← Cover 3 College Football
Cover 3 College Football
Top QB Battles To Watch As Spring Practice Gets Underway | College Football
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- [00:00]
Narrator/Advertiser
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- [02:22]
Chip Patterson
Welcome Back to the COVID 3 podcast with your hosts Chip Patterson, Tom Fernelli, Danny Cannell and Bud Elliott. It's your call for the best college football coverage from national signing day to the national championship and everything in between. CBS Sports presents the COVID 3 podcast.
- [02:43]
Tom Fernelli
And welcome back back to the COVID 3 podcast here on CBS Sports. That's Tom Fenelli, that's Bud Elliott, that's Danny Cannell. I'm Chip Patterson coming to you live@YouTube.com cover3 and everybody got your podcast on demand. Thanks for hanging out. Smash that subscribe, smash that like and come and join us in the chat. Aka the COVID 3 tailgate where Dash the esper said, I see Tom and Danny's brackets but Chip, where is yours? You Dash. I don't know what happened exactly. You're going to be looking for. Carl Patterson is the entry you're looking for. Currently at 99th in the COVID three bracket challenge. Tom, I believe you're leading the way like 41st or something.
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Bud Elliott
65th, chip.
- [03:27]
Tom Fernelli
65th among the hosts. They've got some, some. Where are you, Danny?
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Danny Cannell
380th.
- [03:34]
Tom Fernelli
380th. Okay, so.
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Danny Cannell
And Bud, what do you have though? We have 1100 done only we've got a lot.
- [03:40]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah, yeah.
- [03:41]
Bud Elliott
We're top third players here.
- [03:43]
Danny Cannell
Yeah, top third.
- [03:45]
Tom Fernelli
Yes. I hope we appreciate, seriously, sincerely, everybody who jumped into our bracket challenge. We, we love running that every single season. Bud, how's your time?
- [03:55]
Bud Elliott
The football bracket we submitted, by the way.
- [03:57]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah.
- [03:58]
Bud Elliott
Has. Has the lowest possible points remaining. They are dead last as far as
- [04:02]
Tom Fernelli
Texas is still alive.
- [04:05]
Bud Elliott
Yeah, I know. But most of the other teams are.
- [04:07]
Tom Fernelli
Miami is not.
- [04:09]
Bud Elliott
Ohio State didn't get out of the first round. Georgia didn't get out of the first round. Yeah, it's in trouble.
- [04:13]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah, yeah, lots of that. Hope you enjoyed the basketball over the weekend. One more question from the tailgate which is a little bit interesting one and ties into hoops. Jerry B. Pulled in and said I don't really follow basketball, but are the results so far more evidence of sec? Big Ten separation from the rest of college? Tom, is it really just Big Ten separation from the rest of college basketball?
- [04:37]
Bud Elliott
I was going to say it's no different than football. It's the Big Ten pulling away from everybody. Like the SEC is lagging far behind the Big Ten right now in the Sweet sixteen. This is, this is a Big Ten world.
- [04:48]
Tom Fernelli
Welcome to it's representation.
- [04:55]
Danny Cannell
I do. I mean, I don't. I think the bigger storyline too is, you know, everybody loves the Cinderella. I know there's been some people saying do we ever even see it again? You know, a Cinderella? Because it's the halves versus the have nots. What's great news about this though is I was watching a bunch of blowouts. We had some games save the day yesterday, but Saturday was a little Bit of a dud. We're gonna get more of those games. We're gonna get more teams involved in this thing. When I was actually thinking, do we need more than 16? I was like, should they shrink this thing to only do 16 teams? Because there were a ton of blowouts.
- [05:30]
Tom Fernelli
Wait, from 64 to 16?
- [05:32]
Danny Cannell
Yeah. Do we really need that many? Do we need that many?
- [05:35]
Tom Fernelli
I'm old school.
- [05:36]
Bud Elliott
Yeah.
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Danny Cannell
I'm going like Tom, I'm saying let's just go the reverse direction. Let's go.
- [05:41]
Tom Fernelli
No, the point.
- [05:42]
Bud Elliott
Why are we giving these poverty schools a platform?
- [05:46]
Tom Fernelli
So safety issue. It is a safety issue. That high point has to go and play against Arkansas. Have you seen the athleticism of Travon Brazil? Yeah, I, I think that to your point about the Cinderella, Danny, unfortunately, I think you have to grab the Cinderella like story more than the Cinderella seed. Because Texas, while in the sweet 16, is a double digit seed, is no Cinderella, especially little old Texas. Sean Miller as the head coach too. But I would argue that while their seed is four, Nebraska is kind of a Cinderella.
- [06:23]
Bud Elliott
No, they started 20 and oh, and we're in the top 10 during the regular season.
- [06:26]
Tom Fernelli
But a Cinderella program to like have never even won a single NCAA tournament game to be able to make the Sweet 16 after your first ever. I just, that's why I said it's a Cinderella story, not a Cinderella seed.
- [06:39]
Bud Elliott
In terms of that, I would say Iowa could be a Cinderella. I will not accept Nebraska as a Cinderella.
- [06:45]
Tom Fernelli
Iowa, of course, only the ninth, nine over, one to win. Also very funny pointed out by Brandon. Nebraska spring game is on Saturday. And if Nebraska beats Iowa, it's the same day as their first Elite eight basketball game.
- [06:59]
Danny Cannell
Is Nebraska fans are traveling too.
- [07:01]
Tom Fernelli
Is Nebraska gonna have a full Indiana experience? But being bathed in the water and come out of basketball school could be. I mean, reverse, obviously. Indiana, you know, coming out on the other side of football school, the Nebraska full reverse Indiana. I mean, how many? Don't they always sell out that spring game? That's usually a very well attended event. If Nebraska beats Iowa. Could be it's a wake up call for Matt Rule.
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Bud Elliott
Well, if the game's at night, maybe they can make a flight. Oh, no, wait, tsa. They'll be there for seven.
- [07:31]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah.
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Chip Patterson
Oh, yeah. Oh my gosh.
- [07:35]
Tom Fernelli
But you get to watch any hoops over the course of the weekend?
- [07:38]
Chip Patterson
A bunch, yeah. I mean I was at the elite 11 and, and the like the Nike opening event. So like not as much of the daytime stuff. But I thought Matt Brown in his unexpected Points column had a pretty good pointer. He was like. Some of your power teams are starting to go back to more of a traditional like power game, which is lower variants because like three point. Even if you're a good three point shooting team, you're going to have some nights where you're hitting, you know, 48%. You're going to have some nights where you hit like 22, you know, dunks and layups and put back points are pretty consistent overall and because of the portal you're able to build that way. But like, like via you know, like recruiting high end guys like that. But then also it's easier to find somebody who can actually shoot the ball from the outside. So you have fewer of the elite teams apparently going like with smaller, more like you know, printed out like spread it out Euro style lineups I guess, which probably decreases the variance for upsets I guess, which is kind of cool. I, I just thought like the quality of basketball was better. I stopped watching college basketball for a while. Like this is just not entertaining to me. Like the, the crazy upsets and stuff. I'd always watch March Madness, but like I watched a little more college basketball this year and it was just a better product. I think the players are better tailgate.
- [08:50]
Tom Fernelli
Bringing up something I was just about to add. I found it very funny that during the off day on Saturday, Todd golden is at his media availability discussing how he's got it all figured out with this roster construction thing and offering a lot of the quotes. And then he just got pantsed by a team that barely starts any kind of bigs because they took all that size, put them in space, caused defensive issues and you know what else Iowa did brought the fight to them. They're not as tall as them and they matched them in points from the paint. Iowa didn't even have a good three point shooting. And just so you know, Todd was the master of modern roster construction until he became yet another reigning champion to get bounced before the Sweet 16.
- [09:34]
Bud Elliott
Maybe he's just a master of roster construction in the sec, Chip. Maybe once you get outside that league, Florida is just not a good team. I feel like somebody on this very show told you that.
- [09:43]
Chip Patterson
And I, I did watch Kansas St. John's and yes, that was ugly. Yes, and they missed way too many layups combined. But also it's not crazy to think that Bill Self and, and Patino can come up with like some really awesome game plans to anticipate what the opponent's gonna do. Right? Like occasionally that happens and you, you see this in NBA Finals sometimes even. Right. Like, you'll get games that are, you know, 120, 118, and some games where, like, the winner has like 108. Yep.
- [10:14]
Tom Fernelli
All right. Anything else on hoops before we start to get into the matter of the day, as you are listening to this, watching this, you see we do have.
- [10:20]
Chip Patterson
Did anybody have Florida as their champion? Nope.
- [10:25]
Tom Fernelli
I had Houston coming out of that region. So we're still good there. Adam Silverstein was one of the most recognizable names in the COVID three standings. But you're never going to guess this. Adam Silverstein had Florida as his champion. So I think, I think we're done there. I think. I don't know if he's going to end up being able to claim the, the championship. All right, so before we get into our quarterback battles that we're keeping an eye on across the country, Alabama, Tennessee and so much more, some of your suggestions, of course, we will hit. And many of your suggestions that you had going in the tailgate, we already have on the rundown. But I wanted to circle back because as Michigan is getting underway with its spring practice, we've gotten to hear from Kyle Whittingham a little bit. Gotten to, you know, start to really think about what the Kyle Whittingham era is going to look like at Michigan and Yahoo. Sports. Late last week, it, you know, added a little bit of details to what we sort of wondered about aloud. How did this coach with a seemingly plan to retire, a succession plan at the university where he had been for decades, you know, how does the language of when he finally stepped down impact the fact that he still wanted to coach? And a lot of that comes down to a potential raise in salary. A lot of that comes down to the terms for when he would or would not step away. Danny, as we start to learn a little bit more about the. The Kyle Whittingham Utah breakdown, I guess my. The thought I can't get over is do you think Utah will rue the day that they decided to essentially shut the door on continuing the Kyle Whittingham era?
- [12:10]
Danny Cannell
If Kyle Whittingham wins 10 games this year with the Michigan Wolverines, I guarantee you they will. He's one of the most respected coaches out there in college football. Couple things, when is the head coach and waiting thing ever just been perfect?
- [12:25]
Chip Patterson
Thank you.
- [12:26]
Danny Cannell
I mean, because I don't know why these coaches do it. I think that absolutely played into it. There was incredible amount of pressure, you know, from inside to do that. And then when you've got him Waiting there and you don't live up. They're like, hey, let's make this move now. I don't. It just. I hate it for Kyle Whittingham. I think he deserved to kind of go out in his own call, his own shot. And boy, I tell you, I mean, for him to have another. A second chance at life at Michigan is a pretty unbelievable changing of events. You know, turning of events.
- [12:57]
Tom Fernelli
It's.
- [12:57]
Danny Cannell
It's incredible.
- [13:01]
Bud Elliott
More interesting part of it to me, I mean, it was all interesting was.
- [13:04]
Tom Fernelli
I mean, they were talking about a babysitter. A Utah athletic director, Mark Harlan wanted to have his own employee to come and sit in your. Inside your office, which from a, like, business organizational standpoint is a babysitter who's gonna go report somebody else. They wanted to have in house service for Kyle Whittingham. I know he's old, but he's in great shape. Okay? We did not need a babysitter for Kyle Whittingham. I thought some of it was a little bit, my opinion, a little bit disrespectful, given what he's done for the program over the last couple decades.
- [13:38]
Chip Patterson
It might rue the day. I don't think they'll rue the decade, you know, just because, I mean, he's not going to be coaching that much longer. This was probably the roster, I think, for Utah, meaning the 25 roster that they thought they could do something with, you know, and they had really high expectations. And ultimately Texas Tech was just, you know, way better than everybody else in the Big 12. Like, I. I'm not. There are some nice pieces on that team. I think Buchanan, the tight end, is. Is probably going to emerge as like, one of, like, the best tight ends in college football. That guy is freaky. And he actually played tight end quite a bit for them as a freshman. But I'm not sure. That team has like a ton of pieces where it's like, yeah, they're really close, close to winning the Big 12. Now watch him go out and do it just because I said that just now. But I mean, if you really think you have something in Scally, which again, to Danny's point, a lot of times this coaching waiting situation doesn't really work out. You know, like, I'm sure Texas thought they had something in must champ, but you don't always know. Sometimes the guy is just a terrible head coach and a good coordinator and is not able to have the other side of the ball thrive. Or maybe he's actually not good at running a program.
- [14:48]
Bud Elliott
We.
- [14:48]
Chip Patterson
We don't know. I think Utah is in a better but still not perfect situation to know. But if they feel like he's the guy, then I guess they need to try that out. But that was messy for sure.
- [15:03]
Bud Elliott
It's like, to me, the aspect was just the plan was, you know, Kyle Whittingham would kind of steer and navigate the program in the right direction. Then he would, you know, nice step aside and just let Morgan Scally go away. But then Kyle was like, no, I don't want to leave, so I'm just going to go to Michigan. And oh, by the way, I'm going to take all those coaches with me. And now there's like. Because there was also the quote from. Was it the AD or somebody in the athletic department was kind of upset about how he took coaches with him to Michigan.
- [15:28]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah.
- [15:28]
Bud Elliott
And I'm like, brother, you pushed him out the door. Like you just expected him to be like, okay, fine, you know, so it's. Yeah, it's, it's not, it's a tricky situation. But in typical Utah fashion, nobody's going to file a lawsuit or do anything about it. Just like, oh, well, I wish he would have been nicer about it.
- [15:43]
Tom Fernelli
I mean, in typical Utah fashion, they're going to be bloodthirsty. They want, they, they want to bowl. They want a bowl game against Michigan. They, they want to be able to, to, to go up against him right away.
- [15:55]
Bud Elliott
Inspired by the chat here, who's the better program right now, BYU or Utah?
- [16:02]
Danny Cannell
Man, Utah was, I mean, two years ago when they entered the Big 12. Mean, they were stepping in to dominate the Big 12. And they haven't come close to a Big 12 championship game. I mean, two years ago it was clearly it was Utah. Now it's probably BYU.
- [16:19]
Chip Patterson
To Ryan's point in the chat, BYU and Utah are the only teams lined at 8 1/2 wins or higher, aside from obviously Texas Tech, which is basically favor to go undefeated. Man, I don't know. I think they're pretty even. I, it's like, if they played today, who the hell is getting open for byu?
- [16:39]
Tom Fernelli
Well, I think if they, like you
- [16:40]
Chip Patterson
tell me, Utah can't shut those guys down because the quarterback for byu, unless he takes a big step forward. I mean, he's a solid, nice college quarterback, but I don't think he's the type of guy who can carry that team without weapons on the outside. And I'm, I'm very TBD on BYU's outside weapons this year. I do want to see. So Ryder Lyons Brother Walker transferred from USC over to byu. A tight end. And right. Like the Clipping. So far I've said he looks really good. It's like maybe they have a superstar tight end they can get it to. They still have LJ Martin, but I'm kind of like, I just think Utah's deep. It's would shut them down.
- [17:21]
Tom Fernelli
I think who would win if they played tomorrow is also different than better
- [17:24]
Danny Cannell
program their program right now.
- [17:27]
Bud Elliott
But I mean in an era now where money matters so much. I don't know what Utah's. Yeah, I don't know what Utah's booster situation is. I can't sit here and say I'm really overly familiar with it. But I know BYU's got money and I know that they're happy to spend it on their athletic department.
- [17:41]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah. One of these universities just fought off Penn State to keep its coach. The other one forced it. Forced him out on his way out to Michigan. But it interesting to see. Of course BYU and Utah thankfully will be playing coming up this fall. One last. One last little note and it kind of leads us into our big topic for today. We don't need to linger on it long because I just want to publicly read it into the record that Bud was right. Okay. When. But I. I want to do this for you so you don't have to do it for yourself. You know, I don't want you to get flack for tooting your own horn. So I'll reach across. I'll pat you on the back. I asked if Austin Simmons was in a battle for the quarterback job. Bud Elliott said, you don't spend that much money having him ride the pine. And. And Austin Simmons was named Missouri's quarterback. You can celebrate. You can offer an outlook for what Missouri might be like in terms of the offense you are expecting. Austin Simmons seemingly does provide more of a downfield passing threat than Beau Prabula did last year. Is that fair seeming?
- [18:45]
Bud Elliott
Yes.
- [18:46]
Chip Patterson
Yeah. I think he's a way better thrower of the football than Bo is.
- [18:49]
Tom Fernelli
That's what I was thinking. So what's. What do we think the offense might look like for Missour Simmons at the helm? Of course we also it's gonna be Eli's offense because of Eli's own offensive background. But we are replacing Kirby Moore as offensive coordinator as well, who is now the head coach at Washington State.
- [19:05]
Chip Patterson
Yeah, the oc. They signed his quarterbacks traditionally, if they're not like absolute just. I mean, you know, Drake May is not, I don't think really somebody I Would give the OC a lot of credit for. They did sign this receiver. What's his name? Did you guys remember Chase Hendricks from Ohio? Yes. I'm pretty sure he went there. Right? Yeah, I know they were. I know they were going to get him or did he go to Cal?
- [19:35]
Bud Elliott
I'm not sure where he went.
- [19:36]
Chip Patterson
Oh, he ended up at Cal. Excuse me.
- [19:38]
Tom Fernelli
Oh, let's go. Yeah, let's go.
- [19:43]
Chip Patterson
I know Missouri was in on him pretty hard just from some stuff I had heard. So. Okay. I have a little bit less opinion of Missouri with their, their passing options. I. In my head. This is why you use spreadsheets, not your head. Yeah, I'm interested to see how that looks. I. Their schedule's never that tough, you know, by SEC standards. They feel like they usually get the, the easier draw of it for the most part. But I just think Simmons is a much higher like ceiling passer than the kid who stepped in when Bo went down.
- [20:17]
Tom Fernelli
Anything Tom, Danny, anything else stand out about sort of as we just cross it off the list and you know, kind of, kind of file them away as we start to begin our general preparation. No questions at the quarterback position. Thoughts on what Simmons might offer the Tigers?
- [20:30]
Bud Elliott
I will just. Missouri's big receiver get in the portal was Caden Lee from Ole Miss. So he, he's got familiarity with Austin Simmons.
- [20:38]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah.
- [20:39]
Bud Elliott
No, no surprise. We talked about it. Bud talked about it. This was going to be the way that this was going. It was the only thing that ever made sense unless Austin Simmons got hurt.
- [20:48]
Danny Cannell
I just feel bad for the Matt Zoller's era which was so short lived, proclaimed it Austin.
- [20:55]
Chip Patterson
It may not be done. Yeah, I mean like, yeah, I mean
- [21:01]
Danny Cannell
Austin Simmons is a player who was. I mean I had him as like a dark horse breakout player in the SEC before last season. He did beat out Trinidad Chambliss in a quarterback competition. He struggled a little bit, you know, injuries and with turnovers when he played. But he's got a little bit of experience so I think you like to see that. But I think from a just a physical gifts standpoint was pretty clear that Missouri's got a more talented quarterback in Austin Simmons.
- [21:28]
Tom Fernelli
I unfortunately had to delete from my mind the stats as soon as he got hurt and eventually Wally pipped. But Austin Simmons, to your point about thinking about him as a breakout star, I mentioned his era from pitching like no less than five times on CBS Sports HQ because of, you know, our six week preseason that we have like looking ahead and talking about the college football season. So you start to get deeper and deeper into your Austin Simmons bag. And before you know, you're like, he came into relief in the bottom of the seventh, throw in heat and obviously those pitching skills, skills not enough to help him the rest of the way, but we will see Austin Simmons again named Missouri starter late last week. Well, coming up on the other side, taking a look at some of the biggest quarterback battles that are still up in the air when we begin in Tuscaloosa with two very, very good players battling for a program that is looking to take the next step under Kaylin DeBoer. All that and more next. You know, mental health can feel like this huge, complicated thing because if you hurt your arm, you see a doctor, no problem. But finding the right therapist, suddenly it's confusing, expensive and takes forever. That's why Rula is so great. They make therapy simple, fast and affordable. They accept most major insurance plans and the average session copay is just$15.15 bucks. That's basically lunch money. But instead of a sandwich, you're investing in your mental well being. And here's the best part. Rula isn't just about matching you with someone. Every therapist is licensed, vetted and picked for their expertise. They actually follow up to make sure you're making progress. You answer a few questions about what matters to you. Pick a time and you could be talking to a therapist as soon as the next day. No waiting, no guessing, no stress. Thousands of guys have already used Rula to finally get the care they needed. Don't keep putting it off. Go to rula.comcover and get started today. That's R U L A dot com cover. Take the first step, get connected and take control of your mental health. So good, so good, so good.
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Chip Patterson
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- [25:02]
Tom Fernelli
Back here on the COVID 3 podcast, we will be talking about Nebraska in a little bit. Like I mentioned, their spring game is coming up for the most part. A lot of those schools that are going to be winding down on around mid April, late April, now's about the time that they get their 15 practices up and going. Good time to set the table with some of the quarterback battles that we are keeping an eye on across the country. And yes, we are going to begin at Alabama. Kaylin DeBoer falls just short of the College Football Playoff in year one, makes the College Football Playoff in year two and gets a win, you know, but then obviously you lose in the quarterfinals. This is a program that still wants to be in the mix for the national championship. This is a program that would like to see itself taking that next step, making it to the semifinals or beyond. And if they're going to do it, they're going to need it to happen behind a new quarterback. So we have Austin Mack, we have Kelon Russell, Danny Canel. How do you see these two players stacking up against each other? And I, I know we've already sort of touched on this in different conversations over the last five, six weeks. So correct me if I'm wrong. I don't know if we'll get a, a declared winner. If you think one has an edge, please let me know. But what is, what does this battle really come down to if you are the in the offensive staff room, the
- [26:25]
Danny Cannell
known versus the unknown. You know, I think that's what you've got with Austin Mack. You've got somebody who is very familiar with Ryan Grubb, the offensive coordinator and Kaylin Deborah's system going all the way back to Washington. I think he gives you like a floor of being able to execute things. You know what he's going to give you. And you got Keelan Russell, who's probably the upside guy, you know, the unknown where if you go with him, you better be right. I think that's all what it comes down to. I still think, I know a lot of people are just saying Keelan Russell is going to win the job.
- [26:57]
Tom Fernelli
Really.
- [26:58]
Danny Cannell
Austin Max kind of waited his turn. I just wonder, you know, how this thing's going to play out. I truly don't know who's going to win this one. But I think that's the debate that the coaches are having, you know, when they're trying to decipher who's going to be the starting guy in week one.
- [27:13]
Chip Patterson
So I'm not, I'm not trying to like be like nebulous or hypes. I, I cannot remember who told me this, but I remember like kind of perking. I'd be like, oh, wait a second. Yeah, Like, I think it was at img, like not somebody from IMG school, but like one of their events. And I was like, why didn't Mac transfer out of there?
- [27:32]
Danny Cannell
Right, Right.
- [27:33]
Chip Patterson
And he's, he's like, I mean, dude, he's known this staff for four years now. He really, truly believes he can win this job. He showed some pretty impressive stuff in the Rose Bowl. The guy's got like freakish arm talent. And given that relationship that he has with Alabama staff, I, I don't think that they would screw him over like that and be like, yeah, you've got, you know, a real shot to win it if you don't have a legitimate shot to win it. Right. Like, they probably. I think it's more likely than not that Bama just has two really high level physical talent quarterbacks in there and whoever like operates the offense with the fewest mistakes probably gets it done.
- [28:13]
Bud Elliott
Yeah, I think clearly it's going to come down to who performs in camp. But I also think you have to look at the aspect of like, what kind of pressure does Kaylin DeBoer feel? Like what. What do you feel like you have to do this year? Because you did get to the playoff last year. You beat Oklahoma in the first round at Oklahoma. That's, you know, getting a playoff win is nice, but then you went the Rose bowl and you got your ass kicked by Indiana in the SEC title game. You got your ass kicked by Georgia. Like, this is a program that is clearly still needs to close some ground on the top teams in the country these last two years under Kaylin DeBoer. So does he feel like Keelan Russell, even if maybe he's not as familiar with the offense, does he feel like Russell gives them a higher ceiling or is he going to want to go for the floor with Austin Mack? Because Max now been with him for years. He's clearly, he understands the offense. Maybe he. So I do think competition is going to matter between the actual players and camp. But I also do think that you have to consider the pressure from outside of to what we think we need to accomplish this year. My guess is honestly we're going to see both guys playing early in the year. I don't know who the starter will be, but it wouldn't shock me at all if it's an Austin Mack is my starter. And then we've got some stuff for Keelan Russell and we work Keelan Russell in and maybe he takes the job over as the season goes along.
- [29:31]
Tom Fernelli
Russell has, correct me if I'm wrong, like track speed, like legitimate ran track at Duncanville. Right.
- [29:40]
Chip Patterson
He definitely has real wheels. I. I don't think he has like could play receiver in the SEC athleticism, but I think he could play like, he could play like receiver at the G5. You know, I mean like there's a difference between like, yeah, that guy could switch positions and go play corner or. But like he, he does have a way different level of mobility than. Than Mac does.
- [30:09]
Tom Fernelli
You can say something, Danny? No, I think that for. I think that for Russell. So Russell committed to Kaylin DeBoer before Kaylin DeBoer had coached a game. Right. Does that sound correct? Summer of 20 so Nick Saban retires. January of 24, Kaylin DeBoer gets hired. Summer of 2024, Keelan Russell commits to the Tide, plays his year. He's. I know Austin Mack is coming the. The reason I bring this up. I know Austin Mack is coming with that staff and has that relationship with that staff. But Keelan Russell committed to that staff. You know, like this is somebody that, that they sought out and that he wanted to be a part of. I think that. I think that like you said, Bud, Alabama's offense should be in a great situation. I mean there are starting quarterback that are decided that I would not take over whoever loses this battle. Yeah, it's a great.
- [31:10]
Chip Patterson
Completely agree. Like would you take the loser of this battle or Austin Simmons loser of this battle?
- [31:22]
Bud Elliott
I think I'd rather have Simmons than Mac.
- [31:26]
Chip Patterson
I think it depends. I mean but I think the fact that we're even discussing it shows how deep this room potentially is.
- [31:33]
Danny Cannell
If you know, Chip, you asked if we, if we find out who the winner is before week one, do you think the spring portal window, you know, no longer existing, do you think that changes or you think it'll always be coaches back of their mind? Let's just keep the opponents guessing. Let's keep our guys hungry.
- [31:49]
Tom Fernelli
I think it's the guys hungry. I think it's less gamesmanship because you don't have a ton of tape on either player.
- [31:55]
Danny Cannell
Right.
- [31:56]
Tom Fernelli
You know, hopefully you've improved your run game from where it was last season. So, yeah, I mean, there's a lot that, you know, could be potentially up in the air. I think it would come down to I guys, I think we got a lot of good work in. I want you to go into this summer working with the wide receivers, going through your individual drills, like preparing as though you're going to be QB1 and then, you know, almost in. I'm thinking about this because it's Alabama, but do you remember Alabama scrimmage reports? You know, you'd be hearing about like, oh, and this freshman hurts just like some real wheels on that guy. Or. Or then you'd get one that would be a total like red herring. Like, you know, Cooper Bateman might be a bigger player for this battle than a lot of people realize. You know, it's to. To be able to take it into spring. I think would give. Would give. Unless there is definitive separation. I think it makes them both better, especially for players of that caliber, to be able to carry it on into fall.
- [32:58]
Bud Elliott
Coaches are never going to come out and say it, but sometimes you can read between the lines by what they choose to say.
- [33:03]
Tom Fernelli
Sure.
- [33:04]
Bud Elliott
Quote from offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb from nick kelly@al.com here, this is all quote he said, who's the best guy on the field to take care of the football? First thing he says, take care of the football, getting it down the field, scoring touchdowns. Both of these guys are very capable leaders. I think it's pretty even. But certainly the guy that has the ease of being able to run that. And then he stops and says, especially with so many younger faces around him, they have to be able to make it around him. So feels like Ryan Grubb is stressing, taking care of the football. And I have a very young offense to me that screams Austin Mack.
- [33:36]
Chip Patterson
Yeah, right.
- [33:37]
Tom Fernelli
I mean, Austin Mack was the next one off the bench. You know, we spent the. We weren't really talking about Austin Mack as much as we were Keelan Russell before Ty Simpson was named the QB one going into last season. And yet Mac was the backup.
- [33:50]
Danny Cannell
So yeah, the other thing too, about how strong these two might be. I mean, Ty Simpson said he turned down other offers. He did not mention Bama having an offer, which I think is pretty interesting because they could have brought him back and now they might have said we're not going to pay anybody 6 million bucks or 5 million bucks, but room
- [34:09]
Tom Fernelli
be taking up, you know, like.
- [34:11]
Danny Cannell
Right. They could have. That could have been the mindset too. Is, hey, we love what you've done here, but we've got two pretty good ones we can get for cheaper.
- [34:17]
Bud Elliott
I don't know why Ty Simpson would have came back. Orlovsky said this morning. He's the best QB in the draft. And then somebody put mustard on a sandwich and Orlovsky ran for his life.
- [34:31]
Tom Fernelli
I yeah, never mind. That's neither, neither the time nor place. But it was like Thursday morning of the NCAA tournament first round and I'm hopping in the car to drive my kids to preschool and the national radio is like, and what are the Cowboys going to do in the draft? I am on a different, different world right now. That's let's keep it in the SEC with one of Alabama's oldest rivals, the Tennessee Volunteers, also after an unfavorable ruling for Joey Aguilar, are moving forward with their quarterback battle. The contenders include Ryan Staub of Martin Luther Staub Colorado fame. They include George McIntyre, who's been, you know, a very talented young addition to that room. A recruiting win at the time. And then Faison Brandon, one of the top quarterbacks in his class. They're all stepping in here, but I'll let you get first word on this one. What do you think the mentality is for Josh Hyp and the offensive staff as they're trying to go through and, and figure out which one of these players is going to emerge?
- [35:43]
Chip Patterson
Yeah, I think there is probably some pressure to have either Brandon or McIntyre start right if you end up starting Ryan style, which I, I haven't read anything to suggest that he's going to start. So I don't want to like put that out there. But just working through the process here that doesn't reflect well if it did happen on your player evaluation and spending and allocation of resources out of high school right now. We have seen this offense operate pretty well with like a Jag plus type guy. Okay. But at the same time like you do think it has a higher potential with somebody who's legitimately a superstar. You know Baylor looked different with Robert Griffin or than it did with give me random Baylor guy who never played in the league but like was was really good with, with the numbers.
- [36:38]
Bud Elliott
Seth,
- [36:41]
Tom Fernelli
you're not saying Bryce Petty, are
- [36:42]
Chip Patterson
you sure like a Bryce Petty or like like anybody who actually like you can operate this offense without being a freak. But I do think it has a higher ceiling if, if you have somebody who, who has like a big arm and some real wheels. Obviously Brandon can move pretty well. Both Brandon and McIntyre have big time arms So I would assume one of those two. It's probably a downgrade for me. If Stob is QB in this offense,
- [37:09]
Danny Cannell
I don't think it's stobbed. I mean, I think that was more
- [37:11]
Bud Elliott
of a depth play.
- [37:12]
Danny Cannell
I mean, even though he did say this is the first time he's ever received good coaching. You guys see that comment, how he said that? Yeah. He was like, I feel like I've actually gotten better. It was pretty bad. He didn't do that much. I know he had the one game he does not believe. I think this is kind of similar to the known versus the unknown. McIntyre, somebody who's at least played, he's been on the field like, you know, it's not going to fall apart. And Faison is the young, talented player. I think it's kind of similar.
- [37:44]
Bud Elliott
Yeah. I think if you look at the situation, Martin Luther Staub is the backup option because, you know, with McIntyre and with Donald, like, whoever loses this job might not plan on sticking around Knoxville much longer. So you kind of need Staub there to be a veteran backup for, you know, just in case something happens as the season goes along. I. I don't know who's going to win the job. But like Bud mentioned, like, this is not the most overly complicated system. That's not to say there aren't things that quarterbacks need to figure out and understand to operate it well. But a lot of it is if A, B, if BC so it's not out of line to think that a true freshman could come in and get early command of this offense and take the starting job, especially if he's got the arm. He's able to make all these throws. So I do think this one's kind of wide open. The only one who's not really an option is stop stops just there to be the backup.
- [38:37]
Danny Cannell
All right, so here's the quote. I got the quote for you from Ryan Staub just to make sure we got this right. He did say he wasn't throwing any shade on Colorado. He said things are more buttoned up here at Tennessee. But he said, in my three years of playing college football, I haven't had as much coaching as I've had in the last. In the first month that I've been here. So every time he pulls me to side after rep and talks about my feet or my base or the way my off arm was on the throw or whatever happened on the rep, I mean, it's cool. It's a lot of special coaching. I haven't been coached this much. And again, I'm just trying to learn as much as I can improve.
- [39:14]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah, it's good.
- [39:15]
Danny Cannell
I mean, that's, that's good. No shade to Colorado. Yeah, but you've been coached more in a month than your three years.
- [39:23]
Bud Elliott
That also tells me he's coaching while he was there.
- [39:26]
Tom Fernelli
That also maybe tells me that he hasn't been through the, the ringer of the the personalized private coaches.
- [39:31]
Danny Cannell
Right, Right.
- [39:32]
Bud Elliott
Correct.
- [39:32]
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
- [39:33]
Tom Fernelli
A lot of those things that he's talking about sound like the kind of things that get drilled with the, like the out at the park, the guy who's getting the private drills off to the side. You know, you got, you got to find a way to let the parents know why you're, why your money's worth it. So we got to correct all the tiny issues.
- [39:49]
Bud Elliott
Only thing he got coached out of Colorado is where to park Shador's car.
- [39:57]
Tom Fernelli
All right, coming up on the other side, we continue our conversation looking at some of the quarterback battles that will be unfolding between now and the start of the season, including those Nebraska Corn Huskers. With the spring game coming up, I Iowa's got like some very interesting options in terms of what the net future the Hawkeyes offense looks like. A whole new a whole new group of players over there at North Carolina and more nukes.
- [40:28]
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- [41:24]
Chip Patterson
Exclusions apply.
- [41:25]
Home Depot Advertiser
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- [41:30]
Tom Fernelli
back here on the COVID 3 podcast. This one's from the tailgate. It's a little bit off to the side, but kind of a fun break from just ripping through these teams. College football tradition. More than 30 minutes before we got going today, pulled up into his spot, backed in and decided to choose some violence. And I like it. He said, are there any starting quarterbacks out there who can lose their job this upcoming season? We are talking about the battles for unsettled quarterback jobs. Who. Who would you put on the watch list for presumed starter? Who could lose it?
- [42:11]
Bud Elliott
Man, that's a good question. Without. Tough to answer without really prepping.
- [42:16]
Chip Patterson
I don't think it'll be Calandria. Let me, let me look at our list here.
- [42:20]
Tom Fernelli
Is it Connor Wegman,
- [42:23]
Bud Elliott
maybe? Because who'd Houston bring in?
- [42:25]
Chip Patterson
Yeah, Sean Henderson.
- [42:27]
Bud Elliott
Yeah, that's a good answer, Chip.
- [42:34]
Chip Patterson
Yeah, I could see Wegman.
- [42:36]
Danny Cannell
We're to. Clemson is not Vezina. Right. Like, that's not a lot I've got. Right. That's a battle. So that doesn't count.
- [42:42]
Tom Fernelli
Battle. Yeah.
- [42:43]
Chip Patterson
So it's almost like fighting Vizina for this.
- [42:47]
Tom Fernelli
So on my notepad, I've got Clemson as Chris Denson and Tate Reynolds.
- [42:53]
Danny Cannell
Tate Reynolds is a five star, right? Or highly recruited.
- [42:57]
Chip Patterson
All right, so Tate Reynolds, like, looks like Tim Tebow physically lower body, right? Like good runner. I do not think he's real polished as a thrower based on the last time I had live exposure to him, which was the elite 11, like 10 months ago. If Tate Reynolds wins that job,
- [43:23]
Bud Elliott
either
- [43:23]
Chip Patterson
he has taken an enormous leap or Clemson's in big trouble. One of the two. But they would also, I think probably run him like a lot more than they would run the Xena. I kind of thought he was more of a long term upside play.
- [43:41]
Danny Cannell
What about. Is DJ Lagway a starter?
- [43:45]
Bud Elliott
Yes, I would imagine so.
- [43:48]
Danny Cannell
I would think so too, but I'm just following the. Hey, he was overrated. It didn't work out like. And he's just still getting another chance. But I hope it works out for him. But I'm just not sold yet.
- [43:59]
Tom Fernelli
Based on what we've seen, Danny does not have the.
- [44:02]
Danny Cannell
He's gonna have less talent around him than he had at Florida. Now, granted, the competition will be a little bit easier, but I'm not sold.
- [44:08]
Tom Fernelli
Danny does not have the Baylor player to be named. You were just calling it was calling it on Lagway. This one just might not be it.
- [44:16]
Bud Elliott
All right, hold on. Here's. Here's a possible one. Yeah, like Northwestern brought in Aiden Childs this off season to be their starter. Who's the kid they just brought in this weekend? What's his name? From West. From West Virginia. No, not Scotty Fox, Nico Marchiel.
- [44:33]
Chip Patterson
Oh yeah.
- [44:35]
Bud Elliott
So I mean you went out and you got Childs and then after spring opens you go get another quarterback. Maybe Chip Kelly's like I kind of want to look at a different option here.
- [44:48]
Tom Fernelli
That's. Listen, Aiden Chiles will give a coach lots of reasons to consider what an offense might look like without Aiden Childs making the decisions.
- [44:59]
Chip Patterson
And you know that Nico offers a pretty high floor due to the legs. Yep. I think Dante Moore is safe. I'm just going through the stuff here in the chat.
- [45:10]
Danny Cannell
Bryce Underwood, he.
- [45:13]
Chip Patterson
He was. He was just named a captain for his work in the off season. So I think work in the off
- [45:19]
Danny Cannell
season is different than playing football in the fall.
- [45:22]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah, but he was good enough. Hey he was good enough to at least build on that.
- [45:27]
Chip Patterson
I mean Chip Lindsay offense under Sharon Moore, which was somewhat distracting. I. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt
- [45:39]
Danny Cannell
of who could possibly. There's not many that we don't see now.
- [45:43]
Tom Fernelli
Well and because if there's.
- [45:44]
Chip Patterson
Ryan says sourceview when Hammond comes back.
- [45:46]
Tom Fernelli
So you're. You're open it Hammond coming back but Hammond is.
- [45:50]
Chip Patterson
Is Hammond out for spring or just limited. I. I have in my sheet as. As red.
- [45:54]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah. Because you've got almost. You've got no reason to rush him back. I did. I thought that he might not even be 100 for the start of the season.
- [46:04]
Danny Cannell
So I thought there's something to this too that we see happen in the NFL and it's happening more in college football. Well, you get a long leash for how bad you can play. If you're getting paid four or five, six million bucks, you know, like you're gonna get every opportunity. And the other aspect to this is if you have a four or five or six million dollar quarterback, the chances of you having somebody really legit behind you limb too. So like kind of all has to, you know, fall in line perfectly. Like we saw last year with Ole Miss which we would have never said Austin Simmons, even though we didn't know he was starting, none of us would have said oh you know, if he struggles, Trinidad Chamberlain yeah for is going to take his job. So it's really hard to predict but it's almost like gonna happen somewhere.
- [46:53]
Chip Patterson
I could see Florida State
- [46:57]
Danny Cannell
battle though.
- [46:59]
Tom Fernelli
I thought it's not a battle. I thought Ashton Daniels is the QB one. But a lack of confidence in Ashton Daniels is leaving the door open that one of those other quarterbacks could end up being the starter.
- [47:08]
Chip Patterson
The. The messaging so far as reported on those 247 is very much like Daniels. They expect to be the guy.
- [47:16]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah.
- [47:19]
Bud Elliott
What about Virginia? I mean, Chandler Morris was sad. He might get another year. I don't know if you guys saw that story.
- [47:27]
Tom Fernelli
I've actually got Virginia on here. I know that Eli Holstein is not a fan of the COVID 3 podcast, unlike many others who are fans of the COVID 3 podcast. Our relationship with him goes back a couple years now. But I, I would say that Bo Prabula and Eli Holstein are in a quarterback battle at Virginia.
- [47:45]
Chip Patterson
I mean, yeah, probably, you know, I
- [47:50]
Tom Fernelli
would pick Prabula nine times out of 10, but yeah, I don't know if
- [47:55]
Bud Elliott
I'd go nine times out of 10.
- [47:57]
Chip Patterson
Did you see it also depends on like what they're going to run. They actually ran more. Well, they didn't design run Morris a lot last year, but he was a really good scrambler. Bogan. Bo can run a pretty good bit. So, I mean, I guess in theory Holstein could also run some. Speaking of running, did you see what Rules said about Nebraska?
- [48:18]
Tom Fernelli
So that. That's great, great, great transition here. Tell me.
- [48:22]
Chip Patterson
He said that he has never had a quarterback as mobile as Anthony Calandria. And I was like, didn't you have P.J. walker at Temple?
- [48:32]
Bud Elliott
P.J. is not Anthony Calandry. P.J. can never be the Whoopsie Daisy King
- [48:37]
Tom Fernelli
in the the additionally, which I guess I'm only going to put as like more confidence in the Whoopsie Daisy King is that he's had to build offenses without the downfield pass as an option, you know.
- [48:51]
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
- [48:51]
Tom Fernelli
I mean, multiple quarterbacks. I mean, when he had Jeff Sims and Arberg as his two quarterbacks that we were going through, I mean, there was just, just not a lot of spreading it out and chucking it around. So for he's had to rely on the quarterback run as a functional part of the offense. That's. That's high praise for Calandria. So I guess if he's saying that, does that mean TJ Lateef. We're not going to give him much of a shot. Daniel Kalin good. Daniel Kalin's good depth piece. I was wondering if Lateef was going to have a shot here.
- [49:21]
Bud Elliott
I wouldn't rule Latif out. I know that staff is high on him.
- [49:24]
Danny Cannell
Yeah.
- [49:25]
Bud Elliott
And they got, you know, he was able to get some playing time obviously at the end of last season, but I, I do think Calandry is your heavy favorite to be the starter simply because they did go out and get him for a reason. Because I think they'd still like Latif to bake in the oven for another year before they're really ready to throw him in as a starter every week. But I, I think what, what, you know, what Matt said kind of goes along with what I said on here a few weeks ago, and I caught some heat from Nebraska fans for it. Like, I'm not saying Anthony's a more talented player than Dylan Raiola, but I think he's a better fit for what Nebraska is trying to do on offense than Dylan Raiola was because Dylan Rayola is the statue in the pocket.
- [50:02]
Chip Patterson
So who was Nebraska's first choice? Because I know it was not Calandria.
- [50:08]
Bud Elliott
It was mentioned.
- [50:09]
Chip Patterson
They thought they had. They thought they had some. Yes, correct. So, I mean, I guess I think Calandra is pretty manageable though. Although seeing him back at the P5 is different and the Big Ten is pretty good defenses, obviously. Yeah, I guess. I guess I could see that. Look, Florida, who I'm very high on, we. We don't know. Philo is going to kill it, right? Like, I think he's a better quarterback than the backup, but I don't know that. I think that.
- [50:40]
Tom Fernelli
I was gonna say Tramell Jones, Aaron Philo.
- [50:43]
Chip Patterson
Like, I. Yeah, like, Tramell's not bad, right? He's not an athlete, though.
- [50:49]
Tom Fernelli
But he's got to play a little bit. He's like, ways injury issues. So we had. We do have some body of work. And Philo played more two years ago than he did last year because Haynes King was doing this Iron man thing where he was pissing blood and not coming off the field. So, you know, I. I feel like I've got very, very small sample sizes for both of them. And the Buster Faulkner connection is a reason why I lean Philo. But I don't know if y' all have heard anything on Jones or. Or what that could end up looking like in Gainesville.
- [51:17]
Danny Cannell
I can guarantee you that John Sumrall is going to make this thing a competition, though. There ain't gonna be nothing handed out for free. Just because you signed, you know, from another school and you have your coordinator, he's going to let him battle it out, which is good.
- [51:30]
Chip Patterson
It also, like, how much do you want to run the qb? Because Tramell is not really an athlete. He's like a undersized pocket passer. And they have real weapons. I mean, they went out and got Singleton, obviously. They have Dallas Wilson. They have some guys who really have some ability there. So I would guess they wouldn't run the quarterback that much. They. They paid up to retain Jaden Baugh. Like, that's. That's one of the very best skill position groups in the SEC and the country. I think Dallas Wilson stays healthy at all. We already know what singleton is. BA is what's bought like a top. Top three running back in the SEC.
- [52:12]
Bud Elliott
Yes. Yeah. It is March 23rd, and I can already tell you that I will be stupidly high on the Gators by the time week one rolls around.
- [52:20]
Chip Patterson
Ye skill position groups. Would you take over Florida right now? Because, look, obviously there's injury concerns like crazy with some of these guys.
- [52:28]
Bud Elliott
I mean, in the SEC or just
- [52:30]
Chip Patterson
in generally, I guess, nationally. Like, I would take Ohio State.
- [52:33]
Bud Elliott
Ohio State, Texas.
- [52:36]
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
- [52:38]
Bud Elliott
Then, I mean, that's when you start like Oregon. We've got some unanswered questions there. You know, they've got some guys to
- [52:44]
Tom Fernelli
replace Stuart and more if Stuart. If you tell me Stuart and Moore. Oh, and the running backs are all healthy at the same time. I'll take Oregon.
- [52:56]
Bud Elliott
I think Indiana's in the conversation with what they've done in the portal and what they have at running back. I just think they're there. But no, no. Florida's definitely. They're like. They're top 10 at worst as far as skill players are concerned.
- [53:09]
Chip Patterson
That's what I've been like. I've been going through these spreadsheets and prepping for summer school recordings coming up. Like. Like they could be pretty good. It's gonna be annoying.
- [53:19]
Tom Fernelli
Hey, don't worry. I've got you on record. Florida will be the favorite in 10 games this season.
- [53:25]
Chip Patterson
I. I do think they will.
- [53:26]
Danny Cannell
Yeah.
- [53:27]
Chip Patterson
That's a listen right now when the injuries happening.
- [53:30]
Tom Fernelli
All right. What about.
- [53:31]
Chip Patterson
Oh, Miami's an interesting one.
- [53:33]
Tom Fernelli
No, it's not.
- [53:34]
Chip Patterson
From the chat. Well, for the skill position stuff.
- [53:36]
Tom Fernelli
Oh. Oh, yes. Yeah. I was gonna say for a quarterback.
- [53:38]
Chip Patterson
Sorry. Let's stick on quarterbacks. They are not interesting.
- [53:41]
Bud Elliott
For quarterback is Darian Mensah.
- [53:46]
Tom Fernelli
I. I say this with respect for Darian Mensah and an acknowledgment of the situation that Miami would have been in if they had not been able to land him. The distance between QB1 and QB2 might be as far apart as anywhere in the ACC.
- [54:03]
Danny Cannell
Yeah.
- [54:04]
Chip Patterson
Yes. PIT whose pits Back up behind Heinzel.
- [54:09]
Tom Fernelli
Heinzel.
- [54:10]
Chip Patterson
Yeah,
- [54:13]
Tom Fernelli
I said.
- [54:13]
Chip Patterson
Right.
- [54:14]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah, exactly. Hey, Tom, we're gonna keep it moving with the Tim Lester offense now. Jeremy Hecklinski transferred in last season. I think so. He's been there for a year. Hank Brown coming in from Iowa. Interesting. I Think you even said here on this podcast like you kind of made reference to. To it. You're like kind of an interesting off season for the Iowa Hawkeyes, especially for the Iowa offense. How would you. What's. What's. What's the things you're looking for? How do you compare these quarterbacks in the battle who's.
- [54:48]
Bud Elliott
Who's. Who runs the option offense better between the two this spring will end up winning the starting job because that's all Iowa's quarterback was last year. He was. I don't know. And this is. It's Iowa and we're talking about a basketball school right now. So I don't know how concerned the fans are, but you look at the situation. Klinsky transferred in from Wake. Hank Brown transferred in from Auburn. They have the freshman kid Basinger. Although nobody expects that he's actually in the running to start this year. I just. It's a situation where you're not being asked a whole hell of a lot. And it's the Iowa quarterback situation. So whoever ends up winning, I think we all know exactly what it's going to look like. We're all very familiar with it. We're not going to fall for the Granowski stuff like Danny did last off season. Pronouncing Granowski is the greatest QB of all time, probably a future hall of Famer, but just it's. It's going to be a workman like qb. He's going to be there. He's going to hand off. He's going to throw off play action over the middle 510 yards at a time. And we're going to see what happens. Damn it.
- [55:48]
Tom Fernelli
I. I don't have a good beat on this one.
- [55:50]
Bud Elliott
No.
- [55:51]
Tom Fernelli
Okay, good.
- [55:52]
Danny Cannell
But I think the assessment is pretty accurate.
- [55:54]
Chip Patterson
Yes. Yeah.
- [55:56]
Danny Cannell
What they're looking for in the job
- [55:58]
Chip Patterson
description is like, I assume kind holes is the starter at Louisville.
- [56:03]
Tom Fernelli
You mentioned that. I thought. I don't have a good.
- [56:06]
Chip Patterson
Like we just haven't seen a lot of him. Like they're putting a lot of eggs in the Lincoln kind holes basket.
- [56:11]
Tom Fernelli
But he's. He being Jeff Brahm, who I know Jeff's a huge fan of the COVID for three podcasts. Hope you're doing well. He has made me a believer in quarterbacks I did not believe in before.
- [56:26]
Danny Cannell
Agreed.
- [56:27]
Chip Patterson
I'm not saying I don't believe in kind holes. I just don't know what to think because we haven't seen him play fair.
- [56:32]
Tom Fernelli
100 but one of those ones too.
- [56:34]
Danny Cannell
We've seen a couple of these guys that were in quarterback battles that lost out. Somebody who was really, really good. He could be really high level. I mean, he was recruited to Ohio State, you know, I mean, that's, that's somebody who has a pretty good eye for talent. So you gotta feel like the, the skill set should be there and that. And then to your point, Chip, like, I feel like you trust Braum to get the most out of them.
- [56:56]
Tom Fernelli
Jack Plummer. I mean, I know Tyler sucks in the NFL net right now, but I did not see, I, I didn't see it all coming together before he was there at Louisville in the way that it did. Moss is the obvious curveball here. I,
- [57:15]
Bud Elliott
I think it's going to be Keen Holtz. I just, I'm reading the name, I'm looking at Louisville's current roster on their website, at their quarterbacks, and it's just some wonderful names, wonderful names. You got, you got Lincoln, obviously, King Holtz there is the projected starter. But then you got a backup named Briggs. Cherry, you've got another guy in there named Devin Widner.
- [57:33]
Chip Patterson
Just.
- [57:33]
Bud Elliott
These are, these are incredible. Like Louisville, Jeff Brahm, QB names.
- [57:39]
Chip Patterson
So Cherry is, I think he's a fresh virgin.
- [57:43]
Bud Elliott
He's a freshman.
- [57:44]
Chip Patterson
But, but he is, he is like older. Like a lot older.
- [57:48]
Tom Fernelli
Oh, okay.
- [57:49]
Chip Patterson
For the, for the grade level. Like, like, I don't know. So you have a situation now where some of these guys were, let's call them holdbacks, right? Like, you know, some kind. Like, like if you have like a June or July birthday, I, I get why some of the parents do it. You don't necessarily want your, your kid being. You're not turning 18 until the summer after he graduates high school. But there are some kids who have like a regular birthday. Like they're turning, they would normally turn 18, like September or October of their senior season, right? They were held back. Like, maybe they start kindergarten a year later, do like a transitional year, whatever. And in some states, they didn't have school during COVID So you're getting guys who are like 20 on prom night. So we are seeing this kind of weird thing that we're going to have in the system for the next. Like we're not going to have these guys who are 25 because they had seven years of college football, probably. But you are going to have guys who are like 25 because they didn't graduate high school until they were 20, because some places just didn't have school during COVID
- [58:50]
Tom Fernelli
Nick in the tailgate brought one up. I wanted to make sure we hit before we get out of here. Does Gronkermeyer have competition at Virginia Tech? Virginia Tech under James Franklin? Yes. You do. He. Gronker Meyer is one of many, many, many former Penn State players and coaches that will be suiting up for the Hokies in Blacksburg. But they did decide to go out and bring in Bryce Baker from North Carolina. Bryce did not get a lot of playing time for Bill Belichick. He was initially a commit for Mack Brown, he was a highly rated commit. But I don't know if you can, like, speak more on what he was as a player coming in, but we have seen Gronkemeier, we have not seen Bryce Baker. Do you think that there's some. A real push there for year one of James Franklin for QB one?
- [59:37]
Chip Patterson
So he missed, like. So Baker was a kid we were super high on because he started playing well at the end of his junior season, right? Went to elite 11. We're like, oh, this guy's like, like, like the ups, like, the consistency, not really, but the upside. Flashes are there with your kids who are in, like, the top 10 of the QP position, Right. And then we're like, man, like, he's mature. Seems like a good head on his shoulders. Military, very family. Like, just a kid who's not a knucklehead, right? He's like, okay, I can see this guy taking it seriously. Like, all the elite 11 coaches love that. He was, like, serious with his prep out there. And I think he tore his acl, right? Or mcl. He tore something either right before or very early in his senior season. So he didn't play last year. For, for you talking about.
- [60:26]
Tom Fernelli
Are you mixing up with Travis Burgess, right?
- [60:29]
Chip Patterson
Yes, I am.
- [60:30]
Tom Fernelli
Travis Burgess.
- [60:30]
Chip Patterson
Oh, no. Excuse me, Baker. I didn't love the throwing. I, I, Yeah, I. That felt like a long ways off to me. Baker, like, pretty athletic kid, but the throwing, I was not real high on. Sorry about that. Yes. But for some reason, I was thinking Burgess, I was like, wait, that's a great gift.
- [60:52]
Bud Elliott
Right?
- [60:52]
Tom Fernelli
Right. Yeah. Travis Burgess is still. You're correct about. Yeah, I'm saying he's still in his high school season. Things were buzzing. He is, he is still. He is still at North Carolina. He is a part of that quarterback room, though. I would say that for North Carolina. You go get Billy Edwards from Wisconsin. You get. Go get Miles o' Neal from Texas A and M. You go get Dickens. Is that Western Carolina? Right? Is it Tehran or Taran? I don't, I don't have it.
- [61:21]
Chip Patterson
I don't Know how to pronounce it. He had crazy numbers.
- [61:23]
Tom Fernelli
Right. So I think that like wherever Burgess is on his development and health recovery and all those things, I would say all of the actions of the North Carolina staff indicate that there is a battle there, but that maybe it's got to be one of those other new faces who go in there. What about for Grunkemeyer? You think Gronkemayer can be successful? Is that a good. Danny, Is that. Is that.
- [61:45]
Danny Cannell
I think so, yeah. Dusty turned me up because Dusty called their bowl game against Clemson. He's like, man, he's like, go. So I went back and watched and he finished strong. He was kind of thrown to the fire a little bit early when, you know, he didn't know he was going to be playing. But he finished out the year really strong. He has some really good tape. Make good decision with the football. I think he's going to. I think he's going to do really well.
- [62:05]
Bud Elliott
I thought at times Grunkmeyer looked better than Antler.
- [62:07]
Danny Cannell
Exactly. That's what I was going to say too.
- [62:11]
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
- [62:12]
Tom Fernelli
So Gronker Meyer, you thinks got this one?
- [62:14]
Danny Cannell
Yeah, yeah, I think so.
- [62:17]
Tom Fernelli
Open floor, just a couple minutes left. What other jobs or battles stand out to you as ones you're. You're going to be checking in on?
- [62:26]
Chip Patterson
Arkansas is a three way. Yeah.
- [62:29]
Tom Fernelli
Okay. I only had it as KJ Jackson and AJ Hill. KJ obviously was there last year. AJ Hill comes over with Ryan Silverfield from Memphis. Who's my mystery competitor that I don't have?
- [62:40]
Danny Cannell
It is Hank Hendrix. K.J. jackson, A.J.
- [62:43]
Tom Fernelli
hill, Hank Hendricks.
- [62:46]
Chip Patterson
Yes.
- [62:46]
Danny Cannell
Okay.
- [62:47]
Chip Patterson
No. Isn't it Braden Fuller?
- [62:51]
Danny Cannell
Maybe we got four.
- [62:53]
Tom Fernelli
An Arkansas three way is a hand in poker or something else that's not available.
- [62:58]
Bud Elliott
Stop saying Arkansas three way or Bobby Petrino is going to hop on his bike and start heading back to town.
- [63:07]
Tom Fernelli
It's a poker hand. That's what I heard.
- [63:12]
Bud Elliott
Yeah.
- [63:12]
Chip Patterson
He was from Angelo State.
- [63:15]
Tom Fernelli
Okay.
- [63:16]
Chip Patterson
Where do you guys think Angelo State is?
- [63:19]
Tom Fernelli
Los Angeles?
- [63:20]
Chip Patterson
Jersey?
- [63:20]
Bud Elliott
Boardwalk?
- [63:22]
Chip Patterson
I'm guessing it. I'm guessing it's Texas
- [63:26]
Tom Fernelli
gtl. Let's go.
- [63:28]
Chip Patterson
Somebody in the chat will know. I, I know most of like your places but like.
- [63:33]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah, I, but I don't have a, a great beat on that one. Okay. Shoe. It's. I tell you what, the, the post Darian Mensa exit has left Duke in a different, different position. Walker Eget from San Jose State. Okay.
- [63:56]
Chip Patterson
Do we know what's gonna happen at Cincy? Do you guys have a good feel for that one?
- [63:59]
Tom Fernelli
I. Thank you. For bringing that up. J.C. french right in that. George Southern, J.C. french, Sephora. Yeah, I should stand up for my fellow suffixes. Liam o' Brien transferring from Penn is the other one that I've got there. But JC French can be fun, you know.
- [64:14]
Chip Patterson
Yes.
- [64:14]
Danny Cannell
I was 36 games at Georgia Southern. Played a lot.
- [64:17]
Chip Patterson
Yeah, he had some great games and then he also had some games where he threw like four or five picks. But also I thought Cincinnati did a great job managing Sorsby back when he was kind of wild with it, you know, so maybe they'll do a good job with that.
- [64:34]
Tom Fernelli
I think Cincinnati is a great shout right there. It's one of those quarterbacks where I'm thankful I'm not a fan of the team, but I'm very much looking forward to watching those games in the middle of the day on Saturday, you know, just throwing the JC French experience over there in, in one corner of the quad box.
- [64:51]
Bud Elliott
Can we just get like a no context quote card? Chip Patterson on Cincinnati football. I'm grateful. I'm not a fan of the team.
- [64:59]
Tom Fernelli
Hey, we did. Listen, I, I appreciate Danny. You had some good fact check in there. We are about to be clipping season. You know, like, you know, we, we slip up with something. This is, this is about the time where we could really get burned on it. So I appreciate you. You doing that research and adding our in show context so we can be able to have that one. Air Nolan. There's a name. He's going to be part of the battle at Memphis for Charles Huff's first season with the Tigers. Marcus Stokes. Y' all remember the Marcus Stokes story?
- [65:29]
Chip Patterson
Yeah.
- [65:31]
Tom Fernelli
He was a Florida commit and then a viral video of him singing some rap lyrics.
- [65:39]
Danny Cannell
Oh, it's the white kid led to it being cold.
- [65:43]
Tom Fernelli
He went to West Florida where he
- [65:45]
Danny Cannell
absolutely throw it all over. Don't they?
- [65:48]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah.
- [65:49]
Bud Elliott
Yes.
- [65:50]
Tom Fernelli
So he's nice. It is, it is a story of another chance at big time college football as. As Memphis is. Oh, I mean Charles Huff I think was a good hire and Memphis is always going to be a threat to be able to win the American and contend among those G6 teams. So that's a, that's a name. That's a story that's out there as well. Michael Hawkins we've mentioned is at West Virginia that marriage of rich rod and a quarterback who might fit the system. But Scotty Fox, the wily quarterback who, you know, had some ups and downs, another fun one in the Big 12, that's another one to keep an eye on. All Right. Any others before we get out of here?
- [66:29]
Chip Patterson
Isaac Wilson threw a touchdown for Colorado, 80 yarder in a scrimmage. So I would assume JuJu Lewis there,
- [66:36]
Danny Cannell
but it might all play if, if
- [66:40]
Chip Patterson
Isaac Wilson is your starter, I would like to just say I'm out on Colorado. All right. Wasn't really in love with him at Utah.
- [66:49]
Tom Fernelli
Predicting the Big 12 is a lot easier if you can throw a couple teams to the bottom of your pile and push at least one other up to the Texas Tech sort of top pile. And then, you know, we all, we all know that in the middle it'll just be a couple of pick sixes and fumble return touchdowns that end up deciding the standings between three and six and five and four teams.
- [67:13]
Chip Patterson
The one guy I don't know anything about is this, is this kid at BC. I think his name is McKenzie. Have you guys looked at him at all yet?
- [67:19]
Tom Fernelli
I have. I've got no read on it. Only because I did a Boston College spring practice prep piece which I, I would recommend to anybody. You know, just.
- [67:31]
Danny Cannell
Yeah, just like reading for spring break.
- [67:33]
Tom Fernelli
Yeah. Little light reading just for the beach when you're out, when you're at spring break. You know, the little Boston College spring preparation. But I wasn't, but I wasn't floored to the point where I was going to change my opinion on their general standing. Anything else? All right, if you've got questions about a quarterback battle, of course, please get them in so that we can circle back and talk about it on Thursday's mailbag episode. But on Wednesday, we'll be getting back into our if Vegas Was Right series, taking a look at the win totals that have been posted and looking at what it says about the teams and what it says about each of the pressure and the expectations that are on some of these teams going into the season. We did Big Ten last week. We'll do SEC on Wednesday. Come and hang out 11am Eastern Time. And you can follow him on Twitter at Tom Fornell. You can follow him@bud elliot3. You can follow him at Danny Canal. Follow me at Chip Underscore Patterson. Gentlemen, thank you very much.
- [68:33]
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- [68:34]
Danny Cannell
See ya.
- [68:36]
Bud Elliott
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Tom Fernelli
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Tom Fernelli
I thought you were a clone. Well, clones aren't real, dummy.
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Chip Patterson
And time machines are super grounded in reality.
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Bud Elliott
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