The Triple Option - Oregon's Dan Lanning Joins, Top Coaching Performances, Who's the SEC Favorite, and Week 6 Picks

Episode Date: October 1, 2025

Not one, not two, not three, but FOUR top ten teams went down in Week 5! Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, and Rob Stone try to make sense of yet another top 25 shakeup. They debate if Ole Miss will win the SEC, has James Franklin taken Penn State as far as they can go, will Ohio State repeat, and if Lincoln Riley will ever win a Big Ten title at USC. Mark then crowned Dante Moore as his Dawg of the Week for his performance in Happy Valley. Oregon's head coach, Dan Lanning joined the guys to talk about their double overtime win over Penn State, his Heisman contending QB, and the Ducks mentality going forward. Lane Kiffin sounded off, giving credit to the Rebel fan base for not storming the field after their win over LSU. We went "Three and Out" with the guys naming the most impressive coaching performances to this point with Lanning, Kiffin, Ryan Day, Mario Cristobal, Mike Elko, Kalani Sitake, Brett Venables, and Clark Lea all getting their props. They wrapped with the 2-minute drill, picking Texas Tech v Houston, Alabama v Vanderbilt, and Florida State v Miami. 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. Wake up with Wendy’s breakfast ⁠⁠⁠https://www.wendys.com/breakfast⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our additional sponsors Zip Recruiter - Try FOR FREE at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Ziprecruiter.com/Option⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FanDuel - Visit ⁠⁠https://Fanduel.com/TripleOption⁠⁠ to download the app and take advantage of a 50% Profit Boost today! #CollegeFootball #OregonDucks #AlabamaCrimsonTide #PennState #OhioState #USC #ACC #Big12 #SEC #OleMiss #BigTen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They think it's sweet until I put these on you. Put these myths on you. Talk a lot of mess, Coach. They be talking a lot of mess behind the phone and behind the computer screen. But come see me because I'm really about that. I really am. Come see me.

I'll put pause on you, coach. I love it. I'll put paws on you. I'm grown. Light it. The Triple Option is brought to you by Wendy's. Wake up with Wendy's 2 for $3 breakfast. Hey, welcome to another edition of the triple option

presented by Wendy's Rob Stone, Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, the second, deuce-duce. How about catching that flight out of champagne the other day, Mark? You know, we get it, man. We ain't new to it, we're true to it, man. How'd you get out so fast? We had help, coach. Efficient.

We were efficient. Effective, efficient, and execution. You might be going back to Champaign, boys. Yeah, come along with us, man. That was a quick escape. It was fun. All right, this week on the Triple Option. about this guest, Oregon head coach, Dan Lending, joining us after that massive win in the Happy Valley.

Coming up this weekend, only two rake matchups will hit both of them. We asked the question, when is it okay to rush the field? When is it appropriate to just take a pass on it? Lane Kiffin has some thoughts on that, and we'll tell you what coaches have stood out so far in our three and out. As always, thanks for joining us. Remember, please rate, subscribe at Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts. New ones coming your way every Wednesday on YouTube, wherever you get your podcast.

We're on social media, 3X option show. As always, and we're really encouraging this. Please leave questions, comments. We will answer them in the show. We've got an answer. We've got a question coming your way a little bit later. But we begin with any given Saturday. This week, another classic example.

The top 10 took some body blows, guys. Third ranked Penn State. Number four, LSU. Number five, Georgia, number eight, Florida. State, all going down. Actually, the second time this season that four top 10 teams fell in one week, week one, the other example of that. Plus, my horn frogs guys, had a big lead, couldn't close things out at Arizona State.

Washington, tough go gave the Buckeyes a challenge. USC loses in a walk-off fashion at Illinois, all of them picking up their first losses of the season. Plus, we lost another head coach, Arkansas parting ways with head. coach Sam Pitman. All right. So last week, we looked at how some head coach slash university pairings would end. This week, we're going to kind of reset things a little bit and look at what we actually know or feel like we know after week five. So here's the game. I'm going to make a statement. All right, guys. And then you will rate it on a one to five scale. One being low, I agree. I don't agree, Rob, five as

Yes, 100% this is going to happen, all right? So, five is good, one is bad. Here's your statement. Old Miss, up to number four. That's their highest ranking mark in a decade. They are going to win the SEC. One to five. One to five, and one being no and five being yes.

Is that, is that my number two? You have that correct. I mean, I'll say it's a three. It's still early. I knew you were going to go there right down the middle. I'll stay as a three. Do they look really good? Yes, they do.

Trinidad Chambliss is really balling over there at Ole Miss. The defense is playing strong or fast. But we've seen in the past, Ole Miss at some point will Ole Miss. So they look good, but, you know what I mean? It's still early. There's some Ole Miss opportunities out there, right? They're at Georgia, at Oklahoma, at Mississippi State.

Yep, South, yep. They got South Carolina, Florida. Yeah, at Mississippi State. And the SEC is just really deep, man. Mizzou looks really good. Vandy is undefeated going to Alabama. And we need our get back. Oklahoma has been really good.

We know Mature has the hand injury. A&M with Marcel Reed. Texas has yet to play an SEC game. So this conference is still too early to be able to tell. Ole Miss looks like to be a contender. And that's why I'm going straight down the middle, three. So you tuck it in as a three. Seems like a safe pick.

All right. I'm with you. We'll reevaluate this one a little bit later. Let's go to Happy Valley. Penn State, coach, the Nittney Lions, they have reached their ceiling under James Franklin. Lost at home, 30 to 24, double O.T. They dropped down to number seven. Franklin, here's the numbers, two and 21 versus AP top six opponents.

He's lost 15 in a row to top 16. Remember a coach, we used to say, hey, here's the problem with James Franklin and Penn State. Their problem is Michigan, and their problem is Ohio State. Guess what? They now have an Oregon problem on top of that. Yeah, I would have to be a solid four because the ceiling is really high. I mean, and he's right there at the top of the ceiling. So, I mean, go through 132 teams and would like to have the record that Jane Franklin had.

For sure. And I made this comment on Big Noon or Colin Coward. I can't remember. And I said that when you lose a game in Columbus, I've been there. I've lost a game in Columbus. And the sun does not come up. people are so pissed off for so long in Columbus, Ohio. Mark, you watch it when you walk out of that stadium.

And I mean, and then you go to Ann Arbor and, you know, the nasty. I mean, some of the things people say and look and don't get me starting that one because we're going there this week. And then the last one is Penn State, the pregame, the whiteout, the best in the country. You lose that game, though, and I remember walking out when we beat Penn State and everybody's you know, it's happy Valley. It's everybody's, hey, see you next in a couple years, coach, and what a game. And I'm thinking, damn.

I mean, so very few places have the same mentality of Columbus, Ohio, where when you batten down the hatches when you lose a game there, I don't feel that way at Penn State. I think Penn State is about where they need to be, which is one of the top five teams in the country. And if they make some plays, they can win a national championship. It's just, I don't feel. I think they're at the, near the ceiling, but the ceiling can always go a little further. Yeah.

I know it's a little long-winded there. I think this win is going to serve Penn State. Well, again, remember all that senior leadership on the team. Yeah, they're absolutely still in it. Road trips, though, still coming up at Iowa, at Ohio State. Indiana comes to Happy Valley. They go to Michigan State as well. By the way, Michigan State, like, is better this year, home to Nebraska.

So a real challenging schedule, still ahead. But good players, good team. 100%. The ceiling, a four. All right, so you feel pretty strong that Penn State has reached their ceiling under James Franklin. All right. We transition to two other conferences right now, the ACC and the Big 12. They each have four ranked teams this week, Mark. Come December, the Big 12 and the ACC is only going to get one college football playoff bid. Only one? So five, if I totally nailed that statement, one if I'm way off.

ACC and Big 12 each only get one bid to the playoffs. Like you think that they will get more. If you think they're going to get more, then give my statement a low rating. I think the statement is a five. I think they for sure get one in each. Now, the question is, do you get two in? Well, of course they're going to get one of each. Well, that's your question, Mark.

That's booked. So can they get a second in there? Like, if you're at the ACC, Miami is... They could definitely get a second in. You think so? Who? Yeah, ACC could definitely get a second end. The season's still early.

Georgia Tech, they're undefeated. Florida State, they lost one, but that's only one. What if they somehow continue to run the table and go to their championship game? You know what I mean? The thing with the beauty of this is you could lose a game, get to your conference championship, and win and still get in. Clefson went to the conference championship. They won their conference championship with three losses last year.

So you can easily, I feel. like they get more than one. I feel like you're saying a two. Yeah, yeah, I feel like the ACC or the Big 12 will end up getting more than one in. Again, Florida State hosting Miami this weekend. We'll talk about that game coming up.

So you win that game and Florida State is right back in the conversation. Exactly. And Miami will only take a marginal hit, you would think. For the Big 12 right now, it's Texas Tech ranked number 11th. They're the team that looks to be going to the college football playoff. Iowa State. Arizona State. 14, unbeaten.

Arizona State at 25, BYU at number 23, more on them in a moment. So, Mark feels that at least the ACC has a chance to get more than one team into the college football playoff. All right, let's talk about the team that won it all last year, the Ohio State coach on a scale of one to five, five, you totally believe it. They will repeat as national champs. I saw something with a coach day that when you started hearing your name around Newt Rockney, did you guys see?

that? If he wins one more game, I think it's a higher winning percentage than New Rochney. How about that? I'm just impressed if it's a higher winning percentage than you. Yeah. I mean, as a career, I think it is, I don't know if it is at Ohio State yet, but it's close. It's close. It's close. What he's done is, it's best coaching job.

I mean, you replace two coordinators, replusive quarterback. Their defense is elite, elite, to go on the road and hold that quarterback, DeMond Williams Jr., to the way they contained him. I love that player. So absolutely they can. I would say a four. I think it's going to be Oregon, Ohio State. They're going to play twice.

They're going to play in Indianapolis and they're going to play in the college football playoff, Mark. And I think the winner, I still, I don't see that team in the SEC yet, Mark. I don't. That's going to, to me, Oregon, Ohio State look a little bit different than everyone else. And obviously, like you said, it's so early. But those are the two teams that are going to swing. So, of course, I think it's a solid.

at 3.5 to 4.5. 3.5 to 4.5. They have Minnesota at home this weekend and then the following Saturday at Illinois, at Wisconsin. You can play defense like that, boy. I mean, I've had a couple of teams like that where you play defense, and I mean, the whole week, you're just game planning it. You feel good. So a 4.5, is that what you're saying?

Give yourself a little. I'm going to go 4. I'm going to go 4. 4. Mark, what do you say on that one? That man's all over the schedule. All over the. Hey, no, they got a legit shot for, they got a legit shot, man.

I think it's a four-point something to give yourself some wiggle room. By the way, can we talk about the running back, Bo Jackson? Like, if this kid is for real, for real going forward, that solves a big, a big question mark. Bo Jackson, you know you got to be told Ned P. You have to make, Bo Jackson. Say-in to Smith as well. Your parents knew he was the chosen one. Right?

No pressure, Bo. No pressure at all. We're just going to name you Bo Jackson. Eight and a half yards per carry. Go run up outfield walls and catch things and go run through DBs and linebackers. Jeremiah Smith doing his thing, Julian San, keep getting better, keep improving that defense, man. You got a shot anytime you play defense like that. All right, here we go.

Last question, again, five if you totally believe this statement. One, if we're way off course. Lincoln Riley will not win a Big Ten title at USC. Remember, they were four and O until they lost last Saturday on that walkoff field goal at Illinois. Illinois. Coach, USC, 13 and 12 in their last 25 games. Lincoln Riley will not win a big 10 title at USC, one through five. Oh, four. Yeah, I mean, they let me down. This was the team. I thought they looked big tennis. They let all of us down. I thought, you know, I mean, my whole playbook was about their physicality and about how that changes the culture of the program,

it changes the offseason, changes practice. And right in front of our eyes, Mark, they got pushed round by Illinois. They got beat by 50 points to Indiana. So I don't know. That one's an enigma to me. I don't understand the whole USC to me is I always held them as a top two, three program in the country. They have it all right there. So I give a four. Four. They got a ton of recruits coming in. They've really picked up their game there. I'm going a lower number on that. I say watch out for the Trojans next year. But by the way, real quick. I see you, Rob? Really? Why? Well, watch for the Trojans next year? Watch out of the Trojans next year.

Rob. Yeah. Really? When my daughter, hopefully would be a freshman there. Explain yourself. Oh, there. Yeah.

No, you can't just drop this and just go to the next segment. Because I think, I think recruiting, I think the energy around the program, particularly here in California, has totally changed. Still? You said they're 13. It's not half in this year, but I think it's coming. Sorry?

They went and they looked the part and they got manhandled. Yeah. But to that point, like, I watch. to give Brett Bilemus his flowers, right? And coach, we were talking about that. I don't know if coach is getting enough credit for what he was able to do, having been absolutely mulled and humbled in Bloomington, and then to turn around and to really push around a USC team last Saturday, all of a sudden, we're kind of back to thinking about this Illinois team is going to be one of the four or five best in a really loaded Big Ten right now. So USC, Link,

Lincoln, Riley, I believe in you, Lincoln, more than some others, too. All right. Last, let us know how we did. Confidence, if we nailed these questions or not, if you got some comments about it, throw them our way. We'd love to feature them every week. Time now, though, for the deuce, deuce. Dog of the week. Is that a belch or is that a bark? I don't know what that is. Is everything all right with you? All right. Best player in the nation last week. Your dog. of the week who was it the do's do's dog of the week i got to go with my michigan boy my mitten boy he is from michigan detroit michigan exactly but he is out there holding it down for the ducks in oregon the boy the qb one dante more 248 yards three t ds another 35 russian yards on the ground in penn state in happy valley at the white out a heavyweight title matchup a back and forth match up but he made enough plays to help this team get the job done.

Dante Moore, it was his Heisman moment. He's in the Heisman conversation, and he is a dog. He waited his time, and he is thriving with his time, and it is his time right now. Dante Moe for the a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-douce-doug. See how emotional he was after that game? He was really emotional after that game. I put him at the top of my Heisman list right now. You know, with Mateer and the injury at Oklahoma, that's absolutely going to hurt him.

He'll have time to win it back. But is he number one in the Heisman ballot right now? Yes, he is right there. He is right there with that win on the road at Penn State and leading the ducks who looked to be on like a collision course with the bucks. Yeah. Twice, a two-time collision course. Twice.

He is right there at the top of this conversation. You can't talk Heisman without talking Dante Moore. Agree. That was your fresh take of the week presented by Wendy's wake up with Wendy's. wake up with Wendy's breakfast. We're going to talk Dante Moore, a little bit more, with his head coach. Oregon head coach, Dan Lannning,

joins us next on the Triple Option, presented by Wendy's. With Amex Platinum, access to exclusive Amex pre-sale tickets can score you a spot trackside. So being a fan for life turns into the trip of a lifetime. That's the powerful backing of Amex. Presale tickets for future events subject to availability

and vary by race. terms and conditions apply. Learn more at mx.ca.com. Welcome back to the triple option. We're joined now by the head coach of the second ranked organ, duck, Stan Lenny. Hold on coach real quick. I know you're a coffee guy. Can I see that cup of coffee that your wife gave you? What does it say on that? She says, uh, high handsome coach. She gives me a different message every morning. So it's one of like relationships are hard, man, especially in football. So I'm sure she goes back to bed after she gets them. She'll get up early with me in the morning, but she'll make me a cup of coffee, and she always puts a note on there to get me, you know, jacked and ready for the day. I love that. That's love, man. Real quick, but before the

Penn State game last week, I know you called Coach Meyer. What was the impetus and what kind of finally forced you to dial up his digits and ask him about that certain question? Yeah, really, I just, I'd never been at Penn State. I hadn't played there, seen it from afar, and knew he'd been in some games there. I just wanted to get his opinion of the place. I always try to get an idea of, you know, what's it like? And I knew he'd been at places that I'd been at, but I'd never been there. So I wanted to get an idea, okay, what's the crowd noise like? When's it? When's the loud? And he gave this concept to hotspots. He's like, look, first play the game, first kickoff, punt, you know, third downs. Like, it's going to be really loud. There's student section,

like certain areas of the field, you're going to hear them. And it was. It was, it was, you know, almost exactly as he described. And so for us in practice, we tried to create that. We had, you know, we have our speakers on the sideline. We have our speakers in the stadium. We have our speakers in the indoor. Every one of them's on and they're loud. But we didn't do it for every single moment in practice. We did it for periods of practice. And then we had these turtle boxes, you know, and I probably had 15 turtle boxes right behind the offensive lines. When they get in the huddled, we had every turtle box right on top of the offensive line. And we did it, you know, these hotspot periods in practice. And we actually started a little bit of it last week, you know, for our guys, you know, during the Oregon State game, because it's going to be something that shows up throughout the year and kind of just built this mindset of, hey, we got to be ready for the hotspots when they show up. And, you know, our guys did an unbelievable job. We ended up having two false starts in the game. And they were really close, in my opinion, to not being, you know, false starts. But it wasn't our offensive line. Our offensive line didn't jump once in the

game, which is really impressive, you know, in that environment to handle that. Our punt team was able to flip protections, do different things. You know, so it was pretty impressive. I thought. for our guys to handle that. I know it's some good insight from coach to help without getting there. Coach, man, that was some big boy ball y'all played this weekend, man. I know you not afraid of those type of games, but it was a very close game, very like, you know, back and forth, haymakers, hey makers, hey makers, responding.

What does it say about your team and the leadership and the resilience of your team to be able to go on the road and a double overtime matchup at the whiteout and be able to come away at the win? What does I say about your team? Yeah, watching. that game afterwards, the thing I was most proud of is there was one play that I watched. I was like, man, our effort wasn't what it need to be, one play. And out of all the plays in that game, to watch one play and say our effort isn't what it needs to be, like, that doesn't happen

very often. Our guys played with relentless effort. And that game, anybody's watching it, recognizes that could have gone either way. Right. And as a coach, like I always tell our players, 100% guaranteed there's going to be good things that happen. There's going to be bad things that happen. The question is, how will you, how will you respond to good? and bad. And I had made a decision in my mind, like, however this game turns out, I'm so proud of the way our guys played. Like, that's a good team, you know, in a tough environment. And honestly, I hurt for, you know, Coach Franklin on his team because they're an unbelievable team. Like that, and somebody was going to walk out of there not feeling great about how it ended.

And it's really like that much. Right. Like that much is the difference. So I was really proud of our guys regardless of the result. I'm obviously thrilled that we came out with the W. and we had to do whatever and everything we could to have that success. But that's one of those games that regardless of resolve. I was going to be really proud of the way our guys played in that environment. And I'm more than anything, really proud of their effort. And we learned some great lessons in the process, too. Good job, Coach.

Your quarterback, Dante Moore, where does he belong now in the Heisman conversation? We're not going to talk about that. I mean, this dude, but if you can't recognize that he's a baller, Facts. Shame on you. Like, this guy is special, right? like all that stuff takes care of itself right like he belongs in any conversation there is but we ain't at the end of the season yet either and all of it adds up it all matters and dante knows that

but that dude uh he played his ass off in that game really impressive effort by him unbelievable play by him and he's a michigan boy coach like your boy you know what i mean so you got you one i saw you try to get him to do the pose the other day yeah he didn't fight for that i wanted to ask you about that man like you saw it i asked him to do the pose man and um what makes him such what makes him so humble and such a leader for this team you know um it's just it's part of his maturity you know you know he is a guy that uh no moments too big but he's even keel it's one of the things i thought they made dylan really uh gabriel really special if he had really great poise in those moments i remember i came up to him in a third down in the game the other day i was like

listen okay if we get to fourth down and if we don't like the look you don't have to snap the ball we can take a delay a game here and we'll punt and we'll be in great shape. He's like, coach, how about we just convert the third down? I was like, all right, cool. My bad. I'll shut up. Like, don't worry about, like, it's on me to call a time out or take the delay. Like, you just go convert this third down.

Like, he just has unbelievable poise within the game. He's like, why are you talking to me about fourth down? We're about to convert third down. Shut up, you know, all right, cool. Your point. That's what's up. Coach, you like our coach, has spent time in the SEC and now, obviously, in the Big Ten. And how close are those two conferences right now, is one better than the other?

How do they compare? What's your vibe between the SEC and the Big Ten? Well, I mean, both conferences have unbelievable teams, right? Obviously, the upper hand that's really belonged to the Big Ten in the last two years, having the two national championships out of that. I mean, four of the last teams playing in the national, or three of the last two years, teams playing in the national championship were from the Big Ten. But to not acknowledge that the SEC has unbelievable teams would be silly, right?

there's really good teams on both sides. And that's made college football fun, right? It's made it fun for everybody, you know, across the nation to recognize, like there's some really good teams in both conferences, but I'm really confident right now the Big Ten is playing really good ball, and it's a tough conference to be a part of, that's for sure.

Coach, one of the things I said I was most impressed about was just the winning culture that you have created at Oregon, the players you recruit, the players you retain, the mentality that you guys play with. And one thing that goes with that is like the depth of the roster. The depth of your roster is insane. I mean, you had six different players with a rush attempt in the last game. Eight different past catchers in that game.

Numerous amounts of people show up on the defensive stats sheet. How did you build this foundation at Oregon, man? Because it's extremely impressive to witness. Yeah, you know, really our theme this season has been strength in numbers, right? And we've all ever, since I've been here, we've talked about if you're good enough, you're old enough. How many players can we have that are playing winning football? We have a lot of guys that are playing winning football,

but the players have set the temperature. Yeah. They've been the thermostat. They've been the guys that have owned the standard. We've been really fortunate now in year four. We've never lost the starter to the transfer portal. I think that speaks to our players really enjoy being here. We have the ability to retain them.

The culture. But our players, our players have created that culture. They've created that standard. And they've set that mark. And then, you know, there's a belief. Like, okay, Cody, if I'd practice well enough and I set and I play to a level necessary, I'm going to find ways to be on the field. And we have a lot of guys that have done that. All right, coach, we want to do some tape work here with you. We're going to like Zapruder

the end of this game and you and your reactions. All right. So if you can watch on the screen here, the interception has taken place. All right. We're going to find you here in a second. And then you lift this human being up. All right. So we're going to freeze it. What just transpired there? Who was that and what's going on at that moment in your brain? He was in Alabama, wasn't he coach? That's a strength coach. That's Wilson Love, man. So I was a GA at Alabama when Wilson was a strength intern GA in Alabama.

And he lays it on the line. We got on the bus after the game. And it's funny, you know, Wilson brings it every single day. And our players are like, look, coach, look at Wilson. He's out of juice, man. He ain't got no one. He was exhausted. You know, it's funny as a coach.

And Wilson and myself included, how exhausted you get in those games. and you're like, I didn't run down on one kickoff. I didn't play one snap, you know, but we love each other, man. I was so excited to see him, give a big old bear hug. You know, I get amped up in those moments. Coach LaPoy later on, I bumping him. He's made a big point of like, please do not chest bump me, do not hit me anymore because he's had like cartilage that's been damaged.

And I've hit him twice since we've been here where, you know, I've damaged his ribs. So he came into me and it was like, hey, man, can I actually touch you? He's not in this scene, but he's like, can I touch you? I know I've jacked you up. I've tried to make a point of not running into you in these moments after big interceptions or big plays. He's like, I'm good, man. I'm good, you know, and it's just the emotions are so high in that game.

You're so excited for guys like Coach Love that every player in that locker room loves, you know, yeah, that was a special moment. All right, but we're not done, coach. This fascinated me because I was watching this live, all right? Here we go. This is quick with Coach Franklin. And then the scream heard round the world in my eyes. Hold on.

I love that primal scream. All right. So what was that release? What was that for you, Coach? We always say 60 minutes or as long as it takes. It took a little bit longer in this game. We went overtime, but that was, I guess, I don't know. I was just Jack.

I was Jack. So the lovely person that's trying to interview you is Catherine Tappen from NBC Sports. There's another angle with us. I was watching live. I think you scared the shit out of her. Like she had this look. Like, I got to talk to this human being. Like, I don't think he's, I don't think he's with us on the planet at this moment.

Like, it coached to me, I'm like, that dude is hanging by a thread in a really cool, amazing, energetic way. Yeah. Yeah, there's a lot of emotions in that moment. You want to, you want to scream, you want to cry. I don't know. That's, like, that's why you do this job. Yeah. You know, that's why you do this job.

begin to enjoy some of those moments. So it was fun. And then one more. One more. We're going to roll it again here as well. Somebody comes up to you real fast, tries to sneak in a quick hello and a thank you, right? Kenyon. Kenyon, Warner.

Yeah. And then you, there it is. There's that and the addressing of the crowd. Had you settled yourself down yet? It was a great interview. It was really emotional and impactful. But, you know, you're taking in that whole scene and he knew what the whiteout was and it goes to double overtime.

you get the pick, the walk-off pick. Where was Coach Lannings head through all of these emotions? I mean, it was a, we did it feeling. Like it was like, okay, we accomplished it. And like I said, I'd really set my mind in that game that, you know, we're going to, regardless of what happens, I'm super proud of how we played. And, you know, apparently somebody, like that game was, we told our players all week, it's about a thousand cuts.

It's about a thousand cuts. Like, that's by a thousand cut. And I think somebody caught me in the game doing this. And like, that's all I was saying is like, hey, it's another cut. That's another cut. Everybody thought I was saying, games over, which is not at all what I was saying. But it was one of those moments like, you could see our players throughout the game signaling to a other. That's a cut.

That's a cut. And we're going to get an artery. And eventually we're going to get an artery. And that's, you know, throughout the game, it was just like the next play is the most important. And when the game's over with now eventually you get to say, we got it. We got all of our cut then. So, yeah, it was just a special moment. It was fun for our guys.

Coach, congratulations. We really appreciate you taking time out here, just a couple, really a couple hours after the big win. Go enjoy that second cup of coffee and enjoy, enjoy that bye week. You've earned it. Appreciate it. Thank you, guys. Have a great one. Thank you, Coach.

Thanks a lot. You bet. Have a good one. Lady. Welcome back to the Triple Option presented by Wendy's, Rob Urban Mark, back here with you in the era of finding schools for field storming and a needing to conserve all. all those dollars for revenue sharing and paying out coaches and bringing in new coaches. Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss had a message to his Rebel fan base after their home win over LSU. Take a listen.

Hope our fans had a good day. Appreciate them not rushing to field. So, but I think not to take away from probably extra security, it probably helped. But to me, that's really cool that you get to a place at a program that you do beat the number three team in the country and you don't rush the field because it's because we did what we're supposed to do and that's win the game and so that makes me happy that this program's got to that place all right he's right he's right he's right he is right because when you win national championships and the standard is national championship you don't rush the field for beating somebody

in the regular season i don't know you just beat the number three team in the land but that's not the all that's not the all else why can't you celebrate that why you celebrate it on campus and go crazy Well, that is celebrating it on campus. You're running onto the field, which is on campus. Hey, coach, tell these people, when you win championships, when you have championship pedigree, you don't storm the field for beating somebody in the regular season. They haven't won championships.

They should embrace these. They don't happen all the time in Oxford. That's your standard. You don't run the field for beating some brand thing. The standard in Oxford is you beat number three LSU. Get your butt down on that field and brush it, man, and have some fun and embrace coaches and players. No.

You never see baby. I'm just enjoying watching you two guys going. You never see Alabama's throwing no field. I'm a little bit more like Mark. Again, Ole Misses in Alabama. Yes, but they want to be. Correct. They want to be, but they are not yet.

So you act like it. Come on now. So I've witnessed that Bowling Green, we rush the field. At Utah, we rushed the field. At Florida, never. I don't think we've ever rushed the field. Because we're expected. And then Ohio State, the only time you do is when you beat that team up north. So that's, so I'd love it.

I've been a part of it. You know, I remember we beat the team up north the last time, and they were trying to get, the police are trying to get me out the field. I just stopped. Let me enjoy this for a little bit. I stayed out with the fans for about 20 minutes and just enjoyed every second of it.

But I get it, Mark, I feel you with Alabama. You know, I just don't see Alabama rush in the field because that's their job. Never have. In my time. They never have? I don't know. Since 2008, since I've been there,

I've never seen it, not once. It might have happened. previously, but ever since I've been there since 2008, I've never seen it. Never seen it. Let your fans enjoy it, man. We do enjoy it. We enjoy it. We enjoy tapping ass and running up natties.

18 of them, going for 19. So it's just different. I'm sorry. Roll damn tired. It's just different. I'm impressed with Lane. You know, he's very mature of him. Yeah.

So, I mean, I can tell a story of a story because he wasn't. you know in the 08 you know when he came after us and all that so and I was like who is this guy you know and then we've become actually pretty good friends and I've just really admire the way he's grown up and the job he's done hell of a football coach

no I do like field rushes but it's just levels to this right like it's part of the game I love watching the fans so like the Virginia rushing the field the instant they won in overtime I love the way it looked we're good with that right I love the way it looked And, like, I'm just saying, like, it was an immediate takeover. That's Virginia.

That's Virginia. That's Virginia. I agree. But Old Miss is not Alabama yet. Well, everyone rushes the field. Ohio State. Yeah. And by the way.

Alabama, everyone rushes the field. Correct. Correct. I'm saying every game we lost at Ohio State, they rush the field. All right. So congratulations, Old Miss. He didn't rush the field and he didn't get fined. All right.

Time now to go three and out. Sam Pittman was fired on Sunday, making that now, four head coaches let go this season. So we wanted to actually rank the coaches who we think have performed best this season. All right. We're going to get to that one second. Before we do that, last week we ranked, I guess we could call it the most intimidating environments in college football.

I had some other outside comments. Here's one that maybe we should have considered from at Bingo Stingray, TPC Scottsdale, 16th hole waste management opening, definitely. most crazy environment I've ever gotten to be a part of. You guys have both been there? Yeah, I've been there as a fan. I actually played it. I was in the pro-am with, I think I was with Tebow, and we walked in that place, and I looked around, and it is really, I mean, you're, Mark, your hands are actually shaking, you're like, just get the club on the ball. And they're screaming and throwing things

at you, and I think I went a little along with it, if I remember right. I got it back up for a three. Oh, are you up and down in front of all those people? I got a three, if I remember right. You up and down in front of all those people? Come on, Coach. Dude, think of the games you've coached in, and the moments you've been and you're freaked out by a T-shot there in Arizona?

What's your problem, man? Because I'm actually doing it. As a coach, someone else is doing it. Hey, no, that's a great environment, but the best environment, is that what you're asking me? The best environment of live sports? Is that what you said? No, no, no.

That was just a comment. They just said maybe we should have considered that venue at that moment. It's a great venue and a great moment. But, I mean, I've been to World Cups. I've been to Super Bowls, NBA Finals, UFC main events. And I'm telling you, man, it's nothing like being a live sports, man. Live sports, it's nothing like it, man. But that number 16 at Waste Management, that place is electric and it's fun.

It's unique. It's a bucket list. You have to see it. I'll be in the crowd sharing you guys on. cracking open something. All right. Time now to get to the coaching. All right. And coach, we're going to start with you. The best three coaching performances so far this season. Yeah, I think that's a different question. Performances, you'd have to have goalish from South Florida. But who's doing the best job? I put Dan Lanning, Ryan Day, and

Lane Kiffin with Beelma, nipping at the toes of Lane Kiffin. So body of work so far in 20, 25, again, It's Landing Day in Kiffin, and then I put Beeloma right below it. I mean, day is day, Ohio State's supposed to do what they're supposed to do, so I'm not even putting him in this conversation right now. It's just the standard. Halfway through the year, you're not putting saving in the best. You know what I mean? See, that always bummed me out because those guys should be getting their due

because they're still coaching the heck out of their team. They are coaching the heck out of their team. And to maintain that level of excellence year and a year out. in your quarterback. That's what you do. Absolute grite. It's what you do. It's what you do.

It's the standard. There's different. There's just levels to this. Let them run the field. Let them rush the field. There's levels to this, coach. There's levels to this. But no, you go for best performance

to study a year. I mean, Dan Laning at Oregon, you definitely got to go him. You got to go Mike Elko at A&M. Okay. They went on the, they went on the road, beat Notre Dame. They beat Auburn,

so they have two signature wins already. Then you go Mario Cristobo. at Miami. Those are the three current best jobs performance. Current three best coaching performances so far. Now Miami has Florida State coming up. A&M has a

beastly SEC schedule. So we'll see. But up to this point in time, I got to go with those three coaches as being the best overall performances. Mark, did you hear the Elko quote in the post-game press conference saying he kind of went Brian Kelly like, hey man,

ask some questions about how good we are. what we've done. And I was like, hey, did you see how that played out the next week for Coach Kelly? Yeah. Coach Elko, don't bring that bad juju into your house, man. When you go to these schools and they teach their players how to deal with media. Like, do we need to start putting these coaches back in media training? Like, just give the people to prop a political answer.

The three of us should run a seminar for coaches. Oh, it would be amazing. Hey, I'm going to start my own damn seminar, coach. You ready to start a media training seminar? No. I'd answer these questions. I'd rather be out working a 60-degree wedge. No, no, no, no.

Again, sir, what can I get you, chicken, steak, or fish? That's the biggest decision on the weekend. All right, so I challenged myself. I knew kind of the group of coaches that you guys were going to go for. So I said, I'm going to go with three dudes that you're not going to name. And I'm fortunate that you didn't name any of my guys. I don't like how you do this. You let us go ahead and give out all the information.

and then you just do the counter. So I'm going to just not put my stuff in there. It's not a counter. It's actually, I think given a tip of the cap to three guys that I had a feeling you guys weren't going to hit. Because you guys totally nailed it. I agree with all of your picks. But I want to give some love to some other guys. And you know where I'm going to start?

Provo, Utah. Remember last year, BYU, 11 and 2 finished inside the top 15. And then in late June, they get that bombshell dropped on them, that their quarterback, Jake Retzlaff, he's out, goes to two, Lane. Kalani Sataki and Company haven't missed a beat. Four and O. They're up two spots this week to number 23. They're one of only 20 unbeatens still left. And BYU, they've got a really interesting schedule, guys. October 25th at Iowa State, and then a buy, and then at Texas Tech. Monster games in the Big 12. I just circled and starred those. BYU gets through those.

I think they're off to the college football playoffs. And then maybe we start. started having that conversation, that two from the Big 12 go to the college football playoffs. How about the job, Brent Venables has done? Remember all that heat he was under in Norman. He's got the Sooners unbeaten. He's got them inside the top five. He went into the transfer portal, got a quarterback that's in the Heisman Hunt as well.

I don't think Venables is getting enough credit. And lastly, we're talking Vanderbilt, man. We're talking Vanderbilt. Parkley. Yeah, at his alma mater, off. to a 5-0 start for the first time since 2008. Commodores this week, they're up two spots to number 16. They already have wins on the road at Virginia Tech at South Carolina.

And now they have Alabama Saturday as they try to make it two straight wins in a row over the Alabama Crimson Tide. There was something, somebody had written something in, like, in my script last week on Big Dune kickoff. And I looked at it and I was like, why did they put that? It was like, would Vanderbilt be caught looking ahead to Alabama? I'm like, wait, are we talking? Wait, it's still Vanderbilt, right? Like, Vanderbilt is getting some. Vanderbilt's a problem.

I just like the, when you watch Vanderbilt play, the energy, the arrogance, they they walk, they act, they don't act like Vanderbilt. I think that coach has done, if I had to redo it, that's a great call, Rob. They're not Vanderbilt. We've all been in Vanderbilt Stadium. They're not the Vanderbilt. They once were. They are a problem.

They are a part. And, I mean, that is, it is fun to watch. Good, good for them, man. Yeah, I'm really happy for them. I hope that city jumps all over them, too. They should, right? Such a great sporting town. They can jump all over his ass after we tapped that ass.

Yeah. Well, they're too busy, you know, I'm sick of this shit, man, that they need to give Vandy some love. You're right, that's a good one. Hey, Mark, you and Rob, throw a couple of De Niro on this one. Go ahead. You're going to take Van derville?

I'm taking all I bakes. Oh, no. Points? I'm Alabama all day. I'm Alabama all day. You ever heard of Nathan? I'm giving no points and I'm taking all bets. All right.

So let us know in the comments section, who had the best list. Again, my name is Rob Stone. Feel free to throw that in there. Maybe we'll feature it next week. Time now for two-minute drill. We're going up. Bring it up, Bill. You know what week this is.

Yeah. I ain't trying to hear no Vandy love today. Hey, man. I'm getting them in while I can. I ain't trying to hear no Vandy love today. Two-minute drill. It is brought to you. by Fandul, visit Fanduil.com slash triple option to download the app and take advantage of a 50%

profit boost today. I'll go first because Mark gets surly if I go last, apparently. Number 11, Texas Tech at Houston. Two of the four unbeatens left in the Big 12. That's right. I said at Texas Tech favored by 12 and a half, the over under 50 and a half. First, can we give some props to Willie Fritz and the Houston Cougars? Last season, his first year, four and eight, three and six in conference play here in year two under Willie Fritz. They have a defense that is top 20 in the overall category, in the passing category, and the scoring category. They brought in former Texas A&M quarterback Connor Wegman totaled 980 yards through the air with

his legs. He's been a really nice addition. But they have what I think we all consider the class of the Big 12 right now coming into town. Red Raider, second in the nation, in yards and points per game. game, but it's their defense, which is kind of turning the heads and making believers out of folks down there in Lubbock. Number 11, overall defense. It's number two in rush defense. They're allowing 56 rushing yards of game, guys, and they're eighth in scoring aloud. Two weeks ago, remember,

they won at Utah and then had a buy. In that game, though, their quarterback, Baron Morton knocked out. He should be good. He should be good. But even if he can't go, we saw how good Will Hammond was coming on in relief for him. So Texas Tech is great at that quarterback position. And do you remember Coach Joey McGuire on the triple option last week? What was that little insight he gave us? His fans found a coupon code for tickets to this game in Houston. So there's going to be some Red Raider love in Houston.

I like the over and I like tech to cover as well. All right, Mark, Mark, we talked about. this one just a second ago. Number 16 Vanderbilt. Number 16 Vanderbilt at number 10, Alabama. Clearly if the tide survived this one, they will storm the field. Alabama favored by 10.5. The over under is 56 and a half. Lod, that's a big number. You said we're going to storm the field? I'm kidding, my friend. We probably deserve it because after what they did to us last year, I might storm the damn field. No, you're not. If you're not, if you're not going to let Ole Miss storm the field after beating LSU,

you are not storming the field in Tuscaloose if you beat Vanderbilt. I'm sorry. Vanity's a damn problem, bro. Last year, I didn't, you know, it kind of caught everybody about a surprise, but they didn't catch nobody by surprise this year. They're undefeated, number two scoring offense in the SEC. They run the football like, they run the football like you're supposed to run the football. You know what I mean?

Yes. But, man, Diego Pive. he's been a beast man he's been super productive for them a great decision maker they have the running back Cedric Alexander they have the wire receiver junior Cheryl they have the tie it in Eli Stovers

their offense scores points they get yards so this is going to be a challenge for Alabama defense who has a lot of injuries who's been one of the worst rush defenses in the SEC so but I think we're going to come to play I think we're going to come ready to play they showed up last week against Georgia

and they fought another team they're going to to make plays. They're going to make their plays. They're going to have their momentum, but you've got to fight. You've got to stay aggressive. And that's what Alabama did last week. I expect them to carry it over, defend our home turf. Ty Simpson, he's just been so playing so great at a high level. Has he been electric? Has he been electric and efficient in execution? All the ease. You know what I mean? All the ease.

I like that one. Remember that one for Saturday? All the ease. But yeah, Vandy, they have given up a lot of yards on defense. They have getting up a lot of points on defense, and that's where we come in to play. That's where we come in to play on offense. I feel like we're going to score a lot of points. I feel like our defense is going to rise to the occasion. I feel like we're going to defend our home field. We won 35 of the last 36 home games in Tuscalo, and it's not going to change.

We're going to win 36 on the last 37 on Saturday. So the over under is like 10 and a half, which is I don't get it against the undefeated Vanderbilt because I'm not giving y'all no points, but I'm taking Alabama. But in this game, what you say, that over under was, 56? 56 and a half 56 and a half Goodness gracious Seems big

That's heavy Now I'm gonna just take Alabama Man I'm taking Alabama What's the minus 10 and a half Yep I'm laying the points I'm laying the points Hey

In all honesty Like try try To put your crimson tide love Just a little bit to the side And put your heart Put your heart over there And just talk about your head The win in Athens

How does it change your perspective about this edition of Alabama? I feel good about how they've been responding since the week one loss. That's what I do feel good about. And honestly, we have to move to the next game because the schedule isn't, the schedule isn't a cakewalk. You have Vanderbilt coming into town, who is not a joke. You have LSU. Remember, by the way, by the way, Vanderbilt coming into town used to be a bye week.

It used to be. Oh, good, we got Vanderbilt, we can. It used to be, but not anymore. Not anymore. They have a real... Vernebilt is for real. You're going to have to come ready to play. They run the ball, and we're not good at stopping to run.

So you're going to have to get your stuff. You're going to have to bring your hard hat and your lush pale and change your identity to be able to be a tough physical team that could stop the run. They did that versus Georgia. They were tough. They were physical. They made enough plays. They stayed aggressive.

And that's what I'm proud about with them. But you got to keep doing it. You got to keep doing it. You got Vanderbilt, you got undefeated Missouri, you got Tennessee, you got South Carolina, you got LSU, you got Oklahoma, then you got the Barners. So this is schedule, it's not a cakewalk. So the same improvement we've made from week one to week five, we've got to continue to make those improvements from week five throughout the rest of the season. Because you have no room for error, and Alabama, we're going to roll. But I'm proud of how this team responded.

I'm proud of how Coach DeBores had some pepper his step on the sideline. The whole team looks like they're playing with such an urgency. they're playing with the energy, they're playing with the effort, they're playing with the toughness, and we've got to keep going. All right, let's go to Tallahassee now. Florida State, after that Friday night home loss at Virginia, dipped down to number 18.

The class of the ACC this year has clearly been Miami. They're at number three. Coach, the hurricanes favored by five and a half, going north to Tallahassee to over under 54.5. Your thoughts? Yeah, the college football world used to stop when these two teams played. That was, there was a time. were probably a 10 to 12 year period. Mark, before you, do you, I don't know if you remember

those days, Mark, but it was badass against badass. More NFL players on that field. Every starter on both teams are NFL guys. And when I first went to the University of Florida, you go into Tallahassee in that stadium, it was absolutely ridiculous. When Dope Campbell is going, it is going. And my challenge to Florida State is go, go, I mean, go again and do it. I don't know if it's been, I know they had undefeated season two years ago, but I mean, used to be absolutely ridiculous. And then it became not. I remember looking a couple clips

where there's 20,000 in there. So this is a big challenge. To me, this is a huge challenge. You know, we're talking about Penn State, the Whiteout. Florida State used to be that. Yeah. So I hope it does come back.

But here's my question. Is Carson Beck to me, when I watch this guy play, he looks like a Heisman candidate. He looks like a first-round draft pick, and then he throws three interceptions and two games. And that's what got him in Georgia, if you guys remember. He just did not take care of the ball.

Last year. This guy's going to leave a lot of money in the table in his career, not just in the draft process. He's got to take care of the damn ball. And I don't know enough about him. I don't know enough how he's coached. But he's maybe, you know, is he taking too many chances he shouldn't take? Because you watch his cat play.

You can do it all. Make every throw. He's athletic. He's got good size. Great release. Great arm. And then also, wait, what? Three interceptions and two.

games. So if I'm going to say, I think Florida State's going to nut up, I think they're going to keep it close. I think Miami still wins, but I take Florida State into points. Okay. Let me throw this scenario real quick. What's the line there? What's the points in there? Miami, five and a half. If Florida State wins, are you allowing the Seminole fans to rush the field? Damn straight, man. That's Miami. It's Miami. Okay. All right. I agree. I agree. They've been down too long. They've been, they've been in a field. It sounds like you are, Mark.

It's just love to this. You're a fun. You're a fun hater. No, I love the way it looks for y'all. We have 18 of them, man. There's a standard here. By the way, hold on. Can we make a set of rules?

If you storm the field and you throw a bird or a double bird to the losing head coach or the losing quarterback, you are allowed to take a punch on site. No questions asked. No lawsuit. You signed the waiver. You want to get in one of these players' faces that just busted their ass and lost on the road. I saw a Virginia student do that to Costa Lano. Yeah, yeah.

I know. That's what triggered it. That you do that, you're asking for it, and it should be allowed. And if that guy doesn't do it to you, somebody else should do it. I hate that. But I love the energy. They think it's sweet. I love the kids running on the field.

They think it's sweet until I put these on you. Did I put these on you? Talk a lot of mess, coach. They be talking a lot of mess behind the phone. and behind the computer screen, but come see me, because I'm really about that. I really am. I'll put pause on you, coach.

I ain't going to play with you. I'll put pause on you. I got four daughters and a son and a wife and sisters. I'll put paws on you. I'm grown. By the way, by the way, when there's the potential now for the rushing of the field at a game that the three of us are working at for Fox,

what do we have? All our security, they're ready to put pause on somebody. We got all of our security like putting us in a circle like they're coming for us I'm like I look at Percy and JJ I'm like Our boy Percy

These guys don't want anything to do with us Like they're gonna walk around us Like we need to get to the middle of the field We need to get to the logo We need to go find players No we're not looking like Hey man where's urban Meyer Where's Rob Stone

We gotta go get Mark Ingram We go celebrate with him They're just walking around us Crazy it should be Percy be hoping a mug would Percy is ready to dump somebody on their head. Shout to my boy, Percy. Shout out to all our Fox Security team.

They're the best. Yeah, they are. Sometimes I feel like with that head on the swivel, they're looking for trouble. They're like, you know what? Today is the day I would like. Percy wake up. I would like to put with somebody would try. 28-inch pythons, his triceps.

By the way, if you ever meet Percy, you know, we should have Percy on sometimes just for his tricep pick of the week. That dude's triceps are absolutely insane. What a great way to end this week's edition of the Triple Option. Remember to follow, subscribe, rate us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever it is to get your podcast. We're on social media. 3X Option Show, please leave those questions and comments. We love having them.

We'd love to respond to them. As always, thanks to our sponsors, Wendy's Fanduel and ZipRecruiter. Enjoy the football this week, and we'll see you next week on the Triple Option.