Bussin' With The Boys | Episode Summary

Episode: Josh Pate Talks Penn State firing James Franklin + Greg Olsen & Luke Kuechly Recap Week 6 of the NFL

Date: October 13, 2025

Hosts: Will Compton & Taylor Lewan

Guests: Josh Pate, Greg Olsen, Luke Kuechly

EPISODE OVERVIEW

This action-packed episode rides through two primary topics:

• Josh Pate joins the boys to break down the electric college football coaching carousel, focusing on the bombshell firing of Penn State’s James Franklin, the ripple effect on other major programs, and forecasting job candidates.
• Greg Olsen and Luke Kuechly hop on to recap Week 6 of the NFL, get playful about their Pop Warner dynasty, and drop insight on everything from Bryce Young’s future to bulletin board material for six-year-olds.

SECTION I: COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHING CHAOS

(Timestamps: 02:20–72:00)

Main Theme

The boys, with Josh Pate (“the Commissioner of College Football”), dissect the stunning ouster of Penn State’s James Franklin, what it signals for top programs, and spill inside info on the wild job market, high-stakes expectations, and potential domino effects.

1. Franklin’s Firing – Shockwaves Across College Football

Key Points:

• Franklin’s firing came mere days after leading Penn State into overtime against Oregon as a top-five team.
• Raises the question: is being “very, very good” no longer enough at elite programs?

Quote:

• “James Franklin comes in and… there hasn’t been a whiff of scandal since he’s been there. So my thinking was, how does this guy not have more equity built up than this?”
  — Josh B (Josh Pate), 29:18

• “To upgrade, you’ve either got to get one of the top 8 coaches… or [a] surefire candidate out there. I don’t see that. Like, I’m a huge Matt Campbell guy… but even I’ll admit… that’s not such a sure slam dunk that I’m going to fire James Franklin and pay him $50 million not to work here anymore.”
  — Josh B, 30:59

2. The Ripple Effect: Who’s Next, and Where?

High-profile programs with shaky job security:

• Michigan, Nebraska, UCLA, Penn State, Auburn, Oklahoma, LSU, Clemson, Florida
• “Every single job in college football is open—except Nebraska.”
  — Josh Pate, 71:48

Names in the rumor mill:

• Matt Rule (Nebraska): Penn State’s reported top target, but his deep ties to Nebraska and family happiness may keep him rooted.

  • “You don’t leave happy. You don’t try and get happier than happy… Unless he’s totally faking it, he seems happy at Nebraska.”
    — Josh B, 38:21

• Matt Campbell (Iowa State): Universally admired; younger, proven with fewer resources.

• Kurt Signetti (Indiana): Commanding a huge salary, less pressure, but open to blueblood jobs (Michigan, Penn State rumors abound).

Recruiting & Player Stability:

• New NCAA rules mean rosters can’t “evaporate” immediately after a firing; schools may lock in commitments before moving on staff.

3. The Fan Dilemma: Is Better Always Achievable?

• The panel cautions against the “grass is always greener” approach, recalling Nebraska’s decade of decline after firing Bo Pelini for not being great enough.
• “There’s so much further you could fall making this move than room to climb… That’s not logic thinking, but I understand it because you’re not supposed to be logical as a fan.”
  — Josh B, 27:32

4. Coaching Carousel: Who’s on the Move? Big-Name Watchlist

Possible Movers:

• Matt Rule, Matt Campbell, John Summerall (Tulane), Alex Golesh (South Florida), Lane Kiffin, and others.
• Oklahoma’s Brent Venables could be vulnerable if the season spirals.
• D’Angelo Hall as an out-of-the-box candidate for Virginia Tech.

Clemson & Dabo:

• No serious firing talk yet, but expectations and memories are short.
  • "Clemson’s got to remember who they were before Dabo because they were nothing... Lose Dabo... you've got to keep him there. Let him die there."
    — Josh Pate, 55:26

5. Playoff Chaos & Polling Debates

• The new 12-team playoff format could see several three-loss SEC teams in the field. Non-SEC teams may have an uphill battle in the “beauty pageant” for the last spots.
• Debates over Texas, Notre Dame, and Vanderbilt’s poll placements.
• “Are you on board with Oregon potentially being on fraud alert with their only key win being Penn State?”
  — Willie C. Taylor, 69:45
  • “Maybe Indiana is just really good. Maybe Oregon’s just really good. That was an impressive win though.”
    — Josh B, 70:11

6. Notable Lighter Moments

• The boys joke about the rumors swirling, with inside banter about “burner phones” and the infamous “N stands for knowledge” (36:56).
• “If an asteroid drops on your house while you’re asleep tonight, what are you going to do tomorrow? Nothing, because you’re dead.” (41:46) — Darkly funny Nebraska coaching search hypothetical.

7. The College Football Week That Was

• Conversation about Michigan’s loss, lessons on toughness, and what lies ahead.
• “The thing that makes me so prideful in Michigan is… when the back’s against the wall, they scratch and claw and fight… you’re going to walk away missing a limb.”
  — Josh Pate, 09:15

SECTION II: NFL & POP WARNER WISDOM WITH GREG OLSEN & LUKE KUECHLY

(Timestamps: 78:01–109:35)

Main Theme

Greg Olsen and Luke Kuechly swap NFL takes, joke about Pop Warner coaching rumors, and explain the deeper mission behind youth football.

1. Pop Warner Legends: Culture, Rumors & Buyouts

• Olsen & Kuechly playfully tackle “rumors” about being recruited for high school coaching jobs:

  • “The advantage I have is I’ll outpay— I could outbid anybody in America. I’m like Texas Tech now!”
    — Greg Olsen, 83:41

• They stress the real goal: building a foundation, not chasing wins.

  • “Winning is a byproduct of how we prepare as coaches… As long as we develop these kids and instill toughness and the right approach, that’s what’s going to last.”
    — Greg Olsen, 97:43

2. NFL Rapid Reactions

a) Carolina Panthers & Bryce Young (Bryce Underwood confusion)

• Discussion of Bryce Young’s up-and-down progress; fifth-year option looming.
  • “Bryce has played better in spots… I think the biggest thing before an extension gets figured out is what do we do with that fifth-year option.”
    — Luke Kuechly, 99:57

b) Dallas Cowboys’ Defensive Struggles

• Kuechly breaks down the defensive woes: predictability, lack of disguised coverages, and the risk of getting gashed in the run game.

c) NFC East Wildness

• Giants winning with “Creatine Caucasians” (Scatterboo and Jackson Dart), but sustainability is questioned.
• Olsen notes the Giants’ defense as a key factor in their surprising run.

d) Philadelphia Eagles’ Flaws

• “If Saquon’s not busting 75-yard TDs... all of a sudden there’s a lot more emphasis on the passing game, and I think that’s the biggest difference between this year and last year.”
  — Greg Olsen, 105:50

e) Kansas City Chiefs & Other NFL Observations

• Chiefs look resurgent (“back”), and Tampa Bay gets praise as the league’s “sneaky” good team, with Baker Mayfield as an MVP contender.

3. Coaching Philosophy & Development

• Both ex-NFL stars emphasize the importance of process over results for youth, mirroring college football debates about “winning the wrong way.”
• “We owe it to the kids to go out and try our best to win the games. But the best thing we can do is try to prepare our seventh graders for live action next year.”
  — Luke Kuechly, 94:48

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• “You don’t try to get happier than happy. Unless he’s totally faking it, [Matt Rule] seems happy at Nebraska.” (38:21)
• “If an asteroid drops on your house… what are you going to do tomorrow? Nothing, because you’re dead.” (41:46)
• “Winning is a byproduct… If we do all those things, winning will take care of itself.” — Greg Olsen (97:43)
• “The grass isn’t always greener.” — Josh B, 26:04
• “The N stands for knowledge.” — Willie C. Taylor (41:15)
• “Charlotte Christian, Pop Warner. Boom.” — Josh Pate (96:27)
• “Baker [Mayfield] might be the MVP of the league right now.” — Greg Olsen (108:48)

TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• 02:20–72:00 College Football & Coaching Carousel (Josh Pate)
• 19:27–20:50 Effects of new NCAA transfer rules, recruiting stability after a firing
• 29:18–31:00 Franklin’s track record and abrupt firing analysis
• 35:00–41:00 In-depth Matt Rule/Penn State hypothetical and Nebraska emotional discussion
• 54:49–55:45 Dabo/Clemson job security speculation
• 78:01–90:16 Pop Warner coaching philosophy, rumors, and youth football pipeline (Olsen & Kuechly)
• 99:32–109:35 NFL rapid fire: Panthers, Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, Chiefs, and sleeper teams

FINAL TAKEAWAYS

This episode captures college football’s unpredictable volatility, where “very good” is suddenly not enough, and the NFL’s own week-to-week craziness. The hosts’ banter with Pate is loaded with both inside info and reminders about the dangers of quick-trigger firings. Olsen and Kuechly then inject humor and heart, showing the sports’ values from pee wee to pros. If you’re a fan of the drama off the field, as much as on, this ride on Bussin’ with the Boys is essential listening.