1 00:00:01,159 --> 00:00:05,559 Check it out college football on the West Coast. This is Get Off My 2 00:00:05,759 --> 00:00:10,199 Pylon, a look at the PAC twelve and more, part of the college 3 00:00:10,199 --> 00:00:17,039 Gridiron Coast to Coast podcast network. Here's your host, Matt Zemmick. Welcome 4 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:21,640 to Get Off My Pylon College Football podcast. This is your host, Matt 5 00:00:21,719 --> 00:00:26,879 Zemmick and Get Off My Pylon. During the college football season looks at Western 6 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,760 college football. And it's a great year to look at Western college football. 7 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:34,719 And it's also a year when you know we're not going to have West Coast 8 00:00:34,759 --> 00:00:38,759 college football as we know it next year because the PAC twelve won't exists. 9 00:00:38,759 --> 00:00:44,520 And it's a real shame because PAC twelve football has rarely been as good as 10 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:49,280 it is right now, and it's only poised to get even better over the 11 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:52,840 course of the season. As you probably know by now, the PAC twelve, 12 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:57,600 thirteen and ozer through Week one, USC has two wins, but everyone 13 00:00:57,679 --> 00:01:02,520 else one in Week one of the season on Labor Day weekend. So the 14 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:07,120 PAC twelves the one Power five conference which hasn't lost a game yet. All 15 00:01:07,159 --> 00:01:11,480 the other Power fives have and one of the interesting things worth noting, and 16 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:15,359 this is going to be a review of of week one and just an overview 17 00:01:15,359 --> 00:01:19,959 of where the PAC twelve stands. One of the interesting things that came out 18 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:25,760 of week one, and you know, just being on social media and feeling 19 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:30,439 like the national reactions to what the PAC twelve did, like there was a 20 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,000 general awareness that the PAC twelve was going to be really good this year. 21 00:01:34,159 --> 00:01:38,719 Washington, USC, Oregon, Utah and maybe Oregon State whatever a chance to 22 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,879 do good and then of course, guess what happens. Colorado is the big 23 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:46,439 story in week one with Dion Sanders having that team well ahead of schedule, 24 00:01:46,599 --> 00:01:49,519 being able to get the most out of that offense, with Shader Sanders and 25 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:53,680 Travis Hunter scoring forty five points on the road at TCU, and you know, 26 00:01:53,719 --> 00:01:57,200 we might say that TCU is going to be worse than we might have 27 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:01,840 anticipated. Channel Morris obviously was never going to be Max Duggan, but still 28 00:02:01,879 --> 00:02:07,719 some really really huge mistakes for a TCU team, which you know, through 29 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:14,759 multiple interceptions inside the Colorado five yard lines. So like, if TCU just 30 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:19,439 gets field goals on each of those two drives, maybe this game ends differently. 31 00:02:19,479 --> 00:02:23,520 So like as much as Colorado did well, TCU still didn't have to 32 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,240 shoot itself in the foot and so there will be the You know, maybe 33 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,479 this was less about Colorado. It's more about TCU being worse than we thought. 34 00:02:30,759 --> 00:02:35,240 Still, you know, I was on record as saying I didn't think 35 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,159 this was going to work out for Colorado. I thought I was going to 36 00:02:38,199 --> 00:02:39,919 be a blood bath in September. I thought I was going to take more 37 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:46,599 time to bring all these pieces together. Keep in mind that the huge transfer 38 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:53,599 portal churn, that the exodus and then the influx occurred after the Spring Game, 39 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:55,560 not before it. You know, the Spring game was comprised mostly of 40 00:02:55,599 --> 00:03:00,159 players who then left. You know, the Spring Game did not involve of 41 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:04,680 most of these new pieces, and so that just seems to me like a 42 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,319 really short time frame to get everyone on the same page. Thought there would 43 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:13,120 be a lot more growing pains, there would be a lot more disorganization and 44 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:16,439 chaos and plutter. Dion and his staff made it work, and Sean Lewis, 45 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:21,120 his offensive coordinator, like that seems like a great hire from the jump, 46 00:03:21,199 --> 00:03:23,800 but even then, it still seemed as though he was gonna need some 47 00:03:23,879 --> 00:03:29,280 time. And Sean Lewis got that thing really polished and turned around in a 48 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:34,479 hurry Sean Lewis is probably gonna get calls at the end of November beginning of 49 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:42,039 December for Power five head coaching jobs, and the durability of what Dion has 50 00:03:42,159 --> 00:03:46,680 in Colorado. It could depend on whether he can retain Sean Lewis for at 51 00:03:46,719 --> 00:03:52,560 least the next few seasons, or if Lewis jumps for a head coaching opportunity 52 00:03:53,039 --> 00:03:55,439 at the Power five level. It's gonna be materazing to see how that plays 53 00:03:55,479 --> 00:04:00,439 out. But long story short, Colorado. I thought Colorad was going to 54 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,319 be a three win team. Colorad was probably now a bowl team. You 55 00:04:03,319 --> 00:04:09,199 know, you would think that Colorado should beat Nebraska given how bad the Huskers 56 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,560 offense looks. I know, Colorado's defense isn't great, but like you're gonna 57 00:04:12,599 --> 00:04:15,319 have to score to beat Colorado. Colorado was going to put points on the 58 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:23,680 board against most teams this season given what we saw against TCU. So Nebraska 59 00:04:23,759 --> 00:04:28,399 doesn't seem to have the offense needed to hang with Colorado. And then you 60 00:04:28,439 --> 00:04:30,519 know the Buffs. You know, a few other Pack twelve games against the 61 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:35,720 lower end of the conference that before the season might have felt like losses probably 62 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:43,360 now feel like wins. And so Colorado's outlook definitely a lot better. So 63 00:04:43,399 --> 00:04:47,199 you already have the TCU win that was a game just about everybody felt was 64 00:04:47,199 --> 00:04:49,800 going to be a loss, and then a lot of people felt the Nebraska 65 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:54,240 game was going to be a loss, and that now looks like a game 66 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:58,560 that's probably gonna go Colorado's way. So, assuming Colorado does beat Nebraska, 67 00:04:58,759 --> 00:05:02,560 right there, you flipped two games that were expect initially before the season, 68 00:05:03,399 --> 00:05:06,879 expected to be losses and now they turn into wins. So right there, 69 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:13,240 you've you've changed a three win projection to a five win trajectory or at least 70 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:18,240 a five win possibility. And so carl would just need to grab one more 71 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:23,839 game that it didn't expect to win, or that most people, most outsiders 72 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:27,120 didn't expect it to win. Just have to flip one more game to get 73 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,600 to six wins and a bull bed, which would be absolutely sensational. You 74 00:05:30,639 --> 00:05:34,439 know, a great result for Colorado, and week won. And so if 75 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:40,360 Colorado is better than expected and you look at Cal scoring fifty eight points against 76 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:44,199 North Texas, I don't think anyone saw that coming. I think plenty of 77 00:05:44,199 --> 00:05:49,199 people thought Cal would win, but not by scoring fifty eight Stanford easily beat 78 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:54,879 Hawaii, led thirty seven to sixteen late in that game before giving up a 79 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:59,160 garbage touchdown to win thirty seven twenty four. Stanford favored by only three, 80 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:02,199 like that was supposed to be close in terms of you know, what got 81 00:06:02,199 --> 00:06:05,920 overlooked there Hawaii playing on a short week. You know, Hawaii had the 82 00:06:05,959 --> 00:06:11,560 week zero game against Vanderbilt, and that was a weather delayed game that were 83 00:06:11,639 --> 00:06:15,519 that was lightning. There were, you know, thunderstorms in Nashville on the 84 00:06:15,639 --> 00:06:19,639 night of August twenty six. So that game went late on Saturday, and 85 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:23,560 it was emotional and it was draining, and Hawaii put up a really good 86 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:27,519 fight, losing by only seven. Game was very competitive. The yard tolls 87 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:31,439 were very even. You know, Vanderbilt needed some special teams plays to win 88 00:06:31,519 --> 00:06:34,240 that game. You know, in terms of just offense and defense, Hawaii 89 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:40,079 and Vanderbilt were very even in that game. But then you have the short 90 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:45,319 week, Hawaii catching a very late flight and then having to play on a 91 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:51,079 Friday against Stanford. The short week had an impact, it certainly seemed on 92 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:57,160 Hawaii and for me and everyone else who picked Hawaii, that was an oversight. 93 00:06:57,279 --> 00:06:59,639 That was an oversight. On my part for sure, but it does 94 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:01,879 raise the question, like Stamford looked better than a lot of people fought in 95 00:07:02,079 --> 00:07:05,560 again in game one, new coach Game one, you'd think, Oh, 96 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:09,959 they're gonna be all sorts of rough edges, it's gonna be really ragged. 97 00:07:10,399 --> 00:07:15,399 Stanford looked pretty crisp and Stamford now running an up tempo offense that certainly wasn't 98 00:07:15,759 --> 00:07:19,319 the David Shaw away. But that's how Troy Taylor is doing it, you 99 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:23,759 know, with this group of players, which you know, Stamford was picked 100 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,959 last in the PAC twelve by many, but certainly did not look like a 101 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:31,759 last place PAC twelve team. And that's even if you factor in Hawaii having 102 00:07:31,759 --> 00:07:35,560 a short week. I mean, Stamford still looked pretty crisp, pretty organized 103 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:41,439 in Week one. Dion Sanders and Troy Taylor both had their guys ready to 104 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:46,480 go in the season opener, a testament to their ability to organize, ability 105 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:50,800 to teach, ability to drill in some basic habits. Are all these PAC 106 00:07:50,879 --> 00:07:54,720 twelve teams in the middle and lower tiers at the conference are they going to 107 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:59,160 be better than expected? Because that could affect the balance of power. So 108 00:07:59,639 --> 00:08:01,800 in my not be that the top tier is overrated, but that the lower 109 00:08:01,839 --> 00:08:07,199 tiers were underrated. And I just have to say, if anyone says that, 110 00:08:07,279 --> 00:08:11,720 oh, it's just one game, why are you anointing the PAC twelve 111 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:13,759 as this great conference? First of all, as I mentioned earlier, the 112 00:08:13,759 --> 00:08:18,680 PAC twelve is expected to be really really good in general, and the top 113 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:22,480 teams have not given too much of an indication that you know, they're gonna 114 00:08:22,519 --> 00:08:26,399 they're gonna struggle profoundly. You know, they might have their difficulties like USC's 115 00:08:26,439 --> 00:08:30,000 defense. You know, going up against a really good offense, they're probably 116 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:33,960 gonna be struggles. But hey, Williams, he is, you know, 117 00:08:33,039 --> 00:08:37,000 playing like the elite player he is. You're, you are going to have 118 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:41,080 to score at least, you know, forty three, forty five, forty 119 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:46,320 eight points to beat this USC team because that offense just is not going to 120 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:52,879 get shut down. The margin for air when you play USC is extremely small. 121 00:08:52,919 --> 00:08:56,399 So even if you know there are a few defensive clunkers, I mean, 122 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:58,399 even if we imagine a worst case scenario, it's hard to get much 123 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:03,080 worse than I think ten and two for USC. And it's really similar for 124 00:09:03,159 --> 00:09:09,240 Washington and Oregon. Michael Pennox Bonnix both look great in their openers. I 125 00:09:09,279 --> 00:09:11,240 know Boix was going up against Portland State of the FCS, but hey, 126 00:09:11,279 --> 00:09:15,080 if you're going to play a Tomato can, you might as well score the 127 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,559 eighty one points that Oregon did. Like, that's what you should do. 128 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:22,000 Oregon did that. Like all these offenses seem to be well on their way 129 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:26,440 toward having seasons as good as, if not better than, what they had 130 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:30,960 in twenty twenty two. And they were all great in twenty twenty two. 131 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,639 So the idea that, well, let's wait and see about the PAC twelve, 132 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,279 I mean, do we really have to wait and see in terms of 133 00:09:37,519 --> 00:09:41,480 saying like this is a really good conference? I don't think so. I 134 00:09:41,519 --> 00:09:46,600 think the really the question is can there be an unbeaten team? And that's 135 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:50,799 probably not likely given how balanced everything is at the top tier that they're all 136 00:09:50,799 --> 00:09:54,440 going to beat each other up to a certain degree. But would you doubt 137 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:58,639 that the PAC twelve is going to produce at least three ten win teams this 138 00:09:58,639 --> 00:10:03,720 season? I mean that that seems pretty likely that you know, the idea 139 00:10:03,879 --> 00:10:09,399 that each top PAC twelve team is going to lose three times now two? 140 00:10:09,519 --> 00:10:13,480 Yes, because they're all gonna trade some losses to some degree at some point. 141 00:10:13,519 --> 00:10:18,080 But like the idea that there's going to be only one really good team 142 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:22,200 in the Pac twelve this year, like maybe the champion is twelve and one 143 00:10:22,279 --> 00:10:26,919 and the second and third place teams or nine and three. Uh, you 144 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:30,279 know, like that doesn't seem likely. It seems more likely than not that 145 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:35,120 you'll get at least three ten win teams. At least three teams are gonna 146 00:10:35,159 --> 00:10:37,519 go ten and two, and then the fourth and fifth place teams are going 147 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:41,759 to be nine and three, maybe eight and four. You know, Oregon 148 00:10:41,879 --> 00:10:46,720 State played to San Jose State, and you know San Jose State is hardly 149 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:52,840 a giant, but Oregon State looked very solid and dj Luiangol looked very composed 150 00:10:52,919 --> 00:10:58,679 and contained. He looked competent, Like he doesn't have to be spectacular. 151 00:10:58,279 --> 00:11:03,279 He has a great offensive line in front of him, he has a very 152 00:11:03,279 --> 00:11:07,559 tough defense supporting him. Oregon State does seem to have a lot of pieces 153 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:13,120 in place. And if dj Luiangola is just a solid, reliable, competent, 154 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:18,120 field of general type quarterback, that becomes a really good team, and 155 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:24,639 that becomes another ten win candidate in addition to the USC Washington Oregon Utah quartet, 156 00:11:24,879 --> 00:11:30,000 Utah taking care of business against Florida without cam Rising, you know, 157 00:11:30,159 --> 00:11:33,159 made full use of its home field advantage in Salt Lake City and the fact 158 00:11:33,159 --> 00:11:37,559 that Florida is just a total mess on offense and doesn't have the dudes yet 159 00:11:37,639 --> 00:11:41,159 under Billy Napier. That twenty twenty four recruiting class, which is really highly 160 00:11:41,279 --> 00:11:46,120 ranked, can't come soon enough in Gainesville. But like Utah did what it 161 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:50,519 was supposed to do, Washington didn't beat a tomato. Can you know a 162 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:54,639 cupcake? Washington beat Boise State, one of the better Mountain West programs, 163 00:11:54,639 --> 00:11:58,799 one of the better Western programs in the United States over the past fifteen years. 164 00:12:00,799 --> 00:12:01,960 You know that, like that was not a cupcake game, and yet 165 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:07,600 Washington made Boisi State looked like a cupcake, winning by thirty seven points. 166 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:11,039 So like these PAC twelve teams were supposed to be good before the season began, 167 00:12:11,159 --> 00:12:15,120 and they all looked the part. They have all generally looked the part 168 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:20,360 as teams that are going to be an absolute handful to deal with for other 169 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:22,039 teams across the country. So if you're saying, well, it's just one 170 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:28,120 game and I know that we shouldn't overreact to certain individual results, but like, 171 00:12:28,159 --> 00:12:31,759 if you're a PAC twelve skeptic, and I know that the conference hasn't 172 00:12:31,759 --> 00:12:33,519 made the playoffs, it's two of that in sixteen, and whether it's going 173 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:37,360 to make the playoff like that is a set aside question because they all might 174 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:41,480 knock each other out of the playoff. That's happened many times before. And 175 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:45,279 on that point, like, you're probably right if you're gonna say, you 176 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:48,679 know what, they're all going to beat each other up in Florida State is 177 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:50,799 going to make the playoff from the ACC because Clemson is not very good, 178 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:54,600 Like I would be inclined to agree with that right now, But that doesn't 179 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:58,240 mean the PAC twelve is overrated. That doesn't mean the PAC twelve is oversold. 180 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:01,960 Those are two different things. Like the idea that the PAC twelve is 181 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,840 not going to be good in football this year, come on, now, 182 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:09,200 what are we looking at? Like you can see the quality and the depths 183 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:16,080 across the conference. Like if you're pushing back against that claim, you know 184 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:20,039 that just seems like a reflexive reaction, and you know, using the years 185 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:26,120 of playoff futility, or rather you know, not even getting to the playoff 186 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:30,080 as the basis for your argument. You're ignoring all the evidence that's right in 187 00:13:30,399 --> 00:13:31,799 front of you. So it's really curious that, you know, a lot 188 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:35,360 of some people said, oh, it's just one game, we shouldn't really 189 00:13:35,399 --> 00:13:39,600 say that the PAC twelve is a really good conference just yet. Well, 190 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,240 I know the conference has struggled, but that is really separate from what we're 191 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,799 seeing on the field so far this season. And of course it's not as 192 00:13:46,799 --> 00:13:54,559 though teams just played well in isolation in Week one. Remember they have veteran 193 00:13:54,639 --> 00:14:00,759 quarterbacks all coming back, Cam Rising, Penox Knicks, Kyle Williams all coming 194 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:03,519 back. Uh, you know, it's not as though they have new and 195 00:14:05,039 --> 00:14:09,320 unproven faces. It's not as though the chemistry of these offenses is a mystery 196 00:14:09,759 --> 00:14:13,720 like this has proven. This is established. So it's not as those these 197 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:20,480 teams are mysteries in the way that other teams with newer rosters are. The 198 00:14:20,559 --> 00:14:24,320 Pac twelve is going to be good, and that should be pretty solidly established 199 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:31,120 as a relatively safe and conventional take. Hardly going out on a limb after 200 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:35,799 Week one of this season. They get off My Pylon College Football podcast. 201 00:14:35,879 --> 00:14:39,200 Now that we're in the middle of the season. We are brought to you 202 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:43,000 by ticket Smarter at ticket smarter dot com. And you know, lots of 203 00:14:43,039 --> 00:14:48,039 interesting games involving Pac twelve teams, and you know some some real objects of 204 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:54,360 curiosity such as like Auburn and jew Free is going to Berkeley to play a 205 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:58,120 cow and you want to get a ticket for that game. Uh, you 206 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,320 know, use ticketsmarter dot com or the mobile app, the ticket Smarter mobile 207 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:05,440 app for the get in price and then check the better lower level seat price. 208 00:15:05,879 --> 00:15:09,759 And we have an offer for you with our friends at ticket smarter. 209 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:16,519 Get ten dollars off any purchase of one hundred dollars or more, Get twenty 210 00:15:16,559 --> 00:15:22,759 dollars off any purchase of three hundred dollars or more. 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It's unlimited throughout the football season. 220 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:12,240 So get in the game with ticket smarter dot com and the ticket smarter Mobile 221 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:18,799 app. And remember the code LWOS ten ten dollars off your purchase of one 222 00:16:18,879 --> 00:16:26,639 hundred dollars or more, LWOS twenty twenty dollars off your purchase of three dollars, 223 00:16:26,799 --> 00:16:33,360 three hundred dollars or more. That's at ticket smarter dot com the ticket 224 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:37,440 Smarter Mobile app. All right, so you know, in terms of any 225 00:16:37,679 --> 00:16:45,039 specific things from week one that we should really drill down and identify. You 226 00:16:45,039 --> 00:16:48,759 know, Washington started a little sluggishly against Poise State in the first quarter before 227 00:16:48,799 --> 00:16:55,039 settling down even when Michael Pennox was inaccurate. You saw Jalen McMillan and the 228 00:16:55,080 --> 00:17:00,960 other Washington receivers getting wide open. It's like those receivers probably a little bit 229 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,640 better than USC. I mean a small sample size, but Washington's receivers I 230 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:08,240 think have a little bit more high end speed if you were to compare them 231 00:17:08,279 --> 00:17:12,319 with USC's wide receivers. You know, Dorian Singer made a few plays, 232 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:19,720 but Dorian Singer has not been the Jordan Addison level replacement that some people inside 233 00:17:19,759 --> 00:17:26,000 USC thought or hoped he would be. However, Zachariah Branch, you know, 234 00:17:26,039 --> 00:17:30,359 who already has a ninety six yard kickoff returned touchdown to his credit this 235 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,960 season. Zachariah Branch does have the high end speed, but he's a freshman. 236 00:17:34,279 --> 00:17:37,960 He's still learning the offense. It's gonna be really interesting to see if 237 00:17:37,079 --> 00:17:45,319 Zachariah Branch can evolve into a polished wide receiver by the middle of the season. 238 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:48,960 If he can, then he becomes that Jordan Addison level guy, but 239 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:56,039 he needs to understand and grasp the offense first. If his learning curve can 240 00:17:56,119 --> 00:18:03,240 accelerate and give him the ability to really master Lincoln Riley's offense and really develop, 241 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:07,680 you know, first rate chemistry with Caleb Williams by the middle of the 242 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:10,759 season, and specifically by the middle of the season, I mean that October 243 00:18:10,839 --> 00:18:15,319 fourteenth game against order Dame. When USC's schedule begins to get a lot tougher, 244 00:18:15,559 --> 00:18:19,640 Zachary Branch can really evolve by mid October. That is a game changer 245 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:26,559 for the USC offense. So that's a plot point to watch for with USC. 246 00:18:26,319 --> 00:18:30,799 The Trojans didn't have Mason Cobb or Eric Gentry, two were their better 247 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:37,720 linebackers for the Nevada game. Probably just it's done out of caution that they 248 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:41,599 didn't play against Nevada because obviously they didn't need them. For Nevada they won 249 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:45,240 by fifty two points. USC will need them later in the season, So 250 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:51,799 any kind of fifty fifty injury questions, Trojans should probably sit guys out. 251 00:18:52,079 --> 00:18:53,839 You don't have to play them, you don't have to over extend them. 252 00:18:55,519 --> 00:18:59,559 It'll be interesting to see how us these backups on the defensive defensive depth chart 253 00:19:00,279 --> 00:19:04,079 perform in these earlier weeks of the season against the lower end of the Pac 254 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:10,599 twelve. USC playing Stanford this Saturday night, Oregon. You know you're not 255 00:19:10,599 --> 00:19:12,519 going to learn too much about a game against Portland State. But I said, 256 00:19:12,559 --> 00:19:17,160 as I've said earlier, if you're going to play an FCS cupcake, 257 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:19,920 yes, score eighty one, like that's what you should do. Like that 258 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:22,519 is what your offense is capable of. Go out there and do it. 259 00:19:23,319 --> 00:19:27,839 The reminder that bo Nix, you know, worked with Kenny Dellingham at Auburn, 260 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:33,839 so they reunited last year at Oregon and that pairing worked out really well. 261 00:19:33,279 --> 00:19:37,960 So how is this thing going to work out with Will Stein the new 262 00:19:37,559 --> 00:19:42,799 offensive coordinator and Bownix no longer having Kenny Dellingham calling plays for him? Well 263 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:47,839 eighty one points that suggests that Box is going to be just fine, Thank 264 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:51,319 you, ma'am for the Ducks this season. So their offense is in order, 265 00:19:52,559 --> 00:19:56,359 and so, like you know, it's it's hard to doubt Oregon too 266 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:02,200 much after that first game, even though it's an FCS cupcake talked about Oregon 267 00:20:02,279 --> 00:20:06,559 State that you know, Jonathan Smith in terms of you know, being able 268 00:20:06,599 --> 00:20:10,759 to fix what was wrong with dj uyang la Lay. It's not as though 269 00:20:11,319 --> 00:20:15,759 Uyangolay has to be superman. He just has to make the throw when it's 270 00:20:15,799 --> 00:20:19,440 there. And Oregon State receivers were getting open because the threat of the run 271 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:25,720 game behind that great Oregon State offensive line, like that is going to put 272 00:20:25,759 --> 00:20:29,880 that is going to bring linebackers up into the tackle box, and they're going 273 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:33,759 to be wide open areas, wide open pockets of the field into which Uiyangola 274 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:38,599 can throw. It's a great setup for him. And that's and that's where 275 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:44,079 I think Jonathan Smith's thought process really came through. It's that it's like, 276 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:48,400 I don't have to turn this guy into Caleb Williams. I just need to 277 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:53,160 turn this guy into a competent quarterback who can just make the basic throw when 278 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:59,240 it's there. Jonathan Smith has so many pieces on that Oregon State roster that 279 00:20:59,319 --> 00:21:04,000 he can put dj uyangol lay in the best possible position to succeed. And 280 00:21:04,039 --> 00:21:11,079 if again, if Uyangola is just a solid field general, you know that 281 00:21:11,279 --> 00:21:15,079 he would. That's that's an upgrade from what Oregon State had last year with 282 00:21:15,559 --> 00:21:21,160 Chance Nolan and then ben Go Brampson. Neither one was able to be particularly 283 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:26,640 consistent or effective. You just put in a solid B B plus quarterback with 284 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:30,000 all those other pieces on defense, the running game, the offensive line, 285 00:21:30,039 --> 00:21:36,119 Oregon State becomes a true Pack twelve championship contender. That is not an exaggeration 286 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:41,400 at all. Talked about Colorado and so that you know, the offense seems 287 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:45,960 to have the ability to light up the scoreboard. It's going to be interesting 288 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:51,200 to see how can that defense evolve to any meaningful degree. If it can, 289 00:21:51,279 --> 00:21:55,720 then the Buffaloes are going to be a real headache worth It's worth reminding 290 00:21:55,720 --> 00:22:00,559 you that Colorado has Oregon on September twenty three, you see on September thirtieth, 291 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:04,440 So you know, those big games early in the season. You know, 292 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:11,559 Fox and television in general wanted those games early because there was the fear 293 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:15,440 that Colorado would be a three and nineteen that you know, the shine would 294 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:19,559 wear off quickly this season. So let's get Dion Sanders on television as much 295 00:22:19,559 --> 00:22:26,279 as possible in September while the Buffaloes are still interesting. And so the big 296 00:22:26,319 --> 00:22:30,440 games for Colorado, the high profile games, they're pretty much all in September, 297 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:34,720 and now those games against Oregon and USC become that much more intriguing in 298 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:41,079 Colorado throw a monkey wrench into the PAC twelve race by beating either one of 299 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:45,759 those teams Oregon or USC in late September. That is now a fresh plat 300 00:22:45,799 --> 00:22:52,119 point in this PAC twelve season. Other PAC twelve notes that we that are 301 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:56,079 worth passing along. You know, we've already talked about Stanford and Cal looking 302 00:22:56,160 --> 00:23:00,519 better than expected. Didn't learn too much about it. Every you know, 303 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:06,440 coasted over Northern Arizona an FCS team. Washington State basically did what it was 304 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:11,960 supposed to do against Colorado State. Not a whole lot to learn there. 305 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:15,680 Arizona State seems to be the worst team in the Pac twelve obviously just Week 306 00:23:15,759 --> 00:23:18,640 one, but you know, barely beat Southern Utah. And I know that 307 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:22,799 game was a weather delayed. He had thunderstorms here in Phoenix where I am 308 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:27,640 last Thursday night, you know, so like Kenny Dillingham knows that he has 309 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:32,680 a long term rebuild. And I know Arizona State was ruled ineligible for a 310 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:37,160 bowl game. But like Arizona State was not going to make a bowl game 311 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,200 this year anyway, So no one should be too worked up about that. 312 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,240 Now. Ray Anderson, the athletic director, should be fired, but no 313 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:45,920 one should be saying, well, this team had a real shot to go 314 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,599 to a bowl game and now it's gone. It never really had a shot, 315 00:23:51,079 --> 00:23:53,839 and that's probably going to be proven over the course of the season. 316 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:57,920 The only other Pac twelve team we haven't talked about yet, UCLA, and 317 00:23:59,079 --> 00:24:03,039 you know, Ethan Garb has got the start against Coastal Carolina in Week one. 318 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:07,400 Uh, you know, you Bruin fans generally think, hey, give 319 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:11,319 the keys to the car to the freshman Donte Moore, like he gives the 320 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:15,319 Bruins the most upside. But maybe chip Kelly is not there yet. Meant, 321 00:24:15,519 --> 00:24:19,200 maybe he still wants to ease Dante more into the flow of the season. 322 00:24:19,279 --> 00:24:23,880 Maybe he wants to uh you know, kind of play at light uh, 323 00:24:25,039 --> 00:24:30,599 not saddle up more with too much in the realm of responsibilities and h 324 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:37,240 and details while USC is in the or UCLA is in the non conference portion 325 00:24:37,279 --> 00:24:40,160 of its schedule. And then maybe you get into Pac twelve play and then 326 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:44,319 you start ramping up the playbook. You you, you, you make the 327 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:49,599 playbook more developed and come complicated for Dante more and you unleash him then like 328 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:53,720 you don't give too much on film to Utah and the other teams that you're 329 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:59,160 going to be playing uh in the Pac twelve. Maybe maybe chip Kelly is 330 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,000 just trying to kind of keep things under wraps for now, and then he's 331 00:25:03,039 --> 00:25:08,119 gonna unleash Dante Moore in full when UCLA gets into the PAC twelve schedule. 332 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:14,759 So how Chip Kelly juggles the quarterback room at UCLA. That's going to be 333 00:25:14,839 --> 00:25:18,559 something to watch, all right. So you know we've gone through the Pac 334 00:25:18,599 --> 00:25:22,119 twelve and obviously there's gonna be a lot more to say on these teams. 335 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:27,440 Of course the season. We will do a separate standalone episode of Get Off 336 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:33,279 My Pylon on the upcoming Week two games for these Pac twelve teams, that 337 00:25:33,279 --> 00:25:37,240 will be a separate episode. But this was our Week one in review show, 338 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:41,200 Parrett, Get Off My Pylon. Stay with us throughout the season and 339 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:45,839 of course during the During the college football season, go to ticket smarter dot 340 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:52,200 com use the ticket Smarter mobile app. The code LWS ten ten dollars off 341 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,759 an order of one hundred dollars or more. LWS twenty is the promo code 342 00:25:56,200 --> 00:26:00,359 for to get twenty dollars off the purchase of three hundred dollars or more. 343 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:06,519 Ticket smarter dot com and the ticket Smarter We will app Thanks for listening to 344 00:26:06,559 --> 00:26:11,279 this episode of Get Off My Pylon, the Western College Football Podcast. This 345 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:12,880 is your host, Matt Zemmick. We'll see you next time.