1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,839 Speaker 1: Checking out college football on the West Coast. This is 2 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:07,879 Get Off My Pilon, a look at the PAC twelve 3 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,400 and more, part of the College Gridiron Coast to Coast 4 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:12,759 podcast Network. 5 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:18,039 Speaker 2: Here's your host, that Zemi. Welcome to to Get Off 6 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:21,839 My Pilon college football podcast. This is your host, Matt Zemec. 7 00:00:22,359 --> 00:00:26,160 This episode is part of the College Gridiron Coast to 8 00:00:26,199 --> 00:00:30,359 Coast podcast Network. Follow all your College Gridiron Coast to 9 00:00:30,359 --> 00:00:34,679 Coast podcasts at Apple and other places where you get 10 00:00:34,719 --> 00:00:39,280 your podcasts podcast across the country. It's that network of 11 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:41,880 podcasts that we've been working with here at Get Off 12 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:45,280 My Pilon the past few seasons. Back for another year 13 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,920 in twenty twenty four. So this episode of Get Off 14 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:53,119 My Pion under the College Gridiron banner, covering once again 15 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:57,039 western college football in the United States. So not really 16 00:00:57,079 --> 00:01:00,200 PAC twelve football, though I guess you could technically say 17 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:04,000 that Oregon State and Washington State, you know, are representing 18 00:01:04,079 --> 00:01:07,640 what's left of the past PAC twelve. The Husk that's 19 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:11,840 that's left of the PAC twelve legally as a as 20 00:01:11,879 --> 00:01:14,719 a technicality, but for all intents and purposes, we do 21 00:01:14,799 --> 00:01:17,680 not have a PAC twelve football season. But you know, 22 00:01:17,719 --> 00:01:20,280 you can catch Oregon State and Washington State home games 23 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:24,519 on the CW network. Tom Brenneman, after a four year 24 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:29,400 exile for you know what, back on the airwaves at CW. 25 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,200 So good for him, Like that's time served. You know, 26 00:01:32,239 --> 00:01:34,680 he paid, he paid his price. He sat out for 27 00:01:34,719 --> 00:01:39,040 several years, like it derailed his career, time served, So 28 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:42,719 like that's fair, Like he's received the significant punishment for 29 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:44,400 what he did. But now he's back on the air 30 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:49,000 at the CW. Washington State looked extremely good, Oregon State decent. 31 00:01:49,799 --> 00:01:51,599 But we're going to find out a lot more about 32 00:01:51,599 --> 00:01:54,000 those teams in the coming weeks. Oregon State goes to 33 00:01:54,079 --> 00:01:56,840 San Diego State in week two. That should be an 34 00:01:56,879 --> 00:02:00,319 interesting game. But of course you didn't come here to 35 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,319 listen to primarily insights about Oregon State and washing State, 36 00:02:04,519 --> 00:02:06,799 although you know, it's definitely worth covering those teams, and 37 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:08,840 we don't want to forget about them simply because they're 38 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,199 not in a twelve team conference anymore. We're definitely going 39 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,319 to pay attention to the Beavers and Cougars and see 40 00:02:14,319 --> 00:02:16,520 what they do, and you know, we do want them 41 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,199 to do well because obviously they were wronged, they were 42 00:02:19,319 --> 00:02:23,159 jobbed by the destruction of the PAC twelve by George 43 00:02:23,199 --> 00:02:27,199 Klafkoff and most importantly the CEO group responsible for the 44 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:31,240 conference's demise. It was all very preventable. But you know, 45 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:33,960 in the new world of western college football in the 46 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,520 United States, part of our focus here on get off 47 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:39,680 my Pylon. We now have to deal with the reality 48 00:02:39,719 --> 00:02:44,000 that for West Coast schools, USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon 49 00:02:44,039 --> 00:02:46,520 are now part of the Big Ten. It just doesn't 50 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:48,960 make any sense. But of course, you know, Lincoln Riley 51 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,840 equipped that has some pretty impressive Big Ten football today 52 00:02:54,719 --> 00:02:58,560 after USC VT LSU, Yes, nothing says Big Ten like 53 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:02,360 USC LSU, But technically it was a very big win 54 00:03:02,439 --> 00:03:04,759 for the Big Ten and for USC, and that's really 55 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:09,360 our starting point in western college football. After Week one, 56 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,439 USC making the statement, and you know, in the off season, 57 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:17,520 so many people were saying, Lincoln Riley doesn't take defense seriously. 58 00:03:18,039 --> 00:03:20,879 And you know, the fact that he did not fire 59 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,759 Alex Prince right after the Cotton Bowl against Tulane at 60 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:25,879 the end of the twenty twenty two season in early 61 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:29,199 January of twenty twenty three. The fact that he didn't 62 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:32,560 fire Alex Princh right then, you know that showed he 63 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:38,439 was unserious and that was by far Lincoln Riley's most unserious, immature, 64 00:03:39,199 --> 00:03:43,039 not very grown up move as a college football coach. 65 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,479 And you know he paid a very steep price for 66 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:49,639 that mistake in twenty twenty three, squandering Kayleb Williams last 67 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,439 college season. There was a lot of talent on that 68 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:56,840 USC roster, but its potential was not realized, and Lincoln 69 00:03:56,919 --> 00:03:59,280 Riley had to know Alex Grinch was not the best 70 00:03:59,319 --> 00:04:02,080 he could do USC. He had to have known that 71 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,840 after the Cotton Bowl lost to Tulane forty six to 72 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,280 forty five, USC getting shredded by the Group of Five 73 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,680 champion in a bowl game, Lincoln Riley had to have 74 00:04:11,759 --> 00:04:13,599 known that it was never going to work out with 75 00:04:13,639 --> 00:04:16,720 Alex Brinch. But yet he doubled down as though, I 76 00:04:16,759 --> 00:04:19,399 can't fire a guy after one year. Hey, if you 77 00:04:19,519 --> 00:04:21,839 know the guy's not going to cut it, if you 78 00:04:21,879 --> 00:04:23,879 know the guy's not going to reach a standard, you 79 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:25,439 need to fire him and you need to get in 80 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:29,319 the professionals. You need to bring in credentialed guys. So 81 00:04:29,439 --> 00:04:32,720 apparently Lincoln Riley had to go seven to five. He 82 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:35,360 had to endure the humiliation of the twenty twenty three 83 00:04:35,399 --> 00:04:39,279 season to finally find religion, The scales finally fell from 84 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:42,639 his eyes, finally saw reality for what it was. He 85 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:46,120 finally gained clarity, brought in Danton Lynn, his defensive coordinator, 86 00:04:46,399 --> 00:04:49,519 and not just that, he pried Matt Enz, a very 87 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:53,800 successful multi National Championship FCS coach, away from the North 88 00:04:53,879 --> 00:04:58,920 Dakota State dynasty. He gets Aaron Donald's position coach Eric 89 00:04:58,959 --> 00:05:01,600 Henderson from the Rams, and of course Aaron Donald retiring 90 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:05,319 is precisely what enabled that to happen. You'd think they 91 00:05:05,319 --> 00:05:08,000 Aaron Donald if he stays with the Rams another year, 92 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:10,560 that Eric Henderson stays with the Rams another year and 93 00:05:10,639 --> 00:05:13,480 he doesn't go to USC. But because Donald retired, that 94 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,800 opened the door for Lincoln Riley to poach Eric Henderson, 95 00:05:18,199 --> 00:05:22,480 bring him to USC, and then Doug Belk coming from Houston. 96 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,240 That's another quality edition Lincoln Riley made. And let's not 97 00:05:26,319 --> 00:05:30,279 forget Taylor May's former star safety for USC went to 98 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:35,560 the NFL. He's been an analyst for Riley and he 99 00:05:35,759 --> 00:05:39,839 was the interim secondary coach in the Holiday Bowl Dante Williams, 100 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,879 who did a terrible job coaching. He was a good recruiter, 101 00:05:42,879 --> 00:05:46,519 but a terrible coach. Donte Williams left to go recruit 102 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:51,120 for Kirby Smart at Georgia. Taylor Mays was the interim 103 00:05:51,199 --> 00:05:54,839 secondary coach for USC in the Holiday Bowl, and after 104 00:05:54,879 --> 00:06:00,759 a season of terrible performances, in that Holiday Bowl, USC's 105 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,680 secondary began to tackle again. You saw USC's secondary play 106 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:09,199 fundamentally sound football. The Holiday Bowl was Taylor Mays this 107 00:06:09,319 --> 00:06:14,040 game against LSU. It was this village, this new community 108 00:06:14,079 --> 00:06:19,000 of grown up, credential defensive coaches that Lincoln Riley has assembled. 109 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:23,120 So when we consider the media drum beat, the media 110 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:26,399 narrative all off season about Lincoln Riley not being serious, 111 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:31,639 well it was true the past several years, but then 112 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,720 he hired all these defensive coaches, and those of us 113 00:06:34,759 --> 00:06:38,439 who cover and follow USC were saying, Okay, Lincoln Riley 114 00:06:38,519 --> 00:06:42,079 hasn't been serious about defense in the past. There's zero 115 00:06:42,319 --> 00:06:46,160 question about that. We're not arguing that, we're not litigating that. 116 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,199 But when Lincoln Riley hired Danton Lynn and all these 117 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:53,680 other excellent defensive assistants, that showed that he had become 118 00:06:54,199 --> 00:06:56,680 serious about defense. And I guess for a lot of 119 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,000 people it was just a matter of I need to 120 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:00,920 see it before I believe I need to see it 121 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,399 before I can trust it. But that narrative that Lincoln 122 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:09,000 Riley didn't take defense, doesn't take defense seriously present tense, 123 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:12,240 that was really undercut by what he did in the 124 00:07:12,279 --> 00:07:16,040 off season. And then you saw the proof in the pudding. 125 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:19,759 You saw the evidence that actually Lincoln Riley now has 126 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:23,279 a legitimate defensive staff at USC. He now has guys 127 00:07:23,319 --> 00:07:26,279 around him who really know what they're doing. They know 128 00:07:26,319 --> 00:07:29,199 how to teach, they know how to bring about a 129 00:07:29,199 --> 00:07:32,079 physical style of play. They know how to get guys 130 00:07:32,079 --> 00:07:34,160 to hit properly, they know how to get guys to 131 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,600 tackle properly. You saw all of that against LSU. And 132 00:07:37,959 --> 00:07:43,759 beyond the technique, you know, knowing how to teach the 133 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,720 art of football and the art of tackling. Beyond that, 134 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:50,560 what also shined through for USC is you know, there 135 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:54,639 was that fit, that ten minute window midway through the 136 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:58,279 second half, getting into the midway period of the fourth quarter, 137 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,839 when it seemed that everything was going to crash and 138 00:08:01,879 --> 00:08:05,720 burn for USC. LSU had the ball up seventeen thirteen, 139 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,600 with the offensive line was beginning to lean on USC 140 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,879 Trojan offense was struggling after squandering a lot of scoring 141 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:15,839 opportunities in the first half. You know, USC could have 142 00:08:15,879 --> 00:08:19,959 been up like twenty three, thirteen, twenty four, seventeen, but 143 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:25,360 because USC couldn't build a seven or ten point lead, 144 00:08:26,079 --> 00:08:28,199 LSU was still able to run the ball. If LSU 145 00:08:28,279 --> 00:08:30,639 was down by ten in the fourth quarter, Tigers probably 146 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:32,840 have to throw the ball. They wouldn't have been able 147 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:35,320 to establish the ground game of John Emery the way 148 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:39,879 they did, so LSU had the ball up for and 149 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:44,799 you're thinking LSU is beginning to wear down USC, at 150 00:08:44,879 --> 00:08:48,159 least that's how I looked for a brief sliver of 151 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:53,600 time for a few minutes. But USC finds backbone, finds 152 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:58,440 an extra level of resolve, like something you did not 153 00:08:58,639 --> 00:09:02,120 see last year at all with this team against a 154 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:06,080 good opponent, and the Trojans stop LSU. They keep the 155 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,039 game close, they get the twenty to seventeen lead. Then 156 00:09:09,159 --> 00:09:12,440 LSU comes back down the field and you're thinking, well, okay, 157 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:15,120 you know they've played so well for three and a 158 00:09:15,159 --> 00:09:17,679 half quarters, but you know ls was gonna find a 159 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,440 way past this USC defense. Gallant effort, but they're gonna 160 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:25,360 come up short. No, they still stiffened. They made one 161 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:27,759 more red zone stop. They keep the game at twenty 162 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:30,720 twenty with a field goal instead of going down twenty 163 00:09:30,759 --> 00:09:33,440 four to twenty. That gives Miller, Moss and the USC 164 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,080 offense an extra measure of comfort knowing they just need 165 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:38,240 a field goal to win, and they get down to 166 00:09:38,279 --> 00:09:41,480 the LSU thirteen and they're able to actually punch it 167 00:09:41,519 --> 00:09:43,720 in and not worry about a chip shot field goal. 168 00:09:44,039 --> 00:09:45,799 USC had missed a chip shot at the end of 169 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:49,039 the first half. But you know, with that extra comfort zone, 170 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:51,679 knowing they didn't have to score a touchdown, it was 171 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:54,120 great if they did, but they didn't have to score it. 172 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:57,320 USC able to manage the clock on that final drive, 173 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:02,399 score in the final seconds and beat LA. This is 174 00:10:02,799 --> 00:10:06,600 Lincoln Riley with the defense. Folks like Lincoln Riley, the 175 00:10:06,639 --> 00:10:09,600 way he had Meller Moss ready to play the way 176 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,279 Moss and credit to him, like the players have to 177 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:14,759 do it too. But it's not just the coach and 178 00:10:14,799 --> 00:10:18,200 the scheme. The players have to execute that scheme. Melor 179 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:20,919 Moss did so extremely well. He could have had a 180 00:10:20,919 --> 00:10:23,960 couple touchdown passes. But Kyron Hudson, the guy who made 181 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:28,639 those amazing one handed suction cup grabs, he didn't make 182 00:10:28,919 --> 00:10:31,399 a few far easier catches in the end zone. He 183 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:35,399 allowed LSU defenders to reach through his body and strip 184 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:37,840 the ball away after the ball was on his two hands. 185 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:39,799 So Kyen Hudson needs to go into the weight room 186 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:43,559 and he needs to be able to keep possession of 187 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,519 balls once they're on his hands. So those could have 188 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,480 been Miller Moss touchdowns US. He did not get seven 189 00:10:49,519 --> 00:10:55,840 points in those situations. But Kyroen Hudson makes that final catch. 190 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,759 LSU has the targeting penalty. Melar Moss with a great performance, 191 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:03,919 and it underscores Lincoln Riley's identity as the ultimate quarterback 192 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:07,360 whisperer in college football. There's just no one in the 193 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:10,759 college game who teaches that position better. Kaylan de Boer, 194 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:13,240 you could put him right there with Riley, but you 195 00:11:13,279 --> 00:11:16,240 won't put him ahead of Riley. And that's only because 196 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:21,279 Riley just keeps stacking these success stories Baker Mayfield, Tyler Murray, 197 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:25,279 Kayleb Williams, all number one draft picks and Heisman Trophy winners. 198 00:11:25,919 --> 00:11:28,000 De Boer, you could have said that, you know, Michael 199 00:11:28,039 --> 00:11:30,840 Pennix deserved to win the Heisman last year. So I 200 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,720 mean Deboor like he knows what he's doing. Jalen Millroe 201 00:11:33,799 --> 00:11:37,279 looks great at Alabama, but as great as DeBoer is 202 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:40,879 as a quarterback teacher, Riley has an even bigger, fatter 203 00:11:41,759 --> 00:11:45,120 resume in the college game. If you want to say 204 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:47,279 that Riley's one A and de Boer is one B, 205 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,960 that's fair. Uh, if you want to say they're basically 206 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:53,799 on the same level, I mean I would say Riley's 207 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:56,440 done more, but I can still live with that. But 208 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:59,200 but you can't say that de Boer has done more 209 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:04,759 than you definitely cannot say that about quarterback success stories 210 00:12:05,399 --> 00:12:08,600 in college football. So Lincoln Riley, he's going to teach 211 00:12:08,759 --> 00:12:11,120 the quarterback position. He's going to coach him up there. 212 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:16,120 His offense should be good. And the one really big 213 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,080 question mark that I've had all off season at USC 214 00:12:19,159 --> 00:12:21,840 and I'm going to continue to carry that into this 215 00:12:21,919 --> 00:12:23,679 Michigan game that we have in a few weeks on 216 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:27,320 September twenty first, Like, I'm sold on this defense. I 217 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:29,679 was sold on this defense in the offseason because of 218 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:33,399 these new assistant coaches. They all seem to get it, 219 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:37,159 and the LSU game proved that they get it. So 220 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:39,639 I was sold on the defense. You know Alex Sprinch 221 00:12:39,759 --> 00:12:42,399 was gone, So like that for me, that turned the 222 00:12:42,399 --> 00:12:46,440 page for USC's defense. Sold on this defense, sold on 223 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:50,919 Lincoln Riley's quarterback coaching with Meler Moss, sold on the 224 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:55,360 wide receivers that USC has. The real question is the 225 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:58,840 offensive line. And the offensive line did a solid job. 226 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:01,960 Wouldn't call it a great job because this offensive line 227 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:04,759 struggled to run block us. He really couldn't run the 228 00:13:04,759 --> 00:13:08,360 ball at all, So that's certainly a limitation. And Milner Moss, 229 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:11,360 he p Pro Football Focused, said he was pressured only 230 00:13:11,399 --> 00:13:15,919 three times on dropbacks, but he was throwing the ball quickly. 231 00:13:16,279 --> 00:13:18,879 You know, he wasn't eating the ball the way Caleb 232 00:13:18,919 --> 00:13:21,080 Williams did last year. He was getting rid of the 233 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:25,600 ball quickly. That helped reduce sacks and pressures. But the 234 00:13:25,639 --> 00:13:28,879 other thing is Miler Moss still took several hits, and 235 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:33,120 you know he was shaking his hand midway through the game. 236 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:36,200 That's because his offense he hit the hand on the 237 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:39,360 back of his offensive lineman who was being shoved back 238 00:13:39,399 --> 00:13:43,240 toward Moss. That happened several times, a lineman being shoved 239 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,080 back into Milner Moss. So it's not as though this 240 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:49,360 offensive line was dominant, but it was decent, and it 241 00:13:49,759 --> 00:13:53,039 did provide good pass protection in a number of third 242 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:56,360 down situations. It was provided very good pass protection on 243 00:13:56,399 --> 00:13:59,759 the final two drives and especially in that last two 244 00:13:59,759 --> 00:14:03,679 minut drill leading to the winning score. Good, you know, 245 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,519 a decent performance by the offensive line. And if that, 246 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,879 if the offensive line can be decent, you know, I 247 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:14,960 put that at like a C plus B minus. If 248 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:19,799 it can be decent, USC will be a very good team. 249 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:25,600 If the offensive line can go from decent to very strong, U, 250 00:14:26,039 --> 00:14:29,600 USC will be a college football playoff team. Because you've 251 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:33,080 got that win over LSU, gonna beat Utah State, we 252 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:34,960 don't need to worry about that one. So USC would 253 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:37,919 be two to zero. If USC against this schedule in 254 00:14:37,919 --> 00:14:40,960 twenty twenty four goes ten and two, it's getting in 255 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:43,440 your us. He is not getting left out at ten 256 00:14:43,519 --> 00:14:46,159 and two with this schedule because there are too many 257 00:14:46,159 --> 00:14:50,200 good teams on the docket. LSU's one big win already 258 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:57,519 in the bank. USC plays Wisconsin, Penn State, Washington on 259 00:14:57,559 --> 00:15:02,200 the road, Notre Dame. You know, if USC is going 260 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:05,360 ten and two, and of course the Michigan game on 261 00:15:05,399 --> 00:15:08,519 September twenty first, I should have just included that in 262 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:12,840 the list of really big games. So Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, 263 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:17,960 Notre Dame, Washington. If USC is going ten and two, 264 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:22,399 that means USC is losing only two of those five 265 00:15:22,759 --> 00:15:30,200 games Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, Washington on the road, Notre Dame. Okay, 266 00:15:30,559 --> 00:15:33,639 If USC, you know, wins three of those five and 267 00:15:33,679 --> 00:15:37,080 wins all the other big ten games on its schedule, 268 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:40,559 Trojans are not getting left out. It's just not going 269 00:15:40,639 --> 00:15:44,240 to happen. You know, there are going to be teams 270 00:15:44,279 --> 00:15:47,679 with nine and three records that might have a few 271 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:49,559 good wins, they're not going to have more good wins 272 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:53,360 than USC. If USC is ten and two, So really 273 00:15:54,039 --> 00:15:57,879 circling around, circling back and summing things up with USC. 274 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:03,039 Lincoln Riley changed in the offseason. I mean, he made 275 00:16:03,159 --> 00:16:06,840 a grown up adult defensive coordinator higher, he made grown 276 00:16:06,919 --> 00:16:11,879 up adult a defensive assistant hires, He dumped out ex grinch, 277 00:16:11,919 --> 00:16:15,679 he finally divorced him, like he had his moment of conversion, 278 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:18,799 he had his epiphany, and a lot of the national 279 00:16:18,799 --> 00:16:21,120 media just seemed to say, well, you know, he was 280 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:24,799 horrible last season and he's been horrible on defense the 281 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:27,600 past several years, really, so we don't think he's going 282 00:16:27,639 --> 00:16:31,039 to be good on defense this year at USC. Well, 283 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:33,799 you know, he made these changes and no one in 284 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:36,799 the media seemed to give him any credit. So now 285 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,879 like Lincoln Riley has grown up as a coach, he 286 00:16:39,919 --> 00:16:43,559 didn't grow up against LSU. He grew up in January 287 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:47,799 when he was making all these assistant hires and realizing, oh, 288 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:51,080 I need to really take defense seriously. That was his 289 00:16:51,159 --> 00:16:54,440 moment of conversion. This game against LSU. We just saw 290 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:57,320 the fruits of that conversion, but the actual conversion itself, 291 00:16:57,759 --> 00:17:01,320 the transformation of Lincoln Riley that had happened in December 292 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:06,200 and January, all right, continuing on with West Coast teams 293 00:17:06,279 --> 00:17:11,319 in the Big Ten. Oregon, Wow, that was really shocking. 294 00:17:11,839 --> 00:17:14,640 The Ducks win, but they win a very shaky, close 295 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:18,880 game at home against Idaho and Dylan Gabriel completed a 296 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:21,359 ton of passes and the numbers on the stat sheet 297 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:25,119 looked great, but obviously what that tells you Moregan's scoring 298 00:17:25,279 --> 00:17:28,559 just twenty four points with Gabriel completing over forty passes 299 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:31,079 tells you that Oregon was just completing a lot of 300 00:17:31,079 --> 00:17:34,599 short stuff wasn't completing the alarm ball. And there's an 301 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:38,839 interesting parallel here USC against LSU. USC gave LSU the 302 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:41,720 short pass all my long and Garrett Nelsmayer did look 303 00:17:41,759 --> 00:17:44,680 good and his stats did look good. But USC hell 304 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:47,359 of LSU to twenty points. So that should tell you 305 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:52,480 something on a wider level, forced quarterbacks to throw ten 306 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:56,000 complete passes per drive to score a touchdown. You know 307 00:17:56,039 --> 00:17:59,079 they'll complete eight passes, they'll get into the red zone. 308 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:01,079 But then if you can diffen in the red zone 309 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,240 and you limit a team to a field goal or 310 00:18:04,279 --> 00:18:07,119 you can get a fourth down stop, I mean catches 311 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:10,359 and yards. Obviously you need them as building blocks of 312 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:15,039 successful touchdown drives. But yards and catches are not the 313 00:18:15,039 --> 00:18:17,880 same as points and that like. So that should be 314 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:20,640 a lesson for a lot of coaches across college football. 315 00:18:21,599 --> 00:18:23,680 Be willing to give up first downs, be willing to 316 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:27,240 give up yards. Those are not the final measurements of 317 00:18:27,279 --> 00:18:30,480 a defense, or for that matter, an offense. It's points. 318 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:34,039 It's points. You know, feel free to give up a 319 00:18:34,039 --> 00:18:36,319 lot of short stuff. Just don't get beaten long, don't 320 00:18:36,319 --> 00:18:39,960 give up the splash play. Make these guys execute over 321 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,319 and over and over and over again to beat you. 322 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,920 And so that is what Oregon ran into against Idaho. 323 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:50,279 A lot for Dan Lanning to clean up. And I 324 00:18:50,319 --> 00:18:52,599 would say this, I don't think it's time to panic 325 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:56,160 at Oregon after one game. Let's keep in mind, you 326 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:59,559 can't you can't say that the guys in that locker 327 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:03,839 room were really jacked up to play that game against Idaho. 328 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:05,920 You're just not gonna play every game with the same 329 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:09,720 amount of intensity. I would expect a much more intense, 330 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:14,759 much more focused, and a lot better performance from Oregon 331 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:17,880 coming up in Week two against Boise State. Because Boise 332 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:20,839 State's a brand name, Boise State has a target on 333 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:24,440 its back, Boise State's a prominent program. I would think 334 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:27,920 that Oregon's gonna really hammer Boise State. But now, if 335 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:31,160 Oregon can't light up Boise State, and Boise State gave 336 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,960 up a ton of points to Georgia Southern in Week one, 337 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:37,279 I mean, won the game, but the defense looked terrible. 338 00:19:37,559 --> 00:19:40,680 If Oregon and Dylan Gabriel and that offense cannot light 339 00:19:40,799 --> 00:19:45,240 up Boise State's defense, okay, then we have a conversation. 340 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:49,079 Then we have a deeper conversation about the Ducks going forward. 341 00:19:49,119 --> 00:19:51,960 But not gonna panic after one week. Remember we don't 342 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,960 have preseason games. Week one being messy, that's going to happen. 343 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:58,799 Oregon knew it could get away with a messy game 344 00:19:58,839 --> 00:20:02,559 against Idaho, So not going to be concerned about Oregon 345 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:05,359 just yet. But Boise State, Yeah, we're going to be 346 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:09,440 paying attention to that one here on, Get off my pilot. Washington. 347 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,920 You know, defense looked very solid against Weber State, but 348 00:20:13,039 --> 00:20:17,799 of course it was Weber State, so you know, Washington 349 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:20,640 took care of business in a workman like way. Decent 350 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:24,480 opener for Jedfish. But we're just getting started there. Don't 351 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:28,200 have any deep overarching thoughts like Washington did exactly was 352 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,440 it was expected to do, but nothing more so there's 353 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,839 no dramatic storyline there. Other the other West Coast team 354 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:38,920 in the Big Ten, Ucla, this is going to get ugly. 355 00:20:39,039 --> 00:20:43,240 I think barely squeaking by Hawaii. Hawaii did not look 356 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:45,960 very good against Delaware State in its Week one game. 357 00:20:46,559 --> 00:20:50,319 Ucla just barely crawling past Hawaii by on a late 358 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:53,359 field goal. That does not bode well for Deshaun Foster. 359 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:56,880 This offense looks awful. The Big Ten figures to chew 360 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:00,880 up UCLA. My preseason prediction for UCLA two to ten 361 00:21:01,279 --> 00:21:03,920 and one of the wins being over Hawaii. Can't say 362 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:07,839 I've seen anything. I saw anything in Week one to 363 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:11,680 make me rethink that prediction. UCLA needs to prove that 364 00:21:11,759 --> 00:21:14,480 it can swim in these Big ten waters. I think 365 00:21:14,519 --> 00:21:18,880 this year could be very, very ugly for the Bruins 366 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:22,000 if they don't find answers on offense very quickly, if 367 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,960 they don't make a significant leap forward as they continue 368 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:31,759 with their Big ten season. Other Pac twelve exiles teams 369 00:21:31,759 --> 00:21:33,759 that we're going to be following in a conference other 370 00:21:33,799 --> 00:21:36,839 than the Pac twelve. So Stanford loses to TCU, but 371 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:39,319 put up a fight. And one thing to remember, Troy 372 00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:42,559 Taylor had a very good recruiting haul for this twenty 373 00:21:42,599 --> 00:21:45,880 twenty four cycle. These guys are young now. This team's 374 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:48,200 not going to be the fully realized product early in 375 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:50,039 the season. This is definitely a case of a team 376 00:21:50,079 --> 00:21:53,799 that probably in late October early November, one would think 377 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:58,079 if Stanford just improves significantly over the course of this season, 378 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:01,000 and that the team we see in November is far far, 379 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:03,839 far better than the team that we see now, that 380 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:06,640 will give Troy Taylor the reason to think that in 381 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:08,680 twenty twenty five he can have a really good team. 382 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,000 It's not all going to come together at once for 383 00:22:12,079 --> 00:22:15,319 Stanford this season, but if that team can be a 384 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:18,720 lot better in November than all those freshmen, those quality 385 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:22,119 freshmen that Taylor brought in, they could really blossom a 386 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:26,119 year from now. Cal, also in the ACC had a 387 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:30,480 terrible first half against UC Davis. Nothing says ACC football 388 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,759 quite like Cal hosting UC Davis in Berkeley, but Cal 389 00:22:34,839 --> 00:22:37,319 did play better in the second half. Cal now goes 390 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:41,160 to Auburn in Week two and Auburn put up over 391 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:44,000 seventy points against a cupcake. Now there's just a cupcake 392 00:22:44,079 --> 00:22:48,359 Alabama and m but still over seventy points. Auburn's offense 393 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:51,160 actually looked good, Peyton Thorn coming back for the Tigers 394 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:56,720 at quarterback. Last year, Auburn was atrocious in Berkeley in 395 00:22:56,759 --> 00:23:02,480 an absolutely brutal, miserable performance against the Golden Bears. So 396 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:07,400 this year it's in Jordenhare Stadium, you'd think that Auburn 397 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:09,319 would be a lot better. It's up to Cal to 398 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:14,079 prove that it can stand in there against Auburn. There 399 00:23:14,079 --> 00:23:17,759 are some injury questions about Jade and Nott California star 400 00:23:17,839 --> 00:23:22,240 running back as of Monday, and that situation might be 401 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:24,599 updated later in the week, but Justin Wilcox didn't have 402 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:28,160 an immediate update on Jaydatt's status. Cal definitely needs him 403 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:31,079 against Auburn, so let's put it that way. That's pretty simple. 404 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:35,920 And Cal's offensive line looked really bad for large portions 405 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:39,359 of the game against UC Davis. Cal has to come 406 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:41,880 up with something much better on the offensive line if 407 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:44,640 it has any chance of keeping that Auburn game close 408 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:47,680 into the fourth quarter with any remote chance to win. 409 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:51,480 I do not like Cal's chances very much going into 410 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:56,720 the plans continuing on with former Pac twelve schools. They're 411 00:23:56,759 --> 00:23:58,880 still in the West, they're just not in the Pac twelve. 412 00:23:59,319 --> 00:24:05,079 The Utah crushed Southern Utah. It's cupcake game. We'll learn 413 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:07,799 a lot more about the Utes against Baylor. INBK two. 414 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:12,559 Arizona so Noah, Flafita Tetroya McMillan. They did their thing, 415 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:16,000 Arizona putting up over sixty points against New Mexico. But 416 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:19,759 Arizona gave up a boatload of points to New Mexico. 417 00:24:19,799 --> 00:24:23,400 If if you're getting torched by New Mexico's offense that 418 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:26,599 is alarming. So that is definitely a cause for concern 419 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:30,200 for first year coach Brent Brennan. Gonna be interesting to 420 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:34,480 see if Arizona could make significant improvements on defense. That's 421 00:24:34,519 --> 00:24:36,680 gonna be the thing to watch for after a very 422 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:42,000 concerning Week one against New Mexico. Arizona State Kenny Dillingham 423 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:45,000 I didn't I wasn't very high on him at Auburn 424 00:24:45,039 --> 00:24:48,839 and Florida State. I wasn't sold on his ability to 425 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:51,559 help Bonis at Oregon. I was very wrong about that. 426 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,839 Kenny Dellingham did a great job with Bonix two years 427 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:57,960 ago at Oregon under Dan Lanning. He goes to Arizona State, 428 00:24:58,000 --> 00:24:59,960 and you know, Arizona State didn't have a good rec 429 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:02,400 last year, but the Sun Devils were absolutely chewed up 430 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:06,480 by injuries. Dillionham really did a good job under the circumstances. Now, 431 00:25:06,519 --> 00:25:08,920 with a healthier team, what we're we gonna see in 432 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,920 twenty twenty four. Early returns are positive. ASU just got 433 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,079 all on top of Wyoming, just absolutely smothered the Cowboys 434 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:21,160 to put a beat down on Wyoming. Very impressive. Arizona 435 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:23,319 State was just a six and a half point favorite 436 00:25:23,799 --> 00:25:26,400 was up twenty seven nothing midway through the second quarter. 437 00:25:27,279 --> 00:25:32,880 Very good opening in twenty twenty four for Kenny Dillingham. 438 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:34,920 So Arizona State, you know, might be able to get 439 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:36,440 to six and six, might be able to get to 440 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:40,759 a bowl. Funny to be encouraged about there. Colorado, you 441 00:25:40,799 --> 00:25:45,079 know what, Dion Sanders is just running an amateur hour operation. 442 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:48,799 He runs off his offensive coordinator, Sean Lewis, He's running 443 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:52,039 off a lot of other players we do not deserve 444 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:55,559 and we do not need to talk about him any 445 00:25:55,599 --> 00:25:57,960 more than is absolutely necessary. He's gotten way too much 446 00:25:58,039 --> 00:26:02,359 media attention. Let's see what does at Nebraska. I don't 447 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:04,079 think it's gonna end well for the Buffs. But if 448 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:06,799 Colorad can go into Lincoln for a night game this 449 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:10,880 is on Nbcmpeacock in week two. If Colorall can go 450 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:14,640 on the road at night into Memorial Stadium and beat Nebraska, okay, 451 00:26:14,839 --> 00:26:17,599 that would get our attention. Then we talk a lot 452 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:20,000 more about the Buffs. But as for now, right now, 453 00:26:20,559 --> 00:26:23,440 not not sold on that. So that there is a 454 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:27,240 lot to go through with all of these teams. In 455 00:26:27,319 --> 00:26:29,640 terms of the group of five we mentioned Boise State. 456 00:26:30,599 --> 00:26:33,839 The other group of five team worth mentioning UNLV. UNLV 457 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:36,680 slide underdog at Houston. And remember Houston coach now by 458 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:40,599 Willie Fritz, who did the fantastic job at Tulane. You're thinking, 459 00:26:41,079 --> 00:26:44,759 all right, Willie Fritz, He's probably gonna have the answers 460 00:26:44,759 --> 00:26:47,559 for Houston in the Big Twelve going up against UNLV, 461 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:50,880 Houston was a two and a half point favorite. UNLV 462 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:55,160 absolutely blows the doors off Houston. There was an absolute route. 463 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:59,599 UNLV is looking very good and could really be a 464 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:02,279 factor in the Group of five this season. Like, that's 465 00:27:02,319 --> 00:27:07,039 the other big Western college football story outside of the 466 00:27:07,079 --> 00:27:10,440 Power conferences. Barry Odom continuing to do a really good 467 00:27:10,559 --> 00:27:14,400 job at UNLV. All right, before we sign off on 468 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:17,599 this college great on Coast to Coast podcast, this edition 469 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:21,119 of Get Off My Pieline Award from our sponsor, SO 470 00:27:21,319 --> 00:27:24,799 college football fans, the seasons cranking up. You're looking for 471 00:27:24,839 --> 00:27:28,440 the best seats and the most competitive prizes. Take advantage 472 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:31,480 of ticket smarter and its mobile app, so buying college 473 00:27:31,519 --> 00:27:36,160 football tickets online. Hey you want you want a smooth, reliable, safe, 474 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:39,759 secure process. Ticket Smarter has partnered with more than one 475 00:27:39,839 --> 00:27:43,720 hundred universities in twenty four conferences as their official ticket 476 00:27:43,759 --> 00:27:47,559 resale marketplace. 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Thanks for listening to Get Off My Pylon 498 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:03,039 Your West in College Football, a podcast on the College 499 00:29:03,039 --> 00:29:05,160 Greater on Coast to Coast Podcast Network