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NCAA football preview part 2
5 Plays9 days ago
Don and Russ talk Big 12, ACC, Sun Belt, Conference USA, and the MAC. Highlighting teams and players to watch out for.
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Transcript
Introduction & Welcome
00:00:00
Speaker
This is Gateway Sports. Ladies and gentlemen, I've got a couple questions for you. Do you love college sports as much as I do? Are you always wondering where you can find the latest NCAA reports?
00:00:13
Speaker
Will come to the right place? Welcome, sports fans, to Fuel Sports Presents, the NCAA report with Don Enright. Gee, that sounds kind of interesting..
00:00:29
Speaker
ready to win the game.
00:00:33
Speaker
For the win in the air, it is up and it is good!
00:01:02
Speaker
Look at the air, look at the hang time, look at the flying motion. Look at his head above the rim.
00:01:19
Speaker
help me a chance
00:01:44
Speaker
To infinity and beyond!
00:02:19
Speaker
Call on the field stands.
00:02:31
Speaker
You've got to get it done.
00:02:44
Speaker
Pay attention,
Meet the Hosts
00:02:45
Speaker
son. This is for your own good. The moment you've all been waiting for. Here they are, your favorite hosts. Don Glenn and Russ Robinson.
00:02:58
Speaker
All right. Well, we are back again. Thanks for Devin Tynan giving us our introduction as always. This is the NCAA report with Don and Russ. I am your host, Don Glenn. And as always, I've got my co-host by my side.
00:03:15
Speaker
If I didn't have him here, folks, I think I would probably not wont know what I'm doing. Not that I know what doing anyway, but hey, it's it you know it's a good idea. So Russ Robinson, the man from Missouri.
00:03:28
Speaker
How are you tonight, my friend, Russ?
Big 12 Conference Analysis: Kansas State's Playoff Chances
00:03:31
Speaker
Well, I'm doing very well, Don. I'm looking forward to this this upcoming weekend of college football. It's always exciting.
00:03:40
Speaker
we've zo you Yeah, you and I have seen the Cardinals crash and burn, so we've kind of we're kind of over that. And so we can move on to to college football, I think, now.
00:03:52
Speaker
Oh, yeah, no doubt. um You know, last ah week, ah or last week, last time, we discussed the Big 12, or excuse me, the ah Big 10, SEC, AAC, and Mountain West.
00:04:07
Speaker
So this week, we're going to go over the 12, ACC,
00:04:14
Speaker
uh those two need to change their conference name yeah like i gotta say they gotta fix that um the ah mac and conference usa uh a couple interesting stories ah in and in the acc which we'll get to later but i want you to get started with the big 12 because i know you got some some juicy stuff going well know how juicy but we' we'll go at it uh uh The Big 12, Don, what I found out is that, you know, we we look at them and they have, they're probably not going to have more than one team in the college football playoff this year. They'll be the conference champion.
00:04:54
Speaker
I just don't think they're that deep. In the preseason polls, the highest rate team, I think, is
00:05:05
Speaker
is Kansas State. And they come in, depending on the poll you're looking at, they come in the top 20. Then there's Arizona State, and then there's Texas Tech, and then there's BYU.
00:05:15
Speaker
And those are the schools that are likely, if there's anybody making noise, those are the schools likely to make a noise. Now, we've already seen this past weekend, Kansas State and Iowa State played.
00:05:27
Speaker
And Iowa State won that game. so And that was a conference game. So we're already seeing Iowa State being – Kansas State already taking one on the – kind of taking one on the lip there for for losing that game.
00:05:42
Speaker
But, you know, I do think Kansas State is a legitimate – is the primary legitimate team that could make the college football playoff this year.
00:05:54
Speaker
ah And then Arizona State made it last year. There's still a possibility they could do it again this year. I don't think there is be as dominant as they were last year in the big 12.
00:06:05
Speaker
And then, uh, some of the other schools that we've seen, uh, Texas tech, you know, they, they may have a shot at it. Uh, but it's just, it's a, did you know, this is a 15 team conference. I think now the big 12 has gone to 15 teams and, um,
00:06:23
Speaker
You know, I don't, I think that's, ah I think that's the only, that's the, and they've had so many new schools added in. i was, followed the Big 12, being Mizzou fan, I followed the Big 12 a lot of times for a long time.
00:06:38
Speaker
But the only schools left are Kansas State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Baylor, and Texas Tech, and maybe Colorado, i think, came back to the to the conference. So, ah you know, they they've got a lot of, you They got a lot of new schools in there. They got schools like,
00:06:59
Speaker
let me hold on here just second. Well, you know, Arizona and Arizona State came over. um and I'm flipping through here. so Houston is is in it now.
00:07:10
Speaker
Central Florida, Cincinnati. I mean, what West Virginia's been in it for a while. But anyway, there oh These are all legitimately could be good teams, but like I said, I think there's only going to be one team that will make the college playoff, and that's and right now it looks like, even though they took a loss that first game, it looks like it you could be could be Kansas State, and that would be who I would pick.
00:07:39
Speaker
um They have a quarterback named Avery Johnson who threw for 250 yards four times last year. I think he's a you know, he's a legitimately top quarterback when the top quarterbacks in the big 12.
00:07:53
Speaker
He's a dual threat candidate, so he can pass a run. ah Arizona state, ah you know, they're bringing back quite a few people, but they don't really have the, I don't think they will have the impact they did last year. um,
00:08:11
Speaker
ah the They do do bring back their running what their key running back, a guy named Cam Sketterboot, who rushed for over 2,300 yards last year.
00:08:25
Speaker
We had 2,300 rushing and receiving yards. So he'll be an impact player there. But I just don't see a whole lot of it else, other teams that really would be a threat to to get to the college football playoff. They're not bad teams. They're just not any great teams.
00:08:43
Speaker
You know, Don, the Kansas State, I mean, I'm sorry, um, The Big 12, they don't have any super teams in them. I don't know anymore. They lost Texas and Oklahoma.
00:08:55
Speaker
You think about the super schools, Texas and Oklahoma. ah They're gone. You know, you know you you look at SEC, they have teams like Georgia, Georgia.
00:09:09
Speaker
Texas, Alabama, they those who would be considered, you know, kind of big-time super schools. And the Big Ten always has Michigan and Ohio State and probably Penn State. But the Big 12 just doesn't have those type of schools anymore.
00:09:27
Speaker
So that's why i think that that's why I think they'll probably just get one team in this year. if You know, they will get one team in because we know the conference champion will get in.
00:09:40
Speaker
And they already had one big game in Iowa State and Kansas State. That was last weekend. TCU and Kansas State play on October 11th. That'll be a good game to watch.
00:09:51
Speaker
And I think Texas Tech and Arizona State on the 18th, October 18th. ah And Kansas State and Utah on November 22nd, toward the end of the season. So I think that's the big – that's an overview of what I see happening in the Big 12 this year.
00:10:10
Speaker
Okay. Yeah, I kind of agree with you on the the Big 12 not having – I think they used to – they probably still do what they used to call marquee teams.
00:10:22
Speaker
Right. Where there's always that
ACC Teams Spotlight & Player Moves
00:10:25
Speaker
that that one team. Back in the day when when you know when I was a young buck and and watching the game, watching the bowl games before all this football playoff hullabaloo.
00:10:37
Speaker
crap came along 40 years ago you know but i'm you know when i was like you know i was in my teens and stuff you were watching you you had oklahoma you had nebraska i mean you could always count on those two teams coming out of that big 12 i guess i don't think it was the big 12 back then it might have been it was a big eight back then big eight back then right yeah here's oklahoma nebraska for a long time yeah Yeah, i mean i but they were always battling. um And, you know, and, you know, you had a few T and then it took its transformation transformations and, you know, things. But ah I agree. I don't, I don't, there's that without having a marquee type
00:11:22
Speaker
uh, situation, like you said, with the big 10 has Ohio state, Penn state, uh, Michigan, you know, they got Alabama, Georgia out of the, uh, the, uh, sec, you know, even the ACC has got teams that people pay attention to. and you know, uh,
00:11:39
Speaker
ah names that people know, Florida State, Clemson, you know, um wake yeah even though they may not be playing that well, Wake Forest, there's teams that people know. there it's It's a brand that's been there. it's so and Yeah, you're right. You don't see that out of the out of the ah Big 12.
00:11:56
Speaker
you know Hopefully, they can a couple of those teams can elevate themselves. you know Maybe an Arizona State maybe an arizona state can find its way now since it's not having to worry about ucla washington and oregon oh you know that kind of thing so you know we'll have to see what happens with that but uh but uh yeah um i mean i i i kind of i kind of see your kansas state i mean that that's um that could be interesting coming out of there so who Yeah. i'm a very distinct
00:12:28
Speaker
And where they end up in a national ranking situation, I don't know. But, you know, that could be that could be one for but to make it very interesting when the playoff when the playoffs show up. You know, yeah there there might be there might be a number 11 or 12 team that maybe end up being on the outside looking in with a couple of these guys coming up. so Well, that's true. That's true. Yeah.
00:12:50
Speaker
So, well, if the ACC... Um, of course, last year it was, uh, you had, uh, SMU Clemson made the playoff. Miami had a great start and then they went,
00:13:05
Speaker
They went and went nine and oh, and then went south somewhere that I think they gave up, you know, thought they were going to get in on their looks or something. But, uh, um, I think you're going to see probably the same group, uh, SMU, Clemson, Miami, Louisville show up again this year.
00:13:22
Speaker
Clemson right now looks to be the odds on favorite in a lot of people's minds. Um, because And I didn't know this was a thing, ah but there's something called the production, return on production.
00:13:36
Speaker
And Clemson has the highest return on production in all of the NCAA football at 80%. Wow. coming back.
00:13:46
Speaker
Wow.
00:13:50
Speaker
now um So that bodes well for now to give you some reference on that. The average in the NCAA 53% and the ACC average is 59%.
00:14:02
Speaker
nothing So they are well and above whoever's going to be behind them. um They're talking Cade Clubnick, the quarterback.
00:14:13
Speaker
They've got him actually on early Heisman watch. Mm-hmm. so And he threw for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns last year. He's got three of his top four receivers coming back.
00:14:26
Speaker
um And the the three of those that are coming back, they combined for over 2,200 yards 21 touchdowns. the running game, they lost, uh, Phil ma mafa, um, to, I guess, graduation or something.
00:14:43
Speaker
Uh, but, um, Jay Haynes, the, the guy that's supposed to be taking over, I guess he had a late season ACL tear. So it's supposedly he's healthy, but you know, so that running, that puts the running game, a little bit of suspect, but they are having their entire offensive linebacks. that's going to help him help that a little bit.
00:15:03
Speaker
Uh, Defensively, after the defensive collapse, um you know they they look to be they hope to be able to to make us a different season, so to speak.
00:15:18
Speaker
um They had 18 guys that played last year on defense, so significant time. they're talking I think it was like over 200 snaps or something like that.
00:15:30
Speaker
13 of those guys are coming back. So at least they've got guys returning. The only problem with that is there's only like one or two seniors of of all of those guys that were returning. Everybody else is a sophomore or a junior.
00:15:41
Speaker
Yeah. So, but they got some good, you know, so that I think they're going to be there. Uh, they got a couple of good, uh, good standout defensive guys take to keep an eye on, uh, TJ Parker, their defensive end had 11 sacks last year.
00:15:55
Speaker
um Sammy Brown, a linebacker, had 11 tackles for loss and five sacks. So they've got some guys. They've got a defensive in transfer, ah which is something you don't see much out of a Debo Sweeney ah team.
00:16:15
Speaker
You don't see a lot of transfers in his lineup. Yeah, he's laid off the transfer portal. Yeah. He's built it through recruiting, I guess. You know, he's just basically recruiting.
00:16:28
Speaker
Yeah, but he picked up a defensive end from ah Purdue that they say is supposed to be helpful, that defensive line. So that that that gives them their their eye up. um Miami, they lost their quarterback to the draft and picked up Carson Beck. So, i you know, i ah to me, that's a wash. I mean, I think they still got a hell of a quarterback coming in and Carson Beck from Georgia.
00:16:50
Speaker
the number Now, the numbers on Beck are interesting. He threw for over 34, almost 3,500 yards last year and 28 touchdowns, but he had 12 picks. Yeah, let me ah insert there about since I followed Georgia.
00:17:05
Speaker
Carson Beck was considered highly talented, but yeah, he was a turnover king, and I think that's what held georgia camp georgia out held Georgia back last year. Now, they got into the playoff, but they didn't get very far.
00:17:21
Speaker
Uh, so there, so he transferred out cause they had another hotshot quarterback waiting in the wings and they won't go that way. So Cam Ward is now with the Titans.
00:17:31
Speaker
Yes. With the Tennessee Titans now. So he's the number one draft. I think on the, yeah, he was the number draft pick. Yeah. Yeah. Um, I'm well, i thought I'm not sure if I picked him. I think I may have him on my fantasy team. I think I picked him on my fantasy team. Yeah.
00:17:46
Speaker
Uh, but anyway, um, They've got a good old line coming back, though. um This looks to be fairly solid experience, and they're deep on the old line. Running game, I don't know. I mean, they've got their both their backs coming back, but the only game between the two them, only gained 1,000 yards.
00:18:03
Speaker
I say only 1,000, but, you know, when you're talking um today's football, if you're not, you can get one back and get you 1,000. mean, you know, so maybe they it's ah it's a split the but job this year. or that Last year it could be the same this year.
00:18:19
Speaker
Now, receiving, they had to bring in. heat This is where they brought in some transfers. They've got a couple of young kids coming in. Because what they've got returning, they don't have a guy returning from last year's team that caught more than 10 passes all year.
00:18:35
Speaker
Yeah, okay. So that's going to be that's goingnna be the challenge for Beck. Absolutely. Is you know not having experienced receiving core. ah Now, they again, I mentioned defense. They've got a new deep defense coordinator, Corey Hetherman.
00:18:50
Speaker
um He came from Minnesota. ah He's got five returning starters and nine transfers to try and mold into some type of a defense. And they they say that they are a lot of people are pretty high on this guy. ah They say he's kind of an up-and-comer, at least in coordinator talk.
00:19:08
Speaker
So that could bode well for Miami. I mean, it could help it's got to get better than last year when, they when like I said, they their defense just decided it didn't want to show up second half or the last four games. And you know that didn't bode well.
00:19:22
Speaker
SMU. smu um
00:19:27
Speaker
coach coach there ret leshley uh i didn't realize this he has two back-to-back 11 win seasons uh so he he's he's proven himself over there i mean he's uh becoming quite frankly the uh the darling of the of the uh acc and in in that respect um Got a good quarterback there who can run and throw. They got a good old line.
00:19:54
Speaker
um Solid wide receivers. Running game is a little suspect. um their quarter a The quarterback I mentioned is Kevin Jennings. He's one they're looking at as you know could could bring some national honors in some way, shape, or form, or at least make a make a make a run at somebody ah because he threw for 3,200 yards, ran for 400 yards, a total of 28 touchdowns between the two running and passing.
00:20:23
Speaker
Defense, yeah. Yeah, well, you know, it's... it's oh Boy, i I had to put it.
00:20:35
Speaker
At best, it's going to be... good at worst it might be average i mean they're a middle of the pack defense so there's really nobody standing out um and it's it's just kind of hit or miss with that i mean i i think they're d there's there's nothing there that's going to stand out and and slap somebody upside the head they're a good defense you're not gonna you're not gonna make many mistakes um ah But they're just really not, as we talked earlier, there's just nothing, no standout that's going to show up.
00:21:07
Speaker
Louisville is another team that could make a push. um Now, here's something else. this is We talked about Sweeney not wanting transfers.
00:21:18
Speaker
The Louisville coach has a different take on it. Jeff Baum in his four years now, or his fourth season ah at at Louisville,
00:21:30
Speaker
He has lost 83 players to their transfer portal and brought in 87. Yeah. i mean I mean, he he's basically constantly turning over his lineup.
00:21:43
Speaker
I don't know how successful you you're going to be in the long term doing that. ah You know, kind of the opposite of of of Sweeney where he doesn't want to bring in transfers. Yeah.
00:21:55
Speaker
ah They do have some guys that are that are coming back that are worth ah that are but are worth some note. Isaac Brown and and Duke Watson, the two running backs, ah combined for 1,770 yards last year. So that's ah that's a good positive for them.
00:22:13
Speaker
The one returning receiver, um Chris Bell, had 777 yards last year. So that's your top four, I think, in the in the ACC. I don't think it's going to shift. my yeah You might see a shift. Clemson, I think, is going to be your number one.
00:22:31
Speaker
And then the other three, I think, will just filter themselves out eventually. couple teams that might make a run could be a pit. could be Georgia Tech, Duke. They might be able to make a run.
00:22:45
Speaker
But I'm limping all those guys in with FSU, NC State, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech as just that you're going to be your middle of the pack group, and then everybody else is just going to fall back behind.
00:22:57
Speaker
you know You mentioned last show about coaches on the hot seat, and I did a look in the ACC on some hot seat coaches. who Mike Norvell, over at Florida State. he hired two He's hired two new coordinators. He's got a new defensive coordinator in Tony White and a new offensive coordinator in Gus Malzahn.
00:23:18
Speaker
yeah you know if If that doesn't help him this year, if he doesn't produce and i and i don't think six wins is going to do it he's going to come up with eight wins um he could be gone i i there's there's that talk also uh brent pry over virginia tech he seems to be on a hot seat and already a coach on the hot seat and it's only going to be his first year as frank reich Who's that?
00:23:46
Speaker
Frank Reich. Mike Reich. Frank. mercy Frank. Oh, okay. yeah Yeah. Wake Forest. Yeah. i think he is. Yeah. um I mean, because he came in as the interim. They assigned him as the interim coach in March and then gave him the job.
00:24:02
Speaker
And so he's really had nothing to prove himself with. And... really not much of a team to try and turn around. So, uh, it could be one of the shortest coaching tenures and in, in ACC history, uh, as far as that goes. So, so that, that kind of the look at the ACC, I said, uh, um, i look for, you know, Clemson will probably wait but be in the playoffs as far as the other three, know, Miami could be a playoff contender.
00:24:31
Speaker
Um, um, i Well, any one of those three could be a playoff contender, but they would have to be a serious challenge for clet to Clemson in the ACC title a run.
00:24:46
Speaker
to i mean, you know you'd have to see 10, 11 wins out out of one of those teams before I think they they look at them as a as a possible ah ah playoff contender.
00:24:59
Speaker
Yeah. You know, I mean, but it could, anything can happen and and usually does. I mean, last year they had Florida state picked as, uh, um, to go eight and five and they went two and nine. So, you know, yeah. Yeah.
00:25:14
Speaker
yeah I think you're probably nailed it on, uh, Clemson. I think Dabo Sweeney's done it before. He's, he kind of fell back there for a couple of years. He's trying to adapt to this, uh,
00:25:25
Speaker
new culture of transfer portal and all that he was pretty my understanding he's pretty insistent on building it through recruiting but i understood he adapted some and picked up some uh used it some talent where other coaches primarily turned to the transfer portal uh to build their teams or to build a team from year to year but sweeney's trying to do trying to split the difference a bit i think so i think he's a proven head coach and i think you've got it right that they're probably the team that's going to probably hit the playoffs. i think that'd be one of the better teams in the country.
00:26:00
Speaker
think I think Sweeney's he's, and we've talked about him before. um I think, and you and I have kind of come to the same. clip He's an old school guy. i mean, he believes in building through, through recruiting, developing players. You just don't see those kinds of coaches that, that around that much anymore.
00:26:24
Speaker
Um, you know, I mean, there, there, I mean, there's still a good, a decent amount of'm around, but like you said, a lot of them, especially the younger bunch like bomb and a couple of others, you know, they've bought into, um, the transfer portal as their, their method of making, making the splash. Right.
00:26:44
Speaker
Um, you know not not concentrating as much on those younger kids, um which I think that's what's – if this trend continues, and I'll side-wide in here for just a second.
00:26:59
Speaker
If this kind of trend continues where you see a lot more coaches going transfer portal-wise to get there their stars and their mainstays for their teams – I think this all this is, and and when I'm talking like in the major conferences like the SEC, like ah um big big Big Ten, ah maybe ACC.
00:27:20
Speaker
I think you're going to see maybe a lot of these kids that, young kids, I'm talking the high school kids, and even some junior college guys, that are going to bypass those larger conferences and for a conference USA, for a big 12, for a rebirth in the pack 12 or pack 10 or whatever they're going to call themselves.
Impact of Transfer Portal on Recruitment
00:27:44
Speaker
I think you might see a lot of those younger kids that would normally go to the big schools say, wait a minute. They're, they're not interested in me. They're interested in transfers. I'm, I'm going to go someplace where I can play.
00:27:56
Speaker
You know, uh, you know, it's one thing that guy and I was talking with last night on my podcast last night. About Illinois. You know it was surprising to see a lot of those kids that have stayed with that program. ah One guy in particular, were talking about kid by the name of Malik Elsey.
00:28:15
Speaker
you know he's spent three years basically now. Um. being practice spotter, getting in, uh, you know, 20, 40 snaps a year, maybe, you know, uh, sees like 10 series, uh, or three series is a game or something like that.
00:28:32
Speaker
Yeah. So it, and he stayed with the team. He's like, no, sure i I can see my shot. I can see my shot because, you know, um, Bielam was one of those guys who's kind of in the middle. He's, he likes the transfer portal, but he also likes kids.
00:28:45
Speaker
So, you know, I mean, he's, he tries to get a good mix, uh, yeah And, you know, if more coaches are like that, then yeah, the bigger conferences are going to stay. The big conferences are going to get all the big kids, but they keep, you know, some guys like bomb and these others that are want to run transfer portal, transfer portal, transfer portal.
00:29:04
Speaker
I think you're cutting your nose off to spike your face. Yeah. You know, Braum, um, he was successful at Purdue for a while. He did really well there. Then he went, took the Louisville deal.
00:29:16
Speaker
Louisville's been so up and down as far as their programming. they've got They've had some really good coaches, and they've had some coaches belly flop. right I would think Brom could be successful there.
00:29:27
Speaker
ah what did he Was he there originally? Did he come from Louisville, was that somewhere else? um well i don't I don't know his coaching history at off the top of my head, um but um um i more i often for to purdue then he came back maybe louis but I forgot. But anyway, he's he's he should know what he's doing, but maybe the transfer portal is still, it's a new thing for a lot of these guys. And, ah you know, I guess that it's...
00:29:57
Speaker
with With the restructure of the NIL now, maybe that may hopefully the transfer portal will calm down a little. yeah um But you know we've wished for that before, and it hasn't happened yet, so we'll see. That's right.
00:30:10
Speaker
All right. Well, ah we're going to take a quick minute here. And then we'll get back to talking about football. ah What I want to do is right now is talk about it it's it's still summertime. And we're in late August, but it's still summertime. you still got some nice warm weather out there.
00:30:25
Speaker
And with that warm weather comes more outdoor activities. And, of course, the heat that is in August. And you still get some. ah And... with all that, you're going to lose some body water. I mean, and the human body is made up of 60 to 70% water. So it is very essential to stay hydrated when you're out and about and doing all these activities.
00:30:47
Speaker
But sometimes drinking water alone just isn't enough because you don't just lose water. You lose essential electrolytes like glucose and sodium. um Recent studies have even shown that the Americans drink less than 50% of the recommended daily amount of water.
00:31:03
Speaker
So dehydration can become a real problem. you know And the symptoms of that are feeling thirsty, feeling tired, feeling um just nausea, getting headaches.
00:31:14
Speaker
And that can happen just by losing 8% of your body water. and Now, you lose up to 15%, that can put you in the hospital. Now, but what if you could multiply your hydration? What if you make it work faster? Well, that's where Liquid IV comes in.
00:31:28
Speaker
Liquid IV is a popular sports drink in America that delivers hydration twice as fast as water and contains three times the electrolytes of traditional sports drinks. It uses cellular transport technology to enhance rapid absorption of water into the body.
00:31:43
Speaker
It contains vitamins like B3, B5, B6, B12, as well as vitamin C and key electrolytes like glucose and sodium. It's non-GMO. It's soy-free, dairy-free. It's gluten-free.
00:31:57
Speaker
Liquid IV has several different formulas as well. They don't just look at replacing your hydration. They look at other things. And they've also got a dietary blend that helps your help. There's a lot of probiotics.
00:32:14
Speaker
They've got a quick pick-me-up energy formula that doesn't give you that coffee crash. They've got an immune boosting formula that's packed with vitamin C and zinc and beta glucan.
00:32:25
Speaker
they know They've even got their regular formula in a sugar-free version that doesn't use artificial sweeteners. It uses amino acids. They've got a lineup for kids as well.
00:32:37
Speaker
A bunch of great flavors, strawberry lemonade, lemon line, green grape, pina colada, aromax. I like the Golden Cherry and Yazoo Pineapple myself. I think those are a couple of really good ones.
00:32:50
Speaker
ah The Kids Flemish has flavors they like, like Concord Grape and Crisp Apple, Banana, Cotton Candy. ah It's conveniently packaged in individual little sticks or pouches.
00:33:01
Speaker
I mean, you've seen like the Crystal Light Drink mixed pouches, you know individual. That's what this looks like. And you just tear one of those open, throw it in a but and ah eight ounces of water, and you got got it to go. So they can be taken anywhere. You can take them to the beach, the gym, the office, school, even on an airplane.
00:33:17
Speaker
You know, I didn't know this, but interesting fact that airplane humidity is 5% to 12% less than the Sahara Desert. That leaves the dehydration just sitting in an airplane.
00:33:27
Speaker
I mean, you wouldn't think it, but it does. Now, the dehydration is what turns into jet lag on long flights, like cross-country flights and stuff. You know, coffee and tea don't help because the caffeine just hyperactives that.
00:33:39
Speaker
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00:33:54
Speaker
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Speaker
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00:34:23
Speaker
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00:34:39
Speaker
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00:34:52
Speaker
So check out Hydration Multiplication. Try Liquid IV by visiting liquidiv.com and using the promo code GCS at checkout. Okay, so we are back now, and we're going to move forward here.
00:35:08
Speaker
And I'm going to go ahead.
Conference USA & Sun Belt Conference Overview
00:35:11
Speaker
I'll let you. you You've got the Sun Belt. So going to let you have the Sun Belt. Or actually, let me go I've got two, so I'll go first. I'll i'll take ah i'll do Conference USA first here. you Okay. um Now, a Conference you have USA is one of those that We don't hear a lot about, but there's, there are some pretty good schools there that, you know, sometimes have been known to slap people upside the head once a while. I mean, you've got, uh, Jacksonville state, Western Kentucky, Sam Houston, Liberty, uh, Louisiana tech, Florida, international UTEP, New Mexico state, middle Tennessee and Kennesaw state.
00:35:52
Speaker
And, you know, last year, last couple years, Liberty's been making a big, you know, making big inroads. And I think they're going to do that again this year. um You look at, ah they're projected to have about nine wins.
00:36:08
Speaker
They're coming off a thirteen and one season last year. um They've got their starting quarterback back. They got 1,400-yard rusher Quentin Cooley coming back.
00:36:19
Speaker
Six defensive starters coming back. um Now, they did lose their star receiver, C.J. Daniels. he's I'm not sure if he transferred out or went somewhere or went to the NFL.
00:36:38
Speaker
ah But, you know, they've got they've got some kids that can come back around. They've got ah um a couple of transfers in that looks like they're going to be doing that they can be doing something very special for those guys.
00:36:49
Speaker
So look for them to be... you know running right around that top spot. Western Kentucky, um you know last year, they you didn't see much out of them but in terms of national media, but I've got a little note here on them that since 2014, they've been in the con the Con USA Championship game four times, and um they have won eight or more games for four straight years.
00:37:24
Speaker
So, I mean, this is a team that, like said, they don't get much pub, but they've they've got some good players on there. Um, they've, they're bringing back, um, a couple of really good receivers and Jarius Mack, who averaged 22 yards a catch.
00:37:43
Speaker
Oh, he's a transfer. Excuse me. A transfer. Jarius Mack averaged 22 yards to catch at Charlotte. Um,
00:37:51
Speaker
They've got a quarterback, Maverick McIver, another transfer who threw for 3,800 yards at Abilene Christian. Wow. That's impressive. um So, I mean, you've got some goods they've got some good bones on that team. that they they could make a They could make a run.
00:38:09
Speaker
Again, whether anybody out of Khan USA is going to make the the playoff. I mean, they didn't last year. oh i still don't know why when you see a Liberty with 13-1. But, hey, you know, I guess strength of schedule. And that's the other problem with these smaller conferences. Strength of schedule is going to really hurt a lot of them.
00:38:27
Speaker
because they just don't get to play in the teams that are that big. And when they do, usually it's, you know, they're cannon fodder and and in the preseason, you know, and and that's a shame and in in a lot of respects. I think that's why eventually you may see the group of five just form their own conference and say, to heck with y'all. um i wouldn't I wouldn't mind that a bit, really. I think it would be some really interesting football.
00:38:52
Speaker
um Jacksonville State's another team. but I think they're going to be more middle of the pack. ah Sam Houston, the same thing. and then La Tech. La Tech, a few years ago, they were a big they were a big deal a few years ago.
00:39:11
Speaker
There was that one year, I can't remember, it was about 2015 or 16, I can't remember which one it was, where Illinois had them scheduled a non-conference game.
00:39:23
Speaker
And they had beaten their first two opponents by a total score of 115 to or something like that. And they turned around beat us like 56 to 2 or something. I can't remember. But that that that was that was during the Beckman era. Okay, well well we won't go we won't go there too often. and ah But you they they should be middle of the pack road.
00:39:45
Speaker
Um, you know, and then you've got, uh, you start going downhill from there with the middle Tennessee state, uh, New Mexico state.
00:39:56
Speaker
I mean, they're a team that could make middle of the pack in Khan USA. i don't think they're going to make a run at the at the yeah championship. so And then the rest, but everybody else is just kind of there, UTEP.
00:40:11
Speaker
I mean, right now, UTEP is hoping they make six they go to 6-6 this year. um And it's it's not really something that they're – people are are really high on them actually accomplishing.
00:40:25
Speaker
Um, and you know, it's, it's, there's some, uh, there's going to be some decent games and decent teams that they're going to play. um you know, meaning the league itself. Uh, but I think, you know, what you're looking for is probably Liberty Western Kentucky is going to be a fighting it out until the end of that one. And then, uh, everybody else will just see where they fall.
00:40:48
Speaker
Yeah. It's hard to, it's really hard to pick those, uh, a conference like Conference USA and, you know, try to figure out, you know, where they're going to end up. And, you know, they're probably not going to end up certainly in the college. Most of none of them probably going to end up at the college football playoff.
00:41:06
Speaker
But, you know, they've they've got some ah they've got some schools who have been playing football a long time. So, you know, it's it can be interesting. Maybe like you said, and maybe they all should throw all these guys in one conference. don't know.
00:41:23
Speaker
Okay, so what do we what do we know about the Sun Belt? Well, I think the Sun Belt, last year Marshall went into the um might won the championship. You know, the thing about the Sun Belt, it's still in two divisions, an East and a West.
00:41:38
Speaker
And they have about, I think about 14 teams in the conference. But the like said, they still play two divisions, but Marshall won it. ah But they their coach left.
00:41:53
Speaker
And I think he went to Southern Miss, but they had 50 players hit the transfer portal. So they don't expect Marshall to repeat this year. But the team that is is kind of an interesting, it's the team that most people seem to be leaning towards, James Madison, Don.
00:42:12
Speaker
You know, they used to be ah what we call one double a 1AA team, and they moved up into the – They've moved up into this Sunbelt Conference. And, you know, they last year they were even in it until the end, but they're they have a quarterback named Alonzo Barnett III.
00:42:29
Speaker
And when he's 100%, he's pretty good. And he got hurt last year, and and they lost some close games after he went down. So the expectation is if he's healthy this year, they could be the team to beat in the Sunbelt.
00:42:44
Speaker
they could be the team to beat the sunbelt um Another team, the other team that a lot people are looking at is southern South Alabama. And the interesting thing about South Alabama, they have a head coach named Major Applewhite.
00:42:58
Speaker
And I don't know if you remember him, but he was a quarterback, wasn't he? Yeah, Texas. Yeah, okay. And he – he ah he's been knocking around as assistant coach. I don't know if he's been a head coach anywhere else, but he's now at South Alabama and there da their expectations are are pretty high and they've got a ah good quarterback in Gio Lopez.
00:43:26
Speaker
So they've they think that that team might be able to, and a veteran running back in Kentrow Bullock. So they think this team might be a team that could,
00:43:37
Speaker
could do something the other one is southern the georgia southern eagles and there's where clay helton is at now if you remember clay helton was at usc for a few years yeah it didn't work out so he's but he's now he's in the sunbelt and i guess trying to well lot guys he's do they start trying to rebuild their career and that's why he's doing they think that is one of the teams that probably could win this thing and possibly he's got some, ah he's, he's got a, um he's got some promising piece pieces in there. He's got a quarterback named JC French last year. He threw too many interceptions, but they hope they helped her improve on that. He's got some good receivers and, uh,
00:44:24
Speaker
And they've got a good ah they've got a good running back. So they think they can build on that. A lot of people think they may pull it out. And the last team that they think really has a shot at winning this is Louisiana Raging Cajuns.
00:44:38
Speaker
And so they've gone 34-5 in the last three seasons. and but And so they think this may be their year to do it.
00:44:50
Speaker
um I keep my eye on Don down here. on a team ah Arkansas State. They're about an hour away from me and I've always kind of followed them. And They are coached now by bos Butch Jones. Now, he's in his fifth year at Arkansas State.
00:45:08
Speaker
And he he was the head coach at Tennessee. And it didn't work out for him at Tennessee. So, after he set out a couple years of coaching, or he was an assistant coach, I think he really went to work for Saban, Nick Saban, for a couple years.
00:45:24
Speaker
And then he came to Arkansas State. He's been trying to get that program up and going again. This is the program that Hugh Freeze was successful at and started his college coaching career and really did a good job there. And so there was there's a chance that Arkansas State could make some noise, but I think what we're looking at is those top four teams, as I talked about there.
00:45:52
Speaker
And I'm looking to see, flipping through here, see if there's anything else that I think is notable. I always look for old coaches. ah There's a guy named Charles Huff. That's the guy at Southern Miss, and he was the guy that did so well at Marshall.
00:46:09
Speaker
He took off ah from Marshall, went to another Sunbelt school, won a mar championship at Marshall, but has now become his first year at Southern Miss. And so ah I don't know that there's anything – You know we're not going to see any of these schools in the college football playoff, but ah the Sunbelt Conference is really a pretty good football conference for...
00:46:35
Speaker
for the group of five, I guess you'd say. it's It's a pretty good conference. So it's it's an interesting one to follow. That's why I wanted to take this one from you, Don, last weeks ago. I just kind of wanted to see, since Arkansas State's in this conference, I just kind want see what the other schools were looking like and things like that. So anyway, it's ah it's a good, solid football conference. But, you know.
00:46:58
Speaker
keep an eye on oh yeah No doubt well the last last one we're gonna get into is the Mac um and I'm kind of I'm i'm actually yeah like you are with the Sun but I am a little bit partial to the Mac um just because I've you know ah it's It's what, I mean, it it it is true to its name.
Mid-American Conference Deep Dive
00:47:18
Speaker
It's the Mid-American Conference. I mean, you've got, it's all middle of the, you Midwest oriented.
00:47:24
Speaker
um ah Last year, ohio came out of that that conference 11-3, followed by Miami at nine and five They had Buffalo was at They're about the only ones that's out there out and in Ohio.
00:47:37
Speaker
ah in space somewhere, but, uh, you've got Buffalo was in there at nine or four bowling green, seven and six. You had Toledo eight and five. And, you know, probably the team that made the most splash last year out of the Mac was Northern Illinois.
00:47:53
Speaker
When they took down Notre Dame. Mm-hmm. You know, I mean, we saw you, you saw, and you and I saw what happened. i mean they they took down Notre Dame but and. Dropped them pretty much right out of the top 25. I mean, yeah, you know, it was, it was just the the fall they had, um you know, they ended up going, ah eight and five for the year. So, you know, they didn't have a bad season, you know, as far as what's coming back around, this year. And, and this is the other thing they've always had, the max always had the teams.
00:48:25
Speaker
Again, you don't they don't get a lot of pub, but you hear and you see them on on um in games. that's I mean, was Ohio one year beat Ohio State.
00:48:37
Speaker
um you know Western Michigan beat in Illinois. um four years ago, I think it was four or five years ago. Uh, so you, you know, these Mac teams can come up and they can bite you if you're not ready for it.
00:48:51
Speaker
You're not going to play be ready to play. And and yeah so, uh, what, ah what they're looking at this year, i mean, they've got some pretty good, uh, numbers coming back. Um, Toledo as looks to be the, I don't want to say the odds on favorite, but there a lot of people are giving them the nod.
00:49:08
Speaker
They've got a ah pretty, Jason Candles of ten years is 10 years there as the head coach. um And they've been pretty, pretty damn consistent. I mean, you're always going you're always looking at seven, eight, nine wins.
00:49:22
Speaker
um And he's... He's put together pretty good program. Doesn't have a lot of turnover, ah which is surprising for a Mac school.
00:49:34
Speaker
ah But again, that's I think that's kind of why i like the Mac. um you know because they they they the kids that go there seem to want to stay there i mean you you get a few transfers and i think it happens more in basketball than it does football with the mac um but um you know he's got some guys coming back in uh some on offense and defense that are good to good good shape he has brought in a couple of guys um So that they should make a run.
00:50:00
Speaker
Ohio is the ah team that's going to be right behind them, clicking on their heels, I think. um They won 10 games under Tim Albin in 22 and 23. They did lose a lot of starters, so they had a pretty decent run.
00:50:15
Speaker
ah return on on transfer investment, if you will. And they did win 11 games last year ah and a MAAC title.
00:50:27
Speaker
So, you know, it's one of those. It could easily be... I mean, Alvin could easily be considered probably the dean i mean as the dean of coaches in the MAAC with what he's done there.
00:50:38
Speaker
um So I think they're going to be very solid. They've got a ah a good dual-threat quarterback in Peter ah Parker Navarro, 2,400 passing yards and 1,100 rushing yards last year.
00:50:54
Speaker
a Good offensive line. They've got a pretty solid defense, so they're going to make a run. um Buffalo... you know Buffalo was one of the i it was a Leopold that came from Buffalo.
00:51:08
Speaker
ah No. Well, I'm not sure. You don't have the guy, Kansas? Yeah. Yeah, I forgot. Was it North Dakota State or North Dakota? well I can't remember. Anyway, but they' they've always they've always had a good a good group, a good good coach. good They're well-coached team. They're never going to... I don't think they've probably ever the MAAC, but um But they've always been right there fighting for so fighting in that. So I think they're going to be in that mix again.
00:51:37
Speaker
um They're bringing back a pretty solid defense and a pretty good O-line. So we'll see what happens with that team. ah Miami of Ohio Redhawks. This is another team. And they're mostly they're not a big football school. They're mostly a basketball where you find Miami causing waves.
00:51:56
Speaker
ah But they're looking to have maybe a middle-of-the-pack season, a six seven win season. um They've ah ah see they've been improving pretty much every year as far as their rankings go. um They've gone from 120th average s SP plus ranking in two thousand fourteen and fifteen to 63.5 ranking just last this last season. so you know they they They keep getting better. They keep improving.
00:52:25
Speaker
um and They're under a 12th year coach, Chuck Martin. Uh, so, you know, we'll, we'll see how that team progresses. And then I got, like I got to go to Northern Illinois and talk about them just a little bit again, another middle of the pack school, but I tell you what, um,
00:52:42
Speaker
that's a team of that's That's a team of fighters right there. And um ah Thomas Hammock has done a wonderful job. Doesn't have the record to show it, really. ah But when you can go toe-to-toe with Notre Dame, now granted, it was second game of the season, but when you can go toe-to-toe with Notre Dame but and come out of there with a win, right in front of Touchdown Jesus, I don't. hats off to that guy and that team. that's That's all I can say about it. yeah around Wrestling is going to be ah right around the that. i mean I'm interested with Bowling Green.
00:53:17
Speaker
ah Eddie George is ah going to be coaching, and the head coach at Bowling Green. Oh, really? Yes, that's going to be interesting to see how he performs as a head coach.
00:53:30
Speaker
From Ohio State, I guess that's his whole not going Big grounds. Yeah. um And then, you know, there's some others. the Like said, the the others are just going to kind of fall in line.
00:53:44
Speaker
um And, yeah again, much like we've said with the last couple of ah of a group of five conferences, I don't think you're going to see – a
00:54:00
Speaker
a playoff team come out of the Mac. um But they're going to make their presence felt. I think the Mac always does. um You know, and again, i think if you're going to look at it and you had to pin me down, put the gun to my head, ah yeah, I'll go with what the with wet everybody's talking and say Toledo.
00:54:20
Speaker
um But I'm also going to say that, you know, don't you count out Ohio or ah Buffalo either. I mean, either one of those schools can can probably take that Mac and and run with it, if you will.
00:54:36
Speaker
so You know, the Mac is, I have a lot of schools have been playing football for a long time. i mean, they date They date to the early days of the college football, a lot these schools, and they've been a member of this conference for a long time. and it's And the conference, the MAAC has bred some good coaches. Nick Saban got his start at Toledo. Gary Pinkle got his start at Toledo. um Arapar Segan, the notre dame legendary Notre Dame coach, he started at MAAC school, I believe.
00:55:08
Speaker
And so, I mean, they's just they breed. These schools are good. I think decent football schools and they breed some, they bred some good coaches coming out of that conference and, you know, things like that. So, uh, um, you know what are some of the schools been there? less Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Toledo, Miami of Ohio, Ohio,
00:55:30
Speaker
ah Good grief. There's been a lot of schools. Akron's been there for decades. I mean, they may but they may be a founding member, I think. Akron might be. Yeah, Akron.
00:55:42
Speaker
Buffalo's rather new, I think, but in northern Illinois, they've been there. But, you know they bring good coaches in those so yeah schools, yeah. Yeah, no doubt. I mean, and like I said, you know, yeah a lot of team, a lot of fans of the larger schools, and you know, ah the the power fours, if you will, ah you know, they see ah a team like a Western Michigan and Illinois got, we got two, we got to ah Western Michigan coming in this year ah we're that we're playing. And like I said, you know, back in 2000,
00:56:17
Speaker
19 or 20, something like that, Western Michigan beat us. I mean, they came in and said, nope, sorry, we don't care if we don't care if you're a Big Ten school. We're going to play the game.
Upcoming College Football Game Previews
00:56:28
Speaker
And you get teams like that. And like I said, I think you're going to see it more out of the MAC than you do any of the others. Now, Conference USA's got a couple teams that are that way. But...
00:56:41
Speaker
um but you know The MAC, I think, is one of those one of those conferences that just is like, you know they don't mind if you want to call them the group part of the group of five, but they're going to let you know that they're just as good as you are on any given on any given Saturday.
00:56:59
Speaker
No two ways. No two ways. yeah so Well, um that i think that's it we're we've got everybody set up for the uh festivity the the big time festivity starting this week uh like the illinois plays friday night uh when's mizzou when's mizzou's season are they saturday friday no they play thursday night they're the opening night yeah they play like um jake um um Central Arkansas.
00:57:26
Speaker
It's the first game on of the season on the SEC network, with the first SEC game. So they get they got the Thursday night game for the last few years before Labor Day. So they're playing Thursday night. There's a lot of interesting games going You know, Texas, Ohio State, I think, plays this weekend, too.
00:57:45
Speaker
Yeah, that that's that I think that's the game everybody's going be tuning into. and Actually, let me if i if if you if if if I can, we've got a couple of three minutes left. Let me pull up ah the schedule for this week and see what actually is going to happen here.
00:58:03
Speaker
and the letter and Okay, there we are. Okay, so like said, we've got Thursday night. So Thursday night, yeah, you've got...
00:58:15
Speaker
Uh, pretty normal schedule. Uh, it's at Friday. You've got, you know, uh, you know, a top 12 team, Illinois plan.
00:58:25
Speaker
Uh, then Saturday, like you said, we've got, uh, and Here's a game that could be interesting, besides the Ohio State-Texas. Tennessee and Syracuse could be, I think, an interesting game.
00:58:37
Speaker
Sure, sure, yeah. But, yeah, you've got Ohio State-Texas, which I think everybody in the world is going to tune into. That's that's just going to be the one everybody's going to focus on.
00:58:49
Speaker
um And you've got, mostly of course, so the the entire top 25 is playing, not much of – well, here's another one, LSU-Clemson.
00:59:02
Speaker
You're right. That'd be a good one. That'll be a good game as well. It'd be interesting, yeah. That's going to be – I think that may be maybe more fun to watch than Texas, Ohio State, if you want to be honest.
00:59:13
Speaker
um And then we got a couple games on to that. mia yeah Miami versus Notre Dame on Sunday. sir That could be an interesting game.
00:59:25
Speaker
So we there's there's a few there's a few good games this weekend. Oh, absolutely. yeah You know, so, you know, plenty of plenty of football to watch. I mean, like I said, we're we're starting um ah Thursday night.
00:59:37
Speaker
um A lot of, I say you've got a lot of good teams playing Thursday night. uh, Boise state's in action Thursday night. Uh, your Missouri boys are in action. Duke's going be playing Thursday night.
00:59:50
Speaker
So youre if you're a fan of college football, if you can't find a game, I don't know what to tell you. I mean, yeah. it's yeah And it looks like yeah ESPN plus is going have a lot of these games. Uh, big 10 networks going to take, take the Rutgers, Ohio game.
01:00:06
Speaker
um, Then Friday, most mostly going to be ESPN, FS1. Then on Saturdays when you start getting all the the local the regionals like the Bid 10 Network and um Fox and stuff like that is going to start here. it's going to be a fun weekend. um And i can't kind I really can't can't wait.
01:00:29
Speaker
um Like you said, we've been suffering with the – with a, a, a baseball season that hasn't been up to par. Um, and you know, quick note about that. I think, I think we're going to see, we won't see a big turnaround next year. I thought hope fans and Cardinal fans are not looking for big turnaround next year.
01:00:46
Speaker
Not going to happen, but it will get better because I guarantee chain bloom has got a plan and it ain't what Mosaic was doing. I can tell you that right now. So, yeah. yeah that's my That's my little baseball take.
01:00:58
Speaker
so Well, they they've got some empty seats to fill. They want to do that, so they've got to make the team more interesting and more interesting things. It's going to be more interesting, but I don't think it's going to be the spendthrift drunken sailor like a lot of people want. So we'll have to see how that plays out. But anyway, well, oh give us your give us your credentials there, Mr.
Engagement & Farewell
01:01:23
Speaker
Robinson.
01:01:25
Speaker
Well, I'm at Twitter. I'm Uncle Frank at FRRobinson1957. I'm on Blue Sky, Russ57 on Blue Sky, and i've of I'm trying to keep doing a substack thing called Russ's Ramblings, and I've got to do some writing on that, so that's what I'm doing right now.
01:01:48
Speaker
Okay. Well, and you can find, uh, find me, uh, on, uh, X Twitter, um, at, uh, TSO TV GCS. You can, uh, hit the Facebook page, uh, talking sports with uncle Don.
01:02:04
Speaker
ah you can find this podcast on Spotify, along with my other podcast. Uh, you can also find me at, um, the, um, uh,
01:02:16
Speaker
gateway sports network where you can also find a lot of other uh people you can find uh the two for three with moose michaels you can find the team of rivals with ron pete and elliot uh ron and chris hambleton get together on city soccer with at the park uh then you have the stupidest sports show on earth which i have listened to that a couple times those guys are a blast to listen to I mean, I don't know where they came up with the name, but they're they're kind of a – they just go all over the board.
01:02:47
Speaker
they They don't have a plan. They don't have a format. They just go all over the board. um And then, of course, there's the ever-popular Derrick King show with the one and only Derrick King. You can also find some writings on there. I write on the on the the Gateway Sports app ever so often.
01:03:03
Speaker
And I'm also, you can find me at the Champagne Room for those who follow Illini Sports. I've got a couple more articles out there. Got another one coming up. So check it out there.
01:03:15
Speaker
And check out gatewaysports.net. And until we see you again, i want you to have fun. Stay safe. We'll talk to you next time on the NCAA Report with Don and Russ.
01:03:31
Speaker
Good night, everybody.