3 Guys Before The Game - UCF Game Preview (Episode 666)

It’s not a matchup that will dominate the national headlines, but Saturday’s meeting between West Virginia and UCF carries plenty of importance for both programs.
 
Like the Mountaineers, the Knights are pressing reset—welcoming back Scott Frost for a second stint as head coach. Both teams are navigating the growing pains that come with major roster overhauls and culture shifts.
 
When the dust settles in Morgantown, one side will finally notch its first Big 12 victory of the season.
In this episode, the “Guys” dig into the storylines, analytics, and matchups that will define the game.
 
Listener questions and comments wrap things up on Textual Healing.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
We are back.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome in everyone. It's time for three Guys before the game.
This is episode number six hundred and sixty six.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
This is alright, what's up? Go ahead? I don't want
to mention. I don't want to draw any more attention
to it. To what six sixty six?

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Oh, it is six hundred and sixty six. I guess
that would be six sixty six. That's a big startover, startover?
Is that a big deal?

Speaker 3 (00:33):
Start over?

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Three Guys before the Game is brought to us by
Gomart Get a Gomart rewards card, immediately begins saving on
food and fuel by Lou Wendell Marine Sales in Saint Albans.
They sell family fund. Visit Lou Wendelmarnes Sales dot com.
Six hundred and sixty six. Three Guys brought to us
by Tutors Biscuit World, Start your day the homemade way

(00:55):
with a Tutor's Biscuit by Comac's Business Systems, keeping West
Virginia's business to save secure and efficient for twenty five years,
and by Jan Dill's attorney said law they won't take
no for an answer. Also spreads on stats coming up.
Brought to us by Conley's CPA Group providing value beyond numbers.

Speaker 3 (01:15):
My sponsored yet. By the way, don't worry about that.
We've probably screwed the numbering system up somewhere. This might
be like seven thirteen, you know what.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
You're right, Yeah, so be it sort of like tackles.
There is veriackles a guy had like, yeah, thirteen, Tackles
really had nine.

Speaker 2 (01:38):
There's a very good probability that over the last eight
years at some point we've miscounted. So this probably actually
isn't six hundred and sixty six, just to make it fifth.
If you're stressing out about that, don't worry about it.
It probably isn't.

Speaker 3 (01:51):
Real quick point of clarification because West Virginia hasn't played
since the Bowl game last year. So this that we're
doing over unders today, preseason over unders we're doing.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Here's a reminder, this is the twenty twenty five season.
But it does seem We came in the studio they
we said, like, why does it seem like it's been
two and a half years since West Virginia last played
a game? I think it was probably because it was
a Friday, Yeah, so you had that whole Saturday and
then just like it felt like a long time ago.

Speaker 3 (02:16):
Yeah, played three quarters away around the world. It's like
two different stays.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
And because there's college football every day, there's been like
one hundred and fifty games have been played since you last.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
Which is kind of nice. Oh yeah, I do kind
of like that, you know.

Speaker 2 (02:28):
So here we go back onto the road for the
Mountaineers coming off of this off week. These guys oftentimes
talk about situational advantages, and again you're just kind of
poking around trying to the fact that the ucf ors
are playing their fifth straight game. At least, it's not
going to hurt you that you've had the bye week, right, No,

(02:49):
it's going to help you hope.

Speaker 1 (02:51):
You hope, No, you hope.

Speaker 3 (02:54):
Well, on paper it should help. That is a situational event.
You would prefer it to be at home because generally
you don't get situational advantages on the road. But I
do agree, Tony, you're off a bye they are not.
They've played five games in a Rosie mentioned they've lost
three in a row. So this will be about as
good a spot as you can get. If you're West Virginia,
go take your swing. See if it helps you. Obviously,

(03:14):
why are you grimacing.

Speaker 1 (03:15):
I'm not no, I just well, why do you have
a tie on? I had to do something this morning? Okay,
I had another assignment this morning.

Speaker 2 (03:24):
You're the busiest retired guy I've ever seen in the
win they brad facts. Yeah, you're on seven different boards.
Now I think you're the mayor at a couple of
different West Virginia cities. I mean, that's quite amazing.

Speaker 1 (03:33):
This is a highlight of my day though.

Speaker 2 (03:35):
Well, thank you. It's the same, same with us, same
with us. Okay, time now, ladies and gentlemen for the
unsponsorable hoppies. Obvious observations. Obviously, what do you have?

Speaker 1 (03:45):
This is the doppel Ganger Bowl? You know, look alike? Right?
One team has a coach in his first year who
previously coached there. The other team has a first year
head coach, Brad who previously coached there are neither team
has a conference win. There have been in between these
two teams. There have been like nine quarterbacks that have
been played that have played. You don't know which quarterback

(04:07):
is starting for either team or which quarterbacks are gonna play?
Should I go on each team? If you listen to
coaches press conference, they talk about boy, we just are
making mistakes too many mistakes, can't make plays. So there
are in Brad. I know you'll get into specifics to
point out there are distinct differences, but there are similarities situationally.

(04:27):
Now let me go into the situation. I like this
situation a lot Tony. As you pointed out. Week off,
they've played five games in a row, coming off a
lost to Cincinnati where they did not score a touchdown
till the last two minutes of the game. So even
though they you know, move the ball up and down
the field, they didn't score a touchdown till late. I
don't mind the road trip because it's you know, Central Florida.

(04:47):
I'm sorry, UCF, it's Orlando, and it's not that big
of a trip. West Virginia fans are gonna be there,
and sometimes it's good to get away from home. Sometimes
it's just good, you know, and focused entirely on the game.

Speaker 2 (05:00):
Last time West Virginia was there, Good West Virginia's two
years ago. Good West Virginia contingent of crowds, there's no
question about it.

Speaker 1 (05:07):
So I think situational and I know you're seven seven
and a half dog there, but I but I like
the situation a lot. I've built myself in the two
weeks into a into a childlike optimism for this game.
And you know, Rich Rodriguez said something interesting in his
Prescott's right at the end. He said, this is a
chance for a fresh start. Now one of two things.

(05:29):
Either the team is like okay, whether they're not bought in,
or it is in fact a fresh start, Henry Ford
said the car guy. Car Guy said, failure is the
opportunity to begin again more intelligently. Now, think about that,
because what do.

Speaker 3 (05:48):
You think pretty appropriate?

Speaker 2 (05:49):
Shout youpt that? How do you get that quote?

Speaker 1 (05:51):
Google? But Brad, think about what zach Ally said talking
about just correcting mistakes, getting eyes in the right places, okay,
trying to get eleven guys doing the right thing. So
it's a chance, it is, in fact a chance to
do better. So I think you can find a lot
of reasons to be optimistic going into this game.

Speaker 2 (06:13):
I also think, if I may interject, of course, it's
also a chance.

Speaker 1 (06:16):
To do less. Okay, okay, okay.

Speaker 2 (06:19):
Coach Rodriguez during his talk show this week, and you
also mentioned this during his press conference on Tuesday that
I think defensively once again, they've been suffering through some
paralysis by analysis. So dumb it down and let guys
just have a simple script. Okay, this is what we're doing.
Just keep doing that. A little bit of that as well,

(06:42):
so you don't I mean, we had some we've had
some big blown assignments, and so let's get guys at
least in the right spot and then play.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
Yeah, get be in the right spot. Do what your
coach to do. Stop peaking in the if you're a
defensive back, stop peaking in the backfield. And Zach howly
talked about that. If you listen to Frost, Brad, you
know they got to like seventy new players. They're making
mistakes all over the place. They do. They got all
kinds of issues, a lot of penalties, mispasses, guys in

(07:09):
the wrong spot. They're dealing with some of the same
issues like a first year head coach with a lot
of new players. Zach Alley's worried about you CF's team speed, Brad.
I'll know you'll get into that. You see f's quarterback
situation will get into that. Fansher played the last game,
ran the ball twenty times twenty times in that game.
It's almost like he's Khalil Wilkins running the balls so
much so they got you know, quarterback situations. They got

(07:33):
a good running back, Miles Montgomery. Their defense is a
concern for West Virginia, Brad. I know you'll talk about that.
They ranked fifth in the league, giving up just eighteen
points a game by comparison to West Virginia's giving up twenty
nine points a game. So that would I guess that
would be a good on bad They have a good
defense of fast defense. West Virginia is struggling offensively, so
that might be they're good on our bed so but

(07:54):
still obvious observations, doppel ganger situation, but you can find
some reasons for optimism. Did everything he say kind of
could deal with what you're thinking?

Speaker 3 (08:06):
Obviously, Yeah, I'm off to a bad start in this show.
I should I should have known better. My opening statement
was too obvious. He just took it. I should have
known better. I should have known that's where we were
going to go. I think you're exactly right that that
is what jumps out to me. The similarities where these
two programs are add in there. Guys, both are in
bad need of a win, badly need a win. Right,
They're both. They also are known when these when these

(08:27):
two programs under these coaches had it going, both known
for fast tempo and just speed by the different players, right,
that was part of this this group as well. So yeah,
hop I'm with you. It's almost like that meme you
see the two spider Mans pointing at each other with
these two two programs where they are in their situations,
and it's which one of these can can come out
on top.

Speaker 1 (08:46):
You know, and think about this. This game is on
no one's national radar, right, No one cares about this game,
but it is hugely important to these two teams.

Speaker 3 (08:56):
Yeah, because you're right, because both are looking down the
schedule of this Big twelve and saying, all right, where
where do the wins come from?

Speaker 1 (09:02):
Right?

Speaker 3 (09:02):
And that's why I think both these these squads are
pointed to each other across the field and each should
feel like this is their opportunity to get a win.
The line did surprise me. I had in the summer,
if all things were being equal, West Virginia, you might
have gone in as a slight favorite in this one,
one of the few they were going to be favored
in all year to come in is more than a touchdown.
Underdog was a little bit concerning, But I see where

(09:22):
you got that way based on the numbers, But that
was a little bit surprising when that opened.

Speaker 2 (09:27):
Yeah, totally in with you on the fact that this game,
this game does not move the national radar meter at all. However,
as we both know, both of these programs are in
similar situations of trying to become resurgent from where they
were to where they.

Speaker 1 (09:44):
Want to go, and both have had success.

Speaker 2 (09:47):
Yeah, so while this won't move it nationally internally, both
of these programs are going to really get a good
definition as to where they are. Right The team that
wins kind of comes away and says, you know what,
we're on the uptick. The team that loses it looks
at it and goes like, man, we got a ton
that we still have to get done here. And so

(10:07):
it's very very very interesting, very intriguing game to.

Speaker 3 (10:11):
Me, both searching for offensive identities, what is it that
they can do well? And I think that's one of
the intriguing parts if you're looking for something for this
back half of the season for West Virginia, I think
now it's certainly about still trying to win games, but
it's also about finding out who's going to be around
next year, who performs well enough for this coaching staff
to go you know what, you know, who showed a

(10:31):
little bit there, not just in an effort, but some
skill wise. And I think that starts for West Virginia
guys at the quarterback position. Absolutely, you're going to see Wilkins,
You're going to see Fox. What do those guys look
like over the final six games as they get more
reps both in practice and in game situation. So that
goes for the whole team, but in particular, I think
we're watching the quarterbacks pretty.

Speaker 2 (10:49):
Closely too, and both of those guys. Right, it's back
to back road games, so that never hurts you as well.
But let's face it, just stadium size wise, it will
not be as inside the Bounce House as it was
at BYU, which again my early my recency bias, but
I mean that was that was off the chart, good electricity, electricity,

(11:12):
So you should be more comfortable if you're Scottie Fox
or if you're Khalil Wilkins. At this point, you've had
two weeks literally to watch that tape to make yourself better.
So to me, That's also another big thing that makes
it intriguing. How much better can you get after watching
yourself perform and it's there. I mean, I think those
guys all have the ability to, you know, make plays

(11:33):
and to move this offense. But at this point, this
offense just has not moved. When it happens, I think
we're all going to take a collective deep breath and go, Okay, finally,
right what we're known for as rich as a rich
Rodriguez office. You haven't seen it yet. I mean it's
shown these like tea in six games. There have been
these very small little flashes of what it will look

(11:54):
like once it gets going. To me, this offense has
kind of been like a car and you're in neutral
and you keep hitting the gas and the engine revs
up and you go like, but when's it gonna move?

Speaker 1 (12:04):
Right?

Speaker 2 (12:05):
You see it, You understand the concept of it, but
until it goes started like a rhythm of boom boom,
you know, and they quick out ball six yards, guy
runs for four yards, move the chains another first time.
That's when this thing goes And it hasn't happened yet.

Speaker 3 (12:19):
But it's been hard to get that continuity because as
the car's going down the road. All of a sudden
the driver, the quarterback, jumps out and the car's rolling
towards the cliff guys, So the next driver has to
run and jump in and then quick jerking the wheel
so it doesn't go off off the road. Right, So
he's just trying to keep the thing on the road.
He's on the wrong side of the road. Cars are
coming out. You're just trying to avoid the crash. And

(12:40):
then all of a sudden he jumps out and another
guy has to jump in and navigate the next cliff and.

Speaker 2 (12:45):
Never get that gets in the cars. After a while,
he goes, I'm not driving anymore. I'm not driving anymore.
There goes Nico, I'm not driving anymore. There goes Jalen Henderson,
I'm not driving anymore. There goes Jehem White, I'm not
driving anymore. That goes Jade and Bray. Right, you just
build this list. This list is I mean, you know
you're going to have injuries in football, it's just not
a matter of if, it's just when.

Speaker 1 (13:04):
And then the other one is.

Speaker 2 (13:05):
Who, Okay, if you would take and I say to you, okay,
what's the worst case scenario? Back in August. What's the
worst case scenario as far as injuries. So I'd go
like Nico Markile, Jalen Henderson, Jame White and Jade and Bray.
I'd go like, you can't lose those guys. You just
can't lose those guys. And yet that has.

Speaker 3 (13:22):
Happened, and add Ti Edwards into that. I mean, I
don't think I'll say it anymore because for how many
weeks now have I been going, well, hope ty Edwards
is healthy this week looks so good against good against Pitt.
Hope to have him back this week. You learn he's
down seeing a specialist in Alabama. So that doesn't sound
good in the short term nor the long term. So
you've got to move on that. And again, guys, I
think we've moved right past remember night and the transfer

(13:43):
from SMU at running back was supposed to be in
there to split carries with jam Hite. He never even
saw the field. I feel like that's a that's a
bigger story than what we've made it because you never
saw him and White started off okay, so you just
kind of moved past him. But you're down to running
back number four as well, four and running back for
on a team that was trying to find its way

(14:04):
with QB one and running back one. Yeah, no, wonder
it looks so disjointed right now.

Speaker 2 (14:08):
Right now, you're going into this game and Tyler Jacklitch
is really your number four running back at this point.
He came to the he joined the team in the
middle of August practices, and he's and he is the
big back now, like when they need a big back
situation on Saturday, he'll be the guy that they run
in there. That's that's how tenuous this has become.

Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah, it's it's wild. So I don't think that's a surprise.
That's why I think you're you're just looking now at
this point there's one at least for our perspective. I
get that Rich and the coaching staff isn't thinking this
way at all. Hoppy, They're trying to win on Saturday.
I understand that. But for the rest of us, as
you're trying to look for next season to get a
head start, or just from a roster management standpoint, what's

(14:49):
this thing going to look like? Are you back to
eighty two new guys again next year? Can you get
the number down to sixty? Are you at fifty. Where
exactly are you? I think becomes just a critical point
or quot question as we move through the final six games.

Speaker 1 (15:02):
Yeah, and you mentioned quarterback. You got to figure that
this is almost like spring practice in some respects. You think, Okay,
we're not going to which one of these guys will stay?
And do we want to stay for next year? You
got to start. I'm sure they're thinking about that too
as this process goes on.

Speaker 3 (15:18):
Yes, but go down the position groups. I think that's
every position group is open for that discussion. Offensive line
is a massive question mark. Again, I'll keep asking the
question we've asked, are some of these guys that you're
not seeing starting are they going to be at a
position where they come back next year? And we see
enough and the coaches see enough over the next six
weeks that you say next year, Okay, you've got three

(15:39):
guys that you feel pretty good about starting. Now, go
out and find two additional big name starters to plug
in there. Or do you have to scrap the whole
thing and you're out trying to find twelve offensive linemen
next year. I think those questions are all first and
foremost as you move throughout the season.

Speaker 1 (15:53):
Here But at the same time, because I'm still trying
to retain my uncharacteristic optimistic view, is that with that
week off, and with the fact that UCF has played
five games in a row and they're unsettled, you still
have to look at this and go, you at least
like your chances here. Correct. Yes, I didn't like chances
against BYU, I didn't like chances against Utah. But you

(16:17):
look at this and go, Okay, all right, let's take
a swing. Take a swing at this. We got a
shot here. I think more than a shot. I think
you have an opportunity to, as Rich said, to reset,
to get a fresh start.

Speaker 2 (16:31):
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(17:15):
money for you. So try it out three guys before
the game is also brought to us by Tutors Biscuit World,
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that was a Tutor's Biscuit F one car. A lot
of people didn't know that they got into.

Speaker 3 (17:32):
That or not, but that's definitely unconfirmed.

Speaker 1 (17:35):
Yeah, it is.

Speaker 2 (17:37):
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three new sauces that they'd love for you to try.
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(18:00):
I want to hear did you have any moments in
cultivating this data where you went like, did you have
any Yeah, a couple couple good or bad, good or bad?

Speaker 3 (18:10):
No, I think, I think to Hoppy's point, if you're
going to have some optimism for a for a team
that's struggling, this would there's.

Speaker 1 (18:16):
A couple of all right, let's jump into the analytics.

Speaker 3 (18:22):
Worship of the.

Speaker 2 (18:23):
S treads On Stats is presented to us by the
good folks at Conley CP, a group forty years in
business based right here in the state of West Virginia,
and they do so much more than just the accounting stuff.
They're a full service accounting from which means I'll say, here,
give me your hand, give me your hand, take your hand,

(18:43):
and they'll walk with you down that business world and
say you don't want to do that, you want to
do this. We'll guide you so that it's the most
efficient way for you to spend your dollars and save
your dollars. When it comes to you know, tax liabilities, Hoppy,
it's important legally done in tax liabilities. We had a
situation there at our recent event when we hosted that

(19:08):
United Way event over at Touchdown Terrace. A couple of
CPAs I don't know that mey have been taken aback
a little bit by what I said during the auction
you shut your microphone off?

Speaker 3 (19:20):
Why do you always do that to me? Rich talked
this week that he is not a very patient person.
That was you think that was you during that segment
running the ouption, you were running tempo, had no patience.
The poor accountants were trying to give a good professional answer,
and you just bull rushed them.

Speaker 1 (19:37):
You said, can you write that off? Right?

Speaker 3 (19:39):
With the accountants on that you said it was when.

Speaker 2 (19:41):
The numbers were getting high. Just looked over at the
CPA table and I said, this is tax deductible, right?
And they I mean again, they went, they pause, moded.
They like the replay officials at a big twelve game.
They had to walk down to the other end, get it,
get the hood over their head, just like is it
Deductorate wanted to get it right.

Speaker 3 (19:55):
Your volume was times ten and you and you gave
rapid right?

Speaker 1 (19:59):
Is that right? You know, agress these officials, it's hard
to make a split decision on some of these things.
To the game happens fast. Yeah, tax changes have happened fast.
Now I get it. I get it. Anyway, I had
an idea. By the way, here we go I did,
here we go.

Speaker 2 (20:16):
You know, we're gonna play basketball in Charleston in December,
which one South Carolina or wake Forest West for Charleston, West,
Virginia State's capital city. So that's a Saturday. Is normally
when we played basketball in Charleston for years, it's always
middle of the week, very rare to right.

Speaker 3 (20:34):
A lot of Tuesday games next Tuesdays.

Speaker 2 (20:36):
Right, So when we go to play Wake Forest, it's
first Saturday December. So we're going to be there Friday night. Yeah,
why don't we do a little something Friday night?

Speaker 1 (20:47):
Have you if you talked to anybody about this, it's
not the first time you're mentioning this.

Speaker 3 (20:52):
Yes, it's the first time he's mentioned that's actually not bad. Like,
I won't jump you on that, that's not bad.

Speaker 1 (20:56):
Here's what we do.

Speaker 3 (20:57):
So here's what here's what I would suggest. Stop now,
just just leave it right there before you just throw
out a random place and a ticket costs and I'll
just leave it right there and we'll go to work
on it.

Speaker 1 (21:09):
Get in touch with homeless.

Speaker 3 (21:10):
Which means he's not going to stop kercheval. But that's right,
that's that's fine. I'm I'm in on that.

Speaker 2 (21:14):
You know what, we have, we'll be there. You know
what we would have to do for food. Our boy
who he's already he's already done one of our events
when we were down in Greenborough County.

Speaker 3 (21:23):
Oh, Chef Paul, Chef Paul. That's his home base.

Speaker 1 (21:26):
You know, he's got a restaurant or two down there.

Speaker 3 (21:27):
Now, it's a it's a fine idea, but let us
flesh out the idea in someplace other than live on
the podcast.

Speaker 2 (21:35):
We should do. This is life I'm saying we should
do I'm saying we should do it anyway. That's we
got time. See now, you always get on me for
doing things too short notice. We got time November. Yeah,
it's six weeks. Let's make that happen. Come on, team,
let's go all right? What spreads on stats?

Speaker 3 (21:49):
Guy threw me off, kurtchbal Now I gotta worry about it,
helping Dave with an event trying to do stats. Let's
do Let's do this a different Let's do a couple
of keys to the game that includes some stats. Then
we'll just go to some random numbers throughout that might
mean something. Church Volly you open for that.

Speaker 1 (22:07):
Absolutely, let's go.

Speaker 3 (22:08):
Here's a big key, big key. This could have fallen
under your obvious observation, though, hop all right, west Virginia's
rush offense against UCF's rush defense. If you look at
West Virginia's numbers there some of these raw counting stats
aren't look okay, put.

Speaker 1 (22:25):
It that way.

Speaker 3 (22:26):
Almost five yards per carry good, you'll take it right right.
Suggest the rushing game is pretty efficient when you get
it going. My worry is a lot of those have
come late when a game's decided. But let's just leave
that to a side the side for a second. UCF's
defense has to show it can it can stop the run,
and I think this is a when you talk about
if you just look at West Virginia's offense versus UCF's

(22:48):
defensive numbers, it's a big advantage number wise on paper
to UCF's defense. But if you dive within that, it's
UCF's pass defense that's really driving their numbers. Their rush
defense is struggling one fourteenth nationally in EPA per rush.
So can West Virginia finally get its running game on
track to a point, like you said, where it looks

(23:10):
like you think a Rich Rodriguez offense is supposed to
look so that's first and foremost. What you always watch
with West Virginia is can they have success running it?
But going against a defense in Cincinnati that the numbers
say have struggled against the run, can that be a
positive for West Virginia? Continue on what's West Virginia's defense
look like this week? It's getting what's been a pretty

(23:31):
balanced UCF offense that has some speed, right, no surprise there.
They'll put some guys and try and get those in space.
Those guys in space, Hobey. We've seen West Virginia really
struggle with explosive plays since it got into Big twelve play,
and that's a concern because that's kind of what UCF
has been doing. I'll get to some of these explosive
play numbers for them coming up here in a minute.

(23:51):
But I'm watching that first and foremost because you mentioned
did you mention or you mentioned it? Scott Frost talking
about the mistakes they've been making. Last week was a
great example. They kept the ball for two thirds of
the game against Cincinnata. They ran ninety offensive plays. They
did go up and down hop as you said, but
they couldn't finish drives. They're struggling in the finishing drives category.

(24:12):
Less than one third of their drives have ended in
touchdowns this year, and a lot of that's self inflicted.
They're getting down in the scoring zone and then they
end up committing a penalty or two and it backs
them up. So it's one of those things. Hop we
say this all the time every year. Whichever team makes
more explosive plays is probably your winner. Both of these
offenses have had trouble sustaining and then scoring at the

(24:35):
end of drives. Wes Vidine has been efficient scoring, but
hasn't been able to sustain long drives. Who can hit
some big plays so you don't have to string together ten, twelve,
fourteen play drives and what happens usually most teams when
they have to do that over and over, whatever mistake.
Penalty mistakes come in, especially to teams that are struggling.
So again, I'll get to some of the explosives from

(24:56):
a UCF perspective in a minute, but I'm watching that
is West Virginia's defense limits some of these explosives against
a UCF team that has been pretty balanced so far
in the air then and again, these are cliche keys,
I get it, but I think they really matter in
this game. Third downs are going to be ultra important,
and that goes back to can you sustain any drives.

(25:17):
West Virginia is near the bottom of FBS one twenty
six out of one thirty six when it comes to
third and fourth down success rate. It's going against the
UCF defense that on paper has been really good thirty
sixth nationally in that same category. So which one of
those plays off? Can West Virginia keep those sticks moving
which it has struggled to do in Big twelve play

(25:38):
Flip over to the other side. UCF's offense is struggling
also on third down success going against a defense that's
sixty fifth nationally. That UCF offense is ninety fourth in
third down success. UCF's offense is one hundredth nationally in
third down distance to go seven and a half yards.
So if West Virginia can keep that offense in third

(25:59):
and long, you feel pretty good about that.

Speaker 1 (26:01):
You know what they do? Brat what did they do
last week though when they went third and well, what
did Fancher do took off?

Speaker 3 (26:05):
Yeah, now here's something else to look at. And we
say this every year we're halfway through the season, but
the numbers are still trying to mature. One of them
that jumps to you is the Sagarin Strength of Schedule rating.
So far, UCF's played the one hundred and tenth most
difficult schedule according to that metric. West Virginia fourteenth, and
I say that a lot this time of year. Does

(26:27):
that start to show up for two teams that are
finding their way? Does West Virginia's benefit of playing a
difficult schedule so far, especially in Big twelve play, start
to work in its favor? On this we'll have to
see talk about explosive plays here for a second. UCF
is seventeenth nationally in plays of forty or more yards,
fifth nationally in plays of sixty or more yards, and

(26:47):
only three teams have more plays of seventy yards or more?
So can you And that's a small sample size, It's
not like they've had twenty of those, But can you
keep them from making those big plays? On you keep
that speed a little bit under control? Quarterback for them?
You guys mentioned this much like West Virginia, who starts
for them. Cam Fancher's raw stats were pretty good against Cincinnati,

(27:08):
probably did enough, hopy to help them get the win.
They just couldn't close the deal. Through for two hundred
and twenty two yards, ran for another one hundred and
eight ran for a touchdown to give UCF's rush quarterback
six rushing touchdowns this year. So regardless of who's in there,
they're going to want to run the quarterback. Here's the
thing with Fancer, though, Let's watch this. If it's him
that gets the start through for two twenty two, which

(27:29):
yardage wise is a decent number, You'll take that all
day long, but only four point five yards per attempt,
So he was not pushing the ball down the field.
That was a lot of underneath stuff, trying to move
it down but not give up the big explosive, explosive
play and then making Fancier take off and run it.
Cincinnati bottled up Miles Montgomery, who I think is a
really good running back, but UCF just did not have

(27:51):
success on the ground outside of Fancier and a lot
of that. If you listen to their folks, similar to
what we talk about, their offensive line is still trying
to find its way. They don't that the offensive line
is road grading like they would want in the running game,
so they feel they haven't run the ball really well.
They feel like they've thrown it better. But at least
with Fancer, they certainly weren't looking to throw the ball
down the field last week, Brad.

Speaker 1 (28:11):
Didn't you see in that Cincinnati game a lot of
underneath passes? But I know you're going to get to
those wideouts, pretty good wideouts. Get the ball two guys
in space, right, That's what they can make a plaint.

Speaker 3 (28:22):
Correct, That's what they're trying to do. But I think
if you're West Virginia's defense, given what I just said,
it's a good approach by Cincinnati, keep that stuff in
front of you. Four point five yards per attempt. Guys
would be near the bottom nationally at that number. If
that's the number against Weld, I like your chances because again,
what are you banking on that UCF commits a penalty
or two and backs themselves up, and that's exactly what happened.

(28:43):
So if it's Fancer and he takes off and runs
a little bit, but you bottle Montgomery, and if they
want to throw it forty nine times again, but everything's
in front of you, okay, so be it. I think
you take your chances with those numbers. Here's another number
to back that up about Cincinnati. Excuse me, UCF using
a lot out of the field but not being able
to finish. They come into this game one hundred and

(29:04):
thirty second nationally. It's only a few teams worse in
starting offensive field position. Can West Virginia hold that number
and keep them having to go long fields with a
bunch of plays again, you'll like your chance if you
do it. Now, flip over to the other side. This
UCF defense on paper has looked very good. Held its
first five opponents scoreless in the first quarter, so they've

(29:24):
been off to a good start. But here's where that
schedule strength matters. Are these numbers inflated against an early
season schedule that included Jacksonville State, North Carolina A and
T and a North Carolina program that's an absolute disaster
mess right now and can't figure itself out.

Speaker 1 (29:39):
Answers, Yes, because go ahead. Because when they played somebody good, Cincinnati,
Sincinnati scored two touchdowns in the first quarter.

Speaker 3 (29:47):
Right, Yeah, that's what I mean. So if you start
to look and if you just want to go in
to just take PFF, if you want to look at
their grades on the defensive categories, I think a lot
of this was inflated by that early schedule. So really
good numbers. I can go right down the list fortieth
nationally and havoc rate. I mean, every number looks really
good except their run defense.

Speaker 1 (30:07):
Hop.

Speaker 3 (30:07):
But you just wonder how much of that should be
schedule adjusted for racking it up against some early teams.
So you start to look down this group and you
look at them and say, do the numbers, well the
numbers match up what you see on the field here,
because I think West Virginia has some advantages even with
some of their gaudy defensive statistics. Now can that actually

(30:29):
come through and come to fruition?

Speaker 1 (30:31):
Very good, good report, Very well done. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (30:34):
One last thing, sure betting line. We mentioned this open
seven and a half in favor of UCF right, yeah, right.
It's the fifth time in seven games this season West
Virginia has been a touchdown or more underdog one in
three straight up in those games two and two against
the spread. So you won against Pitt, You covered against

(30:55):
Pitt and BYU it was a late cover, but you covered.

Speaker 1 (30:58):
Has it moved either, yeah, holding at seven and a half.

Speaker 3 (31:01):
So there you go, there's the numbers.

Speaker 1 (31:02):
It was good it was interesting he did. He did
well to anyhow, he did real well.

Speaker 2 (31:06):
Yeah, yeah, hey, why don't you take it deep breath
right now, get yourself something to drink. Oh really, would
you like to use the I twelve water cooler from
Comas Business Systems.

Speaker 1 (31:16):
Why not?

Speaker 2 (31:17):
Isn't it about time we put one of those?

Speaker 3 (31:18):
Like right back there, just gonna say, do we have
one of those?

Speaker 2 (31:20):
I mean we should. Comax Business Systems. They're all in
on keeping folks that work at your business place hydrate it.
But they don't want you to do it the old
fashioned way of lugging around those big plastic jugs. Not
at all. Put yourself water machine in. They've got those
I twelve water coolers, hot water, cold water, filtered water, ice,
you name it, they've got it. Visit Comax ko m

(31:43):
a x WUV dot com. That's Comax wuv dot com.
They're all over the state. So just give them a
give them a ring, they'll come get you, show you
what they have.

Speaker 1 (31:52):
We should be like the rat pack in Las Vegas.
You know they had a bar on stage. We should
have a water thing. Just get up and wander over
and get some water and come back.

Speaker 2 (31:59):
Did they have a bar in stage. Yeah, I didn't know.

Speaker 1 (32:01):
They famously.

Speaker 2 (32:02):
Yeah, Joey Bishop always the outlier I think in the
red pack money. It's God.

Speaker 1 (32:06):
Yeah, kind of weird. I'm kind of a weird thing. Yeah,
but he was there, he was, Yeah, Joey Bishop. Good
to see that.

Speaker 2 (32:11):
Three guys also brought to us Joey Bishop of reference.

Speaker 1 (32:13):
Well, I brought up rat backs as my fault, but
you mentioned Joey Bishop.

Speaker 2 (32:16):
Yeah, three guys also brought to us by our good
folks at lou Wendell Marine Sales. You know a lot
of a lot of water in the state of Florida
right around surround it, right, Yeah, and all of the boats.
If you're going to the game on Saturday, any boat
that you see will probably a very big chance there
it is. Look, that's those are boats from lou Wendell
Marine Sales that are getting ready to make the trip

(32:38):
down to Florida for the game.

Speaker 3 (32:40):
Back out head under the bridge and it won't be
much further and you're sitting outside that stadium.

Speaker 2 (32:44):
Yeah, basically, that's what it is. Those are a look
at some of the pontoons. The Avalon Pontoon Boats and
manufacturer one hundred percent in the United States, So it's
boating season. Time to service and get it out of
the get it out of the water right now. If
your boat needs service, visit Comax w V No, it's not.
You don't visit Comax, but not for your sure Lou

(33:04):
Wendel Marine Sales dot Com. That's Lou Wendelmarine Sales dot
com sales brand new stuff. I think this time of year,
you go in there looking for a little deal. Deal.
Probably give you a little deal. Deal is the season's
coming to an end, or service for whatever it is
you need. Over forty years they've been in the business,
family run, family operated. Visit Lou Wendellmarine Sales dot Com.

(33:26):
Tell them Hoppy sent you.

Speaker 1 (33:28):
That's gonna help.

Speaker 2 (33:29):
Tell them Hoppy sent you. Basketball schedule times finally came.

Speaker 3 (33:34):
Yeah, kind of some weirdness excuse me, non traditional. I
shouldn't say weirdness, just non traditional.

Speaker 1 (33:42):
In what category?

Speaker 3 (33:43):
Well, just a bunch six o'clock weeknights, start against pitt
for the backyard brawl. That's unusual it is. It's okay,
that's pick because I think you'll still be packed in there.
But the weird six o'clock weeknight I can't remember many
of those.

Speaker 1 (33:56):
Is that for TV is? What is it? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (33:58):
Well I don't know. You know, it's weird. Yeah, one
league play starts. There's only one ESPN Plus game the
whole season.

Speaker 3 (34:05):
They are eleven of twenty conference games. Last year. We're
on ESPN plus eleven eleven of twenty this year.

Speaker 1 (34:11):
One And why is that?

Speaker 2 (34:13):
New networks? Okay, new new network involvement.

Speaker 3 (34:16):
Peacocks involved, Foxes involved, which means FS one also CBS,
CBS Sports Network.

Speaker 2 (34:22):
Yeah, more places, more places to uh for the inventory.

Speaker 1 (34:26):
I'll cut down on the foul language across the state
at game time, people trying.

Speaker 3 (34:30):
To well, you just got to remember what now, so listen.
It's probably gonna be really hard to find what TV
network it's on, so i'd encourage you just turned and
tune the radio on.

Speaker 1 (34:37):
Well, have the radio on. I usually have radio.

Speaker 3 (34:39):
Is gonna be in the same.

Speaker 1 (34:40):
Place, video on, the video on and listen to you guys. Yeah,
thank you. It's my playing talking to a go to
a couple of games, talking.

Speaker 3 (34:48):
To a nine o'clock home games, No, no good, got
a couple of eight thirties mixed in there.

Speaker 2 (34:53):
Talk to a guy in Stillwater Oklahoma rese.

Speaker 3 (34:55):
Excuse me, super Bowl Sunday games at one pm. People
like that. You can enjoy the red here in Morgantown, get
home watch super Bowl if you want.

Speaker 2 (35:02):
Yeah, that'd be good.

Speaker 3 (35:04):
So Kansas did catch a break, Kansas, Kansas caught a break.
So Saturday home game for West Virginia, Kansas coming in.
They get the game at noon. Now it's Kansas. I
would think it'll still be a rocket Fireman, it'll still
be loud. Kansas caught a break there that wasn't lined
up at one nighttime, five o'clock, six o'clock, seven o'clock night.

Speaker 2 (35:23):
I was talking to this guy in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He's
a designing a new radio that will have the delay
on it. There's been some that are out there. Some
people have bought them through the years, but now they
stop making them. It's been difficult. So this guy's created one.
They'll give you a delay on regular radio, regular terrestrial

(35:44):
radio signal, and also has Internet capability, so you could
get an audio stream off of an Internet source and
delay it as well. That but it won't be out
till next football season. But it's very pretty encouraging.

Speaker 1 (35:53):
So you can listen I kind of like it throws
my wife and it's dizzy, but I like it when
I when you or a play ahead, oh, something like this,
and I know what to watch for.

Speaker 2 (36:06):
I can't do that, just sync it up. I can't.

Speaker 1 (36:08):
I don't like. No, I watch well like you say,
you know, yeah, cliol back to pass throws it down.
Feel like, oh, okay, I'll watch to see what happens. Yeah,
that's what I'm okay. I just look, I'm watching. I'm
listening to you. I love the comments you and Dwight
and Jed make. Then I want to see it. I
want to see it.

Speaker 2 (36:28):
But you don't want them both at the same time.

Speaker 1 (36:30):
No, I don't. It doesn't have to be SYNCD up
for me.

Speaker 2 (36:32):
Okay, that's fine. Let's do some textual healing.

Speaker 3 (36:39):
That's a surprise.

Speaker 2 (36:40):
Actually, textual healing is brought to us by episode eight
hundred dot com. That's our website, Episode eight zero zero
dot com. Everything that we have, everything that we own,
our worldly possessions are all available to you right there. Apparel,
coffee from Mountaineer Roasting, popcorn from Mountaineer Popcorn, and the

(37:01):
truck tire selection has just increased tremendously, Doctor Taylor tires.

Speaker 3 (37:07):
We're not too too far away from the holiday season
when that popcorn becomes a great gift right to friends,
family members.

Speaker 1 (37:15):
It's nice to get to the holidays. It's addictive if.

Speaker 3 (37:16):
You're a manager, boss, owner of a company, you want
to give you someth nice to your employees.

Speaker 1 (37:21):
So yeah, exactly nice corporate gifts.

Speaker 2 (37:23):
As they said, our good friend Jeff send us a box.
We open the box before the show started, and he writes,
please enjoy some chocolate and peanut butter. Peanut butter goodness,
these are Buckeyes. Peanut butter to chocolate ratio is insert
throat clock real good. Seriously, As a lifelong Mountaineer fan
now living in Columbus, you three guys provide a sense

(37:44):
of normalcy to home.

Speaker 1 (37:46):
And me rarely hear that.

Speaker 2 (37:47):
I appreciate you and all that you guys do. Keep
it up, be well, enjoy the Anthony Thomas Buckeyes, and
let's go Mountaineers.

Speaker 1 (37:54):
Your friend Jeff, thank you, Jeff, Thank you, Jeff, very
kind of you.

Speaker 3 (37:58):
Did you did you mean to say Buckeyes in Musburger voice?

Speaker 2 (38:01):
Yes, buck eye, guys, those are really good. I had
one before the show started. Very tasty. All right, here
we go. These are we run a good wide swatch
of thoughts here, Curtis and Portland rights in. I really
hope that you skip from episode number six sixty five

(38:22):
to six six seven. Whoops. I would be curious for
Brad to get the data around our increased defensive turnover rate.
Is there a stat that reflects a ratio of the
amount of turnovers to the number of plays played. I'm
curious if our defense has truly improved in that aspect,
or is it just around the field a lot more

(38:43):
due to poor offense. So much time on the field
means more plays, which means more opportunities for a turnover.

Speaker 3 (38:49):
Red Interestingly, I actually saw this before we went on
the air and did some quick numbers. Oh good, So
I think I've got this, but bear with me if
not sure, I'm trying to do it fast because I
do not see these beforehand. Interestingly, West Virginia almost dead
on pace defensively to face the same number of plays
as it did last year. Real if it projects out,
it's almost half what it was last year, just slightly
over that. West Virginia has been good at takeaways this season.

(39:13):
In fact, they're twenty ninth nationally with ten takeaways in
the first six games. The problem internoti Marge has been
even given too many back and.

Speaker 1 (39:20):
I've been able to capitalize in other instances. When you
got the turnover.

Speaker 3 (39:23):
Correct To answer Curtis's question specifically, you are ahead of pace.
You've almost doubled your turnover rate this season versus last season,
about two point three percent versus one point three percent
last year. Wow. We actually that's a rare answer on
the fly of a text question.

Speaker 2 (39:38):
Yeah, with a fact.

Speaker 1 (39:39):
Well, that one that's very unusual.

Speaker 2 (39:41):
We just used a fact and the answering the question.
Dear Scope senator and hoppy cubed, I'm yet another long
first time listener. Long time first time can't thank you
all enough for the years of enjoyment and entertainment so
needed for lifetime mounts. In your fans question, given the
new funds available, do you think that rich will be
able to retain his useful talent from this year's team

(40:03):
and or recruit top talent for next year. Well, our
mediocre record this season handicap our recruiting next year. Signed
by J D Anderson Frederick Maryland.

Speaker 1 (40:13):
Yeah, I would just say what I think I said
on the previous show is that and this is all
kind of nebulous out there, that they did not spend
all their football money. There's I think about four or
five million maybe that they didn't spend that they can
spend next year along for next season, but probably before

(40:34):
July first, along with the thirteen to fourteen million that
football is going to have, so you should be brad
well funded going into next year.

Speaker 3 (40:42):
I'm going to take the optimistic approach on this, guys.
And we've seen this before with Rich. We've seen it
look not ideal in year one and then it turned
around fairly quickly. So I'm going to unless I know
there's factors between now and his first time here that
make things a little bit different, but just take the
basic premise and I think this, guys, I'm gonna take
the optimistic approach that the talent influx continues to grow

(41:04):
in that think about what they were doing. They just
were not around for the first high school class, right,
That was not the class that they signed. It was
just Rich by himself for a long time. You didn't
have the GM on board, you weren't evaluating portal as
you are doing now where you have almost a year
runway in both of those areas high school guys for
the most part. That will build the program down the road,
and then you should have a better handle on the

(41:26):
portal who will be in there. You know, some of
that stuff's already floating around. You have an idea of
who's going to be available. I would think the talent
influx will be there next year in the year to come,
as they've now settled in from a staff perspective.

Speaker 2 (41:41):
Agreed that time you shut my microphone off one of
the fir times you've pulled that.

Speaker 1 (41:46):
Tread wear ability from over here.

Speaker 2 (41:48):
I would say to answer your question JD, that West
Virginia will not have the most money in the league
going to the market, they will be far away from
having the least amount. I think the probably in the
top five or six when you add everything in, and
I think that West Virginia will be in a very
good position. When you talk to the folks over at

(42:09):
football and I specifically ask them do you have enough
to go get good players? They go, yes, we do,
and as Brad said, much better identification of who is
out there and who they need, both at the high
school level and in the transfer portal, and Rich did
a good job of explaining this during his talk show

(42:32):
on Monday night. We spent a pretty good chunk of time.
But the reality of it is this. There is daily
conversations that are happening right now between agents and the
general managers at football programs shopping players. So every school
already has its list of this player is going to

(42:55):
be available when the portal window opens. What's the deal
going to be. That happens every single day. I know
for some folks they would be aghast by that. Are
you kidding me? No, that's what's happening. And so these
guys are right now in the midst of doing that
like everyone else. And so they have a pretty good
idea right now today, who's going to be out there,

(43:16):
what it's going to take. And now they have to
make sure that they don't error when it comes to
the evaluation. And that's going to be the key. So
they're going to be able to get people. They just
need to make sure that they're a fit and that
they'll instantly be able.

Speaker 1 (43:29):
To help Tony. That's well said. One of the challenges
I think is going to be that, look, we know
West Virginia very well, and we know that they do
things right. They're going to follow the rules, but not
everybody is. And I think you're still going to have
schools that will have because West Virginia is taking its
collectives internal. There will be schools that have outside collectives

(43:52):
that are still going to exist even if the school
is taking some of that work inside, and that outside
collective is going to say rules, we don't care about
now stinking rules, and it's still gonna is going to
push that nil envelope, okay, And that's where I think
that other schools could still have an advantage if they
push beyond what the rules are and that's gonna happen.
That's gonna happen.

Speaker 2 (44:13):
Yeah, I mean, there's gonna be times where someone's gonna
be your your number is whatever. Let's just say, for
the heck of it, easy math your numbers, three hundred
thousand dollars. Kid really wants to come here, but school
X comes in and says, hey, we got five fifty
here for you. Well, it's gonna go five to fifty.
That's always going to happen. It's always gonna happen. So

(44:34):
that's just the reality of it. But even though those
things happen, these guys internally feel there'll be enough. They'll
be they'll be able to get good enough players to
accomplish what they want to accomplish. Three guys, Justin and
Petersburg ren Baker stated that West Virginia did not spend
its entire revshare. Is West Virginia able to invest this

(44:55):
leftover money without state and federal tax hits? Especially if
a crew moneies go toward more scholarship creation and not
toward nil thoughts given the university's tax exemption status. Question Mark,
appreciate all you do. Sure, Justin, thanks for that question.
Contact Conley CPA Group. They'd be more than happy to
walk through the liability issue and inform you as to

(45:18):
how that would go. When you said, Mike, Mike is
his name? Mike Overck right, Brad Mike over great guy? Yeah,
Conley CPA Group, Texter, Well, I guess the SEC. This
is about the UH, the private equities coming into these conferences.
I guess the SEC is going to be next with
a three billion dollar deal. And like Pro football did

(45:40):
many years ago with the merger of the AFL and
the NFL, the Big ten of the SEC will merge
pick up a few other blue bloods, so all their
politicians will outnumber our politicians, so the Feds won't step in,
and the rest of us will be in a pickle.
I know our scholarship ads will help, but it's not
equivalent to a share of billions. And didn't universities develop
these teams and brand? So where is their share? Where's

(46:03):
our commissioner? It'll be interesting to see if this big
ten deal does come to fruition with the private equity opportunity.
See that a couple of the schools, Michigan and USC
are both going like, uh, not really interested in this, No,
thank you, So that will be the next frontier.

Speaker 3 (46:21):
Why would Ohio State go for this?

Speaker 2 (46:23):
I don't know John. You know John Willner out in
the West Coast. Who right? He made some pretty good points, like,
hey man, once you give away ten percent of your
of your conference, you'll never get that back. No, you
will not, You'll never get that back. Like you better
you better think about this twice or three times.

Speaker 3 (46:40):
Yeah, I think produce just giddy, produce just giddy. How
about andy football side of things? Not basketball? Basketball has
been very good preseason number one, but Purdue football is
just giddy, just haven't won a thing for a long time,
and just sitting out there just just fund money just
falling down on them. I mean they walk in the office,
they can't open the doors of money. I haven't won

(47:03):
since ninety eight. All due respect, of course, the boiler
Makers respect.

Speaker 2 (47:09):
How about this next picture series of pictures only two
days took two days of smoking.

Speaker 3 (47:14):
Minnesota just out there just shoveling snow in money around.
I ain't getting all this mouff Minnesota, give.

Speaker 2 (47:22):
You right, They're just they're rowing the boat man part
of the plane. Only took two days of smoking and
cooking to get to the goal of a brisket on
a biscuit worth it still not as good as redcap.
Look at that brisket. You talk about a perform ar there. Yeah,
and then that became this, oh, and then that became.

Speaker 3 (47:43):
This connections connection three all four there.

Speaker 2 (47:45):
So he went biscuit egg love it.

Speaker 1 (47:47):
Yeah, that looks good.

Speaker 3 (47:49):
Yeah, horse radish with them.

Speaker 2 (47:51):
I would think on the side, there's probably some horse
radish around there and a homemade biscuit there.

Speaker 3 (47:54):
Yeah, it could be did good job getting that connection
Thriell four in there. Yeah, friends, over at Parker's available
many go March Rum State.

Speaker 1 (48:04):
Oh at the party store in Yeah, they carried in
the Suncrest.

Speaker 2 (48:09):
Oh yeah, were you over there?

Speaker 1 (48:10):
I was over there? What are you doing over that area?
I bought Connections three O four?

Speaker 2 (48:13):
Really yeah? Interesting?

Speaker 1 (48:15):
A couple cans in the fridge right as.

Speaker 2 (48:17):
We speak, Texter. Last week, the Big twelve women's basketball
poll came out. I'm guessing the men's will be out
this week. Where do you think they will be picked?
I hope it is not last, won't be last, won't
be last. It'll be ten eleven. You think it'll be
that high. So the Athletics preseason had West Virginia at ten,

(48:37):
which is pretty darn good when there's sixteen teams and
you're starting from scratch.

Speaker 3 (48:41):
Ye that the writer that did that understands basketball really well. Yes,
we'd on Sports one for He's good.

Speaker 1 (48:46):
He gets it.

Speaker 3 (48:46):
That's why West Riene is ten.

Speaker 2 (48:48):
So I think that, Yeah, you're not going to be
in the basement, You're not going to be in the
upper eight. You're going to be you know, probably Brett anywhere,
ten eleven, twelve, thirteen, somewhere. I mean in that section,
which is fine.

Speaker 3 (49:00):
Which is my fine, don't matter.

Speaker 2 (49:02):
Last show, I talked about coaching Momp the football player,
the punter. I think he was at Cincinnata that had
the really short shorts. And this person says, hey, for
Tony's search for the shortest pants in college football. Look
at this cat from the University of Florida. Wow, he
basically a basketball short time.

Speaker 1 (49:21):
I mean, how long before it's just like a guy
and a T shirt out there? Well, just a onesie
maybe like a onesie you know that.

Speaker 3 (49:27):
Yeah, those are no knee pads in that outfit. It's
also interesting, how how about how slim down our shoulder
pads from the old Remember those big ones shoulder pads
out here?

Speaker 2 (49:39):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (49:41):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (49:42):
Texter says it looks like with the firing of James
Franklin that we can expect Andy Kotelnicki's mentioned index to
make a return.

Speaker 3 (49:51):
Yeah, it's been on hiatus for a while.

Speaker 1 (49:54):
Can I is this why I shouldn't strip my Penn
State stuff? We want to wait?

Speaker 2 (49:58):
Oh, I think it's a dandy time.

Speaker 1 (50:00):
So Franklin's firing, the first thing you saw was the
buyot right, forty eight to fifty million dollars, right, nobody's going,
oh my gosh, forty eight to fifty million dollars and
that So I have two takes on this. One is
that is that is nuts. That's a full amount of
his contract until the extent of the contract, which is
through twenty thirty one. And I did some math on that.

(50:22):
And by the way, Penn State has got some financial issues.
It comes at a time when Penn State is closing
seven of its satellite campuses after the spring twenty twenty
seven semester due to declining enrollment and financial pressures. And
the average annual cost for an undergraduate Pen State students
about the student about thirty thousand dollars. That's tuition, fees, housing,

(50:44):
and food. The average undergraduate leaves Penn State with a
degree and a debt of about forty thousand dollars. So
I know it's apples and oranges. So there's but still
it seems like bad optics. However, However, when you take
a closer look at his contract, Brad, I think it's
fascinating and other schools should take note because and you

(51:08):
know this right, you know the story here.

Speaker 3 (51:10):
Well, I know what you're gonna say, because the office
this is why you said, yeah, set, most schools do that. Now,
this isn't unique to Penn State. West Virginia had an
office se is that standard in the standard in the industry?

Speaker 1 (51:19):
Well, yeah, the offset because all the stories have been
just about the forty eight million dollars or the fifty
million dollars. And then Front Office Sports got a hold
a contract and they saw the offset so that if
he gets another job, and he and by the way,
he has to look for another job. He can't not

(51:39):
look for another job, so that there's a mitigation clause.
So he has to look for another job. What what, yes,
go ahead.

Speaker 2 (51:49):
Yeah, how but he's got to look for another job. Yeah,
well he over the unemployment office.

Speaker 3 (51:54):
Here's the way.

Speaker 1 (51:56):
So he has to look for another job. So whatever
he gets then that offsets whatever he's paid, offsets what
Penn State owes him, which, as you said, right, if
it's standard down in the industry. In West Virginia had
some of that too. Texas A and M did not,
I don't believe, right, So they had to pay Jimbo
seventy seventy six million. But certainly every school, now I

(52:18):
mean as as athletic departments figure out that they don't
want to be, you know, bum rushed that they got
to have that claw. Has it meant a getting calls?

Speaker 3 (52:26):
I don't know who wouldn't have that clause at this
point you mentioned Texas am. I don't know how you
overlook that is that is standard, And I think that's
the interesting part of that is that that's a wild
quick trigger there from a program that's a lot of
games and was a few plays from a national championship,
and the replacement will be fascinating you go to market there,
I'll be fascinated to see who they end up with,

(52:46):
because that's a that's a high floor that he at
least set. I get all the numbers that people want
to throw out. I understand that. But that's also if
you're if you're any other school with a job opening.
That's why if you're Penn State, you probably had some
more comfort in pulling that Traeiger than in a normal situation.
James Franklin is infinitely marketable to another school if he
wants to coach next season. Now, he could go take

(53:07):
a broadcasting job at a lot less than that, But
if he wants to be a head coach at a
power of program next year, I would think they're going
to be lining up to get I mean, if Virginia
Tech could get James Franklin, you do that deal yesterday.
If Oklahoma State could get James Franklin, I would have
done that job yesterday. If Florida opens, I would talk
to James Franklin. That guy's won a lot of games there.
So I would think if you're Penn State, as ridiculous

(53:29):
as fifty million dollars is to not come to work,
you have some comfort there that he's going to land
a pretty high paying big college job next, Maybe more
so than a lot of other coaches that are in
that same situation.

Speaker 1 (53:40):
He's he's not a guy that has to has to
take the UAB job. All due respect to UAB. Okay,
you're right, there'll be and there's a there are how
many big jobs are going to be open?

Speaker 3 (53:51):
I mean a ton, there's already a there's already some
major jobs.

Speaker 1 (53:54):
So there's going to be others. You know, Wisconsin's probably
going to be open, Florida may be open, Florida State
may be open, right, I mean these other so there's
going to be jobs. And I was really I was
really appalled by that forty eight million dollars bout until
I read the contract language about the mitigation course.

Speaker 2 (54:11):
Yeah, did you know that? I mean it's standard.

Speaker 1 (54:14):
Now say I just I guess I'm behind the curve
on that. I didn't.

Speaker 2 (54:18):
I mean, now that your summer retire, you can go
over law school. I'll teach a few things over there.
All these offsets work, you know what. All I think
internally over a decade, there had to be people that
James Franklin had upset in the highest levels of Otherwise,
you don't blow this guy up like that. He had

(54:38):
pissed off enough people where they used those numbers of
not winning these big games, and that's enough. If he
had built up a tremendous you know, goodwill within, I
don't think they blow him up like that.

Speaker 1 (54:51):
I just don't sigger.

Speaker 3 (54:52):
Given where you were, You've also been their twelve seasons.
So it's what we always say. You start to mount
the number of seasons and the fl laws become the
talked about point. Matt rules, the obvious candidate that everybody's
writing about and putting on their lists.

Speaker 1 (55:05):
I get it.

Speaker 3 (55:06):
Played for Joe Paterno. He and the ad were at
Temple together like I get why Matt rules on there.
Would you just say about James Franklin and the numbers?
It was the wins over top ten teams. Everybody lost
their mind about Matt Rule's done a fantastic job at
multiple places. He's two and twenty three lifetime against ranked teams.

Speaker 1 (55:23):
Boom.

Speaker 3 (55:25):
I mean not that I need to tell Penn State
who to hire, what to look at, but you're going
to run James Franklin for a number that's similar, and
Matt Rules in a position to be two and twenty
three against ranked teams.

Speaker 1 (55:35):
Yeah, just decide it's.

Speaker 3 (55:41):
But I'll be abest to watch where they let where
they start to go for this search, because it's a
small group of people that you can go to and
be fairly certain that it will be better than what
you had. And that always the crux of these decisions.

Speaker 1 (55:53):
It is, and also it has to be whether it's
said or implied, it's like, Okay, Brad, we're going to
hire you, by the way, you have to win a
national championship.

Speaker 3 (56:02):
Which is their expectation. I get that that's Penn State's expectation.
That's also really hard. I was gonna say, I mean
that I think it's more to me, it's more about
the challenge and the decision becomes where do you go.
It's and we've said this a lot, it's easy to fire,
it's hard to hire. So that's why I can't wait
to see where they land. Who do they go to

(56:23):
that you have a higher certainty that you're in a
better spot to win a national.

Speaker 1 (56:26):
Champion because Franklin, you look at coach hires, and we've
seen coach hires and you say, wow, that looked good
at the time, but it turned out to be a mistake,
didn't work right, Franklin was not a mistake. It worked.
I mean it worked out except for winning a national championship.
You could easily make a mistake and be worse.

Speaker 2 (56:44):
Yeah, you have a bigger chance of making a mistake
than you do of hitting the right guy.

Speaker 3 (56:48):
Now, they would tell you some of the things we
just talked about. There likely had had frayed some relationships
over twelve years. That's a long time. That's a that's
a lifetime in coaching circles. Now, where you get hire
of what you have, I just I think it's going
to be really interesting moving forward where they land.

Speaker 2 (57:04):
Longtime text or Dave texts in.

Speaker 3 (57:07):
Just Live while we're talking about this kind.

Speaker 2 (57:09):
Of sort of relatively short, he says, I got too
much time to think. Penn State loses to Oregon. Realignment
has them traveling across the country to UCLA the very
next week, never ready to play red Iback lose to
Northwestern Oregon. Game beats them three times. Costs when all

(57:30):
sudden down one hundred million dollars that would have never
happened if we are geographically aligned, and one hundred million
dollars would not be wasted between travel costs, kids, time, buyouts, assistance,
new staff, fricking waste of money. Same week, West Virginia
flies to BYU, University of Washington plays at Maryland. Utter nonsense,

(57:56):
it's hard. I mean good, We're starting to see the
reality of these stupid expansions that took place in the
Big ten that caused all this West Coast, East coast.
We're in the same league. It's just now you're just
looking at it, going like, then, you know what, this
is just freaking stupid to the.

Speaker 1 (58:12):
Point where for West Virginia, to the point where West
Virginia go, oh good, You're going to.

Speaker 2 (58:17):
Florida exactly We're excited to go to Florida, which used
to be the longest road trip.

Speaker 1 (58:24):
Texter.

Speaker 3 (58:24):
You used topeak, gotta go get a bigger plane going
to Miami. Longer trip, Gotta go to Pittsburg. Fish right,
longer trip.

Speaker 2 (58:31):
Texter says. We are back from the Jack Daniels World
Invitational Barbecue Competition, and I'd say that West Virginia was
well represented. Both teams from the state of West Virginia,
ourselves and Poor Boys Barbecue from Ocanna were able to
make the walk to the big stage. Dog Bite Barbecue
finished second in brisket with a perfect score.

Speaker 1 (58:52):
Of one hundred and eighty.

Speaker 2 (58:54):
We were able to get fiftieth place out of ninety
of the best barbecue cooks in the world. Take you
look at some these pictures. Look at that brisket, boys,
I mean, are you kidding me? That looks so beautiful
presented and moist.

Speaker 1 (59:09):
Yeah, they got green underneath it.

Speaker 2 (59:11):
It does a nice little thing cuts off and there
he is getting that stuff ready and go ahead, Jake,
just flash him through. So he had the whole barbecue
thing going there. And then they had a big old
had a big old event inside that barn. You know,
Jack Daniel's people. They got to have a nice barn
all lit up, and there he is and there she is,

(59:32):
and they barbecued together and they had a great showing
for the state of West Virginia at that Jack Daniels
World Invitational.

Speaker 1 (59:38):
Thanks for representing three guys.

Speaker 2 (59:40):
I've got a West Virginia connection story and a comment
on Hagis. My wife and I took three weeks to
celebrate my sixtieth in Scotland. Flew into Heathrow and then
when we were getting our rental car, another couple came
in to do the same thing. When they were asked
where they're from, they said Pittsburgh. Being who I am,
I said, let's go. They both turned and said mountaineers.

(01:00:01):
I was, as the British would say, gobsmacked. I didn't
get to speak with them, but we gave each other
a wave and a smile. As we were leaving, I
promised myself I would try Hagis so I could say
that I did. The first meal we ate in Scotland,
we ordered Hagis delicious. I ordered it with every meal
where it was offered. I even had it with my

(01:00:23):
traditional Scottish breakfast. A couple of times. Thank you for
all that you do for the state and the university,
Samba Gary and Scott Depot.

Speaker 1 (01:00:32):
Wow, how about that an aged Scotch might help that
go down to HM hoppy.

Speaker 2 (01:00:38):
Next texter says, I cannot stand this year zero. Have patience,
it'll take time, negative and narratives anymore. Signetti and Iowa
have proven that one year is plenty of time and
other talk is a loser mentality where ten years removed
from relevancy in a moment when relevancy is the key
to the future of programs.

Speaker 1 (01:01:00):
I still stand by the year zero for a reason, stated.

Speaker 2 (01:01:04):
I would tell the Texter that, I mean, what Kurt
Signetti is doing at Indiana is absolutely the exception rather
than the rule. If you take a look at first
year coaches in any of the powerful conferences, that is
not normal. I mean, what he's doing is unbelievable, but
that is not the norm. That would be the exception.

Speaker 1 (01:01:28):
And props to him and to Indiana. I mean, Indiana
goes to Oregon, beats Oregon, and Oregon lined up. It's impressive.

Speaker 2 (01:01:35):
Did you guys think the coach salary bubble is speeding
toward bursting? I'm listening to some Florida State media shows
and podcasts. They've brought up the idea of hiring small
and making it a first player, first model, also the
idea of a GM being the face of the program.
Poor buddies are scrambling and they haven't even fired Mike Norvel.
These fifty million dollars buyouts and long contracts don't seem

(01:01:57):
tenable with revenue share and all the other new signed
by Dave and kayser ps. I highly recommend listening to
the Blue Blood Schools podcast when there's major turmoil happening.
But maybe I'm just being a petty hater when other
when what.

Speaker 3 (01:02:15):
Do I always say? No, nobody's reaching down with a
hand to help you up. So Florida State's struggling, best
of luck, Penn State's and turmoil, best of luck North
Carolina can't find its way out of the paper bag,
so be it.

Speaker 1 (01:02:26):
That's the lute guys, Brad, you've brought me on board
that ship. I would also say that the nature of
West Virginians is when those schools are suffering, we feel
better about ourselves. That's normal, yink, That a normal reaction,
I think so, But you're right. I don't feel bad.

Speaker 2 (01:02:42):
For yeah, three guys before the game is brought to
us in part by our good friends at Gomart. Brad's
been working all season long to try to figure out
how he can load up on his gas on Saturdays.

Speaker 3 (01:02:58):
Just got you did it on sat nicely, tri I'm
filling that thing up. I almost took a picture for
you two and send it to you. I was just
giddy finally lined up instead of hitting its Sunday Monday Friday,
you got triple, just triple, just racking up points as I'm.

Speaker 1 (01:03:12):
Flora drive car up also behind you and it did not.

Speaker 2 (01:03:14):
Just speaking of one so two things, just a good
idea that I should have done that. Speaking of having
someone else come in, what happened to Charlie from Midlothian?

Speaker 3 (01:03:23):
I don't know. I hope he's okay, Maybe got in
trouble from all those scams.

Speaker 2 (01:03:27):
He can be behind bars. Don't forget that gomarts are
offering the triple rewards points every Saturday, so stop by Gomart.
Make sure you have that app or the card if
you want to go analog old school and you get
triple rewards points for everything that you get food and fuel.
You can't beat the deal. Check it out at Gomart.

(01:03:49):
All right, so we're back in here Sunday morning to
do our post game hoppy, you're feeling good about this opportunity.

Speaker 1 (01:03:58):
I like again. I I defer to Brad on the stats, Tony,
and you on the stats. You have a lot more
experience than I do, and Brad does a lot more research.
I just like it situationally, and I spent again, I
spent the off week getting somewhat optimistic about possibilities. And

(01:04:19):
so I'm going in with some level with a level
of optimism. And I don't think I'm bad. I don't
think I'm being have rose colored glasses year. I think
there's an opportunity.

Speaker 3 (01:04:29):
Yeah, better situation than you've had the last few weeks.
Go see what those young quarterbacks can do. Driv you
a little, But can you run against this UCF defense.
That's first and foremost what I'm watching.

Speaker 1 (01:04:37):
Go get you one.

Speaker 2 (01:04:38):
So by the time we come back on, not only
will the football squad have played Game seven, but also
the newly formatted Born Mountaineer men's basketball team will play
it's quadruple secret scrimmage. They bring everyone in with a
bag over their head. The players and don't even let

(01:05:01):
them know where they are and then take the bags
off and they say, okay, now play basketball. So I wonder,
like it's most Virginia Maryland, like who squeaks? Who squeals?
Like you know there's gonna be leagus? Like which way
do you think it goes?

Speaker 3 (01:05:14):
Huh?

Speaker 2 (01:05:15):
What do you think happens? Because you know creative, they're
gonna put highlights out. They're gonna put highlights out.

Speaker 3 (01:05:19):
They'll be very crafty about how they do it though,
right you see like a shoulder here, face there, a
dunk here.

Speaker 1 (01:05:25):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:05:26):
West Virginia women are getting ready to scrimmage Virginia Tech
in their secret scrimmage. Talked to Mark Kellogg yesterday and
last year, I don't know if you remember this, they
went to like Ashland, Ohio to play Michigan. Michigan shows up,
Michigan shows up and they go, we only have like

(01:05:46):
ten players, and they didn't even want to go two halves.

Speaker 1 (01:05:49):
And he went like, why are we here? What are
we doing?

Speaker 2 (01:05:52):
What are we doing? So they're gonna play Tech this
year instead, so he'll get an idea of what's going on.

Speaker 1 (01:06:00):
Hey, by the way, West Virginia men's and women's other
football teams soccer.

Speaker 3 (01:06:05):
Yeah, rolling along doing great.

Speaker 2 (01:06:07):
Dan Strafford number three and the Nation beat American beat
them on Tuesday to nothing. They continue to roll. Yeah,
it's everything shaping nicky. Nicky and her ladies continue.

Speaker 1 (01:06:19):
To play well.

Speaker 3 (01:06:20):
Top five RPI for them.

Speaker 2 (01:06:22):
Yeah, going, well it is, it's going really well. All right,
let's get a football w and uh, let's matriculate the
ball down the field. I just want to see I
just want to see first downs first. I want to
feel the I want to feel the rhythm. I want
to feel the rhythm.

Speaker 1 (01:06:36):
You know, you know what, you know what you're hoping for.
You know what you're looking for. You know what you're
looking for.

Speaker 3 (01:06:42):
First downs and a couple explosives. Give me some explosives
though in this Yeah, what was that?

Speaker 2 (01:06:46):
Supreme Court Justice when asked about pornography, he said, I
know it when I see it, Justice Potter, Okay, so
just so what we want a football version like, we'll
know it. We'll know what this offense when it's working,
when we see it.

Speaker 1 (01:06:59):
I think it's just Potter probably don't have time to do.

Speaker 2 (01:07:01):
That's the same thing, Potter. Whatever we're out special thanks
to producer Jake for putting it together. If you never, ever,
ever ever want to miss an episode, then subscribe. We'd
love to have you on a subscription. This doesn't cost
you anything. Free to subscribe zero. Three guys have been
brought to us by Gomart. Get yourself a Gomart rewards

(01:07:23):
card and instantly begins saving on food and fuel. By
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Speaker 1 (01:07:35):
Just Iss Potter Stewart, Potter Stewart, I had Potter right.
Justice Potter Stewart very good.

Speaker 2 (01:07:40):
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Speaker 1 (01:07:59):
Group, what do you shortling about? Over look at my mouse?
But I've tried to read this billboard, you won't. It
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Speaker 2 (01:08:07):
And by the Conley CPA Group, you know what their
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They provide value beyond the numbers. All right, we're out,
be good, See you