1 00:00:01,840 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: Check it out college football on the West Coast. This 2 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:08,000 is Get Off My pylone, a look at the PAC 3 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,839 twelve and more, part of the College Gridiron Coast to 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:13,519 Coast podcast network. 5 00:00:13,919 --> 00:00:18,359 Speaker 2: Here's your host, Matt zimon Welcome to the latest position 6 00:00:18,399 --> 00:00:22,280 of the Get Off My Pilon college football podcast, part 7 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:25,519 of the College Gridiron Coast to Coast podcast network. This 8 00:00:25,679 --> 00:00:29,120 is your host, Matt Zemeck. So week one in the books, 9 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:32,320 we finally have a full weekend of college football to 10 00:00:32,359 --> 00:00:36,719 review in the new twenty twenty five season. Uh, get 11 00:00:36,719 --> 00:00:41,560 off my pileline reviewing college football in the Western United States. 12 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:45,039 So Western teams in the various conferences, we're looking at 13 00:00:45,039 --> 00:00:48,560 them as we do every week during the season on 14 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,920 this show. A reminder that College Gridiron Coast to Coast 15 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:54,759 you can follow on Twitter at grid Aroon Coast. In 16 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,880 terms of listening to College grid Aroon Coast to Coast podcast, 17 00:00:58,439 --> 00:01:02,719 you can find College Gridron Coast to Coast at Apple, Speaker, Spotify, 18 00:01:02,759 --> 00:01:07,519 and the other places where you listen to your podcasts. So, 19 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,560 whether it's the all sports discussion podcast covering the acc 20 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:18,120 Yards and Stripes covering the Service academies, Florida football Insiders 21 00:01:18,159 --> 00:01:20,680 with Jason Powers covering the Florida schools and of course 22 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:23,680 Florida schools had a great weekend with South Florida beating 23 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,680 Boise State. More on Boise State, and a bit Miami 24 00:01:26,719 --> 00:01:29,640 beating Notre Dame, Florida State being Alabama. So hey, that 25 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,640 like that Florida Football Insiders podcast is hot. You want 26 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:36,599 to listen to Jason Powers. He has a lot of 27 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,400 good things to talk about on that show and the 28 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:44,400 other offerings from the College grid On Coast to Coast 29 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,840 podcast network. Just get to Apple, get to Speaker, Spotify, 30 00:01:49,239 --> 00:01:52,319 use any of those and listen to those shows and 31 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:56,840 tell your friends get on board College Gridiron Coast to Coast. 32 00:01:57,400 --> 00:01:59,920 So we go into our week one review show, and 33 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,560 let's start with Boise State because that was on Thursday, 34 00:02:03,359 --> 00:02:06,799 the first really big game involving a Western school from 35 00:02:06,879 --> 00:02:11,280 week one, and that was shocking. And you know, if 36 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:14,280 you watch the TCU North Carolina game on Monday, North 37 00:02:14,319 --> 00:02:17,759 Carolina with a brilliant first drive and then did basically 38 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:19,680 nothing the rest of the game. That was kind of 39 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:23,039 Boise State, not the first drive, but got up seven 40 00:02:23,039 --> 00:02:25,680 to nothing, and it seemed like Boise State was the 41 00:02:25,719 --> 00:02:28,960 better team in the first quarter and then boom just 42 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,400 completely stifled the rest of the way by South Florida. 43 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:35,919 And you know, full credit to South Florida thoroughly outplayed 44 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:39,400 Boise State in every facet over the final three quarters, 45 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,159 entirely deserved to win the game. It was just surprising 46 00:02:43,199 --> 00:02:48,400 to see Boise State have zero answers and zero adjustments 47 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,599 for South Florida. And you know, if you're a Boise 48 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,199 State fan, I think you knew that life after Ashton 49 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,919 genty would have its challenges, But was it going to 50 00:02:57,960 --> 00:02:59,800 be this bad? Was it going to be this severe 51 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,039 right out of the blocks, right because there's still a 52 00:03:04,039 --> 00:03:06,960 lot of good talented players on that team. And you know, 53 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,599 you don't make the College Football Playoff just because you 54 00:03:10,719 --> 00:03:15,439 have a stud at running back, just because you have 55 00:03:15,479 --> 00:03:18,599 a Heisman Trophy runner up on your team. I mean, 56 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:20,759 that certainly goes a long way. You know, you need 57 00:03:20,759 --> 00:03:24,680 that aircraft carrier, which Astra Gent was. But you have 58 00:03:24,719 --> 00:03:26,560 to have a decent offensive line, you have to have 59 00:03:26,599 --> 00:03:29,439 a solid defense, you have to have a capable quarterback, 60 00:03:29,759 --> 00:03:31,680 you have to have a lot of pieces. I mean, 61 00:03:31,719 --> 00:03:33,960 you know, this is a sport in which there are 62 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:35,960 twenty two players on the field at the same time, 63 00:03:36,039 --> 00:03:39,960 eleven in a unit. You can't just have one really 64 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:45,199 good player. You need other good players. You need balance, 65 00:03:45,479 --> 00:03:49,680 you need the units working together, people pulling together. So 66 00:03:49,879 --> 00:03:52,199 it's not as though Boise State was supposed to be 67 00:03:52,319 --> 00:03:56,039 chopped delivered this season. Yeah, not as good as with genty. Sure, 68 00:03:56,199 --> 00:04:00,840 of course most people would have assumed that. But to 69 00:04:00,919 --> 00:04:04,680 get absolutely boat raced, that was certainly a surprise to many. 70 00:04:04,759 --> 00:04:10,599 It was a surprise to me. So we certainly have 71 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:12,840 to ask questions. We have to ask questions of two 72 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:17,160 people in particular, one Maddox Madson, and you know, Boise 73 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:19,240 State figured to have to pass the ball a little 74 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:23,120 bit more now in twenty twenty five, after losing genty 75 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,279 from last season's team, Madson not up to the task. 76 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,920 But the even bigger concern Spencer Danielson. You know, he 77 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:33,600 is a young coach. It's not as though he's he's 78 00:04:33,639 --> 00:04:37,000 a seven or ten or twelve year veteran of this thing. 79 00:04:37,439 --> 00:04:39,600 He's still new to this. And you know, having Ashton 80 00:04:39,639 --> 00:04:43,120 Genty really helped him, and to his great credit, like 81 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,399 he knew how to maximize gent, he knew how to 82 00:04:46,439 --> 00:04:50,000 win games with a stud in the backfield, but now 83 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,639 that he doesn't have him, I mean, Spencer Danielson got 84 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,879 caught flat footed. One of the big moments from that 85 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,959 game was South Florida's fake punt touchdown pass the ball 86 00:05:00,759 --> 00:05:05,160 put in their backup quarterback, lining him up as the punter. 87 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,600 That thing has to be noticed on the Boise State sideline. 88 00:05:08,639 --> 00:05:11,279 You can call time out right if you see something 89 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:13,439 and you don't think you're ready for it, call time out. 90 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:18,639 That can basically ford the fake punt. And you call 91 00:05:18,759 --> 00:05:21,120 time out, you can just go into a safe prevent 92 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,879 defense to make sure that you're not snookered by that 93 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:28,480 fake punt. But Spencer Danielson did not do it south forward, 94 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,279 it pass its lead and it was off to the 95 00:05:31,399 --> 00:05:35,639 races after that. So Spencer Danielson not a very good 96 00:05:35,639 --> 00:05:38,639 coaching performance, to say the least. In the opener, he 97 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:42,560 did not have his team in a position to make adjustments. 98 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:44,560 You know, Boise State started the game. Well, I'll give 99 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,279 Danielson that, Like at the beginning of the game, they 100 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:49,000 were ready to play. So it's not as though he 101 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:51,240 didn't have his team ready to play, but he didn't 102 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:55,360 have his team ready to adjust That was really the 103 00:05:55,680 --> 00:06:00,439 key that Boise State made no adjustments whatsoever and certain 104 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:03,959 things didn't work. Boise State didn't really have a plan B. 105 00:06:04,319 --> 00:06:08,079 So that is what Spencer Danielson needs to worry about, 106 00:06:08,079 --> 00:06:09,959 and he has to get that passing game to a 107 00:06:09,959 --> 00:06:12,759 point where Boise State can throw the ball to move 108 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:15,959 the ball if it needs to, because it can't rely 109 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,279 on the running game in quite the same way that 110 00:06:18,319 --> 00:06:23,600 it was able to last year with Ashton Genty staying 111 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:26,959 in the Mountain West. Hawaii goes to Arizona, so we 112 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:29,920 have two Western teams to talk about. And you know, 113 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:36,879 Hawaii's quarterback Michael Alahado injured against Stanford. So the conventional 114 00:06:36,879 --> 00:06:41,439 wisdom going into this game against Arizona was that Arizona 115 00:06:41,439 --> 00:06:43,680 should be able to take care of Hawaii pretty easily. 116 00:06:43,959 --> 00:06:47,480 That's exactly what happened. You know, Hawaii making the big 117 00:06:47,519 --> 00:06:51,480 commute to the mainland with a quarterback who is not 118 00:06:51,639 --> 00:06:54,560 physically one hundred percent like that game just set up 119 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:56,519 well for Arizona. So I don't know if we learned 120 00:06:56,519 --> 00:06:59,600 a whole lot about Arizona, but the Wildcats did at 121 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,439 least take care of business at a level that they 122 00:07:02,439 --> 00:07:05,800 were supposed to, so give the Wildcats credit for that. 123 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,519 But Arizona's schedule obviously going to get a lot tougher 124 00:07:09,639 --> 00:07:11,759 in the near future, and we're going to learn a 125 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:19,560 lot more about Brent Brennan's team elsewhere moving along Arizona State. 126 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:21,800 So we talked about Arizona, let's talk about Arizona State. 127 00:07:22,199 --> 00:07:28,759 Pretty scratchy, rough opener. You didn't see the Arizona State 128 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:32,879 offense explode the way it so often did, so there 129 00:07:32,959 --> 00:07:35,240 was a lot of rust and of course the adjustment 130 00:07:35,279 --> 00:07:39,399 to not having Cam scataboo profound and that should not 131 00:07:39,519 --> 00:07:42,600 rate as a surprise. The idea that Arizona State's going 132 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:47,279 to have it figured all out right away unlikely. But 133 00:07:47,519 --> 00:07:51,279 you know, in a cupcake game week one, Arizona State 134 00:07:51,319 --> 00:07:54,040 didn't have to figure it all out right away. The 135 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:56,600 Sun Devils can adjust and evolve as they move along, 136 00:07:56,639 --> 00:07:59,360 and it'll be fascinating to see what head coach Kenny 137 00:07:59,399 --> 00:08:03,319 Dillingham is able to do with that team. Right, So 138 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:05,720 we stay in the Big Twelve with the other Western 139 00:08:05,759 --> 00:08:11,040 schools in the conference. So Colorado narrowly loses to Georgia Tech. 140 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,879 The Yellowjackets win it on a late tie breaking touchdown 141 00:08:14,959 --> 00:08:20,160 inside the final ninety seconds, Haines King getting free. It's 142 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:25,120 a game that was close all the way. So it's 143 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:30,399 gonna be really interesting to see, you know, what national experts, 144 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:35,600 what national observers make of that performance by Colorado. For me, 145 00:08:36,279 --> 00:08:40,120 you know, I felt Georgia Tech a team that wants 146 00:08:40,159 --> 00:08:43,679 to be seen as a top tier ACC program, a 147 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:49,639 team that has legitimate aspirations to win nine or ten games. 148 00:08:49,919 --> 00:08:52,679 That was a must win for Georgia Tech. And with 149 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:58,399 Colorado having lost two elite college football players from last season, 150 00:08:58,919 --> 00:09:02,399 Shader Sanders and the Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, the 151 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:06,279 adjustment to this year, you know, could have been really bumpy. 152 00:09:06,879 --> 00:09:08,799 It could have been really difficult. And this is not 153 00:09:08,919 --> 00:09:12,600 to say that you know, Colorado was great, but Colorado 154 00:09:12,799 --> 00:09:16,320 was decent against Georgia Tech. Colorado put up more of 155 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:20,120 a fight than than some people felt it would. I mean, 156 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:23,600 ty game going into the two minute warning. That is 157 00:09:23,639 --> 00:09:28,879 a very credible performance. It's a very respectable showing for Colorado. 158 00:09:29,039 --> 00:09:31,399 You know, getting getting blown out would have been one thing, 159 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,879 but taking Georgia Tech, a good team at least in 160 00:09:34,879 --> 00:09:38,559 my estimation, down to the wire like that should encourage 161 00:09:38,759 --> 00:09:42,120 people in Boulder. Deon Sanders, I know he's not there 162 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:45,200 for moral victories. He's not there for coming close. He's 163 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:47,120 not there for putting up a good fight. He wants 164 00:09:47,159 --> 00:09:49,639 to win, he wants to conquer, he wants to lift 165 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:55,679 trophies as he should h and that is a winner's mentality. Dion, 166 00:09:55,879 --> 00:09:58,759 you know, succeeded as an athlete because he had the 167 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:02,639 right mentality. So you know, a part of him is 168 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:07,360 going to be frustrated and legitimately so. But Colorado acquitted 169 00:10:07,399 --> 00:10:10,840 itself quite well against Georgia Tech. So there is reason 170 00:10:10,919 --> 00:10:14,919 for optimism in Boulder, and it's really important that Colorado, 171 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:18,159 regardless of what the record is, if Colorado can be 172 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,600 robustly competitive throughout the whole season, you know, if the 173 00:10:21,639 --> 00:10:23,759 way it played against Georgia Tech is the way it 174 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,919 plays throughout the season and Colorado is at least able 175 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:29,200 to get back to a bowl game. To me, that 176 00:10:29,279 --> 00:10:32,799 rates is a very successful campaign. That you lose two 177 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:35,440 elite players and you're able to back it up the 178 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,480 next season and still get back to a bowl game. 179 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:41,039 What does that say? That says that your program is good. 180 00:10:41,159 --> 00:10:44,200 It's not just that you bring in star players. But 181 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:47,120 your program is good. Your program has achieved a certain 182 00:10:47,159 --> 00:10:51,279 measure of consistency. Your program has a certain measure of 183 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:55,960 stain power and durability. So you know, if Kloradle plays 184 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,279 eleven more games like that, and you add in just 185 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:03,159 the natural evolution that occurs over a season, at least 186 00:11:03,159 --> 00:11:05,759 for most teams, Colorad should be okay. And when I 187 00:11:05,799 --> 00:11:09,000 say okay, I mean at least getting to six and six, 188 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:11,240 making a bowl game. I think that would be a 189 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,440 good year for Colorado. A lot of people might think 190 00:11:14,519 --> 00:11:17,120 the program will fall off a cliff now that it 191 00:11:17,159 --> 00:11:22,159 doesn't have Schrader and Travis Hunter. So six and six 192 00:11:22,759 --> 00:11:25,600 it might not be something that Dion will be thrilled 193 00:11:25,639 --> 00:11:28,159 with if it happens. But to me, that would be 194 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:31,519 a good twenty twenty five season for Colorado. So we'll 195 00:11:31,519 --> 00:11:34,840 see how the team responds to the performance against Georgia Tech. 196 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:38,159 Now we go to Utah, the final of the four 197 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:41,679 corners schools in the Big Twelve, and this is another 198 00:11:41,799 --> 00:11:45,039 game with two Western teams, Utah Ucla. This was the 199 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:49,960 late game on Saturday. Wow, Utah looked like a Kyle 200 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,600 Winningham team. And when Kyle Winningham coached Utah teams r 201 00:11:53,639 --> 00:11:56,679 at their best. What do they have not just the 202 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:01,799 fierce pass rush, not just the dominant line play, you know, 203 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:05,559 owning the trenches, which Utah certainly did, But they also 204 00:12:05,639 --> 00:12:07,879 have the quarterback that makes it all happen. You know, 205 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:15,840 cam Rising finally unlocked the code. He finally lifted Utah 206 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:20,120 to the mountaintop. After the Youths had been a good program, 207 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:23,720 but an almost program, not quite winning Pac twelve championships, 208 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,840 not quite reaching the biggest bowl games. You know, in 209 00:12:26,879 --> 00:12:31,080 twenty eighteen, in twenty nineteen, lost to Washington in the 210 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,840 PAC twelve title game, lost to Oregon in the PAC 211 00:12:33,879 --> 00:12:36,600 twelve Tile Game. So when cam Rising turned things around 212 00:12:37,159 --> 00:12:41,360 in twenty twenty one, twenty twenty two, you know, the quarterback, 213 00:12:41,759 --> 00:12:43,679 the guy at the controls, was able to make it 214 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,240 all happen. He was the final piece of the puzzle. So, 215 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:49,960 after a couple of years of Cam Rising being hurt 216 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:54,159 and u taught, not having answers at quarterback, the Youths 217 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:57,279 get Devin Dampier, the transfer from New Mexico, and he 218 00:12:57,519 --> 00:13:03,679 was awesome against UCLA. The agility, the improvisational playmaking ability, 219 00:13:04,759 --> 00:13:07,679 being able to make plays with his legs, being able 220 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:11,879 to make plays with his arm. Devin Dampier was a 221 00:13:11,919 --> 00:13:15,960 well rounded package and UCLA had absolutely no answer for him. 222 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:19,120 So Devin Dampier looked the part. He looked like the 223 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:22,080 real deal, and so Utah has to be very encouraged 224 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,000 by what it saw in Game one. But here's the 225 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:30,080 flip side. Utah looked great, Ucla looked abysmal, and so 226 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:33,240 if you're a Utah fan, you're you're you're very happy 227 00:13:33,279 --> 00:13:36,159 with the way the team performed, no question. But is 228 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,960 UCLA going to crater this season? It's a possibility. So 229 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:44,600 Utah might not derive too much value from beating UCLA 230 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:47,279 in terms of strength of schedule or just in terms 231 00:13:47,279 --> 00:13:50,000 of the caliber of owning it defeated. It's just something 232 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,679 to watch for, right because in week one we're always 233 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:56,320 trying to see, you know, did did did teammate get 234 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:58,840 a good win against Team B? Or was Team B 235 00:13:59,039 --> 00:14:01,320 just so horrible that of course teammate was gonna win. 236 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:05,080 And so we get to October, we get to November 237 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:06,960 and we say, you know, that win that might have 238 00:14:07,039 --> 00:14:09,279 looked really good in week one, well, of course that 239 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:13,480 the other team was horrible. You know, a lot of 240 00:14:13,519 --> 00:14:16,159 people felt UCLA was going to have a decent team 241 00:14:16,399 --> 00:14:18,720 this season. I know that some riders with the Los 242 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,039 Angeles Times felt UCLA was going to be an eight 243 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:24,960 win team this season. So like Utah beating an eight 244 00:14:25,039 --> 00:14:28,000 win team by thirty three, that looks pretty good. But 245 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:31,799 after seeing Saturday night, Ucla might be a three win team. 246 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,080 Ucla could be in for a really rough year based 247 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,480 on what we saw in Week one. The Bruins have 248 00:14:37,559 --> 00:14:42,240 to make dramatic adjustments across the board in Week two 249 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:46,399 and beyond if they are going to save their season. 250 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:52,440 Bottom line, Ucla got ragdalled in this game. Ucla got bullied, 251 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:58,799 Ucla got shoved around, couldn't tackle, you know, both mistackles 252 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:02,200 and also Utah ball carriers balancing three or four yards 253 00:15:02,919 --> 00:15:06,759 off UCLA defenders after the first point of contact, dragging 254 00:15:06,879 --> 00:15:12,840 bodies up the field. So Ucile's defense looked weak and 255 00:15:12,919 --> 00:15:17,720 the UCLA's offensive line was just Swiss cheese. Nico Iamaliava, 256 00:15:19,159 --> 00:15:21,320 you know, you can't really judge his performance because he 257 00:15:21,399 --> 00:15:24,759 was running for his life the whole game. And this 258 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:28,679 was the big concern for Nico, and this was something 259 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:31,600 that Tennessee fans talked about all off season. You know, Nico, 260 00:15:31,919 --> 00:15:35,639 you're leaving Tennessee. You're leaving this support system. You're leaving 261 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:41,080 Josh Hipel's offense. You're leaving a roster which has depth 262 00:15:41,159 --> 00:15:44,879 and quality and physicality across the board on the line, 263 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:47,919 at receiver, at running back. You know, you're not going 264 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:51,080 to be surrounded by ten really good teammates anymore. You're 265 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:55,320 going to be by yourself. That thesis for one game, 266 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:59,159 at least held up. That line of thought was strongly 267 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:03,320 affirmed in this first game. Nico did what he could. 268 00:16:03,639 --> 00:16:08,279 He made some great improv scrambles and made some plays 269 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:12,159 by himself. But he was running for his life, and 270 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:15,840 so he's gonna need some help if this UCLA season 271 00:16:16,639 --> 00:16:19,759 is going to amount to anything. He didn't get any 272 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:23,519 of that help against Utah. On the defensive side of 273 00:16:23,559 --> 00:16:26,159 the ball, let's hit on this particular point. Let's let's 274 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:31,519 remind everyone UCLA sent four defensive players to the twenty 275 00:16:31,559 --> 00:16:36,799 twenty five NFL Draft. Carson Schwessinger, the linebacker who went 276 00:16:36,799 --> 00:16:40,159 to the Browns at pick number thirty three. You know 277 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:43,000 he's and he's been crushing it in preseason camp with 278 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:49,919 the Browns Oluwaemi. Oladejo went at also in the second 279 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,159 round at pick number fifty two to the Tennessee Titans, 280 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:56,519 so two picks in the in the top fifty five, 281 00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:59,960 two second round picks, and then UCLA also had Kine 282 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:02,639 Madrono who went in the back end of the draft 283 00:17:02,679 --> 00:17:07,480 to the Washington Commanders, and Jay Toya, interior defensive lineman 284 00:17:07,839 --> 00:17:10,240 also at the back end of the draft. All four 285 00:17:10,279 --> 00:17:13,000 of those guys were not only NFL draft picks, they 286 00:17:13,079 --> 00:17:16,039 all made their rosters. They all made the fifty three 287 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:22,440 man Week one NFL rosters. So that's four opening day 288 00:17:23,319 --> 00:17:28,759 not necessarily starters, though Schwsinger in Cleveland and Oladejo in 289 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:34,799 Tennessee they're starters, but four players that made NFL rosters. 290 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:41,960 Ucie A lost four guys of that caliber from twenty 291 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:46,960 twenty four. Did Deshaun Foster have replacements for each of 292 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:50,640 those four guys, whether in the portal or in terms 293 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:55,359 of his own program and developing players. Very clearly not, like, 294 00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:59,720 at least going by game one, like there was no 295 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:04,160 star or standout player who carried the load for the 296 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:07,799 UCLA defense. The whole unit was bad. It was bad 297 00:18:07,839 --> 00:18:14,000 at all three levels. Defensive line, linebackers secondary. So you know, 298 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:19,359 Deshaun Foster inherited those four players. And it's worth noting 299 00:18:20,079 --> 00:18:25,039 that former UCLA defensive coordinator Danton Lynn, who is now 300 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:31,440 USC's defensive coordinator, he coached all four of those guys Sweessinger, Oladejo, Madrono, 301 00:18:31,759 --> 00:18:35,400 and Toya in twenty twenty three under Tip Kelly, and 302 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:39,440 so Deshaun Foster inherited good players who had been coached 303 00:18:39,519 --> 00:18:43,039 up and developed by Danton Lynn when he stepped in 304 00:18:43,079 --> 00:18:47,160 twenty twenty four. So you know, UCLA overachieved last season, 305 00:18:47,759 --> 00:18:49,720 and I thought UCLA would be like a two to 306 00:18:49,759 --> 00:18:52,759 ten team last year, but the Bruins went five and seven, 307 00:18:52,759 --> 00:18:55,480 and I thought, oh, Deshaun Foster did an amazing job. 308 00:18:56,319 --> 00:19:00,440 This game against Utah kind of shifts the ground a 309 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:02,920 little bit in the sense that, oh, it was more 310 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:09,359 about Danton Lynn giving Deshaun Foster some well developed, well 311 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:13,160 rounded players last season. Now, Lynn was of course on 312 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:17,759 USC staff last year, not UCLA's, but what Danton Lynn 313 00:19:17,759 --> 00:19:20,279 did with those guys in twenty twenty three it set 314 00:19:20,319 --> 00:19:24,000 the table beautifully for DeShawn Foster now that he doesn't 315 00:19:24,039 --> 00:19:27,160 have any of those guys on his team in twenty 316 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:31,319 twenty five, he looks lost and just as a PostScript here, 317 00:19:31,799 --> 00:19:35,160 Deshaun Foster told local media in Los Angeles after the 318 00:19:35,279 --> 00:19:39,880 Utah game and more specifically, after watching film, he said, 319 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:45,119 and this is a direct quote quote, we were close unquote. 320 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:53,039 Deshaan Foster said, quote, we were close unquote after losing 321 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:57,720 forty three to ten, after losing by thirty three points, 322 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:02,079 we were close. That folks as a coach who's in 323 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,960 over his head. Now, maybe Deshaun Foster is not in 324 00:20:05,079 --> 00:20:08,039 over his head, but he sure sounded like it after 325 00:20:08,079 --> 00:20:12,319 this game, and without the defensive depth and quality that 326 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,920 he had one year ago, you know, this guy could 327 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:18,759 be lost at sea, He could be a drift and 328 00:20:18,799 --> 00:20:22,519 he might not ever get to save harbor at UCLA, 329 00:20:22,559 --> 00:20:26,359 Bruin fans have to be very concerned. And so just 330 00:20:26,759 --> 00:20:29,240 briefly looking ahead, I know we have other teams to 331 00:20:29,279 --> 00:20:31,799 get to in our week one review, but just to 332 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:36,680 briefly look ahead to Week two, UCLA at UNLV. If 333 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:41,000 Deshaun Foster and UCLA cannot win that game in Vegas, 334 00:20:41,799 --> 00:20:44,400 they'll be zero to two and on their Big ten 335 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:46,799 schedule they have to play Penn State. They have to 336 00:20:46,799 --> 00:20:50,759 play Ohio State, Like, where are the win's gonna come from? 337 00:20:51,079 --> 00:20:56,759 So if UCLA loses to Vegas in Week two, very 338 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:59,400 likely that UCLA is going to miss a bowl game 339 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,559 this season. And we said last week on our preview 340 00:21:02,599 --> 00:21:06,880 show before week one, before the season began, UCLA needs 341 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,880 to make a bowl game this year period. That's the goal. 342 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:12,680 Make a bowl game, improve on your five and seven 343 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:16,160 record from twenty twenty four. If UTLA is not making 344 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:20,119 a bowl game, no one's gonna think correctly that the 345 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:22,799 program is heading in the right direction, that there's no improvement, 346 00:21:22,839 --> 00:21:26,440 there's no real growth, that Deshaun Foster really isn't moving 347 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:30,400 this thing forward. And there were only thirty five thousand 348 00:21:30,599 --> 00:21:34,680 and change at the Rose Bowl for that UCLA Utah game, 349 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:38,240 and Utah had at least ten thousand, maybe even fifteen, 350 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:42,440 so nearly half the stadium was Utah fans. So the 351 00:21:42,559 --> 00:21:48,480 apathy surrounding UCLA football is very real. It remains intact. 352 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:51,440 If UCLA is not making a bowl game, They're just 353 00:21:51,519 --> 00:21:54,799 not going to sell many tickets for home games. The program, 354 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:58,880 which sorely needs revenue, is not going to get that revenue, 355 00:21:59,279 --> 00:22:01,759 not going to get those extra dollars. How is UCLA 356 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:05,799 going to compete for lead talent? And UCLA was able 357 00:22:05,839 --> 00:22:09,440 to put together an NIL package good enough to lure 358 00:22:09,519 --> 00:22:14,160 Nico Imliava to Westwood. If UCLA misses a bowl game 359 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:18,440 this year, like what's gonna lure future stars, you know, 360 00:22:18,599 --> 00:22:24,839 future notable names to UCLA football. Failing this year with Nico, 361 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:28,160 if it happens, would just be a disaster for UCLA 362 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:31,319 and it would be a disaster as well for Deshaun Foster. 363 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:35,440 So tons of pressure, tons of pressure on Deshaun Foster 364 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:40,000 to beat UNLV in Week two to get this season 365 00:22:40,039 --> 00:22:43,400 back on track. If it doesn't happen, UCLA is looking 366 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:47,759 at a very very very long year, all right, continuing 367 00:22:47,799 --> 00:22:51,119 on with our western schools and get off my pilon. 368 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:56,599 So we've looked at UCLA from the Big ten. USC 369 00:22:57,279 --> 00:23:00,759 in contrast to UCLA, you know, look look good on offense, 370 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:04,319 scoring seventy three points. The defense was kind of spotty, 371 00:23:04,839 --> 00:23:08,680 but USC had a lot of prime players out on defense, 372 00:23:09,759 --> 00:23:13,759 featuring Jackem Stewart, the Big five star freshman. He did 373 00:23:13,799 --> 00:23:17,599 not play a freshman named Alex Graham did not play. 374 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:21,480 Other players on this defense at multiple levels of the 375 00:23:21,519 --> 00:23:25,640 defense did not play. They were all hurt, and of 376 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:31,200 course us he wants to exercise some caution, rightly, so 377 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:33,839 because you know, playing Missouri State, you don't need guys. 378 00:23:34,519 --> 00:23:36,680 You don't need your frontline players to win that kind 379 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:42,200 of a game. In USC plays Georgia Southern and Clay Helton, hello, 380 00:23:42,599 --> 00:23:46,400 former USC coach, in week two. USC will not need 381 00:23:46,440 --> 00:23:50,119 those frontline players against Georgia Southern either. Now, it would 382 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:53,240 be good to get them some work heading into Purdue 383 00:23:53,599 --> 00:23:57,039 in week three on September thirteenth. But you know, if 384 00:23:57,039 --> 00:24:00,000 they're not fully healthy and us he is not sure, 385 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:03,680 it's whether it makes sense to play them. You know, 386 00:24:03,759 --> 00:24:06,279 you hold them out another week. You save them for 387 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:09,160 the Big ten schedule, which is just around the corner. 388 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:13,160 So USC Jade and Mayava at quarterback looked the part. 389 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:16,519 He looked fairly comfortable, like he looked a lot better 390 00:24:16,599 --> 00:24:20,519 than he did last season. But it's Missouri State, Missouri 391 00:24:20,599 --> 00:24:24,400 State making its FBS debut as a member of Conference USA. 392 00:24:24,559 --> 00:24:28,599 Last season, Missouri State was an FCS program. So USC 393 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:31,079 beat a Tomato camp. Let's just be honest about that. 394 00:24:31,799 --> 00:24:34,839 The Trojans will need to beat a much better team. 395 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:41,559 Authoritatively before they really begin to deserve and earn major 396 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:45,559 national buzz as a Big Ten and College Football Playoff contender. 397 00:24:45,839 --> 00:24:49,640 So the performance was decent enough, but USC obviously needs 398 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:53,160 to make a climb in terms of strength of schedule, 399 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:57,000 caliber of competition before we really begin to say USC 400 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:00,640 is back. We're not there yet. Beating Missouri State does 401 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,599 not get you there. USC is gonna need to get 402 00:25:03,599 --> 00:25:06,640 a lot more work done, But as far as it goes, 403 00:25:06,759 --> 00:25:10,920 Week one was a good one for Lincoln Riley and company. 404 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:15,200 Similar story with Oregon. Obviously, Oregon has established itself as 405 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:18,799 an elite program more than USC has in recent years. Oregon, 406 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:22,559 you know, had the unbeaten regular season last year before 407 00:25:22,559 --> 00:25:25,279 losing to Ohio State in the playoff quarterfinals at the 408 00:25:25,359 --> 00:25:29,240 Rose Bowl. So Oregon's done more than USC has in 409 00:25:29,279 --> 00:25:33,839 the past few years. But similar dynamic. Oregon crushes Montana State. 410 00:25:34,559 --> 00:25:38,240 Dante Moore, the new quarterback, looked pretty good, but it 411 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:42,279 was Montana State. It was an FCS team. Now Montana 412 00:25:42,279 --> 00:25:45,160 State is not a bad FCS team, but still that's 413 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:48,960 an FCS team. It's a cupcake game, It's a paycheck game. 414 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:52,640 Let's see Oregon and Dante Moore do this against better opposition. 415 00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:56,079 So they play Oklahoma State this week. Let's see how 416 00:25:56,079 --> 00:26:00,640 good Oklahoma State is. That would be interesting to look at. 417 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:04,079 And finally, among our West Coast Big Ten teams, Washington. 418 00:26:04,799 --> 00:26:09,480 Washington did not dominate Colorado State, but it was not 419 00:26:09,559 --> 00:26:11,720 a squeaker either. It did not go right down to 420 00:26:11,759 --> 00:26:18,160 the wire. Husky's offense was solid, if not spectacular. So 421 00:26:18,359 --> 00:26:22,000 the Huskies did pretty much what people expected, no more, 422 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:26,400 no less's let's now see what we get in week two. 423 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:29,960 I think there's a lot to improve on for Washington 424 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:32,839 because this was not a max out performance, but it 425 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:37,359 was not a horrible performance either. It was okay. It 426 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:43,680 was an okay performance from Jedfish's group. Like the they 427 00:26:43,759 --> 00:26:47,799 basically met expectations on the dot. They didn't exceed them, 428 00:26:48,039 --> 00:26:52,000 they didn't undershoot them. So let's see now what Washington 429 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:57,960 can do as it moves along with its schedule. So, 430 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:03,880 in terms of the over of western college football in 431 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:08,400 the United States after Week one, so Boise State and 432 00:27:08,519 --> 00:27:12,400 UNLV have both looked sluggish, and that basically means that 433 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:16,319 the Mountain West is in real trouble in terms of 434 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:18,799 being able to win the group of Five championship, which 435 00:27:18,799 --> 00:27:23,519 it did last year with Boise State. Right now, Tulane 436 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:28,400 number one and Navy number two from the American well 437 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,799 probably the two best most likely choices to win the 438 00:27:31,839 --> 00:27:34,720 Group of five championship. Obviously it's early, but you know, 439 00:27:34,759 --> 00:27:38,440 Tulane allowed just three points to Northwestern, a Big ten team, 440 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:40,319 and Northwestern is not a good team, but it's still 441 00:27:40,319 --> 00:27:43,519 a Big ten team. That's not a cupcake game for Tulane. 442 00:27:43,599 --> 00:27:48,799 And Tulane's defense looked really, really good. So Boise State 443 00:27:48,799 --> 00:27:53,440 getting clobbered by South Florida, UNLV barely injury passed Idaho State, 444 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:58,240 and then you know, UNLV beat Sam Houston somewhat comfortably, 445 00:27:58,319 --> 00:28:01,519 but it was not a forty to fifty to sixty 446 00:28:01,559 --> 00:28:05,319 point win, so the Rebels, you know, have left a 447 00:28:05,319 --> 00:28:09,279 lot to be desired. And now, of course UNLV plays UCLA, 448 00:28:09,319 --> 00:28:12,319 a game that we've talked about earlier. This is a 449 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:14,720 proven moment for UNLV just as much as it is 450 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:19,200 for UCLA. Both teams really need that game. Ucla needs 451 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:23,000 it more, but UNLV really needs a strong performance and 452 00:28:23,039 --> 00:28:27,599 the Mountain West needs a strong performance from UNLV to 453 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:31,200 kind of reset the dial and perhaps create new hope, 454 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:34,359 fresh hope that the Mountain West can still be a 455 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:37,920 factor in the Group of five championship race. But right 456 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:43,720 now the Mountain West is definitely behind the American in 457 00:28:43,799 --> 00:28:47,319 terms of the strength and quality of the Group of 458 00:28:47,359 --> 00:28:50,880 five conferences. So it was not a good Week one. 459 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:54,680 It was not a good August for the Mountain West. 460 00:28:54,720 --> 00:29:00,960 This league definitely needs a bounce back. So plenty to 461 00:29:01,039 --> 00:29:04,039 talk about in Week one of the college football season 462 00:29:04,119 --> 00:29:08,759 across the West, whether it's the Big Ten, whether it's 463 00:29:08,799 --> 00:29:15,240 the Big twelve, the Mountain West. Plenty to think about 464 00:29:16,119 --> 00:29:18,839 in the world of Western college football. And so after 465 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:22,559 Week one, you know, the Week one overreaction, the week 466 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:26,960 one hot take, the week one verdict. You know, this 467 00:29:27,119 --> 00:29:31,000 is always a part of every college football season. You 468 00:29:31,039 --> 00:29:34,920 know what was real, what kind of fell a little 469 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:37,039 bit hollow that it might not hold up over the 470 00:29:37,079 --> 00:29:40,960 course of the season. How good are the opponents, how 471 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:44,279 good will the opponents be? All these things are always 472 00:29:44,359 --> 00:29:48,559 part of a week one evaluation. So week two we 473 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:51,200 began to find out if Week one was a true 474 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:55,799 indicator or if Week one was an aberration. Always a 475 00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:59,880 central and challenging part of college football analysis from we 476 00:30:00,119 --> 00:30:05,720 one sticks and what from week one fades away. We 477 00:30:05,839 --> 00:30:09,200 always have the challenge of trying to make that kind 478 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:12,319 of determination, so week two will give us a lot 479 00:30:12,359 --> 00:30:15,519 more information as we continue on the road to the 480 00:30:15,559 --> 00:30:19,519 twenty twenty five college football playoffs. All right, folks, so 481 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:22,440 once again this podcast Get Up My Pipeline is part 482 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:26,680 of the College GRIDIRN Coast to Coast Podcast Network. Follow 483 00:30:26,759 --> 00:30:32,839 all your favorite College Gridiron Coast to Coast shows on Apple, Spotify, Spreaker, 484 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:36,880 and wherever you get your podcasts. Tell your friends and 485 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:40,279 you know. If you have a favorite conference such as 486 00:30:40,279 --> 00:30:43,759 the ACC or you love the academies, you love teams 487 00:30:43,799 --> 00:30:46,559 in the state of Florida, you know there is a 488 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:49,839 podcast for you at the College grid Airn Coast to 489 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:54,119 Coast Podcast Network. So search on Google, Tell your friends 490 00:30:54,559 --> 00:30:57,640 and make sure that you make College Grider and Coast 491 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:02,519 to Coast a regular week companion during this twenty twenty 492 00:31:02,559 --> 00:31:05,400 five college football season. So for to get off of 493 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:08,759 my Pilot College Football podcast, this is your host, Matt Zemeck. 494 00:31:09,039 --> 00:31:11,039 We'll see you next week. Thanks for listening.