The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk

Episode: The Jeremiah Smith Heisman Trophy case, snagging a Toledo gem & the Bill Belichick disaster: Rants
Host: Doug Lesmerises (solo episode)
Date: October 7, 2025
Podcast Network: Blue Wire

Overview

Doug Lesmerises takes the mic solo for a classic "Tuesday Rants" episode, offering sharp, passionate takes on three major topics swirling through the world of college football:

1. Jeremiah Smith's Heisman Trophy campaign and the broader problem with judging by stats
2. A salute to Pitt for discovering and developing Toledo QB gem Mason Heintschel
3. A scathing indictment of the Bill Belichick experiment at North Carolina and its fallout

Doug draws on deep Buckeye expertise, wide-ranging data, and his trademark big-picture perspective, all with his usual mix of humor, exasperation, and genuine love for the sport.

1. Jeremiah Smith and the Heisman Trophy Debate

Starts at [01:01]

Main Points & Arguments

• Ryan Day's Comments Put Smith in Heisman Spotlight:
  • Ryan Day emphatically endorses Jeremiah Smith as "the best offensive player in college football" – even on nights when others, like Carnell Tate, outshine him in the box score.
• Statistical Limitations for Star Players on Great Teams:
  • Ohio State's slow pace of play (132nd/136 in FBS in offensive plays per game) means fewer stat-padding opportunities for Smith and others.
  • Defensive strategies specifically aim to stifle Smith, compounding the statistical challenge.
• The Outdatedness of Stat-Obsessed Heisman Voting:
  • The current Heisman model rewards players from teams that aren't contending (and thus can feed stats to a star), while playoff-bound teams often rest or balance workloads.
  • Doug argues for either:
    • Postponing the Heisman vote until after the full postseason (“God forbid, the most important sports award in North America, perhaps make it more difficult to schedule a banquet.” – Doug, [05:15])
    • Or at the very least, using more context (efficiency, per-game averages, etc.) with statistics to account for differences in team strategy and competition level.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Ryan Day’s comments:
  "Whether Jeremiah will get the stats that he would need to get into the Heisman race or not. It's sort of out of his hands … that doesn't change who he is in terms of a player or his impact on the game." — Ryan Day via Doug, [01:40]

• On the banquet timing:
  "We have the banquet scheduled … God forbid the most important sports award in North America, perhaps make it more difficult to schedule a banquet!" — Doug, [05:15]

• On the core problem:
  "The thing about this is that Ryan Day brings it up. Jeremiah Smith right now is 13th in the nation in receiving yards per game at 92.6 … Ohio state can’t speed up just to get Jeremiah Smith more stats." — Doug, [09:00]

• The Devonta Smith Comparison:

  • Devonta Smith's 2020 Heisman year was a statistical anomaly, not easily replicated by receivers on talent-rich teams like OSU.

Key Data Points

• Jeremiah Smith through 5 games: 35 catches (44 targets), 463 yards, 6 TDs (Carnell Tate: 24/435/4)
• Ohio State offensive plays per game: 59.5 (132nd out of 136)
• Comparison: Missouri runs 85.3 plays/game (25 more per game than OSU)

Doug’s Big Picture Takeaways

• The system needs reconsideration, not just for Smith but for all superstars on playoff-aspiring teams.
• He implores fans and voters to “get smarter” about what greatness looks like in a context bigger than raw stats.
• "I'm not saying that Jeremiah Smith has to win the Heisman. I'm saying he is having a good statistical year as the best player on the best team and he's kind of across the board acknowledged as the best player in college football. But so far, it's not enough.” — Doug, [13:40]

2. Rant Two: Mason Heintschel – Toledo’s Lost Gem Finds a Home at Pitt

Starts at [16:20]

Main Points & Story

• Background:
  • Mason Heintschel, a true freshman QB from Toledo Clay High School, was largely overlooked by Big Ten programs.
  • Pitt snagged him among mostly MAC and smaller conference offers.
• Immediate Impact:
  • In his first start, Heintschel was 30-for-41, 323 yards, 4 TDs in a 48–7 beatdown of Boston College.
  • Named ACC and national freshman of the week.
• Pitt’s Process Praised:
  • Offensive coordinator Cade Bell and staff rated Heintschel highest on their board — above four- and five-stars after full staff review.
  • Added effort to “prove” him in the pocket for head coach Pat Narduzzi, who was convinced by film study.
• Contrast with Northern Schools:
  • Doug bemoans Big Ten teams letting another regional QB slip, but celebrates that at least a northern talent stayed in the region.
  • Cautions against overhyping after one start, but sees genuine promise and a “proof of concept.”

Notable Quotes

• Recruiting philosophy:
  “We went through all the quarterbacks in the country. Three stars, four stars, five stars. And when we put our ratings together, Mason was the highest rated guy on our board.” — Cade Bell, cited by Doug, [17:34]

• On missed opportunities:
  “Maybe there’s some teams in the Big Ten who should have found Mason Heintschel who should have been on that — they weren’t. But at least this is not a kid from Toledo, Ohio, who’s down doing it for Coastal Carolina or Liberty.” — Doug, [18:56]

3. Rant Three: The Bill Belichick Disaster at North Carolina

Starts at [22:04]

Main Points & Analysis

• Belichick’s Tenure (So far):
  • UNC off to a disastrous 2–3 start; destroyed 38–10 by Clemson, trailing 35–3 at halftime.
  • Nepotism rampant: both of Belichick’s sons on staff, plus Michael Lombardi (trusted ex-NFL exec) as general manager, with his son as QB coach.
• Culture Crisis & Chaos:
  • WRAL investigative report describes the program as “an unstructured mess … no culture, no organization. It’s a complete disaster.” ([22:55])
  • Disunity, infighting (transfers vs. established players), and widespread preferential treatment.
• Lack of Competitiveness:
  • UNC's rating: 95th nationally, behind several MAC teams per advanced metrics.
  • Three losses this season by 34, 25, and 28 points — far worse than any defeat in the previous season.
• Bigger Lesson:
  • Doug denounces the “desperation” and “hubris” of hiring legendary but disinterested coaches on the downslope, filling staffs with friends and family.
  • Contrasts with Indiana’s successful hire of up-and-comer Curt Cignetti, who is still hungry rather than coasting.
  • Warns against mistaking NFL greatness for CFB fit, calls out North Carolina’s leadership for an “embarrassing” choice.

Notable Quotes

• “It’s an unstructured mess. A source with first-hand knowledge of the program told WRAL. There's no culture, no organization. It’s a complete disaster.” — quoting WRAL, [22:55]
• “Stop hiring disinterested, on-their-way-down, formerly great coaches who are just trying to hang on. Your program is better than that.” — Doug, [24:35]
• “Bill Belichick’s like, yeah, I just showed up and here’s my whole family… It’s not going to the Outer Banks with the kids. It’s a job. It’s embarrassing. And North Carolina should know better.” — Doug, [25:22]
• “I'm just glad it didn’t happen in the Big Ten. But I think everybody in the Big Ten would be smarter than this. What a frickin’ joke.” — Doug, [26:15]

Summary Table: Important Segments & Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------|--------------| | Jeremiah Smith & the Heisman case | 01:01–15:03 | | Mason Heintschel: Toledo→Pitt QB gem | 16:20–20:47 | | Bill Belichick at UNC: culture/disaster | 22:04–end |

Final Tone & Takeaways

Doug delivers three rants that encapsulate the frustration, hope, and humor of college football's current moment:

• He demands smarter award voting and better appreciation for team contexts (especially at stat-diluting programs like Ohio State).
• Celebrates outstanding, underdog talent development and “proof of concept” success stories.
• Scorches programs that fall for big-name, out-of-touch hires, turning a once-proud program into a punchline.

For Ohio State fans, college football junkies, or anyone who loves heated but thoughtful sports talk, this episode is a vintage solo Doug rant-fest.