CFP Semifinal Reactions: Indiana Stays Perfect and Dominates Oregon | The McShay Show

Summary

The McShay Show – CFP Semifinal Reactions: Indiana Stays Perfect and Dominates Oregon

Podcast: The McShay Show
Host: Todd McShay, with recurring guest/co-host Steve Coughlin
Date: January 10, 2026
Focus: Detailed reactions to Indiana’s rout of Oregon in the CFP semifinal, implications for the national championship matchup, and deep NFL Draft talk

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Overview

This episode dives into Indiana’s shocking and historic College Football Playoff semifinal victory over Oregon, analyzing what made the Hoosiers’ run so exceptional. Todd McShay and Steve Coughlin examine the game’s draft and talent landscape, compare Indiana’s dominance to historic teams, and preview the coming national title game. There’s extended debate about quarterback prospects, the dynamics of coaching, and key lessons for the NFL Draft—all with sharp, opinionated, and occasionally irreverent banter.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Indiana’s Astonishing Dominance and Team Building

• Indiana’s Talent Disparity: Despite having just 8 four- or five-star recruits compared to Oregon’s 55 (04:09), Indiana trounced national powers Alabama and Oregon, scoring 94 points over two games and allowing just 25 (09:29).
• Focus on Team Over Talent:
  • “Are you building a collection of talent? Are you building a team? And they’re building a team.” — Steve (04:28)
  • McShay lauds Coach Kurt Signetti’s culture and coaching: “I can’t come up with a comparison in terms of a coaching job in a single season.” (07:31)
• NFL Talent on Indiana:
  • McShay lists a handful of Indiana players who might be drafted, notably WRs Suratt & Cooper, C Coan, and LB D’Angelo Pons (04:34).

Timestamps

• Indiana vs Bluebloods: 02:24, 03:25
• Team-building versus recruiting: 04:09 – 05:51
• NFL draft implications & player rundown: 04:34 – 05:51

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2. Comparisons to 2019 LSU and Historic Teams

• The only modern comparison for Indiana’s dominance is 2019 LSU, but McShay points out the stark difference in NFL talent (07:31 – 10:54).
  • Example: LSU had 10 players drafted in the first three rounds; Indiana may have one or two (11:52).
• “I think this might be the best, most dominant team in a single season since LSU 2019 ... But that’s where the similarities end.” — Todd (07:31)

Timestamps

• LSU Comparisons & Draft Recap: 07:31 – 12:00

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3. Game Notes: Indiana vs Oregon Semifinal Recap

• Indiana started strong with a pick-six; Oregon responded, but were overmatched in trenches and outcoached (18:45 – 25:06).
• Crowd Estimate: “80% was being kind to Oregon” in the stands (20:29).
• Indiana’s physicality, discipline, and line play overwhelmed Oregon:
  • “This is the best coached team in college football ... as a collective unit, no team is doing the detail, old school stuff ...” — Todd (23:52)

Timestamps

• Pick-six & game script: 18:45 – 23:00
• Indiana fans' wild presence: 20:29 – 21:47
• Indiana OL/DL performance: 23:20 – 25:06

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4. Quarterback Debate: Mendoza vs Moore

• Draft Stock Talk:
  • McShay: “Mendoza is about to be the first overall pick in the NFL draft.” (24:38)
  • Steve pushes back: “Let’s calm down with just making, like, announcing this guy is the first overall pick. He is in the driver’s seat right now. He’s earned the right to be in the driver’s seat.” (24:50)
• Prospect Nuance:
  • Mendoza isn’t Burrow, Maye, Daniels, or Williams—but this draft class lacks a clear superstar (30:23).
  • Steve: “At worst, Fernando Mendoza, I think goes second over on this draft. And I’m happy if my team drafts him.” (31:35)
  • Moore has high upside, but only 20 starts; history suggests more experience breeds success (38:27 – 42:03).
• Quarterback Class Weaknesses:
  • “There’s not a Miles Garrett staring at you ... It’s a nightmare matching positional value with talent.” — Todd (34:14)
  • Debate about whether Moore should stay another year: “I hope Dante goes back.” — McShay (53:58)

Timestamps

• QB comparison & mock draft: 24:38 – 36:11
• Starts/experience for QBs in the NFL: 38:27 – 43:06
• Mendoza’s NFL readiness & locker room fit: 51:31 – 53:47

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5. Oregon Program, Coaching, and Concerns about Dan Lanning

• Dan Lanning’s record scrutinized for failing to win playoff/critical games despite talent (45:49 – 49:52).
  • “Oregon is at a crossroads.” — Todd (53:47)
  • Loss of top offensive mind Will Stein seen as a huge blow for Ducks.

Timestamps

• Oregon’s track record under Lanning: 45:49 – 49:52
• Will Stein’s impact and departure: 48:03 – 49:52

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6. Deeper Dive: Indiana’s Offensive Execution & Efficiency

• Mendoza described as “surgical,” with nearly error-free execution, back-shoulder throws, and the offense's “death by a thousand cuts” style (56:12 – 62:07).
  • Steve: “His efficiency is a superpower ... If you’re a football fan, man, it’s fun to watch.” (57:41)
• Offensive line and role player anecdotes highlight Indiana’s team chemistry, e.g., center Coogan’s first-down celebration loved by the team (59:04 – 60:11).

Timestamps

• Breaking down Mendoza’s play: 56:12 – 62:07
• OL camaraderie & field of dreams vibes: 59:04 – 60:11

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7. Physicality: "Biggest Bully" Wins

• The final will be decided by which team imposes its will up front (64:11 – 66:25).
  • “Last year and this year, the two most physical teams in the country are in the final ... It was bully ball.” — Steve (64:11)

Timestamps

• Physicality in CFP and formula for winning: 64:11 – 66:25

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8. Draft Nuggets, Trends, and Deep Cut Evaluations

• McShay drops day-three and rising prospects: likes Baron Morton as a potential backup and DJ Stribling as a riser (65:16, 72:03).
• Extended Carson Beck talk: questions about deep ball, potential late first-round buzz, and how the market for QBs will rise due to demand versus supply in this class (76:32 – 82:07).

Timestamps

• Baron Morton and Day-three buzz: 65:15 – 66:22
• Carson Beck debate: 76:32 – 82:07

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9. Discussion: Trinidad Chambliss, NCAA Fairness, and Advice

• Reflection on Chambliss’s journey from Division II, injury hardships, NCAA eligibility issues, and advice to shift focus fully to an NFL future (84:42 – 91:57).
  • “Do not ... put your fate and your future into the hands of a bunch of people that don’t care about you. ... Start training for the draft.” — Todd (90:05)

Timestamps

• Injustice to Chambliss and NCAA: 84:42 – 91:57

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10. National Title Preview: Indiana vs Miami

• Indiana opens as nearly a touchdown favorite (“seven and a half point favorite for Indiana”, 95:22).
• McShay wants a true test for Mendoza: “I so desperately want ... for so many selfish reasons ... to see Miami’s defense that we saw against Ohio State ... what do you got, Mendoza?” (97:28)
• Steve: The battle will come down to the trenches—“Which is the biggest bully?”—with Indiana’s offensive line and Miami’s defensive front matching up (98:31).

Timestamps

• Title game preview & key storylines: 95:22 – 99:41

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|-----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:09 | Todd McShay | “Indiana’s got eight. Eight. Are you here? Are you building a collection of talent? Are you building a team?” | | 07:31 | Todd McShay | “I can’t come up with a comparison in terms of a coaching job in a single season ...” | | 24:38 | Todd McShay | “Mendoza is about to be the first overall pick in the NFL draft.” | | 24:50 | Steve Coughlin | “Let’s calm down with just making, like, announcing this guy is the first overall pick. He is in the driver’s seat right now.” | | 30:23 | Todd McShay | “He’s not that guy. And he sure as is not Joe Burrow.” | | 38:27 | Todd McShay | “Bill Parcels was ahead of his time, man. Got to graduate, got to win a certain amount of games, 25 starts is like the bare minimum.” | | 53:47 | Todd McShay | “Oregon is at a crossroads.” | | 56:15 | Todd McShay | “Searching, surgical.” (On Mendoza’s play) | | 57:41 | Steve Coughlin | “His efficiency is a superpower ... If you’re a football fan, man, it’s fun to watch.” | | 62:05 | Todd McShay | “A million paper cuts. Yeah, he just slices you—pick up seven, pick up nine ...” | | 64:11 | Steve Coughlin | “The two most physical teams in the country are in the final ... It was bully ball.” | | 90:05 | Todd McShay | “Do not ... put your fate and your future into the hands of a bunch of people that don’t care about you. ... Start training for the draft.” | | 97:28 | Todd McShay | “I so desperately want ... to see Miami’s defense that we saw against Ohio State ... what do you got, Mendoza?” |

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Segment Timestamps (For Key Moments)

• Indiana’s talent versus Oregon’s: 04:09 – 05:51
• LSU 2019 comparison: 07:31 – 12:00
• Semifinal game script (pick-six to finish): 18:45 – 25:06
• Draft expectations and those with limited experience: 38:27 – 42:03
• Coach Dan Lanning scrutiny: 45:49 – 49:52
• Trenches, physicality as the path to victory: 64:11 – 66:25
• Carson Beck as riser/faller, draft debate: 76:32 – 82:07
• Chambliss, NCAA hardship: 84:42 – 91:57
• National title game preview: 95:22 – 99:41

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The Tone & Interplay

The episode maintains a punchy, conversational tone. McShay and Coughlin shift between analysis and light-hearted jabs—with Coughlin persistent in holding McShay accountable, especially on quarterback declarations, while McShay alternates between humility and passionate conviction. Both keep the energy high through personal anecdotes and direct address to their digital audience.

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Final Take

This is a must-listen (or read) for college football and draft junkies, with high-level analysis, honest sentiment on the realities of building a winner (on the field and in NFL war rooms), and infectious enthusiasm for the sport’s stories and personalities. The Indiana story in particular is celebrated as a testament to the power of coaching and team building—“a field of dreams” in modern college football.

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Transcript

[Todd McShay]

Foreign. Be a fun one. I don't care. I don't care if there's a blow up. I don't care. It's just going to be a fun move. We get a lot of things.

[Steve Coughlin]

There's a lot to talk about.

[Todd McShay]

There really is a lot to talk about. College football, the national championship. I got a couple things I want to go back to last night that we didn't cover.

[Steve Coughlin]

Right.

[Todd McShay]

And there's some draft implications. You're. You're absolutely lying to yourself if you don't think that there are some draft implications and what went down in this game tonight. And with all that said, there are just 104 days until the NFL draft. Wipe that smile off your fence. Men.

[Steve Coughlin]

I'm excited.

[Todd McShay]

So, men, you good? I'm good, man. All right. Roll that beat, T. Cut the kids short a little bit last night. They were frustrated. They wanted us to go later. Really? I didn't see that then the comments. Were you going to a live show? I don't know. I got to go to bed. I forgot people had to work today.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

The McShay show is presented by FanDuel. FanDuel's got it all. Same game parlays, quick bets for jumping in live in your way so you can build the bet that that fits your play. Plus, don't miss out on all the action during the rest of the college football playoffs. Download the FanDuel app or head to FanDuel.com McShay to get started, must be 21 and older in present select states or 18 and older in present in D.C. kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- gambler or visit rg-help.com, call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org chat in Connecticut.

[Steve Coughlin]

People, tonight's show. Man, that's tough.

[Todd McShay]

They don't have to work tomorrow. Most most of America. So we're going to hang tonight. Maris can wait. The kids are at sleepovers. We could go. We could go to 3am tonight. I don't care.

[Steve Coughlin]

It could happen.

[Todd McShay]

Start with this. If my math is correct and the game's not over yet, Oregon's got the ball, second and goal. So it will be. You've got Alabama in the Rose bowl and then you follow that up with Oregon in the Peach Bowl. Alabama and Oregon, one of the most storied programs in college football history. And for the last few decades, one of the greats in Oregon.

[Steve Coughlin]

This episode is brought to you by 20th Century Studios. Send help from the twisted mind of Sam Raimi, director of the Evil Dead and Drag Me to hell, starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'. Brien. I like both of them. Comes a new film that begs the question, what would you do if you were stuck on an island with your terrible Boss in Paradise? HR can't hear you scream. Only in theaters in 3D January 30th. Get tickets now.

[Todd McShay]

You go and drop 94 on those two programs consecutively and I want you to throw up this graphic. Tucker, if you've got it available. I couldn't believe this. I saw this in the pregame. I don't cover the recruiting as much. Neither do you. We're season ends. We get in the NFL draft. You know, other people are specializing in the recruiting. Either they're not specializing really well in it or what Coach Signetti has done at Indiana is in a single season. Forget the big picture, the two year turnaround and all of that. You and I had the Belichick fight and Leister in soccer.

[Steve Coughlin]

The 1980American hockey team. But whatever, whatever.

[Todd McShay]

All of it. 55, four or five star recruits for Oregon, 45 for Miami, 40 for Ole Miss. These are the four teams in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Indiana's got eight. Eight. Are you here?

[Steve Coughlin]

Are you building a collection of talent? Are you building a team? And they're building a team.

[Todd McShay]

And let's talk about NFL talent. There are some good players that will get drafted from Indiana. Surrott's one of them at wide receiver. Cooper's another one at wide receiver. Coan at center, the left tackle. Couple defensive tackles might play in the league. Couple linebackers. D' Angelo Pons, really good player. But he's 59175. He's going to be a mid round pick. He's a great year. Phenomenal year. Great young man. Physical all the pick six tonight. But you might see one Indiana player. Player in Fernando Mendoza. Player. You might see one. And we'll get to the Mendoza versus More. I see you spooktastic more over Mendoza. We'll get to it. You might see one in the. You're gonna see one in the first round. Unless I'm.

[Steve Coughlin]

I mean.

[Todd McShay]

And you might see one in the first two rounds.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah, the only way you wouldn't is if Mendoza doesn't come out is what you're saying, right? Like.

[Todd McShay]

No, no, no, I'm not. No, I'm counting Mendoza's coming out.

[Steve Coughlin]

Oh, you think there's going to be a second Indiana?

[Todd McShay]

No, I'm saying there's not going to be. There's Going to be one.

[Steve Coughlin]

Okay. All right. I'm confused.

[Todd McShay]

Rounds probably is my point. So whether it's high school recruiting or NFL draft prospects. I was texting with Urban Meyer tonight. He's like, I'm on the field pre game and I'm watching. I don't know if he was talking about the first. I think maybe it was the first game. I don't know if he was there tonight because I know ESPN had the broadcast and he's like, it doesn't make sense. Make this, he's like, todd, make this make sense. Who's getting drafted? So I gave him a list and we're going back and forth and he's like, yeah, but what about Oregon? I'm like, yeah, well they got a quarterback who get drafted high. We'll get to that in a little bit. But they also, I mean look.

[Steve Coughlin]

Look.

[Todd McShay]

At the defensive side for them. I mean Finney is going to be a first round picket corner in a couple years. He's just a true freshman. Batcher is going to be a mid round guy. Then a minute safety was going to run unbelievably well and work out. Unbelievable. Unbelievably well. Might be a day two pick because of the traits. Tatum Tuioti, Mateo Ui, Angela Le Omori, Washington, your guy. There's a lot of players there. You got two offensive tackles that'll get drafted. Oh, Sadiq in the first round. Sorry, Kenyan Sadiq in the first round. I'm just going off the top of my head. Yep, it's an imbalance of talent. There's an imbalance of talent even at Alabama and Alabama is not the Nick Saban level. What we're used to seeing. Four or five first rounders, 11 guys in the first three rounds, those kind of years. It's an imbalance of talent. And I'm saying all this to say I in my lifetime at least I can't come up with a comparison in terms of a coaching job in a single season because right now I'm listening to the broadcast and congratulations, Sean McDonough. And I was, I texted him earlier tonight and now it's during the fourth quarter of the game, broadcaster of the year. And honest to God, he's one of the greats to ever do it and the fact that he just picks up then and going to hockey and can. And I grew up listening and watching him on baseball like Red Sox can't get. He's so special. But I'm listening to Sean and, and Greg McElroy talk about and I don't disagree. This might be the. The best team, most dominant team in a single season since LSU 2019. Similarities are a quarterback, an undefeated team, dominant too, in a lot of big games, a quarterback who wins the Heisman, projected first overall pick. But that's where the similarities end because I don't have the list in front of me. We can go and research it right now. But who. Who were Joe Burrows wide receivers? Was that was it? I'm trying to think, was it Justin Jefferson? Jamar. It was Jamar Chase.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yep. It was just. I'll find it right now if you just give me one second.

[Todd McShay]

It was a Clyde Edwards Allaire who was a first round pick.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yep. Yep. He was the running back.

[Todd McShay]

The talent level is just. It completely imbalanced.

[Steve Coughlin]

Terence Marshall, remember him? He was pretty good too, man.

[Todd McShay]

Yep.

[Steve Coughlin]

Thaddeus Moss was the tight end. Pretty good tight end. Not great, but good tight end. Yeah, I mean, but just Jamar Chase and Justin Jefferson are two of the best receivers in the NFL right now. That alone, that's. That's that right there.

[Todd McShay]

So my point is to have a team that's going out there as a collective unit. All three phases. You saw like the coverage teams, the block punt, the defense dominant. I don't know if Oregon scored at the end, but yeah, 22 is what they scored. It's a final 56 to 22. So 25 points they've allowed to Alabama, Alabama and Oregon and then 15 of those were kind of like, you know, games already decided and they score 94 points to 25. It's. It's wild. We're seeing something special. You know.

[Steve Coughlin]

I agree. I agree with everything you've just said. There's some things that I thought that we can get into later on in this conversation that I thought were kind of caught my attention tonight. But. And you're right, the teams are different, by the way. This Indiana defense is different. That LSU defense gave up twice as many points. This Indiana defense is. Is just tremendous. It is so good. But you're. I agree with the idea. They are very different teams, though. I think they are drastically different teams. Even more so than you're saying. But they're both dominant that I can get on board with.

[Todd McShay]

So it was 2019 season. So it was the 2020 draft. Joe Burrow, number one overall, K Kayla Von Cha chasing went 20th overall. Justin Jefferson, 22 overall. Patrick Queen, 28 overall. Clyde Edwards, a Lair, 32 overall. That's five guys in the, in the first round. Grant Delpit, safety Christian Fon. Safe. Defensive Backup, both in the second round, third round, Damien Lewis, guard. Lloyd Cushionberry, guard, center. No, sorry, Cushionberry was the center. Damien Lewis was a guard then also in the third round, Jacob Phillips, linebacker.

[Steve Coughlin]

Loaded.

[Todd McShay]

Just all those guys?

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah, I just loaded.

[Todd McShay]

I think you're gonna see that's 10 players drafted in the first three rounds. Indiana might have one or two.

[Steve Coughlin]

Correct. Yeah, I get it. And it goes right to what you're saying. I understand it. That's. The proof is in the pudding, man. Like the fact that Signetti is winning with this level of. Of talent. And I hate saying that because they played so well this year. These guys are going to go earlier than they ever would have gone, you know, like if they would have gotten drafted at all two years ago. So, yeah, it speaks to it. And I'm not going to get back into the argument with you about it. The only thing I'll say is it doesn't matter if they don't win against Miami. It could be the greatest coaching performance until you don't win a championship. And I do want to finish. They have to finish. That is the thing. I will say that they. They have to finish. I believe they will. I wholeheartedly believe they will. I think it's funny that one of.

[Todd McShay]

The people in the.

[Steve Coughlin]

The group chat. Does Mensch believe that Indiana is a good team now? I'm not sure when I was ever off Indiana being a good team. I mean, in the beginning of the year. Yeah, at the beginning of the year, I was saying that they were going to be. Oh, wow, look at that. McShay.

[Todd McShay]

Look. Don't. Don't give it out to everyone.

[Steve Coughlin]

I won't. No, I won't.

[Todd McShay]

But, wow. Spread just came out from fandom. FanDuel is the best. They get us the information right away.

[Steve Coughlin]

They know.

[Todd McShay]

Crazy.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

I don't want to say they're just doing it for us, but they make sure that we get the information right away. We just got the spread. I actually, I'm asking everyone in the chat right now. We all know that Indiana is going to be favored over Miami, even though Miami is, quote, unquote, home game.

[Steve Coughlin]

Right.

[Todd McShay]

What do you think the spread is? I was thinking about it downstairs before I came up here, and I was thinking they may go as wild as like nine and a half, ten and a half.

[Steve Coughlin]

Really?

[Todd McShay]

I thought, honestly, watching this team felt like Miami got a little beat up last week. The discipline issue, you can't put. You see Nick Saban getting after Crystal Ball. That was pretty good TV pre game.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yes.

[Todd McShay]

Do you want to do this, like, TV cute stuff? Or do you want to back, like, back to 2015? I think he said 2015 or whatever it was when they coached, when he was on the staff. Or do you want it to be like a staff meeting? And Nick's got his hands going and Mario's like, well, he's like, you know, we could do it however you want, Coach, but I. I know that you were, like, getting primped and get your makeup on a few minutes ago, so maybe you're not the same guy you were in 2015. If you're ready to come at me. It was funny.

[Steve Coughlin]

By the way, lately. That's for another pod, but he's on a roll lately.

[Todd McShay]

He's killing. All right, so pop. Pop sodas. Yes, he is. He's comfortable now. Pop soda says four and a half. Anthony J. 504 says six. Jeffries. Nothing says nine and a half. Thirteen and a half weeks. You might. You might be right. It's not the number FanDuel is putting out, but that might be around what it is. Everyone's kind of in. The three and a half is light. See, Young Ligon TD is two and a half, but everyone is basically in that, like, four and a half to 13 and a half range. A lot of eight and a half. Seven and a half. Now everyone's coming in at seven and a half. That's the number. Yeah.

[Steve Coughlin]

Everyone.

[Todd McShay]

It took.

[Steve Coughlin]

We're not saying. We're not saying that. Someone might have looked it up, but.

[Todd McShay]

It took a minute to get out to. To get on the FanDuel app. There we go. Get that down before you see my account number and balance.

[Steve Coughlin]

Amazing.

[Todd McShay]

Which. Which, by the way, decreased a little bit tonight.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

Embarrassed to say we both had Oregon. That's fine. You take your lumps. Yeah. If we're going to sit here and give ourselves Tommy John surgery, patting ourselves on the back for seven and two coming into the night. I love the college football.

[Steve Coughlin]

I love the we there.

[Todd McShay]

Well, I was given. I mean, when you go. When you're. When you're seven and two in the college football playoff against the spread and you.

[Steve Coughlin]

You're.

[Todd McShay]

You sat here and got berated by everyone nationally and privately. You and Steve Coughlin had a field day, like, giggling as I ripped out my experience sheet. I don't know if we can get that in focus. 2,881 snaps for Carson Beck and said they're going to make a run. And they did. And they have. They've actually made a run longer than I thought they would. So now the matchup is in. Oregon is out. Indiana rolls past Bama, rolls past Oregon and now we've got interesting right Carson Beck's new home, Miami. They get to go back to Miami, their home collectively But Fernando Mendoza gets to go back home where he's from and play against a university. You ready for this? Wouldn't even allow him to walk on.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

You think that's not personal. He lives. He lives 0.5 miles away. His mom and dad live 0.5 miles away from the campus in Coral Gables. They wouldn't let him walk on. So that's going to be fun to watch. We'll get when we're going to finish this show up with some review of last night. I want to talk about Carson Beck a little bit move the narrative forward a little bit. Some news on Trinidad Chambliss today. Very unfortunate. We'll get to that and what the the fallout is there and then I want to you and I to kind of early on and we will have plenty of shows between now and the national championship game to dive in and tape study and what we're seeing but but give some initial thoughts on. On what what stands out in that matchup. Okay but for now I do want to go back and I want to walk through some of this game. How about the pick six to start it Two. Two mortal sins. The first is you stare down. That's a frank defolese boy. More mortal sins. You know like 3030 swinging at an outside pitch. Mortal mortalson but you start the game out against a defense that's opportunistic against a a defense that the top two guys. Lewis Moore your. Your guy mentioned and and Amar. AMARI Farrell had 10 interceptions combined. I think Pons came in with two or three maybe two and that was his third one. And you stare him down. Forget even the read. It's a bad read. He squatted. You can't throw that ball but he can't throw it stares them down so he walks him to it and then the ball's thrown inside. If you're going to. If you're going to try to fit that even though you know you're every instinct in in you says I stared him down. He squatted. I got to go to the second read or take off. You throw it and you throw it to the inside. You got to throw that and the game starts. Bang. Seven nothing. It was like oh man we could be in for a long night. But then and I put this on threads and x I felt like I learned more from Dante Moore in that in the follow up drive than I did necessarily in one bad read, one bad play. Right.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

I've seen Brady do that before. Okay.

[Steve Coughlin]

It was. I will say this for you by the way. You're. I, I want. I don't want to interrupt your. Your rhythm here. But it was a bad vibe from the time I turned on the, the. The game. I mean right away when they were. When they said it was about 80% Indiana fans. It might actually be. It might actually be a higher number. And then Noah Whittington's all of a sudden on the, on the injury report.

[Todd McShay]

Well, I knew that earlier.

[Steve Coughlin]

Oh.

[Todd McShay]

Because he was on the day not to. Not yesterday. I knew it today. Yeah.

[Steve Coughlin]

He was on it last night. I mean I. Right away I. I was.

[Todd McShay]

Oh.

[Steve Coughlin]

Not good vibes. Man. If you had Oregon, terrible vibes.

[Todd McShay]

Right. And then they did a. They did a.

[Steve Coughlin]

And the kid on the kickoff return, the first kickoff return got lit up. Lit up.

[Todd McShay]

So. And then it's a pick six.

[Steve Coughlin]

That it will.

[Todd McShay]

This thing's going to get ugly fast. Yep.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yep.

[Todd McShay]

And my initial instinct wasn't wrong. But they did an overhead shot of the stadium. Man.

[Steve Coughlin]

How about Indiana fans?

[Todd McShay]

It was 80% was being kind to Oregon.

[Steve Coughlin]

I think so. Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

Like yo, Phil. Hey Phil Knight. Can we buy some seats and like. And send some people is going on. I don't understand. Are we all just wait like we'll only show up to the national championship. I get it. That Indiana. This is like they have gone through basically the. The history of the program to get here. Of.

[Steve Coughlin]

Right.

[Todd McShay]

Despair. The second losing program in college football history. And some argue that it's. It's the. They've had the most losses of any program. Depends on what history book you're looking at. I guess the point is I don't know that there's a fan base out there that has endured more horrible seasons and just no hope than the Indiana football fan in college football. Right. And so I get that there's this hunger and. But it's still like. Do you not remember last year at the Rose Bowl Oregon, like how quickly this thing could turn ugly? We'll get to that in a second too. Not a great look for Dan Lanning the last two years.

[Steve Coughlin]

I wanna, I wanna talk about that when you have a second. But I will say this too. Did you see that the state of Indiana moved high school basketball games to make sure that people could watch this game?

[Todd McShay]

I love it.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah. It's great. It's great.

[Todd McShay]

It's what it's all about, man.

[Steve Coughlin]

You love it. Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

It's a basketball state, right? It's a basketball school till it's not. I got news for you. New England was a. New England was a baseball region, and Boston and Massachusetts was a baseball town till Brady got here.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah, you.

[Todd McShay]

You'd argue Belich, but I'd argue Brady. All right, but then the response. And I'm like, okay, one bad mistake. But. But how about this response? They drive down the. They drive down the field. Oregon does. And it was. I. I wrote down. It was like seven. Seven minutes, seven and change.

[Steve Coughlin]

Minutes 38, I think. Seven minutes and 38 seconds, I think.

[Todd McShay]

Okay. 7:38, 14 plays. Dante Moore goes five of seven 50 yards passing and. And completes it with. With a touchdown.

[Steve Coughlin]

And there was a drop. I believe the tight end had the back drop.

[Todd McShay]

It could have been a first down. That should have been a first down, bad drop. And so I'm like, all right, here we go. Oregon's. Oregon's fine. But then the defense comes out for Oregon, and it just didn't feel right from the jump, man.

[Steve Coughlin]

Nope.

[Todd McShay]

I'm watching an undersized center who's an awesome college player and might have a chance to get it done in the NFL, push around Amari Washington.

[Steve Coughlin]

I. All right, here's the thing we saw. Get you.

[Todd McShay]

I knew I'd get you. You know what?

[Steve Coughlin]

I. I can't believe I'm taking the bait. That's. But whatever. Whatever. I'm not. You know what? I'm not gonna even do it.

[Todd McShay]

Like I've said when that offensive line.

[Steve Coughlin]

For Indiana played awesome.

[Todd McShay]

That's what I'm saying. That's the point I wanted.

[Steve Coughlin]

I'm not taking that away.

[Todd McShay]

I know.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah, I know.

[Todd McShay]

But. But the point is, I remember watching last year when you and I weren't buying completely in and we shouldn't have, and saying my biggest takeaway is this is the best coach team in college football. As a collective unit, no team is doing, like, the detail, like, old school stuff. Hat on a hat, gap discipline on defense, communication, angles, leverage, pursuit, like, all of it. And this team's just a little bit more talented and has been in the. Some guys have been in the system for second year, and they've got a quarterback who's just better. Curtis Rourke was a nice player. Mendoza is about to be the first overall pick in the NFL draft.

[Steve Coughlin]

Okay, we'll see.

[Todd McShay]

Ask FanDuel. Hey, Tuck, get me that. What's. What's in.

[Steve Coughlin]

Do I Think that Fernando Mendoza will be the first overall pick in the draft? I do.

[Todd McShay]

Do.

[Steve Coughlin]

Do. I think that right now the odds are that he is. The draft's not tomorrow. We are a long way off. Let's calm down with. Or like, just making, like, announcing this guy is the first overall pick. He is in the driver's seat right now. He's earned the right to be in the driver's seat.

[Todd McShay]

Well, do you want. We can have the conversation, but I kind of want to recap the game a little bit.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah, go ahead. Whatever. Whenever you want to do it. I'm just not gonna like the. Some of the things that came out tonight were a little wild with Fernando Mendoza. Just gonna say it. Unbelievable.

[Todd McShay]

Disagree. He's not. He's not as perfect as the numbers look. He's not. He's not. Joe Burrow. He's not. He's not. Jaden Daniels and I talk. I was just gonna say. And I talked to an NFL, and I have my own opinions, too. And I agreed with him. We were agreeing back and forth. I told you. I talked to an NFL head coach for 55 minutes two days ago. And he has been. He'd been doing some of the tape and really likes him. And I've got. I've got all these notes.

[Steve Coughlin]

I really like him. He's really good.

[Todd McShay]

We all do. But. But talking about he's not Jaden.

[Steve Coughlin]

Nope.

[Todd McShay]

This guy I talked to didn't love Caleb as much, but. Not Caleb. Not Drake.

[Steve Coughlin]

Nope.

[Todd McShay]

And even went as far as he's not cam for him. But this is not a great draft. Class at the top. And my question to you would be, if not Mendoza, who.

[Steve Coughlin]

Dante Moore is still in the mix. Absolutely. Dante Moore is absolutely still in the mix.

[Todd McShay]

All right, so we're gonna have the conversation. Right?

[Steve Coughlin]

I want to see the tape. I want to see. I do want to see the.

[Todd McShay]

I want to see the tape, too. So. And.

[Steve Coughlin]

And part of that is I might go back and watch that tape and be like, oh, I mean, the pick. I'm making no excuse for the. The fumbles. The one that went off the running back. That's kind of a fluky play. I'm not really worried about the other one. I don't think he had anyone downfield. Again, want to see the. All 22. You got to take care of the ball, even if you got to either get rid of it or you got to cover it up. You can't. You can't fumble. I mean, no. There's no way you. You shape that as A positive play. But Dante Moore is just as talented as he was yesterday as he is today. I mean, there's just. There's just no getting around that. And I think Dante Moore has a chance to be a better quarterback than Fernanda Mendoza because some of the. The tools. So to sit here and say that I think that Fernando Mendoza is definitely going to be the number one overall pick. And Dante Moore is no longer in the running because Oregon had a terrible game. I, I just, I, I think that's reactionary. And Fernando Mendoza deserves all the flowers in the world. And Indiana deserves all the flowers in the world. They are incredible team with a player having an incredible a year and performance in the playoffs. All of that is true. It doesn't change the fact that we're talking about the NFL draft and maybe we're saying that the Raiders can't fall in love with Dante Moore and like him a. Like a slightly better than Fernando Mendoza. That can't happen. It's a knockout. Let me remind you of something because we brought up the Joe Burrow thing and I had to go back and look at this. Okay. Joe Burrow averaged 378.1 passing yards per game and threw for 60 touchdowns compared to six interceptions. Mendoza, right now through 15 games, same amount of games, is averaging fewer because he had less tonight. Fewer than 226.4 and he has 41 touchdowns compared to six interceptions. It's not even close. Indiana, LSU was balanced. Indiana is a run heavy offense. There's no getting around that. Indiana's a run heavy offense and there's nothing wrong with that. Especially when you have a quarterback that is an absolute surgeon given the opportunity. But when we're talking about prospects and talking about generational guys, he is not.

[Todd McShay]

You're yelling at me because I heard it tonight.

[Steve Coughlin]

I heard it.

[Todd McShay]

I just heard it. I just afforded you more patience. More.

[Steve Coughlin]

What if he's not Joe Burrow? Is it unthinkable that a Dante Moore could be in the mix to be the first overall pick?

[Todd McShay]

These are two different conversations.

[Steve Coughlin]

Okay, well, I'm having a conversation about whether or not Dante Moore can be the first overall pick in Fernando and the fact that I don't think Fernando Mendoza is an absolute lock.

[Todd McShay]

I'm having a similar conversation that's not identical.

[Steve Coughlin]

Okay, give me the nuance of what I. Patience.

[Todd McShay]

I just showed you. I should go straight to heaven.

[Steve Coughlin]

I am fired up after listening to all this for the last hour.

[Todd McShay]

We agree that Fernando Mendoza is not Drake May.

[Steve Coughlin]

Correct.

[Todd McShay]

We agree that he's not Jaden Daniels. And hopefully Jaden bounces back next year. But we know what that talent is. I think we both agree he's not Caleb Williams because Caleb Williams, yeah, he struggled as a rookie. He's playing better this year and the ceiling still higher. We can get into a discussion about Cam Ward, but from a talent standpoint, Cam Ward is more talented. From a stepping in right away as a rookie, who would have more success? I think actually Mendoza would. But neither is going to have success in Tennessee, which kind of leads me to this point. I want to. Excuse me. I want to separate the two conversations for a second and we can come back. I'm not going to ignore what you're saying, but these, in my mind, these are two different conversations. Mendoza's not that guy.

[Steve Coughlin]

Right.

[Todd McShay]

And he sure as is not Joe Burrow.

[Steve Coughlin]

Right?

[Todd McShay]

He's not. So I'm agreeing with you on that. And all those numbers back up what we saw on tape. Joe Burrow special. Different Joe Burrows in this like elite of elite category. And it's one of the most unfortunate. It's starting to feel a little bit like the Andrew Luck stuff with Burrow that like, is the good lord gonna rob us of one of the great talents to play that position? And it will be devastating. And I'm not saying. I'm just saying, like, how many years do we have to go through? Or an injury just like shuts it down. Okay. I hold Burrow and that grade I gave him in a very rare air. But also in that rare neighborhood at least is Caleb and Jaden and Drake.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yep.

[Todd McShay]

Okay. Fernando's not. Nope. We can have a discussion about would you take if same draft Cam Fernando, like, let. Let's spend the. Let's spend the next few months having that conversation. But we do agree that Fernando is a damn good quarterback, a first round talent. I think we both also agree.

[Steve Coughlin]

Can I say something?

[Todd McShay]

Yeah.

[Steve Coughlin]

Just. Just to be really quickly. At worst, Fernando Mendoza, I think goes second over on this draft. And I'm happy if my team. I'm happy if my team drafts them. I want to be clear about that. And also Dante Moore. Not that guy either.

[Todd McShay]

Dante caffeinated tonight. I. I agree. I agree.

[Steve Coughlin]

I'm not saying that. I'm not saying that Dante.

[Todd McShay]

Dante Moore, if seasoned properly, if he gets enough water and sunlight in the right crop with cool nights and shades at the right time will be better than Fernando Mendoza. That's what I think. But back to Mendoza for a second before I get to more this draft class, man. And I'M just solidifying what you just said. Vegas picks one, jets pick two. That's locked. It got locked after week 18 last year.

[Steve Coughlin]

Right?

[Todd McShay]

I mean, last week.

[Steve Coughlin]

Last week. Yep.

[Todd McShay]

I'm looking at this mock draft and you can. You can debate my mock. Forget the mock. Let me go through the top prospects. And these are handwritten on a quarter piece of paper as I was going through.

[Steve Coughlin]

Now I got you fired up. Let's go.

[Todd McShay]

We're waiting on a database. It's going to come together soon. We're going to have it all in one place, and that's wonderful. However, right now, I would argue throw the quarterbacks out. Let me give you some of the names of the top prospects in this class. Carvel Reese, he's a linebacker. Maybe he can be in that. He's a linebacker right now. Jeremiah Love, awesome talent. He's a running back. I mean, Maui Noah. I got Bailey.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah, Bailey. The edge of Texas Tech.

[Todd McShay]

Yep. Bailey's an awesome edge, but he's undersized. Doesn't fit every scheme. And like, undersized edges have not always translated. Translated? Well, downs, awesome player safety. So you got a safety, a running back and off the ball linebacker, and an undersized edge rusher. Then you get into Maui Noah and Fano. You're hiring Fano? You got Bane, short arms. Is he a three technique? I saw him kick inside a three technique the other night and get his ass kicked last night. Then you got really good wide receivers, but they ain't Justin Jefferson.

[Steve Coughlin]

No.

[Todd McShay]

And they ain't Jamar Chase. Right. So my point on Mendoza, and let's wrap this up, is he's going to be the first or second overall pick.

[Steve Coughlin]

Correct. He will be the first or second overall pick.

[Todd McShay]

Okay. Because not only are they quarterbacks for quarterback needy teams, there's not. There's not a Miles Garrett staring at you.

[Steve Coughlin]

Right.

[Todd McShay]

There's not a Joe Alt where you're like, you know what? We're the Jets.

[Steve Coughlin]

We're.

[Todd McShay]

We got two first rounds this year, we got three next year. Let's build around it before we bring in a quarterback. And let's. Let's bring in Miles Garrett, let's bring in Joe Alt. Let's solidify these positions of value.

[Steve Coughlin]

Right.

[Todd McShay]

We don't have it this year. We're going to take a running back. I gave Arizona running back at what, stunner? Three.

[Steve Coughlin]

At three.

[Todd McShay]

Yeah. Because this class is a nightmare when it comes to trying to match positional value with the actual talent.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

Now I get it. Here's what here's. Go ahead.

[Steve Coughlin]

I like Mendoza better than I like Cam Ward, by the way.

[Todd McShay]

Okay. And we can have that. And I'm here for that discussion, right? February, March and April. Not tonight. I got tonight, tonight's conversation. This is the urgent breaking news. And I, I see social media and I hear you, New York media. That's great. The, the impetus behind me talking about the jets and how some prospects might not want to go there because you, because you're ruined organizationally. Not Aaron Glenn, not Moji, not, not this new group. But it's been an organizational top down problem. Young, inexperienced quarterbacks go there to fail. Mark Sanchez had a little bit of success with a great defense and all that stuff. Done.

[Steve Coughlin]

Four years, I think. Four years he made it. Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

Four years. Sam Darnold. Look at him now. Favorite to win the Super Bowl. Had to get out of there, get with someone to get him, right. Zach Wilson. Not saying that he's going to be anything great in the league, but he, he was young and like no shot to succeed. So that was my point in all that with the Jets. My other point that got lost in all of it is I just want Dante to go back. Me too, because I got this list and I'm gonna do this again. And I promise I won't do it. Won't be my new 22, 881. I'm not going to do it a hundred times, maybe once a month. But I'm looking at the guys who are succeeding in the NFL either this year and this year and, or previous years and, and the, the, the bars. Bill Parcels was ahead of his time, man. Got to graduate, got to win a certain amount of games. 25. I forget if his was 23 or 20, but 25 starts is like the, is the bare minimum because the first rounders who have been drafted at quarterback in the last decade are Dwayne Haskins, God rest his soul, but Dwayne Haskins, Mitch Trubisky and Anthony Richardson. And we talked about this with Ty Simpson, right? With his, with his 15 starts. Yeah, but we, we better start having this conversation. And I hope, and everyone in Dante Moore's camp and even the head coach I was talking to who has connections around Oregon is like everyone I talked to this. He is so mature, like beyond his years. He's a special individual between his ears. Maturity, all of it. I hope he taps into all that and takes a look at this. It's not about, man, I, I may be the fourth quarterback next year. And you know what? If you believe in yourself and I know Dante does come back and be the first I know every it's a it's a lock. Ask Orlovsky. Arch is the number one overall pick if he's in this draft. I actually agree with that. I agree that he would be the number one overall pick in this draft, but I don't know that he is going to be next year. That's a different conversation. We can have that later.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah, you got me now like now.

[Todd McShay]

The spinning go ahead but Bo Nix 60 plus starts 50 plus starts are Cam Ward, Jaden Daniels 40 plus Baker, Purdy Pennix, Herbert Hertz, Dart 30 plus cousins, Geno Goff, Daniel Jones, Trevor Stafford, Lamar Dak, Caleb Love I told you the two guys sub 30 that are having a lot of success. Bryce Young's another one. We'll see how that plays out. A lot of struggles early but is pulling it together. The two guys that are sub 30 but still had 25 or 29 in Mahomes and Josh Allen respectively are superhuman and Mahomes sat a year with Alex Smith teaching him in the quarterback room and Andy Reid one of the great developers everyone seems to forget Josh Allen really struggled as a rookie and early in his career and he also had Brian Dabel there who's one of the great in my in my humble opinion.

[Steve Coughlin]

I agree with you.

[Todd McShay]

One of the better quarterback developers and understanding the position in the league when he was in the league and he'll be back, I'm sure. So my point is I'm looking at Dante Moore in his 20th start and he looks like a guy. And yeah, the running back and the RPO shouldn't have hit his elbow to throw. Yeah but the strip sack and several other plays I'm watching a quarterback. Yes, your receivers are covered up but we, we got to speed up that clock, man. I don't think Dante Moore's ready and it's part of what I was saying on the last episode that everyone in New York media picked up and now by the way, Stephen A. Smith and Bomani Jones and every talk show, every podcast, every ESPN show, everyone's covering that subject. Other Lewis Riddick on a local ESPN radio in New York. I don't know that anyone's disagreeing with what with my premise of maybe you look at the New York if you're a young quarterback with 20 starts and maybe you maybe you factor that into your decision to go back. But it's not even my greater point. The jets are going to take who the jets want to take and hopefully this New regime is ready to protect them and support them and allow him to flourish, whoever that quarterback is. My greater point, Steve, is what do we have in this business without trends and analysis and history, Right? And the history tells us and especially in this day and age of nil and transfer portal and guys getting for a lot of those names. Knicks, right. A lot of those names are part of this new regime. Cam Ward, Jaden Daniels Dart, all transfer guys that got extra time and actually went through some tough times and when they were hardened when they got in the league. So I don't disagree with you that, that Dante Moore could be the better quarterback. But I'm asking you this question legitimately. Knowing the history and knowing all the problems and knowing the Trabiskis and the Haskins and, and the Mark Sanchez's and the, and the Anthony Richardsons. Right?

[Steve Coughlin]

Right.

[Todd McShay]

And here in that list I just gave you and watching him then tonight, are you comfortable taking him at one overall over. And I, I mocked him there because I was trying to show everyone that Dante Moore is, is just as talented, if not maybe more talented, maybe has a higher ceiling than Mendoza. It's the first mock draft, plenty of things will change. My point was to show this is not just Mendoza and everybody else, but would you take more over Mendoza even after watching this tonight? And then more importantly knowing that just his 20th start, he can come back next year, play 12, 13, 15 more games. And now he's in the range of like now he's in the range we're talking about with, with Stafford, Lamar Dak, Caleb Love. I feel a lot more comfortable then. But he also, that's the last game he played with Will Stein who's going to be the Kentucky head coach. There's just a lot of factors here, bud.

[Steve Coughlin]

I hear you. I agree with you that he should go back. I think that it will be better for him. I agree with you that if I had to draft tonight, and I said this earlier, I would draft Fernando Mendoza first overall ahead of Dante Moore. That's why you don't draft 10 minutes after a semifinal game where a kid has a bad game. That's why you don't do it. It's why you wait. It's why you go through the process of interviewing these guys. It's why you go through the, all these steps of getting to know a player and getting to, to see what, like what makes them tick, how they fit in your building, how, how they work out with you. My thing, my beef after this was we are on the national telecast saying that he is the first overall pick. And we're comparing. Yep, yep. And we're comparing him to Joe Burrow.

[Todd McShay]

I, I, in fairness, not so, not so fast. Not and listen, in fairness to Sean and to, and, and to Greg, they were talking about the college football season which is, has been comparable outside of the yards and all that in terms of undefeated dominance, efficiency, those sorts of things. I'm not trying to protect them or put words in their mouths. I don't think it was necessarily as much. It's the same talent level and that. I don't know, maybe it was. But I, that's not what I heard.

[Steve Coughlin]

Maybe not. Yeah, I've heard things. You know, we all have our, our biases that cause us to hear things a certain way and maybe I wasn't hearing it the way that they were meaning it. And you were, you know him better than me and, and he is, I'm not just saying this like I'm not what he is. Great. He is one of the all timers. That being said, what I was hearing was that somehow he's, they're comparing him to Joe Burrow and that, you know, there was a couple times where I think, well, I don't think there's any more question about who's going to be the first overall pick in this draft. And to me, I, you know, there is some question. There is a process, there is a, this is a long runup to, and I'm sure Mendoza will do well and I'm sure if Dante Moore comes out, he will do well. Again, we're not changing what one of the principles, one of the bedrocks of the this, of this show that you've created is the more you play in college as a quarterback, the better off you're going to be in the long run. I am 100% on board with you. As much as I'd like to bust your balls about being the snaps guy, that is, I think that's just true. So I obviously, I want him to go back. I think it would be better for him.

[Todd McShay]

I looked out in our chat to see what's going on and I love how everyone's getting involved. But I also, I saw a comment before I saw the handle and the comment was Simpson will be the number two overall pick. Said with authority, definitive, decisive. Then I looked at the handle at Tank for Ty.

[Steve Coughlin]

Can I also say, can I give you. Because we're going to move on here. Can I just talk about the reality of where Oregon is right now? Can I, can we do that?

[Todd McShay]

Really quick. Yeah, you want to transition.

[Steve Coughlin]

Dan Lanning took the job in 2022. He won 10 games. Right. Looks pretty good. Only problem is Mario Cristobal won 10 games the year before at Oregon. 2023, they go in and they are, I think, 13 and 2. But they lost both games to Washington. They were favored in the, in the Pac12 championship. They lost that game to Washington. Washington goes to lose the Michigan in the national championship game, but made it to the national championship game. And Oregon beats Liberty in a bowl game. Go to the next year. They go undefeated. They're the number one seed in the playoff. They get smoked by Ohio State in their first playoff game. Now we get to this year, they lose to Indiana twice again. You're losing to the same team twice in the same season. We all say it's hard to beat a team twice. Well, this seems to be a little bit of a trend that's concerning. And they get smoked in the playoff again. Dan Lanning is 39 years old. He will be 40 in April. To put that in perspective, Kurt Signetti was the quarterback and tight end coach at North Carolina State when he was Dan Lening's age. So it's keep, let's keep that in mind. And Dan Lenning, I think, is 48 and 8 at Oregon now. He's a talented coach, he's a talented recruiter, but he's now lost both coordinators and they can't seem to find a way to get over the hump, despite all of the talent that we talked about, despite this quarterback that I, that I seem to love and I do love, and they can't seem to get over the hump. He's preached with this team all year about growth and about learning from moments and getting better. And I think this is a real pivot point in his career. And about whether or not they're going to be able to come back in and where they're going to be able to come back next year and win big games and find a way to get over the hump.

[Todd McShay]

They've scored 43 points in their last two postseason losses. They've given up 97. And he's a defensive coach. I'm not trying to start anything here.

[Steve Coughlin]

I'm a Dan.

[Todd McShay]

I, I actually am. And I. There are some people who are. Listen, I actually have just so everyone. I defend Dan Lanning.

[Steve Coughlin]

This is the reality. These are the facts. This is what's happened.

[Todd McShay]

Yeah, and, and, and what concerns me most, if I'm being honest, Will Stein was such a big part of the success the last few years.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

I put Will Stein up in the top. Like you know, handful of offensive minds and coaches and what they were accomplishing in college and most importantly the development of quarterbacks. I mean Bo Nix came to Oregon as a wounded duck.

[Steve Coughlin]

It's so, it's true.

[Todd McShay]

It's just a lot of laughable moments like oh, cringing and like at Auburn and it spit out a 12th overall pick and a guy who's. Who's number is a number one seed in the afc.

[Steve Coughlin]

Right. The starting quarterback for the number one seed in the afc.

[Todd McShay]

Okay. Dylan Gabriel came to him as kind.

[Steve Coughlin]

Of, you know this.

[Todd McShay]

It's cute. He's fun. He spreads the ball around, he runs around. Haha. You know, win some games here, win some games there.

[Steve Coughlin]

Remember when he beat Texas at Oklahoma? Look at this kid.

[Todd McShay]

Yeah, yeah. It's so cute. And then he gets in there and. And now he's a third, third round pick and he's starting a bunch of games as a rookie, albeit circumstance and Cleveland and everything else. But he's. He, he takes a quarterback and spits out. He takes Cole and spits out a diamond and maybe I don't want to call them cold, but he spits out something.

[Steve Coughlin]

Right. Gabriel wasn't sniffing the NFL before he got to Eugene. I mean it wasn't. Wasn't a thing.

[Todd McShay]

Correct. And so now you lose him. That's. It's your defensive.

[Steve Coughlin]

That's what I'm saying.

[Todd McShay]

And now you've given up almost a hundred points in your last two postseason losses. Like yeah, this is a tough. It'll be Oregon.

[Steve Coughlin]

It's gonna be a lot.

[Todd McShay]

And by the way, where are your. And they might need hands. Not that that matter. Like where are your fans tonight? It's gonna be a tough one to overcome. And then now hearing about Dylan Raiola. Pete Thamel came on before the broadcast and was talking about how he pulled. He does a great job. Almost like it feels like quarterly if it was a full year. But like once a month or so he'll come on and would take. Provide the temperature from NFL GMs and people. People he's talking to, typically GMs, you know, who's the top quarterback prospect, what are the rankings, all that stuff. And he said that majority of people that he talked to in the league would take Mendoza over more because you could plug him in right now and go win 28 with. Go score 28 points with them. I disagree with the premise. No, I agree with the premise. I Disagree with the 28.

[Steve Coughlin]

I am with you.

[Todd McShay]

Yeah. I don't see that Raiders team just, you know, ripping off 28 points a game. But with Mendoza, but there was some intel into that it was just a kind of a throwaway line, but that this is a win let now league and there isn't a first round quarterback that gets drafted that sits here. We talked about Jordan Love because of circumstance and Patrick Mahomes because they just did it the right way.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

But other than that, all these other guys, dozens in the last decade. Dozens start even when they're not ready to start. And so Mendoza, I'm watching Mendoza and I think there's a ceiling that's lower than you would want to have and that you certainly have with Burrow and Drake and Jaden and Caleb. And we've talked about all of it. But I do think he's pretty NFL ready from a coming out of college standpoint. Maturity, standpoint, hardened, bounced around.

[Steve Coughlin]

Work his ass off. He will win over an NFL locker room with his work ethic. Yes, people could talk about how quirky he is, but when, when a vet sees a guy come in and work the way that this kid works, it doesn't matter what you how like it doesn't matter about all those quirks. It's about.

[Todd McShay]

That conversation I had the other day was enlightening because it's from a coach. We normally talk to scouts and GMs and so you know most of our conversations. But every once in a while to get the coach's perspective and from the offensive side he's like, he's like, yeah, I hear the interviews. I don't like whatever it is what it is. He's like, you know, yeah. The only thing I study with quarterbacks is does the inner, inner city kid, after a bad play from Mendoza or after something goes, does the inner city kid come and pat him on the back or. Or go celebrate with them and does the country kid do it?

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

And he goes and you watch on that team because they got country, country boys and inner city kids and no question, you know, and I thought it was they were doing it tonight of like the little things that you know. So yeah, so that that's what is working in Mendoza's favor. But more now and rightfully so. You wait till the end of the season. Your focus needs to be on the next game. Moore's got a tough decision to make and now you lose offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator. You come off of this loss, all the money in the world and the portal and Phil Knight and the facilities and the uniforms and all of it. But what does this look like next year if more leaves? And then what if more comes back? Is it just, oh, we pick up the pieces and we go, everything's, everything's easy. I don't know. It's, they're in a this is gonna be a crossroads for Oregon.

[Steve Coughlin]

It is. I, I agree with you. It feels like a real moment for them.

[Todd McShay]

Now. We've talked a lot about the, about the draft and I think we covered the more I I hope Dante goes back.

[Steve Coughlin]

I, me too. I, I, I honestly hope he goes back.

[Todd McShay]

If not, then we can have, we'll have several months. We'll have the rest of January, February, the and the date is the 12th. And I and what's today? Today's the 9th. I don't know if they get an extension if they played in this game or not, but I do know if you play in the national championship game, there's an extension for the, for the declaration day for underclassmen, but it's coming up. If it's not the 12th for them, then he's going to have it's going to be within the next week that we're going to know if Dante Moore and my guess is he's going to make a decision to make it public in the next few days.

[Steve Coughlin]

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[Todd McShay]

Not a Prime member.

[Steve Coughlin]

Sign up for a 30 day free trial to stream the game that's going.

[Todd McShay]

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[Steve Coughlin]

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[Todd McShay]

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[Steve Coughlin]

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[Todd McShay]

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[Steve Coughlin]

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[Todd McShay]

But I do want to talk about. I. I want to talk about Mendoza in this game.

[Steve Coughlin]

Unbelievable. He was unbelievable.

[Todd McShay]

Searching, surgical.

[Steve Coughlin]

He's just, you know, it's. I was watching this game and I'm thinking to myself, football can be so complicated when you start getting into different coverages, different pressures and different protections and how we want to block this guy and specific matchups and how we're going to adjust to this and that, but it really is, and I don't want to sound like a coach. It's really simple when you boil it down. And when he. When you make it simple, the game slows down.

[Todd McShay]

Haas is out of his mind. Hoss is just a shock jock.

[Steve Coughlin]

Why?

[Todd McShay]

What's over Mendoza? Crystal ball over Signetti. Haas just does it to get people riled up. And every once in a while, it'll work on me. Go ahead, finish your point. I was on a roll.

[Steve Coughlin]

I know.

[Todd McShay]

So I.

[Steve Coughlin]

From him. They talk about this all the time, with it slowing down for quarterbacks, and for him, it is. So when you prep the way that he does and understand what he needs to execute within each play, it becomes easier to execute the throw. I think, and I think you've seen that he doesn't. He didn't have a big night in terms of attempts tonight, but he knows exactly what he's doing. I mean, whether he has to get off his first read to get to his third breed, which, by the way, I think he's done a better job as a rest. So that's. That's a real area of improvement for him. He's gotten better over the course of the year regardless. But that's specifically one area that I think that I've seen him get better, is getting through his reads.

[Todd McShay]

But just when you know, when you're.

[Steve Coughlin]

That confident and you're that prepared, you put yourself in the best, best position to execute. And you see that happening with him consistently with how accurate these throws are, how on time these throws are. It's just. It's impressive, the efficiency. He may not be as talented as the quarterbacks I've. I've mentioned, but his efficiency is a superpower, I guess. And it is if you're a football fan, man, it's fun to watch. It is Just fun to watch.

[Todd McShay]

It's. It's starting to look kind of easy for him, isn't it?

[Steve Coughlin]

That's. I mean, I guess that's all the words I just used. That's basically what it's. What it is.

[Todd McShay]

I kept writing down in my notes as I'm watching the game. And it's different than the notes you take when you're watching the tape and putting together your draft reports and everything like that. But I kept writing down on time, On time, on target. Like every ball is just like right when it's supposed to get out and then, and then right to the spot. And then he had some off schedule stuff. He had some rollouts, kind of few and far between tonight. But when he did on target again, and then a couple times he, he had that fumble on the one that lucky that his center came and got it for him. But that was a pretty cool run before the ball popped out.

[Steve Coughlin]

Do you see Coogan after he picked it up? He did the first downs. That was awesome.

[Todd McShay]

It was awesome. I mean, it's probably more rare for an offensive lineman to, to get a first down sign than it is a touchdown, you know?

[Steve Coughlin]

You know he was the MVP of the Big Ten game.

[Todd McShay]

I know. That was awesome.

[Steve Coughlin]

Unbelievable.

[Todd McShay]

Yeah, that was awesome. I mean, this whole thing for Indiana.

[Steve Coughlin]

Is like field of dreams.

[Todd McShay]

It's just like it is the centers. When an offensive. Everyone's celebrating with him, the coach pulls a bunch of, you know, throwaways and 1 stars and 2 stars and 3 stars and gets them from JMU and here and there and everywhere. And they are the most dominant team in college football.

[Steve Coughlin]

His coordinators were making $6,000 a year at IUP and living off food stamps. And now they're making millions crying in.

[Todd McShay]

Production meetings with Sean and Greg because they're.

[Steve Coughlin]

That was a great back to those. That's a great note. I don't think people realize sometimes what these guys have to go through. It was a great note and they make all the money in the world now. And I get that. But to get there and what you have to sacrifice in terms of time, all of it is. I thought it was an awesome story.

[Todd McShay]

But he comes out, Mendoza does on this stage now, granted with the home crowd, but on this stage after already beaten Ohio State in the Big Ten, after already beating Alabama out in the Rose bowl, and I know that Alabama team was fractured, but it's still a unbelievably talented team. And then no, like, there's just no let down. There's no inconsistency there's very little inconsistency. And it's just so. I mean, we're saying the same thing, but he goes 10 for 11 in the first half, and then, yeah, it's not 170 yards, but it's 10 for 11. 110, one touchdown, no turnover.

[Steve Coughlin]

Pro day workout. At times, it looks.

[Todd McShay]

You know what I mean? That's why I kept saying, like, why so easy for him? And then. And then Dante's back there and like, yeah, they drove it down, and he was five of seven on that next drive after the pick six, but he was having to kind of work a little bit, and, like, you know, and the reads were a little harder and. And so, like, maybe Will Stein's recruiting and getting his staff ready for Kentucky, and they weren't as prepared. I don't know.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

But I can tell you this. I've watched a lot, like, probably 80% of the. The snap, the drop backs, at least for. For more and at least 80% for Mendoza as we're preparing for this thing. And we've been doing tape truths and everything else throughout the year. And for one guy, one guy's more beautiful throwing the football. One guy makes some throws at the other guy. You just don't see a lot of one guy. It really looks NFL and it looks CJ Stroud. When things are going right and you see what the future could be, and it's enticing and it's intoxicating. The other guy just murders you with.

[Steve Coughlin]

Deaths by a thousand cuts. Yep.

[Todd McShay]

A million paper cuts. Yeah, he just slices. You pick up seven, pick up nine, you know, and we get 15 there. And then when you. And then when you get them in coverage or you flush them, takes off running, it's like, oh, he's six, five. He's 220. He looks gangly. How do you just rip off 17 yards? It's annoying, right? Yeah, the whole thing. And by the way, I've been watching it all season long. The back shoulder stuff, especially the Surat, is just lethal.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

It's just a. It's. You could put it to. To classical music. It's like poetry meets art meets, like.

[Steve Coughlin]

It's so special when Des, with the Cowboys and Romo, that was a play that was almost. You couldn't defend it with those guys, and that was. It looks the same way.

[Todd McShay]

I don't know what else you got on the game before we move on.

[Steve Coughlin]

That's. I mean.

[Todd McShay]

I mean, obviously it was tough not having Whittington but outside of that one. What the one arm into it and the in the delivery and the ball gets loose from Dante Moore because his running backs too close. I actually think the running backs did pretty well. Like I don't have. Right. I like you looked up and.

[Steve Coughlin]

And.

[Todd McShay]

Jay Harris, like the first. It was. The first driver to. It was a five carries, 15. 15 rush yards, two catches for 17. Then the next. He had three catches early in the game.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yep.

[Todd McShay]

That wasn't the problem. It was sloppy. It was mistakes. And quite honestly, I thought way too early in this game I got the sense that Indiana had robbed Oregon's defense of its will.

[Steve Coughlin]

I did feel that way too. I felt that way too. I'll say this. I think this was true last year and I think it's true this year. The two most physical teams in the country are in the final and they. It was bully ball. I thought that Oregon defense was going to play much better. I don't. I mean I just thought they were. They have the talent to play better, but it was bully ball and it was. We may not be as talented you, but we're willing to do things that you're not willing to do and we will. We're going to run the ball right down your throat and we're going to just keep coming and we're going to get downhill and are you willing to step up and stick your face in the fan and play physical all night? The two most physical teams were in last year and the two most physical teams are in this year, in my opinion.

[Todd McShay]

Yeah, they were. It was Notre Dame and Ohio State and they both had what to go along with that physicality and a strong, strong run.

[Steve Coughlin]

A quarterback who played a lot of.

[Todd McShay]

Snaps and where's my chart?

[Steve Coughlin]

Here we go.

[Todd McShay]

Mendoza had the third, fourth. No. Yeah. No, Mendoza had. It was Carson Beck 2881. Baron Morton 2536. By the way, there's more interest in Baron Morton in day three of the draft than you would.

[Steve Coughlin]

I thought.

[Todd McShay]

Go ahead. One has nothing to do with the other. I'm just dropping a nugget. If you're going to hang with us at 1203 in the morning Eastern time. And I've got a little nugget for you. When a name comes up that's like nobody else in the world will give you, I promise you. Conversations I'm having recently, I'm surprised by the like, hey, kind of want to grab Morton in the day three as a backup. But like I see some stuff, maybe win some games for us. Mendoza number three on that list. Okay. 2,135 snaps coming into the College Football Playoff. The same thing. Discipline, physical teams, physicality on defense, strong running game and experience. A quarterback.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yep, that's the recipe.

[Todd McShay]

Steve Coughlin can send me like a fruit basket.

[Steve Coughlin]

All we asked for was clarification on how you were seeing certain snaps. And I think that's all right, dad.

[Todd McShay]

No, because you guys were being smart asses.

[Steve Coughlin]

We were asking about the Drake May versus Matt Stafford situation. NFC west snaps versus AFC east snaps. And you know, Stafford's played more snaps. We just didn't know how it all, how it all factored in for the MVP race.

[Todd McShay]

The fact that you and Steve are still trying to bust my balls about this as we're looking at a college football national championship game that literally my entire premise that entire day is you were yelling at me. And then you got, you got your buddy Steve 82, the old tight end at Stanford on your, the fact that you're still coming at me, can you.

[Steve Coughlin]

Imagine, Was one of the most genius.

[Todd McShay]

Prognostications in the history of this, of this space. You're on a little bit of a.

[Steve Coughlin]

Run with your bats and all Miami over, over Ohio State and your snaps. If you think that right now is the time that I should be building. Like do you think Signetti would be building you up right now or do you think he'd be knocking your data.

[Todd McShay]

Peg, we need to knock you down. We need to keep you a little.

[Steve Coughlin]

Level headed because you're having a little too much success right now.

[Todd McShay]

And when you're. And when. But I, but I live in a house with Marissa Mia and, and a layer especially that keep me very grounded. I promise. You got to keep you level. All right. I want to move on to a few different subjects. Subjects I want to go back to last night. Go. I, I. Not that everyone watches every minute of every show. Although ATB and Cole Marie and Matt Mateus and, and, and MLS reach and our whole group, they, they come close and they, they do their best and we appreciate them for it. I did feel like I wanted to get a quick comment because I felt like we didn't because it was in the moment and then we were transitioning. Games over. Let's get to the live show. Tuck, roll the beat. You know all that. I don't think we gave enough to the past interference at the end of the game.

[Steve Coughlin]

What do you mean? The non call or the call? Okay, so you saw that, you saw that as blame.

[Todd McShay]

First of all, I don't think even In a traditional Hail Mary, you should be able to rip someone down by their shoulder pads. I agree with you. Without call.

[Steve Coughlin]

Right.

[Todd McShay]

I especially think in the, with the, the college rules, it should be called a little closer to the vest than maybe it is in certain NFL circumstances. Because in the NFL you get the ball at what, the two and in college it's 15. Well, the snap, I believe was from the 35 last night. That means you get the ball at the 20. Okay. It's not after this. But this also wasn't a TR. This wasn't like midfield or from your own 40.

[Steve Coughlin]

It was in strike.

[Todd McShay]

They had earned their way down where this was a legit, this was not dissimilar at all from the circumstance that won the Iron bowl with Jaylen Milro throwing that dart to the back, back left corner. You remember that, obviously.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yes.

[Todd McShay]

And so to watch and, and then to watch today because this, these are all the things we're starting a show we've kind of moved on to watch today on some of the shows. That ref wasn't in position, bro. He was like surprised it went in the back. Like, where'd you think the ball was going to go? And why don't we have another back check? Like, can't we know the ball is going to be thrown in this 10 to 50 yard area? Right.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

And as, and as, and as the quarterback rolls to the left, shouldn't we have more eyes down there? And shouldn't the guy who's responsible for the. But again, this isn't the conversation that this show needs to have.

[Steve Coughlin]

I know there's two parts of it.

[Todd McShay]

It's a crying shame that wasn't a pass interference. Ole Miss absolutely deserved another snap. But there's also the element of they still get one play from the 20, you know.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

So I'm not about to be like, like he, it's different from he caught the ball and we're looking at replays and they got the call wrong. It's all right. Now they get a, they get a 1. What are the odds? I mean, I don't know what the win percentage would be or some, some analytics. It wouldn't be very high.

[Steve Coughlin]

No, I, I, you're, you're right. I mean, I think you could have called it both ways because off there was some hand fighting.

[Todd McShay]

But it wasn't different though.

[Steve Coughlin]

It was, I know either way, if you wanted to, if you would, I would have felt better if you called it both ways. It's definitely the, definitely defensive pass interference in the end. It didn't bother me and it probably should have more, to be honest with you. I just felt like the better team won and you're getting it from the 20. But you're right, like they sh. That's. That's not how it goes, man. Like, you gotta call the game until the end. We expect kids to play until the end. There's a lot on the line for both these teams.

[Todd McShay]

You're right. You're right.

[Steve Coughlin]

It didn't bother me in the moment, but you are right. I definitely should have been. There should have been a flag on the play and they should have got one more shot.

[Todd McShay]

I do want. Because it. Because it was Dejon Stribling who was interfered with, but it wasn't called. And by the way, they did.

[Steve Coughlin]

I think someone might brought this up too. I also think that they. In, In. In fairness, I think Ole Miss got away with a couple calls that should have been called on them at other points in the game, specifically. Yeah, so it comes out in the wash, I guess. But I hear your point stands, though. I mean, that's a big part of the game.

[Todd McShay]

I just. I do want to make a note on. On Dejan Stripling because this is heavily a draft show and it's 6 to 210 pounds. His production was not off the charts, but he. I was frustrated because I thought he kind of disappeared early in this game. Finished with 5 for 77, made a couple critical tough catches late in that game. I was very surprised considering, like, he's not been the most. I mean, you go through his, like early in the year, it was three catches, 55, one for nine, two for six, three for 62, two for 14. He didn't have a single game until Georgia where he's over 100 yards. But he picked a hell of a good time to finish the season strong. Starting in November, it was five catches, then four catches, then four, then five for 79, then seven for 122 in the playoff and then five for 77. And that all. I think it all came in the second half. Stribling's the guy who's going to rise. I'm just going to mark it down. What is it, the ninth of the night, January? He's going to be a guy that might wind up in the top 100. I'm just going to say that from looking at some of the. Yeah, the people wouldn't quite suspect. So I'm telling you, Baron Morton's going to get drafted higher than people thinking. I'm telling you, Stribling is too. Next thing. I was interested today, had a little time this morning, obviously popping around. What are people saying? I want to watch the highlights and stuff. You know, we lay up late last night, kind of take a slow start to the day and then it got. And then it got heated up. Do you ever notice in life that like when you have those days where you're like, oh, this actually works out well, I've got a show Thursday night, don't have a bunch in the next morning. I'm gonna like get a good workout in. I'm gonna. Maybe I'll like sleep, don't get comfortable. Or maybe I'll like hang on the couch and catch up. Or, you know, maybe I'll do a couple things around that. And. And it's like five alarm fires always meet you on those days. And you can look at it positively and say, I've got the time. Thank God it didn't happen on a day where I was loaded with stuff. Or you can like I did for like 15 minutes today and be like, why does it always happen on this day? You know, I now, yeah, but I'm watching some people and I'm not going to mention any names because it's that it is what it is. And I'm not saying they're wrong. It's just fast. Just like you said, I'm not going to five, 20 minutes after a semifinal game make a decision on where Dante Moore is going to be drafted. And I don't disagree with the premise, but I'm starting. It's almost like the thing with Nussmeier last year in October where it's like, I had him QB1 in August. No, I had him in July. I had him last year and he hadn't even started a game. Like, it feels like I got to say it a little louder, a little bolder. So all of a sudden I'm listening today and I'm literally walking by the tv and someone who's very well respected, like, I think first round for Carson Beck, I'm not saying it's wrong. And in this quarterback class, especially if Dante Moore is going back to Oregon, demand is going to be a lot higher than supply, as it always is, typically, always is. I don't think he's played to that level. But I also remember talking to you in like October or late October when Beckett thrown those. The multiple interception games back to back. And I was kind of like, here we go again. I can't trust him. And the one scout I talked to who just left Miami a little earlier was like, yeah, but the things he's saying post game aren't wrong. And his play has been significantly better. They love him there. Teams rallying around him. He's big, he's got a strong arm. He's tough. He's endured a lot, played a lot of football. Couldn't even, couldn't even extend his elbow a few months ago. Todd. So like in a system that fits him better. Georgia for his. What he is kind of, you know, made him impotent. After dark.

[Steve Coughlin]

Say after dark. Here we go.

[Todd McShay]

I like how you didn't react. This is, that's my new thing is to say something absurd and to see how long because you're trying not to react. What are your thoughts?

[Steve Coughlin]

I think the, the, the race between him and Simpson for potentially quarterback three or quarterback two is closer than maybe people want to admit. I think that's going to be.

[Todd McShay]

I don't.

[Steve Coughlin]

I think it's gonna be more of a conversation. I, I've kind of been hinting at it. I've been saying it like that's why.

[Todd McShay]

I'm bringing it to you. I'm handing this to you. I kind of. I can pick up on it. I know.

[Steve Coughlin]

And it's not that I, it's funny because I love Mendoza and I love more and I don't love Simpson and Beck as much, but there's things I, I like about both of them and I get that I could get a team wanting to take a chance on one of them. Not necessarily early first round, but I could see a team wanting to bring them in and seeing what they, what they can do.

[Todd McShay]

Dr. Yv8rh brings up a good point. And I said this to you. I did a tape study early in the season on him because remember, I was all excited and rightfully so. And, and look what, look where it's led. And. And we were right to like. Holy smokes. Beck is back. Because remember two years ago, man, going into the 2020 Ford Draft. No, going into last. Going into the 24 season before last year's draft, he was the guy that was projected to be the number one overall pick. Yes. Top 10 grades. Pete Thamble comes out. I just referenced Pete. Good friend of ours. Loves her show. Love. Appreciate his feedback. But he came out with his first thing with. With game day before this show even started. So I'm sitting on my couch and I'm stewing. Don't even know. Didn't even know then we were going to have this show and I'm listening to them. We'll talk about the draft prospects and I'm like, I've already done this for a year. I'm like, I get. Let's go, let's go. But he talks about Carson Beck. Got the most first, you know, QB1 votes of all the guys in that class. And then that season 24 happened and then the injury happened and then, hey, we're good. We'll take Gunner. Happens. And then all the other stuff happens and he goes to Miami. And so like, you just give the.

[Steve Coughlin]

People what they want. McShade, don't. You can't just give them what they want.

[Todd McShay]

I will not.

[Steve Coughlin]

Lamborghinis.

[Todd McShay]

You said it, Cat.

[Steve Coughlin]

Was it the Cavender twins? Is that how you say their name?

[Todd McShay]

You said it.

[Steve Coughlin]

Give them what they want.

[Todd McShay]

McShay. I will not anymore. I'm. I'm not. I'm not that guy. But my point is, I saw him playing. I saw him playing loose and free and the things I was hearing about from camp and some of the sources of like on time and he's. He's playing the game with love and he doesn't look like that. Uptight. I'm scared to make it and I'm holding on the ball too long. I saw that. But then when I came back after watching the tape, I said yes. And I even think he's might be a little bit more mobile. Remember I said, I'm like, I don't know. This Carson Beck, he's moving around a little bit. It's exciting. He loves ball. He's not angry and uptight and scared and all these things that we saw at Georgia. But I really am struggling with his deep ball accuracy and it's reared its ugly head and I forget who it was. I started this with the doctor. It was a name I hadn't noticed and I appreciate him being here. It was like zyj. It wasn't anything that I remember, but he made. He made a good point. Male kuipers on you tonight.

[Steve Coughlin]

I've got.

[Todd McShay]

I'm dying to know who Male Kuiper is. The deep ball accuracy is concerning. He was a little harsher on it, but he was over six in the College Football Playoff before hitting that 52 yard strike to Keelan Marion. And yeah, I just for. If you're going. And I know he's been more mobile, but he's still a pocket passer, especially in today's day and age. Yeah, if you've got the big arm and you're a pocket passer, you gotta, you gotta be able to drill it down the field. And I think that that's an area that is going to be. And when we're debating the Ty Simpsons versus him versus some other quarterbacks, I think that that's, or not even that just debating is he a guy that we want to bring in and use a day two pick or if this person today that I saw TV was right, a late first round pick on. What's the deal with that? Is that a mechanical thing? Is it, is this something we can work out? Like what. You know, so that, that's one area that I'm still like, I feel more.

[Steve Coughlin]

I feel more comfortable in the second, but I think they're going to get driven up. I think that the Beck probably will end up going late first.

[Todd McShay]

You do.

[Steve Coughlin]

That's right. That's where I stand now. I wouldn't. I'm not going to give him a first round grade and I'm not going to give him anything close to a first round grade. But I think that that's what happens is that you go through this process.

[Todd McShay]

And yeah, that was kind of the point that I heard today too. It's like don't. Why are we, why are we just automatically assuming. And I think it's the interesting conversation that we're going to have and I'm excited to see him in the, against this defense. Yes, that, that knock, it was a knockout blow to Ty Simpson. It was a knock and, and, and quite literally too with a cracked rib. It was a knockout blow to Dante Moore.

[Steve Coughlin]

Okay.

[Todd McShay]

I'm not saying like they're not going to get drafted where they should. And yes, three months will happen and those guys, if Moore's in the class and Simpson already declared and they go interview and they have private workouts and all, it will all work in the wash. Yeah. And it will be honestly by April it will be appropriately counted for, accounted for. But it would be pretty interesting if Carson Beck takes it to Indiana's defense after Ty Simpson and Dante Moore got their asses knocked out by it. Right.

[Steve Coughlin]

That'd be very interesting.

[Todd McShay]

Just saying.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yep.

[Todd McShay]

All right. I, I am not surprised but I continue to be just like throwing stuff in the office, pissed off.

[Steve Coughlin]

I know where this is going.

[Todd McShay]

For all the negativity and all of the, the craziness and the 4 or 5 million dollar nil deals and, and, and, and the agents working the back roads and kids getting recruited in junior high school and, and the nonsense going on and all the nonsense that was going on in a lot of places is now public. But it's Gotten ridiculous with corporates and nils and collectives and all this stuff with all the negativity about the college game and all the change and all the adjustments and everything else. We got this one pure thing. We've got this, like, Division 2 quarterback who's grinding it out at Ferris State is in Michigan, by the way, with a mom and a relationship so wonderful, they find each other. They find each other in the stands of these big stadiums. They used to do to ferris State with 3,4000 people there. Now they do it with 105,000 people. And they say the prayer together and they love each other and the family. And he works and he grinds and he's 250th or whatever it was. Portal prospect at the quarterback position. Quarterback, not quarterback. At quarterback, we give. We give 30 grades, and it's kind of like that's an undrafted free agent. We used to give 20 grades and it was like, that's a reject, essentially, for lack of a better phrase, that's a reject ranking for power four. But Lane found him, and he wasn't even supposed to start. And then all of a sudden, he gets an opportunity, there's an injury, never, never gives the job back. Turns out this guy's smart. This guy's got a strong arm. This guy's a program guy. He got better as the season progressed. He worked, stayed out of trouble, did the right things, became a good leader. Like everything that. Everything that you want. When you send your kid off to college to go play football, any sport for that matter, you send him off a boy, and you hope he comes out a man. And it's exactly what Trinidad Chambliss is. He's given to football, Football is given to him. And it's like, it's all the things that are beautiful. And then his guy who plucks him, who has a great appreciation for. Because one guy in the country saw something in him that nobody else seemed to see. And while appreciative, Lane moves on for damn near a billion dollars. And everything else under the sun and every opportunity to go be the next Nick Saban in his mind, and hopefully for Lane, he is. You know, I'm becoming. I'm on an island. I like Lane. I like, like Lynn a lot. And I get that there's. Yes, I know who Lane is and I know what been. But, like, as a coach, if you don't think he's a good coach, then something's wrong with you. And. And I kind of just appreciate. Because honestly, you know me, I can't let's go against the grain. I've had enough of being like the this, like buttoned up and fit in the. But like let's mess with people a little bit and that's what we do in the show. Sometimes I do and then you blush and all that. But you got this young man who's doing all the right things and there was a. An illness that happened in 2022. I guess it was at Ferris State. Meanwhile, Diego Pavi is out at clubs fu f this. And he gets like. Like a 12th year. What's the difference? And everybody, the juco and the standard and like college football is the wild, wild west right now, man. It is.

[Steve Coughlin]

It's a.

[Todd McShay]

It's a mess. And every coach I talked to every coach and I talked to a lot of them and guys who have left coaching who are the best ever Urbans, the Knicks have personal conversation with them and it's like it's going to take Congress. It's going to. You know, because it's that it's that big of a mess and too many people have their hands out and all. Why wouldn't we give this young man another. And Lane's leaving. But I want to stay here because the people here have embraced me and I've. You know what I mean?

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah, I hear you. I read the Pete Damill's article about it today or Post or whatever on ESPN was really good. It gave both sides of the story the NCAA's typical monotone. They didn't provide enough information. We talked to the school. He probably wasn't as sick.

[Todd McShay]

We got one is this Charlie Baker who's. Who's running the ncw, the NCAA now.

[Steve Coughlin]

Former governor of Massachusetts, Former governor of.

[Todd McShay]

This state that we live in. And I on the flip side, I'll avoid the lives in Swampscott, Massachusetts where I grew up in.

[Steve Coughlin]

On the flip side, I love.

[Todd McShay]

I love and help shape me into this maniac that I am. I was hopeful when Charlie came in that maybe there'd be a little bit more. I don't know.

[Steve Coughlin]

It's a big institution, man.

[Todd McShay]

I get it. But like a little bit more reasoning and I hear you but it feels like it's the same feeling I used to get when I was like in seventh grade or eighth grade and like you'd go into the vice or where, I don't know, like. Or a teacher would come up with this rule. It's like. Yeah, but can we see the big picture here, you know?

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah. I mean, I'll say this the flip side is. It sounds like this is not over. It sounds like they're going.

[Todd McShay]

I understand that.

[Steve Coughlin]

And they're. It sounds like this lawyer is ready to take them to court if he needs to. And that's. That's all interesting, but the problem is the clock is ticking now. He's got to figure out whether or not he's getting the draft, that Ole Miss has got to figure out what they're going to do at quarterback. And you're putting a young man in a really bad position for mean, like, whatever. You're going to go back.

[Todd McShay]

And if I'm advising Trinidad, they're going.

[Steve Coughlin]

Back and investigating whether or not he was healthy to play one year at the Division 2 level that he didn't play. My understanding is he didn't play that year whether he's healthy or not.

[Todd McShay]

And he turned over, like, 90 plus pages of medical documents like red tape. So. But I know you have to have.

[Steve Coughlin]

Rules, but, like, really, this is the one we want to bust balls about.

[Todd McShay]

I don't pretend to think a. That this show yet is going to create enough waves, although we've created some waves and some different things, I promise you, and we created some this past week. I don't pretend for a second to think that this show is gonna have anything that, like, Charlie Baker's not gonna. Oh, he's from Swamp. Scott, too, and he thinks I get it. But I do. I do hope that people watch the Big Blue this and listen to this and push, because it's not going to be for Trinidad necessarily, but it's for the net. Like, I just don't understand.

[Steve Coughlin]

Did you.

[Todd McShay]

More importantly, I hope that Trinidad hears this loud and clear. Go say thank you. Go shake everyone's hands, as I know you will, because you're a great young man. Go be appreciative, hold your head up, get with your agent and go start working out for the draft.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

Do not. Do not, Trinidad. Do not start hoping and putting your fate and your future into the hands of a bunch of people that don't care about you. They don't. People want to use you, and people don't care. People in the NCAA side don't care about you. If they cared about you and actually got to know the human being and saw what you've done and every. And what you stand for, they would have found a way to create an exception to allow you to play like they did with Diego Pavia. They didn't. So anyone who's going to try to push you in the direction of, well, we can Fight this. It's for their own selfish reasons. You're good enough to play in the NFL. I'd love for you to come back for another year, but it's time to go start training for it and go work with people who can help you. What, what do I need to know in terms of getting on the board? How, how do I prepare for those NFL draft meetings? Let's get ready for the combine. Let's. I don't know. Is it too late, Is it too late to get to the Senior Bowl? I know they've got their six quarterback. They've made exceptions before and gotten a seventh, I'm guessing. And we're going to have, we're going to have Drew the new, the new executive director of the Senior bowl on just a few days before. I'm not trying to put pressure, I'm just saying investigate though. Spend your time figuring out what you can do best for the NFL draft. Because the last thing I want for this young man who's had this journey and has fought this hard is for him to get become this poster child for, we'll help you get it done. And maybe the people will. And they do have good intentions, but deep down it's probably selfish intentions. Right. And the NCAA don't give a damn about you, Trinidad. So that would be my advice.

[Steve Coughlin]

Did you see him on the potentially game winning touchdown pass? What he did, where he pointed out the blitz and I think it was. And he, and he waved him on and then threw the touchdown. Oh, man.

[Todd McShay]

I, like, I wanted to ask you this question because I said, I started this in October after I did my tape study and there just wasn't enough to go on at that point. But I remember saying to you, and you didn't say no, you said, huh? I draft this guy, is what I said.

[Steve Coughlin]

I would, I would draft him.

[Todd McShay]

I would draft him. That's what I said, right? Yeah, I think that's verbatim. I, yeah, I, I would draft him.

[Steve Coughlin]

I'm with you now. I didn't know about it then. I am with you now.

[Todd McShay]

He is a, I was referencing day three then and he is different. He, I, man, he's grown, huh?

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah. Since the Georgia game specifically, I think. And he was good before that. Don't get me wrong. It was just that that adversity creates opportunity. And he took that adversity in that opportunity and said, I am not who you saw in the fourth quarter of that game. I am better than that. And he was the rest of the way out.

[Todd McShay]

What's His. I wonder what his real height is.

[Steve Coughlin]

That'll be interesting to see.

[Todd McShay]

Not that it necessarily matters, because what was, what was Bryce Young, 510? Yeah, he's listed, he's listed 61. But why do I keep hearing people say they think he's closer to five' eleven? Anyway, let's call him six foot. He doesn't have a ton of touch to his game. Right. But man, he can drill some balls in. He's become so much more confident with his reads, composure, poison the pocket. He looked like a D2 guy who got thrown in the SEC. And by the way, he should have, because he did. You know what I mean?

[Steve Coughlin]

It wasn't even like they were prepping him to be the starter in August. It wasn't like that. So it wasn't even that. He didn't have any Runway. There was no Runway of, we're going to take this kid and mold him into an SEC starter. It was, hey, get in there. Let's see what you could do.

[Todd McShay]

I'm telling you basically right now. And we'll, we'll break down all this tape and we'll get into it. And when, if he declares for the NFL draft, we'll, we'll, we'll go through the whole treatment. Off of what I'm seeing, it's like, I don't know, man. Is Carson Beck that much better than him in today's NFL?

[Steve Coughlin]

I'm more comfortable with this.

[Todd McShay]

I am, too. But I'm saying let's open our minds to maybe Chan, maybe Chambliss is one of the five best quarterbacks in this draft. Let's just open our minds to it. That's where we're gonna leave.

[Steve Coughlin]

Depending on who comes out. That's not a, that's not a crazy statement. Depending on who, who declares? That's not a wild statement.

[Todd McShay]

Last thing. National championship game. We already said seven and a half point favorite for Indiana. I actually might go. I don't know. We'll see. My initial gut is after watching. But this is why you can't make a decision on a quarterback 20 minutes after. Yeah. An hour and a half after. You can't make a decision on, on what you're going to play on FanDuel. However, I, I kind of like Indiana.

[Steve Coughlin]

Did.

[Todd McShay]

I don't think a route. Here's what concerns me and I'll. And I want to get your take on, like what's your biggest thing you're looking forward to or whatever. Wherever you want to go. It kind of felt like Miami. What's Macedor's injury. It kind of felt like they didn't. That violence. We saw them against Ohio State in the first two games. Defensively, it felt like it was muted a little bit in this last game. And granted it's ole misses offense and granted Ole Miss, like. Ole Miss had the ball for like three minutes in the first quarter and seven. Seven and a half in the first half. And so maybe it didn't feel as dominant because there weren't as many snaps, but I just didn't feel the Bane macedor vine like. And I went back and watched some of the tape of Bane today. There were some really good snaps and he did some really good things. But then Mesador gets injured and we saw a couple guys getting. And then who is it from Miami got Ahmad Moten. Moten with the injury.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

Now we got two guys in the middle. Yeah. And he tried to come back in Moton. I think he came back in later in the game with shot. He did. Ready in 10. He did okay. But yeah, it just. It'll be. Can 10 days get them back to that violent playing and then what. What is Signetti going to throw? I want to. This is. This is my takeaway. And you take it wherever you want and go as long as you want. I so desperately want in my soul for so many selfish reasons, because I love college football. Because I want an awesome national championship game. Because I really want to get to the bottom of. Is. Is Mendoza even better than I think? Is he not as good as I think or is he just where he is right now? I'm desperate to see Miami. That Miami defense that we saw against Ohio State, like full, like a plus game with Thomas and Scott and.

[Steve Coughlin]

And.

[Todd McShay]

And Torre and. And beside Thin and all those guys, Mesador, Bane, just getting after Indiana. And then what do you got, Mendoza? That's what I want. Yeah, what do you got?

[Steve Coughlin]

I mean, there's so many aspects of it. I mean, you look at the flip side of Carson Beck versus that outstanding Indiana defense. There's that side of it. I mean, there's a lot of different storylines here. Just like the intangibles of is this really going to be a home game for Miami or these Indiana fans going to continue to travel and just continue this magical thing where somehow Indiana fans are the. Are the. The Indiana is the best team for travel in the. In the country. But to me, it builds off a little bit of what you're saying and what I said earlier. Who's the biggest bully? And my sense is, my gut says that Indiana is the biggest bully, that they will be the most physical team. But this Miami team, it's been pretty tough, man. On this run they have been pretty physical and pretty tough. And if they cannot, don't get it twisted.

[Todd McShay]

They should have beat Ole Miss by damn near 20.

[Steve Coughlin]

Yeah, there are some issues. I feel like. I feel like Miami. The strength of Miami's defense is the defensive line and then their nickel and safeties. That's in the middle of the field. How are they going to defend a Surrat? How are they going to handle those back shoulder throws? Their corners are good, not great. I think that's an area that I think Mendoza can get the ball out quickly and maybe, you know, keep that pass Russia on its heels. They also, as much as I love the Miami defensive line, not, not as deep as you'd want and so can that run game wear them down a little bit with those two backs and that offensive line that plays just extremely well as a unit. There's all of these things but I really think it comes down to physicality. Who is the most physical team that night and to me my sense is that it will be Indiana. But I don't see Miami backing down. I think it could be a real brawl.

[Todd McShay]

Cole Marie I I like where your head's at because you can't trust me and you shouldn't when it comes to pictures. Lol McShay is going to swerve us and pick Miami next show points are those points are intrigued if men keeps talking to me about those defense that.

[Steve Coughlin]

Spread seem high seems high to me.

[Todd McShay]

Hey prospects daily. I'm like I don't know you. Welcome to the show. It's probably not your first time. I just haven't noticed you before and you're on a roll. We are not off to a good start. When you say Simpson screams Jimmy Clausen all over again because Jimmy Clawson was just about my least favorite And I do like Ty Simpson a lot but I understand where we are with him. This chat's been awesome, man. Outside of the NFL draft it might have been the best, the longest like most consistent chat that we've had and we can't like and I know we give Cole Marie and we give Weech and Mateus and ATB and Haas and and I'm missing some names but we give our the regulars and the core group that started this thing and have stuck with this and hopefully we see him at the Senior bowl in the combine. But like the the new people that are here Ghost of Steve Adasio Too. He's not new, but he had some funny lines tonight. Anyway, just want to thank everyone. This has been awesome. You got anything else for us?

[Steve Coughlin]

Mention one quick thing.

[Todd McShay]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Steve Coughlin]

Guy on X who started following the show last year and started and following me. His name, it was at St. Sko Vikes, and all of a sudden you remember that. That North Face hat that I was wearing out last year, I wore in, like every show. All of a sudden, this kid was wearing the hat, never showing his face, but all a sudden you'd see the hat and he'd send me these tweets. Well, his name kind of got a little worried. I was. I wasn't worried, but it was like, this is.

[Todd McShay]

This is funny.

[Steve Coughlin]

It's still funny, right? And then we go to the Chicago.

[Todd McShay]

Show and he normal, awesome dude. And we get.

[Steve Coughlin]

Well, we got a tweet said, I'll see you tonight.

[Todd McShay]

Yeah. And we're like, security.

[Steve Coughlin]

Okay. Yeah, that's. That'll be good.

[Todd McShay]

Well, it's.

[Steve Coughlin]

His name's Seth Thompson. Thomas Thompson. I'm hoping. I'm saying that right. Seth. We met him in Chicago. Awesome. Normal dude, day one listener, really cool guy. Turns 30 this weekend. Hopefully he's not listening to the show until tomorrow morning. He's out having a good time with the boys. But. Happy birthday, Seth.

[Todd McShay]

That's awesome. Yeah, I remember being a little worried about him.

[Steve Coughlin]

But I thought it was hilarious.

[Todd McShay]

Yes. Yeah, she did. But she also, behind the scenes, was like, making sure we had some. Some guards there. Weech, I'm with you, bro. I can't. I can't wait for Ponds versus Malachi. Tony either, because we're going to find out because Ponce is physical, Pons is undersized. But if you're going to be 591-75-in the league, you better be able to give that. That freshman pup, as talented, as talented as he is, some trouble. There's a lot to break down on these matchups. We're back on Monday, I think, right? Yeah. I don't even know what we're going to do in the show. I'm sure we'll figure it out between now and then. I get a weekend. Looking forward to it. You have a weekend as well. I hope everyone who was here tonight and made this. This chat and show like it was awesome. Lousy game, awesome show. Mensch five stars. Chat five stars.

[Steve Coughlin]

Appreciate five stars.

[Todd McShay]

Have a great weekend, guys. Must be 21 plus and present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18/ plus and present in D.C. gambling problem. Call 1-800- GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com, call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.orgchatinconnecticut or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland, hope is here. Visit gamblinghelplinema.org or call 1-800-327-5050 for 24. 7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY in New York.