The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - Packers Feeling The Love, 49ers Stacked Roster, Young NFL Coaches Thriving, Bright Future For Texans, College Football Playoff

Episode Date: December 4, 2023

Colin reacts to week 13 in the NFL!   He explains why the Packers have completely “bought in” on Jordan Love following the Packers upset win over the Chiefs and why Green Bay is the perfect place for Love to develop (3:10)   John Middlekauff, host of “3 and Out” joins Colin to dive into all the action. They break down the 49ers dominating performance over the Eagles, and explain why the 49ers might have the best roster the league has seen in a decade (19:00). They examine some of the top young coaches in the league and why the “old school” mentality of NFL coaching may not be relevant anymore (36:00). They highlight why some under the radar moves made by the Texans in the offseason paired with CJ Stroud are creating a bright future in Houston (42:30)   Finally, they break down the upcoming matchups between Michigan and Alabama (49:30) and Washington and Texas (53:40) in the College Football Playoff, and both agree that the committee was right to leave an undefeated Florida State team out (58:30).   (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates! #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes.

Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith ruling. of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The volume. It's that holiday time of the year again. Are you looking for something different for a special person in your life? How about game time? That's right. Think game time. Tickets for sports, concerts, comedy shows all make a fantastic gift this time of the year.

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How cool is that? So take the guesswork out of buying tickets. Download the game time app. It's really simple. It takes less than a minute. And the redeem code is Colin C-O-L-I-N. Download it for $20 off your first. purchase terms apply. Again, create an account. The redeem code is Colin, C-L-L-I-N, $20 off your

first purchase. Download game-tide. Today, last-minute deals, lowest prices guarantee. Game time. All right, welcome in everybody. We'll have an hour in total. In 10 minutes, John Middlkoff, the former NFL Scout, part of the volume from Day 1, 3-and-out podcast will join us. We've got about 15, 20 minutes just on the Eagles and the Niners. John's a former Eagle Scout. And for years lived at the Bay Area, great connections with San Francisco. So he'll have a breakdown like nobody else. Let me just spend 10 minutes on the Packers, went over Kansas City. It was their game from the very beginning. And I said this during the week on FS1. It didn't matter of Green Bay won in terms of the big picture. What Jordan Love had to do with Patrick Mahomes on the other sideline is to be

able to match him. And, you know, we know Mo Holmes is the better quarterback. Can he make throws? Can he look confident? Can he move? And I thought Jordan Love was everything and more. You know, it's interesting for years I've said about Green Bay is I think they draft and develop as well as anybody in the NFL. Just look at their wide receiving talent. Watson, Jaden, Reed, Romeo Dobbs, and Wicks. The four really, really twitchy, Watson's a burner. They're really clever athletes. All can play. New England hasn't drafted a legitimate receiver in over a decade. Green Bay's got four in two years. They just do it well. And it's what's interesting, if you look at the Packers history, they don't take a lot of players, offensive players in the first round.

But yet they always end up with elite tackles, very good running backs, excellent receivers, better than average tight ends. It's a really offensive-leaning culture, a home run, in the McCarthy, in the Matt LaFlewer, they do offense well. Steelers do defense well, Packers do offense well. And this, of course, helps Jordan Love. Whereas Kenny Pickett, it's going to be kind of on his own. Jordan Love's got great aides to his left, to his right. He also, and we've discussed this ad nauseum,

Aaron Rogers was like a 50-year-old lead singer, and the band was a bunch of 20-year-olds. He didn't fit all these young players as they were rebuilding the offense. This generationally works. Jordan Love and these guys, like, they feel like, you know, they're going to be around for years and years together. And, you know, I just think if you look around at the majority of the young quarterbacks who can struggle, it's often with defensive coaches. Look at what McVeigh did to Gough. Look at what Shanahan's doing to Purdy.

Look at what Mike McDaniel did to resurrect Tua. Yet look what Belichick's done to Mack Jones. he gets worse every year. Now he's just a shot fighter. So I'm not saying Jordan Love doesn't have talent. But you've watched the development in the last six weeks. He's like a different player. He was always tall and moved well.

He always had a good whip. That was never a question. You could watch his YouTube highlights as you did. And I did at Utah State. He was always a big kid who moved well and had a whip. That was never the issues. A little bit erratic as a thrower he was tonight too. But this is just confidence, development.

and you can tell a lot. Years and years ago, I remember a story. They've got confidence with Jordan Love now in the building. That's why tonight was really crucial. And you saw it a little bit against the Chargers, a lot against the Lions, and really a lot tonight, is that you've got to get buy-in in the building.

Years ago, a long, long time ago, I helped create a show at ESPN called Sports Nation, and it was offbeat and kind of quirky. And we didn't know if it was going to work because it was so different than anything. on the air. But an executive said, well, if the people in the building like it, if you get buy-in in the building, it doesn't matter what the ratings are. They'll support it. And I always thought, that's interesting. Get buy-in in the building. It's a lot like that for a quarterback.

Watch the Chicago Bears play calling with Justin Fields. He has no buy-in in the building. The coordinator doesn't trust him. The coach doesn't trust him. 70% of the throws are behind the line of scrimmage. He's got no buy-in in the building. C.J. Stroud, complete in. Jordan Love did not have it in the preseason and in September. We kept saying it's, they're babysitting him, they're coddling him, let him throw it. It was just slow growth. Let's wait until we're comfortable. Let's let this thing develop. The Packers knew better. Now when you watch it, they just let him go. I mean, it's got a backyard feel to it. Just let him go. And he's never going to be as precise as Aaron Rogers. That's not who he is.

he's got the far of playmaking ability with sort of the whip of Aaron Rogers, but he's not a precise thrower. He's not Joe Burrell. That's not what he is. You know, he can get erratic. His mechanics are a little, you know, they are what they are. It looks a little backyard football,

but he's playing with a ton of confidence. He has tremendous, young, offensive personnel around him, and they're all getting better. Watson, Dobbs, Wicks, those guys are all going to get better. You don't have to pay any of them for three years. so that'll let you dip in and solve any issues you have anywhere else in the roster because right now Jordan Loves not doesn't have a punitive contract.

So, you know, the other thing that jumps out to me is that not only do the Packers draft and develop well, I mean, how many quarterbacks have succeeded there, you know, a lot. For the biggest, three of the biggest quarterbacks in league history, you know, are Packers. But the two more recent, obviously, are Farvin-Rogers. And, you know, it's sometimes because they don't have. an owner to call you on your, you know, crap. And because it's the smallest pro-sport city in America where you can't even go to the grocery store, I always call it the Green Bay Packer

quarterback syndrome, where like Farv and Aaron Rogers are very different people, but it kind of dissolved into the same threatening retirement, unhappy with front office. And, you know, when you think about it, that was perfect for Farr of an Aaron Rogers to start. It may have ended poorly, but, you know, Green Bay tends to be very supportive, very much into development. You don't have to worry about the press, breathing down your throat. I mean, the cheeseheads, Lambo, totally supportive, thick and thin. It really is a perfect environment for a young quarterback trying to find his footing. Now, as you get older, you make big money, you become famous and a star, it can feel, you know, you're trapped a little bit. Not a lot to do there. But, I mean, they've shown us time and time again, it's a great place for a young quarterback to develop. And they do a really good job drafting people rarely in the first round, but drafting people to elevate the quarterback. So, and the other thing is, I think sometimes that Favre and Rogers, in retrospect, a

appreciated the Packers, but sometimes when they were there at the end, didn't appreciate the Packers. I mean, think about right now today. Green Bay is fine without Aaron Rogers. Mike McCarthy is fine in Dallas without Aaron Rogers. You know who's not fine? Aaron Rogers, who's 40, has a bad football team, an impulsive owner, a terrible O line, and one decent receiver. Green Bay and Mike McCarthy, Jordan Love, they're all, Brian Gudenkoontz, they're all fine without Airman. Aaron Rogers. Aaron Rogers isn't fine. So I think sometimes Green Bay may feel like Mayberry in small town, but if you really examine how hard it is for young quarterbacks to hit in this league, Green Bay offers a lot that other teams don't. They don't have an impulsive erratic owner,

David Teper, who just blows the coach out in the middle of the first year. They're not going to overspend on free agents. Free agents don't go to Green Bay, the big ones. They have to draft and develop well. They do. They tend to be, they don't have a loud, fire-breathing press to deal with. It's more, not conciliatory,

the press is more patient, right? Less clicky, less volume. A lot of those factors that you see over time, if you're a star quarterback, is tedious, and small town are perfect for the development of a quarterback. Aaron Rogers' first year, what was he, six and ten, it took him a while to click. You know, Jordan Love, you know, I didn't get it the first four or five weeks. Like, he just looked erratic with no confidence, and they didn't have confidence in him,

but they've turned him loose, and it's fun. And also tonight give the Packers credit, I thought their defense played really well. A lot of their pass rush was great. And if you look at Green Bay schedule, it is, it is double use all the way down the line. And, you know, this happens all the time. Remember when Tampa with Tom Brady and they had that buy in like around week 12 and then they went in a run. I don't think this is a Super Bowl winning team. But if you watch them tonight, I mean, Kansas City's defense is good.

It's good. And Green Bay hit on a lot of big third downs, on a lot of big plays. Not a lot of people have done that. on this Chief's defense. Like, you know, I was sitting there thinking, oh, Green Bay is a better team tonight. I mean, it wasn't a fluke. I didn't feel like I was watching,

like that pass to Christian Watson. And everybody said, oh, Watson, what a catch. What a throw. That was a dime. That's our Aaron Rogers, Brett Farrb throw. That wasn't luck. So you have a quarterback who is now growing in confidence, young, twitchy athletic receivers,

a coaching staff that increasingly trusts Jordan Love, that's obvious, and a defense that played its butt off tonight. I thought, I didn't think there was any question all night who the better team was. The officiating team was the worst on the field. That penalty on the hit on Mahomes is nonsense. That's just a nonsense call, and the lack of PI five minutes later, two minutes later, is ridiculous. That's probably the worst call of the year.

So, you just, you know, the officiating was, it really was bad, like embarrassing bad for the league. On a standalone game, those were two embarrassingly bad calls. And the Thursday night game with Seattle and Dallas was a very, very poorly, overly officiated game as well. When referees have to pick up three flags and say, yeah, those weren't fouls. Just throw a flag when you see a penalty. Don't guess. Don't anticipate. See a penalty, throw a flag.

Otherwise, get out of the way. Get out of the way. Anyway, Packers win, and I thought it was convincing. I know Kansas City had a shot at the end. That felt convincing to me. I thought they pushed the Chiefs around. A lot of big plays on third down. Jordan Love.

What do you know? And now for a segment called Making It Look Easy, brought to you by Morgan and Morgan America's largest injury law firm. This week, Tyreek Hill made it look easy, five catches, two touchdowns, almost 160 yards. his fifth game this season with 150 yards plus with a touchdown. Tyreek Hill making it look easy. That's what it Morgan and Morgan does over 100 offices nationwide, more than 800 lawyers.

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not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.

Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win. A win is a win. Okay, what you're saying? Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,

or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't

always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim?

Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day But just so y'all know

I mean at this point Mark this is the second episode where we've discussed crack So I'm starting to see that there's a through line We also have AIDS on the table right now So Thank you finishing that sentence I don't think there's a more important

Year for Black people Really? Yeah for me it's one of the most important years For Black people in American history Listen to look back at it On the IHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts Or wherever you get your podcasts

All right, everybody, welcome in. It's me, former NFL scout for the Philadelphia Eagles, John Middilkoff, as we get ready for close to an hour of breakdown of college football, some thoughts on various coaches in the league who are on the definite hot seat. But we start, John, with San Francisco and Philly. There were two games this weekend that I loved. I loved the Niners and I love the Lions. So let's start with San Francisco and Philadelphia. I thought, at least in the first half, it felt like your classic matchup of great teams. Playmakers, speed, strength, coaching, kind of the class of the NFC.

But I do wonder if that emotional game with a lot of snaps for the Eagles defense last week against Buffalo. And that was one of the reasons I like San Francisco. At this time of the year, John, every day counts for rest. So the Niners get several days rest. the Eagles play an especially long game against Buffalo defenses on the field. And I think they looked absolutely worn down in the second half defensively. That was my take. Yeah, I thought early on, I mean, that place I've been to a lot of games there was rocking.

And the quarterback was a little shaky. The Eagles came ready to play, which was shocking. I thought it'd be the other way around. The Niners had talked a lot. Like you said, they had been off since Thanksgiving. I thought by about midway through that second quarter, the Niners were really leaning on them. You could tell that defensive line was gassed. The Eagles defense isn't very good.

I mean, their linebackers are decimated with injuries. They're on like their third string nickel corner. They had to trade for a safety. And the 49ers from Iyuk to obviously Debo, who has been running his mouth for nine months. And listen, I got no problem. In an individual sport, you're Connor McGregor, your Tiger Woods, you're whatever, you run your mouth. Only you have to back it up. Debo can back it up.

I was nervous. Some other guys on the team, you know, the right tag. trying to block Reddick. It didn't matter. I mean, Debo dominated that game. Kittle was awesome. McCaffrey was flying around. They came ready to play. But most importantly, Colin, in solidarity with the quarterback, how about that MVP-type performance from Brock Purdy? After starting the game, 0 of 4, where it's just, he looked shaky. 19 of 23 the rest of the game and just throwing dots, keeping plays alive with his legs, keeping his eyes down field. How about the run he had where he broke the tackle. I'm not saying the guy's the MVP, but if he's not in the discussion, we're all

about watching football. He was brilliant today. Yeah, and I think one of the things I've said, let's contextualize it, Shanahan's a brilliant, brilliant play caller, and the weapons are insane. I mean, literally, Kittle will be a Hall of Famer, Trent Williams, a Hall of Famer, McCaffrey should be a Hall of Famer, and if Debo stays healthy for four more years, people will talk about him as a Hall of Famer. That's just on the offense. But I do believe that there are just certain throws that C.J. Stroud makes and I'm like, oh, yeah, that's a franchise quarterback that Kenny Pickett can't make. Right. And so there are throws. Purdy will make about three throws a game. And he'll let go of that puppy before the receiver breaks. And you're like, oh, yeah, that's a, that's a franchise. And for the record, I don't see Justin Fields make those. I don't see him as an anticipation thrower. So, and it's not a knockout. I don't see Zach Wilson make those. A lot of this stuff is innate. And, you know, years ago, Bill Parcells had a rule. No celebrity quarterbacks, which forget that now with NIL. They're going to be sluggies. But I want three years of

starting. And I remember when I really noticed this, I covered Achilles Smith in Oregon. And I love the way through the ball. But he was like a one-year starter. And he went to the NFL and he just did not have enough reps. He just did not have enough reps. He was overwhelmed. And it wasn't because he was a good kid. He could move. He had a hell of an arm. He had a baseball arm. But he just didn't have enough starts. And, you know, the NFL is impatient. by year two. Like if you don't, they're not sitting around waiting for you

is everybody's going to lose their job. I think a lot of this with Purdy is. He came in high school college. He had like eight straight years of snaps. He's just fun. He is just cognitively ready to play football. For sure. But I also think he's really good.

I mean, he was the Arizona high school player of the year, really good recruiting base. In his second year starting, he was the second team, all big 12 guy behind Jalen Hertz. For the next two years, he was a first team and he's coming on this team and he's clearly better than anything Jimmy brought

to the table and Jimmy was pretty good, not the version we've seen these last couple years. The other thing is wouldn't you say probably the best average arm quarterback over the last probably couple decades was like Drew Brees. Yeah. You know, and we, and listen, you were right on Baker Mayfield. I personally thought he could become that. Clearly he never sniffed that. I actually think this guy has a lot of those traits in the pocket, but he also has

unlike Drew. Now, Drew was much more accomplished as a passer coming out of college, but this guy clearly is comfortable to go into an environment like that. Dreary Day, Philly, and I get they were running out of gas, and the Niners were favored for a reason. But that kid was dominant, you know, just in terms of accuracy. And what's the key if you're going to play with really good players? Put it on them because it's like, well, they got a lot of yards after the catch.

Well, he hits him in stride. The ball of McCaffrey down the middle, a couple balls to Debo, couple balls to kiddle. and his athleticism, I think his 10-yard split is pretty much the same time as Christian McCaffrey. So he's not Lamar Jackson or Cam Newton down the field as a runner. But, you know, in those little bursts, he can keep plays alive a lot like Jalen, right? And that's an underestimated part of his game that has taken the Niners to a whole other level. Now, once they pulled away, it was not a fair fight because the Eagles, like you said, ran out of gas.

but I also think you see like even if the Eagles had gas, let's face it, the Niners are a little better, right, fully healthy. And the Eagles just, they're not getting healthy guys in the secondary, like Bradbury and Slay are their corners. And the way they use their number one wide receiver in Debo is not like an A.J. Brown. They don't just put them out there and say cover it. Derry Slay would like that with a receiver. They're moving them all around. They're using them like a running back.

Iyukes are very shifty in and out of cuts, a lot like Devante Smith, why nobody can cover him. And then you got Kittle, who is just one of the most unique players in the league to go on top of McCaffrey. So it's just a tough situation. It's a tough matchup for Philly. Well, and here's the other thing. So we both kind of, I think we both felt strongly just on the extra time that this was really San Francisco's game. And you have these moments when Dallas went to San Francisco. San Francisco's kind of team, the Eagles know it and the Cowboys know it.

If you don't have your shit dialed in, you're in big trouble. Yeah. They play downhill really fast. They're like Buffalo three years ago without the mistakes. You get all the avalanche, you know, without the yard sale of skis flying everywhere. They're like a streamlined avalanche and you just can't with all these weapons. But here's the one thing about Philadelphia I worry about is that Ferguson for the Cowboys now, Brandon Cooks are productive.

C.D. Lam is a top four receiver in the league. Yeah, big time. Okay. And then you have Debo, Kittle. Brandon Ayuk's a special player. Awesome. Even Jennings contributes. The Philly secondary is not getting better. Awful. They made a move at the trade deadline. It's bad. It's old. It's not getting better. Even Detroit, if you watch them today. Because Goff usually has time because of that offensive line. And they run the ball really well. James and Williams now becoming more of a threat. Yeah.

There's an argument to be made with Philly. Their weakness is a real problem because we both like golf more than people. Now, Amar on St. Brown. Leporta. Mr. Williams. Leportta. He's an incredible role. Jesus.

So all of a sudden you start looking at Philly and you're like, they don't match up necessarily well with the top three teams in the NFC. Well, their key is they did not have to win today after they won the last two weeks. Now, they're going to have to win this upcoming week against Dallas. right, and it's an enormous game. Their formula is going to be, the D-line has to be elite. I mean, it has to be unstoppable. And it can be today they were clearly running on fumes. That's why, let's face it, today through everything,

I mean, McCarthy, I'm sure, feed up, eating a sandwich at home with a big smile on his face because he has the opportunity now at home. The Niners took care of business. The Niners now play Seattle. All of a sudden, if Dallas wins and the 49ers wins, the Eagles are kind of looking up. I'm with you. You've got to be able to,

it's not like Ambrie Thomas and Lenore or Richard Sherman and Dorel Revis in the prime, but they're functional players. And the main difference between the Eagles and the Niners because both of them have countless delinmen that every team would want. It's the linebackers. I mean, Fred Warner is a dominant player.

Greenlaw, who got in a fight with Dom on the sideline, is probably the best number two linebacker. But even when those guys, there was a moment when, when Greenlaw got tossed and Fred's shoe came off, the Niners have two other backups who are solid. I mean, the Eagles linebackers are, Kyle Shanahan was,

this is why Debo and those guys were talking so much shit all week. They don't think that all those guys have a chance to handle their speed, their physicality. And they don't. And once they took a deep breath and just kind of handled the crowd and just kind of the wetness and just everything that the link brings, it was a route. They just ran circles around them.

And that's for sure. Now, their de-lineman, if they play at an elite level, can just cause so much havoc and their offense has to be awesome. Goddard's got to come back. You know, AJ Brown had some big time moments to Vante. Their offense is really special. And that's why they've won a lot of these games, right? Because it's essentially been shootouts in the second half.

Harder to have shootouts with the 49ers, I think, because their defense, they're just not really going to play in a 38 to 35 type game. Yeah, the best one-possession win teams over the last several. years have been Philadelphia. It caught up with them today. Minnesota last year caught up with them. There was a cowboy team and a Seahawk team over the last three or four years. And it caught up with them. You just can't, eventually, you can't get out gained like Philly had four straight games. Eventually, it just doesn't work that way. And so I kind of look at Philadelphia. And I like so, I think they'll play very well. In a weird way, they were best served to get their butt kicked because they'll come

against Dallas. They'll play a great game. 100%. They'll play a great game. But I do think there is a fundamental problem that they can only overcome with ball control offensively, which is their back, their back four, back seven. Linebackers are weak. Corners aren't great. They have one good safety. The only way to overcome that is with ball control.

And that's it. And now, they have the components to do that. I think they also got to be really careful. And in fairness, their players, I mean, plays on the volume, high level guy, Jalen, super high level guy. Their coach can be really, really yappy, right? And not in a Bill Parcells, like, check the pelts on my wall, yappy. It's like kind of annoying. And there's a level of, you know, listen, Kyle Shannon's going to scream at the

refs, but he's not going to give the other team. He's an old school kind of Andy Reid's dad. Like, it's not about, he doesn't want to get involved in the thing. And I do think they're coaching staff. You got Siriani screaming at people pregame. He just, I, listen, that works against the majority of a. opponents. It's not going to work against the Chiefs. Maybe it works a little bit against Dallas, but it's not going to work against the 49ers. It's more just X's nose. We're going

to hit you in the mouth and we're going to be relentless. So all that stuff, you know, that kind of typically feeds into Philly. Like they loved when Dom got tossed and they feed off that. The Niners are, they have proven this core of guys have won so many games on the road. Went to Green Bay and won, went to Dallas and won. Like they're not going to be intimidated by difficult circuit. They easily could have won a couple years ago against the Rams, right? You know, when Tart dropped the ball. So they go into these environments a lot like some great, like NBA players, like the Curry group over the years, like they're not intimidated.

They might need a couple series to kind of gather themselves, but they're going to be okay. So the Eagles, it's going to be a scheme game versus them. Can you out scheme them? Because all the other shit, like the Niners aren't going to be phased by that crap. Can you outthink them? Can you out call, like Andy Reed, can you out call plays against whatever their, their look are offensively or defensively. And you saw today, it wasn't really a fair fight.

Now, like you said, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt, little gas. I think if you told me there was a rematch, I would expect a much better Philly effort. Yes. But I do think big picture, do they have, like, their head coach, he's not calling the plays on either side. He's just kind of screaming on the sideline. Like, the 49ers guy is their play call. Like, it's him versus you.

You know, so I, yeah, that's a disadvantage for the Eagles. You know, here's the editors. thing is I'm trying to think of a roster who fungah's injury, although painful, they can protect it with a good pass rush. I don't think there's been a roster as good as San Francisco since the Seahawks roster that won a Super Bowl but went to two straight. That roster just didn't make, that was such a good roster. You're not really allowed to do that anymore. Again, Russell was on a rookie deal. The minute he wasn't, the roster wasn't good. Purdy's on a rookie deal. But I'm trying to think of a roster. I mean, that's, I remember that Seattle team was so good that they went

and just rented Percy Harvin almost never used him as a toy. And then they went and got Cliff Averill said, yeah, we'll bring another pass rusher. And you're like, yeah, that's a luxury of a rookie contract. You can't do that with a veteran quarterback. But I think this roster, you know, I find myself rooting for San Francisco to win because it would be such a shame if this roster didn't at least want, like that Seattle roster, John, it was too damn good not to win a Super Bowl. Yeah. It was just too good. just fundamentally too good. The Ravens roster with Dilfer. There's like seven Hall of Famers. I grew up with the Steelers in the 70s. There were a couple Raider teams. You're like, the Cowboys Jimmy Johnson roster, they need to win a Super Bowl. There's too many good players.

I kind of feel like the best roster in the league is San Francisco. I'm thinking about second. You know, with the emergence of bland for the Cowboys at Corner and Ferguson, the tight end, is Dallas the second best roster? Yeah, I mean, I think they have. a chance to prove it this upcoming week because they went toe to toe with them and they should have won that game. I think Philly's right there fully healthy, but they're just missing a ton of guys. They got some guys that aren't coming back. And the Niners, the moment, they lost a couple guys. They weren't the same. So this sport, the margins are so thin. I mean, you saw Jalen all of a sudden get cracked. I started thinking, because the game was already over. Well,

what about next week? What if he can't clear? That'd be a devastating. They're not going to Dallas to win with Marriota. So yeah. The problem with Dallas is, even if they win this upcoming game, at home. Like, how are you going to pick them in a big playoff game? I've seen them lose at home to the 49ers a couple years ago. Now, you would say that they're much the cohesion with Mike and Dak and Dan Quinn and the group. They've been together longer. But there's just, there's an element where, and I picked them this year to start the season to win the division.

And clearly they're damn good, right? I mean, there is, to me, Detroit is on the lower tier beside these three teams, right? You know, the Niners, the Eagles, the Cowboys. And then I would put Detroit on another tier kind of by themselves. But it's just, you know, Dack is having a fantastic year. But do you truly trust them? I mean, even that Eagles game stepping out of bound, just little things. I mean, these are the little details of you'd be the number one seed.

Or you got to now win this game and then take care of business the rest of the year. They were the team this year that lost a game. Like, how do you lose to Arizona? How do you lose to Arizona? It's a cowboy home game in Glendale. It's 80, 20, your fans. So I've all, like their roster. I love their coaching staff, especially on defense.

You got to give Mike credit. He's doing a great job. But I just have a hard time. And this is, like you said, with the Niners, their players have not won a championship level, but they have championship character deep in them. I've seen them in the big moments. From Debo to Kiddle, to Trent, to Fred, to Nick, to Eric Armstead.

Like, they're wired. Like, they might lose, but it's going to be because you beat them, not because they screw up or they're not good enough. And I don't know about the else. They have the talent, you know, and I think the bland guy's an incredible story. Didn't go to the combine. Now setting records to pick sixes and just they do. For everyone that talks shit about Jerry, right, he's just, he's a little bit of a wild card.

How good are they as a personnel team? You know, we, we annoy it John Lynch and Howie, like Jerry's every bit they're equal. And I know he's not picking all, like, evaluating the fifth rounders, but he's technically their GM. So he's empowering people that they build a team that goes toe to toe with these two teams. I know they lost to the 49ers big in the regular season, but they easily could have beat him in the playoffs last year. So, yeah.

I'm not going to, I think Dallas could easily win this week. Hell, I might pick them by the end of the week. But I'm still not going to feel confident because Colin, here's what's going to happen. Let's say they don't win the division. They're going to destroy the Falcons or the Bucks or whoever the hell wins that worthless division. And we're going to be like, oh, Dallas, you know, Dactus threw four touchdowns. And it happened last year and then they were gone in the next round. Now, it doesn't mean you can't do it and get over the hump.

I just have a hard time believing until they do. I'm not going to pick them to do it until they do it and I'll just be wrong. I wrote a list today. So we'll pivot to this, and I don't know how much time we should give it. But, you know, McVeigh and Shanahan still have to be considered young coaches. But we have, so let's say the young coaches that we don't buy. Dennis Allen of the Saints, Brandon Staley, the Chargers, I think are both going to lose their job. I'm undecided on Robert Sala and Arthur Smith.

We've got a lot of good young coaches in this league. Yeah. Shane Steichen has Indy battling for a playoff. That is insane in the eight. Five. Incredible. Demico Ryan at Houston. I watched that game today. So, I mean, they, they just, you have to earn every yard against them. Every freaking yard. Siriani, McVeigh-Shannahan, I think Stafansky, Joe Flacco was actually good today. Yeah. That's insane. I know. Kevin O'Connell, Minnesota, Mike McDaniel, Miami. Matt LaFleur is more than solid Green Bay. love is shown absolute growth. And Zach Taylor, when Joe Burrell is upright, wins a lot of games.

We have got some really good coaches. And I was thinking about this. So I watched a lot of games today. I want to talk Rams Browns. So the Rams won this game. This was viewed as a five to six-win team. The offensive line, you've had left tackles playing right guard. They've had major injuries. They lost Kyron Williams, their excellent running back for four to five weeks. Cooper Cups never healthy. Puka Dekua got hurt in the game. He's a rookie. This defense is Aaron Donald and kids.

Between Rahim Morris, the defensive coordinator and Sean McVeigh, of all these young coaches, D'emiko Ryans to me is the star defensively. I think this is McVeigh's best year. John, I watched Stafford today, and I'm like, they got this kid, Demarcus Robinson, this bounce around the league guy made big plays today. part of great coaching, and you know this is a former scout, is being able to take marginal players and make them productive, right? Like, you know, Brady helped do that in New England for years. Belichick did that. He would take marginal linebackers and they would become fairly forceful.

The Rams are vying for a playoff. With Seattle sinking, we have a real chance for the Rams to make the playoffs. I mean, I think it's a McVeigh story. I don't think they're vying, Colin. I mean, look at the way it's all breaking. I think they're going to make it. They're six and six. Look at their schedule.

I see some giants on there. I see some Cardinals. They got the Ravens coming up. But other than that, and who knows, Niners, Week 17 might not matter. I think I might have been one of the reasons. I remember you in the offseason love the Rams. And I thought you were nuts.

Like the Rams, they're going to be in the Caleb Williams sweepstakes. Like you said, part of coaching is getting average guys to overachieve. His team is all average guys. It's not like he only has a couple guys. You remove Aaron Donald and Matt Stafford. It's a bunch of people no one had heard of coming into the season. I mean, to be six and six, like you watch Pete Carroll, their six and six, they have high-end players. Think how many guys, the Niners, the Eagles, the Cowboys would love.

D.K. Witherspoon, the tackles have been banged up, but they would take those guys. The Seattle has impact, elite, blue chip premium guys. Jackson Smith, you watch this Rams team like, who are these guys? What is he doing? And I think one theory I've had for a long time, and I think that a lot of the young Belichick guys have consistently failed, and the number one thing you always hear is like they are just assholes relentlessly. And I think you could do that, you know, society, 70s, 80s, 90s, football, individuals could handle it much more.

I think you've seen a major shift. College as well, like you talk to people around Sabin. He's lightened up a lot. You have to change with the people. and what do a lot of these young coaches have? Well, they're not that much older in the guys, right? If you're early 40s, well, you're talking to a guy that's 30, right? And I think a lot of these Patriot guys, you know, because they've learned from Bill,

well, Tom is as old as a lot of these guys, so he could kind of handle it. Well, you're dealing now with a 25-year-old Pooka Nakua. You've got to treat them a little differently than the guy you would have treated in 1993 that played for Bill Parcells or Jimmy Johnson, right? Because you hear some of these stories. You talk to these guys. it wasn't always pleasant. And I'm not, it's football.

You still get yelled at and held to a high standard and there's discipline when you walk in the building. But I think if you watch a lot of these guys conduct themselves, like Siriani acts like an idiot sometimes like to the other team, but he treats his players very well. You know, he's a very, I would say optimism. I would say historically football coaches are just naturally pretty pessimistic and be kind of dark and angry, just the nature of the job.

I think that's changed a lot with some of these younger guys that tend to be more uplifters and be more optimistic and just to be fun loving is probably the wrong way to put it but they're just an area you kind of want to be around these guys well and I think you're really hit on it I've talked to a couple of people Logan Ryan the NFL player talked about this is that Eric Mangini is one of the few

Belichick guys that everybody loved being around is that a lot of his guys Patricia Joe Judge Bill O'Brien they're tough guys Charlie Weiss they're hard on people Flores, younger guy, but he's angry, you know? He's edgy. Yeah. Yeah. And I think McVease got Raheem Morris, Kevin O'Connell. There's a spirit like, how lucky are we? Look at D'Amico. I mean, when you just want to hang out with D'Amico, there's a, there's an aura around him. He just, he just like glows. He's been like that. I was around him as a player. He was like a team

captain as a rookie. Like some guys just haven't, you know, and I think he's a great example. Let's talk about that. Let's pivot to the Houston win over Denver. So you know Domeko Ryan's. My takeaway, you know, it's funny. There's the old stat that I, the old, you hear this all the time by analytic mavens. They say winning is not a quarterback stat, which is nonsense. Because if you put Davis Mills starting for Houston instead of C.J. Stroud, the entire roster stays the same.

There are a two-win team. Stroud made two throws today under duress that he's just innately accurate. There was no, he's running across his body and he flipped something up. And I'm like, people that'll never show up in the box card. People have no idea how hard it is to be in a full sprint left. A guy is on you, throw it to a receiver moving right to left. And but D'emiko's demeanor on the sideline, there's no barking.

He is genuinely happy when Texan players, he's not mad when they fail. You know, my wife always says, you're right or you're learning. Like, get out of wrong. For sure. You're figuring it out. So you know, D'Amico, when I watch Houston today, because I think Denver's a pretty decent team now, that win is more significant than people think. Denver was basically bailing water all day to stay close. I actually think him and Robert Sala are very similar guys.

one just has a quarterback and the other does not. I mean, that helps a lot. I mean, Denver, the team that has played lately is not the team that gave up 70 points. I mean, that defense was peppering him. Listen, it got weird there for a couple years. It was really ugly with the Deshawn situation. But I wrote down today they have a star rocket ship coach. They have a quarterback that just, I don't know, statistically, when it's all said

and done where he's going to rank relative to all the rookies ever in the history of the league. It's going to be up there. But the eye test, he is clearly one of the most special rookie quarterback we've seen. No question. Will Anderson, a little like Aidan Hutchinson, people question like how high was the ceiling. Could he be Miles Garrett and Nick Post? I don't know. But Will Anderson is the type human one you build around and clearly is pretty damn good. You don't go to be a team captain in Alabama for a couple of years without being a badass. So they have a coach, they have a quarterback, they have a pass rusher. Remember a couple of years ago when they took the kid from

LSU Stingley over Soss Gardner? Everyone's like, oh, they just, they how are they doing this Sauce can't miss. Stingley sure looks better to me than Sauce Gardner. Sauce won't tackle me or you. Stingley looks much. He's more of a fluid elite athlete, like a Revis type. He looks fantastic. So they have a star corner. They have a really good left tackle. The rookie wide receiver looked like he had a bad injury, got carted off. But that kid's a stud. Yeah, tank. This team today, that was, listen, they've had some impressive wins. But the way it was going, Jimmy Ward's a good example. D'Amico around Jimmy. you know, he no longer was a starter in San Francisco,

but he was a team captain level, just winning player, high level guy. When the Niners drafted Trey Lance, they put his locker next to Jimmy Ward because they wanted him to follow him the way he acted, the way he operated. Well, what did D'emico do? That's who he brought and who made the game winning play.

But who obviously, I would imagine Stingley's growth. He's around that guy every day. So you get some young building blocks who are clearly high character good guys. You have a coach that everyone's loves for 15 years as a player, let alone as a coach. I mean, that guy, his rise as a coach, him and Vrable are just like rocket ships. Like they went from position coaches to head coaches

before you could even blink. And then within a couple years, you're like, God, this guy probably should have been a head coach faster. You know, maybe this guy didn't need to wait. So if I'm a Texan fan, whether you win a playoff game, whether you ultimately get in or not this year, the future feels as bright as humanly possible, right?

Because no state income tax. Here's a problem with the Cowboys, right? their salary cap is always taken because Jerry's taken if they ever had salary cap space everyone would want to go there the Texans are going to because they got all these guys

on rookie contracts Houston's the city that players are going to like I mean they are going to have the opportunity they still have a draft pick coming from the Browns who now have major issues

because they're quarterback right so it's this Texans team to me is a team maybe not this year like I don't know if they're going to win a playoff game not saying it's not possible depending on the matchup

but if you like play the Ravens in the first round Right. In the next couple years, if CJ just just stays around this level, I mean, are we talking about like a Super Bowl contender? Well, and it was funny because during the off season, you know, and when you're doing June, July, Sports Talk radio talk. Yeah. June, July, August, you know. And, and, you know, after the NFL, you got a little draft stuff, but you're, and I remember two or three times I kept coming back to it. And it may have felt like filler. And McIntyre was giving me crap. And I kept saying, is anybody watching what Houston's doing? They're getting all these B players. It's very parcels. You know, Bill's thing, he would go to Miami. Remember who he was the GM?

They went from one win to 11 wins in one year. And he filled out the bottom third of the roster. Like your second back, you're blocking tight end, your center. And if you go back and you Google the Texans offseason moves, they were like, Dalton Schultz got no publicity. And you're like, comes from a winning culture, right? Like he's going to feel a little abandoned by the Cowboys. So he's going to be a little pissy with a chip on his shoulder with Houston.

Like, you're getting rid of me? Look at my production. And so he comes to Houston with something to prove. And they did this very slowly. And then you hit on Will Anderson and Stroud and your coach. And by the way, John, like any well-run business, it gets better over time. There are a much better team today than eight weeks ago. I watched that game today.

And my takeaway was, C.J. is better than Russ. No question. and D'Amico has more confidence in C.J. Stroud than Peyton has in Russell Wilson. That was my takeaway watching. Russell had some moments, I thought, today, where it looked a little throwback, 2020. He had been playing pretty well, but today was tough. And D'Amico's going to know him well because when he was a position coach and he was with Seattle, like he knows Russell pretty well.

And Russell's not, obviously, athletically, who actually has gotten closer to that guy than he was last year because he lost some weight. I think when it comes to the Houston Texans, though, forever in that division, it was like, well, Peyton Manning, you know, for 12 years, they were just going to win it every year. Trevor Lawrence is a really good player. But I don't know, like, if you factor in the contract and you just pull GMs and head coaches, right? Because Trevor, within the year or two, has to get paid. I think most people would take CJ Strout. And there's an element of Peyton that had like that just willed or refuse to be denied.

and there was an intensity that he's just an all-time football guy. You watch Trevor is like, is he an all-time football guy? He doesn't really feel Brady. Hell, he doesn't feel like Jalen Hertz and Purdy, right? Just his love, he's really talented. Honestly, he feels a little more NBA-ish. God gave him a lot of gifts. You know, he's tall, he's got a good arm, he's accurate, he can move.

But it's like, is football his everything? Like, I watched CJ. I just watch the Texans play. They play like all the guys on the team, starting with their head coach. It is. So if you were just betting on a franchise, the division's, Tennessee's got a lot of issues, right? I mean, a ton.

The Colts, I don't even know how they're doing this. I mean, it's pretty crazy. Because if you texted Chris Bauer right now, he's like, no one saw this coming. And I would say if I'm the Texans, we'll see how Anthony Richardson, like, he's going to have to prove that he can stay on the field. You'd feel pretty good about your chances to, like,

run the division for some years coming up. Because let's face it, one of the Jags big moves. A couple years ago, they had the number one pick. Well, Bulkie tried to hit a home run with the D. Lyman. If he had taken Aiden Hutchinson, and I think we might look at the Jags a little different, right? They'd just be a little more complete. They're just not as good on defense, a little dependent on Trevor,

and Trevor can get rattled fast. I would say CJ's best characteristic, pretty hard to rattle the guy. I mean, it really is. I mean, unfaced. He's got that special quality of just, Jalen Hertz has it today, concussion comes back, he's like, this guy just flatliner. Purdy kind of has it.

It's a characteristic you kind of have to have, and he has it in spades. Okay, let's shift the college football. We have the playoff, Michigan, Washington, Texas, Bama. So Michigan is a two and a half point favorite against Alabama. I would probably take Michigan to win by a field goal. I think the number is right. I think it's very, very competitive.

I think Bama will have the inferior quarterback. I think this is the rare instance where Bama has the second most talent. I think Michigan's got an older football team with three or four guys that could have gone to the NFL came back. I think Michigan's got a complete chip on their shoulder. Now, Saban's been better in Bull games than Harbaugh, but Saban's lost a lot of bowl games too. So let's not kid ourselves. He's not Barry Alvarez or Urban Meyer and a bowl game or Pete Carroll.

He's not. I think I would take Michigan over Bama, but I think the number's right. It's a three-point game. What say you? Well, I think Harbaugh went to sleep last night and woke up praying for Florida State. Did you see the reaction? He, I mean, what would they have been, a 17-point favorite? He was praying, and their team, these guys aren't dummies.

So to get Sabin, there's an elephant in the room with Jim Harbaugh. He's lost a lot of big games, right? Like you said, Nick's lost in playoff games, but he's also won a few. And he's 11 and 1 in the SEC championship game. Like he owns Kirby, who had just won back-to-back national championships. That draw Sabin as the underdog, what did he just have? It's why I loved Alabama against Georgia. It's not like this Georgia team was the last two years,

and Sabin gets to play the underdog card. And it's not like he's playing some coach with three national championships on the wall. He's playing this guy that's never won a championship. And listen, Michigan's really good. I mean, their guard shattered his leg, who's an NFL player. But if you're going to lose a position, even if he's a team captain, you'd rather lose a guard than like a quarterback or the running back the way they play. I just, I mean, listen, Alabama's quarterback, you got to give it, he's improved dramatically. Oh, yeah. You know, his ability to make play just on the move, obviously he's got a huge arm throwing it down

the field. Famous defense is pretty good. You know, and let's face it, Ohio State's defense was pretty good, and it was hard for Michigan. So then you factor in, Sabin's better than Ryan Day. It's just going to be difficult. I'm with you. I would tend. I tend to just like these two underdogs. Now, it does feel like Harbaugh, and I'm a huge Harbaugh guy.

I've been falling him so closely. Honestly, I went to a game with my dad back in like 06 or 05 when they played UC Davis and he was the head coach at San Diego. My dad's like, Jim Harbaugh, former quarterback. His team hasn't lost. Josh Johnson. I mean, Jim Harbaugh dominates wherever you. but he's never won at all.

And it feels inevitable, right? Like with Andy Reid forever, it's like inevitably, it does kind of feel like, is this his year? But Bama, given that he could have got Florida stage who's on like their fourth quarterback, that's a pretty big swing. Now, it's not like they're playing this week,

you get a month. But I do think it's going to be pretty difficult. I do think there could be a moment because let's face it, the last two years. He got destroyed by Georgia a couple years. Now, that's aged well, that they had 75 pros. Last year was a pretty devastating loss, right, to TCU. that one did not age well.

I mean, that Michigan was, they had the same team. Like, I don't know if they would have beat Georgia, but they definitely should have been able to give them. You can't lose the TCU. So I just think there's just kind of, when I was a kid, you know, Steve Young, get the monkey off my back. I could finally win. Harbaugh kind of has that as a coach.

That's the only thing that makes me nervous about him. I would take Washington plus four and a half against Texas. They beat him in the Alamo Bowl. I think they can beat them outright. Now, I think Texas has the ability to lean on you a little bit of Texas plays with a lead. But Kalin DeBore, his teams tend to play well early. That game against Oregon, they were so clever. I mean, they played so fast. I think Washington has an outright chance to win here. Listen, I'm from that area. I looked at their roster before the season,

and I said it's an eight to nine win team. They're not spectacular at tight end running back. Very good old line, quarterback, wide receivers are special. But the defense has one or two NFL guys, not deep, not terribly fast at linebacker. just not special. But listen, if quarterback, weapons, O-line, and coaching means anything, and it's about 70% of the game now, and because they lead,

they have a good pass rush because they have an NFL edge. I think Washington has a chance to win here. I mean, I think, honestly, they could win the whole thing. I think their coach, I was thinking about this last night, really over the last 24 hours,

thinking about Kaelin. If I have an offensive coach, I wanted to be like this ultimate combination of an intellectual, right because you have to you're calling the plays you're scheming the offense but be a tough guy it's the question we have with Lincoln Riley like is his ethos tough enough

I'm not saying like they could win a fight like I'm not expecting you to be a tough like have to be Connor McGregor here but like is the ethos of you as a football coach a tough guy and you watched him go against Oregon and Ryan Grubb his offensive coordinator who makes two million dollars who Pac 12's dead now was the highest paid coordinator

in the history of the conference because Sabin wanted him last year that guy's a shooting star as well it's been his right hand man those guys are tough And they showed up to that Oregon game against Lannning and Tosh, who are tough guys, right? Defensive coordinators, you know, SEC guys. And they shoved them around a little bit. Now, their offense is predicated on the deep ball. But I watch Kalin DuBore and I just watch, remember Tedford in his heyday at Cal?

You're like, how's he doing this? Well, Kalin's a Tedford guy. You know, Chris Peterson, Jonathan Smith. They're all cut from this mold of their offensive minds, but they want to play tough-minded football. and I just think, listen, Sark, I've historically been a hater, his team's really good. That talent, I mean, I think it's the highest payroll in all college football, NIL money, and it shows. But I just, I'm giving, he's 102 and 11 as a head coach in his career. It's insane.

I know you're a Brian Kelly guy, and rightfully so, right, from that Division 2 in Michigan to Cincinnati or Central Michigan to Cincinnati. Kaelin-Dubour's got a similar trajectory of his career. I don't care if it's high school. I don't care if it's NIA. don't care if it's Fresno State or Washington. He's winning and he's winning big. And I don't care who he's coaching against. He's beating you. And that's, I think the guy is, you know, if Harbaal were to leave, if Ryan Day in a year gets fired. I mean, is this guy like, are we talking to top two or three coach in the country? Yeah, Washington has offered him

$8.5 million. He wants nine. He's going to get nine. No state, no state tax. Washington's got some pretty well-heeled boosters. You know, think about Washington's history. Every time they get the right coach. Don James national title. New Heisel, one Rose Bowls. Yeah. Peterson playoff, Kalin-Dabor playoff. Like, people lose sight. It's a great place. It's a great place to work. The stadium's arguably the best. Again, this is a Microsoft area. There's a lot of money in Seattle. This is a sophisticated city. So they're going to, he's going to be in the nine. Wouldn't Michigan, wouldn't Michigan though be very, if Harbaugh word is like, take the Raider job or whatever, wouldn't they be like, wouldn't he be their first call?

Oh, I think Kalin DeBore is the number one coach potentially, but I think Seattle's going to lock him up. I think Washington is going to completely lock him up. I mean, listen, if I was a wealthy guy and I could give money to Kalin DeBore, I would. I mean, that's how it's so special what he's done to the program. And the secret sauce to Washington is Chris Peterson's in the building. Yeah. Now, not that Kalin needs an advisor, but Chris is there to sort of synchronize any issues with a program. How good would it be if Sabin Sunday was in the program synchronizing things from behind the scene?

So it's, you know, Kalen runs the program, but Peterson, they have a new AD. Jen Cohen did a great job there. Now they have a new AD. It's a grown-up university without any flash. But that's what I'm saying. Like he's a Tedford guy. Well, Tedford started Chris Peterson. You know, they're all kind of interconnected.

They're all very similar. And they're all a lead at what they do. So it's sometimes, you remember when like Spruyer would be around or they'd be a guy and it would make people uncomfortable. Well, if you actually have a lot of similarities and you respect the guy, it works really well. And that's where, to me, the synchronization with the coaching staff, that win on Friday is one of the most impressive college football wins.

I mean, that Oregon team was completely rolling. Washington had out of sync, and Washington showed up to kick their ass. And Grub and Dubour against Dan Lanning, who's the apple of everybody's eye, he shoved him around a little bit. And listen, I think Dan Landings awesome. That program's going nowhere. Those two teams, the Big Ten, get ready because you got Ohio State and Michigan 2.0 coming in, ready to roll and recruiting, especially Oregon. That's the thing. It's going to be easier right for Oregon to kind of sustain it because those guys recruit so well. All right. Finally, I don't want to give it too much time. They're throwing a tantrum in Tallahassee. But to me, it's a threefold problem for Fuller State.

they're on a backup to a backup quarterback. You have to consider that. This is a beauty pageant. College football always has been. Secondly, the conference is weak. Louisville's an awful team. Awful. How Louisville is a six-place team in any other conference.

They just lost to Kentucky the previous week. And they got crushed by Pittsburgh. And the other thing is, you had an opportunity. I turned that game in to see you play. If you'd won 42-3, you'd be in. Yeah. You blew it. You can blame.

You can throw a tizzy. You can throw a tantrum. Everybody watched that game against weak Louisville to see how you'd perform. By the way, Michigan was already going to be in, and they didn't play particularly well, but they thumped Iowa. That was never competitive. So in the end, it's backup quarterback counts. Of course it does.

Listen, we've only got four spots in five conferences. They could all go undefeated. We've always known it's a beauty pageant. You're the ugliest team left. Sorry, Bama look good. Yeah, I mean, I think fair is the most overrated word in America and deserved ain't far behind it. I mean, welcome to the real world. There are 14-point underdog against Georgia.

You know the other reality is if Georgia had beat Alabama, they still wouldn't have been in. Texas is three. They would have put a one-win Texas team, and rightfully so. They would have been a 15 to 20-point underdog against all these teams. This is a television show. And listen, it'd be one thing if they had done it the right way, and they had won weird, but their starting quarterback. I would understand the argument,

and I think they probably would have got in with Jordan Travis. Here's the thing with Jordan Travis. It's not like they lost CJ Stroud or Trevor Lawrence. I mean, he's a fringe draftable player. So they were, as I texted a scouting director who went to some of their games, like they were barely beaten guys when they had him. They barely beat an eight and four Clemson team.

Like, they were holding on. Now, they have NFL talent, the wide receivers, the top 20 guy, the defensive end. But I have no problem. This is, who wanted to walk, beside Harbaugh in Michigan? again. Nobody wanted to, it wouldn't have been a fair fight. They would have got killed. I saw Herb Street, all these games historically have been blowouts. Finally, we have two games

that are, you know, one's a two and a half point spread. The other's a four and a half. And they all feel, is this the first time that you can remember that legitimately all four teams can win the national championship? Absolutely. You know, that never happens. So if Florida State would not only have no chance to win the national championship, I don't think they'd have any chance to keep it within like 20 in the first half. The quarterback yesterday got, you know, give the kid credit to a true freshman. What are we doing? The backup was like a fourth year or fifth year senior.

The dude that got knocked out the previous week was horrendous. We can't talk about nonstop. The sport is all about quarterbacks, all about quarterbacks, all about quarterbacks. And then you lose the quarterback. Then you lose another quarterback. Well, well, the resume. Well, none of those guys had anything to do with your big wins. It sucks.

I mean, I get it for the players. It would be shitty. Here's the other thing. Get out of the ACC. Haven't they wanted to do that for years? I think what's got to happen is because it's going to get ugly next year when the Big Ten and the SEC get nine of the 12. So the bitching a moment is not going to stop. Why don't we all just come under like the AFC and NFC, which is inevitably what's going to happen.

I know the television contract and the ACC is a little weird. But like next year, like how many teams are the Big 12 going to deserve? Right. Maybe one. So this is the quality of college sports has never been that way. That's what makes the NCAA tournament kind of unique because it's a one-off. But in college football, the SEC. and really Ohio State and Michigan, in my opinion,

pay the bills for the sports. So yeah, they get preferential treatment. I remember years ago I had a speech. Pat Hayden at USC invited me and Tom Brady's agent Don Yee. So Don Yee and I went and it was the LA Convention Center, I believe, and there were like 150 to 200 athletic directors.

And Don and I were under the belief. Don's idea was privatized football. It's just separate. It pays all the bills, privatize it. And then you have to, have the rush to the athletic department. Like they wouldn't go to school? Or they would just be like basically...

Well, you could go to school, but it wouldn't be under the auspices of the NCAA or the athletic... You just privatize it, right? You go to your top five boosters, your top ten boosters, and it's a private enterprise. So it's not under Title IX or anything. The networks fund it, right? Yep. Which is basically semi what they're doing now. Yeah.

And so an athletic director raised their hand. It was from some small school. what about blankety blank state? You know, it was some small school. And I said, and it was unpopular, I imagine, to a group. I said, what about it? You don't pay any of the bills. I said, if I pay for the wedding, I make up the seating chart.

I'm paying for the wedding. The football pays for everything. Volleyball gets an opinion. You lose money. And it's like for all these conferences and all these people getting, well, Fox and ESPN, they pay all the bills. March Madness, Fox and ESPN pay all the bills and football. So they're going to do the seating chart. So my takeaway is of the 12 teams in the playoff starting next year is that you're going to have, I would say, four Big Ten, four SEC, eight of the 12. And then you can figure out where you want them. But it's better football. Like people don't understand, I think you do.

Oregon and Washington will be, along with Michigan, Ohio State. That's the four best programs in that conference with obviously the sleeping giant USC, very viable. Penn State's also reasonable. But it'll be a six team, those six teams will vie every year to get into the tournament. Two will be left out, four will get in. And just like the SEC, it'll be LSU, Bama, Georgia at the top. And then you'll have your Florida's, you know, Oklahoma, Texas.

Yeah, Texas will probably be near the top. And I'm okay with it, John, because again, they're paying all the bills, they recruit better players, they have more NFL bodies. I don't lose any sleep over this stuff. Well, in two or three years, you know, forever it's always been the SEC has produced the most NFL players in every draft. What's it going to look like in 2006, the amount of NFL players coming from the SEC and the Big Ten to the other conferences? It's going to be, the pendulum is going to swing even so much farther. Look at how many guys that have transferred from smaller schools and have gone to the bigger conference. and played well, it changed their life.

Jane Daniels is a good example. No one watched him play. His games were irrelevant. His as a player went to LSU a couple years later, might win the Heism, become a first round pick. Cam Ward's going to fall under that. And listen, I feel sympathy for Oregon State and Washington State because they did try. Like, they really tried.

They're just, their markets and the way everything broke, they got screwed. And they're going to go from like $35 million to $5 million. But in the grand scheme of things, they don't really matter. Like, they matter to me because I've been watching the programs, but no one noticed this weekend. And no one's going to notice next year moving forward beside people close to that program. Listen, I got my football start at Fresno State.

My personal theory, I think a lot of the mountain west and even potentially some of these teams that aren't able as realignment continues to grow over the next five to 10 years into the one kind of major conference with the two separations, I think everyone's essentially going to become like, if you're either in that or you're like Montana, UC Davis, that's what Fresno State and Oregon State, because financially, no one's watching those games.

No one's, he can't keep up with the Joneses. I have the thought, like if you're an assistant coach, like Ryan Grub, the Washington guy, I would only take Power 5 jobs. And really, I'd only take an SEC and a Big 10 job. I would not take Fresno State or Boise State. I wouldn't even mess with those programs. It's impossible nowadays. Jonathan Smith, leaving his alma mater to coach Michigan State.

Yeah. Tells you the future of college. Jonathan, I covered him. I covered him, interviewed him as a super smart guy. he left. See how much money they paid him? Like it's $7.5.8 million a year. You know, Oregon State was going above and beyond giving them like five. I mean, they can't. Michigan State is a program in shambles. And they're like, how much you want. We just got a situation with a $90 million coach. We're trying to figure that one out. You know, the money flowing into those two conferences. The NIL, some of these stories I've heard, I mean, the amount of money they have, it's only going to grow. Right. So the program,

the moment I want your player, even if you're a mid-tier Power 5 program. And I'm Georgia and I'm LSU and I'm Michigan, Ohio State. It becomes baseball a little bit. The Yankees, the Dodgers, they're at such a huge. It doesn't mean Tampa Bay Rays, a team can't figure it out. But it's very, very difficult in football. John Middilkoff, former scout, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, three-and-out podcast. Good stuff as always, buddy.

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