The Triple Option - Agents in College Football, Todd McShay Talks NFL Draft, & Michigan's 2025 Expectations

Episode Date: April 9, 2025

You know what college football needs? More agents! Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, and Rob Stone discuss the negative impact agents are having on team chemistry, but also the long term earning potential for student athletes as NIL payments continue to grow. It's April which means it's time for the NFL Draft. The Ringer's Todd McShay joins the guys to discuss "the greatest running back class in 25 years", what is Travis Hunter's future, and will the Jets ever be good again? (Don't get your hopes up NYJ fans...) Michigan capped off their 2024 season beating Alabama and the eventual National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes, but was does 2025 have in store? Is Bryce Underwood HIM? Look into "The Triple Option" Crystal Ball. New episodes of The Triple Option drop every Wednesday. Make sure you’re subscribed on YouTube and following on all podcast platforms. Also make sure you’re locked in on social @3XOptionShow on all platforms for highlight moments, bonus content, and to engage with the guys and the TO community. (https://tripleoptionshow.com) The Triple Option is presented by Wendy’s. "Go to Wendy's® and taste the difference in a hamburger. - https://m-wendys.app.link/hamburger25   A big thank you to the rest of our sponsors: NHTSA Put the Phone Away or Pay. Paid for by NHTSA. ZipRecruiter  Try ZipRecruiter FOR FREE: ZipRecruiter.com/OPTION   BetMGM Each Wednesday throughout the season, pick the skater you think will light the lamp first in the game. If it’s not your player, but he scores the second goal of the game, you get your stake back! And with Bet MGM at your fingertips, every play and every game matter more than ever. Place your moneyline, prop, and parlay bets with The Sportsbook Born in Vegas today at BetMGM.com First Bet Offer for new customers only. Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. See BetMGM.com for Terms. US promotional offers not available in New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US) Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA) 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA),1-800-981-0023 (PR). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did I ever tell you, Mark, the story of when Coach and I first met over the phone? I'm driving into work. I'm busting my can, right? Coach calls me. I'm on like the little speakerphone. And I think literally, Coach, your first question was like, who are you? I'm like, what do you mean, who am I? I want to know who you were.

How are you helping us win, Stone? Now we're singing. Now we're singing to the song. Welcome to the Triple Ops by Wendy's. Go to Wendy's and taste the difference in a hamburger. Wow. Heavy NFL draft talk today with one of the leading voices, one of the leading brains for years about the NFL draft.

The great Todd McShay from The Ringer joins us. Kirby Smart, boy, Coach Smart unloaded on the state of college football. Agents, NIL, salary caps, Zoom calls. We get into it. And how many wins will Michigan get in year one when probably Bryce Underwood as their quarterback? All these things we'll talk about this week on The Triple Option, and probably Bryce Underwood as their quarterback. All these things we'll talk about this week on the Triple Option presented by Wendy's, Rob Stone, Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, the second deuce deuce back here with you. Thanks as always for joining us. We encourage you to rate, subscribe us over there at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever it is you find your podcasts. And you can go to social media too, 3X Option Show, new episodes are coming your way every Wednesday.

And tell your mama news. Tell them all. Tell your mama knows. Tell them all tell your aunt, tell your uncle, tell your cousin, tell your second cousin, tell the guy down the street, everybody we love you. We appreciate everybody who's been listening in and watching the triple option over the last couple months. Here we go. It's the off season, but man, oh man, every week we have plenty to talk about right and this week. Let's give some credit to Georgia head coach Kirby smart who provides us with our opening conversation. Kirby's got some real concerns. I'm not smiling

here. I'm sorry. He's got some real legitimate concerns about the state of college football. Let's listen to Coach Smart. There's stuff going on right now, guys, in college football. I mean, there's people reaching out to have a Zoom call and present all the players they represent that are on teams, including our teams. And they will invite people to the zoom so they can watch and see who's going in the portal or shopping who's in the portal before the portal. Do you want to get on the zoom and look at all these players?

I'm like, well, what if someone reminded me it could be one of the most legendary, you know, moments in all of college sports with what's coming up on this rule and how people are going to try to manipulate a cap when all we're trying to do is make for competitive balance. And it's really unfortunate that I don't know if competitive balance is gonna come out of it. I don't know if the kids win in this model that we currently have, if they win long term.

Like long term, when we have to cut sports and cut other things, are the kids gonna be the winners of this? I don't know, cause sports are a long time and give it many an opportunity. things, are the kids going to be the winners of this? I know it costs for a long time and give it many an opportunity. And by all means, I want these kids to make money. But what's going on right now is not good for anybody. You know, I really believe there still does matter a relationship. If relationship doesn't matter, then I'm probably not going to have a kid that wants to play hard for Georgia, right?

So relationship matters work ethic matters Like do you do you like want to be great? Do you have fire passion and energy? I'll pay for that I'll pay a premium for fire passion the energy because in the market we're in there's a lack of that Kids are gonna struggle the next 10 years when they look back and somebody says I'm gonna go back into respect I'm gonna look at this and say what happened to the kids with the two and three and four places? I will assure you we will not be happy with where those kids that jump for greener grass went to it. I think that was a

good thing for a lot of kids that are third, fourth, fifth year. But it also gives you a way out that I don't think is good for kids right now. Hey, props to Kirby Smart for saying what so many of us have really been thinking over the course of really not just the last couple months, last couple years, a lot to digest. Let's break it down into bite size bits. We'll start in chronological order, coach. Let's begin with these agents creating these Zoom calls, these sizzle reels for their clients that may or may not be available in the open market.

Yeah, I got a real strong opinion. I've been a part of the game for a long time. I've witnessed like in any walk of like, Mark, you got incredible agents and then you got others that aren't. And the agents, you know, that was always an an NFL model and then it started to work its way into college in the coaching profession that was my first exposure to that and so I think it's really important this is the obvious but I want to say it the agent

they have a very clear responsibility it's maximized their clients value period that's it it's not for the good of the game. It's not for women's volleyball or soccer or the track team. And that has no bearing on what their responsibility is. Their job is once again to maximize the value of their client. Period, done, underline it. And how do they do it? There's two ways.

They promote them. And I wanna hold that for a thought for a minute. How do you do that? The normal way is there. But I've also seen agents also come to me and want to be my agent and I've seen them with players. Very creative ways of promoting and increasing their value. That's what this sounds like. This agent, whoever's gonna try to promote his clients on a zoom call and invite others. Why is he doing that? To promote his client, client and try to get more. Number two, inflate the market.

And we're witnessing that in real time. I talk to a lot of coaches still when the numbers you hear are not accurate. It's why, how's that happen? It's their leaking information to do what? To increase, to inflate the market. So I want to hit and I want to hand this to Mark. A couple things Kirby hit really hard. I don't want us to always be the old guy sitting here saying, well this sucks, this sucks, this sucks. I got it. But he hit a couple things. Here's what college football used to be. You win, go to the NFL and make money. That was number one. Number two, you get an incredible education, prepared for life after

sport and you get a network system at some of these incredible schools that I witnessed. I coached at Notre Dame. There's none better. There's not a better network system than Notre Dame. I also coached at Florida, Ohio State. I know you're in Alabama. Don't devalue what that means. I've witnessed over 30 years players take advantage of that and really get set up pretty well for life and a nice job because of that network system. That's the old way. Now it seems to be what's the immediacy of my value? How many more thousands of dollars can I get? And Kirby hit something really hard, Mark. You're gonna look back, there's gonna be a case study

on the players that left schools two, three, four times, and what's their value? I mean, at that moment, 10 years from now, when you don't have Alabama behind you, you know, when you say Mark Ingram, I see a roll tie. That's instant marketability. Also, you got got network system. I know that about Ohio State, Florida and Notre Dame.

So I'm gonna hand it off to you. I don't, once again, to sit there and bitch about it all the time, I don't know. But I think Kirby did hit a couple of spots that it came across his desk and I'm glad he did it. I mean, coach, I feel like you hit it right on the head. You talk about a network and just an environment around a player to be successful. And I think that's one of the main things why you go to prestigious

university and over university has those kinds of resources is because not only do you play there and not only do you get a great education there, but then when you leave there, you have a network of people who want to see you do well who have the kind of avenues and the connections to see you do well, who have the kind of avenues and the connections to help you do what you want to do and aspire to be what you want to be past the game of football.

And so I think that is something that is extremely beneficial when you attend these universities. And when you go from school to school to school, because hey, oh, my coach don't like me. I'm not going to communicate with my coach and work through it. Or hey, I'm second string.

I don't want to compete. I don't want to work. So I'm going to just go. And I feel like you lose some of that prestige, some of those special connections when you just try to jump for greener grass all the time. And Kirby's hit it on the head. Like, we'll see where these guys are at 10 years from now. These guys that went to three, four schools, where are they going to be at? But one of the things I liked that he said, he was like, was like fire passion and something else. It was either commitment or work ethic. Yeah, fire relationships. Yeah, fire passion or work ethic. He was like he'll play a premium for it. He says because that's what's not existed in this model these days. Because there is no there's no fires, no passions, all about me. It's all about instant gratification. It's all about what can you do for me?

How much can you pay me and my family and this and that? And there's no long-term goals. Like if you do what you're supposed to do, if you focus on what you're supposed to, if you control what you can control, which is your attitude, your work ethic, your commitment, how you approach every day, your attitude, how you treat people. At the end of the day, you will be successful. So Kirby was right in many ways, man. And I'm just glad that somebody, you know, kind of had the

Werrethaw to drop their nuts and say what the elephant in the room has been for a long time. So, you know, you know, Mark, we just finished something here in town in Sarasota, and that was for inner city kids. And it's all about I'm horrified about, I've always been this way, just the way I was raised is what's going to happen to that person 10, 12, 14, 20? You live a long life. Yes. You know, this is not I've always been this way just the way I was raised is what's gonna happen to that person 10 12 14 20 You live a long life. Yes, you know, this is not between 20 and now now

Generational money I understand that but we all understand that's this many of the players Generational money you're gonna have to get up and go to work. There's over 70 million people reliant on government assistance There's over 85% of the workforce that doesn't like their jobs. That's a reality. I took that to heart and it's like that used to horrify me and say, let these players have shadow opportunities, give them many internships because yes, go play,

but you have a hell of a career, you're done in five years. Yes. And you're not generational rich. It's not, you can go like Rob Stone water ski every day Whatever does but no But you got to go to work. I mean you have to and and being prepared and also having that logo behind you Yes, again, Notre Dame Unbelievable Ohio State, Florida. I know Alabama. It's priceless.

Look at Matt Leiner in USC. He's going to be a Trojan. You tell me that hasn't opened the doors for Matt Leiner? Yes. Of course it has. Yes. What if Matt Leiner wouldn't want to play for five schools? It wouldn't have no association with an amazing school. You know what I mean? I'm glad he's bringing it up. You know, it kind of does it gets you a little pissed, you know, but I and I do I get it, I do. But and I'm glad players are getting the name and likeness, etc. And

they're gonna get now sometimes there is circumstances where transfer is good for a player one transfer, not for transfers. You know, I mean, so it's become it. It's become an escape hatch the transfer portal, right? And it's it's teaching flight rather than fight. Exactly. And that's, I think, the big concern.

Like, when you guys get out of this system that is literally holding you and coddling you and feeding you and taking you to your dorms and taking you to your practices, and yes, you're giving so much to the university, but if you're only there for a little glimmer, yeah, you don't resonate with that university. You don't have that brand there with you.

And I don't think you have that work ethic, which goes back to what Kirby was saying. I want those relationships. I want those work ethics. That's what I'll pay for. Yeah. Right? And you can see those dudes,

you can see them coming in and I bet you lose a lot of them, coach, right? Like you're like, no, no, no, I don't want you to leave. You're one of my guys. Yes. Don't take that bag over there. We've got a relationship. Your work ethic, you're going to have greater value in life going

forward if you stay, if you stay a little, a little bit longer. I feel like I'm lecturing here, but this is exactly what a team meeting would be, and I would tell our players that you have, there's two sides to every story. One is the voice of reason, the voice of truth, and that you're not very good right now. You have to work a lot harder. You know, why am I not starting? Because you're not good enough. Okay, here's what you need to work on to get good enough. Then you have someone else, that third uncle on the other corner saying that's bullshit. No, you need

to transfer. And so once I got to get up earlier, once I got to work harder, once I have to realize the reality that I'm not Good enough yet. The other one is yeah, he's damn right. I'm the coaches and one screwed up. I'm gonna go leave I'm gonna go somewhere else and move on and So I don't I just I've been in I don't know but those are Tangibles why we love football communication relationships overcoming adversity all these things are tangibles that the game of football That's why we love football at a young age

That's why we love sports at a young age because it teaches you how to be a man It teaches you how to handle life in the long run and if you run and because you don't like relationships You're not communicating then it's not gonna heap you in the long run If you're scared of competition and you're scared of adversity and trying to be the best you could be and competing against others It's not gonna be good for you in the long run So all the things that intentionally why we love sports is essentially what is hurting the sport at this moment. So I Made a comment and I I would always say to our players and I made it last week to that group of Students we mentor jobs don't solve all problems, but jobs solve all problems.

If you can provide for your family, problem solved. That's what I think ultimate responsibility of a coach and the university is. It's not to make another $27,000. If that happens, great, but don't let that get in the way of life after sport because you got 40 years of providing for your family that you you know That twenty seven thousand dollars to do that. We all know it doesn't especially after the fees and time, you know, who's FICA? Remember that fake who's that? FICA?

Terrors Oh Brother Bring in terrorists into the conversation coach Have you ever had a meeting where there was an agent and a third uncle in the room at the same time? I never dealt with the agents in college. I met with, actually with coaches. I would, I didn't, but I had someone that would,

that started I don't know how many years ago. That was after your time, right? Yeah, but that was after my time. But no, I'm still involved. I still have people reach out to me and say, what's your thoughts on this guy and this guy. Can you imagine a third uncle and an agent and like a top five star recruit hanging out

in the coaches lounge together, that conversation? I would actually, back in the day, I'd say, why are you here? You know, and people get pissed. I'd say, what is that person, what value are you? Are you the father? No, are you the, well, I'm just, I'm here. And there are some good ones that want to really look out for his interest.

There's other Mark that they're looking out for their own interest. The third uncle. The third uncle. Did I ever tell you, Mark, the story of when Coach and I first met over the phone, when he was coming to Fox and I was hosting the show and he was going to join it? I'm driving into work. I'm busting my can, right? Coach calls me. I'm on like the little speakerphone. And I think literally, coach, your first question was like, who are you? I'm like, what do you mean who am I?

Who are you? Where'd you come from? I'm getting grilled as I'm trying to drive work. I'm like, wait a second, you're joining me. You're on my team and you are, I'm like, what? I'm like, wait a second, you're joining me. Yeah. You're on my team and you're, you are, I'm like, what? I'm like, man, this, this, and that's, that's what it was. That was the tone. Like, why are you here? Yeah. Hey Stone, why are you here in this meeting? The meeting that you called? What is your role in this?

What is your role? What do you do Stone? What do you do? How are you helping us win Stone? I'm busting my ass every day to help us win. Coach knows that now, but boy, it took him a while. I was like a Juco recruit from someplace out in the Western Kentucky. Like, who are you? What have you done? Yeah. So you still remember it? I could have said. I remember my first call with coach too. He said, he said, congratulations. We're finally on the same team. I said, damn right.

That was a better phone call than mine. It was. he was, he wasn't like, what do you do? I knew what you do. I've seen it. Oh, man. All right. Getting players to stay and develop are your fresh moves of the week brought to you by Wendy's. Go to Wendy's and taste the difference in a hamburger. Mark, we're gonna pivot here in just a second. We're gonna talk with Todd McShay about the NFL Draft and we are going to- The McShay boy. Yeah, I can't wait. It's the NFL Draft time, so we are going to fully focus

on that experience presented by NHTSA. Using your phone while you're driving could kill someone. Put the phone away or pay. Paid for by NHTSA. Great words, couldn't agree more. NHTSA, thank you for that. driving could kill someone, put the phone away or pay paid for by NHTSA. Great words. Couldn't agree more. That's a thank you for that. Mark, here we are a couple weeks away from the draft. And you're a top level prospect. What what was your body? What was your brain doing? Say two weeks out before your

NFL draft? I honestly don't even remember. I know I was nervous as heck. Like, where am I gonna go? You know, you get done with all these little visits to different teams here even remember. I know I was nervous as heck. Like, where am I going to go? You know, you get done with all these little visits to different teams here and there. I actually didn't have that many visits. I remember going to the commanders. I remember going there. You had to catch yourself, didn't you?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. The commanders. The commanders. The football team. No, I remember doing, you know, your visits and you're just training, man. You're just kind of training and you're kind of wondering where am I going to be in a couple weeks? Like, it's kind of an anxious feeling, you know what I mean?

Like, you know you're going to get drafted. I knew I was going to get drafted. I didn't know where I was going to get drafted. They were saying I was going to go between 10 and 20. So I'm like, okay, that sounds pretty good. Then I go there. And, you know, I have my whole family with me. We're in the green room, man. You're seeing everyone. It's this real feeling, man. It's kind of an anxious feeling and just kind of interested in wondering where am I going to be here in two or three weeks? Who am I going to be playing for? What is my life going to be like?

It's going to be good. It's going to be great. Do they prepare you for what's coming? Because you get drafted on, say, a Thursday. Friday morning, you are in that town. You are meeting. You have just become a member of NFL Team A. Exactly. They kind of, but... They kind of. They kind of, but when it of, but what actually happens. So I kind of had a unique experience because I was in a lockout year.

So my first day with the team actually in that building was like day one of training camp. So we were locked out. So I didn't have any rookie mini camp. I didn't have any OTAs. I didn't have no true mini camp, nothing. The first day in the building, I went up there, OTAs, I didn't have no true mini camp, nothing. The first day in the building, I went up there, signed my contract, went downstairs, put on my pads and went out to

training camp practice day one. Wow. So my, my, my experience is a lot different than the current, you know, guys that's going to go, cause they're going to get called, they're going to get drafted, they're going to be on a jet to their facility. They're going to stay there. They're going to do OTAs and off season activities. They're going to do rookie mini camp. They're going to get called. They're going to get drafted. They're going to be on a jet to the facility. They're going to stay there. They're going to do OTAs and offseason activities.

They're going to do rookie mini camp. They're going to do all that stuff. They're going to be there with the team for three months before they even have a training camp practice. But me, mine wasn't like that. So I'm kind of like a unicorn. You're our triple option unicorn. You're always a unicorn.

I appreciate you. Hey, man, coming up next, we go full NFL draft mode. Talk with one of the best in the business. Todd McShay stops by on The Triple Option, presented by Wendy's. Hit pause on whatever you're listening to and hit play on your next adventure. Stay two nights and get a $50 Best Western gift card. Life's the trip. Make the most of it at Best Western. Visit bestwestern.com for complete terms and conditions.

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and Academy Award nominee, Lawrence Fishburne, the amateur. Only in theaters on a max Friday. Get tickets now. Welcome back to The Triple Option presented by Wendy's. Rob Mark Urban with you. We are talking NFL draft right now and we'll be for the next couple of weeks. Again, we're gonna be live in Green Bay. Let's

bring in one of the all time legends in the draft business. Todd McShay from the McShay show on the ringer network Todd man thanks for joining us. Good to see you. It's been a while brother. I know I know it's good to see all three of you guys. Good to see Mark still not wearing sleeves. If you got them, my very good friend Irvin Meyer. So this is it's great to be with

you guys. What's going on? sleeves overrated tight. Yeah, when you're ready for some guys. Yeah. Hey, I'm gonna add some he's he's not one of the best in the business. He's the best in the business. Yes. I counted on him so many times. We actually did some show together years ago and and just a great person, great friend. I want to jump in. I was, I don't mean to cut you off. I was telling a story recently

about the first. So, so coach had took the year off between Florida and Ohio State, right? So ESPN hires him and calls me and he's like, listen, we want to do weekly features, urban's kind of film room from down his house. So I was flying from Boston down to Florida, going to his house every week. But before the first trip, you got to remember, it's like fresh off of me, the whole year with Tim Tebow, and having some concerns about the NFL and all sorts of things. And so I was kind of public enemy. One. Yeah, public enemy number one, like not only, you know, in college football,

but like even my mom, my sister wouldn't talk to me like all of it. So I'm driving in for the first time and go, you know, pulling up to urban's house. And I'm such an idiot. I didn't even think about it. As I'm walking up to the door. I was like, Oh, I didn't like, what about the family? And so Shelly, his wife opens the door and doesn't let me in and comes outside. Glad to have you here. Oh, we're gonna in this the garbage in the back of watching tape right now, you know, he's like, she's like,

before, before I let you in the house, you have to have to have to hash some things out with with my my son, my extended son, Tim Tebow. And so we sat there for like three, four minutes and she was drilling into me a little bit and I was having to explain myself and we hashed it out and she let me in and we've been close ever since. She's been wonderful to me.

Don't mess with Shelly, man. Do not mess with Shelly. That was my first experience with Shelly and going into the Meyer household. Wow, I'm gonna make sure I let her know. That's good for her, man. Yeah, yeah. There's no free passes, dude.

You gotta absolutely. Hey, coach, I guarantee you, Todd's not the first and the last person she did that to. All right, Todd, jump into it. This quarterback thing, you know, this year, obviously there's some Congress, maybe not as strong a quarterback class as there's been recently because there's been some incredible Quarterback classes. I just want to hear from the expert that studied this draft for so long

When you take a quarterback and you get stuck with the wrong quarterback That can take a organization back backwards for five, maybe ten years is that still the case? I think it used to be close to a decade because of the the salary cap you know with the collective bargaining agreement not to get into the weeds with it but there's a cap now in that rookie pool and so it costs like 35 million guaranteed money for a five year contract. So actually, if you hit on a guy, if you get a Jaden Daniels or Drake May, you actually have this five year window to go spend all that other money on veterans and surround him with a good supporting cast. So it's not like it once was in terms of sending you back a decade. But I still think if you bring a guy in with a

top 10 pick, let's say you're going to ride with him for a little while. And if he doesn't pan out, it's going to set you back minimum three years, but probably close to the life of that initial contract. You can still go out and sign a lot of players, but you're struggling to try to get the most out of that, that young man. And if it's not working out, it certainly is a setback. And that, you know, to try to get the most out of that, that young man. And if it's not working out, it certainly is a setback. And that, you know, to kind of spin it forward this year,

coach. That's, I think the juggling, I think it's two things. I think it's important, partly like art, if we bring in this guy in as a top 10 pick, let's say, Shador Sanders, for example. And he's not at the level we need him to be for the first year or two, or maybe he's never going to get to that level. We've got to try to work through it. And so we're going to go through some losing years. And so when you look at it, and you're saying Cleveland at two, or the Giants at three, and it's not just the money or being tied up to or having a commitment to that quarterback, it's also what could I have gotten instead?

Could I have gotten a generational talent if I'm Cleveland sitting at two and a guy who could affect us on both sides of the ball positively and Travis Hunter? Or could I get the best pass rusher in this class, which I believe is the second most important position in the NFL. And so that's kind of the tug of war that you do. We got to have that guy at quarterback. But if we go with Shador at two or three, what are we passing up on to and maybe we could get back into the first round and get a Jackson Dart. And now all of a sudden I have Travis Hunter and Jackson Dart or Abdul Carter and Jackson Dart versus Shador Sanders and a guy who you're hoping that it becomes a solid starter at the edge position or a wide receiver cornerback.

I wanna add one thing before I hand it off to Mark here is that I also witnessed the Alex Smith phenomena when they drafted number one overall and I kept hearing he's a bust and they just happened to put him on a really bad team, a really bad organization that didn't know how to function. And it's amazing to me is that, you organization, it didn't know how to function. And it's amazing to me is that, you know, certain organizations just are lousy.

And the one thing I always hear with those organizations, they have a lot of cap space. Yeah, I mean, maybe you don't understand the whole cap, but you understand great players. So it's that's the other phenomenon. You get this quarterback and he gets stuck in a bad organization. Then all of a sudden he goes to the chiefs and he has it like Alex did. I think it's twofold. One is, you know, the quarterback's not good enough. The other one is you get stuck with, you know, a bad organization that you

don't surround them with the proper talent. There's no question. I mean, the jets are a perfect example. You're not winning with that owner. Period. You're not winning with that owner. Wow. And so as long as Woody Johnson's there and meddling,

look at all the good quarterbacks that have gone through their talented guys that have got like Sam Darnold is the best example. And some of them, you know, Zach Wilson, we'll see if he can ever be something more. But I'll say that I feel like Alex was the first. And then there was kind of a long stretch before we started to see these come retread quarterbacks, but like Baker Mayfield getting out of Carolina that ownership, right?

And bouncing around getting a little bit of time with Sean McVeigh and the Rams. You saw with Kyle Shanahan a year with Sam Darnold as a backup. If you get somewhere where the light finally comes on, and then you get an opportunity like Baker's gotten in Tampa, Baker's won the top seven, eight, 10 quarterbacks in the NFL now. Look at Gino. Gino Smith. Great example, Mark. Great. So we've seen with Gino and Baker and Sam like it used to be where if it doesn't work the first place you're done

Yeah cast off, but I think Alex was the first one where we bring him somewhere where they can actually develop guys And now we're starting to see more of that And Todd man, you know always have great respect for you and what you do man And I know we're sitting here talking about quarterbacks We've seen here talking about pass rushers and you know what I want to talk about, man. I want to talk about these RV safeties. You want to talk safeties, puncture safeties too. And they got a nice one out of South Carolina.

It's a good year for you, Mark. It's a good year. You know, we got, we got your boy, Janty. You got your boy, you know, one of our, one of our favorites, Scatterbull, RJ Harvey, Quinishaw Jenkins, Trevion Henderson, man. Tell me about this RB class, man, because there's some studs. And I need to know how you rank in this class right now. I look back just in my 25 years of doing this,

and it's the best running back group top to bottom that I've ever seen. Wow. OK, let's start there. Then 2017 was a damn good class. Yes. That's like Leonard for net Christian McCaffrey McCamara. Yes. And the list went on and on and there were 30 running backs taken in that class. That's the most in the

last like, 33 decades, I think there's a couple other times. I think it was 2017. Right? I could be wrong. Whatever that year was with for net and McCaffrey. This year's group is better. Because there's more like, third, fourth round talent, whereas there were a lot of guys back ended that year. I mean, this list is and we can get into the specifics if you want on some of them. But when Gentie and Omar and Hampton from North Carolina, they're like

legitimate doesn't matter the year first round talents. Trevion Henderson, being able to see him in that system the way he was utilizing he was injured, he he's just never going to be your bell cow back if you will. But like Jameer Gibbs looking at value in Detroit, that's you have a clear vision of what Trevion can be. Judkins, I just love Judkins, his run style, his acceleration, all those sorts of things.

But then just some of the names, right? When you start digging into this, after the two Ohio State backs, after Gentian Hampton, you've got Caleb Johnson from Iowa, who I think people are kind of underrating. Scadaboo, who I loved watching college football this fall, we all did. And he's just a special dude. His tapes actually even better. Yes. RJ Harvey and DJ Giddens to just like type guys, you know, quickness and ability to make guys miss from UCF in Kansas State, who I don't think a lot

of college football fans got to see a ton of this year. But they're going to be like third round draft picks. Then you get Dylan Sampson what he did for Tennessee, right? But Shul tootin for Virginia Tech, Jordan James, just ultra quick running back from Oregon. Damian Martinez a powerback more south downhill, Breshard Smith and what he did at SMU Jaden blue as a four three guy and explosiveness out of the backfield. And then you get like Olly Gordon.

Like, it's not just great backs and talented backs, it's guys that were big-time college players too. Do you think that the Eagles and Saquon and the Super Bowl have put a premium back on the tailback because for a while there it was like, and I was astounded because I've always believed in a great tailback. I mean that I mean if I was you know a college football team rather than jump I mean, of course you want quarterback, but who's gonna be behind them?

You know who who so is there more a premium this year? You believe after the I know it's all cyclical Is it more premium this year after the e Eagles. I think you'll appreciate this coach. We've had a lot of conversations about like schemes and adjustments and you are on the forefront of spread and getting guys the ball in space. I mean that was from from you know outside looking in and the conversation we've had you were obsessed with and rightfully so, and before a lot of others of let's get dynamic athletes that are versatile that I can figure out different ways with spread and some tempo and different things that we want to do, that if I can get

them the ball in a little bit of space, they can create. And that's what the NFL has gone to. It's one of the, you know, it's opposite. You always hear like NFL trickles down to college. That was college football and you and a small handful of others where it kind of trickled up, right? And so what's happened is you've got

all these big arm quarterbacks. You've got all these weapons and these space guys. NFL teams now, it's covered to, you know, two high safeties. It's really hard, it makes it on the quarterback in the offense to throw the ball vertically. And in doing so, what does that open up, right? Yeah, your man short in the box.

Man short in the box. And so now we're starting to see, like Detroit got ahead of it. Philly got ahead of it. You've got to be able to, with a man short in the box, you've got to be able to run the football and even you know, get the get the running back the ball underneath screen game and outlets and different sorts of things. And so it just kind of

marries perfectly take a perfect storm this year where the NFL is. It's not like the cyclical thing where it's a skein. It's a schematic thing. We've got to have difference makers are running back. And as that's happening in the NFL, all of a sudden, we've got this, this, like generational maybe maybe the best running back class in the history of the NFL coming up. So I think teams are going to be much more inclined to take advantage of that than ever before.

Everyone loves the running back until it's time to pay the running back. That's the to pay the running back. That's the problem. Is Cam Ward number one, Todd? Yeah, Cam Ward's going number one. He's not perfect. It's not flawless. I did it.

I went back and looked at my grades last year. I think the jumping off point for the conversation in terms of where Cam Ward would go would be fourth quarterback. I would put him kind of in that same tier as JJ McCarthy You know Honestly, Michael Penex was just a notch below with Bo Nicks I think that's I think below those two guys would be like Chador Jackson dart I have identical grades on Chador and Jackson dart I think it's a lot closer between two and three quarterback this

year than it is ward and Chador. I'm taking Travis Hunter Todd. Right? Would you would you take them? I would and you know what I do? I'd make him my wide receiver and I'd get him and I'd let him do both. But I just, I can't look at that talent. He might have the best ball skills in the last, I don't know.

You see him go high point the ball. And you stand next to him, he's big. I mean, I was shocked when we had him on the set at big noon and on top of that, he's a wonderful dude. I mean, he's a great guy. All he does is work. He works. He's just a worker, man.

You know he had a three, 379. Great point average. He's, you'll appreciate this Florida. The only two other guys to be all Americans and academic all American were warful and Tibo. And war for was the only one to win a Heisman the same year that he was an academic all American. So like, you're getting a smart guy, a worker, the versatile, the stamina too. I think he can do it, man. No one's ever done it.

I think he can play both sides. Cause the NFL game's slower. You ever go to an NFL game? Have you gone, I mean, obviously you have, but like- TV timeouts. I did a segment, Todd, I did a segment on Big Newt. It's 160th play of the game. He's downfield blocking 25 yards down the field.

It's fascinating, right? It really it's a his stamina is just different than anyone I I've seen and I like Charles Woodson and champ Bailey and even like Dion. They didn't I would like Charles Woodson and champ Bailey had like fewer than 10 combined catches in their NFL career. You know what I mean? So like, this guy's, his cat's like, he's got a chance to do something no one has ever

done before. And I actually think he can do it. Todd, so how do you think it plays out? Because for me personally, I think he takes, he starts as a corner and you spot play him with packages on offense That way you get the best of both worlds like you feature him 20 snaps on offense Get him the ball how you need to get him, but then you let him go shut down Whoever and follow whoever on defense. How do you think it plays out for more?

Most most people in the league Agree with you, especially coaches, right? I Think there's it's like yeah, we'll just throw them out there and he can play. You got to be in that meeting room as a cornerback. You've got to know what we're doing as you know, collectively as a team, how we're communicating what our installs are this week. And, and what's but like the flip side of that is you're staring at this guy and you're watching him walk into that DB meeting room, right? And then you're looking at your quarterback and you're looking at your wide receiver room

and you're like, how am I not, how is he not like a full-time member on the offensive side? How am I limiting him to some installs and 20, 25 play, you know, package per week. And so that's why I say it's gonna be fascinating. Like truly we have never seen anything like this. So there and I do think it matters what team like if he falls to four and I don't see that scenario especially now. I mean a little bit earlier in the process there was more of a path towards that which should or maybe going at two or three and who knows what happens on draft night. But if he goes to the Patriots, though,

he's a wide receiver and they brought in Carlton Davis, they've got Christian Gonzales, like, and they'll they'll utilize them, I think, in like some red zone certain situations on defense. But yes, to answer your question, the majority of people in the league think full time corner moonlight as a wide receiver. But as we get closer to the draft, there's more people I talked to it's a key a he's going to do both. And B, we got to find it's on us to find a way preparation wise, to make him a full time player on both sides of the ball, it's going to be different, never done it before. But when you get a different special player like that, you've got to make

adjustments and you've got to adjust to what you have. The rest of our NFL Draft conversation with Todd McShay coming your way next week on the Triple Option. But up next, we talk Bishogun. How many wins will the Wolverines get in the regular season? How many wins will the Wolverines get in the regular season? My parents have had a lot of time on their hands lately. At first, it was nice. Hey mom, can you drive me to soccer practice? Sure can. We're having slow cooked ribs for dinner. It was awesome. And then it became a lot. Some friends are coming over to watch a movie. Ooh, what are we watching? I'll make some popcorn. Thanks to Voila, they can order all our fresh favorites from Sobeez, Farm Boy, and Longos online, which is super reliable.

And now my parents are reliable. A little too reliable. Voila, your groceries delivered, just like that. Let's drive good together with Bonterra and Volkswagen. Buy any sustainably focused Bonterra bathroom tissue,, paper towel or facial tissue, and you could win a 2025 Volkswagen all electric ID buzz. See in store for details. BONTERA for a better planet. No purchase necessary, terms and conditions apply. See online for details.

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and the Triple Option crystal ball. You know what? It's back baby the crystal ball. We still have that booty crystal ball. We still got this tiny little crystal ball but it is brought to you by Bet MGM each Wednesday throughout the NHL season. Does Bet MGM approve of that crystal ball? Yes, yes. Bet MGM thinks we can do better with the crystal ball but for right now it's doing great. Each Wednesday during the NHL season, pick the skater you think will light the lamp first in the game. If it's not your player, but he does score the second goal of the game, you get your stake back.

You only get that here with the sportsbook, Born in Vegas. So we have taken out our college football crystal ball on Penn State, Texas and Alabama. This week, we're going to look at coaches favorite program Michigan. They have set it at eight and a half regular season wins. According to bet MGM for 2025. Put that half on there that they've always messes with you. There's a reason they do it the over at minus 200. They have the under at plus 155. So again, the magic number, if it's even a number, is 8.5 for Michigan.

Losses last year in Texas. The over is plus 155? The over is minus 200. The under is at plus 155. Really? All right, so how many regular season wins is Michigan gonna get? Eight and five last year, including the bowl win versus your Alabama Crimson.

So does that does the bowl win count? No, we're always talking regular season. So last year losses to Texas, Washington, Illinois, Oregon and Indiana did though beat USC, did though win in Columbus over the Buckeyes. We take a look at their 2025 schedule. They didn Coach, they done tapped both our butt last year. Goodness gracious. All right, Mark, I'll start with you. We're looking at the 2025 schedule. Why me? You have the ultimate arch nemesis.

You want to start with me? No, no, no. Well, I'm saving it for later. OK, yeah, you're right. I'm building up the drama. I'm spreading it out. I'm increasing our viewership windows here. All right, we're looking at the 2025 schedule for Michigan.

We got New Mexico. When? When? Oklahoma. The fact of the matter is, is this hometown kid going to be the man? Is Bryce Underwood going to be the man? Is Bryce Underwood the five-star QB going to be it?

Here we are. We're in April. We're going to have to answer that later. We know what a quarterback can do. They won seven games without a quarterback. Correct. 131st ranked offense. They got a new OC, Chip Lindsey, who comes in from North Carolina.

Um, they got some running backs that are gone, but Alabama transfer. Justin Haynes is in the running back room as well. So I agree with you. There's a lot of questions, but guess what? That's why you're, you're gambling or betting on this right now in April. So New Mexico win at Oklahoma loss. Oh, yeah. Okay. That's fair. I think Oklahoma is going to be better this year versus Central Michigan. Win win at Nebraska. Right. Right. All right. Let's just put that off. Let's put

that on the burner versus Wisconsin at home. Home. Win. Win. I'm going to give them win. Yeah. They go all the way to Southern Cal. USC? Yeah. Okay. We'll give it to them, but that's a soft, generous win, but that's four. Home to Washington. Put it on the side for now. Put that, put that, put that one on the side. Three wins. Okay. Versus Washington When home, when, when, when here we go. Here we go. In East Lansing. When she stays not ready. It's gonna be a win. But their state's come. Purdue. When? When? Northwest dune. When? Seven. At Maryland. When?

Eight. Verse the Ohio State for win number nine. Five in a row. Can they get five? Do it. Do we get nine with the quarterback? Finally, a young at home in his 12th game. And again, it's eight and a half is the win total. I'm at eight.

You're at eight and we have two on the side and Ohio State. We have three on the side. I'm saying a loss to Ohio State and they find a win versus either. USC or Nebraska. Yeah. These numbers are good man. Betting Vegas is right on it. Vegas is right on it.

That's crazy, right? Well, I would even say Mark that that week two game at Oklahoma is a toss up to me. Oklahoma is going to be better. I'm not saying that's a no brainer win for Michigan, but there's some like the at Oklahoma, the at Nebraska, the at USC, the at those three big ads in the first half of the season. Those are to me, it's at Oklahoma season is at Oklahoma with a young quarterback on the road in a hostile environment. So that's

where I'm saying Norman's going to be ready. Yes. At Oklahoma hostile environment. We see what they could do when you got a team coming down there like they did to my crimson tide. They made them lay an egg. You feel me? So I'm saying at Oklahoma with a young quarterback. I'm saying to L so you're going under. I'm going. I said they they I said they win nine games. Oh, yeah Yeah, eight and a half. He got it right to nine, but I mean barely barely might have been like eight eight and three quarters So you go ahead coach so you go night before the question is eight So nobody thinks double digits, huh in the regular season I don't think Tim wins but with with the quarterback, if the quarterback,

we know what a quarterback can do for your team. If Bryce Underwood could continue to grow, elevate his game over the course of the season, they could be a dangerous team in the Big 10. What are you thinking, Coach? The.5's got me, because I think they're an eight, nine win team, which is Vegas is right on it, looking at that schedule.

So I'm gonna go nine wins. I'm gonna say that they're an eight, nine win team, which is Vegas is right on it, looking at that schedule. So I'm gonna go nine wins. I'm gonna say that they're gonna play good defense and let the quarterback develop. Is 9 wins. 131st ranked offense. I didn't know there were 131 teams. There's more. That's bad, man.

And they beat the eventual national champion. Correct. We were there. Correct. We'll be there again. Wow. That's a tough one. And they beat Belmont. We were there. Correct. We'll be there again. Wow. That's a tough one. Um, and they beat Belmont shoe. And by the way, is nine or 10 regular season wins? Is that good enough for the Michigan fan base?

Is that good enough to get them to the college? Depends on that last game. They get a good enough form of that last game. Right. What's good enough for them? What's going on with all the NCAA? What do you, what do you, I, they had a former offense coordinator get in trouble with the law.

They get all this stuff going on. Is, is that, is everything done? You just don't hear much about it because of what that impact is still under investigation. Yeah. There's still soft noise out there ruling yet. Okay. Yeah.

Allegedly. Is that not part of the script? Yeah. Yeah. It's just under investigation. It's just under investigation. It's all, you know, no suspensions, no. It's until proven guilty. No ruling yet. I've been with coach long enough now that I know what he's getting at over here. Say what you want coach. Say what you mean. Yeah. Pull the curve be smart man. We'll say what your chest coach.

Oh good. Depends on that last game. Say what your chest coach. What you trying to say about that school? Oh man. That's school. That school won a national championship a couple of years ago, beat the Ohio state last year in Columbus, Michigan.

How many regular coaches? And there's a lot of controversy surrounding this school. Yeah. Sharon Moore. All right. Let's see what you got in Ann Arbor. You got a quarterback on paper. Let's see how he on paper. Let's see how good he is on the turf, man.

Let's see how good he is. I can't wait to see him. A hell of a recruit. Yeah. Watch some highlights. Old time hero. On roof form. Yeah, I agree. I agree. It'd be nice to see him play hell of a recruit. Yeah, watch some highlights. Old time hero, old group fun. Yeah, I agree. I agree. It'd be nice to see him play well.

All right, follow, subscribe, rate us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever it is that you get your podcasts, as well as across social media at 3X Option Show. Thanks, as always, to our amazing, wonderful, generous sponsors, Wendy's, Benton MGM, NHTSA, and Zip Recruiter. Coach, any last Michigan thoughts before we sign off or you're going to be good?

You're good? Say it with your chest, Coach. The last game of the year. Say it with your chest, Coach. I know you holding back. Say it with your chest. We need them views. See you next week on the Triple Option.