Speaker 1: Know the Cougar's opponents and rivals. Right now, I need
to know the faux segment. Todd Cougar Sports with Ben.
Speaker 2: Kretel, Welcome back, Cougar Sports Fellow three nine nine eight
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Know the fau segment. Getting to know the TCU Horne
frogs b YU versus TCU by He's a slight favorite.
Speaker 3: In this game at home four and a half points.
Speaker 2: I think to be exact, and I think ESPN Analytics
likes BYU. I think I think it's like a seventy
percent chance of victory. We'll see how it plays out,
obviously under the lights of Lavelle, but we're gonna break
it all down here in this Know the Faux segment
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Speaker 3: Let's get out to the hotline.
Speaker 2: Welcome in TCU Insider breaking down all the horn Frog
news and notes. We've got Steve Johnson representing the Fort
Worth Star Telegram.
Speaker 3: What's up, Steve?
Speaker 4: Hey? How's going fellas?
Speaker 5: Hey?
Speaker 3: Living right?
Speaker 6: Man?
Speaker 2: It's a beautiful day here in Utah County. How's the DFW?
Speaker 7: Oh man, it's been back and forth. It was cold yesterday,
now it's feeling warm, man, So I don't know whether
to keep my AC on and all though it's been
going pretty good down here.
Speaker 3: Nice man.
Speaker 2: How does how's the fan base feeling about their TCU
horn Frogs this year?
Speaker 7: I would say there's probably been some anxiousness right now,
don't I don't think they're mathematically eliminated from the big
twelve title race, but they got to swim to none chance.
They would need a lot of things to kind of
go their way, and I think that's a bit of
a disappointment for the fan base. Sunday Dyke said itself
that the standard for this year was competing and at
least making it to Arlington in so many words, So
unless they go on a miracle run, that's unlikely to happen.
Speaker 4: So I think there's a bit of a disappointment.
Speaker 7: They've gown two double digit second half leads against Arizon
State and Iowa State, and it's kind of the third
straight year they kind of just had two really losses
that are just hard to explain. It will likely to
keep them out the big to a title race, So
I mean, I mean, TC is still in position to
have a good season with their record, but I think
the fan base is still going to be feeling a
sense of disappointment no matter how the Horns fro was finished.
Speaker 2: It feels like TC has been competitive in their games
though that they have lost.
Speaker 7: These are close losses, Yeah, they have been, and I
think that's probably been the most frustrating thing for the
fan base. If you look at the game against areas
on the State, they had the seventeen zero lead and
then you kind of just let the sun Devils come
back into the game because you can't run the ball,
and I think they only had ten nets yards for
the entire game. And then last week against IVIS State,
they're leading seventeen to six at the beginning of the
fourth quarter. The Cyclones, as you guys know, were the
mids of a four game loser Street. They hadn't done anything,
and then in the span of almost about two or
three drives, suddenly they retake control of the game because
once again TCU can't run the ball and give up
a punt return to a walk on. So I think
there's a very real scenario where TCU is sitting here
at eight and one, just like BYU is, but they
the inability to close games, and it's even showed up
to some of their wins. I think he's really put
that behind the eight ball and obviously put them a position
where it's just going to be unlikely they'll be able
to make it to Arlington.
Speaker 2: What is their identity offensively? Defensively? How would you describe
the identity of this team?
Speaker 7: Offensively? They're a pass team, that's the strength of their team.
Their receiving course, I think Aaron Mcalliser is I think
he's still a bit underrated nationally, even compared to a
guy like Jordan Tyson and Arizon the State, but I
think he's the top ten receiver, maybe top seven, top
five receiver the country. He leads to Big twelve in
yards and touchdowns, Jordan Dwyers right outside the top ten.
So that kind of dynamic duo is the strength of
their team. Eric's a guy that can take a slam
fifty yards so the house. He's also a good deep
ball receiver. I think Jordan's really strong when it comes
to those contested catches and using his physicality to create
space against defensive backs. And when he's on his best,
I think Josh s Hoover I can't call him in
the lead. I think he's a tier below the league,
but when he's playing this best man, he can really
just kind of sling it around the field. So they
want to run the ball, they have not been able to,
so they've had to lean more on the passing game offensively,
and they I would say the lack of balance is
probably the identity offensively. On defense, they can create a
lot of habits, they can create a lot of sacks,
they can create a lot of the turnovers. Bud Clark
Janelle Johnson I think are two of the best playmaking
staties in the country. And they also have one of
the best run defense in the Big twelves. Well, I
think it might be slightly better than BYU's. But just
like the offense, they have one fatal flaw. They have
one of the worst third down defense in the country.
So for all the good things that they do and
all the good players that they have, too often this
season they really struggle to get off field and allowed
teams kind of stream drive together.
Speaker 2: Talking some TCU football here on esp and the fan
getting to know the foe brought to you by Brest
Cleaning Services. These close games, well let's talk about when
if they played their best ball where there was a
lot of confidence, a lot of swagger, maybe they were
the healthiest. And then where if they played their their
worst ball in these games in this season.
Speaker 7: Well, in terms of location, they've been at their best
aside from last week, they played their best football at home.
If you look at some of the stats likes, for example,
you look at Josh Hoover splits at home, and in
a way, he's been a completely different quarterback. I think
he has maybe sixteen touchdowns and three interceptions at eight
m Gen Carter Stadium. He just had six touchdowns and
five picks on the road, though, if my memory searchs
me correctly, so I think the offense, whether it's the.
Speaker 4: Home crowd and not having to deal with the crowd noise,
it functions a lot better.
Speaker 7: The run game has been a lot more efficient at home,
so they haven't played the best football in the road.
You know, they really struggled against West Virginia on the
scoring twenty three points. Obviously, they had that the gloss
against Kansas State. I think the final score is a
lot more closer than the game actually was. Kansas State
was leading by a big margin in the second half,
and obviously Arizona State where you can only manage the
rest for ten yards. So I just think this team
just hasn't been able to aside from North Carolina, which
I think was their most dominant.
Speaker 4: Performance of the season.
Speaker 7: I know North Carolina's a little bit better now, but
North Carolina's not a good team. They also have a
good win over SU but that game was also in
Fort Worth, So I would just say CC's identity has
basically been they can be a really good team when
they play in Fort Worth, but when they go on
the road, I think that lack of balance, the benning
be able to get out the field, that's kind of
hindered them when they played the way for Fort Worth.
Speaker 2: Well, byus, you know, from your perspective, right from what
you've been hearing from the TCU side of things on
the scouting report, Who is BYU in relation to internal
conversation there within the TCU program.
Speaker 4: Well, I would like to say, I think BYU does
a lot of.
Speaker 7: Things well that TC wishes it could do from a
physicality standpoint, in terms of what they're able to do
defensively with kind of their front seven, and even with
what they want to do with the run game. Obviously
BYU's aving, I think what two hundred rest of the
yard is a game TC would love.
Speaker 4: To be there.
Speaker 7: When TC made their run to the National Championship game,
it was behind We all love Matts, Douggan and Quinn Johnston,
but they had a dominant run game, and that's kind
of been the the kind of.
Speaker 4: The core philosophy of Sunny Dice and Ken le Bron.
Speaker 7: So the fact they haven't been able to establish that
as I was, been a big disappointment for teaching, and
I think one reason to composition there in but when
they look at the BYU, they see terrific linebackers, they
see a terrific defensive line, and I know Sonny really
loves the quarterback and says he really plays a lot
older than his age. So in many ways they compared
them to SMU said there are a couple of differences,
of course, but I think in a lot of ways
TCU sees the by d Yu DYU T excuse me,
that does a lot of things well that they wish
they could do.
Speaker 4: And obviously there's a reason dyusing the CFP race.
Speaker 2: It wasn't too long ago that TCU was in a
national championship. From a donor base fan base standpoint, in
the media coverage of that, does it feel like like
there's been some sort of precipitous dropping in talent or
coaching or execution. Where where's the gaps that need to
be filled, Where's the maybe the slack that needs to
be cut and they need to be a little bit
more effective and efficient where's the weakness.
Speaker 4: I think it's the run game.
Speaker 7: I think for the last two years they've just had
really bad run games. Last year they kind of got
nailed out by save Young William where they kind of
went to like this wildcat package and that kind of
that's how they went on their run last year. But
this year they don't have a six foot four, six
foot five, you know, athlete that runs at four to
four that they can put back there this year. So
when the run games inconsistent, job Shub tends to press,
and when Josh Shuber presses, he turns the ball over.
So I believe in every loss this year for TCU
they've had at least three turnovers, and most of those
who have been on the road. So when they can't
when they can't find balance offensively, their quarterback is forced
to do more and sometimes Despike despite making some really
he'll make some throws are are jaw dropping and are
some of the most impressive in the country. But when
he's but when there's pressure, when he feels or he
feels he needs to kind of get tc back into
the game. I think Josh is still showing the tendency
to kind of make some critical mistakes like he did
in the first half of This is Iva State, and
when you look at it from a national perspective, I
just think, really, after tc lost to Colorado in the
twenty twenty three season opener, it's been really hard for
them to kind of get back on the national stage.
I mean, they haven't played a lot of top twenty
five opponents because obviously we.
Speaker 4: Know the Big twelve deals the perception issue. I don't know.
Speaker 7: I think there was a crazy step like TCU hasn't
beaten a ranked opponent and maybe one thousands or so days,
so obviously this game against BYU, this is a signature
moment I think for the fan base for Sunny Dykes,
because if you really look at it, he hasn't really
had a marquee win when he can really put his
flag on and show the show the fan base that
the program is still moving in the right direction, the
talent is still there.
Speaker 4: I think the coaching staff is still there, but I.
Speaker 7: Think they're just the fan base needs a marquee, a
signature win to wrap their arms around to know that
the program is still ascending and not you know, taking
that small decline every year.
Speaker 2: Yeah, what is the investment in NIL right now they're
in at TCU, are they pretty competitive?
Speaker 3: Pretty aggressive? Comparatively speaking?
Speaker 7: I think I would probably say a little bit of middle,
middle of the pack.
Speaker 4: I don't.
Speaker 7: I think Texas Tech is just so far ahead of everybody,
at least in football that is that I don't want
to say nobody can't compete. I think Dyus obviously has
a strong NIL package. But I think going into this offseason,
it would not surprise me if TCU make some even
more aggressive investment approach, especially on the offensive line, trying
to land some of these high profile kid kids. Because
tc IS basically decide they want to be a developmental program,
so a lot of their NIL goes to retaining players,
keeping players in the programs for multiple years, and trying
to develop those guys. So I think you can find
success with that, but I still think that you have
to find balance and be able to land some difference
makers in the portal like they were able to do
in twenty twenty two. Right now, TCU has had this
most success kind of finding guys like Jordan Dwyer was
a guy from Idaho, Aaron mccolser was at Boise State.
They haven't consistently shown the ability to maybe go out
and get a guy that was a starter at a
power for a conference. They did Land once today, Noel
McKinnie from Oklahoma State, But I'm mainly talking about maybe
a guy from I don't know, just throwing it out there,
say you landa started from Missippi State or maybe like
a Vanderbilt and things like that. So I think they
have some strikes that need to be taken if they
want to take that next level. But resources are on
an issue at TCU. I can say that as well.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's always intriguing to see what the margin of
victory is going to be where and where you can
assign that margin of victory too, right?
Speaker 3: Is it personnel? Is it coaching? You know, how talented
is the coaching staff?
Speaker 4: Like?
Speaker 2: How did do we feel like as a as a
TCU fan base? Do they feel like they've upgraded from
the Gary Patterson era? They had a great thirteen and
two year right in twenty twenty two. Since then, five
and seven, nine and four, they're on pace maybe possibly
to get to double digit victories this season, but it
may be status quo. I don't know what quota is
for TCU year over year, you know what I mean?
Speaker 4: Yeah, And I think I think, honestly, I think the
fan base.
Speaker 7: Struggles with that as well too, because if you look
at Gary Patterson's last four years, TC was a mediocre program.
I think it was a lot of six and six,
five and seven, maybe seven to six. So I think,
if we're just being objective, Sonny Dice has been an
upgrade over the kind of the final.
Speaker 4: Era of the Gary Patterson era.
Speaker 7: But when you have a coach like that that was
so beloved and took the programs all these different heights
and then your Sunny Dison in year one, fair or not,
a lot of people still view that as Gears team
and you took quote unquote Gears team to the National Championship.
Speaker 4: Now people want to see what you can do when
this is your program, when this is.
Speaker 7: Your roster, And right now, I don't know if they've
really ever covered from Garrett Riley, the offense coordinated from
the National Championship runner up team leaving for Clemson. I
think they lost a really good running back coach and
Anthony Jones who went to USC who I think they
easily be a future head coach at the Group of
five level next year. So there's been some losses, and
I think the running game has never been quite the
same as it was in twenty twenty two.
Speaker 4: I think they've shown improvements on defense.
Speaker 7: I think this is the best defense Sunny Dice has had,
and they've recruited at a pretty much at a really
high level. I just think right now it's just those
kind of those I don't want to use a turn
bone headed losses. But for example, last year they got
upset by UCF, got upset by Houston.
Speaker 4: Now you have two more of those losses this year.
Speaker 7: So I think fans are just seeing too many of
those really frustrating losses and not really those marquee wins.
It's one thing, you know, beat up on some of
the teams at the bottom of the Big twelve, but
they want those signature wins like they could possibly get
on Saturday as well.
Speaker 2: I'm looking at the history between these two teams and
overall it's pretty even, right five and seven, BYU's got
five wins.
Speaker 3: TCU's got seven wins.
Speaker 2: But you look at the recent history from two thousand
and five to present day, I believe TCU six and
two versus the Cougars, and the last time BYU beat
TSU was when I was playing for BYU and six
and O seven.
Speaker 3: It's crazy, I didn't know that.
Speaker 2: I'm looking at the history here so man that I
don't know how long you've been covering the TCU Horned Frogs,
but I find it interesting it's not only been dominance
in the modern era, but like, these games aren't even
all that close. I mean, forty four to eleven, the
clo closest one was thirty eight, twenty eight and twenty eleven,
thirty one to three in twenty ten, thirty eight to
seven two thousand and nine, thirty two to seven two
thousand and eight.
Speaker 3: Crazy. Any thoughts on that?
Speaker 7: I think the most interesting thought is that, at least
from the TCU perspective, that stringer recent dominants just really
hasn't mattered in terms of like changing how people view
this game, or like I would say, I don't think
the TCU fan base is going into this one like, oh,
we've owned DYU the last couple of years, so you
know that gives us a boost. I think that's probably
lets you know, I guess the moves of the program,
the moves of the fan base around here, Like you know,
during this week, nobody's really talked about that twenty twenty
three game. In fact, if anything, Sunny kind of mentioned
how a lot of those guys are still on BYU's
team and now they're that defense that got carved up
that game is obviously one of the best in the
country right now. So I think it's been interesting how
little I think the fan base has kind of paid
attention to some of that recent history, and I think
it just kind of goes to show.
Speaker 4: I don't want to say the.
Speaker 7: Vibes are dad when when you have a team that's
six and three and that can easily go eight and four,
nine and three if they can.
Speaker 4: Find a way to get it done on Saturday.
Speaker 7: But I just think this overall, whether it's like looking
at the recent history with BYU or just like the
big picture since of the program, there's just a lot
of anxiousness.
Speaker 4: Man.
Speaker 7: So you would think that would get maybe TCU and
this fans a little bit more confidence. But I would
say it just really hasn't had impact impact on how
this game is viewed.
Speaker 2: For fort work, So what is quota a year over
year for a TCU team, is my follow up to that,
because you know, I've been covering BAU for a while
now I look at over the last like fifty sixty years,
they average like eight wins a season, So like BAU
fans have become accustomed to eight win seasons, and they
may take into account power for affiliation, et cetera, strength
of schedule elevated. But like I would say, year in
and year out, like if BAU doesn't get to eight wins,
BAU fans they get up in arms a little bit.
They're like, Wow, should we make some changes in the coaches.
What's quota for TCU? Do you think year over year?
Speaker 4: Well, I think what they what they want, what they
aspire to be.
Speaker 7: TCU views itself is one of these programs that can
kind of feel that void what that was left by
Oklahoma and Texas.
Speaker 4: Obviously they're nowhere near as big as.
Speaker 7: Institutions as those programs were, but their location in DFW,
their pedigree of having success even when those two teams
were in the conference, and like even the administrators, the
athletic directors like tc wants to be at the top.
And I'm not necessarily saying tc wants to win Big
twelve championship every year. But I would say the standard
is maybe less, Like I think TCU fans could stomach
a five and seven season if it meant that two
years later, which is now, they'll be planning in Arlington.
Speaker 4: But right now, I think, right now, I think the standard.
Speaker 7: Is let's say, maybe every every three years you're playing
for a Big Twelve title.
Speaker 4: Maybe it's every other season.
Speaker 7: And whether or not that realistic in this era, it
remains to be seen. But I think when you're in
the Big Twelve and all these games are decided by
this team, I always decided by one position. TCU feels
like with his talent advantage, they always recruit well Atlanta
DFW kids in the porter.
Speaker 4: From high school TCU.
Speaker 7: I think they feel like they should always be let's say,
top four, top three in the standings year in and
year out. So when you see a Texas Tech kind
of rise up in one year and look like this juggernaut,
I think that worries them. I think when BYU is
able to you know, two years ago BYU is a
bad team and now they look like they can make
the playoff race, I think right now tc just feels
like you should be at the top of the standings,
whether that means a fourth place finish here and then
you go, you know, you finished second the first to
next year. So I think right now they're probably finished
sixth or seven, depending on how things shake out. And
I could say that's a little bit too low for
the TCU fan base and where they want to be
with no Oklahoma and no Texas in the league.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it seems like they're at least on part like
they like, eight wins may keep your job if you're
a head coach, right, if you're a coordinator, you know
what I mean. It's the eight win mark seems to
be the threshold for some of these these teams in
the Big Twelve, including TCU.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 7: I think if that will probably teach you go to one.
So I don't think tc will make a lot of
sweeping changes. They go eight and four, But if you
finished seven and five or yeah, Alboul he lose these
last three games, I think you could you'll see some
major coordinator, major.
Speaker 4: Position of coaches changes. So, I mean, we'll just have
to see.
Speaker 7: I don't it will take a lot for TCU fans
to view this season as a successful one, even if
you finish eight and four, seven to five, or even
nine to three with a chance to win ten games
in the bowl game.
Speaker 2: That's crazy because I like, you give me nine to
three with a chance to win a bowl game against
like a decent opponent. And maybe it's diluted now in
the bowl series outside of the colleg football playoff and
guys you know, deciding that they'd rather train for the
Pro Day and take their talent to the NFL rather
than compete in the bowl games. But I mean, I
feel like ten win seasons, man, and not at least
an opportunity to win ten is is a solid season,
all things considered.
Speaker 4: I would agree with you.
Speaker 7: And you know, there's I always deal with so much,
you know, people, you know, fans are so emotional now,
and I think it's because of the playoff. Everybody feels like,
you know, hey, we just won our conference. We can
make the playoff, which is obviously different from a couple
of years ago, where even if you were the Big
twelve champion, there's probably a good chance you're gonna get
left out. So I think that increases the expectations, and
I think, like you said, it's a good point. I
think TC fans still have a bad taste in their
mouth from winning eight games last year and getting sent
to the New Mexico Bowl against I think Louisiana. So
I just think for them, there's just a hunger to
get back to the mountaintop because that twenty twenty two
season was so magical, and I just think there's a fear,
there's a word that maybe that was the best of
the Sunnay Dice era. And when you lose like the
way you did against Ilous State and obviously areas on
the state, that only reinforces some of those serious So
I would agree with you. I don't think Sunny Dice
is on the hot seat. But let's say they finished
seventy five, even they would go eight and five. I
think year five would be kind of hey man, you
gotta make it to Orleans.
Speaker 4: That are Maybe TCU does a side about thinking making
a change.
Speaker 2: Injury report wise, how you feel in health wise. I
saw the initial injury report drop on Wednesday evening.
Speaker 4: Break that down for US, well, TC would be obvious
leading Russia.
Speaker 7: Kavorian Barnes, He's been the most effected running back all season.
I was a bit of surprise he was a transfer
from you Texas San Antonio that kind of came out of.
Speaker 4: Nowhere to earn the running back one job.
Speaker 7: It's kind of just been unfortunately, he's never really gotten
back healthy.
Speaker 4: I think he got hurt in the second.
Speaker 7: Game against Abilene Christians and he's been on and off
the injury port ever ever since. So without him, he
brings kind of some great power. He has great vision
with his jump cuts. He's the type of running back
that I think you really need against the YU defense,
It's really hard to bring him down their first contact.
Speaker 4: So that will make tc rely on that have.
Speaker 7: Some faster running backs, more slashers. But I think they
really missed the presidence of Kavorian Barnes. The only really
other notable names on there is obviously the starting kicker,
Kyle Limmerman, who's been out I think also since the
Abilene Christian game. Without him, it's kind of hindered TCU's
field goal game. So I think you'll probably see t
should be a lot more aggressive on fourth down and
I'm not sure man they might need to be inside
the twenty to feel comfortable kick and kicking with a
back of kicker Natan the Cashlan true freshman slot receiver
Ed Small will be out for a second straight game.
He's been about the fourth receiver. He's a really good,
really good player to have a bright future. But TC's
expecting to have his starters. I'm not sure how big
of a loss he'll be, but I think Lemmerman being
out in Cavorian, Barnesby and I will be significant hurts
for TC to overcome.
Speaker 2: Love great breakdown, man, How can we support you? All
of our listeners? How can they support you? What you do,
how you do it? How where they can? Where can
they find your tweets, your zets or whatever and everything
that you're writing about.
Speaker 7: You can find most of my stories and on my
tweets on my Twitter page is Steven M. Johnson Underscore
on the social media. I'm looking forward to Provo. I've
heard the view from the stadium as is elite.
Speaker 2: It is, man, Yeah, what have you? What are you
looking to do when you get out to Provo?
Speaker 7: Well, it's some of all the flights and all that
miss is done. Hopefully I'll get a chance to explore
since it's such a late to kickoff on Big Mountain guys,
So hopefully the and permitted me to get out and
getting the hike and just see more of the city.
I went to Salt Lake City last year, so it
won't be my first time in Utah, but I was
really just blown away by how beautiful the state was
when I came last year.
Speaker 3: Yeah, where you are you staying in Salt Lake? Are
you staying in?
Speaker 4: Uh?
Speaker 3: In Provo? Where you're flying into.
Speaker 7: I'm flying into Provo and I'm staying and I think
it's arm Is.
Speaker 3: That how you get warm?
Speaker 4: Yep? Yes, all right, well not too far from the pro.
Speaker 2: We'll send a couple of to dows over your way
if you have time, you can, you can get after it.
So good, Yes, sir, appreciate it. All right, there you go,
Steven M. Johnson, Ladies and gentlemen, another folk. Thanks so much, Steven,
will see you in the press box.
Speaker 4: I appreciate you. Guys.
Speaker 3: There you go. That's Steven M.
Speaker 2: Johnson and award winning reporter, teach you beat writer for
the four Worth Star Telegram. Your thoughts, your comment here,
your follow up, Ronald of the three Man Weaver.
Speaker 5: Yeah, always good stuff from Steve. Good to have him
on the program. We've had him now three years in
a row is the reason why he's at a or
win a journalist is to give him a quick plug.
Need to text him he needs to go to Chubbies
because he might be staying at that hotel right across
the reach, so that's true. Might have to tell him
that shout out to the Smow family. Saw them at
the basketball game the other day. Anyway, I think this
is pretty interesting. The third down struggles for the horn
Frogs on defense that they have a good defense, but
they struggle getting off the field. BA has been very
good in the run game with that quarterback draw with Bear.
On third down, He's converted a handful of third and long.
So you have to think is BA is going to
be able to take advantage of that this TCU has
that has had that deficiency up until the Texas Tech game.
BA has been able to convert third down. So that's
something I'm looking at bend of like that might be
something you can capitalize off of, especially Saturday Night Vampire
Koug's under the Lights late kickoff. I think that's something
that you'll definitely see Aaron Roddick try to exploit.
Speaker 3: Gonna be interesting one, no doubt about it.
Speaker 2: The other element I was looking at here when I
was comparing and contrasting these teams. B YU have I
think thirteen players in the NFL right now. TCU is
still putting out talent. They got twenty guys. They got
twenty guys out of that squad over the years.
Speaker 4: Now.
Speaker 3: Andy Dalton, I think is still on a roster.
Speaker 5: So yeah, somewhere.
Speaker 2: I mean, that's a guy I competed against. He's been
in the league for a minute.
Speaker 5: But Quinn Johnson, their star receiver from that was it
a national championship is playing for the LA Chargers.
Speaker 2: Yeah, receiver number one. Like the god guys Ben, Yeah,
they've They're always acquired great talent. They're at TCU and
and can compete with the best of them. Great segment
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let's get out to the hotline. Welcome in representing Pro
Football Focus. We got Chadwick on the my maximiss, how
are you good?
Speaker 8: Are you doing?
Speaker 3: Ben doing fantastic?
Speaker 2: It's November, baby, And getting into the thick of it
with the College Football Playoff Committee and their rankings. Do
you feel like the Playoff Committee has got it right
through the first couple of weeks.
Speaker 8: Now, you know, I think they're doing a solid job overall.
Speaker 6: There's still definitely a few things I disagree with. I
don't agree with their name being as high as they are.
I don't think they should be above other two loss teams,
or even BYU for that matter. I still think YU
should be somewhere in the top ten, even with their
loss of Texas Tech recently. So it's definitely things I
disagree with for now, but I don't think it's been
too egregious so far.
Speaker 3: Yeah, let's let's delve into that. Notre Dame.
Speaker 2: Why are they so overrated right right now? Why would
you say? What where should they be?
Speaker 4: Do you think I would rank.
Speaker 8: Them outside the top ten? I think this should be
somewhere in the top fifteen.
Speaker 6: But I think you look at some of the other
two loss teams that we have in the country and
their resumes.
Speaker 8: I mean, I think Texas what they've done.
Speaker 6: This year is way more presive then when Notre Dame
has done this year. I think Oklahoma has done more
than Notre Dame this year. I think you can argue
Vanderbilt has done more than Notre Dame this year, and
I think even I think you can argue even Miami.
I don't think it's done more than Notre Dame, but
they have beat Notre Dame, right, I think the resumes
are are pretty similar otherwise, So maybe.
Speaker 8: It'll change this weekend.
Speaker 6: If Notre Dame does beat Pigs, that will be a
good win for Notre Dame. But I just think the
resume right now, Notre Dame should definitely not be above
Texas or Oklahoma in my opinion, and then you can
argue for Vanderbilt Miami. Then, like I said, I think
BYU should be above all those schools right now too.
Speaker 2: Who is by you by your purview, right by your perspective,
Where should they be ranked? What type of team is?
It's just a college football playoff team? Do you think
in b YU.
Speaker 6: It depends, you know. I think right now I put
them in the playoff. I think in my personal playoff
has available at PEMA dot com, I had DYU as
the nine seed going against Oregon in the first round.
So I think right now they should be with only
one loss of the year and some impressive wins over
Utah obviously too. But I think at the end of
the year will they be that's a different question. I
think if they finished the year eleven and one, if
they go to the Big twelve title game, if they
play Texas Teck again, and if they say if they
lose that game again, they probably won't be in for
the actual playoff committee.
Speaker 8: But I might argue they should be in at eleven
and two, but.
Speaker 6: They might need to win out and beat Texas Tech
in the Big twelve title game in order to get
into the playoffs.
Speaker 2: Do if it's a closer game, if it's a competitive game,
it's some one score game. Is there going to be
some stylistic human elements that could push them into the
playoff with a really nice showing in the Big twelve
Championship game if that's what it comes.
Speaker 8: To, Yeah, I think so. I think that could definitely
play a part.
Speaker 6: You know, I don't really sometimes I just don't know
what the committee goes off of sometimes. So I think
that'll definitely help, you know, obviously losing by twenty two
points this past weekend and help eau's case at all
why they drop so far in the rankings. But yeah,
I definitely think if they play a close game in
Texas Tech and the Big twelve title game, that would help.
Speaker 8: And obviously if you beat.
Speaker 6: Some good teams like Cincinnati and TCU coming up down
the stretch, that will help their case.
Speaker 8: Two.
Speaker 6: So yeah, I think I think in eleven and two,
b YU can certainly probably should get in the playoffs.
But will they I don't know.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's it's it's crazy times.
Speaker 2: B YU has TCU at home, then Cincinnati on the road,
and USF at home. You know what's the most troublesome
game there on the schedule, do you think? And uh,
do you think they they go three and oo on
the back half.
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think the Cincinnati game is pretty easily the
hardest game. I think the TCU game should be watched
this weekend. I think it's gonna be a close one.
I do think TCU matches up well BYU in a
lot of ways. So we actually we preview that that
game on our on our show, if you want to
check it out.
Speaker 8: But uh, yeah, I think that Cincinnati game on the road.
Speaker 6: I hopefully, hopefully I'll be going to that game. I
do live in Cincinnati, and I'll be an awesome game
to go to.
Speaker 2: Uh.
Speaker 6: But yeah, I think that's definitely the most dangerous one left.
Sinnati is the best team they have left for their schedule,
and his as Cincinnati and both teams kind of fighting
for a spot in the Big twelve title game right now.
So I think that is absolutely the most dangerous game
left for b YU.
Speaker 2: As far as pro football focused rankings are concerned, Like
they're great, Like I know, this is something you guys
grade out and you compare each team to each other.
Where does BYU grade out per PFF versus the other
teams of college football thus far this year?
Speaker 4: Yeah, buyu's grades.
Speaker 6: At least this year, their overall greatest is twenty eighth
in the country. Now, some of it has to do
with the schedule they've played, and how it's been a
little bit harder our schedule than say like a Toledo
for example, is number nine in our grading in North
Texas and James Madison for example, to San Diego State.
So there is a little bit of that. You got
to adjust for that. But you know, just purely grading wise,
BYU is twenty eighth in the country. And obviously they
took a tumble this past weekend after getting kind of
dominated by Texas Tech and all aspects.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's it's interesting.
Speaker 2: You know, Bear box Meyer has graded out decently, I
think for a true freshman quarterback. Where does he sit
comparative to other true freshman quarterbacks in college football right now?
Speaker 3: How does he grade out?
Speaker 6: Yeah, he's been doing really well this year. I think
he's still been a really good quarterback. Even if if
the games I guess Texas Tack wasn't great. He's actually
still the highest graded true freshman quarterback that we have
in college football at seventy six point four, right ahead
of Jaron kave Sunko, Polo Telly from cal and then
Malik Washington from from Maryland, and then Bryce Lender was
only a few points behind them too. So it's definitely
a lot closer than it was before the Texas Tech game.
But bear Bachmeyer is still our highest graded true freshman
quarterback in college football right now.
Speaker 2: Crazy BYU fans. You know, they've debated this, They've gone
back and forth. Did they upgrade? Did they downgrade? Did
they stay at neutral by losing Jake Retzlov and acquiring
Bear Bachmeyer.
Speaker 3: When you look at it, you see I mean, I know.
Speaker 2: Jake's supporting cast is different there at Toledo, but he's
played pretty well thus far this year as a right
shirt senior. He's a JUCO All American and he's got
a lot of experience under his belt versus the strength
of schedule.
Speaker 3: How do you see it?
Speaker 2: Do you think b YU upgraded, downgraded or state neutral
in the quarterback round?
Speaker 4: So I think he's.
Speaker 6: Pretty neutral, which is ultimately probably an upgrade considering how
much older Jake Restloff is than Bear Bachmeyer. Right now,
I think Jake has definitely played better than Bear this
year at Tulane, But don't I don't think I think
you got adjust for schedule in that too, all right.
I think Jake did an unbelievable job this past weekend
against Memphis. He was maybe his best game of his
career when Tulane beat Memphis this past weekend at Memphis.
So but other than that, I thought last year, what
Jake did at BYU is pretty much the same as
what Bear is doing right now, because Jake was a
lot older than obviously Bear Blackmer was right now too.
So I think I think Bu Yu upgraded in a
sense that like, hey, you got a true freshman who's
playing very well, and you're gonna have that kid for
at least the next two years, if not three years, right,
So it's it's I think Yu is very happy right
now with what they have a quarterback.
Speaker 2: Max Chadwick Pro Football Focus here on ESPN the Fan.
What topics have you guys been broaching on your show
recently and how can our listeners find that show?
Speaker 8: Yes, we do our preview show on Tuesday.
Speaker 6: Like I said, the b y U TCU game is
one of the games, one of the ten games that
we previewed should be a massive, massive Week twelve of
college football. And then actually tomorrow we're going live on
the show and giving our predictions for who will take
every Power for opening that we have in college football
right now too, because obviously it's gonna be a wild,
wild coaching carousel that we have with right now nine
Power four openings, maybe even more once the domino starts
to fall too, So yeah, it's gonna be a wild
coaching carousel. So we're gonna try our best to make
our official predictions for who will take all those jobs tomorrow.
Speaker 2: Love that you feel like, you know, like he's gonna
get some calls or do you think he's uh, he's
there in provo for the foreseeable future.
Speaker 6: You know what, I've heard his name floated out there
for the UCLA job. I just don't think it's an
upgrade at all. I know, I think the b YU
job is far better than CLA job. So that's the
only one I've really heard his name being floated out there.
So if that's the only competition b AU to keep
Kalani Satakia. I think the Cougars will be just fine
and doing that, I just I think by using far
far better job than UCLA right now. So yeah, I
think I think it will be the BYU coach for
the foreseeable future.
Speaker 3: Where you at.
Speaker 2: I mean, look, obviously conference affiliation matters these days, and
the Big Twelve and the ACC. I was competing for
and jocking for that Power three spot if you will.
How many teams do you think are going to get
into the College Football Playoff from the Big twelve the ACC.
Speaker 4: Agency?
Speaker 8: I think one.
Speaker 6: I don't know if we get multiple teams from the
AEC now it depends. Maybe maybe Miami can sneak in
as at large and maybe whoever wins the a SEC
will get in as the one of the conference champions.
Maybe that happens, But I think that Miami needs some
help right now. I would say the way they're ranked
right now, even if they shouldn't need help in my opinion.
But the Big Twelve is a little different. I think
Big twelve you can get probably two. I think Texas
Tech if they win, if they go eleven and one,
and then say say if they lose, maybe in the
Big Twelve Title game at eleven and two, they can
get in as a large and then whoever loses, whoever
wins that Big Twelve title game, most likely either b
YU or Cincinnati, they probably.
Speaker 8: Get that spot.
Speaker 6: But yeah, I think that Big Twelve is is been
a better spot than the Agency right now.
Speaker 8: I think the Big Twelve could get multiple.
Speaker 6: Teams in the playoffs, whereas I think right now at
least the AEC is most likely gonna get one.
Speaker 4: Team in the playoffs.
Speaker 2: Gonna be awesome to watch in these final few weeks
of college football. Max, as far as the Big Twelve
is concerned, you know where do you you know, where
do you see this Big twelve conference going in the
years to come? We see Texas Tech B So why
you right now at the forefront Utah still playing good football?
You know, when you combine nil, you combine the transfer portal,
you combine what these teams are investing into their athletic
departments with maybe even revshare trickle down to the players.
Do you feel like the Big twelve is properly and
competitively situated to really compete against and with the SEC
in Big Ten?
Speaker 4: Yeah?
Speaker 6: I think you know, they're still not going to be
the one of the top two conferences, but I think
them in the ACC will be competing for the number
three spot for sure. And I think there are some
programs in the Big twelve to be excited about. And
you know, now that Texas and Oklahoma are gone from
that conference, it's a wide open conference. You know, those
two kind of dominated that conference for a very long time,
and now that they're in the SEC, you know it's
there for the taken now. I think one school that's
very well positioned to make a leap there is Texas Tech,
who is obviously investing a lot of money into their
program right now. They have like a billionaire who played
football at Texas Tech.
Speaker 8: That is just you know, funneling money into that programming.
Speaker 4: See it.
Speaker 6: By the way, they're recruiting right now. And then b
I used one position there too with you've got a
great coaching staff there. You bring in some really highly
rated recruits too, you in basketball and football, honestly, Agent
de Bondsman basketball and obviously Ryder Lions and football. The
five star quarterback coming in in a couple of years too.
So yeah, I think there's a lot of schools. Utah
should still be up there too. It's a wide open
conference and that probably won't change either. I think the
Big twelve will probably be a wide open conference for
a very long time now that Texas and Oklahoma are gone.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's interesting to see the jockeying for position even
within the Big ten and the SUC a lot of parody,
a lot of two loss teams, even two three loss
teams in the top twenty five. Have we ever seen
this three loss teams in the top twenty five.
Speaker 6: Yeah, it seems that have happened at the end of
the year usually, but they are starting to put these
teams earlier in the year in the top twenty five.
So yeah, at the end of the year, we definitely
will get a ton of ninety three and maybe even
eight and four teams in the top twenty five. But yeah,
it is a little odd that teams like Iowa are
still in the top twenty five in my opinion too.
So yeah, I think there's some three lost teams that
I personally would rank in the top twenty five, like
say Illinois and Tennessee, and maybe even like an Arizona
state too. But the Iowa was a little a little
puzzling to make yeah crazy times.
Speaker 2: Max Chadwick, PFF analysts insider for College Football talking to
College Football, Big Twelve and BYU here on ESPN The Fan.
A lot of the analytics love Utah. You know, margin
of victory right now, they're averaging, you know, kind of
an absurd margin of victory.
Speaker 3: As is Texas Tech.
Speaker 2: But they lost the head to head versus BYU at
Lavelle Edwards Stadium. Are you feeling like, you know, what's
the probability of Utah maybe getting ahead with their remaining schedule,
surpassing BYU and getting into the Big Twelve Championship.
Speaker 8: I don't think it's likely.
Speaker 6: I think Utah needs a lot of help to get
into the Big twelve title games.
Speaker 8: Like you mentioned the two of Utah does I'm.
Speaker 6: Sorry, I just still has a tiebreaker over Utah, so
that is one thing if BYU lose it again, like
to say, Ccinnati or TCU or whoever. I do not
think they should be below Utah in the ranking, but
they're so close together right now that it is possible.
Speaker 8: I think Utah is very over ranked right now. I
don't think it should be.
Speaker 6: I think thirteen they are in the playoff Committee's ranking
right now. I had them like nineteen or something like that,
so I think it's they're over ranked right now. So yeah,
it's gonna be a weird conversation to have. If BYU
does lose another game in the regular season, whether or
not Utah jumps, then I think they might, which I
would disagree with, but that's kind of the way the
committee is shaking out to me right now.
Speaker 2: Max, always appreciate our toime, love delving into these topics
with you. As far as the last thing here, BYU
football players, you know, I always like to ask this,
who are the highest graded BYU football players through these
these nine games that they've played offensively defensively?
Speaker 3: How would you great them out there at PFF.
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think there's a lot of a lot of
good football players on b YU right now. I think
you look at at their defense. I think their defense
has been pretty good this year. I think Tanner Wall
jumps out. He is a seventy nine point seven grade
this year. And honestly their other stafety two on Folo
Tosatwala as a seventy eighth grade this year as well.
Speaker 8: So those are two to.
Speaker 6: Stick out defensively for BYU and then offensively, either good
guys like Bruce Mitchell, the center for BYU. He's the
highest graded offensive player right now for them at seventy
nine point six, and then L J. Martin and Belt
Barrett Bachmeyer are not too far behind them either with
about seventy six point six grades and seventy six point
four for Barret Bachmeyer two. So those are kind of
the highest grade players that we have right now for
b YU this year.
Speaker 2: Love it, Max, We salute you, We appreciate you once again.
Best way to support you. What you do, how you
do it there at PFF.
Speaker 6: Yeah, so I host the PFF College Football Show, which
is on YouTube and ay very good podcast.
Speaker 8: Like I said, we did. We did a by U
TCU preview a.
Speaker 6: Couple of days ago to go check that out and
then it all lives on PFF dot com, so you're
gonna check that out too.
Speaker 3: Love it Max, Thank you so much as always, thanks
for hopping on.
Speaker 2: Thanks guys there go that's Max Chadwick. Follow him on
X and check out the podcast. That segment brought to
you by Rubies ndrubies in dot com. Head on over
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Speaker 3: Yeah, maybe I will, Maybe you will.
Speaker 4: No.
Speaker 5: I just thought that was pretty interesting. Look, we know
about Tannel Wall follows out to Wala, LJ. Martin, Bear
Bakomar right been a name that probably doesn't get mentioned
as much. Bruce Mitchell. I thought that was pretty interest
that Brucey is the highest graded BAU offensive player. And
if you go back you look at the numbers, Bruce
is up there with the post. So I thought that
really stands out. We've had Brady Pipingo on multiple times
reminder to the fans and Bruce is playing defensive lineman.
In the twenty twenty three season, switch back to and
Connor pay he got hurt and he came in, and
Bruce is doing a phenomenal job. Like that's an NFL lineman.
Ben like Bruce gonna have an opportunity to get drafted.
I like the way Bruce is grading out because I
know he's probably great now at a high level, probably
you know, with the NFL scouts as well. So I
just wanted to touch on that and give Bruce some
love because Bruce is a big part of his offense
and I think he's got one more year of eligibility,
maybe two, but you need to retain him if you can.
Speaker 3: The tip of the spear, as they call it. They're upfront.
Speaker 2: It all starts up front, and it starts with that
center quarterback exchange. Let's go to break, guys, Please don't
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