Andy & Ari On3 - Oregon feels UNDER THE RADAR but Shouldn't be

Episode Date: July 24, 2025

The 2025 Big Ten Media Days are in full swing from Las Vegas, and Andy & Ari break down a big day that included the team with the best regular season last year: The Oregon Ducks. With many new players coming into Eugene, does Dan Lanning's squad expect another big year in the Big Ten? (0:00-1:05) Intro(1:06-11:16) Expectations out of Oregon in 2025(11:17-21:03) Matayo Uiagalalei joins(21:04-25:47) Continuing the Oregon discussion(25:48-37:47) Update on Michigan and the sign-stealing scandal(37:48-41:36) Yelling at Media Days?(41:37-48:45) PJ Fleck's impromptu join(48:46-52:23) ACC Media Days: FSU(52:24-59:50) The Arch Manning & Nick Saban conspiracy(59:51-1:00:23) Conclusion: Dear Andy & Ari tomorrow! The Big Ten's returning sack leader in Oregon's Matayo Uiagalalei is ready for a big season, and he joins Andy & Ari here. Watch here as he describes what it's like being an older veteran on the team and who his biggest rival is. Also, Michigan's media day is on Thursday. Listen here as Andy provides the latest on Michigan and the suspension of Sherrone Moore. Why are you yelling at media days? Andy & Ari look at Mike Norvell and PJ Fleck, and then are joined by the Gophers head coach. To close, the fellas take a visit to Cleveland where they break down the Nick Saban and Arch Manning conspiracy. Watch our show LIVE on YouTube, M-F at 9:30 am et! https://www.youtube.com/@On3sports Hosts: Andy Staples, Ari WassermanProducer: River Bailey Interested in partnering with the show? Email [e-mail]  

Welcome to Andy and Ari on three here in Las Vegas again. Big 10 media days. Oregon ducks were here today Ari. The Oregon ducks who went 13 and 0 and then their season ended abruptly in the Rose Bowl with a loss to Ohio State. And it is one of the most interesting dichotomies that you will find because I don't know how many teams are going to be able to pull that off what they did in the regular season. But then we hardly think of it at all because of how that last game went. You know, it's funny, you're standing what 20 feet away from Dan landing right now as he's over there.

He's talking to our own Brett McMurphy. Yeah. And it is the dichotomy, it's a good word, because we even asked Mateo Uyengalale, who we're gonna have on the show, how Oregon fans should view and remember last season. And it wasn't a great answer, but it's kind of revelatory. It's like, I don't know.

Well, it's not something he's thinking about because he's thinking about this year. And also don't know that that players contextualize and think about those types of things I don't think you can if you're a player it's but I think it would be hard but I think the fact that he doesn't know yeah is a true litmus test on like me I don't know how How should you view it? It was an awesome season. Yeah. And they ran into a buzz saw in one game. And, and that's the thing, like that one game, how Ohio state beat them should not take away from everything else they did.

And I think what makes this interesting is, and I think this, this sort of speaks to the program itself, and this is what I wanted to talk about today, is where Dan Landings put this program. Can they be that type of team year after year after year? And I think they can. I think when we look at that roster, they had some, some obvious holes, you know, that you lose a 1st round defensive tackle, you lose a 1st round offensive tackle. You lose a great receiver who is very productive. You lose a lot of really good defensive players. But look at what they did in the portal. Look at who they went out and got. Who they can just plug in. So before we preview, this is a beautiful shot on accident. We're talking about, oh, yeah, look at that. Oh, right there. Perfect. Andy is, the way I view Oregon,

I think is the most optimistic possible way to look at them. And I, way I view Oregon, I think is the most optimistic possible way to look at them. And I, and I felt this way before I even walked off the field at the Rose Bowl. And that is, that was an unfortunate result. It was an unlucky matchup, but that is not the personification of the Oregon program. Yeah.

I think that in order for you to get to be Ohio State or to be Georgia or Alabama, part of becoming that is losing games like that. From a roster building standpoint, Oregon is becoming more consistent and more reliable in that they will be a top 10 team every year and they will break through. So the health of the program is completely a separate discussion point to me then like, how should you feel from last year? So like, if I, I'm not an Oregon fan. Yeah. So like, I don't like feel the pain that Oregon people feel and felt with that day. But from a person who doesn't have an emotional tie to it, I look at last year and go, wow, that was awesome. That was a good step.

It's interesting to me because as we go into this season, it feels like they're a little under the radar. Yes. We're very excited about Penn State. We think that roster's stacked. Ohio State, we talked to Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs yesterday. They're incredible players.

Obviously they have a lot to replace, but they're very interesting. Michigan's interesting. We'll talk about them later in the show, because they're going to be here on Thursday at Big Ten Media Days. Oregon, though we look at them as maybe a team that can win the conference, in the Kings in the North poll, they got one first-place vote. first place vote. Don't know who that was, but they might not have been crazy. It's not crazy at all. So here's the way I got to ask you this. I haven't asked you this once all off season. All right.

Is Oregon a good under the radar national championship pick? And I'll, I know before you answer it, I'll preface this. And I thought this was really clever and you know, Dan Lanning's been talking to people one-on-one and he got Heather Dinnich got him. Yep. And Heather Dinnich posted, who was on the show yesterday, what's it like kind of existing in the sphere of kind of being under the radar with Ohio State and Penn State, you know,

taking a lot of the oxygen up. And he said, that's okay. He likes hunting. I want to be the silent assassin. And I think that it's funny because Oregon is a very loud program, but from a certain aspect of it, it does kind of feel like they're running a little bit under the radar and we will list all the players that they have, if you don't know who they are, Isaiah world, Mackay Hughes, Dylan Theoniman, they've got a lot of dudes on

this team. These are transfers who came in. And then on top of it, Andy, Ohio State from last year does not exist anymore. And if you actually believe that Oregon is as talented or a little bit more talented than they were a year ago, then conceivably, that would be a pretty good bet. here's the thing, I actually looked up the odds on the BetMGN site. They're not under the radar. So Texas plus 500, Ohio State plus 525, Georgia plus 700, Penn State plus 700, Oregon plus 900, Clemson plus 900. I would say those are all your favorites right there. So they are a favorite. So maybe the under the radar aspect of it is more like oxygen than us. It's more us than it is because what are the

people who make the lines do they don't care personnel what we think they care about the algo is this going to be expensive for us or not yeah and i mean nine to one and five to one for ohio state this is still a pretty drastic difference right it doesn't mean like you know you know nine to one is a is a nice number i think that that would be worth a few shekels because, you know, as we think about the Ohio State, Penn State aspect of this, Ohio State has every bit as many questions as Oregon does. I'd say they have more. And I think you could make the case that Oregon was not make the case. I think it's a fact that Oregon was much more effective in the portal and in replacing some people. So obviously the one the one thing that Ohio State has that Oregon doesn't is the best player in college football on both sides of the ball. Right. And they have a receiver that will make Oregon has Oregon has some of those guys

who maybe they're not the best in the in the sport. Yeah. But a couple who are going to be in the running for that. One of the guys we're talking to today, couple who are gonna be in the running for that, one of the guys we're talking to today, Matteo Ullegna-Lole, might wind up as the best pass rusher in the country this season. We'll see, he was the best in the Big Ten last year. But if Dante Moore comes out in the first month

of the season and looks awesome, that completely changes the entire paradigm of the way that people view Oregon. And I think that that's within the realm of possibility. You hear things like Dante Moore has become a leader in that locker room. I think people respect the way that he came there and sat willingly in the transfer program. Not a lot of people have that. It's an unusual story. It's an unusual situation. Developed behind the scenes. you know you had Dylan Gabriel who had 15,000 yards passing in his nine years as a starter in college yeah but like Dante Moore it might be a lie has a more live arm he's a higher ceiling probably than yeah I mean I don't know the ceiling for Gabriel's college production was about as high as it possibly could be but ceiling in the

NFL maybe right although Browns we'll talk about the Browns later in the show I think a little bit too but the Browns are saying a lot of good things about Dylan Gabriel in the NFL. I don't know if I buy that, but you know, I, but we, we, we buy Will Stein as an excellent offensive coordinator. We also buy this program as one that will go get what it needs. And if they thought they needed some, something different quarterback, they would have gone and gotten it. I know, but they, they, they like Dante more. You go down the list of what Ohio state has and you go down the list of what Penn state has, like just position players that are exciting to you. Oregon's list is every bit as long.

It is. And it does seem to be that they're the third wheel in the tan and the, in the tricycle discussions. Well, some of it is we've only gotten a taste with some of these dudes from Oregon or their transfers. And we're not really sure yet. Isaiah world. You mentioned his name a few times. This is the name you're going to hear a lot. Isaiah world is an offensive tackle who transferred Oregon from Nevada. If you pay attention to the pre-draft stuff, the, if you follow draft

Twitter, his name's all over it as a potential very high draft pick. Yeah. Ohio state got Quinshaw Judkins last year. That was a big move. People were excited about it. Mekhi Hughes made every bit as productive and we don't talk about him. And when I say we, I mean, when I say we, I collectively, I bring all you national people with us because we, you know, he's going up a level, you know, but I think that he's gonna be a very good player. It's not just guys guys they got and Dylan Theinman also was good at Purdue. It's not just guys they got out of the portal. It's guys like Kenyon Siddique, who is their tight end, who was special teams ace.

You didn't really see him break out last year until the Big Ten Championship game. And in that game, you're like, holy crap. And he's here now. Yeah. So quarterback, running back, offensive line, receiver. I don't know if they got better at receiver. Evan Stewart being out for the year is a tough blow. But every second. They can rush the passer. They have good cover, guys.

Incredibly fast linebackers. Their best, fastest player on their team is a linebacker. Is a 225-230-pound linebacker. Yeah. I think that if you go from every level on both sides of the football, you know, quarterback obviously is a glaring concern, and that we don't know who he is. But that could be a concern that goes out the window immediately. They don't seem concerned at all. So anyway, you know, we do spread out the love a little bit here. But like, I, we would bit here, but Andy and I had a discussion today about whether or not we need to be more generally positive about everybody.

And I don't know, you guys let us know what you think. Yeah. But we're not- Should we tell you exactly what we think is gonna happen or should we blow some sunshine up your butts? Because we don't blow any sunshine. And I'm bringing this up because if you're an Oregon fan listening,

I think you should be very proud of what Dan Lanning has built. I think you should be very proud of what Dan Lanning has built. I think you should be very proud and excited about the potential of this year. And I think it's possible that we are right back in November where we were a year ago. So like last year's Rose Bowl game isn't Oregon's fraud and they didn't do it what they needed to do because they played Ohio State when it mattered and they got their doors blown off. No, they played an excellent team that figured it out at the end of the year that doesn't exist this year. And if they can at least duplicate

or get back to where they were a year ago, that is a team that absolutely could win the national title. Yeah, and part of it is they have legitimate stars on this team. It's not just the guys that got out of the portal. Let's talk to one now. Mateo Uyengalay is a guy that recruited out of high school.

Everybody wanted him. Younger brother of DJ Uyengalay. Massive human baby. the big 10. Let's talk to one now. Mateo is a guy that recruited out of high school. Everybody wanted him. Younger brother of DJ. Uh massive human baby. Yeah, it was a DJ played quarterback. Mateo crunches quarterbacks. That's his job. Here's Mateo. We are here with

the returning sack leader in the big 10, Mateo Uriangale. Is it weird to hear that? What, SAC leader? Returning SAC leader. You're the old guy now. Yeah, oh yeah. Sure, it felt like just not too long ago, I was an incoming freshman. It wasn't that long ago.

Now you were just working out with Kayvon Thibodeau. He came into town. What is that like when the returning NFL guys come in? Yeah, shoot. This is really just a blessing. Like just for him to come back and he comes back, like he comes back, I feel like sometimes it's like not on camera because like a couple of times a year,

but it's just a blessing. You know, it's just come and share some knowledge with us. And, you know, it's nice. You know, I think that thing that people have a hard time seeing and I don't know, I'm a 5'11 guys. Like, I'm not a tall guy, I'm not a short guy. But when Mateo was walking over towards us, and I went to shake your hand, I like had this thought, and I rarely do, but like just the mass of this human being, of like, if this person was running at me full speed, like wanting to like, pull me up. Like, I don't think people realize how intimidating that is. Oh, yeah.

But I mean, that's the you're not an intimidating part like a smile. It's like, let's go, God. But no, I know. But you put them in pads, put the helmet on. Yeah, you're gonna die. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. How do you flip that switch from like mild mannered, uh, you know, cool, comic collected dude that I would like want to have pizza with to like wanting to murder somebody. Um, shoot. I feel like sometimes on the field, I'm like,

I feel like I'm still a little too like, um, like common, you know, need some more like, yeah, yeah. But, um, what do you do? I don't know. I just tell you that you gotta do that. Uh, well, I mean, I guess it's just me. Like I'm like I'm passionate. But you know, it's not going to my passion. I don't look the same as someone else. Yeah.

Well, I mean, it does look pretty good, though, when you have the conference at SAC. So like that, it's effective. Whatever you're doing is working. So I got to ask you, because we've talked about this guy. This is one of your new teammates. Isaiah World. Yeah.

You're big. Yeah, no, he's big. He's big. Yeah. Big, big. Like how, how good of a mover is he? How long are the arms? I mean, I'm pretty sure like everything you'd want in a tackle, like any kind of trait, like he has it, like he's tall, he has super good feet,

he's long, he's got everything. He's good. Yeah. I heard, and I don't know if I read this or he said this at the podium, but Dan Lanning said that with all the attention that Ohio State and Penn State are getting at this event, that he's happy to be the silent assassin, which I thought was interesting,

considering you guys have chrome helmets. But like, are we underestimating collectively in the national media, how good you guys are from a talent perspective because you lost a lot last year like when you walk through the building every day and you're in practice, like you look around and go like we're loaded. I mean, yeah, but at the same time it's like we got a lot of I think in our defense, especially like we got some talented guys up there in our defense.

I feel like but then again, you again, like experience and not as experienced. So, you can have whatever viewpoint, but we just gotta go out there and show it. People don't see Oregon coming for some reason. Well, we have, and that's the thing that they have so many new players. Because you guys brought in guys from the portal who have to come and play like Dylan in your secondary coming from Purdue. We just mentioned Isaiah World, Emmanuel Pregnon, Hi-U's, these are people who I would imagine

you guys are, you guys are probably very excited about, but I don't know the rest of the world knows yet. Yeah, I mean, shoot, there's probably a lot of guys on the team, a lot of people don't know, that's gonna come out this year and really ball. Y'all just have to wait and see. But when you're in practice, are you like, yeah, we're good. Like, I mean, do you get the sense?

Can you have a sense like I know fall camp hasn't started yet of like, you know, last year was really good. We wouldn't wire to wire best team in college football big 10 champs. Like you're like, yeah, we can do that again and more. Yeah, I mean, I feel like talent wise my honest opinion, like we're there on par or maybe slightly above the talent level that we had last year. When you think about what you guys did, cuz the 13 and 0 part of it was so hard to do, nobody else in college football did it.

But then it ends the way it ends. How do you look back on last season? Yeah, I mean, 13L is good and all, but you lose and it's like, you can't really take the 13 in no way, but it's definitely not how you want to end it. So I feel like the only thing you do is just go to the doctor as what we say, look where you get better on and take it next step.

What would your message to Oregon fans be about how they should remember last year? Because I mean, like, it's just, you don't want to diminish, like that's the problem, I think, with the playoff a little bit too. It's just like, you had a wonderful, amazing year. And I don't know that we're going to see many teams go wire to wire undefeated in any conference again.

Yeah. Like that's not going to be a common thing. Like, do you tell, do you want to like, like what would you say to just a random Oregon fan if they were walking by about how to remember last year? So I don't know. We asked Kenyon Sadiq this and he had a couple different answers and you were one of them. Can't pick yourself obviously. Yeah. Who's the biggest athletic freak on this team? Uh shoot.

know if I'm uh I don't th there but he had a few an Sadiki. I like that. Isai Jackson. Um Devin Jackson an hour. Yeah. Fastest go the the the the He's like 225, 235. That's what Kenny was saying. He's like, he's my size and he's doing this. And you know, you talk about seeing Mateo running after you.

Like imagine somebody running that fast after you at 230. The feeling I had though, was that he were to not just run at me, but like take his arms and hit me right where you're supposed to, like as long as he's walking. Well, these hands are huge. Like he could grab you right here and you're done. Do you have huge hands?

Yeah. I don't know if you can see this, do you mind? He could he could grab you right here and you're done. Do you have huge hands? Uh, yeah Look your baby's hand Incredible small hand. Um, you know what a player that i'm really excited about on organ's roster that Uh, I think is under the radar a little bit is mckay hughes Yeah, is he a hard runner like what what has it been like, you know watching him operate in practice and stuff Yeah, no, he's been good. He's definitely a hard runner. I mean you look at him and take a shirt off. He's freaking buff. Must be nice. Yeah

He kind of has like the trace you want like a downhill back No, he's not just gonna go down on the first hit. Yeah, and Andy, we have to ask Dante more. Mm-hm. What are your expectations for how he produces this year? Yeah, sure. I think he's probably our best leader on the team. Just the way he holds himself, work ethic, just the characteristics he has. I mean, in my opinion, I don't think there's I don't have any doubt in his performance. I was reading you were talking about you were not really a vocal leader in high school. Obviously,

you were the young guy before now, but you've taken more of that on. How do you do that? Um, shoot, for me is hard. Like, it's definitely a part of that. Yeah, for me, I feel like I'm more on like a I don't know. It's my brothers but I feel like it's the love I have for him. That's why I don't you know, it's it's it's easier as you as you get to know them better. Oh yeah. I

feel like I always like leading by example is like some feel like I hold myself to but leading like vocally to some new. I'm still working on it. with all the the new teams and conferences and the way it's all organized now, I mean, Oregon does have Washington. They have Oregon state.

You have rivalries that have existed at Oregon for a long time, but because you guys are going to be playing teams like Ohio state and state that you might not have been playing as frequently as a program in the past, are there any emerging rivalries in your head? Are there teams that you just get geared up for thinking about the opportunity to play them that might be like a new emerging rivalry from Oregon standpoint? Like I'm sure Ohio State's probably the easy answer since she was one and one last year and you guys are all competing for a national title.

But is there a team that is new to you in Oregon that? You're probably the wrong person to ask. I don't care who's on the other side. Yeah, I'm gonna line up and go. But I mean, yeah, probably the wrong person to ask. I don't care who's on the other side. Yeah, I'm gonna line up and go but I mean Yeah, probably Shoot, I know Oregon house that we've had a history Even like I know I don't know how long Going in there and one like a whole different

Yeah, and ten years ago they played in the national title game. So like I mean, it's not like a new like to me like right really? Oh I'm worried about I don't really care about right. You'd be anybody. I'm gonna treat everybody the same. Yeah That's right, which is scary. Grab you with that Diana Mateo, thank you so much. Yes, sir. Thank you. You're good luck. It'll be fun to watch this year, man. Thank you so much His hand is literally twice the size of your hand. I know, but also too, I've got baby paws. So like that-

I don't care. I've got very small hands. His hands make my hands look like a baby's hand. Yeah, it's like that shallow house scene where he called, who's that motivational speaker in shallow house? Tony Robbins. Yeah, Tony, you see Andy is like Wikipedia is in a human they Jack Black called him banana hands because he grabbed his head yeah that's what it felt like but you imagine that right in your chest you have no chance if he

gets his hands on his nose I didn't want to ask Matteo about DJ because DJ went through a lot in college yeah but if DJ would have come into college as a defensive end, do you think his career would have been better? I don't know that he would have had the mentality for it. Yeah, that's that's the question is because you have to have a certain mentality and it's interesting because you were talking to Mateo and he's saying sometimes he feels like he's a little too calm out there. Yeah, and he's got that, you know, he's got that smile and but you see what he does on the field. Yeah. I just think smile and being amped up is different than being a productive player when the, when the whistles are blowing.

Um, I don't care about temperament. It's like the work you have to put in to be a quarterback smashing the helmets and like all the raw raw stuff. He's the returning big 10 sacks leader. So whatever he's doing is working. But think about the work DJ had to put in to be a top level quarterback recruit. Like, if you're that good an athlete, it's it's probably an easier path to have a different position

to either play tight end or with that body, you just like wonder too, it's like, could he have been like, he's not as big as no way. Yeah, no, no, he's not. Very, very few people are but he still is a big thick thick kid and part of the reason why he was what he was rated is because of his body type. So anyway, that's an aside. But Matteo is like he is that perfect pass rusher build. He's exactly what you want. I'm very excited to see what this defense does because they lose Derek Harmon, obviously, that's a that's a first round draft pick, but I think they got enough. Matteo's the first round draft pick too. It's like so amused by the Big Ten

and how many teams are in it. Cause it's like, Oregon doesn't even have to play in the Big Ten Championship game and they could win the national title. Like Ohio State didn't. Or Ohio State finished fourth last year. Like Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and one other team will probably go.

It seems like a bona fide like certainty that those 14 of those three will go. So if Oregon gets hot at the right time, they could be the reverse of what happened last year, which is a team that loses some games on the regular season. If that happens and then gets hot and wins. I think that this is a legitimate national championship caliber team. They go to Penn State fairly early. He's kind of in the middle of the season. Uh, and then they play Indiana right after that at Iowa is going to be tricky. At Iowa is a tricky one for a lot of teams this year. And then of course at Washington, you know, we, we're, we're going to have Jed fish on the, on the show later in the month and Washington's a lot better. No, uh, no Ohio state, no Michigan on that schedule seems like a pretty clear pathway to, to, you know, I don't know. I don't want to stay. I'm watching Dan Lanning walk by us right now and he's wearing Travis Scott's and it

remembers that I bought fake ones. Can you see the chasm too? He has a, I think Dan Lanning has a more, uh, smaller path to Nike than I do, but, uh, yeah, he can, he can send a text message and like eight boxes of shoes show up in five minutes, office in five minutes. Yeah. Uh, that'd be one, one great perk.

I feel like if I were a recruit, that would be really, really, really big deal. I think it is a big deal for a lot of recruits, but, um, it's so yeah, we agree though, that Oregon's a national title contender. I think so. I don't know if it's revelatory, but I think that it's not, but I think we haven't really spent much time talking about them. And we should that's a lot of reason why we decided to make the beginning of this show. Oregon centric because I don't feel like when you know we had Justin Hopkins on and we talked to him when our deep dive series, but I really don't feel like we've mentioned them in the ways we've mentioned Texas no Penn State, Ohio State. I love before we started this Andy. I put them ninth in my top 25 ninth Are there eight teams better than them? I'm not sure

I'm not sure and Vegas doesn't think so Vegas thinks they're one of the top six. So that is going to be fascinating to watch because We're gonna have to see how Dante Moore does. We're going to see how this gels. But Oregon has a chance to be the best team in the country, not just one of the best, the best. Yeah.

And if you're an Oregon fan, like, oh, last year, remember it fondly and be excited about the future. Uh, that was my message on January, whatever the day after they lost. That's my message today going into the season. Exactly. All right. So we shift from Oregon to a team that is going to be here on Thursday, the Michigan Wolverines.

I want to take you back to Tony Petitti, the Big Ten Commissioner's press conference, on Tuesday. He got asked a very interesting question. Producer River, play the question. Adam King, 10TV. There's a report out that you wrote a letter to the nc double a about the michigan sign stealing scandal curious whether the letter happened or not do you believe that

that should be put to bed at the punishment that you issued is strong enough in that investigation should be closed you know the first part of the confirm that we did submit a letter it's not uncommon in in proceedings for conference office to weigh in on. I'm not going to address what the contents of the letter we sent are, and because it's an ongoing process, I don't think it's appropriate for me to comment about whether it's enough or not while there are individuals deliberating. I don't think that's the right thing to do in the process. You know,

look, I will say, having gone through this, one thing to point out is I think when you think about the CSC and the discipline and what we're trying to build with the new entity, you know, having an enforcement mechanism that's just as faster is a priority, one that reacts more quickly. You know, this is a system we have now. It's been in place for a long time. It functions the way it was built. But I do think there's this consensus among our colleagues that whatever we're building for the enforcement piece

that's going to live inside the CSC that it's got to be there. It's difficult to be still talking about this, you know, almost on two seasons after. So I think everybody agrees that that sort of that part of the process should change. Couple pieces to that. One, obviously Tony Petitti is not going to reveal anything he said while the Committee on Infractions is still deliberating over the counter stallion stuff. His point of, hey, maybe two years beyond this thing, we probably shouldn't still be talking about this.

Yeah, there's two things. One is how can we get the Committee on Infractions to move a little bit quicker? Because it does take forever to get to the bottom. And I know that some investigations are more complex than others, but it does seem that two years is quite a long time. And what's amazing is they are actually somewhat fast tracking this thing because I've been told by people who were at the hearing that they do expect the Committee on Infractions to rule on this thing before the season starts.

Which will be very interesting. And I'll be curious to see what people ask Jerome more because he is in the case, not attached to any, well, attached to a little bit of Connor Stallions. He deleted text messages from his phone from Connor Stallions, but did not wipe his phone, so then turned in his phone to the NCAA knowing they would recover the messages. So they did recover all the messages. And there was nothing in there that was overly incriminating. Right. Otherwise you'd already know because they would have leaked it. But... Do you think it's done?

Or it should be done? It should be done and over with? Like should they receive any more punishment? That's what I mean. I don't mean like should the process be over. I mean like... they did break. They did break the rule as the rules written. Like, but the thing is, and this is a problem with all of this, is punishing the people who were involved at the time.

Like, Jim Harbaugh is gone. You can't do anything with him because they would have attached it to him had he still been there because he was the head coach. Connor says he's never going to work in college football again. Like, it's okay. Let me ask you. Okay. If I stole something and you knew I stole something, but I didn't tell you what I stole or the value of what I was.

I stole. How would you punish me? It's a good question. That's the thing that I have a hard time with. It's like, okay, they literally. Suspended the head coach in their national championship season for some of their biggest games. He was suspended for six games. For the Ohio State game. He wasn't on the sidelines for half their games.

Three games for a different NCAA case, but yes. So the problem with this, and will remain to be the problem, is we know the severity and or the lengths in which people affiliated with Michigan's program went to go get signs. What we don't know and can't know and will not know is how it benefited them and how extensive I'm sure it benefited them. They wouldn't have done it if it didn't benefit right. But how extensively did it benefit them? And that's why I don't think they're going to take the national title away. But the thing is like what do people want? I'm not talking to Ohio State fans because they're not and I'm not talking to Michigan fans. I'm

talking to people. Everybody else. Yeah. Like what what do you I'm not sure everybody else is all that worried about it, but like I just don't know how to adequately punish something if I don't know how extensive the crime was. Well, here's the thing. Do you punish the effort? The the effort that went into it. Here's what here's what we know. Here's what we know. They have pre suspended Sharone Moore for two games for the central Michigan game, which there's a lot of irony in that. It's against the team that the sky glasses. Yeah. And then the Nebraska game. What I, what I wonder is,

because I, at this point, they can't do anything to Jim Harbaugh. They can't do anything to Connor Stallions. So I don't even worry about that. I'm only worried about what happens to Michigan going forward. I think that's all everybody except the Mad Ohio State fans are worried about. And how you like I actually have some sympathy for the Infractions Committee because maybe they have information that we don't but I don don't think that they do. I don't know. Yeah. Um, how do you take a subjective infraction that may have been the reason they got their program back on track or may have been the reason why they won by 17 instead

of 14? I don't know how extensive it was. How do you, it goes right back to the analogy I gave you. Did I seal a piece of gum or did I seal someone's? Well, I think those guys have to figure out those people in the room have to figure out how they feel about that because even in the legal system, stealing isn't punished the same way. None of it really matters to me in terms of because I'm worried about what is going to affect Michigan now going forward and so what could affect Michigan going forward is does

Sharon Moore get suspended further? Because that's a big question. I know, but if he gets suspended further, then is that warranted to you based on the information that we have? Well, remember they had him in that other case, the cheeseburger gate. So they have him as what they call a repeat repeat violator and he is admitted to deleting the text messages. So the thing they accused him of, they've already got him admitting to. So it's not it's almost cut and dried in that

case. But the question is, how much do you punish the school hopes that the two game self imposed suspension is enough? I'm not sure. I think what people want to hear from us is do you think it should be enough? I don't care. But you do care about how it impacts Michigan moving forward. Exactly. That does.

Here's what I think is going to happen. I'll give you what I think will happen and we'll see if this is what does happen. So there is supposed to be a ruling from the committee on infractions dropping before the season. I think there will be more games than the two. I don't know if it's four, I don't know if it's three, I don't know if it's five, I'll guess four. I think it will be more than the two, but here's what will happen. Michigan will appeal, have him serve the games he's already set to serve, and then see what happens. And if the appeal fails, which they usually do, you've kicked that can down the road and he misses the first two games the next season.

Right. And if you miss those two, I don't know if they're non-conference schedules, but if you pick the two that, you know, whatever. But it's like, Okay, well, we'll see you here a year from now. We'll talk about it again. Like, I just... But it's like, okay, well, we'll see you here a year from now. We'll talk about it again. Like I just, I'm tired of talking. That's what I wanted to get to because the more likely outcome of this is this gets stretched into another football season. Yeah. Um, I just have a hard time because I go on radio stations in Columbus a lot because of the relationships I have.

Yeah. And I am asked because people in Ohio are obsessed with, of course, I'm sure the chat right now has just erupted between the Michigan fans and the Ohio state fans. And it's, it's you cheated from the Ohio state fans. And it's, it didn't make that big of a difference from the Michigan fans. And people will never ever back off those positions. And I understand that. And people ask me though, like, what do you think should happen? And I'm like a very opinionated person

that's not afraid to ruffle feathers. I legitimately don't know. Like I don't even know how extensive Sharon Moore's culpability in this is. Like I don't have a good grasp of that. I don't think they have a smoking gun because if they did in those text messages, I think we'd be having a different conversation right

now. Yeah, I mean, or was it just a coordinator texting a support person that freaked out for a second? Right. Because they didn't find anything. So I just like, everyone's like, oh, well, are they going to get the death penalty? Are they going to vacate?

I don't think anything like that's going to happen. I think the cats, the haze in the barn on that I just think I think those the question operating question going forward is Does your own more have to miss more than the two games that he's been? Self imposed and then if he does by a mission sacrificial lamb that Michigan puts out there on a platter because Jim Harbaugh's gone I don't think they thought about their own spider a single game. I Mean for the deleting the text message, maybe a game. Well, here's what I think. Here's what I think happened if he's not even involved in it. Here's what I think happened. He did admit

to deleting text messages. So he was going to get punished. Yeah, they understood that. They do the self imposed two games. That was I think supposed to be the start of a negotiation. But then somebody there at Michigan leaked it, and once they leaked it, you can't negotiate anymore. It just cut the legs out from under Chiron's people, from Michigan's people, and so there was no more negotiation. Then it was going to become whatever the committee wants to do, they're going to do.

So we just have to wait and see what they do. Yeah. So that's your Michigan preview. They're gonna be here in Las Vegas. And we're still going to be talking about this. I'm sure that Sharon Moore will be asked about it and I'm assuming it won't be a very good answer. Can we turn it to a little bit of football? Sure. I mean we've talked a lot about Michigan football like this year, but it's just like what do we think they're gonna be? Are they gonna be a 9-3 fringe playoff team that ruins other seasons or are they going to be a year away still? I don't know. I think much of that depends on Bryce Underwood and how good he is. Yeah. I think, and the development of their, their younger receivers.

Yeah. I don't know who the receivers are. That would be a frightening thing for me. I think that Michigan is probably an eight and fourish type team that has a chance to beat some teams. I don't know that I'm at the point where I believe that they are a playoff contender and again, that's where I am. We could be completely. In a different place after the Oklahoma games. Yeah, we, we, we could have completely changed our mind after the Oklahoma game. So it's going to be a process with Michigan.

Michigan plays Oklahoma, Nebraska and USC in the first half of their season. Those three games, all of which are on the road, are going to be important pillar games for those three teams on their conference. Yeah. And those opponents, Oklahoma, Nebraska and USC seasons,

I think will be determined, go a long way in determining how we feel about those teams going into the back half of the year too. So Michigan's interesting in that, how good are they gonna be? But Michigan's also interesting in that they have a lot of interesting cross sections of other teams that are very interesting and how good they are

is gonna impact the entire discourse of the conference and some other teams like Oklahoma. Yeah, and again, we don't know any of that probably until week two. Now we'll get the Committee on Infractions deal before that. If they have a real sense of humor they're gonna drop that thing while Michigan's here on Thursday but... Big Ten Media Days it has in the past I've been to a lot of these there's always somebody suspended or something happens. Somebody drops the turd in the punch bowl. Yeah yeah every time so maybe that'll

happen I don't know but I'm looking forward to visiting with him and visiting with more Michigan players and certainly a very fascinating team to track going into the year. A couple of interesting coaching performances today, because remember, ACC Media Day is going on simultaneously in Charlotte while we are here in Vegas with the Big 10. But two coaches on opposite sides of the country, with fairly the the the the the the

the And when you look through the past few years, we've accomplished some great things. We've experienced the highest of highs. And we've also found ourselves in a valley. We faced some disappointments. But every part of it has come back to our response. And this team and this season that's ahead, I've got great expectations. Got a lot of confidence because I've watched the work.

Because I've seen the investment. I'm really really uh real proud and grateful for the coaches and the new leaders that we have within our coaching staff. Being able to have you know two of the two of the best coordinators in college football a couple of the best football minds uh you know that this game has. All right producer River play PJ Fleck from Las Vegas. We gotta continue to raise the expectations. We were three and four in one possession games last year. So people always say, well, how do you improve that? You gotta win situational football.

You gotta be better in two minutes. You gotta be better in four minutes. That's what we've been focusing on since January. That if we can give a little bit more and we can flip those just like we did in 2019, six in one in one possession games. That's how you win 11 games in the Big Ten. There are nine conference games. It is a hard league. You have got to be able to find ways to win those one possession games. And we're a miss field goal, an on-site kick off sides,

right, and a fourth and three away from having that flip to 6-1 and being in the college football playoff. And that's what our players know. And that's what they believe. We're very, very excited for the 2025 season. And I'm not sure if I have any time left. But if I have any time left, I'll answer any questions you have. If not, I'll see you at the podium. Row the boat, sky them on, go Gophers. I don't know why everyone is yelling fired up. I've got two different two different performances, though. And here's the thing.

And it's interesting as we're saying is PJ Fleck is kind of right over our shoulder. And but I will say this in earshot of him because it's true. He is that person. Oh, for sure. You may think it's an act. It's not. He's been that person. He's always been that person.

When he was a player, he was that person. As a young coach at Western Michigan, he was that person. He's that person. That is him. You're going to get that performance. You're going to get that vibe. Players talking about being in his office, same thing. You get that from him consistently.

That is who he is. Well, the more interesting performance is Mike Norvell. Right. Because that is not, like we've seen Mike Norvell get fired up. Coach Hanson. But that's not normally how he is. Like, usually you have to set him off to get to that point. But that was part of his filibuster. Yeah, you know, Florida State. Oh, God, what is Florida State? What are they?

Well, and that's the other thing is, you know, two coaches in very different places, because what PJ Fleck was talking about is doing the little things right, going from an 8-win team to a 10-11-win team, which is something that they may be able to do. Yeah. What Mike Norvell is talking about is something that no coach wants to go through, that is an almost impossible situation, going from 2-10 to what are they going to be? impossible situation going from two and ten to what are they going to be? Yeah and I don't think that I have any insight on that. I don't know either and you know. Even their win total number six and a half right? How you doing? Here's PJ we're just talking about you. Yeah come on. Say hi. What are we talking about? We're talking about being fired up by me today. Well yeah why wouldn't you be? Yeah this kicks off college football 2025 you know. Yeah, yeah, why this kicks off college foot

this year. Oh, the players guys. I mean, this is what now. We got all these tra talking about things. How of football today. So we today. Yeah, that's your God. How did how did how in Arkansas, Gatorade player of the year. Watched him learn from Max Brosmer. Um,

again, he's a redshirt freshmen, but it's nice to know Minnesota. We have a quarterback for three to four years. Um, but he's really, really talented, but it's going to come up the supporting cast. Pressure is not just on him. It's more on the supporting cast, but we got a really deep running back room with Darius Taylor in a supporting cast. Our tight ends are deep or wide outs are deep. Maybe the most athletic line we've had.

So he's got a lot of good, he's got a good cast around him, but it's on them to uplift him. I don't know how much time you have, but I want to ask you another question before you go. Is that okay? Yeah. And I know you got to go. Yeah.

Yeah. PJ, we were talking about Minnesota on the show last week in that we are trying to identify Identities of programs what do yours yours? I feel like we can easily identify You're gonna run the ball down people's throats. You're gonna play great defense and now you know We've seen it with with max but then maybe Drake takes that next step, too Yeah, I mean you hit us hit the nail right on the head. I think depending on who we have and how much success and how much our quarterbacks can handle depends on how much we throw it.

I mean, our running backs at the Minnesota running back record last year for receptions, who would have thought there is day where we caught 54 balls from the running back position. When we had Mohammed Ibrahim, he caught one ball in like three years. Yeah. We never threw it to him. So it's all about adapting your own system to the talent that you have around you. And I think all good systems can do that. It's the same system we had 13 years ago, same offense and defense. It's just we adapted to the personnel based on what our

identity will be. But you hit it right on the head. We're going to run the phone. I would say your culture seems to not change though. Your culture seems to be, and that's what we were talking about before, because we were comparing, contrasting. You probably didn't see Mike Norvell at the ACC, but he was, he was kind of getting loud. You were getting loud. But this is what I always say about you. If you think PJ Fleck is an act, you're wrong. That is him 100% of the time. It has always been him. After 13 years, I would have worn off by now. My wife's still saying, When are you just gonna calm down? I think that's just who I've always been. If you just go back to, you know, I was an underdog. I was always an overachiever. I mean, I was able to stick around and play in the NFL for two and a half years. And I have no coaching connections. And at 32, I'm a head football coach because people believed in me. And you work your tail end off. You know, you put your head down and go. Anything can happen.

You've broken through at Minnesota before. What's the hardest part about going from a really good team to a great one? Well, I really believe that it's the connectivity you have within the team. I think if your best players are your hardest worker, you have a chance. And then if you can create what I said in my presser today was the multiplier effect, right? With all these additions of college players coming into teams, you're adding them. Okay, that's just a group. Everybody starts with a group because you're adding these players.

If you then can get the mindset that, that Darius Taylor makes Cam better, makes AJ better, and genuinely wants to because he's gonna make himself better and he wants the team to be better so he's just gonna keep multiplying the talents instead of saying, I don't want that guy to be better because I don't wanna compete with that guy.

That's a group. I mean, that's just addition. We're talking about multiplication. And the more times you can add a times B times C times D. I mean, you're gonna win. And that's what we've been able to create within our culture, I think for the most part, almost every year, I wish I could come up with like, yeah, the addition to multiply. I can't do it. Who's amazing. No, but who comes up with the sayings though? He

knows what saying is. No, I know. Like that's like, you know, we were talking to Davos Sweeney on the show and he's got a lot of sayings and I don't know if he's the author of all of them. But a good sayings a good saying.

Just are great thieves. Yeah, they listen to a lot of different things. I've got a great general manager, Garrett Chernoff, and we've been together 10 plus years. And we think a lot alike when in terms of creativity, I think words have power, and I think they paint a picture.

Then I think in today's day and age, you better not sit in there and give a dissertation to a kid, you better be able to get a word out, has a meaning, has a picture, and move on. Or you're gonna lose them. You got yours, they are pumped. And I just want, yeah, Minnesota, very, Minneapolis, very underrated city.

Oh yeah. Thank you. You're welcome anytime PJ. Good luck this year We have we we've just rode the boat Yeah, I didn't want to ask him if he wrote if he was the one who created row the boat He did he did he write row the boat or do you I mean other people have used it? But I think he probably has made it his own at this point Duluth. You can row a boat there really nicely in the summertime It's a very well that that was that was great, because I think that would, that explained what we were trying to explain. And he explained it better than we could. But they are, they're in a position in Minnesota where they're not that far off. And then this is a conversation, actually, we had at dinner on Tuesday night. And it was a fascinating

conversation about the middle of the Big Ten, not the teams we always talk about, not the ones we always say are championship contenders. But you and I talked about this when he did his renegotiated contract, and he's there through 2030. And I said, okay, what is success there? It's making the playoff during that time. Do you know what the new- They can do that. The new defined success is for Minnesota football games To be viewed in the same way as Tennessee football games Right their counterpart in the SEC who's the eighth or seventh best team going into the the year, right?

If the national really good seasons in the past in the national public who's watching these games View watching, Minnesota, Iowa the same way that they do watching Tennessee play. Ari, there's a pig trophy on the line. We should view that as a sacred game. Floyd of Rosedale baby. In the sense of like this is a game between the sixth and seventh best team in the Big Ten but that also might mean they're the 11th best team in the country and like have the same respect in the middle tier of the Big Ten that you do get nationally from the SEC because we've been inundated for 20 years of Southern success. I'm not trying to, you know, go down the Kings of the North, you know, but I do think that it is interesting that you might, I think Minnesota would stack up against a team like Tennessee a little bit

better than people might actually think. Yeah. And I think knowing your identity is a key to that. You nailed their identity. I hated what you called their identity. I didn't like it. Well, he agrees with me. That's the person that, I mean. He's just gonna watch him play. It's pretty obvious.

I just don't like that, like nine teams in the same conference have the same identity. But the thing is, they get it right. Yeah. It's not about wanting, it's not about what you want to be your identity, but it's what actually gets expressed on the field. And for Wisconsin-

Max Brosman was really good. Max Brosman was really good. want to be your identity. That's what actually gets expressed on the field. And for Wisconsin, Axe Brosman was really good. Axe Brosman was really good. Wisconsin did it so well for so long, but it's not their identity anymore. They need to get back to that maybe, but it's not. Iowa does it well, but their identity has also become incompetent offense. Now that may change with Mark Grunowski. Minnesota is getting its identity right. Now they have to do Florida State. Oh, exactly. And this is the problem. This is the problem. Our friend Bud Elliot from CBS. Yeah, Bud, can you come over here for a second? We're bringing the competition on now. I don't know if we're allowed to do this.

What are you going to do, fire us? Bud, what's Florida State's identity as a football program? As a program? Yeah. This is Bud, the founder of Tomahawk Nation. And that's also a fastball right out of the gate too. I think right now they're just treading water till they go to the Big Ten or SEC. They're getting a much bigger rev share

because of the ratings. Like ACC I think realized, if we don't do this, we might be in the American conference very soon. So you gotta kind of do that. But I don't think they'll be good this year. It'll be okay, I think. Well, that's the part I can't figure out because I think Mike Norvell is in a pretty impossible situation. But they can't be as bad as they were last year. They can't. I mean, that was like, obviously some culture stuff and it can flip really fast in the portal era. And they were early adopters of the portal back when the portal had very high

supply, very low demands. And now it's flipped. Like I thought the portal was much worse this year because everybody used an IELTS to keep their players and the demand is higher than it's ever been. So I think it's harder to live out of the portal and it's kind of shifted back. You got to be good at high school again. We're talking about like Minnesota, their identity as a program is we want to run the ball and play defense.

You know, when it comes to a talent accumulation standpoint, you're like the, you know, you know, like, yeah, but like, what are they trying to do to be good right now as they tread water? Yeah, we're talking about Florida State. Yeah, yeah. I don't like I don't know what their identity is. They always do pretty good job recruiting DBs. They've done a decent job with some of the interior defensive line

stuff. I mean, edge recruiting this year has been a total disaster. Offensive line is, you know, recruiting is not going well. So not getting, you know, better fast, obviously, there. Quarterback, if you like the Jaden O'Neil take, OK, I don't know that I love it, but obviously it could work out. The kid has some talent. I think it's also, from a PR standpoint, they probably needed a win, right? Like they're, that happens in recruiting. Sometimes you take a kid to get a PR win. I think there's probably an element to that. Well, I'm excited about Thomas Castellanos because his mouth is written many checks. I'm excited to watch it. Yeah, I think they have enough, if the culture is good, there's enough, like kind of auto or should be auto wins on the schedule. But it's kind of hard capped. I don't think there's some of these teams are really gonna beat if those teams live up to expectations.

Six and a half is the number, right? Yeah, I think it's like seven and a half juice way under six and a half juice. Yeah, six and a half is like Vegas's way of saying, we don't know either. Like, I have no idea. Ari and Bud are gonna be the tables very shortly. I can tell you that.

I'll see you down there tonight. I haven't gambled much at all since we've been here. So I've kind of got the itch. I lost 200 bucks on a slot machine on the way over here. So, you know, the top dollar was calling my name. But yeah, thanks, man. Thank you, bud. Appreciate it. See you.

This is our new show strategy. I like that. We're just yelling people and they walked. Yeah. Yeah, no, we were that you do is the perfect timing. Yeah. We actually saw Peter Burns from the, it was the perfect timing. Yeah. We actually saw Peter Burns from the SEC network who came by to see us and we were like, did you get lost? And of course we're too stupid to record that. We should have just recorded that. And he's also wearing an SEC belt.

So, uh. The SEC belt, it costs like $165. It's a nice belt. It's the one that stretches, but also it was like, solid, you know? Yeah. The first time I saw that belt was on a Barst stool in Destin, not on Peter Burns, because I don't think, I don't think Missouri and A&M were even in the league.

I think you could wear that belt. I could not wear that belt. Why? That'd be a good belt for you to wear. It's a little too on brand. Yeah, a little too on the nose. I can get a big 10 belt. Do they sell that in big 10?

They don't have a big 10 belt, but how would you fit all 18 logos on it? My belt's longer than yours. All right, one more thing. They don't have a Big Ten belt, but how would you fit all 18 logos on it? My belt's longer than yours. All right. One more thing. Better than a good workplace fat joke. We're here at Big Ten Media Days. The heart of Big Ten country, of course, is Ohio.

It's the heart of it all. We have to travel to Cleveland in our minds. When we were talking about Nick Saban, remember Greg McElroy at SEC Media Days said, I'm hearing from people. Then Nick Saban may be back in the mix for coaching. That obviously went through several iterations. When we talked about it, R.E., we said, we think, you know, probably more NFL than, than college. And I said, what team? And you said, the Browns. Dog pound, baby. We have further conspiracy theorying. Well, Colin Cowherd saying it's not a

conspiracy theory, but it's a conspiracy. Listen, because it involves Nick Saban, Jimmy Sexton, the Haslams and Arch Manning, owners of the Browns and Big Tennessee Boosers and Arch Manning. In fact, this is the worst kept secret in the South. Haslam, Jimmy, owner of the Browns, huge SEC Tennessee booster, leans heavily on the Manning family. Very close to the Manning family. Yes, that's not make believe. Arch Manning is part of the Manning family, and this is where Nick Saban comes in. Saban is incredibly close to not only

Jimmy Haslam, but Saban's close to the Manning family as well. And so Saban, if he could land, I'm told a top quarterback like Harbaugh going to the charges for Herbert, he would take a phone call for the NFL. And there are two teams guaranteed to be awful this year in the NFL, Cleveland and the Saints. Nick Saban has coached in Cleveland with the Browns under the Belichick staff, and he coached at LSU. This is not a conspiracy theory. Okay. Daddy had to sit down. He was tired. Okay. This definitely is not a conspiracy theory. Okay. Daddy had to sit down. He was tired. Okay. This definitely sounds like a

conspiracy theory. Here's here's the thing. The Browns are so bad at everything. How do we know they could effectively tank and be the worst team in the NFL? Cleveland Browns have drafted in the top five like 15 times since they came back to Cleveland in 01 and they have never successfully taken a quarterback that has been the future of the franchise. This also assumes that Arch Manning is leaving after this year. And that also assumes too. I don't think that's a real safe assumption. That the Browns would even be in position. They can't even tank properly. It's the most inept, you know, you can play the clip of the reveal of the helmets today.

Oh, yeah. Please play that. Please just play that right now. Watch this poor photographer. If you're watching on the YouTube stream, just watch this. Yeah. So they're trying to be you a poop brown helmet. I believe Dude Wipes sponsored the reveal. Yeah. They got a poop brown helmet that is being sponsored by the, by the way, Dude Wipes, not a sponsor. Wish they were. Yeah.

Really refreshing. Come on, Dude Wipes. Let's refreshing. I don't know if you've used them. Oh, I have, they're nice. You love podcasts, Dude Wipes. Let's go. The problem with Dude Wipes is that after you've cleaned, there's no drying mechanism. So like they need to like do the dual, dual, dude pack pack where-

Dude blow dryer? So like they need to like do the dual, dual, dude pack pack where... Dude, dude blow dryer? Dual dude wipe pack where it's a wet wipe on the left and then a soft towelette on the right to dry. Like, but wipe version of the McDLT and McDonald's back in the day. I feel like you could use a dude wipe. The hot side, hot and the cold side, cold.

And you walk out after using the dude wipe that a lot of times it simulates the feeling of swamp ass. We are never going to... You just... You're so bad at this! We're never going to get them as a sponsor now. Okay. Alright. Back to the conspiracy theory. Because it is that. It is a conspiracy theory.

Like, we're not going to blow sunshine on everybody, okay? With people who might give us money, we should. Okay, you know what? They can edit that out. That's up to River and you, but I'm just saying, like, I want my stuff to dry. Stop. Okay. Arch Manning, I don't think he's

coming out after this season. Even if it's... Why is everybody saying that? Stop saying that. You don't know anything. I don't know anything. Okay, we don't know anything. What if he wins the Heisman? What about Arch Manning's college career so far has been conventional? No, you're right. I mean, I understand if you say I could see him coming back, but like, I don't

think that he's coming back as a different statement. Like, is it possible? Certainly. But what if they go win the national title and he throws for 3,00 yards? Like he's gone. Like he's not coming back. So but also too, it doesn't matter if we get back to the conspiracy because the Browns will not get him. It won't work that way for them. The Saints are probably going to be bad. Yeah. If we want to conspiracy theorize, where's Arch Manning from? The Browns are probably from New Orleans. Yeah. I think the Browns will probably trade down

By the way the Nick Saban of it all finds the most important part but but but here's the other part of it though When is a member of a manning of the Manning family ever Worked behind the scenes to ensure a team did not take a member of the Manning family. No, it's never to make sure. Oh yeah. Oh wait, it did happen. That's right. Our Archie Manning made sure Eli didn't go to San Diego. If, if Archie Manning doesn't want to get Eli in San Diego and wants to engineer something to get him out of San Diego, there's no way in hell he's going to let him get, let arch get picked by Cleveland unless the savings, the coach, I might think about it. Um, I don't know.

The Browns have this dark cloud over them as a franchise and no matter how promising they there is just a darkness that swallows you there. And it just it's not I don't believe in curses. I'm not like that. But there's already grew up a Browns fan. But there is a level of inept ineptitude there. They can't even reveal a frickin helmet without a guy falling into Lake Erie. Like it's just like, it's a nightmare, an absolute nightmare. But also too, Nick Saban does have Cleveland Brown's connections. Um, if they did get a quarterback, uh, that you could actually, whether it's arch or not, like, well, and that's the thing, it doesn't have to be

arch. Lenora Sellers, it'd be Draller. T.J. Lagway or something. I don't know in two years. I don't know. I know, but they could get somebody else that is exciting but like things would have to line up. I could see the Browns going after Nick Saban and I could see the intrigue of that because an NFL team is an NFL team and I just wouldn't want Nick Saban's legacy to be tarnished by that

that dark hole of a franchise. I just think an awful lot of puzzle pieces would have to fall into place. It would be incredible that scenario to take place. I do love like NFL stories that involve college football's world combusting into an NFL team. Well it is basically saying that Jimmy Sexton, who's a graduate of the University of Tennessee, the Haslums are big Tennessee Boots. Okay I get it all and obviously Jimmy Sexton represents NFL players and NFL coaches so he deals with these guys all the time. It's not a conspiracy theory when the entire thing is on a board connecting dots

and you're contriving this all up on your own. Oh, yes. In theory, it all makes sense. But whether or not this is the beautiful mind hut right here, it's just a bunch of papers on the wall. 2025. If you say this is not a conspiracy theory, it's a conspiracy theory. Twitter this week is wild, by the way, The non-sports world, you know what's going on. It's crazy. I don't know if we want to bring up any of that again. What we do want to bring up is Dear Andy, Dear Ari coming up on Friday's show. Get your questions in. Andy Staples on3 at gmail.com, Ari.waserman at on3.com thank you so matthew we are late thank you PJ fleck wonderful show today i'm just going to bring adam rittenberg from espn on here just to wave

he got a very you got a very important phone call so pj fleck and bruce feldman i just wanted like one more surprise cameo to wave goodbye i couldn't get it done so we'll get some we'll add some more tomorrow we'll talk to you soon