Cover 3 College Football Podcast

Episode: Where Arch Manning, Dante Moore and CJ Carr Rank Among Top 10 Returning Starters for 2026

Date: February 25, 2026
Hosts: Chip Patterson, Tom Fornelli, Danny Kanell

Brief Overview

This episode of the Cover 3 College Football Podcast dives deep into the highly anticipated 2026 college football season, focusing on a comprehensive ranking and spirited debate around the top 10 returning starting quarterbacks. The hosts analyze standout quarterbacks like Arch Manning, Dante Moore, and CJ Carr, along with notable risers, critical projections, and the evolving quarterback landscape. Additionally, the episode features lively discussions about eligibility battles, "coach's sons" narratives, recruiting service controversies, and the ever-buzzing college football rumor mill.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Chandler Morris’ 7th Year Eligibility Lawsuit

• Summary: A conversation about TCU’s Chandler Morris, who is seeking a seventh year of eligibility in Virginia courts, sparking a debate over whether this is appropriate or detrimental to younger athletes waiting for their chance.
  • Danny (02:35): “Get a job. 35 starts in college football, six years, multiple power conference schools... you’ve had your chance. It’s time to move on.”
  • Tom (03:55): “I’m actively rooting for him to get rejected. And it’s nothing personal, but... there’s got to be a cutoff at some point.”
• Insights: The hosts broadly agree that Morris’ attempt stretches the intent of NCAA eligibility rules and could block opportunities for younger players.
• Notable Quote:
  • Danny (02:43): “Somebody’s got to be the bad guy. Actually, like, over the course of history, the NCAA has gotten crushed. Actually, this is one where I’m okay with them being the bad guy... you would be taking a spot from one of those.”

2. Quarterback 'Coach's Son' Pipeline & Big Brand Bias

• NC State's Gunner Rivers
  • Discussion: The hypothetical scenario of former NC State legend Philip Rivers becoming head coach to oversee son Gunner, now a 3-star recruit at NC State. The hosts joke about a forever ‘Rivers dynasty’ at the QB position in Raleigh.
  • Tom (11:10): “You have quarterback stability for like the next 20 years because he’s got like 45 sons, so you know who your quarterback is already.”
• Recruiting Service Conspiracies
  • Speculation and humor around Gunner Rivers’ star rating dropping after his commitment:
  • Danny (13:45): "Because he didn’t go to Alabama, right?"
  • Tom (14:25): "You kind of do have to rely on what the teams and the coaching staffs think of these players... That’s the reason why, like 247 had the consensus rankings to begin with."
• Insight: The recruiting industry heavily leans on coaching evaluations, causing justified criticism and conspiracy theories among fans.

3. The Coaching Award Show Barbs: Offseason Coach Banter

• Takeaway: Celebration of the feuding, playful atmosphere at a recent offseason awards ceremony, where usually stoic coaches Mario Cristobal and Kirby Smart exchanged roast-like zingers.
  • Danny (18:01): “For them to go off in front of each other... That was one of the best things I’ve seen this offseason.”
  • Chip (19:10): On coaches' camaraderie: “They all have the same agents and they’re all making a ton of money. They’re all just as friendly as everybody else.”

4. Top 10 Returning Quarterbacks: Lists, Debates & Methodologies

Danny Kanell’s Top 10 [23:44]

1. Arch Manning (Texas)
2. Julian Sayin (Ohio State)
3. Darian Mensah (Miami)
4. Dante Moore (Oregon)
5. CJ Carr (Notre Dame)
6. Josh Hoover (Indiana)
7. Jaden Maiava (USC)
8. Brendan Sorsby (Texas Tech)
9. Sam Leavitt
10. Trinidad Chambliss

• Danny (23:44): “I have a new appreciation for AP voters... there were some tough ones that I left out.”
• Method: Ranks based on both talent and expected performance; shows confidence in Arch Manning’s recent growth.

Tom Fornelli’s Top 10 [25:25]

1. CJ Carr (Notre Dame)
2. Dante Moore (Oregon)
3. Arch Manning (Texas)
4. Julian Sayin (Ohio State)
5. Darian Mensah (Miami)
6. Brendan Sorsby (Texas Tech)
7. Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss)
8. Jaden Maiava (USC)
9. Josh Hoover (Indiana)
10. Gunner Stockton

• Tom (25:25): “I was mostly going with, of the returning starters, who do I trust the most?”
• Insight: Considers performance consistency most critical; places Carr’s poise and upside at the top.

Chip Patterson’s Top 10 [26:03]

1. Dante Moore (Oregon)
2. Arch Manning (Texas)
3. CJ Carr (Notre Dame)
4. Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss)
5. Darian Mensah (Miami)
6. Julian Sayin (Ohio State)
7. Demond Williams
8. Bryce Underwood
9. Brendan Sorsby (Texas Tech)
10. Sam Leavitt

• Chip (30:07): On Bryce Underwood: “That's… a big step forward that is factored in by a coaching upgrade on the offensive staff... If I show you his 10 best plays, you say I see it. If I show you every single snap, you’re like, wow, that’s a freshman.”

Consensus:

• Arch Manning, Dante Moore, CJ Carr, Julian Sayin, and Darian Mensah appear as top tier across all lists.
• Debate centers on the weight of projection versus proven performance, as well as which supporting situations and coaching staffs elevate QB play.

5. Notable Quotes, Arguments, and Side Debates

• On Returning QB Depth (Tom, 31:53): “There’s a lot of good quarterbacks coming back this year... it’s pretty much the entire opposite of what last year was.”
• On the value of potential vs. proof:
  • Chip (30:05): “If we’re going to apply all this context to an Arch Manning... Demond Williams went up against a Big Ten schedule... he was one of the best players on the field.”
  • Tom (37:08): “My rating that I’ve been working on... last year Maiava finished fourth in the nation. Like he’s a very productive, very good player. He gets a little turnover prone, but... I’m confident Lincoln Riley and USC will find replacements at receiver.”
• On evaluating fringe QBs:
  • Tom (47:18): “Read was in contention, but I kind of removed him because of the [Collin] Klein and the Concepcion questions... I don’t know if more of the load is going to be put on his shoulders next year, and I don’t know if that’s good.”
• On the future Alabama QB battle (Chip, 49:30): “Whoever ends up winning the Alabama job, I would say is probably a first year starter.”
• On DJ Lagway’s transfer value:
  • Tom (50:10): “DJ went from being the starting quarterback at Florida, a highly ranked, highly touted recruit to he’s at Baylor now. Like the market is usually right.”

6. Disagreements & Tiers at the Top

• Debate over Chambliss and Sayin
  • Tom (55:23): “A lot of what Trinidad does does not strike me as repeatable... His ceiling is very high, but in terms of consistency and reliability, I think I would have Sayin comfortably ahead.”
  • Chip (56:42): “It's going to be fascinating... I've recency bias—that, hey, Chambliss—and Sayin is a flaw in my top 10 that I put together today.”
• On Josh Hoover's Ranking
  • Chip (56:53): “I am not ready to anoint Hoover as being the next Fernando. That’s the corner I’m standing on right now.”
• On the Top Tier
  • Danny (53:18): “I think the top five [QBs]—I feel really good about... the rest, new situations, new coaching staff, but those five I trust.”
  • Chip (54:08): “For me, it was top three... more, Manning, and Carr would be the first three names I’d want on a Monstars depth chart.”

7. Rapid-Fire Names and “Just Missed” QBs

• Gunner Stockton, Drew Messmaker, Demond Williams, Bryce Underwood, Kevin Jennings, John Mateer, CJ Bailey, Marcel Reed, and others debated as possible top-15 or top-20 options pending coaching changes or improvement.
• DJ Lagway, Philo, Keelon Russell, and Austin Mack all recognized as talented first-year starters to watch.

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Chandler Morris eligibility/legal saga: 01:30 – 08:36
• Gunner Rivers/Phil Rivers coach-son speculation & recruiting service debate: 09:47 – 16:11
• Coaching awards roast/coach banter: 16:48 – 20:41
• Top 10 returning QBs – list reveal and explanations: 23:12 – 32:28
• Debates over methodology, projections, sleeper QBs: 32:28 – 43:40
• Wide-ranging “just missed” quarterback chatter: 44:15 – 49:15
• Top-tier QBs/tier debates, final thoughts: 51:35 – End

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Tom sums up the recruiting paradox (14:25): “You can’t scout every single damn high school player in the country. So you kind of do have to rely on what the teams and the coaching staffs think.”
• Danny on QB longevity (11:10): “He’s got grandkids already. You got future... why not 30, 40 years?”
• Chip on QB projection versus snapshot stats (30:07): "If I Show you [Bryce Underwood’s] 10 best plays, you say I see it. If I show you every single snap, you’re like, wow, that’s a freshman."
• On college football's shifting landscape (31:53):
  • Tom: “There are a lot of guys who I didn’t have in my top 10 that I was very strongly considering putting in the top 10... We’re in a pretty good spot for quarterbacks next year.”

Conclusion

This episode masterfully balances data-driven analysis with spirited, humorous debate, offering a robust look at quarterback hierarchies, the complexities of modern college football eligibility, and the unpredictable nature of recruiting and development. If you’re prepping for the 2026 season, looking for reasons to hype your team’s quarterback, or just enjoy inside jokes about the college football galaxy, this is essential listening (or reading).

Next Episode: NFL Combine preview, Thursday 11am ET