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- [00:00]
A
You know, when you're locked in, focused and fearless. Welcome to the wnba.
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Your vision narrows.
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A
You can't look away. Every assist, every stop, every logo. Three from beyond the logo, every. Did you see that moment? You bet. What records are going to be broken this season? All of it. Right here.
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Lock in.
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It's the WNBA on ESPN all season long.
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The pride, passion and pageantry of college football lives here.
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This is the Paul Feinbaum Show.
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Our three podcasts.
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A
This might be college football, has it not?
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B
And some news on Diego Pavia. He was the biggest conversation piece in the SEC last year. Camp is not officially even open yet for the Ravens and he is gone already. Cut. Where does he go now? Let's check in with Smit in Georgia next.
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A
I knew you were going to talk about Pavia because that's what I said to your producer guy.
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B
That's fantastic.
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A
How did you enjoy your week and a half vacation, buddy?
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B
It was. It was. That was also great. I'm thinking about going right back after this week.
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A
Yeah? Where'd you go? To the beach. You look a little tanner, actually.
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B
Went up north, Northeast.
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A
I got a question. How you looked a little. A little short compared to Manning, actually. How tall are you, Wilson?
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B
Anybody would look short. Compare. I'm right at about five, ten and a half.
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A
Well, dang. I'm 62 until till bash. I'm still loving his. Still loving his. For the Under Armour.
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B
I will pass that along. Hey, thank you, Smith. Good to see you. Let's check in with Phyllis up next. Louisiana.
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A
Hey. Hi, Paul.
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B
Hi there. How are you?
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A
I'm doing fine. Thank you so much for taking my call.
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B
Thank you.
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A
Wanna let you know my husband and I watch you every day.
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B
Thank you.
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A
You have really good information that you give us. You're on top of everything. We do live in Louisiana, really, right outside Baton Rouge. But we are absolutely the biggest Alabama fans around here. We do not root for lsu. Yeah, Just want to plug that in. But that's for another time. I just wanted to let you know, though, I was watching you today, and if we go back several comments ago, you were talking about the Penn State schedule and how if they don't, you know, win, have a good season that they should because of some of the garbage teams that they play. I don't think you should have said that. And I kind of. Kind of got offended by it because there's some guys out there who get up every day and bust their butt for their school and, you know, calling their team garbage teams, that's just kind of A really a low blow to them, don't you think?
- [03:35]
B
I do. I do agree with you on that. I think sometimes you're in context, but you're right. I mean, I run into athletes all the time when I'm traveling, and they'll tell me they play for a D2 team or D3 or G, whatever. And you're. Yeah. I mean, everybody. Yeah. I mean, thankfully, I didn't point out which team I thought was garbage, but I'll try to refrain from that in the future.
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A
Yeah, I was just. I was like. Well, he shouldn't have said that. I said. I've never heard him, like, degrade teams like that before. But, yeah, it's true. You didn't mention any, and I'm glad you didn't. But I'm thinking, even though they could be way up north somewhere, we never hear about them or anything, their parents could be watching you, their players. All the players could be watching you.
- [04:22]
B
No, you're right. I mean, I was on the plane last night when we got off with a young high school player, and there was a college player we were talking to and his grandfather. Listen, I'm going to. When I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I probably should clean up my. My. My descriptive language.
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A
Well, I appreciate that, and that's coming from a wife of a coach. Okay. So you just have a good day. I just wanted to call that. You know that. And we're ready to have the Tide roll in. Okay.
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B
No, no. I mean, listen, I have a lot of friends who are coaches, so thank you. And thank you for sharing that with us. You be well. You take care of yourself. Austin is up next. Good afternoon.
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A
Good afternoon, Mr. Finebaum. How are you?
- [05:12]
B
Very well, thank you.
- [05:14]
A
Last year I called you. I asked if you thought Bill Belichick was going to win 10 games. Last year, I could have been more wrong. But I wanted to ask you, what do you think the wind ceiling is for Bill Belichick this year at unc?
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B
I looked at his schedule the other day. I mean, I think he's capable of getting to 500. I can't imagine any better than that.
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A
I did see, like, he's like. You think like the recruiting ranks matter at all? I saw that he was at number 17, and he's like. You think the offensive coordinator he picked up. Really? It'll help at all or. No?
- [05:48]
B
Yeah, I mean. I mean, I've been pretty critical of Belichick, but last year was a. Probably more. We should have expected it. He tried to transfer form an entire Culture with an entire roster and it failed. I think he'll settle down a little bit. I just don't think he's in a good position there though. The one thing I thought Belichick gave to Chapel Hill was one of the biggest names in college, excuse me, in coaching history. And I think that buzz has worn off. I don't know how many 17 year olds or even high school players or 21 year old possible transfer students really care. Bill Belichick drops in to see you
- [06:36]
A
anymore and I don't think that style of coaching, you know, like his style is that Bill Parcell style of coaching is kind of. It's not, it's not with the times anymore.
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B
No, but I mean if you're, if you're, let's say you're the top quarterback in North Carolina and you're one of the top three players in America and you got three coaches lined up to come see you. Bill Belichick, Dan Lanning and Lane Kiffin. The second two are going to overwhelm Belichick in terms of charisma, appeal and where college football is today.
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A
Yeah, I agree completely. I'd rather go, I'd rather go play for Lane Kiffin. But I hope you enjoyed the Sunshine State and I hope you have a great weekend.
- [07:21]
B
Thank you very much. Appreciate you calling. Let me check in with Swamp dog.
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A
Good afternoon, Mr. Paul. It's great to have you back, man. I missed you, you know, long summer, you bet. But yeah, good to have you back, man. But I saw you the other day on First Take with Stephen A. Smith and Jordan Rogers and man, that was some kind of you like you had more fun on First Take that day and I've ever seen you have fun on that show before. I thought you were going to laugh so much you going to fall out of your chair.
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B
Yeah, I mean, I really didn't know what to expect. I think it was a two, whatever day it was where we started the show at 10 o' clock and at almost 10:30 and it's still going on. I mean, I've been there for Nick Saban's retirement. It didn't go that long.
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A
Hey, I like what he said about you, you and him. He compared himself with you and with you with, with Jordan. He said, there's a difference between Stephen A. Smith, Paul Fine Bomb and Jordan. He said, Stephen A. Smith and Paul Fine Bomb. He said, jordan, you try to be a nice guy. You don't want to hurt nobody's feelings. You don't, you know, you try to smooth Everything over and make everything sound good. He said, Stephen A. Smith and Paul Fine Bob did not do that. We, we go after it and say exactly what it is. We're straight shooters about this kind of thing, you know, and man, I was starting to feel sorry for Jordan. I said, man, you, you trapped in between Paul Fine Bomb and Stephen A. Smith and they're coming at you like this, man, you know, you can't win that. You ain't gonna win that. And I could look on his face and I could tell he was getting beat down by both of you there, man. I'm not saying you're a bad guy. I ain't saying he's a bad guy, but. Yeah, but he's right about what y' all do, you know, you don't care if it steps on somebody's toes or hurts their feelings. You just say it like it is
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B
and you know, well, swap dog. You know. The reason for that though, the reason is that Stephen A. And I have had similar backgrounds. We both covered a beat. We were reporters, we were writers. And when you do that and listen, I spend most of my life with former players, you know, that I appreciate where they're coming from, but I'm different. I don't really care if I offend some coach or, I mean, I'd rather not trash a 17 year old player, but it doesn't, it doesn't faze me because that's what we, you can, you can only do what you're being asked to do. And when the questions come in, you answer them. You don't equivocate.
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A
It's your job to do that. That's what you do. And you're one of the best at doing it. And he, both of you are, you know, y' all are the top two in the, in the industry, in my opinion, at doing that. But I heard you tell Rogers too about, we were not cuddled like you players are, you know, in the locker rooms and everything. We were beat riders.
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B
Well, Swampdog, you know, you know about that. I have a lot of friends who played NFL football and I'll see them. I had a neighbor a couple years ago and he basically said in his entire life, high school, college, you know, 12, 13 years in the NFL, they never had to worry about anything. Somebody, the bus picks them up, they get on the airplane, there's a team doctor, there's a. It is, they're not worried about going like, you know, traveling like the two of us. I mean, I'm, and I'm not going to waste the audience's time with, you know, travel woes, everybody that has them. That's not the, you know, if you're, if you're on a college team or an NFL team, you're not, you know, checking your app at midnight to see if your, if your plane's going to leave and get you home, you get home. So that's why I use that phrase. And, but Jordan understands that he's incredible. I mean, he's as good as anybody in breaking down what he does. But that's not, that's not, that's, Stephen and I are in a different, different lane.
- [11:37]
A
I understand that. And I, I like Jordan and I think he handled it pretty good, you know, But I don't know, it just looked like you was really enjoying yourself that day.
- [11:48]
B
Yeah, no, it was, it was an incredible, I mean, it was a great week. I did two, I think, three shows with Stephen A. This week. And I'm just glad that, that Stephen A, you know, remembered the college football exists because they tend to forget that sometimes when we're not, when the games aren't here. Thank you, Swamp Dog. Appreciate it. Up against the break, we'll get the vibe check from Pat Smith here in a couple of minutes on Kalyn DeBoer, who had a fascinating week in Tampa. We'll be right back. You're listening to the Paul Feinbaum show podcast. We are here and rolling along. And Craig is up next.
- [12:30]
A
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- [13:14]
B
Oh, my gosh, they're so fast. And breathe.
- [13:17]
A
Oh, sorry. I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order. Oh, sorry.
- [13:23]
B
Namaste. Visit 1-800-contacts.com today to save on your first order, 1-800-contacts. Oh, Craig.
- [13:31]
A
Hey, Paul. I just want to tell you, first off, man, I'm so thankful for everything you do covering our sport. I've been listening to you for a long time and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you. But let me talk about these Hawks for a second. You got it, brother. We, we, we waved to Sam Pittman on Hot Springs in Lake Hamilton. We waved to him because we know he's living a high life in that lake house of his. But I tell you, when I thought Ryan Silverfield, I thought he was going to be a AI clone, Paul. I thought he was going to talk as if you type it in AI and it was all going to be PC and all that other stuff. But when he got up there the other week, this last week, I thought, you know what, I'm proud of him. We got to know a little bit about him and I understand, I'm hearing all these Alabama, these Roll Tide woes. Let me tell you something, I could only pray to have Yalls problems. I could only pray to be in a problem that Alabama must be in because my super bowl is four wins, Paul, and I'm telling you right now, I'm thankful for what he's done. I know he's working hard to get us a new team. They started getting on him for about having 80 new players. Well, let me tell you, do you want more players from the 2 the 2 win team? Do you want us to keep more of them? No, we don't. We want to restart. We want to refresh and want to build back something that we think back in the old time, back in the time when we were in those late 90s years, as you can remember. Congratulations once again. But in those areas, we want to be sure that we're trying to bring back something that we feel like we used to have and couldn't give you more kudos. And I'm going to tell you something else and then I'm going to be quiet and let you take care of your show here. That lady criticizing you. Let me tell you something. I've never seen Paul Fine Bomb say anything about anybody in regard to D2, D3 in a negative way. He's making a light comment. It ain't. He treated all that the right way because he's being, he's being a gentleman about it. But Paul, I've been listening to you a long time, brother, and I know you have respect for those D2 and D3 teams and just want to tell you how much I appreciate you. And I'm going to say this. I'm going to be done. If it wasn't for Paul. Fine. Bomb. I wouldn't be watching espn. Let me just say that. And with that, brother, go Hogs. I love you, appreciate you. Best of luck to your balls and I hope you have a great day, brother.
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B
Thank you, Matt. Thank you, Craig. You be well. You take care of yourself. And Mike is up next in Georgia. Hey, Mike. Good afternoon.
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A
Good morning. Good afternoon. First, I was going to say we, we spoke to each other, but it's been 40 years. I was a teenager in high school at a journalism convention, the University of Alabama, and you were speaking to us and we spoke up, took up a conversation because I was in high school and I wrote an article as a sports guy on my local newspaper. And you'd come out to the school when you were writing for Post Herald about the late Alan Ogg.
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B
Oh, yeah.
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A
No.
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B
Didn't Allen play at Gardendale?
- [16:29]
A
Yes, sir.
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B
Remember coming out there? Yeah.
- [16:33]
A
Yeah. But appreciate what you've been doing all these years and moving the sports world forward. The question I have for you just, you may have made a comment on it earlier, but given the timing of Pavia being cut loose, can we. Is it safe to say that he probably popped off with his cockiness and the Ravens weren't going to have anything to do with it more than the fact that he may not have been showing the right athletic skills to be cut?
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B
You know, I tell you what, Mike, I was frankly shocked they picked him up. I've never thought he, he was going to fit into the NFL, especially to a franchise like that who has one of the best quarterbacks around. I just don't see how Lamar Jackson and Pavia connect at all. Mike, thank you very much. Adrian, up next. Good afternoon.
- [17:21]
A
Good afternoon. So I have an observation and I want to know what you think after watching Media days, which I found to be one of the most fascinating, just because there are so many new coaches, there are so many new quarterbacks, there are so many known unknowns. For me personally, other than maybe Georgia and Texas, I cannot tell who's going to be a sleeping giant and who's going to be an absolute crash and burn because there's a lot of things that I was impressed with and I know a lot of it, you know, coached up media and all that kind of stuff. But honestly, there's, there's a lot. Like, I'm excited to figure out which way it's going to diverge by week four. Is that a fair. Is it fair to say that it's a little bit more of an unknown this year than it has been in the past. Yeah.
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B
Because I mean I look at teams in almost units. I look at LSU in Ole Miss the same way because I mean they both could be contenders for the, for the, for the title and the national championship. But that game against one another is, you know, very well, could have a tremendous impact. Especially I think, I think A and M follows the game. Does it follow it for Ole Miss? Maybe. Maybe my schedule memory right now is fading. But you can't put all the emphasis on that one game and then lose the next week. You've done nothing. So they're both a mystery to me. Although Ole Miss looks better in terms of what we saw last year. Except the brains of Ole Miss are now in Baton Rouge. You know, we don't need to, to me, I feel pretty confident that Texas A and M will be a factor. Oklahoma is another enigma to me.
- [19:05]
A
Yeah. And even like looking at Alabama and South Carolina since both of them could be, you know, terrible and mediocre or surprise you, I feel like that Alabama, South Carolina game will answer a lot of questions as to which direction both of those programs are going too. Is that fair?
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B
Yeah, I think South Carolina and I now have them more in where I thought maybe Missouri should be, but it feels like Missouri is going the wrong way. I think South Carolina is capable. I mean, you, you have a generational quarterback, defensive player that, you know, NFL first rounder and they can beat you. I don't think you can say that about Kentucky. They'll get all the hype for the Alabama game and it'll be over quickly in terms of where that hype takes them. But South Carolina could legitimately be a
- [19:52]
A
nine win team and then the last one is Auburn. That I'm, I'm cautiously optimistic is a sleeping giant too. Do I think they're going to, you know, run the table? No. But do I think that they are going to show a very different face than we've seen with the last two coaches? Yes, I do.
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B
Adrian. I'm not worried about Auburn's record. I'm worried about the, the momentum coming out of the season for them. If they can, if they can beat somebody. Surprise. I think that Florida game would really help dictate their season. I am not concerned about Alex Skillish. There's, there's almost no way it can be worse than the last couple of years under Hugh Freeze. And I think that's the, the fuel making Auburn fans very happy. Thanks for the call. We are going to take a break. We will talk a little bit about Deboer his appearance in Tampa certainly created a lot of conversation. There are a lot of people defending the board saying the criticism is hogwash. We'll find out what the callers to Pat Smith show have been saying in the heart of Alabama in Birmingham.
- [20:58]
A
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- [21:10]
B
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A
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- [21:25]
B
You're listening to the Paul Feinbaum Show Podcast. Heard Kaylen Deborah talking and answering questions about a national championship, saying, I'm not focused on that. Okay, let's get to reaction from sweet home Alabama from our friend Pat Smith, who of course one of the co hosts of Three Man Front, the award winning, highly regarded show in Birmingham. That home base is WJOX and heard across the state. Pat, good afternoon. Thanks so much for being here. So tell us, after Kaylen DeBoer was on, and he was on probably about the time you were about to come on the air on Wednesday, what was the reaction from the Alabama fans?
- [22:13]
A
Honestly, Paul, it was not shocking at all. Seven minutes and fifteen seconds of Kaylin. The board's basically what you hear every Monday, whether it's after a big win or after it's a big loss. I mean, the bottom line is, Paul, that most people knew that he wasn't going to say anything that was going to change their mind about the upcoming season because the proof ultimately is going to be in the pudding. Yeah, they would love for him to be, obviously, Nick Saban behind the microphone, but they also understand that that's just not in his makeup. That's not the DNA, that's not the Kalyn DeBoer that you're ever going to see. So expecting that he was going to come out and talk about how he's going to fix the offensive line or Ryan Grub is actually going to put together an offensive game plan that's going to put Alabama into the next century when it comes to offensive play calling, most fans knew that that wasn't going to happen. They're just glad that, you know, he seemed to be and say the right things to make the fans, I guess, believe a little bit about what he was talking about. But overall it was not a big shock.
- [23:12]
B
Yeah, Pat, you're on that show every day talking to fans. I'm living in the same city and seeing random fans and I think we've both been around long enough. You just can't take some random fan. But I'm getting more and more random fans traveling late last night, seeing people this afternoon who just don't believe in him. And I know that's not going to affect the one loss record. But overall, this thing has a trickle down effect, especially if he doesn't succeed this year with the $70 million buyout hanging over his head. How does Alabama square that depending on which way this season goes?
- [23:55]
A
Well, it's very interesting, Paul, because I go back to something that you said earlier in the program and you're talking about back in the day. If Nick Saban wanted something, whether it was a brand new academic center or you know what, Nick Saban wanted to change out the type of grass and put PGA turf inside Bryant Denny Stadium, guess what? He would pick up phone and make that happen. In this day and age of nil and transfer portal. And when Matt Moscone told you yesterday that LSU is going to spend $50 million on the roster, I can tell you right now, Alabama's maybe at 30 million, maybe tops when it comes to their roster. So when you don't have somebody dynamic enough like a Nick Saban, that's where Alabama fans get a little bit worried. Because they see everybody else in the conference that, you know, they got the momentum going and their coaches are out there working it and raising money. And then you got Caitlin Dvor, who's a great guy and they think he's a good coach. But now you've got to have somebody that's going to be able to go out and really rake in the money and so that you can build that roster. And I think Alabama fans right now are a little bit hesitant to believe that Caitlin Deborah is the guy. But then it goes back to the fact that once he got that new contract extension, he's just not going anywhere. Paul, unless something happens off the field that you and I reported on many, many times at Alabama, unless something like that were to happen, Bama's on the hook for him. So Bama fans are just going to have to kind of grit and bear it right now for at least the immediate future.
- [25:20]
B
We're in media days, Pat. We've been there a million times and what's said there and the predictions don't matter. But you went through it all today. The dearth of players on all conference teams barely being sixth. We're in record territory For Alabama football. I mean, we've had losers, other coaches who have done at least a perception. What I'm concerned about, and I want you to articulate this is, is the dumbing down effect of Alabama football right now. Because there are people that you work with up and down the afternoon and morning that are blindly defending Kaylin DeBoer, convincing the audience or trying to that he can do no wrong, that he is the right coach. Meanwhile, you got the rank and file coach fans who just don't believe it. So are these little, are these signs of the times, the fact that the media in Atlanta really, excuse me, in Tampa just really didn't care about Alabama. They were a non event over there other than on first take Wednesday afternoon.
- [26:28]
A
Well, one thing is for sure, Paul, what you have seen with Kaylin DeBoer, the inconsistencies on offense, that's been frustrating because why was he hired at Alabama was because of what he did offensively in the Pacific Northwest. That that has been not their questionable game management. When you lose two teams that Alabama, even when they've had questionable coaches, never lost to, then all of a sudden you lose to them. You got transfer portal losses. Bama tried to replace a lot of offensive linemen in this offseason, Paul, and they struck out on a lot of guys. They had a guy that enrolled in class at the University of Alabama as a running back and guess what happens? He's now running back at the University of Texas. So once again, Alabama is losing these, these little skirmishes that Alabama fans have not seen since 2007. And I'm talking back before Nick Saban got to Alabama. And so then when you get the media poll come out and you see that Alabama has the lowest preseason poll ranking in programs since 2008. It's the lowest vote total they've gotten since 2009, which is only three people voted in to win the SEC championship. That hits pause for a lot of Alabama fans. So you're right, the people you do run into, they're very concerned. But there's no doubt about it, Greg Byrne did not have the appetite to go out and restart this thing again. But in a couple of years you might have to do that. If Alabama finds itself at 8 and 4 as a ceiling as opposed to being 11 and 1 and fighting for the SEC title or playing in the College Football Playoff.
- [27:56]
B
So Pat, you look at this schedule and there's a, there are obviously some, some, some games that are fine line games. We mentioned the South Carolina game, Tennessee, which looks like a win on paper, but it's still. We don't. I don't need to tell you what that that game is all about in Knoxville. Who knows about LSU in November 7th? A lot depends on what they do earlier. But, but A and M, I mean, what is the consensus of the people that you talk to and the people that you so much. I'm not talking about a random Bama fan saying that Alabama's gonna win the sec, but people that actually know football and you're connected to the high school football scene in the state about as well or better than anyone. What are people telling you?
- [28:48]
A
Ceiling nine and three, hoping that whoever you beat or whoever you lose to will put you in a situation to potentially play in the college football playoffs similar to last year. I mean, let's just be honest. Nobody thought last year's team was going to beat four straight ranked opponents in the middle of the season. First time that's ever been done in the sec. But it happened and it happened with a first year quarterback. So they're kind of hoping they catch lightning in a bottle again. The biggest concern, Paul, goes back to what you heard everybody down in Tampa talk about and it's the offensive line is the running game. Alabama had one of the worst running attacks in all the college football, second worst in the sec. And there's been not a lot of momentum in the off season to think that that's really been fixed. You fired your offensive line coach. Is that going to be able to translate to a better offensive line? Is the running game going to get going? So yeah, that's the, that's the frustrations and that's the things you keep hearing about in regards to the concerns nine and three, the ceiling. And listen, if you lose at Kentucky against Will Stein and then the unthinkable happens, you come to Bryant, Denny, you lose to a team that you shouldn't have lost to last year year in Florida State, then all of a sudden all bets are off. Paul, in regards to what the basement could be with this football team.
- [30:03]
B
Pat, you're well aware of Alabama and Auburn in the state, so let me take you to Auburn for a second and just try to describe the vibe on that program under a new coach versus Alabama. This isn't the 70s and 80s and 90s or even the 2000s where, you know, high school battles were as significant, but they do matter. And there are a lot of really good players in this state who, who are now elsewhere. What's happening on that front because Alabama fans look at, look at, look at, look at the roster of next year's recruiting and they get very nervous. Even though DeBoers tried to say we're not really interested in too many players.
- [30:43]
A
Well, there's no question, Paul. What has happened is Alex Golish has come in and he's won the state over. And I'm talking about with the high school coaches and the way that he's been recruiting. The thing that's impressed me about Alex Goelish is that he's expanded the Auburn footprint. Not only in the old days, as you remember Paul, it was always Georgia, Bama and the Florida Panhandle. Well, now he's going up on the eastern seaboard. You know, he, he's doing what Nick Saban used to do. He'd go up to, to Maryland and other, other states along the eastern coast and they would find guys New Jersey and be able to bring in top notch talent. The program and the way things are going for Auburn, it could not have been a better offseason in my opinion for Alex Golish. And then when you look at the SEC media poll that we could take with a grain of salt, we do it every year. But I was a little bit surprised at the lack of respect that Auburn got in the poll. I had them ace in my preseason poll. And just looking at what everybody thinks about this Auburn football team, there's no question that game against Florida, against John Sumrall at Jordan Hare, that's going to be a really interesting matchup because I think whoever wins that game between those two teams that could kind of springboard them into a really good season moving forward. But I think Auburn is definitely bowl eligible. I think they can get to 8 wins and heck if another game or two goes their way, you might be talking 9 wins about this Auburn team. I know a lot of people maybe around the country that's been in Tampa might say Pat Smith got jocks is crazy to say that about Auburn. But man, that offense and what Alex Golish is bringing to the table, I think Auburn is going to be able to surprise some people and really get to that number that Auburn people have not been able to get to in the last five years.
- [32:20]
B
Yeah, and Pat, I had a chance to talk to Byron Brown down there and you know, talking to somebody in a lobby doesn't matter. But I mean this guy is cool and the people that understand what he accomplished at in Tampa at USF are raving about him. The fact that, you know, a lot of the compliments of a pretty good team that beat Florida are coming over now to Auburn has to help them, doesn't it?
- [32:50]
A
Oh, there's no question. I mean, listen, ask Alabama. They got an eyeful of Byron Brown in that offense as South Florida gave Alabama they wanted in a couple of meetings against the Tide. So now they're going to be able to bring See, that's the difference, Paul, as you know, because Hugh Freeze, they did not have an offensive identity. The quarterback play was horrendous. Well, now you got a quarterback and you got a whole system coming from Tampa. They're aware of what they need to do and that's why you mix that in with Xavier Atkins on the defensive side for Auburn. DJ Durkin didn't go anywhere. That's why it's so important to get DJ Durkin signed back up with this new coaching staff. That's why Auburn defensively is going to be solid like they have been the last couple of years and now you're going to be confident on offense with an offense that keep in mind that's one of the fastest paced offense in all of college football. Just ask Tennessee folks how Alex Golish and that Tennessee offense changed when he left to take over at South Florida after he was the OC there. That's why I think he's going to be a handful for a lot of SEC defensive coordinators this year.
- [33:51]
B
One last question, Pat, because high school football season is about to get going. You said you mentioned the high school coaches in terms of the ones that talk to you confidentially, which is probably a lot of them. What do they say about Goish and what do they say in that refresh
- [34:10]
A
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- [34:22]
B
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- [34:25]
A
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- [34:29]
B
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A
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- [34:39]
B
comparison to goers about Calyn DeBoer well,
- [34:45]
A
one thing is for sure, Alex Golish is more effervescent. He is someone that obviously, I mean he's football coach and that's why a lot of people love him. Caitlin DeBoer Same way when it comes to X's and O's, obviously just a completely different personality. But I will tell you this Paul, the people that I that I know that have dealt with Kaylin DeBoer and Courtney Morgan firsthand. It's been nothing but a first class and incredible experience. It's just the fact that Auburn has been so down, Paul, from a recruiting standpoint because Brian Harson didn't do anything whatsoever. And of course Hugh Freeze was too worried about his golf game and his handicap to worry about Auburn recruiting. So it's a fresh, fresh air down on the plains in regards to the recruiting. And so I think both guys are doing really well inside the state.
- [35:33]
B
Yeah. And it just feels like a moment in time. And I'm not trying to, you know, go back in history and say this is a die renaissance, but it just feels a lot better than it has felt for a long, long time because even the last three or four years of Mao Zahn were pretty average.
- [35:53]
A
No, you're. No, you're absolutely right, Paul. And you and I were able to experience, you know, when Pat Dye resigned and then when, you know, Terry Bowden came in and then obviously Tuberville and we saw all the changes. But yeah, it's been, it's been a minute since I have felt this kind of momentum for the Auburn football program and for Auburn fans that is absolutely, you know, heaven to their ears right now in regards to the, the plane in which is happening with this Auburn program.
- [36:21]
B
Nobody better with his ear to the ground in Alabama concerning Auburn and Alabama than Pat Smith. Pat, many thanks. Always great to talk to you.
- [36:29]
A
Thanks, Paul. Talk to you soon.
- [36:31]
B
You bet. Amazing. I mean, this guy knows everything that is going on in this state, both from a collegiate standpoint and especially the pipelines to high school that still play an important role. And if you're trying to revisit, rebuild a program, it would be a good idea to get those high school coaches behind you. And it feels based on what Pat said, that goes is winning that very convincingly. We'll take a short break. Back with more right after this. You're listening to the Paul Feinbaum show podcast and we are here. And let's check in with Hayden in Birmingham. Hey, Hayden.
- [37:13]
A
Hey, Paul. Longtime listener, fourth time caller.
- [37:16]
B
Thank you.
- [37:17]
A
First off, great job at SEC media days. You almost did as good as Pete Golding again. That's a hard metric to beat.
- [37:24]
B
Nobody did that good.
- [37:26]
A
But hey, what I wanted to talk to you about today was this like aura metric we started using for the SEC coaches. You know, you had some fair criticism for how Ryan Silverfield kind of responded to that question about his aura. But I wanted to give you the time to explain to your live audience why. What gives you Paul Feinbaum aura?
- [37:43]
B
Yeah, I think Silverfield may have more of an aura than I do. I mean, I am a fairly low key. I know this may sound strange, but I am almost the antithesis of your normal TV radio personality. Most of them are loud, over the top, bombastic. I am. I'm a writer turn broadcaster. So I think I'm still in a fairly low key, Cerebral Mode vs Stephen A. Smith mode.
- [38:17]
A
So you think it's probably like your nonchalant demeanor that kind of gives you that aura?
- [38:22]
B
Yeah. And I mean, there's a method to that nonchalantness which I use here because I am not trying to be the. The center. I'm not really excited by the spotlight coming my way. I think that the secret sauce of this show has always been making the voices that call in the star, not the host.
- [38:49]
A
Well, you're a star for us, I can tell you that. But I think the star of the football season is going to be Trinidad and Kawan. I saw Kawanza. Bta. Be thankful. Always. Is that how you always thought it was or do you think it was something else?
- [39:04]
B
I wasn't sure, but I'm glad you told me that because I didn't understand that. And you don't want to, like walk up to a guy and say what exactly? I think it did have a different meaning in the past. But hey, thanks so much for the call. Really appreciate it. We have a long way to go. We have some. The final hour here is usually pretty exciting and I'm looking at that board right now and I don't think it will disappoint. Stick around.