The Dan Patrick Show — Hour 1 Recap

Episode: "USC and Notre Dame must continue, Brady Quinn"

Date: October 16, 2025
Host: Dan Patrick
Network: iHeartPodcasts / Fox Sports Radio

Episode Overview

This episode of The Dan Patrick Show broadcasts live from the campus of Notre Dame, ahead of the storied USC-Notre Dame football matchup. Dan and his Danettes delve into college football tradition, discuss the implications of conference realignment on rivalries, reminisce about their own connections (and near-misses) with college athletics, and welcome former Notre Dame quarterback and Fox analyst Brady Quinn for an in-depth interview. The episode expertly blends humor, nostalgia, and the latest sport storylines, setting the stage for a pivotal weekend in college football.

Key Topics & Discussions

1. Broadcasting Live from Notre Dame (02:23–04:00)

• Dan and the team celebrate being on Notre Dame’s campus “in the shadows of the stadium and of course, the golden Dome.”
• Lighthearted banter about Notre Dame gear and weight-based clothing hand-me-downs.
• Dan shares his personal history as a Notre Dame fan and reflects on being "sort of" recruited to play basketball there before receiving a quick rejection.
  • Quote: "I got a letter from Digger Phelps...then I quickly got another letter that said...they weren’t interested in me anymore." (03:23)

2. Poll Questions and Football Talk (05:50–07:55)

• Debate: Would you rather have a rookie quarterback (age 22) or a 40+ year-old veteran (Flacco, Rodgers)?
• Playful aside: “I thought you were going to say 22 year old girlfriend…” — Dan (06:01)
• Banter about the emotional and cultural impact of Notre Dame and USC, with crew members sharing their ethnic and religious backgrounds, family pressures, and regional loyalty.

3. Nostalgia, Rivalries, and Realignment (10:00–16:00)

• Warm memories of growing up hoping to get into Notre Dame and the campus’s aura.

• Discussion of how USC’s move to the Big Ten could threaten the annual rivalry game.

• Dan stresses: "This is great for college football. It might not be great for USC." (15:05)

• Nostalgia for college football’s tradition-heavy schedule, lamenting the loss of fixed rivalries.

  Memorable Moment:
  “Having gone to a USC-Notre Dame game at USC and then having a couple of them here, it’s just great. And I think college football is missing out on that, that we don’t care about those rivalries the way we once did.” – Dan Patrick (15:40)

4. Flight and Travel Antics (09:12–14:00)

• Humorous sidebars about Todd’s travel quirks: refusing to let others pass him when deplaning, joking about using plantar fasciitis as an excuse to board before the military.

• Dan lightly roasts Todd’s self-diagnosed travel struggles and parent-induced neuroses.

  Funny Moments:

  • “I have to really catch to go all to gate A12... but we all have connections. Karen said to me, we all have connect. That was her way of saying there's no chance of you being allowed through me or anybody here.” – Todd (09:36)
  • “I saluted the guy and thanked him for service as I cut him in line.” – Todd (12:04)

5. Setting the Stage: What’s at Stake for USC-Notre Dame (16:01–16:30)

• “This is an elimination game for Notre Dame. Notre Dame has to win this game if they’re going to be in the playoffs.” – Dan (16:01)
• Discussion about the playoff implications for both teams: Notre Dame cannot afford a third loss; USC could survive one more defeat.
• Affirmation that the status and future of the rivalry will be addressed with Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua in the next episode.

Featured Interview: Brady Quinn

(23:17–41:52)

Brady Quinn on Notre Dame-USC and College Football’s Future

A. On Will Ferrell and the “High Pants” Gag (23:17)

• Will Ferrell used to heckle Quinn for wearing his football pants too high during games.
  • Quote: "But it was interesting. Will didn’t want to talk about the fact that this could be the last time these two teams ever play…” — Brady Quinn (23:22)

B. The Endangered Rivalry & Realignment (24:06)

• Quinn explains conference realignment from the school’s perspective: seeking security/funding, the impact of NIL, and preserving other sports.
  • "The athletic department is going to take a hit and we better be well funded...That forced certain teams to look for safe harbor, and in the case of SC, obviously, along with UCLA, Oregon, and Washington, joined the Big Ten." (24:11)

C. USC-Notre Dame: A True Elimination Game (25:03)

• Outlines playoff stakes for both; hints that USC’s expectations for Lincoln Riley's tenure are now comparable to those faced by former coach Clay Helton.

  Quote:
  “If you drop either one of those two games, you're probably not playing the Big Ten championship. And 9–3 is not good enough to get in the playoffs.” (25:03)

D. Reliving the “Bush Push” Game (26:23)

• Quinn warmly recalls the iconic 2005 matchup (“Bush Push”), the electric atmosphere, and how it remains a touchstone for fans from both schools (“I feel like everyone in the world watched that game…” – 26:48).

• Defends Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, accepting the outcome and focusing on the mutual respect for transcendent talent.

  Quote:
  “I would hope that if I was the type of quarterback, Dan, that couldn’t get in on a quarterback sneak on my own, that my running back would help me too. I would hope if I was that type of guy—and now I’m not that type of guy—but if I was...” — Brady Quinn (28:01)

E. Quick Hits: Michigan, Indiana, and Quarterback Analysis (29:29–36:44)

• Shares doubts about Michigan’s offensive identity, concern for their upcoming “must-win” against Washington.
• Praises IU and coach Kurt Signetti for finding the right talent and system fit.
• Raves about Notre Dame’s CJ Carr as the country’s most impressive young QB: “If you ask me to take one quarterback right now, I’d take him over anyone in the country, hands down.” (33:20)

F. Quarterbacks: Youth vs. Veteran Experience (36:44+)

• Examines why older QBs, like Flacco and Rodgers, continue to succeed: pocket skills and anticipation, mental mastery.
  • “...they know where the ball needs to go. It’s just about their ability to, to physically do it consistently at such a high level.” – Brady Quinn (37:00)
• Explains why transitioning young, mobile QBs into NFL pocket passers is difficult:
  • “Because you're breaking habits that have been built over thousands of reps since they were probably in junior high...every three step, five step, seven step drop coincides with the depths and the timing of the route progressions…” (37:34)

G. Humor & Personal Notes (39:30–41:52)

• Admits he would “hell no” not have gotten into Notre Dame on academics alone (39:33).
• Swaps stories about dorm life, ZOM Hall “Animal House” legends, and campus nostalgia.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On College Football's Changing Landscape:

"We don’t care about those rivalries the way we once did."
— Dan Patrick (15:40)

On Will Ferrell’s sideline heckling:

"You had to endure the heckling of Will Ferrell who made you question everything on the sidelines, in particular your pants potentially being too high."
— Brady Quinn (23:17)

On the Bush Push game:

"It was as crazy of an environment as I’ve ever seen... the pep rally was in the stadium... the green jerseys and the grass was grown out and everything that went along with it."
— Brady Quinn (28:00)

On Breaking QB Habits:

“When you’re in shotgun, you don’t play so much with the game, with timing and rhythm...there’s so many little things like that that you have to break those habits and develop new habits.”
— Brady Quinn (37:34)

Important Timestamps

• Notre Dame campus banter & recruitment stories: 02:23–04:30
• Would you choose a young or veteran QB? 05:50–06:40
• Rivalries & scheduling czar wish: 14:47–15:53
• Elimination playoff stakes for Notre Dame/USC: 16:01–16:34
• Brady Quinn segment begins: 23:17
• Will Ferrell “high pants” story: 23:17–24:06
• Quinn on realignment and the future of the rivalry: 24:06–25:03
• The “Bush Push” game memories: 26:23–29:29
• Quarterback evolution, NFL vs. college: 36:44–39:30

Episode Tone & Style

As always, Dan Patrick employs a conversational, witty, and somewhat nostalgic tone. The atmosphere is collegial and playful among the Danettes, leavened with sharp observation and serious reflection during the interview. Brady Quinn is insightful, candid, and self-deprecating, sharing a blend of analysis, locker room tales, and fond campus memories.

Summary for the Listener

This episode delivers a rich mix of sports analysis, college football tradition, and breezy camaraderie. You’ll hear why the USC–Notre Dame rivalry matters, how college football’s shifting landscape threatens these classics, and get a deep dive with Brady Quinn on both historical lore and the QB's modern evolution. It’s a love letter to what makes college football special—rivalries, personalities, and the stories fans savor forever.