The Dan Patrick Show — Hour 1

Episode Date: January 8, 2026

Main Topics: Trae Young trade analysis, Lane Kiffin/Ole Miss coaching saga, college football transfer portal chaos, NIL money and boosters, quarterback prospects, and the evolving landscape of college athletics.

Episode Overview

This episode of The Dan Patrick Show dives into the latest notable NBA and college football stories, focusing primarily on Trae Young’s trade from the Atlanta Hawks to the Washington Wizards—a transaction Dan playfully downgrades from "blockbuster" to “buster.” In college football, the hosts unpack the drama around Lane Kiffin's move from Ole Miss to LSU during Ole Miss’s playoff run, as well as the rippling impact of the transfer portal and wild NIL payments. The team brings humor, sharp critique, and classic sports talk nostalgia, making for a lively and insightful hour.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Trae Young Trade: "Buster" Not Blockbuster

• Trae Young's Move: Trae Young is traded from Atlanta to Washington. The consensus is that this isn’t an earth-shattering deal (00:25–04:00).

  • Dan's Analysis: “He led the NBA in assists last year…but he’s not a great player. He has great stats, not a great player. And obviously a liability on defense.” (00:16)
  • Why Washington?: The crew jokes that landing in Washington feels like “getting a punch in the face,” referencing Jordan Poole’s fate.
  • Media Overhype: On headlines labeling the trade a "blockbuster": “You have to have another decent player…This has been in the works…Blockbuster? It was just a trade…It's a buster deal.” (03:27)

• Notable Quote:

  • Dan Patrick [03:27]: “Gotta come up with a lesser word. How about buster? Not blockbuster. Yeah, it's a buster deal.”

2. College Football Transfer Portal & NIL Madness

• Transfer Portal Issues: The Washington quarterback Demon Williams’ situation exemplifies the chaos—in contracts, tampering, and enforceability (05:00–10:00).

  • Dan highlights the lack of standardized contracts and the ongoing tampering: “Once again you got all the grown ups who have totally screwed this up because you can fix college football…But there’s this gray area.” (05:15)
  • Williams possibly headed to LSU despite signing with Washington. Discussion includes whether LSU will or should be penalized.

• NIL Payments Reach NFL Levels:

  • Brendan Sorsby (Cincinnati QB) reportedly moving to Texas Tech for almost $6 million; comparisons to actual NFL rookie contracts (08:00).
  • “Cam Ward…made $8.8 million. Brendan Sbe…almost $6 million…so you have a quarterback in college making almost $6 million.” (08:09)
  • The market for top college players is now competitive with the bottom tier of NFL contracts.

• Booster Arms Race:

  • Now, only programs with “oil money or tech money” can compete.
  • “All it takes is, you know, a somebody really rich who wants to help you change the roster. Mark Cuban is helping Indiana…Oregon’s got Nike…” (13:44)

• Sustainability Concerns:

  • Ongoing debate about whether this “Wild West” market for players is sustainable, and if/when Congress will intervene.

3. Lane Kiffin Drama — Rooting for Ole Miss

• Coaching Move Fallout:

  • Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU mid-playoff run, tried to “loan” his assistant coaches back.
  • Dan questions if Kiffin is rooting for or against his former team: “Does Lane Kiffin want Ole Miss to win tonight and win the national title without him?” (13:08)
  • The legacy angle: If Ole Miss wins, Kiffin's departure becomes an infamous footnote.
  • Notable Quote:
    • Dan Patrick [10:38]: “I can't help but root for Ole Miss just because of the story. It's wild, but I hope Lane knows—stay in your lane. See what I did with that one? Very clever.”

• Playoff Pressures:

  • If Ole Miss wins, high expectations transfer to Kiffin at LSU.

  • Discussion about how coaches are always looking for a better “apartment”—rarely satisfied, always seeking upward mobility.

  • Notable Quote:

    • Dan Patrick [12:32]: “It's rare when you find the coach who doesn't. And I liken it to...if you've ever lived in New York City, you immediately start looking for your next apartment...and that's what coaches do.”

4. College Football Parity and Boosters

• State Wealth and Conference Power:

  • Caller suggests NIL will end the SEC’s dominance since many member states are poor.
  • Dan and crew counter: All it takes is “one or two billionaires.” Example: the Walton family in Arkansas, Mark Cuban in Indiana (28:32–32:46).
  • Historical perspective: “Kentucky would spend money in basketball years ago…but they knew that that team was going to be playing for a national championship.” (32:46)
  • College sports' success is about who can fund the arms race best.

• Notable Quote:

  • Dan Patrick [29:12]: “You got tech money or oil money and if you don't have that, you better have a sugar daddy who's willing to spend that kind of money.”

5. Quarterback Development and the NFL Draft

• Dante Moore Mock Draft Analysis:

  • Should QBs like Dante Moore stay in school despite possibly being Top-2 NFL picks?
  • Joel Klatt’s advice: “If Dante Moore called me today and he said, hey, like, what should I do? I wouldn't blink an eye. I would say go back to school. Because it's no longer just a financial decision. He can make life changing money at Oregon…” (17:50)
  • Dan agrees—with NIL, the urgency to enter the NFL is less.
  • On the perils of short college resumes (e.g., Trey Lance, Zach Wilson): 30–35 college starts are crucial for NFL evaluation (16:45).

• Draft Realities:

  • Jets vs. Raiders franchise reputation. Not all teams are equally risky for a rookie.
  • Players and agents are now engaging in much more sophisticated contract and NIL negotiations, sometimes with overlapping representation.

6. Coach Tenure Trends

• How Long Do Coaches Last?
  • Six years at one school is “an eternity” in today’s climate (26:08).
  • Average FBS head coach tenure is 3.13 years (41:02).
  • Lane Kiffin and John Calipari compared—short, successful stints, but legacies colored by frequent job moves.

7. Call-In Highlights and Humor

• Listeners Weigh In:

  • Callers emphasize Lane Kiffin’s legacy is forever altered if Ole Miss wins the title after his departure (27:15).
  • One caller jokes Congress is even less functional than the NCAA at passing reforms (38:22).
  • Pie bets and tracking humorous: Seaton and others debate who owes pies to the face based on failed sports predictions (37:09).

• Classic Exchanges & Laughs:

  • “Sometimes you’re a role player...sometimes it’s just a cameo.” (04:28)
  • “Do you want kind of messy attention? Well, there are people who subscribe to the fact that there's no such thing as bad publicity. I disagree with it.” (31:16)
  • “College football has a WWE type of feel to it because the storyline might be better than the game.” (31:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trae Young's Trade:
  “He led the NBA in assists last year…but he’s not a great player. He has great stats, not a great player.”
  — Dan Patrick [00:16]

• On College Coaching Mobility:
  “If you’ve ever lived in New York City, you immediately start looking for your next apartment…That’s what coaches do.”
  — Dan Patrick [12:32]

• On NIL & College Football:
  “All it takes is a billionaire…You just got to get somebody to give you the other money because the other money separates you.”
  — Dan Patrick [29:12]

• On the Transfer Portal:
  “Once again you got all the grown ups who have totally screwed this up…You can fix it that it works for everybody and there's no gray area.”
  — Dan Patrick [05:15]

• On Lane Kiffin's Predicament:
  “He thought they were going to lose to Georgia and the portal thing was all over with…and then he gets egg on his face…if those guys were allowed to coach the first game, they should be allowed to coach it for. Cuz those guys are doing…something that you get one time in your life.”
  — Quoting Jimbo Fisher via Dan Patrick [09:15]

• On Today's College Football Era:
  “College football has a WWE type of feel to it because the storyline might be better than the game.”
  — Mark (“Back row”) [31:57]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – Show opens, Trae Young trade breakdown
• 03:08–04:09 – “Blockbuster” vs. “Buster” trade vocabulary
• 05:00–10:00 – Transfer portal issues (Demon Williams)
• 08:00–09:00 – Eye-popping NIL deals for QBs
• 10:00–13:00 – Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss playoff fallout
• 13:44–15:00 – Rich boosters and the new ROI of college rosters
• 16:45–18:00 – Dante Moore draft value and college QB sample size debate
• 26:08–28:12 – Callers on Lane Kiffin's tenure and legacy
• 28:32–32:46 – State wealth, billionaires, and the future of the SEC
• 37:09–38:22 – Pie bets, show traditions, and coaching tenure stats

Conclusion

This episode delivers a smart blend of sport’s breaking news, behind-the-scenes analysis, and comedic takes on topics that show both the changing business of sports and the enduring quirks of its personalities. Whether dissecting why Trae Young’s trade is ordinary, lamenting college football’s chaotic system, or roasting Lane Kiffin’s coaching reputation, Dan and the crew provide a compelling hour that's both informative and entertaining.

For Listeners:

If you missed the episode, this summary covers all major discussions, zingers, listener questions, and the hosts' unique insights. Skip the headlines—this is inside sports talk at its best.