The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 2 (October 29, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Colin Cowherd dives deep into the top sports stories of the day, including NFL comparisons to tech giants, the competitiveness of top college football coaching jobs, and a lively conversation with Joel Klatt about the current state and future of college football. The hour also features sharp takes on the Michael Jordan “load management” controversy, roster decisions in the NFL, and more.

The tone is classic Cowherd: bold, conversational, occasionally irreverent, and always engaging.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NFL Management & the Chiefs Analogy

[03:24–06:52]

• Chiefs compared to Apple: Colin likens the Kansas City Chiefs to Apple—while he doesn’t always love every "product" (or stock price), he trusts the leadership (Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes).

  "I don't always love the stock price, but I trust the leadership. ... Their ability to fix problems quickly... I trust the management. I trust the company." — Colin [03:31]

• Team resilience: Praises teams like the Chiefs, Rams, and 49ers for rapid fixes and adaptability.
• Real confidence in coaching:

  "When a guy is rigid and doesn't like change, he doesn't trust himself. ... Andy Reid trusts himself. Sean McVeigh, Kyle Shanahan, Sean Payton, they rebuild all the time." — Colin [05:53]

2. College Football Coaching Carousel: LSU, Florida, and Penn State

[06:53–10:33]

• LSU is a top job:

  "LSU is a top three job in the entire sport... only Texas and maybe Ohio State are better. Than LSU. I think LSU is a better job than Bama." — Joel Klatt [07:46]

• Fit matters in coaching hires: Ed Orgeron fit at LSU due to flexibility, “authenticity was never really there” with Brian Kelly.

  "It was never a good fit. And the authenticity was never really there at LSU." — Joel Klatt [08:30]

• Coaching arms race: Thin talent pool of elite coaches will mean big paydays for Lane Kiffin and Dan Lanning, LSU will “call Urban and Nick Saban” [09:09].

3. USC, Texas, and Measuring Program Progress

[10:33–13:20]

• USC’s test against Nebraska:

  "If they lose to Nebraska, would you acknowledge it's not better than three years ago?" — Colin [11:32] "Yes. ... This is a great litmus test." — Joel Klatt [11:37]

• USC’s evolution toward balance:

  "Now there's some substance… because of the balance that they play with on the offensive side." — Joel Klatt [12:32] "If they retain that against Nebraska, they'll win this weekend. Not a doubt in my mind." — Joel Klatt [12:58]

4. Quarterback Scouting Philosophy

[13:20–16:40]

• "Juice" vs. Pocket Control:

  "I've always said this about quarterback play. ... You gotta give me one wow trait." — Colin [13:22]

• Klatt pushes back:

  "Who wins Super Bowls? Guys that control the game from the pocket... You gotta bake the cake before you put frosting on it." — Joel Klatt [13:53]

• "Traits" vs. Foundation:

  "You keep wanting to draft Caleb Williams and now you bag on Caleb Williams..." — Joel Klatt [16:13]

5. Big Ten vs. SEC Top-End Comparison

[16:40–18:33]

• Big Ten currently superior at the top:

  "At the top end, the Big Ten has the best teams in college football... middle of the SEC is better, deeper." — Joel Klatt [17:03]

• Perception problems with rankings and narratives.

6. Should Lane Kiffin Leave Ole Miss for LSU? What about Dan Lanning?

[18:33–21:23]

• Colin wouldn’t leave Oregon or Ole Miss:

  "If I got LSU rolling, I wouldn’t leave... I would stay." — Colin [18:36]

• Klatt: LSU’s resources are unrivaled: “LSU is intriguing... they have deep, deep pockets... If I had to bet, Lane Kiffin is your next coach at LSU.” [21:19]

7. The Lure of the NFL for Elite College Coaches

[21:28–25:10]

• Why coaches leave college for the NFL: Quality of life, better pay for assistants, more stability.
• But college has “influence and immortality”:

  "At college, you can be a legend... Influence over kids and immortality, those are two things you don't get at the NFL level." — Joel Klatt [24:41]

• Cultural touchstones: “When you think of Nick Saban’s run at Alabama ... you think of Saban, not a player.” [23:54]

8. Michael Jordan, Barkley, and the "Load Management" Debate

[44:32–46:35]

• Jordan criticizes current NBA stars for load management:

  "Michael Jordan came out and basically said load management is nonsense. ... I think load management drives me crazy. But if you took just Kawhi out, it wouldn’t feel quite as bad." — Colin [45:35]

• Media’s role:

  "The media talks about plane crashes, not plane landings... Michael Jordan saying 'I think load management's nonsense' makes news." — Colin [46:35]

• Ex-players rarely criticize current players, so when Jordan and Barkley do, it’s newsworthy.

9. NFL Roster Construction: Dallas Cowboys & George Pickens

[29:56–35:46]

• Should Dallas sign Pickens?

  "I want to pay different skill sets in the NFL... I get really uncomfortable paying two people who do the same thing well." — Colin [31:22]

• Pickens’ true value revealed with a good QB:

  "The reason Pickens is so good is Dak. The quarterback makes the receiver, the receiver doesn't make the quarterback." — Colin [35:09]

• Team-building philosophy: Limit duplicity in pay, spread resources for balance.

10. Miscellaneous: Other Sports Takes & Changing College Football Dynamics

• Maxey and the Sixers’ new identity:

  "They are now driven by their back court... Tyrese Maxey leads the NBA in scoring." — Colin [38:18]

• College job decisions involve more than money: Location, family, pressure, etc.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “I trust the management. I trust the company.” — Colin on Chiefs/Apple analogy [03:31]
• “LSU is a top three job in the entire sport.” — Joel Klatt [07:46]
• “The moment he [Kelly] stepped onto that basketball court and gave the fake Southern accent... it was never a good fit.” — Joel Klatt [08:26]
• “It’s a litmus test... the trajectory for USC is a lot more positive now than it was even when they had Caleb Williams.” — Joel Klatt [12:22-12:58]
• "You gotta bake the cake before you put frosting on it.” — Joel Klatt on pocket QBs [13:53]
• "Influence over kids and immortality, those are two things you don't get at the NFL level." — Joel Klatt [24:41]
• “Michael Jordan came out and basically said load management is nonsense.” — Colin [45:33]
• “If you took out like two guys... load management wouldn’t feel quite as bad.” — Colin [45:43]
• “I want to pay different skill sets in the NFL... I get really uncomfortable paying two people who do the same thing well.” — Colin [31:22]
• “The reason Pickens is so good is Dak. The quarterback makes the receiver, the receiver doesn't make the quarterback.” — Colin [35:09]
• “They are now driven by their back court... Tyrese Maxey leads the NBA in scoring at 37 in a game.” — Colin [38:18]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:24] Chiefs/Apple analogy, NFL management
• [06:53] Joel Klatt joins, CFB job market: LSU, Florida, Penn State
• [10:33] USC, Texas, and "program is better now" debate
• [13:20] College QB traits debate—juice vs. foundation
• [16:49] Big Ten vs. SEC: who’s better, where?
• [18:33] Lane Kiffin’s options; would you leave a great job?
• [21:28] Coaching lures: NFL vs. college, influence vs. stability
• [44:32] Michael Jordan/Charles Barkley vs. load management
• [29:56] Dallas Cowboys, George Pickens, roster construction
• [38:15] NBA: Tyrese Maxey & Sixers trend

Final Thoughts

Cowherd and Klatt deliver a true insider’s look at the challenges, cache, and calculations involved in elite sports management—whether that's relating an NFL team to a tech behemoth, dissecting college coaching jobs, or evaluating a quarterback’s transition to the next level. Elsewhere, their spirited agreement and debate on player management and coaching ambitions makes for an engaging, insightful listen.

The discussion is peppered with timely references to big sports news, practical analogies, and classic Colin quips, making this hour essential for die-hard sports fans who want to understand not just what’s happening, but why.