Notre Dame, UConn, and Pac-12 Previews 2026

Summary

Split Zone Duo: "Notre Dame, UConn, and Pac-12 Previews 2026" — Episode Summary

Podcast: Split Zone Duo
Hosts: Richard Johnson & Alex Kirshner
Guest: Jessica Smittena (Notre Dame & CFB Analyst)
Date: July 27, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this in-depth preseason episode, hosts Alex Kirshner and Richard Johnson are joined by recurring guest Jessica Smittena to preview the 2026 outlook for college football’s two remaining FBS independents (Notre Dame and UConn) and the newly reconstituted 8-team Pac-12. True to Split Zone Duo’s irreverent, analytical style, the crew unpacks roster situations, coaching changes, program trajectories, and sleeper storylines, with plenty of signature banter and notable quotes throughout.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of FBS Independents (00:16–06:37)

The Shrinking Ranks

• There are now only two FBS independents: UConn and “sort of” Notre Dame.
  • Richard Johnson: “Notre Dame is not a real independent... So really it’s one. Congrats, UConn. You stand alone.” (00:34)
  • Jessica Smittena: “We are going to talk about the two FBS independent programs, and then we are gonna talk about a newly reconstituted PAC 12.” (01:45)
• Banter about Notre Dame’s "quasi-independence" due to its ACC scheduling alignment, and Smittena's role as resident Notre Dame expert.

Weddings, School Rivalries, & Notre Dame’s Place (04:27–06:37)

• The team segues into how college football allegiances play out at weddings ("1 to 3" mentions of rivalry OK, "ten range... what else do we have going on?") (05:07–05:41).

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2. Notre Dame 2026 Preview (05:48–21:39)

WR Curse, Talent Influx, and the C.J. Carr Era (05:48–10:41)

• Notre Dame’s long-discussed wide receiver struggles seem to be turning the corner, with transfer additions and returning contributors.
  • Alex Kirshner: “Malachi Fields was a really, really good pass catcher for the Irish. Jordan Faison... led the team in receptions... pretty underrated.” (06:37)
  • Jessica Smittena: “Notre Dame got Myelin Graham and Quincy Porter from Ohio State...a ton of possibilities and... talent. It’s just that we need to see it happen on the field.” (07:35)
• The “Ohio State WR transfer” archetype is dissected, hoping Notre Dame “find[s] one [transfer] that can really play.” (08:26)
• On C.J. Carr: “He has a really nice arm, good accuracy, good decision making. The passing numbers... were not prolific, but they were very efficient.” (09:34)

Explosives, Playoff Path, and Defensive Strength (10:41–15:50)

• 2025’s offensive “explosives” came from the run game — Carr is expected to supply more through the air now.
• Richard Johnson: “Notre Dame will be playing in January. We all know that...if Notre Dame is top 12 ranked, they automatically get in [the CFP].” (11:19)
  • Jessica Smittena: “No is a strong word I would expect...” (11:37)
• Quarterback depth is a concern; no reliable backup if Carr is injured. Schedule features BYU, Miami, and SMU — not “walks.” (12:13–13:24)
• Defensive optimism: Returns much of a strong unit, led by a reinforced line and secondary. “Who’s going to score on this team?” (14:09)
  • Jessica Smittena: “...the defense is going to be so good...they added a lot of depth...the secondary is coming back...I’m really excited to watch this defense.” (14:09–15:50)

Expectations: Championship or Bust? (15:50–21:09)

• Parsing what “championship or bust” means in the 12-team playoff format.
  • Richard Johnson: “I think there are two teams in college football this year that are legitimately championship or bust...Texas and Oregon.” (16:27)
  • Consensus: Playoff is an expectation, but a national title is not the only definition of success given the format and roster continuity.
• Notre Dame’s “no-portal” strategy discussed — ND still resists heavy portal usage, favoring development and retention, with some academic constraints.
  • Jessica Smittena: “Marcus Freeman believes in retaining the players he has... the portal is more like supplementing areas like defensive line...or receiver.” (19:19)
• Alex Kirshner: “There’s...more up in the air than usual. And I think they’ve got comparatively a strong roster, but...we need to see it happen on the field.” (20:53)

Brian Kelly’s Return to Notre Dame Orbit (21:39–25:31)

• Brian Kelly reappearing on Notre Dame podcast circuit; musings on what they’d ask him if he joined “Echoes”: “Why’d you throw the ball 26 times in a hurricane in 2016?” (22:37)
• General consensus: No bitterness about Kelly’s presence; no on-field honors coming, but not a pariah.

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3. UConn 2026 Preview (26:04–31:34)

Rebuild Mode, Portal Overhaul, and Schedule (26:04–31:34)

• UConn loses coach Jim Mora to Colorado State, many program stalwarts to TCU and elsewhere, and much production.
  • Richard Johnson: “Everything that wasn’t nailed down...went out the door.” (26:43)
  • Extensive two-deep turnover; new staff led by Jason Candle (ex-Toledo).
• Notable transfer imports: LB Kevon Sherman (Toledo), WR Kai Wilson (Youngstown State).
• UConn’s schedule features a spread of toss-up games vs. teams like Syracuse, James Madison, Maryland, and NC.
• Jessica Smittena: “Their SP+ projection...is 5 wins, but given how little we know...extremely wide variance for UConn this season.” (31:34)

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4. Pac-12 2026: The New Eight-Team Era (33:20–82:48)

Conference Structure & Innovation (33:20–38:59)

• The “reconstituted” Pac-12 features Washington State, Oregon State, six newcomers (Boise State, San Diego State, Texas State, Fresno State, Utah State, Colorado State).
  • Jessica Smittena: “It is an eight team football league, a nine team league in total...Gonzaga...but we won't be talking about them.” (02:29)
• Introduction of a “Flex Week” prior to the conference title game for resume improvement – praised for real innovation.

League Health, Media Rights & “Power” Status (38:59–40:07)

• Media rights are opaque; likely not lucrative. Split Zone crew not interested in more “media day” angst; focus on on-field results.
• Discussion of how Pac-12 positions itself vis-a-vis G6 and P5 status. “Best G6 conference is the American right now.” (40:12)

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2026 Pac-12 Team-by-Team Previews

Boise State: The Favorite, But With Questions (40:55–47:58)

• Boise is heavily favored (+175) but the field is awfully close.
  • Jessica Smittena: “They’re not coming in on the front foot...Boise got flat embarrassed a couple times last year...but won their league.” (42:38)
• QB Maddox Madsen provides continuity but is seen as lacking star-upside; injuries last year.
• RB tandem of Sire Gaines and Dylan Riley is “one of the handful of best in the country.”
• Notable transfer haul (19 new players); D2 OT Tyler Etheridge will be a key eval.
  • “Even the most stable G6 program knows the old way can't work anymore.” (45:51)

San Diego State: Identity Returns to Offense (48:28–52:56)

• Expect a return to “Aztec Fast” under HC Sean Lewis due to defensive personnel turnover.
• QB Jaden Denigel and RBs Lucky Sutton/Christian Washington are back.
• Program called out for “eight years in a row under 91st in offensive SP+” — optimism for change in 2026.

Fresno State: NDSU West, Strength in Defense (52:56–57:49)

• Rose: Likely “handful of best defenses in the G6”; nickelback Simeon Harris highlighted.
• Thorn: “Abominable” passing game persists, multiple QBs tried in ‘25; new transfer Christian Martin (Maryland).
• “FCS call-up” approach to portal praised given Matt Entz’s North Dakota State background.

Utah State: Defensive Overhaul & Stability (58:46–59:55)

• Offseason continued program stability (“everyone’s kind of simpatico now” after years of administrative oddity).
• “Nineteen defensive transfers” — major overhaul for a perennially poor defense.
• Optimism about direction: “might not be skyward, but...got back to a bowl, arrow is...up-ish.”

Washington State: QB Upside, Defensive Tear Down (61:50–68:19)

• Bud: FCS transfer QB Kaden Pinnock (UC Davis) considered "most exciting quarterback in the league by upside".
• Rose: RB Kirby Voorhees and TE Trey Lechner offer offensive skill.
• Thorn: Complete defensive exodus (17/17 contributors gone), Trent Bray in as DC after a failed HC stint at Oregon State.

Oregon State: New Leadership, New Era (69:24–71:10)

• New coach Jamarcus Shepard brings “ton of juice”. New AD, improved leadership.
• FCS WR Xavier Noland (UTRGV) is a name to watch.
• Malik Murphy, experienced but “hasn’t put it together”, returns at QB.

Texas State: Offensive Fireworks, Defensive Abyss (73:09–77:01)

• Rose: Returning QB Brad Jackson and 2x 1,000-yard WRs Bo Sparks & Chris Dawn Jr; unique in the G6 for such continuity.
• Thorn: Defense “will be terrible...I’m not talking about it anymore.”
• Bud: Ecstatic about the “fun” PAC-12 fit; “they wanted it, they got it.”

Colorado State: More Rebuild, New Era (77:01–79:23)

• Jim Mora moves in as HC, brings UConn-RB Darrell Robinson and LB Omar Diamante.
• QB Hoss Haney (ex-OK State/Oregon) likely starter; “does not exactly spark joy.”
• “Rebuild, rebuild, rebuild. The job has what is still theoretical upside.”

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Pac-12 Predictions, Superlatives, and Watch List (79:23–82:48)

• Offensive Player of the Year: Bo Sparks (Texas State, WR), Lucky Sutton (San Diego State, RB – Richard’s pick)
• Defensive Player of the Year: Jaden Virgin Morgan (Boise State, DE/LB), Omar Diamante (Colorado State, LB – Richard’s pick)
• Coach Most Likely to Leave: G.J. Kinne (Texas State): “If Baylor were to open...he’d be a natural name on that list”
• Minority Coach in Interesting Schematic Spot: Rocker Shep at Oregon State for player eval and roster building.
• Low Key Game of the Year: Texas State @ San Diego State, Week 5 (“could be one of the better G6 games, period”) (82:05)
• Measuring Stick Games: Boise State vs Oregon State & Washington State (October, November)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Notre Dame’s Portal Resilience:
  “Marcus Freeman believes in retaining the players he has, and he thinks that they're all good enough to not have to be replaced...so far, at least with this team, I believe that that's true.”
  — Jessica Smittena (19:19)

• On the Variance of UConn’s Season:
  “Their SP+ projection this year is 5 wins, but given how little we know, could it be two?...as high as maybe seven? Yeah. This is just an extremely wide variance deal for UConn this season.”
  — Jessica Smittena (31:34)

• On the New Pac-12’s Perceived Power:
  “I think there is a positioning that the PAC 12 is doing that they are the fifth best conference. I'm not quite sure that they are. And even if they are, that does not a Power 5 make.”
  — Richard Johnson (40:07)

• On Texas State’s Unique Retention:
  “You cannot hide a G6 wide receiver...and they've kept them. So good for Texas State. Says something about their retention and playing in that offense.”
  — Jessica Smittena (76:43)

• On the Pac-12's Flex Week Innovation:
  “Usually quote-unquote innovation in conference offices these days is not actually new or fresh. This is.”
  — Alex Kirshner (35:20)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Independents Discussion Begins: 00:16
• Notre Dame Deep Dive: 05:48–21:39
• Notre Dame Defensive Strength: 14:09–15:50
• Notre Dame 'Championship or Bust' Debate: 15:50–18:30
• UConn Preview: 26:04–31:34
• Pac-12 Overview Begins: 33:20
• Boise State Preview: 40:55–47:58
• San Diego State Preview: 48:28–52:56
• Fresno State Preview: 52:56–57:49
• Utah State Preview: 58:46–59:55
• Washington State Preview: 61:50–68:19
• Texas State Preview: 73:09–77:01
• Colorado State Preview: 77:01–79:23
• Preseason Awards/Superlatives: 79:23–82:48

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Tone and Language

Split Zone Duo’s trademark blend of sharp analysis, wit, and friendly roasting is in full effect throughout:

• Jessica and Richard spar over ND independence (playfully: “That’s not a bit. Just to be clear.”).
• Alex grumbles about “rooting for podcast bits” and supplies deadpan lines about sports weddings.
• Richard leans into opinions: “I’m more bullish on [ND] waltzing in the playoff backwards.”
• Analytical but conversational, never too serious to drop a joke about “playing intramurals” or Big 12/visor fashion.

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Conclusion

This episode delivers a comprehensive, chemistry-laden sweep of two major independent programs and perhaps the most intriguingly reassembled conference in college football — with enough nuance, depth, and personality to satisfy both diehard fans and more casual listeners prepping for the 2026 season.

Transcript

[Alex Kirshner]

We're coming and we ain't backing down.

[Richard Johnson]

We don't need a bunch of cats in here looking in the mirror.

[Jessica Smittena]

Everybody just do your job.

[Richard Johnson]

You understand that? Hey, will you shut up? I'm bitterly disappointed with the officiating today. Guys being dudes, and they run through our. Like, through a tin horn, man.

[Jessica Smittena]

Thank you, Lee. Thank you, Richard Johnson. I'm Alex Kirshner. Split Zone Duo preview season rolls along for 2026. In just a moment, we're going to introduce a special guest who's going to kick us off as we do the FBS independence. Can you guess how many FBS independents there are now, Richard? The ranks are thinning.

[Richard Johnson]

Yeah, it's. We are down to two. Well, we're technically down to one. UConn is a true independent, as is the position of Split Zone Duo, llc. Notre Dame is not a real independent due to the fact that they have seven or eight games that are locked in each and every year, five of which, due to a scheduling arrangement with the acc. So they, like many of the rest of the teams in Power four, have three or four per year rotating non conference games, because, as previously stated, they are not a true independent. So the answer to your question really is one. Congrats, UConn. You stand alone.

[Alex Kirshner]

This is your worst bit. Like the worst that your entire show does.

[Richard Johnson]

It's not a bit.

[Alex Kirshner]

I think if you're still saying that after last year's debacle. Richard, I. I have questions for you.

[Richard Johnson]

I'm gonna. I'm gonna take my ball and go home and not play in the postseason of this podcast.

[Alex Kirshner]

Oh, podcast is canceled. Oh, wait, no, they're still doing it, just not with Notre Dame.

[Jessica Smittena]

That's right. And Jess Jessica Smittena, our Notre Dame ologist, joins. I want to be clear that this is not a bit that our podcast does. This is a bit that Richard does.

[Richard Johnson]

That's not a bit. Just to be clear.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah. We are going to talk about the two FBS independent programs, and then we are gonna talk about a newly reconstituted PA12. Jessica Spatana, our old friend from our ESPY Nation days and current friend from around the Internet and her many guest spots on the show. You are kind enough to join us, despite Jess Richard talking badly about you the way that he just did. Thank you for your graciousness for being with us.

[Alex Kirshner]

Anyway, it's fine. And the Pack 12. This year, a fun bit would be asking each other to name the teams of them. Although I assume you've already put together your notes for but all right, let

[Richard Johnson]

me tell you, it's going to be till about week five before I get it done. I could get it down. I could say that right now.

[Jessica Smittena]

I obviously do have them written down in front of me. But the tough thing about the Pack 12 and naming the teams in it is specifically all of the blank states that they put together. That. That is a unique nomenclature thing that the Pac 12 has going right now, which lends itself to tongue twisters and things when you're trying to recite the teams. But it is an eight team football league, a nine team league in total. There's Gonzaga, but we won't be talking about them later.

[Alex Kirshner]

Right. It's like it's blank state on the west coast, but not all of them. You know, that's the confusing part.

[Richard Johnson]

Does Gonzaga at least have like a club football team or something? A flag football team or something? They got it right.

[Jessica Smittena]

I mean they, they must have a

[Richard Johnson]

quad, like somebody playing intramurals. Brother, we're playing intramurals.

[Jessica Smittena]

I don't believe they currently have anything, even at the club level. They did play football for a pretty long time and then the little World War II thing happened and they did not continue after that.

[Richard Johnson]

Never heard of it.

[Jessica Smittena]

No.

[Alex Kirshner]

Also a bad bit.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah, World War II is a terrible bit.

[Richard Johnson]

Were they? Yeah. Were they?

[Jessica Smittena]

I guess I'm looking at Germany. Just kept going. He just really committed to it and we had a lot of problems as a result. Yeah.

[Richard Johnson]

Yeah. I guess the Gonzaga football wasn't even actually that good. Yeah. It doesn't look like it. No.

[Jessica Smittena]

Doesn't look like. No. They had a 134 and 99 and 20. All time.

[Richard Johnson]

Right? Yeah. But I'm looking at these seasons and brother, it's a lot of. Sorry, I'm overlooking the three and oh, 1917 Gonzaga team under Jim Condo. Yeah, I know, Jess. Everybody else is into Spanish flu. I don't. Not many people are over 500. Except for the great man Clipper Smith. A seven two and two Gonzaga team in 1925, six two and one in 1928. So some. Some scant Gonzaga Bulldogs football history fun

[Alex Kirshner]

off season project, going through all the big schools that no longer have football. For instance, my fiance is a Boston University terrier.

[Richard Johnson]

Oh, really?

[Alex Kirshner]

They ended their football program in the 80s, which is partially why we are engaged to be married. Because if you were a college football fan of another school. I don't know if I could do that with another person. It would be toxic to be around.

[Richard Johnson]

Alex is obviously familiar with Suwannee The Fighting Tigers.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah. Have you ever been to a wedding where it's an Ohio State groom and a Michigan bride, for example? Because they tend to mention it quite a lot at these weddings.

[Richard Johnson]

Yeah, it's a thing. Definitely a thing.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah, like I could. They tend to mention it a lot. I've seen a couple of these and in at least one of the cases the couple met at a tailgate for the game. And so I understand it's part of your love story, but there's a lot of mentioning of Ohio State and Michigan in the ceremony. There's quite a lot and a lot in the reception. It's like I think 1 to 3 is a reasonable amount to mention that if you are wedding and you are from opposite fan bases. But I think once we get into the 10 range, right. It's sort of like what else do we have going on?

[Alex Kirshner]

Otherwise, this kind of very good pre wedding prop bet to do with your friends. That's what I found when I've been to weddings of that nature.

[Richard Johnson]

That's a good point.

[Jessica Smittena]

I'm sure we have many listeners who have, have, have hopefully won a few bucks or won a few drinks off of that kind of prop, but. Jess, let's talk about Notre Dame as we start with the FBS independence year. I recently had the pleasure of talking a bit with you about this team on Rakes Report with Chris Wilson. I had a lot of fun doing that show and the thorn that I brought to that show as we play a rosebud thorn format is I said the wide receiver curse somehow still does remain on this program because Malachi Fields came to Notre Dame last year and his numbers declined. This is now seven years in a row roughly of me wondering about this on the Notre Dame preview. You made a case to me that you think the Notre Dame pass catching situation is actually improving this year.

[Alex Kirshner]

I thought it definitely improved last year, but I think that because the offense had Jadarian Price and Jeremiah Love on it, the passing numbers in general were not prolific, but they were highly efficient. And I think Malachi Fields was a really, really good pass catcher for the Irish. And I think Jordan Faison, who is returning, who is a was a dual sport lacrosse player and now is solely focused on football, led the team in receptions and receiving yards last year. And I think he's pretty underrated. He's very quick, shifty guy, can get you a first down, he can really take contact well. And he's the player that I think C.J. carr kind of turns to in those situations where you you need to convert a third down into a first down. But I would say last year was a big step forward and in the portal this year Notre Dame got Myelin Graham and Quincy Porter from Ohio State. They also have a number of, as we, as we discussed, Alex, NFL legacies on the team. Devin Fitzgerald, Jerome Bettis Jr. There's, there's so many. And while I think that the situation is you can't do like wide receiver by committee or you know, running back by committee and not have someone who is going to really be like a number one guy and win a national championship, I think, and maybe I'm wrong, I do think there's a few players who that could be. And so the question is kind of like, who is that? Like we haven't seen Porter or Graham play a game yet for Notre Dame. Jaden Greathouse, who was really good in the playoff two years ago, missed most of last season with a hamstring injury. So is he going to be healthy this season? So there's a ton of possibilities but, and I would just say a ton of talent. It's just that we need to see it happen on the field before I can say like, yeah, this is going to be a prolific wide receiver room.

[Richard Johnson]

College football, I think overall treats Ohio State wide receivers as like the problematic X. Like I can fix him. Count the number of schools that do this. NC State did this with Noah Rogers a couple years ago. I mean hell, Alabama did it with Jameson Williams a few years ago, but back before that. But jettisoned Ohio State wide receiver who couldn't find a way to crack through is just such a fun archetype and Notre Dame is trying it and hopefully they'll find one out of these two that can really play and really give them what they need. I love what Notre Dame has up front. I don't really think that's any. That's much of a surprise to the folks. They bring back two or three of the offensive linemen that you've known through this few year run of really great Notre Dame, Notre Dame play and even the the national championship run. So they will be solid up front. You expect that Nes Williams absolutely can play. Where are we at on CJ Carr, Jess? The unknown man, so to speak.

[Alex Kirshner]

I think C.J. carr had a really great season last year that was sort of overshadowed by everything that happened when the season ended. I think there's certainly room for improvement, but what he showed was that he's really smart at reading defenses. He has a really nice arm, good accuracy, good decision making. And like I said, the passing numbers last year were not prolific, but they were very efficient. And part of that is because they had these two game breaking running backs who neither one of them wanted to leave, but both ended up getting drafted in the first round in the NFL draft this past spring. So I think there's certainly room for CJ Carr to take a step up this season and be one of the best quarterbacks in college football. But part of what he needs to do is be able to execute in high pressure games and not press too much in those types of situations. But I really have a lot of confidence that he can do those things. He's just getting such rave reviews from the staff and from the Todd McShays of the world and the Manning Passing Academy people of the world on what he's been able to show so far.

[Richard Johnson]

I don't have a number on this, and I'm a stat on this. You might, Jess. But I think the most intriguing thing about how Notre Dame last year was built was the explosives. And again, this is anecdotal, so I apologize. The explosives all felt like they came from the running game. And that's not a problem necessarily. If you're getting the explosives, find a way to get the explosives any way you can. But now that those two guys aren't here, where do the explosives come from for Notre Dame? And that, I think, is the only thing I. I need to see from Notre Dame. Notre Dame will be playing in January. We all know that that is the truth. As the College Football Playoff rules stipulate, if Notre dame is top 12 ranked, they automatically get in. Or is it top 11 or top 12? They automatically get in. That's the way the playoff works these days. So, yes, we know that they will be playing in January. And what I am bringing up, frankly, is a January problem.

[Jessica Smittena]

No is a strong word I would expect. Yeah, no is, I would say, really strong word.

[Alex Kirshner]

Yeah, I would agree with you, Richard. I think that the.

[Richard Johnson]

Wait, just, just agreeing with me or Alex?

[Alex Kirshner]

I agree with Alex because I think one, one thorn I guess I have for this team is that if there is an injury to C.J. carr, even if he's out for like two weeks, I think that the quarter depth is really, really inexperienced. And it's not like last season where Notre Dame had Kenny Menchie on the bench or like the year before when they have Steve Angeli on the bench and he has to come in for a series against Penn State and kick a, you know, get them into field goal range like this year. That is something that I'm concerned about. And, you know, you have to be a little lucky with injuries. But also I think Notre Dame's schedule is such that if they do lose two games, which I said same as last year, I don't think they're going to get the benefit of the doubt and get into the playoffs. So even though the schedule is not that hard, they play BYU on the road, Miami at home, and SNU at home.

[Richard Johnson]

Those are you.

[Alex Kirshner]

Well, okay, but it's three games, Richard,

[Jessica Smittena]

that are not like. That are not walks.

[Alex Kirshner]

They'll be favorites in the BYU game on the road, but, like, you still could lose and then your margin for error is that you have to win the rest of your games, I think. Or be in a situation where like. Like last year, I think was a little unlucky because of what happened in the rest of the college football field the last month of the season. Like, if Alabama loses an extra game down the stretch to Auburn or something, or Oklahoma loses, then I think Notre Dame kind of comfortably got. Got. Gets into the playoff last year. So I think that that certainly depends. But I wouldn't say that I'm like, going to stake my mortgage on Notre Dame getting in, like, no matter what. There's a lot of stuff that can happen in the course of a season.

[Richard Johnson]

Okay. All right. Not as confident as I thought. We do know.

[Alex Kirshner]

I mean, I'm confident it is a very good football team, but I think it's college football. Anything can happen.

[Richard Johnson]

Of. Of course, of course. Just so we're clear, though. No, I just looked it up yet. Notre Dame's win total is ten and a half. Yeah, ten and a half. There are. Yeah, I. Or excuse me, I'm sorry, that was last year's. Hold on, let me make sure.

[Alex Kirshner]

I think it's 11 and a half.

[Richard Johnson]

It is.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah.

[Alex Kirshner]

It's one of the higher ones.

[Richard Johnson]

Thank you. It's 11 and a half. Like, I. It's. I think it's interesting that I'm more confident on Notre Dame than. Than Jess's. I, who is scoring on this team outside of Miami. Like, they'll get that BYU game will be a rock fight.

[Alex Kirshner]

That's a fair question. I think that is my. My rose is the defense is going to be so good. I think one of the biggest weaknesses last year on defense was the pass rush, just not being as prolific with Boubacar Traore coming off of an ACL injury and Bryce Young kind of getting his first starts as a sophomore last year. But they added a Lot of depth in the, on the defensive line, a lot of size on the defensive line. This was a really good rushing defense last year, which they didn't get a lot of credit for because the coverage was also so good with the secondary. And that secondary is coming back with Leonard Moore and Christian Gray. They picked up D.J. mcKinney in the portal. The safeties are coming back. That were the two best safeties last year for Notre Dame. The third best safety also coming back for Notre Dame, another rising safety and Ethan Long could get some playing time. He's also really good. Looks like another Kyle Hamilton type. So yes, I think that that is Richard, you're absolutely right. And that's where I am the most confident is who's going to score on this team. Because last year the Texas A and M game was by far the worst defensive performance. And if you look at the numbers, Marcel Reed did not have a good game, but there were a couple blown coverages and that was the difference in a one point loss. And I think a lot of the blame goes on Notre Dame bringing in Chris Ash and him not having a grasp for what the defense was good at early on in those two games. By the time they fixed it, it was too late because there was no Texas A and M or Miami like team on the second half of the schedule for them to beat and prove that they belonged in the playoff. But I'm really excited to watch this defense. I think that they're going to be really good.

[Jessica Smittena]

Chris Ash still there, by the way, but in hopefully a better spot. Now, just two things quickly. Number one, where are you on what constitutes a successful season? Does I've heard Notre Dame being banded about as win the whole thing or bust. I'm wondering if you, if you're that far or if you would accept, you know, something less than that.

[Alex Kirshner]

Okay, I don't want to try to give you like a pedantic answer, but when people say like championship or bust, do they mean, do they mean like something will happen if they don't make it?

[Jessica Smittena]

Because no. Like someone gets hired or like it's podcast fodder. It's just podcast fodder.

[Richard Johnson]

I think, I think there are two teams in college football this year that are legitimately championship or bust. I think it's Texas and Oregon. And by championship or bust, I really mean, like, I kind of really mean semifinal or maybe national championship game.

[Alex Kirshner]

Yeah.

[Richard Johnson]

Just because with four, three or four elimination games, stuff happens. We know how that works. So I kind of, I think when it was a 14 playoff championship or bust was a achievable thing. I don't know if championship or bust is really an achievable thing with a three or four team postseason for us. In any event, I think Notre Dame to me is clearly playoff robust and obviously I'm more bullish on than you guys on this team making. No, I think frankly, waltzing in the playoff backwards.

[Alex Kirshner]

Wait, hold on. You said playing in January, which means they win a first round playoff game. That's where I took Umbridge, because then you're getting in the playoff and winning a game. But anyways, I digress. I would say no, because to me, championship or bust means you've put all your eggs in this basket, spent a ton of money on it, you have high hopes on it. And next season you won't have the same expectations because you put too much into this season. And so there's going to be like a downfall. And I think where Notre Dame fans feel that way, Alex is because of C.J. carr, because he's coming back and they think that if he's really good, he will be gone next year. Where I don't feel that way, is that. A, I don't think that that's guaranteed, but B, the recruiting that Marcus Freeman and this program have done over the last like two, two plus cycles has been really, really good. And I think that there's just no reason to believe that next year's roster isn't going to also be a championship caliber roster with whoever's at quarterback, whether it's one of the young up and comers like I mentioned, or someone that they get in the portal or CJ Carr coming back like Dante Moore did this year, even though he had some NFL draft potential. So that's where I'm like, I don't know, like, I don't think that this is like the end of the road if, if Notre Dame doesn't win a championship. I do think the expectation is you have to make the playoffs. You can't, you can't not make the playoffs with this team in the schedule. And semifinal, I think would be probably where the expectation would be.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah, I agree with Richard that championship or bust means semifinals or bust. If we're all being adults about it with anything. I agree with that.

[Alex Kirshner]

Right.

[Richard Johnson]

The other thing to note about Notre Dame, and I think this is an impressive thing about Notre Dame, Notre Dame does not really portal. And I know some of that, and Jess, you may know better than me, I know some of that probably has to do with some academic stuff, but overall Notre Dame does not really portal at all. I think they took eight guys in the transfer portal last year. They are one of those teams that says we're going to be. I mean, they have the luxury of doing this because they're goddamn Notre Dame. But we are going to be a relative developmental program, and we are going to trust what we have on our roster. Again, it's a thing that I say a lot, and we talk about it in this dichotomy with George and Clemson. You can do this. You have the option to do this. And again, I know Notre Dame has some academic stuff that.

[Alex Kirshner]

That I would agree with this, actually. I think that especially in the last portal cycle, Notre Dame took for. Not for the first time ever, but, like, pretty pretty much for the first time ever, underclassmen transfers, which. That was a academic hurdle where, like, Riley Leonard, for example, was a underclassman transfer technically from Duke, and there was consternation about his credits not transferring. And it's okay. We're bringing in a quarterback that we're paying a ton of money to. Exactly. But we're worried about what major he's going to be because he doesn't have, like, the requisite credits to transfer in. And so there has been that tension with Notre Dame and football and academics for. And. And basketball, especially women's basketball included, for, like, as my entire life. But I think that what I have heard from folks is that people are really. They really want to work with Marcus Freeman on this. Like, there is. There is a understanding that, like, we can all work together and figure out some solutions here to get undergraduate transfers. And we're not trying to be a Stanford where it's almost impossible to get anyone. But I think the core thing that you mentioned, Richard, is not that they're a developmental program necessarily. It's that Marcus Freeman believes in retaining the players he has, and he thinks that they're all good enough to not have to be replaced with guys in the portal. And I think so far, like, at least with this team, I believe that that's true. So the portal is more like supplementing areas like defensive line where they're thin,

[Richard Johnson]

or receiver, where they're trying to.

[Alex Kirshner]

Receiver. Right, exactly. Yeah. And so that's why they're not taking a huge quantity, but they don't really have to do that.

[Richard Johnson]

Right. And I will give Notre Dame credit. And any team that does this credit, like, Alex actually says this, um, like every year when we do this. Like, if you're going to like, portal receivers, like, yeah, they just pretty much grow entries like it is what it is.

[Alex Kirshner]

Yeah, there's. There's a lot of them out there, so find some that work for you. I think that, though, where the wide receiver thing comes from, Alex, is that there were like a couple years in a row early in the Marcus Freeman tenure where, and I think this was also the end of the Kelly era, overlapping. It wasn't really a strong recruiting point. And I think that they've sort of fixed some of that and also had some good luck in the portal with like the, the Malachi fields of the world, that type of like big body type that you can bring in in a grab transfer year.

[Jessica Smittena]

Jess, you mentioned Brian Kelly. I have not mentioned that. If people want to hear you talk about Notre Dame football, they can do so on the Echoes podcast, which you co host with our friend Mike Golick Jr. And it is a great way to stay up to date on this program, not just in split zone duo season preview time, but year round. But I noticed that Brian Kelly is returning to the Notre Dame podcast circuit. He appeared on the Independent, another Notre Dame podcast last week. It sounded like he was now back in the Chicago South Bend corridor and attempting to maybe make himself sort of like a dean of the program type of guy. Like, please do not besmirch.

[Richard Johnson]

Please do not besmirch my CBS colleague, Brian Kelly.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah, I'm not besmirching him. There's no besmirchment. I wouldn't.

[Alex Kirshner]

For both of you. No. I'm just.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah. So if Brian Kelly wants to come on the Echoes to sort of establish himself as, you know, like a grandparent of the Notre Dame program, what would you be asking him first?

[Alex Kirshner]

That's a really good question. If he were coming on the show, I would have a lot. I said this on my podcast this week, Alex. I would want to ask him about specific games and specific things that he did during those games and why they happened. The example I gave on my show. Why'd you throw the ball 26 times in a hurricane in 2016? What was going on in your head? I would like to think that now that he has hundreds of millions of dollars, literally, and should, if he's invested wisely, he should more, probably more, a lot more, and is no longer actively coaching a team, we can kind of look back and laugh at some of this stuff or at least be like, so why'd you crap the bet against Michigan in 2019? Like, what happened there? Like, those sorts of questions is where I would like to take it. Because, well, I think some People are. Are interested and hate listening to him talk about his career and things of that nature. Like, he has just always been such a politician where he's not going to say anything that's going. Like, he's not gonna. Like, we're not gonna get anything out of him and what happened and all of that. And I don't really know if people are that interested in that, but he was the coach for 11 years and oversaw some interesting games, and those are the things that I'd like him to possibly reflect on. But alas. Just come on our podcast just.

[Richard Johnson]

Just would like to set up a confessional Catholic term.

[Alex Kirshner]

Yeah, there you go. I'm. The other thing. Alex is like, Notre Dame fans are so mad that he's coming to campus to visit camp. Like, fall camp or whatever. Exactly.

[Richard Johnson]

Richard hired Marcus Freeman.

[Alex Kirshner]

He hired Marcus Freeman. He was in Mike Denbrock's wedding. Like, they go way. He. He goes with these people. And also, I'm like, marcus Freeman is not the kind of person to be like, hey, man, f off. We don't want you near us. He's the kind of person to be like, you can come here. I'll sun you a little bit, and then you can be on your way. Like, yes, and that's fine. And. And I. I'm not offended by it. Now, this is completely separate than, like, if they did some sort of big, like, video board thing for him at a game, which I do not think would ever happen. I do. I think there are.

[Richard Johnson]

You don't think that would ever happen? You don't think that ever happen?

[Alex Kirshner]

I don't think that that would be shock. I think everyone that works at Notre Dame would have to, like, retire before

[Jessica Smittena]

that would happen, though. There's so much a long time.

[Alex Kirshner]

Yeah, that's true. There's so much overlap between, like, people who were there when he was there and people who are there now that, like, they're not. And, like, the fans aren't asking for it. So, like, who would do it? You know what I mean? Like, who's. Who's the driving force behind, like, let's honor Brian Kelly? If he had won a championship, that's a different story.

[Richard Johnson]

Sure.

[Alex Kirshner]

He was back on campus for Lou Holtz's funeral earlier this year, so it's not like he's never, like, never been back or never coming back again, but I just. I don't care if he visits ball camp, whatever. It's not. Doesn't matter to me.

[Jessica Smittena]

Jessica Smittena of the Echoes podcast and one of our Favorite recurring guests Jess, come back and see us throughout the college football season.

[Alex Kirshner]

Anytime. Anytime. I'm here.

[Jessica Smittena]

Great to have you. Go Go Irish or no, I'm not doing that.

[Richard Johnson]

No. Good.

[Alex Kirshner]

I like Richard's. I like Richard's confession joke. That's good.

[Richard Johnson]

Alex that's actually the second half of the Echoes podcast that I have spent significant time with in as many weeks. Big 12 media days. Had a nice meal with friend of the program as we discussed. Michael Jr. The the other half of the Echoes duo.

[Jessica Smittena]

He's a fun guy. Notre Dame has a good media situation. They got a lot of, lot of beat reporters, a lot of talented people who have chosen to devote their lives to Notre Dame football for reasons that obviously we can't relate to. But Notre Dame fans are very well served. Richard, the other half of the FBS independence before we move on to an entire conference here, the UConn Huskies, a program that you spent some time around last year because you were doing sideline reporting, your debut, which was great for CBS Sports Network. The thing is, I'm curious how much you think you know about this program given that the head coach is gone and they are about 134th in returning production.

[Richard Johnson]

Yeah, between Gordon Thomas going to TCU and Jim Moore going to Colorado State, it pretty much everything that wasn't nailed down to the floor went out the door. And some of, I think there was some draft as well. The wide receiver Scholar Bell went to draft among some other guys. So it's a blank slate up there in, in West Hartford, which, you know, kind of is what it is that kind of comes with the territory, like basically the end. Look, we're going to get this gets even worse when we get to the PAX 12 portion program. But like we're talking about whole 2 deeps or the majority of the 2 deep on defense at UConn getting replaced and a decent chunk, a big chunk of the offensive two deep getting replaced. So you gotta, you gotta go with a fine tooth comb to figure out something that you like. Kevon Sherman at linebacker, Will Bud that he comes over from Toledo with Jason Candle 14 1/2 TFLS last year. Kai Wilson is a transfer in FCS wide receiver from Youngstown as well. If they're going to have a big play guy, I'm guessing it's going to be him. But it's one of those situations where how do you evaluate or how do you evaluate a team that is this portal. And again, both of us acknowledge often that it sucks to say that during a preview and we do try to find something, especially when you get down to the G6 level for conference preview season. But that is part of the evaluation that it just is, especially with a new coach.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah, you have to be more humble than even we should be about everybody else and about a lot of teams like Notre Dame just there. Richard, you weren't very humble. You know, you were taking it on faith that that's going to be a playoff team, that they're going to contend for the national championship. And part of the reason you can do that is not just because you believe in the payroll and all the four star players on their roster, but because they are kind of at the polar opposite end of the portal spectrum. Not only do they not have a new coach, but as you said with Jess, they just don't turn over that much year to year. Not that they don't use the Portal, just mentioned DJ McKinney, who might be my favorite transfer that they have this year, the cornerback from Colorado and Oklahoma State before that. But with UConn, it's like 80 of those guys. Not 80, but it's upwards, upwards of 60 new players, which a couple years ago was pretty quaint and you know, now it's just a thing that happens. I, I think I tend to like the parts of this that are the Toledo imports. You mentioned Kevon Sherman, who should be their best player. And UConn has had a handful of actually really good linebackers. They had them in the in the gym more era and seems like he could be the latest of that type. They have a tackle, Ishan Carter, who is coming here along with in a defensive end, Anas Lukeman. The two of them combined for about 15 tackles for loss last year at their previous spots. But there are guys here who have some track records and who in some cases have continuity with the head coach. And so I don't think this is likely to be if we were just taking the best stab that we can at it, I don't think this is likely to be a return to the dark ages this year for UConn football. I think Kendall's a better coach than that. I tend to think that the roster is better than that. And there's a number of Toledo people on the offense as well. The defense has been the strong part of that program. One thing that is intriguing to me is that UConn schedules sort of unlike any other team in the sport. And so they have a lot of games this year, home games too, against teams like Syracuse, Belichick, North Carolina, Maryland is going to UConn this year. They are playing James Madison this year, which is another team that we don't know what they're going to look like

[Richard Johnson]

they're fighting, but you better watch out on that one.

[Jessica Smittena]

They're just playing a lot of games that feel fairly toss up, especially before we know what they are. I mean, I think that UConn should lose to Maryland and probably North Carolina and definitely James Madison. And you know, we'll see about a lower tier ACC team like Syracuse, but they've also just scheduled into a lot of variants like a lot of middle lower class P4s that you don't know how good they're going to be. So I think their SP plus projection this year is 5 wins, but given how little we know, could it be, could it be two? Probably not. Could it be three? Sure. Could it be as high as maybe seven? Yeah. This is just an extremely wide variance deal for UConn this season.

[Richard Johnson]

All right, Alex, Podcast Business time.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yes. Richard Natural Commercial break as we go between the independents and the Pac 12 here, I want to say thank you to our partners at Home Field who have delightful collections for both of the independent schools that we just talked about and for so many of the other schools that we're going to discuss in preview season. You can find their [e-mail] really all football season and all throughout the year, Home Field is trying very hard to continue to come up with new creative, very comfortable, very good looking college sports clothes for you and they have some incredible things in the works. Richard. They also have some things in the works for us. By the way, you may have noticed some pretty golfy hats, the new Game flow hats that are out with Home Field Affair now. I don't see, I don't see you wearing a lot of hats when we play golf. Are you willing to make an exception for the game flow hats that home field is putting out?

[Richard Johnson]

No, and it's nothing to do on home field. It's more a functional thing. As I've told you. I've discussed being a visor guy, have not committed all the way, but I am taking visits with high crown visors. We'll see what happens.

[Jessica Smittena]

I will wear enough of the home field game flow hats for the both of us and there is in fact a Yukon that was released in the prominent early collection. Thank you very much to our [e-mail] you can find them on socials as well. I also want to say thank you to Nokian Tires. Richard, you're off on a big road trip after we record this one. Granted it's largely aerial. Nokian Tires does focus a lot on R and D. They've yet to crack the ocean drive, but we'll talk to them and we'll see if they can work on that in the future.

[Richard Johnson]

Yeah, I trust the folks at Nokian Tires implicitly if they were to do that. I was in Turks and Caicos in February and when you go there, there's like a, a Jet Ski. That is a Lamborghini like Jet Ski. Not the brand, I mean like the model. So it looks like literally like a Lamborghini on the water. It's, it's actively insane. And that is what I think of when I think a water tire of Nokian would be able to figure something out like that. Or like the Aston Martin James Bond deal from when we were kids when the Pierce Brosnan Bond, when they brought that in, they still not made a decision on that. I was, I'm a, I'm an Idris Elba Bond person, but I don't think he wants to do it from what I read.

[Jessica Smittena]

Oh, he'd be great. He'd be terrific. Yeah, Idris is just so handsome. Honestly, Idris could do anything. And I would say, Idris, I'm ready to follow you into war. That's a split zone. Duo LLC commentary does not reflect Nokian Tire's views of who should be the next Bond. But yes, Nokian Tires, the inventors of the winter tire. Not yet of a tire that can drive you over the ocean. And I suspect that may be at least a few years off. But we want to say thank you to our partners at Nokian Tires. If you're in the market for new tires, ask your tire dealer about them. When you are in that shopping process. We think you'll be very happy that you did. Richard, let's continue with the PAC 12. In the past couple years we have done a standalone PAC12 preview that was just Washington State and Oregon State and we didn't combine it with anything else because we wanted the Pac 12 to stand alone. Now we don't have to be so performative about it because the PAC 12 is back to being a conference sized conference, albeit a small one. Let's go over the league. So you have the two holdovers, Washington State and Oregon State and then you have six other states that are coming aboard. Here you have San Diego State, Boise State, Texas State, Fresno State, Utah State and Colorado State to make an eight team football league. There is a conference championship game week 13, Thanksgiving time is the so called Flex Week, which is a new thing and I commend the PAC12 for their creativity on this. The Flex week enables the PAC12 to put together matchups based on how the season has gone that are not going to count towards the conference standings, but are designed at a structural level to give teams opportunities to improve their resumes and to improve the league's positioning for Bulls in the playoff. I know this is a particular conference office where we got some listeners and I say to you, kudos because you're doing something legitimately new at this level that has not been done here before. And I like that. Usually quote unquote innovation in conference offices these days is not actually new or fresh. This is. And so I am curious to see how this is going to unfold as the season goes along.

[Richard Johnson]

Yeah, I spent some time with the Pactol brass at the Big 12 media days. Yes, they were there at the Big 12 media days down the street from the Star. They sort of like run it out a restaurant out. And I think that's one of the situations where you look at, oh, they are doing something new. Another thing that they did new is they didn't do media days. Pac12 was like, we're not doing media days. We're not going to, we're going to take that budget and spend it elsewhere probably. I think what will be interesting is how they spend it. If Boise State is for instance, nine and oh, on, on rallying folks behind the cause to get them in the College Football Playoff. I think what's interesting with the PAC 12, the new pack, the whatever we're calling it is, and we've talked about this where Oregon State and Washington State slot in this new league because you've, you've, you've brought, you had to fill out a league or you want, I should say, you wanted to fill out a league. Your Oregon State and Washington State. That's what you chose to do. So you empowered PAC12 leadership to do that. They went and did it. They got one standard bearer, they got one change agent in Texas State, another team that's kind of always there in Fresno State obviously haven't really fallen off. You've got the potentials. San Diego State and Colorado State, I'd sort of lump in to the potentials. And then Utah State, you don't really fit into any of my neat buckets. You're also here.

[Jessica Smittena]

Utah State's had a couple of 10 win seasons. I think roughly in the time that we've been doing this. They can be good. It's been done recently. The health of the league is going to be a conversation that just kind of floats around the Pac 12 for a while because this was the league that you could say died. It certainly died in its old form. It's been reborn now in a different incarnation. People want to know about the meteorite steel. I want to know about the meteorite steel. The commissioner, Theresa Gold, has declined to say what it is, what the dollar amounts are to the schools. I saw that in an interview with John Canzano, one of the deans of west coast college football journalism. She says it's not productive to say. I would interpret that as probably the media rights deal isn't that good. But here's the thing. I don't have any more appetite for PAC12 media deal discourse, really. George Klypkoff and Larry Scott euthanized that horse. They didn't do it so humanely a time ago. And so I'm ready to just watch football in this league. I'm. I'm ready to just. Well, where are you going to watch sports business.

[Richard Johnson]

Cw, baby.

[Jessica Smittena]

There is some CBS Sports. Some CW USA has some of this league this year. They're going to be around and they'll be one of those. One of those leagues that is kind of spread on various platforms. How long will the league look exactly like this? Do you have a read on that?

[Richard Johnson]

On as far as the number of

[Jessica Smittena]

teams in it, number of teams, which teams they are? I, you know, it's. I think, reasonably well guessed that this league would like unlv, but didn't get unlv, obviously, which stayed in the Mountain West. The other six came from Mountain West.

[Richard Johnson]

Yeah, I don't know. I know that. Or I should. I shouldn't say. I know. I think that merger thing not exactly in the cards. I think we're going to. I think let's see how this amalgamation of the league looks. And I do think you've got a nice amalgamation because they do fit into those buckets that I sort of discussed a little bit earlier. Well, at least most of them do fit into that. You've got like teams. You've got teams that are in reasonable. In reasonable distance from each other. I'm interested in what this is going to look like. I am not, however, terribly interested in the. I think there is a positioning that the PAC 12 is doing that they are the fifth best conference. I'm not quite sure that they are. And even if they are, that does not a Power 5 make.

[Jessica Smittena]

No, I mean the best G6 conference is the American right now?

[Richard Johnson]

Yes.

[Jessica Smittena]

In my. I don't think it's that close. Although we'll see. What what what Boise could could lift this league to kind of similarly, what can the Sunbelt be lifted to by James Madison? And it's a good pivot point to talk about the teams, the eight teams that are going to make up this league. Let's start with the runaway favorites. I have the Boise State Rosebud and Thorn assignment question. Richard, we do not do too much sports betting here, but I think this is a useful case to understand perception. What would you think is Boise State's odds as like favorites of this league? How likely would you say it is? You know, even money More likely that Boise wins the Pac12? How likely do you think the markets would say it is that Boise wins this league?

[Richard Johnson]

It's obviously more likely than not. I'm more interested in everybody else's odds than I am Boise's odds.

[Jessica Smittena]

Interesting that you would say more likely than not. It is not. Which surprised me. Boise is heavily favored to win this league. They are about plus 175 but plus 175 for the conversion. There is a little bit under 50% likelihood actually decent bit under under 50% likelihood according to the betting markets that they would win this league. I was surprised by that. It is these. They are the second best odds to win a league in FBS this year, but they're longer odds than Texas Tech are to win the Big 12. So when I was guessing, I was actually thinking that the consensus on this would be that Boise was far and away likely to win the conference. The public sees some vulnerability here, which was interesting to me because of how often they won the old Mountain West. That looks a lot like this league and just how much more talented they seem. But let's be open minded about it because there's other possibilities here. My rose is that you just know that they're going to be good. There's no cratering potential here. And in the entire G6, how many teams can you say that? About like five?

[Richard Johnson]

And they were one of them. They were one of them.

[Jessica Smittena]

They're one of them in part because they have coaching continuity. Spencer Danielson continues to be the head coach of this team, but also they just seem to be financially and culturally a little different from just about every other program in the G6, maybe aside from James Madison or the Tippy Tippy Tippy Top of the American.

[Richard Johnson]

But like, I don't disagree that Boise is not the best team in this league. What I would say is Boise is not coming in this league on the front foot. Like Boise got flat embarrassed a couple times last year. I'm not talking about the Notre Dame game, which you can put that to one side. When you go out and you lose by 30 points to Fresno, you lose by 30 points to USF on opening night. That's not. We can't be having that.

[Jessica Smittena]

I would agree that they're coming in on the back foot. The funny thing is despite being a worse team last year than they had been in probably a decade, maybe more, they finished 64th in SP plus well worse. And they lost five games. Either of those metrics. We hadn't seen a Boise that bad since we've been doing this podcast and well before it. Despite that they won their league.

[Richard Johnson]

They just that is a Mountain west treatise. That is the Mountain west more than it is.

[Jessica Smittena]

I have to tell you that this is half of it. Yes, a lot of the Mountain west except UNLV is not there, which takes away what had been their biggest foil or at least their most threatening foil didn't ultimately really foil them the last couple of seasons. So I think they're somewhat back footed but because of the continuity unlikely to be anything but good to very good. Maddox Matson is not that guy who's going to elevate you to winning a playoff game on his own. No, but you know that you can win with him because they have for several years now the running back tandem that they have sire Gaines and Dylan Riley would be a nice running back tandem in the SEC or Big Ten. It's one of the handful of best in the country in my opinion and it's at Boise. I think the offensive line and most of the defense will play it well above a G6 level. They have a couple holes I don't know a ton about who who we should rely on and trust to make downfield explosive passing plays for them. Chris Marshall, really talented, probable future NFL receiver, left them on the tail and green path for Arkansas. But there's just a degree of continuity here that is that makes them lock, stock and barrel that you can't say for many of their peers. My thorn is actually also Maddox Madsen. Even though I include him in the continuity that gives them a floor. I've about seen enough of him as a guy who could be anything more than he is. I wonder if you and he was hurt a bit last year. Hopefully he'll be well being feeling good this year. I wonder if you feel any differently about the quarterback for Boise State who is who struggled a lot in the playoff a couple of years ago, was hurt last year, is back for another year as Boise started.

[Richard Johnson]

No, I. I'm in accord with you on that one. To the point, quite frankly, where I wonder if we see some cacher era. Maybe not, but I'm curious.

[Jessica Smittena]

Maybe not, but maybe so. My bud is that Boise, despite being different in the ways that we just laid out, is starting to act a little bit more like every other G6. They took 19 transfers this winter, which according to Nathan Carroll of 247 Sports was the most in the history of the program. So that's even the most stable group of six program knows that the old way can't work anymore and it requires a change in approach. The main notable player here, per Nathan, the guy who's likeliest to be a starter at a key position is the left tackle Tyler etheridge from Division 2 Colorado State Pueblo. That's a big eval there, Richard, because he's replacing Cage Casey, who was a fourth round pick by the other Orange and Blue Broncos in Denver and was just a mauler for them for several years on that line they've lost a couple of their other veteran stalwarts on both sides of the ball. Ty Benefield, the safety, probably the headliner on the defense. They do have, despite all of it, just more up in the air than usual. And I think they've got comparatively a strong roster budget. I think they've got reason for us to trust them on evals. But this is more uncertainty with Boise than we're used to talking about, even as it is less than pretty much anybody else in their position.

[Richard Johnson]

Yeah, but I don't think like to me that's a feature of the new paradigm in college football that's year over year pulling blocks out of the Jenga tower of stability that this program was year over year over year over year. So yes, playoff run. Awesome. And then you have a year like last year. What happens this year? Is it approximate to last year or are they able to raise the level a little bit to get somewhere between playoff and disappointment? Which is funny enough, kind of what last year was even though they won the league.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah, best player on the team is probably Jaden Virgin Morgan, defensive end, huge sack totals two years ago, not as big last year, but still a lot of TFLs. And they've. They've hung onto him. He had 13 TFLs last year. They've hung on to him. I'm sure that there was no short list of programs that would have very much liked to have taken him away from Boise and they still got him. So watch for him this season. Richard. Elsewhere in this conference, the Chasers, the likeliest teams maybe to come and get them, San Diego State, San Diego State

[Richard Johnson]

I think had maybe the most shocking identity. I don't even want to say crisis because it worked out for him last year, but maybe identity and just leave it full stop. Maybe identity surprise. I think they're going to get back to doing business the way you expect them to with Sean Lewis as head coach primarily because that great defense last year is more or less gutted. But they do bring back a lot of the good skill talent that they had last year, including Jordan Napier, Lucky Sutton in the backup running back, Christian Washington. So I think when you have that, I think you can do some of, I think Aztec fast as the branding that Sean Lewis put on that. And then they didn't really go Aztec fast last year in the. In the classic way that you would expect. Kind of the way that the Colorado team that he had went and some of the other teams that Kent, that Sean Lewis had, they did. So I think they're going to get back a little bit towards that. I think he knew that we might as well. If our defense is going to be so good, let's not put them in the situation where we're potentially really fast three and out. Let's protect that defense. I don't know that they can do that this year. I think they've got to get back to business the way Lewis probably wants to do it on offense.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah, probably. They had Trey White the last couple of years, edge rusher, kind of on the same lines of Jaden version, Morgan, who I just mentioned from Boise, who it was really impressive to keep him as long as they did. But then Texas Tech called and you know how that goes. So he's gone now. I think further support of your theory is that the quarterback and both of the big running backs, Jaden Denigel, Lucky Sutton, Christian Washington, Dunigal is a running quarterback. They're all back and they're replacing a lot on the offensive line. But I definitely think you're onto something that San Diego State will start to program, identity wise be a little bit more like what we would have guessed they would have been when they hired this guy who scored all these points at Kent State and who had been for a year at Colorado as head coach three off seasons ago. Now I'm with you on that and you know what, that's great. I'm tired of a team that is coached by a guy who has this offensive track record and is in Southern California of being in the 90s or lower in offensive SP plus. We have not, in the existence of this podcast covered a San Diego State team that was better than 91st in offensive SP plus. That's crazy. Yeah, that's, that's eight years of a team with access to the SoCal recruiting footprint being 90th or worse in offensive S plus. Unacceptable. Unacceptable. And they did have several amazing defenses in that run under both Brady Hoch and last year under Sean Lewis, but don't care, man. You're in San Diego, you don't have so much beef. You have a lot of speed. Within a couple hours of you go and get it, score some points. I'm done with anything else. That's what I want to see this year and I think that's what we will see considerably. Far norther in California, Fresno State. They went 9 and 4 in Matt Ence's first year. Matt Ence, of course, the former North Dakota State head coach who had done a quick stop over at USC under Lincoln Riley before taking this job last season. My rose is that they had an incredible pass defense last year. Probably the best in the whole group of six. At least statistically. I'd feel confident saying that. The short story is that they lost several star defensive backs, but they have a strong pipeline of people at all levels of the defense, especially defensive back. Their nickelback, Simeon Harris was just kind of a hellraiser last year. Lots of PBUs, lots of sniffing around opposing backfields. He is back. They have double digit returning sacks from either their roster or other rosters last year. The big transfer here is Dylan Hampstead from Sacramento State, which is an interesting reminder that there is a pecking order sort of at every region of this country. And in northern Central California, Fresno is able to pick off a really important guy from a program like SAC State even as they're going to FBS this year as well. I think you probably feel about as good, I would imagine, defense as any.

[Richard Johnson]

I would imagine they weren't in FBS when he left, to be fair.

[Jessica Smittena]

True. This is a good point because the SAC State thing came in the middle of the off season. That's a very good point. This should be one of the handful of best defenses in the group of six. It has been often and I, I would think that it would be again. They, they're just good at this. They were 37th in defensive SP plus last year to, to have a top 40 unit either offense or defense in this economy, in this economy especially, is literally is really impressive for them. My thorn is that the passing game was abominable and it probably will be again. The quarterback situation last year was it was a trade back and forth. They just couldn't settle on a guy. There had been a little bit of injury here as well. It was E.J. warner and Carson Conklin trading the job and producing a combined 14 touchdowns and 13 picks. It's two new guys this year, one new guy and one holdover from the depth chart. The holdover is Jaden Mandel and the Portal guy is Christian Martin from Maryland. It sounds like Martin is a little bit likelier to start based on their camp reps. I'm unfairly down on any Maryland portal quarterback I know because you know, we all have our crosses to bear in this life, but I I think that they're not very likely to throw the ball around the field in a way that sparks joy this season. They haven't done that in a little bit in a little while. It's funny, last week we were talking about David Carr Richard 25 years ago at Fresno State. They have not had quite a David Carr walk through the door, but I would settle for a Jake Hayner who was a favorite of ours in the early days of split zone duo. Just a real gunslinger quarterback who stood in there and took a lot of hits and still led them to some really good wins. Budwise, I think it's the general roster building approach that Ents has been deploying which paid some dividends in the first year they won nine games. Bill Connolly, our friend at ESPN has made the point that he is trying to make this thing North Dakota State west and I can sort of see what Bill is talking about there. Just with the variety of FCs and lower G6 transfers that they are leaning on to try to get good. There's, you know, there's different ways I'm curious for your thought on this that you can approach the Portal as a slightly upper class G6 team and one of them is to and obviously the best are doing some version of all of this at once. One of them is to take a lot of bounce backs from the upper levels and think that they'll be better suited at that level. So you know the former four star from Washington who didn't work out might come down to Fresno or something like that. Anecdotally though, I don't think we have scholarship to prove this. I think the the lift ups from a place like Sacramento State a program like Northern Illinois where they are relying on a DB this year, just seems to me like it's a better fit for a guy who comes from talent evaluation at, at a lower level and like knows what a good player looks like, who could rise rather than who has already fallen.

[Richard Johnson]

Yeah, but I think you have to have the bona fides of being, I mean, and says the bona fides of being FCS champion. So I get it. But I think when you were in a situation in the FCS where you know how to do more with less, just overall because, and I know it's a stretch to say North Dakota State was doing more with less, but you still have to sort through. If you're North Dakota State, you do not get the pick of the litter, especially just because of where you are where you are geographically at North Dakota State. So if you have the FCS scouting bonafides and plaudits, then I can see it applying to this. I think when you take bounce backs, as you were saying, sometimes you take character risks that you might not otherwise do. Now that's fine if they play well, but it's not so fine when they don't. And that's a thing that a lot of hell, that's a thing that even the highest FBS programs have to deal with sometimes. So I'm not saying that's an FCS problem or a low FPS problem. But yeah, I think because of what Ants did at the level, you could then sit here and say, all right, I've got some confidence that he's gonna be able to do that at this level. I mean this is, he's not Kurt Signetti, but like Signetti did this too. Like Signetti did the call ups and, and develop and look what they just did. I'm not saying Fresno State's gonna win the national championship 16. And oh. But yeah, there's, there's, there's proof in the pudding there.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah. And what Signetti didn't do a lot of, obviously they took a lot of transfers off of power conference rosters. They didn't take a lot of like, didn't work out guys at other schools. Like they poached guys who.

[Richard Johnson]

Yeah, they took guys, they took guys who.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yes. And they took. And they brought guys up who produced. They didn't do a lot of the, didn't work out. So we think that they can play here thing and Fresno is doing a bit of that. I mentioned the quarterback, Christian Martin, he comes from Maryland, but I think and say last year they were, they were Trying to make something happen out of a converted wrestler in fall camp on their defense. I just think Ant seems to to trust that he can identify and he can find guys who will be able to play at this level. And I think given his resume, that's a smart approach and it, it got them to a nine win debut for him and I'm generally optimistic that it will continue to work for him in this job. Richard, take us to Utah State University.

[Richard Johnson]

Don't know how good this team's going to be, to be honest with you. One of the worst defenses in college football last year or at least in this league. Maybe, maybe not college football, but at least in this league or the version of the league that they were in last year. No Bryson Barnes this year. Barnes is in the cfl. He was a lot of this offense, especially the running offense and was a really big dual threat for them. So how they're going to go about that this year going to be quite curious. I think the Utah State thing, dude, they've been so bad on defense for like five years running. They've been really, really bad. The safety was one of the team's leaders in tackles, which is not really what you want. But he does come back. I guess we can but that in Brevin Hamblin. He is joined by 19 defensive transfers. So we're bringing in a lot of guys. So I do however look favorably on bringing in a lot of guys when you're one of the worst defenses in college football last year or at least one of the worst defense in your.

[Alex Kirshner]

Really?

[Richard Johnson]

Sure,

[Jessica Smittena]

yeah, I concur with all that. He's a good football coach. They seem to have had a couple years ago I was tracking this, I was trying to find evidence of this and looking up to the preview they had some like odd administrative discord and things like the student body being really dissatisfied with the program and getting scolded for not wanting to come out to games. And there was the very ugly end to Blake Anderson's time there. It looks like everyone's a bit happier with one another right now at Utah State. It looks like they found stability. And I was thinking about it. In the time that we've done this show, they've had a lot of the opposite. Like in the early years of Split Zone Duo we were founded in 2020 they made that ill advised Gary Anderson second run hire that worked poorly and left them in a weird place. And then the Anderson thing went generally poorly though they squeezed the conference title into there in the middle. It looks to me from My scouring of the USU football Internet and I think we have a few Utah State listeners who I'd love to hear from to get your sense of this. I think everyone's kind of simpatico now. They seem normal and they have some money as we always talk about with all the Utah football schools. Not as much as Utah and byu. I think the arrow is pointing, you know, up ish. Like maybe not straight up skyward at Utah State right now, but they got back to a bowl game in Broncos first year after falling to 4 and 8 in the interim year in 24. He's such a proven program builder that I just tend to think, you know, we're going in a good direction with Utah State elsewhere in this conference. Richard, I have Washington State. Do you like a tear down? Because we have a tear down here.

[Richard Johnson]

I don't think your boy's on this team anymore, is he?

[Jessica Smittena]

Who's my boy?

[Richard Johnson]

Zevi?

[Jessica Smittena]

Oh, no, no, I don't think this year. In fact, I know he is not. Yes, this is two years that I have been talking up Zevi Ekhos, the quarterback who a couple years ago lost the job to John Mateer after I anointed him in the preview and then did play for them last year. I got to tell you, I'm actually going to Bud this year. The quarterback again. Wazoo has this gravity defying way of having very interesting quarterbacks every year despite all of the headwinds that they have been facing. This year's guy is Kaden Pinnock, who did enormous numbers in FCS last year as a red shirt freshman at UC Davis. Statistically speaking, best Division 1 freshman quarterback last year. Yes, it was FCS. Yes, it was redshirt, but over 3,000 passing yards, over 400 rushing, 35 touchdowns accounted for. Kind of amazing at any level for a roughly 19 year old quarterback who has three more ish seasons that he could play in college ball. There's room to run there. I kind of know what Washington State fans might be thinking right now, which is like in a, in a good way, in a bad way. Here we go again. Like, what if this guy pops off this year and you have him for one year in the way that you had Cam Ward, in the way that you had John Mateer as a starter for one year. That might happen. I'm kind of having visions of the portal cycling after the season where if this guy does what I think he could do, where they're calling for him again and Wazu just has to keep restocking. But he's definitely the most exciting quarterback in this league this year if you just look at upside. And obviously the downside is big anytime you're bringing up someone into a new program from fcs. But this dude's, this dude's big. He can move. Legitimate dual threat. Not one of Those like fake 2020s Dual threat quarterbacks who you know runs a lot between the tackles but can't really make plays in the open field and isn't much of a battering ram either. This guy's got got it at least from a scouting perspective and I'd like to see what it looks like on the field in this league. My rose here is that the offensive skill guys look solid. The running back Kirby Voorhees came over with Jimmy Rogers from South Dakota State last year when Jimmy Rogers went to Iowa State and was replaced by Kirby Moore, who I should mention the new head coach. Voorhees remained on this team. He had a very nice performance including a 47 yard touchdown run. When Wazoo had Ole Miss in hell last year. You remember that game where it really looked like Lane was going to lose to Washington State. Kind of the rumbling white running back who was like just like going over them Toby Gerhardt style. That was this guy, Kirby Voorhees. Ole Miss fans will remember watching this guy galloping in the open field. They got Trey Lechner who is the first team all Pac12 tight end this year. Not the stiffest statistical competition for that. He had about 200 yards for the whole year, but that included coming on very strong at the very end of the season. They have not stopped churning out good offensive skill position players last few years. And with that quarterback and the running back, I think they could do it again. I kind of think that they're going to score points despite the identity of this program last year or the better side of the ball certainly being the defense. I think they're going to have some, some pretty pieces on offense and probably improve on that side even with all the turnover. If I was guessing from the 87 finish that they had an offensive SP plus last year after being like top 40 or so in most years going back to the middle of the Mike Leach tenure. Can you guess what my thorn would be?

[Richard Johnson]

I mean, you know, I think that you play Isaac Terrell last year who was a TFL guy, I should say a havoc play guy for them. He's at Iowa State. It's. There was some Iowa State hewning out, hewing out of this roster which you expect when your head Coach leaves in the way that he did.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah, I mean, they, they just lost so much. This is what, what is happening here kind of year after year right now. The best stat for this is from Bill, whose season previews this year have been amazing and who I've enjoyed having doing these comprehensive previews that I've used in my Prep. They had 17 guys at 200 snaps last year on the defense, which was again, the better side of the ball. And 17 of 17 are gone. So Trent Bray, the fired Oregon State head coach, is in as coordinator. He knows defense really well.

[Richard Johnson]

Sure. All right. Not sure that I look lovingly on that, but all right.

[Jessica Smittena]

I think you have to think back to when he was coordinating the Oregon State defenses under Jonathan Smith before they both went on. Honestly, Jonathan Smith going to Michigan State messed everything up for everybody. He was not a good job.

[Richard Johnson]

I would agree.

[Jessica Smittena]

Trent Bray was clearly not ready to be Oregon State's head coach in these circumstances where Oregon State had been confronting the economic realities that they were confronting. Trent Bray back as a defensive coordinator at this level seems fine to me. It's been, what, only three years or so since he was last doing that. But it's a lot to put together out of complete nowhere. They were 32nd defensive SV plus last year they managed to win 7 games, dragging along a pretty mid offense even by G6 standards. They lost the whole boat. Tre had those Oregon State defenses forced a lot of turnovers, created a lot of havoc plays were punching well above their recruiting rate kind of in the early nil years when Jonathan Smith was cooking in that gig. So the bull case is you got the fun quarterback, the head coach, Kirby Moore is an accomplished offensive coordinator. They will figure out points and Trent Bray can figure out defense in the way he once did in Corvallis. There's a lot of reasons why all those things wouldn't work with the roster turnover that they have. But as ever, Washington State's going to keep chugging. And could they be the best non Boise team in this league this year? I think it's possible. Not likely, but that's possible. I said, Richard, in the Mountain west this year, outside of Boise State, you're telling me you'd be stunned if any of these teams we talked about managed to be the second or third best team in this league.

[Richard Johnson]

How is it not San Jose or Fresno like odds on. And Texas State maybe is a dark horse I like. I think that's pretty lock, stock and barrel.

[Jessica Smittena]

I assume you didn't mean San Jose. I assume you meant San Diego just catch the misspeak but we'll leave it San Diego.

[Richard Johnson]

Thank you. They all look alike situation.

[Jessica Smittena]

I don't I think the answer is the quarterback mainly. I think the quarterback that is in at Washington State though it's an FCS transfer up is the most exciting quarterback in this league period. Maybe other we'll talk about Texas State's Brad Jackson that actually might not be fair to him but certainly more exciting lower floor but more exciting higher upside than Maddox Madsen at Boise State definitely than Jaden Denigel at San Diego State. I just mentioned the Fresno quarterback situation not being much to write home about at the moment. You mentioned Bryson Barnes is no longer at Utah State. So I mean yeah they got a they got a compelling quarterback situation and I think the upside here in an upwardly mobile league is real. It's just the downside is also so so real. So so real. Bottom falling out potential super real as

[Richard Johnson]

well to Oregon State. Jamarcus Shepard, new head coach there obviously wants to be there ton of juice. If you look at some of his early press conference clips, really exciting guy and excited to be there. I think they also have not I think I know obviously new athletic director there that was an absolute mess. It's hopefully hopefully figured out and you're in a new day in Oregon State with a guy who comes with NFL plaudits, knows football administration you would think comes from Iowa State, all that sort of stuff. So I think Bud maybe rose the administrative situation on top of football heading into this new day. I think you feel a little bit better about especially with a new head coach and a first year head coach so we'll see how that plays out the bud. However, I'm legitimately curious about this guy Xavier Noland who comes in from UTRGV. He's literally a 70 yard touchdown waiting to happen at receiver. Not exactly going to give you a 12 catch performance but he was a bucket at the FCS level and I'm interested to see we talk about FCS call ups. I'm interested to see how he transitions up and how he delivers some explosives for this team. Mike McIntyre also veteran defensive coordinator which I did not realize he was here. I think that helps for sure for a new head coach and a first time head coach I think being a steady hand there or having a steady hand there is going to be big. Did you Malik Murphy is a player at quarterback who actually hasn't been in college football that long but just feels like he's been in college football that long because you've been hearing about him for so long.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah.

[Richard Johnson]

And he returns.

[Jessica Smittena]

I mean, so I'm thinking of Malik Murphy as the well liked Texas backup. Yeah, I'm thinking of him as the not very good Duke starter. I'm thinking of him as the not very good Oregon State starter.

[Richard Johnson]

His Texas backup year was 2023. Yeah. His Texas backup year was 2023 when he left the Horns during a playoff run to transfer to Duke.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yes, he was in front of Arch. He was judged by Steve Sarkeesian and company to be, you know, granted, with more experience to be ahead of the most hyped quarterback ever in 23. Got a look at Duke. It didn't go well. That was an ugly passing game there and it wasn't sparking a ton of joy as you would say last year in this gig either. They were 126th in offensive SP plus. And man, it was, I mean he, he tried and it was a hard situation. Remember also this team last year, their special teams was continually blowing it and putting them in bad field position like so. Giving them another shot. Totally cool. It's not like it makes a ton of sense for them while they were getting their house in order administratively to be splashing the cash for a majorly touted quarterback. But it was ugly last year in every way that it could be ugly. Hope for better things this time around. He's got a lot of experience. He's got some pedigree from his days like Texas. Texas loved this guy. Like he was viewed as guy who could play if needed to at Texas. He was a, I believe a high, high three star, low four star recruit when he came out. He's got some background that would suggest that this guy could, could put it together late in his career. We know how rarely that happens. But wish the best for him. Texas State. Richard, here's my rose. This is a crazy fact and I believe it's right as I was going after it. I'll actually break it down for you from a high level. My rose is going to be the offense. My thorn is going to be the defense. They are currently very much a like mid 2000s Oklahoma style program.

[Richard Johnson]

All right, I'll take it.

[Jessica Smittena]

They can't defend and that's just what it's going to be again this year. The defense is going to be terrible and I don't really feel like spending our listeners time talking about the Texas State defense. Just understand that it's probably going to

[Richard Johnson]

be our word for it.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah, just they have one fun transfer here. They have a 300 pound McNeese defensive tackle who had 16 TFLs last year, Philip Bradford. I hope that goes well. But the defense is probably going to be terrible because it's always terrible at

[Richard Johnson]

Texas, Texas State, they, they did not have a player with more than four sacks last year.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah, it's a tough deal.

[Richard Johnson]

Yeah, can't have that. Can't have that.

[Jessica Smittena]

They can't really play defense just about every year. Yeah, for more than a decade they've had some of the worst defenses in college football pretty much year in, year out. I am not here to predict that that's going to change. But let's talk about the offense because it's fun. Last year, Richard, by my count there were 12 wideouts in the G6 who cleared 1,000 yards. Exactly. Three of those wideouts are still in college football and on their old team. Two of them are on Texas State. That's interesting. That tells me something about their talent retention, about how fun it must be to play in G.J. kenny's offense. That's Bo Sparks and Chris Dawn Jr. The wide receivers both over a grand in yardage last year. And the quarterback Brad Jackson over 3,000 yards is back as well. I think that Texas State is the only program in the country in FBS that has a 3,000 yard quarterback and 2,000 yard receivers back. Now Miami has that sort of via transfers with Darian Mensah and Cooper Barkett coming from Duke to join Malachi Tony. But, but in terms of returning continuous production, Texas State is unparalleled right now in the sport. Like think about all those other G6 wideouts. Danny Scudero went to Colorado. Wyatt Young from Oklahoma State went to. From North Texas went to Oklahoma State. All these guys, they're all gone. Texas State keeps these guys. They keep two of them at a world where that's just really hard because you cannot hide a G6 wide receiver. You can maybe hide a backup running back or I don't know, a guard. You can hide some things. Even with all of the advanced scouting that's going on, all the scouting that's going on at the GM offices of Richard programs, but you can't hide thousand yard receivers. It's not possible. And they've kept them so good for Texas State says something about their retention and playing in that offense. I mentioned the defense. I'm not talking about it anymore. The bud is the conference fit. They kind of batted their eyelashes for a while at or like put out the mating call as a bird would do to the PAC 12 for a long time before they finally got the invite into this league. I remember talking about it with our friend Matt Brown. It was like, is this at the point where it's looking a little tacky? So they might not get the invite? Because that kind of thing weirdly matters in some of these realignment politics. They got the invite. It makes no geographic sense, but they think it's better for them than being in the Sunbelt. Would you disagree?

[Richard Johnson]

Not really. I mean, it's not like this. I mean, the Sunbelt, obviously, by default, is a better geographic fit, but I mean, it's not like stealth flight. Right? It's. It's a. It's a decent. You know, they. You have a Louisiana in there, and so there's some closer team. But yeah, it's not like Texas State to Troy. Makes a ton of sense.

[Jessica Smittena]

No, it does not make a ton of sense. So this doesn't either, but I think it could be fun. They might have 50 people in the road section, the visiting fan section at some of these games, but they wanted it, they got it. They got the receivers in the quarterback. That's a decent place to start.

[Richard Johnson]

There is upside here. You. They won't stop a nosebleed, but there is upside here. Colorado State, Richard Colorado State. The Jim Mora experience comes to Colorado State. They are sort of doing it again with Northeast head coach who had success, albeit Jim Moore had more success than Steve Adasio, and albeit a different hiring process and different way to get him in there. But they're kind of doing it again where they are taking a, not necessarily in air quotes, geographic fit, which is fine, especially in this Portal era. I don't really have a value proposition on that. It's just about observation more than anything else Colorado State brings in. He's sort of melding some of the players who were there with some of the Yukon players again. Gordon Thomas took a few with him to TCU as well. So you have that deal. Darrell Robinson at running back. He was with Mora at UConn, then went to Auburn. Didn't really get much burn and we all know how that went last year. Now he's back with him at running back, I think they'll get some production out of him. Man, this was a name. When I looked at the thorn here with who might be starting at quarterback for Colorado State. You might recall the disastrous Oklahoma State, Oregon game last year.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah.

[Richard Johnson]

Hoss Haney is potential Colorado State starter this year, which, as you would say, does not exactly spark jury. Why?

[Jessica Smittena]

Rebuild, rebuild, rebuild, rebuild. The job has what is still theoretical upside. And you were saying when we did our episode of the Job Colorado State or maybe it was just on a coaching carousel episode last year that people still think that they haven't bailed on the stuff that we've recurringly mentioned on the show for years that if you got it aligned right they could win there. Obviously going to need to see it and I don't think it's going to be this year.

[Richard Johnson]

I should also say regarding Colorado State a big rose I think is and like rose slash but whatever you want to say when we talk about the Yukon Colorado State meld on the roster is Omar Diamante is a linebacker who Mora is bringing with him who I expect to be he's going to be up there with with leaders and tackles in the PAC 12.

[Jessica Smittena]

It's something it's something more than they had to write home about probably under the end of the Jay Norvell tenure. Those fans deserve some reason to be optimistic. Preseason awards and superlatives in this league the split zone duo preseason due to the year honor my o doty offensive dude of the year Bo Sparks the Texas State wideout who's going to be in that great offense defensive due to the year Jaden Virgin Morgan at Boise still there not being poached away by a power program because Boise kind of is like a power program in certain respects. I expect big tfl big sack numbers from him.

[Richard Johnson]

Offense to the year for me is going to be Lucky Sutton he's just going to be a bucket for them. He's going to be their significant offensive coordinator excuse me offensive contributor so that ends up and then on on defense I'm going to go with Diamante who I just met from referenced coming over from UConn to Colorado State Richard coach

[Jessica Smittena]

who is not going to be here next year. We check our work from the previous year. It's kind of non applicable from last year. We obviously had a two team league. Both Trent Bray and Jimmy Rogers wound up being out for different reasons. I think Bray was probably more likely to go before the season. But who do you have this year as the likeliest to be out of this league?

[Richard Johnson]

I guess I'll I guess I'll go. Kenny up and out.

[Jessica Smittena]

Yeah same if Baylor were to open for example he'd be a natural name on that list at least be in consideration. You could say the same for maybe a couple of other Big 12 jobs if they were to come open. Richard minority coach of the week in an interesting schematic spot of the year.

[Richard Johnson]

Again this is not a predictor portender of significant achievement. It's simply just being a minority coach in a certain somatic spot and saying huh, that's interesting. I've taken to Rocker Shep. I think that you've got, you're moving into a different league. You've got what, what kind of guy takes this job and if they weren't going to get Brent Fegan from, from Montana, then you go and you take a young guy, wants to be there, has a, has a little bit of bona fides having been there before, but just wants a shot and all right. And I think he is going to take some interesting shots player eval wise. He's going to do, he's going to do the bounce back thing. I think he's more apt to do the bounce back thing as far as getting talent in the door. So we'll see how it works out for the Beavers.

[Jessica Smittena]

Low key game of the year in this conference. I think a great one is Texas State at San Diego State in Week 5. Possible top 20ish offense against a possible top 20 30ish defense. It certainly was last year. We'll see what the regression looks like if San Diego State is in a certain shape. Could be one of the better G6 games. Could be one of the better games period of the college football season. It'll be at that nice new stadium in San Diego.

[Richard Johnson]

I've taken the combined Boise State, Oregon State and Boise State. Washington State. Game one is in October. The other one is in late November. I just think that it is just going to be an interesting measuring stick. How do you as Oregon State and Washington State measure up against the class of the new class of the league?

[Jessica Smittena]

We'll find out soon enough. Richard that's the Pac 12 on the front end. That's the Independence split zone Duo Conference preview season rolls on. Thank you our listeners for being with us. We'll see you.