The Triple Option LIVE: Urban & Mark are joined by Matt Leinart & Annie Agar | from The Block (Feb. 8, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this lively live crossover episode from San Francisco during Super Bowl 60 week, hosts Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, and guest hosts Matt Leinart and Annie Agar discuss the evolving landscape of football. Topics span personal Super Bowl and college football experiences, standout coaching stories, the impact of NIL, Indiana’s historic season, and Super Bowl 60 predictions. The episode mixes sharp analysis with playful banter, memorable stories, and a few good-natured jabs at rival teams and each other.

Main Discussion Topics & Insights

1. Super Bowl Experiences & Memories

(Starts ~03:09)

Matt Leinart on Being in Super Bowl XLIII (2009) with Arizona

• Recaps his journey as backup QB behind Kurt Warner during the Cardinals’ playoff run.
• Highlights clutch moments, including Larry Fitzgerald’s 70-yard touchdown reception mid-game.
  • “Me and Brian St. Pierre… were hauling down the sideline. Like, we’re gonna win!” (Matt Leinart, 04:25)
• Shares the heartbreak of losing to Pittsburgh after a last-minute Santonio Holmes touchdown.
• Almost had to enter the game for a Hail Mary due to Warner injury, but didn't have to:
  • “Thank God I didn’t have to go in.” (Matt Leinart, 05:12)

Mark Ingram II’s Standout Game at Levi’s Stadium (05:54)

• Reminisces about a 171-yard, 2-TD game in 2016.
• Believes Seahawks' Kenneth Walker III could have an MVP-level Super Bowl, citing Seattle’s offensive “juice” and Walker’s versatility.
  • “I think Kenneth Walker III…has the chance to be very productive and have a chance to go be MVP for a Super Bowl team.” (Mark Ingram II, 07:06)

2. Locker Room/Coaching Stories: Mike Vrabel Anecdotes

(07:39–13:02)

Urban Meyer Details Hiring Mike Vrabel

• Shares initial skepticism about hiring Vrabel due to lack of experience.
• Relays a vivid story: Vrabel’s first coaching interview was nerve-wracking, but he bounced back after an all-night cram session.
• Highlights Vrabel’s transition from legendary player to impactful coach:
  • “Great players at times… it’s very rare that a great player… becomes a great coach, because coaches don’t enjoy their life now… it’s at times awful. You’re 6am till midnight.” (Urban Meyer, 10:22)
• Drops a hilarious story about Vrabel headbutting players (with no helmet) before a rivalry game.
  • “He forgot he didn’t have a helmet on.” (Urban Meyer, 12:14)

3. Indiana & Kurt Signetti’s Historic Program Turnaround

(14:41–19:14)

• Mark Ingram recounts being recruited by current Indiana coach Kurt Signetti, calling him “straightforward… always had a plan.”
• Matt Leinart and Urban Meyer marvel at Indiana’s unlikely emergence as national champions.
• Urban Meyer calls Signetti’s coaching achievement “the greatest coaching job I have ever witnessed in my lifetime.” (Urban Meyer, 18:32)
• Discusses the challenge of sustained success when talented assistant coaches get poached.

4. Top Prospects/Heisman: Fernando Mendoza

(19:30–22:43)

• Annie Agar jokes about recent Heisman and national champion Fernando Mendoza getting drafted by the Raiders:
  • “The Raiders are about to help a kid beat an addiction.” (Annie Agar, 19:30)
• Matt Leinart praises Mendoza’s intelligence and processing, likens him to Drew Brees and Kurt Warner in anticipation, but voices concern over landing with a dysfunctional franchise.
  • “There’s one common denominator of a great quarterback: you got great players around them, great team.” (Urban Meyer, 23:43)
• Discussion expands into team dysfunction (Jets, Giants, Raiders), with Mark comically lamenting a fantasy football pick:
  • “It was like sticking pencils in my eyes.” (Mark Ingram II, 22:24)

5. NIL Era & Transfer Portal Effects

(24:06–31:31)

• Playful accusations about which schools unofficially paid players in the pre-NIL era.
  • “He would have broke the bank. Golden boy, Lefty in LA.” (Mark Ingram II on Matt Leinart, 24:56)
• Matt Leinart reflects on his son receiving NIL at SMU; comments on pros and cons of the new landscape.
  • “It’s cool, but it’s just different, you know.” (Matt Leinart, 26:16)
• Urban Meyer details the radical change in recruiting from personal relationships to “transactional” deals:
  • “We don’t have to go to dinner with your parents… What’s the number?” (Urban Meyer, 27:51)
• Mark Ingram notes the positive generational wealth and community impact:
  • “These kids are going to be wealthy, younger…” (Mark Ingram II, 28:29)
• All agree that NIL creates new risks—especially for those who don’t reach the NFL.

6. Championship Performances: Best Ever?

(31:54–39:33)

• Panelists recall their favorite championship games in all sports.
  • LeBron James’ 2016 NBA Finals (triple-double, down 3-1 comeback): “He goes for a triple-double in game seven…finishes the 3-1 comeback…” (Mark Ingram II, 33:03)
  • Vince Young’s Rose Bowl heroics vs. USC: “He single-handedly beat us.” (Matt Leinart, 33:59)
  • Super Bowl LI — Brady’s comeback vs. the Falcons: “Still the greatest comeback I’ve ever seen in football.” (Matt Leinart, 34:52)
  • Urban Meyer lauds Tim Tebow’s 2008 SEC Championship vs. Alabama and Mark Ingram’s 2009 performance against Florida.
  • Mark Ingram shares humility and gratitude for being part of those moments.
• Lively exchange about “owning” wins and losses in Alabama v. Florida coaching history.

7. Heisman Night Party Stories

(36:54–40:28)

• Leinart, Urban Meyer, and Ingram reminisce about legendary post-Heisman nights out in New York City, wild after-parties, and random celebrity encounters.
  • “Student athletes in here drinking.” (Urban Meyer, recounting his surprise at the scene, 38:47)
  • Matt Leinart recalls sharing a club table with Jay-Z and the surrealism of post-Heisman festivities.

8. Super Bowl 60 Predictions (Seattle Seahawks vs New England Patriots)

(41:31–44:27)

Picks:

• Mark Ingram: Seattle Seahawks win; Sam Darnold MVP.
  • “I just think Seattle has too much juice… Sam Darnold will be the MVP for the Seattle Seahawks winning Super Bowl.” (Mark Ingram II, 42:31)
• Matt Leinart: Also likes Seattle, low-scoring, with Darnold MVP:
  • “I think Seattle covers the game… Sam Darnold, USC Trojan, is your MVP.” (Matt Leinart, 43:12)
• Urban Meyer: Picks New England Patriots and Drake May as MVP, credits turnaround under Mike Vrabel.
  • “With his legs, I think he's going to get scrambled. He's going to be a first down guy in those kind of games.” (Urban Meyer, 44:00)
• Annie Agar: Also picks Seattle, expects a win by two scores.

Does the group want a blowout? No way! “We deserve a good game.” (Mark Ingram II, 44:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Annie Agar’s Signature Roasting (Patriots dig):

  • “Congratulations on making it here. Those roads are not easy to get to the super bowl, unlike the Patriots.” (01:27)

• Urban Meyer’s Wisdom on Coaching:

  • “Great players at times… it’s very rare that a great player… becomes a great coach, because coaches don’t enjoy their life now… it’s at times awful. You’re 6am till midnight.” (10:22)

• Matt Leinart on NFL Draft and QBs:

  • “There’s one common denominator of a great quarterback: you got great players around them, great team.” (23:43)

• On NIL:

  • “Now it’s simply money. What’s the number? Transactional.” (Urban Meyer, 27:51)

• Post-game humility (Ingram on Mark’s Heisman win vs. Urban’s Florida):

  • “I appreciate you coach… we went back to back, you got us in 08. I needed my get back in 09.” (Mark Ingram II, 36:01)

Key Timestamps

• 00:18 – Annie Agar’s lively intro & panel welcome at Super Bowl 60 in San Francisco
• 03:09 – Matt Leinart recounts Super Bowl memories with Arizona Cardinals
• 05:54 – Mark Ingram’s epic stats at Levi’s Stadium and thoughts on this year’s potential MVP
• 07:39 – Urban Meyer’s legendary Vrabel story: path from player to coach
• 14:41 – Indiana’s unprecedented national championship run; Kurt Signetti’s impact
• 19:30 – Discussion on Fernando Mendoza (Heisman winner, national champ, #1 pick) and NFL landing spots
• 24:06 – NIL era: impact on recruiting, program culture, and player lives
• 31:54 – Best all-time championship performances (LeBron, Tebow, Vince Young, Brady)
• 36:54 – Heisman night legends: “Student athletes in here drinking.”
• 41:31 – Panel’s Super Bowl 60 predictions and MVP picks

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is high-energy, full of football insider knowledge but always delivered with humor, warmth, and a playful edge. The live audience and host chemistry add extra zing, especially when poking fun at teams (Raiders, Patriots, Packers), ribbing each other about old college rivalries, or reliving wild post-Heisman parties.

For First-Time Listeners

This episode is a dynamic blend of expert football insight, personal storytelling, and locker-room laughs. You’ll come away with a deeper understanding of the game’s current landscape—college and pro—from NIL to coaching culture to Super Bowl tactics—while feeling like you’ve hung out with some of football’s best storytellers and sharpest minds.

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