Speaker 1: Time to celebrate the biggest team sport known to man,
where modern day gladiators collide for all the glory on
the grid. I let's talk some college football on Cougar
Sports with Benkredle.
Speaker 2: Welcome back to your sports little three nine ninety point
three ESPN the Fan. I've met little broadcasting from our
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Speaker 3: Today it is stop for a little bit of.
Speaker 2: A college football talk with a college football insider. We're
gonna break down the Byuiwy State game from his vantaged points,
talk some Big twelve football as well, and maybe get
into college football parody and cannibalism. In this segment, it's
gonna be brought to you by Dental Pros of Utah.
Dental Prosoutah dot com. If you've been told you need
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Speaker 2: All right, let's welcome in to the show the best
Smile in College Football Cougar or excuse me, college football
insider representing CBS Sports.
Speaker 3: We got Shehan jah Rajah on the Live Shehan, how
are you?
Speaker 4: I'm doing great? Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2: Hey, appreciate you joining us and talking some college football.
Let's take let's take a gander at Big twelve football
here for a moment, something that no one expected happened.
Last week Texas Tech lost to ASU. I don't know
if anyone was predicting that, especially after ASU got pummeled
by the Utes. B YU also continues to shock people
each and every week, shocking Vegas, shocking college football pundits
and analysts around the country as they continue to win
these close, hard fought battles on the gridiron. But let's
talk a little bit about let's level set. Who is
the Big twelve? What are we seeing from the Big
twelve right now?
Speaker 1: Yeah?
Speaker 4: I mean, obviously, I think it's in a very competitive year,
just like it was last year. But I think that's
top group is kind of starting to separate itself. Even
though they lost, I still think that Texas Tech belongs
at the top of that list. I think that BYU,
with their undefeated star, is in tremendous shape. I think
Arizona States, you know, even though they've got two losses,
only one is in Big Twelve play and that was
about their starting quarterback Sam Levitt, So I think they're
all in great shape. Houston, of course, still undefeated in
conference place, Cincinnati still undefeated. So a lot of teams
that I think have the ability to get into the
mix if they can get maybe one or two breaks.
But to me, I think that that top three at
the top right now, that's the class of the conference.
Texas Tech, BYU, Arizona States.
Speaker 2: Yeah, are there any dark horses right now? We've been
discussing this a little bit on our show, Like the
Kansas surge last year, right Kansas was losing one score
games time and time again, and then all of a
sudden they rattle off like three ranked wins on the
back end and disrupted many teams quest to get to Arlington.
Who's Kansas of twenty twenty five?
Speaker 4: Do you think It's an interesting question? And you know,
I think that there's kind of two different ways to
approach this. One is you know, you have a team
like Cincinnati who obviously has been able to take care
of business to the first half of their schedule. They
win a close game against Kansas they win a close
game also against Iowa State. They beat up two of
the lesser teams in the conference, and now they're kind
of facing the gauntlet Baylor at Utah, Arizona BYU, TCU
all losable games, frankly, but also all winnable games if
some things go right for them, especially with that BYU
game being at home. So I think that that's a
team that can elevate itself from being just contender to
maybe being legitimate sort of top of the pile if
they're able to have some things go correctly. Another team, too,
that I think has a lot more upside than they've
played with the past couple of weeks is TCU. I mean,
they kind of got shell shocked on the road against
Kansas State, and they lost a really type game against
Arizona State, but a pretty manageable slate for them as well.
They do play at BYU, that's going to be a
really tough game. They play Cincinnati, they play Iowa States,
but those two games are at home, so I wouldn't
be shocked if they're able to really rebound Because we've
seen the upside of this team for stretches in the
beginning of the year. I think that maybe at the
end we start to see the top of it. And
actually one more that probably is a little bit closer
to the Kansas comparison of last year is Kansas State.
I mean since that UCF game, they have been playing
at a different level. They lose a one point game
to Baylor, they crushed TCU. They're playing at Kansas this week,
I think in a huge matchup for them. They still
have text Tech at Oklahoma State, which would be a win.
At Utah Colorado, I could see this team potentially going
something like three and two or four and one in
the second half of the year.
Speaker 2: Is BYU football too legit, too legit to quit? As
mc hammer once told us, is I can't remember what
your preseason prognostication was with Bear Bachmeyer at the Helm,
but I want to say that you were probably more
positive and favorable in your prediction than some of the
other national analyst and pundits.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean they are I think, really really good
right now. I might big question you know, I remember
saying this I believe on DYUTV before the season that
when they decided to go with bear Bachmeyer over the
two other guys who were competing for that job, it
gave me more optimism that this team had the upside
to compete for the Big twelve, because when I looked
at this DYU oftense specifically, my question was always where
does the explosion come from. I know that LJ. Martin's
going to give me five yards per carry. I know
they've got some receivers that can make some plays if
they get the ball in good spots, but it really
I think in twenty twenty four it was Jake Reslaf
was that straw that stirred the drink, and I was
curious if if the quarterback that they played this year
would be able to do it well. I think bear
Bachmeyer in his last two games specifically, has more than
proven that he's ready for this moment. So I'm not
surprised with how good they've been defensively. I'm not surprised
with how good LJ. Martin's been. I'm not surprised how
good this receiver room has been. But I think that
the way that They've brought bear Bachmeier along through the
first seven games of the year, really not asking very
much of them through the first five and easing things
up when they go down against Arizona and easing things
up even more when they played that Utah game. I
think it's been absolutely perfect. I give Klonie Sataki and
Aaron Roderick a whole lot of credit because this is
again a player who has never played college football before
and wasn't even here in the spring. The fact that
he's been able to step up the way that he has,
I mean, this is absolutely a very legitimate contender for
the Big Twelve at a lot of tough games left,
but a very legitimate contender for the Big Twelve.
Speaker 2: Let's break down the BYU Ioway State game BAU seven
and zero four to H and twelve and Big Twelve play.
They're the number eleven team in the in the in
the country, Iowa State five and two, two close losses,
two back to back losses, one score games versus midible.
Speaker 3: Foes in the Big Twelve.
Speaker 2: It's a one thirty pm kickoff on Fox and right now,
Ioway State is the slight favorite at home, two and
a half point favorite.
Speaker 3: Over unders at forty nine and a.
Speaker 2: Half BYU gets the NOD slightly in the ESPN Analytics
fifty four point two percent per ESPN FBI Analytics. How
do you see this game play out? Where do you lean?
Speaker 4: Yeah? I mean it's been a game that I think
a lot of people have been on Iowa States, and
I get it to a certain extent, right, Like, I
think that Iowa State is better than how they've played
the past two weeks. They had a really impressive start
to the season. They've got an exciting young quarterback in
Rocobec who's done some great stuff this year. But you know,
when I look at this matchup, I think that people
don't understand the level switch bhy you's been able to
control games. You know. One of the things that is
a blessing and curse about the way that they play
is that they don't necessarily put their throat on people, right,
Like I think that fine scorers don't always look as
impressive as the games where I think about that West
Virginia game as kind of a chief example. But this
is a team that I think that when they've been
asked to control games, they do it pretty easily. Like
I think They've done a great job of putting together
quality drives. And it's funny over the past two weeks,
in that game against Cincinnati and in that game against
Colorado that they both lost, I would say it has
kind of lost in different ways. When you look at
the way that they lost that Colorado game, they were
not able to get Colorado off the field. I think
that BYU can do the ball control stuff that Colorado
did in that game. When you look at the Cincinnati game,
it was much more that Cincinnati was able to win
big on the offensive line. Now, I think that BYU's
offensive line is not quite as good as last year,
but I think that they have in bear Bachmeyern, LJ.
Martin more weapons available to them to take advantage of it.
So I think that BYU is going to be able
to control this game. I think that they're going to
be able to limit Iowa States rushing attack especially and
make them one dimensional. And I think that ultimately in
a more low scoring game that people expect, I expect
the why you to come out victorious?
Speaker 3: Love that breakdown. Shahan jeror Rajah.
Speaker 2: Here on ESPN The Fan representing CBS Sports college football
insider Shahan what do you make right now of just
college football as a whole through seven eight weeks now,
how would you describe.
Speaker 3: The biggest storylines?
Speaker 2: I know you've brought some of these on your show,
on your podcast, The College Football Insiders, et cetera. But
what would you say are the key storylines of college
football through eight weeks now?
Speaker 4: Well, I think that more than anything else, I mean,
you have to look at the level of unpredictability and
charity that there's been through the first couple of weeks.
And you know, I'll kind of start with the SEC
because I think that you look at the Southeastern Conference,
they haven't played in either of the past two national
title games. I don't necessarily know that they have the
top five team in the country right now in terms
of overall quality, and I think there's a couple of
reasons for that. I think that college football is moving
towards more of a developmental mindset, ironically, whereas I think
that a lot of the big brands are still trying
to be a talent acquisition operation, and I think that
Big ten teams are winning from that perspective. I think
the other thing, too, though, is that it has never
been harder to maintain quality depth. You know, if you've
got a second string or third string player that you
want to bring along slowly, well maybe he could go
start somewhere else and there could be more immediate financial
upside for him to do that. So I think that's
I think that that makes it a really really tough,
interesting situation, and I think that it's made for again
a more unpredictable sport than we've seen in a long while.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I love it. I think it's great. I think
it's grant. I think it's wonderful. Do you think the
SEC and Big Ten like the current state of college
football with so much parity?
Speaker 4: Do you think, Well, it's an interesting question because I
think that with with SEC teams in particular, I think that,
you know, the level of competition in that league right now,
because of the parody as well, is just really really difficult.
I mean, there are only two or three teams in
the SEC right now that are truly kind of below
average college football teams. And I think that for individual teams,
they probably don't love that, right, Like the fact that
that LSU can go on the road and get beaten
by a team that's maybe eleventh place in the conference
like that, That's not how it's been over the past
several years. I mean, you know, get Texas went on
the road and needed over time to beat Kentucky and
they lost to Florida, who might miss a bowl game,
you know. Now, I think that also, like I think
that that those middle to lower class teams like they
need some of this parody, right, they need the top
to be a little bit more accessible. And I think that,
you know, I think the Big Ten is very happy
with where they're in terms of you know, they've got
a lot of programs that are championship caliber, right when
you talk about Penn State or sorry not Penn State,
Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon. They've got more teams that
I think can get into that playoff mix, like a USC.
They've got a lot of programs that have the upside
to maybe contend in future years. So I mean, I
think that it's kind of a mixed bag. They love
the fact that there are so many quality teams in
their conference, but it also means that there is a
tougher path for individual teams that there's ever been before.
Speaker 2: Love that breakdown, and I can't wait to see what
the College football you know, the college football Playoff prognosticators
predictors are beginning their their bracketology right now. I don't
know if you guys have posed your bracketology or your
individual bracketology.
Speaker 3: How do you see it right now?
Speaker 2: Who are your favorites to make it to the college
football Playoff right now?
Speaker 4: Well, we just did one mid season, not this past week,
but before that, and this was before the Utah game.
I will say that I had YU making the field
as an at large at the eleven seed. I had
Texas Tech as well. Obviously they lost a game after that,
but I still think that they're in very good shape
to make it. You know, the top I think is
very obvious. Right You've got Ohio State, You've got Indiana,
You've got Oregon. I think that, you know, right now,
Texas Tech is still in good shape. I think Miami
is still in good shape. From the ACC the secs
where I think it gets most interesting. You know, Alabama
has been since Week one the best team in that conference.
Texas A and m still undefeated at seven to zero
as well number three in the country. But you know,
I think that sort of that second tier of contenders
is where it's going to get really interesting because there
are maybe three other teams or four or five other
teams from the SEC who have a chance, but who
also but then again, any of those teams could potentially
lose their case spending on what happens in the second
half of the year. I think for the Big Ten,
it's hard to find a fourth team that's going to
make it. And then with the kind of the later
at largest, you have the second tier or kind of
other contenders in the Big twelve with ABYU, a Utah
and Arizona State. You have Notre Dame as a ten
and two potential team. You have Georgia Tech right now
as an unfeeded do I think is.
Speaker 5: Going to lose a couple more games, so it's going
to be a really tight race for I would say
spots eight through eleven in the college football playoffs, and ultimately,
I think the teams that manage to take care of
business are the ones that are going to be in
best shape.
Speaker 2: Shahan jer Roger here on esp and the Fan representing
CBS Sports College Football Inside or getting into another college
football segment, who's your favorite right now to win the
Heisman or who are some of your candidates right now
to win the Heisman.
Speaker 4: Well, I think that this is one of the most
difficult heis and races that we've ever had. I mean,
it's funny if if Ashton Gentz was playing college football
this year, he might win every single vote because there
is not a single person who I think has clearly
set themselves apart. I've seen people start to air towards
Ty Simpson, the quarterback at Alabama. I personally don't love
that case. I think he's a tremendous player, but it
feels very much defaulting to best quarterback on team we like,
you know, obviously, I think that there's something similar for
Julian say And at Ohio State, who's played really well
but hasn't really been asked to do that much. So
when you talk about the Heisman, I think that the
Heisman above all is a story award. Yeah, obviously, stats
and you know, impact and all this sort of stuff matter,
but it's not the most viable player. It's not you know,
whatever you want to call it like. It is a
story award. And I think that Trap the Country last
year is a good example of that. And so I
think that's right now and it's still early. They have
a month and a half of games left to go.
But if you want to talk about a player who
has the best story I think in college football right now,
give me Trinidad Chambliss at Ole Miss Division two transfer
from Farris States when the national championship there last year.
After not starting the season as a full time starter,
he comes into twenty twenty five as the backup to
Austin Simmons. Simmons gets hurt and he just balls out.
He leads him, of course, to win over LSU. He
takes Georgia to the wire. They have a couple more
opportunities to get into the mix. His stats have been really,
really good, even though he didn't start the first two games,
so it's a little bit of a wild card. But
if they're able to finish the season at at least
ten and two and be in the college football playoffs,
and Trinidad Chambliss puts up close to four thousand yards
of offense, I think he's going to have a very
legitimate chance to come away with the Heisman Trophy.
Speaker 3: Love that breakdown.
Speaker 2: I do think it is a storytelling, a storytelling and
stat combined with stat type of award, and I think
there's a strong case for that. What do you think
of the Doak Walker race right now in college food?
But why do you think, like running the ball? Running
backs in college football make a much bigger impact for
their respective teams than they end up having in the
National Football League.
Speaker 3: It's just a change.
Speaker 2: League now, And so like being a being capable to
run the ball effectively and have a bell cow back
in college football typically lends itself to more wins and championships,
big bowl games and making their way through now the
college football playoff. What do you see in the Doak
Walker Award mid season race.
Speaker 4: No, that's an interesting question, and I think you're absolutely right.
I think the individual running backs matter a whole lot
in college football. And by the way, when you look
around the sport right now, I think that it has
been as difficult a year to run the ball with
some of the offensive line turnover we've had and some
of the issues that teams have had than it's ever been.
So teams that can run the ball are in a really,
really good position. I think right now, for me, it's
a two player raise. My leader right now is Amaud
Hardy at Missouri. I think that he has been unbelievable. He,
I think, as much as anybody, has been the reason
that this Missouri team did not fall off after losing
multiple receivers to the NFL. And I think that he's
just one of those players that so many of his
yards come after contact as well, and I think that
he's been huge for that team. You know, a player
who I think had a better case maybe in the
first half of the year, and I'm a little worried
how the second half is going to go. Is Justice
Haynes at Michigan as well. That offensive line is not
the kind of offensive line that you came to expect
under Sharan Mora at Michigan during Jim Harbaugh's tenure. But
he has been a huge impact for this team. He
was a big part of winning some of these games early,
including you know, and so I think he is just
a game changing running back. But I mean, hey, you know, obviously,
I know that you guys are aware. I mean LJ.
Martin right now is number six in the nation and
rushing yards, Jeremiah Love that Notre Dame office came into
the year as an All American contender. He's been a
little more inconsistent, but so There are a lot of
really good running backs right now, but I think that
Hardy would be my favorite, with Haines and maybe Martin
kind of rounding out that top three.
Speaker 2: I like the breakdown cheon. What have you guys been
broaching on your show recently? How can we follow you,
how can we support you? Et cetera? Give us a
few pitches here.
Speaker 4: Yeah, you can follow me on all social media at
Sean J. Roja. Read all my work at CBS sports
dot com. Follow our podcast to culle Schibles Insiders. I
am on episodes usually every Thursday and Sunday, and we
actually just got off of our episode today. We previewed
the week of Games Ahead, and we really looked into
some of the coaching carousel stuff, including, by the way,
some surprising candidates who could get into the mix. Don't worry, though,
Kalani Sutaki is not one of them.
Speaker 3: I'd like you do.
Speaker 2: Do you think that Lannie has been at all flirtatious
with some of these job openings, and which job openings
have at least reached out?
Speaker 3: Do you think to Klan because there's gonna be a
lot of them.
Speaker 2: I mean, we're seeing more and more of these pop
up and and firings are occurring, and and it's it's
it's it's sad, but it's uh, it's uh, it's the
nature of this college football beast that we've built. Are
there any teams that are reaching out to Killani?
Speaker 3: Do you think?
Speaker 4: Well? First of all, I'd say if I am an
athletic director in the Western United States, like Colonie Sataki
might be my first call. He is doing such an
incredible job of course at BYU, and I think are
is about to put together back to back ten win
seasons in the Big twelve. But you asked about has
he been flirtatious? I mean not at all. For the
most part.
Speaker 6: I think that I think.
Speaker 4: That UCLA is a program that will try to reach out.
But I think that at this moment in time, b
why you can offer Klonie Sataki more as a football
coach than UCLA can, even though obviously they're not in
the Big ten. And so I don't expect very much
move mint. I expect, assuming the season ends the way
that we think that Klannie's talk is going to be
back and very happy and probably rewarded with another well
deserved contract. So no, I wouldn't worry too much fun
with byu san. But you know, again, I think that
there are a lot of jobs that he would do
a really good job at, and I think he's more
than earned the right to at least consider them, even
if I think that he won't ultimately choose any of them.
Speaker 3: I think his in laws live in Florida.
Speaker 4: By the way, Oh man, No, well, well, hey, listen,
I love my in laws. Is that sometimes that can
be a blessing or a curse, you know, But seriously,
I think that he is very, very happy where he's at,
and you know, obviously has has a wonderful family that
I know has loved getting to grow up in probo
love it.
Speaker 3: Sheon.
Speaker 2: We appreciate you, man, thanks for hopping off for a
college football segment.
Speaker 4: Thank you so much for having me make sure.
Speaker 2: You're supporting Sehan and reading all his content. He does
fantastic work over at CBS Sports. That segment was brought
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get to on a beautiful Thursday edition of Cougar Sports.
Here on one of three nine ninety eight point three
e SPA Sports.
Speaker 1: With Then Kretel, and it's time for the Cougar begetting
the dish from the local reporters that cover Cougar Athletics.
Speaker 3: Welcome back Cougar Sports. One of three nine ninety you boys,
three esb in the fan.
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It is time for a little cougar beet going to
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game day.
Speaker 3: All right, let's get out to the hotline. Welcome in.
Jerem Jordan of b YU TV JJ.
Speaker 6: How that are you, buddy, Ben Brett, what's going on?
Speaker 4: How are we going?
Speaker 3: Living right? Man? Feeling right? It's a great day to
be a Cougar.
Speaker 2: Seven to zero in football BYU basketball. He's predicted to
be an Elite eight. Dare I say final four team?
All is well right now in Cougar Country.
Speaker 6: Oh yeah, it's going great, man, good vibes here in
Kansas City. I'm actually in the airport heading back tonight
from Big twelve Basketball media days. Great event. People excited
about the game three and a half hours to the
north of me at Iowa State coming up this weekend. So, man,
I don't know if it could be much better.
Speaker 2: Right now?
Speaker 6: You always eighth and the A people in the men
to hoops and eleventh in football.
Speaker 3: Life's good, bro, So let me ask you this.
Speaker 2: You mentioned those numbers right last year we had this discussion.
Actually yesterday both teams BYU football and BYU basketball ended
up thirteenth overall in the final ap pole. I believe,
pretty crazy, right Versus the expectations that both teams had
last year. It's obviously that football overachieved and to a
certain extent, basketball achieved the expectation because there was a
lot of hype surrounding this BYU basketball team. So now
going into twenty twenty five, you see what football and
what basketball expected to do.
Speaker 3: Like, what's the follow up to this? What will be
the end? You know with the dust settles? What are
we going to be talking about here?
Speaker 2: Is it another overachieving year for BYU football and a
hitting quota for basketball this year?
Speaker 6: I mean, if basketball can go to the Final four,
then that that was incredible. Even though I know they
have a final four level team, they have one of
the best five players in the country, is validated by
the AP preseason First Team All American list with aj
de Bontnet. They probably have the number one or two
pick obviously in aj SO basketball, Yeah, they have to
go at least the lead day with this roster, seeing
the one the investment in the roster and two who
they have and the continuity of the coaching staff, which,
by the way, Kevin Young told me yesterday that multiple
coaches on the staff had head coaching offers elsewhere but
chose to stay at BYU because they love Provo, they
love the school, they love the roster. Obviously, big things
are going to happen for this staff and these guys
from a big year. So there's a lot of investment there.
But in football, it's an interesting question because they've done
it again. They've surprised people, they've overachieved. You know, there
were some places that said, hey, six and a half
wins for this team with a true freshman quarterback at
seven and zero, what do we raise our sides to
I'm still I am currently standing in the show me
state that is Missouri. I'm still in show me mode
with football relative to Big twelve title game and college
football playoffs. Foil could very well go too and zero
in the next two games, and now I'm willing to
embrace that. But if they split, they're still in the mix,
which is good. But if they unfortunately, if they went
on two, that sort of ends. Right now you're in
a tie breaking meeting scenario with you loss and so
on and so forth. So I'm still in show me mode.
I like what this boy team is done. They don't
have style points.
Speaker 4: But they just win.
Speaker 6: And the next two weeks is certainly going to tell
us where we should go with the expectations. But if
you're asking me, like, okay, right now, end of the year,
what are we talking about is did they get to Arlington?
But then you go back to bear Backmeyer and you go, well,
did they win nine games in the regular season? Preseason?
That's how I felt. I was thinking eight four, but
I thought and nine and three. I think they can
maybe do that. That'd be incredible. And if you get
ten in a bowl game, there's only been four to
freshman quarterbacks since two thousand that have won ten games.
I mean, the expectations for this guy continue to go up.
But we have to remember how crazy. This is of
what he's done so far, and it's still not over.
Speaker 2: The analytics ESPN analytics at least lean to a ten
and two regular season. What do you if that is
an accurate depiction, Where do you foresee the two losses coming?
Speaker 6: It's a good question, you'd think at Texas Tech right
and Baron Morton not gonna play this week? Will Hamm's
the starter A supported this morning. I think they realized, Okay,
we gotta ramp it up. Loklahoma State's not the game
where you have to have Parry Morton back.
Speaker 4: He's missed, you know.
Speaker 6: Time three different times. Tech feels up one. Frankly at
Iowa State feels like that's probably the second most likely lost.
You look at Cincinnati and they look like the ASU
from last year. But the metrics on Cincinnati put him
at like I have six seventh in the Big twelve
right now, which is really interesting. They kind of put
vou in third, which is interesting. I have DA second
in the Big twelve in terms of best teams. I
have tex Still, they've lost one game by four on
the road against the defending champs with their backup quarterback.
They shouldn't be punished a ton for that. I think
techs still the best team in the league. But yeah,
I think the next two games determined a lot. Obviously
at Cincinnati two. So you have three roadings.
Speaker 4: Men, you got to.
Speaker 6: Get one of them at least if you want to
be an Arlington, you probably need to. If UO you
walked in with one loss at the end of the
regular season, they're going to be in that title game.
You don't want to get bundled up like last year
with a bunch of the two loss teams and now
you're hoping on random tie breakers and you may not
make it in like Boi didn't last year.
Speaker 2: Charm Jordan here on ESPN the Fan talking to BYU Football,
BYU Basketball. He was out at Big twelve Basketball Media Days.
What were some of the jebs that you were able
to obtain through your interviews, your cat, your your your
your interactions, your interviews, et cetera.
Speaker 6: I love that. Kevin Young said. Aj De Bonca has
the opportunity to be the best defensive player in the nation,
and he said we're asking him to do a lot
on the offensive end, but his length and his ability
on the defensive end, he said, sometimes he's gonna want
to take a breather on the defensive end because of
what we're asking him on offense. But the ceiling for
him defensively is high now. Against Nebraska, there were a
few moments right where he did need a breather, and
they've got to address defensively how they attack that. They
allowed ninety points. They allowed forty seven percent from three.
They didn't play everybody the whole time like they're going
to Friday against UNC. Kevin Young also told me he
wants to play the targets more like a regular game.
They did not play the starters all in the second half.
We didn't see Rob Wright the third, we didn't see
Capakta very much. Those guys played less than twenty minutes each.
Those guys are probably in the twenty eight to thirty
two minute category when we get into the regular season.
They're both kind of fighting through a couple of minor
injuries they're getting over. Also, I love that Richie Saunders
is not worried about kind of his role in this offense.
Neither is Kevin Young. Like Kevin told me, you could
plug Ritchie into the top eight teams in the NBA
right now and he would function schematically, he faces the floor.
He's good off ball. He wants Richie to and Richie
told me this as well. The next step for him
is to become a very good on ball defender. And
Rob r at the third is excited about kind of
getting downhill, getting in transition. He told me he's quicker
with the ball than without the ball, which is wild.
So I'm excited to see these guys play and see
them gel and it's there may be a few losses
here and there that we don't expect, because one, they're
playing a tough schedule too, they've got to gel together.
And three, let's see how that defense approves, because last
year that's probably the thing that you know, kept them
at it going a little longer. Obviously, Alabama goes off
for what was it, twenty five to three in the
sweet sixteen. Certainly, if you play a little bit better
defense overall, you give yourself a better seed, a better chance,
a better opportunity to make a run in March. And
I'm not worried about the offense at all. Devin Young
is gonna run that part. They were the best offense
in the last twenty five years, maybe ever for BYU.
I expect them to be even better with the best
individual player in America in Aj Debonta, who can get
a shot off on anybody.
Speaker 3: One of the things we were debating.
Speaker 2: I want to say this was maybe a week and
a half ago on the show is last year we
had Yegor come in high expectations, lottery pick, labeled all
those things, and by mid season BYU fans and maybe
even national media and others were questioning whether or not
the hype was real. We obviously know that on the
back end of the schedule, the back end of the
season BYU climax and crescendoed into their best selves, and
so did Yegor and the gentleman is balling out in
the NBA now and he was a lottery pick, went
eighth overall to the nets.
Speaker 3: It was great, It was great, It was wonderful.
Speaker 2: Will we be in the same situation with Aj by
mid season or is it just going to be declarative
right off the bat that Aj is the guy, he's
the dude, he's the best player in college basketball, and
he's showcasing it night in and night out.
Speaker 6: I think we've had multiple evidences of this. One is
typically when we kugarnation hype something. It's us saying it
right Loan Peak three, Final four. The country was not saying,
oh look at Yu, They're going to God for we
were the ones quest for perfection. That was internal in
ol way from Bronko Menenhall. Who's saying what about aj?
It's everybody else. Then it's everyone else telling us he's
this good. He's the number one or number two pick
at preseason first team All American. We're not the ones
that did w associated pressed it the voters, did you
know Big twelve? Somehow he wasn't the Big twelve Freshman
of the year by the way, which hey, Darren Peterson's
great too, but how are you the first team All
Big twelve unanimous sky which anyway, it's everyone else telling
us that I think out of the gate. Also at Nebraska,
the fact that he goes for thirty in the first
exhibition and he's ten of nineteen overall, he's two or
four from three, he's eight of eight from the free
throw line, he drew seven fouls. Those are all NBA
like numbers. This guy is great right now. He probably
would have been the number one pick against Cooper plag
even if he had gone out of year early, which
Cooper plag you know, win a year early. By the way,
he reclassified in high school, so that would have been interesting.
But everyone else is telling us it's not us. So
we can buy into the hype on him on this
one because the sources are sound.
Speaker 3: I love it.
Speaker 2: Jerrem Jordan here on ESPN the fan Little Cougar Beat
brought to you by our good friends at Game Day
mench Health, Game daymanchealth dot Com. So jerem uh, let's
discuss what this BYU basketball team will look like from
a rotation standpoint or a chemistry standpoint.
Speaker 3: I think one of the.
Speaker 2: Biggest tasks, the biggest challenges that k Why has is
getting I guess everybody involved and feeding all the talent
that is on this roster. He did a great job
last year. Can he do it again in twenty twenty five,
twenty twenty six.
Speaker 6: Yeah, and it'll take a minute. I mean, I think
it's pretty clearly defined that Rob Wright third, Richie Songers,
A d. Dumontster, Canard Davis mu Kvakata. There's the starting spot,
like lock that in with Charbi and then it's you
know who's healthy and who's coming along, you know, Tyler
Russ I think is it's sort of a trem and
not nail type in terms of three point shooting off
the bench. I think Mihali Boskovich has a similar role.
Nadim Mbop what roll with he'll play because he had
a double double against Nebraska in limited minutes and I
thought he was pretty good. The retro freshman from Senegal,
Xavion Stateton is going to be a rim protector, rim roller.
That will be interesting. Nick Pickens probably your back and
point guard, but he's coming off an injury. Dawson Banker
little banged up, we know what he provides. Dominicia Monday.
There wasn't a guy like him on last year's roster.
A six with seven, real long wing who wants to
dunk on everybody. Alexei Kostitch has international experience with Austria
as a shooter, so there's a lot of Brody Kozlowski
banged up, we'll see what he provides is kind of
a stretch for You're right, there's a lot of mouths
to feed here. I think the starting lineup is as
good as anyone's in the country. Who's healthy, What role
can they provide what kind of instant impacts can those
guys have off the bench. I think that's TVD and
it'll take a minute. Like last year it was, this
is a new staff, it's a new look roster with
certain positions. You know, Yegor hurt his knee for a while,
Dallen Hall coming off the bench. There was all these
quotational situations and questions. I don't know that it's going
to be as visas it was last year because you've
got five great dudes in the starting lineup. I see
you ride them and you try and get to kind
of eight or nine BYU was toying with ten or
eleven right there at the end of the year. Just
depends who provides what at what point, who's healthy. But
I think it will take a minute. Like when you
need to be good is February March. You don't have
to figure that out until then. And so I think
there is a little bit of patience and we're gonna
get antsy though, because we look at Clemson in Wisconsin
and Yukon and you want those wins. But boy's going
to be rewarded for a tough schedule and hopefully they're
one two or three seed and they have a great
path to hopefully something special in March.
Speaker 2: Every year there's a surprise, maybe on the roster, there's
someone that steps up and maybe overachieves.
Speaker 3: I want to say.
Speaker 2: Last year, like Tray Stewart really really balled out at
critical times for BYU, maybe overachieved versus the expectation that
was placed on him leading up to the season. Trevin actually,
I think played well and kind of made doubt into
believers last season. The sharpshooter at a woods Cross High school?
Who is it going to be this year for the Cougars?
Speaker 6: Do you think the good question?
Speaker 4: Uh?
Speaker 6: From a bench perspective, I wonder if I'm Boop is
the guy that gives you some some punch off the bench.
That's just a little different. As a sixty nine redshirt freshman,
he's pretty raw. I think he's gonna have some games
where we go, hey, that's awesome. Dominique Diamande could be
that guy. He's got NBA athleticism at six' seven From.
France red shirted At washington last, Year Super Long. Frame
he's played for The Augri. Coast he's actually connected With
charles Bull in that in that, space which is pretty.
Cool he might be the. GUY i don't know that
it's gonna be like to your point Of Trey trey
wasn't the guy that was scoring double. Figures Trey stewart
was What preston res has become the last two games
From boy And boa. Football it's a player too, here
here or there that really helped. You, Right you're not
asking him to be a massive, factor but is he
he is a piece of the. PUZZLE i wonder if
a guy Like Dom diamonde could be that, guy because
they Need Tyler moruss to be in the, rotation they
Need boskovic to provide some they Need baker to get
healthy and be one of those veteran. Leaders But diamande
from an athleticism, standpoint he's the kind of guy THAT
ua has coming off the. Bench BUT i don't know
that Previously ulay's really. Had if that guy was that,
athletic he was probably in the starting. LINEUP i think
this is a good situation FOR ua to develop a
guy like that WITH nba athleticism in length love.
Speaker 2: That breakdown and the other guy forgotten what mag maybe
was the favorite.
Speaker 3: There like as far as the, overachievers and the.
Speaker 2: Individual side maybe over you, know just kind of over
delivered for the. Expectation but what mag was probably the
winner of that award last.
Speaker 6: Year three AND d guy corner. Threes you, know that's that's,
awesome is who is that guy on this? Team who's
the you, KNOW i Think Canard davis takes that, role
BUT i Think canards a better. Scorer last year he
put up SIXTEEN a, Games so then that's not a role. Player, Dude.
Speaker 3: Love that.
Speaker 2: Breakdown Jerrem jordan here ON espn The, Fan, Jerrem let's,
uh let's revert back to some comments made By Brian
santiago At big Twelve Basketball Media. Days one of the
things he, MENTIONED i think was the thing that makes
him most intrigued is kind of like the momentum and
the the that that the entire athletic department, has but
like the the two teams B yu, football B yu,
basketball the great coaching, staff maybe even the. Resources like
when when you INTERACTED i don't know how often you
did when you were out there at The big Twelve
basketball media, days what sense do you get about the
next step FOR byu athletics under the, tutelage under the
vision Of Brian.
Speaker 6: Santiago DID i interact With? Brian DID i take an
uber With brian at one am On monday?
Speaker 3: Night?
Speaker 4: YES i did.
Speaker 3: So, Yes YES i knew. IT i knew. It.
Speaker 6: YEAH i think the next step is maintaining WHAT voi
is doing right, now BECAUSE i don't know. That you
have to get it. Better look at What VOI's doing right.
Now you need to get To arlington at some point
in the next three. Years in, football you need to
win A big, twelve right that's the next step of this.
Program and maybe it's this.
Speaker 4: Year who.
Speaker 6: Knows maybe the team keeps it going and with the
true freshmen they exceed all the. Expectations in, basketball, yeah
it's like get to An elite, eight get to A final.
Four you always the MOST ncaa tournament appears is ever
for a team that hasn't gone to The planal. Four
you have the best player In, america you have one
of the you could argue the best coach under forty
five in college. BASKETBALL i, mean this is the. Time
so do those things maintain excellence where you're competing some
conference championship and the two main sports continue The olympic sports.
Excellence the boas produced in soccer and volleyball and cross
country and so on and so, forth continue to elevate
s or it's like women's basketball on stop and so,
on continue to raise, funds nil recruit at a super high. Level,
obviously what football and basketball are doing is. Amazing SO
i don't know that it, is, hey we have to do,
something we have to win A natty in basketball or.
FOOTBALL i don't think it's. That obviously down the, road
you want to get to, that but you got to
compete for and win conference. Championship and let's maintain what
boy is doing right. Now they don't have to go
seven to zero every. Year BUT i would love to
be in the space where we feel Like day's going
eight plus every year and once every couple of. Years,
yes they are competing for the conference, championship they're winning,
It they're in the playoff at some point in the
next three. Years and if they expand a, sixteen that certainly.
Helps but maintain what you're, doing keep it, going don't
be a flash in the, pan because there's programs that do.
THAT i Think boys built to last though right, now
and the, physical, emotional social investment THE uyu has right
now looks like it's going to be.
Speaker 2: Sustainable one last thing before we let you, Go JERALD
B yu just got to win over there.
Speaker 3: Rival what a glorious day it. Is three in a.
Speaker 2: Row they got a working. Streak, Now, YEAH i couldn't believe.
It it was, crazy it was, amazing it was wonderful as.
Grand look the the fallen state Of man is one
of comparative.
Speaker 3: Culture it's the enmity between. Neighbors it is.
Speaker 2: That that competition that drives up sometimes the keeping up
with the. Jones is HAS byu now surpassed its neighbors in?
Speaker 3: Football is it on the same?
Speaker 2: Level is it surpassing its Neighbor what does the future
look like of this rivalry on the, gridiron SPECIFICALLY byu
Versus Utah holy?
Speaker 6: War in my completely biased, Opinion, yeah let's look at
WHEN byu has been on level a level playing field
With utah as an. Independent obviously they were not always
doing the best it could at the. Time utah was
in a power conference for over a decade over VU.
Au they have this massive head. Start when they've both
been in The big twelve or even announced in The big,
twelves you always three and oh Against utah since they've
been announced in The big. Twelve those margins you, know
are are nine one in, three so they're always close. Games,
like it's not Like utah is far behind in that.
Space but the way we aloys recruiting tells us a.
Lot next year's class is the greatest recruiting class you
always ever. Had now in the, eighties if they had
recruiting rankings MADE vba was. Higher who, knows but what
boys doing, nationally the kind of kids they're, getting the
coaching staff that the coaches that they're, Acquiring, yes it
is a new. ERA yu is the number one team
in the state and the head to, head the, recruiting
the perception, nationally it's it's. HAPPENING i Think dave McCann
called it a couple of years. Ago people mocked. It
he was, right and it's exciting to see where this is.
GOING i, Mean bloways going to get a nine game
win streak Against he's not necessarily certainly hope, so but
those GAMES boi has equal to or more. Talent now
you heard it From Aaron roddrick On Coordinator's. Corner he,
said WHEN i was up At, Utah, yeah it wasn't
it wasn't the same because we were in a power
league that were. Not it's a level playing field now
And VOI's thriving right. Now they're doing, great and it's
the end of the year For. Utah you don't know
how Long kyle's gonna. Go Morgan scully takes. Over they
hope there's some continuity, there but With colinie's tack at
the Helm, man things are going. Great you Hope Jay
hill's here, forever.
Speaker 4: But he's not gonna.
Speaker 6: Be so enjoy the time he's calling the defense because
right now it's. Special Aaron rodgers offense continues to do its.
Thing he got Bart bachmeyer for a couple of years
and then you got the they're a parent after. That
so it's, exciting.
Speaker 3: Man so how much longer can b a fans At JOY. J?
Hill do you Think.
Speaker 6: I'm hoping another two or three? YEARS i, mean If
i'm If i'm a power force school off, THERE i
try and Grab, Jay but OBVIOUSLY i don't want that to.
HAPPEN i Want jay to be. HERE i think he's.
HAPPY i think you know what happened to him with
his heart attack last. Year it certainly gives everybody perspective
on the mortality of. LIFE i hope that he's enjoying
his situation. Here he's a grandpa for the first time
as of a couple months. Ago shout out To ashtons
who used to work with us At BYE tv for the,
baby and, Yeah i'm just hoping for hope for the
best for him in his. Life and obviously he's been
an INCREDIBLE dc and you always got a great thing.
Speaker 2: Going Score priddict should Be Yu Ioway, state how do
you see?
Speaker 6: IT i Think by goes in there and it's an,
upset which is funny for the number eleven team in
the country another you know road dog Or himen Home
dogs from last last. WEEK i Think yu went to
the thirty twenty. ONE i think That da runs the
ground game gets. GOING i think L j And bart
continue what they've been. Doing sixty fourth rushing defense in
the country For Iowa state that three, three. Five you
know when you Early bronco that was the. Thing it's
harder to kind of stuff the run in that. SITUATION
i Think boa defensively matches up with the three or
four tight ends THAT i would say loves to throw.
To they get their starting running Back Carson hansen. BACK
i Think rockaback's really. GOOD i think he's going to
create more problems in the run game Than Devin Dan pierre.
Did that, ankle especially in the second, half wasn't, working
So fickland came. In BUT i just THINK bua has a.
Rolling they figured out how to. Win it's probably, close
BUT i do HAVE yu winning thirty twenty.
Speaker 3: One my Guy Jerem jordan BYU.
Speaker 2: Tv support him on the television, screen follow him ON
x and whenever he's pontificating on OUR, rs make sure
you tune. In thanks so, Much Jerrem, ben thank, You
we'll see you much Love Jerem. Jordan ladies and, Gentlemen
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