Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron

Episode: Hour 1 | Date: September 14, 2025
Hosts: Andrew Salcunas and David Dennis Jr. (in for Matt Jones & Myron Medcalf)
Featured Guest: Herm Edwards (ESPN NFL Analyst)

Episode Overview

This episode kicks off an action-packed Sunday with Andrew Salcunas and David Dennis Jr. filling in for Matt and Myron on ESPN Radio. The show dives deep into the wild weekend of college football, responding to headline-making moments like LSU’s Brian Kelly press conference meltdown, the rocky start for touted quarterback Arch Manning, and parity building across college football. The episode also jumps into NFL Week 2 with Herm Edwards, who discusses early-season overreactions, the psychology of the locker room, and iconic coaching soundbites.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. College Football: Wild Week 3 Recap

• LSU’s “Ugly” Win and Brian Kelly's Press Conference Rant (03:12–05:16)

  • LSU beat Florida largely on defense (20-10) with five interceptions but scored no points off turnovers.
  • Brian Kelly bristled at the first postgame question about offensive struggles, deriding reporters for “micro analyzing.”
  • Quote, Brian Kelly (04:05): “We played the game to win the game. ... Give them some respect instead of micro analyzing every little thing. This is ridiculous.”
  • Hosts argue the questions were fair, discussing the high standards and scrutiny top programs face.
    • David Dennis Jr. (05:54): “Talk about the offense is not micro analyzing...that’s a pretty macro question.”
    • Andrew Salcunas (06:54): “You did not score a single point off of those five interceptions. …you are going to have these questions asked of you.”
  • The hosts dissect LSU’s lack of offensive output, documenting each post-turnover drive.

• Georgia’s OT Triumph Over Tennessee (08:15–09:54)

  • Georgia comes back from an early deficit to beat Tennessee 44–41 in overtime.
  • Andrew recalls trying to sneak in streaming the game during a wedding: “Nobody cares about Georgia, Tennessee. I’m like, I care.” (01:49)
  • David Dennis Jr.: “There was a lot of mossing going on with that Georgia squad. Fortunate with a missed field goal at the very end.” (09:36)
  • Georgia projected to move up in polls; Tennessee’s heartbreak with defense unable to stop Georgia’s offense late.

• Oklahoma Rolls Temple; Mattier’s Heisman Case? (12:10–14:26)

  • Oklahoma crushes Temple 42–3; Andrew attended as a Temple alum but admits fans were mostly there for Oklahoma.
  • John Mattier’s big day: “Seven carries for 63 yards… he’s now all of a sudden putting his name into maybe a potential Heisman case—very early.” (14:26)

2. Hype vs. Reality: The Arch Manning Discourse

• Arch Manning Struggles to Meet Immense Expectations (15:22–19:03)
  • Recap and critique of Arch Manning’s underwhelming performances—particularly against weaker opponents.
    • David Dennis Jr. (15:45): “He looked worse than a guy…timid, second-guessing himself, holding the ball too long. He looked pedestrian against a team you should…run up your numbers.”
  • Discussion of the pressure created by media/fan hype due to his surname.
    • Andrew Salcunas (16:54): “Because his last name was Manning was not something for me to say, 'oh, he's going to be really good.' ... It almost makes it unfair for the kid.”
    • David Dennis Jr.: “He don’t look like he Danny Manning out there. ... This guy does not look ready to start right now.” (18:19)

3. Early Season Shakeups: Notre Dame, Clemson, & Playoff Parity

• Notre Dame Falls to 0–2; Parity on the Rise (19:03–21:40)
  • ND loses a thriller to Texas A&M 41–40. “You can’t be starting the season 0–2 if you want to be considered one of the top teams in the nation.” (19:49)
  • Conversation shifts toward parity enabled by the transfer portal and NIL changes.
    • David Dennis Jr.: “We, I think, are finally reaching parity in college football.” (21:16)
    • Potential for playoff chaos with multi-loss contenders.

4. NFL Kickoff: Herm Edwards Joins for Week 2 Preview

Herm’s Big Takeaways (23:49–33:57)

• On Overreacting to 0–2 Starts (23:49–24:40)
  • Herm Edwards: “A lot of football games left. This league is a week to week league. It's not who you play, it's how you play the day you play.”
• Green Bay Packers as Quiet Contenders (24:40–25:22)
  • Herm: “You don't want to play the Packers right now. They're really good and they've gotten better, especially on defense.”
• Chiefs in a “Must-Prove” Spot After Loss & Facing Eagles (25:53–26:57)
  • Herm: “They understand they are playing the team that beat them, the Eagles, in the Super Bowl. So it's a big game…they want to win their first home game.”
• Giants QB Dilemma: Russell Wilson or Jackson Dart? (26:57–28:18)
  • Herm: “First month of football, they play four playoff teams...If this team is sitting at 1 and 3...might see a change [at QB].”
• Ravens’ Missed Opportunity, Player Accountability (28:18–30:09)
  • Herm: “The Ravens played against the Ravens...the details of the game [tripped them up]. … This is the players. This ain’t the coach.”
• On Player-Only Meetings: Miami Dolphins Panic? (30:09–31:45)
  • Herm: “Sometimes as the head coach, you go to a couple of your captains and tell them, 'You need to meet with the guys.'...But with Miami, there’s this sense of, what are they, who are they right now?”

Iconic Coaching Rant Callback (32:02–33:46)

• Brian Kelly: “We played the game to win the game.”
• Herm responds: “You forgot the hello. You got to give them the jingle first…But when you do something like that, players are listening.”
  • Shares anecdote about his own infamous “You play to win the game!” speech and its impact on his locker room.
• Herm: “Hopefully those players got the message.”

5. NFL Storylines, Insider Nuggets, and Matchup Breakdowns

• Shadur Sanders “Declines” Ravens; Lands Third String in Cleveland (35:24–40:28)

  • Adam Schefter reports: Shadur Sanders turned down a chance to be drafted by the Ravens to avoid backing up Lamar Jackson, instead lands with Browns.
  • David Dennis Jr. (37:10): “It’s a bad look once you’re third string on the Browns… My question is how did this get out? Who’s benefiting from that coming out?”
  • Andrew Salcunas: “It’s not necessarily a great look for somebody that’s being drafted in the fifth round to start talking about where he wants to go.”
  • Both hosts discuss perception, PR impact, and who benefits from this info leaking.

• Ravens vs. Browns; Derrick Henry’s Debut (40:28–41:44)

  • Hosts expect a decisive Ravens win; spotlight on how Browns defense matches up and a much-anticipated Grant Delpit vs. Derrick Henry showdown.
  • David Dennis Jr.: “‘Too much dip on the chip’ ... You couldn’t pay me to say it would be easy to tackle Derrick Henry.”

• Jacksonville Jags’ Travis Hunter Debut (41:44–44:24)

  • Discussion of the Jags slowly integrating Travis Hunter on both sides of the ball after trading up for him.
  • Andrew Salcunas: “Maybe get him comfortable on one side of the ball first. …This is one of those situations where you sit down the young kid and say, ‘Your time will come...’ ”
  • David Dennis Jr.: “Seems like the organization doesn’t really have a plan for him.”

• Cincinnati's Offensive Troubles (44:24–45:07)

  • Bengals favored, but offense looked woeful; hosts expect more from Joe Burrow & co. coming out against Jacksonville.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Brian Kelly’s Rant:
  • Brian Kelly: “We played the game to win the game. …You’re spoiled. …This is ridiculous.” (04:04–04:55)
• Herm Edwards on Parity:
  • Herm Edwards: “It’s not who you play, it’s how you play the day you play. That’s how I look at it.” (24:20)
• David Dennis Jr. on Arch Manning:
  • “He looked worse than the guy…timid, second-guessing himself. …This is a bad start for a guy who people are already writing off as not just a Heisman Trophy winner, people are writing him as the #1 pick.” (15:45–16:54)
• On Parity in CFB:
  • David Dennis Jr.: “We, I think, are finally reaching parity in college football.” (21:16)
• On Shadur Sanders’ Decision:
  • Andrew Salcunas: “It is kind of a weird look to say, oh, no, I don’t want to go to a team with a very successful quarterback that you could learn behind.” (39:48)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Brian Kelly Press Conference Reaction: 03:12–08:15
• Georgia vs. Tennessee OT Recap: 08:15–09:54
• Oklahoma–Temple, John Mattier Mention: 12:10–14:26
• Arch Manning Struggles: 15:22–19:03
• Notre Dame, CFB Parity: 19:03–21:40
• Herm Edwards Interview (NFL Focus): 23:49–33:57
• Shadur Sanders/Ravens-Browns Storyline: 35:24–40:28
• Ravens-Browns, Bengals-Jaguars Matchups: 40:28–45:07

Summary & Tone

The show maintains a light, conversational, and humorous tone—exemplified by friendly self-deprecation about their aging party stamina and ribbing over game streaming at a wedding. Analysis is sharp with balanced perspective—a blend of irreverent banter (“too much dip on the chip”), critique of sports media cycles, and genuine insight from a coaching great. The first hour sets the stage for a complete Sunday sports feast—covering all the major questions and narrative-drivers in both CFB and NFL.

For listeners who missed this episode:

• Expect plenty of energy, playful host dynamics, and in-depth football talk, laser-focused on controversies, hype trains, and the wide-open chaos defining this season.
• Herm Edwards delivers wisdom and a few laughs, especially reflecting on his own iconic “You play to win the game!” coaching moment—echoed hilariously in Brian Kelly’s latest meltdown.