BURNING QUESTIONS: Should LSU be ELIMINATED from the College Football Playoff after getting drubbed by Florida State?

[INTRO]
DANIEL, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED IN THE SECOND HALF OF THAT FLORIDA STATE-LSU GAME?
LAST NIGHT.
DOMINANCE.
ABSOLUTE, VERY IMPRESSIVE, AROUND THE FIELDS, INCREDIBLE BOUNCE BACK, AT TIMES, PURE DOMINANCE.
YES.
WHAT A GAME. FLORIDA STATE KNOCKS OFF LSU 45-24, POWERED OF COURSE BY AN ELECTRIC SECOND HALF,
WHICH WE’LL GET INTO. I’M TY, HE’S DAN, THIS IS THE SOLID VERBAL, THANKS FOR COMING ON BACK.
THIS ONE ESCALATED QUICKLY.
IT WAS LSU 17 TO 14 AT HALFTIME.
FEW MISTAKES ACROSS THE BOARD ON BOTH SIDES.
SOME CURIOUS DECISIONS ACROSS THE BOARD ON BOTH SIDES.
IN THE FIRST HALF, TO ME, IT FELT LIKE IT WAS MOVING A LITTLE TOO QUICKLY FOR BOTH
THESE TEAMS.
LIKE THEY HAD SPENT AN ENTIRE OFF SEASON READING THE HEADLINES, TRYING TO PLAY
ACT ALMOST AS THE CONTENDER THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE.
SURE.
AND THEN IN THE SECOND HALF, FLORIDA STATE JUST KICKED THE EVER-LOVING CRAP OUT OF LSU.
THEY, I THINK, TOOK A BEAT AT HALFTIME. THEY CAME OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE
FOCUSED AND RE-CENTERED, AND THEY RIPPED OFF 31 STRAIGHT POINTS TO BUILD A BIG LEAD.
THEY DID GIVE UP A LONG TOUCHDOWN PASS, A 75-YARDER AT THE END THAT EVENTUALLY MADE THE SCORE WHAT IT WAS.
BUT I THINK THE SECOND HALF THAT WE SAW IN THIS GAME FOR FLORIDA STATE
WAS PROBABLY THE SINGLE MOST IMPRESSIVE THING THAT I SAW ALL WEEKEND.
FLORIDA STATE LOOKED LIKE THE BEST TEAM I SAW PLAY ALL WEEKEND.
AND FOR SURE, THAT’S GOING TO CHANGE HOW WE TALK ABOUT THE NOLES, MAYBE HOW WE TALK ABOUT
LSU MOVING FORWARD. HOW MUCH OF THIS GAME DID YOU WATCH? WHAT WERE YOUR INITIAL IMPRESSIONS?
EVENTUALLY ALL OF IT. I WAS VERY TIRED AND FELL ASLEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SECOND HALF. SO I
WATCHED THE MAJORITY OF THE SECOND HALF AGAIN, ESSENTIALLY THIS MORNING. THE TAKEAWAYS WERE,
YEAH, I THINK YOU’RE RIGHT ABOUT THE FIRST HALF AND SOME JITTERINESS FROM BOTH TEAMS.
WE SAW SOME WILD DECISION-MAKING AT TIMES FROM JORDAN TRAVIS AND JUMP PASS THE JUMP
PASS. THERE WAS A JUMP PASS. IT WAS IT WAS VERY ANTI-TEBOW WITH THAT JUMP IN HIS OWN
END ZONE. YEAH, OR END ZONE ISH. AND THEN THERE WAS LIKE THE PUMP AND THEN RELEASE FOR
AN INTERCEPTION AFTER THE MUFFED PUNT RECOVERY. I BELIEVE IT WAS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER
AND SO THERE WAS JITTERINESS. YOU SAW THE DROPS EARLY ON FROM ESPECIALLY JOHNNY WILSON
WAS GETTING ATTENTION FOR SOME FAIRLY ROUTINE LOOKING SHOULD HAVE BEEN CATCHES AND HAVING
SOME DROPS. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A LOT TO LIKE ABOUT LSU IN THE FIRST HALF IN THAT THEY SEEM
TO BE ABLE TO CONTAIN JORDAN TRAVIS ON THE GROUND, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS A CRUCIAL ELEMENT
OF A LOT OF FLORIDA STATE’S OFFENSIVE SUCCESS. AND I THINK A LOT OF THAT CAN BE ATTRIBUTED
TO WHAT SEEMED TO BE A VERY QUIET HAROLD PERKINS, WHO WAS NOT REALLY RUSHING THE PASSER.
ALL GAME, BUT HE WAS MORE USED AS A SPY. SO I DON’T KNOW REALLY KNOW HOW YOU SORT OF QUANTIFY
HIS EFFECT, BUT CERTAINLY THE FLORIDA STATE RUSHING ATTACK WAS WAS KEPT DOWN FOR A LARGE
CHUNK OF THIS GAME, WHICH WAS A SURPRISE TO ME BECAUSE THAT’S WHERE THEIR BREAD SEEMS
TO BE BUTTERED WITH, YOU KNOW, LAWRENCE TOAFILI AND TREY BENSON. SO THAT WAS AN INTERESTING
AND IMPRESSIVE ELEMENT TO THIS GAME. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE OFFSEASON, ESPECIALLY WHEN
WE SHINED A BRIGHT LIGHT ON LSU AT WHENEVER IT WAS OVER THE SUMMER THAT THEY NEEDED CHUNKIER
PLAYS IN THE PASSING GAME. YEAH, AND THAT’S BEEN A BRIAN KELLY THING AS WELL, RIGHT? WHEN
YOU GO BACK TO IAN CHAPTER, WHICH WE CALLED HIM BECAUSE OF A LOT OF THE SHORT PASSES AT
AT NOTRE DAME, IAN BOOK. AND SO WHAT JAYDEN DANIELS IS ABLE TO DO IS CRAZY
IMPRESSIVE WITH HIS LEGS AND HE’S A PLAYMAKER, BUT THEY’RE NOT STRETCHING THE FIELD IN THE
WAY THAT I’M SURE A LOT OF LSU FANS WILL HOPE AND MIGHT BE CLAMORING TO SEE MORE OF FROM
GARRETT NUSSMEIER, WHO CERTAINLY IS JUST LIKE, I’M GOING TO STRETCH THE FIELD FOR BETTER
OR WORSE. BUT WITH RELATION SPECIFICALLY TO THE FIRST HALF OF THIS GAME, THERE WAS A DECENT
AMOUNT OF SLOP FROM BOTH TEAMS. I LIKE I LIKED LSU’S ENERGY ON DEFENSE AND I THINK THE BIG
AND I THINK BILL CONNELLY WROTE ABOUT THIS AT ESPN WAS THAT FLORIDA STATE WASN’T PLAYING
ESPECIALLY WELL, BUT THEY MITIGATED WHAT THAT MEANT IN THE GAME, RIGHT? THEY DIDN’T LET
THE GAME GET OUT OF CONTROL. THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE PLAYS ON DEFENSE WHEN IT MATTERED,
SEEMED AND THEY KEPT THE GAME WITHIN THEIR GRASP. AND SO I THINK THAT WAS THE SORT OF
STORY OF THE FIRST HALF OF THIS GAME. YEAH, AND BACK TO THE LSU SIDE OF THINGS, DAN. I MEAN,
YOU’RE RIGHT. WE WERE PROMISED ALL OFFSEASON THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DEPLOY TACTICS THAT WOULD
OPEN UP THE PASSING GAME. WE’D SEE MORE OF A VERTICAL PASSING GAME. AND WE DIDN’T REALLY SEE
THAT. AND I SAW PEOPLE ONLINE TALKING ABOUT IT IN THE MOMENT. THAT PART WAS A LITTLE BIT
DISAPPOINTING. IT’S CLEAR THEY HAVE A TON OF TALENT. LIKE THAT’S NOT REALLY THE ISSUE. BUT I DO THINK
THAT THE SCHEME IN A SENSE WAS A BIT UNDERWHELMING. THIS WAS A BIG GAME BRYAN PERFORMANCE.
WHAT THIS WAS. THIS WAS A BIG GAME BRIAN PERFORMANCE. HERE COME YOUR PRIORS, BUT CONTINUE.
WELL, I’M JUST SAYING THIS WAS A BIG GAME BRIAN PERFORMANCE. THE OFFENSE DEFINITELY FELL SHORT OF
SOME OF OUR EXPECTATIONS. THEY ALSO DIDN’T RUN THE BALL VERY WELL AT ALL. THEY WERE IN A HOLE,
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT CONTRIBUTES TO IT, BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT, IT WAS JUST WHATEVER
JAYDEN DANIELS COULD DO. THEY’RE BUILDING THE WHOLE PLANE OUT OF HIM AGAIN.
DEFENSIVELY, THEY GAVE UP ALMOST 500 YARDS. THEY SURRENDERED 9 OF 14 ON THIRD DOWNS.
AND I MEAN, THERE’S JUST A LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS HERE ON THE LSU SIDE THAT
I THINK ARE QUESTIONABLE. WE KNOW THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WEEK ONE AND WEEK TWO CAN
BE PRETTY DRASTIC, BUT THERE WAS A LOT BACK FROM THIS TEAM. AND I JUST EXPECTED MORE,
ESPECIALLY IN SOME OF THOSE KEY MOMENTS, RIGHT?
FIRST SERIES OF THE GAME DOWN ON THE GOAL LINE,
THEY CAN’T PUNCH IT IN.
THERE WERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR LSU DEEP IN FLORIDA STATE
TERRITORY WHERE THEY HAD A SHOT AND JUST COULD NOT CONVERT.
MAYBE THOSE ARE THINGS THAT GET SORTED OUT THE DEEPER WE GET
INTO THE YEAR, BUT IT’S PROBLEMATIC FOR LSU.
MY BURNING QUESTION, MAYBE IF I COULD POSE THIS TO YOU NOW.
I’M READY.
IS LSU NOW, BY VIRTUE OF THIS DEFEAT, ELIMINATED FROM PLAYOFF CONTENTION?
NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
NO?
OKAY, SO IT’S WEEK 1. IT’S NOT A GREAT LOSS ON THE SCOREBOARD. IT’S ACTUALLY BETTER THAN IT
REALLY WAS BECAUSE IT WAS, WHAT, 45-17 BEFORE SORT OF GARBAGE TIME TOUCHDOWN. IT DOESN’T
ELIMINATE THEM BECAUSE IT’S WEEK 1. BECAUSE WE SAW OHIO STATE LOSE TO VIRGINIA TECH AND GO ON
TO WIN A NATIONAL TITLE, RIGHT? THERE IS PRECEDENT FOR A TEAM LOOKING PRETTY FLAT AND GETTING STOMPED
IN WEEK ONE AND FIGURING THINGS OUT. I THINK THERE’S A GOOD AMOUNT OF TALENT ON THIS LSU ROSTER.
YOU KNOW, THERE’S STILL PRETTY OPEN QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE LSU SECONDARY IS,
YOU KNOW, WE SAW A LITTLE BIT OF SLOPPINESS FROM THE DBS, THE NEW CORNERS GETTING SORT OF PUSHED
AROUND BY LIKE, LOOK, WE’VE ALREADY SPENT HOW MANY MINUTES TALKING ABOUT THIS GAME. WE HAVEN’T
EVEN UTTERED THE TWO WORDS. KEON COLEMAN. YEAH, MAN, THAT GUY’S A WINNER. WONDER. HE JUST IS A
WINTER WONDER, RIGHT? THAT’S WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHERE YOU’RE LIKE, I CAN SEE THIS RECEIVER BEING
A PROBLEM IN JANUARY. AND SO IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHAT KIND OF GAME FLORIDA STATE MIGHT
BE PLAYING IN JANUARY. BUT YOU SEE THE OBVIOUS GAME CHANGING TYPE TALENT FROM KEON COLEMAN.
AND SO THAT’S GOING TO GIVE EVERY SINGLE, YOU KNOW, SECONDARY AND CORNER PROBLEM. IT
SEEMS THAT FLORIDA STATE HAS AHEAD OF IT. BUT IT DOESN’T ELIMINATE LSU FROM CONTENTION
BECAUSE YOU’RE ALLOWED TO GET BETTER OVER THE COURSE OF THE SEASON. YOU’RE ALLOWED TO
COURSE CORRECT. YOU’RE ALLOWED TO SELF-DIAGNOSE AND SEE WHAT YOU HAVE AND WHAT YOU DON’T.
IN LIKE, OH, ARE WE USING THIS GUY CORRECTLY? BECAUSE I KNOW THERE’S A LOT ABOUT HAROLD
PERKINS THAT LSU FANS DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT HOW THE DEFENSE WAS WEAPONIZING HIM.
THERE’S A LOT ABOUT THE PASSING GAME THAT LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESIRED. A LOT ABOUT THE RUNNING GAME,
A LOT ABOUT THE OFFENSIVE GAME PLAN IN GENERAL. LSU HAS TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT.
IF THEY BEAT TEAMS THAT WILL BE AHEAD OF IT, IF THEY FLIP THINGS AROUND AND WIN,
THEY WILL BEAT GEORGIA. THEY WILL BEAT ALABAMA. THEY WILL BE, YOU KNOW, TENNESSEE, WHOEVER
IS GOING TO BE PUT IN THEIR PATH, BE IT ON THEIR SCHEDULE OR THE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
I DON’T THINK IT ELIMINATES THEM BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE TO GAMBLE ON TALENT. YOU STILL HAVE
TO GAMBLE ON THE FACT THAT IN YEAR ONE, THEY WON THE WEST AND THEY’RE RETURNING A TON. YOU HAVE TO
GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, “WE CAN IMPROVE AND BE BETTER.” AND ESSENTIALLY GO 12 AND 1
BECAUSE THEY’RE THE TYPE OF TEAM IN TERMS OF HOW THEY’RE CONSTRUCTED THAT HYPOTHETICALLY COULD.
IF THEY HAD LOST BY SEVEN,
I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU.
SURE.
THEY LOST BY 21.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN MORE IF NOT FOR THAT LATE 75-YARD
TOUCHDOWN PASS.
THEY WERE DOWN 28 POINTS.
YEAH, BUT WHAT YOU’RE SAYING IS HYPOTHETICALLY, IF THEY GO,
IF THEY RUN THE TABLE AND GO 12-1 AND WIN THE SEC,
THEY’RE AUTOMATICALLY,
I DON’T UNDERSTAND, RIGHT?
DOES IT ELIMINATE THEM IN TERMS OF WHAT WE SAW ON THE FIELD?
DO THEY NOT APPEAR TO BE A 12-1 TEAM?
I THINK THAT’S CORRECT.
I THINK THAT’S THE CORRECT WAY OF LOOKING AT IT.
LOOK, IT’S WEEK ONE.
WE CAN ONLY ANSWER THIS QUESTION BY MAKING SOME ASSUMPTIONS.
YOUR ASSUMPTION IS THAT IF LSU GETS BETTER AND RUNS THE TABLE AND WINS THE SEC, IN THAT CASE, I WOULD AGREE.
YEAH, THEY’RE STILL IN THE PLAYOFF.
BUT I THINK IF WE ASSUME THAT LSU IS GOING TO ENCOUNTER OTHER ROADBLOCKS ALONG THE WAY, NOTABLY ALABAMA,
MAYBE GEORGIA, WHO KNOWS IF THINGS GO WELL IN AN SEC TITLE GAME.
WELL, THEY WILL PLAY ALABAMA, LSU.
YEAH.
RIGHT?
SO THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR LSU TO SHOW WHAT IT’S MADE OF, BUT ASSUMING THAT LSU IS JUST SORT OF THE TEAM
THAT WE EXPECTED IN THE PRESEASON, THEY DON’T SNAP INTO SOME ALMIGHTY FORM AND RUN THE TABLE,
I THINK THEY’RE DONE.
I THINK THEY’RE DONE.
BY VIRTUE OF THIS LOSS, THEY’RE DONE BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AND I SAW ARI, OUR FRIEND
ARI WASSERMAN FROM THE ATHLETIC POINTED THIS OUT AS WELL.
YOU KNOW THIS WELL AS AN OREGON FAN WITH HOW THEY LOST IN WEEK ONE LAST SEASON TO THE GEORGIA
BULLDOGS BY 46 POINTS.
EVERY SINGLE WEEK, YOU HAVE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, YOU HAVE TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT
QUESTION THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE IN THE BACK OF THEIR MINDS, WHICH IS, “YEAH,
BUT YOU LOST BY A 21 TO SO-AND-SO.
YEAH, BUT YOU LOST A 46 BY SO-AND-SO.”
PROVIDED THAT FLORIDA STATE CONTINUES ON THIS TRAJECTORY, AND THEY LOOK SO GOOD IN THE SECOND
HALF, WE’LL SEE ON THAT FRONT.
BUT IF THEY CONTINUE ON THAT COURSE, AND THEY END UP BEING A TOP FOUR TEAM BY THE TIME ALL
WAS SAID AND DONE. LSU HAS NO ANSWER FOR THE FACT THAT THEY LOST IN THIS MANNER AND LOOKED
AS BAD AS THEY DID IN THE SECOND HALF AGAINST FLORIDA STATE. THERE WILL BE NO WAY FOR THEM
TO OVERCOME THAT. AND SO I THINK FOR THAT REASON, I’M OUT ON THEM AS A PLAYOFF CONTENDER.
THEY’RE ALLOWED TO GET BETTER, BUT THERE WILL NEVER BE AN ANSWER FOR THAT QUESTION.
OKAY, SO A COUPLE OF THINGS. THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET BETTER. AND SO YOU CAN
SAY I WHEN I WATCHED JAYDEN DANIELS AND YOU KNOW, BRIAN KELLY COME TOGETHER TO OPERATE
AN OFFENSE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYOFF CALIBER. I DON’T SEE IT. SO THEY HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY. THE OTHER THING I WOULD REMIND YOU REMIND EVERYBODY LISTENING IS THIS MIGHT
BE THAT THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN THEIR WORST DAY AND YOU’RE NOT AS BAD AS YOU ARE ON YOUR WORST
DAY. YOU’RE NOT AS GOOD AS YOU ARE ON YOUR BEST DAY AND THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN FLORIDA
STATE’S BEST DAY, RIGHT? YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO BE AS CONSISTENTLY EXCELLENT AS YOU ARE
ON YOUR BEST DAY AND YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO BE AS POOR OR POROUS AS YOU ARE ON YOUR WORST
DAY. AND SO I’M NOT READY. I’M NOT READY TO WRITE OFF LSU BECAUSE IT’S A SAMPLE SIZE OF
ONE AND I’M NOT NEITHER ONE OF US WERE BELIEVERS IN LSU AS A PLAYOFF TEAM HEADING INTO THE
SEASON AND I DON’T THINK THAT’S CHANGED RIGHT NOW, BUT I’M ALSO NOT READY TO JUST TO USE
SHARPIE AS WHAT’S SETH DAVIS. THAT’S WHAT HE DOES. SHARPIE. THEY’RE OUT IN THE TOURNAMENT.
I’M NOT I’M NOT READY TO DO THAT QUITE YET JUST BECAUSE IT’S A LONG SEASON. IT’S A CHAOTIC
SPORT AND A LOT CAN HAPPEN. I DIDN’T THINK GOING IN LSU HAD A PLAYOFF QUARTERBACK. I
THOUGHT I THINK JAYDEN DANIELS IS A GOOD QUARTERBACK. AND SO IF I’M GOING TO SAY PLAYOFF TEAMS ARE
QUARTERBACK AND DEFENSE THAT REMAINS UNCHANGED TO ME. SO NO, I DON’T BELIEVE LSU IS A PLAYOFF
TEAM, BUT I DON’T THINK THEY’RE ELIMINATED FROM THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING A PLAYOFF. I
THINK THEY’RE DONE. I THINK THERE’S NO WAY TO OVERCOME THIS. AND TO YOUR POINT, EVEN
IF FLORIDA STATE ENDS UP PLAYING DOWN THE REST OF THE WAY, IF THIS IS THE BEST HALF
OF FOOTBALL THEY PLAY ALL YEAR.
THAT ALMOST MAKES THE CASE FOR LSU WORSE.
MOVING FORWARD.
IT MAKES THE CASE WORSE.
I DON’T SEE HOW THEY CAN OVERCOME THIS
AND IT’S NOT A BAD LOSS TO LOSE TO WHAT WE I THINK
PRESUME AT THIS POINT IS A TOP FIVE TEAM,
BUT RIGHT LOSING THE MANNER THAT THEY DID
THAT THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES.
I DON’T KNOW.
YOU HAVE TO GO.
YOU HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO LAST YEAR TO FIND
A TEAM THAT LOST BY THREE TOUCHDOWNS AND STILL MADE
THE PLAYOFF TIE, RIGHT?
OHIO STATE LOSES BY 22 POINTS TO MICHIGAN A PLAYOFF
CALIBER TEAM IF WE THINK FLORIDA
STATE IS A PLAYOFF CALIBER TEAM.
AND THAT HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE THE
PLAYOFF, RIGHT? THAT WAS RIGHT BEFORE.
SO THAT’S THE ONLY THING IS WHO ELSE
ARE YOU GOING TO PUT ABOVE OHIO STATE
IN THAT CASE? BUT YOU’D RATHER LOSE WEEK
ONE, RIGHT? IF YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE A
PLAYOFF CASE LATER ON, LOSE IN LATE
AUGUST, EARLY SEPTEMBER. THAT’S ALL.
ARGUE WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA. LET US
KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. WHAT? OKAY. SO YOU
THINK FLORIDA STATE THOUGH, LET’S LET’S
LET’S FLIP IT TO THE MORE POSITIVE
ELEMENT OF THINGS BECAUSE YOU AND BRIAN
KELLY HAVE BAGGAGE AND YOUR COUPLE’S THERAPY TIME STILL HASN’T BEEN EXHAUSTED.
FLORIDA STATE WAS NOT A PLAYOFF TEAM IN THE FIRST HALF. NO, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY A PLAYOFF TEAM IN THE
SECOND HALF. IT’S WEEK ONE. YOU’RE NOT AS CONSISTENTLY GREAT AS YOU ARE AT YOUR BEST.
YOU KNOW, AS CONSISTENTLY UGLY AT YOUR UGLIEST, BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF SEEING IN
THIS MOMENT, EVERY TEAM OTHER THAN CLEMSON AND DUKE, I THINK RIGHT. THAT’S THE ONLY GAME TODAY.
YEAH. DOES FLORIDA STATE WITH ALMOST NO SAMPLE SIZE? DID YOU LIKE THEM GOING INTO SEASON?
YOU LOVE THEM GOING INTO THE SEASON, RIGHT? YEAH. WAS THAT CHANGED BECAUSE OF THE SECOND
HALF WAS THAT CHANGED BECAUSE OH NOW WE HAVE LIKE THE KEON COLEMAN DATA POINT WAS THAT
CHANGED BECAUSE OF ANYTHING JUST BECAUSE IT’S LSU. WHAT WAS ALTERED IF ANY OR IS JUST AS
IS THIS JUST FLORIDA STATE PLAYING TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS AS A PLAYOFF CALIBER TEAM? I
– I THOUGHT IN THE SECOND HALF THEY LOOKED BETTER
THAN I EXPECTED ALL PRESEASON.
THAT WAS THE BEST HALF OF FOOTBALL
FROM ANY ONE SINGULAR ENTITY THAT I SAW.
AND NO DISRESPECT TO COLORADO, THAT GAME WAS FUN,
BUT FLORIDA STATE’S BETTER.
AND THEIR ABILITY–
– WHAT A TAKE FROM YOU.
– YEAH, WELL THANK YOU.
– I KNOW, NO, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE SAYING.
I’M AGREEING WITH YOU, YEAH.
– THEIR ABILITY TO STRETCH THE FIELD TO BIG WIDE RECEIVERS.
THE BIG WIDE RECEIVER THING SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED.
NOW THEY’VE GOT KEON COLEMAN,
WHO HAD THREE TOUCHDOWNS IN HIS DEBUT.
INCREDIBLE AND OBVIOUSLY JOHNNY WILSON WHO’S BEEN THERE
HE’S A BIG DUDE AS WELL THAT GIVES THEM A DYNAMIC
I THINK THAT THEY HAD BEEN LACKING A LITTLE BIT. THEY JUST NEEDED MORE CONSIDER
THEY STILL NEED MORE CONSISTENCY OUT THERE. THEY STILL HAD DROPS THAT THEY HAVE TO CONTEND WITH AND SHORE UP I THINK
BUT I
THOUGHT AND THIS IS COMING FROM SOMEBODY WHO’S BEEN VERY HIGH IN FLORIDA STATE AND HAS HIM IN HAS THEM IN HIS PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
MM-HMM. THEY LOOK BETTER THAN I THOUGHT. THEY REALLY DID. I’D VOTE A NUMBER ONE. I
THOUGHT NOW I’D VOTE THEM NUMBER ONE. WHY NOT? YEAH, THAT’S FINE
I THOUGHT THE DEFENSIVE LINE CAME ALIVE IN THE SECOND HALF. WE SAW THE HUGE SACK FROM JARED VERSE AND A BIG MOMENT
YEAH, I THOUGHT LIKE WHO’S GONNA BODY UP THESE TWO RECEIVERS NOW
IF YOU’RE GONNA SAY JOHNNY WILSON’S HANDS ARE INCONSISTENT A LITTLE BIT STONY AT POINTS. SURE
YEAH, I THINK THAT’S FAIR
BUT WHO’S GONNA BODY UP THESE GUYS AND THE BIG THING TO ME WHICH IMPRESSED ME IN A WAY THAT I WASN’T ANTICIPATING WAS
FLORIDA STATE’S BREAD AND BUTTER IS THAT RUSHING ATTACK. IT’S
TREY BENSON STAMPEDING THROUGH AN IMPROVED OFFENSIVE LINE AND
FORCING TEAMS TO STACK BOXES AND THEN FLORIDA STATE TYPICALLY
LATELY HAS BEEN POPPING PASSES OVER THE TOP BECAUSE OF IT
BECAUSE THE ATTENTION PAID TO THE RUSHING ATTACK. THEY WERE
NOT ABLE FOR A LARGE SWATH OF THIS GAME FOR LARGE CHUNKS OF
THIS GAME ABLE TO GET MUCH GOING ON THE GROUND AND YET WE
STILL HAVE THIS RESULT. NO. AND SO IT’S FLORIDA STATE ADJUSTING
IT’S FLORIDA STATE WINNING IN MULTIPLE WAYS, WHICH TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WEEK ONE AGAINST
A DEFENSE WITH AS MUCH SPEED DOWN A KEY DEFENSIVE LINEMAN, OF COURSE, THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING
THAT I THINK AS I PICK FLORIDA STATE, BUT I DIDN’T HAVE THEM WINNING BY THREE TOUCHDOWNS.
SO THAT TO ME WAS LIKE, OH, I’M FILING THIS AWAY AS SOMETHING FLORIDA STATE HAS SHOWN
NOW. THAT’S ALL. SO YES, I THINK FLORIDA STATE’S ABSOLUTELY ABOVE WHERE I THOUGHT THEM TO BE.
INSANE NOT TO UNLESS YOU’RE TAKING THAT FIRST HALF SERIOUSLY. WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT?
WELL, I DID WANT TO GO BACK THROUGH SOME OF THE OTHER HEADLINERS THAT WE DID.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW HOW THIS THING WORKS, ESPECIALLY NOW DOING A LIVE STREAM AT MIDNIGHT. THERE WERE
SOME GAMES THAT WERE IN PROGRESS. THERE WERE SOME GAMES, THIS BEING THE OFFICIAL OPENING WEEKEND OF
COLLEGE FOOTBALL THAT WERE PLAYED ON SUNDAY THAT WE AT LEAST NEED TO TOUCH BASE ON. THE GAME THAT
WENT FINAL WHILE YOU AND I WERE RECORDING ON SATURDAY EVENING WAS WYOMING AND TEXAS TECH, WHICH WENT TO DOUBLE OVERTIME.
YES.
AND WE WARNED THEM, WE WARNED THEM, WE ASKED THE QUESTION ON THE PREVIEW SHOW, “WHO THE HELL IS SCHEDULING AN
OPENING GAME AT NIGHT IN LARAMIE WHEN YOU’VE GOT YOUR BEST TEAM IN A DECADE?”
IS THAT KIRBY HOKKA? I DON’T KNOW WHO DID THIS.
I DON’T KNOW WHO SIGNED ON THE DOTTED LINE, BUT TOUGH PLACE TO PLAY, WEIRD PLACE TO PLAY.
WE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXAS TECH DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE LIKE THEM A LOT,
DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY’RE ONLY LIKE A TOUCHDOWN HOME DOG
THIS COMING WEEK TOO WHEN OREGON COMES TO TOWN, WHICH WE’LL TALK ABOUT
ON THE WEDNESDAY LIVESTREAM AT NOON, AGAIN LIVE OUT ON YOUTUBE.
YOU DID THE REWATCH OF THIS. WHAT DID YOU SEE OF THIS GAME?
SO TEXAS TECH DID A REALLY NICE JOB TAKING ADVANTAGE EARLY ON.
THEY, I THINK, RECOVERED A COUPLE FUMBLES AND SCORED ON
I THINK IT WAS THE OPENING DRIVE. AND THEY WERE UP 17-0 ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
AND THEY LOOK POLISHED. TYLER SHOUGH LOOKED CONFIDENT GOING DOWNFIELD. THE DEFENSE OBVIOUSLY DID A NICE JOB FORCING TURNOVERS.
AND THEN IT WAS WYOMING CHIPPING AWAY, GETTING A LOT BETTER ON DEFENSE, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES.
TEXAS TECH STRUGGLING IN HIGH LEVERAGE MOMENTS LATE. I THINK AT ONE POINT TYLER SHOUGH TRIPPED OVER HIS OWN FEET ON A BIG PLAY IN THE POCKET.
LIKE THERE WERE JUST THOSE MOMENTS THAT TEXAS TECH WASN’T READY TO COUNTER TO.
AND I THOUGHT WYOMING ROSE TO THE OCCASION DOWN
WHAT LIKE THEY WERE DOUBLE DIGITS
AND YOU KNOW ALL THINGS CONSIDERED LIKE,
WAS IT ANDREW PEASLEY, THE WYOMING QUARTERBACK?
I HOPE I GOT THAT RIGHT
BECAUSE HE HAD SUCH A GREAT GAME.
HE GOT BEAT UP AND HE STILL MADE PLAYS
AND THEY GET THE TWO POINT CONVERSION AT THE END,
I THINK IN DOUBLE OVERTIME,
TEXAS TECH SCORES IMMEDIATELY,
BUT THEN THEY DON’T CONVERT
IN THEIR SECOND OVERTIME TOUCHDOWN
AND WYOMING JUST KEPT CHURNING
AND YOU’RE NOT WRONG.
YOU’RE NOT WRONG THAT THIS IS LIKE SCHEDULING WYOMING A HOME AND HOME WITH
WYOMING. EVEN IF YOU WIN BOTH,
IT’S SORT OF A LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP.
IT’S NOT GOING TO BE FUN EVEN IF IT WORKS OUT AND IT PROBABLY WON’T WORK OUT A
GOOD CHUNK OF THE TIME. THAT’S RIGHT. AND SO THAT’S AT ELEVATION WITH A CRAZY
CROWD. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS. I WAS NOT AS HIGH ON TEXAS TECH,
EVEN THOUGH I’M HIGH ON TEXAS TECH AS A PROGRAM,
I WAS NOT HIGH ON THE RED RAIDERS IN THIS SPECIFIC MATCHUP BECAUSE AT
SITUATIONALLY IT WAS JUST, IT WAS PRETTY TASTY FOR THE COWBOYS.
AND SO THEY RODE THAT ENERGY TO A WIN AND I DON’T KNOW, TEXAS TECH LOOK KIND OF SLOPPY.
I’M WILLING TO FORGIVE THEM.
THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THEIR WORST WEEK OF THE SEASON.
YEAH.
AND IT’S THEY’VE GOT A VERY DIFFICULT TASK IN FOLLOWING THAT UP NOW WITH OREGON IN LUBBOCK.
BUT REALLY GOOD FOR WYOMING.
REALLY COOL TO SEE.
YEAH.
I MEAN, WYOMING WAS, I THINK, PICK TO FINISHED SIXTH IN CONFERENCE.
AND NOW BY VIRTUE OF THIS, PEOPLE ARE LIKE, HEY, ARE THEY CONTENDER?
MAYBE THEY SHOULD BE.
THIS IS A GOOD WIN.
I BELIEVE BY VIRTUE OF THIS LOSS,
TEXAS TECH ALSO ELIMINATED FROM
PLAYOFF CONTENTION.
WE COULD PROBABLY AGREE ON THAT
POINT. YEAH, I’LL USE SHARPIE TO
SAY TEXAS TECH.
NOT A WONDERFUL DAY FOR FAVORITES
IN THE BIG 12 WITH BAYLOR AS
FOUR TOUCHDOWN FAVORITES AGAINST
TEXAS STATE.
I THINK TEXAS TECH WAS DOUBLE
DIGIT FAVORITES ON THE ROAD
14 AGAINST AGAINST WYOMING
AND THEN OF COURSE TCU,
YOU KNOW, SORT OF AT LEAST
BRIEFLY TURNING INTO THE WASHINGTON GENERALS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL AS THE LOSER OF THE HIGHEST
PROFILE MATCHUP AT LEAST ON SATURDAY. SO YEAH, I MEAN, TEXAS TECH WASN’T ABLE TO RUN THE
BALL WITH ANY SORT OF CONSISTENCY AND I DON’T KNOW. I THINK THE STORY HERE REALLY IS WYOMING
JUST TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND THEY DID IT ON THE GROUND. IT WAS ANDREW PEASLEY WAS
NOT GENERATING A TON THROUGH THE AIR, BUT GOING DOWN LIKE THEY DID, YOU KNOW, GOOD FOR
THE COWBOYS. WE HAVE THREE RESULTS IN THE PAC-12 THAT I WANTED TO TALK THROUGH WITH
YOU QUICKLY IF I COULD. PLEASE. UCLA AND COASTAL WENT FINAL. I THINK AFTER WE HIT STOP ON THE
RECORDING SATURDAY EVENING, THE STORY THERE WAS DANTE MOORE COMING IN ON THE FOURTH POSSESSION
FOR UCLA AND IT SEEMS AS IF HE’S THE DUDE NOW MOVING FORWARD. THEY GAVE ETHAN GARBERS
A CHANCE AND AT LEAST INITIALLY HE LOOKED PRETTY GOOD BUT THEN KIND OF STALLED OUT.
THEY GAVE THE BALL TO DANTE MOORE AND HE GOT IT THE REST OF THE WAY. THEY WON BY 14
27 TO 13 OVER COASTAL CAROLINA. I ALSO I COULDN’T HELP BUT LAUGH
I READ ON THE COASTAL CAROLINA SIDE SOME GROANS ONLINE ABOUT THE TIM BECK OFFENSE
BECK-MEYER SYNDROME CONTINUES LONG AFTER THE MEYER PORTION IS OUT OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL. SURE
COASTAL HAD A SAFETY WITH THREE INTERCEPTIONS IN THIS GAME, WHICH WAS NOTABLE, BUT OTHERWISE UCLA GOT THE DUB
WE HAD COVER THOUGH DIDN’T COVER DIDN’T COVER. COASTAL COVERED COASTAL COVERED, OREGON STATE WON 42 TO 17
I THOUGHT THEY LOOK REALLY GOOD
OREGON STATE LOOK VERY STRONG AT SAN JOSE STATE AND THEY DID I GUESS A BETTER JOB AGAINST THE SPARTANS THAN USC DID DEFENSIVELY
BUT THE STORY TO ME IS THE COMFORT LEVEL OF DJU THE BALANCE ON THAT OFFENSE AND IT’S AGAIN, IT’S SAN JOSE STATE
I DON’T THINK YOU EXTRAPOLATE A TON FROM A GAME LIKE THIS, BUT WHAT DID I SAY AT LEAST
THREE OR FOUR TIMES DURING OUR RECAP TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS IS UNDERRATED BECAUSE AS
WE’VE SEEN THROUGHOUT THIS GREAT LAND, ESPECIALLY IN BIG 12 COUNTRY, NOT EVERYBODY TAKES CARE
OF BUSINESS IN WEEK ONE, OREGON STATE CAME OUT AND WITH THE LOSSES THEY HAD ON DEFENSE
WITH OBVIOUSLY COMING OFF OF A SEASON THAT HAS GENERATED BIGGER EXPECTATIONS THAN I THINK
THE BEAVERS ARE USED TO HAVING AND BRINGING IN A QUARTERBACK
WHO HAD HUGE EXPECTATIONS BOTH COMING INTO THIS SEASON AND
COMING INTO HIS COLLEGE FOOTBALL CAREER AND THEY THEY TOOK CARE
OF BUSINESS TYPE FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM AND THEY LOOK LIKE
A REALLY IMPRESSIVE TEAM AND I THINK THE PAC-12 BIGGER PICTURE
AND I DIDN’T WATCH REALLY MUCH OF ARIZONA.
I DON’T KNOW IF YOU DID BUT TOP TO BOTTOM.
I DON’T KNOW THE CORRECT ADJECTIVE IF THE PAC-12 WAS THE
MOST ENTERTAINING IS THE MOST QUALITY.
IT’S WEEK ONE EVERYONE WON.
CORRECT?
IN THE PAC-12, TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS UNDERRATED. EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE AT LEAST DECENT AT SOMETHING.
CAL DROPPING 50 WAS UNEXPECTED TO ME. SO MAYBE CAL HAS A FUN OFFENSE, BUT THE DEFENSE DOESN’T
KEEP UP OR MAYBE THEY’RE JUST INCONSISTENT WEEK TO WEEK. STANFORD LOOK QUALITY GIVEN
THEIR ROSTER SITUATION AND GOING ON THE ROAD AND TAKING ON HAWAII. SO THE BIGGER PICTURE
CONVERSATION AT LEAST TO ME ABOUT THE PAC-12 AND IT’S FINAL VOYAGE AROUND THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL
GLOBE IS THERE’S A LOT TO LIKE AND THERE MIGHT NOT BE ANYTHING OBVIOUSLY DISASTROUS ABOUT
ANY OF THESE TEAMS. SO THAT’S PRETTY GOOD. IT IS YOU MENTIONED YOU MENTIONED ARIZONA.
I CALL THEM OUT QUICKLY 38 TO 3. THEY WENT OVER NORTHERN ARIZONA. IT TOOK HIM A BIT TO
WORK OUT THE KINKS. THEY HAD SOME ISSUES EARLY, BUT AFTERWARDS THEY WERE SORT OF ABLE TO TO
GO ON CRUISE CONTROL. DAN. YES, I AGREE. I THINK THE ARIZONA SCHOOLS WILL BE INTERESTING.
WE DIDN’T REALLY TOUCH TOO MUCH ON ASU GOING THROUGH WHAT DUST STORM DELAYS AND LIGHTNING,
I BELIEVE, AND JADEN RASHADA HAD A REALLY STRONG FIRST HALF, BUT THINGS SLOW DOWN IN THE SECOND
HALF. MAYBE THEY’RE THE TEAM THAT I WOULDN’T SAY OBVIOUSLY DISASTROUS, BUT JUST NEEDS TIME,
RIGHT? BUT YEAH, I THINK THAT’S THAT’S AN INTERESTING NARRATIVE. HERE’S MY QUESTION
TO YOU. CAN I ASK YOU A BURNING QUESTION? OH, SHE’S PLEASE. IN THE PAC-12 IN ANY CONFERENCE,
CONFERENCE. DO YOU THINK THE POWER DYNAMIC AT THE TOP OF A CONFERENCE BECAUSE OF WEEK
ONE? SO THAT’S TO SAY THESE TEAMS ARE IN THE ELITE TIER OR THIS TEAM IS CLEARLY ALONE AT
THE TOP. HOWEVER, YOU’RE INTERPRETING THIS QUESTION. ARE THERE IS THERE A CONFERENCE
IS ARE THERE CONFERENCES IN WHICH THE POWER DYNAMIC IS LIKE I’M I’M PLANTING MY FLAG TODAY
ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH. I’M LIKE THIS IS NOT THE TOP OF THE CONFERENCE ANYMORE. OR
THIS IS CLEARLY THE TOP OF THE CONFERENCE THAT HAS BEEN EMPHASIZED AFTER WEEK ONE.
I THINK MOSTLY THE TOP OF EACH CONFERENCE WAS EMPHASIZED.
I DIDN’T SEE A WHOLE LOT THAT MADE ME CHANGE MY MIND IN MOST CASES.
THE FIRST TEAM THAT CAME TO MIND THOUGH WHEN YOU MENTIONED THIS WAS PENN STATE.
AND I STILL THINK OHIO STATE’S GOING TO BE VERY GOOD.
OBVIOUSLY MICHIGAN’S GOING TO BE VERY GOOD AS WELL.
BUT WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THAT, THAT COBBLE, LET’S SAY, OF THREE TEAMS IN THE BIG TEN EAST
AS BEING VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO HOW THE SEASON SHAKES OUT WITH RESPECT TO THE PLAYOFF, WITH
RESPECT TO THE CONFERENCE.
JUST I THINK OVERALL OUR PERCEPTION OF HOW THE SEASON GOES IS GOING TO DEPEND A LOT ON
HOW THOSE THREE TEAMS AND WHEN THEY PLAY EACH OTHER, HOW IT SHAKES OUT.
I THOUGHT FROM WHAT I COULD GATHER ON THE PENN STATE SIDE, DREW ALLAR VERY MUCH LOOKED
APART.
IT DIDN’T SEEM AS IF THE MOMENT WAS TOO BIG FOR HIM.
AND HE HAD A HOME NIGHT GAME AGAINST A POWER 5 OPPONENT IN PRIME TIME THAT THERE WAS A
TON OF PRESSURE ON HIM TO DELIVER AND HE DID JUST THAT.
IF HE CAN CONTINUE ON THAT TRAJECTORY AND IF PENN STATE COULD MAYBE JUST SHORE UP ITS
INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE AND DEVELOP A SECOND THREAT FOR HIM OUT WIDE.
THAT TO ME MAYBE CHALLENGES THE TOP OF THE BIG TEN.
OKAY.
AND WITH WHAT WE SAW-
YOU THINK IT’S BECAUSE OF OHIO STATE’S WOBBLINESS AGAINST INDIANA ON OFFENSE AT TIMES?
I THINK IT’S A COMBINATION OF OHIO STATE’S WOBBLINESS AND NOT KNOWING WHICH DIRECTION
THINGS GO WITH KYLE MCCORD, AS WELL AS IF I HEARKEN BACK TO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE MICHIGAN
GAME LAST YEAR. IN THE FIRST HALF OF THAT MICHIGAN GAME, AND MOSTLY IN THE SECOND HALF,
BUT IN THE FIRST HALF ESPECIALLY, THERE WERE MOMENTS WHERE SEAN CLIFFORD JUST WASN’T IT.
I CAN POINT TO THE EXACT MOMENTS, YEAH.
THERE WERE MOMENTS WHERE HE WAS NOT IT. AND I REMEMBER DISTINCTLY WATCHING THAT GAME AT
A SPORTS BAR WITH FELLOW PENN STATERS, WONDERING ALOUD, WHAT WOULD THIS HAVE BEEN LIKE IF DREW
AUER WERE IN THERE? COULD THEY HAVE RUN DIFFERENT PLAYS THAT WOULD HAVE MAYBE STRETCHED THIS
MICHIGAN DEFENSE IN AN INTERESTING WAY. AND SO I JUST THINK HIM STEPPING UP AND
PLAYING AS WELL AS HE DID AND SHOWING ALL THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE ARE SO
HOPEFUL CHANGES THINGS TO AN EXTENT. IT WOULD BE VERY PREMATURE AT THIS POINT TO
SAY THAT PENN STATE IS NOW THE TOP DOG IN THE BIG TEN. I’M NOT GOING THERE YET.
BUT IF ANY TEAM THAT WE SAW WEEK ONE CHALLENGES THAT EXISTING ASSUMED POWER
STRUCTURE, IT’S PROBABLY THEM. OKAY. I MEAN I THINK IT’S SORT OF LIKE I HAVE
WASHINGTON ALONE ATOP THE PAC-12 RIGHT NOW.
OH.
BECAUSE OF THEIR QUALITY OF OPPONENT AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY TOOK CARE OF BUSINESS.
DOESN’T MEAN THAT I AM WRITING THEM IN AS CHAMPION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OREGON HASN’T
PLAYED ANYBODY. USC IS YET TO PLAY ANYBODY BUT PUT UP ON OFFENSE THE POINTS THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE
AGAINST THOSE TEAMS. BUT IF YOU’RE COMPARING NEVADA AND SAN JOSE STATE TO BOISE STATE,
I STILL THINK I HAVE THE BRONCOS AS A MORE IMPRESSIVE OPPONENT TO DO WHAT THEY DID AGAINST
THAN USC. UTAH DOING WHAT IT DID WITH THE BACKUP QUARTERBACK IS GREAT, BUT THEY’RE,
I THINK, BIG PICTURE GOING TO GO AS FAR AS CAM RISING TAKES THEM. SO, YEAH, WE’D LIKE TO SEE
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AGAINST OTHER TEAMS. AND I DON’T REALLY HAVE A GREAT CONCEPT FOR FLORIDA,
BUT STILL WHAT THEY DID WAS TERRIFIC. AND SO I JUST WE HAVEN’T SEEN FULLY FORMED UTAH THIS YEAR’S
ITERATION OF IT YET. SO BASED ON A SAMPLE SIZE OF EXACTLY ONE, WASHINGTON IS THE CLEAR, MOST
IMPRESSIVE COMPLETE TEAM RIGHT NOW TO ME HOW THEY GOT STRONGER ON DEFENSE OVER THE COURSE
OF THAT SECOND HALF SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN FIVE TO SIX DAYS. YEAH, RIGHT. THE THE BIG 12 IS
INTERESTING TO ME, BUT I YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO TAKE AWAY? LIKE I THINK WE
THOUGHT OKLAHOMA WAS GOING TO BE MUCH IMPROVED AND THE EARLY SIGNS ARE POINTING TO IT. SO
I DON’T REALLY HAVE MUCH TO CHANGE IN THE BIG 12 OTHER THAN SAYING, I DON’T KNOW IF
TEXAS TECH AND BAYLOR COMPETING AT THE TOP.
YEAH, AND LOOK THE ACC FOR THAT POINT.
I MEAN, I THOUGHT ABOUT… SO DO YOU SEPARATE FLORIDA STATE
AND CLEMSON? CLEMSON HASN’T PLAYED YET.
CLEMSON HASN’T PLAYED YET.
RIGHT CLEMSON CAN COME OUT THERE AND HAVE A NASCAR OFFENSE
WITH GARRETT RILEY AND SUDDENLY WE’RE TALKING ABOUT CLEMSON
IN THE SAME WAY.
WE DID FLORIDA STATE AGAIN.
WE’RE RECORDING THIS EARLY IN THE DAY ON MONDAY.
WE’LL YEAH, OBVIOUSLY COVER THE CLEMSON DUKE GAME WHEN WE DO
OUR NEXT EPISODE LIVE ON WEDNESDAY AGAIN OUT ON YOUTUBE
YOUTUBE.COM/@SOLIDVERBAL OR YOU CAN JUST GO TO SOLIDVERBALLIVE.COM AND MAKE SURE YOU HIT
SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHANNEL OUT THERE.
THERE IS, I THINK, A FAIR CONVERSATION TO BE HAD IF CLEMSON COMES OUT AND LOOKS THAT
GOOD BUT I’M NOT NECESSARILY COUNTING ON THAT.
WELL, AND IF THEY LOOK THAT GOOD, IT’S AGAINST DUKE, NOT LSU.
SO THERE’S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN TAKE FROM IT.
BUT YES, OF COURSE, CLEMSON DESERVES EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WE STILL BELONG AT THE
TOP OF THE ACC AFTER WINNING IT.
NORTH CAROLINA WINNING THE WAY THAT THEY DID AGAINST SOUTH CAROLINA VAULT THEM TO NOT THE
UPPER TIER, BUT PERHAPS A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHICH I NEED ANOTHER WEEK. I NEED ANOTHER
WEEK. OKAY, I CAN’T ANSWER THAT SHOWED IT ON DEFENSE. THEY SHOWED IT. THEY HAD A BUNCH
OF TACKLES FOR LOSS. THEY I THINK NINE SACKS. YEAH, THEY WERE THEY SHOWED MORE THAN I’LL
SPEAK FOR MYSELF THAN I EXPECTED ON DEFENSE. I TOOK THE THE TAR HEELS TO WIN THAT GAME,
BUT DIDN’T SEE IT GOING LIKE THAT SPECIFICALLY. I DON’T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING IN THE BIG TEN
BEYOND SAYING LIKE IT’S GOING TO BE A WHILE FOR AT LEAST THE TOP OF THE BIG TEN WEST. I DON’T
SEE NEBRASKA NOR MINNESOTA NEAR THE TOP OF THE BIG TEN WEST, MAYBE NOT EVEN IOWA. MAYBE THIS
IS WISCONSIN’S TO WALTZ INTO. OTHERWISE, I MEAN, YOU TALKED ABOUT LSU AS A NON-PLAYOFF CONTENDER
AND I THINK MOST CERTAINLY HAD THEM IN THAT TOP TIER CONVERSATION WITHIN THE SEC. DO THEY FALL
OUT OF THAT LIKE ON ANY GIVEN WEEK THEY COULD HANG WITH OR BEAT ANYBODY IN THE SEC OR ARE YOU
OUT ON THEM IN THAT ALABAMA-GEORGIA RAREFIED AIR.
I WILL NOT LET ANYBODY FORGET WHAT I SAID ABOUT LSU IN THE PRESEASON.
AND MAYBE IT’S TO MY DETRIMENT.
BUT I SAID I COULD SEE A WORLD IN WHICH LSU LOSES TO FLORIDA STATE WEEK ONE,
AND THEN BEATS ALABAMA,
AND FINDS A WAY TO SNAKE ITS WAY INTO THAT SEC TITLE GAME
AGAINST GEORGIA AND MAKE THINGS INTERESTING, RIGHT?
I STILL BELIEVE THAT LSU HAS THAT KIND OF POTENTIAL,
AND I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE WORST HALF OF FOOTBALL WE SEE OUT OF THEM ALL YEAR
BUT THAT LOSS THAT LOSS IS CRIPPLING IN TERMS OF PLAYOFF CONTENTION
AND EVEN IF THEY GET BETTER, I JUST I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU OVERCOME THAT
I DON’T THINK YOU OVERCOME THAT UNLESS FLORIDA STATE KIND OF
I DON’T KNOW GOES DOWN THE DRAIN AND THERE ARE OTHER TEAMS AROUND THEM THAT THEY END UP PLAYING THAT LOOK BETTER THAN WE
EXPECT THAT. I MEAN IT IS WELL
YOU ALMOST YOU ALMOST NEED FLORIDA STATE TO LOOK INCREDIBLE THOUGH, RIGHT AT THE SAME TIME, RIGHT?
BECAUSE THEN LIKE LOSING YEAH ONE AND LIKE YEAH THAT’S THE POINT SO WEEK FOUR IS LOOMING AWFULLY
LARGE IN THE WINDOW WHEN FLORIDA STATE PLAYS CLEMSON THERE ARE A BUNCH OF OTHER TEAMS.
WEEK FOUR IS GONNA BE SO GOOD.
THAT THAT WEEKEND HOWEVER UM THE SEASON’S CERTAINLY NOT OVER FOR LSU IT’S JUST
IT PUTS THEM IN A BIND NOW PUTS THEM IN A REAL BIND I THINK.
YOU’RE NOT YOU’RE NOT POURING DIRT ON LSU YOU’RE JUST SHOPPING FOR SHOVELS YOU’RE JUST LIKE OH
OOH, WHAT DOES THE HAND FEEL LOOK LIKE?
WHAT’S THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE SHOVEL?
– AND HERE’S WHERE THIS GETS REALLY INTERESTING.
AND THEN WE’LL ROUND THINGS OUT
AND GET INTO SOME VERBAL QUESTIONS.
– YEAH, THERE IS, YEAH, THERE IS.
– WHERE THIS GETS REALLY INTERESTING
IS THERE’S SO MUCH PRESSURE ON THAT LSU PROGRAM
TO ZOOM PAST WHERE IT WAS UNDER THE PREVIOUS REGIME.
AND TO A LARGE EXTENT, THEY DID THAT LAST YEAR
IN YEAR ONE UNDER BRIAN KELLY.
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL FIRST YEAR FOR BRIAN KELLY.
AND I THINK THE HOPE WAS AMONG LSU FANS
AND AMONG US WHO COVER THAT THEY WOULD EXCEED
WHAT WE SAW LAST SEASON.
I THINK THEY’VE GOT MORE TALENT.
I DON’T KNOW IF WHAT WE SAW IN WEEK ONE EXCEEDED ANYTHING.
AND THE DEEPER WE GO INTO THIS THING
WITHOUT LSU LOOKING BETTER, ESPECIALLY ON OFFENSE,
THERE ARE GONNA BE MORE AND MORE CALLS FOR GARRETT NUSSMEIER.
AND I DO LOOK FORWARD AS PERHAPS STILL A SCORNED
NOTRE DAME FAN FOR THE MOMENT AT WHICH LSU
HAS AN IN-SEASON QUARTERBACK CONTROVERSY
THAT BRIAN KELLY HAS TO NAVIGATE.
AND I’M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW THAT IS HIS WEAKNESS AS A COACH.
SO GET READY.
I DON’T THINK IT’S TODAY, BUT IT MIGHT BE COMING.
IT’S NOT TODAY.
RIGHT.
BUT I’M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, JUST GET READY FOR IT.
THE FUNNY THING IS THE TOP OF THE JAYDEN DANIELS EXPERIENCE AT ASU WAS WHEN HE BEAT OREGON
ON JUST INCREDIBLE BOMBS DOWN THE FIELD.
I KNOW.
SO HE HAS THE ABILITY.
HE HAS THE ABILITY.
HE HAS THE RECEIVERS.
HE HAS MALIK NABORS.
YOU KNOW, THE YOUNG GUYS TOO ARE REALLY IMPRESSED.
AND HE HAD LOOKS.
HE HAD LOOKS IN THAT FLORIDA STATE GAME AND IT DIDN’T SEEM LIKE HE WAS WILLING TO PULL
THE TRIGGER.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU FIX THAT.
I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S A MIKE DENBROCK OR BRIAN KELLY OR JAYDEN DANIELS THING.
SO NOW CAN WE SAY I GUESS IT REMAINS UNCHANGED IF WE KIND OF THOUGHT IT WAS A FRESNO TO LANE
NEW YEAR’S SIX RACE.
THEY BOTH ACQUITTED THEMSELVES.
WELL, YES, THE TOP OF THE GROUP OF FIVE CONVERSATIONS CERTAINLY IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST RIGHT NOW.
I THINK FRESNO STATE GOING ON THE ROAD LIKE THEY DID TO LANE GOT A BIGGIE.
COMING WEEK RIGHT WITH OLE MISS IN NEW ORLEANS. SO THAT’S GOING TO GO A LONG WAY. IF YOU’RE
IN THE IF YOU’RE IN THE PROGNOSTICATION NOSTRADAMUS BUSINESS RIGHT NOW, THAT’S GONNA BE FUN. IT’S
GONNA BE FUN. ALL RIGHT, IT’S QUESTION TIME RIGHT FROM OUR VERBALLERS. IS THAT WHERE WE’RE
GOING RIGHT NOW? IT IS QUESTION TIME. I DID WANT TO CALL OUT THAT BYU WON 14 TO NIL OVER
SAM HOUSTON. THE HIGHLIGHT IN THAT GAME, I THINK WAS COSMO THE COUGAR JUMPING THROUGH
THE RING OF FIRE. I DON’T KNOW IF YOU SAW THAT CLIP. THE OFFENSE SAW THAT CLIP. I DIDN’T
WATCH THE GAME BECAUSE TOO MANY PEOPLE WERE TWEETING ME ABOUT RECORDING DVORAK
AS A BYU SOUNDTRACK TO WHERE THEIR OFFENSE IS. SO I’M GOING TO WITHHOLD
JUDGMENT ON WHERE BYU’S OFFENSE IS AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE I HAVEN’T WATCHED IT.
BUT RESULTS DON’T SEEM SUPER PROMISING AS IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE WHAT
KEATON SLOVIS ERA.
THE ONLINE COMMENTARY WAS BASICALLY WE NEED TO BE BETTER THAN THIS FOR A PLAY
AGAINST BIG 12 TEAMS. AND TO CLOSE THINGS OUT, WE HAD RUTGERS BY 17 OVER
NORTHWESTERN. THIS ONE WAS EARLY ON SUNDAY.
YOU KNOW, CONTRARY TO THE SCORE.
I DON’T KNOW IF THERE WERE VAST EXPECTATIONS FOR EITHER OF
THESE TEAMS, BUT ON THE RUTGERS SIDE, I THOUGHT GAVIN WIMSATT
LOOKED LIKE HE TOOK A STEP FORWARD.
I ACTUALLY WATCHED A LOT OF THIS GAME.
GOOD.
I WAS WATCHING BEN SHELTON DEFEAT TOMMY PAUL IN FOUR SETS
AT THE US OPEN.
BEN SHELTON CLOCKED TWO SERVES AT A HUNDRED AND FORTY-NINE
MILES AN HOUR.
THE YOUNG, THE YOUNG AMERICAN FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
MOVING ON TO QUARTERS. GO GATORS, BABY. GO GATORS. CAN YOU PLAY QUARTERBACK?
I THINK HE, I WANT TO SAY, BECAUSE I’VE SEEN CLIPS OF HIM THROWING A FOOTBALL.
I WANT TO SAY HE PLAYED AT SOME POINT IN HIS CAREER, BUT MAYBE I’M JUST FULLY
MAKING THAT UP. I MEAN, IF HE CAN THROW A FOOTBALL THAT QUALIFIES HIM, LET’S PUT
IT THAT WAY. THERE’S GOING TO BE AN EXTRA TIER ON PATREON JUST FOR DAN’S
TENNIS TAKES. AND ON THE NORTHWESTERN SIDE, TO BE FAIR,
PROMISING ENOUGH FROM BEN BRYANT AND HIS RECEIVERS. WAS HE? THEY MIGHT
ACTUALLY BE OKAY. I MEAN THEY WERE DOWN 24 TO NOTHING FOR A LARGE STRETCH OF THIS GAME.
THEIR LINE AND DEFENSE ARE PROBABLY ANOTHER STORY ALTOGETHER. BUT I THOUGHT BEN BRYANT,
THE RECEIVERS AT LEAST TO SOME EXTENT LOOK SOMEWHAT COMPETENT. ANYWAY, LISTEN, VERBALLERS.COM
IS OUR PATREON. THAT’S WHERE YOU CAN GO OUT AND GET ACCESS TO PERHAPS THAT EXTRA DAY IN
TENNIS TIER WHICH WE HAVE NOT CREATED BUT MAYBE WE NEED TO. THIS IS WHERE YOU ALSO GET
ACCESS TO OUR WEEKLY GAME. WE’LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT ON THE WEDNESDAY PODCAST. YOU OBVIOUSLY
CAN STILL GET IN ON THAT GAME TO PLAY FOR FABULOUS PRIZES. WEEK TWO IS GOING TO BE FUN
AS HELL AND YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE A CHANCE TO PICK ALL OF THOSE GAMES, GO UP AGAINST
HUNDREDS UPON HUNDREDS OF OTHER VERBALLERS AND COMPETE FOR FABULOUS PRIZES. THAT IS AT
VERBALLERS.COM. ALSO ON TUESDAY EVENING, WE’RE DOING A REWATCH ALONG ON THE VERBALLER DISCORD
OF THE COLORADO TCU GAME.
SO IF YOU CRAVE COMMUNITY ATMOSPHERE THAT WE’VE BUILT
LOVE THAT OVER ON DRIBBLER DISCORD GOING OUT TO
VERBALLERS.COM SIGN UP FOR ANY TIER YOU WILL GET
ACCESS TO THAT REWATCH ALONG AND OF COURSE COMING
LATER THIS WEEK.
OUR FRIEND GEOFF SCHWARTZ IS GOING TO HAVE A CUT UP
FOR US OF SOME OF THE KEY PLAYS AND MOMENTS FROM
THIS FLORIDA STATE LSU GAME THAT WE’VE BEEN DISCUSSING
FOR THE MAJORITY OF THIS EPISODE THAT IS AVAILABLE
AT OUR PREMIUM VERBALLER TIER.
AND THAT’S GOING TO DROP, I BELIEVE, SOMETIME THURSDAY.
YEAH, IS THAT THE PLAN?
THURSDAY IS THE PLAN.
VERBALLERS.COM.
YEAH, SOME X’S AND O’S AND SCHEME STUFF
AT THE BIGGEST PLAYS AND MOMENTS OF WHAT FLORIDA STATE
DID TO EXPLODE IN THAT SECOND HALF.
AND WHY LSU WAS SORT OF BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL.
SO, YEAH, WE’VE GOT QUESTIONS HERE FROM THE VERBALLERHOOD
THAT WE ARE GOING TO ANSWER NOW AS PART OF THE EXCLUSIVE
PATREON PORTION OF THIS EPISODE RANGING FROM HOW DEION’S
USE OF THE TRANSFER PORTAL CHANGES HOW OTHER COACHES USE THE TRANSFER PORTAL MOVING FORWARD,
BIGGEST EXPECTATIONS IN WEEK TWO, AND PERHAPS OVERLOOKED TEAMS FROM WEEK ONE, AS WELL AS
THOSE WHO REALLY JUST NEED A WIN OR A BIG NECK CRACK IN WEEK TWO.
ALL THESE THINGS AND MUCH, MUCH MORE COMING UP NOW ON OUR VERBALLER EXCLUSIVE PORTION OF
THIS EPISODE.
DAN, I’LL TALK TO YOU IN A FEW MINUTES.
STAY SOLID. PEACE!
(UPBEAT MUSIC)