Speaker 1: Is Cougar Sports with Ben kretel At. It's time for
the Cougar Beat getting the dish from the local reporters
that cover Cougar athletics.
Speaker 2: Welcome back Cougar Sports one O three nine ninety eight
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out to the hot line. Welcome in Ballers, shot Collar
D Shan. Oh wait, he's not on the line yet,
D Shine Walker. He's going to join us here shortly. Uh,
I can't wait to Delvin del the k nooks and
crannies with my guy, Sean Walker. Sean you living.
Speaker 3: Uh up down, left? Right? Or in the current age
of college sports, I guess west is right and right
is west because we've got we've got G League players
playing college basketball. Pretty sure NFL draft picks are going
to be coming back to college football any day now.
And uh, I think Pet's heads are falling off.
Speaker 2: Then hey, those that you know, they they they feel
like there's there's two trains of thought here. Those that
are saying all is not well, all is ruined, nothing
is right, and others that are saying all is well. Look, Indiana,
just one one the national championship. Uh, you know that
you're seeing in college basketball as well as are we
seeing Wait a second, let me let me evaluate this
really quick. Are we seeing something similar in college basketball
as we are in college football where there's been a
little bit of the flipping of floppity Indiana, they're losing
his team in college football history, all of a sudden,
winging Natty oh Miss, a middling SEC team was there Miami,
who hasn't been in the in the conversation for like
thirty years, they got into the national championship game. They
were a ten. Say that's almost a Cinderella's story. Sean,
Are we seeing something similar in basketball or just in football?
Speaker 3: I think you're on the right track then. I mean,
we're very much seeing the flattening of the playing, of
the flattening of the curves in college sports right now.
And it's because of a lot of changes that have
been made in recent years, namely NIL the transfer portal.
I think the rise in coaching has helped a lot,
but I think it's just helped to kind of spread
it around the left. Like, look, ten years ago, you
know we talked about the twenty twenty six twenty sixteen trend. Right,
it's all over my TikTok seat twenty sixteen. Apparently it's
the thing right now. If you go back to twenty sixteen,
what were people complaining about in college sports, it was
Alabama is winning everything. It's always two SDC teams in
the final. You can always count on one hand, you know,
three or four teams that are that are going to
be contending for championships, So maybe Ohio State occasionally jumps
in there. Now, all of a sudden, you have this
incredibly rich, diverse pool, not only a champion, three different
College Football Playoff national champions in the last three years,
all from the Big Ten. We can maybe get into
that if you want to, but you also just have
more teams that are relevant right now. You mentioned Miami,
you mentioned Notre Dame. How relevant were they getting left
out of the College Football Playoff? Right? Notreed is Notre
Dame back. I think there's an argument that they are
byu with suddenly on everybody's tongues, which you couldn't say
back in twenty sixteen, unless it was for some POI
you found as a hit and a bye word, because
you know, twenty sixteen was right before a certain season
that shall not be named, that we're not gonna talk
about on the show, right, Yeah, yeah, we're not gonna
talk about it. Don't worry, don't worry about We're not
gonna talk about it. But yeah, I mean I college
football to stay on the college football train. College football
has really never been popular. Thirty million people watched the
CFP National Championship between Indiana and Miami. That's a thirty
six percent increase from last year. That's the highest in
over ten years, since the twenty fourteen twenty fifteen season.
So yeah, like college football has never been popular, and
yet there's still people complaining about nil about the transfer portal,
about how it's ruining the sport, even though it's doing
the exact same thing that everybody wanted it to do
ten years ago, which is flatt that curve, spread out
the well, you know, push talent to more than just
the Alabamas and maybe the Georgia's and the Auto States
of the world. Like, I'm very much of the half
glass bull when it comes to college sports, and I
think it's okay to admit then, quite frankly, that a
lot of it is because guys are getting paid, Guys
are allowed to move, Guys are allowed to professionalize or
semi professionalize at least their brands, and make the players
as big as the coaches in the sport. I think
it's fine. I think it's great.
Speaker 2: Sean Walker talking some ball here on your Utah ESPN
Radio network. Let's talk about this. Let's talk a little
BYU football for a minute. It looks like not only
does b YU football have Neucy tom Wy pay you
uh hopefully they get uh John time, I pay you
back right and he's elible eligible for next year, but
they got the brother, the big brother of news, Daniel
tam we pay, who's on the roster now. Looks like
he's transfered from Eastern Washington. They got a lot of
dudes in that locker room, a lot of linebackers, but
the product at of west Lake High School transfers from
Eastern Washington to b YU. What do we know about Daniel?
TELLMI we pay you, Sean. Have you have you done
any research on this particular move from b YU?
Speaker 3: I know a little bit about Daniel. When he was
coming out of high school, he was a little bit
of a project, served a mission. I think, so he's
been out for a little while, for a little while,
right look, Yeah, if he's if he's anything like JT,
give me all the tamiyaos as possible. If he's anything
like like Noucy, give me all the TIMI payos possible.
Great pickup. And again this is another example of a
guy who, for whatever reason, wasn't on BYU's radar coming
as much coming out of high school, went elsewhere, kind
of wandered in the desert a little bit. Uh coming back.
I think it's I think it's totally signed and acceptable.
I don't I don't think there's any too big of
a problem about it. But he's excuse me, I got
some of mycro right there. But yeah, big kid, big kid,
kind of a bit of pass rush specialist. I think
it will be really interesting to see where he plays
out position wise on the YU team. Is he an
a you know, he came out of high school at
a little over six feet six one to ten. I
think it was I'm assuming he's probably a little bit
bigger than that. For some reason, his page over at
Eastern Washington is down, which conspiracy theorist guys baby to sign.
Speaker 2: I don't know.
Speaker 3: I'm just saying, batter just got crashed. The internet's probably
crashing it.
Speaker 2: Well.
Speaker 3: Yeah, so he's a little bit of a tweener right
there between that d and outside buying backers, kind of
pass rusher spot. I don't know exactly where he fits in.
But again, give me all the time we pay as possible.
I'm totally fine taking a flyer on a guy like that,
no problem.
Speaker 2: That's what I'm saying. Yeah, give me all the time
we pay. There's no doubt about it, and we'll see
what role he'll play and what you're what he has
as far as eligibility is concerned. But I think you're right.
I think you just got back off on the mission.
So we'll see. We'll see how it plays out. Sean,
it is a basketball season. We've started off with football, obviously,
but BYU lost the U of a nail bider. I'm
sure you covered it. They've had three games this season
where they've fallen almost twenty points deep in deficit and
somehow work their way back into the game and get
into like a last possession. What's up with these Cardiac coops?
Why is it that they are the seventieth team in
college basketball the first half and the first best team
in the second half.
Speaker 3: I think a lot of that just goes down to
one worry. We've talked a lot about it, about a
lot about it on this show, then, and that's depth.
This isn't a particularly deep team. Yes, the Big Three,
as they're being called, the break three, the Probo Power Company,
the Provo smoke Stacks, They're they're awesome. AJ, DeVonta Rob Rights, third,
Riggie Saunders. They've been great. The supporting cast hasn't always
been there. So if the Big Three shows up, this
is a great team. It's capable of hanging with anybody
in the country. All three of them showed up big
time in that second half against Arizona, but in the
first half there was some struggle. Bus rob Right didn't
shoot the ball very well from three. AJ was fine,
but he's a little bit one dimensional. It seemed like
Arizona was kind of relegating him to jump shots a lot.
He only took one or two I think two three
pointers didn't really get to the rim. Maybe as well,
if you would like two or three times, but probably
not as well as you would like. Richie struggled a
little bit in that first half, and then all of
a sudden, all three of them came alive in the
second half, and boom, you add in the likes of
Cannard Davis Junior and Alexa Kostitch who decided to make
some pretty significant shots in the second half, and all
of a sudden, this team is continuing with the number
one team of the country in Arizona. So, I mean,
that's kind of where they are. This is a little
bit of the inverse of last year's team, where I
think one of the keys to that Sweet sixteen run
was the fact that you had a deep team. Maybe
no like quote unquote big time stars in some ways,
yet Richie Sondez is there, so I guess you could
throw him in the mix. But it was a team
that was capable of going eight to nine, sometimes ten
guys deep. Right, We saw significant minutes and significant actions,
guys like Tray Stewart from the end of the bench.
This team doesn't really have that. It doesn't really have
a deep, consistent bench, or at least it hasn't shown
to so far. I think if they can find it.
If they can find that, they can get really just
about anything off the bench. This is as good of
a team as anybody in the country. It's when they don't,
they just see a little bit more of a struggle.
And I think that's largely where the handful of losses
what are we up to on the year? Three losses
on the year have come from is when that debt
is kind of really sort of weird. It's uglyhead, if
you will.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's something that we've been trying to diagnose
in treat this BYU basketball team. Some some are complaining
about refs, Some are complaining about free throws, some are
complaining about defensive effort. Some people are just you know,
wanting to see the brig three you know, you know,
not shooting nine to forty, right, I.
Speaker 3: Mean yeah, like like again, you've got Delonta Sanders, right,
who are all averaging double digit points per game twenty
three point six to eight point eight seventeen point four
points per game, respectively. Do you know the fourth leading
scorer on this bo human's basketball teams?
Speaker 2: Who is it?
Speaker 3: I want? I want to be Can you guess it?
Speaker 2: Know? You what I want to.
Speaker 3: I want to see I want to be a little tribute.
Speaker 2: It is it Dawson Baker who's been in.
Speaker 3: Dawson Baker seven point five points per game through eight
games before he went out, uh midway in the.
Speaker 2: I didn't have it pulled up either. I was just like, look,
this is good. I kind of felt like it was
a trick question of like it's probably Dawson.
Speaker 3: Yeah, Dawson Baker is the fourth leading scorer on this
by U men's basketball roster. Now Cannard David Junior is
right up there seven point two points per game. But
I mean, other than that, other than that break three,
other than the prolo smokestack, You've got a whole lot
of just roleplayer minutes, you know, I think, and I don't.
I don't want to take that away necessarily from what
some of these role players can do, because I think,
like Keva Keda, for example, he's way down in the
scoring ball of six point nine points per game. Also
a team I seven point eight rebounds per game. So
like Keava's doing what he's got to do, right, He's
that rebounder, he's that red rning rit protector. He's averaging
a couple of locks per game. Like I think there
is value in role players. I'm not saying there isn't.
It just doesn't feel like there's been a guy to
really shoulder much of a load outside of that day three.
And so if there's ever a night when the Big three,
any member of those three struggle, that's when you see
the struggles continue for Byu Bassbay. I think it's a
lot more likely for something like that to happen. Then
if you have say six, seven, eight guys who can
put the ball in the bucket, you're probably going to find,
you know, three guys that are playing pretty well on
any given nights.
Speaker 2: Pretty crazy, Dawson Baker your fourth leading scorer, I mean,
after that it is Canard Davis Junior. Though Cannard is
is nipping at the heels at seven point four points
per game.
Speaker 3: I thought that was probably actually the biggest story to
come out of ULA's loft Arizona. Quite frankly then, which
Canard Davis Junior finals got a shot back a little
bit six or six and three in the second half.
We won't talk about the first half too much. Probably
doesn't want to talk about it too much, but he
really came alive to that second half, and again it
was him and Alexi Coastage hitting a couple of threes
about midway through that second half that I think really
drought the UYU back into the game. In addition, too,
obviously you want the ball in the hands of one
of your big three, probably one of your big two
in Aj and Rob at the end of that game.
But I thought I thought Mu and Alexi in particular
were really kind of the difference in leaving that comeback charge.
Speaker 2: Sean Walker, what do you got cooking for us at
ksel dot com? What are you gonna be writing about
here shortly? What have you written about recently? Tss A
little bit.
Speaker 3: Oh, we've got a little bit of everything. If you're
a BUYU fan. We're diving into well overlap season right now.
Did you guys see the YU softball pick finished sixth
in the Big twelve. I'm just kidding. We won't go
into that too much, but Big One on Saturday, b
YU Kansasday? Is this the biggest game in BYU men's
basketball history? Whoab from from an NBA draft perspective, You've
got the very likely number one and number two pick.
I won't say likely, but a very possible number one
versus number two pick in the NBA draft and up
this Saturday at fog Allen Filhouse between a j De
Bonsa and Uh and Darren Peterson. Like from an NBA draft,
from a talent perspective, from an NBA profile perspective, I
would put this game up there with any NBYU basketball
history because that has that has that really happened very
much before.
Speaker 2: I mean, I don't know how how often you've had,
you know, to one and done's, you know, going against
each other. In BOE basketball history. You have Yegor, who's
a one and done. Right, Sean Bradley was a one
and done before before Jegor came to town. Right, Sean
the original one and done after serving a mission. I
guess you could say, but he would have been a
one and done easy after the nineteen ninety one season.
But yeah, I mean, this is it's a high profile game.
I mean, obviously there's gonna be a ton of eyeballs
on this because it's AJ versus versus Darren, Right, it
is gonna be a hopefully it's a it's a scoring fest.
Hopefully it's actually entertaining a j uh. He kind of
fell short a little bit. He kind of fell short
in that u of a game, didn't shoot the ball
as well, was looking for calls, looking for fouls. I
know he's gonna come. He's gonna bounce back. There's no doubt.
It's you know, he may take this one personally like
he did the Utah game.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 3: I mean, if there's one thing about this YU team
in general, it's it's that they take as personally. It's
it's that they bounced back. Obviously, they lost three times
on the year, but they've yet to lose back to
back games. I mean, I think that says something about
just a team that comes back. I think that says
something about a coaching staff. Kennyyam doesn't like to lose.
I think he used the pyboard. He said he was mad.
He was real mad about losing after that game. Didn't
want any part of moral victory. Is that kind of thing?
They bounced back from that Texas Tech loss with a
big win against Utai. Expect a much better effort on
the road this Saturday. This Saturday afternoon, I guess afternoon,
almost at night, Saturday afternoon and Lawrence for a pretty
significant road stretch I seen for this BYU team. Three
of the next four are on the road, Kansas, Oklahoma State,
and Baylor. You've got a top ten team in Houston
coming to the Marriott Center in between there. So these
next four games I think may help define BYU basketball
the regular season as much as any in terms of
do we slot them into the top of the conference
and to the kind of that cream of the crop echelon,
or they just sort of a nice team, a good team,
and maybe half a step behind there. Look, being a
half a step behind, if you will, the second tier
of the Big twelve is still pretty good. That's still
an NBA playoff team if we're really dragging out the
comparisons a little bit, a little bit far like that.
But I think BYU could do some damage with the
next four games to really show that they belong in
that upper echelant here in the Pig twelve.
Speaker 2: Sean Walker. Best way to support you, What you do,
how you do it over at KSHL dot com.
Speaker 3: You guys already know KISL dot com, ks dot com
slash sports if you want to bookmark our sports page
over there right now at state championship season, So we
got live streams going up from all of the state
title contenders if there's one right now, five day, six
day state drill for all the dance moms that are
listening right now in Utah County. Appreciate you guys, but yeah,
we've got a little bit of everything you talk. Abathar
on a nice hot speak. I'm disappointed man, you didn't
ask me any hockey questions today.
Speaker 2: Clay Kell, Holy mambo.
Speaker 3: Klayt Keller still maybe the best athlete, definitely the best
dog dad in the state of Utah. Shout out to
Clayton Keller uh and his best boy. But the Jazz
are doing what they do best, which is solidifying their
top eight protective pick in the NBA Draft, maybe putting
themselves in position for aj We'll see. But any Utah
times out there, we got discovered over there as well,
or just about anything else around the state of Utah.
So go ahead and give us a bugmarket cafil dot com, slash.
Speaker 2: Sports, my guy, Sean Walker, appreciate you, great content at always.
We invite everyone to follow you and read all of
your content. KJAL dot com, thanks so much.
Speaker 3: Brother, Thanks Ben, appreciate it.
Speaker 2: There you go with that Sean Walker. Great segment and
really fun fact of the day. Dawson Baker is still
the fourth leading scorer for the bu Events basketball team.
Speaker 4: That's crazy. I did not know that. I know I'm
hopping on, but I went and had.
Speaker 5: To look at the stats, and I said, I was
just sketching out of like that is that gonna bite
them later on? Like, oh man, that's just it's sad
that these injuries occurred. But again, a lot of silver
linings Canard and Alexi. I believe they're both gonna play
minutes on Saturday. And that's perk Kevin Young, that's not me.
That's not me making a Khy said it in the postgame.
Speaker 2: Ben crazy crazy crazy times. By the way, Cougar Nation,
you want to win some some movie tickets twenty one pilots.
They're releasing their concert film titled More Than We Ever
Imagined for Love twenty one pilots. Bryce would be an
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More details at ESPN Thefan dot com. That was a
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on a beautiful Wednesday, January twenty eighth edition of Cougar Sports.
Keeping up with the Cougar's coming up next. The greatest
head coach of the men's basketball Coming up next, Dave
Rose will join us to talk some BYU Hoops. This
is Cougar Sports on one oh three nine ninety eight
point three ESPN The Fan.
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Crittle fifteen, Crittle fifteen, Crittle fifteen. Okay, so I was
pulling the data, pulling the numbers. Okay, on the best
conference in college basketball right now. The Big Ten has
something to say about being the best conference right now,
They really do. They currently have eight of the highest
rank teams per Ken Palm in the top thirty of
college basketball. Big Ten has eight teams. They have Michigan
at number two, Illinois at four, Michigan State at six,
Perdue at eight, Nebraska ten, Iowa at number twenty one,
Indiana at thirty, and then just outside the thirty you
have Wisconsin at thirty nine. So the Big twelve, they
have seven teams ranked in the top thirty. Arizona number one,
i was stayed at number five, Houston at number seven,
Kansas at fourteen, BYU at fifteen, Texas Tech at seventeen.
The next one's up TCU at forty nine and Baylor
at fifty two. So both both of them, you know,
maybe top heavy, right, top heavy a little bit, but look,
you got you got six, you got seven teams in
the Sorry, you have six in the in the top
I misread that six in the top thirty in the
Big twelve and seven in the top thirty in the
Big Ten. But it's been a gauntlet, it's been crazy
BYU prepping getting ready for that b y U Kingsas matchup,
and the Darren Peterson versus AJ two Bonsa matchup is
the one I am very much intrigued by. I'm wondering
if Darreon Peterson is actually gonna be healthy enough to
showcase his abilities at the highest of levels. I do
expect a rejuvenated, reinvigorated, much more motivated AJ to Bonsa
after what happened with the U of A game. He
wasn't as efficient, wasn't as physically as he had been
in the games maybe leading up to the home the
home set versus the number one team in the country.
That U of A team is stacked though. That is
one of the most talented teams I've ever seen come
through the Merriott Center. That is a national championship caliber team.
And that's I'm not trying to take anything away from
Brigham Young. I think Brigham Young is very much a
an Elite eight team. I think they can be that.
I think the metrics would would actually confirm that. Right now,
per Ken palm BYU's eleventh in offensive efficiency in twenty
fifth in defensive efficiency. The biggest issue is in the
first half. They don't know how to play defense, and
they they've misshots, especially on their home court. Can't do that.
Can't do that. They're trying to find someone to step
up off the bench. Maybe that's election coasting. Maybe maybe
that's you know, somebody else. Maybe it's a Deem boop.
Maybe it's abdul Ackman, maybe it's somebody else. So I'm
not sure, but they got to find a way. I
put out a poll that I think is shocked a
lot of people by the way this BYU basketball team.
Obviously he's built by the brig three, AJ Ritchie and
Rob Right the third. But who's the fourth leading score
BYU fans getting this one wrong? We discussed it with
Sean Walker at the prior segment ksel dot com. Who's
the fourth leading scorer on of the BWE basketball team?
Everyone picking Keva thirty one point three percent, Kennard Davis
Junior coming in at number three, with actually number two
now twenty seven point one percent, Mihailo Boskovic twenty five percent,
Dawson Baker coming in at number four sixteen point seven percent.
And the answer is and the winner is Dawson the
bucket to getter Baker. He's been out for a month
with an ACL injury. You know, he played six games
this season, nineteen point eight minutes per game, seven point
five points per game. He was having a decent season,
a solid season. Some people, you know, they're like, man,
I'm miss I miss Dawson Baker, the six foot four
hundred and ninety pounds senior Adakota de Casa, California transfer
from uh U c Riverside. Okay, Uh, sorry you yeah, yeah,
you see, sorry, you see Irvin. Excuse me, So Dawson,
we miss you. Man, need your back. It'd be nice.
That was a pretty devastating injury, man, pretty devastating to
this BAU basketball team because you got to find someone
that can hit a set three and you know, semi contested,
wide open. Uh. I feel like Rob A J And
Ritchie they all they all force double teams, you know,
in these half court sets. So who can hit a
standing three? Alection Coastick could be the hero of b
YU basketball if he continues to play high level defense
like he did and uh he continues to hit to
those standing three point shots like he did in the
U of a game. I want to transition a little
bit with some BUA football talk here, b yus win
at Arizona. Okay, a great win, overtime win. Loved it.
ESPN has put out their Top one hundred games of
the twenty twenty five season, and I was surprised only
two games were listed on the season from BYU. One
of them was the Arizona game. On the road, there
was a massive storm b Way. You started off hot
and then went cold in quarter two and quarter three
with about five minutes remaining, finally they found their groove
and started moving the football offensively, and they ended up
pulling out a big victory, A bit of a nail binder.
That particular game was ranked eighty six in the college
football Top one hundred Games of the twenty twenty five season.
What would you guess is the other game? Okay? What
would you guess is the other matchup? How about this?
The pop tards ball number thirty three as the number
T twelve B Way you Cougars took on number twenty
two Georgia Tech. Shout out to the Bway. You Cougars
were coming away with a victory. This is what ESPN
had to say about it. What's better than devouring and
anthroppro morphize pop tar doing so after an awesome game,
BA you want its twelfth game of the season with
a desperate late charge. That's a really desperate late charge.
Trailing Haines, Kinging and Tech by twenty one to ten margin,
that margin heading into the fourth court of the Cougars
drove eighty yards for one touchdown, then went ahead on
a Joevez de Moudi run. With two minutes left, King
completed a sixty six yard fourth and fifteen bomb to
Eric Rivers to keep the Jackets alive, but Evan Johnson
picked off a pass in the Sprinkles decorated end zone
and it was time to do whatever win had come
to do, eat some pop tards. The celebration after the
game was tremendous by you got a victorian. Remember b
why you did not have their best defensive player and
they did not have their best offensive player in this
game makes it a bit more sweet. Didn't mention that,
did you? ESPN didn't mention LJ listed as a possible
Heisman Trophy candidate heading into twenty twenty six. You didn't
mention that, did you? Oh? You poor unfortunate souls? And look,
Jack Kelly was out with his shoulder injury by the way.
Shout out to Jack Kelly and other players playing in
the Senior Bowl. Hopefully Jack Kelly gets some good reviews
elevates his draft stock. He's a fantastic second level rusher.
I think he can be a tremendous edge linebacker in
a stand up three four type of scheme. We'll see
where he gets drafted. We'll see if some good reports
come out of the Senior Bowl. Guys, let's take a
brief time out, will be back though Cougar Nation. It's
a Wednesday, January twenty eighth edition of Cougar Sports and
that segment was brought to you by Odeon Men's where
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be back. This is Cougar Sports on one O three
nine ninet eighty point three is extra strid Alabi.
Speaker 1: Let's get the latest news coming out of BYU Athletics
with a Cougar Sports press release.
Speaker 5: After falling to number twenty two Western, the Cougar has
looked for their fifth consecutive bounce back when as they
try with a Stielwater to take on the Oklahoma Stake
Today Wednesday, January twenty eight. Tip off the step the
five thirty pm Mountain time, but the game being streamed
on ESPN Plus and broadcast live on BAU Radio with
Jason Sheppard. UYU trails three to two in an all
time series dating back to nineteen eighty nine, zero too
against Oklahoma State in games at Gallagher Ivor already and
the most reached a matchup. The Cougar has handed the
twenty three Cowgirls a sixteenth to sixty four defeat in
Provo on February fifteenth, to twenty twenty five and the
contest last.
Speaker 4: Year, Blade Gave won for fourteen points.
Speaker 5: Seven rebounds and six assists and three skills. In the contest,
former bay You guarded Mario White. He scored nine points
to go along with four assists and four rebounds.
Speaker 4: And two steals in the win.
Speaker 5: A Mario transfer to the Cowgirls this offseason will take
on her former teen tonight. With the win this evening
BYU would match his most wins in the season since
going twenty sixty four in reaching the NCAA Tournament in
twenty twenty one twenty two. A win would also move
coach lead camardin too, a tie with Embra whiteing for
third most wins by a first year Air.
Speaker 4: Coach in program history with sixteen.
Speaker 5: Staying on the topic of women's basketball, after an eighteen
six to sixth performance in bau's win over Texas Fat
and Delaney, Gibb was named to the deep twelve starting
five the conference announcement day afternoon. After missing eight non
conference games due to injury, Gibbs found her rhythm, leading
BYU and scoring the twenty three points per game while
shooting fifty three point.
Speaker 4: Eight percent from the field.
Speaker 5: Last week, she went six or nine to three point
range and average for assist, three point five rebounds, two
point five stills and a half of blocking the two
games against an eight of the top twenty five opponent.
For more Couger Sports pressure leases, put into Cougar Sports
on one O three nine and ninety eight three g
in the fan every day from two pm to six pm.
Follow me on x Slash, Twitter and Instagram, and Ron
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Speaker 4: Use the Critical fifteen discount coupon code.
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Speaker 1: When Ben Cuttle isn't breaking down Cooks amount to film
out of his beloved her football team, he's talking Couger
Sports and the two right one O three nine at
ninety eight three ESBN, No fan, well look back.
Speaker 2: Up your sports for three ninety point three stand the
fan I've met for the broadcasting from our Vanderwealth Studios.
Vanderwealth dot com. Get on that freak Q and A. Guys,
if you're looking for a little financial wellness, a little
financial help, a little wealth management action, get on a
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And he's been eating and supporting the BLU student athletes
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Contact Banderwealth banterwel dot com. Today it is stopped for
little Cougars in the pros. Want to delve into some
of the cougars in the pros, what they're doing, how
they're doing it Here on your Utah. ESPN Radio Network.
Got to be brought to you by you know this
new movie we got dropping twenty one pilots. They're releasing
their concert film titled More Than We Ever Imagined. All
you got to do is tune in to Bryson Bianucci
to learn and win and get two tickets to the
cinemas to watch this fine film in the cinemas. Tune
in at eight to forty five am on ESPN A
fan this week for your chance to score a pair
of tickets more detailed at ESPN. The fan first and foremost,
want to talk a little bit about Puka Nikuwa. Okay, Now,
I thought Pooka these last two seasons, I thought he'd
proven himself as the best wide receiver in the National
Football League. I really did. I felt that way. Felt
like Puka was doing things that had never been done,
never been seen, just killing it left and right, getting vertical,
getting lateral tote in the rock too. His versatility, versatility
at its finest, the number one ranked Pro football focused
wide receiver, the number one ranked fantasy football receiver. Pukakua
had a record breaking twenty twenty five season, ninety six
point one PFF grade thirty contested catches. Puka nikuas set
two PFF records this season, by the way, two not
one dose crazy crazy. And so I thought that was
the case. And I thought Jerry Rice, one of the
best receivers, if not the best receiver ever in the NFL,
would feel the same way. Would feel the same way. Okay,
but he doesn't. He gives his take on who he
believes is the best wide receiver in the NFL. Want
to get to that here in a sound bite. This
is what he had to say earlier there on the
Rich Eisen Show. Who's the best receiver in the NFL today?
Speaker 6: I would say probably, I still got to go with
Justin Jefferson. And even though he hasn't have had a quarterback,
this guy can do it all. He can stress to feel,
he can out jump you, he's not afraid to go
across the middle. And you know, there are some great
receivers out there, But I would still put him as
number one.
Speaker 4: Who's the best receiver in the NFL today?
Speaker 2: Best receiver in the NFL? He says, Justin Jefferson. Agree
or disagree with that assessment? Ronald and three man Weaver.
Speaker 5: Look, I mean there's an argument for Puka and the
cool I mean, Justin Jefferson is up there. But I
mean I think if you're that big of an impact player,
you should be able to get your team to the playoffs.
And it's like, oh, he hasn't had a quarterback. I
mean been was Sam Donald not there last year? Did
Sam Donald not lead them to the playoffs? I mean
they just went the bad when it mattered the last
game of the season and choked in the wild card.
Speaker 4: But sort at the Lions, So I don't know.
Speaker 5: I think there are data points that disagree with that,
that say that Puka is I mean, if Puka wins
Offensive Player of the Year, it's up there. I think
he's gonna have to get a triple crown two to
be at a also push that one out. But look,
I mean, is twelve on the LA rams does he
not go across the middle of the field. I'm just
being honest, like, this is just a and he's right,
and he's not saying that there are no other good
receivers you know, out there, because there are. But I
mean Puka does go across the center bend and he's
not afraid to take a hit. I mean, arguably, I
would say Pooka maybe he's a little bit more durable
than you know, justin and getting hit because he's so
dense and he's so thick and he's so physical.
Speaker 4: So look, I don't want to hear the argument of oh,
no quarterback.
Speaker 5: I mean the quarterback that they had who got through
a double digit shout and then you know Kevin O'Connor,
who's a quarterback guru whisper. Last time I checked that
quarterback is in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 2: Now.
Speaker 5: So obviously that's a good quarterback. And if he wins
it all been then you can't really make that argument
and say, oh, well you didn't have someone, I mean,
Kirk Cousins.
Speaker 4: Do we not view kirk Cousins as a guy that
could get to the super Bowl?
Speaker 5: The Vikings were contenders when he was there, So I'm
not really gonna go with that. I'm gonna push back
on that and say he's had quarterbacks. If you want
to say with Jijim McCarthy it hasn't worked out, I'll
hear that one. But Sam Darnold, kirk Cousins, he had
guys that could throw in the football, Like I don't
you're talking about a Vikings team that took down the
Bills on the road, Ben, and he threw the ball
on triple coverage and Justin Jefferson came down with it
like that quarterback put the ball only where he could
get it.
Speaker 4: So I don't know if I buy this argument, Ben.
Speaker 2: Look Jeffon Jeffers, I would say he's more talented, talented right,
athletically talented, longer, maybe a little bit faster, not necessarily bigger,
but like you know, I mean, he's he's a four
four six guy. He's got a thirty seven and a
half hiss vertical. He's a ten six broad jump guy
and super quick, super fast, very explosive. There's no doubt
on the outside. Yeah, you feel pretty good about getting
vertical with Justin Jefferson and going deep, right, going deep.
But Pooka, to me, is just such a well rounded
football player and he's he's a he's a I think
he's a better blocker. I think he can run the
jet for you. You can line up up in the
backfield as a running back and he can. He can
get out on routes and he's good. He can pass pro.
He can pass pro for you. That's how good Pooq is.
He can sit there, he can line up single back
okay and probably stay in for protection. So the versatility.
You can line up up on the inside, he can
line up on the outside. That's why I think puuk
is actual actually a better receiver, a better football player
than Justin Jefferson. Now, Justin Jefferson has been doing this
for you know, six seasons now, since he came out
from LSU as the first pick twenty second overall, first round,
twenty second overall pick you know, to the Minnesota Vikings,
and there has been you know, probably some tumultuous nature
in the quarterback room at Minnesota. There's been a lot
of quarterbacks that have got starts there. So you can
make that argument, There's no doubt about it. I'm willing
to hear that. How many different quarterbacks have started for
the Minnesota Vikings since Jeffer, justin Jefferson came to the Vikes.
I mean, do you know how many of that is?
I mean, I want to say it's like five, five
or six. I mean, there's been a lot of different
quarterbacks that have seen starts for the Vikings since twenty twenty.
Whereas Puka has had the benefit of Matt Stafford, a
Hall of famer. You know that that. Honestly, the Cooper
cup was a great wide receiver too. Look at what
Cooper did with Stafford as his quarterback and McVeigh as
his OC. So is Cooper the most talented wide receiver?
Obviously he wasn't. He went to Eastern Washington, had to
like overachieve, found his way, found a role, and one
of the best possession receivers in the modern era. There's
no doubt about that, but talent wise, he's not as talented.
And some people will say, well, pook is not as
talented because he ran like a four five six forty
and only had you know, I mean, he wasn't as
explosive in his prod. The didn't get the invite to
the Combine that he probably should have, but he had
some injury issues. While that be yu and so you
look at Pooka's athletic results at his pro day and
you're like, okay, you compare and contrast that to Justin Jefferson,
And obviously Justin has more athletic talent, but Pooka six
two came out at two hundred pounds. He's a good athlete.
His acceleration, his physicality, he's got football speed, not track speed. Okay,
So I think you can make an argument that Pooka
is the more well rounded football player and maybe even
the better wide receiver because he can do so much.
You can line them up, like I said, the blocking element,
and I'm not trying to knock on Justin here, but
he's just he's more spelt. He's not as thick, he's
not as dense, he's not as physical Justin. He's a
smooth operator. He is an athletic, twitchy, dynamic rangey, you know,
just elastic dude. And but Pooka, Pooka's nipping on his heels. Guys,
you keep doing this, Pooka. You keep putting up one
hundred yard receiving one hundred yard or sorry, one hundred
receptions in a season and eclipsing one thousand yards consistently.
How sustainable is it? I don't know how long will
Stafford be slinging it. It sounds like from mcveigh's standpoint,
Matt Stafford's coming back. Why because they have a great
supporting cast. You saw Peyton Manning and Tom Brady continue
to come back to the game because of the supporting
cast and because of the coaching staffs. And if you
build around him, they know they do their one eleventh.
You keep him protected, you keep him, You get guys
around him that can be coachable, do what he wants
him to do, and he's gonna put the ball out
there on time. He's one of the best anticipatory throwers
in the National Football League to ever come through the
National Football League. Matt Stafford is a Hall of Famer, guys,
so I think he's coming back. He hasn't announced his
retirement yet. He still has some He still has got
some gas in the tank. And if I'm not mistaken,
Matt Stafford only thirty seven years of age. How many
seasons did Tom Brady play after forty Tom Brady age
at retirement and then also check out, yeah, I think
he was forty five. They retired for good at forty five, right,
So Stafford's got more gas in the tank. Retirement age
of Peyton Manning, he was thirty nine though, remember you
had the uh he had a little bit of a
neurological issue, little neck issue that was weakening his arm strength.
He had a little bit of impingement. Okay, so nerve
impingement kind of slowed him down. But still thirty nine,
eighteen year career Matt Stafford, he still has got some
gas in the tank. And I think as long as
Matt Stafford has gas in the tank's if he can
give you three more years Pooka through year six. Remember
he's got three years now over that expansive time, three
hundred and thirteen receptions and forty four games on four
hundred and thirty two targets. Like I said, contested catches
every It seems like every single ball is that started
as a contested catch that he comes down with ninety
one yards, thirteen point four yards per reception, nineteen touchdowns,
and he's also toting the ball to thirty three carries,
two hundred and forty yards, two touchdowns running the ball.
Put him at punt returner too. Let's just make it
make it so. He probab played defense forty as well.
He's just a football players, football player. Put him on
special teams and see what he can do. All right, guys,
that's uh. Actually, we have a couple other things. Kyris Toga.
Do we want to talk Tiris? Some rabral quotes on
on Kyiris Tonga. He came from a two star rating
to become a BYU Great, a seventh round pick, and
now he's going to a super Bowl after participate, after
playing with five different NFL teams. What is Rabel Vrabel
his head coach say about him, vic Ramp.
Speaker 7: That's a guy plays on three phases, helps us win defensively,
helps us win offensively, then goes out there and stands
in the three uh in way of three guys on
the field goal protection unit. He's a key part of
our group effort. Then he goes on says, just trying
to look at the way that we are constructed. We
need a little bigger size in there to try and
push the pile a little bit and then get some movement.
I think he does a nice job at that too.
He's a he's got a good feel for it. Helps
us on the short yardage in Atlanta. Uh throughout the year.
I know that he asked to call He's asked and
called upon. He'll be willing to help us again.
Speaker 2: Love that. What else do you got for me?
Speaker 7: He says, I think talking about cairis. I think it's vision.
And then just watching the skill set, maybe how they play.
It's impressive how he plays, it's impressive just on him
real quick, just how quickly he gets out of his stance.
He's been able to get out in front of the
running back when he gets on offense.
Speaker 2: Sometime sometimes full.
Speaker 7: Blood full backs are a little slower, they're out of
phases with the runner and the runners run up their heels.
And so he's just talking about how good he's been
in short yardage and goal line situations leading for the
full back.
Speaker 2: Well, if I'm not mistaken, in his senior year, he
was able to tote for a teddy for BYU. Do
you guys know this? He had one carry, three yards
one touchdown. This was actually twenty nineteen, not twenty twenty.
Did you guys know that Kyris Tonga probably one of
the the only linemen in BYU football history to run
for a touchdown. And I'm trying to remember what game
it was in. I'm gonna have to look that up anyway.
Shout out to Kiristonga. UH seeking that that Super Bowl ring.
We wish him. Well, that's your Cougar's in the pros
segment and UH and big wrote all of our sponsors.
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Let's go to break, don't go anywhere more. To get
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