Hour 2 - USC HC Lincoln Riley

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 2: USC HC Lincoln Riley

Release Date: July 24, 2025
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Episode Title: Hour 2 - USC HC Lincoln Riley
Description: A comprehensive discussion focusing on USC’s head coach Lincoln Riley, the evolving landscape of college football, NFL team analyses, and player performances.

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1. Opening Remarks and Initial Discussions

The episode kicks off with Colin Cowherd and co-host J. Mack delving into the impact of Deion Sanders on the Colorado football program. Highlighting Sanders' ability to sell out games and attract better players, they nod to his success in revitalizing Colorado's football reputation.

Notable Quote:
“If you're like me and love the action, DraftKings Sportsbook is where it's at.” – Colin Cowherd [00:03:10]

2. Carolina's Football Program and Bill Belichick

The conversation shifts to the Carolina football program under the prospective leadership of Bill Belichick. Colin discusses Carolina's impressive ticket sales for 2025, projecting the program's value at $572 million, emphasizing its strong brand and financial backing.

Notable Quote:
“Carolina is a really good... a real brand, Carolina is a real brand.” – Colin Cowherd [00:05:01]

3. NFL Team Predictions: Green Bay vs. Denver Broncos

Colin provides an in-depth analysis of NFL power rankings, particularly scrutinizing Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos. He expresses skepticism about Green Bay's projected performance, citing a lack of elite players compared to other top NFL teams.

Notable Quote:
“I dislike Green Bay... they don't have enough great players.” – Colin Cowherd [00:09:08]

The co-host challenges this view, questioning the absence of wide receivers or tight ends in Colin's top player rankings, leading to a spirited debate about team strengths and weaknesses.

4. Patrick Mahomes' Performance and Future

The discussion turns to Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, with Colin addressing Mahomes' recent struggles in throwing the ball downfield. Despite these challenges, Colin defends Mahomes' postseason performance, valuing his ability to perform in critical moments.

Notable Quote:
“I still think he is one of these guys. Big third, fourth down, postseason. I'll take him over everybody else except Hurts.” – Colin Cowherd [00:20:14]

5. Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers' Signing

Colin and his guest discuss the Pittsburgh Steelers' acquisition of Aaron Rodgers. Highlighting General Manager Omar Khan's strategic patience, they explore how Rodgers' move is expected to influence the Steelers' performance in the upcoming season.

Notable Quote:
“We wanted Aaron Rodgers, and Rogers wanted to be a Steeler, and it worked out.” – Colin Cowherd [00:22:34]

6. Baker Mayfield's Transition to Tampa Bay

The conversation moves to Baker Mayfield's recent signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Colin praises Mayfield's authenticity and confidence, speculating that his emotional leadership will be instrumental in Tampa's quest to win their division.

Notable Quote:
“He has incredible confidence. They're gonna win that division.” – Colin Cowherd [00:26:45]

7. College Football Playoff and Lincoln Riley's USC

Colin expresses enthusiasm for the College Football Playoff system, praising its ability to allow teams to take risks and for players' personal growth. The discussion sets the stage for the main segment featuring Lincoln Riley, USC's head coach.

Notable Quote:
“The College Football Playoff... allows coaches to take risks, schedule bigger games.” – Colin Cowherd [00:30:00]

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8. Interview with Lincoln Riley, USC Head Coach

a. Adapting to the Big Ten

Lincoln Riley discusses USC's transition into the Big Ten, addressing the challenges posed by different playing styles and climates. He emphasizes strategic roster adjustments to meet the demands of their new conference.

Notable Quote:
“We want to be a team that's a national championship contender every single year... we have to be great on the line of scrimmage.” – Lincoln Riley [00:36:20]

b. Navigating the Transfer Portal

Riley shares insights on utilizing the transfer portal as a tool for rapid roster building, balancing it with traditional high school recruiting. He acknowledges the difficulties in evaluating short-term player commitments but remains optimistic about long-term program stability.

Notable Quote:
“The Portal is just another tool to build your roster... it's a great example of our first year at USC.” – Lincoln Riley [00:37:19]

c. Quarterback Competition

Discussing USC's quarterback room, Riley highlights the depth and competition among his quarterbacks, Jade Maeva and Hassan Longstreet. He stresses the importance of confidence and simplicity in coaching young quarterbacks.

Notable Quote:
“Simplicity is very important. It's such a confidence-driven position.” – Lincoln Riley [00:43:44]

d. Offensive Strategy and Future Goals

Riley outlines the offensive improvements needed to return USC to a top-tier performance, focusing on offensive line strength and quarterback consistency. He remains optimistic about USC's recruiting class and the potential for championship-caliber depth.

Notable Quote:
“We have championship caliber depth and a really strong starting group right now.” – Lincoln Riley [00:42:09]

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9. Closing Remarks

Colin wraps up the episode by lauding Lincoln Riley's strategic vision for USC, affirming his confidence in the coach's ability to lead the team to national prominence. He also touches briefly on the evolving quarterback landscape in college football, anticipating exciting developments in the upcoming seasons.

Notable Quote:
“We have had Sarkon Lincoln, Ryan Day and James Franklin... the quarterback play in college is so much better than 10 years ago.” – Colin Cowherd [00:47:06]

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Key Takeaways:

• Lincoln Riley's Leadership: Emphasis on adapting to the Big Ten, leveraging the transfer portal, and fostering quarterback competition to elevate USC's football program.
• NFL Insights: Critical analysis of team performances, particularly questioning Green Bay Packers' projected success and defending Patrick Mahomes' postseason impact.
• Player Movements: Examination of significant NFL signings, including Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers and Baker Mayfield to Tampa Bay, highlighting their potential influences.
• College Football Dynamics: Appreciation for the College Football Playoff's role in enhancing team strategies and player development.

This episode provides a deep dive into both college and professional football landscapes, offering listeners valuable insights from Colin Cowherd and guest experts, culminating in an exclusive interview with one of college football's prominent coaches, Lincoln Riley.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

This is an iHeart podcast. Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One Bank Guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Oh really? Thanks Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See CapitalOne.com Bank Capital One NA Member FDIC introducing the new Dell AI PC. Powered by the Intel Core Ultra processor, it helps do your busy work for you so you can fast forward through editing images, designing presentations, generating code, debugging code, summarizing meeting notes, finding files, managing your schedule, responding to Jim's long emails, leaving all the time in the world for the things you actually want to do. No offense Jim. Get a new Dell AI PC starting at [e-mail] aipc how those ahead? Stay ahead. All right folks, this is insane. For the first time ever, we got a full blown all women's boxing mega event going down in New York City. Two title fights, same night. Let's go. If you're like me and love the action, DraftKings Sportsbook is where it's at. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app right now. The promo code is heard H E R d new customers 150 bucks in bonus bets instantly when you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings. The crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and resort in Kansas. 21 plus. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontari seven days after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG Co Audio. Thanks for listening to 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 FSR. Now let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, here we go. It's hour two, Lincoln Riley in about 30 minutes. A lot of people questioning is he the right guy? What is up with USC I've got the same questions. Steve Sarkeesian's got it rolling. He was on earlier today at Texas. So JMac, I saw a story this morning. Whatever people think about Deion Sanders, he has added value to Colorado. They sell their games out, they're on TV all the time. He's got better players going there than previously. He has been a success. Would you not degree at Colorado 100% thousand percent. Yeah.

[J. Mack]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So here's the story out of Carolina on Bill Belichick. The school announced yesterday all their tickets for 2025. All of them, including seasons tickets, single game tickets, all of them sold out. So the hype, the juice, the buzz, the discussion, the recruiting, it's all working. Two years later, Colorado's a good program. Not great, but a good program. A Heisman Trophy win. So he's. And, and by the way, Colorado has a clear ceiling financially, historically, marginally, at best committed in sports. And it's not like Colorado has a great high school football. You got to leave the state to get people into that region of the country. Carolina is a little bit of a sleeping giant. More proximity to great high school players. It's got more money in the athletic department and frankly, it's a bigger brand with deeper pockets. So I saw this this morning. The athletic was just did a story. The timing was good. They calculated how much college football teams would be worth. All of them. Division one Carolina was at 26, projected at $572 million. So and I, I mean it's a real brand. Carolina is a real brand. It may start with basketball, but football, they've had good players, a lot of NFL guys from Carolina. So in Colorado football, it's a story of shaky commitment, brief success and long droughts. So this thing should work for Bill Belichick. And we're in the first inning, but so far the first inning, they're off to as good a start as Deion Sanders. The money, the buzz, the recruiting, and if you look at this schedule, Dion's schedule in that first year is pretty good. Who they had to face this schedule outside of Clemson. So I put the over under win the future bet next to the teams draftkings projected wins. The second toughest game on that schedule after Clemson is TCU at home. Now, Syracuse was good last year, but they lost their quarterback and 15 starters. So Syracuse is in a total rebuild. But that is as easy as it gets. Also, it should be noted that ESPN is going to put eight, if not 10 of Carolina's games on television. So it is it, it's all baked in for him. I I and I think Carolina is a really good we said this between the ease of the schedule. If you go back and look at Dion's first year @ Colorado, their schedule was a lot tougher than that. They played a TCU game ironically to start as well, but it was a TCU team that was very, very good the year before but had lost a lot of guys to the NFL. So they blew out. TCU was not very good that year. This TCU similarly good, not special. So it should work. Belichick is talking at Carolina. We'll have more on that later. And so as we make our NFL predictions, I've always felt I do a pretty good job on predicting teams that were bad and they can double their win total. This year I'm taking New England as one of the shocking teams. Last year I took Washington and Denver did pretty well on that. And then there are teams that are good that everybody kind of agrees, probably caught lightning in a bubble. They won't be as good this year. Detroit the good team I'm not sure what to do with is Green Bay. I don't know what to do with it. And and the reason being is most super bowl winning teams, even teams that get to the super bowl have like six to seven elite players. And I looked at this, the athletic this week ran pre training camp NFL power rankings and they had Green Bay at five. Well, I can name the Eagles. I can name eight to nine great Eagle players, seven or eight Ravens, six or seven Bills, six or seven Chiefs. I can't really name seven or eight great Packer players. And so I said to the staff this morning, let's go to a team that's viewed as middle of the pack power rankings, Denver. So let's let's rate the 12 best players. If you combine Denver viewed as middle of the pack, I don't think so. I think they're better than that. And Green Bay elite. So the best player would be Patrick Surtan of Denver. He did not miss a tackle last year. I'm not joking. He's the best corner in the NFL. Highest coverage grade of every corner. He is an unbelievable all time great corner. They got him locked up financially. Second best player would be a Green Bay tackle, Zach Tom. So he was the third highest graded right tackle. I think Tristan Wurf's Pen Sewell was better and Lane Johnson was better. Tristan's moved over to the left side so he's a, they just signed him up. He's a really, really good tackle. He'd be the second best player. Third best player would. I'll give it to the packers again. Josh Jacobs, PFF has their best 101 players. They have him 34th. He was a touchdown machine last year. Fifteen rushing touchdowns. He's a tremendous player. Fourth, Nick Bodito, Denver. That guy popped last year. He absolutely popped. Pro Bowler, All Pro bowl, first team. He's. He can run like a small linebacker and give you the edge rush like a Max Crosby. He is a just a hybrid. Great athlete. Number five, Quinn, Minors, Denver. I know you don't talk about interior lineman. Second highest graded guard in the league last year, 711 pass blocking attempts, gave up one sack. I may have him low, mostly because he's a guard. I would say the six best players. Defensive end for Denver, Zach Allen. Again, in this franchise, of these guys we don't talk about a lot. He led the NFL in 40 quarterback hits and ranked second in quarterback pressure. So again, he's kind of an unheralded guy. We know about Chris Jones. You know, we know a lot about Jalen Carter because those teams are on TV every week. Those, those teams are in playoff. Zach Allen is a dog. He's a big time player. I'd say number seven is Garrett Bowles, left tackle for Denver. Again, great position, great player. 700 times he dropped back to protect his quarterback. He gave up two sacks. I, by the way, I've sat next to him on a plane. They don't make humans that big. I'm just telling you right now, like, man, he. They don't make a lot of humans that big. Second highest graded player on the entire Bronco roster. Now I'm gonna put Jordan Love at 8 and Bo Nix at 9 because I think we both acknowledged Jordan Love is good. But is he great? We don't know. Felt like he regressed last year. But he is one of six quarterbacks with 55 touchdown passes over the last couple seasons. So he's. And then I'll put Bo Nicks right behind him. Listen, he led Jaden Daniels. He led all rookies. Passing yards, completions, touchdown passes, total TDs. And he's a really good athlete. So I'm gonna put those guys 8 and 9. 10. I'll give it back to the Packers, Xavier McKinney. They got him in a deal. He's been great for them. Nine takeaways last year. He's a great player. Came from the New York Giants. Really, really good player. Now in 11 and 12 again, I think these guys could finish higher, but they Both come off injuries. Tyler Hufanga, the safety that they got, Denver got from San Francisco, he's a great player. He was great at USC. He was great at San Francisco. Pro Bowler, first team All Pro with 97 tackles as a safety in 2022. He got hurt. He is a tremendous player. He could be number four or five on this list. I'm gonna put him 11. I'm gonna put Dre Greenlaw, Denver at 12. The linebacker, he was the fifth highest rated linebacker by PFF. Again, he's. San Francisco did not want to lose him. They, they tried to figure out a way to keep him, but they paid Fred Warner and they couldn't keep it. So eight of the 12 best players with Denver, who the athletic is saying is kind of a middle of the pack team, eight of the 12 are Broncos. So, and here's the thing, I it that I dislike Green Bay. I just, what's their best unit? You'd be like, oh, wide receiver. Well then why do they draft a wide receiver with their first pick? Because Christian Watson can't stay healthy. Well, their offensive line usually a strength. PFF has it 14th. So organizational stability has always been outstanding in Green Bay, but you got to have players. So I, I, when I see Green Bay top five or six, I just, I, I just they don't have enough great players. And, and, and by the way, if you told me this year Bo Nix was better than Jordan Love, I put him 8, 9. I'm not doubting it would happen. The defense for Denver is better than Green Bay. So my takeaway is that Bo Nix is going to have the advantages any quarterback would have. With an elite defense, which is better field position, you can open up the playbook. And I think we all acknowledge that Sean Payton's better than Matt LaFleur. I like both. Sean's different. So I, I just don't know exactly what to do with Green Bay. J. Mack, I know they're good. They won. I mean, listen, last year they had quarterback injuries. They still won 11 games. But I think the division's better this year.

[Guest Speaker]

Hey, can you pop that on the screen once again, Colin? Because I think that list that you just came up with, I think this is a first in the history of your, like, ranked players. There's not one wide receiver or tight end on this list. Am I correct here?

[Colin Cowherd]

Now, I love, you know, I love. No, no, I love Cortland Sutton.

[Guest Speaker]

He's, how is he not top 12? I mean, well, haven't played a snap in Denver.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, but Hunga and Greenlaw were elite Pro bowl level players. Sutton, in a lot of eyes, is a number two receiver. I like him. He's a lower end one or a great two. Remember Michael Pittman of the Colts? Like, is he a one or a great two? So, so I look, I like Cortland Sutton a lot, but. But if you look at all the ratings, people see him as like the best number two in the league. Kind of a number two. That's why they drafted Mims, who they think has no more number one potential talent. And again, I love Cortland, but I would probably have him 13 and that would be another Denver guy.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, Christian Watson. Just too injured.

[Colin Cowherd]

He can't stay healthy. So if you told me 13, I would do Cortland Sutton. And so Now I have nine of the top 13. Denver. So when we think they have a better coach, what is it?

[Guest Speaker]

Wow. LaFleur is excellent. I don't know. Better. They're both very, very good. Maybe you go A and a B plus, whatever. What does it say that neither of these teams has skill, position, guys that scare you. Are they legit? Can they legit be contenders? Like, don't put them in the Kansas City group because you have Mahomes who can elevate players. I don't know that Love and Knicks can elevate their receivers the way Mahomes can.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think both, I think both are good enough at receiver. Yeah. Baltimore is contend. Yes, absolutely. Tell me the Jamar Chase triple crown winner last year didn't make the playoffs.

[Guest Speaker]

I know, I know. I'm aware.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I think, I mean, Mims, Cortland Sutton, they drafted that kid in the second round. That, that they, that Sean Payton likes Harvey. Their offensive line is good. Bo Nix, by the way, hybrid, very capable of moving the pocket and running. I think Denver's fine offensively. I do. I think they're fine.

[Guest Speaker]

Get you to the super bowl, bro.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, but I'm not saying these are super bowl teams. My whole rant was, how is 16 and 1 14? My rant was, I don't get the greatness of Green Bay.

[Guest Speaker]

I'm assuming if the athletic have them fifth, that they think they're a Super bowl contender.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't.

[Guest Speaker]

I. I would agree with you. I don't think the packers are. So what are we missing on this team? What are they seeing that we're not on the Packers?

[Colin Cowherd]

By the way, Sutton, Cortland Sutton, 27th wide receiver, according to PFF, a very good starter. But a 27th best receiver would be like low one top two and I put him 13. So nine of 13 would be Broncos.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, that packers at that high is so puzzling because that division so difficult. Yeah, that may just be a whiff by the athletic. I don't know.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't know. One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Hey, we're Covino and Rich. Fox Sports radio every day, 5 to 7pm Eastern. But here's the thing. We never have enough time to get to everything we want to get to. And that's why we have a brand new podcast called Over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun in our two hour show. We never get to everything honestly, because this guy is over promising things we never have time for. Yeah, you blubber lips blaming me. Well, you know what it's called? Over Promise. You should be good at it because you've been over promising women for years. Well, it's a Covino and Rich after show and we want you to be a part of it. We're going to be talking sports, of course, but we're also gonna talk life and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing about something or we didn't have enough time, it will continue on our after show called Over Promised. Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make sure you check out Over Promised and also uncensored, by the way, so maybe we'll go at it even a little harder. It's gonna be the best after show podcast of all time. There you go, overpromising. And remember, you could see it on YouTube, but definitely. Join us. Listen to Over Promised with Covino and rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. 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, 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 [e-mail] aipc how those ahead stay Ahead. All right, folks, this is insane. For the first time ever, we got a full blown all women's boxing mega event going down in New York City. Two title fight night. Let's go. If you're like me and love the action, DraftKings sportsbook is where it's at. We're talking the trilogy fight. Don't sleep on the co main explosive power taking on the undefeated WBA interim champ. It's going to be fireworks. Check it out. If you're new to DraftKings, throw down five bucks. That's it. Boom. You get 150 in bonus bets instantly. That's wild. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app right now. The promo code is heard. H E R d new customers. 150 bucks in bonus bets instantly. When you bet just 5 bucks only on DraftKings, the crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-Gambler in New York, call 877-8-Hopeny or text hopeny467-369 In Connecticut, help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and resort in Kansas. 21 plus. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario bon expire 7 days after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG Co Audio Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Oh, really? Thanks. Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC. Been great to have. James Franklin and Ryan Day and Steve Sarkeesian. Lincoln Riley's around the Corner. They went 4 and 5 in the Big Ten last year. Lot of giveaways. Now it should be noted, Texas, I think led the SEC in giveaway. So you can, you can, you can spit the ball up occasionally if you have a high powered offense. So USC had a little bit too many giveaways. They had leads in a lot of Big Ten games and could not hold the lead. It was a weird season. They went to another quarterback late in the year and had some success. So Lincoln Riley's around the corner. But first, J. Mack with the news. No, no, no.

[Guest Speaker]

Turn on the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is the Herd line news. All right.

[Guest Speaker]

Patrick Mahomes, Colin Everybody loves him, we love to talk about him, but he's just like us. Colin, he's looking to change his game a little bit. Here's what he wants to improve on at trading camp. Take a listen.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I think for me, I gotta be better at throwing the ball down the field. I mean, obviously that we weren't good enough there. We've had success in prior years. These last few years we haven't done that. And in order for our offense to be great, you have to be able to complete those passes. It opens up everything else that's the mindset is getting back to throwing the ball down the field. And then if we can do that, it'll open up the rest of the.

[Guest Speaker]

Offense and we have some stats to back that up. That Patrick Mahomes over the last two seasons, Colin, he's kind of been a checkdown artist. Look at how much he struggled throwing the ball down the field. Fifteen or more yards. That was not good. Six touchdowns in 12 picks.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, in fairness, it's been a revolving door because of wide receivers, immaturity on the team, a left tackle position, right tackle position, it's been a little shaky. So in fairness, he's, he's had to be a little bit of check down. Charlie and I will defend him. Offensive line has been hit and miss and the wide receivers, he's, you know, these guys can't get out of trouble, so. And I like Worthy the wide receiver, but he feels a bit more of a gadget guy than a volume guy to me. He, he's good. Rasheed Rice, by the way, who's suspended. We're waiting for that final count on that. He's a volume by, but he can't stay on the field.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, of course you'll defend him, Colin. I mean, he's Patrick Mahomes and you know, we love to talk about Brock Purdy and his W receivers. Well, Brandon Ayuk's a problem child. Deebo Samuel was fat. They shipped him out of town. Look at that. Interesting. Yeah, everybody's got to deal with this stuff. Bottom line is Mahomes, not the league, has caught up to him, but the way he dominated very early in his career for like three or four years, that has tailed off a little bit. That's okay to say. Well, I, I don't know if coordinators are scheming up new stuff, but he is struggling a little bit.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I'll, I'll make the argument on big third and fourth downs in the playoffs. I'll take him over everybody else except Hurts, right? No, it's not close. I. I still think he is one of these guys. Big third, fourth down, postseason. I'll take him because I know Andy Reid's calling the plays. Yeah.

[Guest Speaker]

As long as they're not getting blown out in the super bowl, they're in. In competitive nature for the game. Next up, how about this, Colin. Pittsburgh GM Omar Khan met with the media for the first time since signing Aaron Rodgers. Despite it taking forever to happen, Khan never worried Rogers would be a Steeler. Listen to this.

[Colin Cowherd]

Some people might view my patience or our patience as a weakness, but we.

[J. Mack]

View it as a strength. And, you know, we just felt good about it.

[Colin Cowherd]

We, you know, if there was.

[J. Mack]

If there was a point where we.

[Colin Cowherd]

Didn'T think things would end up where.

[J. Mack]

We wanted to end up, we would.

[Colin Cowherd]

Have, you know, gone in a different.

[J. Mack]

Direction, but we just felt comfortable and.

[Colin Cowherd]

Felt good about it. And, you know, we wanted Aaron Rodgers.

[J. Mack]

And, and Rogers wanted to be a Steeler, and it worked out.

[Colin Cowherd]

How about we, you know what? You and I should take a different tact. How about we just get really positive about Aaron Rodgers?

[Guest Speaker]

No, let's not do that. Aaron Rodgers wanted to be a Steeler. I mean, there were multiple reports he was waiting for the Vikings to decide if they want McCarthy to be their guy. Like, he was waiting for a better offer. This is probably like you when women, you know, ladies are asking you to the prom and you're waiting for the best offer, and then finally you just, all right, I'll take the bird in hand here with Pittsburgh.

[Colin Cowherd]

Nobody asked me to the problem, so I, I, yeah, I'm going to take a more positive spin. I think from this point forward, I'm going to be. I'm going to try to be very positive. You know what? We're going into a season. He'll be interesting. You and I are in the interesting business. In fairness, I can't wait to watch it. I don't think. You know, I think this organ. I think my guess is, I don't know if we have the Steelers schedule. I think the start pretty well. I think if you look at the Steelers the last several years, Tomlin's very much a motivator and a rah rah guy, and that stuff wears thin by Thanksgiving and on. But I think they're going to be a pretty compelling team. I'm looking forward to watching it. It'll be better than the jets situation simply because there's more organizational fluidity than.

[Guest Speaker]

Your jab at the Jets. Okay, sure. I guarantee you, if you were to rank the most interesting quarterback. Rodgers is not in your top 10. I mean, Colin, the last time he was interesting out. And again, I'm not talking about conspiracy theories and Anthony Fauci and that stuff regarding football was like 20, 19, 2020. Like, what are we talking about?

[Colin Cowherd]

Let's look at that schedule. Open at the jets win.

[Guest Speaker]

I don't know necessarily that defense. You don't think they're going to be amped up to come after him?

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, host Seattle, potential win. New England, host Minnesota. Cleveland at Cincinnati, Colts. There's a lot of W's here. Pittsburgh's gonna start strong. Don't be shocked if it's 5 and 2. I don't think it's gonna end well. Now let's go to the bottom. The back of the schedule is gonna be full of Baltimore and Joe Burrow and. But I think they're gonna start. I think they're gonna be pretty interesting because all of a sudden you get to mid October and then it's, you know, you're getting some Joe Burrow and you're getting some Green Bay. Okay, let's look at the ends. End of the schedule. Yeah, it gets tough. Here is. Oh, there's on the road, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, Buffalo at Baltimore at Detroit. Yeah. So it's going to. Here's my prediction. 5 and 2 is the start, 8 and 9 is the finish.

[Guest Speaker]

Absolutely no shot. So what's weird about that is the league should have learned their lesson from his first year with the Jets. Remember, they loaded up all these great games and Rodgers got hurt early in the season. And so end of the season, jets were not on TV at all. I mean, the Steelers, you really. I would have flipped it. I would have had the hard games early. When Rodgers is around well, late in the season, you think he's going to still be standing upright?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I think if you look at the schedule, week nine on, it gets. It gets prickly. But the first eight weeks, there's a lot of wins there for over, under.

[Guest Speaker]

Eight and a half.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think that's the right number. I would. You know, Tomlin's never had a losing season, so I'd say I'll take the over. But it's an eight or nine win team. That's what it is.

[Guest Speaker]

We need a scoreboard. You're going over. I'm going under for sure. Eight and a half. And we're just.

[Colin Cowherd]

I can be talked into either one. Let me watch the preseason. Does everybody stay healthy? I mean, honestly, let me watch the. Let me watch the preseason. Let's see what the camp shows us. But I. I ain't gonna be. I think gonna be fine.

[Guest Speaker]

Okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right.

[Guest Speaker]

Next up is Baker Mayfield, who has bounced around a bit in the NFL before landing in Tampa. And it feels like he's found a home Pro Bowler both seasons. At training camp, Baker talked about why Tampa's such a great fit.

[Colin Cowherd]

This isn't to. On the other teams and franchises. No, man, you already know. You already know. But, like, when you step in and your GM and your head coach say, hey, just be you. Yeah. After I've been told at every stop and everywhere I go, hey, you need to tone it down a little bit. You need to be a franchise quarterback. It's just not who I am. I got wear my emotions on my sleeves. Talk. I'm gonna do whatever, but when it's time to turn the lights on and go do something, I'm gonna do it. So when I stepped into the building, they all told me to just be myself. I still have hopes I can get him back on the show.

[Guest Speaker]

Your boy Baker.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, because somebody asked Baker about me a year ago, and he said, we're frenemies. That's what. That's what he said. And I think. I don't think I'm. I think I told her the story about what he did at a restaurant in la. He's a really good guy. Baker's a really good guy. He's had to deal with some family nonsense, but he's a really good guy. And he and Emily are good people. I am genuinely happy for him. And I think I've. I've. Even in the darkest hour, I always said, oh, he's a starting quarterback. He throws a beautiful ball. When he can plan it and let it rip, he throws a great ball. Now, sometimes he gets ahead of himself, and he can get a little reckless. So can Darnold. So can he can get a little reckless. Sometimes his confidence is better than his game. But that's part of the beauty of him, is that he's got incredible confidence. They're gonna win that division.

[Guest Speaker]

I'll go Atlanta. We're just on opposite sides today, man. I don't know, Colin.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, there's a right side and your side, so that's all the sides. We're on J. Mac with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the herd lie news. I really, you know, I. I talked about this to start the show. Is that so? People were so freaked out, and I understand this. I think I was talking To Danny Parkins about this on a podcast yesterday that if you take AI, watch how people react to AI. There are people out there in life that are just, they don't like change. They get very neurotic on stuff. You can see it with AI, the world's going to end. And then there are people that I didn't grow up in a traditional household. So I'm, I like change. I've moved all over the country. I, I'm, I now live in Chicago. I love it. How do you. I love it. It's just, I like change. I like new stuff. My wife's the same way. And I think AI is going to be revolutionary. I'm not worried about robots taking over the world. I think in science and in medicine, it's going to change everything. We're going to have, we're going to find cures for cancer. It's going to save lives. I think AI is unbelievable. And I trust the smartest people in the world to put enough guardrails on it that robots are not going to be knocking on my door and slinging me around the yard. But. And so when the College Football Playoff was announced, I mean, there was just a lot of naysayers and negative people. What about the bowl games? What about them? Most are awful. Half the seats are empty. Well, what about the rivalries? You're not going to watch Ohio State, Michigan if it's on, you're not going to watch it. You're going to watch it. Well, it won't feel the same. It will if your team's winning or your bet's winning. It'll feel just the same. So I love that Ohio State and Texas are playing. And the, the thing I really like about it, you can be aggressive, you can take chances in your play calling because you can lose the game and still lose another game and both these teams can get into the playoffs. Think about last year, Ohio State, they lose a go either way game at Oregon. In the old system, they lose to Michigan and the season's over because they were a home favorite. Season's over, Fiesta Bowl. Instead, they win the national championship. They use that loss as jet fuel. The staff, the players. That's how it works in the NFL. When the Raiders beat the Chiefs years ago at the end of the year and the Chiefs won the Super Bowl. This idea that this, this harsh punitive action for a 19 year old kid losing a game, you should, I mean, if you look at how many games these teams are playing, if you count the playoffs, like 16 games, you got to go 15 and one with a transfer Portal with the nil. I mean, Georgia now doesn't have a third great receiver. They're lucky to have two. The third guy just got poached by Oklahoma or Louisville. So you don't these, you can't stockpile talent at Georgia or LSU because the minute you have a five star guy by the beginning of his sophomore year, if he's not playing, he's going to go play it. Oklahoma, he's going to go play at Clemson, he's out, he's leaving. So the teams aren't going to be as dominating as those Alabama teams eight years ago. They're not going to be as deep. You're not going to be able to have two offensive line injuries. You're done, it's over. So I mean, here was Sark on facing the Ohio State in the opener in Columbus. That's the beauty of this format now that you can afford to play these games.

[J. Mack]

It's great for the fans, it's great for college football. Everybody's talking about it and I was.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jokingly saying, you know, it's so different than the NFL. Nobody's talking about Week 1 matchups in the NFL. Everybody's talking about this game. And the idea that I don't think either of us get punished playing this game. Obviously we all, we both need to.

[J. Mack]

Play well throughout the entirety of the season.

[Colin Cowherd]

But sure, it's what a spotlight it puts on both programs as well as college football. I mean it just makes no sense. We don't ask 32 year old professional football players to go 17, 0 or 15 and 2. But we're asking 19, 20 and 21 year old kids. Hey, you lose the opener, you gotta win the rest of your games. That's why the playoff is great. It allows coaches to take risks, schedule bigger games. Young people can grow. These college football players from week two to week seven you have a different person. They got midterms and girlfriends in classes. Let them grow. It's okay to lose a couple of games. I love the College Football Playoff for the growth of the young people playing it. Lincoln Riley's now joining us, enter his fourth season at usc. You know Lincoln, all of this stuff is, you're growing with it. The nil, the portal. Let's, let's talk portal. What have you learned about the portal from the first year you dealt with it to now? Like, like is there, is there something that you know to be true with the portal or is it still kind of you take your swings at it and you Cross your fingers. All right. Right now he can't hear us. Lincoln Riley can't hear us. All right, we'll try to get it right. Because that's the thing about, like when the portal came out again, just like the playoff, everybody freaked out with a portal. And my takeaway was, guys, if you hire a new coach and they use the portal, I mean, Deion Sanders, without the portal, he'd still be rebuilding Colorado. He'd still be rebuilding Colorado. I mean, Lincoln Riley won 11 games. First year at USC. They had 30 guys in the portal. I mean, if you want to sit and wait for three years to build a program, but the portal allows you to build it virtually overnight. We'll take a break. Back with Lincoln Riley next. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the iHeartRadio app. 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, 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 $749.99 at Dell.com AIPC how those ahead Stay ahead. Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just asked the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Oh really? Thanks. Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capital1.com Bank Capital One NA member FDIC Lincoln Riley, 4th year USC. They have struggled in their opening year in the Big ten. So I gotta ask you to start. The weather's colder, the flights are longer. Stylistically it's different than the air raid. All the passing and the 70 degree weather of of the PAC 12. So is there when you this off season looked at your roster, did you recruit and say, hey, this, we got to get bigger here, we got to get sturdier here. Did it change because you were kind of flying blind you just went into the Big Ten. Did you build your roster accordingly? Did you make alterations?

[J. Mack]

We did. And I think some of that's in response to the Big Ten, but also think a lot of it is just response to our natural growth as a program. You know, we want to be a team that's a national championship contender every single year, like you should expect at usc. And to do that, you have to be great on the line of scrimmage. And so we've certainly tried to build that throughout the years. I think this group coming up on both fronts has a chance to be the very best we've had and certainly see a major difference, especially on the defensive line that I know will pay dividends this year.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, you guys got your nil in order. Now there is a sense with Jen Cohen, people can look and go, well, what about the record? And what about the record? But, but the reality is, is that the Portal in the nil create advantages and sometimes they muddy it up. I want to go back to the question I asked you. What have you learned about the Portal that you like and that you may have a cautionary tale about. How do you view the Portal today, Lincoln?

[J. Mack]

Well, the Portal is just another tool to, to, to build your roster. And certainly it gives teams opportunities to really maybe shock the system when it hasn't been successful. I mean, our first year at USC is a great example. We went heavy in the Portal. We were able to have a really good season. But also, you know, the Portal has, has its dangers, right? You don't get a real chance to evaluate and get to know a lot of these guys. Some of these guys are coming in for such a short amount of time and then finding the right fit, I think is. Can be very, very difficult. And so, you know, we're a great example. And then you see teams across the country are having to decide, are we going to really be a Portal heavy team that dabbles in high school recruiting or are we going to be vice versa? And certainly we know what we did early at usc, but we've certainly pivoted to what we believe we want to be and know we want to be long term, especially being in Los Angeles and in Southern California. And that's a high school developmental program that uses the Portal sparingly. And I think our, you know, upcoming recruiting class is a great example of that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jade, my IV is your quarterback, comes from unlv. You also, you also get a five star, best high school football player, arguably in LA in the program. So you want to be Patient. But there are kids that are really good really soon and I've seen your five star all, you know, all the highlights. It's a lot of jaw dropping, wow stuff. Could it be a rotational situation? How do you weigh it? When you have an enormously gifted backup quarterback, you have a very tough schedule. How do you weigh that stuff?

[J. Mack]

Well, it's first world problems, right? Having two guys that you really believe in and multiple guys that you believe in in a quarterback room is a great thing. It's hard to do, especially in this day and age. You know, we were super impressed with how Jade Maeva played in the last four games. His four starts with three and one against four really quality teams, four very strong defenses and thought he did some just really, really outstanding work in those games. And he's grown and progressed a lot. Certainly Hassan Longstreet is a, is a talent that I think is certainly one of those guys that is going to get better quickly and certainly could have a role on this football team. There's no doubt about it. And then really pleased with Sam Hewitt as well. I think the room is as deep as we've had it at USC and, and from then on it's competition. Now that's what the best programs are based on. There's got to be competition in that room and we always want that. We've always had that. And we think that's the reason that our quarterback rooms throughout history have been pretty successful.

[Colin Cowherd]

If you go back to your Oklahoma years, we didn't have a 12 team playoff, right? We didn't have that. We do now. And I've said this, I. It's a, it's a different world. I look at your schedule and it's like, okay, do you, I mean, how, how do you go five, six years ago? I look at your schedule and I think, man, that, that Michigan, that Illinois, Michigan, Notre Dame, Nebraska run. That is rough. Do you. And then you have a couple games early that you will be heavy favorites. Do you think if you went six years ago, Lincoln, do you look at the season more as a whole? Are you more strategic with it? Because now it could be potentially a 15 game schedule if you get into the playoff.

[J. Mack]

Yeah, I think you certainly have to factor that in. I mean, so much of this has changed. I think one, you know, like you said, keeping in mind that this season could be several games longer than anything we ever would have thought of, you know, multiple years ago. And I think the other thing that you have to really, you know, pay attention to and maybe create awareness among the staff, the coaches, fans, everybody is, you know, now, you know, losing a game here, there, you know, doesn't put you out. Whereas years ago, you know, you knew pretty quickly that it was going to be a tough road to have a chance to get back to the playoff. I mean, heck, that national champion last year lost two games. And so I think it's something that everybody's kind of got to get used to, especially with these, you know, almost super conferences starting to get established, like the Big Ten in the SEC has done, where there's so many good football teams, you know, week in and week out, the competition's high, the parity's high. And so, yeah, I think it's. You've had to change your mindset, and I think you have to have an awareness within the program and adapt to whatever systems in front of us at the current time.

[Colin Cowherd]

So your first seven years, the head coach, you were a top 10 offensive team every year. Oklahoma, USC last year. It drops off some of it. It was a turnover year. You were also very young. I mean, your two receivers, I love were both kids. Do you look at it as youth turnovers, what happened last year that you look at the season as it ends and you said, hey, we got to clean this up. We got to get better here. Where will you make the two biggest leaps offensively to get back to a top 10 offense, which you were your first seven years ahead?

[J. Mack]

Coach, I think, I think first I would look at our, at our offensive line, the recruiting, the development that we've done. I feel like we really have championship caliber depth and a really strong starting group there right now. And then, yeah, I think the big thing for us is you've certainly, you know, we've got to get more consistent play, you know, out of our quarterback position as well. And that was a, that was a. You know, we had some really great moments last year, but also, you know, we turned it over a few too many times. And when you're playing, you know, in a league like what's been created, where you're playing a really good defense just about every single week, you know, that's. There's going to become a little bit more pressure on that, right? The windows to make throws or to make plays or the opportunities to score points are going to start to tighten up, so you've got to be that much sharper. So certainly our expectations are as high as they possibly could be there. And I think this group has a chance to, to be one of the best groups in the country.

[Colin Cowherd]

I was watching The Caleb Williams story in Chicago. And it's interesting about quarterbacks. When a quarterback gets out of rhythm, it could be Caleb, it could be your young kids. Now go, go back to your career. It could be Baker Mayfield. When a quarterback is a little out of sorts, reportedly Caleb has been in camp. What do you tell? Like, do you keep message messaging simple for quarterbacks? They have to know the whole playbook. In your career of coaching quarterbacks, you've had Heisman winning winners, you've got first rounders number one picks. What is a message that almost always works for any young quarterback that's a little out of rhythm or struggling?

[J. Mack]

Well, you said a word there. I think simplicity is very important. And then I think, I think it's important for the coach to remember. It's such a confidence driven position. And so often in my career with guys, even some of the guys that were more experienced and played a lot of ball, you know, when, when they got out of rhythm, it was just kind of going back to the basics, you know, going back to the day one. Things that they learned because that's what they're going to have the most confidence, they're going to have the most repetitions banked on and a lot of times that helps those guys settle in. And then I think it's also, you know, on every coach and head coach that you've got that type of relationship, you know, with your guys and so that there is that trust built and you can have that conversation and help adjust them and get them back on the same page and get them back playing confident, flexibility football.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right. Lincoln riley, entering his fourth season at USC. Their 2026 recruiting class is number one in the country. It is the best O and D line size wise. Usc, I'll say it, since the Pete Carroll era. It is NFL bodies, they are big across both lines and I can't wait to watch it. Lincoln, I appreciate you stopping by anytime.

[J. Mack]

Thanks, Colin.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. Yeah, it's the, it is the first time since I would say Pete Carroll where you. Their left tackle is going to be a pro, their right guard is going to be a pro. They'll probably leave early. Defensive line spent some money, NFL bodies. But again you start looking at that schedule, they got a four game stretch. That is brutal. Illinois returned 16 starters. This is the best Illinois football team in a decade. Okay, Illinois is good. That is a tough game. First four, you'll be favored. Michigan at home, very winnable. Playing probably a freshman quarterback. Notre Dame on the road. Good luck. Nebraska has trouble written all over It. So obviously at Oregon and at Notre Dame, you can lose those games and make the playoffs. Those are really good teams. It's how you lose them, you get. Right, like Ohio State lost twice, close to Oregon, close to Michigan. Can't get blown out. But if you look at that schedule at Notre Dame and at Oregon, they're going to be underdogs, they're going to be favorites a lot. Nine wins. Let me think here. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. I have nine wins. What are you shaking your head at?

[Guest Speaker]

I mean, nine wins and your boy's gonna keep his job. That's for sure.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's keeping his job.

[Guest Speaker]

Well, listen, it's one of. He's. You see all these hot seat lists. I don't think he deserves to be on there because of the contract. He's not going anywhere. But you look at the hot seat list and he's up there. Colin near the top.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, that's what they say. You know, all I know, you know, there are people out there that love the NFL but don't watch college football. How can you not watch some of these games? Like, I mean, honestly, I looked at the Labor Day schedule. There was obviously Texas, Ohio State. College football is so much fun. And I do think, I really do think this. The quarterback play in college is so much better than 10 years ago. These guys have so many seven on seven camps and private tutoring and private coaching. You got LSU Nussmeier, you got Aller, you got Arch Manning, the kid at South Carolina. There's like five or six guys. And by the way, there will be a quarterback in college that emerges by week six, seven or eight. We're all going to go, I didn't know about this guy.

[Guest Speaker]

Like a Cam Ward.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I mean, we thought Cam Ward was interesting at Washington State. And you look up and you're like, oh, my God. So I mean, we could have, we could have six first round quarterbacks and with three of them being. Keep your eye on the kid at Clemson. Highly, highly productive. It is the acc, but highly productive.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So we've had Sarkon Lincoln, Ryan Day and James Franklin.

[Guest Speaker]

I love your optimism this week. You're really in a positive headspace right now. Every. You think every quarterback's amazing. Every team is outstanding. You're loving everything right now except the Lakers and Clippers, but fortunately, Lakers will be fine. NBA's on the back burner.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, no, Lakers will be fine. Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, LeBron Austin, Reeves, Luca. That's a fine team, but it's the West. If you put them in the east, they could buy for a conference championship series. Absolutely. The west is a whole different ballgame. It's the difference between the ACC and the Big Ten. It's a whole different ball game. The west is completely stacked. Mark Sanchez gonna be stopping by last hour. The former Trojan. Good stuff. Two down, one to go. It's the hurt. Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast, too. Oh, really? Thanks. Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC. This is an iHeart podcast.