Transcript
Speaker: Welcome, everybody, back to Warm Weather Fans. It is Brian Stone and Zeke Palermo, your hosts of this here podcast, and we are back to preview all of the week. four action in the sunbelt including our first weeknight game ah between Coastal and Liberty.
Speaker: We can start there, Zeke, if you want to get... uh right into it. Um... So. We have kind of talked about this. um on a number of occasions really Uh,
Speaker: Deuce Bailey needs some support back there. ah The offensive line isn't really helping him out. The running game is... suspect when it needs to be a lot better than it is.
Speaker: Um... and then they they've kind of evenly distributed all of their passing targets. So it makes it really hard to kind of nail down like. Other than Deuce Bailey throwing the ball, what does this team do well? What do they excel at?
Speaker: And then defensively, you're just sort of like yeah they have their moments, but then other times. You just. they don't you don't really know what you're getting from them on a it's like a coin flip right right this um This I'm excited for this game because it's a similar litmus test in terms of relatively equal footing ah ah opponents.
Speaker: as coastal played uh when they had delaware last week they lost 22 to 14 in that one um to answer your kind of most pressing question is like other than deuce bailey Like the defense shows flashes from times, but it's like, what does this team really do well? And we still don't know.
Speaker: what it is. um Mm -hmm. And sometimes for some teams that can mean we just don't know yet. It's still early. Um... In the worst case scenario, scenario ah case scenarios that can mean we don't do much else really well.
Speaker: um other than like maybe we just have a very mobile quarterback. Liberty. played tight against James Madison, really tighter than James Madison would have liked.
Speaker: ah James Madison, who last week kind of... proved that they are still in the the probably the cream of this conference. um by beating San Diego State, one of the other premier G6 teams.
Speaker: I need to see. Coastal Carolina show me something positive other than ah We've got a guy who can break 20 yards off when stuff breaks down. um I want to see some sort of… consistent game plan throughout the process. I want to see the defense show up. I need to see something. Signs of life.
Speaker: um And unfortunately, that's going to be the phrase that we use for a couple of different teams. As we kind of look through the slate Um, I'm glad. That this game is yeah ESPN. This game is ah Thursday night.
Speaker: Because, um... that It's obviously not conflicting with any of our other schedules. Last week was really loaded on the 7 o 'clock slate, so the opportunity to fully watch this one.
Speaker: with you know undivided attention and then obviously Thursday night football or whatever on in the background. but um This will be my chance to really understand is Kustol. Bad or are they just a team that is turning it around? under a new coach.
Speaker: Well, I will say for from a viewing perspective, it is good for us because the Thursday night football game they're going up against is Packers -Falcons. Go. Your third Cooper Rush start. So no issue there. People will be turning the channel over pretty fast from that one, I think.
Speaker: Uh... Liberty has had a weird season too. So you have a seven point loss against James Madison. We know JMU had JC Evans mostly. Well, we had Camden Coleman and JC Evans.
Speaker: splitting snaps in that game, but it was a... ah it was It's been very different than what we've seen the last two weeks where Camden Coleman has been the primary starter. It was very... Run centric.
Speaker: Not throw the ball a lot. Don't put the ball in in harm's way. we're just kind of grinding these teams out And I think. Wasn't it also raining week one too? Like there was there was some inclement weather stuff. So it was like.
Speaker: The perfect storm for Liberty to keep this one close. add on to the fact that like The week after they they lose to Liberty, the week after they lose to JMU, they play a one -point win over FCS Gardner -Webb.
Speaker: In which? DeSean Purdy, Liberty's quarterback, had to throw it like a 50 -yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to overcome an FCS team. And then you play basically what was another FCS team last week. Not really, but... in in ah team quality in Ball State, which you won 51 -15.
Speaker: I think... I think outside of the hiccup against Gardner Webb that Liberty had. I think Liberty is more well -rounded. I think I've seen more so more flashes.
Speaker: And that's not to say anything negative about Deuce Bailey. I think he's. A good like up and coming. guy It's just. They don't have anything around him. Like, again.
Speaker: They're splitting running back snaps evenly between. Edwards and Lee nicely. Wide receiver -wise, it's it's all over the map. Blocking -wise, as far as PFF has them graded,
Speaker: Coastal Carolina is the only team in the conference so far this season that has a bottom three pass blocking and run blocking grade. No team is but bottom three in both. they are There are ones that obviously do one better than the other.
Speaker: But Coastal is like... really at the bottom of the... the pile. as far as like offensive line quality. So... I just think that Liberty is going to be able to.
Speaker: Again. Make Coastal one -dimensional, as as Coastal has been so far this year. I think Liberty's Sean Purdy is going to make enough plays. I think it's going to be kind of similar to the Delaware game. i think I think Liberty wins this by like a score. But I don't think either team neither team is going to be putting up.
Speaker: 42 points in this one I think this is going to be Two teams that... have a lot of... uh room to be better offensively. That will just be playing like kind of a low scoring slugfest.
Speaker: but not because the defenses are so good more just because the offenses are they They both need work. Yeah. And so kind of what you said. i i just i'm already kind of ready And I know it's early and we haven't gotten into conference play.
Speaker: I'm already kind of ready to just write this season off for Coastal and be like, it's Ryan Beards year one. Mm hmm. i'm not going to tell him that he you know i'm not going to call for his head or anything crazy But.
Speaker: This is. very clearly like a team that needs to have another. Year of. recruiting. transfer portal stuff. Mm hmm. you know aging up the players do you have. I actually kind of like what they're doing with Deuce Bailey, too, because There are a lot of teams in this conference that aren't going anywhere this season.
Speaker: and are not going to be play even even come close to sniffing a conference title. who are still throwing older quarterbacks out there that have no ceiling. and deuce bailey at least is young and there's like optimism for potential upside whereas Again, some of these other teams, it's like...
Speaker: There's no hope. for them. they They're just doing it. Because I guess they don't know anything else. Sure. So at least they've got that going for them. is like If Deuce Bailey... throughout this season.
Speaker: continues to take that steady gradual climb and improvement Next year, you could be like, if we listen, if we need to overhaul the offensive line. Let's start there. we We definitely need better.
Speaker: guys up front because right now it's not getting it done. If you throw another receiver on this team... And then... you figure out the running back situation after the offensive line's fixed. like you might have a little something heading in into next year. that's that's a big Those are some big ifs because it takes a lot to overhaul an entire offensive line.
Speaker: But. Um. They are. very clearly building for like 2028. I would say you probably are going to need two full seasons of.
Speaker: getting new guys in, kind of getting the old players out that maybe don't fit this system. You need to get more even more balanced in your play calling. and And again, it's like, I hate to beat this drum so much, but the offensive line just has to be way better. Maybe go get another offensive line coach ah instead of whoever's there now.
Speaker: Because right now it's... I don't know if it's a talent or coaching thing, but right now it's just, it's like oil and water, like trying to figure out this offensive line. Important angle to this one worth mentioning as well. This is Jamie Chadwell's first game against Coastal since leaving at Coastal.
Speaker: from a you know This isn't going to be Ole Miss -LSU because I can't imagine there's anyone on the roster still from the Jamie Chadwell days. We're now two coaches are removed for Coastal. um But I can't imagine he'll be received too hot. I don't remember how he departed.
Speaker: um But there was still meat on the bone for this coastal. Jamie Chadwell team, right? um I don't remember that being exactly a harmonious breakup.
Speaker: Um... i don't i don't remember it being Like it wasn't necessarily nasty, but it was by no means like it wasn't a Charles Huff. basically gives Marshall the finger on the way out the door and then goes, I'm going to go coach.
Speaker: Southern Miss, good luck with your... you know your life with your with your new ad who knows better than everybody else but um There have been a lot more. messy breakups i would say then i i don't remember really hearing anything i I think the thing was always, I mean, again, I'm not inside Coastal's program, so I could be totally wrong on that. Like there may be a lot more like behind the scenes.
Speaker: dealings that are Maybe not as... ah happy of a breakup as you would hope, but it's like... Liberty has more money than they know what to do with. Now, they do they throw it at the right areas to to get better at football? No, they don't.
Speaker: ah but you know. it He probably was like. Easier Conference. I've got one more year with Grayson McCall max, and then I have to start over because that was where we were at at that point.
Speaker: And Liberty's throwing the giant a giant back at him. So it's like... Even if they fire him after this. season like let's say it doesn't go to plan and they get rid of them he's like cool i'm gonna i'm gonna take my giant paycheck and I will have my choice of... of Sunbelt.
Speaker: G5. jobs to just go kind of pick from. cuz Someone will look at that tenure and be like. Liberty's just not like a good football program. like they you know They need a lot of...
Speaker: work outside of just fundraising. so I don't know. i I worry. For his sake, I think. He may have overstayed his welcome here, and I think it might. Oh, probably, yeah. it's pride It's probably a little soured, his reputation in the coaching world.
Speaker: Um... That's that. And that. Wraps up the weekday slate, though. If you want to take us into the ah first game Saturday. Yeah, so... 1245. on Saturday, SEC Network.
Speaker: South Alabama is taking on a Kentucky team that is coming off of a top 10 win. ah over Texas A and &M over the weekend. Uh, South Alabama may have found a little bit with quarterback Jared Hollins, who started. And then they beat, who was it? Ohio in that 41 -36 shootout last week.
Speaker: Um... I think. I think they just need to... continue to remain balanced. I don't know that it's going to matter in this Kentucky game because I think Kentucky has.
Speaker: Definitely taking a step up from like the Mark Stoops era, where... i i Because I live in Kentucky, I'm... um' Some people will just try to talk to me about Kentucky football. And I'm like, I'm not a fan, but then they'll just continue to tell me about all the bad things that Mark Stoops used to do. And it was just very.
Speaker: conservative, boring... Run run pass punt. was like a lot of the play calling under stoops and it really does feel like they're sort of breaking from that and trying to be more interesting with the will stein who came over from ah oregon where he was the offensive coordinator before this so I don't know that it's necessarily going to matter for South Alabama, but.
Speaker: I'd like to see... another holland start i think maybe you might have something there ah Again, they were able to run the ball and throw the ball kind of equally. ah Running the ball up to this point in the season had had been sort of a sore spot.
Speaker: And then they kind of got it on track against Ohio. So. I don't know. This is going to be, in my mind, like... I think the chances of Kentucky having a letdown spot a week after beating a top 10 team.
Speaker: Or low. Like you might get. you might i think this case scenario is troy missouri from last week where you jump on him early and then it's just sort of the the players and everything else just sort of lean on you after a while. And then ah you're just sort of.
Speaker: As South Alabama kind of throwing your hands up by the end being like, they're just a better team than us. They have better players. Their coach, again, was the OC at Oregon. You see how that's gone since he left Oregon. ah Oregon's definitely doing great right now.
Speaker: Um... So... I don't yeah think it's really going to matter. I think Kentucky just kind of rolls here. but Yeah, ah I think the result is not. is as you said not necessarily what we're looking at here uh something that i saw in between us recording a recap of week three and obviously now this preview of week four uh was a clip from Major Applewhite.
Speaker: who was pretty fired up about last week's game. Yep. I like that from him. yeah The quote that obviously stuck out was like, He said, I thought we were point shaving out there.
Speaker: ah because of how... or ah You know, granted, they put up points, but. Frankly, poor look on both sides of the ball against a... Pretty poor Charlotte team. So I'd like to see them come out hot.
Speaker: Um... you know scripted drives make that make of that what you will i'd like score points on that first uh first drive ah and it can make a 35 -42 -7 loss.
Speaker: feel a little better. um Yep. Now. It can still be an ugly loss and it can still kind of. indicate what. We make it South Alabama, but. For the first time...
Speaker: Of his tenure. I saw. anything out of Major Applewhite that was like, oh, shoot, this guy actually does want to win football games. It is not just. a pretty good coordinator who got the job.
Speaker: So. Well... So he had taken over, obviously, play calling duties in the offseason. He fired the offensive coordinator. He did not replace him. So it's like, yeah, he he I guess he's right to be fired up because it's like.
Speaker: his Now his coaching future with this program literally rides on his shoulders. If he doesn't figure it out. It's over. like he's probably He's probably also not getting another head coaching job. because I think he coached at Houston as well. and they were nothing special when he was the head coach there so it's like You ever want to be anything more than like a position coach again?
Speaker: This is the time to show it like it's time to kind of empty the bag and be like Here are all the tricks that I have up my sleeve. We've already made a quarterback change in theory. We're running the ball ah at least ah more effectively than we did last you know we did last week than we had weeks prior.
Speaker: Jared Hollins is... is sort of playing you know, mistake -free football as he did against Ohio. so It's like... Yeah. this is the time to to empty the clip because otherwise like you're you're just going to be relegated to being a quarterback's coach or something for the rest of your life.
Speaker: Um, Next game here, 2 o 'clock. Northern Illinois, who is 0 -3, is traveling to Center Park to take on Georgia State. ah Northern Illinois this season has lost.
Speaker: 40 to nothing in the opener to Iowa. 28 -24 to an FCS team, I think. in Illinois State. ah They lost in week two.
Speaker: And then in Arizona last week, beat them 42 -17. Um... I... I don't. I think Northern Illinois is very. Good. Uh...
Speaker: Do you think that Georgia State is going to be able to take advantage and win this game. Yeah, because they took advantage against... equally poor teams in Kennesaw state and North Carolina ante and look good against UCF last week. Um, I think.
Speaker: The ceiling. you know, maybe the aspirations of, oh, maybe this is like a miracle year. I think we came back to earth last week with the UCF loss, realized, okay, there are some things that need to be improved upon.
Speaker: Um, I think defense kind of being the big one there. There's still some sore spots with the defense, especially against teams with firepower. Um... But this is just such a different.
Speaker: georgia state team than we've seen the past two years and even into like The Sean Elliott team's like, this is... This was like peak Darren Granger. and Those teams were kind of fun.
Speaker: And we're flirting with like. eight wins every year uh yeah i think that's kind of ah that's kind of the the spot we're in so I would be shocked to see Georgia State not win this game. I want the defense to step up more here.
Speaker: I want to see... Another big game from Quantavious Wiggins who... like kind of broke out in the running game last week. It was him and Lanier McCrary. um who who have championed that rushing uh but for me it's the defense let you know hold them to under 24 and i think we're probably hold them to 21 or less I think you're in a really good spot going into conference play.
Speaker: Yeah. certainly uh 330 here this will be this is a fun one not because it's a good game on paper it is a cole pennington revenge game As he is.
Speaker: The Gardener Web Starter And he is now facing his dad and his former team. uh in marshall Pennington has thrown for three touchdowns and four picks this season, so good to see nothing's changed on that front. Carlos Del Rio Wilson came back and rebounded from his...
Speaker: shoulder and collarbone injury that he suffered two weeks ago looked good uh last week in the in their game Uh... Yeah, I think Marshall just rolls. I think the important thing and what they could really do and use is just continued support from the ground game. Like, Joe Sean Barbie...
Speaker: I know that. Del Rio Wilson does a lot with his legs as well, but like if if they could get... Joe Sean Barbie or somebody similar to that. to give you consistent like at production every week that would go a long way in the way that this offense is And.
Speaker: I don't know, defensively, it might just be sort of a lost cause. like they We talked about it in the recap Th - Is there? You know what? I'm going to let you talk in a second. now I'm going to look something up. Please. is there Is there another team in the Sun Belt? that has fewer than three sacks through three games that's that's going to be a question i'm going to try to look up because i'm like sure Holy crap.
Speaker: Like, they have two sacks in three games, and I think they, I said they forced what? well Two turnovers so far. in three games. So. World of Far Cry from last year. And obviously last year's numbers were not sustainable. ah We said it in the preview and in the recap of last season and in our team preview for this year, it's like...
Speaker: Boogie Trotter's eight interceptions or whatever he had was was not sustainable. It's not like. you can't even plan to rebuild that in the aggregate like you can receiving yards Um, And he buoyed a lot of that.
Speaker: passing defense. Ugh. You can't. i I think the worst case scenario here for Marshall is that Cole Pennington goes out there and throws for like 250. on 60 65 oh yeah Um...
Speaker: And. It's scary that that's even like a possibility. That that should be a non -starter for most teams. but Um... the The past couple of weeks, Marshall, I just have been so unimpressed by the past defense.
Speaker: Um... that That to me is almost more important than... than the run game. um like barbie needs to if if they want to set a high ceiling like we want to be in contention for like one of the teams that's behind JMU in the East.
Speaker: Yes, you're going to need a run game. But if you want to be a team that is in contention for. A bowl game? or is in contention for um you know, plus 500 football.
Speaker: you're going to need to shore up the the passing game because we know. Carlos Del Rio Wilson is... I guess game manager is probably the what what it's going to be when it's all said and done. A guy who can...
Speaker: ah play good football for four quarters, but isn't going to knock your socks off. Um, And so so that's what I'm looking for more than the run game is. Uh. Show me that when you're...
Speaker: facing a guy like Cole Pennington who... wasn't good enough for you and granted um it's because you had braylon braxton and some other names at the time but And Stone Earl, you know Cole Pennington lost out to Stone Earl. What does that say about Cole Pennington?
Speaker: Um, That that's what I'm looking for here Okay, so I looked it up. And i'm I'm factoring in like advanced like PFF stats too. Because I wanted to see like individually where where is everybody with Marshall. okay Marshall has the fewest sacks in the Sun Belt. with two in three games.
Speaker: The only team that's close to them is Arkansas State, who has three. Uh... There are some other teams like... you know. Louisiana Monroe, James Madison both have four.
Speaker: so but But Marshall is is right at the bottom of of that. The big thing, it seems, if you trust... Please? as a stat. like as as edge players The big thing that I've seen is it seems like.
Speaker: They are getting... Their edge rushers are... hurrying the opposing quarterback they're not finishing any of these plays so The way that I looked, it was like.
Speaker: Cole Funderburg. ah Has played 77 pass. rushing steps for Marshall this year. He has six hurries. That would be tied for fifth in the conference. ah Another player here, Kelvin McBride is an edge. He has just as many. He has six hurries as well.
Speaker: And then they actually have another player here, Kenyatta Harge. ah is an interior lineman who has four. hurries this this season. It just seems like they can't – they're just not finishing plays and getting quarterbacks on the ground. And it's like – Hurries are good.
Speaker: to a point. Until... The quarterback that is hurried just... goes outside the pocket. Throws the ball. And then it's like. OK, well, the hurry was great, but it didn't affect the play hardly at all. And those are the kinds of things that I'd be worried about is like.
Speaker: If you're hurrying somebody constantly and they're making bad th throws, that's one thing. If you're hurrying opposing quarterbacks, And they are, you know. putting up.
Speaker: let's say Missouri State. Skylar Locklear's putting up 309 and two two touchdowns on your head. Against better teams, that's really, really, really going to hurt.
Speaker: So it's just. It's one of those things. It's like. You have to finish plays. because if you don't Then again, you're getting diced up on the plays where you aren't getting any pressure and you're already not.
Speaker: getting the opposing quarterback on the ground. So. That's just sort of... sort of where I am with it. yeah I mean, I think even with the win here, which we presume against Gardner Webb, it's like unless you show me something defensively here. be it pass rush or or just coverage ah coverage rate.
Speaker: The chickens are going to come home to roost at some point, and the 2 -2 start is going to... feel. perhaps generous on how the season actually rolls out. Yeah. i will I will push back a little bit on the... the Carlos Del Rio Wilson as a game manager type thing. I think he is a half a step above that because...
Speaker: And this is, I think is more of a function of just where quarterback play is at. Right now in the conference, it's like. You've kind of got different buckets where you've got Like...
Speaker: I know he's like a game behind stats wise, but you've got like a Camden Coleman. a malachi singleton a cameron brown like those level of guys where you're like These guys can literally win me games. Do I have the players around them? We don't, we don't. really have questions about their talent. It's more. do they have enough around them to make this worth my while?
Speaker: sure I'd say he's like one tier below those guys, just because... Think about all the teams that are just throwing out absolute dog water at quarterback and are just like. So maybe maybe we're grading this on a curve, but he's better than...
Speaker: I don't know. Quinn hit a call. Who's Prouder? like all of these guys so far he's been better than and so i'm just sort of like i think I do think he's not elite, but he's like a...
Speaker: A bee. level quarterback. I think... And to draw attention to you know our last episode where where we kind of tiered the performances from the Sun Belt last week, like I think it's more of a situation where...
Speaker: like we did with team performances you have um Right now, it looks like Cam Coleman. Cam Brown. Um, And. Um,
Speaker: Oh, goodness. the name Excuse me. I'm so sorry. Malachi Singleton. Yeah, I'm so sorry. yu um in like our st here and then like the a tier is blank And then you give me.
Speaker: Del Rio Wilson. It's like. Lowkey, Groose Crowder is kind of a low B tier as well. um And then we get into. some of these other guys before you get down to like the Aiden Armentas and like Low key, maybe the Quinn Hinnicles down there at the bottom. Yeah.
Speaker: See, that's the other thing is like. You have the the Quinn Hennicles, the Lutch Winfields, like these types of guys. Blake Baker when he's healthy. Like those types of guys where it's like,
Speaker: You can almost make your own tier list of those type of players where it's like they are run first. They are not a. a statue back there. However, what they give you with your arm. Is that good enough to win like a conference title?
Speaker: I don't really think so like those types of guys have not had sustained success in the conference and I think You need to have someone who at least gives the threat of like, I might throw this ball down the field. and dot you up for a touchdown so you need to respect that where is Some of these other quarterbacks again. the lunch win fields of the world who i think is the best of that group because it's clear that like that like he can win games but it's like
Speaker: a lot of these other teams are not scared of these quarterbacks throwing the ball over their head And I think that that. is all. Part of the reason why a lot of some of these offenses are like hamstrung. Uh... I think on raw ability, it's like... What you said about Goose Crowder, I think Deuce Bailey is there, but he just doesn't have the support.
Speaker: to like make anything happen like he can't make it shake by himself um Because nobody can. So. Alright. A four o 'clock kick. This is my game, Georgia Southern. Another revenge game, welcoming in former head coach Willie Fritz. Who?
Speaker: ah Just a quick history lesson for everybody that. Did not. followed Southern like 10 years ago. which would be the majority of you. I i totally understand if you're not a Southern fan. Uh...
Speaker: Two athletic directors ago. Willie Fritz went to a guy named Tom Kleinlein and asked him for a raise when he was the head coach at Southern in 2015 because we had just won the conference, went undefeated our first year.
Speaker: at the fbs level you know ain't no Did all that. Couldn't play in a bowl game. because of the FCS to FPS transition. There was not a Sunbelt title game at that point, so it was literally whoever had the best conference record won the thing.
Speaker: Uh, he went to Kleinline and asked for a raise and was like, here, here's my resume. And Kleinline was basically like, Well, if Tulane's going to pay that salary, see ya.
Speaker: And then we've been on this. on this track of like the most mediocre head coaches we could find since then. Uh, i think I think Fritz is going to sacrifice Max Johnson at midfield halfway through this game. like If Max Johnson makes it through... healthy.
Speaker: I would be shocked. ah I think it's going to be a lot of more cowardly. Play calling from Ryan Applin. Short passes, three and outs. Happy to...
Speaker: throw a four -yard pass on third and eight and just skip off to the sideline as long as we don't make like a huge mistake. I wouldn't be shocked to see if Houston do something on special teams and score in this one because Georgia Southern has kind of given up on that side of the ball. Um,
Speaker: It's going to be ugly. Houston's a 17 .5 -point favorite from what I saw. i would put whatever money you feel comfortable betting. no Not going to pressure anybody or tell you that this is an auto lock. If it were me.
Speaker: And I had... money sitting around that I felt like you know i don't really care if i lose this this is not going to affect my overall life I would probably lay that on 17 and a half in and Houston.
Speaker: I think it's gonna be very similar. ah to the second half of last week when they played Jacksonville State where... The defense is just going to be on the field the whole game, and then at a certain point, it's just going to be the floodgates opening. Houston just starts scoring at will.
Speaker: Yeah, ah enjoy climbing into the top 20, Houston. Yeah. Free win. On your schedule. ah First ever ranked team to come visit Paulson. Ever?
Speaker: Interesting. At the FPS level, yeah. Because we don't we don't get home and homes with the... the big P fives. That's been. That's been the one Achilles heel. Well... More than one. That's been an Achilles heel of the the numerous ah athletic directors we've had.
Speaker: which has been you know every once in a while like an app state will like get like a miami to come play there and you'll be like what how did this game get scheduled it's like oh miami had a last second dropout and they needed to fill it or something like that sure southern southern has had none of those things happen so This is honestly like, and we caught Boise two years ago with Ashton Janty before they got ranked. So... That was game one. On a whim, yeah. Yeah.
Speaker: Uh... Yeah, not not too much more to say about that one. Our first taste of Sunbelt Ensemble action, 6 o 'clock. We've got James Madison traveling to Norfolk to take on Old Dominion.
Speaker: A very, very different and old Dominion team. ah than last year, which pushed JMU in the first half. and then got absolutely demolished in the second half. I would be shocked if Quinn Hickel and company are able to push.
Speaker: JMU at all. ah They look... offensively inept, stagnant, whatever it like whatever you want to call it. They can't do anything except run the ball. Hennicle is not. has not developed as a passer from when we had concerns like In 2024, he played at the end of that season and played Arkansas State and won that game.
Speaker: He had more rush attempts than pass attempts. Last year, he plays in the Boca Raton Bowl. They win that game. He has more rush attempts than pass attempts. This year, it's like... Again. I think I said this early. I was like, why were they not pushing him.
Speaker: in like the bowl game to just throw the ball more. The game ultimately a bowl game doesn't ultimately matter. Maybe you're like. great we can push this as what did they win 11 all in told or 10 last year something along those i think it was 11 and 2 they finished because they lost to marshall and um jmu
Speaker: yeahp That's great that you can sell an 11 -win team. you need to at that point when you knew joseph was gone you need to start building up the next guy. who's coming in after him and running the ball that much is not doing him any favors Ten wins. They opened the year at Indiana.
Speaker: That's right. Okay. Yep. 10 -3. Mm hmm. Yeah, he thought that doesn't – I mean, again, the – pennies there um this could get ugly talk about a line that you like this week Again, do this at your own risk. Six points.
Speaker: James Madison is favored by. I think this game is going to be a slaughter. i hear How is Old Dominion going to score? Yes, exactly. James Madison. This is not the buzzsaw James Madison teams offensively or defensively that we've kind of come to love.
Speaker: over the past couple years since they've joined the conference. Um, But this is still... Such a tier higher. Then... where Old Dominion's operating at, defense versus offense. And vice versa, too. It's like they found something in Cam Coleman.
Speaker: Um, you know, Best wishes to JC Evans, but... ah luck may have it he you know drew blood sewed himself out of a job Um... And that's, I don't.
Speaker: I don't know if Old Dominion scores three touchdowns in this game. No, I think the final score of this one is going to be like... 31 to 14. I think this one could get ugly quick. um So. If you are really.
Speaker: set on watching the end of your own slaughtering Georgia Southern Houston. you're going to be okay to miss the first quarter of this one. Uh... No, I will have already probably flipped the channel over, I will say. So no no conflict of interest this week like there was last week where it was like.
Speaker: They scheduled eight games from 4 to 7 p .m. And you're just like. Wait, this game's ending but this one just started. I need to flip it. to nine different channels and some of them i don't have in my cable package because it's on like CBS Sports Network 2 or something. Uh,
Speaker: Yeah. just glad I don't have to deal with that anymore. But, uh, Yeah, no. My game will have been wrapped up. ah by two hours in. It will it will not matter. Uh...
Speaker: 6 .30 here, we've got Louisiana taking on Charlotte. This game is in Charlotte. We saw... um You know, App State. pull out a win versus Charlotte last week. It was.
Speaker: It was good that they won, but it was there there were little holes you could poke in it. Louisiana has shown. I think a bit more fight. just going full four quarters. Like they didn't stop playing against USC two weeks ago. Right. um They got beat badly, but...
Speaker: they They didn't just give up. you know they were they were in it Um. Yeah, I think they just take advantage of Charlotte here. i mean Charlotte's not a very good football program. I think they caught.
Speaker: Uh... App State kind of overlooking them. last week like What you said, you know. it it looks closer than it was because of a pick six right at the end um But yeah, i I think... Louisiana is probably just going to run the ball right down Charlotte's throat for 60 minutes and it's not going to be. ah very fun for Charlotte.
Speaker: Yeah, that's what they did kind of last week. um we We kind of complained. almost ah in... Louisiana's 21 -14 win over UAB last week that... They didn't commit fully to anybody outside of Lunch Winfield, their leading rusher.
Speaker: with Steven Blanco with 11 carries for 55. ah Anthony Reagan had a good game as well. Eight carries for 48, but it's like... Oh. are we just going to split this out you know 30 to 35 carries split between our quarterback and then whatever to ah Running backs had the best week at practice.
Speaker: Um, And is that the most sustainable way to run it? I don't know. Um, i I guess we'll find out if that's going to work for Louisiana. It can, but it doesn't always.
Speaker: Um... What's interesting here is UAB to Charlotte, i I don't think is that huge of a drop -off in talent. i think Louisiana is going to have. Um.
Speaker: Ooh. Louisiana has a lot to do in order to. Take. That West. spot in the conference championship game. They need to play a lot better than they did against UAB. They did not look particularly good. They won the game.
Speaker: um lunch was Pretty good. The defense played very well, but it's like... a they just couldn't convert anything into points. Um, And if if they struggle with that again against Charlotte, it's...
Speaker: Again, we're we're not in a conference play yet, but it's like, what what am I looking forward to? When I have to play. like a troy when i have to play a team who's in a similar situation where it's like we're putting a lot on a quarterback.
Speaker: Obviously a different tier of quarterback, but like in Arkansas State, right? um that's showing that they can at least put points up. So. I don't know. I'm pretty gloom and doom on UL. um But I guess a good win against Charlotte would really turn my attitude to at least some form of like.
Speaker: 450 to 500 optimism. I mean, Charlotte's leading quarterback has, I mean, as far as passing yardage goes, has More interceptions through three games than he has touchdowns.
Speaker: Uh, UL, if you would like I said, I think maybe they need to get one running back on track. i don't necessarily think you need to Put a guy in early, whether it be Blanco or Reagan or whoever, and just ride him if it's not. you know, even if it's not working like definitely find the hot hand but once you have found that maybe stop the rotation for a little bit and just let them get into a groove. I'm not saying you got to give them 25 carries, but.
Speaker: You know, if you could get him to 15. Mm hmm. I think you're i think you're you're... working with something better you know, from a running game perspective. so we'll We'll see how they kind of deploy that unit.
Speaker: ah Seven o 'clock kicks. Southern Miss is traveling to New Orleans to take on Tulane. ah We saw Tulane beat South Alabama two weeks ago by four.
Speaker: uh although Not exactly a blow -your -socks -off -level performance by Will Hall as a coach. ah They lost to Kansas State last week by 11 points. i looked I watched that game. it never it didn't really feel as close as the scoreboard indicated um But Southern Miss, dude.
Speaker: They are. abysmal and this is this is going to be another you know, back to the, almost like the Will Hall era. teams where it's like we don't really have a quarterback maybe maybe Landry Liddy draws the start this week and gets a full compliment of snaps because I think he showed a little bit more than Hampton. Hampton has showed.
Speaker: Nothing. so I believe Lydia is in line to start because Hampton hurt his hand. against UConn. uh so i believe that got probably should have been made irregardless of the injury i think right um Yeah, man, Blake Anderson said against UConn.
Speaker: uh after the yukon game yeah we got manhandled and we kind of anticipated that That is not a vote of confidence from your head coach when he's saying uh a uconn team that is I guess more improved UConn UMass, the two former independents, are taking some steps forward.
Speaker: But I think... ye there's still It's still UConn and UMass. So... Gosh man. I think this is going to be. This is going to feel good for Will Hall.
Speaker: um I don't know if he's going to necessarily deserve to feel good after it. but it is going to feel good for him for sure. Right. ah Another 7 o 'clock game here. You've got the stoppable force meets the movable object. You've got Kennesaw taking on Arkansas State.
Speaker: Uh... Kennesaw, like I said, most recently we saw in Sunbelt Action losing. by two touchdowns to Georgia State two weeks ago. Arkansas State is almost kind of in the same boat, I would say, as like Southern Miss is, where it's like...
Speaker: what is it this team does well? And then didn't you say Devin Spencer also hurt himself or Kenyon Clay? It was Kenyon Clay got hurt and we don't have any news on that either. spent Spencer's already what out for the season, I think. uh as a running back so you're you're already down to your third running back on the chart. And they also weren't good before.
Speaker: before that happened, so... I don't know. they they Their has regressed a lot. Like I said, they I think they have, what, three sacks this season as a unit. whereas last season they were pushing close to 40 by the end of the year.
Speaker: um Yeah, I just... I kind of think Kennesaw is going to beat them. like ah as as As bad as Kennesaw was or as unimpressive as they were against Georgia State.
Speaker: Arkansas State is one of these teams like Southern Miss. uh that just doesn't really have What do like what do they do? Well, what do they have going for them? Not a lot. These two teams' schedules are... Interestingly comparable. um They both have played what would be for them non -conference G6 opponents.
Speaker: Arkansas State lost. 42 -24 to Memphis. Whereas Kennesaw State lost 31 -17 to Georgia State. Both of those, Memphis and Georgia State. ah Memphis is definitely a tier above, but Georgia State is flirting with that. like Top of G6 right now.
Speaker: ah type levels. ah yeah Both teams beat down on West Georgia, 52 -7 for Arkansas State, 47 -0 for Kennesaw. And then they both lost pretty big to... ah Premier Conference teams, 31 -7 for...
Speaker: Arkansas State against TCU and then 42 -9 against Tennessee. um This is as close to a coin flip as it gets for me. It's like, i it's in Jonesboro. Yeah, but not in a good way. This is Both of these teams are going to come out and it's not going to look pretty. um I did not like what I saw from Kennesaw State when they played Georgia State. I thought that was really, really poor football. especially for a team that is...
Speaker: I know they don't have a Mariottum anymore, but um the reigning... conference champion in CUSA.
Speaker: Of the games we've looked at thus far... um And as as I kind of look ahead. It's this one and then the next game that we'll talk about Troy like this is probably the closest that it's gonna be to A coin flip for me this week Because I just don't know what either of these teams are going to do.
Speaker: like What is your game plan to win this football game? I have no clue. Right. And I don't think it's certainly possible that their coaches don't either. I'm wondering if Amari Odom...
Speaker: wishes he was back in Kennesaw as well because I just googled him He's now at Syracuse, and he has thrown 11 passes in two games so far. Who's starting for them?
Speaker: No clue. uh give me Give me a second. I might be able to find it. ah Someone named Steve Angeli.
Speaker: Not familiar. I don't know. four four touchdowns five picks so it's going great in syracuse right now for everybody uh Next game here, he we you kind of touched on this. Troy is traveling out to Utah to take on Utah State.
Speaker: Utah State has... Kind of just been beaten. beaten down by everybody except They were within two points of Washington in week two.
Speaker: But they started the season, they lost to an FCS team by 12 points in Idaho State. And then last weekend, they lost to Utah 33 -0. Uh, I think Troy wins this game, but I...
Speaker: There are still a lot of things that I would like to see Troy improve upon. like if If let's say next week comes up and we're tiering. these games and Troy has won 21 to.
Speaker: 16. I'm going to be like. It's still not. where it needs to be. right now now if they build upon kind of what they did early against Missouri and they don't fall asleep in the second half like we've seen against like Alabama A and &M and and Missouri in the second half and they play a full four quarters of football, I'm like, alright, now we're trending in the right direction.
Speaker: You know The only... seems like the only real roadblock in the west is louisiana at this point and you don't know what you're going to get from them when they play head to head. So it it really becomes like a one game schedule where it's like. We just need to be.
Speaker: the south alabamas the ulms the arkansas states the southern missus of the world and then once we play louisiana like that's our season right there in a nutshell So... I think there's a lot of areas they can improve upon, namely.
Speaker: Goose Crowder completing more more of his passes, being more efficient. Maybe not. being such a high a dot guy but just getting the ball to the receivers is huge. Like.
Speaker: those Those giant shots like downfield, those are well and good, but you don't need to predicate your entire offense around hitting those. Uh, And then running the ball, like if you can continue getting a Gavin Griffin or, you know, whoever else to kind of chip in.
Speaker: That would go a long way. I don't think Utah State's very good, so I think Troy should be able to beat them. ah i I think I'm inclined to agree that Utah State is not very good, although their schedule has been kind of weird. Obviously, they lose to Idaho State, but then they their next two games are against two ranked teams in Utah and Washington. so it's It's kind of a weird, this is their closest test.
Speaker: as far as talent goes. Um... I don't know, man. i I've just seen. I've seen Troy lose some funky games. Oh yeah. And I'm just really on edge about this one.
Speaker: their inability to put teams away i mean it's exactly what you said it's just like Even if they get a lead, they can get a 10, 14 -point lead by the second quarter, and I i don't know that that game is safe.
Speaker: Um, No. because you don't know in the the second 30 minutes, like, are they going to. score another point. Mm -hmm that's That's like a legitimate question. I mean, it's like.
Speaker: Georgia Southern does the same thing too, but like... They're so much worse than... where troy is sitting right now it's like whatever but Both of those teams like. They get up. In the first half.
Speaker: And then it's like at halftime they go in and I don't know if they're listening to like. spa music like if it's cold like cooling them down and they're just like not as focused or I don't know what they're doing at halftime. but they need to stop taking Ambien or whatever it is that they're doing during the break because it's it's getting out of hand and you need to play a full game.
Speaker: ah before we can feel start to feel really good about their prospects in the West this year. Um, All right, so second to last game of the night, App State is traveling to Raleigh to take on NC State. This is a night game at 7 .30 on ESPNU.
Speaker: Um. I wanted to take this opportunity to talk to you about what CJ b Bailey did against Vanderbilt at the end because I held this. I was going to say something more about it in the the recap. But now that we've got the App State -NC State game,
Speaker: Is that the worst loss you've ever seen in your entire life? like it's For me. At any level of football, it's that. Or it's that... ah from years and years ago. I mean, this is probably...
Speaker: 16 years at this point. The game where the Giants... punted to Deshaun Jackson and he scored a touchdown with like no time remaining and beat them on like a Sunday night football game.
Speaker: Like. all they had to do was kick it out of bounds and it probably goes to overtime but because they they did that the game's over like those are some of the worst losses i'm like What? What goes through your head?
Speaker: Because when I watched the play, too... If I'm the coach, here's what I'm doing. I think there's like five seconds left when he snaps the ball. I would... have him snap the ball.
Speaker: Maybe run along the back line Dan Orlovsky style. Step out of bounds. and then kick the the ensuing yes safety kick out of bounds and make ah Vanderbilt throw like a Hail Mary from their own 40.
Speaker: And like, that would have been, and I would have been like, you know what? If you throw a 60 -yard Hail Mary and you catch it and the game's over and you win. i can live with that But what I can't live with is my quarterback fumbling and it being recovered by the other team. in the Yeah, this is.
Speaker: Like when I texted – when you and I were talking about it um kind of when it happened. your reaction Your first reaction to me was like, oh, well, it kind of reminds me of... Was it you that said this? I'm so sorry. ah the The Mario Cristobal Miami game. Where instead of. Kneeing it out. and correct Yeah.
Speaker: It's like. But even in that situation, that is just one man's arrogance. that cost them. There are two points of failure. Coaching. And... like, player.
Speaker: knowledge slash ability to hold the ball. Because this is on NC State's coaching staff to not tell him, hey, as soon as you. Think you might get hit. Go down. Step out of the back. Do whatever. Protect yourself. Yes.
Speaker: And then also it's on CJ Bailey to not. No. Oh, I'm under immense pressure. I need to go down. I need to put two hands on this football. and protect it with all of my life. So like this two points of failure. Is what, like, if as we look at... um Like, obviously, the the other one is... um Malcolm Butler right in the Super Bowl is another like. infamous one. and you talk to Pete Carroll and it's like, maybe his rationale made some sense. And it's like,
Speaker: Yeah, and then Russell Wilson kind of threw a bit of a hospital pass, but also like... Malcolm Butler was just there. he made a great that was an excellent play too yes like that's the thing that's crazy too is like I guess you can make the argument that Vanderbilt forcing the fumble was a great play by them. But then on the other hand, you can go, well, it's a totally unforced error, you know, because it's like.
Speaker: the The Malcolm Butler play, Seattle needed to have a touchdown. like It was going to be over if they didn't. This game was like...
Speaker: Have him run the out the back corner of the end zone and then kick it and then dare Vanderbilt to do something with it. And instead, they just were like... CJ. when they come towards you you need to turtle up but do it as slowly as possible and it's like but why I don't know because Yeah.
Speaker: I don't know. People people keep making jokes that are like, he's going to be under investigation by the feds for point shaving after that. like Uh... Coming off of that, though... I like app. I think regardless. of How deflating that was to kind of recenter us real quick. I do like app. um They showed a few holes last week.
Speaker: Against Charlotte, we wanted to see a greater margin. Malachi Singleton. Still probably the best performing quarterback in the conference, but came much closer down to earth. Um,
Speaker: There are still some holes. I think the running game was is still figuring itself out here at App. Um, But it's like. I think.
Speaker: their Their stock is trending. At a rate that I think by the end. at their current Like. trajectory. They finished the year better than James Madison.
Speaker: Now is that realistic? I don't really know. but app stock just keeps rising every week. while James Madison is like, taking small incremental steps they got a big boost last week against san diego state but it's like If we just kind of look at where these guys are going.
Speaker: You know, another win here against and NC State, and then App has who else? Like, who who on the schedule right now is beating App State? Uh, You know, they play Old Dominion. They're not losing that game. Coastal, I don't.
Speaker: think I don't like Coastal there. ah You host James Madison, which is a tough game. Yeah, I think the only two potential losses are... James Madison.
Speaker: Uh, you know like you said which is coming up in three weeks uh you know, October 22nd. And then... Maybe Marshall. It's like the only other team that I think can even. begin to score with them because it's like when you go through and look it's like Old Dominion can't put points on the board. They play defense but they can't score.
Speaker: Coastal is a one man. Quarterback show. but then they don't have anything else around Deuce Bailey. we I talked about James Madison. Georgia Southern can't score points. Georgia State.
Speaker: That might be a fun game. like I don't know that Georgia State is complete enough to hang with App for four full quarters, but it would be nice to see a duel. between maybe two of the best quarterbacks in the entire conference. That's going to be an 80 -point game, and unlike the... um Oh, who was it that played the 80 -point game last week?
Speaker: Was it South Alabama? Where it's like, I have no interest in seeing 80 points scored. in this game because there does not deserve to be. that' That's going to be a good 80 -point game there.
Speaker: Yeah. And then you get. Marshall, again, the only other team that has a semblance of like a pulse on offense that's on app schedule besides JMU. UL Monroe and South Alabama to close the year. It's like those are probably two wins right there. So it's like, yeah, James Madison and Marshall, you know, at Marshall on November 14th.
Speaker: Uh, Those are your two tests left. I mean, they could be They could have one or two losses tops. in the entire conference or maybe none. Like maybe they upset.
Speaker: Both of the maybe they upset JMU and then they beat Marshall in there. They're undefeated in the Sun Belt. I don't know. There's just a lot of offensively very hamstrung teams that are not going to be able to score. With app.
Speaker: even though some of the defenses might be better than what Ab has. NC State 14 -point favorites in this one. ah i I think I like App straight up, though.
Speaker: They've just played really good CJ Bailey is gonna do something insane at the end of this game and cost it cost I... yeah. Bye. I think it's certainly possible. I mean, granted, I've not watched a ton of NC State save for like the final three minutes of their game against Vandy.
Speaker: Yeah. Appseeds just looked really, really good. And I... Not knowing enough about NC State may be foolish. to to say I like app here.
Speaker: Yep. I don't disagree with that. NC State. Looked like they had never played football before. In week. Zero. uh when they play or maybe it was week one i can't remember when they played virginia that was maybe the most inept performance i've seen out of a team so far this season
Speaker: And then they... They beat an FCS school in Richmond week two, and then they lost that embarrassing game to... Vanderbilt last week. so sure Yeah. I wouldn't be shocked to see app right there with them at the end of the game. ah Then the last game of the night.
Speaker: Florida Atlantic is taking on UL Monroe. This game is in Monroe. It does not matter. Monroe. just lost to an FCS school in Southeast Missouri. You've got Bryant Vincent trying to fight fans on Twitter.
Speaker: So that's fun. Um... Yeah, he's... you know, Vincent, this is when you can tell... like I'm starting to feel some heat, like the cracks are are starting to form because.
Speaker: There are a lot of coaches in this in this conference that should be on thin ice that are not. arguing with anybody, on Twitter eggs. They're just like... you know what i'm getting paid like these people are you know Right. The guys that should to be on thin ice just live in the most...
Speaker: happy -go -lucky hunky -dory worlds right and apparently so does their administration Yep. ULM they're feeling heat. Bryant Vincent. no longer has the responsibility of firing himself.
Speaker: Um... But also... But also the AD that hired him. is not there anymore either so that there's nobody who would inherently have that like bias of like well i hired this guy so it's gonna take a lot for me to fire him it's like The kid from the blind side is now his his boss. And you're just like.
Speaker: Well, if he looks around and goes, well, I didn't hire this guy. Get rid of them. Like, that's going to be a quick firing, I think, at the end of the season. And um unless they're they're... not telling us something it seems like UL Monroe might be the only FBS team that can afford to fire any coaches in the conference. or in in in the state right now.
Speaker: with LSU and Louisiana. apparently turning out their pockets and dust falling out. Yeah. So. ah Good luck to Brian Vincent there. um That's going to be a tough one for him to have to pull out against FAU. Zeke, as we wrap up here, let everybody know where they can find you on socials and I'll do the same.
Speaker: Yeah, man. Brian Vincent, give me a follow at Zeke Palermo, Z -E -K -E -P -A -L -E -R -M -O. That way I can shoot you a DM when you do get fired, big boy. ah And we can have you on the show. Look forward to it.
Speaker: Brian Vincent, ah follow us on X at Warm Weather Fans. I would love to see a world star clip. of you just getting into a fight like fisticuffs with fans outside the gate Like as you're leaving the game, you can follow me on X at watch the stone. We will be back next week to run down all of these week four games and then start to look towards week five. And Hey.
Speaker: Conference play time. We're going to see teams play one another and we know both of these teams. Amazing. ah This has been another edition of Warm Weather Fans.
