The Herd with Colin Cowherd - THE HERD - Hour 1 - Indiana winning the National Championship is a great story, Sean McDermott why the Bills fired, Urban Meyer

Episode Date: January 20, 2026

Colin discusses Indiana winning the College Football National Championship in one of the more remarkable stories in sports going from losingest program in college football to the number 1 team in the country. He looks at the Bills after firing head coach Sean McDermott and why the move makes sense despite making the playoffs in 7 straight seasons Colin talks to Urban Meyer about Indiana beating Miami for the National Championship, the Indiana program, Fernando Mendoza, and moreSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick.

Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you. you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis keep coming to. He's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the I Heart

Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your husband is not who you think he is. Your body is not what you thought it was. Your identity is formed by a secret history. I'm Danny Shapiro. And these are just a few of the stunning stories I'll be exploring on the 14th season of Family Secrets. He kind of shoved me out of the way and said, move.

And he went out the front door and he jumped in a car and drove off. And that was the last time I saw him. Listen to Season 14 of Family Secrets on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Here's something that should not be as complicated as it is, getting a racist statue removed. And here's something that should be a whole lot easier than it is, getting a new one put up in its place.

I'm Akela Hughes, and Rebel Spirit Season 2 is about both of those things. As I was watching these statues come down, I was thinking about what it meant that I grew up in a majority black city in which there were more homages to enslavers than there were to enslave people. Listen to Rebel Spirit season two on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

Listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go on a Tuesday with all sorts of activity in the coaching industry in the National Football League. We are live or in Chicago. It's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, whatever the platform, thanks for making us part of your day. Well, I was like many of you, most of you watching a sports talk show. I sat and watched Indiana, Miami last night. Not only the first 16 and 0 team,

but for the first time I ever remember watching a national championship in college football, it felt like 50% NFL, and I am here for it. College football rosters are getting older, wiser. Miami's D-Line and O-line, those are NFL bodies. Miami's got a defensive lineman about to. turn 25. Indiana, by design, is a roster filled with mature 22 and 23-year-olds, both quarterbacks, three-year starters. That's why Indiana plays such mistake-free football. It's an older, smarter roster. What last night allows is more sophisticated defenses. Miami's doing part

zone, part man-to-man on the same play. You've got Indiana never fumbles, never fumbles, no errant snaps, they don't throw interceptions, they rarely get penalized. Defenses, offenses, much more sophisticated. That's why Sunday football has always been three times to four times higher rated than college football. College football can be regional and provincial and full of mistakes. It's rare that you see a good college program with even decent special teams. But college football has officially grown up and, Last night felt different.

Three-year starters at quarterback. Players getting paid. Players staying in college longer. That's never a bad thing. And the product on the field, to me, reflects it. Georgia won a national title in the early 80s and completed one pass. No, thank you. Not interested.

The SEC, which has now fallen behind the Big Ten, Notre Dame and Miami, has always felt two ground and pound. Ole Miss is the new way to win. A lot of offense, a lot of movement, some trickery, and score points. Last night, three of Indiana's biggest plays came after Kurt Signetti timeouts, very NFL feeling. Fernando Mendoza on that TD run talked about expecting a zone, seeing man to man. It was a little of both. And like Andrew Luck, Elway, Josh Allen, put his head down, got hammered, and scored that touchdown. I don't know.

Indiana to me is absolutely great for college football. It's a football-starved Midwest-based alumni, huge alumni that has always been in the shadow of an Ohio state, a Michigan, a Penn State, a Wisconsin, and Iowa for football. To me, Indiana is a shining beacon of hope. If you get the coach right, you got a couple of well-heeled NIL boosters. don't need five-star recruits. It'd be nice going forward to have some, but suddenly you look around if you get the coach right with the NIL and transfer portal, and you ask yourself, why not us? The Indiana football story was not possible pre-Portle.

It was not possible pre-NIL. You couldn't have done this. Now, you've got to get the coach right. And Kurt Signetti is like Nick Sabin without the charm. and a little bit of a sense of humor. He's got neither. He is dead serious. He is all business.

And the truth is, Sabin got funnier and more charming after the rebuild was complete at Alabama. This is probably right now for this time what the Hoosiers need. But last night was also what college football needed. A new story, a new champion, a new way of doing business. That is the greatest script ever written. in the history of college football. It was so totally cool and so totally 16 and 0 perfect.

Indiana deserved every part of last night with this coach, the big boosters, they're going absolutely nowhere. Ask yourself, are you the next Indiana? Why not Purdue? Why not Michigan State? why not Kentucky football? Why not us? Here's the humorless head coach

as brilliant as he is after. It's a great thing. Indiana, winning a national championship two years into our tenure. You do it with people and a plan. Can't say enough about our senior leadership and the people we have in the locker room and the people we have on our staff.

And we're 16 and 0 and we're, I guess we're 27 and 2 since Indiana, but we're 16 and no. Sixteen. National champions at Indiana University, which I know a lot of people thought was never possible. A couple more natties and my guess, he'll crack more regularly a smile. There's a lot of tension in Buffalo today. Buffalo is one of those great American cities where people, despite the snow drifts are proud of being from there.

Buffalo has been a winning NFL city for a couple different stretches in my lifetime and probably yours. The Marv Levy, Jim Kelly years, and now the Josh Allen, Sean McDermott years. And now he's gone. And the tension is because Brandon being the general manager since Josh Allen arrived has what, 56 draft picks, two pro bowlers.

is he, as many are claiming, kind of a suck-up to the owner? I was told months ago, he's more of a cap guy than a personnel guy. He's a smart guy. Got a little bit of an ego. But Buffalo fans and media are a little bit tense today because of the firing. But let me just say this. It's easy to do the Pittsburgh thing. Hey, we're over 500.

A playoff wins are overrated. It's hard to do what Buffalo did. Sean McDermott was well-liked and respected, 98 and 50 with eight playoff wins. They just couldn't beat Mahomes and Andy Reid. Join the club. What probably was his undoing, because we all thought he was safe after beating Jacksonville in Jacksonville, a very good team. According to Vic Carucci, a respected reporter covering the bills for a long time, five weeks ago, McDermott met with Brandon Bean and the owner.

McDermott and this takes some guts sat down with his two bosses and said I don't think we have enough all-star level, pro-bowl level talent to win a Super Bowl. According to Vic Carucci,

it did not go over well. And I will say this. Buffalo found ways to lose every January. They couldn't get the tush push right. That was a year ago. the 13-second loss. This year, five turnovers in complaining about officiating as Bo Nix was more efficient than

Josh Allen. But Dallas and Jerry Jones, it appears, will no longer pay top dollar for a head coach, and Pittsburgh, it appeared forever, was not willing to move off a coach who couldn't win playoff games. And as far as I can tell, Buffalo is willing to do both. So in their last six playoff exits, you can blame Brandon Bean, you can blame Sean McDermott. In their last six playoff exits with a defensive coach, and now a Bosa, and previously a Vaughn Miller, they're allowing on average 33 points per game in losses.

So you can blame whoever you want. Something had to change. You may not like the GM. Maybe you'll miss the head coach, but they're willing. to take a swing. It's so much easier to do the Pittsburgh thing. Nobody's offended. Everybody in the building is happy. Yes, people from the outside, the dark side may criticize the Steelers, but hey, we do what we do. Buffalo's a small town. They're taking a big swing. I respect it. Albert Brewer yesterday on the move. There was a different feel in that building the last couple of months,

more tension, I think more pressure on everybody. They realize that they've got in front of them, the opportunity that Josh Allen as a quarterback gives them. And I think some of that spilled out, Colin, after the game on Saturday. Yeah, and listen, I understand the tension, but, you know, Jerry Jones is ironic because he always talks about every time he seeks a bargain, that's exactly what he gets. And I feel like Jerry Jones should listen to his own words. it feels like he's always trying to get a bargain at head coach.

Look around the playoffs. No Mahomes, no Alan, no Lamar, no Burrow. Once you pay that star quarterback, it doesn't matter if Andy reads your coach. It's hard to be great. Buffalo is suffering through what the Chiefs, what Cincinnati, what a lot of these,

highly compensated quarterback franchises are struggling with. Their roster's got some holes. Buffalo does, Chiefs do, right? The difference is one of those franchises has the trophies. But they're not just going to sit here, and they're going to make a move, and you don't have to love the GM. But by and large, when we think about the Buffalo bills over the last seven, eight, nine years, you know what we think?

smartly owned, great quarterback, pretty well run. That's why so many people are uncomfortable with the McDermott stuff, because he was a really good coach. You didn't swing and miss on four. You swung and connected on one, but it is time. And it is the kind of thing that can make the smaller town that doesn't love change a little uncomfortable. But I think it's the right move.

I got to tell you, J. Mac, watching that game last night, Robert Salah got the Titans job. We'll talk more about that. As I was watching that game last night, I am not saying Andrew Luck is John Elway or Andrew Luck, the two best quarterback prospects ever out of college. If you talk to longtime NFL guys, those are great prospects. But Fernando Mendoza on that touchdown run,

that looked like Andrew Luck. That means that was, Andrew Luck is one of those guys, big thick kid who actually seeks. Remember you used to always say, I don't feel like the game starts until I get popped. Mendoza similarly, multiple times this year. Lipp is bloodied, off the field, back on. Like that run, that was so Andrew Luck. I mean, it was, it had a Josh Allen, Andrew Luckfield, and I'm not, he's not that kind of prospect. He's a very good prospect. He's not that level of prospect. But that run was, I mean, if you were on the fence on Fernandez, Mendoza, after that run, tear the fence down.

He's the number one pick. I think Tommy Frazier of Nebraska had an incredible run against Florida national championship. Remember that? Okay. This was to me, like, the equivalent of that. It was a big play, fourth down. But here's the other thing, Mendoza, I don't even think he had 200 yards passing, Colin. Yeah.

But it was the important passes he needed. Third and seven. Boom, got it. Fourth and five, got it. I'm just telling you, man, I said a couple weeks ago, I see a young Tom Brady, not soup, Seven Super Bowl Brady. But like in the pocket, takes the hits, keeps on ticking. This guy's a winner, man.

If I'm the Jets, I have to at least think about trading up or trying to for him. And I know Raiders fans are going to say, no way. But that kid looks special, man. He's got everything you want a quarterback. Yeah. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHeart Radio app. Hey, is Kavino and Rick from Fox Sports Radio.

Now, in addition to hearing us live weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio, we're excited to announce a brand new YouTube channel for the show. Yep, that's right. You can now watch Covino & Rich Live on YouTube every day. All you got to do, search Covino and Rich FSR on YouTube. Again, go to YouTube, search Covino and Rich FSR. Check us out on YouTube, subscribe, hit that thumbs up icon, and comment away. Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news.

What's the news? Huge news. We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a... We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts.

We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Oh, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of... of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down?

Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Keith Gianmanca seemed like a mild-mannered, suburban dad. But secretly, he became someone else, a master of disguise who went on a crime spree. At the time, did it seem like a crazy idea? It seemed very crazy. But I felt so desperate that I felt it was the quickest, easiest way out. Did you allow yourself to think about how it could go wrong on what that might look like? No, I didn't want to manifest that. I was trying to manifest

success. Every family has its secrets. But what happens when you discover that your dad has been living a double life? That is not the look of an innocent man. This is going to change my life and my family dynamic forever because everything that had existed prior in my reality is now untrue. Listen to Deep Cover the Family Man on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Here's something that should not be as complicated as it is, getting a racist statue removed. And here's something that should be a whole lot easier than it is, getting a new one put up in its place. As long as there's a politics of race in America, there's going to be a politics of remembering the Civil War. To get to school, I had to go down Robert Lee Boulevard.

Get to the grocery store. I had to go down Jefferson Davis Parkway. If you're an historian and you leave out half of what the history is, you're not doing your job. I'm Akila Hughes, in Rebel Spirit Season 2 goes deep on both of those things. The fights, the politics, the people who won, and my personal campaign to add something to the Kentucky State House that's actually worth the wall space. We are more than our bodies. We contain essence.

We contain spirit. How do you represent that? They are just fueling a fire that is really catching. You'll see what I mean. Listen to Rebel Spirit Season 2 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you're watching the latest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, you already know there's a lot to break down. Gorsha accusing Kelly of sleeping with a merry man.

They holding Kay Michelle back from fighting Drew. Pinky has financial issues. I like the bougie style of Housewives show. I think it looks like it's going to be interesting. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows, including the Real House Wise franchise, the drama. The alliances and the T, everybody's talking about. As an executive producer in reality television, I'm not just watching it. I understand the game.

As somebody who creates shows, I'll even say this. At the end of the day, when people are at home, they want entertainment. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Here's what the SEC should truly be concerned about. Miami and Notre Dame. They're not in the Big Ten. Maybe the two best recruiters in the country is coaches, two unique but magnificent college football brands,

and both with massive NIL checkbooks. We all know the Big Ten is separated. They'll be favored to win the Natty next year. They already are. But with Mario Cristobal, you're getting a highly aggressive NIL a highly aggressive transfer portal team. And Dade and Broward County,

probably the richest counties in the country for high school football recruiting. And Christobal has made it his sole purpose to build a fence around Dade and Broward. And he is an unbelievable recruiter. So adding to that, Miami's economy is on fire. It is the fastest growing,

tech startup city in the country. Translation, there is an ocean of cash in Miami now, and they want to spend it, and a lot of people want to spend it on the U. It is their college program of choice. So the consensus for 2026 recruiting, Mario Cristobal and Miami, and they're just starting had a better class than Florida or LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, USC bought better classes than anybody not named Alabama.

Bama had a good one. But for the record, Miami's now going to buy Duke's quarterback reportedly. He's good. He'll get better surrounded by Sunday bodies. So the new reality of college football, if you look at the odds, it is not just the Big Ten. It is Miami and Notre Dame are going to be a major problem. the top five odds to win next year, the only SEC team is Texas, and that is oil money.

And the reason Texas is even in there, reportedly spending $40 million on next year's roster. So my takeaway, the three best teams I saw play this year, if I had a vote today, number one, Indiana, number two, Miami, and number three, Ohio State. nobody in the SEC felt like this physically punishing

relentless defenses here's Mario Cristobal after the loss got to a playoffs for the first time in Miami history and then beat four top 10 teams beat seven top 25 teams won the Fiesta Bowl

won the Cotton Bowl and you know what I'll take full blame for it we're one drive short of winning the national championship so I don't see anything negative, but I do see pain in moments like this, and we should, if we're a competitor that's worth anything. You feel it, and you use it, and you give those feelings a direction. I know the guys coming back will, and I know that the guys moving on will also use that

as fuel. Hard enough to beat Indiana, probably not going to do it if you get a punt blocked and it becomes a touchdown for the Hoosiers, but I thought Miami played great. I think they played a smartly coach physical game with the kind of skill players that can beat Indiana. The only two teams I watched play Indiana this year was not Alabama. I can assure you that. The only two teams that matched up with Indiana, Ohio State and Miami, and a lot of it was the checkbook. Sorry, a lot of it was the checkbook.

Good coaching. Good quarterback play. This is now a very administrative business. A little NFL, a lot NFL, but Miami and Ohio State came the closest, and it started with grabbing a pen and signing a check. J. Mac with the news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right, let's dive right into the NFL head coaching situation.

The carousel is spinning wildly, Colin, yesterday. Jeff Halfley from the Packers landed with the Miami Dolphins. Miami fans are non-pulsed. Did I say that right? Non-plussed by the higher Halfley. You know, he's fine, but he doesn't bring Micah Parsons with him. Meanwhile, overnight, there was a big one that Tennessee Titans got Robert Sala from the Niners. This is being Bally who does a big time get.

They're curious to see who his offensive coordinator will be. A lot of chatter about Mike McDaniel. That would be a good hire. To me, Sala was the best defensive coordinator this year. Mike McDaniel by next year, would be a top two to three offensive coordinator. You could do far worse than Saul and Mike McDaniel. And McDaniel now has head coaching experience.

I think that always helps for a coordinator. They sort of understand the macro day-to-day play-to-play, understanding a coach has to deal with. I think Tennessee, they didn't get a John Harbaugh or a Stefanski necessarily, but Sala and Mike McDaniel, those, I mean, listen, remember, they work together. Sala knows he's from the San Francisco tree. The only problem with that is if McDaniel absolutely cooks and is awesome and Cam Ward is great, McDaniel's going to get a head coaching job.

And so now you're going for a third straight offensive coordinator. But that's kind of the world. That's the way it works, right, Colin? If you hire a defensive coach and you've got a great offensive coordinator, he's going to be in demand if he does well. Well, when a head coach thinks he's going to be retained and gets fired, it can leave a sour taste in your mouth. There are also worse places to live in America in Nashville, Tennessee.

It's a great, great place to live. And if you start winning for the first time consistently since Vrable, I can see Mike McDaniels saying, dude, I'll sign a long pack here. And I also think Mike McDaniel's quirky. He's not Campbell or Vrable or Sala. He was a quirky hire. I don't think he should have taken most of the blame. That's more too in the GM.

But I don't think everybody's going to be lining up for Mike McDaniel. Daniel, I think he could go there for four years, and he and Robert Sala could win that division multiple times. Well, there's a lot of chatter. Tampa Bay wants him. He likes Florida, the weather. Might want to stay in Tampa. I'll just say this about Sala.

They've got a couple defensive pieces on the line, Jeffrey Simmons and a young kid from Texas. Other than that, there's not a lot. There's a lot of rebuilding to do, but we just saw Sala with very little do a great job in San Francisco. I will just say, here are the head coaching openings still available. Pittsburgh Steelers. Wow. Baltimore Ravens, good job.

We know that. Raiders is open. Cardinals, Browns, and Bills. I think the bills probably get their choice of guy. I'm going to guess they're going to stay with Joe Brady. Would you agree? The O.C.? I don't know.

I think, oh, very interesting. How about this? Can you rank the seven vacancies for me? We'll just give you bills at one, and I guess Ravens at two because they have Lamar. What's three on that list? Is it Raiders? because of Mendoza?

You know, they've been so dysfunctional, but if you give me Mendoza, Brock Bowers, Ashton, Genty, and I just have to clean up, the defense was okay. If I have to clean up the offensive line, I think the Raiders are very interesting. So the Raiders are a better job right now than the Steelers?

Pittsburgh fans don't want to hear this, Colin. They don't right now. They don't have. Now, now, the Steelers have a lot of interesting draft picks. they also may move up to get Ty Simpson, who appears to be clearly the number two quarterback. So let's wait post-draft. The Steelers could look like a mess today, but if they get the coach they want and they get Ty Simpson, you know, whose viewed as kind of a late first-round quarterback,

then maybe I don't feel that way. I would say the Steelers have not really been in the Let's Find a New Coach business for a long time. So this is all very, very new for them. Yeah. All right. Let's move on to Matt Stafford and the Rams. They're playing Seattle in the NFC championship game. It's on Fox this weekend.

Stafford will turn 38 a day before the Super Bowl, Colin, and was asked if he considers this his last shot at winning it all. I try not to think about that kind of stuff. I just try to enjoy the team that I'm on and the moment that I'm in. I love coming to work. I love the group that we get to do it with. These, like I said, opportunities don't come every single year. So I just try to live in them and cherish.

from when they're here. I sure hope it's not my last opportunity, but we'll see. You never know. Take these games and these seasons one at a time and figure it out from there. But I just know that I'm happy, you know, happy in the moment that I am right now doing what I'm doing. Well, here's the thing. I've thought a lot about this. They have two first round picks, a second, a third, couple of fifths, a couple of sixth, couple of sevenths. What if you go to Stafford? Because, you know, the contract now, you go to Stafford and say, listen, Listen, we're not going to draft a starting quarterback. It's not a good class.

We may draft a quarterback with one of our fifth round picks. But what we're going to do if you take the kind of deal that we'd like you to take, any extension, our two first, we'll go get a tackle, a corner, a star-wide receiver, that we're going to take our elite picks and go one more great year with you. He'll probably want a two-year deal. But I could see them saying, listen, we're not going to go get a quarterback. Don't worry about that. We'll keep Garoppola. We got Stetson Bennett. It's not a good quarterback class.

We don't really like anybody, but maybe Mendoza. And we're just going to take all these top picks. And we're going to make the O-line better and the secondary better. And we're going to make another Super Bowl run. Now, the following draft, Matt, we are going to go get a quarterback. Our scouting department likes it. But I've thought about this. If you're the Rams and you're trying to get, because to me, Stafford's now a top five quarterback,

he's been healthy this year. He's playing great. The symmetry with him and McVeigh is amazing. All these skill people. I can see the Rams. Rams going, hey, we don't like any of the core. We don't give up six picks to go get Ty Simpson and just say, the reality is we'll load up for one more Super Bowl run.

We'll attack all of our deficiencies, tackle, corner. I could see the Rams doing that. If you're looking for best storyline left in the playoffs, it would be Stafford winning another Super Bowl. I think that's undeniable. I know people are all aboard the Drake May train. He's got 15 more years. Sam Darnold's, you know, reinvention stories, excellent.

Stafford is the man. And Colin, I'm surprised. Even out here in L.A., you know, talk to people in the building. They're not giving the Rams a chance. Nobody is. This is people living in Los Angeles think, oh, Seattle, it's a rap. Everybody on your Seahawks. Hmm.

Any read on how that you think that's going to go there? Big guy, you know where I'm leaning. I don't think the Rams can play as perfectly as they played in Chicago. No drop passes, no penalties, no picks. And I think Seattle's better than Chicago, and that game went overtime. Seattle should be favored. But last weekend, fewer turnovers won every game. And Seattle is more reckless than the Rams.

Rams play at their best, nearly perfect football. I mean, I mean, no penalties or one penalty. They just don't get penalized. And so I don't think they can duplicate the efficiency of last week, because I think Seattle's defense forces you into more mistakes, penalties, and turnovers to not have a drop pass in that Chicago weather. That's incredible. So I don't think they'll be as clean,

but I do think they have what you need to beat Seattle, and that is a defense that will speed Sam Darnold up, and that's the way to beat Seattle. Force Sam into a couple reckless throws, because you're not just going straight up on Seattle. You've got to make them uncomfortable, because the Seahawks make everybody else uncomfortable when you watch them play.

They make Christian McCaffrey disappear. So you have to make Seattle a little uncomfortable. And I think the Rams are one of the few teams that can do that with their defensive front. Do you remember that Thursday night game, what, six weeks ago? Rams did whatever they wanted for three and a half quarters until the punt return triggered some wackiness. You know, Seahawks, big edge special teams. Big edge special teams. Yes, for sure.

Final story, Colin, is to the NBA where NBA All-Star voting is complete. And LeBron's streak of being a starter for 21 straight. years is over. He was edged out by young bucks like Wembe, Yokic, SGA, and Luca Donchich in the West starting five. I know a lot of people are making a big deal out of this. I'll remind everybody when Michael Jordan was in his final year with the Wizards, age 39. He was not voted an all-star starter. Vince Carter gave up his spot so Jordan could get it. I don't think this is a huge story. It's a young man's game. And LeBron, you know, got missed a couple games early, first 14. He's got good numbers. He's average of 23, 6 and 6 or whatever. LeBron is not an NBA starter any longer.

All-Star starter. He's not. You look at these players, you know, the kid that doesn't get a lot of press because it's the pest of Cade Cunningham is a great player. He's awesome. He is a great, great player. And, you know, you get one superstar, the right coach and some complimentary pieces. Detroit has every opportunity to win the East. As long as Jason Tatum and is out, right, for the year, keep your eye on the pistons. So I'm just curious, do you see a situation where Luca says, LeBron, hey man, you're the man, love you, bro. You can have my starting spot in the All-Star game.

Do you think Luca or anyone would do that? Listen, I think this whole, you know, LeBron's situation with his agent, I think it's a little tense because these new owners, they don't care. They're not beholden to any great fading star. This franchise is Luca Furr. First, JJ Reddick, second, Austin Reeves, third.

Everybody else, you can move those chairs. Everybody else, including LeBron. J. Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. I will defend the NFL getting rid, dismissing for the time being. Many of them will get second chances.

Ten coaches. Urban Meyer right around the corner on what he witnessed last night. Can Indiana keep doing this? I mean, they had the 60th best recruiting class. Won't it get better, Bloomington tonight's town? They got NIL money. What to make of Indiana? Is it a one-off?

They can't do this again, right? Or can they? Urban Meyerneck. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's us, the Jonas brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, huge news?

We created our own podcast called, Oh, hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special.

So how did we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Oh, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band. Before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this.

We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

Keith Giamanka seemed like a mild-mannered suburban dad. But secretly, he became someone else, a master of disguise who went on a crime speech. At the time, did it seem like a crazy idea? It seemed very crazy. But I felt so desperate that I felt it was the quickest, easiest way out. Did you allow yourself to think about how it could go wrong on what that might look like? No.

I didn't want to manifest that. I was trying to manifest success. Every family has its secrets. But what happens when you discover that your dad, has been living a double life. That is not the look of an innocent man. This is going to change my life and my family dynamic forever because everything that had existed prior in my reality is now untrue.

Listen to Deep Cover the Family Man on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Here's something that should not be as complicated as it is, getting a racist statue removed. And here's something that should be a whole lot easier than it is, getting a new one put up in its place. As long as there's a politics of race in America, there's going to be a politics of remembering the Civil War. To get to school, I had to go down Robert Lee Boulevard. Get to the grocery store, I had to go down Jefferson Davis Parkway.

If you're an historian and you leave out half of what the history is, you're not doing your job. I'm Akila Hughes, and Rebel Spirit Season 2 goes deep on both of those things. The fights, the politics, the people who won, and my purpose. personal campaign to add something to the Kentucky State House that's actually worth the wall space. We are more than our bodies. We contain essence. We contain spirit. How do you represent that? They are just fueling a fire that is really catching. You'll see what I mean. Listen to Rebel Spirit Season 2 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jared Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet.

Help! Somebody! But there's so much more to me than that. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian, and recently I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice.

Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Oh, cream of chicken suit. Hey, cream, cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrite as part of the Mike Coutura Podcast Network available on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

All right, welcome back. Well, I, listen, in terms of talent. Miami had more Sunday NFL bodies in terms of efficiency. Indiana is one of the best teams I've ever seen. Urban Meyer, three-time national champ, two at Florida, one with the Buckeyes, three-time coach of the year. Fox Sports is joining us. So let's start with this.

What was your big takeaway from the game? First of all, great show, great environment. That's what makes college football is what it is. I was with Tebow, and we stood about 15 yards away from where he threw the jump. pass in 08 so just great memories and but i'm telling you this miami outfit uh they're not going away that that on paper miami had a roster that i stood next to miami and watched them warm up that was every bit of the old scc dominant looking team uh but indiana football it uh right up there with the vincian rung and the tibo jump pass and some of the other iconic moments the fourth and five qb draw

and I'm launching, so I can't wait to see the bronze statue in Bloomington of Mendoza diving across the end zone. And one of the great all-around football teams in college football history, incredible, incredible night. I said this, because the NIL is keeping more and more kids in college for a year, that the game is getting older, and because of that, it's getting smarter, you can, you're dealing with 23 and 24-year-olds. Miami's got a guy that's going to be 25. And to me, it's a little more pro football, which people can be uncomfortable with. But the quality of defenses, the quality, the layering of the offenses in college football last night, Urban, that felt 30% pro football. The quality of coaching and play and bodies, I thought it was a spectacular showcase of talent, coaching, and maturity. Yeah, I was with Eric Shanks, too, obviously, the boss at Fox.

And he mentioned this. He said all the chaos that's going on in college football, all the negativity about NIL, this, this. He looked at me, he goes, keep bringing in the chaos. It's never been better. College football, arguably, has never been better for a lot of the reasons you just said. Kids are grad, I mean, how about this, dad? I want to say it's an 80% jump in kids graduates playing college football. Yeah.

So they are graduating. It's a phenomenal story. And you're seeing, you know who's going to watch for Oregon next year? They're going to follow the same temper. plate that the Wolverines did, Ohio State did, and now Indiana did, where you're having grown-ass men. You've got grown men in that locker room instead of the eight-year, you're counting on, you used to count. I used to count on 17, 18, 19-year-olds. These are 24-year-olds. So it's a, it's a phenomenon that's really great to watch. So Indiana has been doing it with a lot

of three-star guys. Now, now everybody will say, myself included, well, Mark Cuban now is on board. they can go get five-star guys. But I would say they just won a nanny, went 60 to know with three-star guys. Does Kurt Signetti have to be careful to keep this culture, which is very much team first, but listen,

if you get a five-star left tackle, take him. But would you be a little concerned that the culture could veer off if you do start getting opportunities to find five-star kids everywhere? You know, the great story was back with Michigan State under Dan Tonius.

and defense coordinator Pat and Arduzzi. And I talked to one time about that. And they were, them in Wisconsin back in the day were the best in the business in Utah, Kyle Winningham, taking that three-star guy and making them an NFL player. And then Michigan State started winning, went to the Rose Bowl, won the Rose Bowl,

and now all of a sudden they're getting the highly, highly, highly recruited guys to either for visit or sometimes come and you start to lose a little bit of that underdog, we're the misfits, we're going to just out, you know, outwork you. So I think they've got to be very cautious. And I think the other thing he's got to be aware of, he's going to start losing that staff. Yeah.

Those two coordinators, how they're not head coaches yet, they are, what they've done there, if there's ever more deserving of two coordinators that belong to be a head coach, it's Shanahan and Haynes, a two offensive defense coordinator in Indiana. I'll tell you, And I know people, they don't want to hear this, but for years and years, I said even when I worked here at Fox, which has a big 10 deal, I'm like, the games down South look different. They're bigger, faster.

Well, Ohio State last year, Michigan the year before, Miami, the SEC doesn't look the same. Alabama and Georgia do not look the same. Ole Miss, with that offense and all that movement and creativity, that to me is. the future of college football in the south can we now say definitively and it maybe the gap's not huge but it does feel like big 10 football oh hi look at all the quarterbacks coming back next year my yava dante more julian sand it just feels like the big 10's better my eyes that's what that's what it tells me what does it tell you i think that the the wolferings in it and and ohio state prove that the big 10 is better at the highest level but what's happened Colin now there's depth and there's

been depth in the Big Ten. It used to be the big two and little eight back when I grew up. Now all of a sudden you got Indiana, Oregon, and you're not even counting the Wisconsin's in Michigan States who used to be very good. Penn State was down. The Wolverines were down. So, yeah, I think it's not only the top now, and this is actually so hard to believe, the depth of the Big Ten is greater than that of the SEC. Look how good Illinois was this year. Seriously? They beat the hell out of, I think, Tennessee, and then Iowa beats Vanderbilt. Yeah, I think the shift, and I think Saban or someone said, the reason is, is they're paying kids to go up north now. They are.

What do you make of Fernando Mendoza? Is there any, I mean, you know what, it's, he's got, how about this, he's got Tebow Software, but Andrew Luck Hardware, is that he's got all the intangible, that Tebow had humility and decency and just this commitment to the game. But he's got a little Andrew Luck. He's just big, strong arm. I mean, who would you, who does he remind you of? I think Tebow, in a lot of ways, just because I know the kid now, he was on our podcast. We covered him so many.

I text with a guy all the time. He's the most respectful kid. You know, it just reminds me of Tim. And then you watch him play, and he throws his body around. So I would say that here's what's interesting. scene too, Colin, is that, you know, mid-season, Todd McShay, myself, we just were talking and on air somewhere, and I think his podcast, we all felt he needed one more year because there was a time to start the season, he was okay. Even mid-season, just okay. And then he won on a five-game run

that made him a bunch of money to be the number one pick. He won the Heisman and now a national champion. He'll go down is one of the great stories. And I didn't believe he was a, ready to go the NFL, I do now. What he's done the last five weeks, you know, he's going to go to the Raiders, I'm sure, and they're going to try to build a franchise around the guy. And I would not bet against what I've witnessed and up close and got to know this guy,

I would not bet against that cat now. Let's give Miami a little love. In that second half, Urban, they looked apart. That was, I mean, Indiana was holding on for dear life in the second half. What did it feel like being there? Well, as Miami had almost 300 yards offense and they held Indiana to 155, it felt like a mismatch. It felt like Miami is going to win the national title.

Yeah. But I'm sure Coach Cristobal is going to address this. They are a mistake team. Yeah. And they've been a mistake team all year. And you think about the off sides by Baines, you think about the pass interference penalties, and one of the worst penalties of the night was that 3rd and 17 face mask. Oh, and then the play, Colin.

and they didn't even try to block the punt. It was one guy out efforting another guy that'll, you know, I mean, my heart hurts for that player and whoever coaches that position, walking in the office today, no one, if they don't block that punt, I think Miami is the national champion. Yeah.

No, they looked apart, man. I love having Miami back. I know a lot of people don't like Miami. I think they're, I love them. They're back, Colin. I felt it on the sideline. The crowd is Miami. I was worried with the Miami.

Crosd even show up. That program is not good. They got money. They got a great place to go to school, and now they are back. You watch Miami. They're not going anywhere. Hey, by the way, you got some rich buddies. Would you try one more coaching stint if you got the right NFL guys?

Hell, no, no. Great senior coach. Great senior. Stay warm. All right. Well, of course. Chicago. The sun's coming out, maybe in June, but it's coming out eventually.

the great urban Meyer, Nick Wright, top of next hour. Yeah, I mean, that second half, that block kick is it. I mean, Miami looks the part. And there's a way to beat Indiana. Ohio State did a lot of it. You've got to have skill players that can shorten drives. Like Fletcher's run, Tony's incredible talent for Miami. He's only a freshman.

So you've got to have the right kind of skill people to beat this Indiana team because you're not going to get 14 play drive, 15 play drive. You've got to go over the top. You've got to have better than average quarterback play. Carson Beck's better than your average college quarterback. And you've got to be relentless, tough, disruptive, physical, and a little chippy. You had to get Ohio State, Miami. You got to be almost play through the whistle.

There were some personal fouls that were not called. One of them, I can't believe. Helmut on, Helmut on Mendoza wasn't called. It wasn't whatever. But, I mean, Miami played and was coached to beat Indiana. This is not on Cristobal. I thought their game plan was excellent. I thought from the beginning of the game, I'm like, okay, this 10-0-0 at half,

they've got to open up the offense. Saban said that. They had to open up the offense, and they did. But I will say, Miami, that's how you coached to beat a perfect team. You got to be a little chippy. You've got to get in their head, hit them a little late, bloody a lip, and then you got it. Then you need some great offensive skill down the stretch.

And between Tony and Fletcher, they had it. So, I mean, that's Mario Cristobal for years. It's been, well, he's just a recruiter. I thought the game plan was outstanding. I thought his staff was great. And I thought the second half coaching for Miami. Listen, Miami was not very good mid-season. They were good enough to win a Natty by the end of the year.

That's called coaching. So you can say whatever you want about Christabal being a better recruiter than the coach. I thought the coaching was great. I thought their game plan. That's exactly what you do. You write it down. Chippy early, lean on them, be fit. physical, maybe a little inappropriate, bloody a lip, and then open it up at half time.

I mean, Nick Saban said it. They got to open it up is exactly what they did. So I thought it was a great game plan and a great season. Man, so exciting. Jay Mack, you know, I love college football. A lot of people are saying 10 new coaches is over the top. I'll make an argument. You've got to gone to 12, and it would have been okay. A lot of people are often wrong.

I mean, Colin. Jets go to fire to Aaron Glenn? nobody would have batted an eye. It would have been like, oh, yeah, that makes total sense. I get that. I see that. And I'm sure you can find another one somewhere around the league. All the bad teams were really rotten this past year.

Yeah. All right. In fact, there's only one team that fired their coach that I disagree with. I'll talk about that. Nick Wright, coming up hour two. It is a Tuesday. We're live in Chicago. Hey, guys, it's us.

The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas. Nice.

We invented a podcast. Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest.

playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was fine. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis come until he's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio

app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your husband is not who you think he is. Your body is not what you thought it was. Your identity is formed by a secret history. I'm Danny Shapiro. And these are just a few of stunning stories I'll be exploring

on the 14th season of Family Secrets. He kind of shoved me out of the way and said, move, and he went out the front door and he jumped in a car and drove off, and that was the last time I saw him. Listen to Season 14 of Family Secrets on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. Every family has its secrets. But what happens when you discover that your dad has been living a double life? That is not the look of an innocent man. Is everyone lying to me about who they are? I felt such desperation. I felt it was what I had to do.

Listen to Deep Cover the Family Man on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.