Episode Overview
Podcast: Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron
Hosts: Matt Jones, Myron Medcalf (ESPN Radio)
Episode: Hour 1: You Tell Him, Herm!
Air Date: October 19, 2025
The first hour of this episode dives into the latest college football chaos, the shifting dynamics at the top of the NFL, and colorful banter with ESPN’s Herm Edwards. With their trademark wit and candor, Matt and Myron debate player performances, coaching turmoil, fan reactions, and the unpredictability gripping both NCAA and NFL seasons.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Post-Kentucky vs Texas Recap & Arch Manning's Struggles
- Matt admits exhaustion from a late-night radio shift and immediately takes aim at Texas QB Arch Manning after seeing him in person.
- “Arch Manning is not good. ...I’m going to go farther. He’s the worst quarterback I’ve seen in person at a UK football game in a long time.” — Matt Jones [01:13]
- They poke fun at the media hype around Arch and lament Kentucky’s missed opportunity.
- "No coach in America wants a good kid who's an average quarterback over a bad kid who's great." — Myron Metcalf [02:40]
- The Kentucky football experience: “It’s like always coming up one ball short of the lottery. …That’s what Kentucky football perpetually is.” — Matt Jones [03:01]
2. Rapid Fire: College Football, Big Games & Heisman Race
- Georgia vs Ole Miss:
- Matt questions Lane Kiffin’s big-game record: “He wins until it matters and then he loses.” [03:19]
- Myron credits Kiffin for elevating Ole Miss, says the loss was all about Georgia’s knack for closing games.
- Vanderbilt’s Rise & Portal Positivity:
- Diego Pavia gets Heisman/MVP buzz. Both hosts agree he’s an energizing underdog.
- "Vandy is such a great example of how the transfer portal has only helped college football…A school like that can come in… now they’re playing with the best teams in America." — Myron Metcalf [04:30]
- Matt jokes: “Do you really want the person that’s good at biology to also be good at football?” [05:00]
- Baker Mayfield & Diego Pavia as MVP/Heisman favorites: Both hosts praise their charisma and underdog stories.
- “It's easy to get behind a Diego and Baker Mayfield just based on their stories.” — Myron Metcalf [06:43]
- Quick Hits:
- Georgia Tech undefeated, Memphis’s brutal upset loss to UAB, and Louisville’s upset of Miami get recaps.
- Comic banter over Myron’s difficulties pronouncing “Louisville” brings laughs.
- “I'm saying it exactly how you're saying it.” — Myron Metcalf [11:14]
3. College Football Hot Seats & Coaching Carnage
- Matt and Myron speculate which big-name coaches could be fired next:
- Luke Fickell (Wisconsin): Myron thinks he's most likely due to culture clash and offensive woes.
- “What rubs people the wrong way…isn’t just the losing. It’s the out-of-town dude coming to a place that has played the same way for a long time.” — Myron Metcalf [15:45]
- Hugh Freeze (Auburn): Matt expects news to break soon, citing his lack of likeability and blown leads.
- “If you’re going to sell your soul for Hugh Freeze, then Hugh Freeze at least needs to win.” — Matt Jones [17:48]
- Billy Napier (Florida): They debate if a coach can be fired after a win.
- “You can have a great date in a toxic relationship. It doesn't change the relationship.” — Myron Metcalf [20:42]
- “You cannot break up mid makeout.” — Matt Jones [20:55]
- Luke Fickell (Wisconsin): Myron thinks he's most likely due to culture clash and offensive woes.
4. NFL Landscape: Wide Open at the Top
- Jacksonville Jaguars get routed in London; NFL parity rules the day.
- “This is the most open I can ever remember the top of the NFL.” — Matt Jones [24:01]
- Herm Edwards joins for Super Bowl favorites and NFL parity talk.
- Herm picks Kansas City: “Yeah, they’re the favorite in the clubhouse…I mean, look, there’s some other teams sniffing around.” [27:08]
- Discussion of QBs who "revive" their careers (Mayfield, Darnold, Daniel Jones) in new settings; coaching matters.
- “Coaching matters. It just matters. ...You get hardened when you fail. ...You never recover or you do like the guys that have recovered.” — Herm Edwards [30:00]
- Herm explains his philosophy: Coaches must fit the system to the QB—whether it was Chad Pennington or Vinny Testaverde, flexibility in system is key. [31:08–32:16]
5. Locker Room Candor & Tua Tagovailoa Controversy
- Tua criticizes teammates for being late to meetings, then apologizes—blaming the “media.”
- “Literally, those were your words, man. Own that.” — Myron Metcalf [42:53]
- “Don’t blame the media because y’all are a mess.” — Myron Metcalf [44:19]
- Herm is adamantly old school: locker room business stays private.
- “What we do here, what we say here stays here when we leave here.” — Herm Edwards [32:49]
- “You better stop all that silliness…All you need to know, we gonna show up with 11 on the field, and we’ll be prepared to win games…anything that happens in my house, it’s in my house.” [33:08]
6. Lighter Moments & Listener Banter
- Banter on pronouncing "Louisville" and humorous off-mic listener texts (“the late 70s black stepdad from LA”).
- “I don't process people by the age and race of their stepdads.” — Matt Jones [40:09]
- Herm's legendary locker room phrases (“Hello!”) are compared to pop culture catchphrases (“ice ice baby,” “playoffs”).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
Matt on Arch Manning:
“He is not good…I’m going to go farther. He’s the worst quarterback I’ve seen in person at a UK football game in a long time. That’s not joking.” [01:13] -
Myron on new college power dynamics:
“Vandy is such a great example of how the transfer portal has only helped college football…they may have bent a few rules.” [04:30–05:35] -
On firing coaches after wins:
“You can have a great date in a toxic relationship. You know, it doesn’t change the relationship.” — Myron Metcalf [20:42] -
Herm on media & player transparency:
“What we do here, what we say here stays here when we leave here…anything that happens in my house, it’s in my house. It ain’t going to your house.” [32:49–33:30] -
Herm on QB development:
“Coaching matters. ...You get hardened when you fail. ...You never recover or you do like the guys that have recovered.” [30:00]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Opening and Arch Manning Analysis: [00:36–02:45]
- Georgia/Ole Miss Lane Kiffin Debate: [03:01–04:13]
- Heisman/MVP/Transfer Portal Chatter: [04:30–06:43]
- Coach Hot Seats (Fickell, Freeze, Napier): [13:27–21:03]
- NFL Landscape Parity Chat: [23:08–27:00]
- Herm Edwards Extended Segment: [26:13–36:17]
- Locker Room Culture, Tua, & Media: [40:55–45:02]
- Light Banter/Listener Interactions: [38:31–40:29]
- Closing College/NFL Recaps: [45:02–end]
Flow & Tone
The show is fast-paced, humorous, irreverent, and unfiltered. Myron leans analytical and deadpan, while Matt is quick with jokes and candid jabs at teams and players. Both are self-aware and comfortable poking fun at each other and at Herm Edwards—whose old-school football gravitas and locker room one-liners add a classic coach’s flavor and memorable “old head” wisdom. The energy is high, conversational, and accessible even for casual sports fans.
Takeaway
This episode masterfully mixes deep analysis, irreverent humor, and real-time fan reactions. Matt and Myron dissect the pressures on coaches and players, the sweeping changes in both college and professional football, and the challenge of blending old-school tradition with today’s wild parity and transfers. It’s a perfect listen for fans hungry for real talk, sharp observations, and a few laughs at the expense of sports’ sacred cows.
