The McShay Show – Episode Summary

Episode Title: 10 Tape Truths From Week 7: Elite Indiana, Ty Simpson Rising, Texas’s CFP Path, and More. Plus, the Latest Intel on James Franklin’s Firing
Date: October 13, 2025
Podcast: The McShay Show (The Ringer)
Host: Todd McShay, with co-host Steve “Mensch”

Main Theme & Overview

Todd McShay and Steve dive into “10 Tape Truths” from the just-finished college football weekend (Week 7), focusing on eye-popping team and player developments through the lens of NFL evaluation. The guys kick off with in-depth analysis of James Franklin’s firing at Penn State and then unpack the meteoric rise of Indiana football, Ty Simpson’s case as CFB’s top QB, Texas’ College Football Playoff hopes, and a wide-ranging film room breakdown of trending teams and NFL prospects.

Key Segments, Discussion Points & Notable Moments

1. James Franklin’s Firing and Penn State’s Next Steps

Timestamps: 01:55 – 12:23

• McShay opens with exclusive intel about why Penn State finally moved on from James Franklin, citing “selfish leadership” and “untrustworthy decision-making.”

  “Selfish leadership. It always comes to the surface. Sometimes it takes a decade... I tried desperately to stay in my lane, but when I get information, I share it.” — Todd McShay (05:31)

• Details on the staggering buyout and cost (over $105 million to clean out Franklin, staff, and reset the program).

  “So you’re talking about a $105 million dollar decision that was made. Wow.” — A (McShay), (05:21)

• Names being floated for the Penn State job: Kurt Signetti (Indiana), Matt Rhule (Nebraska) — both with “roots” at Penn State, though Indiana is likely to invest heavily to keep Signetti.

• Broader implications: Will Penn State land an “A-list” coach, or could this trickle into a messy search from the “B-list”? The show will keep providing real-time recruiting and coaching search info.

  “More so than typically in a coaching move, we’re going to be in the know on all of this.” — McShay (11:40)

• Co-host Mensch rejects the “Penn State should just be happy with 10 wins” argument:

  “I hate the take that Penn State should be happy with 10 wins a year... College football’s at its best when Penn State is competing for National Championships.” — Mensch (12:23)

2. Tape Truth #1–3: The Indiana Hoosiers Have Arrived

Timestamps: 17:16 – 40:20

2.1. Indiana’s Defense — Truly Elite

• Indiana’s D is “Top 5 in the country,” jumping off the tape with physicality, discipline, and sophisticated coverage adaptation, led by DC Brian Haynes and standouts Aidan Fisher (#4) and Isaiah Jones (#46).

  “They are right there with Ohio State, Texas, Oklahoma... This defense is great.” — Mensch (18:29)

• Film breakdown: Discipline in contain, advanced zone manipulation, and relentless hustle; defensive line doesn’t rely on one star (Mikhail Camaro’s numbers are down, but team’s pass rush is up).

2.2. Fernando Mendoza — The Secret Sauce

• Mendoza’s combination of mobility, arm strength, and ability to make full-field throws is giving Indiana a dimension “they were missing last year.”

  “What Indiana was missing last year... was a guy who threatened with his mobility and had the arm strength to threaten all parts of the field.” — McShay (28:00)

• Not only is he running RPO and design runs, but he can reliably hit deep outs from the far hash and excels on back-shoulder throws.

  “He’s not perfect, but man, that’s hard to deal with.” — McShay (32:01)

2.3. Indiana’s NFL-Caliber Receivers

• Elijah Surratt and Omar Cooper have both developed into legit NFL prospects with differing styles: Surratt is the power sideline technician; Cooper is the quick, after-catch guy.

  “Both of these guys are going to be drafted. Both probably middle-round range.”—McShay (38:04) “Surat—game-winning touchdowns in the last two games... kids making plays when it matters most.”—Mensch (40:20)

3. Tape Truth #4: Georgia’s Offensive Line Concerns

Timestamps: 42:49 – 46:44

• The Bulldogs rushed for only 79 yards against Auburn and are “manhandled up front.” Injuries are a factor but not the full story—physicality and pass pro are missing, which puts pressure on their running backs and limits their championship upside.

4. Tape Truth #5: Ty Simpson Is The Top QB in America

Timestamps: 46:44 – 56:43

• Ty Simpson’s control, anticipation, and consistency have made him the most trustworthy QB in CFB to McShay — even with star WRs hurt or limited, Simpson makes everyone better.

  “If there’s one quarterback that’s playing at the highest level right now that I trust the most, it’s Ty Simpson.” — McShay (46:44)

• Signature drive: First possession vs. Georgia: makes quick decisions, processes coverages, bounces back from WR drops.

  “There is trust because this guy’s got it... Throw something at me. I’ve got the answer.” — McShay (50:27)

• Mensch: “I’m now looking at Simpson and expecting the expectation is that he’s going to take his team down and score... that’s one of the better stories in college football.” (55:04)

5. Tape Truth #6: Texas Tech’s QB Conundrum

Timestamps: 56:47 – 62:54

• Freshman QB Will Hammond could give Texas Tech’s offense a higher ceiling than solid vet Barron Morton, especially with his mobility.
• Coaches’ dilemma: disruption in locker room chemistry vs. maximizing playmaking upside for a sneaky top-10 team.

6. Tape Truth #7: Texas’ Path Back to the College Football Playoff

Timestamps: 63:07 – 74:04

• After the Oklahoma upset, Arch Manning rebounded, showing growth and athleticism as a creator and distributor. The WRs are elite, and the defense is coming together.

  “This is what we expected to see from Arch to a certain extent, and it should just keep getting better.” — McShay (65:33)

• Defensive players like Colin Simmons and Anthony Hill Jr. are difference-makers; secondary is “making plays on the football.”

• CFP Path: Schedule sets up for a building stretch (Kentucky, Miss St.), but November at Georgia looms — win out, and Texas is squarely in the Playoff mix despite two losses.

7. Tape Truth #8–9: Notre Dame Is for Real

Timestamps: 74:06 – 83:56

7.1 CJ Carr’s Breakout at QB

• Four straight games averaging 310.8 passing yards; his touch, timing, and pre-snap craft elevate everyone. Especially notable is how he manipulates safeties with his eyes and hand signals (see Boise State 4th-and-9).

  “He keeps showing up... for a young quarterback, I really want to point out a couple plays.” — Mensch (76:09)

7.2. ND is a Top-8 Team

• Offense is “tough to defend,” with an elite backfield and improving OL; defense led by Bukar Traore (edge) and ballhawking secondary (11 interceptions, 8 different players).

• The looming USC game is an elimination contest; if ND wins, their only losses are close, early-season defeats against top-5 teams.

  “It is an absolute no-brainer that Notre Dame wins this game and wins out.” — McShay (81:16)

• Mensch ranks ND as his #8 team, ahead of big names like Georgia and Ole Miss.

8. Tape Truth #10: Texas A&M’s Defense Belongs Among the Elite

Timestamps: 83:57 – 91:43

• Not quite Ohio State-level, but A&M’s front seven—led by Cassius Howell and a quartet of tough LBs/DL—make them among the toughest defenses in the country.

  “Keep them in the conversation. I find it hard to believe after I just studied the tape... they’re not Ohio State, but after that, keep them in the conversation.” — McShay (85:12)

• Early miscommunications masked how good this D really is; their impact was most evident in overwhelming a talented Florida offense.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “Selfish leadership. It always comes to the surface. Sometimes it takes a decade.” — McShay (05:31)
• “Indiana’s defense is a top 5 defense in the country, FBS.” — Mensch (18:28)
• “If there’s one quarterback that’s playing at the highest level right now that I trust the most, it’s Ty Simpson.” — McShay (46:44)
• “I hate the take that Penn State should be happy with 10 wins a year... This is a program that should compete for national championships.” — Mensch (12:23)
• “There is trust because this guy’s got it... Throw something at me. I’ve got the answer.” — McShay on Ty Simpson (50:27)
• “CJ Carr—four straight games averaging 310.8 passing yards. The tape matches the production.” — Mensch (74:06)

Flow & Tone

• Directly conversational with a “scouts-in-the-film-room” vibe: lots of banter, strong opinions, and specific NFL evaluation lingo.
• Balanced perspective: Both hosts admit when they change their minds after reviewing tape (“maybe we were jumping the gun” on Texas Tech’s QB; “I can see a situation where Mendoza rises in the draft”).
• Transparency: Todd is clear about sharing only vetted info, not chasing “sourcing glory.”

Episode Takeaways

• Indiana’s leap is real—defense, Mendoza, and pass-catching are all NFL-caliber units.
• Ty Simpson is now the standard at QB; Alabama’s offensive transformation is real, regardless of supporting cast.
• Texas and Notre Dame are lurking for a potential playoff push if they can navigate tough Novembers.
• Texas A&M’s defensive front is the great equalizer in the SEC.
• Coaching carousel at Penn State is just beginning—major ripples coming.

For new listeners or those catching up, this episode offers a “film junkie’s” deep dive into the teams and players shaping the Playoff and Draft races, with Todd and Steve’s original tape-based analysis steering clear of surface-level narratives.

Next up: Thursday’s “Rough Draft” show with the initial 2025 Quarterback Big Board and more draft projections.