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The McShay Show
The McShay Show LIVE: Todd’s 2026 QB Rankings, CFP Predictions, and a Week 3 Preview. Plus, Talking Caleb Williams and Big Ten Football With Dan “Big Cat” Katz.
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- [00:01]
Todd McShay
This episode is brought to you by Vuori. As an analyst, I'm a rankings guy. I scope the landscape, look at all the prospects, and then make the call. And looking at the Vuori Sunday performance jogger, it's safe to say I found your new favorite jogger. Soft, lightweight, four way performance stretch. The Sunday performance jogger moves with you. No restrictions. And get this, we just landed a deal for friends of our show. They're offering 20% off your first purchase. Get yourself some of the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the planet@viori.com mcshay. Exclusions apply. Visit the website for full terms and conditions. This is the McShay show, presented by FanDuel. And college football Saturdays are already delivering. Every game means something right now. Rankings shift, upsets hit. And the best place to stay on top of it all, fanduel. Whether you're riding a noon kickoff or betting the late games, FanDuel lets you bet it your way. Same game parlays, live betting, player props, alt lines. Whatever your angle is, it lives in the app. So if you're watching the action, bet on it with FanDuel. So download the app or head to FanDuel.com McShay and make every Saturday count. The ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and help lines available and listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Must be 21 and older in present and select states or 18 and older and present in DC, Kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- GAMBLER or visit rg d help.com call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org chat In Connecticut, it's a five course chef's tasting menu in college football. This week, it's a special slate. And it's also a special show. Live from Chicago, Lincoln hall with my main man, Steve Mensch. Just 224 days until the NFL Draft. Mensch, you you good?
- [02:13]
Steve Mensch
I'm good, man.
- [02:14]
Todd McShay
Let's roll it. Well, the day is finally here. I'm fired up, man. They didn't let the crowd in.
- [02:36]
Steve Mensch
You're starting to get nervous A little bit.
- [02:37]
Todd McShay
Nervous, yeah. I mean, packed house, Lincoln Hall, Chicago. This is an exciting show for us. But listen, before they let everyone in, we had to do a pre show because this is one of the best slates you could ask for as a college football fan. And there's some appetizers to it. I mentioned it's a five course tasting menu. The chef is just bringing out his best stuff for us. We've got five unbelievable games in the slate. So before we get to the live show and everyone stick around on this, this show for us and, and be able to watch the interaction with the, the fans. We've got Big Cat from Barstool coming in and we got a special show today and tonight lined up, but I wanted to go through these games and get some picks. Okay, so here we go. First game of the week. I'll start with you. Georgia at Tennessee. What do you got?
- [03:23]
Steve Mensch
Not sold on Georgia. I want to see more from Gunner Stockton to see if it's just mirage, the early start. That said, Georgia has won the last eight games between these two teams. Give me the history, give me the C.J. allen led defense and give me Kirby Smart. I'm taking Georgia.
- [03:39]
Todd McShay
Yeah, I am too. I'll say this, and you mentioned Gunner Stockton. Like, this game to me is kind of where are we with him, right? I mean, we've kind of seen some glimpses of the good and the bad early in the season, but this is the first true test going on the road. Knoxville, good. Tennessee defense, good Tennessee football team. Gunner Stockton has some weapons, right? You got Zachariah Branch, who comes in from usc. You got Colby Young. You got London Humphries, by the way, Oscar Delp, the tight end. Big game in this one last year. Two touchdown catches. So the weapons are there, but can they have the balance against Tennessee? That's the big question I have. So when you look at this matchup on paper, you're like, I don't know, man. Like, this is a tough test. Tennessee might be better than we thought. They've got to be able to run the football. We know that he gives him some numbers and some of the things they do with the QB run. But at the end of the day, when I look at this, I get it. A couple of offensive linemen on the right side are banged up for Georgia. Nate Frazier is a great back. They've got three backs, but can they, can they run it against this Tennessee front? Georgia has dominated this matchup. Like it don't matter. In my opinion. Some matchups in college football, it just don't matter, right? And this is one of them. Kirby Smart has owned Tennessee. You go back, like I just wrote in my notes in Athens, in Knoxville, it doesn't matter ranked where they're ranked in this, it doesn't matter. They were ninth in the country Tennessee was last year, beat them by 14, 28, 28 points the year before. They were ranked 6. Tennessee was in 2022, beat them by 14, beat them by 24. The year before that, Tennessee hasn't beaten Georgia all the way back to 2016. You have to go. And that took a Hendon Hooker Hail Mary.
- [05:27]
Steve Mensch
Right.
- [05:27]
Todd McShay
And it's not happening.
- [05:29]
Steve Mensch
No.
- [05:29]
Todd McShay
Give me Georgia.
- [05:30]
Steve Mensch
And I fell for it last year.
- [05:32]
Todd McShay
And it's down to three and a half points too. Interesting. All right, next game up Notre Dame, Texas A M who you got?
- [05:37]
Steve Mensch
Love Notre Dame in this one. Coming off the buy CJ Carr. Look, made some critical mistakes in the in his first start. No question about it. Still encouraged by what he did. I think they get Jeremiah the love the ball more in this game. I think you know the offensive line, it's going to be warm in South Bend on Saturday, but by the time the night rolls around, I think it's going to cool down. That offensive line is not going to have to deal with the conditions they had to deal with against Miami. Texas A M's got some dudes on defense. Cassius Howell is a. Is a stud.
- [06:03]
Todd McShay
Yeah, he is.
- [06:04]
Steve Mensch
He's a dude. But that said, the Texas Texas A M defense hasn't played all that well. Marcel Reed should play in this game. The quarterback for Texas A M but a little banged up. Give me Notre Dame.
- [06:15]
Todd McShay
If he doesn't then you get Miles o' Neill for Marblehead. Matt Guy, a North Shore guy, can throw the ball 90 yards in the air. No, but I think, I think everything I've heard talking to people, Marcel Reed will be ready to go. It was kind of precautionary last week when they took him out, right? A&M's got weapons by the way. That's different. I think a little bit different that you can go back to obviously Mike Evans and those but like Mario Kraver and Craver and Casey Concepcion came out first two weeks they've been like the real deal. Craver became the first player to open his Texas A and m career with 200 plus receiving yard games. 122 UTSA 114 against Utah State. Concepcion first to open up his A and M career with a pair of touchdowns or multiple touchdowns in the first two games since Trey Carson in 20 2013. Concepcion also had the 80 yard return against UTSA. I think Notre Dame wins okay. I really do. But I think this is going to be a battle. I think it's a little bit of revenge from last year. What happened to kind of set the tone for each of these team seasons. I think A and M like this is The Aggies Super Bowl. If I had to take the points in this, go with a point spread, I would take Aggies plus six and a half. But I do think Notre Dame comes away with a win. All right, next one I can. Of the five games we're going to cover, and they're all great games, this is the one that I just can't. I can't wait to see Florida coming off of an embarrassment. LSU got it rolling. What jumps out to you?
- [07:50]
Steve Mensch
You trying to get in my head earlier this week, talking about last year's game where Florida won 27 to 16. So now I got to be on the watch for it again, completely ignoring the fact that LSU has won three straight at home against this team, five.
- [08:03]
Todd McShay
Of the last six.
- [08:05]
Steve Mensch
This is a night game in Baton Rouge at Tiger Stadium. There is. Do you think Billy Napier writes the ship again? Because I do not. I think.
- [08:15]
Todd McShay
Oh, you think this is it? This.
- [08:17]
Steve Mensch
I think. Listen, that's a tough one to bounce back from last week, and maybe they do it. They got the talent. But give me LSU and give him. I think they cover. It's seven and a half. I think they cover.
- [08:27]
Todd McShay
I know what I'm getting in Nussmeier. He's playing at a level that, like, mentally that I don't know, that we've seen a college quarterback play at since Andrew Luck. I don't know what I'm getting with Lagway. I need to see improvement, but what I need to see most in this game is Florida's commitment to the run. Okay, Florida came out last week, and against South Florida, they, like, Jaden Ball was awesome. Six carries drove him down the field. Lagway had some missed throws, a bad decision, but they still drove. And then we're about to, like, drive down, score a touchdown. They then abandoned the run. He only had 12 carries. Baugh did the rest of the game after the first six on that first series. Okay, so there's got to be a commitment to that. There's got to be a commitment and a trust in your offensive line, which is a. Appears to be a good group. There's talent there. Lagway needs to be more involved as a runner. So this run attack is critical. It's paramount. Okay? LSU wins this game for all the reasons you said, but it's a battle. Like, if you had to gun to head, I'd like Florida plus seven and a half. I just. I think that this. This is like, talk about back to. Into a corner like a rabid animal, you know, like this. This Is the moment where if Florida doesn't come out and play the best game of its season and correct its flaws from last week, this. I think you're right. This season is going to be an unmitigated disaster. And Billy Napier may be looking at his last season there, but I like Florida to fight back. All right, Miami, South Florida, who had this in your starting lineup of games a couple weeks ago, obviously, you've got this South Florida team, Boise State. And like, maybe Boise State's down. Maybe it's not that big of a deal. And they come out and they do what they did to Florida, and now it's like, oh, this. I mean, this is the real deal. Who you got in this one? And tell me what you're looking for. Is it the real deal, okay?
- [10:26]
Steve Mensch
Or is Boise State overrated in Florida just made. I mean, just shot themselves in the foot. I think that Alex Golish, the head coach of South Florida, is doing an outstanding job, pushing all the right buttons. It's great what they've done. I don't think they have any idea of what they're going to see from these Miami fronts. Florida's fronts are pretty good. Miami's are outrageous. That defensive line for Miami is a nightmare. A nightmare. And the offensive line for Miami is pretty damn good, too. I think Miami covers. I think this is finally the midnight strikes for the Cinderella that South Florida is. I just. If you look at those games, first of all, the Boise State game, the fake punt, again, they took advantage of every opportunity, and that's what good teams do. I just don't think Miami's going to open the door for them.
- [11:14]
Todd McShay
Miami's got some nice, complimentary, complimentary pieces on offense, right? You got C.J. daniels at wide receiver. You've got Elijah Lofton, who's emerging at tight end. You've got these two running backs, Mark Fletcher Jr. And Jamar Brown. But give me more Malachi, Tony, like.
- [11:34]
Steve Mensch
That'S going to be the thing.
- [11:35]
Todd McShay
This guy's special. He's different. I can't wait to see now that they know what he can do in a big game. Notre Dame, like, now there's a comfort level. He's walking around campus with a little bit more swagger. Like, I'm telling you, this guy's special. I. I'm with you. I think that, you know, South Florida is going to make a run at this thing. I think they're absolutely. I looked at their schedule. You got Memphis, you got Tulane. I think that they're going to. They could very easily lose this game, as long as it's somewhat respectable, but I'm saying more than 17 and then go on and win the rest of them. Memphis and Tulane are the tough games but and wind up being in the College Football Playoff. But this, this is all about my.
- [12:16]
Steve Mensch
Yeah, like Boise State losing to Oregon last year. Very similar feel to me.
- [12:19]
Todd McShay
Yeah.
- [12:20]
Steve Mensch
You know Boise State lost to Oregon and still got in.
- [12:22]
Todd McShay
Yeah, yeah. I don't disagree. All right. We're doing good on time. I can hear the people outside. They're starting to line up. Yeah, we got like five minutes before they come in. You know me, I like to push it. Last game on the, on the docket. Clemson, Georgia Tech. This one's interesting.
- [12:39]
Steve Mensch
Here we go.
- [12:40]
Todd McShay
Go.
- [12:41]
Steve Mensch
Do you know that this was the last year, was the first time in 41 years those teams didn't play because of the remodeling of schedules with the acc.
- [12:49]
Todd McShay
That team.
- [12:50]
Steve Mensch
The history between these teams is amazing. There's a lot of good things that have happened with all these conferences. But I hate when these matchups don't happen every year. I'm just going to go out and say that. I also am a huge fan of Brent Key. Is Haynes King going to play in this game? He didn't last week. Looks like he is going to this week. His legs are a problem. They can give any team a problem. As Georgia found out last year. I still think Clemson is just too damn talented and bounces back from this inconsistent play. We've seen and finds a way to win this game. It just. They have a nine game winning streak against Georgia Tech coming into this. I just, I know it looks like Clemson's down. I'm not falling for it. I think Clemson gets the win.
- [13:26]
Todd McShay
You know what's interesting? This. I think this line started at six and a half and now it's down to three and a half.
- [13:30]
Steve Mensch
Three and a half.
- [13:33]
Todd McShay
What I do know from Key in Georgia Tech and your quarterback who's one of the all time tough guys.
- [13:40]
Steve Mensch
Yep.
- [13:40]
Todd McShay
If you had any question about what this program is built on, go back and watch that Georgia game last year. Right. I do know that they're going to be physical. They're going to test Clemson's will. They're also going to be disciplined and they're going to get like when you aren't in the right gap defensively, when you aren't blocking it up, getting hat on hat offensively, they're going to create problems for you. This is my challenge to you, Clemson. How about you bring the fight to somebody? We Talked all summer, right? Peter Woods, TJ Parker, some transfer portal guys. You got Avion Terrell at corner. You got these young stars coming in and helping support this defense. Linebacker especially. You got the number one quarterback potentially in all the land in Cade Clubnik. You got four offensive line starters coming back. You got weapons on the outside and yeah, I get it. Antonio Williams got knocked out, but you still. You know how many programs would kill to have Wingo and more on the perimeter? Be the bully, right? Be the bully. Clemson, this show's coming to see you in November, I think. November 8th, right? You always correct me on the date. I'm not a calendar guy. What I am is I'm a. Like, I understand at some point you've got to step on that field and be like, it goes through us. You know what I mean? Like, they're good enough to say it. They're good enough to Gruden. With Gruden talking to Georgia. No, like, it's my dream, man. I'm Jon Gruden and if I could bring a team in here in the sec, it's my dream to come in here and ruin your season. It would be my dream. You gotta be the nightmare. Yeah, that mentality. The Clemson's like this wonderful campus and it's beautiful and it's all this and it's Death Valley. It's the colors and it's the fans and, like, it's time to actually go out and be the big dog in the alley. I'm. I want to see. Because I've talked to some people. It's like, it's time. And this is a perfect opponent to do it against because this opponent wins with toughness, physicality, and just like a fight that you don't get from every other program in the country. This is the week to set a tone. Great.
- [15:55]
Steve Mensch
Do they do it?
- [15:56]
Todd McShay
Yeah. Yes.
- [15:56]
Steve Mensch
Okay.
- [15:57]
Todd McShay
All right. Parlay real quick. I can hear the people coming in, but, like, we got to win money. I don't want to remind people that I picked three correct legs of a four game parlay. Four leg parlay last week and men's ruined us with Florida. And now all of a sudden, he hates Florida. I wonder why. Let's start with this. Our picks of the week. Who's your pick of the week?
- [16:19]
Steve Mensch
Notre dame.
- [16:20]
Todd McShay
This is FanDuel. Like, get on your FanDuel app now. Let's get serious. Let's make. Let's make some scratch this week. You're going with Notre Dame as your pick of the week? Yes. So you're Giving the six and a half points.
- [16:30]
Steve Mensch
Yep.
- [16:31]
Todd McShay
Okay. And you explained why already, so that makes it easy. I'm going with Duke. Something's fishy and Corso taught us all a long time ago and somebody, you know, somebody's. No, no, something. I go with the somebody's. Right. But I'm going against it this week. Duke went from minus one and a half to plus one and a half. I watched that game against Illinois. It was not that final score for 45 to 17. Whatever the number was. Mensa Darian Mensah at quarterback is the real deal now. He's got a little game experience there under his belt. They're going up against a Tulane team that I respect. People like love Tulane in this game. I'm going with Duke plus one and a half.
- [17:12]
Steve Mensch
I love Duke in that game.
- [17:14]
Todd McShay
Now if you want to make real money, I'm talking plus 620 money. This, this is my play of the week fanduel. Right? They asked once a week, what's the four leg parlay? Here it is. Georgia Moneyline. I already told you, they don't lose. They don't lose to Tennessee Clemson. Moneyline, it's time to be the bully. Duke plus one and a half. I just explained it to you. And here's the other one. I don't know if something happened the last couple of days. You have the best offensive line in the country. Got a quarterback who's dealing a defense under Whittingham. Utah. Give me Utah in this game. Money line. So you get the money line on Georgia, Clemson, Utah, three of the best programs out there.
- [17:53]
Steve Mensch
So you're not going with my picks anymore.
- [17:55]
Todd McShay
Plus one and a half. And it's. No, your. Your mensch is not one and done.
- [17:59]
Steve Mensch
Huh?
- [17:59]
Todd McShay
You're good, mensch. I actually don't care this week. Plus 620. There it is. All right, live show's coming up now. This is gonna be a fun one. So excited to have everyone here in Chicago and everyone who's listening and watching YouTube, Spotify, Apple and wherever you get your podcast. We appreciate your support. Let's just get into it, right? Like, we've got a huge slate in college football this week and we're going to find out a lot more. But we wanted to. We're going to do a lot of fun stuff. I should, I should mention this. This is where I'm not good at hosting. Right. We're going to. We're going to go through a couple of things and kind of go through our show for a little bit. We've got Big Cat sitting up in the green room right now from Barstool. He's excited to be here. Really appreciate him. Him coming out tonight. Heading off to big noon kick this week. Actually not. Not heading out. Right down the street.
- [18:44]
Steve Mensch
Yeah, right down the street.
- [18:45]
Todd McShay
Northwestern, Oregon. That should be a close game. Sorry, I know there are some grad students here from Northwestern. I know, but when you only have a. And we appreciate you too, but we're gonna need more than 12,000 in the stands to take on Oregon, I think. So Big Cat will join us for a while, then we'll do a Q and A session. I want to get into this. We decided we wanted to go through, kind of mesh our worlds, right. College football and the draft. Yeah. Men, say hi to everyone, please. Hello.
- [19:17]
Steve Mensch
How's everyone doing?
- [19:20]
Todd McShay
As my daughter Alaire says to me constantly, would you let Mensch talk? Would you let Minchi talk, please? So I want to go through. And we're going to. We're going to do a draft. And we haven't pre planned this so we could get off the rails. And I think I got a pen somewhere. We'll write it down so we don't mess it up.
- [19:37]
Steve Mensch
Good shot. We mess up.
- [19:38]
Todd McShay
But I want to. I want to do a draft. Like, all right, we've got only get two weeks and we got like Clemson, Georgia Tech and Florida, LSU and all the other big games lined up this week. Five of them that are like, you know, chef's entree course, but one after another. But what do we know so far? So we want to do a college football playoff prediction, but we're going to draft it and I'm going to let Mensch start and we'll start. Here's how you have to do it, right? Like, even though the seating is going to be proper this year, that was a nightmare last year. Whereas the conference winners getting in, you know, top seeds. We got to decide the conference winners first, right? And then from there we'll plug in and obviously the G5 as well, with the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, and the G5. And after that, we've got seven at large. And so we'll go through and we'll create a draft. And then I kind of want to hear from you guys. I know we don't have the mic, but where did we miss? Like, I want to figure out who, who, who we're missing on, if you will. So let's start it out. Mitch, I'll give you the first pick.
- [20:40]
Steve Mensch
I'm taking Ohio State.
- [20:41]
Todd McShay
Well, I didn't even tell you what fucking conference. Oh, you didn't.
- [20:44]
Steve Mensch
We're doing. You're breaking it down. Okay, Go ahead. It's going to be Ohio State, Big Ten, Ohio State.
- [20:51]
Todd McShay
I don't know what to make of.
- [20:52]
Steve Mensch
The Texas win yet. I don't know what that Texas team is. I'm a little worried about Julian saying, is he going to continue to play at this level. But this is what I know. Jeremiah Smith is the best player in the country. That defense I believe in. I believe in Ryan Day. I think Brian Hartline is going to be a hell of a play caller. It's early, but he looks real good early. So to me, give me Ohio State.
- [21:14]
Todd McShay
All right. I'm going to write that down in my notes in a minute so we don't forget. Then I'll do the sec. I'm buying it. I'm buying the Kool Aid on lsu, right? Who said?
- [21:26]
Steve Mensch
Yeah, some Tigers fans.
- [21:27]
Todd McShay
Okay. What's your name? Jeff. So you're seeing what I'm seeing. Like, Nussmeyer's doing different stuff. This is like Andrew Luck stuff pre snap and he looks like a little twitchier. We heard the report. Like, the tendonite is a knee maybe. He looks great and he's got weapons. And that offensive line with four guys going, the NFL. Yeah. Might be actually better and I don't know.
- [21:55]
Steve Mensch
Surprising, right?
- [21:56]
Todd McShay
Yeah. And Brian Kelly warned us of that. But I also thought he was like, you know, let's get on the media. I want my line to feel confident going the season. They. They look better. But most importantly, the defense that Blake Baker defense got, it was atrocious before Blake came in 2023. Last year, it was. It was significantly better, but it was still kind of up and down. Middle of the road. They look real like Monsour Delane at corner. Yeah. Dude. The whip Whit brothers at linebacker. Dudes. They bring in the Florida State transfer defense event.
- [22:31]
Steve Mensch
Marvin Jones.
- [22:31]
Todd McShay
Yeah, you got.
- [22:34]
Steve Mensch
Who else is Harold Perkins?
- [22:36]
Todd McShay
Oh, Harold Perkins. Yeah. At the star position is back to 2023 production, so I think they're legit. But there's obviously a lot of other SCTC teams and they're going to have to get in through the. Through the seven different spots in the at large. So right now we get Ohio State from the Big Ten, LSU from the SEC. Do you want to take ACC or Big 12?
- [22:58]
Steve Mensch
Big 12, because I want to talk about this team.
- [23:00]
Todd McShay
Go ahead.
- [23:00]
Steve Mensch
But I'm with you in LSU. I got Utah coming out of the Big 12. You know, there's been A lot of talk about Oklahoma getting John Matier and Ben Arbuckle from Washington State. And Utah went out and did their own thing and got Devin Dampier and Jason Beck, the offense coordinator from New Mexico. Best offensive line in the country. Caleb Lomu and Spencer Fanu are the best offensive tackles. I think in the draft. Draft eligible offensive tackles.
- [23:24]
Todd McShay
They might be top 20 picks.
- [23:26]
Steve Mensch
I, I think they're one and two.
- [23:27]
Todd McShay
That's how they are Utah. Right. I don't even have to finish the question. Right. Like how when we saw like the. Don't sleep on Utah when you were texting me this weird. These weird tapes on your phone of Fanu and Lomu. Lomu, yeah. And how are their names? Fanu and Lomu. And they're the top two offensive tackles in the country. Could be top 20 picks. And they're at Utah. It's wild.
- [23:54]
Steve Mensch
I think Utah's good, man.
- [23:55]
Todd McShay
I think I can see they are too.
- [23:56]
Steve Mensch
Kyle Winningham is a hell of a coach. They won the PAC 12 and 21 and 22. This is not a team that last year was a nightmare. A nightmare.
- [24:05]
Todd McShay
But when you look at the Dampiers. Dampiers. The difference.
- [24:09]
Steve Mensch
Yeah, he can run, man. He can make plays with his arm. He's been more efficient this year with his arm and he can make plays with his feet. He is a, a difference maker at that position.
- [24:18]
Todd McShay
All right, acc, this was tough because I'm a Clemson guy coming in the year. Right. Like we did a Clemson. Yeah. That's gonna be.
- [24:26]
Steve Mensch
It's gonna be a tough night.
- [24:27]
Todd McShay
That's probably Marissa clapping. I'm picking Clemson. But I want to say after a couple of weeks and obviously we haven't seen enough, Miami looks like they might be the better football team.
- [24:41]
Steve Mensch
Yeah. Because they are.
- [24:43]
Todd McShay
But I looked see, we have to.
- [24:49]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Put up with.
- [24:52]
Todd McShay
I think playing us Notre Dame. Then USF is better than we all thought. Then you got Florida. Not as good as maybe we all thought, but still Florida. And then you get in the ACC if you're Miami, even if they win all those games, I'm saying like the toll that that could take. And then you got at fsu, Louisville, at SMU in like a few weeks span. I just. You compare that to Clemson's schedule. We're going to find out a little bit about Clemson this week in Georgia Tech because, like, this is when you got to come out and bully. Right. Like, I feel like Clemson's been like, yeah, we're preseason number one and we're, you know, we got club Nick. Everything's fine. And we get four offensive linemen returning. Like, how about you walk out there and like, actually take the fight too? And I haven't seen that from Clemson. So, like this week, because Georgia Tech, we know with. With Key as the head coach, like, just watch that Georgia game last year. They're going to fight.
- [25:48]
Steve Mensch
Yep.
- [25:49]
Todd McShay
They're going to like, do like the discipline, toughness, physicality, all those things. So we're going to find out about Clemson this week. I think this is like, this is one of those backed into a corner and you get to show your cards. Right. All right. So if we've got Clemson there, even though I think Miami might be better than what, the G5, I think this is probably obvious. We got.
- [26:11]
Steve Mensch
Right. South Florida.
- [26:12]
Todd McShay
Yeah.
- [26:12]
Steve Mensch
I just don't see any other teams. It's not so much that I'm high that high on South Florida. I really don't have a very high opinion of Boise State this year. That win is kind of a. Okay, great. Glad you got it. Good for them. I thought Florida was awful last week. Was it Florida losing that game or South Florida winning that game? But I think you look at those two wins, they could even lose to Miami. Like Boise State lost to Oregon last year and they still get in. I think Alex Golish, the South Florida coach, is really good. The defense is playing well. I have concerns about that offense moving the ball consistently, but I think who else is it going to be? I looked around, you know, Tulane, maybe Navy, maybe. I just think it's South Florida right now. It's tough to pick another team.
- [26:54]
Todd McShay
All right, I can already hear. Thankfully we don't have earpieces and I can already hear.
- [26:59]
Steve Mensch
Supposed to be 20 minutes old.
- [27:00]
Todd McShay
Producers at ESPN rap, right? Like, we got to get rolling because we got Big Cat waiting upstairs. He's a slugger, apparently on his softball team. So I got to try to get him out of here around like 8 o'. Clock.
- [27:11]
Steve Mensch
Clean up.
- [27:11]
Todd McShay
We got a moving target on that, but. So let's start ripping through. I did want to get in this goal. Ish note. When he came there, they had $250,000 in nil money. They had no money. He had. They had a 2.2 GPA a couple years later, 3.1 GPA, 22 million dollar indoor facility. They get a $350 million stadium that they're building for 20, 27. Like, this guy has turned the whole. What's that? Go Bucks. Why do you think he. All right.
- [27:46]
Steve Mensch
There we go.
- [27:48]
Todd McShay
Sure. Go Bucs. All right, I get it. So I get first pick of the at large. I'm going Texas. I don't need to give a long explanation why I think they're going to bounce back. I think Arch is going to get better. I think Arch still has problems. So I don't think Arch is coming out in this year's draft. I'm going to give you that right now. I think Arch needs to come back for another year. I think there's a moment in time where we were talking about architecture in 2026 and I wasn't because I refused to put him there because I've been around the Manning family. I know the process. And I do think that Arch may have been different than Eli and Peyton, who stayed for the final years, because Arch is in a bubble, unlike Peyton was and unlike Eli was. And even though they're smaller places than Austin, they. It's not today's media climate and he can't go anywhere. And so I thought for a minute, you know, if he plays really well and he starts to show development, maybe it's easier to go develop as a, as a first round pick, number one overall pick in the NFL, where you don't have that bubble everywhere you go. It don't matter now. He's just not there. He's going to get there, I truly believe, but he's not there. But that's, that's another topic for another time. I think Texas is too good to not get in this College Football Playoff. So that would be my one at large. Awesome.
- [28:56]
Steve Mensch
One for three so far. I am taking Notre Dame.
- [29:02]
Todd McShay
Yeah, right.
- [29:02]
Steve Mensch
Let the hometown fans, let's get it going. I'm taking Notre Dame. CJ Card made some critical errors in the opener. That Miami team is, is good, as good as a team they're going to play this year. I think they beat Texas A and M this week. They roll after that a lot like they did last year. I love their offensive line. I think their defensive line's got some, some guys that can emerge. I love their corners. Malachi feels a wide receiver can turn into a real, real contributor for them.
- [29:28]
Todd McShay
Yeah.
- [29:29]
Steve Mensch
So I think Notre Dame's a lock.
- [29:31]
Todd McShay
Yeah, I believe in Marcus. I really do. Georgia is going to be my next at large. I think they're going to send a message this week. Tennessee they own and I think they'll continue to own them. And I don't think the quarterback is what they. They got rid of Carson Beck because Carson Beck wasn't a fit for what they wanted to do. Gunner Stockton is not nearly as talented he's got weapons, but I don't think he's a great passer. I don't know that he ever will be a great passer. But I think that they can manage him. He can manage the game. His run element. They've got three really good running backs, a good offensive line, and I think their defense is actually going to be great again this year. So I like Georgia to make a run and get in the playoff. Who you got next?
- [30:11]
Steve Mensch
I'm gonna shock some people with this one and put you in a tough position. I got Florida State.
- [30:17]
Todd McShay
Ooh.
- [30:18]
Steve Mensch
I think Florida State gets in, man. Gus Malzahn is a wizard in the run game. Tommy Castellanos real spot. Yeah. No.
- [30:28]
Todd McShay
You know, all the reason why he's a mobile.
- [30:30]
Steve Mensch
Course Gus Malzan gets a mobile quarterback. He's got great depth at running back. Think about it.
- [30:34]
Todd McShay
But never stuck it to me because now I got Miami. Yeah.
- [30:39]
Steve Mensch
Which by the way, means something. But we'll talk about that in a minute. But you should have taken Miami as the. As the champ. I'm going Florida State, man. Mall's on that. His run game at UCF the last two years, top five rushing yards per game. At Auburn, when they went to national championship, he had Cam Newton, who's the top rushing offense in the. In the country.
- [30:56]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
He's.
- [30:56]
Steve Mensch
His offense is average over the course of his career as a head coach or offense coordinator. 447.7 yards per game. The dude knows how to coach offense. He's. That's going to be a problem for them. Weird stat right now for them. And this is definitely going to change. But as a team, they're averaging over 20 yards per catch. As a team, they're averaging over 20 yards per catch. And the reason is everyone's going to come up and play all those motions and this. This receiver is going to run for 30 yards on us and they're going to pound the ball this way. And then. And then Tommy's going to make a play with his feet. It's a problem for teams, and I look at their schedule and I really think Florida State's going to get in.
- [31:30]
Todd McShay
I had Miami next on the list, but I can't give the ACC three teams.
- [31:34]
Steve Mensch
No, you can't.
- [31:35]
Todd McShay
All right, so I'm going to pass because it played out differently. Right. Oregon, I'm going. The Ducks fly.
- [31:43]
Steve Mensch
Ducks fly.
- [31:44]
Todd McShay
Will Stein knows what he's doing, man. He's got another young quarterback. Dante More comes in like, no problem. They're rolling. Yeah, I like. I think Oregon's going to be in it in the end. And that I'm. I want to ask Big Cat about sec, Big Ten. I got a feeling. I know, but, like, this is going to be an interesting and important year for that conversation.
- [32:06]
Steve Mensch
I think so, too. I think it's flipping a little.
- [32:08]
Todd McShay
So we got two picks left. Let me update everyone. LSU from the SEC, Ohio State from the Big Ten, Utah, Big 12, Clemson, ACC, South Florida, G5 at large. We've got Texas, Notre Dame, Georgia, FSU and Oregon. Two picks left.
- [32:28]
Steve Mensch
Ready? Penn State. I'm not high on Penn State.
- [32:33]
Todd McShay
I.
- [32:34]
Steve Mensch
Drew Eller scares me. I. I don't think that defense is as good as it was last year.
- [32:38]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
So.
- [32:38]
Todd McShay
So let's put them in.
- [32:39]
Steve Mensch
Nope. I think they get in because I think they'll have one loss. I think they'll get one loss, maybe two losses, and that's that. They will get in. I think the running game's too good with Allen and Singleton. I. I think Aller will be good enough for them to get in. The defense will be good enough, but I don't. I don't love them. Make a deep run, but I think they get in.
- [32:58]
Todd McShay
I'm going Oklahoma. What? Illinois.
- [33:05]
Steve Mensch
I want to talk about that in a minute.
- [33:08]
Todd McShay
Talk about it now. I don't think people here are dying to talk about Oklahoma. Outside of John, material looks awesome.
- [33:12]
Steve Mensch
I think Illinois is going to the playoff this year. I really do. It's Indiana all over.
- [33:18]
Todd McShay
I know you're in Chicago. You got Northwestern going into.
- [33:22]
Steve Mensch
Yeah, maybe. We'll see how they do it. Go Cats.
- [33:26]
Todd McShay
No, I'm for real.
- [33:27]
Steve Mensch
I think Illinois is going to get in. I think it's Indiana all over again. Who are they going to lose to? Ohio State.
- [33:31]
Todd McShay
You're going to keep it.
- [33:34]
Steve Mensch
I don't know, Mando. Listen, I thought they were going to lose to Indiana coming to the year. I'm not sure I feel that way anymore. I really don't. I think Almayer just somehow wins games. They got a defensive line they can get after the quarterback. I think it'll make it uncomfortable for Mendoza in that game. It'll be a good game, but I really think they're going to find a way to win that one. And if they win that one, you know, there's a couple hiccups. I think they have usc. That could be a game that could be tough for them, but I think Illinois is getting in. I think there's a real path for Illinois to get in the playoff this year.
- [34:05]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
All right.
- [34:06]
Steve Mensch
Got to play the room exchange you did.
- [34:10]
Todd McShay
All right. So I guess, I mean, no one really cares, but lsu, Ohio State, Utah, Clemson, usf, Write these things down because give us some stuff to come back at us. Texas, Notre Dame, Georgia, Florida State, Oregon, Penn State and I picked Oklahoma. Yet we went on a three minute dissertation.
- [34:28]
Steve Mensch
I think Oklahoma gets in too. Can I tell you something?
- [34:31]
Todd McShay
How many? There's only 12.
- [34:32]
Steve Mensch
I know. So who's. These are the teams that I don't think are getting in like you had.
- [34:37]
Todd McShay
Go ahead.
- [34:37]
Steve Mensch
I think Texas doesn't get in. If Texas loses to Ohio State. Oklahoma. Do you like Oklahoma or Texas in that game right now? I like Oklahoma. Then they got to play Georgia. Now you got three losses. It starts to get real interesting. They beat Georgia at Georgia.
- [34:54]
Todd McShay
Yep. That's.
- [34:55]
Steve Mensch
I think that's what it comes down to.
- [34:57]
Todd McShay
If you're noticed, the lack of conviction.
- [35:00]
Steve Mensch
Yeah.
- [35:00]
Todd McShay
You're not loving it.
- [35:01]
Steve Mensch
Also, Clemson loses to lsu, Florida State and South Carolina. They're not getting in. I'm not sure we're gonna be at that floor. By the way, I thought, I will fully admit this. I thought Clemson was the best team in the country coming in. I've seen enough to know that I was wrong.
- [35:16]
Todd McShay
Yeah. So if it takes a real man.
- [35:18]
Steve Mensch
Yeah, right.
- [35:19]
Todd McShay
All right, I did. I do want to get to this and it doesn't have to be the longest thing in the world, but I want. I said when we finally have our first show, I want to provide people who actually took the time out of their schedule Wednesday night, paid money to come and hang out here. Something that you can't get anywhere else. Not that it's like earth shattering or anything else, but it's been a wild couple weeks of these quarterbacks. Right. And I've been talking about the golden age, the golden era in quarterbacks. Right now we're living in it. College football. I've talked to so many NFL scouts and general managers who were like this. Like maybe there's not from a few years ago, like six guys in the top 12. But I don't like, we all are kind of agreeing. I don't know that you can point to any other time in history where these many guys are draft eligible quarterbacks that are playing in college at this level, the list usually goes like 12, 13 deep. It's like 25 deep in college football. So the quarterback talk, and I read some of the comments. I know people are like, you know, there's other positions besides quarterback. We've been focusing on it a lot. I get it. We're going to Branch out now that the season is starting to roll and we actually have games this week. But I wanted to update the quarterback rankings, and I think there's going to be some interesting things in here. Okay. All right, so I'm going to unveil it. I've not seen it. Have not nobody else. This show doesn't even post until the Thursday morning, I think. What is it, Wednesday night? So tomorrow, so you guys can say something on social media and get that. Get that buzz going until Thursday morning. Man, it's been a long week. All right, here are my rankings. Ready. And Arch is not included. I kind of explained why before. I mean, I really did. Number one, Garrett Nussmeier. And I talked about where he is a. I love the lsu.
- [37:03]
Steve Mensch
Yeah, there's some LSU love here.
- [37:07]
Todd McShay
He's not as talented as some of these other guys, but I. I don't. It's hard to explain how proficient he is and how next level he is and how he orchestrates things. I. I don't. Honestly, it won't surprise me if he's not the first quarterback taken, but right now, if I had to draft a quarterback and I had the number one overall pick, I would take Nussmeier. Number two is tough because a lot like Arch. I don't think this guy's ready, but, my goodness, is he talented, your guy? Lenore Sellers. And I heard someone whisper, and a good call right up front. I like that. It's like being first in the classroom. You're ready to ask questions. Yeah.
- [37:53]
Steve Mensch
Too good. Too talented.
- [37:54]
Todd McShay
He's too talented.
- [37:55]
Steve Mensch
Yeah.
- [37:55]
Todd McShay
I want to see him play another year, but if he comes out, I.
- [37:58]
Steve Mensch
Think some big moments, too, man.
- [38:00]
Todd McShay
And they're talking to people in the league. It's very interesting, Nussmeier. People are split on Club Nick. People are split on Sellers. Like, yeah, I see it, but he's got to. He's got to get here as a passer before I can stamp it. And coming into the year, it was kind of. I heard too many Jalen Melrose from scouts in the league, and I was like, no, no. But I. Like, I know where they're going. But no, like Jalen. No, no. We can have that conversation. No.
- [38:31]
Steve Mensch
What are you saying no to that he's not Jalen Milro.
- [38:33]
Todd McShay
Jalen Milro. I don't know that will ever be able to throw the ball at you. Right.
- [38:38]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Okay.
- [38:38]
Steve Mensch
Thank you.
- [38:38]
Todd McShay
And I don't think he ever understood. And you hear some of the stories out of Tuscaloosa. He never quite grasped Things. Right. But it's really super smart. And it's weird to be super smart in the classroom and like be as smart until. But the processing in football can be different.
- [38:55]
Steve Mensch
Right.
- [38:56]
Todd McShay
Sellers is going to get it. I believe that. I've got Club Nick at three now and it's. And I had him at one coming in the year, so it's not a good start, obviously. And I've been worried about some of the panic in the pocket and he's not being protected and is he like bad habits. But I want to see him play out of it this week. Starting this week with Georgia Tech. Fernando Mendoza right now.
- [39:19]
Steve Mensch
Now who's hamming it up?
- [39:20]
Todd McShay
6, 5, 2, 25. Layering ability, mobility. I'm excited to see Indiana play competition, but he's off to a hot start. John Matier.
- [39:32]
Steve Mensch
Too low.
- [39:33]
Todd McShay
Might be too low, but I'm trying not to, like, overreact.
- [39:39]
Steve Mensch
Overreact. Have some fun.
- [39:40]
Todd McShay
I love when you give me the prep school face, which I'll get to Big cat in a little bit. Portnoy stole that from. From me. Jason Kalisman went off to prep school. I went and picked him up from prep school. All of a sudden he were in the car. I'm driving him home, my mom's caravan from. From Brewster Academy, I think it was. And like. And we're talking, it should be all excited and he should be. And he's pissed off because his. His parents weren't there and family wasn't there. So I had to come pick him up. And so he turned and at one point I say something, he's like. I was like, listen, prep school face. Like, I'm not here for that. Anyway, I digress. All right. Drew Aller at 6. Not as high on him as. As others are. We got a whole year to talk about that. You aren't either sometimes. We agree. Carson Beck from Miami. I took him off the radar. I just needed a Beck break. You know, like when you just like, I need a break from you. We needed. We need time apart. Like Lamborghinis now. Lamborghini stolen. Cavendish twin. No cheating on Cavender twin. Like, I just needed a break. Georgia needed a break. They got it. I needed one.
- [40:53]
Steve Mensch
So TMZ over here.
- [40:54]
Todd McShay
But then the report. The reports are like, hey, he's showing up. He's working hard.
- [40:58]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Hard.
- [40:58]
Todd McShay
He's doing all the right thing. Teammates love him. Timing. He's like, he's getting the ball out. He's decisive. And I'm like, yeah, but it's camp and everyone's Talking about that I gotta get Big Cat in here soon. But, boy, that play in the first game and you saw it, and teammates actually like hanging from them. So excited. Yeah, you can see it. It's actually tangible. It's real. Carson Beck is starting to rise back up and is worth talking about. Sawyer Robertson is my Baylor. I just love this guy.
- [41:27]
Steve Mensch
Yeah.
- [41:28]
Todd McShay
So I'm at the Manning Passing Academy, right? We got Nussmeier, Sellers, Arch Club, Nick, all these dudes, right? And I didn't really know much about Sawyer Robinson. Saw a little bit last year, not on the radar with NFL scouts in terms like top 10, top 12 quarterbacks. They're all going out and they're doing this Friday Night Lights. It's like, you know, something out of a movie set. It's beautiful. You're in Thibodeau, Louisiana. Take her for what it is. Or weather wasn't as bad as you would think in late June. And all these guys, they've got this whole setup where they're throwing and doing these different drills and hitting spots. And it was like. It was like the purest thing in football. There were no cameras there. It was. It wasn't a TV event. It wasn't like they've just like shorts, T shirts. Guys like competing, but competing their ass off, but doing it because they love the game and want to be there. Right. After a day of being a camp counselor for a bunch of high school kids and younger, this is their payoff to go out and throw and compete against the top quarterbacks in the country. And then this and all of them, if 24 points, let's say, was the perfect score, that's hitting every target across, starting right. Some were rolling, some were from the pocket. All of it touch layer, you know, you drill some throws, all of it. Some guys are getting like 17, 19 points, like doing really good. He rolls out and just kind of quietly, like 6, 5, 2, 25. Just kind of rolls out and hits every target and was like, yeah. And just walk back, I was like, I like this guy. Yeah.
- [42:56]
Steve Mensch
All he does is throw for 400 yards every game.
- [42:59]
Todd McShay
So those are the top eight right there. Sam Levitt, horrible start for ASU. Very talented. I'm keeping an eye. And I mentioned Dante Moore before. This Will Stein guy came out of kind of nowhere in college football. Got his hands on Bo Nix, right? Yeah. Got his hands on Dylan Gabriel.
- [43:23]
Steve Mensch
You know, I already agree with you.
- [43:24]
Todd McShay
Dante Moore is a five star. Didn't work out at ucla. We see what's going on with that program. Comes over and is just waiting in the wings. Wins the job in the summer. Had a tough battle for it. And I know it's Montana State, I know it's Oklahoma State. But the numbers he's putting up in the way he looks. So that's my top 10.
- [43:42]
Steve Mensch
I don't hate it. I think Aller might be. I think a lot of people disagree this. I think he might be too high on the list. I think I might have Beck ahead of him.
- [43:51]
Todd McShay
You said Matier higher maybe.
- [43:52]
Steve Mensch
I would definitely put Mater higher because I live in the moment and I get excited about life. I don't have to sit back and have to analyze everything. I can just see how good he is in how he wins football games and want to put them higher.
- [44:05]
Todd McShay
Yeah. And you don't have to deal with the kickback.
- [44:08]
Steve Mensch
That's the best part of my job. Is it your face? You have to deal with all of it. And I can say whatever I want.
- [44:14]
Todd McShay
It is kind of a nice part, huh?
- [44:15]
Steve Mensch
It's the greatest.
- [44:16]
Todd McShay
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- [46:37]
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- [47:33]
Todd McShay
All right, let's bring him out. Right? Big cat from barstool, Dan Katz. Thrilled to have this guy.
- [47:47]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I was just sitting in the back waiting for you guys to say Wisconsin's gonna be in the playoff. I guess I'll just have to wait a little longer. What's up, everyone? The only reason I'm here is because I live 5 minute walk away and he said he'd give me dinner, so.
- [48:04]
Todd McShay
Fair. Way to support the show, guys.
- [48:06]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Playing this. By the way, this looks.
- [48:08]
Todd McShay
Oh, it kind of looks like you were involved, too. No, that when he. When we walked out of the hotel, I was like, oh, my gosh.
- [48:14]
Steve Mensch
Yeah, that's Spider man.
- [48:16]
Todd McShay
It's like the show uniform. You look good. How we doing, man?
- [48:20]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I'm okay. I want to talk about Caleb. I want to talk. You guys got to talk me off the ledge about Caleb because I'm having a little, like, existential crisis. Week one, which I told myself before the season I was gonna be patient. And then week one happened and I was like, this fucking sucks.
- [48:37]
Todd McShay
Let's get into it, right?
- [48:38]
Steve Mensch
Like not a good week.
- [48:40]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
How were you wrong with you, your analysis? Why did you betray us?
- [48:44]
Todd McShay
Let's. Let's make it my fault. Good thing I was out of this business for a year. Mind you, I was taking a little sabatical. No. All right, let's talk about it because here's the deal. I'm watching the game and had they just scored one more time and like I kind of hung on one. Here's the analysis. Like I know the analysis.
- [49:07]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Get up.
- [49:10]
Todd McShay
Because what's going to happen right away is like Caleb's back, Ben Johnson, like all this stuff. And then there's going to be a couple smart people who actually do the work and be like, he did great. Still things to work on. But we're. We're seeing the signs. So you get a little pushback. We're seeing some. We're seeing some signs though.
- [49:25]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
It's positive.
- [49:26]
Todd McShay
And Ben Johnson's in and we're seeing. And they would do you do like on ESPN. They were. All right, we clock in 2.2 seconds. He's getting the ball out 10 for.
- [49:32]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
10 to start, 10 to start again.
- [49:34]
Todd McShay
So they would be focused and be like. But there were some plays and he's got to improve. But what a great start. But then the last quarter and a half happened.
- [49:41]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [49:41]
Todd McShay
And now it's like. And then Tyler dune.
- [49:47]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Tyler Dunn.
- [49:48]
Todd McShay
Dunn, yeah. That was the hit piece. But like now you match the game with the hit piece.
- [49:56]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah. How they released it right before.
- [49:58]
Todd McShay
What's the temperature here?
- [50:00]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Listen, that hippies. I. Tyler Dunn's going to do whatever he does. Like I actually. He's going to talk to the guys. I think it's more on the guys because you guys know how this works. The NFL is a cover your own ass league where if the ship's going down, everyone's going to come up with a story so that they can be like, well, it wasn't me, it was him. And we heard for six months about how it was the coaching and it was Caleb's side of the story. You knew this was going to happen. It's Chris Morgan, the offensive line coach. I think it was probably Shane Waldron. Eberfluss actually didn't talk to Tyler Dunn, which credit to him. Smart because he probably had a lot to say. But these guys are basically doing. What they're basically doing is setting a narrative that when they go into a meeting next year or the year after looking for a job, they can be like, no, this is what it was. It wasn't me. It was him. Is that not fair?
- [50:49]
Todd McShay
Let me tell you this about, like, I know two things now. Middle school girls and fired coaches, scouts in the NFL. The two groups of human beings in this world. Because I've got a stepdaughter, Mia, who, like, is in middle school, like. And I've been around football my entire professional life.
- [51:11]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
So those are her thoughts on Caleb.
- [51:14]
Todd McShay
Those two.
- [51:15]
Steve Mensch
Hold on.
- [51:16]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Those two groups can't read.
- [51:18]
Todd McShay
What is it? One of the. Those two groups are the two that you don't want to cross. Right. Because they will. They'll burn you at the stake. Right.
- [51:26]
Steve Mensch
But sometimes Becky's right. Like, listen, can they not be right about this too?
- [51:31]
Todd McShay
Like.
- [51:32]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
But I think it's. I think it's child, like anyone who sees the world in black and white as a child. So was Caleb hard to deal with? Probably. But he also probably had really bad coaches who. He was like, fuck these guys. They're not helping me. Shane Waldron was a bad hire by the Bears for. He's not a quarterback developer.
- [51:50]
Todd McShay
Shane. Shane Waldron should never have been around Caleb Williams. Let's start with that, right? And you don't draft that quarterback and have a defensive head coach. They. No matter what it cost. It should have been Ben Johnson.
- [52:03]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Before that, it should have been Jim Hart.
- [52:05]
Todd McShay
Yes. That's an offensive coach who knows how to develop, work with and protect quarterbacks. So we'll start with that. The thing that, honestly, when I was done reading it, I was like, this is damning of the front off.
- [52:20]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Oh, yeah. Because this is all. This is all the. The way that a front office can fuck this up. We all probably in this room, a lot of Bears fans, we all were saying, when you're going to draft Caleb Williams, you got a clean house, you got to get a new coaching staff. Instead, they kept Eber Floose. And what offensive coordinator is going to take that job for a rookie head coach and a coach that's already fired? Basically. That's why you end up with Shane Waldron. That's why the commanders end up with Cliff Kingsbury. So, like, there's the difference right there. So it's all the steps leading up to Caleb Williams that were incorrect and they didn't do the right thing and start all fresh. And it's like, you can look at it, even the last three quarterbacks that we've drafted, all the timelines have been wrong. John Fox was the coach when Mitch Trubisky was drafted. Then John Fox gets fired. Then Matt Nagy's the coach when Justin Fields is there and then he gets fired. So it's like a bunch of coaches getting inheriting guys they didn't pick. And you know this, you both know this very well about the NFL. If you didn't pick the guy, you don't care. Like, if you, if it's not your guy, you'll give him a shot. But the minute you. He's not good, you're like, that's not my problem. And that's unfortunately how the NFL works. So I'm worried about that with Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams.
- [53:33]
Todd McShay
It's a caddy league. You, you wouldn't like. Honestly, it is. It's.
- [53:37]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
It's crazy.
- [53:38]
Todd McShay
And, and the second it starts and you could. I saw something in, in the TV broadcast when Caleb came over to Ben and towards the end when things were falling apart and he was starting to go revert back to all the stuff that Caleb did that can't. You can't do in the NFL. Pressure's on. Like, it always brings out that. The bad habits in you. And only game experience being drilled this over and over again and losing or having bad moments and learning from those mistakes and carrying battle back. Only game experience burns that out of your DNA. And so how long are they going to stick with this? How, how ugly could it get before he actually starts to burn that out of his DNA? But I saw at the end of the game, they showed us on ABC or espn, I guess just a closeup of Caleb came over and Ben. And Ben was like. And almost like indifferent. Like, right. Like, I. There's nothing I can tell you that's good. Right.
- [54:39]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Right.
- [54:39]
Todd McShay
You know, so week one, strong start. But the, like, there's so. There's so much talent there and you hope that he learns from it. But I can sit up here and say all that, but like, I'm, I'm. For the. This is the first time that I'm actually like, hm, right.
- [54:55]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
That was the. And I am going to be patient. I like, I think the Bears are going to win on Sunday. I know that's crazy, but I've gone through the whole process of like Tuesday and then Wednesday and then I'm like, yeah, five and a half points. Like, that's stealing.
- [55:08]
Todd McShay
It's a recovering process.
- [55:09]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
But the. I, I want him to be good so badly. I just. Week one, it just felt like there was a lot of the Same stuff as last year.
- [55:19]
Todd McShay
And.
- [55:19]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
And that's like, the feel for the game is just. It doesn't feel like it's there, you know, and it's like, j. And then watching JJ McCarthy be in hell and then get out of hell, and it was just like a total reversal. And I don't know. I don't know what the answer is. I don't know if you see the tape and you're like, there's stuff there that can be fixed, or if you're like, hey, he just isn't seeing it the way he needs to see it. Where. Like, even some of the throws where it's like, he needs to see someone wide open to throw it. It's like, you got to throw it before that in the NFL.
- [55:48]
Steve Mensch
True. Like the DJ More down the left sideline.
- [55:51]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah. And then he has the Roma Dunes. They throw on the first drive where you're like, that's it. Yeah, that's the guy.
- [55:55]
Steve Mensch
Yep.
- [55:55]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
No, there's only a few guys who can make that throw. That's why you keep being like, yes, it's going to work out eventually.
- [56:01]
Steve Mensch
But you saw a case study of how to properly develop a quarterback and what happens when you don't do it right.
- [56:07]
Todd McShay
But it's not over.
- [56:08]
Steve Mensch
Like, no, it's not over.
- [56:09]
Todd McShay
It's not over.
- [56:10]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I'm not giving up.
- [56:10]
Steve Mensch
McCarthy is almost lucky to be out last year. And I know that sounds strange.
- [56:15]
Todd McShay
Figure it out.
- [56:16]
Steve Mensch
Be in the. In the building.
- [56:18]
Todd McShay
Learn the system.
- [56:19]
Steve Mensch
Not a lot asked of them.
- [56:20]
Todd McShay
It was a forced. Great quarterback situation. It was a forced one.
- [56:24]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
And you. You said it when I. I was back there. You're Talking about the 25 quarterbacks in the NCAA that could be, you know, on a roster. I think that puts pressure on the NFL because the impatience.
- [56:34]
Todd McShay
Yes.
- [56:34]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
For teams out of control.
- [56:36]
Todd McShay
Yes.
- [56:37]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Where it's like you. You used to be a guy would get three, four, five years. Now teams are like, you know, we're. We're done. Josh Rosen, we're done.
- [56:44]
Todd McShay
Yeah.
- [56:45]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
After a year.
- [56:45]
Todd McShay
Yeah.
- [56:46]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Which is crazy. But that does feel like the new norm.
- [56:49]
Todd McShay
But it's smarter. It is being stuck with someone and. Yeah.
- [56:52]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah. So it's. It's not great. I have. I have a crazy take for you guys. I'll throw it out there.
- [56:58]
Todd McShay
You.
- [56:58]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I know. Todd, you loved doing scout analysis on kickers. Oh, God, it's the only favorite thing to do. Cairo Santos can't kick over 50 yards. It's a problem.
- [57:09]
Todd McShay
Yeah.
- [57:09]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
It's a big problem. Everyone watching the game on Monday Night knew it. I don't know how the pairs. I think the Ben Johnson said afterwards he's like. He told me he could do it.
- [57:18]
Todd McShay
It's like.
- [57:20]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
It's like my son saying he can swim when he's never taken a swimming lesson and it's just told me go ahead, jump in. So everyone knew he was able to do that. He could we maybe sign Jake Moody. Is he so bad? I know he's bad, but you scouted him. He's got a leg. He's 12 for 23 from field goals since week 10 last year. Guys. Guys have better streaks in baseball than that. Like hitting 12 for 23. But he can kick far. I was gonna say do you burn a roster spot?
- [57:53]
Todd McShay
You can burn a roster spot for kickoff. Honestly, you might have to burn a roster so bad. But the scary part is no two positions in football have improved more in the last decade than quarterback and kicker.
- [58:08]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [58:10]
Todd McShay
So like there's guys out like Australia. I know there's hunters, but can we like they.
- [58:14]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Cairo Santos would be the best kicker in the NFL 30 years ago because he is money from 50 in.
- [58:20]
Todd McShay
But.
- [58:20]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
But you see it every single night, every single Sunday. They'll just be like, oh yeah, Brandon Aubrey, he's going to kick a 65 yarder.
- [58:27]
Todd McShay
Yeah. The cam little guy. The Cam little guy now 70 yarder. The preseason the.
- [58:31]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
The Vikings kicker at Deloitte came out and kicked a 58 yarder.
- [58:36]
Steve Mensch
The Bills just got Prater, right? They just got him.
- [58:38]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
And yeah. Prater's 50 years old.
- [58:40]
Todd McShay
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [58:42]
Steve Mensch
If you can do it, you can do it.
- [58:43]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
You have to have a kicker who could kick more than 50 yards.
- [58:46]
Todd McShay
I did not have this show going three, four minutes on the Bears kickers kicking situation.
- [58:52]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
It was so frustrating. I know we probably wouldn't won the game, but still, like, how do you not have a guy who can kick it out of bounds or kick it out of the end zone?
- [58:59]
Todd McShay
All right. Caleb Williams comes out this week and plays a really good game. Kind of. He bottles up what happened in the first half. Not that he was awesome or perfect, but he bottles that up and they. He gives you four quarters of good enough good. Some good flash, couple mistakes, but they win. And like it feels good. How does the temperature in this town change?
- [59:19]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Oh, completely shifts. Bears are back.
- [59:22]
Todd McShay
The.
- [59:22]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
The crazy thing though is like it's week to week. It is week to week. The wins and losses are not as relevant as people think right now. Like if the. If that game. If we had lost to the Vikings week One. But Caleb Williams was awesome. I think I would have been able to be like, yeah, all right, we're good. Like, it's gonna work long term. You're. You're. We're not in a rebuild. That's the frustrating part is the Bears are. They have been rebuilding. They got some talent, should be good enough to compete. So it really is just like, you have to have Caleb Williams look good this year. Well, seven games and he can look good, and it could be a good year.
- [59:59]
Todd McShay
It's almost like for Ben Johnson, it's almost like, all right, I heard I'm. I'm now dating Caleb Williams. I heard that he's, you know, cheated on his past partners before he gets, like, that girl, you know, like. But it. But not with me. Won't cheat on me.
- [60:11]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah, right.
- [60:12]
Todd McShay
And then in for the first half, you're like, yeah, loyal. Great part. Yeah. This is awesome.
- [60:17]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [60:18]
Todd McShay
And then he goes. And right in front of your face. Cheats on, like. Cheats on you in a second. Go right back to the same. Same problems that he had. Like, that feeling that Ben Johnson's gotta have is like, oh, yeah, so we'll see.
- [60:31]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
But guys were open. That's the only thing. I mean, it's different than last year. Like, there was just guys. Shane Waldron was just having everyone run the same route into each other. If you watch. I watched. I watched some of the altered you. Ben Johnson obviously knows how to coach offensive football. He's a great offensive mind. So it should work. I'm going to say it's going to work.
- [60:51]
Todd McShay
Who is that? There was a Bears wide receiver that left Chicago and went somewhere else. Was the year. The year before, and someone asked him. It was like a random interview. It had nothing to do with the Bears.
- [61:03]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Mooney.
- [61:04]
Todd McShay
It might. It might have been there. Like, what do you think? Shane Waldron's coming in. What do you think?
- [61:08]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Oh, it was a Seahawks wide receiver. It's Jackson Smith.
- [61:12]
Todd McShay
And it was like. What'd he say? He's like.
- [61:14]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
He was just like, yeah.
- [61:15]
Todd McShay
Yeah.
- [61:15]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
He's like, are we alive?
- [61:16]
Todd McShay
Yeah. And I was like. I was like, what? He said. Because that's. I was like. Know what he said? Yeah, that's what I thought about it.
- [61:23]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [61:25]
Todd McShay
All right. I want to ask you this, though. We'll shift to college.
- [61:28]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yes.
- [61:29]
Todd McShay
Big noon kick. How about this guy, huh? Yeah, Come along.
- [61:32]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Big tv.
- [61:34]
Todd McShay
Come a long way from the.
- [61:35]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
But listen, this is Dave just signing me up for stuff that he's gonna. He's gonna eventually stop doing. And I'm gonna have to do it.
- [61:42]
Todd McShay
Oh, Dave had no idea what this grind is. You know, you've come a long way since our. Remember our barstool? Your barstool combine.
- [61:53]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Combine. So the barstool combine, I think. I assume there's some people who are still. He's here. It was Hank's first day on the job, and Hank completely lied on his resume, like, to an insane level, where he was like, I know how to work everything. Like, I can edit. I can do all this. And Gaz was our video editor at the time, not a video editor. Basically handed Hank a camera and was just like, all right, go. And Hank was like, what do you mean, go? And he's like, you said you could do all this. And it was Todd, me, Dave, and KFC out on a field backstory, too. Yeah.
- [62:28]
Todd McShay
Portnoy calls me up the night before. He's like, we're doing this little. This stunt, right? And we're going to try to have a barstool combine. And he's like, can you not, like, three weeks in advance? It was the night before. He's like, what? You got anything out tomorrow afternoon? Can you come out to Dorchester?
- [62:44]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [62:45]
Todd McShay
Not a nice neighborhood. And they bring your stopwatch, I guess. I don't know. Like, what do you. I'm like, yeah, Dave, I would bring a stopwatch. I'm like, do you have. Do you have, like. He's like, we're gonna do, like, the vertical jump. I'm like, do you have, like, the stick? He's like, yeah, I think someone's running out to grab that at, like, Dick Sporting Goods or something. I'm like. I'm like, all right, well, here's the deal. Like, our. Our. One of our best friends growing up, Kalishman, right? He had. It was a first high school baseball game where he's a head coach, and I was like, it's Cal's first game. We're all gonna go support him. Like, we got to be done by, like, 4:00'. Clock.
- [63:20]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
No, no, no.
- [63:21]
Todd McShay
Wake up that morning. It's like 106 degrees, and now I'm. Now I'm on a field, and we don't get started until, like, the third inning of that high school baseball game that I'm supposed to go to, like, 45 minutes away. And so I'm kind of pissed. Pissed and annoyed. But then we got started, and it was literally the funniest thing I'd ever seen.
- [63:38]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
It was ridiculous.
- [63:39]
Todd McShay
Like, what were we doing? And who was it you? Who stuffed their Their. Their shorts.
- [63:44]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Probably me.
- [63:45]
Todd McShay
No, I think you did. With your spandex.
- [63:46]
Steve Mensch
With.
- [63:47]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [63:47]
Todd McShay
Just for.
- [63:48]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I have a small penis, so it's.
- [63:49]
Todd McShay
Probably me for effect. To make it look more like the guys in the com.
- [63:53]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah, sounds like me.
- [63:55]
Todd McShay
But. Yeah, but my point is, you've come a long way.
- [63:57]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yes, it was. And we did the whole thing. And I remember after we had you there for like six hours.
- [64:02]
Todd McShay
Oh, my gosh.
- [64:02]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
And you turned to Dave after, and you're just like, listen, I've known you for my whole life. If you try to do this with anyone else, they're gonna walk out.
- [64:10]
Todd McShay
Yeah.
- [64:11]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Like, this is not gonna.
- [64:12]
Todd McShay
This is like your one. This is your one.
- [64:14]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
We kidnapped you.
- [64:15]
Todd McShay
You did.
- [64:16]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [64:17]
Todd McShay
I want to ask you this, though, because it's a big hot topic in college football, and I. I'm guessing I know where you're gonna go, but I want to know the why.
- [64:24]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Okay.
- [64:24]
Todd McShay
Because. Big 10 sec.
- [64:26]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yes. How many SEC fans do we have here?
- [64:29]
Steve Mensch
Any.
- [64:30]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
How many Big Ten fans?
- [64:33]
Todd McShay
Okay, I'm glad you guys are on that. Good luck. Kiss ass.
- [64:39]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah. The Big Ten is. Is. Is going to dominate college football from here on forward. They have all the money we have. Listen, all I have to say is when Nick Saban gets out of football, then goes on a tour, basically being like, it's not fair anymore. I think I trust Nick Saban. He knows what he's talking about. It's.
- [64:58]
Todd McShay
So Nick Saban retired from football because the Big Ten's getting too good.
- [65:03]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yes. Because he can't. Because he knew he couldn't compete with the Big Ten. And I don't want to end up being one of these SEC football fans because my team is probably not going to be one of the competing teams. So I don't want to be like, Big Ten, let's go. I'm so pumped that Ohio State, Michigan and Oregon are winning all these championships, but I do think the dynamic has shifted. And now that you can pay players, the Big Ten schools are bigger, they have more money, it's harder to get into. So their graduates probably do a little bit better. Right, guys.
- [65:36]
Todd McShay
Here we go.
- [65:37]
Steve Mensch
Here we go.
- [65:38]
Todd McShay
Have you seen the number of people going down south right now?
- [65:41]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
It is true. Yeah.
- [65:42]
Steve Mensch
Yeah.
- [65:42]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
The shifting demographics are definitely interesting. I. I just think it's. It's. Obviously, the SEC is still going to be good, but I do think that it's a lot more even than it was for the last 15 years because, like, Larry Ellison can just cut a check for $12 million. Underwood, which is insane. Yeah.
- [66:00]
Todd McShay
Why are we.
- [66:02]
Steve Mensch
Let's go, Oracle.
- [66:04]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Once he gets divorced, you're. The money's going to be gone. And then Dave took credit for that.
- [66:11]
Todd McShay
I mean.
- [66:11]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah, that's the worst though, because Michigan fans, like, for the longest time, you know, we do it the right way. Michigan. Oh, all this stuff.
- [66:18]
Todd McShay
Oh, yeah. I grew up the grandson.
- [66:21]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Then they're all the Oracle CEO, like hooks up with a chick and he's just like, yeah, I'll give 12 million to an 18 year old.
- [66:27]
Todd McShay
I grew up the grandson. The grandson of a Michigan man and I'm God rest his soul. My grandfather most wonder. He's the reason I'm here today in what I do. But like, come on.
- [66:37]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah, come on.
- [66:39]
Todd McShay
I saw, I saw Bo Schembeckler coming into the house with some, some people and some transactions so that he could recruit the Huron, Sandusky area.
- [66:48]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Right.
- [66:48]
Todd McShay
Like when it was, you know. Yeah, I. Yeah, the Michigan men, that thing.
- [66:53]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Do you guys don't think that, like, it's.
- [66:55]
Steve Mensch
Oh, I think. I think it's switching.
- [66:57]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I don't.
- [66:57]
Steve Mensch
I'm not sure. I think it's more balanced than it has been and now it's tilting towards the Big Ten. I think getting Oregon is a huge win.
- [67:03]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [67:04]
Steve Mensch
And whether or not you think that Saban left because of the Big Ten, Saban leaving has left a massive void in the sec.
- [67:11]
Todd McShay
I agree.
- [67:11]
Steve Mensch
Alabama was, you know, you just counted.
- [67:13]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
On it every year.
- [67:14]
Steve Mensch
Right. Like, you just knew it was going to be Alabama and now you don't. And with that void and you got these Big Ten teams. Oregon, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan.
- [67:23]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [67:23]
Steve Mensch
And then some of these other programs too. It's going to be. I mean, I was surprised how much I saw Indiana. Indiana's number 22 million or something.
- [67:31]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [67:31]
Steve Mensch
I mean, Indiana is spending 22 million.
- [67:33]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
They got money. Mark Cuban.
- [67:34]
Todd McShay
Do you.
- [67:35]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Do you guys buy into like Alabama screwed. I should watch what I'm saying because Wisconsin's gonna get smushed on Saturday.
- [67:42]
Todd McShay
But both things can be true. Yeah.
- [67:44]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah, that's true. Like, both things can be true. I just. It's crazy to me watching that Week 1 game, like the physicality that Shock used to have. The effort don't have anymore and it went away.
- [67:57]
Todd McShay
So you know what's interesting? Like, sometimes you get the best information from like the side nuggets in the draft and Tyler Booker one. One of the reasons why everyone loved Tyler Booker in scouting circles in the NFL and the reason a guard went that high in the draft, one of the reasons. Very good. Player. But he's a guard. Right. And he's not like, the most athletic guard, but he was the top 10 of all time. Football character, tough guys. Change your locker room at the guard position. Like. But the story that came out that I kind of filed away was that it took Booker calling a team meeting with some coaches apparently in there and being like, I don't care. Nick's gone. We have a standard here, and we're not living up to the standard. And on and on and on and got everyone riled up and, like, refocused the team. But why does he have to make that? You know what I mean? I was that.
- [68:59]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I always put that.
- [69:00]
Todd McShay
And so I'm like, I'm curious to see, because Deborah's won everywhere he goes. In his second year, he won a national championship at Sioux Falls. Second year, Washington takes him to the national championship. Like, this guy's a winner.
- [69:11]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [69:11]
Todd McShay
But it's not always the right fit.
- [69:14]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
And you know this better than anyone because you've traveled to all these schools. Like, it just is different at Alabama. It's different in the SEC in terms of the temperature and, like, you lose.
- [69:25]
Todd McShay
One game and it can be a great thing, but it can absolutely tear your program down. If. If. Yeah, it's. It's not rational. Right. And like, the sec, it's different. It is. Truly. It is.
- [69:40]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Right.
- [69:40]
Todd McShay
And I grew up going to Michigan, Ohio State games. Like, the rivalry, I was unbelievable. Like, memories and respect for. And like, it's burned into my DNA Right then the first time I went to Auburn, Alabama, I was like, oh, yeah, Am I safe?
- [69:54]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Did you guys see the clip of the woman outside of a convenience store in Alabama playing the lotto? And she was just like, first thing I'll do if I win powerball is.
- [70:03]
Todd McShay
Yes.
- [70:03]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
$70 million, Caleb. Like, that's where.
- [70:06]
Todd McShay
Well, Paul Feinbaums one of the worst human beings in sports media.
- [70:11]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [70:11]
Todd McShay
And, like, doesn't look the part. He's not this. Like, he doesn't fit. But because people are so insane and it's so entertaining. Right. That he's built a.
- [70:21]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
He opens the phone line.
- [70:22]
Todd McShay
Yeah.
- [70:22]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah. And that's it.
- [70:23]
Todd McShay
So that should tell you just, like, it's not really.
- [70:26]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [70:27]
Todd McShay
But I do want to say this, and this is interesting to me, and I'm a draft guy, obviously, but, like, talent is talent. And if you really look at the history outside that, like, Cam Newton one year when there was two first round picks with him, Farley, the defensive lineman, and nobody else went to the NFL. I mean, I went to that pro day and it was like embarrassing. Guys were like, like Bad News Bears. Like.
- [70:47]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [70:49]
Todd McShay
But other than that, it's normally like draft talent equates to. You're going to be there at the end. Listen, these numbers. 20, 19 on 64 for the SEC. 40. Big 10, 20, 20, 63, 48, 65, 44. First round picks, no overall draft.
- [71:04]
Steve Mensch
Okay.
- [71:04]
Todd McShay
Overall, sorry. 65, 48 in 20, 22, 6355 and 23 24. It was 59. This is where it's important. 59 for the SEC. They've gone 19 straight years, by the way, had the most draft picks. The SEC has 59 for the SEC, 43 for the PAC 12. Huh. But now we in the programs that created that 43 are now. So the. The only two program. The only two conferences that have. That have like tried to put up a fight and it wasn't a great fight were those. But now you've merged them together this past year. SEC still record setting. Most ever drafted by a conference last year by a long shot. 79. The SEC, 71. Big Ten shifting. Shifting.
- [71:52]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [71:52]
Todd McShay
And I do truly think the top of the Big Ten right now is better. And I don't think it necessarily. I think it will go like this. Up and down, up and down.
- [72:00]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yep.
- [72:01]
Todd McShay
And Alabama being down in Georgia's kind of like everybody. Are we sure. Are we back? Where's our quarterback? So there's some of that going on, but I do think it's going to be like this at the top. Where the Big Ten's got to get better is programs like yours.
- [72:14]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yes.
- [72:15]
Todd McShay
And some of the folks here like it's the middle. No, but seriously, that's the difference is you go to like Mississippi State's like the 13th best team and they go. They go smack or they go beat Arizona State. So.
- [72:30]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [72:30]
Todd McShay
That's where the difference is for me. Yeah.
- [72:33]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
And it's. It's too bad because Wisconsin used to be that, like.
- [72:35]
Todd McShay
No, I know.
- [72:36]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Second tier solid program. And it's been, it's been tough for.
- [72:40]
Todd McShay
So Illinois playing up.
- [72:42]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [72:42]
Todd McShay
Wisconsin starts to play up.
- [72:44]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [72:45]
Todd McShay
Iowa finds a quarterback or someone who can coach a quarter.
- [72:48]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
You know, I don't know if that's possible.
- [72:49]
Todd McShay
I don't.
- [72:50]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I was going to say, like, that's, that's like it might just be when you put on the uniform, you can't throw.
- [72:55]
Todd McShay
You know, this quarterback, Granowski, like, he's a great guy.
- [72:59]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
He's a great.
- [72:59]
Todd McShay
Oh, he's a wonderful guy. Beyond wonderful guy. He won Two national championships, won the Heisman for the fcs, set every record. Like this guy could play quarterback, like could throw, run all this. I popped in the tape the first 20 plays of that first Iowa game, getting ready for this week and I'm like, oh no, he forgot how to play quarterback.
- [73:19]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah. He's like, jersey.
- [73:21]
Todd McShay
He's like, he's like.
- [73:24]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
It'S just the jersey. You put on the jersey, something, hand it off and then you punt.
- [73:32]
Todd McShay
So Northwestern, we got a home game this week.
- [73:35]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah, Northwestern, Oregon. We're doing Big Ten, Big noon, kickoff up there. And I had a. So. So I was prepping for it because Dave's got his pizza fest so I'm filling in for him. And I, I threw out the, in the meeting before. I was like, they're like, what do you got for this game? Because it's on paper, it's not a great game. I was like, I think paper on paper. I think. And I've, I've actually, for people who have listened to pick em for a long time here, I think that Northwestern, Evanston at 11am is the hardest place to play in the country. I think it's harder than Death Valley at night. I think it's harder than Happy Valley. I think it's harder than the Horseshoe. That is the toughest place to play.
- [74:15]
Todd McShay
And cats by 30. The logic is what research did you get to back that up?
- [74:22]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
So here's the problem. So I asked the Fox guy, I was like, can you do some research for me and figure out if this. There's actually something behind it. Give me ranked opponents going to Evanston early kick. So he sends me this long email. Wisconsin was on that email like 15 times. It was just like, this is why I think this is because my team always loses in this spot. But I do think there's truth to.
- [74:46]
Todd McShay
It because coming from the west Coast.
- [74:48]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah. And on this, on this call or Coach Meyer, Coach Urban Meyer was on the call and he's, he backed me up. He was like, this is what I call a break. All the whiteboards game to try to get the guys juiced up before, before you go out there, a lot of these guys who are playing on Oregon, it's a 12,000 person stadium. They played a bigger high school game.
- [75:07]
Todd McShay
Yeah. And.
- [75:07]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
And it's 11am It's a weird time. It's sleepy, it can sneak up on you. But it's also like there's been a lot of close. You know, I think it was maybe last year, the year before. Remember they had like Penn State was maybe up 7 to 3 or something.
- [75:20]
Todd McShay
Yes.
- [75:20]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
It's like these weird.
- [75:21]
Todd McShay
I know.
- [75:22]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Starts where I don't know if Northwestern has the team, but I just. It is a. It's the hardest place to play in the country.
- [75:28]
Todd McShay
All right. You get any other, like, action or picks? You, like, this week?
- [75:34]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Picks. Okay, you talk to me about the Florida LSU game real quick. I. I feel like I'm walking into a trap. Taking lsu.
- [75:40]
Steve Mensch
I. I get the feeling.
- [75:42]
Todd McShay
I do, too.
- [75:43]
Steve Mensch
But they've won five the last six. I think they've won the last three at home. It's a night game in Baton Rouge.
- [75:48]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I.
- [75:49]
Steve Mensch
We'll see what happens. I know what happened last year with Billy Napier kind of right in the ship. And I get all that. I think. I think it's done.
- [75:54]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I think it's done.
- [75:55]
Steve Mensch
I think South Florida is the straw that broke the back of Florida.
- [75:59]
Todd McShay
I really do.
- [76:00]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
And I also think this. I think I love South Florida story. Golish. Awesome. Like, they should be ranked number one right now. If you're just going resumes.
- [76:08]
Todd McShay
Sure.
- [76:09]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Right?
- [76:10]
Todd McShay
Yeah. I mean, like, why not?
- [76:11]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
If we want to just throw them in.
- [76:12]
Todd McShay
Yeah.
- [76:13]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I have no number one.
- [76:14]
Steve Mensch
No.
- [76:14]
Todd McShay
I mean, if we're doing resumes, who would they be?
- [76:18]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Boise in Florida. Who else has a better resume?
- [76:21]
Todd McShay
It's gonna shake itself.
- [76:22]
Steve Mensch
I would give the Miami win over Notre Dame more credit than both.
- [76:25]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
And who they beat after that. Like Bethune Cook.
- [76:27]
Steve Mensch
Yeah, Bethune Cookman.
- [76:28]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah, you're right. So, all right, I guess it gets settled.
- [76:31]
Steve Mensch
One versus two this week.
- [76:32]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Well, yeah, so this is. My point is I do think that Miami's gonna kill him. I think this is where. And maybe you guys can tell me if I'm wrong in my analysis, but when you have a team like USF and they started like they started, eventually it does become the Jimmy's and Joe's. And it's the. The emotional toll of those two weeks. Going to Miami now having to play another big boy. I feel like they're in.
- [76:55]
Todd McShay
The physical toll, too.
- [76:56]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah, the physical toll.
- [76:57]
Todd McShay
Right. Well, you said this last week. You were just a week off on it. You said. Yeah. That South Florida beating Boise State woke. Woke Florida up. So, like, it made it an easier week of preparation for the coaching staff. Didn't pan out last week, but maybe it does this week for Miami. I think Miami. Miami, like, you can't overlook this game.
- [77:17]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Right.
- [77:17]
Todd McShay
So.
- [77:18]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Right. This team is. Is if they win this game, they're the best team in Florida.
- [77:22]
Todd McShay
I love Duke plus one and a half. Yeah.
- [77:24]
Steve Mensch
That's the craziest one to me.
- [77:25]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I do.
- [77:26]
Steve Mensch
Something's wrong, though. I look to see if Darian.
- [77:28]
Todd McShay
It's the corso one, though. Man makes me nervous. Like somebody knows something. I'm going with the somebody's.
- [77:33]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I know because that Duke, Illinois game, Illinois pasted him. But if you watch the game, Duke just did everything to lose that game, like.
- [77:40]
Todd McShay
And men's. That quarterback in play. Yeah.
- [77:43]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
So I, Yeah, I, I, I like that pick as well. I think they're plus one a half.
- [77:46]
Todd McShay
So you're gonna make the softball game. We gotta.
- [77:48]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
I don't know. Yeah. So I'm in the softball real quick. Yeah.
- [77:53]
Todd McShay
What position? What's your batting like?
- [77:55]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Pitching. I'm the oldest guy on the team by about 15 years. It's all got.
- [77:59]
Todd McShay
You're used to that role in life.
- [78:00]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Next, the Pugs.
- [78:02]
Todd McShay
The Pugs.
- [78:03]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah, the Pug. Shout out Pug. He's one of our producers on PMT 99.
- [78:07]
Todd McShay
Pug.
- [78:07]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah, there we go. Pug doesn't play. He's not good enough. But no, we're, yeah. And it's, it's a tricky league because every game is a lot of pressure because the other sideline, like, we got the arrow on our back. You know, we get the, the circle on our back because they're like, oh, here come the barstool guys.
- [78:25]
Todd McShay
Well, you guys, you guys are Georgia. It's like you need the group.
- [78:30]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah.
- [78:31]
Todd McShay
Be there. Be their nightmare.
- [78:33]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Yeah. So it was, it's, it's, I think it's three games tonight if we keep winning. So they play at 7. If I'm going to look at my phone, see if they won, and then I'll go play.
- [78:42]
Todd McShay
You missed it.
- [78:44]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
Listen, Todd McShay asked me to come.
- [78:45]
Todd McShay
I feel bad. I thought we were getting you out of here on time.
- [78:48]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
If I got to be honest, if I got to be honest, we haven't had the best season. Todd asked me to do this, like a month and a half ago. I looked at the schedule. I was like, no way. We'll still be in the playoffs.
- [79:00]
Todd McShay
I appreciate you, man. This is.
- [79:02]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
You guys the best.
- [79:02]
Todd McShay
Thank you, guys. Thank you.
- [79:04]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
You, everyone.
- [79:04]
Todd McShay
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- [80:07]
Sponsor/Ad Voice
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- [80:52]
Big Cat (Dan Katz)
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