Speaker 1: Off the Bench with Jacob Hester and Matt Flynn.
Speaker 2: Okay, here we go where.
Speaker 1: The plays get broken down and science gets denied to
come off the bitch. Hour two of Off the Bench
Live from the Raising Kine Studio.
Speaker 2: All right, welcome back in our number two.
Speaker 3: Here on a Friday edition of Off the Bench. Taylor
Sharp here with the Elanda Villarrial Cassie's Bizzali as well
Jacob Hester Matt Flynn. They decided they just needed a
day off. Lundra didn't need a day off, but they
certainly will. Yeah, they certainly needed a day off. They're forty,
they're old. I mean, it is what it is, like,
I get it.
Speaker 4: You can get you can get three three out.
Speaker 3: Maybe maybe when i'm four wlady, I'll have to take
a random Friday off as well, but whatever. Yeah, I
was looking forward to the gang being back together because
Jake's out all next week, like she'll be on the show.
But he's out in San Francisco for the Super Bowl.
So no, you're just gonna have to.
Speaker 4: Wait a little while. Because I was in Houston last week.
Speaker 3: Friday for one day. Last week was the was the one.
So that's it.
Speaker 4: Because Jake was out Monday and Tuesday.
Speaker 5: You were out Wednesday, Thursday and then and then Friday
we came back a way to Mobile.
Speaker 2: So Friday was it one day.
Speaker 3: One day in a three week period is what it's
going to wind up be in after next week's over.
Speaker 4: But just tripods everywhere.
Speaker 2: Yeah, we'll make it happen. We're rolling with the punches.
We'll beating up.
Speaker 3: Jake and Matt and Laundra they were out there at
the Senior Bowl and Mobile Alabama also shout out First
American Bank of Trucks for sending the crew down there.
But right now, I just kind of want to put
a button on that. Look at the LSU guys at
the Senior Bowl, like yes, we know Aaron Anderson, Barry
and Brown are going to be there, Like those are
guys that so okay. Flynn went on a lot of
different shows this weekend. I was able to catch him. Also,
Matt Flynn sounds way more professional on interviews than he
does as a host, Like I think Matt found his calling,
Like Matt, Matt is great on these radio interviews. I
was listening to him on the Hunt one yeah on Wednesday.
Speaker 4: And I was like I was sitting right next to it.
Speaker 2: I was like, is this the guy?
Speaker 3: I know?
Speaker 4: You know what's funny about that?
Speaker 5: Two things I want to tell, like two real quickmobile stories,
but what's funny about the Okay, So throwback to when
we first got there, and Joel Thomas, the Saints running
backs coach and the head coach for the American team
I believe it was, comes up notoriously is standing in
front of the camera of the entire time that we're talking.
Speaker 3: I know, if I ever had to pick out that
the back of that man's shoulder and a lineup, watch out, Joe.
Speaker 5: I got Joel so also kept coming up to us
like while we were on air.
Speaker 2: But the worst freaking Joel.
Speaker 4: Yeah, so Joel wait, I forgot where I was going
with that one.
Speaker 2: Joel's interview was actually really good though.
Speaker 4: Oh so, oh this is what it was.
Speaker 5: So Hunt called Matt while we were at practice and
he was like, let me come sit over here where
there's nobody, so nobody will like bother me or come
up to me or whatever.
Speaker 4: He's like, So, Joel Thomas doesn't just come up while I'm.
Speaker 6: On the phone.
Speaker 4: That is so Joel Thomas coated.
Speaker 2: He definitely would have I mean he did it yesterday.
Speaker 5: Yeah, and then I just told you that during the break,
I just put two and two together that we ran
into Tommy DeVito's agent with the Fedora and the crazy
the Italian.
Speaker 2: What a guy I missed that.
Speaker 5: This So this station from Auburn, they're called like the
Tiger or something like that, kept wanting Matt to come
on the show. Okay, Matt did not want to go on,
but the guy was so persistent that okay, so we
after media day we snuck away because Matt did it.
He was like, yeah, I'll come on whatever, But then
he didn't really want to, so we while they weren't looking,
we left.
Speaker 4: And then later we're waiting in line to get into practice.
Guys who's standing in line right in front.
Speaker 2: Of us, the Auburn guy.
Speaker 4: He turns around.
Speaker 5: He's like, hey, bro, I know we weren't able to
get you today, but can we get you tomorrow.
Speaker 4: He's like yeah.
Speaker 5: He ended up going on right, But it was just
so funny because he was like trying so hard to
avoid him and he was right in front of us
in line.
Speaker 2: I mean, it actually makes sense.
Speaker 3: And that's arguably his most famous play came against those
Auburn Tigers. But uh, speaking of the l SHOOT Tigers,
Matt mentioned all week like, hey, Aaron Anderson didn't get
a ton of opportunity in team period. I don't care,
because Aaron Anderson's going to show up with any opportunity
he's given. He's athletic tape is there. Aaron Anderson's going
to be fine. Same with barry On Brown, just because
of his speed, his athletic ability, and his return ability.
The two guys I really wanted to watch was Garrett
Osmeyer and Chris Hill, and by all accounts, they both
performed really well. Like you guys posted the metrics on
the screen, Garrett Nosmeyer had the fastest throw, he had
the longest throw, Like Garrett Nosmeyer looks one hundred percent.
And I'm gonna be honest, I'm a little disappointed in
all of these LSU fans in the comments, like I
wasn't sure if I was gonna bring it up, but hell,
whether it's Friday, let's do it.
Speaker 2: So many negative comments saying.
Speaker 3: Well, you know, if Garrett Nosmeyer was hurt, he probably
should have set himself out. First off, if you're a
college athlete, you're the team captain, you wear the number
eighteen jersey, you think your team has a shot to
go win a national championship. You mean to tell me
you're pulling yourself out net Like, don't don't give me that.
That is easy to say after the fact that's not happening. Also,
the whole, oh, Garrett Osmer is not actually hurt? Crowd like, yeah,
you took a hit this week. One he looked really good,
and two like that never made sense to me. The
whole Garrett Nosmeyer isn't hurt. Crowd Like, Okay, if you
don't think Garrett Nosmeier was hurt, then the only other
possibility is that you truly believe somewhere in your brain
that Garrett Nosmeyer just physically forgot how to throw a football.
Speaker 2: Which one do you.
Speaker 3: Think seems more likely? Like I had an argument with
somebody about this during football season. They were like, oh, well,
you know Nuss was lazy in the offseason and his
conditioning's all or whatever. Whether that's true or not, I'm
not in shape. I don't take care of my body
at all. You guys know that I'm notorious for not
doing that. I could throw the ball for other than
fifteen yards and Garrett Nelsemeier is a way more athletic
player than me. And he was struggling to throw that
ball fifteen yards down the field against Ole Miss take
accuracy out of it, decision making.
Speaker 2: I don't care.
Speaker 3: He was struggling to throw the ball fifteen yards down
the field. Ah, you think's wrong with him? But come on,
you think he forgot how to throw a football? No,
I mean high schoolers make that throw and Garrett couldn't.
There was clearly something going on. You don't throw for
four thousand yards and almost thirty touchdowns the year before
and he can't push the ball fifteen yards down the
field the year after.
Speaker 2: It doesn't happen.
Speaker 3: I don't care what your offseason training was, I don't
care what you were doing on your spare time.
Speaker 2: Stuff like that doesn't happen.
Speaker 3: And he performed really well this week, and I figured
he would because Garrett nelsemyer' is a really good quarterback.
Just wanted to get that out of the way real quick.
The other player was Chris Hilton, and shut out to
him because he's taking his his fair share.
Speaker 2: Of criticism here.
Speaker 3: It ls you some warranted, some unwarranted, but like you know,
fans were frustrated because you know, he was injured, he
couldn't get on the field. When he did, you know,
he had some drop issues. When he fixed that, it
was just one thing or nothing. It never worked out
for him here. And I think Chris Hilton's a really
good player. But you want to talk about making the
most of your opportunity and the want to Chris Hilton
in the past two weeks the Hula Bowl, the American Bowl,
the East West Ryan Bowl when he was a late
ad in the Senior Bowl and he's gonna participate in
the game as well. You mean to tell me that
guy doesn't want to make it to the NFL and
he's going to because his speed is off the charts
and if he can put it together and have a
really solid game. He showed up to basically every All
Star game you can. That is a guy that I
won on my team because I see the one you know,
the abilities there. For whatever reason, it didn't click here.
If it can click for him and mobile at the
Senior Bowl. He performed well at the East West Shrine game.
Like if he can do those things for Sylton's a
draftable player. There's a chance that all four of the
guys that were in Mobile this week do get drafted
in the NFL. Now, moving away from LSU a little
bit and look at some of the other quarterbacks at
the Senior Bowl.
Speaker 2: There was one guy.
Speaker 3: Uh, when the Senior Bowl rosters were announced, I wanted
to keep an eye on because I've always been a
big fan of his and it's Luke Altmeyer. I have
been a massive Luke Altmeyer fan really since he was
at Old Miss under Laying Kiffe. Now, yes, he lost
the starting quarterback job at Old Miss to Jackson Dart.
Jackson Dart looks like he could potentially be a franchise
quarterback in the NFL if all things go right. Got
a much better coaching staff under him. Like people forget
as good as Jackson Dart was a year ago, he
didn't really play with my league. Neighbors, I mean neighbors
had that he's an inded injury early in the season.
He lost Scataboo halfway through. Like if he next season
he comes back with John Harball as his full complement
of weapons, we could see a year two jump, a
crazy year two jump for Jackson Dart. So no shame
in Luke Altmeyer not winning that quarterback job in three
years though at Illinois he was really good fifty seven touchdowns,
twenty one picks, like his final two years twenty twenty
four to twenty twenty five. In twenty four sixty percent completion,
twenty seven hundred yards, twenty two touchdowns, six picks. Last
year sixty seven percent completion over three thousand yards, twenty
two touchdowns, five picks. And he can run the ball
a little bit as well. He had thirteen rushing touchdowns
in his college career, almost eight hundred yards. And Flynn
was raving about this guy all week long. And I
understand why Luke Altmeyer could be the sleeper quarterback in
this your draft, because he's not a guy I don't
think that's going to go in the top three rounds.
And this is a mid round quarterback, I would think.
And he's a heck of an athlete, and he's he's
been in good offenses in college. He's had a lot
of success from multiple years now when he doesn't turn
the ball over, which is important. And the other quarterback
is Cole Payton. Cole Payton look came here as kind
of the small school quarterback. If you will even though
North Dakota State's an absolute wagon in the FCS division.
You know a lot of people were looking at his
numbers saying, okay, twenty seven hundred yards passing, sixteen touchdowns,
four picks, good numbers, seventy two percent completion percentage, Like
that's a North Dakota State quarterback.
Speaker 2: He screams North Dakota State. His rushing numbers.
Speaker 3: Guys seven hundred and seventy seven yards and thirteen touchdowns
a year ago in basically a four year college career
for Cole Payton. Nineteen hundred yards rushing and thirty one
touchdowns at the quarterback position.
Speaker 2: That's a draftable player.
Speaker 3: I mean, there was so much The talent at the
Senior Bowl this year, to me, was deeper than it
had been.
Speaker 2: In recent years.
Speaker 3: And you know, we had talked about, Okay, is the
Senior Bowl going to lose a little bit of its luster?
The East West Shrine game is you know, they're investing
a lot of money into that. They want to play
the game in Vegas. How is that going to look?
Is it going to hurt the Senior Bowl?
Speaker 2: No?
Speaker 3: Quite the opposite of me. Now, I think the talent
top to bottom here was insane. Like you go look
at some of the edge rushers, Ruben Baynes, David Bailey,
a keey mesador like big time college football players all
at the Senior Bowl. Like these are guys that those
three were potential first round picks and they show up.
Like in the past, you didn't really see guys that
were locks for the first or second round go to
the Senior Bowl. These were kind of under the radar,
guys wanted to boost their draft dog. You saw it
this year though, and the talent out there was incredible
to look at and again shout out Garrett Nolsemeyer, Barryon Brown,
Aaron Anderson, and Chris Hilton. All of them seemed to
show up at the Senior Bowl. And I don't think
anybody helped themselves more than the combination of Garrett Olsmyer
Chris Hill, because both of those guys a lot of
criticism on them throughout the season and they both showed
up and performed really well.
Speaker 2: Okay, we're going to take a quick time out.
Speaker 3: When we get back, we're talking LSU men's and women's basketball.
Spoiler alert, these two teams are trending in the wrong direction.
We're talking about it next here on Off the Bench.
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Speaker 1: Locked in on LSU Football twenty four to seven. You're
listening to Off the Bench.
Speaker 3: Welcome back in a Friday edition of OTB Taylor Sharp
here with you filling in for Jacob Heastor and Matt Flynn.
I want to talk some LSU basketball here. We're gonna
go men's and women's. We'll start with the good shocker.
It's Kim Moulkey and the LSU women's basketball team. Look
at everybody criticize this team in the pre conference slates, saying, oh,
they underscheduled, their schedule's too easy, it's not gonna help
them at SEC play.
Speaker 2: And then what happens.
Speaker 3: They open SEC play and they lose back to back games,
and all the critics start coming out. What they won't
tell you is both of those teams were in the
top twelve. Kentucky was number twelve. You lost eighty to
seventy eight. That was a toss up game. And you
go to Vanderbilt, number eleven in the country, sixty five
sixty one. You had opportunities to win that game. Well,
since then, the LSU women's basketball team has won six
straight games, most of them in dominating fashion. Like you
beat Georgia by twenty one points in Athens, you go
to you come back home, but you play number two Texas.
You win that game seventy to sixty five to at
number thirteen Oklahoma in Norman. Yeah, you win that one
by eighteen ninety one seventy two. You dominated Texas A
and M team ninety eight fifty four, and then on
Monday Night, a Florida team that you were expected to
blow out, you do blowout eighty nine to six the
twenty nine point victory. Is anyone surprised that Kim Bulk
of all people has this team rolling in the right direction?
Speaker 2: No, you shouldn't be right.
Speaker 3: I mean, she's won multiple national championships, one right here
at this school just a few years ago. The additions
to this team, Malaysia full Wiley's probably been the best
addition to this team.
Speaker 2: She's been awesome.
Speaker 3: Kate Kovall is giving you a post play, Jada Reeshard's
taking that year two step, and then of course Flaje
Johnson and MICHAELA. Williams, like they're the anchors, right, they're
the heartbeat of that team. We know what this team is.
This is a top ten basketball team. They're going to
be a really good seed in the NCAA tournament, and
I think they're gonna go far in the tournament because
they got talent and you know, for sure they have
the right coach at the helm.
Speaker 2: That's the good news. The bad news is the LSU
men's basketball team.
Speaker 3: Guys, they're one and seven now in conference play and
they just suffered an eighty to sixty six blowout loss
to the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Now, I am not here
to ask for anyone's job, and nobody on this station
wants to do that. But I will sit here and
say is the Mad McMahon experiment has not worked and
I don't see a clear path for turning it around.
This is year four now, and like, look, this is
coming from someone that had a lot of high expectations
from Mad McMahon, Like hand up in the air. I'll
admit it. When Will Wade was fired, everybody was looking
for coaches. First name out of my mouth was Mad McMahon.
And you know, at the time, I thought it was
a good decision. Like I understand fans are frustrated and
everyone's going to say, man, John Morant made Mad McMahon
at Murray State.
Speaker 2: Not really.
Speaker 3: I mean John Morant's last season at Murray State was
the twenty eighteen twenty nineteen season, and they were great,
twenty eight and five regular season champ, Conference Tournament champ,
made it to the Big Dance, but the following year
twenty three and nine regular season champs in Ohio Valley,
twenty and twenty twenty one. That season they took a
bit of a dip. It was thirteen and thirteen. But
McMahon's last season at Murray State the twenty one twenty
two season, thirty one in three regular season champs, Conference Champs,
Tournament champs. They make it to the NCAA Tournament into
the sweet sixteen. Like Matt, McMahon had a lot of
success at Murray State, so my thought was, hey, you
give this guy an opportunity at a bigger stage, with
more talented players, a bigger resources to work with, he could.
Speaker 2: Make some things happen.
Speaker 3: And the reality is it just hasn't worked at least
not a SEC play. Like you look at Matt McMahon's
at a conference record since he's been here at LSU,
it's actually pretty good, but once you get into the SEC,
it's just not there.
Speaker 2: I mean right now, Matt McMahon.
Speaker 3: Is fifteen and forty seven in SEC play in four
years here in bad route. To put that in perspective,
I don't have the exact numbers off the top of
my head, but it is somewhere within forty two and
forty nine was Johnny Jones's SEC record here at lshit
forty two and forty nine. McMahon is fifteen and forty seven.
That's just not good enough.
Speaker 2: I get it.
Speaker 3: You lost Jalen Reid right before the season. That sucks,
But you were sitting there twelve and one going into
the SEC you were feeling good. Another big blow, DJ Thomas,
you lose him literally two days before you start SEC play.
I get it, it sucks, But what did everyone talk
about coming into year four? You were fired up about
the transfer portal class. You were hoping LSU would invest
the money and the resources into this roster to get
where you wanted to.
Speaker 2: And not only accounts they did that. I mean you
brought it.
Speaker 3: Markel Sutton, Max McKinnon, Mikenoko from Mississippi State, Pablo Tomba,
DJ Thomas who I just mentioned and just hasn't worked.
And I see so many people saying it's over, it's done.
LSU is going to make a change, are they, though?
I mean, I understand that it seems like this football
program at LSU has endless amounts of money, does the
basketball program, because you got to remember here at LSU
basketball start, and really men's basketball is fourth. People care
more about the women's team, but it's always going to
be LSU football, LSU baseball. Everything else trickles down from
the most schools. It's football and basketball. So don't compare
your basketball program to other people's basketball programs. Compare LSU's
basketball programs to other SEC schools baseball programs. That's what
you do. So is there a want to? I mean,
I'm sure, like Virgil alwa Isbier, he said it. We
brought it up on this ship. It was a few
weeks back. He did an interview with The Advocate, and
Verge said, if LSU can't make it to the NCAAA,
turn them, or at least as close as possible, everything
will have to be reevaluate.
Speaker 2: Those are for Jilsbury's words.
Speaker 3: To me, it seems very clear at one and seven
you get blown out by a bad Mississippi State team
that was a must win game, but it's over. You're
not going to make the NCAA tournament. Barring some miraculous
unforeseen run in the regular season. You somehow go win
the SEC tournament and you get it. I just don't
see that happening because this team performs pretty well against
these and basketball teams. It's the bad teams that they're
bad against. They always played down to their competition level
for whatever reason. But Brian Kelly, it was his buy
out fifty four million, fifty two million. You gave Lane
Kiffin a big contract. You have Lane Kivin's staff big contracts.
You just spent the most money ever on a transfer
Portland brought in forty two transfer portal players to this school.
And you have high expectations for the football program. Look
up what Jay Johnson's doing. He dominates the transfer a portal.
You're going to give him the funds he needs because
baseball wins. Is there that appetite in the basketball program?
I don't know, But what I can tell you is
I just I don't know how it gets better because,
like I can give McMahon a pass on really the
first two seasons, like remember when when Wade was fired,
you didn't know if there were sanctions coming down or not.
There wasn't that was never going to happen. But let's
just say at the time you didn't know if there
was any sanctions coming down. When Matt McMahon got hired,
there were literally zero players on LSU's roster. He was
able to recruit one or two of them back from
that final will wage team. Okay, that's a wash. It
was fourteen and nineteen. That's about what you expect. Did
in year number two. He brings in some transfers, he
goes seventeen and sixteen, and you're like, Okay, not where
you want to be, but it's a step in the
right direction. It's an improvement. You finished the season the
winning record. You're moving in the right direction. And I
actually thought mac McMahon did a really good job here
in that second year. I thought he kind of maximized
what that team was able to do. I don't feel
the same way about last season though, fourteen and eighteen.
I mean that that was underperforming. And then this year
you sit at thirteen and eight after such a hot
start at twelve and one, and I wish you had
a decent at a conference schedule. I mean, they weren't
playing cupcakes every single week. I mean there were some
thrown in there, but they played some good competition. You
go twelve and one. It's the way you're losing basketball
games though. Like the old adage of good teams find
different ways to win games, bad teams find different ways
to lose games. For example, you haven't started well really
all year in SEC play, like that blowout agains Mississippi State.
I was just talking about eighty to sixty six. You
scored twenty one points in the first half. You're not
beating anyone scoring twenty one points in the first half.
Started slow against Vandy, had to try to storm back,
couldn't do it.
Speaker 2: Started really slow against A and M.
Speaker 3: You did storm back, that wound up being a three
point game, but it was too late at that point,
and then wins at seventy five seventy two. Similar against
South Carolina, the only game you started fast. You were
blowing the doors off of Kentucky. You was eighteen to
two at one point early in the first half, and
it looked like you were locked in, ready to play.
It was the most excited I've seen the PMAC for
an LSU men's basketball game in probably two.
Speaker 2: To three years.
Speaker 3: And you absolutely collapsed at the end of the game.
You couldn't make your two free throws. You allow a
long pass that nobody defended. You allow Kentucky to get
up a pretty manageable shot and they make it and
beat you at the buzzer in heartbreak fashion in seventy
five seventy four. Now you do bounce back from that game.
You gotta win in Baton Rouge against Missouri. There's a
banged up Missouri team who's not very good in general.
You win that game seventy eight to seventy, so they, Okay,
you probably should have won the Kentucky game. You let
it slip. You get a victory over Missouri. Look, maybe
maybe this is starting to trend in the right direction.
You get taken down by a good Florida team, Like,
I'm not putting all that on LSU. That's a good
Florida team. It's in Gainesville. That's a tough place to play.
You lose that game pretty handily, and you perform so
well against Arkansas on the Route eighty five eighty one.
You had every opportunity to win that game. Now you
fall short. But Bud Walton, my opinion, best Seas basketball
environment out there, really really tough place to play, and
you almost pull out a win and you come and
lay in an absolute egg in the PMAC on Wednesday night,
eighty to sixty six. So not only are you starting slow,
you were giving up way too many points. I mean
eighty four, seventy five, seventy eighty eighty five, seventy five. Like,
I mean, you're giving up way too many points.
Speaker 2: Now.
Speaker 3: Again, credit this team for battling against Arkansas in eighty
five eighty one. But there's just so many things wrong
with this basketball program right now. And I'm not telling
you a change is going to be made. What I
am telling you is I don't see it get any better.
So we'll see what happens there. We will obviously follow
both of these teams as the season moves along. All right,
we're going to take a quick time out when we
get back. Ross Jackson locked on Saints and louisianasports dot
Net joins us.
Speaker 2: Next. You're on off the bench after bench.
Speaker 7: Game day hangouts is just winding down after a long day.
There's one beer that fits every moment, and that is
do Seke's. Always chris refreshing and perfectly balanced. O Seq's
is easy to drink without sacrificing flavor. It's not heavy,
it's not watered down. It's just a great beer you
can enjoy all game long. So whether you're watching with friends,
grilling outside, or cracking one open after work, Do Sequi's
always delivers. So next time you're at the store, grab
do sekes because the most interesting days deserve the most
interesting beer.
Speaker 8: That's right, go for a dose postibly. We are about
to be have one of the most delicious beers ever,
which is a nice hotel bar hotel beer. Excuse me
and what we do. We're gonna make sure that we
go for dose. We've got cold, delicious Mexican logger. They
got the they got the amber especially. I think got
the logger especially. I'll make sure if you are getting
ready for the weekend, get ready. Stock up on your groceries,
certainly getting ready for this cold buzzard, but also stock
up on your dose sects.
Speaker 9: Go for dose.
Speaker 2: Drink responsible.
Speaker 1: Tigers, turn talkers. This is Off the Bench.
Speaker 2: Welcome back.
Speaker 3: In a Friday edition of Off the Bench, Tayler Sharper
with you filling in for Jacob Hestor and Matt Flann.
We want to go out to the phone lines right now,
bringing our guy Ross Jackson locked on Saints also rights
for us right here at Louisiana Sports dot Net.
Speaker 2: Ross, how are you this morning?
Speaker 9: Heybody, I'm doing great.
Speaker 2: Glad to be here with you, think me absolutely. Thanks
for hopping on Ross.
Speaker 3: You were out there and mobile this week at the
Senior Bowl so well.
Speaker 8: Books.
Speaker 2: They kind of.
Speaker 3: Brawled for this first question, like maybe the biggest standout
for you overall at that Senior Bowl. Like, I know
a lot of people talk Tyron Montgomery the wide receiver
from John Carroll, which crazy story I know most people
have heard by now, But I mean, is there a
guy out there that like really turned heads to you?
Speaker 9: Yeah, I mean Tyre Montgomery is definitely one of those guys.
I would say, so is the wide receiver out of
noted name Malecki Fields. I think there's a few guys
that have caught here and really really helped themselves in
terms of draft status and things like that. He might
be one of those guys that might be one of
the bigger movers right alongside Tyron Montgomery. But I think
it's there's other guys out there too. Texas Tech edge
rusher Romelo Height was kind of looking to show and
prove how versatile his game is. I think he did
a very good job of that throughout the practice week.
He's a you know, smaller speed pass rusher and hasn't
been asked to do a lot of the kind of
versatile outside linebacker odd front's responsibilities. And then he got
an opportunity to show that he could do that here
in Mobile, which is kind of what this event is
all about, right going out there and being able to
show maybe you could do something that isn't off and
asked of you. And then the other player that I'll
highlight too would be TCU safety Buddy Clark. Really versatile guy,
has played deep, has played in the slot, and has
played in the box. Came out here, what's a bit
of a playmaker, has a ball, howkey mentality to get
four interceptions last year. This is the guy that you
know could have been somebody to go in the sixth
seventh round that might have played his way or at
least put himself in position or on a trajectory to
go in the third and fourth or the fourth and
fifth rounds rather depending upon how his athletic testing goes
over the offseason.
Speaker 3: Winners.
Speaker 9: You asked me to pick one, I'm named like six
just now, Sorry about that. But it's just the pinnacle
of what this this event is all about.
Speaker 2: You know, Ross.
Speaker 3: When I see a wide receiver and it says John
Carroll University next to it, my question is always what
round are the Saints going to draft them in?
Speaker 9: Yeah, they love their small school guys, right, I mean,
especially the wide receivers. We've seen guys out of what Toledo.
We've seen guys of course, out of you know what
we used to be. Oh gosh, what was Marcus Colson's school?
Hall Hops the Hopstra thank you, They didn't even have
a football team anymore. Uh, And so you know, they
they love their small school guys, and he could definitely
be one of a man. He's a really talented player.
He's got obviously Louisiana tizz and everything in terms of
his history, and so he's a really impressive dude. And
you know, I think a guy that would make a
lot of sense for New World in terms of the
type of wide out that they could add that room
to help compliment guys like Crislave and Devon Bayle.
Speaker 3: As far as uh switching to the other side of
the ball as far as the edge rush go, I mean,
most people believe that edge might be the deepest.
Speaker 2: Position in the draft.
Speaker 3: I mean there's a number of big time players, and
there were a number of big time players out there
at the Senior Bowl as well. I mean, what guys
have you stood out to you'd edge, And then also like,
which one of them do you think, like actually fit
what the Saints want to do.
Speaker 9: Yeah, I'll answer I'll go with somebody first that answers
both those questions. And I would highlight Western Michigan Edge
Russier and Don Tucker fourteen and a half sacks last
year that tied for the leade the nation lead along
with Ruben Bain Junior, who of course is going to
be a top ten selection. He also had twenty plus
tackles for a loss as well, so very active in
the run game while also being very active as a
pass rusher. He's a good fit for New Orleans in
terms of the speed rusher mold if they want to
kind of meet in the middle on that. Derek Moore
out of Michigan a little bit more of a little
bit more of a bigger body, but you know still,
you know, six' three kind of in between what the
things used to look for in terms of the six foot,
six six foot, seven you, know two hundred and seventy
pound edge, rusher he's closer to like the six three
to sixty edge. Rusher and so he's a unique kind
of in between of what it is The saints looks
for before and what it is they look for in
their prototypes, now which is really only expanded the talent
pool as opposed to shrunk the talent. Pool and SO
i think those two guys are guys that fit For New.
Orleans T. J parker out Of clemson's another one that
fits For New. Orleans he's done himself to favorites here
and in the Aforementioned romelo. HEIGHT i think they put
on some really really good displays here when it came
to the edge rusher, group as well as the interior
defensive line, group which The saints could continue to look
to hone in and add talent throughout this offseason as.
Speaker 3: Well Russell jackson our guest right, Now, Ross you, know
The saints have the eighth pick right now in that first,
round and you know everybody always looks towards that first
round pick first and foremost for the obvious. Reasons and
you know the Name Jeremiah love has been brought up
here and, there and people seem to have vastly different
opinions of him depending on who you. Ask so, like
let's say When Roger goodell walks up there In, april
hands in the ticket and it Is Jeremiah, love what
is your? Reaction, YEAH i.
Speaker 9: Think it's a smart pick For New. Orleans you have
an opportunity to go and get somebody that's an absolute
playmaker and that's a game changer for, you and that
ends up helping to solidify both your run game as
well as your passing. GAME a lot of the arguments
against Drafting Jeremiah love typically fall apart with a little
bit of. Scrutiny you, know the idea that all they
shouldn't draft are running back when they haven't picked the offensive. Line,
well good thing is a lot more that happens in
the offseason than one single draft, pick, RIGHT i, mean
you have an entire lane of free agency that takes
place before the draft, begins and The saints are likely
to have eight selections in this, draft assuming that their
fourth round compensatory pick. Conveys after the departure At Paul
sindievo last, year which we expect that it, will and
so you can Select Jeremiah love and also help out
your offensive line throughout the, draft and then even before
you get to the. Draft with free running backs are
becoming more important in THE. Nfl we saw the most
two sets that we've seen in multiple years this past,
year and we're seeing a lot of offenses now shift
to being run, heavy a lot of defenses shift to
challenging you to run the football by playing these two high.
Shelves you have to have a good run game in TODAY'S.
Nfl and don't forget to say still have a young
quarterback and so taking some pressure off of him and
a year after they weren't able to get a five
hundred yard rusher on the, field then he led the
team in rushing. TOUCHDOWNS i think that investing in a
high level running back makes a lot of. Sense and
for a first round running, back he still got a
lot of tread left on the, tires that's never had
more than two hundred carries in a, season is only
twenty one years, old twenty two years. OLD i, mean
there's a, real real reason why he could be considered
in the top ten and should be considered in the top,
ten AND i think that'd be a home run pick for.
Speaker 6: New orll and.
Speaker 3: Today Rossh you put out the other day a really
detailed article about the running backs at The Senior, bowl
WHICH i actually thoroughly enjoyed. Reading what if they don't
Go Jeremiah love first? Round you, know and they wait
a few rounds, later but they do decide they want
a running. BACK i, mean are there any to late
round running back targets you think provide a lot of?
Speaker 2: Value, yeah thank you for.
Speaker 9: THAT i think the Two Penn state running backs are
right there for. Sure Nicholas, singleton who's probably in contention
to be the number two running back probably along it's
probably competing with guys Like Joonah coleman out Of, washington
and then the Other Notre dame running, Back Generium. Price
is actually two really Good Notre dame running backs in the.
Draft last none of them Are Jeremiah. Love don't get me,
wrong but a guy Like Nicholas singleton can do a
little bit of. Everything he runs, well he's very, patient
he has some, physicality but he's also exploded so if
he can, catch he's a fantastic pass protector as. WELL
i think all of those boxes would be very appealing
checks For New. Orleans his teammate K Tron allen is
a bit more of a physical Downhill runner could be
a great fit For New orleans as. Well and Then
i'd point Out Mike washington out Of, arkansas WHO i
thought has had or did have a really Strong Senior
bowl week here here In. Mobile and then you Know Indiana.
Hoosiers anytime you get an opportunity to get one of
those guys From Kirk syonnetti's culture and your, TEAM i
think it's worth your time as a general manager At Kaylon, black, big,
physical just mean and Violent, RUNNER i think you'd be
a lot of fun in The black And gold as.
Speaker 8: Well.
Speaker 3: Well it's just a few more for you. HERE i
want to transition a little bit to the offensive. Line
there are a number of guys out there at The Senior. Bowl,
obviously you Know saints fans are, like, oh you got
to show up THE o. LINE i got to show
up THE o. Line how high up on The saints
priority list do you think that is in this coming?
Speaker 9: DRAFT i imagine it's it's it's pretty high on their
priority list this, offseason and that that will begin with
retaining players that they want to, retain and that we'll
begin with potentially signing free. AGENTS i think like The
saints are going to have some room to spend in
a way that they haven't in some. Time BUT i
don't expect them to go. CRAZY i don't expect them
to start resetting, markets oppositions and things like. That but
If i'm you, know If I'm Mickey, loomis If i'm
The saints And i'm going into free agency with a
little bit of money to, SPEND i THINK i want
to spend that money on the offensive line and go
out there and try to find a starter in the,
interior a potential second player to sign on the interior
that can bring you some competition and also some strong.
DEPTHS i want to, bring you, Know Luke fortner. Back
If i'm The, saints you, know like, Those that's where
the offensive line BUILDING i think. Starts this is a
team that has really leaned on the draft to build
its offensive, line and they've had some hits and misses.
THERE i think going to THE nfl and FINDING nfl
players and asking them to do AN nfl job on
YOUR nfl team is the better way to go about.
It SO i would look at free agency being that
and then maybe falling back, on you, know some draft
picks to help shore up depth and give you some.
DEVELOPMENT i think guys Like Keilan rutledge out Of Georgia
tech would be a great. START i also think a
developmental guy Like Jeremiah, wright who was really impressive here
out of aubund six foot, five three hundred and forty
pounds physical pig, dude kind of fits the mold of
the interior offensive lineman That Kellen moore had when he
was In. PHILADELPHIA i think those guys make sense after
you to help the supplement the, position after you've taken
care of the need and pre.
Speaker 3: Agency if you are The SAINTS gm and It's SAINTS
Gm Ross, jackson you got to turn in the card
in round?
Speaker 2: One where are you?
Speaker 9: Going, YEAH i mean it's hard to pass up On Jeremiah.
Love If Jeremiah loves not on the. Board i'm looking
over to the defensive, side and you, know if It's
Caleb downs out Of Ohio state or one of those
edge rushers like A David dailey out Of Texas, tech
that's there are probably lean. THERE i think wide. Receiver
you can wait in this, draft and SO i wouldn't
be as much in a hurry now AS i might have,
been you, know a month, ago for guys Like Arizona
State Jordan tyson Or Carnel tate out Of Ohio. STATE
i think for, ME i lean towards either that playmaking
running back In Jeremiah love or IF i can't find,
That i'm going to the. Defense i'm trying to find
a playmaker over on that.
Speaker 3: Stuff Ross jackson locked On saints And Luisianasports dot. Need
you can find all of his stuff. There, ross thanks
so much for joining us.
Speaker 9: Today say say thanks much for having me on And
i'll talk to you.
Speaker 2: Soon absolutely that there Was Ross.
Speaker 3: Jackson all, right we'll take a quick time out coming
back wrapping up our number.
Speaker 2: Two next you're on off the, Bench.
Speaker 1: Off the, bench all.
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Speaker 1: Yeah locked in ON lsu football twenty four to. Seven
you're listening To off The, bench.
Speaker 3: All, right wrapping up our number two here on A
friday edition Of off The, Bench Taylor sharp here with,
you filling in For Jacob heastor And Matt Flanna Landreville,
Real Cassie's bizzali hanging out with you as well here
on This friday, morning and got a few minutes here
before we have to hit that top the hour. Break
all the talk this week has been About Bill Belichick's
hall Of fame. Snub, Right he's not going to be
a first ballot he came. Up it looks like a vote.
Short it looks like eleven people didn't vote for. Him
you got to get forty out of the fifty votes
to make it to The hall Of, fame and that.
SUCKS i don't even particularly Like Bill. BELICHICK i think
there's no question about. It Bill belichick is the first
Ballot hall Of. Famer people start, Questioning, okay is it?
Spygate is it deflate? Gate, like what's the? Issue what
kept him? Out my question has always been Keep Tom
brady from being a first Ballot hall Of.
Speaker 2: Famer he was on the team for both of those.
Speaker 3: Things you better not Like Tom Brady's hall Of fame
vote should take fifteen. Seconds everybody should just raise their
hand say, yes it counts that long to count all fifty,
votes and then, boom Tom brady's in The hall Of.
Fame it's the Easiest hall Of fame vote probably in
the history of this. League but if you do To,
belichick do you do it To Tom. Brady, now since
all the talk has been About belichick, snub very few
people have actually mentioned the finalists that still remain of
for the twenty twenty SIX Nfl hall Of fame class
that'll actually be announced On february, fifth out In San
francisco at THE Nfl honors right before The Super. Bowl
so and something to kind of keep an eye on next.
Week but first year eligible Players Drew, Brees Larry, Fitzgerald Frank,
Gore Jason. WHITTEN i, mean those guys are all going
to get in at some. Point Drew brees And Larry
fitzgerald are first Ballot hall Of. FAMERS i, MEAN i
don't think there's any question about. THAT i, Mean drew's
what a top ten quarterback of all, time some may
even say top. Five and then Like Larry, Fitzgerald he's
on my list of top five receivers IN nfl, History
And i'm Going Jerry, Rice Randy, Moss Calvin johnson t
O Larry. Fitzgerald like that's the order for. ME i
know he's not the flashiest GUY i. Know he never
went into press conferences and did anything. Controversial But Larry
fitzgerald has more career tackles than drop passes and he
played over a, decade and just think about. THAT i,
MEAN i still look back on The Super bowl in
two thousand and eight between The cardinal two thousand and
Nine Super, bowl but two thousand and eight football season
between The cardinals and The steelers still my favorite Super
bowl of all. Time steelers wind up winning that, game
but my, God Larry fitzgerald was. Unguardable and that was
The steelers team that had arguably the best defense in THE,
nfl And Larry fitzgerald did. Whatever he won, it and
there was really no drop off for. It and, Like,
okay you can look at some of these, receivers like
he's not a first, ballot But Reggy wayne's up for it,
Again Tory holts up for it. Again those guys are
going to get in at some. Point but they did
it with really good. QUARTERBACKS i, Mean Larry fitzgerald Had
Kurt warner for a few, seasons Had Carson palmer for
two years towards the end of his, career And palmer
is actually pretty good. There outside of, that it was
kind of a turnstyle of quarterbacks For Larry fitzgerald At,
arizona and he never missed the. BEAT i mean he,
Is he's one of those. Receivers it's quarterback, proof, RIGHT
i say that About Devonte. Adams it doesn't really matter
who's going in the Ball Devonte adams is going to
catch a lot of passes and he's gonna score a
lot of. Touchdowns same could be said For Larry. Fitzgerald,
Also Drew brees is getting in first, Ballot, like there's
no question about. THAT i, know we hear the state
Of louisian are more privy To Drew brees than most.
People BUT i, mean anybody with half a brain Knows
Drew brees is going to get in won the first.
Speaker 2: Ballot there's no question about.
Speaker 5: It.
Speaker 3: Uh do you want to mention That Eli, manning it
was actually announced for the second year in a, row
will not make The Pro Football hall Of. Fame AND
i know a lot of people scratch their heads on
that and, say, Well Eli manning has to be A
hall Of, famer, RIGHT i, mean he's one of the
most legendary players in the. League, sure he, is BUT
i understand why he hasn't made. It Like eli's going
to make The hall Of. Fame he's won Two Super.
BOWLS i think it's also important to note that he
won both of Those Super bowls against mister Super bowl,
Himself Tom brady's two to zero against him in The Big.
Speaker 2: Game he's going to make The hall Of fame at some.
Point But.
Speaker 3: Eli manning sixty percent in, completion three hundred and sixty
six career, touchdowns two hundred and forty four career, interceptions
and his record as AN nfl starting quarterback is one
seventeen and one seventeen big time moments For eli had
some big time seasons his sixteen year. Career as a,
whole it had a lot of ups and. Downs now
you're gonna say you played for The. GIANTS i understand,
That but The giants are not what they are now
what they were when he played. THERE i, mean it
wasn't as heart of a division that The cowboys Had Tony,
romo who couldn't win it when it. Mattered most The
redskins were going through their own quarterback, issues which seems
like they have my entire life until. Now and then
The eagles had an Aging donovan McNabb and then when
they moved on from, him like you Had vic for
a few, years but then after that didn't work, out
you you bounced, Around you Went Nick, foles you Went Sam.
Bradford SO i Mean eli had an opportunity to do
that and you won the division quite a few.
Speaker 2: Times BUT i Like. Eli, again he's going to make
The Super.
Speaker 3: Bowl he's a two Time Super bowl, champion two Times
Super BOWL, mvp but.
Speaker 2: Four Pro.
Speaker 3: Bowls that's. IT i, mean that's that's Where Eli manning's career.
Is and, again sixty percent, completion a five hundred record
as a starter in The National Football. League all those
guys are gonna get, it Like Tory, Holt Isaac, Reggie,
Wayne Adam, vinteri Who i'm surprised wasn't a first ballot
this is his second year up for.
Speaker 2: It all those guys are going to get.
Speaker 3: In BUT i think no question in my, Mind Like
Jason whittin's kind of iffy for, me he's going to
get in as he first. BALLOT i, mean Obviously i'm
a little bit. BIASED i Think Jason witten should be
in the first, ballot But Drew brees and And Larry fitzgerald
are getting. It there's just no if answer butts about
it that's. Happening so it's, like you, KNOW i get
that that The belichick thing was a.
Speaker 2: Snub it's.
Speaker 3: Ridiculous The hall Of fame came out and, said you,
know if voters aren't fair and don't vote for people
for personal, reasons they may have their vote taken. Away,
fine BUT i wanted to highlight the guys that are
actually still up for it BECAUSE i think that they're, gonna,
uh they're gonna get.
Speaker 2: IN i saw something funny the other.
Speaker 3: DAY i almost sent it to a Laundra it, said,
guys don't worry About Bill. Belichick he waited forty nine
years for his girlfriend to be. Born he could wait
a year for The hall Of. Fame so, uh obviously
him And Jordan. Budson but forty nine years is. INSANE
i didn't realize that UNTIL i actually saw the meme
real real.
Speaker 5: FAST i did see one that was, like there's nothing
more emblematic About Drew brees than him being a first
Ballot hall.
Speaker 2: Of one being over. Shouted i'm talking About. Belichich, yeah
no one talking about it all.
Speaker 3: Right, look that's gonna do it for hour number. Two
we are rolling right along here on This. Friday coming
up in the third, hour we're gonna give you a
Quick Super bowl preview early.
Speaker 2: Thoughts Jason zern Of Grenade football joins us as. Well
that's all coming. Up you're on off the. Bench off the,
bench all. Right go to rouss dot.
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