Speaker 1: It's all start to it.
Speaker 2: You want to present off the bench with Jacob Hester
and T Bob Abert.
Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, off the bench with Jacob
Hester and T Bob Abert.
Speaker 4: I gotta come off the pitch.
Speaker 1: Now here's Jacob Hester and T Bob Abert.
Speaker 2: All right, welcome back again, OTB one oh four five, ESPN,
Baton rouge. You're gonna change it up a little bit today.
You heard Tata mention it there. Chris Blair, the voice
of the Tigers, is going to join us at eight thirty.
Gonna move some things around. So now it's time for
some weekend winners.
Speaker 5: That's how win it has done. That's right. We can't
have anyone to freak out out there. Okay, he's got
a k buck Apoliger got the bar. I'm by winning.
I went here and I win there.
Speaker 1: Now, what are you doing?
Speaker 5: What it takes to win a championship?
Speaker 4: Wow?
Speaker 6: Winning?
Speaker 5: Well, then I guess there's only one thing left to do.
Speaker 6: What's that?
Speaker 5: When the whole thing?
Speaker 4: All? Right?
Speaker 2: So I know this was from about four days ago,
but being out all last week, Ryan Ramchek has decided
to officially call it quit after seven seasons. In the NFL,
which included three All Pro honors. I think multiple Pro Bowls, obviously,
but the all Pro stuff that is incredibly hard to do.
Pro Bowls won't mean a whole lot anymore, but certainly
all pros do. He was an All Pro again three
times from twenty eighteen to twenty twenty. He really looked
like he was on his way to a gold jacket.
I mean truly had the start of a Hall of
Fame career. I mean he's even still going to be,
like whispered, a Hall of Fame member just because of
the three All pros anyways, but definitely if he plays
two more three more years, certainly he is in can
he is a Hall of Famer. But his body just
failed him. His body could not keep up any more.
Unfortunately that happened. So he only gets seven seasons in.
And I only say only seven because he could have
certainly played ten twelve years at an incredibly credibly high level.
Speaker 1: But Ryan Ramcheck week in winner for a hell of
a career.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean one of the you know when you
talk about all the Mickey limus and misses in the
NFL draft whatever, like Ryan Ramchack might be his biggest success,
you know.
Speaker 6: I mean when he drafted him, it.
Speaker 3: Was one of those picks that everyone was excited about.
They though he could be good. I don't think people
realize just how good. I mean, this guy might have
been the best right tackle in all the football for
like a four or five year span. I mean, Ryan
Ramchack really really good player. I mean, I know that
everyone's gonna talk about, oh, he only played seven years,
but I mean, look when you look at like Saints'
Ring of Honor consideration, like I said, this guy's he's
going to be up there for sure, like he was
that good of a player.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I agree with you there, maybe not enough to
be a Hall of Famer because it did get cut
so short. Now it's been like Toil Davis Hall of
Famer even though his career got cut short. But you know,
TD was kind of doing some stuff that nobody else
was doing. But still Ryan Ramcheck, regardless of where it
ends up, an incredible, incredible career.
Speaker 1: All right, anybody over there, we winner.
Speaker 4: My first weekend winner, taitay I put a video in
the doc if you want to pull it up. Former
LSU head coach Will Wade is now going to be
coaching at NC State as we know, right, yeah, yeah,
but he's already making a splash in North Carolina. So
he got to sound the siren for Game one of
the Stanley Cup Finals between the Devils and the Hurricanes.
So the Carolina Hurricanes versus the New Jersey Devils, and
the Hurricanes pull out the wind Ford o versus the Devil,
so they lead the series one to zero.
Speaker 1: Now the Devils lose on Easter. Take that, pal, Yeah,
I love that.
Speaker 4: I guess hold on, I guess you don't need the sound,
but he's just like sounding it.
Speaker 7: It's pretty cool.
Speaker 2: Sounding the horn. Yeah right, yeah, a little hurricane in morning.
Speaker 7: Yeah, So shout out Will Wade.
Speaker 1: I'll look at our game.
Speaker 7: He's good luck game there. Love that for him.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: I mean, look, he's been you know, a long five
years for Will's had to deal with a lot of
different things and you know, had to go to McNeice
and resurrect his career, which he certainly did.
Speaker 1: And now my.
Speaker 2: Man is sounding the siren at an NHL playoff game.
Speaker 1: So shout out to our guy, Will Wade. Tete.
Speaker 3: Yes, my first Weekend winner is gonna actually be the
NBA playoffs. First off, they were really good for the
first weekend, the Saturday Sunday games. But in Minnesota, Timberwolves, like, look,
the Lakers have been playing excellent since getting Luka Doncic.
The Timberwolves have beat him by twenty points. It's one
seventeen to ninety five. And Anthony Edwards only had twenty two.
I mean, he had a fine game, but he wasn't
even the leading scorer. Also, nas Reed really good at basketball, guys.
Thirty one minutes, twenty three points, five rebounds. Was the
raining sixth man of the year as far as last
season goes. But really good win for the Timberwolves. I
did not see that coming. They got Game one on
the road, like this is going to be a series.
Speaker 2: You know, Gosh, I hate to go against you, but
and you're right about that, Like that game and you
know the result, And it was surprising. A lot of
people just assumed the Lakers were going to, you know,
go in there and roll. If I'm not mistaken, I'm
gonna call it a little bit of a weekend loser.
And I watched all of it NBA playoffs. I think
there was only one game that was a single digit game.
Speaker 6: Yeah, it was the Nuggets game winning overtime, all.
Speaker 2: And that was a great game. It was an incredible game,
and the Nuggets win one to twelve.
Speaker 1: Went in.
Speaker 2: Listen to these scores though, Bucks, Pacers, Pacers win one
seventeen to ninety eight, Nicks, Pistons, Knicks wine three to
one to twelve, t Wills Lakers t Will was win
one seventeen to ninety five. So that's on Saturday. You
go to Sunday, all right, So you've got the Celtics Magic.
Celtics win one oh three to eighty six, the Cavs Heat,
Cavs win one twenty one to one hundred, Warriors, Rockets,
Golden State wins ninety five to eighty five, OKC, and
Memphis one thirty one to eighty. They won in the
playoffs by fifty one points.
Speaker 1: Only one game.
Speaker 2: Was decided by a single digit and that was it
was a great game.
Speaker 1: Nuggets clips.
Speaker 2: But do we have too many playoff teams when we've
got every game outside of one was decided by double digits?
Speaker 6: Well, I don't. I don't even like the play in Yeah,
I'm over the play only.
Speaker 3: One time as the ten seed actually made it to
the playoffs like I don't I don't like the play
in if you can't make the top eight seed, which
is already lopsided as you pointed out, Like why the
hell are re expanding it to ten? Like there's only
thirty teams in the NBA. You're telling me twenty of
them get a shot to make it to the playoffs.
That's way too many. I mean they should cut that
number in half.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm the play and I'm over the play like
it was Okay, let's see what this is all about.
And so you know, the Pelicans have been in the
play in before, but it's like, yeah, I'm over. I
think the product is just bad. So a weekend loser
for me. NBA playoffs being competitive when only one game
is within a single digit and then you've got a
game with professionals that is decided by fifty one points.
Speaker 1: Miss me with that one. Alandre uh.
Speaker 7: Yeah.
Speaker 4: Weeken winners got a few tigers on the National Award
watch list, So National Picture of the Year Kate Anderson
and case and Evans are up for that. And Steven
Mylom who shocker, like we said earlier in the season
when people were questioning if he was going to be
good at shortstop or not.
Speaker 7: He's just good at baseball.
Speaker 4: He is on the watch list for the Brooks Wallace Award,
which the best short stop in the country. So shout
out to Kate Anderson, Cason Evans, and Steven mylm.
Speaker 7: Stephen Mylan one of my favorite Tigers for sure.
Speaker 2: That bomb he hit the other n right, I mean
it was a few feet from clearing the entire stadium
in a big moment too, obviously.
Speaker 4: So Batti three to six, eight doubles, two triples, eight
home runs, thirty nine are beyond the season and has
scored thirty four runs. So Steven Myland very productive at
the plate and really good on the field as well.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm with you.
Speaker 2: There a couple of big home runs for the Tigers,
but you know that one watching the game that was
as exciting as any of them. Always comes up clutch, Yeah, always.
The numbers aren't the most Gatti, great numbers, you know,
but not the most gotty on the team. But when
you need somebody at the plate, I don't think there's
anybody else I would rather.
Speaker 1: Have than Monster.
Speaker 7: Maybe Chris Stanfield.
Speaker 2: Yeah, guys, your nine hole hitter's just been lights out
for sure.
Speaker 6: Weekend loser.
Speaker 3: I mentioned this a little bit on Thursday when it
looked like it was going to happen. But since it's
officially official, Nico Yamaliava is going to be a weekend
loser for me.
Speaker 6: He is officially transferred to UCLA.
Speaker 3: He was getting two and a half million dollars per
year at Tennessee. After an incredible nineteen touchdowns in twenty
twenty four, he decided he wanted four million per year.
Todays he taught him to walk rightfully. So, and you know,
we had talked about this before. I was I brought up, like,
what are Nico's options as far as elite programs, Well,
he went to UCLA, so he's in a worse program
and a worse offense. He was in a year ago
making one point seventy five million dollars, so he lost
almost a million during this whole process. Also, Joey Aguilar
from Appalachian State transferred over there in the spring. Like,
I get it, he's from Happy State, but he had
thirty three touchdown passes last year at Happy State. Like,
there is no guarantee the Nico's going to be the
starting quarterback at UCLA. And after all of this, Nico
comes out and says, are you know his representatives? Who
whoever is advising this guy says, well, you know, it
wasn't really about money. We just didn't like the Tennessee offense. Okay,
a few things wrong there. One, Josh Hipel's offense is
known to be like incredibly quarterback friendly, like McKenzie Milton
was in the Heisman Trophy discussions in that Josh Hipel offense. Secondly,
this is one hundred percent about money because you hated
the offense, but for four million dollars a year, you
would have loved the offense and that's ultimately why you left.
Speaker 6: Like, this is one hundred percent about money. That's a lie.
Why are you saying that?
Speaker 3: All these athletes come out every now and then they
just say something you knows a lie.
Speaker 6: I'm like, what do you what do you gain him
from that?
Speaker 1: Like?
Speaker 3: I don't want to take a shot at the guy
because he's great. But Travis Hunter the other day was
asked what would you do if a team told you
you could only play on one side of the ball?
And he goes, I wouldn't play football.
Speaker 6: That's not true.
Speaker 1: It's not true.
Speaker 3: If the Cleveland Brown's offered Travis Hunder twenty million dollars
a year to only play defense, he's walking away from it,
like that's not true? Why are you saying things like this?
So Nico goes through all of this lies about what
the actual motive was because he lost a million and
a half dollars at a school that doesn't have any
fan support because it's all about usc.
Speaker 6: Isn't a worse conference?
Speaker 3: Isn't a worse offense with a head coach and Deshaun
Foster who we don't know how long he's going to
be there quarterback battle with Joey Aguiloor. I mean, nothing
about going to UCLA is better than what he had.
Speaker 6: Nothing.
Speaker 4: Wait, so do we know he's getting four million dollars
at UCLA?
Speaker 6: He's getting one point seven five?
Speaker 7: Oh my gosh, you learn California?
Speaker 1: Yeah lost? Oh yeah, you're gonnay, you're gonna pay more
than you actually earn in California.
Speaker 7: Crazy.
Speaker 3: Yeah, he didn't have any of that tax in Tennessee. No,
so now he's got a huge income town.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Look, I know I wasn't here, but I was on
other shows talking about he thought he was going to
have eight or nine teams ready to beat down his
door for his services and give him four million. I
even think that he thought in him as camp thought
that once eight or nine teams said we'd give you
four million, it would turn into a bidding war. And
then he opened the door because nobody was beating it down,
and there was nobody there, and U. C.
Speaker 1: L A.
Speaker 2: Wasn't even really there. Yeah, and they're like sure, yes, like, hey,
we'll give you a have we got this left over,
Like we'll give it to you, like you know, we
think you're probably better than.
Speaker 1: The guy that we got. Yeah, we'll give you that.
Speaker 2: We'll give you the spare change. And then you mentioned
like California's gonna take theirs. Ye trust me when I
say that I have given them a lot of money.
And then well the tax bracket is going to be
into for federal.
Speaker 7: Yeah, that's what I'm gonna say. Like the cost of
living is like, yeah, taxes, that's a lot of.
Speaker 1: Money, but just three grand a month to live in
a shoe box out.
Speaker 4: There, right, you probably step outside and spend one thousand
dollars just because you're stepping outside.
Speaker 6: He like the damn Josh Ipel offense didn't.
Speaker 2: So look, he outplayed his hand like whoever was advising.
Speaker 7: Him, because terrible advice.
Speaker 2: You're going from a playoff team in the SEC that,
regardless of what you think about Tennessee like Neland's going
to be packed every single Saturday. It's a good environment,
it's one of the better ones that I played in,
and you were going to have an opportunity to potentially
get back to the college football playoff. Now, I mean,
this offense is built on running game. That's why the
offensive player of the Year in the SEC was the
running back for Tennessee last year. But you still had
multiple opportunities to thrive in that offense, right, I mean
we've seen multiple quarterbacks that played in that system in
the NFL, and so you thought you were going to
be able to I don't even know. I would love
to ask him where did you think your landing spot
was going to be?
Speaker 3: Well, he put the no contact clause on him, which
wild thing to do, and that's essentially like I already
know where I'm going to contact me. But he didn't
like Tulane told him no.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you and c told him no, which they went to.
They got pass on South Alabama.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and uh, I mean it's it's the wildest thing.
But like there was a report that came out that
him and honestly a couple of other Tennessee players were
considering sitting out the college football play y'all game against
Ohio State because they wanted more money. Like that's another
problem all in its own if you have multiple start
with that.
Speaker 4: True.
Speaker 6: Yeah, now, but like maybe he should have.
Speaker 3: You guys know that he had a forty five percent
completion percentage in that college football playoff game. Hypell probably
wishes he had set out forty five percent completion in
Ohio State won forty two seventeen.
Speaker 6: Good job, Nico, Bang up job there, Bud.
Speaker 3: Everybody's gonna be like your two rushing touchdowns, Yeah, thirty
eight yards rushing? Come on now, no touchdown passes, forty
five percent completion. Yeah, let's give that guy four million
a year.
Speaker 1: So I was interviewing, I was interviewing.
Speaker 2: He fired up ty League Williams from Ohio State last week,
you know, for the draft. Yeah, and EJ asked him
about the situation, Like when Niko He's like, you know,
like what he as a foreign player, Like what is
like I'll be honest with you, Like when I saw
the report of surprised, and I was like, oh, he's
surprised he goes because he really wasn't that good. I
was like, whoa, And somebody who played against him in
the playoff now it's a bad game for him.
Speaker 1: But he's straight up that that was his rebuttal.
Speaker 2: And so like, Nico's gonna have to do a lot
of work to get his name back where it was
because like before all this, everybody's like, oh, you know, Nico,
you malav are coming back, Like they're gonna be good
for Tennessee.
Speaker 7: Man, it's just a really bad love.
Speaker 2: He's gonna be playing in front of fifteen thousand people
in the Rose Bowl a team that's gonna finish towards
the bottom of the Big ten.
Speaker 1: Look, I give them credit.
Speaker 2: I mean they came here last year, they played hard,
they actually had more success than I thought they would.
But they're not a good team. I mean they've got
a lot of issues.
Speaker 7: Aside from that, Like the optics are just not great.
Speaker 4: Like if NFL scouts or whatever, like recruiters and stuff
like that are looking at stuff like that, I don't
know if the optics are great that you did all
this and then you go and you make a pay cut,
actually because you couldn't find anybody else.
Speaker 7: To pick you up.
Speaker 4: I don't know, it's just the whole situation's really insane.
Speaker 1: And now I'm with you.
Speaker 2: I mean, it's it's been surprising everything. Every twist and
every turn's kind of been surprising. And like now we're
you know, is Tennessee going to add a quarterback because
they've got a freshman, a red shirt freshman. I mean,
Jaden Rashata is probably the top guy, but Tennessee can't
go after him. They could, but he'd have to sit out,
so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Speaker 1: Uh. Steve Angelly from Notre Dame, he's in the portal.
I mean, the most that we know about him.
Speaker 2: Is he came in to the bowl game let a touchdown,
I mean against Penn State, and honestly, I was like,
I don't think roder Lionard that was a great throw.
Its like, no, that wasn't right, Leonard. He's actually out.
I'm like, oh, that's maybe that's why. Uh, that's about
the best available. Because again, Jaden Rashata ranked two oh
six overall he's from the SEC. He'd have to sit
out cham Rogers from cal rank three nineteen. Overall, there's
just there's Brendan Sullivan five point forty five overall from Iowa.
There's just there's nothing when it comes to quarterback.
Speaker 1: But Tennessee was like, you know.
Speaker 2: What, We'd rather move on than pay him four million
dollars and still have him on the roster. So it
says a lot I think about where that situation was
anymore winners or losers.
Speaker 1: All right, we will step away.
Speaker 2: We've got the voice of the LSU Tigers, Chris Blair,
joining us in about ten minutes from now.
Speaker 1: More OTB when we come back here on one to
four to five ESPN.
Speaker 7: Baton Rouge Mopter Ben.
Speaker 2: All right, go to Pelicanroof dot compelicanroof dot com. Now
we always tell you in Lafayette, in Baton Rouge and
not driving back and forth, they have offices in both locations.
They are heavily in the community in both locations, right,
and they've been there, And in Lafayette you already know
the Baton Rouge office. Though when you see those five
star reviews coming in, I mean in totality over five
hundred five star reviews for Pelican Roof and you can
check them out right.
Speaker 1: There on the homepage.
Speaker 2: And not like them, just saying that actual reviews from
real people, from real customers. They are right there on
the homepage. You don't have to go searching for them.
And that's the kind of work that you're going to
get done. So you can go to their website again,
pelicanroof dot com.
Speaker 1: You can actually put your address in right.
Speaker 2: It's going to give you a great estimate of what
a roof is going to cost you, a great tool
right there on the homepage of the website. Go schedule
everything today, have them come out pelicanroof dot Com.
Speaker 1: Back to sports Talk, maybe off the Bench.
Speaker 2: If you haven't guests already. Today's theme for the music
one Hit Wonders. Are these players getting ready for the
NFL Draft trying to not become one hit wonders from
their college days, trying to parlay that success into NFL success.
Favorite one hit wonder A landra It tough.
Speaker 1: It's a tough.
Speaker 4: Because I really like this one. Your Love by the
Outfield is a really good one. Every time that song
comes on, I have to sing it so I don't know.
And What's Up? That's a really good one hit wonder too,
So it's so hard. Maybe What's Up.
Speaker 6: Your Love by the Outfield is so good?
Speaker 1: This is so cheesy, but I gotta I gotta go
with Ice Ice Baby Vanilla Eyes. I mean, come on
that that song.
Speaker 2: That song is what thirty five years old? Yeah, and
still still plays? Yeah?
Speaker 4: Uh, like a newer one somebody that I used to know.
That's a one hit wonder. I don't know any other
song that I like. I don't I don't know how
to say his name. It's like g O T y E,
like Godier.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah I think it maybe, I think so.
Speaker 4: Yeah, probably but that Blind Melon, no Rain, I know,
like a couple other black but yeah, probably.
Speaker 2: Go crazy Town by crazy Town knows the band Butterflies
a song.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a.
Speaker 7: Good one that I love.
Speaker 4: This one though, is Take My Breath Away by Berlin one.
I don't know any other Berlin.
Speaker 2: I don't know any other Berlin. We might be coming
after somebody, Yeah, I don't know. I don't know any
other Berlin.
Speaker 7: Sex and Candy, Uh, Marcy's.
Speaker 2: Playground, Yeah, it's up there. Uh Pumped Up Kicks Foster
the People.
Speaker 7: I know a lot of other Fosters.
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm wrong there.
Speaker 7: I don't know.
Speaker 3: Define hit though, I guess is the thing like, yeah,
they put out other songs, but.
Speaker 7: Like, yeah, I got I would.
Speaker 3: Consider Strawberry Wine by Dina Carter one hit wonder, I
would Dina.
Speaker 1: Carter, So you sound like somebody that loves that song.
Speaker 6: Great song, great song.
Speaker 3: I would consider that one wonder. Dina Carter had a
lot of other good songs, but like they weren't it.
Speaker 7: I think Foster People has hits.
Speaker 1: Closing time.
Speaker 7: I don't know any other semi song.
Speaker 6: Yeah. Oh, somebody in the chat said, who let the
Dogs out?
Speaker 5: Man?
Speaker 6: Yeah, that's that's the definition of one who wonder.
Speaker 2: It's definitely in there, my Karina, I don't even know
who sings that.
Speaker 1: That's a one hit for sure.
Speaker 2: All right, just curious get your favorite one hit wonders
inside the by U four chat.
Speaker 1: There. I love a good one hit wonder. Anybody seemed
that thing you do the movie?
Speaker 2: Yeah, thats yes, well done, t A all right.
Speaker 1: Te You mentioned off the top of the show.
Speaker 2: That there was some worry that a player for L
s U Football was going to enter the transfer portal,
and it is since Ben said that he will not
enter the portal.
Speaker 3: Yeah, Caleb Jackson unsu running back. This was actually something
that I mentioned is a possible portal casualty. But he
said over the weekend. I think this was actually on Friday,
that he was not entering the portal. He was gonna stay,
he was going to compete. Like to me, this is
kind of refreshing in the era of I didn't play
right away, things are going my way, I'm bailing, like
Caleb Jackson wants to be here. Like I just looked
at it in terms of, Okay, if my chance harlem
Berry passes him up in the spring, Cayden Durham had
already passed him up. He's a class lower. Then you
have a freshman in harlem Berry that puts him at third.
Speaker 6: Knowing J. T.
Speaker 3: Lindsey's going to enroll in the fall like another really
talented player, I just thought, like, okay, depending on how
much around harlem Berry is going to get in the spring,
like Caleb Jackson might see the writing.
Speaker 6: On the wall.
Speaker 3: But I mean, if you followed that spring scrimmage, Cayden
Durham didn't practice, should know just precautionary like he you know,
like twead an ankle or something like, it's not nothing major.
Kelb Jackson got a lot of run in that game,
and like that was that was my biggest takeaway because
he was kind of the sole back with that first
team offense. Like, I think that was big because I
think there could be a role for him. But I
appreciate the fact that he's staying here competing because I thought,
you know, just looking at it, Okay, if Barry passes
him up, he got another talented guy coming in all
of a sudden, you're fourth string, so I thought, maybe
there was a chance he's made the move. But he's
sticking around.
Speaker 2: Yeah, look, I am glad that he is sticking around.
He's got work to do, though, I think if we're
being honest with ourselves, he has to still grow as
a running back. We have seen the flashes we saw
against Mississippi State, right where he runs over the guy
on the sideline and it's the ooh, it's ah play.
We've seen him. Gosh, it was our guy with weeks right,
and they put out the social media video in camp
where he catches a swing pass and you know, runs
through a linebacker. Like all of that is great, I
think the in between the tackles, you know, feel for
the run game has to continue to go up. And really,
this entire, this entire run game I think has to
play at a different level. Like Cain Durham was great.
It's a true freshman, right, I mean, over seven hundred
yards rushing five point four per carry, had some home
runs where he finished them, and he had some tow issues,
some foot issues at the end of the season, wasn't
able to finish some of those runs that we think
he is going to be able to this year. Track guy,
track speed. Cain Durham's your RB one, no question about it.
But they need Caleb Jackson or one of the freshmen
two step up. Caleb Jackson last year average three point
four yards per carry, and there was a lot of
times where it felt like and look, this happens to
a lot of young running backs. Where he was getting
the football, putting his head down, not reading the play,
not allowing it to develop, hitting the line of scream
it's too fast, all of those situations. Your hope is
that he has continued to develop, continue to grow because
they need that to go up. You no longer have
the old savvy vet, mister trustworthy Josh Williams, you don't
have that anymore. That is not a luxury that you have.
And you can argue with me all you want. I know,
there's plenty of people that have done it in the past.
In the chat, Josh Williams a valuable football player because
you knew exactly what you were getting as soon as
you put him in the game. Was the ceiling as
high as Cayden Durham or Caleb Jackson? No, probably not,
but the floor was incredibly high because you knew he
was going to be consistent. Go back and watch any
big play. Over the last couple of years, Josh Williams
was in the backfield because they knew they could count
on him. You don't have that this year, and we
hadn't talked about it a lot. That's big, like even
a little surprised that maybe a veteran running back isn't
coming in through the portal. And maybe it's because they,
you know, were able to keep Caleb Jackson out of
the portal and they're counting on him to be kind
of an older presence, says this is now his third year.
Speaker 1: But they need that to go way up.
Speaker 2: They have got to get more production from a secondary
running back now that Josh Williams going. Josh Williams had
one hundred and seventeen carries a year ago. He was
over four yards per carrey. He was tied for the
team lead with six rushing touchdowns. He also, I mean
what he caught thirty one passes a year ago. Thirty one, Okay,
Caden Durham called twenty eight. Caleb Jackson only caught six.
So it is great that he is coming back again.
You hope that he developed. I mean, he's got all
the physical traits as far as being you know, athletic
and strong and fast and all all these things. I mean,
he looks the part, but they need the running IQ
to go up a little bit there to be able
to read the plays as they develop. And there's a
reason why, like your most athletic guy doesn't always go
play running back, right. It is a fuel position. You
have to be able to fill it out. You have
to be able to read it. Not getting to the
line of scrimmage as fast as you can. That doesn't happen.
And a lot of times young running backs and myself
included that's what we do because we're like, we don't
want to be behind.
Speaker 1: We got to get there. You gotta let the play develop.
Speaker 2: Certainly when you run as much outside zone and kind
of different zone schemes as LSU is going to run
like gap scheme, not to get too deep into the weeds.
Gap scheme is going to hit a little bit quicker power,
hit that a gap counterar hit that b gap right
and after you have your shuffle steps on a counter,
then you go downhill. LSU's going to use more slow
developing runs. Maybe they know integrate themselves into a little
bit more gap scheme.
Speaker 1: They certainly try to a year ago. So that's something
to pay attention to.
Speaker 2: But it feels like a very important position and they
need Haleb Jackson to step up and be that veteran
presence at the running back because you're talking about a
true sophomore two freshman. He is the oldest guy in
the room and you're trying to replicate the production that
Josh Williams, who was a six year guy gave you
at that position. So good news for the Tigers, but
still more work to be done at that position, trying
to fill that void that Josh Williams leaves. All right,
we will step away here and when we come back,
we are going to catch up with the voice of
the LSU Tigers, Chris Blair, right here on O TV.
Speaker 1: Off the bench.
Speaker 2: All right, we are very excited to have do Sequies
on the team. Over the last couple of fridays, we've
certainly enjoyed some do sequis here in studio, but not
the only time that we have enjoyed them at the beach.
Let me tell you, there might not be a better
place to enjoy a cold de sekis gosh, at a ballgame,
at a restaurant. I mean, there's not a bad time.
I mean, it hits everywhere that you go. Look, I'm
sure our boy t Bob has enjoyed some dosequis on
his trip. Whatever he gets back, we'll ask him about
how those dosequies were, but I'm sure that he has
enjoyed them. I mean, the spring is here, as we
always say, the bats are hot, the weather's heating up,
and there is nothing better than sitting back and enjoying
a cold dose sequies. I mean, look toa's in the
sand hard to beat. But even if you're grilling and chilling.
There is no better way to enjoy than pop open
a cold dose. Sequis proud to have them on the
squad here on OTV back.
Speaker 3: From the break where the sports talk gets real kind
of off the bench and with the Hester and t Bob.
Speaker 2: All right, welcome back here and OTV one O four
to five, ESPN Beton Rouge, our pleasure to walkme on
to the show. The voice of your LSU Fighting Tiger's
Chris Blair CB, glad.
Speaker 1: To have you on the show.
Speaker 2: Today's music theme and I know your big music guy
is one hit wonders.
Speaker 1: Do you have a favorite one hit wonder?
Speaker 5: Wow? Favorite? Oh gosh, you know I this this is
going to date me big time. But yeah, it's probably
a video killed the radio stuff you go, that may
be the biggest one hit wonder of the eighties.
Speaker 2: Look, I mean I definitely know the reference. I'm in
my Mike Gundy year. I'm like only a couple of
weeks away from forty and so I'm with you, CB,
I got you.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think I'll go with that. But yeah, there's
a bunch of good ones out there.
Speaker 1: All right.
Speaker 2: Well, let's talk a little LSU baseball. So I was
out all of last week and so you know, fortunately
I didn't have to recap the sweep there on the planes.
But you know, you get back home, you take two
of three from Alabama. That series had some big moments,
some moments where you had to come up clutch, and
LSU was able to get those, like even in the
game on Saturday, like it. You know, they didn't stop
fighting and they had multiple opportunities there. It felt like
they were even going to do something there in the
ninth But all series long, you're able to win two
of three at home. I know you got swept and
I know you wanted to go for a sweep here,
but still Cebia did feel like LSU bounced back in
a big way against Alabama.
Speaker 5: No, there's no question about it. I mean, just offensively alone.
I mean I think you know, we talked about it,
everybody's talked about it. You look back at that Auburn series,
I mean, it really wasn't a pitching issue as much
as it was an offensive issue. I mean, just some
numbers that you just hadn't seen. And while I still
think runners in scoring position coming off this weekend, you know,
certainly that's not the number they want they were able
to get enough offense produced, you know, even after trailing,
you know, in all three games, just unable to get
enough or get over the hump there in the third
game of the series.
Speaker 2: Now, something we talked about in linked here on the
show was in game number three, you decided to go
in a different direction at starting pitcher. And it, like
LSU has shown, like Case and Evans and Zach Cowen,
they are so valuable in the role that they have,
and when they come in, it's kind of like, hey,
we're closing the door on the game. Case and Evans
even comes into the game with you trailing, it doesn't
feel like they are going to move into that role
to be the number three starter because Jay knows he
can count on them.
Speaker 1: Do you expect you know, more movement?
Speaker 2: I guess CB they're in game number three, Like, is
it a situation where maybe becomes a Johnny Whole staff
where you're like, hey, whatever, Arm's going the best going
into that day?
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean I think that's I mean, I don't
think anything solidified. I mean I'll certainly say that, and
you know, to be honest with you, I wasn't really
sure that things were solidified you know, coming off the
last couple of weeks, just because you I think astutely
put the way I think the situation is with both
Cowen and Evans. I mean, do they have the ability absolutely.
I mean, you know, everybody could simply look at what
they've been able to do, you know, all season, certainly
even against the SCC, so they would be the first
people you would think you move up. But then then
you really have to start asking yourself. You know, unless
you get you know, three complete game any of you know, performances,
you're still gonna have to find somebody out of the bullpen.
And if you're taking Zach in casing out at the moment,
you know, I think I think that's the the fine
line that this coaching staff is having to, you know,
go through Jacob by matchup to matchup each week that
comes the team they're playing, how they think they'll you know,
certain arms do against certain hitters. So but I think
that's still going to be up for debate.
Speaker 1: Well.
Speaker 2: Also another part of it is if they kind of
give you what they've been giving you all year long,
which is you're kind of using four pitchers basically in
the first two games, and then if you do have
a situation, Chris, where on game number three on Sunday,
if you have to go in your full bag, right,
you got to go deep into the bullpen. Will you
at least had the luxury because it's been consistent, you're
gonna have two guys on Friday night, You're gonna have
two guys pretty much on Saturday night, and then you'll
have everybody else available.
Speaker 5: No, I mean, that's that's certainly the path that you
would love to be able to take. I just think
right now there, you know, I look back at the
Auburn series and you know, I'm sure everybody felt the
same way that you know, at least some of the
guys you hadn't seen a lot of on the mound,
especially in SEC play, really performed well, gave the offensive
chance really in all but maybe that final game, you know,
a puncher's chance. So and then I thought during the midweek,
albeit not against SEC competition, that you also saw some
good outing. So you know, I don't know what you
take away from from game three on Saturday from this weekend,
because you know, outside of I think DJ Primo, it
wasn't the best outing. So are you at a point
yet where I mean, I just think you're at a
situation where as Jay has said for many years, you've
got to start to find you know, not just your rotation, Jacob,
but you got to be able to find all right,
this is the starting crew, this is the early relief
if need be, this is the middle relief, and this
is this is a back end of our bullpen. And frankly,
I think it's pretty obvious that they're still trying to
find that.
Speaker 1: Yeah, a couple of things in the lineup that look different.
Speaker 2: Game number three, Daniel Digginson actually led the game off
and still kind of toying with moving a couple of
different pieces in the three spot. I think, you know,
Barr Jones moves back to the cleanup spot where bulk
of the year he's actually hit second in your lineup.
It still feels like maybe trying to mix it up
there at the top. And look, we know, I mean,
Jay loves one thing like he loves to move parts around,
Like he doesn't say stagnant there. Do you think Daniel
Diginson leading off is something we could see maybe in
the future as we get ready for the Tennessee series.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean, I do just simply because I mean,
when I think about consistency, obviously, I think I mean,
I mean, you can't argue with the kid that's you know,
reach based at least once every game of his career
and his freshman season. But I think those two could
be interchangeable. I mean, I think they both have a
knack for being able to get a board. I think
Dickinson is really probably underrated offensively, but most of that
is because we were so thrilled that, you know, he
and Mylom have been so solid, you know, defensively for
this team. And I think LSU is still trying to
kind of find out what's the best scenario. And this
is gonna sound strange, Jacob, I know, but you know,
last year it felt like there was nobody that really
could protect Tommy White and that was gonna be your
big bopper and you needed to get him up to
the plate virtually every second inning. And where I think
this year, I think they're trying to find out who
needs to protect who. I mean, you had the kind
of the emergence of Ethan Fry and then suddenly you
start to see him as the d H move you know,
higher up the order. Next thing, you know, he's kind
of in there to protect Jared in the three spo
and then again you go through the weekend. It was
at Auburn and and then you kind of shuffle, and
I think you saw that in the midweek, and you
saw it in all three games. There were some slight tweaks.
We still kind of saw the same platooning of the
same players, but up there at top of the order.
You're exactly right. I don't think they're I don't think
they're completely you know, solidified yet. And as you said,
sometimes that that won't even matter. In game six of
your World series Visits.
Speaker 2: Guts up with the voice out of the LSU Tigers
Chris player here on OTB Big Series. Obviously this weekend, Uh,
you've seen the Box at its peak.
Speaker 1: I've seen the Box at its peak.
Speaker 2: It might rival that, Like whatever the peak is, it
might rival that this weekend. Tennessee LSU fans, obviously, they've
seen their rise over the last couple of years. You've
had a couple of battles with them. This is going
to be one of those Friday Saturday Sunday series. Certainly
Friday Night it is going to be electric inside the
box and it's going to be hard to keep all
that energy contained. And it's like, okay, you know whoever
stays composed here, but it is going to be a
lively series coming up this Friday.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean, I think it's quickly becoming from a
national standpoint. Jacob Younoviz, college baseball continues to grow. I mean,
I think over the last three four seasons, now I
think this LSU Tennessee matchup from a college baseball perspective,
is becoming one of the biggest matchups. And yes, I
think everybody, including myself, when the schedule was released, like
immediately started skimming down and your finger is going to
stop right there at Tennessee at the box. So it's
going to be interesting. You know, this past weekend, you'd
love to get the sweep, as you said, you do
get the fourth series win in league play, so all
is good, and you know, you get some separation from
Georgia because Vanderbilt, I think, surprises everybody with Georgia kind
of stumbling suddenly. Now Vanderbilt's right there nipping at your heels.
You saw Kentucky take two out of three from a
Tennessee team in Knoxville, so you know again, both teams
will have a midweek game, then both teams will show
up be ready to go on Friday. But it's interesting
because I think every weekend, whoever you think, you know,
outside of maybe Texas that's well on their way, suddenly
they take a tough weekend and now you've got to
look at what the motivation is. Do I think Tennessee
will be motivated. Of course, it's LSU. They know what
they're coming into and also they're coming off a series
loss to a team that I'm sure they felt like
they should have swept.
Speaker 1: Can I wait for the series?
Speaker 2: Unfortunately, you know I'm going to be in Green Bay,
Wisconsin covering the draft. Like I certainly would want to
be inside the box this weekend, happy to cover the draft.
Speaker 1: But man, this is a series.
Speaker 2: Like you said, as soon as the schedule comes out,
you're trying to find out where Tennessee is. But I
will be ear hustling the called there CB and Dougie
the best to do it.
Speaker 1: So looking forward to the call. CEB. Always appreciate your time.
Thanks for hopping on with us.
Speaker 5: Man, I tell you what, it's good to have those
first world problems, huh.
Speaker 2: I'll tell you, Yeah, somebody's got to do it.
Speaker 1: Somebody's got to do it.
Speaker 5: Have a great week, all right.
Speaker 1: You as well?
Speaker 2: There is Chris Blair, the voice of the LSU Tigers.
Like I will, I mean, on on Friday night. I
promise you I will have some way of listening during
the breaks to the call looking forward to that series.
I just knew, like as soon as the schedule came out,
I'm like, that's the NFL Draft time, isn't it? Because
I would be at all three games. I'm assuming that, Landra,
You're gonna find a way to be in the box.
Speaker 7: I'm going to find a way to be there Saturday
and Sunday for sure.
Speaker 1: What you got Friday?
Speaker 7: Cody Johnson?
Speaker 1: Oh so Cody Johnson over the Tigers. If those textas
you wouldn't go there's the other ut.
Speaker 7: That's not true, that's not true at all.
Speaker 2: You're right, all right, we will step away wrap up
our number two of OTB. When we jump back here,
one of four five ESPN batteries.
Speaker 1: Off the bench.
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Speaker 2: Welcome in to the best morning sports this show around
Off the Bench with Hester and t Bob. I did
forget about this wonder Welcome back in OTB here on
a Monday morning, just got up with the voice of
the LSU Tigers, Chris Blair, starting to preview the Tennessee
baseball series coming up this weekend.
Speaker 1: And again I've been in that stadium.
Speaker 2: Y'all have been in that stadium, our listeners have been
in that stadium when it's been absolutely electric.
Speaker 1: I mean more times than not it is.
Speaker 2: But I still think, like whatever your peak experience is
for regular season baseball right now, A regional, a super regional,
that's a little bit different, but regular season baseball, I
have to imagine this is going to match that. I mean,
LSU fans don't like Tennessee. Tennessee fans don't like LSU.
You're kind of fighting back and forth. Is kind of
the new kid on the block. You've certainly been there,
done that before. You just won a national championship as well,
last couple of national championship winners.
Speaker 1: I am expecting it to be at its absolute peak.
Speaker 4: I think the most that I've experienced it at his
peak is like like you said, postseason baseball, so super regionals,
it's electric in there. So I think that this will
be it'll match that, if not be more, because this
is like a very it has potential to be a
great rivalry if it's not already, Because like you said,
LSU baseball has like the history, right, they have the
history of being a great baseball program and there's still
that today. Yeah, Tennessee Baseball is starting to solidify themselves
a little bit because since Tony Vytella took over, they
have been a really good program. So I'm excited for
this series. I think the Box is going to be rocking.
I can't think of like a regular season game at
the Box that I've been to that will have as
much hype as this one.
Speaker 1: T TA.
Speaker 3: Was did you play? Did you play? Arkansas? Was it
when Skens and Hagen Smith were against each other? Was
that in Fayetteville or was that here?
Speaker 7: I feel like I remember being.
Speaker 3: I think that's the only single game I can think
of as far as series to go. No, I mean,
DEFINDI National champions everyone's favorite baseball coach Tony Fatello comes
back in like, uh I lost you Baseball, like you're
not rivals with Tennessee. Was kind that would be the
game that would be the only one, but not even
the whole series. Like that game Paul Skens versus Hagen
Smith might be the only thing I can think of
where it's like this almost feels like a professional baseball game.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, because Hagen Okay, I'm looking at the box
score now, so Hagen Smith came in. Yeah yeah, because
he didn't start the game, but he came in four
and two thirds innings, gives up three earned runs, strikes
out eight. Paul Skens goes seven, only gives up two hits,
one earned run, strikes out twelve. But you lost the
game nine to three in ten innings. Yeah, kind of
hard to do, but so Schemes gives you what I
just laid out there. Chase Shores actually comes into the game,
pitches two innings, gives up one hit, one earned strikes
out three. Christian Little got touched up, only goes a
third of an inning, gives up four earned runs. Will
Helmer's comes in. He gives up three earned runs and
two thirds and you lose that game.
Speaker 1: It's tough to do. And then you came back.
Speaker 2: Remember you run ruled them twelve to two, and then
you win again.
Speaker 1: So nice series.
Speaker 2: There gonna be a big series here against Tennessee more
OTB coming your way.
Speaker 1: Our number three off the bench,