WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:02.680 Take it down of Ted Colson play action from his 2 00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:05.360 own two yard line over the middle, picked off head 3 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:06.160 into the end. 4 00:00:06.200 --> 00:00:10.199 Zue, it's a pick six for smith Stote. It's smith 5 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:11.400 Stote with a big six. 6 00:00:12.119 --> 00:00:12.720 He read it. 7 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:16.960 It took it to the house. Hello sports fans, welcome back. 8 00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:18.960 It is to drive with Spence check ads here on 9 00:00:19.160 --> 00:00:21.559 ESPN seven hundred and ninety two one FM. Of course, 10 00:00:21.640 --> 00:00:24.960 I'm not Spence. I do know Spence. I've met his 11 00:00:25.079 --> 00:00:29.839 dog before. We crossed paths. From time to time. I 12 00:00:29.960 --> 00:00:34.320 have some rather compelling conversations. I'm Scott Mitchell filling in 13 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:38.640 for Spence today and tomorrow. I guess PAC twelve or 14 00:00:38.679 --> 00:00:42.039 Big twelve media days were just too much. It was 15 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:45.840 just too much, and Spence need a couple of days off. 16 00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:48.000 And I understand that it's all good. And I'm happy 17 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:52.000 to be here, happy to know that Spence believes in me, 18 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:55.799 he loves me, he trusts me enough to drive the 19 00:00:55.880 --> 00:00:58.280 bus for a couple of days. 20 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:00.039 We have a special. 21 00:00:59.719 --> 00:01:02.520 Guest joining us on the program right now, none other 22 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:06.879 than the voice of the Utes and director of Broadcasting 23 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:10.799 at the University of Utah and my friend mister Bill Riley. 24 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:12.319 Welcome to the program. How are you. 25 00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:15.159 I'm good. I missed you in Frisco. 26 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:20.560 Yes, yes, I'm not sure why I wasn't there, but 27 00:01:20.599 --> 00:01:24.200 I wasn't. I was there in spirit and quite an 28 00:01:24.200 --> 00:01:28.640 interesting an interesting There's a lot that went on there. 29 00:01:29.319 --> 00:01:31.760 I'm assuming that you were there since you missed me. 30 00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:36.640 Was just some general impressions and feelings and thoughts you 31 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:39.959 have from Big twelve media days. 32 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:43.680 Well, I think the number one football thought is nobody 33 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:45.760 knows who the best team in a Big twelve day. 34 00:01:45.879 --> 00:01:48.519 Right when you talk to the coaches and the media, 35 00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:52.439 the players, it ranges anywhere from about five to eight 36 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:55.280 teams they think could win the league this year. Now 37 00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:57.680 that won't be the case in October or November, but 38 00:01:57.799 --> 00:02:01.840 right now I think it's the case. There's a lot 39 00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:04.599 of parody, there's a lot of balance, there's a lot 40 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:06.480 of everything in this league. 41 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:08.439 Well there is. There's a lot of good football. 42 00:02:08.439 --> 00:02:10.479 There'll be a couple of bottom feeders this year, Scott 43 00:02:10.520 --> 00:02:13.479 but there's a lot of really good teams, which is 44 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:16.800 good for competition, which is good for fans. It may 45 00:02:16.840 --> 00:02:19.960 not be overall good for the league when it comes 46 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:24.759 to maybe cannibalizing itself, right if that makes sense, Because 47 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:26.479 you might have the team that wins the league this 48 00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:28.800 year might have nine regular season wins. You might have 49 00:02:29.080 --> 00:02:31.120 a regular season sham for the top two teams to 50 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:33.000 get into the conference championship game. 51 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:36.759 They might both be nine and three, and then. 52 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:38.800 You've got a four loss team that comes out of 53 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:41.039 that in a three loss team that wins it. It 54 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:44.319 might be tough to get multiple teams. I don't know 55 00:02:44.360 --> 00:02:46.120 what you do about that when you've got a league 56 00:02:46.120 --> 00:02:48.879 that's so good and so balanced. But it's going to 57 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:51.439 make for good and interesting football this year, that's for sure. 58 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:54.360 Yeah, And I agree with that. 59 00:02:54.439 --> 00:02:57.879 I you know, it's interesting that they decided not to 60 00:02:57.960 --> 00:03:00.280 pick a you know who they thought was going to 61 00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:02.840 be the team to win it. And I think it's 62 00:03:02.879 --> 00:03:06.000 a wise decision actually, because I don't think anyone really knows, 63 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:09.520 uh And like I said, you'll know in October. 64 00:03:09.560 --> 00:03:10.280 What do you think? 65 00:03:10.360 --> 00:03:13.280 Because the balance is so close with the talent right, 66 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:15.560 And I like personally, I like it. I like that 67 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:17.159 there's a lot of teams that feel like they have 68 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:19.560 a chance. I I like that the league, you know, 69 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:22.960 really almost from top to bottom is competitive that you're 70 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:25.879 gonna get tough, good games weekend and week out. 71 00:03:25.879 --> 00:03:28.280 And I like that and uh that that excites me 72 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:29.080 about the conference. 73 00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:30.960 But what do you what do you think it would take, 74 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:33.599 you know, maybe for a team like Utah or a 75 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:36.800 team to really rise above all of this in the conference? 76 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:39.280 What is the team going to have to do, uh 77 00:03:39.400 --> 00:03:42.719 to be better than you know, kind of middle of 78 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:43.159 the pack. 79 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:46.039 Well, I think you're gonna have It's it's the same 80 00:03:46.560 --> 00:03:47.360 you know formula. 81 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:47.840 Every year. 82 00:03:47.879 --> 00:03:50.719 You've got to protect your home field and then you've 83 00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:52.719 got to win two or three games on the road. 84 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:55.800 That's just how it is. You can lose a game 85 00:03:55.879 --> 00:03:57.840 somewhere along the line. You can lose too, but if 86 00:03:57.879 --> 00:04:00.800 you can, if you can sneak some roads in and 87 00:04:00.919 --> 00:04:03.439 protect your home field, that's. 88 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:04.960 Going to give you an advantage. 89 00:04:05.400 --> 00:04:07.879 And you know, if you're looking at Utah's road games 90 00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:10.520 this year that you want to circle. Obviously the BYU 91 00:04:10.599 --> 00:04:14.240 game in mid October, the Kansas game to end the season, 92 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:16.759 that's another big game there as well. 93 00:04:17.560 --> 00:04:18.240 Home games. 94 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:21.199 Texas Tech's gonna be a lot of fun in the opener, 95 00:04:21.959 --> 00:04:26.600 Arizona State coming here. So it's a good schedule. Everybody's 96 00:04:26.600 --> 00:04:29.120 playing a good sched nobody has a break because the 97 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:31.839 league is so deep, and you know, the top eight 98 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:34.160 or nine teams, I think they can win it. But 99 00:04:34.360 --> 00:04:37.399 if you're going to separate yourself, you've got to steal 100 00:04:37.480 --> 00:04:40.240 some wins on the road. Great teams, you know this, Scott. 101 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:43.560 If you're a great team, you protect your home field, 102 00:04:43.879 --> 00:04:45.759 but you win games on the road. 103 00:04:46.040 --> 00:04:46.800 So if the Big. 104 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:48.959 Twelve wants to have a good team, whether it's Utah 105 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:51.519 or anybody else, you're going to have to go out 106 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:54.279 and do a lot of damage on the road as well. 107 00:04:54.519 --> 00:04:56.519 If you're just five hundred on the road, there's nothing 108 00:04:56.519 --> 00:04:59.279 wrong with that might put you in contention, but you 109 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:01.600 might not be one of those teams that everybody's talking 110 00:05:01.639 --> 00:05:02.319 about nationally. 111 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:04.240 If that makes sense, Yeah, it does. 112 00:05:04.839 --> 00:05:07.720 You know, getting back to the conference in general, and 113 00:05:07.800 --> 00:05:11.959 like having you mentioned about having your your conference champion 114 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:14.279 might have three losses and it's really hard to get 115 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:15.519 multiple teams in the. 116 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:18.800 College football playoffs. Where do you think. 117 00:05:20.680 --> 00:05:24.480 The conferences RTT your Mark, as you know, he's been 118 00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:26.839 a guy that's been very aggressive. He talks that the 119 00:05:26.839 --> 00:05:29.199 Big Twelve is open for business. Do you get a 120 00:05:29.240 --> 00:05:31.439 sense that some of the moves that the conference has 121 00:05:31.480 --> 00:05:34.279 made and continues to make and and I'm sure that 122 00:05:34.360 --> 00:05:37.120 you heard him speak in in the Big Twelve media days, 123 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:39.800 but you get a sense that the conference is in 124 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:43.800 a position to be competitive on a national stage and 125 00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:47.199 has put itself in a position to to be relevant 126 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:50.240 and to kind of fight for, you know, its place 127 00:05:50.319 --> 00:05:52.839 in the world of college football. 128 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:57.160 Well, I think it's the third best conference in college football, 129 00:05:57.199 --> 00:05:59.240 in college basketball. I think it's the head of the 130 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:01.920 ACC I do. I just think it is. I think 131 00:06:01.959 --> 00:06:05.079 the overall depth of talent the thing that separates the 132 00:06:05.079 --> 00:06:08.160 Big Twelve right now, and again, this can change once 133 00:06:08.199 --> 00:06:11.759 you start playing games. Because everything's on paper. You know 134 00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:14.519 the SEC and the Big Ten are east going to 135 00:06:14.600 --> 00:06:18.639 have a couple of dominant teams. Does the Big Twelve 136 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:21.639 develop a dominant team? Do they have a team that 137 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:24.519 goes eleven and one or twelve and zero, because you 138 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:26.639 know the SEC and the Big Ten are probably going 139 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:29.399 to have each of them probably have at least one 140 00:06:30.120 --> 00:06:33.120 one lost team. Can the Big Twelve do that? I 141 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:35.839 think if the league itselfs in good shape, I think 142 00:06:35.879 --> 00:06:38.800 Brett Yourmark and his staff and the ads and everything 143 00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:41.120 like that have done a really good job positioning the league, 144 00:06:41.319 --> 00:06:43.639 but it's a third, and it's a distant third behind 145 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:47.120 the SEC and the Big Ten from a financial standpoint, 146 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:49.680 from a television deal, all of that stuff. But they're 147 00:06:49.720 --> 00:06:52.319 firmly third. But if you want to compete with the 148 00:06:52.319 --> 00:06:54.759 big boys, you've got to you've got to establish a 149 00:06:54.759 --> 00:06:57.839 couple of dominant teams, and really and truly, now that 150 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:00.560 there is a playoff, you've got to make your hay 151 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:03.480 in the postseason. And if you want to make hay 152 00:07:03.480 --> 00:07:06.480 in the postseason, you probably should have more than one team, 153 00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:08.800 because you know the SEC and the Big Ten are 154 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:11.639 going to have at least two, probably three. So the 155 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:14.480 Big twelve, to me, if they want to compete and 156 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:17.439 be a player, you've got to get multiple teams in 157 00:07:17.480 --> 00:07:18.279 that postseason. 158 00:07:18.360 --> 00:07:20.720 So they're talking about you more than just one or two. 159 00:07:20.839 --> 00:07:21.839 Nice. 160 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:26.720 Is that something that's kind of on the colleges the schools, like, 161 00:07:27.319 --> 00:07:30.040 you know, make your program better or are there are 162 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:32.360 there things that the conference can say, hey, let's work 163 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:37.079 together collectively and make, you know, make our programs as 164 00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:38.439 strong as they possibly can be. 165 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:41.839 Well, you can try to schedule better, that's usually a 166 00:07:41.879 --> 00:07:45.639 conference initiative. You can find more ways to generate money 167 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:49.800 as a conference for your individual schools, but ultimately it's 168 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:52.079 up to the school and up to the program itself. 169 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:54.839 And as Kyle Whittingham and Rich Rod, a bunch of 170 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:57.759 the coaches said it, and Dion and some said at 171 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:00.839 the media days, it's a financial component now. And we 172 00:08:00.920 --> 00:08:03.920 know that the SEC and the Big ten are are 173 00:08:04.040 --> 00:08:08.560 financially very solvent, and the Big twelve if they want 174 00:08:08.600 --> 00:08:11.639 to get there, obviously Texas Tech is they've invested. Now 175 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:13.639 let's see if they get it on the field. They've 176 00:08:13.639 --> 00:08:15.600 invested for a couple of years now, they haven't had 177 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:18.240 those results. Are other schools going to step up and 178 00:08:18.279 --> 00:08:21.040 do that same thing? Because Kyle Whittingham's told me on 179 00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:25.600 a number of occasions, best best players come where there's 180 00:08:25.639 --> 00:08:27.800 the best money. You can develop to a point, but 181 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:30.800 you've got to have the financial wherewithal to be able 182 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:32.840 to get those players. Today, that's just where the game 183 00:08:32.840 --> 00:08:35.320 of college football and really, you know, big time college 184 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:36.440 athletics is gone. 185 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:41.039 Yeah, it's it's it's going to be an interesting dynamic 186 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:45.360 because you know, these the people who are investing, are 187 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:48.559 the are the big time donors, and you know, do 188 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:50.960 they get fatigue, do they say, hey, I need a 189 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:53.879 return on my investment or you know, I don't know 190 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:56.200 how you know I can continue to do this, and 191 00:08:56.279 --> 00:09:00.200 so it's gonna be fascinating. Do you think do you 192 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:04.039 think college football is broken? Do you think that's the model? 193 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:06.399 You know, you say, these coaches say, hey, it's a 194 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:10.320 it's a financial situation. I hear some people that are 195 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:12.480 kind of disenfranchised with the game. 196 00:09:12.519 --> 00:09:14.399 Do you do you think college football is broken? 197 00:09:14.519 --> 00:09:17.759 Or broken is the right word. It's different, Scott. It's 198 00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:20.679 a new reality, right. I mean, it's still the game, 199 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:24.159 it's still there, it's still Saturdays in the fall, but 200 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:27.720 it's a different reality now. It's not the game you played. Shoot, 201 00:09:27.720 --> 00:09:31.639 it's not the game that you know Tyler Huntley played. 202 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:33.000 Six years ago in Utah. 203 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:36.120 It's a different game. Broken is a word that people 204 00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:38.320 want to use. I'm not going to use broken because 205 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:41.759 it's the same for everybody. You just have a new 206 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:44.440 reality that you have to adjust to and deal with, 207 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:48.720 and it's the same reality for everybody. How you deal 208 00:09:48.759 --> 00:09:52.399 within that reality is up to individual schools and programs. 209 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:55.559 So I wouldn't say the game is broken. I would 210 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:58.879 just say the rules and the landscape have changed, and 211 00:09:58.919 --> 00:10:00.840 now it's going to the teams that are going to 212 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:03.960 survive and thrive. Are the teams the best adjust to 213 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:04.679 these changes. 214 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:08.559 The quarterback position, of course, has a huge impact on 215 00:10:08.679 --> 00:10:10.879 the success of teams, and we've kind of seen that 216 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:14.799 at Utah both both ways. We've seen the good side 217 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:17.360 of it and the bad side of it, and a 218 00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:20.480 lot of a lot of folks. They voted Devon Dampier 219 00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:22.879 as the Newcomer of the Year, so he's got a 220 00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:23.440 lot of hype. 221 00:10:23.440 --> 00:10:25.480 He's got a lot of public going into all this. 222 00:10:25.600 --> 00:10:28.200 Where where do you think this year turns out for 223 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:31.360 Devon Dampier And does he live up to this and 224 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:32.799 what does it mean? 225 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:35.639 Well, I don't know if he's going to live up 226 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:37.960 to it, but he checks the boxes. He was an 227 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:39.919 elite athlete and the player of the Year of the 228 00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:43.559 Mountain West Conference a year ago. And I've talked to 229 00:10:43.639 --> 00:10:45.960 lots of people, not just within the Utah program but 230 00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:50.720 other places that have said his skill set translates and 231 00:10:50.759 --> 00:10:52.960 you and I saw him play in spring football practice 232 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:56.320 against a very good Utah defense. So he got my vote. 233 00:10:56.360 --> 00:10:57.440 I had a preseason ballot. 234 00:10:57.480 --> 00:10:58.240 He got my vote. 235 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:01.720 His preseason Newcomer of the Year, and with the offensive 236 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:04.240 line that he's got and the running backs that he's got, 237 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:07.279 I think there's no reason to expect that he doesn't 238 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:09.919 adjust well to the big twelve. Does that mean he's 239 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:10.960 going to be the player of the year. 240 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:11.559 I don't know. 241 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:13.759 There's a lot of good quarterbacks and some of that 242 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:15.639 has to do with how the rest of your team does. 243 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:18.960 But I think Devon's going to translate just fine. And 244 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:21.480 I think if he stays healthy, and we know that's 245 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:23.759 the big if because we've seen that reality the last 246 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:27.519 two years, if he stays healthy, this Utah football team 247 00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:29.039 is going to be very good this year. 248 00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:34.600 Yeah, you know, I'm excited about Devon. I'm excited about 249 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:37.639 You mentioned the offensive line, and it probably as good 250 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:40.879 as Kyle Whitningham's had since he's been at Utah. I 251 00:11:40.919 --> 00:11:45.960 mean it's on paper, boy, it's super impressive. And you 252 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:48.840 get a sense with Jason Beck that he's kind of, 253 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:52.320 you know, I don't want to say, draw stuff up 254 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:55.600 in the dirt, but certainly get a little bit creative 255 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:59.000 on how to create production. And when you have a 256 00:11:59.080 --> 00:12:02.200 quarterback who's multi dimensional and he truly is Devin Dan 257 00:12:02.279 --> 00:12:06.000 Pierre is a really good runner. And I like that 258 00:12:06.039 --> 00:12:07.720 he's actually a good runner because I think he can 259 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:11.440 protect himself better than maybe Cam did at times, and 260 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:15.159 so because I think he's less susceptible to being injured 261 00:12:15.159 --> 00:12:17.639 because he's he's just a more efficient runner in what 262 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:20.600 he does. But it feels like you know that there's 263 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:25.120 there's an ability to create offense and kind of in 264 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:29.200 unconventional ways. And coach Whittingham actually brought up the potential 265 00:12:29.240 --> 00:12:33.559 of Lander, Barton and smith Notden taking reps offensively. Is 266 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:36.480 that something you might see this season and does that 267 00:12:36.519 --> 00:12:36.960 make sense? 268 00:12:37.720 --> 00:12:39.120 Well, Kyle Whittingham said it. 269 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:41.320 I know, so I don't think he's going to say 270 00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:44.320 it publicly at Big twelve media days if it's not 271 00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:47.120 a possibility. Lander was a heck of a pass catcher 272 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:49.480 at Brighton High School and he's worked at tight end 273 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:52.799 and practiced some during his career. I think the smith 274 00:12:52.840 --> 00:12:56.080 Snoton component is go back to si Oni Vaki two 275 00:12:56.159 --> 00:13:00.279 years ago. When you have an elite athlete who can 276 00:13:00.679 --> 00:13:03.639 do things with the ball in his hand, I think 277 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:06.039 you figure out ways to get them involved. That doesn't 278 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:09.240 mean smith Snowden is going to be playing forty snaps 279 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:11.879 on offense a game because he's going to be your 280 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:14.200 slot in nickel corner, which we know is a very 281 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:18.360 important position, and probably returning some kicks too. But I 282 00:13:18.360 --> 00:13:20.559 think they're going to be very creative with how they 283 00:13:20.679 --> 00:13:23.120 use those guys' skill sets. I mean, it just makes 284 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:26.480 sense if you've got elite athletes that can help you 285 00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:29.039 use them, whether they're offense or defense or whatever it 286 00:13:29.080 --> 00:13:29.679 might happen to be. 287 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:32.159 Where do you think this comes from? 288 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:36.120 Do you think it's Hunter in Travis Hunter at Colorado 289 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:38.960 in the success he had being a two way player. 290 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:42.279 Do you think it's because the program? You know, you're 291 00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:43.399 kind of limited. 292 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:45.240 In the number of players that you haven't you don't 293 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:49.240 have the luxury of, you know, developing the depth you've 294 00:13:49.240 --> 00:13:51.399 had in the pass. Coach winning Ham's referred to kind 295 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:54.120 of changing some of their schemes, simplifizing things a little 296 00:13:54.120 --> 00:13:55.960 bit more. Is it kind of one of those hey, 297 00:13:55.960 --> 00:13:57.120 we need all hands on deck? 298 00:13:57.200 --> 00:13:59.120 You know what? Where do you think this is? 299 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:01.279 This is out of or did these players just go 300 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:02.720 to coach and bug him to that and say, man, 301 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:03.799 you gotta put me in a tight end. 302 00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:06.120 Coach, you know where, Well, why do you think this 303 00:14:06.320 --> 00:14:06.840 is happening? 304 00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:11.320 Your elite athletes, you find ways to get them the ball. 305 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:13.840 You're silly if you don't use their skill set. That's 306 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:16.799 why I said Sioni Vaki two years ago, what happened 307 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:20.039 when they started handing him the football? Good things happened. 308 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:22.759 He made plays. I just think when you have elite 309 00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:26.559 athletes who are playmakers, you utilize those guys. 310 00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:27.679 You don't put them in a. 311 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:30.399 Box and say you're only you're only a corner, you're 312 00:14:30.440 --> 00:14:33.639 only a safety, you're only a linebacker. You utilize those 313 00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:36.240 guys where you can. I don't think it's Travis Hunter. 314 00:14:36.279 --> 00:14:38.200 I think you look within the program two years ago 315 00:14:38.279 --> 00:14:41.159 and you had a guy that was able to help you. Now, 316 00:14:41.159 --> 00:14:44.440 they were short handed when they used him. Futah's not 317 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:47.559 necessarily shorthanded. But if you've got a guy that can help, 318 00:14:47.639 --> 00:14:51.000 even if it's only for ten plays a game, utilize them. 319 00:14:51.639 --> 00:14:54.120 What you Orlander, we kind of looked at him a 320 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:58.600 year ago and wasn't healthy. It feels like he's healthy now. 321 00:14:58.679 --> 00:15:00.759 Looks like he's going to be a most tied dimensional 322 00:15:00.759 --> 00:15:03.759 player here. What's the ceiling for Orlander? 323 00:15:03.799 --> 00:15:07.399 Barton? What are your expectations for him if he's healthy. 324 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:10.399 I voted in my defensive player of the Year in 325 00:15:10.440 --> 00:15:10.919 the Big twelve. 326 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:13.840 Oh wow, okay, so there you go. So you have 327 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:15.720 high expectations, is what you're saying. 328 00:15:15.879 --> 00:15:19.120 Well, why shouldn't we. We saw him before his injury. 329 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:22.039 He was playing at an all Pac twelve level two 330 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:25.080 years ago. We didn't see him back at one hundred 331 00:15:25.080 --> 00:15:27.799 percent till the last handful of games last year, and 332 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:29.120 then he was dominant again. 333 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:30.399 We've seen it. 334 00:15:30.759 --> 00:15:33.480 He also now is playing for a pro contract. He 335 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:36.120 wants to play where his brothers had played. I just 336 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:38.799 think he's healthy. We've seen him play. He was a 337 00:15:38.840 --> 00:15:40.679 defensive Freshman of the Year in the Pac twelve. He 338 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:43.279 played at all Pac twelve levels a sophomore than got hurt. 339 00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:48.360 So I think my expectations are that if he stays healthy, 340 00:15:48.440 --> 00:15:50.639 he could be as good a defensive player as there 341 00:15:50.679 --> 00:15:51.480 is in this league. 342 00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:54.519 A lot of good things on offense. You talked about 343 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:57.919 the quarterback. The running back situation seems to be pretty good. 344 00:15:58.440 --> 00:16:01.639 You know, I wonder if maybe Lander playing tight end 345 00:16:01.720 --> 00:16:05.840 is partly because there's maybe there aren't quite as many there, 346 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:08.559 but there you know, there there are a few good options. 347 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:08.919 Uh. 348 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:09.919 Uh. 349 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:13.840 The wide receiver position really makes me nervous. Is there 350 00:16:13.960 --> 00:16:17.720 is there a way to generate enough offense being creative? 351 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:20.679 Are there enough bodies there? Uh? Is there? You know? 352 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:24.919 Is it a complete detriment the offensive wide receiver position 353 00:16:25.080 --> 00:16:29.159 or is there is there somewhere, somehow, some way an 354 00:16:29.240 --> 00:16:31.759 option to get some kind of offense in that in 355 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:32.600 that position group. 356 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:35.159 Well, we haven't seen him on the field in a game, 357 00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:37.440 so I think for us to feel doom and gloom 358 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:39.840 yet is is a little premature. They also added two 359 00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:43.720 receivers in the spring window. One guy who's giving great 360 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:47.279 effort right now, Larry Simmons. The Merriweather kids good too. 361 00:16:47.559 --> 00:16:49.320 And we didn't even talk about a guy that played 362 00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:51.039 in this offense a year ago. 363 00:16:51.759 --> 00:16:54.480 That was Ryan Davis, who caught. 364 00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:57.919 Fifty balls from from from Devon damp here at New Mexico. 365 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:01.519 So I'm not ready to scream the sky is falling 366 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:04.319 till we actually see what's on the field in fall camp. 367 00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:08.160 And even if it's not all inspiring eight deep, if 368 00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:10.279 you've got a handful of guys that can do it, 369 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:12.920 you know you've got a running game that you can 370 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:15.119 lean on and a quarterback. 371 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:15.599 That can make plays. 372 00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:18.400 So if this was an air raid offense and you 373 00:17:18.440 --> 00:17:21.000 were worried about your receivers, I'd be concerned. But this 374 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:24.640 is a pretty balanced offense, so I'm not Again I 375 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:26.720 think there's question mark. Don't get me wrong, I'm not 376 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:28.559 you know this. I'm not selling this as this is 377 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:31.519 Colorado or something where you've got seven NFL guys, But 378 00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:33.519 I just want to see them out on the field 379 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:36.079 and see what some of those spring portal additions can 380 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:39.119 do as well in this Jason Beck offense. 381 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:42.000 What are you looking most forward to this year? 382 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:44.319 You know, it's a fun it gets exciting when you 383 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:47.680 talk about you know, it's the countdown to all of it, 384 00:17:47.720 --> 00:17:50.839 and it really is exciting to of course from our 385 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:52.680 perspective to broadcast the games. 386 00:17:52.680 --> 00:17:54.839 But what are you looking forward to the most this year? 387 00:17:55.640 --> 00:17:59.640 I'm looking forward to what a healthy Utah football team 388 00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:03.039 will look like because I think the last two years 389 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:07.880 they had championship caliber talent and they were let down 390 00:18:07.960 --> 00:18:11.880 by injuries at key positions, obviously quarterback, but there were 391 00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:15.000 some others last year too. I just want to see 392 00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:18.920 what a healthy Utah offense and healthy Utah football team 393 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:22.559 looks like in this new league, because I think it 394 00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:26.160 can be pretty good coach winningham. 395 00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:29.440 You know he's not going to go forever. Do you 396 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:31.279 think this is the last go or do you think 397 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:33.799 there's more there where? Do you think his mindset is? 398 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:39.319 I have no clue, I really I don't. I think 399 00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:41.920 Kyle's a guy that's got a well oiled machine and 400 00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:46.119 a really good program and enjoys coaching football and if 401 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:48.559