The Ryen Russillo Show (Barstool Sports)

Episode: Why Money Doesn’t Fix College Football, NFL QB/NBA Star Player Comps, & Texas Tech Coach Joey McGuire
Date: November 19, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Ryen Russillo Show is packed with in-depth sports analysis, candid commentary on college football finances, a wide-ranging interview with Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire (whose team sits at #5 in the playoff rankings), and the highly anticipated annual NFL quarterback to NBA player comparison segment. The episode closes with the “Life Advice” section, featuring lively back-and-forth between Russillo and co-hosts Ceruti and Kyle about roommate etiquette and challenging family dynamics.
Russillo's tone is conversational, skeptical, and sharp, with his trademark blend of humor and deep sports insight.

Key Segments and Insights

1. Why Money Doesn’t Fix College Football (03:10–21:45)

Main Points:

• Big Ten Private Equity Proposal: Russillo analyzes the news that the Big Ten considered a $2.4 billion private equity investment from UC Investments, exchanging a 10% stake in Big Ten Media for an upfront windfall distributed via a tiered system to member schools.
• Unsustainable Growth & Distribution: He walks listeners through the exploding media rights deals since the 1990s and how projections have led to schools making near or above $100 million annually in the coming years.
• Core Argument: Even with new money, fundamentally, competitive imbalances and institutional inefficiencies persist. Programs with structural disadvantages will remain at the bottom despite receiving more revenue.
• Why Cash Doesn't Solve It: Russillo likens college athletic finances to ballooning student tuition—a cycle of spending increases justified by “necessity,” not actual improvement.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “If you look at college football and the structure of how lucky the people running this have been, you had free labor for decades...this isn’t going to level the playing field for anyone.” (~12:40)
  • "You just have to be the most important live rights thing in town.” (~11:35)
  • “Why would the Big Ten want to give up any of this?...They’re crying poor, but they're paying off coaches massive buyouts, upgrading practice facilities every few years, and yet when you ask what it would take to be in the black, they can’t give you a number.” (~14:50)
  • “It’s kind of like college tuition costs—you look at how expensive it is and wonder, how is this possible? Do we need all this administration? College football spending feels the same.” (~17:05)

Memorable Moment:

“Imagine if in the NBA, Pistons fans had to chip in to fire Monty Williams. That’s how coaching buyouts work in college!” (14:00)

2. Interview: Texas Tech Head Coach Joey McGuire (21:50–51:01)

Major Topics:

• Team Mindset and Playoff Ranking: McGuire is "fired up" about Texas Tech’s #5 ranking, credits player-led mentality, and singles out leaders like Jacob Rodriguez.
  • “It’s great for our brand. The job’s not done but they’ve worked their tails off to get here.” (~22:04, McGuire)
• Game Reflections: Utah and BYU wins revealed the team’s toughness and ability to handle pressure. McGuire candidly discusses game prep and atmosphere challenges.
• Building in Lubbock: Praises the college-town environment, passionate fanbase, and recent athletic facility investments. Highlights how Texas Tech “pushed all the chips in” with NIL and roster building, thanks to aggressive donors and a proactive “all-in” approach.
• NIL and Culture: Talks about balancing NIL recruiting with retaining culture and leadership, giving specific examples like FaceTime recruiting assist from Mack Brown and seeking captains from previous teams.
• Path From TX High School to Power Four: McGuire calls his career “living the dream for 31 years,” credits mentors (e.g., Matt Rhule) & reflects on timing and opportunity as pivotal for moving up from high school to college coaching.
• On Jacob Rodriguez: Makes a genuine Heisman pitch for his star linebacker, emphasizing Rodriguez’s walk-on roots, unique versatility, heavy production, and story as emblematic of the team.
  • “He creates more turnovers than most college football defenses... If he doesn’t win [the Heisman], he should at least be in New York.” (~44:13, McGuire)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps:

• "I have an old team with great leaders...This is a player-led team.” (~23:02, McGuire)
• “We pushed our chips all in—from the building of the facilities to the NIL to the revenue sharing.” (32:34, McGuire)
• “I’m a Red Raider, man. Don’t be putting my name in any job...I’m here to stay.” (~41:54, McGuire on coaching rumors)
• “He [Rodriguez] was a QB at Virginia, left, walked on as a linebacker, slept on his brother’s floor...It’s just such a great story.” (~44:13)

Memorable Moment:

“If you’re wearing another logo besides Texas Tech in Lubbock, someone’s gonna say something to you.” (29:18, McGuire)

3. NFL Quarterbacks as NBA Player Equivalents — 17th Annual Segment (52:00–81:44)

Structure:

• Russillo & Seruti take turns comparing current NFL QBs to NBA stars, blending play style, career trajectory, public perception, and sometimes appearance or attitude.

Sample Comparisons/Explanations:

• Drake Maye = Victor Wembanyama: Both physical outliers, potentially generational, thrust into top-player conversations surprisingly soon. (52:21–54:41)
  • “Is Drake Maye gonna be the best quarterback in the NFL? That would still seem unlikely. But he just checks every single box.” (~53:00, Russillo)
• Matthew Stafford = Kevin Durant: The "star’s star," respected by peers, has a championship but never considered “the guy” in the league at large. (55:00–56:32)
• Lamar Jackson = Anthony Edwards: Both are culture drivers, incredibly fun to watch, and everyone’s “favorite player’s favorite player,” but still missing the top prize. (61:07–61:25)
• Josh Allen = Luka Dončić: Both carry their teams, freakishly talented, can be the best on any given night/game, but haven’t taken the final leap. (61:54–63:48)
• Jalen Hurts = Draymond Green: Integral to team success, does unique things within a specific system, but hard to measure as a “carry-the-team” guy himself. (71:54–73:00)
• Further funny or harsh comps:
  • Baker Mayfield = Jalen Brunson
  • Kyler Murray/Jaw = Ja Morant (troubled, polarizing)
  • Anthony Richardson = Ben Simmons (super tools, questionable results)

Notable Quotes:

• “Stafford’s your quarterback’s favorite quarterback. Durant is your hooper’s favorite hooper.” (~56:03, Seruti)
• “Every year you look back on these and wonder what you were thinking. They change so much.” (~52:21, Russillo)

Laugh-Out-Loud Moments:

• Russillo and Seruti wrestling with finding comps for guys like Jacoby Brissette or making fun of the annual futility of Daniel Jones (as Jordan Poole).
• “I just think you gotta ride Cockbrenner...you gotta ride the cock until it’s done.” (83:57, Kyle/Kyle as comic relief during gambling segment)

4. Life Advice — Roommates, Relationships, and Family Sports Arguments (85:21–111:45)

Topics:

• Roommate with Breakup Drama (91:48–99:20):
  • Listener laments roommate who constantly sighs, mopes, and centers every conversation on failed relationships.
  • Russillo and co-hosts advise a direct intervention, turning up the TV during sighs, or “closing the emotion store.”
    • “Tell him he sucks. You’d be doing him a favor.” (94:40, Russillo)
  • Also note, being passive-aggressive can make for humorous moments, but an honest talk is healthier.
• Baseball Dad-in-Law Hates Everything (101:52–111:37):
  • How to handle a father-in-law who dismisses all modern rule changes in MLB, including cleats and camera angles.
  • Russillo: Don’t try to fix or correct every cranky old ballplayer; it’s a losing game. Sometimes, just let people be negative.
    • “Who puts you in charge of correcting everybody? There’s just a lot of correctors out there...it’s exhausting.” (~109:45, Russillo)

Additional Notable Quotes & Moments

• “I think there’s a lot of people in college sports looking for a bailout on problems they created.” (~17:10)
• “The only athletes in human history to not evolve, apparently, are basketball players according to the older guys.” (~103:10)
• Ceruti’s Life Advice: “If you like this guy enough, try to make some parts of his life fun again. If it still sucks, you’ve done all you can.”
• “It’s about the content, not feelings.” (76:29, Russillo, on harsh NBA comps)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• College Football & Big Ten Private Equity: 03:10–21:45
• Joey McGuire Interview: 21:50–51:01
• NFL QB/NBA Star Player Comps: 52:00–81:44
• Life Advice: 85:21–111:45

Episode Tone

• Witty, skeptical, straightforward, occasionally irreverent, but always sharply insightful and deeply engaged with the nuances of sports business and team culture. Russillo’s and Seruti’s banter is playful, sometimes self-deprecating, and filled with dry asides that reward close listeners.

For New Listeners

If you’re looking for an unvarnished, highly informed, and always entertaining breakdown of college football, candid coach interviews, and unique cross-sport comps—paired with real-life advice—this episode delivers from start to finish.