Speaker 1: You are now listening to the Big Ten Paradigm podcast
here on the College grid Iron Coast to Coast Podcast Network.
Please welcome in, Noah Drury. It's we covered the Big
Ten throughout this whole entire twenty twenty five college football season.
Speaker 2: And welcome to the Big Ten Paradigm here on the
College grid Iron Coast to Coast Network. I'm glad you
could be here. My name is Noah Drury. As here
to the intro, a lot of stuff happening in college football.
As of recent Penn State found a head coach. That's
always a good news, and I think that is a
good hire. As the day of this recording, Sharon Moore
has been let go by the University of Michigan with cause,
so they will not be half that buy out, which
is uh, I guess is good news for them in
terms of finding a different head coach. And then I
currently just got an alert for you has been entertained
by Selene Police, which Salene's kind of a suburb of
the Ann Arbor area. So I guess we could break down,
maybe not necessarily what happened with Sharon Moore, because all
of it is rumor base. There's never been an official
statement of what he has been charged with, and the
reason for firing I think is some for some sort
of staffer. That's to what my knowledge and all I'm
going to put out over the air waves. First things first,
the Big Ten Championship did happen this past Saturday, and
Tyler Danberg all Stanley good job breaking it down, which
I talked to him earlier this week and got it
on the record. And you know, Tyler a friend of
the program, someone I appreciate, someone that's always you know,
keeping me in the loop with Ohio State football. And
you know they got a first round buying the College
Football Playoff. But first things first, the game itself Indiana,
really you know, they they weren't dominant on the offensive side,
but the one drive with Fernando Mendoza and this team
being able to get down in the red zone, the
touchdown that they got was absolutely massive in that third quarter,
a seven play, eighty eight yard drive. I mean, they
just they executed it so well. That fifty one yard
pass was one of the best passes I've seen from
Fernando Mendoza, just a great post route and they cap
it off with a seventeen yard passing touchdown to Elijah
Soli Rat And you know, Ohio State in the fourth
quarter goes on a fifteen play drive that last eight minutes,
you know, the same thing they did against Michigan to
close out the game. Right, they go down and they
simply miss a field goal from Jayden Fielding. And you know,
Jayden Fielding is been a kicker where in the beginning
of his career is definitely criticized by Ohio State fans.
And yeah, unfortunately missed it. And you know what, couldn't
show up in a big moment. And like Tyler you'll
hear later in the show, but he described vibes Jane
Fielding the type of person he is, and it's not
someone that deserves a bunch of criticism or anything or
any hate mail, like he simply just missed his kick.
I mean a lot of people, you know, I fail
at my job. Everyone fails at their job, not to
an extent of like, oh it's like reason for terminations,
but like everyone makes mistakes. Man, it's not like everybody's perfect.
And you know what, Ohio State still has a chance
to compete for a national championship. And on the end
of Indiana Hoosier side. I mean, this team hasn't won
an outright Big Ten championship since nineteen forty five, and
they haven't beat Ohio State in like thirty something games,
the last thirty games that they've played. I mean, this
is just phenomenal work from the Hoosiers, and you got
to give it all starts with Kurt Signetti. You know.
I remember I kept getting these interviews and pressers and
everything from him when he got hired as a head coach, right,
and he was, you know, tall, talking a ton about, Oh,
We're gonna go beat Ohio State, you know, Michigan, you know,
all these teams and obviously the Big Ten reformed as
well in his first season. Coming into it were Oregon's
in the Big Ten, Washington, U, se LA, and USC
and while last year might have been more of a
fluky run. And I mean it's a first year head
coach man, Like I don't think you understand it is
super hard to take over a program in the first
year and find immediate success like he has, really and
I blame him for this, not to his fault, because
I mean, he did a spectacular job, but there's a
lot less of a I guess window for opportunity in
terms of teams and donors and all these factors, you know,
waiting for a head coach to start having success. I mean,
look at Michigan State Jonathan Smith. You know, he had
a below average first two years, and you know, the
Michigan State didn't want to stick it out and they
how You're Pat Fitzgerald, which personally, I think is a
great hire. And I'm a big Pat Fitzgerald. I was
a fan of him at Northwestern. I thought he was
a good head coach. Obviously he had the whole thing
at Northwestern with the hazing incident or whatever. He was
found out a part of that at all. And I think,
you know, especially with the for Sparta four hundred and
one million dollar donation to the school in two hundred
and ninety million for athletics, like they really believe in
this guy. He had was had the crowd fired up
at the basketball game. He's been He's been electric, man,
He's been electric. And I'm super excited to see, you know,
what the future holds for Michigan State. But back to
the Indiana side, Like I mean, this is just such
a good team and I think what they were missing
last year was physicality in the front seven, and man,
don't they have it? Like Bo Jackson, Yes, he's still
technically had a productive day on the ground, but Indiana
was playing gap sound football from the linebackers. Their defensive
line was able to get pressure on Julian Sand, something
Julian Sand didn't face all season. I mean, let's be honest,
Ohio State, like other than that first game versus Texas,
which Texas is a legitimate defense, you know, Ohio State
didn't face much adversity this season, Let's be honest, like
other than Week one, like in that you know, that
was what three months ago almost for three and a half,
Like from that moment, you can't expect, you know, them
to play perfect and you know, their first big game
in forever, Like I know, the game was a big
game to them, and unfortunately, you know, they got they
got got and you know, to be fair, that could
have been the two best teams that might play for
a national championship. Again, honestly, like I think these are
two of the best teams in college football. They went
toe to toe. It was a three it was a
three point game, a one score game, literally a field
goal and you know, Indiana got done on a neutral site.
Both the crowds showed up, everyone was paying attention, and
you know, congrats to the Hoosiers on winning the twenty
twenty five Big Ten Championship and also being the number
one seed in the College Football Playoff. They were unanimously
number one in the AP poll as well, first time
in the history of that program as well. So, I mean,
they're just accomplishing so much stuff under Kurt Signetti. And
you know, I really am like, oh my gosh, is
Indiana just gonna become this juggernaut that we all hate
in like three years? So like, are they gonna be
the new Ohio State? Are they gonna be the new Bama?
Speaker 3: Like?
Speaker 2: I mean, there is realm there is possibility for that
for sure. As for the playoff rankings, Indiana's one, Ohio
State's two, and Oregon is five and they play James Madison,
so we will break Are we gonna have to break
that game down? I mean, no discredit to James Madison,
But I believe the only power for school that they
played this year was Louisville and you know, they lost
them by two scores. And to be fair, I think
Louisville should have been ashed stronger on the season. I'm
someone that you know really likes Jeff brom and you
know what he does with that team. And I mean
they lost by two scores. They were close in that game,
but I mean everyone else on their schedule is either
from the Sun Belt or the Group of five level,
And I mean they played close with Troy and that
Sun Belt championship game down to the end, like we
almost thought like is Troy gonna win the Sun Belt?
And then is this eating five duke team or eight
and four at the time or no, they were seven
and five, seven and five duke team which they won
the ACC absolutely crazy, but it's like, is this duke
team really gonna get in or are they gonna have
to put a different you know, G five ch Is
Western Michigan gonna get a chance?
Speaker 4: You know?
Speaker 2: Or all running down all the possibilities, right, But yep,
James Madison is in the college football playoffs. They are
currently twenty one and a half point dogs to the
Ducks fifty and a half over under. The JMU money
line is plus eleven hundred. So if you think that
the Dukes of James Madison are gonna get the upset.
I mean, you might as well place it down because
that is a fair chunk of change coming back your way.
Oh man, I mean it would be cool. Obviously they
see James Madison upset. Obviously I'm going to root for
Oregon because you know, I want the Big ten teams
to succeed. And they get to play Texas Tech the
week after. And I don't know what to think of
Texas Tech because their one loss was to Arizona State.
They had Hammond as the backup in that game. They
weren't playing with Baron Morton. I don't know if Baron
Morton's really that much of a contributor where it's like, oh,
you need him every single snap of every single game.
But obviously, you know you want to roll with your
starter if you have them, right, So there is that note.
Looking at other things, First of all, Penn State hires
Matt Campbell. Matt Campbell a great, great head coach. I mean,
he's definitely the most successful coach in Iowa State history.
You know, Iowa State hasn't been relevant and weren't relevant
for a really long time, and all of a sudden,
Matt Campbell, you know, and comes in around I think
twenty fifteen, twenty sixteen in that era. And keep in
mind mac am has been in the mentions for a
lot of these jobs over the years just because of
the job he's done. I mean, he's won a Big
Twelve Championship there, He's had that team the Big Twelve Championship.
He's produced guys like Rock obeckt In Brock Purty. He's
produced you know, very talented receivers like you can Savior Hutchinson.
Higgins is another guy, like he's someone that can you know,
really recruit you know, low level talent and develop him.
Now he's got the opportunity to go to this place
in College Station, Pennsylvania and or Happy Valley or whatever
you you know, decided to call it. He gets to
go to Penn State and you know, he gets the
opportunity to have more, you know, access to recruits. And
I know the recruiting class looks super bad for Penn
State right now because you know, I mean, they they
didn't have a head coach in the national signing period
and you know a lot of the kids flipped to
Virginia Tech where James Franklin is now, and you know,
it's going to be a definitely a tough process to
start out, but he's definitely probably gonna bring Roco backed
over if he doesn't. Design to say, I think rock
Oback's a perfectly fine QB. Like, I don't think he's
anyone that's like ooh, like he's you know, first round
NFL talent, but he is a good college quarterback that
you know, could be a backup or you know, a
starter if he really develops well in the NFL. And
I mean there's a lot of talent you could just
bring off that Iowa State team and Iowa State this year,
I mean they dealt with a lot of injuries on
the defensive side. Like it's not the season that probably
they wanted to have, but I mean they still were
relatively successful in the Big twelve and they're a good team. Man.
I'm super I'm super fired up for Penn State. I
think this is a home run. Higher who will he
signed at the coordinators, I don't know. Penn State had
so much with crumbled Cookie and Klonie Sataki didn't want
to take the job and oh are they gonna wait
for Kaitlin to bore? You know, all these different things
that you're gonna hear from people, and it's just like, man,
just just take Matt Campbell as someone that I mentioned
early on as someone that I thought should have been
the head coach to begin with, and you know what,
he's a He's a great hire for this team. I
don't think that. I don't think that it was, you know,
really a surprise to me, to be honest, and I
think it's a great hire for the program. On the
UCLA side of things, I hire Bob Chesney out of
James Madison. He's done a great job taking over for
Kurt Signetty in these two seasons since he's been gone.
I mean, James Madison's been competitive and you know what,
they're in a college football playoff, you know, just recently
joining the FBS. I mean it's not like this is
a like team that's been around in the FBN. No,
they were in the FCS I believe like five six
years ago and they finally joined. I mean, to you know,
even get to that feet and you know what, you
might be like, well, James Madison doesn't deserve to get
in over Notre Dame, b YU, all these other teams,
which I agree, I don't think the college football playoff format.
You know, I don't think we I think we need
four guaranteed conference championships. And I know they're talking about
expansion and all these different things, because you know, here's
my thing on what the college football playoff should be
the reason why college football playoff is broken is because
it can't be a perfect system. Every team's gonna get robbed.
Every team's gonna be like, oh man, we deserve to
get it over this team because we have this and
they don't have that, and this, that and the other thing.
It's like, I mean, look, it's not a perfect format.
I don't think there's a perfect format for any sport
in any situation. You know, the MLB expanded their playoff.
The NFL has expanded their playoff, put in a play
in tournament where two thirds of the league makes technically
the postseason. I mean, all in all, if you're looking
at it relative to the numbers in the league, and
let's be honest, one hundred and thirty six or is
it thirty eight now, I don't know, teams keep out
of here, right, one hundred and thirty six to thirty
eight teams don't deserve to, you know, be probably in
the FCS or FBS, and you know there should probably
be another division made for the G five, G six teams, right,
And you know when you give the opportunity to a
team like Tulane and a team like James Madison, you
know where they gonna make it. I mean the ACC.
You know, they're how that was constructed with the common
wins and the differential and all these different things allow
Duke to be in there. So that's the ECC's fault.
You could have just taken Hey, Miami is going to
make it out of the tiebreaker because they're the highest
ring team and they'll play Virginia for a spot. And
it could have just been as simple as that. And
people aren't pissed about Mia making it. And I understand
Miami lost to Louisville and they lost to SMU, and
do they deserve to be in I don't know. Guess what.
Alabama lost to Florida State arguably way too worse or
way worse loss than the two losses Miami has now
the other one is to Oklahoma, who they're rematching. And
then on the other side, not your Dame, you lost
to Miami. I know you lost to texting them too. Yeah,
that's two college football playoff teams. If you don't beat
the teams that are ranked ahead of you, you know,
why do you deserve to get in? Cool? You beat
Pitt and you beat other teams. You beat Navy, you
beat Stanford, you beat Syracuse. Like congratulations, that doesn't deserve
to get you in. I know everything that Notre Dame
has without accepting their bull bed, but like looking at
the Notre Dame schedule and I guess this is a
Notre Dame territory. Of these podcasts, they do have the
win over USC. That's cool. Guess what Miami has a
better win because Miami simply beat you. And if you're
not gonna honor head to head, here's what would happen.
You would see Ohio State because head to head doesn't matter.
You would see them play Bowling Green. You would see
them play Youngstown State, and you would see them play
you know what, they probably play, like Utah State or
someone on the West coast, or someone from the South
like Georgia Southern like and you would see Bama that.
You would see them play Troy. You would see them
play not even Memphis. Memphis is too competitive. Probably too.
Like you see what I'm saying, there's no point or
it would be a shame if they didn't honor that
had to head win because you know, why would you
if you're relatively in the same spot and how a
hunter you're a check put. It was terrible. Oh they're
side by side, so we now have to compare them. Well,
you know that's just bogus, like you should have just
had them all along. And everyone's like, oh, we don't
need a weekly ranking show. It's just you know, so
they could boost ratings and blah blah blah blah blah.
You know what, we've had a ranking show for over
ten years and now it's a problem. Now you know,
the same thing that they've been doing. And I get
it because it's a twelve team format, but I mean,
you guys want to expand this thing in the sixteen too,
and then how's that structure gonna look like? Anyways, I'm
done ranting about that. Three big ten teams made it,
and I think that was the right call in you
know what, for Notre Dame fansoms, I'm sorry your team
didn't make it, but that's the end of the day.
You gotta win. Those games. If you want to be
in so and Indiana will play the winner of Oklahoma
or Alabama. I think, you know, with how their defense
is structured, in who they would play like, I think
Oklahoma would probably be a tougher matchup just because their
defense is really sound. In Alabama they do have the
threat of doing stuff on offense, but if you've watched
that team play in the last month or so, they
can't run the ball worth the dam, and you know
their receiving corps is not really stepping up. In Tysimpson,
I believe ty Simpson is probably you know, facing you know,
a lot of hits. It's definitely a little banged up,
and you know these teams get to rest until then, right,
So I mean, maybe maybe it'll change, I don't know,
but I mean regardless in the Ohio state all I mean,
I think that'll be a good game. In Carson Becks,
you know, ever since those losses, has been playing really
good football down the stretch. And Miami, you know, they
have a kid in Malachi Tony and they have a
running game, Mark Fletcher. They have a bunch of guys
on the defensive side. Texa A and m is also
really good too, So you know, that'll be a good game.
Whoever comes out of that. When they play Ohio State,
I believe that'll be a good game. It'll be another
test for Ohio State. And can they go on this run.
I mean, they probably face the hardest team they'll play
all season, and they could potentially play them again in
the National Championship. So on the Bob Chesney note, I
think UCLA, unless they want to invest more money in athletics,
is going to be a tough place to coach at.
But I think he's someone that can get it done.
I mean, you know, if you want to really make
your mark and be the next Kurt Signetti, you know,
and there's gonna be a lot of comparison with that,
and like, oh, well, this is what Kurt Signetti did
with you know, a less fortunate program. You know, you
can you do the same thing. It's gonna be tough.
It's gonna be tough, and especially for hiring staffers because
guess what the cost of living in Indiana. You know,
for a coach that's like on an analyst that makes
one hundred and fifty k, that one hundred and fifty
k is worth a lot more in Indiana than it
is in Los Angeles, California. And I know we shouldn't
probably compare it that way, but that's just the truth, right,
Like I mean not saying one hundred and fifty k
is bad salary by any means, But you know, it's like,
would you do you want to go, you know, coach
over there and move with him. It's gonna be tough,
and but I think he will do a good job
or has intentions of doing good jobs with UCLA. I
guess Michigan's open. Now this is just craziness. Who goes
and takes that Michigan job? I'm not sure. I really
don't know, because honestly, I think the perfect hire, you know,
got higher depend state and you know, who are you
gonna mump up? Is not going to do in house again?
After the how that just worked out? Right, I don't
think there's anyone on the staff that you would really
want to promote to head coach anyways, because they're not
gonna want to promote Ship Lindsay and wink Martin Dale.
I don't know if he's really cut out to be
the head coach. He might be, I don't know. I
I actually do you know as a Michigan stateman. I
respect the way that Wank Martindale coaches in terms of
like what he does schematically on the defensive side. Now,
I mean, I just I don't even know who you
go for in this situation, Like you're you're putting such
a bad spot that you know, it's tough. It's tough
to to really like think who who would you who
would you want to take?
Speaker 4: Right?
Speaker 2: I mean, like Kaitlin de Bor does come to mind
if Alabama fails. I mean the pressure of being the
Alabama valleys Alabama open now, and who's gonna want to go?
Islene Giffen jump to take that job? Like I think
Jetfish would be a good hire. Honestly, I think he
you know, there's a chance he could go there. I
heard the Herbi Meyer thing. I always laugh when uh
that does John Gruden go even though he's someone that
isn't perfect human being? I don't know, dude, oh man,
you just make Dave Portnoy the couch Like I say
that so in like non seriously, because like where that
where do you even go? Like who do you who
do you try and go get? You know, signing day
already happened. I guess the portal, but like, man, dude,
like it's so tough unless like I like, I don't
think there's a coach in the Big ten that's gonna
go take that job, like because I think the only
coach that would be like Luke Fickle, But Luke Fickle's
already in a pickle use of words, there already in
like you know, such a jam, Like I legitimately think
it would probably be Jed Fish because US season a
great spot. I don't know if anyone's been paying attention
to the recruiting rankings there, they've had the number one
recruiting class, Like, you know, Lincoln Riley's not gonna leave,
and obviously Dan Lanning's not gonna leave Oregon because Oregon
might be the best place to be. And then I
think of SEC coaches. I mean, there's already been so
much flips there, Like I think Eli Drinkwitz could be
a great head coach, but would he take that job?
Probably not. Clonie Siktaki got extended, Matt Ruhle got extended,
Like who really was gonna Who's really gonna go take
this job? Of coaches that didn't get extended, and then
you hire from the G five and if someone mentions
the name Brian Kelly. No, absolutely not, no chance, not
at least right now. I'm gonna go hire Jimbo. I'm
not gonna go get like Dan Mullen. I don't think
Jason AC's gonna you know, I don't really think they
want to go after Jason Ack either. Like who do
you go get? Like I think Spencer Danielson, someone's a
lifer at Boise State, not any and he would get
consideration for the job. But like, man, dude, it is
just it's crazy to think. I mean, maybe PJ. Fleck,
But are you satisfied with that if you're Michigan. Not
saying I think PJ. Fleck's a great coach, but and
you'd be able to actually recruit you know, pretty good
at Michigan, Like you'd have the resources too at least.
But I don't know, I don't know who you go get.
I mean, if you want to sane recruiting classes, you
can go get Jimbo Fisher who's on the open market.
And they don't have to pay a buy out either
with your own more so there is uh, there's that,
so they can't spend like a nice penny on a
head coach. But I heard the name John Harbot too.
I don't think they would do that. Kinder Stallions is
n't able to be the head coach. I think counter
Stallions would kill it personally, you know, do you? I mean,
what do you do? What do you do? What do
you do? I don't know, Like you try to go
get Kirk Farence or maybe Phil Parker, like I don't know,
I don't know. It's it'll be interesting. Also who stays
on that roster. Miss Bryce under would get to enter
the transfer portal, and you know, all these different things
just Saints come back like you know, ah, these different things.
Andrew Marsh does he want to leave? I mean, they
have a decent amount of guys leaving for the draft
on the defensive side too. You know, it's gonna be tough,
tough place. And I haven't seen any more details about
the Charon More. I guess quote unquote investigation and reason
for arrest, So I guess we'll leave that be the
final thing that we'll do before we get into our
conversation with Tyler Danberg. I want to thank you for
listening to the Big Ten paradigm here the Bowl games
that are happening on December thirteenth, trying to take the
spotlight away from the Army Navy games. Boise State in Washington,
they're playing in the bucked up label. Washington's favored by
nine and a half. I would just expect him on
Williams to play in this game, so you know there's
gonna be there's gonna be some highlights. I don't know
if Coleman and Boston will play over under fifty two
and a half, and it will be eight o'clock on
December thirteenth on ABC. Let's continue to look down the
list see if there's any other Bowl games of Big
ten teams. I'm still looking, guys. Uh, Northwestern is going
to play in the game above Sports Bowl, which I
believe is happening at Ford Field. Could I've seen advertisements
for that. Northwestern favored by ten and a half over
under a forty three and a half. That game will
be on December twenty sixth, the day following Christmas, at
ford Field in the Rate Bowl. And you have New
Mexico and Minnesota facing off. Minnesota a two and a
half point favorite over under of forty seven and a
half and that game is going to be played. Where's
Rate Stadium or where's this bowl game at? Oh it's
at Chase Shield. And oh they're playing at the Dodgers Stadium. Wow,
in Phoenix, Arizona. They're not Dodgers Diamondbacks. I'm so so sorry. Hey,
the two season national champs are playing in the Bad
Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. Clemson is favored by three boys.
It's over Penn State. Oh my gosh, this is this
is awesome, This is awesome. It's happening at Yankee Stadium
in the Bronx. That'll be exciting. Oh man, you know what,
good for them? Yeah, Clemson's favorite by three forty eight
and a half point total. Who else? Illinois is playing
Tennessee in the Liberty City or Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl.
Joey Aguilar versus Luke Altmeyer two jag plus quarterbacks. This
game is going to be happening in Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee.
Nashville is a great city. By the way. USC is
playing TCU in the Alamobile or Valero Alamobile. USC is
a six point favorite over under fifty nine in a
half playing in the Alamo Zone down in San Antonio, Texas,
Iowa that it's happening. Both those games, by the way,
happening on December thirtieth. On December thirty first two really
good football programs, Iowa and Vanderbilt playing in the Reliquest Bowl,
both teams ranked. Vanderbilt is favored by five and a
half total of forty seven and a half. And this
game is going to be happening in TJ Reevesville in Tampa,
Florida at Raymond James Stadium. Wonder if he will be
in attendancer there. It's during the day, so maybe I
don't know. I don't know where the Buccaneers travel. But
it is on a Wednesday, so he might not even
be leaving then unless he has a Thursday night game. Uh,
Michigan's playing Texas and the Cheese at Citrus Bowl. Wait
they can bind those What that's so stupid? What the heck?
Games happening in Orlando, Florida, and Texas is favored by
six and a half over under a forty six and
a half. I wonder if that number is gonna jump
up more. Nebraska and Utah are going to play in
the us RS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl also on New
Year's Eve at three thirty. Obviously, the game's gonna happen
in Las Vegas and Allegiance Stadium, Nebraska is a fifteen
and a half point dog and fifty and a half total. Interesting.
I think that's it for bowl games. Yes, it is
all right, glad we could get through that. And you know,
I mean both seasons always fun. I typically do a
pick them with some friends every year, so I I
probably do that again at some point this year. One
thing before we talk to Tyler Danberg. Hey, I know
the regular season is over, but this episode is sponsored
or the Big Ten Paradigm is sponsored in part by
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l WOS two zero think smarter, Ticket Smarter. All right,
let's go talk to Tyler Danberg and welcome back to
the Big ten paradigm. Here as we have special friend
of the program, Tyler Danberg, joining the show for those
who have not listened but wanted to hear a recap
of the Big Ten championship. First of all, where have
you been? But second off, he's the sideline reporter for
Ohio State football on ninety seven to Won the Fan
and the Ohio State Sports Network, and also does women's basketball,
which he's told me that it's going very well so
far to start the season. And also we'll be doing
baseball in the spring. Tyler, how's it been, my man?
Speaker 4: No, I'm doing great. Everything's been going well.
Speaker 3: Excited to be back with you talking some more Ohio
State and Big Ten football and it's let me tell you,
it's ann to get the friend of the Program distinction.
Speaker 4: It's great talking football with you.
Speaker 2: I wanted to start off with I know wasn't the
result that you wanted happening yesterday, But just first things first,
what are your just overall thoughts about last night's game.
Speaker 3: Well, if you're a fan of college football and you
loved the story of turning around a program, and turning
around a program so quickly heats off to Indiana, what
a story the last two years. I mean, what Kurt
Signetti and his staff have done in this transfer portal
era of football just simply remarkable to see the staff
that he's retained over the last five six years from
his time at James Madison to Indiana, the guys that
have followed him, and the performance that they put together
on both sides of the ball yesterday was really impressive.
Ohio State looking at them, you know, we saw what
Ohio State can do coming out of a loss late
in the Sea because they ripped off five unanswered wins
last year in the College before unanswered wins in the
College Baball Playoff, and Ryan Day and his team when
they come out playing angry, it is a dangerous thing.
And he said today today being Sunday, that losing allows
you to rip the band aid off. You have scabs,
and the scabs get ripped off.
Speaker 4: After a loss.
Speaker 3: You see things a little differently after a loss than
you see after a win. So I think if you're
looking at positive takeaways, it's that maybe that this game
wasn't a wake up call. But there are definitely some
glaring things that they're gonna have to monitor over these
next two and a half to three weeks leading up
to the Cotton Bowl, some of those things being the
red zone offense, which has kind of had some question
marks throughout the season. I think it really started to
become a little bit of a glaring issue Week three
against Ohio when in the first half they weren't able
to punch the ball in the red zone, and even
when the red zone efficiency was high they were they
were having to settle for some field goals. And that
leads to another thing, is is the field goal kicking situation? Uh,
Jaden Fielding missing that twenty seven yarder, you know, that's
that's the tough part about sports as well, is seeing
that happen to somebody who is really well liked and
just getting to talk to him. A very great person,
very nice, very personable, takes the time, gets to know you.
Speaker 4: You get to know him, you know, he.
Speaker 3: He he like he treats everybody on a first name basis.
That's that's the kind of person Jadeen Fielding is. And
to see him go through that, missing that kick after
he made eight in a row, you know, it's it's
a tough thing, tough thing to watch, and it was
Athletic director Ross York came over to console him. Maurice Claret,
who's with the team every week. Maurice a one of
the great true freshmen running backs in Ohio State program history,
maybe in college football, just to see those guys try
to console him. You know, it's it that is the
other side of the thrill of victory and agony defeat.
You know, the special teams has been another thing that
O High State's going to look to try to correct.
Speaker 4: And then you know, looking at I think looking at.
Speaker 3: The kicking scenario, using last year's game against Michigan as
a little bit of a as a little bit of
a building block, because Jaden Fielding had a tough game
in that when he missed two kicks from inside forty
yards out, and then he responded by hitting four of
his next five kicks, including the one to win the
national championship. So I think the key for him is
to realize that the best is still yet to come. Obviously,
this one is a tough pill to swallow, and you
certainly don't want to see somebody as great as Jaden
Fielding as as a person go through what he's had
to go through these last twenty four hours. And hopefully,
hopefully he'll get to have that redemption moment in this
postseason so I think between special teams and trying to
be more efficient in the red zone and then trying
to tune things up on the offensive line, I think those.
Speaker 4: Were those were some of some of the takeaways from
that Big Ten Championship game.
Speaker 2: And look, Ohio State had a great regular season, going
undefeated in the regular season, and they didn't face really
any adversity. You had the Texas game Week one, and
obviously you know teams are gonna look at certain things,
but an in game situation they didn't have. They didn't
trail in the second half at all this season. They
kind of just cleaned up, took him, took him out
to the trash, and you know, the game was done
by the third quarter and backups were playing, and you
know everyone was kind of just it was like three
quarter games for Ohio State through a lot of the season.
And that's not to say oh Ohio State can't be
a great team in the playoff and go win a
national championship. Example last year, you know they lost two
in the regular season. Hey, you know they were able
to get it done in facing adversity, I think is
something that you want to get before the college football playoff, right,
like Indiana going out to Adudson, playing a close game
with Oregon, but they took control of that game obviously
played a close game with Ohio State. Like I'm hearing
a lot of national talking heads talk about this game
being a rematch in the National Championship potentially, but you
have to get through the road first, right, Indiana has
to either play Alabama or Oklahoma. Right. And while Oklahoma
has been non existing offensively, and Alabama, I don't know,
if you watched the SEC championship game yesterday, they did
not look good. But still those are two tough, proven
teams that have gotten good wins on the season and
are capable of getting you. And that's where I want
to leave with my next question Texas A and m
in Miami. First of all, who do you think comes
out of the winner in that game and your thoughts
on that matchup? And then who I guess both teams wise,
I guess who you think would come out of the matchup.
Who do you think Ohio State will play? And what
do you think the game plan has to be for them? Well?
Speaker 4: I think both.
Speaker 3: This is really an interesting game. It's kind of a
coin flip, you know, Miami, Miami having those two losses.
You know, I think when you when you pair them
up against Notre Dame, that's also a coin flip on
who gets in. I think that is a little bit
of a the controversy over should Miami get in over
Notre Dame, should Notre Dame get in over Miami, although
Miami is the head to head win. I think that
that could have two outcomes. One, maybe Miami shows in
that Texas A and M game that Notre Dame should
have been the one to get in in Texas A
and M gives them, gives them a little a pretty
pretty manageable loss. Or Miami views this as a chip
on their shoulder and they they carry that identity and
mindset into that Texas A and M game and they
go to work and come out winners. So I can
certainly see that being the case where they they come
into this Texas A and M game with a little
bit of the of a chip on their shoulder. I
really don't know who's going to come out with this win.
I would like to say Texas A and M. I
think that you put them up against Miami and that
matchup should favor them, you know, in terms of skill
position wise, both teams have great skill position guys like
Malachi Tony is just such an incredible freshman talent, and
Carson beck is exactly what you when he's at the
top of his game and he's he's not turning the
ball over and making mistakes, I mean he's he's a
great pro style quarterback. And then on the other side,
Marcel Reid, I mean, this guy, this guy could be
a playoff X factor and that's I think that is
one of the things that can be scary against Ohio
State's defense. Although the Buckeys have faced some great mobile
quarterbacks this year, Mike demon Williams, like Luke Altmeyer, even
Arch Manning, and then Fernando Mendoza with his his sneaky athleticism.
Speaker 4: And what he was able to do outside the pocket on.
Speaker 3: Sunday, Marcel Reid could be an X factor if Texas
and m were to get past Miami and take on Ohios.
Did I think the Aggies are gonna come away with
a win? I think Mike, Mike Alco and his his
defense will find a way. And I think Casey concepts
the one assuming he's he's out there, He's he's so
dynamic and they've they've got options all over in three
phases of the game. Because you've seen case Seahouse call
a couple of kicks this year. I think I think
Ohio State what they'll have to do if they if
they were to face Texas, A and m I think
they're gonna have to They're gonna have to get to
the get to the air early. They're gonna have to
do what they've what they've done in playoff games, passed
and just go from the jump.
Speaker 4: I think the opening coin.
Speaker 3: Toss can play a big role because in that Tennessee
game last year, in the first round of the CFP,
usually Ohio State's a deferred team.
Speaker 4: They wanted the ball, they got it, and they needed
i think four plays to get down the field.
Speaker 3: They're gonna want to stake their claim really early, and
I think a fast start is gonna be a key.
Whether it's Texas and that or Miami, whoever they face,
they're gonna want to start off fast.
Speaker 2: Yeah. My only concern with Marcel Reid is he is
someone that relies on explosive plays in order to be
you know, effective in the passing game and out of
the and getting out outside the pocket right, and I
think Miami's defensive line, especially with a guy like Ruben Bain,
you know, that might not be so easy for text
saying down, but I think it's a good matchup overall
between the two teams, and whoever Ohio State has to
play is going to be a tough game. And if
SA and m you know, theoretically wins, that's also a
game in Texas against Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl
as well. Now, obviously Ohio State fans are going to travel.
They travel everywhere them Georgia Bama like they have fans
pretty much in every single area of the entire country.
I know a few Ohio State fans and enemy territory
here in Michigan, right, like they do exist everywhere. So
my next question is is that Brian Hartline accepted the
job at South Florida and you being you know, within
this program very you know heavily he's projected to coach
throughout the playoffs. But go looking ahead, I guess you know,
for next year's options, do you have an idea of
a guy in mine that you would like to that
you think would fit well in that role, and then
what kind of impact does that have not only you know,
on the play calling side, even though he's only called
played called plays for one year, but recruiting wise as
well well.
Speaker 3: The offensive coordinator for the national champion team, Chip Kelly
is available, and it's well documented.
Speaker 4: His history with Ryan Day.
Speaker 3: Ryan Davis his quarterbacks coach and in Philly and with
the forty nine ers, and he was Chip Kelly's quarterback
at the University of New Hampshire. Ryan tells this story
about Chip Kelly. I don't know if signing him or offer.
I think Chip Kelly offered Ryan Day while while in
his high school cafeteria. So those two, I mean, those
two are are are tight, very close, and and have
this this great mentor mentee relationship, and and Chip was able.
Speaker 4: To help Ohigh State to a national title.
Speaker 3: I think there's a there's a there's always a possibility
that with him being available, that he could slide back
into that role next year. There are also guys, you know,
internally that that could certainly be be capable and and
and I think that this is this is just my opinion,
but there are guys that that Ryan Day can go
to you on his staff internally and then externally, what
Keenan Bailey has done this year with the offense.
Speaker 4: On the offensive side.
Speaker 3: With the tight ends has really been incredible. It's been
one of, if not the best tight end rooms in
program history. And then Tyler Bowen on the offensive line,
what a heck of a job he did on the.
Speaker 4: Recruiting trail with his own line.
Speaker 3: And then you know, Saturday's performance might have been a
little bit of a blip allowing five sacks. They only
allowed success in the first twelve games. He's done a
great job with the offensive line this year, and he's
got play calling experience being the offensive coordinator at Virginia
Tech last year, and he's done work with the Penn State.
Speaker 4: He was with the Jaguars for a season as well
in the NFL. So there are guys that coach d
could look into on the internal side, and then in
terms of who might be able to step up and
move into heartline shoes as the wide receivers coach, you
could go externally or even internally. Devin Jordan is.
Speaker 3: The assistant wide receivers coach and with heart line up
in the booth this year, Devin Jordan's been down on
the sidelines.
Speaker 4: He's been working with the receivers in real time.
Speaker 3: In addition to you know, Brian Hartline being up in
the booth and being able to coach his guy is
still but you know, Devin Jordan plays a large role
in developing these guys and recruiting these guys as well.
And he's a he's a Buckeye grad. He had had
a couple of injries as a player in the early
two thousands at Ohio State. But but on on his
senior day, Jim Tressel, then the head coach, told him,
you should you should consider coaching you. You've got along,
You've got a long future in this game. And and
so he saw it then. And obviously Jordan has that
now and he's got a lot of experience. So you
know this, this is uh, this is unfortunately a tough
situation timing wise that Ryan Day went out and said
last week there's nothing that that Brian Hartline can this
is nothing that he can control about it. This is
just the way the college schedule works right now. So Heartline,
you might have seen the video on to this morning
Sunday hopping on a plane to go to Miami and
be introduced as the head coach at South Florida and
then he'll come back and he'll continue to have his
play calling duties here at Ohio State. Although Ryan Day
has said that you know, it is a group effort
into play calling though Brian is the play caller. That's
been a big topic of discussion. But you know he's
heartline is going to try and do everything he can
to make this work during this postseason run.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean both of Oregon's coordinators to Bois takes
the cal job and will Stein takes the Kentucky job,
Like that is two huge things. Obviously all miss that
situation is just one of a kind. I just felt
so bad for Marty Smith in that situation, just waiting
on the tarmac waiting for Lane Kiffin. I'm just like,
oh man, dude, like that that is one of the
tough jobs because you're sitting there trying to wait. I mean,
imagine you, you know, ten years from now, like there's
an Ohio State coach and you have to get an
exit interview. Like not not ever wishing that pressure on you,
but like I mean, I just put myself in that shoes,
in his shoes, you know, just being a member part
of the media, right and just being like, oh my gosh, dude, like,
how do you even execute that? So there's that I
can't think of any other coaching well a, oh yeah,
some are all too Bob Chesney as well.
Speaker 4: Yeah yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3: And then they're gonna they're gonna go to Florida and
UCLA respectively. Like you think about your you're trying to
figure out how you can get this program through the
postseason run and into uncharted territory and in their program's histories.
And then they also got to worry about making their
first impressions at.
Speaker 4: Their news school. So it's it's a tough it's a
tough spot to be in.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, it's just absolutely insane that this is
just how it works. And I've heard a lot of
people like, well, just fix the calendar. I don't think
people realize that even though these players get paid in everything,
they're still students. Like you can't change the academic calendar.
You would have to change the football calendar around. But
you know, schools and school administrations are just an athletic administrations,
especially or just taking advantage of oh I'm just gonna
fire my coach early, you know, get a head start
on the coaching carousel, you know, looking for candidates and stuff.
I mean, it's just absolutely insane in terms of like
how this all works. Like, Luckily, I'm a Michigan State guy, right,
and I think the luckily the guy that we hired
didn't coach in college football for two seasons, so you know,
we were able to get him in and he's gonna
be able to get full attention full time. But I
look at these first year coaches next year. Some are
all you know, Glayne Kiffin, I mean all of these
guys like trying having your assistance and everyone you know
coming over from to a different place and trying to
figure out this whole playoff thing. It's like, I I
worry about UCLA, you know, are they gonna have a
good start because of the timing of this, and you know,
recruits trying to sign an early signing day like they
might flip somewhere else and it's gonna be very transfer
portal heavy teams most likely. So I'm like, oh my goodness,
this is just this is just insanity. Right. But my
last question is is that this is non Ohio State related.
Do you think the committee got it right with putting
in Bama in Miami instead of Notre Dame or even
by U M M.
Speaker 3: Well, I think that Notre Dame, Noah, you know, yeah,
Miami has the head to head and I think Miami
with this, I really do think that if they come
into this playoff with a chip on their shoulder, they
can certainly break some havoc. And you know they were
they were once the number two team in the country,
so so.
Speaker 4: They're is that. But I think that Notre Dame.
Speaker 3: Yet when you take the head to head out, you
lose two of your first three games by four total.
You lose your first two games two top ten opponents
by a combined four points. Then you win ten straight
and you have a win against USC and you've got
You've got a couple of other, maybe not necessarily great,
great wins, but because of their schedule, albeit at no
conference games or conference championship games, they still have a
solid resume, not a.
Speaker 4: Great one, but still a.
Speaker 3: Worthy resume of of you know, two quality losses and
then some good wins. And I think that I think
that if there, if you could make an argument for
a team that deserves to be in that I think
get in. I think it's Notre Dame. They did not
plan a conference championship game. So that's I think where
Alabama has that edge because like.
Speaker 4: You play and you play in.
Speaker 3: If not the best conference in college football, maybe that
goes to the Big Ten, Maybe that goes to the SEC.
Speaker 4: You can make an argument for either.
Speaker 3: I think the Big Ten, having three playoff teams and
three of the top five seeds in the playoff, I
think I think the Big Ten at least has it
right now, takes the cake for the best conference right now.
But you know, the SEC is incredibly, incredibly strong and deep,
and so I think that if Alabama has a little
bit of that edge, it's because they play the conference
championship game. I think the pushback there is too knows.
You know, if Miami doesn't get an over Notre Dame,
then maybe there are some programs like Miami that will
not want to schedule those types of games the first
couple weeks of the season, and then what you know
that that takes a little bit of the fun out
of a non conference.
Speaker 2: You're gonna you're gonna play You're gonna play a MAC team,
You're gonna play like a CUS the team, and then
you're gonna play an FCS school because it's like, well,
what's the point of scheduling hard out of conference games
if head the head's not gonna mean anything, right, So
right right?
Speaker 3: And you have like that Miami Notre Dame game on
that Sunday night before Labor Day was was terrific, Like
we need that in college football to promote an opening
week like that. So I think that Notre Dame makes
the case, you know, I And then to see them
pull out of a ball game too, you know, it's
you feel for those seniors. You feel you feel for
you know, if they if they feel slided over that.
But I I think that that was I found that surprising.
And and to see that they bowed out of the
out of the ball game. But you know, you certainly
understand their frustrations, and you certainly you know, even to
see Kline Sataki frustrated with with b Yu because by
us two losses this year or two the Big twelve
champion and the number four seen the playoffs, and that
second loss came in the conference championship game.
Speaker 4: Now they they they.
Speaker 2: I think the plus possessions both times.
Speaker 3: So I think that's the that's the big the big
thing like if it if it were a one score
loss in the Big Twelve title game, maybe it's a
little bit of a different story. But you certainly understand.
I think you have to understand a lot of the
arguments from all these teams, and it's and it's tough
to appease everybody and make everybody happy. So I think
that it's going to be a really fun field though,
you know, you Mick Jagger said he can't always get
what you want.
Speaker 4: It's you know, you feel for those teams right on
the Cusp and Notre Dame.
Speaker 3: You know, hats off to them and what they what
they were able to do was similar to what they
did last year.
Speaker 4: It's just the field was really.
Speaker 3: Tight and tight enough to the point where a week
one had to have game had that had probably that
edge over the fighting Irish.
Speaker 2: There's one point I'm going to present to you. So
there's the common opponent thing, and it's with Miami, and
it's with Alabama, and it's Florida State. And I'm not
trying to discredit Alabama because I still think they had
a good season and I think that went over Georgia
during the regular season. In at Georgia's place really kind
of solidified them, but they did not look good in
that in that SEC title game. And I get it,
you don't want to punish teams for playing in a
conference championship game, but there's a common opponent of Miami
took care of Florida State. Florida State made that game
look close because they put up some points in garbage time,
but it was a three possession game at one point
in Alabama. I mean, Florida State handled them in Week one.
So I'm not trying to say I think. You know,
it's so tough for a committee member to be honest
and people are like, oh, I'm just gonna give I'm
gonna go on social media and all these you know
college football, you know media pages and talk about, oh,
the committee sucks. They got it wrong because my team's
not in. It's one of the toughest jobs in the world,
and you can't make everybody happy. If I'm gonna be honest,
I do respect the head to head. I know Miami
lost to what SMU and what was the other team? Louisville. Yeah,
and to be fair, Louisville probably should have been a
ten wins this team this season. If you know, they
didn't really show up the last the last four weeks.
And then I mean on the SMU side, like SMU
would have been an ACC championship had they not blown
it to cal So. And obviously those results did happen.
But you know, I like, I think it comes down
to the head to head to be honest. I know
it was a week one game, but you know my schedule,
a hard week one game against the good opponent if
it's not gonna matter. And then also I'm like, if
you're gonna put Alabama out, then they're especially Greg Sanky,
he's gonna be like, yeah, we're just not gonna play
conference championship games anywhere. We're going to crown the winner
and that'll be it. So it's tough.
Speaker 3: Booger mcfarmlin brought up brought up a good point regarding Alabama.
It kind of related to what you've been saying to know,
is that it's tough to gauge Alabama because the conference
championship argument. And then two, they've got arguably the best
win in college football this year. They also have arguably
the worst loss in college football in that loss to
Florida State. And yes, the Sentinoles did get skyrocketed up
the rankings as a result of that win, and they
stayed there until they got beat by Virginia in Week five,
but that did it.
Speaker 4: That loss did not age well well.
Speaker 3: So it's it's really it's really tough to look at
that that Alabama a season and then to view the
rest of their schedule as well on top of that.
So I think there are pros and cons to to
any of those those last two at large bid teams,
and that's what that's what makes it makes it incredibly tough.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, it's just like it's just not a
perfect system, and you know, there's no way to make
it perfect at all, no matter how you look at it.
If you want to go off computer rankings, you know
what we did with the BCS, you know could do that.
And I'm just like, man, dude, let's be honest, I
don't I don't want to be this. Oh well that
doesn't sound like sound like this jerk. Whoever gets the
ten seeds probably not gonna matter. I mean, it might,
but realistically, unless it's like unless it's just just the
super good team that's just had a bad who knows,
maybe Miami goes out and wins the whole entire thing.
I don't think that's gonna happen based off of the
results of this season, but what do I know. They
could do it. So I'm just going to make the
point that it like it does matter, yes, but it
also doesn't. I mean financially gained wise, yes, it does
matter for you know, all these teams in the conferences.
So but AnyWho, all right, I won't I won't hold
you hostage anymore. Thank you Tyler for joining the show,
and I'm it's always a pleasure to have you on.
Speaker 3: Likewise, no, thanks as always for having me. I really
appreciate the time. M h.
Speaker 2: M hm.
Speaker 4: In the people