See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack

Episode: CFB Coaches on the Move? | Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez Joins the Show!

Date: November 13, 2025
Host: David Pollack

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the ever-evolving landscape of college football coaching changes, significant controversy surrounding coaching jobs at Auburn and LSU, with in-depth analysis and speculation from David Pollack and guests. Pollack also offers insider perspective on transfer portal chaos, behind-the-scenes coach-to-coach intelligence sharing, and reactions to the latest “bush league” trick play from USC. The back half of the show features an engaging interview with Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, covering his unconventional career, team culture, defensive philosophy, and Texas Tech’s championship ambitions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

I. The Coaching Carousel: Focusing on Auburn & LSU

Auburn Candidates: DJ Durkin vs. Jon Sumrall

• Durkin's Case

  • Pro: Defensive pedigree, strong recruiter, high energy, familiarity with Auburn
  • Con: Offensive struggles, past controversy at Maryland, mediocre head coaching record
  • Quote: "He's a defensive guy who's been really, really great. Like you hired him to do a job, paid him a shoot ton of money, one of the highest paid coordinators in all of college football. And he's absolutely built a great defense, recruited well, replaced a lot of different guys." – David (02:44)
  • Critique: Auburn may crave more offensive innovation; fans "desperate to have some form of offensive when" (03:40)

• Sumrall's Case

  • Young, culture-driven, successful at Troy/Tulane, Alabama native, SEC connections, but "hasn't done it at this level" (04:54)
  • "He's the younger version of aggressive mentality, culture builder, familiarity with the area." – David (05:40)
  • Debate if Auburn should roll the dice on a relatively unproven leader

The Broader Impact of Coaching Movement

• Transfer portal timing ("portal window") makes job changes a multiplier event

  • “It’s a multiplier in terms of effect. You know, the portal's crazy already, the timing of all this just matters.” – Guest (06:10)

• Pollack's Portal Policy Preference:

  • Transfer window should be before spring practice, not January, to let programs stabilize after coaching changes and recruiting
  • "This is why I don't like... the portal winner to me should be in the south, it should be before spring ball." – David (06:48)

II. LSU & Brian Kelly: A Case Study in Messy Exits

• Brian Kelly's Situation

  • Only Michigan State reportedly interested (10:07)
  • LSU’s handling—governor involved, buyout issues, lawsuits—creates uncertainty, hurts program's appeal
  • “How LSU has handled this has not been good... The debacle that happened... governor get involved... ads get fired and, like, it's just a lot of weirdness.” – David (11:05)
  • LSU job remains elite due to history and resources but now seen as “pump the brakes – who’s in control?” scenario

• LSU's Unique Appeal and Dysfunction

  • Program wins “despite their coach” (e.g., Les Miles, Ed Orgeron) – David (12:28)
  • Cultural fit and stability questioned amidst recent chaos

III. Insider Knowledge: Coaches Helping Coaches

• Sharing inside info between coaches is “an unwritten rule” but happens frequently

  • “You don’t want to tick these people off. So this is not something you text. This is not something you email. Like, this is something that you call, you pick up the phone and this conversation happens. Now, here’s the thing, it might not even be your phone. Like, you might call wife to wife just to make sure that there’s a buffer.” – David (15:53)
  • Knowledge shared includes tempo, personnel, idiosyncrasies learned on film, but care is taken (never with direct rivals in-conference)

• Modern player/coach networks and social media increase information flow

  • “It happens all the time... coaches are willing to help coaches week to week. It’s just your competitive nature.” – David (16:50)
  • Example: Saban inviting Tom Herman to dissect how Ohio State beat Bama (17:20)
  • GAs (grad assistants) often poached for system intel – “They have their signs, they have the way they communicate... use the information against certain opponents.” – David (17:55)

IV. College Football News & Analysis

The USC Fake Punt Controversy

• Lincoln Riley and USC used a backup QB disguised as a punter (#80 Sam Johnson) to execute a fake punt by manipulating roster rules
• Pollack criticizes:
  • "I think what Lincoln Riley and USC did with their punter is bush league... I don't think there's any place in the sport. You deliberately worked around a rule and cheated. Like, I don't think that's the spirit of football that we want." (21:20)
  • Suggests permanent roster numbers, no double numbers, single set roster at start of year (22:30)

Notable Quotes from Other Coaches (Podium Kings Segment)

• Kurt Signetti (Indiana):

  • "This team's never played here. It's time to be concerned over. It's time to attack and play." (24:23)
  • Signals changing mindset: past history less relevant, today's team is what matters

• Pat Narduzzi (Pitt):

  • "They could put 100 up on us as long as we win the next two after that... But again, our focus is on Notre Dame and getting as many wins as we can." (25:47)
  • Pollack: “I didn’t love the quote...I don’t like losing, period.” (26:29)

• Blake Harrell (ECU) on Pronouncing Players’ Names:

  • "Desorous or not sure how to say his last name, but 13 does a really good job back there." (27:28)
  • Pollack: “When you watch the tape, you don’t have time to learn all the names...sometimes you’re like...13, alright.” (27:39)

V. Feature Interview: Jacob Rodriguez – Texas Tech LB

Early Journey & Transition

• High school quarterback, originally recruited as both QB and LB
• Chose UVA to play QB, ended up as a gadget offensive player before transferring to Texas Tech to play linebacker (29:53)
• Transition hardships: getting used to physicality, frequent contact as a defensive player, building neck strength ("you gotta do a lot of neck workouts" – Rodriguez, 31:13)
  • Never being hit in practice as a QB: "As a quarterback, nobody's ever touching you in practice... I'd never really experienced that in practice." (31:19)

Quarterback's Mind on Defense

• QB background aids defensive play – insights on where offenses attack, reading quarterbacks
  • "I have the thought process of a quarterback because you know what they try to do to you.” – Pollack (32:07)
  • “It helps me with knowing where to attack defenses... just being able to put myself in a position to be able to do my job, but able to protect us as much as possible." – Rodriguez (32:20)

Building Team Culture at Texas Tech

• New players integrated quickly due to focus on relationships off the field ("Rotating groups at breakfast spots in Lubbock every Wednesday”—Rodriguez, 33:09)
• "They came in not wanting to be just here for a year and gone. They wanted to be a part of something special and a part of a family." (32:53)
• Emphasis on meeting, bonding beyond football; culture is central

D-Line Talent & Takeaways Philosophy

• Rodriguez in awe of Tech’s loaded defensive front (David, Romello, Lee Hunter): "My mouth is dropped to the ground." (34:48)
• "When you only have to rush four and you can still get there and you're confident getting there... you can do so much in the back end." (35:18)
• Punching the football out is ingrained daily:
  • “If you walk around the facility, you’ll see, like, we have posts... with a screwed in football on them. And so we're walking around and we're punching it, every time we come in and out of the door." (36:32)
  • Difference between takeaways (active) and turnovers (passive)
  • Inspired by NFL's Peanut Tillman

NIL and "Buying" Talent

• Rodriguez not fazed by “buying" criticism:
  • "Not really. I mean, I feel like everybody around the country is doing it... We're more important with doing it with the right people and bringing the right people in.” (39:46)

Texas Tech’s Goals

• "Texas Tech Big 12 Championship." (40:16)
• “Singularly focused on the Big 12 championship... whoever gets in the way.” (40:21)
• Tech’s rivals are shifting with conference realignment; focus is on the next opponent

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Coaching Chaos:

  • "We’re in a day and age where the goalposts have moved so much, the rules have changed so much, and we’re in so much newness. Do you really want to go with somebody who hasn’t done it?" – David Pollack (07:27)

• On LSU’s Dysfunction:

  • “Let's figure out who's in control. Let's figure out who's making the decisions. Let's figure out these relationships. Because otherwise, bro, like, I ain't jumping into that, like, point blank.” – David Pollack (12:55)

• On Coaches Helping Coaches:

  • “It's so weird because the coaching profession is built on other coaches helping other coaches... But there's such a fine line...between sharing knowledge with coaches and sharing knowledge with enemies.” – David Pollack (16:57)

• On Bush League Trick Plays:

  • “You deliberately worked around a rule and cheated...that’s not the spirit of football that we want.” – David Pollack (21:20)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:02] – Who’s a fit for Auburn? Debate between DJ Durkin and Jon Sumrall
• [06:10] – Chaos of coaching changes and transfer portal timing
• [10:07] – LSU saga: Kelly’s ouster, governance mess, and what’s next
• [14:02] – Coaches and inside info: do they really help each other prep?
• [21:16] – The USC fake punt controversy and sportsmanship in college football
• [24:23] – Podium kings: Notable coach quotes; history vs. present for Indiana
• [29:53] – Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez joins: unique career, team cohesion, defensive culture
• [36:32] – “Punching” footballs – Defensive philosophy at Texas Tech

Conclusion & Takeaways

David Pollack and guests deliver an unfiltered, football-first conversation hitting the week’s biggest coaching stories, giving valuable perspective on evolving college football dynamics. The interview with Jacob Rodriguez offers insight into modern player development, team-building, and defensive mentality from a Power Five leader. The episode balances humor, hard truths, and passion—for both the X’s and O’s of the game and its culture.