The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 3: Belichick’s New Strategy at UNC, Greg McElroy

Date: October 6, 2025
Podcast: The Dan Patrick Show
Main Guests: Greg McElroy (ESPN/ABC College Football Analyst)
Main Topics: College football weekend recap, North Carolina’s (UNC) new strategy under Bill Belichick, play-by-play broadcaster “homerism,” NFL coaching expectations, Heisman race, and listener calls.

Overview

This episode centers on the unpredictable nature of college football this season, the wisdom (and risks) of relying on preseason polls, a deep-dive with Greg McElroy on major college results, and an exploration of Bill Belichick’s new freshman-focused strategy at UNC. Layered throughout are lively debates about sports broadcasting, the value of sustained coaching success, and classic Dan Patrick Show banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Preseason Polls and Their (In)Accuracy

• Dan opens by reflecting on the volatility at the top of college football rankings, and how preseason perceptions can prove drastically wrong.
  • “This is why those preseason polls… they’re for entertainment purposes. A lot of times we put so much value in that. Where we go, ‘Man, what happened to you?’ when maybe the analyst overrated your team or underrated your team.” (Dan, 04:30)
• Paul shares the preseason top five: Texas, Penn State, Ohio State, Clemson, and then highlights their subsequent faltering.
  • “Texas was number one. 25 first place votes.” (Paul, 05:11)

2. North Carolina Football and Belichick’s New Approach

• Dan spotlights UNC’s dismal losses (“losses by an average of 40 points”) and shares insider insight from Mike Lombardi, now on Belichick’s UNC staff:
  • “[UNC] went after transfers this year... Now they’re going after freshmen. That’s not your immediate answer. If I’m a North Carolina fan, I’m like, well, okay, how long’s Bill gonna do this? Because we’re gonna count on freshmen to change our program.” (Dan, 05:41; revisited at 31:00 and 31:28 with McElroy)

3. Debate: Should Local Broadcasters Be “Homers”?

• Todd presents a poll asking if fans prefer their local play-by-play announcers to be overtly supportive (“homer”) or objective:
  • “A local broadcaster should be a homer or down the middle. Do you want to guess the results?” (Todd, 08:11)
  • 82% of listeners want their broadcasters to be “homers.”
  • Dan: “That’s what I would want. I want him to be excited. I want him to feel pain. I feel pain.” (Dan, 08:33)
• The crew discusses where enthusiasm crosses into bias, referencing a Yankees game call and the fine line between professional objectivity and connecting with the local audience.

4. Best & Worst of the Weekend – Listener Calls

• As is tradition, Patrick opens the floor to listeners’ “best and worst” of the weekend, leading to stories about the Ravens’ struggles, family pregnancy celebrations, and classic sports heartbreak (10:06–13:00).
• A recurring theme: Frustration with underperforming NFL QBs and teams, often with humor and poignant commentary from Dan and callers.

5. NFL Coaching Tenure: Harbaugh vs. Tomlin

• The longevity of John Harbaugh (Ravens) and Mike Tomlin (Steelers) is compared and contrasted with the high expectations of their respective fanbases.
  • “I still think we focus way too much, the national media on Mike Tomlin and his success and then lack of success in the postseason… But you also then go, okay, we expect to have a winning record. Now how about a win in the postseason? I mean, that’s the progression you have as a fan.” (Dan, 13:05; 13:48)
• The value of regular contention vs. the agony of never reaching the ultimate goal is debated.

6. Greg McElroy Interview: Deep Dive on CFB Weekend

Begins at 24:44

Main Topics:

• UCLA vs. Penn State:
  • McElroy analyzes whether Penn State’s loss was more about UCLA’s prowess or Penn State’s failings:
    • “UCLA was great... You run into a hot quarterback... you’re going to have some challenges... They (Penn State) were out-schemed.” (McElroy, 25:03)
    • On James Franklin’s postgame comments: “Just some of the excuses, travel issues... to me that’s going to fall on deaf ears...” (McElroy, 25:44)
• Alabama vs. Vanderbilt:
  • Praises Alabama’s ability to “weather the storm” and adapt, a sign of program maturity after last year’s struggles.
    • “They showed the ability to absorb the punch... and they responded. So that to me is progress.” (McElroy, 27:18)
• 2025 Heisman Race:
  • “Has there ever been one that’s this wide open, by the way, through seven weeks?” (Dan, 28:37)
  • McElroy highlights Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), Dante Moore (Oregon), Ty Simpson, John Mateer (Oklahoma), and dark horse Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss) as candidates — with upcoming big-stage games likely to define the winner.
• UNC Under Belichick:
  • McElroy is cautious but realistic about UNC’s future, noting Belichick’s traditional focus on eliminating tendencies hasn’t yet translated but urges patience.
    • “It’s going to take some time... As long as recruiting is good, they’re in good shape. But how long will that be the case if things spin off the rails?” (McElroy, 31:28)
• Personal Recruiting Stories:
  • McElroy shares insights into his college choice, being courted by major programs and eventually picking Alabama.
  • “My parents didn’t even know I was going there, but… it ended up working out pretty good.” (McElroy, 33:05)
  • He notes the rapidly changing dynamics of college recruiting.

7. Lighter Segments & Listener Calls

• Humorous discussions about what age is “officially old,” referencing coaches like Pete Carroll and Belichick.
  • “Like John in Georgia is old. Yeah, he’s... But he might be a young 79.” (Dan, 40:49)
• The call-in segment also touches on college basketball (comparing John Calipari and John Harbaugh’s careers), Super Bowl halftime shows, the reality of retirement, and more.
• Dan’s playful reflection on listening to Taylor Swift’s new album during a road trip, and the generational shift in pop culture references. (49:58–50:59)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Preseason Football Hype:
  • “It’s dangerous to have those preseason polls because we put a lot of validity to them and we shouldn’t. It’s for entertainment purposes…” (Dan, 05:01)
• On Coaches and Accountability:
  • Greg McElroy: “If I’m going to be completely honest. Just some of the excuses, travel issues… travel issues, lost guys in practice… to me that’s going to fall on deaf ears…” (25:44)
• On the Fan’s Burden of Hope:
  • “I think sometimes we underestimate the value in being competitive every single year and how great that is as a fan base... But it’s way worse to have five coaches in 10 years.” (Todd, 13:05)
• On Sports Announcers:
  • “I want him to be excited. I want him to feel pain. I feel pain.” (Dan, 08:33)
  • Marvin: “There’s a difference between a big moment and a happy moment…” (Marvin, 09:22)
• On College Football Coaching Patience:
  • McElroy on UNC: “I don’t think he’s in jeopardy of losing his job or anything like that. I think that’s way too premature... But you also have to show some progress because the recruits that you’re recruiting are also being actively recruited by other teams…” (31:28)
• On Being ‘Old’:
  • “How old do you have to be to be the ‘he lived a good life’?” (Dan, 41:33)
  • “There are some 80 year olds who are very young and some 60 year olds who are so, so old.” (Todd, 40:56)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 04:30–05:41: College Football Polls and Season Surprises
• 05:41–06:59: Dan on Belichick’s UNC freshman-recruitment focus
• 08:11–09:35: Should Broadcasters Be Homers? Poll results and debate
• 10:06–10:59: Listener “Best and Worst of the Weekend” with a notable pregnancy celebration
• 13:05–14:46: NFL Coaches’ Longevity (Harbaugh and Tomlin debate)
• 24:44–34:29: Greg McElroy’s interview — full college football recap, Heisman talk, Belichick at UNC
• 31:28: McElroy on UNC/Belichick program-building
• 33:05: McElroy’s recruiting stories
• 34:59–43:00: Roundtable + Listener Calls—college basketball, old age, pop culture, and more
• 49:58–50:59: Dan on listening to Taylor Swift’s album; generational gaps in music

Tone and Style

The episode provides an energetic, freewheeling look at sports, with Dan Patrick’s trademark mix of insight, dry humor, lighthearted debates, and a strong sense of community with listeners. The interplay between the hosts and vivid call-ins makes the sports talk both authoritative and accessible.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

Expect a show rich with honest college football talk (including inside info on Belichick’s UNC plans), sharp debates about sports culture, candid football analysis with ESPN insider Greg McElroy, and a generous dose of wit—whether about the state of coaching, aging as a fan, or the art of play-by-play broadcasting. The episode offers both big-picture insights and lively, relatable moments for committed fans and casual listeners alike.