The Ryen Russillo Podcast (The Ringer)

Episode: Best CFB Transfers and Arch's Issues With Max Olson. Plus, a Deep Dive on the Chiefs' Struggles With Mitchell Schwartz
Date: September 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ryen Russillo dives into two major football topics. First, he welcomes ESPN’s Max Olson—leading college football transfer portal analyst—to discuss the biggest impact players, transfer strategies, and early-season surprises. Then, former Chiefs tackle Mitchell Schwartz offers an o-line expert’s perspective on Kansas City's early-season struggles, trends in NFL offensive line play, and memorable lessons about blocking the league's freakiest rushers. The show brims with layered analysis, inside scoops, and the candid, humorous rapport characteristic of Russillo’s conversations.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. College Football Transfer Portal Deep Dive (w/ Max Olson)

[01:07 – 33:10]

Top Transfer Quarterbacks & Their Impact

• Mater (Oklahoma): Universally considered the #1 impact transfer.
  • "For me, with Mattier, the upside was he had a chance to be a real season-changer for Oklahoma..."
    —Max Olson [01:23]
  • Hasn't played his best football yet, but already elevated Oklahoma’s offense
  • OC’s seamless transition credited for smoother adjustment
  • Reflection on how Oklahoma’s two-loss potential may not eliminate them from playoff contention given the new 12-team format.
    —Russillo [02:32]
• Jackson Arnold (Auburn):
  • Sympathy for Arnold, who was scapegoated at Oklahoma due to poor team context.
  • "He was put in a nightmare situation last year at OU... I think as he comes back to Norman, that's a kid that... is going to try to light them up."
    —Olson [04:53]
  • Auburn’s supporting cast (explosive transfer WR Eric Singleton), emotional stakes for Arnold.

Quarterback Transfer Trends & Philosophy

• Shifting recruiting strategies: top programs increasingly favoring proven college QBs over high school prospects unless they’re top-tier.
  • "It's why we don't see it... usually if you haven't started by your first two years, you're going in the portal."
    —Olson [14:12]
  • Example: Georgia nearly brought in Mendoza until Beck returned.

Notable Defensive Transfers

• LSU: Upgraded secondary with Mansour Delane, Halsey, Cooley, plus a premier freshman.
  • "I think it's fixed. I think it's pretty good."
    —Olson [12:07]
• Texas Tech: Built a dominant D-line via portal (David Bailey, Romello Height, Lee Hunter, etc.), resulting in best-in-league performance.

Big 12 and National Game Previews

• Texas Tech vs. Utah:
  • Praise for Utah's QB Dampier ("Pac-12 After Dark Allar"), upgraded offense.
  • Olson surprised by Tech’s defenses, expects close, meaningful matchup.
• Indiana vs. Illinois:
  • Examining schedule, running game, and Vegas’ faith in Indiana despite defensive questions.
• Oregon’s Ascent & Dante Moore:
  • Comparisons to C.J. Stroud; Moore lauded for composure, accuracy, and quick learning curve.
  • "He looks like C.J. Stroud in practice..."
    —Olson [23:55]
• LSU's Offensive Woes:
  • "LSU's offensive numbers are actually like shockingly bad..."
    —Russillo [25:14]
  • Surprising lack of breakout among wide receivers; Nussmeier still adapting.
• Arch Manning Watch:
  • Open, honest critique of Arch’s progress at Texas—he’s not a top-10 QB yet, expectations likely too high.
  • "I think we have enough tape to say he's not a top 10 quarterback in college football yet... and that's okay."
    —Olson [31:28]
  • Contextual factors: O-line loss, running back injuries, and stable coaching help, but slow start remains a concern.

2. NFL Offensive Line Analysis & Chiefs’ Struggles (w/ Mitchell Schwartz)

[36:18 – 68:50]

Monday Night Football O-line Breakdown

• Russillo reflects on the art of watching a full game (vs. Red Zone) to appreciate line play.
• Schwartz deep-dives the Tampa-Houston game:
  • Loss of Tampa’s starting tackles and forced positional shifts create cascading protection issues.
    • "There’s really zero teams in the NFL that will be successful [down their top two tackles]."
      —Schwartz [37:03]
  • Houston’s O-line inconsistencies—schemes not helping, QBs not seeing the right blitzes.
  • Baker Mayfield credited for resilience.

The Problem of O-lineman Facing 'Alien' Pass Rushers

• The nightmare of facing Daniel Hunter, Von Miller, JPP: weird body movement and angles present unique problems.
  • "For me, JPP was another guy like that—how long and gangly..."
    —Schwartz [42:44]
• Deep technical insight: defending unique pass-rush moves requires abandoning muscle memory and learning on the fly.

The State of NFL O-line Play & Preseason Trends

• Disjointed early-season line play not a mirage—defenses aggressively disguising more pressures than ever.
• Schwartz: Modern O-linemen get fewer reps, while defenses are now coached to “trick” offenses weekly.
  • "Defensive linemen are better, schemes are better. … In the old days, you played the entire preseason, every snap."
    —Schwartz [46:28]

Chiefs’ Struggles: The O-line and Mahomes

• Schwartz candidly disappointed by Chiefs’ post-Super Bowl form.
  • "This is probably the most down I felt on the Chiefs since I left."
    —Schwartz [52:25]
• Lack of run game threat in shotgun, injuries, and poor line play are hurting Mahomes’ performance.
• The offense’s evolution: without elite WRs, Mahomes forced into unfavorable scenarios.
• Russillo compares Mahomes’ career arc to Brady’s, cautioning that playoff droughts are part of greatness.

How Many AFC Teams Are Better than the Chiefs?

• Schwartz: Buffalo and Baltimore clearly superior; Chargers argument fair; others not so clear.
  • [60:29 – 62:06]

3. Best and Funniest Linemen Stories

• The “mental” breaks after blown assignments, “avatar” moments—players not knowing what to do ('find work, do something!').
• Russillo and Schwartz discuss infamous pick/rub tactics on the line—should they be legal? (Schwartz: Yes, it's part of the chess match.)
  • "No, dude, that stuff's all legal inside the box. … I think it's great scheme."
    —Schwartz [65:35]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Max Olson on Oklahoma transfer QB Mater:
  "He’s, I think, been kind of the MVP of the season so far in terms of how he has changed things for Oklahoma…" [01:23]
• Russillo on Jackson Arnold’s OU fate:
  "It just felt like he became the, I don't know, the scapegoat for all of these other things that were wrong with that team last year." [05:55]
• Olson on the portal shift:
  "There's just always going to be really good alternatives [in the portal] unless these rules completely change." [14:12]
• On O-line facing pass rush aliens:
  "Hunter has the ability to…just like teleport to the right. It's really freaky." —Mitchell Schwartz [42:44]
• On the Chiefs’ malaise:
  "This is the least optimistic I've been on them in a really long time and I'm not really sure how they dig themselves out of it, to be completely honest." —Schwartz [52:25]
• On Mahomes’ new offensive reality:
  "When I watch a Bills game and I watch Josh Allen—he just looks comfortable in these vast pockets...I just don't see that as often from Kansas City." —Schwartz [57:28]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• CFB Transfer Portal Rankings & Impact: [01:07 – 14:12]
• Defensive Transfer Standouts: [12:02 – 13:11]
• Big 12 Matchups (Texas Tech/Utah, Indiana/Illinois): [15:30 – 22:22]
• Oregon and Dante Moore Analysis: [23:55 – 30:53]
• Arch Manning’s Struggles at Texas: [31:28 – 33:10]
• NFL O-Line Issues: Tampa-Houston Review: [36:18 – 41:27]
• How to Block Alien Pass Rushers: [42:35 – 45:57]
• State of NFL O-line Play: [46:28 – 49:01]
• Chiefs Troubles, Mahomes, and AFC Hierarchy: [52:15 – 62:06]

Episode Tone and Final Notes

The episode balances high-level football analysis with relatable, humorous banter typical of Russillo’s style. Both expert guests offer frank, sometimes self-deprecating insights, while Russillo presses for clarity but keeps things light—particularly in personal storytelling about coaching, the psychology of blocking superhuman pass rushers, and the (inevitable) absurdities of postgame goodbyes.

Listeners seeking a deeper understanding of the college football transfer portal, modern offensive line play, and the Chiefs’ current issues will find this episode particularly enriching.