Bussin' With The Boys: “Mike Elko On Brian Kelly Firing, Texas A&M Undefeated & Marcel Reed + NFL Week 8 Recap W/ Greg Olsen”

Original Air Date: October 27, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, NFL veterans Will Compton and Taylor Lewan host a spirited Monday reaction show, joined by special guests Greg Olsen and Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko. The boys talk all things college football and NFL Week 8, with a focus on Brian Kelly’s firing at LSU, Texas A&M’s undefeated season, the cultural heat around NIL, conference shakeups, NFL standouts and wild inconsistencies, and the Heisman race. Elko shares reflections on his career path, coaching culture, and the pressures of high-level college football. Throughout, the hosts keep their signature irreverent, bro-to-bro, locker-room energy.

Spooktober, Costumes, and Accountability

00:00 – 07:31

Key Points:

• Taylor Lewan opens with Spooktober festivities, apologizes for not wearing a costume—a big theme given his usual leadership in team spirit.
• Co-hosts tease Taylor for dropping the ball on “selling out” for Spooktober, holding him accountable for not living up to his own standards.
• The boys reminisce about Halloween traditions and pledge to dress up properly for the Thursday stream.

Notable Quote:

“From Taylor Lewan, the dad, this has been the best Spooktober of my entire life ... but you can’t have one without the other. You can’t have a good run game, but no pass game. You got to put them both together.”
– Taylor Lewan (06:55)

Brian Kelly Fired at LSU: Inside the Fallout

07:36 – 14:28

Key Points:

• Immediate reaction to Brian Kelly’s firing at LSU after a decisive Texas A&M loss.
• Discussion on LSU fanbase expectations, job pressure, and how "hot seats" at major programs (LSU, Florida, Penn State) compare.
• Speculation over next head coaching hires, longevity, patience, and how elite openings shake up the market.

Notable Quotes:

"That fan base knows they can be national championship contenders every single year. And they just think, alright, if you're not going to get it done in one, two years, we got to find the next guy."
– Taylor Lewan (12:10)

“Is there a scarier stadium to have to leave after you're on the hot seat? … Louisiana is essentially always in Spooktober.”
– Taylor Lewan (08:03)

College Football Coaching Carousel & NIL Era Pressures

14:29 – 16:30

Key Points:

• Avalanche of head coach firings nationally; the pool of available head coaching jobs is at a high.
• Baylor's woes discussed as an example of a once-promising program troubled by bad NIL posture and late decisions on head coaches.
• How the new era of NIL makes certain schools vulnerable “casualties.”

Notable Quotes:

"Baylor seems like the perfect school to be a casualty of the Nil era."
– Taylor Lewan (15:44)

Game Reactions: South Carolina’s Close Call, Michigan Optimism, Portal Whispers

16:31 – 25:04

Key Points:

• Taylor almost pulls a genius pick with South Carolina vs. Alabama; the group discusses South Carolina’s game management woes, fan morale, and the grind of competing in the SEC.
• JP (Gamecock alumni) expresses the agony of close losses, portal risk, and NIL rumors (potential $7 million for QB Lenoris Sellers).
• Michigan’s continuing defensive dominance and the anticipation for the Michigan-Ohio State game.

Notable Moments/Quotes:

“We outplayed the number four team in the country for every minute, except maybe the last five minutes.”
– JP, South Carolina (17:35)

“Tell you what, Dylan Stewart would look great in maize and blue.”
– Taylor Lewan (23:14)

“Do not ever apologize for a win.”
– Taylor Lewan (26:01)

Nebraska, Northwestern, and the Upcoming USC Showdown

25:05 – 32:33

Key Points:

• Will Compton on Nebraska taking care of business against Northwestern, officiating controversies, and the season-defining matchup with USC.
• Anticipation and energy around the upcoming blackout game in Lincoln; the group underscores the importance ("This is the season.").

Notable Quote:

“This is a tough game. This is a good ball club. Yeah, I have a lot of respect for USC right now.”
– Will Compton (29:07)

Playoff Projections, Heisman Buzz & Vandy’s Cinderella Vibe

34:00 – 44:56

Key Points:

• Group discusses which teams (BYU, Navy, Notre Dame, Texas Tech, etc.) are actual playoff contenders.
• Heisman race: focus on Diego Pavia and others, with banter about what makes a "Heisman moment" and leadership aura.
• Vanderbilt’s surprising run, team identity, and transformation under Diego Pavia—a “culture changer.”

Notable Quotes:

“They walk around like their s*** doesn’t stink. And it's like, yeah, it hasn’t—they kind of just keep doing their thing.”
– Taylor Lewan on Vandy (43:51)

"Can we get him to New York? ... I hope he wears this crazy, gaudy, iced out chain that might just say 'Pavi' on it—big as hell."
– Taylor Lewan (44:31)

College Football: Schedules, Rivalries, and Coaching Rumors

44:57 – 47:55

Key Points:

• Both crew and guests run through remaining big games on the schedule for various teams (Tennessee, Okahoma, Florida), emphasizing SEC playoff scenarios.
• Playful speculation about next coaches at Florida, LSU, and other open jobs (e.g., Lane Kiffin, Dan Lanning, Joe Brady).

Reflections on College Impact & JP’s South Carolina Stories

36:14 – 39:05

Key Points:

• JP (South Carolina alum) shares heartfelt stories about returning to campus, speaking to students; sense of gratitude and reflection on personal impact.

Notable Moment:

“It was so cool. ... I felt like I was doing what I was supposed to do, where I was meant to do.”
– JP (37:12)

NFL WEEK 8: Separation Sunday & League-wide Recap with Greg Olsen

58:03 – 115:04

Key Discussion Points:

NFL Parity, Weirdness, and Identity (58:53–63:43)

• Greg Olsen calls the Falcons “one of the league’s biggest anomalies.”
• In-depth chat on why some NFL teams—especially the Falcons—are wildly inconsistent.
• Deep-dive on scheme: pistol vs under-center run game, play action, and defensive reads.

Bills’ Under-the-Radar Dominance (65:38–74:24)

• Olsen breaks down how the Bills dominated Panthers on the ground and explains the strategic shift to run-first, under-center offense. Notable quote:

“...our best player had a much less impact than what we're accustomed to seeing. I think that's highly encouraging.”
– Greg Olsen on Josh Allen (67:51)

Patriots, Drake Maye, & AFC East Drama (74:24–78:04)

• Patriots on a 6-game streak, rookie Drake Maye emerging as MVP candidate, schedule analysis.

MVP Race & Young QBs Rising (76:15–78:55)

• Surprising MVP candidates (Drake Maye, Jordan Love, Daniel Jones, Baker Mayfield) rise as Kansas City/Allen/Mahomes take a back seat.

Ravens, Steelers, and AFC North Survival (78:56–81:51)

• Ravens’ critical win despite injuries, defense resurgence, and AFC North’s volatility dissected.

The Eagles Find Their Groove (83:26–88:36)

• Jalen Hurts’ big game, Saquon Barkley’s breakout, Giants injury woes, and Philly’s championship toolkit.

NFC Power Rankings & Playoff Forecast (88:37–98:25)

• Heated debate: Who’s the team to beat in the NFC? Eagles, Lions, Rams, Packers, Seahawks, 49ers all examined.
• Greg Olsen’s insight: playoff seeding, schedule quirks, and why the best team doesn’t always advance.

Injury attrition and the Luck Factor (98:25–100:00)

• Discussion about how long teams can “weather the storm” of injuries—San Francisco, Rams, Seahawks—and the randomness of NFL season outcomes.

Cowboys & Broncos: Bandwagon Agony (100:13–106:07)

• Taylor’s brief Cowboys fandom results in heartbreak after betting on them vs Denver. Panel analyzes why Dallas always disappoints in big moments.
• Deep-dive into Dallas defense: historical strengths vs. current failures, and how roster construction has failed to match the offensive firepower.

Big-Picture Cowboys Analysis (108:19–113:09)

• Olsen delivers a detailed multi-year macroscopic view of how the Cowboys went from dominant to historically bad on defense. Notable quote:

“They built the defense… to defend the pass and defend the lead. ... That formula works—until your offense goes to the bottom of the league ... They haven’t been able to recapture any of the magic.”
– Greg Olsen (110:19)

INTERVIEW: Mike Elko (Texas A&M Head Coach)

119:38 – 136:41

Highlights:

• Reflects on Brian Kelly Firing: Having worked under Kelly at Notre Dame and being the coach who beat him in his last LSU game, Elko shares thoughts on the cold realities of coaching and professional respect.
  – “It’s a week-to-week business, more now than it’s ever been.” — Mike Elko (123:09)

• On Texas A&M’s Culture Shift:
  – Emphasizes blue-collar mentality, hard work, and internal accountability over “pounding our chest” about facilities. – How to keep the team focused and “avoid the noise” as expectations rise in College Station. – “We tried to instill a little bit more of a blue collar work ethic… when you have a place that has a lot of really nice things, entitlement starts to creep in.” — Mike Elko (126:11)

• On Career Path and Humility:
  – Recounts starting at small schools, feeling like an outlier, self-effacing story about his salary at Penn.
  – “Sitting there…slicing cut up tapes…I can’t say I envisioned this would be the ending point… It keeps you humble, keeps you grounded.” — Mike Elko (132:16)

• On Staying at A&M Amid Job Rumors:
  – Dismisses speculation, calls attention to “waste of brain space;” stresses leading by example and mirroring his advice to players about blocking out distractions.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

“From the bottom of my heart, I am sorry. This is mere Monday.” – Taylor Lewan on botching the Spooktober costume tradition (06:37)

“LSU is now the hottest job that’s open.”
– Will Compton (12:12)

“There’s whispers there’s $7 million on the table for Lenoris Sellers. There’s whispers.”
– Will Compton (21:32)

"Can we get him [Diego Pavia] to New York? ... I hope he wears this crazy, gaudy, iced-out chain that might just say Pavi on it—big as hell."
– Taylor Lewan (44:31)

“They have been putting 30 on people. ... The problem is at the time, they only had one or two wins. His defense is historically bad.”
– Greg Olsen on the Cowboys (104:42)

“I just think we focused a lot more on that than we have about…our facilities or how nice this place is… That’s flipped a little bit how we see things.”
– Mike Elko (127:16)

Additional Segments and Timestamps

• Spooktober/Halloween Themes:
  • Start – 07:31
• Brian Kelly/Hot Seats/Coaching Carousel:
  • 07:36 – 16:30
• South Carolina Game Reaction & Transfer Portal:
  • 16:31 – 25:04
• Nebraska/USC Anticipation:
  • 25:05 – 32:33
• CFB Playoff & Heisman Talk:
  • 34:00 – 47:55
• JP’s South Carolina Legacy & Teaching:
  • 36:14 – 39:05
• NFL Week 8:
  • 58:03 – 115:04
• Greg Olsen Deep-Dive (Cowboys/Def. Philosophy):
  • 108:19 – 113:09
• Mike Elko Interview:
  • 119:38 – 136:41

Episode Tone & Style

Lively, irreverent, honest, and insightful. The hosts use humor and banter to keep things personal while not shying away from deep football analysis or moments of true vulnerability (e.g., career origins, tough losses, campus talks).

Takeaways

• The coaching profession gets less forgiving by the year.
• College football's playoff picture and job market are more volatile than ever.
• NIL is changing the transfer landscape and talent retention.
• NFL: top teams are inconsistent, MVP race wide open, and defense remains the secret sauce come playoff time.
• Texas A&M is rising, but Coach Elko isn’t letting outside noise or success go to his players’ heads.
• Beneath the sports talk: Brotherhood, accountability, and love for the game—on and off the field.

Notable Quotes Recap (with Timestamps)

• For full quotes, see sections above.

• “You gotta have one with the other. You can’t have a good run game, but no pass game …” – Taylor Lewan (06:58)
• “That fan base knows they can be national championship contenders…” – Taylor Lewan (12:10)
• “LSU is now the hottest job that’s open.” – Will Compton (12:12)
• “Baylor seems like the perfect school to be a casualty of the Nil era.” – Taylor Lewan (15:44)
• “Tell you what, Dylan Stewart would look great in maize and blue.” – Taylor Lewan (23:14)
• “Do not ever apologize for a win.” – Taylor Lewan (26:01)
• “This is a tough game ... I have a lot of respect for USC right now.” – Will Compton (29:07)
• “Can we get him to New York?...” – Taylor Lewan (44:31)
• “I just think we focused a lot more on that than…our facilities…” – Mike Elko (127:16)
• “It’s a week-to-week business, more now than it’s ever been.” — Mike Elko (123:09)

This recap covers all major topics and memorable exchanges, providing a clear roadmap for anyone who missed the episode but wants to be in the conversation—on the bus or off.