Best of The Herd

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – "Best of The Herd" (July 17, 2025)

The Herd with Colin Cowherd, hosted by iHeartPodcasts and The Volume, offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the day's top sports stories. In the episode titled "Best of The Herd," released on July 17, 2025, Colin delves into several pivotal topics in the sports world, featuring in-depth analysis and a notable conversation with renowned college football coach Urban Meyer. Below is a detailed summary of the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode.

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1. LeBron James Trade Speculation

Timestamp: [02:27]

Colin begins the episode by addressing the swirling rumors surrounding LeBron James' potential trade. He emphasizes the significance of LeBron's no-trade clause, highlighting his unprecedented control over his career compared to NBA legends like Michael Jordan and Larry Bird.

Colin Cowherd [02:45]: "LeBron's in year 23. He's the only NBA player with a no-trade clause... He's still in control here."

He argues that trade talks are largely speculative, given LeBron's autonomy in decision-making and his satisfaction with the Los Angeles Lakers' management.

2. Nick Saban’s Potential Return to NFL Coaching

Timestamp: [05:30]

A significant portion of the episode focuses on Nick Saban, the esteemed college football coach, and the rumors of his potential move to the NFL. Colin discusses insights from Greg McElroy, a prominent radio star in Alabama, who suggests that Saban might take up a coaching role in the NFL.

Colin Cowherd [06:15]: "I believe Nick Saban is going to come back and coach. That he is going to come back and coach."

Colin critiques the feasibility of Saban returning to Alabama due to financial constraints, noting that major programs like Texas and Ohio State have substantial funding that Alabama lacks.

3. Impact of NIL on College Football Coaching

Timestamp: [12:00]

The introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals has significantly impacted college football, particularly concerning coaching salaries and staff retention. Colin posits that NIL has inadvertently protected coaching staffs by limiting universities' ability to buy out high-priced coaches.

Colin Cowherd [14:20]: "I think NIL actually protects the staff. You probably get a year or two more than you used to."

Urban Meyer concurs, expressing concerns about budget shortfalls due to NIL, which could lead to reduced funding for coaching staffs.

Urban Meyer [38:42]: "I think you're absolutely right that you're going to see the Texas A&M payout coaches like they used to. I don't think you can do that anymore. There's not enough money."

4. College Quarterbacks Analysis: JJ McCarthy and Arch Manning

Timestamp: [35:07]

The discussion shifts to the evaluation of college quarterbacks, specifically JJ McCarthy from Ohio State and Arch Manning, the highly anticipated newcomer. Colin critiques McCarthy’s suitability for the NFL, citing his limited exposure to high-pressure scenarios.

Colin Cowherd [34:50]: "I don't have to be diplomatic. I like JJ. I think he's a tremendous athlete. But there's a lot of question marks."

Conversely, Arch Manning garners high expectations, with Colin expressing enthusiasm about his potential impact in top-tier competitions.

Colin Cowherd [41:35]: "I want to see Arch Manning. What will you need to see? How are you going to view that game? I want to see what happens when he faces pressure."

Urban Meyer echoes these sentiments, comparing Manning's pressure-filled environment to that experienced by Tim Tebow, emphasizing the immense expectations placed upon him.

Urban Meyer [41:35]: "I think this will be the player with the highest expectations in the last decade. I put it at the Tebow level."

5. National Championship Contenders and Bubble Teams

Timestamp: [37:00]

Colin outlines his predictions for the upcoming college football season's national championship contenders, identifying five to six teams he believes are in the running. He highlights traditional powerhouses like Clemson and Alabama, while also mentioning LSU as a potential dark horse.

Colin Cowherd [43:31]: "I like their coach and quarterback, Bama, Notre Dame... they look different to me."

Urban Meyer adds to the conversation by endorsing LSU's chances, praising their coaching and defensive prowess.

Urban Meyer [44:03]: "They were the one team... When I coached in the SEC, them and Georgia came walking out of that tunnel, they looked different."

6. Interview with Urban Meyer

Timestamp: [30:00 - 44:12]

A highlight of the episode is the interview with Urban Meyer, a three-time national champion coach. The discussion covers various topics, including Saban's potential NFL move, the evaluation of quarterbacks, and the broader implications of NIL on college sports.

• On Nick Saban’s NFL Prospects:

  Urban Meyer [32:45]: "There's very little to no chance he would get involved in college, but I think he would take phone calls from the NFL."

• On JJ McCarthy’s NFL Potential:

  Urban Meyer [35:07]: "I think if they surround him with great players, I think he'll be successful... There's a lot of question marks about JJ McCarthy."

• On Arch Manning’s Future:

  Urban Meyer [41:35]: "I’m thinking, I think he'd have a great career if he's surrounded properly."

7. Final Thoughts and Predictions

Timestamp: [44:12]

Concluding the episode, Colin reiterates his bold predictions for the season, including potential trades and coaching changes in the NFL, emphasizing his confidence in his analysis despite differing opinions from others.

Colin Cowherd [44:10]: "Great to see you, Urban Meyer on our show... Things happen on that show. From what I hear... May want to pull up a stool and sit down and read about it."

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Key Takeaways:

• LeBron James remains a central figure in trade discussions, but his no-trade clause and control over his career make actual trades unlikely without his consent.

• Nick Saban is speculated to potentially transition to the NFL, bringing his unparalleled coaching expertise to professional football, although financial and logistical barriers exist.

• NIL deals are reshaping the landscape of college football, particularly affecting coaching salaries and the ability to retain top-tier coaching staff.

• College quarterbacks like JJ McCarthy and Arch Manning are under scrutiny for their readiness and potential impact in the NFL, with varying levels of optimism from pundits.

• National championship predictions highlight traditional powerhouses and emerging teams, with strategies and player performances being critical determinants.

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This episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd offers listeners a deep dive into current sports narratives, enriched by expert insights and forward-looking predictions. Whether you're a seasoned sports enthusiast or a casual fan, Colin's analysis provides valuable perspectives on the evolving dynamics of sports leadership and talent development.

Transcript

[Katie Couric]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Katie Couric]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FS is the best of the Herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It is a Thursday. We are live. It is the Herd. Lots of choices out there. Thanks for making us part of your day, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. So there's a lot of news out there. A lot of news out there, some of it herd generated and we'll react to all of it. J Mac, I swear this is the last time I'm going to talk about this story because it's going to go away. I think it's going to just like disappear and vanish into the ether. About LeBron James being traded. The odds have changed. So I want, I want to just say for them, I hope this is the final time I talk about it, but something that's not being discussed. I saw the Athletic yesterday acknowledged LeBron James in a buyout. LeBron James in a trade has not been discussed by the Lakers. So this to me has always been a nothing burger. It's July, it's slow. Breadcrumbs become stories, folks. LeBron has a no trade clause. He's still in control here. Year 23, Michael Jordan was not in control like this. Michael Jordan had a bad contract his first 10 years in the league. Bird, Magic, they weren't in control like this. I don't know if Brady was until the end, right? I mean, they drafted Garoppolo. They wanted him out sooner. LeBron's in year 23. He's the only NBA player with a no trade clause. Now I would go to Dallas in a trade if I could play alongside Anthony Davis again, Rookie Cooper Flag and Derek Lively, I'd go in a heartbeat with a better coach than Jason Kidd. But LeBron's not going to get traded unless he says yes. And where are you going to put him? Where would LeBron outside of a Dallas lineup if he could play with Kyrie and AD again in Cooper Flag, Derek Lively, they'd have to involve a third team. That's interesting, but because the Lakers were such a circus when LeBron arrived in LA, they have been caving to him and should be since day one. Again, Jordan didn't have this kind of power. Brady didn't have this kind of power. He was taking pay cuts. So honestly, the Lakers for the last 15 years, a lot of them have been poorly run. I mean, if you look at the five years before LeBron arrived in Los Angeles, I mean, it's hard to get your arms around. They had the worst record in the NBA, worse than The Wizards much worse than the Washington Wizards. And so the one advantage, the one advantage of going to a poorly run business, and that's what the lakers were when LeBron arrived, is you get a lot more power. I mean, Aaron Rodgers with the jets got him to hire Nat Hackett as the OC overpay for Alan Lazard. You're not doing that with the Ravens. You know, you're not doing that with the Rams. I mean, Matt Stafford didn't have that kind of control when he came to the Rams. This year with the Rams and Stafford they're like, here's the number, this is it. But when Sean Payton goes to the Messy Broncos power, LeBron goes to the Lakers, ultimate power. So. And I think that's the one advantage. Now generally it doesn't work out well because the player takes advantage of it. But Sean Payton didn't, Aaron Rodgers did and LeBron hasn't. I didn't like the Russell Westbrook move. LeBron said it wasn't mine, but we all know it kind of was. So. But just think about this. There was one player in the entire NBA. One. Not Jokic, not SGA, not Ant, not Steph Curry. There's one player in the NBA with a no trade clause. LeBron James. 40 year old LeBron James. So people can talk about this all they want about he's going to go here, he's going to go there. The Oklahoma City Thunder, Sam Presti runs the organization. One of the reasons LeBron left Miami, because Pat Riley ran the organization. So LeBron has largely been running this place for years and thankfully he generally makes the good basketball decisions. He and Rich Paul got Anthony Davis in here and in the COVID year they won the title. They're not going to win the title this year. But this idea that there's going to be a trade and there's going to be a buyout. LeBron has a no trade contract and I think the only place that he would look at would and go, all right, that's interesting. I believe it's Dallas, if he could play with a rim protector. And Derek Lively, a phenomenal domestic rookie in Cooper flag and ad. Again, I think he'd have to sit down and listen to that one because that team, I think because LeBron's still a top 10 player and still in year 23 has more power than any NBA player ever. All right, speaking of power, Nick Saban had a lot for a long time and still does. So Greg McElroy is a pretty smart guy. He is a big radio star in Alabama. And he said this week that people he trusts are telling him that Nick Saban is going to come back and coach. That he is hearing that Nick Saban could come back and coach. So I, I believe this is true. But it's not Alabama. So let me squash the Alabama rumors. They're not going to happen. Alabama doesn't have the money. They're struggling to stay afloat in nil. They can't compete with Texas and Oregon and Ohio State in the nil world. They'd have to buy out Kalyn DeBoer for about 70 million. And Nick would cost them 15 million a year. They are, I got news for you. They're a mid sized bank. And Ohio State, Oregon, Texas are JP Morgan, they're Deutsche bank. They don't have the money these days to buy out Kalyn DeBoer. 15 million to 18 million for nil. And by Nick Saban, they are a credit union where grandma still puts her money in. Texas is Rockefeller Capital is Blackstone. So that's not happening. Now, as I talked about yesterday, Nick Saban to the NFL, just do the numbers. Seven coaches annually on average get fired. Seven, okay? Secondly, coordinators hit 30% of the time. And the other thing to think about is like Pete Carroll. Nick Saban may be older, but he doesn't look, act or feel old like Belichick does. He's always been an innovator. I mean, he literally, when he got to Alabama, it was all about defensive ends, defensive tackles, linebackers and corners. Lane Kiffin shows up. And from that point forward, they were about wide receivers, left tackles and quarterbacks. A lot of old people age. Well, Nick Saban is one of them. Andy Reid's another one. And I told you this, this is an innovator. He's not going to college, remember, because of the nil. To buy out these coaches, which used to happen all the time, you write a $40 million check. Well now coaches, that check is like 60 to 70 million. Lincoln Riley or a Brian Kelly or a Caylin DeBoer. And you got to raise $20 million a year for the nil stash. And you'd have to pay Saban 15. It's not happening. Bama does not have those kind of boosters. They don't. Texas does. And Nick Saban knew two years before he left college football he was grumbling about the money that Texas and Austin was raising in their billionaire donors. The NFL thing with Saban, I think he'll get frustrated with being an analyst. I think deep down he's always felt he's every bit the coach of Belichick, but we don't mention him as one of the all time great coaches because he's a college guy. Albert Breer yesterday on the always innovative. Maybe old, but feels young. Nick Saban. The one thing about Dallas that people misunderstand is yes, Jerry's involved in football, but the coach is involved in scouting too. Like the coach is involved in putting the team together. And that's always been the way that it's been run there. And in that, like they've got a really good personnel department. Will McClay does a great job, but they've always involved the coach and how the team is put together. If Jerry was going to do this, part of it would be, are you willing to take a backseat and move away from the spotlight for a little bit to see if Nick Saban can come and do it? Okay. And the reason we talk, Saban, the Schottenheimer thing is not going to work. Jerry's now 82. I think he's much less patient than he was 15 years ago. And save it in the Cowboys feels huge. Just think of what Jim Harbaugh, to the second most popular team in la, felt like Harbaugh. The Chargers changed their ticket sales, advertising money, merchandise sales changed everything. It felt, it was, it felt like a quake. It was huge. Saban plus the Cowboys just how does that. Right now the Dallas Cowboys have a problem. I mean, they really do. For free agents, they have a problem. They have a credibility issue. Like free agents. Not that interested. Saban gives them instant credibility. So Albert and I talked about this yesterday for almost 10 minutes. I think Saban and I don't think he's wrong here. I think Saban and for years and years I said about Jim Harbaugh, Jim Harbaugh is as good a football coach as the history of football has ever had. But we mentioned Shulin Belichick and Andy Reid and that's why Jim Harbaugh wanted to go back to the pros with a legitimate quarterback. Is that I think Nick Saban, like Harbaugh feels like, yeah, I dominated college football and if Drew Brees would have been given the physical, okay, I would be viewed among the greatest coaches of all time. But if you dominate college football, you can be Woody Hayes, Bear Bryant. You don't get mentioned among the greatest coaches of all time. You gotta succeed at the highest level of coaching. And I think Saban, like Pete Carroll, feels 10 years younger and, and thinks like he's 10 years younger than he is. A lot of old guys don't age well. Saban does. I'm telling you, this is my summer prediction. KD to the warriors, that was nuts, too. Belichick to North Carolina, that was nuts, too. Mavericks trading Luca to a rival Lakers in the west, that sounded nuts, too. This is my boldest prediction of the summer. You got to have one. And this is mine. I know, J. Mac, you're not. You're not rolling your eyes necessarily, because there are seven openings annually in this league. And by the way, just say it out loud. Saban to the Cowboys. Gary loves his team being talked about on tv. Romo on cbs. Aikman on espn. Michael Irvin forever on the NFL Network. He loves that. You can say what you want about Jerry, but a lot of times there's been a criticism. He cares more about the marketing than the actual super bowl winning. He's got those. So I think it's in play. Yeah. Colin, I'll say that's a spicy take to start the show, but what's the saying? Right church, wrong pew. I'm sure you've heard that. I do think Saban to the NFL makes sense. But remember what happened in Miami when he went to Miami, he wanted Drew Brees. He had Drew Brees locked in and the doctors didn't clear Brees, so he had to settle for Culpepper. Got the hell out of town. Quarterback matters for Saban. Colin. Unless they go 3 and 14 and can get Arch Manning, I don't think that Dak Prescott gets Saban to the Cowboys, but I think the team to watch would be the Buffalo Bills if they slip up in the postseason. They are favorites and they want to run out McDermott, Saban plus Josh Allen in Buffalo getting the Bills, finally, that super bowl, that's been elusive. Let's so think it's really interesting. So Jim Harbaugh. Why did. There were rumors about Harbaugh to the NFL for years? Why did he wait for the Chargers? Justin Herbert. Right. Because when he came to the NFL, it was Kaepernick, it was Alex Smith, and he could never really get the quarterback position to be super elite consistently. So Harbaugh kept waiting. He figured it out. I gotta have the right quarterback. We've. We've talked about this with Sean McDermott. I think Sean's good, but he can't get past like Mickelson and Tiger woods in his prime. Like, it's. There's difference. And I. And I do think. I think that's out there. I think Dallas is out there. Remember never forget this. Next year's quarterback draft class is really strong. So if you're going to go to a Dallas, okay, Buffalo, you got the quarterback. If you're going to go to get a job, next year is a perfect year and I do believe Dallas is a six win team this year. I really do. I think they're a six win team. That puts them top 10. So you wouldn't have to give up a ton of draft capital to get your quarterback your choice. Is there a potential this is a little goofy, but Cleveland Browns have no quarterback this year. Coach gets blown out. Hey, we got the first pick, Arch Manning. I don't want to go to Cleveland. Well, what if Nick Saban goes to Cleveland? I think he spent some time there in the past. Is there a world where Saban says I'll take Arch Manning as my future quarterback in the NFL if I can get him? Well, the Mannings know Nick Saban very well. Yeah, I'll just leave it at that. Hey, it's me, Rob Parker. Check out my weekly MLB podcast Inside the Parker for 22 minutes of piping hot baseball talk featuring the biggest names and newsmakers in the sport. Whether you believe in analytics or the eye test, we've got all the bases covered. New episodes drop every Thursday, so do yourself a favor and listen to Inside the Podcast Parker with Rob Parker on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific American Public University is the number one provider of education to our military and veterans in this country. They offer something truly unique, special rates and grants for the entire family, making education affordable not just for those who serve, but also for their loved ones. If you have a military or veteran family member and are looking for affordable, high quality education, Apu is the place for you. Visit Apu Apus Edu Military to learn more. That's Apu Apus Edumilitary.

[Katie Couric]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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For more details on the rates, fees and other Gemini credit card terms, see Rates and Fees. Introducing the new Dell AI PC powered by the Intel Core Ultra processor. It's not just an AI computer, it's a computer built for AI. That means it's built to help do your busy work for you so you can fast forward through editing images, designing presentations, generating code, debugging code, running lots of apps without lagging, creating live transitions and captions, summarizing meeting notes, extending battery life, finding that file you were looking for, managing your schedule, meeting your deadlines, responding to Jim's long emails, leaving all the time in the world for more you time and for the things you actually want to do. No offense Jim. Get a new Dell AIPC Starting at $699.99 at Dell.com AIPC how those ahead Stay ahead. All right, you are entering the no Bull zone sponsored by credible Great rates and none of the book. We're in Chicago today, so I missed Monday's show. I couldn't get out of the Northeast because of thunderstorms and flight cancellations and delays, so punishment for that. The staff is punishing me, forcing Me to do a Shadour Sanders story. According to Mary Kay Cabot, she does think when camp starts today that he has a legitimate shot to be the starting quarterback. So in my life, kind of being around the NFL, 30 years of doing this talk show stuff, covering the NFL, having sources and reporting on it, I don't think there's ever been a player where there's a wider variance of opinion between the media and NFL executives. The media, myself included, saw him as a B prospect, a good, solid in a very, very weak quarterback draft class, certainly arguable first round prospect, maybe a second third round talent. But, but, but, you know, solid, good family DNA moved well, historically accurate, good kid, not a bad kid. Certainly a better prospect than first rounder Kenny Pickett. By far, I think a much safer prospect than Will Levis, who went second round of the Titans. You know, again, I thought he was a solid B prospect. Crazy accurate, bad offensive line in college, no run game and against good teams was always productive without a lot of mistakes. And yet he slid to the fifth round. And there's an argument, I don't know, sixth or seventh round or undrafted, if not for Jimmy Haslam, the impulsive and meddling Cleveland owner. So how he is viewed by the NFL and the professionals there who I respect and trust and how he's viewed by everybody else, it's an incredible gap. Bailey Zappi got drafted higher. So it's like Nomadland that won the Oscar and the public had no interest in watching it. It made like $3.7 million. And not, not every Oscar winner is Oppenheim, Oppenheimer or you know, you name your Oscar winner that gets big gate. But like Nomadland was, Hollywood loved it. The public, not remotely interested. So I don't know what to make of it. I mean, listen, the fact that Louisville's Tyler schock, who is 25, going to be 26 when the season starts, he had a singular throw at the combine that just a singular moment. A singular throw, the one where he's backpedaling sidearms. It that to me, seventh round, like that, that play alone indoors, no pass rush, and he went second round of the Saints. So I don't, I don't get it. I, I'm really interested to watch it because I think generally I'm within half a round of where a guy goes. I saw Jackson dart as more of a mid second. He went late first. That's okay. Will Levis, I thought I liked him initially and then, nah, it got third round. I mean, I get surprised from time to time, but late first, early second, falls to the fifth and may have been undrafted. If you fall to the fifth, you can fall further than the fifth. So we'll wait and see. Mary Kay Cabot, who I've trusted for years, says, nobody's blowing anybody away here. Nobody's blowing anybody away. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app American Public University is the number one provider of education to our military and veterans in this country. They offer something truly unique special rates and grants for the entire family, making education affordable not just for those who serve, but also for their loved ones. If you have a military or veteran family member and are looking for affordable, high quality education, Apu is the place for you. Visit Apu Apus Edu Military to learn more. That's Apu Apus Edu Military.

[Katie Couric]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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Some exclusions apply to instant rewards, in which rewards are deposited when the transaction posts this content is not investment advice and Trading Crypto involves risk for more details on the rates, fees and other Gemini credit card terms, see Rates and Fees. Introducing the new Dell AI PC powered by the Intel Core Ultra processor, it's not just an AI computer, it's a computer built for AI. That means it's built to help do your busy work for you so you can fast forward through editing images, designing presentations, generating code, debugging code, running lots of apps without lag, creating live transitions and captions, summarizing meeting notes, extending battery life, finding that file you were looking for, managing your schedule, meeting your deadlines, responding to Jim's long emails, leaving all the time in the world for more you time and for the things you actually want to do. No offense Jim. Get a new Dell AI PC starting at $699.99 at Dell.com AIPC how those ahead Stay ahead. Here we go. It's hour two. It is a Thursday. Great to be back with you and we're talking about this last hour. J Mac Sports are cyclical. The best college football team I've ever seen in my life was Nebraska. When they the year they dismantled Florida, I was actually there. The Steve Spurrier Florida team, Fiesta Bowl, Lawrence Phillips, Tommy Frazier, their second team would have been a high end bowl team. Tom Osborne and and they've never ever ever for a lot of reasons been able to reclaim that glory. Now I, I, they're not Matt Rules done a nice job. They're not, they're not the same. The sport outgrew them. It happens all the time. When I grew up in the 70s, the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Kansas City Royals had the best rosters in baseball. The Pirates were I can go through the entire roster of the Reds and I can go the Yankees, by the way, were the the Yankees, by the way, were terrible in the 80s. But things changed with cable TV money and and now the Royals and the Reds and the Pirates, they don't have any money and I just saw this. According to a recent poll featuring this is by on three. It's a very, very good company. Very shrewd. If you follow college football, they're excellent. According to a recent poll featuring nil collectives, GMs agents and administrators. Here's who's spending money in college football. And that's what you got to do to win. Texas, number one. Texas Tech has a billionaire donor. He went big this year. Ohio State 3. Oregon 4. A&M and Miami 5. Michigan SC 7. USC is about 18 million now. Tennessee 9, Auburn 10. So four SEC schools in the top 10. No Bama. So Nick Saban saw this thing coming. Saban's like exit stage right. Two years before he left, he was grumbling about what was happening to college football. And I had a very good source close to Saban saying he was like, we can't compete with Texas. They got two billionaire donors. And remember, it was like two years before Saban left. They played Texas. Remember that game? I think it was in Tuscaloosa. And you watched that game and you went, oh, snap. Texas is way bigger up front and faster. Texas had better players. Saban was still the better coach. But Saban saw it. He knew the problems. And so I don't buy that Saban's coming back to Alabama. I don't think he's coming back to college football. I do believe the NFL hires seven new coaches a year. And I think he brings instant credibility to anywhere he goes. Remember in Miami with the Dolphins, if the team doctor allows Drew Brees to play, he never takes that Bama job because he was getting things going there in Miami. And with that, Urban Meyer, three time national champ, is now joining us live as we're getting fired up for the college football season. So it's interesting, but just about Nick. Nick is one of those guys who's older, like Pete Carroll, but he doesn't play old, young, dynamic. He's an innovator. And I do think Nick and Belichick are tight. I do think, like Jim Harbaugh, there's that little, that little scratch. Nick's never failed at anything, right? He's been good. And that Miami thing is a little unsettling. I do think Nick would take a call about an NFL job. Do you, Urban?

[Urban Meyer]

You know, I have not talked to him about this. I could guess because I know him fairly well and competed against him, that it's not a little scratch. It's probably a pretty big scratch. That that's the one area that he is not, you know. You know, he was like you said, he's getting things going in Miami. I actually visited him when he was down there. But I don't think he'd go back to college. I don't see that fit. I think you're, you know, the whole idea that where the heck is Alabama? Why are they not in the top 10 in spending? I don't understand that one. And push the bore. I'd be asking some hard questions, say, what's the problem here? We can't compete, but we can't pay our players. So I agree with you. I would say very little to no chance he would get involved in college, but I think he would take phone calls from the NFL.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I mean, let's talk Jim Harbaugh. Jim Harbaugh was rumored for years to go to the NFL and he, the minute Justin Herbert needed a head coach, Jim's like, yeah, I like that one. As you well know, you can win a national championship without a great quarterback in college. But I would argue in the NFL they're all bad jobs if you're bad at quarterback. So I mean, to me, I think, I think Nick's going to, I mean like when you look at the NFL, it's almost feels like it's a quarterback driven league, does it not?

[Urban Meyer]

Well, that's kind of what got me. Not kind of. I mean, I still think Trevor Lawrence will go down as one of the great quarterbacks. I think he's going to end up having a great career. But that's so intriguing when you see a player of that caliber. If Nick Saban can get that kind of position where he, he believes that this is a Hall of Fame future Hall of Fame quarterback or a world champion quarterback, the more I'm thinking, I think he's going to take that call. I really do. And once again, I've not talked to him about that. He's doing a great job on game day and I know Mark Ingram and him play golf together and he has a great life. But he's a competitor and I think he'd do very well.

[Colin Cowherd]

So we've been talking about JJ McCarthy. Full disclosure, I liked Bo Nix better than JJ McCarthy. He'd had like five college coordinators. He was good with all of them. I watched him beat Justin Herbert as a freshman. When Herbert was at Oregon, he was a freshman at Auburn and I watched him beat him. So I thought Bo Nicks was going to work. I think Caleb does. I like Drake. May I love Jaden Daniels. Going into NFL, I was hit and miss on JJ McCarthy and my criticism was like an Alabama quarterback never trails, not asked to carry a team, doesn't get hit much. Great coach. I mean, this is one of the reason Ohio State quarterbacks haven't historically been great. They always have the better coach and the better O line, the better receivers. I'm not a huge believer in JJ McCarthy because he hasn't been, he hasn't lived that NFL college life where you have to throw to non NFL receivers and you don't have protection and you play from behind. Where are you on jj? I know you may have to be diplomatic, but where are you on him as a talent?

[Urban Meyer]

No, I don't have to be diplomatic. I like jj. I covered him quite a bit on Fox Big Noon. We had him all the time. I thought he was a great game manager to say he's going to be a great NFL quarterback. I got, I'm skeptical a little bit because I think he's a tremendous athlete. He knows how to distribute the ball. But he, like you said that last year, that Wolverine football team that he was a quarterback, the national champions, they were loaded, they had a great defense, great offensive line, best offensive line in college football. He did not get hit much. And if you remember his, his junior year, he had really. Or his third year, his had a hard time completing the ball downfield. They were not a downfield throwing team and he struggled with that. So I think if they surround him with great players, I think he'll be successful. But that's like all quarterbacks. But there's a lot of question marks about JJ McCarthy because of what you just said. Has he really had to bring team from behind? He has a skill set. The thing that I like best about JJ McCarthy, he's a competitor and he's a selfless player. There was times they won games where he threw the ball 15 times and you never heard him complain about it. So I'm a JJ McCarthy fan, I like him. But there's some skepticism out there about it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, so I think the guy that two years ago didn't work for me and I think, I think he has a chance to be the best quarterback in college football is Drew Aller. So I watched him two years ago and I thought he was a bit wild. And then last year I watched him, he was. The feet were better, he was more composed, he was more accurate. And I'm like, oh, I'm like, oh, this guy can really play. Give me your break. I think Penn State's going to play for the national championship with Texas. I think this kid, the difference between sophomore, junior year or when I saw him two years ago and last year was like, oh, that's a first round quarterback. What do you think?

[Urban Meyer]

I think night and day. Very concerned about Drew. Al. He's Actually from Ohio. And I saw a high school tape on him and then we covered him his sophomore year and he struggled last year he was much better fundamentally. But the question I have for Penn State, they have two great running backs. They have one of the best offensive lines in the country, certainly in the Big Ten. Do they have this skill on the outside? Last year they did not. That was not a typical Penn State receiving corps. And I don't know if they made it better. You know, I keep trying to research that and we'll see them early in the season. But I'm hoping they have better skill on the outside. I think everything about Penn State is a national championship contender. My question is, do they have NFL draft picks on the outside like they used to.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, I was, you know, when, when. And this happens a lot in life where you see something happening and you're worried about it, but it actually plays to your benefit. So when the NIL came out, I think a lot of coaches like Dabo Sweeney are like, I don't want to pay my players. That's not what college football is about. Here's where the NIL helps coaches. Because you spend so much time raising money to pay the players. You can't buy out coaches anymore. Alabama can't pay Kaylin DeBoer 60 million and pay Saban more money and pay. They don't have the money. And so I do think coaches, I mean, like Lincoln Riley, I know the number. He's not going anywhere. There's no way. They just spent 300 million on facilities. 18 million in nil. He's got an $80 million buyout. So I think nil actually urban protects the staff. You probably get a year or two more than you used to. What say you?

[Urban Meyer]

Every time I come on your show, you come up with something. Colin. I'm like, what is he talking about? And this is one of those moments. I think you're right. You're absolutely. I never thought of it that way. But how about the Wolverines, One of the best brands and biggest brands are expecting a 27,$27 million shortfall. Teams are going to start. I'm worried about this. Start dropping sports. Where is this money coming from and what you just said to go pay off a coaching staff because the head coach has a buyout, but then you also have to pay off all those assistant coaches. So this is one of those moments. Colin, you got me again. I think you're absolutely right that you're going to see the Texas A and M paint off coaches like they Used to. I don't think you can do that anymore. There's not enough money.

[Colin Cowherd]

Finally, I think the best player in college football, and he won't be eligible, is Jermaine Smith, I think Ohio State's receiver. And I'm. I'm trying to think of somebody. I'd have to go back to Hugh Green, that played for Pittsburgh, where I literally saw somebody and I thought, oh, he'd be an elite NFL player. As a sophomore in college, Jamar Chase at LSU felt like that. You're like, yeah, he's an NFL player playing on Saturdays. He's way too good for college football. How do you coach a guy that is so good and so gifted? How do you keep him engaged? How do you keep him focused? How do you keep him happy? Because he doesn't even look like a college player. I've had.

[Urban Meyer]

I can't say I've had a Jermaine Smith, Jeremiah Smith, but I've had a couple that you just got to constantly challenge them. The best thing that Ohio State has is incredible defense. So his biggest challenges a lot of times aren't necessarily the games on Saturday. It's the Tuesday and Wednesday practice. And I felt that when I had the Nick Bosa or I had Percy Harvin or some of those guys who are just so much better than really everyone else, a lot of times better than anybody else. You play until you get to those big games, then you challenge the heck out of them in practice. And that's the good thing about Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State. His biggest, you know, his biggest challenges, a lot of times are going against each other in practice. That's when iron sharpens iron. And I dealt with that. And I know that's what's happening in Columbus. They got some good corners. And that's one of his biggest challenges. Motivate him every day to go to work.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jeremiah Smith, not Jermaine. I made a mistake. Jeremiah Smith. Finally, Texas. Ohio State play in the opener. We all want to see Arch Manning. I want to see Arch Manning. What. What will you need to see? How are you going to view that game? I don't care a lot about stats. I want to see what happens when he faces pressure. I. That's the. That's what I want to see. This will be the best front he faces. My guess is, what are you looking for from Arch Manning?

[Urban Meyer]

Really interesting here. And I got a strong opinion because I coached Tebow after he won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore. He won the national championship as a junior his senior year. The scrutiny, the expectations. We'd be Tennessee by 14 points, he'd throw the ball and he'd be getting hammered by the media. He didn't play well enough. So I think this will be the player with the highest expectations in the last decade. I put it at the Tebow level. Where is anything going to be good enough other than a perfect game? And he plays in the sec. He's going to face SEC defenses each week. He's placed in the playing Ohio State, Buckeyes early. I think he's a tremendous talent. But Sark, I'm glad he's got a head coach like Sark that knows how to handle pressure like this because the pressure on, on him will be immense. And it's going to be pressure. I think it's. We haven't witnessed this kind of pressure on a player, I'm saying since Tim Tebow senior year at the University of Florida. It was, it was non stop even. We'd win again. We went 12 and oh his senior year and nothing was good enough. And I worry about that. That worries on you. That wears on the staff. But most importantly it's going to wear an arch Manning.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I did a national championship bubble yesterday. I think there's five to six teams. Yeah. Okay, so here I have Clemson, Bama, not Notre Dame. I don't know if Clemson has the athletes they, they. I don't know if they match up with Ohio State, Georgia, Texas, Penn State. I just don't know if they do. But I like their coach and quarterback, Bama, Notre Dame. I have to watch them play because I don't know what they are. At quarterback. Bama's playing a guy who hasn't played. He's been there three years. But there are five teams that I believe look different. I love the staffs. I just, they, they're different to me like, like the backfield for Penn State is just different. It's all NFL guys. Anything you disagree with here?

[Urban Meyer]

No. I would probably throw one other team on the bubble though. I would throw that LSU team on the bubble. You know, I think coach Kelly's a heck of a coach and they got a returning quarterback that I think is a stud. So I would throw one more out there and LSU is never going to be short. They were the one team and I know you can't just stereotype a team. They were the one team. When I coached in the sec, them and Georgia came walking out of that tunnel, they looked different. And that stadium is a tough place to play. So I like it. I'd like your top five, but I'd throw one more bubble team in there and that's lsu.

[Colin Cowherd]

Urban Meyer, three time national champion coach, as always, you're making time for us and we love that. Thanks.

[Urban Meyer]

Good to see you, Colin.

[Colin Cowherd]

Great to see you. Urban Meyer on our show, which is, you know, Fox Sports, college football, Heinz, Big Noon Big Noon. Things happen on that show. From what I, from what I hear. I read a lot and there's a lot of stuff. There's a lot of moving parts on that show. I'm not going to get into it, but Big Noon, there's things moving there. The wheel is spinning there. That's what I hear. May want to pull up a stool and sit down and read about it. From what I hear anyway. Balancing work, family and education isn't easy, but American Public University makes it possible with online courses, monthly start dates, and flexible schedules. APU is designed for busy professionals who need education that fits their lives. And Affordability matters, too. APU offers the Opportunity Grant, giving students 10% off undergraduate and master's level tuition, helping you reach your goals without breaking the bank. Plus, they provide career services and 247 mental health support at no extra cost. Visit Apu Apus Edu to learn more. That's Apu Apus Edu. Okay. Have you heard about this? Last year, Degree changed the formula for their Cool Rush deodorant and their fans rebelled and wanted the old scent back. And Degree listened. That doesn't happen often. They admitted they effed up and they're bringing back the original Cool Rush scent. They're bringing it back and it's exactly how you remember it. Cool, crisp and fresh. There's a reason it's the number one men's antiperspirant and it's back in Walmart, Target and other stores now for under four bucks. So try and see what the fuss is about. Head to your local Walmart or Target to try the OG Degree Cool Rush for yourself.

[Katie Couric]

On the latest episode of Next Question with me, Katie Couric. I sat down with Jasmine Crockett, Democratic representative of Texas. She's holding down the fort for her party in one of the most conservative states in the union. I think that ultimately who will become the Democratic nominee for president will be someone that has been out there and has shown that they won't allow themselves to be punched and just say thank you like they will punch back. Listen to Next Question with me, Katie Couric on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to Pretty Private with ebony, the podcast where silence is broken and stories are set free. I'm ebony, and every Tuesday I'll be sharing all new anonymous stories that would challenge your perceptions and give you new insight on the people around you. Every Tuesday, make sure you listen to Pretty Private from the Black Effect Podcast Network. Tune in on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. This is an iHeart podcast.