The McShay Show - CFP Championship Reactions: Undefeated Indiana wins the 2026 CFP | The McShay Show

Episode Date: January 20, 2026

Join Todd and Muench as they react to the Championship matchup of Miami vs. Indiana in the College Football Playoff. 0:00 Welcome to The McShay Show!0:40 (1) Indiana defeats (10) Miami: 27-215:45 Takeaways from Carson Beck's performance20:00 Which prospects showed out in the CFP Championship?25:45 Recapping Indiana's CFP Championship win46:40 NFL Draft Season is officially here The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Todd McShay Guest: Steve Muench Producers: Tucker Tashjian, Conor Nevins, Daniel Comer Social: Alysha Tsuji Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You got a lot to get to, and there's just 94 days until the NFL draft. And it's already heating up. And if you want some draft buzz, you're going to get it on this show. Just stick around. Man, I see that smile. You good? I'm great, man. Tucker rolled that beat, please.

Listen, I actually look back at this. That's probably the best play. That's probably the national championship game. It's the Tua game in 2017. You might not be wrong. There's blowouts. I mean, not. Nothing but below.

I was at Georgia TCU. No, George, was it TCU? Yeah. 11 points last year was the closest game, I think, since the Tua game. The McShay show is presented by Fanduel. Playoff mode is on, and Fandual's got it all. Same game parlays, quick bets for jumping in live, and offers to boost your winnings every game day.

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Call 1-888-78-9-7777 or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut. it. Yeah. That was a great battle. And I thought it was game when Indiana blocked that punt. I was like, you can't, you just can't have that happen. This is going to, this is where it all unravels. And Miami just kept coming back, kept getting off the mat.

Yeah. Wow, that was a lot to take in. That was a lot to take in. One of the greatest turnarounds we've ever seen, you know, the greatest turnaround we've ever seen in a college football program. period. One of, if not the worst programs in all of college football, depending on what statistics and numbers you want to look at in history

and what record book you trust in, believe in. Excuse me. And in two years, Kurt Signetti comes in and turns this whole thing around. And he does it last year with Curtis Rourke, good serviceable, solid quarterback. They get better in the portal. in Mendoza, who we talked about this summer, talked about this guy could potentially be a first-round pick, and some people are like, what?

And it just, it's been machine-like the entire season, undefeated. The most impressive run we've seen since 2019, and the best quarterback play for a single college football season we've seen since Joe Burrow. LSU in 2019. Single season. You can debate it if you want.

I think Jane Daniels, when you look at the rushing numbers, Jane Daniels is pretty impressive. Yeah. I'm not even talking like stats or I'm talking about the guiding of a winning program and just

you know what? Yeah. You know? I'm with you on that. Yeah. No, I hear you. Um, and the culmination tonight,

as we talked about earlier, with Mendoza growing up, half a mile away, family, Miami alum, mom and dad, Miami alum, all he wanted to do was be the Miami quarterback. All he wanted to do was be the Miami quarterback. Did you hear Herbie say, I think it was Herbie, maybe it was Fowler say that mom was done with the Miami program after they didn't recruit his, her son out of high school.

Yeah, they wanted to talk to him about transferring from Cal. That's fascinating. Is it not? Of course it's fascinating. Because if they were talking to him, about transferring from Cal, was that before or after they were talking to Carson Beck about transferring from Georgia? I was like, oh, that's a little, I had not heard that. That was an interesting nugget to me, man. Spite has fueled a lot of engines in my cars, man. I am, I'm a spite guy. I love it. So when I hear that, that's just like, oh, now you do, nah, we're good. Yeah, mom was like all set

with that. It's what burns the competitive fire. If someone doesn't believe in you in the moment where you know you're going to go do something and they don't see it or they don't want to partner with you in it and they don't believe in it enough to say, you know what, we're going to take a risk here. Let's go. Then you bet your ass. They come back calling. Nah, I'm good. Yeah, I'm good. And then it's one thing to do that.

It's another thing to beat them in the national championship. That's a whole, that's a whole another level. Yeah, it's like no matter what you, whether it's religion or the stars or whatever it is. I mean, like, yeah, the fact that it ended this way for that family and that young man to have this opportunity. And I think we should we should start with Carson Beck, who, yes, throws the interception on the last drive of the game. And it's not the ending that they wanted. But my gosh, when they put that money into that young man and kind of the early returns and not knowing. how his elbow was going to respond and some of the off-the-field stuff.

And, you know, I don't think it was until August where they kind of knew, oh, we definitely got the right guy. Everyone in the building loves this young man. Forget the outside noise. He fits here. Might not have fit in Athens very well, and that's fine. But he fits here. And to see him after two games stretched with the interceptions and the mistakes.

and just a couple of comments after the fact. He's like, ah, it's reared its ugly head again. This is the Carson Beck that we kind of, there was a lot of concerns about. Then I told you, I talked to a couple scouts who were like, yeah, but was he wrong? Is he maybe trying to fuel the fire of like, hey, this is the bar, this is the excellence,

let's match it or either match it or we're not going to make the run that we expect to make. And everyone started to match it. it. And this team went on an unbelievable run. End of the regular season into the postseason. Fortunate to get in, not because of

resume, but only because it was them versus Notre Dame. And it feels like in the history of college football, Notre Dame always wins that. There's always a yeah, bye, man. That's fair. We don't care you play head to head. Forget about that. That was early in the season.

Notre Dame's finishing strong. This is rich and tradition, you know, like all that bull that doesn't exist anymore, you know, and nor should it doesn't matter what era we're in. Like, it's a single season. So the fact that they get in and then make this run and beat the team, A&M, Kyle Field, man, gusting wins, tough day, get the win. Ohio State, best team in the country, right?

But they just lost Indiana, but they're still the best. team in the country, right? That's the mindset. That's what everyone thought. Then Oregon, kind of the sleeper team. Maybe they've got the number one quarterback. Knockout blow. It was Ole Miss.

They beat Ole Miss. Indiana beat, Indiana beat. Oh, I'm sorry. Miami. I'm sorry, Indiana. Yeah, that's right. Ole Miss. Ole Miss was the Disney story.

Ole Miss was the great ending. Yeah, but it was also the Disney's like, oh, maybe. Oh, right, right. Ole Miss is destined. Knock them off. Sorry, I was going down the Mendoza train, which was Alabama, then Oregon.

So it's been an awesome run. It was an awesome run for Miami this year. And if Mario Cristobal carries this on, it will be Carson Beck and this team that I can't stand. The U is back and blah, blah, and I won't do it because I've got a blue thumb tonight. If you're just starting to watch the show, yes. I sliced my hand and had six stitches earlier today. But, you know, it's late in the season.

Everyone's playing with injury. All right, listen, are we doing the, we're going to do the rosy recap of the season right now for Carson Beck? Are we going to be, or can I be real about the Carson Beck experience? Go. Kind of meh. Like, he helped himself more than it hurt himself this year. I think the Ole Miss game is a big step for him. So it's not like I don't think that he improved his draft stock or became a better player this year.

But there are things I'm eager to see the tape from this game because they're, Indiana is playing all kinds of zone. and Carson Beck with all those snaps and all that experience should be a quarterback that's able to decipher and pick apart that zone with short to intermediate passes but he wasn't able to. I'm dying to see this tape because he had all the time in the world. You're right.

He had time. My guess is that he also wasn't doing that was because Indiana wasn't respecting the vertical passing game at all, which has been a real weakness for him. And I'll tell you this about him. You know, he's done some things that I think to have kind of clean up his image this year, but his body language site sucked.

Sucked. There's that prep school face again. It was like, listen, I just don't know what to say about it. I don't want to be the old guy yelling at the clouds and act like this is the biggest thing that's ever happened. It's not. It's not. It's a small part of what we're talking about, okay? I want to be up front about that.

But it's also, you're a guy who already has a kind of a reputation for this. And he was, I mean, at one point they went for her fourth down. He was like walking off the field with his head down. And it was just hands on the helmet. It was just, he was wearing his emotions on his sleeve. I can't imagine NFL quarterback in a playoff, you know, like, you just can't, you can't do it. It will, I think it will wear thin with teammates pretty quickly the way he handled himself. Again, kids got a good frame.

He moves pretty well. He's got a strong arm if he can figure out the downfield touch and accuracy. But it wasn't a great performance tonight. He started to show up again late and started to get it going. And I was, I was kind of optimistic. I thought to myself, maybe this is it. Maybe this is the Carsonback story where he really. You know, makes something happen here, leads Miami to a championship, and just kind of writes the ship.

But he didn't. He didn't make enough plays tonight. Like he was, the reason Miami's in this game is Mark Fletcher, the offensive line, that outstanding defense. Carson Beck didn't do enough. And that's just the reality of you. And listen, it's a tough spot to be in against that Indiana defense. I get it. It's no easy task.

That Indiana defense has made everyone else look bad too. But here's what I'm curious about. I don't disagree with you. What I really want to see on the tape, and we've got a whole draft season to uncover it. Because if he's not the third quarterback in this class, he's the fourth of the fifth. Oh, yeah. No, I think he's in the mix to be, yeah, I think he's the third. I definitely think he's the third quarterback to go.

But what I want to see is. Yeah. Because Malachi Tony first, don't even view this as any kind of shot. Malachi Tony's game is Quick game, screen game Shorten yards after catch. Right. Occasionally, yes, we get down the field and make a big play.

But when they're going to like intermediate and verticals, it's typically to C.J. Daniels and Keel and Marion, right? Yeah. Yep. And is this a CJ Daniels and Marion problem? Is that what you think?

I don't know because Carson Beck had time tonight. Oh, yeah. And what I didn't see a lot of in the broadcast, and maybe I just missed it, was what was going on behind? That's what we got to see. I agree with you. Because when you're watching TV, it looks like it's all 22. Because it's from the, it's a sideline view, but it ain't all 22.

No, it's not. It's focused more on the offensive, you know, what's going on in the backfield and the first, like, five yards of the defense. What I want to see was what was going on behind the TV camera? And I don't know until I watch it. Yeah. just how I feel coming out of it, though, with Carson Beck is not, I don't want to, I'm not here to bash him. There was a couple of plays he made in this game that I was like, all right, here we go.

Again, we're going to get it rolling. And this is a great Indiana defense. And I mean that. That's a great Indiana defense. And a great coordinator throws a lot at you and it's tough. And they may play a lot of zone, but it's, you don't know who's coming, who's dropping, all those things. Very smart guys on the back end. All of that stuff is true.

But it was kind of me. It was, I wanted, I wanted him to do a. a little bit more. It was kind of man. I can tell you this, and we'll get off of Carson Beck because there's way too much, way too many other amazing aspects of this game to get. Carson Beck has an open invitation to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama in two weeks, less than two weeks.

Actually, about 10, 10 days he would be flying up there if it's from Miami. Take it, please. Take it. Go. Yeah. I know you've had 43 starts. I know you're the most experienced quarterback in the college football playoff.

Trust me, no one said it more than me with the 2,881. I can't wait to get that number out of my head. I never have to use it again. It was mostly schick after the first few times I used it. I mean, I only kept bringing it up because it kept annoying you in Stanford. Take that opportunity. Riley Leonard did it, man. Riley Leonard didn't help him.

Don't tell me it didn't help him. show what because everyone in Miami can talk about who you are and what I don't like words man we live in a society full of words and words salads and all these words and these like stand on your business we have a podcast but I still get your point that's a good point too

that's a very good point But you know what I mean? Like I do. I get it. You can say whatever you want, but are you going to show up and put the pads on a mobile and show, and take one more opportunity and then build on that and go to the combine and keep building on that? Because the kid's got talent.

He's a talented quarterback. And there's some other stuff I want to bring up about the senior bowl and some guys in this game. But let's keep it on the field for now. Indiana defensively, man. And here, I'll just say, right now. One guy who allegedly, there are five other guys that played in the game tonight that are well-known players that are awesome players that I'm told are even after playing tonight and after all the experience and the games they've played, they are going to Mobile,

which is rare. Yeah, a few guys sprinkled in from Notre Dame and Ohio State did it last year. I'm told there are three or four of them who are like, what do you mean? It's a option? I got invited to play in the senior bowl. Yeah, I'm there. There's football going on that I was invited to go play and I can compete. Yeah, I'm there. Reminds me, fuck. Messador, Bain, and Keante Scott from Miami, Surratt from Indiana, and DeAngelo Pons is the young man I want to talk about next. Yep. All five of those guys have talked through their agents and people there and like, yeah, we're going, yeah, we'll be there. make sure my helmet makes it okay

I want a new helmet where I can put all the other stickers on all right let's go now who knows we got dinged up tonight some other agents could get in people's heads all that stuff but it was almost like why are you asking yeah yeah I'll be there well play the last game

and we'll all right yeah I'll be there so when I look at a guy like Ponds and I watch every single week in this college football playoff and then throughout the season And yeah, 5-9. What is it?

179, I think. 179, I think is the number. My gosh, he's matching up against C.J. Daniels. And he's right-hand jabbing him to the face. Physical, technically sound. That technique is insane. Compete, compete, compete. It reminds me those Miami guys and these Indiana guys.

There's a reason these two teams were there, and it's not just the quarterbacks, I promise you. Quarterbacks were really, really good. Mendoza was flat out. brilliant. These were teams. Agree. They were built on competing and focus and down in and down out. For Indiana, it was technique and it was sound.

It was everything right and been playing hard and like and only 13 guys playing on the defensive side consistently. Like they didn't have a lot of depth. That was part of their brilliance is these 13 guys are going to play because if we can keep them all in the field, no matter if it's first and 10, third and 15. or fourth and one, it gives us a schematic advantage. It allows us to,

that multiple personnel allows us to match whatever you're trying to do. Yep. And that compete level from both of these programs reminds me so much of what Pete Carroll built

back in that dynasty. You remember going that senior, I don't know if you went, but covering that senior ball, I was there. Malaguga, Cushing, all those defensive studs that were drafted early

and everyone remembers the liners and the Lennerts and the Lendale Whites and the Reggie Bushes and the wide receiver. But like those defenses were stacked. Those guys were in Mobile a couple weeks later, you know? Yeah. Similar DNA.

And Pons kind of embodies it. And now Fisher had an awesome game. And the defensive front reminded me of like, this is going to date me, but I mentioned earlier. I'll never forget doing that TCU, Wisconsin, Rose Bowl with Red Rifle, Andy Dalton, right? Yeah. And they got no respect.

Wisconsin was going to roll them. Wisconsin had like an 80 pound per offensive lineman advantage over the defensive front of TCUs. Well, TCU was one of the best defensive coach team under Gary Patterson and all of college football. They were undersized, but they were quick, they were nasty, they were technically sound. And it's what we were watching tonight from Indiana.

Down in, down out, everywhere they're supposed to be. all season long, though. It's pretty awesome. What do you, DeAngelo Pounds, what do you think about them? What do you, Pons,

but I love you. Pons, sorry. That's kind of my favorite part of the show now. Ponds. It's, because it's definitely a northeast, like, mass,

mass whole thing. Like, we just say names wrong and we don't care. Whatever. And I'm not used to being on, like, I don't have your history. No, it's the best.

And it's what I want this show to do. Yeah. Well, will be awesome in every other area, but we might screw up a name because we're hot-headed and running around, and we know the numbers. Where do I think he gets drafted, you said? Yeah, what do you think of him as a prospect?

Upton Stout, but I actually like him a little bit more. I want to see what he runs. I loved Upton Stout last year. I was thrilled he got drafted in the top 100 at 100 overall. Upton Stout's going on to have an awesome rookie year in the NFL or went on to. Yeah. There are guys, like, listen, this is not the same role. I think up in South's probably a better comp.

But Jalen Petrie, I was watching him with the Texans this weekend. And it's just, he's not big enough to be that nickel safety and play that close to the line of scrimmage. And all the dude does is make plays. And this is what I see with this kid too. He just makes plays. It's a different role. Petrie's like, it doesn't make sense that he's always playing,

like almost defensive end. Like I don't understand how he gets away with it. Yeah, he always does and he just makes big plays. But I hear what you're saying. to me it's a are they big enough to do this and there are rare guys that are the size isn't as much of it

they're outliers and that's why you get concerned about it but there are guys who are smaller guys that can play big it's just a thing I'm trying to think because I feel like every single post show we've had in the college football

I don't think a single player benefited more from the college football playoff draft wise than DiAngelo Ponce Interesting. Because think about that every time we come on, it's like he had a bigger receiver tonight. He was physically. He matched up.

What was there? So they had to buy the first week. The first game was, they'd be two big, big 10 teams. They'd beat Oregon. Oh, no, they beat Alabama. Yeah. Right?

Yeah. Alabama had, who would he physical? Isaiah Horton would be their biggest guy. He got physical with Isaiah Horton. and that's what it was. Oregon doesn't really have bigger receivers, but I saw him like,

he was, there was some physical plays, and it's just like, he's playing bigger again. It was the Ohio State Big Ten championship game, man. He was competitive as hell on that game. And I know that Jeremiah spent that big numbers,

but he was competitive as hell in that game. Yes, that's what it was. I knew there was a third game I was thinking about. So Pons is a player that jumps out, but it's not just him. like Fisher with big plays. I don't know if you have numbers.

Go ahead. I'm going to push back on that really quickly because you know what we're not hearing about and we haven't heard about in the last two weeks? Arm length. Ruben Bain, I think, has just solidified himself as a top five pick. Like, we're not hearing about it anymore.

And we will again, if he goes down and he measures those arms measure in Mobile and they're 32 inches or whatever, we'll hear it again. But in terms of draft, I haven't heard about Ruben Bain's arm length in a minute. And I think a lot of that has to do with how he's played. That's a good point. But yeah, I mean, both of them.

Yeah, there was a lot of guys making money tonight. Messador is making money. I think Hemby's making money. I mean, there are guys out there. And it wasn't like people were just showing up. It was fun to watch. Keante Scott had a couple nice play. Like, there was...

That tight end from Indiana has made some money, man. You talked about him in our, we did the draft, and we were ranking guys, and you brought him up. And I was like, yeah, he's kind of a nice player. The more I watch him, the more I like it. Riley Nowakowski, underrated prospect. He was a Wisconsin transfer, okay? Yeah. Three years there, 18 catches.

Or I guess there was two years that he played. 18 catches for 131 yards. Made the comment, Wisconsin just didn't see my value. So I wasn't transferring to go get something bigger and better, although it turned out to be much bigger and much better. I just wanted, I wanted someone to look at me and say, I see more in you than what is being, is what's coming out in the product.

And Signetti did, and that program did. And they brought him in. He had 31, prior to tonight, 30 catches for 370 yards and two touchdowns. after two years with just 18 catches in 131. Tonight in the first half, I don't know what his final numbers. Maybe you can pull him up.

He might not even have a catch in the second half. But he had two catches for 17 yards and had that rushing touchdown. Right. So he's another guy. Yeah. I'm on Moten, by the way, just as we're bouncing around.

He might have been the best defensive player on the field tonight. He was an absolute terror number 99 for Miami. Torre for the middle linebacker. Torre like oh I love him he might be 46 years old and he's had he had the injury last year I get it I get it but these are some of these guys we're talking about are going to end up being mid round guys Toray's seventh year he played six years at Rutgers he started he started his career at Rutgers in the year of 2019 it's 2026 all right but he's just an awesome but you see that one playing coverage in the first half I thought it was a safety coming in from like, you know, middle, midfield. He comes racing over the sideline, knocks the pass away, like three plays after he just tore over to the sideline and rip someone's face off. I don't, listen, he's a day three guy.

I get it. Right. That's what he is. The durability and all that stuff. But some guys just can play ball. And there were a lot of guys on the field tonight. I'm not going against them. Let's go back and recap this thing.

Some interesting things to me, okay? And I alluded to this earlier, but it didn't want to give away too much, and I wanted to focus on the game going on. It was interesting to me that in the whatever it was, 10 days off between the semifinal game and tonight, Signetti brilliantly went off script. Not wide-ranging bonkers, but they came out and they recognized Indiana's coaching staff did

with Mike Shanahan, right? Mike Shanahan is the offensive. We always get the first name wrong. Mike Shanahan. Man, we can't just line up and pound this defense. We're going to have to loosen it up. It's kind of like that jar that's been hanging out in your cabinet for a while. Like I'm going to have to bang it against the counter a little bit.

Maybe like my older brother, a stronger guy, I can like loosen up. And then I can come in and do the twist off thing, you know? that's what they did. Seven of the first 10 plays from scrimmage for Indiana, they threw the ball. This is a team that is built, run, RPO, play action, set all that up. And they went back to a lot of RPO. This was not the NFL scouting night for Mendoza.

No. You know what I mean? Yes. We can get into that a little bit. But this was, we got one shot at this. What's our best chance to win? We're not highlighting or featuring. anyone here or what their skill sets are for the next level.

We've got one shot to have this unbelievable culmination to one of the greatest stories in the history of college football, Indiana turning this program around in two years. The worst losingest program by some record books in the history of the sport, right? Yeah, just to try to put a finer point on their play calling, Indiana this year passed 379 times and ran 614. They have been a run heavy offense all year. So to come out and throw the ball that many times, seven out of the first 10, is that what you said?

Every brilliant game that Mendoza has were to, oh my gosh, can you believe it with Mendoza? 21 of 23. Right. 19 of 21. Right. It's never in the 30s, right? But they come out and they throw seven of the first 10.

Let's wear these guys down. And let's do it on the print. Let's screen them here. you know, let's make them run. Let's wear them down so that then we can start popping inside. So I thought that was pretty cool early on. But they come out and they do that, and it's a defensive battle. Two great defenses battling.

Even like that first, the first series after Miami had the ball, they got a first down, had to punt. Miami's defense, like they created the third and long. And it seemed like to me, I don't know if you had the same. moment. It seemed like to me on that third and, it was a third and long, the speed of Mendoza, and thanks for everyone in the chat. We just, we just hit a thousand people in this chat. And by the way, it's a Monday night for a Tuesday workday on a long weekend. So we can't thank everyone enough. And we'll take some questions after the Tate's on there. Take go to bed.

I didn't want to wrap my boy out, but someone about 10 minutes ago wrote, I'm going to tell on tape. My gosh. It's probably one of his boys. Bring your iPad down and go to bed. All right. What was I?

Oh, so, so, oh, this is the moment I had with Mendoza. I was like, it felt like he, he was like, had the old, like, welcome to the league rookie moment. Like, all this. the speed of this defense and the violence of this defense might be a little different tonight. You know, and Ohio State tried to do that with the late hit on the first play, remember? And you got knocked down and like, looked like, oh, no.

Is it all over? But this was like, oh, this has happened faster. And it was pretty cool to see. And it was cool to see kind of the response and no shying away from Mendoza. But it's still, this is a defensive battle. but Miami is like the first four drives. It looked like they were about to start a drive and then it stalled, punt.

Right. Then IU is an 85-yard drive for a touchdown. Third and eight after this, they had a third and 13 on this drive, right? The first touchdown scoring drive of the game. Bain flinches. There's like three of them, by the way, but Bain was one of them. Bain flinches, it goes from third and 13 incomplete. And I don't know if Mendoza knew.

that he was off sides and just took a shot at it down the middle of the field or not, but I kind of didn't think he did in the moment. This is outside of the fourth and fives from Signetti, this was the sneaky, brilliant moment of the game. Remember back to this. I cannot agree with you more. I know what you're going to say. Go for it.

Sig comes out and he saw, because they were foaming at the collective mouths, Messador, Bain, third and 13. We got Heisman. let's go get them, right? And then it's third and eight. And so the same mindset. Okay.

And Baines now revved up. This is on me. I'm going to get it back. Pluck him inside run. Brilliant enough because you're in that field position now where if we even pick up three or four here, if I'm going for fourth and five in the fourth quarter twice, I'm going fourth and four here.

He knew. Let's use their upfield steam and angst against them. Let's pop one. If we don't pop one, then we'll have a fourth down and we'll go for it anyway. We get two plays. For me, it was the alignment.

It was this calm versus the fury, you know? Heatherman in that situation was walking guys up and dropping them. But when you walk guys up into gaps like that before the snap, it makes it that much easier for the offensive line. Oh, that guy's in my gap. It's not like you have linebackers and different alignments and they're flowing over the top. Everyone was at the line of scrimmage. They're trying to.

They're trying to hide what they're doing. They're trying to mask what they're doing and who's coming and who's not coming. But when you run at that front, it's that much easier to identify assignments as an offensive line. And all the blockers are like, I got this guy. He's right in my gap. So all of a sudden, this thing that is going to help you in an obvious passing situation is a detriment when they run the ball downhill at you. And it was just, I think they'd seen this. I thought they'd seen it up to that point of, oh, in this situation, this is what we're going to get.

they're going to walk their guys up into these gaps and these linebackers when they get downhill are a real pain in the ass, but they're going to be dropping at the snap now and they're going to be in the gaps. They're already going to be declared about which gap they have. Great. Let's run it at them.

And they did. It was a brilliant. It was, I'm telling you, it was the sneaky, brilliant call of the entire game. I agree. Hit him for 21 yards there. Yes. I was.

Sorry, I couldn't agree with you more. And then there were also, just to go back on the stuff that we talked about, we kind of joked about Sabin, getting after Cristobal and Cristobald needleing him back about getting makeup, make up, where you think of this way,

you're getting makeup, tough guy, you know. And, but two plays, two penalties on that drive for Miami, like, there we go.

And what we say before the game? 36 on Frederique. Yeah, we said, of course. I mean, and honestly, like,

don't give us credit. Everyone was saying it. The only way you're going to be, Indiana is if you play that Texas A&M game. Clean, right? And Ohio State, clean. Two penalties on that drive lead to the first touchdown in the game. Now it's all of a sudden 10-0 and it felt like,

because Miami gets the ball back. At that point, too, I wrote this note down, 14 plays on that drive. 85 yards, 14 plays at that point when Miami got the kickoff back, they had only run 14 plays offensively as a team in the game. I think they had like 26 yards rushing or something at that point or in the first half it was. And so now the defense is worn down. The offense feels disjointed and it felt like a freight train was like they hadn't hit.

It wasn't going downhill yet, but they were kind of getting speed going, going up the hill and about to go over it, right? Yeah. And that's when Miami was. went for it. They get the ball back after that's 10-0. Miami goes for it. Fourth and one in his own territory. And honest to God, I sent, I think I sent a text to you guys.

I sent it out on X and threads. Like, that wasn't, that was actually a no-brainer. It was like their own 30-yard line or something. It wasn't gutsy. It wasn't, it was the only decision. Because if you think it was gutsy. I thought it was gutsy.

I like the decision. I thought it was gutsy, but I like the decision. I thought you had to be. I didn't even, I didn't, it, it crossed my mind. Yes, you can punt. But I was like, you can't give that ball. That, the Miami defense had been it on the field for like 10 of 17 or whatever it was. Or no, it was like, all but like four or five minutes.

They were washed and this is what Indiana does. They take your sword and they bend it around because you make a couple tactical errors, a couple penalties. you do a couple things, and you're playing a great game. And all of a sudden, your own sword is just digging into your abdomen. And what they were about to do is turn it, right?

Yep. But they go forward on fourth and one, right? And I think that led to a field goal before, right? So it was 10 to 3. No. You missed the field goal. It led to the field goal opportunity, and he hit the crossbar.

That's just what I wanted to ask you. Yeah. 33 seconds left. They let the clock run down, by the way. They let the clock run down, and then they called a timeout. So they could have had much more time if they wanted. It was 109 was left when they had completed the pass before it. So 33 seconds, they missed the field goal.

It was fourth and two. Should they have gone for it there? I mean, hindsight's 2020. So you can't, you know, like don't factor in even if you think you're going to have. Honestly, I kind of felt like my gut there was, let's get three. Really? Let's get three. At this moment, let's just get three.

Everything is going to grind. It's a 49-yard field goal. It's not a gimmie. 50 officially. Yeah, I don't like to give it to Mendoza there. You can't punt, but I don't like to give it to Mendoza that much farther back. I hate it. The end of the first half got squirley to me, too, by the way.

I don't know what Indiana was doing. Very uncharacteristic for Indiana at the end of the first half where they got the ball, ran it, then passed it, and then only had two seconds. left. It was, and it looked like there was Cignetti, he was talking to someone in the staff, that there was a little bit of miscommunication about what exactly was going on there.

So that was uncharacteristic for them, too, because I thought you have Mendoza, 33 seconds left. I think you had the ball on your own 39, but you could make something happen there and get a field goal attempt. So it got a little weird at the end of the first half to me.

But then the second half starts, right? Indiana gets the ball. Miami gets a stop. Tony then gets a 17-yard punt return. Then he gets a five-yard catch. Then Fletcher, 57 yards, the right side, right? That right side we've been talking about all year long. Maui Noah, massive right tackle, could be a tackle, could be a guard in the NFL,

whatever it turns out to be, awesome physical right tackle. And Cooper, Anez Cooper, right? Yeah. At right guard. They run off the right side, bang, hit it 57 yards. touchdown. Now we got a game. Now it's 10-7. And you're saying, could we just hit the 49, 50-yard field goal,

whatever it was? Anyway. Then, so you feel like you're getting momentum, right? Yes. And then they get a stop, Miami does. Get the ball back, but they get stopped. Go to punt. Our mystery man from a year ago, who was the best defensive player on IU

and the only guy that anyone actually knew his name. McHale Camara. Michael Camara. Hands up. I don't even think it was a blocking assignment error. It was an individual, like, failure to do your job error. It was. And the punter held the ball too long.

It's back. Now it's 17. Now it's 173. Right? And he rolled into it. It was a really. For 177. Camara took advantage,

but the punter, like, I'm assuming that he was supposed to roll to that side, but it couldn't have been that far. I mean, it was a breakdown. It was a bad breakdown. But then Miami response, long drive, late third quarter, early for,

it was a first player, the fourth quarter, they scored a touchdown. But in that, I saw Beck start to move in the pocket a little bit more. Instead of just hanging there and waiting for it to come,

started to move a little bit more. He moves, and what does that do? It allows CJ Daniels to uncover. I'm telling you, when we go back and watch this tape, something was going on that secondary, great discipline, great coverage.

Miami receivers not uncovering. Beck had too much time in the pocket to be that ineffective throwing the football tonight. But he finally moves a little bit in the pocket, 25-yard catch. That's the longest catch of the night for Miami at that point. And that was late in the third, like last minute of the third quarter. Tony gets that nice gain on the screen. after the jet sweep motion. It looks like they're going to pitch their right to Fletcher.

Back to Tony. Nice gain. Two runs later by Fletcher touchdown. That's an 81-yard 10-play response to the block punt touchdown. Massive. Still a game. By the way, that might have been Miami's best play call of the night was that Fletcher touchdown where they kind of offset him,

Pitone in motion. The orbit. Yes. It was a great, great design. created that, the design exactly, in those motions. Then Indiana gets the ball and Miami gets a stop. But they don't because it's fourth and five. And Cignetti's just the all-time onions.

I don't care. I trust my guy. Fourth and five, back shoulder to Becker. Then they get down inside the red zone. Deep. Fourth and five, Mendoza takes it runs L. helicopter, if you will. It's Mention's call.

If you love it, it's a show come around, but he does extend. But it was extend and the long put it on the line. Yeah. And then, and then, but then Miami in under three minutes, 91 players. Like this second half was wild as we recap it, you know? Mm-hmm. It was, yeah. Miami, for whatever you want to say, Miami was resilient.

Yes, they didn't play the clean. game that they wanted they wanted to play they had that big mistake on special teams but they never ever were out of it they just kept coming it they just you know this was a heavy weight fight again this is one of the best national championship games i can remember remember those clemson uh was the clemson alabama games those back-to-back national championship games that were awesome and then the two a game this is right up there for me in terms of like how good those games were can i ask you something We need a poll. Do we have, we had a pull yet?

I don't think so. Would this Indiana team beat last year's Ohio State team? And asked me beforehand. I struggled. Dan Comer was coming with the tough question tonight. No. No. No.

Wow. No, that Ohio State team turned out to be magical in that playoff. They weren't all season. It turned out to be a magical group. Interesting. But my gosh, it would, oh, that would have been fun. I don't know. It would have been fun.

I don't know. Judkins and Henderson, the way Chip Kelly is dialing that thing up. And we got a thing. And Will Howard went on a, he was on a heater. I'm clicking it right now in the poll. Ohio State 2024. Oh, this is, this is recency bias. Now it's 78%.

Yeah. just to ruin your vote. That's a great. I don't know. It's a great, that's a toss-up, right? That's what a battle that would have been. They beat them. This Indiana team beats the Michigan National Champion from two years ago.

Here we go. Michigan man saying that, sort of. I think you're Michigan, man. I'm a retired, but yes. Long time ago, not just because of recent stuff. Same thing, though, I'll say. Physicality is a thing, man. The most physical team, and I thought Miami,

super physical tonight. But the most physical team of the playoffs seems to win the playoff. That's just the thing. Ohio State was the most physical team last year. And I really believed that Indiana was the most physical team this year. Did you get a chance? Congratulations, Kurt. Congratulations, Fernando.

Congratulations, everyone, Indiana. Congratulations, Casey Whittal, our good friend. Yep. Who has been grinding me about IU football for like 20 years, man. And about 18 of them, I'm like, why am I, my thumbs deserve a rest. But Casey is one of the great all-time men. And we love the Wightel family. And so congrats to IU alum and everyone out there.

I mean, if you hung in there as an IU football fan for your lifetime or post-grad lifetime, I can't think of a program out there more deserving of what, happened this season and what happened tonight. So that's cool. Pat Coogan, who lost last year playing for Notre Dame. Yeah. Starting center for Notre Dame last year. Could have lost two.

That would have been heartbreaking. But it'd been all his fault. It would have been Coogan. The curse of Coogan. It would be like Bucky fucking Dent. That sounds like an Irish bar in New York City, man. The curse of Coogan. Curse of Coogan.

But yeah, no, he gets, and he plays a big part in it. It was that, that's kind of a, you know, all the storylines that are involved in this. That's kind of, that's one of the cooler ones to me. I'll say this about our chat that I appreciate. It's national championship night. And like, you either get the show or you don't get the show. I'd say it's 7030 college football night, but the third, there's a strong 30 and it's growing as the night goes on. NFL and NFL draft.

Today was a monster day in the NFL. We don't need to cover all that. Everyone else in the world has. I do think Brian Daibold would be an unbelievable. We'll see what happens. He's from Buffalo. Obviously, Josh Allen, first year's relationship there, got some of the best out of him and help get him in his growth.

That would be interesting. But the Buffalo job opens up after Sean McDermott winds up. I pause because was it nine years and eight of those seasons to the playoffs? Two AFC championships never could take that next step. And this was his worst roster yet. Interesting. Yeah. And he's planning.

And I agree with you in Dable, but like the McDermott. But the GM, Brandon Bean gets promoted. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve it. I'm just saying it's always fast. I think Brandon Beat actually does a terrific job. Oh, yeah. I really do. I have a lot of respect for Brandon Beat.

I'm just saying it's interesting, the power dynamics inside every organization, right? But my point in saying all of this is. It's like I can almost feel it in the air, the breeze coming off of three inches storm. It's official, man. Congratulations. There's 94 days for the NFL draft. I've had conversations with a couple scouts.

I've had very interesting senior bowl conversations. I've got a lot of stuff on Wednesday. I'm going to release the first, like, true. deep dive, let's go NFL draft. Okay, so if you're not, the newsletter, the McShay report, please Google it. We got a thousand people on this chat still at midnight 04 and only 164 likes. Still no one hitting the like button. It's kind of a travesty, but I'm not here to beg for for likes in life.

But what I am here to tell you is Wednesday, if you're interested in like just getting a whole bunch of buzz all over. the place kind of stuff and stuff getting you ready for the senior bowl, which officially kicks off the NFL draft season. There's going to be a lot of fun stuff in there. We're going to have a show on Thursday. But I wanted to get through a couple things before we go. And I'm in no rush. Honestly, we can go an hour if you want.

Yeah, I want to ask you a couple things or one thing. It was interesting that Brady with Raiders gear and Mark Davis, the owner, and a contingent. I think SpyTech was there, the GM. I'm pretty sure he was. I'm pretty sure I saw him. interesting that contingent was there in Miami, hard rock stadium, with Mendoza playing, right?

Think about that, man. Like, sometimes I think we lose focus on the basic things. Think about the pressure that young man is under and trying to win a championship for Indiana and football. That's unthinkable two years ago. So he's trying to do this unthinkable thing. He's had this tremendous season, and then you have on top of that Tom Brady on the sideline watching you

and deciding whether or not they're going to make you the first overall pick. I mean, that is unbelievable to go out and perform at that level with that kind of pressure on you. Yeah. You know, welcome to the rest of his life. I know. I know. But it's right.

I just think it's worth noting sometimes that we just accept that these guys are able to do this. Yeah. Yeah, I guess. You're like, whatever. Just be great. Whatever. If you want to be a quarterback, that's what you got to do.

I get it. What are you looking at right now? I'm telling Tate to go to bed. You should start every show with Tate, by the way. Yeah, it's time to go to bed, Tate. Anyway, I hear you, but, like, it's pretty cool. And it's time, like, he won that Heisman, And now it's, now he's, he's a professional player.

There's no more like classes and all that. Like you are, this is about pro life, you know. Yeah, I'm sure that, I'm sure that class load was pretty heavy for, for an end of Mendoza this year. Yeah, it's just like Carson Beck said, I know, I've graduated two years ago. That was awesome. It was like, a liner said, what do you have like ballet or something? The one class you took this last year.

And everyone was like all worked up back then. The difference in what, where, uh, where the world has changed, right? Yeah, I just thought that was interesting. I don't know why. Not unexpected, though, right? You know what I found interesting about it? Is Tom Brady with Raiders gear on?

I think that's the first time I've seen him in a public, in another team's stadium, almost like, yeah, what are you going to do about it? I am here to watch Mendoza. Because I feel like outside of that one time in the press box last year, and they did, like, a report on, like, what his role is with the Raiders, and they did some, like, digging, and he gives, like, you know, a certain amount of help each week and put...

It's always, like, everyone's speculating what he's doing, but it hasn't been in your face. This felt like, yeah, Marino's here. He's, he's doing... He's, like, plays a big role in the Miami front office and behind the scenes. And so, like, when we go to the... We go to the Senior Bowl. Dan Marino's there with his Miami gear.

And everyone's just gotten used to that. This is the first time where I had that moment where I'm like, oh, so he's, he's owning that. He's not, he's owning his, his ownership stake in the Raiders. And he's doing it. Tom Brady, I've told you, no, I've had the great fortune of meeting a lot of, like, people who are at the top or amongst the very few, like, elite level in whatever the profession is, whether it's CEOs, general managers, quarterbacks, players. I've just been very fortunate.

My job has afforded me that opportunity over the last 25 years. And they all have the same thing. Head coaches are the same. There's always like there's purpose in what they do. And it's not messaging to try to manipulate a situation. It's like intentional. Intentional behavior, intentional words. because there is a message as a leader of this company that I'm trying to get across.

It felt like the first time, this tonight was the first time where it was like intentional, Tom Brady. That's my guy. If it is this guy. And I want to be here and I want to be here and I want to show. This is, you got me in the broadcast boot for 18, 19 weeks, whatever, 20 plus weeks, including pre-year. season, postseason. But now, where I am tonight

and what's going to happen beyond the NFL season, which is wrapping up, you're getting Tom Brady the ownership, whatever 10% ownership state part of building this Raiders organization. I thought that was fascinating. He better be his guy.

I mean, if anyone is going to appreciate the way the Mendoza elevates at critical points in the game. I mean, we talked already about the passing attempts being low. But again, Iowa, Penn State, at Oregon, against Ohio State. And again, in this game, when he needs to make a play, he'll make an unbelievable scramble for a touchdown. He'll throw a back shoulder throw. Doesn't matter what else has happened in the game. It doesn't matter how close it is. He's just cold-blooded in those moments. And I think Brady will appreciate that as much,

if not more than any other evaluator. Brady was more pinpoint accurate, but got a lot more pinpoint point accurate as his career went on. Remember him in like 2001, 2002, 2003? I get it. I'm just saying, I'm saying, but Mendoza is more mobile. You can go into all the traits. But you ask Brady what the most important thing was. But the thing that Brady cares about is here and here.

And that's where he checks all the boxes. And there are very few guys that have come out in the draft here and here. that kind of emulate who Tom Brady was. Yeah. Right? This guy's, yeah, he's a gamer. I mean, that's, you know. And it kind of felt like Tom was coming out and saying, yeah, yes, I see that.

Yeah, almost like supporting him nuts. He doesn't have to be on the field with the Raiders jersey unless he's declaring something. Intentional behavior. Right? I don't know. And everyone's probably, and I'm not looking at the chat, Like, yeah, no shit. McShay. Like, yeah.

I understand. Like, of course, the Raiders are picking one. He's the number one overall pick. But Tom's been very vocal about quarterbacks not being ready and in terms of finding the right guy. That was interesting to me. We do have the senior bowl coming up. And I did mention, Ruben Bain, Akeem Messador, Kianti Scott from Miami, Elijah Surat,

and DiAngelo Ponds from Indiana. Very fascinating. couple conversations this past week. A lot of agent stuff going on. A lot of guys initially in, then pulling out. Some guys is expected, like David Bailey is not playing, got invited. He's going to be most likely a top 10 pick. Some other guys like, you know, did they have an injury or didn't he have an injury?

Cassius Howell legitimately has a hand injury. He can't play. But there are other guys who just have decided not to play. Jermad McCoy decided not to play in the senior ball. Hasn't played football in over a year. Stand on the 2020-4 tape. Would have been a really good opportunity to show teams where you are. There's another guy that I was really surprised.

Who was it? I feel like it's been happening in recent years. This is not new with the new staff, by the way. This is a problem that has been developing, I think. Yeah, no. But I'm actually after, yeah, Cassius Howell was the other the other guy with the hand injury.

That was legit. Oh, no, no. Who wasn't while we're here? There was another, there was someone else. Let's just empty the bag. Michael Trigg, Oscar Delt. Really? Yeah, I don't know.

And it's going to be mentioned. Oh, Anthony Hill, Jr. Hmm. You're a good inside linebacker class. You might want to set yourself apart. Well, it's tape. His tape was wildly inconsistent this past year and quite frankly disappointing. So what better opportunity than to go to the senior bowl and show because he is very athletic.

And he does have the traits to go there and have an excellent week. And guys that maybe have fallen from late first to second or third can work themselves back up with a really good start to the draft process at the senior bowl interviews there on the board, coaching staff, buzz on the field, looking good in one-on-ones, different types of things. and then you go work out well at the combine, and all of a sudden you get this head of steam going into the draft. I'm going to have an entire article about all this stuff, but nothing made me happier than having that conversation

with an unknown source, we'll say. Say it, yeah, like, if they come out clean on Monday night, they're, like, kind of confused as to why? Like, why wouldn't they play? You know? And that's awesome. That speaks to exactly why that, When you watch Corey Heatherman's defense from Miami this year,

a lot of talent, but it's not some, honestly, it's not as talented as Ohio State's defense, but violent, effort, motor, five, six, seven guys, hats around the ball at the end of every single tackle. That starts with the players, man. Coaches can yell and scream and motivate and put on videos and all that stuff. when Alabama's best teams always had the big guys up front own the locker room.

They were the old men in the locker. You know what it's like. You walk in there. There's two or three guys that you answer to. And they don't even have to ask you. It's just, it's an expectation. They're the old grisly guys in the back corner, but when they put that helmet on, they are nasty.

And when I hear that Bain and Messador are like, yeah. I'm in. I'm like, why isn't Anthony Hill or Drummond McCoy? You know, like what? Yeah. So that part's interesting. The other thing I'll say is I'll leave it with this. Mendoza has an open invite, but very likely not going to and totally understandable.

Beck has an open invite, and I told you about that. They're already six quarterbacks there. Sawyer Robertson from Baylor, one of my favorites. Garrett Nussmeyer, who I'm thrilled about. And we'll get into him on Wednesday, Thursday. Thomas Meyer, Taylor, Taylor, Taylor, uh, Taylor, uh, Taylor, uh, Taylor, uh, day three steel. Luke Altmeyer, Diego, Diego, Pavia and Cole Payton.

North Dakota State, right? What? North Dakota State, sorry. Yeah. Mendoza, then everyone's aware he's not very likely not going to go. Beck should. And I'm imploring him too. The final one is fascinating to me.

And I asked this question, is, Is it Ty Simpson? Like, no. No, Ty can't. Ty has a connection with the people running the senior bowl now, like family. But Ty, since he was 10, 11, 12 years old, it was a dream of his to play in the senior ball. Ty absolutely physically possible, would go play. Ty was banged up a lot more than people thought.

He was banged up a lot more than people thought at the end of the season. It wasn't just, it was a byproduct of the past protections. starting to break down and opponents figuring out. And a byproduct of the run game just wasn't there. So it was all on Ty. And Ty's top receiver just decides that he's not really a factor. But that took a toll on his body, multiple things that he's kind of recovering from right now. Chief among them is rib cartilage damage, I'm told.

And they don't sort, like whatever. I'm just told from people who know. And he's going to be just fine. but we saw the hit and everyone was like, do you check himself out or he could get benching. He still can't throw a football.

He's probably two, three weeks away from being cleared to even throw a ball. But Ty would be there, which is pretty cool. Like guaranteed. It's devastating to him

that he can't. Trinidad Chamblis is the last one. He's going. He's offered and they've got a spot for him. And my understanding is this. Does that mess up his lawsuit? Does that affect?

Is that my understanding. That's exactly what I said. He said, well, he's already, he's already failed. There's already been two denials by the NCAA. I only knew of one of them. Apparently, there's a second one. There was a verbal and then there was an official. Okay.

Now he's in, do you remember when, when Chambliss, when this happened, and I said, don't do it, Trinidad. Oh, yeah, I remember. And I could be wrong, and maybe Trinidad wins this, because now he's sue, my understanding is, and go to, go to Thamel, go to, like, I'm just telling you what people are making a labor argument now. In the league are telling me,

and they're talking to all the people involved. And it's just like the Brian Kelly stuff and the Franklin stuff at Penn State. And like the information is there. I don't have to get triple sourced and all that. I'm just telling you what people in the league are talking about or people in college football circles. This is what's going on.

So he's been denied twice. Maybe it's one verbal, one in writing. And he's got this, technically like a lawsuit filed with the state of Mississippi. If I don't know the timing on it, there's, it's always vague when it comes to court systems and the NCAA.

And this is why I implored Trinidad not to be, because all the lawyers want this fight. They'll tie you up. Everyone in Ole Miss wants him. And he's a good young man and he wants to be back. And by the way, he should. He needs another year of college football. they'll be wonderful for him.

I'm just worried it's not going to happen. And then the timeline's going to get all mucked up. And he's not going to be able to play in the senior bowl. So the invites there, there's real hope that he could come play. And I can't think of another player who, A, would bring more energy and excitement out of the list of people who still could potentially come. Or B, could have, like, benefit. Go out there and show, I'm better than Nussmeyer.

Nussmeyer's healthy now. I'm better than Beck if he comes up. and plays. I'm here. Let's go. He's mobile. He's got a big arm. He's like endearing, smart. It's a guy who could really benefit. So I'm excited to see how all that plays out. And I've got pages and pages of notes here that are all going to be in that, in that first McShay report as we turn the page in the calendar year to our favorite time of year for being honest. These are our favorite shows. These lives are excited. But we're, we're, we're fired up for it.

So you get anything else, Mench? Great year for both programs. I'm fascinated. You know, we're not going to get into all this tonight, but I'm fascinated by Signetti's Rise and how you look at what's happened in Indiana. And I think if you're smart, if you're another program and you're smart,

you're looking at any way you can duplicate that. And I'm not sure you can. I think Sidney might be one of one. But it's going to be interesting to see how teams try to duplicate that. Miami, I don't think we've seen the last of this Miami team or this Miami program competing for national championship. As much as I've been hard on Cristobal in the past,

I'm so impressed with the way he guided his team through this from barely getting in to beating Ohio State, you know, beating that Ole Miss, the team that had everything to play for. And then, I mean, coming really close tonight. I mean coming really close. Congratulations to both programs. What a year.

The poll 264 votes, 69% Indiana 2025 recency bias over 2024, Ohio State. That would be a fascinating matchup. I do want to thank everyone. We still have just around 1,000 people in our chat at 1220 in the morning. Tomorrow's a work day. We appreciate everyone there. MLS Weech says that Cole Payton from North Dakota State is going to be QB2 from the Senior Bowl. Hey, I hope so.

That would be awesome. I didn't have quite the under. I had not given enough respect to the seven-year three-injury journeyman that was Tyler Shuck until I got to the Senior Bowl. And then I came back from there. I was like, I got to dive in his tape and I fell in love. So hopefully we have the same experience for Cole Payton. Let's get to a couple of these before we go because everyone's hung in there. I want to not reward, but I just want to interact for a couple minutes.

there was a good question here about there's a lot of talk about Arvel Reese because we talked about the linebackers, right? ATB was talking about Devin Lloyd was my Vante Mac, no matter what guy. Right? I think that's from a movie that I wasn't allowed to be in. I don't say the name.

I just say it's the movie. I wasn't allowed to be in. Terrible movie. And so there were questions about him. But then there was another question. I'm going to find it, but essentially, oh, it was something about would you take Ruben Bain or Arvel Reese? Fascinating. Because one could just be an off-the-ball linebacker in Arvel Reese.

He could be. I don't believe that, though. I know. I'm just, I'm spinning out the argument for you to make this decision. The other is Ruben Bain, who's a pure pass rusher, and it's been awesome all year, but shorter arms, concerns. Sack production is good, but it's not. not what we're not talking about a Miles Garrett or a Bosa or you know what I mean? What say you, Munch?

I'd love either one of them going, Reese. I just think that he is an off the ball linebacker, but I've joked with you about this, but I really believe it is the frame of an edge. He's lean for an edge. But when I watch his pass rush reps, when they send him, the speed to power and the length and ability to get off blocks is different. and then you add in that element of him being able to do all the off the ball linebacker stuff. I hope he gets to a place where they know how to use him and they mix it up and they really take advantage of the fact that he can play the quote unquote positionless football and they can do something different with them all the time.

And because I just think he's going to be an awesome player. I would be interesting to see how he tests, but I think Reese is the best player in this draft. And Ruben Bain is the top five guy for me, but Reese is the top guy. ATB, I've I've come to respect a lot, actually, because he has rules. There are laws and always tradebacks life. And honestly, and his handle is one of them. His handle is honestly one of my top,

if you were to bring me in for a GM interview and did, all right, McShay, tell me some of your, like, firm beliefs after 25 years of, like, diving in and having access to some really brilliant people and not being stuck in the football think tank and being able to pluck this genius from that, from this, from that, and all the technology that we've been able to be on the forefront with

because people come and they want to test things out with us and show it. One of my top things would be always tradeback. Yeah. With the exception of I've got my guy at quarterback, If I've got an opportunity to get above market value to trade out of a spot, with the exception of quarterback, almost always I'm trading out of that spot.

It would have to be a premium player that I absolutely believed in at a premium position. And I'm talking like that big a list, maybe that big. Right. But he's a big believer in you have to, like you can't stay away from Reese. Do you know he's going to be in it? Like, you got to take it. So the Jets are in a tough spot. Let me ask you something.

Everyone in the world was talking about the Jets at number two. And Dante Moore, they're going to take it. But now it's like, now you get the opportunity. I said it was the best thing in the world for you. And I don't think Bain is necessarily worth the third overall pick, in my opinion. But he is an edge. Or would it be David Bailey? We just put up a poll.

Would you take Arvell Reese? This one's for you, for all your hard work, 18. TB. This one's for you. And he's in ATB's even making a fight now. When Bain gets, gets older, he can kick inside. I will put. Bain kicks inside now a lot. I mean, Bain works inside a lot. And that's great. I think that's a, that's a plus for him. Yeah. GMs aren't worried about four years down the road outside of the quarterback position to a certain extent outside of that. It's what, what can you do for me now? But, you know, but the poll is R. Val Rees or Rubin Bain. And I only bring this up. And I'm not

saying Baines necessarily worth the second overall pick, but there's a lot of talk about Reese there. In fact, I'm guessing Fan duel right now if they had their odds up on the NFL draft, the odds on favor to be the number two overall pick at this moment would be Arvel Reese. And I wouldn't give a huge

fight. ATB would. So who are you pulling for there? I mean, I love always feedback. It's Reese. And you could say to yourself, don't do that. you could stay away from off the ball linebackers. And I tend to agree with him. And I get what he's saying.

And that's all fun in games until you're one of the teams that didn't draft Michael Parsons before he went, what, 12th? I mean, there's guys that are different. And he might not be. Arvel Reese might not be. But what I've seen on tape and when I see his skill set and I see his traits. I'm taking the shot, man. Now, James Pierce falls because of the character stuff.

Flat up. I mean, he was the best pass rusher in last year's class. But what I'm saying, right. but what I'm saying is it's yes you're right until you miss out on mica and then when you miss out on a mica it's you know you're sitting yourself like well maybe we should have thought thought about that a little bit more if you want reuben bain for the throw that up again tuck or dan if that was you if you want reuben bain for fan duel odds it's the only odds we have right now for van duel and we'll work with them intimately i can't wait i love doing this stuff

number one overall pick, Fernando windows is minus 7,000. Bain is plus 5,000. Rvel Reese is plus 5,500. I promise you if you pulled the NFL, it would be Rvel Reese would be plus 5,000, and Bain would be plus 9,000, just to give people perspective of what's going on.

But it's going to be, it's going to be fascinating. I also think it's one of these drafts. And, like, I get it. I'm not offended by some of these comments. And someone says, I'm getting Vernon ghost and vibes. And that's not a very good thing. I mean, always trade back once. He's, we, he and I are a lot of like.

He said, honestly, I wouldn't want to take either one of them. I would want to pick eight to 12. It's like, yeah, no, I get it, man. I get it. That's the kind of the spot you want to be in, especially in this draft. But that being said, if you're at two, you got to take somebody and if it's Reese or Bain, you got to pull the trigger on one of them. I get it.

I'm more of a, I am more of a traditional. I am more of the premium position guys. I get news for you, David Bailey. If we're talking Bain, we better include Bailey in this conversation. Man, I love Bailey. I don't think he's a fit for everyone. But I do really like him. I just think that.

I love our draft crowd. We just went back over a thousand in the chat. 12.30 in the morning because we just started talking draft for five minutes. Right, right, right. We get it. You like our college football stuff, but let's get, let's get real. And here we're about to get real for the next four months. Yeah, and the Maui Noah Fano's stuff's going to be interesting.

You're tackle. Do you want a right tackle who could be a guard who's just a better, more dominant football player right now? Or do you want the guy who's left tackle and get all the traits? Fano's the right tackle. Yes, technically. But he did play left tackle early in his career. And he's got the traits of a left tackle. tackle.

He does. I'm not talking about Utah. Two, Utah. Caleb Downs, where's he going to go? I was talking to an executive the other day. He was asking. And it just was fascinating about this draft, right?

Tight end. No, not a running back in Jeremiah Love, a safety in Caleb Downs, and off the ball linebacker and Arvel Reese could be the three best non-quarterback players in this draft. I would throw in Kenyon Sadiq at tight end. I would throw him in there too. He's not quite on that level, but he's up there, man.

And when you look at last year's draft, do you think the Bears regret taking Colston Loveland or do you think the Colts regret taking Tyler Warren or they? Like the Sadiq, that's going to be an interesting pick. Yeah. But it's funny. We do this every year and this is the time of year. And it's tough to do before free agency

where you start to try to identify team needs. You know, it's part of the mock draft process. But it's also you trying to get your ducks in a row to figure out what teams are looking for. and almost every year, you know what they're looking for? Edge, offensive tackle, and corner. Everyone's, you know, that's why they're premium positions. There's not enough edges in the world.

There's just not enough edges in the world to fill all these team needs. So those guys are going to come off the board. Offensive tackles are going to come off the board. You know it. And that's what makes those three or four players fascinating. I want to challenge us this year. I'm trying to think of the right time of year. Dan, put this on the calendar.

Send it to Marissa. even though she's just a couple of rooms down. You guys handle my life. You guys manage my life. I think in early March, when you and I are cranking on tape, let's say early March, first week in March,

I want you and I to stop down what we're doing, and I want to do a show and a newsletter. And I want to put our 50, the 50 best football players, who are like, fuck all of it, the size, the size, the, arm length, the 40-time...

The durability stuff throwing out. The durability, the character. Right. Get all that noise out. Give me the 50 best football players in this draft. And I bet you. I bet you if we revisit it this time next year, that list was better than the list that we put together after the combine,

when we had all the numbers, when we got all the character stuff, when we started looking at, well, he's going to, yeah, but he's an off-the-ball linebacker, I don't know, he might kick into guard. Let's just identify the 50, you give me your list, I'll give you mine. 50 best football players. I don't care. He ran a 4-5-8.

50 best football players. Upton Stout was one of the 50 best football players last year, and I didn't have the onions. I put him at like 80 or something. something. Pat Bryant, the receiver from Illinois. I mean, I loved them. And I couldn't put him that eye because of the time. And what a mistake.

By the way, I've been raised in this business of create your board and believe in your players and your valuation, but then also be smart enough to understand where the player's value is and don't overdraft. Well, Sean Payton's an idiot, right? R.J. Harvey is available the next round in the third round. Pat Bryant's available in the next round.

Yeah. I promise you. I talk to more than half the league every year. Don't care. He's one of our best players taking him. Right. So maybe is that, is the way that, is that just the best way?

I don't know. I like it. I like, we're going to share a lot of different stuff this year. This is going to be, this is going to be not, it is not the best draft. 27 is going to be the best draft in the history of NFL drafts, and we're going to celebrate every minute of it, starting in, I'm sure, July. But I promise you, there are 100 football players that are going to be major impact players,

and there's going to be about 50 of them that become big, big time deals. Every class has it. By the way, your guy Ponds might be in that top 50, the way he plays. I mean, there's what I'm saying. We're going to create this list. We're going to do our tape. And it literally starts tomorrow morning. It has already started.

But tomorrow becomes focused, like in by positions. I've got a schedule. Let's go. We get through the senior bowl, watching tape while we're there. If you and Mercer aren't taking me out to these extravagant meals every night, which I love. I like to go there. I know. But we're going to come up with it.

And it's going to be our annual thing, the best 50. Come up with the better game. And I bet you that's better than our final draft boards every year. Yeah, it might not be, it might not match up with who goes where, but I bet you when you look back at it, yep, when you look back at who's playing well, yeah, yeah. I love it. And you know who loves it? This chat that keeps growing.

I hate to say goodbye. We're pretty lucky. We're the luckiest two guys in the world. Just take care of a couple of business things. Gray hairs. Nonsense. Jeremy Godin, give me a mic, send me to the draft. Are we going to meet up?

We're at the Senior Bowl. We're at the Combine. Let's figure it out. Who's going to be there? We need a leader. I know there's a few leaders out there. I see them every week. But we need some guys to take the bowl by the horns.

I can't do it. Yeah, we're not good like that. But I promise you this, if you're there and there's something, if there's something going, if people are there, we will meet and we will greet and we will have. 100%. It's just who mentioned I are. Yeah.

So, I mean, ATV is going to be in Mobile. I feel like ATB might be, might have to captain this. Yeah. I'm sure Godin will be in on it. Weech. Cole Marie.

Maybe the ghost of Steve Adazio can make it. Yeah, I'd love to meet him. Anyone creative enough to come up with that. Yes. Or male Kiper? That's my... Male Kiper?

Male Kiper, too. Joshua Dwyer has been on. on fire tonight. Caleb Banks is in. Dwyer. As of right now, Caleb Banks is in. Listen to this edge class before we go. Defensive front class, actually,

at the Senior Bowl. Okay. Ruben Bain, Akeem Messador, T.J. Parker. I can't wait to see him. Yeah. Not in a Clemson uniform. Whatever was going on there this year. Down apples to apples against good offensive linemen one-on-one with that length and that

power. So Bain, Messador, T.J. Parker, Zion Young, Romello Heights, L.T. Overton, Derek Moore from Michigan and Gabe Yacchus from Illinois. Plus, and it's not a deep interior defensive line, but defensive line group, three names, two of which you, I mean, I know you know all three, but two of which are kind of became household names. Caleb Banks, not because of what he did this year, but because of the player he was becoming in 2024 for Florida. Underrated prospect, even though he didn't play a whole lot. Lee Hunter from Texas Tech is the other name, you know. I'm told watch real closely to Chris McClellan, defensive tackle from Missouri.

He's going to have a monster week. So right there, that's seven, eight guys along the defensive front. You know what that's going to create? Wars. one-on-one. I love the idea about Parker getting around that competition, too. I hope he fires him up a little bit. You know, guys can bounce back, man.

It's going to be interesting to see how he does. But Lee Hunter, I think, I'm not sure how high he can go. I mean, he's hid the tape is freaking awesome. Is Big Citrus going to be there, ATB? I didn't see his name. Maybe he is. I didn't see his name on the most recent roster. But we'll get you all that information.

Wednesday, I believe Wednesday we're going to have the Yeah, Wednesday's the The newsletter, the McShay report, Google it 283 likes Over 1,000 people in this chat all night long Maybe more of you will just Jump on and get the newsletter.

All you got to do is subscribe. Throw in your email. Done. But you're going to want to get the premium stuff now. It's been cute. You've been handed away like candy. Speaks for itself. See what you see what?

was on there last year. And then I guess Thursday morning we'll be back. Thursday morning, we'll be back and we'll do, we're going to dive. We're going to do this stuff, intensified NFL draft. I get a ton of stuff I want on leash on you. And I want to get your responses. And I want to get, we're just going to go full board. We'll be in Mobile this time next week, right?

Isn't it next week? Is it? I think it's next week. Yeah, we're in Mobile a week from today, man. Wow. Let's go. Let's go, Mench. Yeah, we hit the ground running.

We are. Chris has already got reservations for like three straight nights. I am so excited. So excited. And Dan Comer's taking Mench out to go play pool at night. Just where I need my guy, Munch. I have one drink. I don't even worry about that.

I just like, remember the days we used to sit and watch tape for four hours? It's like a free for all. We do. I do. Yeah. All right. Tonight was a special edition. Thanks for hanging with us. Awesome job.

Thank you. You guys are the best. We're going to be, now we roll. Now we roll. This is five stars plus a thumb. Good night. It must be 21 plus and present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 plus and present in D.C.

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