Speaker 1: This is something special for you.
Speaker 2: It's time for Cougar Score, part of Utah.
Speaker 1: E sp and Radio Network.
Speaker 3: Here's your host, Critical.
Speaker 1: Welcome into Kruger Sports here on one three nine ninety
eight three ESP and the fan, Ronald the three Man.
We were here going to be holding it down for
being criddle for the entire show, taking some time. I
was just to focus on the business. Going to introduce
my cos here, momentarily apologize for the delayed start. A
little ran into a little bit of us, some technical
difficulties issues, but we'll make it up for you guys.
In the back end, we promise. We're live from our
BANDWEBT Studios. Vanderwalth Away asked that your schedule a free
Q and a no obligation to invest with our tech
small wealth advisors, just smart and expert advice. Guys. Look,
we're almost towards that time Bowl season by you playing
in the pop Tars Bowl will take on Georgia Tech Saturday,
December seventeenth at three thirty pm Eastern time. That's when
kickoff will be. You're gonna have a star study cast.
Will discuss that more tomorrow who the broadcast will be,
and that we're going to keep it dialed in. We
appreciate what wherever you're tuning in from, whether it be
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remember Utah County. That's anywhere that where you haven't reached
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you're in salt Lake County. Now you need to switch
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the name because the station doesn't want us to say that.
So you gotta go to the from dial one O
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As always, remember tell your smart speaker, Hey smart speaker,
listen to Cougar Sports will Ben critical or Hey smarts speaker,
listen to the ESPN the Fan the app. You can
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a second. You can follow us at the station account
at ESPN the Fan and all of the polls and questions.
Today we'll be on Ben's account at Critle Benjamin. Well,
without further ado, I'm gonna fire up the ESPN the
Fans starting lineup. Now, get right into it, since we
are a little bit behind, and welcome in my right
hand man, the Blood. We do damage together on Monday
Wednesdays and Fridays on the Believe Network. Host of The
Believe In BYU former Byu Salar Report. I got Brett
always bringing the hammer with me. Brother, How are we
doing to day?
Speaker 4: I got a bone to pick with BYU and the
pop Tarts Bowl.
Speaker 1: Oh you got a bone?
Speaker 2: Here's why, I said, Babe, she was going to the
store yesterday.
Speaker 4: She's off because she's the teacher. Shout out to all
the teachers.
Speaker 1: Shout out to all the teachers.
Speaker 2: So she got off early, so she has it, doesn't
have the week work all this week. I said, hey,
I know you're going to Walmart. I said, we got
a pre game. Okay, we have the pop Tarts Bowl
on Saturday, and I frankly haven't had pop Tarts in
a few years. I said, we got to stock up
on pop tarts. She said, I got you. She went
to the store, she got the frosted strawberry, she got
the key Betty cupcake.
Speaker 4: She brought him home. She left. I came home after
doing the show yesterday. I get home and uh, Ron,
I don't know what happened. It was a blackout.
Speaker 2: Blur, but the next thing I know, I was already
two packs deep in.
Speaker 4: The hot Darts and I had already eaten four.
Speaker 2: And so I just know with Christmas, with some of
the baked goods that are gonna be flying around over
at my in laws, I already know I'm adding a
couple pounds.
Speaker 4: I didn't need.
Speaker 2: BYU to force me to eat these pop tarts to pregame,
and I'm gonna be eating even more on Saturday. So
I don't know what happened, but somehow I ended up
eating four pop Tarts yesterday.
Speaker 4: And we'll see if I go back to back when
I get home today.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Man, the Frost's strawberry is the oguh.
Speaker 4: Pop Tarts is to go Tom Brady of pop Tarts.
Speaker 1: Tom Brady of pop Tarts, Ye, one hundred percent that is.
It definitely is the goat. So I think the strawberry
is definitely the best one. I've been told the hot
coco you know by a sources that the hot cocoa
is good as well. Yes, I've been told by sources,
so I'll have to try some. Look, I'm gonna be
in Orlando. They're gonna have pop Tarts tasting on Friday
the twenty sixth, the day after Christmas, So I'm gonna
be doing some pop tart tasting. They're gonna have a
gormey for the media too, so treating us right there
at the pop Tars Bowl. So I appreciate them taking
care of us, but we're gonna take care of you guys.
To day. We got a star stead of cast might
switch up to nitty gritty. I think I heard it
from a little birdie. We're gonna find out what players
are gonna be maybe playing in the Pop Tards Bowl,
and what players might not be playing. So we'll get
to here momentarily, we'll discuss Kevin Young postgames sound depending
maybe a little bit of breaking news Jay Drew of
the Desert News, who join us at three oh five.
We're gonna get into post game sound from Richie Saunders
and Robert right at three thirty. Get caught up with them.
Richie scoring in double excuse me, not just double figures,
but scoring twenty points again. A couple of weird stats
for you guys that I'm also gonna put out there.
Richie now has had three three pointers or more. I
think it's twenty four times now in his career, which
is ninth all time weird stat for you. Brett Where's
to Today? Brought to you by vanderwalthbandewolf dot com. He
is now tied with Jackson Robinson, I think Mike Rose.
So that's just crazy that Richie has been what delivering
again and again on three point shots and look, I'm
telling you this guy has an opportunity to hit one
hundred and three. So we'll discuss that more of three thirty,
get into a little insider report, get into a little
war to BA sports at four h five or four
to thirty. Gonna welcome in Blaine Anderson, our financial advisor
over there at banda Wall. Will hear from him at
five oh five. Anson Wider, former YU men's basketball guard,
will join us at five oh five to talk some kbakata,
get an update on Washstatch Academy or a tournament still
be playing in, and get an update on Ans and
how he's been KBA Kaid of the impact and how
BYU's missed him and what he brings, and maybe even
ask him has he even seen the new guy Abdullah Mail,
what he can add to the team and his non
conference slated and BYU basketball, BAU Basketball's momentum. Excuse me.
We will also have Jared Bledsoe at five point thirty
to close out the show, the former BYUI receiver gonna
discuss how big of a deal is it having Notre
Dame and BYU in the home and home the receiver room.
What did they need from the portal? Maybe? What did
they need offensively from the portal? And generally along with
what they're bringing in, they're gonna bring in Devon Ecka,
gonna bring in Jared Pula Keenan Plue's gonna play on
the defensive side of the ball. Sounds like he'll play
at safety from what from what I hear, so that's
gonna matter. I've also heard rumblings, and I think you've
ard rumblings too, Brett, that b AU is going out
to get a receiver, but a big time receiver. Which
receiver would that be?
Speaker 2: Uh?
Speaker 1: Is that a receiver that's in the Conference Big twelve?
Chase Browns and in the conference there? You know b Yu,
Darius Lasher, Steel Tray Spivey needs to be in the
by uniform? Is it him? Is it a receiver from
the Big ten?
Speaker 4: Uh?
Speaker 1: You know Oregon a dB just went into the portal.
There's LDS ties Texas a linebacker went in. He's an
LDS kid, so who will join BYU. That's a little
bit more of a discussion in the next couple of
weeks as the season finishes up, but we'll touch on
it with Jared in the five thirty segment and then
it will close out and wrap it up well without
further ado, let's get right into the nitty gritty brought
to you by Complete Circuit Electric Utah dot com and gentlemen,
way I please pre send that downsas that interpretation of.
Speaker 3: The one to one too.
Speaker 1: So anyways, let's get that nitty gritty always brought to
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eight zero one, four hundred zero eight eight five complete
circuit Electric Utah dot com. All right, we might shift
a little bit. We're gonna still discuss some Kevin Young
postgame sound but uh kilane soa Taki excuse me, discusses
the status of l J. Martin. I got I got
word late last night that hey, LJ might not might
not you know, play, And I'm like, what do you
mean might not play?
Speaker 4: Uh?
Speaker 1: You know, people like is he gonna opt out? Kolonie
gives us an update. Let's hear from Kline Sataki on
the status this is practice and being at practice today,
on the status of l J Martin him going into
the ball game. Let's tune in.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean usual, we're gonna have their lean on
some of the young guys, you know, and then obviously
we we needed we have some great depth on the
team and uh with with with LJ not being able
to play in this game. I think everybody kind of
knows that there's the uh, there's a there was a
small window for him to get the surgery done, and
so you know, his decision is going to be whether
he comes back and plays the senior year or whether
he goes to the NFL. So with that in mind,
there was a small window where he could have the
surgery done now or if he had to wait, then
it would prolong it too long where it wouldn't be
beneficial for him either way. So with that being said,
I mean, he's been with us the entire time when
the practices. He's recovering at home right now, but then
he'll be back out here to watch these guys and
cheer on his brothers on Saturday. So bearing those guys,
we were gonna have to rely on some depth from
the running back room. But for the most part, we
should have a lot of the guys. Some guys are
still nursing some injuries and they need to prep this
week to get ready for the game.
Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, Brett, there it is right. I said
we would switch. We'll get into the Kevin youngsownd maybe
in the three thirty segment, do a prolonged so we're
may able to get into insatur orfore we need to
push that back because this is some big time breaking
news updated for US. LJ. Martin, you know, I said,
you guys, I got pinged last night of he might
not play. I was confirmed on the confident, was waiting
for Kilane to say something, and here it is. He's
not gonna play. He had surgery. I can confirm he
definitely had the surgery. It was a small short window
per Kalanne, and he's not gonna participate in this game.
He will be out there, will recover. He is in
high hopes, he is in high spirits that people want
to know why. That's That's all I really say on
the matter in regards to Lj's injury. But now, like
Klanie said, Brett got to make a decision. Is he
gonna come back, which I've heard rumblings that you know,
there's a good chance he could come back, but he's
not gonna play, not gonna play in this game. Brett.
Your reaction to Kilanie's saying this, I'll ask you the question,
big deal, not a big deal, especially with Bear getting
rolled up on it. At Texas Tech game. I think
Bear is gonna be more on the extremely healthy side
above eighty percent. But how big of a deal is
this BYU gonna be out there leading rusher the Big
twelve offensive player of the year in LJ.
Speaker 2: Martin, I feel like this bite not be a popular
take and I'm fine a ride or die with this today,
but I don't I don't know if it's a big
deal because emotionally, ron all of my emotional energy was
tied up in the Big Twelve championship.
Speaker 4: And not making the playoffs.
Speaker 2: Everything after that is kind of a Hey, I'm really
glad we have it, but it's not really like.
Speaker 4: End of the world game breaking for me.
Speaker 2: So emotionally, to me, it's not a huge deal because
win or lose against Georgia Tech, you're still not competing
for a national championship. And that's not a take at
by you, like, that's just the reality of the situation
that we're living in right now. As far as it
goes for the game on Saturday, when you add in
the idea that Bear may not be one hundred percent
for this game on Saturday, even though we're pretty sure
he's going to play here's what makes this interesting, Ron.
Speaker 4: This is the first.
Speaker 2: Game we've had this season, I believe where LJ Martin
didn't start the game. Every other game that we've watched
this season, we saw him play a couple of games
last year or missed a couple games last year. But
this year, every time he played, every time, every game
they had, we knew we were going to have him.
And the one game that you didn't have him was
really Iowa State, and that one by you just kind
of turned it on and said, hey.
Speaker 4: We're gonna throw the football.
Speaker 2: So it'll be interesting to see the game plan BYU
comes up with knowing they're not going to have LJ
coming into the game, and how does that affect them
going forward because they also may not have bear to
run the football. So will they just go, hey, we're
gonna throw the football. What are they gonna do? I'm
gonna be really curious to see how BYU decides to
move forward with this knowing they're not gonna have LJ.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you bring up a good point, right of I'm
interested to see this too. What do they do? The
Iowa State game is a I love to take. LJ
started the game but got hurt, easier to adjust. Okay,
it's gonna throw the football, yep, Now it's okay, how
do we game plan without him? So there's a difference.
You scrap the game plan and say, let's just go
to this. You're bringing in a new game plan that honestly,
and look, I don't want to be negative, but could
that game plan even be successful? Sometimes it's good to
just have to make adjustments on the fly and live
with the results. Could be the case if you need
to air the ball out against Georgia Tech. I think
that they could do the same thing they did to
Iowa State, especially with the way the defense plays now.
Rock Lebec is not as mobile as you know, Haines King,
So that's gonna be a little bit of a different challenge.
The defense is really gonna have to be locked in.
But if they need to throw this the football on
Georgia Tech, they can do it. They got Chase Robbers,
who's healthy. They got Parker Kingston. Jojo Phillips, you know,
doesn't need to learn how to not you know, catch
the ball in his chest with his hands like a
triangular shape. I hate to be critical and judgmental, but
that's just the truth. But he's out there. He's a
guy who's been in the system. He's great in the
run blocking game. Is this a game where you rely
on Tatanicou and Reggie Fishnick you unload the chopper. Look,
there's nothing that you can show in this ball game
that guys are gonna go back and look at on tape.
You know, next season they're gonna be like, you know, yep,
when they got this guy, they're gonna run this exact
play bo. He's gonna have a brand new, brand new
wide receivers, brand new titands. The game plan is gonna
be completely different. So if I'm ray Rod, I would
show not everything deep in your playbook. I would show
some good things. Show something with Reggie Freshneck, show something
with Tatanikua. Get on those guys le Mason and Dahmer
in the portals so they're not gonna be playing in
trappling in this game. Go ahead and showcase that. So
I'm with you, Brett is who do they know? Young
guys need to step up. We've been asking for we've
been joking about it. Logan pain dad plays. Is this
a game that he plays in? Is this a game
where Sioni Moye is healthy. Brett, you've been waiting to
see that. We know what he is capable of doing,
but we haven't seen it. Can he do that in
this game? Can they rely on? He played well in
the last year and Ala mobowler I thought in the
reps that he had I didn't think he played terrible.
So what can what can give you? We'll find out
pressing rexcat back, he's gonna have an opportunity. Who with
LJ being out and Devon Echa coming in and going
to the port. I just want to tell the bo
you running back. So I know they're not listening, but
I want to tell the fans this, there's an opportunity
to put your name in the conversation of more playing
time for next season. Who's going to do it? Is
my question? Because if LJ comes back, he's taking majority
of the garries, not all of them, right, Brett and
then Devon Ekka. We've heard from Will Snowden on the show.
We have heard from his offensive line coach Jason Anderson.
He's gonna come in and play and be an impact player.
They expect him to play. An Roticas likes what he
sees in them.
Speaker 4: We have.
Speaker 1: We have to talk to Harvey to see what Harvey likes.
But I guarantee TJ. Woods and Harvey Junger are gonna
like him. He's more flashy, so you're not gonna This
is how the college athletics works. They're always bringing in
someone to up the position better and take your spot.
They're always thinking about the future. If you don't want
someone to take your spot. And this is what the
mongoose will say, Benjamin J. Criddle, you know, well Walt Williams,
you know, with a joke about that, don't let him
take your spot. Or if somebody goes down, step up
in a big moment, you want to talk about the
goat strawberry pop tarts. Tom Brady, I mean a guy
got hurt and they went with Tom and never looked
back after that. Granted, there was a little bit of
you know, age and injury and other things playing in
a factor, but the point of the principle is the same.
When you get your opportunity to make the most of it.
Tom Brady always said that don't squander that because it's slim.
Same thing goes in college football now because Brett, you
and I talk about it all the time, and you
always are reminded me, Ron, this is like the pros
though you're getting paid. This is what it is. This
is a business. It's no longer what it used to
be back in the day. Yeah, you still want to
play for a coach, all that matters, but they're bringing
in guys to up your position. So does Sione step
up Brett? Does Preston Rex step up? Does Joe Vessa
De Mooney, Steffuse Logan pains? Is someone this Charles mus is.
It's someone that we don't know will step up. We're
gonna find out, but you will have the opportunity. Now
Kalani was declared of Brett, lj's not gonna play. Had
the surgery. Small window was the best time from to
get it. Remember that was the shoulder that he dinged up,
so got surgery on that took care of it. So
he's good for next season or the NFL Draft, whatever
LJ decides to do. But LJ will not participate in
this game. RB one, the Big Twelve offensive player of
the year, will not suit up for the Pop Tarch Ball.
Speaker 2: Here's what's I mean significant is we had this conversation
yesterday with Abdullah Ahmed where we said. It tells you
a lot about Kevin Young and his decision making and
what he sees in Abdullah. The fact that Abdullah has
had one and a half practices and they're willing to
throw him out there and play. It tells me the
complete opposite ron when we've seen this BYU football team
through thirteen games now, in an opportunity when you needed
a running back, when Bear was hurt and LJ was hurt.
Speaker 4: And you still didn't go to somebody.
Speaker 2: That tells me that either you wanted to save guys
for red shirts, which I don't know. I haven't gone
back in the numbers and looked at Joe Vesa in Preston,
so I don't know how much I would buy that, or.
Speaker 4: It tells me we're not super duper confident.
Speaker 2: And maybe that's you're not confident because they haven't gotten
the reps, because they've been hurt a number of other things.
Speaker 4: But you can't dispute to me. You can't tell me
both things.
Speaker 2: You can't tell me I'm really confident in the running
back room and then also tell me when we need
the running back room, we didn't put them out on
the field in a game like Texas Tech, in a
game like Iowa State, And so to Kialani's point, this
is kind of a show at moment. You don't have
any other options. You can't just say, hey, what's a
band aid. We can stick on this thing until we
get out of the game. No, you're going into it
knowing you are not going to have LG. You're going
into it knowing Bear may not be one leg wise,
so what is going to be your game plan? And
then partially which you talked about a little bit, if
LJ decides to go to the NFL, then what's the
answer Because you don't have a five star running back
coming in. And I believe Devon Ekka has the talent
to be a high level player, But that's putting all
of your eggs in one basket. If you're talking about
guys who aren't here now, maybe you're thinking about a
guy who's in the portal. Maybe somebody else is going
to be coming in from a school we are unaware of.
That's possible, But it just when I when I contrast
what I saw Kevin Young do with Abdullah Ahman, and
I understand the basketball is different, but the idea of
I'm confident in this guy, so I'm putting him out there.
Speaker 4: It's it feels like a little bit of the opposite with.
Speaker 2: The running situation with BYU and honestly, Ron, we're kind
of running out of.
Speaker 4: Excuses at this point.
Speaker 2: Because we kept saying it, we kept saying it, we
kept saying it. And the Texas Tech game, Bear Bachmeier
is hurt, he's clearly not one hundred percent, and you
don't have a true deep run game to lean into.
So when I see all of that add together, then
you mix in lj's surgery and not being able to play,
then I wonder, Okay, what is your solution.
Speaker 4: Going to be this Saturday?
Speaker 2: Are you suddenly gonna find belief in these guys or
are you going to be forced to say, hey, we
gotta throw you out there? Is Sione Moa maybe back
to one hundred percent and maybe he.
Speaker 4: Can carry that load.
Speaker 2: Maybe I don't know what the answer is, but I
truly hope that BYU has a tightened up game plan
for this game against Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you have to wonder what will the game plan be?
What will it look like? Now you can throw the ball,
you know, you can, but you gotta can't just completely
abandoned the run. Have to run it somewhat. So we're
gonna find out. We will find out if those that
are just tuning in to the one on three nine
or ninety a three FM dial just played the Kilani
SoundBite of l J. Martin is not gonna participate in
this game. He's going to be out. Had surgery on
that shoulder, the one that got dinged up in that
tex what is the Iowa State game? I'm pretty sure
at Texas Tech game, you know, and he's not gonna
not gonna be playing. Had to have surgery in that window.
Had to make a decision.
Speaker 4: He did.
Speaker 1: He's in high hopes from what I hear from my
sources and the people that I talked to, LJ will
be at the game per Kalani to cheer his brothers on.
Now a decision has to be made. But to Brett's point,
even with Devon Ekka, you don't want to LJ. Martin
situation all over again. You don't want to put all
the eggs and all your eggs in the basket and
put so much pressure on a freshman who I think
it's capable of doing it. Who is coming in for
a reason. There's a reason you signed him. There's a
reason why will Snowden was declared of one. That he
can make an impact. Lukhn feels the same way. Who's
joined our program and this is a good running back.
Could this be the next you know version or type
of a Jamal You know Williams? Can he have that elusiveness,
that explosivity. We're gonna find out, you know, if he's
gonna what he's gonna do. He will be at springball.
We had him on the show a couple of weeks
of excuse me a couple of weeks ago. Last week
I apologized, and he's gonna be there. He is graduating
him a legend. Are both gonna enroll at b YU
and the winter, be there for winter semesters and gonna
start to participate and lift with the team. And Devon
says he wants to get after it in the weight room.
Even if he does all of that and is RB
two next season, Uh, excuse me, RB one next season
if LJ doesn't come back or RB two. You want
a bigger two punch. Look look at the NFL looking
out college football. You need a one two punch in
college football and at the league, you need a power
You need a power back like LG that just is
able to bruise people up. And you need that guy
that has that explosiveness, your scat back that is very dynamic,
that can still hit the holes like Devan. You still
need to go get more in the portal. But we'll see.
You have to wonder. You have to wonder if Devon
was able to play right now, wuld he play in
this game. I'm just throwing stuff out there to have
talking points. But the point is, you know the depth
at running back, what is it gonna look like? Who
will need to step up? Will stop? We'll ask that
question specifically in the next segment. We'll put it as
our pollar today. I'll get breads thoughts are, I'll get
my thoughts on the matter as well. Need to discuss
who's gonna be RB one now who in the depth
We're gonna pull up the depth chart, get names, get faces,
discuss all of that in our polar day. Excuse me,
in our question today and our pollar day coming up next,
because it is a hot topic of discussion. Having to
move some things around. Killane saying LJ will not play.
Big deal, not a big deal. I guess we'll find
out against Georgia Tech. I'm gonna say this is a concern.
This is a big deal because you haven't seen anything
from the other running backs. You've seen moments, but you
haven't truly seen the moment. This is the moment I
was afraid of. Now it is the Bowl game. Luckily,
is not the season I always feared what would happen
NFLJ didn't play in the game. Now, luckily he was
able to do what he did. And if that just
makes the Cincinnati game more impressive, Brett and everything into
scouts and it should be for the fact that he
had offseason surgery and I know a bunch of guys
do that where they play hurt, but for the plact
that he played with that and did what he did
to Cincinnati where he was sticking dudes with his helmet.
He broke like I think, what three mouthpieces. He was
just wrecking people. He deserves a lot of credit. LJ
should be highlighted. He should be given the award on
the BAU team and in the Big Twelve Conference for
the most toughest player of the year. In my opinion
because to go out there with that. I know he
had the Texas Tech Game where he maybe wasn't confident,
but after that he's like, oh, I can play with it.
Just said screw it man. He was lighting people up.
So we're gonna find out. We will find out, but
we will take a brief time out. We will go
to break, don't go any where. Coming up next, we'll
discuss that question of who needs to step up in
the running back room with LJ. Martin not participating in
the Pop Tards Bowl. And if you think this is
in our Polar Day, big deal, not a big deal,
let us know what you think. On Critle Benjamin, we
will go to break. That was Yourneddy Gritty. That was
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electric Utah dot Com. We'll take a brief time out.
Let's pay some bills, don't go anywhere. It's not that long, guys,
not that long. We'll be back in one hundred and
twenty seconds right here on your Utah ESPN Radio Network
one O three nine in ninety eight three ESPN. Just
like a Cougar football team, Ben Quittle was piled and
since two thousand and nineties built himself into the go
to source on the radio and online for all things
Space is Cougar Sports with Ben Kret one three nine
at ninety eight three ESPNS. Misle, welcome back to Cougar
Sports here on one O three ninety. We might not
have snow, but there'll be presents around the tree. I'm
run up the three man Weaver Reno is bringing the
hammer on my side.
Speaker 4: Fine.
Speaker 1: Bringing us back from the break is I'll Be Home
for Christmas by Bing Crosbie the Little Classic. It's Christmas time?
Will you be home for Christmas? L? J. Martin will
not be home for b y U A little bittersweet,
but everybody else on the team would be back for Christmas,
and Perkalani, others are still nurses some injuries, if all.
Speaker 4: So we had Zach on the show. Zach was producing
the show yesterday.
Speaker 2: And he did a phenomenal jo to Zach, and Zach
had a take that at the time I didn't know
I agreed with him. Then hearing this, I realized I
do agree with.
Speaker 4: Zach, I know, and I feel bad.
Speaker 2: I feel like I've done a lot of things to
already not make the fans.
Speaker 4: Happy in just thirty minutes being on the radio here early.
I'm not a big old school Christmas music guy.
Speaker 2: I need I need Kelly Clarkson, I need Sia, I
need I need Maclamore like I need the Jonas Brothers.
I need popping hype me up, have a good time
kind of Christmas, that type of Christmas music, Like, that's
the stuff I imagine is playing only on Sunday when we're
trying to be reverend in the house or when I'm
when I'm like trying to take a nap.
Speaker 4: That feels like good nap music.
Speaker 2: And I realized it's his precle and it's with the
culture everything.
Speaker 4: But yeah, like this like this is this is Christmas
to me, like having a good time shout out to
Riah Carey song legends. What must that be like to?
Speaker 2: Like, I know Mariah Carey had other things outside of
this song, but she's basically like famous for a month
and a half out of the year, and I wonder I'm.
Speaker 4: Curious, like how that affects her revenue and all kinds
of things.
Speaker 2: But yeah, I'm not an old school Christmas music guy,
but I but I assume that you are.
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, I mean I listened to it like if
it's around the houses, like playing when I'm like cooking
and things like that. Because I associate music with this
is gonna sound bad. I hope I'm not promoting anything
bad and I hope I don't get in trouble. But
I associate music of how I associate dancing, uh movements
and yeah, exactly, you know, like why like what in
his way? Well here's look, it's all about energy, that's why.
Speaker 4: You know.
Speaker 1: It's all about you know, pro you know, multiply and replenishing.
I associated with that stuff.
Speaker 2: It's all about that there, right, It's not all about.
Speaker 1: There are other parts that could be about but like
the songs that like, I shouldn't act like all of
my music that way because I have some stuff that
just pumps me up. I don't want people thinking that
when I go to the gym. But like I associate
like music, like with the correlation of getting you know,
having a result something pumped up and having basically getting
hyped about something. So when I listen to big Christmas
music like this or playing like games, you know, being competitive,
when I go to the gym working out at energy, yes, exactly,
the music magic, and I'm cool with that.
Speaker 2: I just I guess I just don't have that much.
That energy is not Christmas for me. But I can understand.
I understand what you're saying. And I see that.
Speaker 1: Because when I'm cutting you know, onions up in mind,
I'm crying, you know, all beholdful career like that correlates
I feel like to you know, depression. I guess it's
my eyes are burning. No, no, but yeah, so shiate music
with energy and that a lot of people like oh
Ronald the Three Male Weavers just a you know, a
horny bumb like. No, that's not what I'm saying. I
correlate that with that. That's just how it is. Anyway,
I mac music with energy, and my energy is very high,
you know, so you got to go to Game Day
Men's Health and get your testosterone levels check out. Anyway,
the point is, I agree with you some Christmas music
is too slow. That's a very slow song, like I'm
okay if you come into the house, that's what it is.
If you're reading a book, fitting the moment as well.
But if you're playing games of family. You know, there's
a game called NRKS that I got introduced to a
few years ago with my wife's family, you should not
be playing that song. I do agree with you guys
on that. So the music does need to match the
moment as well. And if you're playing Cover your Assets,
that's not a all to be home for Christmas? Is
Mariah Carey, get pumped up and make sure that you're
holding the golden silk, because that is in the air.
He said that out for blood only. Hey, I don't
blame you that you should be out for blood. Look,
Cover your assets breaks up marriages. The gold card has ripped.
Everybody knows it is. My wife refuses to tape it
up or get a new deck. She says, no, people
must understand that you lied in that moment to win,
because you're a liar. To win games, you cheat at
all costs. And I say, look, I'm just doing the
same stuff that all college football coaches are doing. I
just didn't get caught. Don't be mad. You're mad that
you just didn't catch me. I still got the dub. Anyway,
that was your band of today, guys. I'll be Home
for Christmas by Bing Crosby. That was brought to you
by roll on By Brand as the bay swack created
by the fans for the fans, always ripped the why
the right way? Get your official BYU license apparel at
roll on me brand dot com. Use that discount code
ESPN nine to sixty you'll get ten percent off your
order online. All right, Brett, let's get right into it.
The question who from the running back room needs to
step up? With LJ. Martin not participating in the pop
tars Ball. You can say what you want. You can say, oh,
why are you talking about it? He's not going to play,
he ain't gonna dress, so therefore somebody else has to
get the carries. Is it going to be on a more?
Will we see this?
Speaker 4: Ye?
Speaker 1: Anymore? That we saw in the Kansas State game last year.
He's been plagued by a number of injuries. You feel
bad for him. Is it going to be Press and Rex?
We've seen flashes, We've seen Joe Vessa de Mooney have
a couple of nice moments. Is it going to be
someone else? Will it be Charles Miska? Will it be
Logan Pain? Who do you see stepping up on Saturday?
Because even with Bear being I would say one hundred
percent healthy, you don't want Bear taking all of those hits.
So somebody needs to be the RB one need to
be LJ like Esque Or is it going to be
by committee? Brett? What are you feeling?
Speaker 4: I don't know, Ron, I don't know.
Speaker 2: Usually our job is to sit here and just talk,
even if we don't believe it, even if we don't
buy it.
Speaker 4: Our job is to sit here and talk.
Speaker 2: And the more I truly think about it, the more
I come back to the answer of I don't know.
I know who it could be, I know who I
think it should be, but who it will be is
not a question that I feel like I have a
real genuine answer to. Only because what we talked about
just minutes ago which is if BYU felt that confident
in somebody, wouldn't we have seen that person getting meaningful
reps in some of these big time games. Like I thought,
we heard in one of the media availabilities all Preston Rex,
Preston Rex, and then the worst kept secret in town
was Hey, prest and Rex, prest and Rex, and then
he got like three carries. And we've heard plenty and
seen plenty of Joe Vessa Demuni's athleticism. He was the
guy who was hurtling people in the in the scrimmage
earlier in the year, but we haven't really seen him
get carries. And they said it's not because he's fumbled
the football, but I haven't seen him get carried since then.
So I sit here and I think about it, like
there's a lot of guys who make sense. I guess
what I'm most hopeful for. Honestly, truly, Ron, I hope
Si Moa is a full go because even in that
Texas Tech game when we thought he would be a
full go, he really wasn't because if he was, they
would have given him the ball more. And I don't
know what the reasoning was for that. Clearly we don't
have all the answers. I guess, if I have to
gut into my head pick somebody, my money goes down
on Sion Moa only because I feel like that's the
answer that should be the right one. But you are
really sitting here and having to take a good hard
look at this running back room and weighing potential versus
reality and actual production. Like if we I'm gonna pull
up the running back stats on the season right now,
because we have a lot of guys that you kind
of have to I don't know, not Eliminade, but we
know you're like a big majority of your carries you're
losing going into this game. I guess basically is what
I'm saying. So your number one rusher obviously was el
Jim Martin. Your number two rusher was bar Bachmeier n one.
Oh my gosh, I can't believe that this is true.
Do you know who's third on the team in total
rush yards this season?
Speaker 4: Run?
Speaker 1: I'm gonna take a guess in between Parker Kingston or
Sam Vanderhar.
Speaker 4: Okay, so it's Parker Kingston. Do you know who's fourth
in carries on this team?
Speaker 1: I'm gonna say Sam Vanderhar Cody Hagen.
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, I forgot about Cody Hagen, fifth on this
team in rushing.
Speaker 1: Man, I'm gonna have to thank goodness gracious U trying
to think Cody Parker. Who else has been using the
jet sweep? No, they haven't used Jojo on the run game.
Speaker 4: I'll just help you out here.
Speaker 1: It's oh yeah, good played in the chexas Tech Bogus.
Speaker 2: Had eighteen carries this season run. If you just go
by carries l J. Martin one, Bear Bachmeyer two, Parker
Kingston three. The fact that there's only one running back
in your top three rushers and top three guys in
carries is a.
Speaker 4: Little bit concerning.
Speaker 2: And again, this isn't the end of the world, because
this is your last game of the season, but unless
you have and look, we know they're very good in
the portal, we know they're great at recruiting and all
that good stuff, and we know the nil budget apparently
has been bumped up. But I'm just saying, this is
the conversation we were having four weeks into the season
when Lucky Fenw was like fourth on the team and carries.
You're sitting here saying the same thing. In the last
game of the season to say, Ron, there is one
running back in the top three of the Seamon carries
and rushing yards, and you're losing l J. Martin running
the football for this game. And Bear Bachmeier probably isn't
gonna be running the ball as much in this game.
So who do you lean on because you're not lining
up Parker in the gun? And look, I love Preston,
I love Joe Mesa. Preston has thirteen carries. Joe Vessa
has twelve carries. It almost felt like anytime those guys
were in the game, you knew they were passing the ball.
Speaker 4: They were just there for protection. And by the way,
Lucky for Now.
Speaker 2: Has eight carries, So he has four or five less
than Preston or Joe Vessa, not that far off. There's
not a lot of experience this season in terms of
rushing the football.
Speaker 1: No, not a lot. And that's that's that's that's why
we've talked about it all season long, Brett, and it's
just going to be the game that plagues him by
not having running backs. I don't think so a Rod.
I trust in him. He's too brilliant of offensive mind
and a coordinator to do so. This offensive skin is
too dynamic to be handicapped. But it is going to
probably have a few wrinkles, maybe a couple of trick
plays that Georgia Tech isn't going to be ready for.
Maybe you might see the Parker Kingston double pass, might
see the double or the Tornado reverse that they were
killing it at the beginning of the season. But that also,
you know, has to be that has to happen because
of how well you run the football and you don't
have LJ. So we'll see what happens. But I trust
an a Rod to throw some wrinkles in, but I
need the players in offensive line to execute. The boys
up front are gonna have to get a strong push.
It would be nice, like you said, Brett to see
and it comes down. I believe to him. There's two
guys who I'm putting this on to run the football hard.
I know he's not LG, but he can still maneuver,
you know, really well. I need to have somewhere Brett,
you know in that ten to fifteen carries for fifty
to seventy yards. If he can do that, if he
can be you know productive, excuse me enough like that
you run bear a few times, and you add in
the second guy who I think is pressing Res. You
add in those guys to do that and maybe get
press Rex in the flat a couple of times. You
give him a couple of tosses and pitches that option
that they do that option pitch. I think that could
really spur b Why use offense? But yeah, those are
the only two guys really like And it might even
be by committee. They might even throw Joe Vessa. They
might throw a bunch of different guys.
Speaker 4: I remember, I guess they Enich, we haven't really he.
Speaker 1: Needs a hybrid. Yeah, Enich is a hybrid. They could
they could. Look. I would love for them to throw
Logan paint out there and let a guy who's willing
to go be a bruiser who was literally liked what
the six a Russian leader and you know who was
playing phenomenal in high school ball, A guy that's proven
that he did at the high school level. Let him
give an opportunity to let him showcase it in this game.
You never know what you have in there. People never
thought they knew what they had with Tyler ours year
to look what happened. Logan could be one of those guys,
but you never know unless you play the guy. Until
you found out Sin Tyler had to go pay his
bills and said, hey, look, I'm gonna have to quit football,
and they said, no, no, no, we like you. Let's
find a place for you and lo and behold they did.
So maybe Logan needs to say I have to go
focus on real life for them to give an opportunity.
Maybe he's not healthy. I don't know, but I think
that's a guy that I look at that I'm like,
I've seen him, you know, when he was in springball
and fall camp, had a few moments, a few hihights
where I'm like, that guy I think can play. Where's
he at? Look this, if you're a rod, everybody's getting touches.
Let Harvey know. Let the running back. Look, we're gonna
go with this game plan. But whoever has the hot hand,
we're gonna feed him. So if Logan you get hot,
you're in Charles mtskive. You get hot, you're gonna get
the football. Enick now a hey way, if you're hot,
you're gonna get it. Joe Ves, if you're hot, we're
gonna give it to you. There's a multitude of guys
in this room that can get hot. The question is
which one will take over? And I agree with you.
I'm backing up your point. You've been in the room,
uh one of you've been in the room as one
of the most ten tenured guy on the team, a leader.
I expect you to step up. Preston Rex making a position,
I mean blame Fowler and people are raving and about
Preston and fall camp Ierro brought him up multiple times.
Let this be the game that he really breaks off
and you can see it. So we'll find out, Bratt,
We'll find out way more obviously if who will play
on Saturday, who will be the first guy out there.
But I'm with you. I think you see number thirty
in Cougar blue go out there with the last named
MOA on this jersey, and I think you're gonna see
Preston Rex and a bunch of other guys contribute. But
we'll find out. Because this is gonna be tough. This
is gonna be one of their toughest challenge challenge is
not having LJ. But I think this can go well
and turn into a positive if you can run the
football with these guys without LJ. The guys that you
bring in, you know you will be at a run
the football. You're gonna lose Isaiah Jada, but you're bringing
in bot Mulatala. You're bringing a bunch of other people.
Kalani is rarely declared if it says that bat can
compete immediately right away. So you think about on one side,
Andrew Gentry, You're you're gonna lose Whalen, but you'll get
Bruce back. Joe Brown is in the mix of a
bunch of guys coming in, So you have to think
the offensive line is gonna beefed up more. And if
you're able to find a running back. It always it's
always two, right, Brett. It's always two guys that are
emerged from the group that you have and everybody else doesn't.
So out of all these guys, which two guys will emerge?
Will it be Sooni? And Preston will be Preston and
Jovesa will be Joe Vesa And we don't know, We
don't know, But to me, I think that's what it
comes down to. I think two of these guys will
be able to cement themselves in this running back room
or what they want to add and I think the
other ones might not. But we're gonna find out in
four days.
Speaker 4: Brent, Yeah, we will. And here's the only good news
that I have for you.
Speaker 2: Georgia Tech has one of the worst rushing defenses in
the ACC.
Speaker 1: Yes, they doing up one hundred.
Speaker 2: And seventy yards per game on the ground, and they're
about average when it comes to defending the past two
hundred and twenty seven yard through the air.
Speaker 4: That was a ninth in the ACC this season.
Speaker 2: So that gives you a little bit of hope that
you're not having to come in and play like a
Georgia run defense or an Ohio State run defense. But
that doesn't guarantee success, that doesn't guarantee carries, that doesn't
guarantee confidence. And to your point, you need a little
bit of this because what a little bit of what
you see in this game is hopefully going to be
the future of what you see in your twelve games
next year. So you really need to find something, some hints,
some whatever works against Georgia Tech in order to have
some idea, idea of what.
Speaker 4: You're gonna have nine months from now.
Speaker 2: So the good news is, again you have a Georgia
Tech team who's not a jugger, not on the run game.
Speaker 4: But it's a bowl game.
Speaker 2: Man, anything can happen, and you need to find the
future of your run game.
Speaker 1: How to find the future of the run game? Are
there two guys from this group that could emerge? They
could emerge? And if so, who are they? What say?
Ukugar Nation will have Rett put that out there. LJ
Martin not gonna participate in the Bowl game out do
with the shoulder surgery. Kaline confirmed that he will be
at the game cheering them on. Got that shoulder surgery
in that small window. I assume that is for his
future for if he decides to go to the NFL.
Also if he decides to come back next season, that
had to have happened. This is the perfect time. Look
and I hate to bring up this in the wife.
LJ still decides where he's like, oh, I'm gonna go
to the NFL. Eddie Hacker got derailed with this bro
This is so unfortunate. Remember Eddie got an injury where
he broke his foot and it was a little bit
later and it was during I think his training process
that sucked. And this was a moment where you know,
this is a blessing I think in disguise, because whatever
LJ picks Brett, this is a blessing in disguise because
he got it right away. He knew that the bowl
game wasn't as important. And I don't want people to
start theating that. Well, if you're saying ball games are
not important, round you said it. But for this guy,
he's looking at his future of if I come back,
that's more important than the Pop Tarts Bowl. He's looking
like that doesn't matter, you know, and he's still going
to be there and he's done enough. But this was
important for him for the future, whether the NFL is
this next season or the season after, or if it's
to come back for a senior season. He needed to
do this. So he gets it done. Now, it's a
full off season to recover. Hecking. He might be even
good bye, not good by spin ball, but he might
be working a little bit. He'll definitely be good by
fall camp. This is a smart decision by LJS. So
I don't want anybody out there thinking, oh, why did
he do this? I think he needed to do this
Brett for the future of himself.
Speaker 4: Yeah he did. I don't think I might.
Speaker 2: Yes, is there's no fans we're gonna hold this against
him that he's not gonna play, especially because we don't
know if he's staying or going, so especially if he
does this and he stays, then certainly no fans will
hold it against him because he's trying to get better
for next season.
Speaker 4: But even if he does.
Speaker 2: Go, no one should hold him against hold this against
him anyway because he's trying to do what's best for
him and frankly, he's done what's best for the fans
all season long. But running the ball in a way
that makes you Big Twelve Offensive Player of the Year,
LJ deserves all the support in the world.
Speaker 4: And yeah, like it.
Speaker 2: Is, it is a bowl game. Bowl games do matter,
but this isn't the Big twelve championship. So shout out
to LJ for getting the work done that he needs
to and doing what's best for him in his future.
Speaker 1: Shout out to the Thompsons a listening. I just received
the message at this tech message. Come on, Ron, we
all know you're a horny bum. We love you, good
work on the radio, etc. Loved the Thompsons.
Speaker 4: That's wild.
Speaker 1: Look the Thompson's known me from my days of look
back in the Chicago days where maybe you know this
is where the where I go by Ron. Now that
was Ronald, maybe the alter ego to say premission. I
start go by Ron now before it's funny. Whenever you
meet someone from Chicago, talk to my family, they will
all they call me mister Weaver. They call me Ronald.
No one will ever call me Ron. I started going
by Ron once I got here because I said, hey,
I need to switch things up after a long after
long two years of repenting. You know, but I was
a new man in Christ right, you know everything you
know I got sitt on the covenant. You know, I
participate in my callings. Now I'm not chasing you know
back of the time. Don't want this to be prefaced
the wrong way. I was fourteen to eighteen chasing the
young woman at that moment. Don't want people think I'm
doing that now. Got to preface it because somebody will pull,
you know how people cutting editing and tape things. But
I I dated everybody in my in my stake, and
I even dated others and other stakes. I I I
was not one that had no confidence. I was maybe
too confident and had to be humbled a few times,
probably a little bit of arrogance and ego, but the
Mitchell humbled me and said, you are not anything and
you can't do anything without me the Lord. So shout
out to the Thompsons and listening and appreciate them showing
love for the show. But that is true, that is true.
But it's all about the music, the music in my bones.
Alvin and the Chimunks should have maybe played that I'll
be Home for Christmas. Should have played that one anyway, guys,
But that's our question today. What do you think? Where
are you following with it? Who do you think is
gonna be? Preston Jovessa, Charles miska Enich now he weigh
logan pain or is there another one that I miss?
Chiming on ex That cridle Benjamin, let us know what
you think. We gotta go to break. We gotta get
to Jay Drew on a flip. Don't go anywhere on
you touch that F and dial if you touch it,
a judo chopping on the throat. I want to judo
chopping in the throat if you're on the AM dial.
I know I wouldn't say it, but I saw someone
the other day on it, and I said, stop doing that.
Stop doing that, because you're gonna make me. You know,
you're gonna turna get. You're gonna get Ronald Backer. Ronald
was a very Uh. He might've had some anger management issues.
That's all I'm gonna say. He might have had that.
But again, you can do all things through Christ, who
strengthens you, you know who. You can also do stuff through
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here at ESPN the Fan. We'll go to break, don't
go anywhere. We'll be back in about five minutes. Ja
drew on a flipping the Little Cougar Beet discussing the
Pop Tarts Bowl and maybe a little basketball coming up
next right here on one O three nine. In ninety eight,
three ESP