← The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd
THE HERD - Hour 3 - Joel Klatt stops by The Herd, taking a look at Fernando Mendoza
00:42:42
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- [00:00]
Colin Cowherd
This is an I heart podcast, guaranteed human.
- [00:04]
Nick Wright
A new year doesn't ask us to become someone new.
- [00:07]
Colin Cowherd
It invites us back home to ourselves.
- [00:10]
Nick Wright
I'm Mike De La Rocha, host of Sacred Lessons, a space for men to.
- [00:14]
Colin Cowherd
Pause, reflect and heal.
- [00:16]
Nick Wright
This year, we're talking honestly about mental health, relationships, and the patterns we're ready to release. If you're looking for clarity, connection, and healthier ways to show up in your.
- [00:25]
Colin Cowherd
Life, Sacred Lessons is here for you.
- [00:28]
Nick Wright
Listen to Sacred Lessons with Mike Delaroach on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [00:34]
Colin Cowherd
This season on Dear Chelsea with me.
- [00:36]
Nick Wright
Chelsea Handler, we've got some incredible guests like Kumail Nanjiani.
- [00:41]
Colin Cowherd
Let's start with your cat.
- [00:42]
Nick Wright
How is she? She is not with us anymore. Great, great, great.
- [00:46]
Colin Cowherd
Way to start.
- [00:47]
Nick Wright
Maybe you will cry.
- [00:48]
Colin Cowherd
Ross Matthews. You know what kids always say to me?
- [00:51]
Nick Wright
Are you a boy or a girl?
- [00:52]
Colin Cowherd
Oh, my God. All the time. I know. So I try to butch it up for kids so they're not confused. Y you're butching it up is basically like an angry woman Doris Day. Right now I turn into Bea Arthur. Listen to these episodes of Dear Chelsea.
- [01:05]
Nick Wright
On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or.
- [01:08]
Colin Cowherd
Wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:10]
Joel Klatt
Hey, it's Joel and Matt from how to Money. If your New Year's resolution is to finally get your finances in shape, we've got your back prices, they're still high, and the economy is all over the place. But 2026 is the year for for you to get intentional and make real progress. That's right.
- [01:26]
Nick Wright
Yeah.
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Joel Klatt
Each week we break down what's happening with your money, the most important issues to focus on, and the small moves that make a big difference. Kick off the year with confidence. Listen to how to Money on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:41]
Colin Cowherd
I'm John Paulk. For years, I was the poster boy of the conversion therapy movement. The ex gay who married an ex lesbian and traveled the world telling my story of how I changed my sexuality from gay. You might have heard my story, but you've never heard the real story. John has never been anything but gay.
- [02:03]
Nick Wright
But he really tried hard not to be.
- [02:06]
Colin Cowherd
Listen to Atonement, the John Paulk story on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [02:14]
Nick Wright
Thanks for listening to the Heard 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 herd@foxsportsradio.com 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. Here we go. It's hour number three, Joel Klatt. Five minutes. What a great time to be alive. Harbaughn La Harbaughn New York. Ten new NFL coaches, four already hired. Indiana. Imagine saying this five years ago. I mean imagine saying this five years ago. The Indiana Hoosiers 16, 0 beat Miami for the natty last night and for the first time and I can recall watching a title game in college football. To me it felt 50% NFL and I am absolutely here for it. College football rosters are getting older, wiser. Miami's D line and O line, those are NFL bodies. Miami's got a defensive lineman about to turn 25. Indiana by design is a roster filled with mature 22 and 23 year olds. Both quarterbacks, three year starters. That's why Indiana plays such mistake free football. It's an older, smarter roster. What last night allows is more sophisticated defenses. Miami's doing part zone, part man to man on the same play you've got. Indiana never fumbles, no errant snaps. They don't throw interceptions. They rarely get penalized. Defenses. Offenses much more sophisticated. That's why Sunday football has always been 3 times to 4 times higher rated than college football. College football can be regional and provincial and full of mistakes. It's rare that you see a good college program with even decent special teams. But college football has officially grown up and last night felt different. Three year starters at quarterback, players getting paid, players staying in college longer, that's never a bad thing. And the product on the field to me reflects it. Georgia won a national title in the early 80s and completed one pass. No thank you. Not interested. The SEC, which has now fallen behind the Big Ten, Notre Dame and Miami has always felt too ground and pound. Ole Miss is the new way to win. Lot of offense, lots of lot of movement, some trickery and score points. Last night three of Indiana's biggest plays came after Kurt Signetti. Timeouts. Very NFL feeling. Fernando Mendoza on that TD run talked about expecting a zone. Seeing manto man, it was a little of both. And like Andrew Luck Elway, Josh Allen put his head down, got hammered and scored that touchdown. I don't know. Indiana to me is absolutely great for college football. It's a football starved Midwest base. Alumni, huge alumni that has always been in the shadow of an Ohio State a, Michigan a, Penn State a Wisconsin and Iowa for football. To me, Indiana is a shining beacon of hope. If you get the coach right, you got a couple of well heeled nil boosters. You don't need five star recruits. It'd be nice going forward to have some. But suddenly you look around if you get the coach right with the nil and transfer portal and you ask yourself, why not us? The Indiana football story was not possible pre portal. It was not possible pre nil. You couldn't have done this. Now you got to get the coach right. And Kurt Signetti is like Nick Saban without the charm and a little bit of a sense of humor. He's got neither. He is dead serious. He is all business. And the truth is, Saban got funnier and more charming after the rebuild was complete at Alabama. This is probably right now for this time, what the Hoosiers need. But last night was also what college football needed. A new story, a new champion, a new way of doing business. That is the greatest script ever written in the history of college football. It was so totally cool and so totally 60 perfect. Indiana deserved every part of last night with this coach. The big boosters, they're going absolutely nowhere. Ask yourself, are you the next Indiana? Why not Purdue? Why not Michigan State? Why not Kentucky football? Why not us? Here's the humorless head coach, as brilliant as he is after.
- [07:42]
Joel Klatt
It's a great thing, Indiana winning national championship two years into our tenure. You do it with people and a plan.
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Nick Wright
Can't say enough about our senior leadership.
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Joel Klatt
And the people we have in the.
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Nick Wright
Locker room and the people we have on our staff.
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Joel Klatt
And we're 16 and 0 and we're, I guess we're 27 and 2 since Indiana, but we're 16 and 0 national champions at Indiana University, which I know a lot of people thought was never possible.
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Nick Wright
Saban didn't smile a lot in the first couple years either. The more they win, the happier they get. But that. Joel Clatt, the voice of college football for Fox, is joining us live. So I'll ask you the first question I asked. Urban Rapid Bonnet, what is your big takeaway on that game last night?
- [08:32]
Joel Klatt
Yeah, it's. It's very much in line with what you were just talking about. I mean, we can talk about the game specifically, obviously, and what happened and some of the mistakes that were made from Miami side, namely the blocked punt that really cost him the game. Beck may be forcing it in double coverage at the end, but then there's the overarching storyline. Colin which, which is. This is incredible for college football. You know, in the late teens we were watching Alabama dominate college football. And listen, I love to see people dominate. And watching Nick Saban coach was phenomenal. But boy, there was an era of inevitability even before the season in early September that we knew it was Clemson and Alabama and maybe Georgia that was going to play for the national title. And now that statement that you just made in that lead up to this interview, why not us? To me, this is the best thing that's happened to college football in a long time. I think that this could be the most consequential national champion in my lifetime. Watching this sport and loving this sport because of this idea that, listen, we can do this. We are a coach away. We are one transfer portal away. And everybody wants to lament what's happening through nil and the freedom of movement that these players have in the transfer portal. And listen, I understand that there needs to be some parameters. I totally understand that. However, what it has led to is a golden era now of college football. The product has never been better and there's never been more parody. And now Indiana is winning a national championship after coming into the season as the program with the most losses in.
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Nick Wright
The history of the sport.
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Joel Klatt
To me, it's remarkable, it's profound. And only history will look back on this with the, with the size and momentum and scope that it deserves. Because I think right now we're probably too close to it.
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Nick Wright
Yeah, I said it felt 30 to 40% NFL and that's not a bad thing. I always said I love college football, but special teams were a circus, even on good teams that it was flawed and it was 19 year olds and 19 year olds make mistakes. But now kids are like, I really like playing at Indiana. I like playing, I like playing at Ohio State. I'm going to stay here for one more year. I think the offense has gotten more sophisticated. I think the coaching's better. I mean, Miami's own D lines look like Sunday lines.
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Joel Klatt
Yeah.
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Nick Wright
Is that Joe? I think the game needed a little bit of an NFL vibe. We needed a playoff. We needed to play the players. The old, the rosters now by design are a little older. I think the quality last night of the play calling, man, half the defense zone, the other. Like, I watched that game and I'm like, oh, this is really high end football. That's my takeaway.
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Joel Klatt
You bring up a really good point. And in particular with the, with the older and more experienced players and obviously a quarterback, but more so on Defense, and here's what it's done to college football, is that it's taken away the really simple offenses that just allow an athletic quarterback to go run around and make plays, which is what college football was for a while, let's face it, right? Because it was just talented young kids that were out there and the most talented kid would win. And now there's more schematics involved and strategy involved and situational football involved. So the. I think the necessity of having a veteran quarterback is ramped up and we're starting to see that now year after year. And these defenses become more intricate and they can stop more things. So you have to have answers as an offense. That's what we saw. So think about this. Miami is killing Indiana with their pass rush. And they were. Bane and Mezador were fantastic. Those are Sunday players, first round players in particular in Bain's case. And yet Indiana had answers. They ran the football, what was it, 39 times or over 139. So they, they lean into the run game, they get Mendoza out of the pocket, they start throwing it short. And then in crunch time, what do they do? They go to matchups. That's what's NFL. They say, hey, Charlie Becker has got the matchup that we like and we're going to go to him on the back shoulder, on fourth down, on third down. And then Mendoza runs the quarterback draw. That's what felt NFL to me is the matchup oriented situational calls that we got from offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and Indiana going to Charlie Becker in those big moments. You know, that's what we see in the NFL playoffs. It's about players and not plays. And that's what ultimately won the game for Indiana.
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Nick Wright
You know, people can talk about Big Ten against the SEC and they've won three straight Natties. If I was an SEC fan, here's what, here's what worries me. Miami and Notre Dame. Because you look at the ACC and you're like, well, those guys, oh, no, no. Maybe the two best recruiting head coaches now out there, big checkbooks in Miami's case, Hyper aggressive with the portal in the nil. Cristobal also has, I mean, at Oregon he built good teams. He didn't have Dayton, Broward county in the state of Oregon. I look at Miami, Joel, I mean that they are absolutely the second best team in the country after Indiana. I'd argue in the second half they were almost a better team if not for a block punt. I think Miami and Notre Dame and maybe Miami specifically. What, why I'M sorry but Crystal Ball recruiting that county, that nil checkbook. I think Miami is back with a vengeance. I wouldn't be shocked if they bought Duke's quarterback and we're back here next year.
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Joel Klatt
Yeah, we'll see. I mean that's the rumor is that Mensa, Duke's quarterback is going to go down to Miami. Now listen, they do have to replace a lot. There's. They're probably going to have to replace four offensive linemen and that was a trenches led team. They're likely going to have to replace a bunch of their defense including down the middle with their linebackers and some of those guys up front. But they're still going to have Malachi, Tony, they can still get a, I would say a veteran quality quarterback. So they will be good because of the way that they've built their roster year over year. There's no doubt. And Mario Crystal Ball I think proved a lot of people wrong, including myself. I didn't know if Mario Crystal Ball could win big games in November, much less the playoff. And they proved that they could do that. And so that's a huge feather in their cap. You're absolutely right about Notre Dame and they're reloading with a great young quarterback that will now be a veteran in C.J. carr. And they've got two wide receivers back. They went out and got Quincy Porter out of the portal from Ohio State who was a five star wide receiver. Notre Dame should be very good. And here's what, what I I'm about to record and will coming out will be coming out later this week on the Joel Klat show. My way too early. Top 10 for next year and it's very difficult to get even three SEC teams in that top 10.
- [15:11]
Nick Wright
I was just doing that this, listen to this Joel. I'll give it to you here. So I said next year on because Miami's going to reload, they're going to go buy an offensive line. That's what they're going to do. I look at Miami, Notre Dame's two Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, three two cupcakes automatic. Texas Tech's going to buy teams. Sorry, I'm at 8. I'm not counting USC, Michigan, which could get in. Clemson will be feisty. I mean we everybody says oh well Texas, I'll give you $40 million roster, Joel. I look at eight teams, I would be shocked if they didn't get in before I get to the sec.
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Joel Klatt
Well yeah, I mean listen, so, so you basically have one spot left if let's say like let's say we. We would include Texas, and I will include Texas, absolutely. Then you get down to this conversation about kind of the last spot in a. In a potential top 10 going into next year. And you've got teams like LSU, USC, A&M, BYU, who is bringing back a lot. Michigan, Michigan, Oklahoma, like, and here's the best part about it, is that any one of those teams might turn out to be the best team. You know, I don't think we're going to have a runaway number one team, although Oregon looks like a team that could potentially wind up number one in the preseason in particular. With Dante Moore back again, we go back to the veteran presence at quarterback. You bring him and all of his starts back and some of that talent. College football is in such a good spot, man. And I'm telling you, like I said, I'm going to go back to this again. I think. I think last night was the most consequential national champion in my life. I'm 43 years old. I cannot remember a time in college football where we needed this more than what we have right now. Because every fan base in America can wake up this morning and say, well, heck, why can't we do that? You know, we're seeing it with Tech and Oregon invest. LSU is investing, Ole Miss is investing, Notre Dame is investing, Clemson's, and everybody is investing. And they can all play at the top end. And that's how you get a championship game. That. That is that high a level between two teams that ultimately, at the beginning of the year, we didn't expect to be there.
- [17:17]
Nick Wright
All right, Clyde, you got a lot of stuff to do. You're very, very busy guy. Your pod, smoking and all that stuff. And you know what? It's not. You know, I know you don't like this.
- [17:27]
Joel Klatt
Let me ask you real quick. I know you probably need to go just really quickly.
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Colin Cowherd
All right.
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Joel Klatt
Best coaching job you've ever seen? I think it might. I think Kurt Signetti, what he's done is the single greatest coaching job I've ever seen in any sport.
- [17:41]
Nick Wright
I thought. I thought Brad Stevens at Butler, had he won the title. I was like, how is Butler playing for a.
- [17:49]
Joel Klatt
That's a good one. That's a really good one.
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Nick Wright
And by the way, brilliant guy, now coach and now gm. I would say Brad Stevens at Butler is like, this doesn't make any sense. But that was also kind of a time when college basketball was one and done. So the rosters weren't stacked. You didn't get old rosters.
- [18:06]
Joel Klatt
And Also in basketball, you need one great player. You know, it's not like you're building, you know, football. They were. Indiana was great across the board. There wasn't a weakness on that team. It ultimately won him a national championship. And I disagreeing. I think that's a. Stevens is a great call there. You know, you think of, I thought of like Herb Brooks, but that's one tournament with the Miracle on Ice. You know, I, I can't think of. Certainly in college football there's probably, you know, Nick Saban's the greatest coach of all time. But as far as a single performance and couple of years, this is. There's no rival to what Signetti is doing and has done.
- [18:39]
Nick Wright
You know, I've said this for years. I grew up with college football, so I've always loved it. We both love it. But there was always two or three flaws to college football. The ending. And I always felt like our bosses and other big broadcast executives are always like, if we could just get the ending to be a playoff, okay, we'll put a couple of, you know, a couple of cupcakes in so we don't get sued, but let's have a playoff. So they've solved the playoff thing. And the other thing was it always felt a little regional to me. Last. It doesn't. It's not regional. I got flashy Miami, I got basketball school Indiana, I got a billionaire at Texas Tech, I got an academic power in Notre Dame. I've got two great conferences. Like, to me it's like, okay, this is like the NFL. I can get a small market Green Bay, I can get la. You know, it's like this is the way football should be. You just don't. You said it earlier. It used to be in the preseason you could look at the street and Smith depth charts and you were like, well, BAM is in for sure. And so is lsu. You can't anymore.
- [19:47]
Joel Klatt
No, you really can't. And that's why this is. I think we're entering what. What is going to be a real, a real golden age of the sport. I think we're ending. Entering what will likely be considered in history will look back on as, as the best period of college football ever.
- [20:00]
Nick Wright
Hey, I want to show you, I want you to. I want to ask you, can we roll the Fernando Mendoza run for a touchdown?
- [20:07]
Joel Klatt
Oh, how good was that? Now remember, Colin, I grew up in Denver, so this reminded me of Super Bowl 32 as John Elway is running and then helicoptering around inside the 10 yard line against Green Bay. Like, that's what it reminded me of. This, this effort was incredible.
- [20:22]
Nick Wright
And did it also not remind you a little of Andrew Luck?
- [20:26]
Joel Klatt
Sure.
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Nick Wright
Who, by the way, has said publicly, I don't feel like the game starts until I get popped. Mendoza, similarly this year. He doesn't have like a mean streak in him, but he does get a little, you know, like, like when the lip is bleeding. Against Ohio State, against Miami. I, when I. Now he's not Andrew Luck as a, as a prospect. I'm not saying he's Elway or Andrew Luck, but there are qualities. The humility, the toughness. You know, obviously great parenting, an amazing story. There are some things about Mendoza where I'm like, man, I. There's a little Luck in Elway. He's not, he's not that. By the way, we have a, we have a shot of his bruised arm last night. I haven't seen this.
- [21:11]
Joel Klatt
So good.
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Nick Wright
If you haven't seen. Oh my Lord.
- [21:15]
Joel Klatt
So good. You know, there, there are two types of quarterbacks.
- [21:20]
Nick Wright
That's great.
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Joel Klatt
And there are, there are quarterbacks that rise to the occasion when their best is needed and there are guys that shrink that. And Mendoza rose to the occasion when his best was, was needed. He was at his best. That's, that's why he won the Heisman and that's why he's a national champ.
- [21:36]
Nick Wright
Joel, good seeing you, buddy.
- [21:38]
Joel Klatt
You as well. Have a good day, bud.
- [21:39]
Nick Wright
All right. Yeah. I mean, listen, Indiana, this, I'll say it again, credit to Miami. Indiana needed a block punt for a touchdown and multiple great heroic fourth down conversions to beat Miami. Miami's about as good a team that hasn't won the national championship by the end of the year like Miami was. I mean, it was a block punt, which by the way was not eight guys coming through. It's one guy got a hand on it and multiple fourth down conversions. Like, how many times are you going to do that sideline route. That's going to work it, man. That was, that was really good stuff. That was really good stuff. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am.
- [22:23]
Colin Cowherd
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.
- [22:28]
Joel Klatt
Hey, is Cavino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio.
- [22:31]
Nick Wright
Now, in addition to hearing us live weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, we're excited to announce a brand new YouTube channel for the show.
- [22:41]
Joel Klatt
Yup, that's right. You can now watch Covino enrich live on YouTube every day.
- [22:45]
Nick Wright
All you gotta do search Covino Enrich FSR on YouTube again. Go to YouTube. Search Covino Enrich FSR.
- [22:53]
Joel Klatt
Check us out on YouTube. Subscribe hit that thumbs up icon and comment away.
- [22:58]
Colin Cowherd
I'm John Paulk. For years I was the poster boy of the conversion found therapy movement. The ex gay who married an ex lesbian and traveled the world, telling my story of how I changed my sexuality from gay to straight. Once upon a time, I was on 60 Minutes, Oprah, the front cover of Newsweek, and you might have heard my story, but you've never heard the real story. So join me as I peel back the layers and expose what happened to me in the midst of conversion therapy to shine a light on what the ex gay movement does to people and the pain it continues to cause. I had lost £150 because if I couldn't control my sexuality, I was going to control my weight.
- [23:45]
Nick Wright
It sounded like, and this is the word I used, a cult.
- [23:49]
Colin Cowherd
And as I look too at the harm I did from within, listen to Atonement, the John Paulk story on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [24:06]
Nick Wright
Every January, we're encouraged to start over. But what if this year is about slowing down and learning how to understand ourselves more deeply?
- [24:15]
Colin Cowherd
What if this year is about giving.
- [24:17]
Nick Wright
Ourselves permission to feel what we've been holding and knowing that it's okay to ask for help? I'm Mike De La Rocha, host of Sacred Lessons.
- [24:27]
Colin Cowherd
This is a podcast for men navigating.
- [24:30]
Nick Wright
Stress, emotional health, fatherhood, identity, and the unspoken pressures we're taught to carry alone. We talk honestly about mental health, about healing generational wounds, and about learning how to show up with more presence and care. If you want a healthier relationship with yourself and the people you love, then.
- [24:52]
Colin Cowherd
Sacred Lessons is the podcast for you.
- [24:55]
Nick Wright
Listen to Sacred Lessons with Mike De la Rocha on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow Sacred Lessons with Mike De La Rocha and start listening on the free iHeartRadio app today.
- [25:06]
Colin Cowherd
This season on Dear Chelsea with me, Chelsea Handler.
- [25:09]
Nick Wright
We've got some incredible guests like Kumail Nanjiani.
- [25:12]
Colin Cowherd
Let's start with your cat.
- [25:14]
Nick Wright
How is she? She is not with us anymore. Okay, great, great, great.
- [25:18]
Colin Cowherd
Way to start. So this is a great beginning and.
- [25:21]
Nick Wright
Hopefully you'll be able to, I don't.
- [25:23]
Colin Cowherd
Know, maybe you will cry. Amanda Seyfried Life is so short.
- [25:28]
Nick Wright
If you feel something like that, you.
- [25:30]
Colin Cowherd
Have that fire in you for this experience.
- [25:32]
Joel Klatt
It's not for a guy.
- [25:33]
Nick Wright
It's for the experience of being in love and like, it's bigger than a guy. Elizabeth Olsen.
- [25:38]
Colin Cowherd
I love swimming naked so much.
- [25:40]
Nick Wright
And I know you love taking pictures of yourself.
- [25:43]
Colin Cowherd
I love to be naked. I just want to be in my bra and underwear all the time. Ross Matthews. You know what kids always say to me?
- [25:49]
Nick Wright
Are you a boy or a girl?
- [25:51]
Colin Cowherd
Oh, my God. All the time. I know. So I'm always like, hi. I try to butch it up for kids, you know, so they're not confused. Yeah, but you're butching it up. It's basically like an angry woman. Doris Day, right? No, I turn into Bea Arthur. Listen to these episodes of Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [26:11]
Joel Klatt
New year, new goals, and in this economy, a better money plan is more necessary than ever. I am Matt. And I'm Joel. We are from the how to Money podcast.
- [26:20]
Nick Wright
And every week we help you to.
- [26:21]
Joel Klatt
Spend smarter, save more, and make sense.
- [26:24]
Nick Wright
Of what's going on out there.
- [26:25]
Joel Klatt
If you want 2026 to be the year you finally feel in control of.
- [26:29]
Nick Wright
Your money, we're here to give you.
- [26:30]
Joel Klatt
The tools and advice to help you make it happen. Listen to how to Money on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [26:41]
Nick Wright
Urban Meyer stopped by. Nick Wright joined us in the second hour. All sorts of stuff. So we Salah takes the Titans job depends on his oc, but I thought he earned that job. I thought he was the best defensive coordinator with the least roster assistance due to injuries to Fred Warner and Bosa. So Halfley in Miami feels a little bit like the opposite of Mike McDaniel. He's been a head coach, defensive side, 0 flash Stefanski. I think that's just what Atlanta needs with all their offensive skill. They got a Pro Bowler on the O line, a star at running back, talent at tight end and wide receiver. Love Stefanski. Harbaugh was the best guy in the market. Again, I think Salah works, you know, Brian Flores I think deserves a job. The Minnesota defensive coordinator, I think he's sensational. You know, Brian Dabel at Buffalo, he's got history there. I think that's a smart choice. Jesse Mentor, does he go back to Baltimore? That's an interesting choice. I think we have some really good candidates. You know, the Belichick to Buffalo suggestion that Nick Wright had earlier is certainly interesting, but my issue is Brandon Bean has not aced the draft. Belichick was actually bad at it his last seven years. So, I mean, my take in Buffalo is They've got to do a better job in the draft. That's not Belichick strength, clearly. Look at the last seven New England drafts, and Brandon Bean has drafted 56 guys since Josh Allen, two Pro Bowlers. So he's been the opposite of the Rams and the Seahawks. He misses a lot. So the Belichick thing, it's a fascinating suggestion. You know, I think Bill Belichick could go to Philadelphia where Howie Roseman's great in the draft. You know that. That's where Belichick makes sense to me. I don't want Bill touching personnel. He hasn't shown at the college or pro level. That is his strength. Knows the game, can build the culture. Smart guy. But I'm gonna look at your resume. Patriots last seven years and draft very well. J. Mack with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news.
- [28:57]
Colin Cowherd
This is the Herdline news. Interesting situation developing in Philadelphia right now, Colin. The Eagles are hot for Mike McDaniel. They would love him to be their OC. Here's the problem. They can't convince him to come up for an interview right now. That is not great news. McDaniel, of course, has interviewed for some head coaching jobs. There is a report he would really prefer Tampa. But, Colin, this is not great. And the problem is their other big target in Philly was Brian Dabel. That was, of course, before the Bills job opened up. So Eagles had high hopes. And if they don't get their top two guys, and we know that Jalen Hurts has dealt with, I believe, five O's in six seasons. I. I don't know that this is going to go well for Philadelphia.
- [29:46]
Nick Wright
I. I'll be honest with you. This sounds crazy, but going to Tennessee with Cam Ward on a rookie deal and Robert Salah and getting like a four year contract as OC is very attractive. Philadelphia's got a great roster. There's drama around Jalen Hurts, there's drama around A.J.
- [30:05]
Joel Klatt
Brown.
- [30:05]
Nick Wright
If you have a bad Sunday, you get eaten alive on WIP radio. It is a pretty pressure cooker. And the Eagles have a history of, we don't like that performance. You're out of here. So like Philadelphia, the downside to Philadelphia, and there's not many. It is a pressure cooker job to be a coordinator. Forget the head coach. Remember that piece of NFL films with Bill Parcels is talking to a young Andy Reid and he's like, you know, you did take the toughest place to coach in the NFL, even worse than New York. It's a pressure cooker. So, I mean, it, it's. I mean, the Boston media, they're Boy Scouts compared to Philadelphia. So I, I think that I, if I can get a four year job, warm weather, down with Salah and, and you know, that's a college football market as much as a pro market. That's very attractive to me.
- [30:56]
Colin Cowherd
Interesting. So I wonder, do you think it's. It's within reason that Mike McDaniel would say, well, what's the game plan with A.J. brown? What are you guys doing there? Because he is a game breaker for them. You need a stud wide receiver in this league.
- [31:09]
Nick Wright
Devontae Smith's great, he's good.
- [31:11]
Colin Cowherd
But I don't. You don't put him in the same class as A.J. brown, do you?
- [31:15]
Nick Wright
Listen, A.J. comes with. It's like DK Metcalf. Yeah, he's great. It comes with stuff.
- [31:23]
Colin Cowherd
Well, A.J. brown's been to two Super Bowls. Okay. He's really top receiver. But what happens if you take the job?
- [31:28]
Nick Wright
You're excited.
- [31:29]
Colin Cowherd
Oh, I can do this, that and the other. And then they trade AJ Brown in a month.
- [31:32]
Nick Wright
Well, you're.
- [31:32]
Joel Klatt
You.
- [31:32]
Nick Wright
If you're going to Philadelphia, you can't worry about who's going to be there because Howie Roseman makes more deals than anybody. He makes deals in season, out of season, trade deadline uncertainty.
- [31:42]
Colin Cowherd
Not a sexy appealing aspect of the job, that's for sure. And like you said, you mentioned, Brown hurts. What about Sirianni? I mean this. For all we know, Sirianni is fired by Halloween if things go sideways. You love the Giants. Washington's coming back. Dallas sounds like they're going to keep Pickens in that offense and they were plucky this year. I don't, I just. There's a lot of uncertainty and column. We've both bounced around for jobs around the country. Like, I don't know, you want to go into something like this. I don't know that this is a great job, which sounds insane.
- [32:11]
Nick Wright
It is the biggest pressure cooker in the league. Not just for head coach, but for coordinator.
- [32:16]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah. All right. Speaking of ocs, let's go to Kansas City where quietly, Matt Nagy, no longer the OC and kc they just kind of moved off of him. What's that all about? And you know who they're talking about bringing back? Eric B. Enemy. Yes. Eric B. Enemy seems to be the leading candidate now. Some people not going to name any names will say, hey, the enemy was with my homes. They were amazing early. It's been well documented. B. Enemy was not calling plays in Kansas City that Was Andy Reid. Okay, so we don't know how much B Enemy did then. He left. Left the hen or the rooster or the cage or whatever you want to call it. And how do you do Outside? Terrible. Now he's coming back. I don't love this for Kansas City, Colin, but your thoughts on B Enemy potentially returning to Kansas City?
- [33:01]
Nick Wright
Well, I, I defended Matt Nagy. Matt Nagy. Playoffs in Chicago with Mitch Trubisky and Aaron Rodgers and Matt Stafford and Kirk Cousins were all in the division in their primes, and he made it twice. I think Matt Nagy's more than capable. I'm sorry. I mean, I mean, so whoever gets Matt Nagy, you got a good coordinator.
- [33:23]
Colin Cowherd
But that's the weird part. That's one of the Andy Reid's guys, right? Well, they're just letting him go.
- [33:29]
Nick Wright
Well, Matt Nagy may have been. Andy. Thank you. I got fired. Thanks for being a life preserver. But I actually want some real responsibility. I want to call the, the plays. I mean, if I, by the way.
- [33:40]
Colin Cowherd
If I. Eagles hire him, I'm done. Eagles hire him. I'm done with the Eagles. And they're like fifth on my teams to root for list. I, I, I, I don't want Nagy.
- [33:47]
Nick Wright
Anymore in one second as a coordinator.
- [33:50]
Colin Cowherd
What?
- [33:50]
Nick Wright
To be my coordinator?
- [33:51]
Colin Cowherd
In my gosh. Quarterbacks coach, maybe offensive analyst or something.
- [33:56]
Nick Wright
He got to the playoffs with Mitch Trubisky.
- [33:59]
Colin Cowherd
Hey, buddy, that was like six years ago. What have you done for me lately?
- [34:02]
Nick Wright
Oh, please. Years ago.
- [34:04]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, maybe it was five years ago. Whatever it was. Anyways, let's move on.
- [34:08]
Nick Wright
Final story.
- [34:09]
Colin Cowherd
This stinks in the NBA, boy. The injuries are mounting and Jimmy Butler last night went down. Colin. With an ACL injury. His season is over. He landed awkwardly after catching a pass. Instantly grabbed his knee. Could not walk off on his own. Look at that. He's in agony. Jimmy Bucket's one of my favorite players in the league. Love this guy. This is just terrible. And Colin, I don't know what you say about the warriors, man. I have a couple hot takes on how to fix them.
- [34:36]
Nick Wright
It's over.
- [34:37]
Colin Cowherd
It's definitely over.
- [34:38]
Nick Wright
Over three years.
- [34:41]
Colin Cowherd
I agree. After you won the title, like, I, I know people are wedded Curry, Draymond stuff, but, like, come on.
- [34:48]
Nick Wright
It's one of the mantras of my career. Fall in love with your kids, not your, not your small forwards. Don't fall in love with athletes. Fall in love with your family. That this whole thing about Steph and Draymond and we can't move and we got. You're falling in love with players. You, you, you. I mean, you. Obviously you can't move Wemby for the next five years or Cooper Flag.
- [35:15]
Colin Cowherd
No, you don't want to move those guys.
- [35:16]
Nick Wright
But I, I think this is the danger of, you know, building around a star following, falling in love with a player. Now you're trapped. And now with Butler hurt, you're not a playoff team.
- [35:25]
Colin Cowherd
So I don't think they're a play in team, do you?
- [35:27]
Joel Klatt
No.
- [35:28]
Nick Wright
God, no.
- [35:28]
Colin Cowherd
They're going to get passed by somebody. So we have a chart here. This is next season's Warriors. Colin, look at the, the ages of this court.
- [35:37]
Nick Wright
It is.
- [35:39]
Colin Cowherd
If I'm a Warriors fan. It's over. You guys had a great decade run. Look at this. Curry 37, Butler 36. And you know, an ACL for a guy 35, 36 years old. He's not going to be back next year until at least, what, January. Draymond Green is old and he's not good anymore. Kaminga and Kerr are beefing. I mean, Kerr's got to basically reach out the olive branch. Hey, I know, I know you want to get traded, but wine, we need you.
- [36:03]
Nick Wright
Wine. Ages. Well, NBA rosters do not. It's a young, fast, 3 and D spacing league. Warriors are small, not athletic. Old, and now missing their second best player.
- [36:15]
Colin Cowherd
So this is where it gets interesting. So you remember the Lakers with Kobe Bryant decided, we don't want to trade Kobe, we want him to be a Laker forever. We'll deal with the 30 wins, the 25 wins they kept, they held on to Kobe, didn't do anything in the playoffs. And they were in, they were in the wilderness for like five years, Colin. Until LeBron saved them. They were drafting high, remember? And none of it worked out. Brandon Ingram, d' Angelo Russell, the Golden State warriors are headed to that. Unless they say, hey, Steph, you know, we're not going anywhere. Do you want to go play somewhere else? We'll trade you there. Do you think there's any world where Curry's like, yeah, I want to go play for a contender? Do you think that's on the table at all?
- [36:53]
Nick Wright
I don't, I don't. No. Should it be? Yeah, I mean, I, I.
- [37:00]
Colin Cowherd
Do you want to win 30 games every year? If you're Steph Curry for the final three years of your.
- [37:04]
Nick Wright
No, I wouldn't.
- [37:05]
Colin Cowherd
Okay, so why don't you say, sure, guys, trade me to the East. I'll go to Charlotte, rebuild around Lamelo or something.
- [37:11]
Nick Wright
Charlotte's not my choice.
- [37:13]
Colin Cowherd
Well, it might be Steph Curry's choice. His dad played there. They're retiring his number. Played college there somewhere.
- [37:19]
Nick Wright
With good golf courses. Maybe it, maybe it doesn't.
- [37:20]
Colin Cowherd
Charlotte's got good golf. They got a good nucleus. I'm just saying I think Curry should consider being like, guys, just trade me and you can rebuild. I don't want to be around for that. Do you?
- [37:31]
Nick Wright
I would ask for it. I mean, I, I again, I, since the title, he's been a good soldier, he's been loyal. I just this, it's over. Like it's done. Jmac with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the Herd line. Isn't it interesting that none of the 15 highest paid quarterbacks are left? I, I think that's we looked it up. Stafford's just outside of that. So Bo Nix is in. Drake May is in. Team friendly Sam Darnold is in. It's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of.
- [38:13]
Colin Cowherd
The Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am.
- [38:16]
Nick Wright
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and.
- [38:19]
Colin Cowherd
The iHeartRadio app Fox College Hoops Friday has a Big Ten rivalry tipping off in prime time as Ohio State battles Yoxel Lindborg and third rank Michigan. Friday night, 8 Eastern on Fox.
- [38:35]
Nick Wright
I was saying he's not Andrew Luck or a John Elway as a prospect, but there are similarities between Andrew Luck and Fernando Mendoza. That touchdown run, it looked like Luck and Elway. So I mean, if you look at their final years and again at Stanford and Indiana, they're playing with a lot more three star guys than four and five star guys. They both had a great coach, Harbaughn Signetti, that trusted them implicitly. Sorry to the radio audience, but there's a lot of similarities here. Big strong kids, light contact, really tough. Here was the coach and the quarterback after last night's win. Fernando, I know he's great at interviews and comes off as the all American guy, but he has the heart of a line when it comes to competition.
- [39:24]
Joel Klatt
I mean, that guy competes like a warrior. All season we've, you know, sometimes I've had these cookie cutter responses, immediate train response where it's been like, oh, onto the next game, onto the next play and now we did it, we did it. So at that point I think it was only fitting to kind of, you know, open the floodgates per se.
- [39:41]
Nick Wright
Probably break my stereotype. So J. Mac apparently has some pictures. Signetti is a fairly humorless guy and that's probably what Indiana Needed now. I mean, they've had very funny coaches. My friend Jerry DiNardo, who I've been seeing the last couple of days, Jerry was great. I remember when he took a Hoosier team to Oregon and beat Oregon. Lee Corso, the legend. I mean, they've had some colorful characters and Signetti is kind of a, you know, he's a Saban disciple. Very intense. Even the smiles seem strained, fairly humorless. But we have the pictures of him last night.
- [40:14]
Colin Cowherd
Yes, yes. So obviously the emotional spectrum for Signetti last night was incredible. So our staff put together, screaming Signetti. Here he is, barking on the sideline. Then we have next up, scowling Signetti.
- [40:29]
Nick Wright
These are all real.
- [40:30]
Joel Klatt
These are.
- [40:30]
Colin Cowherd
These are not AI generated. This is real.
- [40:32]
Nick Wright
Yeah.
- [40:32]
Colin Cowherd
Next up, sweaty Signetti. This guy really has become like a bit of a legend. Colin, I love this guy. Next up, we've got staredown Signetti.
- [40:43]
Nick Wright
You get a lot of this. He's really intended. Does a lot of that to the officials as well. Yeah, yeah.
- [40:48]
Colin Cowherd
This one psychotic Signet. Signetti taking the glasses off there. Then we've got sweet Signetti, kind of looks like your. Your neighbor, who's super nice, but intense.
- [40:59]
Nick Wright
Usually him with about 7, 6 minutes to go, blowing out a team. Didn't do a lot of that last night.
- [41:04]
Colin Cowherd
No, no, definitely not. Next up, you've got stupefied Signetti. Do we go for it on fourth down or not? It just dumbfounded also.
- [41:11]
Nick Wright
He was. He and I agreed with him. If you go look at Mendoza, one of the first series, helmet to helmet by Miami, no call. Like there were a couple of call. That one was just outrageous.
- [41:22]
Colin Cowherd
They were letting them play. Next up, you got sassy Signetti. The guy does it all. Finally, stars and stripes Signetti, as you saw there at the game. And finally, simply sig. Natty.
- [41:39]
Joel Klatt
Yeah.
- [41:39]
Colin Cowherd
Yes. With the national championship, I think it.
- [41:41]
Nick Wright
Has to go down as certainly the most unlikely. First of all, 160 is meant. You go back to 1850 something with Yale and this is another way the college football has become the NFL payers getting played, the transfer portals, mostly free agency. Players are getting older. We have a college football playoff. The regular season's important, but not that important. And the other thing is you're playing 15 and 16 games. And so you have to build a roster. You can't just be, you know, all offense. Indiana didn't have a star studded defense, but it was a really, really exceptional defense. And that's why I give Miami a lot of Credit. In the second half, Miami had almost 300 yards. That's a lot Against Indiana. Ohio State could not move the chains. Ohio State, Miami did in the second half. So yeah, I think it's, I guess not all new things are great. But in College Football, the two sports that have been on about a three year run, think about this. Baseball was on a 10 to 15 year downturn. Ratings and attendance. Baseball takeaway, defensive shift, pitch, clock extra innings, start a guy at second base, make the bases bigger. Everything worked in baseball, the changes. I watch more baseball now over the last two years than I did for 20. College football. Pam Portal playoff two sports that roll the dice. Ticked off traditionalists are on an absolute heater. College football and baseball, the sport now. And I was, I was, you know, here's Mark Cuban, by the way. After the natty, just talking this last time about, you know, nil money and the like, it was like, we have to stick to who we are. Every, every team, whether it's pro or now, college is pro, has to have an identity. You have to understand how you want people to fit in. You have to understand how you use economics. And I think what's really set IU apart is we're not like, okay, let's raise as much money as we can to pay everybody more. It's more about how do we structure, how do we build a culture, how do we, you know, set roles so that when guys come in, they're happy. And that obviously was pre game, not post game. Yeah, and I, and I think the danger is for Indiana and I don't, I think they're too smart to do this right. There's a lot of money at Indiana. They've been football star forever. It's just, let's go get five star guys. That's not what it is. USC tried to do that in the portal. Lsu, Brian Kelly tried to do it in the portal. And I think it's lazy. I think Brian Kelly wanted to golf more than he wanted to recruit. They went too heavy in the portal. I think you have to, I mean there are certain positions. Quarterback, go to the portal. If you get a world class Sunday first round edge rusher, go to the portal. There are very few great quarterbacks and edge rushers. Dominant defensive lineman, you know, listen, if you can go get, if you can go steal a left tackle from Ohio State or Michigan, go get it. But the bottom line here is there are very few positions even in the NFL. You got to check certain boxes in the NFL you need a weapon, a left tackle, a pass rusher, a quarterback, and hopefully a Good coach. You don't have to have a great linebacking core, great safety core. I mean the Rams special teams and corners are not very good and they could be the best team in football. So here's Urban Meyer earlier on. The new age of college football.
- [45:19]
Joel Klatt
College football arguably has never been better for a lot of the reasons you just said.
- [45:23]
Nick Wright
Kids are grad.
- [45:24]
Joel Klatt
I mean, how about this stat? I want to say it's an 80% jump in kids graduates playing college football. So they are graduating. It's, it's, it's a phenomenal story. And you're seeing that. You know who's going to watch for Oregon next year? They're going to follow the same template.
- [45:40]
Nick Wright
That the Wolverines did, Ohio State did.
- [45:42]
Joel Klatt
And now Indiana did, where you're having grown ass men and you got, you got grown men in that locker room instead of the eight year you're counting on. You used to count. I used to count on 17, 18, 19 year olds.
- [45:54]
Nick Wright
These are 24 year olds. Yeah. And I think the benefit is you, the fans. That game last night felt a little like a pro football game. And so we've added Panem portal playoff and maturity of rosters. So I just, I couldn't tell you the last time I watched the national championship that I enjoyed more. You had everything. Star quarterback, underdog Miami's own D line. Sunday bodies, a block kick. Miami kind of physically starting to push Indiana around the bloody lip from Mendoza. You had really fascinating fourth down conversions by Indiana in the second half. That game had everything. And again, it felt a little NFL to me. I loved it. And you know, Indiana may not win another national championship. Okay. They're going to be good. This I know and I'll say this, I mean Indiana is not going to become Georgia or Texas with recruiting. A big part of this national championship is Mendoza. That game last night, they won because of Mendoza. The Penn State game on the road, they won because of Mendoza. The, the Oregon game, especially at Austin, they, you know, they win because of Mendoza. Mendoza is special. They're not going to become a four and five star program. They'll get more four star guys and Indiana's got a lot of smart people in that program, but they're going to lose one of their coordinators, maybe both. It's still kind of a rural, small Midwest town from a state that doesn't have a lot of great high school football players. There's still a big advantage being Texas and Florida and Georgia and Miami and having 30 players in your backyard that are Division 1 athletes. So this may just be a magical season, but my guess is Indiana will be a very consistent playoff team. I think Ohio State will, Notre Dame will, Miami will. Texas Tech money will. Texas will. You know, everybody's got Lane Kiffin peeling off multiple national championships. I don't. I mean, they got out recruited in the 2026 class by Miami, and there are a lot of players in Dayton, Broward county, and, and Cristobal may be the best recruiter in the country. So, so much good stuff. Urban Meyer, Nick Wright, Joel Klatt, all crushed the 3 on a Tuesday. Tomorrow we should have a lot. We'll probably have three or four more head coaches hired, I would guess tomorrow. John Harbaugh is official a New York Giant for the foreseeable future. First thing first, around the corner on a Tuesday. Sir.
- [48:36]
Colin Cowherd
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.