← See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack
See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack
Big 12 Previews: Kansas State | Texas Tech | Utah | Kansas | Colorado | Cincinnati | WVU | Arizona
00:42:43
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- [00:00]
David Pollack
What's up everybody? David Pollack here of C Ball Get Ball podcast. I hope you like it man. Be sure to follow the show Wherever you subscribe, YouTube or any of your other platforms. Welcome on in everybody. Thank you for joining us. Wrapping up the Big 12 today. We talked a little bit about last show and now just finishing the conversation. We've also done the sec, we've done the acc, we've done the Big Ten. So if you guys want to go back and listen to in depth previews, teams that will take a take a rise, teams that might take a fall, teams are going to win the league, go to the playoffs. We've kind of discussed that all throughout the summer. July coming to a close, camps are about to open. Me and Brent Rollins joins me as always. Going to go to some some camps and watch some teams in living color and it'll be fun to to see more. But right now we're finishing up. Remember we alternated with the Big 12. We kind of picked you know, the first place preseason team, the third, the fifth, so on, so on. And now we start today with Kansas State. And this is a team that has been a player parentally in this conference and kind of last year was, was talked about as a team that would win this conference and for, for their, for their season last year a disappointing season I think for Kansas State fans. They, they thought they would be a little bit better. But Brent, I think every conversation with this team starts with the qb to, to me like it starts with a guy with experience, a guy that probably wowed and excited as much as anybody at that spot. You know, in the bowl game a couple years ago before coming in the last season and then had a pretty decent season a year ago.
- [01:37]
Brent Rollins
And you see the talent and the running ability as well as the throwing ability. It's just to me about consistency with him and in a week to week being consistent. But also by the way it's not just him being consistent. He's got to get more consistency from his playmakers because you know last season with Georgia specifically, what was the conversation around Georgia as much as anything the drops and the big issue in terms.
- [02:02]
David Pollack
Of couldn't catch a cold butt neck in Alaska soaking wet.
- [02:05]
Brent Rollins
Well it's cold in Kansas sometimes too. And that was the same thing in Manhattan because cold Carson Beck wasn't in terms of drop percentage, percentage of throws that were dropped. It wasn't Carson beck that was first in the Power 4. Avery Johnson had the highest drop percentage, 11.9% of his attempts last year dropped so consistency from him and then consistency from the playmakers. And I think if you see the combination of that, you're going to see a Kansas State team that rises and puts itself in potentially the Big 12 title game.
- [02:38]
David Pollack
See, those are the kind of things that Brent Rollins brings to the table that you guys just need to listen up about. Because that's, that's such a good point. Because you look at his. Brent, I go to his completion percentage and it's. It's kind of like, yeah, you know, I mean, obviously 2700 pass yards, 600 plus rush, so the ability is more than there on the ground to 32 total touchdowns. But the number one thing I look at is 58% completion, and that's not good enough nowadays. Like, that's not, that's not elite by any stretch. And so can he get just a little bit more from his receivers? Brent? He. I'm not letting him off the hook either, because I watched he. He leaves plays on the field, too. He has misses that. You go, that's a fricking touchdown. Like, just put a little more air underneath it and he'll. He'll walk in the end zone. So I think it's a combination, you know, of that. But if his accuracy gets up there to, to 65%, to 67%, the way he can run the football, the way they run the football, the way they play defense, Kansas State's one. I got five teams, Brent, like five teams that I think are in the mix for the hunt. And this is, this is a team that you have to put, you know, there every single year, basically. But Dylan Edwards at running back, you know, he had almost 200 yards against Rutgers in the bowl game. He shows you dynamic, shows you speed. Him going one way, Avery Johnson going the other way, number two and number three in the backfield, that. That's a problem. Now, Kleiman prides themselves on the offensive line and the line of scrimmage. And what about the offensive line? Because that's, that's an interesting point for this unit moving into next year.
- [04:15]
Brent Rollins
It's veteran. You look at sort of from a depth chart standpoint. Redshirt senior, redshirt senior, red shirt senior, redshirt junior. Like, it's a, a lot. They got one transfer that's likely going to start at left tackle, but they also have a new offensive coordinator with Matt Wells sort of as his first year calling plays. And I also think that with the Avery Johnson conversation, much like we talked about with Taylin Green, because I actually think him and Taylor Green, outside of this the size have similar skill sets, ability to run cannons for an arm, that kind of stuff. Much like we talked about with Green and Petrino helping the QB with some layups and screen uses, things like that. The other one of the bottom of the barrel screen people screen teams that would be Kansas state. Give your QBs, keep giving your QB some layups, up that completion percentage, try to improve that efficiency and consistency. And they also got the Southeast Louisiana transfer Antonio Martin at running back because they lost Giddens who was kind of the, the. The bell cow for the most part. Yeah. With the changes pace and Gibson was really good. I think you continuously mispronounced his name last year and I had to correct you. But that neither here nor there with that. But that's good.
- [05:25]
David Pollack
But that's going to happen too with guys this year too. Just go ahead.
- [05:30]
Brent Rollins
Yes, get ready for that. It's going to happen.
- [05:32]
David Pollack
Hey, especially, especially when you talk about their defensive line. What is it? Toby? Oh son Sami. I mean like something like that too. So we get to that the second too. Hey hey Mr. Mr. Pff. Nerd. How about this. Looking at this. In the losses last year during this regular season, Arizona State, Houston, byu, one touchdown, six interceptions. For Avery Johnson like those big time moments. He's got to deliver and another year under his belt. I think everybody expects him to the defensive line and the defensive side of the ball I think will be experienced. I think it'll be deep. I think this is, you know they got, you know that, that, that's the guy that I just mentioned, Toby. We're going to go with Toby by the way. But so I have to say his whole name but like linebacker, pretty highly recruited linebacker moved the defensive end put it was the special teams guys kind of developed. He's a guy that's going to get you probably 10 sacks this year. And that's why I think you know K State is, is one of the five that are. That are very much battling for this conference. Which is. Which is the most in any league by the way. This, this is because this is the most competitive league in sports. It's the Big 12.
- [06:41]
Brent Rollins
I think you're probably a fan of Austin Romaine the linebacker. That's one of the highest graded returning players in all of.
- [06:48]
David Pollack
He just got another tackle by the way.
- [06:52]
Brent Rollins
I mean he made a ton of them but he actually he missed a ton of them too. But.
- [06:57]
David Pollack
I love that.
- [06:58]
Brent Rollins
Well if he, if he improves that like his. You're going to see his PFF grade and Just all that stuff go even more. More so through the charts. But game one, we talked about this with Iowa State, you know, being across the pond in Ireland week zero, you've got to be ready to go out of the gates in a conference game. Not just, you know, somebody that you're playing on a neutral site that might not necessarily affect your conference standings, but in a conference game in that scenario. Because after that, I feel pretty good about their schedule. After that, host North Dakota. Host army, which is always a tricky game, but still, dang.
- [07:33]
David Pollack
Disrespect our country like that.
- [07:35]
Brent Rollins
No, not going to disrespect him. Always a great go.
- [07:37]
David Pollack
Army beat Navy. Uncle Gus. Love you, buddy.
- [07:40]
Brent Rollins
At Arizona and then UCF at home after the Iowa State game. So if they get the, they get the Iowa State game in game one five.
- [07:47]
David Pollack
And, oh, going into Baylor, going into.
- [07:50]
Brent Rollins
Baylor and you're feeling like you're. You're a top 15 team kind of thing.
- [07:54]
David Pollack
Yeah. You're feeling good about yourself, building up, building that momentum and then possibly have a big year because they lost. You know, this, this is the team that they don't get blown out very often. They're in all of their games, they're competitive, they're tough. All right, where are we going next?
- [08:11]
Brent Rollins
Next we have maybe potentially the biggest heel in the conference. I don't know because of the money.
- [08:19]
David Pollack
Part, but I feel like this is the new shiny. This is the new shiny pair of boots. Like, this is the new ball of the town. If anybody's talk, if they're. If, like, you've talked more. We've talked more about Texas Tech than you've ever talked about Texas Tech in an off season. Like you, you saw it in softball, by the way. Like, they, they went and spent a ton of money on a pitcher, and all of a sudden they're playing for a national championship. So Cody Campbell's been. Been a talked about guy. He was at Big 12 media days, which I find absolutely fantastic. Like, dude's worth. The dude could find a couple hundred million in his couches. And he's wearing blue jeans, which I love, with cowboy boots, just sitting down, kind of kicking it.
- [09:01]
Brent Rollins
Like, again, the fact that he's there itself is amazing.
- [09:04]
David Pollack
Yeah. I've said this for years. The biggest beneficiary in, in nil is the state of Texas because the money, it's just, it's, it's very, it's very fluid there. It's very good. It's nice. And so they went out and spent $55 million I think is the last number I saw on their squad to, to be ultra competitive. They spent hundreds of millions of dollars, actually 240/million on their stadium. That's one of the best in the country. So if anybody more, name me a team in the country more Brent Rollins than Texas Tech that have said all in. Like, I'm taking off my belt. My belt's in this pot. My watch is in this pot. Like, they got everything they own and in the pot saying, we're going to try to win this league and make a name for ourselves.
- [09:57]
Brent Rollins
I don't know, actually, is it everything in the pot or is it just, just a watch?
- [10:02]
David Pollack
Well, for Cody Campbell. God dang, you're right. Geez mania. Like, but it might just be the watch.
- [10:09]
Brent Rollins
The thing also too is the, the general manager component of this. And there's been a lot written about him in terms of how they went and got this, this roster and how they targeted specific guys within this roster. Like the running back transfer from usc, the Joiner kid, he's going to be good. David Bailey, the edge guy from Stanford, going to be really, really good.
- [10:30]
David Pollack
Those are guys that have already been good. Like, they didn't get, they didn't get guys that you go, oh, this guy could be really good at this level. Like, that's Stanford, that's usc. Like, you're, you've already seen that they're really good against really good competition. Like, yes. Those aren't. Those aren't maybes.
- [10:49]
Brent Rollins
No, not at all. And this. And what's phenomenal about their program and just this season for them is just the experiment that it is in the new world of college football that can you actually do this and entrust it to a coach who's, by the way, who does have their quarterback back in, Barry Horton. That's a big deal. I don't think. My guess is a lot of this doesn't necessarily happen without him being back because, you know, maybe you got to go spend a lot of that money on the QB spot, but it's just going to be fascinating to watch because like I even said in the open, the one question to me is, are they literally everybody's super bowl because of like the target potentially on their back is, you know, hey, we know you guys bought your roster. We're taking it down no matter what. That's one where I just, I'm fascinated to watch the entirety of their season.
- [11:41]
David Pollack
No, I don't think everybody's looking at like that. I think everybody's like, oh, wait a minute, Can I come over there and make that money, too? I don't think. I don't think they're upset with it. No. But, you know, listen, everybody starts to get targets on their back or whatever, but Texas Tech, you know, they haven't won a ton. This is not a team that's, you know, dominated this league. So it's going to be interesting to see what they are. But, like, you know, they offer. They also, you know, made some investment in their coaching staff and they got a new O.C. and a new D.C. like, that's not. It's not business as usual, you know, that. That is new things, you know. And Morton, you talked about him. He's also coming off shoulder surgery, so, you know, he didn't participate in the spring. Loved him@Big 12 media days. Just loved his, like, yes, sir, no sir, smiley, just super happy. Like, I just, I loved his Persona and the way he carries himself. But, you know, you got, you got Mac Leftwich, who's coming to call plays. You know, he was. He's a Texan with. Which is. Which is a familiar thing with this roster. Joey McGuire has done a good job of getting Texas guys, Texas high school football coaches because that's what he is and trying to, to recruit and build from the inside. And the dude played at utep, but guess who he coached? You know this, and you might know this from your research, but guess who he coached in college, who was a really high draft pick at quarterback last year.
- [13:04]
Brent Rollins
Wow. Why am I drawing a blank on this?
- [13:08]
David Pollack
You got me incarnate word.
- [13:10]
Brent Rollins
Oh, Cam Ward.
- [13:11]
David Pollack
Yeah, Cam Ward. He coached Cam Ward and was in a run hat. He's been, he's been in that, that system where it's past happy. He's been in the run run happy systems. And so I think he'll be a good mix with, with Morton and this offense and, you know, the transfer hall that. How fast do they morph and get in? Because you're probably going to have at least 11 starters that are transfers and that's, you know, entire defensive line. Yeah. And Brent, that's the least part I care about. Like, we're big dumb animals. The name of this show is C ball. Get ball for a reason. Like ball move. I move like I don't need a lot of chemistry. Offensive line, you need chemistry. You need to know where that guy is, where the help's coming from, what the front is like. Defensive line is. I'm kind of lining up. I'm kicking my guy's ace in front of me and I'm going to get the quarterback. I'm stopping guy. Like, it's just, it's a very easy position to integrate into. And they got some studs like go ahead and list off those studs on the defensive line. They didn't go get guys, Brent, that like that some people wanted, they wouldn't got guys that everybody wanted and paid them a lot of money and beat out all the big schools for these guys.
- [14:19]
Brent Rollins
Yeah. Romello Height from Tech, David Bailey we'd already talked about from Stanford and then Lee Hunter on the interior and Skyler Gil, Gil Howard as well on the entire interior and Central Florida and Northern Illinois for those guys. But guys that were desired in the portal. Very much so, especially Bailey. And once Bailey put his name in the portal, it was, it was almost assumed that he was going to go to Texas Tech. But it was one of those where they, they got him first and they kept him. And I think he's, I think he's just scratching the surface of how good he can be.
- [14:51]
David Pollack
They got, they got a new DC too. So this is, this is. I mean it's just a lot of new, man, like a lot of new at Texas Tech. And you know, that's, that's probably why maybe you're not all in on them winning this conference. And you know that, that might be the one thing that holds you back a little bit from going, okay, they're the most talented roster. Like top to bottom, they most be. Might be the most talented roster. But there's a lot to figure out from a play caller standpoint point on both sides of the football and a lot of new pieces. But what do you. What'd you think about the schedule?
- [15:22]
Brent Rollins
Well, that's the. Again, like we talked about with byu, kind of silver lining. You got Arkansas, Pine Bluff, Kent State, Oregon State, all at home in your first three weeks before you go at Utah and then later at Arizona State, later at Kansas State. I think those first three weeks and seeing what they are and what they can be, that's going to be big for them. Sort of learning, getting the cohesion, getting the chemistry, all that sort of stuff and finding, you know, you got to build a team, you got to, you know, leaders, all those things that yes you do in the off season, but you got to do it when the games matter to them, when they're actually happening.
- [15:59]
David Pollack
Yeah, but man, it's nice to, to play a bunch of those teams that we were talking about, like the roster turnover and teams that we don't expect a lot from. They've got a lot of those on the schedule. And, you know, this. This is going to be a really good season. No Iowa State, Baylor or TCU on the schedule, so expectations should be high for Texas Tech. The chips are. The chips are in the middle. The watch is in the middle, but obviously there's. There's still a lot more left, probably from Cody Campbell. And, you know, they're building the squad. And a lot of excitement in Lubbock. Cool place to play. Crazy atmosphere. I imagine this squad's going to be jacked up and ready to rock and roll, so.
- [16:40]
Brent Rollins
Yeah.
- [16:40]
David Pollack
All right.
- [16:40]
Brent Rollins
It was going to be crazy for it, too.
- [16:42]
David Pollack
Yeah. All right, so next we got the utes. The Utah ute's. I got. I got them. What are you doing right there? You got your finger in the air?
- [16:54]
Brent Rollins
I only have. I only got one question for Utah.
- [16:57]
David Pollack
You only got one with the whole team.
- [17:00]
Brent Rollins
One main one, actually.
- [17:02]
David Pollack
Okay.
- [17:03]
Brent Rollins
Is Devin Dampier going to get touched? He's their quarterback, by the way.
- [17:09]
David Pollack
Thank you. Break it down. Break it down. Why?
- [17:12]
Brent Rollins
They might have OT1 and OT2 in next year's draft.
- [17:16]
David Pollack
They do. They have the best one, two punch in all of college football. Like what he just said. Like, the left tackle that's going to get drafted as the first left tackle, the right tackle. I can't believe, by the way, they're both there. Like, that's. That's crazy. But, yes, both. You know, Fanu is. Is a. Is a man child. Like. Like, just. He's the guy that you just. You love to watch play football. Like, he doesn't like people. I love that. I want offensive linemen that are. That don't like people that don't like to be touched, that want to move people against their will. And he is that kind of guy. Like, he is. He's fantastic. That's the thing about this. This Utah offense that I think is going to be absolutely dirty. Brent, I got him in the top five to be contenders for this league. This is my other team. This is my last team that I think can compete because Jason Beck as the oc, he's got an offensive line that we just talked about, and then he's got a quarterback that is absolutely magic. I'm a loser. Yes. I watched this tape. Brent. He can roll. Like, he's hard to get a hand on. The dude rushed for. I think he rushed for. He rushed for 150 a game his last four games last year. And, I mean, he just. He got it rolling. He's big, he's strong. He he gets the ball out quick. When you can do that at the, at the QB spot, when you got a good offensive line, when you can run it short yardage, when you can make play after play. I mean he's got a chance to be super special in this offense with a familiar coach. I mean he's going to be a problem like Devin Dampier is going to be a problem in, in this league, bro.
- [18:59]
Brent Rollins
There it is again.
- [18:59]
David Pollack
I like it.
- [19:00]
Brent Rollins
Yep, more problems.
- [19:03]
David Pollack
I mean this dude ability, this dude.
- [19:06]
Brent Rollins
Is built like he's got legit ability, legit two way ability. Not just as a, not just as a rusher but as a passer as well. The familiarity with Beck and Fano I think is it Fano I think is how you say it. And then Caleb Lomu as the, as the left tackle. It's as good as it gets. And their schedule by the way, Texas Tech, Arizona State, Kansas State, home all at home, which is a tough place to play.
- [19:37]
David Pollack
And then Obviously at Baylor, BYU but unbelievable start the season with UCLA. Old PAC 12, you know reuniting of UCLA and at UCLA is a, is a interesting game. It'll be interesting to watch. But I think number one, yeah the system Brett is cool because it's, it's going to be tailored to the quarterback which is going to be different from what's your not byu, Utah. What you're used to seeing from Utah. Like it's going to be, the ball is going to be out quick. RPOs are going to be quick. Like I think you maximize what they have and then the other side of the football every year. I'm always born blown away by Morgan Scally. Like he's just, he's a good D.C. like I, I, I, I love his in game moments down the stretch moments. You know why? Because that dude against Caleb Williams a couple years ago, I'm watching him and remember they played him several times, beat him several times like big time moment, third and long. Gotta have it cover freaking zero. Like I absolutely love it. Like he is going to bring the pressure and the, they always have guys, they, they always play physical, they always play tough. They're not very deep at defensive tackle and they're not very deep at corner and those are a few spots that I think could could impact their season if they suffered an injury. But the Utes are, the Utes are set up with a, with a new system on offense with a coach that's been there for 6,000 years and you just know exactly what you're going to get from WHITTINGHAM and this is the, this is the last real, real contender in this league for me. And you know, the offense is going to catch up with the defense this year for the first time in a long time at Utah.
- [21:18]
Brent Rollins
Yeah, this was definitely the leap team for me in the conference and it's much as about how bad it was a season ago versus anything else. But the transfer running backs that they got, the kid from Washington State, let's see Parker and then the other kid from New Mexico that came, those were needed. Very, very much so. But along with Dampier. I like their roster, I like their schedule. I agree. Utah is trending, is going to be back to sort of normal Utah.
- [21:48]
David Pollack
I think what you, what you've come to expect.
- [21:52]
Brent Rollins
Speaking of bad, what you've come to expect. What you've come to expect with with, with Kansas and rock jock Jayhawk is Jalen Daniels because He's in year six.
- [22:02]
David Pollack
He's in year 30. Like that's the first thing I wrote down. I was like he, I wrote down Jalen Daniels. Yes, he's still there. Like he's been there forever. Like it's, it's crazy and he's been fun to watch. Now listen, he's also missed so much time from injury. Like he's a guy that's been, been banged up. But you've seen some specialness from this offense with, with Lance Lipo. Remember Coltonecki, my guy that, that I talk about all the time. He was there at Kansas and they had it, they had it cooking and the creativity and now I think they've kind of, I think they've kind of find found some of that. But having having him at QB man, it just, you know, Neil was an animal. If you watched Neil the last couple years, like he was just a workhorse animal. And so you know they, they had a chance. They were physical enough with him and could make plays and Jalen could be the, the, the supplement to it. You know, like with his injury history and stuff. He's got to stay healthy. Close games by the way. Five games last year by six or less points. Five like. And then they go and do something no one's ever done in the history of college football. You remember what they did. No one's ever done it in the history of college football.
- [23:15]
Brent Rollins
Like completely flipped their schedule. Right? They won so much after losing so much in a row. Is that what it was?
- [23:19]
David Pollack
They were the first team in, in the history of football to win three consecutive ranked games with losing record. They went back to, back to Back winning, winning against top 25 teams with a losing record. So.
- [23:32]
Brent Rollins
And spoiled by your season.
- [23:34]
David Pollack
Yeah, but, but they're, they're always, they're always pretty fun to watch, man. And I think Lance Light Pole is an elite coach. Just knows how to use what he has and he still has Jalen Daniels, so. And a number another guy that you know, a transfer Emmanuel Henderson Jr. From Alabama.
- [23:53]
Brent Rollins
Here's what that.
- [23:55]
David Pollack
You got that written down for a reason because here's what Kansas hasn't had. They ain't had that like that's legit. That's a top elite prospect. That's a top 30 prospect in the country coming out of high school. That's elite of elite speed. If the ball skills catch up. They have not had that. And then Daniel, you know his Shaw, he was, he was ready to step out of. He's ready to step out of Devin Neal's shadow. You'll see him get some touches and then I will transfer lashawn Williams comes in. So I think they have a, A, a good one two punch of dependability at running back with Jalen with some speed on the outside. So I look forward to, to watching this offense that it's always creative and always fun to watch.
- [24:37]
Brent Rollins
And if I'm not mistaken, I think this is the case. I, I know I haven't looked at it recently but I remember they get back sort of true home games, right? Aren't they back in their sort of normal digs this year kind of thing?
- [24:50]
David Pollack
I think they did have some renovations. I know big time renovations.
- [24:54]
Brent Rollins
Yeah, a lot of, A lot of stuff at Arrowhead. Most everything I think at Arrowhead last year. So I think that's, that's sort of getting back home games will be big for their season. Big for them. Speaking of home games that have been fun, Colorado coach Prime in year two, it was at least interesting and then it got a lot better. But they no longer have his son and they no longer have the Heisman Trophy winner.
- [25:20]
David Pollack
Two guys with their jerseys retired.
- [25:25]
Brent Rollins
Did you see the jokes that Shane Gillis made about that at the ESPYs?
- [25:30]
David Pollack
It was pretty good. It was, it was, it was pretty solid. I don't know. Do you remember all the things he said but like nobody talked about look it up. Look it up. Shane Gillis.
- [25:42]
Brent Rollins
I thought they did something this and they know they just went 13 to 12 and it was, I agree. I was impressed. Pretty good.
- [25:49]
David Pollack
It was, it was pretty good hating that happens with the Rose. But I'm pretty interested to watch this squad and Obviously, Dion's done it. You know, we've talked about Oklahoma State and we've talked about Houston, and we've talked about, like, all the turnover and ucf, like, and we're going to talk about West Virginia here in a second. Like Dion's, you know, did. That's what he did a couple years ago. You know, he came in and he cleaned house and, you know, there's. There's. There's no one that's bringing more celebrities to sidelines and excitement and. And now you add Marshall Falk to the running back room, who's a Hall of Fame running running back. And since Dion's been there, by the way, they're the worst rushing offense in football the last several years. Like, they're just. They're bad at it. So, you know, do they. Do they become more balanced now that it's not the, you know, Shador run at the helm, who you trust to throw it, you know, a bunch of times? And can that offense, you know, with Pat Shermer be. Be good? Because I think there's. I don't think we're still trusting them by any stretch to be, you know, a team that's elite across the board, like, but they're going to have to be able to score points. And the quarterback spot, probably the most interesting spot on the team.
- [27:01]
Brent Rollins
Yeah, because you got Cadence Alter that transferred in from Liberty, if I'm not mistaken.
- [27:05]
David Pollack
Yes.
- [27:06]
Brent Rollins
And then the true freshman who's from near us in Georgia, Carrollton. Carroll, Georgia. Juju Lewis, who can throw it all over the yard. We'll see. I think it's the older. I think the experienced guy gets the nod early, and then once it's their season is not necessarily going the way they think it will be going, then they turn to the young guy. Unless he wants to play both early. I think that's possible as well, too.
- [27:35]
David Pollack
Well, the good thing, if I'm a play caller, if I'm Pat Shermer, the good thing is they're both very similar. Like, they're both very athletic. But. Yeah, I mean, Salter has, you know, he's got 800. He's got 8,000 yards on his resume and 77 touchdowns. Like, he's done. Okay. And you probably brought him in for a reason. I mean, you didn't bring him in for no reason. So I think that, you know, how does this year go for Dion? And now his health's been a big issue, too. Man. He's been. His health is one of the things that's really slowed him down and he hasn't been as involved as you'd want him to be. But like I said, man, going to a Jack State practice years ago and watching Deion and like, you know, he does a good job, man. I know people think the flash and the sizzle and the sunglasses and all that stuff, but, like, he's making those dudes wear the right things. He's talking to them the right way. He's old school, man. He's trying to get the discipline and the toughness. He's trying to hold him accountable. So Colorado will be an interesting, another interesting team to watch in this league. Next. We got.
- [28:35]
Brent Rollins
We got uc, the Bear Cats. I got not much for you here.
- [28:43]
David Pollack
Well, I mean, Scott Satterfield, at least he's starting with, with Brendan Sorby, you know, having Soares be at the quarterback spot. Like, at least he's got, you know, he was. I saw this when I was just researching. He's one of four guys in all of college football returning with 18 plus passing TDs and nine plus rush TDs. So, you know, he's replacing his best three wide receivers and a stud running back. So, like, that's, you know, the surrounding pieces you're really worried about. But Scott Satterfield has been known as coach, offense. That's. That's his specialty. And I expect, you know, having the QB obviously is a big step, but disappointing season a year ago for Cincinnati. And defensively, this is the part where it gets kind of scary for them, I think, the most because the whole secondary is gone. Like three safeties to the draft, both corners to the transfer portal. So that sucks. When you run a 3, 3, 5 and you play with your secondary and that's, that's how you do all of your things. And they are all like, graduate, go to the NFL and then go to the transfer portal. Like, that's, that's not fun. That, that, that's, that's. That's the part of college football that you don't realize, man, is a lot of these teams every year having to replace their own guys that step up and that they've developed and they've recruited and put resources into and they got to say goodbye to them.
- [30:06]
Brent Rollins
The entire receiver room being new also, like, it's just. And that's one of the things you just. Secondary receiver, you're always replacing rooms and you might think, hey, I've got this guy coming in. I can get something out of this person. But you might have mis. Evaluated and you have. You bring in somebody that doesn't fit your system or just doesn't fit your culture, whatever that may be. I don't think this is one of those. I think this is going to be very similar as last year for Cincinnati.
- [30:38]
David Pollack
Yeah, well, you see that schedule. They open at Arrowhead, at Nebraska, and then you got. At least you got byu, Baylor, Iowa State at home, Utah and TCU away. This.
- [30:49]
Brent Rollins
No. Kansas State. Like that. That's the saving grace. But I. I don't know how much.
- [30:55]
David Pollack
Yeah, no Texas Tech, no Arizona State. Like that. That's. Those are. They definitely dodged some.
- [31:02]
Brent Rollins
Some players in the league eligible, bowl eligible kind of thing because of the schedule.
- [31:09]
David Pollack
All right, let's just get to the next team because you. I know, I know. You're just so excited. Brent. Brent is from West Virginia. He's. He has a Rich Rod t shirt on. 80% of the time when I see him. Like, I love Rich Rod. Rich Rod's my man. I think you were at the Georgia. The Georgia bowl game with Rich Rod when. When they took care of business.
- [31:30]
Brent Rollins
I was 100% there.
- [31:31]
David Pollack
And were you dressed in. Were you dressed in West Virginia colors?
- [31:35]
Brent Rollins
Yes, I was dressed in West Virginia colors. That. This was something that. Many of my folks around here from Georgia, that they're like, wait, what? But I was. I had just moved here, so I had previous 23 years of life as a West Virginia fan, and they were coming to play an hour from where I lived. I'm gonna go cheer on the Mountaineers. And I did. And they scored four touchdowns right in the end zone that I was sitting in the first quarter. It was awesome.
- [32:03]
David Pollack
Yeah, it was. It was okay. So, like, do you have any expectations for. For Rich Rod to bring some of that magic back?
- [32:10]
Brent Rollins
I just. Be interesting, be fun, be interesting, be. Be a pest. Be a team that fights like crazy. Because I think that's one of the things you look at from the fan base as well as just me watching the group over the, you know, past four to five years. So it's just a lot of meh. And. And they've, you know, kind of. Anybody that get good, they leave that kind of thing. So get. Guys find some level of. And he talked about it when he. When he was on our show about developing the toughness and developing the extra sort of the hard edge, I think was with his phrase. And they got to get back to that. And they've got an entirely different new roster with which to do it. Like, the. In. I mean, was 50, 60 guys that are. That are new.
- [32:59]
David Pollack
We're not Going to go through that. Because we would literally spend the rest of our show going through that. Like, here's what you need to know. Jaheim White's back.
- [33:08]
Brent Rollins
That's one guy.
- [33:09]
David Pollack
Everybody else gone. And, and, and Rich Rod, you talk about hard edge. That's the one thing. If you're around Rich Rod, like, Rich Rod is demanding. Like, and I like that. So you'll have some accountability, you'll have some demanding. But like we could go down this list and we could go QBs. Okay. None like whole room. They'll play three whole offensive line. But, but, but can the. Can the run. They have 38 total catches coming back. Like, total. Like that's just nuts and crazy and unheard of. But Rich Rod specializes in running the football and having a guy at the running back spot like you, you when he was at his prime and at his peak. Dude. Noel Devine. Right. Like Slayton, those were. Those were freak show ballers. And can his offense create space? Because he's the reason the offenses all went to spread. Like, he is one of the founding fathers of that. And everybody else is now caught up now what's his next move? And I'll be interested to watch because he's so innovative and fun and can he. Like you're. You're spot on. Brent. Can he bring some fun to. To Morgantown because that's a place that's going to be blaring John Denver Country Roads and they're going to be burning couches and it's fan freaking tastic. Like it's a great fan base that you'd love to see have some a reason to cheer.
- [34:28]
Brent Rollins
Yep. And that's be pesky. Get better as the season goes on. You know, find something as a team. I think that. And even the next group, the last team that we're talking about is also kind of in that boat as well a little bit. Even though they bring back the quarterback. But that's the Arizona Wildcats and it's one where there was, you know, with Fish that went to Washington, the new coach with Brennan.
- [34:53]
David Pollack
Jed. Yeah.
- [34:55]
Brent Rollins
That. Now taking a step back. But Fafita is still there. Do you. Are you pesky again? No. Ted McMillan, do you find a way to be competitive? I think because again, much like these other teams now, they aren't as much portal heavy as the last few that we've looked at. But it's still. Especially on offense. It's a lot of portal guys. It's a lot of new faces.
- [35:17]
David Pollack
It is. Brent Brennan was a. He's at San Jose State, I think for those years and just like really, really good coach interested. Having Fafita back is a big deal. Now if you could have got T. Mac back and not. He was a first round draft picket receiver. We talked about him last year, how good he was. He was so good, man. But here's the, there's. Besides that, there's not a whole lot Arizona to talk about, but five, five home games in the first half of the schedule, which is, which is good. You know, there's the schedule right there and Hawaii is always fun. You got Houston, you know, you've got Colorado, you've got Kansas. Like, you've got some, you got some teams in there, man, that, I mean, there's some winnable games in there.
- [36:05]
Brent Rollins
Yep.
- [36:05]
David Pollack
Like that, that, that might be the, the highlight of the season because you see Arizona State, BYU and Iowa State and you know, Baylor down the stretch. But, but it's, you know, again, just like a lot of these, these themes and these guys, you know, like, like Brent Brennan, Brennan, that's in their second year. Like, you just want to see improvement. You know, we talked about Willie Fritz. You want to see your squad be, you know, more and more competitive in Arizona. They weren't that last year and they, they were, they were hard to watch at times. And so I think, you know, do you take your, your step in your direction and be, be a little bit better and stop the run, please, For God's sakes. Because every time I watch them, they, they were getting ran on.
- [36:47]
Brent Rollins
All right, so of those last four that we just talked about, so Colorado, Arizona, West Virginia and Cincinnati, do any of those four teams knock, you know, kind of get a big victory over those top five contenders that you have ingrained? Because I don't see it. I think that, I think the, the, the bottom of the league this year is going to be the bottom of the league kind of thing. I think there's clear separation.
- [37:20]
David Pollack
Well, are you going to throw Houston, Oklahoma State? I mean.
- [37:24]
Brent Rollins
Yeah, those two, like we talked about the other day, those two. Are they going to get one of the bigger teams?
- [37:31]
David Pollack
I feel, you know, throwing Oklahoma State and Houston in there too. I don't, I don't really feel any differently. I couldn't answer ucf. Yeah, I couldn't answer that. That, like that's, I couldn't say that any one of them are going to get somebody. But that's the beauty of college football. Right? Like that's, you know, playing at home, nothing to lose. A lot of times, you know, like Juju Juju's an elite talent. You know, at the quarterback spot for Colorado, like they're, they're still going to have some elite dudes and I think that, you know, that offense has been fun to watch the last couple years. Obviously they're missing a lot of pieces, but he was as hyped as anybody coming out of college football. So maybe they have the, the guy that can run and throw and put together a hundred plus yard rushing game and a 250 yard passing game and get you beat one night. You know, that's, that's the, that's the hard parts. But that, you know, this league definitely is, is probably, it's, it's very interesting at the top and the bottom about what we're going to get from. But, but I got five. Are you okay with me with, with five contenders in that, in that league? Were you okay with that list? I had.
- [38:38]
Brent Rollins
So you had Arizona State, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State and Utah. Was that your. No, no, not Iowa State, but Texas Tech instead of.
- [38:47]
David Pollack
Correct. I didn't put Iowa State in there. Are you going to put Iowa State in that conversation?
- [38:52]
Brent Rollins
No, I think they're the sort of come back down to earth team. I do think the two, the championship participants come from your five that you've listed. And for me I think it's going to be Arizona State and Baylor.
- [39:06]
David Pollack
Okay.
- [39:06]
Brent Rollins
And the reason I say that is mainly because I like Baylor's schedule better than I like anybody else's schedule because they get.
- [39:14]
David Pollack
So you got TCU is your team to jump, but you're jumping on my Baylor squad to go try to get in the championship game.
- [39:20]
Brent Rollins
I just, it's the schedule part. I think I got TCU as my team that I think the QB is getting not talked about enough. But in terms of who's going to end up being in the championship game, I do think it's going to be Baylor just because they get Arizona State, Kansas State at home and Utah and they've kind of avoid a couple of the others.
- [39:41]
David Pollack
I, I don't feel the least bit confident saying anybody besides Arizona State, like I'm, I'm ready to put Arizona State in there. It's kind of like the sec. Like I really feel Texas is the best team. Like they're the team with the least amount of flaws. The quarterback position I feel good about, like the experience coming around, I feel good about. But I do think Baylor, I think if you're leaving Utah out, I think you're wrong. Like I think they're very much in this hunt with the physicality that they're going to play with on both sides of the line of scrimmage with a QB that can dance and can run, run people over if he needs to, but just has experience like he's just going to be. When have you seen that in Utah? Like you got a little bit of that with, with flowing locks, you know, you got, you got a little bit of that. But obviously the injuries, you know, was, was too much of a deal for an age.
- [40:34]
Brent Rollins
Got up there in ageless.
- [40:36]
David Pollack
I guess you get hurt when you geriatric knees. But I think it will be, you know, I think that will be fun. And then Texas Tech, I just don't. The reason I can't pull the trigger and put Texas Tech in there, I can from a talent standpoint. But like I talked about just all the newness and I know they got some time to figure it out, but.
- [40:55]
Brent Rollins
We'Re gonna be watching, that's for sure. And there's going to be some great football games. Some great.
- [40:59]
David Pollack
Like just watch this league, man, week in and week out. It's just, it's probably the most fun league. It's the most competitive league and you know, it's, it's, it's super. It's why Memphis wanted to put in 200 million to come join it. They just want, they want to join the party.
- [41:14]
Brent Rollins
Do you think they get more than one in the playoff?
- [41:17]
David Pollack
Yes, yes. I'll give you, I'll give you two this year.
- [41:24]
Brent Rollins
Okay, so you think about the, the championship game participants end up in the playoff.
- [41:30]
David Pollack
Well, here's the thing, like that's the beauty of this too, is you just got to win it when you get there too. And if you can win it, you're in it. So I'll give them two this year. I think they're going to get two.
- [41:40]
Brent Rollins
And by the way, if Baylor wins those first two games against Auburn and smu, that helps that, that helps that cause a lot.
- [41:49]
David Pollack
And Auburn's bringing a lot more newness to the table than Baylor. SMU is bringing a lot more newness to the table than Baylor. Like that. Baylor's got a lot of. I know what I'm getting and I think that's going to bode well. But that's the Big 12. We're in the 30 something day countdown now. I don't know what it is exactly, but we're like 30 days.
- [42:12]
Brent Rollins
You're like 31ish right around 31 days.
- [42:15]
David Pollack
Till college football, till we all get to finally have that excuse to sit on our couch. Couch and get fat and our wives won't yell at us, which is. Which is absolutely outstanding. So again, by the way, we'll get back here. We'll get back here and get in the lab and do more sitting down and breaking down games because we love it, man. We love this sport. It's the greatest sport on the planet. Appreciate you, Brett, like always, and we'll see you guys next week.