THE HERD – HOUR 3 – Notre Dame Would Win The SEC

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: THE HERD – HOUR 3 – Notre Dame Would Win The SEC

Air Date: August 10, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the evolving landscape of college football, focusing on seismic shifts in conference strength, the rise of the Big Ten’s quarterback play, and the ascendance of Notre Dame under Marcus Freeman. Colin invites college football analyst Josh Pate to discuss why Notre Dame could win the modern SEC, Texas’s high-pressure expectations, and the fascinating calculus behind elite programs' playoff hopes. The episode also turns to the NFL, with breakdowns of the Dallas Cowboys’ offense, the Las Vegas Raiders’ prospects, the Browns’ quarterback controversy, and the increasingly competitive NFC North.

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Key Topics & Insights

1. Big Ten’s Quarterback Revolution

[03:03 - 06:02]

• Colin kicks things off noting that after a decade-plus dry spell, the Big Ten is now loaded with elite quarterback talent—much of it imported from the West Coast.
  • “The Big Ten led college football in big plays—that would have been unthinkable seven or eight years ago.” — Colin
• Josh Pate attributes the turnaround not only to NIL, but also to superior Big Ten quarterback development and more creative coaching hires.
  • “If we were put in a coma ten years ago and woke up and saw this, we’d be mind blown.” — Josh Pate, [04:44]
  • Pate highlights Rocco Becht (transfer from Iowa State to Penn State) as an example of how transfer mobility and big-talent pools have transformed the Big Ten.
  • Penn State’s schedule is particularly easy, second only to Notre Dame, giving new QBs a favorable launching pad.

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2. Notre Dame’s National Championship Ceiling

[06:02 – 08:52]

• Colin wonders how Notre Dame would fit in the modern NIL world, praising Marcus Freeman and the school’s culture for attracting and retaining committed athletes.
  • “They look much better than the Brian Kelly Notre Dame... Could they win the natty next year?” — Colin
• Josh Pate asserts:
  • “If they played in the SEC, I think I’d pick them to win the SEC this year.” — Josh Pate, [06:59]
  • Freeman’s promotion is credited as a stroke of institutional genius: “You deserve credit for looking inside your building and realizing your guy’s already there.” — Josh, [07:29]
  • Notre Dame has blended tradition with just enough flexibility around admissions and academics to become a true powerhouse.
  • “I don’t know, certainly in my lifetime, when you’d have ever looked over a coming five-year period and felt better about Notre Dame football.” — Josh Pate, [08:26]

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3. Texas, Ohio State, and Championship-or-Bust Pressure

[08:52 – 11:29]

• Looking ahead to Texas vs. Ohio State (Week 2), Colin and Josh agree the matchup is bigger for Texas due to a brutal road schedule and sky-high expectations.
  • “Texas... sort of a championship or bust type of aura around it.” — Josh Pate, [10:04]
  • Josh describes the donor mindset in the NIL era: “If we’re just dumping money into this, you better give us a championship. And if you don’t, we’re not the problem.” — [10:59]
• Texas is one of a handful of schools (along with a few elites) where simply making the playoff feels insufficient.

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4. USC’s Challenges Under Lincoln Riley

[11:29 – 14:43]

• Colin likens Lincoln Riley to Matt LaFleur—a brilliant, offensive mind who inherited a good culture but must prove toughness in Big Ten trench warfare.
• Josh: “If I’ve got the best line of scrimmage situation that I’ve had under [Riley], I’ve got a third-year starter at quarterback... Can you go 10–2? You gotta be able to do it this many years in.” — [12:42 & 13:45]

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5. Indiana and National Championship Potential

[14:01 – 16:02]

• Colin and Josh discuss Indiana under Curt Cignetti and the magic of Fernando Mendoza’s play; now, new transfer QB Josh Hoover must replace Mendoza’s clutch factor.
• Notable quote:
  • “It’s the four or five times in big moments, Fernando Mendoza did stuff that just made your jaw drop... it comes down to whether they got a guy touching the ball every play that can do that sort of stuff.” — Josh Pate, [15:44]
• Indiana’s “championship bubble” status is less about stats and more about having a “special” QB.

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6. NFL Headlines — Cowboys, Raiders, Browns, Packers

[21:10 – 40:46]

Dallas Cowboys Contract Talk & Positivity

[21:13 – 23:14]

• Discussion on George Pickens’ contract, the elite duo of Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, and Dallas’s optimistic offensive outlook.
  • “If you told me that Dallas offense was top two or three in the league, I would not doubt it.” — Colin, [22:14]

Las Vegas Raiders Optimism

[23:15 – 26:33]

• Running back Ashton Gentry says new coach Clint Kubiak brings “a level of detail” that has the run game “way more explosive.” Offensive line health and coaching tree connections (Kubiak/Shanahan system) bode well for the running game.
  • “If the Raiders finish 9 and 8... I think they actually match up pretty well with their division.” — Colin, [26:13]

Cleveland Browns’ QB Situation

[26:33 – 31:09]

• Browns head coach Todd Monken faces pressure to start Deshaun Watson ($50M+ contract) over Shadur Sanders, but personnel and schedule might give them a surprising edge.
  • “Ty goes to the guy making $50 million.” — Football Analyst, [27:08]
  • “I would not be shocked if they won eight games.” — Colin, [29:29]

NFC North Showdown

[33:59 – 40:46]

• Colin retells an anecdote about judging Chicago’s economy and transitions to Bears camp with praise for Caleb Williams’s fitness and explosiveness.
  • “Caleb Williams... has done it with sit-ups. He did it the old way, discipline, and in the weight room.” — Colin, [34:14]
  • Matt Hasselbeck expresses concern over Williams’s weight loss affecting durability.
• Colin argues the NFC North is now football’s best division—praising Minnesota, Chicago, and Detroit—while warning that Green Bay can’t afford another slow start from Jordan Love.
  • “The NFC North has seven more wins over the last several years… Best division in football.” — Colin, [39:28]

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Notable Quotes

• "If they played in the SEC, I think I'd pick [Notre Dame] to win the SEC this year." — Josh Pate, [06:59]
• "You're allowed to do things you weren't allowed to do 10 years ago… [it] upends the table in Texas's favor." — Josh Pate, [10:04]
• "That's what the money's for. That's what you signed up for." — Josh Pate on Lincoln Riley and USC, [13:42]
• "It's the four or five times in big moments… Mendoza did stuff that just made your jaw drop." — Josh Pate, [15:44]
• "If you told me the Dallas offense was top two or three in the league, I would not doubt it." — Colin, [22:14]
• "I would not be shocked if [the Browns] won eight games." — Colin, [29:29]
• "The NFC North… Best division in football." — Colin, [39:28]

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Important Timestamps

• 03:03 — Colin & Josh Pate discuss the Big Ten quarterback transformation
• 06:02 — Notre Dame’s rise and SEC comparison
• 08:52 — Deep dive on Texas’s pressure and expectations
• 11:29 — Lincoln Riley’s USC tenure and physicality challenges
• 14:01 — Indiana’s QB magic and title potential
• 21:10 — NFL discussion: Cowboys, Raiders, Browns, Bears, and NFC North
• 34:14 — Colin at Bears practice; Caleb Williams weight update
• 39:28 — NFC North: Case for best division in football

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Tone & Style

The episode is full of trademark Herd candor: opinionated, fast-paced, and a bit irreverent. Colin is direct but playful, inquisitive with guests, and quick with anecdotes, while Josh Pate brings measured, research-backed insights. NFL topics are discussed with a blend of optimism, skepticism, and straight-shooting about the business and culture of football.

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For Listeners:

If you missed this episode, you’ll walk away understanding why Notre Dame is positioned as a national powerhouse, how shifting incentives and talent flows are redrawing the college football map, why certain college and NFL teams face playoff-or-bust scrutiny, and what’s ahead in some of the NFL’s most intriguing divisions.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin]

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[Colin]

proud partner of the Volume Podcast Network. Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on FOX Sports Radio at noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd@fox sports radio.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.

[Colin Cowherd]

You're listening to FOX Sports Radio.

[Colin]

Well, I am old enough to remember when the Big Ten's Kerry Collins was drafted out of Penn State. And for the next 24 years, the Big Ten did not have a first round quarterback drafted. It was a, that's, that's beyond a dry spell. That is, that's the desert. That is unbelievable. And the SEC took over college football. They had, you know, the Mannings, many great quarterbacks, the Matt Staffords, you know that. That's one of the reasons of many the SEC took over the sport. Then the nil comes in. You bring in usc, you bring in Washington, you bring in Oregon, you bring in ucla, you bring in the west coast weather, you bring in creative coaches. And Josh Pate joining us, as smart as, as well researched as any voice in College Football. Josh Pate, College Football Show On YouTube, I saw your ranking of the Big Ten quarterbacks. So first of all, it is shocking if Nico I am Alva people can criticize that kid all they want. I watched him in UCLA, I watched him at Tennessee. If he's the 10th best quarterback in your conference, that is a really good quarterback conference because that kid can spin it. And I looked at this and the kid you like and I don't have a lot of games with him at Penn State. That's the kid from Iowa State, Rocco Beck. I haven't seen a ton of them, just clips. But my takeaway is this. A lot of this is the new Big Ten. It's the west coast quarterbacks, it's the California speed kid. The conference literally led college football in big plays that would have been unthinkable seven or eight years ago. So it, first of all, it's great to have you. What do you make a Big Ten quarterback play?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, you like? I think if we were put in a coma 10 years ago and woke up and saw this just mind blown, we have no idea like what confluence of events could have caused this shift. Colin it's not, it's not just the nil thing, that's a huge piece of it. But also if you look at some of these guys, the SEC is not lacking for ability to spend on the Quarterback position. It's just the Big Ten is doing a better developmental job of squeezing the sponge and getting every last drop out of it. And that doesn't just go for quarterback, by the way. That's sort of a league wide thing, which is a four hour show you and I could do. You mentioned Rocco back there just as an example. That's a guy who I struggled with where to place. You could put him as high as three, you could put him as low as seven. But if you're trying to project, I think you've got to go back to 2024, a lot more than 25 because he was hurt, he was banged up in 2025. But it's not a guy. It's a guy in a new place, but it's not a guy having to learn a new system because this is the modern coaching carousel world where everybody sort of moves in a block and as a result he's just going to look around and be in the most talented supporting cast situation that he's ever been in. And you may, you may normally think if you're out there watching, yeah, but he's got to play Big Ten defenses, Buddy. This schedule is insane. So it's like the perfect situation for him.

[Colin]

They don't play Penn State, doesn't play Ohio State, Indiana or Oregon. And they get, it's the, it's the second easiest schedule in the country to Notre Dame. I want to talk about that because you're going to go to Notre Dame's camp and we both love CJ Carr. I did not know, Josh, how Notre Dame would fit into the nil world. They can be a little precious. It's very academic. I could have absolutely seen Notre Dame saying we're not getting into bidding wars with Ohio State. But the advantage they have, a, they may have the best coach in college football. The second advantage they have is when kids commit to Notre Dame nil. They don't leave. Like you go there for more than football. I am honestly surprised that they're noticeably better than the Brian Kelly Notre Dame. And I thought that was kind of, that was going to be the ceiling. Oh, no, they look, they look much more. In my opinion, they look, I mean, could they win the natty neck this year? Could they win it?

[Colin Cowherd]

I'll put it to you this way. If they played in the sec, I think I'd pick them to win the SEC this year. And I say that because. Well, I say that because it'll stir some people up where I'm from. But I also say it because people are going to mistakenly look at their schedule and discount them. Right. This is a team that could stand up against any schedule in the country this year. That's no guarantee, but this is an extremely good team. You said something that I think we were in alignment with, and that is you didn't think it could get much better than where Brian Kelly had him.

[Colin]

No, I thought he talked.

[Colin Cowherd]

When. When Brian Kelly left, I was fooled, man. I was of the opinion that Brian Kelly was a heck of a coach, which he was. The resume doesn't lie. And I looked and I said, man, it feels like he squeezed every last drop of potential out of that place. And he's someone who realizes you gotta go to LSU if you wanna win the biggest prize in the industry. And then not only were they able to level up, they leveled up with someone that was already in their building. They didn't even have to run this national coaching search. And I'm going to give Notre Dame credit for something. Now. Marcus Freeman's a heck of a coach. So you deserve credit for looking inside your building and realizing your guy's already there. But also institutionally, you're right. They're never going to totally reinvent who they are, nor should they. There are certain aspects that make Notre Dame very attractive to the right kind of player and very unique. But when it comes to at least bending a little bit, when it comes to the academic calendar, when it comes to what they're willing to give up on admissions, they've done enough to where Marcus Freeman can look at it and say, man, this is more than I could have ever dreamed for. I'm in a perfect position. I'm going to get NFL attention, but I got plenty of unfinished business here. I don't know, certainly in my lifetime, I don't know when you would have ever looked over a coming five year period and felt better about the future of Notre Dame football than you do. 2026 through 2031. And I never thought I'd say that.

[Colin]

Yep, I'm in total agreement. And I think we both admit that. They're just. It's fun to have an academic power and an old school, big brand in the sport. It's awesome. So Texas, Ohio State play week two now. I think it's much bigger for Texas. Number one is Ohio State, won last year. Number two is the Texas road schedule is a meat grinder. It's brutal, especially late. And I've said this, I. I just think it. It's almost. This is one of the things with college football, I Look at Notre Dame schedule in Texas, and I'm like, that's not fair. I mean, Texas road schedule is brutal. And so I think Texas, Josh, I think they have to win that game. I think if they lose it, the buzzards start circling. Sark and Arch Manning, do you have a strong feeling about that game?

[Colin Cowherd]

I feel the way you feel. I always hate trafficking in this stuff, but recently it's become necessary, too. I was at SEC media days down in Tampa a few weeks ago, and everyone loves to throw around playoff or bust, championship or bust. Most of the time, that's dumb conversation to me. I don't get involved with it. Texas is the one school in the sec.

[Colin]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

I really do think it's sort of a championship or bust type of aura around it, and it. It leads you to run these hypotheticals in your mind, like you're doing right now, because this is not the old school. This is very, very much. You're allowed to do things you weren't allowed to do 10 years ago, legally, which. It doesn't tilt the table in Texas's favor. It upends the table in Texas's favor and maybe about three other teams in the sport or in that position or close to it. So if I'm a Texas donor, I talk to them all the time. These are people. They're not the most myopic people in the world, but they're realistic, and they're looking and saying, this is a different kind of investment than the ones that gave us the wealth that we enjoy. This is one we don't get a return from. So at the very least, if we're just dumping money into this, you better give us a championship. And if you don't, we're not the problem. This right here is not the problem. You're the problem. Now, that may not make sense to people who don't follow college football to think that if this guy just makes the playoff, it's viewed as a failure. But I think maybe you need to reassess what the landscape is right now. As crazy as that sounds, that's the situation he's in. I'll give Sark credit. Now he fully understands it. Like, you talk to him on record, off record, he gets the score down there. So it's the classic to whom very much is given, very much is expected.

[Colin]

So, you know, I. We've said this the. The nil. Actually, I've had coaches talk to me about this. It helped coaches because, okay, now I got to spend 30 for my roster. 30 million. I got to have my facilities, 300 million. And I can't write a $92 million check to fire my coach. Like. Like, we just can't do it. Like. And in a way, I think in a previous decade, Lincoln Riley would have been in trouble. And I think Lincoln's very good. I think he's the Matt LaFleur of college, where I know he's smart, they take leads. I think there's a culture issue on toughness late in games. He took over for Bob Stoops. He didn't have to create the culture. He's a very good, smart coach. But to win those games late, Miami last year, Notre Dame, Ohio State, that's physical football. And they're not. They're pretty, they're clever, they're smart, they're not tough yet. So my take is, I look at their schedule, Ohio State, I mean, it's. They face all the Big Ten teams, right? They got to go to Penn State, Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, Washington. You look at this schedule, Josh, are they, are they a playoff? I think my is really good. Are they a playoff team to you?

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, they better be or he won't have a job, which I think is totally fair. As a proposition right now, I'll be selfish for a second. Like, I'm kind of rooting for Lincoln Riley this year. I like him like, I like Lincoln Riley. I like him to be successful. I love, I'll at least say this. I love that. It's very obvious. He probably went the wrong direction from a hiring perspective early on. He got, he got enough time to course correct. You don't really get that anymore. So he did get enough time. Whatever the circumstances were, he's been given enough time. You ask people around usc, you go watch them yourself. It's the first time you'd probably look at USC in a random fall practice and say line of scrimmage looks like it's supposed to in the Big Ten. Wow, this is kind of the first time you would ever say that again. It's no guarantee you will win games. Not having it is a guarantee that you won't win games. So if I've got the best line of scrimmage situation that I've had under him, I've got a third year starter at quarterback and that's especially significant under Lincoln Riley. And yeah, there are tough games, man. That's what the money's for. That's what you signed up for. You got to go win them. You got to go beat Penn State. You got to take down Oregon. Like, you got to do at least one or two of those things. Yeah. Colin, they're not asking you to go 12 and oh, but. But can you go 10 and 2? You got to be able to do it this many years in.

[Colin]

You got it. You got to beat Ohio State, Indiana or Oregon because I look at. They get Washington at home, Penn State road, but Penn State's got a new staff. That's a disadvantage. They've got to beat the Buckeyes. Doubt it, but it's at home. Oregon. Doubt it, but it's at home. Or Indiana and I don't know. Listen, I love Signetti, but it's so funny. We have just minimized what Mendoza did. The guy, literally, they could have lost four games. They should have lost a Penn State. Where are you on Signetti? I think he's really good. Let's not make him Nick Saban yet. I think a lot of last year, Mendoza was magical in like four different games they could have lost. Are they going to be a viable national championship team?

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't know. If I'm there on them, that's fine. I'm there only because I went.05 picking against them this year. So I'm terrified to pick against them.

[Colin]

So.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I, I do have them squarely in my, you know, championship bubble, if you will. You're right. I was just talking about this on our show last night. You can talk about the backfills at receiver. You can talk about how great that pair of coordinators he has is. Colin, I could, I can make the case. They have the best head coach, coordinator or trio in the game right now. Ohio State's way up there, Georgia's way up there. But you could make the argument. But really, all that said, it just comes down to Josh Hoover coming in there from TCU and trying to recreate what Fernando Mendoza did. And I think the simple minded way of hearing what I just said is. All right, let's compare stat sheets. No, no. It's the four or five times in big moments, Fernando Mendoza did stuff that just made your jaw drop. The national title game. But all the way back to the Penn State game. And Signetti will tell you that Penn State game was the most important game we had because we finally got pressed. We finally played a C plus game on the road. Someone took it to us and we had to pull a game we probably shouldn't have won out of the fire. And we just had magic on that final drive. Whether they can win a title or not, whether anyone wins a title this year or not, it comes down to whether they got a guy touching the ball every play that can do that sort of stuff.

[Colin]

Yeah. Josh page got a YouTube show. Check him out. Just as good as anybody doing this sport. Good seeing you, my man. He's going to Notre Dame, probably bam. Penn State, Ohio State. Those are fun trips. Good seeing you.

[Colin Cowherd]

Good see you, Colin.

[Colin]

All right, Josh pay.

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[Colin]

Just phenomenal. Oh, okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right.

[Colin]

Yeah. Hey, listen, I got some sources I gotta stay on this stuff.

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Sorry.

[Colin]

I apologize to be it. You know, sometimes when you're a journalist, it just disrupts the show. You're getting nuggets from, you know, could be the White House. You know, I go to that Bears practice, all of a sudden the league's talking.

[Colin Cowherd]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app

[Stugotz]

Stigatz.

[Ashton Gentry]

Here.

[Stugotz]

I have a podcast empire. It continues to grow and I have brough here to iHeart. I'm also doing a live radio show from 3 to 5pm Eastern because my wife wanted to kick me out of the house. It's called Stagatsi company Live, which is available in podcast form right when the show finishes every single day. Some of the biggest names in sports, a lot of phone calls.

[Colin Cowherd]

I love you guys show.

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[Stugotz]

A lot of interaction, guys not taking themselves too seriously. Those are just some of the things that you can expect from Stugots Co. And Stugots Co. Live. So listen to Stugatson Co. Live and our original podcast. Please subscribe, rate and review Stugats Co. And God bless football. Taylor's livelihood depends on it. Do it today and you can check all of those out on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Colin]

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[Colin]

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[Colin Cowherd]

This is the Herd line news.

[Football Analyst]

That wasn't Jerry on George Pickens contract situation was.

[Colin]

It was not. Thanks for asking.

[Football Analyst]

Because you know, Dax been talking up this offense this offseason. The slogan gotti. And now CD Lamb is making his pitch to get George Pickens paid. He asked Jerry Jones. I think he posted this or said this. Can you please figure out a way. I don't care what needs to happen. It's going to get us multiple championships. We've been talking about these contracts. Zay Flowers, just pure talent. George Pickens is way more talented than Zay Flowers.

[Colin]

Oh, Colin.

[Football Analyst]

He's coming off 93 catches, 1400 yards, nine touchdowns and a year. Remember, CD got banged up.

[Colin]

Yeah.

[Football Analyst]

And he dominated.

[Colin Cowherd]

Now it.

[Football Analyst]

It did get a little weird. Remember down Moody, that lie, that Lions game. I forget after Thanksgiving, no showed.

[Colin]

I will say this. I think their old lion is going to be better because it's going to be a year older. So my take is they did it last year with CD Getting hurt. The offensive line was really talented, but really young.

[Football Analyst]

Yeah.

[Colin]

I think the offense. I mean, if you told me that Dallas offense was top two or three in the league, I would not doubt it. What's in it? Schottenheimer now year two. So. Yeah, I don't think they listen. It's like Robert May said and Todd McShane. I think you and I are saying it. You put down their top 12 players, you can fill it with. I mean, you're. You got guys like Overshown. If he stays healthy, that is an elite NFL athlete. On the defensive side, one.

[Football Analyst]

And I don't. You know, if he has another big year, you're going to have to pay him. You're not just going to let him walk. I got no issue doubling down on wide receivers like Chase and Higgins. At least you go, we got the best one two in the league. Yeah. I think Pickens and CD Lamb, you'd be like, we're right behind him. You know, you can't go all in on those. On two guys at that position. If you're like, yeah, we're the 10th unit in the league. Right. As long as you have an elite duo and they pair well with your quarterback. We know you know, Jerry can talk a big game, but beside Micah Parsons, historically, he gets pretty sentimental and ends up paying the guys.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yep.

[Colin]

I agree.

[Football Analyst]

A lot of positivity in Las Vegas, where a couple of days ago I saw it was 115 degrees. You see the story that Kirk Cousins and Crosby got into a fight and they got held out of practice. But after a disappointing rookie season, Ashton Genti can already see that there have been some big changes for the better with this new, with his new head coach, Clint Kubiak.

[Ashton Gentry]

Yeah, I mean it's different in a good way. You know, the level of detail to each and every single run, you know, the motions, all types of things that we're doing just to execute in the run game. So I love what I'm seeing so far. I think it's going to be more explosive this year. You know, obviously we got some more guys added to that old line, you know. You know, Colton's healthy, JPJ is healthy. So it's going to be a way more explosive run game for sure.

[Colin]

Yeah, the offensive line was all banged up last year. I think they're healthier. So I, it's, I think the offense is going to be really interesting. I didn't think their defense was trash. I thought it was all banged up last year. It felt like they, they just got into an injury bug on the O line and the back end. I, I got to tell you, like I said this about Minnesota and the Raiders. They may finish in fourth place. Everybody thinks they're fourth place team Minnesota and the Raiders have some firepower offensively.

[Football Analyst]

There's some dudes I know this Colin, if you are a running back, especially a talented running back, you would sign up to get someone in the Shanahan Kubiak tree.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Football Analyst]

Coaching you and these guys literally get Kubiak one of his kids who last year, Kenneth Walker, let's face it, had a pretty underwhelming career after that great year at Michigan State.

[Colin]

Yeah.

[Football Analyst]

By the end he's getting $30 million guaranteed from the Chiefs Super Bowl MVP which is going to change his. That's what he's going to be introduced as the rest of his life. McCaffrey goes to Kyle. All the guys under Mike Kubiak. Remember for a long period of time in, in Houston had Aryan Foster who was a late round pick leading the league in rushing. Ashy was a 6 overall pick. I mean I la last year relative to the, you know, his offense was terrible. The O line was bad. He had almost a thousand yards rushing and 10 total touchdowns. Couldn't he have 1400 yards and catch 50 balls and be a student?

[Colin]

And I also, I keep saying this. If you start looking, I think their GM spy tech, I think he's, I think he's really sharp. I think if you look now he's got control now the last couple years I think they've drafted well. I think their acquisitions have been smart. Not necessarily a lot of free agent headliners but I, I think that, I mean this is the first time in a long time GM coach, quarterback and offensive skill people. I like the Raiders. I think they're, they're maybe not. I don't like him as much as I like. I think the Giants are a little ahead of him. Personnel wise pass rush man. Well, Abdul Carter, Max Crosby, both great. I just think if the Raiders finish nine and eight and by the way knocked off Denver, knocked him out of the playoffs. I think they actually match up pretty well with their division.

[Football Analyst]

9 and 8 would be an incredible season. 9 and I, I think they'd go 7 and 10 and be dramatically better. Like what you were talking about.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Football Analyst]

After another season of quarterback changes, the Cleveland Browns that are 26 with yet another quarterback competition. Shador Sanders, he showed some flashes last year but ultimately didn't do enough to secure the job. Watson is back in the fold now coming off the injury first year head coach Todd Monkin says that the quarterback decision is not actually that simple. Is it just as simple as the owner which he was a big part of giving him that massive contract. It still owes him 50 plus million dollars this year. He's going to give him the opportunity to start.

[Colin]

Oh Jesus.

[Football Analyst]

He's starting. I mean Watson at this point, you know Ty goes to the runner. Ty goes the guy making $50 million. But the Browns are going to be that good. What should do are in by October 1, middle of October.

[Colin]

Let me put up, put up Cleveland's schedule. Let's just look at. Because I, I will die on this hill. I think they've aced the last couple of drafts. I think Andrew Barry's been tremendous. So let's add Jacksonville is probably an L. Although Jacksonville had a wonky draft I didn't love at Tampa. Oh boy, there's some wins there. You guys make fun of me. There's some wins for this team.

[Football Analyst]

Well, you got him in the playoffs, Colin, so that's not official.

[Colin]

I can rescind that. I just look at that schedule. Would you be shocked if they beat Tampa Jets, Titans, one of the games against Pittsburgh? Would you be shocked at that?

[Football Analyst]

My issue is like Shador who we all loved in Colorado that last year was really fun to watch.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

It was fun.

[Football Analyst]

You know he. I think because of like his cult following on the Internet we act like he is a little better than he actually. He's not a great athlete, doesn't have a huge arm, they play in a cold weather place. If he does have to start, you know, or let's just. He can't beat out Watson, who has been statistically one of the worst players in the league for the last three or four years. Is that a good sign? I mean, Munkin comes in with a fresh slate. You know, ideally you'd have this young player that would be like, oh, this is a no brainer, he's beating out Watson. But clearly that's not taking place.

[Colin]

Monkin says when asked about the quarterback competition, well, it's actually not that simple. That tells you that the owner has a say. Have you noticed Jimmy Haslam the last two years? Why is he talking all the time at press conferences? You know, I mean, so my take is there's probably, you know, like you said, $50 million starts. But the problem is their schedule because I think their personnel is better than people think and they're and their schedules light early. So to Sean, why so you're basically, I mean, find me the spot where they couldn't. I mean, you know, listen, they're not as good. I think the Saints on the road's a tough game for them, obviously. But I mean the first time they look at that schedule at Jacksonville is one of their tougher early games. And Jacksonville lost Travis Atn and had a weird, kind of a weird draft. I don't know, I just seems like I would not be shocked if they won eight games.

[Football Analyst]

I'm sorry, I mean, Browns at Jets, what's that? Week five isn't exactly Bill's Chiefs of the last five years.

[Colin]

I don't see, I don't see Fox and CBS battling for that one.

[Football Analyst]

You could throw that bad boy at 6am and let it kick off.

[Colin]

John Middelkoff with the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, that's the news.

[Colin]

And thanks for stopping by.

[Colin Cowherd]

The Herd lie news.

[Colin]

Yeah, it's. You think I don't like Cleveland. First you thought I didn't like Baker Mayfield and now you're flummoxed because I do like Baker Mayfield. I think that, you know, he's worth Close to 50 million a year. I'm more comfortable at 44, but 50 is okay. And you think I don't like Cleveland. There's things about Cleveland I love Stefanski, I love Andrew Barry. I actually think Shedeur is kind of talented. He, I will say my knock on him. I don't think he's a terrible athlete. I don't think he has the biggest arm but he does throw the ball pretty well deep. I think he holds the ball too long. My knock on shooter, that was my knock in college. Just like let go of the ball. So you got to see stuff and let it rip. And he may not see the field particularly well. I don't know yet. I haven't seen enough of him. But, but, but he holds the ball too long, which you can get away with if you're Caleb Williams. But even Caleb Williams got sacked too many times his rookie year. You got to let it rip in the NFL. You got to get that thing out. 2.5 seconds. It's got to be out of your hands. Now you could argue that he didn't have the wide receivers that got open last year. So that's why they went and attacked the wide receiver position. With Concepcion out of A and M, didn't they get Boston out of Washington? I think they did like they attacked the wide receiver position. So. So Chadur would say, yeah, you want me to let go of the ball? Nobody's open. I think that's a fair argument.

[Colin Cowherd]

Be sure to catch Live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.

[Colin]

If you're spending time, it's important to know the potential risks of skin cancer. Non melanoma skin cancers, or NMSCs, including basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, are common in the US and can become advanced and harder to treat if left undetected. Our sponsor, Regeneron, is raising awareness about advanced NMSCs. Learn more and take the pledge to see a dermatologist annually at let's get real about skin cancer.com this episode brought

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

to you by Verizon Business when we watch the we focus on the stars, the players, the coaches, the matches. But here's what's fascinating.

[Colin]

What does it take to make an

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

event this big actually work? The World cup from FIFA isn't just the biggest ever. It's also the most technologically complex. 104 matches, 16 stadiums, 3 countries. Think about that. That's not just a sporting event. That's one of the biggest logistical and technological challenges in the world. And with billions of people watching, there's no room for error. But for Verizon business, that's another day. With private 5G networks in every stadium, more than 80,000 miles of fiber, end to end security, Verizon business is powering FIFA's World Cup. If Verizon business can do that, imagine what they can do for your business, visit verizon.com powering FIFAWorldCup now to learn more.

[Colin]

Let me tell you about something most people have never heard of and probably should have. It's called Burna. And here's the part that got my attention. It's a real self defense option that's legal in all 50 states. No permit, no background check. It ships right to your door. It did mine. It's not a gun. That's the point. It's a launcher. Byrna.com herd b y r n a.com herd burna be ready. Living with a rare autoimmune condition can bring a lot of uncertainty, but can

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

also bring people together in powerful ways.

[Colin]

Tune in for Season six of Untold Stories, Life with a Severe Autoimmune Condition, a Ruby Studio production in partnership with Argenics. This season, host Martine Hackett brings you fresh stories from people living with MG and CIDP and expands the conversation of people living with other rare conditions like Myositis and Igan. Through their stories, you'll learn what it's like to participate in clinical trials seeking new treatments, how connection fuels hope, and how people can support one another along the way. Because living with a rare disease isn't about getting through it. It's about moving forward together. Listen to Untold Stories Life with a Severe Autoimmune condition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Football Analyst]

History is coming to the nation's capital. IndyCar races through the heart of Washington, D.C. in a once in a lifetime spectacle celebrating America's 250th the Freedom 250 live Sunday, August 23rd only on Fox.

[Colin]

Years and years ago I would come to Chicago when I worked for the other company and the driver that was assigned to take me around town was Bernie Max Driver, the late, great Chicago comedian. Like, and he just told great Bernie Mac. I love Bernie Mac. He was so funny. Ocean's Eleven and so I got this about six or seven times and this driver had an interesting theory. He said, I can tell what the economy is like as a driver because if, if it's crowded, if the freeways are busy, people are either going to work or they're getting on a plane and they're flying and they're taking their families flying or they're going for business. He said, there was a period around when I worked at the other place. The company had a couple, you know, the economy had a couple bumpy years and he was like, you know, the economy was bad and I Could tell because the traffic all thinned out. And so I've always used that when I see, you know, the airports jammed and, and restaurants are jammed. I went out to eat Saturday with my wife in Chicago. I'd never seen anything like it. It was 11:20 in the afternoon, Saturday afternoon, and it was a beautiful day. The beaches were packed. Volleyball nets, every. Beaches are packed. Every restaurant in this area called the Golden Triangle, where we went to visit our, our daughter, my stepdaughter, her daughter. Every restaurant packed. And the other thing I noticed is that, you know, that GLP1 drug out there, everybody's thin. It's just amazing. And Chicago's a Midwest town. People like their breads and their pizzas. Like the whole country. I'm looking around, it's like, is everybody in good shape now? Anyway, that leads me into my other story, which is I went to the Bears practice yesterday and Caleb Williams, not on GLP1, he's done it with sit ups. He did it the old way, discipline. And in the weight room, he's lost 13 pounds. He told me 13 pounds. He looked fast. Now, he only ran once or twice, but he just, his accuracy was better. He just looked much tighter. But man, he took off down the sideline one time and he was just showing off. And I'm like, whoa. And that guy was the fastest quarterback in the league last year at 21 miles an hour. He looked faster than last year. Now, Matt Hasselbeck said, I don't know if I like that.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

The thing that does concern me or I wonder about is, you know, Caleb said he lost 10 to 15 pounds. Like, I'm a little bit curious why, you know, like a 6, 1 2, 10. Is that really what we want for our quarterback? I mean, so I know we're talking about consistency. He's got the big playability. We're talking about consistency is where we want him to improve. But I also think durability, you know, your best ability is availability. And I think for Caleb, when you're talking about consistency and playing 20 games healthy for your team, and I do believe that, you know, that that was, that's just something I would, I would wonder about. I'd like to know why.

[Colin]

It's interesting because Jalen hurts and Russell Wilson got heavier. Lamar Jackson wanted to get more beefed up because he took shots. But when you're around Caleb, he didn't look thin, he just looked thin. Er, there are quarterbacks like Bryce Young looks small to me and thin. Like there are guys in the league like Matt Ryan you know, over the course of time I thought, you know, that was his body type, tall and lean. Then there are guys that are just chunky, like Philip Rivers is just. And big Ben just looked like big guys. Caleb did not look skinny to me at all. And he has such an unbelievable power arm. I don't think it's going to change that much. I. My guess is he's losing weight just to be more elusive, just to be faster, which he said he credits better eating and sleeping habits for his off season weight. I will just tell you, and this is not just anecdotal, it is easy to put weight on in Chicago. It is, it is like in Los Angeles. Every corner there's a smoothie shop, avocados everywhere. There is a lot of bread in this city there. It is a bread city. So it's, it's an easy place to put a few pounds on without trying. I'll say that. The other issue in that division, I think Detroit's going to win the division and the Bears are going to be the wild card playoff team. I worry about Green Bay. Jordan Love has been a slow starter in September and I don't think you can do it anymore in this division. I think you got to start quick. Here is Hasselbeck on kind of the reputation that has been created in Green Bay that the packers are slick and they're smart, they don't get penalized, but they're not real tough.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

There is this, there's this sentiment sometimes that they're a finesse team and they're not a physically tough team. And so I think that that kind of bleeds into. They're not mentally tough. But I think you're going to see a different Green Bay packers team this year. And I know that LaFleur wants that. You know, sometimes when you're an inside out zone, inside outside zone team, people don't think of you as a tough team. But there is that perception that they got to fight. And I think opponents feel that way. Sometimes you feel that way as a player on that team. So we'll see. I mean, but, but at the end of the day, make your game winning field goals at the end, win on your two minute drives and people won't talk about you that way.

[Colin]

I will tell you the best division in football is the NFC North. I mean Minnesota, there's an argument, has the best coach, coordinator combo in the league with Brian Flores and Kevin o'. Connell. Flores is a remarkable defensive coordinator. He's out of this world. Good blitz, centric and puts pressure on quarterbacks and my question being if Kyler Murray is just a plus level above where he played in Arizona. Better owner, better offensive line, Justin Jefferson, better play caller. If he is 15 to 20% better than Arizona and they can keep him upright, I think Minnesota feels like a 98910 win team. I think Chicago absolutely does. I think Detroit could be an 1112 win team with a new OC. Where does that leave Green Bay? I don't know. You know, it's not like I dislike Green Bay. That division NFC north has seven more wins over the last several years. I forget what the timeline is. The last four years they have seven more wins than the second division, best division in football. So Jordan Love has been a slow September starter. That can't be the case this year. The division's just too good this episode

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

brought to you by Verizon Business the World cup from FIFA isn't just the biggest ever, it's also the most technologically complex. 104 matches, 16 stadiums, 3 countries. But for Verizon Business, that's another day with private 5G networks in every stadium, more than 80,000 miles of fiber, end to end security. Verizon business is powering FIFA's World Cup. If Verizon Business can do that, imagine what they can do for your business. Visit verizon.com powering FIFAWorld cup now to learn more.

[Colin]

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[Colin]

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[Colin]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin]

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