The Dan Patrick Show — Hour 2: Building CFP Powerhouses, Ross Tucker

Date: September 17, 2025
Podcast: The Dan Patrick Show — iHeartPodcasts & Dan Patrick Podcast Network
Episode Description: Dan Patrick discusses college football’s changing landscape, the Heisman race, coaching dilemmas, NFL insights, and talks with guest analyst Ross Tucker on key NFL and college football questions.

Episode Overview

Hour 2 of The Dan Patrick Show dives into the evolving strategies for building top-tier college football programs in the College Football Playoff era, the state of the Heisman Trophy race, and NFL team dynamics. Dan and his “Danettes” field calls from listeners on college QB trends, coaching futures, and more. The centerpiece guest, CBS/Westwood One analyst Ross Tucker, joins to give candid opinions on Caleb Williams’ outlook, the Miami Dolphins' coach’s hot seat, the “tush push” controversy, and other pressing NFL topics, bringing both humor and sharp analysis.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The New Blueprint for Building CFP Powerhouses

• Transfer Portal Ascendancy:

  • Dan highlights how successful teams are leveraging the transfer portal and aggressive roster-building rather than only chasing five-star recruits.
    • "It's not about landing the five-star recruit anymore. It's about building out your roster, being aggressive in the transfer portal, and grabbing proven talent." (06:45)
  • Examples: Miami's Cam Ward/Carson Beck, Oklahoma's John Matier, and Florida State's Thomas Castellanos.

• Heisman Trophy Race:

  • Wide open field, with no clear runaway favorite.
  • Current frontrunners: John Matier (Oklahoma), Carson Beck (Miami), Dante Moore (Oregon), Garrett Nussmeier.
  • Arch Manning (Texas) is a long-shot (+3500).
  • Dan expects a single “standalone” performance will soon tilt the race.

• Caller Insight:

  • Utah fan Michael (08:07) points out their transfer QB Devin Dampier and OC Jason Beck as an example of the OC/QB tandem transfer trend.

• Dan’s Take on Adaptation:

  • College and NFL teams now build around player strengths, not rigid philosophies.
    • "If you have somebody who does something really well, I don't want you to come in and go, we don't want you to run the ball... No, you have to embrace that talent" (10:11)

2. Coaching Dynamics and Job Security

• Coaching Dilemmas After Early Losses:

  • Owners hesitate to fire a coach mid-season due to optics, especially if the team improves late ("win their way back").
  • Example: Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau nearly fired before improbably deep postseason run (03:56).

• Listener Questions:

  • Curtis (Illinois) asks about the implausibility of “trading” coaches, for example Dabo Swinney for Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer (13:49). Dan dismisses the idea but discusses Dabo's resistance to the transfer portal, likening it to Coach K's initial reluctance for “one-and-dones” at Duke.

• Ross Tucker’s Commentary:

  • "Who was Clemson before you [Dabo]? They weren't national championship contenders until Dabo got there and Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence decided to come along." (15:24)

3. NFL Hot Takes & Analysis with Ross Tucker

Start of Segment: [24:59]

• Caleb Williams & Chicago Bears:

  • Patrick confronts Tucker about his spring quote doubting Williams is Chicago’s long-term answer.
  • Tucker's Concerns:
    • Williams’ high sack count in college (“guys don’t usually fix that”).
    • Off-field and in-game decision-making, e.g., Thanksgiving vs. Lions clock management and the much-publicized family drama about wanting out of Chicago.
    • Williams not immediately addressing media post-drama: "Just address it so it goes away... there's kind of a pattern there of questionable decision making." (27:45)
  • Williams’ “DNA” for adjusting to NFL concerns Tucker.

• Dolphins at Bills: Coach’s Hot Seat

  • Dolphins are 12.5-point underdogs.
  • Tucker explains a big prime-time loss could spell the end for Mike McDaniel (“prime-time games count like 5x in the court of public opinion” - 29:17).
  • Dolphins tried to tighten “freedom” in their culture, but players aren’t buying sudden changes.
    • "It's really hard to do in life... if you're gonna change, then you're not really being who you are. It's almost like you can't win either way at that point." (29:53)

• Coaching Styles—What Do Players Really Want?

  • "Most people in society have a tendency to drift towards wanting the easier path...what you need to try to do is have as many guys on your team as possible that won't accept that.” (31:31)
  • Coaches try to draft players who can take hard coaching and criticism.

• Browns QB Situation:

  • Dan asks which QB switch will happen first: Browns or Giants.
  • Tucker bets on the Giants (going from Wilson to rookie Dart), Browns likely want a win before benching Joe Flacco for Dylan Gabriel or Shador Sanders (34:17).

• Front Office Motives?

  • Dan: Do Browns management actually want to win?
  • Tucker: "Yes...but all it takes is the owner to change his mind.” (36:16)
    GM Barry, Stefanski focusing on rookie class and future assets, but owner patience is key.

• Tush Push Controversy:

  • Brought up after officiating issues in the week’s Eagles game.
  • Officials missing false starts by Eagles’ guards—“should have” been flagged, but weren't (37:25).
  • NFL unhappy with play, likely gone after this season.
    • "This is probably the last year for it...Eagles kind of won the battle but lost the war." (37:56)
    • Yet, Eagles will still run QB sneak successfully without the push.
  • Dan: If only the Eagles can do it, maybe it should be seen as a strength, not a play to be banned (38:56).

• Player Anecdotes—Blood on the Field & Spitting Incidents:

  • Josh Allen’s broken nose discussed; Ross never broke nose in NFL due to facemask design (41:20).
  • Ross: Spit on twice in 2004, once so badly he called for a return to the field for retribution (42:26).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dan Patrick’s Take on Heisman Voting:

  • "Who's the best player? That's what the Heisman goes to. And then we found out it didn't necessarily go to the best player, or at least if you're a freshman..." (11:16)

• Ross Tucker's Meta Observation:

  • "Primetime games count like 5x in the court of public opinion." (29:17)

• Ross on Coaching Styles:

  • "Football players are just like most people out there. A lot of football players, they'd rather have a shorter practice, they'd rather not have pads on...drift toward the easier path.” (31:31)

• On the Tush Push:

  • "The impressive thing isn’t that nobody can stop it, it’s that nobody can replicate it. Isn’t that, like, shouldn't that be a credit to the Eagles?" (38:29)

Key Timestamps

• [06:45] – Dan explains new college football program-building strategies and Heisman landscape
• [08:07] – Utah fan Michael discusses OC/QB portal transfers
• [11:08] – Ross asks about Heisman as a “career achievement” award
• [13:49] – Call about Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and “coach trades”
• [15:24] – Ross credits Dabo Swinney’s transformation of Clemson
• [24:59] – Ross Tucker interview begins; Caleb Williams skepticism
• [29:17] – Tucker on the Dolphins’ prime-time game pressure & coach’s job security
• [31:31] – Discussion on coaching styles players prefer and self-motivation
• [34:17] – QB change debate: Browns vs. Giants
• [37:25] – Tush push/quarterback sneak officiating controversy
• [41:20] – Josh Allen’s bloody nose; Ross stories of playing through spit
• [43:29] – Dan & Ross wrap up; applause for Ross’s colorful career anecdotes

Tone & Style

Dan Patrick brings his signature mix of wit, deep sports knowledge, and casual banter. Guest Ross Tucker is frank, insightful, and anecdotes-driven, sharing both technical analysis and hilarious war stories. The show balances hard sports analysis with humor, relatable stories, and a conversational flow that welcomes callers as part of the sports community.

Conclusion

Hour 2 captures the shifting landscape of college football team-building, the nuances behind the Heisman Trophy, and the complexity of NFL coaching and player management. Ross Tucker’s guest segment provides insider NFL perspective, particularly on high-profile players, coaching hot seats, and controversial strategies like the “tush push.” The episode is rich in perspective and wry humor, delivering both engaging storytelling and sharp football analysis for fans and casual listeners alike.