The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 2 (August 27, 2025)
Hosts: Jason McIntyre & Rachel Nichols (filling in for Colin Cowherd)
Featured Guest: Yogi Roth (Big Ten Network analyst, author, and filmmaker)
Episode Overview
This action-packed Hour 2 of The Herd digs into college football’s biggest storylines as the season kicks off. Jason and Rachel, joined by analyst Yogi Roth, explore Dabo Swinney’s evolving transfer portal philosophy at Clemson, the challenges facing top quarterback recruits like Arch Manning, high-profile matchups to open the CFB season, and the unique chemistry between coaches and QBs in today’s NIL and portal landscape. Also tackled: breaking NFL news (Kyle Hamilton’s mega-extension), the evolution of roster-building at Notre Dame and Miami, North Carolina’s Belichick-led reboot, and emerging drama around Chicago Bears rookie QB Caleb Williams.
The episode maintains its signature blend of insight, humor, and strong opinions—perfect for anyone who wants to understand where college and pro football stand as the season begins.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Dabo Swinney, Clemson, and the Transfer Portal
[03:24 – 10:26]
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Swinney’s Portal Resistance: Jason riffs on Dabo Swinney’s long-standing skepticism towards building via the transfer portal, contrasting the deep vetting available in high school recruiting with the unknowns and potential toxicity of quick portal acquisitions.
- “The recruiting process is slow and can bear a lot of fruit. The transfer portal is fast, expensive, and buyer beware. Caveat emptor.” – Jason McIntyre [04:53]
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Recent Shifts: Swinney slightly softened his stance this offseason, carefully supplementing Clemson’s roster, leading some to speculate if this old-school approach can produce a title in an era of rapid roster churn.
- “He didn’t say, ‘Oh, that guy’s struggling, I’m gonna bring in a ringer from USC.’ …You don’t have any toxic issues in the locker room, which is—you get a lot of that in the portal.” – Jason McIntyre [06:36]
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Yogi Roth’s Take: Roth respects Swinney’s clarity and discipline but notes the increasingly nuanced, high-stakes environment coaches must manage: locker room chemistry, NIL, 105 scholarships, and player development.
- “I don’t think you can say as a head coach, ‘We’re gonna do it, we’re not gonna do it.’ …You’ve got to navigate this thing because you’re also navigating financial chemistry in a locker room.” – Yogi Roth [09:29]
2. The Quarterback Quesion: Patience, NIL, & Transfer Trends
[10:26 – 14:26]
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The End of Patience: Players rarely want to wait their turn; NIL, social media, and portal rules have changed incentives.
- “Nobody wants to take any time anymore. Everybody wants to be either famous or a star or play instantly.” – Jason McIntyre [10:54]
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Yogi’s Perspective: This impatience isn’t wholly new but is amplified by the ease of transferring and the rewards awaiting immediate stars.
- “Now…you can dip, you can leave, you can leave easily, you can leave without penalty, you can leave knowing there’s opportunity.” – Yogi Roth [11:08]
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Developmental Challenges: College QBs are underdeveloped compared to their high school days, as coaches simplify offenses to get expensive recruits on the field early—sometimes at the cost of learning the position deeply.
- “You want to get these guys on the field. You’re paying high legit quarterbacks…Like that’s just what it is.” – Yogi Roth [11:33]
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Only One Five-Star Has Won a Super Bowl: Roth highlights how difficult it is to forecast even the most pedigreed QBs’ success.
- “Out of all the 138 quarterbacks who’ve been ranked five star quarterbacks…only one has ever won a Super Bowl and it was Stafford on team two in year 13.” – Yogi Roth [13:49]
3. The Arch Manning Conundrum
[14:26 – 17:06]
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Do We Know How Good He Is? Neither McIntyre nor Roth think we can know before Arch plays substantial reps, despite his immense hype and pedigree.
- “Do we know how good Arch Manning is? No. I mean, you just have to be blunt about it.” – Yogi Roth [14:48]
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Sarkisian’s ‘Take a Beat’ Approach: The value of sitting and learning for QBs, as witnessed with past USC stars under Steve Sarkisian.
- “There’s something really powerful to quarterbacks who are able to just take a beat.” – Yogi Roth [15:27]
4. CFB Season’s Opening Blockbusters
[17:06 – 23:27]
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Ohio State vs. Texas:
- Buckeye talent, new coordinators, and the Jeremiah Smith factor. Analyst consensus: this has “classic” potential, and both teams are so loaded that a loss doesn’t doom their playoff hopes.
- “I want to see how guys play free...the more of these every week in a non-conference play, the better for the game.” – Yogi Roth [21:41]
- Buckeye talent, new coordinators, and the Jeremiah Smith factor. Analyst consensus: this has “classic” potential, and both teams are so loaded that a loss doesn’t doom their playoff hopes.
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LSU-Clemson Stakes:
- Jason and Yogi discuss Brian Kelly's pressure at LSU—while the Tigers’ roster is talented, the SEC hot seat is unforgiving.
- “I think their roster is talented…And yeah, the losing coach will get it. Ton of smoke. Just like he did last year…” – Yogi Roth [20:09]
- Jason and Yogi discuss Brian Kelly's pressure at LSU—while the Tigers’ roster is talented, the SEC hot seat is unforgiving.
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Notre Dame at Miami:
- Miami is building buzz against a surging Notre Dame, tracking strong under Marcus Freeman. Yogi yearns for the old Orange Bowl energy and hypes the Hurricanes’ backfield rebuild.
5. NFL Breaking News: Kyle Hamilton’s Record Safety Extension
[29:40 – 31:45]
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Kyle Hamilton’s $100.4M Deal with Ravens: Rachel breaks news of a jaw-dropping new safety contract, which stuns both hosts and resets the market.
- “$82 million of it is guaranteed. The previous mark in guaranteed money for his safety, $45 million to Antwan Winfield Jr. What?…It’s just insane.” – Rachel Nichols [29:40]
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Market Ripples and Football Fit:
- Jason: “They do the edge rushers in the corners. Yeah. They’re going linebacker and safety. It’s an interesting experiment.” [31:29]
6. Quick Hits: NFL Running Backs, CFB Coaching, and Offbeat News
[31:49 – 39:18]
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49ers Backfield Duo: Brian Robinson Jr. claims he and CMC will be “the best duo in the league.”
- Rachel: “I love that he’s putting himself out there.” [33:13]
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Belichick at UNC – New Era: Discussed via Colin’s soundbite and Rachel’s analysis. The former Patriots coach’s first season with the Tar Heels is scrutinized, with expectations and parallels to Deion at Colorado.
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Belichick’s Headline-Grabbing Personal Life: The hosts react with a combination of disbelief and amusement to news about Belichick and his much-younger partner launching a ‘Gold Digger’ jewelry brand.
- “At what point do the Belichick family have to be like, we need to call...Intervention, yeah.” – Jason McIntyre [37:55]
7. Caleb Williams and the Bears’ QB Quandary
[46:32 – 54:22]
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Rookie Pressure and Coach-Player Chemistry: Jason recaps Williams’ rocky NFL start, the psychological toll of a tough rookie year, and doubts about new coach Ben Johnson’s fit as a head man.
- “He’s just trying to play backyard football, you know, just run around and try to make a play. Like, that doesn’t work in the NFL.” – Jason McIntyre [46:42]
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Ben Johnson’s Cautious Approach: The new Bears coach is ‘setting the standard high’ for Williams but signals Williams isn’t close to a finished product.
- “Is he going to be a finished product here in year two? No, he’s going to continue to get better year in and year out.” – Ben Johnson (quoted by Jason McIntyre) [48:10]
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The Coach-QB Dynamic: Rachel and Jason dissect Johnson’s “mad scientist” style and how Williams’ improvisational play may clash with his coaching.
- “The idea that someone like Caleb, who right now is much more improvisational, probably drives him crazy...” – Rachel Nichols [52:13]
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Recent QB Failures Weigh on Williams: The hosts recount how many recent top-drafted QBs have flamed out, noting that fit and patience are critical for long-term success.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On the transfer portal risk:
- “The transfer portal is fast, expensive, and buyer beware. Caveat emptor. You don’t know what you’re getting.”
— Jason McIntyre [04:53]
- “The transfer portal is fast, expensive, and buyer beware. Caveat emptor. You don’t know what you’re getting.”
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On Dabo Swinney's philosophy:
- “What I respect most about...Coach Sweeney is that he threw down and he committed to what mattered most to him. He had clarity around what mattered most. He was confident in it and then he was disciplined in how he played it out.”
— Yogi Roth [09:15]
- “What I respect most about...Coach Sweeney is that he threw down and he committed to what mattered most to him. He had clarity around what mattered most. He was confident in it and then he was disciplined in how he played it out.”
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On QBs and NIL:
- “You’re paying high legit quarterbacks... like 1.5 to me is the floor. 16, 17, 18 with a house and a Lambo is reality. Like that’s just what it is.”
— Yogi Roth [11:36]
- “You’re paying high legit quarterbacks... like 1.5 to me is the floor. 16, 17, 18 with a house and a Lambo is reality. Like that’s just what it is.”
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On Arch Manning:
- “I go to what I trust the most, which is Steve Sarkisian...all those guys I just referenced that sat, waited and let it rip, they were all under his tutelage. So I think there's something really powerful to quarterbacks who are able to just take a beat.”
— Yogi Roth [15:22]
- “I go to what I trust the most, which is Steve Sarkisian...all those guys I just referenced that sat, waited and let it rip, they were all under his tutelage. So I think there's something really powerful to quarterbacks who are able to just take a beat.”
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On NFL trends:
- “They do the edge rushers in the corners. Yeah. They're going linebacker and safety. It's an interesting experiment. Smart stuff, right?"
— Jason McIntyre [31:29]
- “They do the edge rushers in the corners. Yeah. They're going linebacker and safety. It's an interesting experiment. Smart stuff, right?"
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On Belichick’s off-field stories:
- “So wait, it's a joint. They filed it jointly?...I don't know anybody who's knows anybody in a similar situation with a 50 year age gap.”
— Jason McIntyre [36:31]
- “So wait, it's a joint. They filed it jointly?...I don't know anybody who's knows anybody in a similar situation with a 50 year age gap.”
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On the Bears’ handling of Caleb Williams:
- “That sounds like a message to Caleb. Like, dude, you keep making the same mistake over and over and again.”
— Jason McIntyre [48:32]
- “That sounds like a message to Caleb. Like, dude, you keep making the same mistake over and over and again.”
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On QB-coach fit:
- “With a guy like Caleb Williams, I think a big part of it is, is this fit right with Ben Johnson?”
— Rachel Nichols [54:09]
- “With a guy like Caleb Williams, I think a big part of it is, is this fit right with Ben Johnson?”
Timestamps for Major Segments
- Dabo Swinney discussion & Clemson/portal approach: [03:24 – 10:26]
- NIL/transfer portal impact on QBs, patience: [10:26 – 14:26]
- Arch Manning, QB pedigree: [14:26 – 17:06]
- Ohio State vs. Texas preview: [17:06 – 19:46]
- LSU pressure, Kelly seat, CFB playoff implications: [19:46 – 21:41]
- Notre Dame vs. Miami preview: [21:41 – 23:27]
- Breaking News: Kyle Hamilton’s Ravens contract: [29:40 – 31:45]
- NFL RB duos, 49ers, Detroit: [31:49 – 33:28]
- Belichick at UNC, ‘Gold Digger’ side hustle: [34:14 – 39:39]
- Caleb Williams/Bears QB situation: [46:32 – 54:22]
Tone and Style
The episode is conversational, fast-paced, and filled with the mixture of sharp expertise, banter, and inside knowledge characteristic of The Herd. Jason and Rachel provide both granular football analysis and big-picture perspective, with Yogi Roth delivering detailed and candid CFB insights throughout. The dialogue is peppered with memorable one-liners, respectful disagreements, and genuine wonder at the evolving landscape of both college and pro football.
This summary captures the essential content, insights, and flavor of the Hour 2 episode, making it engaging and useful even for listeners who missed the live show.