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College Football Quarterfinal Review, Plus Semifinal Preview
22 Plays5 months ago
- Miami shocks defending champ Ohio State 24-14
- Oregon blanks Texas Tech 23-0
- Indiana dominates Alabama 38-3
- Ole Miss rallies past Georgia 39-34 in a thriller
We break down the biggest plays, heroes, and why the bye teams went 0-3 again. Plus, semifinal preview: Ole Miss vs. Miami and Indiana vs. Oregon.
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Transcript
Introduction and Playoff Insights
00:00:01
Mike Bell
Alright, welcome back to another episode of Blown Coverage. I'm Mike Bell with my co-host Caleb Schwerer. And this is our first chance to talk since the latest round of p playoff games. And I really only have one takeaway, and I'm sure that you you agree on this completely. But my main takeaway is that Texas A&M must be the second best team in the entire country.
00:00:25
Mike Bell
that's that's my That's my takeaway. You know, we were talking all this smack, and look, we lost to the best team in the nation. You know, you can't blame us. So, anyway, that was that was my takeaway from these these past few games. What was your takeaway?
Miami's Surprising Playoff Performance
00:00:42
Kaleb
My takeaway from that is you're on some sort of drug. ah You know, actually, when I was starting to look at the schedule and everything, i think it's almost a reoccurring theme from the first week the playoffs. Half the games were, like, fantastic, and the other half were honestly just boring to watch. And at least this week, though, it's not just because of a competition standpoint. Like, it's just – I mean, they were all good teams. It was just – When I half the games, the one team out executed the other one on like on all cylinders and the other two are very competitive.
00:01:14
Kaleb
Unfortunately, i wasn't able to watch really the Ole Miss and Georgia game. And, um you know, that that really sucks.
00:01:19
Mike Bell
Oh, wow. Well, you missed a great game.
00:01:21
Kaleb
Yeah, I know. Now, I did watch the Miami and Ohio State game. And man, what a surprise that was. Honestly, you know, you have to give kudos to Miami, which, you know,
00:01:35
Kaleb
Before the playoffs, I mean, I was like, man, like their losses were not the best. We're like, okay, do they even necessarily belong in the playoff? And I mean, because they always had the talent that wasn't the issue. It was just, don't know, there was just something off about them. But hey, they're clicking on cylinders right now. And for them to take away or take out Ohio State, the score was closer than what it appears, 24 to 14. But I mean, it was really closer than that, in my opinion. But yeah.
00:02:05
Kaleb
I guess what's your thought on Ohio State having such a great season, but then the last two games of the year that they played losing? What's your thoughts on that, I guess?
Ohio State's Challenges and Future Prospects
00:02:17
Mike Bell
Well, a lot to unpack there.
00:02:17
Kaleb
Is it a Ryan Day issue or any issue at all?
00:02:20
Mike Bell
Well, so,
00:02:24
Mike Bell
well, I think that's just football. um
00:02:27
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:02:28
Mike Bell
I think it was, and look obviously Ohio State has a high standard and they've earned that they won it all last year. There's a lot of different directions to go with that. Do we talk about, well, look, we we said all season the schedule wasn't the best for Ohio State and then the moment they ran into like two you know good teams, they they had offensive issues.
00:02:48
Mike Bell
And that was one of the things we talked about. We said we said this throughout the season.
00:02:51
Kaleb
Thank you.
00:02:52
Mike Bell
like They look good, but like their offense didn't look like it was clicking all the time. And that's the thing. we all We were like, well, did they really face any great defenses or even great offenses? So there's always just kind of that question with Ohio State. I would say it's got to feel weird as an Ohio State fan because you've had this, what you thought, and I would agree,
00:03:13
Mike Bell
was an elite team for really the last two years. And then all of a sudden, your season's just over that first game of the playoffs. and
00:03:22
Kaleb
Mm-hmm.
00:03:24
Mike Bell
maybe even before we dissect this game specifically, because there's a lot to talk about with Miami, there's ah another narrative going around. And I want to get your thoughts on this of just How maybe that bye week is actually a disadvantage for these top four schools because as of right now, I believe the record is coming off.
00:03:46
Mike Bell
If you're in the top four, I think the record is one and seven right now. If you've had that.
00:03:51
Kaleb
Yeah, and it's pretty crazy.
00:03:53
Mike Bell
Yeah. what What are your thoughts on that?
00:03:56
Kaleb
You know, one one thought I had like throughout the week, just concerning the bye week or whatever, if I would want my team, and I think it just depends on where your team is at, like how healthy is your team? Because from that standpoint, if your team's a little banged up, you really may need the bye week that could help you kind of get some guys back.
00:04:13
Kaleb
But the other sense of it is, I think just like any sport, it's a rhythm, right? And so if you're like clicking on all cylinders, you're in a good rhythm, you take a week off, there might not be as much dust to shake off, but you know, you may not be in like as good of a rhythm as you were like the previous, like two weeks ago, you know?
00:04:36
Kaleb
So that, that's always a question in my head. um
00:04:41
Kaleb
You know, every coach has a different philosophy how they want to like, you know, go about that, you know, and what they do on that week off or, you know, whatever. So i don't know. I think it's a hard position. You'd have to look at it like every game, you know, just to kind of see like what do you what I mean was the factor there. So.
00:05:01
Mike Bell
Well, so here would be my argument against it. Now, first of all, you have to look at it result by result. So some of the games last year, for example, like Boise State was one of the teams that had the bye.
00:05:12
Mike Bell
And then they had to go against a team that was just better.
00:05:14
Kaleb
Yeah, Penn State. So that doesn't really count. Yeah.
00:05:16
Mike Bell
Right. And in the past two years, the four versus five game was you know a team where the spread was two and a half. So it was kind of like, OK, it's a toss-up. If anything, I think that – and I think this is going to be coming. i just think the best advantage in maybe all of sports is college football home field advantage. So I just think they've got to make it where that second round is on campus. Now, how do they do that? Because they do have like these bowls I feel like they have to you know provide for, yeah the Orange Bowl, Peace Bowl, all these games. that have to be at neutral sites.
00:05:51
Mike Bell
I guess they have to be at neutral sites. So that's something to kind of think
Playoff Structure and Home Field Advantage Debate
00:05:55
Mike Bell
about. i don't I don't know, but I feel like they should have the home field advantage. Dan Lanning's been saying that about, you know, the game with Texas Tech. It should have been in Lubbock.
00:06:02
Mike Bell
And that's like one of the best things about college football is just like the home playoff environment.
00:06:02
Kaleb
in
00:06:07
Mike Bell
So I'm curious to see what they do on that. um You know, it is interesting. So Indiana obviously took advantage of the bye Georgia, you know there they're a team that we thought, okay, coming off the bye, they'll probably be one of those teams to win coming off the bye. right now, Indiana is the only team that's done it. Here would be my argument against that, why it's a disadvantage.
00:06:30
Mike Bell
Because the week before, you know the first week of the playoffs, a lot of those teams are coming off byes too because they weren't necessarily in their conference championships.
00:06:41
Kaleb
Yeah, right.
00:06:41
Mike Bell
So they had a buy. It's just this one scenario. And to me, it's the sample size isn't actually big enough to say, oh, no, it's a disadvantage. I think it's just you have to look at case by case.
00:06:51
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:06:53
Mike Bell
But that's just my opinion. Yeah.
00:06:55
Kaleb
And agree, because each team is at a different state health-wise, and, you know, which they could be a completely different team. Like, uh,
00:07:06
Kaleb
I was about to throw you guys in there, but you know, like your running back situation with both guys, you guys are a different offense than with just one guy, you know. um But I mean, he was healthy for y'all's game, but I'm just saying like throughout the year, you know.
00:07:19
Kaleb
So, yeah, um it's hard to say to in like you said, most of the teams in the first ah game the playoff, they had to come off a bye as well.
00:07:29
Kaleb
So you you you just don't know.
00:07:30
Mike Bell
Well, they did figure something out, though, because even like, let's say the A&M game, but all the games that were that week, if you weren't in the conference championship, A&M had like three weeks off. you know, that's a long time.
00:07:40
Kaleb
Yeah, right.
00:07:42
Mike Bell
So I just think it needs to be some sort of adjustment.
00:07:42
Kaleb
Yeah, but from the Texas game to the Miami game, yeah.
00:07:46
Mike Bell
Right. Okay, well, let's get into this first game, Miami versus Ohio State.
00:07:53
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:07:53
Mike Bell
And... You know, to me, this makes the Miami losses even more and inexcusable because they just have they just have a consistency issue because remember, and we said this multiple times, well, and we said this multiple times throughout the season, how those first like five weeks of the season, we were like, well, Miami could be one of the best teams in the country along with Ohio State.
00:08:02
Kaleb
Oh, for sure.
00:08:05
Kaleb
Which is a coaching issue, in my opinion. Yeah.
00:08:18
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:08:18
Mike Bell
And I forget who the third team one was. It wasn't Indiana yet. Maybe it Oregon. But, yeah, It's just like, you know, they you could see them play that way, and then they just had these random bad losses. And what is the mark of a great team, in my opinion, is consistency.
00:08:35
Mike Bell
And Miami hasn't been that. And obviously, i have to apologize because I said after the A&M loss last week how I still didn't think anything of this Miami team. I kind of put it all on A&M.
00:08:48
Mike Bell
And I did say they have a great defense. But clearly, like They have all the pieces. It's just a matter of Cristobal, however say name, Mario Cristobal, having them ready to go.
00:09:01
Mike Bell
Because to go into A&M and win, and then obviously to follow that up and beat Ohio State, you can argue maybe Ohio State was overrated slightly.
00:09:01
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:09:11
Mike Bell
We don't know that. But they're an elite team. I think everyone would agree they're an elite team and elite players.
00:09:16
Kaleb
Think about this, how much talent offensively they had. I mean, it's just –
00:09:20
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:09:21
Kaleb
I mean, it's ridiculous. So ah that it was pretty impressive, honestly, for Miami to be able to do that.
00:09:28
Mike Bell
Well, and you know and you said, well, I thought the game was closer than the score suggested. I actually don't know about that. I think Miami dominated the entire first half. It was Yeah, and the thing is, Miami, they still have an ah offensive issue, and that's why I wonder going forward if that's just going to be their problem because don't know if they're complete, but their defense is has just been so good.
00:09:39
Kaleb
They did then. yeah
00:09:51
Kaleb
is elite. The line especially.
00:09:54
Mike Bell
They had – Yeah, um I'll look and see what they finish with. but At A&M, they had seven sacks, and I looked at one point, they had five sacks versus Ohio State.
00:10:02
Kaleb
yeah it's insane. Yeah, it is insane.
00:10:05
Mike Bell
So, I mean, it's just everyone's talking about Ohio State maybe having the best def defense in the country. Maybe it's just Miami when they're playing right. you know um Anyway, yeah, I would define this as a shocker. I thought Miami had no shot. Now they look like a legitimate team that could win it all. you know Now, I'm not saying I'm i'm predicting that, but Yeah, those are my thoughts on the game. i don't know if you have more to add. I'm going to look up these sack stats while you're talking, but go ahead
00:10:31
Kaleb
The thing that jumped off the chart for me and I thought was a big difference maker for Miami in A&M game and in the ah Ohio State game was just the run game that they've been able to have.
00:10:43
Kaleb
um I mean, I think that's huge. Having a good defense, being able to run, especially against the number one defense in the nation, arguably. And, I mean, A&M was, don't know, they were a very good defense as well. I don't know if they were top ten, but, you know, they were a very good defense for sure, especially on the defensive line side.
00:11:00
Kaleb
um So Miami is definitely headed in the right direction. um Malachi Tony, very good. um Trying to think here. You know, that's the one thing.
00:11:13
Kaleb
can cars it's not like I'm not a believer in Carson Beck because he played lots out in the Ohio State game. It's just if there was one thing lacking on the offense, it probably is the passing game.
00:11:24
Kaleb
ah And, you know, I'm curious if maybe Ole Miss, the high-powered offense that they have, well and that's a great matchup, great defense playing against a great offense. But if Ole Miss is able to score some points, can they put it on Carson Beck in the passing game to bail them out, you know?
00:11:41
Kaleb
that's my That's my question going into this game. Now – not saying that Ole Miss is going to be able to score 30 points against Miami because the way their defense is playing, it's that's probably not likely, but you never know. And we'll get to that game here in a minute. but And the other thing is is just Miami's defensive line, it may arguably be the best defensive line in the country, to be honest with you. So that's been awesome to see.
00:12:08
Mike Bell
Yeah. Agreed. They did finish with five sacks. So very impressive. Reuben Bain. But really, it's their entire defense that has just been ridiculous.
00:12:16
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:12:17
Mike Bell
Obviously, Ohio State, you know, saying him he's a you know first year, but they've got you know Jeremiah Smith, Cornell Tate. What's the running back's name? that's He's very, very good.
00:12:29
Mike Bell
It's not him, but that's Indiana.
00:12:29
Kaleb
The, he's a true freshman too, Bo Jackson.
00:12:30
Mike Bell
Bo Jackson, yeah.
00:12:31
Kaleb
That's what you're talking about? Yeah.
00:12:33
Mike Bell
So So, you know, back to your initial question, what what do you think? How do you feel about Ohio State's season?
00:12:42
Kaleb
You know, I'd probably agree with what, I mean, in one sense, it is extremely like, man, how do you, like, just looking back on it, like if we were to go back 10 years from now and say, man, look at this Ohio State team.
00:12:56
Kaleb
i mean you I mean, we're probably going to see, in a like, At that time, we're probably going to see like a lot of guys on that team like as NFL like perennial pro bowlers and stuff, like Jeremiah Smith, probably when the time comes, Julian saying.
00:13:10
Mike Bell
Right.
00:13:12
Kaleb
And it's just going to be insane to me to think that they got knocked out in the first game of the playoff. you know Because I did think they had a good good year. They've got good talent.
00:13:22
Kaleb
But maybe it was just they didn't have enough tough tests at the end of the game. They play Michigan. That's a tough test, you know i think. um Maybe not enough tests like all throughout the year to really like make iron sharpen iron, so to speak.
00:13:38
Kaleb
um Trying to think here, what was my other thought? I think Rondae is still probably one of the top coaches in the country. it just you know Indiana is just very good.
00:13:49
Kaleb
And just right now, Miami is firing on all cylinders. Yeah. questionable, but I'm not going to necessarily like say, Oh, Ohio state, uh, Ryan day, you know, fire him or anything like that, you know?
00:14:05
Mike Bell
Yeah. Well, yeah, to me, the bigger story is Miami, not necessarily Ohio State.
00:14:09
Kaleb
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
00:14:10
Mike Bell
You know, I think it is just they're – what can I say? they They've got it rolling right now.
00:14:15
Kaleb
Think about the mind state or minds mindset that Ohio State will have going into next year. I mean, I think that will be a very scary team, you know, because they're going to remember this. in yes And we unfortunately have to play them, I think, again the first game of the year, which is really going to – that's actually going be a great game, I think.
00:14:35
Kaleb
But really?
00:14:36
Mike Bell
Well, funny enough, I don't think it is the first game of the year. I want to say it's like the third. I was looking at the schedule. I could be wrong on that.
00:14:41
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:14:42
Mike Bell
I could be wrong on that. but um Okay, let's go ahead move on to the next game. we'll just go in order. The next game was, this is probably one of the boring ones you were talking about.
00:14:54
Mike Bell
You know, look, it was boring in terms of score But first half, six-point game,
Team Analysis: Oregon, Alabama, and Indiana
00:15:00
Kaleb
Yeah, right.
00:15:00
Mike Bell
Oregon versus Texas Tech.
00:15:01
Mike Bell
I was surprised.
00:15:02
Kaleb
Mm-hmm.
00:15:03
Mike Bell
You know, i respect defense.
00:15:04
Kaleb
and
00:15:05
Mike Bell
I respect everything about Oregon. But, yeah, that's pretty shocking that Texas Tech looked like they had never played offense before.
00:15:13
Kaleb
ah
00:15:14
Mike Bell
And you do wonder, back to the initial question of was the buy a disadvantage? You know, look, Oregon got a chance to play last week. And Tech, they're not used to being in these situations.
00:15:27
Mike Bell
You know, they haven't been good in a while. i don't know if that has anything to do with it. Maybe Joey McGuire didn't know how to prepare his squad. You know, that I'm just throwing things out there. Because I would also say this is more about Oregon than Texas Tech, just like the Miami versus Ohio State thing.
00:15:40
Mike Bell
But, you know, it is pretty shocking that they scored zero points.
00:15:42
Kaleb
You
00:15:44
Mike Bell
So I thought it was – and, you know, to be honest with you, I thought – I think this game – isn't as close as the score suggested because now that I'm thinking about it, Oregon was moving the ball and they just kind of kept shooting themselves in the foot, but Texas Tech didn't do anything all game.
00:16:02
Mike Bell
Like they did nothing. Yeah.
00:16:05
Kaleb
you know
00:16:05
Mike Bell
Right.
00:16:08
Kaleb
Speaking of mindset, I think last year, Oregon got eliminated their first game in the playoff. And so, you know, and Dan Lanning is a huge mindset guy.
00:16:14
Mike Bell
Right.
00:16:17
Kaleb
Like, he's definitely one of the coaches that would get anybody pumped up to go run through a wall. I think he's been sitting on that and thinking on that for like a full year. So, you know, i really do think from like a, you know, i will not doubt if Oregon's ready for a matchup or not.
00:16:26
Mike Bell
Right.
00:16:32
Kaleb
I think they're going as prepared as can be. Now, if they can match up with other team, which in this upcoming week, it's going to be Indiana, we'll kind of see how they're able to do. i mean, that was a great game back when they played, but I'm not mistaken. It was Indiana either won.
00:16:50
Kaleb
By touchdown or less I can't remember the score exactly, but it was a very close hard fought game so. I'm anticipating that being a great match up again and like her exignati said earlier this week that you know hey they have an advantage because it's hard to beat a team like that twice, ah you know so anyway.
00:17:01
Mike Bell
Yes.
00:17:09
Kaleb
In.
00:17:09
Mike Bell
yes
00:17:11
Kaleb
in You know, i was trying to think, like, when you were talking, i think the last time Texas Tech was really this relevant was probably, like, the 08 season, maybe, with Michael Crabtree and Graham Harrell.
00:17:24
Kaleb
I mean, there may be a season here or there that maybe I'm kind of forgetting. But, you know, theres theres i think there's a difference in – So you got to look at the mindset that maybe Dan Lanning versus Joey Maguire had. Dan Lanning was in this spot last year and lost.
00:17:43
Kaleb
He had that little taste of blood in his mouth and he wanted, you know, victory. Joey Maguire, don't want to say is initially like, it's kind of a surprise that Texas Tech is in here, I think. at this point.
00:17:54
Kaleb
And maybe this kind of is his mindset thing for next year. Like, oh, we have a taste of this. We can go out there, go do it. So I don't know. I mean, if he, can Dante Moore is probably one of the better quarterbacks in college football too.
00:18:09
Kaleb
I'll say that. um And like all throughout the year, he's been clutch. You know, when Oregon's needed him to do give him a play, he's been there and delivered. So anyway.
00:18:21
Mike Bell
Yeah, no that is going to be a fantastic matchup next week, and you know we'll get more into that. But, you know, it does make you – and again, I don't want to question Texas Tech because I still believe they are ah legitimately great team, but and they deserve to be where they're at.
00:18:25
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:18:36
Mike Bell
But now you just have to question the Big 12 because the last two games I've seen out of Texas Tech is they blew out BYU, and they blew out – I forget who the last game went down was. don't know it Cincinnati, but It was supposed to be a decent team in the Big 12. I forget the game.
00:18:52
Mike Bell
But Texas Tech was blowing people out. And for them to go against Oregon and, again, look the way they did, I think it speaks volume to just the level of – the differences in levels of competition. And we've talked about how the Big 10 maybe isn't is it you know the best in terms of the competition, although I have a thing on that later to talk about. But, you know – To me, this is why the committee probably got it right in terms of only getting one Big 12 team in there.
00:19:21
Kaleb
Oh, for sure.
00:19:22
Mike Bell
It's just now, i look, I feel bad for Tech.
00:19:24
Kaleb
I mean, you could argue BYU could have been a better team to have in there than maybe Tulane or whatever.
00:19:28
Mike Bell
Well, yes, yes. I'm excluding those teams, of course.
00:19:30
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:19:31
Mike Bell
Yes.
00:19:32
Mike Bell
So, you know. I think it's just another test. Now, I feel bad for Texas Tech because, look, they had to go against Oregon, and Oregon has a legitimate legitimate shot to win it all.
00:19:32
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:19:44
Kaleb
One of the best, yeah, you know, a really good offense, top three or four defense in the nation.
00:19:44
Mike Bell
You know?
00:19:49
Kaleb
I mean, it's, yeah, it's a tough task for anybody to go and beat them for sure.
00:19:54
Mike Bell
Sure. Okay, let's move into the next game that also was not the most exciting. And this one, to me, let's see. Would I call it the second most shocking result?
00:20:07
Mike Bell
let's Let me just think about this for a second. I mean, I'm surprised Oregon, you know, well, I'm not that surprised actually.
00:20:10
Kaleb
I'd probably say so.
00:20:15
Mike Bell
Yeah, so I would call this the second most shocking. Not that Indiana won, but my God.
00:20:19
Kaleb
The amount, yeah, the score.
00:20:20
Mike Bell
thirteen Yeah, no, I mean, I don't know what we could say.
00:20:21
Kaleb
I mean, there's the beating that they put on him. Let me ask you, after that showing, does that make you have questions about Kalen DeBoer in Alabama?
00:20:32
Kaleb
Just like the longevity of his stay there, I guess?
00:20:37
Mike Bell
Yes. Now I've kind of had those questions for a while and we'll talk about this more probably next season, but I kind of thought going into this season, like if Alabama had a bad year, would they force him out?
00:20:41
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:20:46
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:20:51
Mike Bell
It's a weird thing to say, because look, this is the second round of the playoffs. It should be an accomplishment, but it is Alabama. And if you didn't just lose. You've been now in big games, kind of uncompetitive.
00:21:04
Mike Bell
You know, you got blown out by Georgia and,
00:21:04
Kaleb
Yeah. In the SEC championship.
00:21:06
Mike Bell
And I think, yeah, and I think Indiana is that good, but should they beat you 38 to three? i don't know. i don't know.
00:21:15
Kaleb
I don't know. It's been kind of an ugly, pretty season for Alabama. Like, we were both very high on them during the regular season.
00:21:19
Mike Bell
Right.
00:21:24
Kaleb
Definitely have flaws, especially in offense. um and defense too
00:21:32
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:21:32
Kaleb
um i don't know how to explain it it's like don't know it's a little unsettling like if I'm an Alabama fan on one sense I do think like what they were able to accomplish this year was good but on the other hand I mean, you have offensive questions. you know Can we have a more balanced attack? I think if Ty Simpson had ah like you know a decent run game behind him, I think that offense probably would have been unstoppable, to be honest with you. And then same thing on defense. you know just
00:22:05
Kaleb
Really just middle of the pack everywhere. Rush defense, pass defense, everywhere. um Which today, actually, one of their really good defensive linemen, um younger defensive linemen, entered the portal. But we'll get to that stuff here in a little bit, I'm sure. But I don't know if I'm an Alabama fan, there's like a bad taste in my mouth.
00:22:26
Mike Bell
Yeah, I think it would be for me too, because especially as you watch the second half of the year, it just didn't look right. Like, it just felt like they were really struggling every game.
00:22:32
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:22:35
Mike Bell
They were finding ways to win. The thing is, though, and this sucks, you know, for Kellen DeBoer because he's following Nick Saban's footsteps, but maybe you've got to, like, recalibrate your expectations slightly and just say, look, the days of being top four every year – Maybe that's unrealistic, you know, and that's maybe just not the age that we're in. Now, i don't know if they'd actually want to listen to that.
00:23:00
Mike Bell
But I agree with your initial point.
00:23:00
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:23:02
Mike Bell
I think next year is going to be a very interesting year.
00:23:06
Kaleb
You know, and that's very hard, too, for a coach and a team, too.
00:23:07
Mike Bell
Will.
00:23:10
Kaleb
You know, I think he's it's probably like in the closet right now that he's on a short leash for next year or whatever, depending on how he does. I mean, it could be very interesting in Alabama if they start out the year ugly.
00:23:18
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:23:21
Kaleb
You know, we will have to get to the schedule and whatnot later. But yeah especially in the like the portal stuff all your top players will leave immediately when the coach gets fired or whatever and then it's going to be like ground zero it's kind of like what lane kiffin's going to be going through with lsu it's going to you know probably about a year or two before your team's even competitive again and you know who's to say that competitive means a playoff spot you know so i don't know
00:23:50
Mike Bell
Well, at least for Alabama, the first thing to do is kind of obvious, and that is fix your running running game.
00:23:56
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:23:56
Mike Bell
you know So at least they kind of know where to go. So you know that's kind of my thoughts on Alabama. As far as Indiana, I don't know what more to say that we haven't already said other than it is really like one of the best stories in all of college football history you know for them to be doing what they're doing.
00:24:12
Kaleb
Oh, for sure.
00:24:14
Mike Bell
And at at this point, I mean, they're obviously the favorite to win it all, but I don't – I mean, I think Oregon – it's going to be interesting. But if anyone can beat them, it's probably this week in Oregon.
00:24:26
Mike Bell
It's going to be a great game. But, you know.
00:24:28
Kaleb
Wouldn't that be insane, too, if Oregon beat Indiana? I mean, I would probably be very sad.
00:24:33
Mike Bell
Right.
00:24:35
Kaleb
Not that I dislike Dan Lanning or Oregon, but just the story aspect of Indiana kind of still being the little school or whatever, I guess could say.
00:24:36
Mike Bell
I think it's bad for them too, yeah.
00:24:46
Kaleb
i don't know.
00:24:47
Mike Bell
Right. Well, they they're a legitimate powerhouse at this point, you know?
00:24:48
Kaleb
I don't
00:24:50
Mike Bell
i mean, obviously, you know.
00:24:52
Kaleb
know, but I'm just saying, like, the feeling on them, like, the whole year is still like this –
00:24:54
Mike Bell
I know. I know.
00:24:56
Kaleb
and
00:24:58
Mike Bell
it really is.
00:24:58
Kaleb
Oh, wow. Just got a notification of Josh Hoover, the TCU quarterback, committed to Indiana.
00:25:05
Mike Bell
Really, that's interesting.
00:25:06
Kaleb
and Yeah, because I think he's been around ah several schools.
00:25:07
Mike Bell
That's it.
00:25:09
Kaleb
I mean, he was good for TCU, but anyway.
00:25:12
Mike Bell
I'm curious to see, you know, Kirk Cignetti has obviously proven that he's now an elite coach and that this isn't a one-off because he's now done it.
00:25:12
Kaleb
yeah.
00:25:19
Mike Bell
way He's won everywhere he's been, but especially the last two years, now he's done it consistently. I'm curious to see how long they're going to keep this up. Is this going to be the case as long as Cignetti is there?
00:25:31
Mike Bell
Or is there going to be like a drop-off? I don't know. It's going to be interesting to watch, but I'm glad that the Big Ten has kind of another team now. um As far as this game, do you have anything else to say about it?
00:25:42
Mike Bell
The only thing I have to say about it is, wow, Indiana blew them out. They're legit.
00:25:45
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:25:46
Mike Bell
That's kind of all I have to say.
00:25:47
Kaleb
Yeah, same. That's, yeah. i don't think have anything else to say, you know, other than just, wow, Indiana beat the crap out of them.
00:25:52
Mike Bell
Yep.
00:25:54
Kaleb
Where does Alabama go from here? That's kind of the only questions I have or things I have to say about it for sure.
00:25:58
Mike Bell
ye Okay. Last game, Ole Miss, Georgia. I can't believe you missed it. This game was, you know, Josh Pate had it as a five-challi classic, if you know what that means.
00:26:04
Kaleb
don't know.
00:26:09
Mike Bell
And it it just did not disappoint. You know, I said that the first game they played, Ole Miss should have won. And I still feel that way.
00:26:20
Mike Bell
And look, Ole Miss, he probably should have been in the SEC championship. it probably should have been in them in georgia and Georgia in the SEC championship. Ole Miss is – You know, the thing that's going to hurt is if Ole Miss loses next week or the week after, you just have to wonder, geez, would it have been different with Lane Kiffin? But the thing is, you could say it the other way, too.
00:26:40
Mike Bell
Did this actually ignite something in the players?
00:26:40
Kaleb
Yeah,
00:26:42
Mike Bell
But, I mean...
00:26:44
Kaleb
exactly.
00:26:45
Mike Bell
Just an amazing game. you know, Kirby's smart. He's obviously an aggressive coach. I will say, and that's his style, he's made it work over and over again. i don't know if you got a chance to see their little fake thing they did on fourth down that allowed Ole Miss to go ahead by 10. I think that was way, way too aggressive. I mean, they were at their own 30.
00:27:09
Kaleb
Oh, wow. Hmm.
00:27:09
Mike Bell
I know that's just kind of his style, but to me, that was too much there. But, I mean, you do have to question, like, does Georgia win in the game if it wasn't for that play call?
00:27:20
Mike Bell
And a lot happened kind of after that. But, you know, late in this game, it looked like Ole Miss was kind of running out the clock and we were going to get overtime. And I don't know if you saw the play.
00:27:32
Mike Bell
They just had wide open and they threw it down the field with, like, 20 seconds left.
00:27:32
Kaleb
Oh,
00:27:37
Mike Bell
Like, everyone was getting ready for overtime. i was in bed thinking, dang it, I've got to stay up and watch this.
00:27:43
Kaleb
yeah.
00:27:43
Mike Bell
And and then there's just a guy open down the field and they get in field goal range and then they end up, you know, scoring a touchdown. But You know, it really was ah just a classic. It's crazy any time a team like Georgia is just knocked off.
00:28:00
Mike Bell
And, you know, credit to Ole Miss and their players.
00:28:01
Kaleb
so yeah
00:28:05
Mike Bell
Pete Golding, who is now the interim coach for Ole Miss, obviously doing a great job. Here's a question for you, and this kind of – still talking about this game, but moving on to the you know the previews, i guess.
00:28:19
Mike Bell
I think Ole Miss, in the way their offense is playing, is a better matchup for Miami than Georgia would have been. But, as far as the championship, if Indiana wins, Georgia would be the better matchup for Indiana than Ole Miss, just because of coaching.
00:28:29
Kaleb
Mm-hmm.
00:28:38
Mike Bell
So, just something to kind of think about there. but I am excited because it just seems like this Ole Miss offense cannot be stopped right now. going be interesting see how they do against Miami. But any thoughts on the game that you may have even though you didn't watch it?
00:28:56
Kaleb
I mean, my initial thoughts are like, you know, kudos to Pete Golding and the administrative staff at Ole Miss. I mean, think about just all the turmoil that they've gone through the last month and just being able to go and beat Georgia, you know, and that's very hard to do.
00:29:13
Kaleb
Very hard to do. Carvey Smart, I think, like, I don't know. I'd probably say he's my favorite for the number one coach in the nation, to be honest with you. I just think like he's definitely one of the best chess players in the nation.
00:29:29
Kaleb
And I really think the problem is just Kirby this offseason really just needs to. I think they're just like probably one or two players away from the offensive side to being like back to where they were like maybe three or four years ago when they had Stetson Bennett and winning the championships.
00:29:48
Kaleb
I mean, they're not far from being a championship-level team. They just – I think Gunnar Stockton was the primary force of that offense, and he's just got to have a little bit more support now with how the NIL is affecting these teams. And, you know, it's not just one superpower in these playoff teams. There's typically one or two, you know.
00:30:07
Kaleb
And it's – you know, another part to that is it's kind of crazy that Miami, you know, they've – I don't want to say like a trio, like, oh, this is the best elite trio, but Miami's got the running back that's come on hot for them.
00:30:20
Kaleb
I forget his name, but number four, Carson Beck, Myalakai Tony, which is a two freshman.
00:30:21
Mike Bell
last year.
00:30:26
Kaleb
So um that's my initial thoughts for Georgia is like, how can, I'm not too concerned about the defense. I'm not too concerned about that. Kirby Smart, defensive minded guy. I think he'll always have a formidable defense no matter what.
00:30:42
Kaleb
How can he not reinvent the offense, but just add some more levels to it to where you know they could be elite again? Or not even elite, just kind of control the game however it needs to be. If they need to go to score points, just go be able to do that. And if they need to just manage the clock, just go do that. and That's what Gunnar Stockton is best at, is managing the clock and you know not turning the ball over. so
00:31:05
Mike Bell
They consider getting a another quarterback in the portal.
00:31:11
Kaleb
I don't think so. I think Hunter Stockton's really good. I think the thing is just, I mean, we've talked all year, really the only offensive like receiver that they really had a true threat was ah ah Branch.
00:31:28
Kaleb
you know He was just like a little gadget player.
00:31:28
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:31:31
Kaleb
That was really the only threat for downfield. Other than that, I mean, they had several really good tight ends, I think, and then they've had some good running backs, but the wide receiver room is probably lacking, I would say.
00:31:44
Mike Bell
I agree. I think it is the receiver room. Now, the only thing I'd say is, like, you said they need to upgrade their offense. I think Kirby Smart would respond, well, we just put up 34, the defense allowed 39. You know, so, it's one thing.
00:31:56
Kaleb
But up to that point, though, the defense had been, like, probably after the this after that initial Ole Miss game, that's when their defense started, like, rapidly improving.
00:32:06
Kaleb
I just almost think that's more credit to – I almost want to say like the Ole Miss offensive players are almost saying like an f you to Lane Kiffin. And they're just like mentally on fire and just focused on the game, you know, to just say, hey, we don't need him in a respectful way.
00:32:26
Kaleb
Let's go play lights out. I think that's kind of what the storyline is maybe in the locker room.
00:32:31
Mike Bell
I agree. The only thing I want to say about going to Stockton is, can you win a championship with a guy that put up 203 yards passing?
00:32:41
Mike Bell
You know, game has kind of changed where you need guys to be throwing for 300. I'm not saying that has to be the case, especially with Georgia. Like maybe they can probably figure it out. And, ah you know, I don't remember what Stockton, or not Stockton, but what what was the last quarterback?
00:32:55
Mike Bell
um Whatever his numbers were. Yeah.
00:32:58
Kaleb
Well, Carson Beck, but then Stetson Bennett.
00:32:59
Mike Bell
the love form ben Yeah. So, you know, maybe that's not even true. I just wonder if Stockton is somewhat...
00:33:06
Kaleb
They're both very similar because Stetson, I mean, I think every once in a while he had a really like crazy game like that.
00:33:09
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:33:12
Kaleb
But for the most part, it's just a game manager. But the thing is, Stetson Bennett, he had Brock Bowers. um He had a lot more offensive talent than what Gunnar Stockton has right now is the thing.
00:33:25
Mike Bell
Right. No, and that's true.
00:33:25
Kaleb
like elite, like pro level talent.
00:33:28
Mike Bell
Right, yeah, so get him some receivers, and let's see, because you're right, Kirby Smart, Kirby Smart's going to have a feel for defense. You know, he's going to figure that out. It's really just, yeah, you've got to get the receivers.
00:33:39
Mike Bell
So, okay, so that's that game, and I'm very excited to see what Ole Miss is going to do going forward. I was probably going to choose Georgia, if they would have won the game, to win it all, but obviously can't do that anymore.
00:33:53
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:33:55
Mike Bell
So let's get into this Ole Miss-Modeling game. And yeah, what what are your initial thoughts?
Upcoming Matches and Key Players
00:34:05
Kaleb
Definitely watching this one. It's, uh, I remember last time I was talking to you, I need to look and see on here. It's the eighth, which that is four days from now. So that is going to be.
00:34:17
Mike Bell
Thursday 630. Yeah. I...
00:34:18
Kaleb
Yeah. Kind of weird in my opinion, you know, like fine. If you want to make it Friday, you fine, whatever. But Thursday, ah thankfully I'm off. So it's not gonna be an issue, but, um,
00:34:31
Kaleb
I am very interested because I think, I mean, number one, obviously, it's the game before the championship, right? So no doubt. But I think the storyline of Ole Miss, just the turmoil they had, how far can this Ole Miss team go?
00:34:45
Kaleb
I think for both teams, I think it's a surprise that they're both here. Because before this thing started, you know, you would have figured – I don't know. ah I mean, i think everyone of it would have figured probably that A&M would have beaten Miami.
00:34:59
Kaleb
I think most people would have picked that, right? And then after that, you know, probably Ohio State had beaten A&M, but Miami's here now, right?
00:35:06
Mike Bell
Right.
00:35:09
Kaleb
Ole Miss, I mean, obviously their first game against Tulane, obviously that was going to be a win for them. But the Georgia-Ole Miss game last week or a couple days ago, Georgia, I think people would have predicted would have beat that beat them, you know. And so I think it's two surprise teams in this spot.
00:35:27
Kaleb
um Different circumstances. I don't miss – you know, Mario Crisobal always has kind of some question marks around him, like every year for whatever it is. I don't know what the deal is, but – So there's question marks, I think. learn not If anything, I think Mario Cristobal has kind of bought himself a little bit more time. If he had lost this first round against you guys, maybe there would have been more questions for him and his longevity at Miami.
00:35:53
Kaleb
but Or credibility at Miami. But... um Anyway, i think storylines make this game very interesting. Top-tier defense right now playing against a top-tier offense.
00:36:07
Kaleb
Ole Miss' defense has been doing just enough to let their offense squeak by. how can there be i mean How is their defense going to be able to hold up against that Miami run game that's been you know really helping out Carson Beck and Malachi Tony?
00:36:23
Kaleb
Can they do it? We'll see. Yeah.
00:36:27
Kaleb
I think it's going to be a game, though, where maybe Ole Miss doesn't score over 30 points. But I do think they're going to put Carson Beck in a situation where they're going to put it on his shoulders and make him throw.
00:36:39
Kaleb
Can he do that and deliver is my question.
00:36:42
Mike Bell
Yes, so that is going to be the question. how it So Carson Beck now, i want to say the number in, what is it, in playoff games, or maybe it's in ranked matchups this year. He has some sort of good stat where he's like six and oh He hasn't lost.
00:36:57
Mike Bell
So now he i would argue he hasn't done much to actually win. it's not because of him. Granted, he's been a decent game manager.
00:37:05
Kaleb
Well, last game, the first half, I mean, i forgot how many yards he had. I want to say he had under 200 passing yards. Now, he didn't throw any interceptions. I think he had two touchdowns, which is great.
00:37:17
Kaleb
But I'm just saying, he was – mean, it was a defensive game. He was able to rely on the run, which that's great. But if you're if the Miami defense is not able to stop that Ole Miss offense, Carson Beck is going to have to throw the ball. Can he do that? I really don't know.
00:37:34
Kaleb
even against that Ole Miss defense.
00:37:37
Mike Bell
that's the thing right
00:37:38
Kaleb
Because, number one, yeah, I think the strength of that Miami offense is the offensive line, which is obviously if you have a strength on your offense, that's where you want it. I mean, other than quarterback, of course, but their offense – excuse me.
00:37:51
Kaleb
Their offensive line is their strength. Yeah. In the run game, if Pete Golding can just, you know, prevent that run game from getting started, put it all on Carson Beck, maybe their are cornerbacks and safeties and linebackers could do just enough to kind of stop the pass game. And I don't know, because, you know, ah I forgot who it was, but Carson against, but Carson Beck, have, like three, four interceptions in one game?
00:38:15
Kaleb
i mean, it was atrocious.
00:38:17
Mike Bell
Right. That's the thing. You never know when you're going to get the Beck experience.
00:38:21
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:38:21
Mike Bell
But it does seem like you're not going to get the Beck experience against Ole Miss' defense. So, and know you could, but I doubt it.
00:38:26
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:38:30
Mike Bell
That's the thing. So, like, almost don't even know what to expect from an over-under perspective.
00:38:36
Kaleb
yeah
00:38:36
Mike Bell
It's like I bet you the the number – let's see what the number is. it
00:38:39
Kaleb
Miami, about three and a half.
00:38:41
Mike Bell
No, I meant the over-under for the total.
00:38:42
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:38:43
Mike Bell
So, it's 52.5, which – which is pretty high.
00:38:48
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:38:48
Mike Bell
The thing is, no one has stopped Ole Miss on offense. But Miami is just playing at another level. But it's hard to imagine Ole Miss ever getting stopped.
00:39:02
Mike Bell
It's hard to imagine Ole Miss at the same time stopping anybody else. But it's hard to imagine Miami lighting it up really against anybody. So I don't know.
00:39:12
Kaleb
It's just not their style. Yeah.
00:39:15
Mike Bell
I don't really know Miami's favorite by three and a half, but I kind of like Ole Miss in this game. But it's kind of like, who do you think? It feels like, okay, it feels like Carson Beck is going to be a bit of a problem at some point. But it also feels like Ole Miss not having a head coach is going to be a problem at some point. I'm talking like for the entire playoffs. So which of those do we see first?
00:39:36
Kaleb
If it's not this this week, if Ole Miss wins, it's I think definitely probably going to be something that comes up in the championship. you know Whether they play against Oregon or Indiana, I think two top-tier coaching staffs, and not anything against Pete Golding, but this is, believe, his first time head coaching at all.
00:39:56
Kaleb
um
00:39:56
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:39:57
Kaleb
Now, he's been working under like great i'll mean ah great head coaches for like 10 plus years. But anyway, it's something different when you're the one pulling the strings and having to manage. so
00:40:09
Mike Bell
Well, you know, so and then another point is obviously Ole Miss hasn't been good against the run. Miami struggled on the ground, but not in the playoffs. They've been running the ball fairly well.
00:40:18
Kaleb
Right. they Right.
00:40:19
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:40:19
Kaleb
Right.
00:40:20
Mike Bell
So another thing to talk about is maybe pace of play. Miami is more of like, okay, let's take things slow.
00:40:27
Kaleb
Mm-hmm.
00:40:27
Mike Bell
Maybe that's how they keep the game close. They say, okay, we're going to try to control the ball and maybe our defense can make enough plays. You know, and I could see that.
00:40:37
Mike Bell
Now, the other thing is Ole Miss has pretty elite pass protection. Now, I would say so did A&M and Ohio State, and they still got after them. So that's something to consider, but I would say Ole Miss maybe has more weapons. you know Maybe weapons is the right word, but they're more efficient with their weapons.
00:40:55
Mike Bell
I don't know. It's hard to imagine Ole Miss getting stopped is what I'm trying to say. But I think Miami –
00:41:00
Kaleb
Basically, the Ole Miss offense is going to have to neutralize that defensive line somehow. You know, if they can do that, I mean, they may have a – you know, I think they'll have a shot definitely of having a, you know, good day offensively.
00:41:05
Mike Bell
Right, right, right. You know, so –
00:41:14
Kaleb
But that's going tall task.
00:41:16
Mike Bell
So let me ask you this.
00:41:17
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:41:18
Mike Bell
I think, obviously, both Indiana and Oregon are pretty elite. You can argue which one's better. we would probably both agree right now Indiana, but we both agree either one could probably win that game. let's just Let's just say they're basically the same team, Indiana and Oregon, because in many ways they kind of are.
00:41:34
Kaleb
Yeah, Yeah.
00:41:35
Mike Bell
Who do you want to see face them between Ole Miss and Miami? Who has the better shot? And what's the better game?
00:41:47
Mike Bell
It's tough. I don't know. Like, I can make arguments for both because obviously on one hand, Miami's – if Miami pulls this one off, then they – we've talked about all year. They're one of the best teams in the country where they're playing at their best.
00:42:00
Mike Bell
That defense is elite. So it's kind like you have to see them. Like, how do they beat Ole Miss? Do they beat Ole Miss by putting them in like six points?
00:42:00
Kaleb
yeah
00:42:05
Kaleb
Well, exactly. if they have a great If they have another great defensive performance and they're able to run the ball, I think those are the two main ingredients to winning a championship, in my opinion. Obviously, you've got to throw a little bit.
00:42:14
Mike Bell
Nothing.
00:42:15
Kaleb
But if you're able to run effectively, have great defense, then –
00:42:22
Kaleb
Yeah, i think I think Miami playing against Oregon or – because really if Miami were to play against Oregon, but they both – now Oregon's got you know explosive capabilities. I mean, they're one of the top ah top teams in the country as far as explosive plays. you know So that would be kind of interesting, whereas Miami's more of the slow ground-and-pound type. But they're both – don't know how to say it. Like Oregon, balanced.
00:42:52
Kaleb
Miami tries to say balance. I'd probably say Oregon's a little bit more efficient, but both are very great defensively. Indiana, I mean, obviously the same for you know the Heisman Trophy winner quarterback they have.
00:43:06
Kaleb
Um, huh.
00:43:09
Mike Bell
Yeah, so that's one argument. then The other argument is, okay, what if once again, though, Ole Miss, let's say Ole Miss wins the game, and they light it up again. So then it's like, okay, Indiana and Oregon both are probably going to score on Ole Miss, but it seems like no but if Miami couldn't stop Ole Miss on ah offense, well, then Indiana and Oregon probably can't either.
00:43:28
Mike Bell
So I guess it's a little bit of a toss-up. I probably would leave Miami, but again, you have to see it. And I'd have to see the way that it transpires. But because, again, Ole Miss does have that crutch of they don't have the head coach.
00:43:46
Kaleb
a
00:43:46
Mike Bell
And Carson Beck, although he you get the Carson Beck experience, it's like, okay, he's been in these moments before, and he seems to be winning the big games. So I'll go Miami, but it's close.
00:43:57
Kaleb
Exactly.
00:44:00
Kaleb
m It is too. you know cause Really, i want to pick Ole Miss just because you know not that I hate Lane Kiffin or anything, but I think their the team is having to deal with quite a bit of adversity um given the circumstances. and
00:44:23
Kaleb
Ultimately, I think it'd be interesting for Miami and Indiana to play. I think that'd be an interesting game, but
00:44:35
Kaleb
I think that'd be a low-scoring game, potentially.
00:44:39
Mike Bell
Yeah, it could. It could look like the Ohio State game. It was like 13-10 or whatever it was. but
00:44:44
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:44:45
Mike Bell
okay Okay, so that's that game. And then let's move on to Oregon, Indiana. So now we get the rematch. And as you set it up earlier, it's hard to beat a team twice.
00:44:55
Kaleb
Mm-hmm.
00:44:56
Mike Bell
Hard to beat a team twice. But both these teams are coming off like dominating performances.
00:44:58
Kaleb
Mm-hmm.
00:45:02
Mike Bell
Yeah. Both these teams seem to be rolling. You know, Oregon, they remember last year. And they were supposed to, you know, they, I think, had the best chances or the best odds last year to win it all. And then they lost in that first round.
00:45:18
Mike Bell
it It would kind of feel – it would feel weird to see Indiana lose at this point. It almost feels like, geez, could they really pull this off? It just seems like at some point they had
00:45:27
Kaleb
It's been a perfect year though too.
00:45:28
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:45:29
Kaleb
That'd be insane.
00:45:32
Mike Bell
You know, mendo we get another Mendoza versus Moore. You know, two of the best quarterbacks in the country right now. So, you know, trenches on trenches. Both defenses elite.
00:45:46
Mike Bell
I don't know. this is you know it's Right now, it's Indiana minus four, which sounds about right. You know, the first game, now that I'm remembering it, it was 30-20. And I remember saying to you and thanking while I was watching the game that Indiana, and this was in Oregon, by the way.
00:46:03
Kaleb
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:46:04
Mike Bell
Indiana kind of dominated that game, in my opinion. Now, Indiana hadn't fully been on display until that game. That was kind of Indiana's arrival. So, I don't know. I think Oregon has a lot lot of work to do.
00:46:20
Mike Bell
I guess I don't know what else to say about the game other than it's just going to be an exciting rematch. I would be surprised, honestly, if either team dominated.
00:46:25
Kaleb
yeah
00:46:28
Kaleb
yeah
00:46:29
Mike Bell
i don't know. I think it's going great game. what What are your thoughts?
00:46:33
Kaleb
You know, i could see it being like a 20 to 17 game, Indiana. You know, I think they're just both like they're both all around good teams, good on offense, good on defense.
00:46:45
Kaleb
Who's going to just make the last play, I think, is what it's going to come down to. You know, um
00:46:52
Kaleb
I'm excited for it. And I'm guessing that this is going be played. Where is this going to be played at?
00:46:57
Mike Bell
I believe Scottsdale – no, no, This one is
00:47:00
Kaleb
Okay, so the Chick-fil-A Bowl, so probably Georgia, I'd imagine, huh? Is that in Georgia?
00:47:07
Mike Bell
yeah atlanta would
00:47:08
Kaleb
Yeah, Mercedes, yes. Mercedes-Benz in Georgia, yeah. is Curious who would have the home home field advantage there out of those two.
00:47:18
Kaleb
um You know, honestly, I'd probably lean in Indiana. I mean, nobody's beaten them yet this year. They've looked superb. the entire year. ah I mean, especially as of late. I mean, i think what they were able to do against but Alabama, I know we have our questions and whatnot, but just being able to beat that kind of a team, 38-3, I mean, hey, that speaks volumes in my opinion.
00:47:42
Kaleb
um
00:47:46
Kaleb
I don't think they're going to do that to Oregon by any means, but how could you not pick Indiana at this point? You know, and maybe they get dethroned. I don't know, but... I mean, if and if they did against Oregon, hey, you know, by all means, I don't think that's a disappointment or a fail. It does stuck from a storyline perspective because, you know, quote-unquote Cinderella team maybe, you know, they're definitely a you know, for real team. But just the the feel of indian Indiana still hasn't come around to a lot of the people in the public that they're, you know, a premier football team.
00:48:19
Kaleb
But, um yeah, I'd probably have to say with Indiana.
00:48:23
Mike Bell
you know i still I agree, and I still just kind of don't get it. you know I'm looking over like the team and all that. like I get how Indiana could be good. How are they this good? Honestly, they beat Oregon.
00:48:39
Mike Bell
They beat Ohio State. They just blew out Alabama. And if you look at their talent, it's nowhere close to these other teams.
00:48:46
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:48:49
Mike Bell
And you could say, oh, well, Kirk Cignetti is just that good. Nick Saban was pretty good, too. You know, so like could Nick Saban maybe do this with this team?
00:48:53
Kaleb
Yeah.
00:48:56
Mike Bell
Like maybe, I guess. But it's just like, okay.
00:48:59
Kaleb
Well, the thing is, though, Nick Saban all throughout his career... I mean, every team he had, there was going to be several guys playing in the NFL next year, you know?
00:49:08
Mike Bell
Right.
00:49:08
Kaleb
And um ah with Indiana, I mean, they've got Fernando Mendoza, you know, okay. But to your point, in five years from now, are you going to see many of these guys playing on Sunday?
00:49:14
Mike Bell
Right.
00:49:21
Kaleb
Probably not, you know? It's pretty hard to do, you know? So to that argument... I don't know if Nick Saban – I mean, could Nick Saban get the most out of it and make this a decent team?
00:49:33
Kaleb
Probably. But to go win it all, I don't know. Because all we saw him have in this toolbox was a lot of toys, you know.
00:49:37
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:49:42
Mike Bell
Right, and I imagine now Indiana's probably only gonna get better in terms of recruiting than what they have been, and they'll all take advantage Yeah, well, so I guess my question is, like and we don't know, What actually is the reason for Indiana being so good?
00:49:47
Kaleb
Well, yeah. Today they picked up a guy from San Diego State, I believe, a very good wide receiver. And they picked up somebody. Oh, yeah, and they picked up ah Josh Hoover from TCU like 20 minutes ago.
00:50:00
Kaleb
So, yeah, it's already starting.
00:50:10
Mike Bell
Because I don't think it's as simple as like, oh, Kirk Sanney is just a great coach.
00:50:14
Mike Bell
But so like, what is it he's doing specifically that has separated him so much? Is it actually just like a bit of a lottery thing in the sense that, because so he had a quote, oh, I'm not looking for the best players.
00:50:14
Kaleb
Yeah, I don't think that's it.
00:50:26
Mike Bell
i'm looking for the right players. Like, okay, yeah, a lot of coaches say that. But is it just the case at key positions? He actually did hit a home run on certain like key spots, and then everyone just meshed well.
00:50:36
Mike Bell
Obviously, Mendoza being one of them, he said it was just being a league quarterback.
00:50:38
Kaleb
Oh, yeah. Thank you.
00:50:39
Mike Bell
And then they did they just get the right guys on defense? but So it's like, yeah, even though it was like three-star recruit, in reality, the guy was really like a five-star. He was just undervalued. And then he was like really good at picking up – you know value, I guess, in portals or in the rec recruiting that they did get. I don't know. But I would just be curious to know what is the actual answer to that?
00:51:02
Mike Bell
Like, how has he made ah Indiana so great? Is he just that good at scheme? Is his scheme really good? I don't know. i don't know.
00:51:11
Mike Bell
But it's just like,
00:51:11
Kaleb
I started an interview with him the other day.
00:51:12
Kaleb
after i don't know what the person asked him, but, you know, he valued production over potential. And he valued production over potential. And I don't think a lot of, you know, I'm sure to some extent, maybe coaches agree with him on that. But, you know.
00:51:31
Kaleb
Think about how many five stars just go to like four or five different schools, for instance, you know, and it doesn't pan out for whatever reason, you know, but coaches are still chasing them just because one or two years ago they were a five star, you know.
00:51:45
Kaleb
um And the culture elite coaches, in my opinion, obviously, if they transferred out of one school, hey, you know, by any means there could be an numerous reasons why let's investigate why he's transferring out that kind of thing but i don't think there's as much stock in stars as what there used to be just because now with the transfer portal these guys that are at the lower tier schools that are getting the spotlight they're now going to the bigger schools that are going to give them even more of a spotlight and so i don't know i think
00:52:23
Kaleb
as time goes on or maybe until the transfer portal gets more regulated and it's a little harder for these guys just to go hop teams every single year. Until that happens, I think you're gonna see a
00:52:39
Kaleb
huge amount of three stars kind of making it out of college as some of the top players in the sport, I think, i don't know.
00:52:50
Kaleb
I mean, you already see that like narrative, like, you know, JJ Watt being a two star in Wisconsin being, and now he's going to be a hall of famer. And ah I'm trying to think there's always that narrative though. Like all these hall of fam guys that were like two stars or whatever, you know,
00:53:09
Mike Bell
Yep. Okay. So, by the way, another guy Indiana got today besides Hoover, they got Kansas State Edge, Toby Asun-Assam. I have no idea said how to say that name.
00:53:21
Mike Bell
But a just somebody else. So, you know, Indiana is clearly, you know, they're here to stay. least they're trying to.
00:53:28
Kaleb
Yeah, their best. yeah Yeah.
00:53:31
Mike Bell
Okay. So, That's the games, and I'm excited to watch the games this week. I agree with you. I think it's ridiculous. It's on Thursday. like like Maybe make both the games Friday.
00:53:41
Mike Bell
If you can't do that, then I don't know. I don't know. but we I agree.
00:53:44
Kaleb
Or just do it Saturday. Screw the NFL.
00:53:48
Mike Bell
I agree. Or have something with the NFL. like have I don't know. You know what? I don't even want to talk about it. but um All right. Two directions we can go real quick. We can either talk a little bit about the portal.
00:54:01
Mike Bell
think there's some things to talk about, or we can talk about maybe some of the ball games. Which one do you want to get into?
00:54:09
Kaleb
um Well, let out ah we can go into the portal, but I would like to address the Texas game. um Now, what really sucked about this was I was at work when this happened, so I just got to see this in bits and pieces.
00:54:22
Kaleb
And, yes, it wasn't a playoff game. We've already kind of discussed this. You know, take it with a grain of salt either way. If Texas won or lost, just because the portal on both teams um in Michigan kind of – i think they kind of I think the administration actually kind of saved the – I don't know. I think they saved Michigan by hiring Whittingham from Utah, to be honest with you, because that could have gotten very ugly very quickly for Michigan if they did not hire the right guy. I mean, honestly, that's kind of a godsend that Whittingham just decided to leave Utah like that.
00:54:57
Mike Bell
It's crazy that Michigan and Penn State kind of came out on top.
00:55:01
Kaleb
Oh, for sure.
00:55:01
Mike Bell
You know, they like they really had the best-case scenarios.
00:55:02
Kaleb
Just look at the – yes. Yes. yeah And honestly, I think, I mean, other you know, I do have some questions about Link.
00:55:06
Mike Bell
They really did.
00:55:12
Kaleb
We can get into that in a moment.
00:55:16
Kaleb
But um anyway, Michigan, Texas, two good teams, I think.
00:55:23
Kaleb
Two good programs, Blue Bloods.
00:55:27
Kaleb
i at I was nervous about this a little bit. You know, I told myself, like, I take it with grain of salt. But at the end of the day, you know, you're still like, oh, God, you know, i want to win so bad. did that dadadah And ours just came out bald. He really did. he had really good passing game, really good... um He had like 155 yards rushing. um And keep in mind, that's with like four of our running backs out, which our backup redshirt freshman, Clark, came in and rushed for over 100 yards.
00:55:58
Kaleb
And then i I forget who the other running back was. um So anyways, I was very impressed because keep in mind, Coach Sarkeesian let go of PK, our defensive coordinator, and hired Will Muschamp. don't know who called the defense, but, you know, we kind of had some, I don't want to turmoil, but definitely differences on our team as well. We had adversity to kind of fight through to play this game.
00:56:23
Kaleb
And, you know, we showed up. We played a good ball game. I was very impressed from the coaching standpoint of being able to, fought like, guide us through this weird time.
00:56:35
Kaleb
to go win against a pretty good team, in my opinion. So I was very ultimately pleased at that. To have a 10-win season with the schedule we've had, I think that's quite the accomplishment. And I know people are going say, oh, they went from number one team in the country to whatever we're going to end with at the end of the year. But I just think people have very unrealistic expectations. And honestly, I think that's going to happen again next year. I don't think they're going place us at number one, and rightfully so.
00:57:02
Kaleb
But they're going to really probably – I think they're probably gonna have us like somewhere in the top eight, because there's gonna be a lot of hype behind Arch again after this great bowl game. And I think he had a great one, but right I think what it will hinge on for this next year, if we're real or not, not too worried about the defense,
00:57:24
Kaleb
in a sense, because I think, well, Muschamp is a very good defensive coordinator. Obviously, we have some portal things that we need to take care of, but offensively, I think, is the glaring needs. Offensive line, and now out of necessity, is running back. How well is Coach Sarkeesian going to be able to recruit players into the from the portal into there and also retain some of our best players?
00:57:45
Kaleb
um Overall, I think this is a this was... an accomplishing year, you know, realistically from a standpoint, you know.
00:57:58
Kaleb
Obviously I wish we had a shot in the playoff. I would be curious to see how we would have done, but we didn't get that. So it is what it is.
00:58:06
Mike Bell
Yeah, I largely agree. I guess I'll go ahead and involve the portal because relevant to Texas Parker Livingston.
00:58:12
Kaleb
Yeah. That was, I don't know how much of that you've seen, but yes, that's a good point.
00:58:13
Mike Bell
ah
00:58:18
Kaleb
Did you see like what he was saying kind of at the end He almost didn't have a choice pretty much.
00:58:22
Mike Bell
So I, saw the remind me, remind me.
00:58:26
Kaleb
So I didn't read the whole thing, but at the very end, he was basically saying how it never, or never in a million years did I think I would be playing somewhere else other than the 40 acres. So in other words, behind the scene, he was getting pushed out.
00:58:42
Kaleb
And another thing that really sucks about this is that is Arch Manning's roommate. And,
00:58:49
Mike Bell
Yeah.
00:58:51
Kaleb
You know, I've watched pretty much every Texas game this whole season. Parker Livingstone, by any means, would you sit there and say, oh, wow, this guy looks like a Jeremiah Smith, like a elite wide receiver?
00:59:02
Kaleb
No, you wouldn't say that, but he was like always dependable. And he kind of – I don't want to say he fizzled out at the end. I don't want to say that because I think he was the same player all year round, but he had good stats. Yeah.
00:59:15
Kaleb
redshirt freshman. he was he was a player I was genuinely excited to see develop over the next couple years. um And so I was very surprised by that. you know and we're kind of We were talking last week about Cam Coleman. you know He actually visited Texas yesterday and he's got visits to visit A&M.
00:59:38
Kaleb
And I forgot the other school. Maybe Alabama? I don't know. but I'm almost curious to see like, hmm, why are they forcing Parker Livingstone out? What do they know that they haven't made public yet? You know, like.
00:59:50
Kaleb
Hmm.
00:59:50
Mike Bell
Well, let me let me respond to that. And um' I'm on a Texas thread right now. So this is not coming from general public. This is Longhorn fans because Longhorn fans are very upset with Parker Livingston. And I think maybe rightfully because it looks like Parker Livingston is basically lying.
01:00:09
Mike Bell
He wasn't forced out.
01:00:09
Kaleb
and
01:00:12
Mike Bell
He wanted more money. But that's not getting forced out.
01:00:15
Mike Bell
That's right. So... The reports are he was offered a six-figure NIL deal, and that wasn't good enough for him, so i wanted more. So I don't know what a good NIL deal supposedly is, but that seems to just be a key theme.
01:00:15
Kaleb
Yeah.
01:00:29
Kaleb
We had like 500, he had 560 yards in like probably four to six touchdowns, somewhere in that ballpark, which I do think that is a very good year for a freshman wide receiver, a redshirt freshman wide receiver.
01:00:35
Mike Bell
Yeah.
01:00:42
Kaleb
However, On a grand scheme of things, how many wide receivers are getting paid $1 million dollars or whatever? And I know it was a low six-figure deal or you know what the case may be, but...
01:00:53
Mike Bell
Yeah, they're going to have figure that out with the NIO.
01:00:54
Kaleb
Oh,
01:00:55
Mike Bell
And I do think change is coming on that front in terms of how they're going structure these things.
01:00:59
Kaleb
so for sure.
01:01:01
Mike Bell
But, you know, that is too bad because, i don't know, it's just it's it's just too bad. It's too bad. that Like, yeah, you can maybe make a little bit of money at a different university, but, like, does loyalty not mean anything to you?
01:01:11
Mike Bell
you know, it's like, it's not like you're
01:01:12
Kaleb
Or Quinn Ewers also said it too, you know, relationships, you know, you got to choose relationships over the money, which I think is true too, you know, because, you know, and Quinn Ewers brought that up ah like probably last Sunday after the Miami game.
01:01:23
Mike Bell
Okay.
01:01:27
Kaleb
um You know, he brought up like, Maybe he didn't bring it up, but think about the narrative, how it would have been different like this year or a yeah, this year, if he was playing at a different school than Texas, how would the how the narrative be on his career?
01:01:44
Mike Bell
Well, I disagree on that.
01:01:44
Kaleb
Yeah.
01:01:46
Mike Bell
We talked about this last year. i still think he should have gone to another school because he'd have a better shot to have a better job in the NFL. You know, he wasn't ready to be in NFL last year, but he went into the draft. It's a different situation because he's not leaving in like the middle of his sophomore season. He had one more year left and Arch was behind him.
01:02:06
Mike Bell
So, that's just
01:02:07
Kaleb
But there would have been the little chirps about the loyalty aspect, the money.
01:02:10
Mike Bell
But less so with like Parker living or any of these guys, but Parker, let me see the other end of the extreme, but I don't think it would have been a loyalty thing.
01:02:13
Kaleb
what
01:02:19
Mike Bell
Like, I don't think there would have been as much as that. I think people would have said like, well, we kind of get it.
01:02:23
Kaleb
Maybe he yeah he at least had like, you know, he had ours behind him. And if was thinking to play this next year, i mean, or this year, he very well could have potentially transferred or an argument to be made.
01:02:37
Mike Bell
Yes. Okay, so i don't want to talk about Texas anymore.
01:02:40
Kaleb
a Fine.
01:02:42
Mike Bell
I'm done with them. Okay, so ah we do have – did you get a chance by by chance to watch any other bowl games that you enjoyed?
01:02:44
Kaleb
Here you are. No, I had not, to be honest with you. It's this past month has been absolutely insane as far as busy schedules.
01:02:59
Kaleb
Yeah.
01:02:59
Mike Bell
Okay, well, I'll just briefly go through the ones I watched just quickly. USC versus TCU, that was in San Antonio. I thought about going, didn't go. Great game. TCU pulls it off.
01:03:10
Mike Bell
you know, good game.
01:03:12
Kaleb
Did USC's quarterback play?
01:03:14
Mike Bell
might Yeah, he did. My Alba. He did. And he has not announced.
01:03:18
Kaleb
I imagine their – Huh?
01:03:20
Mike Bell
He has not announced going to the draft or anything.
01:03:23
Kaleb
I imagine their top wide receiver, is his last name Lemon or whatever?
01:03:23
Mike Bell
He's supposed
01:03:29
Mike Bell
Yes.
01:03:30
Kaleb
Did he play?
01:03:31
Mike Bell
You know, I don't remember seeing him, and being that I didn't see him, then...
01:03:34
Kaleb
He declared for the draft, I think, already, but I don't know if he played.
01:03:37
Mike Bell
Okay.
01:03:37
Kaleb
–
01:03:37
Mike Bell
Well, then I highly doubt he played.
01:03:39
Kaleb
yeah Either way, it's still shocking.
01:03:42
Mike Bell
Yeah. Yeah. He did not play. He did not play. So, it was a fantastic game, though. Really fantastic. um Vanderbilt, Iowa? Iowa...
01:03:54
Mike Bell
Really, I kind of handled Vanderbilt. If you look at the final score, it was thirty four twenty seven but Iowa kind of controlled them. And then Illinois beat Tennessee. And I have to give... The Big Ten credit, they've actually been pretty good in bowl games. And I've kind of talked about it all season where it looks like next year there's going to be more depth in the Big Ten. Now, there's a lot of Big Ten people talking about the SEC's record this year in bowl games and saying how the SEC is a bad conference and the Big Ten supposed to be this deep conference. i don't I still don't think that's the case. Sorry.
01:04:26
Mike Bell
But it does look like the Big Ten is kind of rising in a good way. And I think a good comparable to the middle of the Big Ten versus the SEC, you kind of got that in until Tennessee versus Illinois, which was another great game. Illinois beat Tennessee. And then you got that in Iowa versus Vandy, Iowa winning. So...
01:04:47
Mike Bell
I do think the Big Ten does seem to be developing these schools that maybe are usually in the middle that can be good. And I think that's just good for football overall and good that maybe the Big Ten could be a little bit better.
01:05:01
Mike Bell
i would say the SEC had the Texas versus Michigan one. So it's like you have to be careful about looking at overall bowl records.
01:05:07
Kaleb
Yeah, we saved yeah right right right we saved the conference. You're welcome.
01:05:07
Mike Bell
this
01:05:11
Mike Bell
Okay, you're done. But ah anyway, I think bowl season, even though it's a little different, there have been some good games. And you like Penn State versus Clemson, that was kind of an interesting game to watch.
01:05:26
Mike Bell
um
01:05:28
Kaleb
Dabo kind of cleaning house. I think I know Garrett Riley left or, you know, they let him go.
01:05:31
Mike Bell
Yep.
01:05:34
Kaleb
I forgot if they let the defensive coordinator go as well or not.
01:05:38
Mike Bell
Yep. So those are going to be – so let's see. We have Clemson with Javon.
01:05:42
Kaleb
Clemson is going an interesting school to watch like this off season. How does Dabo?
01:05:49
Kaleb
I hate to even say it because i love Dabo, but how does he save his job? You know,
01:05:56
Mike Bell
Yeah, he's going to be interesting to watch. So him, Kellen DeBoer.
01:06:00
Kaleb
Think about if he's able to pull that off like a resurrection.
01:06:00
Mike Bell
these are the
01:06:04
Kaleb
Like maybe not win a championship this upcoming year, but just a 10-win season. Just think about what he if he's able to do that and resurrect the program again. yeah did That would be wild.
01:06:17
Kaleb
I mean, it would be tough.
01:06:17
Mike Bell
a
01:06:19
Kaleb
It would be tough, but I think if Dabo would just kind of ah just really adapt, just look in the mirror and realize what he needs to do and just do it,
01:06:30
Kaleb
um Because I have a feeling he's probably just wrestling with himself in the mirror. Like he knows what he needs to do. He just doesn't want to do it. And he's a little afraid of certain things. I don't know. But. okay
01:06:41
Mike Bell
Yes. um Any thoughts on coaches that going to kind of start off on the hot seat next season?
01:06:54
Mike Bell
Kellen DeBoer, possibly. It's weird to describe him as on the hot seat, but it could fall apart quickly.
01:06:58
Kaleb
Yeah. Lincoln Riley, maybe?
01:07:02
Mike Bell
For sure, Lincoln Riley, I think this is his year. Mike Norvell, Florida State.
01:07:07
Kaleb
Yes.
01:07:07
Mike Bell
He's got to put it together, Florida State.
01:07:08
Kaleb
Which I don't know if you saw this, but DJ Lagoe took a visit to Florida State, which I kind of thought was a little surprising.
01:07:16
Mike Bell
yeah that is surprising yeah
01:07:17
Kaleb
Because figured, you know, DJ Lagoe kind of, I don't want to say do going to an experiment school with Florida, but obviously, for all intents and purposes, at the time, you know, a team on the rise, know,
01:07:29
Kaleb
you would have figured he would have gone to a team that's kind of more of a sure thing to salvage his college career, you know? So I found that as a surprise because Florida States, anything but a sure thing kind of deal, you know, very sporadic, really good one year, really horrible the next year.
01:07:45
Kaleb
i don't know. um
01:07:47
Mike Bell
What about Venables?
01:07:51
Mike Bell
Weird to say because he just made the playoffs, but it feels like it's a – Right.
01:07:54
Kaleb
Yeah, but it was very ugly, very ugly.
01:07:58
Kaleb
And really, he has not had – here's the deal.
01:07:58
Mike Bell
But they they did it.
01:08:02
Kaleb
I think Brent Venables has cemented into himself as one of the best defensive coordinators or defensive minds in college football. There's no doubt about that. Every year, Oklahoma's had a top-tier defense. It's just been on the offense okay that he's had – I mean, every year, other than their 11-win year he had, like the first or second year with Dylan Gabriel, quarterback, and ah ah Jeff Lundy as – or a the Mississippi State coach, I think it's Jeff Lundy, but as his offensive coordinator. You know, aside from that, he's had offensive issues.
01:08:32
Kaleb
What is he going to do this offseason? I – maybe just depending on how the season goes, the first couple games with Oklahoma, I could see it maybe being the middle of the year at earliest.
01:08:47
Kaleb
But I don't know. And keep in mind, you know, he went out in the portal and got Washington State's offensive coordinator because of John Mateer and what he was able to do at Washington State. And then he comes to Oklahoma. And granted, it's completely different games he played, but really didn't do much, to be honest with
Lane Kiffin's Coaching Journey and Challenges
01:09:04
Kaleb
you. Now, what I was wanting to ask you about Lane Kiffin, it's a little different. Lane Kiffin's obviously not going to be in the
01:09:11
Kaleb
in the hot seat, but –
01:09:16
Kaleb
I am curious to see how players are going to be with Lane Kiffin because I think to an extent he's going to have to rebuild the trust that he had built at Ole Miss because I think to an extent he has maybe lost some of that.
01:09:31
Kaleb
And I hate to say that because I ultimately understand why he left Ole Miss, obviously because he can build a team a lot better than he could at Ole Miss instead of having to rely on the portal every year in Ole Miss.
01:09:43
Kaleb
He can just, you know, LSU just literally flow throw a baseball and hit somebody in the head and they can go play really good defensive one football. But I think to an extent, the first year, going to be a little hard for him to be able to recruit to LSU because maybe players will think, man, you – you know, said for like five or six years, he didn't want to leave Mississippi. I mean, a that's a Mississippi state.
01:10:11
Kaleb
He didn't want to leave Ole Miss, but here you are, you know, in LSU. Who's to say that another opportunity won't come up for you. And just think about this. Think about the narrative. If Caitlin Boer got fired or something in Alabama, let's not.
01:10:24
Mike Bell
Yeah. Yeah.
01:10:25
Kaleb
you know, the talk is going to be, was Lane Kiffin going to leave for a Alabama job? You know, I'm really curious to see if LSU came up or if Alabama came up. I mean, I think he'd probably pick the Alabama job, but anyway, just think about that too.
01:10:41
Kaleb
ah Lane Kiffin having to follow in Nick Saban shoes. You know, I think that'd be insane just with the amount of stories that Lane Kiffin over for the years has had, but I don't know. I think it's going to be interesting to see how Lane Kiffin, number one, rebuilds the team because he's had some top players go into the portal.
01:11:00
Kaleb
Caden Durham, which was their best running back overall, their tackle, I forgot his last name, and then also just the narrative like, can I really trust you to be here in the next couple years kind of thing? or you know i don't know.
01:11:12
Kaleb
It'll be interesting to see. What are your thoughts on Lane Kiffin and LSU in that regard, I guess?
01:11:18
Mike Bell
I don't know. I think he's going hit it out of the park in terms of recruiting immediately because I think his response to that would just be, well, look, LSU is different than Ole Miss, and this is that's more of a place people stay than – I mean, how many people leave LSU to go somewhere else?
01:11:35
Mike Bell
There's our cases. you know Nick Saban is one of them. um you thing It was different.
01:11:38
Kaleb
Well, he, well, in his defense though, that was to the NFL. So.
01:11:42
Mike Bell
Yeah, yeah.
01:11:42
Kaleb
so
01:11:44
Mike Bell
So I get that. But – I don't know. I feel like – I don't think he's to any trouble recruiting. Just how can he deal with, like, high expectations? That that is going to be an interesting – that could go either way, just feel like. But as far as recruiting goes, I actually think that he's going to be fine.
01:12:00
Mike Bell
To me, the more interesting thing maybe talk about is the last coach. That's Brian Kelly, who didn't get a job. But you would imagine he'll be in the running for all the jobs the next season. But, you know, I mean, look, he's –
01:12:10
Kaleb
Willie, though.
01:12:13
Mike Bell
been a good coach. He just hasn't been you know an elite coach. So I'm i'm surprised that...
01:12:17
Kaleb
Maybe i think it was really just a fit thing, really and truly with LSU.
01:12:20
Mike Bell
Yeah.
01:12:21
Kaleb
I think it was just a fit thing mainly, but yes. I mean, probably next year, I think he's going to be throwing names out. Now, is he going to do the ah where he takes a year off and he's like an announcer or something for a year? I don't know. That'd be kind of funny, to be honest with you, but
01:12:35
Mike Bell
Yeah. I don't know if i can imagine him as that, but...
01:12:38
Kaleb
yeah, know.
01:12:39
Mike Bell
um Okay, well, that's pretty much all I got. Is there anything else you wanted to add before we wrap up?
Coaching Changes and Player Transfers
01:12:52
Kaleb
You know, I think something that's kind of interesting was, and I don't really know too much about this player other than I saw, like, scrolling through social media that the number one tight ever in this past year's draft – or and not draft class, but recruiting class, who committed to Penn State was there.
01:13:08
Kaleb
He's going to be a redshirt freshman this upcoming year. He transferred out of Penn State, you know, and I figured Matt Campbell would have tried to lock that in maybe. And I'm curious, you know, what the –
01:13:21
Kaleb
reasoning why that player decided to leave but anyway I thought that was interesting because Matt Campbell I think is one of the best coaches in college and for him not to be able to retain a that high caliber of a player i don't know just interesting and maybe it was just a flaw but i actually i take that back because Iowa State's it's always utilized the tight end very well I think so anyway that's it other than that
01:13:43
Mike Bell
Yeah, I mean, that's like he look he committed probably to James Franklin.
01:13:48
Kaleb
He did, and maybe he's just going to transfer to Virginia Tech. I don't know.
01:13:53
Mike Bell
Yeah, no, it's probably...
01:13:53
Kaleb
which beside That's going to be an interesting team to watch this upcoming year. How well can James Franklin get Virginia Tech up to speed?
01:14:00
Mike Bell
Yeah, no, the ACC actually has some interesting storylines, for sure, with North north Carolina, Florida State, Miami again, Clemson.
01:14:04
Kaleb
For sure.
01:14:08
Kaleb
Louisville, maybe? Yeah, from?
01:14:09
Mike Bell
i
01:14:11
Mike Bell
Yeah. Yeah. So no, that, that'll be interesting, but
01:14:11
Kaleb
Yeah, Clemson.
Wrap-up and National Championship Preview
01:14:14
Mike Bell
okay. Well, I think that's pretty much all I got. And, and yeah, we'll talk again next week to review the ah final four and we'll, we will know who the national championship teams will be and that will be exciting.
01:14:26
Kaleb
Yep.
01:14:27
Mike Bell
So yeah, that's it. Thank you for listening to another episode of blown coverage. I will talk to you next week.
01:14:34
Kaleb
All right. Talk to either