Urban Meyer Golfs with Nick Saban and The President to talk College Athletics

Summary

The Triple Option - Episode Summary

Episode: Urban Meyer Golfs with Nick Saban and The President to talk College Athletics
Date: February 18, 2026
Hosts: Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, Rob Stone
Special Guest: Todd McShay (Draft Expert)
Main Theme: A candid, insider look into the state and future of college football and athletics, including playoff expansion, NIL, the transfer portal, and a unique golf round with major sports and political figures.

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Episode Overview

This episode kicks off with Urban Meyer recounting a recent, extraordinary golf game with Nick Saban, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and President Donald J. Trump, where the focus was on the positives and pressing issues facing college athletics today. The hosts then launch into a robust discussion of the current landscape of college football—highlighting both its unprecedented quality and the challenges posed by playoff structure, NIL regulations, the transfer portal, and potential seismic changes to the game’s postseason. Draft expert Todd McShay later joins to give his insights into the upcoming NFL quarterback class and evaluation philosophies. The episode concludes with the hosts breaking down Lane Kiffin’s first season expectations at LSU.

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1. Urban’s Unlikely Golf Round: Sports and Policy Collide

[01:35–04:35]

• Urban Meyer describes a “surreal” golfing day with Nick Saban, Governor DeSantis, and President Trump.
  • "Unbelievable, Mark, that I got invited to play golf with Coach Nick Saban and Governor Ron DeSantis and Donald J. Trump, our president. And what brought this on is just conversation about the positives and negatives of—not just college football—college sports." (Urban Meyer, 01:35)
  • President Trump, nearly 80, impressed Meyer with his golf swing; Saban’s still got it, too.
  • Emphasis was on bipartisan, deep conversation—less about politics, more about solutions for college sports.
• Humor and pace: The group played “speed golf”—a pros vs. civilians five-some, with everyone eager to keep the tempo brisk.
  • "It was more just hit when ready. Because it's speed golf, man." (Urban Meyer, 02:47)

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2. The State of College Football: Positives & Parity

[04:35–08:49]

• College football is thriving:
  • Unprecedented viewership, increased national interest, and the expanded playoff have driven popularity to new heights.
  • "I keep reiterating to people...it's never been better. College football. The viewership ... is up, national interest. The playoff has been a huge hit. There's parity in the sport." (Urban Meyer, 04:35)
• Parity is at an all-time high:
  • "There was a time when the SEC just beat the hell out of everybody... And now there’s parity. You have Indiana won the national title, Illinois beating SEC school... it is the most parity in my lifetime in college football." (Urban Meyer, 06:29)
• Teams are better coached across the board, and even mid/lower-tier programs can compete with the elite.

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3. Lingering Concerns: Scheduling, Transfer Portal & NIL

A. Scheduling and Calendar Issues
[08:49–12:54]

• The expanded playoffs have stretched the season deep into January, clashing with the start of spring classes and NFL playoffs.
  • "The season ends next year on January 25th. Classes start usually on the first week of January... you play the championship weekend and the playoff starts next weekend... I think everybody wants that. I don't think that's a hard fix." (Urban Meyer, 08:21)
• Players want momentum and less downtime:
  • "I want to keep playing [after a win]... I don't want to wait 14 days between my quarterfinal and my semifinal." (Mark Ingram II, 10:10)
• NFL conflict: Networks and committees are wary of conflicting with NFL time slots, but the hosts argue for a collaborative "Football Fest" rather than avoiding overlap.
  • "Your greatest partner is college football... why is the NFL and College Football playoff committee not coming together?" (Rob Stone, 11:11)

B. Transfer Portal Rules & Timing
[12:54–14:53]

• Move to a single transfer window praised.
• Support for "one-time transfer" eligibility: You transfer once, you’re eligible. Transfer again and you sit a year, with a waiver for graduates.
  • "You get a one time ... you can transfer one time and then it's over. You have to sit for a year if you transfer again." (Urban Meyer, 13:05)
• Critique: Transfer portal window timing currently conflicts with postseason; it should open after the conclusion of the season.
  • "The timing of the portal should be...after the conclusion of the season. So coaches who are moving on can finish what they started." (Mark Ingram II, 14:00)

C. NIL & Collectives—Revenue Sharing and Enforcement Challenges
[14:53–19:02]

• NIL in “purest form” is a positive but current collectives have become “pay for play”—"it’s cheating."
  • "I used to be on a board of one and I said I'm good. I don't want to be part of this where they just start slamming piles of money... it's pay for play. It's cheating." (Urban Meyer, 17:01)
• Enforcement is weak; NCAA is powerless versus litigation and lacks subpoena power.
  • "Every time they've set a penalty, they've tried to enforce something—they litigate, they go to court, and they lose." (Urban Meyer, 18:57)
• Should the federal government get involved?
  • Urban is skeptical, but acknowledges bipartisan interest in safeguarding college athletics’ future.
  • "Federal government...can't get out of its own way... But I think there's, like, there's a lot of people in this country, bipartisan, that want to see some answers to one of the greatest pastimes in the history of our country." (Urban Meyer, 19:02)

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4. Playoff Expansion and the Fate of Conference Championships

[20:21–24:32]

• The Big Ten is pushing for a 24-team playoff and eliminating conference championships, which hosts mostly oppose.
  • "24 seems like a lot. Usually I don't think 17, 18, 19, 21, 23...really have a true shot to win the whole thing." (Mark Ingram II, 21:04)
  • Mark prefers 16, Urban wants conference championships to remain important.
• Urban outlines a “play-in” weekend concept post-rivalry games: Conference games matter; win your conference, earn your playoff spot.
  • "Conference games should matter... to win your conference, win the championship, you get a big ass ring and then you go playoff." (Urban Meyer, 23:29)
• All hosts agree: Real, on-field competition is more satisfying than committee selection.

Notable Moment:

• “That makes all those games in the season so much more important.” (Urban Meyer, 23:45)

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5. NFL Draft Talk with Todd McShay—QB Class Preview

[27:57–46:16]

• Todd McShay joins for deep insight into top quarterback prospects and the challenges of scouting.
• On Fernando Mendoza (top QB prospect):
  • "He's big, he's mobile, he's got a live arm... but he needs to be corralled. There's a lot of turnover worthy plays... but I feel really good. I trust him." (Todd McShay, 28:57)
• On Carson Beck:
  • Urban and Todd discuss trust and how a QB can restore program and teammate belief through performance.
  • "I lost trust in Carson Beck after the 2024 season ... but then I started hearing reports he's a different cat." (Todd McShay, 33:47)
• On Diego Pavia’s measurables (“listed 5’9 7/8” at the Senior Bowl”):
  • Height matters for NFL QBs; exceptional play is required to overcome it. Pavia is gritty but may struggle to find a role in the NFL.
• Scouting Philosophy:
  • McShay is embarking on a “top 50 football players regardless of measurables” approach, arguing that tape trumps pro day numbers.
  • "Who are the best 50 football players? I'm going to go back and look every year from now on, were those 50 guys better than the 50 guys I had ranked after all that other noise got involved?" (Todd McShay, 41:13)
• Urban:
  • "Football instincts don’t go away; toughness and all the things that got you [in the NFL]—that’s what matters."
• Biggest challenge for draftees: Handling money, fame, and free time.
  • "The biggest thing is how do they handle cash ish. How do they handle money?" (Urban Meyer, 43:53)
  • "There are three things that you just can't account for. More money, more fame, more free time than they've ever had before." (Todd McShay, 44:12)

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6. Two-Minute Drill: LSU/Lane Kiffin Win Total Predictions

[47:01–53:04]

• Lane Kiffin's first year at LSU—a major storyline.
  • Over/under set at 9.5 wins. Major roster turnover: 40 in, 40 out. Sam Levitt at QB.
• The hosts go through the schedule and debate likely wins and losses against major SEC rivals.
  • Mark: “...LSU and Lane Kiffin gonna be a problem. They're giving them $30 million to add to the roster... I hate to say it, but I'm going over [the win total].” (51:11)
  • Urban: "I thought there was a cap on this stuff." Mark: “There is no cap coach.”
  • Lively back-and-forth, with the guys hotly debating whether LSU cracks double-digit wins.
  • “Good luck with that, Lane.” Rob & Mark, on the gauntlet that awaits Kiffin in Baton Rouge.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On playing with President Trump & Saban:
  “President Trump said he’s in the fairway...all but one, really. And he played from the blue. Close to 80 years old and really hit the ball well...” (Urban Meyer, 02:23)
• On the current health of college football:
  “If college football is stock, I’m buying it.” (Mark Ingram II, 07:49)
• On the transfer portal:
  “I just feel like the transfer portal…the timing, the calendar…now the transfer portal needs to mirror up so players and coaches can finish and conclude a season before making decisions about the next season.” (Mark Ingram II, 14:00)
• On NIL enforcement:
  “Every time [the NCAA’s] set a penalty…they litigate, they go to court and they lose. There is some empathy; they don’t have subpoena power. They’re a powerless organization right now.” (Urban Meyer, 18:57)
• On conference championships:
  “You hang a banner in your facility, that’s there forever. Everyone doesn’t get to hang that SEC championship.” (Mark Ingram II, 23:40)

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Key Timestamps

• 01:35 — Urban’s golf day with Saban, DeSantis, Trump
• 04:35 — Positives and unprecedented parity in college football
• 08:21 — Scheduling & playoff calendar flaws
• 12:54 — Transfer portal reforms
• 14:53 — NIL, collectives, and enforcement
• 20:21 — Playoff expansion: 24 teams?
• 27:57 — Todd McShay on draft class, Mendoza, Beck, Pavia
• 47:01 — LSU/Lane Kiffin over/under win total & schedule debate

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Tone & Style

The hosts strike a balance between candid, inside-baseball analysis and lighthearted banter, with Urban’s gravitas and experience blending with Mark’s player’s perspective and Rob’s seasoned sports media insight. Todd McShay’s draft insights add a detailed, analytical touch.

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For Listeners: Why It Matters

This episode delivers an unfiltered lens into how top coaches, politicians, and decision-makers are grappling with the new realities—and growing pains—of NIL, the transfer portal, and expanded playoffs. The hosts’ chemistry and authenticity provide rare insider information and strong opinions on both the fun and the serious sides of college athletics, making this one not to miss for any college football fan trying to keep up with the sport’s dizzying evolution.

Transcript

[Rob Stone]

Coach, what do we say before we start? Let's go, man. Let's go. Coach.

[Mark Ingram II]

Coach. You mute it.

[Rob Stone]

It's going great this week.

[Todd McShay]

All right.

[Urban Meyer]

Am I good? How's it getting muted? I didn't touch it. Light it.

[Rob Stone]

The triple option is presented by Wendy's. Get yourself a four dollar Biggie bite, six dollar Biggie bag or an eight do dollar Biggie bundle now at Wendy's. Welcome to the triple option. As always, love that you're here with us. You know the rundown by now. Please rate. Please subscribe. You can find us at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast. We're on social media at 3x option. Show new episodes on YouTube. Wherever you get your podcast. We are seeking questions and comments. We want to have a couple kind of viewer question type shows coming up in the future. We know that you have a lot of questions about the state of college football. Maybe your team, maybe your players, maybe your head coaches. Throw it on at us. We would love to have an episode. Just handling your questions. So, guys, the combine starts this week. We're going to check in in a bit with our draft expert, Todd McShay. He joins us. Plus, we're going to take an early look at year one for Lane Kiffin in Baton Rouge. But we start where else? The off season for coach. We're starting on the, on the golf course, on the links. You had yourself quite the. It wasn't even a foursome Sunday, was it? It was a, it was a group outing.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah. Unbelievable, Mark, that I got invited to play golf with coach Nick Saban and Governor Ron DeSantis and Donald J. Trump, our president. And what brought this on is just conversation about the positives and negatives of not just college football, college sports. You know, the governor of the state, our governor, I live in the state of Florida, played baseball at Yale. The president of the United States is very interested in sports and just listened and, and obviously Coach Saban, the, you know, arguably the greatest coach of all time, has a hell of a golf swing, Mark, you know, that you play. He doesn't sting it like he used to, but he's got a hell of a swing and obviously a great person. So we had a, we had a great, great day.

[Mark Ingram II]

Coach.

[Urban Meyer]

International, you know. You know, President Trump said he's in the fairway, Mark. I'm saying other 14, you know, because you have par threes. He's in the fairway. All but one, really. And he played from the blue.

[Mark Ingram II]

Okay.

[Urban Meyer]

Close to easy. They're 80 or close to 80 years old, and it really hit the ball. Well, not Mark Ingram.

[Mark Ingram II]

Well, did y' all play. Did y' all play a game?

[Urban Meyer]

We did. He had a pro there, and he. We all played. It was more just hit when ready. Because it's speed golf, man.

[Mark Ingram II]

I mean, you're going, what'd y' all do? Like six.

[Todd McShay]

Six, Six.

[Mark Ingram II]

Did y' all have.

[Urban Meyer]

No, no, no. It was four against one, and the one and the one probably beat the hell out of us because he's one of those plus five dudes.

[Rob Stone]

Hey, when you say. When you say up tempo, what are you talking about?

[Urban Meyer]

You hit when ready.

[Mark Ingram II]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

Get up.

[Urban Meyer]

Not trying to have a get up and go. We plot. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I was a three.

[Rob Stone]

So how fast you play?

[Urban Meyer]

Probably three.

[Mark Ingram II]

Three.

[Urban Meyer]

Five some.

[Mark Ingram II]

Yeah, five some for three hours.

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, it was. It was go, go time, man.

[Rob Stone]

Is that the way you like it?

[Urban Meyer]

I love playing fast, but that was fast.

[Rob Stone]

Fast, fast, fast, fast, fast, fast, fast. Zeke Elliot.

[Mark Ingram II]

Coach.

[Urban Meyer]

I. Actually, that was one of my better days. It was windy, but all. All five of us. One guy's a pro, and. And the other guys hit the ball really well. It was. It was a very clean day. Very hitting the ball. Everybody hit the ball.

[Mark Ingram II]

Well, so you never met them before. Right.

[Urban Meyer]

Other than Coach DeSantis and I played golf before, and I was supposed to play with the president a couple times. Got rained out. And let's see who else Coach Saban and I played against. Yeah, I played with him several times.

[Mark Ingram II]

Yeah. Okay. Because, you know, when you got a fivesome, you walk up to that first tee, you know, right away, like, okay, this is gonna be a fun day or it's gonna be a long day.

[Urban Meyer]

It was awesome day. Awesome. Awesome sense of humor. And also real serious conversation about what? You know, it's interesting to get Coach Saban's take. My take, who been in it for so long, and. And then, you know, Governor DeSantis was. I think he told me he was the first governor to sign the nil.

[Rob Stone]

Wow.

[Urban Meyer]

Allowing that to happen. So he's got his hands on a lot of stuff.

[Rob Stone]

So, Coach, I just want to be. I just want to be clear. This was a. A golf. This was a work golf outing. Right. This was not a. A Republican convention on the golf course.

[Urban Meyer]

No, no, no, no, no. This was bipartisan. This. This conversation is all bipartisan. It happens that, you know, once a Republican president was a very conservative governor of our state. Coach Saban and I were there as guests, and it was all about our thoughts on how to make this thing better. And the thing that I keep reiterating the people is do you guys realize. And I know you two know it because witness it every week. And Big Noon, it's never been better. College football. Yeah, it has. The viewership, our Fox, Big Noon is up even in the second hour. Remember, they told us that, Rob. I mean, television is up, viewership is up, national interest. The playoff has been a huge hit. There's parody in the sport. Yep. However, there are some things behind the scenes that there's some alarms going off.

[Rob Stone]

So coach, with that in mind, let's get to any given Saturday. Let's talk about the potential future for college football right now. And, and I think Mark and coach, whenever you guys are making big life decisions or you're talking to your kids like, hey man, let's make a plus sheet and let's make a minus sheet and then, and then let's, let's sort it out. Let's see what, what the right decision is. So coach, and you started it off just a second ago. Let's talk about these pluses in, let's just say college football. I know the conversation you had on the golf course was about college athletics as a whole, but we're all smart enough to realize that it starts with college football. And that is really the workhorse that is, that is the, the provider for all college athletics out there. So let's start with the positives right now for college football. And I would agree with you that arguably it's never been in a better place, particularly on the field. The quality of football, excellent that you see, whatever day of the week it is, but primarily Saturdays, is absolutely top tier.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah. You take a look Market. There was a time when the SEC just beat the hell out of everybody. Y and now there's parody. You have Indiana won the national title, Illinois beating SEC school. You have Iowa beating an SEC school. And I'm not picking on SEC because it's great. But at some point you'd like to see parody and that it is the most parody in my lifetime in college football. And you have to ask yourself why. I mean, I've asked that question because at first I thought for sure it'd go the other way. I thought Rich would get richer. And then as a coach, you turn on the film, which I do every Monday as we're getting ready to play. I'm saying these are really, really well coached teams. Even the middle to low rung of the Big Ten and SEC and even Big 12 ACC, there's some really quality teams in there that you better, you better tie your shoes right each week or you're going to lose. And there was a time, I remember that when I was at Florida that, I mean, you play those non conference teams, you just beat the sauce out of them because you're just so much better. It's gone. I think right now there's parity and really well coached teams across the board. And the quality of play, like you mentioned, Mark or Rob, I don't know if it's been better and I'm just talking about the fundamentals of the game has been there's some really good coaching going on. Right. And good playing.

[Mark Ingram II]

Obviously interest is high and man, if college football is stock, I'm buying it because.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, you got players sticking around longer now too. Right. I mean, and that could be a negative. I get it. But you know, we're talking about negative.

[Mark Ingram II]

For high school recruits for sure.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, it is. But we're talking about five year, six year guys, guys who should be in the NFL or Canadian Football League or, or UFL or whatever. And they're still playing collegiate ball at a high level. So we all agree that college football is doing great. Now let's go over to the minus category. All right, let's start with the calendar. Coach.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah. Mark shared with us this. The season ends next year on January 25th. Classes start usually on the first week of January. You have coaching transition, you have players making decisions to come back for the NFL or not. So I don't understand that. I don't understand why. I've seen people say it. Week zero college football starts. You get one week or a buy or maybe two, depending on the calendar. You play the championship weekend and the playoff starts next weekend.

[Mark Ingram II]

Yes.

[Urban Meyer]

And by first week in January, that season is over. And I think everybody wants that. I don't, I don't think that's a hard fix.

[Mark Ingram II]

I don't understand the logic behind this new college football schedule. Like we in, like you said, Coach, we end the season champions football weekend. We should be playing the playoffs next week. You know what I mean? We're waiting two weeks in between championship weekend and the first round of cfp. Waiting two, almost two more weeks to go to the quarterfinals. Actually a day between the quarterfinals. Then you wait another almost two weeks for the semis. Then you wait another ten days after that.

[Rob Stone]

Like, well, remember there was always this.

[Mark Ingram II]

Is too long and drawn and stretched out, man, like, let's get this thing going, man.

[Rob Stone]

That part I agree with. But remember, there's always been this pushback about, you know, the expansion of college football. And people would say, you know, these student athletes can't play this many football games in this brief of a window. Yet here we are ask, asking them to. To kind of hustle it up. And they've already been through the grind of a regular season and then potentially a championship game, and now this gauntlet of playoff games week after week after week. Is that too much on the player?

[Mark Ingram II]

I mean, do you want them practicing two more weeks like they're playing football for another extra?

[Rob Stone]

Hey, you're the player. I. I never played college football.

[Mark Ingram II]

Listen, I'm not. If I'd want to play, you know, I don't want to have momentum going if I'm Miami and have to wait two weeks in between every single game. You know, you have to. You have a challenge with how you prepare. You have a challenge with the schedule. You have a challenge with the practice schedule. Like, how do we keep these guys fresh but also ready to play football? If I'm a team that's playing good football at the end of the season, I want to keep playing. Like, I don't want to play four days. You know what I mean? But I do want to play a week, you know, a week. Seven, eight, nine days. You know what I mean? I don't want to wait 14 days between my quarterfinal and my semifinal.

[Rob Stone]

Agreed.

[Mark Ingram II]

So.

[Rob Stone]

Agreed. The calendar really does seem like a very simple fix, Coach. Right. Like, let's just. Let's just tighten things up and make it stronger.

[Urban Meyer]

And the thing that we don't understand, though, is this fight with the NFL. I keep hearing that we don't want to schedule games on the NFL time slots. And I. Those are all questions that. I don't think the three of us are experts. But I do understand. If you have an NFL game separate that Saturday or a series of games that Saturday, that'd be tough to just start slamming college football in there. Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

So, yeah, listen, you go against the NFL, you're going to lose. Right. But here's my beef with the NFL. Let's not be too greedy here. NFL, you are on top of the world right now, and your greatest partner is college football. Tell me I'm wrong. Your greatest partner is college football, and you keep muscling college football out of these windows. Why are we not coming together? And I don't know whose fault that is. I'm sure there has to be some dialogue to some point, but why is the NFL and College Football playoff committee not coming together and say, guys, let's sort out this schedule. Right? Let's. Let's use that. What is the day we're talking about New Year's Eve. Right? NFL is going to play a game New Year's Eve. So college football playoffs does not want to step on that footprint. So they're going to play the day before and the day after. Why not make it just a frigging American football fest all day. Right. Like let's come together and not sabotage each other's project. Let's work together again to simple man.

[Urban Meyer]

I'd love to know the world the colors of the skies in Rob Stone's world where come together. Let's put your arms around each other.

[Rob Stone]

And sort this out.

[Urban Meyer]

Rob, do you understand good at football it's about the finances of period.

[Rob Stone]

I get that.

[Urban Meyer]

I don't get that. They give two about. Yeah.

[Mark Ingram II]

But also the deeper you go into January the deeper you're going into the NFL season as well. And all that noise gets drowned out. I'm like, so you're going to have to have this. This giant that you have to basically go against. But I mean you're playing games on Wednesday, you're playing games on Friday. You're playing games Thursday. Friday. Play the games in a good reasonable fashion where kids can get rest and recover but they also don't lose momentum for performing well. So I just feel like this could be an easy fix.

[Rob Stone]

Let's fix the transfer portal. And coach, there already has been one adjustment and I think it's a positive adjustment. Just one transfer window right now for college football.

[Urban Meyer]

Right. And I think there's a big push and agreement that there should be a one time. You get a one time not exempt. So. So you can transfer one time and then it's over. You have to sit for a year if you transfer again. I added that I thought the graduate student exemption should also be in there. And then you brought up when I was talking to you earlier about when the coach leaves. I just think that's too many exceptions. But you get one shot Mark. If you don't like where you're at, you can leave without penalty. That means you're eligible the next year. If you leave another time then that's a. You have to sit for a year. That would stop that. And then the. I think a graduate. If once you. Because the ultimate goal is graduating, especially for the non NFL players, you have to get graduate and start getting on with your life. You graduate, you still have it a tie to the school you graduated from and then you can go play one. You know if you have eligibility left, you can go play with a free pass once you graduate. That's my recommendation.

[Mark Ingram II]

Yeah. I just think the timing of the transfer portal, we have this situation where, you know, it's going on in the middle of the playoffs. You have teams that have to make a decision. Players who are in the middle of a playoff run, they have to make a decision whether they're going to go in the portal or not. You have coaches, a Lane Kiffin and several others that I have to make a decision. I can't coach my team. I got to go to my new team that I'm going to. I just feel like the timing of the portal should be kind of after the conclusion of the season. So coaches who are moving on can finish what they started. Players can finish what they're started. So I just feel like the transfer portal, I'm glad that they went to one window and. But now I think the window needs to. The timing, the calendar. We just talked about the college football calendar, how long and drawn out that is now the transfer portal needs to mirror up so players and coaches can finish and conclude a season before they have to worry about making decisions about the next season.

[Rob Stone]

We all agree there's too much moving, right? It's. And I cover college basketball and I look at these guys on rosters, I'm like, this is his fourth team in four years, right? That's not good for anybody. That's not good for the program. That's not good for the student athlete.

[Mark Ingram II]

With the draft coming up, Stone, you're going to see some kid getting drafted in the first round. He's going to be on three different teams. We're going to take 24 years on his team. 25, he was on this team. 26, he was on this team.

[Rob Stone]

Like not good for anybody. But I will say this. If your head coach leaves, to me that's a free pass that you can leave as well. Ideally at least signed on to be part of that family. And that. That head of the family just split on you. All right, Nil collectives.

[Urban Meyer]

They'Re supposed to be gone now, though. But my understanding there's supposed to be revenue share right now. And I just hear from so many coaches that, you know, you're supposed to be the 20.5, I believe it is that you can divvy up between your. All your teams. I think it's going up to close to 22 next year. But then you start hearing stories about that's not the case everywhere. So, you know, there's a big piece of this puzzle that has to get set. And that means the enforcement arm, I mean we witnessed a tampering situation just a couple, you know, now it's been a month and I'm sure they're doing a three year investigation on, you know, four years. And then they'll come back and say, you know, they're fined $5,000 and you can't do that again.

[Rob Stone]

Get them some show cause that'll teach them.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, give them a show. Cause so the nil. The nil in its purest form is an absolute that, that, that I think that's great for everyone. You know, a marking rooms of the world and a gymnast, a tennis player. They should have a right to sell a legitimate name and likeness. That's their, their commodity to many people, which they should be. But for people who don't quite understand what a collective is, I witnessed it. I used to be on a board of one and I said I'm good. I don't want to be part of this where they just start slamming piles of money into a. And it's pay for play. It's cheating.

[Mark Ingram II]

Yep.

[Urban Meyer]

You know, for me to go pay six, you know, for some freshmen and you know, all that stuff. So that's just got to go away. And it's strictly between the university, the, the collective bargaining, I'm sorry, the revenue share, they decide what to do with it. If you're a basketball school, so be it. Spend more in basketball. That's your business. But then you have to explain to your boosters why you're not good in football. That's, that's your business. That, that can't be our business. And then if there's nil, and once again it's gotta be legitimate nil, which the supposedly this commission is supposed to be doing now, which I understand they're not. It has to be a legitimate opportunity to, to name it, to make money off your name. And like this I feel like every.

[Rob Stone]

Time we have one of these type of conversations, it, it comes back to the, the E word enforcement and the lack of it. So how do we solve that?

[Mark Ingram II]

Commissioner Saban and Meyer?

[Urban Meyer]

No, what I think what there has to be because everything gets litigated and there was just. You saw what happened with the quarterback getting his extra year. You know, there's that famous Trinidad Chambliss. That must be hell of a attorney because he wins all the time.

[Mark Ingram II]

Didn't the attorney go to Ole Miss or something? He got like denied three or four.

[Urban Meyer]

No, that was the judge.

[Rob Stone]

That was the judge oh, wait, wait.

[Mark Ingram II]

The judge on this case went to Ole Miss.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah. So here's the homework I've done on this, is that everyone needs to sign off, that they will not litigate that, you know, it's union or it's a, it's. This is part of the Congress and Senate passing something, say, this is the way it is. And that way you, every time you, you know, the ncaa, to give them credit, every time they've set a penalty, they've tried to enforce something they litigate, they go to court and they lose. So I, there, there is some empathy to understand they don't have subpoena power. They're a powerless organization right now.

[Rob Stone]

So, Coach, does college football need the federal government to get involved to solve this?

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, the federal government times to me can't get out of its own way, you know, so when I first heard that, I said, you got enough issues, man. Just keep our country safe. And, you know, the street's safe. And, you know, that's the number one obligation of the federal government in my mind, is to take care of its citizens. And, and then all of a sudden, now they're going to take on this after. I'll tell you more as I know, you know, I obviously got to be, you know, very judicious about what I say, but I think there's, like, there's, there's a lot of people in this country, bipartisan, that want to see some answers to one of the greatest pastimes in the history of our country. That's college football. College football. And remember, this is not the beautiful thing about our governor and the president. This was not about football. It certainly was a giant part of it. But I, I did hear other comments. My two daughters play college volleyball. Would that be horrific if that goes away? Horrific. Rob, you played soccer. Our governor played baseball. The lessons you learn in team sports, to me are far outweigh what you learn in a classroom.

[Mark Ingram II]

Yes.

[Rob Stone]

So I'll say this. There's a lot of voters out there that care passionately about college football. We'll leave it at that.

[Todd McShay]

For sure.

[Rob Stone]

For sure, Coach. All right, one last comment. The Big Ten recently, it got out these 24 team playoffs conversation that they would love to see eliminating the conference championship game, which already Mark would kind of start playing with the calendar. Right. Probably for the positive. You know, you would end on that rivalry weekend and then get into the college football playoffs. The 2014 concept would put the top 23 ranked teams in plus one spot for the Group of Six. We're locked in at 12 teams again for the upcoming season. I think most of us would like it expanded. But Mark, do we want it expanded to 24?

[Mark Ingram II]

24 seems like a lot. 24 seems like a lot to me usually. I don't even think 17, 18, 19, 21, 20, 23. I don't even think they really have a true shot to win the whole thing. Would it be fun, entertaining for all of us fans? I think so. You know, you kind of have like a March Madness bracket of football, but not really, but something kind of like it. But I think 24 teams is too much. I think, I think we can expand to 16, you know, but 24 I think is a little heavy in my opinion. So I think it's wishful thinking by the Big Ten. But I also don't like the fact that there's no conference championships. I'm a big fan of the conference championship. That was one of the first goals always to win your conference. Win the sec, win the Big Ten, win the acc. I still think that should be a viable option to have for, for. For a team and for a unit. But I think 24 is too much. I, I think the expansion is good, but I think 24 is. Is a little heavy.

[Rob Stone]

I would argue that winning your conference championship has become outdated.

[Mark Ingram II]

It has been. It doesn't matter because Ohio breaks my heart, Mark.

[Rob Stone]

Right. It hurt to say it, coach.

[Mark Ingram II]

Yeah, yeah. Ohio State didn't win there conference championship and they won a national championship. You know what I mean? This year, Indiana, they won. They won. But yeah, Miami, Miami didn't even make their conference championship. Miami with the new rules, Miami wouldn't have been in the playoff because the.

[Rob Stone]

Comp with the expanded playoffs, they would have been there for sure. So would have Notre Dame.

[Mark Ingram II]

Yeah, yeah, Notre Dame. Yeah. But those are like.

[Urban Meyer]

I'll keep fighting that though. But. And once again I was going to listen to me but I, I just, I still think there's a place for both. The only thing I like, I think it's too many teams and then it's all committee driven. This is all human element making decisions on who gets in. And I rather get rid of the committee and have it all be playing. I saw some ones early on that I really liked some structures where you, you know, after your last game, the rivalry game, it's conference championship weekend and playing weekend.

[Mark Ingram II]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

And that's what I get playing weekend.

[Mark Ingram II]

So who, who would play in.

[Urban Meyer]

So there'd be six teams in the Big Ten. One would play two, three would play six, four would Play five.

[Rob Stone]

And that's just on.

[Urban Meyer]

And that's four teams. Those four teams.

[Rob Stone]

Conference play. Right, Coach? That's what you're saying.

[Urban Meyer]

That's why conference games should matter. And I still matter. I still think to win your conference, win the championship, you get a big ass ring and then you go playoff.

[Mark Ingram II]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

I just.

[Mark Ingram II]

You hang a banner in your, in your facility that's there forever. Everyone doesn't get to hang that SEC championship.

[Urban Meyer]

That makes all those games in the season so much more important.

[Mark Ingram II]

And, but, and you're saying that would be the case for every conference, every conference championship game and then you'd have playing games.

[Urban Meyer]

Playing games.

[Mark Ingram II]

Yep.

[Urban Meyer]

On fox.

[Mark Ingram II]

How many teams that would give us, Coach?

[Rob Stone]

Well, the play in games while the conference championship game is going on. Right. That weekend is all of those games. Right, right. So it's not just a little minuscule snapshot of here's the SEC, ACC, Big 12, Big 10.

[Urban Meyer]

Right. It's all day long. All day long. College football.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah. As long as the NFL's okay.

[Mark Ingram II]

Love football. All day long.

[Urban Meyer]

I just think let, let the players and I'm not taking a shot at the committee because the big noon crew, there's, you know, there's some pretty experienced veterans on that big noon crew. We argue all the time. You can't pick the right. You know. Yeah. There's only one way play in.

[Rob Stone]

And that's also kind of the beauty of the college football. Right. We have these conversations that are constantly going on. We're better than you. We belong. You don't. Right. So that was your fresh take of the week presented by Wendy's. Get yourself a four dollar Biggie bite, six dollar Biggie bag or an eight dollar Biggie bundle now at Wendy's. Coming up next on the triple option, we talk NFL quarterback class with the great draft expert Todd McShick. Guys, Wendy's really outdid themselves with these new biggie deals. At $4, $6, $8, the new Biggie deals are bigger and Biggie er than ever. And I know what you're thinking. How could the Biggie get even bigger and better?

[Mark Ingram II]

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[Urban Meyer]

So the choice is yours for a pretty Biggie deal. Gotta be Wendy's.

[Rob Stone]

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[Mark Ingram II]

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[Urban Meyer]

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[Rob Stone]

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[Todd McShay]

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[Mark Ingram II]

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[Rob Stone]

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[Mark Ingram II]

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[Rob Stone]

Welcome back to the Triple Option presented by Wendy's Rob Mark Urban. Once again we're joined by our good friend, the host of the Todd McShay show over on the Ringer Network that podcast available wherever you get your podcast. The great Todd McShay joins us. Just done with Senior bowl and coach. This is the time of the year. Hell, it's not the time of the year we always talk about Quarterbacks, right. And quarterbacks down at the Senior Bowl. With the draft looming, this is where we start.

[Urban Meyer]

I love it. Best in the business, Todd. So early in the year we talked about Mendoza, you know, in this draft class and I think both of us, especially after watching them so much that were they really ready And I think for two, the both of us and really the show decided it's probably best they all go back. Mendoza obviously changed that. And what's your thoughts on after that four or five game run? Did he cement himself as number one of one? And if he did, how does he compare to some of the other one of ones in recent history?

[Todd McShay]

Yeah, he's. I remember doing his tape at Cal this summer. Right. And seeing a quarterback who wasn't really on the radar. Remember all the like, all the names. It was, it was Nussmeier and, and it was, it wasn't even Dante Moore at the time, but it was club, Club Nick, it was Drew Aller, it was a lot of these other Lenora sellers and what he could be if he takes, you know, takes that next jump. Arch Manning was, was going to be the first year starter and he, before he ever played a snap as the starter, he was, you know, national champion Heisman Trophy winner and number one overall pick. So this year was not what we expected in a lot of ways. But when I watched Mendoza, I saw a guy who, I remember saying at the time like this guy could be a first rounder. He's big, he's mobile, he's got a live arm in terms of like energy on the ball. He can create and I just, I like a lot of things about him, but he needs to be corralled. He needs to. There's a lot of turnover worthy plays. There's a lot of decisions under pressure where he just, you can't trust him yet. And then he gets time with coach Signetti and that whole staff and you see a lot of early in the year a lot of RPOs and very, they kind of bottled him up and I kind of wanted to see more. Well, you started to see some more on the road. Big moments, right? Iowa, Oregon, Penn State. And then you saw the Big Ten championship. So it just, it kept elevating and I also saw a maturity in him. And yeah, he's quirky, he's, you know, he's like, it's like Kurt Warner make meets like Kirk Cousins and just kind of like a different cat. But with all of that is a guy who just loves ball. I mean his interview with, with you Coach like talking ball with you guys. Like, I think that that brought a lot of awareness to people nationally of oh my, like he's, he's different. You know what I mean? And so you look at, at the Raiders with that first pick and a guy who's got partial ownership there and, and was despite all the private jets and the Rolexes and the Rolls Royces or whatever, he's driving like Tom Brady's a, a nerd, you know, and, and so was Peyton Manning and so are a lot of the great ones. And that's what Mendoza is. He's a football nerd. And I think there's a lot of value to that. So you combine the physical tools with the development with the brain that he brings. It's hard because like Caleb, just think back two years ago, right? Caleb Williams, Jaden Daniels, Drake May, they're all more physically gifted. I would argue Cam Ward's more physically gifted. Okay, if you're asking me to kind of compare the last couple years, but does that necessarily matter when you have his. The kind of overarching skill set in terms of, of how quick he processes and how like tuned in he is with what you want to do offensively, I think there's going to be some bumps in the road. I think if he's a Raider, like they're not there yet. I can see him. I still see there a lot of times on tape where interior pressure comes, eyes drop, there's this panic moment. Right. He's going to have to overcome that. But every single. Whether it was it was Caleb with all of his issues with the turnovers. Jaden, it was that one great year. Can he stay healthy? And it's still a question mark. With Drake it was rpo. Offense doesn't translate. You know, with Cam and we saw a rookie year like he's got to learn to play within the pocket, you know, stay on schedule and play within the confines of the offense. So with all of them there's a question mark and I think I just mentioned what I think Fernando's is, but I feel really good. I trust him. I just. If he's with the right mind offensively, I trust that over a year, two, three years down the road, we're going to be looking a quarterback that we consider in the top half of the, of the NFL in terms of starters at that position.

[Urban Meyer]

Let's take a quick hit at the guy that I stood next to Carson back at the, at the National Champs game and I've never been around him. He's a giant I mean he's all. I, I mean I, I didn't like the fact over his career just turns the ball over. I love the game against Ole Miss. I loved how he improved. But just standing there watching him as a former recruiter and coach, I was blown away how big, how his body looked great and he finished strong. But there was a time where I just, you know, I just. Quarterbacks turned the ball over or you know, they're, they're a liability. I mean that's. Yeah. Becomes a major liability. So I just wonder what's your thought on him after that playoff run? Because I'm telling you. Have you stood next to him yet?

[Todd McShay]

Yes, I did a few years ago. And I know exactly what you're saying.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah.

[Todd McShay]

And it's, what's your thoughts kind of intoxicating. Right. Like, and he throws, throws the ball well. He's got energy on it. I thought he moved a little bit better this year. He's a tough one for me, man. I think you probably have a better vantage. I mean, I know you have the best vantage point of all of us when it comes to it. Like how important is trust with a quarterback? Right. I had lost trust in Carson beck after the 2024 season and, and through the summer, if I'm being honest. Like turn out turning the ball over looked like he was just playing tight. Georgia doesn't let big time players get away if they're not kind of like, yeah, you can have them, you know. And then it's like Cavender twin drama. Lamborghini's bot. Lamborghini stole. That just felt like it was all encompassing. But then I started hearing these kind of reports out of Miami in about August of like now, like he's a different cat. Like he's playing fun. He's. He's having fun playing loose, more decisive. Trust this offense. Trust. He's got some targets around him that he, that he like feels good about getting the ball out on time. Receivers aren't working as much for it. Most importantly, teammates love him. Yeah, he's there early. Like don't get all the, the headlines mixed up with what's actually going on in this building.

[Urban Meyer]

I'm glad to hear that because I did not hear that as much. I heard the pre. The prior stuff.

[Todd McShay]

Yeah.

[Mark Ingram II]

And so the season there was a lots of positivity around him in the Miami program.

[Todd McShay]

Right.

[Mark Ingram II]

And throughout the year. So.

[Todd McShay]

But then, but you don't know whether you trust it or not until you see it. And then that Notre Dame game, you saw a guy who the teammates were just flocking to. And he was playing. He looked like he was finally having fun playing the game he loves again, all that stuff. And, and then there was that mid season where you had the turnovers and you're like, oh, he's back. And then. And then worst of it, he comes out and. And there's a couple press conferences where he's blaming, he's pointing fingers.

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Todd McShay]

And it's like, here we go. But then I talked to a couple scouts that are like, yeah, no, he said it and we don't love it, but he wasn't wrong. And, and this. And, and this. And he thinks that there are people in this program that need the bar elevated. And it was his message to them. And then you see Miami the second half of the year after those two games, and they come on again and it's almost like he lit that fire. And then you see him in the playoff and he's protecting the ball and doing all the. So he's been fascinating to watch.

[Urban Meyer]

I'll add this because I witnessed it. And you know, all coaches, you get that ego and you see that big good looking athlete. Yeah, I'll coach them better than that other guy that was coaching them. But what happens, Mark, most of the time they go back to right, being what, what you are, who you are. But don't devalue. If a staff really believes in a guy and use that word trust. I've only. I've been lucky. I've had really, really great quarterbacks. There's been a handful, not even that a couple of times. You just don't trust it. You are paralyzed as a play caller, as a head coach.

[Todd McShay]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

Because you can't really go win the game. You know, you wait in that position. You have to go win those close games. Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

Speaking of size, here we go. One of the more polarizing guys out there is Diego Pavia. Right. So Vanderbilt listed him at 6, 0. It's probably a lot like me. It's a lot like me going to the DMV. They're like, Mr. Stone, how tall are you? And I'm like, this is my chance. This is my chance, Right. I'm gonna, I'm gonna upgrade my height, right?

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah.

[Rob Stone]

Who's gonna stop me? No one's gonna stop me. But he got stopped at the Senior bowl, right?

[Todd McShay]

Yes.

[Rob Stone]

So he got listed at what, 5, 9 and some type of fraction or.

[Todd McShay]

5,009, 7, which is 5, 9 and 78 of an inch. And it's like at that point, can you just slip this 5 10.

[Mark Ingram II]

That's how they did me.

[Todd McShay]

Just wear two pairs of socks, flip like just hand them a hundred bucks or something.

[Rob Stone]

Just right.

[Todd McShay]

So give me the 5, 1 00. Make me a 510, please.

[Rob Stone]

So kind of a two parter number one. Like how much does the height matter overall? And for a guy like Diego? And then what was the takeaway from, from the. I guess maybe we'll try to call it the new look. Diego. After the whole Heisman debacle, it was.

[Todd McShay]

Interesting watching Diego at the Senior bowl, right? Height absolutely matters. I mean, coach just gave you kind of that perspective of it. You have to be really special to, to overcome. It's one thing to be like 6 foot 6 one. It's another to be 5 10, 5 11, right? Bryce Young was really special and he's still kind of overcoming that in the league, but did some really good things this year. Russell Wilson, another shorter guy, special, it's hard to overcome. Then you watch, you watch him throw the football and he doesn't throw it quite like Bryce certainly doesn't like, like Russell Wilson. And he's mobile and he can kind of run and do some things, but it's not like that suddenness where it's like, you know. And so I watched him on the field and it was interesting because you watch him and at the Senior bowl it wasn't like great quarterbacks.

[Rob Stone]

It was.

[Todd McShay]

Nussmeier was the best of the group. Altmeyer was, was, was really good because he's just so smart and efficient. Sawyer Robertson's a big, talented guy who can run a little bit. A big arm from Baylor, still kind of developmental guy. Cole Payton from North Dakota State was mobile, kind of the ball just rips out of his hand. He was intriguing to watch. And then there was Diego. And just one of these doesn't fit. You know what I mean? Like the ball just doesn't come out with a lot of juice. He's mobile and creates. But that, that week is about like, you know, 3, 5, 7, step drops, pocket on time, making throws. But then you get into team sessions and he always was kind of moving the, moving it along, right? Like finding ways like weird arm angles, falling off a throw rows, doing all sorts of like funky stuff, but was moving the offense along. I'm not drafting in the NFL. I don't. It's like how many exceptions do I want on my roster? That whole theory. I don't think he's going to be an NFL. I'll be shocked if he's An NFL starter. I don't even know how much value you have as a backup, if I'm being completely honest. But he's just a damn good football player. And it's hard to say that because I have so much respect for what he did in the SEC and the way he overcame what he had to overcome. And I don't know if it's in, you know, the UFL or. Or what it is, but, like, I'd hate the fact that, like, that might be the end of his career because he's just a really good football player. So it's. It's a tough spot to be in because I respect the hell out of what he is and how he's done it. I don't appreciate the antics off the field and some of that stuff, but in terms of like, put the helmet on, go lead a lead 10 other men, and it's a game situation, I got a. I got a lot of trust, and he's going to find. Find a way to do it. I just don't know if he can do it in the NFL.

[Rob Stone]

Sounds about right.

[Todd McShay]

Yeah.

[Mark Ingram II]

Now to me as a player, I'm like, man, just turn on the tape and watch me play football and evaluate me like that. So we've seen the East West Ryan game, We've seen the Senior Bowl. We got pro days coming up. We got scouting combine come up. How do teams prioritize drills versus interviews versus turning on the game tape and being like, hey, this guy's just a footballer and I want a footballer on my team.

[Todd McShay]

I think the really good teams at evaluating and drafting players rely very, very heavily on. On the tape. And we're doing this, this drill this year. I've kind of. I'm fed up. I've had enough. I'm getting too old. I've done this too many times. I'm going to put together a list of my top 50 football players, throw out their heights and their weights, their 40 times, their jumps, their character concerns, their injury history, all of it. Who are the best 50 football players?

[Mark Ingram II]

Can you play football? And I.

[Todd McShay]

And I'm curious because this is the first time I'm going to do it. I'm going to post this list and I'm going to go back and look every year from now on, were those 50 guys better than the 50 guys I had ranked after all that other noise got involved? And who knows? Maybe it'll be a bunch of convicts and guys on iron and, like, an exceptions to the rule, and it'll be an interesting but, like, they're just a. Like I saw two of them at the Senior Bowl. This guy Bud Clark from tcu, instinctive nose for the ball. Interception every day in practice just was always in the right spot. And then Kyle Lewis from Pittsburgh. Abby's only 6 foot 223. It's like 5 11, 223. Can he put. I don't know. Just he. Every time the ball was snapped he was in the backfield or forcing a fumble or picking the ball up. Jacob Rodriguez, two force fumbles and an interception. Like those things don't go away just because you're playing at the next level. It's figuring out how to overcome some of the less than ideal measurables or whatever it is.

[Mark Ingram II]

I don't know.

[Todd McShay]

I just, I think there's. I think we get this process sometimes blinds all of us and it's like a paralysis by over analysis. And so the, the older I get in this the more I just. I rely so much more on the.

[Urban Meyer]

Tape than I ever I would invest in your top 50 football players.

[Todd McShay]

Right.

[Urban Meyer]

I tell you it's going to be a little more productive now you're also going to have some bus in there just because of physical limitations. The NFL's a giant step, man. You can say, you know the shorter because I used to get in arguments with scouts. Corey Lindsley is one of the great stories. He was a monster center for us. Started in the NFL immediately for the Green Bay packers and I even walked into the scout being a smart ass. I walked in and said so raise your hand if you thought Corey Lindsay had arms were too short, you know. And I said I'll move on, you know because I just got pissed off because I love that kid. And he starts day one mark for yeah for the Packers. Aaron Rodgers behind center and loves him and he went later than he should have went.

[Todd McShay]

Maddening because guys don't forget how to play ball and guy football instincts don't go away and toughness and all the things that got you.

[Urban Meyer]

You know the biggest thing is how do they handle cash Ish. How do they handle money? That's what I think even more than how long is their arms. How's this? How's that? How's this? How are they going to handle being a grown man and doing grown man things?

[Todd McShay]

I've told you this before that handle.

[Mark Ingram II]

Money and how do you handle more time than you've ever had?

[Todd McShay]

Because yeah it's the shot thing. I told you guys maybe a few months ago or maybe it was last year. I Don't know. I'll never forget. Shot in heimer like 20 years ago now. Pulled me aside and he's like, this is the hardest part. I'm just going to tell you right now because I was a young pup. He's like, there are three things that you just can't account for. More money, more fame, more free time than they've ever had before. And if you can figure out how to, how to evaluate all that and, and get crystal ball it, then come work for me because, like, that's the hardest thing with all these guys.

[Rob Stone]

Good luck figuring that one out. The grumpy Todd McShay. I like it. Forget the measurables. Can you play ball?

[Mark Ingram II]

Yeah. Can you play football?

[Todd McShay]

I'm a lot more fun loving during the season. This is.

[Rob Stone]

What a novel concept.

[Mark Ingram II]

I got one more question before we get up out here, man. Last year I asked you about some people that nobody was talking about. I remember you told me, Nick Emman worry out of South Carolina how much of a beast he was. Now he's on the super bowl team, going to the Seahawks, starting for them. Do you have anybody else that's flying low? He. He wasn't really off the radar. People knew about him. Football people knew about him. Who was another guy that can make an impact like that in the next year's draft?

[Todd McShay]

Dylan, the safety for Oregon. He's not as tall and long, so it won't go viral like, like Eamon Warri did when he had that workout. But. But I'm. He's going to work out really well at the combine. He's going to put up some, like, really impressive numbers. I also, the more people I talk to, even like Tasha lapoy apparently was telling a scout, like, he's the best nickel I've ever had. He's football obsessed. So you got all the measurables you got to play and taking the ball away a lot of Purdue before he transferred for Oregon. I think he could be a surprise in the first round.

[Mark Ingram II]

Yeah, I'm keep an eye on that because. Hey, McShade. No, hey, McShade knows ball. If there's nothing that you don't know, McShay knows ball.

[Todd McShay]

I appreciate it, man. Sometimes I get it right. I just don't tell you about all the guys I whiffed on.

[Rob Stone]

Right. That's all right. That's right. You save that for other podcasts. We only want the good ones, man. Thanks as always for joining us. We'll have you back.

[Urban Meyer]

Thanks, Todd.

[Rob Stone]

The coming weeks and months leading up to the NFL draft. He is Todd McShay from the Todd McShay show on the Ringer Network. You can find it wherever you get your podcast. Todd, thanks as always, buddy.

[Todd McShay]

Love hanging with you guys. I'll talk to you soon. Carvana is so easy. Just a click and we've got ourselves a car.

[Rob Stone]

See so many cars. That's a clicktastic inventory. And check out the financing options payments to fit our budget. I mean, that's Clickonomics101.

[Todd McShay]

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[Mark Ingram II]

Just a hop, skip and a click away and bought.

[Rob Stone]

No better feeling than when everything just clicks.

[Todd McShay]

Buy your car today on Carvana.

[Rob Stone]

Delivery fees may apply. Welcome back to the triple auction presented by Wendy's Mark Ingram ii, Urban Meyer. Rob Stone, back here with you. Time now for two minute drill, which is brought to you by our Great partner at First FanDuel. Visit FanDuel.com Triple Option to download the app and take advantage of a 50% profit boost today. Certainly one of the biggest stories in the off season. And what will be one of the biggest stories next season is LSU and how Lane Kiffin performs in Baton Rouge right now. Guys, we're going to take a look at their schedule. FanDuel has their over under win total. Over under win total set at nine and a half. Member Garrett Nussmeier is out. Sam Levitt is back to be their quarterback. 40 transfers have come into the program. 40 players made their exit out. Let's take a look at their schedule. And once again, I'm breaking out.

[Mark Ingram II]

Right on the money all the time.

[Rob Stone]

At nine and a half. I'm breaking out their schedule here, boys. Here we go. All right, so we are starting with Clemson. Home win loss or push LSU hosting.

[Todd McShay]

I'll go w Coach Dub.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

All right, that's at home, right?

[Rob Stone]

One win. Louisiana Tech win at Ole Miss. Arguably their toughest road game of the year. LSU at Ole Miss. How are we feeling?

[Mark Ingram II]

Question mark?

[Urban Meyer]

Yep.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, I agree. I agree. Home to Texas A and M. Ouch.

[Mark Ingram II]

Home to Texas A and M. Marcel Reese coming back. A and M, question mark.

[Urban Meyer]

Yeah, I'm with Mark.

[Rob Stone]

All right, so back to back question marks. We're going to give them the win at home to McNe at Kentucky win. Good with the win.

[Urban Meyer]

Yep.

[Rob Stone]

New coach at Kentucky.

[Mark Ingram II]

Mississippi State win at Auburn.

[Rob Stone]

The Barers win. All right, that puts us at six total wins right now. And then the meat of the schedule. Home to Bama, home to Texas. Oh, they get home to Bama. Home to Texas.

[Mark Ingram II]

Get them both home.

[Urban Meyer]

I say they go two and one in the next three weeks.

[Mark Ingram II]

Auburn, Texas, I mean Bama, Texas, Tennessee. They go two and one.

[Urban Meyer]

Yep.

[Mark Ingram II]

And then Arkansas is a win.

[Rob Stone]

Well, one of the wins is at Tennessee. Is that what you're saying? Or who knows?

[Urban Meyer]

Oh, all right.

[Rob Stone]

You're giving them two in this little window. You're giving them.

[Mark Ingram II]

I'm giving question mark Bama. I'm giving question mark Texas. I'm giving them win Tennessee. I'm giving them win Arkansas.

[Rob Stone]

All right.

[Urban Meyer]

What does that on the road though.

[Mark Ingram II]

Is that eight wins for me.

[Rob Stone]

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. That's nine wins and nine a half. Nine and a half. I'm g go over according to Fanduel, it's going to be hard to get to nine. Hard to get to nine. You know how tricky that half game win is, Mark?

[Mark Ingram II]

Well, I had, I had Clemson, Louisiana.

[Rob Stone]

Louisiana Tech, McNeese at Kentucky, Mississippi State at Auburn. And then you had question mark, question mark, Tennessee, Arkansas.

[Mark Ingram II]

I had Tennessee, Arkansas. That's what, that's eight wins. So that means I have question.

[Rob Stone]

You're at eight, coaches at nine.

[Mark Ingram II]

But I gave question mark for Bam. I gave question mark for Texas, I gave question mark for Ole Miss. So.

[Rob Stone]

And A and M. And A and.

[Mark Ingram II]

M. So yeah, they win two of those four, it could be over. Listen, I'mma go over because we've seen what. What I'm going to go over. I give him eight wins and out of the four games, he need two, we see what a number one transfer has to do. We saw Indiana do it two years ago. We saw what lsu. We saw what Elaine Kiffin did at Ole Miss. I hate to say it because I am Bama through and through. I don't give a piss about nothing but the tie. You know this, coach, and I hate to say it, but I've been saying LSU and Lane Kiffin going to be a problem. They giving them 40 million, 30 million to add to the roster the resources that LSU is going to provide. Lane Kiffin. I think they're going to be a problem. I hate to say it and I hope that they go under and if they go over, I hope it's with a loss to Bama. But I think I'm going over. I'm going to take the over with Lane Kiffin. I don't know, it's just something about Bud.

[Urban Meyer]

How did you say. Say that again. They gave him how much money for the roster?

[Mark Ingram II]

About 30 million.

[Urban Meyer]

I thought there was a cap.

[Mark Ingram II]

There is no cap, coach. You got money. You got the governor of Your state behind you. You know what I mean?

[Rob Stone]

You get that money, you got to tell Desantis to pick it up. With his love for Gainesville. Now, Coach hanging out with him.

[Mark Ingram II]

The next difference is there's three big dogs. Really? Four in Florida. In Louisiana, there's one big dog, and that is Louisiana State University.

[Rob Stone]

Again, Fanduel has the win total for LSU at nine and a half. Somehow Mark says 10.

[Mark Ingram II]

I. I gave him eight wins, and then I gave him four question marks. I'm saying they gonna win two of the four.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, you change those question marks to wins awfully quick, Coach. You going the under on the nine and a half.

[Urban Meyer]

I'm gonna. Damn.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, right. It feels eight, nine. I'm kind of comfortable. Kind of comfortable.

[Mark Ingram II]

Four question marks. I gave them four question marks at.

[Rob Stone]

Ole Miss, Texas A and M. Bama and Texas.

[Mark Ingram II]

Listen, listen. They get Bama and Texas. They get Bama and Texas at home at Tennessee, bro.

[Rob Stone]

Wait.

[Mark Ingram II]

Okay.

[Rob Stone]

By the way. No, no, you know what?

[Urban Meyer]

No.

[Mark Ingram II]

They get Bama, A and M and Texas at home.

[Rob Stone]

I'm updating this. LSU at Ole Miss. That is an L. Oxford is showing up. Lane, it is going to be a miserable day in Oxford on your return. That is an L. So now you're gonna have to find a win somewhere else.

[Mark Ingram II]

So now they got to get two or three at home against A M. Bama and Texas. They gotta get two out of three.

[Rob Stone]

Good luck with that.

[Mark Ingram II]

Good luck.

[Rob Stone]

Good luck with that, Lane.

[Mark Ingram II]

Good luck.

[Rob Stone]

Yeah, good luck.

[Urban Meyer]

And I'll tell you what. Just imagine.

[Mark Ingram II]

Imagine class 30 million coach on the roster.

[Urban Meyer]

40 and 40. 40 back and 40 new players.

[Mark Ingram II]

Number one transfer. Number one quarterback in the transfer portal. A top edge in the transfer portal, a top tackle in the transfer portal. We know what that portal could do for a roster, man.

[Rob Stone]

And. And we know what Lane Kiffin can do with the roster as well. All right, good luck, Lane Train. Have fun with that. Remember to Follow subscribe rate us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts as well as social media. We are at 3x option show. As always, great love to our sponsors, Wendy's and FanDuel, and we'll see you again next week on the triple option.

[Todd McShay]

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[Urban Meyer]

And they all bring the Monster Energy punch. So if you've been living in the white can Branch out.

[Mark Ingram II]

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[Todd McShay]

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