes pregame and.

Speaker 3 (07:05):
The suite on in the Kngarf Stadium Club.

Speaker 2 (07:08):
And ended up elsewhere covered to avoid the elements and
watch the game.

Speaker 1 (07:12):
Is a great game though, I assume so.

Speaker 2 (07:13):
Yeah, it was fun, all right, Doctor Hill live in
studio to start things off today.

Speaker 1 (07:18):
But before Doctor Hill.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
Stops by on this Monday afternoon, courtesy of our good friends,
you're good friends too at Prize Picks, it's time now
for your opening tip.

Speaker 4 (07:26):
Welcome to the Drive with Spence check its on Utah's
number one sports talk now into the studios of ESPN
seven hundred to set the scene for the show. The
opening tip of the Drive is brought to you by
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Speaker 2 (07:43):
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(08:49):
and third time, Utah and BYU are playing a football
game coming up this weekend down in Provo, just some
programming note, so you guys understand how we're going to
roll on the show and on the station all week long.
We are stacking our show with a bunch of guests
both from BYU and Utah.

Speaker 1 (09:06):
Former players and coaches.

Speaker 2 (09:08):
And then coming up on Saturday, it is a six
o'clock start time and our pregame coverage with Porter Larson
and a cast of revolving former players. Typically we'll begin
at two o'clock on Saturday. Forecast looks pretty good. We're
looking at potentially a little bit of a chilly day,
but about fifty five sixty degrees a kickoff, and as
of now, no precipitation is anticipated, and only for the

(09:32):
fourth time in the one hundred and three year history
of Utah BYU football. Some call it the Holy War.
Not a huge fan of that, moniker, but is what
it is. We have two top twenty five teams, two
nationally ranked teams. BYU continues to pass every test that's
thrown at them. They move up to number fifteen in
the latest AP poll after going down to Tucson and

(09:53):
really hanging in there to the point where they had
to make a big time comeback down the stretch. Got
a huge three and nur stop a big Parker Kingston
kick return punt return. I thought he was going to
take it to the house. Actually, Bear finds the end zone.
They tie the game. Then it goes to double overtime
and Bear Bachmeyer with another rushing touchdown. Byu, like you

(10:14):
taught dominating on the ground this year and dominated Arizona
with the rushing attack. This was probably and I've said
this a couple of times, I'm really impressed.

Speaker 1 (10:25):
Bears a very impressive player.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
He's a very impressive athlete, and for a true freshman,
he's been very, very steady and very solid. At some point,
I just feel like when you go with the true freshman,
you're going to get a true freshman type game.

Speaker 1 (10:38):
This was almost that.

Speaker 2 (10:39):
A couple of interceptions, a couple of passes that were
nearly picked off, only twelve of twenty nine through the air,
but made the plays he needed to make when he
had to make the plays. I mean, that's just the
bottom line. The kid is not someone who shirks away
from the moment. He's got a big arm, and I
think he'll learn to be a.

Speaker 1 (10:55):
Little bit more accurate.

Speaker 2 (10:57):
But this was a situation, like BYU's done all year
where they gashed their opponent on the ground. LJ Martin
twenty five carries one hundred and sixty two yards a
rushing touchdown for LJ, and Bear had twenty two carries.
One of those was a sax, so twenty one carries
more or less eighty nine yards. Two rushing touchdowns as
I reference, one to tie the game and then one
to win the game at overtime. Parker Kingston, you got

(11:19):
to give this kill a lot of credit. He was
benched after putting the ball in the deck a couple
of times. In the return game, five catches one hundred
and seventeen yards, big passing touchdown converted a fourth and seven.
I think to Parker he had a seventy five yard
big time bomb. Played two a unusual game from Chase Roberts,
who had a drop that was nearly catastrophic as far

(11:40):
as potentially killing a drive and allowing Arizona to go.

Speaker 1 (11:43):
Take that lead.

Speaker 2 (11:44):
So, b Yu, I tell you what, man, between this year,
I should say this game actually and all of last season,
they just find the most ridiculous, miraculous ways to win.

Speaker 1 (11:57):
I mean they were cooked.

Speaker 2 (11:58):
I mean, if you're Arizona, you will look back on
that game, You're going to kick yourself. Arizona had that
thing wrapped up, but b WHYU was able to stay
clean moving over to Utah. Now, I'll continue to reiterate this.
The adjective I will use after watching Utah dismantle ASU
is relieved.

Speaker 1 (12:15):
I honestly didn't really know what to expect.

Speaker 2 (12:17):
I've said all year, I think they're good, and I
do I'm kind of where I'm at.

Speaker 1 (12:21):
With Utah today that I was at the start of
the season.

Speaker 2 (12:25):
It just was hard to tell because how good is
Texas Tech and as far as the other opponents Utah
has played so far, had they just beat up on
a bunch of bad teams, we weren't sure that was
a statement. I think Utah football made a statement to
everybody over the weekend that we are legitimately in this thing.

Speaker 1 (12:41):
We are a Big twelve contender.

Speaker 2 (12:43):
I don't know where most people would tear this conference
right now, but it feels like we're finally settling in
to moving away from observation and getting closer to conclusion.
Now BYU, strength of schedule has not been great, okay,
but they have still passed every test thrown at them.

Speaker 1 (12:59):
They won every game they played. That's all you can do.

Speaker 2 (13:02):
The strength of schedule is not great for BYU, Utah
strength of schedule is much better, and that Tech loss
will age well. I don't think that loss is going
to be something that you know, national pundits or the
CFP Committee or whatever it is, is going to look
back and say, you know, that's something that really should
be a blemish on Utah.

Speaker 1 (13:21):
It's a loss, period, end of story.

Speaker 2 (13:23):
But Tech, if you've been watching them since they played Utah,
it's probably time to say out loud that they're not
just potentially the best team in the Big twelve, they
might be one of the top four or five football
teams in the country. Like their talent just pops. They're
complete both sides of the ball. We saw the defense
here actually the only defense so far that has been
able to cause problems for that dominant Utah offensive line.

(13:45):
That was so good on Saturday night, and I thought
coach Beck called a great game. Devin talked about this
during the postgame media. The old line, I mean, you
can go back and watch the replays or watch the
game if you have it saved on the DVR. The
lanes and Devin deserves a lot credit, certainly, and sort
of the other running backs.

Speaker 1 (14:02):
But the lanes and the holes were just wide open.

Speaker 2 (14:05):
So it's good to see the offensive line get back
to doing what we're accustomed to see them.

Speaker 1 (14:09):
Then seeing them do way Sean was great.

Speaker 2 (14:12):
A car, you had a couple of touchdowns on the ground,
A bird came into the fourth quarter. This game could
have been worse, but you kind of call off the dogs.
The big play was a fifty six yard pass to
Ryan Davis, but they didn't need to do much through
the air. And obviously, if you've been following Utah for
a long time, that felt like a Kyle Whittingham win.

Speaker 1 (14:31):
That felt like a team.

Speaker 2 (14:32):
That was coached by Kyle Whittingham, whose defensive coordinators Morgen
Scalley and Devin has changed things. You know, the rushing
attack is ranked number one in the Big Twelve by
US number two by the way, This is the number
two and three scoring defense in the Big twelve. And
both teams have great athletes under center. They can make
you pay with both their arm and their feet. This
is going to be fun and I know some people

(14:54):
don't love this week. I just want to remind you
that it's a football game. It's a very definition of
zero sun. But just enjoy it, have a good time
with it. And I don't think you're playing for either team.
So be nice to your neighbor and be nice to
the folks in church. No, we are not playing American Pie,
so I can use the restroom, Doctor Hill, I was
unaware of this.

Speaker 5 (15:14):
Well, that was a song. I think that was the
one where they always said radio guys could leave. It's
kind of like we were talking earlier when Smitty comes on,
you know, Smitty talks and you and I can leave,
get a cheeseburger, come back, and this story's over.

Speaker 2 (15:27):
I was unaware, but it is a long song. Yeah,
we love our guys, Smitty. How are you so great
to see you.

Speaker 5 (15:32):
I'm doing well, doing really well, good good, Thanks so
much for the good time, you know, keeping just enough busy.

Speaker 2 (15:39):
So obviously for our listeners who are unfamiliar, Doctor Hill
was the athletic director at the University of Utah for
a number of years. When I say b Yu Utah
rival re week, what instantly pops in your mind?

Speaker 5 (15:51):
Well, you know it's it's it's you know, emotional everything.
It's kind of fun for me now to think about
go back and think, Okay, when I was working, and
what was it like that work week and now now
when I'm not working, what it's like now. And they're
both different. In our fans, you know, it's kind of
like when we were working, you know, in a regular

(16:11):
not a regular yeah, regular company, there's blue and red
fighting with each other or we're gonna work. It's like,
let's get work done. We got to win this week.
It was like, I'm not betting you, I'm not arguing
with you, and everything else is still going on because
the coaches are the coaches. They want us to win
because football means so much to their recruiting, right, And
then at home it's kind of you know, when it's

(16:32):
over now, I'm kind of like it's an important game
and I want them to win, and you know, blah
blah blah. But you know, whatever happens, I'll probably at
least fall asleep before midnight. We used to win or lose.
Who was three in the morning. Yeah, So you know,
and it's I look forward to it. It's it's fun,
but it's I mean, it is so different, it's incredible.

Speaker 1 (16:51):
Yeah, Luckily this year.

Speaker 2 (16:53):
It's kicking off at six, so we all should be
able to get in bed at a relatively decent, decent hour.
Do you have any favorite moments, memories, any like individual
snapshots from this game over the years. Is there one
or two that kind of pop in your mind at all?
We have we have an hour, We have an hour.

Speaker 1 (17:09):
I want all of them.

Speaker 5 (17:10):
No, No, there's some good and bad, you know. Of course,
unfortunately you remember some of the bad as much as
everything else. But you know, I can go back and
look at oh geez, that we beat b Yu on
one of my favorite paryents, Luther Ellis got to recover
to fumble at the last minute to secure the game.
You know, I got the game that we went to

(17:30):
the Fiesta Bowl, and you know games we won at
the end, or the conn of Chierro when he kicked
in and bounced off, or Max Hall's situation, or you know,
it was a great running back. I was trying to
think of him. I thought, one of the best running
backs in the country. And this is sick. I can
remember this. We're down there and he was he got

(17:50):
injured quite a bit, was it Luke Staley? Yeses he was.
I thought he was maybe the best running back in
this state.

Speaker 1 (17:56):
He was good.

Speaker 5 (17:57):
And I'm looking and we're ahead and we're playing pretty well,
and that son of a gun is what I can do?

Speaker 1 (18:02):
SG. That s O G.

Speaker 6 (18:05):
That s O G.

Speaker 5 (18:06):
I can remember he's on the far east sideline running
north and room right by everybody.

Speaker 1 (18:14):
Game over.

Speaker 5 (18:14):
Yeah you know, yeah that kid could fly. Yeah yeah yeah.
And of course the you know, the winning the game
with Jurgison kicking a field gold and then Urban's first
year winning three nothing, I mean, spectacular.

Speaker 1 (18:28):
It's it's funny, you know.

Speaker 2 (18:29):
The Max Hall moment is like the first thing that
a lot of people bring up. And you know, I've
had Max on the show a number of different times,
and I've really come to like him and respect him,
you know obviously, and he has said, you know, in
retrospect he'd liked that moment back. But I was like,
how did you guys process when you when you heard
what he said, Because that's as personal of a shot

(18:51):
anyone has really ever taken. When it comes to the
history of the back and forth in this rivalry.

Speaker 5 (18:56):
All of us said, wow, they're gonna dump on b
Yu even know they won, you know, So for me,
you know, it was annoying, but it wasn't like something
we thought about it.

Speaker 1 (19:05):
This is sick that just came into my head. But
I was working out.

Speaker 5 (19:08):
At the Steiner Recreation area yesterday and some guy comes
in with Max Hall doesn't like me. I'm going you
gotta be kid. Yeah yeah, I mean, but no, for us,
it was kind of a okay, let's move on. You
know the guy that said, uh, somehow were God's team
or something, I don't know who.

Speaker 2 (19:26):
Oh, the magic happens the Austin Collegue. Magic happens when
you're right, And that was on.

Speaker 1 (19:30):
My side of the feel, on the west side feel
when he made that long catch. We were had enough.

Speaker 5 (19:35):
But anyway, that's enough sickness of remembering all the BYU games.

Speaker 1 (19:38):
I want every memory, Doctor that you have.

Speaker 2 (19:41):
You know, I can remember what I was listening to
that presser and I heard Max say what he said
because for our listeners who have may have forgotten the
year before, the game was here and Max threw five
picks and Max was a really really good college quarterback.
Was but that that was a game where Utah's defense
just caused a ton of havoc. They pressured him he
threw five picks and you fans gave it to him.

(20:02):
And at the time he had expressed like, no, it's
we're moving on. It's all good. The next year when
they win and he said that, my first thought was, oh,
it got to him last year, like the heat he
took after throwing five picks.

Speaker 1 (20:15):
That really got to him. Oh well, yeah.

Speaker 5 (20:17):
One of the great myths of all time is I
don't have a grudge. You know, I'm not going back
on him. You know, I don't care. I mean, it's
just another game and you know all that stuff, you know,
and for us there's you know, for me to so
many members unfortunately remember the the losses at the end
more than you do some of the wins. Yeah, you know,
and that's tough. I did tell McBride one time that

(20:37):
they used to do that. Whenever I talk about b YU,
I have a learning disability, I think, because somebody's gonna
call and say that jerk and.

Speaker 7 (20:45):
Show.

Speaker 5 (20:46):
You know, I don't take myself as serious as let
me be the thought, you know, like the win.

Speaker 1 (20:49):
Everybody likes to win. But I told mac they used
to do the the.

Speaker 5 (20:54):
Senior blank is a little thing they used to do
Senior Blanket Award down there right after the game. God,
it was you alliating enough to get clobber, right, But
then we won a couple of times a game and
they moved the ceremony before the game. I said, Mac,
you caused them to change their plan. Yeah, sorry, I said,
I never thought we could win. I think it was

(21:15):
three in a row down there, and that changed the
whole deal. But yeah, you know, there's just so many
times and it seemed like we lost some really close
games for a while there, and we won some by
quite a bit at times. I mean, that's the heaven
celebrating in the fourth quarter and you know you're winning. Yeah,
that's about as good as a gain, which is really
rare in this game.

Speaker 2 (21:34):
I mean, unless there's a massive talent gap, like you know,
Urbans twenty four team probably the best football team we've
had in the state in my opinion. You know, I
think everybody knew that that was going to be a
little bit of a runaway. But oftentimes, even if there's
like a little talent gap, there's it's still a Brandon
Burton blocked field goal at the end. It's back to Harlean.

(21:55):
You know, it's just this miracle pass that's made in
the fourth quarter. It just seems last year by you
dead in the water, right, Ret's laugh is able to
find Chase Roberts and they're going, oh my goodness, because
they're kickers. He's good, a little player. They get in
the field goal range and give the kid credit. He
steps up and he kicks that game winning field goal
that took the Stones. It seems like every year chaos
is what we expect.

Speaker 5 (22:16):
You're making me think of things now, So I got
one for you at Harlene.

Speaker 1 (22:19):
Okay, okay, that's there. They beat us.

Speaker 5 (22:21):
We fly to Oregon next the next year, I mean
a year away, and we get off the plane and
there's a sign Harlene is still open. Oh god, some
people do have a grudge, yeah, you know, but for sure,
you know it's it's it's a fun game. It was
so different being involved as an employee and now retired

(22:42):
as you know, I'm I'm a fan. But what hit
me is, you know, unfortunately my alma mater's Rutgers, and
you know they shink, but yet my brother played there
and I played He played football, I play basketball, they
told you, and it's kind of like, well.

Speaker 1 (22:56):
That's my team. Why didn't grow up with that team?

Speaker 5 (22:58):
Of course you right there too, obviously, Yeah, yeah, but
not as much as somebody who was born and raised here.

Speaker 2 (23:04):
Yeah, and that's actually what I wanted to ask you.
You know, I have I have kind of a unique
uh tie to this game because I was born here
and then lived here as a kid, moved around because
my father changed jobs a bunch, So we settled here
for about you know, six six and a half years,
and when he left and took the job in New York,
we moved back East when I was eleven years old,

(23:25):
and then came back out and went to the U.
So I have like two different, you know, experiences, So
I wouldn't necessarily say I'm an out of state or
out of state. My formordive years were spent back east.
But you you're a transplant here.

Speaker 1 (23:36):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (23:37):
What was your understanding and knowledge of this dynamic utah
b Yu prior to taking the job here and what
did you eventually learn about it?

Speaker 6 (23:47):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (23:47):
Not no much, you know.

Speaker 5 (23:48):
I mean I was out here for a while, you know,
and I was GA before it became a d so
you know, I knew the rivalry and I knew it
was important. As I was driving, Dear, I'm thinking about
I just mentioned earlier about how it's different in our
department the week of the game. I mean, it's it's important,
but it's not like crazy. But when I was teaching
at Granger High School, that's when I realized the rivalry

(24:11):
because you going to school and there's some teachers wearing
red and some wearing blue, and they're arguing about the
game and they're saying this and that, and then whoever wins,
they come in the next Monday and you know, sticking
in your ear and you know, so it's it's all
over the chart.

Speaker 1 (24:27):
Yeah, it's important.

Speaker 2 (24:28):
It's it's really important to a lot of people, which
I've always found interesting, and I think it's too important
in a way to some Like it's a football game.
These are kids, right, you don't play your coach. Okay,
so relax a little bit, like it should be fun
at the end of the day, shouldn't it be?

Speaker 5 (24:44):
Well, you know, I mean, well that's why I say,
if you want to get into another topic, you know,
all the players getting paid and this, and that we
awe them in this and that I know the coaches
get paid. I used to play basketball. It didn't work basketball, right,
It's a big difference, you know, But I mean there's
so many things involved in it. And you know, the
question becomes if you're nine and three and lost to BYU,

(25:09):
and you're six and six and you beat by you,
there's no question in my mind.

Speaker 1 (25:15):
You know, Yeah, some people may not feel that way.
And we got you.

Speaker 5 (25:18):
We used to get clabored so many times, and you know,
now what it's come back where we had a wonderful
run and you know, at least I left a job
with a winning record against by you.

Speaker 2 (25:28):
That's my most proud moment. Do you remember Do you
remember what it is? Do you know your personal record?
It was five up, five up? I started one in five. Yeah,
so you know, it's fun. But anyway, I mean, it's
and it's it's a week that players, coaches and people
like me that worked there had to let it go
sooner than the fans.

Speaker 1 (25:48):
Okay, you know it's just this.

Speaker 5 (25:50):
Yeah, you know, you just have to, especially now it's
the middle of the season, so to start this.

Speaker 2 (25:55):
Rivalry, which you know, nineteen twenty two, this is the
one hundred and third edition. I know BYU has a
different way of explaining their understanding of how this game
has worked. I think mostly that's to eliminate a lot
of losses for them so they can pretend the record
is something. It's a very interesting way to approach a
number of different things when inconvenient truths are hard for

(26:17):
you to accept.

Speaker 1 (26:18):
But we can move on from that, we can get
away from that.

Speaker 2 (26:20):
So Lavell takes over in seventy two, right, and that
changed the scope of everything. They go nineteen and two
in twenty one years with Lavell.

Speaker 1 (26:31):
So how did coach Mac?

Speaker 2 (26:34):
How was he able to kind of bridge this gap
and make this game competitive again and even beat them
like that, Because that's that's a big thing. You hired him,
and coach Mac changed everything here like Lavell did down there.

Speaker 5 (26:45):
Well, the guy has an unbelievable passion for University of Utah,
so he can tell when he's recruiting. This is not
some slick, fake guy coming in sores. And there's a
couple of things that lined up to help us if
people wouldn't recognize. But Mac knew how to recruit, He
understood the mission thing, embraced it. I hope this isn't stereotype,

(27:07):
but you know, a lot of Polynesian players come from
Utah now, and that's a hell of a thing. During
that same time, Rix dropped football. Yeah that's right, all right.
And then during that same time, scholarships went from ninety
five to eighty five. So all of a sudden we
got a little more of a pool. The training ground

(27:28):
for BYU at you know, Rick's college was done, and
Mac put it together and he had all you know,
blue sky because he you know, he had so much
the gain. And then we used BYU. We weren't afraid
to say, hey, look what they have. We gotta beat
him when we're gonna do But you know, Mac got
tough guys, and they played hard, and all of a

(27:50):
sudden we're toe to toe with them physically.

Speaker 1 (27:52):
I knew when Luther.

Speaker 5 (27:53):
Elis walked into our locker room as a freshman, I said,
we are a different team.

Speaker 1 (27:58):
Okay, something different, Yeah this one, Yeah, yeah, I got.
And when.

Speaker 5 (28:04):
Bob Burks was our orthopedic surgeon that started our sports
medicine program. So he comes in for his interview and
he's with Bill being the late Bill Being, who is
one of the great guys at all time, and he
comes in and he goes, he is interviewing. He looks
at some of the guys and he says, the ones
a varsity come in.

Speaker 1 (28:19):
He goes, no, no, this is just the varsity.

Speaker 5 (28:21):
So Mac took, you know, some players and put him
where they needed to be and I al would think toughness,
and he got us to a level where we were
com genuinely competitive with him.

Speaker 2 (28:31):
So the nature genuinely competitive and you beat them on
a number of different occasions as well. I mean when
you look at ninety three, thirty four, thirty one, Yeah,
the old thirty four to thirty one thing, and then
you know ninety four, thirty four to thirty one here
back down there, thirty four to seventeen, three straight wins
and actually five five.

Speaker 5 (28:51):
And two over the course of seven years. I think
we won three down three in a row down there
in a row in Provo, you know, so maybe you
know it was not competitive, It was like, hey, yeah,
and what's great about it was the game was over
no matter what you say. Now, fans will go like,
they can't brag too much because there's next year, and
they have a legitimate reason knowing that they may not win.
Sure in the seventies and eighties, it was like a

(29:11):
few tile winning was just a you know, blip in
the radar screen or whenever. You know, So it's different now. Yeah,
those games, you know, when you list them, I think, yeah,
that was a hell of a five six.

Speaker 1 (29:21):
Year period that really took care of things the nature.

Speaker 2 (29:25):
One of the really cool experiences I've had doing this
job for a few years was being able to do
some radio with Levell and Mac.

Speaker 1 (29:34):
We did some pre and postgame stuff.

Speaker 2 (29:36):
I would fill in, you know, when some of the
other hosts would take time off, so I was able
to work with both of them together, and as Lavell
aged a little bit, it was very sweet to watch Mac,
you know, kind of take care of him. If Lavell
lost a train of thought, Mac would step in to
help him finish this. So the nature of that relationship
was always something I think fans really really loved.

Speaker 1 (29:56):
What did you witness there with Veel and Matt I, you.

Speaker 5 (29:59):
Know, I they're both kind of different than the same, sure,
you know. And and that commercial they did with the
thirty four to thirty one. In a way, if I
was by you, I said, don't you do that sort
because it made it so warm and love and to
put them on the same level. Did all that stuff,
and you know, people don't advertise because it doesn't help

(30:20):
do things. You know, people advertised this, so they maybe
he sold the bank thing. But that was hell for
me because it wasn't for security bank and Spence was
not happy with all, you know, and somehow Mac didn't
get in trouble because I couldn't end the president of
university didn't care, so I'm sitting there.

Speaker 1 (30:40):
Luckily Spence gave up on it. But that was hell.

Speaker 5 (30:42):
I'll never forget where I was when, you know, we
were getting into it, and you know, I can't back
down because I said, no, it's Mac doesn't how many
we can't do it? Yeah, you know we're stayed in
all that stuff, but you know how far that went. Sure,
I went home and said, Cath, I don't know what's
next for me, but you know I'm still young enough
to go out and get something.

Speaker 1 (31:00):
Yeah.

Speaker 8 (31:00):
No.

Speaker 5 (31:01):
The relationship they had is great, lasted long time. Both
didn't take themselves seriously, which is I think one of
the great qualities of anybody that's in a position of
visibility and well, every anybody in the company.

Speaker 1 (31:15):
The head guy.

Speaker 5 (31:15):
If the head guy's not you know, it's humble and
doesn't take himselves seriously. Everybody sets a tone, totally agree
very underrated trait.

Speaker 6 (31:23):
You know.

Speaker 2 (31:24):
It's interesting because back to kind of my tie in
history with this game. I'm the oldest of six kids.
All five of my siblings went to BYU. All five
of my siblings met their spouse at BYU. My dad
went to both, so he's the ultimate Like he pretends
like he's neutral, you know, because he got his undergrad
from Utah, went and did his NBA at b YU,

(31:44):
but I went, I went to the U. So my
brother I have a brother in law who's just like
your ultimate cliche annoying BYU fan, like just the worst.

Speaker 1 (31:53):
Love him to death, But when it comes.

Speaker 2 (31:55):
To like this game in BYU football, he has blinders
on and still to this day, if I ask him
who's the ute that just gets your you know, makes
your blood boil, who's the one coach player? And he
says Urban to his day, Urban was only here a
few years, but it was a couple of different things.
He coined team down South, you know, like nobody nobody

(32:16):
would even say b Y's name. And also kick their
heads in and built up this program where BYU just
kind of fell behind. What did you see and if
you have any fun stories about urban after you hired him?

Speaker 1 (32:27):
What he wanted this week to mean? What he wanted
this game to me?

Speaker 5 (32:31):
Well, when he said the team down south, that says
it all Michigan, you know, Ohio State or all that stuff.

Speaker 1 (32:37):
And you know, I mean.

Speaker 5 (32:41):
That that came the beginning of the non glory years
for me personally, because all of a sudden I was
a bad guy. But I am a bad guy time.
I don't think you're of no, but it was it
was just fun with him. I mean, I you know
when you tell when I'm writing some stories that I
told you I'm going to finish.

Speaker 1 (32:57):
My book is almost done. He he.

Speaker 7 (33:01):
It was.

Speaker 5 (33:01):
You know, I can't think of things I could say,
but let's say he understood right away, right away, and
he would say, listen, Chris, I know it's just not
one game doesn't counts two.

Speaker 1 (33:14):
But I understand. He understood as soon as he came
in because it was it.

Speaker 5 (33:17):
Colorado State, right and you know BYU against Colorado State.
Everybody's rival was BYU, but ours was basically that's the
way it is, you know. So yeah, Urban was big
on it. He kind of set him, made him angry,
you know. But you know, for me, I love these
fans when there's they talk about blue white and I

(33:37):
just talked about one of the fallacies of all time
or miss of all times, so or think thing I
didn't understand. I root for BYU except when they played Utah.
Are you kidding me? Sorry, this is gonna get me
in trouble.

Speaker 1 (33:50):
Now You're good.

Speaker 5 (33:51):
No, I'm just looking at him saying, do not hate.
But you you don't. If you're in the same league
and you're fighting for a second place, you're not rooting
for by I root her for BYU once Lavelle in
a bowl game and he lost. So I lost the
game that I wanted to win. And then I you know,

(34:11):
it was rooting for BYU sided. I'm to take a shower.

Speaker 6 (34:14):
It was terrible.

Speaker 2 (34:16):
I wonder so your reference you know that time when Urban,
you know, rolled in here and built like I said,
I believe the best football team we've ever had in
the state was Urban's twenty fourteen fifty two to twenty one.
Just smacked them. But when you say during that time,
you became the bad guy. Why tell me what you know?

Speaker 5 (34:34):
It just was kind of like, all of a sudden,
we weren't behaving ourselves, you know, all of a sudden
we were winning. And I think you know when it
first got on. I went down to speak at b
YU three weeks after I got the job. Have I
told you just before?

Speaker 6 (34:48):
No?

Speaker 1 (34:49):
Okay, you know, because you know whatever.

Speaker 5 (34:51):
So they invite me down and they say, well, you know,
we're going to Cougar Club. We're gonna make a little
funny but don't worry. And I'm thinking, Kathy Humstitch, your
wise guy. It's not I'm gonna bother right, we just
have three minutes and this and that. So I mean,
I'm on the job three weeks. So I go down
there and my wife and my two little blonde haired kids,
beautiful with their ute stuff. And the guy gets up

(35:13):
and it's I'm making up the name. But brother Peterson
gets up. I have nine children, goes crazy. Seven went
to b YU. Everybody goes crazy. Two went to Utah
and I said, that is the biggest softball in the world.

Speaker 1 (35:28):
I said, I got up.

Speaker 5 (35:28):
I said, brother Peterson, it's nice that two your kids
got a great education, and I sat down. Kathy goes,
what are you doing? You know, I said, I couldn't help,
but it came in my head. There's nothing I could do.
That's funny. No, I don't know. It just seemed like
we stopped behaving themselves when we win. And Urban kind
of was like, hey, we're gonna win and that's it,
and you know, but but for me and Urban, we

(35:52):
were building a facility. Okay, it was this second year
and we're gonna build a facility. And Spence came to
and said, hey, I'll give you, but you got a
rain X in three months. So I'm taking Urban out
and he was all excited. You asked him to this day.
This was one of his favorite memories, but he also
wanted to So going out to visit with a Woodbury family,

(36:12):
we're gonna go. We're driving out there and he said,
you know, we're talking back and for a mile an hour.
Maybe you know, I don't know what it was about it.
So we drive up and he says, well, what's my job?
I said, your job is to be charming. Excite him,
give him a few plays. You know, you'll have them
froth and at the mouth and don't mess it up.
I didn't use mess I'm sure we don't mess it

(36:34):
up up. And I'll ask for the money. And to
this day, when we went out to dinnity day when
he's here, he said, that's my favorite moment when you
said that to me. Don't blanket up.

Speaker 1 (36:44):
You know that.

Speaker 5 (36:45):
So, but he was there because he knew he needed
facilities and he used his juice. So but anyway, I mean,
he did make a turning point. I mean, your brother
in law or whatever it is you're talking about. Yeah,
a lot of people got angry. Then, oh yeah, he
got angry. And I was like, is that because we
want a championship? We weren't supposed to do that, I'm sorry.
Were we supposed to apologize?

Speaker 1 (37:05):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (37:05):
You mean we're going to the Fiesta Bol and you
guys aren't. I mean, I don't believe in cheap humor,
would be Yu not one of those guys. Yeah, you know,
almost consider potty humor. So not doing that. But I'm
just saying that was hard for the swallow.

Speaker 1 (37:19):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (37:20):
Well, it's interesting though, the phrasing you're using, because I
can remember one of the shows I did with Mac
and Lavell. I just asked Max, So, you know, it
always felt like you guys were close. It always felt
like you guys had this really good relationship. And Max said, yeah,
as long as we didn't beat him. And once we
started beating him, so to.

Speaker 5 (37:38):
Your point exactly exactly, it was kind of like we
didn't behave ourselves. And you know, I think that, well,
this is getting too deep into like how the state
feels about us and the legislature. Let me started winning,
and I'm not going to get in there. Okay, well
you ken if you want, I don't care.

Speaker 2 (37:54):
Well, I don't know that I really fully understand exactly
what you're alluding to. So you, I mean, you can
say whatever you'd like to say, and what spaces you
want to stay away from.

Speaker 1 (38:03):
I always stay away from them.

Speaker 5 (38:05):
I think people who know how I feel that, it
just seemed we got to have a place who weren't
behaving ourselves, right, all of sudden people are more disappointed
in us, And it seemed like all of a sudden
we knew they weren't patting us head and say we're nice.

Speaker 1 (38:16):
Just like Mac.

Speaker 5 (38:17):
Yeah, they liked him, He's he was exactly in the mark.
So let's leave it at that okay, fair enough. Now,
I've often said, and I believe this to be true.
You know two of the I don't want to say
the two biggest moments, but two of the most seminal
scenarios that played out in the modern day.

Speaker 1 (38:36):
It has allowed Utah and look, b why he's one
of the last two.

Speaker 2 (38:39):
So as I always said, during that long streak it
was like almost four thy five hundred days wherever the
cow was between by Uns said, look the stuff is cyclical.

Speaker 1 (38:47):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (38:48):
During Lavelle's run, at some point, Utah was going to
figure it out, you guys did. And during Urban and
Witch run it sometimes b Yu is going to come
back and around and they have Connie's built.

Speaker 1 (38:57):
A good program.

Speaker 2 (38:58):
But when it comes to two scenarios, want I want
to give your thoughts on Kyle saying no to is
Alma Modern saying yes yes to Utah.

Speaker 1 (39:08):
That's number one.

Speaker 2 (39:09):
Okay, he had a chance to go take that BYU job,
and I've heard from several people that this was hard
for him. This was not a super easy decision, but
ends up staying in saw Lick. So that's moment number one.
Moment Number two is you guys getting the pack twelve
invite and BYU in a reactionary move because it was
going independent to try to figure it out, which they have.
It was a long journey and Tom deserves a lot

(39:30):
of credit for giving that ship afloat. But as the
ad during that time, what do you make of what
I perceived to be the two just biggest kind of
moments and elements that transpired to allow Utah to kind
of be on this generational run.

Speaker 5 (39:45):
Well, the first one when Kyle, you know, it was
a tense moment, you know, four o'clock at night, talked
to him and I said, well, maybe I got to
start looking for another coach. And he called back at
nine said he's taken it. He's taking the BYU job,
our job.

Speaker 1 (39:59):
Oh seven.

Speaker 5 (40:00):
I was really thinking that's where he's going on us listen,
And I said to him, I think we can recruit
better players. Not that yain igo, they're not that, they're
not good players, but I think we had a bigger pool.
Let's say that we have a bigger pool and calmly that.
But the players got him. But I think that was
a really tough moment because he and Tom are buddy sure,
and you know, and they played together and both great

(40:21):
players and by you, but you know, strange that it is.
Kyle's pretty strong Utah guy, you know, BYU. He's not
his deal now. He has great history there and everything,
but you know he wants to beat them pretty bad.
And the other moment when we got into patrol of
Yat was was tough.

Speaker 1 (40:41):
It was tough.

Speaker 5 (40:42):
You know, why do you say tough just because there
were so many new things involved, and tough because we
were thrilled. But couldn't that too thrilled, you know what
I mean? We couldn't be pounding our chest. Our fans did,
but as a you know, employee and whatever, you were

(41:02):
thrilled off the chart. I mean, this was a thirty
year twenty five year changed everything. Yeah, and you know
it was just hard to so you know, it was
it was good for them to go off on their own,
but you couldn't put a happy face on it no
matter how you did it.

Speaker 1 (41:20):
It was we were just accepting.

Speaker 5 (41:22):
Our fans stuck at to him for years, and you
felt like.

Speaker 2 (41:26):
You kind of had to tamp down your own individual
excitement about how.

Speaker 5 (41:30):
Thrilled you were that this was okay. Absolutely yeah, yeah,
not even close that's.

Speaker 2 (41:35):
Interesting when it came to the decision making process that
led to the rivalry taking a break, Yeah, walk us
through that and what was what was that?

Speaker 1 (41:46):
What was that?

Speaker 5 (41:46):
Like, I can talk about that one because that one
wasn't as bad as the basketball and I've may a
cope and put myself on the sword and all. But
the reality was, you know, and I'll try to do this.
The Big ten and the PAC twelve had had an
arrangement we thought was done that All twelve would play
one of theirs and it would help the TV contract.

(42:07):
And I think some you know, it's ironic. The UCLA
and USC were the ones that stopped it. And Jimdalani,
the commissioner of the Big twelve, was like, hey, wait
a minute, we hold all the cards and this is
so much better for you could expand their break. But
it was a good thing like that. But the Michigan
guy and talked and he said, you know, this was
before we found out it wasn't gonna work.

Speaker 1 (42:26):
He says, let's get a gang gone. I said, you
can play.

Speaker 5 (42:29):
At our place, you know, I mean, I know we're
in the PAC twelve, but you're Michigan, which discounts the
whole thing. When fans think you need one hundred thousand
steep stadium to play somebody crap, you know. But so
I went to Kyle, I said, hey, we gotta this game,
and he kind of looked at me like, don't you
think our schedule with nine packed twelve games and Michigan

(42:50):
in Utah may be too hard?

Speaker 7 (42:53):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (42:54):
I guess so.

Speaker 5 (42:55):
And so you know, I went to different people and
the community you're you know, part of the Elduerce Church
and in our campus and whatever, and they said, well,
you're thinking they're too good, so that should be a
compliment to them. I was delusional and our fans. I
got in trouble for saying this one publicly with the media,
but I said that our fans are excited that Michigan's

(43:18):
coming here and we take a break. Fine, But I
used to do a media round table. Listen, I talk
about this all the time. We did the spring and
we didn't announce that we weren't playing BYU for a
while and you know, we're just there. And I said, wow,
football scheduled this and that we're gonna play Michigan, and
not the way I went whoa.

Speaker 1 (43:34):
Everybody left the room.

Speaker 5 (43:36):
They're doing all this stuff, I'm saying, Oh, that wasn't
Oh by the way, yeah, you know that was. But
you know, for us, it made sense, and you know,
I'm glad for my own sanity. We worked through it all,
we looked at it, our fans did enjoy the game.
I always felt that if you're you're looking at Michigan

(43:57):
playing Utah in Rice Eco State and your recruit, that's
not bad. You mean, Michigan and Utah are kind of
on the same category. And so we went winter and
I think it helped us, you know, the end. And
then a couple of years later after they left, you know,
they didn't play each other one year because of Florida
or Baylor or somebody. And I thought, you know, and

(44:18):
Tom knew that that could come time to time, because
you know, we had to play when they wanted to play.
In the first three games, we couldn't play that game
where oh we don't have we can't.

Speaker 1 (44:30):
Fit you in. You're talking about Michigan.

Speaker 5 (44:32):
No, I'm talking about BYU that they you know, BYU,
you know, had the game. So we couldn't deny I'll
try to get there. We couldn't deny playing BYU but
this was a straight up like, hey guys, yes, a decision,
it's a business decision, and God bless everybody, But how
could you turn that down?

Speaker 1 (44:51):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (44:51):
No, I understood the reason, and certainly as someone that
understands the dynamic of the sport, it felt it felt
significant when Michigan was here, it felt significant when you
were at the Big House.

Speaker 1 (45:01):
That felt significant to me. Yeah, it did.

Speaker 5 (45:03):
And that's was our deal, and it was all part
of building a national brand. We didn't want to become
a regional brand, and we were and that's what our
first goal in mind was. But then let's become a
national brand.

Speaker 2 (45:14):
Yeah, one more question here, then we'll catch a quick
break and we'll get it to a couple of different things.
On the other side, you referenced how badly Kyle wants
to beat Yu, right, and it's always and look, i
know some alums that played for Kyle and have them
on the show, and I'm friendly with them off air.
So I've been told stories about how this week is

(45:34):
for the players and how Kyle coaches his team up
for this week, and it's interesting. For a number of years,
Bronco Menenhall took the stance of like, no, this really
is just another game. These are faceless, nameless people. We
are just going to play a football game. Whereas Kyle
on the other side, we don't lose to these guys.

Speaker 1 (45:53):
We don't lose to these guys.

Speaker 2 (45:55):
So what can you share about the way Kyle Winningham
approaches this week?

Speaker 5 (46:00):
He's honest, you know, I mean he does all the
coach speak to you know, this is one game at
a time, all that, and he believes that. But somehow
he's been he's got blood from nineteen eighty to this
game here, and he knows what it's like after the game. Yeah,
you know, you win, you lose, and you know, it's

(46:20):
a whole different deal. And then you go on and
it's like with Sheowd in college football now with you know,
Penn State playing really well and boom, you go on,
it's awful. And then you look at us this year
and we lose a game we think the world's coming
to and he wins. So you can't let one game
ruin your season. But Kyle, he's different this week. You know,
don't tell him. I said that, is he listening on

(46:41):
the radio.

Speaker 2 (46:42):
I don't think Coach Witt listens on the regular, but
maybe we'll set him said that, because I'm pretty sure
he doesn't.

Speaker 1 (46:48):
Yeah, you know that doesn't I guess.

Speaker 2 (46:49):
Yeah, speaking of we, he'll join us on Wednesday. Oh great, Yeah,
excited for that. All right, we will catch a break
Doctor Chris Hill Live in studio. Of course, we're talking
BYU Utah football and some fun memories and you're ready
for the game on Saturday. Monday Night football comes your
way tonight to wrap up Week six of the NFL.
It is a double header with the Bills and the

(47:10):
Falcons and then the Bears and the Commanders. So stay
tuned for that when we say good night at six,
Doctor Chris Hill Live in Studio for another segment.

Speaker 1 (47:19):
It is, of course a big week his BYU and Utah.

Speaker 2 (47:23):
We're only the fourth time in one hundred and twenty
three games now now one hundred and three games, excuse me,
only the fourth time these two teams are nationally ranked.
It's only happened three other times. Utah is two and
one of those games. Utah is a three point five
point favorite down in provo to beat BYU.

Speaker 5 (47:41):
Let's talk about the team this year, you know, yeah, yeah,
it's funny what you said only time to have been ranked.
This is this is me a little bit. They're playing
the six game a year. It's easier to stay ranked
by the sixth game. Yeah, last game. This is a
little bit about that. That's a good point, you really.
I mean people kind of and they worry about it
not being the last game of the year. But if
I'm in the TV station, I don't want to go

(48:01):
against all those rivals. I got you Tom BYU, which
I know it is going to be a good game
on the six game of the year.

Speaker 1 (48:07):
But anyway, it's a really good point.

Speaker 2 (48:09):
In fact, since you brought that up, Fox Big Noon
Kickoff will be back in Utah. Yeah, Urban will be
back in Utah. He's really good at TV, Yes he is.
He's rolled me down when I saw him. Yeah yeah.
So you know, obviously that's an intimate, private relationship, but
I'm sure our listeners would love to know how he's doing.

Speaker 1 (48:26):
Since you guys keep in touch.

Speaker 5 (48:28):
Well, he always used to call me boss, So you know,
all of a sudden, Liz Abel and I went to the.

Speaker 1 (48:33):
Day before and yeah, Tech was in town.

Speaker 5 (48:36):
Yeah, when they were in town, and he was there,
and he came in and he was all excited and
we went down. Kathy and I Liz went and met
him for dinner, he and Shelley and we just reminiscently nice.
It was really nice. It was really nice, and you know,
it was a magical time for him. It set his
career going, and it was a great thing for us.
So it was anyway, we were just talking off air.

Speaker 2 (48:56):
It changed the landscape of really everything as a partake,
not just Utah BYU dynamic, but you taught football Urban
Meyer made U taught football really cool.

Speaker 1 (49:05):
Yeah, it made cool.

Speaker 5 (49:06):
Yeah, and both coaches bookend them, Ronnie and Kyle Boom,
yep did that. You know this year's team, you know,
I've watched them play, you know, uh didn't go to
the Santa Luis Bisboll game, you know, and but uh,
boy they're good on the line.

Speaker 1 (49:25):
I mean they really are. Yeah. Maybe I'm biased.

Speaker 5 (49:27):
Because my brother was an offensive lineman, but boy, they're
really good there, especially on the offensive line. I'm still
wondering about the Rushes and Russian stuff, but you know,
they and the defense, you know, except for that one game,
they seem fine. You know, they got young guys there,
and you always wonder about one mistake. You know, all

(49:47):
of a sudden you miscovered young kid and boom. But
on the defensive side, they're fine. And you know, I
don't know if we have I sound like I'm an
announcer now, you know. So coaches used to tell me
I knew nothing about football, and I said, wait a minut.
I've been here for thirty one years in bunch, twelve
games a year, every single freaking play. Yeah, okay, so
I might know something. But you know, offensively, the guy's

(50:10):
got to run. People get kind of squarely about that.
But he's you know, Nolan Ryan runs flows his fastball.
He doesn't throw a knuckleball when it matters, right, correct,
And you're fans by don't know who Nolan Ryan is my.

Speaker 2 (50:22):
Age, ok right, some of our younger listeners may not.

Speaker 1 (50:27):
But yeah Google okay, okay, yeah Google YouTube exists. Yeah.

Speaker 5 (50:30):
But you know, so you know, it's it's he's got
to go to a strength. But he boy, well he
did a play the other day, got out of trouble
and it's like, wow, yeah he knows. You know, the
scramble play is a big play. That's a big play
now and just like his basketball for the kick out three.
But you know it's a big play, so he's going
to be fine.

Speaker 6 (50:51):
Uh.

Speaker 5 (50:52):
You know, they'll classic stretch the field. But if you're
not good at stretching the field, don't worry about it.

Speaker 1 (50:57):
When the game you can.

Speaker 5 (50:58):
Win, exactly, you know, you throw it along to see
if you get a completion or pi. I mean that's
what Arizona State did. They just took their great thrower,
a great receiver, and so just run down the side
and we'll throw it up in the air and maybe
you can make an athletic play.

Speaker 1 (51:13):
If not, maybe you can get a pie.

Speaker 5 (51:15):
Yeah, and and so you know, offensively, it is what
all the utes are interested in. Uh, but you know
our line and stuff. And I were a little bit
about the defense. But maybe that's because I'm always paranoid
before the BU game. Now, right before kickoff, I always
said to Cathy, I'd rather be us than them. Okay,

(51:35):
That's how I entered the game. And for some reason,
it just once a game started, Man, I was just
watched every player. I wasn't and if somebody came in
and say hello, like a conference commissioner.

Speaker 1 (51:46):
I'd be like, what do I do?

Speaker 5 (51:49):
I'm supposed to be excited about a bull guy come
in here and a commissioner Liz used to tell them,
don't go in secrets during the game. They'll come up
at halftime. But I used to sit in my little
I watch every single play. Yeah, and I was in
the game, you know, so during the game, it was
just fabulous.

Speaker 2 (52:03):
It's very compelling television college football rivalries.

Speaker 1 (52:07):
I mean, it's a great TV show.

Speaker 2 (52:09):
And you know, with this job, I usually go to
a lot of these games, so I'm there live and
I was there last year watching the end.

Speaker 1 (52:15):
But it's it's it's it's there's.

Speaker 2 (52:18):
Something about college football rivalry, rivalries that are just gripping.

Speaker 1 (52:21):
They just bring you in.

Speaker 2 (52:23):
Do you think Utah BYU is properly respected outside of
our state? Like the landscape of college football, do you
think most people really understand how big this game actually is.

Speaker 5 (52:33):
They don't understand the unique element of the state. Okay,
but the reality is they're starting to understand. You know,
we're not as big city as you know places, But
when you're in the stands there, I don't think it's
any different than Ohio State, Michigan, you know, I really don't.
It's passion as could be and almost sometimes passionate for

(52:54):
the wrong reasons. But you know, I mean, I think
it's as big now because we're both been in national
spot line like for a while. And you know, I'm
not going to deny the fact that Ohio State Michigan
is going to be a bigger TV game.

Speaker 1 (53:06):
Of course. Yeah, you know. The numbers are the numbers. Yeah,
I'll bet that this week it'll be big TV numbers.
I said this.

Speaker 2 (53:13):
Earlier and I will repeat the moniker because I believe
it to be true. There's a chance this is the
most watched game in the history this round. I think
you could be right with Fox here with a big
news with a primetime kick eight o'clock back east, so
the East Coasters will stay up, Yes, the will, and
hopefully the people that live on the East Coast and
analyzed football decides to watch the game instead of go
to sleep. It's a pet peeve of mine when they're

(53:34):
clearly not watching the games and.

Speaker 1 (53:36):
So they clearly can't analyze it.

Speaker 2 (53:38):
But this is a primetime kick on a nationally televised plot.

Speaker 1 (53:41):
This might be the most watched game in the history.

Speaker 5 (53:43):
It'd be why you talk, you know, and what people
But people don't get is is I shouldn't say everybody
may understand that you can do any shot nets stands.
It's as energetic as any place. And I think the
people that come in, like from Fox and stuff, they're
the guys that they have little experience. They're like, wow, yeah,

(54:03):
you know, I knew it was big, but whoa you know? Yeah, so,
uh yeah, it's fun. It should be great.

Speaker 2 (54:09):
Well, and with Urban on their dais, he can really
offer a perspective and give them an understanding of just
what this is. I know he's only here for a
few years, but as you said last segment, he got
it quick.

Speaker 1 (54:19):
He understood this Quickick.

Speaker 5 (54:20):
Yeah he did, he did, And it's just great that
they're going to how about that two times? Yeah, in
the first six games of the year, we got big
Fox coming. Yeah, my gosh, who would have thought that.

Speaker 2 (54:31):
Let me ask you about that from an administrator's perspective,
when you get the announcement that Fox is coming or
ESPN is coming. Unfortunately, oftentimes when the biggest platforms have
been here, the team hasn't played all that well. And
that includes the tech game side note. Tech is really good.
I don't think that loss is going to age. That's

(54:52):
a really good football team. But what does this do
to the magnitude of the week. How does it change
things up there? When you find out this big platform
will be.

Speaker 5 (55:01):
Here, everybody's pumped, but everybody's got twice as many things
to do, That's what I think. So they're running around
and you're doing this, and you're doing that, and you
know it's big and you've got high energy, but you know,
your job doubled, you know. But what I loved about
the people I work with, they didn't care about doubling
any work, you know. They they double the whole work
and get there at eight o'clock on Monday morning and

(55:22):
be fired up.

Speaker 1 (55:23):
So it just was what a time I had with
those people. That was really fun.

Speaker 5 (55:28):
But it's just crazy and you do things that you
know and it but it's so cool to have for
everybody in our department, and but if you're talking about
in our building and that type of thing, it was great,
you know, And but it was so much work for
some people. You know, I probably had the least increase

(55:49):
of work, you know, everybody.

Speaker 2 (55:53):
I've always found this dynamic interesting as well. Because we
referenced last segment, you know, you grew up back east
transplant here.

Speaker 1 (56:00):
Obviously you've been here for a long long time now.

Speaker 2 (56:03):
And there was a time where I feel like both
Utah and BYU, the majority of the roster was at
least kind of in this region.

Speaker 1 (56:10):
But for a number of that has changed.

Speaker 2 (56:12):
So you look up and down the roster, it's Florida,
it's Texas, it's everywhere for all teams.

Speaker 7 (56:17):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (56:18):
Do you think the out of staters really fully understand
like Devin grew up in Arizona, like there's not a
bone in his body that was raised to hate BYU.
But you think the kids and coaches that come in
from out of state fully understand just how intenseness can be.

Speaker 5 (56:33):
Ten years ago, Yes, because they come inso freshmen. They
learned from the guy above them. The learned now now
I'm not so sure they may be. You know, you
come in as a portal kid, and I don't know
how you cannot. That's a lot to learn in six months. Yes,
that the passions involved, and so you know it's I

(56:55):
can't speak for the players now, but I know the
players when I was there, they understood.

Speaker 1 (56:59):
They got it.

Speaker 5 (57:00):
Yeah, and they got it because they lived with guys
for two or three years, local kids would let him
know what the deal was, and so I can't speak
to now.

Speaker 1 (57:09):
I suspect it may not be as much. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (57:12):
Yeah, I've always wondered because we make it into such
a thing around here, because if you do have experience
with this football game.

Speaker 1 (57:19):
You understand how passionate can get.

Speaker 2 (57:21):
I kind of alluded to this last segment, and we'll
do a couple of minutes on this before I say
you lose. I've never heard Kyle say that he doesn't
like Bronco. I've never heard Bronco say that he doesn't
like Kyle. I just don't think they like each other,
and so I feel like there was some friction between
those two, and I feel like that led to a

(57:42):
stretch in the rivalry that felt a little different and heated,
and when the nasty things kind of started happening, it
felt like fan base is embodying the relationship those two had. Obviously,
Kyle loves Colada and Colonia loves Kyle. And when Colode
was a defensive coordinator up here, I did a weekly
coaching show with him, so I got to know him.
I consider him a friend and I cheer for him.
I want, I want good things to happen to Kilde.

(58:04):
Does it feel like the relationship between those two has
eased this tension.

Speaker 1 (58:10):
Just a little bit or is it just red and
blue period? End of story. I think it's eased it.
I think it's used it.

Speaker 5 (58:15):
It's eased it from maybe the b YU administration and
those type of people, and probably has with Utah. Would
your fans you never know, you know, and you know
we we used to tease about it.

Speaker 1 (58:29):
It was a night game.

Speaker 5 (58:30):
You would be in more trouble clause tailgating lasted longer
and misbehavior would happen and that was just us. But uh,
you know, yeah, it's it's just yeah, it's just this
unbelievable situation. You know, your experience is going down there.

Speaker 2 (58:48):
Yeah, what what have those been like when you were
at the U and you guys had to make the
drive down there?

Speaker 1 (58:52):
What what can you share there?

Speaker 5 (58:55):
Well, trepidation when you're first early on in my care
so it was so different later, So early on you're
going there, Okay, well you know, let's just give it
a shot and do the best we can. And you know,
and then say, well.

Speaker 1 (59:08):
There're traffic's bat two in their parking slopsy too. It's
just not us, you.

Speaker 5 (59:12):
Know, and we come back in the radio and you know,
listen to our guys or Leavell or whatever. But you know,
it was you just were cautious, but you were not optimistic.
I was optimistic when the game started, but also I
was delusional. But once we started winning down there, man,
it was great. We drive home and have a few

(59:35):
lemonades on the way home and just be rooting like
crazy and listen to the caller into Lavelle and oh
we were hooting in Holerance, so let's be really that's
when you get to go into the car with your
family or people like that or who you sat with,
and you know, it was really fun because you could
kind of let loose.

Speaker 2 (59:52):
Then would you hear feedback from alumni boosters like how
much does this game mean to alumni and people that
went to the University of Utah who you had to
talk to often because that's part of the job as
athletics director.

Speaker 5 (01:00:07):
Yeah, I mean, you know, yeah, it was. It was big. Yeah,
I would say boosters. Even a guy that's watching it
on TV that can't afford to have tickets or whatever,
it's it's big and it's kind of bragging rights. But
like I said, it's hard to have bragging rights now
because you never you may say I regrant oops next
year oops.

Speaker 1 (01:00:27):
You know.

Speaker 5 (01:00:28):
So I think it's at a healthy place now. But
when I went down to used to go down to
b y U, I had a good time doing it.

Speaker 8 (01:00:35):
You know.

Speaker 5 (01:00:36):
You know I can't do that now because I don't
have a The legislature passed a rule that I can't
go to Utah count except for my grandkids soccer game.

Speaker 1 (01:00:44):
Oh that's all that's on the books. That stays got pasted.
Very nice. I think there's my maybe an amendment that
I can't either.

Speaker 2 (01:00:51):
But all right, okay, last thing, how do you feel
about the game? You think you think they're going to
get it done? I mean, I know you're optimistic to
miss it.

Speaker 5 (01:01:00):
I like our team, okay, you know, and no disparaging
to BYU, so please put that on the record for sure. Yeah,
but I like our team and I like Kyle this situation. Okay, Well,
great to see you.

Speaker 2 (01:01:10):
Always, good to thank you for joining us doctor Chris
Zill live in studio for an entire hour.

Speaker 1 (01:01:14):
Always great insight as.

Speaker 2 (01:01:16):
BYU Utah Saturday, nights six o'clock in Provo, Utah is
a slight three point five point favorite. All our pregame
coverage will begin at let's see two o'clock with Porter
and Trevor Riley with IFA step four falling winter long food.
You'll get stronger roots now in an early green up
next spring. It's the ultimate lawn owner power move more.
It can be found at your local IFA or at

(01:01:37):
IFA dot co op. We're gonna have a great guest
list for you guys all week long to get ready
for Utah BYU football. As I referenced earlier, with these
two teams both in the top twenty five and Fox
Big Noon here, there's a chance this will be the
most watched iteration of Utah BYU football in one hundred
and three years. So big week, exciting week, and excited

(01:01:59):
to welcome in our next guests. We tried to connect
last week, we had connection issues because we were on remote.

Speaker 1 (01:02:04):
So let's bring him in.

Speaker 2 (01:02:05):
Former college quarterback BYU and Utah State friend of the program,
Riley Jensen.

Speaker 1 (01:02:10):
Happy Monday, Riley, how are we doing?

Speaker 9 (01:02:12):
What's happening?

Speaker 6 (01:02:13):
Spence?

Speaker 2 (01:02:14):
Appreciate your time, man, appreciate your time. So look it's
a huge week. As you know, you've played in this rivalry,
you've been around media for a number of years. When
I'd say BYU Utah football, what comes to your mind
right away?

Speaker 6 (01:02:29):
Right away?

Speaker 9 (01:02:30):
Two big runs in the rivalry From like eighty two
to ninety two there was a huge like BYU swing
and then from like what O Ford thirteen or fourteen
a huge swing for Utah. And now it's just everything
you want out of a rivalry, right like, just man,

(01:02:52):
every single game, every single years there's some sort of
exciting thing all the way up to last year with
red slap and a holding call and a big long
kick to win the game twenty two to twenty one.
So for me, it's always a fun time of year.
It's always fun to watch. I didn't necessarily play in

(01:03:13):
the rivalry game, but growing up here and being around
it and having so many friends that have played in it,
and it's really fun for me to watch as well.

Speaker 2 (01:03:20):
What sort of level of whether you label it animosity,
whether you label it the term I like to use
a sports hate because you should never bring the real
life hate into stuff like this. It is a zero
sum game. It is a football game played by young people.
But when it comes to the dynamic of the community
and people in the war, people in families, what sort

(01:03:43):
of experiences have you had with those types of dynamics.

Speaker 1 (01:03:46):
What makes this week different in that way?

Speaker 9 (01:03:51):
Well, I think the fun part about the rivalry is that,
you know, even families are broken up over this week.
I think in the past there's been a a vitriol
like my age group, you know you're talking. You know,
I played college football with a short missionary stint, well
not short the two hour of the two year deal

(01:04:12):
from ninety two to ninety eight, I felt like the
players really hated each other. But I don't feel like
that's the case anymore. With social media and how much
these guys play together and how much they interact with
each other in social media, I don't think the hate
is as much on the field. Of course, they want
to win the game, but I do feel like there's
quite a bit of hate between fans, and it's interesting

(01:04:35):
how how fast it can it can change around when
I'm when I'm watching the rivalry. For a while there
there was a lot of people that jumped on to
the bandwagon with the University of Utah, and then recently
with my son, who's eleven. I've noticed that he feels
like Byu has always gotten the better of the rivalry.

(01:04:56):
So it's interesting because he's just barely getting into his
you know, you know, kind of getting his football chops,
and he's a big b Yu fan, and I'm like,
where did that come from? Like I didn't see that coming, right,
And so it's interesting to watch how in such a
short time, like the momentum breach team can really switch.
I think it's very even now with both of them

(01:05:16):
being in the Big twelve, and I think it's really fun.
I mean, there's it seems like there's always some sort
of comment that gets people going, and I'm looking forward
to that this week.

Speaker 2 (01:05:26):
Yeah, BYU's won the last two now. Prior to that,
Utah had one nine. And you know, I think the
way that you phrase the quote unquote winning streak is
probably pertaining to who you cheer for. You know, Byu
fans go to the Lavelle years where he was seventeen
and two Matt comes in. I think he won four
of six and then of course, you know, really starting

(01:05:46):
with urban landing here and changing the landscape of really
everything with Utah football, there has been what you could
consider a generation of more or less Utah dominance if
you go back, if you pan back, but has one
the last two, I wonder what you make of where
we find ourselves with both these quarterbacks.

Speaker 1 (01:06:06):
I've always appreciated the way you break down the position.

Speaker 2 (01:06:08):
Let's start with BYU's freshman, Bear Bachmeyer, who is an
impressive athlete, and he's really built, and so far he
has been able to stay poised in most moments. I
thought over the weekend he looked more like a freshman
than he had prior to. But you're on the road,
Arizona's not a bad team. I don't know if BYU
has really been tested just yet, and that will change

(01:06:28):
because you Ta's good and we'll get to Utah in
a moment. Devin dan Pierre, But what have you seen
from Bear Bachmeyer as you've watched the beginning of his
career at BYU.

Speaker 9 (01:06:36):
So there's two things that I love about Bear. One
is he's not afraid in the moment, and I think
that's really really impressive from a young eighteen year old
boy that doesn't he just doesn't feel like he's afraid
of the moment. I think the other thing that I've
been impressed with is there's been two out of his
three interceptions this year. I think there's been two really
bad ones, and I like the way that he's responded

(01:07:00):
to both of those interceptions. Now he has eight touchdowns
and three interceptions. If you flip over to rushing, you know,
he's got seven tds rushing, and so he's an exciting player.
I'd like to see him be just a little bit
better when it comes to the red zone passing the ball,
although you could throw it back at me and just say, well, jeez,

(01:07:22):
he has five touchdowns and one pick, but the one
pick was bad, and his percentage isn't particularly high in
the red zone, and so I think that's a big deal.
And then where I think he's also been really really
good this year. He's you know, about sixty six percent
when it comes to third down, so whether that's third, long,
third and short, he's done a pretty good job of

(01:07:43):
keeping the chains moving, and so BYU hasn't scored as
many points as maybe you've seen BYU score in the past,
but he's keeping the offense on the field for long
periods of time and for long drives, and I think
that's that's been good for the defense at BYU. And so, look,
he does some really good things. They've been trying to

(01:08:04):
build up the offense for him little by little, and
I think a Rod has done a really good job
of that. But you're still going to see him do
freshman things. I don't care how good you are as
a freshman, you're still going to do freshman things every
once in a while. And that usually has to do
with throwing the ball down the middle. It's a lot
harder as a quarterback when you're young. It's really easy

(01:08:24):
to thrown out. It's really easy to throw a streak
because there's not a lot of reading go on. But
understanding the moving parts of the middle of the field
is where you're going to see some mistakes from him
every once in a while.

Speaker 6 (01:08:35):
Now.

Speaker 9 (01:08:35):
He's also made some really good throws. But I'll give
you an example. He made a really really good throw
in the Stanford game on what I call a post
route to get him down inside of the red zone
for a field goal. And then the very next play
they're in the red zone and he takes a sack.
And that's a big no no. When you get in
the red zone you just can't take sacks. You got

(01:08:57):
to come away with three points, and they didn't come
away with three points. Those are examples of where he's
doing some really good things and then he'll do some
things that are like quarterback. You know, one on one
you should know not to take a sack in the
red zone.

Speaker 1 (01:09:10):
Were you surprised that he won the job?

Speaker 2 (01:09:13):
You know, it was interesting, Riley, Like, you know, I'm
not taking anything away from Jake Rhetz laugh. I just
didn't think he was the main impetus for their success
a year ago. I thought he made some big time
plays in big moments, including a big time playing a
big moment here in Salt Lake. But I thought it
was their defense, it was their run game Colonie has
built byu of over a decade where now it feels

(01:09:33):
a lot like the way Utah plays football. But you know,
I started to really notice that a Rod was very
effusive with his praise about Bear really early on, and
I couldn't really land on why, like, either he was
just trying to take care of his freshman who he
wanted out of high school and he was just excited
that he had him, or he's really that good and

(01:09:56):
he was really going to win the job over McKay
and the Borg game. But were you surprised at all
when you heard that Bear won this job after I
don't know, being on the ground for just a few weeks.

Speaker 1 (01:10:06):
He was a transfer, as we all know, I was surprised.

Speaker 9 (01:10:10):
I think even the BYU coaching staff was a little
bit surprised. In fact, I think that the guys that
I know on the staff that I taught to were
actually a little bit disappointed that the quarterback competition wasn't closer. Meaning, yes,
you know, Bear Bachmeier was really really good in the fall,
but they really thought that the McKay hill said and

(01:10:31):
the Boorgay kid were going to be a little bit
better in that competition than they were. And I think
that they thought that it was evident after like a week,
but they needed to let it play out for another
two weeks just to make sure, because I think everyone
in the building could see that Bear was the better quarterback. Now,
is it ideal to have a freshman quarterback starting as
you're going through a big twelve season. I don't think so.

(01:10:53):
But when it's the best quarterbacks that you got, you
got to go with it. And I think, you know,
one of the things that I have to be complimentary
to Route about is since he's been at b YU,
every quarterback that's been there has progressed. And I think
one of the things that I could be critical about
quarterback coaches and offensive coordinators there before is there were

(01:11:14):
some quarterbacks that would get there and they would stay
about the same the whole time they were there. Every
single quarterback under a Rod has progressed and gotten better
year for year over year. And I think they thought
reds Laft was gonna be good. But I totally agree
with you. I thought reds Laft last year he was.
He's not going down in the history books that one
of the great BYU quarterbacks because of statistics. But I

(01:11:35):
will say that he had some timely throws last year
and some timely plays that helped them to get to
where they were last year.

Speaker 1 (01:11:43):
Yeah, no, I would agree with that, all right.

Speaker 2 (01:11:46):
A lot of hype around Devin, A lot of hype
around Devin Dampier, and I think so far it's safe
to say he's lived up to the billing. I think
Texas Tech is really good.

Speaker 1 (01:11:55):
Riley.

Speaker 2 (01:11:56):
I think it's probably time to just say, like, Okay,
it's not just one of the best teams in the
Big Twelve, it might be one of the best teams
in the nation. And it's clear that he was hurt
because he could not move around. But I don't want
to take anything away from Texas Tech. I think that
loss is going to age well for Utah. But in
every other game outside of the Tech game, he's been
elite ninety nine point nine QBR rating against ASU. So

(01:12:19):
your impressions of Devin Dampier through six games sound like what?

Speaker 7 (01:12:25):
Yeah?

Speaker 9 (01:12:25):
So I was a little bit worried. You know, you
saw that Texas Tech game. It was early. You knew
that the University of Utah was supposed to have a
good offensive line, that damp Pier was supposed to be
able to run the ball and pass the ball. It
just didn't happen in that game. But I one hundred
percent agree with you.

Speaker 7 (01:12:39):
Now.

Speaker 9 (01:12:39):
Even up til last week before the ASCU game, I
was like, is Utah a good team? Are they not
a good team? I think it's very clear that they're
a good team. I think it's very clear that damp
Pier is a good quarterback. I think it's also very
clear that Texas Tech is really good, and they just
happened to catch him early in the year. Maybe they'll
get a chance at him later, maybe they won't. A
couple of times with Devin that I think are absolutely

(01:13:02):
just stunningly good. Number one is he's sixteen for nineteen
for eighty four percent in the red zone with nine
touchdowns and zero interceptions. That's just phenomenal football play. Because
the hardest thing about the red zone is that the
lanes get a lot tighter, and you have to throw
the ball accurately and you have to throw the ball

(01:13:23):
on time. So the fact that he's throwing for almost
eighty five percent and nine touchdowns is ridiculous. Then you
flip over to the red zone when he's running the ball,
he has ten carries and four touchdowns with a twenty
with a twelve yard long run in the red zone
where the lanes are tight and where things are difficult
to do again, so I think that he has just

(01:13:45):
been so so good in the red zone. And then
the other thing that I always look at is what
does it look like on third down? And he's doing
the same thing as bear Bachbyer is completing seventy percent
of his passes, which is down a little bit from
seventy one and a half percent on his overall but
geez man on third down with four touchdowns, one interception.

(01:14:08):
I mean, he's just really good and I think he's
really really fun to watch. I think he brings a
level of toughness and maturity to that position that they
haven't had in a minute. That doesn't mean that they
haven't had it in the past. I'm just saying it's
been a second since they've had it, and it's really
fun to watch. And when they can run the ball,

(01:14:29):
it's just going to make his passing stats and his
ability to hurt you with his seat and hurt you
in the passing game even better.

Speaker 2 (01:14:37):
So for the second time this year, Utah's offensive line
has received the Big twelve Offensive Line of the Week.

Speaker 1 (01:14:44):
And you know, if anybody out.

Speaker 2 (01:14:45):
There has paid attention to things like mock drafts and
scouts opinions, a lot of people believe Spencer Fano isn't
just a number one pick, excuse me, a first round pick.
He might be like a top ten pick. And obviously
there's Caleb Lomu. There's experience all the offensive line, and
they've been able to stay healthy. So far you were
a quarterback, and the obvious thing is like, oh yeah,

(01:15:06):
if you're a quarterback, a good offensive line makes your
life a lot easier. But the lanes and holes you
can says you all over the place. I mean, they
just gashed him. Tell me what you've seen from Utah's
old line.

Speaker 9 (01:15:18):
Utah's old line, with the exception of the Texas Tech game,
has been everything that was everyone told us that they
were going to be. They're able to really make holes,
They're able to really give the protection that he needs.
And look, you know, when I was in college, and
this is true now, dude, when you played seven on
seven in a portion of your practice, that's an offensive drill.

(01:15:42):
If you're playing seven on seven, like I was really
mad at myself if I didn't complete one hundred percent
of my passes, because it's just design for the offense
to win. The way that you stop the passing game
is with a rush. But when you have an offensive
line like Damperia has right now, but the University of Utah,
that's essentially what you're playing is seven on seven. Now,

(01:16:04):
are there some drop balls? Are there sometimes where you
miss a throw here and there, Yes, But for the
most part, Dan Pierre's playing seven on seven back there,
and that's where he's thrown for seventy one percent and
eleven touchdowns and only three interceptions. And you know, I
was on record of saying if he throws for twenty
five hundred yards and rushes for eight hundred, they will

(01:16:25):
be in the title game. And that's almost exactly what
he's on track to do, almost exactly. And what I
was critical of was twelve touchdowns and twelve interceptions. And
he's clearly fixed that. He's clearly in a different trajectory
as far as touchdowns and interceptions go with eleven and three,
and so then you throw on another five touchdowns rushing

(01:16:48):
on the ground. This guy, this guy's playing at a
hugely efficient level. So Utah, all of these quarterbacks are
fun to watch.

Speaker 1 (01:16:57):
Yeah, no, no, no, no, not at all. It's all good.

Speaker 2 (01:16:59):
Utah is a three point five point favorite as of now,
even though the game is down in provo.

Speaker 1 (01:17:05):
Let me ask you this.

Speaker 2 (01:17:06):
You know, I don't do the whole like local media
thing where nobody pays attention to us and it hurts
my feelings.

Speaker 1 (01:17:12):
That's not really I mean, you've I've worked with you
for years. You know that.

Speaker 2 (01:17:15):
But outside of our state, do you think folks know
exactly what this game is all about? Because, as I've
said a couple of times today, and I'll probably repeat
it all week, both in the top twenty five, Fox
Big Noon Kickoff is here.

Speaker 1 (01:17:28):
It's a primetime slot. It's six o'clock.

Speaker 2 (01:17:30):
So even folks back east have no choice, they have
no excuse. You can watch this football game. This might
be the most watched football game in the history of
this series that dates back over a century. You think
it gets as proper due in the landscape of the
national college football media world as far as just how
important and intense it.

Speaker 9 (01:17:47):
Is, Well, I don't think it does. I think you
know this from living back east. It's really hard to
watch a game in the West without staying up till
eleven o'clock at night, right, And that's always just been
a little bit. But I will say that I feel
like the momentum is switching. And the reason why I
think it's switching is because of guys like Urban Meyer,

(01:18:08):
who's now you know, with the big new broadcast, and
he can tell people and inform people about how intense
this rivalry is and was when he was coaching in it.
And then you know, I do think that there's there's
a lot of respect for Kyle Whittingham around the country,
and I think that there's a general interest in Killanie
Sataki is a very likable coach, and so you combine

(01:18:30):
those three things together and I think they're getting a
little bit more of their do. I think that's why
Fox Sports Noon is going to be there. I think
it's why you have you know, these opportunities for BYU
to play on national TV in front of a lot
of people, is because there's been people who've been here
now and who have experienced it. And look, I've been

(01:18:53):
I've been around the country. I've been back East, and
I've seen different rivalries. I think b YU and Utah
stam toe to toe with any rivalry in the country,
and it's just a matter of time until it really
catches on fire with everybody else. And they really noticed
how much this rivalry means to the people here in Utah.

Speaker 1 (01:19:10):
Have you noticed We just had Doctor Hill in studio.

Speaker 2 (01:19:13):
It was really cool, had so many stories about this
week and you know, hiring coaches and moving on for
mac to bring an urban and then a really interesting
story where he spoke to coach went on a Saturday
night at seven o'clock, got off the phone thinking Kyle
was about to take the BYU job, and started thinking
about what's next? Do I have to go to a
different direction? Then got a call at nine and Kyle

(01:19:35):
actually said he was staying. Here's how All, Fraser Riley,
I've never heard Kyle Whittingham say into a microphone, I
don't like Bronco Menihall. I've never heard Bronco Mennenhall say
into a microphone. I don't like Kyle Whittingham. I just
feel like they don't like each other. I've never heard
either of them say it, and I felt like the
tension that seemed to exist there made this.

Speaker 1 (01:19:58):
Week feel a little bit different that it does.

Speaker 2 (01:20:00):
Now as a result of Kyle and Kalanie and their
mutual respect and friendship as well. Do you get the
same general sense as far as the two different dynamics
with the two different coaches based off of just what
I'm guessing their relationships, like, yeah, I don't.

Speaker 9 (01:20:17):
Like you said, they never said it out loud. I
also think that they're both just like kind of unique personalities,
you know. Bronco was the defensive coordinator at Snow College
when I was there as a freshman, and I think
he said exactly ten words to the offense when he
was the defensive coordinator theirs, right, It's just not his

(01:20:38):
natural state of being. I think Kyle has a pretty
good personality, but he's been around the media and around
football long enough to know that he can get burned
if he says too much there, and so he's never
said much. And I think he's been very smart about
the way that he approaches the rivalry. But I think
it's just a little bit easier with him and Kilaney
they had you know, I don't know how it is

(01:21:00):
for you who your best friends are, who the people
are that are your friends in your life, But I
feel like I probably have three or four really tight
male friends, and it's usually because we went through something together.
And it's not that I just don't like other people.
It's just that, like I know, when I've gone through
something with somebody that I can count on them. And
I think that's what Kilani and Kyle bring to the

(01:21:23):
to the to the rivalry, and I just think that,
you know, they never really had any crossover with Bronco
and him and it's it's maybe not that he hated him,
it's just that it's like, I don't want to be
his best friends. I mean, I don't really know him,
do you know what I mean? Yeah, And so that
led to some more attension because people were reading into
it that they're just not really great friends. It doesn't
mean they hate each other, but it's definitely not like

(01:21:46):
Kilannie and Kyle.

Speaker 1 (01:21:48):
Yeah, no, I hear you.

Speaker 2 (01:21:51):
When it comes to if we pan out, let's go
back to BYU for a moment, because there's strength of schedules.
Now they're faults. I'm not knocking on them. There's strength
of schedule is not great. It's one of the lowest
in the Big Twelve. Now they've passed every test thrown
at them. My question is do you feel like they've
been tested so far this.

Speaker 1 (01:22:08):
Year BYU or Utah BYU.

Speaker 8 (01:22:13):
Oh.

Speaker 9 (01:22:13):
I think they've been tested by Arizona and Colorado, and
I don't think they're great teams. I mean, I think
they're okay, but I wouldn't put them in the top
half of the Big twelve, right, And so yeah, I
think they're tested, But are they tested by the speed
and athleticism that Utah can bring. Are they tested by

(01:22:34):
the speed and the athleticism that somebody like Texas techt
can bring. I don't know. I do think BYU defense
is legit, and I think one of the reasons why
they're legit is because Bear's been able to manage some games.
And I feel like this game is going to be
close just because it's a rivalry game. But I think
if I was really drawn it up on paper, I
would probably pick Utah by fourteen personally. But I do

(01:22:58):
think that the you know the three and a half
is probably about correct based on you know everything that's
going because that indicates to me you get three points
for being at home. That indicates to me that that
Utah would be a seven points favorite at home. And
I think that feels about right to me.

Speaker 2 (01:23:17):
So you feel like you've seen enough to analyze this
where you believe Utah is roughly a double digit better
football team overall than BYU.

Speaker 9 (01:23:24):
Right now, That's what I think, But I think because
of the rivalry, it won't be Yes.

Speaker 6 (01:23:30):
Does that make sense?

Speaker 1 (01:23:31):
Of course it does.

Speaker 9 (01:23:32):
There's no way, there's no way to predict how things
are going. The coaches work harder, the players care more
and everything in this rivalry is going to keep this
game close. But you know, I would say Utah by
seven to fourteen if they were at home. So that

(01:23:53):
may sound crazy to people, but I think they're the
better team that way. But I don't know. I mean,
you never know what you or you're going to draw up.
You never know what kind of pressure's k Hill is
going to draw up, and it's it's just a fascinating
and fun game for me to watch every year.

Speaker 2 (01:24:07):
Well, the reason I ask you about BYU and the
way I phrased it as have they been tested? I
know they've played close games. I just don't think the
teams they played close games in are good football teams.
Not trying to be disrespectful that Arizona Colorado got a
good win against Iowa State, but I just feel like
Utah enters this game coming off of tests against Arizona State,

(01:24:27):
who won the thing a year ago, and certainly the
Sam Levit injury changed everything.

Speaker 1 (01:24:32):
That the Simms kid, he's been.

Speaker 2 (01:24:33):
Playing college football for six years and he just doesn't
really do anything well. It's not a great backup option
for them, But I feel like Utah has been tested
in a way that BYU hasn't yet.

Speaker 1 (01:24:42):
Is that fair to say?

Speaker 6 (01:24:44):
Yes?

Speaker 9 (01:24:45):
Yes, although I wouldn't point to the Arizona State game
because of Sam Lemon, I pointed to the Texas Tech game.

Speaker 1 (01:24:50):
Yeah.

Speaker 9 (01:24:51):
Then you know, Utah has made some adjustments and they
are much better since that Texas Tech game. And I
think is going to turn out, like you said, to
be a really good loss for them, that that loss
is going to get better and better looking for them
as the year goes on. And if they can win
this b YU game, they're going to be setting themselves

(01:25:12):
up for a really really nice place to be.

Speaker 2 (01:25:15):
As it pertains to the conference, Well, from a macro standpoint,
I don't know how you would tier it. It certainly
feels like Texas Tech might be in their own tier.
They are just smoking everybody, and I think Kansas is okay,
But they were not even in that game at all,
So it might be Tech and then everybody else. But
do you think BYU and Utah at least have shown

(01:25:37):
enough to this point they both have played six games
now where you would consider them in the mix to
have something to say about this conference when the dust settles.

Speaker 6 (01:25:46):
Yeah, no question.

Speaker 9 (01:25:47):
And I thought, and this all kind of depends on
stam Levit. To me, I thought ASU was the other team.
They could maybe have something to say about that and
then maybe just maybe, although it's really really hard for
me to say this out loud, Cincinnati, you know what
I mean? Yeah, but it's hard to look at them
and like really go, oh, yeah, this is a team.

(01:26:08):
But they're playing well and they have a win over
you know, they have a win over Iowa State that
was impressive. I think they're five and one now, so
they're a team that's like an outlier. But I definitely
think b YU, Utah, Arizona State, and Cincinnati I'll have
a chance to be in this. I think what you
have to worry about is like, so let's say let's

(01:26:29):
say let's say Utah wins this game, b YU has
one loss in the conference, Utah has one loss in
the conference, and then that Arizona State BYU matchup becomes big,
and then there's just you know, this, this next five game,
these next five games or four games for b YU
are just really really tough. Yes, but they could have

(01:26:52):
something to deal with who wins it, because they're good
enough team to beat any of these four teams and
they're they're they're close enough to those seems to lose
to any of these four teams that are coming up.

Speaker 2 (01:27:03):
Yeah, they're about to be challenged, so we'll learn exactly
who they are for sure. Hey, before I say you
lose equal time, here your Utah State aggies three and
three through six. Do you feel like it's been better
than you expected out of the gates? I mean, what
was it like? Eighty new players? Like, that's a difficult,
difficult task. And you know, say what you want about

(01:27:25):
Bronco Mennenhall. The guy knows how to build a program
and coach football. So three six games, Riley, tell me
what you're seeing from Utah State?

Speaker 9 (01:27:32):
Much better than I expected. A little bit of a pause,
and I have to go into PFF to watch the
Utah State game because it was really hard to watch
this weekend. So I got to go see what happened
in the Hawaii game because they it was close there
for a while and then they end up losing. It's
always a tough trip. It was tough for Utah and
by U when they were in the whack to go

(01:27:53):
six hours and play in Hawaii. So I'm willing to
give him a one off if I see them recover
but way better than expected. Definitely a team that I
think should go to a bowl game. And you just
got to really appreciate whether you love Ronco or hate Bronco,
He's always very clear and concise with his directives and
with the way that he's treats his players, and they

(01:28:14):
know exactly what they have to do to be on
the field, and that builds trust. And when your team
trusts the coach, you generally play, you play better. So
I'm I'm overall very pleased and very very pleasantly surprised
with the way you Tosti's.

Speaker 6 (01:28:30):
Playing this year.

Speaker 1 (01:28:31):
Riley, good stuff, man.

Speaker 2 (01:28:32):
I always appreciate the insight, and yeah, reach out if
we can ever do anything for you.

Speaker 1 (01:28:36):
It's gonna be a fun week. Thanks buddy, Thank you, sir,
Great week, right.

Speaker 2 (01:28:40):
Riley Jensen, college quarterback. He's been around the media for
a long time. Work with Riley at the old station.
Really good dude. I always appreciate his insight on the programm.
He stops by today courtesy of our friends had advanced
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one eight five zero ninety one hundred. Monday Night Football
doubleheader tonight in the world of the NFL will bring
your football weekend to a close with the Bears and

(01:29:42):
the Commanders, and prior to that, a little bit earlier,
the Bills will take on the Falcons. Brian Callahan has
been fired the Titan's head coach one in five this year,
four and nineteen since it took over, which isn't great.
So Penn State made a coaching decision. James Franklin is
out of course, It's rival re week Utah BYU Saturday night.

(01:30:06):
Utah is a three point five point favorite.

Speaker 1 (01:30:08):
Porter. When you saw the line, when you saw that Utah.

Speaker 2 (01:30:11):
Was a favorite even though they are on the road,
did that Does that feel right to you?

Speaker 1 (01:30:15):
What was your reaction?

Speaker 8 (01:30:18):
You know?

Speaker 1 (01:30:19):
I think so.

Speaker 3 (01:30:23):
And I think that if I were to today, you know,
we've got a week until this almost a week, a
full work week until this game, I would take Utah
and I would probably take Utah by a touchdown or so.
But because of and Riley mentioned this, because of a
number of things, which include, uh, just a remarkable rivalry

(01:30:47):
that seems to have some different sort of drama at
a different turn. I think it's gonna be close. I
think it's gonna be chaotic. I think it's going to
be drama filled. I think it's gonna be a one
score game. And so I think it's fair. But yeah,
I think Vegas is right on there. I struggle with

(01:31:08):
those those type of lines if I'm if you're asking
for betting advice, But as far as just prognosticating the game.

Speaker 1 (01:31:16):
Yeah, I think it's it's right on.

Speaker 2 (01:31:17):
If you're asking for betting advice, here it is. Don't
do it. Mark's good, easy enough, easy enough, Just don't
do it. Yeah, all right, so we'll get back to this.
Scott Mitchell is gonna join us. We'll call that in
about twenty two minutes right now. Uh so, Yeah, if
you miss Riley from earlier doctor Chris sil former ad
for the Utes, definitely check out the podcast page. Let's
get to know a new resident of our state. Mark Denman,

(01:31:39):
who's now the new in arena voice for the Utah Jazz,
joins us on a Monday.

Speaker 1 (01:31:44):
Hello Mark, how are you, sir?

Speaker 8 (01:31:46):
I'm doing wonderfully well. And you guys, how about for you? All?

Speaker 1 (01:31:49):
All good here? Wow? Okay, now I can see why
you got the job.

Speaker 2 (01:31:52):
I didn't realize those pipes were where what they are? Mark,
So congratulations, welcome to our market. Tell us about yourself.
Where'd you grow up, what's your background? And how do
you feel about being part of Utah Jazz.

Speaker 8 (01:32:03):
Now I'll take your last question first, first and foremost,
I feel absolute exuberant about being a part of the
Utah Jazz and Mountain basketball. I think that first and foremost,
even when you go away from the basketball community here
that the Jazz represents on the NBA platform, the community

(01:32:25):
of Salt Lake, the state of Utah is a great magnet.
It's ultra magnetic rather in terms of a fan base,
a type of community where you can really tap in
and see that it's one that has a great passion
not only for basketball outdoorsman, just a variety of things

(01:32:46):
that I'm very very pleased and I'm grateful to be
a part of where I grew up or firstly, where
I'm coming from to Salt Lake. I'm coming from Stone Mountain, Georgia,
about thirty miles east of Atlanta. I've been there for
close to twenty five years and that's where I cut
my teeth here into public addressed live event game. But

(01:33:11):
I originally from Texas and so yes, I'm very happy
to be here in Salt Lake. And it's a high
time here for to open up our preseason.

Speaker 2 (01:33:21):
So what got you into this area of your career?
Did you always want to do this when you were younger?

Speaker 10 (01:33:28):
What?

Speaker 1 (01:33:28):
Ultimately I mean.

Speaker 2 (01:33:30):
Like I said, you've got the pipes obviously, you know
that's step step. That's step number one. But what motivated
you to get into this? How did you kind of
land in the business.

Speaker 8 (01:33:40):
A great question, guys, First and foremost, I kind of
found my voice as a teenager man. I was it
was actually I was an athlete, a student athlete in
high school, and but my mother got me involved in
a cific organization called Top Teams of America where we
were helping the needy people with economic imbalances, health and balances.

(01:34:06):
We were taught and oriented to serve and I served
as an officer in that organization. And what happened for
me there was we used to put on events, fundraisers
of the like I was charged for my peers. When
we would have some of these events to go to
a local radio station record a commercial to promote the

(01:34:27):
events that we would have, and people would come back
and say to me, Mark, we heard you on the radio.
I would get to school or go around town, people
would say, hey, we hurt you on the radio. And
subsequent to that, people would show up and great turnouts
for the events that were being promoted. I kind of
found my voice there as about a young sixteen seventeen

(01:34:47):
year old. I knew that my voice moved people to action,
and then I just applied it to live events in sports,
which is really my passion.

Speaker 2 (01:34:57):
So when it comes to and just for for a
frame of reference, I'm an East Coast kid and I
grew up going to Nick Games of the Garden. And
you know, I was with the Jazz for about seven
years before coming over here to this to this station and.

Speaker 1 (01:35:10):
Do the show.

Speaker 2 (01:35:11):
And I've been to most not every arena in the NBA.
There's a couple that have been new and renovated that,
but I've been.

Speaker 1 (01:35:19):
To most of them.

Speaker 2 (01:35:19):
Certainly, I wonder if you are familiar with the energy
in the Delta Center where the Jazz are playing basketball.

Speaker 8 (01:35:28):
Well, let me say this. A couple of brands that
I will mention that I can get give credit to
that helped me cut my tea a lot of MLB,
working with MLB, working with the Atlanta Braves, working and
traveling and touring with the Harlem Globetrotters kind of qualifies

(01:35:49):
me in a bit of a parallel with you, because
the Globetrotters alone will make you or place you in
all of the NBA arenas in America and as well
as plenty of others around the globe. So how that
compares and you being an East Coast guy specifically MSG,

(01:36:11):
which is an exclusive experience. Nick fans are crazy. I
think that the Salt Lake fans, the Jazz fans, they
love Mountain Basketball, there is equally if not more passionate
about their basketball. I have to say that coming here
and even as a prior to I always respected the
Jazz fans. However, getting here afforded me an opportunity to

(01:36:36):
find out not only are they're just not blindly passionate
about basketball, they're very, very knowledgeable. They're very intentional, if
you know what I mean when it comes to knowing
their players, having game concepts, and just a myriad of
things surrounding the game. And so I think it I
mean from elderly down to the children. I've witnessed that

(01:37:00):
in my time here, and I came to Salt Lake
multiple times prior to being able to uh get this
this job.

Speaker 2 (01:37:08):
So what is it about basketball specifically? Because I know
you've done in Arena, PA work for baseball, for football,
uh so other sports as well. What is it about
the game of basketball and specifically pro basketball in the
NBA that you enjoy the most.

Speaker 8 (01:37:26):
I think, first and foremost, it's the most electric. It's
the most has the magnetic appeal, magnetic attraction. You have.
It's the game of basketball, man, it's the world class athletes.
Basketball has. It's not football where you have forty five
second stoppages in between. It can go continuing and continuing

(01:37:48):
with hot flying dunks, electric passes, you know, guys with
great court vision. There's nothing else like it. Let's just
be real. That's why I had. The product, went around
the globe and has grown, but again right here in
Salt Lake, this is a product that is unparalleled. And

(01:38:11):
even when times are good or bad, the people come
and they make the place electric. And that's what I
come to add to the product tonight and going forward,
a kind of ultra magnetic punctuation of what these players
give to me on the floor.

Speaker 2 (01:38:25):
Do you get nervous before games even though you've been
doing this for a long long time?

Speaker 8 (01:38:30):
You know.

Speaker 2 (01:38:31):
I was having this conversation with my son, who's now
grown and he's making his way into the world, and
he is working, he's in his career, and he asked me,
not too long ago, because I've been doing this job
twenty years now, and he said, Dad, it doesn't sound
like you're ever nervous, and I'm like, buddy, I'm nervous
before every show. You know, you try to use that
energy to make sure that you're doing the best job

(01:38:52):
possible that you can. And it's very nice that people
don't think that you're nervous. But I think it's like
that and it's not a bad thing. I wonder what
the energy is like for you prior to.

Speaker 8 (01:39:00):
Tip I appreciate you sharing that parallel with your own
career and your personal connection with his son. I have
one as well as grown. He's just now stepping out
as well into his career, and I like that observation
that he gave to you, or analysis if you will,
for me. I'd be disingenuous if I said to you guys, no, man,

(01:39:23):
I don't get nerves. I've been doing this for close
to two decades now, and you know it just natural.
I go through a full range of human emotions, and
nervousness is certainly one of them. The way that I
tamp it down is just by my preparedness, and normally
I do become somewhat innate once the tip off goes

(01:39:48):
and comes and goes and you know, you just kind
of kick in. But yes, I have to say very pointedly,
yes I have nerves in advance of the events.

Speaker 2 (01:39:58):
For sure. What is what is the uh what does
the Mark Denman process look like? Are you digging into numbers?
Are you looking at rosters? Are you looking at the
pronunciation guide? Are you warming up warming up the voice
like a few hours prior to that ball being thrown up?
What what's the process looking like?

Speaker 8 (01:40:16):
Yes, a process of first and foremost taking care of
the voice, you know, consumption of watching what you consume,
trying not to overwork it in the way of preparation.
But yes, thoroughly going over all rosters. Any information that
you can get, any all intel is very helpful, uh

(01:40:38):
in the position. So uh, there's nothing like being ill prepared,
uh for a contest for a game. So for me,
it is thoroughly going and working with the production team
and doing my own study that I all that I
can get all the way down to the officiating crew.
So these are some of the steps, These are some

(01:41:00):
of the things that I do in my process. And
for all listeners out there, it just as he framed
the question, it is just that it is a process.
It is something that you need to create and stick
to if you want to be successful. Because again, there
was a time that the Globe shotters really taught me
how to take care of myself. When you do one

(01:41:22):
hundred games or shows in a four month period, you
learned how to take care of your voice, because you know,
the people don't want to hear that you had to
do three shows, three consecutive shows, and your voice is weak.
They want to know they come to pay their ticket
to see the same show, same level quality of show

(01:41:42):
each night. So you have to really learn to take
care of yourself in this role.

Speaker 2 (01:41:48):
So when it comes to things like catch phrases, are
those things that you.

Speaker 1 (01:41:54):
Have kind of ready to roll?

Speaker 2 (01:41:56):
Are you more of a reaction in the moment based
off of a great play or the fan is getting
loud out?

Speaker 1 (01:42:01):
How scripted is your approach?

Speaker 8 (01:42:04):
I take it as a hybrid if you will, you know,
sometimes trying to be too scripted can play against you.
And I'm really more about substance over sugar or style.
I still need to be a professional, which I'm always
going to do that. However, I do have the cash

(01:42:26):
phrases in the bag. When it's apt again to really
really punctuate what's happening out on the court. And so
sometimes they're more than colorful. They're concise, they're not overbearing,
they're fun, and I trust that the fans will certainly
be able to gravitate to them.

Speaker 1 (01:42:47):
Is it the same thing with nicknames?

Speaker 2 (01:42:49):
I've often nicknames are tricky, Marcus, as you know, because
if it's a really good nickname, it's it's great.

Speaker 1 (01:42:56):
But that's it's hard.

Speaker 2 (01:42:57):
It's tricky because some nicknames that are giving the player
or coaches or whatever really don't land at all, and
ultimately it tends to be a little cringey. So when
it comes to like nicknames, what are your what are
your thoughts on that?

Speaker 8 (01:43:09):
I have to say, you're right, that is a delicate
bag right there. You know, it has to be something
that is solid. That's something you know that the player,
the organization and everyone else is you know, is approval of. Right.
I don't just take the discretion myself to try to
monitor or stick a nickname on anyone. You need to

(01:43:32):
bet that at all costs.

Speaker 1 (01:43:35):
Yes, you certainly do.

Speaker 2 (01:43:37):
As you're well aware by now, we find ourselves in
an interesting portion of this jazz journey as pro basketball
jazz journey where we have a fan base that is
a little bit spoiled because we've had really good teams
for a long long time and we're used to play
out basketball.

Speaker 1 (01:43:52):
We're used to high quality play, and this is a
tough thing.

Speaker 2 (01:43:56):
This is a tough thing Mark, as you know, because
we had a really good team here, COVID changed that
dynamic and then we had some players that didn't really
love hanging out with each other, and an ownership transition
led to the decision of a coach deciding to leave,
a general manager deciding to leave, and then they broke
it down brick by brick.

Speaker 1 (01:44:16):
So we're entering year four of a rebuild.

Speaker 2 (01:44:20):
There are some exciting things going on this as Bailey
Kit has got a ton of game. I mean, it's
going to be really fun to watch and grow. But
what do you make where we find ourselves right now
in this process of the group trying to rebuild.

Speaker 8 (01:44:33):
I think all those variables that you just laid out
factor in greatly to what is real time. I think
it's something to be excited about that there is a
mix of first of all, a great young nucleus. I'm
coming from the state of Georgia with the first round
draft pick Ace Bailey and the excitement that he brings

(01:44:55):
with a nut with Walter Clayton junior, you gotta and
then all of the other guys that are in the
young nucleus mixed in with veterans like Kevin Love and
others who will make for a nice mix in nucleus
here coming into this season. And yes, I trust that
what they'll be able to do and what we will
all be able to do in concert will be able

(01:45:18):
to raise the bar back to what the fans here
are used to. And with the ownership, I think we
are just locked in and dialed in in a positive manner.
I think there's a great upward trajectory. I'm highly excited
about it all.

Speaker 2 (01:45:34):
Well, Mark, I appreciate your time today and congratulations on
the gig. And we'll be down at some games this year,
certainly covering the team. So I'd love to shake your
hand and say hello. Okay, thank you.

Speaker 8 (01:45:44):
Please please come and say hello. I thank you guys
for the time today. I do need to take this
opportunity on the way out to salute the man that
I'm standing on the shoulders on forty six years in
this role, mister Dan Roberts. It's a heavy way job
to come in and behind him, but I'm very excited
and I thank you guys so very much for today's time.

(01:46:05):
Thank y'all so much. Jan is the man in seven hundred.

Speaker 2 (01:46:08):
Thank you Sarah. Yeah, Dan's a great man. I'm sure
you'll do a great job there. He is Mark Denman.
He's the new PA voice in arena voice for the
Utah Jazz, a position that Dan Roberts did at an
elite level for over four decades. So I'm happy for
Mark that he got the job. I'm sad that Dan
will no longer be doing the job that he did
so well for so long. And it will feel different

(01:46:29):
for those of us, For those of you like me
that have been going to jazz game since the eighties,
Dan's voice is synonymous with the experience.

Speaker 1 (01:46:36):
Everything is going to feel different.

Speaker 2 (01:46:37):
The Delta Center has been remodeled and has been built
in a way for hockey in a way that it
wasn't prior to this offseason, So the in arena experience
itself will look different, it will feel different, and now
we know that it will sound different as we have
a new PA voice, the in arena voice for the
Utah Jazz.

Speaker 1 (01:46:56):
Appreciate Mark Denman's time. Fun to app doctor Chris sillons
Udo today.

Speaker 2 (01:47:00):
If you missed that hour long conversation, check it out online.
We're gonna let you hear from Coach Wit in the
five o'clock hour. Apparently BYU fans are sad that Coach
Wit didn't want to talk about Bear Bachmeyer. That is
leading a lot of BYU fans to cry and online,
So shout out BYU fans hanging there.

Speaker 3 (01:47:17):
It's it is interesting because you you know that that's
gonna be how Rivalry Week works, right, But it being
there and knowing Kyle and talking to literally being at
every one of his press conferences and interviews, that wasn't
like a petty thing. That wasn't like a trying to
poke the bear in the rivalry. It was actually kind

(01:47:39):
of the opposite where if you remember Spence, he joined
us for a little interview last year and just like
said something generic about conferences and everyone was up in
arms about it, and it was a complete non conversation
about something that Kyle had said and he didn't mean
to do that. He actually was kind of not stoked

(01:48:00):
about it, so I think, and it seemed like this.
This was more like, actually, I'm gonna not go there
in an attempt to just not go there and not
piss anybody off. And of course, yeah, you just can't win.

Speaker 1 (01:48:15):
In a rivalry.

Speaker 2 (01:48:17):
All right, Well hang in there, guys. So it's only Monday.
Gotta pace ourselves here, Yeah, all right, Scott Mitchell, Monday afternoon.
Hello Scott, how are you, sir?

Speaker 6 (01:48:27):
I'm doing wonderful. How are you doing?

Speaker 9 (01:48:28):
Spence?

Speaker 6 (01:48:29):
I didn't understand what happened with coach Whittingham. I do
tell I didn't. I didn't hear this.

Speaker 2 (01:48:34):
We will be playing it in the five o'clock hour
so our listeners can hear it. He was asked about
bear Bachmeyer and his response was he's focusing on his
team and and people are People are mad, Scott because
it's rivalry week and it's Monday, so people are upset.

Speaker 1 (01:48:49):
Good for Kyle all good man.

Speaker 2 (01:48:51):
All right, let's you know what, let's just start here.
I've been asking my guest this today, I'll ask it
all week. You're a man that played for Utah, play
quarterback in very high level. When I say b yu
Utah football. What are some memories that pop in your mind?

Speaker 6 (01:49:06):
Oh, you know, I have so many memories because I've
lived on both sides of this. As a kid growing up,
I was the biggest BYU and the fan, biggest BAU
fan in the world. Giffer Nilssen took me to football camps.
I mean all the way through through high school. Every
summer I was at a football camp with Giffer Nelson.
He was my childhood hero and all of those things.
So and I just followed all of them. You know,

(01:49:29):
Mark Wilson, you know who I know well, and just
think the world of Mark, and of course Steve Young
and and McMahon and the nineteen eighty Holiday Bowl was incredible,
and Kyle Whittingham was actually on that team. And then
the eighty four national Championship BYU team that was an
incredible team for me. And so so I always, you know,

(01:49:52):
I watch I don't know if I can say more
about the you know, when you ask me the question
about both of them. You know, the history of BYU
at that time was just incredible. And Lavelle Edwards, who's
actually a relative of mine. My parents went to BYU,
so so BYU is a team that I cheered for
and then I just I went to Utah and had

(01:50:13):
a very powerful conviction that's where I should go to school.
And had an incredible time at Utah. And you know,
being part of winning a rivalry game when it really hurts,
when it's unexpected, when you know it's been ten years,
which is what happened when we beat Yu. We were

(01:50:34):
we were playing. Okay, you taught we weren't great, but
to beat them, that's and having a rival and that's
what's so great about and that's what I really remember,
and it's fun for me. You know, the Utah fans
who actually remember and remember that game. It's usually the
first thing people bring up to me is I remember
back in nineteen eighty eight when you beat them fifty

(01:50:55):
seven to twenty eight, And that was a special game,
a special day, and something I'll never forget. And of
course now to me what it means is, I'm I'm
just so excited about this game. I don't care about
the rivalry and get in the weeds and all of it.
These are two powerfowl teams in the conference together duking

(01:51:17):
ate out for a chance to go to the Conference
championship and potentially go to the college football playoffs, and
that's what you want to see and that's what matters,
and we all should be really excited about it and
everyone should put their best foot forward this week and
it needs to be an incredible game and you thought
needs to win and life is good.

Speaker 2 (01:51:36):
I remember I was just a pop respectfully in eighty eight, Scott,
But I remember the reason why people always point to
that game is Utah hadn't beat BYU since nineteen seventy nine,
and after BYU won the next four, so that game
was crunched in between two pretty historic BYU runs.

Speaker 1 (01:51:55):
I think that's why it resonates with so many Utah fans.

Speaker 6 (01:52:00):
Yeah, and you know when you're and what I hated
about that time, Spence was b way you had no
respect for us, right, They just they thought they were
going to roll all over us. That all the players said,
you know, this isn't even a rivalry. It doesn't really
mean anything, and it mean everything does we were, And
so to be big brother, to kind of be the

(01:52:22):
underdog and win, that's always what's great about sports. And
to be a part of a game like that is
just always always fun. You know when you aren't expected
to win, and not only do you win, but she
kind of kicked the trash out of them.

Speaker 1 (01:52:35):
Yeah. No, I mean it wasn't even close. It was
certainly it was an ass kicking. So let's look back
at Utah.

Speaker 2 (01:52:41):
Yes, you real quick, the way I've described it today,
Scott As, I was relieved to see Utah do what
they did. I didn't know what to expect. I was
wrong about how I thought the game would play out.
Arizona State came in with a pretty stout run defense,
but very susceptible through the air, so I thought Devin
was gonna have to throw it.

Speaker 1 (01:52:58):
He did not have to throw it because it just
ran over him.

Speaker 2 (01:53:01):
Now, the Levitt news is significant because we've seen Jeff
Simms play college football for six years, and I don't
want to crack on a college kid, but he just
doesn't do a lot well and never really has at
any of his previous stops.

Speaker 1 (01:53:12):
So what impressed you the most?

Speaker 2 (01:53:14):
What stood out most as far as the way Utah
just dismantled ay as you on Saturday.

Speaker 6 (01:53:18):
Night, Well, it was obvious from the very start that
offensive line for Utah was just they were steamrolling and
I mean it was, you know, basically two or three
yards before someone's gonna get touched. And I just felt
like as the game went on, eventually someone's gonna start
popping these runs for big games. And it certainly happened
and really started with Devin dan Pierre and so that

(01:53:40):
offensive line really jumped out of me. But then then
it was Devon and how this is I think the
player everyone expected him to be. Clearly the bye week
was very beneficial to him, and he was just doing
some stuff that was super special and you know, avoiding people,
you know, the pitch on the off with his left hand,

(01:54:02):
the runs, the touchdowns, but also the awareness in the
craziness to get out and protect himself. And I think
he's kind of learned, hey, I need to be healthy
and I need to be at my best or I'm
not going to be the player that I am. And
if I can't run and I can't do all that thing,

(01:54:22):
all that stuff, we're not quite as effective as we
can be. So I loved I loved him being aware
of that in situations because he could have gotten a
lot more yards on you know, two or three of
those runs he had, but he he very cautiously. He
lived to play another down and it was just really
good to see. And then the other thing was Smith Noden,
I mean, Jordan Tyson is he's one of the top

(01:54:46):
four receivers in the country, and they matched up Smith
Node with him, and he went toe to toe and
there was never a big play, and not with the
lack of trying. I mean he had I think he
had sixteen you know, throws at him, so they were
own a ball to Tyson and just miss note, never
gave up a big play, made a lot of just

(01:55:07):
really really good plays and just was very very much
up to the task. But it was the most efficient,
most perfect game I think you could see really across
the board. It was. It was just a really solid,
very statement like win, dominant win for Utah.

Speaker 2 (01:55:27):
Yeah, and it felt like, you know, because look, I
think it's just probably Scott time to say, like Tech
is really good.

Speaker 1 (01:55:33):
They just are.

Speaker 2 (01:55:34):
They're housing everybody, right, So I don't know that it's
any more scenario where we just say Texas Tech is
probably the best team in this conference. It's probably just
time to say they're one of the best teams in
the country. So I don't think that loss is going
to really come back to bite Utah. And certainly if
Tech continues to roll and people that understand that Utah
Tech was actually like a three and a half quarter

(01:55:56):
rock fight, it could actually come back to help Utah
as what I would you know, perceive to be a
beneficial loss. A loss is a loss is a loss.
But I don't think the Tech loss is going to
come back to bite them that much.

Speaker 6 (01:56:08):
Scott Well, I mean, if you want to argue losses
and say they're valuable, look at Texas, look at Notre Dame.
You know, they're two loss teams that are still in
the top twenty five. I don't know how that happens,
but they are. And so yeah, I think people will
look at that to some degree. I think part of
the thing is Utah just hasn't had a lot of exposure,

(01:56:30):
you know, and the little exposure they got, they didn't
really they didn't really shine at all. And of course
Deven Dampier wasn't completely healthy. He was not the player
against Texas Tech as he was at Arizona State, so
that game might be a little bit different in the future.
But yeah, you know, if you're going to lose, lose

(01:56:51):
early in the year. You know, it was Utah's first
conference game, and they're just slowly fighting their way back
and they their destinies in their control, and so you
just keep you just keep playing week after week and
and and let it happen. I mean BYU. You look
at their schedule moving forward, it's it's a it's as

(01:57:11):
tough as it gets in the Big Twelve, and I
think Utah's is very manageable. You know, you're gonna play Cincinnati, who,
You're gonna play Baylor, You're gonna play Kansas. So you've
got some teams that are good, but you certainly winnable games,
and you win those games, and it puts you in
the in the driver's seat to get back to the conference,
to get to the conference championship, I should say so.

Speaker 2 (01:57:33):
On the other side, you know, the the bottom line
is BYU has simply passed every test that has been
put to them.

Speaker 1 (01:57:40):
And that was a gutty comeback win.

Speaker 7 (01:57:41):
Man.

Speaker 2 (01:57:41):
I thought like five different times I thought that game
was over down in Tucson where it can get weird,
and it did get weird, but they get it done
in double overtime. Now, the strength of schedule stuff like
BYU strength of schedule is one of the lowest in
the Big twelve. So it just simply says the data
indicates thus far they have just not played the best

(01:58:02):
of competition. But again, you give a team a credit,
the credit for just doing what they're supposed to do.
Do you feel like you have a grasp on how
good this BYU team is so far?

Speaker 6 (01:58:12):
Not really? I mean you know that, you know, I
don't know how good Colorado is. They kind of struggled
in that game, but they did win it, and there's
something to be said about having to come back and
win games regardless of the competition. Same thing with the
other night of Arizona. So you know, if I'm being
completely candid, and I said this earlier today and I'm

(01:58:33):
gonna say it again, I'm gonna say it all week long,
I believe Utah is a better team. I don't think
it's even a question mark. I think if the team
that showed up on Saturday against Arizona State shows up
in Provo, I really believe Utah will win that game.
I don't think BYU had won or even played a
team as with the talent and ability that Utah has,

(01:58:54):
and so I there. You know, the only thing that
gets funky is it's a rivalry week, and you just
you know, there's factors that go into that. I don't
know how to quantify, you know, what is what is
the impact of a rivalry? Is it? Is it ten points?
Is it five points? Is it twenty point? You know?
And are you home and away? And you know, because
play look, coaches over build this and I kind of

(01:59:16):
like what coach Whittingham said after the game, I don't
want to make too big a deal out of this.
You know, you make too big a deal out of
it as a coach, and then the players play tight
and the coaches coach tight, and you just do stupid
things and and so I you know, if you get
if you take that out of the equation, and hopefully
you can and some years you can, some years you can't.
You do that. You know, Utah should win this football.

(01:59:39):
I mean, I believe that the initial lineup on where
it is now, but I believe you Thaw was favored
and they should be. And you know, and saying you've
got a young freshman quarterback, how does he handle this?
And how mature is he? You know, does because this
is really the biggest and the big you know, the
probably the biggest test. I mean, BA plays sex a second.

(02:00:00):
I just you know, I just think Utah is a
better team.

Speaker 2 (02:00:03):
So the Fox Big Noon kickoff, guys are coming back
to Utah this time they'll be down in provo.

Speaker 1 (02:00:10):
I wonder how.

Speaker 2 (02:00:12):
Does that change, if anything at all, when it comes
to the approach of a player. I mean I've said
this four or five times today, Scott, and I'll continue
to repeat it until game day because I believe it
to be true.

Speaker 1 (02:00:23):
We'll see what the data looks like afterwards.

Speaker 2 (02:00:25):
There's a chance this is the most watched game that
BYU and Utah have ever played in over one hundred meets.
We have a prime time kick we have Fox Big
Noon in town, and we'll see what the number looks
like after the game. But there's a chance this is
the most watched iteration of BYU Utah and the history
of the rivalry. What element does that bring in a

(02:00:46):
play when it comes to preparation, if anything at all,
or if you're a coach or a player, you just
got to keep your head down and make sure you're
practicing hard.

Speaker 6 (02:00:57):
There's kind of you know, it's kind of the play.
And it's kind of the coach because there are some
people that are just like, man, if I need the spotlight,
like I want the spotlight, I want it to be
as big as it possibly can be. And I know
in my career, you know, the big the big game
in the NFL was Monday night football. And I love
Monday night football. Oh my goodness, I love Monday night football.

(02:01:17):
And and and so I I relished that, and and
but some people, oh my, you know, there's there's a nervousness.
And I think there was a little bit of that
when Utah played the first time against Texas Tech, and
the players and the coaches actually admitted it. So this
time around, you want to hope that you've you've learned
from the experience. And you know that I don't know

(02:01:39):
that the big new guys, you know, they're going to
be talking to the b y you guys. And and
what's hard is they're they're around, they're kind of disrupting
your your normal deal. They're at practice, You're aware of them.
You have conversations and meetings and interviews and and they
start blowing smoke, you know, and then and telling you

(02:02:00):
how wonderful and amazing and BYU is you know, undefeated,
and they're all that you know, and and so you
start you start having to answer all that, and it
starts getting in your head, and it starts and it
will mess with you if you let it. But big
games can really propel a player to play like their
very best, or it can it can go the other way.

(02:02:21):
And I believe that happened. Like Logan Fano is like
down the field ten yards on a pass play and
and it just looked like Utah was trying so hard
in that game and really kind of out of their
normal flow and rhythm and and it absolutely can be damaging.
But boy, I just I love them. I'm so I'm
so excited about this game. It's what, you know, it's

(02:02:44):
the best, It's the best possible scenario that you could
ask for if you're a fan of football in the
state of Utah. Your two marquee football programs on a
national stage playing really for a chance to win the
conference and go to the college football playoffs, and that's
never happened, and that that's just that's a huge deal.

(02:03:06):
And and I'm so happy that both of these teams
did what they had to do to be in. You know,
someone didn't screw the pooch and lose the game they
shouldn't and all that stuff, and and you want you
want that in this game where everyone's at their best,
they have their best record, and it means the most
because that's when it's really a rival, because the loser
of this game it's gonna suck. It's gonna sting, it's

(02:03:28):
gonna be a bad thing for a long time.

Speaker 1 (02:03:31):
What's the origin of the term screw the pooch.

Speaker 6 (02:03:35):
I'm not sure I should look it up, but I
just for me, it goes back to uh, uh the Apollo,
you know development, And I guess, and so Gus Grissom
he he he blew the hatch on the on the
Apollo spacecraft when he got to the ground. Basically everyone

(02:03:58):
else was a hero, but Gus scrit some he said,
I screwed the pooch. I so I don't know. I
don't know what that means. I just it's a bad thing.

Speaker 2 (02:04:07):
I have the definition up, and there's a Reddit definition
that I'm gonna leave off.

Speaker 6 (02:04:11):
Air well Ran it's not a good definition of anything.

Speaker 2 (02:04:14):
It simply means, uh, to screw the pooches to make
a bigger humiliating mistake.

Speaker 1 (02:04:19):
That's according to the dictionary.

Speaker 2 (02:04:20):
So we have that. We have that covered now, Scott.
Let me ask you this. We always make a big
deal of, like all of these coaches know each other, right.

Speaker 1 (02:04:28):
It's different now with the It's different with.

Speaker 2 (02:04:31):
The rosters because both of these schools and both of
these football programs have expanded their recruiting footprint nationwide. So
there's just a lot of out of state kids that
didn't grow up playing against each other. But the coaches
they know each other. Does that matter at all? I mean,
as far as you know uh Kilani coaching for Kyle
and knowing his style and vice versa, does that come

(02:04:51):
into play at all?

Speaker 6 (02:04:53):
I think it does to some degree because you were
creatures of habit and we we kind of in in
a pressure situation or even just in a certain situation.

Speaker 11 (02:05:04):
A lot of times we fall back to certain norms
and you.

Speaker 6 (02:05:08):
Know, I sit and watch BYU play or watch Utah play,
and I know, Okay, in this situation, this is probably
going to happen, just because that's how these coaches coach,
and they're they're aware of it. They're they're also aware
of like the weekly conversations. You know what they these
coaches know exactly what the other coach is saying about

(02:05:29):
this week. And I do know this that they all,
regardless of.

Speaker 11 (02:05:34):
Their relationship or their their familiarity with one another, they
want to win this.

Speaker 6 (02:05:39):
Game so bad.

Speaker 11 (02:05:40):
Now publicly they'll they'll be one way, but behind closed doors, boy,
this this one as a coach means way, way, way,
much more than probably any other other game.

Speaker 2 (02:05:51):
Do you have any insight on the way Wit approaches
this week? There are all these stories out there from
former players and people that seem to have knowledge of
just how different this week is when it comes to
Wit himself.

Speaker 1 (02:06:03):
Do you have any insight there?

Speaker 6 (02:06:05):
So my insight to some degree is from Kyle in
just conversations that we've had, or you know, Kyle, I
used to play golf quite a bit and we don't
anymore because I'm my golf game is just horrendous. But

(02:06:26):
we've talked about this before and he says, oh, I
just I can't lose that game, like I just can't
lose that game. And so I know how much it
means to him. But I know from other players they say,
oh no, there is there is a definite different feeling
in the building that week, and there's a sense of

(02:06:47):
urgency and there's a sense of whatever it takes, whatever
we have to do, we cannot lose this game, all right.

Speaker 1 (02:06:56):
So you referenced the line.

Speaker 2 (02:06:58):
It opened up at three and a half, and it
has stated three and a half. Nobody's touching it, you know,
barring some sort of two thousand and four talent gap
when Utah just curb stomped BYU because there was just
a much better team. These things are always close and
it's usually weird.

Speaker 1 (02:07:18):
Do you feel like that line's about right? I mean,
we had.

Speaker 2 (02:07:22):
Riley Jensen on earlier said if the rivalry dynamic wasn't
a part of this matchup and these were two teams
on a neutral field, he thinks Utah is about fourteen
points better than BYU. But again, with all of the
things we've discussed, now weird it can get before I
set you lose just three and a half, feel right,
what are your thoughts?

Speaker 9 (02:07:42):
It actually doesn't to me, even with the rivalry. I
think with Utah that Texas Tech game had an impact
and it was one of those games that kind of
was a wake up call, and this team seems pretty
dialed in and focused, and I think they're kind of
over the big newness of things, and you know, a
lot of times the players. I just I just think

(02:08:05):
Utah is a better team, I really do. And I
think they've played better teams to prepare for this.

Speaker 6 (02:08:12):
And I so, I know, I do get your point,
and I know it's a thing I wish I knew
what the value of a rivalry was, like, is it
worth ten points? Is it worth more if you're the
home team? You know, to get more value at home
as a way, you know, But I know there, I
know there's a factor there. But some years it isn't.

(02:08:33):
Some years it just has no impact on things and
and one team just kind of goes through it. But
more than not, it does factor into I just I
feel like this is a year where it's not going
to though.

Speaker 2 (02:08:45):
Do you have a final score prediction you'd like to
lay on the listeners?

Speaker 1 (02:08:48):
Are you going to save that for your show?

Speaker 6 (02:08:50):
I don't care. Let me think about it. I really,
I mean, I think it's fourteen to seventeen points more
for Utah. Yeah, so let's just say thirty one to seventeen.

Speaker 2 (02:09:02):
Thirty one seventeen, all right, Scott, appreciate the time. Gonna
be a fun week, so appreciate the perspective. We'll chat too.

Speaker 6 (02:09:09):
You got a buddy, Thank you.

Speaker 2 (02:09:10):
Scott Mitchell, former Utah quarterback who was the quarterback under
center for one of the most famous Utah wins over
BYU of all time, back on November.

Speaker 1 (02:09:20):
The nineteenth, nineteen eighty eight.

Speaker 2 (02:09:23):
BYU came into that game having beat Utah nine straight
times I believe for five, six, seven, eight, nine, and
then after that BYU won the next four. So that
was the one win over a fifteen year stretch that
Utah actually won and it was an ass kicking and
Scott was under center, so a legend for that. Two
minutes past the hour of five o'clock.

Speaker 1 (02:09:44):
Lovely day to day. I had a good little weekend forecast.

Speaker 2 (02:09:48):
I'll dip a little bit during the middle portion of
the week, but it looks like we are headed for
nice weather both Saturday and Sunday. So BYU Utah down
in Provo coming up on Saturday night at six o'clock. Reminder,
our pregame coverage for the Holy War will begin at
two o'clock with Porter taking care of you in that direction,
and obviously Bill, Scott and Sli'll have a call for

(02:10:10):
you here on your home of you. It's at six
o'clock Fox Big Neon kickoff is in town for the event,
so Urban Meyer and the gang will be here for
the second time in the past like month. Not sure
that's ever happened before. Monday Night Football. Complete your Week
six of the NFL. We're about fifteen minutes away from
kickoff in Atlanta, where the Bills and the Falcons will
do battle. You'll hear the later game on our station,

(02:10:32):
which is Chicago against Washington Bears taking on the Commanders.
Doctor Chris Hill will join us live in studio to
talk some rivalry week memories. But as we are wont
to do on a Monday during a game week, just
in case you missed it, we'll let you hear from
the head ball coach himself.

Speaker 1 (02:10:49):
Here's Kyle waiting him.

Speaker 7 (02:10:51):
Was very efficient with throwing the football. Let's see. Defensively
played exceptionally well. In addition, tackled pretty good, played really
good pass coverage. I think that was really you know,
if you highlight what happened on defense, I would say
it was the secondary and the corners in particular with

(02:11:12):
their pass coverage, had a lot of man coverage, and
they were tested quite a bit up the field and
held up just about every time. We had a couple
of pi's And you know, it wasn't perfect, but very
very pleased and thought it was our best game as
a secondary on Saturday night. Especially teams was solid. They
did really good things. Had a nice punt return by
Mona Carvallo, blocked the field goal. That blockfield goal is

(02:11:35):
a was a big play in the game and we're
just on the verge of us scooping and scoring it
and but we just couldn't quite get a handle on it.
But anyway, it negated a scoring opportunity for them and
and really gave us a little momentums boost. We already
had momentum, but increased it. Came out of the game healthy.

(02:11:56):
That was a positive. What else happened in that game
a bunch of sacks and we have got credited for
five sacks, which is more like us we had. Uh,
you hadn't been sacking the quarterback at our usual rate
this year, but that gave us a boost there, and uh, yeah,
overall was a very positive night and and uh a

(02:12:16):
game that that uh, you know, our guys really had
prepared outstanding. Uh you know for as far as the
bye week and the and then the game week there
it was. It was really excellent preparation and great attitude,
great leadership, and the coaches did a nice job. Very
proud of the offensive the offensive staff, defensive staff for
their plans. And uh really we're ruting the money with

(02:12:40):
h with the strategy and and uh bottom line good
to get to win. So uh it's rivalry week, got
to go on the road. I guess it's gonna be
uh a big newon kickoff will be there, even though
it's not the big new game of the week, it's
they'll be uh down there and and uh so we
have a I have to have a great we could

(02:13:00):
practice as always between the two teams, there's a lot
of similarities statistically, uh, both rushing for roughly the same amount,
throwing for roughly the same amount, scoring roughly the same amount. Defensively,
there's a lot of similarities as well. Uh, both in
the upper third of the conference in most of the
key stats. And so should make for a great matchup

(02:13:22):
and and uh away we go questions justice Okay, gotcha.

Speaker 12 (02:13:33):
Uh, he says, Uh great round Saturday, it is possibly
being in the last wide or again, will you please
get playing moments been playing?

Speaker 7 (02:13:44):
Which okay, Well, UH remains to be seen that the
first part of your assumption. But UH, I always prefer playing.
I don't think you've come across anybody that was a
player and a coach that that wouldn't give you the
same answer. When you're in the area and you're playing,
and and UH in the fray there there's nothing like it,

(02:14:05):
and so UH coaching is the second best thing. But UH,
if I had a choice, there's no doubt that UH
rather be participating as a player rather than a coach. Cool.

Speaker 13 (02:14:16):
You're in a in the middle of a rare stretch
for you get six straight weeks inside the state of Utah.

Speaker 7 (02:14:22):
Is there any advantage or.

Speaker 1 (02:14:23):
Benefit that you can see just being in to stay
and state.

Speaker 9 (02:14:25):
That long and not having to be on the road.

Speaker 7 (02:14:27):
Well, I guess that means that part of the season
we're on the road quite a bit. I mean it
all balance is out and so I don't, as I
said many times before, I don't really pay much attention
to the schedule other than just tell us who we
play when and where and and that's that's pretty much it.
And so but as it's kind of a unique situation,
I'll agree with you on that. And uh I think, yeah,
the less you know, travel, the better. If you had

(02:14:50):
your choice and uh, you know, not having to to
uh get on an airplane for a while, I think
is a is a is should be a positive for
a team.

Speaker 5 (02:15:00):
Had the opportunity of the league this all season.

Speaker 13 (02:15:02):
What was it said about man that he stayed here
at Utah and then how Halls did?

Speaker 7 (02:15:08):
Yeah, well, lots of people had the opportunity to leave
Smith Smith one of them, and that's pretty much standard
in the industry now. But uh, Smith, it's a big
part of our program. Uh he played maybe his best
football on Saturday night. We're we're elated that he's with
us still and uh you know how close he was
leaving that. You know that may be overblown a little bit,

(02:15:30):
but uh, he's he's a very good player for us,
and and uh we're like I said, glad he's on
our football team and and does a lot of good
things for us.

Speaker 6 (02:15:39):
What did you see from me?

Speaker 9 (02:15:40):
Where you quarter back or Brocke?

Speaker 7 (02:15:42):
You know, I'm just gonna focus on us this week.
Our guys our coaches. So I'm not gonna give much
thought of 'em on the opponent this week.

Speaker 6 (02:15:49):
And so.

Speaker 7 (02:15:51):
Really you have to ask them, you know what what
they think of Bear.

Speaker 8 (02:15:54):
So you say that.

Speaker 7 (02:16:02):
What's on your mind? Sparky? You are way to have
Europe euro Where do you girls?

Speaker 12 (02:16:12):
Uh have the anil and all that that you would
see a time when the top twenty five flag.

Speaker 7 (02:16:18):
Seeing a lot of Are you not seeing that?

Speaker 6 (02:16:20):
Now?

Speaker 9 (02:16:21):
I'm where have you seen that?

Speaker 7 (02:16:22):
Yes, particular in the Big twelve? Oh who's leading the
Big twelve right now? Who's the team to be? Texas Tech?
Who had the most budget by far? Texas Tech? So
I think yes. Short answer is yeah, I think we're
seeing that play out. And uh, it's not a complaint.
It's not a you know, uh, you know Tech, you

(02:16:42):
just have all the money. It's not fair that they're
congratulations to them. They're committed and winning and so uh,
it is playing out within the conference as well as
on the national scene.

Speaker 13 (02:16:55):
Coach, Uh, what you cherish your thoughts on Spencer and
moment coun and what they mean to you in in
your game program.

Speaker 7 (02:17:01):
Tremendous players, tremendous people, captains, both of them. That says
a lot about That says a ton about what our
our UH players think of them, cause the players vote
for those captains, both high caliber players. You know, it's
been well documented at Spence's uh potentially a first round
draft choice and Logan, in my opinions not far behind,

(02:17:22):
were UH blessed to have them in our program. They
they they do so many good things for us, uh
on and off the field, and UH they're really uh
instrumental to our success.

Speaker 5 (02:17:33):
Both those guys, Kyle Tamper has been a hot topic
in college football and uh huhsm as part of this rivalry,
given guys are transferred back and forth.

Speaker 1 (02:17:43):
I'm just curious, you know, with.

Speaker 12 (02:17:45):
With teams with so much money and and obviously indirect
sources from buay you and other players and uh uh.

Speaker 5 (02:17:52):
Programs across the nation, does that I, I guess, enhance
the states.

Speaker 12 (02:17:55):
Of the rivalry or kind of give you guys an
edge in that landscape.

Speaker 7 (02:17:59):
I don't know that this is an edge, and I
haven't done the math. I don't know if we've lost
more going down there or vice versa. I couldn't tell you.
I probably should be able to tell you, but I can't.
But you know, I just think that you know, you
focus and win with the players that you have. You
focus on those guys. You can't worry about who's not here,
who was here. And that's an old norm. Chow Accually

(02:18:22):
he told me that, I see, you know, just worry
about the guys that you have, and win with the
guys that you have, and don't worry about anybody else. Kid,
there's there's a lot of coaching connect something of right,
sure are Yeah.

Speaker 11 (02:18:34):
Plenty's talks about without.

Speaker 14 (02:18:37):
How much of a mentor you've been to him and
been his progression as a coach and his coaching cur
and w in what ways have you tried to mentor
your uh former assistance and your current assistance to help
them be soup?

Speaker 7 (02:18:50):
Well, you know, as the head coach, that's your responsibility
to to mentor your staff. A lot of them don't
need much mentoring. A really good coaches just on their
own they stand alone. But but but uh, you're right,
there's a lot of uh coaches down there that were here,
Uh grateful for what they gave us while they were here.
They were all outstanding for us and and did a
an excellent job and uh you know, Claunie is a

(02:19:13):
good friend of mine. There's no that's no secret. And
uh he's uh you know, he's he's become an outstanding
head coach and and uh you know that's just you know,
back to your original questions, is you know you want
to do everything you can as a coach to help
your assistance progress. Uh, you know, get you know, get

(02:19:34):
to the next level whatever that may be, coordinator, head
coach somewhere else, you know, whatever the case may be.
I think that's a an obligation and and rue of
the core responsibilities as of a head coach is to
is to try to get his staff to be able
to uh excel and and progress.

Speaker 10 (02:19:51):
How there's a time when both of you guys were
in the amount of west where both sides were kind
of kind of right for the rapid camper down that's here,
pretty attention to the fan bases, and then you went
your separate ways, and you know, the games weren't as significant.
Now that you're back in the same conference, the intensity
the last year's game obviously have taken into consideration. Do
you feel like the library is back to that that

(02:20:13):
same intensity it was?

Speaker 7 (02:20:15):
Yeah, I think it's always been intense, uh for sure,
and confidence conference implications certainly add to it. And you're right,
there was a period of time there where where we
weren't in the same conference. I think in the past,
when we're in the Mountain West and the game being
held in the last slot of the uh the season,
last game of the season, that that added to it
as well. Right as of right now, it's not the case.

(02:20:37):
It's what are we dead center and just about in
the season, And so I think, uh, you know, it's
almost the same as it was when the Mountain West.
Uh it wasn't you know when we were in there,
but uh, just not quite because you know, the build
up throughout the entire year to having the last game
is a little bit different than played right in the middle,
in my opinion, so.

Speaker 12 (02:20:58):
Kind of Uh, Parker is averaging a story saying four
yards per carry than Rogers. Rogers routine is getting more
carys in a game, and I wonder maybe his statistics
don't tell the whole story wide carry.

Speaker 13 (02:21:12):
Game way out.

Speaker 7 (02:21:13):
Yeah, that's a good question, and we've analyzed that ourselves
and and uh, you know, the short version is Rogers
is in on a lot of short yards he's he's
really good downhill, get a couple of yards when you
need him, which is gonna hurt your yards per carry
because if you're giving him the ball on third and one,
fourth and one in the goal line, you know, the
deep deep in the red zone, that's gonna affect your

(02:21:33):
yards per carry. But we really like them both. I
mean they're one in one a in our opinion. And uh, way,
Sean has been hampered a little bit physically and so
not ready ready to h or wasn't in the past
ready to carry a heavy, heavy load. But but he's
feeling better now and and uh, you know, he's certainly
been really productive for us. And uh, the best answer

(02:21:54):
I can give you is the a lot of the
Knox carries or in those short yards goal line situations
would lend itself to you less less yards per carry.

Speaker 1 (02:22:04):
Colin cre Is, your thoughts on your regis run defense
so far?

Speaker 3 (02:22:06):
Obviously last week the leap from the leaders you can
get conference when rushing.

Speaker 1 (02:22:10):
How would you assess the you know, the run defense
so far.

Speaker 7 (02:22:13):
As often five out of the six weeks really good.
You know, with the tech game, we weren't very good
h defending the run. And and uh, I'm a big
believer that, you know, physicality wins games. And if you
can impose your will and run the ball on people
and defend the run on defense, your chances of winning
go way up. And that's that's something that we uh
strive to do. Is we sting you against the run

(02:22:33):
on on defense and be able to run it on
oer And when we're doing that, we're pretty darn good.
And when we're not, we're pretty average.

Speaker 10 (02:22:41):
Last year, you guys obviously to to move the ball.

Speaker 7 (02:22:44):
This year, you're one of the most efficient offenses in
the country. Is it as simple as Jason back and
then Dom here kind of what goes into that whole
recipe that that's allows you so well, that's a big
part of it. You know, those two are a b
a big part of what we're doing and a big
part of the reason for our success.

Speaker 9 (02:23:00):
Uh.

Speaker 7 (02:23:00):
Pointing back to the offensive line. Obviously, still as high
on the offensive line now as I was at the
beginning of the season, and they really played their best
game this past week, and so I think that, uh,
you know, it's uh a combination of of having an
outstanding old line, Jason's scheme and play calling. Uh, Devon's
dynamic ability, uh you know, with the quarterback position, and

(02:23:24):
so I think that uh is probably the you know,
the reason that we're we're having a success on the offense.

Speaker 9 (02:23:29):
Uh.

Speaker 13 (02:23:30):
Devon and so many other players have never played in
this robberies before, just for transfers.

Speaker 7 (02:23:35):
Yeah, how do you uh, I.

Speaker 13 (02:23:35):
Guess approach this week educating players on the intensity, you know,
the atmosphere and all that.

Speaker 1 (02:23:41):
Given there's some of the good players.

Speaker 7 (02:23:43):
Yeah, well, first of all, the half that have played
in this game or or I've been in the program
uh at least m uh more than a year, and
do a good job of educating the guys on on
what the rivalry is all about. We also take a
small uh segment of the team meeting on Monday, which
will happen today, uh, educating the new guys uh a
little bit of the history. It's not a long extensive thing,

(02:24:04):
but just the history of the rivalry and more, uh,
you know, just the tradition and what's happened in the past,
and and uh just how uh you know, uh, just
on a national scene. It's it's one of the better
rivalries in the country in my opinion, and so we do. Uh,
we do take a few minutes in a team meeting,
have a presentation and uh try to do the best

(02:24:25):
we can to educate 'em. But that's not nearly as
important as practicing well and studying your film and and
uh the game plan and all that stuff. But but
it certainly is a part of it.

Speaker 14 (02:24:33):
Two more data than Steve.

Speaker 10 (02:24:35):
How the similiarity on both sides with churching staffs is
that kind of a wash as far as you know
your philosophy, they know your philosophy. The players of crossovers there.

Speaker 7 (02:24:45):
Uh is that or is there any advantage of the No,
I would say you hit on the head.

Speaker 1 (02:24:49):
It's a it's a wash.

Speaker 7 (02:24:50):
I mean, we we both know each other so well
and and uh it's uh, I don't see advantage one
side or the other as far as uh the dynamic,
that dynamic goes.

Speaker 13 (02:25:00):
So you talk about the deck here feeling better, and uh,
I'd be curious to get your thoughts on the prioritizing
more rest this season because of this next stressure.

Speaker 7 (02:25:12):
Yeah, we have uh definitely done that, and we did
it more so in the bye week than we've ever done.
As far as downtime, I think it paid off. I
think our guys were completely fresh in the game on Saturday,
and uh, that's uh. And with the numbers, your roster
number is gonna keep shrinking until it gets to one
oh five because that's what the new limit. The only
reason you can be above that is if your grandfather.

(02:25:34):
You have grandfather players that don't count against that cap.
But we're still about ten players below where we usually are,
and then next year we'll probably be eight or ten
players less and eventually in a year or two get
to that one oh five. And so preservation is a key.
You know, you have you So it's not like the
NFL we can make a trade or have a waiver
wire to pick guys up on and we got who
we got and you know, along with everybody else obviously.

(02:25:55):
And so I think that's a trend that you see
pretty much across the country is that you better be
careful with how physical you are in practice and what
you do because you got limited resources, limited players, and
you better take care of them. And it's not like
we used to beat them to a pulp, but we
certainly had more. Yeah, yeah, good call.
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