Best of The Herd

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – "Best of The Herd"

Episode Details:

• Title: Best of The Herd
• Host: Colin Cowherd
• Guests: Jordan Palmer
• Release Date: January 2, 2025
• Duration: Approximately 45 minutes of content

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1. Episode Overview

In the "Best of The Herd" episode, Colin Cowherd delves deep into the current landscape of college and professional football. The discussion primarily revolves around Ohio State's dominance in college football, the fluctuating performance of Texas football, and an in-depth analysis of NFL quarterbacks with special insights from guest Jordan Palmer, founder of QB Summit. The episode combines expert opinions, statistical evaluations, and personal anecdotes to provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the evolving dynamics in American football.

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2. Key Topics and Discussions

a. Ohio State Football: A New Era of Excellence

Colin and his co-host J. Mac celebrate Ohio State University's football team's resurgence, highlighting their resilience and ability to grow despite early-season setbacks.

• Resilience and Growth: Colin emphasizes Ohio State's unique position in college football history by allowing the team to make mistakes and grow from them.

  “Ohio State's the first team in college football history that has been allowed to make a couple of mistakes.” ([06:30])

• Performance Analysis: They discuss Ohio State's close games, including losses at Austin and against Michigan, while also noting significant victories over Penn State.

  “The Buckeyes, this moment, are easily the best team in college football.” ([07:00])

• Ryan Day’s Coaching: Ryan Day's ability to maintain his position and potentially lead Ohio State to a national championship is commended.

  “Ryan Day is secure, has the best team, and here he is after dominating the Ducks.” ([07:54])

b. Texas Football: Talent vs. Discipline

The conversation shifts to Texas football, where Colin critiques their inconsistent performance despite having talented players.

• Penalty Issues: High number of penalties during games is a significant concern.

  “They can't have 10 penalties. You can't miss assignments.” ([10:00])

• Coach’s Performance: The team’s coaching decisions and missed calls, such as against Arizona State, are scrutinized.

  “An outrageously missed targeting call that would have probably given Arizona State, which had all the momentum, the win.” ([10:30])

• Historical Perspective: Colin reflects on Texas football's past successes and current challenges.

  “I feel like my entire life this has been Texas football. I feel like they should be six-time national champs.” ([10:50])

c. NFL Quarterback Analysis with Jordan Palmer

Jordan Palmer joins the show to provide expert insights into NFL quarterbacks, their development, and team strategies.

• Sam Darnold’s Evolution: Discusses how Darnold has developed resilience and maintained professionalism despite early career challenges.

  “His approach hasn't changed, I think is really actually like a superpower.” ([28:18])

• Daniel Jones and JJ McCarthy Situation: Colin and Jordan debate the Minnesota Vikings' quarterback strategies, analyzing the implications of bringing in Daniel Jones and the potential trade of JJ McCarthy.

  “I think J.J. McCarthy is good enough in a weak quarterback draft class to fetch you multiple picks.” ([30:24])

• Josh Allen’s Improvement: Highlights Josh Allen's reduction in sacks and interceptions due to focused training and adjustments.

  “Josh Allen now doesn't take the sacks and doesn't throw picks.” ([31:12])

• Brock Purdy and Rookie Quarterbacks: Discusses Brock Purdy's performance and potential, juxtaposed with Colin's theories on quarterback reliability.

  “If you pay the quarterback, then John Lynch's job is to build around him.” ([34:10])

d. Quarterback Development and QB Summit

Jordan Palmer elaborates on his work with quarterbacks, emphasizing personalized training and continuous improvement.

• Training Techniques: Focus on mechanical adjustments and mental resilience to enhance performance.

  “How am I applying force to the ground and how is that transferring from my back foot to my front foot happening.” ([43:37])

• Impact of Adversity: Discusses how overcoming setbacks can lead to stronger performance and character development.

  “A failure year where it didn't go the way that you had envisioned actually can be really good for your growth.” ([36:21])

• Future Prospects: Optimism about quarterbacks like Caleb Williams and Jalen Milroe, anticipating significant growth and potential success.

  “I think we're going to see his best ball ahead of him.” ([36:05])

e. Highlighting Emerging Talent

The episode spotlights up-and-coming quarterbacks, analyzing their strengths and potential impact on future games.

• Jalen Milroe Comparison: Describes Jalen Milroe as comparable to Anthony Richardson, emphasizing his athleticism and personality.

  “He is that cool to be around. And so those two unique traits will stand out as the process unfolds.” ([38:34])

• Riley Leonard’s Potential: Colin expresses confidence in Riley Leonard’s abilities, comparing him to Josh Allen in terms of athleticism.

  “Is there something there? Am I nuts? Absolutely. No, not nuts.” ([40:37])

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3. Notable Quotes with Attribution and Timestamps

• Colin Cowherd on Ohio State's Growth:

  “Ohio State's the first team in college football history that has been allowed to make a couple of mistakes.” ([06:30])

• J. Mac on Ryan Day's Coaching:

  “Ryan Day is secure, has the best team, and here he is after dominating the Ducks.” ([07:54])

• Colin Cowherd on Texas Football Penalties:

  “They can't have 10 penalties. You can't miss assignments.” ([10:00])

• Jordan Palmer on Sam Darnold’s Resilience:

  “His approach hasn't changed, I think is really actually like a superpower.” ([28:18])

• Colin Cowherd on Josh Allen:

  “Josh Allen now doesn't take the sacks and doesn't throw picks.” ([31:12])

• Jordan Palmer on Caleb Williams:

  “A failure year where it didn't go the way that you had envisioned actually can be really good for your growth.” ([36:21])

• Jordan Palmer on Jalen Milroe:

  “He is that cool to be around. And so those two unique traits will stand out as the process unfolds.” ([38:34])

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4. Insights and Conclusions

• Ohio State’s Strategic Growth: Allowing Ohio State to make and learn from mistakes has fostered a more resilient and adaptable team, setting a new standard in college football.

• Texas Football’s Challenges: Despite possessing substantial talent, Texas faces disciplinary issues and inconsistent performance, highlighting the need for better coaching strategies and team discipline.

• Quarterback Development is Crucial: The evolution of quarterbacks like Sam Darnold and Josh Allen underscores the importance of personalized training and resilience in achieving peak performance.

• Potential of Emerging Quarterbacks: Young talents such as Jalen Milroe and Riley Leonard show promising traits that could significantly impact their respective teams and the broader landscape of football in the future.

• Role of QB Summit: Initiatives like QB Summit are pivotal in nurturing quarterback talent, focusing on both mechanical skills and mental fortitude to enhance overall gameplay.

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5. Final Thoughts

In this episode of "Best of The Herd," Colin Cowherd provides listeners with a rich analysis of current football dynamics, blending expert opinions with actionable insights. The inclusion of Jordan Palmer amplifies the depth of quarterback analysis, offering a nuanced perspective on player development and team strategies. Whether you're a fantasy football enthusiast, a professional follower, or a casual fan, this episode equips you with the knowledge to better understand and appreciate the intricate elements that drive the sport today.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Unknown]

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[Jon Stewart]

Back in the host chair at the Daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Join late night legend Jon Stewart and the best news team for today's biggest headlines, exclusive extended interviews and more. Now, this is the second term we can all get behind. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

Here we go on a Thursday live in Los Angeles, it's the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, thanks for making us part of your day. One hour from now Greg Cosell, if you play fantasy football, bat football, or just want to get smarter at football. Greg Cosell joins us in one hour from now. J. Mac, A deliriously fun day for most people, maybe not the Oregon Ducks of watching college football yesterday. The smoke is starting to clear. It looks like Ohio State is coming through the fog. Imagine that. Yeah, we both liked Ohio State yesterday. We kind of felt like that was the play yesterday. Ryan Day keeping his job, huh? Nice job by him. Yeah. Ryan Day's in line for a natty potentially. So there's always been an understanding in the NFL that football, real football, starts post Thanksgiving, that you want to be peaking in December and January. You can experiment in September. It's not punitive if you lose a couple of games by early October. Meanwhile, college football with the younger athletes who have to go to school while they play, there's been this unhealthy and unrealistic standard that you've got to be on your A game and perfect starting Labor Day weekend. Stumble in October, you are unworthy. Off to the Fiesta bowl, off to the Citrus bowl, off to the Pop Tart Bowl. But now you're allowed to grow. And Ohio State is the first team in college football history allowed to grow. They had a close loss early at Austin. All right. They were awful at home and stumbled against Michigan late. All right. But they did beat Penn State and blew out a lot of teams. So you know what? We're going to let him in. We're going. We're going to let them in. And they've been the best team easily in the tournament. Ryan Day, get him out of here. Oh, wait. My bad. He had a bad Saturday. Will Howard had a bad Saturday. Yeah, it was late in the season. That would have disqualified them my entire life. The Buckeyes, this moment, are easily the best team in college football. Why did it take so long? Well, I don't know. Their best player. Player. Jeremiah Smith, Receiver. He was in high school last year. Their second best player, Caleb Downs. He's a sophomore in a transfer also. Yeah, their quarterback transferred, too. It takes a while. Sometimes you gotta let the cake bake. By the way, Notre Dame lost in Northern Illinois earlier this year. How is that possible? Because they had a transfer quarterback who now Riley Leonard's playing really, really well. In the NFL, you've always been given time. Tom Brady won a Super bowl in week 10, 11, 12. That Tampa Bay team was terrible. They got hot. Then Peyton Manning had a team in Denver. They were 2 and 2 in December and January, and they got hot. And won the Kansas City Chiefs the last two years. I mean, last year, Kansas City lost to the Raiders late in the year, yet they were the best team in football yet. We've always held college kids to this unbelievable standard of. What do you mean? You lost to Purdue October 1st. You're out of here. Liberty bowl or nothing. Give me Liberty bowl or death. The point being is Ohio State's the first team in college football history that has been allowed to make a couple of mistakes. The Oregon loss, who's winning at Austin? How about we start with nobody? Yeah, they had a. They had a bad game against Michigan. Great coat. Andy Reid's had bad games in Philadelphia. They ran him out of town. He had bad games. Tom Brady had bad games in a pick six in the Super Bowl. So finally, finally, you can take different paths to a Natty. It's not perfection. By the way, how many 17, 0 NFL teams there been? And if Penn State gets to the Natty, they will have played 17 games. And you're holding them to a perfect standard in a sport, football, where a guy jars the ball loose. If you fumble at the one out of the end zone, the other team gets the ball and it can ruin your season. Let kids make mistakes. When you were a freshman or sophomore in college, did you have it all buttoned up your first semester in September? College football is getting more and more like the NFL. And finally, we're allowing a team like Ohio State with this transfer portal where chemistry challenges, especially at quarterback, are a real issue. Nobody knew what they were getting with Will Howard. I watched them at Kansas State. I was like, yeah, he's gonna be pretty good. And then I thought he was pretty good. And then against Michigan, he was pretty bad. And it's, you know, he had a bad game because all quarterbacks do, including Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes stunk earlier this year. Now he doesn't. So you gotta let. You gotta let the cake bake. In Ohio State, Ryan Day is secure, has the best team, and here he is after dominating the Ducks. I know that, you know, you're some of your experiences, and this team has had great wins this season. It's had some tough losses, and, you know, we have learned from those. And you got to grow and you got to build and you got to make sure you're, you know, focusing on your strengths and making sure that, you know, you understand what your. Your weaknesses are.

[Jordan Palmer]

And, you know, we're at a place.

[Colin Cowherd]

Where, you know, you can. You can hear a lot of noise, but. But they didn't do that. And I'm very, very proud of our staff.

[Jordan Palmer]

I'm very, very proud of our players.

[Colin Cowherd]

But we're far from done. All those Buckeye fans are now erasing their posts on buckeyes.com and Reddit boards. Get him out of here. No terrible loss, Suffered some pain. What does pain create for all of us? Toughness and resiliency. And rethink the way your football team's operating. Ohio State, check, check, check. Did all of those. And now they're the best team in college football. Okay, let's talk Texas, Texas football. There's a saying in Texas, all hat, no cattle. Sometimes Texas is all talent, no discipline. How many penalties they had? I don't know. How many? How many three and ounce did they have? So first of all, let's talk about Arizona State. Let's just give them a minute of love here. Outplayed, out, schemed out. Coach Texas. Here's another out. An outrageously missed targeting call that would have probably given Arizona State, which had all the momentum, the win. What a coach. Dillingham, three and nine last year, pick for 16th in the Big Ten this year. No five star players should have beaten Texas. And yes, that's targeting in every game I've ever watched. I don't like the call. I don't like when they throw college players out of games, but that's targeting. Yes, Texas had the deeper roster, the more NFL bodies. And listen, they're a splash team. They average 10.7 yards of pass. That is Texas. But I think they're going to get rolled by Ohio State, who's playing with a level of defensive violence and offensive perfection that is just looks like a Sunday team. So, you know Sark, and I like Sark, and I consider him a coaching friend, right? Like somebody in coaching. I could call and ask a question. They're saying all year has been all gas, no brakes. They need some brakes. They need to stop the car, pull over, go to a rest area, wash off and figure out what they are. Because that's not beating Ohio State. 10 penalties, three and outs. Now they are a splash team. And in fourth quarter to tie it up and then in overtime, a couple overtime passes, like that's what they are. That's what they are. But in between these amazing plays by these amazing Texas Longhorn athletes, you can't have 10 penalties. You can't miss assignments. I mean, it looked like Arizona State really could not wait to play another game. They were so intense, playing with such intention and urgency. And sometimes I Just feel like my entire life this has been Texas football. I feel like they should be six time national champs, not that one Vince Young team and disappointment. I can't explain it. I thought Arizona State outplayed them. I thought they got hosed on a call. Yes, I do think Texas matches up with Ohio State better, more NFL bodies. They're only a six point underdog this morning. I'll take Ohio State. But I guess they were resilient. That's what Sark said after.

[Jon Stewart]

The one thing that I know about our group is when our backs are.

[Colin Cowherd]

Against the wall and when our best is needed, our best shows up time and time again. And the resiliency that these guys showed today was, was something as a coach.

[Jon Stewart]

Makes you really proud.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, well, they didn't show up twice against Georgia. And that targeting call gets called, which it should have been. And they don't beat Arizona State. So they're kind of an all or nothing team. Right. Like it's the report card is a plus and D. There's a. And I'm never quite sure what I'm getting with Texas football. I've said this before, I love Tex football. As a kid, I had never gone to Texas. It was the uniforms, the hook em, the horns, the rust orange. I don't know what it was. They just had good players and they were in big games. And it was at a time when Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas were huge and Nebraska and Oklahoma bored me. And I was fascinated with Texas. I've always been pulling for him. When they beat usc, you know, my team for the national championship, I was like, well, if somebody had to beat us, it'd be okay if it's Texas. But I watched that game and I'm like, all gas, no brakes, pump the brakes, pull over, rest area, figure it out, wash off. I can't ever get my arms around them. I know when they come out of the tunnel or in the hotel lobby. They have looked like the best team in college football 10 times in the last 20 years. But man, I can't get my arms around them. I feel like even Oregon in the loss, I know what they are. Penn State, I figured out Notre Dame, I like them tonight I kind of know what they are and what they're not. Ohio State, get out of their way. Texas, they should change their, their helmet to a big question mark because I don't know what I'm getting. First half to second, first series to third. But congratulations on the win. And again, Dillingham, that program, I tell you what, they want a Lot of fans because Dillingham grew up around Arizona State. Like, he always wanted to be the coach of Arizona State. So he's not going to be a guy that just jumps to another job. And Arizona State, if you live out west, has always been kind of one of those sleeping giants. When you're like, when's Arizona State gonna roll the table? I mean, they got as much money as Oregon, right? I mean, they don't have a Phil Knight, but I don't know. I watched Arizona State and I'm like, boy, that was their turnout, their team, their effort, that running back. Easy team to like. So congrats in Tempe to all those fans. You got yourself a rock star. Head coach J. Mac. It was a fun day. There's a lot of stuff going on. There's a really interesting, interesting story out there, Adam Schefter put out. And you know how sometimes you and I, you know, we sit and watch, try to read the tea leaves. We kind of, we kind of watch sports as it develops. And I've always said on this show, when you do a three hour show like ours, you know, we can do journalism lifting, but mostly, you know, we're, we have to have a, an opinion on a story if it breaks without having it fully connected. And so I. There's something that happened this year in the NFL with what we perceive as a great coach, Kevin O'Connell. And when they made the move, I thought it was a little curious, but it wasn't a big enough story to spend a lot of time on it. It is starting to make sense why they brought Daniel Jones to the Vikings.

[Jordan Palmer]

Oh, okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's starting to make a little sense. Generally, you don't bring another team's quarterback in who got pushed out the door on your roster when you have your two quarterbacks. Well, I gotta say, I don't know what you're talking about with Schefter because my, one of my New Year's resolutions, less social media. That's very difficult, but I have no idea what Chef just said, so I'm fascinated by this topic. You don't have to give up feeling. I know where you're going. Okay. You don't have to give up all social media. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the iHeartRadio app. Hey, it's Steve Covino and I'm Rich. And together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. And of course, the iHeartRadio app. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich? We talk about everything. Life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture. Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved, take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich. Hi. It's the Herd. It's the most wonderful time of the year for getting in on all the hoops, football and hockey action at DraftKings Sportsbook. In a season of giving, we're being gifted. College football and basketball, pro football and basketball and pro hockey, too. Almost 24 7. So many games every day. So many opportunities to place your first bet, try betting on something simple. Pick a team to win. Go to DraftKings Sportsbook's app. Place your bet and here's the gift for all new customers. If you bet just $5, you can get $150 in bonus bets if your bet wins Again, download the DraftKings sportsbook app. The code is heard. H E R D new customers get $150 in bonus bets if your bet wins. When you bet just five bucks. Happy holidays from DraftKings. The crown is yours.

[Unknown]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Unknown]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jon Stewart]

I catch Jon Stewart back in action on the Daily show and in your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical take on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now. Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners, like in depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

So this is a real story, people I trust. Adam Schefter said teams are going to call the Vikings on JJ McCarthy. Of course they are. He's talented and it's a terrible quarterback draft and seven teams need a quarterback. Diana Rossini reports. The Vikings want Darnold back. Of course they do. He's got an argument to be MVP and Darnold doesn't even turn 28 and until down the road. So it's like Darnold's in his prime for five years. So J.J. mcCarthy, Michigan quarterback, was the one quarterback I wasn't sold on in this draft. I mean, he was 53rd in pass attempts his last year in college in the same number of games. Michael Penix was number one. I thought Pennix threw a better ball. Bo Nix was more experienced and more athletic. I thought Caleb and Jaden Daniels were better. And I thought Drake May had a higher ceiling. He could work. He was kind of good in the preseason. What does that mean? Dak looked great in the preseason. Dax, talented. Dax, a starter. But has Dak ever had a year that looks like Darnold? Not to me. And so this is something to remember. Why did the Minnesota Vikings in November bring in Daniel Jones? Why? Because maybe they were ahead of us. The Vikings don't have a second round pick, a third round pick or a fourth round pick. It's a terrible quarterback class. Seattle, you think they're going to go back with Geno Smith again? They can get JJ McCarthy for a second and a fourth, maybe a second, fourth and fifth. Vikings get their draft picks, their franchise tagging at minimum. Sam Darnold. Kevin O'Connell liked Sam Darnold before he was a Viking. Kyle Shanahan, like Darnold before he was a Niner. Now he's putting up an MVP season. They've made a decision. We like Darnold. We're not letting him go. Why did they bring in Daniel Jones? Because they wanted to get him into the system ready to play for a playoff game. And my take? They'll rehab Daniel Jones like they rehabbed Sam Darnold. And I think JJ McCarthy is good enough in a weak quarterback draft class to fetch you multiple picks, which if you're in the NFC north stacked Green Bay roster, stacked Detroit roster. Chicago's gonna get their act together. You need draft picks. If you're paying Sam Darnold big boy money, you need draft picks. Vikings don't have any. They got a first and a couple of fists. They don't have any draft picks. Seattle's drafting 18th. They need a quarterback because they got a Super bowl roster. I totally get Seattle saying we're gonna have to start paying some of these stars we have. Let's roll it with J.J. mcCarthy. I, if I ran Seattle, John Snyder, I'd make the deal tomorrow. I'd make the deal tomorrow. Reset the clock. J.J. mcCarthy don't have to pay him for four years. With this Seattle talented roster wearing about a year, you're gonna have to start paying people big boy money. Vikings don't have any picks. So this stuff is starting to add up. I got nothing against JJ McCarthy, but you can't let Sam Darnold walk out of the room. And Daniel Jones as a backup, a big, strong, athletic backup would be arguably the best backup quarterback in the league. And he's already shown. Remember, McCarthy's already had two surgeries. He's never played an NFL game. Darnold's an MVP level player and Daniel Jones won a playoff game against those Vikings. So My take is J.J. mcCarthy. I think deep down they are strongly considering moving him. That is my take. I don't think it's a wild take. The Vikings cannot pay Darnold a fortune and have no draft picks. You cannot in a division with the stacked lions and stacked packers, go, yeah, we got a first round, picking some fives. That roster is already arguably the third or fourth best roster in that division. You need draft picks. You need a second, a third and a fourth. And I think J.J. mcCarthy, in a weak draft, I think Minnesota has leverage. They don't have to get rid of him. And it's not like they don't like him. You can like people and trade them, but you. The, the, the dilemma is a great dilemma to have. We had no idea Sam Darnold was the third best quarterback in the league. That's a great. It's like when people complain about taxes, it's one of the better problems to have. You're paying a lot of taxes, you're making a lot of money. I don't like paying them either, but it's one of the better problems. Sam Darnold created a. A problem. He is way better than any of us thought and I'm a Darnold fan. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. You can count on T Mobile to help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com Keep and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months. If you're looking to set the standard in athletic clothing and activewear apparel for performance, look no further than Viori Vuori integrates the best of fitness, the best of surf, sport and art. Two of my personal favorites. The Men's Core Short it's the most comfortable lined athletic shirt you'll find and the Men's Sunday Performance Jogger. Perfect for lounging or any work activity. Vuori has the women covered as well with their Women's Performance Jogger. It's the softest jogger you'll ever own. Also check out the Women's Daily Legging featuring a high waist drawstring tie, an upgraded no slip fit. Incredibly versatile. Plenty of new colors just came in, but hurry, get them while you can. Vuori is designed to look great in everyday life outside the gym. It's not a brand, it's a way of life. 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[Jon Stewart]

Is back at the Daily show and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondence and continue contributors and with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

No person in my life have I ever met that knows more about quarterbacks than Jordan Palmer, founder of QB Summit. He has worked with all of them, the Burroughs, the Mahomes, the Josh Allens. He was the person to tip me off on Josh Allen. We were talking about Darnold and he said, keep your eye on this Josh Allen kid before anybody else did. And I got so many questions to ask you. I'm going to ask you about the rookie NFL quarterbacks. I'm going to ask you about Riley Leonard, who nobody's paying attention to, and Jalen Milroe, who I think is better than people think. But I want to start with this. You are. Right now, I think you're an active quarterback consultant with Darnold.

[Jordan Palmer]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So Sam calls you regularly. What unlock? We know Kevin O'Connor is a good coach, but what unlocked the star power, the juice? What was unlocked? Because you always talk about that on this show. We got to unlock something. What was it with Sam?

[Jordan Palmer]

Well, his talent hasn't changed. Right. He hasn't grown 2 inches since the draft. He hasn't gotten way faster. All these players careers should evolve, their throwing mechanics should evolve, their understanding of defenses so that there's been an evolution over the last six years. The other thing is I don't think he'd ever really been through a ton of adversity, you know, in high school and college.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[Jordan Palmer]

Kind of was a meteoric deal here, Carol Paul.

[Colin Cowherd]

And he was winning them and then.

[Jordan Palmer]

Just getting drugged through the mud for multiple years, getting traded away for nothing, I think hardened him. And yes, the Kevin O'Connell, the pieces in the huddle. We don't need to spend time talking about how good the Minnesota Vikings roster in front office and coaching staff is because that's all everybody's talking about. I the thing, the biggest thing for him that I've seen is that in all of those years of kind of getting punched in the gut, the media and the teams and traded and all that, I just never saw him cut a corner. I've never had this guy show up 15 minutes late, have to bail early. I've just never seen it. And the way that I work with him and Joe Burrow as well is it really is an annual relationship where. Yes, the off season we try and find. Similar to what Tom Brady used to talk about, Try and find one or two things, right? Because when you get to the level where you're playing, where Sam is right now and Joe is right now, there's still an off season coming up. They're still going to try and get better. And so what we do is in the off season, we build the programming and look at what has been working and what can you build on? And then in season, every single week, we're reviewing things and there's three categories. One, what are you doing great that you need to continue to do great? Let's highlight it. What do you need to work on? Which means you used to do it better than you did, and it's taken a step back for whatever reason. And then the third one is something to think about. Maybe something showed up in somebody else's game, Sam's attention, and focus on those things. Regardless of how bad it was going and right now, how well it is going, the fact that his approach hasn't changed, I think is really actually like a superpower. Your willingness to buy in, find individual things to get better at is the superpower. And there's a perfect example. So by week, it was week six, I think this year for them. He comes out here and spent a day together. And at that point this season, at that point in the season, I think it was 24.8% of his misses. Not necessarily incompletions, just little off. Was outbreaking rounds to the right, identify a mechanical issue, not drawing the shoulder in, whatever the details were, address it. Show how he can work on it at home, how he can work on it in practice, what he can add to warmups. And from the bye week to now, he's got one miss on an outbreaking route to the right when the ball slipped out of his hand.

[Colin Cowherd]

Isn't that great? I love this stuff. I want him to tell you a story, folks. So Josh Allen, he was the first guy to tip me off on Josh Allen. So Josh Allen now doesn't take the sacks and doesn't throw picks. And there's a fascinating. You go deep into the numbers. It used to be a thing you, after a couple years, found something rolling, right? That was a problem. Tell the audience this story on Josh Allen.

[Jordan Palmer]

Well, I think what started the Josh Allen hype train at Wyoming, because it wasn't because they won it all or went undefeated, right? It was a play he made versus Boise State. He's rolling right, and he threw it about 45 yards back, corner of the end zone. And it was one of those, well, I don't know anybody who can make that throw right Type of throws. And then I think he was on Sports Illustrated and they were maybe gonna have game. And it just kind of started to happen, right? Started to. The hype train, whatever that means, started to roll. And then he got a lot of positive reinforcement from that, right? Like all of a sudden, everyone's talking about you. And you, you see yourself on TV and they keep showing that play and, and he's so good at it. So he would roll right. And when he roll right, he would make unbelievable throws down the field and, and kept chasing it. When he got it early in the first two years and Brian Dable was, you know, developing him and, and, and really they were developing that, that team because Bill's fans know this. Everyone forget, like his number one receiver his rookie year was Kelvin Benjamin.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jordan Palmer]

Like, this is not. He didn't step into some perfect situation, but really through the first two years, I think he was high 50s completion percentage.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jordan Palmer]

And when he would roll right. And at the time, I think I wrote it all down, but it was, you know, rolling right. You've got this many, you know, 10 touchdowns, 15 unbelievable throws, 13 picks and a bunch of hits. A bunch of you getting pushed or getting tackled and landing on your right shoulder. And you only get so many of those.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right. Hear that? So he kept falling on his right shoulder. You discovered that.

[Jordan Palmer]

And then it just, it needs to become an asset because you have the highest level.

[Colin Cowherd]

Now what's happened to him?

[Jordan Palmer]

Well, I think now teams are sitting here going, we can't let him roll right because he's not turning it over. He's not taking unnecessary hits. And I think he's one of the most dynamic runners not at the quarterback position in the league.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I've never heard anybody even discuss this. You just didn't like him falling on his right shoulder. Because your belief, and it's true, is your body gives you about 300 of those. And then it, and then it.

[Jordan Palmer]

Availability. It's the whole like, what's your best ability Conversation. Well, availability is okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

I want to talk about another NFL quarterback. You're a very optimistic, positive quarterback guru. I, of course, tend to come off as cynical and negative. I like Brock Purdy, but I have a theory on quarterbacks. The if bucket. After about three ifs, I'm not paying you. Starting with a five, you're a three or a four if it's not raining, if he gets protection, if he has McCaffrey, if he's leading, the numbers tell you trailing fourth quarter in not the same. Quite the same quarterback. I couldn't pay Brock a fortune. I like him. I don't love him. Why should I love him? What do you see with him?

[Jordan Palmer]

I think there's so many ways to. For us to come to a conclusion or an opinion on somebody. Right. So stats, depending on who you are and what you're doing for a living. Right. Like stats is one tape for certain people. If you're in the media, tapes less relevant. If you're in a front office, stats are less relevant. You know what I mean?

[Unknown]

Sure.

[Jordan Palmer]

Depends on what context you're looking at it through. I with Brock, look at it like, what situations have we put him in and how has he handled it? And when you have had a healthy, good roster, he's basically played like one of the best quarterbacks in the league. And at least in my opinion last season, the way that he, yes, the plays that he made, the mistakes that he didn't make and avoided, but then the way that he went through the playoffs and played great didn't change the whole leadership element that really only the people in the building can speak to. Sure, right. We can all have opinions, but you're there. And Sam Darnold backed him up last year. So I got a chance to hear just how mature and focused and confident this guy remains.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's a bright kid all the way.

[Jordan Palmer]

Through the Super Bowl. Right. And so if we build around him, this is a guy that I don't know if it starts with a five, but it definitely starts with a three or four. If you're asking me like it's a yeah, you give them a ton of money, you give them a three year deal.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[Jordan Palmer]

If the left tackles hurt and the running backs out and the receivers out, he's not as good. Well, if you pay the quarterback, then John Lynch's job is to build around him. And I think there's two things the Niners have done a really good job of. One of them is evaluating talent, finding good players. I don't know the name of the running back for them who's playing well right now. The second thing they've done is develop players. And so if you're, if you're a Niners fan, you go, let's lock in Brock Purdy. I don't, I don't like the whole franchise him and make him play, make him prove it. He's proven it. So pay him and then do a great job of evaluating talent and, and developing the talent around him. And you know, he may lose Debo this year for whatever reason. Well, you drafted Ricky Pierceau in the first round. I think they did a good job evaluating talent. Now it's time to develop them.

[Colin Cowherd]

I want to go. Let's talk a couple rookies. You have kind of an interesting belief on Caleb Williams, who has had the roughest rookie season and your Belief is.

[Jordan Palmer]

What the talent is there. Worthy of being the number one pick, worthy of being the Heisman Trophy winner, worthy of being the elite 11 MVP and number one recruit in the country. Like that. That part hasn't changed for me. I think, however you want to classify this, I would put it in the field. Let's just use this word, failure.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[Jordan Palmer]

This hasn't been the CJ Stroud year from last year. Right. Or Jaden from this year. So for his standards, which has been number one. Number one. Number one, like all the way through, this is a step back, whatever. If this is classified as a failure, not that it's his fault. Right? All the pieces around him. I think for guys who've had nothing but success, a failure year where it didn't go the way that you had envisioned actually can be really good for your growth. I think it's been really good for a lot of people's growth in the background in, in the past. I think it's been good for Sam Darnold's development. Just like when we look at Josh Allen and we say no offers, had to go to juco, well, that was failure early. It didn't work.

[Colin Cowherd]

Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady.

[Jordan Palmer]

I think a healthy dose of a tough year for the incredibly confident and incredibly talented players, which is what Caleb Williams is. I think it can actually do wonders. And I think we're going to see his best ball ahead of him. And I'm not really concerned with Caleb's future looking out. I think he's in a really tough spot right now and he needs to get better. And for the first time in his life, in his football career, it's not just him wanting to get better. It's obvious he needs to improve. He needs to find ways to improve. I think that's healthy for the really elite thinkers, really elite confidence guys and the really elite talent.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, I gotta ask you about two college guys because there will be a guy in this draft. I'm. I'm targeting Riley Leonard. I'll get to him in a second. Notre Dame quarterback, I like him a lot, but again, he came from Duke. It's a new system. Notre Dame is asking a lot of them and it took a while to get going, but he's been very good lately. But Jalen Milroe is fascinating. My comp is he's a much better Anthony Richardson. I like him. I would absolutely draft him. Not as my first quarterback, maybe not as my second. I think he's a first round quarterback. What do you see? You've been so Good on this. Through the years, what do you see with Jalen Milroe that if I'm right, that makes him a first round quarterback?

[Jordan Palmer]

Well, I look for, anybody looks for unique traits. And when I say unique, I don't mean one of the, you know, unique. The word means like there's not another one like it.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[Jordan Palmer]

And, and he has two. So one, the first one is the athleticism. I, he's a client of mine. I been at Tuscaloosa a handful of times this year and, and the same thing that I said with, with Joe and Sam, it's, I've got 10 college guys where we, we work throughout the entire year, we talk every single week and go through things. I've been out there. That little Ryan Williams receiver, the rookie goes out there. I go, hey, how fast is Jalen compared to the other guys on the team? Him and other guys like, well, Jalen's the fastest guy on the team.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jalen's faster than Williams.

[Jordan Palmer]

I think Jaylen's the fastest guy on the team. I think the guys at Alabama would say that. So, okay, he's not like going to run a fast 40. He's like the fastest guy on the field. Okay, so that's unique. Faster than the others.

[Colin Cowherd]

Alabama.

[Jordan Palmer]

Yeah, or on any field. And so you go, okay, the athleticism and get to full speed's another thing because a lot of guys have top end speed. But you know, we saw guys like Vince Young like that not necessarily translate the running in the NFL because some guys, it takes a lot longer to get to their, their time might be fast. This dude's full speed in like three steps. So the, the athleticism is unique.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[Jordan Palmer]

And there'll be Lamar Jackson comps in terms of, you know, the draft and coming out, but he's got like £20 on Lamar. So he's a bigger, stronger, little mechanical for my taste.

[Colin Cowherd]

What do you make of that?

[Jordan Palmer]

Yeah, and I think like I said earlier, everybody's throwing motion mechanic like that all evolves. And what I have seen from him is the buy in, the attention to it and the, the professionalism, how he looks at developing it. Not just going, I've got a super strong arm and I'm gonna rol, which a lot of people do. I, I don't think it's going to affect anything moving forward. I think the, the first one is the athleticism. The second thing is his personality. Once he goes through this draft process, folks like you, front offices, teams meet him like he's, he's this Dude's a magnet. This guy's a light. Like he is that cool to be around. And so those two unique traits will stand out as the process unfolds. The tape will be the tape. There's some good, there's some bad. Like everybody. And I think somebody's going to fall in love with him and he's going to go higher than some people thought and as high as I thought.

[Colin Cowherd]

Riley Leonard. People roll their eyes at me. I see a little Josh Allen. Tall, athletic Marcus Freeman tells me, relentless competitor. He like all these young guys. Duke didn't ask him to do what Notre Dame is, Didn't love him early. After about week five, six, seven, I'm like, I don't know, folks. Tall, rangy, athletic, army. Is there something there? Am I nuts?

[Jordan Palmer]

Absolutely. No, not nuts. I think this guy's gonna be a really good player. Really athletic.

[Colin Cowherd]

His basketball tape's insane. Yeah.

[Jordan Palmer]

And just you. It shows up. Like some guys are great basketball players and you would, you know, you would have never known it. Some guys, you watch their tape and I tell you they're great at basketball. You go, oh, that makes sense. You know what I mean? And. And so with him, I think all the mobility stuff that he has, I don't know what his 40 time is. I don't care. That part translates. Running in the league as a quarterback is like the sum of six and eight yard gains.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jordan Palmer]

It's not the 55. That's right. And then I like guys that have gone to another school for their last year and played well because it's. There's a lot of newness. It's similar to a rookie year.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jordan Palmer]

You go from Duke to Notre Dame. It's not just new free, it's now it's Notre Dame. It's a new.

[Colin Cowherd]

A lot of academics.

[Jordan Palmer]

Yeah. The magnitude of it, all the stuff you got to do, you know they're going to pay you in I. O money. That means you got to do a lot of stuff.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[Jordan Palmer]

Right. And you got to be a lot of places and talk to a lot of people. And then the new teammates. And then they had a bad loss in Northern Illinois.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jordan Palmer]

And it totally could have caved and it didn't. They're on like an eight or nine game heater. I think Marcus Freeman deserves a lot of credit for that. I think Riley Leonard does too.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. So it's called QB Summit. It's a program that helps quarterbacks reach their potential. He's had Burrow Goff, Trevor Lawrence, Bonix, by the way. Bonex. You liked it? It. Has it been what you thought?

[Jordan Palmer]

Yeah, I think so. I think it's the perfect pairing between him and Sean. And there's so much of Bo's, not just game, but personality.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's intense.

[Jordan Palmer]

That's similar to Drew Brees. Right. Very mature. He's married. He's like, he's dealt with adversity.

[Colin Cowherd]

He kind of got better than I thought.

[Jordan Palmer]

And he's a lot more athletic than anybody gave him credit for.

[Colin Cowherd]

He moves.

[Jordan Palmer]

Yes, he moves. And so I think it's been exactly what Sean Payton was hoping it would be. And the best balls ahead of him.

[Colin Cowherd]

Did Sean call you?

[Jordan Palmer]

He did not. But. But I, I think he's. I think he got exactly what he was looking for.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I mean, he had so many starts in college that you. He was one of those. You kind of knew what you were getting. Yeah, but I, I will say this. I. I didn't think. I thought his arm was Derek Carr ish. Kind of in the same thing. And then I've watched them deliver some deep throws and I'm like, well, Aaron Rodgers arm got stronger in the NFL evolves.

[Jordan Palmer]

Absolutely. And the way this guy approaches his development in this game is like some of these other guys I've talked about where it's like he's doing it like he's been in the league for a long time and already knows what he needs to work on.

[Colin Cowherd]

How do you make. Not that I'm going to go out and throw a football. How do you make your arm stronger? Aaron's was strong in college. It's insane. Now what's. It's not a bench press. Is it plyometrics? What is it?

[Jordan Palmer]

No, I think it starts with Burrow's a perfect example because even though he torched college football, his arm has gotten a lot stronger really, coming off the acl. Because when you can better understand one, there's the strength component. But when you can better understand how to use the ground. So let's just say when I go to throw and I lift my left foot in the air, a hundred percent of the force that I'm putting in the ground is through my right foot. Right? Right. Cause my left foot's on the ground. And then at some point when I'm throwing the football, all that goes to the left foot. My right foot leaves the gun. So it's really a conversation around how much force am I putting into the ground and how is that transfer from my back foot to my front foot happening when you can do that and Build it all the way up. And so for Joe, like I said, on the annual basis, he's coming off of a very scary wrist injury. Yeah, we forget about it now because he's like up for mvp. But like, well, hold on. This was a rare one. You know, this isn't an ACL that a million people get those. This was a rare wrist injury. So he executed this plan of having to recruit more things so come January, he doesn't have to compensate and pronate his wrist and create an issue. And so whether you're increasing your, your velocity or you're a big strong arm guy trying to get more touch, it's the same thing. It's how am I applying force to the ground and how is that transferring.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jordan Palmer, it's great seeing you again.

[Jordan Palmer]

Thanks for having me.

[Colin Cowherd]

Happy holidays. Your, your brother Carson Palmer now is coaching his son at Santa Margarita.

[Jordan Palmer]

That's, that's, it's Trinity League. They got modern day and Bosco.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, I know. That's like big boy football.

[Jordan Palmer]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

And his son's pretty good, right?

[Jordan Palmer]

Yeah, he's a good little player.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Great seeing you, man.

[Jordan Palmer]

Thanks for having me.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jon Stewart]

Jon Stewart is back in the host chair at the Daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Join late night legend Jon Stewart and the best news team for today's biggest headlines, exclusive extended interviews and more. Now this is a second term we can all get behind. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.