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Butt's about it, Let's get out to the hotline. Welcome in,
Rocco Miller college basketball analysts and owner operator of bracketeer
dot org. What's up, Rocco? How you living?
Speaker 4: I'm living good. How you guys doing. I'm out here
in Vegas, you know, just going through these conference tournaments.
We had the WCC the last two nights, some exciting
action in Gondega for the twelfth time in fourteen years,
wins the title, of course, But Santa Clara, the big story.
Looks like they will be in the NCAA tournament for
the first time since Steve Nash in the early nineties.
It was gonna be a big day on Sunday down
there at the Levi Center to'll throw a big party
for the first at large bid. And I don't know,
I think since the sixties. I got a double check
that because I know they only got in as the
auto Bid with Steve Nash. So just an amazing experience
for that program and a program that I've been close.
Speaker 5: To for about a decade.
Speaker 4: And now we move on to the Big West tonight
for some early action. That'll be good watching a ton
of games like you guys today, and then I'll be
at the Mountain West quarterfinals throughout Thursday, which which shapes
up to be four really important games because that that
tournament figures to steal one of the bids you know,
available in the bubble picture.
Speaker 2: So, yeah, what's your bubble watch right now? What is
that looking like? You know, the four, eight, six teams
that you're really intrigued by right now with that bubble watch.
Speaker 4: Yeah, the bubble watches, it's as a moving it's like
a conveyor belt of warts. You know, you're not on
the bubble unless you have warts, right, So I think
I think the big thing is first, it's just where
these bids might get taken from. So I'm I'm accounting
for the Mountain West West to get two teams in
right now, they only have one deserving team in Utah eight.
As you guys know, New Mexico might have a path
to a at large if they win twice and maybe
lose to Utah State in the finals. I think any
other scenario with the other seven, I think you know,
good enough teams to win it not named Utah State.
That adds up to about a seventy percent likelihood that
will have a bid steal.
Speaker 5: From the league.
Speaker 4: So I think it logical to go ahead and project
two bits for the league as this at this point
in the exercise, and that that knocks the spot away.
Right now, SMU is holding the last spot. Obviously, they
just lost moments ago to be done with their season.
You know, they're about as bubbly as can be as
a team that I think that the committee can select.
You know, they've done just enough, but at the same
time be very easy to remove them from the field.
If somebody steps up this week and really kind of
build a better profile, I think they can be they
can be taken over. So we'll see how that plays.
Speaker 5: Out with them.
Speaker 2: You know.
Speaker 4: VCUS also in Limbo. You know, they had a really
really solid year, but they only got to play five.
Speaker 5: Teams in the projected field.
Speaker 4: They went zero to five in those five games, and
they've been very very clean. Besides that, they got a
big win at Dayton to close the year, So again,
kind of like SMU, a team you can feel okay
about selecting if you're the committee, especially compared to a
lot of the Power Conference teams with warts. But if
spots go away, or if a team like a Cincinnati,
for example, can beat Arizona tomorrow, it's gonna shake the
whole picture up. And at the Power Conference level you
have chances to do that. You have California. I'm not
predicting they're going to do this, but if they were
to beat Florida State today and then they beat Duke
tomorrow with the Duke's two injuries, that would shake the
world up in the bubble because I think you would
have to probably put California in the field if that happens.
So there's so many things like that can happen, and
it's all about how many opportunities you can get early
in the week. And then you have Indiana sitting there,
who I think, you know, most people would have as
one of their first teams out or last teams in.
That's pretty much where I'm at with the Hoosiers. I
do not think they've done enough, so they need to
beat Northwestern today, and then I know they get a
crack at their arrival the Purdue boiler Makers. If they
win today, they play them tomorrow. So those are the
teams I think are the most fascinating. Auburn, of course,
is going to get a lot of attention. They're still
playing right now. We'll see how that finishes up. I
think they should be out no matter what, for a
lot of good reasons, but I'm also concerned about the
power of the SEC in that committee room. College sports
are different right now than we've ever seen, and we
might see some history made if they really strongly look
at Auburn and try to make a case for them,
but otherwise there's no history says they have no business
being selected. Then you have Oklahoma, who I think is
even further away, but they're starting to creep up because
they do. They did finish strong, So if you're rooting
for a bubble team, you definitely want Oklahoma to lose
early in this tournament. In the SEC, and that's probably
the main list right now. We know Stanford's probably played
themselves out, Virginia Tech played themselves out. USC just lost,
They're out of the picture. So those are the core
teams that I'm looking at.
Speaker 2: Love that breakdown that only you can give. Roco Miller
here on your UTAI ESPN radio network. Roco, where do
you stand with the Big twelve right now? How many
bids do you see coming from this conference?
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it's been a you know since TCUs
really established themselves. Did that finish they had, They're cleanly in.
You know, it's kind of kind of crazy because two
weeks ago we looked at TCU.
Speaker 5: We didn't know what to do with them.
Speaker 4: Then all of a sudden, they they I think they
finished seven and one to close the year. Phenomenal job
by the Frogs, and they're clearly in. They played their
way up to like an eight seed now or maybe
a nine, and so they'll be in, and that gives
the league a solid eight teams. And then again we've
got the wild card situation with Cincinnati that I just explained.
So if and I'm not predicting they'll be in Arizona,
but if it happens, I think the committee is going
to make a case for them to get in. It's
not too many teams in the country can go be
to one seed. Cincinnati's got the wild results too. Because
you know, go into fog Allen Fieldhouse and winning by sixteen.
I know that just as a human it sticks in
your mind. Cincinnati has had a lot of battle bad
on their profile, you know, even with Gigsel James, they
were swept by West Virginia. I think there are twelve
and ten right now overall, so they're they even with
giggl James, are still kind of a bubbly type of record,
and that's being a little bit generous. And then of course,
if you if you are looking at the full season,
they lost to Eastern Michigan, which is a team that
fired their coach and did not even qualify for the
MAC Tournament. So it's one of the ugliest losses you'll
see anywhere. So we'll see what happens. So there's there's
an opportunity for a ninth team. I think Oklahoma State
would have to make a very deep run, and I
don't know if they would get considered at this point
even if they did. So I think it lies with Cincinnati,
but the league can count on eight getting in.
Speaker 2: Definitely, Rocko Byu looks to be a six seed. Anything
that could change that in your opinion.
Speaker 5: Yeah, absolutely so.
Speaker 4: By using in a tough spot with the Richie Sanders
Saunder situation, right, and the way the committee evaluates means
in this situation for good or bad and then unfortunately
for you are you it's it's hopefully nothing, but it
could be add because they might just take it. Look
at what the teams looked like since the Saunders injury,
which obviously had a little bit of a drop off,
especially on that road trip to West Virginia and Cincinnati.
Nice job by the Krugers to get that Texas Tech
home when I thought that was very important, just because
the evaluation could go a lot of different ways, especially
if they really look like a different team. So they
at least showed, and of course they showed that first
game when they came out and beat Iowa State. Have
two really good wins without them, but they're both.
Speaker 5: At home now.
Speaker 4: I think today don't want to go down to West
Virginia again because I think that would still open the
door for the committee to really pick this team apart,
and you know, they could fall.
Speaker 5: Down to an eight nine game.
Speaker 4: I think if that happens, because they would they would
zero in on the results lately without Saunders, and that
that leaves b Yu exposed I think to be moved down,
and so I think a win today is really important
because it will help hold the line. You know, they've
they've earned that spot. I think as the last six today.
I don't see them being higher than a seven if
they lose today. So pretty important game because you have
to think about the chronological order of the voting in
the committee rote room. So voting started today, a lot
of voting, and and this part of the bracket will
be sorted out tomorrow. So just getting into a game
tomorrow and still playing will help yu Uh to stay
in the conversation and obviously relieve some of those concerns
about how good they actually are without Saunders.
Speaker 2: Yeah, how how good do you think they are without Saunders?
From your purview?
Speaker 4: But I think honestly the defense has dropped off. They
got to figure they got to figure some things out defensively.
So I'd love to see that in this in this week.
That's my biggest concern. I also think Richie Saunders was
their best force pacer and Uh there's been a lot
of a lot more ice, though I kind of figured
it would be with with Aju, He's touch an elite talent.
He can go get buckets on his own. But you know,
I just I think the BYU offense is less effective
without that.
Speaker 5: Elite force spacing.
Speaker 4: You're not getting as many clean looks as you wore
with Riggie. So those two things are a little bit
of downgrades for me, just from what I've observed so far.
Speaker 5: But obviously still very talented, very capable team.
Speaker 4: And you know, I've noticed with injuries across the country
all this year. All this year, Stanford as a quick example,
they lost Chishimawk Para I think at the end of January,
and their next four games they look terrible, basically played
themselves out of the picture. But Kyle Smith and that
that staff just kept working on the guys they had,
and eventually those new those newly uh those fresh to
defined roles uh played out to be. Stanford got pretty
good again.
Speaker 5: By the end of the year. They beat NC State
and they were clearly better again.
Speaker 4: So by you has that opportunity. They just need to
get some more at bats. And that's why I thinks
another reason just basketball wise, for them to to get
a win today so they can keep playing together before
it's really the big pressure of the NCAA Tournament.
Speaker 2: Rocco Miller talking some n c double A tournament and
bracketology here on your Utah ESPN Radio Network, brought to
you by Big O Tires in American Fork Roco this
uh uh this tournament. You know, I feel like, you know,
there's certain teams that are trending. Is you know, favorites
to win the national title. They've been favorites for most
of the year. We kind of feel like we know
who our one seeds are. Where do you staying kind
up with your one seed and your favorites to win
the NCAA Tournament this year?
Speaker 4: Well, thanks to yukon Ukon Locke to Marquette on that
final day made everything kind of clear, right, Florida takes
that fourth number one. Duke Michigan and Arizona are just
at a whole different level with their resume and you know,
only having a couple losses each, quite clearly the top three.
I think the committee will didn't have enough reason to
change that order up going into their actual final bracket
this weekend. Arizona has an argument they didn't get to
play either of those two.
Speaker 5: They have went at Houston.
Speaker 4: They have a lot of great wins. They've been awesome
in the Big twelve. But because Duke played Michigan and
beat Michigan and it's still Duke, you know, you figure
those day one now. One thing, you know, we'll have
to see how Duke plays, at least this first game.
You know, like I said earlier, they'll play Florida State
or California because they got two injuries, and we know
Foster's probably going to miss that at least the first weekend,
maybe even the entire NCAA tournament. Curious to see if
Duke fell in that game. You know, I think you'd
probably have to at least move them below Michigan and Arizona.
Despite the head to head, they would still be a
one seat, but it would change up the order. I
think that's really the main thing at stake there Florida,
since they're crushed to the to the picture obviously still
not that much margin between them and Yukon. I think
they just probably need to win their first game in
the season tournament and then they'll be fine. And it
looks like they'll play like Missoo or Kentucky. So even
if they lose, they might be okay, because that's not
a bad loss. Those are both tournament teams.
Speaker 5: And then speaking of.
Speaker 4: Florida, I mean, I think that's the team that's.
Speaker 5: The team to be when we get to the tournament.
Speaker 4: I mean the way I understand that they've figured all
this stuff out in league play, and they lost.
Speaker 5: A lot of their our key non conference games, but they.
Speaker 4: Didn't lose by much. You know, they lost to Duke
by one, they lost to Arizona in a really good
game on opening night, lost to Yukon by four, and
then they really started switching things up with their with
their guards, you know, Xavion Lee and Boogie flann and
and Urban and all those wing players. Uh, they were
they were a little two three point reliant and lately
they've just been attacking the paint relentlessly. We we only
know they have the best front line in college basketball
when it comes to offensive and defensive rebounding. Well, now
what they're doing is they're using their bigs at the
top of the key and uh in the areas where
the guards are driveling to free the guards up for
back cuts. And now you're seeing Zavion League getting wide
open layups in the screen game. And so they're taking
a lot less threes and they're just attacking the rim.
That's seventy two points in the paint against Alabama in
their biggest game lately, and that was not it wasn't
just your traditional points in the paint. A lot of
guards were getting layups because of those back cuts. And
now the defense is that in that are trying to
stop this offense don't know what to focus on because
they're scoring in a variety of ways and it's very,
very difficult to stop. And then, of course, on the
other side of the coin, they have elite defenders. You know,
rubenclu is probably the best defender in the SEC. So
I think that formula gives them a really, really good
chance to repeat as national champs.
Speaker 2: Love that breakdown, Roco Miller here on ESP and the
fan Roco going back to b Yu, what's the ceiling
of this stand if they get hot, if they play well, Like,
how far can they go in the NC DOUAA tournament?
What would you project?
Speaker 4: Well, First of all, I think they need to play
teams that just want to play offense and they don't
have like I don't want to vy. You have to
go up against a really good defense. I think I
think that could that could be a problem giving by
You go cold and and just be an ugly, ugly game.
I want to see by You play a team that
wants to get up and down, they can beat them
like ninety five to ninety that type of game. So
if they get that kind of path, of course, they
can still get Probably about the Elite eight, I would say,
would be anything beyond that would surprise me. But I
think it's all about the matchups. You know, they should
run into a brutal matchup in the first game for
all we know. So it's anywhere between the first round
and the Elite eate in my opinion. And even if
they did get to the Sweet sixteen, I think based
on Richie going down and all the concerns right now,
I think I think hopefully the fans and BYU community
would still call that a good year.
Speaker 2: Yeah, where do you project them as far as location
is right now? I was, I was looking at possibilities
with Portland, but then you could also see, you know,
I've heard you know, you could get a matchup with
like maybe Miami, Ohio or you know kind of where
where do you kind of see location wise? In first
round matchup with BYU.
Speaker 4: So let's say if YU can hold on to the
six spot, that requires a win today. But if they
hold on to the sixth spot, it's really nice because
they'd be slotted into Portland in the same pot as
Gonzaga as the number three seed, and the way I
have it right now, they play since I have a
spot for the Mountain West champion, I have that penciled
in as San Diego State, but you could just plug
in any Mountain West champion. They probably get that last
eleven seeds and keep them in the West in Portland,
so it makes a lot of sense. So in my
projection right now, it would be by U versus San
Diego State winner plays Gonzaga, but they've been a seven
seed on other occasions. If they're seven, they're most likely
to go to Buffalo because in Buffalo you have a
Thursday Saturday sight there and that's where Michigan Michigan State's
likely going to be, So that would be with Michigan State,
and then in some of those I think the last
one I had they had BYU was playing Texas A
and M, but it could also be like a Georgia.
It could also be sorry not Georgia. I'm misspeaking there.
It could be a Santa Clara. Santa Clara's gonna be
a ten seed, so that could be interesting. So we'll
see how that shakes out. But but yeah, I keep
getting either Portland or Buffalo, and then certainly Oklahoma City
could be in play. But I just don't see Oklahoma
City because Houston is going to be the two seeds
in Oklahoma City, and I know the committee will look
to avoid having two teams from the Big twelve in
the same pod, but if they don't have any other options,
they could still do it. I believe Yu and Houston
only played one time this year, so they are allowed
to do it. So just keep that in the back
of your mind as well for Oklahoma City.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Roco, love your content, man, you do fantastic work
for all those that are tuning in right now. Best
way to support you what you do, how you do
it for all of our listeners.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I really appreciate that.
Speaker 5: Bracket.
Speaker 4: Two dot Orgs, the site I own and operate, we've
got we've got some younger guys getting that experience covering
the NCAA tournament, these conference tournaments. We have two guys
out doing the Big East Tournament, so anybody that wants
to support our work. We also do non conference schedule
updates all summer and spring. I know sometimes I come
on in the summer with you guys to talk about
updates there. So it's a three hundred and sixty five
day operation obviously for bracketology, you know, every single morning
or afternoon at least I'll be posting updates about the
forecast where you can expect your cougars to go or
if you're a fan of another team, definitely come to
the site for that. And then I'm on Field of
sixty eighth throughout the weekend. So we have our show
Friday to do our last projection show, Fielding the.
Speaker 5: Sixty eighth the name of the show at at three.
Speaker 4: O'clock Mountain time, five o'clock Eastern time, and then Jeff
Goodmin and myself will be on the live reaction show
on Sunday. Stuff you want to hear a little something
else besides the announcement on CBS, come on to Field
of sixty eight about forty five minutes early. We're going
to start around forty five minutes before the show starts
to our final projection to get your juices flowing and
then we'll react to every pick. So you know, I
remember last year with the North Carolinda pick. I think
that one kind of went viral. So you never know
what's gonna happen, and it's a it's kind of a
fun experience every year.
Speaker 2: Roco, much love to you man, keep doing great work.
And for all those March Madness fanatics, if you want
to pick the right bracket, the right winners, all you
got to do is go to bracketeer dot org.
Speaker 5: Right, that's right, let's do it.
Speaker 2: Well, go appreciate your Rocko, thanks so much for joining us.
Speaker 4: Absolutely, thank you very much.
Speaker 5: Appreciate it.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, great segment with Rocomiller bracketeer dot org. Check
it out today. That segment was brought to you by
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contact Ryan Elders today, let him know I Sancho. Let's
get in a player profile. Many of us have been
debating who the wide receiver one is there at BYU?
Who could step up to brow one eight five zero
nine one zero zero. Get a quote today? Eight oh
one eight five zero nine one zero zero. That's Advanced
Windows dot Com. We'll be back. This is Cougar Sports
one to three, nine ninety point three ESPN The Fan.
Speaker 1: This is a one oh three nine ninety eight three
ESPN Sports Center Up games.
Speaker 6: We're starting today on the hardwood is tenth seeded EYU
men's basketball took it to the fifteenth seeded Kansas State
Wildcatch yesterday in a one oh five to ninety one
victory in the first round of the Big twelve Tournament.
Speaker 2: Here's just a few stats.
Speaker 6: From yesterday's game that are worth mentioning. Ajd bons has
scored forty points to break a Big twelve Tournament record
for most points scored in a game by a freshman.
With those forty points, de Bonsa sits at eight hundred
and six on the season and has moved into third
on the all time BYU single season scoring list, passing
Ames Adean boot grabbed fourteen borg set a career high
for the red shirt freshman, and the one hundred and
five point performance from the Cougars broke the record for
most points scored by a team in a Big twelve
tournament game. BAU takes on the seventh seeded West Virginia
Mountaineers at five pm today in the second round.
Speaker 2: At five o'clock, EA Baseball took home.
Speaker 6: A victory for the first time in two weeks as
they throttled Utah Tech nineteen to two.
Speaker 2: Cougers were led.
Speaker 6: By Ryder Robertson and Ryker Scow, who both hit two
diggers in the victory. Next up for BYUS the conference
opener at home tomorrow at three o'clock against Cincinnati. UOI
softball also added yesterday's game in the win column as
they scored a season high ten runs in a ten
to one victory over Adaldeen Christian. This was the first
home game for the Cougars on the year after they
spent the first twenty two games of the year on
the road. Next up for Gordon Ekin squad is the
Trailblazer Classic this weekend in Saint George. Heading over to
the Links BA freshman golfer key Hey Keena began today
five struts back of first place, but after a career
best round where he shot eight hunder, park Kea won
the Ari Lamkin Invitation law as he finished with the.
Speaker 2: Lowest fifty four hole score of.
Speaker 6: His career at fourteen hunder. A team took third place
overall at seventh team under the pool. Sophomore diver Barty
Yopp was the lone Cooger who made it to the
final yesterday at the NCAA Zony Diving Championships and Flagstaff Arizona.
Yap took fifteen place overall in the final round of
the platform. Today is the final competition as Yapp will
goin Ashton Sparks in the one meter competition as Brooklyn
Gecerates will compete in platform diving. I'm Camera Clark and
this has been your ESPN The Fan Cougar Sports Center Update.
Speaker 1: Russ PM The Fan Million Dollar Bracket Challenge brought to
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Sign up early to be ready the second the bracket drops.
Just head to ESPN Thefan dot Com. Let's get to
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The van.
Speaker 2: Welco about Cougar Sports one of three nine ninety eight
point three eight SPN The Fan I bet Tuittal broadcasting
from our Vanderwelt Studios Vanderwelt dot com. Uh, if your
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Where are you gonna a vest? Why you're going to invest?
Get on a free Q and A with our wealth
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an NFLP a sort of financial player. Here him on
the show consistently. He does fantastic work and he's been
aiding in sporting the b way you Cougar football basketball
family for a long time. You hear it on our
airwaves some of the commercials, et cetera. He wants say
a support you guys now give a call, set up
appointment today. It is stopping a little player profile. I
want to get to know Jojoe Phillips. Big fan of
Jojo Phillips. He's been a part of the program for
a while. I can't believe it. He's like that. He's
the tenured guy. He's the dude. I believe he's the
most tenured player in that wide receiver room. I believe
as a red shirt junior, I may be mistaken out
to pull the roster up, but he's one of the
most tenured guys. Six foot five, two hundred and five
pounds out of Lancaster, California and Sierra Canyon High School.
He was a baller basketball player growing up, played some
football as well. Finally converted over to the grid iron
and great potential, great ability. He has shout out to
teen and his wonderful family, his wonderful parents. He's got
four siblings, by the way. He measures in exercise science,
so he likes the human body and human performance. Loves
cars and check this out, Ronald the free man. We
loves to build the legos. Okay, shout out to Jojo
Phillips and the lego maker he's been. He was high
school teams teammates with Arizona offensive lineman Elijah Paine and
wide receiver Malachi Riley. By the way, and he was
also high school teamates with Browny on the Basketball Corps.
So rated as a three star recruit helps here Canyon
to calif to the California Southern Section Division two Championship
game in twenty twenty two CIF Championship in twenty post
a five hundred sixty eight receiving yards and five touchdowns
in that same year, and was recruited by Oregon LSU,
Michigan State, Oregon State, Cow Colorado, pitt Utah State in
San Diego State. We're able to catch up with him.
We're able to catch up with Jojo Phillips yesterday and
now let's maybe get into a few of his comments.
And by the way, over his career, he's played in
twenty four games. Now he started eight games. He's got
twenty five receptions, three hundred and seventy seven yard, three touchdowns,
He's got a long of fifty seven that was a
beautiful one just a couple of years ago, and fifteen
point one yards per catch. So pretty pretty good talent
with a lot of potential. Can he extracted this year?
Can fantasy? Can a rod extracted? We'll find out. There's
been a lot of change over at the wife sleep position, Jojo,
with Chase and Parker out, you're stepping into a new
leadership role. Do you feel like you're ready for that
next step?
Speaker 3: Yes, I do feel like I'm ready now. I'm going
into year four now, which is crazy, you went by
really fast. But yeah, I feel like I'm ready now.
Learning a lot from Chase from the years, learning a
lot from Darius Keelan, just autodored guys that came through here.
I was here before me, So I feel like I'm
ready for sure?
Speaker 2: Are you feeling like Jojo is ready for the limelight,
for the next step, to be the guy? He mentioned
a number of mentors, Chase, right, Darius Keelan, the unks,
the old heads in the room. Is he ready to
take on the younk, the old head roll and be
the guy Ronald the three man we were.
Speaker 7: He's gonna have to be in a way.
Speaker 5: I mean.
Speaker 8: They also brought another guy, Kyll of Casper along with
him to maybe help out in a little bit of that.
But yeah, been when a when you were the next
guy up as the veteran guy in the room. People
are looking forward to you. Whether you want it or not.
You're gonna be challenged by this coaching staff. They're gonna
need you. You know, the playbook the best he's in
a little bit for what he's gonna mention about some
of the newcomers in the wide receiver room. If people
are looking towards Jojo, right and Ben we talked about
every game a Rod likes to highlight someone. Unfortunately, he
got dinged up in the Stanford game. It was gonna
be his game. You saw where it was, you saw
the first pass, you saw him out there blocking, and
it got derailed. You know, that's what happened. There's attrition
in the game, and it's unfortunate. But him coming back
on the Pop Tard's Bowl could have given him a
lot of momentum that he needed and to build his
confidence mainly.
Speaker 7: But yeah, that's the guy.
Speaker 8: I mean, everybody's raved about it on this show, and
everybody's raved about it all over. Is the potential, with
the size, with the height, with the deep thret ability.
You remember two seasons to go, not last year, but
the one before. You know, Jake Retzoff connects to him
on a deep pass, like that's what they're expecting out
of Jojo. You even saw it in Arizona State game.
Came up short in a couple of plays, but that's
what they've been waiting for the Festisataki, Aaron Rodderick Kline.
They like his skill sets, so yes, Ben, I believe
he is ready after learning from all those guys.
Speaker 7: He's gonna have his growing pains, but I think he
will be able to grow more into this role.
Speaker 2: He's got an opportunity. Can he sees the day? Kenny
Karpe DM, what's the most important thing you learned from
Chase being in that in that that role? Uh? Just
the leadership role.
Speaker 3: I really say Chase is a really good leader. He's
just pushing us every day, standing on top of us
and just really setting a good example, a good just
sean like what the standard is in our program and everything.
Speaker 2: I would say Change is a great example, no doubt
about it, on and off the football field, doing the
silent work as well. Number three, You've always struck us
And I've said this, he's kind of a laid back guy. Right.
You're laid back dude, Jojo. Have you had to force
yourself to be a little bit more vocal, even more
proactive in your approach when you're trying to be that
wide receiver?
Speaker 3: One yes, sir, for sure, I'm a quiet guy.
Speaker 2: I don't really say that much.
Speaker 3: But when I'm on the field then, like it's like
I feel it's a different person than me. But like
you just see me walking around like Ron, I'm just quiet, chill,
but out here it brings a different side of me.
I fly this to my safe space and everything. I'm
just comfortable so.
Speaker 2: Doing that work. Jojo Phil is a quiet guy on
off the field, but this is being on the football field.
That's his safe space. That's where he can maybe tap
into that that inner dog of his. And he's gonna
do that dog if he's gonna solidify himself as a
primary target in this offense.
Speaker 4: Uh.
Speaker 2: How is the wide receiver competition, Bruin. It's wide open.
It looks like what are you seeing develop in the
wide receiver room?
Speaker 3: Uh see a lot of things that developing. Uh me Kyler,
Uh Tay Legend is starting to uh like turn some
heads and everything. I really like Legend. Uh just be good.
I'm just happy we come out compete every day. Uh
it's really I wouldn't say no nobody receiving one or anything.
I just like all of us coming out there and
just competing and just being the best we could be.
Every player.
Speaker 2: You gotta get out there. You gotta compete, uh, day in,
day out and find you way. He gave a gave
some love to Legend Glasger. We caught up with him
yesterday too. We'll probably we'll probably get that uh that
interview up and rolling maybe tomorrow. But gave some love
to Kyler Casper, you know, shout out to Kyler Casper
as well, that Oregon transfer Legend. We've seen some good
place from Reggie Frischknet as well. It sounds like you
know that the wide receiver room is and maybe the
rotation coming together. What role do you think Legend Glasker
could have Ronald the three man weaver? What do you
make of his initial ev ow right, his initial you know,
for reay into this wide receiver competition.
Speaker 8: Yeah, look, Ben, I think that Legend definitely could push
for time. I think you'll see moments. I'm hoping been
with the how talented this group is in the non
convers slate that you see a lot more guys. I'm
hoping with how LJ runs that they can just I
don't want to say run the scoreboard up, but take
care of business so other guys can get in. But
I believe Legend could be that fourth option. We know Vessi,
we talked to him every year at the Media Golf Tournament.
We have a You've given me the opportunity to talk
to him the last two years, and Festi each time
has told me he goes with the guys that have
been in that room the longest, and obviously he's bringing
Kyler in to fulfill that role. But you'd have to
think of guys who've been there. You have to think
of Jojo obviously. I think he's gonna be in the mix.
Kyler is going to be in the mix, and then
you know, I'm gonna, you know, maybe throw a curveball.
I know a lot of people might not think about it,
but I believe Tiger Bockmeyer also in that mix. They like,
you know, I think the leadership that that Tiger has.
But that's a guy been that you can't uh, you know,
overlook as well, you know, but I think it's honestly,
you know, Legend, I think a crack is that that
fourth guy.
Speaker 7: He also mentioned Tanakua.
Speaker 8: Taysing that mix up between you know, Jojo, Kyler, Tiger
Tay and I think Legend. I think those five have
a great opportunity to to get a lot of plans
on FESTI doesn't really like to go outside four or
five receivers.
Speaker 2: Getting back to Jojo here, how beneficial is it for
that for the group? Uh to have you know, I
guess it's a true chance to become wide receiver one.
How does that competition that's your play out with Jason
Parker being gone, Uh, it's nice and everything.
Speaker 3: Uh, Like I know, I just have to still put
the work in and everything and still come out every
day and show Uh, just work on my craft and
show that like I will be ready and everything. And
also just just getting our other guys up to speeding
and everything too, because we can't do it by ourselves
or anything.
Speaker 2: So got to have that opportunity and seize the day.
Kyler Casper is becoming an intriguing player. He's already been
pushed forth as a you know, I guess an interview
to the general media. I think that's interesting. What's it
been like working with Kyler Casper? Jojo, It's been good.
I really enjoyed Kyler.
Speaker 3: He's really cool. Since he's came in, I feel like
we've been having a great relationship and our relationship is
just being built just every single day and everything. They
just being two big old guys. No outside somebody bigger
than me, which is funny, and but yeah, I think
I'd be gonna be hard. Power for defense is in
the fall for sure.
Speaker 2: Both of both of these guys, for how tall, how
big they are, they run extremely, extremely well. I pulled
up NFL Draft Eval's NFL Draft Scout evows of their
forty times and what they do withally do they they
they calculate acceleration. Uh, they calculate miles per hour, how
fast they they get up to in their top end
speed on film, and both of these guys are projected
as low four to five high for four four players.
So uh, they get out of breaks extremely You watch
the highlights so far of spring ball, and both Kyler
and Jojo have serious bend. They have uh I would say,
very stable footwork. You don't see them lose energy through
their brakes. They drive through their breaks, they get out
of their breaks, they come back to the football. They
have a really good body control the releases as well.
Kyler's shiftier than I had imagined seeing them. You know,
just get off the line of scrimmage, give a little shimmy,
shake and get to the outside, get to the inside,
put a kind of stacking routes, getting stack in the dB.
I've been impressed by both of these guys through springball.
They've looked really good for how big they are. Extremely
they're they're faster than I think BA fans realize. So, uh,
don't sleep on those guys in their top end speed.
Speaker 8: Now can I can I add a question? I don't
know if you've had a chance to. You pitched it once,
but I want you to be able to pitch it again.
You put out an image of just like how big,
like the five wide out.
Speaker 7: I think he talked to Brady Papingka.
Speaker 2: Yeah, like an empty set, like you know what I said.
Speaker 8: Like Jojo Kyler Walker, Man, that's that's big man. Look,
I mean that's a lot of that's a lot of hype.
It's tough for dbs and linebackers to guard. If you
got two six six guys at well, one six six
guy won sixty five and then a couple of six
four tight ends now and I don't.
Speaker 2: Know how often they're gonna go empty. I think it's
gonna be really hard to keep. You know, you're gonna
put l J. Martin out there because LJ is also
phenomenal receiving running back. So you can have any number
of the compists. So if you're gonna if you're trying
to have a primary twelve personnel set, it very well
could be LJ. Walker, Roger, and then you have Jojo
Kyler or Reggie Kyler if you're looking for that big body,
big wide receiver group. So, and Reggie's really fast too,
I mean he can he can eclipse twenty two miles
an hour, so legend told me he ran twenty two.
Reggie has also eclipsed twenty two miles an hour, so
he's a vertical threat too, So watch out for Reggie Frishnet.
So I would love to see it. I love you know,
I love that. I've talked about it a little lot.
During the Cody Hoffman era, Tiaran how Gross Oppo, Mitch Matthews,
there was a lot of great wide receivers that rolled
through by U in the kind of the middle of
the Independence era, the kind of the latter years of
the Bronco Enanhall era. And I believe Robert and I
love getting those big, big bodies, And I think that
with that intermediate passing game that Bear Bachmeier is truly
elite at. It's nice to have those big bodies out
there to body up smaller weaker defensive backs. Now, Jojo,
what are you trying to accomplish? What are you trying
to work on in springball?
Speaker 3: I would say my leadership really just being more vocal
during workouts, practice in our meetings, receiver room and everything.
And also just still perfecting my cuff and everything.
Speaker 2: Got to perfect the craft, no doubt about it. There
are a lot of freshmen in the room you mentioned Legend.
What have you seen from the other freshmen in the
wide receiver room.
Speaker 3: I've seen really good uh getting their plays down. That's
the biggest thing, I would say, refreshmen coming in just
getting the plays down and just slowing the game down.
And I just see like, like good development from our freshmen.
Speaker 2: And everything this year.
Speaker 3: I feel like they're picking up on the playbook and
everything fast and uh and everything I fly. It would
be we're gonna be good in the coming years for sure.
At the receiver position.
Speaker 2: I mean too, how many times, Ronnie, we've seen a
talented wide receiver come in and not pick up the
playbook and therefore he does not get PT. I mean
we've seen it.
Speaker 7: We've seen it. Although we've seen a lot, no, one
hundred percent, we've seen a year.
Speaker 8: After year guys that Look, I know he got dinged
up a little bit, but I mean he's not in
the wide receiver room anymore.
Speaker 7: La Maison Waller is one of them.
Speaker 8: We thought that was a guy, you know, four star
guy right fringe, you know, high level, three star could
come in and make an impact. Then didn't work out
too well. Sometimes that's the case, right Uh. And it's
not just him, it's a multitude of people. There are
a bunch of guys in this room been and just
by nature what the d to injury or the playbook
like you mentioned, that will not play. And that's just
the end of it. So we'll see who emerges. And
I think it's just a state in college football been.
With Nio now playing a factor and with BYU being
able to recruit in the portal and recruit out of
high school, the high and the most impactful players, you're
gonna see a lot of that attrition. They're gonna be like, wait,
he's in the portal, Like, You're gonna see a lot
more of that. So Hopefully fans won't be surprised if
that does occur, because at the end of the day,
that's the name of the game. You gotta best ability
is availability, But then you got to make sure you're
putting in the work. It goes back to remember, you know,
Dion talked about a certain dB won't say his name,
but like he's like, you guys understand, I get film time,
Like I see, what if you're not putting in the work,
A coach is not gonna put you out there.
Speaker 2: Ben gotta gotta have that playbook down, and then you
gotta be willing and capable of actually blocking someone too
in order to get the reps. On the wide receiver
side of things. What have you noticed about Bear's growth
now that he's freshman year's oot, now we're getting into
sophomore season.
Speaker 3: I feel like he's becoming more comfortable, like around the guys,
more vocal and everything. And yeah, I'll just say that
just more comfortable, more vocal and leading the team more.
Speaker 2: I would say, just more comfortable, more comfy, more communicative.
That's Bear. He's holding the guys accountable more now, not
just playing, not just leading by example, but leading in
you know, by by word as well, and calling out
what he sees when he sees it. I think that's
important that the next step into leadership role. I think
when you first arrived, it's just like, hey, you got
to prove yourself through action. Now now it's holding others
accountable through vocal coaching. Kalanie mentioned you made a big
play today. What's the connection been like with Bear because
it was a little bit disrupted last year because of injury.
Speaker 3: It's been good. We're getting back a better connection. Just
trying to gel and get things right again. Since I
did miss the remainder of the season. Uh, we're throwing.
We're throwing a lot, like every chance we got during
winter ball. Uh, well, winter workouts and everything and in
now just springboard, just really on and in building our
relationship off the field too, which will make us better
on the field.
Speaker 2: So gotta build that chemistry, you know what you're saying.
For a much about it coming back from the pop
Tars Before the pop Tars Bowl, you had a great game.
How important was that for you after being injured for
so long.
Speaker 3: Uh, it helped me for sure gain my confidence back
because I'm not gonna lie like I kind of My
confidence is kind of kind of like going down a
little bit with me coming out dropping balls and just
not playing after a while and everything, and just the
collar bone and just like being scared of contact, not
scared contact a little bit, but just worrying about it.
But the Pop Tar Boyl really helped me a lot
going into this next season and everything.
Speaker 2: So gotta have that sweat, got to have that confiden
It's hard to have confidence when you're injured. He had
fourteen receptions last year, one hundred and sixty one yards,
and most of that came on the front end of
the season, although he did finish strong with that Georgia
Tech Pop Tarts Bawl. He did have three receptions versus UCF.
He had four receptions versus Georgia Tech, and that Pop
Tarts Bowl a great victory for the coops, no doubt
about it. All Right, guys, let's take a brief time out.
We'll be back though, delving into Camp Kalani Conversation more
BYU Basketball Talk and much more here on your Utah
ESPN Radio network. But that player profile, want to give
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